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The NCUBA Tournament March Madness is upon us. Fill out
your BRACKETE how you feel in cougarnation about BYU's path
to a Sweet sixteen and maybe beyond that right now,
So we're gonna break it all down. What's seating the
b what you get and who will they be facing
in this NCAA tournament run. If anything is possible, Anything
is possible, and aj Debonsa is ready to take this
team on his shoulders, I think and have an elite
performance when it matters modest and we're gonna break it
all down here on your Utai ESPN radio network. So
keep us tuned in on that one of three to
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Speaker 1: We appreciate it. When you do.
Speaker 2: You can follow me on x at Crudel Benjamin, follow
us at ESPN the Fan without further ado. Why don't
we fired up the ESPN the Fans starting lineup and
I can introduce you to my coast and the rest
of the stars cast joining us for this Monday, March
sixteenth edition of Cougar Sports Behind the Glass gonna be
breaking all down alongside me today.
Speaker 1: Let's welcome in the.
Speaker 2: Point guard of the show, the Architect. We got Ronald,
the three man Weaver. This is his favorite time of
the year. March madness is upon us, Ronnie. How you
feeling about them coods?
Speaker 3: Look they got a good shot.
Speaker 2: Uh.
Speaker 3: I'll tell you right now and give you a little
bracketology early, give you what I have. I got him
going to the Sweet sixteen tease a little bit in
the show. There's a certain you know, national guy that
has them to the Alita.
Speaker 4: He believes AJ can carry him.
Speaker 3: Don't know if I'm going to go that far, but
I believe the Kougs can go back to back seasons,
been into sweet sixteen, have a sweet season.
Speaker 2: It's never happened before. Bou's never had a run like that,
back to back.
Speaker 1: Sweet sixteen, Sweet sixteen.
Speaker 2: It's happened very few times in BYU basketball history.
Speaker 1: But this is a new era, this is a new age.
Speaker 2: This is the Kyu capital pro lowercase VOH of BYU
men's basketball.
Speaker 1: And in order to meet quota, right, I think you gotta.
Speaker 2: Win at least one, all things considered with how many
season ending injuries there has been. But if you can
get to a sweet sixteen, I may I think I
believe most Kugarnation will be joevial, They will be happy,
they will feel like mission accomplished. Hammertime show is also here,
Brett always bringing the hammer. Stop Hammertime?
Speaker 1: What's up? Hammer Time?
Speaker 4: It is a good weekend, man, it was a good
good weekend.
Speaker 2: Had some shabu yesterday, shabu. I've not had the shabu shaboo.
Speaker 4: It's my father in law, father Neil, served as mission
in Japan. Big fan of Japanese culture and he loves shabu.
Speaker 5: So it basically you buy a The best way to
explain is like you basically have a bunch of frozen
like cold cuts, whether it's be a whole bunch of
other meats, and then you all everybody at the table
has a hot pot and you're boiling broth and you're
throwing sprouts and cabbage and then like you drop the
meat and it's frozen. It cooks in like three seconds
and you eat it straight out of the broth and boom.
Speaker 4: It's incredible. And anytime we do it's usually a special occasion.
So I was like, you know why we're doing shabu today,
but he just felt like on a random Sunday, like
it's usually our I think Christmas Eve will do it.
So anyway, I had schabu over the weekend.
Speaker 5: Therefore, the rest of the weekend was incredible and I'm
happy to be here on a Monday morning.
Speaker 2: Sometimes, you know, it just feels good to get some
deliciousness in you and some you got a nurse's strength
to the body. You need the nutrients and that'll set
you up for success throughout the rest of the week.
Check out the rest of our ESPN the fans starting
line up. We got a star start of cash know
if answer butts about it, so stay tuned. We're gonna
keep it locked full and loaded full of information here
on your Utah ESPN Radio network. In the initial segment,
we're gonna get into k wives commentary on BAU seeding
and their path to hopefully the Sweet sixteen, their season
as a whole.
Speaker 1: How would he grate it? How do you evaluate it?
Don't miss that.
Speaker 2: Aj Devansa also commenting on his role going into the
March Madness NCAA tournament. So don't go anywhere in the
first how we're gonna get into a lot of sound,
a lot of comments there. Matt Norlander comments on BYU's
path to possibly the Elite Eight. Stay tuned for that.
In the three thirty segment, Toby Christian, former BA wide
receiver and mentor coach of legend Glasgar is going to
join us at four or five. Toby's also going to
be participating in the alumni game occurring later this month
slash early.
Speaker 1: April is April third.
Speaker 2: I think we're gonna be having the alumni scrimmage, So
Toby Christian is going to be ballin shot Colin and
at Lavell Edwards Stadium once again. Steve Klements, former BOU quarterback,
joining us at four thirty and then John at the
Tamerinari at five o five will hand the mics over
to UVU Baseball at five thirty. So a ton of
news notes to get into a lot of March madness
comments as well. Today, Uh, why don't we fired up
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Speaker 1: All right, guys.
Speaker 2: If you didn't know, b YU going to the NC
Double A Tournament, they are making their their third straight
trip to the NC Double A Tournament, as the Cougars
were named a sixth seed in the West Region on
Sunday evening during the NC Double A selection show broadcast
live on CBS. It was the final sixth seed, and
so they got in by the skin of their teeth.
But everyone had predicted. Everyone had projected them as a
six seeds, so no surprise is there. The Cougar's open
play Thursday in Portland, Oregon, against the winner of Texas
and NC State in the round of sixty four of
that playing game. The winner of Thursday's game will play
a second round matchup on Saturday against the Winter Forver,
Gonzaga and Kenesas State. B Yu is seventeen and thirty
five all time in the NCAA Tournament, including a five
and four record as a six seed, so above the
five hundred threshold there that that makes you a little
bit more optimistic. The Cougars have never played NC State
or Texas in the Big Dance, and game time and
TV designations I believe will be announced later. I don't
think we have any more clarity on that just yet.
But guys, how do we feel about the seeding? How
do we feel about the path? You're looking at the bracket?
Who is out west? You have ui A as the
one seed, you have Perdue as the two seed. The
three seed in the West is is Gonzaga b way,
He's gonna have to face them in that second round.
Your fourth seed is Arkansas, five seed is Wisconsin. Your
sixth seed obviously b Yu okay. Seventh seed is Miami,
eight seed is Villanova. Nine seed is Utah State, And
I never know if luxo happenstance happened, you may you're
not gonna face Utah State.
Speaker 1: But it is interesting that they're on the West.
Speaker 2: So that's the eight and nine seed, b Wa, you
had already faced Villanova once this season.
Speaker 1: We'll see if they see them again.
Speaker 2: The ten seed missoo okay, eleventh seed obviously Ency State
or Texas, and then the twelve seed is High Point,
thirteen seed is Hawaii, okay, the Rainbow Warriors.
Speaker 1: Fourteen seed is.
Speaker 2: As I mentioned, Kannessas State, fifteen is Queens, and sixteen
seed is Long Island. Guys, that's the That's what b
Yu's face facing right now. That's what they're up against.
How do we feel about the path to the Sweet
sixteen possibly Elite eight if the if the uh, the
stars aligned.
Speaker 5: Interesting note here, we heard a lot from Kevin Young
in the offseason about wanting to prepare the team for
the NCBLA tournament.
Speaker 4: Well, would you look at that.
Speaker 5: You saw Wisconsin during your non con they're in your
field in the NCUBA tournament, Miami, you saw them in
non con and they're in your field in the nc
DOUBLEA tournament, and uh.
Speaker 4: Who's the last one? Villanova?
Speaker 5: So three again, Kevin Young, no shir Dams here basically
predicted three of the teams you're gonna play in non
con are teams that you could see in the NCIBY tournament.
Three of them not only in the tournament, but in
your field. So good on Kevin Young for having an
eye of like we need to be playing in tournament
environments in order to be ready for the tournament. But
on top of that, I actually think BYU got a
really good field here. I kind of feel for Duke, Like,
I know, Duke's the number one seed. I think Duke
got Duke's the number one overall seed. I think Duke
kind of got screwed a little bit with some of
the teams they have in their field BYU. Considering the
fact that you don't know who you're playing, we think
that either one of those.
Speaker 4: Teams is a winnable game for BYU.
Speaker 5: Then you have to take on a Gonzaga team who
is down a guy who I believe is averaging seventeen
and points and six rebounds, so whether or not they
get him back would be a question.
Speaker 4: And then after that it's it's it's really a toss up.
Speaker 5: There is a world, there's a path here where you
could make it to the Sweet sixteen.
Speaker 4: People likely think you would see Purdue there.
Speaker 5: Maybe you Perdue doesn't make it in my bracket, I
actually have Missouri upsetting Perdue.
Speaker 4: But we will see either way.
Speaker 5: A pretty favorable field, a pretty favorable region for BYU
here in the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 2: So in out of BYUS, I mean they had what
seventeen eighteen quad one opportunities this season. The teams that
made it to the NCAA Tournament by already faced Villanova,
Yukon right there, Wisconsin, Miami, Clemson, TCU, Texas, Tech, U
of A, Houston, Iowa state. You know, you look at
all the teams that BYU has faced and that that
are in the Big Dance even I mean didn't. I
mean you're looking at this robust schedule that cal Baptist
got in and knocked off the Wolverines. I know that
was devastating for the Wolverines, the way, the form and
fashion in which they lost. A missed ali up by
a former BYU commit as it is now, I think
he's gonna bounce back from that. I think he's gonna
have a tremendous career. He's only getting started as a
tremendous athlete. He's gonna get better. He's gonna everyone's gonna
forget that this happened. It's gonna be a launch point
for more success. But you look at all these teams
that are in and BYU went through a refining fire
considering all the teams that are in the big dance, Ronald,
your thoughts on the seating that path for BYU and uh,
you know what has led BYU to this moment of
preparation in order to make a run in the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think to your chance the last part. Let's go,
you know, back to to the beginning. The defense, its
intensity and once we get into the sound Kevin Young
and aj Debounca, we'll talk a little bit more about that.
But that's how you win games. Been in football, it's
defense and runs. You got to get stops. The Boa
has been able to do that. They've been able to
find their identity in this you know, third iteration. Canard
Davis Junior has really popped off. I feel like Alexi
coaches playing well. Dominique Diamande. I told this to Brett
and I'll tell this to you now and to the listeners.
It doesn't matter at this point who you like and
who you don't like. Everybody on this roster is going
to have to contribute at some point, what if Alexi
gets in foul trouble, What if Rob gets in foul trouble,
You're gonna maybe need Abdullah at some point. I know
fans might not like to see him, but every piece
on this roster has to contribute. Now, Ben, it's do,
it's all or nothing. It's do or Diet's win or
go home. Literally, like you heard it from AJ on
Sports Center, He's like he's got six wins, like one
last chance. You can't sit there and say, well what if,
but the next game there is no next game if
you don't win. So I think that fire of if
you don't win and going home and your season's over.
But I also think the chemistry that they've built, you know,
the confidence of everybody. The guys that are playing right
now been have a bunch of confidence, and I think
that can take you a long time. I said it before.
Canard shot well in the tournament?
Speaker 4: Did he not?
Speaker 3: Alexi shot well in the tournament?
Speaker 4: Did he not?
Speaker 3: That happens been because it's a neutral site, those type
of atmospheres where it's not a home court advantage, even
if you get regional preference, that can build a player up.
And I believe that Alexi and Kannar will be pivotal
along with Dominique and Hadem because you know what you're
gonna get out of Rob. You know what you're gonna
ge out of Aj. Now here's the time Ben AG's
gonna get those calls that he's looking forward to. I
pose this question. You know how many free throws does
AJ get in the opening ground? Does he get sixteen
free throws? Does he get eighteen? Does he get twenty?
You know he wasn't getting calls into the Big twelve, but
I think he'll get those now. And to answer your
first point, with all the injuries and everything that's occurred,
I think this sixt seed is perfect. They would last
six seed in There was no doubt that they were
going to drop to a seven. They were not going
to play on a Friday Saturday line, Friday Sunday line.
Excuse me, it wasn't going to happen. And look, this
is favorable Ben, and I asked Kevin Young this in
the media. Availability to play in Portland, to have it
close to home, and if you get to the sweet sixteen,
you have it in San Jose, California. That's preference. Ben
to now I have to do what you did last
year and bau fans travel. But you went from Denver
all the way to Newark. If you win in Portland,
Ben you're going to California. That's not that far. So
it's a great draw. I think perfectly. You get Gonzaga.
You know what better three seed could you really play?
I think that's a good matchup for your bar and
that they win Thursday, right and look perdue. I think
that they got a favorable matchup there. But if they lose,
the Missouri's bet Brett has picked him in his bracket.
This is the best, best bracket and best draw that
I thought, boy, you could have gotten because all I
got to say, there's a certain duke team, a certain
you know, d n P on the East side along
with Yukon and Saint John's would not want to see
BYU matched up over there, and they're not so shout
out to BYU and being in the West region. I
think it's a great, great opportunity.
Speaker 1: I love it.
Speaker 2: I mean, look at all the the refining fire of
the Big twelve, his prep BYU. Accordingly, even you know,
you had wins and he had great competitions versus Clemson
who got an age seed, Villanova got an eight seed,
Miami got a seven seed, Tech five, Wisconsin five seed,
UFAFC the one seed, Iowa State a two seed, Houston
a two seed, Yukon a two seed. We've seen the
best b YU has seen the best of the best,
and they've been extremely competitive and even winning their fair
share of these highly competitive games. I'm excited to see
what this team can accomplish. They are the third iteration
of this team. You were more optimistic after watching them
in the Big twelve tournament.
Speaker 1: Can they continue this path?
Speaker 2: We will see. I do like the I like the
pool in the West. I like how we match up
IP against Gonzaga, I really do. I like that matchup
a lot, and I'm optimistic. Let's get k Wi's thoughts
on the matter. Coach, what's your reaction to being selected
as the number six seed and having to prepare for
two teams?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 6: Man, just excited. You know, this is such a phenomenal tournament.
You know, it's a privilege to play in it. You know,
it captivates America.
Speaker 7: You know my.
Speaker 6: Experience in it last year for the first time was incredible.
Speaker 7: So number I'm just excited. As far as the seed
and all that.
Speaker 6: I mean, I don't really get caught up in all that.
You know, you play who you play. In terms of
preparing for two teams, again, it is what it is.
I mean, what would we have liked to know who
for sure we were playing? Probably, But you know, I'm
a I'm an optimistic type thinker, So I think the
positive there is, you know, it gives you less time
to overthink it, and I think there's actually a lot
of power in that, you know, focusing on yourself right now,
trying to just get better the things that make us
good and have made us good during this little resurgence
that we've had. I think it'll be a good time
to do that, and then, you know it kind of
it forces you to just get to the point when
it does come time to introduce the opponent to the guys,
which I think has actually helped our team this year
when we just keep it simple and keep the main
thing the main thing. So for that reason, I kind
of like that.
Speaker 2: I don't think anybody wants to prep for two teams, right,
No one wants at the scout two teams.
Speaker 1: But you got time, you can check it out.
Speaker 2: Texas is eighteen and fourteen all the year nine to
nine and conference play in the SEC, their net rating
is forty second. NC state is has a net rating
of thirty six. They're twenty and thirteen on the season,
ten and eight in conference play. In their quad one
opportunit of these Texas is six and nine uh and
but what's really interesting is their Quad two opportunities are
one and four, one and four, and the quad two
opportunities NC stayed is five and eight in Quad one opportunities,
six and four in Quad two. So they they kind
of showed up when they needed to in the quad
two situations and a little bit under five hundred in
those quad one opportunities. So both really good teams. Both teams,
you know, have the ability to beat b YU. But
b YU is going to be favored in this in
this initial round, no doubt about. In the round of
sixty four, O Ky, Why what did you learn about
your team during the Big twelve tournament?
Speaker 6: You know, just a good group of guys number one.
You know, they care about each other. You know, it's
been a you know, we've had some some stuff that
guys have had to work through collectively with just the
injuries and you know, losing a couple of losing streaks
and nobody nobody blanked and nobody bad and I we
just stayed with it, and h you know, I thought
we we caught And so momentum at the right time.
I think our guys understand. I think they really believe
that we can go out and guard anybody, you know
where that hadn't been the case I think for a
lot of the year, and a lot of that's based
on who we're playing now. A lot of is based
on just simplifying things and really holding the guys accountable
to just do it harder, longer, stronger, faster, and they
galvanize themselves around that. So what I learned is that
we just have a really confident locker room room right
now that feels like we're playing our best ball this time.
Speaker 7: Of year, which is what you which, which is what
you want to be doing.
Speaker 1: Long and strong and down to get the friction on.
That's what I heard.
Speaker 2: BYU's back, Baby, byu Is back that that hold longer, stronger.
Speaker 1: He said that multiple times now.
Speaker 2: And then the simplification of it all the kiss messid method,
right as we've talked about on the show. So you know,
when you keep it simple, the athletes can just go
out and play ball. And I think that's what's happened since,
uh since Big twelve tournament. Play Ronald, you got a
stat for me in this segment? What do you got
for me? He brought to you by Vanterwealth Banterwealth dot Com.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I got you. I told this to Brad telling
it to you and the listeners. Ben, do you know
that both Texas and NC State have lost five of
their last six like this team. Neither of these teams
are trending.
Speaker 4: In a good direction. They aren't.
Speaker 3: Like Texas lost to Georgia Florida, they beat A and M,
then they lost to number fourteen Arkansas Oklahoma. Then they
lost to Ole Miss in the SEC tournament. You flip
the NC State lost to Virginia and Notre Dame, number
one Duke Stanford, they beat Pitt and then they lost
to Virginia in the ACC tournament. So neither of these teams,
I feel like, are trending upward. They're trending down and
Ba's trending up. I know it's gonna be a tough matchup,
but you have to think. I think BYU could open
up as a seven and a half or eight and
a half point favorite.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you look at their wims and most
of their wims, you know. I mean, look, Texas already
played m C State and they beat NC State one
of two ninety seven on the neutral four. Earlier in
the year, they had win against Alabama, win against Vandy, Oklahoma,
and Missou and then you have Texas A and m
that those are their six quad one wins. They did
most of their work on the front end of the
schedule as well as the front end of SEC play.
So not trending in the right direction though right now.
Speaker 5: No, But I think if you asked anyone who covers
college basketball, they would tell you, like, this is one
of the ugliest years of the bubble that we.
Speaker 4: Have seen in a long time.
Speaker 5: So the teams that were on the edge of getting
into the tournament one of the worst years. That's why
you're not seeing a lot of outrage from Miami Ohio
getting in is because they didn't really push anyone out
who was supremely deserving of it. So it's not a
huge shock to see Texas and NC State struggling their
way into the tournament.
Speaker 4: One stat I want to throw at you, guys.
Speaker 5: In all but two tournaments, at least one first four
team has won its next game in the round of
sixty four, which means it's likely to happen again. So basically,
you have a twenty five percent chance that BYU finds
the team who comes out of the first four who
wins that first game, because it's happened every year except
for two since twenty eleven.
Speaker 4: Will Texas and NC State be those teams? Not so sure.
Speaker 5: My guess is your eleven seeds probably going to be
more likely to do it than your sixteen seeds. But
it's an interuring interesting stat Nonetheless.
Speaker 2: Let's get back to ky commentary. This was from yesterday
after the selection show. How do you feel like the
defensive effort from the Big twelve tournament will translating carry
over in the first game on Thursday?
Speaker 7: Yeah?
Speaker 6: I do, because you know, the way we did it
wasn't like it with stuff that you couldn't go repeat.
You know, there was no you know, sexy schemes or anything.
We just did it by you know, focusing really hard
on effort, focusing.
Speaker 7: Really hard on one on one defense.
Speaker 6: You know, and the schemes that we did employ were
very basic and very simple, which has allowed our guys
to think less and play harder. So yes, I do
think that that'll come into play. And a lot of
it too is you know, just rebounding, right, I think
that's a big piece of winning at this time of year,
to be able to rebound the basketball on both ends
of the floor. And you know, that's something that actually
has been a constant for us all year. I think
we've been a pretty good rebounding team. And I think that,
like I said, this time of year, postseason playman rebounding
plays such a huge part in it.
Speaker 7: So I feel confident.
Speaker 6: Our guys' ability to go out and and you know,
put up a good rebounding effort.
Speaker 2: Yeah, how do we feel about by U's ability to
get defensive boards and then get second chance shouts? It
seemed like the the the way that BA was winning
and staying in games much of like the first half
of the season, it felt like we were getting a
ton of second chance points. Then it dropped off a bit,
and then there has been a resurgence. We've seen Haideem integrated,
Dunney Dimonde. I mean, we've seen obviously uh A j
really good after the boards. Cannard Davis junior junior has
been good. Are we confident versus you know, these these
very long athletic teams that he was going to be
facing in the NCAA tournament, that they can continue to
rebound at a high high rate and a high pace
in order to get second chance shots and limit second
chance shots.
Speaker 4: I think so.
Speaker 5: I think one of the things that we're going to
realize that is of ustimated.
Speaker 4: Underestimated.
Speaker 1: Yeah, ustmated.
Speaker 5: When I like to come back, I'm just you know,
just shrinking it down, just abbreviating as the kids do.
One of the things that I think we're underestimating with BYU,
you don't have to play a big twelve team. Because
I was telling Ron this, like I grew up living
an SEC country and I grew up drinking the kool
aid of we are the best conference in all of
college football. An when you play outside of this is
going to be an easy win. And for the first
twenty years of my life that was the case. The
last eight or so years, not necessarily, but the point being,
when you grow up playing in the best conference, when
you play all of your games against the toughest teams
in America?
Speaker 4: What does it look like when you play outside of that?
Speaker 5: Bou hasn't played a non Big twelve team since the
middle of December. It's been three months since you played
someone who is not in the Big twelve conference.
Speaker 4: What does it look like when you get to play
someone who isn't that?
Speaker 5: And I'm not saying, by any means that Texas is
a pushover or that NC State has no talent, but
I'm saying you have basically been I mean, it's like
lifting your one repmax or your two repmax and then
you take off and you just go till you finish,
and it's like, oh, Okay, these are the things I
can do when I'm not being held back and restricted.
Are we going to see that BYU is able to
find themselves a little bit sooner, get comfortable a little
bit sooner because of the fact that you are not
playing someone with the Big twelve logo attached to their brand.
I think that's gonna be something to watch for early
in this tournament.
Speaker 1: Let's get back to it.
Speaker 2: Ky commentary Head coach BYU coach How impactfulers it to
have guys? Rich uh Caba rob who have played in
this tournament to help players like a J. Obviously Richie
is not playing, but he's gonna be mentoring. We are
actually almost undefeated now and we've got one loss. Now
when Richie's coach, Richie's on the on the on the bench,
others who have experienced it, been there, done that.
Speaker 7: Yes, it's really important.
Speaker 6: You know, I think just from a nerve standpoint, just
from a you know what to expect standpoint, I think
is good. You know, Aj is a pretty even killed person,
so I think he'll be fine. But but still, man,
it's like I said, this tournament captivates America for a
reason because it's a big deal and it's it's a
it's fun to play in. But there's a lot that
goes in with into it, right and so you know,
I think he'll for sure be leaning on guys that
have done it. You know, coach, coach Richie as I
call him now, has done a phenomenal job I think
of just being a calming presence for the guys in
ways that none of the coaches can be. So we'll
look forward to leaning on his leadership in that area
the way we have the last few games.
Speaker 2: As well, gotta leanon coach Richie, no doubt about it.
And Ronald, this is the question that you posed. Having
guys that have been there is beneficial. We don't really
have guys that are playing that are also leaders.
Speaker 1: Do you feel like there's a little gap there? You
know what I mean?
Speaker 2: Because Richie's out, Keba isn't a vocal leader. He's more
of a lead by example, bring energy by example. Do
you feel like there's a gap there or do you
feel like the experience is good enough to get byu
over the high pressure situations of the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 3: There's a gap vocally as mentioned you know that you
just said, and I think obviously because a guy Richie
can't be in the huddles right like on the court,
So when there's a foul that's occurred or when someone
else gets found Ben, they can't really like you, Richie
can't come on the court and tell them what's going on.
He can coach them from the bench. So there's a
little bit of a you know, a vocal disparity. But
I think Kevin Young's done a good job Ben of
making sure that the other team doesn't get momentum. I
think you and Brett both agree to this. When Houston
got on a little bit of a run even in
that first half, Kevin gonna call the time out immediately
right at the beginning of the game, like he's like,
all right, nope, stopping this right now. So I think
doing that, you know, and giving the guy's confidence and
having Richie there, he's trying to implement Richie Saunders where
he can as much as possible. I don't think Richie's
like in their staff meetings, but I think Kevin Young's
having conversations with Richie and Richie's doing the best that
he can. But on the court, I think he missed
that a little bit. But I think Robin aj stepped up,
and I really think they have They're gonna have to
stop up even bigger. But yeah, I think they are
missing that, like that big, vocal guy that can be
on the court. And you saw that last year Laster's team,
Like Fus might not have been allowed as guy, but
he was a guy that was a leader. Trevor Nil.
You know, even Dawson Baker till a little bit. I
go back to the Big Till tournament, at one point
you saw down Hall Trevor Neil Dawson, Baker, Richie Saunders
and Fusaul on the court. You know you're missing a
lot of that vocalitness this year, but you hopefully you
can see AJ Robin even maybe Canard a little bit
step up and talk a little bit more. But I
think there is definitely something they're missing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that look, I mean look Big twelve, like the
pomp and circumstance and the eyeballs. I mean, there was
a lot of hype surrounding that that particular tournament. I
know Brian Windhors was like commenting on on on the
Big Twelve tournament and just it was kind of a
showcase of the NBA draft, Right.
Speaker 1: It's like all those guys.
Speaker 4: That's what it was, right, I mean, God Kings and Fundings.
Speaker 5: You have Darren Peterson, you have age A Watsa, you
have co Pete, Like do I need to keep on going?
You basically had every team in the tournament. And that's
basically this tournament is also, by the way, like every
team has a first round pick on their squad, the
NCAA tournament is gonna be a little bit easier, but
as soon as you get to the sweet sixteen, it's
gonna be like that all over again.
Speaker 4: It's gonna be a first round pick every single night.
Speaker 2: And so you know, you hope that there's a desensitization
to the bright lights.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2: Like and and maybe remember how we've talked about how
AJ and Rob and Caernard they're not really emotionally driven people.
Speaker 1: They're not like high energy all the time.
Speaker 2: Maybe in this case, in the highest levels and the
brightest lights, they just don't really get impacted by it.
And that may be a good thing going, you know,
bringing great effort, right, because there was a sense of emergency,
simplifying bringing that sense of urgency, but not like this frenetic, chaotic,
like neurotic fear of we got to meet the standard.
Speaker 1: It's like, nah, man, we go out and ball. And
AJ's been asked a.
Speaker 5: Couple times now about like, oh, like who are you
leaning on to get experience and for the tournament stuff.
Speaker 4: And I'm like, I get it.
Speaker 5: But on the other hand, it's like, dude, he just
played in a neutral site tournament last week.
Speaker 4: He's gonna be the number one overall pick.
Speaker 5: Yeah, And I'd love to have somebody maybe answer this.
Who maybe I'm not thinking about it this way, but like,
what is there really that's gonna be different about this
that like AJ can't handle. It's not bright lights, it's
not a bigger stadium, it's not a louder crowd.
Speaker 4: Like what it really is.
Speaker 1: You don't have to plan a slippery glass.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, you probably causing migraines.
Speaker 5: You're gonna have an even more favorable playing surface than
you were playing. Maybe maybe that's why the big twelve
teams are gonna recap it. But they're like, man, brett
Ormark was sandbaging this last week, playing on ice.
Speaker 4: This week we're actually playing on real hardwood. So watch
what we.
Speaker 2: Do now, man, Yes, indeed, let's get to the final
final couple cuts here. Opportunity to start on the West
Coast is a good thing. Last year you were in Denver.
What do you expect from Cougarnation traveling out to Portland.
It should feel like it's possibly a home game.
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think it'll be packed with blue.
Speaker 6: I'm excited about that for our fan base. You know,
that was a big deal in Portland. Excuse me in
Denver last year, and I expected to be the same
this year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, look, the crazy thing is is when
when you get to the second round, which we are
expect b will you to get to the second round
Europe against Gonzaga, That's gonna be like the good old
days at the West Coast Conference Tournament and that they
come out way. BWA fans, show up, show out Gonzaga fans.
All they have is basketball, That's all they have. So
I pray BYU fans or are heading out to Portland,
they're coming, They're converging on on that arena.
Speaker 5: I'm so glad that we don't have any players or
coaches who are a part of this staff during the
WCC because I feel like for a while there towards
the end of WCC time for BYU, like Gonzaga was
just the monkey on BYU's back. Man Like, even if
BYU had a favorable roster going into that game, they
just kind of owned BYU mentally.
Speaker 4: A little bit. And look, they were that good.
Speaker 5: They were the number one team in America on a
number of occasions. But I don't feel like that really
has any factor or bearing here because nobody on this
team or this staff really had any connection to that
version of BYUS team.
Speaker 4: So my hope is that is out the window.
Speaker 1: Let us pray.
Speaker 2: You talked about the guys that have been to the
tournament before in that experience. Can you speak more to
Richie to coach Richie how he came back and he
came kind of out of his shell coaching in Kansas City.
Speaker 7: Yeah, that's a good observation. I agree.
Speaker 6: I think he has quote unquote come out of his
shell more.
Speaker 7: You know, he's showing a bit more of his personality.
Speaker 6: I think he's I think he just has a little
bit and I don't want to speak for him, but
it just when I when I'm just watching him from Afar,
looking at his body language, looking at his just the
vibes that he's putting out, I feel like he's he's
in a good place mentally, you know, knowing that this
is just a minor step back in his career and
he can't change what's happened. I think he feels good
about the plan that's in place for him personally, and
I think that's allowed him to put his own self
aside and just be there for the guys as a
kind of an older brother type. And he you know,
he wants us to win just as much as as
he did or more when he was playing right. And
so I think you see it and it's genuine and
the guys feel it, and it's been pretty cool to watch.
Speaker 1: Love the role that coach Richie's playing. Look, he knows
his role.
Speaker 2: Now he's got to be a mentor be eyes for
those teammates that need need eyes.
Speaker 1: Coaches see a lot of things.
Speaker 2: Their criticism, their constructive coaching is always welcome. When it's
peer to peer coaching, it just means a little bit more,
it really does, especially from an individual that you trust.
It's big time in terms of your offensive identity. K Y,
you found something a little bit different with the two
man game with Robin Asian Kansas City.
Speaker 1: Can you elaborate and speak on that.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean every every game presents different things based
on how teams are guarding you.
Speaker 7: But yeah, I mean we've.
Speaker 6: Had we have had to experiment with some different things,
you know, across the board, not just with those two guys,
but but you know them them. We have featured them
in a little bit more two man actions, which has
been good. But you know, we'll have to get in
the film room and see see how these other teams
like to defend. But at the same time, you know,
you don't want to get lost in trying to be
too cute as it relates to attacking and other team's weaknesses.
You definitely want to do it, but I think I
made that mistake in a pass where you're trying to
do too much because you see something off films. So
you know, we'll try to you know, we'll try to
allow Rob and AJ to do what they do at
a you know, at a high level without kind of
getting in their way. But at the same time, you know,
our team is different than it was, and we have
experimented with certain things and we're still you know, that's
that I will say, those are still areas. I feel
like we have a lot of room to improve on
the offensive end, just given the different players that we're playing,
and you know, we'll see how that kind of unfolds.
Speaker 2: Well, uh, I do think you know, you're gonna need
more than a J and Rob to get to the
places where you want to go, right, like the Burden
news heavy, the Crown news heavy on the head of
a J and that that Robin role that that Rob
is taking on. You know, I have no pun intending
there Robin Robin to his batman, aj Be and the
Batman to the to Rob's Robin. You're still gonna need Hadeem.
You're gonna need Dominique, You're gonna need Alexi. You're gonna
need all these guys, uh that to to step up.
Canard's gotta have a huge role in this NCAA tournament
in my opinion. Uh but uh A, j and And
and Rob are your stars, and the burden news heavy
on those guys.
Speaker 1: But I hope everybody else.
Speaker 2: Is is booing up those two because they're gonna need help.
They're gonna need spacing, They're gonna need great defense as well.
Speaker 5: My guess is these guys are probably chomping at the
bit right now because I think internally they they had
a huge momentum shift, a huge perspective shift, because you
look at how they played going down the season and
then going into Big twelve play.
Speaker 4: We were like, dude, what are we gonna get with
this team?
Speaker 5: Like, are they just gonna get washed by West Virginia,
They're gonna get washed by Kansas State.
Speaker 4: They won both those games in controlled.
Speaker 5: Convincing fashion, and then you're seven points away from beating
the number five team in America without Richie Saunders and
Ben if I told you week one of the season,
Hey man, they're gonna be seven points away from beating
the number five team in America. Without Richie Sanders, without
Dawson Baker, you would have said, go, you're crazy, get
out of here.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 5: They did that, and they found a new way to play,
a new way to find success.
Speaker 4: They found a new way to play defense.
Speaker 5: They only again they gave up seventy points, seventy three
points to Houston and sixty eight or forty eight points
to West Virginia. Like they found a way to play
repeatable defense, which is what Kevin Young was just talking about.
I think these guys realize, like, man, we got something
new to play with. We want to go test it
out against real competition because we know that we can't.
I think there's gonna be a ton of energy early
from this bou basketball team because they now finally believe
not only do they know what they're capable of, they
believe that they're capable of it and we're gonna see it,
I believe.
Speaker 2: On Thursday, couple last things here from k Y after
the selection show. On Sunday, Dominic d Minde had a
coming out party in Kansas City. Can he explain what
got him to him and what's allowed him to play
so well?
Speaker 6: Number one, he just when Richie went down, you know,
he he texted me, you know, could we meet? And
I thought it was gonna you know, it was gonna
be one thing. And all he said was, Coach, when
you call my number, I'm gonna be ready. I've been
working for I've been working and when you need me,
I'm ready. And I appreciated that about him. You know,
he is one of our hardest workers. You know, he's
a serious minded young man that only knows one thing
and that's to play really hard. And so you know,
you just never know when opportun tune he's gonna call.
You know, even going into that part of the season,
the Big twelve Tournament, I wasn't you know, I wasn't
sure how big of a role he would play. But
you know, a message I had to the guys a
few weeks ago is make me play you.
Speaker 7: You know, make me play you play.
Speaker 6: Play so hard and affect the game in a way
that it makes me play you.
Speaker 7: And I think he's taken at the heart.
Speaker 6: He's done a great job with his energy and getting
not getting us out and transition and so forth, and
you know, I think it's just a testament, you know,
kind of like Tray Stewart last year, where you just
stick with something long enough and then you get you
know that that rock finally does break. I think that's
kind of what it feels like with dom.
Speaker 2: Call my number, I'm gonna be ready, and we saw it. Look,
we'll play his deep Blue later on in the show.
Because Dominique's path to b YU, his his path, the
great news, ton of adversity, ton of trials, the refining fire.
Uh that that his propelled me him into a state
of urgency, a state.
Speaker 1: Of always trying to prove himself.
Speaker 2: Is he the most refined basketball player on this team,
not by any way, shape or form, but his length,
his athleticism, his core traits. You can see the potential.
And we're beginning to see when preparation meets opportunity what
type of productivity Dominique can have. And he's starting to
come into his own. It's been great to watch.
Speaker 4: He has some serious raw talent.
Speaker 1: Man.
Speaker 5: And you know, we talked a couple of weeks about
weeks ago about I.
Speaker 4: Can't remember which game it was.
Speaker 5: But we were talking about Alexi and when he's going
in for that fast break layup and he stutters and
he ends up getting the travel because.
Speaker 4: There were just there was some nerves there right.
Speaker 5: Alexi had not necessarily played the entirety of the season,
and so he was mentally having to jump up some steps.
When Dominique stole the ball and ran down the court,
you see any stutter with him.
Speaker 1: Uh huh.
Speaker 4: He says, not only am I gonna dunk this basketball,
I'm gonna win mil Now. That's a dangerous play. And
I'm glad that it worked out.
Speaker 5: And I was jumping through the roof, I was causing
all kinds of noise in the house. That's not a
guy who's nervous anymore. And I love that he called coach.
He said, when you call my name, I will be ready.
And it's a lot to talk about it. It's a
whole lot more to go out there and do it.
And the other thing about Dominique that really impressed me
was I think it was the first game of the
Big Twelve tournament. He went zero for two shooting from
the three point line. It was just that just was
not his thing. That's not where he's at in his
game right now. So what he said was, instead of
instead of being a net negative in that area, what
I'm gonna do instead is I'm gonna get shots for
other people, or if I'm taking shots, they're gonna be
me cutting to the basket and h throwing me the alley,
because that I know I can do. And so for
him to just grow in a really accelerated portion of time,
like what we've seen from him over the last two
three weeks has been nothing short of incredible. He doesn't
need to be an e lead three point shooter. He
just needs to be a freak athlete who hustles and
plays defense and injects energy into this team.
Speaker 4: And I think it'd be really easy Ben for Dominique to.
Speaker 5: Say, you know what, man, i didn't get my opportunity
this season, So I'm just gonna start looking at like
who's gonna take me next? That maybe they call my
name in the Big Twelf Tournament, but I'm focused on
what's next for me. There's no part of Dominique that
is worried about what's what's next for him next season.
He is playing for today, for right now, and I'm
excited to see what he does with this bou basketball
team on Thursday.
Speaker 2: His story to me is one you can cheer for,
you can get behind.
Speaker 1: So we'll listen to that deep Blue later on.
Speaker 2: A couple of sents from Ky Kevin with you guys
learning your location, what is the activation of your coaching
staff and support staff? How do assignments get pinned down
for preparation?
Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean we just met just now as a staff.
Speaker 6: You know, in this case, you got multiple games you
gotta get ready for, and so we just you know,
talked about you know, who knew who knew what about
specific teams, who was connected to who in different leagues,
and then based on that those factors kind of divvied
out assignments and then we kind of have a protocol
of how we like to prepare for opponents and just
made sure, you know, now you got a little bit
more all hands on deck. So there's different assignments that
are getting you know, divvied out and so forth, and
it's a real team effort.
Speaker 7: And then we'll get you know, tonight, we'll use.
Speaker 6: Tonight to try to educate ourselves on on both of
these teams. The best that we can, and then we'll
come in tomorrow try to figure out what common common
allities they may have.
Speaker 7: But like I said, it's really gonna a lot.
Speaker 6: It's gonna force us to just kind of worry about
ourselves for these first few days and and then we'll
have to make quick work of, you know, tightening up
the screws in terms of who we actually play.
Speaker 1: They go, hut.
Speaker 2: One final thing here, Oh, you guys had a lot
of big minutes during the Big twelve game after game
after game. How How nice is it to have seven
days off to prep for the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think it's big obviously.
Speaker 6: I mean, you know, the that was my first time
I think in my coaching life where I've ever played
three games in three days. Obviously, we wanted to beat Houston,
but you know, the positive side was We're able to
get home and get these guys off their feet, get them.
Speaker 7: Some rest, and so don't you know.
Speaker 6: I don't think fatigue will be an issue as we
move forward, just given the way things are spaced out.
Speaker 1: Okay, but there you go.
Speaker 2: I mean pros and cons, right, I mean, ideally we
want rest, but I mean you would still even if
you'd gone through the Big twelve tournament and you had
been let's say you get to the finals. You don't
get a five seed by going to the finals, right,
There's no way.
Speaker 1: So I think it all worked out like it should have.
Speaker 2: This is the path for BYU, and I think it's
a fortuitous one. Getting that last six weeed, heading to Portland,
getting the draw of a playing game maybe not ideal,
but you know, Texas anc State on the on the
back of their schedules. As Ronald pointed out, these teams
are not playing good basketball right now. They're having identity
issues going into March. They're not on that upward trend,
whereas BYU on that upward trend.
Speaker 1: It bodes well.
Speaker 2: You can get Gonzaga's a three cid B what you
could be not only a Sweet sixteen team, but they
could go further. I'm not saying that that's what it's
gonna be, but I'm saying they have a really good chance.
Speaker 1: I like how.
Speaker 2: Fortuitous the seating was and the location for BYU. Let's
go to break, We'll be back. That segment was brought
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ESPN coupon code. Want to get into that aj To
Bonsa commentary as we get ready for the NCAA Tournament
BYU has never had a player like unto aj To Bonsa.
Once upon a time you had Jimmer for that. Once
upon a time you had Danny Ainge so, and then
not too long ago you had Yegor with Demit whenever
BA you has a first round pick minus Sean Bradley.
Minus Sean Bradley because he was a big man at
the time. They got to around a thirty two with Sean.
But you have a Nate Smith Award player, you have
a that type of potential, you're going Elite eight or
Sweet sixteen. I hadn't necessarily package still a right when
you think of it now. Granted, it takes a supporting
cast too. It takes takes a village if you will.
But it's not like, I mean, how many professional basketball
players are on this roster outside of AJ You mean NBA,
Like I'm talking about like pretty high level, right, because
Brandon Davies high level. You're only right, and so he
but he wasn't a part of that Sweet sixteen run.
He was up, He was there up to that point,
but that was no longer. You had some young bucks
on that squad, right, that buoyed up if you look
at the twenty eleven squad, some good players that ended
up playing a lot of ball overseas, But you didn't
have a bunch of NBA guys. You still got to
He's sixteen, rob right, the third he's the NBA guy maybe,
I mean he's a second round pick maybe right good
under size of Canard Davis Junior.
Speaker 1: He's an overseas guys, no doubt.
Speaker 2: He's not an NBA guy though, but he's an overseas
guys that can play make a lot of money. He's
a Lexi, an overseas guy. Well most likely he was.
He he was, he was on that trend, you know
what I mean. So, like that's kind of what I'm
looking at. Typically, in order to get to his sweet sixteen,
you need two to three like high level professional basketball players,
and I think b Way you may have that.
Speaker 4: I really do.
Speaker 2: I think they have that in Rob Canard and then
a good supporting cast. Caaba is gonna play overseas if
he wants to for a long time too.
Speaker 1: He's too big, he's too strong, he's.
Speaker 2: Too athletic, he's he's raw still, doesn't shoot great free
throws and have a mid range game, doesn't have a
perimeter game. But like Lobb Lake City all day, he
could probably go hang out with his brother play professional
volleyball if he wanted.
Speaker 1: He could, no doubt about it, Ronald.
Speaker 2: When I asked you that question, how many professional basketball
players high level professional basketball players are on this roster?
Speaker 1: Outside of aj.
Speaker 3: Oh Man thinking of getting me on the fly obviously, Rob,
no doubt about it. Yeah, gonna play. Richie's injured, but
I still think he could get drafted this Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah, But I'm just saying that those guys that are
available to make a run to go to a.
Speaker 3: Sweet sixteen, Alexis gonna play overseas.
Speaker 2: I believe to lead eight you need probably three guys
that are playing high level basketball at that that that
Tier one overseas ball or there G leaguers. Eric Mika,
I mean he could have played overseas and played in
the G League and balled out right, you know what
I mean, Like TJ could have continued to play. I
think G League were overseas. He chose to, like, you know,
go corporate America. Tyler Hawes could have played overseas for
a long time. Remember Kyle Callser played G League. Yeah,
got some time in the NBA, then played overseas for
a long time.
Speaker 3: Well, you have four guys are then definitely, uh, you know,
no doubt, Rob, Knard, Alexi and and KBA. I think
all those guys can play, you know, for a very
long time. Obviously some you know, most of them overseas,
and then if you and the G League, you know,
I think Rob, you know, depending where he goes G League, NBA,
and then the rest can play overseas for sure. I
mean Alexi came from playing, you know, being in in
in league's overseas as well, and then as well as
Mihailo he did. But I mean those are my four.
I'm not gonna put him in that, but those are
the four that I would pick us KBA, Alexi, Moo
Davis and then Rob. Right, I think all those guys
got to show upfore you big time in the tournament,
and two of them have previous tournament experiences in cabin
and Rob.
Speaker 2: Let's say, let's see what AJ thinks about his squad,
his team right now. One of the things that AJ
does really well is he says, look like I after
not receiving the Big twelve player that your award, he said,
I didn't win enough for my team.
Speaker 1: I didn't leave my team well enough.
Speaker 2: You know, He's gonna put you on the shoulders, no doubt,
but he still needs the supporting cast.
Speaker 1: Let's get through it.
Speaker 2: How is it to get the six seed after everything
that's occurred this season?
Speaker 8: Aj Oh Yeah, obviously going into the season, you're wanting
to be a higher seed, but you know, as long
as you're in the tournament dancing, that's how it really matters. So,
you know, we had a lot of adversity through this
year with injuries and you know, everything like that. So
for us to even be a six seed, and you know,
six the six eleven games really you know, hard game,
really special games. So for us even be a sixth seed,
we're proud of that.
Speaker 2: Very proud of that. It's a fantastic accomplishment. All things considered.
You'll be playing one of the two teams from Tuesday,
uh in Chi State or Texas, and not knowing who
you're gonna play, how do you prep that for for
either one of these teams?
Speaker 8: I mean, I think we're we're just focused on me.
I'm obviously watch that game, but you know, our coach
Staffie will do a good job of you know, scotting
both teams. But I don't think, like you know, it's
gonna affect them coming in just because they've played the
game before. It's basketball, you play every other day in
their conference and our conference. I don't think it's gonna
be too much of an advantage.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean they can get warmed up.
Speaker 2: I guess, you know, get familiar with the court, get
familiar with the crowd, get familiar with everything.
Speaker 1: You know. Is it a competitive van that's gonna warm
it up a little bit? Sure?
Speaker 2: I think there's a there's something there, but look, I
think he was alluding to it. He didn't say, but like,
we're focused on ourselves, like when they simplify, when they
focus on what they do best, and we're just gonna
ball out. We're gonna play high level, high energy basketball.
Very few can stop us.
Speaker 1: That's it. That's it.
Speaker 2: You know, it's not as much about the opponent as
is about us, which is a John Wooden theme at
John Wooden philosophy. And guess what John wouldn't had plenty
of very talented squads that could only only needed to
focus on their themselves.
Speaker 1: And I think Bay has a tremendously talented team.
Speaker 2: They're too talented, as kay why I take it from
his own words, we are too talented not to win
and continue to win. What was the vibe like today
getting together for the first time since the Houston game.
Speaker 8: Oh no, it was good. Everybody's happy to see that
everybody up, got the coaches up, a lot of love here,
we have some food and were just ready to see
what we're gonna be selected and playing it.
Speaker 2: Yeap, Yes, indeed, uh like it's this is a good
I think there's a good vibe within the team. I
think there's good chemistry. I think there's been good vibes
in chemistry throughout most of the season. I think whenever
your experience adversity, there can be some selfishness, there can
be some some come to Jesus moments, and they've probably
had that this year, no doubt about it. But they're
coming together and they're doing it the right way at
the right time.
Speaker 1: A J.
Speaker 2: Were you a guy growing up where you would watch
the NCAA tournament games. What's it like now getting ready
to play an attorney.
Speaker 8: To your first question, No, I wasn't watching every single game,
but I definitely grew up watching March madness. I remember
some of the notable upsets, some of the notable buzzer beaters.
So it just feels good to be able to be
in that same situation, and it just feels it feels
good to be able to participate.
Speaker 2: Aj his trajectory as a professional basketball player, like he
remember he's been vocal about this.
Speaker 1: He didn't become a baller till COVID. Do you know that?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean he played, Yeah, yeah, I remember he played,
but like during COVID he was forced to like you know,
you're like everything's shut down.
Speaker 1: What do you do? Yeah, well he decided to start balling.
Speaker 5: I also wonder if the younger generation doesn't revere march
madness in the same like God to your esoteric fashion
that like I remember when I was a kid, because
I have like my siblings and their friends, like they
like it, but they're not like I remember being obsessed
when I was a kid, Like we were always trying
to convince our teachers with the game up on the TV.
And like, I think kids think it's cool. And I
don't know if it's social media. I don't know if
I'm just being the old curmudgeon, get off my lawn.
But I do wonder if maybe there's something too, Like
I wonder if kids don't hold it as like unbelievably
high as.
Speaker 4: People like me or people older than me.
Speaker 2: I don't know, Well, what's your theory as to why
they don't hold it as why they don't revere it
as much.
Speaker 1: Why don't will they watch it as much? Why don't
they become enamored with it as much? Why aren't they
as intrigued as much?
Speaker 4: I don't, I don't, I don't really know. You you
know what this is? Maybe why?
Speaker 5: Maybe because it wasn't as easily accessible to us back
in the day, Like we didn't we weren't pulling up
our phones and like watching every single game and seeing
every single highlight, Like you pretty much had to watch
it on the TV. Because when I was in high school,
like social media TikTok didn't exist, Instagram reels didn't exist,
so like you couldn't get every single highlight from every
single game, you weren't getting as much new So like
I think that might be part of it. Like if
we got to watch a game and I remember there
were uh, mister Pepper one time, let us watch it
in science class. Like I remember getting to watch games
in class and thinking that was the coolest thing in
the world.
Speaker 4: So I think that maybe that might be part of it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, ronni had any any theories on this? I have mine,
No no theories.
Speaker 3: I just I look at things differently of like, you know,
like I had access to what I had access to,
and now things are different. What And you know, I
tell my sister this all the time.
Speaker 4: You're more privigied to me.
Speaker 3: And then uh, she says, you sound bitter, and I says, yes,
see exactly that I am bitter.
Speaker 2: Well, this is the thing though, what you and I had,
what you and Ronnie had, it was much more communal.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I agree, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 2: So the social element it was it was coming together.
It was a family, it was a community.
Speaker 5: It was a you got together with your friends to
watch it every day after school.
Speaker 4: You're well, yesday.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we were filling out our brackets.
Speaker 2: Jason Hunter, one of my high school buddies who I
played high school ball with, he was at b A
at the same time.
Speaker 1: Rest and Love recipes to Jay Hunter.
Speaker 2: He had fifteen flat screens that they had like all
montage together for everyone's house and we all put in
our ten bucks to the potty. Was communal, it was social.
It was like you know, getting in on everyone's bringing food.
It was a it was an event right when it's
not that. And because like COVID kind of changed things
because everyone went in reclusive and and and then you
have the social media component, which it becomes more egocentric.
Speaker 1: What am I doing, How am I doing it? My brand?
What me? Me? Me me, rather than hey, what's going
on with everybody else? Does that make sense?
Speaker 2: Like yes, Like everything really turns inward rather than outward.
And the NCAA Tournament is an outward social communal engagement circus.
Speaker 4: It just is.
Speaker 1: It's it is.
Speaker 2: It is an an event. It is a spectacle that
everyone wants to say, pardon Orthopros, We're gonna do it.
We're gonna do a bracket. We're all gonna we're gonna
have everyone's gonna have it on their screens. Everyone has
three screens on their desktops so they can they can get.
Speaker 1: It going, right. You've seen here at Orthropros.
Speaker 2: Everyone's got, you know, so they can get you they
can put it on their phones, like watch the games,
have fun with it.
Speaker 1: Get our work done, but we're watching it. We're having
a good time.
Speaker 2: I don't think this generation that's playing right now necessarily
grew up in that same environment.
Speaker 1: That's all I That's what I would say.
Speaker 5: I one hundred percent agree because the second you started
talking like I remember my friends and I would hang
out Saturday morning and watch NFL combine. Like I just
remember being in high school and me and my friends
we would we bike over to each other's houses or whatever,
and like we would just get together to watch things.
And to your point, like that doesn't really exist with
young people anymore. It exists with older people, especially if
you live in a place where like bar culture is
a thing anything outside of really Utah County. Like, but
I don't think kids growing up to your point, they're
not getting together to watch things in the same way.
Cause like again, back in my day, like I not
all not my whole life growing up, we didn't always
have cable, so we had to go to somebody else's
house in order to watch some things. And part of that,
part of what we're talking about right now, that's what
makes the tournament great is that it becomes something that,
for at least a couple of days, if not a
couple of weeks, everyone in the country, even if they
don't give a rip about basketball, even if reality TV
is their thing, they're watching because they care about what
happens to their bracket and what happened to their husband's
bracket and their friend's bracket.
Speaker 4: Like everybody.
Speaker 5: I would argue outside of the super Bowl, this is
probably the one thing in America that everyone is in,
like elections and stuff, but like this is the thing
that brings people together like nothing no one else.
Speaker 1: It's big time. It really is.
Speaker 2: So I think you know you're listening to AJ's like, yeah,
I mean I watched some games.
Speaker 5: Yeah, But like to us, it's like, dude, you remember
when you were in you were sixteen watching march Man.
Speaker 4: It's like, oh my gosh, yes, you know.
Speaker 1: And I'm not knocking out agent by any means, but
you're talking about like a red Bull commercial.
Speaker 2: He probably knows about all the red Bull commercials right now,
more than he does about all the NCAA tournaments, the
big names.
Speaker 4: I was getting paid that much money. I forget everything.
Speaker 2: All that that's sweet, gives you wins to It's like
a liquid smarty is how I would describe it.
Speaker 1: Red Bull. Let's get back to it, AJ.
Speaker 2: I don't want to jump too far ahead, but one
of the four teams is Katie's alma mater. Did you
watch any of Katie's mixtapes growing up?
Speaker 8: Not just because it is Alma mater, is any intention
of like no go any hard or anything like that.
And I'm trying to win the game regardless if they
end up winning that first game. I'm gonna go out
there and try to win the game, not just because
like this is Alamana.
Speaker 2: All right, there's some comments from AJ. Let's take a
time out. We'll come back with more AJ Devonsa. That
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