WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:01.080 Got my rundown. 2 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:03.319 Put me in a good mood on a Friday, not 3 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:07.280 just because it's Friday, but my man, my friend, my 4 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:09.519 guy who hasn't joined us in a long time. But 5 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:12.279 we'll do some college basketball whatever else comes our way 6 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:16.320 with the legend Utah State pro Hooper overseas and my 7 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:19.640 former partner on Utah pre eff and Post, Spencer Nelson 8 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:20.359 on a Friday. 9 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:22.559 Happy Friday, my friend, how we been. 10 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:28.120 H Spence check. It's so good to be talking to you. 11 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:30.559 It has been a long time. Hey. Of all the 12 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:34.560 introductory things you said, the one I'm most proud of 13 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:36.640 is being your partner on the pre half in post. 14 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:40.679 That was it? The overseas YadA, YadA, YadA, YadA, Britton 15 00:00:40.759 --> 00:00:43.479 Johnson's friend. That doesn't matter as sent to me. But 16 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:46.640 the fact that you said I was your partner on 17 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:48.920 the pre half and post touches my heart. 18 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:51.520 Well, that means a lot. You're lying, but thank you 19 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:54.439 for saying that. But I need to start here because 20 00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:55.719 I don't know. 21 00:00:55.799 --> 00:00:56.039 Man. 22 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:58.320 I just want to let you know that I'm reading 23 00:00:58.359 --> 00:00:58.960 this book. 24 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:02.920 About anti gravity, okay, and it's impossible to put down. 25 00:01:06.680 --> 00:01:10.519 It's not funny, it's not funny. It's not funny, it 26 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:11.159 is funny. 27 00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:15.599 Hey, all of your listeners, Okay, they're shaking their head 28 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:19.159 and laughing at the same time. They're like, Spence, how 29 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:21.519 could you say that joke on their But yet they 30 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:26.040 love it. Everyone loves a good dad joke. I love 31 00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:28.640 that joke. Great, great material we like. 32 00:01:28.760 --> 00:01:31.280 Yeah, we need to we need to give our listeners context. 33 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:35.159 You know, when you do late night postgame radio, you 34 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:38.319 get a little slap happy, and so our guy Spencer 35 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:41.439 and Nelson would entertain us with dad jokes that did 36 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:45.000 not land oftentimes with Britton Johnson, but I always appreciated them. 37 00:01:45.480 --> 00:01:48.439 I appreciate that. Thank you will. I mean there is 38 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:53.519 a certain amount of intellectual horsepower required to truly appreciate 39 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.040 it dad joke. You and I have that. Britt is 40 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:58.760 just different. He's just built differently. Don't they have T 41 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:00.799 shirts hashtag built different? 42 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:02.200 They do. 43 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:05.879 I love Internet or intellectual horsepower. Every time we do, 44 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:08.000 every time we talk, you drop something that I steal 45 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:08.280 from you. 46 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:09.039 So I'm stealing that. 47 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:13.240 I like that. Yeah, great, great phrase. Intellectual horsepower is 48 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:13.639 a good one. 49 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:15.840 How's your world, man, what's going on with you? What's 50 00:02:15.879 --> 00:02:16.400 what's the deal. 51 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:20.879 These days, man, life is good, working and family and 52 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:23.560 I mean, you know, the Drill kids are getting older, 53 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:26.800 which I'm grateful for, but at the same time, I 54 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:29.360 don't want them to leave the house, which when they 55 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:31.400 were kids, I would little I would have thought that 56 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:34.159 was that wouldn't be the case. But now they're teenagers 57 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:37.639 in their blast to hang out with, so that's really good. 58 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:42.159 And then the Aggies are rolling, So still doing radio 59 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:44.080 for the Aggies and that's been a lot of fun 60 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:45.879 and man, living the dream. 61 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:49.599 It's been good, very nice. So let's do We'll do 62 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:51.280 some local college hoops. 63 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:52.680 I want to jump around a little bit, and we'll 64 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:55.159 start with Utah State, but we'll start with a question 65 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:58.599 from a thirty thousand foot view before we get into 66 00:02:58.759 --> 00:02:59.879 topics in a vacuum? 67 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:02.000 What is it about the. 68 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:05.280 Basketball culture up there where it's almost like like my 69 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:07.680 next gig, Spencer, I want to coach you toass eight 70 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:09.840 for one year and then cash in on a big 71 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.400 on a big contract, and then screw that job up 72 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:15.199 and just retire. Like, what's the deal about the culture 73 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.360 up there that just breeds quality basketball and has for 74 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:19.680 like twenty or thirty years. 75 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:22.639 I am more than happy to put a good word 76 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:24.599 in for you. I don't know if it goes any far, 77 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:31.759 but here's the reality. The spectrum is magical. You toss, 78 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:35.080 it has a great tradition. I mean, we go back 79 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:39.680 to Stu. But you know Craig, Ryan, Danny and now Jared. 80 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:43.639 But I will say, we've got to give the administration 81 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:46.800 a lot of credit over the last four hires. Like 82 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:50.840 Craig's a great basketball coach. And I know you toss 83 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:53.199 how it struggles and that kind of stuff, but he 84 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:56.520 is a he is a good ball coach. And let's 85 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:58.879 give Tim Durry some props because he had a lot 86 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:02.840 of good pieces. And then Craig brought Nemi in and 87 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:04.879 and he did a great job of coaching those guys. 88 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:07.719 Ryan Otam, you see what he's doing at VCU. But 89 00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:11.599 before then, you know he's a good basketball coach. Daddy 90 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:15.960 sprinkle Man, good basketball coach. Very different than the previous two, 91 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:18.199 but a good coach. And I got to tell you, 92 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:20.079 I don't know how much interaction you've been able to 93 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:23.319 have with Jared Calhoun, but man, he's a good coach. 94 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:25.959 I really like him. He's a Bobby Huggins. He's from 95 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:29.920 the Bobby Huggins Tree, and I mean, he speaks truth, 96 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:33.639 he's tough, but he has a good relationship with the kids, 97 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:38.920 and I think he's a really good coach. And so honestly, 98 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:41.480 I think coaching does deserve a lot of credit. That 99 00:04:41.639 --> 00:04:44.319 the narrative is, man, you can plug anyone in, but 100 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:47.959 these guys are our good basketball coaches. So administration's done 101 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:50.839 a good job. And then the pieces that have stuck around. Now, 102 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:53.600 Danny's amazing thing was no one stuck around and he 103 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:56.000 was able to do it. I guess Mace was here, 104 00:04:56.360 --> 00:05:00.720 so that's not completely true Mason and Fish, but from 105 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:03.399 the other ones, I mean it's huge that Jared got 106 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:07.279 Ian and Mason and Fish and Carson templan to stick 107 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:09.759 around and those guys are playing well. And then inter 108 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:14.560 brought in some great transfers. So Utah State does have 109 00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:17.680 a great tradition, a lot of winning. I mean going 110 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:20.399 back to Stu, but Larry and Rod and those guys. 111 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:23.360 But these guys are good coaches and you got to 112 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:24.639 give them credit for what they're doing. 113 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:25.560 No, one hundred percent. 114 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:27.680 And obviously I was being a bit facetious, but just 115 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:30.959 seems like the coach takes over and boom. Everyone asks questions, 116 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:33.240 and more often than not, the teams near the top 117 00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:36.839 of the conference, they're either qualifying for or threatening to 118 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:39.720 be an NCAA tournament team. And it's just wildly impressive 119 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:43.560 because the basketball culture in Saul Lake is rich with history. 120 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:46.160 But it's been a rough stretch for not just Craig 121 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:48.040 but other coaches too. We'll get there in a moment, 122 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:50.240 but I want to follow up about Jared Calhoun, who 123 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:54.040 I don't know outside of just listening. I love listening 124 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.519 to coaches postgame because the ones that don't want to 125 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:01.040 get pithy and sarcastic actually do teach you. And you know, 126 00:06:01.079 --> 00:06:03.439 I think he has been impressive. He seems a little 127 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:08.439 bit more mentally balanced than his mentor, Bob Huggins, a 128 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:11.000 great coach, but you never knew if you didn't know 129 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:13.439 what Huckey Bear was gonna do night in and night out. 130 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:15.480 Jared doesn't strike me as that type of guy. But 131 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:18.160 as you've been able to get to know him both 132 00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:20.519 on and off the floor, what makes him who he 133 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.560 is as a coach and a person and schematically how 134 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:25.199 does he like basketball to be played? 135 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:31.319 So I think you know, as a person he comes 136 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:33.720 off and everything I know. I mean a family man. 137 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:36.600 He's got a wonderful family. He's got daughters who are 138 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:39.639 involved in sports and getting involved in the community, and 139 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:44.759 just really good people. Zero ego. Like, that's probably the 140 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:47.839 first thing the first time I met him. He just 141 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:52.199 came across as extremely down to earth and zero ego, 142 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:56.680 which I really appreciated. And then from the standpoint, I 143 00:06:56.680 --> 00:06:59.240 think that carries over to the players when I see 144 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:02.720 him interact with the player, with the players, same thing, 145 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:06.360 zero ego. Just really straight of who he is and 146 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:09.279 comfortable with that. And I think in a world of 147 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:14.279 a lot of facade and things that aren't real because 148 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:16.560 of social media and that kind of stuff, I think 149 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:19.439 people can appreciate someone that, hey, this is who I am, 150 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:22.000 and I'm comfortable with who I am, and so the 151 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:25.800 players see that and I think they respect it. From 152 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:30.600 the way he coaches schematically, you know, the big thing 153 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:33.480 at the beginning of the season was the matchup zone. 154 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:37.000 It's a very unique matchup zone that he runs, and 155 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.639 he's got a couple different zones and kind of hybrid 156 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:43.680 versions of it. But the thought was, Okay, not a 157 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:45.199 lot of teams are going to be able to be 158 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:47.720 prepared for this because it's a one off compared to 159 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:50.519 the other twenty nine games they're playing this season, and 160 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:52.240 so we're going to be able to kind of throw 161 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:56.480 teams off with that. Early on, they were I think 162 00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:59.680 conference team. At least the guys that I've seen are 163 00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:03.600 more more comfortable. UNLV was very comfortable with their matchup zone. 164 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:06.560 And one thing that I love is that he's not 165 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:10.920 so stubborn that he won't adapt and he has gone 166 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:13.600 demand at different points in times, which I don't think 167 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:15.959 that's his default of where he wants to go. But 168 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:18.879 this team is actually a good man to man defense team. 169 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:21.319 Now they're only playing at a few minutes a game 170 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.079 at times, but yet they are able to switch that 171 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:27.399 up and that has given them some flexibility to throw 172 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:29.600 other teams out of rhythm and not get used to 173 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:33.240 just playing against his zone offensively. And every coach in 174 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.360 the country says this, we want to run, run, run, 175 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:38.720 run run, but literally that he does. I mean you, 176 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:42.440 UNLV plays a slow pace. Every time that rebound is coming, 177 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.120 Calhoun is swinging his arms and telling the guards to 178 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:49.559 push it, push it, push it, which opens up easy 179 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:54.159 opportunities for buckets in the paint, layups, dugs. This team 180 00:08:54.279 --> 00:08:57.039 actually has a lot more athleticism than you would think, 181 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:01.320 and they've taken advantage of that. So it's fast paced 182 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:04.480 and then I would say, just quick hitters. It's get 183 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:06.440 out and transition and if you got to play in 184 00:09:06.440 --> 00:09:08.639 the half court, then it's going to be motioned. But 185 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.440 a ton of quick hitting sets to get ian and 186 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.159 I think there's a little bit of a pro mentality 187 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.960 from there that I like, Like he is specifically targeting 188 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.399 guys that he wants to get the ball in certain 189 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.399 positions and then let them make a play. And Ian 190 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:25.799 Martinez has done a good job throughout the season he 191 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:29.240 struggled against UNLV Mason has done a good job and 192 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:32.639 teams are adapting to that. But get the ball in 193 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.600 the guy's hands, which is a very pro mentality, and 194 00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:38.639 then hey, do what you do. And I think the 195 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:41.480 players have really liked the freedom and flexibility to play 196 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:42.200 that way as well. 197 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:46.399 And also their shot profile appears to be a modern 198 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:48.840 day shot profile as far as what the numbers tell 199 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.120 you you need to do to win basketball games. Of 200 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.639 the ten or eleven guy Spencer, he plays, you know 201 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:57.960 more than ten minutes a night. Seven of them seem 202 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:00.399 like they can shoot it from the outside. You know, 203 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:02.200 it's not like they hunt it in the way that 204 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.320 the Celtics do, but it does seem like offensively. The 205 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:10.279 shot profile is a modern day approach to analytically winning 206 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:11.080 basketball games. 207 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:12.799 Is that kind of driving with what you're seeing? 208 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:16.759 Totally? Yep, they got a bunch of shooters. Now some 209 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:19.639 of them are better than others. Absolutely. Carson Templan went 210 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:23.240 on a streak and he struggled. Maybe who they thought 211 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:25.000 was going to be the best shooter in the year. 212 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:29.240 Tucker Anderson has really struggled. He's a conundrum in the 213 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:32.559 sense he's shooting, like I don't quote me on this, 214 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:35.440 it was like seventeen percent from the three point line 215 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:38.000 at home and then like thirty six on the road, 216 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.840 and last year he shot high thirties coming from Arkansas. 217 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:46.279 So he's really struggled. But Ian man Ian Martinez takes 218 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:51.679 and makes really tough shots. Mason Falslip has shot it better. 219 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:55.279 Drake Allen struggled a little early on but has really 220 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:58.600 got a swag. And then the guy who's been the 221 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:02.840 most consistent shooter is their sixth man, Dexter Ocono transfer 222 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.720 from Oregon State. That's been I mean, he's been huge 223 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:09.159 for him and really consistent providing a boost off the bench. 224 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:11.480 But he shot it at a really high level. So 225 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:15.240 your analysis is exactly right, Spence. They shoot, they don't 226 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:18.200 hunt it crazily, but they got the guys to be 227 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:21.080 able to shoot it if it's open, and they move 228 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:23.759 the ball so well that it's open often enough that 229 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:25.360 they're putting up a good number of threes. 230 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:28.440 All right, let's move over to uts now in Craig Smith, who, 231 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:30.679 as you referenced, once upon a time was up in 232 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:31.919 Logan did a really good job. 233 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.519 Craig as one wherever he's been. 234 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:37.080 And this is year four for Craig, and I think 235 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:40.240 it's a five year contract. So look, the pressure is 236 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:42.320 real and he knows this. We're gonna have Craig on 237 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:44.879 the show in just on an hour from right now. 238 00:11:45.480 --> 00:11:49.039 And you know, there are pieces on this roster that 239 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.000 individually at times I really really like. And you know, 240 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.360 I'm gonna ask Craig about his rotation. He's tinkered quite 241 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:56.279 a bit with a bunch of different starting lineups, a 242 00:11:56.279 --> 00:12:00.120 bunch of different rotations. Gabe Matts in their leading scorer. Mean, 243 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.039 teams just sell out on him and he has no 244 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:05.639 space at all. So you look at the numbers, it's 245 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:07.840 thirty one percent from three. It's like, what gives. It's like, well, 246 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:10.720 everybody's gapping them and blitzing them off screens, ball screens, 247 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.039 and he's got to find a way to be smarter 248 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:15.200 with his decisions. He's been better as of late. They 249 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.120 were finished, they were picked to finish last in the 250 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:19.840 Big Twelve. They're four and five right now. They had 251 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:22.600 a nice win here at home over Brigham Young. They're 252 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:24.559 going to be on the road to Oklahoma State. The 253 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.960 Houston game didn't even it was not even. 254 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.679 A fair fight, like, it was just rough. 255 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:33.120 And so look it's a tough conference obviously, But what 256 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:36.480 do you make of I'll say, what you know whether 257 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.120 or not you feel like there's progress being made down here, 258 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.879 and what you know about Craig do you feel like 259 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.000 still this is the guy to get this thing back 260 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:43.799 to where it needs to be? 261 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:50.039 Great question? So just a couple thoughts. When I saw 262 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:54.320 Utah was finished last to pick to finish last in 263 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:58.200 the Big twelve, I laughed, No, Craig Smith is going 264 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:03.200 to finish last. Team is going to finish last. He's 265 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:05.240 just too good of a coach. And I know people 266 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:08.120 will be like, well, they're not winning a lot. You 267 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:11.440 may not have the guys or the horses to finish 268 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:14.360 in the top three, and they don't. They obviously don't. 269 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:17.399 But his guys are gonna play hard, and they're gonna 270 00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:19.559 be well coached, and they're just not going to finish 271 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:23.000 last in the league. I laugh at that, just because 272 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:25.720 a well coached team and if they play hard for you, 273 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:28.840 and I know his guys aren't gonna quit, they're not 274 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:33.519 going to finish last. However, it is it's a matter 275 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:36.279 of and you know this, in the Big Twelve or 276 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:40.080 in any of the power conferences, it's pros. It's how 277 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:42.320 can you get one NBA guy on your team? Can 278 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:44.559 you get two? If you can get one, you're going 279 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:46.440 to finish in the top half of the league for sure. 280 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.360 If you can get two NBA guys on your team 281 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:51.440 are pros, legitimate pros, then you're going to compete for 282 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:54.519 a conference championship in the Big Twelve. But if you 283 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:56.639 don't have two pros on your team, you're not. And 284 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:58.679 you look at Houston, you look at Kansas, you look 285 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:02.320 at Iowa State that it just plays out that way 286 00:14:02.440 --> 00:14:05.799 and then a really good supporting cast, and you know, 287 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:08.200 you talk about gage mats, and you're right, guys are 288 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:11.600 selling out, Teams are selling out and taking away. That 289 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:15.320 thirty one percent is the threes he's taking. I mean, 290 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.960 ninety percent of them are really hard threes to be taking. 291 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:22.240 He'll get some open looks occasionally, but they're very different 292 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:24.799 looks than some of the other dudes on the team 293 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:30.519 are taking. I think the BYU win at home was 294 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:36.679 huge in terms of excitement and you know, I'm not 295 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:38.960 saving your job, that's not the right way to say it, 296 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:42.200 but just reinforcing, hey, I'm the guy to do this. 297 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:44.919 I can be here and I can be successful here. 298 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:47.440 And then they have some good wins against you know, 299 00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:50.799 the middle and the bottom half of the Big twelve, 300 00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:53.679 and that's where I think Craig has to continue to 301 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:55.879 win those games, and I think that he will. And 302 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:59.320 they ultimately where they finished. They finished like ninth in 303 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.919 the in the twelve which has sixteen teams, right, and 304 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:06.360 so they're finishing middle top, top of the bottom type 305 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:09.200 of thing, just because they don't have the guys and 306 00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:11.759 it's a whole different world now to go get the 307 00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:14.639 guys right. I mean, everyone's talking about what's going down 308 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:18.440 in Utah County. BIU is paying this amount of money 309 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:23.519 for their team. It's professional sports now, and I think 310 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:26.960 the other challenge for Craig is just allocating the right 311 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:31.279 money to the right guys who can produce. And that's 312 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:35.120 a challenge in and of itself. And so guys that 313 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:38.159 are getting paid money on Utah's team, they're not producing, 314 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:39.879 So what happens to them? And how do you take 315 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:42.399 care of the guys that are producing next year to 316 00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:45.960 keep them around. It's a huge challenge. But I think 317 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:50.399 he's a good ball coach. Time will tell. I don't 318 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:52.279 have a strong opinion if he's going to be able 319 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:54.559 to turn the ship around, because there's a lot at 320 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:57.559 Utah that's got to be turned around in just momentum 321 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:00.919 and excitement from where it was when you and I 322 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:04.000 were around, you know, playing and growing up. It's just 323 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:06.200 a very different environment up there right now. 324 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:09.159 And you know he is going to get a chance 325 00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:12.159 to see this thing through next season because according to 326 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:15.480 Kassel reported today, the UTA Athletics reported a seventeen million 327 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:18.480 dollar deficit this past year. Now you dig into the 328 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:21.000 numbers what they received from the state, and it's not 329 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:24.639 necessarily like, hey, we only lost seventeen mil and the 330 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:27.759 football team and the basketball team are still profitable. But ultimately, 331 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:29.360 I don't think they're going to pay Craig to not 332 00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:31.200 coach next year. So I do think he is going 333 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:33.440 to get one more year. But let me follow up 334 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:36.320 with something you kind of alluded to, because look, the 335 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:39.799 bottom line is, in the modern day and age of 336 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:43.200 college athletics, whether it's football or basketball or even other sports, 337 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:46.360 you have to have your collective in order to be 338 00:16:46.440 --> 00:16:48.679 able to attract talent and be able to pay the 339 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:50.600 players that you need to get here. So you have 340 00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:54.759 the horses, and from my vantage points, Betzer, almost every 341 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:58.279 single night, almost every single night in this conference, Craig 342 00:16:58.360 --> 00:16:59.639 is going to have a coach on the other side 343 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:00.960 that's we has more talents. 344 00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:03.679 That's my opinion. Give me your thoughts on that. 345 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:07.319 Yeah, yeah, I'm with you most every night, maybe not 346 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:09.680 every night, but most every night in the Big twelve. 347 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.440 Given right now, now, when I heard the numbers, and 348 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:14.240 I don't want to say it publicly because I don't 349 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.599 have anything verified, I was actually pleasantly surprised at the 350 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:19.960 number that I heard that Utah had for their collective. 351 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.279 I was like, wow, that's more. Now it's a matter 352 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.559 of just allocating it to the right guys and being 353 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:28.079 able to go get them. Is it less than, you know, 354 00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:30.799 the number that you hear from the valley or from 355 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:33.480 Utah County? Yes? Is it more than the number that 356 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:35.920 you hear up in Logan yes? Type of things. So 357 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:42.079 it's the collective matters. What your paying dudes matters. And 358 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:45.839 that's a whole nother conversation. But you're right, you have 359 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:48.519 to go get it. And I may have said this 360 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:51.279 to you before, but it's interesting. I had this kind 361 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:58.400 of epiphany moment where in Europe. It's funny I played 362 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:01.000 with a bunch of differ guys in Europe and the 363 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:05.160 same is true now. Is I still stay decently connected 364 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:08.880 to it? There are not a ton of dudes. There 365 00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:11.680 are some, but there are not a ton of dudes 366 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:14.519 that played at the blue Bloods that are playing in Europe. 367 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:17.000 A few. I mean I played with John Shire and 368 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:19.799 the Deuhan was over there for a little bit. I 369 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:23.680 mean there there are a few, but what it kind 370 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.519 of opened my eyes to the elite teams in college 371 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:30.519 basketball are one of two things, and most of it 372 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:33.720 is the latter. Either really old and really experienced, or 373 00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:36.720 they've got a couple pros on their team surrounded by 374 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:40.640 good college basketball players but not great college players that 375 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:44.039 are going to go play professional and the impact of 376 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:46.680 having I mean, you look at what Craig did at 377 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:50.720 Utah State. Great coach, but he had two pros, right 378 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:52.920 he had he had Nimi and he had Sam Marrow. 379 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:55.000 Of course he's going to win a conference championship in 380 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:57.400 the Mountain West and and San Diego State, by the way, 381 00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:59.920 had one NBA dude and then a couple of year 382 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:02.279 and pros on their team, so they were really stacked 383 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:07.200 as well. But in the Big twelve, that's what it 384 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:09.960 comes down to is how many pros do you have? 385 00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:12.279 How many NBA level guys do you have on their team? 386 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:14.480 Because I guess if we're going to play on words, 387 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:16.599 all of them are pros now because they're getting played, 388 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:19.680 they're getting paid to play basketball, so they're not amateurs anymore. 389 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:23.680 So I'll articulate it better and say how many NBA 390 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:26.000 level dudes do you have on your team? And right 391 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:28.200 now they don't have any right, that's just the fact 392 00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:31.240 of the matter, and a decent number the Big twelve 393 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:35.319 does have an NBA guy or they've got some European pros. 394 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:37.640 And there's probably a couple of European pros. He had 395 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:39.960 Brandon Carlson the last couple of years, which was a 396 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.759 pro And so can you go get those dudes, because 397 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:46.240 you're right right now, you just don't have We talked 398 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:50.039 about intellectual horsepower, he doesn't have the basketball horsepower to 399 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:52.279 go and finish in the top three or top five 400 00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.880 of the conference. 401 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.079