WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:03.279 You in a Tom Petty mood today on a Monday afternoon. 2 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:05.000 What's going on? What's going on with you and there? 3 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:05.480 What's the deal? 4 00:00:05.559 --> 00:00:09.560 I guess kind of not officially, but yeah, the first 5 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:14.240 two songs going with a little Tom Petty, So maybe we'll. 6 00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:16.160 Keep it going. Maybe not. No, you can roll with it, 7 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:16.879 but you do. 8 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.559 You are aware this is a family friendly program, right, Yeah? 9 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:25.359 And your first Tom Petty bump songs about weed. Dude, 10 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:29.039 just be better. Mary Jane's a sweet girlfriend of his. 11 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:30.000 It's weed. 12 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:33.280 Just say no, kids, I'm just I'm the one that 13 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:36.159 has to clean up for your poor musical choices by 14 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.159 reminding the masses that we're here to take care of 15 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:39.039 families and children. 16 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:42.479 Is that our demographic? Yeah, just say no. It's all 17 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:46.240 I'm saying. I think that sheet said like thirty five 18 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:48.840 seventy Maile, Okay, fair enough. 19 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:53.079 Our next guest passes on grass like Greg Fokker form 20 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:56.439 Meet the Parents, Tom haberstro Monday Afternoon. 21 00:00:56.439 --> 00:00:57.399 Hello Tom, how are you? 22 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:02.320 I'm good man. I like that you make that presumption 23 00:01:02.439 --> 00:01:02.840 about me. 24 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:05.959 Well, if you'd like to discuss your wheat smoking habits 25 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:09.079 on air, Tom, I'm happy to make the space no. 26 00:01:09.159 --> 00:01:13.840 This is a family program. You're absolutely right, I think, yeah, yeah, yeah. 27 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:14.640 It is what an interest? 28 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:16.879 Now this is still this is still live radio. This 29 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:19.040 is not a podcast. We have to behave ourselves in 30 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:21.000 a way that people like you and Zach Harper do not. 31 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:27.920 Yeah, we have to remind ourselves that we're professionals, because 32 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:31.239 everything in our lives just screams on professionals. So thank 33 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:32.040 you for the reminder. 34 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:33.920 Yeah. No, you guys are very professional. 35 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:36.719 But you know, you can drop a bomb here there, 36 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:39.599 or you can discuss things on podcasts that you can't 37 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.519 discuss on radio, right, I mean that's kind of the deal. 38 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:45.920 You tell me, Spence, you're the one with the radio show. 39 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:50.920 Well, when I go on podcasts, it seems like there's 40 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:54.519 a little bit more freedom to use certain terms. 41 00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:55.599 Is that fair to say? 42 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:59.959 Yeah? Yeah, you know what, I'm just surprised you went 43 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:04.560 with weed. That kind of feels like another maybe like 44 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:09.560 a graduate level program compared to just marijuana, you know, 45 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:12.479 like feels like it feels like it's a little inside baseball. 46 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:14.800 Nice job, my bad bubonic product. 47 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:16.439 I've got a bunch of terms so we could use 48 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:18.560 if you want to. But we can move on speaking 49 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:21.800 of Zach Harper. He does not like you're Kevin Garnett. 50 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:23.680 Is Cooper flag comp Just so you. 51 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:28.199 Know, well, Zach is way smarter than me on all 52 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:31.520 things basketball, so I would trust him on all those things. 53 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:35.120 But you know what, he's also a Minnesota Timberwolf lifer, 54 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:40.879 so he probably understands that comparing anyone to KG is 55 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:44.439 like any Bulls fan hearing people compare anybody to Michael Jordan. 56 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:48.439 Okay, fair enough, fair enough, And it's funny because of 57 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:52.199 all the comps that I've heard, they're Garnet. One actually 58 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:54.879 tracks when you watch the way that Cooper can guard 59 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.199 and how well he moves. I mean, look, I think 60 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:01.240 you know, whether it's Kawhi or whether it's gone at 61 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:04.120 Whenever you compare an eighteen year old to Hall of famers, 62 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:05.199 you're going to get pushed back. 63 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:07.639 Is there anything. 64 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:10.560 About the way Duke went out that could potentially affect 65 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:12.000 the way people view Cooper at all? 66 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:16.439 I don't think so, Considering he's the youngest guy on 67 00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:19.280 the court by why margin, he was going against a 68 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:22.599 lot older guys, And as much as I want to 69 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:26.319 pin it all on him, I thought that the over 70 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:31.759 the back call that they whistled on him was very borderline. 71 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:36.639 Didn't feel like the right call at that stage. The 72 00:03:36.680 --> 00:03:42.719 physicality in the game feels like that was something you 73 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:44.599 might call him the beginning of the game to set 74 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:46.800 the tone for the rest of the game. But the 75 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:51.719 way that Houston was being physical with Duke, I was 76 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:56.599 flabbergasted at that call. And look, he missed the shot 77 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:59.879 there at the end, but he's made those shots time 78 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:01.759 and time again, so I don't think that that was 79 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:04.960 a bad shot. What really stands out to me is 80 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:09.840 Malowatch having zero rebounds in over twenty minutes of action 81 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:16.279 and that Duke had no rebounds after the four minute mark. 82 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:21.360 That's that's insane. And some of that falls on Cooper 83 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.480 Flag for sure, but it's one game. It's a huge game, 84 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:27.879 and if the Duke Blue Devils went out in like 85 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:31.399 the second round or then the Sweet sixteen, I would 86 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:34.439 have a lot harsher words to say for Cooper Flag 87 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:38.120 and John Shire and Duke. That was an epic collapse. 88 00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:41.040 But I wouldn't put this put this all on Cooper 89 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:43.439 Flag and it wouldn't change my evaluation of him. 90 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:47.160 That's the type of lost tom. I don't care if 91 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.360 it's you know, Pete Van Sicklin and Ernie Verena and 92 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:53.920 Staples in nineteen ninety five. It doesn't matter what level 93 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.360 you played, it doesn't matter how long it's been. A 94 00:04:56.439 --> 00:04:58.879 loss like that, I don't think ever fully leaves you. 95 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:02.240 Like if you're John, if you're Conking Nipple, the Malawatch 96 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:05.120 kid or Cooper, like, all of them are probably gonna 97 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:07.240 go on those All three of those kids are lottery picks. 98 00:05:07.240 --> 00:05:09.800 They're gonna make millions of dollars and play basketball for years. 99 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:11.720 But the way they went out, I'm not sure a 100 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:13.279 loss like that ever fully leaves you. 101 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:17.399 It's traumatic, it's the best way to describe it. As 102 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:20.839 a basketball players, you're always gonna think about it, Like 103 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:24.000 if you're up six with thirty six seconds left. For 104 00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:26.800 the rest of your career, you're gonna be thinking about 105 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:30.600 San Antonio. You're gonna be thinking about what happened against 106 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:33.879 the Houston Cougars. And that's the fact of the matter. 107 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:37.800 For any athlete who has ever suffered a loss like that, 108 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:40.079 you are always going to have it in the back 109 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:42.879 of your mind. Now, time heals all wound, so eventually 110 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:45.800 it'll fade for memory, and it won't be so harsh 111 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:51.800 and searing of a loss over time. But I can't 112 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:57.399 imagine that anyone who suffers that kind of loss. I mean, 113 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:00.759 I'll tell you what I don't know. If you watch 114 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:05.160 the White Lotus, oh yeah, it seems I mean the 115 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:09.439 text that I got from all my buddies in North Carolina, 116 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:14.000 it was the duke shirt with the Dad rack Cliffs 117 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.120 with the gun to his head. And I was sitting 118 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:21.399 there being like, that feels like we're in a simulation now, 119 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:24.560 because how is White Lotus picking the one team that 120 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:30.360 has the most depressing most I can't believe that just happened, 121 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.560 lost the most brutal loss of the tournament, and it 122 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:37.079 happened right before the finale of White Lotus, which feels 123 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:40.639 like we are part of this simulation where it's all 124 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.360 connected in some way, just like in the White Lotus 125 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:46.319 season finale. No spoilers, but that was one of the 126 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.120 big themes, was how we're all connected in some way, 127 00:06:49.720 --> 00:06:54.040 And that finish by the Blue Devils did feel like 128 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:58.720 this was preordained somehow that it would promote the White 129 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:02.399 Lotus season finale that last night. And I'm still gathering 130 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:05.240 my thoughts on both the Duke loss on Saturday night 131 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.519 and White Lotus on Sunday night. But both of them 132 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.120 felt like big events in the year twenty twenty five, and. 133 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.920 I was wrong about both. Just to be clear, I 134 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:17.680 did not see either coming. But yeah, we'll leave the 135 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:20.160 spoiler alerts for White Lotus offware today. I do have 136 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:23.720 one more question, Tom, and I don't think there's anything here. 137 00:07:23.879 --> 00:07:24.600 Let me be clear. 138 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:29.199 My personal opinion and my personal belief is that Cooper 139 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:29.680 is leaving. 140 00:07:29.800 --> 00:07:30.319 He's going. 141 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:33.199 He's a generational player that's going to be the number 142 00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:35.399 one pick, and he is healthy, so you. 143 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:36.680 Gotta go do that, Okay. 144 00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:39.839 Now, the other side of it is he is a 145 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:42.480 young eighteen year old he turned eighteen I think three 146 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:45.519 and a half months ago, and a taste in your 147 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:49.079 mouth like that to leave college maybe something that motivates 148 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:52.439 him to come back because of his age and five 149 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:55.360 years ago, this is a conversation we would not even 150 00:07:55.399 --> 00:08:00.720 be having. However, I could actually foresee whether it's you know, Cooper, Khan, 151 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:03.360 k Nipple, the Malawatch Kid, all three of them saying, look, 152 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.240 we know we're lottery picks, but we're all young, we're teenagers. 153 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.360 And if Duke wants to step up with an NIO 154 00:08:10.519 --> 00:08:14.000 package that will pay them more for one year than 155 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:16.759 what all of them could make as rookies in the NBA, 156 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:19.360 to run it back and try to get John Shire's 157 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:22.839 first National championship. I guess I would say stranger things 158 00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:25.680 have happened based off the current landscape. And I'm sitting 159 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:29.079 here shaking my head because I'm now imagining this scenario 160 00:08:29.560 --> 00:08:33.440 on May twelfth, when the NBA lottery is held and 161 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:36.039 the Jazz get number one, and then the next day 162 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:38.200 Cooper Flag announces that he's going back to Duke. 163 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:40.240 I do not know what it would be like around here. 164 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:41.600 What do you? 165 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:43.559 What do you? 166 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.039 Oh man? Oh man? I don't even want to think 167 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:46.360 about it. 168 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:50.159 But any shot in hell that that actually goes down. 169 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:54.559 I think it's even less likely now than it was 170 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:57.919 before that collapse, because I think there's no upside in 171 00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:01.480 coming back. There's this. The only way that you have 172 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:06.360 redemption or that you win that equation is if you 173 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:10.600 win the National Championship, right Like, anything short of that 174 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:14.039 is just making more salts in the wound. And I 175 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:17.120 think when you lose in the final four in epic 176 00:09:17.159 --> 00:09:21.960 fashion like that there's only one way to forget that 177 00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:25.039 whole thing and to make those wrongs right is to 178 00:09:25.080 --> 00:09:27.840 win it all the next year, and just with a 179 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:31.200 one and done style format of the NCAA tournament, I 180 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.960 just I don't see the upside there being worth it, 181 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:36.919 because in the NBA you can make the argument that 182 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:40.360 like a team that much better than everybody else, in 183 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:43.120 a seven game series, you have a better shot of 184 00:09:43.159 --> 00:09:45.559 asserting your dominance in a seven game series, not in 185 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.120 a one and done where something flukey can happen and 186 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:52.080 everything collapses like a house of cards. So I think 187 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:56.759 before that Cooper Flag championship or the final four loss, 188 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:00.240 I would say there's better odds if they win at 189 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:02.559 all that he would come back and do it again 190 00:10:02.759 --> 00:10:06.000 like Djokim Noah and Al Horford did. Then if they 191 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:10.639 had this cataclysmic loss in the final four, and I 192 00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:15.159 would just say, there's also this dynamic of dabansa next 193 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:21.440 year where if he Cooper Flag comes back, and Canipple 194 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:25.399 comes back and Malawatch comes back, there's an excellent draft 195 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:28.600 class coming through next year that they're going to have 196 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:31.519 to be competing for draft picks next year, and not 197 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:34.879 only competing for draft picks or draft slot. You're competing 198 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:37.879 for millions of dollars in first year salary or at 199 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:43.039 least rookie scale salaries. So I think the risk for 200 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:47.279 Cooper Flag actually got even higher in deciding to come back. 201 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:48.799 So I agree with you. I don't think it's going 202 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:51.159 to happen, and I think it's even more of a 203 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.039 long shot, A long shot that turns into even more 204 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:57.759 of a long shot if they lose that game in 205 00:10:57.879 --> 00:11:01.960 horrific fashion. I think it's a I don't even I 206 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:05.679 don't think it's gonna happen. But you know what, stranger 207 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:09.360 things have happened, like blowing a what was it a 208 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:12.519 nine point lead with a minute twenty left? What was 209 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:15.279 the what was the largest gap there probability? I think 210 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:18.600 it's the six point lead with thirty two seconds left. 211 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:21.919 Yeah, they were up nine with a minute. They were 212 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:24.759 outscored nine to zero over the final thirty five seconds. 213 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:29.440 And you know, strictly from a basketball standpoint, I felt 214 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:33.759 really bad that john Shire didn't I felt bad for 215 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:36.679 the players that john Shire didn't dial up a different 216 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:39.360 inbounds play. They tried the same inbounds play over and 217 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:42.559 over and over. They were trapped in the corner. They 218 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:46.200 overcame a Houston player reaching over the end line to 219 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:48.639 try to swap the ball out of I think it 220 00:11:48.679 --> 00:11:52.039 was Nipple's hands where Duke got a teck and possession, 221 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:54.799 like the pion James kid is a really good player, 222 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:59.039 just looked panicked to try and inbound the basketball. I honestly, Tom, 223 00:11:59.080 --> 00:12:02.039 I have respect for Duke basketball and John Shire. 224 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:04.480 I thought their coach let them down down the stretch. 225 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:07.960 Yeah, and then you forget about the Canipple kickout of 226 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:10.600 bounds that went the wrong way, yep, And it was 227 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.440 it was a it was a crazy finish to that game. 228 00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:17.159 And you're still watching like wow, wow, like how did 229 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:21.480 that happen? And there have been times where what was 230 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:25.639 it the I seem to remember Maryland coming back against 231 00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:28.960 Duke down ten? What was it the other way around 232 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:32.639 where it was like wojo, and like I'll never forget 233 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:35.120 if you're up by ten with a minute left. Ever 234 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:38.240 since that loss happened, I've never forgotten it. Like I've 235 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:41.720 always in my head no matter who it is who's playing, 236 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.799 no ten point lead with a minute left is safe, 237 00:12:44.840 --> 00:12:46.840 Like I want it to be fifteen. And this is 238 00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:48.679 the same sort of game. Well, I will for a 239 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:51.799 long time look at a six point lead differently with 240 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:56.200 thirty three seconds left NBA or college basketball, because that 241 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:59.720 just happened in one of the biggest stages. So look, 242 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:04.200 I think it's been a rough collapse for the Duke program. 243 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:06.480 You know, when you talk about losing to NC State 244 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:10.720 a year ago, and then losing to UNC and then 245 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:14.840 losing here, It's been a really tough road for Duke. 246 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:16.919 But I am not crying for them, as as a 247 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:19.960 wake forest, a lump based here in Charlotte who grew 248 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:22.720 up a tar Heel fan. I'm not shedding any tears, 249 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.759 But like you, I had Duke winning it all and 250 00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:27.519 maybe that was an emotional hedge for me. 251 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:31.399 The game you're talking about, I remember it now. It's 252 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:34.480 the miracle minute. That was Jay Williams. That was that 253 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:38.120 Maryland team with Jan Dixon and Steve Blake Boozer. Yes, 254 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:41.559 I was on Duke, as was Mike dun Levy and 255 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:44.679 Chris Duhont. Duke came down, came back from ten minutes, 256 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.759 from ten points down with a minute twenty left to play. 257 00:13:47.799 --> 00:13:49.840 That was two thousand and one. I do remember that game. 258 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:52.879 Now that you mention it, yes, that was that's the 259 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:56.240 game where it's kind of scarring where once once that 260 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:59.799 happens and you've seen it with your eyes, you're just like, yeah, no, no, 261 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:02.240 ten point lead with a minute left is safe. 262 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:08.639 And you know, there's I think if this was a 263 00:14:08.679 --> 00:14:11.440 bunch of eighteen year olds going at it, you know, 264 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.120 like seniors in high school, and Cooper Flag had that 265 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:18.279 kind of collapse, I'd probably put a little bit more 266 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:20.879 weight like why couldn't it be dominated more down the stretch. 267 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:23.320 But because some of these guys are you know, fifth 268 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:26.720 year seniors and twenty two year olds, twenty three year 269 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:29.480 olds in some cases, like I'm not sweating it for 270 00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:33.960 Cooper Flag, but it does give me a lot of excitement, 271 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:37.639 you know, a lot of debate going into the draft 272 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:39.480 that otherwise wouldn't have been there if he had run 273 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:42.399 the table. I feel like we would just be running 274 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:44.240 out of things to say about Cooper Flag because he's 275 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.919 that good. And now we can actually, you know, to 276 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:50.200 a little bit of me down that bone of is 277 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:52.360 there something that we're missing, because I think it is 278 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:56.039 healthy a little bit of a little bit of doubt 279 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:59.360 or a little bit of criticism is healthy for a 280 00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:04.039 prospect where the bar isn't so high that he cannot physically, 281 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:07.679 you know, reach those expectations, because the only one that's 282 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:10.600 ever done it, in my opinion is Lebron James. And 283 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:15.879 I mean, it's just hyping someone to that degree. We 284 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:19.200 did it with Zion Williamson, we did it with Anthony Davis. 285 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:24.159 Cooper Flag, to me, feels like as big of an 286 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:28.679 American prospect as we've had in decades. And Wenby doesn't 287 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.919 count because I don't think America really knew what we 288 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:33.559 were talking about with Wemby because he was French and 289 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:37.039 because he hadn't played college hoops over here. But this, 290 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.519 this feels like Cooper Flagg losing in the final four. 291 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:42.759 It feels like it might be some healthy adversity for him. 292 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:45.759 Maybe I'm just I'm rose color glasses here, but I 293 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:52.200 think for Utah the I do not see Cooper Flag 294 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:55.679 returning to Duke for another year, even if let's say 295 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:01.360 another another team that he's not super en series about. 296 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:04.519 I think the odds of him returning actually decreased after 297 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:05.799 that catachlysmic loss. 298 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:08.080 Tell me what before we do some NBA, Before we 299 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:13.200 say you lose a lot of conversation about this tournament. Specifically, 300 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:16.919 I think there was one, maybe two overtime games. I 301 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:20.720 think there was one game winner. There were no Cinderellas. 302 00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:23.480 Now all four number one seeds leads high quality basketball. 303 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:25.600 I thought Saturday was awesome, and I'm excited for the 304 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:29.080 game tonight. But what's the Tom Haberstrow take on the 305 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:32.080 NCAA March Mattis Tournament of twenty twenty five. 306 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:36.519 I think it's better to have big name programs in 307 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:40.000 the final four than having a Cinderella run and then 308 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.799 end in like the Elite eight. Like I think, all 309 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:46.120 things considered, this is going to be great for ratings. 310 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:49.120 It was great for the national conversation. And while as 311 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:52.159 much as I'd like a good Cinderella, a good Saint Peter's, 312 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:56.000 a good George Mason, when it comes to the final four, 313 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:58.879 I feel like we all collectively understand that they don't 314 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:01.440 really have a real chance of this whole thing. Whereas 315 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:03.799 all four of these teams that were in the final four, 316 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:07.359 you wouldn't be surprised if anyone made the distance, and 317 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:10.440 that kind of intrigue and that kind of those stakes 318 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:13.440 felt bigger with the final four being all the top 319 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:17.440 seeds basically, And I would say it's the same thing 320 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:21.119 for the NBA as much as we don't as much 321 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:26.559 as we say and claim that we want parody, I 322 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:32.720 think what fans really want secretly is Steph Curry going 323 00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:36.599 against Lebron James for the eighteenth time. I think people 324 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:40.200 want that, they want rivalries, they want brand names, household names. 325 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:44.279 In the end, and there's a little hipster in everybody 326 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:46.519 that wants Hey, wouldn't it be cool if it was 327 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:51.200 Memphis versus Indiana in the NBA Finals this year? At 328 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:54.880 the end of the day, I think Boston LA or 329 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:59.160 Cleveland LA in the finals more people would care about 330 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:02.160 that than if it was even Okay See. I feel 331 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:04.799 like people would want to say, it'd be great to 332 00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:09.160 see Okay see up there Cleveland. What a great NBA 333 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:11.000 Finals that would be. But at the end of the day, 334 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:14.759 that would draw pass the audience of a Lakers Cleveland 335 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:17.559 or a Lakers Boston series. And the same thing goes 336 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:21.519 for college basketball. We want the blue bloods, we want 337 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:23.799 the big name programs, we want the number one seeds 338 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:26.720 there at the end. But I can understand the argument 339 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:28.440 that the Cinderella is the fact that we didn't get 340 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.240 really any Cinderellas into the Sweet sixteen or close to it, 341 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:33.960 I can understand. I think the optimal thing is a 342 00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:36.559 couple Cinderella's early on, and then we see the big 343 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:37.480 dogs down the stretch. 344 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:41.759 So Oklahoma City in the midst of a historic run. 345 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:44.559 They just went nineteen and one over a twenty game stretch, 346 00:18:44.599 --> 00:18:48.559 but they had lost back to back games at full strength. 347 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:52.079 You know, all their players played at Houston, and then 348 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:54.799 they got trounced by the Lakers. And I will say, 349 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:58.839 as a fan of this game, watching two players like 350 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:01.640 Lebron and Luca and dialing in on them and watching 351 00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:04.079 them kind of figure it out is pretty fascinating with 352 00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:06.880 the way they think about the game. But any concern 353 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:09.480 at all, as we only have a handful of games 354 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:12.319 left four or five for most teams with where Oklahoma 355 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:14.759 City finds themselves or is just a couple l's is all? 356 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:19.759 I think it's two l's with incredibly hot shooting on 357 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:23.920 the other side, like those are tough shots. The fact 358 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:29.480 is that it took two sun like the surface of 359 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:31.839 the Sun shooting nights to beat OKAC and not to 360 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:34.960 say that they aren't beatable, But if they weren't such 361 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:39.640 outliers from downtown where they're combined against Houston and the Lakers, 362 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:43.400 they shot over fifty percent from three point land, and 363 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:46.160 that's that's the recipe, and that's the recipe for against 364 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:50.359 the ninety six Bulls or the twenty seventeen Warriors, Like 365 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:53.519 you need to have an outrageously hot shooting night in 366 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:58.039 order to topple the Oklahoma City Thunder. And you can sit 367 00:19:58.119 --> 00:20:04.240 here and say like they exploited a weakness, et cetera, 368 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:06.559 et cetera, But it's a make or miss league, and 369 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:08.759 that means the same for Okace and the rest of 370 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:11.079 the team. Is that if the opponents, like the Lakers 371 00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:13.440 in the Houston Rockets are gonna shoot lights out against you, 372 00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:16.519 they're gonna win. They're gonna win every once in a 373 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:19.319 while against the Thunder. But in a seven game series, 374 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:22.880 I don't see the Lakers hitting twenty two threes on 375 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:26.240 fifty five percent shooting from downtown. And if they do that, 376 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:28.920 then yeah, they're gonna win the series against Oka See, 377 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:31.960 but I just don't see that being sustainable. 378 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:34.119 Let me ask you about a couple of teams out 379 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:37.240 this way that I don't really think we've discussed very much. 380 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:41.440 And the Clippers went through this stretch where they lost 381 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:44.279 six of seven, and then since then they're fourteen and 382 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:48.400 three in their last seventeen with wins over the Pistons, 383 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:51.880 the Knicks, the Calves, the Grizzlies, a couple wins over 384 00:20:51.880 --> 00:20:53.680 the Knicks, and I could keep going. I mean, there's 385 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:56.519 some wins over bad teams in there. But you know, 386 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:59.359 every time Kawhi is healthy and every time he decides 387 00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:02.200 to be engaged, we're all reminded of like, oh, yeah, 388 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:05.319 that's who he is when he decides if basketball is 389 00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:06.839 important and he actually is healthy. 390 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:08.279 Are you buying any of this? 391 00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:10.960 Are they a legitimate threat to do some sort of 392 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:11.680 special thing? 393 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:12.680 Come playoff time? 394 00:21:13.559 --> 00:21:15.160 Man, I'm going to let you in on a little 395 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:19.200 teaser here that if you subscribe to my newsletter, Tom 396 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:22.160 Thefinder dot com, you'll see it in there, but I'll 397 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:24.319 give it to your listeners here. And just with the 398 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.039 knowledge that I'm going to give you something, please go 399 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:30.119 subscribe Tom Thefinder dot com for your pay doesn't matter. 400 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:33.319 This stat blew me away when I was working on 401 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:38.079