WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.960 All right, so you're just gonna rub it in, So 2 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:03.720 you're gonna use the one example of a band I 3 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:05.320 like when I was sixteen that has an age. 4 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:07.040 Well, that's what you're doing here. 5 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:08.240 I know. 6 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:11.119 That was the theme that we we were talking about. 7 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:15.400 I actually kind of liked Blues Traveler. I know they 8 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:19.879 they got some interesting sound, some corny stuff in there 9 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:20.320 as well. 10 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:25.120 What's the is it? Kingpin to the movie Collen Brothers. 11 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:27.320 Excellent movie. That may be part of it. But yeah, 12 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:28.519 actually I actually kind of. 13 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:32.320 Like well Forward Tour nineteen ninety four, Dave Matthews Band, 14 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:35.759 Fish Almond Brothers, they were all there, and Blues Traveler 15 00:00:35.799 --> 00:00:36.320 was the headline. 16 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:38.439 You know, that's how big they were in nineteen ninety. 17 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:39.719 I would have spent a lot of money to be 18 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:40.240 at that show. 19 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:42.079 It was a good show man, all right. Time for 20 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:45.200 the voice. You know what that means? Bill Riley Tuesday Afternoon, 21 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:46.280 Ryle's Happy Tuesday? 22 00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:46.399 Sir? 23 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:48.880 How are you can I give you blue a couple 24 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:50.079 of Blues Traveler stories? 25 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:50.560 Please do? 26 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:56.719 I paid three dollars in college at the Bottleneck and 27 00:00:56.840 --> 00:01:02.439 Lawrence to see Blues Traveler, and then also in nineteen 28 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:08.280 ninety God nineteen. Nineteen ninety five, Blues Traveler was the 29 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:11.879 headline band at the Lakewood Amphitheater at Atlanta, and Dave 30 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:16.439 Matthews opened for Blues Traveler in Atlanta. 31 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:16.840 Yeah. 32 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:19.239 Yeah, that's how big they were. Man, that's how big 33 00:01:19.239 --> 00:01:22.400 they were. They were massive. Porter posed a question to 34 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:26.120 me earlier last week, which is, how has my music 35 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:28.120 in the nineties aged to this day? 36 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:29.519 What are your thoughts on that? 37 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.200 Uh, it's funny you say this. When I was flying 38 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:34.760 to Orlando the other day, I had kind of a 39 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:39.159 nineties hits channel on. I was listening a little Big 40 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:42.560 Head Todd in The Monsters I had. I had the 41 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:46.760 Gin Blossoms radio going, Hey will I will stand on 42 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:49.319 the gin Blossoms Mountain and die on top of the gym. 43 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:52.439 They had some bangers in the nineties. I like Big 44 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:56.480 Head Todd the Monsters. I think the nineties has aged. Okay, 45 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:00.319 maybe not the greatest music decade, but I'm all on 46 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:01.280 board with it. How about you? 47 00:02:01.719 --> 00:02:03.599 I'm on board. I just love that you just use 48 00:02:03.640 --> 00:02:07.120 the term bangers. Ryle's I appreciate that. I mean, I 49 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:09.120 at least at least you didn't say that it slaps. 50 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:12.719 That's the other thing that the kids say, right, you hah, 51 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:13.520 something like that. 52 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:17.520 But I think the nineties it's been okay. I think 53 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:20.879 it's aged. Okay, but you know, I'm old, as you've 54 00:02:20.919 --> 00:02:22.800 said for you know, twenty years. I'm old. 55 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:27.719 I've apologized, Okay, I've seen the the the errors of 56 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:29.960 my ways because you're not that much older than I am. 57 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:31.520 All right, But it was a fun bit back in 58 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:33.400 the Bill and Spence days. But now that I'm aging, 59 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:33.960 I feel bad. 60 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:34.240 Bill. 61 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:36.919 But we still love Shep like he's a little brother. 62 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:37.879 Right, even though he's older. 63 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:41.560 All right, Let's move over now, obviously to the news 64 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:43.759 that broke prior to the show yesterday. 65 00:02:43.800 --> 00:02:45.360 About an hour before we started the show. 66 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:48.039 Excuse me, I get the alert that Craig has been 67 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:52.080 relieved of his duties. So the timing is interesting, and 68 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:54.360 you know, talking to some people, I'm sure you have 69 00:02:54.439 --> 00:02:57.639 as well about why exactly this went down when it 70 00:02:57.719 --> 00:02:59.919 went down, Bill, So what was your reaction when you're 71 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:01.960 the news and why do you think they decided to 72 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:02.159 do it? 73 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:02.360 Now? 74 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:06.400 I was caught off guard, Spence. I was somewhere over 75 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:10.479 West Texas, flying from Orlando to Tucson, and I had 76 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:13.400 my WiFi on and I was doing some work and 77 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:16.840 I just scrolled the old Twitter machine to check headlines, 78 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:21.159 and I saw Jeff Goodman's story pop up, and then 79 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:25.039 my phone began to be explode, you know, thirty three 80 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:28.159 thousand feet. I was surprised by it. I mean, I 81 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:32.159 was just the timing of it caught me off guard. 82 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:34.840 I don't know that you're ever fully expecting that something 83 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:39.479 like that in season, But you know, I think you know, 84 00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:41.319 to your other the other part of the question, I 85 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:44.439 think it was just probably the full body of four 86 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.319 years of work and maybe the overall trajectory of the 87 00:03:48.360 --> 00:03:51.360 program would be my guests and maybe a little maybe 88 00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:54.520 not as much consistency as they would have maybe liked to, 89 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:57.840 would be my guests on why the move was made. 90 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:02.800 So ultimately, there's always he's a personal side to these things. 91 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:06.639 There's always an element of how this affects people that 92 00:04:06.680 --> 00:04:09.319 I think we tend to ignore in the media because 93 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:11.919 our job is to cover the story. But look, you know, 94 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:14.080 my father wasn't a coach, but he was an executive 95 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:18.160 and we uprooted multiple times throughout his career, and that's 96 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:20.480 just the deal. You get into this industry and you 97 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:23.199 take these jobs oftentimes knowing that you're going to be fired. 98 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:25.040 You're hired to fire to get fired. 99 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.839 They are very very few coaches, executives, or even players 100 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:30.680 that have a super long run in one spot. 101 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:32.279 It's just a transient existence. 102 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:34.600 And I think Craig's a really good man, and I 103 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:36.839 do think, you know, when it comes to his ability 104 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:37.800 to drop game plans. 105 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:39.160 I think he did a good job this year. 106 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:42.600 My opinion is the talent on this roster, but you 107 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:45.040 know it wasn't necessarily up to par. They were picked 108 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:47.120 to finish last, and I actually thought he did a 109 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:49.959 good job coaching up a roster that was a little 110 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:53.439 bit void in talent at times juxtaposed to who they 111 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:55.920 were playing against. So you have a front row to 112 00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:57.839 all these games, all these seats. What do you have 113 00:04:57.920 --> 00:04:59.959 to say about the job he did just as a coach. 114 00:05:00.680 --> 00:05:04.519 But to your point, first and foremost, Craig Smith, for 115 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:07.199 the three and a half almost four years I've worked 116 00:05:07.240 --> 00:05:10.199 with him, has been awesome to me, the same way 117 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:14.360 Larry Christoviac was before that. So you'll hear no Craig 118 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:18.120 Smith slander from me at all. He is a great guy, 119 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:21.639 excellent human being and to your point too, I think 120 00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:25.279 he's a good basketball coach as well. Yeah, did they 121 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:28.439 outperform with their preseason expected at least to this point 122 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:33.439 what their preseason expectations were, Yes, because when you're pick sixteenth, 123 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:37.120 there's nowhere to go but up. But kind of going 124 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:39.040 back to what where we were before that, I think 125 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:43.439 it's just kind of the overall big picture trajectory, and 126 00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:46.639 you know the fact that the program hasn't been an 127 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:51.839 NCUBLEA tournament program in almost ten seasons, nine seasons. This year, 128 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:54.480 unless they make some sort of miraculous run you know 129 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:57.199 in Kansas City, it's likely to be another year without 130 00:05:57.240 --> 00:06:00.519 the NC Double A. And I think, you know, Mark 131 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:03.759 Harlan and probably Taylor Randall above him, because you don't 132 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:07.120 make moves like this without, you know, alerting your boss, 133 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:10.199 who's the boss of everything. I think they're both big 134 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:14.480 basketball guys, and I think the men's basketball is important 135 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:17.279 to them and what's going on at the you and 136 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:21.000 I think that they probably looked at the big picture 137 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:23.720 trajectory and maybe said it just wasn't good enough. 138 00:06:24.680 --> 00:06:27.600 So tell me about Josh Eilert, my man's about to 139 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:31.519 coach at michale I mean, goodness, gracious, dude, Like, and 140 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:34.639 you know it's going to be a grumpy Arizona group 141 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.519 based off of what happened with them against BYU. So 142 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.519 tell us about this interim head coach and what are 143 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:42.680 you expecting tomorrow night in a really, really tough place 144 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:43.079 to play. 145 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:47.199 Well, the good news for Utah is Josh Eilert's been 146 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:49.600 in this position before because he was the interim head 147 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:52.439 coach last year at West Virginia, so he had to 148 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:55.160 make the rounds in the Big twelve last year when 149 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.839 Bob Huggins was let go at West Virginia and he 150 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:00.199 wrote the title of interim head coach much of the 151 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:05.199 year last year. He's well liked by the guys. The 152 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:08.600 team likes him a lot. He knows the league. He's 153 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:11.759 been part of most of the game plans this year 154 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:14.639 and the scouts this year. So I think, you know, 155 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:18.360 it's never it's never optimal to have to name somebody 156 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:22.480 an interim head coach inside a season after a move 157 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.079 like this has made. But if anybody's up for the 158 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:28.319 task and can do it, it's Josh because he was 159 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.160 in the same position at West Virginia year ago. But 160 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:34.560 to your point, too, Arizona is going to be an 161 00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:38.600 angry bunch after what happened to them on Saturday against 162 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:42.000 BYU down here in Tucson. So you know, it's been 163 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:44.240 a tough week, certainly, but it's not going to get 164 00:07:44.279 --> 00:07:46.839 any easier tomorrow night on the court at McHale, for sure. 165 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:48.600 Do you have a feel at all? Bill? 166 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:50.839 And we had Sean on earlier and he referenced the 167 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:54.279 players were going to fly in, so maybe you haven't 168 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:56.480 had a chance to kick the tires. But you know, 169 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:58.759 I would imagine that a lot of these young men, 170 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:01.879 and I don't know this because there are people pontificating 171 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:05.240 on the possibility of did you make this decision right 172 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:08.720 now based off of some players that may be unhappy 173 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.000 that you want back next year. But my guest would 174 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:13.759 be most of these guys are bummed out that they 175 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:14.839 just lost their head coach. 176 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:16.399 I mean, it's different than in the pros. 177 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:18.120 You know that your coach is hired to be fired, 178 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:20.439 and you don't sign necessarily only play for a coach. 179 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.399 In college, you know, when you're recruited, your parents are 180 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:26.000 trusting this person to take care of you, and you sign, 181 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.480 oftentimes to play for the guy that recruited you, So 182 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:33.720 any context or idea of how these players have reacted 183 00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:35.440 to what has to be tough news for at least 184 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:36.080 some of them. 185 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:38.559 No, I haven't seen them yet, kind of like Sean, 186 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:41.360 we're both down here in Tucson. They're scheduled to arrive 187 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:44.360 a little bit later on this afternoon, so I'll have 188 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:47.080 a better feel tonight and tomorrow when I'm at shoot 189 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:49.000 around and around them a little bit. But to your point, 190 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:51.440 I think you're probably right. I think there's probably a 191 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:54.360 little bit of surprise and some shock and probably a 192 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:57.799 little disappointment, because you know, when you come to play 193 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:00.960 at a school, no matter what the school is, whether 194 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:05.000 it's Duke or Kansas or Yukon or Utah, you're you're 195 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:07.679 you know you're you're coming to go to the school. Sure, 196 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:10.159 but you're coming because you've committed to a coach and 197 00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:12.679 a staff. So I'm sure those guys were a little 198 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:15.759 caught off and and a little bit a little bit 199 00:09:15.799 --> 00:09:18.720 disappointed by what happened. But you know, now now you 200 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:21.480 rally up and see what you can do, and you know, 201 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:23.759 if your competitors, you want to go out there no 202 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:27.879 matter who's coaching you and see what you can do 203 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:30.320 against Arizona. So, like I said, I don't have a 204 00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:32.519 feel for where those guys are right now, but probably 205 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:33.679 will later today or tomorrow. 206 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:36.039 I know a lot of these decisions are made above 207 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:37.960 your pay grade, and if there's anything you just want 208 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:39.799 to straight punt on, please let me know. But do 209 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:43.720 you think Josh has a chance to coach his way 210 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:44.679 into this job? 211 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:48.480 I don't that that. I don't know, uh, just because 212 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.360 like you said, it's above my pay grade, and I 213 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:53.480 don't know what kind of conversations they may have had 214 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:57.360 with Josh, so I can't. I just I don't feel 215 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:01.480 comfortable in my position, just not knowing and again having 216 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:03.759 been kind of out of the pocket down here in Orlando, 217 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.360 or Orlando, Orlando and Tucson. Make a comment on the coaching, 218 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:10.159 you know, kind of the direction where they're going to go. 219 00:10:10.519 --> 00:10:12.320 You know, there's been a lot of names thrown around 220 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:14.759 out there, and you know, if you read there, you 221 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:16.480 know you can probably make cases for a lot of 222 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:18.519 that stuff. But I just I don't have a feel 223 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:20.720 for it, so I don't feel real comfortable talking about it. 224 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:22.799 Did you attend the Magic Kingdom and did you wear 225 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:23.720 Mickey ears. 226 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:28.200 Well, no, I did not, And I think you and 227 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.519 I have had this conversation about adults who go to 228 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:35.960 Disney parks by themselves. It's very odd and off putting. 229 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.240 There's so many things I want to say right now, 230 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.080 but yes, you and I are on the same page. 231 00:10:42.679 --> 00:10:45.159 And look, let's just stick here for a moment. 232 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:48.600 It's strictly budgetary, okay, Like the amount of money that 233 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:51.279 you're spending to do this. You could go to Hawaii, 234 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:54.480 you could go to Europe, Like, why is it saving 235 00:10:54.519 --> 00:10:57.840 the cash to ride? You know, it's a small world. 236 00:10:57.879 --> 00:10:59.879 For the seventy fifth time, it doesn't make sense to. 237 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:02.320 Me, It makes no I mean I took my kids 238 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:05.120 when they were younger. We had a good time. But 239 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:07.200 that's what you kind of take one for the team 240 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.360 when you're a parent and you get that experience and 241 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:12.559 then you then you move on. So I did not 242 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:17.200 visit Epcot or the Magic Kingdom when in Orlando, or 243 00:11:17.320 --> 00:11:20.919 did I visit the uh the the old Magic Home 244 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:22.759 either what's what I don't even know what it's called 245 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:25.799 these days. It used to be uh guess it was 246 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:28.720 like it was one of those MLMs that that was 247 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:31.240 big in the nineties. They had the name of the arena, 248 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:33.720 but we were way at UCF's West sixty by the way, 249 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:38.080 sixty thousand students at UCS. It's the second biggest campus 250 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:38.639 in the country. 251 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:41.279 Wow, I did not know that, all right, Moving from 252 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:43.559 one Josh to another, Josh, I don't know. 253 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:45.279 Did you have a chance to listen to Josh Grant 254 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:46.080 on the show yesterday? 255 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.879 I didn't. I was flying when he was on, but 256 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:52.240 I heard I heard he was. He was. He was 257 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:57.639 quite passionate in his in his desire for what he 258 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:58.840 was looking for in the next head coach. 259 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:02.200 Yes, he was very salient, he was very clear eyed, 260 00:12:02.200 --> 00:12:05.000 He was very direct and even said that he was 261 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.879 very excited that the news came down when it did. 262 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:13.279 And it leads to a conversation Bill just philosophically, because ultimately, 263 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:17.679 you know, when it comes to historically speaking, the way 264 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:21.080 that college coaches the profession works. And one of the 265 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:25.159 things I love about March Madness is seeing a coach 266 00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:28.840 that coaches a smaller school into the NCAA tournament, winning 267 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:33.159 a game or two, and his life changes immediately, and 268 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:36.360 the life of his family changes immediately because he gets 269 00:12:36.440 --> 00:12:39.960 this great opportunity to triple quadruple his salary and take 270 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:42.639 over a bigger program. And there there's a group of 271 00:12:42.679 --> 00:12:47.519 options right now, coaches that are coaching at quote unquote 272 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:50.360 smaller schools that have done a great job that seems 273 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:53.519 to indicate that they are next in line to get 274 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:55.799 an opportunity like coaching in the Big twelve at the 275 00:12:55.879 --> 00:12:59.360 University of Utah. Now, the names on that list are 276 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.720 not necessary early names that people around here are probably 277 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:05.279 all that familiar with. You're talking about UC San Diego, 278 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:08.639 Eric Olson, You're talking about Nico Medvet at Colorado State, 279 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:13.759 Eric Henderson South Dakota State, Leon Rice at Boise, UC Irvine, 280 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:16.759 Russell Turner. And this is a list that's put together 281 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:21.399 by Jeff Borzello, who covers college basketball for ESPN. 282 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:24.200 So that's one route for Mark to take. 283 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:27.200 Now you could argue that he just took that route 284 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:30.399 with Craig being at Utah State after South Dakota State 285 00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:33.080 and then rising up the ranks. And then the other 286 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:35.759 route is the route people around here talking about, and 287 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:39.519 that essentially is Alex Jensen as the head coach. Potentially 288 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:42.360 Andre Miller is coaching the G League as an assistant 289 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:45.440 or Johnny Bryant, who's an associate head coach for a 290 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:48.440 really good basketball team in the pros with the Cleveland Cavaliers. 291 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:52.080 So just thirty thousand foot viewpoint, what's the voice's take 292 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:54.120 on just kind of the direction you think this thing 293 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:54.480 will go? 294 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:58.279 Again, back to what I'm saying before, I'm not sure. 295 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:00.919 But what you have to look get when you're making 296 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:04.480 this decision now is I don't think either path spence 297 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:07.279 is a bad path to take, because as you said, 298 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:10.720 there's good options on both of those paths. But what 299 00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:13.320 you have to look at, especially in particular with Utah 300 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:15.840 right now, is who's going to be able to come 301 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:22.480 in and, you know, get kind of jumpstart the program 302 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:25.120 and get it back to where the expectation is and 303 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:27.559 the expectation and I think Mark said this in his 304 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:31.200 release yesterday, was to compete in a regular basis in 305 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:34.159 the NCAA tournament, to compete at a high level in 306 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:37.320 the Big twelve, turn in the Big Twelve Conference. You know, 307 00:14:37.399 --> 00:14:40.080 who's the guy that gives you the best chance to 308 00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:43.799 do that. At the same time, you know Utah, you know, 309 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:46.519 the interest in Utah men's basketball has been down a 310 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:48.879 little bit, So who's somebody that could come in and 311 00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:51.200 connect with the fan base a little bit. And then 312 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:54.720 the third component is who's somebody that in today's day 313 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:58.759 and age, can work in the nil world and you know, 314 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:01.799 whatever that budget had happens to be work within those 315 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:05.720 parameters and make it work to your program's best you know, 316 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:10.559 best ability. And again, there might be guys at that 317 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:14.240 at that Mountain West you know, big West West Coast 318 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:16.399 conference level that could do it. There might be guys 319 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:18.720 that haven't had that college experience, but you've got to 320 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:22.080 find the guy. And also, can you build a staff, 321 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:24.159 because in today's day and age, you have to have 322 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:26.960 the head coach. We know this. It's not like when 323 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:30.120 Rick was here. You know, football and all these sports. 324 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:32.840 The head coaches are CEOs now. So you've got to 325 00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:34.879 find a guy who you think can also build a 326 00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:38.360 staff and surround himself with good people because the job 327 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.799 of a head coach is so much more intricate and 328 00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:44.960 complicated now. You're more of a CEO. You're still coaching, 329 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:48.039 but you have lots of other duties now, So who's 330 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:50.039 the guy that could best do that? And that's what 331 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:53.320 you know, Mark and his search committee's challenge is going 332 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.000 to be I. 333 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:57.000 Do think, and I talked about this with Sean earlier. 334 00:15:57.080 --> 00:15:59.200 I am not a you got to win the press 335 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:02.159 conference guy, Like watch Nick Sirianni's opening presser for the 336 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:04.159 Eagles and you're like, dude, can even can he string 337 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:05.039 a sentence together? 338 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:06.159 They just want a Super Bowl. 339 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:08.720 All that matters is the long game at the end 340 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:11.120 of the day, and somebody coming in here that can 341 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:15.120 recapture past glory in his own way in the modern 342 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:17.480 day and age of college basketball, because there's no going back. 343 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:20.200 You've got to look to the future. And even invoking 344 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:22.480 the name of Rick mcjeris is unfair because that was 345 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.720 a tremendous run. But it shouldn't just scare people away 346 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:29.759 from having that standard around here. This is a proud 347 00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:33.559 basketball state, it's a proud basketball market. And while my 348 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:36.840 initial reaction was sadness for Craig and his family, because 349 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:40.679 I know what that's like, my secondary reaction was, Okay, 350 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:43.279 somebody up there finally said this is not good enough, okay, 351 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:45.480 and we need to change our standards for what our 352 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:48.720 basketball team is. There's no reason that you can't be 353 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:52.679 both a basketball and a football school. Ask Auburn, ask Alabama. 354 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:55.679 I mean, they're Florida. We could keep going. And for 355 00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:58.240 too long this has been kind of branded. No, you're 356 00:16:58.279 --> 00:17:01.000 a football school. Now you can be Oh, Bill, don't 357 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:03.320 you think I mean it's not an unreasonable expectation. 358 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:08.640 You should that should be the goal should absolutely be 359 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:13.400 both of those things. And again, the standard is different today, 360 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:16.759 but it's not different, meaning your standard should always be 361 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:18.680 to compete at the highest level. To be in the 362 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:22.799 school like Utah, with the resources it has and the 363 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:26.119 support and the tradition that has, shouldn't be going nine 364 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:29.240 and ten years without being in an NCAA tournament. And 365 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:31.559 I think that's what Mark and the powers that be 366 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:34.200 at the you have said. You know, they want to 367 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:37.680 do everything they can do to reset that standard, to 368 00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:42.000 get it back and make sure basketball is a top priority. Yeah, 369 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.839 football is the big dog on every campus. It is. 370 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:47.880 We know that from a financial standpoint. But you just 371 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:51.000 rattle off three or four schools that are succeeding at 372 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:53.240 a very high level in both and yes, you can 373 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:57.079 absolutely do that. That's what the expectations should be. And 374 00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:00.680 I don't you know when fans used don't you should 375 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.119 want to have the standard that was in the Majeris era. 376 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:06.160 That's fine. Just don't think that the best style of 377 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:08.680 basketball and the way it was back then is coming back. 378 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.200 Because the game in collegiate athletics has changed over the 379 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:14.559 last twenty five years, but the standard really shouldn't. 380 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:17.680 Yeah, no, I agree with you, So back to the whole. Like, 381 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:19.400 I don't really think you have to win the press 382 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:22.359 conference all the time. I do think in this case, 383 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:27.279 this basketball community could use a little injection of life. 384 00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:31.160 And I do think an Alex Jensen Andre Miller bench. 385 00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:34.240 I mean, imagine walking into a gym with Andrea as 386 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:37.559 your assistant coach, Like, that's instant credibility, that's instant respect. 387 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:40.079 And I would imagine if that's the direction, and we 388 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:42.559 won't know for a little while, phones would ring off 389 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:45.200 the hook up there at the basketball office for season 390 00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:47.960 ticket deposits. So what are your thoughts on just kind 391 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:51.039 of that dynamic, interjecting some juice based off of names 392 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:53.279 that we're familiar with around here. If that's the direction, 393 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:55.400 what do you think the effect would be on the community. 394 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:59.839 Well, I think if that were the case that people 395 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:03.680 would would just they would love it. Again, that would 396 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:06.720 be a connection back to the bygone days. But it's 397 00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:09.640 people that they you know, that they've they've known for 398 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:12.440 a long time. And again that's that's another component of 399 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.119 all this spense. It's not just you know, it's not 400 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.400 just it's re engaging your fans and making your fans 401 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:20.880