WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.839 Sean Mooney college basketball analysts or the University of Utah 2 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:06.440 men's basketball team just hung up on me. 3 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:09.320 Sean, he did? That was real. 4 00:00:10.679 --> 00:00:13.119 I was ready to give him this really kind, nice intro, 5 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.519 and he just slams the phone down. And who, by 6 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:18.559 the way, has a dial tone when they hang up anymore? 7 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:21.079 Sean on the landline? What is this nineteen eighty five? 8 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:24.359 I mean, aren't we all on cell phones? 9 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:28.039 Yeah? Still there, Sean Sean Mooney US. 10 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:30.000 I wonder if he has a rotary phone, like one 11 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.439 of the nobody all the younger listeners who are vaping 12 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:33.759 right now. 13 00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:35.280 I have no idea what I'm talking about. 14 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:37.399 When's the last time you got hung up on like 15 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:39.960 that where there's a dial tone so you even get 16 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:40.840 Sean Mooney back on. 17 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:43.799 Yeah, he might have one of those. You mentioned it, 18 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:45.799 those those rollly phones, the rotary phones. 19 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:48.359 Yeah, the dial You know, there was a day and 20 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:50.719 age kids when your phone rang and you're actually excited 21 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:53.200 about it at the house, you know, like you're at 22 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:55.280 the house the phone rings, like oh maybe it's somebody 23 00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:58.039 really fun, really cool family member or friend. Now the 24 00:00:58.079 --> 00:00:59.840 phone rings and it's like, I don't know anybody who 25 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:03.039 call me anymore. But Sean Mooney on a Wednesday, Sean, 26 00:01:03.079 --> 00:01:03.520 are you there. 27 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:03.880 My friend? 28 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:06.120 I'm here, Spence. I'm so sorry, man. 29 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:08.079 It totally cut out right when you ask me, how 30 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:10.040 are you I'm going to vote for the mammoth. I'm 31 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:12.120 voting for the mammoth, even though I didn't get a vote. 32 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:13.719 Fair enough. Well, if you go to the game, you 33 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:15.400 get a vote. No you don't, but they're gonna pretend 34 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:17.040 like you do. I gotta I gotta ask you this 35 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:18.799 right out, like when you hung. 36 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:20.519 Up on us. We heard a dial tone. Are you 37 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:21.480 on a landline? 38 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:25.200 No, I'm on my cell, but I meant my work 39 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:28.000 and this coverage here is bad. I've been out in 40 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:33.000 the parking lot, so okay, okay, Sean here, I'm not 41 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:35.480 under rotary. I swear even though I'm from Ogden. You 42 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:36.799 would think I would have a rotary. 43 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:37.519 I don't have one. 44 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:38.719 You're an Otown guy. 45 00:01:39.560 --> 00:01:43.120 Yeah, brother, absolutely, I'm not. I'm not Northeast High School. 46 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:46.920 I heard about your Marcus Canby experience. I listened to 47 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:48.079 the Caim Palmory interview. 48 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:50.599 Very good interview, by the way, thank you, sir. Yeah, 49 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:54.359 it was forty seven to ten at halftime. It it 50 00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:57.519 didn't go well, Sean. It's so when I watched Utah 51 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:59.480 play against a team like Houston, I just feel bad 52 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:00.680 for them because I know what that's like. 53 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:01.959 You do. 54 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:04.760 And did you hear what Jay Billis said on national 55 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:07.200 media was about Utah playing Houston. 56 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:08.719 What do you say? 57 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:12.919 He said it was like clubbing baby kills. Oh wow, 58 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:17.400 I died when I heard it. I'm like, come on, Billis, 59 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:19.520 it did appear like that a little bit. 60 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:20.639 It was ugly. 61 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:21.159 It was. 62 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:23.080 Now, you were a very good player, but did you 63 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:25.680 ever run into a situation where you're like, Yep, I've 64 00:02:25.719 --> 00:02:28.360 reached my level. I cannot play this game anymore if 65 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:29.599 those guys are going to play like that. 66 00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:30.960 Yeah. 67 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:34.199 Absolutely, But it was after college and like my strength 68 00:02:34.199 --> 00:02:36.560 as a player was I was a good defender, good rebounder, 69 00:02:36.599 --> 00:02:38.599 and I was actually playing against a kid in the 70 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:41.159 Mill Creek Pro am who played at Saint Mary's that 71 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.639 I actually trained. So I'm a personal finish nur spence, 72 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:46.800 you know that. And he went for Lake thirty eight 73 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:50.159 on me and I'm maybe thirty four. And that was it. 74 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:52.120 I went home and I told Christina that's it. 75 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:52.560 I'm done. 76 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:55.439 Well you made it to thirty four, right, I mean 77 00:02:55.479 --> 00:02:57.400 that's uh, it's a lot longer than most of us. 78 00:02:57.400 --> 00:02:59.280 Felt pretty good about that. Yeah, I feel pretty good 79 00:02:59.280 --> 00:02:59.800 about that. Yeah. 80 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:02.840 I've been being sixteen, going to five star basketball camp 81 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:05.840 and just staring across and suddenly it's do you remember 82 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:07.080 god sham, god sham god? 83 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:08.280 Wells oh, yes? 84 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:09.520 Remember here? 85 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:12.439 Like, come on, man, I could not. The drill was 86 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:13.159 one on one. 87 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:14.960 You just have to get to half court, and then 88 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:16.759 you have to try to stop the player from getting 89 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:17.280 a half court. 90 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:19.479 He picked me three times. I called home. 91 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:21.960 I'm like, so, I guess I'll lean into broadcasting or something, 92 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:23.240 because this isn't gonna work. 93 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:25.080 You know what I mean. 94 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:27.360 Listen, if you're going to be put out by someone 95 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:30.560 at sixteen, that's someone to be put out by Spence. 96 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:32.280 There's nothing to take a stick out right there. You 97 00:03:32.280 --> 00:03:33.360 shouldn't feel bad at all. 98 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:34.080 No, fair enough. 99 00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:36.319 You made me feel better, but it just was depressing him. 100 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:38.159 Because when you're young, you're dumb, and you think you're 101 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:40.240 gonna be the starting point guard for the Knicks. 102 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:44.280 You do, you have no idea right that life in 103 00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:46.759 reality hits harder sometimes than you want it to. 104 00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:48.479 For sure, for sure. 105 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:51.400 All right, before we get to the game last night 106 00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:55.199 in a vacuum, let's analyze Utah basketball through twenty games now, 107 00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:58.560 twenty games in the season, four and five in conference play, 108 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.240 when they win, and what do they do well when 109 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:02.919 they lose? 110 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:04.319 What stalls and goes wrong? 111 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:07.800 Yeah, so obviously when we turn it over. We even 112 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:11.240 turned it over last night, right, And it's so frustrating 113 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.639 because our team understands that people are turning our turnovers 114 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:19.439 into easy buckets. That's been the case all league long, 115 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:23.439 so that on both sides. Typically when we win, we 116 00:04:23.480 --> 00:04:25.600 shoot it a little bit better. We shot it well 117 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:28.920 last night against the team Cincinnati, who's you know, well 118 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:32.240 known for their defense. Obviously, b why you did the 119 00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:34.720 same thing, put up eleven for fifteen from the three. 120 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:36.680 We are not doing that. But we shoot it well 121 00:04:36.680 --> 00:04:38.959 when we win, and we turn it over too much 122 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:39.680 when we lose. 123 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:44.279 Okay, Well, you know that's a formula, certainly when it 124 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:47.759 comes to college basketball that will dictate wins and losses. 125 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.000 So let's get over let's get over to last night. 126 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:52.759 You know what, No, let's not get it to last 127 00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:55.040 night because I haven't talked to you. I haven't talked 128 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:56.800 to you since the BYU game, and I wanted to 129 00:04:56.879 --> 00:04:59.800 kick the tires with you on because I was I was, 130 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:03.519 my dad, my brother, and my little niece. We all 131 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:07.000 went up and I gotta tell you, Sean, I'm looking 132 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:09.160 around and I ran into some college friends of mine 133 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:11.040 at the game, and we all said the same thing, like, man, 134 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:13.720 this feels like when we were here when Rick was 135 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:17.079 the coach and when we planned our weeks around you know, 136 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:18.279 Utah basketball game. 137 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:20.439 So let's start with that atmosphere. 138 00:05:20.519 --> 00:05:23.600 And Craig himself saying after the game, Sean, fans impact 139 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:27.240 winning and I guess, I guess it's not realistic to 140 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:29.040 expect it's going to be like that every night because 141 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:30.959 it hasn't been like that since. But what did you 142 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:35.240 make of the crowd, the atmosphere for Utah BYU, you know, 143 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:35.959 last Saturday. 144 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:39.639 Yeah, and first of all, thanks for coming and bringing everybody. 145 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:42.160 And we agree, both Bill and I agree. You know, 146 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:44.639 I got to be down there on the floor for 147 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:47.199 part of that in the early nineties, and it was 148 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:49.759 never a game when it was impact like that. The 149 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:53.360 energy was always like that. Just the must section alone, 150 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:55.759 you saw it. It was all the way to the Raptors. 151 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:58.560 But I think there's always so much intrigue between by 152 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.839 you and us. How we know that we understand this environment. 153 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:04.800 It's always going to be good. The game almost always 154 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:08.000 is going to be good. I heard Ken Palmray predicted 155 00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:10.519 we'd win by one. I mean, come on, that's crazy. 156 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:15.000 I think that game just brings out, arguably the joy 157 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:18.319 of what our state used to be. And really, I've 158 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:20.040 got to give you away a credit because I think 159 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:24.160 it's there. I think they still have pack houses. You know, 160 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:27.000 Salt Lake may have too much to do. I don't 161 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:30.199 know Ken pointed that out, but it was really fun 162 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:32.759 and we want to get back there. But I do 163 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:36.959 think that the product has to be NCAA tournament level 164 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:39.439 maybe to get fans back in the stands. 165 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:43.279 What do you think, Spence, Well, it's interesting, Sean, because 166 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.399 if you go back over the history since Rick left 167 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:51.199 the program, you know jack A Leetti had a good team. 168 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:53.879 I mean, obviously Rick recruited Boget, we know that, but 169 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:56.879 Jim had a couple of pretty good teams. The Luca 170 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:59.759 Dertca Luke Neville team, I think there was an nc 171 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:03.439 tournament team and Larry had two really two or three 172 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:06.959 really good teams, and for whatever reason, ever since Reck 173 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.160 has left, the attendance has been as inconsistent as to 174 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:13.639 play like even when Ray or Jim or Larry had. 175 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:15.279 Some decent teams. I was at a lot of those 176 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:16.480 games and the fans just weren't. 177 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:17.079 It. 178 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.720 Honestly is baffling to me. 179 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:20.639 I don't have an answer to it, because it can't 180 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:22.600 be like, hey, we're a football school. Now now look 181 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:25.399 football's over, you can go to a basketball game Like 182 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:29.800 that doesn't jibe with me. And so if Craig's able 183 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:31.759 to build this thing up in the Big twelve where 184 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:36.079 and your reference to Ken palmmeray interview when he dropped like, hey, 185 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:38.480 if you can make this tournament two like of every 186 00:07:38.519 --> 00:07:41.079 five years, I just kind of went, oh, but maybe, 187 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:44.199 I mean I'm spoiled because those teams that you know, 188 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:46.639 you played on and you were around, they didn't just 189 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:48.600 go to the tournament every year. They made runs, They 190 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:52.079 went to final fours, they almost won national championships. So yes, 191 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.480 I agree with you that if the product was consistently 192 00:07:55.560 --> 00:07:59.279 NCAA tournament worthy, maybe more people would go. But it's 193 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:01.399 kind of like I've landed on the space where I 194 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:04.360 feel like, if you're a member of the Utah community 195 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:07.360 and you care about Utah basketball, maybe you need to 196 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:08.879 do your part a little bit too and just go 197 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:12.199 because you know this, If you're being recruited to play 198 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.040 the school and you show up to a home game 199 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:17.120 and there's fifteen hundred people there, you're just like, no, thanks, 200 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:18.959 I want to play in front of fans. You know 201 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:21.240 the Sean players want to play in front of fans. 202 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:23.839 Absolutely no, I agree with you. 203 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:26.480 And it's been interesting Spence because as we travel around 204 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:29.879 the Big twelve, Baylor is a good example. They put 205 00:08:29.879 --> 00:08:33.840 it together, a new modern field house and it's. 206 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:34.639 Seventy five hundred. 207 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:38.480 TCU has a field house seventy five hundred. That number 208 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:40.600 may be kind of the ticket. I'm not saying change 209 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:44.919 the Huntsman Center, but they're filling those up well, and 210 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:47.679 the fans were loud and crazy, and even for our 211 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:50.720 fan spent, if we get seventy five hundred and ninety 212 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:53.360 five hundred, that's lower bowl and that's a good crowd. 213 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:54.440 It can be really loud. 214 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:57.840 And I agree with you, don't change the Huntsman Center. 215 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:01.840 I mean, it's historic. We are are such an underrated 216 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:05.000 basketball market. I mean, we have the we're the home 217 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:08.399 of the highest rated basketball game in the history of 218 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:12.200 pro basketball. That's Jordan's last game against the Jazz Huntsman Center. 219 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:14.480 We could talk for hours about the history, but magic 220 00:09:14.519 --> 00:09:17.720 and bird right, I mean, so don't change the Huntsman Center. 221 00:09:17.799 --> 00:09:20.320 I will say I think the building could use a 222 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:20.759 little love. 223 00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:25.759 Yes, I don't disagree in particular. You know, one of 224 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:29.240 the thoughts that I think, I would say that administration 225 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.120 is tossed around and I'm not speaking for them. I've 226 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:34.279 just heard this, you know, is trying to create an 227 00:09:34.279 --> 00:09:38.039 atmosphere that's a little more party like and meaning you 228 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:39.919 know where you go get the hot dogs in the 229 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:43.360 Crimson club room. Maybe you create some kind of connection 230 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:47.399 with a local eatery and a local distillery or brewery. 231 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:50.639 And I know this is a taboo subject to some extent, 232 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:54.440 but if we could sell beer, you know, there's an 233 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:56.639 outside chance that that would bring more fans. 234 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:59.159 I'm just saying out loud. 235 00:09:59.120 --> 00:09:59.879 One hundred percent. 236 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:02.720 And maybe let's not have hot dogs that taste like 237 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:06.200 they were Costco's throwaways from April, like they you do. 238 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:11.200 Like I'm sorry, man. The concession situation is subpar. I 239 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:13.960 walked by and this poor young lady was selling like 240 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.480 granola and water set up on like a table that 241 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:20.120 looked like she brought from home. And they just need 242 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:21.519 to update the facilities. 243 00:10:21.559 --> 00:10:21.759 Now. 244 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:24.600 It's probably tough because if they are going over their 245 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:27.440 budgets and they're talking about, okay, well we're not bringing 246 00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:30.519 in enough revenue with ticket rip and merchant food and 247 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:33.480 bever whatever, and Mark and his group have a lot 248 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:36.399 of budgetary decisions to make. And of course the football 249 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:38.879 program brings in the revenue, so you're going to invest 250 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:41.519 in the football program. And we should say those basketball 251 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.600 facilities are very very nice, but the Huntsman centered itself Sean, 252 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:47.360 I just think needs to be a bit modernized as all. 253 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:50.759 Yeah, no, I don't disagree in your spot on a space, 254 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:52.720 do you understand what you're talking about. I mean, it's 255 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:54.720 easy for me to say this is how we should 256 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:56.879 do it. I'm not the one in charge of the 257 00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:59.960 of the finances or the ledger, and they do have 258 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:03.080 a lot on their plate. I agree one hundred percent 259 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:05.720 with that. I also think that you know any business 260 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:08.879 owner and their business owners in essence, you know you 261 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:13.000 you sometimes have to figure out a new approach and 262 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:17.519 maybe a new marketing style in order to make make 263 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:19.600 a product that people do want to come and your 264 00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:21.919 and your your points are well made. I think about 265 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:23.840 just revitalizing what we have. 266 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:26.799 Tell me what the feedback is, because you know, the 267 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:29.200 funny thing about doing this job, the job that I 268 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:31.480 do every day talking on air for four hours or 269 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:35.600 our community is oftentimes I do share feedback from simply 270 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:40.960 my ecosystem, my prison, my echo chamber, which honestly is 271 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:43.879 probably my twenty or fifteen ten or fifteen twenty best 272 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:46.840 friends from college who love Utah and they'll hear me 273 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:49.679 talking about something on the show and they'll call me later, 274 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:51.639 text me later like, Hey, this is the way I 275 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.720 feel about Coach Wit, this is the way I feel 276 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:56.600 about the basketball program, this is the and and so 277 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:00.919 I'm fully acknowledging it's not an accurate representation of everybody 278 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:05.039 who loves Utah athletics. But in your ecosystem, the people 279 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:07.360 that you surround yourself with, and we have some mutual friends. 280 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:09.360 I'll give Brad Bruso's shout out because he texts me 281 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:12.360 every time you're on the show. What is the feedback 282 00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:15.320 you hear about Utah basketball. What do they say, Are 283 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.840 people still invested or are they kind of tapped out? 284 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.799 It's a really good question. Yeah, and you're making a 285 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:25.080 really good point. We do have our own echo chambers, 286 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:29.440 and obviously mine includes, like yours, people who really care 287 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:35.000 about Utah basketball, which I love, and they're all invested in. 288 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:38.360 I think they're all in that same kind of. 289 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:41.039 Vein where over the years they. 290 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:45.399 Have stopped attending games as much and for various reasons. 291 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:48.399 And these are people that die blied. Excuse me, they 292 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.799 don't die, they bleed red. They give their heart and 293 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:55.240 soul to the program. And I think your point is, well, 294 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:58.440 maybe maybe we need to revitalize that in some way. 295 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:01.679 But I think people are frustrated. I think they want 296 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:03.399 our team to go the NCAA tournament, and that's a 297 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:07.000 that is a fine desire. I want that as well, 298 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:08.759 and I don't I don't like the two out. 299 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:11.600 Of five years spence. I want five out of five years. 300 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:12.799 I mean, I don't. 301 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:15.519 Want it to be unrealistic, but I want roster construction 302 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:18.559 and I want our Utah basketball to be meaningful again. 303 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:21.120 I'm not saying it's not right now, but I want 304 00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:24.360 it to be meaningful like that for us, our chambers 305 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:26.120 and other people outside us. 306 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:28.279 Well, and it's it's a good point, and I think 307 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:31.480 the truth of the matter is right now. It's it's 308 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:35.159 not meaningless, but it doesn't mean to the community what 309 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:38.200 it meant to us. And you can't you can't sell 310 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:42.879 nostalgia forever. But my experience up there as a student 311 00:13:43.080 --> 00:13:45.919 was colored through the prism of Keith van Horn in 312 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:48.960 whack tournaments, hitting game winners. It was watching Keith be 313 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:51.840 the number two overall pick. It was uh it was 314 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:55.120 Final Four experiences. It was Andre Miller, it was Mike Doliak, 315 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:57.720 it was Britton Johnson. It was a Red Bowl away 316 00:13:57.799 --> 00:14:01.279 from winning a national championship because it ran out of gas. 317 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:03.919 And so because of that experience, Sean, I walk into 318 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:07.200 that building and it means something to me, and it's 319 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:09.519 but it's different because I don't know how many young 320 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:12.480 Utah fans walk into the Huntsman Center and have the 321 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:13.279 same meaning. 322 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:14.519 Right, Does that make sense? 323 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:17.799 It makes perfect sense. I mean I couldn't. 324 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:20.720 I'm the right person to be having this discussion with 325 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:23.919 because I feel the exact same way. The legacy that 326 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:28.480 was left for us as athletes in that Utah basketball 327 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:32.360 era is very strong, and we all are connected and 328 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:35.600 will forever be connected to that legacy. And whether or 329 00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:39.120 not you liked majerisis style, there were certainly things he 330 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:43.799 said that were inappropriate, unexcusable, but his genius for what 331 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:47.200 he did and what he represented in terms of just 332 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:51.080 basketball became a part of who we all are. And 333 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:53.360 every time we walk into that Huntsman Sent, every time 334 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:55.480 I walk into the Huntsman Center, I have a sense 335 00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:59.639 of pride and community and joy, and I want that 336 00:14:59.799 --> 00:15:02.799 to be something for these young kids just like you do. 337 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:05.559 I want that exact same thing to exist for the 338 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:08.000 kids that are growing up and watching athletes now. 339 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:12.919 I so badly wish there was some sort of medical technology, 340 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:17.480 science technology just to bring Rick back, to have him, 341 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.240 to have him react to like the modern day and 342 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:24.799 age of social media and cancel culture and players on 343 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:26.840 their phone at halftime, Like how do you think he 344 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:29.799 would handle what college college athletics is today? 345 00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:33.559 I mean, like it's either Rick sway or the highway. 346 00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:38.279 And so I do think, like I listened to Kelvin Sampson, 347 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:40.840 I think Kevin Sampson is a good example of a coach. 348 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:42.279 That's a little bit like Rick. 349 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:46.399 He demands the same level of attention to detail. You 350 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:49.000 have to be assimon sound. He said it in his 351 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:52.080 press re spense. And this can happen in today's modern 352 00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:54.480 day because it's happening. Kevin Sampson's an. 353 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:55.039 Example of it. 354 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.840 I think Nate Oates says it, but Kevin Sampson said, 355 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:00.759 kids want to come to our program, they want to 356 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:03.799 be a part of who we are. That is definitely 357 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:07.120 something that Rick I think would still list it as 358 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:11.159 long as he see some of the dumb things and 359 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:14.360 or didn't like acknowledge that he said some of those 360 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:14.960 dumb things. 361 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.279 Yeah, I think he survives. 362 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:19.320 Yeah, And to your point, his brilliance would allow him 363 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:22.799 to survive if he was able to adjust to the 364 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:26.480 modern day and age, because they strictly as a tactician, 365 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:29.320 as an ex as and O's guy. Uh and he look, 366 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:30.840 I've said it before, I'll say it again. I think 367 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:32.720 he gave his life to basketball. I think it actually 368 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:35.080 may have cost him his life, right, because that's you're right, 369 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:36.240 yeah right, yeah, good. 370 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:40.200 There's no question that's exactly right. I mean we would 371 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:43.080 we would say expense that ninety five percent of what 372 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:46.159 he thought about was basketball and five percent was food. 373 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:50.360 Yeah yeah, and you're not yeah, and you're not even 374 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:52.000 trying to be funny, because that's that was kind of 375 00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:52.360 the deal. 376 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.799 And I know he had friends here there. 377 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:57.039 I know he had relationships here or there, But if 378 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.000 you talk to people that really knew him, that's all 379 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:00.679 he wanted to do. He wanted the coach, You wanted 380 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:02.440 to watch tape, you wanted to grab some pizza. That 381 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:03.159 was kind of his deal. 382 00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:07.359 Those were they and he and it was legit. It's 383 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:09.759 just who he was, you know. And like he had 384 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:12.920 a great coaching staff when I was there, and to 385 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:16.279 some extent, I think coaches head grew just a little 386 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:19.559 bit and it kind of got things out of whack. 387 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.759 I think personally after the ninety eight game, after the 388 00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:25.480 National Championship game, he maybe you should have moved on. 389 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.920 You know, I'm glad that he didn't, but I think 390 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:32.000 it was probably time. He was a builder through and 391 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:35.799 through and maybe it's harder to sustain. That's my take 392 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:36.839 looking back at it. 393 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:38.920 You know, I don't know what this says about me, 394 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:42.880 but living in a Marriotte with room service sounds really nice. 395 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:44.640 I think I could do that. I'm not gonna lie. 396 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:47.920 No, I could totally do it if you and I 397 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:50.480 would be more coouth. We're not going to, you know, 398 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.759 show up without our clothes on when we opened the door. 399 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:55.119 We wouldn't, I mean, Spence, I speaking for myself. I'm 400 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:57.720 just assuming now we may be dancing when the door opens, 401 00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:58.720