WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.160 Do almonds go bad? Do almonds have an expiration date? 2 00:00:04.280 --> 00:00:04.960 Honestly don't know. 3 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:08.560 Hmm, do almonds go bad? 4 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:09.679 Yeah? Maybe google that. 5 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:14.320 I think i'm gonna I'm gonna say yes, but I 6 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:16.199 think you're gonna have to like try to or like 7 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:19.719 introduce moisture to the to the situation. I think they 8 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:21.039 stay good for quite some time. 9 00:00:21.239 --> 00:00:23.879 Okright, Yeah, I need to get to the store. Nobody 10 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:25.920 gives a rip about this, but I was leaving in 11 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:28.359 a rush today. Needed a snack. I've had this bag 12 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:31.239 of almonds in my drawer for at least two years. 13 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:34.359 Oh it's cracked. I'm eating them. So I'm just wondering 14 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:35.119 if I'm in trouble. 15 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:38.600 I think you're fine, all right, But you know I'm 16 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:40.320 not a doctor. I did stay at a holiday in 17 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:40.880 last night. 18 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:43.520 Thought Sean Mooney. We know that Sean is a very 19 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:46.159 proficient dancer in basketball. Mind, do you have any knowledge 20 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:47.759 on the shelf life of almonds? 21 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:51.039 Sean Spence, I think you're just fine. I mean, come on, 22 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:53.039 they've been around for a centuries, They're going to be 23 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:55.679 around for a centuries from here on out. You are 24 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:56.920 a nut. We know that. 25 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:58.759 Oh wow, Sean, that's good. 26 00:00:58.799 --> 00:00:59.159 That's good. 27 00:00:59.200 --> 00:00:59.759 I'll tell you what. 28 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:02.119 Tell you what doesn't have a very long shelf live 29 00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:03.439 college basketball coaches? 30 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:03.560 What? 31 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:06.640 Wow? Did I just make that transition? 32 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:09.000 Good? It was good? It was good. 33 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:11.680 So, Jean, I don't know if you had a chance 34 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:17.040 to listen to Josh yesterday on the program Goodness, and hey. 35 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:18.280 I love it. I love the honesty. 36 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:20.879 I don't know that I'm completely aligned with him all 37 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:23.200 the way, but let you start there. What are your 38 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:26.560 thoughts on kind of the salient clear eye analysis Josh 39 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:27.439 gave us yesterday? 40 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:31.239 Yeah, Well, first of all, like I love JG. So 41 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.280 I was an athlete with JG. He obviously is everything 42 00:01:35.400 --> 00:01:38.200 you said he was. Spence, I mean, he's as good 43 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:41.760 a player probably as we've had at Utah, really really talented, 44 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:45.599 and I love how he's not pulling punches. He's just 45 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:48.760 out telling you exactly what he feels. And I think 46 00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:52.280 like most of what JG had to say was was accurate. 47 00:01:52.359 --> 00:01:54.640 And the thing I loved the most about what Josh 48 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:57.959 said yesterday and what I heard the most Spence was 49 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.519 his passion. Can you here the passion he has for 50 00:02:01.719 --> 00:02:05.519 Utah basketball. It's it's that that I think right there, 51 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:11.199 encapsulates what really drives athletics for so many people, but 52 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:14.360 in particular alumni. As far as like the finer points 53 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:18.199 of what JG said, the only really only counterpoint that 54 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:21.759 I would have to him is like, it's hard to 55 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:25.520 go back to our era and put our era into 56 00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:29.680 this era. I agree that we need a system, that 57 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:32.120 we need a system that players want to come play 58 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:36.599 for a lah Kelvin Sampson is Shaka Smart Marquette, these 59 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:40.520 these teams have eighty seven percent retention. I don't know 60 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:44.719 that you you have to have roster construction. I don't 61 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:47.680 know that you're going to have the same desire to 62 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:50.719 be a role player that maybe JG was talking about. 63 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:53.199 And I do think role players are very important obviously, 64 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:56.199 But that's the only real counterpoint I would have to JG. 65 00:02:56.400 --> 00:03:00.319 Just initially, Okay, well said, let me follow up this, 66 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:04.400 and here's where honestly, Sean, I'm not really sure where 67 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:07.520 to land because I'm not privy to any of these 68 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:13.000 conversations about what Josh was kind of out outlining yesterday 69 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:16.199 of alumni trying to contact Craig to get more involved. 70 00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:19.039 And part of me, if I'm being honest, part of 71 00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:21.639 me puts myself in Craig's shoes. I'm like, well, I've 72 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:23.759 got to I've got a program to run, I've got 73 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:26.599 a team to coach, you know, and I can't necessarily 74 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:29.840 kowtow to every single phone call I get from an 75 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:31.800 alumni that wants to tell me how to run my team. 76 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:35.879 But look, I also understand Josh's point about the rich 77 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:38.039 history and pedigree of this program, and if you're the 78 00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:41.639 head coach, it's probably something you should consider at least 79 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:44.960 having some people involved to hear their voices. I honestly 80 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:46.879 am a bit conflicted on this one, Sean, but I 81 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:48.479 wanted to get your thoughts and maybe you have some 82 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:52.000 knowledge of alumni reaching out to Craig and Craig not 83 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:55.199 necessarily being open to, you know, to those conversations. 84 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:59.240 Yeah, I mean, I don't have any specific knowledge. Jaj definitely, 85 00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:02.400 Josh definitely spoke as if he did have specific knowledge 86 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:05.039 about that. I don't have that knowledge. I do know, 87 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:08.599 and you know this, one of my close friends, my 88 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:12.800 best man, Tommy Connor, was on a coaching staff at Utah. 89 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:16.480 Two coaching staffs Coach Majerison, coach Chriscopiak, and so I 90 00:04:16.519 --> 00:04:20.360 do know from conversations with Tommy that often alumni reach 91 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:24.439 out and sometimes you can talk to them, and sometimes 92 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:27.920 maybe their requests or what they want are unreasonable. It's 93 00:04:27.959 --> 00:04:30.120 like a lot of people think they can coach. I'm 94 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:32.879 this has nothing to do with Josh Saner Trumper, who 95 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:35.399 he thinks can coach. I agree. I think Alex Jansen's 96 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:38.839 a great choice, along with lots of other candidates. But 97 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:42.240 you know, you have to temper yourself and and to 98 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:45.160 go to Craig's position. To be in Craig's position. Now, 99 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:48.839 I'm pretty I feel pretty intimate in this answer because 100 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:52.240 I've been around Craig. I think Craig did have a 101 00:04:52.279 --> 00:04:55.800 lot on his plate at Utah. We know that Utah 102 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:59.319 men's basketball is a lot just in and of itself. 103 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.839 It's it's an entity that we all know and love. 104 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:03.879 I mean, I love listening to you talk about your 105 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:06.319 time at the Huntsman Center. So I think you have 106 00:05:06.439 --> 00:05:10.040 to do your best to hear the alumni as far 107 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:12.560 as like whether or not there were jobs and all that. 108 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:14.240 I really can't speak to that. 109 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.120 All right, So before we get to and we'll talk Alex, 110 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:22.199 we'll talk about other candidates let's discuss Sean, your opinion 111 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:25.800 on exactly why this went down when it went down. 112 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:30.439 The timing still is a little and I've had some conversations. 113 00:05:29.639 --> 00:05:32.000 That is give me a little bit more clarity, But. 114 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:34.279 The timing is still a little bit like, I don't know, 115 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:36.920 do you let them just finish out the season and 116 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:40.079 you know they're already paying Larry and now they're paying Craig. 117 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:43.000 They're paying two coaches not to coach the team, and 118 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:45.360 you know, and Sean, we can be reductive and I'm 119 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:47.839 sure Craig, who's a honest, straight shooter, what's I didn't 120 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:50.360 win enough so we can just lean into results period. 121 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.439 I've been told that there is a booster element to this. 122 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:56.040 People did not love the direction of the program. You 123 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:59.720 compare to what BYU's building and how they look right now. 124 00:05:59.879 --> 00:06:02.000 Lot of people up here not thrilled with the direction. 125 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:05.199 So what's your take on why this went down and 126 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:06.560 when it went down? 127 00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:09.959 Yeah, I mean I would say that there and Josh 128 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:12.120 hit this on the head, I think, and his what 129 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:14.680 he talked about Last year, the Oregon State loss was 130 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:17.759 a tough loss for us, and this year the UCF 131 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:19.720 loss was a very tough loss. We had just that 132 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:21.519 glimmer of hope. I mean, I was on your show 133 00:06:22.120 --> 00:06:23.720 saying that we're going to go three and two, and 134 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:26.120 I really believe that, you know, and then you have 135 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:28.720 that tough loss way of nineteen turnovers. We don't play 136 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:31.199 the way we want to play. As far as timing, 137 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:35.279 there's probably no good timing. And I want to like 138 00:06:35.399 --> 00:06:37.800 extend courtesy to the staff. We spend a lot of 139 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:40.519 time with these coaches, and one of the toughest things 140 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:42.639 is the coaches that are on the staff. They don't 141 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:45.759 get fired. The head coach gets fired, but the coaches 142 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.879 that are there are even a tougher predicament now because 143 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:51.800 now coach Smith is gone, Coach Iler's going to step in, 144 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:53.480 and the other coaches are going to do their best 145 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:55.920 to pick up for these student athletes who are also 146 00:06:56.040 --> 00:07:00.560 dealing with confusion. I would say, absolutely, there's no good time. 147 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:03.439 This is makes sense in the regard that if you 148 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:06.000 look out in the NCAA, I think there are five 149 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:09.879 openings at a high level right now, and we know 150 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:13.240 that the transfer portal puts all kinds of pressure on 151 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:17.040 college basketball from within your program and from without your 152 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:19.800 from outside the program. So I would say that even 153 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:23.199 though there's no initially good timing, I understand this timing 154 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:27.759 as far as shoes involved. I mean, obviously Taylor Randall 155 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:30.160 and Mark Carlin are doing their very best. The administration 156 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:32.639 is doing their very best to meet a lot of 157 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:38.240 people's thoughts about what Utah men's basketball should be. And yeah, Spence, 158 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:41.040 You're right, it hasn't been what it should be. I mean, 159 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:43.279 the bottom line is we need to make the NCAA Tournament, 160 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:45.600 and we need to be a regular in the NCAA tournament. 161 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:48.120 I think that's what we all expect and have grown 162 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:52.000 to expect through those that era that Majeri's coached. 163 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.560 You know, I'm glad you ended your answer with that, 164 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:58.279 because there was luck. And I very much like Craig 165 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:00.839 and I do think he's a good coach. I don't 166 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:04.319 think this will be the final chapter of his coaching journey. 167 00:08:04.360 --> 00:08:06.879 He's still very young, He's wanted places he's been prior 168 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:09.720 to and I do feel bad for Craig, and I 169 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:11.879 feel bad for his family. You know, a nice five 170 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:16.240 million dollars so parachute helps, you know. Yeah, my father 171 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:18.319 wasn't a coach, but he was an executive in sports 172 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:21.639 for thirty years. We uprooted several times. That's it's hard 173 00:08:21.639 --> 00:08:23.839 on a family. It's hard on children. So there's a 174 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:25.920 human element to this stuff that I don't think we 175 00:08:25.959 --> 00:08:28.040 do a very good job of acknowledging in our business. 176 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:29.279 I want to hammer at home. 177 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:32.399 But Yeah, one of the things Sean that I thought 178 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.080 of pretty quickly was, oh, okay, good, this standard is 179 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:38.679 not okay with decision makers up there because it's been 180 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:43.279 way too long since we've had to It's twenty sixteen 181 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:44.559 was our last tournament team. 182 00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:46.159 I mean, we're coming up on a decade. 183 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:49.600 We should have the standard in this city that our 184 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:52.480 basketball team either goes to the tournament every year or 185 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:54.240 is knocking on the door every year. 186 00:08:54.279 --> 00:08:55.559 I truly feel that way. 187 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:59.080 I absolutely agree with you. And to go back to 188 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:02.360 that two thousand. One of the interesting thoughts about the 189 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:06.279 end of Larry's coaching career, it was the PAC twelve 190 00:09:06.360 --> 00:09:09.480 wasn't as strong as we would have hoped it would 191 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.559 have been. Right, So they end up in the top 192 00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:13.600 four four years in a row, and I think they 193 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:16.639 only make the tournament one of those years. So that's 194 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:19.480 kind of a mix of bad luck and being in 195 00:09:19.720 --> 00:09:22.159 a league that maybe didn't get the same kind of attention. 196 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:24.000 Now the Big Twelve is the league where you can 197 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.679 make the tournament. You have to have the right system 198 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:29.639 in place, the right people in place, and certainly bringing 199 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:35.080 former Utah athletes into this mix as potential coaches can 200 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:38.440 make a really big difference, I mean an amazing difference. 201 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:40.200 And we'll get there. 202 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:43.759 But before we do, tell me about conversations you've had 203 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.559 with Josh Eiland. I don't know Josh. I would imagine 204 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:48.919 we'll get him on the show. I know that he 205 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:52.120 was a interim head coach prior to a West Virginia. 206 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:54.279 I don't really even know what the nature of his 207 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:56.519 relationship was with Craig. But what do you know about 208 00:09:56.559 --> 00:09:58.679 the interim head coach Josh Eiland? 209 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:03.039 Yeah, bit right, And so we've had the opportunity to 210 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:07.039 spend time with the coaches. He's Kansas kid from a 211 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:13.200 small town family man, really really well respected everywhere we 212 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.639 go in this league, either the rest or the other coaches. 213 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:19.399 I just had a coach in our last game at 214 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:22.080 UCF stop me as we're walking out and say, hey, 215 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:24.559 make sure you say hi to Josh. Josh didn't make 216 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:26.879 the last game because he's sick. Coach, I didn't make 217 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:30.120 the game. He's a straight shooter, you know exactly what 218 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:33.399 you get. He was doing probably half of the scouts 219 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:36.759 this year. Typically it would be he and JJ, coach 220 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:39.679 Smith's right hand guy. So you're getting to coach that 221 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:41.600 knows the league. You're getting to coach that is in 222 00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:45.840 an unenviable position again two years in a row of 223 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:48.759 being an interim head coach and potentially not having a 224 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:49.559 job next year. 225 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:53.320 Well, and he also coached under Bob Huggins, so you know, 226 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:56.960 he probably has probably has a lot of a lot 227 00:10:56.960 --> 00:10:59.879 of great stories about coaching under Bob. So I don't 228 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:02.879 think Josh is a candidate. I don't know this. Uh, 229 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:05.279 we'll see what he's able to do. So before we 230 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:07.600 move into what's next, what do you what? You know, 231 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:10.720 we're all recalibrating now, right, So what do you expect 232 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:12.000 from this team moving forward? 233 00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:13.759 After these players have lost the coach. 234 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:16.240 I feel like most of them liked playing for I 235 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:17.799 don't have any inside information there. 236 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:22.039 Yeah, no, I think it's the craziest thing ever. I mean, 237 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.080 this is basically all Bill and our sound engineers, though. 238 00:11:25.480 --> 00:11:27.960 Your guys though we've been talking about, right, what's gonna 239 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.799 how's the team going to respond? I mean, I don't 240 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:33.440 think the team had any idea this was coming in, 241 00:11:33.559 --> 00:11:37.440 so I'm sure they're a shot. They flew home after UCF, 242 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:40.639 so we're actually in Tucson right now waiting for them. 243 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:42.720 They're going to come in to day five forty five. 244 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:46.240 We're all staying at the same hotel. You know, it's 245 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:49.679 going to be interesting to see just their body language tomorrow. 246 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:52.000 So I think there are two different directions. You go, 247 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.600 you know, you kind of shore up as an athlete 248 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:58.399 and you decide what you're made of and uh, and 249 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.519 you figure some things out for your self. And if 250 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:04.559 you can do that, maybe you can be competitive against Arizona. 251 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:08.200 That's the one I'm hoping for. Or you kind of say, 252 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:12.960 you know, to forget this. If they don't care about us, 253 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:14.919 you know, who knows. But I want you to know 254 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:17.840 the administration and the people that are in charge, they 255 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:21.360 spent their time connecting with these athletes, these student athletes 256 00:12:21.399 --> 00:12:23.720 and land them know what's going on and where they're going, 257 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:25.440 so they know they're cared about. 258 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:28.960 Well, that's good, that's good, and we'll see how they 259 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:32.000 respond because I mean, you know, I certainly I think 260 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.120 it would be difficult as a young player to lose 261 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:37.080 the guy who you came to play for, and maybe 262 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:39.200 a they'll rally around Coach Eyler will have to see. 263 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:41.519 But let's move on to what's next. 264 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:44.600 And this is what's always interesting, Sean, because as you know, 265 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:48.960 with the ecosystem of college basketball, every year there are 266 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:52.360 very very enticing candidates that are coaching at smaller schools 267 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:55.600 that have had have had a lot of success and 268 00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:57.600 ultimately if they're able to make the tournament. It's one 269 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:00.200 of the things I love about March Madness, watching somebody 270 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.840 have their live change, lives changed in real time. Like 271 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:05.480 you make a little bit of a run, suddenly you 272 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:08.480 go from like you're Eric Olsen at UC San Diego 273 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:10.519 and you make it up like and I could go 274 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:13.000 over the names, right There's Nico Medved at Colorado State, 275 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:15.080 There's Eric Henderson at South Dakota State, like you know 276 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:18.799 the list. So let's talk about that portion of this 277 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:20.960 pool before we get to the names that everybody's already 278 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:24.080 talking about. If you're Mark Harlan, even though you're hearing 279 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:27.720 the Alex Jensen's the Johnny Bryants, de Andre Millers of 280 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:30.279 the world. Do you try to go that route to 281 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:34.159 get a more conventional hire as it pertains to the 282 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:38.200 macro view of college basketball that typically happens that ride 283 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.759 of passage or do you do you do you not 284 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.039 look at that route because that's essentially what you just 285 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:43.639 did with Craig. 286 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:48.039 Yeah, yeah, yeah, No, I absolutely think you look at 287 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:49.639 that route. I think you look at it all. You 288 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:52.000 would be remiss, Spence, if you and I were hiring 289 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:54.879 for a job in our business, we would try and 290 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:57.799 find the absolute best person for that job. I mean, 291 00:13:57.799 --> 00:14:01.799 there's no question that a Utah alumni if they can 292 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:05.320 meet the requirements to coach. I mean, that's a natural 293 00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:08.240 fit for so many people. But there are some great 294 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:10.639 coaches out there, and I agree with you. I think 295 00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:13.799 it's the greatest thing about college basketball is that story 296 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:16.600 of working your way up. That's one of Craig's stories. 297 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:19.320 It was a good story, right. I want that for 298 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:23.039 whoever comes in next. I mean obviously we you and 299 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.240 I and the people and the fans out there that care. 300 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:28.519 Josh Grant, everyone cares about this program, and we want 301 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:31.360 what's best for this program, and putting a new system 302 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:36.840 in place that is bigger, maybe than what we have 303 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:39.960 currently or what we've had since twenty sixteen. A system 304 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:42.279 in which you know U TIH men's basketball has a 305 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:44.720 chance to flourish, and the people that are going to 306 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:47.679 put money into that are interested in putting money into that. 307 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:50.039 I think I heard you talking about that earlier. It's 308 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:52.320 a big time deal, but I opened it up to everybody. 309 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.360 So now let's move over to the names that people 310 00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:58.480 are excited about. And Sean, I'm not usually a like, hey, 311 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.200 let's win the press conference guy, like there's so many 312 00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:04.159 things that are so important in the long run and 313 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:07.000 playing the long game of building a program, but I 314 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:09.440 think in this case you might need to a little bit. 315 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:11.919 And I do think a Alex Jensen as head coach, 316 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:16.559 Andre Miller is assistant coach announcement inundates the department, the 317 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:19.559 ticket department up there with people interested in actually getting 318 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:23.000 behind this group. I just think it's a basketball community 319 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:25.960 that has nearly been flatlined for way too long, and. 320 00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:27.399 So let's invigorate it a little bit. 321 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:29.600 And I do think an Alex Jensen head coach Andre 322 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:33.039 Miller assistant coach would really excite this basketball community. 323 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:34.080 So give me your thoughts on that. 324 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:38.159 Yeah, I mean, obviously I told Bill. I mean so 325 00:15:38.279 --> 00:15:40.519 one of the things that I had when I first 326 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:44.480 got this job last year being the voice of the 327 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:50.279 youth sidekick was Sloak Demarlos Slocum and Chris Burgess. I'd 328 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:54.320 both understood Slope coach with Tommy and Burge was a 329 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:57.480 player from a jeris there's like this automatic affinity. So 330 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:00.399 like I often got my keys from Burge and try 331 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:02.480 to understand what we are doing based on what and 332 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:05.840 Burge took the time to help me with that. You know, 333 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:08.440 Alex Jensen and Andrew I mean, come on that they 334 00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:12.600 we all, to Josh's point, we all see basketball through 335 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:16.360 coach Majaris and so to have those two players in 336 00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:20.360 that era, which we know our fans love, come back 337 00:16:20.440 --> 00:16:24.159 and start something new, create something new, it'd be fantastic. 338 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:26.879 It would be I would understand it in a way, 339 00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:30.440 Spence that you understand eating almonds are safe for you? 340 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:34.039 Well played? Look I hope they are. We'll find out 341 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:36.600 maybe an hour from now. You know what, I haven't 342 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:39.919 even what what about Birge? What about Chris Burgess? I mean, 343 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:40.679 is that a phone. 344 00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:41.000 Call you make? 345 00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:45.960 Why not? I mean, and again, like these are solely 346 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:49.159 my opinions. I am not, you know, giving you like 347 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:51.240 the guy that I think it is. But I'm just 348 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:54.559 playing with you. Yeah, heck, yes, you give me a call. 349 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:59.080 I mean, Chris Burgess. They're a great coach. He understands. Utah, Well, 350 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:00.639 he's been there twice though. 351 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:02.919 Yeah, no, that's right. 352 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:06.759 And you know, I don't fault anybody for parlaying success 353 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:09.039 into a better contract and a better job, which he's 354 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:10.720 done a couple of times. And maybe this is a 355 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:13.519 parlay where you take over up here. So let's move over. 356 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:13.680 Now. 357 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:16.519 Let me ask you about Johnny. Johnny Bryan Josh didn't 358 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:18.039 seem to entertain that very much. 359 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:21.039 I like him, I always have. He's always been really 360 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:21.480 good to me. 361 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:23.480 When I was with the Jazz and he was over 362 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:26.680 there as an assistant working with Donovan, I often kind 363 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:29.640 of picked his brain about Donovan's process. And Johnny's also 364 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:32.640 credited with the evolution and the growth of Gordon Hayward. 365 00:17:32.920 --> 00:17:35.640 Now he's the associate head coach for a really good team. 366 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:39.160 And I feel about Johnny now the way I felt 367 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.440 about Alex five years ago. 368 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:42.039 I just think he's going to get a head coaching 369 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:42.799 job in the pros. 370 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:46.359 Now, Josh leaned into the dynamic of HM being more 371 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:48.880 of a developmental coach. Well, that's kind of Alex's gig 372 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:51.319 in the pros. Alex was a G League head coach. 373 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:54.200 I get it. So what are your thoughts on the 374 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:56.680 potential of contacting Johnny brian to see if he'd be 375 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:58.400 interested in coming back to his alma mater. 376 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:02.799 I mean, absolutely, I understand what Josh is saying. I don't. 377 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:05.599 I mean, Johnny Briant is a great development coach, but 378 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:08.640 he's an associate head coach in the NBA. I mean again, 379 00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:11.599 let's open the list to everybody. Now, I'm not the 380 00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:13.559 one that has to go through that list, right, You're 381 00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:14.720 not the one that has to go through that list, 382 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:17.200 But there would be no reason not to. And then 383 00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:18.880 you want to get him in an interview and you 384 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:21.880 want to know what he's all about. I mean, he 385 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:24.400 sounds like he could be a good fit. Like I 386 00:18:24.759 --> 00:18:26.839 talked to Phil Colan, a good friend of mine today 387 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:30.039 who's in San Antonio's management, and one of the things 388 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.039 that Phil Colan told me today was that all these 389 00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:36.839 NBA teams know exactly what's going on at the collegiate level, 390 00:18:36.920 --> 00:18:39.400 and this model that we have at the collegiate level 391 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:42.599 right now is a model very similar to their model. 392 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:45.119 So I mean, yes, of course you want to bring 393 00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:49.119 Johnny Bryant, and he's probably gonna understand this modern model 394 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:52.839 of getting athletes into your program or your system as 395 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:53.720 well as anybody. 396 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:58.319 All Right, before I set you loose, you know, it's 397 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:01.480 just I'll just tell you my opinion. Okay, My opinion 398 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:06.799 is watching Utah basketball this year, I feel like Craig 399 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:10.160 was entering Jim's with less talent than the other head 400 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:11.599 coach most of the time. 401 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:12.559