Doug is joined by Belmont first year HC Head Coach Evan Bradds to discuss how Brad Stevens influenced him during his time with as an assistant with the Celtics, the responsibility of taking over as head coach at his alma mater, his expectations in year 1, learning on the job in the NIL era, and why Belmont program’s solid infrastructure will help him succeed.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey, what welcome in. I'm Doug Gottlie. This is all
ball and Evan Brad is our guest today. He's the
head coach at Belmont, just less than a decade removed
from having been a star for the Bruins. He circles
back after just one year coaching in college, in nine
years coaching in the G League and in the NBA.
So a really crazy trip. As far as how his
(00:30):
life came full circle to being back at Bellmont, we'll
get to that upcoming in a moment. First, look, there's
a couple of things that I haven't gotten a chance
to sound off on because of the summer and because
we've adjusted something. So let me go through them. Lebron James,
his departure from LA. You're hearing a lot of things.
(00:51):
But we all knew this was going to happen, right,
I mean, once they acquired Luca and he became less
of a priority. A divorce or a conclusion to the
relationship was in the near or long term future. And
the fact is that he wants to keep playing, but
(01:11):
LA is not really his town, not really his team.
The question is what do you do now? And you know,
it really is interesting how much like bizarre hatred, there
are towards certain people and certain decisions. Has Lebron caused
drama in the past the NBA? Sure, yeah, you know
(01:33):
are some things that he's done that I would disagree with, absolutely,
But if he's the all time leading scorer in the
history of the NBA, he's in any conversation of one
of the greatest, if not the greatest player of all time.
So yeah, if he wants to take his time and
decide when he's gonna play, like, why does that be
on your timeline or my timeline? It doesn't. Now with
(01:57):
every passing day, obviously some opportunities may go away, some
may pop up. But one thing you may notice for
me that you don't notice from other people is like,
I don't care what. Yeah, he's going to get some attention.
All he wants is attention. Yet, yes, he's going to
get attention. The guy who's going to go down is
(02:17):
the all time lands court in history of the NBA, well,
the greatest players that ever, and some people think the
greatest player ever. He's going to get attention. And it
also does become addictive to get that attention. So I
don't really understand people's critique of Lebron. He's a free agent.
He has the right to pick where he wants, and
teams have a right to not want him or to
(02:38):
want him. Personally, I'd love to see him try something new,
like I've seen Miami Lebron, seeing Cleveland Lebron, I've seen
lak Er Lebron. Why not Minnesota where they need maturity.
Why not the Sixers who also could use some maturity,
Or why not Golden State and just let the old
(02:58):
guys come back and do it. Why not? I'm I'm
not against that. Another topic, Okay, there have been now
the SEC keeps sliding into this. Hey, you know, we
could break away and do it on our own, So
could Texts, so could California. They don't. And what I
(03:22):
find to be very very interesting is the push obviously
away from the NCAA. All the NCAA is it's an
organization that's that's put together and the rules which run
college sports are voted on by the collective body of
the universities. It's not like a separate entity. And it's
(03:44):
not like even Congress or the House of Representatives like
literally it's voted on by the schools or by the
athletic directors, depending upon what the rules are. The point
is that for anybody who says you break away from
the NCAA like, there's going to have to be an
organization that runs everything. And I don't know how to
(04:05):
tell you this, but have you watched the UFC and
do you watch boxing anymore? If you don't want the NCAAA,
what you're saying is college football should look like boxing.
That's what it's gonna be boxing, right, And if you
want an organization, however flawed, to run something, then look
(04:29):
at UFC. On how UFC, for the most part, has
surpassed boxing. Deana White's Not Perfect has some great ideas,
has some ideas that are flawed. Sometimes they veer off.
Sometimes they go to political, they're too anti woke instead
of just being themselves. There's all kinds of things that
you could take. But and they also get accused of
(04:51):
keeping prices down on guys, right, they don't spend as
much as the free willing market of boxing. What allows
is is a more sustainable product, better overall product. You know,
week in week out, you can turn on UFC and
you're going to get entertained and they're going to get
a good number and it will last forever. Whereas boxing
(05:11):
it's kind of a mess, kind of falling apart. That's
what pulling out of the NCAA would be. The SEC
knows they can't do it because you have all those
other sports and you need those other conferences, those the
other NCAA stuff in order to survive and to succeed.
Can't just play SEC fos, end up six and five
and go, hey, now we want to play in the
college fotball playoff be really way too hard. You need
those bunnies to build up the confidence to play your
(05:33):
younger players, to rest some of your your guys that
get a lot of mileage. So breaking away from the
NCAA is much like Texas or California're breaking away? Could they? Yes,
But you're better when you're part of a collective group.
And if you don't believe me, take boxing, Take UFC
(05:55):
looks what's Look what's happened for the last twenty years. Yes,
you have a regional boxing match which grows gross's five
x to six x maybe even ten x of what
some of the UFC match are, But the rest of
the sport is dying. UFC incredibly healthy and maybe the
top level just isn't as high. That's how it works,
(06:18):
That's how it's going to work. And that's why I
would call the bluff of any conference, especially the SEC
that says they went out. So obviously it's pretty cool
to be coaching in your own honor, right, And there's
a bunch I want to get to. But why did
you pick Belmont out of high school? Like? Take me
through the recruiting process and how you end up there
(06:39):
to begin with.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yeah, I mean, so I was originally committed to Ohio
University out of high school and then you know, it
was coach Gross at the time, and he think they
went to the Sweet sixteen one year and he got
the Illinois job.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So it kind of reopened everything up after that time.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
And wait, so when they when they go to sweet sixteen,
he goes to Illinois. Yeah, I'm always fascinated by that.
Like did they call you and go like, hey, we're
not taking you with us.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I mean, we talked.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
He was great about it. He was great, And you know,
I was very fortunate. I had my father played college
basketball too, and he was like very honest with me.
He's like, hey, man, the Big ten might not be
for you, you know, coming from my dad was you know,
great to hear, but they were very good to me.
Coach Gross is still a close friend, so it's all good.
But I remember Coach Bird called me and you know,
(07:27):
I remember visiting Belmont one time. You roll on the
campus and you know, you drive down from where I'm
from in Ohio and you go through Nashville and it's
quick to fall in love with this place, you know,
Nashville as a whole, and then you get to sit
down with Coach Bird.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
You know, there's no better coach, you know, in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
So you know, fell in love with campus, fell in
love with the city, and you know, Coach Bird was,
you know, a heck of a ball coach.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
So what was it that made him so special? Because
I've actually had him on this pod. He talked about
when first started, like he'd sell popcorn in the women's
game and then to the men's game. Right, But oftentimes styles
that work at lower levels don't always work. But Belmont,
you know, the higher you guys elevated, and obviously he
(08:14):
wasn't with the university as the head coach when you
guys got to the valley. But every elevated level, it
still worked. So what was it, especially now as a coach,
did you go back and go like, this is what
makes Rick Bird a special coach?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:28):
I think what you said at the very beginning is
a good portrait of who he is. You know, you know,
selling popcorn during the women's games. You know, there's nothing
too small for him to do. But I always tell
people he was an unbelievable coach, but an even better
guy too. So I think his humility and like what
his job is is, he killed it with that, and
then you start thinking about the x's and o's. Man,
(08:48):
he was always prepared, you know, always one step ahead
of what the next team was thinking. I thought he
was very forward thinking at the time. I can remember
early on in my career. This was like before the
big three point line revolution, I think, and I took
like a mid range pull up jumper at the free
throw line and he was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, woll
that's not what we're doing. That's not what we're doing here.
(09:08):
We want to shoot threes layups. And you know, for
for me, it was just forward thinking and I look
back at some of the things we were doing. You
know in twenty thirteen, twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen, and it
was a little bit before it's time. So you know,
forward thinking and always you know, wanting to change and
just continue to push them to get better.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
You you had a great sophomore year. Let's you blew
up your sophomore year. The crazy thing is like nowadays,
you probably wouldn't come back for your for your junior year.
Take me through your your early years playing at Belmont, right,
these are prime OVC years. It was like every year
(09:49):
you turn on the OVC Championship game, be you guys
in Murray, I like every year and it was it
was it was great ball. What allowed you to be
so successful so early in your college career?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Yeah, you know, to be honest with you, I really
struggled my first two years here on the court, just
from a stylistic perspective, because you know, when I was
coming out of high school, I was kind of like
the the three man who couldn't shoot, but could really
slash and get in the pain, get to.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
The rim shrink four Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, but you know I remember early on in my career,
Coach Bird was like, hey, I might need you to
play some four and some five for me, and I
was like, you know, when I was a freshman, I
was like, I'll dogs do whatever you tell me what
to do.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
I just want to play.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
And then you know, I had a little success playing
the five, and you know, it was a really struggle
of being you know, nineteen twenty years old playing against
like older guys and getting beat up. So I struggled
pretty early on with that. But you know, Coach Bird
was you know wise obviously as a coach, and you
know he put me in spots that allowed me to
(10:57):
kind of you know, do what I was good at,
and I found ways to score in the post versus switches.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
The OVC was, you know at that time, you know,
a relatively small league, right like you know, big guys
were six eight, six nine, and you know I'm six six,
so not like incredibly short, but a lot of teams
would switch.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
So I found success rolling guys down to the post.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
And you know playing them like old school back to
the basket jump hooks and stuff like that. So yeah,
it's just something that I kind of fell into. You know,
I think I got lucky being a you know a
three in high school where I had the ball in
my hands a lot, and then you know, finishing around
the paint, you figure out quickly how to score as
(11:40):
an undersized you know, quote unquote five man.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know in no, no, no, no, you were a five.
We just played three three, we played three threes.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Yes, yeah, that's the that's the that's.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
The end the recruit thing. It's like, okay, I I
had a kid last year who had a good year
for us, and he's like, got coach, I don't I
don't want to play the five. Like, no, you played
the four. He's like, now he's the four like you.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
And that's where I was like, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
I feel like, so where did that come from? Though?
Because so many guys just their ego can't get it
when you put a number by it, they're just like
and you're like, no, this is your way. I'm creating
advantage for you on offense and all you got to
do is grind with me on defense and they just
can't do some guys can't do it. Where's that come
from for you?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I think I was fortunate to have a lot of
people tell me the truth when.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I was a young player.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Yeah, you know, starting with my father, you know, He
always told me how it was.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
He never sugarcoated anything.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
His thing, you know, if whenever I would get an
offer in high school, was like, all right, that's cool,
let's get back in the gym now, you know. Like
and then I was very fortunate to have assistant coaches
here who just told me the truth. It's like, hey, man,
like you're having some success, don't It's like what you said,
the number beside your name, it doesn't matter, you know,
it really doesn't matter. Uh. You know, my sophomore year,
we went to the NCAA tournament, you know, and it
(13:03):
once I got past that, it was like, man, I'm
having a lot of fun. I love this place, I
love this school. I don't want to leave my teammates,
you know, I love those dudes. I still talk to
them to this day. So it was like, yeah, the
five thing, you know, whatever I was recruited at, it
doesn't matter at this point. Like we're having success as
a team and I'm having a lot of fun doing it.
So it was like I look back and it's it's
(13:23):
probably the best thing that ever happened to me.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Playing the quote unquote, you know, no.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Question, no question, you do whatever you want Yeah, you offense.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Yeah, and it's I had a lot of fun and
you know, enjoyed my time here and I honestly wouldn't
change it for the world.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Okay, so you get done in seventeen. What was the
process like of deciding you're going to coach instead of
going playing and chase it.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
Yeah, so it's this is a crazy story.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
So I had I knew from you know, I knew
that the fives in the NBA were a little bit
bigger than I was. Uh, and I was like, you know,
I don't think I'm gonna play in the NBA, but
I got the opportunity to go to the Indiana Pacers
for a draft workout, and it was like, I know,
I'm probably not going to go to the NBA, but
I want to see what it's like.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I actually tore my ACL in that draft workout.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
So career was pretty much ruined at that point or over.
And you know, it's you think back to all these
connections playing for coach Bird. You know, he was really
close with coach Stevens, Brad Stevens, and you know, Brad
was in Boston at the time, and you know, Brad
called me out of nowhere one day and was like, Hey,
(14:30):
would you like to work in the NBA G League,
you know, rehab your knee, see if you want to
play overseas and try and see if you would like
this coaching thing. And you know, I got up there
quickly and just fell in love with it, you know,
that the g Leigue at the time, I think it
was the first year we had two ways, So it's
you know, twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, it's ten years ago
(14:51):
now almost, and I just fell in love with the
day to day. I fell in love with helping guys
get better, you know. And I was fortunate after that year.
I worked in Boston five years, four of them being
for Brad and you know, I just fell in love with,
you know, the day to day helping guys get better
on the court. The games were obviously awesome. Was very
(15:11):
fortunate to be in Boston and playing every round of
the playoffs in some sense too, So it was I
just fell in love quickly, you know, especially the on
court part.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
That's what I was.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I was a big practice dum me for like my
first five years in the NBA, and it just just
it was an awesome way to you know, stay around
the game. You know, if you can't play, you know,
second best job in the world as being a coach
in my.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Opinion, it's it is, it's it's amazing how you know,
when you transition from player to coach, you realize how
in many ways it's so much better to be a coach,
right because you can absorb all of their success instead
of being so wrapped in your own success and your
team success whatever. And then you know the best part
is when like, oh, I taught him that, you know
(15:57):
exactly I taught him that. I always mean I taught him,
so we do you know, Uh, my first day is
as head coach and I was AU coach and I
was trying to teach all these day you kids, you know,
all the fundamentals. And then playing off too, and I'll
never forget, uh you know we did. I did playoff
two stuff with with our guys. I had five guys.
(16:17):
It's the end of May, my first year and you
know it as you know, it takes time, no matter
how much you know you are whatever you practice. But
I remember, you know, it was probably like four games
in Preston Rudinger, my point guard, he comes in he
pivots like three times and finally gets ahead. Fay gets
an one lazy, and I was like, I I taught
(16:38):
that I did that was that was me.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
It's it's honestly what I find the most joy in,
like just helping them get better.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
It's a perfect example of like it takes some time,
but when it happens, you're like yes, Like.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Well, and the same thing with you know, either strategy
or a play call. You know, you work at your work,
at your work, at your work, you work and at
the very right time you call the right play to execute.
The ball goes in and they all look at you
like that guy's a genius. You're like, no, just you
made the shot.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
What was your experience when you're with Boston? What I
do think? And look, this POD's cool because by coaches, agents,
players watch it, but also some people who are just fans.
What's it actually like to work with NBA guys? Because
there is a perception that those guys are, especially the
best of the best, are so aloof they just kind
(17:28):
of they have their own personal trainers. There's not a
ton of coaching. I think the reality is different, but
you experienced it what was it like as a young
guy trying to break in the league and working with
guys on the Celtics.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah, I agree with you. I think that's it's completely
wrong the perception. You know, when I first started with
those guys, I was a glorified practice dummy in a
lot of sense. So I was on the court with
them pretty much all day. And when you really spend
that much time on the court, you really get to
know them as people and they're just like any other player.
(18:02):
They just want to be the best, you know, version
of themselves as they can be. And when you're helping
them out there, you know, you know, they're awesome to
work with. You know, the skill level is actually it's
through the roof, and the best of the best want
to be coached. You know, they want you to help them.
They want you to you know, point out a flaw,
(18:24):
work on this, and help them get.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Better at that.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
And you know, throughout my experience, whether it was in
Boston or Utah, I found that like when you sometimes
had to tell the guys the truth, there was you know, pushback,
and that's okay, you know, you know, but when you
do tell them the truth, you know, I think they
respect you for it, and you grow to you know,
build real relationships with those guys. You know, when I
got this job, a lot of those guys were texted
(18:49):
me and said congratulations, and it was good to hear
from them. And you know, for me, it's it was
just so much fun, you know, learning from them on
the court too.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Of man, it's you learn a while I was not
in the NBA, you know.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
So it is so good.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
You just learned quick.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
So here's a question. How I always laugh at people
when they talk about you know, Boston and Brad and
making moves even this year. I'm like, they've never been bad, right,
Like they've had disappointing playoff like this year. How it
ended obviously super disappointing, Right, you're up big and and
you get beat. But it's not like there hasn't been
(19:28):
a bad year. Yeah, How what is what is the
secret sauce to Brad Stevens and how he runs an
operation that allows the consistency of success?
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Oh yeah, you know, working for Brad it was you know,
you want to talk about education. You know, a four
year education here at Belmont was a four year education
for me in Boston, you know, he's just extremely well prepared.
The way he thinks about everything. He's not rash and
what his decisions are are, they're well thought out. And
(20:02):
I think if you know, spending time out there, the
alignment that they have from you know, ownership on down,
you know, and it goes through Brad to you know Joe.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
You know, they keep it real right.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
They're not rushing anything, and you know, like you said,
they haven't been bad yet disappointing. Everyone has disappointments right
throughout their years. Like it's it's a normal. It's an
imperfect game, you know, played by imperfect people, and for
sure coach by imperfect people.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
So yeah, but they're just extremely aligned in all that
they're doing and what their goals are. And I think
when you have really good people working together, it just
makes it that much better. And Brad is like the
definition of a good dude.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Here's here's an example what you're saying with the imperfect people.
I think we both agree, like, yeah, I don't know
if coach k is the greatest coach of all time,
but there's ever a discussion you have to mention he's
and he's in any discussion right, So you know, John Shower,
you work for, when they won a national championship, that
was a mistake to intentionally miss the last free throw, right,
(21:04):
That is that is the math tells you. Everything tells
you it's a mistake because it brings losing into the
equation as supposed he makes the pre throw, if they
make a half quarter, it goes over time and you
live to play another day. And I remember, you know,
he was asked about it afterwards, and he told kind
of the strategy and then he's send circled back and
be like, ah, maybe we should anyway, The point is
(21:24):
that here's, in any conversation, the greatest coach of all time,
within any conversation of the greatest program in the history,
and they won despite the fact that at a very
key moment, in the last couple of seconds, the national
chance of game. Like, yeah, it kind of made the
wrong call. But sometimes it works that way, right, Sometimes
you make you do all the right things and it
still doesn't work out, and sometimes you make a mistake
(21:47):
and it works out. It's crazy that way.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, you know, I always tell our guys, like we
talk about Grace a lot around here, you know, you know,
if they were perfect, I wouldn't have a job, you know,
be no need for coaches, and I'm very offes with them.
I'm like, yo, I don't expect you guys to be perfect,
and I hope you guys don't expect me to be perfect,
because I'm going to mess up more than you know,
anyone you know, and sometimes and you know, you just
got to continue to go. You see it in every game,
(22:10):
the amount of mistakes. You know, no one shoots one
hundred percent during their games, you know, no one. There's
turnovers in every game, there's fouls, there's all this good stuff,
and it's you know, you think back to some of
it working sometimes and sometimes you do it right, like
you said, and you still lose.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
What what'd you learn from John.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Oh Man?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
You know ten months in Durham, You know, one season
it was like a crash course at the highest level
into college basketball. You know, it had been you know,
twenty seventeen, I graduated, I had worked in the NBA
and then you know, I get thrown into college basketball
at a time where things change every week. Right, he
gave me an incredible year of just learning from him.
(22:54):
You know, we could sit here all day and talk
about everything I learned. But I think his attention to
detail is up there with the best of them, you know,
whether it's an offensive side, I think as defensive schemes
or as a like detail oriented as possible, and you know,
but I also think with those details they're not He
doesn't try to overload the guys. You know, we do
(23:15):
what we do and we're going to really work on it.
We're gonna hammer it home and hopefully by the time
the tournament rolls around, we're rolling on all cylinders. And
it was just a great year. You know, you talk
about one of the best programs of all time at
any level of you know, basketball. It's just fortunate to
get that opportunity to work there. Like everyone was so great.
John's awesome. You know, the whole Duke thing is unbelievable
(23:39):
experience for me and my family.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
What's different about it than maybe even your perception before
you were there.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Yeah, you know, when you're outside of it, you don't
understand like the former player aspect of it.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
And then you see that the.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Former players are around all the time and how much
they care about that place from different eras, whether it
was two years ago or twenty five years ago. Like
you see all the former players and how they pour
into the current team and pour into each other.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
It was awesome.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
You know, I met players who had been coached at
coach K's early years, you know, when they won national
championships in the nineties, the two thousands. You know, it's real, right,
the former player bond is real there, and it was
awesome to just be like a little fly on the
wall and experience that for a year.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
And you build that or keep that going at Belmont
considering now the turnover, right with coach taking the k
stage job, you coming in and granted you're Belmont guys,
that helps, but the turnover in college basketball, can you
build like Duke does seem sort of different because they've
been dealing the one and done for a long time
(24:51):
and guys are staying more there and financially they can
keep them there. But at your level, which is slightly
above our level, can you keep that going the continuity
keeping players around and then bringing them back when when
they finish.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Yeah, you know what I always tell people, You know,
when you're here at Belmont, whether you know you're here
for a year or two years or three years, you know,
you are a Belmont basketball player and you are a
part of that family of former players, and while you're here,
you are going.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
To be treated like that.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And my job is to give you the best experience possible,
helping you become the best version of yourself.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Right.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
And it is harder, you know, it's it's a completely
different game than when I played just ten years ago.
You know, we didn't have guys transfer from Belmont when
I was here. You know, I still talk to my
teammates that I played, you know, two three, four years
with every single.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Day and it has become more difficult.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
But I think that, you know, if we approach it
every day of like, hey man, while you're here, we're
going to make this experience as enjoyable as possible and
win a lot of games too. We have a chance
to keep guys here.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Now. I know that there's a lot of factors.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Outside that make that more difficult, but we're just trying
to take it day by day a little bit, you know,
and you know, when guys do come back, we want
guys in the gym, former players in the gym. We've
had something We've been forceund to have some here in
the summer and just show them what it is about
and try to live that life as much as we can.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
I'll be attack the summer. Everybody has a different plan
with what's been your plan for the summer.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, so we did five and a half weeks and
guys have the option to stay in July. And you know,
I'm biased, I don't think there's a better place to
spend summers than Nashville. So we have some guys they've
been working out individually and just all voluntary playing open
gym with guys around the around the city with a
couple of schools around and yeah, so we'll get going
(26:42):
back and August. But we did five and a half weeks.
Thought it was good. A lot of new players, a
lot of new faces, a lot of learning about our
guys which was interesting. So we played a lot which
at four and four, five and five and just kind
of let them play and get better and make some
mistakes and learn throughout.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
What's the difference in in coaching college kids as opposed
to coaching pros. It's the biggest change.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I think, you know, especially at my level here at Beaumont,
Like this isn't their last stop, Like these guys want
to continue to play, like they want to continue to
grow wherever they leave here and go, whether it's another school,
another university, or like to the professional level. Like these
kids want to play professional basketball. So I'm continuing to
(27:34):
help them on the day to day basis, right. You
know the NBA players they want to continue to get
better obviously too, But I know that these guys are
nineteen twenty years old, Like I'm going to push them
harder than you know, they've ever been pushed before, trying
to help them get to that next level while also
trying to win some games. And I think the schedule
is just people ask me the biggest difference, it's the schedule.
(27:55):
You know, well we got thirty two games. Now, you
know you throw three scrimmage is in there. You know
you're playing around thirty five games in the regular season
plus whatever your conference tournament is like still half of
what the NBA guys, you know, play, So a lot
less games, a lot more time pricing on the court,
which I have enjoyed, and a lot more like just
(28:18):
work as a team from a practice perspective.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Okay, so here's the big question. When you're coaching, who
you guys open with.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Southern Indiana US.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Okay, yeah, okay, So when you you coach against Southern Indiana,
who are you most going to embody when you coach?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
And I say that because you know, it's like my
dad was a high school college coach, AU coach, right,
my high school coach I actually added to my staff
last year. He had his own style. I played for
John McLeod for your rest in peace to him when
he was a Notre dame. Oklahoma State obviously coached SAT
And I played for a myriad of coaches professionally. And
(28:59):
then you know, being a broadcaster, I get to watch
and the guys you're drawn to when you work for people,
oftentimes you know, you guys use the same language. You
become really close friends. I mean, you work for a
couple of the best of the best in the NBA.
Who do you feel like you're most going to resemble?
Oh Man in the early days here.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
I'm gonna go with coach Hardy in Utah.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
You know Will?
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Yeah, I spent three, well four years, one in Boston,
three in Utah with Will. And you know, like you said,
you grow to you know, these guys are essentially some
of your best friends, and you know, you pick up
things from him, and I spent so much time with
him in Utah that you know, to see him coach
in game.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
That's we're pretty similar with our you know, fiery spirit.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I would say it's it's weird when that those the
clock starts taking down and you know that jump ball
goes up. People become different people. And you know, I
think we're both extremely fiery and how we view the game,
and you know, emotional might be a word. Competitive in
all the right ways of just wanting to win. I
think Will's gonna be maybe some similarities there.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Okay, are you gonna be a sitter? Are you gonna
be a pacer? You're gonna have your own share out there?
Like these are all decisions that she that she that
she got to make right.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
You know, I coached.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
I was fortunate to coach the NBA Summer League one time,
and I think the first game I sat up, or
I got up, sat down, got up, sat down like
a million times. I think I'm going to be a
standard if I had to guess, hopefully not too much
of a pacer, but I'm gonna try and not sit
up and down or go up and down every single
time down the floor.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Okay, what about timeouts? Like do you have it's it's
it's weird, right because again it's so different. Now you
have spent a year in college with John, but there's
so many more timeouts in the NBA, right, and you
have the advance to the ball. There's all different sorts
of things like have you you have the user or
lose it. That's the heart, that's the hardest one because
(31:11):
you're sitting there going like, eh, I want to say this.
I want to say this. I call one this year
thirty not even thirty seconds into a game, and uh,
you'll love this. So we're playing We're playing U Mass
in the Virgin Islands and we didn't have a Division
one win. We overscheduled early, you know, and so you
(31:34):
Mass was really talented, and so we told our guys like, hey, okay,
the first thing is you're not going to get punked. Okay,
cannot get punked because if you get if you get
punked once against you Mass, they're going to keep coming.
They just it's sharks and that's blood in the water. Right.
We are not going to get punk We are going
to value the ball. We're going to rebound as five
with me anyway, So you know, we get driven by
(31:55):
they lay it in, they get an offense rebound, we're
down four nothing start the game. I call a timeout.
And it was so early in the Virgin Islands, so
early in the Virgin Islands that there's no music playing.
Usually have music during all the timeouts, so I'm getting
into them. Yeah, and it worked, but you can't do
it every game, right, So do you have a sort
(32:16):
of timeout philosophy?
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Yeah, you know, that's it's interesting, like that's that was
one of the biggest differences between you know, my time
in the NBA and college. You're just some of these,
you know, the timeouts structure is just a little bit different.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
You know, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I think I would like to be the guy that
saves it to the you know, the very end of
the half. But you just never really know, like you said,
you just you may need it thirty seconds in, you
may need it five minutes and you know, but you know,
hopefully I can hope I can save it more often
than not. You know, the timeouts structure is even different,
(32:55):
like the length of them, you know, the full timeouts,
the media timeouts, and it's like man there's a timeout
seems like every other present at some point. So yeah,
it's like there's a lot more time to you know,
rest for guys, and so it's funny, like those things
are just never Yeah, I haven't even thought about timeouts
for some reason.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
You know. It's like there's a million of those things
that I'm like, Man.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I got a lot to do, Like, yeah, we can't
advance the ball. So if there's you know, fifteen seconds
left in the first half, can we throw it, you know,
advance it really really quick and think at a timeout,
you know, like stuff like that that I still haven't
even got it.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
And John was great with that stuff too. It's like, man,
you start like.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Seeing what we're working on in practice and then you're like, dang,
we might need that just in case. And there's so
much that you got to go through. It's like where's
the checklist? What's my checklist? Look right right now, we're getting.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
There putting you get through your staff? How'd you do it?
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (33:52):
You know.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
The first car I made was to coach airs Brian Ayers.
He's been here for twenty eight years. He coached me,
knows the ins and out to Belmont Credible at what
he does, and you know, it was really important for
me to get as much valley experience as possible. You know,
So between him and Marcus Belcher and Brendan Mullens, you know,
those guys have seen the valley for years. You know,
(34:13):
Marcus and Brennan have worked at a lot of places in
the valley. It's not hard to you know, see that
I've never coached here in the valley. So I need
guys that know what it takes to win, you know,
the types of players we need. And then I brought
a young you know, he was at GA for US
last year at Duke J. D. Harris with us. Just
a young coach who has been great with our guys,
(34:35):
coaching them on the court. You know, he's twenty five
years old, first first coaching job, and he's been great
so far. So it's been a great staff. They've helped
me through the portal, h scheduling, all that good stuff,
and you know it's been a great summer.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
It's been a lot.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Okay, So scheduling, Okay, uh, you are you buying anybody?
Do you have to be bought.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
One by game? Don't have to be bought hard man?
Scheduling when you're going through all this, you're learning that
you're watching these coaches coach and you know no one
tells you.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Scheduling is the worst part.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
I think, at least I don't know how other people
feel it's the.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Worst part or hardest part of again because it here's
the here's the different layers to it. The first thing
is like, and I don't know how many how many
of your how many conference games you have?
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Twenty?
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Okay, so you're like, U, so you got twelve? How
many of them were already scheduled when he took the job?
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Album I think two?
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Okay, so you got you got ten? Were the two
home games or road games?
Speaker 3 (35:34):
One and one?
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Yep?
Speaker 1 (35:36):
And then how so like this, how many home games
did you have to get.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
To at two? Four? I mean still got to get
one or two more? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Home games are hard?
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Man Like, oh yeah no, I mean this year I'm
going out And this is in year three. I finally
sort of figured out, like the only way to get
him is to go play somebody on the road. So
we're playing West Florida there first year, d one, go
out and play them, you know, we don't want to
be their first D one victory, so we know they
they're going to try and beat our ass UMKC. And
then we have a series that I absorbed with Saint Thomas,
(36:10):
which I would not encourage you to play them.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
They're freaking good, really good.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Yeah, they're really good. And then they make you look
like you never cut like we coached that, Like what
are you guys doing? So we haven't sawd that rubiscube?
We get them back next year and then we did
a deal with South Dakota State. This year we go
to the Pentagon and then they'll come to Oshkosh and
we'll play them in the Herds Arena next year. But
the point is that, like, yeah, you gotta like first
you got to get people don't understand you have to
(36:36):
sometimes make money for you guys, spend a little money.
You got to get home games, and then you got
to play winnable road or neutral games, right, and you
don't really know because you're worried about your roster, like, well,
who they have in there? Like I don't know.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
That's that's the thing is, like you know some of
these teams are playing are really good, you know mid
major teams, and you know teams have had a lot
of success, but you know they're like us losing guys
every year.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
You're like, who's gonna be good?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
And you're like, I don't know, Like you try to
do your best, and but it comes down you got
to win some games, man. You know, we got to
win the games that we got on our schedule, and
you know, with our level as of right now, it's
you know, three games really really matter in March. You know,
the conference tournament. You know, conference plays the most important thing.
So like, how can we get our guys ready, you
(37:23):
know for the valley play and then most importantly, how
can we get them ready for the valley tournament?
Speaker 1 (37:30):
Five for five rule? How does that? And obviously you
haven't been recruiting high school. This is like your first
true cycle orcruity high school. How are you guys attacking
the five or five rule with high school players?
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Yeah, you know, it just opens up. Uh you know what.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
They threw it on us on a Classic Tuesday or
something like that, and it's like, hey, here's the age
based eligibility or whatever, and it's you know, I think
it's an opportunity. You know, the Red Shirts are gone, right.
I think Belmont historically has done a great job red
shirting players and then just building them up from there.
You know, opportunity for young players to play quickly. You know,
everyone wants that opportunity to play. You know, for us,
(38:05):
it's you know, we're still going to recruit high school kids.
You know, it's where we have found our most success.
We'll be very honest with them. You have the opportunity
to play, you have to earn it. I always tell people,
if you're fourteen or twenty four, if you can help
us win, you'll play. You know, I'll play freshmen, I'll
play seniors, I'll play graduates. Whatever we're calling the fifth
year now, we'll play anyone. So for us, we'll still
(38:28):
recruit the high school kids and build them up and
you know, hopefully they can you know, help impact positively
in that year one. But it is, you know, you're
adding a whole other class to everyone's recruiting board. And
you know, I think a lot of people are going
after the fifth years, and that's totally fair. And maybe
there's some high schoolers that can you know, maybe would
have went to one level now and can come to
(38:49):
Belmont and really impact your one.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah, I think you guys got one. We both don't know.
I'm allowed to mension. He's on your roster. I love coopernoles.
I think you just did think he's gonna be good eventually, unbelievable,
fundab so talented too, like holy cow, yeah we had
him up on a visit. He was stud kid stud Okay,
(39:14):
So what about the pressure? And by that, I mean
like when I got the job, Coach Bennett was so
cool to me. He was like, you know, this is
the best and the worst job in America, And I
was like Green Bay's like in college coaching, it's like
there's just so much pressure. And I was like, yeah,
you know, I felt pressure before. I've done this, I've
(39:36):
done that, But you do you really do feel it.
I think for me it's, you know, people believed in
me here that didn't believe in me maybe elsewhere, so
you want to back up their faith and their belief.
And the other part is you know they're giving their good,
hard earned money to help pay basically the salaries of
(39:57):
these players. So you look across and like, if you're
not to do like this better, this better work for you.
I think there's those elements to it, but also you're
carrying on the banner of a program that has been
consistently successful through multiple coaches, and what what is that?
Have you have you been able to maybe understand that
(40:20):
feeling of pressure. Probably John has felt probably the most
right in terms of a parallel to what you're doing,
the pressure of what the season is going to be like.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Yeah, you know, it's it's a unique situation. Like you said,
John played at Duke, obviously I played at Beaumont, and
it's you really just want to continue to carry on
that tradition that we've had because it has been, you know,
unbelievable between coach Bird and Casey. You know, Casey did
a hell of a job here, and you know, as
a former player, you I think you, you know, maybe care,
(40:51):
you know a little bit more, you know, for me
to be in this seat, it's surreal, to be.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
Honest with you, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
Think the thing about this place that I always tell
people is as unbelievable people who have been here for
a long time. You know, if I walk over to
our athletic department, which I do pretty much every day,
it's like some of those people were my academic coordinators
and people like that. So the support that they've given
me has been incredible, especially early on. You know, there's
a lot of bumps and bruises in the first four months,
(41:20):
and like I rely on those people, I rely on
my staff, I rely on those people in the athletic department.
I'm over there all the time for a reason, and
they've helped me through it. And you know, I'm fortunate
that I have a lot of former teammates in the area.
You know, I had dinner with my roommate from college
a couple of days ago, and you know, their support
means the world to me too, because they care about
(41:41):
this place just as much as I do, and they
just want to see it.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
To its full capacity. Right.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
But there is a ton of pressure, right you know,
like you said, you know, Casey and Coachbird had a
lot of success here, and you know there is some
pressure to live up to those standards, and you know,
but that makes it fun. You know, I don't think
I don't think people understand how much us coaches, you know,
put pressure on ourselves. Question obviously back up why we're here,
but we're all extremely competitive and we want to win,
(42:09):
you know, arguably more than anyone else out there. So
a lot of pressure from within from me, just like
every other coach.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Your teams, what when I turn on the TV, I
try on the film, I try and synergy. What do
you want people to see from your teams? They like,
this is what Coach B's teams look like.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
Yeah, I think number one thing, I want to be a.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
Team where like you might beat us, but you're gonna
damn near have to kill us.
Speaker 3 (42:39):
You know.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
I wasn't the most talented player in the world, but
I thought, you know, myself along with my teammates, were
just ultra competitive, you know, and I think, like, there's
gonna be some times where we get beat and that's
going to happen, but it's like, no, we're not going
away without that fight. And then other part is like
I just want our teams to be selfless, you know.
I think that's what's partly made this place so great,
as like, yeah, we've had really good players, no doubt,
(43:01):
we've had really good coaching.
Speaker 3 (43:02):
But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter
who scores twenty points a game.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Every team in the country has a leading scorer, you know,
but not every team can win twenty five games, you know,
So like it doesn't matter who's out there getting the
most shots, getting the most minutes, getting the most interviews
or whatever, it doesn't matter. Like, I want our team
to be selfless and just be towards one goal and
knowing that you know, the more we win, the better
(43:26):
everyone looks. You know, players and coaches included, and universities included.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
So listen, I wish you nothing but success. We appreciate
you spend time, and I can tell you, like I'll
give you the advice coach Sutton and gave all guy
all coaches. You're not with us, but he said, you know,
especially journal, especially your first year, just because you're gonna
first year's wile. Bro, You're like, oh, didn't I know
(43:50):
that was happening. Yeah, well the manual, I.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Need to buckle up.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Yeah, there's a lot of things that aren't in that
coaching manual when you're learning.
Speaker 1 (43:59):
For any buddy, for anyone, he'sn't done it for fifty years.
Because this stuff's all new.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Yeah, there's always something. Every day is a new day.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Every day is a new day. Hey man, thanks for
joining me. Good luck to you this year. Let's be
intellt real soon.
Speaker 3 (44:11):
Yeah, have it go on, mate, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (44:13):
Thank you all right, that's it. Thanks to coach Bratts,
looking forward to seeing the Belmont Ruins in their first
year under his leadership. Thanks much for listening, Thanks much
for watching. I'm Doug Gottlie
Hey, what welcome in. I'm Doug Gottlie. This is all
ball and Evan Brad is our guest today. He's the
head coach at Belmont, just less than a decade removed
from having been a star for the Bruins. He circles
back after just one year coaching in college, in nine
years coaching in the G League and in the NBA.
So a really crazy trip. As far as how his
(00:30):
life came full circle to being back at Bellmont, we'll
get to that upcoming in a moment. First, look, there's
a couple of things that I haven't gotten a chance
to sound off on because of the summer and because
we've adjusted something. So let me go through them. Lebron James,
his departure from LA. You're hearing a lot of things.
(00:51):
But we all knew this was going to happen, right,
I mean, once they acquired Luca and he became less
of a priority. A divorce or a conclusion to the
relationship was in the near or long term future. And
the fact is that he wants to keep playing, but
(01:11):
LA is not really his town, not really his team.
The question is what do you do now? And you know,
it really is interesting how much like bizarre hatred, there
are towards certain people and certain decisions. Has Lebron caused
drama in the past the NBA? Sure, yeah, you know
(01:33):
are some things that he's done that I would disagree with, absolutely,
But if he's the all time leading scorer in the
history of the NBA, he's in any conversation of one
of the greatest, if not the greatest player of all time.
So yeah, if he wants to take his time and
decide when he's gonna play, like, why does that be
on your timeline or my timeline? It doesn't. Now with
(01:57):
every passing day, obviously some opportunities may go away, some
may pop up. But one thing you may notice for
me that you don't notice from other people is like,
I don't care what. Yeah, he's going to get some attention.
All he wants is attention. Yet, yes, he's going to
get attention. The guy who's going to go down is
(02:17):
the all time lands court in history of the NBA, well,
the greatest players that ever, and some people think the
greatest player ever. He's going to get attention. And it
also does become addictive to get that attention. So I
don't really understand people's critique of Lebron. He's a free agent.
He has the right to pick where he wants, and
teams have a right to not want him or to
(02:38):
want him. Personally, I'd love to see him try something new,
like I've seen Miami Lebron, seeing Cleveland Lebron, I've seen
lak Er Lebron. Why not Minnesota where they need maturity.
Why not the Sixers who also could use some maturity,
Or why not Golden State and just let the old
(02:58):
guys come back and do it. Why not? I'm I'm
not against that. Another topic, Okay, there have been now
the SEC keeps sliding into this. Hey, you know, we
could break away and do it on our own, So
could Texts, so could California. They don't. And what I
(03:22):
find to be very very interesting is the push obviously
away from the NCAA. All the NCAA is it's an
organization that's that's put together and the rules which run
college sports are voted on by the collective body of
the universities. It's not like a separate entity. And it's
(03:44):
not like even Congress or the House of Representatives like
literally it's voted on by the schools or by the
athletic directors, depending upon what the rules are. The point
is that for anybody who says you break away from
the NCAA like, there's going to have to be an
organization that runs everything. And I don't know how to
(04:05):
tell you this, but have you watched the UFC and
do you watch boxing anymore? If you don't want the NCAAA,
what you're saying is college football should look like boxing.
That's what it's gonna be boxing, right, And if you
want an organization, however flawed, to run something, then look
(04:29):
at UFC. On how UFC, for the most part, has
surpassed boxing. Deana White's Not Perfect has some great ideas,
has some ideas that are flawed. Sometimes they veer off.
Sometimes they go to political, they're too anti woke instead
of just being themselves. There's all kinds of things that
you could take. But and they also get accused of
(04:51):
keeping prices down on guys, right, they don't spend as
much as the free willing market of boxing. What allows
is is a more sustainable product, better overall product. You know,
week in week out, you can turn on UFC and
you're going to get entertained and they're going to get
a good number and it will last forever. Whereas boxing
(05:11):
it's kind of a mess, kind of falling apart. That's
what pulling out of the NCAA would be. The SEC
knows they can't do it because you have all those
other sports and you need those other conferences, those the
other NCAA stuff in order to survive and to succeed.
Can't just play SEC fos, end up six and five
and go, hey, now we want to play in the
college fotball playoff be really way too hard. You need
those bunnies to build up the confidence to play your
(05:33):
younger players, to rest some of your your guys that
get a lot of mileage. So breaking away from the
NCAA is much like Texas or California're breaking away? Could they? Yes,
But you're better when you're part of a collective group.
And if you don't believe me, take boxing, Take UFC
(05:55):
looks what's Look what's happened for the last twenty years. Yes,
you have a regional boxing match which grows gross's five
x to six x maybe even ten x of what
some of the UFC match are, But the rest of
the sport is dying. UFC incredibly healthy and maybe the
top level just isn't as high. That's how it works,
(06:18):
That's how it's going to work. And that's why I
would call the bluff of any conference, especially the SEC
that says they went out. So obviously it's pretty cool
to be coaching in your own honor, right, And there's
a bunch I want to get to. But why did
you pick Belmont out of high school? Like? Take me
through the recruiting process and how you end up there
(06:39):
to begin with.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yeah, I mean, so I was originally committed to Ohio
University out of high school and then you know, it
was coach Gross at the time, and he think they
went to the Sweet sixteen one year and he got
the Illinois job.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So it kind of reopened everything up after that time.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
And wait, so when they when they go to sweet sixteen,
he goes to Illinois. Yeah, I'm always fascinated by that.
Like did they call you and go like, hey, we're
not taking you with us.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I mean, we talked.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
He was great about it. He was great, And you know,
I was very fortunate. I had my father played college
basketball too, and he was like very honest with me.
He's like, hey, man, the Big ten might not be
for you, you know, coming from my dad was you know,
great to hear, but they were very good to me.
Coach Gross is still a close friend, so it's all good.
But I remember Coach Bird called me and you know,
(07:27):
I remember visiting Belmont one time. You roll on the
campus and you know, you drive down from where I'm
from in Ohio and you go through Nashville and it's
quick to fall in love with this place, you know,
Nashville as a whole, and then you get to sit
down with Coach Bird.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
You know, there's no better coach, you know, in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
So you know, fell in love with campus, fell in
love with the city, and you know, Coach Bird was,
you know, a heck of a ball coach.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
So what was it that made him so special? Because
I've actually had him on this pod. He talked about
when first started, like he'd sell popcorn in the women's
game and then to the men's game. Right, But oftentimes styles
that work at lower levels don't always work. But Belmont,
you know, the higher you guys elevated, and obviously he
(08:14):
wasn't with the university as the head coach when you
guys got to the valley. But every elevated level, it
still worked. So what was it, especially now as a coach,
did you go back and go like, this is what
makes Rick Bird a special coach?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:28):
I think what you said at the very beginning is
a good portrait of who he is. You know, you know,
selling popcorn during the women's games. You know, there's nothing
too small for him to do. But I always tell
people he was an unbelievable coach, but an even better
guy too. So I think his humility and like what
his job is is, he killed it with that, and
then you start thinking about the x's and o's. Man,
(08:48):
he was always prepared, you know, always one step ahead
of what the next team was thinking. I thought he
was very forward thinking at the time. I can remember
early on in my career. This was like before the
big three point line revolution, I think, and I took
like a mid range pull up jumper at the free
throw line and he was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, woll
that's not what we're doing. That's not what we're doing here.
(09:08):
We want to shoot threes layups. And you know, for
for me, it was just forward thinking and I look
back at some of the things we were doing. You
know in twenty thirteen, twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen, and it
was a little bit before it's time. So you know,
forward thinking and always you know, wanting to change and
just continue to push them to get better.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
You you had a great sophomore year. Let's you blew
up your sophomore year. The crazy thing is like nowadays,
you probably wouldn't come back for your for your junior year.
Take me through your your early years playing at Belmont, right,
these are prime OVC years. It was like every year
(09:49):
you turn on the OVC Championship game, be you guys
in Murray, I like every year and it was it
was it was great ball. What allowed you to be
so successful so early in your college career?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Yeah, you know, to be honest with you, I really
struggled my first two years here on the court, just
from a stylistic perspective, because you know, when I was
coming out of high school, I was kind of like
the the three man who couldn't shoot, but could really
slash and get in the pain, get to.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
The rim shrink four Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, but you know I remember early on in my career,
Coach Bird was like, hey, I might need you to
play some four and some five for me, and I
was like, you know, when I was a freshman, I
was like, I'll dogs do whatever you tell me what
to do.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
I just want to play.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
And then you know, I had a little success playing
the five, and you know, it was a really struggle
of being you know, nineteen twenty years old playing against
like older guys and getting beat up. So I struggled
pretty early on with that. But you know, Coach Bird
was you know wise obviously as a coach, and you
know he put me in spots that allowed me to
(10:57):
kind of you know, do what I was good at,
and I found ways to score in the post versus switches.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
The OVC was, you know at that time, you know,
a relatively small league, right like you know, big guys
were six eight, six nine, and you know I'm six six,
so not like incredibly short, but a lot of teams
would switch.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
So I found success rolling guys down to the post.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
And you know playing them like old school back to
the basket jump hooks and stuff like that. So yeah,
it's just something that I kind of fell into. You know,
I think I got lucky being a you know a
three in high school where I had the ball in
my hands a lot, and then you know, finishing around
the paint, you figure out quickly how to score as
(11:40):
an undersized you know, quote unquote five man.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know in no, no, no, no, you were a five.
We just played three three, we played three threes.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Yes, yeah, that's the that's the that's.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
The end the recruit thing. It's like, okay, I I
had a kid last year who had a good year
for us, and he's like, got coach, I don't I
don't want to play the five. Like, no, you played
the four. He's like, now he's the four like you.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
And that's where I was like, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
I feel like, so where did that come from? Though?
Because so many guys just their ego can't get it
when you put a number by it, they're just like
and you're like, no, this is your way. I'm creating
advantage for you on offense and all you got to
do is grind with me on defense and they just
can't do some guys can't do it. Where's that come
from for you?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I think I was fortunate to have a lot of
people tell me the truth when.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
I was a young player.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Yeah, you know, starting with my father, you know, He
always told me how it was.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
He never sugarcoated anything.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
His thing, you know, if whenever I would get an
offer in high school, was like, all right, that's cool,
let's get back in the gym now, you know. Like
and then I was very fortunate to have assistant coaches
here who just told me the truth. It's like, hey, man,
like you're having some success, don't It's like what you said,
the number beside your name, it doesn't matter, you know,
it really doesn't matter. Uh. You know, my sophomore year,
we went to the NCAA tournament, you know, and it
(13:03):
once I got past that, it was like, man, I'm
having a lot of fun. I love this place, I
love this school. I don't want to leave my teammates,
you know, I love those dudes. I still talk to
them to this day. So it was like, yeah, the
five thing, you know, whatever I was recruited at, it
doesn't matter at this point. Like we're having success as
a team and I'm having a lot of fun doing it.
So it was like I look back and it's it's
(13:23):
probably the best thing that ever happened to me.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Playing the quote unquote, you know, no.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Question, no question, you do whatever you want Yeah, you offense.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Yeah, and it's I had a lot of fun and
you know, enjoyed my time here and I honestly wouldn't
change it for the world.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Okay, so you get done in seventeen. What was the
process like of deciding you're going to coach instead of
going playing and chase it.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
Yeah, so it's this is a crazy story.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
So I had I knew from you know, I knew
that the fives in the NBA were a little bit
bigger than I was. Uh, and I was like, you know,
I don't think I'm gonna play in the NBA, but
I got the opportunity to go to the Indiana Pacers
for a draft workout, and it was like, I know,
I'm probably not going to go to the NBA, but
I want to see what it's like.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I actually tore my ACL in that draft workout.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
So career was pretty much ruined at that point or over.
And you know, it's you think back to all these
connections playing for coach Bird. You know, he was really
close with coach Stevens, Brad Stevens, and you know, Brad
was in Boston at the time, and you know, Brad
called me out of nowhere one day and was like, Hey,
(14:30):
would you like to work in the NBA G League,
you know, rehab your knee, see if you want to
play overseas and try and see if you would like
this coaching thing. And you know, I got up there
quickly and just fell in love with it, you know,
that the g Leigue at the time, I think it
was the first year we had two ways, So it's
you know, twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, it's ten years ago
(14:51):
now almost, and I just fell in love with the
day to day. I fell in love with helping guys
get better, you know. And I was fortunate after that year.
I worked in Boston five years, four of them being
for Brad and you know, I just fell in love with,
you know, the day to day helping guys get better
on the court. The games were obviously awesome. Was very
(15:11):
fortunate to be in Boston and playing every round of
the playoffs in some sense too, So it was I
just fell in love quickly, you know, especially the on
court part.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
That's what I was.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I was a big practice dum me for like my
first five years in the NBA, and it just just
it was an awesome way to you know, stay around
the game. You know, if you can't play, you know,
second best job in the world as being a coach
in my.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Opinion, it's it is, it's it's amazing how you know,
when you transition from player to coach, you realize how
in many ways it's so much better to be a coach,
right because you can absorb all of their success instead
of being so wrapped in your own success and your
team success whatever. And then you know the best part
is when like, oh, I taught him that, you know
(15:57):
exactly I taught him that. I always mean I taught him,
so we do you know, Uh, my first day is
as head coach and I was AU coach and I
was trying to teach all these day you kids, you know,
all the fundamentals. And then playing off too, and I'll
never forget, uh you know we did. I did playoff
two stuff with with our guys. I had five guys.
(16:17):
It's the end of May, my first year and you
know it as you know, it takes time, no matter
how much you know you are whatever you practice. But
I remember, you know, it was probably like four games
in Preston Rudinger, my point guard, he comes in he
pivots like three times and finally gets ahead. Fay gets
an one lazy, and I was like, I I taught
(16:38):
that I did that was that was me.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
It's it's honestly what I find the most joy in,
like just helping them get better.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
It's a perfect example of like it takes some time,
but when it happens, you're like yes, Like.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Well, and the same thing with you know, either strategy
or a play call. You know, you work at your work,
at your work, at your work, you work and at
the very right time you call the right play to execute.
The ball goes in and they all look at you
like that guy's a genius. You're like, no, just you
made the shot.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
What was your experience when you're with Boston? What I
do think? And look, this POD's cool because by coaches, agents,
players watch it, but also some people who are just fans.
What's it actually like to work with NBA guys? Because
there is a perception that those guys are, especially the
best of the best, are so aloof they just kind
(17:28):
of they have their own personal trainers. There's not a
ton of coaching. I think the reality is different, but
you experienced it what was it like as a young
guy trying to break in the league and working with
guys on the Celtics.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah, I agree with you. I think that's it's completely
wrong the perception. You know, when I first started with
those guys, I was a glorified practice dummy in a
lot of sense. So I was on the court with
them pretty much all day. And when you really spend
that much time on the court, you really get to
know them as people and they're just like any other player.
(18:02):
They just want to be the best, you know, version
of themselves as they can be. And when you're helping
them out there, you know, you know, they're awesome to
work with. You know, the skill level is actually it's
through the roof, and the best of the best want
to be coached. You know, they want you to help them.
They want you to you know, point out a flaw,
(18:24):
work on this, and help them get.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Better at that.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
And you know, throughout my experience, whether it was in
Boston or Utah, I found that like when you sometimes
had to tell the guys the truth, there was you know, pushback,
and that's okay, you know, you know, but when you
do tell them the truth, you know, I think they
respect you for it, and you grow to you know,
build real relationships with those guys. You know, when I
got this job, a lot of those guys were texted
(18:49):
me and said congratulations, and it was good to hear
from them. And you know, for me, it's it was
just so much fun, you know, learning from them on
the court too.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Of man, it's you learn a while I was not
in the NBA, you know.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
So it is so good.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
You just learned quick.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
So here's a question. How I always laugh at people
when they talk about you know, Boston and Brad and
making moves even this year. I'm like, they've never been bad, right,
Like they've had disappointing playoff like this year. How it
ended obviously super disappointing, Right, you're up big and and
you get beat. But it's not like there hasn't been
(19:28):
a bad year. Yeah, How what is what is the
secret sauce to Brad Stevens and how he runs an
operation that allows the consistency of success?
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Oh yeah, you know, working for Brad it was you know,
you want to talk about education. You know, a four
year education here at Belmont was a four year education
for me in Boston, you know, he's just extremely well prepared.
The way he thinks about everything. He's not rash and
what his decisions are are, they're well thought out. And
(20:02):
I think if you know, spending time out there, the
alignment that they have from you know, ownership on down,
you know, and it goes through Brad to you know Joe.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
You know, they keep it real right.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
They're not rushing anything, and you know, like you said,
they haven't been bad yet disappointing. Everyone has disappointments right
throughout their years. Like it's it's a normal. It's an
imperfect game, you know, played by imperfect people, and for
sure coach by imperfect people.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
So yeah, but they're just extremely aligned in all that
they're doing and what their goals are. And I think
when you have really good people working together, it just
makes it that much better. And Brad is like the
definition of a good dude.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Here's here's an example what you're saying with the imperfect people.
I think we both agree, like, yeah, I don't know
if coach k is the greatest coach of all time,
but there's ever a discussion you have to mention he's
and he's in any discussion right, So you know, John Shower,
you work for, when they won a national championship, that
was a mistake to intentionally miss the last free throw, right,
(21:04):
That is that is the math tells you. Everything tells
you it's a mistake because it brings losing into the
equation as supposed he makes the pre throw, if they
make a half quarter, it goes over time and you
live to play another day. And I remember, you know,
he was asked about it afterwards, and he told kind
of the strategy and then he's send circled back and
be like, ah, maybe we should anyway, The point is
(21:24):
that here's, in any conversation, the greatest coach of all time,
within any conversation of the greatest program in the history,
and they won despite the fact that at a very
key moment, in the last couple of seconds, the national
chance of game. Like, yeah, it kind of made the
wrong call. But sometimes it works that way, right, Sometimes
you make you do all the right things and it
still doesn't work out, and sometimes you make a mistake
(21:47):
and it works out. It's crazy that way.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yeah, you know, I always tell our guys, like we
talk about Grace a lot around here, you know, you know,
if they were perfect, I wouldn't have a job, you know,
be no need for coaches, and I'm very offes with them.
I'm like, yo, I don't expect you guys to be perfect,
and I hope you guys don't expect me to be perfect,
because I'm going to mess up more than you know,
anyone you know, and sometimes and you know, you just
got to continue to go. You see it in every game,
(22:10):
the amount of mistakes. You know, no one shoots one
hundred percent during their games, you know, no one. There's
turnovers in every game, there's fouls, there's all this good stuff,
and it's you know, you think back to some of
it working sometimes and sometimes you do it right, like
you said, and you still lose.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
What what'd you learn from John.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Oh Man?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
You know ten months in Durham, You know, one season
it was like a crash course at the highest level
into college basketball. You know, it had been you know,
twenty seventeen, I graduated, I had worked in the NBA
and then you know, I get thrown into college basketball
at a time where things change every week. Right, he
gave me an incredible year of just learning from him.
(22:54):
You know, we could sit here all day and talk
about everything I learned. But I think his attention to
detail is up there with the best of them, you know,
whether it's an offensive side, I think as defensive schemes
or as a like detail oriented as possible, and you know,
but I also think with those details they're not He
doesn't try to overload the guys. You know, we do
(23:15):
what we do and we're going to really work on it.
We're gonna hammer it home and hopefully by the time
the tournament rolls around, we're rolling on all cylinders. And
it was just a great year. You know, you talk
about one of the best programs of all time at
any level of you know, basketball. It's just fortunate to
get that opportunity to work there. Like everyone was so great.
John's awesome. You know, the whole Duke thing is unbelievable
(23:39):
experience for me and my family.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
What's different about it than maybe even your perception before
you were there.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Yeah, you know, when you're outside of it, you don't
understand like the former player aspect of it.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
And then you see that the.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Former players are around all the time and how much
they care about that place from different eras, whether it
was two years ago or twenty five years ago. Like
you see all the former players and how they pour
into the current team and pour into each other.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
It was awesome.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
You know, I met players who had been coached at
coach K's early years, you know, when they won national
championships in the nineties, the two thousands. You know, it's real, right,
the former player bond is real there, and it was
awesome to just be like a little fly on the
wall and experience that for a year.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
And you build that or keep that going at Belmont
considering now the turnover, right with coach taking the k
stage job, you coming in and granted you're Belmont guys,
that helps, but the turnover in college basketball, can you
build like Duke does seem sort of different because they've
been dealing the one and done for a long time
(24:51):
and guys are staying more there and financially they can
keep them there. But at your level, which is slightly
above our level, can you keep that going the continuity
keeping players around and then bringing them back when when
they finish.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Yeah, you know what I always tell people, You know,
when you're here at Belmont, whether you know you're here
for a year or two years or three years, you know,
you are a Belmont basketball player and you are a
part of that family of former players, and while you're here,
you are going.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
To be treated like that.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And my job is to give you the best experience possible,
helping you become the best version of yourself.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Right.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
And it is harder, you know, it's it's a completely
different game than when I played just ten years ago.
You know, we didn't have guys transfer from Belmont when
I was here. You know, I still talk to my
teammates that I played, you know, two three, four years
with every single.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Day and it has become more difficult.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
But I think that, you know, if we approach it
every day of like, hey man, while you're here, we're
going to make this experience as enjoyable as possible and
win a lot of games too. We have a chance
to keep guys here.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Now. I know that there's a lot of factors.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Outside that make that more difficult, but we're just trying
to take it day by day a little bit, you know,
and you know, when guys do come back, we want
guys in the gym, former players in the gym. We've
had something We've been forceund to have some here in
the summer and just show them what it is about
and try to live that life as much as we can.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
I'll be attack the summer. Everybody has a different plan
with what's been your plan for the summer.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, so we did five and a half weeks and
guys have the option to stay in July. And you know,
I'm biased, I don't think there's a better place to
spend summers than Nashville. So we have some guys they've
been working out individually and just all voluntary playing open
gym with guys around the around the city with a
couple of schools around and yeah, so we'll get going
(26:42):
back and August. But we did five and a half weeks.
Thought it was good. A lot of new players, a
lot of new faces, a lot of learning about our
guys which was interesting. So we played a lot which
at four and four, five and five and just kind
of let them play and get better and make some
mistakes and learn throughout.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
What's the difference in in coaching college kids as opposed
to coaching pros. It's the biggest change.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I think, you know, especially at my level here at Beaumont,
Like this isn't their last stop, Like these guys want
to continue to play, like they want to continue to
grow wherever they leave here and go, whether it's another school,
another university, or like to the professional level. Like these
kids want to play professional basketball. So I'm continuing to
(27:34):
help them on the day to day basis, right. You
know the NBA players they want to continue to get
better obviously too, But I know that these guys are
nineteen twenty years old, Like I'm going to push them
harder than you know, they've ever been pushed before, trying
to help them get to that next level while also
trying to win some games. And I think the schedule
is just people ask me the biggest difference, it's the schedule.
(27:55):
You know, well we got thirty two games. Now, you
know you throw three scrimmage is in there. You know
you're playing around thirty five games in the regular season
plus whatever your conference tournament is like still half of
what the NBA guys, you know, play, So a lot
less games, a lot more time pricing on the court,
which I have enjoyed, and a lot more like just
(28:18):
work as a team from a practice perspective.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Okay, so here's the big question. When you're coaching, who
you guys open with.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Southern Indiana US.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Okay, yeah, okay, So when you you coach against Southern Indiana,
who are you most going to embody when you coach?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
And I say that because you know, it's like my
dad was a high school college coach, AU coach, right,
my high school coach I actually added to my staff
last year. He had his own style. I played for
John McLeod for your rest in peace to him when
he was a Notre dame. Oklahoma State obviously coached SAT
And I played for a myriad of coaches professionally. And
(28:59):
then you know, being a broadcaster, I get to watch
and the guys you're drawn to when you work for people,
oftentimes you know, you guys use the same language. You
become really close friends. I mean, you work for a
couple of the best of the best in the NBA.
Who do you feel like you're most going to resemble?
Oh Man in the early days here.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
I'm gonna go with coach Hardy in Utah.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
You know Will?
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Yeah, I spent three, well four years, one in Boston,
three in Utah with Will. And you know, like you said,
you grow to you know, these guys are essentially some
of your best friends, and you know, you pick up
things from him, and I spent so much time with
him in Utah that you know, to see him coach
in game.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
That's we're pretty similar with our you know, fiery spirit.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I would say it's it's weird when that those the
clock starts taking down and you know that jump ball
goes up. People become different people. And you know, I
think we're both extremely fiery and how we view the game,
and you know, emotional might be a word. Competitive in
all the right ways of just wanting to win. I
think Will's gonna be maybe some similarities there.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Okay, are you gonna be a sitter? Are you gonna
be a pacer? You're gonna have your own share out there?
Like these are all decisions that she that she that
she got to make right.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
You know, I coached.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
I was fortunate to coach the NBA Summer League one time,
and I think the first game I sat up, or
I got up, sat down, got up, sat down like
a million times. I think I'm going to be a
standard if I had to guess, hopefully not too much
of a pacer, but I'm gonna try and not sit
up and down or go up and down every single
time down the floor.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Okay, what about timeouts? Like do you have it's it's
it's weird, right because again it's so different. Now you
have spent a year in college with John, but there's
so many more timeouts in the NBA, right, and you
have the advance to the ball. There's all different sorts
of things like have you you have the user or
lose it. That's the heart, that's the hardest one because
(31:11):
you're sitting there going like, eh, I want to say this.
I want to say this. I call one this year
thirty not even thirty seconds into a game, and uh,
you'll love this. So we're playing We're playing U Mass
in the Virgin Islands and we didn't have a Division
one win. We overscheduled early, you know, and so you
(31:34):
Mass was really talented, and so we told our guys like, hey, okay,
the first thing is you're not going to get punked. Okay,
cannot get punked because if you get if you get
punked once against you Mass, they're going to keep coming.
They just it's sharks and that's blood in the water. Right.
We are not going to get punk We are going
to value the ball. We're going to rebound as five
with me anyway, So you know, we get driven by
(31:55):
they lay it in, they get an offense rebound, we're
down four nothing start the game. I call a timeout.
And it was so early in the Virgin Islands, so
early in the Virgin Islands that there's no music playing.
Usually have music during all the timeouts, so I'm getting
into them. Yeah, and it worked, but you can't do
it every game, right, So do you have a sort
(32:16):
of timeout philosophy?
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Yeah, you know, that's it's interesting, like that's that was
one of the biggest differences between you know, my time
in the NBA and college. You're just some of these,
you know, the timeouts structure is just a little bit different.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
You know, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I think I would like to be the guy that
saves it to the you know, the very end of
the half. But you just never really know, like you said,
you just you may need it thirty seconds in, you
may need it five minutes and you know, but you know,
hopefully I can hope I can save it more often
than not. You know, the timeouts structure is even different,
(32:55):
like the length of them, you know, the full timeouts,
the media timeouts, and it's like man there's a timeout
seems like every other present at some point. So yeah,
it's like there's a lot more time to you know,
rest for guys, and so it's funny, like those things
are just never Yeah, I haven't even thought about timeouts
for some reason.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
You know. It's like there's a million of those things
that I'm like, Man.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I got a lot to do, Like, yeah, we can't
advance the ball. So if there's you know, fifteen seconds
left in the first half, can we throw it, you know,
advance it really really quick and think at a timeout,
you know, like stuff like that that I still haven't
even got it.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
And John was great with that stuff too. It's like, man,
you start like.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Seeing what we're working on in practice and then you're like, dang,
we might need that just in case. And there's so
much that you got to go through. It's like where's
the checklist? What's my checklist? Look right right now, we're getting.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
There putting you get through your staff? How'd you do it?
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (33:52):
You know.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
The first car I made was to coach airs Brian Ayers.
He's been here for twenty eight years. He coached me,
knows the ins and out to Belmont Credible at what
he does, and you know, it was really important for
me to get as much valley experience as possible. You know,
So between him and Marcus Belcher and Brendan Mullens, you know,
those guys have seen the valley for years. You know,
(34:13):
Marcus and Brennan have worked at a lot of places in
the valley. It's not hard to you know, see that
I've never coached here in the valley. So I need
guys that know what it takes to win, you know,
the types of players we need. And then I brought
a young you know, he was at GA for US
last year at Duke J. D. Harris with us. Just
a young coach who has been great with our guys,
(34:35):
coaching them on the court. You know, he's twenty five
years old, first first coaching job, and he's been great
so far. So it's been a great staff. They've helped
me through the portal, h scheduling, all that good stuff,
and you know it's been a great summer.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
It's been a lot.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Okay, So scheduling, Okay, uh, you are you buying anybody?
Do you have to be bought.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
One by game? Don't have to be bought hard man?
Scheduling when you're going through all this, you're learning that
you're watching these coaches coach and you know no one
tells you.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Scheduling is the worst part.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
I think, at least I don't know how other people
feel it's the.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Worst part or hardest part of again because it here's
the here's the different layers to it. The first thing
is like, and I don't know how many how many
of your how many conference games you have?
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Twenty?
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Okay, so you're like, U, so you got twelve? How
many of them were already scheduled when he took the job?
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Album I think two?
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Okay, so you got you got ten? Were the two
home games or road games?
Speaker 3 (35:34):
One and one?
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Yep?
Speaker 1 (35:36):
And then how so like this, how many home games
did you have to get.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
To at two? Four? I mean still got to get
one or two more? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Home games are hard?
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Man Like, oh yeah no, I mean this year I'm
going out And this is in year three. I finally
sort of figured out, like the only way to get
him is to go play somebody on the road. So
we're playing West Florida there first year, d one, go
out and play them, you know, we don't want to
be their first D one victory, so we know they
they're going to try and beat our ass UMKC. And
then we have a series that I absorbed with Saint Thomas,
(36:10):
which I would not encourage you to play them.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
They're freaking good, really good.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Yeah, they're really good. And then they make you look
like you never cut like we coached that, Like what
are you guys doing? So we haven't sawd that rubiscube?
We get them back next year and then we did
a deal with South Dakota State. This year we go
to the Pentagon and then they'll come to Oshkosh and
we'll play them in the Herds Arena next year. But
the point is that, like, yeah, you gotta like first
you got to get people don't understand you have to
(36:36):
sometimes make money for you guys, spend a little money.
You got to get home games, and then you got
to play winnable road or neutral games, right, and you
don't really know because you're worried about your roster, like, well,
who they have in there? Like I don't know.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
That's that's the thing is, like you know some of
these teams are playing are really good, you know mid
major teams, and you know teams have had a lot
of success, but you know they're like us losing guys
every year.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
You're like, who's gonna be good?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
And you're like, I don't know, Like you try to
do your best, and but it comes down you got
to win some games, man. You know, we got to
win the games that we got on our schedule, and
you know, with our level as of right now, it's
you know, three games really really matter in March. You know,
the conference tournament. You know, conference plays the most important thing.
So like, how can we get our guys ready, you
(37:23):
know for the valley play and then most importantly, how
can we get them ready for the valley tournament?
Speaker 1 (37:30):
Five for five rule? How does that? And obviously you
haven't been recruiting high school. This is like your first
true cycle orcruity high school. How are you guys attacking
the five or five rule with high school players?
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Yeah, you know, it just opens up. Uh you know what.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
They threw it on us on a Classic Tuesday or
something like that, and it's like, hey, here's the age
based eligibility or whatever, and it's you know, I think
it's an opportunity. You know, the Red Shirts are gone, right.
I think Belmont historically has done a great job red
shirting players and then just building them up from there.
You know, opportunity for young players to play quickly. You know,
everyone wants that opportunity to play. You know, for us,
(38:05):
it's you know, we're still going to recruit high school kids.
You know, it's where we have found our most success.
We'll be very honest with them. You have the opportunity
to play, you have to earn it. I always tell people,
if you're fourteen or twenty four, if you can help
us win, you'll play. You know, I'll play freshmen, I'll
play seniors, I'll play graduates. Whatever we're calling the fifth
year now, we'll play anyone. So for us, we'll still
(38:28):
recruit the high school kids and build them up and
you know, hopefully they can you know, help impact positively
in that year one. But it is, you know, you're
adding a whole other class to everyone's recruiting board. And
you know, I think a lot of people are going
after the fifth years, and that's totally fair. And maybe
there's some high schoolers that can you know, maybe would
have went to one level now and can come to
(38:49):
Belmont and really impact your one.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah, I think you guys got one. We both don't know.
I'm allowed to mension. He's on your roster. I love coopernoles.
I think you just did think he's gonna be good eventually, unbelievable,
fundab so talented too, like holy cow, yeah we had
him up on a visit. He was stud kid stud Okay,
(39:14):
So what about the pressure? And by that, I mean
like when I got the job, Coach Bennett was so
cool to me. He was like, you know, this is
the best and the worst job in America, And I
was like Green Bay's like in college coaching, it's like
there's just so much pressure. And I was like, yeah,
you know, I felt pressure before. I've done this, I've
(39:36):
done that, But you do you really do feel it.
I think for me it's, you know, people believed in
me here that didn't believe in me maybe elsewhere, so
you want to back up their faith and their belief.
And the other part is you know they're giving their good,
hard earned money to help pay basically the salaries of
(39:57):
these players. So you look across and like, if you're
not to do like this better, this better work for you.
I think there's those elements to it, but also you're
carrying on the banner of a program that has been
consistently successful through multiple coaches, and what what is that?
Have you have you been able to maybe understand that
(40:20):
feeling of pressure. Probably John has felt probably the most
right in terms of a parallel to what you're doing,
the pressure of what the season is going to be like.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Yeah, you know, it's it's a unique situation. Like you said,
John played at Duke, obviously I played at Beaumont, and
it's you really just want to continue to carry on
that tradition that we've had because it has been, you know,
unbelievable between coach Bird and Casey. You know, Casey did
a hell of a job here, and you know, as
a former player, you I think you, you know, maybe care,
(40:51):
you know a little bit more, you know, for me
to be in this seat, it's surreal, to be.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
Honest with you, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
Think the thing about this place that I always tell
people is as unbelievable people who have been here for
a long time. You know, if I walk over to
our athletic department, which I do pretty much every day,
it's like some of those people were my academic coordinators
and people like that. So the support that they've given
me has been incredible, especially early on. You know, there's
a lot of bumps and bruises in the first four months,
(41:20):
and like I rely on those people, I rely on
my staff, I rely on those people in the athletic department.
I'm over there all the time for a reason, and
they've helped me through it. And you know, I'm fortunate
that I have a lot of former teammates in the area.
You know, I had dinner with my roommate from college
a couple of days ago, and you know, their support
means the world to me too, because they care about
(41:41):
this place just as much as I do, and they
just want to see it.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
To its full capacity. Right.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
But there is a ton of pressure, right you know,
like you said, you know, Casey and Coachbird had a
lot of success here, and you know there is some
pressure to live up to those standards, and you know,
but that makes it fun. You know, I don't think
I don't think people understand how much us coaches, you know,
put pressure on ourselves. Question obviously back up why we're here,
but we're all extremely competitive and we want to win,
(42:09):
you know, arguably more than anyone else out there. So
a lot of pressure from within from me, just like
every other coach.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Your teams, what when I turn on the TV, I
try on the film, I try and synergy. What do
you want people to see from your teams? They like,
this is what Coach B's teams look like.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
Yeah, I think number one thing, I want to be a.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
Team where like you might beat us, but you're gonna
damn near have to kill us.
Speaker 3 (42:39):
You know.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
I wasn't the most talented player in the world, but
I thought, you know, myself along with my teammates, were
just ultra competitive, you know, and I think, like, there's
gonna be some times where we get beat and that's
going to happen, but it's like, no, we're not going
away without that fight. And then other part is like
I just want our teams to be selfless, you know.
I think that's what's partly made this place so great,
as like, yeah, we've had really good players, no doubt,
(43:01):
we've had really good coaching.
Speaker 3 (43:02):
But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter
who scores twenty points a game.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Every team in the country has a leading scorer, you know,
but not every team can win twenty five games, you know,
So like it doesn't matter who's out there getting the
most shots, getting the most minutes, getting the most interviews
or whatever, it doesn't matter. Like, I want our team
to be selfless and just be towards one goal and
knowing that you know, the more we win, the better
(43:26):
everyone looks. You know, players and coaches included, and universities included.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
So listen, I wish you nothing but success. We appreciate
you spend time, and I can tell you, like I'll
give you the advice coach Sutton and gave all guy
all coaches. You're not with us, but he said, you know,
especially journal, especially your first year, just because you're gonna
first year's wile. Bro, You're like, oh, didn't I know
(43:50):
that was happening. Yeah, well the manual, I.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Need to buckle up.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Yeah, there's a lot of things that aren't in that
coaching manual when you're learning.
Speaker 1 (43:59):
For any buddy, for anyone, he'sn't done it for fifty years.
Because this stuff's all new.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Yeah, there's always something. Every day is a new day.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Every day is a new day. Hey man, thanks for
joining me. Good luck to you this year. Let's be
intellt real soon.
Speaker 3 (44:11):
Yeah, have it go on, mate, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (44:13):
Thank you all right, that's it. Thanks to coach Bratts,
looking forward to seeing the Belmont Ruins in their first
year under his leadership. Thanks much for listening, Thanks much
for watching. I'm Doug Gottlie
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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