October 31, 2025 • 8 mins
Butler basketball head coach Thad Matta joins us and discusses his Halloween gameplan, what they did in their exhibition earlier this week, could we see changes at the men’s college game down the line?, the role of the college GM & more!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
That one still works today, doesn't it, James get you
going on your chair over there, Yes, Sir Ray Parker Junior, Ghostbusters,
great film, great song. Now we have a great coach,
Dad Mada joining us on the line this morning and
his weekly appearances. Brought to you by Thompson Furniture and
Mattress in Columbus, in business since the year before Heinko
(00:20):
Fieldhouse open nineteen twenty seven. Lazy Boy, Indiana made Smith
Brothers Furniture, Stearns and Foster and Tiperpedic Mastresses free delivery
to the entire Indianapolis metro area. It's worth the drive
to Columbus, though. Thompson Furniture dot Net. Coach Mada, Welcome
on a Friday morning, Halloween. I'm gonna guess, are you
and your team in the Halloween spirit or is it
(00:42):
just time to play basketball?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh? No, We're in the Halloween spirit. And I think
that's something that is very, very important for our team
to have, you know, the mindset of celebrating all holidays,
national holidays, and I really don't care if they dress
up or not. They need to be thinking about Halloween.
And you know, one of the biggest things for guys,
and we try to teach them, is you got to
(01:06):
find a house where you get the biggest candy bars?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
That is sage advice coach.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, yeah, And we talk about it, you know, we
show film on it, like, hey, this is a house,
you know, pictures of that that we're assuming that you
would probably get the biggest candy bar here, like the
full one, not not the giant size, but not to
as many ones. And and I think that's important for
the guys. That way, they may not have to go
to as many houses while they're trigger treating if they
can get the big ones.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Now, that is a coach I want to play for,
right there, King size or bust, right, that's what I
want to I want to play for that coach. He's
got every detail covered all the time.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That's why he's one of the one of his coaches
in college basketball history. Fat motto with us here on
the Payoffs Liquors Hotline Coaches go back to Wednesday Night.
I do want to ask about the format of the
game because I thought that was a bit unique. But
scoring points not an issue for you guys at all.
What do you like from Wednesday?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Well, I think that you know, first the format. You know,
every kid aspires playing the NBA. So I got with
the Indiana State coach and said, hey, why don't we
give these guys a dose of what they're eventually going
to be playing at in four quarters twelve minute quarters.
But no, for us, it was these games. You know,
there are quote unquote exhibition games, and you know, we thought,
(02:24):
if we can get our guys more minutes and more
opportunity to play, and it would be advantageous for both sides.
And we were able to do that. We were able
to get you know, some guys twenty seven twenty eight
minutes and our freshman or new guys still got a
lot a few more minutes than they had if we
played a forty minute game, So that that worked out
well for it was a long game, it seemed like.
(02:45):
But and I thought we were we were better. You know,
we were very specific in terms of what we wanted
our guys uh to do both offensively and defensively, and
we did a better job than we had in the
previous exhibition game.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Do you think obviously we see it in the women's
game with four ten minute quarters, and I know some
fans are like the kind of resetting of the fouls.
Do you think that's something that you would ever see
in the men's game or something you would want to
see in the men's game going to the four quarters
and and maybe not twelve minutes, but maybe ten minutes.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
You know, I don't. I don't know, because like you said,
the women do it, you know, they everybody does it
all levels. FIBA does it, you know, in the euro
leagues except US college basketball. So I don't know if
they'll if they'll make the change. You know. It's like
I'd love to see the shock locked in Indiana high
(03:38):
school basketball, and I don't know if it'll ever go
to that, but I don't know it'll be It'll be
interesting to see how it shakes out, because you know,
it does give you a little bit more excitement just
in terms of you got an end of the end
of two quarters that you don't have and you you know,
put the clock running down, that sort of thing, which
is always exciting in college basketball.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
At MADA here trying to start a new U, I
guess battle when it comes to the shot clock conversation
here in Indian high school basketball. I have had these
same thoughts coach, and they have not always gone over
well with the purists who tell me go back to
single class basketball and shut up. So we'll see.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Hey, yeah, well, let's let's scratch everything. I didn't want
to start a battle.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I'm just joking with you.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Cant shot clock battle started a battle I need.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I will say this though, going back to Wednesday, what'd
you like and really throughout sort of like your preseason slate,
if you will, the shot quality you're getting, and particularly
when it comes to the three point shot, because we
know in today's game you need that to compete with
the best of the best, and obviously you shot it
pretty well Wednesday against the Sycamores.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah, you know, I thought our shot selection was better.
We had you know, fewer ill advised still gold attempts,
and I think that's something we're going to really, you know,
continue to hone in on. And a lot of that
is is making sure guys know their roles of what
we need them to do and when we needed them
to do it. But I you know, the three point
(05:09):
shot has sort of overtaken you know, a lot of
the levels of basketball now and and we spend a
lot of time, you know, working on our three point
shots and with our guys and you know, trying to
elevate that and and I think that's a lot of
times it can be a great equalizer in college basketball
because I think in the Interstate hit eleven and every
(05:31):
time they hit one, it was like, oh, my gosh,
the world is going to end. And but but for us,
you know, as long as we're taking good ones and
and you know, Finley showed his range has increased on
a couple of me made. But no, we we want
that in our in our arsenal, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Fat Malls had basketball coach of the Butler Basketball Bulldogs,
and I'm looking forward to to watching this team kind
of come together of the course of the year. When
we started and we had our first conversation with you
a few weeks ago, you had so many brand new
players that have played together for the first time, that
you're putting on the court together for the first time
three four weeks later, Now, how are you feeling about
(06:09):
how they're they're coming together.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
I think we're making progress, I really do. I think
guys are starting to understand what they need to do
to be on the floor. And you know, it's it's
Basketball's the game where everybody has a job to do.
You just don't go out there and play. And I
thought our younger guys did a really nice job of
that the other night, of saying, hey, I got I
(06:33):
got to go rebound, I've got to defend my tail off,
and it was it was good to see. And that's
something that I think, you know, every team at this
stage right now October thirty first, where everybody's still trying
to find their their role and their identity of who
they are. And but I do like you know, since
we've started talking, just the strides we've made in that regard.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Coach last one for me and again that model with
this year on the Payloff stickers hotline you added. And
we've seen this obviously around college basketball with various staffs
of a GM and the off season. I think defining
exactly what that GM does for a program, though, is
a little bit different at each school. How have you
viewed the GM position in terms of whether it's roster acquisition,
(07:18):
roster construction. How do you view that role within your staff?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Well, it's very it's vitally important for us to be
honest with you because it takes me out of I
don't want to say awkward situations, but situations that I
don't think head coaches need to be in very similar
to the NFL or NBA or National Hockey League or whatever,
because you're dealing a lot more now with agents and
(07:44):
kids have gives agents, and there's really good agents out
there and there's really bad agents out there. But you know,
r GM Tony Blair is able to connect with those
guys and get a feel for what they're thinking and
and that that helps a lot. I mean, they're constantly
in contact with those people, and it's just something that
(08:07):
our staff doesn't have to do. I don't want our
guys having to negotiate and do those types of things.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
The dollars and cents is on the gms played and
you guys are there to coach more or less.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
More or less, yes, absolutely, I like it.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Coach, thanks so much for joining us. We look forward
to talking to you every week, usually on Thursdays, but
it might change depending on your schedule and how things go.
Wednesday against Southern Utah, first game at Hinkle. Good luck,
my friend
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Southern Indiana will take the luck.
That one still works today, doesn't it, James get you
going on your chair over there, Yes, Sir Ray Parker Junior, Ghostbusters,
great film, great song. Now we have a great coach,
Dad Mada joining us on the line this morning and
his weekly appearances. Brought to you by Thompson Furniture and
Mattress in Columbus, in business since the year before Heinko
(00:20):
Fieldhouse open nineteen twenty seven. Lazy Boy, Indiana made Smith
Brothers Furniture, Stearns and Foster and Tiperpedic Mastresses free delivery
to the entire Indianapolis metro area. It's worth the drive
to Columbus, though. Thompson Furniture dot Net. Coach Mada, Welcome
on a Friday morning, Halloween. I'm gonna guess, are you
and your team in the Halloween spirit or is it
(00:42):
just time to play basketball?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh? No, We're in the Halloween spirit. And I think
that's something that is very, very important for our team
to have, you know, the mindset of celebrating all holidays,
national holidays, and I really don't care if they dress
up or not. They need to be thinking about Halloween.
And you know, one of the biggest things for guys,
and we try to teach them, is you got to
(01:06):
find a house where you get the biggest candy bars?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
That is sage advice coach.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, yeah, And we talk about it, you know, we
show film on it, like, hey, this is a house,
you know, pictures of that that we're assuming that you
would probably get the biggest candy bar here, like the
full one, not not the giant size, but not to
as many ones. And and I think that's important for
the guys. That way, they may not have to go
to as many houses while they're trigger treating if they
can get the big ones.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Now, that is a coach I want to play for,
right there, King size or bust, right, that's what I
want to I want to play for that coach. He's
got every detail covered all the time.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That's why he's one of the one of his coaches
in college basketball history. Fat motto with us here on
the Payoffs Liquors Hotline Coaches go back to Wednesday Night.
I do want to ask about the format of the
game because I thought that was a bit unique. But
scoring points not an issue for you guys at all.
What do you like from Wednesday?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Well, I think that you know, first the format. You know,
every kid aspires playing the NBA. So I got with
the Indiana State coach and said, hey, why don't we
give these guys a dose of what they're eventually going
to be playing at in four quarters twelve minute quarters.
But no, for us, it was these games. You know,
there are quote unquote exhibition games, and you know, we thought,
(02:24):
if we can get our guys more minutes and more
opportunity to play, and it would be advantageous for both sides.
And we were able to do that. We were able
to get you know, some guys twenty seven twenty eight
minutes and our freshman or new guys still got a
lot a few more minutes than they had if we
played a forty minute game, So that that worked out
well for it was a long game, it seemed like.
(02:45):
But and I thought we were we were better. You know,
we were very specific in terms of what we wanted
our guys uh to do both offensively and defensively, and
we did a better job than we had in the
previous exhibition game.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Do you think obviously we see it in the women's
game with four ten minute quarters, and I know some
fans are like the kind of resetting of the fouls.
Do you think that's something that you would ever see
in the men's game or something you would want to
see in the men's game going to the four quarters
and and maybe not twelve minutes, but maybe ten minutes.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
You know, I don't. I don't know, because like you said,
the women do it, you know, they everybody does it
all levels. FIBA does it, you know, in the euro
leagues except US college basketball. So I don't know if
they'll if they'll make the change. You know. It's like
I'd love to see the shock locked in Indiana high
(03:38):
school basketball, and I don't know if it'll ever go
to that, but I don't know it'll be It'll be
interesting to see how it shakes out, because you know,
it does give you a little bit more excitement just
in terms of you got an end of the end
of two quarters that you don't have and you you know,
put the clock running down, that sort of thing, which
is always exciting in college basketball.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
At MADA here trying to start a new U, I
guess battle when it comes to the shot clock conversation
here in Indian high school basketball. I have had these
same thoughts coach, and they have not always gone over
well with the purists who tell me go back to
single class basketball and shut up. So we'll see.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Hey, yeah, well, let's let's scratch everything. I didn't want
to start a battle.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I'm just joking with you.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Cant shot clock battle started a battle I need.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I will say this though, going back to Wednesday, what'd
you like and really throughout sort of like your preseason slate,
if you will, the shot quality you're getting, and particularly
when it comes to the three point shot, because we
know in today's game you need that to compete with
the best of the best, and obviously you shot it
pretty well Wednesday against the Sycamores.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah, you know, I thought our shot selection was better.
We had you know, fewer ill advised still gold attempts,
and I think that's something we're going to really, you know,
continue to hone in on. And a lot of that
is is making sure guys know their roles of what
we need them to do and when we needed them
to do it. But I you know, the three point
(05:09):
shot has sort of overtaken you know, a lot of
the levels of basketball now and and we spend a
lot of time, you know, working on our three point
shots and with our guys and you know, trying to
elevate that and and I think that's a lot of
times it can be a great equalizer in college basketball
because I think in the Interstate hit eleven and every
(05:31):
time they hit one, it was like, oh, my gosh,
the world is going to end. And but but for us,
you know, as long as we're taking good ones and
and you know, Finley showed his range has increased on
a couple of me made. But no, we we want
that in our in our arsenal, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Fat Malls had basketball coach of the Butler Basketball Bulldogs,
and I'm looking forward to to watching this team kind
of come together of the course of the year. When
we started and we had our first conversation with you
a few weeks ago, you had so many brand new
players that have played together for the first time, that
you're putting on the court together for the first time
three four weeks later, Now, how are you feeling about
(06:09):
how they're they're coming together.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
I think we're making progress, I really do. I think
guys are starting to understand what they need to do
to be on the floor. And you know, it's it's
Basketball's the game where everybody has a job to do.
You just don't go out there and play. And I
thought our younger guys did a really nice job of
that the other night, of saying, hey, I got I
(06:33):
got to go rebound, I've got to defend my tail off,
and it was it was good to see. And that's
something that I think, you know, every team at this
stage right now October thirty first, where everybody's still trying
to find their their role and their identity of who
they are. And but I do like you know, since
we've started talking, just the strides we've made in that regard.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Coach last one for me and again that model with
this year on the Payloff stickers hotline you added. And
we've seen this obviously around college basketball with various staffs
of a GM and the off season. I think defining
exactly what that GM does for a program, though, is
a little bit different at each school. How have you
viewed the GM position in terms of whether it's roster acquisition,
(07:18):
roster construction. How do you view that role within your staff?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Well, it's very it's vitally important for us to be
honest with you because it takes me out of I
don't want to say awkward situations, but situations that I
don't think head coaches need to be in very similar
to the NFL or NBA or National Hockey League or whatever,
because you're dealing a lot more now with agents and
(07:44):
kids have gives agents, and there's really good agents out
there and there's really bad agents out there. But you know,
r GM Tony Blair is able to connect with those
guys and get a feel for what they're thinking and
and that that helps a lot. I mean, they're constantly
in contact with those people, and it's just something that
(08:07):
our staff doesn't have to do. I don't want our
guys having to negotiate and do those types of things.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
The dollars and cents is on the gms played and
you guys are there to coach more or less.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
More or less, yes, absolutely, I like it.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Coach, thanks so much for joining us. We look forward
to talking to you every week, usually on Thursdays, but
it might change depending on your schedule and how things go.
Wednesday against Southern Utah, first game at Hinkle. Good luck,
my friend
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Southern Indiana will take the luck.
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