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March 26, 2025 11 mins
Richard Pitino is the new Head Coach of Xavier's Men's Basketball program. Chris Mack is not. Rick Broering from Musketeer Report joined us to discuss these developments on ESPN1530.

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Playing the Clippers tonight.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Rick Broring is with us Musketeer Report dot com, the
place to be for all the latest on Richard Patino
taking over at Xavier, Players who may come, Players who
may come to Xavier with Richard Patino. He's also on
Twitter at Rick Broring and he has been on this
show twice this week. We were on the air last Thursday.

(00:23):
He was on our show last Wednesday. Are you are
you officially tired of me? No?

Speaker 1 (00:29):
I am not.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
I appreciate your patience as we've been trying to line
these things up.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Well, I appreciate you joining us. On a scale of
one to ten. When you found out that Richard Patino
is the guy, what was your level of surprise?

Speaker 3 (00:43):
So, I mean you're gonna say like, yeah, right, okay,
I was just telling tearing this off the air. Once
we found out Chris Mack was going back to Charleston,
we pretty much knew it was Richard Patino. I had
gotten a call maybe two hours before that with someone
who said they felt it was good for Patino and
kind of done. But that just didn't line up with

(01:04):
what most of the big donors that Xavier were saying.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
And a lot of.

Speaker 3 (01:08):
Other people involved in this process, and so I thought
we were going to go to bed last night with
the idea that Chris Mack would still be the likely candidate.
Maybe they were going through the process process still with
a few other guys, but we'd land on Chris Mack
based on everything I was hearing. And then it happens
so quick Chris sent out that tweet saying he's returning

(01:28):
to Charleston, which means obviously he didn't get the job
at that point. And then within minutes, you know, we
were talking about on my board that hey, there's a
lot of smoke for Richard Patino here. Sure enough it
was announced just like that. So I would say not
complete shock that it turned out to be Richard Patino
once we found out it wasn't Chris, But certainly when
Chris sent out that tweet saying he was returning to Charleston,

(01:50):
that was a shocking moment. And yesterday overall was probably
demost shocking day on the Xavier beat that I've had
in the sixteen years that I've been covering the team.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Now, So is this simply a matter of they like
Richard Patino more than Chris Mack?

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Or is this a direct rebuke of Chris Mack.

Speaker 4 (02:10):
I think the second statement would be too much.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
I know there are a lot of people saying a
lot of things about the relationship between Chris Mack and
Greg Christopher, the athletic director at Xavier, and what that was.

Speaker 4 (02:22):
Like when Chris left.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
Again, I think there's a lot of smoke there to
believe that there was nothing that happened between them, or
there wasn't some type of rip. But we're also talking
about several years ago. We're talking about heat of the moment.
Chris was leaving for a bigger job, So to act
like that was the sole reason was pettiness and that
Greg Christopher was trying to stick it to Chris Mack.
I just don't believe that's true. I think what's more

(02:48):
likely the case is that if you look at Greg
Christopher's career at Xavier ever since he's been there, it's
already been incumbent guys like Chris Mack was already the
coach there. They were already Mario Mercurio and other guys
in place that had all types of ties and systems
and relationships that were already going before he got there.

(03:08):
And then he went to Travis Steele and they kept
a lot of those same people around, and then when
there was time to make a new hire, I think
he kind of got pushed in the direction of Sean Miller.

Speaker 4 (03:17):
That was really the only.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
Choice for them at that point, and it was the
same exact situation, a lot of the same people, even
bringing back some older Xavier people from before that had
pre established relationships. This was an opportunity for a clean break,
and I think that's what Greg Christopher was seeking more
than anything. It's just a chance to start fresh with
the program.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, you know, to me, it's jarring to think of
Xavier going outside the family, right, you have to go
back to sad Mada nearly a quarter or a century ago.
We're just so used to going back well before Greg
Christopher was in his current capacity. They hire from within,
whether it's an established assistant coach who has been a
part of the program, or somebody who had left the

(03:57):
program but obviously has clear Xavier ties, like Miller just
a couple of years ago. It also, I don't know,
maybe I'm reading too much into this. It feels like
they're sort of leaning into the idea that it's it's
not worth finding the guy who's gonna stay. It's worth
picking the best coach. And I feel like Richard Patino,
a lot of people arrive at the same conclusion Xavier
is going to be a temporary stop off for him.

(04:18):
Whether that's true or not, time will tell. But it
feels like with Shawn Miller, the idea was this guy
is gonna stay. I think if you bring back Chris Mack,
it feels like at least fans are gonna think this
guy is gonna stay. What I like about Richard Patino
is forget that. Hire the best guy win now. I
think he can do that. What are your thoughts?

Speaker 3 (04:37):
I can't tell you how stupid I think the notion
of trying to find a coach that is going to.

Speaker 4 (04:42):
Quote unquote day is agree.

Speaker 3 (04:44):
I don't even understand what that means. Like Chris Mack
with that Zager for nine years, that's a long time
to work in a job, you know what I mean?
Like that, that was a long career that Chris Mack
handed Zeiger. John Caller Perry left Kentucky for Arkansas, Willie
Williams left Kansas for North Carolina. Like what job isn't Leaevable.
There are no jobs that are just like, does it
happen occasionally with a Mark Few or something like that

(05:07):
at Gonzaga. Yes, there are certain situations where it works
out perfectly and a guy stays forever. They're few and
far between, and quite honestly, it's not something that's aspirational
to shoot.

Speaker 4 (05:16):
For within your program.

Speaker 3 (05:18):
You want guys that are hungry. You want guys that
are going to exceed at succeed at the highest level,
and have aspirations to compete at that level. So this
notion that you're trying to find and by the way,
the best chance you ever had of doing that was
hiring Sean Miller to come back here three years ago
and look how that turned out. So trying to do
this just doesn't make any sense. To your point, go

(05:38):
out and find the best coach. Is Richard Fatina That
guy we'll find out. But I do think he's a
very interesting hire because he already has a long track record.
Like we know to some extent what we're going to
get with him. It's not going to be a disaster.
He can definitely keep the program afloat and coach at
the high major level. He's proven that at some level
already at a very very difficult place to coach at

(06:00):
in Minnesota, and yet he did that as a very
young head coach. He's still a young guy. It's just
forty two years old. I think there's a chance that
he has learned, he has gotten better, and there's still
some upside for a guy who's only forty two years
old and is now coming back for his second opportunity
at the high major level in the Big East.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
Is Donovan Dent going to be a Xavier Musketeer.

Speaker 3 (06:23):
The thing I've been telling everybody at musketeerreport dot com,
which we have a fifty percent off sale going right
now if you want to continue to follow the transfer portal,
is very very unlikely that perhaps the top transfer available
right now ends the Bexavier.

Speaker 4 (06:35):
He's definitely one.

Speaker 3 (06:36):
Of the top three or four transfers available. It's unlikely
Zavier will be able to get him. However, they had
no chance at a guy like this yesterday. Now with Richard
Patino Junior as his previous head coach at New Mexico,
having that pre established relationship with them, maybe I mean,
you're going to be You're gonna be able to have
a conversation with him, and maybe he's going to consider

(06:57):
you and give you a little bit of a favorable
view when.

Speaker 4 (07:00):
He's trying to pick his schools.

Speaker 3 (07:01):
And you know, the idea that Xavier could compete with
what people are saying could be as high as two
to three million dollars and in terms of an nil payment.

Speaker 4 (07:08):
For him, that seems outlandish. But I don't know.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
Maybe if you're a coach who's coming in and really
wanting to make a splash, really wanting to fire up
the other donors to show that you have some some
proof of product here, like, Hey, I'm going to get
this thing rock and if you give me the funds
to work with, maybe that's a play that's worth it
for your first year to make sure you have a
high enough floor, knowing that you'll get all that money
back the following season and you can spread it out

(07:34):
a little bit more amongst recruits and transfers.

Speaker 1 (07:38):
Is your name really Richard.

Speaker 4 (07:41):
Richard Brewing Junior? Actually, this which I guess I have
to go by now.

Speaker 1 (07:45):
This is yeah, this is the first time that you
and the head coach will have the same name.

Speaker 4 (07:51):
Yeah, that's that's accurate, correct, Will.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
You bring that up to him at the introductory press conference.

Speaker 4 (07:56):
I was not planning on it. No, No, I wasn't.

Speaker 1 (07:59):
Well, this is an icebreaker. I would I would consider.

Speaker 3 (08:01):
That if he had a son and named of Richard.
Do you think he would go by Richard the third
or trap?

Speaker 1 (08:10):
That's a question for him. Why don't you ask him?

Speaker 4 (08:13):
That's a good point.

Speaker 3 (08:13):
I guess we'll have a good time at the press
conference early next week, all right.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
I look forward to that, and I'll probably call you
to get your back on after that happens. But in
all honesty and all seriousness, I can't thank you enough
because you have your own jobs to do, and to
spend some time with us is cool of you.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
So thank you so much.

Speaker 4 (08:30):
Yeah, looking forward to your opening day covers Marmouth. Thank
you got it.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
That's our guy, Rick Browing Musketeer Richard Browing Musketeer Report
dot com or yes, fifty percent off sale right now
if you want to subscribe and catch all the latest
transfer portal news. If they can get Donovan Dent to
come to Xavier with Richard Patino, lookout, it's it's an
interesting hire. I completely throw away what his record was

(08:57):
at Minnesota by the way he was at Minnesota against
Chris Mack in the NCAA Tournament, beat him when when
Chris was at Louisville, that is obviously neither here nor there.
Minnesota is a tough place to coach. Richard Patino was
a very young man and it was pre Nil and Portal.
I almost completely disregard the results, which if you look

(09:20):
at them, are admittedly a little bit underwhelming, and we're
gonna get Patino versus Patino in the Big East like
this is it's interesting to see Xavier go outside the family.
And I felt like with Sean Miller, in addition to
his well established coaching bona fides, there was this you
know what, Yes, Shawn's great and he'll stay. And I

(09:43):
think had Chris Mack been the guy, Rick's right, he
was here nine years, Yes he'll like I don't believe
yes he'll stay or will he stay should be a
part of the equation at all. I saw people on
social media doing two things. One trying to throw cold
water over this, well, he'll leave in three years. So
what College basketball has never been a more more than
has never been more of a year to year sport.

(10:05):
It's it's it's about like the next year, So okay,
all you care about is does he do a good
job while he's here. Now, I'm a UC fan, I
want Xavier to coaches. I want Xavier to have a
good team on college basketball in this area to thrive.
But you know, you see some some UC folks and
the Xavier people will clap back at him, like, why

(10:26):
don't you just worry about Wes, Like, no matter who
the Xavier coaches, UC basketball needs to be better.

Speaker 1 (10:31):
They play one game a year.

Speaker 2 (10:33):
I as a UC fan, could not care less about
the Skyline Chili Crosstown shootout result. I want UC to
play in the NCAA tournament again, like the they're mutually exclusive.
Xavier hiring a really good coach or frankly hiring a
really bad coach if that was the case, has like
zero percent impact on UC basketball.

Speaker 1 (10:53):
A lot of that on social media last night, as.

Speaker 2 (10:54):
Well as well as my Richard Patino joke that some
got others didn't. And when the others who don't get
the joke chime in, it's frankly not worth explaining.

Speaker 1 (11:09):
Chad Donson's a great Reds rider.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
He is gonna join us in the next hour, also
Paul Danner Junior on the Bengals as well, plus Brendaman
and Jones on baseball in an hour on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports station.

Speaker 1 (11:20):
Texting enrolls you and to reoccurry

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