3-20 H3: Talking Cougs w/ Greg Woods Joins, Mitch Sherman & Cross Talk

Greg Woods who covers Washington State Hoops for the Spokesman Review joins the program as the Cougs look to bounce Drake in the 1st round of March Madness. We head to Nebraska to hear from Mitch Sherman who covers Nebraska via the Athletic, perhaps this came as a surprise, plus much more. Ian Furness joins the show to share what he has planned for his show this afternoon.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
He was so grateful for the opportunitythere at Washington. It sounded like he
was going to spend the rest ofhis life here on Montlake. But it
has a different chapter because I shouldn'tlaugh, and I'm a koog. I'm
sorry. He's going to take thejob in Nebraska. He's signed a six
year deal. And there's a bigpart of me, though, that just
can't believe that this is happening.It sounds like most Husky fans are happy

(00:22):
about it because it wasn't a goodfit. According to Dave Softy Maller,
who will regale us with his storiesbehind the Curtain about Troy Dannon along with
Dick Vane at three o'clock, asix year deal for Troy Dannon to replace
Trev Alberts, another turncoat who abruptlyleft his alma mater, turncoach, Jim,

(00:46):
what kind of world are you livingin? One that has, you
know, some sort of integrity andloyalty. That's my kind of world.
But Trev Alberts played at Nebraska,you remember him at all? Trevor Rivers
had far more of a tide inNebraska than Troy Danna ever had Washington.
Well, I know that. Butcan I call dan in the Turncoat anyway?
Probably not? Is it okay?Short time? Or maybe yeah?

(01:07):
I probably shouldn't have said the burningin Hell part about Yeah, that was
a little much. You went alittle too far with that failing miserably and
Lincoln. Is that okay to saythat? Sure? Yeah? I mean
if if was who ever plays Nebraska, you have a true rooting interest now
beyond just being a koog. Isit okay to say that I hope Troy
Danon loses his job at some pointin Nebraska? Now you're just being spiteful

(01:27):
and mean. You don't need togo that far. I know people need
We're not We're not. You know, people need jobs, Jim. You
don't need to be people cheering forpeople to lose their jobs. You know
what's funny is my wife thinks I'mthe nicest person she knows, when really
you're an out, you're an ass, You're a jerk. Well, we're
going here. I don't know,I don't know where I'm going, but

(01:49):
I'm excited about our next guest,Greg Woods. I know that we're efforting
to try and get Greg. He'sprobably really busy down there in Omaha.
And we want to talk to him. He covers the Cougar basketball team for
the Spokesman Review. And we've gotWashington State taking on Drake tomorrow night in
Omaha, Nebraska. Greg Woods isgoing to be there live for the seven

(02:10):
oh five tip tip off. It'sthe last game of the day. The
whole country is going to be watching. We'll be watching on True TV,
yelling go Koog's and hoping it's allgoing to work out. Greg set the
scene for us. Thanks for joiningus. Imagine it's fun, fun there
in Omaha so far. Well,I'm actually in Iowa right now, in
a council bluff, which is likeright across the border from from Nebraska.

(02:35):
Omaha's like right on the border.But but yeah, it's cool, it's
u Yeah, nice weather. They'repracticing here in a couple of hours,
so we're gonna head over for that, and yeah, we'll be here before
we know it. Boy, whatdo you think when you try and size
up the game from an objective pointof view, which I'm it's impossible for
me to be objective when the Cooksare playing in a game like this.
But Vegas seems to think it's prettymuch a pick'em game. Is that how

(02:58):
you're seeing it too, Yeah,I think it'll be pretty close. I
think the one or like the biggestadvantage the WSU has this in terms of
their size, like they are likeyou know, top one two in the
country inters of the average size,and Drink is like I think three year
seven apero eight at a past it'sout. I mean their average side is
like six four or six five,and so I mean that's always I mean

(03:19):
a lot of you usually has thatadvantage, but never not usually just an
extent. I mean a lot oftheir I mean, Drink's best player is
six seven that touch of degrees whois awesome. But a lot of the
other, like you know one,two three players are kind of undersize,
which you know they've made work.But but then you know, you run
into a team like WS two whereit's like man, you know they go

(03:39):
six three, you know, sixtysixty six tens and so it's just like
at some point you kind of runinto a bus one that way. So
I think that'll be the biggest fanthat they have. I think, well,
the Q really have to get goingsome of the perimeter scoring. I
mean, obviously Yakamaki is not reallyI'm sorry. Right now, dealing with
the Swolter injury, Miles Rice hasnot made a three and over a month
down, which is a pretty concerningtrend. I mean, and then they

(04:01):
have one guy. I think itwas kind of what I have been right
about the most. I mean,right now, Wazoo has one guy that
they trust to hit threes and stayon floor defensively, which is Jalen Wells.
Whereas you got you know, IsaiahWatston Sue. But you know,
I didn't really trust them at timesbecause these smart guard and then you know
Rice and Netlofsky's dealing with their ownthings. So yeah, I think they
just got to get their perimeter scoringgame going. And I mean, even

(04:25):
if they should be able to kindof you know, seek buying one,
Greg, What what have you seengoing on with with Miles Rice. We
still see, you know, thethe exceptional ball handling and the speed and
the quickness that he has to youknow, use the high pick and roll
and get to the rim and geta lot of shots in the in the
lane area. But that that threepoint jumper right now is broken. What

(04:47):
where do you think that all ofa sudden popped up from because up until
about a month ago he was apretty reasonable three point shooter and then all
of a sudden it seemed to goaway. Yeah, I mean, I
don't want to paint the wrong picturelike he's never been like an awesome playpoint
shooter. I mean I think beforethis this drought, he was still like
low thirties, which is not youknow, not great. But yeah,

(05:08):
I don't think he's ever been likean awesome just incredible marksman. But he's
always been able to hit you know, maybe one or two a game.
I noticed, like in the upgame, for example, he was at
the city a little bit like hisfirst out of the game was an air
ball, and he looks a littlelike how you know, I'm sure if
he wanted to shoot it, AndI mean, I'm I won't pretend to
get in his brain. I don't. I mean, he's him, but
like I do wonder like how muchof it is mental too. It's just

(05:30):
like, man, you know,I haven't made it one in then X
amount of time, Like what washe have to come? And he always
can't hit any of them against Coloradothe other day, So I don't know,
I think, like one like hehis last time making a couple was
against Callack Stanford in Pullman, likea month ago, with he mentioned after
the game, he's like, yeah, man, like my teammates have been
getting on me, like, man, just like you know, let to
fly because you're you're a good shooter. So I do wonder, like how

(05:55):
much of it is like trying tocan mentally reinforce with himself, like,
hey, I can do this,and my teammates not only trust me to
do they want me to do ittoo. Again, that may not be
what he's thinking. That's just kindof the way it seems from the outside.
But yeah, it's hard to imaginethem making much of a deep run
if he's not if he's still notmaking any breath at all. Greg Woods
is with us. He covers theKugs for the Spokesman review of the Kook's

(06:18):
taking on Drake tomorrow night seven ohfive. Tip there in Omaha, Nebraska
can catch a game on true TV. They don't seem to be the same
team they were since the Arizona game, I guess, with the exception being
the Stanford game at the PAC twelvetournament. Do you think that's some sort
of fatigue or you know, Ioverthink this stuff all the time. Greg,

(06:39):
I mean, it seems like maybethey're not really an underdog anymore and
there's more expectations attached to them,and maybe they're feeling the weight of that.
Yeah, a little bit. Ithink it's a little bit of that
just having played everybody you know onceor twice at this point, Like I
don't think I think Stanford was abad matchup for them, but for I
mean, I'm sorry while doing badthat's a Stanford, but a lot of

(07:00):
the other teams that they've you know, they've lost again. They lost you
doublest Colorado, like they like thatwas our second, you know, third
time playing those teams, and atthat point in the cycle, like they
get a sense of, Okay,this is what they want to do,
and there's what we want to takeaway from them, like, uh,
Colorado and used up both like doubledIsy Jones almost immediately. And that's I
think that's one part of his gamethat he's had a hard time with the

(07:21):
season. It's just kind of managingthe double team and sensing it. And
I think he spun out of oneagainst Colorado and for a dunks, but
a lot of times he's getting doubledright away just because teams, uh,
well one teams you don't want himget going. But it's also like so
few reliable shooters on the perimeter.It's like, hey, we can double
Leasie Jones and not really feel likewe're giving much up on the back end.

(07:44):
So I think that's part of it. Just you know, teams are
kind of getting a hold of likehere's what they want to do, and
here's how we take away. Andthen he just stuck his side. You
just added uh or you know,Yakimovski just hasn't her shoulder. He's been
some play ups in the series,and you know, Miles right obviously not
really getting it going from deep andso I don't know. I do think
though this team has kind of risentwo of the occasion, like they kind

(08:05):
of get up for the big ones. I mean Arizona they beat twice going
on the road to Bew with Seattle, they obviously got that one done.
So I don't know. If I'man Optimus and if I'm a coop fil
like yourself, Jim, I wouldbe thinking like, hey, like you
know, they they've had a roughergo but in the last you know,
two or three weeks, but theydo tend to rise to the bigger ones
for sure. If you're Greg,if you're Kyle Smith, how do you

(08:26):
go about trying to slow down Tuckerdevrees? And and how and who do
you primarily throw at him? Asin trying to keep that guy from from
scoring as much as he does?For Drake, Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I think it'll be jam of Wellson him at least to start.
In terms of size and length andstrength. I think that'll be a pretty

(08:46):
good matchup for Jalen. They mightput Yakosco and then just to give him
a little bit of a different look. I mean, Yakulowski isn't as quick,
I don't think as well as buthe gives he gives him a little
bit of a strength upside that willdoesn't only have. I think it'll be
those two guys guarding him and thenat some point it's like, hey,
like do we doublee? We forcedwent off to beat us? You know,

(09:07):
depending on how much he has togo in. So I think it'll
be those two guys in particular onTucker Degrees, and they've seen I mean
they've seen guys like that throughout theseason, so and not to say he's
not. I mean, you know, the reason is awesome, but I'm
just saying that, you know,those two guys that have you know,
guarded their fair share of you know, soccer ators and ball handlers. So

(09:28):
yeah, I think it'll be thosetwo guys, you know, uh,
you know, in particular, Craig, do you have any sense from afar
anyway we're here and it's a twohour drive from Des Moines to Omaha,
or or thinking that it's going tobe like a home game for for Drake.
Is that the feeling you're getting tooa little bit? Yeah, I
think what might be going understated toois that I will stay fare. They

(09:50):
are probably gonna be pulling for Draketoo, which they travel in drobes.
I mean they I mean, I'ma big twelve guy, so I remember
they they go to be the bigcall tournament in Kansas City, like it's,
you know, the biggest event inthe world. So they they're they're
gonna be almost I mean, maybenot a bigger factor, but just like
the hugest conglomerate of Iowa fans,uh will be there, not only Drake

(10:11):
fans. So so yeah, Ithink that will definitely play a little bit
of a factor, and that he'sthat in like this, you know Court
of Iowa, and you've got alot of people that are not really pulled
with two. So yeah, they'llthey'll be a factor for sure. The
aside from what happens on the courtuh tomorrow night, there's obviously a lot
of speculation about Kyle Smith and hisfuture and whether he signs a contract extension,

(10:35):
is to stay in Pullman or doeshe you know, look at some
other opportunities that might be coming hisway because of the success of this season.
I guess get your get your crystalball out, Greg. What where's
Kyle Smith? Where's Kyle Smith nextseason? Is he still in Pullman or
is he is he coaching somewhere else? Well, you're not gonna win that

(10:56):
one. I'm not gonna predict somethingon the spy right here, but I
do think it is worth saying thathe I think part of the reason why
he loves Poland and w Is somuch is because it's kind of slower pace
and smaller talent. I mean helived in I mean he moved his family
from you know, they moved theylived in New York when he goes to
Columbia. They lived in the BayArea when he was at San Francisco,

(11:18):
and so you know, now they'rein Poland, which is, you know,
a slower pace. He has threekids, one with special needs,
and so I think this is aspot that he likes because of just you
know, the nature of his family, which is he's so super important to
him. And then uh yeah,I mean I would not be sacked if
you dub you know, made arun at him. I I really do

(11:39):
think, you know, super clchethat. I do think that he's not
off by the money the way somecoaches are, which is fine, there's
nothing wrong with that. But Ithink he really is invested in the job.
But at the same time, it'slike, you know, you throw
a certain dollar mall in front ofanybody in there, you know, it's
hard to say no sometimes, Soit all depends. Obviously, you dove
just now it's church for a newads that'll probably be a factor to But

(12:05):
yeah, I don't think it's asir of a thing that Clyd Smith is
leaving as some people have made itout to be. I mean, he
might have a leading for sure,but I don't think it's like, oh
he's gone, you know, tomorrowkind of thing. Either. What do
you think the chances are if youhad to rate him of taking the Washington
job, if they offered it tohim, Man, that's a tough one.

(12:26):
I I don't think it would belike an instant now, just because
of I mean the money that theywould be able to offer him. His
wife is from eastern Washington, whichis obviously closer to Pullman, but it
is, you know, the homestate for his wife, Katie. Yeah.
I don't know. I just he'snot taking that job. I don't

(12:48):
think he. I don't think hewill. But I'm not here to you
know, if I say he's notthat he does. Like, well,
man, what an idiot? Heylook at me badgering the guest. I
don't mean to be doing that.I apologize for that. I'm talking.
We're talking to Greg Woods from theSpokesman Review. He covers the Cougar basketball
team. Most of us, anyway, are pretty fired up about the game

(13:09):
tomorrow night, the Cook's taking onDrake and Omaha seven five tip first round
of the n C Double A Tournament. All right, let me okay,
crystal ball this one too. Whodo you think tomorrow night is a key
player, who do you think willbreak out? Do you think it'll be
Wells, You think it'll be Andre, You think it might be Isaac Jones.
Which one would you pick out ofthe three that's gonna be the leading

(13:31):
scorer for the Cooks tomorrow night.I would have to be sucked. If
Isaac Jones really got to go in. His matchup is going to be Darnel
Brody, who have will have twoinches and you know some way on him
too. But I think what Isaacis Sonaz is that like his agility is,
you know, kind of nimbleness aroundthe basket. It's allowed him to
just really get to go in.And I think if he's able to manage

(13:52):
the double teams to make the rightpath and then kind of capitalize on when
he's not being doubled the teams,you know, you can see you only
get a go in. And Imean even guys that have been bigger than
him to have the season, he'sbeen able to kind of beats because he
has a go work. I mean, I remember when Arizona came to Poland
and he scored on Ballaw. Imean, you know several times and It's
like, well, Ballow is youknow, a bigger guy, talker guy.

(14:13):
But but you know, Joe justhas that a jobie and you know
kind of footwork around the basket.So yeah, I would I think.
I mean, if if I hadthe you know, pegwin guy, I
think it would probably be him.That's because of uh, you know,
the athletics, you know, athleticismhe has and uh he has only you
know, had to go in thelast I mean, he's one of double
figures. But I think it's nottime for him to kind of break down
a little bit. Okay, youknow who I think is gonna be the

(14:35):
key player of the game. Iknow you're not wondering this, but I'm
gonna tell you anyway. I thinkit's gonna be Comani wins. I like
what he did in the PAC twelvetournament, and I think he's gonna come
off the bench and spark the gretthree. What do you think, Greg?
Yeah, I I've actually been highand higher on Kimani went to recently.
I obviously he has his limitations,you know not. I mean he's

(14:56):
seen a non shooter, not ayou know, big time loll handler,
but autome defender, great rebounder,great pastor, awesome vision, you know,
awesome touch on the basket too.I think that's been really awesome for
them, just because he's been ableto kind of kind of muscle into the
land and kind of put some shotshome even when you know it might not
look like it's there. So hegets them a lot that other guys just

(15:20):
don't have in their arsenal, andespecially on defense, that's that's been huge.
So yeah, I'm I'm totally withyou on that one. Greg.
I apologize for my lack of professionalism, but all of that goes out the
window when we're talking about the Koogs. And appreciate your time and your tolerance
with me today. No, it'sall good. Thanks Jim. All right,
there he goes Greg Woods. He'sin Council Bluff's Iowa. You know

(15:43):
there's casinos in Council Bluffs, Iowa. I thought about bringing that up to
Greg, and I was like,Nah, I'm not gonna do that.
How would you know that. Ilooked at Google Maps because I didn't know
where Counsel Bluff was, and Bluffwas in relation to Omaha. I didn't
realize it was literally right across theriver and the first thing that up as
two casinos that are right there onthe road. He brings up an interesting

(16:04):
point though, with Iowa st eightfans being there. Yeah, they and
that would be that would be huge. I mean, everyone already knew it
was going to be a home gamefor Drake anyway, or a road game
in this instance for Wazoo. Butthe fact that Iowa State is also in
that, you know, in thatsession of the of the tournament that night
or tomorrow night. Yeah, it'sdefinitely it's definitely going to be a heated

(16:29):
a heated environment for the Coups tohave to face. But I do think
the Coups are the better team.I think they have a lot of matchup
problems that they can potentially exploit againstDrake. Well, when we talked to
Kyle Smith earlier this week when JessmanMcIntyre was sitting in for in your spot
there, he's fine with the seventhseed. He liked being the seventh seed,
but that two seed the Iowa Statein the next game if they get

(16:52):
that far. I know that Drake'snot a gimme for any any reason whatsoever,
but that Iowas eight team probably shouldhave been one seed. Most people
that follow this stuff think they shouldhave been a one, and we know
what they did to Houston in thefinal of the Big twelve turnament. You'd
have been a lot happier if youwere the if you were opposite a two
seed like Tennessee or obviously you canbe matched up against Arizona, but you

(17:15):
know, a different two seed thanIowa State, especially the way that they
sort of ran rush On through theBig Twelve during the season and then in
the tournament. Well, and theKoops are in the toughest region in the
East by most people's opinions there,and we'll see if they can get the
first step taken care of tomorrow nightwhen they face Drake Our thanks to Greg
Woods from The Spokesman Review for joiningus the tip off at seven oh five,

(17:38):
And as I'm reminding you over andover again, it's true TV,
and it's the last game of theday. Tomorrow the NCAA Tournament getting underway.
The second session of the first fourgames will be held tonight. One
of those games Colorado against Boise State. I just can't wait. I'm really
looking forward to it. But thebig story of the day, though,
Troy Dan and the Washington leaving Montlake. He's going to Nebraska, Lincoln,

(18:03):
Nebraska. He signed a six yeardeal to be the athletic director of the
corn Huskers. And Mitch Sherman.He covers Nebraska athletics or Nebraska. Yeah,
Nebraska athletics, football, basketball,baseball, he covers it all there
in Lincoln. He does it forthe athletic and he'll join us next.
It's Jim Moore with Tim Booth infor Pock Sports Radio ninety three point three

(18:23):
KJRFM. I got you Booth.Troy Danens is leaving the University of Washington,
the athletic director, leaving Montlake andgoing to Nebraska, signing a six
year deal to be the athletic director. Director of the corn Huskers. Mitch
Sherman from the athletic he covers Nebraskaathletics there in Lincoln, Nebraska. Kind

(18:44):
enough to join us today carving outsome time. Hey, Mitch, thank
you so much. We're anxious toget the Nebraska perspective on this. We
haven't had that yet and appreciate yourtime today. Yeah, happy to join
you. How are you guys today? Oh? Doing great? Mitch?
Imagine did this just come out outof the Blue Ard. Do you have
some sources that indicated to you thatthis might happen today with Dan and taking
the job there at Nebraska. Notnecessarily, danon some sources indicating that it

(19:11):
was at Nebraska was attempting to makethis a very quick search, which it
turned out to be. The schoollost its athletic director of the past three
years just a week ago. Itwas almost a week to the minute from
when the reports leaked out last Wednesdaymorning that trev Alberts would leave Nebraska in

(19:33):
a pretty shocking move to go toTexas A and M. Of course,
trev Alberts was a All American linebackerat Nebraska and the ad at one of
Nebraska's sister campus schools here in thestate of Nebraska for a decade before he
came to Lincoln in twenty twenty one, and really just viewed to be someone

(19:57):
who was a Cornhusker through through.So that was that was surprising. This
was surprising too, I would say, in the in the in the in
the big picture conversation of how quicklyit happened. Troy Dannon himself not necessarily

(20:19):
a shock there that someone with Iowaroots, Midwestern ties would be interested in
this job, but certainly with asshort of a period of time as he
was at Washington that there's another elementof surprise wrapped up in that. Mitch,
what kind of situation is Troy Dannonwalking into by taking over at Nebraska

(20:44):
And what were some of the issuesmaybe that led to Trev Alberts being willing
to leave his alma mater in aplace that he seemed to have really strong
roots to take over the A andM job. Yeah, I'll start with
the second part, and it's difficultto know entirely because Trev Alberts hasn't spelled

(21:07):
it out. He did make severalreferences to having unified, strong leadership at
the university and how important that was. When Trev Alberts came to Nebraska,
there was a strong university system presidentin place, and Ted Carter, who
left Nebraska late last year, tookover at Ohio State on January first,

(21:29):
and Trev Alberts was frustrated by thatprocess to replace Ted Carter. He announced
his departure seven months ago, morethan seven months ago, and Nebraska as
of last week was still laboring tofind a permanent replacement. Had an interim
university system president, but trev Albertsfelt some frustration by the delay in that

(21:55):
search and some of the ramifications ofdelaying that search he had has I suppose,
although it's not his name on theproject anymore, a large state four
hundred and fifty million dollars stadium renovationproject that's that's in the works and set
to begin, scheduled to begin nextseason. Really in some fast it's beginning

(22:18):
this year. It was it wasabout that, I think largely some of
the issues in leadership that Trev Albertsaw divisive political forces at work that were
probably making business more difficult for reallyanything. That was the state institution that

(22:44):
factored into his decision. But again, his decision was very much a surprise,
so Troy Dannon, he's walking intothat. Nebraska in fact did name
a priority candidate to become the universitysystem president today the same morning that the
news broke about Dan and becoming theathletic director, So those two things are

(23:06):
tied together. In Nebraska seems inthe wake of Trev Albert's departure, to
have taken some steps to realign itsleadership and fix some of the issues that
frustrated him. As far as theon the fields of competition he's walking into.
You know, it's nothing like asituation that Washington had last year with
its football program. I mean,clearly, you're looking at a team that

(23:30):
played for the national championship. InNebraska is a program that has had seven
consecutive losing seasons. But I don'tknow that the two programs are as far
apart as would appear in making thatkind of a comparison. Nebraska's very happy
with Matt Ruhle, its second yearcoach, and he's ascended to a level
to gain a tremendous amount of confidencewithin the athletic department and within the state

(23:53):
of Nebraska for what he's building inLincoln. And that is a good situation
for Troy dan and to inherit thebasketball program. The men's basketball program has
had to do its first NCAA tournamentin a decade on Friday, and just
re upped with coach Fred Hoiberg onan extension with an extension to his contract

(24:18):
through twenty twenty nine, and hegot a million dollar raised. So good
situation in basketball, certainly an improvingsituation in football, and a coach in
football who Troy Dannen knows as toa lane athletic director. He worked at
the American Athletic Conference level and MattRule was a part of that as the

(24:40):
coach at the time at Temple,so they're familiar with each other. They
talked, Matt Rules said today inthe process as dan And considered this job,
and there is already a working relationshipin place between Nebraska's new boss in
athletics and its most important employee,the football coach. Hey, Mitchen,
we're talking to Mitt Sherman from theathletic He covers Nebraska athletics there and the

(25:06):
news today about Troy dan And leavingWashington to take the ad job at Nebraska.
You guys are knowing everybody there inNebraska seems to have this nice,
receptive fan base. I imagine thoughthat they weren't too happy even though Albert's
had his reasons about one of theirown leaving like that. Is that true?
Yeah? A lot of anger,absolutely, it was. That was

(25:29):
as big of a bombshell as hasever occurred, as has ever been dropped
on Nebraska as a as a whatwas once a former formidable football program in
a place where the fan base remainshopeful that it can at least return to
a spot of relevance. Nebraska's alwaysbeen in good shape financially. It made

(25:53):
two hundred million dollars in revenue infootball last year. Has a sellout street
that goes back to nineteen sixty two. It's been more than twenty years since
Nebraska lost a coach in any majorsport who left to become a coach at
another program, and it's rarely happenedwith athletic directors. Also once previously to

(26:18):
Texas A and M, and thatwas Bill Burn, you know who has
back twelve roots who left in theearly two thousands. But what happened last
week was somewhat unprecedented at Nebraska tosee someone like trev Alberts with those roots
leave for another school. Now,if he had left to become the NCAA

(26:40):
president, I think that would bemore more explainable, but not to go
to Texas A and M. Sothere was a lot of there still is
I would say a lot of angerand hostility and disbelief that he made the
decision that he did. Mitsuh,Nebraska's been in the Big ten for a
while now. Washington is going tobe making that transition next year. What

(27:03):
are maybe some things that Washington needsto be aware of as they make that
transition into the Big Ten that maybebecame pitfalls for Nebraska or issues Nebraska had
to deal with it when they madethat move. Yeah, you know,
the thing for Nebraska that was difficultwas it had to adjust to every program

(27:23):
in the Big Ten. And youknow, at the time that Nebraska joined
the Big Ten, it was atwelve team league. It's now an eighteen
team league. So when Nebraska joined, it was preparing and you're not,
of course going to play in footballevery team in the league. But you
know, just for the sake ofthis discussion, we'll say it was preparing
for eleven other opponents. Will eachone of those eleven other opponents only had

(27:47):
to prepare for one new opponent,you know, And that's a problem that
Washington and Oregon and UCLA and USCare also going to face. They're they're
familiar with the competition, not justthe person and the coaching styles, but
just the the personality of the ofthe teams that they faced, just what
you can expect and going to ainto a visiting stadium, those are all

(28:11):
things that take some time to digestand I don't know that any one of
them by itself is something that youcan can set a program back. But
you put all of that stuff together, and you know, they added travel
for Washington is you know, evenmore dramatic than than what Nebraska faced in
joining a league that wasn't as geographicallycentralized as it as it had with the

(28:32):
Big Eight and then the Big Twelvefor the last decade before it a decade
and a half before it joined theBig Ten. It was a number of
things. You know, it wasalso just some dysfunction within the athletic organization
at Nebraska. You know, itwas coming out of the time where it
won championships very regularly and and itwasn't doing that in its latter years in

(28:53):
the in the Big Twelve, andthat that continued and got even worse.
The decline got even steeper for Nebraskaonce it joined the Big Ten. So
what what they're hoping in Lincoln isthat Nebraska is now just coming out of
that and that with Matt Rule,it has someone with the vision to guide
Nebraska out of the issues that thatit occurred when it when it joined the

(29:18):
Big Ten. But you know,I think it's a it's a it's a
warning, you know, it's ait's it's something to consider for each of
the fourteenth schools on the on theWest coast that are coming into this league.
It's not an easy adjustment to make. And if you don't have your
own house in order when you comein, then that's going to make it
even more difficult. Hey, Mitch, we really appreciate your time. We

(29:38):
know how busy you are there inLincoln, Nebraska today, and thanks for
carving out the time. And havea good weekend. You be happy to
do it. Thanks, guys.It's Mitt Sherman from The Athletic, the
story about Troy dan and leaving Washingtonto take the A D job at Nebraska.
We'll get the reaction from Ian forness. Next is shim More with Tim
booth In for Pop Sports Radio Nightthree point three kJ r f M.

(30:02):
Blockbuster of a story today. Ianyour reaction, that's a nice lead in,
geez, because said, Hien,how you doing? How was your
day? And how you doing?Okay? The Blockbusters story? Come on,
it's a Kok's facing Drake tomorrow night, isn't it? It is?
Yeah? I don't know what elseis going on that matters, right,
I mean, yeah, you owemy reaction to Motlake. Yeah, do

(30:25):
you played can you play the clipof Nelson from The Simpsons laughing? Or
oh, oh god, so good, so good? I love the kuke
coming out in you there? Ohso good. I mean, I'm sure
we didn't want him anyway, hewasn't a good fit. Blah blah blah
whatever you mocking, Dave, Softymaller there. Well, Softie's gonna tell

(30:48):
I'll tease it. I know this. There are parts. Soft's gonna tell
a story. I think right atthree o'clock today, it's pretty good.
It's pretty good. I mean therewere some red flags. I don't hey,
man, he made he Probably hewas a good fit. That's obvious
because he wanted out, and there'speople that wanted him out. And if
you can't get along with Softy.As much as much of a loudmouth pain

(31:08):
in the neck as Softy is alot of the time, he is the
voice of the program in a lotof ways. For this, for this
area and for this. If youcan't make nice with Softy and make him
I guess happy, for lack ofa better word, it's the relationship isn't
going to work. Well, therewere so many things that this guy did

(31:30):
that I heard about just and stuffthat we don't even can't really discuss on
the air, and and it's justkind of too inside and too kind of
our business stuff that that I Iwas frankly hoping he'd stay for a long
time. But why do you thinkNebraska found him so attractive? Because because

(31:52):
for some reason they think, youknow, poaching ads from the state of
Washington's a good idea. It worksso well the last time exactly, you
know, when they when they gotMoose to fly there in the middle of
the night after his football team lateat egg and they had all kinds of
issues going on, and he justsaid I'm out and then yeah, So
I it's it's both both Nebraska hiresof both Moose and now Dan and were

(32:13):
just I would just say greasy andsketchy in a sense. But why did
I'd be listen, I find Nebraska, I'm like, what are you doing?
Like you just hired a guy thatwas willing to leave a new job
in the same conference and in someways I think would be a better job

(32:34):
after four or five months. Likethat's a red flag on this dude.
So I don't. I mean,there's so many tentacles this thing, and
I love every one of them.I love it. It's great, it's
awesome. So you'll have reaction toDetroit Dan and news, and I'll discuss

(32:57):
a little bit too, like theyou know, I know, softly catch
on right now. He's got someissues going on right now too, and
it has nothing to do with theconference or anything like that, so I'll
maybe touch in on that as well. So his relationship with some of his
coaches isn't great. So I don'tknow, the world is changing before our
very eyes with college athletics. Thankstips and some breaking news for me,
and thanks thanks guys. But we'llget into that. Danny O'Neil's going to

(33:22):
join us five or ten minutes afterthe hour. I saw his tweet right
away. It was like, youknow, what the hell's going on at
my school? Well, I don'tknow, ask him what the hell's going
on in your school? You know, by the time I asked that to
somebody else as opposed to our school, then well, Steve Pallozolo is going
to join US. Pro Football Focusis weekly visit. We're going to get
into the draft at some point,but we kind of finishing up free agency
with all the Seahawks signings, sowe'll get you know, they didn't sign

(33:42):
the number one rated PFF linebacker tothe Seahawks. Which one was that?
Was that Baker? Was that Dotson? Dotson? Dotson? Yeah, So
we'll talk about that with him.And then two o'clock today another Seahawks signing,
some guy named Noah Fant is goingto join us on the radio show.
So excited to talk to him.He's always a good guy to talk
to. So we'll he'll join usat two and we'll probably squeeze in some
tournament talk because, you know,Jim, I'm not sure if you know

(34:06):
this. The Cougs are in theMarch Madness Tournament, in the tournament tomorrow.
They are in the field. Thesixty four Sir, can't wait seven
oh five tip their true tv Omaha, Nebrass, I'm fired up. Don't
you dare bet on them? I'vealready bet two hundred on us? Are
you kidding me? Yeah? WhyI always bet on the coup? The
look of disdain on Ian's face atthe moment, less, why I had

(34:29):
to bet on it's an automatic loss? No, it's not you betting on
them. With you betting on them, that is it's bad. Karmah Danny
O'Neil. Who the hell is that? Anyway? I don't know, but
I'll tell you right now. Ifyour normal co host was here, he
would be killing you for betting onhim. So I'm gonna do it instead.
Knuckle yet, I don't I don'tcare. Good luck, Cougs,
I don't care, all right,Tim Booth, thanks for joining me Central.

(34:53):
Thanks Tim. Thanks. We needto top We need to top ten
Northwest basketball rankings like he did forfootball. I'll all do one at the
end of the season once the cooksare eliminadd what worse than that to by
the way, Okay, thanks forjoining us today. Ian Vanessa's next.
No shirt, no shoes, nodies, anybody allowed to smoke some pine.

(35:14):
I went bumped on. I domake your face. I was bumping
to rob you, but you wereborn to rubb me first. What do
you mean my best for mother roughmercy. I don't stink that