Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to noone Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to noone Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher on Fox Sports Radio.

This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher on Fox Sports Radio.

Boo, What Up America. Doug Gottlieb in for Colin. This is the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be making a part of your day. Thanks so much. I'm Doug Gottlieb and we can all get together and re get ready for the NCAA Tournament. It's a weird one for me. Some of you may know I'm actually a head basketball coach at Green By What you may not know is this is the first NCAA tournament in twenty three years. And then I'm not covering for I was ESPN for nine. I was worked there for ten but nine covering the tournament, and then CBS for five and then since then the last seven years it was Fox but also Westwood One. You know, I was at CBS's Selection Sunday Final Four, et cetera, and calling games the first weekend. And uh, you know I've been with Westwood one as their studio host and going all the way to the Final four and now again then to do except talk to you? So I'm gonna bore the hell out. No, I'm kidding, We're gonna break down your back. It's tell you about the twelve five upsets. And you know, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta you listen if you subscribe to my service. Okay, you subscribe to my service, listen. I got I got four gold Lock picks. Okay, gold Luck picks.

Boo, What Up America. Doug Gottlieb in for Colin. This is the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be making a part of your day. Thanks so much. I'm Doug Gottlieb and we can all get together and re get ready for the NCAA Tournament. It's a weird one for me. Some of you may know I'm actually a head basketball coach at Green By What you may not know is this is the first NCAA tournament in twenty three years. And then I'm not covering for I was ESPN for nine. I was worked there for ten but nine covering the tournament, and then CBS for five and then since then the last seven years it was Fox but also Westwood One. You know, I was at CBS's Selection Sunday Final Four, et cetera, and calling games the first weekend. And uh, you know I've been with Westwood one as their studio host and going all the way to the Final four and now again then to do except talk to you? So I'm gonna bore the hell out. No, I'm kidding, We're gonna break down your back. It's tell you about the twelve five upsets. And you know, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta you listen if you subscribe to my service. Okay, you subscribe to my service, listen. I got I got four gold Lock picks. Okay, gold Luck picks.

No.

No.

I just it's interesting. And you know I as a kid, I watched it. My dad got me out of school right, whether it was Jordan Elementary, Levita Elementary. Wait, there's more, McPherson middle School, Junior High School, Santiago Middle School, orb Of Middle School, that's right, three middle schools, and then Tustin High School. My dad would come get me out of school and we'd go down to we go down to a sports bar in Costa Mesa and watch all the games. I think one time we went to Silky Sullivan's that was in Fountain Valley. I don't know if that still exists anyway from there, and we would go to the final four. And then even when I played Notre Dame and we were bad my first year, we still went to the final four. That was it in East Rutherford, New Jersey. My year at Golden West College where I didn't play, where I technically red shirted, I watched my childhood best friend Miles Simon went a national championship in Indianapolis, and then played in it three times at Oklahoma State, and then covered it really after I got done playing overseas, you know, in two years where was overseas during the tournament, actually three when I was overseas during the tournament. And since then I've been back in and I will tell you more motivated than ever to have the full circle right. Watched it, loved it, played in it, covered it TV and radio, on the floor of the final four in the national championship game, and now I want to coach in it, but it can't. We weren't good enough and we got to build it and build it right. So you're stuck with me. But what I do think is fascinating is how how much has changed in the landscape of the sport. Some of it still remains the same. There's still the CINERI the stories, and when we think of stories of our past, it's interesting, Uh, there's some of the greatest games or potential upsets or whatever weren't actually upsets, didn't actually happen, like Princeton Georgetown. Georgetown still won the game. Georgetown won the game. And then of course we started to see more and more upsets throughout our childhood into our adulthood. And what I thought would never happen, I truly believed in covering it. You would never see a sixteen be to one. And the logic behind it was this. When they started the field of sixty four, there were like, I don't think there were two hundred Division one teams. Now there are three hundred and sixty four, three hundred sixty four. So if the top are the top four and they used to be competing against two hundred to twenty five two thirty and now they're competing against three hundred, one would think the disparity was even greater. But as luck would have it, an injury happened with DeAndre Hunter at Virginia, and an upset of all upsets took place with UNBC, and then I thought, well, we'll never have that again. Lead but amateurism is gone. I don't want to call this professional basketball because though I get paid a salary to coach my team, to run my program, uh, to make sure my kids go to class, you know, graduate are academically ineligible, stay out of trouble, run practice, manage a whole basketball program. And look, college basketball players do receive compensation above that of a scholarship, above that of a grant aid. Let's kid, let's not kid. Ourse, this is not professional, right. If it was professional, you wouldn't believe the stories that take place don't happen in a professional world. You also don't get a chance to just leave one job with a contract and not have a buyout and not have a non compete clause going from job to job to job to job to job. So it's a mix of what we used to have, mix in education which does get pushed to the wayside by so many people. And then you kind of more professional basketball and AAU basketball and there you go. But here's what I wish would happen. It's not going to happen. But like Wafford takes on Tennessee. Wafford takes on Tennessee, and there's some unique things that college basketball people know that I'm going to teach you here before the games tip off. I had a college basketball coach before I took the job. Tell me, like, hey, ever, notice handshake lines are a lot longer than they used to be. Well, what's that mean? Well, you know, when Omaha takes on Saint John's and Omaha's best player goes for twenty five and ten and they lose and he shakes hands with Rick Patino or one of the assistant coaches. They go, set your mom over there. Hey, hey, hey, hey mom, how are you? How are you right? It doesn't mean there's poaching actually taking place, but it doesn't mean that it's not taking place right like literally mid major teams playing against high major teams. It's an active tryout. I kid you not. But what I'd love to have happen is when Wafford takes on Tennessee, them to flash up the sum total of these salaries of the players of each team. That would be amazing. Tennessee's coach by Rick Barnes. He's a friend. I think Rick's a great dude. We were rivals. He coached at Texas when I was in college, and I had heard he was a great dude, and he's even better than that. I do expect them to win this game. And Wafford has a big guy who shoots the ball underhanded, which if you watch me play in college, people did encourage me to try. So I'm always fascinated by it. But what I would love is if it comes down the stretch and they're under four minutes, and say spirodidas is calling the game Tennessee with a four point two million dollars payroll, take it on Wafford with one hundred and thirty five thousand dollars payroll. It would make you it. You want to talk about David and Goliath, that's what you have. It's like equal punishments, right, if you're bad, it's hard to raise money to get players to get good. And even on bad teams, guys that go and put up their numbers, well, they go and they want to go somewhere else and fool somewhere else and go get and go get paid. And if you're good at the mid major level, you're gonna lose all your players because people were like, man, they're good, let's take them. That's how it actually works. Nonetheless, we still have a bracket and now the actual bracket games begin. But I do think that and I said this on my show, and I said it just you know, I believe in congruent arguments. I thought the mistake of the College Football Playoff Committee was balanced out by the NCAA Basketball Committee. What do I mean by that? It doesn't mean that every team that spent money is better than teams that don't spend money. Doesn't mean that, But the SEC has spent a whole hell of a lot more money than everybody else. And it's not just with the players, with the facilities, with the support staff, with the head coaches, it's all of it. It And so it's not just about your specific team, but their path to success and their path to a record.

I just it's interesting. And you know I as a kid, I watched it. My dad got me out of school right, whether it was Jordan Elementary, Levita Elementary. Wait, there's more, McPherson middle School, Junior High School, Santiago Middle School, orb Of Middle School, that's right, three middle schools, and then Tustin High School. My dad would come get me out of school and we'd go down to we go down to a sports bar in Costa Mesa and watch all the games. I think one time we went to Silky Sullivan's that was in Fountain Valley. I don't know if that still exists anyway from there, and we would go to the final four. And then even when I played Notre Dame and we were bad my first year, we still went to the final four. That was it in East Rutherford, New Jersey. My year at Golden West College where I didn't play, where I technically red shirted, I watched my childhood best friend Miles Simon went a national championship in Indianapolis, and then played in it three times at Oklahoma State, and then covered it really after I got done playing overseas, you know, in two years where was overseas during the tournament, actually three when I was overseas during the tournament. And since then I've been back in and I will tell you more motivated than ever to have the full circle right. Watched it, loved it, played in it, covered it TV and radio, on the floor of the final four in the national championship game, and now I want to coach in it, but it can't. We weren't good enough and we got to build it and build it right. So you're stuck with me. But what I do think is fascinating is how how much has changed in the landscape of the sport. Some of it still remains the same. There's still the CINERI the stories, and when we think of stories of our past, it's interesting, Uh, there's some of the greatest games or potential upsets or whatever weren't actually upsets, didn't actually happen, like Princeton Georgetown. Georgetown still won the game. Georgetown won the game. And then of course we started to see more and more upsets throughout our childhood into our adulthood. And what I thought would never happen, I truly believed in covering it. You would never see a sixteen be to one. And the logic behind it was this. When they started the field of sixty four, there were like, I don't think there were two hundred Division one teams. Now there are three hundred and sixty four, three hundred sixty four. So if the top are the top four and they used to be competing against two hundred to twenty five two thirty and now they're competing against three hundred, one would think the disparity was even greater. But as luck would have it, an injury happened with DeAndre Hunter at Virginia, and an upset of all upsets took place with UNBC, and then I thought, well, we'll never have that again. Lead but amateurism is gone. I don't want to call this professional basketball because though I get paid a salary to coach my team, to run my program, uh, to make sure my kids go to class, you know, graduate are academically ineligible, stay out of trouble, run practice, manage a whole basketball program. And look, college basketball players do receive compensation above that of a scholarship, above that of a grant aid. Let's kid, let's not kid. Ourse, this is not professional, right. If it was professional, you wouldn't believe the stories that take place don't happen in a professional world. You also don't get a chance to just leave one job with a contract and not have a buyout and not have a non compete clause going from job to job to job to job to job. So it's a mix of what we used to have, mix in education which does get pushed to the wayside by so many people. And then you kind of more professional basketball and AAU basketball and there you go. But here's what I wish would happen. It's not going to happen. But like Wafford takes on Tennessee. Wafford takes on Tennessee, and there's some unique things that college basketball people know that I'm going to teach you here before the games tip off. I had a college basketball coach before I took the job. Tell me, like, hey, ever, notice handshake lines are a lot longer than they used to be. Well, what's that mean? Well, you know, when Omaha takes on Saint John's and Omaha's best player goes for twenty five and ten and they lose and he shakes hands with Rick Patino or one of the assistant coaches. They go, set your mom over there. Hey, hey, hey, hey mom, how are you? How are you right? It doesn't mean there's poaching actually taking place, but it doesn't mean that it's not taking place right like literally mid major teams playing against high major teams. It's an active tryout. I kid you not. But what I'd love to have happen is when Wafford takes on Tennessee, them to flash up the sum total of these salaries of the players of each team. That would be amazing. Tennessee's coach by Rick Barnes. He's a friend. I think Rick's a great dude. We were rivals. He coached at Texas when I was in college, and I had heard he was a great dude, and he's even better than that. I do expect them to win this game. And Wafford has a big guy who shoots the ball underhanded, which if you watch me play in college, people did encourage me to try. So I'm always fascinated by it. But what I would love is if it comes down the stretch and they're under four minutes, and say spirodidas is calling the game Tennessee with a four point two million dollars payroll, take it on Wafford with one hundred and thirty five thousand dollars payroll. It would make you it. You want to talk about David and Goliath, that's what you have. It's like equal punishments, right, if you're bad, it's hard to raise money to get players to get good. And even on bad teams, guys that go and put up their numbers, well, they go and they want to go somewhere else and fool somewhere else and go get and go get paid. And if you're good at the mid major level, you're gonna lose all your players because people were like, man, they're good, let's take them. That's how it actually works. Nonetheless, we still have a bracket and now the actual bracket games begin. But I do think that and I said this on my show, and I said it just you know, I believe in congruent arguments. I thought the mistake of the College Football Playoff Committee was balanced out by the NCAA Basketball Committee. What do I mean by that? It doesn't mean that every team that spent money is better than teams that don't spend money. Doesn't mean that, But the SEC has spent a whole hell of a lot more money than everybody else. And it's not just with the players, with the facilities, with the support staff, with the head coaches, it's all of it. It And so it's not just about your specific team, but their path to success and their path to a record.

Right.

Right.

The flaw in the argument for SMU, which spent a bunch of money to get into the ACC and then to field their team, or Indiana that spent a ton of money and had a soft schedule but beat up on the Big Ten is not to say, hey, well we spent money and look, you know, we got this huge payroll. You know Indiana what was like a fifteen million dollar payroll, which was a big, big amount. The difference is in the SEC and both football and basketball. Every team you play, every team you play in basketball has a two to four five million dollar payroll, whereas when you're in the ACC, for example, they have teams with three and four million dollar payrolls, but they have teams that are about a million and there is there's just a difference. And when you have when you have a payroll that's a million dollars or whatever, and you go all in on one or two players and all of a sudden, one of those guys gets hurt, or one of those guys isn't as good as the billing, or maybe hasn't been able to level up to the ACC. Now, all of a sudden, you don't have the depth to contend on a daily basis in your conference, even though you're better than most of the other teams, because again you have a million dollar payroll. But making sense, so, I look, I still love the tournament. I grew up watching it. I can quote chapter and verse all of the different upsets. The moment that changed my existence as a basketball player. Wanted to do. It happened about thirty minutes or I'm broadcasting from Doug Gottliebin for Colin. This is Hurt on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. We're broadcasting from Sherman Oaks, California, at Long Beach, Aarina, where my dad for three years was an assistant coach under the great Tech Winner at Long Beacherina In was it nineteen ninety he was nineteen ninety, might have been ninety one. The first game after Hank Gathers had passed away, loy La Marrimount took on New Mexico State, and I'll never forget it. You know, I'd watched the semi finals when Hank went down. I had known both of those guys from a the Pump basketball camp where I was a camper, and those guys played pickup ball at Seasun CAL State Northridge, where we stayed at night, and they were godlike figures. And when Hank died just it was soul crushing to somebody who idolized him and thought, I mean, he'd looked like a Greek god. I watched them play and they came out in there and everything was adorned in maroon uniforms with forty four's everywhere. And when I saw Bo Kimball dribble three times with his right hand and switch it and shoot to his left hand to copy his fallen friend and teammate who kind of like the kid from Wafford, switched to shooting free throws left handed because he was so bad at shooting them right handed. And then he made the free throw and there wasn't a dry eye in the place. I was like, this is what I want to do. I want to play in it, I want to cover it. I want to coach it so that emotion still exists. But let's not kid ourselves. Weren't a weird place where like literally Tennessee has forty time I would I would. I would guess at minimum thirty times greater salaries than that of Wafford tonight. Thirty times. I'll check my math during the break, That's what I'll do. But I think I got that right. I may have over exaggerated, but I think I got it right.

The flaw in the argument for SMU, which spent a bunch of money to get into the ACC and then to field their team, or Indiana that spent a ton of money and had a soft schedule but beat up on the Big Ten is not to say, hey, well we spent money and look, you know, we got this huge payroll. You know Indiana what was like a fifteen million dollar payroll, which was a big, big amount. The difference is in the SEC and both football and basketball. Every team you play, every team you play in basketball has a two to four five million dollar payroll, whereas when you're in the ACC, for example, they have teams with three and four million dollar payrolls, but they have teams that are about a million and there is there's just a difference. And when you have when you have a payroll that's a million dollars or whatever, and you go all in on one or two players and all of a sudden, one of those guys gets hurt, or one of those guys isn't as good as the billing, or maybe hasn't been able to level up to the ACC. Now, all of a sudden, you don't have the depth to contend on a daily basis in your conference, even though you're better than most of the other teams, because again you have a million dollar payroll. But making sense, so, I look, I still love the tournament. I grew up watching it. I can quote chapter and verse all of the different upsets. The moment that changed my existence as a basketball player. Wanted to do. It happened about thirty minutes or I'm broadcasting from Doug Gottliebin for Colin. This is Hurt on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. We're broadcasting from Sherman Oaks, California, at Long Beach, Aarina, where my dad for three years was an assistant coach under the great Tech Winner at Long Beacherina In was it nineteen ninety he was nineteen ninety, might have been ninety one. The first game after Hank Gathers had passed away, loy La Marrimount took on New Mexico State, and I'll never forget it. You know, I'd watched the semi finals when Hank went down. I had known both of those guys from a the Pump basketball camp where I was a camper, and those guys played pickup ball at Seasun CAL State Northridge, where we stayed at night, and they were godlike figures. And when Hank died just it was soul crushing to somebody who idolized him and thought, I mean, he'd looked like a Greek god. I watched them play and they came out in there and everything was adorned in maroon uniforms with forty four's everywhere. And when I saw Bo Kimball dribble three times with his right hand and switch it and shoot to his left hand to copy his fallen friend and teammate who kind of like the kid from Wafford, switched to shooting free throws left handed because he was so bad at shooting them right handed. And then he made the free throw and there wasn't a dry eye in the place. I was like, this is what I want to do. I want to play in it, I want to cover it. I want to coach it so that emotion still exists. But let's not kid ourselves. Weren't a weird place where like literally Tennessee has forty time I would I would. I would guess at minimum thirty times greater salaries than that of Wafford tonight. Thirty times. I'll check my math during the break, That's what I'll do. But I think I got that right. I may have over exaggerated, but I think I got it right.

Right.

Right.

If you're somewhere like four million dollars and they're somewhere in the you know, fifty eight to two hundred, what is that ratio? You guys? Work that out. Coming up next in the Herd, John Fanto is gonna join us if you if you love college basketball, John is everywhere. He does play by play, he does reporting, he does sideline. The madness is about to tip off. I'm gonna I'm gonna ask him what's one upset he sees happening today? That's next. I'm Doug gotlieve this is the Herd.

If you're somewhere like four million dollars and they're somewhere in the you know, fifty eight to two hundred, what is that ratio? You guys? Work that out. Coming up next in the Herd, John Fanto is gonna join us if you if you love college basketball, John is everywhere. He does play by play, he does reporting, he does sideline. The madness is about to tip off. I'm gonna I'm gonna ask him what's one upset he sees happening today? That's next. I'm Doug gotlieve this is the Herd.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and neon Eastern not a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and neon Eastern not a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

What how about you, Doug Gottliebin for coming the Herd on Fox Sports Radio iHeartRadio app. Watching Creighton the Blue Jays take on lou You do know that it's Louisville, which is weird, right because when you go to Louisville, they say welcome to Louisville, but everything is the vill if they pronounce it ooval. I'm very very confused. I don't know anyway. They're taking on Creighton. This is it's in Lexington. One of the things that people make a big deal of is where the game is played. Oh my gosh, home court advantage, yeah, I mean last night, Xavier was playing in Dayton, which is forty five minutes from campus. A little bit different in terms of I thought that was a legitimate home court advantage in their comeback win over Texas. But playing again your on your art travels home floor against Creighton, that travels well at like at noon. It's not that big. What do the kids say, It's not that deep. It's not that deep. By the way, I've been hanging out my son here for the last couple of days. I'm telling you my vernacular is getting way better, way way better. Nothing more hip than when your son's sixteen. Happy birthday to my son. Hey, scottlib let's welcome in John Fanta, Fox Sports Radio, a Fox Sports college basketball reporter. He does play by play. You'll see him on the field of sixty eight. If you follow college basketball, you know about that podcast, which also you can view online. And he joins us now as the NCAA tournament kicks off. John, let me let me ask you about last night. You know, you covered the Big East a Ton for Fox and Xavier had a huge comeback win against Texas, and there's there's several reports that Rodney Terry will be let go and additional reports that Sean Miller will be the next head coach of Texas. What what what have you heard in regards to the set Texas situation?

What how about you, Doug Gottliebin for coming the Herd on Fox Sports Radio iHeartRadio app. Watching Creighton the Blue Jays take on lou You do know that it's Louisville, which is weird, right because when you go to Louisville, they say welcome to Louisville, but everything is the vill if they pronounce it ooval. I'm very very confused. I don't know anyway. They're taking on Creighton. This is it's in Lexington. One of the things that people make a big deal of is where the game is played. Oh my gosh, home court advantage, yeah, I mean last night, Xavier was playing in Dayton, which is forty five minutes from campus. A little bit different in terms of I thought that was a legitimate home court advantage in their comeback win over Texas. But playing again your on your art travels home floor against Creighton, that travels well at like at noon. It's not that big. What do the kids say, It's not that deep. It's not that deep. By the way, I've been hanging out my son here for the last couple of days. I'm telling you my vernacular is getting way better, way way better. Nothing more hip than when your son's sixteen. Happy birthday to my son. Hey, scottlib let's welcome in John Fanta, Fox Sports Radio, a Fox Sports college basketball reporter. He does play by play. You'll see him on the field of sixty eight. If you follow college basketball, you know about that podcast, which also you can view online. And he joins us now as the NCAA tournament kicks off. John, let me let me ask you about last night. You know, you covered the Big East a Ton for Fox and Xavier had a huge comeback win against Texas, and there's there's several reports that Rodney Terry will be let go and additional reports that Sean Miller will be the next head coach of Texas. What what what have you heard in regards to the set Texas situation?

Well, what we know and God great to be with you on what is a holiday? Is that is that Chris del Conzie was very interested in Sean Miller the last time he was trying to hire a head coach. But Texas beat Xavier in the NCAA Tournament, which was quite ironic in the sweet sixteen. So then you weren't going to not keep Rodney Terry as head coach. Rodney had done his part to keep that job and it felt like, you know, on the natural right move. But now there's an irony to these two paths crossing again. But Terry has not gotten Texas to a level that they believe they should be at, which I got to say, Doug, for the last fifteen years, Texas has been not achieving the level that they want to achieve in any sport because at Texas bay aspire at a football school to win national championships and everything. Well, to me, that's a you problem Texas more. You keep selecting these head coaches, some of which are have been good honestly, Now, the Chris Beer thing ended the way that it's in for off the court reasons. But like you know, Shaka Smart's found a proper home for himself in Marquette. There's a larger picture discussion. The point is, yes, Chris dog Conzi, if this search opens up, which I think it will, Sean Miller's number one on his list, then it comes down to sew making a decision. You know, he built a house in Cincinnati, so you know, as you know, to build a house, you could sell it. Uh, And then you take the Texas job and you get a ton of nil. And if if that's what you want, and if that's what you're looking to do in your in your career and go to the Southeastern Conference, then that's that's what he's gonna get. And he's one of the best. He's one of the better coaches in the sports. I'd say he's a top fifteen coach in college top fifteen to twenty coach at college basketball. Uh, it's not you know, cop ten to twelve. He's that good. You know, we'll see, we'll see if if Xavier giving him a chance and a new lease on life, if that plays a part at all. It's not the Musketeers don't have money. They'll put up a lot of money to try to keep him, they just don't have Texas money.

Well, what we know and God great to be with you on what is a holiday? Is that is that Chris del Conzie was very interested in Sean Miller the last time he was trying to hire a head coach. But Texas beat Xavier in the NCAA Tournament, which was quite ironic in the sweet sixteen. So then you weren't going to not keep Rodney Terry as head coach. Rodney had done his part to keep that job and it felt like, you know, on the natural right move. But now there's an irony to these two paths crossing again. But Terry has not gotten Texas to a level that they believe they should be at, which I got to say, Doug, for the last fifteen years, Texas has been not achieving the level that they want to achieve in any sport because at Texas bay aspire at a football school to win national championships and everything. Well, to me, that's a you problem Texas more. You keep selecting these head coaches, some of which are have been good honestly, Now, the Chris Beer thing ended the way that it's in for off the court reasons. But like you know, Shaka Smart's found a proper home for himself in Marquette. There's a larger picture discussion. The point is, yes, Chris dog Conzi, if this search opens up, which I think it will, Sean Miller's number one on his list, then it comes down to sew making a decision. You know, he built a house in Cincinnati, so you know, as you know, to build a house, you could sell it. Uh, And then you take the Texas job and you get a ton of nil. And if if that's what you want, and if that's what you're looking to do in your in your career and go to the Southeastern Conference, then that's that's what he's gonna get. And he's one of the best. He's one of the better coaches in the sports. I'd say he's a top fifteen coach in college top fifteen to twenty coach at college basketball. Uh, it's not you know, cop ten to twelve. He's that good. You know, we'll see, we'll see if if Xavier giving him a chance and a new lease on life, if that plays a part at all. It's not the Musketeers don't have money. They'll put up a lot of money to try to keep him, they just don't have Texas money.

Yeah. No, I mean it's interesting because little backstory John Fanton joining us here. I'm Doug Godibin for Collins the Herd. You go back to his fourth year at Xavier. Fourth year at Xavier and uh, the Oklahoma State job was open, and uh, Mike Holder, the then ad at Oklahoma State, asked me to reach out to Sean or At first he has like who would you hire? And I was like, man, I'd hire Sean Miller. So I called Sean and Sean said, at the time, hey, listen, Xavier gave me a chance when and this is the first time round. Xavier gave me a chance when nobody else would. So I'm going to stay here for five years. If you look at my contract, the buyout goes way down after my fifth year. That's I told them I would stay at least five years. And so there was definitely loyalty there. I know it's a business where so many people think there's no sort of loyalty, but Sean does have some. And the fact that Sean got fired in Arizona and Xavier didn't think twice and brought him back. I think shows again their mutual loyalty.

Yeah. No, I mean it's interesting because little backstory John Fanton joining us here. I'm Doug Godibin for Collins the Herd. You go back to his fourth year at Xavier. Fourth year at Xavier and uh, the Oklahoma State job was open, and uh, Mike Holder, the then ad at Oklahoma State, asked me to reach out to Sean or At first he has like who would you hire? And I was like, man, I'd hire Sean Miller. So I called Sean and Sean said, at the time, hey, listen, Xavier gave me a chance when and this is the first time round. Xavier gave me a chance when nobody else would. So I'm going to stay here for five years. If you look at my contract, the buyout goes way down after my fifth year. That's I told them I would stay at least five years. And so there was definitely loyalty there. I know it's a business where so many people think there's no sort of loyalty, but Sean does have some. And the fact that Sean got fired in Arizona and Xavier didn't think twice and brought him back. I think shows again their mutual loyalty.

But well, you know what else it has done. Yeah, no strust, he's no stress at Savior.

But well, you know what else it has done. Yeah, no strust, he's no stress at Savior.

None.

None.

You're never going to be under pressure. Like, yeah, they have standards, Yes, they want to make the Sweet sixteen. The program's never made a Final four. He ever got close to that, and he'd be you know, he already is a is a Xavier great for his multiple stints at the job. You go to Texas, Doug, you know what it is. You're gonna win, You're gonna you're gonna contend for Final four, You're gonna go deep in the tournament. You know, you go two years there and you haven't done that. Well, he answers year three. You know there's pressure on now there's Texas is an unrelenting pressure pack.

You're never going to be under pressure. Like, yeah, they have standards, Yes, they want to make the Sweet sixteen. The program's never made a Final four. He ever got close to that, and he'd be you know, he already is a is a Xavier great for his multiple stints at the job. You go to Texas, Doug, you know what it is. You're gonna win, You're gonna you're gonna contend for Final four, You're gonna go deep in the tournament. You know, you go two years there and you haven't done that. Well, he answers year three. You know there's pressure on now there's Texas is an unrelenting pressure pack.

Job.

Job.

Uh, if you're at the football program, if you're at the basketball program. So if he wants that, then then they're gonna and they're gonna back up the brains truck. And that's that's why you make the move. But you know this is a guy who you're right, he is loyal. I know how much pride he has to like to be in the Big East and go to New York City for the for the conference tournament, and Doug, you know this, well, that's not just some other event like he he enjoys being a part of that whole equation and only he can think and fathom what he ultimately wants to do. So but there's no question he's at the top of Texas's west.

Uh, if you're at the football program, if you're at the basketball program. So if he wants that, then then they're gonna and they're gonna back up the brains truck. And that's that's why you make the move. But you know this is a guy who you're right, he is loyal. I know how much pride he has to like to be in the Big East and go to New York City for the for the conference tournament, and Doug, you know this, well, that's not just some other event like he he enjoys being a part of that whole equation and only he can think and fathom what he ultimately wants to do. So but there's no question he's at the top of Texas's west.

Doug Gollivan for Collins to hurt Fox Sports Radio, iHeartRadio app of course you have John Fanta joining us. He's a Fox Sports Radio kind of every Fox Sports kind of everything college basketball, right, just kind of immersed himself in it. Great play by play guy. And of course he does in college basketball reporting as well as work with Field of sixty eight. What did you think of of Daring Debris? And he takes the Indiana job and during his press conference, he was like, look, they were really respectful of my season, coming to you know, my season and wait until it concluded. So it feels like this would had been done for a bit. Did that surprise you in any way?

Doug Gollivan for Collins to hurt Fox Sports Radio, iHeartRadio app of course you have John Fanta joining us. He's a Fox Sports Radio kind of every Fox Sports kind of everything college basketball, right, just kind of immersed himself in it. Great play by play guy. And of course he does in college basketball reporting as well as work with Field of sixty eight. What did you think of of Daring Debris? And he takes the Indiana job and during his press conference, he was like, look, they were really respectful of my season, coming to you know, my season and wait until it concluded. So it feels like this would had been done for a bit. Did that surprise you in any way?

It actually really surprised me because I can't tell you how many times I've heard, you know, an agent say, well, there's something to be said about going two years or three years before you take the next next job. Now, Indiana is an exception, right, it's not to me in twenty twenty five. You know you've had to achieve major success in the last decade of fifteen years. I don't put Indiana in blue blood Tier A. I really do not.

It actually really surprised me because I can't tell you how many times I've heard, you know, an agent say, well, there's something to be said about going two years or three years before you take the next next job. Now, Indiana is an exception, right, it's not to me in twenty twenty five. You know you've had to achieve major success in the last decade of fifteen years. I don't put Indiana in blue blood Tier A. I really do not.

What not tier A?

What not tier A?

Come on, bro, no man, Well, hold on, fantastic, here's here's your issue. Here's your issue. Well on, here's your issue, John, here's your issue. Okay, you're kind of timeless, so people will be surprised. How old are you?

Come on, bro, no man, Well, hold on, fantastic, here's here's your issue. Here's your issue. Well on, here's your issue, John, here's your issue. Okay, you're kind of timeless, so people will be surprised. How old are you?

I'm twenty nine, that's what Duke. No, it's Duke Kansas, Kentucky, Carolina or in Tierra Indiana is not in the same classic.

I'm twenty nine, that's what Duke. No, it's Duke Kansas, Kentucky, Carolina or in Tierra Indiana is not in the same classic.

Well again, so you're talking the super high major elite. Most people would put UCLA in that. Some people think not right, I mean, because they have more titles than anybody else.

Well again, so you're talking the super high major elite. Most people would put UCLA in that. Some people think not right, I mean, because they have more titles than anybody else.

If you want to put Tier B, that's that's fine. But like if we're cheering.

If you want to put Tier B, that's that's fine. But like if we're cheering.

This, the different the difference is if you like, listen again, I'm becoming an old man. Become an old man. I am not yet. There's not in a five next to my name just yet. Soon but not yet. But uh, when I mean it's Indiana, I mean it is, it is still India. It's you know what it is. It's Alabama football before they got Saban, Alabama football before they got Saban. And there will be a guy that will wake that place up. And whoever that guy is, if it's Darien like great, uh, but somebody will wake that place up anyway, go ahead, I apologize. I apologize because I've heard that sentiment from other people.

This, the different the difference is if you like, listen again, I'm becoming an old man. Become an old man. I am not yet. There's not in a five next to my name just yet. Soon but not yet. But uh, when I mean it's Indiana, I mean it is, it is still India. It's you know what it is. It's Alabama football before they got Saban, Alabama football before they got Saban. And there will be a guy that will wake that place up. And whoever that guy is, if it's Darien like great, uh, but somebody will wake that place up anyway, go ahead, I apologize. I apologize because I've heard that sentiment from other people.

But go ahead, No, I hear you. When you've made two Final four since nineteen eighty seven, it's and the bar.

But go ahead, No, I hear you. When you've made two Final four since nineteen eighty seven, it's and the bar.

Yeah, I mean then then we have to put you. We have to put Yukon in in any territory as well, right like you're twenty, you didn't list Yukon. Yukon's won what five national titles, woked with three different coaches.

Yeah, I mean then then we have to put you. We have to put Yukon in in any territory as well, right like you're twenty, you didn't list Yukon. Yukon's won what five national titles, woked with three different coaches.

Connecticut is more so than Indiana. Connecticut would be in the packing order with what they have done with six and twenty five years is absolutely absurd. They're right, They're right there, They're ahead. If I were to sup okay, needless to say, I was surprised because you're in your first year on the job. I thought, you know, Darren was a really good hire for West Virginia.

Connecticut is more so than Indiana. Connecticut would be in the packing order with what they have done with six and twenty five years is absolutely absurd. They're right, They're right there, They're ahead. If I were to sup okay, needless to say, I was surprised because you're in your first year on the job. I thought, you know, Darren was a really good hire for West Virginia.

I love the hire.

I love the hire.

They're off to a really nice start. You know, there are people are jarred by this, and they frankly they should be. I mean, I don't blame Darren for taking this job because I think, like you said, if he gets it back, that that place is that fan base, that brand, how they move the needle on television speaks for itself. It's next level. But it did surprise me to hear just how transparent and how open it was that he had been engaging in conversations in his first year at another high major, big twelve job.

They're off to a really nice start. You know, there are people are jarred by this, and they frankly they should be. I mean, I don't blame Darren for taking this job because I think, like you said, if he gets it back, that that place is that fan base, that brand, how they move the needle on television speaks for itself. It's next level. But it did surprise me to hear just how transparent and how open it was that he had been engaging in conversations in his first year at another high major, big twelve job.

Yeah. Yeah, no, it's it's it's nutty. It's really really nutty.

Yeah. Yeah, no, it's it's it's nutty. It's really really nutty.

It is.

It is.

Who gets Iowa?

Who gets Iowa?

Well, you know, I think Ben McCollum is it would be there is at the top of their list. I also think there's a chance Ben. I know Ben's got the roots and whatnot. I know he's obviously done a great job with Drake, but but I almost think not just flight Iowa.

Well, you know, I think Ben McCollum is it would be there is at the top of their list. I also think there's a chance Ben. I know Ben's got the roots and whatnot. I know he's obviously done a great job with Drake, but but I almost think not just flight Iowa.

Here, No, come on, man, you're from Iowa, Okay, and you're obviously he's going to bring Ben starts with him, who's the star point guard. If you haven't seen him, he's fabulous. We played against them, He's awesome, right Like.

Here, No, come on, man, you're from Iowa, Okay, and you're obviously he's going to bring Ben starts with him, who's the star point guard. If you haven't seen him, he's fabulous. We played against them, He's awesome, right Like.

No, I think it makes I think it makes a lot of sense for both sides. It's gonna be him. My only point would be I think he's an absolute superstar and could get an even bigger jobs. It's a great win for Iowa. Well, I think it's a great win. Probably Like if I were if I were Villanova, i'd be call him Ben McCollum.

No, I think it makes I think it makes a lot of sense for both sides. It's gonna be him. My only point would be I think he's an absolute superstar and could get an even bigger jobs. It's a great win for Iowa. Well, I think it's a great win. Probably Like if I were if I were Villanova, i'd be call him Ben McCollum.

I don't think. I'm not sure it works there, but it's it's it is. What is what is going on with Villanova? There was so much talk of Chris Collins there season's done, Nova, Season's done. But Chris Collins is not the head coach. So what's going on in Nova?

I don't think. I'm not sure it works there, but it's it's it is. What is what is going on with Villanova? There was so much talk of Chris Collins there season's done, Nova, Season's done. But Chris Collins is not the head coach. So what's going on in Nova?

Well? Porter Moser is the number one name right now. And obviously Porter took why all the Chicago to the Final four, and you know now at Oklahoma he's got Connecticut tomorrow night, which is kind of an interesting backdrop considering he's going up against the Big East school. But I Jay Wright is you know, he's still an active member of things that Villanova does. Of course he's going to be. And Eric Rodell, the new athletic director, comes over from Oregon, and Eric, you know, I think the way that they're looking at this is you can go one of two ways. You get somebody on the rise. But there's not a ton of those guys right now in the cycle on this crazy carousel. You also know, Doug, the next two days, a coaching hero could be born. That's that's why the madness is so amazing. It could change some buddy's life in front of our eyes. But I think that they're looking at a veteran like the Collins the Moser discourse. You know, the the name that that was outside the box was if if Mick Cronin ever didn't pan out at UCLA. But I think Nick's going to be at UCLA. Some of the negativity of January and some of the discourse coming out of there was a little bit eye opening. But I don't think he's going anywhere. I think, you know, I think they're in a place where it's down to Moser. It's down. I mean, Collins is still in the race, I suppose, And don't sleep on Richard Patino, you know, I think that Rick Rick is going to try his best if Ryan Odam's not at Virginia, which Ryan Odams is going to be at Virginia. My humble opinions, if he weren't at Virginia would have been a slam dunk for Villanova to high him. Watch out for Richard.

Well? Porter Moser is the number one name right now. And obviously Porter took why all the Chicago to the Final four, and you know now at Oklahoma he's got Connecticut tomorrow night, which is kind of an interesting backdrop considering he's going up against the Big East school. But I Jay Wright is you know, he's still an active member of things that Villanova does. Of course he's going to be. And Eric Rodell, the new athletic director, comes over from Oregon, and Eric, you know, I think the way that they're looking at this is you can go one of two ways. You get somebody on the rise. But there's not a ton of those guys right now in the cycle on this crazy carousel. You also know, Doug, the next two days, a coaching hero could be born. That's that's why the madness is so amazing. It could change some buddy's life in front of our eyes. But I think that they're looking at a veteran like the Collins the Moser discourse. You know, the the name that that was outside the box was if if Mick Cronin ever didn't pan out at UCLA. But I think Nick's going to be at UCLA. Some of the negativity of January and some of the discourse coming out of there was a little bit eye opening. But I don't think he's going anywhere. I think, you know, I think they're in a place where it's down to Moser. It's down. I mean, Collins is still in the race, I suppose, And don't sleep on Richard Patino, you know, I think that Rick Rick is going to try his best if Ryan Odam's not at Virginia, which Ryan Odams is going to be at Virginia. My humble opinions, if he weren't at Virginia would have been a slam dunk for Villanova to high him. Watch out for Richard.

Yeah, you know. The one thing is, you know, if you're at the best job in the league, don't leave unless it's at the best job in the league, right Porter Moser would leave because they don't have the money at Oklahom for basketball that everybody else does, whereas Nova does have the money. Uh, but for Richard Pertino, they have the most money in their league. And that's a very powerful, powerful feeling. John Fanta is our guest. I'm Doug Gottlieban for Collins. I heard Fox Sports Radio, iHeartRadio app. Okay, who's going down right everywhere you go? I know everybody wants an upset that uh, give me your upset. I got friends texting me all the time like I need I need your upset picks, Like dude, I'm if it's a Horizon League or mid major, like I can tell you everything about them. I can tell you a lot about Uccan Diego because we studied them a bunch. But who do you think is most likely to pull off the upset in the next two days.

Yeah, you know. The one thing is, you know, if you're at the best job in the league, don't leave unless it's at the best job in the league, right Porter Moser would leave because they don't have the money at Oklahom for basketball that everybody else does, whereas Nova does have the money. Uh, but for Richard Pertino, they have the most money in their league. And that's a very powerful, powerful feeling. John Fanta is our guest. I'm Doug Gottlieban for Collins. I heard Fox Sports Radio, iHeartRadio app. Okay, who's going down right everywhere you go? I know everybody wants an upset that uh, give me your upset. I got friends texting me all the time like I need I need your upset picks, Like dude, I'm if it's a Horizon League or mid major, like I can tell you everything about them. I can tell you a lot about Uccan Diego because we studied them a bunch. But who do you think is most likely to pull off the upset in the next two days.

Well, I think that there's a guaranteed double digit seed winning in the South. In fact, I'll go with multiple double to just seats. I think you see San Diego will beat Michigan. I never trust a team coming off the Big Ten Tournament championship. There's a history of this, and the nation's about to learn more about the player. You already know, Ane w Nila K. Jones kid averages twenty a game. He is a stud, but he goes beyond them. Doug. They've got Hayden Gray, who's an elite defender. You know, they get up in you defensively and really guard. They're so balanced on the other end of the floor. And I just think Michigan's turnover problems. You see San Diego's at the top of the charts in turnover margin.

Well, I think that there's a guaranteed double digit seed winning in the South. In fact, I'll go with multiple double to just seats. I think you see San Diego will beat Michigan. I never trust a team coming off the Big Ten Tournament championship. There's a history of this, and the nation's about to learn more about the player. You already know, Ane w Nila K. Jones kid averages twenty a game. He is a stud, but he goes beyond them. Doug. They've got Hayden Gray, who's an elite defender. You know, they get up in you defensively and really guard. They're so balanced on the other end of the floor. And I just think Michigan's turnover problems. You see San Diego's at the top of the charts in turnover margin.

I think it's a.

I think it's a.

Problem matchup there. I also really like James Jones and his Yale team. Again. You know, they pulled it off last year over Auburn. I know A and M can muck it up and can really make it a battle. But I think that's going to be a game. And I think John pul Aikidis, who is a stud for Yale, I think the Bulldogs are going.

Problem matchup there. I also really like James Jones and his Yale team. Again. You know, they pulled it off last year over Auburn. I know A and M can muck it up and can really make it a battle. But I think that's going to be a game. And I think John pul Aikidis, who is a stud for Yale, I think the Bulldogs are going.

To be in it.

To be in it.

I have Carolina beating All miss that's not the trendy Cinderella upset, but I could see Lipscomb. Watch out for Lipscomb. They got a kid named Jacob Augna Savitch that's averaging over twenty per game. And if you look at the Bisons and the style that they play, I think it could give Iowa States some problems.

I have Carolina beating All miss that's not the trendy Cinderella upset, but I could see Lipscomb. Watch out for Lipscomb. They got a kid named Jacob Augna Savitch that's averaging over twenty per game. And if you look at the Bisons and the style that they play, I think it could give Iowa States some problems.

You gotta you got Iowa stayed.

You gotta you got Iowa stayed.

Also, I Aloway State also does another point guard.

Also, I Aloway State also does another point guard.

You know they don't, And that's the big reason why is that Lipscomb has a top seventy five offense. I Always State doesn't have key Sean Gilbert. So you know that's something that I'm keeping an eye on. If Liberty were playing anyone other than Oregan, I would probably have taken Richie McKay's team, But I Doug. I respect Dana Altman way too much. I'm heading over to the arena after after we talked for Purdue and high Point, and I think Allan Hufks could give Purdue a run for their money this afternoon.

You know they don't, And that's the big reason why is that Lipscomb has a top seventy five offense. I Always State doesn't have key Sean Gilbert. So you know that's something that I'm keeping an eye on. If Liberty were playing anyone other than Oregan, I would probably have taken Richie McKay's team, But I Doug. I respect Dana Altman way too much. I'm heading over to the arena after after we talked for Purdue and high Point, and I think Allan Hufks could give Purdue a run for their money this afternoon.

Yeah. And by the way, Purdue High Point they don't have Purdue money, but they actually have a lot of a lot of money. And so it's a town to roster and August Savitch is from Sheboygan, So don't don't don't start me with Wisconsin kids that are somewhere else that everybody help my donors, like, Hey, why dodn't you have him? I wasn't there. I wasn't here. I can't recruit guys that I would five years ago when I last three ye is when I wasn't here. Anyway, Fanta, I'll love catching up on radio. Can't wait to do it in person, hopefully at the final four. Thanks so much for being our guest.

Yeah. And by the way, Purdue High Point they don't have Purdue money, but they actually have a lot of a lot of money. And so it's a town to roster and August Savitch is from Sheboygan, So don't don't don't start me with Wisconsin kids that are somewhere else that everybody help my donors, like, Hey, why dodn't you have him? I wasn't there. I wasn't here. I can't recruit guys that I would five years ago when I last three ye is when I wasn't here. Anyway, Fanta, I'll love catching up on radio. Can't wait to do it in person, hopefully at the final four. Thanks so much for being our guest.

You know, Doug, I hope you're not tight up against the break zone, but I do want to say this to you. I respect the heck out of you for doing what you've done and taking the Green Bay job. And I also think it's really cool some of the things that you just did in year one, whether it be engaging with fans you know, your fan base, your community, and getting your kids to kind of see the bigger picture. I could tell that you're showing them the bigger picture of life. And I know it's hard to tell. And if I went on the sidelines, I don't even want to picture that because we wouldn't be any good.

You know, Doug, I hope you're not tight up against the break zone, but I do want to say this to you. I respect the heck out of you for doing what you've done and taking the Green Bay job. And I also think it's really cool some of the things that you just did in year one, whether it be engaging with fans you know, your fan base, your community, and getting your kids to kind of see the bigger picture. I could tell that you're showing them the bigger picture of life. And I know it's hard to tell. And if I went on the sidelines, I don't even want to picture that because we wouldn't be any good.

And so.

And so.

I'm rooting for you, man, and know that you've got a fan and me and I think a lot of us because we want to see this pan out. And I give you a lot of credit because I know it wasn't the easiest of your ones. But I could tell your kids never stopped competing, and that's what life's about.

I'm rooting for you, man, and know that you've got a fan and me and I think a lot of us because we want to see this pan out. And I give you a lot of credit because I know it wasn't the easiest of your ones. But I could tell your kids never stopped competing, and that's what life's about.

No, I appreciate it they did. They fought hard for us. And just just know November three, we're opening at Northwestern. I believe that'll be available either Big ten Network or FS one. Would love to have you on the call. You you can douke it out with Revs and you know Revers right down the street, one of one of you. Two got a couple, got a couple of potential. We're we're talking with the Butler Bulldogs about playing in Hinkle. Always want to coach Hinkle as well.

No, I appreciate it they did. They fought hard for us. And just just know November three, we're opening at Northwestern. I believe that'll be available either Big ten Network or FS one. Would love to have you on the call. You you can douke it out with Revs and you know Revers right down the street, one of one of you. Two got a couple, got a couple of potential. We're we're talking with the Butler Bulldogs about playing in Hinkle. Always want to coach Hinkle as well.

Boy, I'm just imagining Dave Repson and with boxing gloves that that kind of was funny to think about it, all right.

Boy, I'm just imagining Dave Repson and with boxing gloves that that kind of was funny to think about it, all right.

See if John John fan choice, let's get to h Ryan No. When I do Rye Music with the News, We're doing Rye Music with the News next. Okay, did you guys see what Luca did last night?

See if John John fan choice, let's get to h Ryan No. When I do Rye Music with the News, We're doing Rye Music with the News next. Okay, did you guys see what Luca did last night?

Did you?

Did you?

We'll discuss it next in the Hurt.

We'll discuss it next in the Hurt.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon Eastern not a Empacific.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon Eastern not a Empacific.

Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.

Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.

You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app.

You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app.

Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.

Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.

We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world.

We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world.

We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss.

We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss.

And the fact that we've been friends for the last twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something, right.

And the fact that we've been friends for the last twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something, right.

So check us out. We like to get you involved too, Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say.

So check us out. We like to get you involved too, Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say.

I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media.

I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media.

That's Covino and Rich.

That's Covino and Rich.

What up?

What up?

Welcome in. This is all heard wherever you may be and however you may be making this part of your day. Thanks much. I'm Doug Gottlieb in for Colin Cowherd and on the first day the NCAA Tournament, I want to talk sports with you from Powway to Escondido, from Tijuana to Sherman Oaks for the next couple of hours. If you know, you know, by the way, the blue Jays are putting on the Cardinals as Creighton is up forty seven with a minute forty eight to go. Wow Wow, Omaha. That's where Creton is. By the way, you guys know who the Creighton is in Omaha. Traiden's in Omaha. Anyway, my dad coached Creighton no long, long, long, long time ago. We got a lot to get through this hour will keep you updated on all the scores Perdue and high Point. They're in a tight one as Purdue is up eighteen to four fourteen eleven minutes ago in the first half. Anyway, we'll keep updated on scores. You'll look at your brackets. If you pricked Louisville, you're probably and not in great shape, so that tournament is going on. You know, there are certain things where once you get to I think once you get to foury you are who you are right now. There are a lot of people in my life and like, man, you're different now than you were a year ago before you got this college head coaching job.

Welcome in. This is all heard wherever you may be and however you may be making this part of your day. Thanks much. I'm Doug Gottlieb in for Colin Cowherd and on the first day the NCAA Tournament, I want to talk sports with you from Powway to Escondido, from Tijuana to Sherman Oaks for the next couple of hours. If you know, you know, by the way, the blue Jays are putting on the Cardinals as Creighton is up forty seven with a minute forty eight to go. Wow Wow, Omaha. That's where Creton is. By the way, you guys know who the Creighton is in Omaha. Traiden's in Omaha. Anyway, my dad coached Creighton no long, long, long, long time ago. We got a lot to get through this hour will keep you updated on all the scores Perdue and high Point. They're in a tight one as Purdue is up eighteen to four fourteen eleven minutes ago in the first half. Anyway, we'll keep updated on scores. You'll look at your brackets. If you pricked Louisville, you're probably and not in great shape, so that tournament is going on. You know, there are certain things where once you get to I think once you get to foury you are who you are right now. There are a lot of people in my life and like, man, you're different now than you were a year ago before you got this college head coaching job.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Maybe I'm definitely busier. My life in Green Bay is way easier. You know, it's two hours to get here twenty two to the four or five. Today it's four minutes to work in Green Bay, so I got more time to be more productive. But I just kind of think, like, okay, so I'm not great with time. I think everybody meeting knows that. Okay, I am a really good communicator, probably over communicated, especially via text. I generally am a pretty thoughtful person that doesn't I don't doesn't take extra things to do the extra things. You know, I'm I. I completely disagree and always have with Colin. I wear my hat backwards, always have, probably always will. That's who I am, right, Oh. I like comfortable sweats, comfortable t shirts. I don't overdress, I don't underdress. I just dress. I know what I like to eat. I mean really, I like to eat just about anything. I don't eat pasta because I stay for the most part, because I stay away from the carbs. And I don't eat Indian food because I just don't like it. Right, Stop trying to convince me that no, no, no, no, this chutney is I don't like curry. That's just Steph Curry like Seth Curry impressed by but like no one has a Seth Curry fan actual Curry. No, not so much. Once you're forty, like you kind of are who you are and you surround yourself with people who they don't have to like every part about you, but they accept you for who you are. Aaron Rodgers is forty?

Maybe I'm definitely busier. My life in Green Bay is way easier. You know, it's two hours to get here twenty two to the four or five. Today it's four minutes to work in Green Bay, so I got more time to be more productive. But I just kind of think, like, okay, so I'm not great with time. I think everybody meeting knows that. Okay, I am a really good communicator, probably over communicated, especially via text. I generally am a pretty thoughtful person that doesn't I don't doesn't take extra things to do the extra things. You know, I'm I. I completely disagree and always have with Colin. I wear my hat backwards, always have, probably always will. That's who I am, right, Oh. I like comfortable sweats, comfortable t shirts. I don't overdress, I don't underdress. I just dress. I know what I like to eat. I mean really, I like to eat just about anything. I don't eat pasta because I stay for the most part, because I stay away from the carbs. And I don't eat Indian food because I just don't like it. Right, Stop trying to convince me that no, no, no, no, this chutney is I don't like curry. That's just Steph Curry like Seth Curry impressed by but like no one has a Seth Curry fan actual Curry. No, not so much. Once you're forty, like you kind of are who you are and you surround yourself with people who they don't have to like every part about you, but they accept you for who you are. Aaron Rodgers is forty?

Is he not?

Is he not?

Okay? So he still has not decided or publicly announced if he's playing next year. And with that, not only has he not decided or announced if he's playing next year. But the thought is that the one team he can still go start, and it's a playoff caliber team that just added an absolute stud at wide receiver, is the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's an expression that I think most of us know and we use and it probably gets overused, which is that tracks. That tracks, and that tracks generally means like, yeah, I got it, that's kind of par for the course, right, that's gonna happen. I get it. Yep, that's him, that's who he is, he's forty. We got it, right. Can we all come to the conclusion there, Aaron Rodgers is going to make a decision about playing football next year over this weekend. Again, I don't think it will hijack the NCAA tournament, and I don't necessarily think he's going to do it because it hijacks the NCAA tournament. I just think he's going to do it, and it will partially hijack the NSA tournament because that tracks by making sense a surprise to absolutely positively no one. Cam Heyward is kind of the spokesperson for the current Steelers, right, he actually has his own podcast. I thought he'd put it best when he said this the other day.

Okay? So he still has not decided or publicly announced if he's playing next year. And with that, not only has he not decided or announced if he's playing next year. But the thought is that the one team he can still go start, and it's a playoff caliber team that just added an absolute stud at wide receiver, is the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's an expression that I think most of us know and we use and it probably gets overused, which is that tracks. That tracks, and that tracks generally means like, yeah, I got it, that's kind of par for the course, right, that's gonna happen. I get it. Yep, that's him, that's who he is, he's forty. We got it, right. Can we all come to the conclusion there, Aaron Rodgers is going to make a decision about playing football next year over this weekend. Again, I don't think it will hijack the NCAA tournament, and I don't necessarily think he's going to do it because it hijacks the NCAA tournament. I just think he's going to do it, and it will partially hijack the NSA tournament because that tracks by making sense a surprise to absolutely positively no one. Cam Heyward is kind of the spokesperson for the current Steelers, right, he actually has his own podcast. I thought he'd put it best when he said this the other day.

I ain't doing that or darkness, darkness, treat retreat. I don't mean any of that crap, Like either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don't. That's that's simple. That's the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that's the recruiting pitch. You know, Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to be part of it, so be it. If you don't. No, no skin on my back.

I ain't doing that or darkness, darkness, treat retreat. I don't mean any of that crap, Like either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don't. That's that's simple. That's the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that's the recruiting pitch. You know, Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to be part of it, so be it. If you don't. No, no skin on my back.

Uh, that's perfect, right?

Uh, that's perfect, right?

Is there?

Is there?

Is it that much? It's not like, do you know the culture of Pittsburgh? No, okay you don't. But Aaron Rodgers has been a professional football player for almost as much time as he has not been a professional football player. I'm making sense, right, Like he came out of cow so he was what twenty one, twenty two years old? Right, So it's about even basically his entire adult life. This is what he's done. So it's not really there's not really a lot of suspense. Is there a newness to playing for a new organization? Sure?

Is it that much? It's not like, do you know the culture of Pittsburgh? No, okay you don't. But Aaron Rodgers has been a professional football player for almost as much time as he has not been a professional football player. I'm making sense, right, Like he came out of cow so he was what twenty one, twenty two years old? Right, So it's about even basically his entire adult life. This is what he's done. So it's not really there's not really a lot of suspense. Is there a newness to playing for a new organization? Sure?

Do?

Do?

I I think I don't know, And Mike Tummlin hasn't said, but my guess is, hey, dude, if you're gonna come play, for us. You're not gonna do McAfee's pot. We know McAfee is a Pittsburgh guy. Okay, you can appear on it, but you're not doing the weekly thing like we want to win football games and the rest will take care of itself. And look, there's a good part of me that feels empathetic towards Aaron Rodgers and the report that came out yesterday, which is that apparently TV isn't interested in him. TV is an interested and I think they're not interested in him for reasons that I understand completely. Like when I call basketball games, I know it's about the basketball game. It's not a radio show. I've obvious had to learn the cadence and not to overtalk, and that takes time, and that the pace of things and getting in and getting out. And look, there's occasionally like we'll have we had fun moments when I would do games. But the issue that corporate America has is they want safe. They want safe. When I was at CBS, the now president of CBS D person who's a friend and I think I was good leader, was there and he said, hey, are our only issue with you is we don't know what you're going to say next. And I said, Dave, isn't that like a good thing? Like, like you want to know what was he going to say next? He's like, yeah, it's like at the profile of games and studious stuff, you're going to be like Barkley can get away with that? You can't. You can't. And again you look, and Matt Ryan is in studio for CBS, right, and I think Matt Ryan's really good. JJ Watt is in studio for CBS. Tom Brady is calling game for Fox. Like Tom Brady. He hasn't figured it out yet. He will at some point he'll be the real Tom Brady on air because I'm sure the real Tom Brady he wouldn't have that many friends. And I mean, Edelman is an awesome dude. Right, once he gets away from being corporate tom Brady, like, he'll be really, really good. But the point is that the reason they like Tom Brady is not just all of the rings. It's that Tom Brady's safe. And I'm empathetic towards Aaron Rodgers because he has all these different thoughts. He wonders about things, and he's been open about it, and there's been a a docuseries about him, writing a book written about it, and he's on McAfee and he expounds on it. My guess is, if he's gonna call a game, he'd actually just call a game, But TV, like, man, I do want to take that risk. So I'm empathetic towards Here's a super bright guy, a multi time MVP, a first ballot Hall of Famer, a guy who checks has checked every box. There's not a box that Aaron Rodgers doesn't check as a player. Intelligence, athleticism, accuracy, arm strength like a clutch in key moments, toughness, all of those things he checks. And yet there's like one good team in the NFL that wants him, and TV doesn't want him. So I'm empathetic towards it. But dude, Pooper, get off the pot, right. I mean you got Cam Heyward sitting there going like, if the Pittsburgh Steelers just had a quarterback.