March 27, 2025 • 30 mins
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin joins the show to tell Colin about recruiting Duke superstar Cooper Flagg in high school and why he knew he was special at 14 years old.
J-Mac shares his "Tomorrow's Headlines Today" previewing the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
When the transfer portal, They've got to get this thing fixed.
I mean, the guardrails have improved, but it's still absurd
that basically in the middle of this tournament here come
the transfer portal questions and here was Mick after a loss.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
It's twelve forty am and a season just ended. That's it.
You're gonna ask me about next year? Right now?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
My biggest concern is how bad the seats are on
the Allegiant flight, on that terrible plane that we're gonna
have to fly home tomorrow. And is there any chance
that Doug got me some hot food because I don't
eat on game day, that I got something edible?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
By the way, I love that listen. I am four.
Let's just start with this transit portal. Nil, where are
you today on that?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Well?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
You got to be positive about it. I've always I
learned this when I was young. Somebody told me, if
you complain, you're never going to achieve. So if you
don't like something, okay, then get a new job. Don't
complain about your job. Shut the hell up, just go get.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
A new job.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
So it is what it is now. I'm all for
and I have been guys getting paid. Yeah, like this
should have.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Happened a long, long time ago, and it's just right now.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
The NCAA is on the run, trying to survive, okay,
trying to get help from the government. So I'm of
the opinion. Look, they're trying to figure all this out.
They are, they really are, and everybody's talking right now.
The problem is the timing right now, that's right, you know, okay,
like this is our best time of year for you
(02:10):
to this is when you talk about college.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Back three four great weeks.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
We don't need to be wait, we should be talking
about the games, right, that's right, not that the portal
open Monday and thirteen hundred guys are already in. So
they got you know, they got to adjust and roll
and you know, and fix all that. And I think
there'll be adjustments to it. But as far as you know,
paying players. I mean, that's here to stay and it
should have came a long time again.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So I have fifteen of the sixteen teams.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
That's impressive, Jack, do you hear that? That's impressed? How
many you got ten? Oh? See, because you went by
the old model.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yeah, and you're see the portal model eliminates the mid major.
That's right, because all their players are playing for us.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
For it.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I want to watch UCLA with a stack roster.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
And so is Mark Silverman. You know.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
I mean you look that the net works are all
the network heads, he's your network head. They're all for yeah,
oh that stuff. All they need Cinderella, No, no, no.
The executives they they they want what Duke in Arizona?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Okay? So now, but I'm gonna get toasted here because
I tried to outthink the room. I picked Arizona over
Duke for two reasons. Freshmen don't win the title.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I heard you say that, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
And secondly, Caleb Love veteran, they got a seven foot
are playing well you know Ucla? Well, can they beat Duke?
Speaker 5 (03:29):
And Howe?
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Yeah, well we played Arizona, yes, and I so they
played Duke early in the year.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
That's when the center wasn't as good.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Well, they but they had crevious Arizona did was there?
Who was their starting center? He got hurt and then
Vassar started playing more. But Crevis is seven to one
so and and look, Arizona didn't get off to a
great start either. But winning it to Michale Center is
not an easy thing. And Duke went in there to
Tucson and on.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
So you think Arizona's in little trouble.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Look, here's the beauty of this tournament. You only gotta
win by one.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Pressure is all on Duke and.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
It's not a game. It's not a best of five
or best of seven. So they only got to win
by one. So yeah, can they win?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Sure? Especially I would say exactly what you said.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
If Caleb Love has he has to make shots, he
doesn't make shots, they're not gonna win.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
When's the first time you saw Cooper flag.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Uh, my assistant Darren Savino and I in Orlando. He said,
we got to walk over this court way in the
back in au in.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
The summer, So who were we doing? What year? Four years?
You know he was gonna be now.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
He skipped a year of high school, so he was
gonna he was had just finished his freshman.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Year in high school.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Yes, he and I said, that's where we're going to
is this there's a freshman from Maine that's unbelievable, and
you know, so you know where Ucla we got to
go show your face. Walfrem a scholarship and I'm like
the guys in Maine. He's he got gonna come to you.
He goes, it's we're come on, we'll walk over here.
And I was a hope, you gotta be kidding me.
I mean it was obvious.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Really, all it is obvious.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
He defends he's athletic, he blocked shots. There's nothing he shoots.
He thinks, and he's a fierce competitor.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
He's got a little edge to him.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Oh yeah, yeah, you know Jimmy Jackson and I, uh,
we're going on one of your shows here about about
I said, you know, he's trying to compare him to
Keith van Horn and Keith yeah, and that's.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
All I respect the Keith.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
But what I didn't get to say, we didn't have
enough time. What if Cooper Flag could play three years
at college?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Thirty six a game is last.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Year and he was coming into the NBA.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Then then people would be saying, is this guy Larry Bird.
That's a great take, and that's the you know, very
few you know how good you have to be, like like, look,
none of those guys were ready. I mean women Yama
wasn't ready to make a team. No, you can't go
make a team win when you're an eighteen nineteen years old.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
You just can't do.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Can't get into the hotel bar.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
No you're not. JT.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Daniels, who started fifty five games in college, Yeah Daniels,
J Jayen that.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Went to the Commanders.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Yeah, he started fifty five games, which it would be
the equivalent of Cooper Flag playing what five hundred and
something college games?
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Right right?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Give him a hundred some college games, then let him
go to the NBA.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
But those days, you know, then it's Magic Johnson, it's
you know, it's Larry Bird, it's whatever.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I mean, he's that good guys.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Now. So I said this when the USC, UCLA, Oregon,
Washington merged with the Big Ten. I said, it's not
going to matter to football. They've got five road games.
I said, it's gonna hurt volleyball basketball. I said, those
guys are toast because they're playing on Tuesdays and they
got classes. I'm like, yeah, so you had to do
the travel, midweek travel. You also had Big Ten basketball.
(06:52):
I watched, I had izo on. I said, you can't
shoot a lick from three, but you score eighty. I
don't know how, but you get there. So let's talk
first about Michigan State, then then the pivot into the
Big Ten. When you listen, Saint John's was trying to
win a title without shooters. Can Michigan State get to
the Final four?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
They can, but they're going to have to.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
They shoot it a little bit better, but they have
stretches where they're awful, like the first half against New Mexico.
The difference is I think they're deeper than Saint Yes, yes,
and their defense when they're their defense is the key
because they run off their defense.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
No, they get eighty points, it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Well they didn't against UCLA, but they do. They got
to sixty one. But so again that that's all who
you play now, you know, like, like we win our
first round game by twenty five, and they said, way,
you didn't make shots against Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
No, no, no, no, no, we didn't. The problem was Tennessee.
You know good, yeah, what not?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
I mean, yeah, we never a best night, but just
because of them. So the matchups are the key in
this tournament. Now for Michigan State, they have to play.
They have to beat you on the backboard and shut
you down and get out on the break.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
If they don't do that.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
And they have to execute because they don't have a
guy that can just give the ball to, that can
just get you baskets. They don't have an unguardable player.
Their best offensive player is a freshman Chase Richardson, who's
done a great good player. He's not, but he's to
your point. I mean he's a freshman. And Cooper Flagg's
got Tyreese Procter now making every shot in his third year.
(08:28):
And you know he's got Cannipples, another top ten pick.
So Michigan State didn't have that guy, but they got
that guy on the sideline now he's pretty good.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah. So I said, the best game I saw in
the tournament was Yukon Florida and Florida super physical and
so is Yukon. Yeah, And I said, sometimes when you
beat a team, they're actually the perfect team for your
next game. And I think Maryland's in trouble against Florida
because I think you called that's the first time in
three months somebody went into Florida and pushed them around,
(09:02):
and I was like, oh, they're going to benefit from Yukon. Uh.
I think Florida is really really good.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I said it.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
I did the pregame show with your guys here for
Duke Illinois, and I said, I thought Florida was the
best team back then. Very few they played four centers.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
They just beat you to death.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Now somehow we were on we were on the plane,
so you know, it's not like we had UH with
the NCAA buying the plane. It's not like we were
watching the Yukon Florida Florida again. You know, it's all
I could do to get a bag of pretzels.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
But by the way, Fubo is excellent if you want
to use if you be o TV, it's excellent.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
By you got to have internet though, so but anyway, anyway,
you know, I mean, look, we can't even get a
seat reclines, but we're so when you're talking about Yukon,
I saw the rebounding.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
They rebounded with them.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
So my concern from Maryland and my bud, Kevin Willard
is one of my best friends in the world.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Can Queen and Reese they out of foul trouble. That's
a problem.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Good los Is.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
They don't have any backups.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
No, that was Saint John's issue. Saint John's was a
great second half team because that's the only time they
could play it.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Like yes fools, and they beat you up and wore
you down.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But in the first half they couldn't get anybody in
the foul trouble. They had no depth.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Well, they ran into a team longer and more athletic
that they hadn't seen in the Big East.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah, one more Heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours
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Speaker 1 (10:30):
By the way, I've had my issues with Calipari. I
think he's great for the sport. He's a programmed builder,
he's got a great sense of humor. He's amazing at
the podium. Dude can recruit arkansaw Is. I'm gonna taste them.
You talk, there's underdogs and there's underdogs. I watched Arkansas
Saint John's. I'm like they got NBA.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Dudes, but they had the better players. That's the thing
about the tournament.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
You can over Arkansas had the better par Arkansas.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Had the better players.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
You could overachieve in the regular seasoning and coaching your schedule,
you stay healthy. And some teams underachieved, they got injuries,
they go through turmoil, but they come together in the
tournament and then your bad luck is if you play
them and but you overachieved. Saint John's Arkansas underachieved and
(11:19):
injuries too, and they had all they had injuries all year,
all year, and to multiple guys. But Cali Peri's credit,
coach kyl put them together, man, and they and look
that not only did they start winning games, you got
to start winning SEC games.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
It's tough, dude. That conference is it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
And I did nothing since nobody's seeing like it since
twenty eleven in the Big East.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
So but look, I told my dad.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
We were in Lexington and everybody in Lexington were there
for the NCA tournament. Hey, you know, the talk was
coach Patino. Coach Cali Perry. I told her my obviously
my guys, Coach Patino, like I think he's in trouble.
They got better players Arkansas just they ran into a
team longer and more athletic. Yeah, you know, and eventually
if you can't shoot, it get you. So I know
(12:03):
that's like your concern with Michigan State.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Yeah, well, in college basketball, you have to be good
defensively because, with very few exceptions, most kids, it's it's
hard to be a great shooter. It's seventeen years. Ray
Allen didn't walk into the NBA Ray Allen, he was athletic.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Reggie Miller he was. No, he wasn't he did.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
He He became a way better shooter. I mean he
was a way better pro than college player, way better,
not even close. They went to the n T they
won the ni A senior year. Didn't he make the tournament?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
So big ten sec? We said on the show in January.
I kept telling j Mac, you got to watch an
hour SEC basketball. It's like these games are all close.
The arenas are crazy. It's NBA, dudes, it's NBA length, Auburn, Tennessee,
Florida big ten like Michigan's just big. Michigan State's doing
it with defense. What was your first in this transition year?
(13:00):
I think the football teams figured it out. It's more physical. Yeah,
you know those Big Ten teams are planning cold weather
U c Laus he not used to it. What is
the transition for a West Coast program playing Big Ten?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Well, look, the travel is what it is.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
I would say our conference was way more higher scoring
than the traditional Big Ten, way more like Illinois.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Is the scoring stylistically, coaching or just talent?
Speaker 4 (13:26):
I think it's talent. The games evolved. There's more guys
shooting the three. You know, you look at you know
Dusty May brought with Michigan. They could really shoot the ball.
Coaches always pushed. Matt Painter is a great offensive coach.
Brad Underwood's become a three point shooting guy. Kevin at
Maryland they shoot, they shot it. They had a great
(13:47):
team average over eighty a game. There was a lot
of really good offensive teams. The coaching is great. The
difference is the league's just deeper, yeah than the Pac twelve.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
And you added the LA market, so you're gonna get
more LA.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
The league is just, you know, it's it's I look,
I was a part of the old Big East and eleven,
so what you know.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You can get better.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
But it's not you got to get better than, right,
you know, you know it's harder to climb the ladder.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
You got to get better than.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
We finished fourth. So in our first year, I was
extremely proud of the guys.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
So you guy, you have an international coach on your staff,
and so you do some international stuff and everybody does.
And I look at it, and if I said to you, now,
we know the international players used to have a soft label.
That's not the case anymore. That's sans I even brothers.
I don't want to mess with that.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I know you don't want them to no, no, no, So.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
The international players for years there was a Tony Kuk coach.
Feel you can push them around. Yeah, you can't do
that anymore, dark O Mill that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Now tell me the difference between an eighteen year old
Serbian player that goes to UCLA and an eighteen year
old kid that played at you know, Domingus Hills are
somewhere in LA.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
The skill level is different.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
All they do in Europe is trained shooting paths, but
they they don't.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
In European bas basketball.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
And you'll hear the NBA guys, they all started to
speak to this that we we got to make changes
here because we're our system is tied to the scholastic system.
So our player development system is high school basketball, middle
school basketball, and that's not the case in Europe. It's
you play club basketball. There is no soccer is the
(15:22):
same way. So we're tied to the scholastic system. So
then the state associations they limit practice time. There's also,
by the way, only one gym, so you got to
share it with three You got freshman JV. Varsity girls, boys,
you got volleyball. You can't even get gym time, so
it's a problem. So the skill level of the European
(15:43):
is just way high. And the academies in all of it,
everything's an academy, everything's a club. So there is no
pickup basketball, Like Jay mccollin and Mick are not going
to just play pick up. Everything they do over there
is with the coach. There's no hour even like college
we have hour restrictions twenty hours a week in season,
(16:04):
eight hours a week out of season. They have no
restrictions none.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
So they're just more skilled.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Because that's what they practice.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
They also practice how to set a screen and use
a screen like that to them. That's like you know,
drinking water when you're twelve years old. Where now we
get kids have never set a screen in their life, Like,
you know you're gonna have me screen?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
What do you mean I had the ball. I just
came up playing AAU Like.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
No, Jim, that's j Max. He's a classic domestic shooter.
You never set a screen in his life. Or DD
guy out here.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
You test some guys has been a high school great
player and a you're telling me you get to college
and he's going to set a screen.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Which is the advantage? Like a guy Steph Curry played
for Bob McKillop. So, but I mess with my NBA
friends Colin all the time because you know, you get
more when you're at uclaxl use our facilities or there.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
All you guys have great facilities.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Yeah, and they play there all summer, the NBA guys
playing our men's gym. But they the NBA guys complain
like these kids don't know how to play. They guess,
will you draft them before we can teach them?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
You why does Lebron Why did he choose Kevin Love?
Remember he could have had Andrew Wiggins and that's nothing
against Bill self. But in the end he was like,
give me old guys.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yeah, give me j R.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Smith from the Knick, guys that know how to play right,
they know how to play.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
They complain about the young guys, Well, we can't teach them.
They don't go to college anymore. Except if they do,
they go for seven months. We're talking about the best talent.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
No.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I told Adam Silver this, I love you, bro, but
stop marginalizing college basketball. The coaching's better in college.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Well, look, you know he's obviously a wildly intelligent man,
but he tried to wipe us out.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
With the G League, right with the I don't watch
G League.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
No, nobody's watching that stuff. Man. Let's be honest.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
You're never going to get rid of the pageantry of
college sports in our country.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Even with guys transferring.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Every year, it's still great because people still want to
watch their favorite school and the kids play hard because
there's only so many games. I mean, you know, even
college basketball regular season game in a Big ten is
World War three.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
It's not.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
You know, in the NBA, you know game eighty, you know,
Game seventy two. Guys are sitting now, guys are hurt,
guys are tired.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Man, March is a bad month for the NBA because
it's juxtaposed all the college kids are playing like their
life depends on it. NBA guys are doing reduced minutes,
and you can really see it as a consumer. Oh yeah,
it's like, wow, this is intense. By the way, if
i'd if I run the NC DOUBLEA, you're flying American,
I'll get you at comfort. You're not doing that stuff.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
I mean, you know, just it was our seventh trip
back east for UCLA r It was our seventh, so
you asked earlier about to travel.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
But that is what it is.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
I think the biggest thing is the talent level. And
it's like to look, the SEC had it this year
and people are trying to write articles Colin about money,
but they had more money. Now we all got money
last year. The Big twelve had a great year. Yes,
I mean, but it's going to rotate around the three
is the three big leagues with the money?
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yeah, Mick Cronin, this was fun. I I love when
you come on the show. I could sit and talk
college hoops forever. My guys on the staff have to
listen to my seventies baseball nonsense this morning for a
half off. But they don't These guys don't understand that
when I grew up as a kid, college basketball was
better than the NBA until Jordan got there.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Yes, I mean the NBA was in trouble.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Butt and Magic were great, but that was two cities.
The rest of the league was nonsense. It was like
then Jordan arrived and you're like, Okay, now this is
better than college. But this whole Cooper flag. You'll watch him.
He's going to be a star in the NBA. That's
what it's all about. That's what it's all. College basketball
is such a great ally to the NBA. Put your
arms around it. We gotta go Mick cronin UCLA. They
(19:40):
have great facilities. I love him on the show. Back
in a second to Heart.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern non am Pacific.
Speaker 6 (19:47):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch
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Speaker 1 (20:00):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
In the world.
Speaker 6 (20:06):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
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(20:29):
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Speaker 1 (20:41):
That's Covino and Rich. We do it on our final
live segment of the week tomorrow. It's the best of
heard show. So we're watching college basketball. You'll watching it
on a flight tonight, you'll be watching it all weekend.
We call it Tomorrows Headlines Today. Watch the headline for
Fama number two see against six seed by you who
(21:02):
can shoot a little tonight.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
I'm curious if mc cronin thinks that this would have
been like one of the highest scoring games in NCAA history.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
The total is enormous because nobody plays defense.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
The headline will be the book of more Money BYU,
upset worth its weight in goal. I'm on BYU money
line with the points, I'm just not buying Alabama. I
know they played the rigorous SEC schedule, but I haven't
seen any defense played by this team at all. They
have not looked that impressive in the tournament so far.
I know they got the two wins, but BYU, man,
(21:33):
they got the freshman point guard who's six 's nine
starting to play like the lottery pick everybody thought he
would be. They can shoot the three as well as Alabama.
This will be a track meet, could be first to
ninety wins. And I think this is my biggest upset
of the Sweet sixteen. I have BYU taken down Obama.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Okay, I think Maryland. I loved their last second when
I think they're in trouble. Tomorrow's headlines today number one
seeded Gators against a little surprising four c Maryland Terrapin's
what say you?
Speaker 7 (22:02):
How about that sweat from Florida against Yukon down late
Greatalter Clayton, by the way, unrated coming out of high school.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
You know, he started out low major and then worked
his way up. He's a superstar.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
The headline for Florida Maryland will be get her done.
Florida keeps the Terrapin up the competition. I have Florida
winning this, I think kind of handily. Maryland's calling itself
the Crab five, you know, picking off the fab five. Yeah,
because Maryland crabs. I'm sure you know this. They have
no bench whatsoever, Colin. They cannot weather any foul trouble Florida. Meanwhile,
(22:32):
I had foul trouble against Yukon. They got four guys
six or nine or bigger who they can throw at.
The superstar Derek Queen, the young kid who hit the
game winner for Maryland. I just think the depth of
Florida wins out guard play should be a push. But
I like Florida here to win perhaps comfortably.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Okay, listen, I'll probably get baked on this tomorrow's headline. Today,
my underdog in the tournament Number four Arizona. I love
their veteran point guard that got some size against the Dukies,
who have the best player easily, probably easily in the
sport right now.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Duke, Yeah, Duke is a heavy favorite.
Speaker 7 (23:08):
It looks like it could touch ten money coming in
game day on the Blue Devils.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
The headline, well, b.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
Six foot seven foot eight foot dunk Duke just one.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
They don't want to go home.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
I gotta work on my singing, clearly, but I listen.
I like Duke tonight. Obviously we know I'm loaded up.
I don't need to tell you again.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
This team is just so stacked.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
You know.
Speaker 7 (23:28):
Defensively they are an absolute force. Colin, you can't score
inside against these guys now. Arizona has no interior play anyway.
They need to rely on Caleb Love hitting like six
or seven threes, which he did at UNC against Mick
Cronin's UCLA Bruins a few years ago.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
The guy's a good score. Arizona just doesn't have much.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
I had Jay Billis on my podcast this week and
he was talking about he announced the earlier meeting Duke Arizona,
and everybody was nervous for Duke with three freshmen in
the starting lineup, it didn't really matter.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
Cooper Flagg took.
Speaker 7 (23:56):
Over unguardable in like his fourth college game, Duke pulls
away wins by double digits.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
I think they win tonight handily.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Okay, I've got the Tennessee volunteers getting to the Natty
against Auburn. Tomorrow's headlines today falls Kentucky and SCC showdout.
Speaker 7 (24:11):
This might be the best game of the round. Now
you have Tennessee going to the championship.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I have them losing to Auburn by six in the Natty.
Speaker 7 (24:19):
So for some background, Kentucky beat Tennessee twice this year,
and I know people are saying it's tough to.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
Beat the team.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Tennessee is a good watch.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Though Tennessee's tough. As mc croner knows.
Speaker 7 (24:28):
The headline will may Hi Jack Daniels, Tennessee whists away Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
I like Tennessee here. It's interesting. In the two meetings
against Kentucky, they could not shoot threes. Kentucky was like,
have all the.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Threes you won.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
They shot forty three threes in a game, they just
couldn't make any of them.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
It was really bad.
Speaker 7 (24:46):
I think they were three for eighteen in the second meeting.
I think Rick Barnes, who we know has had a
checkered history in March. I don't want to blast the guy,
but he has had many, many disappointing losses and they
were they've been upset a lot. I think they get
it together and pull through against Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
They don't need to shoot the threes. They do have
Lanier and Ziggler great scores in the background.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
There's gonna be a lot of athletes on the floor
the teams. Yeah, it's athletes everywhere.
Speaker 7 (25:11):
This will be a last possession wins. Kentucky can be sporadic.
They're hit and miss. They were really really good in
the last round. I think Tennessee wins a really really
good game here.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Yeah, I like I think I had Tennessee. I may
have had them in the final four last year. When
you turn Tennessee on in the regular season, they just
jump off the television. They had Dalton Connect. You're like, man,
these guys are athletic, they get up, they play with pace.
Close games.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
Yeah, Dalton Connect against Zach Edie. Remember that last year
Connected had like thirty nine.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
I mean, he's a bucket. Should be a good one.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Tonight.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Finally tomorrow's headlines today, lastly Houston in Purdue. Now Houston,
uh is gonna lock you up defensively. Perdue's known more
as an offensive program.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
Indeed, Now the key here is this is being played
in a football stadium in Indianapolis and rg where the
Colts play. However, that's close to Purdue, like a ninety
minute drive. I would assume, you know, bus loads of
people coming from Purdue. They'll have a home court advantage.
The headline, well, b perdude, where's my car? Boiler Makers
go up in smoke. I will ride with Houston. Houston's
(26:14):
really really good man. Yeah, Kelvin Sampson.
Speaker 5 (26:16):
In the last few years, is that some awesome teams?
They keep getting unlucky. Shed got hurt last year against
Duke yep. That was a killer for me. I had
Houston going all the way.
Speaker 7 (26:24):
I just think their defense overwhelms Perdue a bit. And
Purdue took down High Point and McNee State.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Those are low.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Maks and McNee State off an upset.
Speaker 5 (26:34):
Winning the Super Bowl basse.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
That was my favorite bet of the tournament. I couldn't
get it up on DraftKings. I tried to get it
up in the morning. Was Purdue over McNee State. Anytime
a team upset somebody, they're so high for two days.
The next game they're not ready.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
To play and Produce smacked him.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
But again it was like, you're beating McNee State, they're
not very Houston's defense is something Purdue hasn't seen. I
just think they swallow the mirror, and I think Purdue's
in trouble. I'll give me Houston forget to get the
w We.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Had a good college basketball show that you know, well, Brian,
we should do that. We should we should put Mick cronin,
make sure we got the Cooper flag rant, and maybe
even tomorrow's headlines. Today, let's do like a special addition
for those that didn't turn in on our Thursday podcast,
do Heavy college Basketball Today.
Speaker 7 (27:17):
You know I'm impacting you here because I know you
have not I know you know the tournament obviously, and
you vun LVI, But like I've been pushing NCAA on
you for years now, and you're like a little reluctant.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
This is the year to go all in Cooper Flagg.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
The last two years I have been all in on
college at basketball. Yeah, so I'm not I'm not against anything.
You You know what I am. I'm an opportunist. I
look for big brands to do well because big brands
get better ratings, more people care, and then some of
those viewers will tune into our show. So if I'm anything,
(27:51):
I'm a I'm a big brand opportunist. I want the
Dodgers and Duke. I want the big programs to win.
More people care, and then more people have an opinion
and watch opinion shows and listen to talk radio.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
What happened to you like in the underdog? You know,
like I never liked the underdog.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
There's never been a day in my life I wanted
to be an underdog.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
I consider myself a career underdog. So that's that's why
I'm proud of it. Or I am hell yeah yeah.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
How many brown guys do you think there are on
TV talking about sports? Come on, bro, come on, I'm honestly,
I feel like I'm an underdog. That's why I root
for underdogs and bet underdogs, though not always.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Yea, why are you laughing? Speechless?
Speaker 7 (28:33):
Sometimes you look at me and you're like, this guy's
such a knucklehead.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Okay, So Mick Cronan was on I asked him about
Cooper Flag in the first it's from Maine. I mean,
if all the states to have the best high school
basketball player in the last five, y eyes up in Maine.
Like really, I mean you think Florida, Texas, Cali, wherever. Nope,
here's Mick Cronan on Cooper Flag.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I do.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
That's where we're going is there's a freshman from Maine
that's unbelievable. And you know, so you know where UCLA
we got to go show your face wal.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Frim A scholarship. And I'm like, the guy's in main,
he got going to come to you. He goes, it's work,
come on, we'll walk over here. And I was a hope,
you gotta be kidding me. I mean it was obvious.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
He defends, he's athletic, he blocks shots, there's enough he shoots,
he thinks, and he's a fierce competitor.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
What if Cooper Flag could play three years.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
At college thirty six a game is last.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Year and he was coming into the NBA, then then
people would be saying, as this guy, Larry Bird.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Yeah, he's really a special player. Probably has to handle
the ball a little bit better at the pro level
because the game is so fast, like the NFL compared
to college. It's just a faster game. Got to make
quicker decisions. But he's just a really fun player to watch.
And again he started the year. Dude, he was seventeen
years old, so if you go back, you know, years
and years ago, he would have been twenty two. And
I mean, if he stayed for even one more year
(29:55):
in college, his numbers all go up thirty percent. He's
a really, really great finisher and a special player. All right,
Tomorrow's best of the Herd. Good stuff today, Rachel Nichols
was money Mick Cronin Jay one of my favorite shows
in a long time. Really good job. Everybody, be safe,
have fun, watch Thetorney. We'll see you Monday live in LA.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
It's the Hurt.
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon 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.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
When the transfer portal, They've got to get this thing fixed.
I mean, the guardrails have improved, but it's still absurd
that basically in the middle of this tournament here come
the transfer portal questions and here was Mick after a loss.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
It's twelve forty am and a season just ended. That's it.
You're gonna ask me about next year? Right now?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
My biggest concern is how bad the seats are on
the Allegiant flight, on that terrible plane that we're gonna
have to fly home tomorrow. And is there any chance
that Doug got me some hot food because I don't
eat on game day, that I got something edible?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
By the way, I love that listen. I am four.
Let's just start with this transit portal. Nil, where are
you today on that?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Well?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
You got to be positive about it. I've always I
learned this when I was young. Somebody told me, if
you complain, you're never going to achieve. So if you
don't like something, okay, then get a new job. Don't
complain about your job. Shut the hell up, just go get.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
A new job.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
So it is what it is now. I'm all for
and I have been guys getting paid. Yeah, like this
should have.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Happened a long, long time ago, and it's just right now.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
The NCAA is on the run, trying to survive, okay,
trying to get help from the government. So I'm of
the opinion. Look, they're trying to figure all this out.
They are, they really are, and everybody's talking right now.
The problem is the timing right now, that's right, you know, okay,
like this is our best time of year for you
(02:10):
to this is when you talk about college.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Back three four great weeks.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
We don't need to be wait, we should be talking
about the games, right, that's right, not that the portal
open Monday and thirteen hundred guys are already in. So
they got you know, they got to adjust and roll
and you know, and fix all that. And I think
there'll be adjustments to it. But as far as you know,
paying players. I mean, that's here to stay and it
should have came a long time again.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So I have fifteen of the sixteen teams.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
That's impressive, Jack, do you hear that? That's impressed? How
many you got ten? Oh? See, because you went by
the old model.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yeah, and you're see the portal model eliminates the mid major.
That's right, because all their players are playing for us.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
For it.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I want to watch UCLA with a stack roster.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
And so is Mark Silverman. You know.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
I mean you look that the net works are all
the network heads, he's your network head. They're all for yeah,
oh that stuff. All they need Cinderella, No, no, no.
The executives they they they want what Duke in Arizona?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Okay? So now, but I'm gonna get toasted here because
I tried to outthink the room. I picked Arizona over
Duke for two reasons. Freshmen don't win the title.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I heard you say that, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
And secondly, Caleb Love veteran, they got a seven foot
are playing well you know Ucla? Well, can they beat Duke?
Speaker 5 (03:29):
And Howe?
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Yeah, well we played Arizona, yes, and I so they
played Duke early in the year.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
That's when the center wasn't as good.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Well, they but they had crevious Arizona did was there?
Who was their starting center? He got hurt and then
Vassar started playing more. But Crevis is seven to one
so and and look, Arizona didn't get off to a
great start either. But winning it to Michale Center is
not an easy thing. And Duke went in there to
Tucson and on.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
So you think Arizona's in little trouble.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Look, here's the beauty of this tournament. You only gotta
win by one.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Pressure is all on Duke and.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
It's not a game. It's not a best of five
or best of seven. So they only got to win
by one. So yeah, can they win?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Sure? Especially I would say exactly what you said.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
If Caleb Love has he has to make shots, he
doesn't make shots, they're not gonna win.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
When's the first time you saw Cooper flag.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Uh, my assistant Darren Savino and I in Orlando. He said,
we got to walk over this court way in the
back in au in.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
The summer, So who were we doing? What year? Four years?
You know he was gonna be now.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
He skipped a year of high school, so he was
gonna he was had just finished his freshman.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Year in high school.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Yes, he and I said, that's where we're going to
is this there's a freshman from Maine that's unbelievable, and
you know, so you know where Ucla we got to
go show your face. Walfrem a scholarship and I'm like
the guys in Maine. He's he got gonna come to you.
He goes, it's we're come on, we'll walk over here.
And I was a hope, you gotta be kidding me.
I mean it was obvious.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Really, all it is obvious.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
He defends he's athletic, he blocked shots. There's nothing he shoots.
He thinks, and he's a fierce competitor.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
He's got a little edge to him.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Oh yeah, yeah, you know Jimmy Jackson and I, uh,
we're going on one of your shows here about about
I said, you know, he's trying to compare him to
Keith van Horn and Keith yeah, and that's.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
All I respect the Keith.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
But what I didn't get to say, we didn't have
enough time. What if Cooper Flag could play three years
at college?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Thirty six a game is last.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Year and he was coming into the NBA.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Then then people would be saying, is this guy Larry Bird.
That's a great take, and that's the you know, very
few you know how good you have to be, like like, look,
none of those guys were ready. I mean women Yama
wasn't ready to make a team. No, you can't go
make a team win when you're an eighteen nineteen years old.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
You just can't do.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Can't get into the hotel bar.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
No you're not. JT.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Daniels, who started fifty five games in college, Yeah Daniels,
J Jayen that.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Went to the Commanders.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Yeah, he started fifty five games, which it would be
the equivalent of Cooper Flag playing what five hundred and
something college games?
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Right right?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Give him a hundred some college games, then let him
go to the NBA.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
But those days, you know, then it's Magic Johnson, it's
you know, it's Larry Bird, it's whatever.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I mean, he's that good guys.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Now. So I said this when the USC, UCLA, Oregon,
Washington merged with the Big Ten. I said, it's not
going to matter to football. They've got five road games.
I said, it's gonna hurt volleyball basketball. I said, those
guys are toast because they're playing on Tuesdays and they
got classes. I'm like, yeah, so you had to do
the travel, midweek travel. You also had Big Ten basketball.
(06:52):
I watched, I had izo on. I said, you can't
shoot a lick from three, but you score eighty. I
don't know how, but you get there. So let's talk
first about Michigan State, then then the pivot into the
Big Ten. When you listen, Saint John's was trying to
win a title without shooters. Can Michigan State get to
the Final four?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
They can, but they're going to have to.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
They shoot it a little bit better, but they have
stretches where they're awful, like the first half against New Mexico.
The difference is I think they're deeper than Saint Yes, yes,
and their defense when they're their defense is the key
because they run off their defense.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
No, they get eighty points, it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Well they didn't against UCLA, but they do. They got
to sixty one. But so again that that's all who
you play now, you know, like, like we win our
first round game by twenty five, and they said, way,
you didn't make shots against Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
No, no, no, no, no, we didn't. The problem was Tennessee.
You know good, yeah, what not?
Speaker 4 (07:52):
I mean, yeah, we never a best night, but just
because of them. So the matchups are the key in
this tournament. Now for Michigan State, they have to play.
They have to beat you on the backboard and shut
you down and get out on the break.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
If they don't do that.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
And they have to execute because they don't have a
guy that can just give the ball to, that can
just get you baskets. They don't have an unguardable player.
Their best offensive player is a freshman Chase Richardson, who's
done a great good player. He's not, but he's to
your point. I mean he's a freshman. And Cooper Flagg's
got Tyreese Procter now making every shot in his third year.
(08:28):
And you know he's got Cannipples, another top ten pick.
So Michigan State didn't have that guy, but they got
that guy on the sideline now he's pretty good.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah. So I said, the best game I saw in
the tournament was Yukon Florida and Florida super physical and
so is Yukon. Yeah, And I said, sometimes when you
beat a team, they're actually the perfect team for your
next game. And I think Maryland's in trouble against Florida
because I think you called that's the first time in
three months somebody went into Florida and pushed them around,
(09:02):
and I was like, oh, they're going to benefit from Yukon. Uh.
I think Florida is really really good.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I said it.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
I did the pregame show with your guys here for
Duke Illinois, and I said, I thought Florida was the
best team back then. Very few they played four centers.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
They just beat you to death.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Now somehow we were on we were on the plane,
so you know, it's not like we had UH with
the NCAA buying the plane. It's not like we were
watching the Yukon Florida Florida again. You know, it's all
I could do to get a bag of pretzels.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
But by the way, Fubo is excellent if you want
to use if you be o TV, it's excellent.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
By you got to have internet though, so but anyway, anyway,
you know, I mean, look, we can't even get a
seat reclines, but we're so when you're talking about Yukon,
I saw the rebounding.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
They rebounded with them.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
So my concern from Maryland and my bud, Kevin Willard
is one of my best friends in the world.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Can Queen and Reese they out of foul trouble. That's
a problem.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Good los Is.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
They don't have any backups.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
No, that was Saint John's issue. Saint John's was a
great second half team because that's the only time they
could play it.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Like yes fools, and they beat you up and wore
you down.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But in the first half they couldn't get anybody in
the foul trouble. They had no depth.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Well, they ran into a team longer and more athletic
that they hadn't seen in the Big East.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah, one more Heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours
a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app.
Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
By the way, I've had my issues with Calipari. I
think he's great for the sport. He's a programmed builder,
he's got a great sense of humor. He's amazing at
the podium. Dude can recruit arkansaw Is. I'm gonna taste them.
You talk, there's underdogs and there's underdogs. I watched Arkansas
Saint John's. I'm like they got NBA.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Dudes, but they had the better players. That's the thing
about the tournament.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
You can over Arkansas had the better par Arkansas.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Had the better players.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
You could overachieve in the regular seasoning and coaching your schedule,
you stay healthy. And some teams underachieved, they got injuries,
they go through turmoil, but they come together in the
tournament and then your bad luck is if you play
them and but you overachieved. Saint John's Arkansas underachieved and
(11:19):
injuries too, and they had all they had injuries all year,
all year, and to multiple guys. But Cali Peri's credit,
coach kyl put them together, man, and they and look
that not only did they start winning games, you got
to start winning SEC games.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
It's tough, dude. That conference is it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
And I did nothing since nobody's seeing like it since
twenty eleven in the Big East.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
So but look, I told my dad.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
We were in Lexington and everybody in Lexington were there
for the NCA tournament. Hey, you know, the talk was
coach Patino. Coach Cali Perry. I told her my obviously
my guys, Coach Patino, like I think he's in trouble.
They got better players Arkansas just they ran into a
team longer and more athletic. Yeah, you know, and eventually
if you can't shoot, it get you. So I know
(12:03):
that's like your concern with Michigan State.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Yeah, well, in college basketball, you have to be good
defensively because, with very few exceptions, most kids, it's it's
hard to be a great shooter. It's seventeen years. Ray
Allen didn't walk into the NBA Ray Allen, he was athletic.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Reggie Miller he was. No, he wasn't he did.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
He He became a way better shooter. I mean he
was a way better pro than college player, way better,
not even close. They went to the n T they
won the ni A senior year. Didn't he make the tournament?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
So big ten sec? We said on the show in January.
I kept telling j Mac, you got to watch an
hour SEC basketball. It's like these games are all close.
The arenas are crazy. It's NBA, dudes, it's NBA length, Auburn, Tennessee,
Florida big ten like Michigan's just big. Michigan State's doing
it with defense. What was your first in this transition year?
(13:00):
I think the football teams figured it out. It's more physical. Yeah,
you know those Big Ten teams are planning cold weather
U c Laus he not used to it. What is
the transition for a West Coast program playing Big Ten?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Well, look, the travel is what it is.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
I would say our conference was way more higher scoring
than the traditional Big Ten, way more like Illinois.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Is the scoring stylistically, coaching or just talent?
Speaker 4 (13:26):
I think it's talent. The games evolved. There's more guys
shooting the three. You know, you look at you know
Dusty May brought with Michigan. They could really shoot the ball.
Coaches always pushed. Matt Painter is a great offensive coach.
Brad Underwood's become a three point shooting guy. Kevin at
Maryland they shoot, they shot it. They had a great
(13:47):
team average over eighty a game. There was a lot
of really good offensive teams. The coaching is great. The
difference is the league's just deeper, yeah than the Pac twelve.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
And you added the LA market, so you're gonna get
more LA.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
The league is just, you know, it's it's I look,
I was a part of the old Big East and eleven,
so what you know.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You can get better.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
But it's not you got to get better than, right,
you know, you know it's harder to climb the ladder.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
You got to get better than.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
We finished fourth. So in our first year, I was
extremely proud of the guys.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
So you guy, you have an international coach on your staff,
and so you do some international stuff and everybody does.
And I look at it, and if I said to you, now,
we know the international players used to have a soft label.
That's not the case anymore. That's sans I even brothers.
I don't want to mess with that.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I know you don't want them to no, no, no, So.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
The international players for years there was a Tony Kuk coach.
Feel you can push them around. Yeah, you can't do
that anymore, dark O Mill that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Now tell me the difference between an eighteen year old
Serbian player that goes to UCLA and an eighteen year
old kid that played at you know, Domingus Hills are
somewhere in LA.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
The skill level is different.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
All they do in Europe is trained shooting paths, but
they they don't.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
In European bas basketball.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
And you'll hear the NBA guys, they all started to
speak to this that we we got to make changes
here because we're our system is tied to the scholastic system.
So our player development system is high school basketball, middle
school basketball, and that's not the case in Europe. It's
you play club basketball. There is no soccer is the
(15:22):
same way. So we're tied to the scholastic system. So
then the state associations they limit practice time. There's also,
by the way, only one gym, so you got to
share it with three You got freshman JV. Varsity girls, boys,
you got volleyball. You can't even get gym time, so
it's a problem. So the skill level of the European
(15:43):
is just way high. And the academies in all of it,
everything's an academy, everything's a club. So there is no
pickup basketball, Like Jay mccollin and Mick are not going
to just play pick up. Everything they do over there
is with the coach. There's no hour even like college
we have hour restrictions twenty hours a week in season,
(16:04):
eight hours a week out of season. They have no
restrictions none.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
So they're just more skilled.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Because that's what they practice.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
They also practice how to set a screen and use
a screen like that to them. That's like you know,
drinking water when you're twelve years old. Where now we
get kids have never set a screen in their life, Like,
you know you're gonna have me screen?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
What do you mean I had the ball. I just
came up playing AAU Like.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
No, Jim, that's j Max. He's a classic domestic shooter.
You never set a screen in his life. Or DD
guy out here.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
You test some guys has been a high school great
player and a you're telling me you get to college
and he's going to set a screen.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Which is the advantage? Like a guy Steph Curry played
for Bob McKillop. So, but I mess with my NBA
friends Colin all the time because you know, you get
more when you're at uclaxl use our facilities or there.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
All you guys have great facilities.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Yeah, and they play there all summer, the NBA guys
playing our men's gym. But they the NBA guys complain
like these kids don't know how to play. They guess,
will you draft them before we can teach them?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
You why does Lebron Why did he choose Kevin Love?
Remember he could have had Andrew Wiggins and that's nothing
against Bill self. But in the end he was like,
give me old guys.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yeah, give me j R.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Smith from the Knick, guys that know how to play right,
they know how to play.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
They complain about the young guys, Well, we can't teach them.
They don't go to college anymore. Except if they do,
they go for seven months. We're talking about the best talent.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
No.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I told Adam Silver this, I love you, bro, but
stop marginalizing college basketball. The coaching's better in college.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Well, look, you know he's obviously a wildly intelligent man,
but he tried to wipe us out.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
With the G League, right with the I don't watch
G League.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
No, nobody's watching that stuff. Man. Let's be honest.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
You're never going to get rid of the pageantry of
college sports in our country.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Even with guys transferring.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Every year, it's still great because people still want to
watch their favorite school and the kids play hard because
there's only so many games. I mean, you know, even
college basketball regular season game in a Big ten is
World War three.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
It's not.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
You know, in the NBA, you know game eighty, you know,
Game seventy two. Guys are sitting now, guys are hurt,
guys are tired.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Man, March is a bad month for the NBA because
it's juxtaposed all the college kids are playing like their
life depends on it. NBA guys are doing reduced minutes,
and you can really see it as a consumer. Oh yeah,
it's like, wow, this is intense. By the way, if
i'd if I run the NC DOUBLEA, you're flying American,
I'll get you at comfort. You're not doing that stuff.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
I mean, you know, just it was our seventh trip
back east for UCLA r It was our seventh, so
you asked earlier about to travel.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
But that is what it is.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
I think the biggest thing is the talent level. And
it's like to look, the SEC had it this year
and people are trying to write articles Colin about money,
but they had more money. Now we all got money
last year. The Big twelve had a great year. Yes,
I mean, but it's going to rotate around the three
is the three big leagues with the money?
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yeah, Mick Cronin, this was fun. I I love when
you come on the show. I could sit and talk
college hoops forever. My guys on the staff have to
listen to my seventies baseball nonsense this morning for a
half off. But they don't These guys don't understand that
when I grew up as a kid, college basketball was
better than the NBA until Jordan got there.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Yes, I mean the NBA was in trouble.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Butt and Magic were great, but that was two cities.
The rest of the league was nonsense. It was like
then Jordan arrived and you're like, Okay, now this is
better than college. But this whole Cooper flag. You'll watch him.
He's going to be a star in the NBA. That's
what it's all about. That's what it's all. College basketball
is such a great ally to the NBA. Put your
arms around it. We gotta go Mick cronin UCLA. They
(19:40):
have great facilities. I love him on the show. Back
in a second to Heart.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern non am Pacific.
Speaker 6 (19:47):
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.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
In the world.
Speaker 6 (20:06):
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, 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
(20:29):
show on planetar. 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.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
That's Covino and Rich. We do it on our final
live segment of the week tomorrow. It's the best of
heard show. So we're watching college basketball. You'll watching it
on a flight tonight, you'll be watching it all weekend.
We call it Tomorrows Headlines Today. Watch the headline for
Fama number two see against six seed by you who
(21:02):
can shoot a little tonight.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
I'm curious if mc cronin thinks that this would have
been like one of the highest scoring games in NCAA history.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
The total is enormous because nobody plays defense.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
The headline will be the book of more Money BYU,
upset worth its weight in goal. I'm on BYU money
line with the points, I'm just not buying Alabama. I
know they played the rigorous SEC schedule, but I haven't
seen any defense played by this team at all. They
have not looked that impressive in the tournament so far.
I know they got the two wins, but BYU, man,
(21:33):
they got the freshman point guard who's six 's nine
starting to play like the lottery pick everybody thought he
would be. They can shoot the three as well as Alabama.
This will be a track meet, could be first to
ninety wins. And I think this is my biggest upset
of the Sweet sixteen. I have BYU taken down Obama.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Okay, I think Maryland. I loved their last second when
I think they're in trouble. Tomorrow's headlines today number one
seeded Gators against a little surprising four c Maryland Terrapin's
what say you?
Speaker 7 (22:02):
How about that sweat from Florida against Yukon down late
Greatalter Clayton, by the way, unrated coming out of high school.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
You know, he started out low major and then worked
his way up. He's a superstar.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
The headline for Florida Maryland will be get her done.
Florida keeps the Terrapin up the competition. I have Florida
winning this, I think kind of handily. Maryland's calling itself
the Crab five, you know, picking off the fab five. Yeah,
because Maryland crabs. I'm sure you know this. They have
no bench whatsoever, Colin. They cannot weather any foul trouble Florida. Meanwhile,
(22:32):
I had foul trouble against Yukon. They got four guys
six or nine or bigger who they can throw at.
The superstar Derek Queen, the young kid who hit the
game winner for Maryland. I just think the depth of
Florida wins out guard play should be a push. But
I like Florida here to win perhaps comfortably.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Okay, listen, I'll probably get baked on this tomorrow's headline. Today,
my underdog in the tournament Number four Arizona. I love
their veteran point guard that got some size against the Dukies,
who have the best player easily, probably easily in the
sport right now.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Duke, Yeah, Duke is a heavy favorite.
Speaker 7 (23:08):
It looks like it could touch ten money coming in
game day on the Blue Devils.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
The headline, well, b.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
Six foot seven foot eight foot dunk Duke just one.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
They don't want to go home.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
I gotta work on my singing, clearly, but I listen.
I like Duke tonight. Obviously we know I'm loaded up.
I don't need to tell you again.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
This team is just so stacked.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
You know.
Speaker 7 (23:28):
Defensively they are an absolute force. Colin, you can't score
inside against these guys now. Arizona has no interior play anyway.
They need to rely on Caleb Love hitting like six
or seven threes, which he did at UNC against Mick
Cronin's UCLA Bruins a few years ago.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
The guy's a good score. Arizona just doesn't have much.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
I had Jay Billis on my podcast this week and
he was talking about he announced the earlier meeting Duke Arizona,
and everybody was nervous for Duke with three freshmen in
the starting lineup, it didn't really matter.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
Cooper Flagg took.
Speaker 7 (23:56):
Over unguardable in like his fourth college game, Duke pulls
away wins by double digits.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
I think they win tonight handily.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Okay, I've got the Tennessee volunteers getting to the Natty
against Auburn. Tomorrow's headlines today falls Kentucky and SCC showdout.
Speaker 7 (24:11):
This might be the best game of the round. Now
you have Tennessee going to the championship.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I have them losing to Auburn by six in the Natty.
Speaker 7 (24:19):
So for some background, Kentucky beat Tennessee twice this year,
and I know people are saying it's tough to.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
Beat the team.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Tennessee is a good watch.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Though Tennessee's tough. As mc croner knows.
Speaker 7 (24:28):
The headline will may Hi Jack Daniels, Tennessee whists away Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
I like Tennessee here. It's interesting. In the two meetings
against Kentucky, they could not shoot threes. Kentucky was like,
have all the.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Threes you won.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
They shot forty three threes in a game, they just
couldn't make any of them.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
It was really bad.
Speaker 7 (24:46):
I think they were three for eighteen in the second meeting.
I think Rick Barnes, who we know has had a
checkered history in March. I don't want to blast the guy,
but he has had many, many disappointing losses and they
were they've been upset a lot. I think they get
it together and pull through against Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
They don't need to shoot the threes. They do have
Lanier and Ziggler great scores in the background.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
There's gonna be a lot of athletes on the floor
the teams. Yeah, it's athletes everywhere.
Speaker 7 (25:11):
This will be a last possession wins. Kentucky can be sporadic.
They're hit and miss. They were really really good in
the last round. I think Tennessee wins a really really
good game here.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Yeah, I like I think I had Tennessee. I may
have had them in the final four last year. When
you turn Tennessee on in the regular season, they just
jump off the television. They had Dalton Connect. You're like, man,
these guys are athletic, they get up, they play with pace.
Close games.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
Yeah, Dalton Connect against Zach Edie. Remember that last year
Connected had like thirty nine.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
I mean, he's a bucket. Should be a good one.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Tonight.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Finally tomorrow's headlines today, lastly Houston in Purdue. Now Houston,
uh is gonna lock you up defensively. Perdue's known more
as an offensive program.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
Indeed, Now the key here is this is being played
in a football stadium in Indianapolis and rg where the
Colts play. However, that's close to Purdue, like a ninety
minute drive. I would assume, you know, bus loads of
people coming from Purdue. They'll have a home court advantage.
The headline, well, b perdude, where's my car? Boiler Makers
go up in smoke. I will ride with Houston. Houston's
(26:14):
really really good man. Yeah, Kelvin Sampson.
Speaker 5 (26:16):
In the last few years, is that some awesome teams?
They keep getting unlucky. Shed got hurt last year against
Duke yep. That was a killer for me. I had
Houston going all the way.
Speaker 7 (26:24):
I just think their defense overwhelms Perdue a bit. And
Purdue took down High Point and McNee State.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Those are low.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Maks and McNee State off an upset.
Speaker 5 (26:34):
Winning the Super Bowl basse.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
That was my favorite bet of the tournament. I couldn't
get it up on DraftKings. I tried to get it
up in the morning. Was Purdue over McNee State. Anytime
a team upset somebody, they're so high for two days.
The next game they're not ready.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
To play and Produce smacked him.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
But again it was like, you're beating McNee State, they're
not very Houston's defense is something Purdue hasn't seen. I
just think they swallow the mirror, and I think Purdue's
in trouble. I'll give me Houston forget to get the
w We.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Had a good college basketball show that you know, well, Brian,
we should do that. We should we should put Mick cronin,
make sure we got the Cooper flag rant, and maybe
even tomorrow's headlines. Today, let's do like a special addition
for those that didn't turn in on our Thursday podcast,
do Heavy college Basketball Today.
Speaker 7 (27:17):
You know I'm impacting you here because I know you
have not I know you know the tournament obviously, and
you vun LVI, But like I've been pushing NCAA on
you for years now, and you're like a little reluctant.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
This is the year to go all in Cooper Flagg.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
The last two years I have been all in on
college at basketball. Yeah, so I'm not I'm not against anything.
You You know what I am. I'm an opportunist. I
look for big brands to do well because big brands
get better ratings, more people care, and then some of
those viewers will tune into our show. So if I'm anything,
(27:51):
I'm a I'm a big brand opportunist. I want the
Dodgers and Duke. I want the big programs to win.
More people care, and then more people have an opinion
and watch opinion shows and listen to talk radio.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
What happened to you like in the underdog? You know,
like I never liked the underdog.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
There's never been a day in my life I wanted
to be an underdog.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
I consider myself a career underdog. So that's that's why
I'm proud of it. Or I am hell yeah yeah.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
How many brown guys do you think there are on
TV talking about sports? Come on, bro, come on, I'm honestly,
I feel like I'm an underdog. That's why I root
for underdogs and bet underdogs, though not always.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Yea, why are you laughing? Speechless?
Speaker 7 (28:33):
Sometimes you look at me and you're like, this guy's
such a knucklehead.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Okay, So Mick Cronan was on I asked him about
Cooper Flag in the first it's from Maine. I mean,
if all the states to have the best high school
basketball player in the last five, y eyes up in Maine.
Like really, I mean you think Florida, Texas, Cali, wherever. Nope,
here's Mick Cronan on Cooper Flag.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I do.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
That's where we're going is there's a freshman from Maine
that's unbelievable. And you know, so you know where UCLA
we got to go show your face wal.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Frim A scholarship. And I'm like, the guy's in main,
he got going to come to you. He goes, it's work,
come on, we'll walk over here. And I was a hope,
you gotta be kidding me. I mean it was obvious.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
He defends, he's athletic, he blocks shots, there's enough he shoots,
he thinks, and he's a fierce competitor.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
What if Cooper Flag could play three years.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
At college thirty six a game is last.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Year and he was coming into the NBA, then then
people would be saying, as this guy, Larry Bird.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Yeah, he's really a special player. Probably has to handle
the ball a little bit better at the pro level
because the game is so fast, like the NFL compared
to college. It's just a faster game. Got to make
quicker decisions. But he's just a really fun player to watch.
And again he started the year. Dude, he was seventeen
years old, so if you go back, you know, years
and years ago, he would have been twenty two. And
I mean, if he stayed for even one more year
(29:55):
in college, his numbers all go up thirty percent. He's
a really, really great finisher and a special player. All right,
Tomorrow's best of the Herd. Good stuff today, Rachel Nichols
was money Mick Cronin Jay one of my favorite shows
in a long time. Really good job. Everybody, be safe,
have fun, watch Thetorney. We'll see you Monday live in LA.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
It's the Hurt.
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