← Eye On College Basketball
Eye On College Basketball
🏀 College Hoops is BACK! 🏀 Mega Preview including F4 picks, HUGE list of predictions & Florida vs Arizona + debuts of AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer
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- [00:00]
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- [00:32]
Gary Parrish
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- [02:20]
Matt Norlander
I get it.
- [02:20]
Gary Parrish
I've been on steroids. I feel good. The off season is just about over. The regular season is here. Based on what you'd call, say, an average college basketball season, are you more excited or less excited or, you know, about as excited as you usually are heading into the start of this 20, 25, 26 college basketball season?
- [02:41]
Matt Norlander
You find me caught amidst a sports emotional avalanche at the moment because I cannot wait. I think this is going to be an incredible college basketball season. Way better than average. My hopes and expectations for this season are about as high as you could possibly expect them going in. We are about 25 minutes removed from one of the five wildest wins of the Chicago Bears existence ever. I did not even change. I don't think I've ever rocked one of my five or six Bears gamers on the pod before. I didn't even change out of my Gale Sayers jersey here. Somehow they got the win. The packers lost, the Lions lost, The World Series was ridiculous. And here we are. College basketball is less than 24 hours away. I love doing this final show before the season starts because we got a lot of good goodies here and I know we're going to run off our final four predictions here at the top and not save them for the back end of the show. But just to burrow a little bit into what you just laid out there, I've mentioned I think once or twice on the, on the pods before and apologies if the voice is a little rough here. I was screaming at my television for like, for like an hour.
- [03:46]
Gary Parrish
My little guy's an 8 year old football and among the first things we teach is Guy, you wrap up. I mean, you gotta wrap up. I mean his professional football.
- [03:56]
Matt Norlander
Chicago and Cincinnati, both of you. But thank God for Colston Loveland. And it took Caleb Williams 3 1/2 hours to make a huge play with his arm. Finally, finally did it. But anyway, so hopefully my voice will hold up over the course of an hour here. An hour. Plus we're giving you a, a special one here. I just think we're going to get a college hoop season that is just loaded with storylines and stars and reliably great teams and reliably great coaches. And then we are going to get. Who knows what they're going to be. The surprise is fun. Every year we're going to get some teams that by mid November, late November, Christmas time, we're kind of scratching our heads like, okay, why is this not work? Why was this team preseason top five or preseason top 10 and suddenly they're out of the rankings or it's just not working? I do think it's going to be a tremendous Tremendous college basketball season and, you know, one more reason why, you know, again, I think you and I are of the same expectation and I really, really don't want this to be right. But it is not lost on me. As we podcast here on the eve of the 2025 six season, this also might be the last time we ever prepare to start a season knowing there will have a 68 team tournament attached to it. I think it's a real possibility that we have a tournament that's 76 teams by 2027. That decision is not in the, that decision is not final. We don't know when that decision is going to get made. I certainly hope Cooler has prevail, but it also, as we, as we ready for this, this might be the last time that we, that we start a, start a campaign, if you will, with, with the tournament at a, at its most reasonable size that, that is out there.
- [05:24]
Gary Parrish
I don't know if I'm caught up in a moment. I don't think I am. But I find myself here on college basketball season eve more excited than usual. I think I'm looking more forward to the season than I normally am. I mean, I'm always looking forward to the season because frankly, we have a long off season and it can, I don't know, something consistently talking about what we think as opposed to reacting to what we see. And we've been doing that for, for several months. I mean, that's the thing. Like, you know, we still got to talk. We still have things we have to say and things we have to write regardless of whether basketball games are being played. You know, everybody else can clock out in as sports fans and say, well, it's baseball season now or it's football season now. But you know, for us it's, it's college basketball season on some level, 20, you know, 12 months a year. But starting tomorrow, we get stuff to watch and then to react to. And I just think this season, at least on paper, has so many awesome storylines that it's impossible that some of these are not going to emerge in real ways that we talk about every week until we crown a champion in April. Just, you know, off the top of my head, you got Rick Patino very reasonably trying to win a third national championship at a third school. You've got UConn trying to win a third national title in a four year span. You got Florida trying to go back to back. So like historically significant things connected to all three of those programs and all three are preseason top 10 at least, at least three incredible freshmen are all playing for title contenders. Darren Peterson at ku, AJ Devanza at byu, Cam Boozer at Duke. Any of those guys could be the national player of the year. Any of those guys could be the number one pick in the draft. Any of those guys could be the next Anthony Davis, be the national player of the year as a freshman, win a national championship and then be the number one pick in the draft. I could keep going, but you get the point whether you stuff. Oh, oh. And then like Kelvin Sampson, Matt Painter, both trying to get their first national championship. If whatever you want out of a college basketball season, we have the ingredients to make that starting tomorrow. And like I said, I, I find myself more eager to get going. I mean I'm always eager to get going, but more eager than, than normal. This season I think is going to be terrific.
- [07:40]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, I love to hear that. I'm also gonna, I'm gonna bang this drum now because I think it'll be true throughout the season. But one more thing on top of the Peterson Debenza booster, which that is the big trio but a heavy portion of why I'm so excited for this season. I'm always excited for the juniors and seniors as we get to see these players kind of grow along and see what they can do. But I do think we have a chance. A chance. And I do wonder if this is just some wide eye optimism here for this really to be one of like the three best freshman classes of the past parish 20 years. And if it's of the past 20 years then it's ever frankly because freshmen would become sophomores and then juniors and wouldn't go on to be top five and top 10 picks in most years, obviously in a couple eras. But beyond the top three that you mentioned, you know, Nate Ament is sitting there at number four in the 247 sports rankings at Tennessee. Tennessee. If you told me it won the sec, I wouldn't be stunned. Darius Acuff I think will actually be the best freshman in the SEC. He's the number five player for Arkansas. Mikhail Brown Jr. He's, he's could square. He is going to be awesome for Louisville. And Louisville has final four slash national title hopes. He's six. Chris Cenac plays for Houston. Houston has an incredible freshman class overall. We'll get to Houston before we get out of the show. Caleb Wilson could be, if you can believe it folks, North Carolina's first top 10 pick in 20 plus years. Braden buries and co opied. We'll save some more on them but that's two of the top 11 as well. Braylon Mullins, he's out right now for UConn, but he could be big. Malik Thomas, Baylor's got another likely one and done a potential lottery pick. You go down the list, there's even more so the, the, the, the apparent depth and skill of the the 2025 high school class and what's now become the 25, 26 college freshman class is insane. And, and I'm interested to see how many of these guys are rise to the level of being all Americans rise to the level if they don't get to that to be first team all or all, you know, all league guys in their respective conferences. You know that's I just, I'm so excited to see what they can do because in many recent seasons like Flag was amazing last season, but we had a two or three year run post Covid where freshmen just had seemingly had less relevance than they had had in 15, 20 years. And I think that's going to go by the wayside. They're still going to be awesome players that are sophomores and juniors and seniors and all American level and, and stand out. But the, but the freshman talent overall, even just beyond the Big three is going to be incredible. That's one of my favorite storylines.
- [09:56]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, I haven't taken the time to go back and look at every recruiting class and you know, weigh this one against previous ones. But off the top of my head, high school class of 2007, that's Derrick Rose, Kevin Love, O.J. mayo, Eric Gordon, that was really strong. All four of those guys were awesome college basketball players. And this is definitely from a freshman perspective has the capabilities to be a season that unfolds a little bit like that where a lot of the players we are talking about day in and day out happen to be first year one and done. Likely top five picks. I believe the place we settle into next typically when we do this show is we go ahead and skip to straight to the end of the season announced national champion and our final four picks. So Norlander, the floor is yours. Disclose the schools you got the final Four. Tell us which team team you're gonna have winning it all.
- [10:51]
Matt Norlander
Okay so and as if you're watching live, you get a little sneak peek here because this is going to publish on Monday at CBSSports.com or on your CBS Sports app. So we are revealing on the pod for the first time. We have not talked about our actual final four picks in full on the pod until now. I'm going to go And I don't, I think I don't always necessarily go with my preseason number one team because, you know, the number one team doesn't always win the national championship. Usually more often than I'm going to do it here, I'm going to have Houston win the national championship. And in doing so, and I laid out a lot of, I'm not going to go into a lot of those reasons why we actually talked about that on our CBS Sports Network show, which hopped into the pod feed on Thursday, if you got to watch that on YouTube or listen on your phones. But I do think that Houston is going to continue this run of just very compelling national championship storylines that the sport has seen for nearly a decade now. From Virginia's redemption to Villanova winning two and three to Carolina even coming back the year after losing and winning it. There's a little bit of that with Hous here. Remember, you know, Carolina in 16 loses, so Nova comes back and wins it all in 17. You know, Yukon back to backs. Florida wins it all four one Cs. There's just been, in my opinion, in most seasons, even Kansas won the all blue blood Final Four, Coach case final year. All of that Baylor would have did in 21. I just don't feel, I feel like it's been a, it's been a while since we've had kind of a national champion where it was like, okay, that's a good story. But is there actually like a particular angle that's compelling just beyond, you know, we have another national champion? I think college hoops has been blessed and graced with the fact that with most champions the past decade, there's actually been something to it. And I'm predicting that Houston will get there again. I'm going to have Houston over Michigan, which is my preseason number four team. I like their balance size transfer class. I think their transfer class is basically number two in the country to Kentucky, who I do not have making the Final Four because I'm not going to pick the teams I think are the four best teams to all make the Final Four. It did happen last year. Typically that doesn't happen. So I'll say Houston over Michigan in the title game and then I'll have Arizona making it. I'm very in on Arizona with its defensive capability, its size. I think it's probably going to have the best. Duke or Arizona should probably have the best freshman duo in the country. We'll talk a little about them more because Arizona and Florida play tomorrow night. And then Paris on my initial pass on This. I actually put Kansas in my Final Four under the idea that Darren Peterson was just going to be that level of a player, he was going to be that special. But I backed out only because the tournament's fickle. There is a chance that I'm just too high on Kansas, and most people that have them 15th to 20th, 25th overall, are going to wind up being right. So I did go with Purdue based on the coaching, the overall roster, strength, guard play, Braden Smith, is Kaufman run going to be an All American as well? So I'm actually a way chalkier now than I usually am. But there you go. Houston over the Wolverines in the title game, and then Arizona and Purdue losing the national semis. What about you?
- [13:43]
Gary Parrish
Obviously, like, we do this every year. Everybody does this every year. Like, Final Four picks is a very clickable thing. It looks. It looks good on a graphic, obviously. Like, you can say things like, you've got Houston over Michigan in the title game, and that could literally be impossible as long as Houston and Michigan happen to be on the same side of the bracket. Right. So, like, these are. They're just things to talk about. But if you're looking for four teams I have in the final four, St. John's Purdue, Houston, BYU, and in the title game, I've got St. John's over Purdue. We've talked about the Red Storm a lot this offseason, including recently. I don't have to rehash all that. I moved them to number one in the top 25 and one early in the off season as Rick Pitino was transfer, transfer portal, collecting and creating what I, in my mind was the best transfer class in the country at the time. He called Ian Jackson St. John's next great point guard. I was, like, fired up. I was like, let's go.
- [14:41]
Matt Norlander
Let's go.
- [14:43]
Gary Parrish
And then he. Then he said he injected. Then he said he's not a point guard. And now the new St. John's point guard is somebody who's not really a point guard. So do I have levels of concern? Of course I do. But I decided I'm ride or die. I'm ride or die with St. John's I'm ride or die with St. John's I've got St. John's over Purdue in the national title game. While we're here, let's go ahead and get it on the record. The big three individual awards. I think we've touched on these in various places, but we can do it.
- [15:11]
Matt Norlander
Reset. Yeah. Yeah.
- [15:13]
Gary Parrish
I've got Braden Spit Smith at Purdue winning the National Player of the Year award. But I recognize he's going to have to hold off some generational talents in Darren Peterson, AJ debence, the camboozer, at least to get that done. And as you have noted on a previous episode, you've actually got one of the freshmen, specifically Darren Peterson, as your National Player of the Year.
- [15:34]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, I've got Peterson Player of the Year. I also have Peterson Freshman of the Year. We actually had someone email the show. I'm not going to do this on this show, but I will save it for some time in November. Someone actually emailed the show for you to say, hey, Parrish, I know it will drive you up a wall if we have a situation in which a conference has or, or nationally, you know, one freshman Peterson wins Player of the Year, but Boozer wins Freshman of the Year.
- [15:57]
Gary Parrish
The.
- [15:57]
Matt Norlander
They actually broke down the math as to why that would happen. That's for a different show. It's actually a very rational explanation. But I'm with you. I still, it's still going to be hard for me to accept if we even get there. We might not even get there.
- [16:06]
Gary Parrish
But I, I don't, I don't want to even hear the explanation because, because whatever it is, I will say no.
- [16:11]
Matt Norlander
If you're the best player, it's actually based in, in logic on how votes could cancel each other out and, and how this works. But fair enough. Fair enough.
- [16:18]
Gary Parrish
If you're the best player in the nation and you are a freshman, then you are also the best freshman in the nation. By definition, anything that gets away from that very simple formula is stupid. Period.
- [16:32]
Matt Norlander
I understand. Do you want me to read it on the show now? No, I don't. I promise you, it made a ton of sense. But I have Peterson winning pressure of the Year and Player of the Year and then transfer of the Year. We actually are in agreement. We both have Donovan Dent at UCLA being, you know, if Smith's going to be the best point guard, Donovan Dent is going to be number two. It's an embarrassment. This is also going to be something for another show, but I'll just, you know, keep an eye on this as we get going. It is an embarrassment of riches how many good point guards and players who are going to be tasked with having the ball in their hands the most to lead their offenses this season. The Bob Koozie Award watch list was released at the beginning of this past week. It's an. I mean, we're talking as things stand now, 25 to 30 high level, competent point guards in this country. We've got Donovan Den as the as the transfer of the year. I have him narrowly ahead of someone else. Bennett Sturts, who's also an elite point guard, at least stands to be. We'll see how it does at the high major level. I think him and Yaxel Lendenboer all in the Big Ten. By the way, I that my guess is they will be the three most impactful transfers. Having said that, there are so many, you know, one of them could easily not hit someone that we haven't even hardly talked about in the preseason. Could wind up being the most valuable transfer. But we agree there.
- [17:38]
Gary Parrish
So Player of the Year. I go Braden Smith. You go Darren Peterson, Freshman of the year. You go Darren Peterson. I go AJ debence, transfer of the Year. We both go Donovan Dent. But to your point, there's a lot of good options here. You could go Lee Axel PJ Haggerty, who was a consensus second team all American last year. He's now at Kansas State. Bennett Sturts is a terrific option at Iowa. Darion Williams at NC State. Boogie Flan is now at Florida. My guy Ian Jackson, regardless of what position he plays, could be terrific at St. John's Rob Wright is now at BYU. Jaden Quinton at Kentucky. We both made our picks but like there's nothing crazy about any of those guys emerging say in February as the best transfer in the country.
- [18:21]
Matt Norlander
You know, we have a chat right now comment that says remember who was favored for Player of the year in 2012 and who actually won. If we're talking let me take a.
- [18:31]
Gary Parrish
Guess, let me take a guess on this. Is it Harrison Barnes? But Anthony Davis won?
- [18:34]
Matt Norlander
No. So Sullinger was at least at CBS Sports. I know this because I I put the track record actually when I did the player of the year stuff earlier back in October 1112, it was sellinger that was the preseason pick at Ohio State. Anthony Davis won and then if you meant 2012 going to 13, Cody Zeller was the pick and then Trey Burke actually wound up winning National Player of the Year. So regardless, and I I detailed this when we did our Player of the Year stuff, identifying the player of the Year in the preseason and being right on it doesn't have to doesn't happen a ton. In fact, on the CBS side, we'd hit it with Brunson in in 1718. We hit it with Luca Garza in 2021 and we hit it with Zach Edie the year that he repeated but a year ago Flag won it Preseason Player of the Year. Do you remember who was our preseason player of the year a year ago?
- [19:18]
Gary Parrish
It was Mark Sears.
- [19:21]
Matt Norlander
It was Mark.
- [19:22]
Gary Parrish
But let the record show I voted for Cooper flag. Okay, I had Cooper flag pre season.
- [19:29]
Matt Norlander
I'm gonna take you out your word. Very easy to say right now. Although it is a very GP thing. I. I don't doubt you whatsoever on that. I'm just. I'm just busting balls there.
- [19:38]
Gary Parrish
But hand to heart, hand to heart. This is not. This is not what I. Something I would lie about. I'm lying about other things, but I.
- [19:45]
Matt Norlander
Get hands opposite of the hearts to see how that other arm' right now with the steroids. Oh, there we go. Okay. Oh, he's flexible.
- [19:52]
Gary Parrish
Look at me.
- [19:52]
Matt Norlander
Here we go. Oh.
- [19:54]
Gary Parrish
Oh. On 18 from 1165 out today. Stuck it to three feet. Okay, I'm going steroids. I'm so strong. I get it. I understand Bonds and all of them. Man, I feel better than I've ever felt. I feel. I feel strong and capable.
- [20:11]
Matt Norlander
I feel like I'm on steroids. Needs to be a drop. I'm making a note in my Google Doc right now. Quickie refresh on our conferen champions. We don't need to break this down. We previewed every conference. But just for anyone that's dialed in right here live on a Sunday show, we appreciate you. Pod does not get scared. By the way, we're head to head with Chiefs Bills. We're never scared on this show. We're going head to head with the arguably the most anticipated regular season game. We don't care. We know you want ball. We want ball as well. I know Josh Allen's throwing a T for my fantasy team. Let's keep it moving. GP's talking about his golf game. I'm talking about my fantasy team. Famously things people do not give a damn about.
- [20:48]
Gary Parrish
It was 165 from the middle of the fairway. Stuck it to 3ft, knocked in the birdie putt, collected my Venmo, came on home to start prepping for a podcast.
- [20:57]
Matt Norlander
There we go. We both have duke winning the ACC. We both have Houston winning the Big 12. We both have Purdue winning the Big Ten in the Big East. Parish obviously has St. John's Ride or Die. I have Yukon winning and then in the sec, Paris is Florida and I have Kentucky. So only disagree on two of the five high majors. Also, I did note in in our pod. Doc here you have Debance of freshman of the year. I have Peterson. That that means Cameron booster is probably going to win it. I'm very aware of the fact that.
- [21:25]
Gary Parrish
Neither one of us took the guy who got 24 and 23 against Tennessee last week.
- [21:30]
Matt Norlander
What are we doing?
- [21:30]
Gary Parrish
What are we doing?
- [21:31]
Matt Norlander
I know. And we have even more coming on, on Boozer and all those guys with our, with our big preseason stuff as it is. I think that's an A block.
- [21:40]
Gary Parrish
Let me ask you a question, though, something very specific because, like, we agree on some of these. We disagree. Big east sec. I went Florida. You went Kentucky. Kinpom has Florida over Kentucky. Torvik has Florida over Kentucky. AP poll has Florida over Kentucky. I have Florida over Kentucky. Why don't you. What do you know that we don't know?
- [22:00]
Matt Norlander
I'm not saying I do know something that you don't know. I just think there's sometimes value and.
- [22:05]
Gary Parrish
Why do you think you're so. Why do you think you're smarter than everybody else?
- [22:07]
Matt Norlander
I didn't say that whatsoever. I happen to like Kentucky's roster overall a little bit more than Florida's. That's all. I have Florida second in the sec. I think that Kentucky bringing back a player of Ortega, always caliber, Jaden Quaint is coming in and if he can get healthy and be one of the five most impactful defensive players, they got a good freshman class. Just think they got a chance. By the way, I have Kentucky at third in the country. Ken Palm has them at four. So I don't think I'm exactly starting.
- [22:33]
Gary Parrish
To say, well, if you, well, if you look up in downtown Indianapolis come April and Ty Golden's heckling you from, you know, St. Elmo, you, you. This is. You did this to yourself. You did this to yourself.
- [22:45]
Matt Norlander
That's, that's, that's correct. Did you go last thing and then we can go to next. Did you. I think a year ago you were like, you know what? I always pick my top four teams on my rankings and I'm not going to do that. This. I think that was last year.
- [22:57]
Gary Parrish
Yeah.
- [22:58]
Matt Norlander
So you did that and then we proceeded to have the 41 seeds actually make the Final Four.
- [23:03]
Gary Parrish
Yeah.
- [23:04]
Matt Norlander
So did you revert to your old ways here? Did you have to go back to the old you and, and did you take your top four teams in your rankings?
- [23:11]
Gary Parrish
I'm moving like the old me. And I am also predicting like the old me. I took the top four to the top 25 and one called it a day.
- [23:19]
Matt Norlander
Yep. Yep. I'm back.
- [23:21]
Gary Parrish
I'm back to. I'm back to. I'm. I'm getting back to being who I used to be.
- [23:24]
Matt Norlander
Okay, fair enough.
- [23:26]
Gary Parrish
I lost myself a little bit last year, but I'm getting it back. I lost myself a little bit last year.
- [23:33]
Matt Norlander
If you say so. Listen, we have, we have more fun predictions just doomed to be wrong coming later in the show. But I think, I think we got to look ahead to Monday and Tuesday because we actually got, we got a few really nice matchups here, including a truly like a headline event that's going to tip off the season on, on Monday night. So I guess I'll just take it here. Let's first get a word from our partners and we come back. We're going to preview Florida, Arizona and everything else you need to know on Monday and Tuesday. Hate shopping for pants. You're not alone. Jack Archer's Jetsetter tech pants are basically the answer to every guy's closet struggles with their customizable fit, wrinkle free fabric sourced from Japan and all day comfort, these pants can take you from work to weekend without missing a beat. Seriously, these might be the only pants you'll ever need. Style them with the Jetsetter tee, legacy button down shirt or the buttery legacy polo sweater and you've got timeless staples to meet your everyday wardrobe needs. Jack Archer is just better For a limited time, get 15% off using the code getjack@jackarcher.com Again, that's promo code getjack@jackarcher dot com for 15% off your entire order.
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- [26:15]
Gary Parrish
Right Norlander, let's spend some time on some notable games scheduled for the next couple of days. And let's start with number three Florida versus number 13 Arizona. It's going to be inside T Mobile arena out in Las Vegas. It's Monday, 7 o' clock Eastern on TNT. The Gators opened as 3 1/2 point favorites. But I guess, Norlander, if you don't think Florida is going to be better than Kentucky, you probably don't think they're going to cover three and a half against an Arizona team that you've already got slotted into in the Final Four. I. I know where you're going with this one.
- [26:47]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, well, okay. So I got plenty on this game, by the way, just for official purposes here, my preseason rankings are what I think will be the case essentially like going into the ensemble tournament slash at the end of the year. So it's very possible that Arizona loses tomorrow. I actually don't think they will. I think Arizona is going to win. This isn't the Final Four and one that's an unofficial pick. I do have Arizona ranked ahead of Florida narrowly heading into the into the season. And and this is just an awesome, we're in the midst of just an awesome sports run here. We just had the World Series end last night, 11 innings and technically that ended on Sunday. So for the first time ever you have Major League Baseball ending and college basketball starting one day apart. They'd never been that close. But if that feels weird to you, get used to it because we're going to a 32 game regular season next season and college basketball season is actually going to start in October in certain years moving forward, if not permanently eventually. And we will have a situation where college basketball is actually starting before baseball ending, which on the other end of it, every time we're at the Final Four now, there's like, they're playing a random. The first game of the season is like happening in Japan and all that stuff. So this used to be that these two sports were really signaling the. The sunrise and sunset with each other, and now we've got a little bit of intermingling there.
- [27:59]
Gary Parrish
Two years ago, we went to the Astros regular season, second game of the year at the Final Four, Correct.
- [28:06]
Matt Norlander
Yes. It's weird, you know, just a small thing. But to me, that always. I don't know when the, when the World Series ends, it's like, okay, cool. Catch a breath. Season starts in three to six, seven days. That's not the thing anymore. The sports are trying to maximize their calendars and all that stuff. And so now, yes, they're about to. To overlap there. Congrats to the Dodgers. Just an insane, insane World Series. You're actually, you know, let's preview the game. But you're a huge baseball fan.
- [28:29]
Gary Parrish
I mean, I just.
- [28:30]
Matt Norlander
Literally one of the best World Series ever.
- [28:32]
Gary Parrish
All time great World Series with some all time great performances. The drama connected last night. Just as a baseball fan, like, I just loved everything about it. Felt like the whole world was watching baseball.
- [28:44]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [28:44]
Gary Parrish
And I love that.
- [28:45]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [28:45]
Gary Parrish
Because. Because I watch baseball every night. Every night I watch baseball. I love it. It's my favorite sport. And I often feel like I'm just watching it by myself, like nobody else cares. Like I'm watching little indie TV shows over here, you know, that nobody else has ever heard of. This is what I feel like I'm doing all summer. So anytime baseball is like the centerpiece of anything, like, I love that. And last night was just terrific. We just sat there like whole family and just stayed up and watched every pitch until it was all over. And like, I was glad we got to do that.
- [29:14]
Matt Norlander
It was unreal. Yeah. The Will. The Will Smith tap, toe, tap at the plate that barely, barely prevented the Blue Jays from winning. Then he's the one that actually hits the homer. That's the deciding win there. The catch in the outfield. Kik Hernandez gets pulled over by Pahas. That was just an I just.
- [29:32]
Gary Parrish
For 10 seconds leading up to that moment, you're. You're going, maybe not 10, maybe it's five. Yeah, that's like, you're like, this is about to be so bad.
- [29:39]
Matt Norlander
This is about to be 2020. This is this generation's Buckner moment. That's what you think is going to Happen.
- [29:44]
Gary Parrish
This is about to be bad. This is how they're going to lose the world. It's happening right here.
- [29:48]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [29:48]
Gary Parrish
And then he just, and it was just a big man, really. You know what, you know what saved it there? It was a big guy and a little guy running into each other.
- [29:55]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [29:56]
Gary Parrish
Because then the big guy could just be the big guy. If they'd have both been big guys or both been little guys, it had been a problem.
- [30:01]
Matt Norlander
It's a great point. It's a great point. It worked. It worked well. It's like this pod, you know, like if I was in the center field and you were in left field like that, that's exactly how it had gone. You gotta, you gotta balance it, you.
- [30:10]
Gary Parrish
Gotta balance it out. I've been running as hard as I can to reach up there as far as I can. And you'd have just went like, like, hey, I got it, I got it. We're good.
- [30:16]
Matt Norlander
I did play little league baseball when I was little, but, but I got absolutely nothing on you when it comes to baseball. That is, that is for sure. I've actually seen GP Take batting practice. It's been a minute, but, but his arm. No issues back then. Okay. We're getting off task again.
- [30:29]
Gary Parrish
So I'm fired up for this game. Florida, Arizona, if you care, I mentioned Florida's three and a half point favorite. That number's already posted. Kim Palm's got it. 8479. Florida. That's a five point difference. But like, you know, it's the reigning national champs in a real game on opening night. Like that's awesome. Like I, I, I, I compliment Todd and Tommy for making this, making this game.
- [30:50]
Matt Norlander
Okay.
- [30:50]
Gary Parrish
Like, let's not ease into anything. Like, let's go do it. Let's, hey, we're the champs. Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go. BNA block story on the opening night of the season. I love it.
- [30:59]
Matt Norlander
I got all of it for you here. So how about this? I did the research over the weekend for Arizona. It's really cool they opened. Their last time opening ranked was against Carolina out in Hawaii, actually nine years ago. It's the first time they're going to open against a top five team since 2001. 2002 when they played Maryland. Maryland was actually number two that season and Arizona was unranked and beat Maryland. And Maryland went on to of course win the national championship that season. So keep that in mind. I don't know, maybe history will, it'll rhyme. Here that game was actually at the Garden, but for Florida. So it's the first time this. I so appreciate Tommy, who schedules aggressively, period. Arizona is actually going to face the five most recent national champions on its schedule this season. Just so. Just like big schools that win titles, Arizona is playing all of them. Some of it's a function of obviously being the same league as Kansas and all that, but for Florida, what Todd golden has done here is highly unusual. The last time we had a reigning national champion open the season against a high major team was 2019. But it kind of doesn't count because that was Virginia against Syracuse. I think I know I was there and the ACC that season wanted to. I, I can't remember exactly why I remember us talking on the show. Maybe it was ACC network related, but essentially I think every ACC team, except maybe Duke opened the season against a conference opponent. Okay, so Virginia didn't decide to do that. So if you really want to go back to the last time a reigning national champion opened the season against a high major, Maryland is involved. Again, it was Calipari coming off the 2012 title. They played against Maryland in Brooklyn. They won by three. That Kentucky team did not make the NCAA tournament. That was the Nerlens Noel, Archie Goodwin, Alex Portra that went to the NITGP, but that's how long. So it's been 13 years since the team willingly opted into starting a season against the high major. Again, specifically coming off a national championship. Prior to that, you have to go back to 2001 when it kind of half counts because Duke won the 01 title, but it played. It's. You want to know how different scheduling is, folks? In 2001, Duke played against Seton hall in Maui to start the season. So it kind of counts, but kind of doesn't. But really, if you want to go to the two most recent examples until Florida, it's Kentucky in 2012 and it's Yukon in 1999 when in November of 99, UConn was preseason number one, played against Iowa in the coaches versus cancer classic. It actually lost that game. Duke lost as well and it was bracket play. So for the purposes of like promoting and marketing the event, the anticipation was that Duke and Yukon will both win to win it. They both lost and played each other. Duke wound up starting that season oh and two and Yukon avenged it. But yeah, Florida is really only the second team parish this century to intentionally schedule a high major program to start the season. And I really appreciate Arizona and Florida doing this because in some ways they kind of saved opening night because of it. Like we do have Nova and byu. We'll get to that in a second. But we have a ranked on ranked matchup. We have a matchup between two coaches and two programs that are capable of making the Final four. Could prove to be capable of winning a national championship. You get the reigning champs playing a, a power program with real talent. I think it's, I think it's a major, major, big time deal. And yeah, I mean I got a couple notes on the actual matchup, but just for the, for reference on how special this is. You normally don't get a reigning champ just opening up the season with a, with a viable opponent. Golden Florida didn't run from it.
- [34:37]
Gary Parrish
I am not somebody who thinks we need, you know, 8 ranked on ranked matchups on the opening night.
- [34:44]
Matt Norlander
I agree.
- [34:45]
Gary Parrish
Right.
- [34:45]
Matt Norlander
You need something.
- [34:46]
Gary Parrish
You need something. You need something like we can't just have good teams playing bad teams all the whole schedule. That's what it is. It's that. And the number one ranked team is a 27 point favorite and the number two ranked team is a 19 point favorite and the number three team is a 31 point favorite. Like that's garbage. Somebody has to step up and, and make compelling matchups on opening night. And in this case Tommy and Todd in conjunction with TNT Turner were able to get this done. So we get the reigning national champs in a big game against a quality opponent. Get to see how Florida looks without Walter Clayton. How far does new guards look, how Thomas how looks in a new role. And then on the other side, this is year five for Tommy Lloyd. I know you know this, but four tournaments in four years, three Sweet 16s. His career winning percentage right now is.772.772. Mike Krzyzewski's career winning percentage.766. I mean you know, it's apples to oranges a little bit, but through five years, Tommy Lloyd is winning at a higher rate than Mike Shasheski won throughout his career. Widely recognized as the Goat. It's not to put those two men in the same sentence necessarily. I'm just saying while we'll get to this later, like John Shire is off to one of the great starts to a head coaching career in college basketball history. So is Tommy Lloyd. He's. He is. He is as well.
- [36:17]
Matt Norlander
Yep. And as Arizona Duke fans know. But a reminder, Shire and Lloyd intentionally scheduled each other. Perhaps no coincidence that they are two of the best three year starters in history. We got more on that coming just a couple of general notes and just a heads up for our audience, we will we will podcast again per usual season mode Wednesday morning. So just, just keep an eye on that. We got Texas Duke. We'll improve that in a second as well. But but we'll recap everything you need to know for this. But it will be Wednesday morning as things stand and are planned right now. But I want to see does Boogie Flynn immediately hit. He didn't play in the Illinois scrimmage that Florida looked really well in. He had some bombastic streaks at Arkansas. Does he step in? Is he an immediate player? Xavian Lee, big jump up. I just want to see how he looks against an Arizona team that I think defensively is going to be showing up and ready to play. And on that note, Parrish Florida fairly and truly evaluated right now. Best front court in college basketball. I think that's, I think a an honor that has been bestowed upon him and rightfully so. They won the title and they bring back Chinliu Hanlogged in Hauk and Condon. But guess what? Arizona is probably the one team that in some ways they, they, I guess they want to face them because it's an immediate test. But they got dudes, man. Matias Crevas is back. He last played for Arizona in meaningful games last December, but he's back and he's a big guy. Toby Iwaka is a defensive monster and then Coapeat is involved as well. So that that Florida front court is going to get a real battle with the Arizona front court in a way that I'm, I'm super excited for. And then the backwards like Braden buries what is he's going to team up with Jane Bradley who I'm super high on. I think they'll be tremendous. Arizona, it does have. We're going to talk about Duke in a second. That's the number one class. Arizona has the number two class in the country. So from a freshman standpoint and I do expect Buries and Pete to be like significantly impactful players this season. And then from a head coaching perspective, you know, I would certainly hope for I guess for just coverage of the sport that neither of these guys leave. But I think Todd golden and Tommy Lloyd, I think they rank among the five or so coaches that are viewed to be most likely to maybe one day coach in the NBA. So just from like a schematic standpoint how they run their programs, like there's a little bit of that attached to them as well. There's a lot of, a lot of good stuff I'm excited to see what. What happens this game, how it goes down. If you're a Florida fan, you haven't seen your team play in Vegas, by the way, since 1985. It's been. It's been a minute there. Obviously, Tommy Lloyd, no stranger to. To coaching in Vegas. This is a 7 eastern tip.
- [38:38]
Gary Parrish
I mean, if you're an Arizona fan.
- [38:40]
Matt Norlander
Sorry, Arizona fan.
- [38:42]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, because I was like. I was like. No, I. I've seen Florida play in Vegas. I was there.
- [38:45]
Matt Norlander
Correct, correct. If the 7 eastern tip on TNT. Just be aware as a. As a college basketball fan, you just have a little bit of some different stuff with. With catching some of these games. And although GP And I both don't love the fact that the seasons are, like, set to start on Mondays in the years to come. Just not a great idea. We. We criticized it when it happened. At the very least, this game does tip at 7 Eastern, whereas, you know, Monday Night Football's matchup, which is fine. That's not going to start until this game is, like, into the second half. So you'll at least have. It'll have some standalone quality tied to it overall. But, yeah, no, this is just. This is just tremendous. And I'm with you. Just give me, like, one or two good ones to start the season. This is. This is tremendous. And then obviously we get to dance in the. In the nightcap there.
- [39:31]
Gary Parrish
All right, let me make sure I understand what you said. Arizona hasn't played a game in Las Vegas since when?
- [39:36]
Matt Norlander
No. Florida.
- [39:37]
Gary Parrish
Florida. I was at a Florida game in Las Vegas.
- [39:41]
Matt Norlander
Okay.
- [39:41]
Gary Parrish
Joe Kim. Noah was on the court.
- [39:43]
Matt Norlander
You are correct, because I remember the game. Okay.
- [39:46]
Gary Parrish
Yes.
- [39:47]
Matt Norlander
I'm going. I got this from the Florida notes earlier today. Hold on. I'm about to. I'm about to throw Florida under the bus here.
- [39:55]
Gary Parrish
Play two games in Las Vegas.
- [39:57]
Matt Norlander
Here we go. Hold on. Here it is. This is what this is in Florida's notes.
- [40:03]
Gary Parrish
Okay?
- [40:03]
Matt Norlander
The Gators visit Las Vegas for the first time since the Rebel Roundup on December 21st and 22nd, 1985, where Florida dropped a pair of games versus Iona in San Diego State at UNLV's Thomas & Mac Center. So that's not correct because.
- [40:15]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, Florida played Kansas.
- [40:17]
Matt Norlander
Kansas. That's right. 0708.
- [40:20]
Gary Parrish
And it would be in November 2006.
- [40:27]
Matt Norlander
Maybe that's it. Yeah. Okay. There we go.
- [40:29]
Gary Parrish
Okay, I wanna. Let's see it right here.
- [40:31]
Matt Norlander
I remember that game. Taking Kansas 82.
- [40:34]
Gary Parrish
It's Kansas 82, Florida 80. Las Vegas Invitational.
- [40:39]
Matt Norlander
There we go.
- [40:40]
Gary Parrish
We gotta we gotta, we gotta, we gotta get.
- [40:43]
Matt Norlander
Okay, maybe this is. Maybe this is the Out. If you're watching the show, it says Paradise, Nevada, and that's not technically Las Vegas.
- [40:51]
Gary Parrish
Oh, my God.
- [40:52]
Matt Norlander
But I.
- [40:53]
Gary Parrish
Well, then you're being.
- [40:55]
Matt Norlander
I'm not disagreeing with you. They have, they have played in the general Vegas area since then.
- [40:59]
Gary Parrish
That's, that's, that's misleading. At the very least, it's misleading.
- [41:03]
Matt Norlander
Understood. I got it from Florida's notes, so. Yeah. Well, I love the fact that you.
- [41:08]
Gary Parrish
Fact check somebody in Florida's nose. They're getting a little too nitpicky. We were in Vegas. We were in Vegas. All right. We slept in Vegas. We flew into Vegas.
- [41:19]
Matt Norlander
Yes. What airport did you fly into? I think should largely define.
- [41:22]
Gary Parrish
Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, I didn't mean to get caught on that, but I was real confused.
- [41:27]
Matt Norlander
No, you're, you're all good. A ton surrounding this one and we gave it a lot of time, but it's a, it's an awesome matchup and I just, I can't wait to see these teams and what they look like. I've been just. I'm champing out the bit to, to get there. I will note, by the way, before we get to the BYU Nova, just for chronological purposes, Lehigh plays at Houston, 8 Eastern. CBS Sports Network. We will have college hoops on our air, folks, on Monday night. Kelvin Sampson is going for win number 800 in this game. He would have much preferred to get that back in April. Nevertheless, he is going for 800. We'll be on at halftime. And I will have the capability to turn back time when we do that halftime show, because if you're watching right now, you can see what my hair looks like. And it will, it will not look like that on that halftime show, I can promise you that. But, but a big time game there. And by the way, if you're watching hoops on Monday and really throughout this week, kind of want to see what your setups are. Our college football guys have done this as well. Tweet us your setups. I don't know if we have a hashtag associated with that, but I do know that, that that's going to be an initiative, a social media driven initiative. So I generally do want to see what, what, how you're taking in the games and all that good stuff. So tweet at the podcast accounter at me and GP and if we got some good ones out there, we'll. We'll highlight you on the pod later on this week.
- [42:37]
Gary Parrish
Every once in a While I'll be sitting around and someone be like, man, it's a great sports night. Look at my setup. I'm ready to go. And I'm like, now I got a setup here. And then I take a picture. Like, I have. I have pictures in my phone.
- [42:52]
Matt Norlander
Unleash it on the world.
- [42:53]
Gary Parrish
No.
- [42:54]
Matt Norlander
How rich you are.
- [42:55]
Gary Parrish
That's. This is exactly the problem. I take the picture, and then I'm like, the. The replies are going to be, oh, you're a jerk. Stop showing off your screens. Stop showing off your monitors. And so. And then I just. And then. So I just sit the whole thing out. So this is what I'm asking you. Can I. You're asking people to share their setups. Can I share my setup without people mocking me?
- [43:22]
Matt Norlander
No, I think. Listen, it's. It's. I think the most important thing here is anything that's good for show content, regardless of how it might reflect on us or. Or ping our egos, is ultimately better. So, yes, I think you absolutely should.
- [43:35]
Gary Parrish
Because I do want to tell you. I mean, it does look rich. I mean, it looks rich. It's a nice setup.
- [43:45]
Matt Norlander
How about this? You tweet yours, and I'll tweet mine as well. Okay.
- [43:48]
Gary Parrish
I guarantee you mine kills yours.
- [43:49]
Matt Norlander
Oh, without a doubt. Like, yeah, mine. Mine's. Mine's fine. I got a. I got a two TV set up here. I do the iPad. It's fine. Like, it's whatever I say.
- [43:56]
Gary Parrish
The Chat over, under four TVs get comfortable. Get out of here for an over.
- [44:01]
Matt Norlander
Under four and a half.
- [44:04]
Gary Parrish
Over. Way over.
- [44:06]
Matt Norlander
But at what point does that become counterproductive? You only have so much of an attention span to watch all this stuff.
- [44:13]
Gary Parrish
I got addicted. At some point, I just started buying screens. Just. And now it's like, I don't even turn half of them on half the time.
- [44:22]
Matt Norlander
You're like. You're like the guy from the Matrix, too.
- [44:25]
Gary Parrish
Here's what I was trying to say. It looks rich.
- [44:27]
Matt Norlander
It does.
- [44:27]
Gary Parrish
I get it. But in 2025, this is the point I want to emphasize most. You don't have to be rich to have a nice setup. And I don't say that like I'm not ignorant to. Like, times are hard. I got it. But, like, TV screens are the ones that used to cost 1500 dollars, cost 250 now. That's what I mean.
- [44:44]
Matt Norlander
I got to get on that. Then my. My living room tv, I haven't updated in a decade because it still works. It's high def. What do I care Maybe I gotta, maybe I gotta step it up.
- [44:53]
Gary Parrish
You might need to step your stuff. You might need. You're definitely going to want to step your stuff up if I ever show you my setup, but I don't think I'm going.
- [44:59]
Matt Norlander
You're going to show me your setup because you're gonna, we're gonna, we're gonna bully you into, into making this happen.
- [45:04]
Gary Parrish
I'm insecure. I'm insecure about it.
- [45:05]
Matt Norlander
No, let's, let's make it feels a little too showy. BYU, Villanova and Vegas. This is the Nightcap 9:30. It's not, it's not as good of a matchup, but it's got the biggest star, it's got AJ to band. So BYU is ranked in the preseason AP top 10 for the first time in program history. And more good stuff. You know, BYU knew what it was. It's not just the banter. Richie Saunders, Rob Wright, those are the three big names there. One of the better offensive teams in the country last season. GP just talked last week about how great they were in the final two months of the season. But stepping right in, playing in a high major opponent. We'll wait and see what Villanova is. You know, a Kaden Lewis is a freshman on that roster who I think is going to be top 15 freshman of value in the country this season, not potentially top 10 because what they're going to ask from him, but Kevin Willard's bringing in guys that were going to play with him at Maryland. They've got transfers from Grand Canyon and James Madison and Temple. We'll see. I don't know, maybe. We talk on this show Wednesday morning and we're talking about how Villanova pulled off a win. And that's, and that's the lead topic for all I know. But I'm expecting a BYU win. The question is with the Banta, you know, is he going to approach this game or will BYU approach this game for him to say big stage right away, go get it. Like is Debance in the natural flow of the game? Is he trying to get 34 on opening night or are we going to see Richie Saunders, Rob Wright, kind of them share the sugar a little bit there. Just interested to, interested to see that as well because our first big look at a big name freshman happens Monday night with the Cougars out in the desert.
- [46:33]
Gary Parrish
So on the freshman, your team Peterson, I'm team Debance and it's probably going to end up being team Boozer, of course. But I think your among your arguments for Peterson this is the one I subscribe to the most. DeBance has got multiple other dudes who are going to score and I'm not sure Kansas does like. Kansas might really like. Darren Peterson could have the highest usage rate in the country. That might be overstating that, but it's gonna, it could be up there pretty high. Whereas Richie Saunders is gonna score, Rob Wright is going to have the ball in his hands a lot. So that to me, if you're just looking for numbers, Peterson might end up with the better numbers because he might need to for Kansas to be what Kansas is going to be.
- [47:23]
Matt Norlander
I think that's entirely possible. I think like Badunga is going to be solid for Kansas. I do think Melvin Cats will step up. I, you know, I, I've been an El Marco Jackson guy since I saw him on the Under Armour circuit a few years back, but he didn't play last season. Let's see what he can grow into. But he's like a, he's a, it's a pretty good athlete. Can he thrive in that, you know, secondary role, but certainly something above a tertiary role. But, but yes, Peterson is going to be a volume monster. I do think there will be nights and we, we're going to get to this in the prediction port because I want to actually try and have us hit on what we think certain guys are going to do in the, in the Big three. But I do think there will be certain nights where the Banta does go for like 36 and it's an awesome 36. But there could be nights where Rob Wright just goes for 24, Richie Saunders goes for 23 and Debancer chips in with an additional 16 and it's. And it works perfectly with the way that Kevin Young runs his offense. I want to see how all those pieces work. I do expect. And this is part of why, you know, circle back to the top of the show. GP and I'm so like, I am ready for games right now. I do think BYU should be if it goes the way they want it to a top five must see offensive unit in the country because they have the pieces to be able to throw up. 85, 90, 95 on a given night. We see if they can do that right away if it's going to take them a little bit time to get in there.
- [48:38]
Gary Parrish
So interesting game just on a surface level. You look at it, you go, okay, one of them is a top 10 team, the other one's got a new coach and just was picked to finish seventh in the Big East. Because that's where we're at. Count up, tune out. Kevin Willard in Villanova missed the Inside tournament for three straight years. Is expected to miss it a four straight. Kim Palm's got it projected though. Only BYU 80, Villanova 75. So at least according to one computer, we should have a competitive basketball game there. Byu. I'm really high on them. I got them top four in the country. I've got them in my final four. Based on that stuff alone, I think this could be the best BYU basketball team, men's basketball team ever.
- [49:20]
Matt Norlander
They.
- [49:20]
Gary Parrish
They brought. They. They just. They. I think they. The way the team is configured is I think there's no one way to do it. But I like this way. Player retention. Like you bring back two starters, supplement them in the transfer portal. They got two more guys out of there just. And then go get the one and done star. Like that's. I think that's, that's a recipe I like. You got some players back. Retention's important. You're not trying to supplement your lost starters with freshmen. Completely get in the transfer portal. Guys who have already done it and then get the one and done difference maker who could be the number one pick in the draft. Like BYU did all of that stuff in a way that, yeah, some other teams I guess, you know, got there. But that's a great example of how to roster configure, I think.
- [50:11]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [50:12]
Gary Parrish
And I think they're going to be really, really good. I'll have them winning this game on the other side. Interested to see what Villanova looks like.
- [50:18]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [50:19]
Gary Parrish
In year one under Kevin. Also just like going forward under Kevin because how he got from Maryland to Villanova was very awkward. Like we didn't get off to the best start. It wasn't, it wasn't the best feelings. But now, you know, all that's in the past and it's time to go win basketball games, run a basketball program. He only got one dude back, Tyler Perkins, who averaged 6.4 rebounds and like 25 minutes per game last season. So he's a rotation piece, but not a big piece. Everything else is new. But again, based on kinpom, we could have a, you know, a competitive game tomorrow night featuring a top five pick and a preseason top 10 team. That's good stuff.
- [50:56]
Matt Norlander
Yeah. And again, that's a 9:30 schedule tip on TNT before we get to the big Tuesday matchup. Just a couple, you know, those are the two notable games and the Houston Lehigh one, obviously on CBS Sports Network. But you've got high. You've got big time teams playing smaller schools and so the question is on Wednesday will we be talking about either a ranked team or just a notable power conference team that takes an L. You do have two on the road. Boston College will play at FAU and then Missouri is going. Dennis Gates has taken his team to play at Howard to hope and open the season. You know I understand why plenty of people will be like why are you doing that? And I get that. But I actually like that they're doing it because if you if you're going to be more likely to win than lose and if you win it actually can be a really nice resume thing notch come NCAA tournament time. So Missouri's pretty good. Howard wasn't good. I would think they would win. But those are notable. And then I will give a shout to to our counterparts at Field of 68. They have taken on the task here of having six games on opening day, including Queens at Winthrop on YouTube at 8am yes, eight in the morning on Monday. That game will tip off the start of the college basketball season. Kind of like that. And they also will broadcast High Point versus Furman. That's at 6pm Eastern on YouTube. That could be the best team in the Big south against the best SoCon team. So it actually is a good mid major matchup. Want to give them their flowers there. There's a couple other notable games on Monday but we'll see results wise. If there's anything to break down on Wednesday and see if anyone gets picked off early Tuesday, it's the biggie. Texas versus Duke in Charlotte. Tip time is scheduled for 8:45pm Eastern. It's the Dick Vital Invitational so it will be obviously an awesome scene. Dicky V. Well on the mend here. He's obviously had his share of health battles we've talked about and given him his flowers and praise plenty on the pod in recent months and years. And here we get we get Duke where I had actually mentioned, you know, aside from the Champions Classic, the last time that Duke opened a season against the high major team was back Seton hall in the Maui. But the Champions Classic like induced them to do that. Maybe we'll save that for another time because we're not getting the Champions Classic folks for two weeks which is absolutely awfulness. But so it goes. Texas gets this game. We get Boozer here. I do have a trivia time for you. Cameron Boozer, fourth player to ever win the Gatorade National Player of the Year, even predating when it was called, I think technically the Gatorade national player of the Year. He's the fourth one to do it. Win it twice in his high school career. He actually won it as a senior and a sophomore. Flag won it when Boozer was a junior. Who are the other three to do it? I think you can get two of the three. All three are, I guess, technically gettable. But I think two of the three are easier than the other.
- [53:31]
Gary Parrish
Would you believe I have actually talked to Cameron Boozer about this? About this specifically. Like, then you got it. I said, cam, hey, I don't know if you realize, but you're a two time Gatorade award winner and only three other people have ever won that award twice. And then I was like. And it was boom, boom, boom. What's it like to be in that class? And then he said something. I neither remember what I said nor what he said.
- [54:01]
Matt Norlander
Okay, you can't.
- [54:04]
Gary Parrish
But I'm gonna say Greg Odin.
- [54:05]
Matt Norlander
Correct. There you go.
- [54:09]
Gary Parrish
I'm gonna say, how far back do we go with this?
- [54:12]
Matt Norlander
You know what, I'm glad you asked. It goes back to 85.86.
- [54:15]
Gary Parrish
Okay, I went. Greg Oden.
- [54:19]
Matt Norlander
Yep. No one said it in the chat, but try to avoid the chat on some of these.
- [54:23]
Gary Parrish
I'll turn my phone over. I'm not looking. Greg Oden.
- [54:29]
Matt Norlander
There's another. Very easy one.
- [54:31]
Gary Parrish
Very easy.
- [54:32]
Matt Norlander
Very easy. Two time Gatorade high school player of the year.
- [54:46]
Gary Parrish
It was. It's not Anthony Davis, is it? No, he was. Because he was a late thing.
- [54:50]
Matt Norlander
No. 2 time high school player of the year.
- [54:55]
Gary Parrish
Just give them to me. I can't.
- [54:56]
Matt Norlander
The greatest high school player ever. That's not Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
- [55:00]
Gary Parrish
Okay, well, I was about to say the little cinder, but that's a different era. The greatest high school player who's not Luau Cinder.
- [55:05]
Matt Norlander
Yes. He's still in the NBA. He has sciatica. LeBron.
- [55:12]
Gary Parrish
Jesus Christ.
- [55:13]
Matt Norlander
Now you know how I feel when you give me an easy one and I can't get the answer. Okay.
- [55:17]
Gary Parrish
LeBron James. Sure. So, LeBron James. Greg Odin.
- [55:22]
Matt Norlander
And.
- [55:22]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, go ahead.
- [55:23]
Matt Norlander
Played for Kentucky. Brandon Knight.
- [55:25]
Gary Parrish
Brandon Knight.
- [55:26]
Matt Norlander
Brandon Knight won it twice. Those are the only. And then Boozer is the only. The two time player of the year. Great. Ever high school player of the year. Just a little trivia. Time to get us going here to start the season. What does Boozer look like? Texas brings back Jordan Pope. Tremond Mark. They've got Simeon Wilcher from St. John's Cam Heidi from Purdue. Like, I think he'll be a role player, but you know he went to, he went to Texas because he thought he was going to have a chance to really pop there. We'll see if he does. Duke obviously favored this game is not in Duke's backyard, but it is in Charlotte, it is in state and yeah how, how good does Duke look immediately after a heartbreaking Final Four loss? Duke was the best team in the sport last season per most metrics. Not every metric but per most metrics and rated as one of the best teams frankly the past 20 to 25 years. Now it's not entirely new roster. Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster, Patrick and Gongba are all back in addition to the number one rated class. And we see what they look like against a Texas team that is going to just try and find its identity under Sean Miller. This is a complete. This is about as house money as you can possibly get. If you are Texas and Sean Miller. It's your first game there in the state of North Carolina against Duke which might have the number one pick in the draft and one of the literally one of the winningest, best high school players that has ever played and his twin brother Cade in there. So very, very interested just to see what Duke looks like. But I would think Duke would win. But that's what the first season week of the season's four we get surprises. Maybe Texas can do it.
- [56:50]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, Texas brings back four players from the previous staff among them Jordan Pope from on Mark Kinpom has it Duke 80, Texas 73s for whatever it's worth. So yeah, Duke's going to be favored in in the game and expected to win. A they're on paper the better team. B they will have a a crowd advantage presumably in Charlotte. But yeah if your Texas like it's A you get a chance to open the season against Duke in a high profile event like let's go do it and take a shot. If we lose, you know, so what? Nobody thought anything otherwise. But what if we get them? Then you can just really you know, launch pad your program or at least have some really good stuff to draw from in the first week of your first week in the regular season as UT's coach. Some stuff on Texas though, you know they had to get into the transfer portal obviously and they've got two bigs, both of whom have been dealing with injuries this preseason. Lacina Traori, who you might remember we we talked about him last preseason.
- [57:54]
Matt Norlander
Great call, great poll because he was.
- [57:56]
Gary Parrish
Supposed to be at Xavier, supposed to be a difference maker, had averaged 12 and 10 the year before at Long Beach State and was getting rave reviews in the preseason at Xavier. He towards ACL missed all of last season, graduated followed Sean to Texas so he's there but he's been dealing with like a mid foot sprain and so because of the ACL they're being a little more careful with it. He's expected to be available for the opener but he has been limited in in recent workouts. And then the other one is a young man named Maris Vocatitis and he is A FAU transfer 10 and 5 last year in the American. He's also been dealing with a minor injury. So you know Texas is going to have five guys on the court at all times I imagine. But these are rotation pieces in the front court that have been limited recently. And when you're getting ready to go deal with, you know, Duke's front court, that's obviously less than ideal.
- [58:59]
Matt Norlander
Folks, we are 56 minutes in and we still have a hearty, just thick prediction segment to get to. Let's take I know GP's super psyched about this. Let's take one more break and then we'll get into some outrageously fun and surely some doomed to be wrong picks for the 2526 season this summer, healthy.
- [59:19]
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- [59:52]
Matt Norlander
Your fantasy season doesn't end after your draft. The Fantasy Football Today podcast is going to get you through the season and to a championship. Fantasy Football Today, part of CBS Sports Podcast Network, has episodes every single day. Waiver wire, trade talk, starter sit, mailbags, and more. If you want to win your league, you need to listen to Fantasy Football Today. Download and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere podcasts are found. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Now, I don't know if you've heard, but Mint's premium wireless is $15 a month. But I'd like to offer one other perk. We have no stores. That means no small talk crazy weather we're having.
- [60:38]
Gary Parrish
No, it's not.
- [60:38]
Matt Norlander
It's just weather.
- [60:39]
Gary Parrish
It is an introvert's dream.
- [60:42]
Matt Norlander
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- [60:51]
Gary Parrish
See mintmobile.com all right, Norlando, we got a series of questions here. Just like fun stuff that we're gonna try to answer and as always, we'll, we'll see how it goes.
- [61:00]
Matt Norlander
Correct? Correct. And I am going to start with the trivia time, my friend.
- [61:03]
Gary Parrish
Okay, trivia time me.
- [61:04]
Matt Norlander
Because we're going to do what first? First we're going to do something we do every year and that is try and predict how many high major coaches at new schools will make the tournament in their first year. How many do you think made it last year? How many first year coaches at high major schools actually danced in year one at their new spot?
- [61:20]
Gary Parrish
Five.
- [61:21]
Matt Norlander
The answer is seven. Now here's what we said a year ago, GP you got four right. Caliperi, Pope, Kelsey and Dusty May you said would all make it. You were right. I said Cal Pope, Dusty May as well. We also both said Diebler. Although I went back and listened, I reluctantly said yes. And they didn't make it. We were wrong on Kevin Young. That was very wrong. We were wrong on Mark Buyington at Vandy. So we had three wrong overall. We both thought that Young and Byington wouldn't make it. They did. We thought Diebler would make it and he didn't. So in 2026, how many hirings from this past, you know, 2025 cycle will make the NCAA tournament? I have all the names if you need them, but I do not think you need them.
- [62:01]
Gary Parrish
I'm gonna go six.
- [62:03]
Matt Norlander
Wow. I'm at, you know what, GP I'm at five. And I think I know what your six is. And then I'm going to tell you why I didn't go with the six. Go ahead.
- [62:10]
Gary Parrish
Okay, let's, let's. I'm gonna try to pick the ones that I think we agree on. Yep, we agree on Stephen Pearl.
- [62:17]
Matt Norlander
We, you know what? Sorry, we agree on. So we're at six. You know what? I went to Maya. Yes, we agree on Stephen Pearl. Just incredible producing by me. I went back and checked my coaching carousel tracker which like last updated in July so Pearl wasn't on it. So I'm adding Pearl. Now I have six. So now I think we have the same six. Go ahead.
- [62:40]
Gary Parrish
Stephen Pearl.
- [62:41]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [62:43]
Gary Parrish
Buzz Williams.
- [62:44]
Matt Norlander
No, I do not have Maryland making The tournament.
- [62:47]
Gary Parrish
You don't have boss.
- [62:48]
Matt Norlander
No.
- [62:49]
Gary Parrish
That's disrespectful.
- [62:50]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [62:50]
Gary Parrish
Will Wade.
- [62:52]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [62:53]
Gary Parrish
Sean Miller.
- [62:54]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [62:56]
Gary Parrish
Ryan Odom.
- [62:57]
Matt Norlander
Yes. Of course I've Virginia top 30.
- [63:01]
Gary Parrish
Okay. Here's the two where I've got. I had. I'm picking between these two to fill it. My. So I got five that I feel like my first five would be Stephen Pearl, Buzz Williams, Will Wade, Sean Miller, Ryan Odom, in some order.
- [63:17]
Matt Norlander
Yep.
- [63:17]
Gary Parrish
And my sixth, I would go with either Bucky McMillan at Texas A M. Look at you. Or Ben McCollum in Iowa.
- [63:28]
Matt Norlander
Okay. You got to pick one. You gotta go or pick them both. I don't care. But you said six, so who's it gonna be?
- [63:34]
Gary Parrish
I think based off of what I've already said on previous episodes, I think I'm. I think I've boxed myself into Texas A M in, Iowa out.
- [63:46]
Matt Norlander
Okay, well, I thought you had Ben McCollum as a top 10 coach in the country, so I don't think. I don't know how these square. Okay.
- [63:51]
Gary Parrish
I. This is the problem with talking too much. All right? You end up saying a lot of stuff. And now I'm boxed in. I think I. I think based on previous episodes, I've got Iowa out in A M in. And that means Bucky in, ben out. But six is my answer. Six first year high major coaches will be in the NCAA tournament.
- [64:10]
Matt Norlander
GPS Bucky McMillan, Will Wade, Sean Miller, Buzz Williams, Ryan Odom, and Stephen Pearl. Okay. I have Stephen Pearl, Ryan Odom, Kevin Willard, Sean Miller, Will wade, and Ben McCollum now the coach. So we both have the same amount, but we don't have the same exact coaches, which I like. I. I think on a previous show, I put Indiana in the tournament. I'm going back on that parish.
- [64:37]
Gary Parrish
Well, they're gonna love that.
- [64:38]
Matt Norlander
Well, how about this Indian? Well, you know what? They actually, I think they're okay in Bloomington right now with the football team and all things considered, I actually think they're like. They're, like, willing to trade one year of football greatness if, like, it's year one under a new coach and if we, you know, for whatever. I'll check back in February. How about this? Indiana has to play on the road against the projected top five teams in the Big Ten. They have to play at Purdue, at Michigan, at Michigan State, at Illinois and at UCLA. I do not believe there is another Big Ten team that has to do all five of those that's also considered, like top 50 level. So it's not just that. Then in the non con, they host Kansas State. Might not be a tournament team, they play Louisville and Marquette, but they only play four power five teams in the non con. So their Big Ten schedule is kind of stacked against them. It's the first year under a new coach. Their non conference doesn't give them a lot of flexibility. They actually ran into this and I was banging the table. Podcast listeners will remember this a year ago when Woodson did his team no favors. Actually, that exact scenario came back to bite Indiana in the ass. Indiana wasn't good enough to get to the NCAA tournament. Woodson was out the door, you know, from a public standpoint by the time we got to early February. So, hey, maybe Indiana clicks GP everything's awesome and they slide into a six seed and it's nothing. But I've got them 40 preseason overall, my rankings and I'm gonna say the schedule is just too much and they don't get in. But you agree as well. I actually wondered if you put De Vries into the tournament. But you did not.
- [66:09]
Gary Parrish
No. I know Indiana's had their basketball coaching problems in recent years, but I tell you, your football coach seems amazing.
- [66:15]
Matt Norlander
Correct.
- [66:16]
Gary Parrish
Your foot. Your football coach seems amazing. It's hard to imagine you're gonna have to buy him out for $30 million in like eight years. Like, that's going to be a weird time. But like, but for now, you take the trade off.
- [66:28]
Matt Norlander
I mean, your team could quite literally win the College Football Playoff, which was.
- [66:32]
Gary Parrish
No, I'm joking around. I'm always just like a little skeptical of like contracts of this length and for that much money. Like, it's just like there's a lot of room for things to get sideways, particularly in a league like that. But he's clearly a special coach and like a uniquely talented guy. I just, I'm always fearful these types of contracts are just going to end badly. But if I were an Indiana fan, I'd be like, I don't care. This is fun. I'm having a blast. I don't care. It's not my money. This is good.
- [67:00]
Matt Norlander
Fair enough. All right. How many single digit seeds from last season's tournament will not dance this year? Last year? Well, again, holding ourselves accountable on the pot as always. At least I'm making sure we're doing it. GP and I agreed on these and we were all right. Northwestern, Washington State, TCU, FAU, South Carolina, Nebraska. Again, these were teams that danced in 24 that we said wouldn't dance in 25. And they're single digit seeds. We Were wrong about Wisconsin. We were so wrong. They were a three seed. Wrong about byu, a six seed. Wrong about Mississippi State. It got back. It was an ac. Wrong about Utah State. It got back and was a 10 seed. GP you were also wrong and said St Mary's would not make the tournament last season. It did and it was a seven seed.
- [67:37]
Gary Parrish
What?
- [67:37]
Matt Norlander
Single digit seeds from last season will not make the tournament this season.
- [67:40]
Gary Parrish
GP Saint Mary's. Okay, I'm just gonna keep doing it.
- [67:46]
Matt Norlander
See how that works out for you. I have St. Mary's in the tournament for the record 26.
- [67:49]
Gary Parrish
I'm just out here picking against Randy Bennett like an idiot. Hold up, the guy at little bitty St. Mary's who goes to the tournament every year? Yeah. That's the guy you think is just suddenly not going to do it? Yeah. Two years in a row. That's right.
- [68:02]
Matt Norlander
I tell you what, if you, with what you said before, I'm at 4 and I'm uncomfortable that it's such a low number. I don't think even think you have four. What teams do you have that were single digit seeds in March and aren't going to dance next year?
- [68:12]
Gary Parrish
Okay, I know this is wrong, but when I was just going through, I know it will ultimately be wrong but based on my current projections, by the way, I think I got like 80 teams in the tournament. So that's, that's my first problem is I probably got an 80 team tournament right now. Greg Sankey, I don't know why he's not sending me a bouquet. I'm, I'm out here on the pod doing 80 team tournaments every, every week.
- [68:31]
Matt Norlander
All right.
- [68:33]
Gary Parrish
I think I have too many teams in the tournament. But I would seriously right now I would say St. Mary's no, obviously Randy's amazing, but they lost a lot and we'll see. But the computer numbers are not encouraging connected to St. Mary's heading into this season. Georgia. I've got Georgia missing as 9C last season, Ms. It this season. And then I've got a list of others who are like on the fence. But I would all, I would have them all projected in right now in an 87 team tournament. They'd make it. Texas A M, Oklahoma, Missouri, Clemson. Clemson. Keep an eye on. And I say Clemson might be out. Maryland, I just told you I think they're in. So I can't say.
- [69:19]
Matt Norlander
But I need for the record St. Mary's Georgia, Clemson. Is that it?
- [69:24]
Gary Parrish
I. Baylor is another candidate, totally out. And I'm not picking against Scott. I'm not picking against.
- [69:32]
Matt Norlander
Exactly. So you have three. That's three. I've got four. And I don't like Joy.
- [69:39]
Gary Parrish
You think I'm gonna pick against a road to Joy? I'm not picking against the road to Joy. So Baylor's in.
- [69:45]
Matt Norlander
Okay.
- [69:45]
Gary Parrish
You want one to keep an eye on Memphis, five seed last season?
- [69:49]
Matt Norlander
No, I know.
- [69:50]
Gary Parrish
I think they're gonna be the best team in the American, which says nothing other than you're like you're the best of a bad. But they just played two SEC schools and exhibitions and lost the games by an average of 26 and a half points.
- [70:05]
Matt Norlander
So I know I got him in. I've only got four. I got Maryland, four seed. I don't have them getting there under Buzz in year one. I don't have a M getting there. So Buzz is two schools I don't have getting in there. Clemson and then Georgia. I don't love that I only have four, but those are the only four that I could get to. And that's where. That's where I sit. I guess technically, I think by ranking the closest team that I have is Missouri, but I think Missouri's getting there. Missouri returns, I think more production and starting lineup than any other team in the sec. So I have them. I have them getting there. Okay, the next one's not easy, but here's the deal. The past three years, there were a total of 13 teams ranked in the preseason that didn't make the NCAA tournament. If you go back to 2012 GP on average, the preseason AP top 25 has four teams that don't make the tournament. So year ago, Indiana, Cincinnati and Rutgers. A year ago at this time, those were all preseason ranked teams. Indiana, Cincinnati, Ruckus, they didn't get in. Year before that, Miami, Arkansas, USC and Villanova were all ranked in the preseason AP top 25. None of them got in. So I am forcing you to pick three teams. I already know Creighton is one of them because it's the only preseason AP top tween that you don't have in your top 25. And one, I will give you mine first. But before I do that, last year you actually did okay for yourself. When I forced you to do three, you said Kentucky, Rutgers and Cincinnati. You went 2 for 3. Kentucky was a big miss, but Rutgers in Cincinnati didn't dance. I went Texas A and M, Ole Miss and Rutgers. So I was only 1 for 3 with Rutgers a and M and the Rebels danced there. My teams this year, Wisconsin, I'm not happy about these picks Let me be clear, okay? I'm just trying to guess. And there's always surprises. I will say Wisconsin, I will say Creighton, and I will reluctantly say Auburn under this idea that they have a head coaching change. And it just does. And you know something, you know, Pettiford and Keyshawn hall, they're fine, but they don't hit. I think Auburn's going, they're going to be single digit seed. But the point is you have to pick three. Those are my three. What are your three?
- [72:00]
Gary Parrish
I tell you, if Auburn gets to play Memphis every game, they're gonna be all right. That's right.
- [72:03]
Matt Norlander
Unfortunately, that's not what the special provides.
- [72:05]
Gary Parrish
Okay, okay, just checking. That is, with all due respect to Stephen, that is the place to look if you wanted to look there. Because like, you just don't know. You know, you just don't know. You're right. Creighton is the only team in the AP top 25 that's not in my top 25 and 1. So I'll start the list with them and then I'll just take number 26 and 25 out of the top 25 and 1. Because I guess by definition that's, that makes. But, but what this is evidence of is I don't believe any of this. Now I know that's gonna be wrong though. I know, I know, I know there are teams in the top 25 that are not going to make the NCAA tournament. I know that. I'm just saying I would bet on every one of these two and I would just, you know, I'd miss on some, but I would bet on every. I believe in all these teams. But if I've got to pick three because you made me. Creighton, Wisconsin, North Carolina.
- [72:55]
Matt Norlander
Okay, Creighton, Wisconsin, North Carolina. There you go. Honestly, Parrish, that's conceivable. It doesn't seem like outrageous, to be honest. Like, I think you're, I think you're fine there. Next. Next one we actually talked about in a previous show, just a reset for formal purposes here. Over under on non power five bids. I actually set the over under on four and a half a year ago. I also set it at four and a half. GP had four. You hit it. Exactly. I said eight. Samsonite.
- [73:25]
Gary Parrish
I was way off.
- [73:26]
Matt Norlander
I was way off.
- [73:29]
Gary Parrish
Eight.
- [73:30]
Matt Norlander
I said eight non power five teams would get at large bids. And again, Samsonite, way off.
- [73:37]
Gary Parrish
You ready for this? That will never happen again.
- [73:41]
Matt Norlander
Well, with your 80 team tournament, maybe we've got a chance. I don't know. So with that in mind, we've already done this one. GP Said four for this season, and I said five. We talked about on a recent show, but wanted to officially reset that to here last. I love doing this. One last undefeated team of the season. A year ago, Parrish, I think I.
- [74:00]
Gary Parrish
Said Yukon would never lose again. Wasn't I on a thing where I said Yukon would never, ever lose? Well, I got tired of getting bullied between no escalators and everybody else, and Yukon fans were having a time with me, and I just said, fine. All right. What do you guys want to hear? That you'll never lose another game. Fine. You'll never lose another game.
- [74:23]
Matt Norlander
I think that's a squirrel. Yeah, they got dropped by Memphis in Maui. I also. I said Arizona. So. Hold on. Wrong.
- [74:34]
Gary Parrish
Wrong.
- [74:35]
Matt Norlander
They lost their third game of the year, Wisconsin. Arizona did. Credit to Paris, I think, two years ago, he nailed this. Okay, so last unbeaten team this season. You go first.
- [74:47]
Gary Parrish
I went through this.
- [74:48]
Matt Norlander
Oh, so did I. This is the one every year where I'm like, 20 minutes in. I'm like, pick a team, you idiot.
- [74:53]
Gary Parrish
Like, I'm like, exact same thing. It's like I've been scrolling schedules for 20 minutes, and I'm like, this cannot be a good use of my time. I went with ucla.
- [75:06]
Matt Norlander
Oh, look at you. Did you really?
- [75:10]
Gary Parrish
Okay, the Bruins famously, are not really traveling east at all. All right? They open with three by games. Then they get Arizona in Inglewood on November 14th. Now, I gotta win the game, Right? But I've got UCLA ahead of Arizona.
- [75:25]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [75:26]
Gary Parrish
I mean, I gotta win the game, but I'm in Inglewood and I. I've got ucla. UCLA ahead of Arizona.
- [75:32]
Matt Norlander
We won't do that again.
- [75:34]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, yeah. Calm down. All right? This is how we go viral for bad reasons. So we gotta win the game against Arizona on Inglewood. Then they're at Washington on December 3rd. True road game. That can get, you know, true road games or true road games. Yeah, but, like, I got them there.
- [75:52]
Matt Norlander
You just call it a road game. By the way, there's not such a thing as a fake road game.
- [75:55]
Gary Parrish
Yes, there are fake run games. No, Kentucky place the place. Yeah, Kentucky plays fake road games. They play Gonzaga and Spokane. Call it a road game. It's fake road games.
- [76:06]
Matt Norlander
All right, fair enough. Yeah.
- [76:08]
Gary Parrish
Now there's. There's true road games. That's like, you know what most teams do. And then Kentucky sometimes does fake road games.
- [76:15]
Matt Norlander
Okay.
- [76:17]
Gary Parrish
So at Washington, true road game, not a fake one. And then at Gonzaga. But that. That's in Seattle so you don't have to go to the kennel. 1213. I'm asking them to win some like coin flippy situations but outside of Arizona, in Inglewood, at Washington and against Gonzaga in Seattle, they sh. I. I know when you say something like this then they just lose a buy game to Long Beach State or something. I got it. But they, there's just not a lot of places for them to. To take losses if they perform to their capabilities. And so I've got him undefeated through the end of the calendar year with their first loss coming at Iowa on January 3rd.
- [77:04]
Matt Norlander
Okay.
- [77:04]
Gary Parrish
With Caitlin Clark in attendance.
- [77:07]
Matt Norlander
Sure, why not? Trivia time.
- [77:10]
Gary Parrish
Last time, by the way. By the way, we're coming back to this. If, if we get to Jane, we get to January 3rd and Caitlin. Caitlin Clark sitting courtside and there's a court storming in Carver Hawkeye. We're going to have to circle back to this.
- [77:22]
Matt Norlander
We're circling back to this in like two weeks when UCLA has already got a loss on the board. So yes, we're circling back to this. Who was the. I actually didn't mention earlier, do you know the team that went the longest without a loss last season?
- [77:33]
Gary Parrish
I don't recall.
- [77:34]
Matt Norlander
It was Tennessee. First loss on January 7th. But Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Drake all got to New Year's morning January 1st without a loss and then they all proceeded to lose in that week. Neither of us obviously guess Tennessee a year ago. My. This is not my team that I'm going to pick, but the one that I would say to watch for is byu. But if they. They've got Yukon and Boston, so that's going to be tricky. But they get Wisconsin and Salt Lake City. They get Clemson on a neutral. They actually have a path. Like their first road game is at K State on January 3rd. Then they're home to Arizona State at Utah, which might not be good. Home to TCU and then they're at Texas Tech January 17th. I don't think they're getting to January 17th without a loss, but when you look at the overall schedule, they actually have a path there. I didn't pick them though. I am going to go with Michigan, which is a fraught choice basically. Michigan and Houston were the final two that I looked at. They're both in the Players ERA tournament. There are so many good teams there. This is quite obviously stupid to do so, but Michigan has Wake Forest at tcu. Obviously a winnable road game. They get San Diego State and Auburn in their first two players air games, but I think they're better than those teams. I think Michigan's going to be a top five team this season. But the idea that maybe they wouldn't have to play Houston or maybe Houston wouldn't have to play Michigan, that's what I ultimately landed on because after they, if they can get whoever gets out of players ERA as the champ is going to be well set up because then Michigan's got home Rutgers, home Nova at Maryland. I think they're better than Maryland. I think they'll win that and they're. LaSalle McNeese home USC at Penn State, home Wisconsin at Washington January 14th. So officially my guess is Michigan. Both of these will prove to be stupid, I'm sure within within two weeks time. But it's always fun to try and project it every year. I just hope we get to January 1st without, with at least one team without a loss there.
- [79:19]
Gary Parrish
Okay, I made a rule like I just eliminated for this question all the players ERA teams.
- [79:25]
Matt Norlander
I know that's why I almost went byu. But I thought, man, the team that comes out of there, if it's like one of a top 10 team, they're actually going to have a healthy shot. But I, I completely, I just want.
- [79:32]
Gary Parrish
To get, I just want to get it because anybody, anybody in that event can lose a game reasonably without a doubt.
- [79:37]
Matt Norlander
Yep, it was stupid by me. And, and I'm gonna, yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna flame out on that. No doubt. All right. John Shire tie with Brad Stevens and Brad Underwood for the most Wins, which is 89 through the first three seasons to start a head coaching career. Shire needs 29 wins in order to pass Brad Stevens's mark of 116 through the first four years or I guess 117 through the first four years of his career. Will John Shire get 29 wins with Duke this season to become the winningest four year old coach to ever start a D1 men's coaching career?
- [80:09]
Gary Parrish
Yes, and I think he'll do it.
- [80:10]
Matt Norlander
By multiple games I actually said yes to and I think he hits 30 thirds. I'm just gonna say he gets to 30 and Duke finishes like 30 and 6 or 30 and 7 overall. But I will say he does do it if you want the full list. First four seasons, Stevens 117, Tommy Lloyd 112, Shaka Smart 111 and Brad Underwood 109. Those are the winningest coaches in the history of men's D1 to start their their careers. Shire is almost certainly going to be second on the list. I guess if things went super sideways he wouldn't pass Lloyd, but I don't think, I don't think that's. I don't think that's on the board. Keep it moving here real quick.
- [80:42]
Gary Parrish
His team is too talented and that league still isn't good enough to, to cause them too many problems like King Palm has them in the regular season, projected to finish 24 7. But if you go individual games, they're only a projected underdog one time and that will be on the five year anniversary of the Capitol storming January 6th. Duke at Louisville. Duke at Louisville. That's the only. So I think they're going to be better than 247 in the regular season. They should play three games in the ACC tournament. You know, that can always get weird, but something like 26 wins in the regular season, win another two or three in the ACC tournament and then, you know, go to the Elite Eight and you're there. Yes, I think John Shire ends this season with more wins than any other coach in the history of men's college basketball through his first four years.
- [81:35]
Matt Norlander
A year ago, we thought Cam Jones was going to arguably maybe be one of the best scorers in the country. We debated how many 40 point games for him. You said two, I said three. He didn't get a game above 32. With that in mind, Braden Smith. He led D1 with 313 assists last season. He is 319 shy of Bobby Hurley. So we had three hundred and thirteen a year ago. He needs three hundred and nineteen to set the NCAA record. How many assists does Bobby. Just Bobby. Bobby Hurley will not have any assists. How many assistants Braden Smith get this season? I have my exact number.
- [82:12]
Gary Parrish
Well, I don't have an exact number, but let me, let me give you some math on it so listeners can understand like what we're talking about to get him where he needs to get.
- [82:20]
Matt Norlander
Okay.
- [82:21]
Gary Parrish
He needs 319 to break the record. Last year he averaged 8.7 assists per season per game game. 8.7 per season will be awful. 8.7 a game be terrible. All right, 8.7 per game. So you just do the math on that. He needs to play 37 games and have the same number of assists per game and that gets him there. I'm gonna say yes because I'd like to root for it. I should say, like at the beginning of this episode, we were talking about the biggest storylines heading in the season that we're excited about. It's like Rick Patino trying to win a third title in third different school and Kelvin and Matt trying to get their first. And UConn trying to get three or four. Florida trying to go back to back, Peterson to bance a boozer. Braden Smith got a chance to break one of the big NCAA records of all time that has been held for a long time by one of the most iconic college basketball players of all time. Like, so that's another thing. And I don't. What, what is the point of saying no, I don't think he'll get it. And then I'm rooting against, trying to.
- [83:26]
Matt Norlander
Guess what's going to happen. I'm saying no, he's not going to get it. I want him to, but my guess is no.
- [83:30]
Gary Parrish
I want to say yes, and so I'm gonna say yes. But I think if you found this like as a prop bet at FanDuel, like if, like if Terry Rozier with Terry Logier, Terry Roger logged in, like if Terry Roger logged in and he could find a prop bet, will Braden Smith break Bobby Hurley's all time assist record? I think he would be an underdog to do it, if you accept the, the term. And the reason is they're obvious. First, he's to get there. He's got to go 8.7 for 37 games. That means he has to stay healthy. All right, that means he has to be great. And it means Purdue's got to play deep into the tournament. And there's just a lot of variables that. Oh, and by the way, deep into the Big Ten tournament too. You lose your first Big Ten tournament game, it could wipe it out.
- [84:25]
Matt Norlander
That's right, the opportunity.
- [84:26]
Gary Parrish
So I just think I'm gonna say yes. But I recognize that if we put this in a prop bet and let Chauncey Billups get a hold of it, then yeah, he would probably be an underdog because there's too many things that could go wrong long.
- [84:41]
Matt Norlander
Also, if Purdue is like really, really, really good, Smith could spend more time on the bench near the end of games because he doesn't need to be on the floor. So we'll see. I'm saying no, you know, reluctantly, but I'll say he gets at 302, 11 shy. And wherever, whatever his last game is, it ends with the idea that if he had one more game, he might have had a chance to, to maybe get it. But I'm gonna say he is, he is shy. A year ago we talked about Cooper flag because he had, you know, some really good exhibitions. And I set the over under for his combined points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks at 32.5. We both took the under. That one's on me. I was wrong. It was 33.7, 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. For Cooper, Flag adds up to 33.7. He actually cleared my preseason over under. So with that in mind, I have three different over unders for Peterson, Boozer and Debancer. We'll go Peterson first. It was 32.5 a year ago for Flag. I'm going to set the same exact over under 32.5 for Peterson. Now, keep in mind, GP Peterson probably won't have as many blocks per game as Flag. He could have more steals per game, might not have as many rebounds, could have more points, probably will have more assists. I actually had a hard time trying to come up with the number. But whatever. I'm going to say 32.5 combined in the five major statistical categories. Over or under for Darren Peterson? Over.
- [86:00]
Gary Parrish
Under. I mean, I think. I mean, I think he's going to be somewhere. Like, I know I've thrown out numbers like, what have you ever just 30 a game? Just for some context here, some of the best freshmen, like Kevin Durant, averaged 26 points a game.
- [86:12]
Matt Norlander
Yes.
- [86:13]
Gary Parrish
Michael Beasley was also 26. Zion Williamson was 22.6. I think Peterson's going to be in that 25, 26 range.
- [86:21]
Matt Norlander
This is going to be way low if. If he does. And I almost put this up at like 34 and a half, but I was like, like, Flag was awesome last year and didn't get to 34. So that's why I said I think.
- [86:31]
Gary Parrish
Peterson's gonna outscore Flag a lot. By a lot.
- [86:34]
Matt Norlander
Yeah. Yeah. The points is how you do it. Okay. Cameron Boozer, a two for here. Yeah. 24 and 23 against Tennessee in an exhibition. So the twofer is I'm setting the over under at his double doubles at 27 and a half. Okay. And Yaxel, I think, led the country last year and he might have had 26. I think that's off the top of my head. I didn't look that up. Up before the pod. And then over under. This is outrageous, but I actually think it needs to be on the board. So over under 27 and a half. Double doubles over under 1.5. 25, 25 games for Cameron Booster this.
- [87:07]
Gary Parrish
Year, 25, 25 is crazy.
- [87:11]
Matt Norlander
I know, but he got 24 and 23 against Tennessee, and they've got by game opponents and terrible teams at the bottom.
- [87:16]
Gary Parrish
But in those buy games he ain't gonna be on the court enough to get 25. 25.
- [87:20]
Matt Norlander
Fair enough. Okay.
- [87:22]
Gary Parrish
I'd say under. He's not gonna get multiple 25, 25 games. That's crazy. I mean may. He clearly can do it. But I would bet the under in terms of the double doubles over. I mean I. It's hard to imagine him and not. It's hard to imagine playing a game and not getting a double double.
- [87:36]
Matt Norlander
I know, I agree with you. I will say over, but I'm actually going to say 28 is my number. My over under. Usually I'm going to be one up or one down. That's why I make the over under what it is. I'll say Boozer finishes with 28 double doubles. That could prove to be like five games too low, but I'll say 28 and then I will also say under. But I'm going to say that Cameron Boozer will have it one lease at least one game this season where he has at least 25 points and 25 rebounds. Which in a 40 minute college game is outrageous. But he is that important and he is that prominent around the rim and that reliable of a score that it's on the board.
- [88:08]
Gary Parrish
Like just to revisit this stuff, Kevin Durant averaged 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds. And then the very next year Michael Beasley was 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds.
- [88:18]
Matt Norlander
Rebounds.
- [88:18]
Gary Parrish
Beasley was more points and more rebounds per game than Durant. Most people don't remember it that way at all. But I. Different players, all that stuff. But like Cam Boozer strikes me as the type of freshman who could be Beasley. Like productive.
- [88:33]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, could definitely see it. Debance another two for over under seven and a half games of 30 plus points and then over under 23 and a half points per game for Debancer. On a BYU team that's going to have other scoring options. 23 and a half a game and then seven and a half games where he gets at least 30.
- [88:50]
Gary Parrish
I think it's hard to be at 23 and a half with so many other scores around you. I just think, I think you take him and put him on Kansas's team and take Peterson, put him at BYU and he can go get that at Kansas. I think there's just better pieces around him at BYU and it's hard to get to that number. I'd go under that number.
- [89:08]
Matt Norlander
Under on both end. Under seven and a half games of 30 plus points.
- [89:12]
Gary Parrish
I mean that's a lot. Jesus, But.
- [89:14]
Matt Norlander
I know, but I mean, do I think he was in third gear and dropped 30 on Nebraska in an exhibition?
- [89:18]
Gary Parrish
Do I do think he's going to have multiple 30 point games? Yes, yes. But eight of them. I mean, eight's a lot.
- [89:26]
Matt Norlander
I know. Some of my, some of my thoughts on this question is, is it's affected by the, by the fact that I've just, I've seen Peterson. Now granted, you know, it's against high level recruits, but they're also high school players. Just. He has a certain dominant scoring streak in him. Well, I, I think that Peterson, I mean, excuse me, I think that, that Debance, if he does put it all together, he will lead the NBA in scoring at some point. So that's kind of why I come right from this angle. But I agree with you. I'm gonna go under on both. Fewer than seven and a half games worth 30 plus points and under 23 and a half points per game. But there's a very realistic possibility. Whereas greatest Richie Saunders and Rob Wright are. If it really hits and he's going and they work it like him averaging 25 and having eight games like that, that's, that's certainly possible. All right, a few more. We don't have to worry about the Gonzaga Sweet 16 Streak predictions because those are over. It ended last season. But this is a trivia time. Which school has the longest streak? Now that Gonzaga streak is over. How many consecutive events double the tournaments making the sweet 16? The answer is six.
- [90:38]
Gary Parrish
Is it? I don't think I'm gonna have a great answer for this, but I'll say let's not do. Because they missed it that one year.
- [90:50]
Matt Norlander
It's not Duke. It's not that hard of a guess.
- [90:56]
Gary Parrish
Sweet 16, six straight years.
- [90:58]
Matt Norlander
Yep. Six straight tournaments. No 20, 23 terms. I got it.
- [91:03]
Gary Parrish
I don't know. Oh, Houston. Houston. I was gonna say Houston. Houston.
- [91:05]
Matt Norlander
Houston's done it. Yeah. By the way, credit to our producer Debo here on this episode. Mike Beasley had a 32 and 24 game and a 28 and 22 game, but he never had a 25 and 25. Interesting. It's.
- [91:18]
Gary Parrish
That's just all. Those are hard numbers. I know.
- [91:19]
Matt Norlander
They are. They are.
- [91:20]
Gary Parrish
There's a massive difference. Like even though it doesn't sound like it, huge difference between 25, 25 and 2020.
- [91:26]
Matt Norlander
It is, it is. I completely agree with you. Over. Under. So the, the next longest after Houston is Tennessee and Alabama. Three consecutive Sweet 16. So the only school is the only three schools that have made at least three in a row over under 2.5. Of those teams making the Sweet 16.
- [91:40]
Gary Parrish
In 2026 Houston, Alabama, Tennessee, Houston, Alabama, Tennessee. I think I would have a, I mean let me look at the top 25 and one but I think I have all of them. Preseason. No, I have Tennessee a little lower.
- [91:56]
Matt Norlander
Okay, take the under.
- [91:58]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, let's go under.
- [91:58]
Matt Norlander
I also take the under. I'm going to say two out of the three, but those are the again those are the only three schools that have made the Sweet 16 in the past three tournaments. A year ago we asked will Yukon make the sweet 16? We both said yes. Nope, did not. We asked will Yukon make a third straight final four GP said no. He was right. I said yes. I was wrong. This year will Florida get back to the final 4 HP in 2026? My answer is no.
- [92:25]
Gary Parrish
My answer is also no. But they are good enough to do do it. They, they are equipped to do it. This is not I guess by definition anytime a school wins a national championship you can head into the next year talking about so and they have a chance to go back to back because you do like by definition you got a chance but they're not always realistic chances. I think Florida has a realistic chance to be a back to back champion but I will not predict it.
- [92:49]
Matt Norlander
Two more Last season not a single non power conference team made the Sweet 16. It's the first time ever. Will at least two teams from outside the Power 5 leagues make the Sweet 16 and 2026. Gary Parrish no. I'm like you with Braden Smith. I'm saying yes and I want to believe. I want now we usually get it. We usually get at least one. We've had two, three and four in recent seasons. I will say at least two. Find a way to break through. And again this is teams that aren't in the Power 5 so the Power 4 football plus on Big East. I will say yes. GP will say no. Would you say one?
- [93:22]
Gary Parrish
I, I, I guess just because like St. Peter's can happen, right? I mean like yeah there's all, there's, there's usually gonna be.
- [93:28]
Matt Norlander
I don't think St. Mary's can happen.
- [93:29]
Gary Parrish
So yeah there's usually one but I, I do think, I don't think the sin, I don't think Cinderella is dead but I think she's, she's, she's in the hospital. She ain't feeling so well.
- [93:41]
Matt Norlander
You know I think you're ready to.
- [93:43]
Gary Parrish
Say well the, my issue with the mid majors going forward is an advantage that they could sometimes have over the high majors is like real continuity. Like these guys have been together for a couple years and you know, it was four returning starters from the team last. And they just don't get that at the mid major level. They're getting their teams picked apart every year. And so you lose some of the stuff that allowed you to make some of those runs throughout history. And I just think, I think it's not gonna, it's not gonna be non existent, but I do think it's gonna be harder to come by. Do you disagree?
- [94:22]
Matt Norlander
I do. Because the tournament is, it's just got the, the ability to allow these teams to break through in those win or go home scenarios. And I do think that it will, it will reemerge again specifically because of the way that the tournament is formatted. I think, I think maybe.
- [94:39]
Gary Parrish
But like here's my larger point point. Like just think of a great Ron Davidson with Steph Curry. I, I, in the year 2025. I'm not sure Steph Curry is at Davidson as a sophomore.
- [94:52]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, yeah, I understand.
- [94:54]
Gary Parrish
To even make, to even be a part of something like that, like the Steph Curry who led Davidson to the Elite eight would now be playing at Duke. You know what I'm saying?
- [95:07]
Matt Norlander
I do, I do. Still in the tournament they get their shot. So that's like, I just think the math would suggest it. Yeah.
- [95:13]
Gary Parrish
Davidson without Steph Curry is a different thing.
- [95:15]
Matt Norlander
It is. Well, I mean there's been like literally one Steph Curry ever, so. Yes, I understand what you're saying. Last one. Last year's midway point of the season was January 19th. I asked, Will we see a firing before then?
- [95:27]
Gary Parrish
There's been four AC laws.
- [95:30]
Matt Norlander
What?
- [95:30]
Gary Parrish
You said there's only been one Steph Curry. And I was like, but there's been four AC laws.
- [95:35]
Matt Norlander
Okay, AC Law. Yeah, it sounded like you said AC.
- [95:37]
Gary Parrish
Loyals there now four AC Laws. There's just a lot of AC laws out there, you know.
- [95:41]
Matt Norlander
There have, there have been. Okay. A year ago we said we would not see a coaching firing before January 19th. Technically we were correct. But I don't want to give us the win because Laranega resigned the day after Christmas. And I remember that because I was at my in laws house and it suddenly was like, like I gotta go, I gotta go to the guest room and go work for another hour because Jim Larnet has decided he's gonna stop coaching the day after Christmas. Yeah, he wasn't fired, but we did have a power conference job. Change the midway point of this season is also January 19th. So yes or no, will we have a high major coaching change by then? And I'm not including this to be like a Mike Woodson. He's leaving. I'm saying the guy who is on the bench to start the season is no longer in game sitting there. Will we have one by the midway point at the power conference level?
- [96:35]
Gary Parrish
I will say no.
- [96:37]
Matt Norlander
You will say no. And I will tell you this. I checked in with our good buddy Chip Patterson. I said Chip got a podcast in a couple of hours. How many high major coaches.
- [96:48]
Gary Parrish
It's correct. Like in football, it's.
- [96:50]
Matt Norlander
He said it. He said it's eight. It's technically nine if you count Stanford, but that was last spring. I said no, let's just go from the start of the season. Said yeah, and it's eight including Hugh Freeze literally today. Yeah, it is so. And football is different than basketball, but it is so volatile that I'm of two minds on this parish because on one hand you can't tell me that some of this isn't going to seep down to basketball. In some ways it already has. When I tell you that 55 of the 79 high major jobs have changed over in the past four and a half years, okay, 55 out of 79. Some of those are retirements, some of those are promotions, many of them are firings. But in the acc, the only ones that have it are Virginia Tech, Pitt and Clemson. In the sec, the only ones now are Alabama and Tennessee. The only ones in the in the Big east are Yukon and Creighton. The only ones in the Big 12 are Kansas, Houston, Colorado, TCU, Arizona State, Baylor and UCF. And we know there's no, there's a few hot seat situations there. And in the Big Ten you've got Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin, ucla, Illinois, Oregon, Rutgers, Northwestern and Nebraska. If I mentioned your school in the past 45 seconds, it means you're the only ones that haven't had a coaching change since 2020, 2021 and beyond there. I am also going to say no. But it is a reluctant no. Because the winds of the college landscape and the environment and the absolute insanity that is happening are not stopping any college football programs from just bailing baling ship midway through the season. I don't think we'll have it, but I won't be surprised if we do. But officially, my answer is no.
- [98:18]
Gary Parrish
My answer is no. The way the most obvious way we would get it is somebody steps away. Same thing Jim did. Like I'm on My way out. This isn't going well. I don't want to come to work tomorrow. Somebody else can do this. Yeah, we might get one of those, I guess. But one of the things I noticed about. So the only, I don't want to say the only but the most likely type of program that would pull the trigger mid season is one that cares immensely. Right. Like they, they and at the schools that have coaches on the so called hot seat where they care immensely. Like some of them, they're alums. Who are the coaches? Like I don't, I don't know if Hubert Davis is going to make it to next season, but would they pull the trigger on him in January? No, I don't think so. I don't think so. I mean if they had a quick trigger over there, they'd already pulled it on Belichick.
- [99:08]
Matt Norlander
Actually. A good question though.
- [99:10]
Gary Parrish
Like my other one, Adrian Autry at Syracuse. You really going to do an alum in the middle of January?
- [99:14]
Matt Norlander
You wouldn't think so. But these are like the idea that James Franklin wouldn't be, would be fired in the middle of the season. Like even with all of his success, like there's actually some Franklin, Hubert parallels.
- [99:27]
Gary Parrish
Franklin's not like, like what this is the difference between football and basketball. I think what happened to James Franklin just I don't think would happen in basketball. You've been there, you've done well. But like preseason top five team and you're done.
- [99:44]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [99:45]
Gary Parrish
Middle of the season, that's hard.
- [99:47]
Matt Norlander
The last time it happened, like when Turgeon left, he wasn't fired. It was ugly. Like it was ugly with Penn State and Franklin.
- [99:53]
Gary Parrish
But Chris Mack was weird.
- [99:55]
Matt Norlander
Chris Mack actually is the answer. I think he left under his own accord. Even like beard getting fired is an entirely different set of circumstances at Texas. We don't see it as much and then, but yeah.
- [100:06]
Gary Parrish
And then a lot of these guys, they will have buyouts that like drop significantly if you wait for a certain date. So there's another reason not to do it in December or January because you could maybe save $5 million by waiting till the end. So I just think there's a lot of reasons that they're lying where you're hesitant to do it or just not even willing to do it. And so I would bet, I would bet no. But as always, we'll see.
- [100:35]
Matt Norlander
I've been surprised before that that's gonna do it on the prediction angle. I mean 90 plus minutes here. We wanted to make good on you. I actually have a few more bold Predictions. But here's what I'm gonna do. I'm actually gonna save those. I'll turn the phone around on me and I'll, I'll send them, I'll put them out on Twitter. Maybe I'll send them to our, to our social team as well. Or the Eye on College Basketball Twitter account. I just got 10 random bold predictions. But that's going to be some bonus content. We'll run it there on Monday morning. I don't want to bog down the podcast anymore before we get out of here. We do though, need to, to spend a minute here even more than that, giving someone some, some real deserved love.
- [101:09]
Gary Parrish
GP that's right. I think most of you know because nada announced it on social media. Our producer for years now, Kanata Edwards at Paramount last week, unfortunately we had company wide layoffs and that's always a scary day and an awful day and we lost some, some team members at CBS Sports. I won't name additional names because I never know who's comfortable with that and who's not. So I'll let everybody say what they want, but not has been public with it. And, and yeah, that was a tough phone call. You know, I think we all knew because it was well reported in advance that Paramount was going to go through this and you know, I, I was surprised when I heard the news and also, you know, like that's a, that's a hard thing to hear about a colleague and a friend. Like, you know, the world's a weird place right now and there's a lot of stuff going on and you know, families are facing real challenges in ways that maybe they haven't previously and you know, to have, not to get caught up in that as somebody who had, you know, spent years with us, developing a rapport with us, a relationship with us and to, to, to, you know, have that news delivered. It was just, that was a, that was a tough day. You and I both kept in touch with him over the past couple of days. He, you know, he's, he's handling it as, as well as you can handling it and you know, seems to, you know, to be doing, you know, well. But yeah, like we, we can't overstate what he meant to us, what he meant to this show and like quite literally, you know, we can set our microphones up and stuff but you know, you have to have a producer to do this type of stuff and it's always helpful when you have one who is, who is capable, who. You've heard me say stuff like this before, like, I, I need to plan the show, do this show, and then I need to close this computer when we're done and get on to other things. And that's where a quality producer comes into play. And Nada was always there to, to get the episode where it needed to be as quickly as possible and then help us along the way in terms of trying to create a compelling product. So, like I told him, these are always days you dread news nobody wants to hear. And if somebody were saying this to me, if I found myself in a similar situation, I don't know that I would be able to accept it. But just trust me, this is true. Whether you're not a listen or anybody else out there who goes through something like this, I'm not going to try to sunshine. It, it's, it's not ideal, but I could spend the next hour telling you stories about people I know who got that phone call, got that email, and were laid off of work. And it feels like this is the worst day of your life. And when you look back on it, it can be the best day or one of the best because it, it opened a door to something else. It led to something new. And I trust that Nada is gonna, gonna have that experience. Yeah, what happened last week wasn't good, but, but I, I, I, I, I am, I'm hopeful and confident that, that when we look back five years from now, he's going to be in a good place and, and we'll look back on this and go, man, that was a wild week, wasn't it? But now, now, but now look, and so we, obviously, we wish him well and, and we're gonna mess him around here.
- [104:49]
Matt Norlander
On your note about layoffs, my wife, you know, some years ago, it just completely came out of nowhere and just, you know, it just, you know, can be world rocking, but she's in a. She likes the job she has now more than she liked the job she had then, but she likes the one she has now more and for many reasons. But the day it happened and the ensuing days after and searching for a job, and there are people in the chat that said, you know, they're, they've recently had to go through this as well. Yeah, it's awful. You can hop on back in GP if you want.
- [105:17]
Gary Parrish
Go ahead.
- [105:18]
Matt Norlander
Are you gonna say something?
- [105:19]
Gary Parrish
No, no, no, I was listening.
- [105:20]
Matt Norlander
Okay. Yeah. No, it's just, it's, it's, it's not fun, it's not easy. And yes, it was, it was definitely a sideSwipe. Nada joined us leading into the 2021, 22 season. So he was with us for four years and helped make the show the bigger, better version that had ever been. Like he was on board just as we became the first college basketball podcast to ever go to video. That's the show right here. And he did care a ton about it. He knows that GP and I also care a ton about the podcast as well. And yeah, it was not fun. I will say he handled it amazingly well. And I have already asked him and he is fine with me disclosing this, but he is going through a truly life changing week. He has signed the paperwork. He is. He and his wife have adopted their first child in the past couple of days. And so the one silver lining to all of this is he is very much looking forward to having nothing to take him away from being a first time father. We wish nothing but the best to Kanata and his wife and, and their new girl. I've seen pictures. Yeah, and, and it's, it's really just, it's an incredible, incredible, incredible thing and truly an unforgettable week for him and his family. But I want to thank him as well. We could have easily done this at the top of the show, but wanted to save all this for the, for the end there because he deserves it and frankly, nada. You're welcome for not having to sit through more than an hour and 40 minutes of the College Basketball Eve podcast. I know you will land on your feet and do tremendous things. And if anyone by chance is listening to the show and has actually made it to the end here and happens to work in the media space and is in search of someone that does production work, he is still willing and wanting to get, you know, stay in the industry, stay in the business. Feel free to reach out to me, to reach out to Parrish would be more than happy to have a conversation about him, but he's going to be, he's going to be fine. Not a fun week whatsoever. Don't like losing him whatsoever. We will have a new. We've been able to shift and stuff and so come Wednesday we will have a new producer and the show will go on and we'll try and continue to make it as, as great a show as hopefully we've had before. But, but not an easy, not an easy week whatsoever for us. And obviously, yeah, you know, we work at a very, very big company. The layoffs were very publicly known. We were hoping they wouldn't affect our team. That's just not how it went. And so Nada will be very much missed on the show, but look forward to maintaining keeping in touch with him. And he was actually supposed to go to the Texas Duke game, but he's out of the state, you know, adopting their child. So he will now not be there, which is the best reason. Everybody's like, he got to go to the game because he wasn't actually anticipating. I don't want to get too nuts into but he actually thought he would be able to go to the game before the adoption process happened. But babies are going to make their way into the world when they make their way into the world. And so now he's got the best reason ever to just embark on fatherhood. And I can't wait to see what kind of daddy becomes.
- [108:14]
Gary Parrish
Just to make sure you understand what Norlander's saying. Laid off on one day, go to get a baby the next. That's where we're at.
- [108:21]
Matt Norlander
It's incredible. Incredible. Yes. It's just absolutely wild. Nada is watching as we are watching texting Parrish and I. This is not your funeral, buddy. No, no, no. These are the flowers that you deserve. And we were insistent as long as you were comfortable with it to making sure that we did this. And also frankly. And we can wrap up and as I go to my frequent coda here, we can wrap up the show any minute you want here. I just don't think it would be fair or frankly appropriate to our audience to just not acknowledge him and not acknowledge the fact that we are having a shift in producers and the show on some level. It's going to have some changes. I know sometimes podcasts can have change in producers and you know, those shows handle it. It's how they handle it. But, but it would not have been right to at least pay some homage here to the guy that, that, you know, became the first full time producer that wasn't me to actually take those reins. It's a, it's a big thing. We care a ton about the show, but we love you, buddy. And can't wait to some way someday, somehow meet your baby girl.
- [109:20]
Gary Parrish
Yeah. Just to highlight again something Orlando said. If, if you are, you know, working in this industry and you have something that might make sense or think you might have something that might make sense, reach out. I've already shared not his contact with multiple people and I'll be happy to share it again. Let's get out of here. Shouts to Devin Downey. Shouts to Chester, S.C. shouts to Terry Teagle. He's a legend. Hulk Larnell thank you guys once again for watching and listening to the I Own College Basketball podcast. If you're not subscribed, please go subscribe anywhere you subscribe to podcast, Apple podcast, Spotify. There's more of us than there are of them. That should be reflected in the comments.
- [109:56]
Matt Norlander
Before we get out of here, two things. One, let's make this the longest episode of the entire season.
- [110:02]
Gary Parrish
Please, please God, I know.
- [110:04]
Matt Norlander
Two, I hope everyone enjoyed just how in depth it was because this really reflects on how excited we are for the season start. And three, just a scheduling template, our plan for the near future so people realize this, particularly for YouTube on Wednesdays, Fridays. On Wednesdays and Fridays our target will be 9:45am Eastern. No, that is not a round number at the top of the hour there are schedulous things that are affecting that. But we want to be able to give you typically a full hour show, not an hour 45. But just be aware, Sunday nights we float a little bit. You know, on the east coast it's around dinner time generally speaking, Wednesdays and Fridays. So GP gets into that CBS Sports Network schedule. We'll see how it goes there. But I think if we can do things the way we are in our are on our own. Road to Joy. 9:45am Eastern. We will talk to you again. Then to talk everything Monday and Tuesday night. Paris is now holding up different books with different basketball figures on them. I don't know what's happening, but just keep it heads up if you want to watch us live. 9:45am Eastern on Wednesdays and Fridays. And of course, always never miss us on this show.
- [111:02]
Gary Parrish
Let's get out of here. We'll see you next time. Till then, take care of.
- [111:42]
Matt Norlander
Now streaming on Paramount.
- [111:43]
Gary Parrish
Plus it's the epic return of Mayor of Kingstowne.
- [111:47]
Matt Norlander
Warden, you know who I am. Starring Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner. I swear in these walls.
- [111:52]
Gary Parrish
Emmy award winner Edie Falco.
- [111:54]
Matt Norlander
You're an ex con who ran this place for years and now, now you can't do that.
- [112:00]
Gary Parrish
And BAFTA award winner Lenny James. You're about to have a plague of outsiders descend on your town.
- [112:05]
Matt Norlander
Let me tell you this, there's gonna be consequences.
- [112:08]
Gary Parrish
Mayor of Kingstowne new season now streaming on Paramount. Plus.