Hour 1: Superstitions

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron" – Hour 1: Superstitions

Date: March 22, 2026
Hosts: Matt Jones & Myron Medcalf (with guest appearances from Tom Crane & callers)
Network: ESPN Radio

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into sports superstitions and the high-wire nerves fans—and even some sports professionals—experience during big games, especially in the NCAA tournament. Matt candidly shares his own extreme rituals as a Kentucky fan, sparking a wider conversation about fan anxiety, coping mechanisms, and the intersection of sports, superstition, and identity.
The show is a blend of lively banter, personal stories, listener calls, and expert insight into March Madness narratives—skipping the superficial to celebrate the heart and hilarity of sports fandom.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. NCAA Tournament Weekend Reactions

• Early Tournament Drama:

  • Duke’s nail-biter against Siena, High Point’s upset, Miami of Ohio’s thrilling win, and Vanderbilt’s near-miracle half-court shot are highlighted as top moments.
  • [01:28] Matt: “But the storyline...has to be the Kentucky Santa Clara leading to the away half court shot win.”

• Kentucky’s Miraculous Win Over Santa Clara:

  • Myron’s take: The arena erupted in disbelief when Santa Clara appeared to win, but Kentucky’s OA (pronounced "O-A") hit a miraculous shot, which Matt calls “one of the three or four most miraculous shots I’ve ever seen in college basketball.” [02:15]
  • Matt sheepishly admits he wasn’t in the building for the magic moment due to nerves, launching the episode’s superstition theme.

2. Matt’s Fan Superstitions: "The Art of Avoidance"

• Leaving the Stadium:

  • Matt explains he's left the arena during every iconic Kentucky moment for 20 years, preferring to pace nervously in solitude:

    “I left the building for all of them....I was sitting on a park bench by myself...watching me pace back and forth and watch the game on my phone.” — Matt [03:14]

  • He recounts running back and forth between a pizza place and a park for good luck depending on the game’s momentum.

    “As soon as I got to the park, we took the lead...it was clear the mojo of the game was in the park.” — Matt [06:13]

• The Superstition Escalator:

  • When Kentucky struggled during their 40-0 run, Matt would hide in the shower, feeling it helped the team win:

    “I would get in the shower until my skin started to prune, because that was the only way I could seem to get Kentucky to keep winning.” — Matt [08:04]

• Regrets and Reality:

  • Myron asks if Matt regrets missing the biggest moments:

    “If I had been there when Santa Clara made the shot, the tension...might have...led me to a heart attack.” — Matt [08:18]

  • Myron draws parallels to other sports figures’ rituals, like Coco Gauff’s dad, noting, “It’s fascinating, because...there are people like that...” [04:54]

3. Fan Engagement: Listeners’ Superstitions & Rituals

• Listener Stories:

  • Andrew in NC: His neighbor paces in the yard with doors and windows open, even in freezing weather, to avoid breaking TVs.

    “He had broken so many TVs...pacing in his front yard with his windows open, listening to the game.” — Andrew [17:43]

  • Moody in Arkansas: Turns games off when he senses bad luck, depending on notifications for results—even for regular season NBA games.

  • David in Indy: In high-pressure moments, David distracts himself with video games, checking the ESPN app for updates instead of watching live.

    “Turned my Xbox on, started playing Madden...turned it on just in time to see Chris Bryant field that grounder...” — David [20:05]

  • Texts and Calls:

    • One fan left the Super Bowl because the nerves were too much, finishing the game at a sports bar.
    • Another caller shared the family tradition of betting on the opposing team at live games for “Sports Gods” luck, even if it meant losing money.

• Myron’s Reflection:

  • Observes that only fans of good teams have “fan privilege” and can afford such rituals—“No one is leaving the arena with bad teams...”

4. Superstitions Contextualized: “We Are the True Fans”

• Broader Theme:
  • Matt argues that the truly invested fans are the ones who feel compelled to remove themselves for the team’s (and their own) survival.
  • The show rallies around the concept that, while excessive, these rituals are born from genuine passion and heartbreak risk.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kentucky Fandom:

  “Listen, I consider myself to be a reasonable man…but when it comes to Kentucky playing specifically in the NCAA tournament, that means much more…The tension does something to me that…would put me in a hospital.” — Matt [04:06]

• On the Burden of Waiting:

  “As the great Tom Petty once said, the waiting is the hardest part.” — Matt [04:43]

• On Listener Superstitions:

  “None of y’all sound happy, by the way…None of y’all sound really happy.” — Myron [19:49]

• On Super Bowl Nerves:

  “One person said…they left [the Super Bowl] because [they] couldn’t handle it anymore and…watched it in a sports bar across the street. That’s tough. Super Bowl is expensive.” — Matt [23:10]

• On True Fandom vs. Detachment:

  “We are the true fans…James and I and you all…We understand what it’s like to have it affect your life.” — Matt [45:14]

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Sports Analysis Highlights & Tournament Notes

5. NCAA Tournament Moments & Controversies

• Best Shots in NCAA History:

  • Hosts debate the order: Christian Laettner’s shot is #1; Jalen Suggs’ for Gonzaga contends for #2 alongside Chris Jenkins’ title-winner.
  • Matt cheerfully notes that Kentucky’s OA is already benefiting:

    “He’s already gotten two NIL deals…Buffalo Wild Wings and Turbo Tax have both given him NIL deals in a day.” — Matt [11:13]

• Timeout Controversy in Kentucky-Santa Clara:

  • Discussion whether Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek was unfairly denied a timeout:

    “There’s literally a split second when that timeout can happen...that’s not why they lost. I think you got to foul up three in that situation.” — Myron [13:39]

• Refereeing and NCAA Gameplay Oddities:

  • Conversation about whether Duke still gets favorable calls ("Drawing fouls is an art and I think Duke is good at it," — Myron [14:21]).
  • Oddities of inflation in NCAA basketballs and the home team’s ability to choose ball types sparks laughter and incredulity.

• Coaches’ Tournament Style – Ugly Sweater Watch:

  • Discussion of the Queens NC coach’s “hideous” green sweater—“it looks like vomit” [16:27]—launches banter about coaches’ wardrobe quirks on the national stage.

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Expert Segment: Tom Crane Weighs In

[24:01–33:36]

• Kentucky–Santa Clara Deep Dive:
  • Praises Santa Clara’s talent and Kentucky’s ability to “survive”—ties into broader trend of mid-majors having big budgets and less “Cinderella” factor in the NIL era.
• Late-Game Strategy:
  • Coaches’ dilemma over fouling up three points:

    “Whatever you decide to do, you have to practice it a lot…the danger…is the continuation. You have to be so well versed…” — Tom Crane [25:48]

• Previewing Key Matchups:
  • St. John’s vs. Kansas: St. John’s defense is a wildcard if officiating is consistent.
  • Iowa State, short-handed without Joshua Jefferson, will give Kentucky a unique look, but the guard matchup may be the decider.
• Expert Picks:
  • If forced to pick a likely one-seed upset, Tom (reluctantly) picks Arizona vs. Utah State for the upset factor. [33:13]

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Lighter Moments & Tournament Culture

6. Favorite Tournament Moments & Anecdotes

[35:54–41:06]

• Matt recalls games that encapsulated the spirit of the tourney, such as Miami of Ohio’s wild play and the infectious energy of High Point’s student announcers.
• Myron and Matt reflect on encounters with basketball giants Shaquille O’Neal and Olivier Rioux (“7’9” guy at EDM fests!”).
• Amusing sideline prayer—Prairie View A&M’s coach praying for divine intervention in a blowout is a highlight.

  “One thing Black folks gonna do is pray.” — Myron [38:05]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:28] NCAA Tournament standouts and the Kentucky–Santa Clara setup
• [02:15–08:54] Matt’s superstitions and the psychology of “waiting”
• [13:06–16:27] Listener stories, coach fashion faux pas, fan superstitions
• [24:01–33:36] Tom Crane on late-game fouling & expert analysis
• [35:54–41:06] Favorite tournament moments, laughs about player size, and fan rituals

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Final Thoughts

This episode artfully balances sport analysis and the emotional reality of fandom, celebrating the wide array of ways people try to control luck, destiny, and their own blood pressure. If you’ve ever needed to walk away from a TV, hide in the shower, or leave a stadium when the stakes are high, you’ll feel understood (and maybe a bit validated) by Matt, Myron, and the callers.

As Matt sums it up:

“We are the true fans...We understand what it’s like to have it affect your life.” [45:14]

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For basketball fans and sports obsessives alike, this episode is equal parts hilarious group therapy, tournament recap, and celebration of rituals that make March Madness truly mad.

Transcript

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[Myron]

This is Matt and Myron, the podcast

[Matt]

stick by that take. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna apologize here on Matt Myron on Sunday morning. We are here ready to rock our favorite time of year for this twosome NCAA tournament first weekend. I think for the most part it's delivered especially on day one and then got some yesterday. Meyer Metcalf, have you enjoyed the first three days of the tournament?

[Myron]

I've loved it, man. You know we've had a lot of incredible moments, a lot of big plays, a lot of personalities. I've been having fun, man.

[Matt]

I've loved it. I think it's been exactly what you want. You want a fun first weekend and then if we're honest, you want the powers the second weekend and it is shaping up to make that happen depending on what happens today. Matt Myron's presented by Progressive Insurance. Protect your home and auto safe when you bundle get a'@progressive.com what are we thinking about? I'm trying to think but nothing happens. Nothing happens.

[Myron]

Time to find out.

[Matt]

This is off the top flash off the top rope with Matt and Myron. All right, so first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Myron, I the question are what are the headlines? For me the headlines are Duke got tested to the limit by a school called Sienna. The High Point win and the Miami of Ohio win were pretty awesome. Vanderbilt nearly made history with a banked in shot from three quarter courts to win and then High Point gave Arkansas a test to the end yesterday. But the storyline and I may be biased because I'm a wildcat at heart, has to be the Kentucky Santa Clara leading to the away half court shot win.

[Myron]

Yeah, yeah. And I think the sequence probably like Santa Clara hits a shot. If you look at all the fans and Santa Clara the game's over and I think every fan, I think a lot of Kentucky fans would admit they thought it was over in that moment and then I'LL take away hits. One of the three or four most miraculous shots I've ever seen in college basketball. So you must have loved that you were in the building, right? That must have been fun to see in person.

[Matt]

Well, I mean, by in the building, if you mean in the city limits of St. Louis. I was. I had left. I had left the building because I was nervous. So I actually ended up watching it in a park about two blocks down away from the arena.

[Myron]

Stop. Hold on.

[Matt]

Stop.

[Myron]

Wait a second.

[Matt]

What?

[Myron]

Arguably one of the three or four greatest shots of your lifetime in Kentucky history, right?

[Matt]

Oh, without question, yeah.

[Myron]

And you had a chance to be in the building and you left.

[Matt]

But to be honest with you, that has happened. So, like, let's look at the greatest Kentucky shots of the last 20 years. I have left the building on all of them. The Aaron Harrison shots in 2014 where he made against Michigan, Wisconsin, Louisville. I left the building for all of those, and I left the building for this one, too. I was sitting on a park bench by. By myself. There was a children's volleyball tournament, apparently, in St. Louis, and they were eating lunch in the park, and they were watching me pace back and forth and watch the game on my phone.

[Myron]

Well, you're pacing back and forth in a park next to a children's event.

[Matt]

Correct.

[Myron]

Okay.

[Matt]

Down the street from the arena.

[Myron]

And the authorities weren't calling.

[Matt]

Listen, I consider myself to be a reasonable man, okay? So, like, I. I am someone who's rational, who understands that this is just a sport with young adults throwing a round figure into a hoop. I get all that. But when it comes to Kentucky playing specifically in the NCAA tournament, that means much more than everything else. And the. I can't be in the building. The tension does something to me that. That I think would put me in a hospital. Myron. It's the. It's not so much. It's not so much the result.

[Myron]

Yeah.

[Matt]

As the great Tom Petty once said, the waiting is the hardest part. It's sitting there waiting for the event to happen, and it's too much, and I have to leave.

[Myron]

Yeah. It's fascinating because I'm trying to figure out, like, what it was like. And I know people there. There are people like that, like Coco Golf's dad, the tennis player. Like, he. He walks around the stadium like he can't be there in those clutch moments. I get it, but I'm just thinking about all the people who've missed these great moments. Like, what was your emotion when you saw the shot? But when you saw the Shot on your phone. Like, what were you thinking sitting there in the park next to kids eating peanut butter and jelly?

[Matt]

I was by myself and I was screaming like a lunatic jumping up and down in the park.

[Myron]

So you're screaming, you're pacing, and now you're screaming. Now a bunch of kids eating lunchables.

[Matt]

So then I run. This is a true story. There's a pizza place down the street. I run into the pizza place and I'm like, okay, I'll watch overtime. But you may remember Santa Clara scores the first basket in overtime.

[Myron]

Yes.

[Matt]

So then I leave the pizza place because it's clear I'm bad luck in the pizza place. I run back to the park and, and watch the rest of the game in the park again so that all

[Myron]

the kids are like, he's back.

[Matt]

The crazy man is back.

[Myron]

Boy, you lucky the authorities weren't called, man. That. That is a. That is a situation.

[Matt]

Well, I was ready to ride out overtime in the pizza place, but it wasn't working. Then as soon as I got to the park, we took the lead. Brandon Garrison got his blocks and. And it was clear that the mojo of the game was in the park. So we play Iowa State today. If we get behind by four to five points, you'll leave. I will leave and go to the park again. Myron and I will ride out the game in the park.

[Myron]

There'll be a couple of squad cars waiting on you. This time you better go to a different part of the park because there'll be some people waiting on you.

[Matt]

Well, I don't know if you've ever been to downtown St. Louis, and I don't know, I'm sure we have callers. 888 say ESPN, who live in St. Louis. St. Louis is oddly deserted, even like downtown St. Louis, even during the day. Like there's nobody there. So it feels like you're walking through like a zombie movie in the middle of the sunlight. And so I think maybe that was part of making me feel better is that like I'm walking through this abandoned city rather than being in the tension filled arena.

[Myron]

That's how every episode of Dateline starts too. Wandering, dude, Wandering around a town.

[Matt]

Wandering around town.

[Myron]

I'm curious if, like, are there more fans like you? Like, I didn't realize there were fans.

[Matt]

Okay.

[Myron]

Got that nervous where they had to leave or not watch.

[Matt]

888 say ESPN to the fans out there. How many of you. And I know there's got to be some of you. How many of you are like me and the tension becomes such that even if you're just in your house, do you have to turn the TV off? When Kentucky, you remember when they were going for a 40 and O season?

[Myron]

Yeah.

[Matt]

I got to the point that if they ever struggled, I just got in the shower because it seemed like when I got in the shower they would play better. So I would like I would get in the shower until the water, until my skin started to prune.

[Myron]

Yeah.

[Matt]

Because that was the only way I could seem to get Kentucky to keep winning was to, to be in the shower.

[Myron]

But do you have regrets about last night not being in that building? And the emotion has regrets.

[Matt]

But I think if I had been there when Santa Clara made the shot, the tension between those three seconds and when away made his might have. Myron led me to a heart attack. Because the thing is, it's not even the result. I can handle the result. It's the waiting. It is literally the hardest part and I can't do it.

[Myron]

I mean that, that, that is a die hard fan and I'm sure there are other people like that as well. But Matt, when I saw the shot, I was like, oh, Matt is, is right there. I mean the videos aren't what's going crazy.

[Matt]

It's just Matt. Is it on a surveillance video in the park?

[Myron]

You're on somebody's bulletin right now. You don't know it yet, but you're on somebody's list right now.

[Matt]

Well, listen, that's just, that's just how it has to be and I respect that about myself. Now, as far as the win. Yeah, great win for Kentucky. Joshua Jefferson is out for Iowa State today. Do you think the Cats have a chance to win another one while I'm in the park?

[Myron]

Yeah, I mean I, I've watched Iowa State live a couple times this year, multiple times. They're a different team without Joshua Jefferson. Like he's a legit all American. He was a player of the year candidate behind Cam Boozer for a chunk of the season. Killian Tory is a young guy freshman who's going to play a bunch of those minutes, but they're not the same team without him. Now they still got great shooters, but I feel like if you're Kentucky, you think this thing is kind of broken the way you wanted it to, to get to the sweet 16.

[Matt]

Let's real quick, let's run down the best shots in our lifetime in the NCAA tournament. Christian Leitner, as much as it pains me because it was against my team, it's clearly number one. What's Number two. Is it the shot the Gonzaga guy hit to send it to overtime?

[Myron]

Yeah. Morrison. Yeah.

[Matt]

Oh.

[Myron]

Jayla Suggs. Jalen Suggs couple.

[Matt]

Jalen Suggs. Is that number two?

[Myron]

Yeah, Jalen Suggs. And I was actually in the. I was getting food when that happened.

[Matt]

You were getting food?

[Myron]

Yeah.

[Matt]

The game was about to end. Myron, why were you.

[Myron]

I was getting food. I was getting food because that's Miley Cyrus performed. So I watched Miley Cyrus and I was like, let me go get something to eat. And then it happened. So.

[Matt]

But wait a minute. Miley Cyrus performed at halftime way later.

[Myron]

I was like, I see what I need to see. I'm going to get something to eat.

[Matt]

So you just walked out of that game with five seconds left?

[Myron]

A little bit earlier. I'm figured I'd be back in time, but that was a long line. Food was good. Yes. I'm eating my food. I'm getting settled down. And then.

[Matt]

Well, I would say then like what Bryce Drew Ali.

[Myron]

How do you say his last name? To Kansas. Northern Iowa.

[Matt]

Ness Faro for Northern Iowa. Yeah. I mean.

[Myron]

And then obviously Chris Jenkins is probably the biggest one.

[Matt]

Chris. To win the title. Yeah. Ty Sadney. I think OA is going to be somewhere like 5 to 10 on that list now. And if you haven't noticed, he's already gotten two nil deals.

[Myron]

I love it.

[Matt]

Since the. Since the shot, Buffalo Wild Wings and the Turbo Tax have both given him nil deals in a day. That's crazy to like he filmed a commercial in a hotel ballroom yesterday.

[Myron]

But that's what I was trying to figure out. Like, how do they do that? How do they give an IL deal and then film a commercial like that?

[Matt]

Because that's what you do at this time of year. 888 say ESPN. We're listening now to what are your I can't handle this superstitions. Kentucky plays Iowa State today. You may see me roaming the streets of St. Louis trying to give mojo to the team. It's all next here on Matt Myron on ESPN Radio.

[Myron]

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[Matt]

Matt Myron, NCAA Tournament. Our time of year rolling. We are talking about how we get a little too nervous to watch games. Let me give you a couple real quick questions here before I go to some of these phone calls. By the way, one person says, matt, I'm an Alabama fan. I can't watch the games. My wife's even worse. When Alabama starts losing, she goes to bed and takes a nap. See, I wouldn't even be able to nap. How does she get her brain to shut down? You know, I like there's too much going on during these games. Santa Clara, do you think they should have awarded the timeout to Herb Sendak

[Myron]

looking at his video? No, probably not in real time. Like that's such a. There's literally a split second when that timeout can happen. Um, so. So no. I, I blame Santa Clara for not following up three more than anything. Like if you followed it, know the rule.

[Matt]

I didn't know the rule that when the other team picks up the ball after a made shot, you can't call timeout. You have to call timeout before they pick up the ball. Did you know that rule? I didn't know it.

[Myron]

I knew that and I knew it was it. So it's a split second thing in real time. Um, that's not why they lost. I think you got to follow up three in that situation.

[Matt]

I didn't know that rule. Do you still feel like Duke gets all the calls? Felt like during the TCU game last night the referees were on the Duke University payroll.

[Myron]

No, I think they know how to. Drawing files is an art and I think Duke is good at it, you know, so I, I don't have any problem with the calls.

[Matt]

Do you think the balls were too inflated? And that's why Taylor didn't make his shot for, for Duke or for Vandy

[Myron]

last Night it had it gone in. Will we be saying that? You know, so, like, fans just pick and choose their moments.

[Matt]

I dribbled the ball before I left the arena and got on the. I put like, they are. Those balls are. Are much more inflated than your regular basketball. I'm just saying in the NCAA tournament. I don't know why they do that. I mean, they do it for both teams. It's not like only one team gets it. But why is that?

[Myron]

I don't know, but it's weird. We don't have a standard basketball in college basketball.

[Matt]

Did you know crazy college basketball uses, like, football, four different kinds of basketballs. They have some made of, like, rubber, some made of corn. Like, why do they do that?

[Myron]

The home team can choose the ball every. People don't realize that the home team chooses the ball every game.

[Matt]

That's just such a dumb. Like, why. I've never. I've never understood that. And then what do you. Well, actually, we'll talk. I want to talk about the coaches. It feels like this has been a coaches Gone Wild tournament with coaches just being. Did you see the Queens coach in his sweater?

[Myron]

There's a lot.

[Matt]

That's one we need to. We need to also note.

[Myron]

He needs a group chat where people tell him it's too much.

[Matt]

Rachel, you said you haven't watched a lot of the tournament, which I find odd. As an ESPN employee, I want you to at least look up the queens, NC coach's sweater and give me your opinion. I think it's the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life. Now, they say that's his thing, that he wears ugly sweaters to games. But do you think on national television, the one time most of the world will see you, you should go out in that sweater.

[Myron]

Yeah, no, sometimes you got to tell people they need a new thing, you know, like. Like, we got to be able to start being honest with people about situations. As my mother would say, don't go out here embarrassing me. And I think someone needs to have that talk with him about this.

[Matt]

Do you think someone embarrassed the Queens, North Carolina coach with that green?

[Myron]

Oh, they've been talking about it behind his back. This. They're just too afraid to talk to him now. They'll talk to him in the off season, though.

[Matt]

I mean, the sweater kind of looks like. And I know it's early in the morning. Yes, it's green. It looks like vomit.

[Myron]

But he does this every game, though. Like, he's got a sweater. Yeah, that's. That's when you promise your friend that you'll wear their sweaters on national tv.

[Matt]

I mean, I have. I have nice pajamas, but this isn't the time to wear them.

[Myron]

But she's Kim Monkey. Yeah, she's Kim Monkey.

[Matt]

Kim Mulkey's look fashionable. Kim Mulk. But his thing is bad. Like, if his thing was holy underwear, he shouldn't. Well, that's true, but I mean, that would also be true if he went out there naked. It doesn't mean he should go out there naked.

[Myron]

Well, that's why you can't tell your friends that you wear their sweaters on national tv. Well, you can't tell your buddies you'll wear their clothes, you know.

[Matt]

Well, I. It was pretty hideous, but I guess it's a lie to some extent. James is right. We are talking about it. Okay? We've got people who have the superstitions. Let's start with Andrew in North Carolina. Andrew, what do you do when I would assume the Tar Heels play?

[Tom Crane]

Hey, what's up, man? So I was actually calling in my neighbor that used to live across the street for me was also a North Carolina van. And he had broken so many TVs

[Matt]

through the years that what he had

[Tom Crane]

to start doing was pacing in his front yard with his windows open, his door open, listening to the game. It could be 10 degrees. He would be out there pacing, listening to the game to keep from breaking his tv because he had so many over here.

[Matt]

That's my guy. That's.

[Myron]

That's okay. That's next level. That's next level.

[Matt]

Well, that's a little different. He's not just doing it because he's nervous. He's trying to commit himself, keep himself from committing physical acts of violence. That's.

[Myron]

That's the next level.

[Matt]

That's. It's also frugal. That's right.

[Myron]

You can't. You can't watch games with a person like that. Like, he has to watch games by himself if he's smashing TVs, man.

[Matt]

Yeah, that's exactly right. Let's go to. Let's go to Muddy in Arkansas. What do you do in Arkansas, Buddy?

[Myron]

Buddy.

[Tom Crane]

Actually Moody, but I got you. No worries. I was saying, man, I was watching the 2026 champion Lakers last night, and, you know, I thought all hope was lost until, you know, Luke had hit that shot. But what I do is no situation where I think that we're about to lose. I just cut the game off entirely and wait for the notification for the win. And it's worked with the Austin Reaves shot off of the rim.

[Matt]

Let me ask you a question, Moody. Are you getting that nervous about a regular season NB game? I mean, there's 82 of them. Are you doing this to yourself every two or three nights?

[Tom Crane]

Well, you know, I'm. I'm. I'm a massive Lakers fan, and this is LeBron's last year, so I'm trying to enjoy the greatness. I'm just a witness, you know?

[Matt]

It sounds like you're not a witness. Actually, it sounds like you're the exact opposite.

[Myron]

You ain't been a great witness. You haven't.

[Matt]

I mean, like, if I call you into court, ask you what happened, you're not gonna know. You.

[Myron]

You weren't there. Yeah, that's. That's a die hard fan, though.

[Matt]

Yeah.

[Myron]

Yeah. None of these. None of y' all sound happy, by the way. Like, none of y' all fans who talk about how much you love your teams, none of y' all sound really happy.

[Matt]

I have to be a witness to history. Well, actually, you are. Let's go to David in Indy. David.

[Tom Crane]

Hey. Good morning. This particular time, 2016, Araldus Chapman gave up run home run or tie in home run in the World Series. And then the rain delay, my anxiety and blood pressure was at all time high. So I turned on. I turned my Xbox on, started playing Madden, and was refreshing the ESPN app. And I turned it on just in time to see Chris Bryant feel that grounder to at third for the wins. So, yeah, that was my.

[Matt]

Okay. You understand? Then you know what I am. You know that sometimes you got to go do something else, or in my case, walk the streets of St. Louis. And I just want to say the people of St. Louis, you have a nice historic city. But where are y'? All? Like, do any of you visit it? Are you just let. Are you just turning it over to the zombies? Like, what has happened? What are you doing in downtown St. Louis?

[Myron]

Go down one of them alleys and see where they at.

[Matt]

They're parts. I don't need to visit. I understand.

[Myron]

Make that right turn.

[Matt]

Believe me, I saw the right turn. I stayed in the park. More on Matt and Myron on espn.

[Myron]

Matt and Myron the pod.

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[Matt]

This college basketball tournament moment is brought to you by Marriott Bonvoy after rupturing

[Myron]

his Achilles celebrating the team Sunbelt Tournament championship, Georgia State head coach Ron Hunter was forced to roll the sidelines of the NCAA tournament on a stool with wheels.

[Matt]

In the opening round, 14 seeded Georgia

[Myron]

State faced third seeded Baylor down two. RJ Hunter, the coach's son, hit a game winning three pointer causing his father to fly off his stool. Celebrating on the floor.

[Matt]

Marriott Bonvoy where game day checks in Harry Douglas Here, game day brings the excitement.

[Myron]

Your stage should feel just as memorable with Marriott Bonvoy, official hotel partner of the NCAA in U.S. soccer, you're connected to a portfolio of brands designed for how you travel. Some offer complimentary breakfast, others give you

[Matt]

room to spread out space to stay

[Myron]

productive or extended stay conference. So whether you're a traveling fan or part of the team, Marriott Bonvoy celebrates the moments that live on before and after the game. Marriott Bonvoy where game day checks in.

[Matt]

A lot of y' all are writing because you feel the same way on the text machine 772-774-5254 about what you can and cannot do. One person said Matt I had tickets to super bowl to watch my team go and win it and in the third quarter I left because I couldn't handle it anymore and I watched it in a sports bar across the street. That's tough. Super bowl is, super bowl is expensive.

[Myron]

Myron yeah, that person's just rich. That's all it is. If you can leave the super bowl, you just rich.

[Matt]

So you think part of this is when people leave games, it's like what a rich person does. Is that what it is?

[Myron]

What a rich person? And it only happens with good teams. Like no one is leaving the arena with bad teams. You all are so used to what

[Matt]

you left high points. Yeah, yeah.

[Myron]

Nobody is like oh, oh no. I wonder what Sienna's gonna do here. Let me leave the building. That didn't happen.

[Matt]

So yeah. Tom Crane is here with us, ESPN college basketball analyst. I want to go through a few of these storylines from the from the day and then we'll get back after Tom to the calls. But let's start with the game of the tournament so far I think is Kentucky, Santa Clara. What'd you think? First of all of the shot and then what? It. What about the controversy that they should have given Sendak the timeout?

[Tom Crane]

Oh, yeah. I mean, you can't miss. You can't miss her on that. I mean, it's.

[Matt]

I only hesitated, though, Tom. He hesitated. He hesitated.

[Tom Crane]

Well, either way, it doesn't matter. Kentucky's moving on to play Iowa State. So there's always going to be scrutiny. There's always going to be. I didn't see it in real time because I was doing the games in Tampa, so I did not see it like that. I've only seen it on replay. So you have a better view of it than I do. I never saw live. But Santa Clara is good. I mean, they're legit and, you know, they're probably. I don't think there's any Cinderellas anymore when you got $4 million or more in nil. There's certainly no Cinderellas when you're at 10, 12, $13 million a year. Dana Claire is probably sitting somewhere on that line. But, I mean, they just showed how good of a team they were. Graves can really, really play. I thought Kentucky struggled guarding their drives, which they have a tendency to do, but that was a big win for Kentucky. That's a hard game because Santa Clara is excellent at control and pace. But I don't have enough of a clear real time view of exactly what happened at the end other than replay.

[Myron]

Tom, I was watching a game and I've heard coaches say this. I don't see enough of them executed. Why wouldn't you file up three in that situation? Like, why aren't more coaches fouling in that situation to avoid what happened at the end of regulation?

[Tom Crane]

I didn't. I didn't. And was never burned. Except one time at a Big Ten tournament game when we wanted 15, 16 against Michigan. And they hit it with. Really, they traveled on the three. But it was such a fade away. I never did. I trusted the defense. We switched turn the ball. We practiced it a lot. Whatever you decide to do, you have to practice it a lot. You know, it's still. It's still a few days later, but it just blows my mind that a player like Henry Vessar at North Carolina would throw the ball off the board instead of hitting the rim in an intentional miss. So no matter what you do, it's really a coach's decision. You know, the people that are so adamant about. We do it this way. And this is what the math says. The math's got nothing to do with what's going on in that particular game. So it really becomes how you feel about it. Have you practiced it? And I'm telling you now, the danger with it now is the continuation. And so you just have to be, you have to be so well versed. And I've talked to different NBA coaches that only had specific guys on their teams that they would have the ones to do the foul because they were so, because they were so concerned about getting it wrong. So there's a lot that goes into it. And again, my belief was depending on certain things now there's certain second differences and things like that. But I think even more so now with continuation in the way, you're going to get the benefit of the doubt offensively if that, if you are making, if you are making a move and if you've taken that step towards shooting the ball and that's risky and I've never liked the fact you could lose a game on the foul line following up three as well, because you could give up two points, you could give up another foul and you could certainly give up a three. So there's a lot of things that have to be in play, practice correctly for that to work.

[Matt]

Let's talk about some of the games today. I know you're in Tampa, but the game of the day is probably St. John's and Kansas. Two, you know, legendary coaches, powerhouse programs, teams that could go all the way, but also could. One of them is going home in the second round. How do you see this one playing out?

[Tom Crane]

Fish shading is going to be huge. Absolutely paramount. I mean, if it's officiated the way Duke TCU was, where there's contact, the, the inconsistency of contact yesterday because it's usually not that one team's not fouling, they are, is that the other team is following as well and getting the consistency of it down and what, what a hand check is, what body and on the drive is all those types of things. I think St. John's has the ability to put enormous pressure on the drive and kick game of Kansas. And I think that, I think Darren Peterson can have a really rough time because he drives into traffic. You can steer him too easily. By that, I mean you can kind of push him where you want him to go. Now you can't do it in the open floor. You can't do it when he's got a Runway. You can't do it when he sees a path to the basket. But when he starts trying to drive the ball and Melvin Council junior is like this a little bit too. And, and what they can't have is Trey White, who's become a better three point shooter, all of a sudden thinking he's Klay Thompson, because that, that's not going to work for that team. And I like Kansas's abilities, but I just think St. John's defensively can really create a lot of havoc for, for Kansas. It's like playing an Iowa State team with how active they are with their hands, with how active they are with their feet. And again, when Peterson, I'm not sure how that's going to work for him. He's really struggled any time that he drove it into traffic this year where there was help. And that's one of St. John's great things. And then I think the other thing that Rick's teams have that I think could be a factor in this Kansas game is how good they are in the last five, six minutes of the game when they bring fatigue to the game so that the extra time and the timeouts help things of that nature. But I just think that St. John's defense is really, really good. And Kansas has a tendency to settle and get away from what's working if the pressure gets a little too heavy.

[Myron]

Tom Joshua Jefferson, the All American out for Iowa State with the ankle injury. When you're coaching a team at this stage in this situation and your best player is out, like, what's the message? What are you doing to try to get your team ready to face a squad like Kentucky in that situation?

[Tom Crane]

Well, it's brutal because it's in real time right now. Like we saw this the other day with Alabama in the game that they had against Hofstra. Aiden Holloway's out because of the issue. He's, he's averaging a true 17 points a game. So, like when you get into the game, and I've been down this line, especially in Indiana when we lost James Blackman Jr. One year and we lost him and we almost lost a Rutgers the first game back. How quick you get through not thinking and looking for what that person does. And in the scoring department, a lot of times one or two guys think they're going to get the 17, 18 points, I mean the 20 that Jefferson has the tendency to get in bigger games so that you have to work through quickly. I thought Alabama took a half for them to figure that out the other day, and by the second half they were much better. The thing with Jefferson is he can pass the ball so well and obviously he can score. He can shoot, he can score around the rim, but he can pass it. And I think they're going to have to make sure that, that they still run the same type of actions, but at the same time they stay true to the spacing because some of those drop offs, some of that high load, that's not going to be there as well. But I think they, I think Iowa State's best opportunities in this game. I'm not sure that Kentucky has faced the level of guard pressure that they're going to feel from Iowa State. Florida would be the closest and being able to really put havoc and pressure on that ball and. And again, I think with that team so much of it always playing excellent. But you can't let Chandler and you can't let Aberdeen have great games too, like always going to get shots, he's going to get to the basket. Yes, you want to bring coverages, things of that nature. But if Iowa State's going to win this game, it's going to be because they had great pressure on the ball, they rebounded the ball offensively, which I think you can do against Kentucky. They create enough turnovers to get easy baskets. So when you lose a player like Jefferson, who can get your team easy baskets, you've got to find ways to get them other ways. And that's where the hustle game, the defense and things like that come into play. But that's a mature team. That's an older team. They're losing Jefferson, but they still got their guard corps. I think it's going to be a heck of a game.

[Matt]

30 seconds here, Tom. Florida is playing Iowa. Arizona is playing Utah State. Which one seed would be most likely to be upset today?

[Tom Crane]

I was, I was going to be a tough game for Florida, tougher than people think. I think it'll all come down to the pace. I don't think either. I think, I think both of them,

[Matt]

but you got to pick one. You got. You got to pick one.

[Tom Crane]

Pick one. Okay, I'll pick one. I'll pick Utah State, but I'm not picking Utah State. I'm just doing it because I like you and you told me to, and I got Arizona winning it. But I'll play the game and go with Utah State.

[Matt]

I understand. No problem. Hey, Tom, thank you very much. He'll be calling the games in Tampa for Westwood 1. Iowa, Florida, Alabama, Texas Tech. Thank you very much for coming on.

[Tom Crane]

Absolutely. Matt. Myron, have a great week.

[Matt]

Appreciate it. We, we are going to continue talking to people, fans that get nervous previewing these games. And then I think some NFL players made a mistake yesterday, Myron. They decided to play in a flag football game that, I will tell you, even surprised me and was a little bit. I don't know if it was the best decision. I think maybe people should have said, what are you doing? We'll deal with that next here on Matt Myron on ESPN Radio.

[Myron]

Matt and Myron the Podcast.

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[Matt]

Yeah, I like this. Can I give you some of my favorite moments here on Matt Myron from ESPN Radio from the tournament first of all started off with Miami of Ohio beating smu. Maybe the most fun offense I've seen. Scowl Jack just jacking up shots. Random guys with backdoor cuts. SMU look like they never played basketball before. I loved me some Miami of Ohio dudes in there. The Speedo swim trunk guys. They came down. Looks like they got kicked out after that because they didn't come down again after that free throw. But Myron, that's what college basketball is all about. Was that game right?

[Myron]

Yeah and just, you know, Miami just not caring. Just. Just firing up threes all game that that was fun to watch.

[Matt]

That was great then. I love the High Point announcers against Wisconsin, the two kids. The one kid gives a great call, looks like Joey Molinaro is the play by play guy. And he's doing amazing call. He's into it, going crazy. And then his partner, his partner can't even talk. His partner's just sitting there like he. There's two minutes, he doesn't say a word. He just looks like Fred Sanford faking a heart attack the whole time. I love that video as well, Myron.

[Myron]

That was fun, man. And it's cool to see, especially the students, you know, at High Point. That's going to be legendary forever. And to be a part of that must be fun.

[Matt]

And then the Duke, Sienna. The Sienna guys like, like, like Duke looks like, who are these people? Aren't you all like, where did you come from? Like these little Sienna people. Who are you? And then after the game, one of the Duke players goes, yeah, we thought this was gonna be easy. It's like, why are you saying that?

[Myron]

Yeah, that was, that wasn't in the script. Like saying you thought it was going to be a cakewalk probably isn't the best thing to say after a game. But Sienna showed up, man, and they played well. And that's what the tournament's all about.

[Matt]

Florida Prairie View A and M, couple great moments. One, they do a sideline interview with the coach into the game. They say, what do you need to do? And he said, God needs to shine down upon us. I mean, I like it. He just is like, look, we need to pray and hope to God something happens.

[Myron]

One thing black folks gonna do is pray. And I tell you what. And I think the sideline reporter thought maybe he was joking, but I think he was dead serious. He was like, no, I mean, this is what, this is what we gonna need to happen.

[Matt]

It's like, what may be, may be I'm blessed.

[Myron]

Blessed and highly favored.

[Matt]

You get somebody in that situation like him, he's gonna be blessed. That's what it is.

[Myron]

That's what he was telling his team too. This team was probably like, hey man,

[Matt]

these dudes are about 40 at the end in that game. When the 79 player Oliver Rue checks in, that's one of the great things I've ever seen. The Prairie View A and M looks. Guy looks at him and is like, damn, you're tall.

[Myron]

And that guy was 6 foot 8. That's what people don't realize. The guy looking up to him was 6 foot 8. Now, you know, I hung out with Olivier Rue in Florida and did a piece on him. Man, I don't think people can comprehend.

[Matt]

You can't comprehend it.

[Myron]

7.

[Matt]

I stood next to him in Lexington for a game. I want you to think about somebody tall and then multiply it by six.

[Myron]

Yes.

[Matt]

The two people in this world. There have been two people in this world I've stood next to and that I've, like, lost my breath. One is Shaquille o'. Neal. You stand next to Shaquille o'. Neal. It's like, oh, my, how do humans get this size? And then the other one was this Olivier Rue guy.

[Myron]

Yeah, Shaq. Shaq gave me a pat on the back at the Final Four last year. And I still feel it, you know, But. But Olivier, I think the other part is too. Matt. He's not like some skinny, tiny guy. Like a lot of these seven footers.

[Matt]

He.

[Myron]

He's a solid dude, man. At seven foot nine, like you've never seen anything like that.

[Matt]

He reminds me, like, I have to wonder what his life's like. Like, I went to Transylvania and there was a seven footer that went to Tracy. And one time I was standing there waiting in line the cafeteria, he was next to me and a girl came up and goes, are you the seven footer that goes here? And I loved. He looked at her and goes, nah, you just missed it.

[Myron]

You just missed. I love it, man. Olivier told me he's got to say no to a lot of requests because people just walk up to him in the middle of lunch. One thing he's into, though, so he can't fit in the car. He's got like, the world's largest bike. Legitimately, he's in the edm. So he goes like these EDM fests. He goes to these. I'm telling you, he goes to these EDM fests.

[Matt]

Let me tell you something. I don't know a lot about edm, but I know that when people go to edm, they use altered substances. Can you imagine being at an EDM show and people are tripping out on mushrooms and they look over at a 7, 9. Dude. That being experience, I want you to imagine you and your buddies are like, whoa, man, look around. And then the 79 guy walks up. You're gonna think your wall is completely rocked.

[Myron]

Yeah, you're gonna definitely feel like you got some bad stuff. But he. He's a big. He's a big EDM guy, man. Like, that's.

[Matt]

I gotta see that. Now. That is a video. I'd watch that dude going to the EDM show. Go to. Let's go to John and Raleigh. Go, John.

[Tom Crane]

Hey, how you doing, guys? Man, I want to tell you, man, you my favorite show man the weekends, but I look forward to listening to you guys, man. Y', all, thank you.

[Matt]

I appreciate.

[Tom Crane]

Appreciate it, man. I. I can't watch the 49ers. Like, I can't. I. I can't. Like, when they're playing, especially if we're playing the Cowboys. If we're in the playoff, I can. Regular season, I'm cool.

[Matt]

But so what do you do during the game? If you can't watch it, what do you do?

[Tom Crane]

Yeah, anything. I gotta. I gotta be by myself. I can't eat. I'm walking out the house, nobody can stand me. Is. It's ridiculous, man.

[Matt]

I can't wait. I'm with you. If you're. If. If you're a true fan, like, you kind of have to be by yourself. John, I understand. Like, you can't be near people because their mojo rubs off on you.

[Tom Crane]

Son's a Cowboys fan. That makes it worse. Like, yeah, if I. It's. It's not the loss that matters. It's me not being able to watch Sports center or listen to sports radio for three days.

[Matt]

You're exactly.

[Myron]

Gotta cut it all off.

[Matt]

Okay, let's cut it all off with Susan. I appreciate the call. As soon as Kentucky loses, I got 24 hours. I can't watch any other sports. Myron.

[Myron]

Yeah. Okay, so you all just have to disconnect entirely. That's right. In those situations.

[Matt]

That's exactly right.

[Myron]

But,

[Matt]

like, I'm wanting to go. I'm wanting to go in a park and read like, Locke or, you know, Descartes, and instead, no, I have to come in and listen to people go.

[Myron]

Yeah, well, and let's be clear. Everyone who's called, and you too, as well, you have something called fan privilege. Like, only good teams, only the fans of good teams experience this. Like, no one is called in from a bad team. It's at all. I can't stay in the building.

[Matt]

But Kevin in Ohio has something that I've heard a lot, which is, Kevin, when you go to the games, they lose. So am I right?

[Tom Crane]

You just don't go, oh, no, we go. The thing is, like, first off, love the show. And Myron's right, there is a. There are a series of cruisers in St. Louis that have your picture on it. Just be careful today or tomorrow, okay?

[Matt]

It's today. I will be here.

[Tom Crane]

My family has a history of being unable to bet. Like we can never win a bet. So my son and I love to go to games. And we decided that we were gonna mess with the Sports Gods and we were gonna go to the game and bet on the opposing team. The Sports Gods rewarded us. The first time we did this, we went to a Wings game and it was a tie, one to one. But then, since then, the Sports Gods have decided that we should not make any money and we should walk out of the stadium a little happy. So we've gotten a few wins under our belt doing that. It's cost a lot, but it's okay. And I may have developed a gambling problem.

[Matt]

Well, you know what? That's okay. How old is your son? Yes. Well, you listen, I get it. There have been times that there's been a losing streak with me going, so I just sacrifice going. It's about doing something for the good of life, Myron. It's not just all about you. You have to do it for the good of your fan base.

[Myron]

Yeah, but I don't know if little Johnny should be talking about Frankie the bookie in third grade like that feels like. Like he should be focused on math and science and all these things.

[Matt]

It's hard. Now there's people involved in everything. I just want you all to say, there are 30, like, all across America, there are people like me who simply cannot take the game. They get that nervous. It's okay. We are in the same pay on the same page. We are the true fans. The detached people. Like Rachel who doesn't even know the tournament's going on, or Myron who's sitting around saying, oh, why don't you stay in the arena? They don't get it. We are the true fans, James and I and you all. We understand what it's like to have

[Myron]

it affect your life.

[Matt]

We'll move on to other things. That's next here on Matt Myron on espn.

[Myron]

Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the podcast. You can listen to the show live

[Matt]

every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on

[Myron]

ESPN radio, the ESPN app, and on

[Matt]

Sirius XM channel 80.

[Myron]

Matt and Myron, the podcast,

[Matt]

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[Myron]

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[Matt]

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