Hour 3: Learning Experience

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron
Episode: Hour 3: Learning Experience
Date: April 6, 2026
Hosts: Matt Myron (Matt Jones), Tim Welsh (in for Myron Medcalf)
Theme: College basketball’s evolving landscape, UConn’s legacy, coaching transitions, and a preview of the women’s national championship.

---

Episode Overview

Hour 3 blends high-profile guest interviews (notably former UConn coach Jim Calhoun and ESPN’s Carolyn Peck) with in-depth discussion on college basketball’s biggest topics: UConn’s sustained tournament success, the blue blood era in flux, the evolving motivations of coaches and programs, and today’s women’s national title game. Hosts also dive into broader trends such as NIL’s impact, the role of alumni/family in hiring, and competitive investment in women’s sports. The episode closes with game picks across sports, highlighting listener interaction and spirited banter.

---

Key Segments & Insights

1. Interview: Jim Calhoun On UConn and Tournament Legacy

[00:54 - 11:18]

A. UConn’s Recent Tournament Performance

• Calhoun praises Coach Danny Hurley for tactical adjustments, especially controlling game pace to maximize UConn’s strengths.
• “He didn’t allow the game to get to be helter skelter...playing a little more in the half court as opposed to being a wide open game would be better.” — Jim Calhoun [01:07]
• Highlights the growth of UConn’s center, calling him “the most dominating player, in my opinion, in the Big East.” [03:28]

B. Why UConn Excels in the NCAA Tournament

• Calhoun cites UConn’s mental and physical toughness forged in the Big East as a key to postseason resilience.
• “We play in a lot of wars and we play in tough places...Physically and mentally, we’re a very tough team.” [04:21]
• Emphasizes that preparation in tough conference play traditionally sets UConn up for success in March.

C. UConn as a Family/Program

• Strong emphasis on “family” — players returning, alumni engagement, values going back to Calhoun’s upbringing.
• “It’s a family. And...there’s nothing that makes me feel better.” [06:21]
• Reflection on building and maintaining a program, not just a team, echoing advice from Dean Smith.

D. Danny Hurley: Similarities and Differences

• Shared values: both push players hard but have their backs off the court.
• “For two hours a day you’re not going to particularly like me...but for 22 hours a day, I got your back. And that's what we feel. And I know Danny has the same philosophy because we've talked about it.” [09:24]
• The “family” environment and drive to develop players are consistent program characteristics.

Notable Moments

• Calhoun reacts to Hurley’s request for new weights: “I looked at him and said, do we get the wrong coach? I didn’t realize weights wore out.” [07:39]
• Discussion of Calhoun’s grandson Sam covering UConn basketball and his role in the “program as family.” [10:05]

---

2. College Basketball Power Shifts & Coaching Landscape

[14:25 - 21:20]

A. The Changing Pull of “Blue Blood” Programs

• Discussion of North Carolina’s (UNC) open coaching job—once a dream destination, now met with hesitation by top candidates.
• “Twenty years ago...Kentucky or North Carolina could have gotten pretty much anybody they wanted. Do you think in today’s college basketball...that’s over?” — Matt [15:11]
• “That’s over. You just have to listen to the coaches talk about this...What matters is, what are you going to give me in NIL?” — Tim Welsh [15:26]

B. Coaching Risk and Administration Dynamics at UNC

• Tim Welsh highlights hesitancy due to administrative instability and booster influence:
• “Why would you go a place that right now has two athletic directors? You know, the boosters are running the show...the boosters, I’m sure, fired Hubert Davis.” [16:24]
• Welsh says removing Hubert Davis (an alum) breaks the “family” tradition, so going outside for a coach is no longer taboo.

C. The Realignment of “Family” in Hiring

• “Danny Hurley was not in the UConn family at all...all that stuff goes by the wayside very quickly.” — Tim Welsh [18:15]
• Emphasizes that results, not alumni status, matter most now (examples: Tommy Lloyd at Arizona, Kevin Willard at Villanova).

D. NIL and Parity

• “Anybody can be good. Look at Texas Tech...It’s cyclical...you’ve got to keep up with NIL.” — Tim Welsh [20:10]
• Warning that lack of urgency with the transfer portal and coaching decisions can set even powerhouses back.

---

3. Women’s Basketball: Final Preview & Program Investment

[23:23 - 35:00]

A. UConn-South Carolina Recap & Coaching Conduct

• Carolyn Peck critiques Geno Auriemma’s sideline behavior vs. Dawn Staley, wishing his apology specifically named Staley. [24:04]
• “As coaches and as leaders you have got to keep your emotions in check and understand that you are setting an example.” — Carolyn Peck [24:09]

B. Tactical Game Preview: UCLA vs. South Carolina (Women’s Final)

• Peck details keys for South Carolina: pressure the perimeter to limit UCLA center Lauren Betts's impact, speed up the game, apply full court pressure.
• “One on one, Lauren Betts is a handful...South Carolina has got to make this an up-and-down game.” — Peck [25:27]

C. What Makes Great Women’s Coaches (Staley, Close)

• Staley: “She knows what success looks like, feels like and sounds like.” — Peck [27:22]
• Corey Close (UCLA): Known as a “connector” and tireless learner, has built UCLA through love, talent evaluation, and player development. [28:50]

D. NIL, The Portal, and Investment in Women’s Sports

• Peck: Success in women’s hoops will increasingly depend on “which programs invest,” predicting a growing divide between “haves and have-nots.”
• “When it comes to women’s basketball, you have Gucci expectations but you want to pay Costco prices.” — Peck [32:50]
• Criticism of administrations not having a succession plan or resource commitment comparable to men’s sports.

Memorable Soapbox Moment

• “You got me on a soapbox right now.” — Carolyn Peck [34:41]
• Hosts agree: “More people need to have that conversation...” [34:45]

---

4. Game Picks Segment: “Take Your Pick”

[37:01 - 44:11]

Picks and Banter

• Women’s championship: Both Matt and Tim pick UCLA in an upset over South Carolina, citing Lauren Betts’s post presence. [37:27]
• Men’s championship: Tim picks UConn for a third title; Matt picks Michigan but favors UConn against the spread. [38:25]
• NBA, MLB, NHL: Playful banter and rapid-fire picks, highlighted by love for the Hurricanes (“most underrated fan base”), Ellie De La Cruz’s hoodie superstition, and family connections to teams. [43:03]
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “I’m just announcing it to the world. It’s going to be Hurricanes Avalanche in the finals and we’re taking the cup.” — Matt [43:04]
  • “For two hours a day you’re not going to particularly like me...but for 22 hours a day, I got your back.” — Jim Calhoun [09:24]
  • “When it comes to women's basketball, you have Gucci expectations but you want to pay Costco prices.” — Carolyn Peck [32:50]

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Jim Calhoun on UConn’s Mentality:
  “I don’t like supposed to. I like do it, don’t supposed to do it.” [05:00]

• Tim Welsh on Blue Blood Shifts:
  “That’s over...what matters is, what are you going to give me in NIL?” [15:26]

• Carolyn Peck on Resource Disparity in Women’s Sports:
  “You have Gucci expectations but you want to pay Costco prices.” [32:50]

• Hosts on Hurricanes Fan Base:
  “Most underrated fan base is the Carolina Hurricanes. Sell out every game in Raleigh, North Carolina for hockey.” — Matt [44:05]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jim Calhoun Interview: [00:54 – 11:18]
• Blue Bloods & Coaching Discussion: [14:25 – 21:20]
• Carolyn Peck/Women’s Final Four Preview: [23:23 – 35:00]
• Game Picks (“Take Your Pick”): [37:01 – 44:11]
• Memorable Quotes: Throughout; see above for attributable moments

---

Conclusion

This episode offers a rich exploration of college basketball’s evolving tradition through the lens of icons like Jim Calhoun and dynamic analysts like Carolyn Peck. From legendary men’s tourney insights and coaching culture shifts to the rising importance of program investment in women’s hoops, Hour 3 provides listeners a blend of nostalgia, honest critique, and practical forecasting. Endearing moments of personality, deep institutional knowledge, and genuine love for the game make it insightful and fun, even for sports fans who didn’t catch it live.

Transcript

[Quaker Oats Announcer]

You know you need fiber for a healthy gut, but do you actually know how to get it? Quaker's been serving UP fiber since 1877 with over 100 great tasting good source of fiber options to choose from. Whether you like old fashioned oats, instant oatmeal granola or oatmeal squares, Quaker makes it delicious.

[Jim Calhoun]

Mmm.

[Quaker Oats Announcer]

So good. Get your fiber with Quaker Shop Quaker's good source of fiber products at a store near you.

[Podcast Intro/Outro Announcer]

This is Matt and Myon the podcast.

[Matt Myron]

It is Matt Myron on ESPN Radio.

[James]

You can tune in for baseball action Tonight is the Tigers host. The Cardinals coverage of Sunday night baseball

[Matt Myron]

begins at 6:30 Eastern on ESPN radio and the ESPN app. Tim Welsh is joining me and in for my Metcalf. And Tim, your Rolodex is strong and you have a guest here that I'm excited.

[James]

I'll let you do the introduction.

[Tim Welsh]

Well, it's, it's only right a day like today we bring in a Hall of Famer from the University of Connecticut, the great Jim Calhoun. Jim, thanks for joining us. And how are you doing?

[Jim Calhoun]

I'm doing pretty good. I'm unfortunately not in Indiana, although there's a temptation someone may get me out there but find a little bit of illness. I'm doing just fine. But I watched as everybody else did and Sarah, you know, two really conflicting games in some ways. The first one I thought Danny Hurley did a great job of adapting pace. He didn't allow the game to get to be helter skelter. He's not particularly deep as with the fastest rising player maybe in America. And that's, that would be our center who's who really has just made, he's made incredible progress and I think he felt the game playing a little more in the half court as opposed to being a wide open game would be better. And as, as it would have it at Connecticut, I guess because we've been pretty good in tournaments, it worked and I do think pace had a lot to do with it.

[Tim Welsh]

Now Jim, having said that, I know you still are on the program quite a bit and you're at games all the time. And let's point back to maybe I saw you at the Creighton game and they got beat that night at home and, and obviously they didn't play well. But when you look at the overall picture of this team, when you thought coming into this tournament even before the big Easter, what did you think of this team and did you think they could be there tomorrow night?

[Jim Calhoun]

Well, I did because that's kind of who I Am. You know, I'm Irish, I'm thickhead, so I believe what I believe. And Denny's a terrific coach. And, you know, the legacy has started out in 1999, as you well know, and we were a nine and a half. I never forgot it. Nine and a half point favorite. Even though we had an okay record. We were 35 and two and we were nine and a half point favorite. So I don't look at those things. I like the team. I like the fact we have two shooters who are shooting in the tournament. Obviously, we got a pretty good shot the other night with Mullins and honesty. Kim, there's only so many ways I can tell you to watch our post guy grow, okay. Has been absolutely amazing to me. I've had some mecca over fours and other great players, but it's been really in the second half of the season. I mean, he's the most dominating player, in my opinion, in the. In the Big east, and he's one of the most dominating players you're going to play against.

[Matt Myron]

Talking to Jim Calhoun, legendary UConn basketball coach. Jim, going back to when you coached and even through Kevin Ollie and Now

[James]

with Danny, UConn has taken advantage of

[Matt Myron]

the tournament and being able to go

[James]

on tournament runs better than any program in history. Is there any commonality or is it just there?

[Matt Myron]

It's just been, you know, good fortune.

[James]

What is it that makes UConn eight

[Matt Myron]

Final Fours, but seven national championship games?

[James]

Why do you think that's the case?

[Jim Calhoun]

I don't know why they had to bring up the eighth game we actually lost to. We actually lost in Detroit. But I was coaching. No, no. But I do think, and I go back historically, and I think we kind of carry that through. And although the league isn't quite the same as it was, we play in a lot of wars and we play in tough places. We play in Madison Square Garden. We play in Newark, New Jersey. We play in tough places. And physically and mentally, we're a very tough team. So I think, generally speaking, and I'm not sure this is a highlight year for. For the Big east, nevertheless, we have a lot of wars. We've been beaten by some people who live they normally. Creighton is kind of in a down season. They beat us pretty good. St. John's beat us twice physically. So you have to be physically prepared to play in the Big East. That in turn, whatever happens on that opening day, which is always, to me, the scary day of the Big east, because you don't know who you're playing and once again, you're supposed to win. And I don't like supposed to. I like do it, don't supposed to do it. And we've had very, very good fortune. And I do think, and I think that Timmy would probably verify this, playing in that league and going to the place that you go, mainly intercity places, tough places with tough people ready to do battle.

[Tim Welsh]

Coach, I know how proud you must be. What is your feeling when you. To me, the mark of a great program is not the wins and losses so much, but it's about the players that come back and you're second to none with that. The games used to have down at Mohegan, and now they come back to campus in the summer. And then last night Ray and all the players, you know, the names were there. How good does that make you feel?

[Jim Calhoun]

There's nothing that makes me feel better, Tim. You couldn't have been more on the spot. It's a family. And we really, really. When I first came and, you know, lost my father when I was young, and my family was my most singing important things, all seven of us. And I truly believe that family is the place to be. And I think we really, even though we may call them some words and you've heard them before, Tim, it's words because you want them to be the best they can be. And then we do an awful lot of things from our golf tournament, other things that we do to keep our former players close so that they can pass on some of the legacy that UConn has established since really about 1986, I think, was the year we really started this program.

[Matt Myron]

I do think that's one of the cool things about watching UConn is seeing all those former players.

[James]

Let me ask you a quick question

[Matt Myron]

about your successor here, Danny Hurley.

[James]

What are the similarities you see between him and you during your coaching time, and what are maybe a couple of differences?

[Jim Calhoun]

Well, I have here.

[James]

That's exactly.

[Matt Myron]

Yes.

[Jim Calhoun]

Number two, I think some of our languages is. Is the same. I think that we both love the game. And I think one of the things. And Tim might be because he kind of watched me up close by coaching against him. Was a heck of a coach himself, by the way. And we both the kind of guys that despite. Not despite with my family, we're part of a team. And I'm talking about my immediate family into my basketball family, and we keep that together. And I think both of us feel the same way. You won't see a game, for example, with Danny without his father being there. Now, Bobby Being there, his mother being there. There's a family type atmosphere that I talked to him a great deal about when he first came. I got a quick story, but when he first came to UConn, he wanted new weights. And I looked at him and said, do we get the wrong coach? I didn't realize weights wore out. And my point being it wasn't exactly a hug and a blessing. But I have really worked as much as I possibly can with him. He runs his program. I've certainly on mine. But it's our program. It's our program, it's our kids, it's our university. And here we are today, back in a position that we've been quite a bit before. And I couldn't be prouder of them to watch the development of the kids. And that I think probably goes back from a coaching standpoint. I think both of us feel the exact same way about developing players. That's our obligation. If you come and want to be a basketball player, you need to be to submit at times to being pushed. I mean really push. And I always tell the kids, understand that for two hours a day, you're not going to particularly like me. I'm going to push a living hell out of you. So someday you can make millions of dollars, have a great career or get an education. And then for 22 hours a day, I got your back. And that's what we feel. And I know Danny has the same philosophy because we've talked about it.

[Matt Myron]

On your way before you mention family on your way out. I do want to play you a clip from an interaction that Dan Hurley had at a post game press conference just a few days ago.

[Tim Welsh]

Hi, Sam Calhoun, I know you dad's

[James]

the grandfather's the goat. How does it feel to have that moment, your grandson asking the coach a

[Matt Myron]

question and getting to hear that, well,

[Jim Calhoun]

he does a great job at it. In second lead, Danny's more than magnetic. Unanimous, David, to really recognize the fact that this isn't just a team, it's a program. And you know, I learned that from guy named Dean Smith. He said, no, this is not a basketball team, it's a program. And I think we're showing some of the results of that night. Great talking with you guys this morning because I'm talking to you. Something that's near and dear to my heart that these kids, you know, to them for portions of their life, we are part of their family. And then hopefully that is extended. That's why you saw and we emphasize to the kids little notes and so on. To get them to come to our games.

[Matt Myron]

Sam, by the way, is covering UConn for the Daily Campus, the student newspaper there at UConn. Jim Calhoun, legendary coach, hall of Famer, thank you very much for taking the

[James]

time and good luck to your program tomorrow night.

[Jim Calhoun]

Thanks. Really appreciate it.

[Matt Myron]

There you go. Well, that was excellent. Good stuff.

[James]

We, we will come back and talk a little bit more about another excellent program. North Carolina, they don't have a coach yet. Is that part of a greater shift in college basketball?

[Matt Myron]

That's next. I'm Matt Myron.

[Podcast Intro/Outro Announcer]

Matt and Myron. The Podcast.

[Grainger Announcer]

As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by.

[Charles Barkley]

It's Charles Barkley here with Wayfair. Let me tell you, game day is serious business at my house. If I'm grilling, chilling and watching hoops, my outdoor setup better be ready to play. That's where Wayfair wins. From patio seating and umbrellas to grills and grill accessories, Wayfair's got it all and it shows up fast. I'm talking fast and easy delivery. So level up your grill game and your outdoor chill game and head to Wayfarer.com to get your outdoor space ready for the season.

[Matt Myron]

Wayfair Every style, every home.

[James]

It was raining last night in Indianapolis,

[Matt Myron]

both for the teams on and off the court. It's Matt Myron on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance.

[James]

You know the ESPN app is home

[Matt Myron]

to WrestleMania 42 and every WWE Premium Live. And if you want to be there

[James]

for the big of moments, you're going to need the ESPN Unlimited plan.

[Matt Myron]

To sign up, go to stream.espn.com by the way, did you know that if

[James]

you want to get ESPN through DirecTV, Spectrum, Xfinity, Verizon, FiOS, I don't know what that is, Cox or Fubo, ESPN Unlimited is included at no additional cost. Just head to activate.espn.com and follow the steps to get set up. Then sign in the ESPN app. And after all that, because that's simple.

[Matt Myron]

You're in WrestleMania and the biggest WWE

[James]

Premium Live events all in one place.

[Matt Myron]

Anytime Anywhere. That's the kind of thing. Very easy, easy to read there. Tim Welsh.

[James]

Are you going to be watching WrestleMania?

[Matt Myron]

WrestleMania guy, aren't you?

[Tim Welsh]

Sure,

[James]

absolutely. Not a big ride. You're not a big fan.

[Matt Myron]

Cody.

[James]

Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton. You're not excited about that?

[Tim Welsh]

Is it on espn?

[James]

Well, it's on interesting enough.

[Matt Myron]

ESPN Unlimited.

[Tim Welsh]

Oh, there you go.

[Matt Myron]

I have that little thing I just read. Yeah, yeah.

[Tim Welsh]

So not much college basketball to watch anymore, so why not?

[James]

That's right.

[Matt Myron]

Two weeks from now on ESPN Unlimited.

[Tim Welsh]

NBA though playoffs are coming.

[Matt Myron]

That's right. That's exactly right. The never ending regular season is finally coming to an end.

[James]

Now, North Carolina, if you were to

[Matt Myron]

say to people, okay, what are the best college basketball jobs in the country? You're probably going to hear some form of Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, maybe Yukon, now North Carolina.

[James]

But North Carolina's job's open, has been open for a couple weeks and it doesn't look like at least their top

[Matt Myron]

choice, which was Tommy Lloyd, it doesn't look like he's going to be going there.

[James]

He signed an extension with Arizona and some other names that have been floated

[Matt Myron]

also seem to be going by the wayside.

[James]

Still some chatter about Billy Donovan and Mark Byington of Vanderbilt. But in general, I wonder, Tim, if you think two years ago Kentucky went

[Matt Myron]

through a coaching search where they were interested in Danny Hurley and Scott Drew. Neither one of those guys came.

[James]

And there would have been years, 20

[Matt Myron]

years ago where a school like Kentucky or North Carolina could have gotten pretty much anybody they wanted.

[James]

Do you think in today's college basketball, the world of There's 10 jobs that are just better and people will always

[Matt Myron]

leave to go there.

[James]

Is that over?

[Tim Welsh]

That's over. That's over. And you just have to listen to the coaches talk about this. It's not about, you know, Mick Cronin makes the greatest point. He says ucla, we've got the championships, we've got the best campus in the country according to him. And it's right there, if you've ever been there, turn left on paradise, as Mick would say, and you've got the history, the great practice facility, they're in a tremendous conference. But ah, let's stop there. None of that matters to players anymore. What matters is what are you going to give me in nil? So that's important. And obviously you have to have a long term contract if you're a coach. But I have to say I think there's some pause out there. Not only because North Carolina's not in North Carolina with Dean Smith or Roy Williams anymore. But also kind of how Hubert Davis was treated. I would say that would make you pause. If you're a coach especially.

[Matt Myron]

What do you mean when you say how he was treated?

[Tim Welsh]

I mean, just look at his record. His record was tremendous. I mean, obviously lost in the first round this year, but so a coach has to say, wait, if I don't get out of the first round for a couple years, am I gone, too? And if you're in a great situation, why would you go there? Why would you go a place that has right now has two athletic directors? You know, the boosters are running the show. The boosters hired Bill Belichick, not the athletic director. Let's call it what the way it is. And the boosters, I'm sure, fired Hubert Davis. So it's like, I don't know. I would pause. If I had a great job, I would take a long pause. And you're seeing that take place right now because of that situation, because everyone they're talking to or it's been mentioned, they have great jobs. So why would you leave a great job to go to a place that has a lot of uncertainty right now?

[James]

So I look around at what I

[Matt Myron]

would consider the top, you know, top programs. A lot of programs have had to make transitions from their longtime legendary coach to another, and some of them have

[James]

done it successfully, and some of them have not. But it is interesting.

[Matt Myron]

Like, you know, take Duke. They basically hired from within and hired a person who had never been a coach before.

[James]

Caroline. Kentucky ended up hiring an alum. Carolina hired an alum with Hubert Davis. However, this time, for the first time, really, in the history of the program, they are going to. They say, go outside the family. I have always found the whole we family, we don't go outside the family, Carolina thing.

[Matt Myron]

Weird.

[James]

Do you think there would be any hesitation to be the first guy outside

[Matt Myron]

of the quote, unquote family to take the Carolina job?

[Tim Welsh]

No, I don't think that's the case now because they just removed a family member. And when that happens, then I think

[Matt Myron]

they removed Doherty back in the day, too.

[Grainger Announcer]

Yeah.

[Tim Welsh]

All bets are off. All bets are off. I think right now, as far as. I don't think anybody thinks that way anymore. I mean, you know, Villanova went family, and then now they don't have. Didn't go family with Kevin Willard. So, I mean, you know, they have great tradition, too. You know, they won three national championships, so it's, you know, it's. Danny Hurley was not in the UConn family. At all. So he had nothing to do with UConn. I mean, he's a Jersey kid who coached at Rhode Island. So, you know, all that stuff, it goes by the wayside very quickly. I remember when Tommy Lloyd was hired at Arizona, everybody wanted somebody within the Arizona family. All the ex players, former players. Well, how'd that work out? Pretty good. So I would say you try to find the best coach, but there's a lot more to it. There's a lot more to it. And right now I think they're spinning their wheels. I don't know where they're going. No one does. And, you know, if it's Billy Donovan. Yeah. Congratulations. You've got a great coach, a Hall of Fame coach, and somebody that'll get you right back to where you started. But it remains to be seen if he wants to do that as well, because he's been a successful NBA coach, and those guys very rarely come back to college unless they absolutely have to. And I would say even if it doesn't work out with the Bulls, he would have another NBA job in about five minutes.

[Matt Myron]

Yeah, there's been some talk about maybe the Orlando job for him if that. If he left the Bulls.

[James]

Last question.

[Matt Myron]

In terms of power programs, there's been

[James]

some chatter in the last year.

[Matt Myron]

The age of the sort of power program is gone. In terms of the historic blue bloods,

[James]

there's some truth to that. But then also, you know, the Final Four included Arizona, historically great program. UConn, historically great program. Michigan has had points in their history where they're very, very good.

[Matt Myron]

Duke was in the elite.

[James]

What do you think about this whole power blue blood program versus kind of,

[Matt Myron]

you know, within il. Anybody can be good if you're willing to invest.

[Tim Welsh]

Absolutely. Anybody can be good. Look at Texas Tech.

[Matt Myron]

They've invested, but they did lose in the second round. They did.

[Tim Welsh]

But their best player, one of the top five player in the country, wasn't playing. So, I mean, they're tremendous. I mean, look at these. It's cyclical at times because if you've got to keep up with it, you've got to keep up with the changing landscape all the time. And that means nil. I mean, look what Duke's done. They hired a great general manager. They have a absolutely great program. And the same with. Same with UConn. All four of these teams have a great program. Now Carolina's got some catching up to do meant. Meanwhile, they don't have a coach and the portal opens in a few days. So this could be a problem. For them as far as the short

[Matt Myron]

term, the portal thing is a big deal. I mean, it opens tomorrow and they don't have a coach and it's not

[James]

clear that they're going to have a coach tomorrow. And that can put you way far behind in today's world because a lot

[Matt Myron]

of these portal decisions will be made in the next week as they are still looking for a coach. The four teams that have made it.

[James]

There's also a women's final tonight.

[Matt Myron]

We're going to preview it.

[James]

It is UCLA in South Carolina. That's next here.

[Matt Myron]

I'm Matt Myron on ESPN Radio.

[Podcast Intro/Outro Announcer]

Matt and Myron the Podcast.

[Service Titan Announcer]

In a contracting business, you're either growing or you're grinding. Success is no longer about hard work alone. It's about using AI to accelerate impact. Service Titan is the only integrated intelligence that seamlessly automates your intelligence. Entire workflow from first call to final invoice Born in the trades Built for visionaries ready to stop operating and start automating. Service Titan AI for the trades Rich Eisen here.

[TurboTax Announcer]

The April 15th tax deadline is coming fast, but don't worry. Hand off your taxes to a TurboTax expert today. You know how April feels. Everything speeds up, games matter more, hoops and hockey schedules tighten, your phone won't stop buzzing and somewhere in the middle of it all there's that quiet little taxes. You'll get to it tonight or tomorrow or after the weekend. And if you handle it the old way, you're refreshing your inbox like it's breaking news. Waiting, wondering, hoping everything's squared away. That's a lot of mental bandwidth with intuit. TurboTax Expert Full Service you can match with a dedicated expert who understands your specific tax situation and handles your taxes for you. Start to finish. You can do it all online or meet in person at one of their new tech enabled store locations, have your tax forms imported directly into the app and hand everything off to your TurboTax expert while they work to get you every dollar you deserve. You can go about your normal routine, giving you time back to focus on what actually deserves your attention. Like rooting for your team to make the playoffs. April 15th is not waiting, people. Visit TurboTax.com and hand off your taxes to a TurboTax expert today.

[Matt Myron]

Matt Marin here on ESPN Radio. Tonight or today is the women's national championship and who better to break it down with us, Tim Welsh and Ma and me is Carolyn Peck, ESPN college basketball analyst.

[James]

Carolyn that we're going to look forward, but I also think we have to initially look at what happened on Friday,

[Matt Myron]

specifically Yukon, South Carolina game ended obviously with the interaction between Gino Aryam and Dawn Staley.

[James]

Yesterday Gino apologized in a statement for what happened. You what what's your just read on the entire situation, both what happened and then the apology and kind of where

[Matt Myron]

everyone goes from here with the two biggest names in the sport.

[Carolyn Peck]

Well, I think the biggest thing that as coaches and as leaders you have got to keep your emotions in check and understand that you are setting an example. And so it's unfortunate that frustration built up from Gino and I think after he looked back at it because the apology he sent an apology recognized that behavior was it was not appropriate. I just wish in that apology that he had mentioned Dawn Staley's name because she was who he was directly speaking to. I understand and want to apologize to the whole South Carolina staff and program, but I think that a direct apology was owed to Don Staley.

[Tim Welsh]

Carolyn, talking about the game itself, I want to go back to that just because I was just so impressed. I'm sure you were as well being there with the defensive game plan that South Carolina had in that game to beat UConn and to stop Sarah Strong and company and they'll have to do that today. What will they do today with Betts on the inside? Lauren Betts. And how will they defend her with that tremendous size on the low box?

[Carolyn Peck]

I think that the most important thing that you have to do when you're going against the team that has a 67 dominant center like UCLA has is you've got to put pressure on the perimeter. You have to take away your what the ball sees. So what does that mean? Can the guards with the ball in the perimeter see to get the ball inside? Because one on one Lauren Betts is a handful to try to defend. But if you make it difficult for her to get the ball inside, that definitely helps. But I think most importantly what South Carolina needs to what South Carolina is going to try to do is speed up the game and not allow UCLA to set up in the half court. Because when you do that, when UCLA is allowed to set up, that's when they can get into a high low from Angela Duke of Leach to Lauren Betts. Or vice versa. Versa. Who's high, who's low or get the ball inside and run some split action to where she can kick out to guard. So I think South Carolina has got to make this up and down game. On any missed shot. They got to run and they've got to. I would expect South Carolina too, to maybe bring some full court pressure so that UCLA can't use a full 30 second shot clock.

[Matt Myron]

The game is at 3:30 Eastern on ESPN and ABC.

[James]

Carolyn? I was at, I'm based in Lexington.

[Matt Myron]

Kentucky and South Carolina played Kentucky right at the end of the season.

[James]

And I stood right next to Dawn Staley like right on the sideline throughout the game and just kind of watched

[Matt Myron]

her coach her team.

[James]

And it was fascinating to me to watch. You know, I think she not only it felt like she worked the entire game, that she almost kind of controlled

[Matt Myron]

the game in both coaching or interactions

[James]

with officials, just everything. I thought it was fascinating how good she was. Tell people what makes her so successful and so effective.

[Carolyn Peck]

What makes Don Staley so effective is not only does she know the game, she loves the game. And it's not just the basketball that's played on the court, but everything that goes around it. I mean, when she first came to South Carolina, she said that she knew what success look like, felt like and sounded like. And when you think of all the aspects of the game, you know how it looks, you know, are your players playing hard? Does that. She knows what that looks like. What does it sound like? Is there communication? Are there fans in the stands? That's, that's part of the sound of success. I mean, all of those aspects of, you know, knowing what the rules are so that she's, you know, assessing whether the officials are calling the game, the way the rules are set out. She knows all of that and understands you can't just be locked into one area or the other if you want to have an elite program. And I think she's really good at that.

[Tim Welsh]

Well, very well said And I agree 100% from that angle. And let's go to UCLA. Corey close. Not everyone knows her. To me, I don't know her at all. I just like watching her on the sideline. I think she's kind of fun to watch and her team's fun to watch. And they seem to really love each other and play with just a great spirit. How has she built that program into what it is today?

[Carolyn Peck]

When you talk about another coach who knows the game and loves the game, Corey Close does that. I first met Corey when she was an assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara and they had well coached teams. And I was coaching with Pat Summitt and Corey had asked if she could visit with Pat and I sat in and just listened to questions that she was asking. And always a sponge to knowing the game to then when she went to Florida State with Sue Summer, that she really helped elevate that program. That's when Florida State got really competitive. So you expected that when she went out to UCLA and then, you know, she got a front row seat with John Wooden. Come on. She was getting every ounce of basketball knowledge she could. And she's one of these players, these people too, that are connectors. If you know Corey Close, you're going to love her because she's going to give you that love. And that has exuded through her team. And she also has an eye for talent. So she's been able to, you know, gather together a great deal of talent together. And you see how these women, they've developed as well. Every year they've gotten better. And I think that's what puts them in the position to play for a national championship.

[Matt Myron]

Carolyn, I'll get you out of here with this. You know, the.

[James]

In the nil world we've seen on the men's side that it has spread out opportunities, at least amongst the power programs, to have more programs have a

[Matt Myron]

chance to be good with the Portal

[James]

and nil and now maybe more than the blue bloods still in theory have a chance on the women's side this tournament, the top was very top heavy. And I wonder if you think long term, will it do that with the women's game or not? Do you think it can have the same effect to where more than kind of the same handful of programs end

[Matt Myron]

up having success at the highest level?

[Carolyn Peck]

I don't think that we have enough time in this segment for me to really get into what needs to happen on the women's side for that to happen. But what is going to become very evident are the programs that invest in women's sports and those that do not. And it's going to be those that do. They're going to rise. They're going to be a clear picture of the have and the have not. And I think that there's a smaller number of women of the women's programs that support on the level of the programs that are being successful as opposed to there's going to be a broader group that are not. You'll see the ones that are maybe middle of the pack and they're starting to rise. Those programs they got on board, they started to invest. Those that are having the same expectations, but they're not investing in their program. It is going to show.

[James]

That's an interesting point.

[Matt Myron]

I mean, I. I don't want to put you on the spot, but I do think this is fascinating.

[James]

Are There power programs, the one that kind of comes to my mind is Tennessee. But are there power programs that you feel like are not doing what it takes to kind of sustain their history?

[Carolyn Peck]

Absolutely, I think that there are. I mean, when you even look at coaching hires, when I look, we could be here all day. But when football fires a coach.

[Matt Myron]

Yeah.

[Carolyn Peck]

That next coach that comes in, don't they normally pay them more often? When you look at a women's best, when they fire a women's basketball coach, more times than not. Except for you take Texas and what they did with Vic Schaefer and Kim Mulkey at lsu.

[Matt Myron]

Kenny Brooks does that in Kentucky, where I am, he got paid more than the person they fired.

[Carolyn Peck]

Yeah, right, right. But those are programs that are investing in women's basketball. But then you have other programs that have that same expectation, but they're playing the next coach, they're bringing in less. And when it comes to women's basketball, you have Gucci expectations, but you're with. You want to pay Costco prices. So, you know, if you're going to invest, if you want to win, you go get a great coach, even if you've got to go buy them from somewhere else if you're serious about winning and put the resources around that. You know, I think that Florida has done that with Katie Reese. They went and stole her from Rhode island. But they also have given her the resources to hire a staff. Because when you got to compete against John Staley, Kim Mulkey, Kentucky. Yeah. You know, you've got to, you've got to invest and you got to put the resources around it if you know what success looks like, feels like and sounds like. And in women's basketball, a lot of times administrations aren't paying attention. They go, oh, wait, our women's programs losing, we're going to fire them. And now we're going to do a national search. Why do you not have a short list? Like, if a football coach were to leave, I can guarantee you ads have five guys that they're looking at and going, okay, now we just got to decide between 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Women's basketball, fire somebody. And now you put out a national search. Why are you not paying attention? So you got me on a soapbox right now.

[James]

I like it, though, Carolyn.

[Matt Myron]

I think it's.

[James]

I think it's great.

[Matt Myron]

And you're.

[James]

And more people need to have that

[Matt Myron]

conversation because you're right. These schools are choosing which sports they're going to make successful, and their choices kind of show in what they do.

[James]

Carolyn Peck, ESPN College basketball analysts, thank you very much for your time.

[Matt Myron]

I appreciate it.

[Carolyn Peck]

I appreciate it. Thank you.

[Matt Myron]

All right, we got the national championship

[James]

game today and then a lot of other sports as well. We're going to tell you who's going to win all of them. Take your pick is next here on

[Podcast Intro/Outro Announcer]

Matt and Myron the podcast.

[Grainger Announcer]

Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to don't know the difference between matte paint finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the Thumbtack app. Download today.

[Clinton Yates]

Clinton Yates here. Game day brings the excitement. Your stay should feel just as memorable with Marriott Bonvoy, official hotel partner of the NCAA and U.S. soccer. You're connected to a portfolio of brands designed for how you travel. Some offer complimentary breakfast. Others give you room to spread out, space to stay productive or extended stay comforts. 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 Myron]

We've learned a lot today. We started the show learning about Rhode island from our guy, Tim Welsh, who's

[James]

taught me a lot. He's going to make me visit one of those places.

[Matt Myron]

We've learned about college basketball. We've learned about what you can do

[James]

for a luxury experience at the World cup or the Tim Welsh experience in Rhode Island. Tim, it's been fun. I hope you've enjoyed it.

[Tim Welsh]

And I'm heading to Rhode island as soon as we say goodbye, as soon

[James]

as you get in the car and

[Tim Welsh]

go, what's better than that? End your day in Rhode Island.

[Charles Barkley]

No idea.

[Matt Myron]

It was, it was so great. But before we do that, we do

[James]

need to let people know who's going to win these games. So let's do a little take.

[Jim Calhoun]

Go ahead, take your pick.

[Matt Myron]

You take your peek.

[Podcast Intro/Outro Announcer]

It's time to take your pick with Matt and Myron.

[Matt Myron]

Very easy. We pick the games. James, what's up first?

[Matt]

All right, let's start with the women's national championship game, South Carolina. They're four and a half point favorites against UCLA. UCLA is plus 160 on the moneyline and DraftKings. Matt, who you got here?

[James]

Yeah, you know, I don't want to ping against Dawn Staley, but I was surprised. I actually thought with UCLA's record, they would be the favorite. So I'm going to actually take UCLA in the upset to get their first national championship in a long time. I'll probably regret this pick because Don Staley will probably roll, but give me ucla.

[Matt Myron]

Tim, what about you?

[Tim Welsh]

Well, that defensive game plan she had the other night was really special. I know she's one of the best ever to coach the game, but I'm going to go with UCLA as well. I like the big center. I like Lauren Betts. Are they going to handle her down low? I'm not sure that Raven Johnson can handle her. She did a great job on Sarah Strong the other night, but this is the different, different type of player. And the six seven in the middle, I think will dominate. I'm going ucla.

[Matt Myron]

Look at Tim throwing little references in for the kids out there with the. With the six seven. Who's up next?

[Matt]

All right, the men's national title game. UConn +240 on the money line against Michigan. Michigan is a six and a half point favorite on DraftKings. Matt, who you got on Monday night,

[Matt Myron]

a lot of points to go against Danny Hurley.

[James]

And UConn doesn't lose in the finals.

[Matt Myron]

They just, just don't. Historically, I'm going to take Michigan, but if I had to bet, I would

[James]

take the six and a half with

[Matt Myron]

UConn, but I'll go ahead and take Michigan to win the game since that's what we're doing here.

[Tim Welsh]

Tim, Terrace Reed Jr. Has been a dominant force. And if Londonborg, the actual London borg is not 100%, I think it's a major problem for. For their defense as far as going out and trying to chase screens. Chase Alex Cariban, and watch out for Alex Caraban. He has not shot the ball well yet, but I expect him to shoot the ball very well in his last collegiate game and third national title. Yes.

[James]

Look at you. Cariban would be what? Only. Who else is anyone 1, 3. Lu Alcinder. Is that it? Anybody?

[Tim Welsh]

Guy by the name of Bill Walton won a few.

[Jim Calhoun]

Yeah.

[James]

Did he win three? I'm not sure, but you may.

[Matt Myron]

If so, it's still elite company to have a chance to do that. What's next?

[Matt]

All right, let's head to the NBA. The Rockets are three and a half point favorites at Golden State against the Warriors. Warriors are plus 136 on the money line on DraftKings. Steph Curry expected to return to the lineup tonight. Matt, who you Got here.

[Matt Myron]

I also have to know Wayne Turner played in three straight national championship games. Hurricanes are going to be one seed in the East Ottawa Senators.

[Matt]

I was asking about the Rockets and the Warriors.

[James]

Oh, well, you have Hurricanes.

[Matt]

I know, I know. I went to the NBA first. That's my bad.

[Matt Myron]

All right, then I will say with

[James]

Steph Curry back, it's going to take

[Matt Myron]

him a game to get used to it. Give me the Rockets, Durant and reed shepherd make 10 threes combined and get the victory. What about you, Tim?

[Tim Welsh]

Oh, Steph's in. I'm in. I'm all in on the warriors tonight.

[James]

Steph's in your end.

[Tim Welsh]

Return of Steph will ignite the warriors down the stretch.

[Matt Myron]

All right, I like it. They're going to be. I mean, these playoff seatings are basically set with. Steph's going to be in the. In the play in regardless, so just needs to get his legs. What's next?

[Matt]

All right, let's head to Major League Baseball. Your Reds are plus 109 on the money line at the Rangers, who are minus 132 on the money line at DraftKings. Matt, who you got here?

[Matt Myron]

Okay, so you know James, for years I was telling everybody about Ellie De La Cruz, right? And I knew I liked him. I have like three of his bobbleheads in my house.

[James]

But this morning he had a quote

[Matt Myron]

that makes me like him even more.

[James]

He's now wearing hoodies every game under

[Matt Myron]

his jersey, which probably makes the purists mad.

[James]

And they asked him, It's 80 degrees

[Matt Myron]

in Dallas today, why are you wearing a hoodie? And he said, because of the flow.

[James]

And as someone who wears a hoodie

[Matt Myron]

every day, I now have even more reason to love Ellie because he wears a hoodie even when it's hot outside.

[James]

So give me the Reds to get

[Matt Myron]

the sweep today in Dallas with Ellie and his hoodie. What about you, Tim?

[Tim Welsh]

Well, living in Rhode island, as we've talked about, obviously we had to live through the Red Sox championships, but.

[James]

That's right.

[Tim Welsh]

And your manager is now the manager. Terry Francono. I think he's the best manager in baseball. You have him so hard to go against. Tito, I'm going with the Reds.

[Matt Myron]

I love it. See, we come together on the Reds Victory hoodies. And Tito, what's next?

[Matt]

Major League Baseball. The Cardinals at the Tigers. Tigers are minus 143 on the money line on DraftKings. You can hear this one right here on ESPN Radio. Coverage starts at 6:30pm Eastern. Matt, who you got here?

[James]

The Cardinals Have a young guy I think his name is what JJ Weatherholt. I think from West Virginia was where he played college. That has been on a little bit of a role. But I'll take the Tigers better team

[Matt Myron]

have no idea who's pitching for them. Maybe Mark Feedrich. But I'm going to take the Tigers to win. What's. What do you got Tim?

[Tim Welsh]

Yeah, the Cardinals. There's. I'm not going with the Cardinals for sure on the road. I mean Detroit as looks like they're starting to play better and their home field is a really good advantage for them. I'm going with the Tigers.

[Matt Myron]

Beautiful stadium by the way.

[James]

Like people don't think of Detroit is

[Matt Myron]

like a beautiful place to visit but that baseball stadium is beautiful. If you ever get a chance to

[Matt]

go what's next pitching matchup for that one is Kyle Lehigh against Kaido Montero.

[Matt Myron]

So that's your last name. There's no Cardinals.

[Matt]

Tigers.

[Tim Welsh]

Oh wait, I got to change my pick. No, just kidding.

[Matt]

There's no one named Kyrro that's in the NHL. If there's one thing we knew on on take your pick it's pick games that Matt's favorite teams are in the Hurricanes. Matt loves the Carolina Hurricanes. The Carolina Hurricanes are at the Ottawa Centers today. The Hurricanes are minus 130 on the money line. Matt, who you got today?

[Matt Myron]

Yeah, this game really doesn't matter to us because we're already going to be the 1 seed. But I'm going to take the Hurricanes.

[James]

Hurricanes are going to the winning the

[Matt Myron]

Stanley cup this year. I'm just announcing it to the world. It's going to be Hurricanes Avalanche in the finals and we're taking the cup. Tim, who you got?

[Tim Welsh]

I'm a Hurricanes fan all the way. Family season ticket holders down there in Raleigh. So the best place to tailgate in the NHL right there in Raleigh.

[TurboTax Announcer]

Wait a minute.

[James]

Are you serious? You are a Hurricanes fan?

[Tim Welsh]

Yes, absolutely. I'll tell you who I'm not a fan of. The Vegas Golden Knights. They fired my guy, Bruce Cassidy. Oh really?

[Matt Myron]

Just a few games left.

[James]

Oh my God. I didn't realize you were a Hurricanes fan. And you're right. Like if they they tailgate outside the arena, Rod Brindemore is the legend. We got Svetchnikov.

[Tim Welsh]

Good brisket. Good brisket. Pre game.

[Matt]

All of us here on this show unit have connections to the Hurricanes. Matt, it's your your favorite team. Tim has season season tickets. I have family who has season tickets to the Hurricanes and that's. That would be Rachel's home hometown team.

[James]

That's exactly right. I will tell you in sports, most

[Matt Myron]

underrated fan base is the Carolina Hurricane. Sell out every game in Raleigh, North Carolina for hockey.

[James]

Tim, thank you very much for joining me today. Enjoy the game and I appreciate your you being with us.

[Tim Welsh]

Thank you. Let's do it again.

[James]

Let's do it again.

[Matt Myron]

That's right.

[James]

Next is some show probably with Zaslow.

[Matt Myron]

This has been Matt Myron here on ESPN Radio.

[Podcast Intro/Outro Announcer]

Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the Podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN radio, the ESPN app and on SiriusXM channel 80. Matt and myron the podcast.

[Texas Tourism Announcer]

Calling all fun lovers and memory makers, Texas invites you to cheer from our stadiums and dance like no one is. Watch. Culture seekers can find the art that truly inspires. And from our shopping hubs to our chic boutiques, fashionistas will never leave empty handed. Texas is an unforgettable experience that's waiting just for you. Visit traveltexas.com and plan your trip today. Let's Texas.