Do almonds go bad? Do almonds have an expiration date? Honestly don't know.
Hmm, do almonds go bad?
Yeah? Maybe google that.
I think i'm gonna I'm gonna say yes, but I think you're gonna have to like try to or like introduce moisture to the to the situation. I think they stay good for quite some time.
Okright, Yeah, I need to get to the store. Nobody gives a rip about this, but I was leaving in a rush today. Needed a snack. I've had this bag of almonds in my drawer for at least two years. Oh it's cracked. I'm eating them. So I'm just wondering if I'm in trouble.
I think you're fine, all right, But you know I'm not a doctor. I did stay at a holiday in last night.
Thought Sean Mooney. We know that Sean is a very proficient dancer in basketball. Mind, do you have any knowledge on the shelf life of almonds?
Sean Spence, I think you're just fine. I mean, come on, they've been around for a centuries, They're going to be around for a centuries from here on out. You are a nut. We know that.
Oh wow, Sean, that's good.
That's good.
I'll tell you what.
Tell you what doesn't have a very long shelf live college basketball coaches?
What?
Wow? Did I just make that transition?
Good? It was good? It was good.
So, Jean, I don't know if you had a chance to listen to Josh yesterday on the program Goodness, and hey.
I love it. I love the honesty.
I don't know that I'm completely aligned with him all the way, but let you start there. What are your thoughts on kind of the salient clear eye analysis Josh gave us yesterday?
Yeah, Well, first of all, like I love JG. So I was an athlete with JG. He obviously is everything you said he was. Spence, I mean, he's as good a player probably as we've had at Utah, really really talented, and I love how he's not pulling punches. He's just out telling you exactly what he feels. And I think like most of what JG had to say was was accurate. And the thing I loved the most about what Josh said yesterday and what I heard the most Spence was
his passion. Can you here the passion he has for Utah basketball. It's it's that that I think right there, encapsulates what really drives athletics for so many people, but in particular alumni. As far as like the finer points of what JG said, the only really only counterpoint that I would have to him is like, it's hard to go back to our era and put our era into
this era. I agree that we need a system, that we need a system that players want to come play for a lah Kelvin Sampson is Shaka Smart Marquette, these these teams have eighty seven percent retention. I don't know that you you have to have roster construction. I don't know that you're going to have the same desire to be a role player that maybe JG was talking about. And I do think role players are very important obviously, But that's the only real counterpoint I would have to JG.
Just initially, Okay, well said, let me follow up this, and here's where honestly, Sean, I'm not really sure where to land because I'm not privy to any of these conversations about what Josh was kind of out outlining yesterday of alumni trying to contact Craig to get more involved. And part of me, if I'm being honest, part of
me puts myself in Craig's shoes. I'm like, well, I've got to I've got a program to run, I've got a team to coach, you know, and I can't necessarily kowtow to every single phone call I get from an alumni that wants to tell me how to run my team. But look, I also understand Josh's point about the rich history and pedigree of this program, and if you're the head coach, it's probably something you should consider at least
having some people involved to hear their voices. I honestly am a bit conflicted on this one, Sean, but I wanted to get your thoughts and maybe you have some knowledge of alumni reaching out to Craig and Craig not necessarily being open to, you know, to those conversations.
Yeah, I mean, I don't have any specific knowledge. Jaj definitely, Josh definitely spoke as if he did have specific knowledge about that. I don't have that knowledge. I do know, and you know this, one of my close friends, my best man, Tommy Connor, was on a coaching staff at Utah. Two coaching staffs Coach Majerison, coach Chriscopiak, and so I do know from conversations with Tommy that often alumni reach out and sometimes you can talk to them, and sometimes
maybe their requests or what they want are unreasonable. It's like a lot of people think they can coach. I'm this has nothing to do with Josh Saner Trumper, who he thinks can coach. I agree. I think Alex Jansen's a great choice, along with lots of other candidates. But you know, you have to temper yourself and and to go to Craig's position. To be in Craig's position. Now, I'm pretty I feel pretty intimate in this answer because I've been around Craig. I think Craig did have a
lot on his plate at Utah. We know that Utah men's basketball is a lot just in and of itself. It's it's an entity that we all know and love. I mean, I love listening to you talk about your time at the Huntsman Center. So I think you have to do your best to hear the alumni as far as like whether or not there were jobs and all that. I really can't speak to that.
All right, So before we get to and we'll talk Alex, we'll talk about other candidates let's discuss Sean, your opinion on exactly why this went down when it went down. The timing still is a little and I've had some conversations.
That is give me a little bit more clarity, But.
The timing is still a little bit like, I don't know, do you let them just finish out the season and you know they're already paying Larry and now they're paying Craig. They're paying two coaches not to coach the team, and you know, and Sean, we can be reductive and I'm sure Craig, who's a honest, straight shooter, what's I didn't win enough so we can just lean into results period. I've been told that there is a booster element to this.
People did not love the direction of the program. You compare to what BYU's building and how they look right now. Lot of people up here not thrilled with the direction. So what's your take on why this went down and when it went down?
Yeah, I mean I would say that there and Josh hit this on the head, I think, and his what he talked about Last year, the Oregon State loss was a tough loss for us, and this year the UCF loss was a very tough loss. We had just that glimmer of hope. I mean, I was on your show saying that we're going to go three and two, and I really believe that, you know, and then you have that tough loss way of nineteen turnovers. We don't play the way we want to play. As far as timing,
there's probably no good timing. And I want to like extend courtesy to the staff. We spend a lot of time with these coaches, and one of the toughest things is the coaches that are on the staff. They don't get fired. The head coach gets fired, but the coaches that are there are even a tougher predicament now because now coach Smith is gone, Coach Iler's going to step in, and the other coaches are going to do their best to pick up for these student athletes who are also
dealing with confusion. I would say, absolutely, there's no good time. This is makes sense in the regard that if you look out in the NCAA, I think there are five openings at a high level right now, and we know that the transfer portal puts all kinds of pressure on college basketball from within your program and from without your from outside the program. So I would say that even though there's no initially good timing, I understand this timing
as far as shoes involved. I mean, obviously Taylor Randall and Mark Carlin are doing their very best. The administration is doing their very best to meet a lot of people's thoughts about what Utah men's basketball should be. And yeah, Spence, You're right, it hasn't been what it should be. I mean, the bottom line is we need to make the NCAA Tournament, and we need to be a regular in the NCAA tournament.
I think that's what we all expect and have grown to expect through those that era that Majeri's coached.
You know, I'm glad you ended your answer with that, because there was luck. And I very much like Craig and I do think he's a good coach. I don't think this will be the final chapter of his coaching journey. He's still very young, He's wanted places he's been prior to and I do feel bad for Craig, and I feel bad for his family. You know, a nice five million dollars so parachute helps, you know. Yeah, my father wasn't a coach, but he was an executive in sports
for thirty years. We uprooted several times. That's it's hard on a family. It's hard on children. So there's a human element to this stuff that I don't think we do a very good job of acknowledging in our business.
I want to hammer at home.
But Yeah, one of the things Sean that I thought of pretty quickly was, oh, okay, good, this standard is not okay with decision makers up there because it's been way too long since we've had to It's twenty sixteen was our last tournament team.
I mean, we're coming up on a decade.
We should have the standard in this city that our basketball team either goes to the tournament every year or is knocking on the door every year.
I truly feel that way.
I absolutely agree with you. And to go back to that two thousand. One of the interesting thoughts about the end of Larry's coaching career, it was the PAC twelve wasn't as strong as we would have hoped it would have been. Right, So they end up in the top four four years in a row, and I think they only make the tournament one of those years. So that's kind of a mix of bad luck and being in a league that maybe didn't get the same kind of attention. Now the Big Twelve is the league where you can
make the tournament. You have to have the right system in place, the right people in place, and certainly bringing former Utah athletes into this mix as potential coaches can make a really big difference, I mean an amazing difference.
And we'll get there.
But before we do, tell me about conversations you've had with Josh Eiland. I don't know Josh. I would imagine we'll get him on the show. I know that he was a interim head coach prior to a West Virginia. I don't really even know what the nature of his relationship was with Craig. But what do you know about the interim head coach Josh Eiland?
Yeah, bit right, And so we've had the opportunity to spend time with the coaches. He's Kansas kid from a small town family man, really really well respected everywhere we go in this league, either the rest or the other coaches. I just had a coach in our last game at UCF stop me as we're walking out and say, hey, make sure you say hi to Josh. Josh didn't make the last game because he's sick. Coach, I didn't make the game. He's a straight shooter, you know exactly what
you get. He was doing probably half of the scouts this year. Typically it would be he and JJ, coach Smith's right hand guy. So you're getting to coach that knows the league. You're getting to coach that is in an unenviable position again two years in a row of being an interim head coach and potentially not having a job next year.
Well, and he also coached under Bob Huggins, so you know, he probably has probably has a lot of a lot of great stories about coaching under Bob. So I don't think Josh is a candidate. I don't know this. Uh, we'll see what he's able to do. So before we move into what's next, what do you what? You know, we're all recalibrating now, right, So what do you expect from this team moving forward?
After these players have lost the coach.
I feel like most of them liked playing for I don't have any inside information there.
Yeah, no, I think it's the craziest thing ever. I mean, this is basically all Bill and our sound engineers, though. Your guys though we've been talking about, right, what's gonna how's the team going to respond? I mean, I don't think the team had any idea this was coming in, so I'm sure they're a shot. They flew home after UCF, so we're actually in Tucson right now waiting for them. They're going to come in to day five forty five.
We're all staying at the same hotel. You know, it's going to be interesting to see just their body language tomorrow. So I think there are two different directions. You go, you know, you kind of shore up as an athlete and you decide what you're made of and uh, and you figure some things out for your self. And if you can do that, maybe you can be competitive against Arizona. That's the one I'm hoping for. Or you kind of say, you know, to forget this. If they don't care about us,
you know, who knows. But I want you to know the administration and the people that are in charge, they spent their time connecting with these athletes, these student athletes and land them know what's going on and where they're going, so they know they're cared about.
Well, that's good, that's good, and we'll see how they respond because I mean, you know, I certainly I think it would be difficult as a young player to lose the guy who you came to play for, and maybe a they'll rally around Coach Eyler will have to see.
But let's move on to what's next.
And this is what's always interesting, Sean, because as you know, with the ecosystem of college basketball, every year there are very very enticing candidates that are coaching at smaller schools that have had have had a lot of success and ultimately if they're able to make the tournament. It's one of the things I love about March Madness, watching somebody
have their live change, lives changed in real time. Like you make a little bit of a run, suddenly you go from like you're Eric Olsen at UC San Diego and you make it up like and I could go over the names, right There's Nico Medved at Colorado State, There's Eric Henderson at South Dakota State, like you know the list. So let's talk about that portion of this pool before we get to the names that everybody's already
talking about. If you're Mark Harlan, even though you're hearing the Alex Jensen's the Johnny Bryants, de Andre Millers of the world. Do you try to go that route to get a more conventional hire as it pertains to the macro view of college basketball that typically happens that ride of passage or do you do you do you not look at that route because that's essentially what you just did with Craig.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, No, I absolutely think you look at that route. I think you look at it all. You would be remiss, Spence, if you and I were hiring for a job in our business, we would try and find the absolute best person for that job. I mean, there's no question that a Utah alumni if they can meet the requirements to coach. I mean, that's a natural fit for so many people. But there are some great
coaches out there, and I agree with you. I think it's the greatest thing about college basketball is that story of working your way up. That's one of Craig's stories. It was a good story, right. I want that for whoever comes in next. I mean obviously we you and I and the people and the fans out there that care. Josh Grant, everyone cares about this program, and we want what's best for this program, and putting a new system in place that is bigger, maybe than what we have
currently or what we've had since twenty sixteen. A system in which you know U TIH men's basketball has a chance to flourish, and the people that are going to put money into that are interested in putting money into that. I think I heard you talking about that earlier. It's a big time deal, but I opened it up to everybody.
So now let's move over to the names that people are excited about. And Sean, I'm not usually a like, hey, let's win the press conference guy, like there's so many things that are so important in the long run and playing the long game of building a program, but I think in this case you might need to a little bit.
And I do think a Alex Jensen as head coach, Andre Miller is assistant coach announcement inundates the department, the ticket department up there with people interested in actually getting behind this group. I just think it's a basketball community that has nearly been flatlined for way too long, and.
So let's invigorate it a little bit.
And I do think an Alex Jensen head coach Andre Miller assistant coach would really excite this basketball community.
So give me your thoughts on that.
Yeah, I mean, obviously I told Bill. I mean so one of the things that I had when I first got this job last year being the voice of the youth sidekick was Sloak Demarlos Slocum and Chris Burgess. I'd both understood Slope coach with Tommy and Burge was a player from a jeris there's like this automatic affinity. So like I often got my keys from Burge and try to understand what we are doing based on what and
Burge took the time to help me with that. You know, Alex Jensen and Andrew I mean, come on that they we all, to Josh's point, we all see basketball through coach Majaris and so to have those two players in that era, which we know our fans love, come back and start something new, create something new, it'd be fantastic. It would be I would understand it in a way, Spence that you understand eating almonds are safe for you?
Well played? Look I hope they are. We'll find out maybe an hour from now. You know what, I haven't even what what about Birge? What about Chris Burgess? I mean, is that a phone.
Call you make?
Why not? I mean, and again, like these are solely my opinions. I am not, you know, giving you like the guy that I think it is. But I'm just playing with you. Yeah, heck, yes, you give me a call. I mean, Chris Burgess. They're a great coach. He understands. Utah, Well, he's been there twice though.
Yeah, no, that's right.
And you know, I don't fault anybody for parlaying success into a better contract and a better job, which he's done a couple of times. And maybe this is a parlay where you take over up here. So let's move over.
Now.
Let me ask you about Johnny. Johnny Bryan Josh didn't seem to entertain that very much.
I like him, I always have. He's always been really good to me.
When I was with the Jazz and he was over there as an assistant working with Donovan, I often kind of picked his brain about Donovan's process. And Johnny's also credited with the evolution and the growth of Gordon Hayward. Now he's the associate head coach for a really good team. And I feel about Johnny now the way I felt about Alex five years ago.
I just think he's going to get a head coaching job in the pros.
Now, Josh leaned into the dynamic of HM being more of a developmental coach. Well, that's kind of Alex's gig in the pros. Alex was a G League head coach. I get it. So what are your thoughts on the potential of contacting Johnny brian to see if he'd be interested in coming back to his alma mater.
I mean, absolutely, I understand what Josh is saying. I don't. I mean, Johnny Briant is a great development coach, but he's an associate head coach in the NBA. I mean again, let's open the list to everybody. Now, I'm not the one that has to go through that list, right, You're not the one that has to go through that list, But there would be no reason not to. And then you want to get him in an interview and you want to know what he's all about. I mean, he
sounds like he could be a good fit. Like I talked to Phil Colan, a good friend of mine today who's in San Antonio's management, and one of the things that Phil Colan told me today was that all these NBA teams know exactly what's going on at the collegiate level, and this model that we have at the collegiate level right now is a model very similar to their model.
So I mean, yes, of course you want to bring Johnny Bryant, and he's probably gonna understand this modern model of getting athletes into your program or your system as well as anybody.
All Right, before I set you loose, you know, it's just I'll just tell you my opinion. Okay, My opinion is watching Utah basketball this year, I feel like Craig was entering Jim's with less talent than the other head coach most of the time.
That's my opinion.
Now, the problem is, this isn't the pros where the general manager and the VP of basketball offs are building your roster. If you're the head coach, you're responsible for the talent on your roster as well. So that also comes down on Craig, at least partially. So my question, Sean is whoever this coach is. Okay, So if we played the scenario out a little bit, and let's say it's Alex and Mark calls Alex Jensen and Alex picks
up the phone, I can promise you. Alex is gonna want to know what shape are we in with nil? What shape are we in with the collective? Am I able to keep up with my peers? Can we get talent based off of the economics of the program right now? The infrastructure around the coach has to be as sound as ever in college basketball these days? Is the infrastructure at Utah Basketball where it needs.
To be dis agree with you? I mean, I think from a talent standpoint, having now been all the way to the Big Twelve, we have talented kids. One of our rules, and one of my rules through the last twenty five years, is how many of those kids could play next level? And if you look at some of the teams we're playing, the Big twelve is actually not as talented at moving kids to the NBA as the PAC twelve was. Last year. I think the Pac twelve
had nine players and the Big twelve had four. But the Big twelve has a lot of really good college basketball players, which we need. Alex Jensen, Johnny Bryant, my goodness, my brain just stopped. Andrew Miller, I mean, these guys are going to have a connection to money and the potential of creating a larger annial budget that possibly another coach coming from a smaller school would not. So that can make a big difference and that may be a big part of what the decision is for the administration.
All right, John, last thing, you know, Michael, Arizona, that's the first game that the kench Eiler has to deal with here in Arizona is going to be grumpy after getting got by Burga me on, So yeah, tell me what you're expecting tomorrow night. Is the Utes invade a really tough place to play in college basketball?
Yes, Spence, and listen, if you haven't been down here, I'm we're gonna get you a ticket. You need to come down and watch a game here. It's a great place to watch a game. Here's what I'm expecting. If our energy is good and we can defend them in transition.
This team is scary in transition. If we cannot give up transition buckets and we can have the kind of rebounding energy that we've had, it could be I mean, listen, Arizona is better than we are, okay, but it could be something that we compete and who knows, maybe the Utah school shock them twice. Maybe Tony Padi is a referend tomorrow soon.
Very nice, very nice, all right, Sean, Well, I appreciate it. Man, have a great call. Thanks for the time, say travels. Thanks, good day, Sean Mooney. He'll be on the call with Bill Riley. The Utes invade Michale tomorrow to play a really good Arizona team who's gonna be very grumpy after what happened against BYU. Speaking of Bill Riley, sets your alarm four o'clock today. Riles will stop by the voice
of the Utes. After that it's Roxy Bernstein. But after a quick break, we'll do some MBA with Zach Harper Sean Mooney. Brought to you today by our good friends at Advanced Window Products.
Here's the deal.
If you are in the market for windows right now, you have to call them today. But if you anticipate being in the market, you know, if you're gonna maybe sell your house in the fall or something, or maybe you're looking to buy a place, call today as well. Because if you call today and lock in an appointment just to get them to analyze your current situation, you will dial in twenty five hundred dollars off when you purchase ten windows or more so the number is eighth
one eighty five zero ninety one hundred. That's eighth one eight five zero ninety one hundred. The website is Advanced Windows dot com. I'm talking Nate Orchard, Mayor of Sac Lake City, Jake Weber, good friends of the program, local company, great people that want to take care of you. They build install Guarantee for life. It's a lifetime warranty that's transferable to the next homeowner from the factory at your
front door at eight weeks or less. Financing available. You can save now and pay later payments as low as one hundred and fifty dollars a month, so they will make sure your budget is taken care of. So give them a call and Advanced Window Products at eight oho one eight five zero ninety one hundred.
That's eight oh one eight five zero ninety one hundred.