Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: You're listening to the Whole Hog Sports podcast.
[00:00:03] Speaker B: And now here's your host, Matt Jones.
[00:00:06] Speaker A: This is not Matt Jones today. This is Ethan Westerman filling in for him while he's got some stuff on his plate. Today on the show, Anthony Christensen is going to join me to discuss recent reports of the NCAA inching closer, expanding the NCAA basketball tournament to 76 teams. We're also going to dive into what Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari said yesterday, getting ready for Friday's Primetime at the palace event. But first, a word from Kendall King.
[00:00:31] Speaker C: At Kendall King, we're proud of over four decades of design. We're continuing the legacy of great creative design by combining our brands of Kendall King, Soapbox and Shopcart. Together, these brands represent a new focus in marketing design with individual attention to specific areas. Through our design expertise, supported by a team of talented professionals, we showcase our best. We are Kendall King. We are Soapbox. We are. We are Shopcart. We are Design.
[00:00:57] Speaker A: It seems like NCAA basketball tournament expansion talk is the thing that just won't go away. And it's, it's lingered around for a while now, and it's actually picking up more steam than it has recently. With a report today from Ross Dellinger that they're inching closer to expanding it to 76 teams. It feels like that, you know, the classic example of if it isn't broke, don't fix it, but it also feels like the NCAA is typical if it ain't broke, let's break it type of deal. Anthony, I know that you're pretty passionate. I'm joined by Anthony Christensen in the studio.
I know you're pretty passionate about this discussion.
[00:01:30] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah, it's stupid. It's, it's just, it's dumb. And I, I want to be abundantly, like, it's not gonna, if they do end up expanding it, like, I'm still gonna watch, obviously, you know, it's not gonna destroy everything that March Madness is and everything like that. But it's just, it's dumb. It's just dumb. Like, do, like.
So first off, so the, the, the, the format that Ross had, I guess, reported would be 12 opening round games at two different sites. So, and this is kind of just like a side thing. Like, first off, you're taking something away from Dayton that is, like, exclusively Dayton's like a very cool thing that the city of Dayton gets with the first four. And you're splitting that off and making it, like, kind of not what it is, which I think that would suck for the city of Dayton first of all, but 24 opening round games.
So there's going to be 32 conferences once the PAC 12 comes back.
So 24, like it's going to be mostly, you would think the auto bids from mid major and low major leagues that are going to have to be playing in these opening round games while you get all these mid garbage power conference teams that get their free ride into the, into the, the, the main field. It's, it's just stupid. Like, I mean I, like I, I just, it, it blows my mind. It is just I've got like there's the only real argument for tournament expansion that you hear because they're never going to come out and say it's so these people who already have more money than they'll ever be able to spend, want more money is oh, it's going to give more access to teams to get into the tournament because the Division 1 landscape has grown by, I think it's 91 teams since they introduced the 64 team field. I mean it's just, it's, it's for power mid garbage power conference teams to get into the tournament. Like if Linden Wood is on the bubble this year, I will eat my words and I will, I will say okay, maybe, maybe it's, maybe it's for the best that you know, more teams are potentially like this isn't, like it's not finalized yet. So just want to put that out there. Like this isn't a for sure deal.
If Linden Wood is on the bubble, if Queens is a top 25 team, if, you know, if these things are happening, then you know, maybe I'll, maybe I'll eat some crow. But like that's not what it's going to be.
Since the tournament expanded in I think whatever it was 40 years ago to 64 teams and now obviously it's 68.
Only one team that has been added of those 91 teams that have joined the Division 1 ranks have that only one of those teams has gotten an at large bid to the NCAA tournament. So the argument that it is for access for these other schools that are joining Division one, it's, it's ludicrous. It's nonsense. It's garbage. It's just, it's, it's, it's nonsensical. It doesn't make any sense when you look at the data behind it. It doesn't, it doesn't add up. Like it's just. And that was UCF in 2019. UCF is in the Big 12 now. So really does that even count anymore. Like, it's just.
It's nonsense. If New Haven is, you know, sitting there clapping their hands, thinking, now we have a chance, I would be shocked.
Sorry.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: No, you're good. You're very passionate about this, which is great. It's one of those things that whenever you listen to the people make the argument of why you should expand the field, they always come back to, it's not actually about TV revenue, which. Side note, it definitely has to be at least part of the discussion. They always try and come back around to. There's a lot of good teams that get left out, and they need not. And they need their opportunity. There's not to make the field. And I.
[00:05:32] Speaker B: Hold on, let me interrupt you. Do you remember that Colorado State, Virginia game?
Do we need more of that? No, no.
It's unbelievable. Like, there's no. There's, like. I'm sorry. Like, if, like. Yeah, there's a lot of, you know, good players out there who don't get to play in the NCAA tournament. And there's a lot of good.
You know, there are good teams that get left out of the NCAA Tournament. Indiana State, who. Who got left out at behest of Virginia and Colorado State and then went to the NIT final where they lost to Seton hall, another team that should have been in the tournament over those teams. I think the biggest thing that I can say in response to that is pick the right teams. Yeah, it's.
I'm sorry, I'm not a big hot takes guy, so you're good. This is the most impassioned, I think I've ever been on this podcast.
[00:06:23] Speaker A: Well, I'm glad that we got it out of you, but. No, the thing for me, I think that college basketball's in the spot right now where it's already fighting to try and make game. Regular season games be important.
And here's my biggest issue with this whole expansion talk.
You can clearly recover, like, important. They need regular season games to be important, and they are. But you can recover from losses in college basketball in a way that you can't.
You can't. Like, in a way that you can't from, like, with football. Because you think about even Arkansas last year, like, the fact that that team was able to climb its way back into tournament talks and clearly deserved it by making a Sweet 16 run. Like, that's part of the beauty of the length of the college basketball season and of just being able to kind of override those losses along the way. But what I worry about, especially with NCAA tournament expansion, is I mean, games should still matter, though. Like, you should have to earn your way back out of losses. And like you said, the quality of games that we've gotten with these, you know, the first four already, as is between, I mean, last year, there have been some good.
[00:07:24] Speaker B: There have been some good first four games. And like, let's not, let's not overlook that.
[00:07:28] Speaker A: But I think the thing is that there's always been teams that you can look back and say you don't think they should have gotten in that.
[00:07:33] Speaker B: Yeah, that Texas team never should have.
[00:07:35] Speaker A: Like, Texas last year got run off the court by UNC in the, in the first four.
[00:07:39] Speaker B: San Diego State, but.
[00:07:40] Speaker A: Or San Diego State.
[00:07:42] Speaker B: Yes, Texas then lost to Xavier in the first four. But yes, you are correct.
[00:07:46] Speaker A: You're. I'm forgetting all these things. You remember the details better than me. I just remember I saw a Texas team. I was like, you should not have gotten in. It was San Diego State, who also, you said, okay, we really, are we really fighting to make sure that not only those teams, but another, however many are going to get in the field. And I think that the, the price that you're paying here is, like I said, the importance of these regular season games. Because, for instance, Arkansas last year, the 1 in 6 start in SEC play, those games should have mattered. Going to South Carolina and losing on the road, that should have mattered.
Climbing out of the hole, winning at Kentucky, going and, you know, beating Mississippi State after that loss to South Carolina, both those games should have mattered. All these games should matter. But whenever you expand the field like this, all of a sudden, does it matter?
[00:08:33] Speaker B: No.
[00:08:34] Speaker A: Arkansas could have lost with the expanded field. Arkansas could have lost to South Carolina and probably afforded another loss or two and still made it with the field last year. I think that what this is doing is kind of real quick.
[00:08:45] Speaker B: Hold on. Sorry.
[00:08:45] Speaker A: No, no, you're good. You're passionate.
I think the last thing we like that we need to do is lose the importance of these games. And I think that by expanding the field, that's what it does.
[00:08:55] Speaker B: Yeah. And before I get onto the point I was about to make, like, we're starting to see, you know, in men's college basketball especially, and like, you know, it's always been this way in women's college basketball. You want to play the best teams play against each other so you can get more eyes on the game. And you're starting to see that more in men's college basketball because it is a sport that has, you know, it's not as, I guess, as big as it was in, say, the 80s, you couldn't go out and create the old Big east today because all the questions would be, well, where are we going to get the football money that's going into the ACC or the Big Ten or the SEC or the, you know, whatever.
So we're starting to see more and more non conference games between big schools. I mean, Arkansas versus Michigan State is going to be a lot of fun. I mean, you. Today, North Carolina announced a home and home with Butler. Like, that's, that's fun. And you wouldn't really think about Butler as being like this premier Big east school because they've been down for a few years, but they're still, you know, a power conference team and they're getting that home and home with North Carolina. That's, that's cool. That's important.
You know, there's, there's, there's all sorts of things like this, Baylor playing against Washington. It's, there's, there's, there's a lot of this, you know, that's coming in and it's good for the sport.
I would fear that that would go away because, you know, what's it matter if we just, we, we can just go and beat up on Mississippi Valley State or Maryland, Eastern Shore or whoever and you know, you're, you're going to be able to lose some games in conference play and it's going to be like, oh, I mean, as long as we're 19 and 16, we're going to be fine. Like, look at it. If you expand the, this past season's NCAA tournament to 76 teams, you're probably looking at Nebraska getting into the field.
Nebraska failed to qualify for the Big Ten tournament. Yeah, that's a team that should be competing for a national title. No, like, it's just, it's, it's, it's, it's just there's, there's not a single argument in favor of expanding the tournament that you can't debunk very easily.
Like, oh, we're going to have more, more games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
That doesn't mean it's going to be good games. We already get bad games in the tournament. Colorado State versus Virginia. I mean, what are we doing?
[00:11:14] Speaker A: I think that another thing that we're, we haven't really just. I mean, I mentioned off the top of classic case, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. It feels like this tournament is one of, if not the best postseason tournament in American sports as far as just like there's A whole excitement. March Madness is a thing in itself that even the non basketball fan likes. And I get it that the non basketball fans probably don't care that much about expansion because it's whatever.
[00:11:42] Speaker B: But they'll care if it's bad basketball, perhaps.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: I think a lot of people just love the fact of what all comes with March Madness, with the brackets, with all this. And I get it that that's probably what all plays into this. You know, the side of it with TV revenue that they know they can capitalize off of the popularity of March Madness and what it's become. But I think that what they get into by doing this is for those that have helped grow it to this point and have helped. I mean, what's helped grow so popular is kind of just, you know, you don't tweak with something. You don't.
[00:12:15] Speaker B: It's a middle finger to the people who have like. Or who are bought in and invested because this is extraordinarily unpopular.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: Yeah, there's not a single fan I don't think that's like thrilled about this.
[00:12:27] Speaker B: No. I mean it's a very small number of people who are going to be excited about this. And it's just like why the vast, vast, overwhelmingly huge majority of people are against this. So why make the change it like it, it. And it's not like, you know, people are like quiet about it either and are just like, oh, I really hope, I kind of hope this doesn't happen. Like, people are vehemently against this and it's, it's, it is ridiculous. It's not the. I mean, there are obviously bigger problems.
[00:13:01] Speaker A: In the world, but for the college basketball fan, is there.
[00:13:06] Speaker B: I speak from a very, very privileged platform of, you know, being able to complain about this.
That being said, like, why do something that is so contrary to what the people who love and care about your product are saying? Like what, why, why, why intentionally go against what the vast majority of your, your viewership wants? It just doesn't make any sense.
[00:13:38] Speaker A: It just feels to me like something that is such a quality product already that it doesn't need tweaked, it honestly just needs preserved how it is. And I think that's what this all comes down to is it's if.
Why, why is the real question. And all the arguments like you said that they make toward expanding the tournament can quickly there's a rebuttal or something that is very valid. And I think that, yeah, end of the day, a team that doesn't make the NCAA tournament in the format that it is now they have things they can point to and say, that's exactly why we didn't make it. It's not. And they can accept it.
[00:14:08] Speaker B: It's not because of access.
[00:14:09] Speaker A: It's not like the four team College Football Playoff where you're sitting there debating between leaving out an undefeated Florida State team, which is crazy. They got left out in order to put an Alabama team that at that point of the year, you can tell is the better team. It's, it's. You don't. You aren't running into that right now with the NCAA tournament format. You're running into. Okay, sorry, Texas, you should have won some more games.
[00:14:30] Speaker B: Yeah, it's, it's. Which, which team that's really not deserving of being here. Are we going to tell, like, hey, sorry, you suck. Yeah, like, I, I'm sorry. It's just, it's just ridiculous. Like, oh, increased access. Play better basketball and you'll get in. Yeah, sorry.
[00:14:49] Speaker A: There's been enough team bad teams over the years that did enough to still make the tournament and you knew that they probably weren't going to go very far. And it's like, why do you want more of that?
[00:14:59] Speaker B: Exactly. Why do we want more Virginia?
Well, more old Virginia, like Virginia, this year is going to be good. I really like the roster they've put together and, you know, it's going to be fun. Not to get too sidetracked, but I'm just using the Virginia Colorado State game is obviously the game that you're going to point to and just be like, why the hell would you want more of that? But I mean, even then it's like the Xavier Texas game, like, there were some entertaining moments, but it's like.
[00:15:25] Speaker A: Yeah, neither team inspired you to really keep on thinking that they could do something past that round?
[00:15:31] Speaker B: No.
[00:15:32] Speaker A: Well, I'm glad that we were able to get off on this soapbox because it is one that I know you've had, you know, festered up already. And then today's news, the Russ Dellinger.
[00:15:42] Speaker B: Report just kind of.
That was the first thing I saw when I woke up this morning.
I hopped on my phone and then I was like, oh, my, not this again. We really, like, I don't know, it.
[00:15:54] Speaker A: Just feels like a Here we go again. And this time it's like, if you can't ever actually throw, you know, quench the flames, it's like, is it ever going to die?
[00:16:03] Speaker B: Yeah.
I took my dog for a walk this morning and I thought that would like, calm me down a little. Bit, I guess it did not work.
The more I think about it, the more just nonsensical it becomes. And it's just, it just ridiculous. I'm sorry if I, if I heard anybody's eardrums. Like I said, I'm not a hot takes guy, but this one, this one gets me going.
[00:16:23] Speaker A: This one gets you going. Glad we had that soapbox real quick before we go to break. People who are listening to this cannot see it, but I'm holding up right now our Hogs Illustrated basketball preview issue that we just had hit the press yesterday. For those who can't see on the COVID there is Carter Knox. I'll hold it up again with chickens. You ask why? Because this man's nickname is the Chicken Man.
[00:16:49] Speaker B: Not because of Tyson. Because of a.
I won't give away the full story because it's in there. I was a high school nickname.
[00:16:55] Speaker A: I was going to ask you real quick before we go to break to just let us know kind of what you learned from Carter with this story.
[00:17:00] Speaker B: Yeah, no, so, I mean, Carter was, Carter was great. You know, he, he tested the NBA draft waters this, this past off season and obviously he's come back to Arkansas and is, you know, he's, he's, he's got a lot of expectations on his shoulders this year, right? Like he's going to be, you know, he's probably going to be a preseason all SEC selection. I voted for him on, on my preseason all SEC ballot. So there's, there's expectations on him and, you know, people are excited about, you know, what did he, what did he learn from the NBA draft combine? What is he going to take from that to, to help Arkansas improve this year? You know, there's, there's a lot to that and he's, he's taken those expectations on and he, he has those expectations for himself. And, you know, with the story, I tried to kind of go back into his, into his roots a little bit and kind of, you know, kind of look into his background a little bit. And the main point of the story is just like here's this, this, this kid who's got, you know, a lot of expectations on his shoulders and how he's, you know, handling those and what he learned from particularly the, particularly the NBA draft experience and, you know, other. Other things in his past as well. But it was a fun story to work on. You know, we've been working on, we've been working on this since the summer.
So we, a lot of work went into it. And, you know, I think I did my first interview for that story in like July.
So I mean I, you know, we've, we've been working on it for a long time. I'm very happy with how everything turned out and you know, hopefully everybody, you know, enjoys it and you know, it's not just, you know, a big Carter Knox story in there too. And we've got, you know, you had the really nice feature about with that Mayberry can't talk.
You know, we've got roster breakdowns with coaches and you know, a lot, a lot of different things. There's, there's, there's a lot in there and I think it's, I think it's a nice, nice resource to have schedule breakdowns and everything. Yeah.
[00:18:55] Speaker A: If you're an Arkansas basketball fan, this is something you'll want by your side this season when there's a lot of good stuff in there, men's and women's. Yeah, just, we've got roster breakdowns, top games. We're looking forward to good features. So we're really proud of this. If you visit our website, whole hog sports.com There's a story right now. Hogs Illustrated Magazine 2025, 26 Arkansas Basketball Preview issue available now. You can go to that link and find ways to subscribe to not only this magazine, but all of our magazines we're proud of that come out through the year or you can order a one off copy of our magazine, get you a cover of Carter Knox holding some chickens to maybe put on display in your residence.
[00:19:36] Speaker B: I also want to, just before we cut to break like the, the reception to, you know, the COVID and everything in there has been, has been really cool to see on, on social media and everything. So thank you to everybody who's, you know, commented on it. It's, it, it's, it's cool to see people enjoy your work. You know, sometimes, sometimes in this industry you don't get that a lot. You hear more people being like your work sucks.
But seeing people, you know, get excited about this and, and stuff like that is, it's, it's, it's awesome. So thank you to everybody who's, you know, commented like, you know, nice stuff about it because that it is, it is nice for sure.
[00:20:12] Speaker A: Well, when we come back, we'll talk more about this Arkansas basketball roster. We'll get into the women's team a little bit too. But first, a word from Kendall King.
[00:20:20] Speaker C: At Kendall King, we're proud of over four decades of design.
We're continuing the legacy of great creative design by combining our brands of Kendall King, Soapbox and Shopcart. Together these brands represent a new focus in marketing design with individual attention to specific areas. Through our design expertise, supported by a team of talented professionals, we showcase our best. We are Kendall King. We are Soapbox. We are Shopcart. We are we are Design.
[00:20:47] Speaker A: Welcome back in Want to tell you about our friends at Bentonville Glass. Serving its community since 1971, Bentonville Glass is committed, professional and versatile. Looking for a quality leader in northwest Arkansas? Looking for skilled craftsmanship? Choose Bentonville Glass for all your glass market needs with the highest quality products. Come by and see us at 507 S. Main in Bentonville or at bentonvilleglass.com still with Anthony Christensen here in the studio. We're going to talk more about this Arkansas basketball team because we got to talk to John Caliperi yesterday. He's pretty amped up, excited about this primetime at the palace event that they're doing on Friday. It's a joint event with the men's and women's teams. There's going to be a, you know, I know, a light show, a dunk contest, a three point shooting contest. The men are going to scrimmage. There's going to be a lot going on.
Kind of what stood out to you from what John Calipari said yesterday?
[00:21:36] Speaker B: All right. Well, the team's healthy for one, you know, I know last season you, he talked a lot about, you know, how they just weren't healthy at this stage of the year and throughout the off season. So there's, there's, they're healthy for the most part. You know, Kareem Mattel is going to be out for, for Friday and we don't know the extent of that injury or, you know, when to expect him back.
But he won't be there Friday. No. Malik Ewan has dealt with a shoulder injury. He said yesterday as well. But he'll be, he'll be full go tomorrow.
It is tomorrow, right? Today's Thursday. Yeah.
So that's the biggest thing I think if you're, if you're just paying attention to Arkansas, it's just like, you know, yeah, he's, you know, last year they talked a lot about how, you know, they weren't healthy enough throughout the off season, the summer and the fall to, to scrimmage, you know, do full sided games. And, you know, this year it seems like they have been, which is obviously going to, you know, help with, you know, building chemistry and, you know, just being ready for, you know, gameplay which is obviously going to be a Big thing for them, you know, this year with the, with the non conference schedule they have, you know, so, so that's, that's, I think the, the single biggest thing that I noticed was, was, I mean, kind of the relief of just being healthy going into the year. And you know, I think they feel good about this team because I, I mean, they, they, I don't think you would schedule the non conference schedule they did if they, if they didn't. But yeah, it's, that's the biggest thing that I noticed. I feel good about the team and that the team is largely healthy. Minus, minus Kareem Rattel.
[00:23:09] Speaker A: What type of statement or what do you think he's trying to accomplish, John Calipari, by making this primetime at the palace event a thing? I mean, this doesn't happen last year.
What do you think that they're trying to accomplish or kind of what sense did you get from, I guess the statement with the fans by doing this?
[00:23:27] Speaker B: I think it's just something to get people out to Bud Walton, get them excited for the men's women's basketball teams ahead of the season. I mean, these are events that happen at pretty much every school. A lot of schools, I should say. I know they didn't do it last year, but even when I was covering Evansville in Southern Indiana, they did events similar to this. So it's not necessarily the event itself that is, you know, news breaking. Like, whoa, look at this. Because this happens a lot of different places. I mean, they did a big thing at Kentucky every year and you know, stuff like that.
I think that it's just, it's a fun, it's a fun event. Right? So there, there's, there's going to be people who get to come out, who maybe you won't have the opportunity to come out during the season and you know, stuff like that. So it'll be, it'll be a cool event for, for those people and, you know, you know, the fans, you know, I know there's, you know, they've had a big, like, student outreach kind of thing going on. I know John Calipari said he's been going around to different fraternities. He's going to go to a bunch of different sororities tomorrow and, you know, try to keep getting people excited for this and it's fun, right? So that's, that's, I think the biggest thing is that it is fun. It should be fun. And it'll be, it'll be, you know, good for people to get out there and see the Team, especially for people who aren't going to be able to, you know, get to get to all that many games.
[00:24:47] Speaker A: Yeah, him, John Caliperi, he's a man of. He likes to be around the people. He is a man of the people. So him visiting fraternities and sororities doesn't surprise me, but kind of taking this a step further, it feels like just in general, he's more settled in. Of course, I mean, it makes sense he'd be more settled in right now than he was last year. He had just moved here earlier in the year, but it feels like he's way more settled into just Fayetteville, northwest Arkansas, this community, kind of. You're seeing it by him going on campus and doing stuff. You see him out and about in Fayetteville at places. I mean, it just feels to me like there's a difference right now than we had this time last year. As far as just kind of how he might be more, I don't know, settled going into year two and kind of just knowing what to expect more, whether it's the vibe, the roster expectations. What do you feel like is kind of different right now about going into year two with Caliperi?
[00:25:41] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm sure there was. There was less work in the offseason. Right. Like, he. He had, obviously, I know he brought, you know, largely the same staff with him from Kentucky, but, you know, you still have to, you know, build that staff, build that roster, even though a lot of those guys followed him from Kentucky to Arkansas. So, you know, he hadn't had to. Didn't have to do that much work in the off season. Not to downplay the work they have to do in the off season, because I know there's a ton of work that goes into, you know, recruiting and building a schedule and everything along those lines, but he didn't have to build an entire new team and an entire new staff, even though, like I said, you know, a lot of those guys, you know, followed him from Kentucky. And you still have to. You still have to entice those people to come to, you know, wherever you're going. So there's still, you know, some work that goes into that. But, you know, there. There was more time to focus on. Okay, here's.
I think, you know, where the, you know, last season's roster wasn't as good as it could have been. I think that they really went out and addressed that with rebounding. When you look at, you know, Nick Pringle and Malik Ewan, I think those are the biggest things that you look at with those two guys, and they're both, you know, they're both guys who can play with the ball in their hands. I think when you look at, you know, I think Nick Pringle is an underrated passer and under. Underrated distributor. And then, you know, so he's. He's able to do stuff like that. And then Malik Ewan, I think, is, you know, he's a big guy who has the athletic tools that, you know, you can. You can play him on the perimeter. That doesn't mean that you want to, you know, Chuck up 43 is a game, but, you know, he's a guy who can.
You can step out and be a distributor, be a ball handler on. On the perimeter or, you know, atop the key or wherever he may be. So I think those kind of the things, you know, there wasn't, you know, the.
The whole, you know, we.
Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, they. There wasn't. It wasn't quite as, you know, hectic, I guess is. Is the right word to use for this past off season.
You know, they. They've.
They built a schedule. They built, you know, everything that goes into it, but, you know, they did that without the.
The need of a full new staff and a full new roster.
[00:27:43] Speaker A: Yeah, the transition is just a lot smoother whenever you've been at a place and you're returning guys rather than. I mean, it felt like he even joked about it last year. It was like he was just moving headquarters. But, hey, you got to learn where your headquarters are. And it feels like they've done that. And it's not like this time last year trying to get your Kentucky players who followed you to Fayetteville, also in the same boat. Now, they've all been in here and done this for a little bit between Carter, Knox, D.J. wagner. I get Carter was not with the matt. Kentucky was committed.
He was committed there. It seems like the headquarters are kind of more grounded now. Yeah, they're more rooted.
[00:28:19] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:20] Speaker A: I want to ask you, you know, we've only gotten to see really them practice once with this whole new roster. It was in the summer, July, August. I'm blanking. When it was. It was in the summer.
[00:28:30] Speaker B: That's fair. Yeah.
[00:28:30] Speaker A: But sometime when it was really hot outside, it was. And it was. It was cool that they had, you know, reporters in there to see him at that juncture. But based on that, what we got to see there kind of. What do you think if fans walk away from this primetime at the palace event, which there's going to be a scrimmage, so there will be things to take away from this. If fans are talking or walking away talking about one thing, what do you think it'll be?
[00:28:54] Speaker B: Well, speaking from experience, I don't think that the, you know, the scrimmage is going to give away too much. You know, just you watch some of these, these, you know, inner seam inter team scrimmages at these kind of hype up events and you know, it's a lot of like flair stuff and not a lot of defense, you know, maybe, maybe they come out and play, you know, extraordinarily hard defense in the scrimmage and I'm, you know, left looking like a dummy. But you know, I think, I think the biggest thing, I mean that's the biggest thing they've been working on in the offseason is their defense. You know, I talked to, I talked to Nick Pringle about that a couple weeks ago. You know, John Caliperi said it the other day or yesterday.
So, I mean, they've been working hard on their defense. So even if, even if that's not a, you know, something that you take away from the scrimmage, I'm sure that, you know, they've been working hard on that and that's, you know, they think they were 18th last season in adjusted defensive efficiency at Kempom. I don't have Ken Palm on my laptop, so that's, that's just a pure guess on my part.
I'll prove it to.
See, there's no Ken Palm on my laptop right now. It's our home or it's story I wrote yesterday. But you know, they've been working hard on defense. So I think that's the biggest thing, I think the biggest thing that people are probably going to notice with this team is that it's, it's a team that a lot of them have already gelled because you have that returning core of, you know, DJ Wagner and Carter Knox, Billy Richmond who you know, everybody's excited about and Trevin Brazil as well, who, you know, John Calipari has, you know, raved about in the offseason. I talked to Chuck Martin for our magazine Shameless Plug. You know, he talked about how good Trevin Brazil has looked in the off season. And you know, so I think that there's going to be, you know, that, that returning production is going to, I think, show that, you know, this team is gelled and they're, they know how to play together.
And you know, when you have a core of guys who, you know, have played together and have already gelled. I think that makes it easier for, you know, the new guys who are coming in, be it the freshmen or the transfers that, you know, they can, they can step in and, you know, I think gel more easily when they've already got that, that core, that core group has already, you know, played together. So I think that's the biggest thing that I would be looking forward to taking away, you know, with, with the scrimmage.
But like I said, I'm not expecting the world's greatest defensive output in the scrimmage just because it is a scrimmage and you're like, goodness forbid somebody gets hurt playing too hard in a, in a hype up scrimmage. So you wouldn't. Yeah, that would be bad.
[00:31:19] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm with you that I don't think that there's going to be really great revelations from this. It's going to be just a look at the team, to be honest. They're just trying to get fans familiar with the guys. And I do think though that I think people will walk away from this if they're like how I was saying. Trevin Brazile just looks number one, just in better physical condition. He's beefed up a little bit since last year and he also just, I think it's led to more confidence on the court too because what we saw in a practice, and I get it, they're not going to do the full shebang in an inter squad scrimmage that's, you know, for anybody to see. But I do think that people will see his confidence on the court be at a higher level. It just the version of him that ended the year in the NCAA tournament. I mean he was an X factor for them on their run with all the things that he did. I just think that people will see him and say that's a different Trevor Brazile because that's, that's kind of what my takeaway was from the practice we went to semi.
[00:32:14] Speaker B: Similar story with Carter Knox. I think he looks like he's in better physical condition than he last year. Not to say that he wasn't in good physical condition.
[00:32:22] Speaker A: He was just a freshman though. Yeah, he was. He's been through a year of college.
[00:32:26] Speaker B: Training is like one of those biggest jumps is your freshman year, sophomore year. And I think, you know, in that practice and in just, you know, interacting with Carter in the offseason, I think that's the biggest thing I've noticed is just like he, he looks more physically prepared and I Think that's something that, you know, the, the, the, this coaching staff is obviously excited about. I think the team is excited about it and I think NBA scouts are going to be excited about it as well. So, you know, with, with both of those guys, you know, I'm not sure, you know, where exactly Trevin Brazile stands on a, you know, an NBA scouting list, you know, but he, you know, he's got all the tools to, to make it. I think, you know, he's, you know, he's a high level athlete. You know, he's, you know, he's, he can step out and hit a three. He can be a presence in the paint. So, you know, yeah, I think both those guys have, have those opportunities. I think Carter Knox has a better opportunity to get drafted.
And I don't think it's necessarily controversial to say that, but yeah, I think both of those guys look primed and ready to go for the new season and potentially for opportunities beyond college.
[00:33:30] Speaker A: Yeah, I know. I'm excited just for this prime time at the Palace. I don't know what to expect. It's the first one they've had here.
[00:33:38] Speaker B: Let me shift the question to you. What are you looking for with the women's team? Potentially?
[00:33:42] Speaker A: That's what I was going to go. I was going to say we just got done last week getting to watch the women officially practice for the first time. It was cool that we got to be in the, in the gym for that.
This event. We're going to get to see both the men and women. The women aren't going to do as much because, I mean, clearly they are not going to have a woman's dunk contest unless they bring in some lower goal. And I'm can be, you know, proven.
[00:34:03] Speaker B: A much more imposing athlete than we thought.
[00:34:07] Speaker A: Exactly. It's. I don't really know what the women's role is going to be.
[00:34:10] Speaker B: She does look good, by the way. She looks like she's going to be a very important piece this year.
[00:34:14] Speaker A: She.
[00:34:14] Speaker B: I wasn't trying to make fun of her.
[00:34:18] Speaker A: It was, she was just the first one.
[00:34:19] Speaker B: You thought she was the first one. I meant, I meant no disrespect. I'm sorry, continue.
[00:34:24] Speaker A: No, you're good. I was just going to say I think that it's cool that Caliperi is kind of fulfilling a little bit of that promise. Mary Kelsey Music was hired in March. He said he was going to be here to help her out, wanting to do stuff like this. And I think it's cool just to capitalize on the popularity of where the men's team is at and the excitement around that. And they're gonna have the women be a part of this for introductions. I bet the women will purchase. I would think the women would do three point contests too. Oh, yeah. But I don't. I. We truly don't know everything that's gonna happen at this. It's kind of part of the excitement.
[00:34:53] Speaker B: That keeping us on our toes.
[00:34:54] Speaker A: There's a new, like they're saying there's like a arena laser light show experience that this is gonna be new. I mean, last year they had glow sticks for the Kansas exhibition. They were cool. It sounds like this is like a new something built in system that can, you know, a lot of people talk about the game day experience, how it can improve.
It seems like this is kind of the first just unveiling of what that might be for this year. So that's cool.
But yeah, I don't really know how much the women are actually going to be involved. But I do want to discuss for a little bit since we did go to their practice, maybe what we saw there. I'll start off with. I just thought that the competitive level in the gym was a lot higher than, you know, maybe. And this isn't to bash how former, you know, coaches did things. I just think it's something that Kelsey music staff really does. Stress is kind of competitiveness within everything. I don't know if you felt the same way.
[00:35:45] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I never got to watch any of the. The practices under. Under Mike neighbors. So I don't know that I can comment directly on that. But I think you, you could definitely notice the competitiveness. You know, they. They played hard. You know, it was a long practice too, so you could tell that they were maybe getting a little bit. A little tired there at the end. But I mean, that's what, that's what preseason practice is all about. And you know, building that, that stamina and you know, doing stuff like that. I think the biggest things that I noticed were, you know, I thought Bonnie Deese did look, you know, really good. Harmony Ware, I thought looked good as well. You know, I think, I think. And I've got a story about this coming out, not in this magazine, but our next magazine is that Jenna Laird looked, you know, comfortable and. Or Jenna Laird. Jenna Lawrence. Jenna Laird used to play softball at Missouri.
[00:36:26] Speaker A: Missouri. I was like, wow, what a throwback.
[00:36:28] Speaker B: Yeah, I.
That was my first, first big college beat when I was in school. Was, was, was mizzou softball. So unexpected. Jenna Lair shout out to Jenna Laird. I don't know what she's doing nowadays, but Jenna Lawrence looked comfortable, looked confident. Yeah, you know, she. She talked to us after practice and talked basically about. About that being more comfortable, being more confident and, you know, wanting to be in a better position to win more.
And, you know, she. So I thought she looked, you know, comfortable and confident, like I keep saying. And yeah, I think those are the big takeaways for me. I would have liked to have seen Talia Jones just because I think she's going to be a big part of the team. You know, she was out with, you know, a minor injury. Her. Her and Danica Galea both, you know, weren't available to practice and, you know, but. But neither of those.
Neither of them are going to be out long term.
So I would have liked to have seen them just because, you know, obviously Talia following, you know, Kelsey Music from Oral Roberts, I think she's going to be one of those, you know, players who really helps kind of establish what she wants just because she's been in that system. So.
[00:37:42] Speaker A: And she averaged a lot of points last year, I think, like 17 or 18. It's not like this is like your just good culture fit because she follows the coach like, oh, yeah, no, she.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: She can hoop.
[00:37:52] Speaker A: Yeah, she can really.
[00:37:53] Speaker B: But yeah, I think that's that. And the pace of play, I think, is important to note too. I mean, Kelsey Music's teams have never been ranked lower than sixth and adjusted tempo, so they're going to be fast. Yeah, like, and I think. I think that was something that we noticed as well.
[00:38:07] Speaker A: Yeah. Kind of stands out to me, too, with their roster that it feels to me like it's easier to pinpoint who maybe won't be in the rotation than who is. Last year, I kind of. I had a hard time trying to figure out who's can. Who can play. I knew Izzy Higginbottom could, and I was like, who else is going to step on this court and play? I had an idea with some, but with this year's roster, it feels to me more like this is going to be.
[00:38:29] Speaker B: You have a better idea of the.
[00:38:30] Speaker A: Rotation, a better idea of the rotation, and more like hands on deck. I feel like as far as a sense of they can all go out there and you aren't going to just. I don't think they have many players who you're just going to really suffer from their presence being on the court. I think that they have a whole roster full of players who can help Them with different things. I was impressed with Maria Rodriguez, the transfer from Oklahoma State. I had no clue what to expect from her because she didn't play much last year at Oklahoma State. There's not much out her out there on her because she was. She's an international player from Spain, but she was. She looked great in the practice. She was finishing at the rim. She was sprinting on defense. She's got a high motor. I just thought that that stood out to me. I think she's definitely, if she's not going to be starting, will be one of their main players off the bench, down low. I just think that this team, there's a. There's something nice about newness every time it happens. I think anytime that there's change, there is excitement and buzz around it. And I think that this team has pieces this year to like, this is clearly just a, you know, laying foundation year for Kelsey Music. It's. There aren't expectations. There just aren't. I mean, I filled out my SEC preseason poll and I picked them 15th out of 16, and the only team I picked below them was Texas A and M because I know less of what to expect about them than Arkansas. I think they've got that right now where the perception there is an expectation so they can just go out and play loose and free and see what they can do. But the. The thing I noticed in that gym was they have an expectation to win, though, like she. She wants them to.
[00:39:58] Speaker B: She's instilled that.
[00:39:59] Speaker A: She's instilled that where they think they can go out there and win. I mean, Jenna Lawrence, like you said, she brought it up herself how they haven't won at the level that she's wanted to. And this year she wants to win. That's what she said. So I think that this is a team that could surprise some people by overachieving. I don't know what their ceiling is. I don't think the ceiling is super high, but I also think the floor isn't as low as, you know, maybe last year's team was. I think this is a team that could maybe pull off a surprising result or two in SEC play.
I'm not saying that they're going to like. I think if they're challenging for WBIT at the end of the year, you're feeling good about how the first year with her went. And they're just. This is all about establishing the culture this year and kind of laying the groundwork to be able to go and recruit players to say, look at what this team could do. How could you help us? So I'm excited to see them get underway. Their, their season starts in about a month from now too. So basketball is back. I love this time of year because, you know, it seems like maybe more than any other sport, it creeps up because you're just so focused on football, football, football. Then you turn around and we've got prime time at the Palace. We've got some exhibition games. We've got SEC media days in a couple weeks. We need to iron out some details with getting to, getting down there. But that's aside from the point.
This time of year is really exciting.
For sure.
[00:41:15] Speaker B: We'll figure it out.
[00:41:16] Speaker A: Well, we'll be there some step, but it's.
[00:41:19] Speaker B: I'll walk if I have to.
[00:41:21] Speaker A: I won't walk, I don't think.
[00:41:22] Speaker B: I did just see the Long Walk in theaters and it was very good. But I'm not gonna walk all the way to Birmingham.
[00:41:26] Speaker A: But see, that would be really, really ill advised, I think. But, but all that to say, Anthony, this is exciting. I'm glad that we're back to hoops talk. We'll end on this.
Give me your dunk contest prediction for Arkansas. We're assuming it's just the men doing a dunk contest. Unless they bring in the lower goal.
[00:41:50] Speaker B: I'll stick with the Carter Knox theme of the day. Give me, give me Carter Knox. I'm feeling good about that pick, I think. Yeah, Carter Knox or Trevin Brazil.
[00:41:59] Speaker A: I feel like Trevor Brazil is kind of built for a dunk contest.
[00:42:02] Speaker B: One of the. One of those two. One of those two. Maybe an outside shot of Isaiah Seely.
[00:42:07] Speaker A: I was about to say there's going to be somebody that we aren't giving credit to.
[00:42:10] Speaker B: Khaled mentioned Isaiah Seeley yesterday, so. So I'll throw him in there as well. But yeah, I think if I were a betting man, which I'm not. I do not endorse gambling. It's called a hotline if you need it. But yeah, if I were a betting man, I think I'd go with Carter Knox.
[00:42:25] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, I'm just glad that we're going to get to see basketball with our eyes tomorrow.
[00:42:31] Speaker B: Yes, we're talking basketball. We're going to see basketball.
Unfortunately, we have to talk about the tournament expanding. But you know what, you know, well.
[00:42:41] Speaker A: We appreciate everybody being here with us today and bearing with us through a very.
[00:42:45] Speaker B: Yeah, no, I'm passionate. I'm just saying. I never. In my college soccer career, I never, I never played in the national tournament. It's because I wasn't a good soccer player.
Funny how that works. Anyway, sorry to interrupt.
[00:42:57] Speaker A: No, you're good. Well, like I said, we're glad everybody was here with us today for this talk. We hope you'll be back with us again tomorrow. It'll be Matt Jones back here at the desk. So if you didn't like me hosting, you know what? You're getting your wishes back tomorrow.
[00:43:09] Speaker B: I thought you did a great job.
[00:43:10] Speaker A: Well, thanks, Anthony. In the meantime, we hope you'll visit our website@whole hogsports.com for the latest Razorback coverage and hope you have a great day, everybody.
