00:00Well, here's what I'll tell you.
00:01Rick Pitino is one of the best ever, and he'd be up there.
00:06He'd be right near Coach K right now in terms of wins if he doesn't go to the NBA for,
00:11I guess, I don't know, like 10 years or so.
00:13It was probably close to that, if not 10.
00:15So, I mean, he's a tremendous coach, and, you know, one thing about Rick, and I've known him for over
00:2240 years, he's always been a developing coach, you know, a guy who develops guys.
00:27He recruits guys as freshmen, and then by the time they're seniors, they're great.
00:32But those days are over.
00:33So now he's adapted to this new world in terms of he's such a great coach that kids want to
00:40play for him because every kid wants to get to the NBA.
00:44So feel like this guy has a reputation of getting the most out of his guys.
00:49And that, don't get me wrong, they have a really good NIL program, obviously.
00:53They're paying guys well, but the combination of the money and having a guy like him there that kids want
01:02to play for and know, they know going in, this guy's not going to be easy.
01:07But if I do what he says, he'll get the most out of me, and I'll get to where I
01:12want to get to.
01:13So, I mean, he kind of was made for this day and age because he's getting guys now that I
01:18don't want to say are ready-made players, but they are really good players that he's got to develop somewhat,
01:24and he's got to put a team together somewhat.
01:27And that's why the last two preseasons, they've struggled a little bit, but as the year has gone on both
01:32years, they've got, and two years ago also, not just last year and this year, they get better and better
01:38as the year goes on.
01:39So, I mean, he's adapted to everything.
01:42When the three-point shot came around, he was using it more than anybody else.
01:46He just, he's an adaptable guy.
01:50Absolutely, and he's been an energy guy since Providence.
01:53The Johnnies, do you think they have, like, can they make any noise whatsoever?
01:57I don't think they're very deep this year as they were a couple years ago, but like you mentioned, you
02:03think the Johnnies can do anything, St. John's?
02:05You know, I think they definitely can get to the second weekend.
02:09I don't doubt that.
02:11You know, last year they ran into, obviously, a much underrated.
02:16You know, a lot of this is luck, too.
02:17Like last year, they get a 10 seed in the second round as Arkansas.
02:22Now, let me tell you something.
02:23Arkansas, from a talent standpoint, was no 10 seed.
02:26You know, they had had an up-and-down year.
02:28They ended up being a 10 seed.
02:29And what happens in that game is you really saw they were the 10 seed, and they had, to me,
02:35overall, the better players.
02:36They were bigger.
02:37They were longer.
02:38They were more athletic.
02:39They made life very hard.
02:40So, a lot depends on the matchups.
02:42But yet, and you know what?
02:44It drives me nuts when people say, well, can this team get to the Final Four?
02:47Can that team get to the Final Four?
02:48Well, how about this?
02:49We've seen George Mason get to a Final Four.
02:52We've seen Butler get to Final Fours.
02:54You know, we've seen teams get to Final Fours that we wouldn't have never guessed in a million years.
02:59So, yeah, all these teams that we're talking about, can St. John's get to the Final Four?
03:04Absolutely.
03:05Do I think they will?
03:06No, I don't.
03:06But can they get there?
03:08Absolutely.
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