Episode 251
Women’s Basketball Insights: Coach Bozzella on Seton Hall’s Success
Show Summary
In this enlightening episode, we welcome Anthony Bozzella, head coach of the Seton Hall University women's basketball team, to discuss the nuances and challenges of coaching at the collegiate level. Coach Bozzella reflects on a commendable season, culminating in a respectable 23-10 record and a third-place finish in the Big East, while also addressing the complexities of postseason play and the impact of competitive matchups against powerhouse teams like UConn. He articulates his thoughts on the evolving landscape of women's basketball and the ramifications of the transfer portal, emphasizing the need for strategic roster construction and player development amidst the shifting dynamics of college athletics. Our conversation also delves into the significance of maintaining team chemistry and the importance of fostering lasting relationships with players. As we navigate through these pressing topics, Coach Bozzella's insights illuminate the intricate balance of success and the challenges faced in contemporary collegiate sports.
Show Details
Hosts Mike Guidone and Chris Caputo extend a heartfelt welcome to Anthony Bozzella, the esteemed head coach of the Seton Hall University women's basketball team, as they engage in a profound discourse on the evolution of women's basketball within the collegiate sphere. The conversation embarks on a reflective journey through the past season, wherein Coach Bozzella shares insights on his team's commendable performance, culminating in a 23-10 record and a notable third-place finish in the Big East Conference. He articulates the challenges faced in the postseason, particularly the hurdles encountered against formidable opponents such as Creighton, Quinnipiac, and Portland, while emphasizing the resilience and tenacity demonstrated by his players throughout the season. The dialogue further delves into the intricacies of recruiting and player development, spotlighting the remarkable talents of individuals like Jada Eads and Faith Masonis, who have emerged as key contributors to the team's success. Coach Bozzella's candid reflections on the state of women's basketball, coupled with his passionate advocacy for equitable recognition and respect for the sport, resonate profoundly, underscoring the need for continued growth and support in collegiate athletics.
Show Takeaways
- Anthony Bozzella expressed his profound satisfaction with the recent performance of the Seton Hall women's basketball team, highlighting the exceptional camaraderie and talent of his players.
- During the podcast, Bozzella articulated the challenges faced by women's basketball, particularly in relation to competition against teams like UConn, emphasizing the importance of competitive play for growth.
- The discussion also underscored the evolving landscape of college basketball, particularly in terms of player transfers and the implications of the NCAA transfer portal on team dynamics.
- Bozzella candidly addressed the disparities in NCAA tournament selections, particularly the impact of competitive scores against top-tier teams on postseason opportunities for his team.
- The podcast featured an insightful dialogue about the significance of maintaining player development and team continuity amidst the increasing trend of player transfers in college athletics.
- Anthony Bozzella's passion for coaching was evident as he reflected on the importance of nurturing young talent and fostering a supportive team environment for long-term success.
Transcript
The views expressed in the following program do not necessarily represent those of the staff, management or owners of wgbb.
Speaker A:Live from the WGBB studios in Merritt, New York, this is Sports Talk New York.
Speaker B: ,: Speaker B:I'm your host, Mike Widone, joined as always by the man we call Cappy, my co host, Chris Caputo.
Speaker B:Got a lot to go over tonight.
Speaker B:Have two guests coming on first, we're going to be joined in just a few minutes by head women's basketball coach at Seton Hall University.
Speaker B:They had a great season, Mr.
Speaker B:Anthony Bozzella.
Speaker B:Later on, we'll be joined by our Mets and Giants insider, AJ Rovener to talk a little NFL draft, little Mets.
Speaker B:He's been out in the last couple of games.
Speaker B:But before any of that, welcome back to the show, Cap.
Speaker B:Good to have you.
Speaker B:Happy Easter.
Speaker C:All right, let's hop on this.
Speaker C:This is going to be a good Easter Sunday show and excited.
Speaker C:A lot of stuff going on at this time of year.
Speaker C:You start some playoffs, you have some baseball.
Speaker C:And tonight, you know, should be fun talking some women's basketball.
Speaker C:We did it a couple weeks ago talking about UConn winning the women's national championship.
Speaker C:But let's go a little bit deeper tonight.
Speaker C:Should be fun.
Speaker B:Yeah, Coach Pizzella and I, we go way.
Speaker B:Reason I'm having him on number one.
Speaker B:We had him on last year.
Speaker B:Just a great guest, a great guy.
Speaker B:But when I got my coaching start, he was pretty deep into his first head coaching stint at LIU Southampton.
Speaker B:And like to talk to him a little bit about that and just the state of women's basketball in general and college athletics.
Speaker B:He's one of those guys, he'll tell you like it is and that's what we're looking for.
Speaker B:And it's great.
Speaker B:But before we get to that, you know, Chris, you mentioned, you know, great time of year, a lot of playoffs going on.
Speaker B:Unfortunately, in the New York area, outside of the Devils, we don't really have much hockey to talk about.
Speaker B:Yeah, but you know, basketball.
Speaker B:Knicks opened up Yesterday, nice win 3/4.
Speaker B:They kind of seemed like they were not the better team against the Pistons, but pulled it out.
Speaker C:Yeah, I thought for, you know, for the Pistons, I thought they played well for three quarters.
Speaker C:I don't think they've won a playoff game in their last like 15 or 16 tries.
Speaker B:It's been a while.
Speaker C:So for them to kind of step up, you know, for three quarters, I thought maybe this is the one game they steal in New York did not do so which to me gives the Knicks the upper edge in game too.
Speaker C:You know, I think it gives them a chance for maybe a first round sweep even having some confidence, you know, they didn't really play that well.
Speaker C:But my thing with the Knicks is they don't defend the three very well and the Pistons are one of the best three point shooting teams.
Speaker C:So this is for them a tough series and they have to defend in order to win that.
Speaker C:The second part is they've got to score more, you know, offensively.
Speaker C:But I think this is a tough time for Tibbs because people are talking about the Knicks this being a second round and out year for them.
Speaker C:I don't think it is because think about who all the pieces that they brought in.
Speaker C:Obviously you got rid of DiVincenzo, but like and Randle, but you, you brought in guys to win a championship and at this point they're all healthy in some way, shape or form.
Speaker C:They're all healthy.
Speaker C:If you're saying whoever we play in the first round, we're going to beat in the second round, we're going to lose, you're saying we could have beaten anybody in the first round.
Speaker C:So why isn't this a kind of championship or bus team for the Knicks?
Speaker B:No, absolutely.
Speaker B:I mean there's really no question why they can't be.
Speaker B:Or to say second round, I mean this is the.
Speaker B:I believe, I want to say in over 20 years is the first time they've had back to back 50 win seasons.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And there's been chatter this week about changing the coach.
Speaker B:I mean, come on.
Speaker C:But you got to remember Mike, they're firing coaches 10 days before the playoffs.
Speaker C:I mean guys are getting in the wild west, guys are getting let go and then it's like who we picking up?
Speaker C:The Denver Nuggets?
Speaker C:I feel bad for that situation, you know, Is that a way that the Knicks would go if Tibbs wasn't there going after Mike Malone?
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker C:But I think for the Knicks it's got to be more than just a first round win.
Speaker C:It's nice to say, hey, we won a series, we won a series three years in a row, whatever it might be, but this team's good enough.
Speaker C:If they were good enough last year and people got hurt like Jalen Brunson, now, you know, what did you bring Mikael Bridges in here for?
Speaker C:Why is Josh Hart considered one of the best defensive players.
Speaker C:It's time for these guys to step up.
Speaker C:You didn't go and get Towns to be a second round team.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker C:I think the hardest part for him, though, is figuring out when to put what guys on the court.
Speaker C:Last night, you know, I think Josh Hart picked up his third foul with like a minute into the second quarter and they kept him on the floor, but it's.
Speaker C:How much are you going to play the Mitchell Robinson with Karl Anthony Towns?
Speaker C:I'm not a big, you know, Cameron Payne guy, but he was a spark plug in the fourth quarter.
Speaker C:So him finding the, the nuts and bolts of how to put guys on the court, that's where he's going to make his money.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Against a bigger team.
Speaker B:When the Knicks need a little extra size in their defensively, putting Mitchell Robinson on the floor along with Towns is, you know, makes all the sense in the world.
Speaker B:But, you know, Detroit's not built like that.
Speaker B:Detroit is not one of those interior teams.
Speaker B:Like you said, that's a, that's a big time three point.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I think this is Cade Cunningham's year to try to make or break it, and I think he's going to try to, to do a lot to, to try and take over, but I really do think it's going to be a good series and it's nice to see the Knicks get a win there.
Speaker C:It's nice to see the Garden, you know, up and going.
Speaker C:Obviously.
Speaker C:Let's, let's be Honest, this was St.
Speaker C:John's year.
Speaker C:This was their year to take over the Garden.
Speaker C:And I think, you know, Pitino's using recruits to bring to Knick games to say, hey, this is where you want to be.
Speaker B:Yeah, interesting stuff.
Speaker B:Well, we'll get back to the NBA in a little bit, but we are very happy right now to be joined by head coach Anthony Bozzella from Seton Hall University.
Speaker B:Women's basketball coming off a great season this year.
Speaker B:Coach Mazzella, happy Easter and welcome back to the program, my friend.
Speaker A:Thanks for having me back.
Speaker A:Mike and Chris, and we talk about NBA.
Speaker A:Happy Easter to all.
Speaker A:I'm a huge Knick fan.
Speaker A:My wife is a huge, huge, huge Knick fan.
Speaker A:And I watch NBA all the time.
Speaker A:Watching the game now, I'm disappointed in the amount of blowouts there are.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker B:Well, I'll tell you.
Speaker B:What was it 53 point blowout today?
Speaker B:51.
Speaker B:I mean, yeah.
Speaker B:For any casual fan, you're saying to yourself at this point in the season, you know, in a First round NBA game.
Speaker B:No matter who it is.
Speaker B:Did he even show up today?
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:And you know, you know, we've got to be careful here.
Speaker A:I bet you if we count through the playoffs, how many blowout games there are, there's going to be a lot more than we really think.
Speaker A:So, I mean, obviously the Nugget game was a great game.
Speaker A:The Knick game was a great game.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:But you know, we have to be.
Speaker D:Careful with the product.
Speaker A:I mean, you know, I went online to buy tickets for the, for the Knicks series and you know, just a decent season cost me $500 each and that's face value through Ticketmaster.
Speaker A:That wasn't even a broker price.
Speaker A:And I bought a couple games for the next round if they play the Celtics because my son's a huge Celtics fan.
Speaker A:But it's expensive and, you know, you don't want to go to a game and have a 25 point blowout.
Speaker B:No, no, not.
Speaker B:And this is where I kind of think about it and give me your take on it, Coach.
Speaker B:You know, we have seven game series now.
Speaker B:I think you and I are old enough to remember back when it was five games first round, you know, it was, the onus was on, you know, quick starts and you didn't really have a lot of time.
Speaker B:I almost think now in these seven game series, if the game gets out of reach a little bit, guys are just pulling guys off the court and being like, you know what, let's save it for another night because they do have a little extra leeway time.
Speaker B:Is there anything you think that's true about that?
Speaker A: I think that's: Speaker A:I mean, I remember when the Knicks beat the heat in the 1 8.
Speaker A:People forget that was a five game series years ago when Alan Houston hit that shot.
Speaker A:You know, every game was super important.
Speaker A:And I just think you're 100% right.
Speaker A:In these seven game series, if we get down by a lot, we're just, you know, bagging it.
Speaker A:We're west for the next game and stuff.
Speaker A:But you know, this rest is getting overblown too, because there has to be some sort of conflict, continuity, rhythm, you know, to how you play and what you want to play.
Speaker A:And we're getting so much away for that because of rest or injury prevention.
Speaker A:It's really hurting the game, to be honest with you.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And then we add things in too, like the play in round.
Speaker C:So now you have a 78 game with the loser playing the winner of the 910 game.
Speaker C:And now you have the Grizzlies who wind up, I believe, winning two games on the road and then they get blown out in the first game.
Speaker C:So are we saturating this with the extra games?
Speaker C:Would it have been better to just stick with eight teams?
Speaker A:Yeah, I agree.
Speaker A:I think, you know, the saturation, adding two more teams to have a possibility of making the playoffs is, you know, they want to just keep these teams, you know, active and in it so they play their starters more at the end of the year.
Speaker A:But it's not really helping because most of there's not a battle between 10 and 11 ever anyway.
Speaker A:And you know, you're just at this point, you're adding a nine or 10 seed in and let's be honest, you know, you're looking at blowouts after blowouts.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker B:So that I think you hit it right on the head coach about the quality of the product.
Speaker B:But conversely, let's talk about your club.
Speaker B:This year had a great season.
Speaker B:23:10, you went 13:5 in the big east, lost to Creighton, unfortunately.
Speaker B:But then wbit you beat Quinnipiac and then you fall to Portland.
Speaker B:But postseason once again.
Speaker B:How are you feeling about your team coming off the end of the season and what are you anticipating kind of change wise?
Speaker B:I mean, we're going to get into the whole changes and how these programs in college basketball are kind of changing by the moment.
Speaker B:But how are you feeling about your past season and what you're looking forward to for next year?
Speaker A:And again, thank you for having me on.
Speaker B:It's our pleasure.
Speaker A:I have to tell you, I've been at glitches for 12 years and you know, we've been fortunate to be, you know, have some really great years.
Speaker A:And this was by far my most enjoyable year.
Speaker A:And I say enjoyable, just we have great kids and great people.
Speaker A:You know, we won a lot of games.
Speaker A:You know, we finished in third place in the Big east.
Speaker A:And there's only twice in the past 12 years that I've been here, the third place seemed to make the NCAA tournament.
Speaker A:And it was both.
Speaker A:It was us both times.
Speaker B:Yeah, I didn't want to bring that up.
Speaker A:Yeah, I still don't understand and you know, nothing away taking away from the Ivy League, but you don't play in the league with Connecticut, you don't play in the league with Clayton, you don't play in the league with the teams that we do and the coaches that we have 1 through 11 that these other leagues are.
Speaker A:And you know, people don't understand like playing connect is really Hard.
Speaker A:Ask South Carolina, ask UCLA who got blown out by those teams.
Speaker A:South Carolina got blown out twice.
Speaker A:So what does that mean?
Speaker A:Well, we were told one of the reasons we didn't get in was because our scores against Connecticut weren't competitive enough.
Speaker A:And I said, you know, that's just not fair because when you play them in our league that we do, you talk about things.
Speaker A:You're down 25, 30 points entering the fourth quarter and you have the game two days later, you don't want to risk that and do that.
Speaker A:So you sub.
Speaker A:And you know, clearly our subs aren't equal to UConn subs or UConn starters.
Speaker A:And you know, we're doing this over the long haul.
Speaker A:So, you know, to do that and have it affect our net, which it does, and all that, it's really disheartening.
Speaker A:While teams in these other leagues don't have to do that, like they, they're not playing Connecticut, they're not playing a, you know, another nationally ranked team in their league like we do.
Speaker A:So for us to finish third with only five league losses and not get in with disappointing, to say the least.
Speaker A:We had, you know, we had a great year.
Speaker A:With that being said, we, we did make the wbit, which is, you know, an NCAA sponsored tournament.
Speaker A:Played a team that had 30 wins in the first game, Quinnipiac, and then we played a team that had 31 wins in the next game, Portland.
Speaker A:And you know, we played well.
Speaker A:And you know, we just, you know, we had a great team, great chemistry.
Speaker A:We have one of the best freshmen in the country in Jada Eads.
Speaker A:We had Faith Masonis, who turned out to be one of the best players in the metropolitan area.
Speaker A:Savannah Catalan missed 10 games, I think for us, and you know, she's an all conference guard.
Speaker A:And we still were able to have success.
Speaker A:I mean, some other kids really step up for us.
Speaker A:It was just a lot of fun, nice kids, good people, cared about the team.
Speaker A:I have to tell you, my most enjoyable year in 12 years.
Speaker A:It really was.
Speaker C:Again, we're talking with Anthony Bozzello, the women's basketball coach at Seton hall University.
Speaker C:Coach, two weeks ago I had Joe Tartamello from St.
Speaker C:John's on the program and we talked about the UConn win.
Speaker C:Can you just give me an idea?
Speaker C:What is it about UConn that makes them so dominant that they're able to not only in the Big east, but Also in the NCAA, just blow through opponents at a pace of plus 30 points a game?
Speaker A:Not only do they have great Players, Sorry.
Speaker A:Not only do they have my little plans here, not only do they have great.
Speaker A:I have really, really special coaches and stuff.
Speaker A:Like, it's really.
Speaker A:I have to tell you, I do know Gino really well.
Speaker A:He's a really great, you know, friend of mine.
Speaker A:And they're just not, they're just really good coaches too.
Speaker A:People, they have the best players.
Speaker A:So does South Carolina, so does lsu, so does Texas.
Speaker A:And, you know, while they're well coached, I mean, how they get their kids to improve and get better is really amazing to me.
Speaker A:Really is.
Speaker B:I think if you coach, I think, you know, it's a great point about their strength with their players, but also their coaching staff.
Speaker B:I think if you break down UConn over the years, just what Geno has done with just with style of play and adapting, I mean, it's like, you know, I'm a student of the game.
Speaker B:I try to study as much as I can.
Speaker B:Watch a lot of basketball.
Speaker B:It just seems like whatever, he's either ahead of the pace or he just.
Speaker B:Whatever's usable at that moment.
Speaker B:If it's a three point shooting game, if it's inside, if it's whatever it's going to be, he just, he sets the standard for that kind of play.
Speaker B:And I think that's something that probably makes him even more special.
Speaker A:I'll give you two quick stories on that.
Speaker A:You're 100% right.
Speaker A:You know, I was in about five years ago, I was in a meeting with some administrators, not my ad, but some other administrators at my school.
Speaker A:And they were, you know, we were previewing the season and just going through the games.
Speaker A:And they go, to me, well, you know, ucon's down a little bit.
Speaker A:I'm like, well, what do you mean?
Speaker A:They're like, no, they haven't won the national championship in seven or eight years.
Speaker A:I go listen to what you're saying.
Speaker A:I said, they've made the Final Four every year anyway.
Speaker A:Yeah, you're talking to everyone.
Speaker A:The nostrils.
Speaker A:I said, north Vince, we haven't made the Final Four.
Speaker A:I'm not going to be into the next six months like you guys.
Speaker A:Like, what are we talking about here?
Speaker A:So they're spoiled by this.
Speaker A:They're so spoiled.
Speaker A:And to your second point, Chino's ahead of the curve.
Speaker A:Chino is such a, so, so advanced.
Speaker A:We're talking.
Speaker A:Everything's analytically driven now.
Speaker A:You know, you guys follow baseball analytics.
Speaker A:You know, I hired two young kids to do all our analytics.
Speaker A:Then they do an amazing job.
Speaker A:We subscribe to companies that do analytics for us.
Speaker A:So, like, I'm really into analytics, I really am.
Speaker A:But I also look at it holistically.
Speaker A:It was funny, I was telling someone that Greg Amstiger runs major league runs, mlb, the station, and you know, he's one of the announcers and we were talking about analytics today and he was telling me a story that, you know, a lot of these managers won't bunt with a man on second in the extra innings and nobody out because, you know, analytically, it's not the right play.
Speaker A:But when the other team hasn't scored in the top of the inning and you only need one run to score, I don't care what analytics say.
Speaker A:We're not trying to hit a two run homer here, win the game, you know.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So, you know, people just lose track of anything, that number.
Speaker A:So I told him, my two analytical young men that do it, I don't allow them to watch the film or the team.
Speaker A:I just want analytics from them.
Speaker A:And then I watch a team and then I make a decision.
Speaker A:So my long story short is Gino's talking about us, about Paige.
Speaker A:He goes, you know, Paige, analytically, they hate.
Speaker D:I go, what do you mean?
Speaker A:He goes, because she takes so many pull up jump shots and they say it's a bad shot.
Speaker A:And you know what I say to them?
Speaker A:She makes it 95% of the time, so it's two points every time.
Speaker A:I'm like, he's right.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:These analytical guys don't like the shot it goes in every time.
Speaker A:Who cares?
Speaker B:And on the high school level, I can tell you, as a coach and when I was in small college, we're begging people to shoot that little mid range jump shot.
Speaker B:Nobody wants to shoot it.
Speaker D:That's right.
Speaker A:And all they want to do is chuck up threes.
Speaker A:And you know, you know, it has to be, yes, threes are great.
Speaker A:If you're making them, you have to make them.
Speaker A:And you know, so Gino, they're advanced, they do a great job of getting their players better.
Speaker A:And you know, no one who's going through the amount of injuries that Connecticut has in these first five, six years could even be competitive.
Speaker A:And obviously they're still making the final four every year.
Speaker A:One time they didn't.
Speaker A:And you know, but there, people are slow, they're like, oh, they're down a little.
Speaker A:They're not down a little.
Speaker A:And I'll never forget I went to dinner with Gino before my game at my place in mid February and he said to me, he goes, you know, we're really coming together.
Speaker A:I think this team has a chance to really go on a major run.
Speaker A:And I said, why?
Speaker A:He said, because we do a bunch of things well and we're finally healthy.
Speaker A:He's like, and when we're healthy, we play so well together because we play together, and that's a big thing.
Speaker A:And he was right once again.
Speaker B:Anthony Rozzella, head coach, Seton Hall Women's Basketball, joins us on the show.
Speaker B:Coach, I wanted to ask you, you know, obviously the landscape just continues to evolve in college sports, but, you know, obviously in college basketball with you guys, is your program, are you hiring a general manager?
Speaker B:Are you?
Speaker B:Obviously, we hear, you know, daily different programs on the men's side, general managers and all sorts of stuff and coaching changes.
Speaker B:And they want, they're bringing in people with, you know, European ties, NBA ties.
Speaker B:It's all about that kind of business aspect.
Speaker B:How does it stand with you in your program and say, the Big east in general?
Speaker A:Great question.
Speaker A:And, you know, we're all, I'm a little older than you guys.
Speaker A:We all, you know, follow sports.
Speaker A:Bill Parcells took over the Patriots or the jets way back, and yes, he wanted to be president and coach.
Speaker A:He goes, well, you want me to cook the meal so I should be able to buy the groceries, right?
Speaker A:So his whole thing was, listen, I want to be gentlemen.
Speaker A:It is so difficult nowadays to do that.
Speaker A:And, you know, I'm doing a lot of the GM duties at Seton Hall.
Speaker A:I'm blessed.
Speaker A:I have two former head coaches on my staff, Pete Sonella and Jose Rabimbas.
Speaker A:And I have three outstanding young ladies that really do a great job in player development and recruiting and, you know, and elevation as well.
Speaker A:But, you know, we actually have a great balance there.
Speaker A:But right now I've done a lot of the, you know, trying to figure out how much money each kid's going to get nil, how much each kid's going to get in house, settlement money, how to construct a roster.
Speaker A:Is it analytically beneficial for us to have a kid with more than one year or just go for the one year kid because at least, you know, that kid's going to be totally focused on doing everything possible to be successful as opposed to the two year kid?
Speaker A:Once that kid doesn't start playing, maybe they're going to start being checked out and looking for another school.
Speaker A:And you never would have said that in the past, but it's something you have to consider.
Speaker A:So my AD acts as like our salary cap manager and helps me with that, and he does a great job by himself.
Speaker A:But I am right now doing that.
Speaker A:Would I like to hire a gm?
Speaker A:It's something I thought about myself wanting to do.
Speaker A:I do enjoy coaching, and I do, but really what I do enjoy is strategy, putting together a roster and getting to know the kids really well.
Speaker A:And I think nowadays, almost as a gm, it might be easier to get to know the kids than coaching them.
Speaker A:Because, you know, you're changing over so much in coaching and dealing with these players.
Speaker A:So it's really hard.
Speaker A:I'm doing both.
Speaker A:I'm blessed because I have a good staff, so I can do both.
Speaker A:But I do think it's something that, you know, as Seton hall gets more involved in this, we're going to have to seriously consider.
Speaker A:But we can't have a GM that covers both the men and the women.
Speaker A:You have to have a separate gm.
Speaker A:Unless that you want that GM to only be in charge of, you know, writing out contracts, talking about one and two year deals, helping manage the cash.
Speaker A:But that person can't be watching the men's players and men coming in to tell you, oh, this Woman's Only worth $125,000.
Speaker A:I mean, that can't happen.
Speaker C:Coach, this is kind of like a two part question.
Speaker C:The first part deals with the portal.
Speaker C:The portal opens up in March after the tournament, right as the tournament is starting and closes in like the next week or so.
Speaker C:So my first question to you would be kind of what do you think about the date and can they move that so that people can actually coach in the NCAA tournament, wbit, whatever it might be, and not have to worry about kids thinking about where they're going to go next?
Speaker C:And the second part is where is women's basketball Kind of at the high end.
Speaker C:I'm not saying your college or a mid major, but where are they numbers wise?
Speaker C:The men are talking about $10 million, giving most of that $10 million to their starting five.
Speaker C:Where, where are the, the, the higher level teams putting as far as the amount of money and how are they allocating that money?
Speaker A:And I'll be very honest and transparent with those.
Speaker A:And, and I do feel I have a good handle on that one.
Speaker A:I'm one of the people who was on the 12 or 15 person committee to talk about when to open the portal and when to close it.
Speaker A:It's really hard because we are opening it honestly right now at the beginning of the Sweet 16.
Speaker A:So there's 16 women's teams left in the NCAA and probably at that point maybe eight and WBIT team?
Speaker A:No, it might have been 16 WBIT teams.
Speaker A:No, it was about eight.
Speaker A:It was eight.
Speaker A:So there's about 24 teams playing.
Speaker A:You also have the NIT, which is still in existence.
Speaker A:And you know, you're talking about 30 to 35 teams in the women's league, in the men's league, you know, you also have that crown tournament, which is played at the end of the year.
Speaker A:So we went back and forth, when do we do it?
Speaker A:Do we do it when the NCAA Tournament's over?
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:You know, John Rostein's like, do it then.
Speaker A:That's what's best for everyone.
Speaker A:Really?
Speaker A:Is it really best for everyone?
Speaker A:Because the other 320 teams are not sitting here for four weeks.
Speaker A:Their kids are being talked to.
Speaker A:I don't care what anyone says.
Speaker A:Their agents are being, are shopping their kids around.
Speaker A:And for the next four weeks, I'm sitting there with my thumb up my butt, not knowing what I can and can't do, knowing I can't do anything legally, but I know everyone's talking to my players and doing those things.
Speaker A:So basically, if we go to the end of the year, we basically open up three to four weeks for all these poachers to go around and start measuring what each kid is.
Speaker A:Then the window becomes 30 days.
Speaker A:And now it's 30 days from the end of the Final Four, which is, let's say, April 5th.
Speaker A:So now you, now you don't know until May 5th who's staying and who's not staying.
Speaker A:And now at that point, then you're recruiting for the next month just to fill out your Oscar.
Speaker A:Now it's June now.
Speaker A:You've already opened up summer classes, so now these kids are starting in June.
Speaker A:And now all of a sudden you're trying to learn these kids and do these kids.
Speaker A:And now you're in June.
Speaker A:So basically, as a coach, you literally, while we have no days left, you literally have just put together your roster, let alone anything else to talk about what type of offense we're going to run and what type of defense.
Speaker A:So it's really hard to figure out.
Speaker C:Yes, I agree.
Speaker A:It sucks during the NCLA tournament to be talking about this portal and about who's leaving and who's coming.
Speaker A:But really what we're concerned about is that four weeks in between the end of the regular season and the end of the NCAA tournament, it's not like, oh, you know, it's shut down.
Speaker A:No one's doing anything.
Speaker A:No these quote unquote agents, and they're fake agents for the most part, they're not certified agents.
Speaker A:They're representatives for.
Speaker A:The kids are calling everyone.
Speaker A:And I know because I get those calls.
Speaker A:Are you interested?
Speaker A:And I said, listen.
Speaker A:I can't comment on this.
Speaker A:I said, listen, at the end of the day, we want to follow the rules.
Speaker A:We can't comment on a kid unless she's in the portal.
Speaker A:And they're basically trying to find the kid's worth.
Speaker A:So we have to figure something out in terms of a better balance.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:But waiting to the end of the year is basically just opening up four weeks of chaos, and then four more weeks of chaos because you don't know who's on your team, because they can go in the portal.
Speaker A:And then after that, then you're constructing your roster, which is now in June, and you have kids coming in for summer class, whatever kids you have.
Speaker A:So, like, I don't know the answer.
Speaker A:I do think the answer should be to even shorten the portal window from 30 to 15 days.
Speaker A:Listen, these kids know or don't know if they're coming.
Speaker A:And if you give them 30 days, you know what they're doing.
Speaker A:A lot of them.
Speaker A:A lot of them are still going in the portal now.
Speaker A:And you say to yourself, why would they go in the portal now when it's been three weeks?
Speaker A:Because now they've seen what the market is, they're able to go in there, Some of them with a little more power to make money, because some of these schools don't have players and their demand, and they're getting more money, and teams are still trying to put together their roster.
Speaker A:So, you know, 30 days is too long.
Speaker A:Everyone knows in two weeks, if you want to wait till the end of the year, then do two weeks, and then that's it.
Speaker A:You don't get 30 days.
Speaker A:But the problem is, if you wait till the end of the year, those four weeks in between, people are posting kids left and right and finding out their worth.
Speaker B:All right, so, coach, I'm going to take you back to a little simpler time.
Speaker B: This is: Speaker B:You're the head coach at Liu Southampton.
Speaker B:I'm in my second year at Malloy College, so we thank you.
Speaker B:Because a lot of people don't.
Speaker B:So this is what I'm gonna.
Speaker B:We.
Speaker B:We finish at Malloy.
Speaker B:We.
Speaker B:We had been eighth.
Speaker B:Ninth.
Speaker B:You know, it came in.
Speaker B:We got to sixth place, and we are just jazzed.
Speaker B:So who do we draw in the first round in the NICAC playoffs?
Speaker B:The LIU Colonials.
Speaker B:And everybody's psyched.
Speaker B:Let's go.
Speaker B:Let's go.
Speaker B:Now we played you in the middle of the year, but I'm watching film, you know, I'm looking at everything.
Speaker B:I'm talking to my assistants.
Speaker B:There is no way we're going to beat you.
Speaker B:There's just no chance.
Speaker B:And we go out and I remember this game as plain as day.
Speaker B:You know, we did the best we could.
Speaker B:We took it to you.
Speaker B:But it was going into one of those games, like, I just.
Speaker B:I was so excited that we were in sixth place.
Speaker B:But you had just tremendous, tremendous teams at that point.
Speaker B:And you were the gold standard that we were looking to on Long island and within the NICAC to kind of jump up.
Speaker B:And the reason why I bring this up is twofold.
Speaker B:Number one, as a young coach myself, you could not have been more gracious to me, you know, as a competitor, became a friend, which I treasure.
Speaker B:You always did everything right.
Speaker B:And it was like, how.
Speaker B:How in the world can we work up to that level?
Speaker B:So it was.
Speaker B:It was something I looked up to all the time.
Speaker B:But the second thing is, in your wildest dreams, would you ever imagine maybe, you know, of course, you wanted to go up the ladder and whatever else, but you're talking about the way you prepared, the way you recruited, the way you looked at games at Southampton to the way things are now.
Speaker B:You know, you're talking about agents and.
Speaker B:I mean, would you have ever imagined.
Speaker C:It would be like this 25 years?
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:And I appreciate our friendship and everything, and that means more to me than you even know.
Speaker A:That was a great year, you know, after that, because some of the.
Speaker A:I got the Liu Brooklyn job, I think the year after.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Took four of those kids with me to play Division 1 basketball.
Speaker B:By the way, I was happy.
Speaker B:I was happy for two reasons.
Speaker B:One, I was so happy for you.
Speaker B:Number one, that you got that job.
Speaker B:But I was so happy I didn't have to coach against you.
Speaker A:Well, we had good players.
Speaker A:Oh, you certainly look a lot better.
Speaker B:Well, that was.
Speaker B:That was.
Speaker B:That was not by osmosis, coach.
Speaker B:He recruited those girls.
Speaker A:Thanks.
Speaker A:I loved it.
Speaker A:Then like I do tonight, after I hang up from you, my first ever kid I recruited at Southampton.
Speaker A:I'm on the phone with her and her daughter, who's a transfer from Texas, to try and actually get her to come to Seton Hall.
Speaker B:Really?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So everything comes full circle.
Speaker A:I just have to tell you, at the end of the day, it was so pure.
Speaker A:It was so fun.
Speaker A:You know, we had kids at sea, stayed three, four, five years.
Speaker A:They said, I'm still in touch with this player's mom and she was my first recruiter Southampton.
Speaker A:You know why?
Speaker A:Because she stayed the five years was because she got hurt.
Speaker A:And so nowadays it's like, you know, I treasure.
Speaker A:I had a point guard that just graduated at Seton Hall.
Speaker A:Amari Wright stayed all five years.
Speaker A:She'll go down as one of the greatest players ever at Seton hall because she's a great person, because she stuck through playing behind great point guards, then becoming the sign point guard, then becoming that.
Speaker A:You know, Mike, it was just so much fun back then.
Speaker A:And I'm not saying it's not fun now.
Speaker A:It's just a different fun.
Speaker A:But it's gotten to the point where it's gotten.
Speaker A:We need to get guardrails.
Speaker A:I'm not one of those coaches like, well, I'm quitting.
Speaker A:So I don't like the way it is.
Speaker A:No, but we need guardrails for both.
Speaker A:It was so, you know, back then it wasn't great in some ways, but nowadays you can't.
Speaker A:We just talked for five minutes about why we can't move the portal date back because we should be able to, but we can't because of all the stuff that's going on, you know, and what are we teaching our kids these days in terms of moving on.
Speaker A:And I know Jay Bill's like, you know, it should be free enterprise and this and that, but this isn't free enterprise.
Speaker A:This isn't different.
Speaker A:This is different.
Speaker A:Like you should not be able be able to play four different schools in four years.
Speaker A:Like, this is college.
Speaker A:We're still in college.
Speaker A:What is the value of an education now?
Speaker A:That's not worth 75,000.
Speaker A:It's not worth 200,000.
Speaker A:I mean, you know, all our kids have graduated from great schools and those great schools have helped these kids get jobs and set, you know, a standard.
Speaker A:If they went to four different colleges, they would not have the job they have now.
Speaker A:There's no way.
Speaker A:There's no way they wouldn't have learned enough.
Speaker A:And that's what I'm disappointed.
Speaker A:I don't want to be one.
Speaker A:I'm 59.
Speaker A:I still feel I'm young.
Speaker A:I still still have a lot of energy left.
Speaker A:But at the end of the day, I still, I'll always remember Amari Wright, our fifth year, our five year kid, because I know her really well.
Speaker A:And you know, as much as some of these one year kids have made a huge impact on me and we had a great one year kid this year in faithless owners who made a great impact on me, you know, personally as well.
Speaker A:But she's one out of 100.
Speaker A:You don't.
Speaker A:You know, the one year kids, it's hard.
Speaker A:And, you know, the kids have been at three, four schools.
Speaker A:Is that really what you want?
Speaker A:You wouldn't want to coach?
Speaker A:You know, if I.
Speaker A:If I change my school every year, no one would want to play for me.
Speaker A:They'd be like, he's not dedicated.
Speaker A:He's not trying to build.
Speaker B:Great point.
Speaker B:Well, yeah.
Speaker A:What do you say on the other end?
Speaker C:Yeah, I just want to say it.
Speaker A:Was great, though I missed the night act.
Speaker A:I still talk to my old ad, Mary Copy.
Speaker C:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:By sex.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:She texted me after every game.
Speaker B:That's great.
Speaker A:She's been a great friend of the program.
Speaker A:And I still talk to those Southampton girls more than I probably talk to any of the other kids I've ever coached.
Speaker B:Well, that just shows you right there what it was all about then.
Speaker B:And, you know, you're trying, you're doing the best you can, and the relationships that you're still building, that's what makes your program what it is.
Speaker B:And ultimately, you know, my daughter is graduating from college this year.
Speaker B:It's nuts.
Speaker B:And she's a.
Speaker B:She's a dancer.
Speaker B:She was never an athlete.
Speaker B:But I'll tell you, coach, and this is true, this is not just because you're on the program.
Speaker B:If she had ever been a basketball player that was on your level, couldn't have wanted to have her play for a better person than yourself and the program that you developed, because it's just tops.
Speaker A:I appreciate that.
Speaker A:But, you know, at the end of the day, she was a dancer, she was with a team, and she made great friends, and she's going to make great connections the rest of her life.
Speaker D:And she.
Speaker A:She took pride in her school and everything.
Speaker A:That's all we want to get back.
Speaker A:That's what we want to get back.
Speaker A:However, listen, Caitlin Clark deserves every penny she's getting.
Speaker A:And so do, you know, 90, all these kids, but we have to do it in a better guardrail situation.
Speaker A:And like I said, I was on that committee with the Portal, and we went back and forth.
Speaker A:16, Sweet 16, Elite 8, Round of 64.
Speaker A:At the end, we did every single little thing, and we just tried our best to try and figure it out.
Speaker A:And you know, there is no right answer because no one's following the rules.
Speaker A:Because if you don't like the rule, you know what you do?
Speaker A:You sue.
Speaker A:And then it goes to court.
Speaker A:And you know what happens?
Speaker C:You know, we didn't even talk about it.
Speaker A:I Don't want to keep you on.
Speaker A:I don't want to keep you on all night.
Speaker A:But, you know, there's a proposal out now to have.
Speaker A:Let the kids stay in school five years.
Speaker A:Then there's a proposal for six years.
Speaker A:There's a proposal for seven years.
Speaker A:Like, how's the high school kid ever going to compete?
Speaker B:Never.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Wait, physically, you can't, you know, and then, you know, what are we gonna do then?
Speaker A:You know, now you take away so many opportunities for kids to, you know, go to college that can't afford it.
Speaker A:Like, that's a problem, too.
Speaker A:And I'm worried for where we're going on that part, you know.
Speaker A:You know, because, like I said, could I keep my kids seven years?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I think a lot of kids love playing, you know, for Seton hall and our staff, but that's not what it's about either, too.
Speaker A:Four years is there for a reason.
Speaker A:Who we.
Speaker A:Kids.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker C:I'm going to let Mike finish up, but I do want to say this.
Speaker C:Coach, this was great radio tonight.
Speaker C:You.
Speaker C:You are very eloquent in what you're saying, and all of your points make a lot of sense.
Speaker C:And for somebody who sat on a committee, you're giving both sides to it.
Speaker C:And it's really good to hear, you know, that you're trying to find the fences to put up to make this a little bit better.
Speaker C:So we appreciate your time.
Speaker A:Well, thank you, Chris.
Speaker A:And, you know, it's hard.
Speaker A:And, you know, you know, I went on this, you know, a couple other things that, you know, we're trying to just get.
Speaker A:Just get back to some normality.
Speaker A:So the coaches aren't like, well, I don't love it.
Speaker A:And the players aren't like, I don't love it.
Speaker A:Like, we sure all love it.
Speaker A:I loved it at that, Hampton, you know, Mike and I made no money, and it was the greatest job in.
Speaker B:The world because it was pure.
Speaker B:Like, you said, it was pure, and it was about basketball.
Speaker B:And I really hope that it can get back to that for you and.
Speaker B:Or some semblance.
Speaker B:But, you know, it was just great having you on, Coach.
Speaker B:I know it's been a tough week for your family.
Speaker B:We appreciate your time.
Speaker B:Our thoughts are with you.
Speaker B:We hope you had a wonderful day.
Speaker B:We'd love to have you back on again.
Speaker B:And, you know, we're always rooting for you.
Speaker B:And go, Seton hall.
Speaker B:And thanks for everything, and thank you, guys.
Speaker A:And I love the show and I'll be on anytime, you know, if something changes in NCAA and you want to just talk about that.
Speaker A:And like I said, I'm on a bunch of different committees.
Speaker A:I'm on a portal committee now that we're really sitting down and we're on.
Speaker A:You know, we're trying to figure this out.
Speaker A:So I'll share anything with you guys.
Speaker A:I'm very transparent and I love the show.
Speaker D:And most of all, I love our.
Speaker A:Friendship, Mike, and it's been great.
Speaker C:Thank you, Coach.
Speaker B:All the best.
Speaker B:Truly appreciate it.
Speaker B:Have a great night.
Speaker A:You, too.
Speaker A:Happy Easter, everyone.
Speaker B:Same to you.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:All right, we're going to take a quick break on the other side.
Speaker B:We're going to talk to AJ Rovenro about a little Mets and Giants here on WGBB Sports Talk New York.
Speaker A:You are listening to Sports Talk New York.
Speaker B:Tune in every Sunday night at 8pm.
Speaker A: Point at: Speaker A:You're listening to Sports Talk New York.
Speaker C:On Long Island's wgp.
Speaker A:And now back to the show.
Speaker B:And welcome Back to the second half of WGB sports talk New York.
Speaker B: : Speaker B: -: Speaker B: -: Speaker B:We just had a great segment with Anthony Bozella, head women's basketball coach out of Seton hall, about the just the tough go that he has, but the love of the game shines through and he's really a great resource for his cap to be on top of what's going on in the ncaa.
Speaker C:That was excellent.
Speaker C:As I told him, he just, he does a great job coaching, but even more so, it sounds like if he ever wanted to get into that side of just being like a gm, he would be great at it.
Speaker B:And the one thing before we move on, I mean, really, I've known coach for over 30 years and he's literally the same dude he was back then.
Speaker B:I mean, just, just a, just a great guy, fantastic coach, hard, hard worker.
Speaker C:Well, we are hitting the women's Big east coaches.
Speaker C:Yeah, we're going down a few times.
Speaker C:So we're going to have to call, you know, let let Xavier know that they're next.
Speaker B:Billy Chambers, you're on the hot seat.
Speaker B:So coach, I'LL let you bring in our next guest because I know, you know, you spoke off air today and we're talking about a couple of different things where we're going to go with this.
Speaker C:So we got AJ Roepner on the phone with us.
Speaker C:AJ thanks for chiming in tonight.
Speaker D:Thanks for allowing me to come on again, Chris, and I'm really looking forward to talking some Mets baseball.
Speaker D:We're off to a great start as well as Giants hoping to get back on track this year and it starts with the draft on Thursday.
Speaker C:All right, so what's the first thing you want to talk about?
Speaker C:Is it the Mets or is it the Giants?
Speaker D:I guess we could start with the Giants.
Speaker C:All right.
Speaker D:Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker C:Let's go.
Speaker C:We got the number three overall pick and obviously we're thinking that the top two picks of where they go being a quarterback and then Hunter at number two.
Speaker C:So you think the Giants are going to your alma mater for number three or is there a chance that they go for a quarterback?
Speaker D:I genuinely think with the off season signings of Wilson and Winston and they brought back the veto, I think that quarterback room is pretty much set.
Speaker D:If they do take a quarterback, I think that one of the veterans, I mean not Wilson, but I think Winston would be the odd guy out and most likely get released.
Speaker D:But no bias in terms of me being a Penn Stater.
Speaker D:But I genuinely think Abdul Carter is going to be a New York Giant come Thursday.
Speaker D:He's very passionate about entering the linebackers room when he visits West Diagnostic Straining Center.
Speaker D:I've been many times took a picture outside where their meeting room is, took a picture of Lawrence Taylor.
Speaker D:So certainly a lot of things pointing in that direction.
Speaker D:And also I've got to watch him closely.
Speaker D:I got to talk to him once or twice when I was covering the football team.
Speaker D:Just a dynamic athlete that could play on numerous, you know, just numerous positions.
Speaker D:He could play on the inside, he could play middle linebacker on the end.
Speaker D:I mean they're just such a versatile athlete so fast and get to one side of the line of scrimmage to the other on one side in one single play.
Speaker D:So a generational athlete.
Speaker D:I really hope he becomes a Giant.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I think the Giants will figure it out.
Speaker C:They already have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeau that have been so good.
Speaker C:I think they'll figure out what they're going to do as possibly bringing in a true edge rusher.
Speaker C:Now the Giants could trade up back up into the first round.
Speaker C:Do you think that if for whatever reason Shadar Sanders is still available at like the 16, 17 spot that the Giants use some of their picks to move up to maybe like an 18 and try and get him.
Speaker C:Or do you think they might even move up to that spot to get Jackson Dart?
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:So that's exactly what I was going to bring up.
Speaker D:I'm a big, dark guy.
Speaker D:I think the Giants had pretty good luck, right.
Speaker D:With guys from Ole Miss.
Speaker D:They traded for Eli Manning on draft night and that turned out pretty good.
Speaker D: New England patriots back in: Speaker D:But I think that Dart's just a generational athlete as well.
Speaker D:I think that he plays in a conference in the SEC that has some of the best defense in the country.
Speaker D:It's a lot different than Sanders who plays in the PAC 12.
Speaker D:And I feel like it's much easier to score.
Speaker D:Having Travis Hunter helps a lot too.
Speaker D:And I think that if you do take Carter Ultimately at 3, that Kayvon Thibodeau goes immediately on the trade block.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker D:And he could certainly be dealt along with those picks.
Speaker D:Still very enticing prospects still on a rookie deal.
Speaker D:So it's not going to kill your cap too much.
Speaker D:The Giants are going to have a lot of different piece on that defensive line.
Speaker D:I think they still have the best defensive tackle in football and Dexter Lawrence, so I certainly think there's a chance for them to do that.
Speaker D:The Giants need to make a splash.
Speaker D:It just becomes a very crowded quarterback room if they ultimately do take Sanders or Dart.
Speaker C:Yeah, I think so.
Speaker C:And possibly at some point, third, fourth, fifth round, maybe another running back.
Speaker C:I know they want to improve their lines, but maybe a running back.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:Especially with just how Devin Singletary turned out last year.
Speaker D:And I mean, I think it was just such a.
Speaker D:I don't know how to exactly explain this, but when Barkley goes.
Speaker D:I feel like the Giants were very pressured to try and get what they felt was a sustainable product when you just have a generational athlete leave in Barkley.
Speaker D:So.
Speaker D:And that didn't turn out too good.
Speaker D:And then.
Speaker D:But Tyron, excuse me.
Speaker D:Tyrone Tracy was phenomenal for the Giants, rushed for a thousand yards.
Speaker D:It was the first dual Giants rookies to be able to accumulate a thousand yards with a receiver and a running back in the same season with neighbors.
Speaker D:So it's another position, like many others, that you need depth.
Speaker D:Of course, as in, Genti is the best running back on the board.
Speaker D:He's going to go early in the first round.
Speaker D:So the Giants aren't going to go there, but there's a lot of guys in later rounds that I certainly think the Giants could target.
Speaker D:Just think about the Eagles, right?
Speaker D:Will Shipley, you know, another later round pick for the Eagles.
Speaker D:He made some impacts in the playoff run, scored a long touchdown late in one of their games.
Speaker D:So there's always those guys.
Speaker D:And whenever I think of late round running backs, I'll always go back.
Speaker D:2007, seven round last 15 picks of the draft.
Speaker D:The Giants take a small little running back out of Marshall and that's a mod Bradshaw.
Speaker D:He becomes a two time Super bowl champ, scores the game winning touchdown.
Speaker D:2011.
Speaker D:So you never know.
Speaker B:AJ Rovener joins us here on the program, our Giants insider.
Speaker B:And AJ I wanted to ask you, Giants go out, they sign two quarterbacks.
Speaker B:Obviously.
Speaker B:You know, a probable hall of Famer in Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, who's capable on any day of throwing four touchdowns and throwing five interceptions, can be a lightning rod.
Speaker B:Either way, who do you feel?
Speaker B:I mean, I think conventional wisdom probably says that Russ is going to be your QB1, but do you see the team, you know, based on the season they had last year and just, you know, the way the fans are looking for a little excitement this year, is it going to be a quick hook on either one of these guys?
Speaker B:Is someone going to be entrenched or is it just a matter of they have depth now and if they get someone in the draft, so be it.
Speaker D:I think that Wilson's going to be the Giants starting quarterback week one.
Speaker D:When you sign a guy like Winston and then pretty much immediately sign another veteran, I think you're doing that for a reason.
Speaker D:And I think that with Russ's track record, this guy is still a Super bowl champion.
Speaker D:This guy was at the one yard line to one another, so.
Speaker D:And of course the Malcolm Butler play.
Speaker D:And then you have a guy like Winston who I really think benefits from elite neighbors.
Speaker D:And it's incredible the numbers he put up last year.
Speaker D:When you think of guys like True Rock, Daniel Jones, Tommy De Vere still put up those incredible numbers.
Speaker D:And to be honest, with the way that Wilson played last year, I actually think the skill set of Winston, as I just said, goes more towards Slade and Neighbors, guys that like to go deep down the field.
Speaker D:And the Giants just haven't had that since Eli Jones, a very quick slant kind of guy.
Speaker D:And you know, there was a point last year, a Wandell Robinson for the Giants just because they ran so many short passing plays.
Speaker D:All these quarterbacks I think had the third most receptions football, but was like 51st in yards.
Speaker D:So I think from a fan perspective, I would love to see Winston just it's going to be 40 touchdowns and 40 picks and 20 touchdown, 26.
Speaker D:But Wilson's the safer floor.
Speaker D:So I definitely think Wilson will start week one.
Speaker B:So my other question for you, AJ Was that just kind of following up on that.
Speaker B:So you know, Joe Shane and Brian Dabel, GM head coach, respectively.
Speaker B:You know, obviously they were brought back.
Speaker B:There was a big question about whether they were going to come back or one or maybe the other.
Speaker B:Obviously.
Speaker B:I mean there's always pressure every single year to win.
Speaker B:What kind of, what kind of spot do you think they're in with this draft in terms of, you know, they have to pick guys obviously who are going to project long term.
Speaker B:But these are two, you know, staff guys who really, you know, need to win right now.
Speaker B:They're, they're not projecting long term.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:And I think the, one of the reasons they kept Shane Gable around because of how successful they were in the draft last year.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker D:You think about Neighbors and Tracy, they both had a thousand yards.
Speaker D:You got Drew Phillips and Tyler Newman who really rounded out the secondary nicely with Deontay Banks who had a tough year last year.
Speaker D:But the year prior he was the first over the first round picks of the Giants and he was excellent.
Speaker D:So John Maris in there in the owner's room with Steve Tisch.
Speaker D:All right.
Speaker D:Well, these guys obviously have a blueprint for giving us some good picks out of the draft.
Speaker D:So I certainly think that was one of the reasons.
Speaker D:But as you said, there's always pressure and I think the time is ticking.
Speaker D:And part of John Mara's thesis here is that the Giants just want so many different coaches.
Speaker D:Shermer, Bagnolo, Judge McAdoo all after Copland and he just wants to try and have someone just be able to go through their entire process.
Speaker D:And honestly, their first year at the rtn, they made the playoffs and beat Minnesota that first year.
Speaker D:That wasn't really their team.
Speaker D:It was a pass regime.
Speaker D:So I think the pressure's on them 100% and they're both ultimately going to be let go if it's another down year like it was this year and the year prior.
Speaker C:AJ Robner joining us tonight.
Speaker C: -: Speaker C:We've already talked some Giants if you have some questions for him about the draft.
Speaker C:And also we're going to switch it over to out in Queens.
Speaker C:There's a team that's nine and one at home.
Speaker C:So first off, what are your thoughts so far about the Mets?
Speaker C:I know you've gone to a bunch of games, you're scoring the games at home and the Mets right now are plus 30 run differential.
Speaker C:What's your thoughts so far with the Mets?
Speaker D:Yeah, certainly a nerd that way.
Speaker D:I know you noted my scoring.
Speaker D:It's just something I grew up with as a kid, kind of ran with it.
Speaker D:I go my buddies from the high school you teach at, I'm still there with a buck and a pen.
Speaker D:But yeah, I mean it's fun.
Speaker D:There's no doubt about it.
Speaker D:I went so many years where at this point mets were already 5, 6, 7 games under.500.
Speaker D:Like here we go again.
Speaker D:But I think it was the first time in Seafield history, Chris, that the Mets had a non opening day April sellout.
Speaker D:I mean I went to Thursday night of the series against St.
Speaker D:Louis and it was pretty much packed.
Speaker C:It was packed.
Speaker D:Feel the electricity.
Speaker C:Friday was packed, Saturday was packed.
Speaker C:Looked like today was pretty packed.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:So I just certainly think it's a special time for the organization and just the amount of different pieces they continue to bring in year after year that are working, it's truly incredible.
Speaker C:At this point the mets have scored 91, only given up 61.
Speaker C:So I would say in my estimation the bullpen and even the starters who have been able to go five and two thirds, six and a third inning have been the best.
Speaker C:Are you worried at all about the lack of offense from either certain players or the team as a whole?
Speaker A:No.
Speaker D:I think that it certainly helps when you look at guys track records and these guys aren't young.
Speaker D:The only one that really comes to my mind is maybe Brett Beatty because he's had numerous opportunities, but guys like Winker and Marque so big in the playoffs just less than a year ago.
Speaker D:Dodo starting to pick it up now and door's off to the hot start.
Speaker D:But I know we're going to come on here and talk Mets and I just want to bring up what David Stearns and Jeremy Hefner have done with that pitching staff.
Speaker D:I mean you take Griffin Canning, a guy from Los Angele, the worst qualified starter Major League Baseball last year by ERA and quality starts and numerous other metrics and it seems like he just brings over guys from eight miles away and makes them good.
Speaker D:You know we Severino got 80 million from the A's and Clay Holmes conferring him to a starter six dominant innings Today, I mean, Reed Garrett was a nobody.
Speaker D:Ryan Stanek was struggling in Seattle last year.
Speaker D:I mean, Max Kranik was not very good before coming to the Mets this year.
Speaker D:Just so many different guys the Mets have tweaked and even guys that have left Jose Quintana dominating in Milwaukee.
Speaker D:So it's really nice to see the Mets being able to produce talent that wasn't producing at other stuff.
Speaker C:All right, so this goes for you and for Mike.
Speaker C:You guys are now the gm, slash head, you know, the manager of the Mets at this point.
Speaker C:Jeff McNeil is hitting the ball at, you know, double A, Triple A, wherever he's at.
Speaker C:And Francisco Alvarez seems to be healthy.
Speaker C:If those two guys are ready to make it to the major leagues, what moves do you make in order to get them on the roster?
Speaker C:I'll start with you, A.J.
Speaker D:So, of course, Sanger's the odd guy out.
Speaker D:He's going to be sent down.
Speaker D:And I was talking to my dad about the game today.
Speaker D:I really like what he brings to the table.
Speaker D:He's been excellent defensively today.
Speaker D:Made a beautiful play down the third baseline.
Speaker D:Obviously the hitting's not there, but he's a phenomenal story.
Speaker D:This guy was working at a supermarket two years ago, got to live out his dream and really did some nice things.
Speaker D:But Terence has been, oh, my goodness, $100,000 he's making this year.
Speaker D:I mean, another fleece of the Yankees there and then I think Jose Zocar is still up for the Mets.
Speaker D:He started yesterday, so I would assume he's going to be the odd guy on the offensive end.
Speaker D:And I think that Beatty survives.
Speaker D:So my two guys would be a Zocar and Sanger.
Speaker C:And you think that McNeil goes right into the second base spot and Beatty plays third until Vientos is groin.
Speaker C:Feels better.
Speaker D:I think that McNeil has a little bit of experience at third base, and, I mean, it's just really tough.
Speaker D:Tyrone Taylor started to play a little bit better.
Speaker D:It's a good problem to have, which the Mets never have.
Speaker D:Like, it's a good problem, you know, Acuna just eight game hitting.
Speaker D:Street could have four hits today.
Speaker D:I don't know how you take him out of the lineup, but Beatty's the odd guy out on the bench right now.
Speaker D:So if Vientos is hurt, I'd probably swing Acuna over to third, keep McNeil at second, Taylor in center, maybe give Acuna a couple reps out there in center with McNeil.
Speaker D:But keep on shuffling.
Speaker D:Hopefully Vientos is growing heels up.
Speaker D:We need him.
Speaker C:What about you, Mike?
Speaker B:I kind of agree with both of those moves.
Speaker B:It's tough.
Speaker B:You know, I was thinking about McNeil also getting a few reps over at third base, but I seem to be kind of in the minority.
Speaker B:I love Brett Beatty.
Speaker B:I just think he.
Speaker B:Long term.
Speaker B:I think he's going to do it on the major league level.
Speaker B:I know he's one of.
Speaker B:We've talked about it.
Speaker B:He's one of those, you know, quadruple A players.
Speaker B:Quadruple A players.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:There's just.
Speaker B:I love his glove.
Speaker B:I love the fact that he's just there, you know, he's ready.
Speaker C:He seems.
Speaker B:He's ready to go.
Speaker B:He's a team guy.
Speaker B:I was a little concerned, AJ About Mark Viento's start getting called out, about not hustling immediately.
Speaker B:It just seemed like he finally was able to get a starting job in the major leagues and then he takes a step backwards.
Speaker B:Injury aside, what do you make of that?
Speaker D:About Vientos and injuries?
Speaker B:Just about Vientos and his start.
Speaker B:It just seemed very uneven.
Speaker D:Yeah, I really didn't like they didn't hustle out.
Speaker D:That's the ball in Miami.
Speaker D:I think it's a really bad look.
Speaker D:Soto did something very similar a little bit later than that.
Speaker B:But give it time.
Speaker B:You'll see a lot more of that.
Speaker B:Unfortunately.
Speaker B:I mean, he makes up for it, but it's right.
Speaker B:We were talking about this the other day, Chris and a friend of ours, you know, like, like hustle is optional for him at times.
Speaker B:But we digress.
Speaker B:Let's get back to Vientos.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:So it's just so hard to not think what he did for the Mets in the postseason.
Speaker D:I mean, just every series.
Speaker D:He was hit in game two against the Dodgers last year in la.
Speaker D:I mean, single handedly carrying the offense in that one.
Speaker D:But he's hitting a little bit better as of late.
Speaker D:His expected batting average is way higher than what it shows right now.
Speaker D:He's been making a lot of hard contact.
Speaker D:His homer Thursday night against the Cardinals, I mean, that's just crazy.
Speaker D:Power off the right field foul, Paul.
Speaker D:I mean the talent is there.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker D:I mean his glove is really improving.
Speaker D:He made a beautiful play yesterday, a leap and grab.
Speaker D:So it's just you feel as though when you compare Viento some bad who you feel has been neck and neck forever, like these guys, just one goes up, one goes down.
Speaker D:You just have to be more patient with Vientos because you know it's there.
Speaker D:I feel like the Time is ticking on B.
Speaker D:Like vientos almost hit 30 homers in half a year last year.
Speaker D:Like you know it's there and you're going to need them.
Speaker D:So just got, I feel like patience is a virtue with him.
Speaker C:And at 15 and 7 you can have that patience, you know.
Speaker C:The Mets are two games up on the Phillies.
Speaker C:Phillies coming into town, they could widen that gap a little bit with a three game series coming up.
Speaker C:So the other person coming back is Daniel Nunez and there are options still available on Max Cranick, Brazabon and Reed Garrett who have all been good but they can be optioned or they can expose Danny Young who does not have options, would be put on waivers.
Speaker C:So at this point with a team that has like a two era, do you keep Nunez down there even maybe another three days through the the Philly series just to not break up how good this bullpen has been and if so which guy do you think gets gets moved down?
Speaker D:I mean it's just so tough right to move any of these guys.
Speaker D:But you go down, you certainly can't get rid of Garrett.
Speaker D:He has a zero era.
Speaker D:I mean he's been so good the only run he's given up was that inherited run in Minnesota.
Speaker D:I mean that.
Speaker D:Let's talk about that game for a quick.
Speaker D:The Mets got cheated in that game.
Speaker D:I mean the Budo plays out of first base changes the whole game.
Speaker D:But anyways back to the bullpen.
Speaker D:Brazo Bond's been really solid, it's been a nice touch.
Speaker D:And then I don't think you could send down Cradock but Nunez has been a little bit sporadic, not great control in Triple A.
Speaker D:So I think he really needs to figure it out before coming up just because of how good the bullpen's been.
Speaker D:But the Mets rolled a lot last year with one left handed pitcher.
Speaker D:Really went like Eekman to Young last year.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker D:And then obviously they moved Peterson into the bullpen for the playoffs.
Speaker D:But I wouldn't mind them just rolling mentor with how good he's been.
Speaker D:So in my opinion I definitely think Young is the odd guy out.
Speaker D:I think a 5:40 era right now.
Speaker D:So he would be the odd guy out for me.
Speaker C:And guys, this is crazy.
Speaker C:We really didn't talk Juan Soto today almost except for running out of ground ball which.
Speaker C:But he got standing ovations.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:So I think it's.
Speaker C:This is going to be a big series for him.
Speaker C:I think he is going to be explosive.
Speaker C:Except for the lefty on Christopher Sanchez pitching on Tuesday night.
Speaker C:I think Soto is going to have an unbelievable series coming up against the Phillies.
Speaker B:From your mouth to God's ears.
Speaker B:AJ Rodner, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker B:Look forward to talking to you after the NFL draft and hopefully our Mets are still in first place.
Speaker B:Thanks for joining us.
Speaker B:Brian Graves, as always behind the glass, did a great job taking us home.
Speaker B:Thanks to Anthony Bazaar, head coach, Seton Hall Women's Basketball as he navigates the portal and gets his team into contention.
Speaker B:Hopefully for next year.
Speaker B:Cap, great job.
Speaker C:Happy Easter.
Speaker C:We'll see you in a few weeks.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:Thanks everyone.
Speaker B:The views expressed in the previous program.
Speaker C:Did not necessarily represent those of the.
Speaker A:Staff, management or owners of wgb.
