Backstage Bucks County Episode 3 - with Guest Ben Luber Men's Basketball Coach at University of Penn

WEBVTT
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What's up, everybody?
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We are back at Backstage Bucks County.
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I'm here with one of my very, very longtime friends, men's basketball coach of University of Pennsylvania, friend, father, Catholic local legend, Mr.
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Ben Louver.
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What's up, coach?
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How are we doing?
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Appreciate you having me good to see you too.
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So we obviously grew up together.
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We go way back a million years.
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Council Rock, you go into Penn State being a player, and then our journeys have been kind of eerily similar, just in you know, two very different industries in music and basketball.
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But, you know, I wanted to bring you in, sit you down.
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We got to hear your story, man.
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There's so many twists and turns and cool things that you've experienced that I don't know that you've ever sat down in this forum and really told people about, you know, other than like newspapers, local legend, you know, being friends and sort of a protege of Kobe back in the day.
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You know, I'm we've been friends for a long time, so I I get to say this, but you were someone even at a very young age that I looked up to trying to bust your balls and pick your pocket on you know, playing hoops, but you know, the work ethic that you had even from a really young age was just different.
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There was something always different about you that separated you from everybody else.
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When we were off screwing off, riding our bikes and lighting things on fire in the woods, like you were going to AAU camps with kids twice your age and breaking their ankles.
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So I want to get into the story, man.
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Start from the beginning.
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Like, tell us who you are and tell us about you, brother.
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Yeah, I appreciate that.
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I think uh everyone's got a story, obviously.
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Yeah.
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And you know, I have a lot of admiration for what you're doing right now.
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Like I said before, you know, I've been watching from a distance, and you know, we have we both have a passion, different passions, but when you have a passion, you go and pursue things, you you know, you try to learn more about it, you want to give more to others, uh, but you just want to you want to you know be around your passion.
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Mine is basketball.
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You know, I've I've loved it since I was little.
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I'm not sure what made me fall in love with it.
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Uh I had two older brothers that wouldn't let me play with them too much.
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They, you know, they kicked my butt.
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They were three and four years older, and and a cousin who was like a brother, so I think that might have been my early motivation was like, hey, I just want to play with you guys.
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And then eventually that paid off and I started whooping their ass, you know.
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But you know, that I think uh having older brothers, you know, helps set the stage.
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And we were just talking about my dad earlier.
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I I think you know, he is a huge part of my story.
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And uh, you know, now that I'm a dad myself, I understand the importance of yeah, you know, having somebody that understands right how to like uh fuel that passion, right, how to how to be a vessel and get you to the places you need to get to in order to become better at whatever it is you want to get better at.
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So my dad at a young age, I think he recognized how much I loved basketball.
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Uh that I wanted to be the best.
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I mean, if I didn't if I didn't win like you know everything at camp, I was crying.
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You know what I mean?
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Like I was really emotional.
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It was even at a young age, at the right camp and right camp.
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You know, I was playing up two years, and if I didn't get, you know, MVP or one-on-one champ or free throw champ, you know, I'm in the bathroom crying kind of thing.
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And it wasn't had nothing to do with other, you know, uh anything other than you know, I just had this, you know, burning desire to be the best.
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And and I think I just you know had a great uh upbringing with my parents and my dad who recognized that he would drive me to the city, I mean, right after school every day since I was, I don't know, 12 years old, which is kind of unusual for some kid who lives in the suburbs like me, you know, to go all the way down to the city each day.
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Uh, but it starts with him, uh for sure.
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You know, my mom, my dad, they put in so much work to you know to to even give me a shot at becoming a Division I basketball player and you know, achieving all the dreams that I've had in basketball, because like I said, it it's not here in Bucks County necessarily.
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You know, we had to go to Philadelphia to play against the best.
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And uh so it's been great.
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I mean, it's been a long journey, a lot of stories to tell along the way.
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Uh we're here to do today, brother.
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Yeah, but good to be here.
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That's awesome, man.
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Yeah, from uh from you know, we went to I think middle school together.
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So I think we were first introduced, maybe sixth, seventh grade, somewhere around there at Holland Middle School.
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And um, I remember like just hearing that you were coming to Holland, because you you I think hit Richboro, Holland, and Newtown.
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Yeah, the trifecta.
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The trifecta for all three years.
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So we were sort of known, we were like Holland would, you know, if you know anything about Bucks County, we were sort of these like scrappy, you know, outsiders.
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We were known for being a little mouthy, a little tough, weren't as polished maybe as you know, the the Newtown and Richboro kids.
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But what I thought was cool when we got to play together was you fit right in with us because your your talent was way more polished than ours were.
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We just wanted to like hustle and just be physical and play good defense and like be a little bit flashy at times.
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But you know, I'm trying to recall memories from probably 25 years ago at this point.
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But what really stood out to me was like you're just from a basketball perspective, you were dominant, you were a good communicator, you were selfless, but you could you put moves on people that we never saw before, and you could score from anywhere.
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And that was even when we were young, you know.
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So when was it for you, or like even for your dad, when did you sort of realize like, yeah, there's a passion here, but like you're you got something different that most people don't?
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Yeah, no, I uh I appreciate that.
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I I going back, I was like an old soul as a young kid.
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I mean, like you said, right?
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Like everyone else was kind of going out and doing you know, fun, crazy kid things.
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All I wanted to do was be on the basketball court.
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Yep.
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Um, you know, and and so I remember those days at Holland.
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You had two high socks on, I think you may have had a headband on.
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Yeah.
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I'm hoping that we don't have a picture of that.
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I think we might have one somewhere, but it was fun.
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And you know, I think that was like uh you know, I always thought like when I crossed the lines, I had like an alter ego, right?
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Like I had a different personality on a court.
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It's very different than who I am off the court, but on the court, that was a place where you know I think I feel and even as a coach, right, like this is where I belong, right?
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Like the most.
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And so, you know, I think that always brought more confidence, you know, over time with like you know, just anywhere I was playing, it was fun, you know what I mean?
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Like it was fun to be on the floor because that was who uh that was the personality that I liked the most, probably.
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You know what I mean?
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So it was really uh you know, when you when you when you work at it that much and you become at a certain level where it's you know it's not that difficult to do, it's more fun, right?
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I think like that was like games, right, and sports and stuff.
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That's when it really becomes a lot of fun.
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So, you know, I really enjoyed those times playing, you know, ball with you guys and Seth Maddleman, you know, shout out to Seth.
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Yeah, shout out to Seth for sure.
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Um, but no, that was that was a lot of fun.
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But when when things really turned was um I'd probably say like that ninth grade year going into tenth grade.
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Okay.
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Um, you know, is when I thought, okay, I really have a chance at achieving my goals, right?
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I really wanted to play Division I basketball someday.
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And so I started getting recruiting and recruited in ninth grade.
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I got an offer from Iowa State.
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That was my first offer.
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Okay.
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I remember me and uh Buff Raddock, who was the computer editor.
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Sure, shout out to Buff, yeah.
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Yeah, he was our computer ed teacher.
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And I was like, you'll never guess who called uh Iowa State.
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They want to offer you a full scholarship.
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And we looked at it on a map, Ames, Iowa.
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I'm like, nope, not going there.
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Uh but that was the starting point.
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And then how old were you then?
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What grade were you in?
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Was that freshman year or freshman year?
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Yeah.
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Wow.
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Ninth grade year.
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So you had full rides from freshman year because I remember that team.
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I remember being maybe eighth grade was the was it that was that our the final four year was uh yes, yeah.
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Because you were playing a yeah.
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Were you playing up maybe that summer when we were in eighth grade going into freshman year?
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Yep, but they had uh they just made the final four with Matt Verbitt Matt Verbitt and Chris Alba and Chris Alba, all those guys.
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Uh no, it wasn't Chris Alba, I'm sorry.
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Um it was Matt Verbitt and uh Danny Williams.
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Danny, yep, yeah, that was the backcourt there.
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I remember listening on a um we had like an old, this it's gonna sound like the 1930s, but we had like an old alarm clock radio in my parents' room, and I remember vividly like listening to those games, sitting, laying on their bed, trying to like get the dial right so I could hear updates from that final four run.
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Yeah, you know.
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Well, that was really what drew me to stay at Council Rock, that final four run.
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That team like that right.
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I mean, you you went to games growing up at Council Rock.
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I mean, it like a lot of high schools, they were packed, you know what I mean?
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There wasn't a ton of things to do on the weekends or or weekday nights, but I mean it was always packed, and I think that was something that was so exciting to me as a young kid watching like Jimmy Natal, LJ Birnbaum, like these kind of names, you know, but it was Jimmy Natal, wow.
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Shout out Jimmy.
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And and Verbit, you know, I mean, like they were really good, but it was it was a great crowd.
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Um, so when I had the chance to like go to a private school, I'm like, I I want to play in front of you know these fans with my friends, my high school, you know what I mean?
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Like yeah, you know, my peers, kind of the people I grew up with.
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Um, but man, that was that was an electric environment for sure, you know, those guys.
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Yeah, it's it's cool.
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Like at Council Rock, it was a huge school, so like the exposure, you know, the the vibe, it was just more of a magnified scale, you know, like even playing football.
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I remember the first, you know, our senior year having the north-south game, and you got Adam Bowen with throwing up signs and all these things, but there was something about, even though it was a public school, the halls were crowded, there were a million people that you didn't know and you never never got to meet.
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But you know, that that man in the arena mentality, I think, you know, for you and probably for I, just playing, you know, football and other sports too, that was something that you experienced at a young age, and like you even said it, you probably felt more comfortable in the moments.
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The the bigger the stage, the bigger the crowd, because of the preparation, you know, and like you, like I love listening to Kobe and like anything he's ever had to say, and like the Mamba mentality, he steps on that court, he's someone totally different, and he's earned the right to do that because of the preparation and the work.
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And just listening to him say, like, if I'm in the gym at 4 a.m.
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to six, I get a session in, take a break, I'm back in from nine to eleven.
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Like he goes through his day.
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How that compounds over five, ten years, he's like, just think about how much more basketball I've played than anybody else who's getting in the gym at 11 for a shoot around.
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Yeah, you know, like, but it seems like that hit you way younger to your point about being an old soul than it did probably me and others.
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Yeah.
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So I mean, talk about that.
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Well, you know, my uh my past with Kobe.
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Yeah, of course.
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Yeah, tell I mean, tell the world, man.
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Yeah, so I I mean I've I was very fortunate at a young age to be around Kobe.
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Uh my brother played on his AU team.
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I played on the younger team, but I got to watch him for a full year and a half, two years, where you know, I got to travel with the team and you know, watch how he prepared, practiced, uh, how he talked, how he thought, you know, and and he was really good to me.
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Um and he knew, I think, right, like that I loved you know the game kind of like he did.
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I was always around it.
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I was like wide-eyed everywhere he was, I was following him.
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And there was there was a point, there was an inquire article with his arm around you saying, like, you know, look out for Ben Luber, he's gonna be the next coming.
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And for him to say that when you were that age, that doesn't happen.
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Well, he's trying to make me smile, like that was Kobe, right?
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But yeah, it was uh it was when he announced he was going to the NBA Comcast, uh, did a special on him, and I was at St.
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Joe's and he put his arm around me.
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It was a pretty cool moment, but that's just who he was.
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But yeah, I think he was the one that normalized like almost like an obsession for something you love to do.
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And for me, that was at a young age, I'm like, I knew this wasn't that strange.
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I knew someone else out there kind of saw it as I did in a different way.
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But Kobe made me feel like, okay, like, you know, that's how I think, you know, and and that's you know, obviously Kobe is Kobe, but for me at that stage, I I, you know, really looked up to him and how he did things.
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And I mean, he was a brilliant person, uh, really, really um disciplined, you know, but yeah, he was such a good role model, and and I'm a big, you know, fan of his, but I'm also me because of you know being able to see Kobe at a young age and yeah and have him normalize, you know, a love and passion for a game.
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That's crazy, man.
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Like just not only the access and the exposure, but the the reciprocity of like that friendship and admiration that he had for you, you know, at a young age.
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Like he's seeing you probably in the gym, some little squirt that's you know, just working on his jumper, crossing people up, probably soaking it all up.
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You know, what does that what does that mean to set the stage for like your adult life and your coaching?
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You know, to have that level of you know, mutual adoration back and forth with a legend like that.
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I think it, you know, it opened the doors for me as a coach to really understand how important, you know, an adult is around someone who's younger, who loves the game, you know, or or just wants to learn about the game or uh wants to be around the game, right?
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For me, that was big.
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I know how important it is as a coach.
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Uh, you know, when I run camps for younger kids, yeah.
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Right, like you like I'm in a position to make an impact.
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I'm not Kobe Bryant, not even close to that, but it's still you you have an opportunity and a platform with young people to really make an impact, you know, and it doesn't have to just I always say like it's not just about basketball.
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It's like, you know, it's all right for me, these habits and these, you know, this process, you know, took place, but you could teach and kind of relay a lot of the lessons that you've learned along the way to kids, you know, who want to be great at anything, right?
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You gotta be a good teammate, you gotta show up on time, you gotta look people in the eyes, tell them the truth.
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Yeah, you know, these are all foundations for success in a lot of different places.
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But in basketball, I have a chance now to, you know, maybe there is another kid like me out there that eventually, you know, will look up to me like I looked up to Kobe.
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But if not, along the way, you know, it's it's a platform to uh to just be a good role model.
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Yeah.
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Well, you're in no better place to do that now, you know, and just making the switch.
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You've had not only an amazing playing career, you know, but now a really established coaching career, you know.
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Tell us a little bit about sort of how you weaved your way from you know, being a stud here, being a stud at Penn State, four-year starter, you know, weaving into coaching.
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Was that always something obviously that you knew that you wanted to do?
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It's obvious to me because it seems like the next natural step, but when did you sort of know that that's what you wanted to do?
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What's crazy is like I never wanted to coach.
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Really?
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I I all I wanted to do was play.
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You're right.
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And so I thought, like, you know, when I'm done playing, I'll never coach.
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You know what I mean?
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So I g I'll be done with basketball.
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And it it's crazy that I am coaching because I really was that like adamant that this is I will never do what you know, like this coach does or that coach does.
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Like, coaching sucks.
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You know, playing's the most fun.
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And you know what?
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Coaching's the second best thing to playing.
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You know, playing is still the best.
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But I really didn't dream of being like, you know, a division one head coach.
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I wanted to play in the NBA, like that was it.
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Yeah.
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And so it was like you hitting a brick wall when I didn't, you know, make the NBA.
00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:38.639
Played two years overseas, you know, had a decent career.
00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:42.320
But in the end, I think, you know, I just love basketball.
00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:44.000
So I always came back to that.
00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:46.720
Like, I can't just go away from basketball.
00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:47.600
You can't just stop.
00:15:47.759 --> 00:16:02.639
So I what what made me get into coaching was um, you know, I I started doing training uh in Bucks County when I was in between playing in Israel and Iceland, and Ryan Archidiacino was like my first client.
00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.519
And so I tried to.
00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:04.080
Oh, really?
00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:04.559
I didn't realize that.
00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:06.720
He was a seventh grader at the time.
00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:11.360
My uh dad was a football player at Villanova, didn't really know a ton about basketball.
00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:13.120
He got win from Adam Bowen.
00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:15.440
You know, money again.
00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:21.840
Yeah, he went to Bowen's barber shop and uh oh wow, and he was like, Look, I you know, I think my son's pretty good.
00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:25.360
You know, I just just who in Bucks County can help him, you know.
00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:27.519
Can I I don't know what to do with him next kind of thing.
00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:35.120
So Adam put Joe in touch with me, and I put Ryan through these workouts, and and Ryan was really special at seventh grade.
00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:37.279
And I loved doing it.
00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:47.360
I enjoyed it, and I think that was like a kickstart to me having a career in coaching, but I really never saw myself, you know, like on the sidelines running a program, yeah.
00:16:47.919 --> 00:17:08.720
But I mean it is really fulfilling, you know, to uh you know, starting with Ryan to help kids achieve achieve their dreams and goals and you know find ways to get them better, and then as a team mold them, you know, and like uh as a head coach at George School, it was so much fun to to really build a team and you know to to hold those standards in place.
00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.480
Like our number one pillar was honor.
00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:12.640
We look each other in the eyes and we tell each other the truth.
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:13.839
I just got chills thinking about that.
00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:14.400
That's so cool.
00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:19.119
That's our number one pillar, and it was it was great high school kids, you know, acting that way.
00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.119
Um it was awesome.
00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:21.440
Yeah.
00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:22.960
So I love coaching.
00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:31.759
Uh I've coached at a lot of different levels now, which is pretty neat, and have a lot of experience to give back to you know, kids in the basketball community.
00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:32.559
Yeah.
00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:40.000
I mean, to have Ryan Archidagnacino as your first test pilot case to see if it if coaching's working for you.
00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:42.000
I mean, that turned out okay.
00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:43.440
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:45.200
I'll tell you what, it's interesting, right?
00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:49.200
Like, he probably had to be that good for me to get interested in coaching, right?
00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:50.240
I didn't want to do it at all.
00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.759
So, like, he was excellent.
00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:56.160
Like, you happen to find the one guy that seventh grader he could shoot from like half court.
00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:56.960
He was wild.
00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:02.079
Like, this isn't normal, and he was like a six, you know, he he ended up being like a six-four point guard.
00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:02.559
Yeah.
00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:05.920
But he was a big kid, played football tough.
00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:09.440
Um, but yeah, that that was a pretty good first one.
00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:10.799
Yeah, I'd say.
00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:17.359
Did his game sort of remind you, like, was there something in him that you saw in yourself that like reminded him of you a little bit?
00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:20.240
It was just his relentless work ethic.
00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:20.720
Really?
00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:23.039
I mean, he was a seventh grader, same thing, right?
00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:28.079
So our first workout, he didn't do great, but I knew he was really good.
00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:29.119
I really challenged him.
00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.319
What do you mean he didn't do great?
00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.839
Like the drills we were doing.
00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:33.359
I put out a ladder, right?
00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.160
A speed ladder.
00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:38.480
And he struggled with coordination, right?
00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:42.240
Like the rhythms of the game is one of the things he struggled with at a young age.
00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.119
So I was teaching him the rhythms and he really struggled with it.
00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:48.319
Now he could shoot it, handle it, he wouldn't turn it over, wouldn't miss a shot.
00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.319
But he struggled with like the footwork.
00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:56.880
And so that that first workout, he was really frustrated and he was kicking the ball everywhere, you know.
00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:59.039
I mean, he knows this whole story, it's out there, you know.
00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:01.359
He he went crazy, you know, because he couldn't do it.
00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:01.599
Wow.
00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:04.799
And so then he called me later that night and apologized for how he acted.
00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:09.599
He's like, I just I really want to his dad did, you know, and he's like, he really wants to work it better.
00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:14.960
And the next time we worked out, he could do all of the things that we, you know, he couldn't really do that first day.
00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:17.599
So how how far of a gap in between was it?
00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:20.240
Like a couple weeks, a couple days, or I mean a couple days.
00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:20.640
Really?
00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:26.799
Yeah, he was out in his driveway all night doing it, and so wow, that that that is what I saw in me, right?
00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:31.839
Like that's what we had in common, you know, was like he was just hungry.
00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:39.359
He, you know, he had a passion for it, and sometimes it came out in like that kind of way because he loved it so much and wanted to be that good at it at a young age.
00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:41.599
So that's how our games were similar.
00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.359
Outside of that, not that much.
00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:49.200
I mean, we both loved like the flash, you know, we loved the uh excitement of the game, the attainment.
00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:55.279
Um but Ryan is yeah, he was he he was a great leader, obviously, at a young age.
00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:56.799
Um tough.
00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:02.079
I mean, he he he's not a guy who plays above the rim for him to play as many years in the NBA as he's played.
00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:04.240
I was gonna say, yeah, he really didn't have to, you know.
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:04.559
Yeah.
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:09.279
I mean, he's uh you know won a national championship at Villanova, most outstanding player in the tournament.
00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:11.680
And one of the most like the craziest runs.
00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:12.000
Right.
00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:12.799
That was so fun.
00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:14.319
He went to Nishamini High School.
00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:14.559
Yeah.
00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:20.079
He's a great success story, uh, one of my favorite, and we're still friends to this day.
00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:27.440
Um, but yeah, he's he's one of those guys that got me excited about coaching and teaching others.
00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:39.599
And he was a seventh grader in Bucks County who now he he earned it all, you know, but I was able to see that you know process happen and and be there along the way to help train him all the way through college.
00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:43.200
Um I was out there for the final four run, you know, it's pretty neat.
00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:44.240
That's crazy.
00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:50.160
So for young parents out there that are like for me, right?
00:20:50.240 --> 00:21:02.480
I have three girls and we're just starting to get with our oldest to that age where like you're they're making you sort of like choose a lane and go way deep into it three, four nights a week, dance practices, you know.
00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:10.960
It's I think a lot's changed where when we were growing up, you could sort of dabble in, you know, and maybe it's still the same to a degree, you could play a lot of different sports.
00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.720
It was almost encouraged, you know.
00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:26.400
I remember getting recruited to play football, and I'd have coaches come out to my our basketball games just to see how I see the floor, how I'm, you know, passing, how I handle situations, you know, how I'm getting up and down the floor.
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:30.480
So a lot of that stuff translates, but like what's your message today?
00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:32.880
Because I'm sure it's you see it from all angles.
00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:35.839
You see people that are putting way too much pressure on their kid.
00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:36.319
Yeah.
00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:38.160
You know, how do you blur that line?
00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:45.519
Because in a lot of ways, you probably were that kid that, from an outsider's perspective, is spending all this time playing basketball.
00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:48.880
You know, it you wanted that.
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:54.240
Like you were the one driving a lot of that because you were in love with it, you were passionate, and you were obsessed.
00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:59.759
So, like, how do you have those conversations with people that maybe are a parent that think their kid has something.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:04.720
And they're really pushing them where the kids like, I don't know if this is really me, you know?
00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:05.359
Yeah.
00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:07.920
My situation was really different.
00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:13.119
Um every parent, you know, for the first time is just figuring it out, you know.
00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:14.640
That's what I've learned, obviously.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:15.200
Right.
00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:15.440
Yeah.
00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:17.440
You don't know what you don't know until you go through it.
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:24.000
Um but I do think it's important to, you know, like at the core, look at it for what it is.
00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:27.359
It's a game that's supposed to bring joy, right?
00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:32.960
And, you know, you're getting exercise, right, which is healthy, you know, that brings joy as well.
00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:42.640
Uh, but I think kids, as long as they're exposed to it and they're around good adults, I think that they'll kind of tell you their story.
00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:47.279
And then I think being there to support whatever their passion is, hold them accountable.
00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:49.759
There's lessons along the way, you don't quit, you know.
00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:58.000
But uh, you know, I think for athletics in general, I I I I think it it's hard to try everything, like you said, right?
00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:58.640
Like, yeah.
00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:04.559
But I think getting kids coordinated first to try things is probably my best advice, right?
00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:05.039
Okay.
00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:18.079
So instead of picking up the ball or learning about the sport, let's learn about your body first, how you you ever I mean, if we're fortunate, you know, and and blessed enough, we both, you know, well, we have two hands, two feet, right?
00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:21.279
And so let's let's learn how to use those in sports.
00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.920
You're gonna have to use them at some point, right?
00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:28.319
So coordination, like plyometric work, you know, going through ladders, like I was doing with Ryan.
00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:44.000
I seem like he could do all the hoop stuff, but he couldn't do basic footwork and basic footwork, yeah, is applicable in all sports, you know, you're gonna have to change directions left, right, forward, backwards, you're gonna have to jump up and down, you know, and then you're gonna have to use your hands differently along the way.
00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:52.720
But I think kids would build confidence more so if they had the coordination, you know, and then maybe they could, hey, I love watching that sport, let me try that out.
00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:59.039
And now maybe you have a little more success at a younger age or when you try it, so you don't run away from it.
00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:06.960
You know, so I think I think that's a good foundation without putting pressure, you know, on young kids, it's like get them coordinated.
00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:11.200
And then I think finding the right adults is really important.
00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:11.920
Yeah.
00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:16.799
Because you know, it's a money grab, you know, a lot of it's crazy.
00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:33.279
I don't know if it's any worse or different now relative to when we were growing up, but it seems like once you hit a certain age and a certain threshold, like you know, everyone's in your face with you know, this program, this private coach, this you know, training facility, this thing, it can really stack up.
00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:36.480
I mean, it's it's not cheap to like go that deep into a sport.
00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:46.480
Yeah, it's an investment, but you know, people are making a living doing that now, or they weren't when we were growing up, and sports are offered all year round now, which it wasn't offered that way.
00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.519
It really wasn't, right?
00:24:47.839 --> 00:25:02.960
So people I think because people have now have made a a living doing it and they've they're seeing different revenue streams, what you know, it could be personal training, it could be an intramural league, a travel league, you know, there's gonna be a way for them to make money, you know, along the way.
00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:04.880
So going back to it, is it the right adult?
00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:06.559
You know, is your kid having fun?
00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.400
You know, uh are they improving?
00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:09.920
Is it building confidence?
00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:13.440
You know, I think it it all should be positive, right?
00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:15.039
Like it shouldn't be easy, right?
00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:20.160
It could be uncomfortable, but I think you should see growth in a lot of those areas.
00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.559
Yeah.
00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:26.079
Um but I think you know the core foundation is like it's gotta be fun, you gotta have fun doing it.
00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:26.640
Sure.
00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:30.960
And that was something that I struggled with, you know, and I can you know, at a young age, I really did.
00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:40.960
I I I loved basketball, but it took a while for me to have fun, you know, because I was so competitive, you know, I was so competitive with myself, you know.
00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:47.519
I demanded so much out of myself, and I really don't know why, other than like that's just going back to you are, you know.
00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:50.240
It's a it's a fascinating thing, man.
00:25:50.319 --> 00:26:27.920
And I think a lot about you know, times when you know, we knew that you were working and like doing stuff that just others weren't, you know, and you were uh there's got to be a sense of kind of like isolation in a lot of ways, you know, because you weren't a punk like you know, like us running around and doing whatever, but you know, 30 years, 25 years later, like we're having a conversation now, and you can see the man that you've become and the impact you've had on other people and stories like with Ryan and now the stories you're gonna get to have over the next hopefully 30 years as a coach to impact these young people.
00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:34.720
Like, what do you what do you look for in someone when you're going through your recruiting process?
00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:46.640
Like, are there signs that you can spot a young kid like that and be like, yeah, I don't know that his his polish is there yet, but like I know that he's not gonna quit, and I know that that's the DNA of a kid that I want on my team.
00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.039
Yeah.
00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.240
I think it takes time.
00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:50.079
It's hard to tell right away, you know.
00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:55.759
But watching them and how they play, how they interact with teammates, I I like to watch transitions, right?
00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:58.640
The game isn't perfect, none of those sports are, right?
00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.039
But there's a transition after a play happens.
00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:02.319
So I like to watch that.
00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:03.359
How do you react?
00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:04.720
Good and bad, right?
00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:11.039
Like, but the game goes on, but can you transition, you know, with your body language like, you know, when things aren't going great?
00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:13.519
You know, I want to see the good stuff, obviously.
00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:16.480
Sure, you know, but you want to see the result and the ball go in the hoop.
00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:21.279
But but being I I I just you know, the more I've been around the game, right?
00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:23.119
Like it's important to keep playing it.
00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:29.279
So, you know, I'm looking for people that are playing to win the whole game and aren't front runners, you know.
00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:50.559
So you can't always tell that off of one game, but sometimes you can, you know, if it's a bad, you know, like if you see a bad game and and you know they're not being a good teammate and you know they're pointing a finger or they talk negatively about the coach after the game, they're all signs of like, eh, not necessarily the guy I want in my locker room kind of thing.
00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.200
Yeah, you know.
00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:54.880
Um but then once you get to know them off the court, same thing.
00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:57.920
Like, are they looking you are you looking each other in the eye, right?
00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:00.000
Are you able to tell them the truth?
00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:03.200
You know, are they able to ask real questions?
00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:07.440
You know, are they you know, full of it or you know, genuine?
00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:08.160
Like, you know what I mean?
00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:10.000
It's like getting to know anybody kind of thing, right?
00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:16.079
It just takes a little longer with these with these kids in high school and and their parents, so there's a process there.
00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:23.839
Um but usually I would say I'm a pretty good judge of character when it comes to you know the uh the players that we recruit, right?
00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:25.519
But it takes a little time, yeah.
00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.240
Yeah, man.
00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:43.200
Uh, how have things changed just in the adaptation of like social media, you know, and the ability to really create media and kind of build yourself into this mini media brand to like hype up your own skill set and put together your own tapes and like having Huddle in these platforms?
00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:47.119
That's one thing that we totally missed out on, you know.
00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:47.920
At least I did.
00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:58.960
Like, I remember cutting up tape in a trailer with three or four different video machines, like hitting pause, committing that to like a physical VHS tape, and making like your highlight film.
00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:05.359
But how much of that now is either easier, better, or worse just with access to like all the media that kids can put out now?
00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.319
I think it's great.
00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:09.039
You know, I I just think it's there's so many players out there.
00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:14.079
I can't tell you how many like emails I get a day now pen from all over the world.
00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:15.920
And it's almost all over the world, really.
00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:28.480
You know, like there's a lot of high academic, you know, kids who are six, four and taller who you know want to play division one basketball and they have a video and they're pretty good, you know.
00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:32.079
So I think it's it's harder than ever to get to this level.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:47.440
Um because of the access, because now it's a global thing based on yeah, because there's there's just so many more, you know, there's so many more people that play the game now, but there's also so many people right that are almost uh capable of playing at that level, right?
00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:49.279
So there's a lot that just don't get recruited.
00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:49.599
Yeah.
00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:54.079
They go D2 maybe or they go D three or they don't go they go NAIA.
00:29:54.480 --> 00:30:03.279
I mean there's so many success stories out there of people that don't play at the highest level in college that are playing in the MBA, you know, or playing professionally overseas.
00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:12.000
So I think it it helps, but um it's not an easy like just because you have the film doesn't mean that it's really going to help you.
00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:12.960
Right, right.
00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:16.559
So your audience is important, your stage is important, right?
00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:18.240
It's like auditioning, you know.
00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:21.440
You're you know, if the coach is watching, you better perform.
00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:24.319
I mean he may never see you again.
00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:24.960
Right, right.
00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:28.400
So it's like you have to perform in the moment, be ready for the moment.
00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:40.880
Um I mean, people knew where we were gonna be in high school, so they knew the events that I would be playing in, and there was only a certain amount of people invited, and so I think we didn't really need the film as much.
00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:45.519
Um, but yeah, I think it's great that they can have it even for their kids to see.
00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:51.039
Like, I'm trying to scramble and find videos for kind of convince my kids like I think your dad was pretty good.
00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:52.160
Yeah, with the video.
00:30:52.319 --> 00:30:55.359
I got like you know, one video on YouTube of Shannon Brown dunking on me.
00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:56.480
Oh my that and that's it.
00:30:56.720 --> 00:30:56.960
That's it.
00:30:57.039 --> 00:31:01.359
I'm like, the one of me dunking on you is probably buried somewhere too that we got to.
00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:03.039
Yeah, we lost that.
00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:03.920
You know what's funny?
00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:12.240
We were just on a trip with our family, and uh an old uh a friend of mine was saying he went to Wilson High School and played basketball.
00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:13.920
I played football with him at Bloomsburg.
00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:21.279
He's like, dude, I found a YouTube video of one of your games from your senior year, and I'm like, please don't send that to me, man.
00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:26.000
And he sent it over, and sure enough, it was us playing Norristown senior year.
00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:31.039
Lightning we had we had three wins all season, and it was one of our 24 losses.
00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:35.839
But I was watching, I was like, oh my god, I had frosted tip hair, you know, the whole thing.
00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:36.960
I'm like baggy shorts.
00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:37.920
You had a look, man.
00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:43.119
Oh my god, it was yeah, I wish I didn't just say that live on camera, but anyway.
00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:51.119
Um so transitioning to like your current state right now, we're about to kick off preseason.
00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:56.240
Training camp, obviously, in the IVs, is is a little bit of a challenge in the summertime just based on rules.
00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:02.240
What's what's the mindset, like what's expectation mindset for the guys going into the next couple months before the season starts?
00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:09.200
So we're uh in an interesting spot, you know, Coach McCaffrey, Fran McCaffrey, and our and our entire staff got hired in April.
00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:16.559
So we have a brand new coaching staff with a team that was already there, you know, with the exception of a couple freshmen that are coming in.
00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:21.519
But really, this is the um like the getting to know each other process.
00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:23.920
So we got a little bit of time together in April.
00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:28.799
In May, you know, the kids were getting into finals um, you know, last year.
00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:37.039
So now we are yeah, gearing up for our preseason, getting ready for the academic year, but also like training camp.
00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:46.240
Um, you know, so we're gonna be doing meetings with our players on the front end, uh making sure that all the schedules are in place, and then we're gonna hit the ground running.
00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:49.519
You know, we're gonna really get in the gym, work multiple times a day.
00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:50.319
Love it.
00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:52.640
Um you know, uh, we're hungry.
00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:59.759
You know, I know we got a brand new staff, but we uh we all come from different places of you know competitiveness, right?
00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:03.519
So we we've I think Coach Fran's built an amazing staff.
00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:12.079
Uh he's got Ronald Moore, who's from Plymouth White Marsh High School, who played for him at Siena, and he won 97 games in four years with Fran at Siena.
00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:14.160
There was a NCAA tournament three times.
00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.599
So winnings in the DNA.
00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:16.640
Winnings in the DA.
00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:17.359
DNA.
00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:22.079
He's a guard, um played 10 years overseas, uh great guy.
00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:24.160
So he'll be working with the guards with me.
00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:28.640
Um Tristan Spurlock is a uh player development assistant coach who came to the city.
00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:29.839
I heard that name before.
00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:35.440
He was a top 100 player out of high school, played in Virginia, then he went to um UCF.
00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:35.839
Okay.
00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:43.920
Another guy who played 10, 11 years overseas, uh, really good on the court player development, hungry, uh, really good with film.
00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:47.519
Uh and then we have, you know, Fran, who's a legend.
00:33:47.759 --> 00:33:48.240
Legend, man.
00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:54.720
You know, yeah, he's taken four different teams to the NCAA tournament, and we use this in our recruiting pitch.
00:33:54.799 --> 00:34:02.799
When we take Penn to the NCAA tournament, he's gonna be one of four all time to take five different teams to the NCAA tournament.
00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:05.920
So I get to be around a Hall of Famer every day.
00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:10.960
Uh so you know, not only do I get to go to the Pellestra for work, I get to be around Fran McCaffrey.
00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:12.239
A little spoiled right now.
00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:13.199
That's awesome, man.
00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:15.360
What about um what about Coach Fran?
00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:16.960
Have you learned so far?
00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:19.920
And like what, because I know you guys go way back a long time.
00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:24.159
He, I think, recruited you when you were younger, so you guys have a really long relationship.
00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:30.320
What are some of the biggest things you're taking and trying to you know level up your game as a coach that you're learning from him?
00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:38.239
I think the way he communicates with uh you know the players and administration, it's just refreshing.
00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:41.840
And he's a Wharton grad, he's a smart, you know, person, human being.
00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:43.199
He graduated from Penn.
00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:50.559
So I think just the way he presents himself, communicates to alumni, uh parents, he's got a lot of stories to tell.
00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:53.039
He's got a lot of, you know, he's a great storyteller.
00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:58.960
Yeah, you know, so the one thing I've always loved about him as a coach is he doesn't make it complicated.
00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:10.159
It's not a complicated sport, it's not rocket science, but he does watch film, he does keep it simple, um, he does love the game, and he hates to lose, just like me, you know.
00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:16.800
So I think we make a great team, but uh he's refreshing to be around because he doesn't make basketball so complicated.
00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:19.440
You know, he makes relationships the most important thing.
00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:20.320
I love that, man.
00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:20.719
That's cool.
00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:22.800
And so that's what makes him a great coach.
00:35:23.199 --> 00:35:25.199
And I can see that firsthand now.
00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:30.639
He cares about his players, he cares about the game, and he cares about the school he's working for.
00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:33.599
He does things in a first-class way, you know.
00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:43.199
So uh yeah, he's he's gonna be uh someone that I learn a lot from and I look forward to giving a lot to, and I'm excited to prove him right.
00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:44.559
Uh why he hired me.
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:49.760
Be the be the f to the uh one of what do you say, five people to take five teams or only a handful of?
00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:53.199
One of four to take five different teams at the NCAA tournament.
00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:53.519
Wow.
00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:53.679
Yep.
00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:55.440
We gotta do it at Penn, though.
00:35:55.519 --> 00:35:56.400
It's still only four right now.
00:35:56.639 --> 00:35:57.440
Let's do it, man.
00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:57.760
Okay.
00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:13.679
So one of the interesting things that you said is like taking all these different elements from all these different influences from Kobe to Coach Fran to your dad, to so if we were to come in right now, like you were obviously at George School for a while as the as the head coach there.
00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:26.480
What are the core tenants or things that when you know, whether it's your group of guards or your team or your organization eventually one day, what are like the three things, posters on the wall that I'm going to play for Coach Luber?
00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:34.079
These are the things that make him different, make you unique, because his value sets are different, and that's why I want to go play for for Coach Luber.
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:34.800
Yeah.
00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:37.039
I mean, we said it before, right?
00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:44.880
You show up on time, you honor your teammate by looking them in the eyes, telling them the truth, right, which is accountability as well.
00:36:45.599 --> 00:36:48.719
You gotta be able to receive it, and then you gotta work, right?
00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:50.719
There's no substitute for that, right?
00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:57.519
So I think if you got the right people in the room who do do those things, right, you're gonna see a level of respect for one another.
00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:59.360
And uh, you know, I always say this, right?
00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:02.000
Like if you love anything, you show it respect, right?
00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:09.280
So if you love the game of basketball, you'll show it respect, you'll show up on time, you know, you'll be able to take the truth.
00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:10.239
You want the truth, right?
00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:11.599
You're gonna tell your teammate the truth.
00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:12.239
Absolutely.
00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:14.800
And you're gonna really work at it every day.
00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:20.159
And so I think if you do those things, or you gotta recruit, you gotta I mean you can't just do that with anybody, right?
00:37:20.239 --> 00:37:25.760
Right, you gotta recruit the right talent, but if you do that with the right talent, I I feel like you're gonna have success, right?
00:37:25.840 --> 00:37:30.639
And if you don't have success, well, at least it wasn't a miserable journey, right?
00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:31.519
You know what I mean?
00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:34.320
So, like as a coach, I've found that really important, right?
00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:37.440
Like, you don't want to bring any assholes in your locker room, right?
00:37:37.679 --> 00:37:44.960
You're spending a lot of time with these people, like you said, and you know, you lean into it with Coach Fran, it's like relationships are the most important thing at the center of all this.
00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.400
Basketball's a game, it's fun.
00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:48.159
You know, same with us with music.
00:37:48.239 --> 00:37:51.920
Like, we get to perform in front of really cool people on cool stages.
00:37:52.159 --> 00:38:08.239
At the end of the day, like I want to be known as the nicest guy in the industry because I just whether it's imposter syndrome or just feeling like I'm I want to always be surrounded with people way more talented than me and way outkick my coverage, so I can just learn.
00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:25.760
Yeah, you know, I just I want to be at the center of it, but in a way that I can just absorb and learn and just level myself up in everything that I do, you know, whether it's music or basketball or life or whatever, you know, and it sounds like you're taking that to sort of preach that to young kids when they're coming to play for you.
00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:32.800
Well, I'm I'm I'm gonna keep watching you and following you because I think that's one thing that I like right now about what you're doing is you could see that, right?
00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:35.280
Like you could see that you love to do what you're doing.
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:36.079
Love it, man.
00:38:36.239 --> 00:38:41.199
And you're taking, you know, I mean, you're using the social media right as a platform, right?
00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:49.599
But you you could tell, right, you're you're you're out here to learn, to uh to give back, right, to grow, uh, to do it with your family, you know, with the community.
00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:51.039
You saw the kids here earlier, right?
00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:51.840
Yeah, I was great.
00:38:51.920 --> 00:38:52.800
I mean that's what it's all about.
00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:56.000
And and you're doing with your friends from you know elementary school.
00:38:56.079 --> 00:38:58.079
I I see them all travel, you know, to follow you.
00:38:58.159 --> 00:39:00.559
And if you weren't a nice guy, they wouldn't be doing that, right?
00:39:00.639 --> 00:39:01.599
Like probably, yeah.
00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:03.840
Your music's it's good, right?
00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:10.079
But like at the end of the day, right, like those are your friends who care about you, and so you're doing great things for this community.
00:39:10.239 --> 00:39:12.320
Uh your friends are proud of you, I'm proud of you.
00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:12.960
Thanks, man.
00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:15.760
You know, it's good to watch, it's great to see, it's good energy.
00:39:15.920 --> 00:39:20.079
You know, it's something that right, like I I don't have the best social media presence, right?
00:39:20.159 --> 00:39:20.880
I got a lot to learn about.
00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:21.280
Not yet.
00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:22.239
We're gonna work on that together.
00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:25.840
But at the same time, right, it is a platform to do a lot of good, you know.
00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:28.480
And I think in Bucks County, right?
00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:34.400
Like, we could do a lot more good for these kids in the area in sports, music, you know, make it fun.
00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:36.559
Um, so yeah, man.
00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:39.840
I I that's literally why we're doing this, you know.
00:39:39.920 --> 00:39:43.840
And when I reached out to you, you know, this is the third episode ever of this show.
00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:45.519
And number three, yeah, I know.
00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:50.639
Well, that's you know, now that I'm thinking about it, I want to say I did that on purpose, but it just happened that way.
00:39:51.039 --> 00:40:04.239
Um, you know, I'm we get to see a lot of different pockets of the country just traveling a lot for you know, family vacations, whatever, but for music specifically over five years, you know, Dustin sitting here.
00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:10.960
We've hit probably half of America playing bars, wineries, tours, whatever, and we've been really blessed to do that.
00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:17.679
And you've seen a ton of the country too, as a player and as coach, but there's something cool about home for us.
00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:20.480
Yeah, you know, it's unique, it's different.
00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:26.400
There's there's so many people that are doing really interesting things here, and their stories never get told.
00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:28.159
There's never a spotlight on them.
00:40:28.239 --> 00:40:41.199
You know, earlier this morning, we had our our good friend Rob Martin, who owns D Town guitars, you know, like doesn't have a huge platform other than people walking into the store, but I find him fascinating because he's you know, he's a real dude.
00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:46.239
He was like a surfer and you know, just a kid growing up who wanted to work on guitars and playing bands.
00:40:46.320 --> 00:40:49.679
Yeah, and he's built a business, you know, that sustained 31 years.
00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:55.760
Yeah on a whatever scale, a small local guitar shop or you know, a massive company, it doesn't matter.
00:40:55.920 --> 00:41:04.400
Like followed his passion, was creative about it, was genuine and authentic about it, wanted to help people, and now 31 years later, yeah that's gonna be his life story, man.
00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:07.199
And I think that's worth shining a spotlight on.
00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:16.320
Yeah, you know, and there's thousands of people around here in this pocket that have done amazing things like creatively, you know, in business and sports and athletics.
00:41:16.559 --> 00:41:25.519
And I just I thought it was time, I was feeling called to sort of be the voice and be the vehicle to help tell help people tell those stories, man.
00:41:25.599 --> 00:41:26.639
Yeah as a legacy.
00:41:26.719 --> 00:41:29.360
You know, I just think it's important that people get that platform to do it.
00:41:29.519 --> 00:41:30.239
So it's neat.
00:41:30.480 --> 00:41:34.880
I'll tell you what, these are I played all over the world, right?
00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:39.360
But my I could say that my two favorite basketball memories have happened in Bucks County.
00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:39.760
Really?
00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:41.280
Oh, you got to tell us these stories.
00:41:41.599 --> 00:41:43.840
Well, it's just playing for my high school team, right?
00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:46.159
Was it was an amazing experience.
00:41:46.239 --> 00:41:47.920
I mean, everybody was my height.
00:41:49.199 --> 00:41:53.679
We weren't like a uh shout out to Mark Irwin, our center, who was also 6'1.
00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:54.480
Right, yeah.
00:41:55.039 --> 00:42:00.719
We weren't blessed with a ton of you know great basketball players, but I think uh yeah, it was really fun.
00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:06.880
It was like, you know, our our team just you know, we overachieved, but you did it with guys that you knew since you were little, kind of thing.
00:42:06.960 --> 00:42:07.280
Yeah.
00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:11.519
Uh that you know, the fans got into it, you could see the families, you know, have great experience.
00:42:11.599 --> 00:42:15.440
But then when I went back to George School and I was a head coach there, it was awesome.
00:42:15.599 --> 00:42:18.480
I mean, the basketball atmosphere, you went to a couple of the games, yeah, yeah.
00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:28.960
We went from one of the worst teams, you know, or programs you you could say anywhere, to one of the best anywhere in in a five-year span.
00:42:29.199 --> 00:42:37.119
But you could see the fans in Bucks County and the kids who came to the camp, you could see them like this this buzz started to you know kind of develop, and it was really exciting.
00:42:37.360 --> 00:42:44.480
But it felt great, you know, to give that back, even to my dad, who, you know, he lived 10 minutes away from George School.
00:42:44.559 --> 00:42:47.760
He was walking in with you know 20 of his boys coming to the game.
00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:48.880
Oh, he loves it, man.
00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:49.679
He sat front.
00:42:49.840 --> 00:42:53.360
The game I came to, um, we were sitting with the Flemings and shout out to you know them.
00:42:53.440 --> 00:42:56.239
And Casey obviously has a really bright career in front of him.
00:42:56.559 --> 00:43:01.280
But your dad was, you know, front row, just doing his thing in the loafers and the tucked-in shirt and the jeans.
00:43:01.360 --> 00:43:06.400
And I was like, he's just he is so proud of you and what you've built.
00:43:06.559 --> 00:43:08.960
I could tell that, and I got that sense, and I am too.
00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:16.159
But what does that mean for you and your dad to like your home doing this on your home turf, and now at Penn on an amplified stage like that?
00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:17.360
What does that mean to you, man?
00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:18.880
It means everything, honestly.
00:43:18.960 --> 00:43:21.280
You know, it's uh it was really cool.
00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:26.480
I didn't really know what the reason was why I got back to George School necessarily, right?
00:43:26.559 --> 00:43:32.000
So I spent 10 years um in Binghamton and Ryder University as an assistant coach.
00:43:32.480 --> 00:43:40.960
And you know, at George School, that was my first head coaching experience, but it was in Newtown PA, you know, right across the street from where we went to high school basically.
00:43:41.360 --> 00:43:46.559
School we glossed over growing up, you know, like no athletic prowess, no, you know, yeah.
00:43:46.880 --> 00:43:48.800
So a lot of people question like, what are you doing?
00:43:48.960 --> 00:43:49.280
Right.
00:43:49.840 --> 00:43:55.760
And what was neat was like I really didn't know why I was doing it as much as like I wanted to challenge myself.
00:43:55.840 --> 00:43:59.280
You know, I I had a young family at the time, I wanted them to be around all of this.
00:43:59.440 --> 00:44:02.639
I Wanted to be around my family, my you know, my mom, my dad.
00:44:02.719 --> 00:44:04.960
Yeah, uh, they're all in the area.
00:44:05.280 --> 00:44:10.639
And it, you know, as time went on at George School, like our team got better and better and better.
00:44:10.719 --> 00:44:13.199
And my dad likes good basketball, so he came around more and more.
00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:14.960
He demands good basketball, let's be honest.
00:44:15.199 --> 00:44:25.440
He started showing up a lot more when we were winning games, but I saw him so much, and we saw we had so many great memories, and like he started to become closer with my players at George School.
00:44:25.679 --> 00:44:29.199
We have a uh player, Christian Bliss, who went on to play at Virginia.
00:44:29.360 --> 00:44:34.159
Uh, him and my dad were like kindred spirits, like really they were like best friends, and it was great to watch.
00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:41.039
But I guess what I I was able to give my dad an experience, you know, like he gave me in a way, right?
00:44:41.119 --> 00:44:47.519
So it came full circle for me to say, like, here, you know, you enjoy this, you know, you can sit here and watch.
00:44:47.760 --> 00:44:50.480
It's something to be proud of, great, but like it's right down the street.
00:44:50.559 --> 00:44:54.000
You don't have to drive to Binghamton and upstate New York or wherever.
00:44:54.159 --> 00:44:54.239
Yeah.
00:44:54.559 --> 00:44:55.199
So it was unique.
00:44:55.280 --> 00:45:05.840
I thought it was really uh a special time of my life, and now he'll just have to get, you know, catch a train to the Palestra, but he already got 10 uh 10 tickets, 10 season tickets.
00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:06.719
He bought them up already.
00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:07.360
Did he really?
00:45:07.440 --> 00:45:07.679
Oh, yeah.
00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:08.480
You don't want to speak to me.
00:45:08.639 --> 00:45:09.360
I can't imagine that.
00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:09.679
Yeah.
00:45:09.840 --> 00:45:12.400
I'm gonna have to hit him up to come down to some games this year.
00:45:12.639 --> 00:45:18.480
Yeah, he's he's uh he's excited, I'm excited, but no, it's been really cool, and we got a great relationship.
00:45:18.639 --> 00:45:25.360
Um, and we both love hoops, but we've been doing it together for a long time, and so I'm excited for this next chapter.
00:45:25.679 --> 00:45:26.239
It's awesome.
00:45:26.480 --> 00:45:29.440
Do you ever I I mean, maybe now is the time to do it.
00:45:29.760 --> 00:45:30.880
I don't know if you ever have.
00:45:30.960 --> 00:45:42.480
Like, take a second to sort of zoom out and reflect on your imprint like on the fabric of Philadelphia basketball, including Bucks County.
00:45:42.639 --> 00:46:17.840
You know, like you're you're one of those people that is really, whether you realize it or not, to to me, you're woven into that quilt of like if you look at the amazing history of Philly hoops, you know, Sam Rines, AAU, the Pulestra, the Big Five, I mean, you're on that trajectory to have, again, from my perspective, one of those Mount Rushmore Hall of Fame careers as a player, as a coach, now being at Penn, you know, what is that maybe it means nothing, but you know, do you ever take a step back to really like reflect on where you're at in that journey that you've had?
00:46:18.079 --> 00:46:36.079
I think I've uh you know come to appreciate like it is not easy to get to this point, but I also I don't have those aspirations of being like on the Mount Rushmore of coaching as much as you know, I would I would like to get to that point to have an opportunity, right?
00:46:36.159 --> 00:46:41.760
Like to keep growing, you know, as a coach, so I can have an opportunity to maybe become a head division one coach.
00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:46.239
Um, and then I believe that success will you know happen from there kind of thing.
00:46:46.320 --> 00:46:57.280
But I the way that I'm looking at like I'm 40 now, you know, when I was 24 when I got into the profession, you know, I was just a hundred miles an hour, like I want to be a division one head coach.
00:46:57.440 --> 00:47:00.639
If I'm not a division one head coach by the time I'm 30, I failed.
00:47:01.199 --> 00:47:03.199
Kind of like the same thing when I was, you know, a play.
00:47:03.360 --> 00:47:05.119
If I'm not in the NBA, I failed.
00:47:05.280 --> 00:47:16.719
So I think now at this stage, it's not fair to put those kind of stamps, you know, on what I do as as much as every year, you know, how many people can I impact, right?
00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:21.519
How many people in this locker room now at Penn can I make better, right?
00:47:21.679 --> 00:47:29.920
How can I how can I help them become better players, prepare them for these games, prepare them for whatever's next when the game, when the ball stops bouncing?
00:47:30.079 --> 00:47:33.519
If I can continue doing that, I think it'll be really fulfilling.
00:47:33.760 --> 00:47:37.440
And then, you know, but the number one thing for me is being a dad, you know.
00:47:37.599 --> 00:47:46.000
So it's like that's the hardest part when you're a coach, is like you have all these players and alumni and parents and you know, a lot of people that want your time.
00:47:46.960 --> 00:47:49.679
But for me, like my my kids are gonna get that first.
00:47:49.840 --> 00:47:51.519
And so that's great, man.
00:47:51.599 --> 00:47:52.400
That's great advice.
00:47:52.639 --> 00:47:55.760
That's gonna be the biggest challenge, you know, in this next chapter.
00:47:55.840 --> 00:48:00.239
Is I'm not five minutes away, you know, from George School anymore.
00:48:00.320 --> 00:48:10.159
You know, I'm an hour to Philly, and so I have to make sure that my focus is on, you know, impacting other people's lives while I'm around them, you know.
00:48:10.400 --> 00:48:12.079
Yeah, how how do you do that?
00:48:12.159 --> 00:48:14.320
Like, how do you balance or how do you plan to?
00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:31.119
Because it's new, you know, like you and Nikki and the kids and being home and being dad and going a hundred miles an hour with that, yeah, and then transitioning to, you know, you have young men at stake, you know, in their futures and their careers, and they're looking to you for the answers how to how to do it right, you know.
00:48:31.360 --> 00:48:33.440
Or they want me in the gym like 24 hours a day.
00:48:33.679 --> 00:48:34.400
I'm sure they do.
00:48:34.559 --> 00:48:39.920
They're great kids, but they really, you know, love your, you know, love JJ and CC, but they want me, right?
00:48:40.159 --> 00:48:42.320
But they they they want me to go train them.
00:48:42.400 --> 00:48:52.000
Uh I would say like the key is is you know, the the time management's really important, you know, scheduling way in advance and and kind of you know, mastering that calendar.
00:48:52.239 --> 00:48:59.760
But my wife, you know, Nikki at home, like she's gonna, it's gonna be a big year for you know her at home and and being a great teammate, right?
00:48:59.840 --> 00:49:03.440
Like uh she's gonna have to wear a bunch of hats this year.
00:49:03.679 --> 00:49:05.920
Um, but that's what's gonna take, you know.
00:49:06.000 --> 00:49:09.039
And I think we'll we'll find a way to make it work, make it fun.
00:49:09.280 --> 00:49:12.480
Uh I know my son loves the palestra already, so I'm excited to get him.
00:49:13.679 --> 00:49:14.159
Ah, so cool.
00:49:14.239 --> 00:49:16.079
I mean when you walk in there, it kind of takes your breath away.
00:49:16.239 --> 00:49:17.840
You can I'm getting chills thinking about it.
00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:23.039
Like, there's there's certain there's certain venues in certain places in any industry.
00:49:23.280 --> 00:49:32.400
For me, being a musician, the first time I went to the Ryman Theater, that was the old, you know, Granald Opry, it's an old church at Fifth and Broadway in Nashville.
00:49:32.639 --> 00:49:41.599
The first time I went there, I was by myself and I took a tour by myself just because I wanted to go, I wanted to smell the wood in that place.
00:49:41.679 --> 00:49:48.639
And like I wanted to get on stage and just see and envision like how many people have done that from that perspective.
00:49:48.960 --> 00:49:53.920
And just I I wanted to like put a linchpin and a stamp on my life.
00:49:54.000 --> 00:49:55.920
There was a before and there was an after.
00:49:56.079 --> 00:50:00.000
And this is before anything music related was happening for us.
00:50:00.159 --> 00:50:14.719
I I did that, and it was a big part of the trajectory of like how I approach showing up every day because I knew you could the same as the palestria, you you know the sweat that went into earning that spot on that stage.
00:50:14.800 --> 00:50:15.039
Yep.
00:50:15.199 --> 00:50:17.679
And not to say we ever will, but you're there.
00:50:17.840 --> 00:50:20.960
I mean, you're the man in the arena now is a coach on that floor.
00:50:21.119 --> 00:50:24.800
I mean, what is that what is that like when you step into that spot?
00:50:25.039 --> 00:50:28.159
I'll tell you what, walking in there every day, just like you get those goosebumps.
00:50:28.480 --> 00:50:29.679
Yeah, same thing for me.
00:50:29.760 --> 00:50:33.760
You know, it's like, wow, this is where I work, you know, and it's pretty cool, right?
00:50:33.840 --> 00:50:47.119
Like, I think you know, a couple days into the job, I had a I had a group workout, and you know, I'm I'm on the floor of the palestra doing a practice with guards, you know, just at George School, you know, like a week before kind of thing.
00:50:47.280 --> 00:50:49.360
And so a very nice facility on its own, yeah.
00:50:49.519 --> 00:50:54.800
Yeah, no, it's great, but it's it's no palestra, and uh I take pride in that, right?
00:50:55.039 --> 00:51:07.519
I think it's it's the challenge that I'm excited about, you know, when we got hired at Penn, knowing that you know it's been a little bit since they've been to the NCAA tournament, it's been a little bit since the palestra's been rocking with a ton of fans.
00:51:07.760 --> 00:51:08.000
Yep.
00:51:08.159 --> 00:51:09.440
I love that challenge, you know.
00:51:09.519 --> 00:51:16.719
So I think now it's like you know, you gotta recruit the right players, obviously, but the players that we already have in place, we got to develop them.
00:51:16.960 --> 00:51:23.039
And that's all, you know, behind closed doors, behind the scenes, the things that nobody really sees, as you know, right?
00:51:23.119 --> 00:51:42.960
And then you know, the test comes in November, and um, yeah, I'm I'm excited, but I do take that with uh you know a great deal of you know, like not just respect, but like it's a it's a challenge that we were hired to do, and that's something I take a lot of pride in is you know step up to the challenge, you know, leave it better than when we got there.
00:51:43.599 --> 00:51:45.440
And you know, I'm excited to do that.
00:51:45.599 --> 00:51:47.039
Yeah, it's incredible, man.
00:51:47.119 --> 00:51:48.480
The opportunity you have.
00:51:48.800 --> 00:51:54.960
How do you take all of the things that made you the player, Ben Luber?
00:51:55.199 --> 00:52:00.000
Like the tenacity, the the mindset, the flipping the switch on and off.
00:52:00.079 --> 00:52:03.760
Like you knew when you stepped over those lines that nobody was messing with you.
00:52:04.079 --> 00:52:07.280
How do you channel that and translate it to being a coach?
00:52:07.440 --> 00:52:10.000
Because you're not in direct control of the ball, it's not in your hands.
00:52:10.159 --> 00:52:15.039
But you know, I've always I've found that challenging, even coaching my kids' soccer team.
00:52:15.119 --> 00:52:17.039
Yeah, you know, but how do you do it?
00:52:17.119 --> 00:52:18.239
How do you channel that?
00:52:18.320 --> 00:52:20.960
But get the same output and the same outcome, you know?
00:52:21.119 --> 00:52:22.239
Yeah, I think it's different, right?
00:52:22.400 --> 00:52:27.039
So I've I've I that was like the biggest question that I had getting into coaching.
00:52:27.199 --> 00:52:29.280
That was I asked a lot of head coaches the same thing.
00:52:29.360 --> 00:52:37.599
Like, how can I, you know, take these skills and this work ethic that I have as a player, and how can I use that to become a a great coach?
00:52:37.679 --> 00:52:37.840
Yeah.
00:52:38.159 --> 00:52:44.880
And there really isn't a right answer to it, but what what I found was was you know, like, just like anything else, right?
00:52:44.960 --> 00:52:50.960
Like you have to you have to learn more about it first, right, in order to educate others about it.
00:52:51.199 --> 00:52:57.039
But I think as an assistant coach, right, the way that I can make an impact is very different than as a head coach, right?
00:52:57.119 --> 00:53:01.760
But I think all of it, all of it comes down to preparation, right?
00:53:01.920 --> 00:53:09.599
So, how can I make an impact as an assistant is watching a lot of film with players and developing on the floor, right?
00:53:09.679 --> 00:53:15.760
Like player development, you know, work each day, um and then scouting and different things.
00:53:15.840 --> 00:53:18.000
I can assist our head coach, you know.
00:53:18.079 --> 00:53:23.360
But I I thought my secret sauce at George School was really that my team's prepared better than anybody.
00:53:23.519 --> 00:53:24.559
We practiced better.
00:53:24.719 --> 00:53:37.119
You know, we because not that we just went harder, we were you know very um structured, our time was structured, so we trained like a college team, and I that really paid off.
00:53:37.199 --> 00:53:51.679
So in game, I was never like people would, you know, like laugh at me after the game, like you never get you never yell, you know, or you you you never get uh angry with the players, or I felt so prepared in those games where I knew it wasn't a perfect game, right?
00:53:51.760 --> 00:53:52.880
I knew things were gonna go wrong.
00:53:52.960 --> 00:53:53.280
Yeah.
00:53:53.440 --> 00:54:13.840
But we prepared at a really high level and brought me peace in a game where it was like I enjoyed it, I could root for the team, I could call a timeout of you know, retired or whatever, but like I didn't really need to do as much strategy because we practiced, you know, we practiced for the game, the game is for the players to play in.
00:54:14.239 --> 00:54:16.559
And you know, hopefully this year we could do the same thing.
00:54:16.639 --> 00:54:20.719
I could just sit there on the Palestra bench and eat popcorn and watch them, you know.
00:54:21.440 --> 00:54:23.920
So preparation leads to popcorn on the sidelines.
00:54:24.159 --> 00:54:24.480
That's right.
00:54:25.119 --> 00:54:26.639
Uh no, I in all honesty, man.
00:54:26.719 --> 00:54:31.760
I I mean, I just learned something from you, which is really cool that the preparation leads to peace for you.
00:54:31.840 --> 00:54:50.559
That's how it shows up and manifests for you, is you feel like you can be show up as authentically yourself in a relaxed, peaceful manner, that you you have clarity, you can communicate and you can just observe at that point because you know that you've done everything, you've exhausted everything to be prepared in that moment.
00:54:50.880 --> 00:54:54.639
And it's cool in such a I mean, 14 years as a coach, right?
00:54:54.800 --> 00:54:58.320
Like that's it may seem like some a long time for you.
00:54:58.400 --> 00:55:07.199
I'm sure it seems like it's flying, but to translate prepping yourself as a player into prepping 18 guys is no small feat.
00:55:07.280 --> 00:55:15.360
And for you to make that transition to learn that skill of how to communicate preparation so that you can sit there and eat popcorn on the sideline.
00:55:15.440 --> 00:55:17.119
I mean, what's that journey been like?
00:55:17.440 --> 00:55:22.239
I loved, I mean, I loved being the head coach at George School, but there was a lot of learning along the way.
00:55:22.320 --> 00:55:25.840
And we had talked about like the influences, Fran McCaffrey's a big one.
00:55:26.079 --> 00:55:29.599
You know, I uh Billy Donovan, who was the head coach at Florida.
00:55:29.920 --> 00:55:30.719
Yeah, legend too.
00:55:31.199 --> 00:55:41.119
You know, he was great to me when I was at Binghamton University and Ryder University, another mentor who taught me a lot about his defense and how they played it in their national championship years.
00:55:41.280 --> 00:55:42.719
I had a lot to learn.
00:55:42.880 --> 00:55:45.360
Um, you know, and I study the greats, right?
00:55:45.440 --> 00:55:52.960
I watch their you know demeanor on a sideline sometimes, and it's not that I'm mimicking them, I'm just I'm learning about something I've never done before.
00:55:53.119 --> 00:56:00.239
Uh, but I do I we had a really, really good assistant coach at Penn State who was excellent at scouting.
00:56:00.400 --> 00:56:03.679
And so like he's who I learned how to do scouting reports from.
00:56:03.920 --> 00:56:14.559
So you piece together these people along the way, yeah, you kind of develop your own identity, and that's what I feel like I've done, you know, is like when I'm a head coach, I'm gonna be different than Fran McCaffrey.
00:56:14.719 --> 00:56:16.480
Fran's excellent, right?
00:56:16.719 --> 00:56:20.719
But I'm gonna add something that Fran does to who I am.
00:56:20.960 --> 00:56:22.880
You know, I'll never become someone else.
00:56:23.039 --> 00:56:36.719
But I think like as time goes on, yeah, uh 15 years has been a long, a long journey, but there's so many lessons along the way where I feel like I'm really confident that now I'm ready, you know, for whatever is next.
00:56:36.800 --> 00:56:37.039
Right.
00:56:37.119 --> 00:56:41.519
If it's a head coaching job, you know, at a at a college, I'm ready for it.
00:56:41.679 --> 00:56:44.480
If it's a head coaching job in an NBA, I'm ready for it.
00:56:44.639 --> 00:56:45.360
You know what I mean?
00:56:45.440 --> 00:56:49.360
If it's a head coach at my son's, you know, CYO team, I'm ready for it.
00:56:49.440 --> 00:56:49.840
You know what I mean?
00:56:50.079 --> 00:56:50.239
St.
00:56:50.320 --> 00:56:52.800
Andrew, that's a that's a tough yeah, that's a tough gig.
00:56:53.039 --> 00:57:03.920
But you know, so it just I think like that's you know, you just got to keep sharpening your sword, you know, learning, enjoying it, giving back, uh, because it can be taken away too, you know.
00:57:04.239 --> 00:57:08.239
And so I think it's important to keep you know, keep that bus moving forward.
00:57:08.559 --> 00:57:09.119
Yeah, man.
00:57:09.599 --> 00:57:21.679
Yeah, it's uh you take it for granted sometimes when you're in it and you've you've developed and you've spent so much of your time and your resource and your energy focused on this one thing, like making the transition from player to coach.
00:57:21.840 --> 00:57:25.599
Now it's learning from the greats, being a sponge, new opportunity.
00:57:25.840 --> 00:57:39.440
So what's you know, not that you have your sights set on, you know, like you said, being an NBA coach or anything else, but what's the next phase of things that you're going into this season with the mindset that you need to learn or that you want to sharpen specifically?
00:57:39.599 --> 00:57:45.039
You know, like you said, the scouting thing, are there things that you want to develop this season that are goals for you personally?
00:57:45.679 --> 00:57:47.599
Um it's a good question.
00:57:47.760 --> 00:57:57.519
Uh, you know, I think getting back in the you know, the the rhythm of watching a lot of film again, because we have the software at the college level that we didn't have in high school.
00:57:57.679 --> 00:57:58.159
Oh yeah.
00:57:58.320 --> 00:58:02.719
Um so there's so much, you know, there's so much film out there that you can teach with.
00:58:02.960 --> 00:58:15.679
So I think, you know, kind of mastering the the film again and how to you know break down an opponent, also how to, you know, develop our our players and show them, you know, how they're getting better along the way.
00:58:15.840 --> 00:58:17.440
I'm a big fan of visual learning.
00:58:17.760 --> 00:58:19.760
Us as human beings, we're visual learners.
00:58:19.920 --> 00:58:21.760
So coaches like to talk a lot.
00:58:21.920 --> 00:58:23.119
I like to show, you know.
00:58:23.440 --> 00:58:29.840
Meaning like you'll show a film clip or like something visually on a screen, or like show in real life and set up a scenario on the code.
00:58:30.000 --> 00:58:32.719
No, more than I'm gonna show you how you did it on film.
00:58:32.960 --> 00:58:33.280
Gotcha.
00:58:33.519 --> 00:58:35.760
Because I told you about it live and you heard it.
00:58:36.000 --> 00:58:37.119
Like when you're doing it, right?
00:58:37.199 --> 00:58:40.719
It's very hard for you to understand because you're like, nah, I kept my hands up on the shot.
00:58:40.880 --> 00:58:41.199
Right, right.
00:58:41.360 --> 00:58:42.079
No, you didn't watch.
00:58:42.320 --> 00:58:42.880
Yeah, watch it.
00:58:43.039 --> 00:58:43.199
Right?
00:58:43.360 --> 00:58:45.039
So now you believe and how you learned.
00:58:45.199 --> 00:58:47.599
And so like I like the process of that, right?
00:58:47.679 --> 00:58:51.360
So I'm looking forward to kind of digging into more film this year.
00:58:51.519 --> 00:58:56.719
Um, recruiting, you know, uh we we've had a lot of success recruiting.
00:58:56.800 --> 00:59:00.159
I've been recruiting for a while, you know, at George School at a at a pretty high level, I think.
00:59:00.320 --> 00:59:02.320
So yeah, pretty confident coming in at Penn.
00:59:02.559 --> 00:59:07.039
I mean, you were global, you had you know, Z, a kid from China who came over and played with you like Z.
00:59:07.519 --> 00:59:11.440
Yeah, I mean, how is how has the landscape changed?
00:59:11.599 --> 00:59:17.199
I wanted to ask you this, just NIL in general, getting your take on it, like direct impact on you.
00:59:17.360 --> 00:59:23.119
How have you had to shift mindset or the ways that you go about recruiting and finding and offering you know talent?
00:59:23.360 --> 00:59:29.920
Yeah, I mean the Ivy League is uh the only league in division one that opted out of the NCA settlement.
00:59:30.159 --> 00:59:32.800
So we can't offer kids money to play.
00:59:32.880 --> 00:59:34.320
There's no pay to play.
00:59:34.639 --> 00:59:46.719
So they do you know offer the individual, the the um the student athlete the ability to make money off of their own name, image, and likeness, right so they can do commercial NIL with different companies.
00:59:46.880 --> 00:59:48.880
We're really hands-off in that area.
00:59:49.119 --> 01:00:02.960
So we're different than all these other college coaches who are, I mean, these other college coaches are now recruiting and saying, like, you know, you know, Matt Freeman, you got a full ride to come to X University and we're also gonna pay you 250,000 or whatever.
01:00:03.199 --> 01:00:03.760
Can I counter?
01:00:04.079 --> 01:00:04.800
Right, you can.
01:00:05.119 --> 01:00:05.760
All right, thank you.
01:00:06.000 --> 01:00:06.800
Just not with us.
01:00:07.760 --> 01:00:12.960
But we're on the side of okay, you know, we got eight schools in the Ivy League.
01:00:13.280 --> 01:00:15.360
It's financial need based, right?
01:00:15.440 --> 01:00:17.920
So it's all financial aid money.
01:00:18.079 --> 01:00:23.199
If you need it, we can provide it, uh, but we don't give scholarships, right?
01:00:23.679 --> 01:00:27.440
So our draw is the palestra, right?
01:00:27.599 --> 01:00:30.639
Our draw is our pen education.
01:00:32.159 --> 01:00:36.559
I mean, pen education is something that you know you have to really want.
01:00:36.800 --> 01:00:45.679
And you know, so I mean last year they had 72,000 applicants, 3,500 got in, they came from a hundred different countries and all 50 states.
01:00:45.920 --> 01:00:49.280
So you're you're going to one of the best institutions in the world, right?
01:00:49.360 --> 01:00:51.039
So we have a high level of basketball.
01:00:51.119 --> 01:00:56.480
We got the palestria, but you also graduate with a degree from Penn, you know, that lasts the rest of your life.
01:00:56.559 --> 01:00:58.000
So our cell's a little different.
01:00:58.079 --> 01:01:06.239
It's not for everybody, but we are looking for the basketball player who wants the pen education, right?
01:01:06.320 --> 01:01:07.760
Because we're here to win a championship.
01:01:07.920 --> 01:01:08.079
Yeah.
01:01:08.320 --> 01:01:09.519
We're basketball coaches, right?
01:01:09.599 --> 01:01:11.519
Like they didn't hire me to teach any classes on Penn.
01:01:11.840 --> 01:01:12.320
Thank God.
01:01:12.480 --> 01:01:13.119
Thank God.
01:01:13.679 --> 01:01:16.480
So like I just like they got to do their job, we got to do ours.
01:01:16.559 --> 01:01:20.320
So I think that's a good, you know, challenge uh that we're really excited about.
01:01:20.480 --> 01:01:36.239
But that's what makes us different in this NIL space, is you know, we we can't pay you to come to Penn, but we can provide you know a different experience at Penn than maybe some other places that it's gonna it could be short-lived, you know.
01:01:36.480 --> 01:01:36.719
Sure.
01:01:37.119 --> 01:01:39.199
We talk about long-term greedy, right?
01:01:39.360 --> 01:01:43.039
A 40-year game plan, or you come to Penn, you gotta you really do have a 40-year game plan.
01:01:43.280 --> 01:01:44.079
It's a great way to look.
01:01:44.159 --> 01:01:47.440
I mean, you're probably looking for a specific kind of a kid.
01:01:47.519 --> 01:01:54.400
Because I'll be honest, if I was 17, uh knowing myself at 17 and you pitch me that, I'd be like, dude, show me the money, all due respect.
01:01:54.639 --> 01:01:54.960
I hear you.
01:01:55.280 --> 01:01:57.760
But that wasn't my long-term plan.
01:01:58.000 --> 01:02:06.480
But you know, I imagine that you're running into families and kids that are thinking that way and setting up and saying, like, yes, that's 100% what I'm looking for.
01:02:06.880 --> 01:02:10.559
Do you find it just a smaller pool or a different type of mentality?
01:02:10.800 --> 01:02:13.280
I think there's a lot of people out there.
01:02:13.440 --> 01:02:16.639
It's surprising because basketball is not a country club sport, right?
01:02:16.719 --> 01:02:18.480
It's not a cheap tuition either.
01:02:18.639 --> 01:02:34.079
Um, but there's a lot of people that you know want the Ivy education, families who do have money, whose kids play basketball kind of thing, now navigating through those channels and finding the best and the brightest, right, who want to pay, who also have scholarship offers on the table.
01:02:34.239 --> 01:02:34.559
Sure, yeah.
01:02:34.880 --> 01:02:41.679
We've dealt with that in recruiting, you know, these last couple months, and we found success because I think we have a really good team, we have a good sell.
01:02:42.000 --> 01:02:49.440
Uh, but Penn is Penn, Wharton School is Wharton School, you know, it's like those things they sell themselves, right?
01:02:49.519 --> 01:02:53.760
So there's people that are already attracted to that prior to us coming in the door.
01:02:53.920 --> 01:02:58.480
But yeah, to find them, the right ones for us, it's a you know, it's a good challenge.
01:02:58.639 --> 01:03:00.159
It's like, you know, where's Waldo?
01:03:02.159 --> 01:03:03.039
You find Waldo.
01:03:03.199 --> 01:03:05.440
Yeah, you eventually find him, and yeah, he makes the team.
01:03:05.599 --> 01:03:06.000
That's right.
01:03:06.239 --> 01:03:10.159
How much of your when I when I committed to Bloomsburg?
01:03:10.400 --> 01:03:16.480
One of the big reasons why I went there versus the other schools I was looking at, I loved our offensive coordinator.
01:03:16.559 --> 01:03:20.719
I mean, he sold me on the dream, and then he left after my freshman year, which happens.
01:03:21.280 --> 01:03:27.199
You know, but Coach Monas, shout out to him, who had a great career um at Susquehanna afterwards.
01:03:27.440 --> 01:03:31.840
But I mean, how much are you guys leaning into Coach Fran's legacy, yours?
01:03:31.920 --> 01:03:42.800
Like, I mean, you're uh in a lot of ways, you're the person on campus that they're you know spending an oversized amount of their time and their resource with.
01:03:43.280 --> 01:03:47.360
How much are you leaning into like your personal brand and what you're selling to them?
01:03:47.599 --> 01:03:48.480
Yeah, I think so.
01:03:48.559 --> 01:03:58.880
We do a presentation with our recruits when they're on campus and we talk about, you know, each coach talks about themselves a little bit, but we usually do this without Fran, Coach Fran in the room.
01:03:58.960 --> 01:04:00.159
So it's the three assistant coaches.
01:04:00.320 --> 01:04:00.480
Okay.
01:04:00.800 --> 01:04:08.159
So you know, I think it's important that we all get we don't we don't just talk about Fran, we we we say what we bring to the table.
01:04:08.320 --> 01:04:08.800
Sure, right?
01:04:09.199 --> 01:04:17.039
So uh I think what's great is that all three assistants legitimately bring you know a lot to the table.
01:04:17.199 --> 01:04:22.400
Uh but let's not be fooled, you know, Coach Fran is the he's the big selling point.
01:04:22.559 --> 01:04:22.719
Sure.
01:04:22.880 --> 01:04:23.119
Right.
01:04:23.199 --> 01:04:28.719
So like he's someone that you know I would have loved to play for, right?
01:04:28.800 --> 01:04:30.320
So I make that known to these players.
01:04:30.400 --> 01:04:31.760
Like, I would have loved playing for him.
01:04:31.840 --> 01:04:35.119
I wouldn't have left to go coach with anyone else.
01:04:35.280 --> 01:04:37.920
So I let them know, like, I'm selling you a product that I already bought.
01:04:38.000 --> 01:04:38.559
You know what I mean?
01:04:38.800 --> 01:04:39.840
That's a I love that.
01:04:40.079 --> 01:04:40.239
Right.
01:04:40.320 --> 01:04:41.599
So I'm I'm I'm in.
01:04:41.679 --> 01:04:42.800
Like, I'm just trying to get you in with me.
01:04:43.199 --> 01:04:44.480
That's why that's a good point.
01:04:44.800 --> 01:04:45.599
We're gonna win.
01:04:45.840 --> 01:04:46.559
You know what I mean?
01:04:46.800 --> 01:04:58.239
But you're here for a reason, and so I think what what's worked is like you know, our synergy that the stronger it gets, like we're a power of four as opposed to a power of one, right?
01:04:58.320 --> 01:05:04.960
But like our job as assistants is to lift him up, in my opinion, right?
01:05:05.199 --> 01:05:12.000
And put him on the pedestal that he deserves to be on, and also you know, prove him right, but make him better.
01:05:12.079 --> 01:05:12.960
That's why he hired us.
01:05:13.119 --> 01:05:21.760
Because I, you know, I I really you know, really believe in that with with him, and uh over time our product will speak for itself.
01:05:21.920 --> 01:05:22.800
I think that's what's good.
01:05:22.960 --> 01:05:37.119
We don't really have to oversell ourselves, but um, yeah, in those in those meetings with the recruit when we talk about you know what we've done in the past, I think you know, our playing experiences, our coaching experiences, they kind of speak for themselves.
01:05:37.280 --> 01:05:42.880
Um but yeah, we all we all kind of chip in and and put Fran on that pedestal.
01:05:44.159 --> 01:05:44.800
That's so cool.
01:05:44.960 --> 01:05:48.639
I mean, I'm a big believer in rising tides, raise all ships, you know.
01:05:48.960 --> 01:06:04.960
And in an in an industry as goofy as the music industry can be, you know, if you ask anyone we've worked with, like people in our band, whatever, I I try to be Be a resource as much as I am a performer and whatever, just to like help people.
01:06:05.039 --> 01:06:06.239
I love seeing people win.
01:06:06.320 --> 01:06:22.239
I just want to see if if we can't play a show and someone offers it to us, like I'm making 10, 15 calls to others that might be able to fill that slot because you know, opportunity, pay, you know, exposure, whatever else, I just like seeing others around us win.
01:06:22.320 --> 01:06:25.440
Yeah, you know, and I don't know that others don't have that mentality.
01:06:25.519 --> 01:06:36.480
I'm sure a lot of them do, but in something as cutthroat as the music industry, I have to imagine it's pretty similar for you, where like you definitely have people out for themselves, only want to see themselves succeed.
01:06:36.639 --> 01:06:38.800
You know, like do you run into that still a lot?
01:06:39.039 --> 01:06:41.199
Yeah, I mean, I think I'm more like you, right?
01:06:41.280 --> 01:06:45.519
Uh, but our industries are probably very similar in a way, it's very competitive.
01:06:45.679 --> 01:06:50.079
Uh people will do whatever it takes to kind of climb their ladder and take credit for different things.
01:06:50.239 --> 01:06:50.719
Sure, yeah.
01:06:50.880 --> 01:06:53.679
But I'm totally the opposite of that, right?
01:06:53.760 --> 01:06:59.039
Like, yeah, I haven't had a lot of people put their hand out and say, like, come on, you know, let me give you a shot, right?
01:06:59.199 --> 01:07:02.400
It just it's not gonna happen in most places in this world.
01:07:02.639 --> 01:07:11.519
But for me, when I see someone great, you know, who is who's working hard, or you know, like even our we had we had a great JV coach at George School, right?
01:07:11.840 --> 01:07:12.320
Oh yeah.
01:07:12.559 --> 01:07:18.159
Cam Tucker, he was awesome and he had great energy, and he was a sponge, he just wanted to learn.
01:07:18.320 --> 01:07:19.760
And I still talk to him, right?
01:07:19.840 --> 01:07:23.519
But like he was someone, you know, freaking like I'm always gonna try to help Cam.
01:07:23.679 --> 01:07:31.679
There's a lot of people that I've come across, you know, like Cam that have like this special energy and and a passion for the game, and they're younger.
01:07:31.840 --> 01:07:42.480
They could be like our my manager, Nicholas Sherrat, who's now at Rutgers as a manager, you know, he was a ninth grader, you know, little kid who didn't have any friends when he got to school at George School.
01:07:42.880 --> 01:07:44.719
These are examples because it's kind of the same thing, right?
01:07:44.880 --> 01:07:50.639
Like all he wanted to do is be a part of the program, be a coach one day, and he he he might be one day, right?
01:07:50.719 --> 01:07:54.480
Like he he was you know very, very important in our program.
01:07:55.440 --> 01:08:03.679
But every time a college coach came in, right, Nicholas was the first person that greeted the college coach and he handed him a practice plan.
01:08:03.840 --> 01:08:06.880
So Nicholas now gets to meet the college coach and now he's got a network.
01:08:06.960 --> 01:08:14.559
Well, he's now got to follow up with them with an email after to send them our game schedule and also you know keep that relationship going, Nick.
01:08:14.719 --> 01:08:21.199
You know, so like going back to it, when I see people like that who are you know, they give back to the game, they treat it with respect, they want to learn more.
01:08:21.359 --> 01:08:27.359
I'm a hundred percent all in on you know helping that person uh because it's needed, right?
01:08:27.600 --> 01:08:28.560
How do you not, man?
01:08:28.640 --> 01:08:40.960
Like really the way I look at really anything, you know, maybe it's our advanced age of 40 or you know, having kids or whatever, you start to really just kind of sit back and and think about what your imprint, you know.
01:08:41.039 --> 01:09:13.840
I'm not one that's big on legacy just because I I like to be in the moment and just kind of, you know, show up the same way, but you know, when you when you're ingrained as much as you are in basketball, and we are, you know, I'd like to say to a degree in music, you know, how do you not take that curator mentality and just realize there's something way bigger than you that you were gifted enough to be a part of that most people that are in a corporate nine to five are stuck in like, you know, they they always had dreams or aspirations of something else, you know?
01:09:14.000 --> 01:09:39.840
And I think you and I are both unique and fortunate in a way where you know we sort of have a calling and a talent and a skill level at something that we're able to pursue it as adults that a lot of people don't ever get that opportunity to, you know, and how many people that you're friends with or that you run into are still doing, you know, the the sort of predictable life thing where their life is played out for them.
01:09:40.079 --> 01:09:52.800
I think you and I are different from most, but maybe very similar in this, where I love the challenge of resisting the you know the sort of mundane normal life.
01:09:52.960 --> 01:09:57.119
I just feel like there's something different that you and I were both charted to do.
01:09:57.279 --> 01:10:15.439
And I love leaning into that, and I love that it's different because that's where you know I like being creative, I like showing up and doing stuff like this, but you know, there's a there's just a different path that I like leaning into because a lot of people don't ever get that opportunity.
01:10:15.680 --> 01:10:21.039
They have that thing in their gut that's telling them, like, well, you know, you should do this or you should start this, but no, don't.
01:10:21.119 --> 01:10:22.560
There's fear, there's doubt.
01:10:22.800 --> 01:10:30.560
You know, like I just think that we're really fortunate in a way that we were gifted with the talent and the skill to do something that's a little bit off the beaten path.
01:10:30.720 --> 01:10:32.800
Yeah, you know, you're definitely doing it.
01:10:32.880 --> 01:10:36.000
I mean, you I mean you're you're you're going down a lot of different avenues, right?
01:10:36.079 --> 01:10:38.640
Trying new things out, you know, not afraid to fail, right?
01:10:38.720 --> 01:10:40.239
And it's led to a lot of success.
01:10:40.399 --> 01:10:42.239
But uh yeah, I think similar, right?
01:10:42.319 --> 01:10:46.640
For me, I probably could take more chances like you have, right, in in a good way.
01:10:46.800 --> 01:10:48.319
Um, but I do, right?
01:10:48.399 --> 01:10:53.039
I think like as you get older, it becomes less about you know the individual, right?
01:10:53.119 --> 01:10:59.680
Like you you you tell me how good of a basketball player I was, and I'm like, eh, I used to think that, you know, kind of thing.
01:10:59.840 --> 01:11:04.640
Like I used to think that I was pretty good, and now I'm like, when I see the whole world, I'm like, I wasn't shit.
01:11:05.119 --> 01:11:05.920
You know what I mean?
01:11:06.000 --> 01:11:17.600
But at the same time, right, like we're we are, we're small, you know, little pieces in this world, and we do have an ability to touch a lot of lives, uh, you know, impact them, but you know, I think that brings a lot of joy.
01:11:17.680 --> 01:11:21.439
So I think focusing on you know, tapping into that, yeah.
01:11:21.520 --> 01:11:29.680
I think it you and I do have something in common where we love what we do, but we want to bring joy to others, people's lives by doing what we do, right?
01:11:29.920 --> 01:11:37.359
You know, help them get better, teach some lessons along the way, but lift them up, you know, and and make this an enjoyable experience that we continue doing.
01:11:37.600 --> 01:11:41.760
Because the alternative is is right, like we don't get to keep doing it, you know.
01:11:42.079 --> 01:11:43.680
That's the biggest fear, man.
01:11:43.840 --> 01:11:48.880
And you know, you you mentioned fear just kind of as a you know a topic.
01:11:49.039 --> 01:11:52.479
I'm curious, like everyone has that in them.
01:11:52.640 --> 01:12:04.479
And I know when we were starting out in music, you know, kid from suburban Philadelphia shouldn't be singing country songs, and you know, I I grew up playing in other rock projects or whatever, but I just fell in love with country music.
01:12:04.640 --> 01:12:08.560
My wife and I met over it, you know, 20 some years ago at this point.
01:12:08.880 --> 01:12:15.600
So, what about like fear and doubt for you as a player, as a coach, making that transition to a coach?
01:12:15.680 --> 01:12:16.880
Like, am I really cut out for this?
01:12:16.960 --> 01:12:17.680
Can I really do it?
01:12:17.760 --> 01:12:19.199
Do I know what the hell I'm doing?
01:12:19.439 --> 01:12:20.800
You know, how did you overcome that?
01:12:20.880 --> 01:12:23.119
And like, how did you shift the mindset to like screw it?
01:12:23.199 --> 01:12:25.760
I'm going through the F and wall and I'm gonna figure this out.
01:12:26.079 --> 01:12:27.920
Yeah, I it was hard as an assistant.
01:12:28.000 --> 01:12:30.159
I mean, still, it can be hard as an assistant, right?
01:12:30.239 --> 01:12:33.439
You're not really in control of calling the shots every day.
01:12:33.920 --> 01:12:35.920
Um, so that's a challenge in itself.
01:12:36.159 --> 01:12:45.680
But I go back to like the you know, what what built my confidence was I was afraid, yeah, to to lose, right?
01:12:45.760 --> 01:12:47.680
Like so Why was that, do you think?
01:12:47.760 --> 01:12:48.720
Just out of curiosity.
01:12:48.960 --> 01:12:53.359
Uh I don't want to waste all that time in you know, I think like to lose, right?
01:12:53.439 --> 01:12:57.680
Like I want to put all this time into something, training, you know, it's like taking pride in it, right?
01:12:57.760 --> 01:13:03.920
And like in the end, you know, to to to lose after all that is like really worth it.
01:13:04.079 --> 01:13:06.399
Yeah, or or I gotta do it more, I gotta do it again, right?
01:13:06.560 --> 01:13:10.640
Like you don't it kind of fuels you in a way like to return or give up.
01:13:10.800 --> 01:13:15.600
You know, I think that's part of the challenge in athletics, right, and sport, and you know, you're gonna fail at some point, right?
01:13:15.680 --> 01:13:16.560
You're gonna lose at some point.
01:13:16.640 --> 01:13:17.680
How do you respond?
01:13:18.159 --> 01:13:25.840
Um, but I think yeah, uh for me it was just the fear of yeah, like as a coach, you know, not preparing, right?
01:13:25.920 --> 01:13:34.239
Like that'll bring anxiety, you know, not having uh you know, not training your players every day, that'll make me a little nervous come season time.
01:13:34.560 --> 01:13:45.840
You know, I so I th I I love the day to day, I love the details, I love the compound effect that'll take place and you know have an explosive blessing, you know, two months from now, you know, that our team's playing really well.
01:13:46.079 --> 01:13:53.359
But if if you handle the day to day to day to day, you know, that's where the compound effect eventually takes place.
01:13:53.520 --> 01:14:01.600
And I can't do this, like I'm just you know, I can't put a smile on my face and keep you know the day going if I'm just crossing my fingers kind of thing.
01:14:01.760 --> 01:14:02.079
Yeah.
01:14:02.319 --> 01:14:12.560
Um but yeah, I think the fear factor of not doing something, you know, that you love to do at the highest level.
01:14:13.760 --> 01:14:16.800
That's just like it's uncomfortable for me, I guess, right?
01:14:17.199 --> 01:14:18.000
It's not gonna be perfect.
01:14:18.319 --> 01:14:43.600
That's probably rare, you know, that you're you've been you've curated such a long career and really a life at this point of like having that mindset and never really straying from it that that might sound different to people, you know, like loving the process, falling in love with the journey and the details as much as they are the outcome is probably different for a lot of people because they could never commit to that.
01:14:43.840 --> 01:14:47.760
Yeah, and it's a little maybe uh obsessive at times, right?
01:14:48.079 --> 01:14:48.880
It's okay to say it.
01:14:48.960 --> 01:14:49.840
That's a good thing, you know.
01:14:50.159 --> 01:14:56.399
You know, I think it it it takes like momentum, right, to have success, especially with something that wasn't good at first, right?
01:14:56.479 --> 01:15:03.920
Like you gotta really get that you know thing moving to have a real flywheel effect, you know, and but if you don't ever get it started, right?
01:15:04.000 --> 01:15:09.680
Like you don't you don't work at it every day, you don't lose and figure out how to win, you gotta keep going, right?
01:15:09.840 --> 01:15:10.800
I think that's the whole thing.
01:15:10.880 --> 01:15:14.399
As a competitor, I don't know how I keep going sometimes.
01:15:14.479 --> 01:15:23.520
You know, I mean when you got a family and you know your day-to-day is kind of nuts, but you know, as you get older as a coach, I see these guys doing it until they're like 70 years old, and you're like, how's this guy?
01:15:23.600 --> 01:15:24.960
How's Rick Pettino still doing it?
01:15:25.119 --> 01:15:27.039
You know, how's he still yelling at these kids?
01:15:27.279 --> 01:15:28.800
I mean, it it's what you do, right?
01:15:28.880 --> 01:15:34.720
Like my dad's a doctor, he lives to serve and be a doctor and take care of people and diagnose.
01:15:35.039 --> 01:15:38.159
I live to do the same, you know, as a basketball coach, right?
01:15:38.239 --> 01:15:42.000
I'm I'm here to to to help others diagnose, right?
01:15:42.079 --> 01:15:47.279
You know, put something together, you know, put a report together, execute a game plan, win a game, right?
01:15:47.359 --> 01:15:49.760
I I love the process of all that.
01:15:50.000 --> 01:15:54.640
And uh yeah, I mean, like the relationships are definitely the most important things along the way.
01:15:54.880 --> 01:15:55.600
Agreed, yep.
01:15:55.760 --> 01:15:59.840
You know, but for me, I I just you know I love being around basketball.
01:15:59.920 --> 01:16:01.359
I love what it's done for me.
01:16:01.600 --> 01:16:09.920
I love that my kids now get to be around, you know, other good people who are working hard, you know, and and they can be good role models for my kids.
01:16:10.079 --> 01:16:18.640
Um, so yeah, it's uh it's a great place to be in, but you know, I think it can all go away like that too when you don't treat it with respect.
01:16:19.039 --> 01:16:19.920
Amen, brother.
01:16:20.079 --> 01:16:21.359
Well, it's been great having you, man.
01:16:21.439 --> 01:16:26.960
I I want to uh give you a quick shot to tell us about the season, you know, where can we find you on socials?
01:16:27.039 --> 01:16:28.800
Where can we follow your journey with the team?
01:16:28.880 --> 01:16:30.079
And when's the season start?
01:16:30.159 --> 01:16:31.039
Tell us about what's going on.
01:16:31.279 --> 01:16:34.640
Yeah, so uh we got to come to a Penn Men's basketball game, obviously.
01:16:34.880 --> 01:16:37.199
Come to the palestra, we gotta get the thing rocking again.
01:16:37.359 --> 01:16:39.760
Um we start up with our season in November.
01:16:39.920 --> 01:16:42.079
Uh we got some scrimmages in October.
01:16:42.239 --> 01:16:46.319
We host our own MTE uh in November at the Palestra.
01:16:47.119 --> 01:16:49.039
And yeah, I mean, come out to a game.
01:16:49.119 --> 01:16:52.319
You can follow me on Coach Luber, all platforms.
01:16:52.560 --> 01:16:55.119
Um, but yeah, it's been a pleasure being here.
01:16:55.199 --> 01:16:56.399
I'm a big fan of yours.
01:16:56.479 --> 01:16:57.279
My wife loves your music, too.
01:16:57.359 --> 01:16:58.960
We got out of concerts.
01:16:59.119 --> 01:17:00.079
I'm telling you, she does.
01:17:00.319 --> 01:17:02.880
Well, you guys came out to see us the one time in uh Sea Isle, right?
01:17:03.039 --> 01:17:03.279
We did.
01:17:03.359 --> 01:17:03.600
That was fun.
01:17:03.760 --> 01:17:04.720
Yeah, it was definitely a good time.
01:17:04.880 --> 01:17:06.000
So you're doing great things, man.
01:17:06.079 --> 01:17:06.800
I'm really proud of you.
01:17:07.039 --> 01:17:07.199
Thank you.
01:17:07.439 --> 01:17:08.239
I appreciate you having me.
01:17:08.399 --> 01:17:09.119
Appreciate it, brother.
01:17:09.279 --> 01:17:11.279
Coach Luber, it's been a pleasure, brother.
01:17:11.439 --> 01:17:12.479
Thank you so much for being here, man.
01:17:12.720 --> 01:17:13.279
Likewise.
01:17:13.439 --> 01:17:14.079
All right.