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BASKETBALL SZN + Recruiting Talk & Oklahoma State Preview · Talkin' Tech

0:39
SPEAKER_02: Welcome in, everybody, to the Talk and Tech Podcast.
0:42
SPEAKER_02: My name is Steven Rodriguez, my co-host, Tristan McGonagall.
0:44
SPEAKER_02: Tristan, how are you doing today, man?
0:46
SPEAKER_01: I'm doing all right, sir.
0:47
SPEAKER_01: Just uh raining here in uh the Austin Metroplex.
0:52
SPEAKER_01: Just uh looking forward to a week packed full of Texas Tech.
0:58
SPEAKER_02: Yes, Texas Tech has four big games this coming week, three being basketball season and one being football against Oklahoma State.
1:07
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna preview all those games here for you here in a second.
1:10
SPEAKER_02: But I think I wanted to start off with this.
1:12
SPEAKER_02: Uh we recently saw on Twitter that a guy named Alex Kirschner uh tweeted out my strongest take about the success of Mahomes and Kingsbury in the NFL is that it may be literally impossible to win at Texas Tech.
1:27
SPEAKER_02: That's not even really a hot take.
1:29
SPEAKER_02: Well, first it is.
1:30
SPEAKER_02: It's the recent standard, but unless you magically convince defensive four stars to go to Lubbock, it'll be bad.
1:38
SPEAKER_02: Tristan, this conversation comes up once a year for football, as soon as we have a bad season.
1:44
SPEAKER_02: Why is this false?
1:46
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's Texas Tech is a winning program.
1:49
SPEAKER_01: Uh I think this is has recency bias written all over it.
1:53
SPEAKER_01: And with the amount of NFL talent we've been putting out there and uh having the best player in all of uh the NFL right now, I think that just kind of uh overshadows the Texas Tech football program because of how bad we are.
2:05
SPEAKER_01: But I mean it it it kind of pushes back on that point too, you know, with the uh with the kind of players we can get to Texas Tech, you know, there's no reason for us to be bad.
2:15
SPEAKER_01: So it's just um you and I always talk about this, and I'm sure you're gonna have a whole rant following this.
2:21
SPEAKER_01: My my the end of my sentence here, but it's all about the coach, and it's that this is such a lazy take, and we hear it all the time being Texas Tech fans.
2:30
SPEAKER_02: It's a lazy take and it's an easy take because of how successful Cliff is having is is doing this year.
2:37
SPEAKER_02: He's having a great season with the Cardinals, but I I just wonder why do people give more blame to Texas Tech than they do Cliff during the Cliff era?
2:47
SPEAKER_02: From 1990 to 2013, we had three losing seasons.
2:52
SPEAKER_02: We had three losing seasons.
2:54
SPEAKER_02: Cliff himself had four losing seasons.
2:58
SPEAKER_02: Why does Texas Tech get the blame that we can't recruit, we can't do any of this when we were doing it far before, far longer before Cliff got here, you know?
3:08
SPEAKER_02: And and even forget about the terrible recruiting for a second, and look at the fact that Cliff had Patrick Mahomes, had Baker Mayfield, had DeAndre Washington, Jakeem Grant, Dakota Allen, Jordan Brooks, and he still didn't win.
3:21
SPEAKER_02: So what I don't understand how Cliff gets the upper hand here in in most of these arguments, just because he's doing good coaching in a completely different league with completely different players where you have the best of the best, you're certain you're coaching.
3:35
SPEAKER_01: The NFL and the NCAA are not the same animal, it's it's a completely different beast.
3:41
SPEAKER_01: And what Cliff was bad about bad at in college, he doesn't have to do anymore.
3:47
SPEAKER_01: No one was ever, ever doubting that he was an X's and O's guy.
3:51
SPEAKER_01: No one was ever doubting that this man was an offensive genius, no one was ever doubting that he was a quarterback guru that knew how to score.
3:59
SPEAKER_01: What everyone knew was the issue was he didn't know how to coach defense and he didn't know how to recruit, or he just didn't want to recruit.
4:08
SPEAKER_01: So you don't have to worry about that in the NFL.
4:12
SPEAKER_01: You have a general manager that deals with all of the quotations recruiting, and you get the best of the best from college to work with on both sides of the ball.
4:23
SPEAKER_01: So all Cliff has to do is coach.
4:25
SPEAKER_01: That's all he wanted to do, and that's all he gets to do in the NFL.
4:29
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and you look at his defensive coordinator he has for the Cardinals, it's Vance Joseph.
4:33
SPEAKER_02: And if nobody knows, Vance Joseph was the head coach of the Denver Broncos not too long ago.
4:38
SPEAKER_02: He's a defensive-minded guy, he's a guy who's actually one of the smartest defensive guys in the entire league, and so he has that to add to this Cardinals team as well.
4:47
SPEAKER_02: He didn't have, you know, you could talk about Gibbs or whatever when he was at tech, but none of those guys were were what Vance Joseph is right now for the Cardinals.
4:55
SPEAKER_02: So uh, but let's talk Lubbock, because Lubbock is the first thing that people go to when they talk about Texas Tech and why we can't get these five and four-star guys here.
5:05
SPEAKER_01: Uh while always ignoring basketball and baseball, too, but just wanted to go there.
5:10
SPEAKER_02: No, absolutely, yeah.
5:11
SPEAKER_02: It but it's it's easy to crap on a place when you've never been to it.
5:15
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I'm guilty of it too.
5:17
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I I feel like people think Lubbock is like this small hodunk town in the middle of the desert or something.
5:24
SPEAKER_02: This is a city of over 250,000 people.
5:28
SPEAKER_02: That's more than, and this is just college towns that I'm naming right here.
5:31
SPEAKER_02: That's more than Madison, that's more than Baton Rouge, that's more than Tallahassee, College Station, and Eugene, all of which have solid to uh over-the-top programs.
5:43
SPEAKER_02: Why why is Lubbock so crapped on?
5:46
SPEAKER_02: Is it just because we're four hours from a big city?
5:50
SPEAKER_02: Because guess what?
5:51
SPEAKER_02: These athletes that come into school, they're not going to the city next door that's 30 miles away every weekend.
5:58
SPEAKER_02: They're staying and they're working hard at the place that they're at.
6:02
SPEAKER_02: So it's not Lubbock.
6:04
SPEAKER_01: And it's a college town through and through, you know, Lubbock breathes Texas Tech, you know, and it's it's such a bizarre thing.
6:13
SPEAKER_01: I really think it's just kind of something that really got going with our rivals, and it just kind of really took off that Lubbock is this awful place that no one would ever want to go to.
6:25
SPEAKER_01: Um, but when in reality, whenever you get to Lubbock, it's a city with all the amenities you would ever want.
6:30
SPEAKER_01: Because it's and the thing is, it's like it's it's so boring.
6:33
SPEAKER_01: And my question is mostly always, what are you looking for that Lubbock doesn't have?
6:40
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and even if the argument is the isolation, look, I get Lubbock is far, but I mean, is a four-hour drive from DFW really gonna turn a player off whether he might go play in Columbus, Ohio, you know, or something like that.
6:56
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's it's such a lazy take.
6:59
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, Lubbock is a great town, and it's just I don't know why it that's the first line of um attack, whatever attacking Texas Tech, because call we love college towns, and most and most any successful college program is in a college town, so I don't know why Texas Tech gets the pain of being in a college town.
7:23
SPEAKER_01: Well, I don't know why it's a negative for tech rather than a positive that it seems to be everywhere else.
7:28
SPEAKER_01: The city doesn't matter, it really doesn't in the grand scale.
7:32
SPEAKER_02: Look at look at the top dogs Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Norman, Oklahoma.
7:38
SPEAKER_02: I mean, come on, man.
7:40
SPEAKER_02: No one is no one's going to Norman being like this is the perfect location, the greatest city there is, every life Norman's got everything that you need.
7:49
SPEAKER_02: No, that may work if you're UCLA or USC.
7:52
SPEAKER_02: You can make that argument because yeah, some players will probably choose it because it's in LA.
7:56
SPEAKER_02: But real guys that actually, you know, care about you know furthering their career in football go to a program not based on the city at all, they go based on the program itself and the coaching and uh you know what it can offer and how they can develop and all that.
8:13
SPEAKER_01: They're buying into something, they're not and they're not buying into LA, they're not buying into Miami, they're buying into the program that's there.
8:21
SPEAKER_01: Sure, it can be used as a selling point, but again, like you said, every top dog, nearly every top dog program in the nation is in a college town, and I don't think proximity to anything makes a difference because what what what is Tuscaloosa in proximity to Birmingham?
8:36
SPEAKER_01: You think a recruit from Texas is like, oh yeah, I can't wait to get over to Birmingham.
8:42
SPEAKER_01: So serious, seriously, it it just it's just a lazy take, and people that just want a quick way to to crap on tech where we seem to be an easy target for some reason.
8:52
SPEAKER_01: People like to go after us.
8:53
SPEAKER_01: Uh, we're definitely one of the um uh programs people like to rip on.
8:58
SPEAKER_01: Um, and it's I think unfortunately, this past decade has really pasted a bizarre fun house mirror image of tech that just isn't what it is.
9:09
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely.
9:11
SPEAKER_02: I agree.
9:11
SPEAKER_02: So I just had that uh we saw that on Twitter and uh wanted to rant about it quickly.
9:15
SPEAKER_01: We're not the only tech fans riled up about it.
9:17
SPEAKER_01: I I just got done reading a uh uh an article on staking the planes, um, which is what 23 Personnel is out of, uh, by uh Kyle Jacobson.
9:27
SPEAKER_01: And I agreed with all of his points, so I'll should go read that on stakingtheplanes.com.
9:30
SPEAKER_01: A great website for uh all things, tech and lovbock.
9:32
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's it's a very frustrating thing, but it's something we have to deal with as tech fans until we start winning again.
9:38
SPEAKER_01: And it's kind of comes back to what we say all the time is what it the unfortunate thing about being so good about at basketball and baseball, because our football team is so bad, it kind of overshadows everything else.
9:48
SPEAKER_02: So no doubt.
9:49
SPEAKER_02: And uh we'll get into the basketball program here in a second.
9:52
SPEAKER_02: But why don't we preview this Oklahoma State game to start off?
9:55
SPEAKER_02: It's coming in uh Saturday.
9:57
SPEAKER_02: This is our first 11 a.m.
9:59
SPEAKER_02: kickoff.
9:59
SPEAKER_02: I thought we could avoid it throughout the season.
10:01
SPEAKER_02: We've avoided 11 a.m.
10:03
SPEAKER_02: all until this point, but this is going to be our first 11 a.m.
10:06
SPEAKER_02: kickoff going to Stillwater, uh playing the number 21 Cowboys on Fox.
10:11
SPEAKER_02: Um, okay, state 5-2 on the year, but uh one and two in their last three, including uh a 41-13 beatdown by the Oklahoma Sooners last week in Bedlam.
10:22
SPEAKER_02: Uh just I didn't watch much of the game, but it looks like the Cowboys played two different quarterbacks.
10:28
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I don't know if Spencer Sanders got hurt or if uh they just wanted to try Illingsworth for a bit, but uh neither got anything going against the Sooners.
10:37
SPEAKER_02: Uh they pretty much just crushed them uh as they do most years.
10:41
SPEAKER_02: Um, it's not it's kind of a one-sided rivalry, but uh uh what do you expect from this game?
10:47
SPEAKER_02: What do you what do you expect from uh from Oklahoma State?
10:50
SPEAKER_02: Do you expect them to be upset going into this game and trying to get a win at home?
10:53
SPEAKER_02: Or what you know, what's going on?
10:55
SPEAKER_01: This is what I see from this game, and it's kind of been uh what's been going on with Oklahoma State and OEU for a while is uh these two teams are trending in different directions.
11:04
SPEAKER_01: Uh OEU started out super slow, but now they look like they're definitely gonna win the Big 12.
11:09
SPEAKER_01: Um, and maybe even make the playoff.
11:12
SPEAKER_01: Unlikely, but that's that's kind of the team they look at look like right now.
11:15
SPEAKER_01: And Oklahoma State looks like they're going down, down, down, you know, after they just lost to UT a game that they definitely should have won.
11:22
SPEAKER_01: Um, this is kind of how Mike Gundy goes.
11:25
SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, he he gets a lot of hype, you know, he has a good season going forward, and then he starts falling apart, the wheels come off.
11:30
SPEAKER_01: It's uh their most notorious season is that way.
11:33
SPEAKER_01: Um, and it's I I think this is a game where we can absolutely win.
11:39
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I don't think I don't know if this Oklahoma State game, uh I mean, I'm not gonna say it's easy, but I don't think this Oklahoma State team is coming into uh this very angry.
11:47
SPEAKER_01: If anything, I think it's gonna be a hangover from defeat.
11:49
SPEAKER_01: Um, I think they're gonna feel like their their season's over.
11:53
SPEAKER_01: Um, that now they're just gonna be playing for a bowl since they're probably out of the Big 12 championship and they won't be able to make the playoff, which is what their high hopes were coming into this season.
12:02
SPEAKER_01: So now I feel like we're gonna be playing a very disappointed Oklahoma State team.
12:06
SPEAKER_01: Um, I think that's good for us.
12:07
SPEAKER_01: We're playing them in the morning.
12:08
SPEAKER_01: Um, I think we'll be able to get baby maybe be able to get them sleepy.
12:12
SPEAKER_01: Uh the crowd will be sleepy, and plus the COVID crowd will be smaller.
12:15
SPEAKER_01: Um, I feel pretty good about this.
12:17
SPEAKER_01: And Matt Wells is undefeated against Oklahoma State.
12:20
SPEAKER_02: Then that's true.
12:21
SPEAKER_02: Matt Wells is undefeated against Oklahoma State.
12:23
SPEAKER_02: We won the last two against them, uh, going back to Cliff's last season.
12:27
SPEAKER_02: But um I Wells has said that we're taking a similar approach with the quarterbacks that we did against Baylor, uh, meaning Bowman and Columbia are probably going to play.
12:37
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I kind of went on Twitter and talked about this a little bit, but uh I don't think that was a smart decision for for Wells and in terms of just how he announced it, um, basically saying that both are gonna play for sure is is how he intended it.
12:52
SPEAKER_02: But I I I I understand riding the hot hand, and if Bowman doesn't start off good, put in Colombi.
12:59
SPEAKER_02: I get that aspect of it.
13:00
SPEAKER_02: But really the way he brought it up, it doesn't instill confidence on either quarterback at this point.
13:06
SPEAKER_02: You're just kind of saying, hey, you know, go out there and if you do good, you'll stay in.
13:09
SPEAKER_02: But as soon as you make a mistake, you're pulled, buddy.
13:12
SPEAKER_02: So I don't know if that was a smart decision from Wells, but um, you know, like I said, I get I get the fact that he's playing both of them.
13:19
SPEAKER_02: Uh, if one does bad throughout the game.
13:22
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean uh it worked against Baylor, um, but I I don't know if you can take it and run with it against Oklahoma State.
13:29
SPEAKER_01: Oklahoma State's much better than Baylor, so it's I I I feel the same way you do.
13:35
SPEAKER_01: The way I was looking at it, I was kind of thinking that he means Alan Bowman's gonna play um until he makes a mistake.
13:41
SPEAKER_01: That's that's the way I looked at it.
13:43
SPEAKER_01: If you're saying he's for if Columbia's for sure gonna play.
13:46
SPEAKER_02: Well, he may have meant it that way.
13:48
SPEAKER_02: He never said like Columbia was for sure gonna play, but he said we're gonna try to mix in both.
13:53
SPEAKER_02: So I think I think his whole thing is riding the hot hand here, kind of what he did against Baylor.
13:58
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but I I just didn't like the way he he announced it really.
14:01
SPEAKER_02: That was my whole beef with it.
14:03
SPEAKER_01: I think Bowman has earned um taking taking the starting job back.
14:06
SPEAKER_01: I mean, he did lead us to the win against Baylor.
14:09
SPEAKER_01: Um, so it's I I think that's I think the smart move would definitely be to start him.
14:13
SPEAKER_01: And um I if if if he starts getting slow, switch him.
14:17
SPEAKER_01: You know, it we it's this is one of those games where we're gonna be riding the underdog the whole time.
14:22
SPEAKER_01: So you just you gotta figure it out.
14:24
SPEAKER_01: And this thing is that this coaching staff has done a pretty good job of figuring it out.
14:27
SPEAKER_01: Baylor, they figured it out.
14:29
SPEAKER_01: So it's uh I look forward to see if they can quote figure it out against Oklahoma State, even if we get down early.
14:36
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no doubt.
14:37
SPEAKER_02: Another key aspect of this game is that we are coming off a bye week.
14:41
SPEAKER_02: We have had now we're gonna have two weeks off going into this game.
14:44
SPEAKER_02: Oklahoma State just played OU and spent the whole week preparing for OU.
14:48
SPEAKER_02: So uh I think we'll have a slight advantage there.
14:51
SPEAKER_02: Um, but it's gonna be it's still gonna be a tough game.
14:53
SPEAKER_02: You know, Oklahoma State's still a pretty good team, even though they're kind of uh free falling a little bit.
14:58
SPEAKER_02: But uh uh another thing about this Keyshawn Carter out for the season uh after breaking his collarbone in the final minutes of the Baylor game, which sucks.
15:06
SPEAKER_02: Uh doesn't look like Eli Howard's gonna be back either.
15:09
SPEAKER_02: Wells didn't seem very confident in that.
15:12
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but we do have uh Adrian Fry, Jalen Hutchings, and Tony Bradford at full strength.
15:17
SPEAKER_02: So uh, you know, more injuries again uh for us just as soon as we got all of our skill position guys back, Keyshawn Carter's to go and break his collarbone, which sucks.
15:25
SPEAKER_02: We hope he uh recovers nicely.
15:27
SPEAKER_02: But um, you know, it's gonna be kind of Dalton Rigdon and maybe McLean Mannix in the in the uh slot there, along with Ezukama and Vasher, and hopefully we uh we get things going on offense early.
15:40
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean it's oh man, a healthy team would have been really nice.
15:44
SPEAKER_01: Um going up against the pokes here.
15:47
SPEAKER_01: Uh but uh so how do you how do you feel about this game?
15:52
SPEAKER_01: Do you do you think what do you think our team is going into feeling?
15:56
SPEAKER_01: And do you think this is going to end up our way?
16:00
SPEAKER_02: I would have felt a lot better about it if it was in Lubbock.
16:02
SPEAKER_02: Um, I don't feel great about it going to Stillwater.
16:06
SPEAKER_02: Um, we're coming off we're coming off a win, and we could maybe try to ride off that.
16:11
SPEAKER_02: But uh I you know honestly, I could see it going both ways right here.
16:14
SPEAKER_02: I could I could see us pulling it.
16:16
SPEAKER_02: If anything, it's gonna be a tight win.
16:17
SPEAKER_02: I don't think it's gonna be a a blowout if tech wins it.
16:20
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but I could see an Oklahoma State blowout because I just don't think we're very good this year.
16:25
SPEAKER_01: Hey, hey, uh um last time we went to Stillwater, we blew them out.
16:30
SPEAKER_01: So I think, you know, different team, different team.
16:34
SPEAKER_01: Um, different coaching staff, too.
16:36
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um, it this is uh uh it's kind of weird that we're we're we're looking we're talking about a three in a row here.
16:42
SPEAKER_01: Um Oklahoma State has been the only ranked team we've beaten the past two years, and it's just and this was a team that absolutely owned tech for like nine years until we snapped it a couple of years ago.
16:54
SPEAKER_01: Um, this this this game is is is a pretty important to the McGonagall family.
16:58
SPEAKER_01: So uh this is one we always look forward to.
17:00
SPEAKER_01: As you know, uh I've I've lived a lot of years in Oklahoma and uh we're we're always interacting with Oklahoma State fans.
17:06
SPEAKER_01: So I I know my parents are gonna try to go to the game, so uh as they always do.
17:11
SPEAKER_01: So this is this is a big one.
17:12
SPEAKER_01: Uh I hope we nab it because we got to get at least one of the Oklahoma teams.
17:16
SPEAKER_01: OU's always a long shot until we get better.
17:18
SPEAKER_01: But um, I hope we get one uh get one on the pokes.
17:22
SPEAKER_01: It would be I would love it because that would mean we likely finish five and five.
17:26
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that would be a great place for this team to end.
17:30
SPEAKER_02: For sure.
17:30
SPEAKER_02: If if we can go and take care of business like we should against Kansas, uh, whether you know they even end up playing, I know they had some COVID issues and they got their game canceled last week against UT, but uh we'll talk about that next week.
17:42
SPEAKER_02: But um, yeah, I think I think just to end it off here, some keys to the game.
17:46
SPEAKER_02: Uh OSU's defense kind of got exposed against the Sooners.
17:49
SPEAKER_02: Um against uh you know, Spencer Rattler threw 301 yards and four touchdowns, no interceptions against a uh what was thought of as a very good uh defense for Oklahoma State.
18:01
SPEAKER_02: So and I think a lot of that has to do with the O-line play for OU.
18:04
SPEAKER_02: UmU's O-line is very good.
18:06
SPEAKER_02: Um, and I think if our O-line does a good job and gives Bowman or Columbia whoever time to throw, I think we can take advantage because their defensive backs have some holes, as we saw against OU.
18:18
SPEAKER_02: And also containing uh Tylan Wallace, he's the star receiver for Oklahoma State.
18:23
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna have to kind of mix it up against him, put put Demarcus Fields on him, put Zach McPherson on him.
18:29
SPEAKER_02: Both of those guys are gonna have to have good games against uh this OSU receiving core.
18:33
SPEAKER_02: And uh, you know, I just I just they have a Chuba Hubbard, so they do they do have Chuba Hubbard, they do have Chuba Hubbard, so they have a balanced attack for sure.
18:42
SPEAKER_02: Uh, and we're just gonna have to play an all-around game and and hopefully pull out pull out the upset here in still water.
18:48
SPEAKER_02: That'd be super nice.
18:49
SPEAKER_01: That'd be so nice.
18:50
SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah, finishing this year five and five would be a huge step for this program.
18:54
SPEAKER_01: Um, because whenever you think about it, like think about that in like a regular season terms.
18:58
SPEAKER_01: That's absolutely a six and six, or maybe even a seven and five um season.
19:04
SPEAKER_02: So for sure.
19:06
SPEAKER_02: Right on.
19:06
SPEAKER_02: Well, let's get to some basketball.
19:09
SPEAKER_02: It is basketball season in Lubbock, Texas.
19:13
SPEAKER_02: We start off on we're recording this on Tuesday.
19:16
SPEAKER_02: So tomorrow, Wednesday, the 25th, is going to be Texas Tech basketball's first game of the season.
19:21
SPEAKER_02: They are playing Northwestern State uh in Lubbock.
19:24
SPEAKER_02: It is Wednesday at 6 p.m.
19:26
SPEAKER_02: on ESPN Plus.
19:28
SPEAKER_02: Uh Chris Beard, 4-0 in the season.
19:30
SPEAKER_02: Uh 4-0 in season openers.
19:32
SPEAKER_02: Oh, it was wow.
19:33
SPEAKER_01: I was like, wow, I missed uh we missed some games, didn't we?
19:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we didn't know.
19:36
SPEAKER_02: No, no, we haven't played yet.
19:37
SPEAKER_02: Uh 4-0 in season openers since he's been at tech.
19:40
SPEAKER_02: Uh, tech is 5-0 all-time against Northwestern State, uh, with their last meeting coming in 2018-19, where tech won 79 to 44.
19:50
SPEAKER_02: But in this game, we had a 43-point halftime lead, and uh Northwestern State only scored 10 points at half.
19:57
SPEAKER_02: So that of course was the championship team.
20:01
SPEAKER_02: But uh, yeah, we just about murdered them.
20:03
SPEAKER_02: I would call that a murder.
20:05
SPEAKER_02: Uh four demons.
20:08
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, it's a weird season, though, man.
20:11
SPEAKER_01: And it's uh the season openers are uh, you know, hopefully that one.
20:16
SPEAKER_01: I don't know if that was a season opener.
20:17
SPEAKER_01: Was that a season opener when we I don't think it was, I don't think it was a season opener because it could be it could be a little shaky.
20:22
SPEAKER_01: I mean, look at the football team.
20:23
SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, we scrape by Houston Baptists.
20:25
SPEAKER_01: I think this COVID season has a lot to do with that.
20:28
SPEAKER_01: And um, I I I hope that we can come out uh guns ablazing, but it's at least we have a game to figure it out.
20:35
SPEAKER_01: I'm not worried about this game.
20:36
SPEAKER_01: Um, so uh I didn't, I just want to put those two cents in.
20:40
SPEAKER_01: What were we what we were rolling with there, thought-wise?
20:42
SPEAKER_02: Uh well, just the Northwestern State was 15 and 15 last year.
20:45
SPEAKER_02: Uh, they were fourth in the Southland conference, actually tied with Sam Houston State, who we are gonna play on Friday.
20:53
SPEAKER_02: But uh Northwestern State, I guess I just kind of wrote down a few key points to watch out for, returned some key pieces in uh Jamar Gregg and uh Larry Owens.
21:02
SPEAKER_02: Larry Owens is a big dude.
21:04
SPEAKER_02: I mean, 6'8, it says 6'8, 300 pounds.
21:08
SPEAKER_02: So he's a massive individual.
21:12
SPEAKER_02: You don't see many 300 pounders in playing basketball these days, but uh big post center.
21:17
SPEAKER_02: I guess they have a bunch of big guys.
21:19
SPEAKER_02: They have a freshman big guy too, Kendall Coleman, who's looking to make an immediate impact for the demons.
21:24
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I guess during this game, look for tech to how how the big men adapt, how Marcus Sanosilva adapts, how if Tyreek Smith gets in there, maybe we throw in Big Vlad if we're killing him.
21:35
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but I I you know they love to block shots.
21:38
SPEAKER_02: I wrote I saw that in multiple articles going into this season talking about Northwestern State.
21:43
SPEAKER_02: Uh they play a a defensive uh type of game where they they rely on blocking shots versus maybe uh getting charges or that that sort of deal.
21:54
SPEAKER_02: So uh look for the inside pump fake.
21:56
SPEAKER_02: I think that's gonna get them a lot.
21:57
SPEAKER_02: If they're looking to block shots, they're gonna be jump happy.
22:00
SPEAKER_02: You know, get them in the air, maybe draw a few fouls.
22:02
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but uh, like you said, I'm not worried about this game very much.
22:05
SPEAKER_02: Uh, a good, a good opener to start off for the year, maybe get the right rotation guys, get a little sense of um who plays best with one another.
22:13
SPEAKER_02: So uh, but the second game we have on the schedule, Friday at 1 p.m.
22:17
SPEAKER_02: on ESPNU is Sam Houston State going to Lubbock.
22:21
SPEAKER_02: Um, Sam Houston State 18 and 13 last season, uh, fourth in the Southland, like I said, tied with Northwestern State.
22:28
SPEAKER_02: But uh they play SMU on opening night.
22:31
SPEAKER_02: The the Sam Houston State has kind of a tough opening schedule.
22:35
SPEAKER_02: They play uh Smoo, then they play us, and then they play Texas.
22:38
SPEAKER_02: So good on them for scheduling some some big time programs.
22:41
SPEAKER_02: But SMU, man, or uh SHSU, I should say.
22:45
SPEAKER_02: Uh again, not not an issue, I don't think.
22:48
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so uh I I think my my biggest question to you regarding these two first two games, which are probably gonna be pretty similar.
22:55
SPEAKER_01: Um, so is the goal in this one to figure out how your starting lineup is, or is your goal to rotate everybody in?
23:03
SPEAKER_02: Uh I it just depends how the game goes.
23:06
SPEAKER_02: You know, if you're killing them by 30 or whatever, you throw in the younger guys and try to get them some some runtime just in case injury, you know, injuries happen.
23:12
SPEAKER_02: COVID is gonna be very relevant in this in this season, I I imagine.
23:17
SPEAKER_02: So uh, you know, maybe those bench warmers are gonna get more playing time than possibly they would have seen in previous seasons.
23:23
SPEAKER_02: So uh hopefully get them some runtime, get them, get their legs under underneath them, get them knowing the system better, uh, and you know, just trying to find the right lineups, um, especially in these first two games, which are against inferior opponents that we should beat pretty handedly.
23:40
SPEAKER_02: Um but uh the thing about Sam Houston State, they have a couple returners that are awesome.
23:47
SPEAKER_02: Uh Zach Nuttle looks like he was an all-conference player last year in the Southland Conference.
23:52
SPEAKER_02: He returns for the Bearcats.
23:54
SPEAKER_02: They also returned DeMarcus Lampley, who was the team's fourth leading scorer last season.
23:59
SPEAKER_02: They lose a few pieces, lose Kai Mitchell, who averaged 14 and 6th last season for the Bearcats.
24:04
SPEAKER_02: Um, we shouldn't take uh we shouldn't take either of these teams lightly.
24:08
SPEAKER_01: Chris Beard never would.
24:09
SPEAKER_02: That's true.
24:10
SPEAKER_02: Chris Beard always has his teams prepared, he always has them ready.
24:13
SPEAKER_02: He he's not gonna, you know, have an unprepared team going into these inferior opponents.
24:17
SPEAKER_02: But uh yeah, I I I don't see any issue with these first two games.
24:21
SPEAKER_02: Tech is ranked 14th in the preseason poll.
24:24
SPEAKER_02: So uh let's hopefully get a couple dubs to start off the year.
24:27
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I know no one's really excited to watch us play these two games.
24:30
SPEAKER_01: You know, it's it's we'd like to see us play, you know, stiffer competition immediately.
24:34
SPEAKER_01: But I think what's going to be really nice about these two games is we'll be able to probably see everybody.
24:39
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I'm I'm just excited to see who we got, and I think these two games will be like a very good indicator of who we got, you know, like in how they look on a court.
24:48
SPEAKER_01: So, and plus I'm just dang excited to see basketball come back.
24:51
SPEAKER_01: So, but these two teams are not who we're facing Sunday.
24:56
SPEAKER_01: We have we already have our first test, game number three, against an in-state opponent.
25:02
SPEAKER_01: So, how do we feel about that one going in?
25:04
SPEAKER_02: And it's our third game in six nights.
25:07
SPEAKER_02: So that's another thing we need.
25:08
SPEAKER_02: You know, normally college basketball, you play two games a week, so this is gonna be a little different for these guys.
25:14
SPEAKER_02: They're gonna get up and running and they're gonna go.
25:16
SPEAKER_02: So uh that's another thing where you're looking at these first two games, try to get the bench guys in there.
25:21
SPEAKER_02: So when we play Houston on Sunday, who is ranked 17th in the preseason poll, um, you have some fresh legs underneath you.
25:28
SPEAKER_02: So uh it first true test for the Red Raiders, Houston looking for their third straight American League championship title uh after tying with Cincinnati and Tulsa last season.
25:39
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but let's look at the roster because they're very guard heavy.
25:42
SPEAKER_02: They have a lot of good guard play coming out of this Cougar team.
25:46
SPEAKER_02: Caleb Mills is projected to be the preseason American conference player of the year by some people.
25:52
SPEAKER_02: Um, and then you got Quinn and Grimes, who's a former five-star product.
25:55
SPEAKER_02: Uh, transfer from Kansas, had a solid season last year for the Cougars.
26:00
SPEAKER_02: Um, they uh we're gonna have to attack them on the big guys.
26:03
SPEAKER_02: They lost a lot of their front court.
26:04
SPEAKER_02: Uh Chris Harris is gone.
26:05
SPEAKER_02: Fabian White Jr.
26:06
SPEAKER_02: tours ACL, so he's out for the year.
26:09
SPEAKER_02: Uh, they also lost Nate Hinton to the um Dallas Mavericks.
26:13
SPEAKER_02: He went uh he went to the NBA draft, went undrafted, but signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks this year.
26:18
SPEAKER_02: Um and you know, Houston's just never a slouch.
26:21
SPEAKER_02: They really they have an unbelievable coach in Kelvin Sampson.
26:25
SPEAKER_02: I'm a little surprised he's actually still there, uh, to be honest with you.
26:28
SPEAKER_02: But he's going into his seventh year as the Cougars head coach, and he's awesome.
26:32
SPEAKER_02: He's led Houston's to some great seasons.
26:35
SPEAKER_02: Um, and they also have a pair of transfers coming in.
26:37
SPEAKER_02: Cameron Tyson coming in from Idaho and Reggie Cheney from Arkansas.
26:42
SPEAKER_02: So both should be key contributors.
26:43
SPEAKER_02: This is a loaded team.
26:44
SPEAKER_02: It's it's a very strong roster, uh, very guard heavy.
26:47
SPEAKER_02: I think they're gonna play a lot of small ball, um, you know, maybe a four-guard lineup.
26:51
SPEAKER_02: Uh, and the good news is tech has a lot of cards on this roster.
26:55
SPEAKER_02: You know, we're gonna probably see a lot of Terrence Shannon or Kevin McCullough at the four this game to try to match, you know, size difference and and uh speed, match speed with speed, you know, kind of thing.
27:06
SPEAKER_02: So uh big time matchup for the Red Raiders, man.
27:09
SPEAKER_01: For sure, man.
27:10
SPEAKER_01: And there's always there's always a good amount of beef whenever two bigger Texas brands meet up.
27:15
SPEAKER_01: So it's uh and it's gonna be in Fort Worth, right?
27:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and yeah, so it's gonna be a neutral site.
27:20
SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm sure plenty of fans from both teams will want to go.
27:24
SPEAKER_01: I don't know how it'll work out COVID-wise.
27:26
SPEAKER_01: Um, so it should it should be a great game.
27:28
SPEAKER_01: I'm really excited about that one, and I think it'll be a good indicate, it'll be a great test uh for us to get in so we can we can actually play some stipper competition before we head into the vaunted Big 12, which is gonna be one hell of a sledding this year.
27:43
SPEAKER_01: So um very excited to start uh recapping the games.
27:47
SPEAKER_01: You know, you and I will be watching these, and uh, I wanted to ask you so uh what do you think is gonna be the starting five?
27:56
SPEAKER_02: Uh it's tough right now to really tell.
27:58
SPEAKER_02: I I I imagine Mac McClung and Namari Burnett are gonna start at the one and the two.
28:03
SPEAKER_02: I think we're gonna have Kyler Edwards there at the three, Terrence Shannon probably at the four, and then Marcus Sanosilva at the five.
28:09
SPEAKER_02: That would be my prediction.
28:10
SPEAKER_02: But again, like I said, I I went I went back and watched some of Micah Peavy's highlights.
28:15
SPEAKER_02: This dude's awesome.
28:16
SPEAKER_02: And uh he's coming in as a freshman.
28:17
SPEAKER_02: He could break his way into the lineup.
28:19
SPEAKER_02: You know, we could see Joel and Tobway in the lineup, we could see Kevin McCullough sneaking in there for certain matchups.
28:25
SPEAKER_02: I you I just don't know.
28:26
SPEAKER_02: But uh if I'm if I'm if I'm guessing right now, it'd be Burnett, McClung, uh Edwards, Terrence Shannon, and San Osilva.
28:34
SPEAKER_01: And who's coming off the bench?
28:35
SPEAKER_01: Who's six?
28:36
SPEAKER_02: Uh uh McCullough, probably McCullough being the sixth man, but uh you know, Beard uses substitutions differently than a lot of other coaches.
28:43
SPEAKER_02: He subs he subs guys in constantly.
28:45
SPEAKER_02: Yes, he does.
28:46
SPEAKER_02: You'll see, you'll see we have a super deep team, so you'll see 10, 11 guys playing pretty consistently.
28:52
SPEAKER_01: And we recently got the news.
28:53
SPEAKER_01: Uh, who we have a player that elected to not redshirt this year.
28:57
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Jamarius Burton's gonna play.
28:59
SPEAKER_02: He's another guard, uh, adding to the depth of this team that's already super deep.
29:04
SPEAKER_02: So uh, you know, just adds more depth.
29:06
SPEAKER_02: It's great.
29:06
SPEAKER_02: It would be it would be pretty stupid to redshirt this year because this year doesn't count towards eligibility anyway.
29:11
SPEAKER_01: That's true.
29:12
SPEAKER_02: So I I think that's what ultimately he decided.
29:14
SPEAKER_02: He was like, Why would I redshirt when it doesn't count?
29:17
SPEAKER_02: So uh good to see Jamarius.
29:19
SPEAKER_02: It, you know, like I said, with COVID, it's gonna be relevant this year, no matter you know how you get around.
29:25
SPEAKER_02: I I you know I wish everybody the best.
29:26
SPEAKER_02: Hope they stay healthy, hope they don't get the virus.
29:29
SPEAKER_02: But if they do, we have these backups to come in and and possibly take that role and take those minutes.
29:34
SPEAKER_02: So um only good news, yes.
29:38
SPEAKER_01: Sir, I mean basketball starting is only good news.
29:40
SPEAKER_01: So that's true.
29:41
SPEAKER_01: And I I don't know if I've ever had we've ever had a week so loaded with tech stuff.
29:46
SPEAKER_01: Four games basketball games and a football game.
29:49
SPEAKER_02: Four tech games in what five days, six days?
29:51
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I I six days.
29:54
SPEAKER_01: Let's hope we go four and oh, man.
29:55
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I think there's a really good chance we go three and all three and oh in basketball.
29:59
SPEAKER_01: Football is gonna be tough.
30:00
SPEAKER_01: Oklahoma State is tough.
30:02
SPEAKER_01: So, but man, it's an exciting week, and I can't wait to recap it on Monday.
30:07
SPEAKER_02: No doubt.
30:07
SPEAKER_02: We have uh three games where we can eat our Thanksgiving leftovers, it's gonna be great, it's gonna be wonderful.
30:12
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna have turkey until Sunday, probably, because my dad always makes two turkeys for some reason.
30:18
SPEAKER_02: But uh yeah, man.
30:20
SPEAKER_01: Lots of shiner cheer.
30:21
SPEAKER_02: Lots of shiner cheer.
30:23
SPEAKER_02: We just picked up a new case, man.
30:25
SPEAKER_02: Very excited for that.
30:26
SPEAKER_02: Um, but I I to to end it here, you know, we're gonna do our song of the week in a second, but I'm kind of bringing this up on you uh without your knowledge of it.
30:37
SPEAKER_02: What's up with all these people waiting in insane lines for fast food places?
30:45
SPEAKER_01: I know you and I were all bouncing all over it on Twitter with uh Colorado in College Station.
30:51
SPEAKER_02: I we saw two different instances of it in Colorado, whatever the uh what was it, In N Out Burger?
30:57
SPEAKER_01: You know, it's an In N Out Burger in Colorado and and then Duncan in College Station with these absurd lines.
31:04
SPEAKER_01: I I know I I I have no idea what is wrong with people, you know.
31:09
SPEAKER_02: Opening opening day, opening day of In N Out Burger.
31:12
SPEAKER_02: There was a two and a half hour line in Colorado.
31:16
SPEAKER_02: These people are insane, these people are not right in the head.
31:21
SPEAKER_02: Who's waiting two and a half hours for a fast food burger?
31:24
SPEAKER_01: That's that eliminates the purpose of fast food.
31:27
SPEAKER_01: Well, what it's it's a quick lunch, that's the point.
31:31
SPEAKER_01: And it look, I've had in an outburger.
31:33
SPEAKER_01: It's it's it's okay, it's good.
31:36
SPEAKER_01: I'm not gonna wait two and a half hours.
31:37
SPEAKER_01: I'm not even gonna wait two and a half hours for whataburger, dude.
31:40
SPEAKER_02: Like, I love what I'm not gonna wait 20 minutes, I'm not gonna wait 20 minutes.
31:44
SPEAKER_01: I'll just find something else.
31:46
SPEAKER_01: I'll just fast food places are always next to each other.
31:49
SPEAKER_02: If the line is too long at Whataburger, I'm gonna go somewhere else.
31:54
SPEAKER_02: It's not like I I get it.
31:55
SPEAKER_02: Whataburger's Texas thing, in and out's a big California thing or whatever.
32:00
SPEAKER_02: Uh but really wait two weeks until the line goes.
32:04
SPEAKER_01: The Duncan one is even more bizarre.
32:05
SPEAKER_01: It's Duncan one it's quick coffee in okay donuts.
32:09
SPEAKER_01: Like, that is not a phenomenon to wait hours for.
32:14
SPEAKER_01: Seriously, like it is they're not a crispy cream, it's the same sort of thing, but with better donuts, like come on or shipley.
32:20
SPEAKER_02: Like, seriously, Shipleys beats all of them.
32:22
SPEAKER_02: If you already have a Shipleys, go to Shipleys.
32:24
SPEAKER_02: Don't wait for Duncan or whatever, or Krispy Kreme, even though I like Krispy Kreme, but uh it it's stupid, it's ridiculous.
32:32
SPEAKER_02: And so I just wanted to bring I just want to bring that up with you.
32:34
SPEAKER_01: Well, people in College Station making questionable decisions is for the course, yeah.
32:39
SPEAKER_02: That yeah, that that makes sense.
32:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that don't wait in line for freaking Duncan donuts, you aggies.
32:45
SPEAKER_02: Doesn't make any sense.
32:47
SPEAKER_02: But uh, why don't we end it off with the uh song of the week here, Tristan?
32:51
SPEAKER_02: What is your song of the week?
32:53
SPEAKER_01: All right, so uh I figured since we're heading off to Stillwater, I thought maybe I'll do a theme and I'm doing a do one a song I really dig on.
33:00
SPEAKER_01: Um, a Texas songwriter.
33:02
SPEAKER_01: Uh her name is Jamie Lynn Wilson.
33:04
SPEAKER_01: Uh, and her song Oklahoma Stars.
33:07
SPEAKER_01: Um, it's uh it's it's a great, just easy vibe, and she co-wrote it with the lead singer of Turnpike Tribidors, Elvin Felkner.
33:14
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's uh you can he's actually featured in the song with her.
33:17
SPEAKER_01: Just an easy listen.
33:18
SPEAKER_01: And I figure since we're going to Oklahoma, it's kind of an appropriate one.
33:21
SPEAKER_01: So I really like the song, and uh that's Oklahoma Stars by Jamie Lynn Wilson.
33:26
SPEAKER_03: Never seen enough, so cool and clear.
33:43
SPEAKER_02: Nice, nice.
33:45
SPEAKER_02: So um big Oklahoma guy, apparently.
33:49
SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
33:51
SPEAKER_01: I have spent some years in Oklahoma.
33:53
SPEAKER_01: Uh OU and OSU stink, but the state is okay.
33:57
SPEAKER_02: Okay at best.
33:58
SPEAKER_02: That's all I give you.
34:00
SPEAKER_02: But uh, my song of the week, you knew it was coming.
34:04
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I went and I was talking to you and and our buddies about it.
34:07
SPEAKER_02: This new Chris Stableton album is unbelievable.
34:10
SPEAKER_02: Um, starting over is the name of the album.
34:12
SPEAKER_02: The song that I have for my song of the week off this album is Nashville, Tennessee.
34:17
SPEAKER_02: Uh, song about his journey and his dreams to be in Nashville and how he experienced highs and lows.
34:22
SPEAKER_02: And uh now that he is saying goodbye to Nashville.
34:26
SPEAKER_02: Um, and I guess I don't know if that means he's he's just not gonna make music anymore.
34:32
SPEAKER_02: I don't know if it means that he's just moving out because he's kind of throwing shade at what Nashville has become.
34:38
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but it either way, great song.
34:41
SPEAKER_02: So long, Nashville, Tennessee.
34:44
SPEAKER_03: You can't have what's left to me, and as far as I can tell.
34:51
SPEAKER_03: Sometime I wish you well.
34:54
SPEAKER_02: He doesn't have a single bad song on this whole album.
34:56
SPEAKER_02: I listened to it over and over again.
34:57
SPEAKER_02: I haven't stopped listening to it over the last three days.
35:00
SPEAKER_02: Um, he hits every single emotion.
35:02
SPEAKER_02: I swear, he has angry, angry emotions in like watch watch you burn.
35:07
SPEAKER_02: He's got romantic emotions and joy of my life.
35:10
SPEAKER_02: He's got happy and Maggie song and fun and worry be gone.
35:13
SPEAKER_02: I mean, they're all good.
35:14
SPEAKER_02: Uh, every single song is is a masterpiece.
35:16
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, man.
35:17
SPEAKER_01: And uh, your recommendation on that one was the best.
35:19
SPEAKER_01: I think that was my favorite song on that album as well.
35:22
SPEAKER_01: And uh, I actually even I could relate to it spending a year in in Nashville.
35:27
SPEAKER_01: So it was a great song, man.
35:28
SPEAKER_01: Good pick.
35:29
SPEAKER_01: And I hope the listeners enjoy these.
35:30
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no doubt.
35:31
SPEAKER_02: Uh, you can follow both of us on Twitter.
35:33
SPEAKER_02: Tristan is at Tristy Mick, I am at L underscore S underscore Rodriguez.
35:37
SPEAKER_02: You can follow the pod on Twitter, talking tech pod.
35:39
SPEAKER_02: Uh, and then you can send us some mailback questions, send us some general feedback, whatever, talking tech pod at gmail.com.
35:46
SPEAKER_02: Um, and I think that's gonna do it, man.
35:48
SPEAKER_02: Always wreck them tech.
35:49
SPEAKER_02: Wreck em tech.
35:50
SPEAKER_02: Uh wow.
35:51
SPEAKER_00: First of all, uh got a lot of respect for Steven and Tristan.
35:56
SPEAKER_00: Uh their program, tough guys, just uh a lot of fun.
36:00
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I just want to congratulate Steven and Tristan on another great podcast.
36:04
SPEAKER_00: They were everything we thought they would be.
36:06
SPEAKER_00: Um, we have a lot of respect for their program.
36:08
SPEAKER_00: We have such a high opinion of them.
36:10
SPEAKER_00: I want to congratulate them.
36:11
SPEAKER_00: I just want to tell Steven and Tristan thanks for coming out.
36:15
SPEAKER_00: The energy uh was really, really good in there today.
36:18
SPEAKER_00: You know, we fed off of it.
36:19
SPEAKER_00: I think it goes back and forth tremendous.
36:22
SPEAKER_00: Uh great job, and um, you know, just just proud of our guys for the way they responded.