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The Return Episode 1 · Coach Speak The Return

• Matt Seidl: Here we go. Four quarters, two coaches, plenty to talk about. I'm Matt Seidel, he's Josh Trope, and this is Coach Beak. What's up, man? Josh: How we doing, Matt? Matt Seidl: Good. We got through that part. Hey. welcome back to to this old podcast. It w how long has it been, man? For you it probably over three years for the Coach Speak franchise. the brand has probably been maybe a little under three, but it's it's been a while. Josh: It has been a while and we are backed by popular demand. I mean, we've had a lot of requests and we certainly have a lot to talk about. Matt Seidl: We'll see how many requests we have once we're done with this thing, but anyway. God. everything is good with you though. You you guessed you you you have started your school year, right? Chelsea is is back in school? Josh: We are, we're back. Students came back last week and yeah, we're rolling. And it's good to be back. It structure is good. We'll see how I feel by the end of October, but right now it's good. Matt Seidl: I feel right. I feel at Pinckney we're already like looking to Thanksgiving break. We've already going into our third week already, so we're we're veterans of the school. But anyway, wanted quickly cover a couple things. Our format with this kind of new version of the podcast is gonna be like a four-quarter format. we're gonna have our kind of our main conversation up front. At some point during the four quarters, we will typically have an interview. Today I think it's gonna be in the fourth quarter. we're also going to have some other segments that might be reoccurring or might be temporary. but today we we'll have four and we'll share those with you shortly. Also, before we get started, again you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as those old accounts are still active. Haven't been a lot of activity since 2023, but they're still around. As for X or old Twitter, we're just gonna kinda encourage you to see our promos kinda on our personal accounts. Josh is at at J Trope13. And mine is from the sideline. My last name, S-E-I-D-L-I-N-E, is the sideline part. So but if you're watching this, you probably have have caught us on social media anyway. But you know, we thought we thought a long and hard about our first topic. It's like so many choices to talk about. But I I think I think people would probably turn us off if we didn't get right into the one that makes people smile, cringe, cry, whatever you want, and that would be the the private school versus public school debate. I mean, you know, the argument at least the one I love to orchestrate is really that the MHSA should not classify schools solely on enrollment because the enrollment dynamics are different, especially at private and public schools. That's my that's always been my position. And then it just goes off the rails after that. And then you know, sometimes when I'll start something, it j next thing you know, I don't even know what we're talking about anymore with certain people. But I guess Josh, I mean you and I have talked about this a lot privately, but and you are a you might work in a public school, but you coach at an elite private school, one of the most respected ones in the state, Jackson Lumen Christie. Do you I I know you guys have talked about this, you probably laugh about it. do you see do you see the lack of equity w between public and private schools in certain sports, you see that as a problem or not? Josh: Well, I mean, the numbers don't lie. You know, I I don't th you know, and there's gonna be a lot of people cringe when they hear this, but I you know, I really can't argue with the numbers that you put out. There's definitely i the private schools definitely have an advantage when it comes to winning titles. Now, the question is, does it bother me? Not necessarily. I I don't I don't really think it's ever bothered me. I've lost district titles to to FGR and never once did it cross my mind like wow, that was unfair, you know, they're they're a private school, they had an advantage. But I I think the bigger question it comes down to is what can we do about it? E even if people did agree, and I don't think many do, based on you know, I follow you, we're we're good friends, and I follow your accounts, I don't see that many people getting on there and agreeing that it's really an issue. I I wish more people would be honest and agree that it's definitely true that that private schools are winning more titles because they are. But I I don't know if it's really an issue. I don't know if really bothers that many people and it and being a Private school coach, it certainly doesn't bother me. Matt Seidl: I and you hit on something that and I I talked about this on other podcasts, but the the indifference that's out there is probably the majority because it just doesn't impact them. Therefore, they might get entertained by the the argument every once in while, but it's not part of their day to day. They don't even worry about, you know, like they they don't play private schools in districts and and so forth or regionals. Sometimes they don't see them until later if they were to make a run. So they're just very indifferent. I think they they they realize there's a problem, but it doesn't affect them. So they're not they're not really you know that that high strung about it. and I'll be honest with you, I mean, I you you talked about your personal experience, like yeah, you don't you kind of like it where you are right now. I didn't I didn't even know this was a problem for me. I the first time I ever experienced it, I think you I I've shared this with you, was 1996 when we lost to Country Day in a a quarterfinal game, you know, one step from the Breslin Center. And to this day, I I I think we were the second best team in the state that year, and only Country Day was better. And it didn't when we lost. lost that game and despite leading at halftime by the way. I didn't I didn't think man we lost to a private school and and they had an unfair advantage. I was saying they had Shane Battier and and the Weber kid and and l and Javen Hunter and that was why we lost. I go to Olivet Eagle football team loses to Lansing Catholic five straight years in in the playoffs and that's really what it started to to hit. Like I what you know, we just don't have the same situation as they do. I had a niece at Blizzfield who w constantly their their seasons would end, whether it was softball or volleyball or whatever, it would end against Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central. And so my Josh: Yeah. Matt Seidl: brother and her would I'd I'd hear from them a little bit. And of course my son being at Napoleon and, you know, having to lose to Tropez Titans occasionally. a lot lately, especially after having one of the best teams in that maybe in that school's history, and the and to get knocked out at the district level, it just it starts to eat at you. So there's where my like fire comes from. But I'm not indifferent because it impacts me. There are a lot of people where it doesn't. But you you mentioned solutions, man. Like what if you if you had your way and you were kind of separate from this situation, you were the new Mark Yule, what would you be pushing for? It or or would you be pushing for nothing? Josh: Well, I I think if I if I was the new Mark Ewell, I'll hook but that's I would say that's Mark Ewell and Brad Bush's biggest fear. If I was the new Mark Ewell and the MHSA in general. But Matt Seidl: Mm, mm. Yeah, that's a good point. Josh: that being said, I would say that I if there's really if people really felt this was a problem and this was a majority that felt that way, I think the solution is the separate state playoffs. That is the the solution is and my hope would be if they did that. more of these community schools would play private schools during the regular season. They'd be more open to it. one of the things that that I find being in the Catholic League, even though it's a great league for us and and the competition's wonderful and it's it's really well run and from top to bottom, one of the the tough things is these long trips on Tuesday nights where I c I truly question are we doing what's better for kids when we're sending them over an hour away on a school night. to play a league game and and when there's so many possible opponents twenty to thirty minutes away. And right now that's what we have. You know, I I watched the Lumen football team make a trip to Chicago last year, to Columbus last Friday. I mean i again if if we were in a situation where you didn't have to play these teams in the playoffs Would public schools be more interested in playing during the regular season? So I think that's one look at it. And I think we're gonna be able to look at some states like Alabama and some different states who have chosen to break away the the private versus public in the playoffs and we'll and we'll get a chance to take a look and see how those results work. You know, do those states stay with that or do they go back to the way they were? but I I don't ever see that happening. I just I I think there's One, there's not enough private schools to to do that. And two, I don't think the majority of people ever really want that. So a more realistic answer to me is why don't we see the regionals in all sports, not just football? And then a school like Napoleon, who lost the district final to us on their home gym last year. has a chance to win a district final in their own gym on a Friday night, which is something that those kids and those families and that community would be able to remember. And the year before it was Hanover Horton. We went into their gym on a Friday night in front of an unbelievable Hanover crowd and won a district there. So I think that if if we were seeding regionals and they could avoid the private schools until longer, you know, it might be a situation like yours where, okay, they might lose to a private school in a regional final or a quarter final. But at that point, maybe you can say, hey, that's probably as far as we should have gone. We we really aren't like you said you're you weren't better than that team from Country Day, most likely, or at least most Matt Seidl: Well. Josh: nights. And that's a little easier pill to swallow if you're a public school. Matt Seidl: Yeah, and that's probably why we, you know, it it didn't really affect us. Had had Country Day knocked us out of our district that year, it really probably would have hit home a little harder. It's funny, you you got to the one you got to the solution that I'm probably most comfortable with right now, and that is, you know, the the seeding of the regionals, especially in a sport like basketball. We had we're getting a little feedback there. Is that me or you? Josh: No, that was my dog walking. Matt Seidl: Yeah. You might have to keep Josh: Let me Matt Seidl: the you might have to keep this in and not cut it. Is he is he is is he is he on the i he he's on the podcast? Josh: That's hilarious. No, go ahead. Keep going. I I'm gonna hold on, I'm gonna open the door. I'm gonna open the door. Hopefully he leaves. Hold on a second. Matt Seidl: Classic. Classic moment. Josh: I thought by locking him in the room he'd be better, but I I now I locked him out. Go ahead. Matt Seidl: No, but you know And I'm I'm all over the map with solutions. I'm constantly trying to think of a solution and I've changed my opinion multiple times. I actually speaking of I was my first thing was let's use a multiplier for private school teams or even even schools that have heavy school of choice, not just private schools, and make them that would force some of them up a division. I've gotten I I studied the s success factor model that Indiana uses. That is really not a private public thing. That's just more about penalizing s teams that have success. And making them play up. So that one I kind of dismissed pretty quick, quickly. Like, what if you just made everyone who wins a district play up for three years in any sport? And I started to look at it like to me, it might be the one that makes the most sense, even though you know, you win a district and you gotta, you know, you gotta go from B to A or or I'm sorry, two to one or three to two. and then if three years you haven't won any. Anything, you go back down to your original. And if you keep winning, then you just stay, you know, you don't go higher than one division up in in sports other than football. Again, those are just things that like I'm throwing them against the wall. But the regional seeding, especially in a sport like basketball, and I think it's going to help in football, it takes the teams that are having those really good seasons, and they might avoid the elite private school that's right across the street, and they don't they don't have that sour taste. You get knocked out in a regional, it's a little bit different than get knocked out in a district. Now if you have a bad team and you're just in the playoffs because everybody gets in, it doesn't matter who you lose to, you're gonna lose anyway. So you might as well just you know have you have Josh: Correct. Yeah. Matt Seidl: your banquet, collect uniforms and get off the bracket, you know, but that's that's why the regional seating piece and I know that DCAM presented it to the MHSA a few years ago and they kind of dismissed it, which okay. But then they adopted it for football this year, made me scratch my head. It's still yeah it it does it is amazing how it works. I'm still Josh: It's amazing how that works. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Matt Seidl: Waiting for an answer on that. I may have to attend the second part of the update meeting this year and see if I can get an explanation on that. But anyway, that that's here nor there. But I I like that I like that solution. I think it would it it doesn't solve the private public thing, the the regional seating, but it takes the temperature down for those schools because ninety percent of the schools in the state, let's face it, their goal is to be competitive, maybe win a league title, and maybe win a district title. Like I'd say, Josh: Yeah, absolutely. Matt Seidl: I'd say that's most of the team. I ever coached. Josh: No, there there's a handful of state teams in each division that go into the season like that. And it and you know, I I think if you walked away from a season honestly in all the years you coached and you Hey, you won a league title, you won a district, you'd be pretty happy with the season. I think kids and families Matt Seidl: Yeah, heck yeah. Josh: would be too. And my former assistant Greg Stevens at at Chelsea used to always say, Just give me a chance to play a regional game and and after that it's all icing on the cake and again, a handful of teams might put state title on the goals board, but Matt Seidl: Yep. Josh: Those are special teams, anyways. And Matt Seidl: Hundred a hundred percent. Josh: yep, absolutely. And I I do think that going back to Matt Seidl: Yeah. Josh: the the BCAM's 20-minute video that they sent to the MHSA, which was incredible. And and I I gotta give BCAM a lot of credit. In the last five years, they've done a phenomenal job presenting things to the MHSA, whether it be the shot clock video with all the college coaches. whether it be the regional and the and nothing's come of any of these things, unfortunately. but we could do a whole podcast just on what the MHSA does for football compared to the rest of the sports. And I think there's a good chance we will. Matt Seidl: Hm. I have the main conversation coming up here at some point. I I I will say speaking of BCAM though, and you've been involved with BCAM administration wise a little bit more than me, on you've been on some committees and stuff. Does BCAM have a position about private public or they just kind of avoid that one since they have their membership includes both? Josh: That that would be a great question for Dan Young, and I think we'll have to reach out to him. I don't know if we can get Dan back on the podcast. He is so anti-controversy and so dry that I I mean we might put Matt Seidl: Yeah. Josh: some people to sleep. I remember we had him on once before, but I love Dan and it might just we did we did have a dog issue. Yeah, yeah, no. Matt Seidl: We had a do we had a dog w we had a dog issue with Dan too, if I recall. We last time he was on and it was during the pandemic, but we did, yeah. So Josh: Yeah, no, we'll have to we'll have to reach out to Dan and and some of the people from BCAM and get their opinion on that. But it my guess is they will stay away from that topic for now, yeah. Matt Seidl: Right. The the last thing on this is, you know Some people think, you know, this this latest push is just SAMO, SAMO that we push for this this debate, this public-private debate all the time and it goes nowhere and you know, every few years it pops up. Something something does feel different about this one, and I'm not it's not because I've been part of the the the push, I guess. I I'm may maybe it is, maybe I'm biased there. But I I I did mention I I know you know this, I I I was able to I think Mark Ewell just probably got tired of hearing me or reading my emails and he invited me to spend an hour with him in his in his office and I met with him and Brad Bush in the middle of the summer. And I'm not going to go into the details of the meeting, but what I did come out of it with is they they have created you know a task force that is really looking at the this the private public results and whether or not there's an issue in the in their opinion and in in in others' opinion I think they're gonna hopefully get input from their members and then have this committee meet on a regular basis and then Then come up with some type of recommendation or maybe no recommendation to the rep council eventually, and that the rep council is taking it seriously as well. So I take Mark and Brad at their word. I think they are taking it seriously. Whether anything comes of it, maybe maybe the data, the study, the research says it's it's all cyclical and it's not really worth worrying about unless you status quo it. I have a feeling that's not going to be the case, but but we shall see. So that's why I don't I don't think it's SAMO SAMO, if you know what I mean. So Josh: Yeah, and that's great to hear. And and and you know, we like to joke because we always want more things, but you know, Mark and Brad and the and the whole MHSA c they they do an incredible job of fighting for what's best for the athletes in the state. And I think it's you know, do we get frustrated sometimes that things don't move faster or maybe there's not some of the equity we'd like to see across the sports, but you know, th they are people that care about kids and care about high school sports and they and they are it's great to hear they met with you. I don't know if I'd want to meet with you for an hour on that topic, but I I Matt Seidl: Mm, mm. Josh: I give them a lot of credit just for that. Matt Seidl: You've been going fifteen minutes on this one already, and I think your your head's about ready to explode. So anyway, this is but this Josh: Ha ha. Matt Seidl: is about as cordial as I can be on this topic. Yeah, I can we can we have one podcast where we just bring on some of these slappies that I have to deal with on social media and just have them all on the screen and kinda talk to all at once, but we'll mute them when we want. And I'm not gonna use any names today. yeah, Josh: I like that. I have the power. Yeah. Matt Seidl: yeah, let's do that. you actually know all of because I either yeah, I think they're all your buddies to be honest, but it's just I'm Josh: d come on. Matt Seidl: I'm not gonna drop any names today but it's coming trust me it's coming all right well hey that that's a good that's a good talk on our main conversation today hopefully hopefully people got something out of it so we are going to move to our second quarter and this one today is is called kind of what we're watching it's just some random things out there that are catching our attention and it it can be a team it can be a game it can be a a book it can be whatever dynamics in the sports world and it doesn't necessarily have to be hype School basketball. Josh, I'm gonna let you lead off since I've been doing all the talking on this little intro. So I'll let you lead off. What are you watching right now? Josh: Well, I mean, I there's a lot of things, but the first thing we need to talk about is what I watched on Saturday night. And that was the Michigan game. you know, we're not gonna talk about, you know, you know, what Michigan football is or isn't, those type of things. But when I was texting you about how Western Michigan was robbed, which I will still stick to that, they were robbed. I I started to think about because your response and and many of my good Michigan friends' responses is and Always has been now for a few years when all these controversies come up is hey, national champs, baby. All right. So this is what I have to say. Twenty years from now, is anybody gonna remember that Michigan won a football national championship? Or are we gonna remember things like Burger Gate when Harbaugh is illegally recruiting during COVID? Are we gonna remember the sign stealing scandal? Are we gonna remember the cell phones? Disappearing, the ones they wanted to see text messages from coaches that ended up in the bottom of the Huron River. Are we going to remember the lack of institutional control? I'll just say Sharon Moore. Don't want to really get into that, but are we going to think about that? And and now the latest with Michigan football is is the clock controversy. And I mean, is there for a program that did just win a national title and a a unbelievable academic university who also won a national title in basketball last year and considers themselves leaders and best. I mean I mean they're completely surrounded by controversy. And so I guess at what point do we say what what was more memorable, the national title or all the other stuff? Matt Seidl: Well The national title, for sure. And we're we still have a couple more years to celebrate that. Anytime you win a national title, I know you wouldn't know about that being a Notre Dame fan, but it's you get five years of celebration. So football, we still gotta we still got at least two more. Basketball, we've got, you know, five to go. I mean, the the thing Saturday had nothing to do with the dysfunctional, you know, coaching or the disco functional dysfunctional staff that Michigan put together to help win that national championship. And yeah, they they weren't they weren't choir boys. That's for sure. But they got it done, and I don't I don't want to hear about the sign stealing. Everybody's got the same information when it comes to signs. Michigan maybe just kind of went about it the wrong way. But anyway, the the Saturday thing was crazy. I still don't even know what to think because obviously there's a spin here and a spin there. It sure looked like the time had expired. I didn't even yell when they scored because first of all you're so disappointed in how they played. And then you were like, did they just steal this game? Is it you know you kept waiting for someone to come in and say no that doesn't count? But we'll take it. You know, they're one and just like Notre Dame. So I'm feeling good about Michigan. And they're only six-point underdogs against Oklahoma, which is crazy. I'm not a gambler. I know you might dabble in that a little bit. I'd get your I I'd get your I'd get your money down on Oklahoma now before Josh: yeah, a little bit. I I already got some money at Oklahoma next week. Yeah. Matt Seidl: that point spread goes up to double digits, probably before this podcast is over. But yeah, interesting. I alright, I I I hear you. I hear what you're saying. Hey, your dog, what's your dog's name, by the way? Because he wants to Josh: Yeah, the Matt Seidl: Get on this. Josh: the dog's an issue. his name is Kobe Bryant and and don't even get me he is did z yeah, I I long story. That was before Matt Seidl: Okay. Josh: the helicopter crash, the the tragedy and everything. And yeah, obviously. Matt Seidl: okay. Josh: But yeah, co Kobe's not enjoying the podcast right now. There's no doubt about that. Matt Seidl: I guess, I guess. Alright, my my what we're watching and I don't know if we're gonna go into a second one for each. You know what I can't take anymore? I can't take the mic'ed up little league coaches going out to the mound and giving life lessons to eleven and twelve year olds and then people getting all excited about what they said. Can we get someone to walk out to the mound and give some instruction on how we're gonna defend the bunt situation or what the pitcher might be doing because he's thrown seven straight balls or the mindset like, can we give some some strategy on trying to win this game opposed to whatever the heck they're talking about. And I get it, they're they're young. But it's it's a show and it it's driving me and I can't take it anymore. Thank God that's over. But I I don't know how you feel about that but Josh: Yeah, I I don't like the idea of them being mic'd up in the first place. but it's it's the TV that we we produce now, they think it's gonna help with ratings. Now it is funny hearing you say this considering there were so many times in our friendship that I would get a phone call from you in the parking lot of a little league tournament. And now For our listeners, you were the coach of the team at the time, but you had been removed from the tournament or the game at that point. And I was getting a phone call about the officiating or the umpiring and and you you watching the game from the parking lot. So I would have liked to have you mic'd up and just to hear what was going on between you and those umpires and all of Derek and Tony's little league days. Matt Seidl: Maybe I was like you and I just wanted to let my staff coach, like you do in the summer, you let your staff coach the summer games and and you just kinda Josh: I do. Matt Seidl: sit there. Yeah, yeah, that's a little over the top at times and during youth baseball and and youth everything I guess probably. So yeah, I could not be mic'd up. I couldn't be mic'd up at a little league game, I couldn't be mic'd up in a h I know y you you coach in a state championship game. When you get to the Breslin they put somet now they just put the can the the big microphones in your huddle. Back in the day they used to have it, you know, on your Josh: Right. Correct. Matt Seidl: on your collar. I always said if and I never did, but if I got there, I don't think I c I I'd have to play at least a climb just because 'cause I know I I know my weakness, so you you were up you Josh: Yeah, that was I I definitely had to watch myself in that game. There's no doubt about that. I mean there there were moments. Matt Seidl: you were up twenty. It was fine. You're you were comfortable. You were you're you're counting it down. I I think w how many did you win by in that state title game, by the way? Yeah, it was yeah, nice yeah. Hm. Josh: I think we won by twenty eight in that game, yeah. So I I don't actually remember. I I watched that game the other day for the first time in probably ten years. And yeah, it there was not a lot of coaching going on. When when your point guard goes seven for seven from three, things tend to take care of themselves. So Matt Seidl: Speak speaking of strategy, they might want to go over the top of the ball screen the next time instead of under for fifteen straight possessions. But anyway, so Josh: We we could get Corey Sterling, the Benton Harbor coach on here and asked why he didn't make that adjustment at some point. Matt Seidl: All right, well that we'll leave some of these other what we're watching for next time unl unless you've got one that you want to jump in. Josh: Well, I I just the only one that jumped out at me is when we talked about together what when it was happening was we we both are huge tennis fans, huge Matt Seidl: No. Yeah. Josh: US Open fans. It's a great event. and the other day when Sablanka was on and and asked to stop the match because the smell of the weed was too strong from the crowd. I think that that was something I can honestly have never seen in sports. I've experienced it, especially coaching at some Matt Seidl: Yeah. Josh: schools in the area and things like that and even other schools. But you know, when you walk into the gym you do smell it. But I at an outdoor event like the US Open, that w I thought that was hilarious when she asked about that. Matt Seidl: No, I she's great. She's a great personality. Arena, is is that how you say her first name? Arena Sabalenka. Josh: Yes, yeah. Matt Seidl: for her to for her to bring that up and she kind of said it with a kind of a smile, but it like, you know, I'm trying to play tennis here. She did she did address it during the press conference. But i building on that, all these influencers that they like to call themselves, just doing their shows and doing their their recordings during a tennis match is crazy. Like there's an etiquette to being a tennis fan, right? And it's just that it's got gotten out of control. Of course you get to New York, people just gonna do whatever they want to do sometimes. But it's going to be I I think it's obviously gonna be addressed. They're not they're not gonna get credentials. I think some of these folks were getting credentials to go to get in there. I think those credentials are going to be banned from now on. But yeah that that Josh: Yeah, could you imagine this being an issue with the the TikTokers and the marijuana at Wimbledon? I don't see them getting away with that at Wimbledon. Matt Seidl: I can't see it either. But i if they don't get control, but it's coming, so for sure. So my goodness. So All right, hey, moving to our third quarter today, and we we we just can't not do some predictions. We gotta whether it's you know and right now it's football season, so we're gonna we're gonna do some football predictions. We we did isolate or identify two three high school games, two college games, and two professional games coming up this this weekend. So that'd be like September eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth. So Josh, you ready to just kinda plow through these and g get your picks? Josh: absolutely. Now I do want to ask are are we allowed to do this segment? Don't you have some kind of contract with Pinckney Schools where you're anti gambling or something like that? Matt Seidl: We are. I'm not are we are we betting any money on this? I don't think we are. No. Yeah, we Josh: No, we're not. No, we're not. We're just making Matt Seidl: we a we got a nice grant and we are we are honoring that grant. We are publicizing Josh: Okay. Matt Seidl: it and will be continuing to do that throughout the school year. So wow. Right. Yeah, we're just pred we're just predicting. We have no money on this. So let's start Josh: Well that would be one reason I could not coach at Pinckney right there, because I am pro gambling and pro betting app, but go ahead. Okay. Okay. Matt Seidl: with the the Brighton at Northville clash coming up this Friday. Any thoughts on that one? Josh: Yeah, I mean Coach Lemons is I mean Brighton football has always been great, but Coach Lemons in the last, I don't know, ten years or so since he's been there has really taken that program to the next level. you know, they had a great win week one against Dexter. I I don't know if that game was as big of a blowout as the score indicated. It seemed to be much closer in the first half, and I know Dexter had a lot of red zone trouble in that game, but I I I love Brighton in this matchup. you know, I think Brighton and Howell have separated from the rest of the KLAA. Belleville used to be in that conversation. I don't necessarily think they are anymore. I guess we'll find out as the season goes. But I love Brighton in this matchup. And in in high school football, you know, home away, it doesn't really seem to factor in as as it does in in college and the NFL. So I don't think it's a big deal to run the road at Northville in this one. Matt Seidl: Yeah, I agree. And I I I'm I'd go with Brighton as well. I actually got to watch a little bit of that Brighton Dexter game on live stream and I watched I picked it up late in the first half when Dexter was on the one yard line trying to go in to tie the score at halftime and they couldn't get in, so it was fourteen to seven and then the second half was just all Brighton. They got a a quarterback and a running back. They're both named Dom. I mean like when you got like it tells you right there, we got a couple ballers right there. I And then they got a they got a receiver, I think like a kid named in the kid named JMO. They all they got great names, J-Mo Parcel, Josh: Great names. Matt Seidl: and then there's a I think they got a MSU commit playing offensive tackle at Jack Carlson. So their offense is clicking, but they just shut out Wayne Memorial, and they really shut down a always good Dexter or recently good Dexter program in the second half. So I'm gonna go with Brighton as well. I could see this one actually being a double digit win, but we'll see. So this how about how this is right up your alley, buddy? Grand Rapids South Christian at Grand Rapids West Catholic. Josh: So Matt Seidl: Anyway, let's w what do you got for this one? Okay. You get get Kobe? Alright, get Kobe. Josh: Hold on, let's pause for a minute and I'll jump in. Let me deal with this dog. Hold on. I'm trying to. Alright, we're good now. He's on the bed. Okay. Matt Seidl: Okay. Josh: So you had just said what do you got in this one? So I'll jump in All right, well, I knew this I knew you're gonna pick this game with the two private schools. so you really can't complain about this one. At least they're playing them, they're playing each other, so you really can't be upset if you know they're not beating a public school, so you gotta be okay with that. I I have to go with West Catholic. They're one of the top five teams in the state. This should be a great game, regardless. but you know, I West Catholic's as good as it gets. They're they're one of these teams, perennial powers, multiple state titles, and when they're not winning the state title, they're either getting there or a game short. I think it was Grand Rapids Catholic Central that that knocked him out last year in the playoffs. You know, I I think we're at a point where these type of matchups is what people wanna see, especially in week three, should be an excellent football game. But I gotta go with West Catholic in this one. Matt Seidl: Alright, I'm gonna I'll break a break away from you. I'm gonna go with South Christian. I yeah, I think they were four and six last year, but also made the playoffs at four and five. But that was a down year for them. they I think I I did read that they have a senior dominated team this year. they got a great wide receiver, kid named Charlie Charlie Vermos, I believe is the name, something along those lines. they lost, I believe, the West Catholic last year. So they this is kind of a revenge game. It is at West Catholic, but I don't think the home field's gonna have that much to do with it. But I this is gonna be I think this is gonna be a really close game, possibly even come down to the end. but I'm I'm gonna go with South Christian sailors in this one. So finally go ahead. Josh: Hey great basketball program, great basketball program at South Christian, by the way. Matt Seidl: Really? How hmm. I wonder why. anyway, let's see. and finally we had to throw an SEC game in there. Chelsea at Adrian. Hmm. How about that one? Josh: Yeah, I mean I the Bulldogs are rolling. huge week one win. w at and and I I love Coach Noel Dean. He he he truly is cutting edge. they get a 359 kickoff week one, so they're the first game in the state. Everybody else kicked off at four o'clock, so he moved the kickoff to three fifty-nine to be the first game in the state. I love that kind of stuff. he does an incredible job with the program. he does a great job engaging the community. and and they you talk about some talent. They have an incredibly talented senior and junior class. You you talked about the Dom last name at Brighton a minute ago. We have the Ichesco brothers in Chelsea. Gibby Ichesco, who just signed with Northwood, Star tailback, just you know, a menace in space. It's hard to bring down. His brother Jax is the quarterback. Nolan Shicitano, also kind of a red zone guy. He's he's just a great player all around, but does gets it done around the The red zone like to go for him on short yardage stuff. also a college tight end in Josh Stevens, Jake Stevens' little brother, who's getting looks as a college tight end. great as most Chelsea teams are, great in the trenches on both sides, great O and D line. it's just really well coached program. it's been a great program for years. Going back to Brad Bush and Josh Lucas and and Noel Dean has now put his little wrinkle on it. And you know, Adrian is up and coming. They've really turned it around, really in all their sports. and the football program is one of the better ones in the league again. You know, and I don't know if they're back to the heyday when, you know, the the late nineties and early two thousands, but Adrian football is good again, but they just they don't have enough. I don't think anybody has enough to deal with Chelsea in that league. I I don't really see anybody beating them. I I see an undefeated season and I this will be one of their bigger challenges, but I I see that you know Bulldogs are gonna roll by a couple touchdowns. Matt Seidl: yeah, it's possible. I you you kinda stole my thunder with the Chelsea breakdown. I like saying Chicotano. I just like saying the name. I Chesco's, by the way, they did play youth football in Pinckney. I don't know if that means anything or not. Yeah, yeah y Josh: well, it's 'cause you guys had tackle and Chelsea doesn't. Yeah. Matt Seidl: it's whatever Chelsea's doing, I think people start looking at it. So you know, it's funny because you know how rumors get around. There there is some rumors out there probably in the spring and summer that maybe the Chelsea dynasty was kind of starting to crack a little bit. They were having a little bit of un unrest and just I so ev everybody's like this. Like wouldn't that be great if Chelsea came back down to earth and then they go out and beat what Harper Woods and then he just they just blow out you know who who who'd they beat who they they beat Jackson like like Josh: Jackson. Yep. Matt Seidl: a like they weren't even there. I can't see Adrian beating them even though they are at home playing in that cool little s you know municipal field down there off campus and yeah, it's not a lot of Josh: It is a really cool high school field of yeah. Matt Seidl: room on the sidelines by the way. I drew a flag last year by getting in the officials way, taking some video for our our social media that didn't help our car. I drew a flag. They the guy elbowed Josh: You really drew a flag? That's outstanding. Yeah. Matt Seidl: me in the rib and I had like a I think I had a cracked rib or a bruised rib for about a month, but that was it serves me right. But there's nowhere to go on that sideline as you know. Josh: Yeah, it's true. Matt Seidl: I I like Chelsea too. I don't know if it's gonna be a a blowout. I think it could be a competitive game, but it should be a really good football game. So all right. Moving into the college ranks, let's start with big one Ohio State at Texas Saturday. What do you think? Josh: I mean, the two of the top, I don't know, seven or eight programs in the country that can win a national title, I would say. obviously you got Julian Saiyan at Ohio State and just a plethora of wide receivers and talent there. You know, it's amazing. They send all those guys to the NFL and they just they just reload. It's it's no big deal. you got Arch Manning, obviously possible Heisman trophy winner, possible top pick in the draft. And he they added a lot of talent, especially in the portal at wide receiver, and they got him some more toys and weapons to play with. But I I watched quite a bit of both of these games last week before they got the score got ridiculous. And I am just not sold on Texas's defense. And I've never been sold on Will Muschamp. It no matter where he goes, there's hype around it. And no matter where he goes, there's failure that follows. And I just don't see Texas's defense being good enough to slow down Ohio State. I I think this will be a close one, but I think Ohio State pulls away and I I I think it's gonna be a barn burner shootout down there in Texas. but I just think o Ohio State's offense is just too good and I I just don't trust a Will Muschamp defense. Matt Seidl: Hmm. I think what's going to stop Ohio State's offense on Saturday is Ohio State. They tend to pucker up in these games against a good team. They get really conservative. I'm hoping that that's still the case. Jeremiah Smith is incredible receiver, and he's got four buddies with him in that room that are pretty good. You mentioned the receivers for Texas. I mean Ryan Wingo, Cam Coleman. Ar Arch has got his weapons as well. I see this one being a really close game, but I kind of like Texas winning in a late field game. goal and I again I think Ohio State will be questioning their conservative approach on Sunday. But that's just that's I'm hoping maybe I'm just hoping that. I don't know. So Josh: I I I I I hope you're right. I mean, I would love to see Texas win the game. I'm you know, and as a Michigan fan, those responses did not surprise me from you at all. But I am not Matt Seidl: Mm, mm, mm. Josh: a Ryan Day fan and I do agree with Hardball. He was definitely born on third base, so Matt Seidl: All right, our other college game, why not? Oklahoma at Michigan. Michigan went into Saturday night's game as a favorite in this game against Oklahoma, an early favorite, and now they are at least six point underdogs. what are your thoughts, Notre Dame, man? Josh: I I think Michigan will definitely play better. Whittingham will have them ready. You know, they obviously have a lot of things to work on based on what I saw the other night. But there's too much pride at University of Michigan and and they do have a lot of great players as well. So I think this will be closer than than people think. But I if if I was a betting man, I would definitely play the six points and and take Oklahoma. I I think this will be a one-score game. I Oklahoma's defense is just gonna be too much for Bryce Underwood to handle. and I I think going into last week, I thought, well, Michigan will still be able to run the ball, they'll still be able to control the clock. Based on what I saw in the West Western Michigan game, I I don't know if Michigan's gonna be able to run the ball at all against Oklahoma. So I I think, you know, Michigan hangs around for a while. I think Oklahoma pulls away, probably a a late interception seals the deal as Bryce is known to throw a few of those. I think Oklahoma twenty seven seventeen, twenty seven twenty in this one. Matt Seidl: Kinda feel the same way. I think it's gonna be a methodical pull away by Oklahoma. Michigan will play better for sure. They can't play any really can't play any worse other than the scripted drive Josh: No, they cannot Matt Seidl: at the beginning. They it really did anything. The offensive line, major concern. The receiver room, they I love the kid from Utah, but who else is gonna show up? Bryce, I Josh: I thought Marsh, I thought not Marsh, yeah, Marsh. Jordan was it Jordan Marsh, the Michigan wide receiver? I thought he would have played better than he did last week. Matt Seidl: Yeah, I mean just in in you know, schematically they've got to do a better job. They didn't win the scheme battle against Western at all, but and that's just me being frustrated. I I pull for Bryce Underwood. I he he's a nineteen year old kid, like I want him to do well. I know there's a ton of pressure on him, you can just see it. I hope he has a a better game and starts putting it together. Otherwise you're gonna you're gonna the quarterback controversy is just gonna grow and grow and that's never good for any program. But I I could see this one being thirty one seventeen in the end but kind of a methodical pull away, but we'll see. So it's it it will be fun. And I and I'm gonna be at a J V football game and a varsity girls field hockey game. So I that's what they do Josh: Wait a minute, they're playing J V football on Saturdays in the SEC still? Matt Seidl: in our league if if unless both teams agree to play on Thursday. And we still kinda need I know. So so if you're not doing it it Josh: That is that's absurd. That that is ridiculous. What happened to Thursday night football? Matt Seidl: We may have to get back to that. Let's just say. So yeah, I'm I'd Josh: Okay. Matt Seidl: be I'm be feeling it, especially if Michigan's playing well Saturday, I'm gonna be a little disappointed. So all right, Josh: Yeah. Matt Seidl: let's move to the NFL, starting with the Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. Yeah, we do. Josh: Yeah, we got little Super Bowl rematch here. I, you know, I thought the Patriots unbelievable run last year, but let's be honest, the CJ Stroud, one of the worst performances ever in a playoff game to get the Patriots to the AFC Championship game. Bo Nicks goes down hurt, which gets the Patriots to the Super Bowl. I mean, you talk about everything going right. and and again, great season, easy schedule, though. Seattle, I thought was definitely the best team last year. I don't know if the Patriots were even. really one of the top eight teams. They just somehow got there. So I I think we're gonna see the Patriots take a step back this year. And I don't really see that with Seattle. I see a dominating Seahawk performance, especially in Seattle. It's it's a tough place to play and I I think that will factor into it as well. yeah, I like the Seahawks. Matt Seidl: Yeah, I do too. JSN, speaking of Ohio State, yeah, receiver. Isn't there a Notre Dame guy that might figure big in this game? In the run Josh: there's always an older dean guy that's gonna figure in big. Yeah. Matt Seidl: Jadarian Price, he's I think Charbonnet, as usual, is is is banged up and Waters Josh: Yep. He's banged up? Yep. Matt Seidl: is obviously not with them anymore. So here we go. We're gonna hear about the Irish again. But I can see I actually could see Seattle putting it on them in this game. Josh: I'd agree. Matt Seidl: we'll see. Seattle's only a three and a half point favorite for you, betting guys. But just throwing that out there. So yeah. Josh: Okay. Matt Seidl: All right, but the big one Sunday, of course, is the New Orleans Saints visit Ford Field and the Detroit Lions. Lions are seven point favorites in this one. you got any thoughts? Josh: Yeah, I mean that's a lot of points to lay at any point in NFL game. but y you know, I I have to say Matt Seidl: Now a a and we're not p we're not picking the points, Fred. We're picking straight up, right? Yeah, okay. All right. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. we do not we do not. Josh: No, no, I yeah, we're just picking winners. You know, because we don't wanna support gambling, obviously. That's no, I mean, but you know, I do like the Lions. I I I think at home they're a tough team to beat. I think the Lions are a playoff team again this year. I don't think they have a cold weather game until like week fifteen. Everything's in a warm Matt Seidl: I heard that. Josh: place or a dome. You know, and early in the season, the Lions are are the pick because they're not banged up yet. They're not injured yet. What we've seen the last few years is it it's after week nine or ten is where we have to get worried. I feel like the injuries have really piled up the last few years. I love them early. I love them week one. I love them at home. and I and our windows closing. I I really believe that sadly it we we have maybe a one or two years left where we can hold out hope that the Lions might be a Super Bowl team. It's hard to imagine that with the Rams and the Seahawks this year being as good as they are. But right now, I mean, I'm pulling for the Lions whenever game they can get home field advantage in the playoffs. And I love them in week one. Matt Seidl: Yeah, I'm I I'm feeling them in week one. I I love the offense. Went healthy. I think that they don't have a little bit of I guess support for Gibbs as a backup, a legitimate backup, but maybe they do and we just don't know about yet. The defense, they have some they have some star power on the defense, but in terms of a cohesive group and all the pieces that you need to be, you know, kind of a a a championship team in the NFL, I'm not convinced that they're there yet. but I do think they survive New Orleans. I think this game's actually gonna be closer. And if I were worried about the point spread, I would probably take New Orleans. But I think being at home and that that crowd's gonna be that's gonna be really fun. I I I I think it's a one o'clock start but I I I could be wrong. I have to check that. So but anyway it'll be it'll be cool. So Josh: Well, after the finish of the season that the Tigers have had, people have gotta be dying for the Lions to start 'cause it's been brutal. Matt Seidl: Stop it. Don't even go there. I think you and I were at the last special moment that the Tigers had and Josh: Yeah it was. Matt Seidl: we went we went and watched Cleveland or those great seats down in the corner. Yeah. So we were we were Josh: Yeah, w we're in the playoffs for a day. Yeah. Matt Seidl: a game a game out a game behind a game below five hundred going into that White Sox series and that was the end of it. So but anyway. All right, well hey, that brings our third quarter to end. We're gonna head to our fourth quarter. We've got a special guest coming up, and that would be Jackson Lumen Christie All State and State Champion Junior, current junior Kenna Hunt is going to join us next on the podcast. Josh: All right, here we are in our fourth quarter, and we are extremely lucky to have it on as our guest, Kenna Hunt from Lumen Christie High School. Kenna is joining us as our first guest as the podcast comes back. Kenna has 32 Division I offers. She's the number one ranked player in the state in the class of 2028. And she just got invited to the Wooten Top 150 at the end of this month that she plans on playing in. Kenna. Tell us a little bit about the Wooten Top 150 for people that haven't heard of that before. kenna: Yeah, it's a really, really high level camp. pretty excited to get invited out there. but there's a lot of like ESPN and McDonald's all American representatives that are there that check us out and it's kind of just a way to get some more exposure and compete at the top level and compete against some of the highest players or the most some of the best players in the country. So it's it's really special. I'm super grateful that I got invited out there. Josh: Very cool. And I I mean, what a great opportunity. Like you said, you you want to play against the best. And there's you kenna: Right. Josh: I mean, you are one of the best. I don't know if you need any more exposure with 32 D1 offers. If somebody hasn't heard of you, then they've been living under a rock. So but kenna: It depends on it. Matt Seidl: Ha ha ha. Josh: this time of year, you know, fall basketball, there's there's a not lot a lot going on, and especially like at a place with Luma Christie, so many girls play multiple sports. What does a week look like for you this time of year as far as trainings, workouts, shooting? Just kind of take us through what somebody at your level is doing like in a a normal week this time of year. kenna: Yep. So right now I'm injured right now. So right now it's been a little bit different. But typically at this time of the year I'll have my Mondays and Wednesdays are with my weight trainer. so I'll get about an hour of lifting in with him and then after the lifting, right after we'll go right into doing some basketball shooting. That way my body's used to, you know, shooting while my body my while my muscles and body is tired. and then Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm with my trainer, my skill development trainer. So I drive out there, we work on positional stuff, reads, break down film, work on that type of thing. And then on Friday, that's kind of my own thing. I wake up, do some yoga, and then do my own shots. That's more my shooting day. Typically, I'll get about 200 to 500 shots during the week, like Monday through Thursday, and then Friday, I'll probably get 500 to 1000. And then the weekend, it's really If something pops up with another trainer, I'll, you know, go to a session there. But it's really just kind of my chill, laid back, maybe play around my siblings in the barn or just get some shots up really chill. But typically that's what my week looks like. Josh: And you fit in being a teen or teenager a little bit. I've seen you at like at fus football games and things like that. Okay, good. kenna: Yeah. Absolutely. Yep. Matt Seidl: and I thought my week was a grind at times. Holy cow. So so kenna: Mm-hmm. Matt Seidl: Kenna, I I I happen to be the only person on this podcast that does not have a state championship. Josh l he got lucky he in two two thousand fourteen. You were not lucky last year, you earned that. But that what was it like, I guess you know, winning a winning a state title as a sophomore? Was that was that ahead of your your plan or was that right on schedule or and and how did all that feel for you? kenna: felt awesome. It was really just kind of a test to all the hard work that we put in during the season. So just getting in the gym the days that we didn't want to get in gym and showing up every day with my teammates and I feel like our connection, our chemistry throughout that team with our seniors and all the way down to our freshmen, it was it was amazing chemistry. So to be able to do that with that special of a group, it was it was really awesome. And I'd say it was pretty on track. We before the year we knew we were fully capable of it. So it was really just about taking care of business and doing what we what we know how to do. So that's really the big thing. Matt Seidl: That's awesome. You you reference your siblings. J Josh mentioned to me you you come from a a a pretty big family. So how many how kenna: Yeah. Matt Seidl: many siblings exactly? And this is a great time to shout them out. And and then also what's it like having that that type of support group? kenna: It's awesome. I have seven siblings. So it's really chaotic around the house, but it's so competitive. It's something really special to be around. We compete with just about everything. And I feel like that definitely helps with my part of my game too, with my competitiveness for sure. so yeah, I can always pull somebody out to 1v1 me or shoot around or do something, and everything's competition. So Josh: That was one of the things I referenced to Matt about how competitive Matt Seidl: Before before it Josh: you are as as a person. So kenna: Okay. Josh: I and he referenced your your what was what was the video you saw her in that she played in, Matt? Matt Seidl: I when I was doing a little you know, basic research, other than just seeing her name in a headline from time to time, I s I came across this mic'd up thing during the summer and you were having the the part that got me laughing was when you were having some fun with one of your opponents and was kinda bumping you and you're bumping back. But the the confidence, the the communic holy if we could get ha our kids to communicate half as as well as she did, especially defensively, on that that mic'ed up piece. But you you were having fun too. That that was that was actually that was a very cool deal, so yeah. Well kenna: Yeah. Yeah, that was a competitive game. That was fun. Matt Seidl: It looked like it. It looked like it, so Josh: So we've we've talked about some of the the accomplishments you had at Lumen as a team and those things. What are some of your personal goals or things you want to accomplish as a player before you leave the high school game or the even going into the college game? kenna: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. So, I think my main goal right now is just developing myself to be the best version of myself on the court, off the court. But specifically with Lumen, I'd say just working on being the best leader possible. I know we have a lot of with five seniors leaving, we have a lot of young players. So I gotta be there for them and I gotta show show what it's what we what it takes to win a chip and take care of business and show up every day. And I need to be that role model and that leader and that voice out there for my younger players. So that's really my goal is be the best leader out there and be the best version of myself. Josh: Excellent. Matt Seidl: curious who who who influences you as a leader? Where wh where do you learn your leadership skills from? Exactly from my period. kenna: definitely from coming from my parents. They Matt Seidl: Okay. kenna: they definitely they repeat that to me. They that's my mom especially. She's like, you just you gotta be you gotta be a leader out there because they need they need a voice out there. They need somebody that's gonna be there for them and pick up when they when they're feeling down and just be that good energy out there on the court. And I definitely say having a lot of younger siblings also helps with that too. Matt Seidl: Mm-hmm. I bet. So you win a state title as a sophomore, what do you do for an encore? And w so when you look at your team now, coach just asked you about your individual goals. What what are gonna be the team goals for a for a i is it is it state title or bust or is every year different? kenna: for sure we're fully capable of running it back with the pieces that we have. Rhea, Lucy, Aaron, everybody, everybody's bought in. And right after the state championship, I had a conversation with Coach Stein and he was like, if you wanna if you wanna run it back, it's gonna be a lot harder than it was the first year. So as long as we're all bought in and we're ready to work every day, we show up at practice and we give it a hundred and twenty percent and Just give it our best. I think that we're one thousand percent capable of achieving our goal, which is to run it back again. Matt Seidl: Gotcha. So Speaking of Coach Stein, 'cause I guess he he's he's kind of been down this road before trying trying to run it back. But I think I think Coach had a had a conversation with Coach Stein earlier and you know he he just raved about what a great teammate you were, how humble you are. but his his his biggest compliment and he gave out a quite a few of from what I understand, is what what a kind of an elite defender you are. And and as a guard, you know, that's yeah, sometimes you hear that, sometimes you don't, because you're not you know, maybe maybe you're shot by But where did that come from and is that something that you you're you're intentional about trying to be a really good defender? kenna: Yeah, absolutely. to be a good point guard, you gotta be good all around. So defensively I focus on defense a lot. And I think what helped is definitely growing up playing soccer, helped with my feet and coordination. But I definitely think my defense took a ne a step to the next level, under Coach Stein. He that's his big thing is defensively we gotta defense is gonna win us a championship. And so we really that's we did a lot of defensive practice. So That was really a big thing, focusing on that. And he really took me to the next level. So forever grateful for that because he's making me a better player and developing me, not only because I'm not only being developed during AAU, but also during high school. So that's something really cool that a lot, not a lot of players get to experience. Josh: You know, one of the things that was really nice for me being around the program and around Coach Stein so often, I would hear about game plans and and opponents coming up. And and it's amazing to me that no matter who you guys are playing in big games, he's like, Well, I'll just put Kenna on her against the other team's best player. And that could be a post player at Columbia Central, it could be a postplayer at Grass Lake, could be a point guard. It didn't matter. It's like, well, if we have any problems, we'll just put Kenna on her. And w unbelievable compliment, which also you know, shows your toughness, which I I see when I see you at practice, but maybe people don't see from the outside until they see you in person. But your ability to bang inside against post players, you're obviously have elite quickness and athleticism on the perimeter and things like that. But I think it leads into one of his other compliments was you're you're an elite rebounder. And and is that something you also pride yourself on and is your versatility and and your ability to to rebound? kenna: Yes, absolutely. And rebounds, you can get that quick transition and get down the floor. So that's a really big thing. But I know our team, our team doesn't have a lot of size. So I know that's something I really gotta focus on, especially for high school basketball. getting in there and getting those boards and yeah, being tough no matter who I'm who who I'm going up against, being tough and just really not backing down anybody and yeah, getting those boards, being that big body in the thing. Josh: So you touched on it a little bit, and and it was funny when when talking to you before the podcast, this was a reference maybe you didn't know, and it made Matt and I realize that it's been a while since John kenna: Mm-hmm. Josh: B line's coach college basketball. But one of the things you just touched about was that instant fast break when you get a rebound. And one of the things I loved about Coach B line is when you go to his practices, he emphasized how important it was for his guards to rebound because it it helped them score in transition, it created a fast break without an outlet pass, all those things. I really noticed it watching you play last year. I mean, you're usually the fastest person on the floor. And even if the other players had a head start, you would easily go past them whether you had the ball or not. so what is going through your head when you rip down that board? Like what are your reads or thoughts as you're pushing that ball down the floor? kenna: Mm. So grab it and then in practice we work on our outlets, people running the floor. So I'm looking first I'm looking at who I can get it up 'cause who I can get it up to 'cause the ball is obviously moving faster than I can I can run. So I'm looking for that outlet pass and then if not, I'm trying to get a paint touch. So I'm trying to get to get inside the paint, get the defense to collapse a little bit and then I can find, you know, my teammates on the wing or I can capitalize in the paint. So that's really what goes through my head when I grab some grab down a board. Josh: I love it. I love you the terminal. I love that you said paint touch. I love it. There's there's a kid that listens to your coaches. I love it. Matt Seidl: Yeah. Josh: all right, so we've talked a lot about your strengths, which you have many of. in your opinion, do you have areas in your game that could be considered weaknesses or at least areas that you're really focused on improving before you go to the next level? kenna: Yes, absolutely. I definitely say my getting my shot consistent. I gotta be able to hit that perimeter shot consistently and so getting that percentage up and then just decision making. I know at the highest level you gotta make good decisions, you gotta make them quick. So making sure that I'm making smart decisions, especially as the point guard with the ball in my hand a lot of the game. gotta be able to make the right decision at the right time and find the right people and take care of the ball. Just yeah, that sort of thing. But I'd say the main thing is definitely developing my shot and getting it getting it very consistent. Matt Seidl: So Josh, you've seen her play a lot more than me and you know what she has around her next year, even though there might not be a lot of sides. How would you as an opposing coach defend her? You just lost your background. Now now we kenna: Mm-hmm. Matt Seidl: get to see your laundry that you haven't done and everything else, but like kenna: Thank you. Josh: so I did lose my background. Yeah, there you go. And you get to see it all. That's all right. So Matt Seidl: Yeah, you better go without it, yeah. Josh: basically there's no really way to shut her down, but I okay. I know I I am. Matt Seidl: No, this is where you're this is where you're honest. You're not you're not messing around right now. You're honest. Josh: I yeah, I would I would face guard her the minute she gave the ball up, do everything I could. To not let kenna: Yeah. Josh: her get it back. Now, and I and I I hesitate to say these things because I don't want teams to try this against her, but if I'm being honest, Matt Seidl: Mm. kenna: Okay, sorry. Josh: if I was playing Lumen, I would double her once she dribbles. I would run somebody at her, and because she's so unselfish and because She's a team first kid. She's gonna find those other kids. And she might make me pay with finding somebody for an open three or a layup. But if I'm playing Lumen Christie, I'm doing anything I can to make somebody else besides Kenna Hunt beat me. So that's doubling her off the dribble or face guarding when she doesn't have the ball. Matt Seidl: Yeah. It i it w it's a to it's a dilemma. Like I watched her only on live stream and, you know, during tournament time and I the problem is her teammates can can make you pay if you spend too much kenna: Yeah. Matt Seidl: time on her. If you didn't have the teammates, I would I would try the triangle in two with two people on you. And I I've s I've seen it done w I've seen it done, especially in girls basketball with with a solo player that doesn't have a lot of help, but you're not in that that kenna: Okay. Matt Seidl: boat. But anyway that yeah, that's that's an interesting one. So Hey, a question for ya, so and you don't have to go into great detail, but it it it's coming. It's two years away for you before you graduate and start thinking about your college. NIL, like what what what what does that mean to you when you kenna: Yeah. Matt Seidl: think about that? Like what what are you doing to kinda get your your mind set in the right place? kenna: Yeah, it's it's kinda crazy what the NIL is looking like right now. But my thing is just building my brand. So I've got a good following on my socials and just keeping that content really real and really keeping my fans just making sure that they are loving like what I'm putting out there and making sure it's clean and all that sort of thing. But yeah, the NIL world right now is crazy and I think my dad is I'm really he's really gonna be my guy Matt Seidl: Mm-hmm. kenna: that's taking care of all that sort of business stuff. So Matt Seidl: It's good. It's good. Josh: That is crazy to think about. Like you you probably you really are building your brand right now for the future. I didn't kenna: Yeah. Josh: yeah, I do yeah. I'm surprised people haven't come at you already for NIL in high school. I to be honest with kenna: Yeah. Josh: you, s some local businesses. And maybe they have. Okay. Okay. kenna: Yeah, there's there's a couple here and there, but nothing's been like official. Nothing's official. Matt Seidl: Yeah. Josh: So along those lines and and I I feel like you know, knowing your family and your dad especially. I don't see you really going anywhere, but I gotta ask, have you been approached by prep schools or like asking you to to leave Lumen and come play for them? Like have they tried to sell you on you should come here? This is more of a focus or anything like that. kenna: Yeah, there there's been a couple that have thrown some stuff at me and but I just I love where I'm at right now and I think loyalty is a huge thing. my parents instilled loyalty in me since like a baby, so that's like a huge thing for me. So there's been a couple and looked into it but nothing's like I'm I like where I'm at right now. Josh: I'm sure the Lumen Christie faith will be very happy to hear you say that. So Matt Seidl: I think I think the grass I think Grass Lake and Brooklyn Columbia Central are gonna be really disappointed in that answer, Kenna just throwing that out there. But Josh: Ha ha ha kenna: Ha ha. Matt Seidl: but l let's talk kenna: Yeah. Matt Seidl: serious stuff. I am a Michigan women's basketball season ticket holder. What w are is there any chance in the world that we see Kenna Hunt in the maze in blue in a couple years? Is that possible? It's coming, it's coming, it's coming. kenna: No, I don't have Michigan yet. So Josh: Yeah, wait a We're we're friends with Kim. She's been on the podcast. We gotta talk to her. This ridiculous that Michigan kenna: Yeah. Josh: hasn't offered yet. There we go. Yeah. Matt Seidl: We'll we'll have her on next week, we'll just talk about Kenna for twenty minutes. That's not a bad idea. kenna: Yeah, I need them to throw the O, but I'm I mean, yeah, it's close to home, so it's definitely consideration, but I mean we'll never I'll never know. So we gotta see, gotta lay out lay out what they're throwing they're throwing at me and then make some decisions because wherever I wanna go, I wanna go there for four years and stay there because like I said, loyalty's huge to me. Matt Seidl: Gotcha. So real quick, b back to your AAU team is called the Leg Legends U, right? Is is that kenna: Yes, correct. Matt Seidl: what it's yeah, one of the best one of the best in the country. I think you can anybody can argue with that. who, you know, you've because of this team, you've obviously gotten some great experience moving around, jumping around, playing against players. What venues catch your eye as man that was fun to play in? And then also kenna: Mm-hmm. Matt Seidl: who's the best player or some of the best players you played against? kenna: Yeah, so with the Legends U, we play in the Power 24. So we're playing against like the same teams. We kind of meet up with the same teams every weekend. So I think there's not really one specific venue that's like been like crazy. there was one in Atlantic City actually that was really competitive because there were a couple teams that were from out of our circuit that we played. But it's so competitive there. So like I I'm super competitive. So in that type of environment, I I love it. And Matt Seidl: Mm-hmm. kenna: the energy and we have we usually have a lot of our younger teams supporting us. So it's really cool to just be a part of something so special. And then best player that I've played against. there's a couple. I'd probably say Micah Ojo. She's in a twenty twenty seven class. we played them in the semifinal game last year. That's who we lost to. And then A point guard that I've gone against is lovely best and she's super good too. So it's kind Matt Seidl: Okay. kenna: of cool to play against them and kind of learn some stuff and then kind of size up and see what I need to improve on. and that sort of thing. So Matt Seidl: Alright, I've only got one I've only got one more Josh. So and this kenna: Okay. Josh: Okay. Matt Seidl: th this is based on a conversation with my son Derek, who by the way used to be he's one of the founding members of the podcast, but he he watched kenna: Mm-hmm. Matt Seidl: you play a couple nights during the district because he was working the the district it was at Napoleon. But he he quickly quickly said, like, she not only would start on every Cascades conference boys team, like she would be the the player kenna: Ha ha ha. Matt Seidl: on some like so he he he was you know have you do you ever watch the boys game and say I I can compete. Do you ever you ever do that? kenna: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I train I train with a lot of guys too that are bigger and stronger than me. So Matt Seidl: Okay. Right. kenna: I think it'd be fun to jump out there, but Yeah. Matt Seidl: Well I I I know a boys coach at Luma Christie. Maybe he can work it out in the s in the summer or some Josh: Well, I I will say this. I I'm kenna: Ha ha ha Josh: not gonna answer this because it would get me in so much trouble in my own locker room. You don't understand. But Matt Seidl: Mm-hmm. Josh: I think we all know the answer. I yeah. Yeah. Yes, yep. Matt Seidl: Yeah, I think we do. I think we do too. That was very rhetorical. Very rhetorical. So kenna: Yeah. Matt Seidl: all right. Well cool, man. Well, hey, I think that's gonna be it for today. we wanna thank Kenna Hunt for joining us. That was great to have you on our our first comeback podcast. wanna thank our listeners for absorbing our shenanigans for the better part kenna: Mm-hmm. Matt Seidl: of an hour. hopefully we made you laugh and think a little bit. and until next time, take care. Thank you guys, thank you guys. All right. kenna: Thank you guys. Thank you guys for having me. All right.