Boomo Bugg Show 033026

[0:00] Now, get ready to roll Shoals, Decatur, Athens and all of Northwest Alabama and Southern Tennessee. It's time for the Valley's exclusive FM Sports Voice. The Boomo Bugg Show. Your exclusive inside track to the Tigers, Tennessee and the rest of the SEC. Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9. The Score. Good afternoon and welcome in to the Boomo Bugg Show. I'm Harold Bugg alongside Brett Beaird. Thank you so much for giving us free ride around the Tennessee Valley. Brett Beaird, welcome in and can you say what a dramatic way to put the final piece in the final four puzzle.

Good afternoon, welcome in and how are you? Happy Monday to you and the listeners. Yes, that was quite an ending yesterday. We'll be talking about it throughout the course of the show. Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne posted on social media Saturday night about Nate Oates' future. He's not going anywhere. Tennessee loses to Michigan Sunday, but head coach Rick Barnes says he's coming back for another year. Adam is here right now to recap an eventful weekend for the SEC and the Sweet 16. Adam is Adam Spencer. He's busy there.

It's Saturday down south. Adam, welcome in and now we know the final four. Good afternoon, welcome in and how are you? I'm doing great, guys. How are you? Man, we're doing all right. Adam, let me give you some advice here. If you get up by 19 points, do not take anything for granted. Would you agree? Yeah, I mean, I think we've seen that time and time again. I mean, I'm also an NBA fan and that's just something that you see over and over again in the pro ranks these days.

Teams go up by 20 plus points and then, you know, next thing you know, the other team's up by 10. So it just seems to be, you know, an indictment on players these days that just don't have that killer instinct. But, I mean, yeah, my goodness, not a great look for Duke there for sure. How much of this was on Connecticut's team, just having the will, and how much of it is on Hurley willing his team and pitching his classic, almost patent, hissy fits? You can say what you want about the guy, but at the end of the day, he walks away with some Ws.

Yeah, I mean, I thought it was interesting because in the first half, I think they were like, you know, they've only made like one out of like 12 threes or something like that. Like, they were miserable from three in the first half. You can see, like, he wasn't, you know, for all the Dan Hurley, you know, all the antics that we see him get into, it's almost always at officials. Like, you don't really see him screaming at his players. And, you know, in that first half, he just kind of was shaking his head and just, you know, it was kind of a quiet performance because, you know, I think that he knew, like, if we get some of these shots to fall, they were getting good looks.

They just weren't making them, and sometimes that's tough when you go into a new arena like that. I mean, at least for them, you know, they had the benefit of playing in the United Center, which is a basketball arena. You know, sometimes in the final four, we see this when you go into this NFL stadium to play and the sight lines are off and all that, and it can take a little while to make shots. But, you know, credit to UConn, they've been here before, they have guys that have been here before, like Caravan, and those guys just kept working, and they put the pressure on Duke to, you know, really close them out because they just started making some of those shots, and they kept it close, and they gave themselves a chance to win, and that's the sign of a really good coach and a really good set of players who have been around the block before.

Adam, I actually looked that stat up this morning. They missed one. They were one out of their first 18 from three. And Hurley, of course, somebody told him that after the game, he put his hands over his face and winced. The other one in the final four, 30 minutes after Illinois and UConn, are the two juggernauts, Arizona and Michigan. The SEC certainly knows how good Michigan is. Alabama led at halftime 49-47, but Michigan's size kind of took over in depth, in the second half, and it was really a known contest yesterday with Tennessee.

Again, both teams getting far. A lot of people thought Florida would be in the final four. That didn't happen. Your thoughts on Michigan versus Alabama and Tennessee? Yeah, I mean, that's just, you know, the problem with those teams, they were just bad matchups. Now, Michigan's a one seed. Obviously, they're a bad matchup for everybody, but they just have so much size that Alabama can't match. And that was a problem. I mean, credit to Alabama for fighting like it did. And then with Tennessee, it's just, Tennessee, you know, we've talked about this before, about how woeful Rick Barnes' offenses tend to be at key moments.

[5:12] And that was, again, like, you can't let a team go on a 21-0 run against you in the first half and just killed them. Like, there was no way. Like, you know, 21-0 is a lot different than, you know, they were down so much more than UConn was against Duke. You know, they didn't even give themselves a chance to work themselves back into the game. And it's just because the offense gets stagnant at these bad times against top-tier defensive teams. And it's been the same story.

Now, you know, Tennessee's had some bad luck here. You know, they've made it to three straight Elite Eights, which is incredible. But they've always faced it once. They haven't gotten any luck with any sort of madness happening to them before they get to the Elite Eight. So, there's that one seed that's always waiting. So, it's not like they're losing to inferior teams. But, like, they're just not good enough. They're not Final Four worthy yet. And that's just been, you know, it's getting harder and harder not to say that the Elite Eight is the ceiling for this program under Rick Barnes, which is still a great ceiling.

It's just, is it going to be enough? Adam Spencer, Saturday, down south. Let's talk a little bit about Alabama. A lot of folks said this at the very first game of the year again. This team is going to win 20-plus games because of guard play. They're good. But, and they're going to beat most teams. But when they, the field levels out and they've got to play Elite Teams, there's no answer underneath. And we see it almost every time. Is the ceiling in Alabama, the Sweet 16, maybe the, I know they've been to the Final Four, but I'm talking about a consistent level.

You've got to believe Nate Oates is going to kick back and say, okay, I get it. I've tried this system. It's good enough to win a lot of ballgames. It's good enough to be competitive in a lot of ballgames. But to get to the Final Four and win it all, I've got to sit here and invest in not one, but two big quality guys. Yeah. And I mean, I think that, you know, you're going to be able to find some of these guys. Like, I think he needs to, you know, just follow, you know, he needs to start stalking Brad Underwood whenever Brad Underwood goes.

You know, just find one of these, like, you know, you can have your physical bruiser. This is a problem with Tennessee, too. Maybe Rick Barnes needs to stalk Nate Oates while Nate Oates is stalking Brad Underwood. But, like, they need to get over to Europe and find some of these seven-footers that can shoot the three because that's what they're missing now. You know, Tennessee has these big guys like Akpara and Jalen Carey, and they've had these guys over the years that just beat you up physically.

But they can't do anything offensively. You know, anything outside of five feet is just a complete zero for them. So, like, that's the kind of player that you can't build around. You can have one of those guys out there. You can't have two or three of those guys out there in today's basketball. So, you need a versatile seven-foot guy like Mirkovic or the Eva Fitches. And, I mean, I know he had one of them. But, you know, those are the types of guys that Nate Oates needs.

You need one of those guys to pair with a traditional big man who can, you know, be physical and grab. So, the model is there for him to continue the offense that he wants to play, which has been proven time and time again to be successful. It's just about the personnel that he puts around the guards. And we'll see if he is able to, you know, figure out a little bit better frontcourt roster construction this offseason. I've heard all weekend about the Big Ten being 5-0 against the SEC.

Yes, they were. But, let's add some – let's go beneath that a little bit. Iowa beat Florida by one. Nebraska beat Bandy by two. Purdue beat Texas by two. Michigan, of course, beat Alabama by 13 and then rounded Tennessee by 33. But there were three losses there that were by two or fewer points. Yeah, I mean, I think that this is just, you know, a situation because it was just – it's not like, you know, everybody wants to write off the SEC and basketball and football. It's not like, you know, last year the SEC got 14 teams into the tournament and won the national title and had, like, you know, put up the same numbers of teams in the Elite Eight and the Final Four and all that sort of stuff.

So, I mean, if the Big Ten doesn't win the title, it's all for naught. And, you know, Arizona and UConn are going to have something to say about that. And, you know, these things are cyclical. Next year we can see the SEC is the best league again because, you know, Florida has some key guys that will probably come back. And, you know, Kentucky will do what it does. Arkansas, you know, Darius Acuff's leaving. But, you know, there's some talent that's coming into the league here and we don't even know where things will settle in the portal.

So, you know, I think it's just going to be this thing where it just bounces back year after year. Big Ten, SEC, Big Ten, SEC, because the Big Ten is going to lose Brayden Smith, the all-time leading assist guy in the NCAA. Illinois is going to lose some of its guys. You know, Keaton Wagler is going to be gone after this year. You know, Michigan is going to lose Lindeborg and some of these other big guys for the NBA. So, it's just going to be cyclical.

And I wouldn't be surprised if the SEC was the dominant conference again this time next year. Let me ask you this. Just kind of looking at the business side of this thing called college sports overall. I saw a number this morning. LSU basically is just raising the bar to where a lot of schools are simply going to be priced out of being competitive. They'll still show up. They'll collect their checks and all that stuff. But to be serious about winning championships, that's the point here. I saw a number where this collective coaching staff is in excess of $200 million.

[10:43] How in the world can these schools continue to pay that for coaches and that for players? At what point do the guys who write the checks to pay the bills for fans' sake, you know, enough's enough? Yeah, I mean, I think we're coming up on that because, you know, I just don't think that there's, you know, no matter how much money you have to write, you know, $10 million, $20 million checks every year for a college sports team is probably not a long-term sustainable goal. So, I mean, I think that, you know, we'll see this some of these times.

You know, I think that there's a big push to get some championships down in Baton Rouge here in the next few years. But then once they get those, I mean, you know, now the money might dry up a little bit. You know, yes, you've won the title, but now it's like, okay, well, now I'm not – I've paid my money. You know, what if Cody Campbell in Texas get the national title in basketball or football? And then, you know, now is he going to keep spending $20 million a year?

Can he keep spending $20 million a year? You know, who knows what his finances are going to be. But, you know, guys like that, once you get the title, like maybe it becomes a little less palatable. You've had your moment. Now it's like, I'll still donate, but I'm not going to write blank checks for you every year. No, I think we're going to find out in the next, like, five, seven years here just how sustainable this is. And, you know, I think that there's going to be some programs in for some rude awakenings.

Adam, any time after the final season loss, coaches and players are going to be emotional. A lot of the players come out and say, well, I really haven't thought about if I'm coming back or I really want to come back. One of the Alabama players, Amore Allen, said, well, I'll see what my agent says. At least he was honest about it. But there are some questions about coaches returning. On one of the Vandy signs, Mark Byington, with an extension, Rick Barnes says 100,000 percent coming back next year.

Drake Byrne, Alabama's athletic director, says Saturday night he's not going anywhere. So, at least on the surface, we know three coaches who are in demand or maybe seeking retirement are returning. Yeah, I think that's good for the league. I mean, I think that, you know, Nate Oates, I don't think, was ever super high on UNC's list, maybe a little bit higher on Kansas' list. But, I mean, you know, there's no movement at Kansas yet. So, you know, I think that, you know, it's good for the league to have a guy like Rick Barnes in the back league.

Yes, I know Tennessee fans are frustrated by not getting to a final four, but three straight elite eights is something that 90% of teams out there would kill for. So, you know, I think that he's good for the league. I hope Byington stays at Vanderbilt and doesn't just, you know, leave after two years because he's building something sustainable there. And, you know, maybe that's something that, you know, he takes into account when, if and when UNC comes calling is like, you know, do I really want to start over somewhere or do I want to, you know, continue to do what I've been doing with the resources that are continuing to increase at Vanderbilt, you know.

Tough decision there, but I hope he comes back to the SEC. I agree with you. Yeah, and you're right. About 320 college teams will like to be in three consecutive elite eights. You've got a good article on SDS this morning. One player who needs to step up for each of the final four teams, Toby Owaka, is with Arizona. Who do you used to play for? Tennessee. And he's one of these big dudes inside who I think will really help them. Adam, I know you have got a lot of coverage of the final four in the SEC postseason.

Joe Conk's got baseball. Where can we get online to get all the good stuff? Yeah, Saturday down south and Saturday tradition. You know, tradition's our Big Ten site. We've got plenty going on there. Got some fun stuff coming on both sites this week as we build up towards what should be a really exciting final four. Buckle up, Adam. Going to need to listen, man. Thanks for your time today and have a great week, okay? Thanks a lot. Thanks for having me, guys. All right. Thank you.

Adam Spencer, Saturday down south. Talking about Rick Barnes, BB. To me, not only is he proving he can get the job done on the court by Tennessee standards. They're not some of the big guys. I understand that. But he just seems to be a genuinely nice, well-rounded guy, guys. And sometimes people put Ws over class sometimes on the road, BB. Well, he talked about his Christian faith. And it's refreshing to see some of the coaches talk about this. But he spent a good bit of time today before in the media event talking about how important that is for him and his team.

And I appreciate him doing that. Talking about a well-rounded guy, Rick Barnes, Tennessee. Coming up, let's go the other way down to Florida and check in with John Ferrari on deck. Stay with us. T-Mobile has an exclusive bundle for customers 55 and up. I'm Sarah Bull. Yeah, I'm Frank Bull. A reliable network is key for us. And with T-Mobile, it's been wonderful. And going to the 55-plus plan saved us so much money. A lot. And that's important. Trying to keep costs down. The home internet's been perfect.

[15:55] It's fast, it's quick. The setup was so easy. It took less than 15 minutes. It was like, ta-da! If you want simplicity, coverage, reliability, you want the whole package, T-Mobile has it. Right now, T-Mobile customers 55 and up can get two phone lines on America's best network. Plus, America's fastest 5G home internet for just 30 bucks each. $30 per month each line with auto pay plus taxes and fees. Minimum age 55. Pricing for home internet rely on two lines of essentials choice 55. $35 connection charge per line required. Best mobile network and fastest 5G home internet based on analysis by Oak Cliff Speedtest Intelligence Data 2H 2025.

All rights reserved. Do you owe the IRS $10,000 or more in back taxes? Penalties and interest are piling up every single day. Wage garnishments and bank levies could hit any moment. If you've been avoiding it out of fear, you're not alone. But waiting only shrinks your options and ramps up the stress. The truth is, the IRS settles with taxpayers every day through legitimate programs, and many qualify to reduce what they owe, in some cases by up to 99%. That's why thousands turn to helpwithirsdebt.com. They've guided over 120,000 Americans, resolved more than $2.3 billion in tax debt, and back every case with their ironclad resolution guarantee.

If there's no real path forward, you get a full refund. No fine print. They even randomly select one qualifying client each year and pay off their entire IRS balance. Terms apply. Don't let another day pass. Go to helpwithirsdebt.com right now. It's fast, easy, and confidential. Find out what's possible today. Helpwithirsdebt.com. Once again, that's helpwithirsdebt.com. This is the story of The One. As a procurement manager for a hospital system, she keeps every facility in her network stocked and ready. That's why she counts on Grainger to be her single source for thousands of products, from disinfectants to lighting, air filters, and more.

And with fast, dependable delivery, Grainger helps her keep every facility stocked, safe, and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click Grainger.com, or just stop by. Grainger. For the ones who get it done. What if your instincts could pay off? With Robinhood Prediction Markets, you could put your sports IQ to work on the games you know best. It's not you against the house. It's you participating in a live market. Buy or sell your predictions all game long. Trade every play with Robinhood. Visit Robinhood.com slash predict.

That's Robinhood.com slash predict. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC, a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. Hey, it's Rich Eisen for Pella Windows and Doors. Sometimes teams take a time out to regroup and call the right play. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors always has the winning game plan. They're not just window and door experts. They're experts at taking care of you and your home.

At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and their experts install them. They do it every day, and that's why your neighbors trust them. Discover why Pella is a trusted choice for homeowners everywhere. Visit Pella.com slash Eisen today. That's Pella.com slash Eisen. Evan Cohen here. In life, as in sports, the pros make it look easy. That's why pro golfers like Jason Day, Ben Griffin, and Patton Kazire trust the pros in lawn care. True Green. They have the experience and expertise to give you a lawn worthy of the PGA Tour.

And since True Green does the work for you, you get more free time or more tea times. So stop stressing over your lawn and start loving it. Sign up now at TrueGreen.com because nobody makes it easier to get a golf course quality lawn than True Green, the official lawn care treatment provider of the PGA Tour. From the University of Alabama, this is Crimson Tide Today. It's a daily update on Bama sports and it's brought to you by Guthrie's, America's original chicken finger restaurant and a proud partner of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

For more information, visit Guthrie'sChicken.com. Hello again, everybody. I'm Roger Hoover. Here are thoughts from baseball head coach Rob Vaughn after Alabama completed a sweep against the Auburn Tigers on Sunday. Awesome weekend. Awesome way to finish the weekend. Not the prettiest game of all time, right? Like I thought we put way too many guys on base and I told Miles that, you know, I think he put seven on for free today. But when he needed to make big pitches, he did. He executed some big pitches.

I mean, there was, they got one hit off him, scored one there in the first and then just executed when he needed to. And then Heiberg, kind of the same thing. Matty comes in there. Yeah, he gets first guy, backs up a pitcher, hits one guy in the foot, backs up the other slider. Doesn't panic. Just executes that two seam, double play ball. Just executing big pitches in big spots. I thought that Ashton Crowther was absolutely tremendous again today. Banksy at the end, just nails just the dude you want, man.

This year we honor the most important anniversary ever. An event that reshapes civilization as we know it. A day that would lead to something so flawless that nothing could ever really compare. People have tried to match it, but have failed. This year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Guthrie's, the home of the original chicken finger. Just talking about it gets me all choked up. And hungry for a chicken finger. Guthrie's, an original obsession for 60 years. Crimson Tide Today is brought to you by Guthrie's. Crimson Tide Today is a production of the Crimson Tide Sports Network from Learfield.

[21:16] The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. I'll come back in just so you know the rest of the story. After that, the baseball sweep in the Iron Bowl. Alabama over Auburn over the weekend. The fruit to the labor coming in. Baseball, America's top 25 outs. And Alabama leapfrogs Auburn into the top 10. And the Crimson Tide now at number 10. They replace Auburn now at number 11. By the way, four top 10 teams from the SEC. Texas 2. Georgia 4th. Mississippi State 5th. And again, Bama 10. UCLA leads the way there in the latest polls.

Well, that was say hello to the man who knows a thing or two about college baseball, college football, you name it. If it's got Florida Gators written on it. John Ferrari is all over it there at CBS Sports Radio 1420 WAOC and 1240 WFOY down in St. Augustine, Florida. Or check him out online at 965sports.com. John, welcome in. How are you? The Herald doing great. And to make Alabama look even better in baseball, they swept the Florida Gators a week ago. The same Florida Gators that won four straight this week over then 10th ranked Florida State and swept 4th ranked Arkansas in Fayetteville.

I think the Alabama folks probably feel a lot better about that sweep over Florida now than even when they did it a week ago. And by the way, to punch in a number, the Gators are at number 14. That's what, to me, when it gets to the spring, a lot of folks fall off. But college baseball in the SEC is pretty doggone good, isn't it, John? Oh, it's fantastic. I think right now it might be their biggest strength in the SEC. You normally would say football, basketball, with Florida won a national title last year.

But baseball is consistent year in and year out, guys. So, no doubt, you look at Omaha, Devin O'Sullivan has been managing at Florida for 18 years. The Florida Gators have been to Omaha 9 of the 18. That's 50%. And then Arkansas has been there 4 of the last 8 years. And, of course, we don't even have to mention LSU. And what they've done. So, it's incredible. And now Texas being part of the conference and what they do. So, yeah, there's no issue with baseball in the SEC. John, I just wanted to let you know the SEC athletics are on life support.

After Indiana won the national championship in football, Big 10 has gone 5-0, John, against the SEC. Oh, by the way, Iowa beat Florida by one. And we want to talk about that game in a minute. Nebraska beat Vanny by two. Purdue beat Texas by two points. And then Michigan beat Tennessee and Alabama. But, John, there may be – we may get a press release later this week that the SEC athletics is going out of business. Well, I'll tell you what, Brett. If we do, I want the money that the SEC athletics is bringing in.

Thank you. Because the revenue they're getting in all those sports you just mentioned, and even baseball, is astronomical. And one other thing, Duke obviously didn't watch the Florida-Iowa game because they didn't learn a thing from that, looking at what they did against Connecticut yesterday, even though I know that has nothing to do with the SEC. But to all those national pundits that think the SEC is dead, they're highly over-exaggerated, and they're going to be just fine. They're going to be right back in the contention for that national title in football this season, no doubt about it.

John, 4965sports.com. John, we can say that all we want, but the bottom line is the Big Ten, they figured out in the modern era how to do it. Just go out and spend everybody. The SEC has the history. They have the brand. But to be competitive, let's not kid ourselves and be naive. You've got to come up with big bucks. How is the rest of the SEC going to keep up with the Big Ten and LSU? Because this ain't rocket science. You usually get what you pay for.

Is LSU showing the way? And how are these other teams, just in the SEC, going to keep up with LSU with its spending? Or are they saying, let's just sit back and wait, let it stew a little bit. If this thing blows up in your face, then the guys who are now writing the checks, they're going to deserve them. Your thought is just about trying to be realistic about things going forward. Because at the end of the day, you've got to write the big checks more time than not to be competitive.

Well, you're right. I think it's a mixture of both, Harold. Number one, before the NIL, a team like Indiana would have never won the national title. That's right. That's the poster child for it, right? We know that. And you've seen other examples of teams in college football that, while they haven't won the national title, they're much more competitive than they've been. Mississippi, for instance, when Lane Kiffin was still there making the playoff. I think it's going to be a mixture of you're going to have to be realistic.

[26:30] And you're going to have to pay for players. It's kind of more like the NFL, in a way. And I know traditionalists, even myself, don't like that. But I think that's the era we're in until the NCAA, heavens forbid, if they ever step up and actually do something meaningful as well as enforcement, guys. But I don't think you can rely on that. Now, I do think on the back end of it, Harold, I think it is going to play out a little bit. And I think it's going to backfire as well.

Because, for instance, look at Kentucky basketball and the amount they paid these players this year to get to the round of 32, which is the same as Florida got to. So, you know, in some ways it pays off. In other ways it doesn't. In fact, the great Nick Saban said, yeah, you can pay these players, but you've got to make sure you're paying the right ones. Thank you. And that's so – I think it's a mixture of both. But anybody that thinks that's not a reality is just kidding themselves.

Yeah. Yeah. This NIL and money, and you better be competitive in that. And that's something that Florida got behind in over the last few years, quite honestly. They've started to catch up. But, yeah, you better have the right people managing that or else you're not going to be competing for championships in today's environment. Yeah, I can't see LSU – I can't see that being sustainable. Even Alabama is talking about going from $8 million to $12 million next year for basketball as far as the NIL budget. We'll see where that goes.

John, what happened to Florida at the end? I think everybody knows Florida should have beaten Iowa by 10 points. Obviously, they did not. They didn't execute whatsoever. The last play of the game may have been the worst play I've seen in the tournament. As far as lack of execution defensively, we all know how good this Gator team was. I've heard even some Florida media and fans say, you know, did this team get the big hand in too much of themselves? Your thoughts on how the season ended for the Gators?

It was a microcosm, Brett, of the games they struggled in this year. The one against Iowa last – a week ago last Sunday night. And what I mean is they missed critical free throws. They had turnovers. And the thing that was shocking was the rebounds, though. That was their bread and butter. And to Iowa's credit, they rebounded basically one for one with Florida throughout the entire game. And Ruben Chinulou, who had dominated the SEC in that category, had all one rebound that night. That was the most shocking thing of all.

As far as the end, to me, it's inexcusable, the final 10 seconds. First of all, the strategy Todd Golden came up with. And it's hard to criticize Todd Golden after the last two years, but you're up by two. The only thing that can beat you is the opposing team making a three. And yet, they decided to press. They got away, and they got the wide-open three. There was still four and a half seconds left, but Iowa made that. To me, you defend the arc, and if they tie you, the worst-case scenario is you're going to overtime.

That being said, with four and a half seconds left, the difference between Connecticut's Braylon Mullins, who was a freshman last night, and Florida's Xavier Lee, not to pick on him, but who was a senior, Mullins knew to pull up and get a shot off. Lee didn't. Lee dribbled, turned the corner, and once you do that, he's committed. He's got to take that ball to the basket, and either force Iowa to foul him, make a shot, or he misses. But to just not even get a shot off is just unexcusable.

So that was just a total meltdown. The last 10 seconds for Florida this past year, and sadly, I think that's what most people are going to remember from this season. It was a great year for Florida. They won the SEC regular season, but I think most people are going to walk away. They were a one-seed that lost to a nine-seed in the second round and melted down late, and I think that's going to be what most remember, sadly. Yeah, you're exactly right, Bud. Well, hopefully the NCC will keep going after this weekend, John.

I think they will. Bud, where can we get online and listen to your great show? Well, you can get online at 1021news.com or 102.1 or 1240 WFOY, and hopefully the SEC does continue to keep going, guys, because I intend to be in Gainesville April 11th for an orange and blue spring game. But if they financially don't have the funds, we'll see what happens, but I think they'll get through. I think they'll scrape by between now and then. We have some sources down there. If that changes, we'll let you know, John.

[31:45] Okay? Otherwise, go ahead and make your plans, all right? Always an honor and a pleasure, guys. Have a great day. Thank you, bud. Thank you so much. John Farr hooking up with us amongst other places, 965sports.com online. Coming up, he's all over the Tigers from Auburn, Brian Matthews on deck. Stay with us. Carter Oil Company in Sheffield has been serving the shoals and surrounding areas for 60 years, and they would like to thank everyone for their support. Carter Oil has an A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau, providing diesel, gasoline, and motor oil locally for six decades.

Call us at 256-383-0194. Located at 604 East 2nd Street in Sheffield. Spring is in the air, and Aleve's long-lasting pain relief is here to keep you moving. The days are longer and the flowers are blooming. Whether it's gardening, yard work, or just spending more time outdoors, spring is a way of getting us moving despite any body pain. That's where Aleve can keep you going. With just one dose, Aleve gives you long-lasting body pain relief for up to 12 hours. From sunup to sundown, Aleve's got your back.

Try Aleve. Use as directed for minor aches and pains. This is Riley Green with Boot Barn, sharing a deep respect for the cowboy way. Growing up, my dad and granddad showed me what a true cowboy spirit looked like. They'd be up before dawn working with their hands. They taught me to grab the heavy end of a job and always do the right thing and shake hands like you mean it. That grit, that honesty and pride, that's what it means to be a cowboy. Riley Green and Boot Barn, proudly honoring the cowboy way.

Do you owe $10,000 or more in credit card debt or personal loans? With credit card debt at all-time highs, Debt Relief Advocates is urgently notifying consumers of debt relief, now being made available designed to aid consumers with out-of-control credit card debt. Those who qualify and enroll for this relief program may only have to pay back a fraction of what they owe. This is not bankruptcy or a debt consolidation loan. This is a relief program that credit card companies would rather you not know about, as it could end your debt nightmare and save you lots of money.

Consumers owing at least $10,000 in credit card debt or personal loans can now take advantage of this debt relief as the cost of living skyrockets. For free information and to learn what debt reduction you may qualify for, simply go online and visit DRA.com or call 800-433-8909. 800-433-8909. Again, that's 800-433-8909. Evan Cohen here. You know the feeling when a candidate just stands out. Not just the resume, but their energy. They're eager, engaged, and you know they want the role. That makes a difference. If you're hiring, you want a candidate who's passionate, but you can't get that insight from a resume unless you post your job on ZipRecruiter.

Their matching technology finds qualified candidates fast, and ZipRecruiter has a new feature that shows you the most interested qualified candidates first. Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com slash sports. That's ZipRecruiter.com slash sports. I'm Boomer Esiason. My mom died from cancer. She was only 37 years old. She didn't have life insurance, and that was devastating for my family. That's why having life insurance is so important to me. Ethos makes it fast and easy. Get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage. You can get up to $3 million in coverage with no medical exam.

Get your free quote at ethos.com slash play. That's ethos.com slash play. Paid spokesperson. Time span on application may vary. Online health questions required. Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93.9 The Score. Atlanta Braves lost for the first time this season yesterday, and the Braves fell to the Royals 4-1. Both teams had seven hits. Grant Holmes suffered the loss for the Braves, who are now 2-1. The Braves are back in the truest part tonight as they host the Athletics, who are 0-3. Bryce Elder will start for the Braves.

And Chase Elliott was the winner at Martinsville yesterday. On the NASCAR Cup Series, Denny Hamlin was second. Joey Logano third. Ty Gibbs and William Byron rounded out the top five. Bundle auto and home, renters or condo, and save with Progressive. I'm John Thayer with the Sports Flash, presented by Progressive on 93.9 The Score. Confidence is knowing you're ready to handle whatever comes your way. That's what it feels like to take on your work day with Cintas. They make sure your AEDs are up to date. Your fire extinguishers are tested and inspected.

Your floor mats are cleaned and delivered. And your workwear looks good, feels good, and is freshly laundered with the Cintas Apparel Plus program. So are you ready to take on today? Visit Cintas.com. Oh, I'm ready! And get ready for the work day. With Fidelity Wealth Management, a dedicated advisor gets to know you and your goals to build a comprehensive plan to help grow and protect your wealth. Backed by a team of specialists, they'll analyze all your accounts, even the ones they don't manage, to keep an eye on taxes and provide proactive portfolio insights that can help you unlock your wealth's full potential.

[37:13] Learn more at Fidelity.com slash wealth. Investment minimums apply at Fidelity Broker Services, LLC. Member NYSE SIPC. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. The Score. Welcome back in time for a little road trip down to a place called Auburn. Checking in with Brian Matthews. Got it all covered there. A senior editor for AuburnSports.com. Brian, welcome in. How are you? I'm doing great, guys. Thanks for having me in. Appreciate you taking time out. Brian, are you able to manage Final Four fever in your backyard?

I mean, back-to-back Final Fours. What else could you ask for? That's right! Good thoughts, Brian. Obviously, I mean, it depends on someone's sense of humor here. You can say, who would have thought Auburn would be going to the Final Four ahead of Florida and Alabama, Kentucky? Facts are facts, right? Brian, your thoughts just realistically here. We have fun. It's nothing. Obviously, you attended here. We're just having fun with it. But your thoughts just realistically about where this Auburn program is, where they were a month ago, and where they are now.

Well, I think this little run has helped Auburn a little bit, right? You know, it's allowed Stephen Pearl to have a couple extra weeks coaching his team. It's allowed some players to develop and continue to get better. And, you know, I think it's taken a little heat off Stephen now. You know, they get to go to Indianapolis. They get to play in Hinkle, where Hoosiers was filmed. You know, they're in the mid-finals of the NIT. I know, you know, it's not a big tournament. Not a lot of people pay that much attention to it compared to the NCAA tournament.

But I think for Auburn at this moment in time, it's definitely a bit of positive. B. Matt, why are they there? What are they doing now? Again, I know they're not playing an SEC competition. Keyshawn Murphy no longer there. But they seem to be playing better, shooting better, playing a little bit better defense. Why has Auburn won three consecutive games? Well, I think some guys have stepped up, right? Because, you know, I thought losing Murphy was really going to be negative for this team. Because they're short on bigs.

But I think Philip Jovic has really, really stepped up and played well. Played consistent. Been a scorer, rebounder. Really played hard defensively. Yeah, I think Sebastian Williams-Adams has continued to progress, you know, maybe taking a few steps offensively. I think he can take some big steps offensively in the offseason, though. And, you know, I just think everybody's settled into the goal. And, you know, I would say the pressure is not as high, you know, playing in this tournament as it might be playing in the SEC.

So I think that's helped them a little bit, too. Brian Matthews, AuburnSports.com. Brian, to me, if I'm Auburn, any other team in the SEC, 10-went and all are going to be watching the Final Four from the same place, the couch. If I'm a coach not telling them anything they don't know, the question is, will they take that knowledge and put it to action, is it seems like the formula is pretty simple. You get some outstanding guard play. You get a guy who has the potential to be a big, who can rebound and hit the three.

But we had Adam Spencer on earlier today from Saturday down south. He brought up a good point. You look at some of these teams who are advancing. They go to Europe. They get a seven-footer who's not going to score, but he's going to bruise the other team at the end of the game. He's going to make them pay. Your thoughts, if you could sit down and put this team together for Auburn next season, forget names, just as far as the formula, what would you plug in?

Well, I think you nailed it there. I think Steven is going to want to have a more defensive-minded coach. I think you're going to see similarities in the way he wants to build a team to what Houston does. And that's going to involve having a lot more bigs in the lineup and the rotation and certainly having a rim protector, a five that can block shots. I think that will be a priority, although I think those are hard to find, good enough to play in the SEC, too.

So maybe they can't afford to pay $2 million or whatever one of those guys costs. We'll see about that. But I think finding some guys with some extra length on the perimeter to defend. Auburn has struggled so much in defending three-point shooting for other teams, and I think a lot of that had to do with their guards and their lack of defense at that position, the small forward position. But I think those will be priorities for them and the portal. And I also think they're going to put a little bit more priority on character.

I'm not saying that Auburn has a lot of bad characters, but just put a little bit more into it, I think, to build a little bit more team chemistry than maybe they had this year. Let me ask you about a new guy who is going to be constructing that roster is Brian Cloman. He worked with Pat Kelsey for years, in fact, two places, but primarily at Louisville, has a tremendous reputation. And again, coaches need to be coaching instead of worrying about the money and the finances and everything else.

[42:29] They certainly have input, but having a general manager in today's game really helps. I really agree. And, you know, I think the really good thing, you know, with Cloman is, you know, he's already experienced there. He's already, you know, a guy that's going to come in from Louisville really knowing, you know, what's going on in college basketball today, you know, and who may or may not be available in the portal as Auburn gets ready for that. And, of course, a lot of players are already declaring for that.

So that's happening now. So very important addition, I feel like, a ton of experience and allows, you know, Stephen and his staff to do more coaching and less, you know, staring at all the names that are jumping in the portal and trying to do all these valuations. Brian Matthews, senior head of for AuburnSports.com, jumping outside. I don't know it's March, but does Chris Murray feel like it's December and the Auburn coaching staff? Chris Murray granted another year of eligibility. Yeah, and I think that's really big for Auburn because, you know, if you look at this team returning, you know, they've lost some key players at defensive and an edge.

So getting him back is really, really big for this team. It's really going to help. I think he'll be right in the mix to be a starter next year at that edge position. So I think this is a big pickup for Auburn. It certainly helps out a whole lot, you know, as far as providing depth in the places they really needed. So, you know, and I think Auburn's been very fortunate to have some guys over the last four or five years that have maybe come in as undervalued or guys who weren't highly thought of or highly recruited, and they've just developed.

I mean, Keron Crawford's a great example. I think he had one and a half tackles for loss and have sacks last year, and, you know, he had a terrific year this year, and most people are projecting him as a draft pick now than the Bells. So they've had a few guys do that, and we'll see if, you know, Chris can, you know, take that same sort of step forward. I always enjoy reading Monday Musings, and Alex Golidge, Auburn's new football coach, had a comment that seemed to resonate with you, and, quote, we talk about it all the time.

Leading by example is not actually leading. You're just doing what you're supposed to be doing. And you mentioned in nearly 25 years you'd never heard a coach say that. I haven't. I really haven't. Maybe I just missed it. But it kind of, like, popped a light bulb in my head. I was like, huh, that's interesting because I think he's right. And that's not saying that being a guy that, you know, does all those things right on and off the field isn't really important, and those guys aren't, you know, extremely important to a team.

You need a bunch of those guys. But leadership, true leadership, is something a little bit more than that. It's being able to do that while earning the respect of your teammates and being able to lead them, right, to be able to, you know, keep them in line, you know, push them to do maybe more than they think they can do, take that extra step to speak up. So I think it's a really important point by Golesh and maybe defines a little bit about who he is, right, because I'm not saying he came up with that on his own.

But to me, that gives you sort of a look into how he really breaks down his team and classifies them and puts importance on certain areas. And I think leadership is going to be a big part of that for him. A lot of soldiers back in World War II, but there was only one Patton and one Eisenhower, so you've got to have leadership to prove it. Brian Matthews, auburnsports.com. Brian, you've been around this program a long time. Where is your gut at this point in the spring drills compared to, say, oh, a year ago under Hugh Freeze?

Well, it's definitely different. But I can't. It will be me being, you know, not being truthful if I said, you know, a year ago I didn't think that team was going to be pretty good, right? But sometimes as the year goes on, you learn more about it and what was really going on. You know, some red flags that maybe we should have sent up a little higher, you know, and this is, I think, after spring or late spring when you said that he had asked Durkin to take it easy.

I think he said this in the summer, you know, on Jackson Arnold during the spring. So, and, you know, Golesh, and I didn't think he did this on purpose. It wasn't a shot, but he almost did the exact opposite about, you know, he wants the defense to really test his offense and really push them. So I just thought that was a big contrast to, you know, a year ago. And I just feel like, you know, Golesh is a guy that's just a coach-to-coach type guy. So, you know, we'll see how that ends up.

[47:29] I don't want to overhype, you know, a person or a coach or a program. Auburn's had five consecutive losing seasons. So, you know, I absolutely have to see it to believe it first. I saw a stat this morning that kind of blew me away, and you're a baseball savant. You covered four Auburn sports, and it said Auburn's played nine SEC games, and in those nine games, the opposing starting pitcher has total pitched 50 innings against Auburn. In those 50 innings, Auburn has scored a grand total of 12 runs.

Hey, man, I'm not real smart, but in baseball, that's not very good. That is an understatement, right? It's not very good at all. Auburn is not playing good baseball lineup-wise. At the same time, their pitching has been outstanding. So, you know, it's kind of tough to balance those things out. And if you go back to the preseason, I'm sure I've said on this show a couple times that I thought this lineup was going to be really good, and I just wanted to see it. You know, if the pitching tap was going to come together, I thought they had depth, and it just has not worked out that way at all for Auburn.

You know, and it's kind of like a team-wide thing right now. It's hard to put your finger on why. You know, everybody wants to know why this is happening. And, you know, I just don't have all the answers at the moment. But they're definitely not playing well. They're definitely not having approaches. They're definitely striking out too much. They're not hitting home runs. They haven't had a home run in the SEC game since the second game of the Texas series. So that's four games have gone in the SEC game, the home run.

Very few extra base hits, too. And, you know, I know I totaled up their numbers after the game last night, but their hitting with runners on and hitting the scoring position has been just awful. So they've got a lot to work on. I do recognize, though, that teams sometimes go through these moments during the season. They have slumps. So it is baseball, and we need to recognize that. And we'll see if they can bounce back. That's the question, Brad. Where do they go from here? And you hit the nail on the head.

It's baseball. This is the same team in Tuscaloosa that was swept by Kentucky in the opening SEC series. And what do they do? They come back and sweep what now is the number 14 team in the country in Florida. And then at the time, top 10 team in Auburn. So in your opinion, obviously, it's easier said than done. A lot has to do with the schedule of who you're playing and where you're playing and attitude. Your thoughts, realistically, where this team goes from here after this past weekend.

And I think Florida coming off that being swept by Alabama swept their opponent this weekend, I believe. It is, right. It's just kind of wild, right? It is. It doesn't get any easier for Auburn. I mean, they've got Georgia Tech, the number three team in the country. Tuesday, they've got a top 15 now, but a top 10 team to be in Arkansas coming to Plains and Park this weekend. So there's no breaks here for Auburn. They're just going to have to start playing better. They're getting the pitching to keep them at every single game.

They're having that opportunity. They're just going to have to figure it out at the plate and have some guys really start stepping up and driving the ball and, you know, getting some clutch hits with runners on. What is the schedule, football schedule leading up to the spring game, A-Day, which will be here next time we turn around. It's hard to believe. NIT schedule, young man. As far as that is concerned, baseball, of course, you mentioned Georgia Tech and Arkansas, a lot of stuff going on, plus recruiting, et cetera.

Tell us the football in the basketball schedule for this week. All right. So we're up to practices seven and eight this week. They'll go tomorrow morning. We'll be out there. Then they'll go Friday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium. That'll be a closed scrimmage. And then, oh, no, no, I'm sorry. Thursday night they'll do that. And then Friday we'll talk to Coach Colas, I guess, Friday afternoon about that scrimmage. So that's football this week. And, of course, the A-Day game will be the 18th of April, so still a few weeks away from that.

Basketball plays Thursday night against Illinois State. Good team. In Indianapolis, and, of course, we'll have coverage of that. We'll talk to Stephen Pearl here in about an hour. And, you know, we'll just roll out all the coverage. And, plus, there's a lot of recruiting going on right now. We're getting close to that May, June visit time. But there are a lot of unofficial visits going on right now. And Auburn continues bringing a bunch of top prospects. So that's something to keep a close eye on. And I guess we can find all of that and much, much, much more on auburnsports.com.

You sure can. And I appreciate you talking about a wonderful side. And there are wonderful sportswriters that put out a ton of content every day, as we're doing today. And we will all week. And you can check us out at auburnsports.com. We're on a spring special. I think it's 50% off right now. And you can follow me on Twitter, just at bmatau. And if you can come up with a cure for hay fever and pollen flying through the air, Brian, you're going to be one rich man in addition to all that coverage.

[52:51] Okay? Sounds great. Brian Matthews. He's a senior editor at auburnsports.com. BB, quickly, the Braves. Pretty good. Pretty good opening weekend, my friend. Two out of three. Sale had shut out in the city at 6-0. And then they had a dramatic Smith with a dramatic grand slam to win Saturday night. And they just couldn't get the bats going. Yes, they lost 4-1. Oakland coming in. Yeah. But believe me, Harold, I'll take a record of 2-1 as opposed to 0-7. Oh, they're still known as Oakland. That's something to Google there.

It's the A's and Braves. Yeah. And they're going to play later on tonight, Roger, on 93.9, the score. Same place to get the latest on Bama basketball with Brian Passick, Tennessee football and basketball with the V-Man, Ben Farah, and Ben Thomas from North Alabama to South Alabama and all points in between. All straight ahead. Stay with us. Shoals drop everything. This is not a drill. Lost Pizza Company Shoals is running the full court press. The full court press Cuban sandwich inspired by Coach Tony Pujol. This sandwich brings championship flavor.

And it's only available at Lost Pizza Company Shoals. And coming off the bench hot, our brand new buffalo chicken dip. Creamy. Spicy. Straight up MVP material. Run the full court press at Lost Pizza Company Shoals. Where every bite beats the buzzer. It's game day. Are your moderate to severe Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms keeping you from the action? Skyrizi, Risenkizumab RZA, could help you get back to the game. Skyrizi is proven to help people feel significant symptom relief, achieve remission, and visibly improve damage of the intestinal lining.

Skyrizi is a prescription injection medicine for adults. Don't use if allergic to Skyrizi. Serious allergic reactions, increased infections, or lower ability to fight them may occur. Before treatment, get checked for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor about any flu-like symptoms or vaccines. Liver problems leading to hospitalization may occur when treated for Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. Control is everything to me. Ask your doctor about Skyrizi. The number one prescribed biologic in Crohn's and ulcerative colitis combined. Learn more at skyrizi.com or 1-866-SKYRIZI. I'm Boomer Esiason.

My mom died from cancer. She was only 37 years old. She didn't have life insurance, and that was devastating for my family. That's why having life insurance is so important to me. Ethos makes it fast and easy. Get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage. You can get up to $3 million in coverage with no medical exam. Get your free quote at ethos.com slash play. That's ethos.com slash play. Paid spokesperson. Time span on application may vary. Online health questions required. Hey, it's Rich Eisen for Pella Windows and Doors.

Sometimes teams take a timeout to regroup and call the right play. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors always has the winning game plan. They're not just window and door experts. They're experts at taking care of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs, and their experts install them. They do it every day, and that's why your neighbors trust them. Discover why Pella is a trusted choice for homeowners everywhere. Visit Pella.com slash Eisen today. That's Pella.com slash Eisen.

I'm Boomer Esiason. My mom died from cancer. She was only 37 years old. She didn't have life insurance, and that was devastating for my family. That's why having life insurance is so important to me. Ethos makes it fast and easy. Get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage. You can get up to $3 million in coverage with no medical exam. Get your free quote at ethos.com slash play. That's ethos.com slash play. Paid spokesperson. Time span on application may vary. Online health questions required.

1819 News. Funeral arrangements are now set for the University of Alabama student James Gracie, who died in the country of Spain. While on spring break, Gracie drowned in the waters along Barcelona after leaving a nightclub in the downtown area. These do not believe that foul play was involved in Gracie's death, but are calling it a tragic accident. Gracie was from the state of Illinois. The visitation for his family is happening today, with prayer service this coming evening that will be live-streamed. On Tuesday, funeral services will happen in Illinois at Visitation Catholic Church in Hillside.

I'll be back with more Alabama stories after this. Are you enjoying 1819 News? If so, consider joining 1819 News as a member. As a nonprofit news organization, we depend on the support of Alabamians like you. Memberships start out as little as $5 a month, and you'll get access to exclusive content only offered to our members. You'll be supporting independent journalism done by people who cherish Alabama values. Become a member today by visiting 1819news.com and clicking Become a Member. That's 1819news.com and click Become a Member today. This week, the Mobile City Council will consider an ordinance on consumable hemp products.

[57:58] Local municipalities are allowed to make such changes regarding consumable hemp products, while a state law prohibits the sale of smokable hemp products throughout Alabama. The City Council will be voting on this issue on Tuesday, and should that ordinance be approved, then the City of Mobile will begin working on granting approval to applications coming from local businesses. Mobile Mayor Spiro Chiri Ogata says he wants to see those who were selling this product legally before the state law was passed get back into business. Those businesses will have to comply with the City's operational regulations and zoning requirements for the sale of these hemp products.

Police in Mobile are also searching for a suspect in two robberies that occurred this past Saturday. The suspect bit an employee at one location and brandished a knife at another. The robberies occurred on Chillinger Road. I'm Andrea Theis. For more news affecting Alabamians, go to 1819news.com. And while you're there, subscribe to the daily newsletter. Valley Broadcasting Corporation, WITK-FM, Rogersville, Athens, Decatur, The Shores, Sports Radio 93.9, The Score. This season isn't a reset. It's a reminder. The champions don't disappear. They reload. And the 2026 Atlanta Braves are ready.

And Acuna swings a mighty bat. That thing is way out of the ballpark. Tonight, the season opening homestand rolls on for your Atlanta Braves as they take on the athletics. Braves Radio goes on the air at 6 p.m. Central on the Braves Radio Network. Brought to you locally by the law firm of Johnson Pasture, Medley & Virtual, J.C. Hammond Sons, First Metro Bank, Nationwide Insurance Agents, Michael Doe and Bill Cochran, Mefford Jewelers, Certified Alarm, Lost Pizza, and Alabama Health Guidance. Atlanta Braves baseball tonight versus the athletics on 93.9, The Score.

93.9, The Score, weather. For today, cloudy to partly cloudy skies, high around 80. Tonight, mainly clear skies, low near 60. Tomorrow, a 20% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, high around 80. Tomorrow night, a 20% chance of overnight showers and thunderstorms, low near 65. And for Wednesday, a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, high around 85. Your weather from 93.9, The Score. Now, get ready to roll, Shoals, Decatur, Athens, and all of northwest Alabama and southern Tennessee. It's time for the Valley's exclusive FM Sports Voice. The boom old bug show. Your exclusive inside track to the tide.

Tigers, Tennessee, and the rest of the SEC. Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9, The Score. For the boom old bug show, I'm Harold Bugg alongside Brett Beaird. Thank you so much for giving us the ride around the Tennessee Valley. With that, BB, what do you say? We open the door and say hello to the one, the only, Ben Thomas from AL.com. BT, welcome in. Happy Monday to you. How are you? Hey, guys. How are y'all doing this week? I'm good. We're doing all right. Ben, see if you agree with Brett.

Brett, he said today that in the pre-tournament, he predicted that it would be Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan. And what was the other team, BB, that you, Arizona, do you agree that Brett predicted the final four? And how does that compare with your pre-tourney final four, Ben? I'm guessing Brett probably went 0 for 4 in the final four, Ben. How did you know that? I could see him picking Michigan and Arizona. I mean, I think that's going to be an unbelievable semifinal. I mean, those two top seeds, and that's going to be really good.

The other two, I don't know if I could, I think most people probably had Duke, but what a game that was yesterday. I started to wonder, in fact, when they were up 15 points or whatever, I'm thinking, man, none of these Elite Eight games have been very good. That's right. And then all of a sudden that changes. But, yeah, I think I had Michigan and Arizona, but I definitely did not have those other two in my final four. I was listening to it on the radio riding around, and I heard the guy say, basically, in effect, what you were saying, Ben, why are we even here?

Duke is making a mockery of this thing. And then I decided when I came home, all right, I'll watch it because I love sports. And then, boom, you get what you get. Let's switch gears and talk about maybe something that I think Nate Oates is going to be very, very proud of. And I think you may know where I'm going with this. Jack State hires the legendary Ricky Austin at a spring garden to lead the Gamecocks women's basketball program. You know that's got to make Nate Oates, who cut his teeth on high school basketball, very proud.

Your thoughts about the news at a place that you know very well, that neck of the woods, Jack State. And you also know Spring Garden. But the news of Ricky Austin on his way to being a college basketball coach. Yeah, I don't want to date myself, but I saw his wife play at Jacksonville State. Oh, my goodness. And I was there when his wife was the coach at Jacksonville State, Dana Austin, a great player, along with her sister, the Bright Twins. So, Dana and Jana were great in my early days of sports journalism.

[1:03:24] It's interesting how it all comes around. I mean, I think it would be a good hire for Jacksonville State. I mean, like you said, Coach Oates cut his teeth on the high school level. And, look, I'm a firm believer that some of these high school coaches could coach at any level they want. That's right. I think they're that good. And Ricky Austin is one of those. I was actually just looking. I think he's got about 800 wins. According to AHSAA records, I think he's about third on the list.

Jana Killen has like 955, I think, now. Wow. He is the leader. But I think it's an interesting hire for Greg Seitz in Jacksonville State. Thomas Ashworth reported on it for us this afternoon, this morning, for a lot of reasons. I mean, obviously, number one, he's been a great girls' basketball coach for, what, almost three decades and won nine state titles. Number two, his wife was a great player there and was the coach. And number three, the big question I think everybody's going to be asking, will Ace Austin end up back in Central State?

You know, the only two-time Miss basketball winner in the state's history who played for Alabama this year. I think she scored 17 in their last game of the NCAA tournament. But as we found out last week, her coach, Christy Curry, left to take the South Florida job. You just wonder, with the transfer portal opening, you know, will Ace come home to play for her dad at Jacksonville State? We, you know, we'll just have to see, I guess. That'll be one, I bet that'll be a question tomorrow when they introduce Coach Austin at the press conference.

Let me stay with that for a second. You brought up Greg's name, Greg Seitz, because he's got roots starting at the woods, UNA. Now, your thoughts about the job he's doing overall at Jack State as AD, Vice President for Athletes, actually. I think he's done a fantastic job. I mean, he, I've known Greg for a long time since he was assistant SID under Mike Galloway there at Jacksonville State. Obviously, he does have roots in the North Alabama area, but he's become a fixture at Jack. You know, he was just one of those guys that stuck it out and went up the ranks.

And, I mean, I, you know, there's, how much controversy have we heard about Jacksonville State? None. Not very much at all, but I can remember. And that's a great testament to Greg, I think, and what he's done there. You know, obviously, he's, you know, they, because of our environment, they end up changing football coaches a lot recently. But look at the guys they've hired. I mean, Rich Rodriguez came in there, did a great job, and left for West Virginia. And they hired Charles Kelly, that I think was a great hire.

Almost led him to another conference title last year. And, you know, the basketball, the men's basketball team went to the tournament with the hire he made there. So, Rick Petrie was there for a long time as a girls' basketball coach, a guy I know well from his time down in the Mobile area. And I think this is an interesting hire for Greg. You know, certainly, it interests me as a high school sports writer and a guy that knows Ricky Austin. But I think it'll be interesting to see how this works out.

I think it'll be interesting to see if, you know, somebody was telling me, Thomas and I were joking this morning about, you know, he's probably already making phone calls for assistant coaches. And I said, well, hey, he can just put it in the family text thread, you know, try and get Dana and Jaina and all of them to join the family. We'll see. But it's going to be interesting in the next couple of weeks to see what happens there, I think. Speaking of Thomas Ashworth, he had an article about the survey conducted by AL.com, again, about a topic we've talked with you about what seems like five or six years.

The January 23rd, 13-2 vote by the central board to split public and private in the playoffs. They can still play each other during the regular season, but the poll's interesting. 49% love it, like it. 45% still don't like it. They should play together. 5% is a wait-and-see attitude, and I agree with that. Your thoughts on the poll. And in two weeks, the central board meets again. And I believe they're going to be announcing the playoff structure for the private schools and also the schedule for the Super 7. And I wonder if we're going from 3 to 4 now to 5.

But yet, your thoughts on the poll and what the central board may come up with in two weeks. Yeah, we keep poking that bear about this public public school thing, and it's just so interesting, people's opinions on it. We've had a poll on our newsletter about it, and so we decided to say, you know, hey, we've had two months to think about this. Has any of the opinions changed? And to me, I mean, you look at different polls, but to me, it's always kind of been almost evenly split.

A lot of people think, as you indicated, Brett, that 48%, almost 49% of the people that responded love it should have happened a long time ago. But 45% say don't like it. They should play together. And, of course, I've been in that camp. I wish they would play together. I don't think we're ever going back. I do think it's a possibility that some of the larger private schools may eventually go back in, the McGill-2-Luns, St. Falls. I think they could eventually go back in with a multiplier or something like that.

[1:08:49] That could happen. I don't think the smaller private schools will, and I think my guess is they're hoping that, you know, they can get more of these AISA schools and maybe divide those smaller schools into classifications to ease travel in that situation. So we'll see how all that works out. I mean, it's just going to be interesting. I think, like you, Brett, at this point, we just got, you know, what's done is done. We just got to take away the city attitude. I told somebody this morning, heck, two years down the road, I'm against it right now.

But I may say, and I have a kid in private school, but I may say, boy, this was a good idea. It's all worked out as well. Who knows? And about the board meeting, I do think that whole week, that's going to be an interesting week. That's April 13th, 14th, and 15th. So the 13th, which is a Monday, is the Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Award announcements in Birmingham. The 14th is Mr. and Ms. Basketball Awards in Montgomery, and then the 15th is the Central Board Meeting. So that'll be a newsy few days for us there.

They have to come up with that. I mean, we have to know what the private school playoffs is going to look like. I think what I've heard is, you know, there's 16 teams in that larger private school division. I'm talking football-wise here. I think 12 of them will make the playoffs. What I've heard is the top seeds will have a bye that first round, and the others will play. And I've even heard they might do it at a neutral facility. Like, they may have all those first-round games at, say, Crampton Bowl and Montgomery to maybe kind of alleviate travel.

And I do think that because of the low number, they will not play in the semifinal week, which will allow them to play the first or second day of the Super 7, or whatever we're going to call the football championships, now that we have, what, 12 games counting flag football. So, I think we still need to find out a lot, and I think we will find out a lot on April 15th at that board meeting. Ben Thomas, AL.com, you mentioned the Boys Basketball Player of the Year semifinals of your poll.

Very interesting, is it not? Never sit here and pencil somebody in. Your thoughts about the situation there with Brendan Davis and some of the competition, and overall, how are things going with the vote for the Boys Basketball Player of the Year? Yeah, so we've done these now for a couple years in multiple sports, and it's always interesting to me. I mean, in football, I think, actually, you know, the top seed was in the finals this year. But in basketball, it's not that way. Jalen Alexander was our top seed.

He got beat in the first round by the 16th seed, Brendan Davis. And, of course, this is all, you know, fan voting, so, you know, nothing but that. But we're actually in the quarterfinals for boys and girls, and that voting is ongoing now. I think this is the second day, third day, maybe. And so our boys' finals look like this. We've got a lot of the top seeds got beat, but we've got Brantley's Devin Melton, against Winona's Brendan Davis. We've got Tuscaloosa County's Ford Trawick against Joseph Taylor of Jackson.

Gaston City's Jacoby Sharp against Diggy Coleman of Dothan. And Milton Jones against L.J. Williams of Sarah Lane. You can vote on those guys now, I think, through the end of the week. And the girls is up, too. So go online, go on ALICOM, and vote for who you think should move on into semifinals. It's been fun to follow. The Alabama Sportswriters, Boys Player of the Year finalists. I know you listed on AL.com. Class 7A, there are three from North Alabama. And Tukerley, Evan Toms, a junior from Huntsville, we've talked about.

Class 4A, we've talked multiple times about Gary Breed, maybe the best three-sport athlete I've seen in North Alabama. And then the kid from Red Bay, Khalil Luster, who, once again, is a sophomore. And BT, when I look up and down this list, obviously, there are a lot of seniors. But the same thing we talked about last week with so many of the girls who are sophomores and freshmen. Same thing here, that repeatedly, there are three or four freshmen, there are two sophomores, and multiple juniors. There is a lot of talent in the state of Alabama the upcoming years.

Yeah, there is. I mean, we talked about, like you said last week, we talked about most of the girls. I mean, Evan Toms is only a junior. For Christian Schreers at Dothan, he'll be back. All the 6A guys are seniors, so we'll see them go. But, you know, the guy from Winona, Brendan Davis, who I just mentioned in our poll, scored 42 points in that championship game, Waltz. He's back. He's only a junior. And then, you know, the guy, two guys I think you're going to hear so much about in the coming years, and more than that, really.

But L.J. Williams, who I mentioned from Sierra Land, he is the big sophomore. He didn't make the finalist list for 6A boys, but keep an eye out for him. And then the other guy, Devin Melton, he's only a freshman at Brantley, a big guy, comes from good genes there in Brantley. That's a renowned high school basketball power. Basketball, you know, as long as we keep these guys in the state and they don't leave like, you know, Caleb did, and hopefully they will, that we'll be in good shape for years to come.

[1:14:23] That's exactly what I was about to say. If they stay in state, and I certainly selfishly hope they do. And I always ask you at this point, what else? I mean, you know, you just have got to have something going on here every day now. The baseball and sophomore are really getting cranked up. What else have you got in line this week? Oh, man. So, today, we're actually starting our all-region basketball awards as well. And so, today, we're doing the Mobile Boys, and I think we'll have Huntsville tomorrow and Birmingham the next day.

And then we'll have the girls next week. So, we're still trying to finish up those basketball awards. We'll have the rankings, baseball and softball rankings now come out each Thursday morning, the Alabama Sports Writer Association. So, that's something we'll have on. And then I think Randy Kennedy is out this week with his best in Bama watch list. We had the wide receivers watch list last week. But next week, I think we'll be doing quarterbacks. So, we're still looking at that as well. So, a lot of news going on.

Obviously, that Ricky Austin news was pretty big for us this morning. Ben Thomas got it all covered there. Keep up the good work, BT, and thanks so much for your time today, buddy. All right. Y'all have a good week now. You too, buddy. We'll do the same. BT, BenThomasAO.com. Coming up, the big story in Big Orange Country with the V-Men on deck. Stay with us. It's not March Madness. It's Mad Marchness at Sam's Sports Grill in Florence. Every game, every bracket buster, every unbelievable buzzer beater, all on wall-to-wall TVs.

Fuel your picks with quality food, ice-cold drinks, and game-day energy that hits harder than a full-court press. From crave-worthy favorites to unbeatable drink specials, Sam's is where Florence comes to watch, cheer, and win. So grab your crew, lock in your bracket, and experience Mad Marchness the Sam's way. Make our place your place. This is the story of The One. As a procurement manager for a hospital system, she keeps every facility in her network stocked and ready. That's why she counts on Grainger to be her single source for thousands of products, from disinfectants to lighting, air filters, and more.

And with fast, dependable delivery, Grainger helps her keep every facility stocked, safe, and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by. Grainger, for the ones who get it done. What if your instincts could pay off? With Robinhood Prediction Markets, you can put your sports IQ to work on the games you know best. It's not you against the house. It's you participating in a live market. Buy or sell your predictions all game long. Trade every play with Robinhood. Visit Robinhood.com slash predict.

That's Robinhood.com slash predict. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC, a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. Smalls here. Life is full of choices. Some big, some small. And when you choose an H&R Block tax pro, you're choosing the largest network of tax expertise to be in your corner. For when your big ambitions need help with the small details. For when your six figures come from six different places.

For when your gaming stream becomes your revenue stream. For when your business is year one needs 70 years of tax know-how. At H&R Block, they've seen it all. And they're here to help you make the most out of your money for life outside the box. Get started at H&RBlock.com. Harry Douglas here to tell you about Confetti Craze 5-Hour Energy. It tastes just like the best birthday cake ever. Mmm. Vanilla, buttery, frosting vibes. It's basically a party in a bottle. Confetti Craze makes it easy to turn any day into a party with its delicious birthday cake flavor and big birthday energy.

And here's the best part. All cake, no sugar. I bring these tiny bottles everywhere to cake-a-five my day with tasty caffeine boost. The Funfetti flavor is back on 5hourenergy.com or on Amazon. Crack open a Confetti Craze 5-Hour Energy shot today. DQ presents the Blizzard Double Flip Deal. For a limited time, when you buy one Blizzard treat, you get a second for just 99 cents. That's two Blizzards, two spoons, two flavors, and two flips. So don't miss out on the Blizzard Double Flip Deal, available only for a limited time and happening now at DQ.

Because the only thing better than a Blizzard treat is a second Blizzard treat for just 99 cents. It's a deal to flip for. The Blizzard Double Flip Deal. Participation may vary. Indeed presents Hires You Can't Afford to Get Wrong, like a warehouse operations manager. Uh, where are the forklifts? Sold them. Too expensive. We're using scooters now. So you expect us to move a two-ton pallet on a scooter? Just lean into it. Put your back into it, people. This is a job for sponsored jobs. This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed.

Next time, get matched with quality candidates with Indeed-sponsored jobs. Visit Indeed.com slash hire now and sponsor your job today. Indeed presents Hires You Can't Afford to Get Wrong, like a warehouse operations manager. Uh, where are the forklifts? Sold them. Too expensive. We're using scooters now. So you expect us to move a two-ton pallet on a scooter? Just lean into it. Put your back into it, people. This is a job for sponsored jobs. This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed. Next time, get matched with quality candidates with Indeed-sponsored jobs.

[1:19:45] Visit Indeed.com slash hire now and sponsor your job today. Straight Talk Wireless presents Pickup Truck Wisdom. Trust is earned. That's why I've stuck with Straight Talk. Same price since 2009 on Verizon's 5G network. Cause shoot, anyone can make a promise. Keeping it for years, that means something. Now plans starting at $25 a month with four lines. Find us at straighttalk.com and Walmart. Straight Talk Wireless. Straightforward. Always. Same price claim applies only to the base monthly price of our $45 plan from October 2009 to present. Pros, just because something on the job runs out doesn't mean you have to.

Order it on the Lowe's app. My Lowe's Pro Rewards members get free same-day delivery on eligible orders over $25. Get the fasteners, hardware, or tools you need to keep the job moving. Order by 2 p.m. And get eligible in-stock items delivered right to your job site by 8 p.m. Members get more at Lowe's. Loyalty programs subject to terms and conditions. Subject to availability. Restrictions and terms at Lowe's.com slash shipping terms. Subject to change. Harry Douglas here. Let me ask you something. What if you can enjoy the taste of a cocktail, the warmth of a spirit, and still stay fully in control?

That's RK Zero Proof, a pioneer in the alcohol-free spirits category. RK delivers bold flavor. Any real warm and sensation with zero alcohol, zero sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. Perfect for nights out, social gatherings, or any time you want the experience of a drink without sacrificing tomorrow. Check it out at rkbeverages.com. That's A-R-K-A-Y, beverages.com. R-K. All the flavor, none of the alcohol. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. The Score. Matbeard, is it true that you have some breaking news? Harold, when we get mad at the college football playoff selection committee in November, and some of our listeners do because their favorite team is not ranked higher, they have added three new members.

Dr. Brian Laggard, the athletic director of Louisiana, Jeff Tedford, the former head coach at Cal in Fresno State. Right. And are you ready for this? No. The third esteemed member of the new member of the college football playoff committee. Yeah. Gus Malzahn. Who? Gus Malzahn. So how's that tiebreaker going to go without Alabama fans? The three new members. Can you imagine the reaction on social media the rest of the afternoon about the addition of Gus Malzahn? Yeah. See, I thought she was going to say Vince Ferrara.

Now, I… I wish. My gauge is empty. It's on the eve. But we'll try. Vince Ferrara, he's on the radio at 99.1, the sports animal, in Knoxville, Tennessee, and on the Vol Radio Network. VinceSports.net. V-Man, we were anticipating your name. And Brent spoils it by calling out Gus Malzahn. Your reaction. How are you? Hi, I'm great, guys. Great to be with you. You know, the way B.B. presented that and stretched it out, I was wondering if maybe I missed an email, and I was in there, and I just hadn't gotten the information yet.

It would have been serious breaking news to me. But, no, I don't think they have a budget to afford me being on there. There you go. I'm not interested in that kind of craziness and criticism. I'm good. Vince, can you imagine, can you imagine, you know where I'm going with this, on a, whatever the day they announced this, I have a date in front of me. On that date, it's a tiebreaker, and Alabama misses by one vote. Can you imagine, it's a whole new meaning to Armageddon, would it not?

For sure. The only thing is, hey, just, they don't put any of that publicly, like, publicly, you don't know how close the voting is. It is a collective, it is a collective, and look, if Auburn is in the equation, there's supposed to be some sort of, like, recusing, I don't know, if they actually do it in the committee, versus, in that committee, versus, like, the NCAA tournament committee, but you would think so. But, yeah, we won't know it, even though the conspiracy theories will be in four hours.

They'll know it. They just won't know it for sure. They'll know it. Right. V-Man, obviously, where do you start talking about this Tennessee basketball program? Three straight elite eights, but Rick Barnes just can't get over the hurdle. Both things are true. V-Man, you're closer to the epicenter than we are there in K-Town. Where do you break it down in the Tennessee basketball program? Yeah, and just the weekend was the two extremes, and Tennessee accomplishing that, and Tennessee fans feeling really good about it, and then you're one win away from it.

I mean, it could have been the biggest day in Tennessee college basketball, you know, history. It was that close, but then it wasn't. Once it was 16-14, and then Michigan went on the 21-0 run. So when you're that close, and you achieve that, when only Duke is the only other team to do that, if we can take their years currently, for Duke, then that's not good enough for them. For Duke, when they had very little success in their history, especially compared to the things Rick Barnes has accomplished, then you feel like it was a good season.

[1:25:26] Because when you reflect back, before the year, I think the expectation, I think Tennessee met the expectations for some before the year. Like, I thought this team, the way the roster is put together, could be a top-10 team. That was the Elite Eight-ish. So I think they lived up to that. But if you go based on what it was going into the NCAA tournament, I think Tennessee exceeded expectations. And for some far-exceeded expectations, they thought they were going to get eliminated in the second round of the tournament, you get to the Elite Eight.

So everybody was in a different position, I think, in how they viewed them. And some are a prisoner of the moment where it gets, you know, of course we were supposed to get to the Elite Eight. We're supposed to be in the Final Four. We should have all the money, as much money as anyone or more money than anyone, to spend at NIL. It's just not the reality in every sport. So it just depends on the individual and how it's kind of digested. But it was a great accomplishment.

And what they did against Iowa State in shutting down Monchilevich, the best airport shooter in the nation. And he couldn't even get any shots off once we made them. And he was so frustrated. He gave Tennessee a ton of credit, as he should. The individual and team defense they did on him was tremendous. And they did that, you know, all turn along until Michigan had so many more answers and so many more ways to beat you. And that's another part of it, too, is the reality is Michigan has been doing that to a lot of teams, a lot of really good teams.

But the way it got away from Tennessee fans, even with that, that's what makes yesterday harder to accept, is how they got run out of the gym. Unlike anything else we've seen in the Elite Eight since like the late 80s. Yeah, Michigan's playing on another level, and particularly Linda Borg, who scored 27. When asked yesterday by media, Rick Barnes was asked, are you 100% committed to returning for a 12th season on Rocky Top? Rick Barnes said, yes, I am. Yeah, and that's a great thing on a lot of levels.

Obviously, you get Rick Barnes back. Anyone that wants to move on from Rick Barnes, you know, I don't know what to tell you, but you just wait until you see what life without Rick Barnes is if you assume that it's going to be better. So that's one thing. Two, I think Tennessee is probably really happy that that question was asked, and Rick Barnes gave the answer that he did. And it was Trey Wallace, certainly, that asked that question. So, because you know, in recruiting, it was going to be used against Tennessee.

Well, Rick Barnes is going to retire. You don't know where if he's going to retire in the offseason. So, I think it was a huge positive for Tennessee to get that answer, to get that question, to get that answer out there so they can move on and not have that be a distraction. You know, V-Man, something that I thought Rick said was refreshing, everybody's fussing about recruiting now, and Rick said, actually, I like it better. You call them up, you tell them what you can do for them, they say yes or no, and you move on to the next guy.

Your thoughts about putting together the future roster, because let's face it down, the SEC is college football across the landscape, it's a year-to-year basis, and with the news today that the latest expensive puzzle done at LSU, the quiet Will Wade introduced as LSU's new men's basketball coach, how that affects the SEC. You see, they had 10 teams in the dance, that's one thing, but they can't, there's a ceiling that compared to the world right now, this NIL era, it's lower than the Big Ten and others, but your thoughts about where Rick goes going forward and how Will Wade and this overall coaching staff, what, $200 million is going to shake up the SEC going forward.

Yeah, and look, you feel bad for Matt McMahon, who's an East Tennessee guy from Oak Ridge. He's probably like, all right, where was that investment when I was the coach? You know, I also lost my two best players for the year to the injury, and then one of them wasn't there with me last year, and I didn't have those kind of NIL funds and investment in the program. Like all the others, many of the other sportsmen at LSU, now with a new coach, he gets them.

So, I mean, that's crazy, but they will be a factor, because it's for LSU and Georgia, to not be really good in all sports, to have sports where they're not consistently great, hard to comprehend. So, they should be able to be a factor for sure. But as far as Rick Barnes, I think the portal, he's almost known for bringing in an elite portal player, at least one every year, and having them take their game to another level. And I know there were turnover frustrations at times from Jacoby Gillespie, but he saved their backsides so many times.

[1:31:00] He had an awesome NCAA tournament. Even when, even in the Iowa State game, his numbers didn't just explode, but he still controlled the game. He still impacted winning by drawing the defense and making good decisions, and then his ability to handle the basketball with intense pressure. They actually took him off the ball a little bit so they could save his legs some. But he just draws defenders. So, the point is, the portal has been great to Rick Barnes. It's going to need to be again, because this roster turnover, you're going to lose up far, you're going to lose Gillespie, you're going to lose Nate Amen.

Those are three of your starters right there. But they need more shooters, in my opinion. They bring in character, high-quality culture guys, and Nate Amen was a five-star that fit all those things. But it was stark the difference in some of the elite teams, like Michigan, you see them play in person, and Tennessee. Tennessee just did not have enough answers, but they didn't have enough answers with offense. You need guys that can be program guys, that can be culture guys, all those things, but can shoot the basketball at a really high level instead of needing to be developed.

Maury Evans may become that kind of player, but he wasn't a great shooter out of the gate. And maybe you need to find more guys in the portal that just are elite shooters. I know everybody wants them, but the threat in so many positions, one through five, of shooters, that's what I think Tennessee needs to level up, while still not compromising what he wants in terms of defense. Absolutely. Listen, again, delighted you got a chance to go to Philadelphia to cover the Vols' run, and then to Chicago.

You're headed back now as we speak. Safe travels. Enjoyed your recounts of every game. I'm glad you got a chance to go, but it couldn't happen to a better guy. Where can we get online to get all of these good stuff? Yeah, I appreciate it. It was fun. Honestly, there's a little bit of me and probably Daphty that is ready for a little bit of normalcy and get laid in our own bed, that kind of stuff. But I'll have to check the final four box another year.

But tons of coverage, updates, all that kind of fun stuff on all the socials, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, slash, at VinceSports, V-I-N-C-E Sports. And then back to the SportsSource TV work this weekend. You can find SportsSource Digital Network on YouTube. Safe travels back home, V-Man. Sounds like you and Daphne had a doggone good time, my friend. Absolutely. She does great at hotels, but great to be on with you guys. See you, bud. You too. It's for all of the V-Man, 99.1, the Sports Animal Inn, Knoxville. Coming up, putting a ribbon on Alabama's round ball season with the one and the only Brian Pathak on deck.

Stay with us. Hello, my name is Keith Medley, and I'm an attorney with a law firm of Johnson, Passeur, Medley & Burchill. Why call an out-of-town lawyer when you can call our law firm, which has over 100 years of combined experience in all areas of the law? Check us out first by calling our office at 256-766-3131. No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. T-Mobile has an exclusive bundle for customers 55 and up.

I'm Sarah Bull. Yeah, I'm Frank Bull. A reliable network is key for us. And with T-Mobile, it's been wonderful. And going to the 55-plus land saved us so much money. A lot. And that's important, trying to keep costs down at the home. Internet's been perfect. It's fast, it's quick. The setup was so easy, it took less than 15 minutes. It was like, ta-da! If you want simplicity, coverage, reliability, you want the whole package, T-Mobile has it. Right now, T-Mobile customers 55 and up can get two phone lines on America's best network.

Plus, America's fastest 5G home internet for just $30 each. $30 per month each line with auto pay plus taxes and fees. Minimum age 55. Pricing for home internet rely on two lines of essentials choice 55. $35 connection charge per line required. Best mobile network and fastest 5G home internet based on analysis by Okla of Speedtest Intelligence Data 2H 2025. All rights reserved. I'm Boomer Esiason. My mom died from cancer. She was only 37 years old. She didn't have life insurance and that was devastating for my family. That's why having life insurance is so important to me.

Ethos makes it fast and easy. Get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage. You can get up to $3 million in coverage with no medical exam. Get your free quote at ethos.com slash play. That's ethos.com slash play. Paid spokesperson. Time span on application may vary. Online health questions required. Hey, it's Rich Eisen for Pella Windows and Doors. Sometimes teams take a timeout to regroup and call the right play. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors always has the winning game plan.

[1:36:12] They're not just window and door experts. They're experts at taking care of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and their experts install them. They do it every day and that's why your neighbors trust them. Discover why Pella is a trusted choice for homeowners everywhere. Visit Pella.com slash Eisen today. That's Pella.com slash Eisen. Evan Cohen here. In life, as in sports, the pros make it look easy. That's why pro golfers like Jason Day, Ben Griffin, and Patton Kazire trust the pros in lawn care.

True Green. They have the experience and expertise to give you a lawn worthy of the PGA Tour. And since True Green does the work for you, you get more free time or more tea times. So stop stressing over your lawn and start loving it. Sign up now at TrueGreen.com because nobody makes it easier to get a golf course quality lawn than True Green, the official lawn care treatment provider of the PGA Tour. Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93.9. The score. College baseball action over the weekend.

Alabama yesterday beat Auburn 3-1. The two teams combined for six hits. Alabama sweeps the weekend series with the Auburn Tigers. Alabama is now 22-7 on the season. 6-3 in the SEC while Auburn drops to 4-5 in the SEC. 20-7 on the season. South Alabama yesterday a winner over Old Dominion. 12-1. They win the weekend series two games to one. South Alabama is 5-4 in the Sun Belt. Troy yesterday was a winner over Georgia Southern. 11-5. They avoid the sweep. Troy is 4-5 in the Sun Belt.

North Alabama fell to Bellarmine yesterday. 12-9. Bundle auto and home, renters or condo, and save with Progressive. I'm John Thayer with the Sports Flash presented by Progressive on 93.9 The Score. The problem with radio is we can't show you our new box packed with a KFC snacker, five nuggets, fries, and a drink for just $7. So you'll just have to trust us when we say the crispy golden fried breading will make your mouth water. You'll have to trust us when we say this is a ridiculous amount of chicken for such a small price.

And you'll have to really trust us when we insist that, yes, it really is only $7. $7 box feast from KFC. Trust us. It's finger licking good. Prices and participation may vary. Tax tips and fees extra. Staples presents That Was Easy. So I opened a restaurant and needed everything. Menus, signage, catering brochures. Everything and then some. I went to Staples. They printed it all. They even suggested takeout menus. One money pit with a side of fries. But now at Staples, you get up to $125 off custom print orders.

$125 off. Now you're cooking. Rent your business in a big way at Staples. That was easy. Shop Staples in store online or in the app by 442 online. Exclusions apply. Visit staples.com slash print for details. The score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. The score. Welcome back in. It is a pleasure for us to welcome the man who knows all about the thing called Alabama basketball inside and out. That's because it comes out of your dashboard every time you tune in to Alabama basketball on the network there.

Brian Patsy, sidekick of Chris Stewart and others when it comes to round ball for Alabama. Brian, welcome in today. How are you? Hey, guys. How are you all? Hey, man. All right. Are you okay? Are you having to undergo withdrawal medication, Brian? How are you doing these days? Well, I'm doing great. It was a great run for Alabama. Obviously, you never want it to end. I was hoping this team could go a little further. But after watching how good Michigan is in the game that I saw with my own two eyes and the game I watched on TV, I think the deserving team has moved on to the Final Four.

I've said this for a few weeks. I thought that Michigan and Arizona are in a league of their own. And there's a little bit of a drop-off or pretty, maybe significant drop-off. And then there's some other teams. And I thought Duke was one of those. And I don't think they were. But, yeah, I think Arizona, Michigan, two best teams in the country. That doesn't mean that Illinois and UConn don't have a chance because it's March Madness. Anything can happen, as we've seen. So it should be a great Final Four.

But, yeah, listen, I'm always sad when the year ends. It's been a great year and another great season for Alabama and Natives. Brian, I agree with you. When you looked at that ball game the other night, if you took the crimson glasses off and looked at it as objectively as possible, Michigan, that second half, they would have given a lot of semi-pro teams a run for the money. I mean, like Nate Oates said, they ran into a juggernaut. And when you have that kind of talent, that much talent, clicking all on the same cylinders at the same time, that's tough.

But, Brian, be that as it may, if you are Coach Oates, and he's much smarter when it comes to basketball than any of us, what did he learn? When he looks at a team like Michigan and Arizona, you've got to believe going through his mind right now is, okay, that's what they're doing that maybe we're not. We've got a good team, but maybe for us to go to the next step, this is what we need and learn from teams like Michigan's roster and Arizona's roster. Would you agree with that?

[1:41:32] Yeah, I mean, and he's said a little bit of that, that he needs to get bigger. Now, you know, I would not argue with him, I agree, but part of the reason you weren't as big as you wanted to be is because of injuries. I mean, you had a couple guys that played power forward, center position that would have helped you and would have made you a bigger team and have more depth around the basket. But those guys, I think there were four guys that were out for the year.

And so depth, especially in the frontcourt, wasn't there. But for this team to weather all of the storms and adversity and injuries that they did to get in the Sweet 16, finish second in the SEC was a major accomplishment. But the thing that I love about where this program is, is that's not the goal. The goal is to get back to the Final Four and play an extra game and win that game and win the national championship. And, you know, this year it was possible. It would have, you would have had to upset a few different, a few different schools to do it.

Uh, but hopefully Alabama can be in the position that they've been the last four seasons going to four straight Sweet 16s or better, uh, an amazing accomplishment. It's never happened in school history. And I don't see this program slowing down anytime soon. Uh, now, uh, several of the Alabama beat writers had a story about this. I asked you two weeks ago about this, and I'm going to ask you again, uh, when you have the number one toughest schedule, or at least in the top three, all of the myriad of injuries, the off the court distractions, which they were, uh, and I thought Nadeau's handled that quite well.

Unfortunately, he's had a lot of experience in the last three or four years doing that. Uh, but I'll ask you again, was this Nadeau's best coaching job when you take all of that into consideration? Yeah, it's definitely in the conversation. And the great thing is that you could make an argument for several of these years. Um, you know, it's hard to be two years ago, not just going to the final four for the first time in school history. But if you remember that off season before that, your entire staff, uh, left to become head coaches.

Uh, and so there was a gosh, at least a month or two where the coaches offices were lonely for, for Nate. I mean, you, you lost that way to Kansas state, uh, Charlie Henry to Georgia Southern and Brian Hodgson, uh, to Arkansas state at the time. And it was, uh, just Nate. And he was able to bring in some high level assistance. And in the meantime, bring in some key contributors to that final four team. Just amazing what he did that year. But this year, when you start really digging into it and seeing all the guys that missed multiple games and practices.

And I think Houston Millett was the only player on the team that didn't miss a game because of the injury. Uh, it's just amazing that they had the success that they did with the nation's toughest schedule second in the SEC, another sweet 16, just, just amazing. So if you wanted to, to argue with me that this was his best coaching job, I would, I would not, uh, I would, I would, I would, I would tell you, you got a pretty strong argument. I thought Nate said it best.

He said, amongst the things sad about the outcome of this game, I won't get to coach these guys anymore. And these guys to me, epitomized in this day and time, I take every story with a grain of salt when I see it, but I, one of the, I'll see if you can verify this. I saw a picture of Millett leaving, uh, the gym, if you will, the arena, and he was not wearing his street clothes. He was wearing his uniform because it means that much to him.

You can't measure heart, right? If you get a guy, if you get five guys, 12 guys with that kind of heart, you're going to win some ball games. No, no doubt. And we live in a time with a transfer portal and so many guys around the country that go to the school they go to based on money and to have, yeah. To have a guy like Houston, who clearly has loved being in Tuscaloosa and loves the university of Alabama and could not take the jersey off after the game.

I saw him a couple of hours after, actually, I think it was closer to past midnight, 1 a.m. He was in a hotel lobby at the team hotel and he was sitting with his family. All of them had, you know, swollen red eyes from crying and he's sitting there in his jersey. And then, uh, you know, wake up the next morning, we're getting on the plane and, and he's still got his jersey on, uh, so I, I love the fact that it meant so much to him and he's one of those guys that even though he was only at Alabama for two years, he will go down as a legend because it was so clear with the way he played and the way he carried himself, how much he loved being a part of the university of Alabama.

[1:46:50] And that's just, unfortunately rare, not, not for Alabama, just in college athletics right now. So I think, uh, many fans, including myself, appreciate it that much more. And then Latrell Reitzel is right there. I mean, what he's battled through injuries last year, the torn Achilles and, and to come back and have the injuries that he's had this year, uh, for him to play the way he did and, and with the heart and, and, uh, the effort, um, man, those guys will be missed, but they, they made an impact on this program and, uh, certainly appreciate all that they did for Bama.

Uh, late Saturday night, the Alabama athletic director sent out a tweet, uh, with, he was standing next to Nate Oates and the caption on the tweet said, we are good exclamation mark. He's not going anywhere. Explanation mark. Should Alabama fans and supporters feel very positive about that tweet? Well, I certainly do. Um, and listen, I'm thankful, uh, that seven years ago, uh, Greg Byrne went and found Nate Oates. I thought it was a great hire at the time and I had no idea how great it was.

Uh, I'd still think, uh, that he is certainly without a doubt, one of the best coaches in the country. And I would make the argument that if you, if you picked a handful of guys who probably have a little better resume at this point, having won national championships, that those guys, and I'm talking about, you know, Dan Hurley, who's obviously great, uh, all these, all these great coaches, Thomas, could those guys, um, to Tuscaloosa, Alabama and do what Nate Oates has done? I don't know that they could.

I just think the job he's done turned Alabama into a basketball powerhouse is just amazing. And as someone who loves the program, I couldn't be happier that he's our coach and that he's going to be our coach, uh, for a long time. Brian, are you qualified to talk about the power of having a daughter and a family, especially one of the tens, Alabama. And the, the, the reason I bring that up, I thought it was interesting the other day when the speculation was Nate, North Carolina, he's almost immediately.

He said, blah, blah, blah. And he said, and my daughters are happy here to me. When I saw that, I said, that's locked down because the most important vote in the house is already in your thoughts just about the family as apart from the record on the court of, of them living in Tuscaloosa. Yeah. I mean, you know, when the North Carolina job opened, um, yeah, I always, when, when there are like the Kentucky, you know, North Carolina do those types of jobs open up, I just, I get a little, little nervous, but not, not overly nervous because I know how happy Nate is in Tuscaloosa and his family is, and his girls are younger.

And, uh, I know that part, you know, part of being a coach is moving your family around the country. It's one of the reasons I didn't want to go into coaching. Uh, but I know that, that his daughters love Tuscaloosa. His oldest is a student at the university is younger, uh, girls are, and I think once in high school, once in middle school, I believe. Um, but I just didn't think that, that he would want to move them. Um, and also I know how much he personally loves it and feels like he can do at Alabama what they've done historically at North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, any of those, uh, blue blood programs.

He, he believes that he can do it at the university of Alabama and he's proven it. I mean, the championships, the final four, multiple elite eight, sweet sixteens. I mean, if you put yourself in a position to do it, you're eventually going to break through and Alabama year in and year out is in a great position to do it. I would have loved our chances this year if this roster was ever healthy, uh, but it wasn't. And, and, and, and, you know, that's part of the game.

That's part of it. Um, and which is why I was thrilled that this team ended up in the sweet 16. I thought they, uh, overachieved based on the circumstances. Absolutely. Well, we love talking to you and we don't need an excuse to talk to you. Uh, in fact, I may try to sit check your schedule next week, talk some final two, but as I've told you the last couple of weeks, um, y'all had some challenges this year. You've got the greatest broadcasting team in SEC basketball with you and Roger and Chris here at Tom state.

Uh, they do not understand how fortunate they are to have, uh, those do. Calling Alabama basketball, uh, for, for the last couple of years. And hopefully it will last for many, many to come, but listen, have a great off season. And we will think of a reason to call you again very soon. Well, Hey, thank you so much for that, for having me on. And, uh, I would love to catch up. We could talk, uh, you know, college basketball. Uh, we could talk recruiting, um, anytime I'd love to do it.

[1:52:07] Always enjoy with you guys. We're going to save you a seat. I guarantee you. Thanks so much, Brian. Let's do it again soon. Okay. Sounds great. Thanks guys. Thank you. Passing on the Crimson Tide Sports Network. Speaking of networks, the Braves back on 93.9. The score tonight, the Braves and A's 615, the pregame BB. Yeah. I should have just said A's and Harold again. The, I still say the Cleveland Indians and the Oakland A's. I need to double check those. And you throw the Washington Redskins in there too.

If you want to talk football, right? That's going to take care of business for now. On behalf of BB, Greg James Blair, the entire crew here. Parole Buck, thank you so much for your time today. Let's do it again tomorrow. Noon to two for the Bumbo Buck Show. Back here on Sports Radio. 93.9, the score.