Hour 1 - Round of 16 is Here! Jim Boeheim Joins the Show

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This world, there's one man who refuses to follow the script.

We have rules here, you know that, and if you don't follow the rules, then what are we?

One man stands tall in the face of adversity.

But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.

A man who rises above the ashes of hot takes.

What do you care what they say?

Easy for you to say they will love you.

It's just noise, man. You're really good at it.

You might be great.

That man is Nick, Costos, and this is you better you bet.

If loving sports is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Where narratives are challenged and the truth is spoken.

I told you what was going to happen last week.

If you didn't listen, that's on you.

This isn't talk, it's perspective.

It's not what you look at that matters.

It's what you see.

This is you better you bet.

Presented by Bed MGM on Westwood One Sports.

What's up everybody?

Happy and merry.

Tremendous sports Thursday to you and yours.

This is you better you bet.

With Nick Costos on Westwood One Sports.

As we bring you the fastest show in all of sports.

The show presented today and always by Bed MGM.

Make it legendary by downloading the Bed MGM app and visiting BedMGM.com.

And on this Thursday morning, the world of sports has once again gone mad.

And we're going to get to all the big stories including the Celtics beating the Thunder last night

in Beentown in a potential NBA finals preview.

But does the result of the game matter?

We're going to discuss coming up in a little bit.

I will also tell all of you the NBA championship contender that I don't want to hear from

again this season. I don't even want to watch them again this season.

We're going to have to because they're going to the playoffs.

I hate this team and I'm going to tell you which team it is and why in a little bit.

We will discuss why and how Netflix got it all wrong last night with the opening

baseball broadcast of the Yankees and the Giants in San Francisco.

And I'm going to tell everybody the two teams that the NFL absolutely job yesterday.

And why our bets for tonight will close the show.

We're going to have a bunch of them.

Sweet 16 rounds in the NCAA tournament is back.

We got opening day in majorly baseball.

Is it opening day?

Was yesterday opening day?

I have no idea.

I don't think they do either.

Baseball bets, college basketball bets, NBA bets will close the show.

3108404910, 3108404910, youtube.com, backslash at the Costco.

Shout out to everybody watching there on all social media at the Costco's THKOS TOS.

But we officially begin the tremendous sports Thursday edition of You Better You Bet with the madness.

Because after a three day hiatus, the NCAA tournament returns to our lives.

Tonight.

And you know, it's like when you're in a relationship and the relationship's just beginning.

And you are like addicted to being with this person.

You are obsessed with this person.

You are infatuated with this person early on.

You all know the beginnings of a great relationship.

They all start the same way.

And it feels like when you're a part for three days, you're a part for one day.

It can feel like a month.

Three days can feel like three months can feel like a year.

Such is the feeling you get when you've got that excitement.

When you've got that energy, when you've got perhaps that love,

such as the plight of the sports fan, where you know,

Darious A-Cuff and Kingston Flemmings can inspire the same feelings as a nice set of legs or

whatever it is that floats your boat.

Tonight, not a moment too soon, the NCAA tournament returns to our lives.

And it is a pretty good slate tonight.

I wouldn't say it's the greatest slate of all time.

Tomorrow's slate definitely better than tonight.

Tomorrow we get the two like juggernaut matchups in the East,

Yukon and Michigan State and of course Duke against Rick Patino and St. John's.

But man, this is still going to be pretty, pretty, pretty awesome tonight.

We've got Purdue in Texas.

Can Texas take down the boiler makers or will we see Braden Smith in company?

Trey Cobb and Ren Matt Painter go to the Elite 8.

And we've got Iowa and Nebraska.

How about that big 10 showdown in the South region to go to the Elite 8?

I think both of these games are going to be really fun.

I'm going to watch the hell out of both of them.

Probably play some money on both of them to jazz up the proceedings.

I can't wait for it.

But if we're being really honest about how this is going to go and this is

hashtag East Coast Problems for those of us that live in the Eastern time zone.

And especially those of us that have to get up early to work on a national sports radio show

that starts at 9 a.m. Eastern time.

The main event tonight, no disrespect to the four programs I just mentioned.

Purdue, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, no disrespect to them.

But the main events plural tonight are in the late slate.

Arizona and Arkansas, Houston and Illinois.

Absolute five star bangers to wrap up sweet 16th Thursday in college basketball.

Let's start in the West region with the one seed Arizona against the four seed Arkansas

razor backs. Arizona in this game, if you if someone were to ask you the question, hey,

you know, like I've heard Arizona is pretty good this year.

How good is Arizona?

Like how good are the wild cats actually?

Answer to the question.

Good enough to be a seven and a half point favorite against the SEC tournament champions.

And against the team that has a guard who's probably going to go top five and a generational

NBA draft who's averaging about 75 points per game in postseason play in Darius Acuff.

That's how good the Arizona wild cats are seven and a half point favorites tonight against

Arkansas. And if you're following the money, like Arizona looks to be the preferred betting side

in the game. And it's going to be even more so than a potential elite eight game on Saturday

for Arizona against either Purdue or Texas. It's going to be in this moment tonight where we find

out if Arizona is for real. And I'm not just talking for real. I'm talking for real for real.

Like Kendrick Lamar said, are they real? Are they real? Are they really really real?

We're going to find out tonight.

Because in this Tommy Lloyd era at Arizona, which is in terms of wins and losses, literally

the most successful five year beginning to attend year in the history of college basketball

in terms of wins and losses. Zero trips beyond the round of 16, zero,

losing to Houston in 2022. How about losing to Clemson in 23, losing to Duke last year?

Tommy Lloyd, we're ready for your close up, buddy. There is, and I don't mean this as a

disrespect to Arkansas. A lot of people think that Arkansas can pull this upset.

We had John Fanta on the show prior to the tournament starting and he told us that he thinks

like he predicted this matchup and look, it was the chalk matchup 1v4. But still, he said before

the tournament started, I'm calling my shot. Arkansas over Arizona in the round of 16. So it's not

like everyone thinks Arizona's running away with this, right? And Arkansas can obviously when we

see upsets happen all the time in sports. But let's keep it real. There is zero excuse for

Arizona to not win this game tonight and to get past the round of 16 and to slay the dragon

that's been haunting Tommy Lloyd to scale this mountain that is thus far proven to be insurmountable

for Tommy Lloyd in Arizona and get to a regional final. Zero excuse for Arizona.

That's how good the Arizona Wildcats are. You absolutely have to win this game tonight.

And for Tommy Lloyd, obviously, just to win a national champion to this year, it matters.

But we're going to hear his name bandied about for the North Carolina job, not if Arizona

loses tonight. I'll tell you what Arizona loses tonight. I guarantee you North Carolina in higher

in Tommy Lloyd, not going to happen. Not that Tommy Lloyd even wants to leave, but there is a little

added sizzle and spice to the proceedings, if that's the case, right? Where this is Tommy Lloyd's shot.

Huge favorite one seed. Go out there and get the job done.

What I'm about to say right now is going to sound unfair. And you know what it is unfair.

But that's what life's not fair. Life ain't fair. Tell me I'm wrong about this. Here is the

statement. If Arizona loses tonight to Arkansas, the season is a failure. True or false.

If Arizona loses tonight to Arkansas, Arizona season is a failure with the capital F.

Congratulations. You won the big 12 regular season. Congratulations. You won the big 12 tournament.

Congratulations. You were the one seed in the West region. Congratulations. You've been one of

the favorites to win the national championship. If they can't get past the round of 16, it is a failure.

Period. The stakes are insanely insanely high. Let's look at the Arkansas razor packs now. Dogs in

this game tonight. Obviously, if Arkansas is going to win and Arkansas wins this game, well,

we are going to be talking about tomorrow here on you better, you bet. Actually,

like kind of gives me chills. Because if the razor bags do win and not to be clear,

I think Arizona is going to win. I think Arizona is going to win by double digits.

I'm on I'm on the Arizona train here big time. I think Arizona gets the job done. But look,

I'm wrong all the time. Crazy stuff happens in sports constantly, right? If Arkansas wins this

game tonight, it will mean that we are getting another legendary effort from Darius Acuff.

Like try to envision a scenario where Darius Acuff scores like 11 points and Arkansas wins the game.

There's no shot zero. Acuff's going to have to score a ton. And this may turn out to be like,

you know, a 1980s action movie where here's Sylvester Stallone against 55,000 bad guys and Stallone

ends up as the last man standing. Like that may be Darius Acuff tonight going up against burries

and against Bradley and against Pete and against Arizona. And it can obviously happen.

And if it does, oh man, imagine the Darius Acuff conversation. Now he's not going to go number one

overall on the draft. That'll beat the Bonsor Peterson. But you know, with the Bonson Peterson

out of the tournament, if Acuff shows up and shows out and balls out tonight,

they're going to be people that are saying should Darius Acuff be the number one overall pick,

whether it's right or not, doesn't matter. It will be a topic. Those are the stakes tonight.

And then how about John Calapari? John Calapari a couple of years ago, in case people have forgotten,

left Kentucky for Arkansas, which would be like in college basketball terms, leaving Beyoncé for

Lizzo. Why would he do that? Well, fast forward a couple of years. Arkansas is in the sweet 16

and Kentucky got embarrassed by Iowa State without its second leading scorer and Kentucky got

sent home and marked hope seat is ready to be engulfed by full inflames.

John Calapari has done an unbelievable job. And John Calapari, if Arkansas wins this game tonight

against Arizona, like they would they play Purdue, produce going to be favored in the game. But

who who is going to believe that Arkansas can't win that game?

John Calapari is two wins away from taking four separate teams to the final four.

UMass, Memphis, Kentucky, and it would be Arkansas, a whole man, whole baby. Can you,

can you feel the electricity tonight in San Jose with Arizona and Arkansas?

And then there's the nightcap. So are any of us getting any sleep tonight? No. Because the

late tip tonight is Houston against Illinois in Houston. The Cougars right now, the 2v3 in the

South region, the Cougs, two and a half point favorites over the line. I looks like that's going up

to three, one thirty nine and a half the total. And we can keep it real here, like we always do on

the show. Is it possible that either Iowa or Nebraska goes to the final four? Of course,

of course it can happen. Crazy things happen all the time in sports, like we've said on the show

for years, like many teams can win four games. Almost none can win six and win a title. But a lot of

teams can win four. Of course, Iowa or Nebraska could go to the final four. But this game tonight

with Houston and Illinois is probably the regional final in the South region.

I would even go so far to say that if any of the sweet 16 games this week, today and tomorrow,

this is the one that's the closest to an actual regional final. Is Houston and Illinois?

Because you know that whoever wins this game tonight, going to be favored. And probably everyone's

going to be on that team to win against either Iowa or Nebraska. This is a legitimate elite eight

game being played in the round of 16 tonight with Illinois and Houston and Houston, right?

This has been going on for years with Calvin Samson. Houston, we all have a friend like this or

we all know people like this, right? Someone who is and I found Houston to be very likeable.

I think Calvin Samson is likeable. Like if I don't have a rooting interest, I would probably root

for Calvin Samson to win a national championship. Like I find him to be likeable. I find Houston to

be like this lovable underdog program. You can disagree with me. That's my opinion.

Houston is like the person you know that's exceptionally likeable and wants to do well.

And you want them to do well unless you bet against them or pick against them in your bracket,

right? But he or she is a self-savator. And they get to the end or they get to a big spot

and they self-sabotage. And they cheddar above it. They plexico-burys it. They shoot themselves in

the foot or another appendage. And it is painful and brutal to watch and you can't believe that it

happens time after time after time. Whether it's against Villanova, you know, shooting somehow

negative percentage from three, which is mathematically impossible until Houston does it.

Or how about last year in the national championship game, the ultimate agony,

not even getting a shot off against Florida as the game winds down. It happens every year.

Can Kingston Fleming's be the guy to turn it around for the googers?

And to be clear, Houston winning tonight is not the end of the road for Houston.

Houston winning on Saturday is not the end of the road for the Houston Cougars. Hell,

Houston winning final four Saturday, ain't the end of the road for the Cougars. No.

If Houston wants to exercise the demons, they got to win a national championship.

Tonight, you can argue will be a bigger test for Houston than the rounds of eight against

either Iowa or Nebraska. And then maybe it's Duke. Maybe it's St. John's. Maybe it's you,

Con maybe it's Michigan State. We can have that conversation when and if we get there.

But if Houston's going to climb the mountain, can't sabotage tonight. No self sabotage.

Go out there in a home environment and win the damn game.

But it's not going to be easy because Illinois is tremendous. Illinois is stacked with studs,

Wagler, Mirkovic, Boswell, Stoyokovic, loaded with offensive talent.

Now, of course, Illinois's problem is they don't really play much defense, making them like a

boss in a video game that like what when it starts like a Zelda boss that is hulking and gigantic

and massive. And yet they've got like this blinking thing like underneath their left armpit.

And you know, if you hit it with an arrow a couple times, it's going to die.

That's how it feels to me with Illinois. Like yes, they are imposing. And yes, they are gigantic.

And yes, they are so offensively talented, but they can be had.

But let's be real. What happens tonight if Illinois plays its best game?

If Illinois plays its A-plus game and Houston plays its A-plus game, who wins?

Who wins? I think it's Illinois. I think the align I will win.

So for me, it almost doesn't matter what Houston does tonight as crazy as that sounds

because they're the favorite and they're basically playing at home. If Illinois gives you a focused

effort from start to finish, I think the align I win. And I think they're ultimately headed to

Indianapolis. The winner either way though tonight, Houston and Illinois. And this it is kind of

disrespectful to Iowa and Nebraska to say this. And I'm willing to be wrong.

Prove me wrong. We'll find out. I'll pay to see it. The winner of this game tonight,

Houston and Illinois. Book your travel to Indianapolis. This is an elite eight game in the sweet 16.

What a fricking time to be alive. 3108404910, 3108404910, do you agree with me on Illinois and Houston

on Arizona Arkansas? What about Purdue, Texas? What about Iowa and Nebraska? Let us know on

youtube, youtube.com, backslash at the costos. You can tweet me at the costos T H E K O S T O S

on the other side. Last night in bean town, the Celtics left Oklahoma City,

Thunderstruck. But does it matter as it concerns an NBA championship? I'm going to tell you next

here on a Thursday.

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Now, back to you better you bet with Nick Costos on Westwood One Sports.

NBC Sports Boston courtesy of the highlight. How about them Celtics? How about me?

Pettin' OKC last night. Not great. Final score. Celtics. 119. Thunder. 109.

Jalen Brown casual 31-8 and 8. Jason Tatum 19-12 and 7. Yo, he bounces back from a couple.

He's coming back from a torn to kill. He's not meant to be an insult, but you know a couple

of substandard efforts for his standards. Also, Tatum bounces back and it is a great win

by the Boston Celtics. And I got to be honest. We'll talk about the result and what I think

it means moving forward. But I need to begin with this. Jalen Brown, I think, because Joel and

Bied like barely plays. He played last night. We'll talk about the Sixers later in the show

with him. Bied back and pulled George back and like, Max, he's not even back yet. And

just hey Billy Donovan, go to North Carolina. Why do you have to watch the Sixers drop 157 on your

team? So since Joel and Bied doesn't really play basketball that often, he can't be the biggest

troll in the NBA anymore. Troll L M Bied. Like, he can't be if he doesn't play.

I think Jalen Brown is the biggest troll in the league now. And I mean that in the most

complimentary way possible. So Jalen Brown, last time. And we know that Jalen Brown has taken

because they played the Thunder recently, right? And they lost OKC. And what was a great game.

And Jalen Brown is, you know, bitching and moaning about SGA's foul baiting. And there was an

instance in the game a couple of weeks ago in Oklahoma City where you can literally hear Jalen

Brown yelling on the court. That's how loud it was. He stopped mic'd up. You can hear him yell,

that's not basketball after SGA draws a foul. There's a play during the game last night where Jalen

Brown, like basically baits a foul on SGA. So SGA jumps up into him. Brown jumps and shoots the ball

to draw a foul. And Jalen Brown walks away from SGA like like laughing. He's fully aware of what he's

doing. And I love that from Jalen Brown, like I love the piss and vinegar from Jalen Brown that he's

playing with. I think it's been outstanding to watch as he's really elevated his game to another

level this year. And the comp that I've been making for quite some time and it's not apples to apples

is that this is like Pippin in 93 94 when Michael Jordan took his sabbatical, right? And Pippin kind

of was nearly the MVP of the NBA that year and took the next to game seven of the Eastern

conference semis, which the nicks of course barely won and then would lose to the rockets in the NBA

finals. But that is a story for another time. Now you might think that Jay Gilgis Alexander

would be a little salty about this loss. Perhaps a little salty with Jalen Brown for baiting him into

the foul, but that is not the case with SGA. Take a listen to what the reigning NBA MVP and finals

MVP had to say about Jalen Brown last night. He's done a really good job of getting to the free

domain, especially against us. I think it's 14 to us. So 28, three dozen two games. Pretty good job.

Yeah, I mean, the best players in history, the game gets a free domain. So

the best players in the history of the game get to the free throw line. SGA is the best.

He's just, and look, he's a young player still. Maybe at some point, he'll be affected by the

criticism and the drama. Look, you know, they're coming off a championship. He's going to win another

MVP, barring something insane happening through the favorite to win another NBA championship this year.

So he's cool as the other side of the pillow, lose on the road in Boston. Jalen Brown's the star

of the game and BD. No big deal. And I love that from SGA. Gilgis Alexander. I also love it.

From Jalen Brown. And if indeed, it's going to be Celtics thunder in the NBA championship,

if that's what we end up getting. And I absolutely think it'll be OK seat coming out of the West.

I feel a little worse about Boston. You know, the nicks are playing really well. The nicks did

beat the Celtics last year in the playoffs. It needs to be said, like that is something that

happened. No, we'll get to the pistons a little later in the show. They lose last night to Atlanta,

but in over time and Dennis Jenkins continues to play well. And Jalen Durin had a monster game.

He even got 18 points out of Osar Thompson. I feel better about the pistons now than I did a

week ago prior to Cade Cunningham's collapse long. It could be Boston and no one would bat

in eyelash. So if it's Boston, OK, see if that's the NBA finals. I think the big thing that we've

learned from the two meetings that these teams have had recently, including last night,

one by Boston, and then a couple of weeks ago, one by Oklahoma City, both home teams winning.

It'd be a hell of a finals. Like entertainment-wise, I'm a nicks fan, right? I'm a life-long

nicks fan. I have to acknowledge, right? Because this is a national sport show. It's not a new

York show. Boston, Oklahoma City is a more at least on paper, more entertaining NBA finals

than next Thunder would be. And Boston, I think, even if I think the nicks could beat the Celtics,

I think the Celtics could give Oklahoma City a tougher series. And maybe it would go seven.

It would be great. But last night's result will not shake me off of my belief that the Thunder

are still the best team in the league. Jalen Williams, J. Dubb did not play great last night for OKC.

It's also his second game back from another hamstring injury. For Oklahoma City,

it ain't about last night. It's about the health of this team going into the postseason healthy

because when they're healthy, they are as deep as it gets, and they're the best team in the league.

So if it's Celtics Thunder, will I be excited? I mean, I'll be crushed as a nicks fan, but yes,

as a sports fan, I will love it. It'll be great. But I don't think the Celtics will win the NBA

finals. I'll still take the Oklahoma City Thunder 3 108 40 49 10 YouTube dot com backslash at

the costos. We will take a quick break. And on the other side, we will be joined by basketball

royalty basketball Hall of Famer, the legendary Jim Bayheim joins us on you better you bet with

Nick Costos on Westwood one sports right after this.

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Now back to you. Better you bet with Nick Costos on Westwood one sports. You always love

a play by play call. That's so awesome. Like what happens is so electric that all the

broadcasters just go in unison. Oh, for a few seconds. Like we heard there, Kevin

Harlan and friends on CBS setting up that St. John's win against Kansas on Sunday. One

of the great sweet 16 games and recent memory tomorrow night with Duke against Rick

Patino and St. John's. We will be joined by legendary college basketball coach and basketball

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Joining us right now on the show basketball and college basketball royalty national champion

of your Syracuse Orange ACC network zone, the great Jim Bayheim coach. Thanks for joining

Nick Costos here on you. Better you bet. Happy sweet 16 round my friend to you and yours.

How's it going? It's great. And college basketball is in a great place. Nobody likes

the NIL transfer part of it. When you look at it deep, everybody can get players. There's

40 European players over here that wouldn't be over here if it wasn't for the money. And

juniors and seniors stay in college because they know they're not going to probably be well.

They think they're going to be first round picks, but there's smart enough, somebody smart

enough to tell them stay in college. Get some money and then go. And you know, so the game's

great. This week's 16, you look at these teams. I mean, they're this is really good basketball.

There was really good basketball played so far. A lot of really good basketball. And

anything can happen more sold than ever before in the NCAA tournament. So it's fun to

be around and watch that. Well, it's just fun to be around, you know, when you get to be

over 80. But I just think college basketball. It's great. I did games this year and watch

some of these teams. And one thing for St. John's fans and coach love Rick Betino, one of

the great coaches ever in college basketball. And he did draw up a great play there at the end of

the game, not. But sometimes players win games, you know, that's that's what happens there.

But Duke's a little bit down. Those two players being out really, I think makes them a different

team. They don't they it's hard for them to play with the same intensity without those two

players because they can rotate and guys eat nine guys. And it you know, it really worked.

When you get down to seven, it's difficult. Maybe they'll be at better full strength. But I don't

think they won't have the guard back, but they'll have the big guy back. So I think St. John's has a

shot here. I think Duke is not quite what they were. They're still really good. And you have

to probably make them a favorite, but it's a little bit more up in the air than it was three weeks

ago. I love that analysis and tough to disagree, right? And I think it's really fair to say. And

what obviously like your former point guard and we'll get to Syracuse and Jerry McNamara in a second.

Duke has played like one good half in the two games thus far, right? And it was the second half

against ECU. So we have these incredible games tomorrow coach in the Eastern region, right?

With Duke and St. John's and then you come with Danny Hurley and Michigan State with Thomas. Oh,

if I ask you right now and this can be a pencil, not a pen answer, you can make a case for any of

the four teams. If I made you pick right now, the final four participants out of those four teams

in the East region, Duke, St. John's, Yukon, Michigan State, who is Jim Bayheim taking? And why?

I would probably take Duke, even though they're weakened. I think the best teams in the country and

the other division are in the other regions. I think I still like Arizona, Houston and Michigan.

But I think Duke is the best team left in this region, although it is paper thin, close.

Michigan State, you can't count out time is though. I mean, look at the coaches here. I mean,

Danny Hurley obviously proven to be the best coach right now in the last 10, 15 years.

Rick Patino for the last, how many? 40, 50 years. And you know, time is all and John Shire is a great

coach. Duke, I mean, you, you got four coaching matchups. So that, they kind of steal the show here.

I think when you talk about Arizona and Tommy Lloyds, Rick Cosby, talk more about their players,

Michigan more about their players. When you talk about this reason, almost all the talk is about

the coaches. I mean, you got four coaches here. They're going to be in a hall of fame, you know,

a couple of them already are. And the other two will be John Shire is a very underrated coach.

He's really good. But one day I wanted to touch on that. I was talking to you before,

listening to your show and you're talking about SGA. Yep. And I'm telling you, money was up with

them and I was out there and Shay wasn't playing. He was in the locker room in the family room with his

kid and his wife. He is the nicest guy. I've been around a lot of NBA players, the three Olympics

and three world championships and stuff. This guy is obviously a great player. The best guard

I've ever seen again is on shot anytime he wants it from 15 feet. Steph Curry can get it, but

sometimes he takes it from 35, which is fine. But he reminds me a little bit of Oscar Robertson,

who 99% of people listen, they don't know who Oscar Robertson is, but he could get his own shot

anytime he wants it. But he was 65 to 20 back in the day when the other guards were 6 foot one.

So he just backed them in. But Shay gets his own shot, but what impressed me is he always has

whenever he talks or does anything. Just the nicest guy with no, you know, all these other guy,

I mean, they have something about them. Some thing you'd say, he's big time, he thinks he's big time,

whatever. He just doesn't have that. He's that kind of guy and they got an unbelievable coach and team.

And when they're healthy as much as I like the next runner, the Celtics now, we'll tell you

when he might be the only guy. Well, I want to ask you about that's where I was going to take

this coach because I mean, your basketball life is unbelievable. And I liked it goes noted,

and you've earned the right to do this. You and stuff. This was like Seinfeld, yada, yada, yada.

Like, you know, all the team USA is in the world championships and stuff. Like what a basketball

life you've led. You've seen so many great players, both the college and the NBA. And now in San Antonio,

we have like this like literal, I guess not literal, because that would be really weird. But a

figurative unicorn. We've never seen anything like this before. How do you kind of rationalize what

you watch when you see Victor Wembley? We have actually never seen this before. But Victor Wembleyama is

doing. Yeah, and he's got people around him too. I think that's the one thing they built in San Antonio.

You know, pop in San Antonio is a great, great organization. You know, it's been great for a long

time. They suffered a lot, but they were building some of these young guys, some of these other guys

so that when Wembleyama got there, I mean, now they're really ready because these other guys

have been through hard times and they're ready to be great. And this guy, and there's nothing

like him. You can't even come up with a comparison. You know, with Michael Jordan, you could

compare him to Kobe or, you know, there's so many guys you can compare great players to.

But there is no comparison and he's going to be a hard, hard ask. I think somehow when I watch

him play, I mean, if you can be physical with him, maybe you can kind of knock him off his spots

for a while, but that's only going to be for another year or so. I mean, in a couple of years,

he stays healthy. I mean, you're not going to be able to do that. And he's going to be hard,

but OKC has built such an organization. You know, Sam Presti is, I mean, you just can't even

quantify what he's done. I watch them play. As Shay was out, Williams was out. I think

hard to see was hurt a little bit. And they beat a really good team. The Cleveland had just gotten

hardened. And I'm there for that game. And I'm thinking, this will be tough. They want, I mean,

guys are off the bench that never played, Joe. I said, Joe and Wallace get 25 and 24 between them.

And they beat, you know, Hardin and Mitchell played great. It didn't matter. Oh, come

to say, still won. So it's going to be tough to beat them. But I just have to talk about

this. Yeah, I'm just so impressed with him. Overall is just a teammate is cheering on the bench.

You know, can't play. He's cheering on the bench. He's in with his family talking to everybody.

Comes over to me. I talked to him for 10 minutes, just about, you know,

talking about his high school career, how we recruit him didn't, of course, didn't get him.

I'm not not good enough for Carter, but, you know, just a super, super human being. And it's

fun to see guys like that. There's a lot of them in sports a lot more than they're bad. But,

you know, the bad ones tend to get over publicized sometimes. But my experience is a, I mean,

I was in the Yankee locker room once or Ben Sherry with Gina. And I mean, since I saw those

superstar guys, they're really good people. It's fun to be around them.

I love that. I love that. A couple more minutes here with Jim Bayheim, legendary college basketball coach

ACC network with Nick Costos. You better, you bet on Westwood one sports. Just to get this news in

the wild story coach and this college basketball, LSU is going to part ways with head coach

Matt McMahon and bring Will Wade back from NC State to LSU. So that news just broke. So that's

going to happen. Just wanted to get that into the show in the, in the couple minutes we have

remaining here coach. Obviously, like, I think, I think I actually get fired if I don't,

if I don't ask you about Jerry McNamara getting hired as the new coach Syracuse. And I,

I said to you off, Aaron, I've said this on air also. College bet, whether you the person watching

or listening, whether you like Syracuse basketball or not, you have to acknowledge college basketball

is better and healthier when Syracuse is really good. And it's your former star point guard who

helped you guys win a national championship with mellow in 2003. Jerry McNamara, that's taking

over the reins. I'm guessing you're fired up by this developments. We have a couple minutes here,

Jim Bayheim on Jerry McNamara going back to Syracuse. Well, he's the best competitor I've ever had as

a six foot guard that just never, never back down to anybody. If he was hurt, he played. He's

unbelievably competitive, which is what most coaches are. There's not any coaches coaching

that are any good that aren't competitive, but he's ultra competitive. He understands the

game from a point guard's perspective. He learned the game and understands the game. And he did a

great job coaching this year. He won, it's not unusual to win a small, those conferences. It's

unusual when you don't have the best players. I mean, he had two guys out for the year and another

guy out right before the tournament. So he can adjust and make decisions. The biggest thing that we

haven't done here, and this is, you know, I'll take some of the responsibility. We haven't done the NIL

that we need to do. That's the game today. And we didn't get that done for Adrian. And we need to

get that done for Jerry. You can't win if you look at the top four teams in the ACC that the four

teams has spent the most money. Teams were bad last year, whether it's NC State or Virginia invested

money in their programs, NIL obviously have good coaches, and they're winning. And that's the deal

today. You can coach all you want, do whatever you think you can do, and be a good coach,

but you have to have NIL to get some players. A little kind of second once a long time ago,

you know, what's the key to tell young coaches? Get some players. You know,

you know, you'll be all right. And it's a funny story when Rick came back to St. John's at my

phone rank Sunday morning at 830. And it was, hey, Jeremy, what do you think about what do you think

of what we've done? And I said, well, Lou, I think you're on a great coach. And he was 98, 98.

I just hope I can call somebody when I'm 98 and talk about basketball.

Coach, I love it. I have to tell you, and like I understand, obviously, and this is not to

relegate Syracuse going to the ACC. I just as a New Yorker, I miss the old, I miss the old big East

man. It was the best. But obviously, I think use, I would love to see cues get back to that level

again. Just great for the sport and coach, you're great for the sport. And you're selfishly,

you're great for me and you're great for the show because you're fantastic. Really, really,

really appreciate the time. I hope we get to do this again before the tournament concludes.

Thank you very much. Anytime you want. I mean, nothing but time.

Great. Well, well, well, guess what? We're going to text you next week. So really appreciate

it because this was an absolute blast. The legend, Jim Bayheim joining us here on You Better,

You Better. How about coach, not just giving us sterling stuff on the sweet 16 and Syracuse,

but also an excellent anecdote on Shaggy Older Sal Alexander and how likable he is and the

Oklahoma City Thunder and the NBA, what a basketball life. Coach Jim Bayheim has led really,

really, really enjoyed that. All right, our one done, our two for you coming up on the other side.

How about we go from one college basketball coach to another? The great Steve Lapis joins us

coming up next to preview the sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament here with Nick Costos on Westwood

One Sports. This is Westwood One Sports.

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