The Bare's Den w/ Matt Bare: Recent Episodes
Matt Bare
The Bare's Den Podcast is hosted by Matt Bare and this podcast will be an interview style podcast having conversations with coaches, players and friends of the basketball community. I also hope to connect with people from other sports down the road. I’ll focus on interesting stories that have happened around the state and hopefully the country as well. I hope to share the path of many of these guests and how they got to be where they are today. The goal is to connect with you to share interesting stories and perspectives about a particular event, person or team.
From a hog farm in a tiny southern Minnesota town to becoming to the states leading scorer that was the path of today’s guest – Cody Schilling.
Cody grew up in Ellsworth, MN with 21 kids in his graduating class but that close knit family and community raised him into a high school basketball superstar, a division two all-american and now head coach at his alma mater. After graduating from high school as Minnesota's boys basketball’s leading scorer and assist maker, Cody’s path took him to Augustana University in South Dakota where he finished his career as that’s schools all-time leading scorer. Recently he was just named head men’s basketball coach for the Vikings and can’t wait to get going.
For only the second time ever and for the first time since 1984, the same school has won both the women’s and men’s basketball championship in division two. That school is Minnesota State Mankato! In this two part episode you will hear from the coach of each of those teams.
In her 12th season as head coach Emilee Thiesse led the Mavericks to a 32 - 5 record this year, the NSIC regular season and tournament titles and of course the national championship. Coach Thiesse’s team is known for its uptempo and full court style of play and with that style forced their opponents into an average of 28 turnovers per game. We chat about overcoming a slow start to the beginning of their season, getting on a roll in the regular season and capping it all off in a championship.
Coach Matt Margenthaler has led the men’s team for 23 seasons at Mankato and this year’s team finished 35 - 2 and also won the NSIC regular season and tournament titles along with winning the national championship in dramatic fashion. The son of a coach he has basketball in his blood along with a deep passion for Mavericks hoops. We discuss what made this team special, playing on their home court in the regional playoffs and that memorable championship game.
For this episode I am joined by the head boys basketball coach of the Minnetonka Skippers – Bryce Tesdahl. Bryce and his team just won the boys class 4A state championship capping off a fabulous season. Coaching is not new to Bryce or his family. He is the grandson of Bob McDonald who is the all-time winningest coach in MN boys basketball history. While he is following in his grandfather’s footsteps he is also blazing his own trail. Bryce was also an outstanding player growing up in Crosby-Ironton and helped lead them to the state tournament and also went on to play collegiately at Bemidji State. We chat about playing for a legendary high school coach, their championship season and overcoming a losing streak against a long time conference rival in the state final.
For this episode I’m joined by two MN boys high school basketball experts to help break down the upcoming MN boys state basketball tournament. Ryan James from Prep Hoops and TC Hoops Czar are here to give us their insight into each bracket for the 4 classes, some of the top players to watch and who they think will win it all. No one watches more high school basketball than these two and it will be fun to hear their thoughts.
For this episode we’re trying something we’ve never done before and that’s two guests in separate interviews put into one episode. And these guests are legends in Minnesota girls high school basketball.
First we have Alexandria head coach – Wendy Kohler. Wendy is in her 39th season leading the Cardinals and has been quite the fixture on the sideline. She recently coached in her 1,000th game and is nearing win number 700 for her career. She sits as the winningest female coach in Minnesota basketball history and is number 3 overall for all girls basketball coaches. She has led Alexandria to the state tournament 12 times capturing the state title in 1997. Her team is red hot again this season and is currently ranked #3 in class AAA.
For part two of this episode we are joined by the winningest head basketball coach in MN state history girls OR boys and that is Mike Dreier from New London-Spicer. Mike’s team success and numbers speak for themselves over his 45 seasons as head coach. He currently has 1,062 wins and boasts an amazing 84% career winning percentage. He also ranks number 13 nationally for most wins in the history of girls high school basketball. Mike has led the Wildcats to the state tournament a record 20 times and has two state championships winning it all in 1997 and 2002. This year’s squad is again ranked in the top 5 in class AA and is looking for another trip back to state.
Ryan James from Prep Hoops joins the program again to chat all things MN boys high school basketball. He recaps the Breakdown tip off classic, speaking on some of the great games and top performances. He also dives into a preview for each of the four classes for the boys high school season and who he sees as some of the top contenders to win it all as well as some of the players to watch. We also get into some Mr. Basketball talk and some Gopher men’s hoops.
Back for his third appearance on the show - Grant McGinnis from Prep Girls Hoops joins the show to preview the MN girls high school basketball season and also recaps the recently completed Breakdown Girls Tip-Off Classic which brings in a good amount of the best teams and players to play on one weekend in the metro. Grant shares his thoughts on some of the top performances from that event along with his take on who the top teams are to watch in each of the four classes for MN girls basketball.
In the MIAC conference there are two schools that you need to start paying attention to as an opponent or a basketball fan if you haven’t before. Both St. Mary’s University and Macalester College have had tough seasons on the hardwood in the not so distant past but in the last 5 seasons have taken some steps to no longer be a pushover in their conference. I am joined by the head coaches of each program – Joe Fano and Abe Woldeslassie to talk about their journeys. Both coaches are entering their 6th season leading their schools.
At St. Mary’s – the season prior to Coach Fano arriving they finished 1 – 24 and in a short time Joe has the Cardinals headed in the right direction as they have had 3 appearances in the MIAC post-season tournament in his 5 years and also led the school to their first MIAC playoff win in school history!
At Macalester – the Scots had won just 35 games in the 10 seasons prior to Coach Woldeslassie taking over and he also has had a positive influence on his program leading the Scots to the MIAC playoffs in back to back seasons, including the championship game in 2021-22 doing so as #6 seed which had never before happened in MIAC history.
For both of them this is their first head coaching job at any level and we discuss what prepared them for their jobs, some of their most memorable moments at their schools so far and the keys to sustaining momentum.
For this episode the Bare's Den podcast producer (Dan Schultz) takes over the hosting duties and interviews two longtime pro sports executives. The host of the Bare's Den - Matt Bare who has worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves for 20 years and the longest tenured employee for the Minnesota Timberwolves - Jeff Munneke who has been with the club for 35 years!
They both share how they got their start in sports, what has kept them in sports for that long, what some of the challenges are and the things they enjoy most. Enjoy this episode as it provides a little look behind the curtain of the sports life in the business office.
Our guest for this episode is former Perham High School boys basketball head coach and newly hired M State Community College head men's coach - Dave Cresap. Coach Cresap has coached the last 37 seasons of high school basketball, including the last 28 seasons in Perham. Dave got that program going in the right direction taking the helm in 1995 and finishes his high school career with a record of 666 – 298, good for a 69% career winning percentage and sits at #8 all time in MN boys history for number of wins. Dave led the Yellow Jackets to five state tournament appearances including a state championship in 2011. We dive into that 2011 season, the secret to all of the success he’s had at Perham and why now was time to step out of high school coaching and into college coaching.
Mandy just finished her 8th season as head coach of the Bulldogs and what a season it was! Led by Division 2 player of the Year – Brooke Olson, UMD made it all the way to the national championship game for the first time in school history. Mandy did not set out to become a basketball coach but is glad to find herself in that profession. She started out at Division 3 – St. Mary’s in Winona where she directed that program to an amazing turnaround including the best single season record in school history. She has continued that success in Duluth where her team has won 4 NSIC championships. I really enjoyed hearing from Mandy about their exciting run to the Final Four this year and how special it was for their team.
Bryan is fresh off leading his team to the Minnesota boys basketball class 4A state title. This is Bryan’s second title in three seasons with the Trojans and he has built a very successful program, but it wasn’t always that way as the school had a 58 year drought between state tournament appearances. Not only is does Bryan coach at a high level but he played at a high level as well as he still holds a couple of 3-point shooting records in the MIAC from his days at St. Thomas. We chat about his playing days, getting a head coaching job at the age of 23 and how Wayzata has built such a strong program.
We bring back Ryan James from the Breakdown and Prep Hoops to preview the upcoming Minnesota boys high school state basketball tournament. Ryan runs us through each class, gives us some the top players and picks his winner for each class. We also cover the Mr. Basketball finalists.
Jake Sullivan is one of the greatest shooters to every lace them up in a Minnesota gym. Jake starred for Tartan high school graduating in the year 2000 but not before he put up some massive statistics. Jake amassed over 3,000 points in his high school career and led Tartan to the Class 4A state title in his senior season. From there he went on to have a great career at Iowa St. including being selected as Big 12 freshman of the year. Injuries cut his post college career short but he’ll always be remembered as one of the best in the metro.
For this episode we bring back our mini-series on Minnesota basketball legends as we are joined by Jordan Taylor. Jordan was a standout player at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School. He led the Red Knights to the state championship in 2008 along with fellow star player Armond Battle. Jordan graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer and also won the Mr. Basketball award his senior season. Following high school Jordan went on to play for the University of Wisconsin where he helped guide the Badgers to the NCAA tournament in all 4 years he was there. He received All-American honors and was recently inducted into the Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame. He is currently playing basketball in England and is on year 11 playing overseas.
For this episode we connect with Mountain Iron-Buhl girls varsity basketball head coach – Jeff Buffetta. Jeff has led the MIB girls program for the past 20+ seasons and has established that program as one of best in the state at the Class 1A level having reached the state tournament 11 of the last 12 seasons. Oh and by the way Jeff is also the head boys varsity coach at MIB where he has now led the boys program for 4 seasons. Jeff is one of less than 5 coaches in the country that is coaching both a girls and boys varsity program at the same time. We chat about why he decided to take on both roles, how he balances both and the craziest week he’s had coaching both teams.
This episode is a dive into the Minnesota boys high school basketball season with Ryan James from Prep Hoops and Breakdown Sports. Ryan recaps the recently completed Breakdown Tipoff Classic and share his thoughts on some of the exciting games and big performances that came from that event. He also gives a nice preview for each class of MN basketball this season from 1A to 4A and highlights the top players in each class. And finally Ryan shares some of the names to watch for as favorites for Mr. Basketball.
Grant McGinnis from Prep Girls Hoops Minnesota is back as a guest to preview the Minnesota high school girls basketball season and I could not think of a better person to have on than him to give his insight. Grant shares his thoughts from the Breakdown Girls Tip-Off Classic that was held recently at Hopkins and highlights some of the big games and performances he witnessed. We also get into discussing the girls season and hear his thoughts on some of top teams and players in each class.
Coach Tauer is back as a guest as we discuss their school's unprecedented jump from Division 3 to Division 1. We chat about last season for his team as it was their first year as a division one program as a member of the Summit League. They played with basically the same roster as their previous season which was made up of players recruited to play at the D-3 level. They had a nice first year winning 10 games including 4 in conference. We look at the recruits they are bringing in and chat about the early start to this season as they play in year two as a D-1 program.
This episodes guest is professional golfer – Erik Compton. Erik has an unbelievable story both on and off the golf course and is someone that many around the country admire. Erik is a two-time heart transplant recipient who received his first transplant when he was just 12 years old. In his 20's Erik had a heart attack while driving and ended up needing a second heart transplant.
Erik has been on the pro golf circuit for 22 years now and growing up he was the #1 ranked junior golfer in the country and then attended the University of Georgia. One of the biggest moments of his career came in 2014 when he finished second at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. I’ve been wanting to have Erik on since I started this show and the reason for that is my family has a connection to him that I had no idea about until a day watching golf on the TV with my wife in 2014.
Erik is a big supporter and spokesman within the transplant community and started the Erik Compton Foundation to support organ donation research and education.
University of Minnesota head men’s basketball coach – Ben Johnson joins for this episode. Ben is entering his second season leading the Gophers program and is also a former Gopher player himself. Ben was also a star locally at DeLaSalle high school where he helped lead them to 2 state championships. For this episode we discuss Coach Johnson’s first season as head coach, building a program on the fly and for the future, his DeLaSalle days and how much he enjoyed football and which college coach he’s been around that has the most colorful language.
We also chat about having his former high school coach (Dave Thorson) on his staff, how good Jamison Battle can be and where the Denzel Washington Twitter graphic idea came from for when the team announces a new recruit on social media.
For this episode I am joined by a former girls varsity basketball coach, current social studies teacher and author – Carl Pierson. Carl spent 17 seasons as head coach at 4 different high schools and is also the executive director of the MN girls basketball coaches association. He is also the author of two books – “The Politics of Coaching” and “The Other Side of Glory”. Carl and I chat about his head coaching days, how basketball helped shape him as a person, AAU basketball, his favorite Twitter account and his current bout with cancer.
Our guests for this episode are two former University of Minnesota basketball teammates – Jim Shikenjanski and Richard Coffey. Jim and Richard were apart of the same recruiting class playing from 1986 - 1990 and were also a part of the team in Coach Clem Haskins first year as coach. Their team had struggles at first but found success as they reached the Sweet 16 in their junior season and the Elite 8 as seniors. We discuss those Gopher teams and what made it so memorable to be a part of them.
Both Jim and Richard also have their own kids that happen to have pursued basketball at a high level. Jim's son Max is a soon to be senior at Stillwater HS and stars on the football field and the basketball court. Richard has had three kids play D-1 college basketball including his son Amir who followed in his footsteps at the U of M and is now in the NBA. We hear from them on what it’s like to see their own kids go down the path of a college athlete as a former athlete, how they’ve handled the struggles and what advice they share with their kids.
Joining me for this episode are two newly retired MN boys high school basketball coaches – Kris Fadness from Austin and Dana Kallman from Chaska. Between the two of them they were in the head coaching role for 47 seasons and have combined for nearly 800 wins. Both have coached their team in the state tournament, won numerous conference titles and were passionate about coaching the kids in their communities. They are also stepping aside at a time where they are both in their 50’s and arguably have a lot left in the “coaching tank”. In this episode we discuss what life is like for a high school varsity head coach and the year-long grind it has become, why they retired and where they see high school basketball in 15 years.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Kris Fadness and Dana Kallman.
In this episode we explore the world of Junior College Basketball. I think it’s slightly misunderstood and is an important area in the collegiate basketball landscape. Joining me are two legendary Minnesota coaches that were both successful coaches in the JUCO world. Jay Pivec has over 600 wins and a good majority of those came from his time as head coach at Minneapolis Community College. Jay was recognized as national junior college coach of the year in 2009 and was inducted into the national junior college hall of fame in 2010. And the second guest- Ron Larson just retired as the head coach at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Ron amassed over 700 wins as coach at ARCC and St. Francis high school and is in the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Ron and Jay explain the differences in the three divisions of JUCO basketball, where most players that go the JUCO route play at the next level and why JUCO basketball is important. This episode is a must listen for those wanting to learn more about junior college basketball or are looking to play at that level.
Timberwolves radio play-by-play voice Alan Horton joins for this episode to chat about his path in broadcasting and the Timberwolves. Alan's career has brought him to San Diego, Seattle and then to Minnesota. He was the play-by-play voice for the Minnesota Lynx during their championship seasons of 2011 and 2013 and has now been the voice of the Timberwolves for 15 seasons. Alan shares what it's like to broadcast solo all of these years, what goes into his preparation and then we dive into the upcoming 1st round series of the Wolves & Grizzlies. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Alan Horton.
This episode newly crowned Minnesota class 4A boys state champion head coach James Ware of Park Center high school joins the show. James led the Pirates to a 31-1 and record this season and the first boys basketball state title in school history. James was also a decorated player himself starring at Hopkins high school and playing in college for both Colorado St. and Texas Tech. Hear about his path as a player, becoming a coach and the magical season for Park Center this year. Check it out!
We brought back Ryan James from Prep Hoops, North Star Hoops and Breakdown Sports to preview the 2022 Minnesota boys state high school basketball tournament.
Ryan gives his thoughts on some of the top teams and players and gives his prediction on a winner for each class. We also touch on some MN Mr. Basketball and Gopher men's hoops as well.
The mini-series on Minnesota basketball legends continues as we are joined by Randy Breuer.
Randy was a dominating big man in Lake City who was 6 foot 8 as an 8th grader and grew to reach 7 foot 3. Randy helped lead Lake City to back to back to state championships in 1978 and 1979 where they finished the 79 season undefeated. He was also the Minnesota Mr. Basketball co-winner in 1979. He then went on to play for the hometown University of Minnesota Golden Gophers where he led the team in scoring and rebounding his last three years. He was also a big part of that Gopher team that won the 1982 Big Ten regular season title. Big Bru was drafted in the 1st round by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1983. He played 11 seasons in the NBA including three with the Minnesota Timberwolves. We are joined in this conversation by fellow Lake City alum Jeff Munneke.
We discuss Randy's career, how a slab of cement by the hog barn helped hone his skills and how the Gophers won their 1982 Big Ten championship. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Randy Breuer.
Basketball is in the family to say the least for Isaiah Dahlman. His grandfather (John Kundla) was the first coach for the Minneapolis Lakers and also coached at the University of Minnesota. His brother Noah and sister Rebekah were also prep stars that went on to play collegiately at the D1 level.
Isaiah was one of the best players in the entire state in the early 2000’s at Braham High School and led an amazing three year run for their school winning 3 straight class 2A state basketball championships. Isaiah finished his high school career as the state’s all-time leading scorer with 3,366 points and was also voted Mr. Basketball in 2006. From Braham he took his skills to Michigan St in the Big 10. Although he ended up not having a huge role on those successful Michigan St teams hear how Isaiah still felt his career was a success and why Coach Izzo called him the “ultimate Spartan”.
Starting with this episode we are going to bring back the mini-series on MN basketball legends. Last season’s guests were some of our most popular episodes where we had on Barry Wohler, Janet Karvonen, Blaine Joerger, Coach John Carlson and his son Alex and Khalid El-Amin. This season I’m excited to speak with a few more players that were standouts on the hardwood here in Minnesota.
Dusty Rychart is our first guest and I couldn’t be more excited to share this episode with you. Dusty was a true grinder growing up on the iron range in Grand Rapids, MN. Dusty has an amazing story of hard work and perseverance that led him to the University of Minnesota as a walk-on and ultimately to professional basketball in Australia. Here how Dusty constantly kept betting on himself, relying on his hard work and used the fuel from his doubters to help reach his goals and become a very consistent – reliable layer wherever he played.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Dusty Rychart.
The 24th Winter Olympic Games are about to begin and who better to have on as a guest than an Olympic gold medalist. John Shuster from Chisholm, MN will be the skipper for the US men’s Olympic curling team again this year and will be participating in his 5th Olympic games. John and his US squad won the first ever curling Olympic gold medal for the United States back in 2018 and he is looking forward to defending their title in Beijing. Also joining for this episode is my friend Jared Carver who joined for a couple of earlier episodes around the Summer Olympics.
We chat with John about what type of shape his gold medal is in, if he likes being mic’d up on the ice for a match and how the popularity of the sport of curling has taken off since they won the gold medal.
Gerald Kingbird from Red Lake joins the program for this episode. He shares how important the game of basketball is to those on the reservation in his area and beyond. We're also approaching the 25th anniversary of one of the most memorable Minnesota state tournament games of all time, where Gerald's Red Lake team took on Wabasso. As a sophomore in that game Gerald helped lead his team all the way back from 19-point 4th quarter deficit to send the game to overtime. They lost in OT 117 - 113,, but put on quite a show and there are still a few records from that game in 1997 that still stand today. We also found out how many points he needed to score in a high school game to get his first kiss from his girlfriend (who is now his wife). Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Gerald Kingbird.
There can't be many media members in the local market or nationwide for that matter that work as hard or are as involved in many ventures as Justin Gaard. Justin is very prevalent on KFAN and is best known as the producer for the popular "Bumper to Bumper" show with Dan Barreiro. "JG" or "Gaardsy" as he is affectionately known is also the sideline reporter for Golden Gopher football and is the new play by play voice for Gopher women's basketball.
Gaardsy joins the Bare's Den to talk about his early days at KFAN, gives us a Gopher football bowl preview and recaps the Gopher women's hoops season to this point.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Justin Gaard.
Ryan James from Prep Hoops is back as our guest this episode to preview the Minnesota boys high school basketball season. Ryan gives us his prediction of a state champion for each class. We also spend time discussing one of Minnesota's biggest prep basketball events in the Breakdown Tipoff Class which is taking place this weekend. Finally the show wraps up discussing the Minnesota Gopher men's basketball team and their hot start.
The Minnesota boys and girls high school basketball seasons will be tipping off very soon and this weeks guest has a lot to look forward to. Tara Seifert is the head girls basketball coach at Chaska high school. She led her team to the class 4A state championship last season capping off an undefeated run finishing 18-0 and securing the school’s first ever girls title. A highlight of their state tournament run was ending Hopkins High School's state record tying 78-game winning streak in the semi-finals.
Her squad has a good returning core of players highlighted by University of Minnesota commit - Mallory Heyer and hopes to pull off a repeat championship. We also get into Tara's collegiate playing days at Iowa St.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Tara Seifert.
This episodes guest is Mounds View head football coach Aaron Moberg. Aaron played high school football at Mounds View and then played collegiately for Bethel. Aaron has been both the head girls hockey coach and football coach at Mounds View, and has led both teams to a state tournament appearance.
I had heard a lot of good things about Aaron as a coach and how he engages the community to build his football program. We discuss their mission and values as a program and I found it very educational. Like it is for many coach's out there, it's about more than wins and losses for Aaron in how he leads his young men.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Aaron Moberg.
After a little time in between episodes we are back and Matt connects with Chad Hartman for a discussion on his time with KFAN, his Timberwolves broadcasting days and the one-year anniversary of the passing of his father - Sid Hartman. They also get into some fun back and forth with Chad on a segment of overrated/underrated/properly rated that he uses on his own show at WCCO. Chad has been in the business for 30 years and counting and is a broadcasting great. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Chad Hartman.
Basketball shoes and sneaker culture are a fascinating and popular topic for many, whether it be the original Jordan’s to the collaboration of sneaker releases with pop culture stars like Travis Scott. Basketball shoes that were once worn just on the basketball court are now popular with men and women off the court and even accepted as appropriate with business casual attire. Who better to discuss this topic with than someone who lived that world for over two decades. Archie McEachern was a successful Nike executive for 28 years including 9 of those years working specifically in basketball. In this episode we discuss the evolution and history of basketball shoes, how athletes get recruited to companies like Nike, the popularity of the game and sneaker culture in Asia and what it was like working with stars like Kobe Bryant.
Following his lengthy tenure at Nike Archie is still involved in the basketball world with a new venture that he is passionate about called 360 Hoops, which is company that came up with an exciting new product for the game of basketball that is a 3-backboard design that offers a unique approach to 3 on 3 basketball and also training development.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Archie McEachern
Our discussion around the upcoming Summer Olympics continues and who better to join us for this chat, than someone who actually competed in the Olympics themselves. Carrie Tollefson was standout runner at Dawson-Boyd high school here in MN where she was a 13-time state champion. She has been inducted into both the Minnesota high school hall of fame as well as the national high school hall of fame. Carrie attended Villanova University where she was a 5-time NCAA champion and the 1998 NCAA Indoor Track athlete of the year. In her post collegiate career she was a three time national champion and after winning the 1500m trials in 2004 she competed in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens.
Carrie now spends here time doing some on air work for running events for various networks, has her own podcast and is a married mom to three children. My friend Jared Carver joins me again for this episode as we talk with Carrie about the stress of making the Olympics, what her Olympic experience was like and walking into the opening ceremonies with men’s basketball team and LeBron James.
For this episode I connect with my friend Jared Carver to chat some Duke basketball and the upcoming summer Olympics. Jared is a sports encyclopedia and two topics that he knows a tremendous amount about are Duke hoops and the Olympics. We share our thoughts on how we met at a Duke game a few years ago, the final upcoming season for Coach K at Duke and our favorite Duke player.
In looking at the upcoming summer Olympics we explore the topics of these games being the first without three huge stars, Minnesota athletes to keep an eye on and other storylines to watch for. Throughout this episode I also test Jared on his knowledge of college mascots as he knows virtually all of the 353 D1 schools that play college basketball.
The movie Hoosiers is universally adored among sports fans, especially hoops junkies. It is loosely based on a magical season from 1954 of a small Indiana school called Milan, who made it all the way to the Indiana state championship where their small school, which had an enrollment of 160 took down much larger Muncie Central whose school size was 1,600. In the movie the winning shot in the state title game was made by a sharp-shooter named Jimmy Chitwood. Back in 1954 that game-winning shot was made by a young man named Bobby Plump.
Bobby is now 84 years old and still lives in Indiana. I connected with Bobby to talk about that magical season where Milan made history, how much of the movie Hoosiers is accurate based on what happened with their team and his thoughts on the Indiana state basketball tournament switching to a multi-class system. I can’t imagine what it was like to make a basket for your team to win a state tourney in a major upset, let alone have that moment made into a movie. Bobby does a great job going back in time to share those details with me.
If you have a son or daughter that plays high school basketball in Minnesota, chances are you know who Nick Carroll is. If you don’t, you more than likely are aware of or are familiar with his company – Prep Hoops. And if you are outside of Minnesota you are becoming more familiar with Prep Hoops as well as it is now in more than 30 states around the country. Nick, who is the co-founder of Prep Hoops, started the company as a way to better connect high school players to college coaches to aid in recruitment for both sides. The main pillars of the Prep Hoops business today are content, team events individual player showcases.
Nick is also involved in high school basketball as the head boys coach at Totino-Grace high school. In this episode we discuss how Prep Hoops came to be, his thoughts on local versus national player rankings and what the prep basketball landscape could look like in the next 5 to 10 years.
This episode is a follow up to last year's episode in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. Now that it has been one year since that major event made headlines, sparked conversation and change - it deserves another discussion. Coach Larry McKenzie from Minneapolis North, Coach Omar McMillan from Richfield and Coach Dave Flom from Eden Prairie join to discuss things they've learned in the last year, change they have seen and something they're hopeful for.
Today is said to be a time when high school officials are dropping off and there is not enough replacements coming up to fill the need. For this episode Matt connects with someone who can speak to this topic. Josh Thurow is currently the athletic director at Minnehaha Academy, has also been a girls varsity basketball coach and is currently a basketball official, football official and baseball umpire. He has a wide view of this topic with experience in all of those different areas.
Matt and Josh discuss what is currently causing the shortage of officials, why there is concern in the numbers for the future and ways to help this from becoming a larger issue in the future.
We also hear from Josh on two well known Minnehaha Academy basketball players that have become very familiar to many in Jalen Suggs and Chet Holmgren.
For this episode Matt connects with someone that is one of the shows sponsors but is also a good friend. Pat Freeman from Midwest Basketball training has been heavily involved in basketball for years. From his days at Champlin Park High School, to playing college basketball at Division 3 – St. Mary’s, working alongside Matt at the Timberwolves to now owning his own basketball training business and facility. Pat’s joy and energy shine through in all that he does and those that work with him can see it on a daily basis. We take a look into how Pat worked his way to where he is today, important principles he carries with him and how he likely isn’t the best basketball player in his family.
For this episode Matt connects with newly crowned class 1A state champion head boys basketball coach – Chris Pack of the Hayfield Vikings. Chris comes from a coaching family as his dad was a high school coach and two of his brothers are currently coaching MN high school basketball as well. Chris’s journey took him from an all-conference pitcher at the college level to coaching in the high school state championship game in his first year at Hayfield.
In between that first year of leading Hayfield to the state title game to this year’s team which won the school’s first ever boys basketball championship, Chris has experienced the highs and lows of coaching. We look back on his years at Hayfield as well as a deep dive into this year’s state title team. Chris may also be the only coach with a winning record against Dave Thorson who is a MN high school coaching legend (Chris is 1-0).
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Chris Pack.
For this episode Matt connects with former Hopkins basketball star and current Baylor Bears assistant coach Jared Nuness. Jared's title is Special Assistant and Director of Player Development and he is now a part of national championship team as Baylor knocked off Gonzaga in a highly anticipated matchup.
Jared and I discuss the amazing turnaround of the Baylor Bears program, how they battled back from a Covid pause late in their season and the national title game as they took down previously undefeated Gonzaga.
He also shares his thoughts on former Minnesota prep players that are or have been a part of the Baylor program and his thoughts on new Gophers coach Ben Johnson.
Matt is joined by Ryan James from Prep Hoops and Breakdown Sports. Ryan shares his insight on the final four teams remaining in each class of the Minnesota state boys basketball tournament and gives us his prediction on a winner as well.
We also hear Ryan's thoughts on new University of Minnesota men's basketball head coach - Ben Johnson and an update on some of the players he's looking to add.
Matt is joined by Minnesota Prep Girls Hoops writer Grant McGinnis. Grant breaks down the final four teams remaining in each class of the Minnesota state girls basketball tournament and gives us his prediction on a winner for each class as well.
We also chat a little Paige Bueckers, because why not, she is awesome!
The series on March Madness and the memorable moments that have come from it continues as I connect with someone who made one of the biggest shots in tournament history. In 1995 Tyus Edney and the UCLA Bruins came in to the tournament as the #1 seed. They had their backs against the wall against Missouri in the 2nd round of the tournament trailing by 1 with 4.8 seconds left. Tyus Edney took the inbounds pass, went the length of the court and scored the winning basket at the buzzer. That ultimately propelled the Bruins all the way to the national championship game where they defeated reigning champion Arkansas.
We discuss where he actually came up with that game-winning shot as a youngster, what it was like having to sit out most of the championship game with an injury and the greatest UCLA Bruin of all-time. Tyus was a 3-time all Pac-10 player and was drafted in the 2nd round of the NBA draft. He played professionally both in the NBA and overseas but will always be most known for his amazing buzzer beater in 1995 tourney.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Tyus Edney.
The series on March Madness continues as I am connecting with people who left their mark during the NCAA tourney. Our guest for this episode didn’t have a game winning shot that advanced his team to the sweet 16 – in fact his team didn’t win game, but he certainly made an impression on many basketball fans during the 2009 tournament. Ben Woodside and his North Dakota State Bison teammates made the Big Dance in their first year of eligibility as they transitioned to full time Division 1 status.
Ben and a handful of his teammates red-shirted their freshman seasons at NDSU and wanted that extra year to have the chance to play in the NCAA tournament in their senior season, as that would be the first year the school was eligible to participate. Their patience and hard work paid off. Ben had a great career as he was Summit League Player of the Year his senior season and sent his team into the NCAA tourney as he hit the game winning shot in Summit League final against Oakland.
Ben and I discuss his path from Albert Lea, MN to NDSU, some great Tim Miles stories, his 60-point game in college against Stephen F. Austin and of course his performance from 2009 in that NCAA tourney game at the Metrodome against Kansas where he went toe-to-toe with KU and Sherron Collins. Ben scored 37 points in that game against the defending national champions and made quite an impression on college basketball fans and Kansas head coach Bill Self.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Ben Woodside.
March Madness , it's the phrase everyone that is a college basketball fan loves to hear. It's the time to shine for a lot of college basketball teams and players as they head toward the Final 4. For the next couple of episodes Matt is speaking with guests that had some memorable moments or performances when it was their time on the biggest stage.
For the first episode our guest is Ali Farokhmanesh, who was one of the more memorable players from the 2010 NCAA tournament. His Northern Iowa Panthers came into the 2010 tournament as the #9 seed in the Midwest Region. Ali shares his memories from that amazing run to the Sweet 16 starting in the first round and their game against UNLV, then upsetting the #1 overall seed Kansas as he hit "the shot" that had everyone watching the tournament talking and what it was like getting a phone call from Reggie Miller.
Ali found himself on the cover of Sports Illustrated and his team went on to win an ESPY that year as well. He is now an assistant coach for the Colorado St. men's basketball team. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with former University of Northern Iowa Panther - Ali Farokhmanesh.
For this episode Matt spent time on a topic that is close to his heart and also highlighted a person and program that is doing great things in the community. A little over 4 years ago he lost his father to cancer, following that loss he wanted to get involved in some way to help fight this disease. He is now a member of the National High School Coaches vs. Cancer Council and is working with high school basketball programs to help them raise money through Coaches vs. Cancer events to help support the American Cancer Society.
One person and community who is also involved in those efforts is Charlie Freitag and the St. Clair boys basketball program. Charlie is also a member of the National High School CvC council and his team puts on a an amazing fundraising event each year. Charlie and Matt share their own personal stories on how cancer has affected them and why they are involved in this cause. Charlie's small town of just over 800 people raises more than $20,000 almost every year for their Coaches vs. Cancer event. They put themselves in the top 5 programs in the country for their efforts and will cross over the $200,000 mark for money raised this year. It really is unbelievable what they do and have put together in that small town. Hear how their community supports this cause and what makes it a special event.
For this episode we continue to highlight Black History Month and we spotlight another African-American that is a leader in his field. Coach Abe Woldeslassie is the head men’s basketball coach for D-3 Macalester College here in Minnesota. Abe is coaching at his alma-mater working to bring that group to prominence in the always competitive MIAC conference. Abe is also a leader for another reason as he is the only African-American head coach in the conference for men’s or women’s basketball, a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly.
In this episode we chat about his path to becoming a head coach, building up the Macalester program and what it will take to get more people of color opportunities to become a head coach. I also discover where the best maple syrup in the country comes from and that we need to bring back the "play hard" shorts with the 1990's.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Macalester Head Men's Basketball Coach - Abe Woldeslassie.
For this episode we wanted to highlight Black History Month and spotlight someone who has been a leader as a person of color and has worked to make the world a more equal and better place to live. Justice Alan Page is someone who both physically and academically has reached the pinnacle of the professions he has pursued in life. The Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee made his mark on the gridiron playing for 15 seasons, reaching 4 Super Bowls and winning the NFL's MVP award in 1971. We hear his thoughts on athletes using their platform to speak out on topics of social injustice and the importance of his hall of fame speech from 1988.
It's what he has done after his career and off the field that has been most impressive. While playing for the Minnesota Vikings, Justice Page attended the University of Minnesota and graduated from the law school there in 1978. After retirement he became a lawyer and then was the first African-American justice elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court and served for 22 years. We discuss the thing that Justice Page believes is most important to aid in equality for people of color and that is education. He and his late wife Diane started the Page Education Foundation in 1988 which helps to financially support students of color and their academic goals while fostering positive mentor relationships and encouraging role models for children. In it's 33 years of existence the foundation has awarded over $16 million in grants to nearly 8,000 students in Minnesota.
Justice Page also highlights the newly proposed "Page Amendment" that he is hoping passes through state legislature that he believes will help close the education gap in MN for students of color and that focuses on a quality education for all children.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with NFL Hall of Famer - Justice Alan Page.
For the final installment of the mini-series on Minnesota high school basketball legends Matt connects with one of the most decorated and celebrated high school hoopers the state has produced. Khalid El-Amin won three consecutive state titles with Minneapolis North from 1995 - 1997. The two earliest titles were in the Sweet 16 format where Minnesota only crowned one state champion. The last of those three titles in 1997 for Minneapolis North, was won in the class 4A (big school) classification. Khalid went on to win Mr. Basketball his senior year and was set to go to the University of Minnesota. He then had a change of heart and ended up joining Coach Jim Calhoun's Connecticut Huskies team. It worked out for Khalid and his teammates as they capped off an incredible season by winning the 1999 National Championship defeating a loaded Duke team in the final.
Khalid was a national name at this point and following that game even had an appearance on the David Letterman show. After his junior season he declared for the NBA draft and was selected in the 2nd round by the Chicago Bulls. He played in the NBA for one season before moving his career overseas where he prospered. Khalid was an extremely important player in the MN basketball landscape as he helped to put MN basketball on the recruiting map.
Khalid is now a member of the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame and lives in the Minneapolis area. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with former Minneapolis North Polar - Khalid El-Amin.
For this episode in the continuing series on Minnesota High School basketball legends Matt is joined by a father/son combo - Coach John Carlson and his son Alex Carlson from Litchfield. John coached Alex and his fellow Litchfield Dragon teammates to an undefeated season in the year 2000, winning a state Class 2A title finishing 30-0. That team left a mark on Minnesota basketball as that year they never won a game by fewer than 14 points and they defeated Class 4A powerhouses Minnetonka and Tartan. Tartan only lost that one game all season and eventually went on to win the Class 4A state title. 2000 was Alex's senior year where he was a Mr. Basketball finalist and he went on to play college basketball at the Division 2 level at St. Cloud St.
The Litchfield run of success continued as John led the Dragons to two more state titles in 2002 and 2003 as the teams were led by his son John Jr., among others. We dive into what it was like to build the program in Litchfield, what made that 2000 team special and how they handled the father/son and coach/player dynamic. John was a head coach for 29 years, won over 430 games and is a member of the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Also joining the conversation for this episode is Jeff Munneke.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with former Litchfield Dragons - John and Alex Carlson.
The mini-series on Minnesota high school basketball legends continues with one of the most important girls basketball players in Minnesota state history. Janet Karvonen-Montgomery grew up in the Finnish town of New York Mills and was encouraged and influenced by her brother to excel at basketball. She did just that as she became one of the most accomplished female athletes in the sport. Growing up during the Title IX era Janet excelled on the basketball court bringing notoriety to girls basketball.
The MN state high school league didn’t put on a girls basketball state tournament until 1976, so Janet almost missed out on being that household name. Her New York Mills teams won three consecutive state titles from 1977 – 1979. She graduated having a record as a starter of 99 – 5 and was the state’s all-time leading scorer for boys OR girls. She went on to play collegiately at powerhouse programs Old Dominion and Louisiana Tech. During her time in college she played against the likes of Cheryl Miller and attended and played at the same school as Karl Malone. She then went into broadcasting, hosting her own basketball camp here in Minnesota and ultimately becoming involved in ministry.
This was a really enjoyable conversation as Janet recalls a lot of great highlights from her career and we touch on things like how her and her teammates sold light bulbs to help pay for new uniforms as well as how to correctly pronounce “sauna”.
Enjoy this conversation in The Bare's Den with Minnesota high school basketball hall of fame member - Janet Karvonen-Montgomery.
The mini-series featuring former Minnesota High School basketball legends continues with former Staples-Motley Cardinal - Blaine Joerger. Blaine started playing varsity minutes as a freshman for legendary coach Lynn Peterson. Blaine and his team had some epic section battles with Morris, and finally made it past them his senior year advancing to the state tournament in 1995.
That 1995 state tournament is where Blaine and his team really put themselves on the map. That year the Minnesota State High School League changed the format to a "Sweet 16" tournament where the 16-teams participating were a mix of schools of all sizes and they played to crown one state champion. Staples-Motley (who started 2 seniors and 3 sophomores) ended up advancing all the way to the championship game where they faced heavily favored Minneapolis North and Khalid El-Amin. S-M led by 14 in the first half but could not hold on as Minneapolis North made a put-back in the final seconds to win 54-52. Blaine led his team with 28 points in that game and put up 100 points for the games in the state tournament. As Blaine mentions most people don't remember who the second place team was, but they do that year because of the near victory they almost pulled off. After being lightly recruited until that time, he ended up committing to Division 2 - Mankato State University. Blaine had a great career for the Mavericks and is the schools 10th all-time leading scorer.
Blaine is also the brother of former NBA head coach and current NBA assistant coach - Dave Joerger. We discuss what that state tourney run was like along with how you handle having a brother coach in the NBA. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with former Staples-Motley Cardinal - Blaine Joerger.
This is episode one of the new mini-series featuring former Minnesota High School basketball legends. We tip-off this mini-series with Barry Wohler who was a three-sport star at Bird Island-Lake Lillian High School. Barry is one of three athletes in the history of Minnesota to play in three state all-star games and he did it in football, basketball and baseball. He won back-to-back state titles in both football AND basketball. His father was his head coach for basketball.
Barry’s outstanding prep career led him to the University of Minnesota on a football scholarship, but an injury to his throwing hand made him focus mostly on basketball and baseball. While at Minnesota he was on teams that won a Big 10 title in both basketball and baseball. He left Minnesota after two years, where he pursued minor league baseball in the L.A. Dodgers organization and made it all the way to the Triple-A level. He then played basketball for two seasons at St. Cloud State for a couple of very successful teams.
After chasing his baseball dream, Barry decided to pursue coaching on the hardwood and started his coaching career at Belle Plaine High School. He then went on to coach the men's basketball team at Hamline. From there he ended up at Orono High School and in 2011 coached that team, that included his son Brady as a player to the Class 3A state title. Barry is the only person in state history to win a basketball state title for both being coached by his father as a player and then being the head coach for his son.
He is now a member of the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame and just a tremendous guy and storyteller. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare’s Den with Bird Island-Lake Lillian's – Barry Wohler.
Minnesota basketball guru - Ryan James joins Matt for this episode. The episode begins with Ryan giving his background on how he got to be so involved in the Minnesota high school and college basketball scene. It all started as a student manager for the University of Minnesota men's basketball program. Ryan then spent 10+ years as a boys varsity assistant coach and now works for Breakdown Sports, Prep Hoops and Gopher Illustrated. writing numerous articles and tweeting on or about games at all times of the year.
Ryan gives his thoughts on the Minnesota boys high school basketball season and who the top teams are in each class for this coming season. He gives his list of players to watch as well as why MN high school basketball is being played at such a high level.
He also gives insight into the Gopher men's basketball team and how they are finding success this season. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Ryan James.
For this episode Matt is joined by a great guy and someone with a lot of basketball in his blood - Ras Vanderloo, who is the head boys varsity basketball coach for Sioux City East High School in Iowa. Ras comes from a family that lives and breathes basketball. Ras's father coached at Sioux City East and he and his brothers played for him. His brother Jeff then followed his dad as coach at Sioux City East and then Ras took over for him. His brother John was a head coach at Sioux City North as well.
Ras and his program are currently playing games down in Iowa and he shares what it's been like for them so far and how his players are handling it. Ras also shares the story of how he was at the very last sporting event played in the country before things shut down with the pandemic as he was in New York for the first round of the Big East tournament. That game with Creighton, where his brother Jeff is on staff, and St. John's was stopped at halftime. He also dives into a great story on meeting Muhammad Ali at a Final Four a few years ago.
Also discussed is how popular high school basketball is down in Iowa. Ras and his team have participated in the Timberwolves Shootout and played against Minnesota teams in the past. He also works with USA Basketball and their Jr. National Team.. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Ras Vanderloo.
For this episode Matt gets together with a very well respected figure in the Minnesota High School Basketball scene and that is the founder and president of Breakdown Sports USA - Justin Hegna. The Breakdown works with many high school sports but their beginning and what their most known for is basketball.
Justin shares where the idea for his business came from and and how it ultimately started in 2001 as a single basketball publication. He describes what is was like to win a state championship as the coach of the Becker girls varsity basketball program in 2007 and how his time as coach has helped him build relationships and grow his company. After stepping down as coach Justin was able to focus more on developing the business and adding other layers to it like some of their very successful events for example the Tip Off Classic that is typically run in December. Justin gives his thoughts on the most memorable game he has witnessed from one of the Breakdown events, the most memorable individual performance as well as the matchup over the years he wished would have happened but didn't.
They also discuss what it's been like running their business during the pandemic and how they were able to put on a very prosperous fall league still for teams. After having gone through that experience Justin also shares his thoughts on what it might be like for the high school basketball season this winter if that gets up and going. He also dives into why he believes that MN high school basketball is being played at such a high level currently.
Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Justin Hegna!
This episode is a neat dive into the golf world and a Masters recap with two good friends - Brad Cole (from Nike Golf & host of the 10,000 Swings podcast from SKOR North) and Mike Welch (3M tournament director). Matt and the guests review the just completed Masters event and discuss the dominant victory of Dustin Johnson. Mike Welch then shares some insight from this years 3M Open and the challenges his team was faced with in hosting an event during the pandemic. You'll also want to hear Mike talk about the incredible giving back that his event does with charities & organizations in the community. This summer was a HUGE season for golf in the number of rounds played and people getting outside and playing the game. The group touches on how that boom helped the golf world but also how the pandemic hurt some parts of the golf business. To get your golf fix check out this episode in the Bare's Den with Brad Cole and Mike Welch.
For this episode Matt is joined by Cory Cove, one of the hosts of the super popular morning show on KFAN radio "Power Trip Morning Show". Cory is also a former college classmate of Matt's from the University of Minnesota. They share stories of having class together and when they both secured unpaid internships that would lead to where they are today. Find out what Cory wanted to be when he was growing up as well as how much he remembers from college. The discussion shares a lot of great insight into making the most of the opportunities you are given. Cory then shares how he came to be a full time employee at KFAN, things he learned early on and what makes the "Power Trip Morning Show" so successful today. One of the parts of the morning show that really has a cult following is the game Cory invented called "The Initials Game", played every Friday. Cory explains how the game came into existence and how it has now turned into a home board game. The conversation ends in the "Bare Trap" where Cory shares how many times he has done a "read" for certain commercials on air. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with KFAN's - Cory Cove.
For this episode Matt is joined by one of the "Danette's" from the highly successful Dan Patrick Show - Todd Fritz, aka "Fritzy". He started in radio at WFAN in New York, worked with Roy Firestone for "Up Close", and ended up working at ESPN for a number of years where he connected with Dan. Fritzy is the executive producer for the show and has been a part of the Dan Patrick Show since 2002.
Fritzy shares his thoughts on how they have operated a sports talk show during a pandemic and how they navigated those waters during such an uncertain time.. He also dives into how the shows humble beginnings in Dan's attic, the dynamic of the show and how they all get it to work so smoothly. Fritzy is responsible for booking the guests for the show and highlights a few of the guests that have been tough to get on, some that weren't as tough as he originally thought and who the one person is he would love to have on, but hasn't got on yet. One guest who does show up occasionally and makes quite an impression when he's on set is Ron Burgundy and his appearance is also discussed.
Fritzy is also known for some of his quirks on the show, like singing sports intros like the Monday Night Football theme song and he gives a couple of his favorites. He also gives a couple of his favorite impersonations that he does like Mike Tyson and Adam Sandler. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Todd Fritz.
The worlds of entertainment and sports are brought together in this episode as Matt is joined by actor and Portland Trail Blazers super fan - Kelly AuCoin. Kelly has appeared in theater, television and film in a variety of roles. He is know most recently for his roles in "The Americans" as Pastor Tim and for his current role as "Dollar" Bill Stern on the popular Showtime series "Billions". Kelly is also very well known for his love of the Portland Trail Blazers and the NBA. The two chat about his early acting years, his favorite scene in Billions and what it's like to audition for a show. Kelly also shares who the greatest Trail Blazer of all-time is along with a story on how his dad gave NBA commissioner - Adam Silver one of his first jobs. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Kelly AuCoin.
For this episode, Matt is joined by former Vikings linebacker and girl dad - Chad Greenway. Chad went from playing 9-man football in a Mount Vernon, South Dakota, to an All-American at the University of Iowa to becoming a Pro-Bowl linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings. Chad shares how his small town upbringing laid the groundwork for his success on the football field. They discuss his days with the Vikings and tearing his ACL in his first preseason game as a rookie, what he's most proud of from his career and which of his former teammates would bring the energy if he was still playing this year without fans.
They also dive into his days in small town South Dakota and how that landed him a scholarship in the Big 10. Chad is now a father of four daughters and loves coaching them and volunteering his time as president of the Wayzata girls basketball association. Chad shares what it's like to be a former pro athlete now trying to navigate the world of parenting your own children in athletics. Chad and his wife Jenni also put in a lot of great work for his foundation around the metro area and beyond.
We also find out if he believes that the pink colored paint in the visiting locker rooms at Kinnick Stadium worked, who are Iowa's biggest football rivals and if he every plays fantasy football. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Chad Greenway.
This episode is a deep dive into the basketball skills training world with the founder and operator of Catalyst Training - Reid Ouse. Reid started as a college assistant coach and is now a very popular skills trainer who works with youth basketball players all the way up to NBA players. Reid started training on the east coast and is now based in the Minneapolis metro area. We discuss how his business has taken off during the pandemic and what separates him from other trainers. He also shares his thoughts on the most important skill he teaches, if you should assign a set position to a youth player and what things youth and high school coaches are missing in regards to skill development. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Reid Ouse.
For this episode Matt chats with Lakeville South boys head basketball coach and friend - Joe Janquart. They both have a fascination for basketball and BBQ and they discuss both in this episode. Joe is a passionate basketball coach and teacher who has had success on the court at North St. Paul and Lakeville South. He also loves to grill and smoke his favorite meats just like Matt. The guys share some basic information on what they feel are some important first steps to know if you are looking to get into buying a "smoker" yourself and getting into a rewarding hobby. They cover topics such as which grill/smokers to look at, pellets, meat rubs and good types of meat to get started with. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with coach Joe Janquart.
He may not be in Minnesota anymore but for this conversation it felt like it as Matt is joined by former DeLaSalle boys head coach and current Colorado St. men's basketball assistant coach - Dave Thorson. Also, joining for this episode is Jeff Munneke. Coach Thorson will always have ties to Minnesota as he led DeLaSalle High School to an amazing 9 state championships, including six straight class 3A titles from 2012 - 2017. We are able to connect with Dave to hear how things are going in his new home in Fort Collins, CO as he is now a part of the staff of Niko Medved and the Rams men's basketball team. We learn how Coach Thorson got his start in coaching and the many camps he worked. His early break was working for Coach Clem Haskins as an assistant at the University of Minnesota. Coach Thorson also reminisces about his successful 20+ year stint with DeLaSalle as well as naming his "all-time" great team of Islanders. Jeff and Dave also share how the Timberwolves Shootout started from a conversation with the two of them and the first "big" matchup. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Dave Thorson.
Are you trying to achieve a growth mindset? Are you looking to enhance your teams culture? Scott Savor joined me to share his thoughts on these very things. Scott is a professional coach and speaker for individuals, teams and companies. His strengths are leadership, motivation and mental training. Scott has worked with players and teams from the NBA, WNBA, G-League, NCAA and high school levels. He also works with many companies to enhance their culture. I always enjoy chatting with Scott as he challenges current thought and asks great questions and this interview was no different. Scott shares some great insight and stories around some fun thought provoking topics. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Scott Savor.
For this episode Matt is joined by one of the most successful girls basketball coaches in Minnesota state history. Brian Cosgriff was at the helm of the Hopkins girls program for 21 seasons compiling an overall record of 569 - 67 and won 7 state championships at the Class 4A level. He retired from Hopkins in July riding a current 62-game winning streak. He has coached some tremendous players such as Leslie Knight, Nia Coffey and this past season's #1 recruit in the country - Paige Bueckers.
Coach Coz shares his thoughts on growing the program, creating a winning culture, their rivalry with Wayzata and Geno Auriemma. I also get his thoughts on the girls game and how much he enjoys the Lynx and the WNBA. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Brian Cosgriff.
For this episode Matt is joined by Rochester, MN (Rohester John Marshall HS) native Dane Fischer. Dane is the head men's basketball coach at Division 1 - William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Dane left his first job after college as a financial advisor to pursue his love for basketball and coaching. He had multiple stops along the way as a D-I assistant at Rider, Bucknell and George Mason before landing the head job at William & Mary. At Bucknell, Dane recruited Roseville, MN native Mike Muscala. Mike grew into a 2-time conference Player of the Year and was drafted in the 2nd round of the NBA Draft. Dane shares his path in coaching and what it will take to get William & Mary to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history, as they are 1 of 4 teams to have never made the NCAA tourney since it's inception. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare's Den with Dane Fischer.
This week Matt is joined by Brett Cloutier who is the head boys basketball coach at Princeton high school in Minnesota and is also the host of The Minnesota Basketball Coaching Podcast. Brett grew up in Brainerd and developed his love for sports and coaching growing up there. Matt and Brett share their thoughts on some of the best basketball players they watched growing up in that area. Brett was recruited to go to Augsburg to play basketball but ended up playing baseball instead. While taking a break from hoops his passion for the game grew and he went into teaching and ultimately becoming a basketball coach. They dive into how the COVID-19 pandemic altered the end of the Princeton basketball season giving them the empty feeling of not being able to compete in the state basketball tournament. During the quarantine is when Brett decided to put together the Minnesota Basketball Coaching Podcast which he has done a great job with and now had going for 29 episodes and counting. Brett shares his thoughts on the quality of coaches in this state and the common themes that he hears from them during his interviews. Also, don't miss the end of the show where Brett dives in to his TV obsessions with "The Challenge, "The O.C.." and "One Tree Hill".
For this episode Matt is joined by two of his co-workers that were standout high school basketball players here in Minnesota. They are Ashley Ellis-Milan (St. Paul Central H.S.) and Breanna Salley (St. Francis H.S.) who are two strong female role models in the basketball world. They became friends as teammates while at the University of Minnesota, however they were only together there for one season. Ashley went on to have an outstanding career at the U of M as a 4-year starter. Bre's path took her out west to Seattle University where she played one season and then had some eligibility issues, which she shares the background on. They both discuss their basketball journey of getting recruited, playing in college and also playing professionally overseas. Other topics include the WNBA and the importance of the value of their current roles.
For this special Father's Day edition of the Bare's Den, Matt is joined by two coaches who have a very unique path. They both played for and won a state title in Chisholm for their dad as their head coach. Their dad however, is no ordinary head coach as he is the all-time wins leader for Minnesota boys high school head coaches with over 1,000 victories - Bob McDonald. Both Mike and Joel also coach or have coached their own kids at the high school level. We discuss what it was like to play for their dad, the challenges and joys of coaching your own kids and how much important their Croatian heritage is in their families lives. Enjoy this special Father's Day episode of the Bare's Den!
For this episode Matt is joined by Minneapolis North head boys coach - Larry McKenzie, Richfield boys head coach - Omar McMillan and Timberwolves & Lynx Basketball Academy Director - George Ellis. These three guests are respected not only in the basketball community but the African American community as well. The three of them share their feelings on how the death of George Floyd has affected them, why this particular death is receiving worldwide attention, what can white people do to help the progress of racial injustice/bias, and a unique way that Coach McKenzie and his team are working to educate and break down racial barriers.
For this episode Matt is joined by Tony Dorado - the National Manager of high school basketball for Nike. Tony has been with Nike for 25 years now and before that was a high school basketball coach himself. Tony's job is to establish relationships in the high school market and ultimately partnerships with the between the top boys and girls programs and Nike. Tony works with 200+ schools across the country. Joining Matt in this episode is hoops junkie and friend - Jeff Munneke. Check it out as Matt, Jeff and Tony talk hoops and share some fun stories in this episode of the Bare's Den.
For this episode I am joined by South Dakota St. basketball legend Mike Daum. Mike was a star for the Jackrabbits in Brookings but it didn’t start out that way. Coming from a town of 2,500 people in western Nebraska, Mike learned the game from his mom (Michele), who was a standout player herself at the University of Wyoming. Mike redshirted his freshman year at SDSU. For his redshirt freshman season, Mike came off the bench and was able to earn 6th Man of the Year for the Summit League that season. The Jackrabbits then had a coaching change and through that change and Mike’s hard work he developed into a 3-time Summit League Player of the Year. Mike’s teams made the NCAA tournament three times during his tenure, but fell short in a devastating loss his senior season in a first round upset in the Summit League tournament. Mike developed into one of the best players ever at SDSU and is the 7th all-time leading scorer in the history of men’s college basketball scoring over 3,000 points. With all of those accolades Mike went undrafted but has fulfilled his dream of playing professional basketball overseas in Spain. Mike continues to work at his game in hopes of one day achieving the goal of playing in the NBA. Enjoy this conversation in the Bare’s Den with Mike Daum.
3:57 = Scoring 3,000 points and becoming #7 all-time leading scorer in NCAA history
7:50 = Learning the game from mom
9:00 = High school years
15:09 = Redshirting as a freshman
17:46 = Redshirt freshman season
23:48 = Going through a coaching change & breakout sophomore season
31:50 = Junior year and declaring for NBA Draft
36:09 = Senior season & disappointment of not making NCAA tourney
41:13 = Getting ready for NBA Draft
46:42 = Decision to play overseas
55:50 = "The Bare Trap"
For this episode we are joined by Willie Vang who is the president of the Minnesota Heat basketball organization, which is the largest spring/summer program in the state and the second largest in the country. Willie and I talk some spring and summer hoops and what he sees as potential timelines for how things play out down the road. He also touches on the summer recruiting period and what kids can do during these times to keep getting their name in front of college coaches. Willie also shares his story on how the MN Heat organization came about when he was a freshman in college. Enjoy this conversation in The Bare’s Den with Willie Vang.
6:31 = Minnesota High School basketball today
12:18 = Size and scope of MN Heat program, largest in the state
16:31 = Spring/summer basketball season outlook
24:17 = Summer recruiting
28:00 = The beginning of the MN Heat program, freshman year of college
45:11 = Dream starting 5
In today’s episode we connect with two guests from the world of men’s college basketball at the Division 3 level – University of St. Thomas men’s basketball coach John Tauer and St. John’s University men’s coach Pat McKenzie. Their two schools have a long history of battles and this basketball season took it to another level. Both schools were ranked in the top 5 nationally this season. They met twice in the regular season, sharing the regular season MIAC title. They then met a third time in the MIAC conference playoff championship game. They take us through their season and those three big games. They also share their thoughts on the state of when they knew they had a special team this season, their thoughts on the strength of MN high school basketball and how they were ready to meet for a fourth time this season in the biggest matchup of the year in the Sweet 16 of the Division 3 national tournament. That last game was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This storied rivalry will be changing and perhaps ceasing, after the 2021 season is complete as St. Thomas is moving out of the MIAC.
5:14 = Each coach discusses the beginning of their season
18:32 = 1st matchup between St. Thomas & St. John's
22:43 = Both coaches talk about the strength of the MIAC conference and MN high school basketball
26:43 = 2nd matchup between UST & SJU
32:18 = 3rd matchup between UST & SJU
37:35 = Each coach discusses their NCAA tournament
44:54 = Disappointment of the season being cancelled
52:52 = Affect that the quarantine is having on summer recruiting
58:25 = Dream basketball starting 5
Our very first guest is Dave Flom, who is the head boys varsity basketball coach at Eden Prairie High School here in Minnesota which is one of the largest high schools in the state. This season coach Flom and his team were having a dream season. They had 4 senior starters on the team that eclipsed the 1,000 point mark in their careers and were sitting at an overall record of 28-0, ranked #1 in class 4A, the largest class in MN and were ranked #10 nationally by ESPN. Their season ended abruptly before they were able to play their section final matchup, leaving them short of fulfilling the season long dream of winning a state championship. Like many basketball teams across the country they didn’t get to finish their season but coach Flom takes us through their season and how they handled the disappointment at the end of the year. Coach Flom was a standout athlete at Cannon Falls high school, a small town in southern MN, and went on to play college baseball and basketball at Division 3 Gustavus. It was on that path that he discovered he wanted to pursue coaching. Enjoy this conversation with Eden Prairie boys head coach Dave Flom.
7:46 = Dave's college experience at Gustavus
22:11 = Eden Prairie the early years and building the program
38:17 = The 2019-20 EP season
53:06 = Disappointment of season ending prematurely
1:04:30 = Dream basketball starting 5
1:06:17 = Unbeliveable story about Trent Tucker, beating him in 1-on-1 and Trent bringing Dave to New York for a Knicks game