Was there one decision where it looked really risky on paper, but you believe that the qualitative upside or ROI justified the benefits, justified the cost of making that decision?

Yeah, great question.

You know, I think most founders, most CEOs are inherently risk takers.

And so we definitely have tried things along the way, you know, that have worked out great for us.

You know, whether that's partnerships with the Sotheby's and the Christie's of the world, even though that wasn't inherently very risky.

I mean, obviously, one of the biggest risks we took was opening our office in Florida just because, you know, You know, we started here in Denver.

We quickly acquired Borrow and had that internet-based infusion of customer flow.

My dream is to meet Michael Jordan.

It's not like a pawn shop.

This is a great point to make because before – I founded this business.

I worked for a family office and they owned eight brick and mortar pawn shops.

So I know that business very, very well.

I understand it.

I understand the customer.

I understand the average loan.

So talk about what role your background has played in setting up your company and how you run your company and how you think about your company, all that.

Um, how does that translate, you think, for North Carolina? How can he use that to his benefit in this NIL era or do you think it's still gonna be predominantly about the money side, do we? If that's a fair question.

No, it's fair.

It's both, right? I mean, if you're getting recruited by Carolina, you're getting recruited by Duke and Kentucky and Kansas and a couple other schools, Big Ten schools, SEC schools that have a lot of money.

And so you gotta meet the financial barrier first, and then, okay, what's the best fit, um, and, you know, where do I think I can go and play the most? Um, so look, I, I think that you likely...

I have no basis for this other than just my own inkling.

I think you're gonna see probably more embracing of analytics, playing a little bit more of the modern NBA game, which is shooting a lot of threes and trying to get to the rim and the free throw line, less of a focus on mid-range.

I don't know that we were tactically really focused on that the last five years.

And the portal, portal opens tomorrow.

How has that been for somebody that's been in the program and been with- uh, within the program? Not just a fan, not just an alum, but somebody that's actually played the game within this program.

Sure.

You know, I, I understand the sentiment from the fan base and on the message boards that there, uh, there are feelings that the Carolina family concept or the, the stakeholders or the, the people that speak for the Carolina family need to get out of the way and let us make the hire and, you know, just hire the best guy and all those things.

I, I understand that.

I get it.

Everybody wants us to, to be successful.

Uh, I think the reality is we're in a position where we are gonna go outside the family, and so a couple, a couple things.

I don't know if it's that big, especially now what we're seeing, but where does that stand, and is that as relevant as this coaching search, or does the coaching search and hiring the right guy and winning make that arena thing easier?

What did you see that, that gave you encouragement here as now it's tournament time?

Yeah, look, I, I would've thought-For those 25 minutes, Duke was, you know, a little nervous, especially Duke fans, uh, with how we were playing.

Just quickly before I continue that thought, w- I think, Tommy, the point you made about it feeling like their second chance points were gonna be vastly superior to ours, though it was only 14 to four, what you felt is that they had 18 offensive rebounds and we had five.

So it felt like every time we got a, got them to miss a shot, that they rebounded it.

Even though it didn't lead to as many second chance points, that is exceedingly demoralizing from a defensive standpoint to guard and, and scrap and fight when you're, you're undersized and battling Boozer and, and guarding them, and they've run really good stuff.

And then to get a s- get a stop or get a shot missed and then give up 18 offensive rebounds, I think that's what you felt, uh, and I agree.

So, um, you know, Paz, yeah, you know, Dixon shot it really well.

But how can he sorta find what he had last game and not what he had in this game, and why do you think the inconsistency is there?

Dewey, whenever you have that sort of adversity that close to a tip, especially in North Carolina's case, where it's that much of your offensive production, how does the coaching staff usually handle that, and, and what is the team's response? And then we'll get into, to what happened today against Pitt.

[smacks lips] Sure.

Curveball, uh, certainly.

It's the next man up.

Obviously, we don't have a ton of depth in the front court, so I think for all of us, including you and I, in our texts as the game was getting going, we're a little bit concerned about, uh, even against a, you know, a less, uh... a lesser opponent, that we might struggle, you know, to get to get the ball inside, struggle on the backboard.

But you gotta give the kids credit.

Zaden Haigh stepped up, Stephenson played really well.

Uh, do you feel like he's becoming a little steadier, even if his offense is not coming along?

But just sort of knowing guys you know, knowing players you know, and being as close as you've been over the last 20 years, what's Seth Trimble feeling right now? Could you imagine?

Yeah, yeah, hard to.

I mean, we weren't favored, right? We weren't supposed to win.

It was in our gym, so that helps.

So, you know, that kind of emotion is what we felt when we won at their place when when Tyler and those guys were freshmen, right? Not supposed to do it and you find a way to do it.

And that is the greatest feeling in basketball.

What that locker room feels like and what.

Just sort of speak to the coaching aspect of it, especially down the stretch.

It's just a problem.

Yeah, look, and it's tough because, uh, we were starting to make a run, and that was just a foolish play, boneheaded, that you don't expect from a senior.

I get that.

Uh, I also think that obviously our ultimate problem on this team is on the perimeter.

We're not chock full of options.

I also think we're asking a lot more of Seth Trimble than he truly is capable of.

I get it, he's had some big games and he's really worked on his offensive game.

How does Carolina turn this around, if that's possible? Uh, there's still plenty of season left, but I'm gonna give you the floor, and I'll give you that opportunity because a lot of people are searching for answers, especially when you factor in, as somebody in the chat just mentioned, the millions of dollars being spent on this program and on this roster.

It sounds like, or it should be, sort of the MO for everybody going forward in the ACC is beat these guys up as much as possible.

Yeah, and look, you saw that in the four-state game.

We didn't do a podcast, but it was clear that their MO coming into that game was to be as physical as they could, certainly with Visar and Caleb as well.

And I think we're going to see that game in and game out.

I mean, there's people on the record in the media saying this is the best front court in college basketball, meaning our starting four and five.

So...

Opposing bigs are going to take that as a challenge, and the one thing that they aren't is bulky and built very strong.

Your thoughts on this game and how it maybe affects expectations or results down the road?