Episode 374 - Seahawks Searching & Cinderellas Dancing

RUNDOWN

 

Mitch opens the show from Los Angeles, where he’s in town to watch Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs play the Clippers—but not before attending a Division II baseball series featuring players who grew up with his sons. The conversation shifts to March Madness, with Mitch explaining why he believes the top teams—especially from the Big 12—are clearly ahead of the rest of the field.

The Seahawks No-Table crew breaks down a turbulent offseason following their Super Bowl win. The trio discusses key departures in free agency, the team’s deliberate approach to the salary cap, and why Seattle may rely on player development and the draft rather than splashy signings.

Mitch talks with Tennessee State head coach Nolan Smith after the former Duke All-American and national champion led the Tigers to an Ohio Valley Conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth in his first year running the program. Smith reflects on learning the coaching profession under Mike Krzyzewski, navigating career setbacks after leaving Duke, and how those experiences shaped him as a leader.

Mitch and Queens University head coach Grant Leonard talk after the Charlotte-based Royals captured the Atlantic Sun title and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament in their first season eligible for Division I postseason play. Leonard explains how a balanced offense—with six players averaging double figures—helped fuel the run, while also discussing the reality of roster building in the transfer portal era.

Mitch welcomes back North Dakota State head coach Dave Richman, whose Bison are headed to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time under his leadership after another Summit League title and a 27-win season. Richman talks about balancing loyalty to Fargo with the reality that successful mid-major coaches are constantly linked to bigger jobs, while also explaining how roster building has changed in the portal and NIL era.

Mitch talks with Troy head coach Scott Cross after the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament champion Trojans earned their second straight NCAA Tournament berth. Cross explains how he rebuilt the roster after losing several starters to bigger NIL deals by promoting reserves who helped the program reach last year’s tournament.

 

GUESTS

 

• Brady Henderson | Former University of Washington point guard and longtime Huskies basketball radio analyst
• Jacson Bevens | Host, Refuse to Lose podcast
• Nolan Smith | head coach, Tennessee State
• Grant Leonard | head coach, Queens University
• Dave Richman | head coach, North Dakota State
• Scott Cross | head coach, Troy

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

0:00 | Division II Baseball, March Madness Picks, and the Birthday Game

19:00 | Seahawks No-Table: Seattle’s Super Bowl roster takes offseason hits, but the Seahawks’ front office stays committed to long-term roster building instead of panic spending.

45:35 | Nolan Smith: Former Duke star Nolan Smith takes Tennessee State to the NCAA Tournament in his first season as a head coach.

1:02:09 | Grant Leonard: Queens University shocks the Atlantic Sun and reaches the NCAA Tournament in its first year of Division I eligibility.

1:15:24 | Dave Richman: North Dakota State coach Dave Richman returns to the NCAA Tournament—and reflects on building a winning program in Fargo during college basketball’s NIL and transfer-portal era.

1:33:42 | Scott Cross: Troy head coach Scott Cross returns to the NCAA Tournament with a roster built on loyalty, development—and an unlikely pipeline from Puyallup, Washington.