I was working in North Dakota as Operations Manager and Sports Director for Clear Channel Radio. During that time I ran into a Head Coach I respect almost more then any of his kind in Jeff Bzdelik. He was an assistant under Pat Riley with the Miami Heat, Head Coach of the Denver Nuggets succeeding with one of the worst rosters ever assembled and was responsible for one of the greatest turnarounds in NBA History, Coach Bzdelik was also the Head Coach of Air Force making NCAA Tournaments and going through a deep run in the NIT. Jeff Bzdelik is now the Head Coach at Colorado. I got a chance to catch up with Coach Bzdelik and one of his star recruits from Killdeer, North Dakota in Austin Dufault.
Q &A WITH CU COACH JEFF BZDELIK
Q-COACH YOU HAVE SUCH A YOUNG TEAM, RIGHT NOW YOU’RE 8-9 ARE YOU ABOUT WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE AT THIS POINT IN THE SEASON?
A-NO PREDETERMINATION…. IN SOME WAYS NOT…I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER…WITH A YOUNG TEAM I WANT MY TEAM TO GET BETTER AND I THINK THE TEAM IS GETTTING BETTER.
Q-WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON?
A-JUST TO GET BETTER…NO TURNOVERS, FINISHING PLAYS ON OFFENSE AND DEFENSE…REBOUNDING.
Q-HOW LONG DO YOU BELIEVE IT WILL TAKE YOUR TEAM TO MAKE A SERIOUS TOURNAMENT RUN?
A-MY CONTACT IS FOR 4 YEARS. I WANT TO MAKE PROGRESS BY THEN, IF NOT I DON’T THINK IT WILL PLEASE ANYONE AT CU.
Q-AUSTIN DUFAULT WAS A BIG RECRUIT OF YOURS…CAN YOU TAKE ME THROUGH YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS WHILE YOU WERE TRYING TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT TO RECRUIT HIM?
A-THERE WASN’T A NEGATIVE THOUGHT…. I WANTED TO RECRUIT AN INTELLIGANT, COMPETITIVE PLAYER…IT WAS A NO BRAINER. AUSTIN CAN SCORE, REBOUND AND DEFEND, HE IS FEARLESS…. HE HAS ALL THE ATRIBUTES OF A GOOD RECRUIT.
Q-YOU CAME UP TO NORTH DAKOTA TO WATCH AUSTIN PLAY NUMEROUS TIMES. WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT HIS GAME NOW COMPARED TO WHERE HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL?
HE IS LEARNING THE HARD WAY…HE NEEDS TO BE MORE ATHLETIC…HIGH SCHOOL DEFENSE IS DIFFERENT AND HE NEEDS TO IMPROVE ON THAT SIDE OF THE BALL
Q-AS AN INDIVIDUAL DO YOU THINK COLLEGE HAS CHANGED AUSTIN?
A-COLLEGE IS A MATURITY PROCESS AND HE IS MATURING. I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHERE YOU COME FROM IT IS A CHANGE AND I THINK AUSTIN IS HANDLING IT WELL
Q-AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE A VERY YOUNG TEAM, AUSTIN WAS USED TO A LOT OF SUCCESS LAST YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND NOW HE IS EXPERIENCING MORE LOSSES…HAS HE REACTED OK IN YOUR OPINION FROM THAT CHANGE?
A. AUSTIN UNDERSTANDS HE IS GOING AGAINST BIG 12 COMPETITION AND IT IS MUCH MORE COMPETITVE THEN HIGH SCHOOL PLAY. I THINK HE UNDERSTANDS AND IS HANDLING IT WELL WITH GOOD COMPETITIVE PLAY.
Q-AS A COACH, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU WANT AUSTIN TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS SEASON?
A-I WANT HIM IN THE GYM TO GET STRONGER AND MORE ATHLETIC. I WANT HIM TO IMPROVE HIS DEFENSE, POST MOVES, OUTSIDE SHOOTING. AS OF RIGHT NOW THOUGH I THINK HE IS DOING GREAT.
Q-COACH, RANK THE TOP 5 TEAMS IN COLLEGE BASKEBALL AS OF RIGHT NOW IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
A-WAKE FOREST, PITTSBURGH, DUKE, NORTH CAROLINA, CONNECTICUT
Q-WHO IS THE BEST TEAM IN YOUR CONFERENCE RIGHT NOW?
A-OKLAHOMA
Q-YOU WERE IN THE MIAMI HEAT ORGANIZATION…YOUR THOUGHTS ON ALONZO MOURNING’S RETIREMENT
A-HE IS AN UNBELIEVABLE COMPETITOR AND A TRUE WARRIOR OF THE GAME.
Q-DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT OR FOLLOW YOUR PRIOR TEAMS…MIAMI, DENVER OR AIR FORCE?
A-YES I DO, BUT I NEVER READ THE NEWSPAPER.
Q-FINAL QUESTION COACH…OVER THE YEAR’S YOU’VE SEEN A LOT OF TALENT…. NOT ONLY IN COLLEGE, BUT THE NBA AS WELL…HOW GOOD CAN AUSTIN BE? HOW FAR CAN HE HELP TAKE YOUR TEAM? IS HE A POSSIBLE NBA TALENT?
A-HE IS VERY GOOD, HE WILL HELP LEAD OUR TEAM TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AND IF SOME DAY HE WANTS TO GET PAID FOR PLAYING BASKETBALL I THINK HE HAS A REAL SHOT.
Q&A WITH AUSTIN DUFAULT
Q-COMPARE YOUR EMOTIONS FROM SENIOR NIGHT AT KILLDEER HIGH SCHOOL TO THE FIRST TIME YOU STEPPED ON THE COURT TO PLAY COLLEGE BALL.
A-SENIOR NIGHT WAS BITTERSWEET…IT WAS HARD TO KNOW I WOULDN’T BE PLAYING WITH THESE GUYS ANYMORE. AS FOR COLLEGE, MY FIRST GAME WAS FILLED WITH EXCITEMNENT ABOUT THE MOMENT, THE FUTURE AND THE IDEA I MADE IT THERE. I ALSO HAD A LITTLE NERVES FOR THIS FIRST TIME IN A WHILE.
Q-HOW HAS THE COLLEGE GAME CHANGED THE WAY YOU USED TO PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL?
A-IT HAS CHANGED ME AS AN OVERALL PLAYER…I STRESS TO PLAY LOWER IN THE POST AND PLAY MORE ATHLETIC…I HAD TO WORK HARD DEFENSIVELEY AND I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO SO….I SHOT A LOT OF 3’S IN HIGH SCHOOL AND IT IS STRANGE NOT TO SHOOT A LOT OF 3’S AT COLORADO. I WILL GET USED TO IT.
Q-HOW BIG OF AN ADJUSTMENT HAS IT BEEN GOING FROM NORTH DAKOTA MR. BASKETBALL TO COLLEGE FRESHMAN?
A- IT HAS BEEN A HUGE DIFFERENCE. IT IS A CHALLENGE TO GO FROM TOP DOG TO LOW ON THE TOTUM POLL THIS QUICKLY.
Q-JEFF BZDELIK IS YOUR COACH….HE USED TO COACH THE NUGGETS, AIR FORCE AND WAS AN ASSISTANT FOR THE MIAMI HEAT……..HAS HE SHARED ANY STORIES WITH YOU ABOUT THAT?
A-YES, COACH HAS MENTIONED PLAYERS LIKE ALONZO MOURNING, CARMELO ANTHONY AND BRUCE BOWEN. HE SPEAKS ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY ARE AT BOTH ENDS OF THE BALL AND ENCOURAGES US TO DO THE SAME.
Q-SO FAR WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT PLAYING COLLEGE BASKETBALL?
A-TRYING TO GET INTO A ROUTINE, WITH ROAD GAMES IT IS HARD TO GET INTO A RYTHEM COMPARED TO HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THE TRAVEL WASN'T VERY FAR.
Q-OUT OF ALL OF YOUR OPPONENETS SO FAR…WHO HAS BEEN YOUR TOUGHEST MATCH-UP BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A TEAM?
A-INDIVIDULALLY-LAWRENCE HILL-STANFORD-----AS FOR THE TEAMS IT WOULD BE KANSAS AND TCU.
Q-YOUR FAMILY MOVED TO COLORADO WITH YOU. HOW MUCH HAS THAT HELPED YOU OR HAS IT?
A-MY FAMILY HAS HELPED OUT A LOT. I GET TO GO HOME WHEN I WANT TO AND IT IS ONLY AN HOUR AWAY. MY PARENTS GO TO EVERY HOME GAME AND ARE GOING TO START GOING TO SOME ROAD GAMES. IT HAS MADE THE ADJUSTMENT EASIER.
Q-WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT PLAYING FOR KILLDEER AND LIVING IN THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA?
A-I MISS MY FRIENDS AND THE RIVALRIES I USED TO HAVE. I HAVE ADJUSTED WELL MOVING TO COLORADO FROM NORTH DAKOTA. I’M SURE I WILL MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND ESTABLISH NEW RIVALRIES AS MY CAREER CONTINUES.
Q-HOW DO YOU GET ALONG WITH YOUR NEW TEAMMATES AND COACH BZDELIK?
A-GREAT….OLDER GUYS SAY THAT WE COULD BE THE BEST YOUNG GROUP OF PLAYERS EVER TO COME IN AT THE SAME TIME AT THIS SCHOOL.COACH BZDELIK IS GREAT AT HIS JOB AND I HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR HIM PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.
Q-FINAL QUESTION…DO YOU KEEP UP WITH YOUR EX-TEAMMATES AND FOLLOW WHAT KILLDEER IS DOING?
A-I TEXT AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MANY OF MY OLD TEAMMATES AND YOUNGER GUYS AT KILLDEER. I ALSO FOLLOW KILLDEER HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH THE DICKINSON PRESS WEBSITE. http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/
I'm not sure if Austin Dufault is NBA quality but he will help Jeff Bzdelik get a longer contract. This team will make the NCAA tourny next season. Coach Bzdelik is a great coach and that is saying a lot since I'm a CSU Ram.
FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ABOUT COLORADO BASKETBALL GO TO http://www.cubuffs.com/
I WANT TO THANK ANDREW GREEN AND DAVE PLATI FROM THE CU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT FOR HELPING ME ARRANGE THESE INTERVIEWS. ALSO THANKS TO COACH BZDELIK AND AUSTIN DUFAULT FOR THEIR TIME.
Other Firday News.....
Jay McGwire must really dislike his brother Mark. It takes alot for a brother to dime another brother our about steroid and HGH use. Chances now of Mark McGwire to make the Hall .003 percent.
Coach Bzdelik got it right about Alonzo Mourning. What a great player and inspiration. The guy had a freakin kidney transplant and came back to play and it took a serious break in his leg to make him finally call it quits. Mourning came from a long list of great Centers at Georgetown but may have had the best career out of any of them with the exception of Patrick Ewing. Thanks for the memories "Zo" and good luck to you in whatever you decide to do next.
The Memphis Grizzlies have fired Head Coach Mark Iavaroni. The NBA should fire the Grizzlies from the league. Every team in the NBA hates Memphis for sending Gasol to the Lakers last season for a bag of Doritos and a Mountain Dew. The trade completely screwed up the balance of power in the Western Conference and for that I wish nothing but the worst for the Memphis Grizzlies.
NBA All Star Starters
East
G-Dwayne Wade-fine with it
G-Allen Iverson-shouldn't be there this year, even though he is my 3rd favorite player ever
F-Lebron James-fine with it
F-Kevin Garnett-fine with it
C-Dwight Howard-fine with it.....guy got the most votes in league history
West
G-Chris Paul-fine with it
G-Kobe Bryant-fine with it
F-Tim Duncan-fine with it
F-Amare Stoudamire-fine with it since the game is in Phoenix
C-Yao Ming-Good Center, ok with it, but to many Chinese are voiting online
A few players to consider...Shaq, Steve Nash, Marcus Camby, Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, Nene, Paul Pierce, Michael Redd, Jameer Nelson, Mo Williams, Ray Allen, Kevin Durant, Deron Williams, Brandon Roy, Dirk Nowitzki, Danny Granger and Joe Johnson
A Dallas-Area Girls High School Basketball team beat another Dallas-Area High School Girls Basketball team 100-0. Thats right 100-0. It is even rumored the team pressed and shot 3's late in the game to attempt to hit the 100 point barrier. Thats just wrong, real wrong.
On the bubble already? Georgetown lost at home last night to unranked West Virginia. The Hoyas have been in a slump since beating Syracuse and they better pull out of it before the NCAA pulls them from the tournament.
Yet another black spot for the NHL. Leading vote getter Sydney Crosby will not play in the NHL All-Star Game because of a bad knee. I'll say this one more time Gary Bettman needs to renegotiate a contract with ESPN so the league is back on the map again.
Arizona Head Coach Ken Wisenhunt received a call from former Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher wishing him good luck in the upcoming Super Bowl. No surprise though Cowher told Wisenhunt his heart was with Pittsburgh to win, even though Wisenhunt used to be his Offensive Coordinator.
Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo has finally announced he will take more of a leadership role next season. Ya right, this is Jerry Jones and T.O's team and they call the shots. If Romo tries to lead this team they won't even contend for the playoffs next year. This is maybe the most talented team in the NFL but the second dumbest, no offense Oakland.
I now have a player I dislike the most in the NFL and it's Bucs QB Jeff Garcia. After your Head Coach (Jon Gruden) got canned do not throw him under the bus and say that the players didn't like him. I know for a fact that Gruden works harder at his job then 99 % of the coaches in the league. Shut your mouth Garcia you idiot, in fact retire you old bastard.
And Finally the Picks........Sorry..I was 0-2 last night bringing my overall record to 7-5. I learned a few things though. The Magic were due for a let down after their amazing and undefeated 4 game west roadtrip and Boston is not willing to lay down and made a statement in the process saying they are still the best. I also learned that Washington has about as much fight in them as my little sister's chawawa. Kobe goes for a total of 11 and if the Lakers don't put the brakes on their onslaught, the Wizards lose that game by 60. Fortunately, the Lakers spared Washington and only won by 20. The Wiz are horriffic, never make the mistake I did last night and watch one of their games.
Anyway, lets get back on track tonight
Take Phoenix -3 at Charlotte
Take Dallas + 3 at Detroit
Finally, Take New Orleans +1 at Minnesota-Lock
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