bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 0:12

Welcome to tracking the Cats. I'm Bob Saban, along with Steve White and we're here every two weeks giving you all things Catamount and as usual, we are brought to you by Stanbury Insurance covering all your insurance needs in Silva as their home office. And then they have Waynesville. Islands and Clyde is their newest office. So contact Stanbury for any insurance need that you have. Commercial, residential, whatever. Steve. We got an exciting announcement to make today. We've been talking to the folks over at WWCU, the campus radio station at Western Carolina, and they have agreed they want to broadcast our podcast. We're going to send it to'em after we record it, and they will be broadcasting starting in January. Look for tracking the cats on the radio. WWCU in Cuy and it's an FM station. Heard across Jackson Macon and part of Swain Counties. Good reception. You'll be able to hear it every Saturday morning from nine to 10 or 10 to 11. The. The exact time is yet to be determined, but it'll be on Saturday mornings, either at nine or 10. So, and since we do it every other week, you'll hear our podcast repeated the second week before we do our next podcast. And sometimes they may even play back episodes like the one we had with Kirk Roach or others that are not time constrained on recent events. So.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 1:49

Yeah, I, I, you know, I, Bob, I can pick them up over on I 40 in Haywood County. between Canton and Asheville. So that's, they have a great range. They really do. It's a, it's a good sound.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 2:04

That's good. So you'll be able to pick'em up starting in January, probably around January 15th, somewhere in that area. Just depends on when the students come back and they're ready to start rolling. So let's talk about sports. The most recent event of consequence is the football game that wrapped up the season at VMI up in beautiful Lexington. I, I hear that it's beautiful. I have yet to visit Lexington. But that's one of my, not necessarily bucket lists, but things that I'm going to accomplish.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 2:34

Yeah, it's a neat town. I've been there it seemed like hundreds of times traveling. Over 40 some years with Catamount Athletics, football, basketball, baseball, and two campuses that actually up against each other. VMI and Washington. And Lee, one of the oldest universities in the nation. Beautiful little college town. I really enjoy going there. Just so much history, those museums quite an atmosphere. It really is.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 3:02

Well we came away with a pretty good win. We were, I think, what, 24 point favorites or something like that. So we, we covered for you betting fans. We finally, we got one. Over the last few weeks that we were able to, to manage watching it here at home it seemed to me that we kind of dominated all phases of the game.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 3:23

There's no, no doubt about it. We didn't have the problems that we've had like two years ago when we went up there and they knocked us out of the FCS playoffs and again, tiger was the difference. As he has been most of the season 330 yards passing, three passing. One running score, four touchdowns total. A new Southern Conference record for touchdown passes in the season. Unbelievable. 38 touchdown passes in only nine games. For the last time you know, what you think, what could have been if he had not missed those first three games this season? Yeah. He,

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 4:00

Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 4:01

leads the FCS in passing Yardies Bob. 30 over 3,500 yards. Completion percentage more, 75%, 38 touchdown passes, and the least number of interceptions, just staggering figures for Tiger Dickens.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 4:16

Absolutely. And unfortunately I am that's the last game that we're going to see him perform in. Unfortunately, I know he, he's already, he's got an agent apparently. And we'll be registering with the portal. So. We wish him well. I hope that to see success like with Desmond Reed and a couple of those guys up at Pitt who have done well that moved up with Cade Bell. So we are, we have some other folks who are I think going to be announcing in the portal too. Have you taken a look at that?

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 4:47

Yes, I have. I had Malik Knights in there. There'll be a, there'll be several more and some will get offers, some will not. This is just a crazy time and again, the only good thing about it. The portal is, it'll only be for like a 10 day period the first week in January. They're not gonna have a, a transfer portal after spring practice like we had last year.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 5:10

Right.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 5:11

gives coaches a chance to get everything established. I know who's on their team in spring practice, not. Having to wait for the portal at the end of practice. But yeah, that's it's, it's life in the well I was, don't call it the fast lane, but life on our level FCS level right now. And even, you know, even on the group of five level, it's somewhat impacted right there. And again, it's sort of, you know, I hate to say this, but sort of like we're a junior college program. Not, you know, on that level, but junior college program as far as developing talent two years. And if they're really outstanding, there's a chance they're gonna be gone. So that's

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 5:50

Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 5:50

reality. We can't do anything about it, except maybe, you know, I'll come up with a couple zillion dollars and be able to pay everybody absorbent amount of money and keep them here. But we probably know that's not gonna happen.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 6:04

Well, you know, let's, let's talk about that briefly.'cause some of our competitive Southern Conference teams do have more money to, to spend on East Tennessee, I understand is, has got, you know, some good money Tennessee Tech joining us next year and we'll, we'll talk a little bit more about them in a minute. We, we have developed over five years of reputation as a good football team, particularly on offense, and I think we could bring some guys down from the portal that know that they're not gonna make as much money as they had hoped in some of the bigger conferences in FBS schools and then be able to exploit that talent for a year or two. What do you think about that?

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 6:51

Yeah. Showcase their abilities with our offensive season. With our offensive scheme, you know, with coach Corwin Bell. Love him to throw the football like he does. It should be very attractive to quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. And that's, and also giving defensive players a great opportunity to play too. But yeah, it's that's, it's, it works both ways. Unfortunately. It's probably. About a 75, 25 situation us when it comes to the portal and so forth. But yeah, it's happened before. We've gotten some, actually, we've gotten some players back over the years after they left to come back. And so we'll, we'll, we'll see how that pans out.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 7:35

One of the things I wish we had better conversation about along the lines of football is the defense. You know hopefully we can get things cranked up. I, I don't want to call anybody or anything out, but, you know, we certainly struggled particularly with the long pass plays this year. I was impressed with the way we tightened up on the run games. We were, we were much better, particularly on the short down the middle runs. Only a few breakaways on those kinds of plays.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 8:08

Yeah. Yeah. People talk about our defensive backs they can't cover, but that, you know, that's a double-edged sword there. You've got to be able to put pressure. On the opposing quarterback not to let them establish the running game where you can't, rush the passer and getting to that passer. How, how many times you, it seems like many times the quarterback could stand there and go eenie, mey, mighty mo, and find a wide receiver open. You know, that type of stuff. I, you know, I'm not blaming it you know, entirely on our defensive backs. I think the the linebackers and the defensive front has a lot to do with that. So there's a lot of work to be done. We know that you know, I don't know if the scheme is the, the problem or it's the talent level. That's not my, not my call there, but yeah, that, that would help a lot if we could just come up with a defense. Strong enough to compliment our offense. That's we're, we're on our way again.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 9:03

Yeah, exactly. I mean, any, we could have won against Elon or Gardner Webb early in the season had our defense been better even without Tiger. So,

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 9:16

yeah

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 9:17

I.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 9:17

You know, a 35 7 lead against Gardner Webb. Elon just, we sort of broke down in that second half.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 9:24

Yep.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 9:25

back to one thing here. We just

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 9:27

Yes.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 9:27

the, the season and so forth is that 48 6 win over VMI wrapped up a third straight seven win season. Now that's, we haven't done that. That's the most wins in a three season stretch. Now granted, we were used to only play 10 ball games a year for many seasons, and that changed in the eighties. We went to 11 game schedule. But the most wins in a three game stretch, a three season stretch. Since the 82, 83 84 seasons under Coach Bob Waters. So that's 21 wins in that three that it was the only thing that come close to matching that those Great Seasons. runner up in 82, playoffs in 83, conference runner up in 84 under Coach Bob Water. So that that's, I think that's significant.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 10:19

I agree. Definitely agree. And with the 12 game season becoming permanent under the NCAA rules we're gonna have some changes to how we look at things over the coming years particularly with the addition of Tennessee Tech. Let's talk a little bit about, adding Tennessee Tech and how that is going to affect how we play. You, you had a conversation with some of the Southern Conference folks to talk about next season. Tell us a little bit more about that. I.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 10:49

Well let's, let's look at that 26 scenario there. I know we, you know, you talk about this, we've got a lot of talented players coming back, scheduled return, I think eight on offensive starters, seven on D. We know that won't happen but we know about the portal and so forth. But the schedule as I say, 12 game schedule next season. Right now we've got six homes, six away. So second straight year we've had six home games and that's great. Non-conference games. We play at a very strong Cincinnati team and the big 12, strong FSC team, Kentucky. My understanding is that's who we're gonna open the season with first game of the season in August, what they call zero Week against

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 11:36

Right.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 11:37

Now, that's assuming that the stadium will be complete and we'll have all our facilities, the Sky Box area and everything, which right now understands it's a little bit ahead of schedule, but should have something happen. That would flip maybe the Eastern Kentucky game up there, which would give us three straight road games to open the season and give'em time, but I don't think that's gonna happen. Then we got Presbyterian who went 10 and two this season. Missed the playoffs, but they beat Mercer and Furman. That's not a, that's, we beat'em. What? 77 to seven or something like that about four years ago

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 12:12

Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 12:13

guys. We're freshmen at Presbyterian and Campbell again, we go down there this season again and they'll come back here the following year in 27. They beat us two years ago and they took us right down to the final gun this year. Tennessee Tech comes into the conference next season as our 10th football playing member, which means a nine game conference schedule. But,

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 12:38

Except next year.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 12:40

Yeah, they come in next year. Yeah. But that means because of prior game contracts with non-conference opponents, you know, money games, guaranteed games most of the teams are unable to play a nine game conference schedule in the the coming season because of that commitments. The, that usual round robin schedule we had will begin in 2027. When you play. You know, somebody will have five home games. Somebody will have four home games, vice versa, five road games, four home games, this type of thing. But that will not start until 27. But Tennessee Tech will be playing everybody in the conference next year. Now their game with you teach Chattanooga next year with Tennessee Chattanooga will actually be a non-conference game because of some schedule obligations and so forth. So, we'll, we'll see how that is. Not everyone. Is gonna be able to play a nine game conference schedule next year in the league. So, but all the Tennessee tech games are gonna count as a conference game except for that for the Chattanooga game that doesn't affect us. And again which SoCon teams we play and where we play'em, that will be announced probably January, February, and we'll know about no later in the 1st of March. You know where we're gonna be in game times and so forth.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:00

Okay, well it looks pretty interesting for the now. Math says if we've got. Three or four non-conference games.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:14

Yeah, we,

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:14

We have

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:15

we have four

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:16

four. So

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:17

Kentucky.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:18

were we not gonna play somebody in the conference then If we're playing eight conference games plus Tennessee Tech, we're not going to play somebody in the Southern Conference.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:29

no, no, no. You, you will have that, that's, that's it. You know, we just don't know right now how that's

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:35

Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:35

out. Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:35

Got it.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:36

four non-conference games and I, some reason, I think it's VMI, we're not gonna play that, but I don't, don't, don't hold me on that one, but that's just a guess.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:46

Oh, great.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:47

Trying to look at this thing. Yeah. We'll that that's, that is presbyter Tennessee Tech will be playing everybody, the new member.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 14:55

Right,

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 14:55

necessarily that there's, everybody's gonna play everybody that, that doesn't work out. If you've got four non-conference games, some

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 15:01

exactly.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 15:02

have three non-conference games. But because of contractual obligations we have we have four non-conference

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 15:10

Yep. Yep. Okay. Just wanted to clear that up. So let's talk a little bit about the playoffs that we won't be part of.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 15:19

yeah, yeah. Mercer is the number six seed representing our conference, and they get a first round by Bob and we'll not, we'll play the winner of the Drake South Dakota game. Drake, the winner of the Pioneer League, which was Presbyterian Davidson's League. They'll be playing them in Macon. That'll be a home game in two weeks, so they won't have to play the first week, should they win that one. That would probably send, which I think they'll be favored in that ball game, whether it's Drake or South Dakota that would probably send the bears to Montana. And we know all about going and playing the grizzlies in Missoula. So that's probably what's gonna happen. Assuming. Something strange doesn't happen. But yeah, that so Mercer's got their work cut out for them. It looks like a, a good first round matchup or a second round matchup for them. But that third round, the quarterfinals, that's another story going to Montana.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 16:13

Well to the, to be put a little point on that. Montana will most likely have to play South Dakota State, assuming they play well. South Dakota State plays New Hampshire in their first round and. My guess is that South Dakota State has had tougher competition in the, this past year than New Hampshire has.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 16:35

Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 16:36

It's going to be in South Dakota. So,

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 16:39

Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 16:40

Montana has to get past South Dakota State and you know, they lost to Montana State, Montana lost to Montana State this weekend. So.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 16:47

So yeah, that's, that's good. The Dakota is the Montana, that's FCS football. Tennessee Tech is not seated. That was a surprise, really. But that tells you about the OVC whatever that league is called now, the big South OVC combine, what have you. They're not seated and they have to play North Dakota, but I think that's gonna be a home game for Tennessee Tech. The way I read it, not North Dakota State, but North Dakota and the Golden Eagles are favored to advance to against the number four seed. Tarleton State down in Texas. So that would, Tarleton State is the number four seed. Very good. They just wore out Chattanooga this year when they played them. So,

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 17:30

Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 17:30

there a lot of people think they might be the best team, they might even be better than North Dakota State, but we know, we know never to bet against North Dakota State And how

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 17:41

Yeah, I mean, undefeated and, you know, they, they look stronger than ever this year.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 17:46

Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 17:47

that, that's, but there's definitely a good competition. It, the, the playoffs should be fun to watch, even watching from the outside, unfortunately.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 17:56

that right and that, how about Harvard and Yale? That's

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 17:59

And

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 17:59

thing. First

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 18:01

yes.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 18:01

with the Ivy League. voted to play in the FCS playoffs, and also they're getting two teams in was, you know, ranked and was walking away with the Ivy League and all of a sudden that great rivalry, Harvard and Yale. And that is a unique, unique little football rivalry. More than more ways than one. But Yale upset Harvard and so both teams got in. So how do you explain that judge?

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 18:30

I know, I know it's interesting scenario. So maybe the playoffs will work out to be interesting in, in that fashion and see some underdogs playing for, for some higher births.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 18:42

just

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 18:43

Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 18:43

in there one time and make some something exciting happen. That's, I just want, it's been a long time. 19 1983.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 18:52

I know, I know. Hopefully we get there. You know, we've got the, the best chances that we've had in 30, 40 years. Certainly 30 years o over the last five years. So, you know, one more win. Dang it.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 19:07

Yes

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 19:08

let's move on. Let's, we've beat that dog or horse long enough.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 19:13

to. We just, yeah, cruel. Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 19:25

Okay, so we're looking at basketball now, men's team and women's team. Let's start with men. Tough. Starting out of conference schedule. Looked pretty good against UNCA last week. And then. Not so good against Lipski on Saturday, there's a complete turnaround, whether it be turnovers, whether it be rebounding, whether it be scoring. One thing that I've noticed is a little bit of a lack of three point scoring from these guys so far.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 19:56

Nonexistent. And that Lipscomb game, Bob, that thing about it is you know, people don't understand the strength of that Lipscomb program. They say, who is that? You know, over in Nashville. They were 22 and five last season, went to the NCAA tournament, played Iowa State, a very strong game in the NCAA tournament. That's a

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 20:17

Yep.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 20:17

program, even though they lost a lot of people. They've got it going over there. They don't have football, so basketball is their primary sport and they're also very good in baseball also.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 20:27

It's a pretty little campus on the south side of Nashville too. I've driven through it a couple of times.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 20:32

of money there too. It

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 20:33

Absolutely,

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 20:34

Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 20:34

absolutely.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 20:35

Yeah. We shot only 18% from three point arc against Lipscomb, scored only, and they scored 28 points off of our terminal.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 20:45

Turnovers. Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 20:46

that was the difference, those, those two factors right there. Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 20:50

Yep. So, and we, we continue with our tough schedule. We got High Point coming up this Saturday. I'm gonna go over to Athens for the Georgia game later in December. So, you know, it's gonna be a test, but hopefully it's test by fire to bring us up ready for the conference season.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 21:09

Yeah, there's I just, I like the new additions to our team. Eight new guys adjoining the eight holdovers from last season. Coach Kraft is looking for the right combination in chemistry. He's playing 10 or 11 guys about the main same amount of time right now in this sprint, and that's what he's using. His pre-conference schedule is now, we're now three and three and continuing a very, very challenging pre-conference schedule. At highly regarded, let's, that's an understatement. This Saturday High point

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 21:39

High point.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 21:40

number six among the NCAA mid-majors just behind Gonzaga St. Mary's. These traditional mid-major powers that always do well in the NCAA tournament, a lot of coaches say. High point is better than about half of the a CC teams this year. That's how

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 21:58

Wow.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 21:59

And they just do not lose at home where we've got to play. Then that gauntlet continues road trips to USC upstate, which we have a very hard time beating anywhere then to Virginia Tech and Georgia before we're opening that Southern conference schedule. At home with Wofford on New Year

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 22:16

Offered Right.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 22:17

Right. So a lot of work left for coach Kraft and his team before. We get into the conference schedule.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 22:24

Yep. Coach sipp as well is looking at an improved team this year. Let's disregard Oklahoma.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 22:32

Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 22:33

And even UNC Asheville, they, they didn't play what I thought they were doing earlier with their first few games.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 22:41

Yeah, we had three, three starters out for that game and key players and yeah coach Sips, team two and four going into a, another tough game at West Georgia. We beat them at home last year, but. West Georgia's really coming on among the FCS level programs right now. They're coming off a very encouraging performance. At Wake Forest. Yesterday, it was a 11 point lead to an unbeaten six and oh Wake Forest team. That was yesterday afternoon, the Winston-Salem Ally Hollifield transfer from Memphis. And the granddaughter of one of my 1960s classmate, former WCU football player, Dale Hollifield. He she

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 23:22

Huh.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 23:22

offense with 17 points. She hit five threes. She's like I say, transferred over from Memphis. Team still hampered by injuries. But we did get six two Pace post player grace pack back yesterday. She got back on the floor for the first time since late last season. I responded with some solid rebounding and scoring in limited minutes yesterday, but she will make a difference in that middle. She is very strong. shoot three pointers. She, but she can go in there and command the board. So and then Ellie Richardson, our starting point guard from Indiana freshmen, really looked good early in the season. She was on the bench again for the second time in a row, and hopefully get her back. And Bob, they've got a nice road trip. I wish they would invite us. We could go down there and do the podcast with Coach SIPP down in The Bahamas this weekend

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 24:13

Yeah, I know that's, it's like fun tough chores because we open against Clemson and then we have either Michigan State or Temple. After that, depending on, how the first round games go. But that sounds like a great opportunity for these ladies to get a little more experience, like you said, after Wake Forest yesterday, not getting blown out against a very good team and hopefully with possibly a win against West Georgia. I haven't looked at their schedule yet and see the strength of them, but yeah. We should definitely have an improved conference season, which is where it counts.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 24:49

Yeah, they gotta go. Gotta make a road trip to Indiana, which will be a very tough one. I'm sure. Ellie Richardson, that's where she's from and that's probably part of. Playing them to give her some exposure up there. But again, second the Southern Conference play begins the second week in January. And like I say, we hope we can get Coach Sip on after this Bahama Road trip the Nassau Road trip May maybe next week. I don't know. That's up to you to figure that out. we would like, we'd like to have an invitation to go with them to The Bahamas.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 25:20

Well you know, I'm, I'm thinking about things for next year, like being at the football, the Southern Conference Football press presser in August.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 25:32

Mm-hmm.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 25:32

Yeah. The media day, I'd love to get down there. So those are things that, that we're gonna do as, as the podcast develops. Last thing, let's talk a little bit about volleyball. A little bit of a disappointing season. It's funny because they were in so many of those games that they lost. They were, they lost, you know, 25, 22 sets all over the place. And, 27, 24, things like that.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 25:56

Yeah.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 25:57

Kind of a frustrating season for them

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 25:59

How

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 25:59

because they had some good players. Sorry,

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 26:01

you know, going into the second half of a set and just couldn't hold on. But again, they ended their season at the Southern Conference Tournament in Nashville. That's quite a little showcase over at the the Harris Casino,

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 26:13

center. Yeah.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 26:14

call it. Now. I used, call it the Civic Center, I still call it, but coach Kerry Glover's team beat the Citadel in that first round game. And actually LED number one seated East Tennessee State, in those quarterfinal games the first two sets, they had big leads going into the second half of those sets that just couldn't hold on. And ended up losing to them and wofford actually pulling an upset to win the Southern NCE Championship for the second year in a row. So they knocked off the number one seat in East Tennessee State.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 26:48

Yep. Well you had something we talked briefly about maybe the sky box being completed. What, what are you seeing so far and are, are there any changes to the plans or is it just moving on schedule?

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 27:02

Well, it once in a while I'll, you know, stick, I shouldn't be in there in the work site, but. I'll get a conversation every once in a while with one of the workers, one of the guys that knows what's going on. And the last two times I've talked to him says, yeah, we're a little bit, they say we're a little bit ahead of schedule. We think we're, you know have this thing, that May nine, one of them said, you know, by no later than the end of July, 1st of August, by, which would be great, get us time to get ready for the home opening football game next year. But yeah, it's all the exterior steelwork seems to be in place. They're starting now to work on the flooring out, don't, the walls will be coming along soon. I'm sure they'd like to have that. And closed before the harsh winter. Comes in here calling and, and then you see the elevator shafts, which I'm looking forward to riding an elevator up there after thousands of trips to the old press box in Whitmeyer Stadium over the years. But yeah, it's it's impressive. It's gonna be really. A landmark. Look at our football stadium. When you pull into the area now and you can see that sky box, it's very impressive and it's gonna be very functional and fill a lot of needs for our athletics program.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 28:15

Well, I, you know, I know you did your signature at the, the top of the stands there, and what I heard was you used a, a never dry marker. So it would bleed through and we'd actually see your name come through the drywall on the,

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 28:31

Well, they asked me if I

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 28:32

the elevator shaft.

squadcaster-37c7_1_11-24-2025_100155: 28:33

you know, to put that beam in place that I autographed at the very top beam, the last beam to go steel beam on the exterior. And they said, I said, well, how well do we get there? He said, well, you can just hold onto the cable as we pull up and sit on the, sit on the steel beam. I said, I think I'll pass on that one.

bob-sabin_1_11-24-2025_100154: 28:53

Yeah, you see pictures of the guys building the Empire State Building in the thirties, so, all right, well. I think that about wraps it up for this edition. As you heard, we'll be back in two weeks, I think with coach ssis and we'll be talking girls basketball at that point. Y'all have a great Thanksgiving holidays. We are excited about going on fm weekly WW CU and also follow us on. Twitter and Facebook and YouTube, and all your favorite channels for podcasts. We are brought to you as always by Stanbury Insurance offices in Silva, Highlands, Waynesville, Clyde, and we will see y'all in two weeks on tracking the cats.