Tim LaComb on Resilience, Reinvention, and Showing Up

I just look back, I think it’s been a lot of trial and error,
which I think life can be. I think it’s been a lot of luck in some instances
and timing. And then I do believe in, you know, in angels. And I I don’t know
that angels are like we perceive them with wings, but I do think people that
maybe cross over allowed to intervene every now and again. And I think there
are hundreds of thousands of angels on earth, you know, through my lifetime
from both sides, from the divine and also from the the earth. Mhm. The these
angels have carried me through and and I big reason why I’m sitting here is
because of that. Welcome to the Know Your Ship podcast presented by E-Hub.
I’m your host, Frank Dolce. That is such a great introduction to this podcast
today and welcome Tim Lome the Renaissance man. I’m so excited to talk to you
because of all that you just described and all that you just talked about and
my thought about this podcast today is just like the life and times of Tim
Lome because I think there’s so much wisdom and insight from all of your
experience. So I hope you’re okay talking about that and I might poke fun at
you a little bit. Well, I wouldn’t I wouldn’t expect anything less. um one of
the first I I didn’t know you all that well and I had to do something and as
always like even today you tried to have your receptionist come out and tell
me you weren’t taking guests and she wouldn’t. So it was such a great So yes,
I get it. The jokes will be there and and I’ve tried to become a better sport
the older I’ve gotten. I used to take life way too seriously. I don’t know
that guy. I don’t know the guy that takes life way too seriously. You seem
like the guy. I mean, you just take it as it comes and you can let things
roll off your back and you don’t get too caught up in all of the drama and
the mess. Is that not what you were previously? Well, I I think I I think
that’s ideally who I’d love to be. I think I’m evolving toward that. Mhm. But
you know, like we talked about, there’s a lot of circumstance in your life
that kind of set habits of how you react to things. And you know, one of the
more pivotal things that happened in my young life was from the time I was
born to the time I was 12 years old. And I apologize because when I talk
about this stuff, I get a teeny bit emotional. You can get emotional. Um, but
I think that’s okay, too. I u but I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable nor
the fern. No, I typically make everybody in this office emotional. I think
it’s a gift. I don’t know if other people think of it that way, but emotional
is okay. Okay. Well, we’re all good. From the time I was 1 to 12, um where
and where is this, by the way? I grew up So, I grew up actually where I was
born is is re relevant. Um, I was born in Salt Lake City and I was born at
Holy Cross Hospital, which I always really think’s cool. I was the only kid
that was born at Holy Cross. And it kind of is symbolic of who I am. I’m not
a masses guy. I I don’t just jump in with the masses and accept everything
that’s thrown at me. I I am somebody that’s always kind of thinking of how
this affects everybody. So, the fact that I was born in Holy Cross Hospital,
I love I was raised kind of in the Alpine Highland, more Highland area. So,
the funny part is growing up in in that area. You were embarrassed to say you
were up you were from up there. You know, you went to school in American
Forks. So, you’d have to bust down from the country and you know, everybody
is a city kid and they all got to hang in the city and you’d go back to the
you know, what seemed like 100 miles away, but it was it was only a mile and
a half. Uh but as kids I remember people saying, “Oh, he’s just he’s a
Highland guy or he can’t play in this football game today that we’re all
going to play.” And so it was uh it was fun. It was it was an awesome
experience growing up. But from the time I was 1 to 12 in that area, I think
the first thing to happen, I was just an infant and my uh grandfather owned a
bunch of property and we had chickens. We did chickens and eggs and so we had
a chicken farm down there and my parents lived on the farm and kind of tended
it. You know, I’m like I’m an infant. I have an older brother who’s four. I
have an older sister um who actually just turned 60 this year. So she was uh
she was probably 10 at the time, nine or 10. And so I’m just a baby. I’m home
with my mother. And obviously I don’t remember any of this, but my sister and
brother went for a walk out on the property and encountered a a pond and um
he had a bow and arrow. He was really into westerns, you know, always had
cowboy hats and but he had an arrow and he shot it into the pond and went to
get it and my sister, you know, he disappeared and she couldn’t find him. And
so he she ran back home and my mom, you know, like that was the first kind of
major thing. Few years later, about the time I was five, my dad was diagnosed
with a with cancer. And so back to my we lost my brother. My my dad died
after a crazy battle. He was 200 lb, like you know, around that when he got
the disease. And as a 12-year-old kid, I kind of helped carry him. I did the
lion share carrying him to the car the last time. And he was uh he he was
under 80 pounds. So that was that was a rough part of growing up. um to my
mother’s point during that time my her brother was in a plane crash and he
both he and his wife passed and then we lost three out of four of my
grandparents. So in a 10ear span I pretty much lost every male role model
that a kid has and That’s what I didn’t talk about angels because we had I
had great uncles who helped pick up the the pieces. I had neighbors, a guy by
the name of Dennis Dery who had eight kids and found room to always have
something more for me. um was friends with his kids and they took me everywhere
and did things with me and um so anyway I I d I I digress but those first 10
years in in total we lost a bunch of of really people close to us and and it
made life seem kind of topsyturvy for me. Mhm. Uh whether it’s been conscious
or unconscious is from that point on it’s just been a a journey to figure out
how to deal with all that and then obviously how to make a life for yourself.
So as you reflect on that and it clearly it’s close and it’s right there on
the surface. How did that help you evolve? How do you utilize that the way
you are today? And from like an outside perspective, you you know, you’re
like super approachable. There’s instant camaraderie. I’ve witnessed it. It
happens. It’s happened with me. It It happens when we’re walking around the
office and you’re just meeting people for the first time and you don’t know
who they are. They might not know who you are. There’s an instant connection.
Is that a manifestation of this trauma that you experienced growing up or is
it do you view that as as some other force in your life? You know, I had a I
had the probably I just said kind of what we went through, but to hold our
family together, you know, I had the most remarkable mom who’s still with us.
And I think it’s, you know, I I watched her interact and obviously like you
get home at night and you’re dejected and I mean she instantly had to be the
bread winner, you know, and she she taught dance, started a dance studio and
dance company and and she just got really really involved in all that. But
she was always happy even through all of it. She was, you know, I didn’t see
her ever play victim, you know, it was never poor us. And again, it’s kind of
the where I learned this and where I’ve I look back to where this started,
but my motto in life is people are the secret sauce. You know, when when I
was in coaching and I was recruiting, it was vital to make an impact and to
make a relationship meaningful because there are so many people that are fine
having inauthentic relationships all over the place just to get what they
want. But authenticity to me reigns supreme. And I figure if I show people
who I am right from the jump, you know, I’m not a guy that plays any games
like no, they’re going to have to earn my trust and you know, then I’m not
necessarily starting the relationship on the right end either. So I I would
just say to your question, I think it was it was a great example and a ton of
love from my mom and then you know the the rest of this has been you know
it’s been unique because I’ve kind of hopped from thing to thing. I was just
telling you I graduated college at 35 or 36 and it opened a door for me to go
do something that I’d always wanted to do but just never could. you know, I
had young family and it opened the door into coaching and then I went down
this 12, you know, college coaching. I went down this 12 year journey of that
at BYU, which was just magical, right? But it’s it’s I’ve kind of taken life
as it comes, just like I take people as they come. Tell me about this there.
There’s a lot to unpack there, but tell me tell me about this. I graduated
from college at 36. What? See, there’s the part, you know, you gota you gota
gota throw a little shade where is where I mean there’s a pretty good gap in
some what was happening in that period. I mean you went to you went to high
school, finished high school. Did you start college at that point? No. So I
went to high school, finished high school and I basically spent a year trying
to decide what I wanted to do now. And I ultimately made the decision to go
on a mission for the church, the Mormon church. And so I was called and went
and served in Boston, Massachusetts. And that place opened my eyes. That
place changed me a bunch. In in which ways? Well, I read about history in
school. But I was I was less authentic as a younger guy. You know, I was
trying, hey, my objective here is to get a grade. I’m just going to figure
out how to get a grade. Mhm. Um, so when I got out there and got immersed in
some of that stuff, like you walk around and um, you know, you’re standing in
in the basic area of the Boston Tea Party, you you walk through Paul River’s
house and you see like those aren’t just stories. These people had serious
guts, man. And and when you get out there and you see this is, you know, it
really kind of opened up a love of history and a love of of understanding the
sacrifices people made for us to be where we are today. There’s nothing like
being and experiencing it on site. No, there’s not. I mean, the Freedom
Trail, I’m sure you’ve done that. Walk through town and Oh, it’s it’s
unbelievable. see some of those great, you know, people that their graves,
you know, uh can you So, right there, I’m sure, you know, right by that one
of the graveyards is the site of the Boston Massacre. Yep, that’s right. With
the It’s right out in the middle of the street. There’s a little a star that
marks that. Yeah. And I just can you imagine being in that situation? You
know, you’ve all of a sudden you’re in the middle of standing up for an ideal
and you have the greatest army in the world right in your backyard. Yeah,
they’re basically encamped, right? They’re there. Yeah, they’re there. And is
that the decision you make? I’m standing my ground. I mean, I just I am curious
about stuff like that all the time. I don’t know if I would have the guts. I
don’t know. I don’t know if I would, you know, but I I can tell you this.
What’s inspiring is when you see the people that do. Absolutely. Well, okay.
So, you you you served a mission in Boston. Yep. Was there two years? I
didn’t know that. That’s fascinating. Did you ever hit Did you What What year
was that? I was there from 89 to 91. Oh, okay. So, you’re you’re Did you get
a chance to hit any of the Italian pastry shops? Oh, yeah. North End. Dude,
come on, man. I learned all about the north end. I love the I mean the
history is you can’t beat the history, but I enjoy it as much as going to the
pastry shops. In fact, that’s I mean that may be a reason I brought you all
these pastry. You said you’re not even going to eat it today, but I’ll make
somebody’s day with it. Okay. All right. That sounds good. Which helps you
helped make someone’s day. Yeah. If I can do that, if I can feel like I did
that, then that’s Here’s a cool Boston story. Great. real quick. Mike Smith
Yeah. works for the Utah Jazz. Y um Mike was drafted the day before I flew
out. So I get to the airport with my group. Mhm. And all of a sudden, this is
back before TSA and everybody could go to the gate. Um and I kind of looking
down the hall and I see this big convoy of people and a guy holding a camera,
news camera. And Mike’s walking down and so Mike ends up being on our flight
to Boston to go out and meet the media and everything. So I get my ticket, he
gets his ticket, we end up sitting next to each other on the flight. Um, so
we chew the fat. I tell him that, you know, I used your name a lot for dates.
I would say, “You guys know Mike Smith?” “Yeah, he’s my
cousin.” Yeah. And girls want to go out with me, you know. So I told him
I used your name for, you know, try to to negotiate a few things. Yeah. And
he chuckled. And so we stayed in touch and it wasn’t cell phone days, but he
said, “Hey, you’re going to be a missionary while you’re out there. Look
me up and I will get you into a game.” Oo. It’s like sweet. Okay. So
this is obviously the 80s in the Celtics and you know you know what that
means. It was a dynasty is domination. It was that Lakers and them Pistons, you
know, messing around in there a little. But the the craziest thing was I
found him about 13 months in, made contact at a state conference or something
and we set the time. I gave him my number and lo and behold, he you know, I
get a call from the secretary of the Boston Celtics one day and leaves a
message and said, “Hey, we got your tickets and pick them up.” So,
we go down to the game and when we get our tickets, there’s a note on the
back that says, “Hey, meet me around. I’ll take you guys in. Meet me
around the back at the causeway.” So, there was the old Boston Garden.
There was a train station underneath it, but there was also parking and
everything. And so, we stood at the back and all of a sudden Mike rolls up in
his Toyota 4Runner and in the front seats Joe Klene, his teammate. So, we get
in, we pull up and start talking. But as we pull into park, one, two, three,
and I I promise you, you can ask Mike, this happened. Three cars pull in.
There’s an SUV looking like or a Suburban type thing. There was a Lincoln
Continental and a truck. And so I get out and I’m kind of looking around and
out of the Lincoln Continental steps out Larry Bird. Out of the truck, Kevin
McCale. And out of the the big SUV Suburban was the Chief Robert Parish
Parish. And so we literally walked into the garden through the players
entrance with the big three. And I seriously I they almost had to give me
like rev out. Yeah, Larry. So, you know, you carry around as a missionary,
you have a little rule book on you at all times in case things get weird and
you got to check the rules, right? So, I had my my book in my pocket. I
didn’t have anything else. What was about to get weird? I don’t know. Just if
I mean, if you need to seek like you see, Larry, did you have some in No, no,
no. I’m just telling No, I’m just telling you what the Bible’s for. The white
Bible’s for. But it’s all I had. And I had a pen. So, I opened it. I knew
this. And I handed it to him and he signed I have a signed copy of the white
Bible, the rule book with Larry Bird’s signature in the front. That’s pretty
cool. You still have that? I still have it today. You should have brought
that today. Can you send me a picture of it? We want to show people when we
when we post this. Absolutely. Send me a picture of that. I mean, it’s pretty
neat. That’s unbelievable. Okay, let me ask you the most important question
regarding this experience. You got to watch Boston Celtics in their prime
play live. You’re you’re still pretty young though. What are you 19? No, I’m
54. That explains why you finished school at See, that was really good. It
was It was timing was Go ahead. Okay. as a young man, you got to see and so
maybe you didn’t watch as as as much with a critical eye. Maybe you did, I
don’t know, but you obviously are a basketball guy, love the sport. That’s
the golden era. I still think of that time frame. Full disclosure, I don’t
watch much NBA basketball today. I don’t You’re not into it? No. No, but I
was into it then. And that still seems to me like the way you should play
basketball. But what you should do is listen to the pre and the post. I
always Okay. Always do that. You watch what you want. We’re going to talk
about that, too. I want to know I we the listeners want the inside scoop
because you guys all act like you know there’s serious stuff and you’re
analyzing you’re breaking down and that’s all really good but then you’re
like kind of like friendly with each other and it all seems you know pretty
sterile like everybody gets along but is I want to know if this is more like
an Access Hollywood thing like behind the scenes are you and a lima like
going at it. I cannot stand a lima Harrington. You’re not the only person. I
mean, you want to talk about an ego? No. Bill’s up. Far from that. Far from
that. This room and the next Alma’s amazing. There is not a lot of drama,
bro. There’s not. Do you want to make some up? Um, yeah. Who could get fired?
No, I don’t. I know a guy. I’m just But that’s another thing I try to just be
I know. Do do your do your job. Know your ship. Know your ship. That’s so
good. I’m glad you mentioned that because we’re going to head there. I want
to keep talking about your life experience. Okay. And we got this is where
we’re going. We we’re going to talk about all of your life experience because
it’s interesting and then I want you to tell us all the lessons. That’s the
know your ship. But first, you you went and saw the Celtics play in their
prime. Where do you put Larry Bird on the top five of all time list? Oh, he’s
for me, he’s up there. I mean, I think our generation, we’re always going to
be Jordan guys. You know, there’s no doubt. So, I’m I’m definitely a Jordan
guy at one. Me, too. Um, but it’s funny because then I’m starting to see the
age bias. You know, my dad used to, you know, when I was a young kid, you
should see Oscar Roberts. Oh, of course. And Wilt and all that. So, but I but
for me just mine he’s he’s definitely up there in the top five. Talk about a
relentless competitor. Didn’t have a lot of the advantages guys did, but he
was just like, if you hear about his history, he played every summer he would
show up at pickup games and and cut off Levis’s. You know, he would play in
flipflops or no shoes. He was just a tough dude. And and that’s what stood
out to me when I watched him play was there there was a lot of skill but if
you like if you make it skill will like his will was supreme and that’s why
the Celtics were what they were you know I obviously all those ancillary
pieces were really important but he when you look at an organization you
obviously who’s leading it and he was the leader I thought he was leader by
vocal you know Mike Smith talks all the time how hard he was on guys you know
and hold him accountable, hold him to a standard. Um, he was sarcastic like
you. Very sarcastic. I don’t know why you would say that. That’s hurt. In
fact, that’s hurtful that you would say that. I apologize. And I did it in
the presence of the fern. I took a chance bringing this fern out today. It’s
comforted me if nothing else. It definitely calmed my nerves. I like to see.
I’m beginning to think it was a mistake. Is it real or fake? You tell me.
She’s fake. We’re all over the place. Hopefully you can wrangle this
together. Life lessons with Tim L. This is so good. Okay. Did Larry Bird
maximize his combination of skill and will? Did he maximize? Absolutely. And
and Jordan was only better because his skill level was higher, but I think he
maximized that like the will part was also right. I mean, it’s like, put it
this way, we’ve all got bank accounts. You know, some are bigger than others.
And so, money is money, but you just you got to make it on what you got. So,
I’m I’m asking you these questions for a reason, not just because I I’m
really interested in it. But you were around a lot of those guys, and I’m
going to ask you about maximizing your talent because you’ve witnessed it.
I’m you know, I I’d be interested to to find out about your own thoughts.
Have you maximized your talent? Have any of us maximize our talent? Because I
can look like guys like Michael Jordan. You’re like like that. Yeah, that’s a
perfect example. Larry Bird, that’s another example of a guy from our era.
Magic Johnson, maybe he’s another guy that got the most out of his talent.
But then there’s lots of guys that you look at who you could say they still
had really nice careers, really didn’t maximize all that they were given. And
how do you how do you do that? It’s it’s a great question and I don’t know
that I have I’ve tried, you know, I’ve tried I I think that um we limit
ourselves sometimes though by I think fear is a big one. You know, I’ve been
wanting to start a podcast for a couple years, you know, with some of the
associations I have and things. I think it’d be fascinating, but scares me to
death. What scares you? Um I not so much. You’re the perfect guy. Like look
how comfortable you are. No, it’s not that. It’s just adding one more thing
to my life. You know, I’m especially during the jazz season and we talked
about it. We I do all those games. So, it’s 82 nights. Like, you don’t
realize 82 nights until you live 82 nights. Okay. Cuz here’s what you want.
Do you want to hear my response to to that? Yeah. Like, you’re going to try
and add one more thing to your duties of broadcasting jazz basketball games.
That’s the worry that you have. Well, no, but it’s it’s scheduled, but I got
something. You know, I work a day job, too. Yeah. You’re like trying to make
me feel bad for being scared. Like all you have is the jazz stuff. Oh, and
you can’t figure out how to You know what? It’s selfish. You’re just being
selfish. Cuz the world needs more of me. Yeah. I I highly doubt that. Um
whenever I have a doubt about myself, that’s what I think. Oh, you’re being
selfish. I’m just being selfish. Is Dolce Italian? Yes. Thank you. I I’ve
gotten so many things when people ask me about my last name. A lot of people
say French and that is kind of like that seems like kind of a dig. Okay. Like
say, “Are you French?” And I’m like, “No, that’s not
French.” Is French. It is. Yeah. I Okay. So, it’s not a dig. I want to
ask you about that because I was almost certain that that’s like a a name
that was Americanized like you made that up. Your family made that up when
they came to the States to to become more American. No, we just took Or maybe
just to sound fancy like your last name. We took the E off. So So the the
French pronunciation and it goes French Canadian. There’s a lot of laces in
Montreal. Is that right? Yeah. You see hockey guys, there’s hockey and NHL
guys with my name, but they have the E on the end. And that’s the way the way
they Americanized the name was they capitalized the C and dropped the E. Oh,
that’s how they So, it’s L A capital C O. But French. Oh, like lome. Like
lome. Like the fragrance and no, you’re thinking Lancome. Oh, I wish people
call me that in the doctor’s office all the time. Yeah. I wish I had a stand
up. Yes. I would like the check. Yeah. How many people How many people do you
think say to me when I sign a a receipt? Is it Dulk? No. They say, “Oh,
Dolian Gabbana.” Oh. Has anybody ever called you Dulk? No one’s ever
called me Dulk. I might have to be the first. You are the first. But that
doesn’t even make sense. Where do you get Dulk out of D? Makes sense. I’m
hooked on phonics. Makes sense. Hard see. Some people think that I’m
Moroccan. Did you see that? I could see Moroccan. I can’t see. Well, maybe I
can. Skin tone. What? What else is there besides French? Are you Are you 100%
French Canadian? So, my my lome side’s French. French Canadian. And then my
Samson side, which is my middle name, is from England. Samsons are English,
old English. Sam or Samson? Sam, because we know Sams, no P and Sam sons, no
P. And Samson, you’re a Samson. You You’re English and French. That doesn’t
make sense. But you know what does make sense? Now I understand why you’re
fearful about taking something else on. That’s the French psych. Ike and that
goes back to the dig. So now everybody in France has turned off your podcast
at this point. Do you think Mcronone is listening? Do you think Mcronone is
like, I really wish I knew my ship. If only I knew my ship. You edit stuff,
right? Like we’re not going just straight like there’s going to be somebody
making this look great. This is going to be edited, but not very much because
this is gold. Are we enjoy Are you enjoying this or you Okay. No, they look
like they’re having fun. I think they’re having Caleb for sure. Caleb’s
chuckled a few times. Yes. By the way, do you know where this whole thing
started? All I said was, “Tell me about getting your degree at 36.”
Oh, yeah. That’s right. How did we end up here? Well, we went to You went to
Boston. We went to Boston. So, we probably need to pick up from that. come
back. Okay. So, come back from Boston and I enrolled at Utah Valley
University. Mhm. I went I guess was it community college? It was UBVSC at the
time. And so I I went and got all my general stuff done, you know, did the
economic thing. Um and I think those were the years, if I’m not mistaken,
that you were playing quarterback at Utah. Was that the early 90s? Yeah.
Yeah. Yep. That was like 90. I got home 91. 91. You were 91 92 and remember
hearing the talk of this amazing Dulk up there taking taking snaps and then I
realiz I think you just made me Polish Polish name Dolce. So no watched you
play and it was fun but during that time got my generals done and got really
interested in thinking man I maybe want to coach. So, I started doing some
research. I showed up one day at Jeff Judkins office at the Huntsman Center.
Mhm. And I walked in. I had a buddy who was managing at the time. So, he gave
me a good reference and I walked in and said, “Hey, I want to work for
you guys.” So, I transferred up to the U and I was basically Rick
Majeras’s consigliary for two years. M and so I learned so much about the
game of basketball, learned so much about the game of life, and I learned so
much about how to treat people and how not to treat people. And and I
archived all that stuff, but those years were pivotal to my to me being able
to do what I did. Okay. So, you mentioned three things there about all that
you learned under the tutelage of Rick Majaras. By the way, speaking of the
toutelage of Rick Majeras, our very own, how about that? Alex Jensen back on
the hill leading the team. Are you optimistic about that? Very. I think
there’s going to be more. I think we’re going to see some more familiar
faces. Do you think the guy the Do you think that I would imagine that’s
being worked on? Really? Yeah. But honestly, if you think about what they
need to they just need a shot in the arm. They need B guys like you, you
know, former youths that want to just jump in and help. And if you get
familiar faces in that spot and guys that have already sweat blood for the
place. Yeah. It’s easier. Yeah. Well, Alex Jensen was great. Andre Miller,
unbelievable. I used to watch Andre Miller come off the bench and think,
“Oh, no. I got a great Andre Miller story for you.” Oh, don’t
forget it. Okay. So, let me tell it. Okay. But not right now. But you No, you
can tell it, but let me just remember where we are. You’ve You’re in Judkins
office. Okay, you’re in Judkit’s office, but I didn’t I learned those things,
but then you the three things with coach Majaras. Okay, we’re going to talk
about the three things you learned from Coach Majaras, and then you’re going
to tell me your Andre Miller story. Okay. Okay. Um, just the basketball side,
you know, is there in your whole career in basketball, it’s a long career,
and you’re still in basketball, where would you rank Coach Majaras in terms
of basketball intelligence? One. One. Yeah. Wow. um like he would say it was
just an amazing command of the game and but it wasn’t just learn it one way
and play it that way like he adapted over time. You know the the great story
about their basketball run to the the final four was that game against Arizona
where they really didn’t have personnel to match them. Mhm. But he for the
first time ever he came out and did a you know basically a triangle in two
and it really flustered I mean Arizona had no idea that he would do it
because he’d never played that card and I think so over time he just
continued to to get better but the hard part was he was not great with people
that was the that was the other part and he had he had a great side to him
like you know my son was born and and just unexpectedly got a check for $100
from coach for something you know so he was he was great in that respect, but
he was just so single-minded on conquering the game of basketball that just
didn’t really allow him to have much perspective outside that. I dealt with
coach Majeras as a student athlete and like he could not have treated me
better and he could not have been more complimentary and helpful in his way.
He wasn’t like out of his way, but he was just solid. I could walk in there,
I could walk into his office as a student athlete. That’s pretty cool. I
later worked for the athletics department and then I had a different
relationship with him. He was still cordial. Yes. But there was a definitely
a a wall and it was hard to it was hard to break in. Yeah. I I really do
value those years because um I had one of the cooler experiences all those
all the time I spent with him. He just doesn’t let anybody get close, you
know, and he he’s he’s hard because he’s he’s demanding, but you understand
at the end of the day why he is. I mean, it’s just the way in my mind you
have to be. You can’t really leave many stones unturned and and feel like
your team’s going to be ready or prepared to win. So, he was he was just like
so important. That was so important to him. But when I got out of coaching,
which is, you know, kind of take the next step, I decided that I didn’t know
that I could be that hard on guys. Honestly, that year I worked for him, I’m
like, I don’t know if I got this in me to coach. You know what I mean? So, I
started looking for other opportunities and I took an opportunity to go start
a retail business in Austin, Texas. Mhm. So I actually left after that after
two years at Utah with my degree or no without my degree. So that’s we’ll
come back. But I moved to Austin, Texas and I started a retail business and
we bought overages from department stores and and closeouts and things like
that. Um so we were in business two years, had great business, but Utah came
through while I was there and played Texas in Austin. And so I reached out I
again connections and people reached out to my buddy who I met at the store
that I struck up a conversation with happened to be the general manager of
the Marriott downtown. And so when the youths came through, Coach Majaras was
put in the presidential suite. And I went to the store and bought stuff
because they’re going to be there two days. And I bought all the stuff I used
to buy for him on the road. And I just filled his all of his cabinets with
the food he loved. And I filled the fridge with caffeine-free Diet Coke,
which was his thing, which is so hard to find. But he got there that night
and he called one of I think it was Dick Hunaker and he said my room’s and
they told him, “Hey, Tim did it.” So he got my number and he called
me. He said, “Hey, come over. Let’s go to dinner.” And for the
first time, you know, it wasn’t just coach, you know, we sat for about a day
and a half. I spent the time with him that I used to watch, you know, guys on
the road with random dudes would walk in, but he found comfort in that, I
think. And so for like a day and a half, I just hung with him. I learned more
about him in that day and a half than I’d known in the two years I worked for
him. But it was really good for me because I saw the tough I but but I was
able to kind of see the inner workings and some of the struggles, you know,
that he talked to me about and some of the you know, he had confidence issues
just like everybody else. So learning that side of him, did did that help you
understand his style, the way that he coached, the way that he treated other
people? Yeah, it did. But again, I still think m