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I haven't seen a whole lot of reaction from Louisville fans in regards to Notre Dame making it all the way to the National Championship game, knowing Louisville really went there and lost by a scorer in a game that they just gifted Notre Dame. Not necessarily the game itself, but Louisville did everything you could to lose that game, and it's really crazy that it was as close as it was, knowing how good we now know that Notre
Dame is. But I think I went through that after the Georgia game, right like I think last night, seeing them come out and beat Penn State and get all the way here, it just seemed as if some of the louis of fans that I that I follow on social media, and then some fans that I talk to that I'm friends with, I feel like they kind of had the damn we like we should have beat them, and they're maybe gonna win the whole thing. And that can make you feel one of two different ways that
this was truly the what could have been here? Or wow, you know, we aren't that far off that kind of thing. I guess it really depends on whatever perspective you have. But for me, I Notre Dame game this past year was just one of the weirdest, most unusual feelings I had as a fan because I had no clue how
to feel. Meaning more than anything, I was frustrated, but I was also thinking, like, man, if you can go there and have that many mistakes that are really just you making a bad decision or you having bad luck, or you getting you know, being the victim of a really bad silly call like the double pass interference, I was ready to say, Okay, well that sucks, like I think that's gonna hurt because Notre Dame if they end up being good, like I feel like Louisville was right
there and was as good, especially on that day, even though they lost. But then they started losing more games like the SMU Miami. So but here we are. Louisll ended up I think, finishing pretty strong, and clearly they were vulnerable at times and they nearly lost the bowl game. But I think when this team was playing well offensively and they really did throughout the majority of the season.
I mean, I.
Would take this offense against a lot of teams. Now, it doesn't mean that they would win, because their defense wasn't quite as good and at times their defense became.
A real, real liability.
But yeah, it kind of seems as if realizing a team playing for the national championship this year is a team that you realize you could have eliminated a couple of mistakes and maybe won that thing by a touchdown. And look, I'm sure a lot of teams can go back and say the same thing about many games. But for me, I just Louisville kept making goof after goof that you just like can't do and expect to beat Notre Dame at their place even when they're not elite.
And yet Louisville did all that and yet still had
a chance late to win it. I mean the amount of just I mean Jeff's fourth and short calls, the spots that we got on some of those fourth and third down runs, the bobbled pass, the rare bobbled ball, a bunch of Cory Brooks that they took the other way, the rare Tyler shuck fifty yard run that ended up in him, coughing the ball up, snapping the ball over the punter's head, getting the delay of game late there with the chance to win it with the ball, like
all those things. I mean, you take away two of those, it's a different ballgame. So you know, I'm optimistic about Louisville because I think there's a good chance this offense next year is as good as any offense we've had around here in a long time. We'll never have a guy out there making plays like Lamar Jackson because no other person exists and.
Will probably ever exist, that's how special he was.
But when it comes to just a high powered offense that's going to have a quarterback that you feel good about, Miller Moss certainly, he's got some really good weapons. When it comes to the receivers, Colin Lacey, a full season of healthy Colin Lacey could be dangerous.
I'm getting I'm getting.
What's his name, the guy who played at Trinity and then Purdue for Jeff, I'm getting Randell Moore Vibes. That's his name, right, Rondell Moore. I'm blanking on his name. I mean, that's how Colin Lacy could be utilized. I mean, I don't want to get everybody's hope, so but like that's the kind of player that he is. Maybe not that talented, but like Jeff could certainly utilize Colin the
way he did Rondell. And then I think Chris Bell, as I mentioned throughout the last few weeks, I think he really finished so strong that it's I think it's accurate say he had a breakout season for Louisville, and then you throwing those two freshman running backs that were sensational, and then you get Kewan Brown coming back. I mean, I really think this Louisville team next year, from an offensive standpoint, could have some real firepower, which doesn't have
anything to do with the defense. But kind of looking at next year's team, as far as we're they are right now on offense and on defense, they're probably not gonna be I mean, I still think you've got some good players coming back.
I think that they've done pretty well in the portal.
I'm not worried about Louisville's defense being so weak in regards to talent and depth that like we're just gonna get crushed defensively. But if they do, I'm gonna blame it on Ron English like I hate to be like this is I guess just how I'm wired. I'm excited about next year in a major way. I think Louislle will have enough talent, and I think Jeff especially on offense, like this team could.
Be really good.
But I'm already worried that You're gonna end up finding yourself in spots like you did this year, including just the last game you played a couple of weeks ago where you were lucky to win. And sometimes that's how it works, right, you can claim, yeah, we were lucky to get out of there live, and you know, sometimes
you get some breaks to go your way. I don't want to take anything away from Antonio Watts, who made that great play to to keep Washington from getting that two point conversion and ending it.
But I just to go back to that postgame show.
I just I worry that Louisville is gonna have a season where we look at this team offensively and feel like, man, like we could score with anybody. The defense doesn't need to be elite. They just need to be able to be consistent and be solid. And if next year they're not that, here's the facts of the matter. If they're not that next year, it could be that they just didn't do well enough in the portal and that they lost some good players and it's I guess, rebuilding whatever.
But I'm gonna blame it on Ron English because I feel like in the first two years Louisville's defense when it was and again this is unfair to him, but it's just how I see it. When the defense was playing really well, he certainly deserves credit for that because he's leading the defense, he's in charge. But I think it was more so based off the talent that they have, the ability, the guys they had. And then this year when the defense was underwhelming, I still think it was
mostly due to the coach. I think it was I think, and he really put his foot in his mouth whenever he said last year when the things fell apart, that you want to blame somebody, blame me. Well, we did, and that's why the next year, whenever Louisville this meeting this past season, defense was unorganized. At times, you had too many men on the field. The body language was
quite clear that nobody was on the same page. Like to me, that's the guy coaching leading, that's the guy that's organizing this and for him to come out and say that they thought that because they added a bunch of guys who've played a lot of football from the portal, they'd be able to really have it a pretty advanced strategy defensively, and then he said, well, we thought they'd have better football documen. Like that's the guy throwing players under the bus, so he's clearly going to be back.
I feel like they were going to make a move. They already would have done it, So we'll see. But I just worry that if Louisville next year is really good offensively, but they find themselves sweating it out and maybe losing a game or two because the defense couldn't
couldn't do their their part. I mean it's gonna be Jeff's fault because I think it's been shown in two years that not that you have the worst defensive coordinator, but I think what would be the harm in mixing it up and going and getting somebody else, because it would be unfair and inaccurate to say whoever you get
will be better than him, because it's not that. But I just think this year, when they were struggling and you had guys arm tackling and you had the miscommunication when you you know, I don't know how anybody would view that as more so a coaching thing than a player thing. And when when that's evident, I just think, you you know, you wouldn't want to put yourself on that spot to where here we go again. We've got an offense that's got to score forty five points. It
won't lose anybody. And that happened this year at times. And it's not to say they didn't bail you out, because look, against Kentucky they played really good. Against Clemson, they played really good, and Ron English gets credit for that for sure, But I also think when the success was happening, and again this is just you can always just pick whatever you want, right Like, when there's really good stuff going on, do you think it's more so
due to the players of the coach. And we'll never know, like we'll never we'll never there's never going to be an exact way to determine how much success or failure was due to more player or coach. But Ron English has never been a good defensive coach elsewhere. That's why I kind of like, you know, I guess maybe back at Michigan. But we're talking like the Roy Carr days back in mid two thousands, roughly twenty years ago. All right, it's coffee and company. We are feel about Thorton's here
on Sports Talk seven to ninety. Appreciate you hanging out with us. We'll get into the NFL playoffs coming up here before too long, but we have a big college basketball weekend for everybody. College basketball is now in full swing with every I mean every weekend. You get in a ton of conference matchups throughout the week, same thing. And Louisville is off to a really good start here in the ACC, and I don't even think it's close.
I think this game against Pitt is the toughest game they have left on the schedule, and they could play well and lose, because that's how much I think Pitt is good. And Pitt has probably more momentum than they've had in a long time, so it'll be a tough challenge. But I think it's also safe to say that Louisville has more momentum right now than they've had at any
point this season under Pat Kelsey. Maybe during the Bahamas, right when they were still healthier and they beat Indiana bad, and then they've got that overtime winn against West Virginia heading into that Oklahoma game that kind of felt.
Like real big, like wow, here we are, here we go.
And then after that, of course there were injuries, there were some losses to you know, good teams. Of course there were the close wins against Utap and Eku. But since the Carolina game, this team is really just played good basketball. They just look like a really really good team. Not because you know they're elite and talent, but they've got enough and these guys play hard, they're physical, they
play really good defensively. I mean, I just I know I selling a broken record, but the way they played these last few games. Chalk it up to the ACC being way down. I mean, whatever again, and I'm not looking at it that way, but I'm sure there are others that say, well, Louisville winning and being this good right now just speaks to how bad the league is.
Well whatever they can say, that's fine, they maybe right, But I think to see Louisville winning the way they're winning against the teams they're winning against without certain things happening that I thought would be vital, meaning I thought Louisville wasn't going to win many conference games against anybody despite the ACC being down if they weren't making three point shots. And the three point line has not been a substantial factor for this team in their last three games.
And in a way, that's like, well, should we continue to say this is a good shooting team? I don't know, maybe not, but we also know that at any moment they could get hot and light the arena on fire. And now what they're doing, while not shooting the ball well and not making a ton of threes, they're getting They're getting better in every other area and I can't wait.
I'll be there tomorrow.
I'm leaving for those who haven't heard me mention it throughout the week, and I'm sure you don't care, but I'll share with you anyway. I'm leaving right after the show to go scoop my dad, who has my son, my four year old Moose and my I mean, he's not really a moose, he's my son, but we call him moose. I think you guys pick up on that, but I didn't want to. And you never know if somebody just randomly tuning in, this guy's got a moose no, it's what we call my son.
It'd be pretty cool though, it would be cool.
So my nephew, my son, and my dad were all heading up to Pittsburgh. But we're gonna stay in Columbus tonight and then make the drive to Pittsburgh in the morning for the noon kickoff and then do whatever we can get into.
We'll get into it.
Who knows what you know the fellas are going to get into during the day in Pittsburgh tomorrow after the game. But I do know we're going to be watching the Uh, we're gonna be an enemy territory because I don't mind the Steelers, but I'm clearly all in on the Ravens here in the postseason, and I'll be in Pittsburgh watching the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers play. But of
course the game will be in Baltimore. So I'm sure any bar we go into within any you know, with within a I don't know, sixty mile radius of downtown Pittsburgh, it's gonna be nothing.
But black and yellow.
But we're I'll be pulling for pulling for the Ravens, so hopefully you know that doesn't cause a scene. Are Steelers fans, Like I know, they're like they're they're they're die hard, they're hardcore. But are they like they're not like Patriot fans right, Like they're not like known to be a holes?
Are they?
I don't think so. But I've always had the uh, I've always had the opinion the most Steelers fans that don't live in Pittsburgh, I feel like wanted to when they wanted to find a team to cheer for, they didn't want to do the obvious bandwagon thing, like like the Cowboys or the Patriots, so they went with like the next sneaky best franchise.
Yeah, the Steelers.
I mean, I know a lot of Steelers fans because they're one of the national teams in the NFL, of course, but it's mostly people who just became fans when they were young, Like they're not connected to Pittsburgh meeting. They're fans, but they're probably you know, I guess they're technically fans, just like people who live in Pittsburgh, but I feel like it's different, you know what I mean. So anyways, I'm looking forward to when it comes to the NFL's
Super Wildcard weekend. Did you see that they're the NFL is no longer using super Wildcard. I guess they realized that was lame. Oh, they're only saying wildcard now, so.
It's just regular Wildcard weekend now, I like super Wildcard super wild Card week Yeah.
I mean, look, you can give us as many playoff games as you want and we're still going to be excited for them, because that's just what the NFL does to a lot of us. But one of the things I saw yesterday made me laugh and then I'm looking at.
It as a real joke here.
But maybe there are people who view these kind of things as if they matter. But since twenty seventeen, Sean Payton, of course Bronco's head coach. Now his record against bald head coaches is thirty and twelve, a seventy one percent winning percentage against bald coaches. And Sean McDermott, the coach of the Bills, is a man very bald. So maybe maybe the Bills are on upset alert here. I doubt it, but like, who would he like? Is that a real I mean again, you have no clue what to believe
on the internet anymore, if it's true or not. Like there are graphics that have been made about this. Of course, you know, to try to be funny on the internet. Pardon my take. The Barstool podcast has it. I mean, it's it's being shared everywhere. But I would not be shocked if we ended up later finding out that, like, nobody verified this and in fact it's not real. But actually, here we go. I found the source. The Twitter account that is getting credit for this did point out that,
I mean, these coaches are are technically bald. This is he has a real win and loss breakdown here. For Sean Payton, he beat Jim Caldwell and Sean McDermott, Todd Bowles, and Dan Quinn in twenty seventeen, but he also lost to dan Quinn once, so he went four and one against bald coaches in two twenty seventeen. He went undefeated against balt coaches in twenty eighteen, with wins over Mike Tomlin,
Hugh Jackson, Dan Quinn twice, and Marvin Lewis. And then in twenty nineteen he beat Bill O'Brien, Bruce Arians, Matt Naggy, Bruce Arians again, dan Quinn, Perry, who the hell is Perry? Fuel must have been an interim guy who was bald and then he also lost to Dan Quinn.
So this guy's got receipts.
I mean it's I mean again, that's just a random number. But I don't know, maybe people, maybe people are seeing that and thinking, okay, okay, maybe I'm gonna have to make some adjustments here to what I was gonna wager on. Maybe I should be taking Buffalo here, Maybe I should be taking Denver. I'm sorry plus eight and a half because I mean, when it comes to balt coaches, he don't lose much. Which game are you most excited about? Outside of course your game? Obviously Vikings Rams that'll be
the last game. Actually that's on Monday, so.
That random Monday, that's right, because of all the the wildfire wanted stuff. I would have to say probably obviously the Steelers Ravens. I like that matchup.
But that tells me that you think it's gonna be a close.
Game, right, No, I think the Ravens run away with their the Hugs scoring teams.
And so you're looking forward to because that's what you want to see, right, Okay? Because because I actually think I think the Buccaneers and the Commander's game has a chance to be a really competitive game, which could be great.
It's got a high over him.
Yeah.
And then another game that I kind of feel like will be close, but I could be totally wrong, is the Eagles and the Packers. I probably am not giving the Eagles enough credit because I just think their coach looks like the biggest weasel.
It's his name, uh Siriani. Yeah, like he just kind of himself looks like an Eagle.
Well and then and he he really does, which reminds me earlier I was thinking, you know what, Carson Beck looks like Miami, because that's where he's transferring. Doesn't he doesn't he look like but he looks like Miami. So anyways, the Eagles are really good, but they weren't playing well early on, and it stuck with me when he was yelling at fans in the stands, like after they barely got by the awful Bears in one of the earlier weeks in the season, and it just, I don't know,
just rubbed me the wrong way. But technically they are I mean, they're a really good team, and Barkley's been phenomenal and they've got some real championship pedigree. They've been making deep runs in the postseason for quite some time now, so maybe it won't be close. But I love Green Bay plus plus five and a half. But then again, they also didn't have a whole lot of momentum in the season. I just I don't know Eagles at home. Probably I should probably stay away from that one because
I'm leaning Packers. But yet here I am like having to convince myself why I would take the Packers, because the Eagles was probably probably the better play Chargers Texans. We think happens there. We got Chargers minus three. Houston really a roller coaster type season where they look kind of a weird team, right, Yeah, well, they had enough success to get here. Part of it's because the division sucks, but also even when they were winning and getting back to the playoffs once again, Stroud took.
Such a big step back this year.
Yeah, Like he he went from being a guy that looked like a future star in the league to a year where he still got a job. He's still the guy that's in their future, but if he doesn't bounce back to what he looked like more so last year, like.
He could be.
I mean, he was bad at times this year, Like they lost some games in prime time and they got prime time because he's this young, exciting quarterback, and I mean he wasn't very good.
To be honest with you, I like the I probably like the Chargers in this matchup just because.
I trust Harrorball here.
Yeah, Harball has had one hell of a year and he's honestly a really good head coach. Their defenses playing I'm not the big like the biggest, Like I'm not the biggest Justin Herbert fan. There's a lot of I'm a doubter of Justin Herbert. But they're coached really well and it's as familiar territory I possibly like, even though I kind of want to doubt Philly. That's gonna be a weird game green Bay and Philly because green Bay has been playing too well of late and Philly is
just weird vibes all around. Like I said that their team they had the they had the the Hurts aj Brown stuff.
Going on this year, and uh, that's true. I forgot about that.
They still don't. They've kept everything with Hurts just kind of very on the lo lo like he's still I think he's now out of cutting cushion.
Yeah, he's going to be available to play, but but there was some doubt that he wouldn't be able to play. And you're right, the AJ Brown Hurts stuff was weird, meaning they clearly it was exaggerated to an extent because that's just how the internet social media works, but for them to kind of act like it's all made up, no, I don't know. I don't think anybody believes that, Like, there's clearly some level of disconnect.
And then he got Hurts after the game coming out, It's that good enough for you kind of like, yeah, what cal was doing last year after it beat Tennessee and it came out, Yeah, and he did the uh you guys like that.
But I give I give Hurts a pass because he's not typically somebody that would really like he's pretty low key and not really doing a whole lot to bring any attention his way.
But he did.
You know, I think he felt the heat that was there that our top receiver and our franchise quarterback aren't on the same page. This is not ideal, and he really wanted to me it was a tell. The fact that he felt the need to emphasize that, hey, we're good probably told me that they're not good to be honest with you, and they're making it work as best they can.
But and I also happen to like, I know we were talking about the now that you give me the bald head coach record, I kind of I don't know if I like Denver to win, but eight and a half seems really really cool. Oh yeah, I think I think Denver gives the Bills a run for their money. I could see them going up early and I could see some like late heroics by Josh Allen for them to win. So if you want to place that in your parlay, I think that's a lot of points to
be given. And experienced head coach, and granted they have they have a rookie quarterback who everybody was kind I'm still up and down on bow Nicks, but you know, this is familiar territory as well for Sean Page.
But I think Peyton is Peyton likes the chip on the shoulder, the underdog role in bo Nicks. You never really know what you're gonna get. But I kind of feel like when you feel like, okay, yeah, this guy had a little bit of a flash. He's kind of a bum, and then it'll come out and play phenomenal, like you know. So yeah, I don't think know when. But the two biggest spreads here are eight and a half Steelers, of course, are eight and a half point dogs to the Ravens and the Broncos or eight and
a half point dogs to the Bills. I would say the team there with a better chance of covering his dogs is Denver. And I say that more about because of Denver than I do anything about Steelers and Ravens.
All right, quick break will come back. On the other side.
We're gonna have a guest joining us, Doctor Larry Ben's, a PROI of physical Therapy's gonna join us right here on the other side on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
I have not paid attention as closely as I as I usually do during our commercial breaks as far as the traffic and weather updates, and I have no clue what to expect. Oftentimes mentioned I end up showing up at sometimes earlier in the afternoon, sometimes before the show starts, and I just have in my mind what the weather was whenever I got here and there's no windows, so I still mentioned, you know, it's a nice day or it's been raining, and I could be like way off.
But I really have no clue what to expect as far as the snow, because when I got here, we had, you know, we had some snow coming down pretty heavily, but it you know, it didn't it didn't appear to be sticking to any of the roads I was driving on. I was pretty pleased with despite the snow still piled up everywhere the main roads. Again, at least, you know, two and a half three hours ago, we're you know, we're we're in good shape despite despite us getting more
and more snow and it's still being below freezing. So I'm not sure what it looks like out there right now, but hopefully it's not terrible.
Is we do?
We do?
We have Larry here? I thought I saw him.
I don't see him now to day, and I placed him on hold and it hung up. I'll give him a call back, Okay.
We were efforting the one and only doctor Larry Ben's Priorio physical there be and we'll bring him on here
in just a moment. But yeah, the when I'm looking, I'm trying to see if there's any like, you know, updated, Yeah, the closings and delays, Like there were a lot of businesses that that that have been closed earlier this week, but I think as far as that most places have been able to kind of get their parking lots cleared out and and you know, a lot of places are not going to be in good shape if they have to go a couple of days without uh, you know, without being able to be open for business.
But schools, you still have.
JCPS canceled, which of course means we don't have high school basketball going on, which is a real bummer. That's one of those things that uh, I know if I was in school. When I was in school and there were snow days, uh, it was a real big issue if it happened on a on a on a on a game where you had a basketball game. I mean, in fact, we had a snow day that we had one of our better players when I was a sophomore.
He was suspended for a game because he got ejected and he was supposed to of his suspension on Tuesday and against JCPS school and it got canceled because of snow and they didn't make it up so we had to serve a suspension in the following game, and that was a district game, and it was one of those reminders that snow days can can can certainly impact your your your high school sports, which you know isn't fun because that's a special time. So hopefully they get everybody
back to school here sooner rather than later. I know we're gonna we're getting some snow now, but I'm hopeful that the Sunday temperatures that are going to be a buff freezing can melt a lot of this and we can kind of get back to normal with the holidays and then this week with snow, I kind of feel like we've not had a normal week around here in a long long time. We've had some issues here where we haven't been able to be on the air because of some stuff. So I'm just looking for some I'm
looking to get back into my routine. I'm very big on routine. All right, let's bring him in these doctor Larry Ben's of pro Rea Physical Therapy.
Larry, how we doing. We stay in warm out there.
We're trying to stay warm and hydrated and you know, making the most out of serving time here with all this weather.
Yeah, absolutely, it's been a week. It's been certainly. I can't remember the last time we had a week where we had this much that we were impacted this much with this winter weather. But hopefully again it melts and we can get back to normal. But I wanted to bring up something that I just talked about not that long ago within the show, that I just learned about it.
I don't know, maybe it was being talked about among some Louisville fans who had some inside information, but I did not realize Noah Waterman was also injured like some of his other teammates, but he was playing through it. So Pat Kelsey on his radio show this week mentioned that Noah underwent a surgery in December, but it did not keep him off the court.
Apparently he had some rods put.
Into his hand and he's taping it up each and every day in practice and also in games. And I don't know the extent of the injury. I'm not sure if you do, or if you would even want to say. But I heard that and I felt even more in love with this team and this group and what they're all about, because they don't make any excuses, they don't play victim. Noah has struggled at times, and he's been criticized by fans just for some of the of the
games where he really didn't play well. But man, he's still giving it as all and sounds like a lot of guys might have might have set out, but he did not.
So, you know, guys playing.
Through injuries, you really never know what an athlete's going through, right You just assume that if somebody's hurt, you're going to know about it.
But that's clearly not the case.
Absolutely. I mean, I think the interesting thing about coach Kelsey and his philosophy is if you're hurt, you're hurt, and you certainly would move off the lineup, you know when that happens. And what you see at his practice is is you don't see a whole lot of people sitting around hurt. And you know, the specifics of his injury are a little bit you know, evasive purposely, but you know clearly he played through it. It's not unusual to see pins and things, I would call it describe
more as pins as instead of rods. But I understand your point, and you know, see him, see him play through it. I mean, this is a team that you know where culture is king and the power of the unit and all the things he talks about. It's one thing to give lip service, but it's quite a enough there to act upon that, and what you see here is those values and action. It's it's been amazing year
so far. I think the fans have absolutely been galvanized around this team, and it's it's it'd be hard not too frankly, so it's all things are going right now.
Yeah, I think the the energy and just the overall way, the overall way that Pat Kelsey carries himself. It was quite clear from from the beginning when he showed up and introduced himself to us at the press conference, and then you could tell pretty quickly that it wasn't just
slip service. It was it was genuine And I think really these last few games, I feel like you're seeing this team playing so hard and together and kind of, you know, getting more comfortable in this new version of themselves now that they know they're without a couple of guys they expected to be big factors for this team, but you know, they're not even shooting the ball all that well or relying on the three point shot as
much and they're still just just out there. I mean, I feel like they're beating teams up out there with this, with their physicality, with their defense. And I know you've been You've been around this program a lot more than others with your time in the Bahamas, and I know you you got a chance to know Pat kelseon the I mean, I feel like just from it's just from a fan standpoint, I've never wanted to just be a fly on the wall in the locker room with the team more than this one.
The camaraderie they have, they're very selfless.
I mean, it's it's exactly what we needed and I think everybody knew that at the time, but to see it all kind of play out, it's been it's been really really special.
No, it absolutely has. I think the other element I would sure team These are kids from various different backgrounds obviously not just geographically, but where they played in college prior to here. You know, you always hear all these negatives about the transfer portal, but this is an absolute example of the positives. You have kids coming in, they
come from various coaching. You know, you mentioned Waterman, he you know, he was one of the ones that came from BYU and you know, they had a certainly a running gun type offense as well. So it's great to see the way they've melded together. You know, I think you have less you have more seriousness around, you know what the intent of what they're trying to achieve, they had to obviously buy. Every one of them was recruited
by you know, the current coach. Think of that, you know, just in retrospect, a coach can come in oftentimes and inherit a team. It happens, you know, you take football, for example, Jeff Brob came in. Yeah, you're the transfer portal, but he was inheriting a lot of the recruits of the prior coach. That's normal in basketball, at least for this past year and at least at the University of Louisville, the coach was able to recruit his type of player
using his type of recruiting metrics. He's very big on that also assessing, you know, their values and their work ethic. And one of the things I really respect about you know, how he is recruited is he looks at their past. Did they miss a lot of practice for being injured? And that's one of his key metrics, I know, just and some of the things he's presented you don't normally hear that. So the fans have united around it. There
was all lip service. You know, everybody has a great offseason, right, but the way to come in show what you can do in the Bahamas, which we did even though we were underman and injuries ridden, and then get through that and now when you know, five games in a row, so it's pretty special. Hopefully we can carry the momentum forward and the signs look bright. I mean you saw
the five star recruit and all things come come. That's right that you know, if the NCAA grants this extra year like they're talking about, I don't know who stays and who goes, but with nil and rev share, that can change the mathematics. You know, if you if you read about the NBA, they're thinking of already deliberating possibly getting rid of the D League because you'll have players stick around more in college, especially if it goes to five years. So it's really exciting time for the fans.
And those are the positives around things like rev share and transfer portal. We're mostly here the negatives. So it's really helped.
Us, no doubt.
And one of the things that I've one of the things that was mentioned to me from those that either had some familiarity with Pat Kelsey or got a chance to meet him and be around him a little bit early, that he was very organs and very much a guy that you can tell he's got a lot that the
attention to detail really stands out. And I mean, I can tell and watching this watching this team play and not even really going out of my way to look for it, but you can tell they're they're prepared, they're locked in, and they're having success and they're having fun. And you mentioned these guys in their background, it makes sense. But to kind of see it play out and and and and really be able to tell these guys feel appreciative to be here. And Louisville basketball is a special thing.
We all know that, but recent years have been pretty tough. But yet these guys, man, they're they're they're treating this as a great opportunity and they're and they're all trying to collectively make the most of it. And it's just been a fun ride thus far. And we've still got a lot of basketball to be played. And I feel like they're just now rounding into form where you feel like, okay, maybe this team could be not just good, but maybe
pretty good. So it's been fun, no doubt. Now do you know, help go ahead, sir.
No. The only other thing I was going to add is that you know what you've seen with our marquee programs as mature coaches. So Pat Kelsey came in, he was not a new head coach. He had been a head coach for many years. I think Jeff when he came in football coach was in about ten. You know our volleyball coach. You know, Danny's been the head coach for a number of years now, Jeff Walls, you know
Dan McDonnell. These are very, you know, mature programs in terms of their leadership, and they've gone through learning curves for many, many years and we get the benefit.
Of all that, no doubt.
The NFL playoffs getting started tomorrow and Lamar Jackson's going to be without one of his top receivers, Zay Flowers, will miss the game against the Steelers. Yesterday, coach Harbaugh mentioned that he's not going to be able to make it for this game, but did say that he'll get started again next week, and I don't know. I don't think there's any specifics as far as what this injury is. Apparently he did go through something during their most recent game.
But when you hear that he's just already ruled out and again you're getting so close to kick off, it makes sense for them to make that decision yesterday, but to know that he's going to be out there, I guess to try to give it a go the following week. I mean, it's probably it's encouraging, but clearly he's not in a great spot now, or he'd be out there playing.
I feel like this is a pretty big injury.
Obviously, Lamar and the Ravens have had such a special season, and say Flowers has been a big factor in that.
Yeah, there's no question you'll see all kinds of little people watching tomorrow night at eight pm. I can promise you that. And the one thing about you know Lamar is he's he's got so many weapons aside from key receivers. I mean, you know, he's gotten his criticism for not making it, you know, very far in the playoffs, but look what he's had to overcome. He said, you know, it was it two year before last he had like three running his top three running backs that got hurt,
and he's now got wide receivers. But he seems to now manage the game much better with again maturity, and you know, their backups are actually quite good. He's got Derrick Henry.
And you know, he's quite a weapon.
He got a lot. He's quite a weapon, and so you know, you look effectively. You've got two of the best running backs in the league, him and Derrick Henry. So I'm very confident he makes good decisions. He also has learned, I think, to play the entire game. I really you know, watch some of these games where they start out and maybe behind a bit, but he sticks with his game plans, well coached and the ultimate team player,
and he's got the confidence of his team. So I'm very confident without Flowers, he's overcome these kind of obstacles before. But the other good news is they get through this game and he'll be back for the next.
Yeah.
I think Lamar is really showing how dangerous he can make a team with everything that he brings. Of course, because he's a special dynamic player, I don't think there's going to be anybody else that is quite like him. Ever, I'm a little biased on my end, but still he's
a guy that's about to collect his third MVP. Not many people can claim they've been able to do that, but I think this year it's been you mentioned, he's comfortable more so just because he realizes that, you know, he can just you know, he doesn't have to be I mean, he's pretty spectacular. He can make plays that nobody else can. But you can tell this is a guy that now has a running back that is that is a force with Derrick Henry and at receiver they've
got you know, Bateman's had a breakout year. Mark Andrews kind of looked like he was falling off and then he's really emerged.
As of late.
So I'm a Colts fan, so I don't have a whole lot to be happy about with this NFL playoffs coming up, but I'm definitely gonna be pulling for Lamar and the Ravens and hopeful that they can they can make a run real quick. This is this is This may be a silly question, but when you hear NFL concussion protocol, because Jalen Hurts is of course just coming off of a concussion protocol is going to be availble
to play for the Eagles. What's a week like for a player going through that process whenever they're just kind of riding it out. What's what's practice look like. I would imagine it's it's pretty limited. But that's something you hear quite a bit about, but I'm not sure many people, including myself, really understand what exactly means.
Yeah, so probably to put it most succinctly, in the NFL, you have very rigid rules around concussion recovery, and I think it's effectively five stages or six depending on how you count them. But you know you certainly have the injury and you have to rest, and then you're in this sort of observation period when you start to reactivate or start your movement. Start at very basic level. It's also the management. Can you get through a walkthrough, can
you get through mimicking? If you have any recurrent symptoms, you go back a stage if you If you don't, you can progress to the next stage, which that includes you know, sort of more live activity, more more contact, and eventually you're able to return. But it has to go through that progression and each stage you have to demonstrate that you no longer have the symptoms, and it is monitored. This isn't just take your word for it.
You've got neurologists, athletic trainers, physical therapists monitoring them for symptoms. They're not taking the athletic you know, they're not taking the athletes word for it. And so they did that as part of this massive you know, monetary settlement from
several years ago. So you know you've seen the effects of this from TUA would be the most classic example it has at the recurrence of this, and you know, at the same time you're seeing it now with you know, as you mentioned, going to the playoffs.
All right, Larry, last question for you.
This is something I know you talked about recently with Terry Minors. And I'm somebody that falls in this, this this group of folks that because I'm not hot and sweaty and it's cold outside, I'm not thinking I need to be putting hto in my body and I've noticed my my hydration slipping a little bit. Talk a little bit about how like, I mean, when do people what are some signs that maybe somebody who doesn't give it a whole lot of thought that would realize, Okay, maybe
that maybe it is the fact that I'm dehydrated. Is it being lethargic, is it just being tired? I mean, I'm sure there are some plenty signs, but hydration is always important. But whenever you're not active and you're not out there sweating and just making I need water, I mean you still do You still need to hydrate regardless.
Yeah, even more so because the symptoms are different. You know, you think of in this summer, when you're hot, you know that you know the symptoms, you're you know, you've sweat a lot, you're you know, you start to get very, very thirsty, much different than winter. I think the first and foremost is what is your skin like? Do you have chapped lips for example? That is a key sign. Dry skin would be, you know, a sign that you're dehydrated.
It makes sense.
A little bit of fatigue, a little bit of headache, you know. I tell people you better have a clear year in If you're seeing darker urine in the winter, it's not a good sign. Keep that water going. Lots of soups, stews, warm hydration options. I'm a big fan of layering clothing, even indoor if you're getting ready to do some physical activity, I think it's better to warming your body because you know the natural ambient temperature is cold,
you're gonna have cold muscles. And keep with the drinking. Man, You got to keep with the hydrators. Avoid a lot of caffeine, avoid a lot of alcohol, and again, monitor those key symptoms of your skin, how you're feeling in terms of your metal state, hate and fatigue, and you know what your urine looks like. But it's we see more dehydration problems in the winter than we do in
the summer. And that where you notice it is on older people because they're they're likely less inclined to monitor it because they're not sweating.
Yep, that makes total sense. I would have never thought of it, but yes, it's not on your mind quite as much. But man, hydration is key. There's some times where I'm just feeling man, I don't I don't feel one hundred percent, And what it ends up most likely being is I just wasn't hydrated. Hydra to certainly keep it Larry, as always, I appreciate you making time for us on a Friday afternoon. Stay safe, stay warm, and we will talk to you soon, my friend.
Thanks man, go cars and Golamar.
Go cards, Golamar. That's right, doctor Larry Ben's pro. We have physical therapy.
Quick break. We'll come back on the other side. Wrap this thing up.
Now, back to coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
We have very little time left here before we have to say goodbye, so wish me luck. How far is it to Columbus?
Like three hours?
It's about like three and a half maybe four hours.
Yeah, I really feel I mean, you know, I'm sure I've said many things today that didn't make me seem like the smartest guy, but I really did completely lose lose sight of where we'll be tonight and what's going on tonight in that city. Now the event's not taking place, but Ohio State playing for a chance to get back to the national Championship game, and I'm going to be making Columbus my home for the evening and then we're
heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow. It feels awesome to have Louisville Basketball one just alive and competing and winning and a man, this has been a fun team to certainly watch and root on, but you know, they got a big game tomorrow that would have a lot of value, that would really kind of change how we look at the rest of the season. And again it's gonna be easier said than done. They could play well and lose, but they've got some momentum and I can't wait. I can't wait
for the whole weekend NFL playoffs. It's a night's game, of course, so everybody have themselves a good weekend, stay warm, stay safe. We're back at it on Monday, right here on Sports Talk seven ninety