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Portions of the following program wire prerecorded.
It's time for Coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
Holy crap, I.
Don't know who the hell we think?
Well, we are get off for our show, idiot, The kids are planning or turn them off and your cultures are.
Showing gold Play inner murals, brother gold Play Inner Murals.
They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really not. Who's the kid here?
Who's the kid here? Are you kidding me?
Now?
Here's nick coffee?
I feel like I am starting the day off, the show off here with a win one minute in here, in fact less than a minute in, but it is three oh one. Because as I realized, oh, here we go, it's about to start the show. It's showtime, I realized my headphones were still in my backpack, and I use, I use. I guess they're called I mean, I call them headphones, but a lot of people call them earbuds.
I guess because they're not the big cans that you put over your head and rarely, at least around here people I've worked with in radio over the years, I'm one of few people that likes to use these rather than you know, the big headphones. So they're like old think old iPhone where you didn't like, you didn't have just the lightning cable, like you actually had a headphone jack. I could be wrong, but I feel like the last iPhone that had a legitimate like audio jack on.
It was that what eight years ago?
Maybe it hasn't been that long, but either way, I use those because you know, they still connect into our board here and they are what I prefer. But the issue is one they're old and with that they could go out at any moment. But also they get real tangled up. So the music is on, which means it showtime and these things are like notted up, and somehow I was able to.
I mean, you won't believe it. It was a.
Miraculous effort on my part, of course, to be able to get these untangled and get it plugged in and here we go.
We're ready to rock and roll. So welcome in game day.
ED issued coffee and company fuel about Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Make sure if you have not signed up to become a member of the Refreshing Awards program at Thornton's, you do exactly that, because your life will be better. I can't prove that, can't guarantee it, but I think you can trust me. You should trust me.
And on my way up to Pittsburgh on Saturday for the Louisville Pittsburgh game, about a six hour drive, I stopped at a gas station that looked like it was a chain, but I guess they're not in our area. And you know, I would have gone to Thornton's, but there wasn't one. There wasn't one up there in Pennsylvania. So this is what I had to do. We stopped, we got gas, and I got a breakfast sandwich at this and I probably wouldn't say the name even if
I know it, but don't even remember. It was very forgettable. But they had their own version of what Thornton's does really well, which is a sausage, egg and cheese croissant, and it was terrible. I mean it was awful. So it reminded me. It made me appreciate how great Thornton's is for a variety of reasons. But I'm telling you they have I think the breadth the best breakfast sandwich you'll find sausage, egg and cheese croissan at Thornton.
So again, you knew.
Already that we were fueled by Thornton's, but I just enjoyed telling you that every single day Louisville and Syracuse tonight rare a rare and I mean a very rare situation here. I mean, I guess this used to be kind of the norm. But Louisville is favored by nearly ten points on the road in a conference game. Think about that. Louisville currently is favored by eight points against Syracuse tonight, and in fact, let me double check here, I saw it was a little bit lower than that,
but I think it's it's been steadily climbing. Louisville seemingly a bigger favorite every time I update the DraftKings sportsbook website here. Now, I'm sure you can see it at a different number elsewhere, depending on where you're looking. But that's when I'm looking at Louisville favored by eight points, and that is that is doesn't really mean much of anything. I'm sure a lot of people who don't care about sports gambling, they don't gamble themselves, they don't, they don't
care at all. Maybe some people think I don't like when they're favored. They've been doing pretty well whenever they're you know, kind of the underdog, not expected to be to be to be very good. But it's another sign, one of the many signs that Louisville is heading back in the right direction. And look, it says a lot about Syracuse too. They're they're not very good. They're eight and eight overall, two and three in an ACC that
we know is nowhere near what it once was. But they are coming off of a couple of straight vic a couple of wins. They've won two consecutive games with wins over Boston College and at Georgia Tech and or I guess at Georgia Tech at home and at Boston College. And they're at home tonight, so we shall see. Syracuse scares me a little bit because and by the way, Louisville could lose, because again they could lose to anybody
if they don't play well. But when I say Syracuse scares me, it's because to me, they've got they've got some similar vibes to Louisville under Kenny Payne in my opinion, because they're not great. I don't know what their ceiling is, but they'll probably I mean, they're ninth right now in the ACC. They'll probably finish in the bottom tier, and they have way better players than what their record is
going to Indycare. I mean, I can't act like they're, you know, the their elite, but I mean they've got some solid players to where they shouldn't be in the position that they're in. Although JJ Starling is their best player, a guy that clearly is is. I mean, he's he's missed all but nine games, but he did return. He's been back since the beginning of January, so they've got him back and since then they've been playing better. So anyway, Syracuse,
they may end up. Who put it this way, Let's say they end up being one of the worst teams in the ACC overall, it'll be another situation that I would compare to Louisville to where it's because they're just that poorly coached, because they they aren't great, But man, they shouldn't be finishing close to dead last, and they're not.
Right now, again, they're two and four.
Miami, by the way, they're zero to five, so they're in last place by themselves.
So Louisville Syracuse.
Tonight, seven o'clock, and I'm confident. But I will tell you if Louisville wasn't you know, even if they would not have beat Pitt Even if they would have, I don't know. Maybe they split the games against Carolina and against Virginia, lost to Carolina, beat Virginia, beat Clemson.
Then lost a.
Pitch, which, by the way, all those things were. I mean that if you'd have said that two weeks ago, three weeks ago, whenever it is when that stretch of play started, I think a lot of people would have said, yeah, I know they can win more than that, but that wouldn't shock me. Well, here they are playing their best basketball, playing a type of basketball that I'm not sure any of us thought they were going to once we found out that they had all the injuries.
But they're in a real groove right now.
And that is why my confidence level is where it's at, because you know, Ques tonight.
Maybe they lay down, maybe they get blown out. I don't know.
But in a weird way, it's kind of like Louisville has shown us. I mean, they've kind of told on themselves, right, They've played so well recently and beat teams that you know, are a lot better than Syracuse, and yet they've done it. But it wasn't because man, they just were knocking down an insane amount of tough shots. I mean they did that against Pittsburgh. Rain Smith went went insane and Chucky hit a big one late. So you know they're making shots.
But as I've said throughout the last I don't know four wins, five wins. I mean they've won five in a row, so I guess it's probably yeah, since they since they started the new year. I feel like what's got me so excited and feeling better about this team than anything is that they're doing this and it's it's it's something that you can recreate every night.
Now.
Sometimes you're not gonna have some breaks go your way. Sometimes your opponent's gonna have the night of their life. But like the things that has made Louisville look like a team that, Wow, not only should they make the tournament, maybe they win a game, maybe they win a couple of games. The level of play that that they've I guess stepped up to they're there, and again, it's it's most it's mostly off of just the fact that they're playing,
Like think again, things that they can do every night. Now, you may have a uncharacteristically bad night when it comes to making shots, you may have somebody get in foul trouble, but you know what, I kind of feel like those things have actually played out in these last you know, five games or so, and yet you still have found ways to win. I mean, it sounds crazy to say, but this five games winning streak has been impressive and it's been fun as hell to watch as a fan.
But they left a lot on the floor in nearly every one of those games. I mean, maybe not Virginia because they blew Virginia off the floor, but I mean, you go back to the North Carolina game, I mean, they shot it really poorly from the free throw line in that one. Didn't shoot it well from three either. Clemson. I mean, yeah, Javon Hadley go off, but other than that, you didn't have a great night from the three point line.
You didn't really.
I mean, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't necessarily good. And your top four leading scorers, I think we were, you know, we're struggling, but you know what, Jevon Hadley stepped up and.
Gave you thirty two.
And then against Pittsburgh, you shot it well from three, made a lot of them, and I'm trying to think, oh, yeah, it was free throws. I mean, the free throw issue was a real thing, and yet you still found a way to win. And I don't mean I feel like the foul situation was certainly a factor throughout the game. Yvonne had a couple early, had to sit for a stretch in the first half. Later on, Chucky clearly was in foul trouble had to defend a little bit differently.
So again, they're winning and beating good teams, which that alone has everybody excited. That has put you in a position to where right now you feel like, man, we've got the majority of our tough games in league play out of the way, and we're in a pretty good spot. We should be able to keep this up, maybe drop a game or two, but even with that you'll still make the tournament. So again, the fact that they're playing well and winning is the ultimate factor in the excitement.
But for me, what has me, I guess a little more giddy is just knowing that they haven't like it's not like we've seen them play the best game they're going to play, and there's no way to truly measure that and know, Okay, this is the best game they'll ever play, this is the second best game. Again, there's no way to truly measure that. But they've been able to win games by just playing really really hard and staying locked in, you know, making the play when it's
necessary in these close games. Right, They missed a lot of free throws against Pittsburgh, but they made them when they mattered, and they made tough shots when it mattered in a tough environment. So I wish they played every night. I mean, because I've just enjoyed watching this team that much this season, because of all the circumstances, and because you know they're playing hard and they're playing well. I know they can't play every night, but you know what
I mean. Also, Kentucky, they are in action tonight taking on Texas A and M, coming off a big victory as they knocked off Mississippi State on the road. And I talked about this yesterday. I was just seeing which bracketologist had given the freshest update, and it was Jerry Palm of CBS who actually did one yesterday, and he had Kentucky as a four seed, which I thought was very, very odd. He had Louisville as a sixth seeds, So
sounds weird from you know, a Louisville fan. Some of you Kentucky fans call me cardboy, but you know, I'll say it.
I thought Palm was.
A little little higher on Louisville than most would be, and I thought he was a little lower on Kentucky than most would be, And sure enough I checked the Bracketville one this morning in Kentucky sitting at a two seed.
Louisville is it a seventh seed?
But anyways, what I was getting at with Kentucky, that's a really good resume win that they got against Mississippi State.
They will hold up.
I mean, I don't have a mean some of the What will be interesting to see is what the what the net rankings ends up doing with these SEC teams when they pile up losses, because there's gonna be some good teams in the SEC that finish with a five hundred record or right around there, and I kind of have a feeling that they'll still be ranked really really high in these formulas, including the net, which of course the NAA uses. So tonight Texas A and M's in town.
They're ranked eleventh in the in the apeopole Wich. I'm only referencing that because that's what comes up here whenever I look at him on DraftKings. But in the net rankings, this Texas A and M team, they are sitting at number eighteen, so they're thirteen and three Overall, this is another chance for Kentucky to get a big resume win, and they get to face Texas A and M without their best player, Wade Taylor, who I feel like has been at Texas A and M for twenty five years.
He's still out with the knee injury and will not play. He leads them in points at fifteen point seven average is about five assists a game, leads them there as well. I mean, he's a guy that can. I mean he averaged nineteen points a game last year, has averaged sixteen
or more in the last three seasons. So whoever's been filling in for him I did see has actually played really well in Taylor's absence, But still they're nowhere near as good of a team without way Taylor, and Kentucky gets a chance to get him tonight when they're not at one hundred percent. And you know, I'm not doing this to bring up well, hey, if they win, it doesn't it's not as impressive as you think because their
best players. When I'm bringing it up. Why I'm bringing it up is to say that the formula doesn't know that, the net rankings don't factor that in. Maybe somebody on the committee would would would perk up and say, welly, just so you know that Kentucky win. Reminder they didn't have way Taylor. I mean, maybe somebody does that, but look,
it's set up pretty nicely for Kentucky here. And when you have a loaded schedule like anybody in the SEC does, because that league is just insane right now, you'll tell I mean, you don't want anybody to get hurt, you're not rooting for it. But man, if you can catch a break like this, I mean, take advantage of it. Because you've got LSU at home on Saturday, and then you travel to Ole Miss, travel to Texas, then you host Oklahoma.
So in a weird way.
After the A and M game, I kind of feel I'm sorry, never mind, I was looking at the wrong schedule.
Apologies.
I'm sure Kentucky fans who know their schedule were yelling at me that I'm wrong.
I was looking at A and M schedule.
So after Kentucky plays A and M, then they have they Alabama at home, which of course the number four team in the country, and then after that you will go to Vandy, then to Tennessee, and then you host Arkansas at Ole Miss. So I mean if at Vandy's considered like the cupcake of the of the schedule, which
they you know, have been at times. I mean, it's Vandy, but like this Vandy team, they'll probably finish towards the bottom of the SEC, I would imagine, But they're also ranked forty second in the net thirteen and three overall and might even make the tournament. So I hate just gassing up the SEC and basketball as much as I have, but I mean, what they do in the tournament will absolutely be a huge factor in.
How people.
I guess, remember how loaded this league was this year, and I don't think it's like a one time thing. I mean, maybe they're a little bit down next year, but I mean, I just think there's programs in the SEC that have really invested in basketball, made it a priority, and here we are. But if you do nothing in the tournament and like, let's say you flame out and you only get like one team in the Elite eight,
sounds hard to imagine. But if that was to happen, then everybody would say, well, it was overrated and it was all for nothing. But I'll be consistent. What gives you in basketball, specifically, what gives you the ability to, I guess, earn the benefit of the doubt until you get to the tournament and kind of show what your league can do when you get there is what you do in non conference, and the SEC was insanely dominant in the non conference portion of the college basketball.
Slate this year.
So I mean, that didn't guarantee that all these teams that make the tournament are going to go on deep runs.
But I just I feel like this.
You know, it's premature to say it now, because again, what you do in the postseason will be a factor in how people view your league. But as of now, this league is as good as any that I've seen in a long time. I can't remember a year where a league seems so deep in college basketball, and what's even crazy year ten years ago, the league was a joke in basketball, and yeah, not so much anymore.
So.
Of course, we'll talk a lot of college basketball today because you know, it's that time of the year, and we always talk college oops. That'll never change, but it kind of hit me today whenever I was putting the show together. Believe it or not, I do prepare for this show. I was just looking at all the games we have tonight because this is you know, now you're in the thick of things with conference play. There's so
many conference matchups. I mean, you've got games because the Big Ten added West Coast schools, you now have like two eleven o'clock games between two Big Ten teams that I'm looking forward to betting on. So it's awesome. I love college basketball. I've had to learn to love college basketball without having a team that really matters at all, because that's what the last two years were like, and it wasn't fun, but I was still able to enjoy college basketball.
But today it kind of hit me.
You know, it's not only great because again, there's nothing I love more in sports, and there's something I love more than college basketball when it comes to sports. And I know I'm not alone. But whenever you're alive and your team is featured in the bracketology updates, you're checking other resumes to see kind of where you stack up. You're looking at the conference race to see maybe who can get the double by and the conference tournament. I mean those are things that I used to just you know,
experience and didn't think much of it. And now it's fun again. So it's awesome. Some of the things we need to get into. Obviously, last night the Vikings, yikes, what a disastrous game for Sam Darnal in the Minnesota Vikings. I thought Aikman said it best. Everything that could go wrong seems to be going wrong for Minnesota. And I don't hear this mentioned a whole lot. Maybe it is, and I just I'm not hearing it. But you could make the case that Minnesota kind of a low key,
tormented sports city. Like their fans, they've kind of had it rough, and I don't know why you don't seem to hear that as much. There's some fan bases out there, I guess some city as well. I guess more so a city thing than it is just a fan of a certain franchise.
But like.
The Browns, like Cleveland fans other than Lebron coming and winning them a title, and obviously the Indians have had I guess now the Guardians have had success here and there, But like the Browns or the Browns like that, that's a city that most people probably feel sorry for their sports fans Minnesota. I don't hear that as much, but there's some evidence that will support that they've actually had
they've had it rough, they really have. So now we have the NFL playoff matchup set for the second weekend. So we went from the Super wild Card to whatever this is.
I don't know.
I can't remember what they call it, but I don't care. It's NFL postseason and it's awesome. Some big time matchups, but no one, no bigger matchup than the MVP favorites going after it. Bill's Ravens looking forward to that one. We'll certainly talk about that. The Cowboys job's open, So I still think there's really nothing off the time able
here for Jerry Jones because it's Jerry Jones. It's a job, as we discussed yesterday, that you can make the case that it's the best job in all of American professional sports because you know, it's the Dallas Cowboys. But you could also see anybody turn it down and kind of understand because you know you'd be working for Jerry Jones, and he may not be a terrible person, but like, there's a lot that comes with that job that you
probably wouldn't want. And if you can't truly coach the way you want to coach, I mean, that makes it less appealing. I would imagine, especially somebody that knows they can get a job elsewhere, maybe they don't want to put a four year run together in Dallas where things are happening in a bad way and it's not their fault and they have no control over it, like I
would avoid it if I was in that position. So maybe it is Dion Sanders who I didn't bring it up yesterday because it just didn't come to mind for me because I just can't imagine that an NFL team would actually do that. But again, it's it's the Dallas I mean, it's the Dallas Cowboys, and it's Jerry Jones, and obviously there's a connection there between Dion and and Jerry,
so we shall see. I kind of want it to happen, just to see what would happen, I really do, but with his sons, and I mean, I just I can't
see Dion in the way he you know, Dean. I'm sure there's a lot of respect from NFL players currently that realize how good of a player he was, and I'm not saying he would be like unlikable in the eyes of NFL players, but I just feel like the way he you know, I don't know, I don't think that kind of arrogance that he has always had would would really be good energy in a pro locker room, like for the team collectively. Maybe I'm wrong, but again,
I just want. I want it to happen one because I don't care about the Cowboys and I just want to see, like would this be successful or would this be like you won't believe aw big of a joke this is. And I don't know if we're going to get to find out or not, but I hope we do. And something else I want to get to later. I don't know if if I'll end up spending much time or maybe it'll be one of those things that I mentioned in the first segment here that we just never
get to because I'm terrible with clock management. But I watched the two episode docu series Can you call it a series if it's two episodes? It was documentary special on Netflix about the Jerry Springer Show, and it was it was awesome, it was wild, and I've got some thoughts on it, and I guess it's it's kind of one of the if you're like my age, you're a little younger or older, then like you remember what the Jerry Springer Show was I mean it was. I mean
it beat Oprah in viewership. Think about that in the nineties, in the you know, in the early two thousands. Crazy and I kind of miss it. But there's also some sad stuff too, So maybe we'll do this. Maybe I'll save this for later in the week or something because I don't want to give away any spoilers. And you know, it's Game Day. But the Jerry Springer stuff is, I mean fascinating to say the least. All right, if you guys want to join us on the show today, you can.
Phone lines are open. Five oh two five seventy nine hundred is the number again, five O two five to seven one seventy nine hundred. If you want to give us a call. You can also text in on the Element Federal Credit Union text line five oh two six five three zero seven ninety and the talkback features still there. I just got to figure out how to way to get back in to where I can access it, which I think I'm gonna be able to do that during
the break. So a lot of ways for you to interact with us today, So stick around, we'll have some fun. It's Coffee and Company feel about Thorton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
What makes a winner, what makes a loser? We hash it all out for your listening pleasure Sports Talk seven ninety. You're listening to Coffee in Company with Nick Coffee on Sports Talk seven ninety.
So no Austin today, he's not here, and I believe he had something going on with the other gig that he has with us here at iHeart, which happens from time to time. We do lose him every now and then because he's also a part of our promotions team and there's certain events that he has to be at. So I've been told that's why he's not here today. But usually he tells me ahead of time, Hey not going to be here, or hey can only be here
for two hours. He didn't tell me yesterday, so I'm a little a little worried maybe that he decided to know show because his vikings decided to be the biggest embarrassment of the NFL postseason thus far, which maybe will be a team that's a little more embarrassing than them, And maybe embarrassing isn't even like the right way to describe it, because I mean, it was an embarrassing performance,
but they had a great year. But then again, you're not really that surprised when when like the result last night really wasn't that surprising, right, I mean, the Rams had a lot of momentum, They've got some championship pedigree with Sean McVay. I mean, they had a lot of momentum. Actually they are on fire. And the Vikings were good
all year. But you knew deep down the guy that was under center, Sam Donald, he was Sam Donald, and he was playing out of his mind, earned himself a lot of money by helping Minnesota to a phenomenal season in the regular season only though, so and the question now is how much money did he lose with the way last week in Detroit went, and then of course
last night as they followed the Rams. So I mean, it was an upset, but surprising like the level of it, I don't I mean, I don't think it's that shocking because the Vikings, you know, are the Vikings. And for those who don't realize the connection here, Austin is a big Vikings fan. And and I'm you know, he didn't seem real confident yesterday, and he has been pretty up. I mean, he think he's mentioned it on the show, but he says it a little differently off the air.
He's not a fan of Donald. Even when Donald was having success, he didn't feel like that that this was sustainable and looks like he ended up being right and Lamar Jackson And I mean, I'm I'm trying to gather my thoughts here because Lamar in the postseason that being like a talking point nationally.
Like I understand it, I get it.
I mean, it's it's the one thing I'm sensitive to and and I don't really understand why. Like I think I've a as somebody who's a Louisville fan wants to see Lamar do really well. I feel like I've been pretty good about not getting too worked up about the critics of Lamar, because I mean, he'll be I mean, I think more than anything, like he's he's proven all those people wrong and you don't really hear a whole
lot of it anymore. I Mean, the guy is I mean, those who claim he needs to win in the postseason for him to be solidified as one of the best of all time, I mean, I think they're wrong, but like that's not a hot take, that's that's kind of how this works, and I feel like I know that, But then again, I'm triggered when it comes to Lamar, because I just feel like anybody claiming that he's not as great as we all know he is, then you know.
That would well, gosh, I got a little distracted here.
I'll get back on track in just a second, because I don't want to share something with you about Lamar. But our boss, which I guess I can say his name, he just scared the you know what out of me because I got an email that popped up on the computer right in front of me, and I didn't have outlook open, so it's just a little prompt message at the bottom right corner. And Gus Allen, of course is he's the man in charge when it comes to talk
programming around here. In fact, i'll read you his email title. It's program director NewsRadio eight forty WHS director of Spoken word Programming in the Kentucky market. So I mean, how
about that title. He's an impressive guy. So I get a notification that he sent me an email on the title of it says farewell address, and I'm thinking, oh no, like we're not finding out he's not leaving, is he so like, I just completely lost my train of thought and opened the email and it actually is the It is the Biden farewell address that I guess we're airing on news radio eight forty WHCHS tomorrow night. So a little panic, and that made me kind of you know, lose, Yeah,
Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. So the reason I want Lamar to win so badly is just because the noise out there about him not winning in the postseason. But I just need to remind myself that even if they win against Buffalo but then they lose to Kansas City like that, it'll still be talked about. If he makes it all the way to the super Bowl and they lose, it'll still be talked about, Like it'll still be something people bring up. Now, if he wins a super Bowl,
that will be awesome. That'll be phenomenal. I would have a hard time thinking anybody would claim he's not one of the best ever as far as accomplishments.
I mean not the I mean like.
He but but you know, clearly that's the only thing right now in his resume that doesn't put him in that tier of best quarterbacks of all time. To be honest, with you. But Lamar is in a status right now with his career I mean again, two MVP trophies, the third is likely on the way. He's still relatively young, to be honest with you, so like he's I mean, he's proven to be, like he is one of the biggest names in professional sports across the planet, certainly in
the NFL here in America. And when you are in that tier, you have elevated yourself to that status, there's always going to be conversation about you, and some of it's going to be those that want that are you know, playing Devil's advocate or you know, being haters, And I just need to accept that. There's certain things I'm aware of, like how protective I am and how like sensitive I can be about it. I feel like I have good awareness of that, but I never feel like coming with Lamar.
And then once it becomes, you know, a talking point on the show where I hear loud Mouse talking about his career and doubting him and acting as if he's, you know, the worst guy in the league when it comes to postseason time, Like I don't it just it gets me so Colin Cowhard, this was actually why I wanted to talk about this. Colin Cowhard, I feel like in recent years has been more pro Lamar than he
used to be. But what happens with these big talking heads, they they you know, they got to they gotta go back and forth.
Right, it gets a little too stale, really, it gets stale.
When they've just you know, given the same kind of because really, Lamar Jackson, what your take on him a year ago was, really there shouldn't be much of a different take now, right, He's been as good as he was a year ago when he won MVP. The Ravens are having just as good of a season as they did a year ago, it seems so, you know, but.
If you stay the same it gets boring.
So like these guys, they go back and forth at times, and I do think overall Cowhardt's still a little prolem He's more pro Lemar than than some. But two weeks ago, exactly two weeks ago yesterday, this is something that Cowhard said on his show about Lamar Jackson and Sam Donald.
This roster isn't great. There's no bot Lamar Jackson, Sam Darnold. Look at the numbers. Who do you trust more in a playoff game? Are you sure, and Lamar and I love Lamar, but when I said years ago, I said, there's Samandrew Luck.
Here, So I mean that was more how how he that's That was more about how much he thinks that Darnald is actually really good than it is like anti Lamar. But kind of makes me rethink my strategy of being an on air host, because you know, Colin Cowherd, he's doing a lot better than I am, making a lot more money than I am, and clearly he's a lot better at this than I am. But maybe just saying outlandish things like maybe it is worth doing because it
could you know, it could elevate you. But anyways, we'll talk a little more about the NFL playoffs later on within the show, and then of course get more into the matchups as we get later, as we.
Get later into the week. It is game day today, I.
Guess you'd say game night, Louisville, Syracuse, seven o'clock, and I don't know. Somebody asked on the text line, which I do love that people ask this on the text line because you can get this information at a lot of places. I mean this in fact, a quick Google search. You could even ask Siri and she'll probably tell you. But we do have people that still ask questions like what channel is the game on tonight? And I don't know, So here I am looking it up for you because
I need to know myself. Tonight this game will be on the ACC Network, So at seven o'clock the ACC Network, that's where you can watch it. And I you know, I'm hoping Louisville can continue this run that they're on.
They should.
I mean, I know they could lose, because they could lose to anybody if they don't play well and have a bad night. But the team that we've seen in the last couple of weeks, if that same team shows up tonight, I feel like they could even have an off night again at the free throw line, which you don't want, but like they should win tonight.
That's what I'm getting at.
And Pat Kelsey, I don't know if you think it's worth getting into comparisons here, because clearly, coaching at Winthrop and coaching at Charleston it's different than coaching at this level. But I think clearly the formula he put together that made him so successful at those two schools, I think it's the same thing he brought with him here and
it's working. So make of this what you want. However, if you go back to all the other times Pat Kelsey's teams have been let's see, yeah, Louisville, this is great. I mean, it's just for those who like to nerd out on some of these numbers. At the best wager is a really good Twitter x account that just gives this good informative stuff when it comes to sports betting, especially college basketball. But Louisville has been a six and a half point or more road favorite in a conference
game just three times since twenty twenty. Today's the first time since January thirteenth of twenty twenty one, which was the COVID year where they played during COVID not MAX year, but the not MAX last year, but the year before that. So let's see Pat Kelcey as a road conference favorite
of three possessions or more. He's eleven and one at Charleston and twenty eight zero at Winthrop, so one loss in thirty one games in his coaching career when he's been in this position where he's been again favored by this range of points three possessions or more in a road game, and again that may seem like numbers that that may not mean anything to you, and that's fine, But we're still learning about Pat Kelsey in a way.
I mean, I don't think we're going to see something that's really gonna step stand out in surprises at this point in the season. But you know, we haven't really seen his energy whenever he's he's riding high like this. I think when you listen to him and you I mean you watch him coach, I mean, I think he's been the same guy. You can tell he's a little a little bit happier because obviously he's probably pleased with
the way his team's playing and he's having success. It's, you know, it's the human element of sports, right He's a coach, he's a human, his team's playing well.
You can tell he's really happy.
But as far as like, I don't think they're gonna I mean, I would hope that this success just fuels them to where they realize, man, this is awesome. They now have a real belief in themselves, and I don't think they've ever shown at any point this year that they don't think they're good. In fact, I think they've shown throughout the year that even when they do have a bad night, they get beat bad or they nearly lose to a team like Eku, they typically come back
and have turned the page and they play hard. But I would love to know what was said or what happened, or really what that switch was from the Eku miracle, because that's really.
What it was.
Man.
You should have lost that game, let's be honest, but you did Noah, Waterman came through in a big way. So after that they came out against Carolina and that's when I noticed that they were animals defensively, and their attention to detail and the scout was really standing out.
They were beating everybody to loose balls.
They were, I mean really, for the most part, other than the Clemson game, they've dominated the backboard. And it's not that they didn't show signs of that early on in the year. But man, when we hit January, something changed with this group in a good way, of course.
And it's not that they were terrible before that.
But again, I'm probably not articulating it the way that that I want, at least effectively. But man, they've won these last four games, which again say what you want about the ACC but I think these last really the last five games, it tells you that they can at least be one of the better teams in the ACC. But like they're doing this and yet they haven't had
that night where they've avoid that. They've yet to have a win in this stretch where you can't single out something on the stat sheet that you know should be better free throws, turnovers, foul trouble, just you know, poor nights from from the three point line. So if if you tighten up those things, which again seems like it's you know, a simple fix. I mean, we don't even know what the ceiling for this team can end up being. All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side.
Keep this thing rolling along. If you're on hold, we'll get to you. Five two, five seventy nine hundred is the number we'll get to your calls on the other side. So stick with us right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Hop up on the latest UK sports on Kentucky Sports Radio with Matt Jones tomorrow at ten on Sports Talk seven ninet. Gigs, you're listening to Coffee and Company with Dick Coffee on Sports Talk seven ninety.
It's right, it's Coffee and Company.
Fuel.
Got Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety got about ten minutes. Actually no, we have less than that. But we're taking you up till six o'clock, which means we got a lot more to get into. So stick around and if you want to join us on the show, you can five O two five seven one seventy nine hundred is the number. And we will go to the phone lines now and uh we will welcome in. Music still playing here, Sam, Sam.
What's up?
Nick? How are you, sir?
Doing okay? How much yourself?
I'm doing all right? Well, I just want to say thank you for all you do in all the community. I am a master student up here at Indiana, but I'm from Louisville, so listening to you makes me feel like I'm right back at home. So I just want to say thank you for all that.
Well.
I really appreciate that. Man. I think that means a lot of same.
Thanks, Sam, absolutely, and I am I am from Louisville, So I grew up Louisville basketball. You know, I grew up going with my dad and Grandpaul to Freedom Hall and you know, seeing Rick Patino and watching these just great teams play. You know, and Kenny Payne being here, you know, these two seasons he was here killed me mentally,
just overall. And you know, I don't think I'm the only one who feels that way, but I found myself not being able to watch sports, and you know, and not even just Louisville, but Louisville football, louisvill basketball, even though we were good at football. But seeing that Pat Kelsey is here, I don't know what he's doing, but the fire it has been put in me. You know, I was watching all these I was at the Duke game, and even though we didn't win, I was really hopeful it.
You know, it was a great first half, didn't well well for the most part, Yeah, absolutely, And I watched Clemson. I was pumped. And then we get to this Pittsburgh game and when we run that out of bounce play and rain Smith hits that three in front of the bench, I got out of my chair and fist bumped the air.
I was.
I couldn't have been more happy at that point.
It is so nice and breath taking to have these guys here, and I just could not be more excited for this season.
And it's already been a.
Pleasure Yep, it's been awesome, and Sam, I appreciate you listening, appreciate the kind words. Yeah, I think with it was. I always try to remind myself when it comes to the two years that Louisville basketball was lifeless and just really in a place that nobody ever thought it would be. I kind of benefited from, you know, one being able. I guess to use this show as a as a
platform for therapy to kind of talk through it. But you know what, because it's it's kind of part of what I do, right, Like, my job is to come on the radio for three hours every day and during I mean, I'm a Louisville basketball fan, of course, but even if I wasn't, like the job would be to talk about Louisville hoops because we're in Louisville and we care about college basketball, and this city has a ton of college hoops fans, most of them from two sides.
Both sides, by the way, are in the elite category of all time programs.
So you know, it was part of my job.
So like there was a layer of it to where it's like, well, you know what, it's what you got to do. And even if my team's not bad or even even if my team stinks, I'd still prefer being in my position to where this is.
What I do.
So what I'm getting at is Louis of basketball. For a lot of people, it's an escape from from their everyday life. Right they're in school, they're working. I mean, you know, they look forward like it's not it's maybe escape's not the right way to describe it, but it's something that you know is there to give them a whole lot of joy. And I'm with you, I'm in the same boat. But joy or sadness, you know, it's there's a component of my life to where it's part of it regardless.
You know.
So I think I try to remind myself of that because you know, like people will call in and say, man, I'm sorry, I hate that you have to do this. I feel so bad for you'd have to do these postgame shows, and I get what they meant, and it was nice of them to say that. But I actually kind of benefited from that in a way because good or bad, this is what I'm gonna have to talk about regardless. So like just knowing that going in made
it a little bit different. So to Sam's point, Louis of Basketball for so long, has has brought joy to so many people, and it became a huge part of your life. I mean it's a big part of our culture here in this area. Our weekends during the season sometimes, in fact, more often than not, the you know, the good weekend, bad weekend is dependent upon what your what your team did Louis of Basketball or Kentucky basketball. So to have that go to a level that, again none
of us ever thought it would be ad. I mean what I've probably said more than anything when it comes to just what that was, the experience like lifeless. Like I think lifeless is the word I've probably used more than any when I describe the where we were as a fan base, as a program. I mean it was, I mean we were a part of the college basketball season the last two years, but man, it really didn't feel like it. I mean it was it felt like a chore to watch them, and it was hard to
watch them at some at times. And I know some people didn't watch a lot because they just you know, they couldn't. And you knew that your program needed to lose with Kenny in order for there to be no doubt that they need to move on from him. Therefore, I do believe people when they would call in and say I'm happy they lost, and although it sounds awful,
like I get it. So you know, we've gone from being at a point where we never thought we'd be lifeless, just just completely lifeless, to now you're getting that unexpected success and that's that's that's again, that's a satisfying as I think you can get when it comes to watching your team, right, I mean, if your team's winning, especially winning at a high level, and there's a lot of accomplishments that come with it, that's great, regardless of if
it was expected or not. But I do think the you know, to you know, when you enjoy it in real time, I think if if you didn't feel like it was possible, it was uncertain, or it's the ultimate surprise, I mean that that that so that again, that's what's happening now is Louisville basketball is has clearly made a huge jump from the last two years. As it stands
right now, they're on a roll. They're right outside the top twenty five looking like a tournament team, which of course is a is a big step up from where they were previously. But it's the elements that Pat Kelsey's bringing. I mean, look when you when it comes to the players being kind of a reflection of him, which I think they are, which is a good thing. It's what you want, especially if you know it's a guy who carries himself well and seems like, you know, he's pretty
good at what he does. And so far pack Kelsey' shown them. But I think even fans like look at everything that we're seeing on the floor and of course the results on the court, and it's hitting us in our feels, probably in a way we weren't expecting. I think we all knew this would be better than it was under Kittie Payne and that we would be happier, but I think the way it's all kind of played out has made it just you know, this has been the funnest season and I can remember in a long
long time. I have no clue how it's going to end, but so far it's been awesome and I've enjoyed it.
All.
Right, we got two more hours, so stick around and we will be back in just a few minutes. To keep this thing rolling along. We'll talk a little more about this. Deon Sanders Dallas Cowboys rumor.
I mean, I don't know. I guess it's not a rumor.
We know that they met, they talked, and I guess now it just comes down to is that who Jerry Jones wants to take.
Over for the Cowboys.
Also, Isaac Brown picked up another big time accomplishment which again just further supports what a lot of people believe the that's Louisville football next year should be, you know, should be able to go into the season feeling like, hey, we got we've got a schedule in front of us that if we take care of business, we can be in the playoff hunt. So two more hours left right here on Sports Talk seven ninety