Time for coffee and company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick coffee.
All right, let's get our number two started here on a Friday afternoon, getting you set for the weekend. Coffee and company fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Appreciate you hanging out with us as we've got two more hours to go. Do you want to remind you once again, as you know we are fueled about Thortons, to make sure you sign up to become a member of their Refreshing Awards program if you haven't already. You'll save money at the gas pump. There's all kinds of
perks that come with it, like the Frequency Club. You purchase a certain item a certain amount of times, you get it free. And if you download the app or you have it already, you can go to the app itself or go to the website and see which items are a part of the Frequency Club. And it's kind of I mean, maybe this just speaks to what I really get enjoyment out of, but it's kind of.
A thrill, don't.
I don't keep track of it, but I know that when I'm getting close there's certain there's a certain like I get my kids these either Fountain Drink or fizz Freeze the slushies, oh yeah, and you get you know, the tenth one is always free. And again I have a pretty good radar as far as when I'm getting to the tenth one. But once, once I put in the phone number, and it shows me that there's no cost associated with the seventy nine cent item. Man, I'm a winner, I feel, I mean, I feel exactly.
That's actually a bigger thrill for.
Me than whenever I win bets, which maybe it's because that doesn't happen that often. But anyways, let's get the hour started by bringing in the one and only mister Kent Spencer from Whas eleven Kent. How we doing, brother House twenty twenty five. Treating you so far, so far, so good? Maybe good to have you back. And man, a really good basketball weekend coming up. We've got NFL
playoffs and it's been a while since we chatted. And man, this Louisville basketball team, they have really rounded into form in a way that I certainly didn't expect. I knew they would continue to play hard and make the most of the situation. But the injuries and the losses that were that were pretty frequent, you know, even though it was a tough schedule, just made it kind of look as if you didn't know how good the team was going to be. But man, they have, I've really played
some good basketball as of late. What do you think, and again, the schedule itself is benefiting them. They're now playing in a league that's not super competitive, but you know they're playing the better teams in that league and they're clearly paying playing better basketball. What do you think has really been the switch that flipped for this group to where they're now looking like a team that if they take care of business, they've got a spot in this NCAA tournament this year.
Yeah, I mean, well number one.
I just think and Pat Kelsey talked about it last week, like the Tennessee game was with just a complete ido burn for I think that staff and even these players on just how hard and how physical you have to play.
Now, look after the Bahamas.
You know that they've met an Old Miss team that plays a very similar style and they didn't handle that well either. But I think as they've kind of settled into this thing, like the one thing and you kind of touched on it is and this is such a this is such a gritty team, like they will fight you tooth and nail for it just feels like just anything. And I think that that's that's such a that's such
a great benefit. And you know, I think when you lose a guy like like Cason pryor early on in the season, like when you when you do go ten or eleven deep, you know, it can it can allow
guys in some cases, I think to a detriment. And I think it was maybe a little bit at the beginning of the season, this was kind of happening where it was like that, you know, guys didn't feel that pressure to I've got to go do something, you know, like it was always like, hey, if I've got it going great, maybe somebody else to have it going this. But I think when they got shorthanded, like it forced people to grow up and it forced people to do
things differently. Like I'll give you an example, James Scott, Like first month in the season, he was fine, right, but like he's this last month he's taken he's taken his game to a new level. Now he's not doing anything special, but he's so active on the offensive glass, he's so active just everywhere defensively, like his games reached another life. Javon Hadley in my opinion, like where he's playing right now.
I mean that.
Dude is just like he doesn't I don't think he does anything fantastic but give unbelievable effort and I think it's exactly what this team needed. And to be honest that like if Cason Pryor was playing like Javon Hadley would be on the perimeter just kind of getting lost in the shuffle in my opinion, But like now he's got a battle, he's undersized, but.
Man, he's not getting it given anything away.
So I mean, I think it's kind of forced forced guys to kind of up their roll a little bit, and they've and they've clearly they've they've hit their stride.
Yeah, And I think as much as it sounds cliche and corny, you mentioned the team being gritty, I really do think they they're the way they've carried themselves, the way they play, really every element of this program right now, you can see some fingerprints that match Pat Kelsey's. I feel like they are absolutely a reflection of the guy that is leading them, and that's always important, especially if it's somebody that you feel like is is good at that.
But they went through some real adversity, losing some guys that I mean, they were already kind of a team, still putting it together. They had the Bahamas in the summer and and and clearly they were together since they arrived, but they kind of had to regroup and and not
reinvent themselves necessarily. But there's a new version of them now because they now know for sure they weren't getting Prior back, they weren't getting Corn Johnson back, and they were playing some of the best teams in the country while they were trying to kind of, you know, find themselves a little bit. And man, they they have really hit their stride. I think fans are just enjoying the
ride as of right now, some real momentum. These guys are winning, they're playing hard, they're playing entertaining.
Basketball as well. But I'm starting to look at.
Some numbers here and I think I think there's some guys on this team that are I don't know where they're going to end up down the line as far as how they're remembered, but I think Chucky hepburn. I mean, there's times where I'm thinking this is one of the best guards that's played here in a long long time.
Yeah no, And.
That's another thing, like right, like you know Karin Johnson's out check. Would Chucky have been getting all the minutes he would have if Corny Johnson wasn't wasn't playing And by the way, like you want Chucky he burn to play.
Us many minutes at to be to be honest with you, like.
You know, Chucky wasn't this good at Wisconsin, Like he's maybe it's Pad Kelsey systems, you know, all of this stuff. Like he's taken his game to just a completely, you know, different level.
He's tapped into something that maybe.
He always believed that that he had an him and he just couldn't show it. But he's showing it now, and he's showing at a at a high level.
I mean, and sometimes you know, even if he's he's.
Struggling to get the double digits points, which is you know, rare, you know, then at that point he is the general that's getting shots for his teammates.
And then the other night against Syracuse, obviously he he had it rolling offensively.
So yeah, I mean I think that, you know, all of that stuff, there was a moment. Now I'm going to go back to the Tennessee game because I do think it's point, especially the way Kelsey mentioned the other day, and this was like they had they had the poor roster.
Then I yep, they quit in the second half for a moment.
Yep, I remember quickly took the time out.
And he brought him over and he was like, I don't I don't know, like you know, nobody was here last year, so I don't care, Like you know, this isn't gonna happen under my watch.
And you haven't seen that since.
Right, there was a moment in that game where like they were just getting run out of the gym and they quit, quick time out, come over. He kind of sets the standard and that's what that and that really is what the standard has been. Like, look, you know, you you may not win all the.
Games, but it's not gonna be from a lack of effort.
It's not gonna be from a lack of fight, Like you're you're gonna get into this, and and they really have bought into this. I mean, you know they're currently on this seven game winning streak right now and at the beginning of it, or towards the beginning of it. Remember, I mean they needed a last second shot to beat e.
Ku, and man that that Noah Waterman bucket is seeming more and more valuable by the day, more so just because it literally would have been a real big stain on the resumes at this point.
Yeah, but like right now, the way they're playing, to me, it's like that that game wasn't that long ago.
It feels like it was a million years ago.
It was a different team, and I was I was pleased as a Louisville fan myself saying that despite everything, they were still playing hard. And I didn't know at that time really what you know the next few weeks were gonna look like. But I think when they came out against Carolina right after that Eku game, there was they I always felt like this group played hard and they were they were giving effort, and the enthusiasm was
was was where it needed to be. But it went up a few notches against Carolina, and that's really where I feel like they Again, it sounds like I'm saying they were a bad team before, I don't know how good they were but the group that has been on the floor in acc play here in twenty twenty five, I mean I kind of feel like it's been a different team.
Yeah, no, I mean and some some of it is like I said, it's.
It's it's being comfortable in your roles.
It is understanding like, look, I don't have time to just settle in.
Like my teammates. They need me, they need me to be.
This, and I'm going to provide it, you know, and it just and also like in this stretch and you know, he was he was final last game. They really didn't need him because it was What's crazy is after the game, Pat Kelsey talked about Red Altree from Syracuse like so many in the last two years talked about Kenny.
Payne at Louisville.
Like that team looked like a very similar team. I mean, there was PTSD for me as a fan. I'll be honest with you, how many.
Times in postgame pressers in those last two years he's going to go together.
He's doing a great job. He just needs time this and this. That's what Pat Kelsey sounded like the other night.
So man, it was nice to be on the other end of that.
Teas and peace of Syracuse fans.
But but you know, they they have they understand and what they.
Have to be and they have.
And then you've got a guy like green Smith who, you know, maybe if you're dying a little bit, or maybe this and this like that dude just seems to come up with a big three at a big time.
Like he just hits big threes.
Yeah, And and clearly his his claim to fame, if you will, is the fact that he can get hot and change a game really quickly. He's certainly done that for Louisville more than a few times this year. But he's also just a good player.
Man.
You could just tell he's got a feel for the game. He really understands spacing. And I kind of feel like nobody would say he's not valuable, but I think he may be more valuable than most guys on this roster just because of a lot of things he brings to the table other than just you know, being able to being able to shoot the ball.
Now I want to switch gear.
You'd be surprised. I know, I'm gonna interrupt you.
On It's fine, Hey, no, it's good.
But my my thing, I think the two most valuable members of this basketball team right now are Chuckie, Hepburn.
And Ring Smith.
I wouldn't disagree at all. I felt like that even before a lot of the injuries happened, when they were kind of figuring out who they were early, that Rain was one of those guys that I just felt like, Man, he seems to be somebody that even if it's not showing up with a big shot or any specific stat things are just a little bit better when he's out there. And at times I guess he broke down on defense early this year, but he's not been a liability on
defense at all. In fact, I don't think anybody really has to be honest with you. So it's been a fun ride so far for Louisville fans, and with the acc looking the way it does, they'll probably slip up.
To somebody they shouldn't lose too.
They're certainly not going to run the table, at least I don't expect that, but they've done enough right now to where they should still be able to have a hiccup or two and be able to find themselves in the big dance, which I know that's never going to be just the bar for a Louisville on an annual basis, at least nobody wants it to be. But given the recent years, I mean, I think that would be something fans.
I mean, I think a tournament appearance here would be Wolvell fans would be more excited for a tournament appearance this year than they've ever been for just making the tournament. And you know I'll be one of them, to be honest with you. But let's talk Kentucky. I think this Kentucky team won the really good. They've got a great resume. I think two seed is what a lot of people have them at as of right now, especially with that win over Texas A and M coming off the win
on the road at Mississippi State. But I think with this Kentucky team, they're pretty easy to figure out. That don't mean that they're easy to beat. But teams that have decided to not really have a mindset of knowing let's not let them do exactly what they want to do. Teams who are not afraid to play as many possessions as possible. Teams who do that, those teams haven't beat Kentucky. And that includes Duke, that includes Gonzaga, that includes Mississippi State.
Alabama's going to come in tomorrow and that's what they do. That is absolutely how they play. Natoates has been really successful with it. Not saying Kentucky's guaranteed to win, but up to this point, teams who want to play Kentucky in that in that pace, in that style, they've not been able to knock them off. And I kind of feel like Alabama may still be a team that makes the Final four. Who knows, maybe they win the whole thing.
But I think going into up Arena knowing they're going to try to play Kentucky at their game, I mean, I think this could be another I mean, if they win, it'll be a big time win. But I kind of feel like, given what I've seen, I kind of expect them to win this one.
Well, I don't know about that. I think Alabama's really good and they're they.
Beat really good teams too, though you know, Kentucky's beat some damn good teams.
Look yeah, I mean I don't know, to be honest, like, I just go into it going, man, this is a fifty to fifty kind of toss up game, sure, you know, and it is into a lot of that stuff.
Just because yes, I do. I think Kentucky is really good. Yes, but I also think Alabama is really good. That's why I say that, Yeah, because Alabama.
Is is you know, they're both fully capable, capable of beating each other.
This is gonna be one of those where like.
Man, just sit back, grab the popcorn, and just enjoy the show, especially if both teams are making shots, because at the breakneck pace that that they'll pay at play at, the offenses are wide open, they want to take a bunch of threes. They you know, they want to get in the paint, so they you know, both teams have really, really good players. I mean, it's just it's kind of
one of those those fun teams. I tell you what that I think Kentucky has kind of learned how to do in the past couple of weeks, is they've they've they've learned how to play against teams that want to get really physical with them. And I think that's like one of those missing ingredients because you know, so many times, even at the beginning of the year, like even the Duke game, like the offense like they score a lot, but the offense wasn't you know, it wasn't so free flowing.
They kind of had to grind, you know, against Gonzaga a little bit and then now you know it's it's they've done and and the times they've been tripped up right, Clemson, Ohio State teams that got really really physical with them, even Georgia and those kind of games. But Mississippi State, Texas A and m those are those are rough and
tough type type games. And Kentucky's still been able to run their offense and has to have success in those games, which you know for them, and and what you're gonna see in the NCAA tournament and down the line, you're gonna see all kinds of different stuff.
You've got to be able to handle some some different things. Yeah.
I think with with Mark Pope, everybody knows what he wants to do. What I mean, he Pat Kelsey and Mark Pope are very similar as far as the way they want to play and what their system is. And at times you're going to find teams are just going to be able to keep you from doing that at the level that you want, and you got to make adjustments. I go back to Mark Pope against Gonzaga, him deciding to to you know, him conceding essentially that he's not going to be able to control the pace the way
he wants. He goes zone, they grind it out, they want they went to They win a game in a way that maybe they.
Didn't want to play.
I mean, Florida was a team that, quite literally I thought, Okay, maybe this is the team that will challenge Kentucky. And look that that game could have gone either way. For the most part, it was it was it was a shootout. But I've just been so impressed with his Kentucky team. I'm about to block out saying it, but like it's
just the truth. I think they've had they've had their losses, and yes, some will say the blueprints out as far as how you would find a way to stop them, but I think in recent games they've been able to say, Okay, we understand that, but we've made some adjustments on Aura and I think you know, Mark Pope's had had such a phenomenal start, and I just think you know you're right when it comes to to Alabama, it's a fifty to fifty game tomorrow because when you're playing that style
and both teams are on the same page, let's run this thing up and down. Let's get a lot of shots up. It really just comes down to who's making more shots. I mean sometimes it really is. It really is that simple. But I do feel like when it comes to the early review, really for both coaches, but speaking of Pope specifically here, I mean, I can't imagine there's many Kentucky fans, even when they've had the losses that they didn't want teams that they probably feel like
they're better than Ohio State and Clemson. I mean, they've got to be super pleased with the way this thing has looked so far.
Well, yeah, and I think you know, and for both teams, but as we're talking about Kentucky right now, you know.
You've seen the teams learn and get better, and.
We're witnessing coaches making adjustments and teams getting better.
It's it's a beautiful thing.
Yeah. And sometimes it's like individual players.
You know, there was a time, and it wasn't that long ago where Amari Williams at times for them, like on both ends of the floor, would felt like he was a little this, a little this like and he's adjusted and he's been I mean against Texas A and m he was as good as it gets on the glass, and that game against a really good rebounding team, and you know, his effort level, like he's kind of realized, like, Okay, if I want to be good and and and I'm so important for my team, like my effort level has
to be top notch at all times in these games, especially in this conference.
I can't.
I can't get by with what I was doing at Drexel. Like I think you can see that, and you can see them in these last couple of games. You know, when when teams do get rough and rough and tough with them a little bit, they're still they they're cutting through it now and they're getting they're getting their open shots and they're not hesitating with threes. When a couple of those games like that kind of went away and they started playing a little bit more one on one.
None of these guys are one on one players, Like they got to do it together and there's and you can see it kind of they're learning that through the course of the season.
In what in what makes it I think even more impressive is that these coaches, you know, getting these results, especially from individual players, you can see their growth. These players have only known these head coaches at these schools for maybe nine months. There are some exceptions Rain Smith and obviously James Scott came with Pat from Charleston.
But I mean for.
The majority of everybody else on both sides, like these guys are some of them are grown men, and maybe their maturity on their end is something that I'm not giving enough credit to. But man, it's just it's just little things that I never would have paid attention to that now are standing out, and it's just it's it's really cool to see. All Right, last thing, we're gonna We're gonna do a rapid fire here.
Ken.
I'm gonna give you each of these playoff matchups. You tell me who wins. Texans Chiefs, Chiefs, Commanders, Lions, Lions, Rams, Eagles, Me too. I'm riding money line Rams. They've got so much momentum right now. And I know Philadelphia is good and they're at home, but I this this, uh, this RAMS team has been hot as can be, So I'm with you on that one. How about the Ravens Bills, the big one, the big matchup.
Yeah, I'm gonna go.
I'm gonna okay, Yeah, they are currently favored, which I'm a little bit surprised by but that should be uh should be.
A great game. And Kent, it is always great to catch up. We did my man.
Hopefully you're having yourself a good new year and double talk soon.
Brother.
Have a good weekend, absolutely, man, you too.
Take care.
That's Kent Spencer from w h AS eleven. Always appreciate his time.
Good stuff. Love talking ball with Kent. What's better than that? Right? Talking ball? We got to get out of here for a quick break. We'll be back.
Actually we're not going anywhere. We're gonna be standing exactly where we're standing. But we just have to, you know, pay the bills, as they say. Isn't that a corny radio like line? Like I've only used it a few times and then I cringe anytime I do.
Do you I actually kind of like it?
Okay, well then now don't feel as bad.
Look you're you're you're more in tune with what's you know, cool and what's not.
So we're gonna pay some bills. We'll be back right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
All right, some things I wanted to get to really quickly here. We'll have a couple of shorter segments in the last half here of the four o'clock hour, which is okay because we went a little long there in the Kent Spencer interview, which is I mean, I might.
As well just block out, just clear out the hour.
Next time with Kent, because it's always goodtuff with him and we certainly appreciate his time.
Yeah, we just can't time out camp sense.
I mean, it's just kind of like let it, let it ride.
That's what we do. So this is this is newsworthy for sure. I won't act as if I think it's
going to be some big deal. But Jeff Brawm, in his first season obviously one ten games, took over to the a SEC Championship game and retained his entire staff, and it looked as if he was going to have no staff changes, and if he was going to have a staff change, I think a lot of us would have guessed that that staff change would be moving on from his defensive coordinator, Ron English, but that has not happened.
But it does look as if North Carolina will in fact hire Gerrick McGee, who has been at Louisville twice. He came here with Bobby Vitrino, a real rare move at that time. It's not as uncommon anymore. Given that the lower level of high the lower level of big time college sports meeting group of five low level D one basketball, you were really set up to have a tough time exceeding succeeding at a high level because you lose your players.
That's just how it is. The portal will make it to.
The portal has made it to where if you're a guy at a low level school and you're having a lot of success, you know you can hit that portal and play at a bigger level and make more money. And that's just how it is now, which is unfortunate. So Grek McGee left UAB as their head coach for I mean, I think he was there a couple of years. He left to come and be Bobby's OC and he was here until Bobby was not Actually no, he left before Bobby left because he ended up taking a job
at Illinois. He's real close with love Smith, and I forgot that love Smith was was.
Was the Illinois coach for a little while.
Didn't have much success, but Gerrick left because he's close with Lovey, and I think that's actually his mentor. So then Gerrick ended up joining Jeffs staff when Jeff got hired here at Louisville and he's been here since then.
So I don't know the connection.
But Bill Belichick will be hiring Grek McGee away from the Louisville staff, and Greck is a really well liked guy in the football world, and I've heard nothing but great things about him, had him on the show many years ago whenever he first was here in his first stint. And I don't know where they'll go, but I don't I don't have any concerns as far as Jeff Bron being able to find somebody that can, you know, can
take that role. I think if you're if you're an up and coming guy when it comes to being a staffer on the offensive side of the ball in college football, I think you would want to work with Jeff Brom. So maybe they do something internally, maybe they go hire
somebody else. Not sure, no clue, And I was curious at first, was this a move that I mean, I just saw Garrick at the at the Louisville basket game on I think it was the it was a Clemson game, which you know, that doesn't mean that, like, I'm surprised he's leaving, but you know, he's somebody that I felt like was in a really good place here at Louisville. And I initially saw the news and thought maybe Louisville was, you know, content with him leaving. Maybe something just didn't
work out. And I still have no clue as to what led to it, but it does now appear that Louisville is, you know, understanding that he's going to move and they're not going to be able to keep him, but they wished that they could have.
So it's a loss.
I don't think it's a big deal by any means, and it doesn't really change my expectation of this team. But he's a really good I mean, recruiting is always gonna matter, and he's good at that and always has been. But he's also a good developer, so I wish him well. He's a good dude, and I imagine getting a chance to go work for Bill Belichick was something that really intrigued him. And I imagine he's probably gonna make a lot of money too. So Grek McGee looks like he's on his way out.
Now.
Some other things I wanted to bring up really quickly here that we don't have to spend a lot of time on, but certainly worth mentioning Dicky v. He is he is going to be returning to call a college basketball game for the first time in nearly two years. So he is now cancer free once again. He's had a lot of a lot of battles with cancer and
and so far he's been able to to win. And I still, you know, it's not worth getting into, but like I still think Dick EV for you know, for a while now, maybe hadn't been delivering his fastball, if you will. And you know, I think at times like I don't love games that he's been a part of. But I've never once not acknowledged in saying that that he is a huge, huge piece to college basketball, and college basketball became a sport that that generated the attention
that it now does. And look, it's still very very distant when it comes to the NFL and college football, and I.
Mean even the NBA to an extent.
So like I'm not acting like college basketball is, you know, doing numbers like college football in the NFL because it's not. But when college basketball did make a splash and became a product that is on television every night in the winter, Dicky V was a big part of that. Not to say that he specifically did it, but he was when it made it splash. He was the personality, he was
the character, the cheerleader, if you will. And it's led to a lot of people not even knowing that Dickie V before he was mister college basketball, mister awesome baby, I mean, just the Dick EV brand. You know what I'm talking about here. He was a coach. Did you know that, Austin, did you know Dick.
Bettel was a coach? I can't tell you for who, but I knew he had a coach in the background.
Because again, and I think most people are probably because he didn't coach a big program, but he was the He coached Detroit Mercy, which of course is now just Detroit's right in the seventies, and they were good, and then he turned that into being the Detroit Pistons coach for a couple of years, and then he no longer coached and got into broadcasting, and clearly that is what people most remember him for.
But I bet there's a lot of folks that.
Never even realized that before he became the care character that he is on TV, that he was also a pretty successful coach. Rick Pittino at one point, I remember, this really stood out to me because Rick doesn't really do that. Rick is a very passive egomaniac. If that makes sense. Oh yeah, because like I love it. He's fou humble, right, like he's he's you.
Know, he's bo humble. I think people know. I think people know what I mean when I say that.
Like, but he went out of his way, and I could I felt a different energy from Rick when he was talking about how in the seventies that he thought Dick Vitel was one of in this. Now I remember how it all came about because and it was something we heard non stop for years. Dick Vitel introduced Rick Patino to Ryan McMahon. Did you know that, Ryan McMahon, And it ended up at Louis because Dicky v lives in the same community in Florida that Ryan lived, and
his parents knew Dick EV. And he said, Rick, you got to come watch his kid. You got to come watch me. He can shoot it because he's a PTP or baby, and it was all we ever heard. So he became a talking point and Rick was asked about it at one point and he did share that story that it was in fact Dick fi Tell that told him, look, please as a favor, give me, like go watch him.
I want you to see this kid.
If you don't like him, you don't like him, but I think you are missing out. And then Rick went on to I guess Rick went on to state why he respected vital enough to make it a point to go watch him, and then he talked about how in the seventies he thought that Dick vi Tel was some of the best coaches he's ever seen, which again that stood out to because Rick doesn't usually say those kind of things.
Right.
So, and by the way, I'm looking here right now, Dick fo Tell in his last year as a college basketball coach twenty six and three, twenty six and three, so wow, pretty damn good. He went to the sweet sixteen at Detroit, so he's going to be back calling a game, and it's awesome.
He is.
He does so much for children with cancer, I mean like and it's something he's more passionate about than anything he loves college basketball. I think he loves giving back and helping people need more than anything. And you know, he's a little I mean he's he's he's I mean he's elderly.
I mean, dick vi.
Tell is eighty six years old, but he's done so much for college hoops and he loves the game. And as somebody who also loves the game, I'm happy that he's going to be back calling a game.
It's going to be the Duke Wake Forest game. And you can get your jokes off Duke.
Dicky V returning for a Duke game, Yes, makes a lot of sense, but it's fine. It'll be a blowout way Yeah, Duke and Wake Forest next Saturday at four point thirty on ESPN, Dickie V making his return.
It's good stuff, man, really good stuff.
And he embraces that he is that guy like he's the cheerleader of college basketball. I've seen him whenever game day would come to Louisville, or he would just be here for a game when you're there an hour before and it's you know, the cheerleaders out there and the fans that just get in that are just kind of hanging around down the lower level because they want to see the players warm up. If a young kid is like, oh my gosh, that's Dick VI, tell he'll eat that up,
and he will. He'll take a picture with him like he's he's one of those guys we talked about it yesterday, people who realize what they can do to some because of their status, their platform. He uses that for good and that's awesome. So in fact, we'll let you hear Dicky V on the other side because I want to play his call when Louisville beat Virginia at the Young Center many years ago and kind of took me back
down memory lane. We talked about the crowd earlier. Man, that energy in that that that arena in that game was wild. So we'll finish up the four o'clock hour on the other side and take you up till six o'clock. A lot more to get into, so stick around right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day side.
If she just gets it there, Closier has it.
You gotta go to Rogier six seconds left not the ink fires gone.
Good God, there's.
No fifs option.
There's no fift option.
Take a look right here back, y'all.
She squares his body really well. He shoots the jumper.
Una He's like, look shot him, Like, hey, I used to doing this.
Oh wow.
Teams that stuffed off should go up.
So I was at the game when that happened, and the energy in the arena was insane. Really the game was great that season, by the way. That was the twenty fifteen season when Louisville ended up making it to the Elite eight, losing to Michigan State. I don't know if it's because Kentucky was undefeated until the final four, and we always both sides find themselves comparing to you know, comparing themselves to the rival. But I don't think we
realized how good that Louisville team was. Now again, they fell short of the of the of the ultimate goal, which of course, is to win a national championship. They fell just short of the final four. But I remember, not long after that season ended, kind of thinking that team was insanely good and that that was that was a win against Virginia when it meant a lot, And I wasn't watching live, so I didn't hear Dicky v
until after the fact. But that call, of course, that shot is legendary, uh in the young existence of the young center. And I just remember after hearing it, the one thing that stood out to me is the same thing that stood out to me as soon as I just played it back.
Here's the the adoption.
Here's the adoption, which he quite literally was, I'm looking here. Who's on the floor for Louisville during this during this possession? Montrez Harrell, Chris Jones. I'm sorry, Montres Harrold, Chris Joons have been booted from the team, I believe at that time,
Mantres Harroll, Quentin Snyder, Terry Rozier, who's this in the corner? Oh, Wayne blockschar and then Mango Matthew there is he is a distant fifth option to get the bucket to beat Virginia, who was already a thorn in your ass at the time, and it was Mango, of all guys to uh to to to knock it down. And Mango is not a super memorable player here, right, I mean he was, but
but he got a lot better towards the end. He became a guy that I know he missed those free throws in the Elite Eight against Michigan State.
I just I know that's all Austin was thinking about the whole time. I'm talking about Mango, right Againess.
That was the biggest like no, no, no, no, no, no.
Yes, yeah, shoes, but he was.
I mean, Mango joined the team in the championship season in red shirted, and he was one of those guys Rick brought in over his time here, some bigs that, like you never really understood what he saw. I mean, we're talking Jonathan Huffman, Chad Mallard. I'm throwing names that some people don't even know who the hell I'm talking about. Matt Stockman and those guys. You know, some of them weren't, like,
you know, awful. Some of them transferred pretty early. Mango was bad when he got here, like a lot of them, but he really did develop and become a good player, and in fact, he added like fifty pounds of muscle. I feel like, so Mango will be remembered for that in my opinion, but I know there's others that will remember him for the free throws against Michigan State, which you know, I get it. That's you get that close to a Final four and it's free throws. They'd keep
you from being able to advance. It's it's tough, but it.
Was a Wayne Blackshear legacy game.
Yeah, twenty eight points that game and it was made every single free throw.
Was his last career game and could not have been better for him. Obviously a win would have made it better as far as the team, but he I mean, it was finally the Wayne game, and it was the Wayne Blackshear that everybody talked about for six years because he committed to Louisville, Like Wayne committed to the Louisville when Rick Patino was succeeding. But it wasn't because he had a bunch of dudes that were build like Wayne
Blackshear coming out of Chicago as the number. I mean, he was a top ten player in his class for a long time. Was a McDonald's American. And I get I'm really triggered by Wayne Blackshear because maybe he didn't become like an NBA lottery pick or a guy that dominated the sport of college basketball. But you look at Wayne's career, he more than met expectation. I think we had insane expectations for him because he was billed as
a better player in Chicago than Anthony David. Wayne Blackshear started on one of the started in the best run of Louisville basketball in my lifetime. Has over a thousand points, played for some damn good teams. Again, the best teams I watched play here, and he started and was a productive guy. He had some bad games. He wasn't an elite player.
But he is a he.
When people would I get triggered at times by certain things when people would compare V. J. King to Wayne Blackshear, I wanted I wanted to I wanted to have them arrested because that's disrespectful. Dwayne Blackshear no offense to VJ J.
King. What did he ever do?
Wayne Blackshear played and was a factor on great teams. And he was He was a victim of being hyped. He can't control that. He kept a good head about him. He was never a bad attitude guy like he was like, Waye's a good dude.
And I might have met Chipotle when I first moved here.
He's probably with Shane, wasn't he. No, he was actually by him saying he usually was with Shane.
They were they were, and to be fair, and I love Shane, but I mean that's another credit to Wayne. He didn't get influenced by somebody who you know, didn't do things the right way and it impacted their career in a negative way. So Wayne and Shane that was a duo that you know, there's a lot of hype, and to be fair, like they both helped Louisville win in National Championship. There's a lot of people listening, myself included, there's only been one in our lifetime. And they were
a factor in that. They weren't the biggest factor. Although Shane, you don't win that championship game against Michigan if he's not cleaning the backboard with his windex out up there, just pushing Mitch McGarry around. But Wayne, again, it wasn't like if he was a bust, I still would have probably defended him in a way. But when people say bust,
that's just delusional. He a bust is somebody who can't play, maybe overrated, but like go back and look at McDonald's all Americans and see how many of them played but didn't even have close to the career that he did. And I know that I'm like acting like he was a legend, But the dude was a productive player for four years when he was here. He played every I mean, he was a part of the rotation when healthy for
four entire years, a four year run. That again, it's the best run I've been a part of in my lifetime as a Louis a fan. And to call that guy a bust and to reflect on his career as if like he was underwhelming and you're disappointed, like go play in traffic like that, I just don't get it. Like that's I mean, am I wrong? I know, is a random thing to get all fired up about, but like, you know, like I just think that's like I just
never understood that. And I'll be fine with criticizing players who weren't nearly as good as they needed to be, guys who really just you know, couldn't play, because there's been many of those guys that happens everywhere, but like Wayne Blackscher was not one of those. But the hype was so high because when Rick got him, Cal had
seven of them, right. Cal was getting all the McDonald's, all Americans, all the five Stars when he got there, and you know, Wayne was supposed to be our guy and he was fine, but like you know, he wasn't Anthony Davis.
Not many are What.
Was the remember they were calling him fat Wayne? What was a joke about him being fat? Was that like a Rick Patino thing?
I remember? Yeah, Rick was always big on body fat percentage. And Wayne had an injury when he got here, shoulder that kept him out for a little while, right, and and I don't know if he actually gained Wade or Rick just made and made a comment about it. And then there was a picture that Shane Behannon posted of Wayne and Shane at Wendy's with an insane amount of food in front of them, and people just ran with it and was like, oh, he's getting fat. That's why Rick won't play him.
He was the only person to hit a three in that Michigan State game. Yeah, it was bad shooting, and Terry Rogier kind of shot him out of that six for twenty three.
You now got me fixated down here.
Cherry carried them there and then it didn't work out in that game, ISO put the cuffs on him.
And tapping Anton Gil Oh my goodness.
Oh Anton Gil is the guy who before that. If you remember they played NC State in the Sweet sixteen. Anton Gill hadn't done anything. In fact, I now know, I mean this was later. I knew this after the fact. When Anton Gill came in the game against NC State, he didn't have a ton of points, but he did hit big shots to kind of help them advance past nc He stayed in the Sweet sixteen. The staff already knew at that time he was transferring after the season, but they still put him in and he helped him
get to that Elite eight. So gosh, I can't believe it's been that. You know what's crazy? That was ten years ago. Ten years Tom Flaies.
Always wanted to if there was anybody that deserved to try to end Kentucky's perfect streak, that would have matched up amazingly. That would be what the second time in five years that they would have matched up in the Final four.
Yeah, they would have won. Wow.
All right, quick break, We'll come back five o'clock hours next right here on Sports Talk seven ninety