It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick Coffee.
We will start the four o'clock hour with some breaking NFL news, as the Bears have hired Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, who had a phenomenal season and until you until you ran into Jade Daniels and the Commanders, and obviously, I mean all credit to all credit to Washington. I mean, they've been a really fun story. And I don't I don't think it's really a debate from from my time watching the NFL, which I'm sure there's many of you that have watched it
a lot longer than I have. Jayde Daniels is the best rookie quarterback I've ever seen. He's had the best rookie quarterback season I've ever seen, not only with his team having a run like this, but he has been fun nominal. So it's been kind of wild to see you kind of feel, you know, I find myself reminding myself, this is this is something you know, we probably won't see again. I mean, maybe I'm wrong, but it's been that special. So with all that said, you know, He's
got a lot of talent. Jared Goff good quarterback, but like maybe Ben Johnson is way better than people realize. Maybe he was able to work with golf more so than I mean, because golf in LA. I mean, I don't feel like he was even considered like like the level below. Like he played in the Super Bowl with the Rams, did he wasn't the first Rams super Bowl
appearance with him when they lost to the to the Patriots. Yeah, so, like you know, he wasn't terrible, but when he got traded to Detroit, like I think everybody just assumed that he would he would just kind of, you know, fade out and they wouldn't be good. And they became really good and he was a pack a factor in that. So credit to him. You know, he clearly has been
good at times. But maybe, you know, well, Saturday was it was a night where I'm thinking, Okay, maybe Jared Goff just really benefited from landing in Detroit when he did, with and Ben Johnson being there too. But as a Vikings fan, I mean, does this make you fear the Bears at all? Because I mean the Bears, I mean, they're such a big brand, but man like they've been an absolute joke for a good stretch.
Now, Yeah, no, not really, because I know Ben Johnson's a good play caller, but I don't believe head coach anywhere. So everybody was like, ah, Ben Johnson, he's he's coaching circles around Kevin O'Connell and he does these trick plays, and well, guess what. He leaves the trick plays in the hands of his number two wide receiver the other night, and that's what ended up being there ultimate undoing. So I would settle down about the about him just ready
to be a head coach. But on the converse side, if you start to think about it, logically, he should be good at developing Caleb Williams.
He can. He can't be any worse than what they've had. Reason I mean, that's kind of not You.
Don't go get a defensive guy like uber Flus when you're restructuring your whole team. They basically said, you know, have everything, were starting from the ground up, and that's more or less what they did, and they got a lot of things right with the draft picks, but they just didn't have the head coaching and play So I think that's gonna be a little bit better. And I always said that the Bears might be a little bit dangerous with some better coaching, and they sure can. They
obviously had talent. But I'm not ready to just crown Ben Johnson as this head coach guy, because you also got to go in and set the culture too. Yeah, I mean, going to be everything else also than a head coach.
These things really there's very little guys who kind of work their way up and fall in to this Josh as they fall into it. But I mean, he clearly has been buzzing a little bit in the last couple of years. But you know, there have been many other coaches that have taken a similar path as far as just doing the coordinator thing for a while, having success, and then finally being a guy that teams want to
make the head coach. And some guys have taken that and turned out to be phenomenal coaches, and then others, you know, they typically fall on their face and never get another opportunity. Like you know, I mean, I guess maybe the the guy that I would say would maybe be that that would be the argument against what I just said, is I feel like Matt Lafloor, like maybe some would say he's been really good, but I don't know if I really believe that, Like, you know, I
think he's been a good coach. Yeah, yeah, I mean, but he's he hasn't done anything yet to turn into one of those great guys like a Sean McVay, who you know, was a was an offensive savant, got an opportunity here with the Rams, and he's been He's been great for the most part. He got it. He's got a Super Bowl, So you know, I guess maybe Matt Matt Lafloor gets there the other you know at some point.
But I do feel like there's other guys that you know, like some that's why they retread so much, because those are the two candidates. Actually, let me back up the three types of coaches that you hire now in the NFL, and and I feel like the majority of the hires that have been made in the last I don't know, five six years, maybe longer have been one of these
three things. Usually it's just an upcoming coordinator like this, or a retread, a guy that has had you know, stints at two different places but it wasn't great, but maybe you feel like he'd be a better fit for you, Like, who's the coach that was with the Jets and then went to the Dolphins. Bruh uh gosh, what was his name? Or maybe he went from the Dolphins to the Jets. I don't remember which one.
It was.
Adam Gate.
Yeah, Adam Gaate. Like he he was not good the first stop he was at and somehow he got up. He got a second job.
He just happened to be the offensive coordinator the rubbed elbows with Peyton Manning when they won a Super Bowl.
So that's why it was the hot Yeah, So like you've got you've got that, that route and then that. That's what I mean by retread, Like somebody like, for example, if Pete Carroll got hired, nobody'd be shocked because the NFL has done that where they'll like, hey, this guy,
he's clearly good enough to utilize what we have. Like coaches in the NFL are so important, but they're also pretty expendable because you have so much more tied up in your players to where you're not necessarily always just factoring in does this guy just the absolute best football coach? There's a lot of components that go with it. So the retreads are pretty common. I think you usually see that whenever there's a little more desperation from from from
a franchise. And then you also have the less common but becoming more common, a dude who just recently played that you feel like might be able to lead the locker room in a great way, like the Peers, who was one season with the Raiders. Yep, and then he's out. I mean there's been other I think there's been others that that have been in that position. I'm blanking on it. And then Mayo Mayo, he yeah, exactly, Yeah, that that was another one and he only got one season. So
again that's not as common. But I also won't be shocked if you continue to see guys who don't have any coaching experience but are well respect I mean, look, that was Dion. I mean technically Dion, you know he did, he had not played in a long time, but like Dion really had no formal Like this is gonna sound like I'm insulting him, and maybe it isn't insult He could take it whatever he wants, and I'm sure he'll never hear this, but Dion wasn't qualified for the Jackson
State job. Like there are guys who probably interviewed for that job and applied that have been college football head coaches for many years, successful at the lower level or maybe the same level of Jackson State. But obviously they couldn't do what Dion could do as far as the reach and the value. So you know you can. But but and he's also been there, like he's an elite level, all time type athlete. Therefore, clearly he's been a part
of some really good environments and winning culture. And you know, those are the guys that are starting to get more opportunities really at every level in sports. It seems like like that's become a really and by the way, I think it's had more success in the pros than it has in college. I mean, guys who get jobs, I mean we know that better than anybody around here, don't we Guys who get jobs that you would never hire
because they just they're they're in the industry. Maybe they've you know, maybe they're you know, they're in the business, and they're they're successful. But like if the one if the one factor that is dominating your decision is because the guy played there, that's telling you a lot and that we did that here it's happened to a lot of different places, So maybe that's not the perfect comparison.
Guys who you know, don't have a ton of experience, but man, they're They've got a really good reputation in the NFL and football circle, so let's give him a shot. Maybe they're just great leaders and they understand what it takes to win and lead an organization, you know, from
that position. So again, maybe it's not the exact same thing, but I get PTSD thinking about people hiring somebody that really the ultimate factor and why they're a candidate is because you like them and they have a connection to your program they played there. But anyways, it gives me a good way to transition here into some college basketball talkers. Louisville right now, I feel like the energy, the vibes from within not only the program, but obviously the fans
are feeding off that. I feel like all of us collectively, right everybody involved, from top to bottom, Pat Kelsey to his entire staff, all of his players, all the administration, all the fans. Like, the good energy is through the roof and it's just been so fun in Louisville. Now back in the top twenty five, for the first time in four years. They are now a top twenty five team, and they got a big challenge tomorrow compared to you know, when it comes to just considering the rest of the schedule.
I mean at SMU, a team that just put up one hundred and something points against against Miami, who, by the way, you want to make money in college basketball, I've not been able to really capitalize on it because it's usually a part of a parlay. But man, you got to fade Miami right now. Miami they are Kenny Payne fade worthy. I mean they are terrible, and I
think people are aware of that. But you know, you usually don't find yourself thinking or paying much attention to teams that you know that are like just really bad, but you can benefit from it because they can't set a spread high enough for them to cover. That's how bad they are. Yeah, Miami just beat them one hundred and seventeen to seventy four. I mean it was did you see the halftime score? Yeah, I was thirty to twelve.
Yep.
I mean that's how look. And I think, as checked, SMU is a good team and I'm not gonna say that I'm worried. I mean, Lola could lose tomorrow. I know that, because look, they could lose to teams when they don't play well. But I also know that they're good when they play well, and they played pretty damn
well for a good stretch now. So again, maybe they're due for off game, but I'm not going to assume that or expect that until I see any sign of it, because they're just not that's just not who they are right now. They are on a hell of a run and you know, they've just been so good defensively, and this is a reminder that when you are so active defensively and you are so precise in your game plan,
it really makes up for a lot. Because Louisville, let's be real, they didn't have a I mean, they didn't have a great game statistically against Virginia, but it didn't matter because they're just a lot better than Virginia, and you know they won by fourteen. But here I am having some you know, having some weird feelings that like I forgot that these things do happen right when you like your team and you have a high expectation because
your team has shown you they can be good. I kind of had a brief moment where I'm like, wait a second, why didn't we beat Virginia by more than fourteen? Like I'm not mad, trust me. There was no bad energy at all when it comes to the game Saturday, because things are great. But it's just you know the fact that I had that brief moment of knowing, like, hey, you're welcome, Virginia. We could have beat your ass a
little bit more than we actually did. You're welcome, and that's just a good feeling to have because you you know, you have that. I mean, Louiell has proven and again maybe we learned that this means nothing when you get to the tournament because you know, the ACC sucks and you know, I don't care though, like I'm not. I mean, I'm not saying that it means nothing, but I'm sure others probably view it that way. But like, I don't care. I'm just getting lost in just the run that they're
on the wind streak and again they're gonna lose. Maybe they lose tomorrow, Like it's a real possibility and if you know, if that happens, then you know we'll react to it. But I mean, I'm I'm I'm going to hold this team to the standard that they've set. And I don't mean like they better go win or all this means nothing because that they've fallen apart if they lose. No,
I'm just saying, like, it's just nice to know that. Yeah, like I'm I'm not a homer to look at Louisville in the way they played in the last six seven games and realize, yeah, despite SMU coming off of an insane game, or they scored you know, I mean, SMU
scored a hundred again, one hundred and seventeen points. Their only two losses in league play are to Carolina and Duke, And of course, they're loss to Carolina was at Carolina, which not a bad loss by any means, although Stanford did surprisingly beat Carolina on Saturday, which was another not so good look for the ACC for being honest here.
So look, Louisville has put themselves in a position to where they're gonna be expected to win every game the rest of the season internally, and I think fans again, I don't think anybody's gonna lose their mind if they slip up and lose to somebody just because look, that's basketball. Can happen. But if you look at the rest of the schedule, I mean, they're going to be favored in every single game I would imagine, maybe other than tomorrow. Now, that probably says more about the ACC than it does
anything else. But in fact, do you think they'll be favored to mor against SMU. I kind of feel like they will be, But then again, it is at SMU and SMU, you know, despite not really feeling like a real threat in basketball, like they they're decent and for the ACC, I think they right now, with the way they've played, you probably put them maybe as the third or fourth best team because Pitt keeps struggling Clemson, you know, I guess you could throw them in there, but Carolina loss.
Like I don't know, I'm not worried about SMU, and maybe it's because I'm taking them lightly, but I happen to believe Austin that it's more so because I just know this Louisville team has shown that. Look they keep playing the way they're playing, they're probably going to come out on the winning end. Tomorrow.
I could see Louisville opening up as a and I haven't looked at the lines at all, but I could see them open.
I just checked.
It's not out yet, Okay, I could see it being probably a three or four point favorite for Louisville to start.
Well, Kim Pom has it as a two point loss for Louisville. So again, maybe I'm not giving SMU enough respect. They are in the top forty now in the Ken Palm, but Louisville's you know, Louisl's in the top, in the top thirty. So SMU is ranked, right, No, no, they're not ranked. I think they're in the receiving votes. In fact, let me let me pull it up here, because Louisville ended up coming in at number twenty five, which I
thought for sure they'd be ranked. Because Kelly U of l stat Guru on Twitter x you can follow him a real card game. He's great. He was tracking the amount of teams ahead of Louisville that lost this weekend, and there were a lot of them. In fact, twenty two teams ahead of Louisville and last week's ap pole regarding the you know where they were in the votes and of course ranked, they all lost. That many teams lost.
So but then again, even with all that movement, it still wasn't going to be like a sure thing, but sure enough they did come in right at number twenty five and SMU again not ranked, but they are. They're receiving actually they're not receiving Yeah, well no, they're not receiving any votes. So again, maybe I am justified and just not really thinking that they're going to be much
of a threat. Now again, I think this is this is because if Louisville's the team that we think they are, and I don't mean like the three eleaked, but like Louisville, if Louisville's run is, you know, is what I believe it is. You know, I feel like SMU, you know, is looking at this. I don't I don't want to act like where they's Super Bowl because it's not that. But everybody knows what the acc is, right. There's not
a whole lot of opportunities for good wins. But Louisville is in a position where of the few teams that there is value if you beat them, it's Louisville and SMU. Again, their resume is kind of tricky. They don't have any win we're speaking of. Their best win is against LSU, who's one of the worst teams in the ACC. I'm sorry the SEC and their losses. You know, one of them's not good, Butler's a bad team in the Big East. They lost to them, but the other losses are to
Mississippi State, Duke and Carolina. So I would imagine this is a big game for SMU, and you know, it's kind of nice to know that there's gonna be some emphasis on beating Louisville because the last couple of years it's just what everybody expected to do. It was you know, you'd find a team that came in here from you know, Division three maybe and they'd be able to, like in their mind think, well, man, if there was ever a team that, like, you know, was at national brand, that
the timing's on our side to get them. You know, that's where we were. But we're not there anymore, and it's been a lot of fun. I just want to talk on the other side about the Kentucky loss, because I mean, I think I've got this team figured out to a t. They're pretty easy to figure out. That's not an insult, but I think you know, that was just the first time on Saturday where you you played a team that did exactly what you wanted to do, and you all both played really really well. They just
played a little bit better, and that's what happened. Our quick break keep a lock right here on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety Now back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
We'll go back into the NFL playoffs coming up here in just a moment, But I do wanted to talk quickly about this Kentucky Alabama game from over the weekend. A I mean, a really really good game overall. I mean I had it on kind of in the background, keeping up with it. Obviously, it was the same time as the Louisville game, and then I didn't see the end of it. I had to leave and go to
my son's game. But I went back and watched the second half today just because it's it's one of those games that you you know, you kind of wonder, how did how did Kentucky you know, lose? Now, clearly both teams played well, and you know when that happens, you know, whoever makes the big plays late in a close game. You know that that's how that's how this works. We know that. But somebody on the text line mentioned it and I and I thought to myself, you know what,
maybe they're right. And sure enough, you look at the box score, I mean Kentucky was I mean, look, Kentucky shot better from the field. They were forty forty eight percent. Alabama was forty five percent. Kentucky made two less three pointers, but they also shot a better percentage. They were forty percent. Alabama was thirty eight percent. Free throws. I mean, Kentucky shot eighty percent from the line, and clearly, you know
that was a difference maker. You lost the game by five, and but you know Bama shot more free throws and they shot it slightly better, so you did. You did get out rebounded, but just by just by a few.
So you know, that was the perfect example of the game for Kentucky that was possible, but it just hadn't happened yet, right like they had they they they've come out on the winning end every time until then when it comes to teams that want to do exactly what they want to do, and it's just going to come
down to who can do it better. And both teams probably feel really good about where they where they are, but when you play, I mean, that was just a really good matchup, and that's why you got a really good basketball game. So I mean, Kentucky's going to go to Tuscaloosa and play them at their place, coming up here before too long, and you know, if the game is played the same way, maybe Kentucky ends up being the one that just had enough to get the edge there.
So I mean, if you are Kentucky, I would imagine you know, you STI feel pretty good about your team, knowing that they could probably beat anybody on any given night, and you know what what what style of play can make you vulnerable. But you also at this point I feel like have seen some progress to where, yeah, you don't want to get in those grinded out, slower games,
but you have gotten better in those. You know, in the last couple of weeks, it seems right the win against A and M, the win agains Mississippi State, that was a nice that was a nice response from them, So you know it just I just cannot wait to see how the committee is going to seed the SEC, because you can Kentucky right now is fourteen and four and the rest of the way, I mean they're expected to go twenty one to ten and ten and eight, So like, usually that wouldn't be a record that would
get you a really really good seed, but it probably will, and it's probably deserving. I mean, maybe they go on a roll and start beating everybody. I mean, look, they're off to a good start, but they still have to I mean, they're at Tennessee on the twenty eighth. Then of course there's that Arkansas game, which is, you know, a tricky one, shouldn't be but I get it. And then they play at Ole Miss, who's in the top twenty. Then they got to play Tennessee again. They're gonna play
at Texas again, They're at Alabama in late February. So you know they're going to stack up some more losses along the way. I mean, I would expect, But it doesn't mean they're not really good. It's just because they're playing in such a great league. And I mean, I think you're going to see some teams in the SEC this year that have records that you know, aren't impressive in the grand scheme of things, and you know, they're
probably middle of a pack in their league. But I don't think it's crazy to think that that's still uh, you know, I don't think it's crazy to think that they should still be given a really good seed because they were dominant in the non conference. And look, I wish their league wasn't great, but I watched basketball enough and I'll be honest, their leagu's loaded. Like these teams that are that are middle of the pack in that
league there, I think they're really good. I think they'd be maybe some of the better teams than other leagues. I mean, I really do believe that. All right, let's go back from fall months five x two. I have seven one seventy nine the number if you want to give us a call, let's go to let's go to Mark, Mark, you're on sportstock seven ninety. How are you good? What's up from from Newark? I'm sorry, I'm from Delaware, Newark. Okay, I don't talk about the Eagles equals make it always
too bold awesome. They might they might.
Do that, I think, I mean, I think they can be the commanders.
Yeah, they they They're probably gonna be favored. And thank you for the call. Mark. Yeah, the Eagles. I mean again, I never at any point thought they were never at any point thought they were not good. I understood that they were favorites. Against the hot Rams, but I was. I mean, I guess what I'm realizing is their defense is pretty nasty and you know, hurts. I think has maybe taken a step back in the last couple of years slightly. Still a good quarterback, but you know, he's
not been great. But you know who has been. I mean, are you kidding me? With Sequon Barkley, that guy that's I mean, that's one of the big I mean again, it sounds like I'm exaggerating, and maybe I am getting caught up in the recency of it, but like he's gone from a guy that I mean, not only is
it insane, it in every aspect. Think about the notion that we've had about running backs in the last I don't know decade as far like if you got anything substantial, if you got like twenty five percent out of Sequon Barkley that you're getting right now, like twenty five percent of how great he's been. I think even then the Eagles would feel like it was a worthy move to get in because he's still got some juice left. Now, dude, he's playing like the best running back the NFL has
seen in a long long time. I mean, four rushing touchdowns and yeh this this is from opt to Stats. It says Sawan Barkley is the first player in NFL history with four rushing touchdowns of sixty plus yards against a single opponent in his entire career. All four of the tds came in two games versus the Rams this season. I mean, that's one of many crazy stats about just how insanely productive he has been. And I mean he's he is in my opinion, like he's what makes them
as good as they are. They're good in a lot of aspects. They're pretty solid. There's a reason they won a lot of games this year. So you know, I'm not an Eagles fan by any means, but I just, you know, they kind of were quietly having a great season at least in my opinion, and seeing Sequan do his thing on Saturday and just realizing they're pretty loaded
on defense, you know, it's impressive. And I mean, I'm gonna be pulling for the Commanders just because I really like their story, but won't be shocked at all if if the Eagles punched their ticket to the Super Bowl. I mean, they've got that kind of a team, and I don't know, maybe I kind of feel like a bandwagon guy because I don't have any real reason. But like I kind of like the Sequon Barkley story here. I don't find anything else about the Eagles likable in
any way. No offense to Eagles fans that just you know, he's never been, never been a fan. I have some friends, this whole family is I have some friends that are fans, and you know, I get it, but like it's just, you know, I usually find myself kind of not pulling
for them. I don't think I'm alone there, but Barkley has been really easy to root for because I feel like he is he could have been a little petty and you know, kind of rubbed it in New York's face, but like he's been the bigger dude about it, and it's not like they you know, they did let him walk, which of course was something that now I would imagine that they regret, But like he seems like a pretty good dude. And I kind of just assumed that he was going to be one of those guys that was
drafted really high. Everybody knew it was a physical specimen. Everybody knew that he had a lot of talent, but you know, injuries got to him and by the time he got healthy, he was too old, because that's just where running backs are, Like, I kind of thought that was how things were going to play out for him, And now he's having again. It feels like, I don't know if the numbers back this up, but it feels like he's had one of the best seasons any running back has had in a long long time.
He's finally fully healthy.
He's never been fully healthy in a season. And what made him such a fenom like you're seeing every aspect of it right now.
Yeah, and it made him such a high drafts prospect was of course all the intangibles, everything that he's obviously can do as a runner. And he made the playoffs and want a playoff game, but that offense was kind of souped up by with Brian Dable and Daniel Jones. They did the best that they could. But now he's in a much better situation, probably better coaching, better organization, and they got one a hell of an offensive line.
Our guy Mackai Becton is there. They kind of just revitalized his whole career in Philadelphia and he's like he's a bust of a human being, just moving and they've got I think they're Beckden. There's a local connection obviously because of Louisill like you mentioned, but like Beckden and Barkley obviouslyferent levels. They are good examples of guys that always had the talent. I mean, Beckton was kind of viewed as a bust a guy that maybe wasn't mature enough when he first got to the league.
Barkley, that wasn't the case at all. It is just injuries and at times, like you know, I don't even think that the Giants knew how to utilize him, to be honest with you, But now they go to a place with a winning culture like meaning that they like everybody. The overall vibe inside the organization with the Eagles for quite some time now has been a very very successful, winning culture, and they latched onto that. You know, they they brought it and clearly they're they're they're thriving and
that matters. Right Like you, you can be held back as far as not only what you're I mean, obviously you can't do everything by yourself, but like you, even as a player like you, your ceiling is lower in every aspect when you're a part of a lousy franchise. You can still get paid a lot of money and maybe they'll maybe they'll be suckers and give you more money than you than you are worth. But I mean, there's it matters, man, It matters what kind of environment
you're in. And I think Barkley again, I don't want to blame the Giants, but like, clearly this guy's gone through injuries. He's older now, but he's he's being utilized now and he's playing and more. He's more productive than he's ever been, it seems. All let's go back to the fall months five way two. If I'm seven to one, seventy nine hundred is the number. Let's go to Joe. Joe, you're on Sports Talk seven ninety. What's up?
Hey, really enjoy your show. I'm glad you take calls. Thank you, Uh been been at this for a long time in between sales calls. And I'm also I'm glad that you throwing a little UK. I really appreciate.
Yeah, no problem.
Hey about the first about Louis of wait game winning streaker, I'll tell you what I think. The game of rep Aarena kind of made their season because they never gave up and they play like that, and they played Kentucky, you know, very very tough.
So yeah, it felt like they earned so their respect from everybody in that one because you know, Kentucky played well and Louisville played well. Clearly Kentucky's a better team this year. I don't think that would be different even if Louisville was healthy. But clearly it was a competitive game, and you know, I was hopeful that they'd be able to take some some positives despite those losses. And here
they are again. The competition not quite as tough, but not many teams are as tough when it comes to Kentucky at Reparena. So I'm with you. I think that was kind of a big moment for him, even though it was a loss.
Big moment. I think they should a lot of Kentucky fans walked away saying, hey, little litt Will played great game. They're back. But the other thing, a couple of things, Uh, don't don't sleep on the commanders. Man at this quarterback, they've got special you Daniel, He's he's really really, really good, and they played great offense. He's got a great coach man. This guy's he's kind of like Dan Campbell, he's doing at your throat. Uh they can beat Philadelphia at Philadelphia.
Yeah, I think they can't too, And I'm gonna be pulling for him.
Yeah, me too, Me too, Ray Davis, Ray, Ray Davis. You remember him?
Oh yeah, I remember him all too well.
Yeah, he's tough man. He's a tough kid. You know, he got homeless kid, lived in a car. Great story, yep, and uh, you know you gotta beat for guys like him. But anyway, I really enjoyed your show. Thank you for taking calls instead of just text messages and all the other craft. You know, it's good to you. Got a lot of fans.
Out here like this. Sure, I appreciate you, Joe, thanks for calling in. Appreciate you listening. Shate the con words, yeah, Ray Davis. I mean he's a good example of a guy that didn't you know, running backs. Now you could be you could be one of the best running backs in the draft and just go lower than you than
you used to just because the position has changed. But he goes into a winning culture and he's he's he's right, I mean, he's in his prom I would feel like as far as you know, Age range and and what he can do. He was successful everywhere he played, including at Kentucky. So yeah, I mean he's he's a guy that that really I think that's best case scenario for a lot of rookie running backs. Right, you end up and what I mean by that is that you get up,
you end up getting drafted. And because just how most franchises now handle that position, you're a you're a light injury away from being given first you know, first string carries as a rookie who might have been undrafted. Again, that's just not unheard of anymore. But if that's the case, it's nice to be able to do that for a franchise that you know, you got a lot of good pieces around you to where look if the line's doing their parts, you know, you just be ready to be
called upon and and and get to work. And he's clearly been. He's been successful for him. So look, the Bills team, like, I find them to be really likable, and yet last night it was just you know, the raw emotion got the best of me because I don't like the Ravens. Therefore, whenever they lose, I mean I just feel bad for Lamar and last night look, he was a factor in why they struggled. I mean, he
did not have a good first half. Those turnovers were disastrous and ended up not costing him a whole lot of points in the grand scheme of things. But still, you know, it was a collective issue last night where they just weren't the same team that they had been
all year. And you know, I've had some pushback on the text line for people saying, well, hey, you know, they also did play a really good Buffalo team at Buffalo, and you're right, but I also, you know, don't think that I'm out of line and saying, hey, the Ravens, the team that you watched put together a really good
regular season. They had a lot of things going on that really were not a part of their DNA in twenty twenty four, twenty twenty five, Right, Like Mark Andrews, not just the drop in the end zone and the two point conversion, but you know, he had another drop, He had a fumble after he caught it, Like that's not something you usually see this team do. Lamar's turnovers
were characteristic, I mean both of them. I mean, it's happened before, but like, you know, if he did that, you know pretty often he wouldn't be winning his third MVP. So you know, I just I hated it. I hated it in every aspect, and I took it out on the Bills, But overall I love their fan base, like they're fun as hell. And you know, you can't call
many Bills fans bandwagon fans. I'm sure there's some out there, but I know a lot of fans have been with them for mostly bad times, especially if here's somebody like my age. But they're rolling and uh yeah, I mean again, I don't really have a whole lot of rooting interest the rest of the way anybody at Kansas City, I suppose. But so we should get some good games here. Our quick break will come back on the other side. Keep
it rolling along. It is Coffee and Company fuel by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to Coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
I have a funny story about this song, actually, I think, right, I think it's funny, so maybe it'll be one of the many things that I still find that I say hoping you know that you all think it's funny, because you know, that's the job here is to try to
keep you entertained and keep you listening. But at a buddy who right around the time we had graduated high school, It wasn't right after high school, but like it was shortly after, like a couple of years after, within that timeframe, and he was still dating a girl that we that we well actually she didn't go to school with us, but he was dating her while we were in school, and you know, he kind of, you know, he's in college, he kind of wanted to kind of you know, do
his own thing and just didn't want to be tied down. And they later got back together and they're now married. But at the time, you know, he didn't dislike her. He liked her a lot, and there was nothing like he could say that was bad about the relationship. He kind of just didn't want to be in a relationship, which can be you know, kind of hard to just say that. I mean, I'm sure it's happened many times, but like, you know, you don't have a reason, but
you just don't want to be together. I would imagine in most instances, the person being broken up with wants to know, like, wait a second, there's got to be something. This makes no sense. We've been together for a long time, things are going great. Why would why like what what changed? What happened? What I do tell me more, I can't believe this. And that's that's how she was. And he
didn't have anything. And he he told us like after the fact, because we were like, dude, like we're telling him not to like we knew he's gonna regret it. And again it all worked out. But when he told us like after the fact, uh, you know what he's what he what he told her was he said love love wasn't always on time and it just wasn't their timing. And he didn't know that this was a song. I mean like yeah, and we didn't believe him, and you know, at this point, I feel like there'd be no there's
no benefit in lying. But like we laughed like that's the that's so corny, and and and he was like, well, I didn't know what else to say. And then like we later realized he didn't understand we were laughing because he took some song from like he took some line from a famous song. So you know, again I'm I'm thinking to myself, like and now that I'm now that I'm thinking about it, like I don't know that's that that song came out when I'm gonna look it up.
Now, you gotta be in the eighties. This is around like the Journey time. I probably have to say, like eighty seven, eighty eight, Manu, it's Hold the Line by Toto.
And it came out, Is this right? So it's the title of the song. It's called hold the Line. Yeah, hold the Line. It came out in nineteen seventy eight, so I mean, okay, it came out when my parents were in high school. But it's such a it's a song that you've just heard so often in movies and like you know, I don't know where it ranks all
time and like music that has been played. But it's also not a surprise that even though it came out many many many years before I was born, like even as a twenty year old, like I knew, like when I when somebody said love isn't always on time, I'm
thinking of this song. But he claimed that he had no clue, and like you know, he said, Haiti, had he known that it was like gonna be made fun of by everybody, because like he just stole the line thinking that nobody would notice, then he probably wouldn't have done it.
But imagine her just going and telling her parents like, well, what did he say?
What's what happened?
Well?
What's crazy, though, is that if it wasn't a song like it actually is a good line, it's like great, you know what I'm saying. Look like for his situation, I mean I kind of give a lot of credit because I'm giving I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't know that he stole it.
He did, it's not in the way that her love set him free. Yeah, love isn't always on time.
Yeah.
I mean, like if you just you know, if you just feel like everything's great, but something's telling you, like the timing is it now? I mean, love isn't always on time, Like it's actually very much. Yeah, it's it's a bar. It's just you know, he stole it and didn't realize it. So I think when you steal something without knowing it, I mean, you still can't do it. But if you don't know, it clearly removes the intent that you were like robbing somebody. You know, you had
no clue. So anytime I hear that song, I now think of my buddy who again it all worked out, but they, you know they, I think somebody requested that be played at their wedding and you know, they didn't let it be played. I think it might be a sore subject, especially you know on your wedding.
Lie story though, Yeah, that that band also sings uh I bless the Reins.
Down, which is just also like the a lot going on in that song, A lot, like just kind of I don't really know what it is, but I know I love it. I know I feel good when it's on, you know what I'm saying, Like it's just kind of that kind of that vibe, so so good stuff. Life isn't always on time, it's right. So do you find yourself not necessarily like really just exploring music from different eras.
But I think for the last ten years or so of my life, I've really, like each year, realized that there's a lot of music that came out long before I was born that like I really I gravitate to, Like it'sh yeah, you know, it's not like I have nostalgia because again it wasn't my era, but like, I don't know, this is I feel like an old man because I'm thinking back then I wasn't there to experience it, but I feel like, man, there was a lot more artistry in what people were doing, and I can really
dig that. It's not like a hippie well.
I mean, my whole vibe has been nothing but like Grand Theft, Auto songs, like Vice City. We had the eighties, like Miami type of music going. This one was actually on San Andreas, but like that's where a lot of my music palette came from growing up was video games. The old SmackDown versus were all for, like my hard rock and indie rock stuff. Tony Hawk's pro Skater we talked about that for some of that emo edgy music and then grant that thought. It just always had a
banger of a playlist. So I would always remember sitting down with my dad playing this and him singing the song too. I'm like, well, if dad likes this, and I'd like this. This is back from when he was growing up. So I learned a lot through old video games and stuff like that, and obviously loving some of the older mother dad Kirk. I got two dads, two dads, and my other dad, Kirk was a karaoke monster back in the day, and he knows all these songs. He
knows about like all the bands. So just kind of sitting down, you gravitate mood.
Yeah, you gravitate to it as well because you want to be into what you know the people you look up to are into and if you're exposed to it more so because of that, it kind of grows on you. That's why, like I became a real nerd for nineties country because that was like when I first discovered music and like knew, like, hey, I hope the radio station plays the song that I like when I'm in my mom's car. Like that was when we were bootscooting and
boog in with Brooks and Dune. So like that that era kind of stuck with me.
But man, they were popping in the old cassette was to record them off the radio.
Hell yeah. But like you know, Jim Crochey is somebody that I really I really like, and you know, this guy died in nineteen seventy three, but like I'm hearing, you know, you don't mess around with Jim Operator. I mean bad bad Leroy Brown. I got a name time and a bottle, Like I hear Jim Krosche. I'm like,
this guy is awesome. So I don't know, I doubt that, you know, if you if you did a study on people who are listening to that kind of stuff, like you know, James Taylor, Fire and Rain, like, I would imagine if you pulled data, which you can, I don't doubt anybody will. But if you pull data to see what demo, what age range is listening to that the most, I would imagine I'm in the minority. I would imagine it's not people necessarily in my age range, but you know,
people you know, you like what you like. Everybody's got their own preferences. But I feel like there's not rare There's rarely something really new that I'm really into, And I don't know, I'm sure I'm not a hater. It's just nothing really that's new in music this day and age really of any genre kind of hooks me. So there's stuff that's fifty sixty years old, but it's new to me. So like that's kind of where I'm getting My interest in music is just kind of you know, going back the time.
Like hyper fixated on one song, start listening to that the only song you listen to that week
Yep, yep, all right, we got an hour left, so stick around five o'clock hour, coming up right here on a sports Talk seven ninety
