1.24: Weekend Ready H3

And I know again there's some that will say I don't care, I'll hate whoever coaches Louisville.

here to where college basketball is king and whatnot. But it's been awkward because Louisville fans I think at this point would probably have to really try to find something, really manufacture something almost to use against Mark Pope as far as being a guy that's like easy to dislike, because you want to be able to dislike your rival. At the end of the day. It's really never personal, like we don't know these people, right, I mean, we don't know them as human beings, but we get caught

up in it. And Cali Perry was a great villain, a great guy that it was easy to dislike, honestly, because I think he wants to be disliked like. I think that's kind of its brand. Especially when he got to Kentucky. He realized I can use this army of fans and will be you know, well we will adopt I guess the motto you know they hate us because they ain't us kind of thing. And it worked well for a little while, and you know it didn't. But Mark Pope is really hard to not like. He's a

he's a very likable guy. I think he's a good coach man. I don't want him to win. It'd be I think it'd be great if they weren't successful. But I don't find him at all easy to dislike, meaning he's pretty like and I think he's good basketball coach, and I think he'll utilize resources and everything that Kentucky has to offer and probably succeed at a high level. Well, I think Kentucky fans at least a lot of them, many of them that you know that I've that I've

talked to, say the same thing about Pat Kelsey. Maybe they're not as convinced that he's going to be great or anything like that, but they they they have a hard time not acknowledging that, Like, he seems like a good dude, and he seems like a coach that would be really easy for a fan base to get behind and really root for.

you would expect from him. It's pretty consistent. He's got good energy, he's got good vibes, and clearly he seems to be pretty good basketball coach too. So I do believe some Kentucky fans when they say that they're happy Louisville is getting back, not because they're happy for us. I mean maybe some of them are, but like it's because it does, in fact make it more fun for them. Right, if you beat your rival and they stink, you're happy.

You beat your rival and you're happy they stink. But you also get more satisfaction from beating said rival if they don't stink, because it means more because you beat a good team and you know it's going to hurt your rival more knowing that their good team lost to you. I mean, that's just how it works, right, So in recent years, Louisville fans were lifeless in the rivalry in every way. So this year I don't get the sense that Louisville fans are as much. I mean, we're just

so because of recency. Louisville fans are just enjoying the ride, and there's probably not as much attention spent on anybody else or any I mean, I don't think many Louisville fans right now are tracking other teams and their resume and their seed line projection because we're just enjoying it. I think in previous years when this was more of like the expectation to be a top twenty five team that looks sure to make the tournament, you would be focusing on the other stuff. But this is a very

rare situation and it's it's again. It's not to say this is the ceiling. We know that's not the case. But for reasons I've mentioned many times over the last few weeks, everything that happened in recent years has made this be more enjoyable and if anything, that's the silver lining where the success isn't crazy for what Louisville has done historically, but man, it's been a while since we've been here and it's a different planet compared to where

we were previous years. Therefore, it's been a lot of fun. So what I'm getting at is it's been kind of a you know, it's been kind of a playful thing back and forth this year where boat teams are pretty good. In fact, Kentucky deserves a better seat. Kentucky beat Louisville head to head. I think with that, clearly they deserve to claim that they're a better team. They have a better resume. Like I'm not arguing against that at all, but numbers wise, And again this is I'm not even

making the argument here about who's better. Kentucky is better right now. They played and I mean Louisville might get them if they played them right now, but they played ten times on a neutral court. I think most would expect Kentucky to win more than they lose, and I would. It doesn't mean it's gonna happen, but I would understand. But like in the Ned and the kin Palm, they're pretty pretty similar. Actually, Kentucky's weird. The kin Palm does

not like Kentucky as much as others. I think I've said that before, But still they're both in position to be, you know, right now, Kentucky looks like a three seed in the recent bracketology and Louisville's a five. So again, they're not that far off. But and in most years I think it would be you know, you'd have people at each other's next. But I think Kentucky fans understand why Louisville fans are excited, and they can't really knock them because hey, we have been bad and now we're not.

And with Kentucky it's been such a good ride. Like they're losing games here and there, but they know they're really good. They know Mark Pope is a good coach, at least seemingly good enough to where if you utilize what Kentucky has to work with, you should succeed at

a high level. So we haven't really had a whole lot of back and forth until now now, and it's about the National Coach of the Year conversation, and it was I mean, you're now seeing everybody put out who they think is in the mix who should be candidates as of now for National Coach of the Year, and Kelsey and Pope are in the mix just about everywhere, but as of late there has been more mention of

like Pope being more deserving. And I'm just going to say this, and this is not I mean, I know it's going to sound like I'm just trying to appease both audiences, but I promise you that's not my intent here. It's just me being honest with you. I think right now, the two best candidates for that job I'm sorry for that award would be both the coaches here, Pat Kelsey.

with the injuries. But Louisville has had Louisville has had more of an impact with injuries than anybody this year as far as guys that were you know, that were playing big minutes or expected to play big minutes, both Case and Bryor and Koran Johnson, and I keep forgetting that those guys were ever even here.

I'm not gonna fight you on that. But I'm also saying that Mark Pope is deserving because he also started appro started the team from scratch essentially, and I actually think Kentucky is is more successful because of his coaching than they are his personnel. I mean that like, and you know what that means. It's a good if you're doing more with less. And again, it's not like he's got a bunch of bums, but he has no pro on this team.

in the SEC? And again it sounds like I'm dissing them, but I'm actually, I mean, I'm more than anything trying to emphasize it. I think Mark Posts done a great job with the group that he has, and although it's Kentucky, nobody's surprised they're a top ten team. Nobody's surprised they're

in line for a really good seat. It's Kentucky, but it's also you know, it's also not a situation where I mean, he started from scratch and he's winning, and he's in a better position in late January than Caliperry has been in a long time. And yet I think he's doing it with less and they've got good players. Trust me, I'm not trying to act like he's doing it with a bunch of rudies, a bunch of walk ons out there, but they've got I mean, otega Oway

is their leading scorer. I don't think anybody would claim that. And he's a good player, trust me, good player, but like he's not he's not a I mean, he's not a pro. And he's also not somebody that anybody would would try to make the case to be like an All American in any way, or even like an All SEC first team guy. So the coaching from Pope, his style, he found the pieces and that's why they're so balanced.

They've got five guys averaging eleven or more. Kar and Brea right at eleven, Robinson at thirteen, Lamont Butler just a little bit above that, and then Ottiga oway is is at fifteen point seven points a game. So again, good players. And again it's weird to say there's some real similarities between these teams. They're veteran less. They don't have any NBA players to my knowledge, although maybe Chucky plays in the league for a little while, maybe maybe Robinson does.

Are you gonna give it to the guy who is the best team? Like people mentioning John Shier for Coach of the Year is the ultimate reminder for me that the Coach of the Year is not a it's not a legitimate award. It's just about who's the biggest overachiever, or if there's not a big overachiever, let's give it to the guy whose team had the best year and coach who have teams that are really good and win. You know what, they deserve a lot of credit because

they're a part of it. But it's the one award in sports I can think of that quite literally, there is no consistency because sometimes the guy who wins it will be thirty six and one. Sometimes the guy who wins it will be a guy who made the tournament. I mean, so it's not about accomplishment, it's about like perception, and perception is different for everyone. I'm not gonna say that I think John Shire is a bad coach doing a bad job.

need two awards. You know, I don't know overachiever of the year as a coach, or bounce back coach or a guy who you know you just feel like because here's the thing. In the regular season, that's when that award's given you. You don't vote coach of the Year in the tournament for obvious reasons. So let's say you got five teams, six teams contending for one seeds. If everybody has the mindset of we're gonna give it to the coach who we think has the best team, and

clearly he's a factor, he's the coach. You just come down to deciding which of those you think is better and which was a better coaching job like Pat Kelsey, in my opinion, deserves Coach of the Year because I feel like his coaching and his and I don't just mean in game like x's and o's everything.

point done substantially better than people would have expected. I don't think many thought that they were going to be terrible, but I mean I remember KSR having the conversation that they think they could be really good, but they're just hoping they make the tournament because you just don't know. It's all brand new, and you can get a brand new team and a coach and have success. That's been

done elsewhere. There's examples of that, but I think the way both of these guys have done it, and knowing sort of their background, it's got to make both fan bases feel really good about these guys' long term because when you progress throughout your time and you are successful at a place like Louisville and Kentucky, what is it going to do. It's going to show proof of concept you can win there, and all that's going to do is potentially help you with anile resources from supporters and

players who want to come play for you. So I think the two best candidates for this job are are those two or for this award? Of those two, now, if I could, if I could throw one more out there, I would actually say Bruce Pearl, just because I think

Auburn might be the best team in the country. And I also believe that Auburn is and I don't want to say they're doing it with a bunch of a bunch of walk Ons or anything like that, but you know, Bruce Pearl, I heard this during the I don't know, I can't think of what they played in one of the tournaments around Thanksgiving Auburn did.

I think I might have been Billis mentioning that Bruce Pearl, throughout the early stages here in the new world of the Portal and Nil and all, that he's found a formula that he thinks really works for him. And it's going and getting guys who are valuable and really wanted from the portal. But they're not guys that are Dickinson's coming from Michigan, where you've been, You've been the man

at a big school. Bruce Pearl knows, Okay, I want to go get a guy who would be hungry to play for me, that has been really successful at a lower level. I don't need him to be a lottery pick. I just need him to be a dog. I need him to work hard, and I need him to be, you know, to be talented. Of course, I mean jan I Broome, a guy who a lot of people think has been as deserving a Player of the Year in

college basketball until he got injured. It's probably going to go to Cooper Flag, but Jeni Broome he played at Morehead State for two years before he ended up at Auburn. And you know, that's a guy who climbed the ladder here in college basketball, got a lot better, and now he's I mean, he's he's embraced what Bruce Pearl provided and embraced his coaching. He didn't arrive as the guy who he felt like, you know, Auburn should be lucky to have. I think he probably felt lucky to be there.

And it's a good it's a good, good chemistry. There's some real compatibility there. There's also a guy on Auburn who haven't checked his numbers lately. But I just love stories like this because I'm a nerd for this stuff. But they went out and got a transfer from Yeah, I think his name. Let me see if this is who it is. This there's a Division two Yeah, there's a Division two player on their team, and I believe

it's Cheney Johnson. I could have the guy wrong, but he's a Division two guy who was successful at a D two school in Alabama, played some pickup games against Auburn players in the offseason, and clearly he could hold his own and he hit the portal and Pearl wanted him.

going to come in and buy in? Are they going to are they going to be Are they going to come in and feel like, Man, I got this opportunity, I've taken a step up here in the ladder of of of of my of my world, here in college basketball. This is this isn't this is motivating. I'm gonna work hard and show that I did belong here. Or are you going to say, hey, it's a payday and you know you're just a free agent, and I mean, and you never know, like you really never know how it's

gonna work. But I think you're gonna see more coaches out there realize the way they used to do it right whenever you didn't have money, at least not the way you do now. I'm sure there's always been some handshake deals and all that kind of stuff. But now it's blatantly in your face that money matters. You've got to come correct financially to get big players who have

other offers. That's just that's just part of it. So now that you have that, and now that players can and will leave whenever they want, there used to be a real fear. When you're an eighteen year old kid and you go to college to play basketball. The thought of just not playing for a year is something you would never consider because it's all you know. So that's why guys never transferred. They don't want to sit. Sometimes

it would happen, but it was rare. Well, now it's happening all the time for really no no real reason. There are guys that just leave because they can. So what I'm saying is, I think these coaches who really became great in the previous world, right, break them down, then build them up, really put them through a lot, you know, and and develop them. And I you know, I like that. That's old school. I think that. I mean,

that's to me, that's that's what it's all about. But now the game's change, right, players have way more power than they've ever had and that's not changing at all. So for these coaches that really kind of made their mark and became big names and successful coaches in the previous world, the most compatible player for them is the guy that you know is going to work his ass off because he's just grateful for the opportunity and he's not gonna waste the opportunity. He's happy to be there,

he's gonna fight like he'll give you everything. And I think right now we're seeing that with both programs here locally, I think we're seeing guys who been around the block of time or two. They know where they were wherever it may be, maybe it's multiple places. Where they were is nothing like where they are now when it comes to the support you get when things are going well, and that's going to be motivating.

of things, it actually is. And I think some of these coaches, those that haven't quit and walked away, and I still think some of.

are finding what works for them. So we haven't really been contentious in a big way when it comes to to basketball around here in the rivalry, which is kind of weird, especially when both teams are good and have good reason to feel good about their teams. But maybe that's what we end up fighting over around here, is

who's more deserving a Coach of the Year. All right, quick break, We'll come back on the other side talk a little bit about these NFL matchups as we find out this weekend, who in fact is going to be playing in the super Bowl. I know who I want to see in the super Bowl, but not sure if it's going to happen. We'll get to that in a lot more. Try to empty out this text long before we get out here for the end of the week.

It's Coffee and Company. Feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

It's just kind of, you know, scheduling. But been a big week, no doubt. I will say this is probably maybe embarrassing to say. Maybe it's not. I'm not sure, but I went out for dinner on Wednesday night with my high school basketball coach who coached me nineteen years ago. Next year will be my twenty year reunion for my high my high school days, which used to feel like it would be crazy to say that, but now it kind of feels like it's been twenty years. But it

was great to catch up with him. Just he and I had dinner, and it was probably the longest time I've spent really in a setting like that, just talking with someone and catching up and just kind of losing track of time. I'm pretty sure I had my phone in my pocket for three straight hours, which is probably what I should do more right, not be so distracted

by my phone. But it was great to catch up and we were going over things because I'm gonna he's gonna be the one that'll do the speech to kind of induct me into our high school Hall of Fame, which I'm extremely honored by and really looking forward to. But we were just we were going down memory lane.

It was a lot of fun. And I the last two times that he and I've got together over the years and it hasn't happened as much as it should have, but the same thing has occurred where we just kind of get lost catching up on stuff and just I guess, you know, talking and catching up on each other's lives and of course reliving the good days and that kind

of stuff. But each time we've got together, it's been twice and I guess the last ten years or so where our wives have just started to worry because we're not paying attention to our phones at all, and they're wondering why we've been gone for so long, and it's

just because we're, you know, we're catching up. But it was a good time, and I was going through some stuff earlier just to kind of get set for that event that's coming up in a couple of weeks, which I'm again real excited, really honored about, But it's just been that was like I would probably in this bad to say, but like I probably wouldn't have really had the initiative to to kind of, you know, reconnect and

and and catch up. And I should have done it more than I have since I've been since I've been, you know, away from that world of you know, being. I mean, I've been out of high school a long time and you know, you kind of just get caught up in life and whatnot. But it's great to catch up. And uh, it's been it's been a good week. And I also will not lie to you, and this is probably not something to be proud of, but if anything, I don't feel as bad because I know I'm not alone.

Louisville basketball being in the position they're in has just made my life seem better. And you know, I really wouldn't have it any other way, because when the good is good, man, you feel alive and it's just awesome and it's fun. But when the bad is bad, it's it's sad and you wonder, like, why do I care so much. I don't play on the team, my my my live my livelihood won't be impacted. My emotions will,

my happiness will, and that's a sad thing. But you know, sports makes us crazy, and I kind of wouldn't wouldn't have it any other way, all right. Something we talked about a little bit earlier today. Obviously it's been a big piece of news nationally, but the NFL hires that have been made too were made today. Pete Carroll hired as the Raiders coach. I feel like, if you're Oakland,

makes total sense. I mean, I don't know. I never I didn't think that they would be moving on from the higher they made Antonio Peers as quick as they did, but sounds like things kind of really went south there, not only with the lack of success, but just sounds like it wasn't wasn't a fit. And Pete Carroll, I mean, he's a safe higher. I think the floor is high, higher for Pete Carroll than a lot of other guys

that have been hired. Now the ceiling may not be as high, but he's also a guy that you know can win at a high level. He's had some really good teams and dare I say Pete Carroll winning the way he did with Russell Wilson as his quarterback. I know at the time that they were really good. They had a good defense and Marshawn Lynch, but Russell Wilson hasn't been successful without Pete Carroll. Let's not forget that. So I think Pete Carroll, I mean again, I talked

about this earlier. Pete Carroll is a phenomenal coach. The guy has won a Super Bowl in a college football national championship within the same what the same decade, and for the most part, even when he's not winning titles, he is successful, sometimes really successful, even if he's not winning super Bowls or championships. So the day that he was booted or moved on again, I think initially we thought he was retiring. We later learned that it was more their decision than his. But it was the same

day that. In fact, I think I missed one earlier. I'm pretty sure all within like the same two days, maybe the same week, you had Horrorball move on from Michigan to go to the NFL, Which that isn't that big of a story if it wasn't for everything that came with it. Harrorball was not delivering at a high level like Michigan expected until he brought along Connor Stallions and then he bolted right and they got in trouble with the NCAA, and so that made it a story.

But also Nick Saban retires, that's a big story. The best coach of my lifetime in college football, maybe the best coach of all time. And then I forgot about Belichick, you know him, and New England moved on, and then Pete Carroll whatever you want to call it, they were no longer. He's no longer their coach, and it just kind of seemed like such an easy thing to forget. And I remember thinking, this guy's a legend and it won't be much of a It just kind of just

did not get this. He did not get the same attention that I felt like it should have. But again, he was competing with some other big name coaches that also at the same time were moving on or getting fired or whatever it may be.

whatever it may be, and you have aspirations to be a head coach, there's no loyalty involved. You will take the opportunity to improve your situation and better yourself and if you don't, maybe it wasn't meant to be. But like, I just can't imagine anybody else moving on to take a better job, a better position, improved their career and it be viewed as if they were unloyal and like a red flag. I think the way it played out in Kentucky led to Kentucky fans some of them doing that.

But I think there's some hypocrisy going on here because you're talking out of both sides of your mouth at least some meaning you know that your coach is ran through offensive coordinators like nobody's business. And many of them that have moved on have ended up being good elsewhere, and they were not as good when they worked for Mark Stoops. So Liam Cohen, what's different with him? Like

Lim Cohen left you guys twice. But if your coach is who you say he is, or at least from what I hear everybody complaining about how he's the problem with the ocs. And the one coordinator that lasted longer than a year is the guy who stunk at he Gran, So like, which one is it?

the Rams assistant quarterbacks coach. Clearly at that time, being a Sean McVay protege, he was able to really build up his brand and his his you know, his reputation within the football world, and that got him the job at Kentucky. To be fair credit to Kentucky, they took a chance on a guy that was making a jump and calling plays for the first time since he coached at Maine. So Rams for a few years in different positions to Kentucky in twenty twenty one, and it worked.

Out well to where he was able to go to the Rams again. But now is their OC. But when you're the OC with the Rams, you know what you don't do. You don't call place because you know who does Sean McVay and he always will because that's what makes him great. So that didn't work out because the I mean I feel like he was the fall guy

for McVeigh. I could be wrong, but they took a step back, the Rams did, and Cohen ended up getting kind of the boot and he came back to Kentucky and I'm sure there was like a Hey, this is where I want to be. I'm going to stay here, I'm gonna raise my family like I'm sure he meant that at the time. But then you know, he once again was the OC for Mark Stoops and probably felt like the ceiling wasn't super high for him. So after a year he gets another opportunity, and you know, he

ends up going to the Buccaneers, and guess what. With the Buccaneers, he was really good, and I mean really good, was a candidate for NFL jobs. The Jaguars wanted him and he said thanks, but no thanks, because I don't want to work for the GM. The Jaguars wanted him so much they fired the GM and then came back at him again and now he's their coach. So the only thing I can think of that is legitimately understandable as far as criticism is that apparently he just went

he ghosted the Buccaneers. That's just not professional in any career that you have, any work any I mean, just com even if you know you're leaving, I mean completely ghost to an employer, I mean, really weak to do.

It's also really stupid to do in the NFL as if it's not going to get around, and that's a very much that's very much a fraternity type of workplace, meaning like, for example, Bobby Betrino could be the best college football coach that ever walked the earth, he'll never sniff the NFL again because of how he left the Falcons, Like, you don't do that and then get another opportunity in a prestigious league and a prestigious employer like the NFL.

So that's just stupid for him to do. Like and I get I get that, but as far as like when you're when you are an assistant coach at any level, rather it be a position coach coordinator, whatever, and you have the chance to jump up and work elsewhere and have a higher level position. Who out I mean like that, that's that's a no brainer.

got to factor that in. But I wouldn't be shocked if you asked to coach if who the GM is one of the most, if not the most important components to you considering the job, I wouldn't be shocked, because I remember being so stunned whenever I was young, and I realized what a GM was in sports because here I am watching the NBA as a kid and really knowing who the coaches were because I was just a

super fan. And when I found out that it's rare that the coaches get to like pick their teams and trade for guys and draft them, there's a level of their involvement, but overall that's the GM's job.

And again, it's a good gig if you can get it, because you know, at any moment you're gonna be expendable, because if they've got six years of billion dollars tied up in a player and things aren't working, who they gonna cut first? You you know that going in, but you'll take it if you can get a few years and making millions of dollars. So I get it, but

it's just a I don't know. I mean, maybe that's why they're so expendable, because they really you know, they're there to kind of manage and lead and throwing a

little X and O here and there. But this is not a great you know, I use this example all the time, and it's probably not fair to Steve Kerr, but when Steve Kerr was winning titles, when the Warriors were in their prime, I think my four year old son could have coached them and had the same success, because you know, let's let Steph Curry shoot a lot of threes, Let's let Klay Thompson shoot a lot of threes.

Let's let Draymond Green get under everybody's skin. I mean, I know it sounds foolish to act like Steve Kerr didn't have any involvement in it, but like I'm telling you, if I put my four year old son on the end of that bench and they come out there and beat somebody by forty, would you be surprised?

But there were timeouts where like the TV, the camera would be on ty Lou in the huddle and man, he just got completely alphaed by Lebron, like, get out of the way, let me tell you what we're gonna do. And it's like, well, you know, I kind of get that, but man, like, if you can't coach, what control do you have. So anyways, being a coach in the pros

still a highly coveted job. But when you know that you're going to be the fall guy when things aren't working, and yet you have no real control who those guys are that could potentially make you the fall guy, it's kind of a helpless position.

ain't gonna work for me. There's no way I can coach the NBA like I coach in college, and sometimes knowing that as a real gift, because some don't realize that, Hey, I could climb the ladder, or I could stay where.

they're not a good team, but Kentucky's better. And it's going to be a home game for Kentucky in Nashville, and that game is there, right, Yeah, it's it's it's at Mandy.