It's 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 it start at five o'clock here on a Thursday afternoon. Nasty outside, really gross, gloomy, but it does look like the warmer weather, along with the rain, is helping this snow go away. And I like wintertime, and I love the snow we had earlier this month, but I have had enough. I'm kind of ready for
the warmer weather to return. Speaking of returning, we have somebody making their big return today to us here at Coffee and Company, mister John Alden back in the saddle on not a whole lot of sleep, gotta be running on fumes at this point. He's been up since about three am because he now produces Kentucky and his morning news with Tony Cruz on News Ready waight forty whas they stole him from us. But he's doing well, and
today we get the chance to uh to reunite. And I hope it has been as enjoyable for you as it has me and my friend.
It has been. I told you earlier it's felt like riding a bike. It's been kind of this might.
Sound kind of feel like you never left, right, Yeah, but.
There's also like the nostalgia that comes from oh, just down the hallway. Yeah, and it's only been a few months, but there's still you know, it feels like it's been longer than that.
We are much more childish here, much less professional. I mean that's just you know, it's it's kind it's kind of just if you can, if you're okay with that, then I think you'll you'll be able to fit right back in here now. I also didn't mention it just yet, but a lot of love on the text line, people happy to uh to have you back, and also mentioning that they listen to you in the mornings whenever you're on with Tony and saying you're doing well, which you
know that you knew that already. I mean, you're doing a good job, and I'm I feel like a proud uncle to see you, to see you doing your thing. And next week we'll be reuniting again because I'll be filling in for Tony for a few days Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, which'll be a early an early rise, but looking forward to it, no doubt. Yeah, And in fact. Shout out to the louisvill Men's clinic. That was something
that didn't happen for a while. And I'm sure for a lot of fellows out there now it is so you know, you know, see look at John fitting right in right, Megan perverted jokes. I love it. It is just like riding a bike like you like you never left.
All right. So for those just now joining us.
Big day for the ACC as ESPN has decided to pick up the back half of that grant of rights deal. It's a contract and a real issue over many years now just because of it being locked down for so long till twenty thirty six, and there's no opportunity to go revisit and get more money as far as grant right. So you know, it's led to lawsuits from league members Clemson in Florida state. So I never felt like the
agency was going to dissolve. But what happened today is they decided to pick up the back half of it. Meeting until twenty thirty six. ESPN is your partner, and it may, you know, may not be the best situation comparatively speaking. Right the SEC and the Big ten, they're doing better financially. I mean, there's no doubt about that. They probably always will to be honest with you.
But I just think.
If they did not pick it up, and they just decided, yeah, we've got Disney of course, who owns ESPN. If they just decided we've got enough on our plate when it comes to sports properties in ESPN and ESPN Plus and the SEC network, that in our relationship with other leagues and whatnot, we're good, and they just didn't want to deal with us because I never felt look of it happened.
But if it did, I wouldn't be shocked if league members suing each other to try to get out, or league members i'm sorry, suing the league to try to get out. I mean that could make it to okay. If you're going to be invested in this league and you know your most valuable members are trying to sue the league and get out, I mean, it wouldn't have been a crazy thing that they just decided, yeah, this is a mess.
We're good.
We don't really need you. You need us more than we need you. So the decision to run through you run the contract through its full extent to twenty thirty six, It means the league's not dissolving and nobody's going anywhere, and those that have complained and wanted more money, they're gonna have a chance to get more money because the league is adopting something that I think is really the first innovative thing that I've seen the ACC do in
a long time. Right, I feel like over the years we've been talking about something cool that the other leagues are doing, even the Big Twelve, which I still think at times you feel is inferior to you in football and whatnot. I mean, their commissioners seem to really know that, and he would do a lot of things that other leagues wouldn't do to bring in revenue and kind of give him the cool factor in the ACC, I mean their reflection of their leader, Jim Phillips, who to me
seems like the biggest dweve out there. I don't know him personally, but certainly never been impressed and I think he's you know, I'm sure he's a good man, but like I don't think he's done a good job overall. So his decision, his leadership clearly had some factor in these schools being able to bring in more money than
they typically do. Because they're now going to get what they are, right, you get a bigger piece of the pie if you brought you know, if you brought it, you know what I mean, Like if you were somebody that provided it, you can take a bigger cut than others, because that's I mean, that's how it works in a lot of aspects of life. So I think, not now, but you may see in the future other leagues when
they're up for a renegotiation or extending their contract. Now that you have a twenty million dollar annual bill that you have to pay because you've got to share your revenue. Now, I mean, that's an expense that wasn't there, And twenty million is not something that I think is a small expense to any school. So you may have been eaten just fine and not not going hungry at Ohio State or at Georgia, but you know, twenty million dollars twenty
million dollars. So maybe now you're thinking, Okay, if they can do it, we can do it. We want a bigger cut, and it'll probably work out because Vandy will know, Hey, our best existence is being at you know, at the
doormat you know. And by the way, I shouldn't say that Vandy's actually on quite a run, knocking off Kentucky the other day, and they beat Alabama and football, but you know what I mean, and it's like Boston College and you know, Pittsburgh, maybe Abbot pitt I don't think it's a good example the low level programs in the ACC, at least lower level compared to everybody else. The wake forests out there, they'll know that, Yeah, it wouldn't be
idea if we no longer get an equal share. But we also know that our best interest is to still be in this league regardless, because if we get if we got to move around elsewhere, it'll never be better for us than being in this league. So it'll all work out, and it's not I mean, who can claim that it's not a fair thing for you to be out there actually bringing in what you earn. I mean, that's how it should be, to be honest with you.
Now. One point that was made earlier by David Hale, who covers.
The ACC for ESPN, and of course he's joined us on this show from time to time. He mentioned that when it comes to the revenue distribution model that they're trying to put together, they're going to reward the biggest brands in regards to like who has the biggest TV draw But it could get really, it could get really I mean, how you determine that seems really really difficult, right, I don't really know if there's a perfect way to
be able to know. I mean, again, I think you know, but you're not just going to say, well, I know that this team is more interesting and they bring in more viewership than that team. I mean, you're gonna know, but you're gonna want to see real raw numbers to actually determine who has the brand value. So one thing, David, He'll pointed out, as he said, one thing I want to make clear. Brand value for REV distribution purposes isn't
likely to be a straight measure of TV ratings. A lot of complicating factors that make that a messy metric. Totally agree to imagine if you end up being like if you're if You're Louisville this year they put you on Peacock when you play Notre Dame, that that's clearly going to put you at a major disadvantage by something
you had no control over. So measuring your brand value off TV ratings is probably way more complicated than we realize, but it also is something that complicated or not, it's it's worth figuring out because that is quite literally the value, right, That's how this works. TV Networks, ESPN, Fox. They purchased the rights to broadcast your games and monetize them, and more people that watch makes it more value, and that's
everybody's fill in their pockets in high level sports. And we just sit back and watch and enjoy it.
All.
Right, One thing I want to get to coming up here in just a few minutes. We will get to the phone lines in just a second. But as you could expect, the Pat Kelsey LoveFest has has really started to grow in a major way in college basketball, not just with LOUISLL fans, but I mean, he's clearly showing that, you know, he's a good coach and he's winning at a high level given what expectations were, and he's doing it without two key guys that were supposed to be
a big part of this team. So we've known it for a while. We've been enjoying this ride. The revival is happening right before our eyes, and I can't get enough of it. But now you're starting to really see those that cover the sport work on stories and really kind of put a different story out there in regards to kind of this whole thing coming together, and it's seeming like a like a perfect arrangement here, right pack Kelsey was the perfect guy for us at the perfect time,
and so far it's been it's been awesome. But in a recent article we'll get to some of these quotes coming up in the next segment, but just anonymous coaches who did talk to Jeff Borzelo ESPN and to hear them talk about what it's like playing for Louisville and what they think of the job he's doing. I mean, again, these are the kind of things they like. Right now I can't get enough of. I mean I used to just think, well, yeah, they're going to be talking up our program.
We're Louisville.
Obviously, when we were talked about in recent years, it was shameful. Now it's it's not and it's it's more so enjoyable than I would.
Have ever expected.
All right, five O two, five seven, one seventy nine hundred is the number. If you guys would like to jump in and give us a call. Let's go back to the phone lines and welcome in, Robert. You'ren Sports Talk seven ninety.
What's happening, Hey, nig it's.
Been in minutes as I called, and a lot of great stuff went on. And I can't imagine the last two years have done nothing but lament, how horrible everything, And uh, I'm just thankful. But I'll tell you what it's been here recently that I've gotten back that that you they'll like love. I mean you you understand because you're like me, You're oh yeah, we know, yeah, And it's like, I mean, hell, and probably until here in the past, I don't know, a week or two, I
know all the players' names. Now you know, it's just then the bad part is all going to change next year. I mean you know what, No, man, I cannot be happier.
I mean, I bet, I bet, Robert, I bet there's something in the last couple of weeks that it wasn't something premeditated you didn't think about it, but you had a reaction, or just something that kind of hit you, like, damn, I'm kind of you. I'm kind of feeling back to the way it used to feel as being a little basketball fan. And that I know exactly what you mean, and it's it's it's been awesome.
Well looking forward, I mean, I'll give you a good that's perfect because, like I said, the winning street here when it got to about seven, and I was like, I really was looking forward to the next game. All right now, you know, I know who they are, and I just want to see can they keep going? Can they keep going? And yeah, man, it's Louisville and you said it just a minute going, we're you goes to Louisville. We're a top five historically top five program in the country.
And to be beaten down like this, my god, over DEI basically it's just uh well it's not the over reason, but man, it's just it's said, it's great and I ain't gonna keep you, but I'm just more unhappy and I just letting you know, man, I feel like I did years ago.
Was Yo Belle saying, yep, thank you for the call, Robert. I appreciate it. Yeah, I didn't like the end of that one.
But what he said about feeling, you know, feels like Louisville again, I mean that that's there's a lot of layers to that, and there's a lot of different things that kind of give you that indication that we are making our way back to not being you know, maybe a program that's going to be winning a championship up anytime soon. I mean, maybe it happens, I don't know, but just to you know, feeling a certain level of
like pride like these guys. And this is so corny, I know, but these guys you feel like they are very much appreciative to be here and like they're enjoying this as much as we are. But not just because you know, they're players and they like having success. They're appreciating what a special place this can be and that
that's a part of it too. I mean, I just like watching these guys play, even if it's not Rain Smith making ten threes in a game, because they play with a lot of effort, a lot of energy, and you know, a lot of pride, and you know, you can be a good team and maybe not have that component. But like, I think there's little things that we would have not looked at for a long time just because it was an expectation. It was just what we did
as Louisville fans. We knew we were going to always be a program that was you know, even in a down year, we're probably still looking at maybe the tournament.
Well then it went to a oh that you didn't know possible.
So I gets there's a lot of layers to kind of this whole process really, from from day one when Pat Kelsey got hired, just hearing somebody talk about the program in a way. I mean, he's a great talker as it is, but he said, you know, he's really he's hit. He's playing the right songs for us, right, he's hitting the notes because you know he's saying things
that you know, you're damn right. Well, I'm glad to hear somebody else agrees that this is a special place to be and anybody should be insanely grateful to have the opportunity to coach at a place like this and not make excuses and be a victim. But you know, just realize, hey, this is this is one of the best gigs that I could ever get. I'm gonna I'm
gonna succeed here. I'm gonna die trying. So I think we knew even from day one that Pat Kelsey was gonna give it as all, and you know he wouldn't fail because of lack of trying, and then he put together a pretty good roster and then you know, you saw the team in action and you knew right away, hey, this team's clearly gonna play hard and they're a big
upgrade from what we had before. But early on, even after the Bahamas, in the early part of the season, I mean I was, it's all super excited about the future with Pat Kelce, but you know, like this team just recently, in the last month, I'm telling you, Dan January, something just just switched with him. I mean, even when they beat Indiana in West Virginia and the Bahamas and then had that close lost to Oklahoma, that was great. And obviously they had some losses that were really bad
early on this year. I never even in those moments, I never felt like we didn't have a coach that was going to potentially be really successful here. But man, that just seems like a different world compared to what January has been. Like a ten game winning streak that you know is longer than just January, but still to see them out there just playing so hard and clearly
having a give a damn that is very obvious. And you can give a damn and play hard and maybe not look as obvious, but like you mean to tell me, Chucky Hebern isn't loving every minute of this after three years at Wisconsin.
I mean, Rain Smith.
Is having his best college season on the biggest stage he's ever played on and helping revive I have a fan base who is one of the most passionate band bases in the country. So like, there's and this is the element that I believe is a bigger factor than maybe others think about, and that is their age and maturity. These guys are grown men, Like they're not eighteen nineteen,
twenty twenty one. I mean, Javon Hadley's been in college six years, Chucky's twenty two years old, Rain Smith twenty three.
I believe.
I mean, you've got guys who've played a lot. I mean, the only young Bucks you have, or James Scott and Cannai Rus everybody else who plays has been in college a long time. So I think the maturity from these guys, the professionalism, I mean, it's really a perfect fit for us. And you know, I hope Pat Kelsey continues to try to build teams that have guys like this that doesn't need to be like an age requirement. You don't have to be a grandpa within the sport benefiting from an
extra year for whatever reason. But just you know, a good this group. Their talent, their their character, their work
ethic like that, that that means a lot. But I happen to think that their maturity as people has has made all three of those areas something that you know, you don't have to worry about, right Like these guys know, Hey, I've got a chance to potentially make a lot more money in Louisville, maybe not just this year, but for the rest of my life if I give it my all on the team has success, because that's where I'm at.
You know, a nineteen year old kid who wants to playing time and he's got his AAU coach in his ear about money.
Like that that that could still work, I guess.
But like you know, that kind of stuff's going to be really easy to pass on in college basketball because you can win with I mean, look at Rutgers. I don't want to get too far sidetracked here, but John, you're a big ten guy. I mean, Rutgers has two guys that are probably gonna be top five draft.
Picks, and definitely A's Bailey.
Yeah, I mean, yeah, It's tough to know exactly where these guys will end up when it's all said and done. But I'm looking right now at a mock draft at CBS Sports and Ace Bailey's number two and Dylan Harper's number three Cooper Flag's number one. So they got two insanely talented freshmen in the same season and they're awful, Like they're one of the worst teams in the Big Ten by far, and these guys are gone after a Ye're like, what.
Did you get out of that?
That was?
I mean, but my point is you would always make it work if you can with those guys. But those are gonna be case studies that are gonna be people learning from what you did.
Like, yeah, it'd be cool.
And if we put this much money in front of them, they'll come here and that'll give us some attention, some hype because maybe got a big recruit, But like, is it worth utilizing probably every penny we have in nil for this because you know they're gonna be playing against grown men, and they may have good stat lines and they may maintain their draft stock like they are, but like, are we gonna be good are we gonna win games?
And the best the best case scenario is when you have a mixture right like you were able to you know, may put it this way, if Louisville in a different world, they were bringing back a handful of these guys, which they are gonna be able to bring back some of them. Now they also could leave. You never know, but I'm just saying they may bring back a handful of these
guys and then they'll hit the portal elsewhere. And let's just say maybe the only recruit they bring in is happens to be mckail brown junior, who you know is a top five player. I mean, that could work. That can work in a major way. And I think, you know, I doubt this will be strategic because they're gonna want to recruit young talent. But when it comes to when it comes to, you know, just how you build your roster,
I think, can I Russ? I mean, his numbers don't show it, and you know he's had games where he's not super impactful. But man, you can't tell me a young freshman, a top forty freshman coming out of high school playing with a bunch of grown men that are mature that are great teammates that work hard, that are humble, I mean, that can't do anything but help his growth.
And I don't know, maybe you start to see PAD or other programs kind of know, hey, we're gonna be most old, but we're gonna take some chances on some young guy. Or you're only taking a chance, but you're gonna bring in a young guy, probably give a lot of nil money for him, and maybe he's only there a year or two, but you know he'll help you along the way before he goes to the NBA. I mean,
it could I ask help this team. I mean, I mean it's one of those things you hear coaches say a lot, but man, when Pat says it, I mean it's every everybody who plays knows their role in what they're expected to do, and they and they're consistent about it. Now, sometimes you're gonna misshot, sometimes you're gonna have an off night when it comes to just things not falling for you.
But I mean even Frank who comes in like he's in there to give you energy, be you know, disruptive around the rim when he can rebound and and he he embraces that. It's not many minutes it's certainly not a highly sought after role for a team, but you know he knows what he's what he's needed, what his team needs of him, and he does it with pride.
I mean, same thing with with Canaim. He's coming off the bench and you know he brings a lot of energy and you know he's a little different athletically than
most to these guys. So I mean, and by the way, that's one of the many things that I would chalk up to being a big factor in why this team has been just such a such such I mean again, when I say so improved, I don't know, like they were thinking before, but I mean they look like they do and they seem to be a team that isn't just taking advantage of it down acc which they are, but they're also a team that might give some other
teams some problems in the tournament. It's because they have they have identified roles in a major way, and they know who they are as players. How many times do you see somebody doing something that you know is outside their game. I mean, I know some people might say Edwards taking shots, but look, he's a volume scorer. That's what he's always done, and you're better off if he's aggressive at scoring, because yeah, he might start off slow, he might have a few games where it's not falling
for him. But here he is against wake Forest Legion scoring after shooting pretty poorly at the beginning. He was taking good shots. He was clearly aggressive offensively, and he maintained that aggressiveness and shots started to fall. He end and o with eighteen points. So like that's the role they need him to be. He wasn't that guy whenever they didn't have injuries, and he was kind of trying to find himself and sure enough, Like that's another thing.
Kelsey has done a good job at retooling a little bit once they lost Koryn for the year. And you know, in case In Pryor, I mean, I think everybody out there, Jamon Hadley, I mean, he's he knows what he's supposed to do. And that's the best part about this is that kind of the calling cards for some of these guys.
Pat Kelsey always mentioned shooting, right about how they know that these guys that's part of their game, and he talks about what's on the back of the bubblegum card or whatever and being able to shoot and he's right as far as their resumes, but that really hasn't played out this year. They've clearly had games where the three point line was a weapon for him. I mean, there's no doubt, but the numbers don't show that they're a great shooting team. I think some of these guys are
shooting it differently than they did before. Now they're shooting it much better since January. I mean they're right around forty percent or a little bit under that, which is pretty good. So anyways, I think, you know, when it comes to what I view as these guys, like what makes them impactful and kind of what would be their calling card, it's things that you don't have to you know, it's not based off luck. It's not based off shots falling.
Like Javon Hadley's gonna take take advantage of mismatches right and rebound his ass off CHUCKI Hepburn is going to just be an absolute pest to the opposing team's point guard and make his life a living hell all night. And like when you do those things that aren't, you know, based off the luck or odds of it happening. When you do all that and you do it well, that's when everything just kind of falls into place. That's what's happening for this team. All right, quick break, we'll come
back on the other side. We'll bring in David who's on hold. He's up next. We'll go right to the phone calls. Let you guys be a part of this show as we roll along here. It's coffee and company. Feel about Thorton's on Sports Talk seven to ninety. It's right, coffee and company. We got about thirty minutes left here on a Thursday afternoon. We are fueled by Thornton's. Make sure you sign up to become a member of the Refreshing Awards program at Thornton's. If you haven't yet, you'll
be happy you did. All right, let's go to the phone lines. Five two five seven is the number if you want to give us a call, and we'll go to David, who's been holding.
What's happened to David? How you doing?
I'm fantastic, Nick, Harry you this afternoon doing great?
My friend?
Well, I had a couple of things. I'll tell you man, I could talk for thirty minutes. I know this is your show. I could. I've got to die tribe a mile long, but I'll be very quick. I had three quick points. The first thing, of course, it pertains to the University of Louisville basketball team. And I know that there's people around here starting to feel a buzz about this team, and there, yes, and we should because this is what been. It's just this is something I don't
I'm sixty one. I didn't think i'd ever see this again. And it's just, you know, really excited about where the program's going. And Pat Kelsey and Pat we trust. And it's nice that national people are paying attention to us, because it seems as though for the last ten or fifteen years we're being paid attention on a national level
in a derogatory way. Secondly, the Kentucky fans that are calling in that are trying to offer compliments about Louisville basketball, and it's better if Kentucky and Louisville, or you know, if we're both good. It's just all better for basketball. I don't put any stock at all. They the holier than now we think we you know, last time I checked, James Nasmith invented basketball. Kentucky basketball. You know, Yeah, they've won a bunch of titles. Three of them. That happened
in the forties and fifties. They never left the state of Kentucky to do it. So anytime any Kentucky fan wants to offer compliments, it's always byhandied undermining and you know they they can pound sand. The last thing that I'll tell you is, oh, one other thing I want to mention. It's sort of like I love with a friend of mine, my dad, A friend of mine, a friend of my father's at Mitchell's Fish Market one day and he looked over at me and goes, you know,
I love your father. He's the smartest uneducated man I know. And I was like, thank you. I think, yeah, yeah. And lastly, uh, there's a there's a person that has a radio show in town that won a national title in nineteen eighty played for the Cards that has said repeatedly this team is non athletic. He said, he continues to play that we haven't played anybody card. The ACC is weak. The SEC is the gold standard in basketball.
You know, last time I checked, you play who you play, and it's not like we're just squeaking by these teams. The only thing I know, the last thing I'll see on the subject, I love your show. I love what you guys do. The four SEC teams that that beat us earlier in the season, they don't want any part of us.
Now, yeah, I would agree with that. I mean, I don't know what would happen, but this is not the same team, that's for.
Sure anyway, And I do owe you an apology, and I'm just gonna say I'm sorry about something that I said that I that you know. I'll say something to you off air at another time. But you can do a fantastic job representing the University of the city.
And thank you.
No go cards, keep up the good work, and as far as Kentucky fans go, well they know where they can shove it.
Thank you, David.
I appreciate, appreciate all the kind words, and appreciate you being a loyal listener. I don't know what you said, but I hope it wasn't crazy. I mean, I mean really wondering what Wait a second, you're apologizing for something
that that I don't even know that you said. It makes me think that you feel really bad about something that I would never know about unless you told me, which again gets me back to thinking, man, it must have been bad, but Anyways, a lot to unpack there with David, and I'll start with the the Kentucky fans when they mention it's better, that is true because it just is like things are better. But if I had a choice, I would always prefer Louisville to be really
good in them to be really bad. But I can also acknowledge that, yeah, there's more. I mean, it's just the rivalry is better. It's just a I mean program, I mean, healthy competition is good. And when Louisville is on the good side and Kentucky's on the good side and they're competing both at a high level, it just, I mean, it's good for the economy because there's more interest in the programs.
And I mean it is. I don't think there's any debate.
But again, just because of how the rivalry works, I clearly would like to see them, to see them lose every game. And I think if you say that and you just mention it, I mean you're just telling the truth. Maybe that's like as far as you can go, right, Like you won't say that you likewisen't watching us win because you don't, but you know you also won't mention that Louisville's playing good. Just find a way to kind
of say without fully saying it. But again, some have actually called in and said exactly that that louis was playing well. And we had a Kentucky fan calling yesterday who mentioned something about, you know a lot of teams not wanting to.
Play Louisville, and I think all that's true.
There's no way to know that for certain, but yeah, I mean the the what's really, I guess been the biggest takeaway for me, and I don't I was going to say the biggest surprise, but it's really not that surprising. But what has really stood out to me throughout this whole new year for both teams right new coaches, new culture. I mean, clearly both fans love their coach right now, feel really good about the future, and will acknowledge that the others coach is pretty hard to dislike, and even
if you want them to be terrible. I don't think either side thinks that the arrivals coaches is bad. So
that's just kind of an unusual thing. But what has you know, what has really stood out to me is just that the going out of your way to like nobody's saying that Louisville has played a great conference schedule, or in is a great or is in a great conference this year, but like this, this, I mean, it's like a it's like something they can't control, like they are enable to They're unable to control the these I
guess more than anything. And it's not just you know, it's it's people on text line, it's callers every now and then and certainly all over social media that rather than just not have a reaction because somebody objectively that covers college basketball said that Louisville's playing well and Pat Kelsey's doing a good job, it's like they've got bots set up to automatically respond with talking about how bad the ACC is like okay, cool, like you know it
That to me screams that you are having a really tough time just acknowledging that Louisville might in fact be be getting back to a good program and being one of the programs that is viewed as one of the better ones in college basketball, not only historically, but you know, maybe they get there and they're consistently in the top ten, top fifteen and they're flirting with final fours. I mean that that's where you want to be, and you can
be if you're Louisville. And I'm not saying that they're there now, but certainly it looks like things are heading in the right direction. So we've got a mixed bag of I think reaction from from the rival when it comes to how this season's gone, and I think some of it has been. And again, not everybody's the same, right, Like everybody's different as human beings. There are some fans that like a huge part of their fun with college
sports is hating their rival. There's some that I just think they're wired differently to where, yeah, they hope the rival loses, they want to beat them more than they want to beat most teams, but they just don't get has caught up in it. So you know, everybody's different, right, and everybody can feel.
The way they want to feel.
And certainly Kentucky fans, we'll get through this litle on the other side, because I want to play the Rick Patino sound where he's telling Kentucky fans they shouldn't boo John Caliperry. But I don't even know if it'd be a if it'd be a stretch to say it's infighting between their fans within their fan base. But I think those that are more so making it a talking point, and it's worthy of a talking point, like this is
a big deal in college basketball. I get why Game Day didn't choose this one, you know I do, but it's a big deal for those who love college hoops, and certainly these two programs love college hoops. So I think those that are that are really Again I don't want to act like they're going overboard or saying something crazy, but those that are saying they're not gonna boo, and they really are gonna look at a fan different if
they did boo. That is that. That's what I've heard more than anything, and that I just don't quite understand. But again, people can do whatever they want, but certainly there's gonna be people booing, and if you feel like they're awful for it, I you know, I think I think they're they're I think it's understandable why they would boo. Really quick, before we get to our last, uh, our last break here. This this is from let's see here, let me pull it up for from ESPN Jeff Borzella.
What he actually did was put together a.
Rundown of four teams that are that are looking like surprise tournament contenders, meaning not only a surprise that they're in the tournament run right now, but maybe they are going to be contenders to make a run. Louisville was one of those teams, along with Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Wisconsin. And just looking at these quotes from these coaches out there, it doesn't say who they are, but atis read them
for you. It says they're the real deal. Nobody wants to go through injury, but sometimes it can set your lineup. You're not playing too many guys. They've been down prior and Waterman and I still feel like they've been in a really good rhythm.
There's absolutely some truth to that.
You were kind of forced to have to reinvent yourself with all you had, and it helped these guys get comfortable out there because they were they're going to be playing thirty plus minutes regardless, and eventually they kind of, you know, round it into form.
And again it's.
About those established roles. This text says, Chucky Hepburn is a menace on the ball. He makes them go. He can score thirty points and he can be the best player on both ends.
Of the floor. He's very disruptive.
Defensively, he can dominate both ends. He's very efficient, he gets to his spots, he's physical. This is another one talking up one of the Louisville players about Rain Smith offensively. The threat of rain Smith is a lot. Just him being on the floor opens up a lot for them. Their backcourts really good and as a team, they're very selfless. Guys know what their strength is and when Smith is on, they're really really tough. Last one, they guarded the hell
out of us. He's got those guys bought in. Those guys are all playing hard, they're all playing for one another. I'm sure every one of us has has thought those exact same things, and I mean it's pretty obvious. And I think that's the last quote there as far as they're playing the hell out of I mean, he's got these guys guarding the hell out of us. They're all bought in, they're playing hard, they're playing for one another.
Like That's something that I believe we as a fan base Louisville meaning would notice that more than the casuals, and we would appreciate it more because of what happened recently and that's just again, there's no doubt in my mind this team. It's been as fun as any season I can remember. And I mean that, and I and I don't care. I mean, I do care about the tournament. But if Bakers can you continue to play this well, maybe they get upset earlier something that'll be a real
bummer or punch to the gut. But I cannot see there being a scenario where we look back and say, man, that first year it was funner than we would have ever expected. All right, quick break, We'll come back and wrap this thing up.
Am I right?
We have one more second? Right, Okay, still you left. But man, I'm still bad at clock management. It's probably worse, man, probably worse than it was during our days together. But we'll take a time out, come back and finish strong. Here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. So Kentucky at Arkansas this Saturday, as cal makes his return to rops. Certainly a little bit, a little bit underwhelming as far as just it being a game where you feel like
there was gonna be a whole lot of tension. I don't think there's gonna be well, I'm sure there will be tension, but I mean Cal is not expected to win this game at all. Kentucky is, and Kentucky could play poorly and still win because Arkansas is just really an shown that they're very good now they've got talented players. I mean, it's not as if they're bad in a
way that they got a bunch of bombs. But Cal hasn't really seemed to be a good ex's and o's coach when it comes to two strategic things in a while. And yeah, he's got some fine players, but I mean their team is not great at all compared to what he had at Kentucky. So I kind of feel like that has made it a little bit less of a of a of a thing when it comes to the national discussion. But certainly it's a big deal within college sports and a big deal around here. And I think
there'll be plenty of fans that boo. I think there'll be plenty of fans that maybe are fine with others booing, but there's just not gonna boo because that's not their personality. And then there's some that will cheer and maybe tell people to hush if they're booing, and you know, you can do whatever you want. I would never tell you
how to to act. Certainly not as a Kentucky fan, because I'm not one, but uh, Rick Patino, he wants you to to give cal pair a standing ovation, and he put a video out and this is just perfect Rick Patino making it about him injecting himself into something that. I mean, yeah, he has been back to Kentucky after being a coach there, but I mean, like, this isn't about him, right, I mean in any way. But here's what he had to say.
Hello, Big Blue Nation. I didn't steer you wrong with Mark Pope when I sent out that last video, and I certainly won't steer you wrong with this video. Toughest day of my coaching career at Louisville was when I had to walk into Rupperna. Tried not to show it, but when I went home the reception, it taught me
up apart because I loved that place so much. And it's interesting because I speaking and Cooley just recently about Providence and he said he almost was brought to tears because of the bad feelings he got going back there. But this is different. And as you all know, I'm not best friends with John cal Parry. I respect them certainly, but it was a mutual thing. The fans wanted to change. John read the tea leaves. He needed a change, and he really didn't want to leave. But what did he
do for you? He brought the best talent in the history of the game of any university in America to Lexington. He also won a national championship. He also was his style of play was extremely entertaining. So he's coming back on Saturday, and I want all of you to show the great class that you have, twenty three thousand plus people giving him a huge standing ovation, show him what respect and admiration's all about. I know you have the class I've always believed in. You do it once again.
So this was kind of I mean, I'll admit I hadn't heard that in its entirety before I just played it there. I'm not really sure he said anything that is wrong, but I mean he's not. I mean, first of all, he clearly is now very very direct that because he coached at Kentucky for a long time and he was a app I mean, he is as successful there as really anybody, and he was just I mean, he was the biggest rock star I think college basketball
had ever when he was at Kentucky. So maybe with that he does feel like he can tell you, as fans, like what he thinks you should do. Right, He's not just some rando. I mean, he was the enemy for a while when he was at Louisville, but I think he does feel a level of like that's home to him, right, That's that's you know, it's still weird to think about, just giving the fact that he was our coach for
a long time in Louisville, not that long ago. But you know, here's what coaches wouldn't want to hear.
But it's true.
You're not one of the fans, like it's a job for you's And again I do think you grow to love it. It's a special place, like I think you can. It can be something that you're human about, right. It doesn't mean it's got to be such a transactional type of thing. But at the end of the day, it's your job. It's a part of your life. If you're a fan, it's your life, not meaning it's the most
important thing in your life. But those that are big time fans, it's something that they're gonna that's gonna stick with them until the day they die, So not to say that that makes them like better than anybody, but like it's just a brief part of what you do and we appreciate you. However, Like this is like you're gonna come and go. I'm gonna be a fan regardless, so I'll I'll act the way I want to act. So I you know, I don't think you said anything wrong.
I do like that he did acknowledge that he's certainly not best friends with Caliperry, but he respects him because I think there's some truth to that. So you know, fads are gonna do what they want to do, and that's that's what should happen and what will always happen. I just to me, if I was a Kentucky fan the way he went out, I don't think he was as sincerely at any point. He did good things and
that's something you should appreciate. But you know, he he thought he was bigger than Kentucky basketball, which I thought that was pretty obvious for many years and you could live with it and you're fine with it when you're winning. But at the end, I just thought he became insufferable for you guys. But anyways, we're out of time. Have a good evening, John, thanks for coming back brother
M HM.