On Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick Coffee.
So I just got the the text message, the automated text message from Bullet County Public school System, and it looks like NTI is going to be in place for us, and I'm not sure. I know Jefferson County Public Schools is off tomorrow as well, and I think Hardin County also still has announced they're.
Going to be off school. So look, there's there's What this comes down.
To is this is roads in areas that there's just not like the weather was so severe and given the resources, I guess that like this this region has because we don't like this is in fact, I couldn't believe it, but you know, I'm gonna trust it that it's a real story and it's not fake news from one of our local news outlets. I don't remember which one it was, but that this was the most snow law of had in Like I mean, I saw like a crazy number like twenty years, Like is that that to me? That
sounds not right? But I don't know either way. Buses have to go to all these streets that like are not on main roads, and there are so many like I think right now, like the big roads, main roads, even main roads for like little little community areas, if that makes sense, are fine.
But neighborhood roads, side streets anything that is.
And believe it or not, I would have never known this had it not been for whenever I was young, my mom and my stepdad when they got together.
That's where they still live now.
They live in a beautiful area with a ton of ton of property and a just a beautiful spot over off of Seatonville Road, and you know that area there, it's actually not far from where Denny Crumb had lived for a long time.
So I didn't I never knew that rural areas existed.
In Louisville and Jefferson County because as somebody who grew up in Bulla County, I just assumed that, you know, it was just big city, a bunch of city slickers with a bunch you know, they didn't have farms, they didn't have have you know, big fields and wide open areas. Because I was just a dumb kid, and I was already well aware of the stereotype about where I was from, meaning, you know, we're a bunch of hillbillies. And then I got older and I went to Fardell and realized that's
worse than Bullet County. Shout out Farde. Though I love Faradoe people, but if you know, you know I live out there, Fardell's the best. But I'll never forget. Whenever I got old enough to like play sports and like meet people that went to school out there and play games out there, I remember thinking, like, wait a second, why do we get the rap for like being the ultimate you know, like hillbillies.
Do we wear shoes to school whenever?
Like they have a very you know, that's I wouldn't say it's rural all the way through kind of like where it is where I grew up, but it's certainly blue collar and it's you know, it's not that different than than certain areas of Bullet County where I grew up.
It's just such right outside the city enough to be blue collar kind of you know, yes, right there in the outskirts and people, Well, let me ask you something because I know people from there, and and my my dad, who's also a loyal listener. Shout out Kirk for a listening. But there's a lot of people out there, and I want to see it. This same thing for Bullet County. Like when they say, like they're from Kentucky, like they right,
they don't say they're from Louisville. A lot of people in Faradelle they say they're they live in Fardelle, Kentucky.
Is that the same thing with all County.
Bullet County not as much? Like I think.
That's a great question, man, because I I think people who live in Bullet County, if they're traveling and somebody asks them where they're from, they're gonna say Kentucky or they're gonna say Louisville.
And I think it depends on where they are.
If you're in the region, you'll probably say Louisville, if you're if you're in like Florida or New York, you'll probably just say Kentucky because they're not. There are many people like Louisville is a borderline top fifty city. Therefore, like if you're in certain areas, like they may have to think for a second where Louisville is, you know what I mean? Like they probably know because the Derby and if you are somebody that keeps up with cities.
Then you know you'll know Louisville. But you know, so I think it depends on where you are.
But people from Faradale are really really proud to be from Fairdale, absolutely, so they may say that, I mean, people from Bullet County are pretty happy with where they're from. But I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. So what you did there is you just reminded me that like people from like that. That's one of the things that stands out about the South End that like, the South End is well aware of your stereotypes and they don't give a damn. They're proud to be from there, which I
think is kind of awesome. And the late Billy Reid learned that the hard way. Billy passed away within the last couple of years, and he was, of course the legendary sports writer. But he the last story that he or the last I don't know if it was a story, if it was just a comment he made.
I think it was a story that he had written.
I think it was a column.
It was a column he was writing for one of the local TV stations and he made a comment about I mean he was I remember at that time kind of gosh, this is this is so awful to say, But I'm just telling the truth. Here is I'm telling stories and kind of going back in time. I remember stopping in my tracks reading it, thinking like is this real one? Because like it was so obvious what was gonna come of it? And also like you just, I
mean like it was it was. I wasn't even from there, and I was offended for those people, like I don't want to act like it was, you know, the crown of the century. And I think he honestly as much criticism as as he got, I think he also I think he also, you know, got a little bit of a pass because he was, I mean he was old. He was very old at the time that happened. Maybe some people just assumed he wasn't in his right mind.
But I was cutting my grass at our at the house we used to live in, and I remember stopping to get a beer and I got my phone out and one of my buddies had texted me this and said it's this real. And I remember, like I crushed the whole beer. Not to brag, but you know, I was trying to say, like I was just kind of in disbelief. Before I started the mower and finished the yard, I was like, this is crazy, and I'm thinking, hum, will this be like something to bring up on the show.
And by the time I finished the yard and got a shower and checked social media again, like it was.
All anybody was talking about everywhere.
Yeah, like people who don't even follow sports, didn't kN know Billy read was was like because because that's and again this this is a shout out to the South End. That's that's kind of their their brand. Like wait a second, who said who said what.
About about us out here? Like wait, who do I kind of call where? Yeah, folks, what you know, what time is it? South Side? We outside? Like that's what it turned into. And it was kind of a beautiful thing, to be honest with you.
So yeah, I think people are are very proud to be from there, which is which is great.
You know, you should be proud.
I mean maybe if you I don't know, I was gonna say you should be proud no matter where you come from, and that's probably not true, but like you can't control it. If it's where you're from and it's where you reside, then you know you might as well embrace it the good the bad, even if it doesn't balance out. Maybe there's more bad than good. You know, I live I live a couple one hundred yards, well a couple hundred yards roughly, well, that's probably it's probably
a little further than that I live. Not I live probably less than a half a mile, uh from where I grew up. That's where I live now. It's where my family, it's where I raised my family. It's my community. H My parents same thing. They both grew up very close to where I'm sitting right now. And you know, clearly if you know the area I'm talking about, we've been in the news for some not great stuff because you know, it happens. We're not perfect, but you know
it's it's it's home to me. So I learned early on, especially with a with a public platform like i'm, you know.
I need to embrace it. I mean, I'm gonna lift us up.
I don't know if I'm if I'm helping the reputation that we have in the Northern Bullet County area, but you know I'm out here, I'm trying. So I you got me sidetracked here because you're the people from Fardell. They are happy and proud to be from there very much. So. The reason I brought up the school system thing is because in Bullet County, you know, there are so many areas that you know, the people who plow the roads
that are in Jefferson County, it's not same people. There's not as many resources in smaller areas like even Old and Harden, and you know the counties that aren't you know, Jefferson County, and they don't have a little So there's so many If we would have had maybe I don't know, a few minutes or an hour above freezing, it might have given it might have you know, made a difference to where if they're out there, because what's happening now is they're plowing streets as best they can, but it's
not it's so cold to where like nothing's melting organically.
Therefore some of these roads they might get cleared for a few but then you know, gets even colder and people drive on it, which actually spreads more of whatever they're out there sloshing around in on their tires, and it just I think the reason you know that you're seeing schools closed, I mean, he JCPS announced yesterday they were gonna be off today and tomorrow, and I think it's because they realize without the temperature getting warmer, it's
just gonna be tough to justify getting those buses out there. So again, I know, I'm sure there are plenty of people that listen that don't care, that that can't relate because you know, they don't have children. And that's fine. You're probably you know, you're not stressing at all about this. You don't have to worry about school closings and all that.
But man, now that Bullet County has advised that they're gonna do NTI and they're asking parents don't have a chromebook to come and pick up their chromebook so their kids can go to school at home, because you know, they don't want to get them out on a bus.
Man.
Angry parents are are are all over the Facebook comments here for for the school systems, And I know I just talked about it yesterday, and I need to just set my phone down because I get distracted, man, Like, h I get distracted because I just, you know.
Angry about the school still being closed.
Yeah, like the fact, like I'll just know, I'll just read for you the first comment I saw here. BCPs can just go ahead and count my kids absent the f I look like coming and picking up some chromebooks in this weather, you won't run buses, but you want me to come pick up equipment so your employees can do your job. Foh foh you know what that means, don't you?
Oh yeah, f out of here like that. That's a mom Like, ye, she's had it.
And what's crazy is like the people you're mad at, like the like whoever you would come in contact with to say that, if you were actually gonna say it to somebody, rather than just bitching about it on Facebook, they would probably say, Okay, cool, don't care. It's like it's like the people who work you know, it's just a standard associate at humongous corporations like Walmart, Kohle's or Old Navy. I'm taking my business elsewhere. Is if that person's gonna lose sleep at.
Night, Like.
It's just it's you know, if you're a manager and I you know, and I guess you never really wanted to you know, you never really wanted to bubble up and get you in trouble.
But this day and age, people don't care about those jobs.
I mean, that's one of the issues is that like they have a tough time getting employees, and the employees.
That do work.
They're like they know each day they go in something might pop off and they just say, yeah, I'm out of here, like I don't need this. So, you know, if you want to not have your kids at school and have them take you know, an absence because you don't agree, then you have that choice. But there's also consequences to said choices, you know. And here's what's funny that people who say that probably won't do it anyway.
So I don't know, I uh, somebody brought this up to me yesterday because I and I know, I'm you know, I'm getting sidetracked here. I'll promise you we'll move on in just a second. But when I was discussing discussing this yesterday on the show, how I really just couldn't relate to people who the first thing that they want to do when they get upset about some decision when it comes to school being closed or not being closed, they just want to go to Facebook. And it's like
it's like just throwing out the bat signal. All it takes is one angry parent and you got ten in the comments and it just turns into some huge thing, and it's it's kind of interesting to watch from from from Afar. But I was just talking about like how I couldn't I couldn't really you know, relate to it at all. And you know, somebody brought up an idea
to me. One of my buddies text me, is like, what if certain kids at a certain age we did like a you know, it's a hypothetical situation, but there was some kind of like a TV skit like Jimmy Fallon to where Jimmy Fallon reads the awful things their parents post on Facebook about the school system, and I thought, like the age ra for that they would be good. It's probably like what I don't know, like seven eight,
maybe I don't know, something like that. But also, like, to be honest, I would say the if the parents saying that on Facebook, they're probably saying it in front of their kid too, to be honest with you, like that's probably you know, one and the same. So anyways, yeah, the the the people out there that are shoveling driveways, plowing business parking lots. I'm fascinated by this because this has become a thing to where if it's something that you do, like you have the ability, maybe you've got
a four wheeler. Maybe you've got you know, you've got a truck that that's got the you know you can put something on the front there and and and you know you have the ability to provide a service that is rarely needed, but man, it's really needed around here right now, more than it ever has been. Like you could probably make some real good money. I'm just curious, like what you charge. I've met my wife for lunch today, which is why my car is stuck in the driveway.
But I'm I met my wife for lunch today and we went to Roosters and their parking lot is like completely cleared, like it's been completely completely removed of any snow, and there's just like little mounds in certain areas that aren't even taking up parking spots. So clearly they paid somebody to come and do that. And I'm just thinking, like, man,
what do you think that cost? Like what do you think because right now there's not as many of those individuals or companies that can provide that service, then there is the people that need it and rely on it right now. So like you could probably start your price pretty high and there'll be enough people, given how many people need it to where there's enough that'll take you up on whatever you're charging, and you can you.
Can make bank oh supply and demand, oh and and be.
I mean again, like that's that's that's a big factor when it comes to how business is done in every you know, in every.
Aspect of life.
But I feel like the timing of this and because if you don't like again for me, like if I if I didn't have another vehicle and I didn't have an ability to work from home, like I would have to have somebody come and fix my driveway so I can get my car. Because the issue I have now for those who missed it, my in Austin, you've seen the picture. Now not good, right, I sent Austin the picture. It's not good.
My car.
My vehicle is completely sideways on my driveway on a big hill, so I can't go forward or backward.
I'm literally just stuck wait to thow out.
So and it won't we aren't getting warmer weather for like day, like it's gonna be a long time. Yeah, So you know, like I luckily I probably can can make do with you know, my wife's vehicle. And again I'm fortunate I have the ability to work from home all that kind of stuff. But if I didn't, like I'm not sure, Like if the cheapest price to get it done was, like, you know, just my driveway a couple hundred bucks, I wouldn't want to pay it, but I'd have to because I can't do it and I need,
you know, I gotta go to work. I gotta, I gotta, you know, I gotta gotta be.
Grown up, got to put food on the table.
Which luckily I still you know, can can be halfway grown up?
Or take your wife out launch on a snow down.
Yeah, I mean again, it's all her fault, but you know it's it's it's a gift in a curse, right, Like, am I surprise my wife was itching to go on a date with me today for lunch. No, I mean, look at what she's got. She wants to come on, she wants to, you know, take full advantage of having a husband like me. You know, it's understandable, but that also left me, you know, in a spot where my vehicle's just sitting like I'm waiting to hear the doorbell ring and somebody like from the HIA say yeah, you.
Can't park there, can't park there? Like yeah, I'm aware, which actually I guess I can't. I mean, I'm in my driveway.
It's just you know, you could do whatever they hate you want.
Someone let that BUCkies inflatable for Christmas up.
That's true.
The best you can do is leave your car stranded in your yard.
If it's there, like long term, and which it won't be.
But like if it was, I'm gonna get like a big banner and its basically turned it into a Thornton's billboard on my street. That'll work, all right. We'll talk some basketball coming up on the other side. Big game tonight. Louisville Clemson should be a good environment, good atmosphere, and it is a big opportunity for Louisville and not only keep the moment I'm going, but get a win that'll have some value on selection Sunday. So we'll take you
up till six o'clock. Hang out with us right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
You're listening to Coffee and Company with Nick Coffee on Sports Talk seven ninety.
This is good stuff, man, this is really good stuff.
The Sugarhill Gang.
Baby, what like what.
Year younger than me? We both were not on planet Earth whenever this this era was was in but when was it? Like is this seventies or early eighties?
I mean.
Yeah, I mean right at that line again, I go back to Uh, I described this once before, and I've already forgot the name for it. And there's a there's a real like you know, it's a thing or maybe you know, to make belief thing, but I believe because I've experienced it. That kind of music gives me nostalgia, but it's for something I never experienced, if that makes sense. Like I'm like, oh man, and wish I could go back to this time, you know, when you know my
parents hadn't even met yet. It's just it's just wild how and I kind of love it.
You know.
Nostalgia is a very it's a tricky drug because it's very satisfying in a weird way, but you also, you know, like it's sad too, And.
You know when you hear people talk about especially like this era, like that's really all that there was to do. So that's how you vie. Back in the day, you just went to the record store and found out the newest record from somebody, and you just bought it and you went home and listened to that all night.
If you think about like sort of how like I again, I'm sure everybody in their lifetime they went through the same thing where we have all the society, you have access to bigger and better technology, sell like all that stuff, but what really Like I blinked and I realized, nobody listens to CDs anymore, Like they don't even make it makes total when I heard that they taking CDs out of out of best Buy, Walmart, like they're not like
they don't they don't manufacturer or produce them anymore, because that's not how ninety five percent of people consume music. When I heard that, I remember kind of thinking what and then I'm like, yeah, I guess that's right. I haven't used a CD in you know, many many years. Same thing with like DVD players. Like when I moved into my home in twenty and eleven, that's when my
wife and I got married. I remember thinking, all right, like what all do I need as we move out of our apartment into our first home, and I'm like, yeah, I gotta have a DVD player because I'm gonna go to red Box and get a DVD either watch something like it.
Shocked that there's still red boxes around.
I want a documentary done on it because I don't who's doing it. It's some underground crime. There's some kind of organized crime with Red Box. I'm telling you. It doesn't make any who is who is keeping them in business.
And they have updated movies and everything.
It's wild.
And again, like I know, anytime I think about that, I'm like, Okay, well, you know, keep in mind, there's a lot of people that maybe don't have unlimited data, they don't have these streaming platforms because they're just struggling to make ins meet. So if they've got a TV that's got a DVD player and they got a buck on their card, they can go run a movie. Right, So I guess it's more than more than anything. It's just like I that I just that's so I wouldn't
I would never need to do that. And I guess maybe because I'm fortunate, but like, I don't know, I mean, I feel like that that to me, that specific.
Scenario sounds so ancient.
Yet there's clearly people doing it, or they wouldn't exist, right, they wouldn't be putting new movies out there.
It has to last time I remember going to a Red Boxes I guess it is more recent about five years ago, with no six years, there's probably like twenty nineteen, maybe right before the pandemic, and I rented two movies. I rented the first Joker movie with Joking Phoenix and Uncut Gems the Degenerate Game movie with uh. I remember learn It and I remember what I remember waiting for that because while the movies weren't straight to U pop right after that.
So I guess, yeah, so the first place, So yeah, that was and now post pandemic, I think movies that go to go to the theaters first, there's not a huge long wait for them to end up being available.
But they're not available to rent.
They're available on one of the streaming platforms you play, you pay for that's like you know they and look, some of these movies are produced out of the same studios that that that own these streaming platforms. So that's
just kind of now the new way of it. But yeah, I was gonna ask you the scenario, but that's what it is, is that you wanted you didn't see it in theaters if you wanted to see it as soon as possible, and at that time, that was the quickest way to get it is a place that actually still rents DVDs and.
Any That same box is still out there in front of my Kroger. There's a one right inside of Walgreens, right next to.
My There's some of McDonald's as well, like there. I mean, they're everywhere. And yeah, if if there was a you know, I mean, I feel like in any moment, they could shut down and it wouldn't shock me. But you know, clearly there's still a thing as we speak, and I wouldn't have never guessed that, but you know, shout out to those that still rely on Red Box.
It just reminds me of good times, you know what. I'm fine with them keeping in the store. So when I look over at all the expensive groceries that I'm buying and ridiculous amounts of stuff that I'm spending on, when I look over and I see that red Box with the like the little privacy flap right over it, that gives me like a sense of all right, we're still we're still a decent country.
Yep.
I mean, like snow days for me, I was happy that we didn't have to go to school, and I was just hoping that my mom would be willing to drive and take me to Blockbusters so I could get a couple of movies to watch, or I could get a game to play on my PlayStation.
Like that's what snow days were to me.
Yeah, so if I could go back, like maybe all I mean like if you presented a scenario where I could go stay the night at my mom's house and she could drive me to Blockbuster and I could have a night like I would do it. It might be kind of weird, but like that's that's that's the shot of nostalgia that you might find me dead on the bathroom floor or overdosing on they got a little deep and dark there.
I don't know where I've missed those Blockbuster days so bad.
Just washing and just hanging out.
Buster is ahead of you, and they still had like TV's on, so you could see like previews of stuff, the anticipation of coming around the corner and just praying that that video game hasn't been all rented out, or praying that that movie you want to watch hasn't been completely rented out, hoping that there is a box behind the original DVD boxes.
That's how you knew that it.
Was Oh yes, like you.
I remember, like, oh my god, they're all gone. Wait a second, at the very end, is that one that's there? Oh, yes, good feeling.
I'll tell you what. I uh.
There's a really great documentary on Blockbuster. In fact, there's two of them. One of them is on specifically Blockbusters. And this is one of the things you've probably heard and maybe you know of it and you've you know, this is a factor. Maybe you just think it's something people make up because you're thinking there's no way that's true,
but it is. Blockbuster was given the option to buy Netflix before it became what it is now, and I mean I've heard that long ago and they turned it down, and now like look, I mean look, look look at it.
I mean, like it's crazy.
So to know that they had, you know, somebody went out and realized, hey, grandpa, wake up, things are changing here. We've put together a way for you to kind of enter the new digital world and still be the leading provider and how people consume right movies. And they were like, now we're out, and Blockbuster died and Netflix just last night debuted Monday Night Raw. I mean, it's crazy. So that's a really good documentary. But it really is sad to see, like just the corporate greed.
And then in the end they got.
They they What they would do is they would show up in any small town, any town, I mean not even just small towns. But before there was a wal martin McDonald's of renting movies which Blockbuster became, you know, communities had like you know, Dixie Highway had probably four or five different video stores that kind of stuff, where like it was just a certain business people could open up. What they would do is, you know, they had corporate money,
corporate backing. They weren't mom and pop. So they would come in and they they would tell you and they interviewed people who used to own these stores. These these not Blockbuster stores, but they would own their own video store like it was, you know, their business and their community, and Blockbuster would come in and offer to buy their business. And if they didn't say yes, they would let them
know exactly what they're going to do. We're going to open up across the street or close by and you at maximum can get this many copies of the latest movie that's out that everybody wants, will get eighteen times that, and we will bury you because we will be will people come because they want to come see a movie that we have the corporate resources in backing to get as many copies as we can, whereas you you're going to be limited and you'll slowly die. And that's what
a lot of them did. And it was I mean, it's corporate America, Like, it's not that uncommon. It's not I mean, happens every day, to be honest with you.
But it was kind of sad to see. You know, there's there's stories of people who like they took over the business from their father and and they tried to compete, they got shut down and and you know they had you know, they had to start a new life, which again that's kind of sad, but there's also some enjoyment from them because they know that like Blockbuster, really you know, in the end they lost and got killed because not only did they end up going out of business, they
had the knowing you had the lifeline and you were too arrogant to realize it is is kind of rich. But the other crazy the other documentary I watched is more of kind of like a hokey thing, but it's still interesting to me is that they followed the last two blockbusters that existed. There was one left in Alaska and that one closed and then the last one and I think it may still be there today.
It is in rural Washington.
I mean it might as well be like Canada, I think, or in that you know, uh, in that area up there.
So and they still sell like or give away.
Yeah, they still operate.
And that's that's the guy they interview, and he's a big part of it. He's he's kind of he's very much into like realizing, hey, we're the last one left and we could really profit from this because like people will travel to this because of like the nostalgia and just like it was something that people used to cherish and now it's dead and we're still alive. So like he embraced it, and uh, you know, they still did have the ability for you to rent movies and DVDs
and kind of that kind of stuff. But you could also tell he was sad that it just became a gimmick thing to where like, yeah, they're now making money because they charge people to like be able to come in. Like you know what I'm saying, just give him money if I wanted to. Hey, I'm gonna I'm gonna invest in a in a startup business here, and we're gonna rent movies like you wouldn't be able to, Like who's gonna provide you product straight from you know, theaters to where you can rent it out?
Like right now, who's the competitor for red Box? Right? Like they've got like who who else is out.
There like doing that? So if you don't have a streaming service, then I guess that's the only place. I guess that's what keeps them alive because there's really no competition for them, because there's clearly enough people that don't have the ability to to get a Netflix account or any or something like that to where they are still
going and renting. And you know, even if you are getting a teeny tiny percentage of the population, that's still probably a lot of people given the grand scheme of you know, no matter what you're into, no matter what your interests are, no matter what your age is, no matter what your lifestyle is, there's probably a pretty good chance that you watch television and you want to watch movies, and if you don't have a streaming platform or a
subscription to like, you know, Spectrum TV, then that's probably what you're going to do is renting DVDs and if anything, they're just the last one left and they're they're you know, they don't have any overhead, right, Like who's their employees. They're not working. It's not a store, it's not brick and mortar. So anyways, tonight Louisville and Clemson just double check. No update in the spread. Louisville is still favored in this one by three and a half, and I like it.
I mean, I think that spread makes sense. I'm confident Louisville can win. I was gonna say I'm confident that they will win, but I always hate doing that out because like I'm worried about a jinx, but like I'm aware that they could lose.
So I feel good about where Louisville is.
I think the way they've played in the last couple of games, specifically, you can tell they're gaining a lot of confidence. And this like it's been about a been about a month since they've become this new team where there's no longer waiting to see when are we getting corn back. I guess they knew right away that they didn't have casein so you know, in a month's time, they've gotten more and more comfortable in this new version of themselves with a little bit of a shorter rotation.
But now they've got I mean, I love that that Trey Ora is back now because he's proven that he's not somebody that you got to work back in.
He's just out there, high energy, the motor never stops.
He's going to be on the backboard, he's gonna defend, he's gonna be getting buckets.
But it's right place, right time.
You're not really doing a whole lot to get him high percentage shots he's gonna get. He's gonna basically eat what he kills, if you know what I mean. So that's a nice piece to add to where you're not worried about kind of throwing off any momentum or anything like that. And I'm glad they're trusting Big Frank with some minutes.
Now.
He's not going to give you a whole lot of minutes. There maybe some games where he doesn't play, but I think he's He's shown Pat Kelsey and this staff that if you put him out there to just give you some size, some presence, if James Scott's in foul trouble or if he's just you know, become such a non factor offensively, maybe you just want to, you know, put
a fresh body in there. Frank can give you a few minutes and you know, I feel like the stats won't show it, but I remember two games specifically.
I guess it was Florida.
State and then maybe might have been Eku or maybe he was I think it was. I think it was Florida State and Ekau, and clearly they nearly lost to Ekau, but like he got spot minutes, but in the very limited time he was out there, he got a block in each of those games to where it stood out to me, Hey, one, this guy's actually giving you something. And also you don't have a whole lot of rimp protection. I mean, Cason Pryor I think was your best shot
blocker just because of his athleticism and his length. James Scott can rim protect a little bit, but not not really, to be honest with you, that's not really where he's I mean, he's a guy that's above the rim on offense. He's right place, right time. But I wouldn't consider him some you know, big time rim protector. Actually, I think in all USTe Tray Oray could be that for you.
So you know they're.
Getting they they now are in rhythm as far as their identity, They're gonna still try to get into a style of play with pace that generates good three point shots in rhythm. They're gonna take as many good looks as they get, and sometimes, you know, what's a good look to them may not be a good look to you.
That kind of stuff. When you have the green light and it's a priority from your coach, let's do let's let's generate whatever we need to in order to get good looks from three, it is gonna make you at times take a bad shot like That's one of the things Kelsey has to know that because I give these guys the green light because a big component of what we want to do and who we are is doing, you know, doing what weever we have to do to get decent looks from three. There's gonna be some times
where they're just trigger happy. So you know, I think they've had games this year where they've taken mostly good shots and they just can't make them. They've had some games this year where they've taken you know, fifty to fifty or some threes, Like I get it. You have the green light and you had daylight, but man, you could have got a better look than that. So that's always gonna be part of who they are, and you know they know that. But they're so solid right now
in other areas that like they can have. They're doing something I wasn't really sure of, and that is having nights with a three point shot is not as big of a factor. And yet they're playing well defensively, They're getting good looks in the half court that aren't three point shots, they're turning, They're creating turnovers and creating points from that. So you know, Clemson's gonna slow it down. They're not gonna want a ton of possessions in this game,
which will be a challenge for Louisville. But you know, from what I've seen the last couple of weeks, I think I'm not alone as far as Louisville fans feeling confident in this matchup tonight. And of course there's real value here. All right, quick break, We'll come back on the other side. Keep this thing rolling along. It's Coffee and Company. We are feel about Thorn's right here. On Sports Talk seven ninety.
The Coffee and company with Nick Coffee on Sports Talk seven nine day.
Because this is brand new and we've never had the college Football Playoff in this format, twelve teams clearly expanded into the new year, Like it's new, so like I'm excited for it, but like it's not on my mind, like, wow, I can't wait until we get, you know, the second week into the NAA tournament, Like that's been around a long time. We know that once you get past the first and second round, you've got the Sweet sixteen and
all that. But this is new, So like I keep randomly realizing, oh, yeah, we still have two more college football games before we announce or I guess we don't announce before they're the national champion.
Is is decided.
So I'm excited, but because it's new, like I I, you know, I keep forgetting about it, which I don't know if that's good or bad. Clearly they're gonna just find if I forget about it. But I'm excited. It's just I oftentimes have to remind myself that we still don't have a national champion just yet, and h I really don't have Do you have any rooting interest here in the in the in this playoff Austin, You've out, of course, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State and Texas.
I don't. I don't think those are the are those aren't the matchups?
No, it's it's Ohio State and Texas and Penn State and Notre Dame play each other. And I gotta be honest with you, I don't have it. There's not one team I'm like, oh, man, I hope they win, and there's not a team where I'm like.
Yeah, I hope they lose.
I'm gonna tell you, Texas becomes the team that I'm like, yeah now, because I don't want the SEC to win, but they're also in their first year in the SEC, and therefore, if they do win the national championship, that.
Would, I guess be literally, it'd be a good lead look for the SEC.
But like, how about some awareness that this actually might prove that the whole notion that like your league is so crazy tough when the team comes in in their first year and they're they're the best. So if I had to pick one team that I hope loses, I guess I would say Texas. But from then, like Notre Dame, part of me says I wouldn't mind if they won because, like, you know, we don't have to hear about the conference.
Stuff if they do.
And then the rest of the teams, of course, you've got big ten teams, Penn State and Ohio State, and I don't I don't think James Franklin and Penn State have a chance. And maybe I'm way off here, maybe they win the whole thing. They're but James Franklin and Penn State, like, even even if they were, you know, truly honest with themselves and and and really kind of looked at it fully objectively, they've benefited more than anybody
in this current format with twelve teams. And I mean they had to play SMU at home, and a lot of people claim SMU was one of the worst teams in the playoffs. Probably they probably were, to be honest with they probably were the worst team, and then they had to.
Play Boise State, and Boise State, you know, good team.
But like if that's the you know, so maybe they maybe I'm wrong and they are really good and they win the whole thing. But I also wouldn't be shocked if you know, if if you kind of you know, if you see them humbled against Notre Dame. If Notre Dame can do what they did to Georgia, I feel like they should be able to handle Penn State.
But we shall see. Maybe I'm wrong.
Now I have no rooting interest with anybody. It's kind of weird now ever since now the whole the fun has gone out of it. I feel like because you had the twelve teams, you had the bye, you had the few odd teams in their boise state.
Yea, the kaos is done now.
Chaos is done.
So now it's just like, of course it's gonna be Big ten or SEC now.
And it kind of reminds me of like how boring the two and four team format was, because oh yeah, you know, like this is again. These are good teams and I hope they give us good games and the entertainment is there. I'm certainly gonna watch, and.
Everybody else will too. It'll be a huge deal.
But like I I'm completely neutral here really in just about every way it's mentioned. Texas is probably the team that if I had to eliminate a team, it would be them. But I you know, I'd be a liar if I said, like I'm anti Texas I never have cared one way or the other. For the most part,
Ohio State. I'm intrigued with them because they have had such a weird few years here with Ryan Day winning a lot of football games, being clearly in the top tier of the sport, not top two or three, but like in the elite tier as far as wins, accomplishments talent.
They've stayed there with Ryan Day.
But they've just lost to Michigan, and that has become the most talked about thing within their programs seemingly in the last few years. Therefore, you know, you feel like they've taken some massive steps back when really they haven't.
And their roster was so.
Loaded this year with the portal, and you know it's Ohio State. They always have good players to where when they do turn it on and you know, beat the hell out of Oregon like they did, nobody's surprised because you know, it's Ohio State. So I kind of don't
want them to win for two reasons. I don't want, you know, I just Ohio State's the fan base that I would kind of like to, you know, not hear from, like not that I'm around a bunch of Ohio State fans, but like you know, they're already cocky as it is
for the most part. Therefore, like I would, I would kind of like not, I would like for them not to be the national champion this year, but also if they do, it'll it'll make Michigan and feel like, you know, they're about to be back in a may Like I'm not. I don't like either Michigan Ohio State if I'm being
honest with you, like that's their their rivals. Do you have a preference, because I have, I don't like either of them, like I you know, clearly somebody's got to be on the better end of a rivalry there, But of those two, like I'm I'm out on both of them, Yeah, same, yeah, I just they don't you know, And it's not one of those things where like, well they're just so good I want like you know, I just I've never really, never really cared for either of those teams, but I
would imagine that It's my guess is we'll have a national championship matchup that is Ohio State against Notre Dame, and I would, I mean, hoit of State I feel like has the best chances to win it, just because again they're playing really well right now, and it's never been a question about do they have the pieces, do they have the talent. I think we've known that they do,
it's just they at times. I mean, I think the Michigan situation became such a talking point, not only because did Michigan start getting the best of the Michigan won a national championship, the Connor Stallion stuff, to where I think like even in games when they played like Nebraska and underwhelmed and could have lost, meaning Ohio State, that it's probably just because they know that no matter what we do, we just got to get all this stuff out of the way because we're gonna only be evaluated
by what we do against Michigan and if we win the Big Ten. And you know, sure enough, they didn't beat Michigan, and they also had lost to to Oregon.
So I kind of feel like that break that they had with no Big Ten championship game and the you know, the first game where they took on they hosted Tennessee and they beat the hell out of them, Like I kind of feel like they were in a good place to where the embarrassing loss for Michigan is still something that they'll probably get angry about thinking about regardless of what happens in the playoff, But like that getting that out of the way and dealing with that probably put
them in a good spot here to where, like I'd be shocked if they're not the ones who end up claiming the national championship this year.
AGA.
I don't want them to win, But if I had to, if you know a gun to my head, who do I think will win this whole thing? I would say it's gonna be them. And then with Notre Dame, I've never again, never really a big believer because I saw how they looked against Louisville. But Georgia even without their starting quarterback Beck, and obviously Georgia just didn't Georgia was nowhere near as good as they should have been this year.
That was pretty obvious that they were good and they're not going to lose any bums, but like, they're not anywhere close to the team they were for that two three year run where they were winning national championships. So I don't know what I would like, And I want to get your thoughts on this. Austin, what did that say more? Who did that say more? About Georgia or Notre Dame. For that game to play out the way it did, I think the bigger reaction was like, wow, Georgia, they got humbled.
Bad look for the SEC.
But I don't know if that's just because people wanting to point and laugh, or is it that like nobody just wants to acknowledge that Notre Dame might actually be really good because like Notre Dame just has their army of fans. They don't have a conference rooting for him, right, Like the SEC's got cheerleaders, that's Kentucky fans, you know, Mississippi State fans, South Carolina fans. Same thing in the Big Ten, you know, the bums in the Big Ten. Although I will say, can we agree the Big Ten
doesn't horror out out for their entire conference? Like the SEC is right, not like you're right. I think you always want your league to do well, but like the SEC, like it's embarrassing. How like they're just to me, like they you should be proud to be in your league, but like there's a like if you have no real factor in why the league is viewed as the best league, Like I wouldn't be as as you know, chesty about it.
If I'm being honest, I think maybe just because we're looking down at Notre Dame just because we saw him firsthand, and Louisville has just been dealing with Notre Dame over the last few years since being in the ACC or
whatever Notre Dame wants to be in. And we also got a glimpse of their quarterback who was in the ACC long before he ever went to Notre Dame too, and it was kind of laughed at, you know, Ryl Lonard, you know, so like and but now he's just kind of doing his thing, He's making their plays and we just get mad at the prissiness that is Notre Dame, but also at the at the same time, something about Georgia.
I mean, even though that they're out with Carson Beck like usually, especially that that well coached of a team is easy just to go ahead and plug and play another person, they were just off on everything last week and when that game happened, they were just off everywhere. And I think it is because Notre Dame kind of exposed that.
Yeah, And I think Notre Dame is in a really good spot because they're clearly like Notre Dame is always going to have talent, maybe not to the level of an Ohio State or even a Texas, but they're always going to have premier talent compared to the vast majority of college football. And they, I think are just they do what they do, and they do it pretty well.
They've got a good enough defense on offense. They clearly have found something for Riley Leonard to just get comfortable with, right Like, they rely on him to make some plays with his arm, and he's capable of doing what they ask of him. And he's also a threat in any moment on the ground, and that's been a.
Big factor for their success.
So you know, I kind of feel like they're in a really good place right now to where if they're able to kind of stick with what they do, maybe they're the national champions. But again, I think it'll end up being Notre Dame in Ohio State, and I would imagine that would probably result in a pretty damn good football game, which at this point that's all I can ask for, given that I have clearly no real rooting interest. All Right, we got to run. We got one more hour, though,
so stick around. We got to get to this break five o'clock hours on the way a couple hours until tip off Louisville and Clemson. We'll get into that matchup a little bit more. Also, some other big matchups in college basketball. Tonight Kentucky on the road at Georgia, their first road SEC game, So stick around five o'clock hours next right here on Sports Talk seven ninety