It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven to nine day. Now here's Nick coffee.
All right, let's get right to it. Just forty five minutes swell, in fact, closer to forty minutes left before we get out of here. There is a women's basketball game coming up, and that means we got to go early. So let's keep this thing on track and try to get the most out of the time that we have left. So we did start the show with some breaking news from the afternoon that Carson Beck is getting enter the
transfer portal. One of the you to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country, because you know, he was at Georgia. They were really successful, but I kind of feel like lately there's not been as much fanfare for him, and you know, Georgia this year and even last year took a step back than where they were. Now. Tough to maintain that winning two national championships in a row.
But you know, somebody on the text line had mentioned that they don't think they would take Carson Beck over Miller Moss, and I thought to myself as soon as I read that, Yeah, I don't know if I would either, but maybe that's ridiculous. Like I just Georgia is one of those teams kind of like old school Nick Saban Alabama teams where you don't really know how much their success is based off the quarterback. Right. The quarterback's doing
it's doing his job. But like, I don't really think Carson Beck was somebody that I feel and look, you can be really loaded and be talented everywhere, but it's obvious your quarterback is special. I never really felt like
that with him, But maybe I'm wrong. So Zack Barnett, who's our college football expert, he covers college football for FootballScoop dot com, he put this out earlier after the news broke about Beck inering the portal, saying that he doesn't buy that Ohio State or Texas Tech are actually interested. That's what's because that's what being reported right now is that it's those three schools, Miami, Texas Tech, and Ohio State.
And I think what zachs insinuating is that yeah, this is this is Miami, Like Miami is the one that that is going to be the sucker here and pay him uh that much money, because the report is that he's going to make more than three million dollars, and that would that would make sense as to why you would say, yeah, uh, I'll come back to college for another year to make three million because I don't even know about ever see anything close to that money if
if I go to the NFL right now. So that's that's uh, that's where we are and uh in college college sports right now. And and as I said at the beginning of the show, I still kind of think to myself every now and then, like what what like because it's it's it's not brand new, but in the grand scheme of how how long we have followed college sports and really how long college sports has existed, it's still
brand new in that in that regard. But yeah, a lot of a lot of money uh is uh is being paid out to players and that's that's good for them. I mean, doesn't seem sustainable. It just kind of seems like in any moment, like something's gonna happen. I don't know what it would be, but like it just this it's such a mess. But uh, you know, clearly done. It's not done damage to the overall viewership and the product because there's a lot of people that don't like it.
There's a lot of people complaining about it, coaches clearly, fans obviously, but people are watching at a really, really
high level. I mean, even though these bowl games have now turned into glorified exhibitions, as people call them, and I think the random bowl games got even more sorry, the random bowl games got even more random whenever they added the twelve team playoff, because you know, when you were in when there was just two bowl game, when there was just two teams playing for the championship, that's when those other bowl games you would you'd be able to say, Okay, there's a there's a lot on the
line here, we could really get a big win here in this bowl game because you know, only two teams get to play for the championship. But you know, there'd still be real value in those BCS games at that time. And then it went to four and you know, the other bowl games, the New Year six as they called them, they didn't seem as relevant, but there was still some
value there. And then now with the twelve it just kind of seems like any any of the bowl games that's not included in the College Football Playoff, they just don't really have the same significance, it seems. However, people still watch them. Viewership for those kind of games is still climbing, and therefore they're still going to happen because a lot of money's being made. So it's still weird
to me at times. But I don't know if there's anything that could happen to where I would I mean, I wouldn't know how to not care about college basketball and college football. I mean, I just I mean, it's it's a huge part of my life, and and that may make me seem like a sad individual because you know, I don't have any involvement and I just love it and watch it. But you know, I'm fortunate to be able to talk about it with what I do for a living. But it's really just like a culture thing.
I mean, there's a lot of people around here that maybe think I'm crazy, but there's also others that think, like, yeah, I get it, Like it's it's kind of part of my DNA that I there's each day of my life, there's there's there's some time that I spend thinking about my team and the upcoming season or the next game or whatever, just because it's it's something we get lost in and that's what makes college sports special. All right, Coffee company, that's us. We're special. I think we are.
I'm Nick Coffee Austin Montgomery alongside is is he just downed? So? Dorito's are cheetos nice? That spicy nacho?
No regular? I do not like to gimmick up my doritos a straight nacho cheese.
Man. I'll tell you what. Dorito's. They're classic and they're great. But if you ever noticed that the dorritos that are not the original, like the nacho cheese or the cool ranch, the texture is different, like the chip, like the chip, like the the They had a buffalo wing one or a hot buffalo blazing buffalo dorrito that and it was it was good. I couldn't eat too much of it, but it was good. But yet, like the it was way more crunchy like it was just way more almost
like it was. It was like a cracker almost.
I think the spicy nacho ones are like that.
I yes, no, that's what I was gonna say. Like the spicy nacho. Yeah, they're the flavor. I don't mind, although I still think the original is the best. But it's the texture of it where they taste kind of stale. I don't know if they have to do something different because of whatever they're putting on them for that flavor. But yeah, Dorito's a real classic.
Well, dude, I just got a big stroke of the munchies right now. So during that last break, go to the break room and it's not stocked. And I take partial responsibility for that because I usually I usually like to do that, but I know now that we have actually hired a part timer to do that. I don't know what she's been doing the last couple of days, but there's there's nothing back there. So that's an issue
that the big issues. So there's nothing but like the skinny pop popcorn, And honestly, who's keeping them in business? Yes we are, and so but there is there is I have a key. I have a lot of key that goes to the actual closet.
So you got.
Is stored, yes, but you're just you're the plug. We're running low. There's not a lot back there. There's not a lot in the supply closet.
It's one of the perks though, is they do give us snacks and and and and usually the I mean we've got this wasn't a thing before we came to this studio, this office, and now each day for the most part, there's a big spread of snacks and candy and unlimited soft drinks at times, so we we certainly appreciate it.
And I almost went, almost went back to my scumbag ways. As I open up the refrigerator, there's a half eaten Jimmy john sandwich in there. Who just saats half a Jimmy Johnson?
You you put me on the spot that day. I felt bad because here I am talking about, like how it's low key a real scumbag thing to do, to know, to knowingly take somebody's food that they brought for lunch. And because if you get caught, you can say, what's the big deal? It's it's you can play victim. What's the big deal? It's just a sandwich. I'll buy you five sandwiches, chill out. But yet it's not. It's not
about that. It's about it's it's the principle. So here I am talking about how those people are the worst, and Austin's like, yeah, I've done that.
I just did that. I just took a got right. So there's a half eat yeah John sandwich. It I'm pretty sure it belongs to someone important because I saw them heating up probably the first half of it earlier, and I got pretty excited. I'm like, all right, we got catering.
Today and it was just one sandwich. John.
They just went into business for himself, So not wrong with that, But I'm.
Going at Jimmy John's in a minute.
If that sandwich is still there by the end of tomorrow when we start our show tomorrow, it's mine.
Oh I think, yeah, I think, I mean, somebody may still be looking for it, but I think it's more plausible that you would just assume that they're not coming back for it. Yeah, after that time, So I'm with you. All right, it's coffee and Company again. Feel about Thornton's heerroo on Sports Talk seven ninety. Let's go to the text line. This text says, Nick, would you rather be facing this pit team coming off of a win or the blowout loss they just had to Duke. I kind
of feel like they're going to be ready to bounce back. Yeah, I mean, I think they'll be ready to bounce back because I think they're good. They went to Duke, by the way, first of all, they're number one right now in the kin palm, and I think everybody's aware the they're clearly really good. Their two losses this year are to Kansas and to Kentucky, two games they easily could have won. The Kentucky game was down to the wire. They lost by three to Kansas just a couple of
weeks later. So there wins. I mean again, the win against Arizona doesn't look as valuable now because they've kind of fallen off. But they're the only team that's beat Auburn. You know, I guess they don't have that many great wins, but like they're playing really good basketball. They've got a lot of talent, Cooper Cooper Flag starting to catch bodies making posters out there. I mean, you guys saw that
Donkey had the other night on Pittsburgh. So despite pitt getting blown out at Duke, I don't think any less of them. So I don't really see it as much of a factor, like I hear you, as far as maybe if they were continued, maybe if they were winning, well, maybe they were coming off a win against Duke, then they would be a little you know, maybe they'd look they take you lightly because they feel like as if they can beat Dukie Cameron, then they know they can
just maybe put it on cruise control again. You but I just I kind of think that them coming off the loss, yeah, they'll be ready to bounce back. But I think it's more so just because they are going to be ready to play, because I think they're pretty good. So maybe you're right. Maybe if they would have won, it would have been more maybe it would have made them a little more vulnerable to lose on their home floor. But I think they're gonna be ready to play regardless,
And I really can't. You know, there's nothing that backs this up as far as their resume. I mean, it's solid. They're clearly a tournament team right now. But there's not even really anybody on their team who who stands out like as a guy that you know is an All American caliber player. But they're just they're good, man. They've got a lot of they got a lot of balance, They've got uh, let me see who is their leading
scorer this year? Because this let's see here now now, I gotta look it up, because they they and that speaks to Caple because I think they've actually lost in the last two years, like they've lost. They've had some really good players that they end up losing either to graduation, at the NBA draft or maybe to the portal. But it seemed like the last two years I've expected Pitt to kind of take a step back and kind of get back to where they were the early years of
Caple at Pitt. But they've been able to maintain, like as Ish Leggott I think it is. I mean, his last name is Leggett, but Ishmael is his name. I think they just he goes by Ish. But he's their leading scorer, averaging seventeen points, about six boards a game, two and a half assists, and you know, he's he's been there for This is his second season transferred from Rhode Island, and I mean he's been a He's a five year guy who's scored in double figures seemingly every
season he's played college basketball. So you know, they have some similar DNA to Louisville as far as just some guys that have played a lot of a lot of ball. Jalen Lowe is actually one of the younger guys. He's also averaging about sixteen points a game. He's he's just a sophomore and that's last year they brought in, is it Carrington? I can think of this above. Carrington was the guy who was a freshman a year ago ended up being a top twenty pick in the draft, and
he was. He wasn't a huge recruit, but he really balled out out in one year for Capele, went to the NBA. And then Jalen Lowe, who is again their second leinning scorer at sixteen point seven points a game. He's another guy who was in that same class. So you know, Capele I thought his days were numbered. And now again there's no real big accomplishment that's happened. They haven't made some kind of deep run into the tournament. But you know he's putting good teams on the four
of these last couple of years. And I think, without question, this is the toughest game Louisville has left on their schedule, and I don't even really think it's close. Other games that right now we can look at and say, Okay, that one may be tough to win. I mean, look, you could lose to anybody, but as far as like games that I'm thinking, okay, you could play well there and lose, because they're actually pretty good I mean again Pitt on the road, and then after that, I mean Syracuse.
They stink Virginia. I mean they're falling apart, and you play them at home coming up on the eighteenth. They got killed last night by cal smu is probably the second toughest game you have left, and it's at their place.
That's on January twenty. First, they're off to a pretty good start at eleven and four, although they've lost to in a row, but Carolina and Duke with the teams that they that they lost to, So you know, I think this is easily the toughest test left and with that comes great value, right like a win at Pitt, that's a quad one win that will not fade, meaning there's no scenario pitons up outside the top seventy five before the season ends. Now, what you got to worry
about is Clemson. Will they stay in the top thirty of the net or will they you know, can they get back in the top thirty of the net? Same thing for Oklahoma and well that's a loss. But West Virginia. West Virginia's in the top fifty right now, which is where they need to be because it's a neutral site game, neutral site wins against top fifty teams, those count as squad one victories. Indiana, they're now in the top fifty after their win last night against USC so that's now
a quad wa win. So Loisvill's resume, you know, when it comes to just the pure number aspect of it, it really is going to depend upon the two teams they beat in the Bahamas. Can they maintain top fifty stats that is, because if so, there's more value there with those wins. And I've been to think that Indiana and West Virginia will be able to do that because they play in such good leagues that I think overvalue
those leagues, meaning the formulas I think overvalue those leagues. Therefore, Indiana could be five hundred or a little bit better in Big ten play and probably still be a top fifty team because they're playing good teams every night based
off of these formulas. So, in fact, I want to do this because there's an updated bracketology today from a couple of actually two different updates from different folks that I want to take a look at, because again I think because of those two teams jumping up, that means Louisville probably, you know, instead of being at ten, maybe they're in eight. That kind of stuff, which, again, a lot of basketball to be played before we get to
selection Sunday, and who knows, maybe Louisville falls apart. You just don't know. But it's just nice to know that you're alive and you're able to look at these silly bracketology updates and know, hey, yeah, you're damn right, we're in we're at this seed. Or that's because it's been
a long time since we've been there. Man, it has all right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side and talk a little bracketology, and I want to share my thoughts on what I heard earlier today on KSR and what I've seen from some Kentucky fans on Twitter. And it's nothing controversial. It's not like I'm I'm ready to tee off, but I kind of understand why they would feel sorry for Caliperry, but I kind of am more so surprised that they're not enjoying his failures at Arkansas.
So we'll talk about that and then we'll be out of here, because we know a whole lot of time Left's stick around right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now, back to Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
All right, so the bracketology update here. This is from Graham Dori in bracketology. He's a college basketball writer and he's got his own podcast channel that kind of stuff. But he has Louisville Inn As a nine seed taken on San Diego State and they're one seed. If this happened, would be would be Alabama. However, it's in Lexington, meaning that would be a basically a home game for Louisville in those first two games. Of course, that's what ends
up happening. Kentucky's sitting at a three seed, and I guess the loss to Georgia probably drop them down from a two two a three, I would guess, but you know, they're clearly in and there's no way to know until
we get there, right. I mean, I'm gonna be so fascinated to see how the SEC is judged by the committee based off of losses, because there's gonna be a lot of losses, like teams are going to like I wouldn't even Auburn right now is the best I think, maybe the best team in the country, and they they they're clearly the favorite to win the SEC this year, but I mean if they're fifteen and five, I mean that that that probably would still be enough to win
it because I think everybody else, even though I think they're good, they're going to play a lot of other good teams and have and stack up some losses. So anyways, the before we again, we're we're only have like twelve minutes left. In fact, about ten minutes left, So I'm just going to try to get through as much as
possible before we run out of time. But this is what happens when I know that we have limited time and I realized there's like three things I don't know how to balance it, and I just you know, so I'm just going to talk about what was next and then we'll see how much time we have left whenever I you know, get through with it. But Kentucky clearly at this point feels as if the move from Caliperry
to Mark Pope was perfect. I mean, maybe there are some bands that miss Cal, maybe there are some bands that don't think Pope is good enough to win titles there. I don't know, but overall, I don't know how you couldn't be thrilled with how well things are going with Kentucky thus far, and how poorly things are going for Cal.
And let's be real, that matters. I mean, I do believe that there are some Well, put it this way, I believe some when they say that they don't keep up with Arkansas, they don't care one way or the other. They're not rooting for Cal, but they're not hoping that he fails. And you know, I'm sure some of those folks are genuine, but I know that there's a lot of emotion involved in being a fan, especially when you're
a diehard fan of a program like Kentucky basketball. That means a lot to so many that look, it was a breakup. You all were together and you split up, and it was a positive situation in regards to both sides realizing, hey, we need an exit strategy. And the exit strategy worked out well. Cal found a school that was willing to pay him comparable money to what he was making in Kentucky. He didn't have to take a
pay cut. He could start over at a good program, and Kentucky could get rid of him and start fresh and not have to pay him a dime of the buyout. So it actually worked out well when it happened, meaning the scenario, the situation, but it was a breakup still, and I think you want and to see what your old booze up to is a total natural and normal thing.
And at this point it's still early, I guess in the in the new relationship Cal in Arkansas, but he looks like he's having the same Like he looks the exact same but not as good. I mean like that.
That's that's what's happened here. The only scenario I thought were Caliperry would really thrive at Arkansas and make Kentucky fans regret letting him walk, would be that if he went there motivated, energized, ready to not reinvent himself, but willing to adapt and make some adjustments and evolve into what this new world of basketball is as far as just how it's played and really how your roster's built.
That kind of stuff, like he's you know, him playing that archaic style was one of the factors as to why Kentucky during his last four years or so, they not only were you know, upset by teams in the tournament that you never thought you'd see. Saint Peter's in Oakland. But like they also even in years where they were good, they should have been better, Like they could have been better. And a lot of teams can say that, but like you got two guys last year that didn't you know,
that didn't didn't play a lot together. I mean, in fact, the whole not playing the trio of Rob Dillingham, Reed Shepherd and Antonio Reeves as many minutes together as you could. It's just, I mean, it's it's insane. But that's Cal being stubborn and wanted to do it his way. So he's still doing those exact same things. But at Arkansas it's it's like a mid version of it. Right, Arkansas is a great program, but it's not Kentucky. Cal will continue to recruit well, but not quite as good as
he did at Kentucky. He'll probably be able to get good players in the portal, but probably not the type of players he could have got in the portal at a place like Kentucky. So he's the exact same and yet his resources. You know, the vehicle that he's in is not as nice as the one that he to be driving, which was Kentucky. So you know, the scenario where he did stick it to him, it's clearly not gonna happen, So he's lost the breakup. It's already over,
like he's lost. Who knows if Kentucky And again like if Mark Pope was really struggling, and you know, let's say Kentucky was sitting here as a bubble team, right and instead of eking out a close win against Duke and Gonzaga, they lost those games. Instead of being twelve and three, they'd beat ten and five, a much different situation. So clearly fans would not be as pleased with Pope
if that was the case. But you know what, if kl was doing what he's doing right now, because they got blown out last night at home by Old Miss, I guess it ended up being closer late, but Old Miss led by double digits for the majority of the second half, and then they got beat by thirty against Tennessee the week before that. So right now, Kentucky's eleven and four. They don't really have any wins to speak of, and you know, they've gotten killed by some teams. Illinois
got him bad, so cal is not doing well. And if Kentucky was in a you know, even if you weren't as thrilled as you are about Pope right now. As I just mentioned, if you looked at Arkansas and realized cal was in this position, it would make you probably maybe not feel any different about Pope himself, but you'd probably feel a little more content about the situation. And again, we'll never know, because this is not what has played out, and I'm sure not everyone would feel
this way. But if Kentucky was if Kentucky was struggling, and again, let's say they're let's say they're nine and six or twelve or ten and five, and in Arkansas was fourteen and one with maybe only one loss, and it's to Tennessee and they look like a top five team or something like that. You know, you wouldn't be wanting to fire Pope, I would imagine, and and you know you wouldn't be losing your mind. But it would sting.
It would sting a lot for some, it'd sting a little bit for others, maybe not any for a certain amount of people, But like, that's just how this stuff works. It's fascinating, Like Charlie Strong left Louisville for Texas, Texas, and it's funny thinking back now, that we thought, like we could keep him. It's Texas and Louisville was not
even Louisville they are now at that time. Clearly he had a great thing going, but like it was Texas and Charlie Strong like gave Louisville football life when they needed more than anything. Without Charlie Strong in that era, who knows where Louisville Athletics is right now, they're probably not in the ACC. So we big picture, like we owe Charlie Strong a big thank you. But you know what, it was a breakup. He left us, he dumped us
for a new girl, and it was Texas. So to this day there are still people that kind of have a little bit of a of an animosity towards him. And it's a perfect example I think of like the emotion that comes with being a fan. He left you for Texas, you know, like anybody would do that. I think in that situation now he probably regrets it because how it worked out, But like it's normal to have those kind of feeling because again you're not dating, but
certainly there's there's there's it's there's a relationship. He's your coach and you want him to be loyal and not you know, not move on from you. Cal you wanted, you wanted the separation, you got it, but like to see that you know, he's he's struggling at least right now. I think most Kentucky fans probably you know, if anything, they're not actually sad about it. And that's why I brought this whole thing up because on KSR this morning, some of those guys were talking about how and I
don't remember which one it was. It might have been might have been mad who said he kind of feels sorry for him a little bit. I think Shannon of course said no, not at all, and and I I wanted to to to think, I wanted to scream at him and say, why would you like how Cali Perry, Like, I don't think he's a terrible person or anything like that. I don't know him on a personal level. He's done a lot of great things in Kentucky for those that
go through the tornadoes and floods and all that. Like I think he's I think he's probably not a bad person, but but I don't know him at all. But he didn't treat Kentucky fans very good. So like that's what like I was angry for Kentucky fans for hearing that they were potentially feeling sorry for him, because I'm thinking, like, no, this guy was arrogant, He talked down to you, He didn't he thought he was bigger than the program, which of course nobody is because it's Kentucky. Like, I wouldn't
have any sadness for him at all. And I gotta be honest, Maybe it makes me a mean sob, but I'd be happy for his failure. I mean I think I would. But again, I didn't love him like you guys did. I always thought the guy was kind of, you know, a piece of work and not really a great coach and was able to, you know, maneuver his way through college basketball by just you know, being a great recruiter, which, hey, that counts. That matters. So when Rick Patino left, and to be fair, like Rick left
us in an awful situation like Louisville basketball. Part of why we've been in the situation that we've been in since he left because of him. It's his fault. I mean, that's that's just the truth. But after it all ended, and you know, he Louisville had moved on and Louisville was in a bad Louisville was in bad shape, meaning things weren't going well. Towards the end of MAC and all that kind of stuff, there was no more. There wasn't a whole lot of anger. I heard from fans.
It was like, man, he got a wrong he got
a raw deal. It's because when you are a big fan of somebody for so long, when they're the head coach of your program that you love so much, I just think it's very unnatural as a human being almost to to just go from for so long loving somebody, not like you're in love with them, but because you don't know them at least that most of us don't know these coaches, but like to have a consistent, you know, decade plus connection with your coach because you think he's great,
he's your guy, you're winning, you're successful, you think he represents your program well. To have all that and then he goes to another job for whatever reasons, Like, I just think it's unnatural to genuinely have the ability to
flip the switch that effectively. I mean, it's kind of like not to get too deep here, but I'm sure there are there are people who are divorced that are in new relationships, maybe new marriages, and they knew that they were not right for each other, and maybe they had a lot of issues over the years, but like they probably deep down, if they thought about it, would say, yeah,
I love that person. I'm not in love with them, but I don't know if I'll ever not love them because they were such a big part of my life for so long. It's not deep to that level because again, we don't even know these coaches. But I do think there are some similarities to how like I do believe, at least to an extent, there are some Kentucky fans that see Cal falling on his face and their initial instinct is to be sad for him because he was their guy for so long. But you know now he's
not and you got a better guy. All right, We're out of here. Talk to you tomor folks say saye