10.15: Big Game Brohm - Hour 2

dark outside earlier. But it's a true, like it's a true issue for people to wear like their morale like it it's you know, seasonal depression, like it's a real thing. So, you know, condolences to those that are about to be very sad, but I can't relate. I mean, hoodie, we got hoodies out, we got you know, bonfire season is here.

it comes to you know, the forecast. But Saturday is setting up to be a beautiful afternoon at ellen N Cardinal Stadium. And as we just learned about thirty minutes ago, thirty minutes or so ago from a press release from UVL,

they have sold out the game. So the louisvill Miami game is sold out, which I'll admit it, I didn't expect that, especially you knowing that you know it's at noon, and I would say, well, I don't know, maybe everybody's schedules different, But when it comes to you know, making arrangements to get a babysitter or you know, just you know, because you go to a game and you plan on tailgating, like you're spending, regardless of the game's at noon or if it's in the afternoon or the evening, I mean,

it's a big chunk of your Saturday. And with that, you know, people need to make arrangements. And I think people are less inclined to make arrangements for something if it's if it's noon, But hey, it's sold out and that's that's what you want. Third sellout, As I mentioned a moment ago, Third sellouts since Jeff Brohm.

be like the first uh. I mean, it's gonna be the first thing that really stands out as far as how bad the previous regime was. Not that we don't already know that, but like getting past these exhibition opponents is something we couldn't do the last couple of years. So I'm sure they'll and in fact, I'm now even more confident not only that they're gonna win, but like they may blow this team off the off the floor. And it is Young Harris College, not old Harris, not

middle aged Harris, but Young Harris College. That's who they play. And I've never I've never heard of them. They're in Pennsylvania, I'm pretty sure.

It wasn't just you know, coach speak. He said, they're gonna prepare for that game just like they would be playing Duke. And I just think that's his routine. He's super organized, super detailed, and you know, the not gonna be any game Rather it be exhibition, conference game, non conference game, tournament game. Like they're going to stick to a routine and a plan as far as how they prepare, how they get ready, and you know, don't mean it's

gonna work. I mean, I think it'll work against Young Harris College, but it's gonna be weird for me, Like I don't want to be the guy that's like bragging on a coach who's you know, doing his job. But we went a few years without really seeing that happen, so it is kind of exciting. We'll let you hear more from from Pat Kelsey coming up here a little bit later on. Also at four thirty, we are going to bring in David Hale of ESPN. We will get

his thoughts on this Louisville Miami matchup. He of course covers the ACC for ESPN, and this is certainly a big matchup within conference play. I wish Louisville was in the same spot Miami was, meaning undefeated in conference play. But hey, a win here could go a long way

for Louisville. Easier said than done, but you really can put yourself in a spot to look at the rest of your schedule after that, you know, again, I'm getting ahead of myself here, but if they do find a way to win this game, then I think we can start having this the type of conversations we were having a few weeks ago, and they actually, you know it

actually be real, right. I mean, I just for Louisville to go on a run here and really finish strong and you know, beat Miami, beat Clemson at their place, pits in the top twenty. I mean, it's not that I'm telling you there's no scenario any of those things are going to happen. I'm just willing to acknowledge that six games in this team has kind of shown me

who they are. And they did take steps in the right direction on Saturday against Virginia on the road and they found a way to win and that was great. But they're still making avoidable mistakes that can in any moment, you know, cost you a game, can flip a game in the other direction. And I'm not asking for perfection, and you know, not like they got to go out and prove anything to me, but I think they need

to prove it to themselves. And I think Saturday was a big step because a loss there could have really, it really could have sent this season in the direction at a really high rate of speed.

play them close. It's competitive, but when when you go back, it's it's a game that you feel like, man, if we just were better, if we were a little bit more sharp and more sound and then sync, then we would be you know, we've been in a much different situation and you'd have to look in the mirror if that's how it plays out. But we'll see, we shall see something else that we did just discuss in the

three o'clock hour for those just now joining us. Rick Patino, you know, he was obviously in Lexington this past weekend. We talked a lot about that yesterday, but Pat Kelsey was asked about Rick Pittino ever coming back to Louisville, and he was all so asked about his relationship with Chris mac as those two have essentially just traded jobs.

I hadn't really thought about it that way, but it's absolutely what happened, and you know, for what it's worth, and I'm not surprised at all that he said it, but he would welcome Patino back at any moment, and I don't know fans would agree, especially right now, but.

him back? And it is clear if in fact there's ever anything done where they can hang that banner again, and I'm not saying there will be or if there needs to be, I mean, I mean, I would hope that they eventually can because I know it would be special for those guys. But my thoughts about twenty thirteen title team. I don't often sit around and think, like, man, I wish we would have won the twenty thirteen title we did within the NCAA told us that we didn't.

be very very old at that point. But I would say something that honors the scenario where he's back, is where they're honoring that team or that era in those players who are close to Rick and mean a lot to Rick, they want him to be there. I have a hard time thinking he would say that, No, he wouldn't come. So you know, I'm not saying he's just itching for an invite, but I think that scenario is not that far fetched to see it play out, but

it probably won't be, you know, anytime soon. It doesn't need to be like Louisville and they're I mean, I think right now. Again, no games have been played, there's not in any results to assess at this point, but I can just sense the there is a lot of good energy with Loell Hoops right now, and there's nothing to do with the Rick Betino.

for that. I guess the only thing I've seen a problem with was he was wearing the UK shirt and then the next day he's got the Saint John shirt on, and I kind of see that that's a little bit of problem for their fans, because if he's coaching Louisville and he goes to Kentucky and he puts on a Kentucky shirt, I'm I'm kind of gonna have a problem with that. So, you know, so I just was just, you know, thinking their fans are probably the ones that are having more of the problem with it than the

Louisville fans. You know.

I mean, it would have been kind of awkward for him to be out there wearing Saint John's gear, But you know, he could have wore I he could have wore suit, could have war something neutral, And I don't think it's a I mean, it kind of makes sense that he wore blue, but the fact that he is currently coaching at A I mean, they're not a rival by any means, but like Saint John's is a big East program that has legitimate expectations. This year, Patino loaded

up in the portal. Like I think we still don't really view him as like a thread in the grand scheme of college basketball, just because you know, it's been so long since he's he's been a big factor, right, Like they almost the tournament last year at Saint John's and maybe they break through this year.

have fans. I'm not acting like they have no fan base at all, but like, I don't really know if there's this big mob of Saint John's fans that would feel a certain.

he's maybe gonna get all year. This year is at an event for another school where he's wearing their gear, and it's just unusual. But again, Rick, like Rick gets away with things other coaches wouldn't get away with. People don't really bad an eye with certain things he says and does because it's just him being him, and he's been pretty consistent for many, many, many years. You know, Like,

I think both things can be true. I think he's happy for Mark Pope that he got the job, and I think it's really special to know that a guy that's now leading that program was a captain and won a championship for him. Like I'm not saying that he doesn't care about it at all. But again, when I

say both things can be true. The other thing I'm talking about, outside of him being genuine and being happy for Pope, Rick saw an opportunity to make something all about him and he's done that for years, Like that's just who he is. We don't have to know him personally to know that's that's on brand for him to do that. But yeah, Saint John's fans like I saw, I mean I saw a lot of people, even Kentucky fans, not just louisvill fans, but like it was a pretty

common reaction. Wow, people forget he coaching at Saint John's. I wonder what their fans think. I'd be pissed, But I haven't seen the single Saint John's fan online that was upset. And it might not be because they are you know, understanding and don't care. It might be because there's not many of them out there, Like what is their fan base? Again, I'm sure they have fans, but like I can't think of, like I mean, I don't

know a Saint John's fan. When I think of basketball fans in New York, I don't really even think college hoops fans. I think mostly I think mostly of the NBA, and when I was in New York for the for the Big East Tournament a couple of times, you know, and before the league split up, and you know, obviously it's a different world now. Like anybody that was there that was from New York. They were cheering on Syracuse And it might have been because QS was a lot better than Saint John's.

of them online. And that doesn't speak to the fact that that doesn't mean they don't have any fans, but like if you're somebody that is active on like Twitter and whatnot, or even Trillie Donovan's discord or message boards, you know, like you can at times get a get a you can get a feel for like what kind of presence a fan base has online and like like

for example, like Providence Providence basketball fans. I would I wouldn't think that that's a huge fan base in the grand scheme of things as far as the amount of them, but like they're they're nuts, Like they're like they're crazy, So you never know.

let me touch on a couple of things. I went back and looked and Denny's last four years, and like I say, he was awesome, man. I mean, you know, it's like I tell people to do what he did, practicing out of cropper gym and dancing around horse horse horse events at Freedom Hall, you know, in juggling dates with rodeos and all that craft he did. He worked wonders, okay, But in his last four years Crumb was sixty two and sixty two with two NCAA tournament appearances, no wins,

okay in that time, two losing seasons. Not in his last four years, but in his last six years he had like two losing seasons. I set through one of them as a season ticket holder when he went twelve and twenty two one year. Yet yet when he left, I went back and looked at it, and Eric didn't mention this in his article. They he did mention the first day. I'm getting ready to say they gave him two million dollars, okay, but then they gave him three

hundred and thirty eight thousand dollars for fifteen years. They gave him an office on campus and a secretary in a title under then President John Schumacher. They gave him a ticket allotment and all that other thing. So the bitterness I will never understand.

I influenced him. I'm sure he was getting a lot of calls, but he, to my surprise, he called me, and not only did he call me, he gave me twenty twenty five minutes of his time both times, and he was very forthcoming, and I was I was shocked how honest he was with me and some of the things he said. Okay, I was for what he did and making the move. I was for him hiring Rick Petino. Okay,

uh Patino. When and when twenty thirteen was over, if somebody asked me, and I go way back, as I've told you before, you know, I'm in my sixties, I go way. I've watched them. I've watched a ton of practices in Crawford Gym when I went to you graduated during nineteen eighty three. But anyway, in twenty thirteen, if somebody said, who are you a Crumb guy or Patino guy? I was a Patino guy. Okay, I had switched over.

That's just the way it is. But when Patino said that he was going to contribute to UK football, that was enough for me. I was done. I'm like whatever, Okay, but I will say this. I've and I've told this to a lot of people. I'm gonna ask you a question. It's just my opinion. My answer. Who was the big winner when Rick went to Midnight Madness the other night? Who won more than anybody.

the style of ball, he's the winner. He comes out the winner on this deal more than anybody, I think.

to make you sound like an old man Jerry. But I never ever thought about I'm a Rip guy or a Denny guy.

I mean quite clearly, it was there, but I didn't feel like that we heard I mean me to me is one of those things that it didn't really become such a public thing until late, like many years down the line. We'll get back into this a little later on. Well, we got a run right now. We got a guest joining us on the other side, so we'll pay some bills and bring him in. He's David Hale from ESBA, who covers college football the ACC for the Four Letter Network.

He's with us next right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

In fact, I think they do big events in Louisville, not even just Louisville Cardinals stuff, but you know, when there's something big going on, you know, people like to party, people like to have a good time. If it's you know, a random team coming in town that nobody cares about, yeah they're gonna be fine watching it on TV.

the of the slate. Is that still the case? Louisville has a couple of losses already that wasn't necessarily expected by folks around here, and in Miami they're undefeated, They're ranked number six in the country. I guess, how would you say these teams have done thus far compared to what you were expecting?

The frustrating part I think if you're a Louisville fan is the margin between where they are and being exactly where Miami is is razor thin, like they very easily could have won both of those games that they lost. Of course, they could have lost last week two as easily as they won, So sometimes that goes both ways.

But I walk away or I walk into this saying I think these are two of the most talented teams in the ACC still in spite of the couple of l's on Louisville's record, and frankly, I would not be surprised at all if this is a game Miami struggles to win, because I think, you know, just if you look at who they've played thus far, and I know they had a couple of close ones with calum Virginia Tech, but I think of all the teams that they've played, this will be their most talented opponent.

proves they're vulnerable against those caliber teams. But I kind of feel like Miami teams of old would have lost

those games. I mean, maybe it was just the ref bail on them out, but like I kind of feel like in a weird way, despite it making them vulnerable and some people saying they're not worthy of the number six ranking, I actually think them winning is a big a good sign for Mario Christoval and I think they're I mean again, I feel like most Miami team in the last like twenty years would have not won those games.

thought we understood what that meant, and we didn't. But George is a really damn good team that basically did the same thing that Miami did, and that they had just an everything went against you first half and then scrambled and fought and clawed their way back and had a chance to win but didn't. Miami did, And look have they gotten some breaks? Like I'm not really going to say they got a break against Virginia Tech. I

think the ultimate call was right. How we got there was lunacy, but the call was right eventually, Like should that have been a targeting in the Cal game? Like, yeah, I think you probably make a pretty strong argument on that. But you know, I sort of made this argument about Miami last year when they lost to Georgia Tech, and everybody's like either arguing the call that it shouldn't have been a fumble or how dumb Mario was for not

taking a time out, and forget all of that. Georgia Tech still had to go in March seventy some yards in like forty seconds to get a touchdown to win that game. All the stuff that Miami did against Cal in that fourth quarter is mind bogglingly good and did they get a break along the way somewhere. Absolutely they did, but that doesn't change the fact that all of the other stuff that they did was ridiculously indicative of an incredibly talented team. And part of this all sort of

circles back to the quarterback. And I'm not one that wants to make the entire story about the quarterback all the time, but him Ward has changed who Miami is because his personality is just infectious. The level of confidence that he plays with and I said this during the Cal game, like sometimes it's his worst fault too, is the level of confidence that he plays with and he gets him into trouble, but it is also his best strength,

and it is infectious with everybody else where. I think this Miami team, particularly after these last two, just feels like, you know, they got all the vibes going in their direction and there's no game that they're going to be out of or be intimidated by. And that is, to your point, a huge step forward from the Miami teams of the last oh I don't know, most of our lifetimes.

you know, elite programs that do it. But one of the things that I feel like never gets talked about. Maybe it is and I just don't pay attention, but Miami hasn't had a really really good quarterback in a long time. Like they've had some guys that were fine, but you know, and if you are a program with history like Miami has its one national championship, you know you need it's gonna take a really special quarterback every now and then for you to have a special type

of season. And I feel like that's kind of where they are right now. I mean, he you know, you kind of answered my next question anyway, because he is he is that special. Were you were you expecting this from him this year? Because I feel like it was kind of a mixed bag as far as people believing he would come in and really make this big of an impact for Miami, and I think you know the quarterback as you know somebody who covers football like it's a very important position.

good fit in Miami. All of that works out. But I think what's really probably under talked about here is that for all of the hand ringing over the final record for Miami the last couple of years, it really was sort of going a bit unnoticed how much talent Mario Crystobaal was acquiring to surround this great quarterback. And so you know, I think cam Ward is not a markedly better player today than he was at Washington State, but he has a much better supporting cast in Miami,

and that is part of it too, Mario. Look, you know, people can can knock him for his game day coaching. I think that's there's enough evidence that that's not wrong. But the dude like eats, sleeps, and breathes recruiting. I mean, he loves recruiting the way anybody else loves the thing that they love most in their lives. Like there is nothing he loves more than recruiting, and he has really

added to the talent level and people are forgetting. Like coming into the season set aside cam Ward, you probably would have said the two top NFL prospects at Miami were Ruben Bain their defensive linemen, and Jalen Rivers their left tackle. Those two guys have missed the bulk of the season, like they're just getting back to healthy now. So like it is, it is a very good football

team around cam Ward too. And then when you take a genuinely magical player and put him at the most important position surrounded by good players, the ceiling becomes awfully high.

a really nice addition for Jeff Brom. Isaac Brown's one of the best freshmen in the country. I think ja Cory Brooks has been just what you thought you would get from a guy who was previously catching touchdown passes from Bryce Shung and Alabama. Defensively, you've dealt with some

injuries and they've just kind of been a mess. But I just you know, this Louisville team, I still feel as if they knock off anybody left on this schedule, it's not going to be a huge shock because they I think they do have some decent person now certainly some weaknesses, no doubt. The old lines not been probably what Jeff Brom wanted.

weird year for Louisville thus far. I don't think fans are totally dejected, as we discussed it as a sellout, but I think what has kept Louisville from having a better record at this point is not what anybody would have expected. And that's just a team that continues to hurt themselves. That happens from time to time. But just kind of your thoughts on Jeff brom in year two, kind of you know, having a team that's sloppy, that does make avoidable mistakes more often than most well.

they were one of five on fourth down. If they're two of five on fourth down, I think they probably win that football game. So like, the margins are not big, and frankly, you know, in year one under Jeff Brumm, the coin tosses largely went Louisville's way until the very end of the year. And some of that is, you know, aggression to the mean this year, as the math nerds like to say. But I think this is a better

team than last year or overall. And you're right to point out, you know, the injuries on defense, that they were healthier last year, and sometimes bad luck happens with just injuries and the old line is not as good. I think sustaining drives is by far the most important thing.

Like you can't have dumb turnovers in the red zone, and you've got to be able to convert on some of those third downs they think they're they're punt Like three in a punt rate is I think the lowest in the ACC this year, and it's been good even in the last few games where they haven't played at

their best. It's not sustaining these drives. They're not either getting the chunk play they need to score or they're they're marching halfway down the field and then stalling out and it's you've got to be able to put the points up at the end of a good drive, and that's where I think too many opportunities have been missed.

better team and if they hold on, they win. What do you think was the biggest thing And I'm asking you to predict the future here, but something that could potentially, you know, put Miami in a spot they hadn't been yet this year.

close games. But the other big thing is Miami's If they've got a weak spot, it is their secondary and it's been exposed a little bit over the last couple of weeks by Fernando Mendoz and Kyen Drones. Well, Tyler Shuck's a better quarterback than either of those guys, so you know, I think that Miami can be exposed downfield. The question to me is is the Louisville O line good enough to give Tyler Shuck the time for some

of those routes to developed to expose Miami secondary. So that to me is everything, Like if you can give Shuck the extra second in the pocket so that he can look downfield, I think that is a winnable matchup. For Louisville that can help dictate a win for them. But again, I it's it's sort of like Miami weakness is the secondary. Louisville's weakness is that O line, and so whose weakness steps up a little bit more in this game I think is going to be critical.

was a coming hour. Yeah, yeah, we got delay with a phone issue, which we can blame it all on David, which I mean it wasn't his doing, but I mean it was his phone's fault, Like he couldn't get called. And where you call from like in there on that I mean, is that like an internet line, Like.

to you. Mind calling any call, but it did delay us a little bit, and then we had callers in the beginning segment, which you know, I try to give everybody as much time as possible to you know, to share their thoughts and ask their questions. So you know, that's why we have a very very brief segment here to wrap up the four o'clock hour. But good news is we've got the five o'clock hour coming your way and a lot more to get into. We'll let you

hear from more. We will let you hear more from Pat Kelsey, who of course had his press conference today for the Basketball Media Day. And I'll just quit yapp and so we can get this break out of the way and hit the five o'clock hour with some momentum.