It's time for Coffee and Company, Fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine.
Day, Holy crap, I don't know who the hell we think when we.
Are get off our show. Idiots, the kids are crying or turn at. The countries are screwing it up.
Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, gold Play Inner Murals.
They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really not. Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here? Are you kidding me? Now? Here's nick coffee?
You smell that? Can you feel it?
Is it?
In?
Yet?
That's what she said. It's a Friday.
Let me be immature, Let me be a child? Can we If I can't be immature and childish on a Friday? What is this? This isn't America. If that's the case, it certainly isn't Coffee and Company. But it actually is because it's three o'clock and we're here with you for the next three hours, taking you up till six o'clock, getting you set for the weekend. What should be a
big weekend. I mean, it's already off to a good start because today I'm not sure it can be, you know, more beautiful than it is today, And I've said that a few times, but today's like the perfect day because there's just enough of a breeze. Temperatures are not really high, but like it's it's perfect out there. So hopefully you are enjoying your Friday, and hopefully you will stick with us for the next three hours. Don't forget you could
take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the iHeartRadio ABB listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com. When I was asking if you can if you can smell it and you can feel it, I mean I didn't just mean Friday, I also mean the big game vibes, they're there, and I don't know if this is much of a sign because I can't feel I mean it just you know, you get the number six team coming
to town. I think most fans would say they're a little disappointed with how Louisville football has looked this year. Maybe a little disappointed with already having two losses six games in, or maybe you're a lot disappointed. Everybody can have their own opinion, but make no mistake of it regardless. If you're not disappointed at all, you're kind of disappointed.
You're big time disappointed. We can all agree that tomorrow is a huge opportunity and here's still hoping that Louisville can play their best game of the season.
Don't it to be perfect. They can make mistakes.
When I say their best game of the season, it really is just, you know, because I'm not really sure what is their best game of the season. You can throw the first two out because of who you played. I mean, it's all you can do is you know, plays on your schedule. But I mean that one doesn't mean a whole lot to me. If I'm being you know, totally totally honest with you, those two I should say
those two games don't mean much. But from then on, you know, you won against Georgia Tech, you bounce back last week against Virginia, and obviously you had a couple of losses in between there at Notre Dame and at home against SMU, But they just haven't put together a game where you can you can reflect on it and say win or loss.
You know, they came.
Ready, they avoided many avoidable mistakes. That just hasn't happened yet, and it needs to happen tomorrow for Louisville to be able to win and again here's to hoping that it does in fact happen. It is Coffee and Company.
That's us.
We are fuel about Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Appreciate you hanging out with us. My name is Nick Coffee.
I hope you knew that.
If not, now you do. The company man, the man with the plan, mister John Alden is alongside today and you've got a big game as well, Indiana and Nebraska. And I was just looking at Twitter earlier today, and I've been off Twitter for a good chunk of the day, but when I was looking earlier, it felt like every time I would, you know, scroll down every few tweets, I would see one of the networks or one of the personalities that covers college football talking about making their
way to Bloomington for this game. You know, Varstool, they're taking their show, Fox is doing Big nuone kickoff. You may not know the answer to this, but if you're coming to Bloomington to cover a game, are you flying into Louisville or are you flying in Indy? I feel like you're flying in Louisville, or maybe does Bloomington have an airport like.
They do it's a very small airport, but I feel like.
Like most people aren't getting like a chartered playing to the Bloomington airport.
I would assume, Yeah, I think traveling why from Louisville to Bloomington and Indianapolis to Bloomington are very similar time wise, is it?
I felt like Louisville's closer, but you would know more than I. But either way, you know, we can collectively have excitement for both programs. You know, I'm a Louisville fan, John's and Indiana fan, and we both have a big game and I you know know, no offense to the Hoosiers. But like, I never really once thought about what life would be like if we was in this, if we were in this position where we both were both happy about football, rightactly, Well, you're you're happier than I am
for obvious reasons. But still, you know, tomorrow's a big opportunity for Louisville, and I'm hoping they can they can take advantage.
We're both celebrating because both games will conclude around the exact same time.
That's right, That's right.
So that's a good opportunity for me to remind you that we will have you cover tomorrow for all the game day coverage. Louisville kicks off at noon, which means we will have our pregame show starting at eleven. We'll go from eleven to noon. It is the Louisville Fotball Pregame Show presented by Pellow Windows and Doors of Central
Kentucky and Jefferson Animal Hospital. And then as soon as it ends, we go live right here for the louisvill Football Postgame Show presented by Alex R. White Suit Distracted Driver dot Com. And you know, I'm to the point now where you know we can we can discuss, and we will. You know, we'll hit on some things as far as what I think is most important in this matchup, what needs to go well for Louisville, among many things.
But you know we've done that a lot.
I think everybody kind of knows, like louis Is gonna have to be a different team than they've been all year, and you're gonna have to make sure you offensively can give your quarterback enough time to make some plays, because that's where you're gonna be able to score your points is airing it out to Corey Brooks. I mean, you can even hit Isaac Brown out of the backfield. I mean not to say Tyler Shuck's got to go out there and put up four touchdowns for louis to be
able to win. But if you win, I'd say it's because you're able to match them offensively and you know, hold on long enough to to you know, to to score eight maybe get it maybe, you know.
I don't know.
I've not thought about any scenarios specifically as far as what needs to happen, but as far as specific matchups, just you know, the off line's gonna have to make him. You know, I don't want to say they got to be perfect, and I don't want to act as if they're terrible, because you know, it's not as if Louisville has been unable to move the ball offensively this year.
Is just that at times it looks like Tyler Shuck doesn't have a whole lot of time in the pocket, And I feel like this offensive line is gonna have to play their best game tomorrow because what Miami has upfront is I think easily the best defense you will have faced up to this point. I don't know, maybe Notre Dame. They're pretty good upfront as well. And then defensively avoid all the miscommunication issues that you've had and
obviously find a way to make cam Ward uncomfortable. I mean, I would imagine I shouldn't say it's impossible, but the thought of him just completely lay in an egg. I mean, it's certainly possible. It happens quarterbacks have bad games. But I don't think you can just bank on that. You're gonna have to throw some things at him that maybe he's not expecting, just keep him from getting comfortable. I mean, Louisville hasn't done this in a while, at least not
you know, this year. I mean, you go back to last week, Virginia was moving the ball pretty easily in the first couple of possessions. They had obviously smu my goodness, I don't remember two drives for opponents where their offense so effortlessly moved the ball down the field and scored. So, you know, doesn't seem ideal to give Miami any kind of a head start. So if the defense can't find a way to get off the field on third down on the first couple of possessions, again easier said than done,
that could go a long way, right. That gives you a chance for you to put some points on the board, maybe establish some early momentum, get that stadium rocking.
So I'm excited.
But you know, I've been asked a few times in the last couple of days, not by you know, it's not like people are just running up to me in the street. But I was talking to somebody last night at dinner that came over to have a chat with us, which, by the way, they said they're not interested in meeting me, They're interested in meeting Moose, which you know, I get it,
he's the star of the family. But we were talking about the game, and they're like, you know, what do you think happens, and I'm like, well, I don't really know, Like I we'll see. And then I think their initial reaction was, without saying it, well I guess he thinks we're gonna lose. And I could sense that, so I was like, well, I'm not saying that. You know, I'm convinced that it's going to be a loss and they'll
really surprise me if they win. But I just I don't have much of a feel for because what it all comes down to for me, and again this doesn't mean it's not gonna happen.
You know, maybe Louisville win's big tomorrow.
I don't know, but I know for them to pull off this win, it really feels like they're going to have to show us some things we haven't seen yet this year, which again, not to beat the dead horse, but just you know, cleaning things up, don't make the avoidable mistake. And they just haven't done that yet this year. So that's not like asking them to go out in a week's time and become some substantially better team and you know, go get new players or you know, mix
up the rotation, nothing like that. It's just you know, being a little more disciplined, being a little more organized, don't make the avoidable mistake. And again, it sounds like something you could just Okay, well that's easy.
I won't do that.
I won't hold I won't commit a silly penalty that gives the opponent an extra set of downs when we could have got off the field. I mean again, it seems pretty easy to not do, but they haven't yet done it yet. So you know, for me, I'm not big on given like predictions. Here's the score, here's what I think happens, and here's how we got there. It's just not really, it's just not men. I don't do that, and I don't think anybody needs me or wants me to do that. But it's not that I don't have
confidence in them. It's just I know they're going to have to show something in Game seven that we really haven't seen yet, and maybe that happens tomorrow or maybe you know, they continue to kind of be the same team they've been, which isn't a terrible team, but it's not a team that I feel like would be able to knock off a Miami team that I happen to think has momentum.
Now, maybe that.
Is just the way I view it, because yes, they have avoided some really close calls.
They could have easily lost.
Both the Virginia Tech game and the game against cal But I feel like them being able to hold on and survive. Guys on that Miami roster right now that know last year, even the year before that, those are games we lose. Well, we were able to survive when and get into the bye week, and you know, I maybe it's the complete opposite of that. Maybe they are on their heels because they realize how lucky they are, and you know they're vulnerable, right, they were able to escape without losses.
Some would say it's a miracle.
So maybe they just maybe they're just feeling like they're you know, it's about to happen, right, They're finally going to have somebody that gets them in the position where they can knock them off.
We'll see.
But with cam Ward and the swagger that he has, the confidence that he has, and really just his ability I mean quarterback, and by the way, quarterbacks have such an impact on those kind of things. I mean, I think we're seeing it with Tyler Shuck this year. I mean, you could tell this offense, man, they know that the guy under center has a lot of confidence in himself and his ability to lead the offense down the field.
And it's just that's a healthy offense when your quarterback is the guy that's carrying the energy and guys are feeding off him, and it's infectious. And certainly you could tell the cam Wore does that. So, by the way, one of the things that I totally forgot about when it comes to this matchup, and I wouldn't say this is some big storyline between Louisville and Miami, However, a little trivia for you. You want to hear John, I
think this is somewhat interesting. Mario Christoval when he was before he was the coach at Miami, he was the head coach at Oregon, and at Oregon he recruited Tyler Shuck out of high school. So you know, I don't again, that's just a random fact, but you know, me being the pessimist that I am, it did have me thinking, oh, well, I guess this. You know this guy, he'll know how to really take away shuck strengths because you know he's coached him before, which you know that's just me being
a pessimist. I mean, I don't even know how much Tyler Shuck actually played for him. Obviously, throughout Tyler's career he's been banged up and has never played more than seven games in a season. But certainly they'll be some familiarity there, and I don't know, maybe they can lean on Maybe they can lean on Shuck meeting the defensive staff for Louisville because maybe he knows what Mario Christabal
is gonna want to do. I don't think any of that's gonna matter, but it is one of those things that I hadn't really given much thought to, but yes, those two have a connection from when he started his career, which was a long time ago. We all know Tyler shuck Is is a grandpa here in college football, but he's a damn good grandpa. And again, I know I've said it many times and maybe I'm maybe I'm gassing
him up a little more than he might deserve. But I would just hate for this season to feel even a little bit underwhelming when you've got this guy for only one year and I happen to think.
He's really really good.
So again, tomorrow three uh not three noon nuone kickoff, and I am certainly excited for that.
Some other things we'll get into today.
Obviously a lot of games we can we can look look look at other than the local ones here, I mean Kentucky and Florida. I feel like this is as quiet as Kentucky fans have been about their football team in a long time. And I get it. You just lost to and Andy. You kind of feel a little bit stuck when it comes to to Mark Stoops or whatever. And maybe you don't feel that way.
I don't.
I shouldn't be like, I know what every Kentucky fan is feeling. But you know, the loss to Vandy coming off of a bye, I mean, it took you right back to close to where you were.
Maybe you're maybe maybe you're right there.
Maybe you're just close to where you were after that South Carolina loss where it just looked like, you know, your season was going to be terrible. I mean, you did you produced KSR this morning? I mean, did they talk? I got to listen to a little bit. I heard some of their trivia, But did they talk a whole lot about this game tomorrow?
We talked about it during the first hour. It wasn't super extensive or juicy like maybe you might think.
But it wasn't like extensive breakdown.
It was that kind of just really A lot of the talk was about blue white games and blue White game and having you know, stoops, having really bad clock management management and stuff like that.
So and I think, you know, weird, like this is a big game for both of these programs because Billy Napier, I mean, I have a hard time thinking that he's going to be able to survive after this year. And I don't really think Florida would benefit at all by getting rid of him. Mid season, but he has for a while been talked about as one of the coaches that could potentially lose his job. You know, if in fact there was somebody that does get fired from a
Power five gig mid season. Which has that happened yet, I feel like maybe I'm did somebody get fired?
I don't, I mean, unless I missed it, I don't think so. Yeah, it's time. Last year there was.
A couple of them.
Yeah, I think yeah, I don't think there's been anybody can just yet. But Napier's been talked about for about a year now as far as somebody that at any moment, if he gets fired, nobody's going to be super surprised. So a loss to Kentucky, Look, there's a lot of respect.
Well I'll put it this way, there's a lot more respect for Kentucky from the Florida football side, probably now than maybe there's ever been because what was it, twenty something years consecutively Kentucky never beat him, And of course during that time, Florida had some really good teams.
But even when they.
Weren't up towards the top of the SEC, I mean, they were still beating up on Kentucky and then things changed.
I mean Mark Stoops has you know, has has had some success against Florida against multiple different coaches, and you know, I I know earlier this week, Napier talked about that exact thing, meaning that Kentucky's not going to sneak up on us because again they've I mean, Napier's lost to him, what two straight years or something like that, and Stoops again has had at least four I feel like he's had at least three or four maybe five wins against
Florida since he's been there. But Florida previously has fired coaches seemingly because like, the one thing you can't do
is loses to Kentucky. I mean Dan Mullen, I mean he got he got let go in a year where they were you know, I don't know how good they were, but like, and again this is I know, it's sounding as if I'm acting as if anybody who loses to Kentucky and the SEC is automatically going to be fired, because that's not the way it is right now, but it once was that way, and right now this you know, this Florida team they lost in overtime to Tennessee, which
I mean it's Florida. They've got big expectations. However, given where they are right now in this current season and how tough their schedule is, that doesn't look like a win. But it obviously looked pretty good for billion Napier. They got blown out by Miami earlier this year at home, and that's when it looked like it was going to
be really bad. But really, since then, I mean, they've not I mean Florida, I think at this point they're not great, but I think they're better than maybe people thought they would be, because I think at one point there was belief that this thing could completely fall apart.
He may get fired mid season. I mean, they were underdogs at home last week to Central Florida and they blew them off the field, unless maybe that game got closer late, but I know at one point I was watching and it wasn't much of a game at all. So a loss here for Kentucky, I mean weird to think a loss to Florida would be like, oh my god, can.
You believe Stoops did this?
Because again, like Florida, in the majority of most of your lives, if you're a Kentucky fan listening listening to this the vast majority of your life. Kentucky has not been Florida in football very often, but you know, they're they're not good right now, at least they're not believed to be so. And if Kentucky does win, you know, maybe that does speed up the process for.
That.
I keep saying, did I say Dan Mullen, what's his name?
What's the Billy Napier? Billy Napier Mullen was there before, which, by the way, I still don't understand what really led to them moving on from Dan Mullen, Like he wasn't great, but I mean for him to get fired that quickly and then to go make the move and bring in Billy Napier, that just I mean, clearly, as of now it looks like it was a bad move. But even at the time, I don't really know why that would
have been. Like it's one thing, if you know, Urban Myers coming out of retirement and he wants to get back into coaching or something, but like to make that kind of move and move on from a guy who has been at least relatively successful and go hire Billy Napier, I guess they thought he was the next guy up.
And clearly that is data.
Only one true really bad season in Florida. He had ten wins, eleven wins, eight wins, and then five wins in his final year.
And then that final year was that COVID year. It was the year after twenty twenty one. Yes, yeah, I mean that may have been the game that they lost to I think that was the game that they lost to Kentucky, And maybe at that time it might have been the.
They did lose to Kentucky that year thirteen to twenty. Was that early in the season October second, Okay, there was at one point where Kentucky beat Florida and it was a big win because of where they were ranked. And then of course as the season played on, it turned out that Florida wasn't that good, and you know, they moved on from their coach. Maybe it was that year, but again I'm sure it's because they've got a new basketball coach. The Blue White Game is tonight, isn't it?
I think is it tonight?
It is, so they're focusing on basketball, not to say that they hate their team and think they're going to lose the rest of the way, but when you're coming off a loss to Vandy, and you've got you know, Mark Pope's first Blue White game and whatnot. Like I get it, but I just can't remember a week where I feel as if they've been this quiet about an upcoming game, which, by the way, is a game they can win.
They should win. They're better than Florida. Now, well they do it.
That's a that's a different conversation, I think. But they're favored, right, It's not much, but I'm pretty sure there's still favorites down there in Gainesville, which I feel like that's got to be super, super rare. All Right, some of the things we'll get into today. In fact, coming up here in about six seven minutes, we will bring in Kevin Sweeney,
who covers college basketball for Sports Illustrated. Obviously, the big news today Tony Bennett had his press conference and you know, explained himself as best he could as far as why he's moving on. Clearly, timing is still not ideal. But I am somebody that believes that, you know, he does deserve the benefit of the doubt. I don't know him personally.
I know I talked about our elevator experience yesterday on the show, and trust me, I'm not saying this because of anything that happened in that you know and that Charlotte elevator when we had such a you know, such a moment together. And if you don't know what I'm talking about yet, have to go back and listen to the podcast. I'm not getting into it again, and I don't want to make you waste your time. It wasn't
anything crazy. But anyways, I'm not acting like I know the guy, but enough people who cover the sport that I do know at least a little bit, and people that I just know, like legitimately, like they think he's a great dude, and they're giving him the benefit of doubt that this is really just not I mean, if there's one thing you could be super critical of here,
it's got to be the timing. However, I think what he's doing is making sure his top assistant gets the opportunity to at least coach one season and show what he can do. If Tony Bennett left after this past year, then they probably wouldn't have hired his guy. They probably would have gone outside and found somebody else, which probably would have been the right thing to do. So, you know, I get why people don't like that, but I you know, I still get why Tony.
Bennett is is gonna do that.
The one thing though, that has annoyed me, And it's not like I mean, it's not really Tony Bennet's fault, but I just I am so over those that cover the sport at the highest level they do have relationships with some of these coaches that you know, act as if they have been just dealt such a terrible hand, and like it's a travesty that that the you know that now things have changed within college sports, that now you know you have employees on your roster and you've
got to worry about retaining your employees. Like these guys make so much money and they don't even have to be good. They can be terrible and it doesn't matter. That's not I mean, that's imagine your I don't know what you do for a living wherever you are listening, but I would imagine you probably do not have a job that pays you anywhere close to what these college coaches make at the highest level or even like mid level.
And if you were really really bad at your job, because most jobs are what results based, you got to get results. If you're bad at your job, meaning the results are bad, you're likely not going to keep your job right, and then you you know, you get fired, and then you got to find you got to go find a new job. Then you go get you maybe you get unemployment, but you know, I don't know if you can get unemployment if you're fired.
I don't really know how that works.
But what I'm saying is like, these guys have the best situation of anybody in the American workforce, and yet they complain about changes made to their job. And yet these national honks out there are acting as if they're dealing with something that you know, it just it really makes me sick, to be honest with you. I know that's over the top and it's dramatic, but like, these guys can be terrible at their job and still just get paid an insane amount of money nobody else.
Like, they have the best situation.
You'll find, and yet at times you hear those that cover college basketball and college football for that matter, that act as if it's just it's such a shame that what the sport college sports has turned into. The climate change and you know, just the landscape being so much different. It's just it's really, somebody's really got to take a look at this. Okay, Well, you know it is different. Nobody would tell you that it's not a huge difference.
But the last people I ever have any sympathy for is college coaches who have contracts where they're paid millions and millions of dollars and even if they suck, they get fired and still keep all that money. Like, how could you feel sorry for somebody like that? It's insane to me. All Right, I gotta get too break so I can keep this clock on schedule. Today we're going to be joined again Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated. We'll get his thoughts on the Tony Bennett news and also
get his thoughts on the local teams around here. I know Kevin is certainly higher on Louisville than a lot of people. He thinks they're the third best team in the ACC. They came in at number nine in the preseason ACC media poll. So again, Sweeney's joining us on the other side right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. It's right Coffee and Company Field by Thornton's. You're on Sports Talk seven ninety on a Friday afternoon. Got about two and a half hours left, so don't go anywhere.
Hang out.
We'll help you get the weekend started, and don't forget you could take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the iHeartRadio app. Also listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com. All right, joining us now to talk some college basketball is the one and only mister Kevin Sweeney, who covers college hoops for Sports Illustrated. Long time, no talk, How you bid, keV.
Been good man. I appreciate you having me on as always.
We appreciate you making time for us. And usually if there's big news in college hoops at this point, you know, late October, it's usually because of something bad, a big injury, a scandal, and it's neither of those things. It's just an abrupt retirement from Tony Bennett. Obviously. I don't think anybody saw this coming. I would assume you were just as shocked as everybody when the news broke yesterday.
Yeah, shocked by October eighteenth or seventeenth, or whatever day it was when he officially announced it right like that, to me was a surprise. I think him walking away from the game early wasn't a huge surprise. I think it's something that a lot of people in the industry have been bracing for for a year or so now.
And you know, I don't know if we knew it would be this year, next year, the year after, but I think the feeling was that he wasn't gonna make it further than Jay Wright did, you know he retired at sixty. I think the feeling was, you know, just sort of a disillusionment about the state of affairs and
college basketball. Tony Bennett has always kind of done things his way, wanted to operate a program in a certain way, and I don't think modern college basketball it's really possible to do it the way he wants to, and so I think it's you know, natural for him to walk away and say someone else is better student to run
this program. He's been been a selfless guy throughout his career, a guy's cared about others, been a very gracious both in defeating and in victory, and I think not surprising to see him go out and in a classy way and and know when his time was up.
Yeah, I think the timing of this is really what made it this kind of a story. Obviously, a guy who is a national championship coach who is widely respected by everybody. I mean those who cover the game and those who are coaches. I mean, his peers clearly think the world of him, and that's why I think he's given the benefit of the doubt to where I think.
And actually, I'll just ask you this, do you think if this was a different coach, maybe they didn't have the good will that Tony Bennon has and the reputation that he has as being not only a good coach, but a really good dude. And again, I don't think you end up with that reputation by coincidence. I assume he's legitimately a great guy. But if it was anybody else, I do think the noise would be a little bit different, maybe not to where people would be ignoring what is truth.
The game has changed.
The job really is different now than it was five years ago for these guys coaching college basketball in college football for that matter. But to me it stood out to say, Okay, those will kind of you know, lot of a lot of your peers, Kevin, those who cover the college game at a high level, you know, they don't think that this guy did anything slimy here. He just knows he's not in it anymore, and with that, it's not fair for anybody for him to still be doing it.
Yeah. Look, I don't think this was like an entirely calculated decision and he was sitting there waiting until it's the best the best time pop will walk away and uh, and whatnot. I do think he he's being truthful, and he says, you know, I went home and went on vacation football break and realized my heart wasn't in it. And it's because my heart wasn't in it, it wasn't right
for me to keep on. But I also do think and in talking to people really for the last you know, six to eight months, there's been a feeling that Tony Bennett wanted to orchestrate things so his successor would be Ron Sanchez, who was over head coach Charlotte came back over the came back over the summer last summer. Uh and and since then, I think there's been a feeling he wants a head coach in waiting title or something essentially to give him confidence that that when when he leaves,
that that Ron would would succeed him. And I think you can perceive this decision as choosing Ron Sanchez over this year's team, right, like leave guys that I recruited, and I said I'd be therefore leave them out to dry to a certain extent for for the benefit of his guy getting to leave the program. But I also do think that like Tony Truey probably does not believe he's in the right head space to coach this team
this year. And if he did, I think he would have stuck it out for for the rest of the season and retired come you know, March Rapril.
And for what it's worth, I mean, there aren't many other coaches that would have that awareness, and you know, see how it would be perceived him leaving just a few weeks before the season starts. But you know, he's comfortable in his own scan and knows that, as you said, he's just not in the right not in the right headspace. But when it comes to coaches that that that are clearly upset and don't like the fact that things have
changed so much, they've had to adjust. They've had to not only do their job a little bit differently, but they've had to coach differently. I mean, they've probably found themselves really uncomfortable, frustrated, and I know you guys hear a lot about it with your connections and relationships with those that are that are the top coaches in the sport.
But behind closed doors, off the record, what do you think they want?
I mean, do you think it's that they truly just wish it was like it was many many years ago, because that's never happening. I mean, they claim they want regulation and they don't want it to be I guess, such a free for all. But like I don't, you know, I don't know if anybody has like a plan out there that that would get mass approval from everybody else. I understand it's it's not ideal for these guys, and again it's a different job than what it was when
they initially, you know, made this their career. But I don't hear a whole lot about what solutions can be. And maybe it's because we don't have any I don't know.
Look, I don't think there's many coaches out there that are objecting to the fact that players now drive nice cars and wear designer clothes and and have just a different level of incoming status than they did five ten years ago.
I mean, the employee complaint.
Yes, I think the complaint is the lack of structure around it. I think there's real problems with the nil agency world. The fact that guys who like I think there's an annihil agent. I won't name his name, but he is a former manager and sec school who within five years has now become mister juice man with like including a kid that Virginia has right now and has no training, no backing that says he should be an agent. There's no reasons he should have the power he has.
But he can pick up the phone and quality I major head coach and they have to listen to him and they have to deal with him. And there's so many guys like that who have not earned their place in this business. They have essentially attached themselves to kids and taken as much power and as much money possible from those kids. And has there always been those kind of leeches in the game, Yes, but you could ignore them to a certain extent ten years ago or twenty
years ago and just recruit different kids. Now there's a leach attached to every one of them. And I think that's the thing that's really hard, the fact that, yes, there's just so many people you do not want to have to deal with that you're now dealing with. I think the fact that you have to do it, do this every year and renegotiate it. It's not oh, you know, we got the kid to come and now he's invested in us. It's when could he change his mind next
and go get more money? Like that's those are the things that coaches a father. So I think control over who's in these kids and circles. I think some sort of of tap or standard amount of money that every school is spending, or at least that conference, I think would be something coaches really really desire. But I really I get really frustrated. And I'm not saying you're doing this. I think you're you're very fair, but I think there's so much narrative out there of like coaches just can't
handle seeing kids have money or power. That's not it. It's it's all the things that come with that that I think have really driven coaches and sane.
And and as far as they're being you know, a way to keep the slammy people out of it. As you mentioned, there's always going to be, uh, you know, an entourage around certain players. I mean, that's that's probably
never going away. But I mean, is there any belief from coaches that the n C double A will in fact get something in order to to clean this up a little bit and get some regulation, get some guardrails, Because that's that's the scariest part is that I feel like there's there's never been sort of less faith in the n C double A being able to get this thing, you know, organized and regulated, because it's like a big can of worms has opened up, and I just, you know,
I feel like the confidence that the NC double A can get this thing fixed in any way just seems lower than it's ever been.
Yeah, look, I think the problem is is that even when the NAA tries to do things that with help, they just get sued again. Right, the house settlement I think will help. I think I think that will be a step in the right direction towards this. But as soon as an NIL collective outside of the House Settlement wants to spend more money on a kid and the answerable tup shut them down, what's gonna happen. We're gonna
go to court and we're gonna see what happens. Like we we no one has any idea, right, and so I think, yes, the idea that Congress is going to come in and say today, everyone keeps pushing it. It hasn't happened yet. I don't know why anyone expects it would now, Like maybe it will, right, maybe maybe after after the election things are less polarized, people come together and decide the first priority is six in college sports. CONSIDERAB be a skeptic that that's going to happ So, yeah, Like,
I don't think there's there's a clear end insight. I think what you're hoping for is incremental improvement. I think the hope would be the House settlement is the first step in that incremental improvement.
Kevin Sweeney's our guest joining us here on Sports Talk seven ninety. He covers college hoops for Sports Illustrated. A couple more questions before we get.
You out of here.
I know you are higher on this Louisville team in the ACC than most. They came in at number nine in the ACC preseason media poll, which isn't like a huge shock to me. I think Louisville is one of many teams that it's just tough to know really at all what to expect. But I know, you feel pretty
good about this team as far as personnel. You've always talked pretty highly of coach Pat Kelsey, even whenever he you know, before he became a legitimate name that Louisville was was was pursuing, you know, and we haven't seen this team.
Play just yet.
But I guess what would you say is the difference that that you know, what do you think you're seeing that maybe a lot of others aren't. I mean, I know some of your other you know, peers that cover college hoops, they think Louisvill's a borderline top one hundred team. Again, the the ACC folks think that they're, you know, just inside the top ten. And I don't know if you're surprised that others see it differently, because again we're all
we're always just guessing. But now with you know, new rosters in the Portal and Louisville, situations different with an entirely brand new team and a new coaching staff. But I guess what would you what would you say that you see in this team, in this group as far as potential that others are maybe missing out on.
I think one thing would be I believe in kind of the vision of the roster that Kelsey built. I think there's there's some cohesive beams across the group of guys that they brought in that that that make him fit together better than I think a lot of these kind of transfer given teams. I do think. Look, the ceiling is high in the floor as well, because it is one hundred percent new faces. It's a lot of guys that quite frankly, haven't won, you know, at the
highest level yet in college basketball. And to get to the top three or four in the ACC like I've projected, is probably a top end outcome. I think I acknowledge that, and I don't think it's unreasonable to say that they could come in ninth or tenths right at the end of the day, like that might be two or three aims. That's the difference in the ACC, right, So I'm not I'm not gonna toot my horn and say, Wow, Louisville
is way better than everyone thinks that. I just think their talent levels play a little bit higher than the rest of the middle of the ACC. I believe in Kelsey, and I think you know, they do have older guards and experience, you know, pieces throughout the roster with not everyone can and can look at and that's a that's a good starting.
Point, all right.
On Kentucky, this team somewhat similar to Leisville just as far as the situation. It's a brand new coaching staff and really an entirely new roster. Who would you say on this Kentucky team as far as guys they've added from the Portland I guess really that's everybody who is
most important for them. Maybe not somebody that you think is going to be their best player, maybe not the guy who puts up the most points, But who do you think sort of has to who has to work out for them this year in order for them to be a team that does make the tournament safely and looks like, you know, maybe not the best team in
the SEC because that league is loaded this year. But who's most important for them as far as somebody that needs to be exactly what Mark Pope thought he was getting when he brought him in.
I think LaMotte Butler is the guy that they really bet on, right, I mean, point guard spots are critical, and the garden him and him and Kirk Crisa. But I think from the day that both signed, it's been clear that the planets with the ball in Butler's hands. And He's been sort of up and down offensively in his career. Always a great culture guy, always an elite defender. It's been a part of a ton of winning at
San Diego State. But I think the question for him is and by putting him in a much better offensive system with Pope and he had a with with Brian Butcher at San Diego State, is that enough to make him go from good player, game manager to one of the best players on a top twenty five level team. And that to me what I'm watching right now with the Stefan He's how to seat pick to the spots. They have the shooting around him, they have the experience.
Can he be the guy that steers the ship offensively every trip out of floor?
Kevin has always I appreciate you making time for us. Good to catch up. I'm sure we'll be doing it again soon. Enjoy your weekend and we'll talk to you down the line on man.
Thanks sir, Take care. That's Kevin's again.
He does a great job covering college hoops for Sports Illustrated. Really good stuff there, looking forward to it. That's another sign that college hoops season is approaching. We'll have our weekly chats with Kevin, probably not next week or even the week after that, but not far from there.
And that's that's exciting.
All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side, wrap up the three o'clock hour and keep this party rolling along. It's coffee and Company. Field by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
So.
With Tony Bennett retiring, there are six active coaches in college basketball that have a national championship. I would ask John on the spot if he could name him, but I don't want to do that.
No, let's do it. Do you think you can know himself?
John Caliperry, Rick Bettino, Yep?
How many are left?
Three?
More more? Oh?
Man, I don't like hitting the road, but you finish it off for me. I got three of them, you I mean, John?
This is why one. Yes, this is why I don't.
This is why I didn't want to do it, because it'll be something because you're when you're on the spot and not even thinking of it, then you just start thinking really quickly and you and you you blank on a guy who's won the last.
Two of them. Oh my god, you're right early.
And then the other one, h this is one I don't know. I would say, if you put somebody on the spot like I just did, you who knows college basketball really well, like you, I would say that the most likely ones that they would miss of those six would be is a witch you got because it's been
so long since you won a title. And the other would be Scott Drew just because that Baylor title kind of seems random, right, Yes, so you know, just six coaches left in the game with the title, and of those coaches, as far as the likelihood of them winning another one, I mean, I would say Hurley just because of momentum and because he has found his success and he's I mean, I think he's at the ceiling. Maybe he could go higher.
I don't know.
I mean when you went back to back, I guess, I mean, if you went a third straight one, it really is because you're maintaining what you're doing. But he's done all this in this new that a lot of coaches bitch and complain about. And then I would also have to put after that, the most likely got to be Bill self just because annually, I mean, it's now considered if Kansas isn't preseason top five.
It's a huge shocker, you know what I mean. So I would say Hurley and self are the most likely of the group to win another title, but I would say the rest of the group, I would say all very unlikely. And my surprise.
Of who's next in line after those two to potentially, you know, maybe get another one to add to the trophy case, I would honestly just go with Scott Drew. But I don't, you know, but I think that's because more than anything, I just realized he puts together really good teams. But he's I mean, he's had one tournament run and that's really been it. So you know, tom Izzo, I mean, I wouldn't be shocked if he's the next guy to go.
I mean, he inspired by what Tony Bennett has did.
Absolutely so Patino, you know, I just he's got to you know, he's gotta win it tournament game or something like.
Not to say he can't do it.
Patino has proven to be a really, really good coach, But like Saint John's, all of a sudden, winning a national championship in the next five six years just seems insanely unlikely. And Rick Patino. You got to be thinking how much longer is he actually gonna coach Caliperry. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't.
I don't.
I would be highly shocked if he gets to a Final four at Arkansas. I don't think he's gonna be terrible, but I just don't know if he's gonna happen. He's not gonna have the overall type of talent that he had at Kentucky. He'll be He'll have good teams, and you know, maybe he does adjust and play a little more modern basketball than what he's been trying to do for the last four or five years. But I don't think he wins another title and then yeah, I mean that that that's it.
Those are the Those are the six.
I'm not somebody that that necessarily looks at the elite coaches that are there as far as those that have won a title and all the coaches that are like I don't, I don't look at college basketball and feel like, oh my gosh, what happened to this game that I love, all the all the legends are gone, because I'm gonna love it regardless. I mean, you could be a coach at a big time school and I would still love the sport because and you may be good at it.
I don't know, maybe you find a different career down the line.
Who knows.
But to see, you know, the visual of what it looked like not that long ago. As far as the coaches, I mean, they all kind of not quickly, but within a few years time, a lot of the legends were just gone. I mean, I'm looking here at what the acc looked like in Rick Patino's last year at Louisville, which was twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen, so what seven years ago, which is a lot longer ago than you know. I mean, that doesn't feel like it was that long ago, but
it was. But in that season you had coach k you had Roy Williams, I mean, Rick Patino, Jim Behem, those are all hall of famers. Tony Bennett, I mean he's now a national champion and he's going to be a Hall of Famer. Mike Bray probably not a Hall of Famer, but a guy who had you know, back to back elite eights right around that time. And this is not a guy And this is gonna sound like, this is gonna sound bad because I'm not putting this coach in the group with everybody else that I just named.
But back to the ACC when you think about what league used to be and now what it is, I mean these coaches being gone as a big factor. I mean Buzz Williams was at Virginia Tech. Buzz Williams, I mean he's not anywhere near what the who you know what those guys I just mentioned have accomplished. But he's still somebody that you would say, wow, Buzz Williams is is you know your sixth or seventh, eighth best coach in your league. That's saying something because he's pretty solid.
Other names that are no longer here anymore. This guy's in a great coach. But Josh Passner, which I didn't realize he was at George Tech as long as he was. I mean, Larrenega is still somebody that you know has I mean he's gone to two different final fours. That's that's not something that makes him elite, probably not making him a Hall of Famer.
But there aren't many.
Coaches right now coaching college basketball that can say they've gone to two different final fours with two different schools.
I mean, we are certainly in the era of the new wave here as far as who's going to be the next group of coaches that you know, we realize are elite at this and as long as they stick around, certainly not going to be in every year thing, unless maybe your name's Danny Hurley, But like, who's gonna be the next you know, maybe not Mount Rushmore, but the next wave of coaches that you feel like are the
elite guys in the sport. I mean again, Hurley, I think is has has gotten there with his back to back titles, and you consider sort of the way he you know, he went from what was it Wagner or something to Rhode Island and then to Yukon and now he's got two titles, so he's I mean again, he's hard. I mean, he could stop coaching now and he would be an elite guy all time, because not many can say they get more than one, and he's got two
and they're back to back. I think nat Oates is somebody that is certainly brewing to be one of those guys. He hasn't won a title yet and I don't know if he's going to, but him breaking through the final four, I think that kind of confirmed and solidified a lot of the hype that he was getting in recent years.
But it is certainly a new world here in college hoops.
And I mean, I love college basketball so much despite all the changes. It's not like I ever sit back and think, oh, man, I don't I don't love the game as much as I used to.
It's changed so much.
Despite the changes, I'm still gonna, you know, consume it, probably more than most, because you know, that's just my nature. And I know a lot of you are the same way, maybe not the same way, as far as you know, pulling up watch y piano on a random Tuesday night and betting on a team you've never heard of, that's kind of what I do. I'm a sicko when it comes to college hoops. But you know, clearly we are a very passionate market here when it comes to the sport of college basketball.
All right, real quick, before we get to the top of the hour here, let me talk.
Let me talk about my friend's over there at Jefferson Animal Hospital, because again they've got their big event coming up tomorrow. Again tomorrow they will have their pints for pausing people event where they will they will show you and demonstrate how pets can donate blood, and they'll give you the opportunity to see if your pet can qualify to be a pet blood donor. They'll also let you give blood with the American Red Cross if you'd like to. So again, it's tomorrow from ten am to two pm
at the Jefferson Animal Hospital on outer Loop. Bring your pets. Pets welcome, People are welcome. They're gonna have food and should be a lot of fun. And again it's all for a great Cross. Every time a pet donates blood helps save up to four to six lives. So again, it's a very good cause and should be a good time Tomorrow from ten am to two pm at Jefferson Animal Hospital on outer Loop. All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side. Get hour number two
started at the four o'clock hour. That is, talk a little more about this weekend's college football slate Louisville, something I haven't talked about. They're honoring Teddy Bridgewater tomorrow, which is awesome because Teddy's an absolute legend. But Teddy's also going to be bringing some of his high school players with him who just so happened to be some big time recruits, so we'll get to that.
At four point thirty.
We're going to talk to Brian Edwards, Vegas Insider, so stick around right here on Sports Talk seven ninety