11.14: Football Mode - Hour 2

only waffle sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. They've got pizza. You can get two slices of their pizza for just six bucks. So they rolled out three awesome new food items just in the last few days. So make sure you check it out. And if you haven't given them a shot, you should. I know a lot of people still probably think of gas station convenience store food and they think, oh please, no. They worry about you know, is it the only option. Well, I'm telling you it's

delicious and you won't know until you try. So keep them in mind if you're in Kentucky, inn And there's likely that Thornton's close to you, because you know they're everywhere. They're awesome. I'll tell you who else is awesome? Kid Spencer from WHAS eleven. He now joins us Ken. How are we doing?

Kelsey going up against each other last week? Did that when we're six weeks out well, that's say more about Louisville or more about Tennessee.

more about Tennessee than it does it does Louisville. Like, hey, when the lights came on and the game started counting for real, this Tennessee team is is legit, right, and they went and got some pieces in the portal and and they were really good and this is a this is a really good basketball team. Like I think that that says everything about Tennessee. And by the way, they have new pieces or guys in new roles, like I get it, but like everything is so new for Louisville.

Sometimes you have to go through those fires and before you can, you know, learn to to kind of conquer the battle, so to speak. And so I think that was that's what it was for Louisville, right, Like I think Louisville will end up learning a lot about themselves and it's a chance for them to get better. And you would rather be able to get better in a win and good performances, but sometimes you need to get knocked on your butt to be able to learn what

you can and can't do. And I think that's what Saturday is going to end up being for this team.

they should be ranked higher. But I think Rick Barnes and I knew going in he was somebody that does not play the same style that Pat Kelsey plays, but he really is the exact kind of coach that would probably love the idea of matching up with the team like that because he thinks he can take them out of what they want to do. And they did that

really well. But I'm probably overthinking a little bit here, But I felt like when I was watching Louisville out there offensively and they were not able to do what they wanted for the first time ever, you know, and again, there's no way to prepare for that until you've been in a situation like that. But I could tell these guys where like, Okay, it's not working, what do we do? And it kind of turned into guys that were thinking, Okay, I guess I'll try to create. Now, I'll try to

go get a bucket. And I don't blame them. I probably would have done the same exact thing. But when you are learning that you're going to have to have a little more variety offensively, maybe get into some sets, do some things that aren't just a product of playing fast and having a bunch of possessions getting rhythmic threes.

What would and again it's tough to say, I guess it's a guess at this point from what you have, from what you have seen with this LOWU levelle team, who would you guess can be the two three guys that if they do need to go get a bucket, if you really have to rely on somebody not getting a bucket because of the system, but because hey, they have the ability to go do it. They can break somebody down, they've got a mismatch. Who would you start with?

Because I think there's a lot of options, But there's also the other side of that coin, which is I think got a lot of guys that are kind of the same level, you know what I mean, right, I don't know who would be the guy that Okay, here's who we need to lean on when we're when we're down in a close game or we got to finish. I just I think it could be a variety of guys. But I don't even know where to start as far as who would be.

And I'm just guessing here, But it.

disagree with you. I don't really know what you, I don't really know where you'd start as far as trying to figure out a way to initiate something in the half court to where you can get somebody at the free throw line consistently or just get you know, consistent good looks. It was a It was a real reminder that Pat Kelsey's success and I don't blame him for doing this at Charleston and at Winthrop because that's what

you got to do at that level. His success has really been dependent upon him in stall and initiating a style and it working really well, him getting players that fit what he wants to do. But when you play at a higher level, you're going to face teams that they're well, they're well equipped to be able to take you out of what you want to do, and you've got to be able to revert to something else.

and they just didn't know how to react. Now, I think that eventually this you have to learn how to react to that, right, Like you have to to be able to deal with that. And the reason why we saw one on one place, the reason why we saw guys almost dribbling the air out of the ball was because I think they just kind of reverted like, Hey, I'm just I'm uncomfortable, so I'm gonna revert. And that's

definitely not the way to go. And Pat Kelsey even mentioned it and game news conference, and when you're in that kind of a game for the first time, a new guy that you've never been at this moment before, I think that's natural, Like that's the natural thing. And so that's why I think Louisville will get better and they'll learn from that because that's an experience that they felt. Now you have to grow from that.

floor and the coaches. I mean, they're they're kind of finding out in real time and there's no way to put a plan together, you know, there's no They've never been through any level of being challenged and it gets that's nobody's fault. That's just how the schedule had played out. So the ten day break is is probably not a go ahead.

huge sight wide sale. You can get one hundred dollars off any cocktail maker or tail maker bundle when you spend four hundred dollars or more so, if the cocktail lover in your life has been good this year or the right kind of bad, get them Bartisian at the push of a button, make Bark quality Cosmopolitans, Martini's, Manhattan's, and more, all in just thirty seconds, all for ae

hundred off. Amazing toys an't just for kids. Get a hundred off a cocktail maker when you spend four hundred Through Cyber Monday, visit Bartisian dot com slash cocktail that's b A R T S I A N dot com slash cocktail.

were comfortable. Now, I will say this if if you're Louisville and Rain Smith has taken the amount of shots that he took against Tennessee on a game by game basis, like you know, and because he's a terrific shooter, but if he's that guy taking those kind of shots, I think you've got bigger.

than anything else. But as far as how they would go it like if they were going to play again in two weeks. I mean, Pat Kelsey's the one making millions of dollars to figure it out. But I don't even really know what you would do. You know, again, you got to try different things and see what works. But clearly I wasn't working for him on Saturdays. Switch gears here to the Kentucky Dukee game. Obviously a big win for Mark Pope. I don't think you can overstate

how phenomenal that was for Kentucky. Everybody involved, their fans, obviously the players and Mark Pope himself. I mean, I don't want to act like they didn't play well.

really good about where you are right now. That was a great way to get that era started.

as a group to kind of go through that. And and that's understandable. Well, the most impressive thing is is in the first half, you know, do punched Kentucky in the mouth with their physicality and getting into pain and kind of bully them, bully them, and we're and and we're playing harder. And in the second half, you know, Kentucky, you know, they they kind of forged up. And Mark Pope even talked about it in the postgame press conference. You know, it's in those moments it's easy to get

away from the huddle. Our guys got dialed in even deeper into the huddle, and so like, I think that they came together and they stayed together, and.

up the nets. They beat them. They beat Duke in the second half by like just scratching and clawing and defending their tails off and you know, like almost out hustling this team and making the key the key plays in the stretches when they mattered. Most like, that's how

they won. And for you know, a coach that's known for like this, this wide open offense and everything that kind of comes with that, and your best offensive player not kind of answering the bell in that particular game, Like I think it speaks volumes, and by the way, they still scored seventy seven points.

was just a back and forth game. But I feel like every everybody who played legitimate minutes in that game, outside of Robinson, there was a moment where they did something. Rather it be getting a steal, knocking down an unexpected three, getting a rebound. I mean, even Crease off the bench. He only scored two threes, but man, they were huge at the time that they made him. It was like, you know, everybody was ready, not not bothered by the moment.

They were unfazed. And that's that's what you would expect from a group that is a lot of veterans. But it's one thing to, you know, to do it at a different level. It's one thing to do it when you have a different role at your previous school. But yeah, that I would have if you if you told me ahead of time that you know this Kentucky team and they've been playing together for years, you know they're there, balanced, they're deep, They've got a lot of different ways to beat you.

two games. I mean, that's the least you know, the kind of message that he wanted to send that Look, this is it's a marathon to get to the NCAA tournament and you've got to continue to grow and and to be honest, like, you know, they've got a they've got a decent non conference schedule that they're gonna play, you know, going out to Gonzagen and a couple other places. And then I'm so the SEC this year is no joke.

And and so like when you look at it, like they've they're gonna have their challenges, they're going to get better, but you know everybody else is going to get better as well. But you know, for a for a new coaching staff and a completely new roster, I think you have to like where they're starting from.

You know, he's I mean, I don't want to say he's not he's not energized, but like I felt like the scenario where he goes to Arkansas and he really kills it and makes Kentucky fans wish that they still had him would be if he reinvented himself or he was just re energized and really started to change a lot of things and he could get away with doing

it because he wouldn't be proving they're wrong. He's in a new place and he's you know, but I'm telling you, listening to him after his press after his games, in those press conferences, watching them play. They were down to Troy last night, I kind of feel like it's there's a better chance of it going worse at Arkansas than it did at Kentucky. Now, again two different standards. Arkansas is a good basketball school, no doubt. Musselman was a

reminder that they do care about hoops. But the breakup Kentucky's winning it in a major way right now.

what's he gonna do with that top flight talent? You know, It's it's early in the season, but right now, like I know, I didn't watch the game, I knew they were down one at the half to Troy last night.

and get their seventh win on Saturday. Obviously, anything can happen, But what do you I mean, it just feels weird knowing that they're going to Stanford the Bay Area to play a conference game this late in the year against such a bad team. I mean, it just feels like a wasted time, to be honest with you.

You can get one hundred dollars off any cocktail maker or cocktail maker bundle when you spend four hundred dollars or more so, if the cocktail lover in your life has been good this year or the right kind of bad, get them Bartesian at the push of a button, make bar quality Cosmopolitans, Martini's, Manhattan's, and more, all in just thirty seconds, all for a hundred off. Amazing toys aren't just for kids. Get one hundred off a cocktail maker

when you spend four hundred. Through Cyber Monday, visit Bartisian dot com slash cocktail. That's b A R T E sia n dot com slash cocktail.

major way. And wouldn't shock me if they get off to a good start early and it really just turns into a beatdown, which not that that would really prove a whole lot, but Louisville hasn't really been in that situation, and in fact the Clempson game shouldn't have been as close as it was as far as the score. It's wild to say that that actually probably was their most convincing win this year when it comes to playing you know,

legitimate comp tians. So a little later than a lot of people would would have liked to see, but they certainly have some momentum here as they are rounding out the rounding out the regular season. But Kent, it's always appreciate you making time for us. Always enjoy the conversation. Keep up the great work at WHAS eleven and we'll talk sooner.

that next. Right here, it's Coffee and Company. Feel bout Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety tell that I've really I've been well. I'm sure others have been more positive more optimistic than me, But for me, and if you know, you know, I at times can be viewed as super negative and pessimistic. And although I will agree that if I had to lean one way, that would be I mean, that's fair. But sometimes I'm just honest and I'm not you know, shaking the pomp pumps, leading the pep rally

and it makes people think like I'm negative. But throughout the entire Louisville season this year in football, it was so frustrating, But it wasn't because I was like, oh my goodness, what happened? How did Louisville gets How did how did Jeff Brohm get such a bad batch of players in the portal? This is disastrous. Like, I was never worried about anything big picture. They were just making some boneheaded mistakes that you know, will cost you a game.

And they had opportunities early especially that we you know with that Simme, you nobody knew SMU was going to end up being in the position there in now when Louisville played him earlier this year. So because you had those big opportunities early and you lost, I mean, it pretty much eliminated you from seeing yourself in the ACC Championship or the playoff of that matter. So you know,

I'm not I'm not sour about that. I mean, it's unfortunate, but you know, if you finished the season strong, maybe there are some that will look and think, Man really blew it. Had we not screwed up at Notre Dame as many times as we did, had we not had such a bad start against SMU defensively, had you know, we played a little bit better against Miami than Man, we could have potentially done something really special because you got a quarterback who you only have one year, who's

really special. I hope you have Isaac Brown for a long time, but let's be real, nothing would shock me when it comes to him, that's how special he is. So you know, everybody's gonna view it the way they want to view it, but I am I'm choosing to be positive. But it is sort of you know, to look back at, you know, earlier this year, like the opportunities were there, and you know, when you fall short,

it's not going to kill you. I mean, Louisville is getting a lot of respect for how well they played three teams that the committee views his top fifteen teams. And then they beat Clemson like a drum at their place, which doesn't happen very often. So you know, the real bummer is that early on this year, you knew that a lot of the things you had talked about and aimed for were gone. And I still believe that to

be the case. But let me give you what needs to happen over the next three weeks for Louisville to have a chance to be in Charlotte. And I don't want to present this with people thinking I'm doing it because I'm telling you to get your hopes up. I don't think you should get your hopes up. You can do what you want, though, over the next three weeks. Louisville needs SMU to win out. They need pitt to beat Clemson, need Georgia Tech to beat NC State, need

Virginia to beat Virginia Tech. You need Boston College to beat North Carolina, You need Stanford to beat cal and you need Syracuse or Wake to take down Miami. So I mean, among a lot of Among the many things I just laid out, just about all of them are unlikely. Now again, upsets happened. I mean last week was the perfect reminder of that, right because you see where you stand in the initial playoff rankings and you think, okay, well,

now we just got to take care of business. We're there, let's just put it on cruise control and take care of business and we're going to be okay, it'll all play itself out. Well, that's when you get tight. You start thinking so much about not screwing up. What do you do you screw up? So you know, maybe there is some chaos, but the amount of unexpected things that would need to happen, it just it to me, it seems damn near impossible. But again maybe that's just maybe

that's just me. I mean I don't think it is. But if you want to get your hopes up and you want to just kind of keep the dream alive because you know that's that's your mentality, that's how you do things, that's how you operate, then you know, knock yourself out. I'd say of those things as far as what is least likely most likely, I mean, let's see here, see if I can pull it up. I just had it here we go. I mean, the thought of SMU winning out that seems probable. No doubt about that. Pit

to beat Clemson. They play this weekend, right, I don't see that happening. Do they play this weekend?

in the league. Syracuse or Awake taking down Miami probably is the most unlikely because I don't know. Miami's had close games and they've been able to survive, and they did lose last week. But you know, Wake is terrible, and then Syracuse, you really never know what you're gonna get. Although I will say Frand Brown is the kind of guy that I could see pulling off that kind of

an upset, but it's not something that I predict. So SMU man, like I said it last week when we got our initial look at the playoff rankings, that you could argue that they they you know, they need more respect. And here we are once again where I mean, what

is SMU rank right now in the playoff rankings? Let me pull up the updated playoff rankings, because they didn't they didn't drop obviously, but they are in my opinion, and maybe this is just some acc bias for me, they're the team that probably is I mean, are they at yeah, they're at number fourteen? How'd they fall? What were they at last year? Or the yeah they were at number thirteen?

including SMU. So here are the SME is right now in SMU, because they're new to the ACC, the ACC is not going to get the same love from the Committee that the SEC in the Big ten is going to get, which is understandable. But I think it's also because SMU is in their first year of a power league. And I know some people look at it and say, well, that's a bad sign for that's a really bad sign for the ACC that this team comes in and they're running the show. And I mean, I think SMU is

actually that good. But you know, if you choose to see it the other way, I understand that too. But SMU right now eight to one, they have a rank. They have a win against Louisville at Louisville beat them by seven at Louisville. Again, this is a win that the Committee views is really valuable. They think the committee, the Committee thinks leivel is a top twenty team. They beat Pitt by twenty three points, who's now seven and two.

They beat Duke, who's seven and three. That's not a great win, but again we're talking about two seven win teams. They're only loss. I mean, they have a three point loss at home to BYU, who's number six, and also undefeated. So another eight and one team who's ranked number three ranked wins not a one best win, Vandy by three. A six and four Vandy team that is their next best win is Oklahoma who's five and five. Their loss it's only one loss, but they lost about fifteen in

home to a two loss Georgia team. That's Texas. Texas actually is getting the benefit of the doubt more than anybody in these playoff rankings right now.

And that's why I think when you hear from the spokesperson Ward Manual, the ad at Michigan, he's the guy that's coming on TV after every updated rankings and trying to justify it, just say this is what we believe. When you try to give specific reasons in facts, it just makes you look more foolish to be honest with.

a huge sight wide sale. You can get one hundred dollars off any cocktail maker or cocktail maker bundle when you spend four hundred dollars or more so, if the cocktail lover in your life has been good this year or the right kind of bad, get them Bartessian, at the push of a button make bark quality cosmopolitans. Martini's Manhattan's and more, all in just thirty seconds, all for

a hundred off. Amazing toys aren't just for kids. Get a hundred off a cocktail maker when you spend four hundred through Cyber Monday, visit Bartsian dot com slash cocktail. That's pa r T s i a n dot com slash cocktail.

Just tell us it's Texas and it's SMU here is how that alone is why we decided to put these teams there. I mean, that's not the way they should do it, but like, let's not act like that doesn't exist. Another eight and one team who's number four Penn State ranked win not a one best win six and three Illinois next best win five and four Wisconsin. Their one loss was at home to Ohio State, who's number two. SMU is ten and eleven spots behind those two teams

for one reason. It's Southern Methodist University and not Penn State and not Texas. That's the reason. They'll never say it, but we know it, and I don't really know how you fix it, because, like I kind of get it, but SMU dropping the way they did with that resume they have compared to those two teams that are in the top four, it just you can't make any sense of it other than just being honest with us, which nobody. Again, I can appreciate the honesty, but that's not how you should do it.

of like OSU. There's I mean, trust me, we do the like they're not the only school that that like at time, but like nobody ever calls them Southern Methodist, do you know what I mean? Like people always say the Ohio State, like other schools that just use the first letter of of of the you know, three or even two words that like UK, right, But SMU is quite literally by everybody only called SMU, not Southern Methodist

because that's a weird. Like when I hear something Methodist, I think they're playing NAI sports and not you know, high level sports.

But anyways, DraftKings and FanDuel have had to lower their revenue estimates for this quarter because NFL betters have been doing too well lately, which tells me a lot of betters are doing really well this year in the NFL, where I'm doing worse than ever seemingly in the NFL, which is just another reminder that I'm not very good at betting on sports. But you know what, I'm gonna keep doing it because it's a lot of fun.

together a good season. And when I say quietly, it's because like I kind of feel like they've been underwhelming and they've not been as good as people expected. But you know, they are seven and two. However, they've not been great against the spread, meaning there's been They've been a tough team for the books to figure out because like a lot of people probably you know, expected them

to be better than they are. This Commander's team. I mean, I don't know if I believe in them as like a legitimate like playoff threat, but you knows, results speak for themselves, and you know, they've played really close with a good Pittsburgh team who's been on fire and lost that by just a point. You know, their wins have

not been against really anybody, you know. To be honest with you, I think the most impressive thing in the last five games for the Commanders is that they dominated bad teams other than I guess they did need that hil Mary against the Terrible Bears, but they they played close with the with the Ravens and with the Steelers. But other than that, man, they've just they you know, it's not their fault. All you can do is play who's on your schedule. But their losses are two really

good teams. Their wins are against I mean, I guess their biggest win is against Arizona, who in late September I don't think they were the team then that they are now. Arizona's played really well as of late. And the Eagles. I mean, that's funny. I'm looking here, like which wins are good? Like we don't know who the hell is actually good and who isn't in the NFL this late in the year. What would be your initial lean here?

I'm not somebody who thinks he He's this guy that's, you know, criminally underrated and underappreciated, but like he's pretty consistent, Like he's he's he's not the best really at anything, but he's he's a gamer, he's a leader, he's tough. He shakes off mistakes better than I think a lot of quarterbacks do, which is a tough thing to do when you're a quarterback. So I don't know if I think they're gonna, you know, win the Super Bowl this year.

But in this spot, Thursday night football, against another young quarterback who's off to a phenomenal start, to his NFL career, I think the Eagles can cover. If this was a little bit bigger, meaning Eagles minus five or even you know, six, I would probably hesitate. But I don't love the game. But if I'm gonna bet on it, I'm gonna I would take the Eagles as well.

of a franchise, especially developing young quarterbacks. But these young, offensive minded coaches, not like dang Quinn's the youngest, but you know in his coaching career.

Philly and again, they're a tough crowd to went over. Man, they booted Sanda. They threw stuff at Sam a clause one time on the field, which is a legendary story when it comes to the NFL. But I feel like everybody hates him meeting his fans. I don't even think the players really like him.

East Carolina and Tulsa. Now, when it comes to college hoops, we'll get into that in the five o'clock hour, because there are a couple of games uh that are that are pretty pretty appealing when it comes to, you know, making a wager, so including uh, let's see here, Yeah, Chris Max Team's taken on fau Tonite at Home, which I'm surprised their favorites, but that's pretty telling SMU and Butler are in action. So we'll talk about that in

the five o'clock hour among a lot of things. We got a lot to get to before we run out of time, So stick with us five o'clock hours. Next right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety.