It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick coffee.
You know, one of the many perks that comes with this great job that I have is I get to work with some great people, including celebrities like Terry Miners. You guys know Terry Miners, of course you do. Well he works. He's a colleague of mine. I don't know if he called me a friend, but I tell people were friends, and I'm gonna keep saying that until he makes a public announcement that like, don't listen to this idiot, we're not friends. But Terry and I the last two
days have have crossed paths in the hallway. And yesterday, of course, it was like, hell, yeah, how about Jeff Brahm and the Cards, Jeff Valley knocking off Clemson at their place the first time he ever went there. No problem for Jeff, No, biggie, I'll show up, I'll win, I'll leave town. That's what he did, and we just started, you know, the conversation, you know, kind of wrapped up with like, man, there's some real good momentum. Feeling pretty good to be to be a Louisville fan right now,
and then today, same thing, cross paths. We're talking about. Last night, Pat Kelsey dominant win, nearly a fifty point beat down against Murray Moorhead State team you know, played their ass off. So it's nice. You know, it's not like everything's been terrible for a while. But man, it feels like vibes are in a good place this week. And if if Louisville can somehow knock off Tennessee on Saturday, I mean that would be a picture perfect start for Pat Kelsey and they can. We'll get into it later.
I'm not ready to, like, you know, claim it's going to happen yet. But Tennessee, you know, they didn't. They didn't look good against Indiana. It sounds like John can attest to that that would be true. And then they you know, they were in a close game last night with their their in their opener and I can't think of who it was they played, but you know they didn't come close to covering not only the spread or what ken Palm projected. But again, some of those numbers
are I mean insane to even reference. Whenever you've got a formula telling you, you know, simulation and a score whenever you've you know, you got so many new players everywhere. But anyways, vibes are good here and that's that's that's what you want, right all right. It's election Day. Happy election everybody. Hopefully you got out and voted and we're able to get in and get out rather quickly and
it didn't take up your whole day. Sounds like there were some issues a little earlier here in Louisville, but since then, I haven't heard a whole lot about, you know, any any big issues that are that are keeping people from being able to get get their votes in today. So happy election Day. It's coffee and company. We are fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Appreciate you hanging out with us. Appreciate our friends over at Thornton's. Keep in mind you can save money at the gas
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your iPhone and you will be good to go. All right. So, one of the things that came up last night on the Postgame Show, and it's actually come up on the text line today. And by the way, if you guys want to join us, you can't FABO two five' seven seventy nine hundred. Well we'll be joined coming up here at four thirty by cl Brown or the Courier Journal.
But until then, if you want to jump in have at it again five O two five seven one seventy nine hundred, you can text it on the Ellen and Federal Credit Union text line FIBO two sixty five three zero seven ninety. So last night it was somebody referencing, hey, really love this team, but clearly they're going to live
and die by the three. And I don't want to get into my whole thing about living and dying by the three because or living and dying by anything, I think any strength that anybody has, if that's not working, then yeah, they're not as good, so therefore they might die.
Like it's almost like the win is a win comment that people say like a win and a win is a win is the biggest wasted statement anybody can ever have as a fan, because what you're doing is just acknowledging, like you're in denial that your team won, but you really hated everything about it and you're worried because you know. That's why you're saying a win's a win, like everybody knows what a win is. It's not really, I mean,
it's it's a waste of your breath. But anyways, Louisville this year and probably really throughout Pat Kelsey's time here however long. That is what you saw last night. That's who they want to be.
Now.
They obviously want to make every shot they take, but that's not realistic. That's not reality. So when there was a it was midway through the first half, or it might have been closer towards the second half of the
first half, if that makes sense. Where they did get I mean they got they got a lot of threes up in a short amount of time, and everybody who shot them that I can remember, I mean, they were in rhythm and somewhere you know, early on in the shot clock, maybe in your mind there wasn't enough movement and they should have worked to get a better shot.
And they'll do that, right. If the ball's whipping around and they've got good spacing, they've got good rhythm, they're clearly gonna make extra passes to get even better shots. We've seen that many times from this team in exhibition play and even at times last night. But when you see somebody fire up a shot that you know is open, but you don't feel like that was the best shot
they could get, just get used to it, right. And I'm not saying I mean, if you think it's an issue and you're worried, and look, that's your opinion and we'll see how it plays out. But last night, when they were firing them up and they went cold, I think they ended up missing like, I don't know, eight of nine at some point in the first half. They
finished the game eleven of thirty six. But they did hit a cold stretch there in the first half, and I could just you know, I think Jody Dimmling had mentioned something during the broadcast, not not you know, being critical, but just mentioning the man, they can't buy one. And I'm sure you know fans were thinking, hey, why are we just firing up threes, Let's work the shot clock, let's get into a set. But that's that's that's not
who they are. I mean, they're gonna have sets. And I don't want to say that like every game they're going to shoot forty three pointers or so. But last night Pat Kelsey was asked about it, you know, like, hey, are you still are you? You know, are you impressed with your team being able to dominate by this much despite not having a great night shooting only shooting thirty
one percent from three point range? And you know his answer was, you know, I feel like it was strategic on his part to kind of let people know that that wasn't an issue with me. We got good shots. Because again, that that's what they want to do. If you've got a decent look, or you know, maybe even a questionable look for some like rain Smith, there's gonna be times where he just lets it rip and you live with it if he misses it, because that's how good of a shooter he is. And you know that's
what they want. And this team was built like again, this team the ceiling for them. And it makes total sense because you know, the guy who built the team was able to pick pieces that fit exactly what he wants to do as far as his style, So spacing up tempo, a lot of possessions, clean looks from three layups and free throws like that's that's who they are and sometimes they're going to miss them. But what I loved about last night is there's clearly been a lot
of repetition with these guys. What I mean by that is not a single one put their head down or showed any sign of like surprise or you know, frustration that they missed threes, because that's just who like. This team has an identity and I'm sure that's part of the process for Pat Kelsey. And look, a lot of these guys are brand new to the Pat Kelsey experience, right, They didn't play for him before, so they probably aren't used to just having the green light and knowing like, hey,
I'm going to keep shooting. That's a good look. It didn't go in, but man if I keep getting it, I got to keep firing it because that's what I'm out here to do. That's who we are, and that's why Pat Kelsey wants me to play here because you know, I'm somebody that can excel in the style that he wants to play in. So you know, little things like that are are standing out to me. And I'm you know,
I'm a basketball nerd myself. But like typically, if you see a team go cold from three like they did in that in that stretch, usually you can see it with body language. You can see, you know, there being some hesitation to even take the next one if it's open, if you have missed three in a row. But not with these guys. And I'm sure some people are gonna think, like geez, quit firing it up, But that's just that's this.
You know, the way in which Pat wants to put a team on the floor and the way that he wants them to play is really exactly what you saw last night. And I think if they get thirty six good to decent to good looks from three like they got last night, I'd say, more often than not, you're going to make more than eleven. You're gonna shoot better
than thirty one percent. Because this team has guys that you know they'll have bad nights, but more often than not, with the amount of guys you have that are gonna shoot it, It's gonna be tough for me to imagine everybody having an off night shooting right. But you can go eleven of thirty six from three thirty one percent and still win ninety three to forty five when your defense is able to create twenty nine points off turnovers.
I mean that game would have been a lot uglier if you know, guys who we know can shoot better than what we saw were able to make make some more of them. I mean Rain Smith was four of nine and he air bolt to last night. I think that ain't gonna happen very often. I mean Noah Waterman, I mean he didn't play a ton of minutes. He missed all four. Like more often than not, he's probably gonna make at least one of four, sometimes two or four of their good looks. So that makes it to
where you don't win ninety three to forty five. You shoot it a little bit better. You probably win in this thing by nearly sixty points. So again, being able to recreate everything that happened last night statistically much more difficult when you're playing like teams than aren't more head state. But I mean, I think there's gonna be some teams that want to play the style of Louisville and it'll it'll, you know, they'll realize they're not necessarily built to do
it as well as Louisville. Doesn't mean that they're not more talented. Maybe they end being a better team down the line. But if Louiville can dictate the style of play like they did last night, you know, I feel like that that's going to be a good recipe for this group. Now they're gonna be matchup problems and there's going to be off nights, like they're gonna lose a couple of games this year, probably because they just had
that bad of a night shooting. And maybe some with that point will say, well, hey, if you'll live by the three, you die by the three. And I guess at that point, you know you're right, because hey, this team's best, you know, best weapon really didn't work at all. Couldn't get it, couldn't get it to fire in any way. But I feel like that's going to be a rarity.
Now.
You don't want it to happen, you know, in the tournament that kind of stuff, but at sports, that's basketball, So again, if you were somebody that was a little bit taken aback by how many times they were just firing up some threes last night. That's the method, that's what they want to do, and we'll see. But I have a feeling that thirty one percent eleven from thirty six. You know that won't be the norm.
Now.
They'll have games where they shoot like that, and they'll probably have a game where they shoot worse than that. But really impressive performance from Pat Kelsey last night and last the press conference. He did start off by congratulating Jef Brawm and the football team for their win at Clemson, but then before being asked any questions about his first real game as the head coach, he continued to show us that you know, he's happy as hell he's here,
and that doesn't mean he's gonna win. You gotta win, you gotta get results. But at every step since being hired, and he's one to know, so I guess he has won at this point. But we are clearly very early in this whole thing. But so far, I feel like this guy has really checked every box and has has
brought some real life back to the UMP Center. And again, I know the attendance wasn't you know, I don't know what the number is, but clearly you know there were empty seats you could find last night, but those that were there were into it, and it reminded me of when Louisville basketball was in a great place. I mean, two and a half minutes left, you still have starters in the game that are about to check out, you're of fifty points, and you get a shot clock violation.
You force morehead State when they're down fifty to have a shot clock violation, and you would have thought the game just started. That's the intensity level that these guys played with. And the fans that were there still when it's a fifty point blowout were on their feet as loud as can be and like that. That's that's I mean, it couldn't have worked out much better for Pat Kelsey last night. Here's what he had to say.
I thought the crowd was phenomenal tonight. Goosebump's moment for me on those times where our teams made a run and they called a time out and the place went nuts. Man, Like you know, I've coached for a long time in home games, and I've never had a home game like that, and it was it was something that I'll remember, you know, for the rest of my life. You know, I get to make these statements at the beginning before you guys ask any questions, so I can kind of say what
I want to say. We say never to lay gratitude. I'm just so blessed to be the head coach at at Louisville. You know, I believe that, you know, God is a plan, and I believe I'm sitting in this chair and the head coach at Louisville, you know, for a lot of reasons and a lot of hard work by our staff and things like that. But I also think that I have this platform now at a really high level with a lot of cameras and a lot of people looking at me and a lot of people
listening to me. So I do think it's important that I acknowledge, you know, uh, where I'm centered in my
devotion to my faith and and to Christ. And you know, with all the craziness that's going on in the world today, and as crazy as the world is, from the bottom of my heart, I believe with everything I got that that Jesus is the answer because He is Love and I just want to make sure that when I have the opportunity like this to be at this level and the coach at a place like Louisville, that I make sure that that I glorify him first and foremost proud
of our players. I thought they played really hard. Their attention to detail on scouting report was meticulous over the last several days. We have an old, mature team that you know, they amazed me by just their attention to detail and their focus and scouting reports. And they did that for young Harris, they did that for Spaulding, and
they did that tonight for Morehead. And you know, I'm one hundred percent sure that they're going to do the same thing for a huge, huge game here at the youm you know that that the nation will kind of be looking at as we get ready for a very very good and uh obviously a well coached team by a Hall of famer here on Saturday, and we're looking forward to it.
Were So that was his opening statement before you know, taking questions, And if that didn't do anything for you, I get it, Like I'm not trying to say that you should think this guy's the best thing ever, because look a lot I don't know him, and when it comes to this kind of stuff, some people try to not let like them, like you know, they just want to root their team on. They don't want to think about,
like you know, knowing coaches, players, and I get it. However, you know, I know that that people care so much about Louislle basketball. But when you do have a coach that handles things this way and really goes out of his way at every opportunity, with every opportunity to let people know how fortunate he feels to be the coach of this program that we all care about so much. I mean, that kind of stuff matters. It can go a long way. Again, got to win, but there's so
much more to it than just winning. And if you are somebody that wins, but maybe not at the level that Louisville hopes to be at consistently, right, if you're not making Final four US every few years or something like that, I mean, that would be hard to do
for a lot of programs. But I'm just saying if you're somebody that that that that wins, and then you have a down year or maybe a couple of down years, but you have you know, fans will ride with you more so, if they do believe that you are like that, you know that you're genuine. So so far, so good for one Pat Kelsey and look, I think this is
an easy transition here. I didn't see any of Kentucky play last night because obviously they played at the same time as Louisville, but I know their fans are feeling the same way about Mark Pope. Like everything that you didn't like about cal Mark Pope is the exact opposite of and you love it. And I would too if I was you. I mean, I'm not a Kentucky fan. I can't relate. But Mark Pope, you know, he's got
to win as well. And only time will tell if in fact, both these guys end up winning at the level that they need to for fans and even their bosses to feel as if they're you know, there are long term fits. But I think both of these guys have have really not followed maybe the same exact plan or the same script. But I think, well, we'll back
up a second. Here's the reality. Even if Pope and Kelsey weren't so charismatic and relatable and energetic, and you know, even if they weren't the way that they are, and they were maybe you know, maybe not the exact opposite, but just like you know, ten notches down and you really didn't see him as much. They weren't as outspoken, they weren't as care the charisma maybe wasn't where it is. We'd all still be thinking, yeah, these guys are great,
because that's what fans do, right. But like, I think both things can be true. That, yes, until a coach gives you a reason to complain, you're going to think, oh, we got the best guy ever, because again, you want to believe. So that's just what a lot of fans are going to do. And it played out that way because both sides, at different levels, were pretty taken aback by who actually got hired to be their coaches. Right,
we all remember that, let's not rewrite history. But another thing that can be true is that these guys really are like you know, checking boxes, hitting notes if you will. That mean a lot to fan bases like these that care so much about basketball, and it's refreshing that the rivalry is new. I mean, obviously for on the Louisville side, you know, we know that needed to end had nothing to do with the rivalry, it just you know, needed end. And on the Kentucky side, you know clearly that thing
could run its course with Caliperry there. And Pope's not a villain yet. I mean, he's not easy to dislike, but you know the fact that it's fresh and it's new, and you know, when these two teams play each other later this year, it's gonna be the first time these guys get a chance to get a win in this rivalry. And that alone is is pretty exciting. Speaking of exciting, I'm super excited to be joined on the other side by the one and only C. L. Brown or the
Courier Journal. We'll catch up with him. I don't know if he's listening right now. I doubt he is. What if I just started off with nothing but political questions throw him off a little bit, he probably hang up on me, because that's you know, he's a no nonsense guy. So we'll keep it. We'll keep it strictly professional here with the one and only cl Brown of the Courier Journal. He joins us next right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
We are about halfway through here on a Tuesday afternoon election day edition of Coffee and company, appreciate you hanging out with us here on Sports Talk seven ninety and we are now joined by the one and only C. L. Brown, who joins us here a cl with. Before we get to basketball, I'm gonna start with with with Jeff Brawm and the football team with their first ever win at
Clemson on Saturday. Obviously underdogs, but how surprising was it for you to see to see this group breakthrough and you know, finally this year beat a good team again. They did something they've never done before. Clemson doesn't lose at home on Saturday nights. But to me, it kind of just confirmed that I thought this team actually was pretty good despite the shortfalls earlier this year.
Yeah, and you really got to consider what the shortfalls were, you know. I mean, the three teams they lost to are currently ranked, all ranked, all essentially making a push for the College Football Playoff, and ultimately they might all three be in. And Louisville lost all three of those games by a touchdown. And you could just point to different mistakes Louisville made in each of those games that
you know, tangibly led to the loss. In the Notre Dame, it was the three turnovers if you look back at the SMU game and the Miami game, if they don't get call reversals by replay on the fumble against SMU and the well they rule the incomplete pass but the scoop and score ultimately with Miami, then you know we could be looking at a one lost Louisville team that's also in the picture of and in the conversation of
the college football playoff in AGC Championships. So with that being said, I still didn't you're gonna win that Clinston game, even though I did think they were a good team and they would be able to put up some points against Clemson. But Clintson at home at night, That's just not a good combination for most opposing teams coming in. But to me, what it came down to ultimately was
the team. I mean, I know Isaac Brown had a great, great night Russian and Tyler Shuck definitely made He was efficient with his passing and plays when he had to. Although statisticals you didn't look at it.
Oh we might have lost c L. I don't know if it's a bluetooth thing. Can you hear me? I hears something. Let's see he's there. There's just I don't know if we lost to me, it sounds like a bluetooth kind of thing. Should I put him on hold here? And then yeah? Take okay, got you? Yeah, let me know if you end up I put him on hold.
So yeah, I can hear you.
Okay, Sorry we lost you briefly there. You were mentioning, you were mentioning Shuck and and Isaac Brown's big nights, and then we kind of lost you there for just a second.
Yeah, I was saying they had great nights. But I still look back at special teams, and I looked at that first block field goal. I mean, if if clips and ties the game at ten, you know, we might be looking at a totally different outcome in the game. But blocking that field goal that essentially led to a short field and Louisville goes in for a score and it's seventeen to seven to me change the entire complexion
of the game. Sure, and to be able to get a second block field goal, you know, they just had Clemson on their heels at that point, and so you know, and the flip side of that is is brock travels stead making four of his field goals to kind of make sure Louisville capitalized on those drives with points. And I also think that that kind of was a change in Jeff Brohm because I felt like at the end of the first half against Notre Dame, they had a chance.
They were down twenty four to fourteen. I think they had a chance to make it a one score game, and they're inside the red zone and he went forward on fourth down and they didn't get it, and so they don't get any points out of that drive, even though they are gonna get first ball in the second half. I think if he plays that game again, he takes the points and they go in down on just one score in that game. Now, who knows, they still could have lost the game ultimately, but I just think it
takes the dynamics. It gives you something, some confidence to have that score though, even if it's just three points, and your thoughts to that seven, and you know, I think it may have led to I would like to ask him that question, but obviously they didn't have availability this week with the not playing a game.
I would say I would say you're probably spot on, because I mean, everybody wants seven instead of three, no brainer. And obviously Jeff has a lot of confidence and things that he that he can put together to potentially get it done. And on some of the fourth downs. I mean, again, I don't love what he did, but like you could argue that one of the one of the spots was questionable or hey that was a risk, but man, the ball hit him in his hands and he dropped it.
But yeah, getting zero really you know, he got to feel what that was like to be in that spot and not have anything to show for it in certain instances. So I would say you're probably right that he he kind of learned through that to look, hey, I've been burned here. I think we could probably get it, but I'm gonna play it safe and take just take the
field goal. I think Louisville could have played their best game of the season and still lost, because again, what you're doing, you're walking into Clemson, a place that just you know, even when they're down, they're still a good team, sometimes a really good team, and people don't win in those situations. But the defense, they were on the field all night, they were I mean, they had an attitude
about them. They were bouncing around. It was the first time I saw consistently this defense really look the part as far as what I thought they were going to be this year. What do you think that the difference was. I mean, you saw Ron English on the sideline really showing some emotion. I mean, if the defense that we saw Saturday was really in place from an organizational standpoint, and you know, schematically, I feel like that's another thing that could have really helped this team early on.
Yeah, you know, you give up fifty two points against Miami. I know cam Ward is having a great year and he's a special type quarterback, but that's still fifty two points he giving up at home. So and the SMU game, to me was worse because even though they didn't allow as many points, but it just seemed like they were always oposition and they were always looking to the sidelines, and they were never really on the same.
Page the field too.
Yeah.
Yeah, And you know, obviously they talked about those communication issues needing to be worked out and and maybe even simplifying some of their calls and in some of their sets on the field. So I think we finally just saw kind of the culmination of all of that after the SMU game. The things that they've worked on and tinkered with and tried to tweak to make better defensively, and surely they they all played out at Clemson, and
Clemson's offense was hot coming into that game. I mean, they they had beaten a lot of you know, average to bad teams, but they beat them like they're supposed to get beat you know, like they were on a roll.
And and you know, U of L just kind of took all of that away from them, and they were never in a position where, uh, they were kind of dictating the game to u of L. Offensively, they are already in a position where you know, the defense was getting them in third and long situations or you know, just kind of I don't know if confusing is the
right word, but they kept them guessing. They kept them guessing, and they didn't know what u of L was coming with, and all of that made a difference in UL being able to come out with the win.
Ceil Brown of the Curry Journal is our guest here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Let's switch gears to the Kentucky side of things. Their season has really has really fallen apart. You know, they're there for the first time having a bad year under Mark Stoops where you know, they just simply should be better. They've got they've they've got one of the toughest schedules in the country. But obviously he's put them in a position where they have
pretty good players. You know, some of these losses you could see, but the way they're happening is is is ugly. What do you make of the conversation seemingly among Kentucky fans and even those that cover the team, that you know, maybe Stoops has kind of burned out and maybe if this thing continues to spiral that he'll just he'll just walk away. I mean, that wouldn't be the craziest thing ever. I do know that he's done really well for himself
when it comes to business. But I just it's one of those things that I think fans say without realizing who would walk away from nine million dollars a year just because you're kind of just because you're kind of burned out? Like that's crazy to me exactly.
I mean, I wouldn't, but it.
Could get even worse. I'm gonna ride it out for nine million.
I would think. So there is something to be said about I do feel like he was burnt out coming into the year.
Like I felt like, oh yeah, the thing.
Yeah, he needed to find something to rejuvenate him. And it kind of reminded me. I felt like it's a case with Patino at one point at U of L, and I, you know, he always talked about that bridge here. I guess it was the twenty ten to twenty eleven season when when Preston Knowles was kind of the key figure on the team, and I think Peyton Sieba was I guess a sophomore. Oh yeah, I don't remember.
That ended up that ended up being a fun year and they got upset. Yeah, they got upset early. It was Bridge year, first year of the they they they weren't ranked preseason and and then showed up. That team ended up actually being pretty fun, and it's very forgettable because they lost to meet.
Yeah.
Yeah, they beat Kimba and you caught a couple of times, but they're forgettable because it really matters what you do in the tournament. And I think that's the team that lost in Morehead, isn't it.
Yeah Yeah, But I mean and Preston Noles got hurt during that game too, and that's why to me, that's why they ended up losing the game on that three point at the buzzer, But it kind of rejuvenated Patino because it was like players who believed in what he was doing. It was an old maintenance team and they were all in and it helped rejuvenate him.
And I felt like that's a really good point.
Stoops needed something, whether it was the players, whether it was a win like that, going in the old miss with game no one expected them to win and coming out with that victory, like, I felt like he needed something just to kind of reignite that spark and and you know, get him going. And I don't I don't know that it's happened. I mean, you know, you look at their situation at quarterback. And this is another thing I praised Jeff Brohm for because I feel like so
many coaches got the transfer portal quarterback wrong. They went out to try and get somebody as a quick fix, somebody who has experienced could fit in their system as such, and we've seen so many instances. I mean, if Florida State gets cam Ward instead of Dju, how different would their season be this year?
You know?
And so they get two quarterbacks that just aren't working, you know, that can't run the system the way it needs to be run offensively, and as good as their defense has been at times this year, you just can't leave the defense in those situations every game, every time and expect them to come away, you know, leaving you in a position to win a game. So I don't see there being a situation like I don't think it's like Cali Perry being being so uncomfortable and getting to
the point where he needed to leave UK. I don't. I don't see it being that situation for Stoops. But uh, and I think he will stick it through at least for no other reason to have a good enough season to get and offer somewhere else to go, you know. I mean there are two sides with this. If he leaves, where is he going to go? And the flip side is if Kentucky tries to force him out, who are they gonna get?
I mean, and they can't afford to force him out, I mean, like it would be I mean, yeah, yeah, it just doesn't make a lot of sense. And you know, that's a good point as far as the Caliperry thing, because a lot I hear a lot well it's I hear a lot of people say well, it's the same thing. He's you know, he's just going to read the room and leave. Well it's nowhere. I mean, Cali Perry, I mean, you could tell that there was a real incompatibility issue there towards the end to where he was he was
a miserable human being. I think Stoops is really miserable because he's losing, and clearly he's not happy with the way things are going now within ile on the portal. But like, I don't know, I have a hard I mean for him to just say, all right, I'm walking away. Just I think even if it does get a little worse this year, like it would be, it would just be a real surprise to me because you just don't
see that happen very often. And he's done enough there to where he could have this kind of year, and like his boss would probably want everybody to know, Hey, he's our guy as long as he wants to be so in a weird way, In a weird way, I think it's I think it's wishful thinking a little bit on the Kentucky fan side that like they just think their coach is going to walk away, Like I don't, I don't see it plan out that way at all, all right, last night, go ahead, Yeah, I was just gonna say.
What's iron with this is that Stoops has been so good there for so long. They've gotten to a point where they're spoiled and think that this is how Kentucky football can will operate forever. And we know historically speaking, that's not the case.
Not at all.
You know, it's luck if you want to push him out.
Yeah, because I mean, as much as it's it's headed in the wrong direction. I mean yeah, I mean where they were before. I mean really just and that's I think that's why people who cover the sport, who really are in the college football world, have a lot of respect for him. It's not because of one big accomplishment. It's just because of the sustained success he's had at Kentucky. Not that it's like, you know, you're winning the league every year, but like it's really never been done before.
It was something that I don't think anybody thought was possible. So yeah, I think he'll be back.
All right.
So last night with Pat Kelsey's debut, first real game, seeing Louisville play in a real game, obviously you could always be better at certain things. But I feel like that was really really close to exactly how he wants his teams to play. What do you think I would agree with that?
I think that just their energy, their enthusiasm, their unselfishness, all of those kind of things we saw in this team, and really just their focus. I mean, he talked in the postgame about their attention to detail, like they went out and they they knew what they wanted to do and they executed, you know, even when it didn't necessarily work or whatever come through. They had a plan that they stuck to and and you know, you could see the kids bought into it. All of the players seemed
to be on the same page. What I thought was interesting too, is I really didn't notice any anybody going yolo. Like there didn't seem to be a possession where there was one player on the floor that's like it's my time to shoot and I'm gonna get this shot off.
And you know, I think that's that's a tendency with I'm gonna sound like an old man like the youth of today in this game, but I do feel like there's a tendency for players to to just you know, to come in the situations like that, especially a situation where there's no clear alpha dog established on this team who had returned as the leading score or something like that, and and can claim this as as their team and so, but you didn't see any of that. You saw guys
congratulating each other, cheering on each other. It's it's gonna be a fun team to watch, just just in that regard. It's going to be a fun team to watch.
Now.
I don't know how great that will make them in terms of wins and losses, but if nothing else, we know this team is going to be together.
All right. Last question for you, cl just curious your thoughts on Cooper Flag when it comes to the hype. Are you somebody that believes he will end up being one of these guys that is the most talked about players in college. I mean, he's going to be talked about a lot regardless, but you know, the hype for him seems to be the most we've seen from an incoming freshman in quite some time. I know you have a lot of connections down there in the Duke Carolina area.
I mean, are you a believer that these guys as good as advertised?
Oh?
I am? I am. I've been able to see him in person, just coming up through the ranks when he was still a junior down in Peach Jam. It was a game where they played the Boozer Twins and his team from Main got White clean off the court. But you could see he's got it, man, He's got it. And I just I hope one thing. I hope ESPN doesn't go overboard with the hype like they are wont to do with individual talents, especially out of program like Duke.
But I think Duke is gonna be a tough team, and I think Cooper Flag is gonna be the truth.
Now.
The one thing that I do wonder still about him, is he gonna fall in that Paulo ben Cao kind of camp where he's clearly the best talent on the floor and a lot in most games Duke played in twenty twenty two, but sometimes because they got other good players too, that were five stars and highly ranked and all that, he wouldn't he wouldn't just take control of
the game. He would defer the other guys, would you know, try and get shots, try and eat too, when clearly he should have been their first, second and third option every time down the floor if they really wanted to win games. And so I wonder if Cooper is gonna be in that same camp where he's you know, he's so unselfish to the point of he's not taking over when he should because he has the talent to take over. And that's the one thing I want to see where
he's gonna kind of fall. But he's got all the skills to be, you know, the number one draft pick in next year's NBA draft and to be a National Player of the Year in college basketball.
Cel great stuff. Is always appreciate you making time for us.
Man.
Always enjoy the conversation. Keep up the great work and we will talk to my friend.
All right.
Appreciate you Nick, all right, take care. That is cl Brown or the Courier Journal. Always good to catch up with him. Really good stuff. Cel. He makes you think. In fact, there's a few things he said there throughout the conversation I want to hit on as we wrap up the four o'clock hour, especially the comparison about the Patino motivation. I hadn't really thought of that, but he's spot on. That really ignited Rick's best stretch he had here before you know, it came to an end, and
with with this Louisville team. Another reminder in regards to what he said as far as like, ye, I didn't even notice it, but he's right, like there was not any instance of anybody like all right, my turn offensively stick with us right here on Sports Talk seven ninety wrapping up the four o'clock hour here on election day? When do they stop letting people vote?
It depends on time zones, of course, so yeah, I think it's usually six o'clock for most places local time.
I could be wrong, though, Yeah. I would imagine that a lot of people who are going to vote maybe have already done it. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you couldn't do it because you were working and you're going to try to, you know, get in at the last minute. But a big election, no doubt, And I hope everybody's having a good day all things considered. I'm sure there are many that are anxious and worried about what the
outcome is, and I get it. In all seriousness, I do understand like why people are like that, But you know, I would remind you that life will go on, and if you really think about it, I don't want to make it sound as if politics aren't important and whatnot. But I'd say for most of us, you know, you could be unhappy with it, but you know, your day to day is probably not going to be significantly impacted,
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