All right, I renumber two here on a Tuesday afternoon coffee and company. Philbeth Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety es mench you don't forget. You can take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the iHeart Radio app. Listen live It's seven ninety Louisville dot com. And we'll get our second hour started by bringing in mister C. L. Brown of the Courier Journal cl Did you think that the Cards played one of their better games against Kentucky. I mean, I know, I'm coming at it from a
fans perspective. I feel like, you know, I wish they would have won. They could have done some things better, but I kind of feel like that was a really good shot from this team as far as what they have to work with against a really good team at their place.
Oh yeah, for sure. I think so. I would even be more specific and say I think they played one of their better games offensively. Defensively. I felt like they you know, a couple of those like runouts and transition where somebody wasn't back, somebody didn't just stop the ball from going down the lane in the first half. You know a couple of those things that have to be cleaned up. I thought defensively could have been better. But yeah,
I mean they make fourteen three pointers. They're gonna win a lot more games in the second half of the season than lose.
And I know that some people just look at the numbers and say, hey, well they got hot early on against Duke, and you know, they had a pretty good shooting day against Kentucky.
But they hit tough shots at the end.
But but you know, I actually feel like the numbers may be, you know, beawt as fluky and like, hey, probably not going to see him make eight of their first eleven very often. But I feel like, you know, it's not just like they were rushing to just try to get the best look they can get as soon as possible. Like I feel like they were kind of just out there playing ball, and you know, guys took
their opportunities kind of. I just to me, it seems like offensively with the seven guys you're playing, these guys are getting more comfortable individually to where they're kind of finding where they fit. You know, Jamon Hadley, I think what you've seen from him recently is kind of what he's gonna be Chucky, Hepburn the aggressive version of him. Clearly, that's where Louisville has their highest ceiling. Terrence Edward's coming off the bench, but man, he's playing with a lot
of confidence. I don't know what the overall ceiling is for this screw, but I think offensively, you know, against a good Kentucky team, like if if they can be that version and you know, maybe not shoot as well, and they're gonna have off nights, but I feel like that's that's a potential good recipe for this team to end up maybe find finding a way into the tournament later this year.
Yeah, the thing about the tournament I feel like is the amount of good games, quality games they're gonna have to really make an impression. And it's it's in the ACC this year. They're just not gonna be that many opportunities. So they are definitely gonna have to play that kind of level game that they played against Kentucky and UH and especially in the first half against Duke. They're gonna have to play at that level in these games against Carolina, Clempson, Pitt.
Those are the games that they can you know, make potentially get Quad one type wins and potentially you know, be uh, make an impression on the tournament committee when that time comes.
Yeah, losing to really good teams, and you know, some of these games weren't competitive at the end, like Tennessee when they were fully healthy.
That was ugly.
Obviously, the Old Miss game was was really ugly. The Doe game was closer, but you're still lost by love. And like I'm starting to think and I don't know enough about how these formulas work, like the net you know, ken palm and whatnot, but clearly there's an emphasis on not just beating a team or you know, covering the leged spread, but you know, making sure that that at the end of the day, the formula, you know, does
give you value. You know, Louisville losing to some of these teams by a whole lot, Like it's tough to know if that's going to really it may not matter at all because maybe they just aren't quite a tournament type team, but like I feel like that's one of those things that may come back to haunt them.
That's a good point, Nick, And I'm not sure to answer your question, I'm not sure what how much margin of lost or margin of victory as whichever side you're looking at it from, how much that will come into play during those the way the networks and everything like that. But I mean, I do think the committee also, besides the numbers, can look at it plainly, like they lost to Tennessee. Tennessee is a number one team in the nation right now. They lost to an Old miss team
this rank. They lost to a duke team this rank. They're they're losing to good teams. They're losing the Oklahoma's rank and are they still unbeaten? They were unbeaten, Oklahoma still unbeaten?
Right, yeah, let me check, So, just had it pulled up here.
Yeah, this Oklahoma team currently is ten and oh yeah, and they just knocked off Oklahoma State, so yeah, they've Yeah, they're still undefeated. Tennessee's undefeated. I mean Louis's, Louisville's I just referenced this earlier. Dana Brown put it out yesterday. Louisville's teams they've lost to are combined forty seven and
four overall. So and you know, they you can and you can find some different formulas out there that tell you the adjusted offensive tempo, that kind of stuff, efficiency ratings that.
They've played a really really good.
Schedule when it comes to teams that's just hard to guard, and they've also played teams that are pretty good defensively, like Tennessee and Old Miss that can really just kind of lock you down to Duke is actually a really good defensive team this year when it comes to the numbers. So I guess, you know, for me, I'm just trying to find BA you know, what real value is there when you play a team are really competitive or maybe just during stretches it's competitive, Like it's tough to know
how much value is actually there. With Florida State coming up, that's not like a signature win, but they're having a better season. This will be the first kind of team they've played in that range since they've been this new version of Louisville where they really only play seven guys. I mean, I kind of feel like this game is not going to tell us a whole lot if they win. But I kind of feel like if you go there and it falls flat, it doesn't mean the season's over.
It doesn't even really mean that you're for sure out of the tournament. But I think that would be a pretty you know, you couldn't claim well, what are you going to do? We played Florida State because they're clearly not Kentucky at rup or Duke at home or Old Miss coming on off of a.
Three day trip.
So I'm just curious on your thoughts because I feel like this is, in a weird way, kind of a big test for both these teams on Saturday.
Yeah, I mean it's not I wouldn't put it up there like being a possible marquee victory, but I do think a road game in conference, that's another team that's gonna be I think Florida State, n c State, those kind of teams are gonna be kind of right there in the middle and right there in the mix, and one of those teams I think is gonna emerge with the chance to get into the NCAA Tournament depending on just how the rest of the schedule shakes out for everybody.
So it's important to get those kind of wins. I think this is gonna be a big test. I mean, you know, Leonard Hammelton team always have a lot of size and length, which obviously this Louisville team does not have that. So I think it's gonna be a big challenge, you know, they like to switch a lot on defense. It's it would be a valuable win, I think, to go down there and get that game. So it's it's really to me, it's the first kind of test of a team on even ground in conference.
No doubt.
I mean, the UTEP game was kind of smashed in the middle where they're not a terrible team, but certainly much different than the opponents you had played since you, you know, since you got back from the Bahamas. So yeah, I it's tough to know what you're really gonna be
able to make of it after the fact. But I'm eager to see this team play a team that you know they could lose to, certainly, but I feel like if they are if the value that I believe is there despite some of these losses to good teams, and then I think they, you know, hopefully they can't take care of business. But let me ask before we move on to Kentucky, what do.
You what do you know?
Or maybe it's nothing, just maybe you could give me a guess. Why can't Big Frank get minutes? Like I don't think he can do a whole lot for you as far as like you you run offense, the room or you know, anything like that. But like I'm surprised with them being ast is they are on the post that he can't give them just like some spot minutes.
Yeah, it's it's puzzling, you know, looking at how the foul trouble played out Saturday and rupp Arena and at a couple of points, I was looking at his events just to see, okays he even like, you know, getting looked at. Is he getting up? Is he gonna get some run? I think what I mean, what it comes
down to is the level of trust, you know. I mean a coach has to has to trust players on a certain level to put him in, especially on a road in a road game, in a situation like that, in a rivalry game where it's gonna be intense and every possession matters, and and I just assume that, you know, he hasn't gained that level of trust yet with with Pat Kelsey. We saw him play a little bit against UTEP.
From that game, I kind of felt like, and I don't know if this is the thing or not, but it just seemed like he was a bit out of sync, like like he didn't necessarily know where he was supposed to be, especially offensively a couple of times when I observed him, and I could be off on that, but it's something is off clearly because he's not in the rotation and they could really use another front court player. So I feel like that's.
Something to keep an eye on, ye, just a body.
Yeah, yeah, certainly. Because it's been that way so far doesn't mean it has to stay that way.
You know.
It could just be a matter of if he's made a slower transition to getting used and getting acclimated to Pat Chelsea's system. So I do think that Kenni Roops is coming on and by the end of the season he could be a really a really good player and a really key reserve in terms of the front court. But you know, it would be it'd always be helpful to have another body.
In there too, especially with foul trouble. I mean, to give up fouls.
I mean, I just feel, you know, you're right as far as kind of just not looking totally comfortable on offense when he was in the game against utub But I mean, there's things he could provide that really don't take any ability and skill. It's just like, hey, don't you know, don't be a liability. Defensively, give us some presents a body, maybe give a foul or two if
need be, and I mean set a screen. I just I feel like, you know, for what they could there's some there's some things they could get there that even if he is maybe a terrible player. I'm not saying that Pat thinks that, and he would never say that at all, but yeah, I just feel like there should be there should he should be getting more minutes than what he's getting up to this point. All right, one more on Louisville Lote lied you mentioned can I uh
what is what I mean? I feel like he should play every minute just because I don't think he's that big of a I mean, I don't think he makes many more mistakes than other guys out there in the front court. And I think the more reps he gets, the better you'll be in the end of this season. And at times he helps you like he was. I mean, I thought he really looked good against Duke, and you know, he's still he's playing.
He's one of the seven guys.
But like, I just feel like there's been a little bit of a hesitation to kind of just let him loose. And I'm just curious if you've made that observation, and then if you think there's one thing specifically that's keeping him from getting more minutes.
I'm not sure if there's one thing, but I think it is just kind of one of those freshmen deal where he hasn't played enough and gotten enough reps in this system to where he can get the keys to the car. I think that's essentially just what it comes down to.
Time.
The more time he gets, the more time he puts in, including in practice and everything, the better. The more Pat Kelsey is gonna trust to put him out there, and the more we will actually see him.
I agree.
I think his upside is probably higher than James Scott's. And I mean, if Waterman can't get his three point shooting more consistent moving forward, I think he even might present a better the better option out.
There than Waterman, no doubt about it.
I definitely think he's somebody to keep an eye on because I've been impressed with It's how he's played, you know, in these last three four games, and I think he's you know, I think the sky is the limit for him eventually.
Same here.
Seal Brown of The Curry Journal is our guest joining us here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. Kentucky obviously played really well against against Louisville and Lamont, Butler had a game that he'll not probably never have again.
I mean, what a performance from him.
I guess I'll ask you the same question I asked last week and see if you've got any updated thoughts. Doing it against Louisville doesn't necessarily, you know, make them any more impressive now than they already were. They had wins against Duke and against Gonzaga. But the more I watch this Kentucky team, I mean, I feel like, you know, they are not They're not you know, if everybody's at their best, I'm not sure they're in that top tier.
But I feel like Mark Pope has a really really good team in his first season that I wouldn't be shocked, if, you know, if they end up getting a really good seed. I know the SEC is really really tough, but I've been I've been really impressed with Kentucky so far this year.
I mean, I'm right there with you. I wouldn't have expected him to be ten and one at this point in the season. If you have me back in August, you know, had a lot of questions just on how quickly guys are going to get acclimated to their new roles and each other and playing within that system. And it seems all of that has happened almost flawlessly. I mean, I really don't see any hiccups with what they with what Mark Pope is instilled in what they've been trying
to do, and and they've been tested. I mean that that road when I mean technically it was a neutral court in Seattle, but playing against Gonzaga that was that was a very impressive win. And I mean to be playing so late at night in terms of East Coast time and what their body clocks are normal, what's normal to their body clocks, and to have to come back from down double digits when it seemed like, you know, I think I said on last week's show, I dozed off.
Like yeah, yeah, for me, it was a nightmare.
But yeah, yeah.
But I mean that that showed a lot of art. That showed a lot of resilience, and I think they're growing in confidence in what they can do. You know, I think there might have been a little doubt early on just in terms of like how good are we really, you know.
And that moment can make you a lot better as a team. I mean, that's kind of a you know, to say that it's like a defining moment. I guess it'll end up, you know, you have to wait and see sort of how everything plays out. But like that, that told them a lot about themselves, and I think it's actually one of the more impressive wins we've seen
in college basketball this season. Not to say Gonzaga is just, you know, completely unbeatable, but you know, as you mentioned, that was a road game and in their environment, different time zone.
All that stuff.
So yeah, they've they've gotten off to such a such a good start. What do you make of the rivalry when it comes to just the new ara here, two new coaches. I think both fans kind of had this itch they couldn't get rid of because they found themselves liking the opposing coach. But they felt weird about it because I mean, I think both these guys are are what you see is what you get. I don't think
there's going to be any real animosity. I think they genuinely respect one another, and and and the guys who play in the rivalry are going to carry themselves.
I think for the most part the way their coach wants him to.
I mean, I thought that little dust up near Louisville's bench, I mean it never really escalated to where they needed to call anything else, and I you know, it's it's kind of a good not a good moment for the rivalry necessarily, but like you know, tensions are high because of it being a rivalry, but you know, I don't know, Just to me, it's kind of weird, like I'm going to have a hard time like disliking Mark Pope and uh, you know, I want to dislike him and I want him.
I want to be able to tell you he's a bum, but I think he's actually a really good coach and a really likable guy.
Well I think that that's That's kind of what I wrote about from Saturday's game was that the the spiciness, the heat in the rivalry was kind of missing. To me. There was no polite, right, there was no Yeah, you didn't feel any contentiousness from the teams and from the players. But that'll happen. I think we'll get back to that.
And I'm not obviously I'm not advocating for fighting or anything stupid or outside the lines, but just just that you know what what makes a rivalry special and what makes a rivalry, you know what makes you look forward to My little girls crying right.
Now, But she's upset about the rivalry too. She wants she wants more anger, she.
Wants to see it, she wants to see it. So what what.
This is my life? Trust me, I'm one.
As players get to play in this game a few times and know each other and and maybe not even like each other. I mean, I think really if if Kerr and Prior playing that game for for you can't have respectively, I think there might have been a little bit more. It's because I I would assume UK fans Prior would be the kind of player they love to hate.
So yeah, in the in the in the moment, I didn't realize it. I mean I knew it was it was next level. But there's no scenario there's ever any two coaches in this rivalry that give that give us what Patino and Calipari did just because they had I feel like a personal rivalry within each other, maybe with not a robbery. They just didn't like each other and it was really hard for them to, you know, hide that, and it was almost deeper than the ufl UK fans
coming at each other like that was. That was an era that like I'll be able to say that I was. I experienced it, and it was, it was.
It was intense.
Yes, I don't know that we will duplicate that again, and you know, and thinking of just what those coaches have accomplished and everything, like I think all of that
goes into it, that would be hard to replicate. But the way that Pope and Kelsey have started out, you know, there there're gonna be some high stakes games I feel like in this rivalry's future, including you know, those kind of games that are that are in the tournament and determine somebody's getting knocked out and determined who's going forward and have a chance of winning the championships. So that's that's what I'd say I'd look forward to with this rivalry moving forward.
Cel, you are the man is always appreciate the time, and uh, if I don't talk to you before Christmas, have a happy holiday, my man.
You as well appreciation that.
Take care that.
Cel Brown of the Courier Journal, Yeah, he wrote a really good piece on the rivalry being a little too polite, which I you know, I h you can't force it though, Like that's one of the things that I thought about
after the fact because I'm thinking he's right. You know what this is that we don't need to be so like, you know, because then this is how you know, the two guys are really likable to a lot of the fans on the other side, is that it's one thing to like find them to be kind of like not hateable or dare I say likable, but like when you have like the uncontrollable urge to kind of just put it out there and just say it, like I gotta
say it. I kind of like Mark Pope, I don't want him to win, but like he's you know, that's where you know, it's just kind of you know, it's not normal.
But again, you can't force it. And Seel's probably right at.
Some point they'll be because we make everything way more than it is when it comes to the Robberry So one of them will give, one of them will give something that gives us the chance to, you know, really get back into being toxic and nasty and lunatics, because you know, that's that's.
What Robbalries are all about.
In my opinion, quick break, don't go anywhere, keep it locked right here. It's coffee and Company feel by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety at.
Now back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
You know, we are still relatively in the early part of this. Well, put it this way, college sports has been around a lot longer with no nil and no portal than it has with it, So it's it's been such a constant thing that it doesn't really feel new. But in the grand scheme of things, it's still very much new as far as players being able to go wherever they want, whenever they want, and of course you having to pay to get them to come to play
for you. So this makes total sense. But when I see guys in the portal, I just instantly think, oh, well, they lost a really good player. He's going to be really, really attractive to many schools. But maybe not most of the times, but at least sometimes. And there's been some examples of it today like Bama. You know, they had two guys that have entered the portal that have now
decided to come out of the portal. And it's really just a tactic to show that you will, like, hey, come correct with the with the bag or I'm out of here. And by actually going through the process of entering the portal and you know, talking to other teams, then that, I mean, that makes it clear that like either they can they can come correct in your mind as a player, or they can just try to move
on without you. And I'm curious how many players do that with the hope of like, all right, well, I'll show them, Hey, this is a negotiation, this is how it works. I'm willing to leave. Let's see what they do. Because there's some guys who probably enter the portal hoping the phone rings for like two schools, and then if it doesn't happen, maybe they're like, all right, I'm coming back. But yes, I would. I mean, I don't know what
I would do if I was in their shoes. I mean, I would probably think about what's best for me, because you know, that's what most people do and that's what they should do.
They have every right to do that.
But you know, I'm just thinking about Jamar Johnson because to me, he's the one guy that has hit the portal really in the portal air for Louisville I'm like, man, I think that guy is gonna be really really good elsewhere, and he just wanted to leave. It wasn't It wasn't about playing time or opportunity or the offense. Maybe it was about money, But I think Louisville probably would have been pretty pretty competitive with what they'd pay for him,
because I know they really value him. But you know, nobody's got unlimited money. Therefore, you do have to make some decisions. So if it was financially an issue for Louisville or where they just couldn't couldn't meet him where he wanted to be paid, then you know you got to you got to make that decision and live with it.
But again, as I mentioned earlier, if you're losing a really good tight end in Jamari Johnson, it's nice to know that you can go to the portal and get a visit from the number one un tight end in the portal at that position. That's Max Clayer, who's visiting Louisville today. According to Jody Dimmling, six four to it and forty pound tight end who was very productive for a bad Purdue team last year but obviously clearly a
bright spot for their offense. And again, as I've said, when it comes to offensive skill position players, tight end, receiver, running back, quarterback, I'm gonna trust Jeff Brohm to evaluate talent. And you know, if he brought in a guy that you knew was going to be facing like a big role, very important and like he's stunk where he was previously, then maybe some red flags would pop would pop up.
But so far, so good.
When it comes to Jeff bringing in players each and every year, and it's gonna be you know, louis is not alone. But as I've said for a while, I think Louisville will in fact be one of these schools that ends up on the higher side in that top tier. Maybe not as far as how your class is viewed, did you go out and get a really good class, but the amount of people that come in to your team every year from the portal. I think Louisville will will probably remain on the high side because so far,
I think it's worked pretty effectively for Jeff Brawman. He's clearly comfortable doing this. Some coaches aren't comfortable at all because it's just it's not their style. They you know, they just they don't like it, and I think with Jeff, I'm sure he probably you know, preferred it the other way around, because one it was it was a little less hectic, and you know, you kind of know what you have every year for the most part. But he's done a good job of just knowing, hey, this is
what it is now, there's no changing it. So I just got to adapt. And again, so far, so far, so good. All right, this is this is a story that I feel like is not getting the amount of attention as as I would have expected it to get. You've got Mike Gundy and Mike Norvell, two known coaches here in college football, probably two guys that are both in the top fifteen, maybe top ten as far as highest paid coach. I don't know what Gundy makes, but
I know he's well paid at Oklahoma State. But both of these guys have decided to give up some of their salary and it's really a gift. Like you know, some people think, well, hey, the should give up more than that because they didn't win enough games last year, but like contract exists for a reason, Like nobody made these guys do this. And for those who think, like, well, they must have forced their hand, maybe with gundhy Or. Remember there was some talk that if he didn't do
this then they would fire him with cause. But like Mike Norvell, I mean, he could say, all right, well, I'm not going to do that. I signed a contract. I'm entitled to what we agreed upon, so you got to do what you got to do. Do it. And if they fire him, they owe him every bit of money that's on the contract, right is buyouts humongous, So like it is, these guys, I mean, these guys don't have to do it, but they are. And you know, they're clearly not going to miss a mortgage payment because
they've made some slight adjustments to their contract. But you know, it's still, I think, something that I never thought we'd see. But I also didn't never see college sports looking like this, where money to go pay for players is such an important thing. So let me see if I can get the specifics here Mike Norvell's four and a half point million dollar contribution.
To the.
Let's see here Florida state they're calling the fund. I'm reading directly from USA Today. It says, well, I hate USA Today's website. You click outside of like one thing and it takes you to their homepage every time. Anyways, it says Flida State. They're calling the fundraising campaign a vision of excellence. But coach Mike Norvell's four point five million dollar contribution of the initiative comes off as a penalty.
For I don't even know what that word is.
And then Mike Gundhy he agreed to a reduced compensation or guess he came Yeah, he came to an agreement as far as reducing his compensation to retain his jobs. So I guess that was the I guess with Gundy it was more so like, look, we'll either try to fire you with cause or maybe buy you out. Do you still want to be here? If so, we want you,
but you got to make some adjustment. So either way, it reminded me of when it didn't used to be allowed, Like you weren't allowed as a coach to pay any money towards a collective.
I mean, I'm sure there are still some.
Gray areas to where, like, you know, you can't just take money out of your pocket and give it to a player. I mean, although if you did, nobody'd probably find out, and like maybe you wouldn't even Like, how do you enforce that. But my point is it used to be in the early early days of this to where coaches couldn't couldn't have anything to do with it
at all. And now they're allowed to donate their own money or reduce their compensation and have it go directly towards in an il collective or whatever it may be. And the fact that these two guys are doing it, especially Mike Norvel, like Mike Norvell didn't have to do this, Like Mike Norvell is somebody that I think deserves a little bit more praise for this than Gundhy. I mean with Gundhy again, it sounds more so that like his
hand was was was forced. But I won't be shocked if you see other coaches do this because what it is is it's an investment in the It's basically you gambling on yourself, right because if you know that you taking less money, well, it's it's a sign of good faith to your employer that you're willing to, you know, do that when you you don't have to.
In the end, Mike Novella is helping Florida.
State out, but he's also helping himself out because again, if things are going better for the football program. That's good for the university, and you know what, that's good for Mike Norvell as a coach and as a person. So if in fact, Mike Norvell's decision to give up some of his money ends up really paying off in Florida State is role And let's just say Florida State in the next three years is back in the playoff
twice and they win a national championship. I don't think that will happen, but like if it did, you know, Mike Norvella is gonna want a new contract, and you know he's gonna bring up the fact that he gave back some money the last time around to make it happen. So no coach is gonna be required to And I wouldn't blame a single one if they chose not to, because again, you have a contract for a reason. You would just be giving you'd be doing a gift for
your employer. How many of you guys out there are gonna be nice to your boss? Hey, you know what, didn't.
Have a great year, You keep keep ten percent of my salary? Like nobody's doing that.
Again, I know it's not super relatable because you know they can be terrible as coaches and still get every dime and they make a lot more money than the average the average citizen, but still like it is a job to them, and they're not entitled to do it.
These schools are their employer, like your employer is your employer.
So you know, I'm just curious to see if other guys end up doing it, And I know coaches are going to be asked about it and how they answer is going to be interesting.
Like Mark Pope, I don't know if you guys remember this or not.
He used to say that if I would, I could, because he knew how important it is to raise money. And before he did the whole pony up thing and put his foot in his mouth, he you know, he was, and he's all that was really a rare thing for him, Like more often than not, he's usually pretty pretty polished when it comes to like saying things and understanding fans. May you know, fans are going to be really paying close attention to this answer to this question and whatnot.
But if in fact their nil money is not ever in the right place, like can he still say pony up now? If I would? Because that was clearly a stupid thing to say. Anyway, he did say before the season ended that they've never been in a better position
when it comes to Nile money. But if in fact he ever mentioned needing money, like if he's ever out there, whether it be a tweet or if he's campaigning at an event, at a press conference, at his radio show, urging fans to to support because it's much needed when it comes to nil, I mean you're walking into them saying, oh, well, great, Coach, now you can pony up. You told us that you would give money, but it wouldn't allow. Well now it is, so now it's your turn to pony up.
You ready?
Like again, Like, maybe he does do it because he probably doesn't need money and he realizes one this will be a sign of good faith to my fan base that I'm willing to, you know, sacrifice some of the millions that I make to try to turn this thing around. But like, I have a hard time thinking he would do that because like most people wouldn't. So two things we never thought we'd see. Coach is just deciding to
just give money back and news that shocked me. Yesterday Dabo Sweeney went to the portal, did you see this, Austin Dabo Sweeney has signed his first player from the transfer portal. Is he's finally caved. First, he went from telling us that the day that players get paid is the day he'll.
Leave for the NFL. Well he didn't.
He lied, and you know, he told us his transfer portals right there in that locker room, and you know made some kind of I mean, what was the comed He said something about like some kind of Jesus Christ thing when it comes to like the portal.
The name and image and likeness under Jesus or something like just sure this portal isn't just like a church, and went.
Well, the guy he landed is a wide receiver who is transferring from Southeast Missouri State, which is an FCS school. So maybe maybe God was telling Dabo that this young man is is going to bring a great energy and a great spirit to your locker room. And Jesus christol would would want this, and he is our Lord and Savior, and we're we're gonna welcome this young man just like you welcome anybody to your church with open arms, right like, in fact, it's not very church like, Dabo, is that a word?
Church like?
Church?
Like? Yeah, I mean it's not I mean, I don't want to say it's not very Christian, because that could be you know, I don't want to I don't want to offend anybody. But like I know, any time I've ever been to any church, more often than not, I was a guest because I don't I mean, I'm Catholic. I go to Mass every now and then, but like you know, I've gone to other churches too, with family and friends and whatnot, and and it's been great. But
like they're very, very welcoming. They don't they probably know I'm not a regular. They probably know I'm not maybe that same religion, because you know, they don't recognize me. But yet they're welcoming Debo not letting anybody into his church, meaning Clemson. That's that's I mean, I think that's a hypocrite. But now maybe he's realized his hypocritic ways and he's now welcoming in players from the portal.
So I wonder if Jesus can run a good cover too.
Oh, there's nothing he can't do.
He's I mean, he'd be the best player of all time in any sport if he chose to play. But he's got bigger things to worry about than sports. He lets that he leaves that to the athletes out there, not that he's not an athlete himself.
I heard j C can do it a little bit of everything.
Yeah, utility guy, very unselfish team player, exactly exactly. All right, quick break, we will come back on the other side, wrap of the four o'clock hour. Get back to the text line. Keep this thing rolling along right here on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety Now back to coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
So far, so good for Teddy Bridgewater as a head coach. In his first year as the head coach of his alma mater down there in Miami, Miami Northwestern High School, he won a state championship, and I wouldn't be shocked if he's coaching at the college level at some point.
I know there was some former NFL players I can't think of who it was, that had gone to an HBCU that has an opening, and they were advocating that they hope Teddy gets a look, which that be a little bit, you know, a little bit early, considering he's only been away from the NFL for one season and
only coached in high school. But guy's pretty good at whatever he wants to do, it seems and good leader guy that really was not vocal as a player here, but you could tell he had a command of that that offense and led by example and clearly developed some good leadership skills more so than just.
Acting at out. Meaning you know, he was a guy in a lot. I mean, you're a Vikings fan, you can tell like he he was beloved up there, not only by fans, because you know, Teddy's a pretty likable guy anyway, a lot of charisma and you know, with the locker room like they loved him, and he's very well respected by every NFL player.
It seems like he played either with or against.
Yeah, Mike, Mike Zimmer actually loved him. And he's a he's a he's a he's a defensive guy at heart, so he hates quarterbacks, but he he he loved Teddy Bridgewater and it seemed like I've never even been to Minnesota, so that's funny being a fan, but it seemed like they welcomed him with open arms there and he's just he's probably one of my favorite players ever. I just
love watching him play. He's a straight up baller and they were ready to hand the keys to the whole city of Minnesota to him, but then, of course an unfortunate injury that just kind of derailed everything.
Yeah, and I know Louisville fans, of course, will always think of Teddy for his time here and whatnot, and he's one of the more beloved Louisville players of all time. But you know, I think honestly down the line, he'll be remembered like by you know, NFL fans, they don't even really think of Louisville as a journeyman, but also a guy that you thought for sure would never play again, and then you know he did.
He was able to get back, and.
You know, it was never he never was able to sort of latch on as somebody's full time starter where it felt like, Okay, this is our franchise quarterback. I mean, it did his best the best scenario for him when
he was backing up Drew Brees. And I don't mean Teddy literally changed his financial status for the rest of his life when he decided to not you know, re sign with the Saints and just wait for Breeze to hang it up, Because I do think it might have worked out had he done that, because that I mean.
He's the guy that you plug and play.
He's good enough to where you can win at a high level if you're pretty sound everywhere else. You know, he's he wasn't a bad quarterback by he means he played in the NFL for for ten years, but by him taking the bag and signing that contract with the Panthers,
and we all know it didn't work out. They later traded him to Denver, but you know that was that was the biggest contract he signed in the NFL, and you know he was going to be fine, I would assume financially regardless of what deal he signed, because you know, he played in the NFL for a long time, but
that was a lucrative deal. And hey that it didn't didn't work out, But I've always wondered, you know, if he did decide maybe or maybe the contract was just different to where he had another year before it was it was time for him, Like if you'd have waited one more year in New Orleans, they would have probably just handed the job to him and it might have worked out very successfully. But you know, we'll never know, yeh,
because remember, well, as a coach, that's for sure. He went when Breeze got injured that year, he went five and a zero with him. So, like like you said, he just plug him play and he made himself as like a true journeyman and a very reliable backup quarterback
for the tail end of his career. Yeah, there are there are a handful of guys that I think are in that in that range to where you never you never want them to be relied upon, to where you're gonna need to use their ability at QB to like beat teams, because you know that's probably not what they can do. But if you've got a good play caller, you've got a good old line, you can run the ball. These guys can, like I think in a way, maybe I'll be wrong here, like brock Purty is a good quarterback.
But brock Purty's best strength is that he knows who he is and he doesn't try to veer away from that, and he's consistent. That's what makes you know. He has bad games, but that I think that's what makes him
stand out. I wouldn't put Gardner Minshew in that category because he makes he makes some silly mistakes at times, but he's also somebody that like, if he did limit those mistakes and he was in a system that was already pretty well set up everywhere else but quarterback, Like, I think you could you could get by with him
and probably win at a high level. Trying to think of some other guys that are kind of in that in that tier to where they're like, there are certain guys in the league that what they do is a huge factor and why their team is successful, you know what I mean. Like I thought that was Russell Wilson whenever he was at Seattle, like he was with a really he had a really good defense, They could run the ball very effectively with Marshawn Lynch, and you know,
they were pretty good everywhere else. And then you know he'd kind of had to do it all, you know, didn't He was doing well statistically at the end of this time in Seattle, but you know, they weren't winning. He goes to Denver and it is wild because Russell has done pretty well. They came up. You know, they didn't have a good game. The Steelers didn't play well against the Eagles the other night, but the Eagles are
a really, really good team. But I kind of felt like with the way it ended with Russell Wilson in Denver, like it was a sign that things are going to be really really bad for Sean Payton in Denver. But here he is with Bo Nixon, it's been it's been a success. Yeah, so maybe they those two just didn't didn't fit together. But I am not at all surprised.
And we'll see. There's a lot of football left and they haven't accomplished a whole lot just yet.
But like I I the sinnate area where Russell Wilson ends up kind of emerging once again as a as a solid quarterback that you can win with for a good team in the NFL. I feel like Tomlin and
and and he were a perfect match. But you know, obviously got a for for for Philadelphia or not philadep but for Pittsburgh to feel like they've got their guy moving forward for years to come, obviously they're gonna have to you know, continue to win and win in the playoffs because right now he's kind of just looked at as, you know, a journeyman again, Like it's crazy two years ago or three years ago, whenever it was he got
that insane contract from Denver. Yeah, and now he's you know, he had to beat out.
Who was it was? It Fields?
Well, yeah, actually some Fields who I think they won games with too. Yeah, So he was winning early on, and he was the guy. You know, I was kind of thinking, hey, why would you mix it up? It's already working. But I think what with what that told us was that as soon as he was healthy, meaning Wilson, they knew that they were a better team with him at quarterback.
Yeah.
So, and and the and the way that Mike Tomlin runs sayings is the way that kind of the Steelers are built. They he just needs a quarterback that's just gonna kind of chuck downfield, like relying on defense, went on defense, And that's a guy. And Mike Tomlin's one hell of a coach.
Oh hell yeah. I mean I was here.
I was talking to some folks, actually my cousin who I went to the Titans game. If he was telling me about the new version of Hard Knocks that features just that division. Yeah, yeah, and that like Tomlin is, like anybody who watched, I mean, I'm not surprised at all. I haven't watched it yet, but I feel like if you see some behind the scenes stuff as far as what he's like, how he talks to his team in
the locker room like dude's just the leader. And I can see why Pittsburgh has no intention of ever making a change.
There he's telling the rest to get the f out of my face? Did you see that?
Now?
I say that, that's awesome. I love Tomlin, Love Tomlin. All right, quick break, we got one more hour to go. We'll finish strong. Here it's coffee and company. We are feel about. Thorton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety
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