It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. Holy crap, I.
Don't know who the hell we think when we.
Are get off our show, idiot.
The kids are playing or tail off. The countries are screwing it up.
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All right, let's get it started. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome in.
I was gonna say to a Monday edition of Coffee and Company fuel by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety, but it's not Monday. It's Thursday, the day after Christmas. We've got two days left, and then we have the weekend, and then we kind of start like the same holiday schedule all over again, with New Year's Eve and of course New Year's Day both falling on a Tuesday and a Wednesday. So weird week. But hey, I'm happy to
be back. I don't know if it's because I was so busy during the holidays, meaning both days I was off. Great time, celebrating family and Christmas and you know, well celebrating Christmas with family, a bunch of family, and it's been awesome. In fact, I still have some this weekend that I that I've got planned. So it was great. But maybe because it was so busy. I feel like Austin, the last time you and I did a show was like a month ago.
Hey, it really does feel like it.
Yeah, I hope you had a great Christmas.
Yeah you too, man, I was, I was, I was a little bit under well, I'll just I was gonna try to not make it sound bad and I don't think it's terrible, but uh, Christmas morning was kind of a bummer for me. It was great to see my kids open up their presence, uh, and they were surprised. And Sanna did really well this year. But I talked about it on the show if you remember, not Austin, but I was my wife and I decided not to do presents this year, and she was, you know, she was,
she was consistent. I was worried that I would actually not get her a gift, which I didn't, and then like she would think, like, well, I just had to get you something because I could not have you open a present, and then I would feel like, you know, because I was on her like, hey, be real, are we doing this.
Like no gifts?
And sure enough both did no gifts and you know, save us some money this Christmas time. And it's usually just been about I mean, since we've had kids, we look forward to most on Christmas is everything that comes with having young kids that are really into it, that love Santa, that kind of stuff. But I kind of felt like there was a little bit of a void, kind of an empty spot there because I didn't I didn't buy anybody like anything.
Yeah, and you know, it wasn't.
About me getting gifts because I'm really hard to shop for anyways, because like I usually just you know, I'm a pretty simple man. I don't I don't need for much and if I do, I'll get it myself. And I don't spend a whole lot of money. I just spend money on things you know that I need to kind of keep me going. But I told her, no more, We're going to do Christmas with each other, and you know, if we if we want to just do like three
gifts a piece or something whatever. But you know, I kept talking throughout the Christmas time that it didn't feel like it was really here. I think it's because I wasn't thinking about getting gifts for really anybody, because anybody else I get gifts for her she usually takes care
of but because it's from us and the family. But she was kind of the person that I would usually shop for, and you know, I'd be procrastinating and scrambling a couple of days before at different stores, just trying to make sure I felt like I did a good job. I did good enough, and I didn't have to do any of that this year, which I guess was kind of nice. But I think I kind of miss that. I think that's just become part of, you know what, of what Christmas. Christmas is there.
It can be like an empty void, especially if you're like not looking forward to like getting something on Christmas. That's kind of how it was for me. But the fiance did end up getting something for me, and we did too. We we still like to do the gift giving.
So yeah, it's a big it's a big part and I always knew that, but I think this year not doing it made me realize, Okay, no, that when I think of a great Christmas that's a part of it and I need that back.
Did Santa do good with you?
Oh?
Yeah, Santa the Big Man looked out for me good stuff. Got some Jordan's and got some whiskey that the new Chris Stapleton's got a whiskey out too, so nime of that.
That was really cool.
And actually this is fully grown up stuff that I love. The parents actually got me us a vacuum cleaner, okay, and that is so clutch because I've actually been going over there and kind of like stealing theres. My parents live like not even five six minutes away from me, so I'm always kind of going over there and stealing my mom's vacuum cleaner. So they just said, well, we know what you're getting you for this Christmas, and it was it's actually great.
And I'm six.
Seven years ago I would have been like a vacuum cleaner, but now, yes, look at.
You growing up man.
You know you need it and you know you'll utilize it, and you know this may sound crazy, but there'll be days where you kind of just look forward to using it and that's and that's life now, not because you're like, well, I'm glad I have this because I have to clean up, Like it'll be something that you know, I'm kind of with my schedule be in the way it is and and me getting home a little bit later than than
than than my wife and kids do. I mean, I've kind of become the mister mom when it comes to straightening up the crib.
And like I like doing it.
Like it's kind of and I wouldn't say like it's fun, but it's productive. I like to see the job when it's all said and done, so you'll be you'll be using that vacuum more often than you probably even realize that.
Yeah, it's something that you're just like me.
It's something that you could put your name on at the end of the day, Like, yeah, you've seen those nice floors. See how I you could like scrub the couch with the little extendo arm thing. That thing's pretty clutch too, and it's it's it's pretty it's pretty awesome. I absolutely loathe sweeping, so like vacuuming is like a good like substitute for that. Maybe there may be like a little bits of dust that I can't get, but
that that helps so much, dude. And actually I did not what I was looking forward to most I guess and I avoided trying to buy socks the last three weeks because I thought that's just what every dude.
Yes, I got crossed this year from some family members.
Didn't I get any sock man? Yeah, now I actually got to go buy some damn socks and.
Other And that's one of those things you probably weren't like, thinking, you know, can't wait to get some socks, but they didn't come this year, and you're like, you know what, I think that's gonna need to be staple. I'm gonna have to make sure somebody knows to get me some socks.
Ye.
So yeah, I had a great Christmas, and I hope everybody else did as well. And uh, my favorite gift it wasn't It wasn't a gift that that I got or that that that I gave to somebody, but it was so my uh and I forgot that my wife was doing this. But my my, my father is is going to be Mason, my son, his his first year playing basketball is actually in fact, he plays his first game next weekend, but he's he's in a four year
old basketball league. And my dad, his grandpa, is going to be his coach and I'm gonna be I'm going to be kind of like the assistant.
And I forgot that.
My wife, she ended up buying a whistle because my my my son said that that he's his his pap Paul needed a whistle, so he opened up his his presence on Christmas Eve night, my dad did. And uh, seeing that my my little one got in my whistle was was really cool.
Saw yeah, good stuff all right.
Now, speaking of good stuff, yesterday the NFL decided they were gonna get involved and really take over what people watch when it comes to sports on Christmas or really maybe anything.
And they did it with Netflix, and.
I, I mean, I was pretty impressed with everything that came with Netflix's production and it just got me thinking, you know, one, the NBA already was in a tough spot this year with viewership being down and Christmas Day kind of used to be where, you know, you knew that was on all day, and now like I didn't even because I knew there was good football games on, didn't care if it was Netflix, if it was on whatever, and I wanted to watch, I forgot the NBA was even going on.
Yep.
And what happened is that because the game was on Netflix. Both both NFL games, you didn't see like like, you didn't see any promotion for for the NBA. So usually, you know, more often than not, I shouldn't say, well, a lot of big time sporting events are on ESPN right like Monday Night Football. I mean, ESPN is is the worldwide leader in sports, so they're gonna promote, you know, what they do throughout and you see a ton of NBA like that's what the NBA. Some people may be
surprised that the NBA viewership is down. It's probably never been what you guys think it is, because despite it being shoved in your face NonStop by ESPN, and it's a big talking point on the roundtable shows that they have all day every day seemingly, but that doesn't mean that everybody's tuning in to watch it.
It's just not a good product.
So the NBA used to be able to claim Christmas was kind of their day, and I guarantee you they lost a ton of viewership because the NFL decided to have games on Netflix yesterday and I don't see them going away from that, and I don't I don't see why Netflix can't become it's like, why they can't include live sports as a huge, you know, a big component of what they do along with everything else. And I'm you know, there's way more that goes into it than
I would ever know. But it's been sort of like a you know, a tech not tech I guess a media TV rights kind of thing. It's been talked about for years to where why does Disney want ESPN? And I assume a lot of people know that that that that Disney owns ESPN. But again I guess maybe there's people that that don't realize that. But it's been an
ongoing thing really pre pandemic. But then once once the pandemic happened, and you know, it was quite clear which side politically, ESPN personalities were told to kind of you know, stay on and things that they were willing to discuss and things that they wouldn't discuss. I mean you could tell, like the Disney brand was very much visible throughout times when it comes to you know, ESPN. So you know, there's been columns written by people like why does Disney
want ESPN? They could sell it and you know be fine without it, and ESPN actually would you know when it didn't have to kind of operate underneath Disney. I mean ESPN could you know, maybe let their hair down a little bit right, maybe unbuttoned the top button on their dress shirt and like, you know, be a little bit more entertaining and fun and not so PC and not so dare I say woke? And I just thought, like, why doesn't Netflix buy ESPN from Disney? Clearly they have
the money to do it. I mean, I guess Disney would be like, well, it's not for sale. And if that's the case, that's then you know whatever. But I don't even think Disney has really put a whole lot of priority into ESPN. I mean they've made it when you make huge cuts from a company like they have over the years, and it's been you know, jobs that
weren't really replaced. Not to say that that's not you know that happens everywhere, but you know, Disney also has to feed Disney all the other you know, everything that comes with it. It's not ESPN and sports. So like if if if ESPN had a little bit like if they were they were independently owned. I don't mean, I don't mean like a one person guy from the street We're not talking Dave port or Dave portn or in Barstool Sports, but if they were not under the umbrella
of a company like Walt Disney. I feel like in really that that was the only priority was to make ESPN great. I feel like it could be way better than it is right now. Yeah, and to see Netflix be able to put together what they did yesterday with those two NFL games. You know, you could tell, like anybody who was out there part of it in any way, like see him Punk was on the it was on it in some capacity.
Uh has shirtless?
I mean I saw people joking last week about how do they really need forty eight people to broadcast the football game? But that's what like Netflix could do because it's Netflix, meaning like they can bring in And what I don't understand is how the contract worked out with some of these, Like for example, Greg Olsen was your
color analyst in the second game. Well, he works for Fox, so like he must have it in his contract to where he's like an into like because football is a very little component to what like CBS and Fox does. I'm sure these guys probably have it in their contract to where since they're only calling games like eighteen weeks a year. They probably have the ability to go work for some other networks, probably not ESPN, probably not Fox, if you work for CBS or vice versa. But they
probably never thought I would. You'd have to worry about Netflix because you know, they'd never have been in this space before. So you could tell these were professionals, but you could also tell this was a one off, meaning that they've not worked together on set for years and they've not done a bunch of games together. I mean, I thought Ian Eagle and Nate Burlison with JJ Watt like those guys I think are fine, but like you
could tell they've never worked a game together. And Nate Burleson, I think he's sharp, but like he's not on a talk show. He did what he did what I think a lot of time when you see somebody who's a studio analyst or maybe like a host of a show, radio, whatever it may be, and ESPN kind of throws them down to like do color commentary, they can't get out of their brain that they're not on a talk show, like I talked. I said that about Jay Williams a lot.
Jay Williams, you know he did radio for a long time he was on Get Up. I mean, he's had a lot of different jobs, but when he went from you know, I think he's gotten a little more comfortable with it once again now. But when he started doing college basketball games for the first time in a while, I think it was back, you know, towards the beginning of the KP era, Like you couldn't it wasn't as if he was just over talking like it wasn't. He wasn't over talking to play by play guy. He wasn't
you know, interjecting. But once he would start talking to give you know, calm terry, which is his job, it would turn into a radio segment and like that's not what that's for. So I noticed a little bit of that yesterday, but overall, like I was really impressed. You know, there seemed to be a real understanding, and some people probably thought it was laying whatever. And I didn't like seeing Kelsey and Mahomes out there in those big Santa coades,
just you know, because I can't stand the chiefs. But like that was an added entertainment element that that you know, Netflix probably thinks about more so than you know than ESPN. So I'm not throwing it out there to say that this is gonna happen. I have no clue or I have no clue Disney would even want to sell ESPN, But I feel like if they did, there'd be a buyer in Netflix. Like imagine if everything you watch that's underneath the ESPN umbrella, rather it be ACC Network, SEC Network,
anything on ESPN, anything on ABC, ESPN two, ESPN. You just think of you know how often times when you're watching sports content, rather it be a game or show, it's you know, even if you have good for ESPN plus, that's still within the ESPN world, right, Imagine if all of that just existed within Netflix. Everybody has Netflix. I feel like I could be wrong. It's one of those things that it's been around so long, it's so popular. I just assume everybody has it. But you know, maybe
I'm way off there. Like Netflix is the one I think people keep a hold of because it's just been a constant when it comes to streaming. Maybe they don't
watch as much on there as they used to. So we're going to get there at some point, Like at some point there will be there will be a streaming provider that that does decide to like you know, make a because they're all in bed with these leagues right now, right like Netflix, they this is their first this is the first time that they did something like this with the NFL, but you know they had the boxing match before, They've done something.
With soccer and Tom Brady roast exactly exactly.
And then you've got with Amazon prom Thursday Night football every single week.
You've got Peacock. I think they've had an exclusive.
And Peacock, by the way, has Big Ten games now that you did that you watch on the Big Ten network. So every one of these streaming services has dipped their toe in. They they've done some trial and error to see kind of you know what, if they have the ability to do it more than they want to, if they're subscribers are into it, and does it generate more people wanting to subscribe and sign up. So one of these companies is gonna take a bigger swing and say
we want a bigger piece of this pie. And I don't know if that's a move that you know, they acquire ESPN, but I just feel like it if there was one that was gonna do it, I would feel like Netflix would be the most inclined to do it because you know, I feel like there still are the bigger brand, and you know, they've had some competition on the streaming front, but last I checked, there's still they're still killing it as far as subscriptions and revenue and whatnot.
And you know, I just feel like anybody watching sports right now probably already has Netflix. But again that's probably me just in my own bubble thinking that everybody you know is the same way as me, and that's that's not the case.
But ESPN's now doing or yeah, ESPN's now doing the thing on Disney Plus where they they simulcasts a game with like like the Simpsons. You remember when they did that, Oh yeah, the Monday Night Football a few weeks back.
Well, yesterday they did that with the NBA.
But it was like Goofy and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse kind of which I'm not gonna lie sometimes is entertaining because it's cool to watch Donald duck duck on somebody I.
Heard that was actually pretty funny.
Yesteryeary that might have actually been better than the actual games, But.
It's not one of those things you think of like, oh, that'll be entertaining, and then you tune in and you're like, Okay, this isn't bad.
Yeah, yeah, it's not too bad.
You just gotta have you it's not on the ESP and you have to go to the Disney Plus app to view that.
And that's again, these are all things to like get people, just to get them there. Like if you don't have Disney Plus, you know, maybe that maybe that encouraged you to get it so you could watch it and then you're there right like and also that could potentially bring in people who you you know, again, I'm just thinking who the hell it and watching the NFL on Sundays. But it might be people who aren't into it, but if their kids heard about, Hey, there's gonna be something
that's like cartoon related. You know, you're always you know, you're gonna get your base in the NFL has a monstrous base. That sounded dirty, but you know what I mean, did it sound like they have monstrous Like if if somebody said monstrous base and they're talking about me, I'm feeling pretty good good.
But I've always got to count the base.
I'm sorry, But what I mean is, you know I've lost my train of.
The monster's based on on peacock. Good God, the Big ten Monster's base.
Hell, yeah, sounds good to me. Stick around, we got a lot more to get into. It's coffee and company. We're feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety base and then just lost my complete mind.
I now remember what I was talking about.
I was mentioning, uh that when it comes to, you know, wanting to grow your audience, regardless of what you're doing, you you have to understand and of course acknowledge and take care of your the people that you know are going to be there, but you're also trying to do other things to bring in folks that maybe wouldn't be your regulars, right, And that's why I was saying that, you know, nobody has a better built in audience that is going to be there regardless in the NFL because
it's the most popular sport in the country, which is why I mentioned that it's got a monstrous space. And then I just you know, realized that sounded kind of kind of naughty, and then I just you know, I couldn't.
I couldn't. I couldn't get back on track.
But just like talking about growing monsters.
Yeah, the monster space, there's a lot of text line fun there with the monsters space there. So you know anyways, today's show is going to be titled Monster Space, I would imagine, and makes total sense. Well, if you know, you know, you know, it's Coffee and Company. I hope you guys knew that. If not, now you do. We are fueled by Thornton's. Make sure you keep Thornton's in mind when it comes to a lot of things. You
need gas, well, they certainly can help you there. And everybody needs fuel for their vehicle unless you've got an electric vehicle. And yes those are a thing, but still not many on the streets at least that I've run into, although maybe I just don't pay close attention. But regardless, a lot of you still putting fuel in your vehicle and that's where Thornton's can help you. But there's a lot more ways they can help you too. They've got
delicious food items. Man, they have really done a phenomenal job at debuting some really good food. Itde this year in twenty twenty four, and I would imagine it'll be the same in twenty twenty five.
So chaut out to Thornton's.
We certainly appreciate them and looking forward to heading into the new year, continuously being fueled by Thornton's now speaking of the new year, So with the holidays you know going on this week, next week, I'm actually gonna be filling in for Tony Cruz on news Radio eight forty whas for a few days, leagues, Yeah, getting getting the call up. I guess, as they say, it's literally getting up at like four am, which should.
Be you know, should be a lot of fun to be the company man.
Yeah, just uh, you know, for a couple of hours in the mornings or a few hours in the mornings. It's usually a five to nine am thing. Yeah, however, I guess this time of year, we're we're more six to nine am, which is, you know.
A little more a little more doable for me. Yes, very nice.
Uh so, yeah, I'm looking forward to you know, it'll be a challenge for me. I mean it's much different than what this is in like every way, and you know, knowing that and knowing I gotta you know, I gotta switch up my game a little bit to you know, be a to be better suited to uh, you know, to to fill in for Tony.
So well you've done that before, you to wake up that early when we do.
Yeah, but that yes, and and that that I do have some familiarity with. But when it comes to like it being a news show and not a sports show and not I can just you know, there's a lot of nonsense that goes on here. I mean we were just talking monsters base. That's that's you know.
I feel like the crew on news Radio eight forty whas what.
Do you measure apace?
They wouldn't be able to handle the monster space. You know, I don't know how.
I think there's like a I think it's like a digital thing like you just it says monstrous ruler.
Yeah, yeah, something like that.
So anyways, uh, that kind of nonsense that we just got into there is something I probably won't be getting into on HAS and you know, unless they want me to. If you want me to really uh you know, trash up the joint, let me know, I can probably probably make that happen. So with me filling in for a few days tomorrow starting and then early next week, you'll still hear me, but it may just be a different version.
And I do we are going to actually, in fact, I'm looking forward to this in four o'clock hour, We're basically going to do a year in review, kind of like a best stuff thing where we just discussed, you know, twenty twenty four, what stood out best movies, we watched, TV shows, sports moment, that kind of stuff, and we'll have some fun with it and we'll repurpose some of that next week when we're actually off for New Year's So just wanted to give you guys a little bit
of heads up on that. But if you are somebody in this, and I'm very content with where we are right now, I really like what this show is kind of has kind of turned into once we made the
move to the afternoons. But I did love the mornings, and I had a lot of people when I made the move from mornings to afternoons tell me that, you know, they they hate that I did that, and it was kind of uncomfortable for a while because I really stopped knowing what I was supposed to say when people would mention that, like, well, okay, do you realize I, you know, wasn't really necessarily you know, it wasn't necessarily my call.
But then again, I did have some influence and I was looking forward to challenge to move into afternoons, and I love that we're here, but you know, like people were mad at me, and I'm like, well, I'm sorry, we're not. I hate that you missed us in the mornings, but you can always check out the show on the afternoon or listen to the podcast from the previous show when you're on your way to work that next morning. You know, you can kind of still get me in
the morning if you'd like. And I just feel like, I, you know, kind of let people down, which was you know, I'm sure people it was flattering more than anything. But after a while, I'm like, look, I'm not going back to mornings because people like you think there's any chance they put you back, and I'm like, no, we're not going back to mornings. This is this is the show, So please tune in the afternoons and understand that, you know,
we need you as a listeners. So those people, if you've if you know, if you still want me in the morning, I'll be there. It'll just be a station down or I'm sorry, a station up. So you go from seven to ninety up a few notches on your dial to eight forty whas and of course you can also listen on the iHeart Radio app, which I'm sure a lot of you are listening right now. So yeah, I kind of want our regulars to listen in sample size and just kind of, you know.
Give me some feedback.
Oh, I'll be tuning in.
You know, and I'm not going to read it on the text line tomorrow, but like, give me some feedback and be harsh if you want, Like tell me if you think it sucks, tell me if you feel like it's too boring. Because I like the challenge of you know, and they've actually talked about this making has a little bit younger. I like the challenge of you know, giving
has some younger flavor. I mean not to say that those guys over there now are ancient, but those guys over there now are ancient, you know, And I'm kidding they're not. They're not old geezers. But you know, there's a big demo that that, you know, we target, and on the younger side, there's nobody live on.
Has that that is close to that as far as.
You just start lineup, and that's not anybody's fault, that's just kind of how things have worked out. So if I can go over there here and there and help out and you know, make it a little bit more. You know, I got to find that balance of like younger a little bit more, I guess, you know, in touch with that demo, but also like where I can bring some nonsense and just not call it that, you know what I mean.
So let me let me ask, is this like, has have you like a brainstorm with Tony Kruz a couple of things that you're going to talk about? Are you just kind of going in here just just just just doing it raw?
So what I've been doing.
What I've been doing is listening in on his show and pulling up podcast and just because I want this is just I'm literally just help filling in, helping them out when he's on vacation. And you know, I like the challenge and I like the I like the thought of doing this and knowing it's a little bit different. So I've been listening to just different different different parts of his show and figuring out, Okay, here's the structure, here's the format.
What what I do differently here?
What you know, what could I do to you know, not not necessarily not be Tony Cruz, but you know, put my own flavor on it, right, be original and you know, share the news that everybody you know has access to at any point on their phone, but you know, maybe add a little bit of entertainment value to it if I can. So yeah, I'm I'm looking forward to it. It'll be you know, just a few days, but you know, I'll have to get up early, and I'm sure when I get out of bed, I'll be like why did
I Why did I volunteer to do this? But also you know, be able to get out pretty early, Like there's no way those people don't nap, right, And I guess I can ask them. I see those people like they're not humans. I mean they start their day at like three thirty in the morning, like the crew that does has because they're live at five every morning when it's not holidays, and you know, you got to get up. You gotta get ready, I mean you gotta get ready.
For a show.
So the company nds up.
Really, yes, I don't know how you wouldn't squeeze in a nap or just go to bed at like seven pm. And I don't think anybody wants to do that. Yeah that's gross, very gross, very gross. So anyways, yeah, looking forward to it at four o'clock. We'll run through twenty twenty four. I can't believe it's already almost over, but here we are.
All right.
So some breaking news earlier today that I don't know if this was something that people expected this, you know this this season, but Jim Laredega has has stepped down as the head coach at Miami.
And you know it.
He's always been a fine coach, but you know, it has been really really bad. I mean, Miami went to a Final four two years ago, and at that time, it would be crazy to tell you that Laronega, just a season and a half later would be stepping down, because that's how bad Miami is.
I would have never believed.
It, especially when you know that he still has one of his best players from that Final four team. So I don't know why that it's happening mid season. And I'll let you guys hear some sound from him in just a moment. But like, I don't know, people realized how bad Miami was last year. I mean, hell, Kenny Pyne beat him. Kenny Paint's only road win as a head basketball coach came against Kenny Payne or Kemmy Kim against Lernaig at Miami.
Probably time to hanging up there.
Yeah, I mean that alone was a big tell. And then this year they went out on the portal and they brought in some good players. They brought Nigel pack back, who's a really good guard. And they're terrible. I mean they're sitting at four and eight right now. They have losses to Mount Saint Mary's, they have losses to Charleston Southern Drake. I mean, they're they're really really bad. And
that's a good job. And this is I don't mean, I don't know what Syracuse is gonna do, but Red Autry he's probably gonna be I would imagine he'll probably be let go after this year because Syracuse wasn't good last year and they're terrible this year. You know, Virginia clearly has an opening now and they're gonna hire a new coach. I doubt the interim guy has a real chance. And if so, that's crazy because he's not very good in virgin is a really really good job. So like
who gets these jobs in Florida State? Like, at any moment, if Leonard Hamilton steps down, who can be surprised Florida State's not having a very good year this year. I mean, they're they're decent this year, but last year they were bad. Year before that they.
Were really bad.
It's just clearly run its course. He's not getting any younger. So like when those jobs open, who ends up getting hired and what these universities, what Florida State, Miami, Syracuse, Virginia, like, what they decide to do will have a big impact on if the ACC can get back to being a respectable basketball league. And I shouldn't act like it's not a respectable league now because it's still one of, you know, the top five leagues in the country, but like it
used to be the elite league of college hoops. And even if the SEC, you know, because the SEC could have still gotten a lot better in the in the ACC still like maintained, you know, its elite brand.
And what I mean by that.
Is, you know, I'm not the SEC is you could you could learn from what they did. But it's just wild to say that about the a SEC because basketball it's always just been known to be a basketball league, and it wasn't necessarily just because they didn't have a whole lot to hang their hat on when it comes to football, although some would say that was why, but it was because they were just so good in basketball.
With the elite programs that you know, we're talking Duke Carolina, you know Virginia, you now throw them in there as a title team. Obviously, you added schools like Syracuse and Louisville who have great history in tradition in basketball. N C State is a big time basketball program despite not being Carolina or a duke. So you know, these these
these these jobs are really good jobs. And the SEC, when you go back to and I've talked about this before, when they decided to get serious about basketball, you could see right away that it was going to make an impact. They had a network, meaning their channel, the SEC Network launched. They knew they needed people to watch it. They knew that they needed the basketball product to be better for people.
To tune in.
So I'm sure it was one of the meetings they have annually with the athletic directors and the president and they basically told him, look, we are going to have to emphasize basketball and care about it more than we ever have, so let's invest.
So what do they do. They go out there.
They pay big money because they can afford it to go hire some big name coaches. Some of these coaches have kind of become bigger names while at the SEC schools, right Like, for example, Nat Oates was at Buffalo. You know, he took a jump up to Bama and now he's rolling. That was a good investment that Bama made in him. But then you also have Rick Barnes, who is at Texas gets hired by Tennessee. Tennessee's an elite program right now. I mean Texas A and M's not great, but I'll
use them as an example. They've got Buzz Williams, who was at Virginia Tech and the ACC. When he left, a lot of people thought that seems like a lateral move. But at the end of the day, Texas A and M's, you know, they got a lot of money, they got good resources there. Why can't you win at a place that doesn't really have a whole lot of basketball tradition. So I don't really know who is going to be top in line for the Miami job or for the Syracuse job if it opens up. Same thing with Florida
State VIRGINI. But it's important to make a big I mean, the only school I can think of. I mean, anytime you make a higher, you're gonna say that you know this is going to be a critical hire because it could set your program back big time if you get it wrong, and it could set you up for decades
of success if you get it right. Like timing of a higher, I mean, there are some certain instances where like it's on you, like when Kenny Payne was higher, the timing of that in every way, which is weird because of the Josh wasn't even the full time ad Mack left mid year, Like it was just it was just different. But overall, like the timing when you're a
big time program, timing is never really a factor. When you're hiring a coach and you have a good program that you want to you want to either sustain great success or you want to get it back to where it once was. Like it's always important to make the right higher. But I just feel like with a lot of these jobs kind of probably opening up in the same two three years, Man, if these guys get it wrong, like the AEC is going to be, it's gonna be, it's gonna take a long time to get it back.
Maybe it never comes back because I think it can like programs like Duke and Caro Line and I think, look, I know Louisville is a factor in the ACC being terrible lately because Louisville the last few years has been
worse than anybody thought they would ever be. But Louisville is also a program that will always have to give a damn about basketball and they're gonna get with you know, Pat Kelsey, he came here at a pretty affordable rate for Louisville, but like, maybe no mistake about it if he does well here and he's generating momentum elsewhere because people realize, yeah, he's at Louisville, but man, they're not
paying him crazy. Louisville will do what they're gonna pay him crazy because they care about basketball and they're always going to And even that's not me saying louis Is gonna be great down the line. Who knows. I hope they will, and I think Pat's got the tools here at Louisville to where they could be phenomenal. But I'm just saying Louisville will always be a school that cares
about basketball more than a lot. Same thing would do Carolina, even NC State, which they would have got rid of keats last year, they probably would have went out and knew they had to make a big spin. So I just hope these schools don't go cheap and they go and get somebody who, you know, can bring some sizzle back into the league, because it's something that I've said Louisville can benefit from this year, meaning winning maybe a
lot of games. But it's still sad overall to know that the league is so much different now than it was ten years ago. So larenege is out at Miami, and it was kind of funny to hear his reasoning for leaving, which I mean, I think he's kind of a fraud with his answer, but well let's hear it on the other side for yourself. Don't go anywhere, keep it locked right here. It's coffee and company. Feel abut Thorton's on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety Now back to Coffee and Company. Fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
You know, I'm looking for something to bet on here today because you know, that's that's what I like to do. And we do have a few Bowl games. In fact, we've got one at half here. Toledo up twenty to twelve over Pittsburgh.
Oh yeah, I took Toledo plus six and a half in a little parlay.
Not a good finish for a pit team. They got off to a phenomenal start. If they don't don't survive here.
And they were seven and ol at one point.
Oh yeah, they were ranked and then they they fell apart Rutgers in Kansas State plates tonight Kansas State minus seven.
With like Rutgers to cover.
I just with these man, I don't know who's playing who's not right, Like I don't know who's in the portal. I mean, I could easily look it up, but I just I haven't when it comes to bowl games, I just I feel I'm gonna give you an example, Like you like to play like slot machines, right, yeah, okay, so I've I've I've never been into it, although you know, I mean, it's just not my cup of tea because I just feel like there's no like.
It's just luck.
Like there's random.
Yeah, it's totally random. And if I to me that that that doesn't have the entertainment value of even if I'm playing cards, like I know I'm making the decision and there's a lot involved, and you know I can, but the end, at the end of the day, it's all I think luck. Like for example, when I do well and betting on sports, you know, I like to tell myself that it's because I really knew something and I was I was right, and I took a risk
and it was worth it and I trusted myself. And there is some truth too that knowing what you're betting on, But you know, at the end of the day, a lot of it's luck. If it wasn't, then if there was a you know, great way to do it, then everybody would do it make a ton of money, and that would make any sense for these sports books. So when it comes to the Bowl games, I mean, I just feel like I can't even convince myself that I've got I've got a tell here that you know that
nobody else is seeing. I've got something that the sharps aren't realizing. Like, so I just it's like flipping a
coin where I just feel like I'm wasting money. I'm probably wasting money on most things I bet on anyway, but like just not knowing who's playing because of the portal, I could go look it up, but like I just I feel like, you know what, that's probably not even gonna be worth it, because I could go study and get info as far as which team is being hurt more by guys in the portal for this bowl game, but like in the end, it may not even make a difference, so I may get involved later, But I
wanted to bet on some college basketball. And I'm I'm kind of you know, who's in charge of scheduling around the holidays, because Christmas Eve should have.
Been a day where you had more going on.
The only game I think was a bowl game late at night where it was South Florida and and I'm not even sure who they played, to be honest with you, but that was the only game that day. Yesterday, you had a full day of college basketball with that tournament going on in Hawaii. Chris Max team ended up going I think two and one, maybe three and one there depending on how many games they played. So you know, those weren't great college games, but there were college games,
and of course the NFL was on Netflix. But today there's no college hoops, so and I'm sure it's because maybe families or players are traveling back for the holidays, but you know, I need some college hoops going on, and we don't have it, and it makes me, it makes me sad.
And there's not much tomorrow either. It's we gotta wait till Saturday for some college I.
Mean, I'm sure there's bowl games tomorrow.
It looks like, yes, yeah, tomorrow, there's there's some decent games Texas A and M in USC Syracuse, Washington State, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Van. So these are teams I'm more familiar with just because I've I've watched them. So like if I know, you know, certain guys playing or not playing, Yeah, Tomorrow's slay to college football.
I can. I can.
I don't know if I'm gonna win, but I can get into it and have fun and you know, hope to win money. But yes, we need college hoops before Saturday. But it doesn't look like a don look like we're gonna get it now. The Louisville game, just looking here at this is at DraftKings currently favored by two.
And a half.
So I think I think it's been around there for a while. I think even after the Louisville had some guys opt out, you still you know, you saw that spread kind of hovering right around two and a half. And speaking of louisvill football, this is this is worth mentioning. The the quarterback room got a little deeper for this for this upcoming bowl game because Brady Allen has decided to withdraw from the transfer portal, so he will be your third scholarship quarterback there and that gives you, you
know more, I don't know. Brady Allen's a mystery. He came with Brahm from Purdue and was a big time recruit, I believe, you know. Clarkson of course was a big deal because of the West Coast and he was bringing and he did bring a handful of of guys from California with him, but I'm not sure if any of those guys ever really worked out now that I think about it. But anyways, there was a lot of hype surrounding Pierce Clarkson for a variety of reasons. One of
it because he was a pretty highly ranked quarterback. He was a four star, you know, had a lot of offers interests from from big time schools and Brady Allen actually, and I think the previous class was rated just around the same area. So you know, I remember thinking a year ago there's gonna be a good scenario where one of those two guys is not here next year, because it's just how it works now with quarterbacks in the portal. Guys want to transfer where they're gonna an opportunity to play,
and both of them ended up hitting the portal. But I guess now that there's a little bit more room, Brady Allen decided to remove his name and sit back and look, maybe he's gonna end up being your backup if something happens with Miller Moss. Maybe he feels like he couldmpete with Miller Moss. I don't know, but you know, now you don't have to as much worry about you know. I mean, Brady hadn't played a whole lot, and I know the what's the young man's name, the kid from
Texas that's a true freshman this year. He has no experience, So you know, if something happens to Miller Moss, obviously you're you're, you're, you're, You're probably worried, and most teams would be if they're starting quarterback goes down and they become a differ and team that's just not it's not it's not ideal, but having more options is certainly a you know, a good thing to have if somebody does
get hurt. And Brady Allen, I'm not sure we've ever seen it or we'll see it, to be honest, but he is somebody that did have a lot of hype, have a lot a lot of hype coming out of high school, and somebody that brom still speaks really highly of. So don't know if we'll see him, but he has decided to remove his name from the portal and come back. Also some more commitments to UH to get to here
for Louisville football from the portal UH. And this guy's name, I couldn't believe that his name was pronounced the way I heard it was pronounced, but I believe it is pronounced demon. Maybe his mother just knew he was going to be a bad kid.
I don't know.
I mean, when your name is Demon, I have just there's there's a chance you're a great young man and act. Yeah, but like you know, I just don't know how you come up with that name. Like I don't know if that like, I don't know why you like when you said when you chose to name your son demon, there has to be some kind of a story to it that makes it not sound as bad as it is. But Demon Clowney is a transfer from Charlotte, and yes he is a cousin of Jadavian Clowney, right, who you know,
So clearly some good genes there. But he started his his career at Ole Miss, didn't play a whole lot there, ended up then transferring to Charlotte and was productive for them in this past season and hit the portal and
he will be uh, he'll be transferring to Louisville. So uh, I feel like they're in fact, maybe I'll say this for a little bit later because I don't have a whole lot of time now, but I sense a trend here with the guys that Jeff Brahm is bringing in, and uh, I think there's there's a good reason for him to be targeting certain types of guys coming from certain programs, And I think it's it's it's it's something you know other coaches may end up doing as well,
just because you got to be able to figure out if dues are here because they just want another payday, or if they're here because they feel like, Hey, I've never played at this level and I want to prove that I can be a power for or cornerback or defensive lineman of something like that. And I think there's more value there than people realize. And Jeff got burned by that last year, and I think there's been a clear type if you will, that he's had not not
to say they're not they're open to anybody. They feel like they can come in and help them. But a lot of these smaller schools that are producing guys that have now committed to Louisville to transfer in. I think there's a reason for that when it comes to you know, I don't think that's a coincidence.
That's what I'll say.
All right, let's do this quick break, we'll come back and two more hours left. We'll spend the next hour kind of looking back over the year that was twenty twenty four coming to an end.
I mean, I know everybody said it.
I've said it for like, how would his time and go by as fast as it does? How are we starting twenty twenty five?
It's that's insane, it's crazy, But here we are.
So we'll talk about it and a lot more for the next two hours. Right here, Coffee and Company, feel abou Thorn's on Sports Talk seven ninety