2.24: Gearing Up For March - Hour 2

fresh this week. Yeah, they had to. They had you out of the flea market, my man, right, yes, by the way, would you would you bring us? Okay?

give you one. Hell yes, And I got the the Asciago garlic dip And they're really just packets of like seasoning that you just mix in with like some mayonnaise and some sour cream, because I mean mayonnaise and sour cream is like the base of almost any sauce. Now, I did some walking around, went and looked at like the the action figures and the trading cards and all that stuff. And of course there was the the old

Kentucky Derby, old old Kroger shirt stand. And then I made my way back to the as I did the whole circle. I made my way back to the beef jerky and the people over there, I think they are called shanty man. Shanty man, shout out to them if you're listening, but.

But when you're in like an iHeart vehicle, you can kind of go anywhere. Oh of course. You know, even if they're like some free meals in the iHeart vehicle, even if they're reluctant like there, they're still gonna see that you are in a vehicle that quite literally is a company car for iHeart Media. Yes, and they're gonna have a hard time saying like, yeah, I guess this person, like even if I wanted to be a real stickler because they don't have the appropriate badge or parking pass.

I also know that they're not lying about who they're with. Yes, so they may you know, some people are like oh yeah right away. Others may look at you like they don't want to, but then they will let you yes, Like remember like we did at the football about a year. Absolutely, that's where you taught me. Yes.

then you pay. And I drove up in the vehicle and the young lady she saw the iHeart car and she was like, you work for iHeart And I was like yeah. She's like what do you do? And I'm like, well,

it's not all that exciting. You're probably not our target demo, but I'm I'm a radio host and I talk about sports, and I'm here in town because the civil A tournament, and she just gave me the food and she was like, it's on us, And she had this look on her face as if like that was the coolest thing ever you were Seacrest basically, I mean basically, it's the best she was gonna she you know, she's in Iowa. It's late. She probably thought, well, this is probably the best I'm

gonna get. It's not Seacrest, but I'll live in a world where where you know, he can be Seacrest in Des Moines, Iowa.

I think I learned. I don't know if we've had a snowy two months in my lifetime as much as we've had in January and February, because again, like we've had big snowstorms, but the one we got in early January that was the most snow we've had in many, many, many years. And again it lingered because we couldn't consistently stay below freezing and then we got dumped on last week, not once but twice. And by the way, I think the snow that we got on Sunday that like nobody

was expecting. It's funny. Everybody that I've talked to, Yeah, it woke up from the storm, the flooding from Saturday. They everybody looked outside and thought, what the hell's this? They're looking to see the water damage and everything's covered with snow. I think that actually left a bay to where we actually did have enough accumulation to where you know, you had schools doing NTI and whatnot, because the rest of the snow that last week really wasn't it really

wasn't much. It was just it was so damn cold.

but for mud. Ugh, and that, I mean that just speaks to how I think MUD's the worst. Oh, it's so gross and nasty.

people go there and bet. And it's actually a sad thing to think about because there are people who probably, you know, are there a lot more than they should be, and they've probably ruined their lives about being there as much as they are. But that you know, that's how these companies make money. So for them to just be closed completely, they really have no say. So if it's the road to get to you that's the issue, and not necessarily your facility, then you have no control over it.

But I know they usually send I don't.

because they want to make that money too. They'll they'll be damned if they're going to click business day, so they need they they make it their own to just go out of their way and make sure that they hire somebody or make sure that somebody is out there fixing those roads just so people can go spend money there.

make you sick to your stomach. Yeah. One. And it would also make you realize how much people gamble. Yeah, that's tough. I mean you've seen the people there, though. When are you that you like that are there every time you go? When you go like twice a year and you're like this guy again, yeah at the crabs table,

like you know, do you live here, my man? I mean, I remember we would do the show at French Lick whenever we were working with FanDuel before sports betting was legal in Kentucky, and it happened twice, or I would I would end the night going I would end the night at their belt or French Lick. I'm sorry, bel Terra, you're correct, yeah, a bel Terra. I would end the night at their great little sports bar they've got there, and I'd head up to my room eleven thirty midnight

or something. This is when you know, this was this is different. We would always do it big March Madness, which was a great setup that we had. But I would I would leave and you can see like the first area of slot machines right there where the restaurant is, Yeah, and there'd be a woman who was sitting in that machine, and I would I would go to bed, you know, eleven thirty midnight, and she'd be sitting there. I'd get up the next morning to set up the show walk

down at like six o'clock and she'd still be sitting there. Wow, And like that was sad to me, like that because look, maybe she's just cleaning them out, but I doubt it, you know, Like it just made me like that's probably somebody's mother, or maybe like that's somebody who there's people that like don't and I shouldn't say like that's somebody's mother,

what an awful person. I just mean, like that's somebody that you've probably tried to help, and like they just have a problem, I would imagine, or I don't know, maybe it was just a random thing to where the two times I did a show there on a Thursday, or do the show on a Friday morning, and I stayed Thursday night she happened to be there. But yeah, people gamble a lot, and that makes certain people very very very very wealthy. All Right, we've got a streak

that has come to an end. The Kansas men's basketball program has ended their eighty week streak of being in the top twenty five. Now this comes after getting blown out twice in their last three games. They did come back and really take care of business and just absolutely least I'd check. They were up nearly forty points in their game against against Oklahoma State on on Saturday. Yeah,

their final score there was ninety six to sixty. So, yeah, they got blown out by Utah, got blown out by BYU and then two games prior to that two game losing streak, they lost to Kansas State, had a loss to Baylor. So you know, they're eighteen and nine, eleven and nine in conference play and they have a top twenty. Actually they're twenty first in the kin Pom, so they're not ranked, and they certainly have had some stretches of play this year where they were they were a mess.

But I'm just putting it out there. I won't be shocked if we end up seeing Bill Self's team like make the Elite eight because they're not in this position because they don't have players. He's a phenomenal coach, and they already have, you know, a win against Duke, and yeah, it happened earlier in the year, probably wouldn't play out that way now. But again, even this month, they beat Iowa State, who last I checked, is still believed to

be a really good team. So you know, it seemed like it was Bill Self's funeral last week because you know, the standard has been set so high that I want to and we'll get to a break in just a moment. But Bill Self having this kind of a year, I mean, you think that he's notine and eighteen. And look, he deserves criticism because it's his job. But what we do is that guys are so consistently good that like when they take us a step back, the perception is that

the bottom's falling out. And it's really not like Kansas is safely in the tournament. They're still a top twenty five team in the metrics that matter. You know, it's kind of like Matt Paynter, he lost four in a row after they got killed by Indiana yesterday. Matt Paynter is a really good coach and Perdue. They're still safely in the tournament. But Perdue's been a consistent one seed the last couple of years. They played in the championship

game last year. So yeah, they're nineteen and nine. Now, they're eleven and six in conference play, four losses in a row, melt down yesterday in the second half to to Indiana again. I think the perceptions like, damn, they got to get it fixed. Something's wrong, and maybe that'll maybe that'll prove out to be the case in a

couple of years or something. But it's just when guys consistently win at such a high level and then they start to have, you know, losing streaks or big time losses, you think that like the world's falling, and really that's not the case.

would expect. But like when you hear Danny Hurley and I look, I love it when Danny Hurley's going to be arrogant in your face because things are going well, that's fun, right, because I've think he's a good character for college basketball and whenever you know, he's pointing at his The best thing ever was him pointing at his two national championship brings as he walked off the court after beating Creighton and obviously they had dollar beer night.

Well then he turns around and loses to Seaton Haul, the worst Power five team in the country the next game. Like, to me, that's phenomenal, not because I hate Dan Hurley, but like you know, it's just that's funny. But clearly they're still in a good spot to where they're gonna make the tournament. And I don't know about you, I wouldn't be signing enough to play Dan Hurley in the

first round. Like, people don't know what down is until you go through what Louisville fans went through with Kenny Payne. Like that's one thing that like I think is worth reminding people about. All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side. A lot more to get into before we get out of here. How do we feel about Jeff Brohm and the Brom squad being with Rick Patino yesterday at the Garden for his game? That was kind of weird. I don't have an issue with it,

but just not something I would have expected. But we can certainly talk about that. Also, the creative ways these schools are now, I mean, they're having to be creative when it comes to finding how they can make money through nil There's one out there that I feel like is probably not going to get the money they want, but I at least admire their creativity. So we got a lot the rest of the way, So stick around. It's coffee and company. Feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven.

they have seemingly no momentum in the off season. But Rick donating to the NI by the way, didn't ever confirm that actually happened, like Rick said, So well, Rick, Rick says a lot of things that people kind of just take it as like a partial truth. So it's Rick Patino theater. Yeah, Like it wouldn't shock me if Rick didn't actually ever donate any money to the Nile Collective for Kentucky football like he said, just like whenever he said he would have loved to have come back

to Louisville, but he hasn't been invited back. Like that wasn't true. That was so he showed up to Midnight Madness and you know, did his thing. And I do believe that he has genuine love for Kentucky basketball because he was there and he he you know, Rick is a part of why Kentucky basketball is the program that it is, and he's not the entire reason, but he's

a big factor. I think the timing of Rick doing what he did was I mean, Kentucky was starting to fade, just like they were starting to fade with Tubby, and then cal came in and made him relevant and made them the rock star kind of program in reminded folks that they have the history tradition that they have. So, you know, like Rick, Rick, I believe he's sincere when he talks about his love for Kentucky. I also believe he's sincere when he talks about his love for Louisville.

But like Kentucky's probably a little bit different, And to be honest, he's kind of always told us that, like Kentucky was, was different and special, and he knows he'd never probably should have left.

of playing the grandpa role. Right. So a lot of old fans were like, how could you these guys, these Kentucky fans, They made fun of you for years and made jokes and we had to live for a long time just relentlessly hearing about how long it took you to finish at an Italian restaurant and that whole thing in general we had to hear about, you know, Katina Powell. And you know you weren't necessarily the guy that did that, but you know, you led the program. It was came

it fell down when you were leading the program. And you know, Kentucky fans are the ones Kentucky media, those are the ones that just never let it go. And we defended you in the program and then for you to go buddy up with them like it made fans feel,

you know, as if he like betrayed them. But what I said around the time that it was a real big talking point when he went back to Lexington, I'll say it once more in regards to that Rick doesn't relate to bands like Rick is in his own world, for better or for worse, Rick lives in his own world. So when he's bothered about Kentucky, he's bothered about Caliperry being the coach, a guy that he hates there and

doesn't feel like he's worthy of the job. And now Rick's bothered that he's got to be a rival against Kentucky. Because I think Rick probably thought with his ego, and honestly, when he took the job at Louisville, he probably wasn't worried about Tubby, not because Tubby stinks, but like Rick was on top of the world, he probably wouldn't wory about anybody. Well, then things played out. You've got Tubby finishing up, Billy g comes in, he stinks, and then a guy that Rick hates is the coach of the

program that he will always love. So it just kind of made it a weird energy with Rick in the rivalry. But as soon as cal was gone and Pope came in, like I'm not you know, I wouldn't have necessarily wasn't like I was for years predicting this, But once it was Pope that was hired and Rick reacted the way that he did, it kind of made sense because I believe deep down he is happy that Mark Pope is the coach there a guy that was a captain for

him that won a national championship. Now, Rick's always going to be about Rick as well, and that's why toms Rix kind of, I think, kind of stepped in and made things about him when they didn't need to be. That's kind of what Rick's going to do all the time.

Rick is great at making things about him. So you know when he said the next day after the Big Blue Madness thing at the Kentucky football game, when he was asked by one of the local Louisville reporters that was there, one of the one of the sports guys from the one of the local TV stations was there, and I remember who it was that asked him about it, like, hey, you know what about what do you you know what about Louisville And he was like, well, I have a

lot of love for Louisville and I'd love to come back, but I've never been asked. Well, that one, to me didn't sound like it was true, but then you found out it was absolutely a blatant lie because they have honored Rick's teams before here when he could have back, and he chose not to. I mean, Luke Kencock put it out there pretty directly that that was just a blatant lie because Rick has been told he can come back and he's been invited and he chose not to.

So that's just a lie. But Rick does that right, you know, and he could probably find a way to talk. He could talk his way out of it, because he's great at that, isn't he He could tell us, well, you know, actually Luke talked to me, Peyton talked to me. But I didn't want to just show up on announced without a conversation with the you know, with the board or something like. He'd find a way to talk his

way out of it. Although I do think and I'm not sure if this is one thousand percent turuy, but I do believe and I wouldn't say that I didn't believe it. Josh Hurd made it clear to Rick he

can come back, and he chose not to. Before well, then you have the two thousand and five Final four team get on ORed a couple of weeks ago, and Rick did a video and like, I think there were a couple of booze, but a lot of cheers, And I think that's kind of part of the healing prosums and then Rick really going out of his way to

gas up pat Kelsey. That's part of the healing process that makes us feel good, right, Like Rick is kind of like the divorced parent with us, like we you know, we've got a new life now, but you know, you still were here for a long time, and you you know, used to coach the rival and then you kind of got back in bed with them. That made us feel

a certain way. But I think there's so many fans that experienced such great memories with Rick leading the program here to where it's just not natural to think back to that era, especially an era that really shaped how fans became big time Louisville basketball fans. Austin's one of them. His only memories of Louisville basketball are with Rick Patino. Damn right, I'm a little bit younger, I'm sorry, a little bit older than Austin to where and look I was,

I was obsessed. I mean, like I know all Like, just to give you an example, somebody put up a list of the top three Louisville dunkers ever on Twitter earlier today. Some Louisville fan that I don't know if he has a blog or whatever, but ended up on my on my for you thread here, I don't follow this person, not that I would not follow them, I'm just saying like it wasn't an account I was familiar with.

But I saw that they were putting out the three best dunkers in Louisville history, and they had Montrez Harrold, Terrence Williams, and Donovan Mitchell, and I'm thinking, gosh, your parents would be ashamed of you. I didn't even live to see Darryl Griffith play, but I know that he belongs at number one and there's nobody else close to it.

So like I was obsessed with it at an early age to where I do remember Denny's teams, But like I knew at the time, once I got to be a little bit older that like, yeah, like Louisville's not what they were in the eighties, but I was, I was. I was born into it, essentially, so I'm a little

bit different to where I knew all along. Rick's not bigger than Louisville basketball, but he was a very important figure within the within the I mean, he was humongous for how Louisville is still able to claim they are one of the best programs of all time and everybody knows that. So again, even if you feel like he's dirty because he went back and was hanging out with BBN and really loving up on them, I still think it would just be an unnatural feeling for you to

hate him. And I don't hate him. I never have and it's not personal. I mean I don't know Rick at all, and Rick was one of those guys that it was hard for anybody to really know him. I mean, he's he's a hard guy to get to get any kind of access to, to be honest with you, So you know, I think him wanting to talk or him going out of his way on Twitter to talk up Pat Kelsey and how good of a job he's doing.

He's done. At least a couple of times. Peyton Siva was asked by Rick to get Pat Kelsey's number for Patino, so you know those two have had some kind of conversation. And then he does the video at the final with the Final four team and you know, like that that

was heartfelt and that was a special team. And I think we are now at a point where it's just a matter of time to when Rick is brought back and he's actually, you know, like given the same kind of honor that he did with Kentucky at their Big Blue Madness, and it'll and it'll and it's like who's gonna be against it? Nobody in the administration is going to be against it. No, like Pat Kelsey's all about it.

Rick clearly. I mean I think him at least doing the video he did a video about Russ Smith when Russ got his number retire. But if you remember, that was just about Russ, and you know, I think Rick also would have There's no scenario he wasn't going to be a part of Russ's thing in some former fashion. But in fact, I don't. I'm gonna play this and this is the first time I'm hearing it, so if

it sounds bad, I'm gonna bail on it. But this was Rick as he talked at the Miami Game a couple of weeks ago about the Final four team in two thousand and five that was honored that day. Yeah, you can't hear it, right, It sounds terrible.

feeling towards that. But again, some of the best moments, in fact, the real good moments in my time as a fan, where when he was hitting the program and some of my favorite teams he coached, and you know, he's a hell of a coach. So hearing him say he wishes he could be there but he's still coaching. Like again, that's a sign that eventually, when schedules allow, there'll be something for Rick, and it'll be it'll it'll

be it'll be good for everybody involved, I believe. So I only bring this up and I should have mentioned this initially, but I didn't. I didn't mention it in the segment we did talk about it earlier. Rick Rick posted the picture yesterday with the brom family, Jeff, his daughter, Brady, and Jeff's wife with Rick Bettino in the locker room saying so awesome to have Louisville have Louisville football coach

Jeff Brahmin family into the world's most famous arena. So you know, that got a lot of reaction on on social media and the for the most part, for the most part, it's people saying, like, you know, love it, that's great. Rick's a card forever. Like I'm just reading some of their responses here. They could never make me hate you, Rick, Uh, this says love this, could never hate him. It's time to restore the damn records and in this nonsense, I love this beyond words. So other

I'm sorry for the slight pause. There were some Saint John's fans that are like, all right, dude, will you promote us? You're our coach now. He's really playing into the emotions of Kentucky fans and Louisville fans, and at times we have to remind ourselves, oh yeah, he is not only still coaching elsewhere, he's got a top ten team that might win the whole thing. Yeah that's true too.

I mean, don't you forget about that every now and then, because yeah, in a way, like both Kentucky and Louisville fans, especially just because of the more recency to it, Like we kind of feel like he'll always be ours, but you know, you're gonna have You're gonna win a lot with him. We're not jealous. A lot of time has passed. We still love him. We got a guy now that we really like, but you know, he's still ours, like you.

away from Patino. I mean those things are kind of tongue in cheek, but I mean again, I think if you, if you are a fan, that maybe the majority of your memories about Louisville basketball are more Denny because you're on the older side and you didn't have I guess the same. It's not to say you didn't like Rick and didn't enjoy the time he was here, But there are some people that are I mean again, It makes me makes me realize how old I'm getting, Like Austin,

how old are you? Thirty one? Thirty one years old? Yes, there are people that are in that range, and even some people my age, they just weren't as into it early at a young age to where the only thing like when they think about Louisville basketball and really the best times, the highs, the lows, you know, the roller coaster that is right, you know, having a team that is good but they have a setback and then they

make up for it in March. That kind of stuff, or having a team that's really good but they slip up and lose in the tournament. Like the lasting memories good are bad? That really remind you, Man, you've invested some emotion here. There's going to be really no there's no scenario where you're not going to be super excited about a win or super sad about a loss, because again, you've made that emotional investment. There's so many people that

every bit of that is the Rick Bettino era. So I just think, I think this was always going to happen at some point, I believe. And if in fact it's you know, next year or I don't know, five years from now and it's the twenty year anniversary of the twenty two thousand and five Final four team, I think, you know, honestly, I guess the next case, the next one would be probably the fifteen year anniversary of the

championship team. But honestly, what they could do, I mean, I wouldn't be against doing something for the Elite A group. I mean, I know Elite eights are different than Final fours. It's one game, but man, it certainly seems like a different type of season if you made a Final four compared to an Elite eight, but like something to honor Earl Clark and that crew. So so those guys Jerry smith t will if he's out of prison yet, you know, and I'm not joking, I'm being serious. I wish that

wasn't the case. But you know, like maybe honor a team that maybe wouldn't you wouldn't think would be honored because one we missed those guys, but also likes if it's a quicker sign to get ricked back here, and it's not that we need it, it's not like it's

something that has to happen. But like, I think there's been a lot that's played out really since the Kentucky thing where he went there and went to Big Blue Madness and was hanging out with Eddie Grant on the sidelines of the Kentucky football game, to where like he's kind of positioned it to where any moment we hear that he's going to be honored when available, like it wouldn't shock me. And again, if you don't really care about that at all, I get it. If you're somebody

that is anti I kind of get it. If you're somebody that's like, all right, we need to make this happen. I'm where you are, and I think it's just natural. All right, quick break, we'll come back and wrap up the four o'clock hour. On the other side, keep this thing rolling along. Something else we got to get into later.

I missed the chance to talk about this on Friday because I wasn't available to go on the air, but it sounds like we're gonna find out here soon if the SEC is going to a nine game football schedule, and if they do, you know, Kentucky's running. They're running. Governor's couple be no more? All right, quick break, give a lock right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

And what really has kind of been a real interest even more so is the people who are I guess fraudsters, and they're really bright, they're really smart people and with their with their I guess, uh, you know, savviness and their knowledge in the financial world, like they'll figure out a loophole to like scam money. And I'm sure many people have done that and not gotten caught. But what really fascinates me is that that moment where they realize, like,

all right, I've gone too far. But then they don't, they don't, like they don't pump the brakes and run and hope they never get caught for maybe, you know, skimming a little bit off the top. As they say, they'll end up for years stealing millions of dollars from the government or from a company, and like they have to know they're gonna get caught, Like they have to know that eventually it's gonna be a bad day for them and they're gonna have to deal. I mean, it's

gonna be bad. And one of the most fascinating cases here locally in the region in Kentucky, Annah that I is former Clark Kenny's Sheriff Jamie Noel, who was convicted of stealing more than four million dollars and I think it's actually more than more than that overall, but like that was just what he ended up stealing from the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association and the Clark County Sheriff's Department.

So he used the money that he stole over years to you know, personal expenses, luxury cars, vacations, lavish items. And he also you know, like he had his family in on it, and some of his daughters, I believe, got you know, I think they've been held accountable by the judicial system, and you know, it's awful that he was dealing all this money, taxpayer money, and you know,

he just got comfortable. And like you, I'm sure he's looking back now, like one hopefully he feels bad and he's remorseful, but like the guy was clearly living a lifestyle that some would have to wonder like, how's that happening. So anyways, I saw this during the break from WDRB, and I think it's a good idea. But his classic car collection is going to be auctioned off and all the proceeds are going to go towards the three point one million dollar restitution that he has to pay. He

was sentenced to twelve years in prison in October. And I just I've seen a few people on social media that live in I guess the southern Indiana area and maybe some of their some of their tax dollars were you know, maybe they pay taxes where he's at and you know, he was using it to have a lavish lifestyle and buy these luxury cars. But they're going to auction off all of his all of these luxury cars.

And I mean, like, if you if you just want one of these cars, cool, but I wonder like if these have value because you'll know that it was a car that was obtained by this crook who you know is now rightfully in prison. But we're talking about I mean, by the way, it's going to be the premiere Spring

Big Boy Toy Classic Car auction. It's going to be May second and third French Lick French Lick Casino and Resort and says here, our goal is to create an exciting, first class auction experience where buyers and sellers like can connect with the collector car community while achieving fair market value for their vehicles. With the collections already consigned, this auction is shaping up to be the best one yet.

So its collection it includes, I mean, I'm trying to see if there's like a list of the type of cars that he has, but I'm looking at like an old old cop car that has to be from like the sixties. I mean, yeah, these are more so like classic cars, like rare trophy type cars than you know,

a brand new range Drover or something like that. But I guess what I find curious is if it is someone more interested in going and getting it and you know, maybe getting it for a good deal and then you know, wanting to be driving around when he gets out of prison and like shoving in his face that you have the car that he's that. I don't know, I just I think I read that it's the biggest I think

I saw on the news yesterday. It's the biggest corruption case as far as the amount of money that was taken in Indiana history by you know, an elected official who decided to, you know, use his power and steal from people. But when you just look at and I follow this again probably closer than most, but just the amount of of of big expenses, I mean, he was basically just treating it like a I mean, it wasn't like I'm upside down on my mortgage let me see.

Because again, you should never steal, you should never scam. But this guy wasn't doing it because he was having a tough time making end meat. He was just greedy, and greed's a powerful thing that gets the best of a lot of people. But yeah, these these cars look pretty bad ass, if I may say so myself. All Right, we got another hour, hopefully it'll be a badass hour as we wrap up a Monday. I mean, we're not wrapping it out. We got we got a whole hour to go, but you know what I mean, We'll try

to finish strong. So stick around and if you want to join us, you can. We'll open up the phone lines here in the five o'clock hour. Pabout two five's seven one seventy nine hundred Coffee and Company. Feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety