It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now, here's Nick coffee.
All right, five o'clock hour here on a Friday afternoon. Thank you so much for hanging out with us here as we get you set for the weekend. Big weekend for both teams here, I mean Louisville, They've got three home games left. For what it's worth, this is the best team you're going to be bringing into the You'm center. The others are Stanford and Cal But Pittsburgh, I don't believe, you know. I can't tell you that that they're good. They're not. The record is very obvious of who they are.
I just I think timing is actually on our side here. If you're somebody, when I say our side, I mean those of us myself included of course, that wants to see Louisville, you know, play a team that the resume won't really get a big boost if you win. But I know that Pittsburgh's got some some capable players. Put it this way, Pittsburgh has personnel that I think is similar to a lot of teams you'll see in the tournament. They don't have any all Americans or anything like that.
But that's the best way to describe it, because I can't tell you they're good. They're not. Look at the record, I can't tell you that, you know, they're you know, they've got any I mean, there's really nothing about them as far as results, numbers, wins, that kind of stuff that would validate my belief in sort of what they can be. But they're players. I think, you know you you you you put this team in really more than anything.
I guess this was an indirect way of me taking a shot at capable because I feel like in a different with a different coach, they would they would probably have a better record. And you know, they did lose a lot of close games, and certainly that's uh, you know, that's that's tough. But at the end of the day, like it's how it works, man, winning winning and losing
is certainly, uh is certainly what it's all about. So I'm happy that that's who's coming to town tomorrow because if Louisville plays well, you know, I'll feel like, Okay, they are getting getting better. And I don't mean like a being getting better as a team as far as you know, improving. Maybe that is the case to an extent. But I just mean like they're well, they're no longer as winded, because that stood out to me more than anything on Tuesday night is that they just looked gassed.
And I don't believe it's because they're not conditioned. I don't believe it's because, you know, they were all hungover or something. I think it's just because they all have kind of been dealing with an illness in some form or fashion. And whenever you do, you know, get over your bug whatever it may be, a lot of us don't quickly, you know, get over an illness and then get right back to you know, we never played I mean, very few people can say they play high level college basketball.
So I'm hoping that that is why they were as winded as they appeared, and hopefully they're in better shape for tomorrow night six o'clock. And again it is a what are they calling it? A Let make sure I get it correct here, because I've been trying to encourage folks to, you know, to make sure they're aware of
which section they're in because they're having a stripeout. So tomorrow, if you're going at six o'clock to the ump center and you have a seat and a section that ends in an even number, you worll you will wear red if you have a ticket and a section that that is you know, yeah, you'll wear a black if you if you have an odd number. So U anyways, this is terrible for a live radio but my wife has
texted me and I need to text her real quick. Sorry. Anyways, she was asking me if if if if I need her to pick up something, and like she's driving, and I'm like, if I don't tell her, then she won't do it. So again, I apologize, very unprofessional of me, which is out of character. I mean, I'm the most professional guy you you know, right, don't answer that, all right?
So I was gonna say, yes, well, thank you for Kentucky a big game for them in a complete opposite situation, right, Louisville has very little to gain tomorrow as far as like the resume, and you know, I'm not a lot to lose, but certainly that would be a big eye sor to have that second loss to you know, allows the team on your resume. So Kentucky, on the other hand, they got nothing to lose tomorrow, especially if they're in if they're injured. I mean, because if you know, you
never want to lose. But let's be real, if Jackson Robinson doesn't play, and let's say Lamont Butler's somehow doesn't go either, and they lose, it'll still suck. But you will say, Okay, well, hey, you know, we kind of shouldn't expect to beat Auburn whenever we have those two guys not playing. So a lot to gain though, because again, that would be another signature win, which they already have a few of them. I mean again, the sweep of Tennessee is the best thing on the resume, even though
it doesn't have an insane amount of value. I mean, it has value, trust me, it matters. But like I think, maybe not the eye test, but just you know, the brain. Kentucky deserves legitimate credit and value on Selection Sunday for beating Duke, but we also know that that's not the same Duke team. Now that they beat it doesn't mean they don't get credit for it. But you know, my point is this, they already have a lot of good wins. Auburn would be the best, right even though it's at home.
I feel like Auburn has been the best team in college basketball for a good chunk of the season, So if they can pull it off tomorrow, it'd be huge. And I can't really tell you why, but I just feel like this is a game Kentucky wins. It just seems like Rupperena is gonna be rocking. Auburn has been on fire. I mean, I just feel like this there could be some energy and rup tomorrow that just helps
put Kentucky over the top. But again, for those that have not been paying attention, apparently Jackson Robinson, you know, he only played a little bit on Wednesday at Oklahoma, made a couple of shots early, but then you know, didn't go and it's still dealing with that wrist. But he did not go through whatever it is they went through today practice, walk through shoot around. I don't know. So maybe he's not going to play and they're going
to try to get him rested. But you know, to me, it seems like it's a situation now where like, okay, if you rest him and then he ends up, you know, he ends up playing in the first round and has a big game to put you over the top. Scho Kentucky Banys just expect him to not be able to go the next game, like, I mean, that's just kind of you know, if your mark Pope, Like, not knowing has got to be the biggest challenge for you, is just not knowing which personnel you're going to have to
work with. I mean, you'll take everybody you can get, especially two guys like that, but then not knowing has got to be difficult for a coach. So one thing though I mentioned in this in the four o'clock hour is you know, got a lot of hot takes about Kentucky basketball. I didn't really intend to talk about this today, but it just kind of came up. You know, the absence of those two guys, Butler and Robinson is a
big deal because clearly those guys make them better. Robinson can just randomly get hot and give you twenty in a hurry. Butler is a defensive presence they don't have anywhere else on the perimeter. So those guys are good. They clearly are missed when they can't play, and their uncertainty is why they've been talked about so much this year. So a lot of factors and why these guys get
talked about a lot. But what I don't think gets talked about enough, and I don't really know why is they're not close to the best players on this team, a guy who probably I feel like gets talked about like fourth most on this Kentucky team, third most. I don't know. Maybe I'm not good at knowing who gets talked about as much and all that, because you know, I'm not a Kentucky fan. I don't talk to a
ton of Kentucky fans on a daily basis. But Otago always their best player, and I don't really know how you could dispute that. I mean, he's mister consistency. He's only had one game where he didn't score double figures. I mean, he's good. Like I watch him play and I think, like, damn, they're lucky to have him, Like why don't they talk about him more? And maybe they
do and I'm just not paying attention. I don't know, but I think Amari, Amari Williams and take Away are honestly like if I were a Kentucky fan and I'm at you know, and it's not a situation you ever want to be in. But if I knew, okay, of your core guys, right, the six guys who play the most for you who could you least afford to lose for you know, two guys for for you know, stretch
of time. I mean, I would think that the two guys that I would say you could least afford to lose are a Maury Williams and oh take away, like always been just mister consistent and you know, he's not necessarily great at one thing, but he's good at everything and he can make threes every now and then despite not being an elite shooter. He's just a guy that
can get to the rim. He's physical, he's athletic. So I kind of feel like whenever everybody was saying that, you know, Butler's the he's the hard and soul of the team, we can't lose him, and you're not wrong. He's a valuable factor. But like I really think that a takeaway is like I think Kentucky has proven they can still be really good without those two guys. Still,
they're not as the ceiling's not as high. They're a little more vulnerable because they have to play some guys that aren't quite as ready to play, you know, thirty minutes a game. But overall, like I think there's they've proven clearly to still be a good team when not fully healthy, and I would say the biggest reason for that is one man. And that's a takeaway. I mean, he was phenomenal against Oklahoma and really again, he has
been all year for them. All Right. We did talk about this a little bit earlier if you guys missed it, but the Hard Knocks show that's been going on forever on HBO will not feature an NFL team this year because no NFL team wanted to do it. So instead, they're actually going to have a college team coached by a former NFL coach, Bill Belichick, in the North Carolina tar Heels, will be the feature of this year's Hard Knocks. NFL films could not find an NFL team that wanted
to participate. And I feel like two things. One, Bill Belichick going to Carolina. That's a story for sure, that still doesn't seem real. Right, Maybe you just remembered it because I brought it up, because it just doesn't seem
like reality. But Bill Belichick on a behind the scenes television show, What what are we think in as far as him being entertaining and him being like compelling and an interesting character, Like I mean, again, the story is big, but like a television show that needs to be entertaining, what's Bill Belichick doing? I mean I get a kick out of seeing him, like, you know, flirt with his girlfriend because it just seems like impossible if theyre an item.
But like, I mean, I just if I was in the I said this in the beginning of the show. If I was in the room when they're like throwing out ideas, what'll we do? There's no NFL team that wants to be a part of this, and like Belichick, I mean, he's not in the NFL anymore, but he's an NFL coach and you know, now he's going to college, and you know, like it could be I just think like collectively they would be like, yeah, that may work, and then I would have to raise my hand and
be like, what are you doing? Idiots? What would make you think Bill Belichick is going to be entertaining in any way? And I don't mean like he's got to be like a clown. But those shows that really really are successful, and look, there's guys who are known for what you saw of them on Hard Knocks.
Man.
They weren't great coaches or maybe even great players, but you saw some behind the scenes stuff to where you get to you got to know him a little bit. Like Belichick is boring as can be, like you know, other like Dan Campbell, like him, love him or hate him. He's a guy that I can see being good for TV, right, like even Mike Tomlin. He's not really interesting, but man,
he's got you know, he's dynamic. He's got such a good leadership about him to like people would be captivated by the way he leads an NFL locker room.
You know what, I think I possibly know what Dan I l days and stuff like that. We may get like a deep look at how like a locker room handles all that, and you'll probably get your guys because you know, like on the Hard Knocks they do the players. It's like trying to take the team or make the team, you know, like how they did a couple of years ago with the Cowboys, like an Amadola, you remember, and they end up shutting him and that was just like
a huge uhh, what were you doing? But you know, maybe you'll you'll see guys, and you'll see the locker room and how it pertains of how he's handling a locker room when each and every guy has like a different deal. Some players are making more money than them. Maybe there's some drama about playing time and transfer portal. I could see how maybe that could be the allure and just kind of add the star factor that is Bill Belichick to it. That's the only thing that I can think of.
Yeah, and and and and honestly, that's a good that's a good thing to throw out there that could make it to where that dynamic, the newness of it, and just really I don't think we've seen a behind the scenes look, And maybe we haven't. I just haven't paid attention. But I don't I you know, behind the scenes look of a of a program kind of following their season and even their off season. Is nil that that would
that would be interesting. So you're right, Austin, But I just feel like with Belichick, he isn't gonna be the guy that talks to him about that at all. Like he's not gonna he's not gonna take a call from his backup linebacker who wants more money. Yeah he's not getting that shall yeah, Yeah, he's someone else take care of that. That is what made this higher to me so stupid, because I don't see how it works. Like maybe he's gonna he's gonna, really, you know, have so much.
He's gonna he's gonna have such a good support staff around him to where it does work, and he's just kind of like the CEO. That's where it could work. Really. But I mean, nowadays, I feel like unless you are an og like a Rick Patino, but even he's adapted. Like in college sports right now, you need to be relatable. Players need to want to play for you because they can go play for anybody. So like Bill Belichick, to me, is one of the most unrelatable human beings that I've
ever witnessed in sports. He's he's not a real human like him and Bobby Petrino robots that you know clearly like the ladies too. I mean, like you know, like that's the one thing that is okay they are human because you know they'll embarrass themselves, like Belichick is with this woman young enough to be his granddaughter. And then of course you know Bobby, you know, guy loved the volleyball player. I mean, he was sorry, couldn't help himself.
I guess the interest is gonna see a Bill out there and like his his practice shorts and his whistle and the Carolina heat just yelling at players.
But you're right, how's it going to relate to him?
I mean, how deep is it going to go to these players that I coached Tom Brady? Yeah, and I know that sounds absolutely crazy, but does any kid up and coming, like would they care?
They would care, but not enough because again, now they're about themselves, because this is now, they're like, right, you can't just be like, oh man, they better stay in line because they just know that they should be happy to be here. No, they can be anywhere they want right and leave. So like, put it this way, this
is the best way to describe it. I think right now in college coaching, it is never been more important to have a head coach to where players, maybe not all of them, but most of them feel like if I've got something going on, whether it's related to the sport we play, or related to my life or related to something, I need to be able to know that I can pick up the phone and call him and we have that relationship you had best friends. But you know what I mean, you've got to be really you've
got to be connected in that way now. And I feel like the coaches that are gonna thrive in this new world are gonna have that. I think the coach at Louisville and the coach at Kentucky right now, I guarantee you that is one of the things. Every one of those players say that they feel close, connected, appreciated,
like it's a family. And that didn't mean you're gonna win. Clearly, you need players, you need to be able to coach like you need talent, like all that still matters for sure, but in order to like run your program and not have the free the wild wild West be a factor where you're losing. Guy's NonStop, you got jealousy within the
locker room about who's getting paid more. You need to have that component to where everybody's all in because they do, in fact trust and believe in in the guy leading it. And I just think Belichick he'll probably have people that'll be that guy. But you know, kids want the head, Like the head coach matters, you know what I mean.
It's like he's gonna have to have some level of like to where he's like just imagining Belichick feeling like he's one of the boys on the bus with his team like that, just to me is not reality, and it just makes me think it may not work. All right, we gonna get too quick, bick. We come back on the other side. What we're gonna do here. ESPN put out their rankings for the best national championship winners in
college basketball. We'll tell you where Louis Will ended up, and we'll talk just about some of the best teams we've ever witnessed. Because I don't really think this list is very great, but hey, just opinion. And then also we'll let you hear Pat Kelsey in what he said earlier today as we close out the show, as we get set for this Pittsburgh matchup tomorrow. So stick with us. It's Coffee and Company. Feel about Portin's right here on Sportsbok seven ninety.
You're listening to Coffee and Company with Nick Coffee on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Just a good song. I love this song in this Friday vibes or what absolutely good stuff. All right. So ESPN's Mavren Metcalf he put together his list of the best college basketball national championship teams since the year two thousand and there's a lot of different rankings as far as title teams that you can find out there. And I think Myron was not as kind of the Cardinals
as he should have been. And most lists have them higher than where he has them, but he has them at number fifteen, and you know, I think at the top. It's again, we're only talking about since two thousand and there's a lot of people listening that maybe don't even
remember some of these title teams. I can tell you that I remember every title team, maybe not in great detail, but like I can tell you enough about all of them post like two thousand and three maybe, But then again, even in I mean even in two thousand and in two I remember that Duke team, I'm sorry, two thousand and one, that Duke team that had Shane Battier, J Williams and Carlos Boozer. They were phenomenal. But most people have if you've been a rank the title teams, most
people have Kentucky or Duke. The twenty twenty twelve Kentucky team of the two thousand and one Duke team is the number one, and I really, I mean, what's crazy is that I think that Kentucky team being number one is understandable. They were really, really good, but it wasn't even Kentucky's best team. Kentucky's best team was twenty fifteen, and I really don't think it's close. I mean both were great, man, that's gotta really suck, no, and they
didn't win a title in twenty fifteen. I mean, you hate to see it, kind of not really anyways, gotta be nice for them to know that, like their best team or sorry, the best title winning team is not even as good as one of their own teams, because you know, that means you're doing good, you're doing good stuff. The early era of Cal, as much as I hated it, it was insanely impressive and something that probably won't be
seen again in quite some time. Like right now, Danny Hurley's got back to back titles, and that clearly you know is valuable. And maybe he does get to a final four here and then get a title again next year. I mean, easier said than done. But that early era for Cal and Lexington was was was unreal. And then after that, after those two because I feel like most most rankings you'll find will have those as the two
best teams. And they've got Florida two thousand and seven, Florida at number three here, which that of course had choke him. Noah al Horford, those guys. And then this team, this team is the one that ended up winning the title when Louisville lost in the Elite eight. Is the number one overall seed. And also they the same team essentially the year before ended Louisville season in the Elite eight in two thousand and eight. That's North Carolina. So
Hansbrough came back, Tyle Lawson, Wayne Allington, those guys. I feel like that two thousand and nine Carolina team was the best Carolina team I watched play in my lifetime. And then this is one that I don't know if it's just at RECENTCY biased in like a in a negative way. Usually RECNCY biased is like wow, you just you're you're intoxicated about how new it is. This is a relatively new title winner. And yet I don't believe at all that they were close to being one of
the best team title title winners. But twenty eighteen Nova like, yeah, Jalen Brunson, Michal Bridges done like they were good and when the title, one of these teams is good. But like I would put, I mean I would put I'd put Louisville ahead of them, I really would. The one I'm looking at now has Lovell at number nine, which I think that's probably a little bit. You know, again, I'm biased that I love that team hard for me to not. I mean, that's the best team I ever
watched Louisville have and they won a national championship. So you know, if there's ever a time to be Homer, to be a Homer like this, is it right? Because you're thinking to yourself, like, do I think any team is better than the best Louisville team that I've ever watched that I love? And clearly there are probably teams better than than that Louisville twenty thirteen team, But I would. I just think they were so good defensively, they had elite guard play, they had you know, the clutch gene.
They won a lot of close games, and you know, Gorgee was a special player that was really just another piece for you. I mean, he was great. Love Gorgey, But I mean, you know, like that team, they had a core rotation and it I mean they played you know, I'd say about nine guys played minutes on the twenty thirteen title team. As far as like every game they would get, they would get minutes, but really you had your starting lineup with Russ, Peyton, Wayne Shane and Gorge,
and then it was Luke off the bench. And then really, I mean, Tres was a big time factor for you. He played a lot of minutes and was I mean, he was easily the set. He was the second guy off the bench, I feel like, every game. And then later Kevin Ware started to get a little bit more comfortable for his injury, and then Van Trees played, but not you know, not a ton like Van Tries was the guy who probably got an every game, but he was only giving you bigger chunks of minutes if somebody
was in foul trouble. And then you know, Henderson wasn't in the rotation, but man, he came in and obviously, you know, win a championship without him coming against Wichita State and hitting two clutch threes. I could talk about this team all day. So now let's look at the bottom of this list. As far as you know, teams that won a title, and clearly they'll they'll always have that. Nobody can say they're not good. But since two thousand, the most insane run and really a team that is
listed at number twenty four. If everybody's ranking the twenty four winners since two thousand, it's that twenty fourteen U Con team that still pisses me off, just because Louisville was not just better, but they blew them off the floor the three times they played them, and then somehow. I mean, it's kind of tricky because I'm so happy they did win and beat Kentucky, but also like to know that you could have you could have had a repeat. And man, that team they weren't the twenty thirteen team,
but they were still really good. I mean, Rosier was was was really good. Russ as a senior, obviously, Terry played some big minutes for you. Trees was sophomore. Trees was special. I mean that team was good, and you know, that Kentucky game in the sweet sixteen just still gives me very much sadness thinking about it. I'm looking here at the rest of the list that like some forgettable title winners. I mean, I guess you're really, you know,
somebody who loves college basketball. It's hard for me to look at any of these teams and be like, oh, yeah, I forgot it them, because you know, I loved the Baylor team that won it in two thousand and one. They were twenty eight and two, and a lot of people actually have them as like the top seven eight, But I think they're forgettable because of that year, like
we barely had a season like it. It felt like, maybe this is just me saying it, because Louisville was the first team left out of the tournament because of the bubb the bid Steelers. By the way, two of those bid Steelers ended up giving their coaches new contracts and they both thunk Wayne Tingle or whatever his name was it Oregon State and then obviously Patrick Ewing and you know he ended up flaming out after stealing a bid.
But anyways, the yeah, I mean like that that season, like it felt like the NBA Disney bubble, didn't it, Like it just never like, yeah, I mean we had a season and you know, there were good teams, and it's such a forgettable year. And honestly, those two seasons, specifically twenty twenty when the tournament didn't happen and the twenty twenty one where we had a season, but it was weird, Like that's such a blur to a lot of people. And you know, it's not something I lose
sleep over at night by any means. However, I will say this, I hate it for the players that played in that era, Like that is such a like that that your experience was robbed, and that is why they gave everybody a extra year starting If you entered college in twenty twenty one, you had an extra year, and those guys currently are fifth year seniors, right, But I still feel like they should have done it for the
guys in twenty twenty two. I think you could. You could make the case that, and again it doesn't it's just the college basketball crazies like me that get this because it actually doesn't sound right. But I feel like if you didn't get twenty twenty in the postseason, like you were more robbed, because that's what makes it special.
But then again, like if you played for a team that would have never made the tournament and your season, like you were already back at home for spring break when the pandemic fully shut everything down because your team's stunk, it does kind of sound weird to think that you would have had another year of eligibility, But I mean, two guys that you know for Louisville specifically that I
just hate that their career ended like that. Was Ryan McMahon and Dwayne Sutton just because we'll remember them, but like Dwayne was a special player who was a hometown kid who did everything like just a hard worker, a guy who was you know, great teammate, intense and just a great story. And again, nobody's gonna not remember him, but like you don't remember him the way he should be remembered because of the era that he played in. And you know that I just hate that for him,
I really do. All right, let's get to a break. We'll come back on the other side. Let you guys here Pat Kelsey as he gets set for this matchup tomorrow against Pittsburgh, which you know, in a weird way, I didn't think I'd be looking forward to these games like I am now again, I'm always gonna look forward
to watching this team play. But you know, I think Pittsburgh will give this team a good challenge tomorrow that if they do end up winning and maybe even winning big, it probably won't do a ton for the resume, but it'll tell me a lot because again, I think Pittsburgh has some personnel that is gonna be similar to what you're gonna see when you get to the n Simble Tournament. All right, quick break, keep it locked right here. Coffee and Company feilbout Thorn's on Sports Talk seven to ninety.
You're listening to Coffee and Company with Nick Coffee on Sports Talks.
And are pleased with the way they played with the lead after they got the lead.
Yeah, getting off to a good start is is important. We don't do anything different, you know, we break the game down into ten four minute segments and we say each each segment at zero zero, and but it's always good to get off to a good start, you know.
The other night, after watching the tape, you know, Virginia Tech made some really tough shots, uh several times when we had a double digit lead, and you know, just just continued to to gut it out and to fight and made some big shots to you know, to to allow the lead to go to five instead of you know, we had a couple open looks that could have taken
it to thirteen fourteen. But listen, every road game, every conference game is really hard, believe it or not, that other coach wants to win, you know, and they got good players too, and they're not just gonna lay down, you know, especially now that we're a ranked opponent going into you know, their venue. It's we have a target on our back, so we're gonna get everybody's best shot. And it's the way it should be.
Bet, you could go down your roster and talk about what guys have brought to this team this year, what they've done. How much, though, do you need a guy like Javon who does a lot of little little It seems a lot of the little things are grimy, kind of gritty things that you do.
Every team needs someone like that, don't they.
Yeah. I like to think we have a team full of those type of guys. You know, Javon is very versatile. You know, he can play a lot of different positions. And by play a lot of different positions, I mean, you can guard a lot of positions. People say you are what you can guard, and you know he can guard one through five at times for us. He's extremely versatile from an offensive standpoint because he's a matchup problem with smaller defenders in the post.
He gives bigger.
Opponent or i'm sorry, bigger defenders problems by being able to spread them out on the floor, make shots, take them off the dribble. He's really expanded his game in a lot of ways this year. We've pushed him to be a ball screen creator at times as well, which are kind of inverted ball screens which can be difficult to defend.
And yeah, he's just Swiss army knife.
Sometimes I think people take that as al he's a utility player. He's the farthest thing from that. He's an All Conference performer in my mind.
Pat, you know, obviously a year ago, this fan base was just hoping and dreaming of having an opportunity to watch their team blaying markers. Now, all of a sudden, as we enter the month of March, they're fired up. You've created an opportunity for this team to possibly make a deep run. I guess, looking back at over the last twelve months, how special is this spend to you kind of reinvigorate this fan base and give them something to look forward to as we enter this glorious moment.
Yeah, I don't let me answer that. A couple of ways, you talk about a run, you talk about March, you talk about all this. We're not there yet, Okay, Like we're not there yet so in terms of how you're asking me and how our team is approaching our day to day business, it's the task at hand, which is a really really tough game tomorrow against pitt with one of the best backwards in our entire conference.
Okay, that's our sole focus.
But you ask about the excitement in town, and that's a great thing. You know, that's an awesome thing. The vibe, the energy, the excitement. Obviously you guys all know this and everybody knows this, but it's as proud and his passion of a fan base as there is in the country. So to feel that around town is awesome. It's great for our city. It's great for our basketball program, it's great for fundraising, it's great for admissions, just great for the heartbeat of in the vibe of our city overall.
So that's an awesome thing, the byproduct of how we've competed and how we've played this year. But we don't give any of that stuff the first thought, and we never will.
It's it's pit and all pit.
With it being March, you guys have been a team that's enjoyed some large margin victories throughout the last few weeks, but getting pushed at Virginia Tech as you are entering or getting close to the postseason. How valuable Can a game like that where you do get pushed to you to the end be as your team progressive?
Yeah? I think every situation that you face throughout a game is a learning experience, and to have those opportunities down the stretch against Virginia Tech, to have our guys in those situations is definitely a positive.
Maybe I'm just wondering. I know coaches always want the polls right down games too much at the end.
Cool are you talking about like reviews and stuff like that. I'll be honest with you, I haven't given it a lot of thought that just asking that question put me on the spot with it.
I don't know.
I mean, I'm a big believer, yet get right, you know, get it right, And I think everybody wants that.
They want to get the call right.
The officials want that, the fans want that, the players want that.
You're listening to Coffee and Company with.
A perfect world.
Uh, it's the processes fast.
It doesn't delay the game, it doesn't take the air out of the arena, it doesn't get to sweat off the player's bodies.
And I think every major score in the world right now.
America for sure is way dealing with that more because ball does it getting off to a ball start. For a long long time basketball we don't do anything different. Is gotten the play review. We break the game down into the last five six sevens each and I think it's that good that zero zero so that they can get the call right. It's always they don't do it
to a good start. I don't feel like the other night Virginia Tech makes a really tough shots because we have several times review situation double digit lead and I can't really comment on them to gut it out and the fight and made some big.
Shots throughout the course of the season too.
I think this is allowable to go five and instead it feels like we had a couple of parks.
Every take.
They take their course.
They want to be the most course in every road game, every conference game. Is really hard to first to hit somebody after. But have you seen that all they got good players to going to you guys may have especially at the beginning, now that we're really starting to take their venue.
We have a target on our You're going to get everybody's best shot every single day way shole.
Second, that we always want to be.
Talking about what the team that brought to the team this year makes the top plays that hits first?
How much still dis guy like ja who does a lot of little.
Little things or grinding for kind of gritty things plays.
I think every team hopefully define someone like that. Don't like any of those type of guys. It has always been an emphasis and we have tough guys. Javans is very verse. Sometimes you know he cannot sometimes I think a lot of different really identify play a lot of different toughness.
I mean, you can guard a lot of recruit you also what you can transfer portal and recruiting. You know he can.
Guard one through five type of guys or won those and from an offensive standpoint because he's a matchup problem with smaller defenders.
In the posts.
I said, you all get the bigger win that pitt the fender problem by being able to talk about you spread them out on the floor.
Shot.
I'm wondrying as you're going scouting in this game over a lot of way weeks, drop games and.
Times weller teams see a team that's scarce difficulty.
The team that we get one.
Defense Swiss Army knife sometimes that we got to execute always the athletic U till A well coached is the farthest thing from that. Winning by his record is I like watch him game in and game out, and I think.
About, like what this year ago Basins game, just hoping and dreaming of.
You know.
Hold, as we entered the month of March, they're fired up. You got you created an opportunity for this team to possibly make it deep on. I guess just looking back at over the last twelve months, how special is the spends you kind of reinvigorate the span base and give them something to look forward to as we enter this glorious month.
Yeah, I don't we we have weaknesses. They have weaknesses a couple of ways you do.
Guys want to.
Run You talk about the week, All this is, we're all those teams I just mentioned has strengths. Is we're not there yet winning Division one and just a really approaching the business. It's it's the task at hand. It's a really really tough game tomorrow against pitt with one of the best backwards in our entire conference.
Okay, that's our sole focus.
But you ask about the excitement in town, and that's a great thing. You know, that's an awesome thing. The vibe, the energy, the excitement. Obviously you guys all know this and everybody knows this, but it's as proud and his passion of a fan basis there is in the country. So to feel that around town is awesome. It's great for our city. It's great for our basketball program, it's great for fundraising, it's great for admissions, just great for the heartbeat of in the vibe of our city overall.
So that's an awesome thing, the byproduct of how we've competed and how we've played this year. But we don't give all any of that stuff the first thought and we never will.
It's it's pit and all pit.
With it being March, you guys have been a team that's enjoyed some large margin victories throughout the last few weeks. But getting pushed at Virginia Tech as you are entering or getting close to the postseason. How valuable can a game like that where you do get pushed to, you know, to the end be as your team progressive?
Yeah, I think every situation that you face throughout a game is is a is a learning experience. And to have those opportunities down the stretch against Virginia Tech, to have our guys in those situations is uh, is definitely a positive.
Maybe I'm just wondering. I know coaches always want the calls if you right the game, low game dur ration perspective, we slowing down games too much at the end?
Cool are you talking about like reviews and stuff like that. I'll be honest with you, I haven't given it a lot of thought. Just asking that question put me on the spot with it.
I don't know.
I mean, I'm a big believer in get it right, you know, get it right, and I think everybody wants that.
They want to get the call right.
The officials want that, the fans want that, the players want that, the coaches want that. In a perfect world, it's it's the process is fast, and it doesn't delay the game, it doesn't take the air out of the arena, it doesn't take the sweat off the players' bodies.
And I think every major.
Sport in the world right now, and America for sure, is dealing with that more because there you know, Baseball does it now. Obviously, football has done it for a long long time. Basketball has gotten into replay review a lot more here over the last five, six, seven years. But I think it's good that they can do it so that they can get the call right faster they can do it the better. I don't feel like it's
any slower now. I don't think so. Maybe it's because we haven't had a lot of review situations and so I can't really comment on that because I haven't given it a lot of thought.
Pat throughout the course of the season, I think this has evolved a little bit, But right now it feels like your kids are every time they take the court, they want to be the most aggressive team out there. You know, the first to hit to somebody, you know what I meant to get after it a little bit. Have you seen that evolved with this group throughout the
course of the season. You guys may have always preached it at the beginning, but it seems like it's really starting to take take the heat that maybe the last couple of months.
I mean, yeah, we preach it every single day, every single second. You always want to be the hardest playing team. You want to to be the team that makes the hustle, plays that hits first, that dives on the loose balls.
It gets the fifty to fifty balls.
Those effort, effort plays I think hopefully define our on court culture as much as anything. So it has always been an emphasis, and we have tough guys. You know, it's sometimes and not sometimes. I think, you know, you really have to identify great toughness in the recruiting process, whether it's in the transfer portal and recruiting, you know, because you want those type of guys or I want those type of guys in my locker room and in my lineup and on the floor for us all the time.
Yeah, since since you all got that close win that pit back in January, they've lost They've lost them eight of their last twelve. You've always talked about, you know, you know, just how much just so much a talent they have. But I'm wondering, as you're going and scouting them, you know, over the last few weeks, what have you seen as they continue to kind of drop games and keep slipping down the conference standing.
Eye, I see a very very very dangerous team. I see a team that scares the crap out of me. I see a team that we got to be on it in every facet of our defensive system.
I see a team that we got to execute.
Our stuff because they are athletic, they're well coached, and they're tough. Like I don't pay attention to anybody's record, is I like watch them game in and game out, and I think about, like, what are the things that we need to do to win this game?
And uh, you know, I see one of the most talented teams in our conference. We got beyond it.
Like as you're watching the game, you're going to see that, you know, as you give losses too highlight enough, like are there things that's you know that you see us sticking out to you.
Or maybe you know the things that they.
Were giving differently prior to the game.
You'll had against them in January.
Kind of like kind of like any sort of any sort of weaknesses or things.
That are we we have weaknesses, They have weaknesses. You have weaknesses. Douke haz weaknesses, The Cavs have weaknesses, and all those teams I just mentioned has strengths as well. Winning Division One games is hard, right, Jeff's a really good coach, is talented as heck. I mean I could