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 getting off our show.
Idiot.
The kids are crying or tilt.
The countries are screwing it up.
Gold Play inter Murals, Brother, gold Play Intermurals.
They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really not.
Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here? Are you kidding me? Now? Here's Nick Coffee.
That's right, you know what time it is? Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Thanks for hanging out with us, Nick Coffee, Austin Montgomery, And I'll tell you what this may be a day people talk about for a long time. Probably not Probably nobody will talk about it or ever reference it. But seven hours of radio for your boy today. I mean, don't say I'm not committed to this company. That is. iHeartMedia
in all seriousness. It was an honor, a privilege, and a pleasure to be filling in for Tony Cruz on News Radio eight forty w h AS this morning. But man, welcome to the Welcome to the company.
Man crew.
Yeah, well look the company man. You know, they snatched him from me, they took him from us. So now you know, we've look, they've got you working eight jobs seemingly here at the company, and now I'm working double duty, double shift here on a talk program, sports in the afternoon, news talk in the morning, and uh, you know, I mean it's just filling in for the rest of the week. But hey, putting in.
Putting in work, I mean, get the hard hats out, getting exactly a lunch Poah, that's right, punching that clock, that's right. The old school way. Were used to stick it in the thing and hit.
Yeah, did you up it? So did you ever have a job where you did that?
Yes, I sure did one job. I worked at a bowling That's when I'm so clutched. Eighteen, Yeah, and it was I remember putting it in, you know, putting it.
Stamp in that baby. Oh dude, you had to be young.
Yeah, I was eighteen, I think as a senior in high school. My guy Joey hooked me up with that job.
And he was shut out.
Joey. He was yeah, shout out Joey. Uh, he was just as lazy as a worker as I was so like when he got a you're honest, well, I mean that's what he got a job there, and he made that job seem awesome, like that's all he had to do was just kind of sit in the back. It was I didn't basically know it was a janitor's job. He just disguised it as like customer service rep, you're a CSR. And then he just sat back there the whole time when I was there. So that's all I did.
Little did I know that everyone was talking hish about me and everyone hated me because only came out when they were like, hey is.
This when is this when you left to do the Chucky Cheese job?
Yeah? Yeah, I retired from this and I went to Chuck e chee.
Yeah, take that bowling alley, Yeah, missed out.
Cactus Bowl is what it was called.
You know what they uh what they typically will really dress up the title for a custodian or janitor. They call that a custodial engineer. That's a fancy title for somebody who is a custodian, which hey, there's nothing wrong with that. There's a lot of different ways. You know, people are out there working to make a living.
First check was I think like three hundred and sixty four dollars, and I thought it was hype. I went to the mall, was there for two hours, and I'm counting my money. At the end of the day, I'm like, how do I only have twenty bucks left? I thought I was rich?
Man.
I tell you what one hundred dollars that that first pay check that I got when I worked part time was. I mean, I still am owed by the way, I'm pretty sure. I mean, if I went there and asked to pick up my check, I doubt they would have it. But I worked at Hollister for three hours. Oh that's right, and I never I never went back. I was very uncomfortable. I'm an introvert, and all I had to do was fold and unfold genes all day.
It does sound terrible.
And I got like a five percent discount on clothes, which really wasn't much of anything, And I just had to ask people as they walk by, have you heard how great our genes fit? And what was crazy is they never even actually told me what to say. If, in fact, somebody called me on it, I asked it. I asked one. I asked one time if anybody had heard, and they just looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. So then when I got my break, I went to the food court and called my mom
and I was like, Mom, I want to quit. She's like, it's your first day of your first job. Like, Mom, come on, I don't want to do this. Disappointed, I don't think so. I mean, anyway, I was well, I was driving at the time, and I think at that point,
like I was getting paid so little. It was one of those jobs that they knew they could hire teenagers for pennies because it was cool to work there, because Hollister was the cool place, you know, you get to socialize with, you know, people your age, that kind of stuff. But from where I was driving, it just didn't make a whole lot of sense. And I can only work certain days. So yeah, but when I ended up getting my first I worked probably more hours. During the week
of Thanks Again Black Friday, I worked for Finish Line. Yeah, and that was the first time I had a paycheck that actually I felt like, Okay, that's a decent amount of money for me. And man, I felt like I was I was set and more.
More, you're more at home at a finish Line than a Hollister.
Oh absolutely absolutely.
Do you get any leads on some like, uh like where the was Jordan releases as hot back in you know?
Oh?
Yeah, as it was.
And I wasn't you know, I wasn't a sneaker head like like some, but you know I was. I was dangerous enough to you know, I knew, I knew what certain shoes were like. If you asked me for a certain Jordan or a certain air Max, I wouldn't know what it is. I just you know, I didn't. I wasn't somebody that was a collector or anything like that.
But man, I really you almost had to compete at finish Line with the others because you know, everybody whoever had like the best shoe game, you know, it just it was it was worth bragging about when you work at a place.
Like that, right exactly.
Well, I didn't get written up, but I got a verbal warning because I do think that that my manager at the time realized I didn't have a clue that I was making a mistake. But I had a friend who worked at foot Action, which I'm not sure they're still around. They were underneath the foot locker Champ some relation, but I think they do still have like maybe one or two of them. Some food action. I think there's a nevermind, it's gonna make a bad joke. I got,
I got. I got these urges to, you know, just be a knucklehead on the radio because I had to be really I had to be really sophisticated and buttoned up this morning on news radios.
I had to stick your up in the air.
Yeah, exactly. So anyways, I ended up I love and I don't know if if if you're familiar with these, but I loved Airmax ninety fives. Sure love and I still do, by the way, I like them. And there was an air there was an exclusive release from foot Action, and I didn't know that it was exclusive. So I got a pair of Nike Airmax ninety five's that were
like white with like a navy and chrome. I mean it was I mean, I loved him, and I felt I felt like I was showing up for my next shift and they're gonna be like, okay, all right, the new guy, he's he's got something for us. And then I've found out, you know, you probably shouldn't wear an exclusive pair of shoes that only a competitive, a competing shoe store cells and it made total sense. Yeah, but
but I didn't know it was exclusive. Are you're just trying to get h I was just trying to fit in, you know what I'm saying, Just trying to be one of the gang. But anyways, I had one job where you punch that you punch that old school thing that actually stamps the time.
It was.
It was the first job that kind of humbled me that I need to figure out what I want to do. I came back and worked on an assembly line briefly for a place where my dad was working at the time, and it was a nice experience. As a younger adult. I was still kind of a kid. I mean I think I still was. I felt like a kid. I was eighteen, but I felt like a kid, and it was you know, hey, make sure this isn't what you do for the rest of your life. Not to say that it's the worst thing ever, but you know, I
wanted to do more than that. And honestly, that's the job where I really started listening to talk radio and really obsessing with this this industry that is sports talk radio. Because I was interesting on an assembly line all day and I was listening to Joe By and Denny. I was listening to The Afternoon Underdogs with Adam Neft and Tony Venetti. And you know, here I am Adam Neft. Here I am many many years later. And and you know, living the dream.
Yeah, living as you're right under their right under their shadows.
Yeah, it's been it's been a lot of fun. And speaking of fun, let's uh, let's do exactly that. We've got a lot of hoops to talk about. We've certainly been doing that. It's college basketball season. As I've been saying throughout the week, we really needed to not take it for granted because it'll be gone before you know it. And last night a lot of good college basketball games.
At Parlays were cash.
Oh yeah, both of us on on the on the good side of the business last night, Yeah felt good. Rick Patino obviously came through for me. And we need to talk about Rick Patino coming up a little bit later on because my man's got the juice right now.
And uh, you know, I'm not like having any thoughts of man, I wish this guy should still be here, because to be fair, it's great if a coach as Rick is, I mean, a lot of time has passed since then, and I just I never really even whenever he was at Iona and when Louisville was terrible and he was having success early at Saint John's or wherever, like, I've never once had I just I'm somebody that understands that's not possible, Like there's no scenario we'd ever be back,
So why even like spend any time on it. So again, I don't want to make it seem as if I'm gonna make the case that Rick patino is is great and we should still have him as our coach. But I mean, he is great, and I don't think anybody would dispute that. And if he ends up, it's great
to see him back going on. Yeah, and by the way he like it kind of feels like in the last few days, especially last night, he is back, meaning there's more chat like they were quietly emerging, meaning Saint John's as this team that looks like they're in great in a great spot with the Big East and could win the league. But really last night with Marquette in
town at the Garden, they sold it out. It really did seem as if there was more awareness of Rick Patino doing what he's doing at Saint John's, then there's been so far this season. And I mean if he makes a final four, I mean you could make the case now if Rick never coach again and he never came back to college after he got out at Louisville, you can make the case that he's still one of
the all time best coaches ever. But if he makes the final four at Saint John's and he would have taken Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, Saint John's to a final four, I mean that that's insane. I mean, heck, even if he finishes great and they losing the Elite eight, I mean, he's still just, in my opinion, furthering what a lot of us already know that when it comes to just basketball, coaching the game, he's I really do believe he's the best to ever do it. And I you know, I
don't think am I bias for saying that. Again, I mean, Rix got his issues as well. I mean, nobody's perfect and Rick's you know, you know, I'm not here to kiss his ass. But even if though even those who despise him have no problem, I think openly admitting that like this guy is. I mean, he's a special, special coach. So anyhow, Louisville in action tonight, promise you we're going to get to that. There's not a whole lot that can really be said about this matchup. I mean, I
guess there is. Louisville. They are favored tonight. Last I checked, it was at twelve and a half. They're playing a really bad Boston college team. And I could give you what you probably were expecting to hear, bouncing back. And I think I probably have said that throughout the week, because you know, when you lose and then you want to win, what do people say, bounce back? So I
guess technically that is true. However, I believe that Louisville came out against Georgia Tech and they didn't play their best game. But like, I don't view this as hey, what the hell was that? What happened? I mean, to be honest with you, they were rather consistent. They they shot thirty six percent from three point range May nine. Had they made eleven, maybe it's a different ballgame. They did have more turnovers than Georgia Tech, which that's a
little bit uncharacteristic. Georgia Tech turned points off of Louisville's turnovers more so than Louisville did. So there are some things like on the stat sheet that you know, going in, hey, if these numbers are not in your favor and you know you're at a disadvantage on the stat sheet right here, that's not ideal. So again, I'm not acting like they didn't have a performance that was you know, it was.
What I'm trying to say here is you know, now that I'm deep into a long day of talking into a microphone, my brain just as having moments where it just stops working. But I don't think that Louisville came out flat like, I don't think that they needed to be humbled or anything like that. I just think what happened is they ran into a hot Georgia Tech team
that couldn't couldn't miss early in the game. And then as soon as Louisville was about to maybe bury them on two different instances, Georgia Tech, to their credit, kept fighting and they hung around, and then they put another run together and it was a close game and then they kind of slowly pulled away. Louisville, of course, didn't execute great down the stretch, and they missed a lot of free throws, and obviously you don't want to do that. I mean, eleven of nineteen at the free throw line
that's not good. But heck, Georgia Tech was actually worse. So again, I'm not here to defend their performance and act like, you know, they played great, but I think it is. I think this team's just gonna come out and pick up where they left off as far as just you know, locking down on defense and knocking down shots.
I mean what led to them having that ten game winning streak where they were beating down some teams in the ACC albeit bad team still, I mean they were playing really, really well, Like I don't think that we saw performance that that Oh wow, they took a huge step back. So I wouldn't be shocked if they win this game about thirty tonight. And I really do think that after Georgia Tech ended up knocking off Clemson last night in triple overtime, that doesn't make Louisville's loss to
Georgia Tech really any better. I mean, maybe the optics aren't as bad, but I mean it's still something that you're gonna have to deal with on selection Sunday. That is a bad loss. But I guess it does kind of confirm that Georgia Tech is a is the kind of team that if they are, if they're hot and they're playing with confidence and they're knocking down shots, they're competing, you know, they're probably a lot better than their record.
But again that doesn't necessarily matter. But george Tech, you know, beat Clemson at their place, and Clemson's not elite. Trust me, I don't know how good they actually are, but they're a good team. They're safely in the tournament. And you know, a healthy Kentucky team who's still a good team, and we got to talk about them in a second. But I mean Kentucky lost to Clemson when Clemson hosted them earlier this year. So again Georgia Tech beating Clemson again,
I do with that, which you will. I just it kind of confirmed to me because I didn't really want to go on and on about how Georgiat tack. I'm telling you they're better than the record, don't you know. Don't look at the record. They got a lot of talent, because I don't really know if I believe that, But what I saw on Saturday, it didn't even have me thinking about their record or how good they are. I was just watching guys make tough shots consistently to where
you really couldn't have defended it much better. And yeah they were, they weren't really picking on rain Smith. And I don't know why that's triggered me a little bit. A lot of people acting like we need to worry about Rain Smith being on the floor, Like, with all due respect, y you all are, I mean, I mean that's insane. Like again, there's a stereotype that guys like rain Smith, you know, that are white and maybe not as athletic as others, that when they get scored on,
it's just because they can't guard. Sometimes guys just make tough shots because they're basketball players, and that's the game. And the way rain Smith got scored on at times Saturday, everybody else on this team has been scored on like that as well this year. So it's not to say that they can't find somebody that's got a favorable matchup to where Rain's defending it well and then you know, all of a sudden, they just you know, they hit
a tough shot. But like, I don't know, I long story short, I don't really think there's a whole lot wrong with this team that has me worried that they're going to come out and like have a bad performance tonight. One thing though, that has consistently been an issue for them, that kind of feel like it is what it is. I'm not going to be surprised if we get to the end of the year and there's still a very
inconsistent free throw shooting team. So that's been an issue even though even in games during their ten game winning streak. So I'm confident they come out take care of business tonight, and they need to because again, you can't afford another loss of that magnitude and you really honestly need to blow these kind of teams out, which I'm hoping that's what happens tonight. There was a blowout last night in Oxford for a good chunk of the game, Kentucky had
a comeback but still fell short. And I'm telling you Kentucky's resume, I've been talking about it for a while really weird, right, But they also just have a weird team when it comes to some stats, Like they've got some statistics that you would see that you would think, how the hell they lose. So we'll get to that in a lot more. It's coffee and company. We're rolling along here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
That's right, it's coffee and company fueled by Thornton's here on a sports Talk seven ninety. Thanks for hanging out with us, don't forget you can take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the iHeartRadio app. Also listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com. Louisville now favored by thirteen and a half. And I mean, I think despite the loss against Georgia Tech, and I don't think it. You know, the resume is clearly still going to have a stain on it with that loss to
Georgia Tech. But I do think my confidence in Louisville never really wavered in this matchup tonight because Boston College is just a bad team. But to see Georgia Tech continue that momentum and beat Clemson at their place, it kind of makes me feel like thirteen and a half is free money. But then again, maybe I'm maybe I'm too confident, but I just I think this group, their maturity they're they're not hanging their head. They're gonna come ready to play tonight. And Boston College is the kind
of team that you should be. I mean, you should be able to bury them. And what I mean by that is they know they're bad and they will probably see a big deficit early in this game and then kind of go through the motions. I mean, right now, Boston College, they are ten and eleven overall. They do have that win against Florida State over the weekend, which pretty much led to Leonard Hamilton announcing he's done. Florida State probably told him to go ahead and put the
fans out of their misery. Let him know that you're going to be walking at the end of the year, because that's how rough of a season it's been for
Florida State in the last couple of years. But anyways, before beating Florida State with really a miraculous win, I mean the way they did it, they were down four points with the ball less than ten seconds left, and they were able to in that amount of time get an offensive rebound, put it back in, and then steal the inbounds pass from Florida State and then chuck up a three that went in. So it was really a very very unusual finish and really a game that they
should not have won. Other than that, the only other win that they have in league play is against Miami, who has been absolutely free falling for quite some time. This is, in fact, I think, the worst team in the league when it comes to the Kinpom. I mean, right now, Boston College is sitting at two hundred. Yeah, I mean, this is the worst team in the ACC. So really the significance tonight is just make sure that you somehow don't lose. But also, I mean you need
to blow them out. Like, let's be honest, you need to blow this team out or you will probably fall in the metrics just because that's how it works. That's not right, but it's been that way for a while, so I mean, you don't want to come out trying to just kill them and then you end up playing tight and not just playing your game. But I think that these guys just come out and play the way they've played the last eleven games for the most part,
they should be able to cruise. Because when you get down big and you're going through the kind of season Boston College is going through, you end up kind of just going through the motions. It's not that these guys are quitters and they're just gonna, you know, not try. But I've actually seen this play out before, right fade worthy teams. I think of Louisville nder Kenney Payne, and I think of you know, and and I'm not picking on Louisville. It's just that those are the teams I
watch every game because that's that's what I do. I'm I'm a fan that wouldn't know how to not follow and watch along even when my team is bad. So Kenny Payne in his last two in his only two years here, and then Bobby Petrino's last year, Louisville was free money, fading them like you couldn't set the line big enough and they were going to get killed by
a bigger number. So tonight, the projected score according to Ken Palm is Louisville winning eighty to sixty seven, which I think they win by more than that, but we'll see,
we shall see, all right. Kentucky they lost last night, and really I haven't even checked to see what that loss did for Kentucky in the metrics, but I knew I did see that Lonardi had moved them to a four seed after last night's loss, a double digit loss, a game where they were down twenty plus points for I want to say a big chunk of the game, because that seems that seems like an exaggeration. But they were down big early, and they were down big early
in the second half, and then they fought back. But I think the closest it got was what eleven maybe, But in the end they lose ninety eight to eighty four, their first In fact, I was totally wrong. I said that that Kentucky had not lost two consecutive games under Mark Pope in his first season there, and I was way off, because they actually had just by the way. They lost to Alabama Andy, then squeezed in a road win at Tennessee, and then lost to Arkansas in Ole, Miss.
So they've actually now lost four out of five. Why did I not realize they had more? Probably because as much as I want to take joy in a lot of their losses, I realized, for the most part, they're losing the good teams and the SEC is just that loaded. And maybe, just maybe I happened to like Mark Pope enough to where I'll never root for him or want him to win. I was happy they lost to Arkansas, was happy they lost last night, but like, I just can't seem to get the same level of joy when
they lose that I used to get. And I think, honestly, more than anything, it's because I don't like Kentucky because I'm a Louisville fan. I'm anti UK, meaning you know, it's nice for me when my rival loses because I'm a Diard Louisville fan. But man, I actually like ark Pope a lot. I don't want to, but I do, and I think their players are pretty easy to like for the most part. So they've now lost four out of five. They've now fallen to number twenty four in
the in the Ken Pom. They're still I mean, I don't even know how they'd missed the tournament. I know some of the calls last night on Matt's post game show, people were mentioning that they're worried about the tournament, and
I hear you, but I just don't know how you would. No, I don't know how you not make the tournament because you're you could lose a lot more games the rest of the way and beat the teams that you know you're supposed to beat, like South Carolina who's coming to town Saturday, Vandy who you'll host, which isn't a gimmy, but you should win that one. And then you've got
LSU at home. But the rest of the way, like if you finish with the same record, if you finish with the record that Ken Palm is currently projecting for Kentucky twenty and eleven overall, nine and nine in the SEC, you're certainly not going to get a great seed, but you're you're safely in the tournament. I mean, what's the floor for Kentucky here, meaning they're fifteen and seven right now.
The projected losses the rest of the way Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, but that's about two Alabama and Tuscaloosa, Auburn at home, and Missouri at Missouri who Missouri's the top twenty five teams, So like that's that's five more losses, but none of those losses are like losses that would be real big issues for your resume, and you already have enough good wins that I really, I mean, I feel like they'd have to almost almost yeah, like they might and that
sounds crazy, but I kind of feel like they might have to lose out to not make the tournament and.
Lose out or don't at least go three, at least go three and two in those Gamesyahy.
Look, they also you know, could win some of these games they're projected to lose because they've done that, right. Like Lamon Butler not being there certainly is an issue for Kentucky because they are not a good defensive team in general, and he's one of your better defenders and they're just, i mean, their issue, their weakness really is defense,
and that's pretty obvious when you watch him play. But the same team that lost last night and was down twenty plus points the third biggest deficit they've ever had at Kentucky at halftime in an SEC game and lost to Arkansas over the weekend in a game that Arkansas you know, really just outplayed them, honestly from start to finish, it seemed. And we'll see what Arkansas does the rest of the way. They're in action tonight taking on Texas. But my point is they've been without Lamon Butler, and
nobody would tell you that that doesn't matter. But they've also beat two really good teams on the road without him, like with the same group that they have now. With all that said, Kerkriesa was there in Spoke when they beat Gonzaga, and he hit some big shots and he's just a He's a veteran leader that is missed and I'm I know he can He's not a great defender, but you know, certainly there's some guys out there that that that he could probably do a little better job
than they're doing. So the same team that lost last night and got embarrassed, and everybody's making up all these you know, I don't want to say excuses, because again, nobody would say that without Lamont Butler that you know, you're the same team, but you've proven that you can stole in. You beat Tennessee at Tennessee with the exact same team that last night at times looked like they might get beat by fifty. I mean that's an exaggeration, but I mean it was getting it was getting ugly,
and it was ugly for a little while. So you know, I I just find Kentucky to be a very very odd team. And I don't mean that as a as an insult or a compliment. It's just their resume is odd, right, Like, how do you have such good wins and yet you know, you have these back to back losses and they're not
bad losses really in the grand scheme of things. But if you can beat Tennis see at their place when you're shorthanded, you can beat Florida, who still is one of the best teams in the country, not even close, you know, Like, how do you slip up and lose to some of these some of these other teams. I mean, it's just part of college basketball. And trust me, I know the SEC's loaded, but the resume has been really unusual all year. And another thing that's odd is their stats.
I mean, imagine telling somebody that Otega Away who has really been a good player for them from the beginning, you know, from start to from starting until now for Kentucky, and he has a career high last night, so he's having to step up even more so because Lamont Butler's out,
so he has a career high. Amari Williams has a triple double and they were never even in the game, Like how think about that triple double from your big guy, and by the way, a triple double where he's also dropping dimes and then Otiga Away has twenty four points. He makes two to four from three point range. And again, you were never in the game. You trailed by as much as I believe twenty four. I mean you only. I mean, let's see, there was no lead change in
this game. Kentucky never let it looks like it was zero to zero for it looks like seventeen seconds. And then from then on Old Miss just really kind of you know, beat you down and then really never never
left it up for grabs at the end. I mean again, Kentucky did have a nice run in the second half, they outscored him by nine, but look, whenever you end up spotting somebody twenty plus points, giving them a twenty plus point lead in the first half, it's just it's unlikely to win, especially when you're playing an Old Miss team coached by Chris Beard, who is good. So again, like those are just wild stats to look at and see that you lost. I mean, check these stats out.
I mean, Kentucky shot forty eight percent from three may ten of twenty one, shot twenty two free throws, more free throws and a better percentage than Ole Miss, and then and again they lost in were never in the game. How does that happen? And if you're a Kentucky fan, I'm sure you know they're so bad defensively. They just are. And I think Ole Miss is the perfect combination to
where they're gonna guard you pretty well. But again, even even with that, I mean again, old Kentucky shot the ball well and scored eighty four points, but the physicality from ole Miss really exposed where Kentucky is struggling defensively, because it's not just about having guys that can take you off the bounce and really just expose somebody that's gonna have a tough time stand in front, but just
pushing people around. I mean drey Davis, former Louisville cardinal, he came in here and did it to Louisville just a couple of months ago. Well, he last night, I'm not sure what he finished with, but I mean he just got yeah. I mean drey Davis seven of ten last night, had seventeen points and really just scored some tough buckets. That's kind of what he does. But Merle their guard. He had twenty four, was six of eleven
from three, couldn't miss it. So I mean, I don't know if that's a loss for Kentucky that you sit back and think, did the col Arkansas loss get them twice? I could see why some might say that, but I really don't think that. I don't. I mean, again, the Arkansas game was really just a gut punch for fans. I think if anything, the players knew that they let fans down, but they didn't have any extra energy towards cal in Arkansas. There's no connection there, So you look
at the rest of their schedule. I mean, I guess last night's the first time they really weren't able to respond right, And I talked about it all throughout the show yesterday. They had been in the exact same spot last night that they they like three other times, they were in the exact same spot where they were coming off of a loss. You felt like they shouldn't lose. They were playing a team that's better than the team that just beat them sometimes at their place, and then
they go in and win. Well, last night, they weren't able to do it. And I mean, I still think Kentucky's done enough this year. They've beaten enough good teams even when they weren't fully they weren't at full strength to where I mean, I'm not looking at any game left on their schedule and saying, yeah, they're not going to win that one. If there is any it would
be Auburn, just because Auburn is insanely good. But if they somehow lose to South Carolina at home, that's where I think you'd really start to worry if you're Kentucky. But again, worry about the tournament. I don't know if you could ever worry about the tournament. I honestly don't know if they could miss the tournament. I mean, you don't want to risk it by any means, and you certainly don't whatt you're season to fall apart. But the worst loss they would have would be Saturday a lost
to South Carolina at home. But that's the most that's probably the most guaranteed game left on their schedule, and the rest of the way, I mean, if they lost to Tennessee, Texas, Vandy, Alabama, Oklahoma, Auburn, LSU, and Missouri, the only loss they would have to a non tournament team would be LSU. And I think they'll probably be
LSU because they're at home and they're just better. But yeah, their defensive issues are or a problem, but again they were able to overcome that against a really good Tennessee team. All right, let's get to a quick break. We will keep this thing rolling along. I want to talk a little more about Rick Patino, just how he's been off to such a great start at Saint John's this season, and nobody's gonna be surprised if Saint John's ends up making a deep run in the tournament, because that's kind
of what Patino does. And also, we have the lineup for Bourbon and Beyond, a music festival that, of course we're all familiar with around here. It's awesome, but.
I mean, it's my favorite time of the year.
It's got to be growing as one. Again, what do I know. I'm not a music festival guy, but I feel like with last year's lineup and what we now know is going to be there this year, like it's got to be up there as one of the best you'll find in the country for that kind of festival, meaning that I mean it's not really I mean it's kind of a mixture of a little bit of everything, you know, and that's that's why you get big crowds for that kind of stuff. So a lot more to come.
Stick with Us Coffee and Company fuel by Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety Now back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
Look. When it comes to music, I I try to stay in my lane. What I mean by that is I mean everybody, I mean, you can't be good at being a music fan. You like what you like, you listen to what you want. But what I mean is like, I'm just not as I don't. I don't know who's popular, who's emerging. Like the Grammy nominations absolutely reminded me how out of touch I am with music. I mean, Beyonce
won a country at Grammy. I mean I'd heard that she like did a song that had a country you know, twang to it, but I didn't.
I didn't.
Yeah, I didn't know that she actually made a country album. Some say that she actually didn't make a country altum. But it depends on who you ask, yeah, exactly. So when I when I when I say that I stay in my lane, I just I know that I'm not as informed as as many others. So when I saw the line up here for Bourbon and Beyond, twenty twenty five. I mean I thought that the main acts were were a little not underwhelming because they're they're well known, but
I don't know sort of the level of popularity. And I think music festivals it's really not about who's got the you know, who's got the most hits on the radio. I mean, that's important when it comes to your fame and your and your visibility, but like you can have you can have an artist at a music festival that isn't even in anywhere mainstream, but they've built up such a big following that people will travel to come see them.
And if you've got you know, one hundred people that came to go see Red Fern, who's a Red Farren, who's going to be at at at this event, which that's very easy to see that happening, that's that's that's all you need, right, I mean, we have this many acts, you're gonna get big, big, big draw with the big names. But then there's others, you know, like the Goo Goo dolls, Like there are people who would say, hell yeah, the Goo Goo dolls, like some.
Of the yeah so black Balloon name Iris.
Oh, third Slod, hell yeah, I mean we got third eye Blind, we got Foreigner. I mean I thought that the album was phenomenal from my perspective or not not the album, the lineup was phenomenal from from from my end, but I just didn't really know what the general public those who really really were because again I was I wasn't on the edge of my seat to see who was coming. I was excited, but not to the level of those that go every year and really love this stuff.
So it seems like from what I've gathered, the names that are the headliners, Fish Noah khan Stgil Simpson, Lumineers, and Jack White, like, those are all big names. I would imagine most people at least are somewhat familiar with all of those acts. But then everybody else, Like, that's where it really gets. I mean that that's where the value is in this music festival that you can I mean, they've got a lot of depth, right, they got a deep bitch. I mean, you've got Musket on Bloodline, who
I really like. Wouldn't have never expected them here but Bloodline, but they're there. They're at least I like him. Megan Maroney is huge here in the country music scene. Mega from what we're going to be doing at W A MZ. We're going to be covering a lot from the the Sturgel Simpson standpoint and the Mega Maroney because she's she's huge in Nashville. I mean we got we got Ringo Star. That's right, he's Ford Confessional. What take me back to two thousand and six.
Baby, I didn't know Ringo Star was still alive, but I guess he is. I've heard of this Joe Bon Bonamasa before, Mary Chasing Carpenter. I don't know. I don't know who that is.
Kobel you know who that is?
Yeah, I've heard that name before.
Jim Blossoms, that's that. That that's one that like if you if you know, you.
Know, you know what I'm saying, Dude, that's that that early late nineties, early two thousands, post grunge, pop rock, dude, give me all of it.
Yeah. I think the I think the big names are not as big as what you had last year. I mean we're talking about I mean, you had Zach Bryan and who else was the other huge name?
Tyler Childer?
Yes, and you know Tyler does. Yeah, Tyler does have an audience across the planet that would travel to see him. But obviously he's got such a fanfare here in Kentucky where he's from. But Zach Bryan when he came, I mean, I don't know if I really don't know if you could have gotten him at a time where he had more momentum seemingly as far as people wanting to see him.
Oh yes, And it's not that he's fallen off since then, but you know that was in fact that say that that day that they broke the day they broke the record and he played, I mean you could just feel that there were people from across the planet here to see him, Like he has that kind of a pull, which again people like what they like. I don't think he's bad. I just I'm not like I'm not, I'm a super fan.
I've been working those festivals for about six years now, and that was the largest crowd that Saturday to see Zach Brian, crazy shiting.
Didn't feel like they were all there for him specifically.
It was it was nuts. It broke the record for like the most it was a big superbon and beyond that they've had ever since they started what like ten, ten, twelve years ago something like that. But dude, I think the only thing that came close to that is a few years ago when Metallica came here and did too Yeah, which was one of my personal favorite shows ever Metallico for two nights well, and.
That was Louder than Life.
Right, that was Louder than Life, Yes, but at the festival grounds that was the most at that time that I've seen that many people. It looked like it was almost just as that for Zach Bryan.
And that's not Again, I feel like I'm stepping out on my lane when I say this, because I really don't know what to compare it to. But I feel like with what we have seen from Danny Wimmer with both Bourbon and Beyond and Louder than Life and the lineups they've had consistently for the last few years, these two festivals have to be up there as far as being some of the most popular ones you'll find in
North America. Again, I could be way wrong, but like it just feels that way because I know there's certain names that have been coming to these things the last few years to where I mean, I know the draw that they are, I know how big of a deal they are, and if they're here, that alone makes it a big uh, a big event.
And the names of the festivals too, Bourbon and beyond. Yeah, I mean that just that name.
That is a perfect name.
By the way, it's it's amazing and louder than life. I know, our guy Danny Wimmer, he does a lot of other festivals like shout out Yeah, shout out Danny Wimmer. If you you know you want to slide me one of those free VIP wristbands. He hasn't called me back for that, though, you got time, I still got time. Yeah, I can. You know I've helped them set up there before.
But a lot of than Life. I mean that just sounds like I mean he does the other ones after shock out in I think it's Sacramento, a sonic temple that's up there in Ohio. But something about louder than Life, you know, it feels like you have to be there and let me tell you something. And you've been out there before and for all the other people that have and if you haven't win.
Like you're about to cut a wrestling brom, let me tell you something.
Me tell you something, Gene mean, Nick, It's just it, It's it's always funny. My favorite parts are the two completely different crowds from each week of those festivals, because you know, you got this. I mean, yeah, you got the sun dresses and the cowgirl boots, and then you got the country boys out there showing out for that, and then we flipped the switch the very next week and it's fish nets. It's guys dressed as the a
lot of cost play. She's oh my goodness, there is sometimes even not closed.
I'll never top that vibe check never, no matter what I do, louder than live vibe check.
You to bring it back for this year, I know, but lineup.
But I fear just not being able to reach what we did a couple of years ago because that one, that one was tough to be.
It's kind of like you got to do it once. Yeah, it was your really first authentic time because you've never been there before. Right.
No, I walked in day one. It just they just opened the doors or I guess the gates, like a few hours before I got there. It was Thursday, early in the day, and I couldn't. I mean I was, I was mesmerized. It was amazing. And imagine what it was like, you know, the next day and the day after.
That, Sogine last year in the mud because remember, well, yeah, that sloppy, sloppy hurricane just chill over us.
For all that made the most of it last year. I mean, I know that was an ideal, but uh yeah, it's been. It's been really awesome to see how how these music festivals here have grown, and anytime you're bringing a lot of people to take in Louisville and really
experience what we I mean. I know, I'm I'm a homer, I'm biased, but like, I love Louisville as a home and I think it's always nice to see people that come here that don't know anything about it, but they know, hey, I'm here for the Derby, or I'm here for a
lot of them, like Bourbon and Beyond. And you know, when you don't really have much of an expectation and you're there for it, it's a destination trip because of the event alone, and then you end up enjoying yourself, hanging out and some of the great places here in Louisville that you know make it awesome. That's it hits me in the hearts as a proud, proud Blue Avilion.
Yeah, and just as a proud music lover. I love hearing all the stories of people because they get to meet so many people from all over the country. And all these people are literally fanatics, Like they follow Noah Khan everywhere. They followed a Poison everywhere. They haven't been here in a while, but like they follow some of
these bands that are there. And I kind of do the same when I do my wrestling stuff, Like you know, I'll yeah, I went to this WrestleMania and I went to this Survivor series and that's like its own thing,
like kind of in its own category. But now there are other groups for so many different things, Like there are fanatics of Foreigner, there are fanatics of Jack White that have seen him in Tulsa, that have seen him in Washington, that have been to Dallas, and then they're like they want to make Louisville a part of that list too. It's a nice place to chill and you get to go to a music festival.
Yeah, it's good stuff. I want to do more stuff like that. You know, I just I hate big crowds. I just feel like.
Going to get pretty nerve wracking.
Yeah, I feel like sometimes like the work that goes into going to something like that the issues with like getting out of there in a timely manner. That stuff has always kept me from doing things that I know deep down I would actually enjoy doing. So I'm gonna I'm gonna make.
That early, pace it out. And because a lot I mean, because the tickets cost so much, a lot of people do. I mean, you have to stay all day and go through everything, and then you spend a lot of money. But if you could pace yourself out and at least see like a handful of what you want to see each day and not wear yourself out, because it's easy to get worn out literally after two days, and then it starts on Thursday now and by Saturday you're just kind of want adrenaline at that point.
Well, I mean, I feel like when you work those events which you do from really start to finish, I'm sure it's you know, part of it is a labor of love. We wouldn't be we wouldn't be doing what we're doing without without loving it. But also, God, it's got to be like very very taxing. Like it's not just that you're standing there all day outside usually when it's either raining or hottest hot as hell, but man like when it's all over. I bet you just want to sit.
Oh dude, you know how NBA players are like in the locker room and they have their knees all taped up with with ice and everything's all on. I did that. There's a fun picture of me just laying there this farmer's tan and I got a bag of peas on one knee and I got an actual ice pack on the other knee. And I felt like Katie, after going seven games.
You left it all on the field. Brother. That's all you can do.
Man, I could put my name on these festivals.
You remember the meme of the lady who worked at Popeye's whenever the whole world went crazy over their spicy chicken sandwich. And she's sitting outside, just exhausted.
Hands on her knees, And you know, I think.
Everybody said, Jordan flu game kind of thing.
Which.
God, the Internet's great, isn't it?
Yeah, it's I was just thinking about that today. Comments sections of people who make up memes in our original is just so great. How how are you guys? So good?
The Internet has absolutely exposed us to just how stupid a lot of people can be. But also it's it's brought a lot of laughs, and that that makes me makes me very happy. It really does, all right, folks. Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety