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 gettle off our show, idiot.
The kids are crying a trail off.
Countries are screwing it up. Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, gold Play Inner Murals. 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?
Can you feel that? Ladies and gentlemen? Can you smell it? You know what that is? That's Friday. That's right, it is Friday. Let's get it started, dude.
Nothing smells like Friday.
Man, I mean, Friday is the absolute best. And I feel like a real failure. And I you do what, Yeah, I feel like a real failure because.
Old I'm gonna need some better attitude. Well you know what you got, failure.
I just got to get it off my chest because it's just been you know, I got to talk through it. But for the third straight day, I have attempted to take a nap and I can't do it.
Okay, I just Can't's just not not in your cards.
Trying something three consecutive times and then failing each time is not a fun experience.
What are these naps being done? Like immediately when you get home? Do you just try to chill out or like is like middle of the day because you get you get out of here after cruises show pretty early right about?
Yeah?
So right?
So I usually leave here around nine thirty. Yesterday I was here a little bit longer, but yes, I always give myself plenty of time, like if I wanted to.
I mean the plan today and that actually.
Was was executed until you know, I couldn't fall asleep, but was just to leave as soon as the show ends because it hit me today in a way that I wasn't expecting as far as just not getting enough sleep. I still and not go to sleep at night earlier than I usually do. Yes, but when I get up, I'm really not that tired. I think it's because I haven't fallen into a deep enough sleep. So what happened today is I said, okay, look, just you got to get some rest, and I went right home as soon.
As the show ended.
I was back at the house by like nine forty and laid down.
I put my phone away and like.
Every part of me is exhausted other than like my mind, and it was just racing. I laid there for like an hour and I'm like, yeah, this isn't gonna work. Wow, So yeah, it's it's not, it's not. Maybe I don't know if it's because I'm on still from the show, or if it's because the Monster Energy drink that I drink when I get up at four o'clock.
Probably yeah.
I Anyways, yesterday I came in feeling like I was really really about to just fall over, and once the show got rolling, I was in a much better place.
And I'm hoping that that's what happens today.
And I can already tell within the first you know, the first chunk of change we've been on the air. Here, I'm already starting to get a little re energized.
Do you not dare to take a gummy in the middle of the day or does that take a while to kick in for you? Why do you know me so well? I mean it's because I we just had the same mind young minds think alike.
I thought of it yesterday and then I really thought of it today and almost did it, but I just felt like, you know, like it's it wouldn't have been I mean, it wouldn't have been a big deal. I probably could have taken half and it would have helped. And by the time I needed to be, you know, up and at it, getting ready for this show, I probably would have been okay. But I was, I mean, I was too scared. That's what That's what it came out there.
You could do the other one, you know, puff puff on a doobie or something that may get you asleep for like a good hour or two. I just know by experience via some people.
Yeah, you've just heard that.
I just heard that rumor.
And inn Windows suggests that's what will give you a nice little nap.
The good news is tomorrow I'm I'm sleeping in and I'll catch back up on sleep. But uh yeah, it's not a great feeling to be so exhausted on a Friday. But again, as we as we move forward, we here in the show, I'm already starting to get the energy levels.
They're up, We're getting we're did you find what you needed? You came in here in a hurry looking for some sort of headphone adapter. I'm gonna to find one.
No, so I'm gonna blame that on the just you know, my mind not working the way that it that it that it should, probably because of lack of sleep. But there's this little adapter that goes on the end of headphones and I have one on my on my headphones that I use the earbuds, and I guess I've left it in the h studio for being in there this morning, so you.
Know when I was because sometimes I like to use that. Uh, I like to use that studio ever now and then, because I don't know if it's just because it's in like the back of our offices, I feel really the cave.
It's nice. It's like the cave.
And I tried to use headphones on it the other day and there it was a bigger hole that I tried putting it into. No, it's that's what it was story in my life. Yeah, And I guess I guess it's uh that that little adapter does everything.
Yeah, yeah, it's it's something that I have to have.
So what I'm doing is I'm actually pulling headphone from across the side of the table here on and and and it works fun.
So we made it. We made it work.
But Anyways, let's get let's get set for the weekend. I mean, we've got Super Bowl coming up on Sunday. I think it's wishful thinking for a lot.
Of folks that are just out here predicting the Eagles win.
I mean, I'm not really even believing people when they say they think the Eagles are gonna win. It's like something they're just programmed to say because they're trying to speak it into existence because you know, it's anti Chiefs. There's no scenario when this game starts that I'll be pulling for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
I just don't think that it's possible.
But I the more I've kind of just sit and reflected on this dynasty that.
They are currently in, I mean, the.
Only reason legitimately that they're unlikable is that they're just too good. And that's got me insecure about myself because you know what that means.
I'm just a hater, but I'm not along with the club and a lot of people are.
So I hate both teams. How about that?
Yeah, it's and that's look that that's a big part of it. I've often said, and in fact, we talked about this a little bit this morning that these two teams, I think in the regular season and obviously in the postseason, which is why they're here, they were the best two teams in the NFL this year. So when you have that, that is that's the best case scenario when you don't have any real ruining interest, But it also just doesn't quite hit the way you needed to hit when you
really don't like either team. So I'm gonna be pulling for the Eagles, but just not a Super Bowl that I'm super excited about. And I hate that because again, I feel like I'm being greedy as a as a fan because I've always said and everybody can disagree. Maybe, you know, if you think this matchup is pretty blaw again, I just I guess we have a different opinion on what blaw is because despite their being two very easy to dislike teams, this should give us the best game.
So sure, I mean it is probably at the end of the day, it's the two best teams in the AFC and the NFC that's basing.
Each other for the championship.
And you know, I think that's what happens from time to time, is that you know, maybe you just get maybe you just want it to be two different teams that are, you know, in that same tier, because this is a rematch from two years ago, and that I think that's what kind of makes it like Yeah, yeah, I don't know like that. I think that does, in fact add a little bit of the disinterest. I mean to to even use the word disinterest when it comes to Super Bowl just sounds insane because it's the most
watched sporting event every year and always will be. But uh, yeah, I am starting to get more and more excited. I'm going to try to build something to bet on for the Super Bowl. Sure, and I I may do some prop bets, but man, I just and I'll get into this later.
As far as why I hate it, do it?
Yeah, Well, and.
It's just to me, it's like pulling the pulling a slot machine. And sure that could be fun too, but.
Like, hey, hey, now I love slot machine.
Yeah, but that's the kind of gambling that I don't that I don't really like. It's fine, but because it's just so blatantly right in your face, based off nothing but pure luck, it takes a little bit of the joy away. Because when I bet on college hoops or college football, NFL and I hit a parlay.
Really it's the same thing. It's just luck.
But I like to think that I was, you know, the fun is is I guess the strategizing. You know, so I might do some prop bets, but you know those are just different. Even if they win, it's good, but it's you know, it's it's not the same. But anyway, it's college basketball. I mean, after this week, this weekend, I should say that that's when college basketball steps to the forefront.
Still probably won't be, you know, viewed at an insanely.
High level as far as the other big sports, college football, the NFL, but we'll be getting closer to March, and that's when people start to kind of slowly but surely start checking out more college hoops and of course everybody gets all in to the big dance March madness.
So some good games this weekend.
Obviously, the local teams are not going to be playing in big time matchups. In fact, I think you've got, yeah, you've got the two worst teams, well, the worst team in the ACC and the worst team in the SEC. That is who Kentucky and Louisville are playing this weekend. So for Louisville Chucky Hebburn that that obviously was a big talking point yesterday, as we essentially had a funeral for his groin without really knowing.
There's a lot of body part talk.
Yes, yeah, I mean, and we still don't know much more of anything, or really anything at all that's new. And I'm not saying that to complain or to blame anybody, because I mean, I think they're being honest. I don't think they're keeping something from us. But the update from Pat Kelsey earlier today was that Hepburn is day to day and it is a groin injury. His status for the game against Miami tomorrow is still up in the air.
So essentially he is questionable and he is day to day and it is a groin and that's I mean, that's kind of all we I mean, I would have loved to have heard Pat Kelsey say, yeah, he's fine. They thought he might have tweaked something, but he's good to go, But it also didn't seem that that was going to be most likely, so I guess, you know, just to know that the status is the same, meaning if he wasn't able to go back in the game against Boston, college, and now he's listed as questionable and
he's day to day. I mean, it's kind of like we're still really in the exact same spot. But again, it could be worse. We could have found out some really bad news. But I feel no differently today than I did yesterday. Maybe I'm not quite as worried and its panic because again, we haven't got any real bad news yet. And I think if it was severe enough to where like it wash oh, he's not gonna play here anymore because this thing is bad. He's gonna need surgery.
I feel like we would know that by now, and I think today would have been the day where they just tell us. I mean, there's no reason for them to withhold that, and I don't think there's really any reason for them to mislead us, as if he is good to go, they just don't want to tell us. I think this is the transparency we should expect. And I bet we'll find out maybe an hour before tip tomorrow if he's going to be able to go. Maybe we find out a little bit earlier.
My guess is.
It'll play out the way that he did today, where Jeff Goodman actually talked to Pat Kelsey and then shortly after that Pat Kelsey either puts it out via the sports information department or something like that. But Louisville, again, Miami terrible team, should be able to beat him without Chucky. But I mean, Miami's one of those teams that they're not terrible because of lack of talent, They're terrible just because they're a mess. I mean, that's really the best way,
the best way to describe it. So, I mean, I'm not worried, but Chucky's a really, really important player, and it was nice to see that they did play well once he did leave the game with that injury. But I guess a positive here is that when you are going to be potentially without your best player, the guy who really is the I mean, he's the key piece to your squad, it is nice to know at least if it is one game, maybe it's more, but if it is just one, it's against a team that is really,
really bad Miami. They are currently five and seventeen overall. They won their first three games against Fairleigh, Dickinson, Binghamton and Coppin State, and then they lost their first game on November twenty first, and from November twenty first until February first, they only won one two games. They beat Presbyterian on December fifteenth, and they actually just won a game. They're gonna be coming off of a victory, as they knocked off Notre Dame on on Saturday a little week ago,
so they've had the week off again. Jim Laernega stepped down again. They've got some decent players. Matthew Cleveland form of Florida State player. I mean, Nigel pack is still there, believe it or not. I don't know how many games he's played in though I know he's been hurt. So you know, they're they're not good. I want to act like they're loaded with talent, but they do have some capable players. And you know, Louisville can never take anybody lightly,
nor should they, and I don't think they will. But again, this could potentially be I guess, the first game you've ever played without Chucky, you know, at any point at all.
All right, let's see here, Kentucky.
I don't I feel like South Carolina is the worst team in the SEC. I keep saying that, assuming that it's true, and sure enough, in the Ken Palm they are in last play as far as their their record. Well, actually, yeah, this isn't kent Palm related. This is just specifically the record in the league. They're ten and twelve overall and they have not won an SEC game. So again, Kentucky coming off their worst performance of the season. They've now
lost four or five. So really this is this is this is good timing if you're Kentucky, and similar to Louisville good timing. You know you got if you go, you got to go without your point guard. You're doing it against a terrible team. And I wouldn't say South Carolina is terrible because every loss they have in the SEC is to.
The good teams, tournament teams.
I mean, I guess Vandy is their worst loss, but they only lost to Vandy about three Kentucky lost to Vanny by more than that, so you know they're not terrible. But this will be one that if you somehow don't win this, which they will, I mean I can't imagine they don't. But if you said don't win this, that's where you really would have to start to question, Okay, we got some something going on here, like something's changed,
because both things can be true. Yes, Lamont Butler not being available is a big deal.
They miss him. He's a good player.
Take that guy off of any team that meaning that what his value is, and they're not going to be the same, especially when you are a team that is bad defensively, he's clearly your best defender. So again that's accurate. But also they shouldn't in stretches be as bad, especially defensively when he's not there. So again, both things can be true. They have wins at Tennessee at Gonzaga without Lamont Butler, So I mean, even if this is a close game, you probably wouldn't be panicked or maybe what
I'm not sure. It'd certainly be better than losing the game. But this Kentucky team, it'd be a stretch to say they're in some kind of major funk. But again, they're lost to Arkansas and Ole Miss. Those were I mean, those were games where, really, if you think about it, they never were really in control of any of either game at any point. And then there's also some other really good games going on tomorrow that we'll get into throughout the throughout the afternoon today. Also, we've got the
NBA trade line, NBA trade deadline. I can't speak. I'm telling you the NBA trade deadline has come and gone. And I what fascinates me about the trade deadline and just these NBA trades that aren't even really substantial, like ones that you probably don't even realize happened. But there have been three guys, four guys I guess now, that have been on like multiple teams within the same or like three or four teams in a two days period.
And I just I would love to be a fly on the wall whenever those negotiations are are, Like is it just to offload contracts? Like why would you trade for a guy and then five minutes later send them to a different team. I mean, again, I'm assuming it's because it's just maybe part of the transaction to cut some some excess costs for something. I don't know, But imagine not knowing who you work for, Like if you were a Dennis Schroeder, who I believe was on six.
Teams or something like that.
I mean, if I was in an airport, I would say, look, I'm not leaving. I'm waiting till the trade deadline ends before I get on a plane terminal. I mean, it's it's crazy, crazy crazy stuff. Also, Indiana, they are moving on from Mike Woodson. He's going to retire or he's he's pondering retirement. Pondering the retirement Mike Woodson is, which I love that I'd love to be wildly unsuccessful at something and then just well, I'm pondering retirement.
I'm not going to you know, get fired or quit. I just want to retire.
I mean, what's in early withdraw He's just withdrawing his name from consideration.
And I think Indiana, I mean they should be able to go get Chris Beard.
They should go. They should be able to go get Bruce.
Pearl and like, those are the kind of guys that would, in fact, I think have no trouble getting Indiana back to being a consistent top ten team. I mean, indian has always had the recent sources to be very good. They just really have whiffed at the coaching hires since Bob Knight left. All right, quick break, We'll keep this thing rolling along. It's coffee and company. We're fueled by Thornton's I think about voices going out at Sports Talk seven ninety s.
Now back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine.
Day that's right.
It's coffee and Company here on Sports Talk seven ninety and we are fueled by Thornton's thanks for hanging out with us as we get you set for the weekend super Bowl weekend, a big weekend of college basketball. I didn't mention this earlier, but we got it to talk about Lamar Jackson not winning the NFL Mvpugh. I mean, I don't really know what can be said that it's going to make anybody feel any better. But he not only didn't win, but one person voted him forth, which
that was former Bears quarterback Jim Miller. And by the way, I did not realize that there was such transparency.
With who votes for who, which I actually.
Like that puts your name on it, right, Yeah, he'll be hiding Jim Miller.
It sounds like a construction worker somewhere.
So I'm trying to see if there's yeah, because there's an article here at awful Announcing dot com that yeah, they wrote up they wrote about it, but they said he's yet to comment on his vote on social media. But apparently he has a serious XM show, and it sounds like they're they're just this says there are gonna be a lot of people that are looking to listen to him whenever his show is on because they want to hear what he.
Has to say.
Is because look, it's one thing to vote for Josh Allen, and Josh Josh Allen had a phenomenal season. I can't really in any way claim that he's not a great player that was deserving of all the praise. I just I don't know how, like I wouldn't have well, I don't know I was gonna say, I wouldn't have an issue with Lamar not getting it if he already hadn't won it twice. And this, you know, this year was better than the two years for him that he that
he won it previously. So therefore, like if that was good enough for Lamar to win it before, it certainly should be good enough now in a year where he was better than he'd ever been and know, by the way, he was better than Josh Allen in every single statistic. And if you want to bring up the playoffs, I mean you can, but that is not at all what
this is about. And in fact, don't they vote before, like do they give him the ballot and say, hey, you need to give us this vote on January eighteenth, But you need to make sure when you vote you only keep in mind the regular season, because I don't think that would be right, because I don't think people would be able.
To do that, you know what I mean, because.
We really evaluate dudes more so whenever they play in
the playoffs. It's just how it works. So either way, I mean, there's really I mean again, I just chalk it up to Lamar being a victim of his own success because he has set the bar so high that the voters, I mean, they're willing to give him the first team All Pro Quarterback, but a lot of people who vote for both that and the NFL Player of the Year they decided it's just weird how Lamar ended up really not getting any specific award other than first Team All Pro Quarterback.
So I'm sure to motivate him.
But when I say he's a victim of his own success, he's just set the bar so high that even when he does, in fact statistically have a better year than he's ever had after already having to him, it still just wasn't enough to wow those who.
Vote, because you know they're getting bored with how good he is.
I mean, he's the first quarterback in eleven seasons to be named First team All Pro and not win the MVP. I mean, it's a historic season that really we're only just gonna remember, right because there's gonna be no specific award attached to it. And that's just crazy considering how great he actually was. I mean, he's the first quarterback to ever throw for four thousand yards and rush for nine hundred plus yards, first quarterback to ever have forty
plus passing touchdowns and fewer than five interceptions. His passer rating was one hundred and nineteen point six, which is the fourth best in NFL history. Again, it's a historic season that resulted in nothing in the NFL Honors Awards show last night. No MVP, no Offensive Player of the Year, nothing, and it is I mean, it's wild, but.
I guess there's I mean, I can't think of any.
Other excuse because the people who've voted, who voted for him twice when he's won it and it wasn't close in the other two years, I just can't believe that they're against Lamar Are they voted for him before? What would change their mind now? They had to have been just that impressed with Josh Allen, and I suppose the
narrative that that doubt that Buffalo was pushing. I guess it worked and that was that, and they were strategic in marketing that you know, hey, this guy, he's the only reason we win.
And look, that may be true.
They lost Stefon Diggs, but other teams have lost Stefon Diggs and gotten better. That's actually happened really everywhere he's been. But he is a really good player's first talent. And they didn't really add any big names. But I you know, again, I don't want to be that guy to talk out of both sides of my mouth because I don't think
that Josh Allen was undeserving of all the praise. I just don't think he was good enough to where you could say, even though Lamar still didn't wow you, because you're just you know, you're used to him doing this now. I just don't think Josh Allen statistically was really that
much better. There's not a sa I mean again, keep in mind, Lamar had more passing yards, more passing touchdowns, fewer interceptions, a higher completion percentage, more rushing yards, a higher rushing average, and a head to head win in the regular season, all of that against the I mean again, all those numbers were better than the guy who they gave the award to. So the more I talk about it, the more I just seem bitter and you know, it sucks.
But again, the real reason how you can do all that and not win is because people are just so used to you being great, and in order to get yourself back in the mix for that award, you're gonna have to you know, you're gonna have to take it to an even higher level, which I don't know if he will, but wouldn't shock me if he does, because you know, he's Lamar Jackson.
He's been pretty special, all right.
Coffee and Company feel about Thorton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety So the Indiana.
Job is going to open, I don't.
I mean, I've seen all kinds of different reporting out there as far as what you know, what they're gonna do or I guess really more than anything, how they're gonna word it right, because it sounds like this will be his last season, but it also sounds like he's going to finish this season, and I guess it really just comes down to them working out the exit, and to be fair to Woodson, at least he'll have somewhat of a graceful exit, meaning he's he's conceding here right
like they've been able to talk him into bowing out, and if he said no, the hell with you, guys, I've got a contract and I want to honor it. Well at that point they would just fire him right now. So a graceful exit is the best way to go when you're already in an awkward situation that will really never be the same because Mike Woodson, a guy who played for Bob Knight, obviously has deep roots in Indiana. But for here on out, nobody's going to think about
his playing days. They're going to think about he came back to coaching it didn't work out, And that's the risk you take when you hire one of your own. When people bring up Kenny Payne down the line, I'm not even sure if people will remember that he played here. I mean, if you really think about it. But like I know, I don't think of Kenny Payne and think about him being a former player here one because I didn't.
I mean, I don't remember him playing here.
But also just because I mean we thought the guy we hired was gonna be able to connect and understand the program better than anybody, because you know, he played here, and in fact, I don't think he was one percent compatible with the way everybody sees this program. He was almost like the biggest outsider in the grand scheme of things. So again, that's the risk you take when you hire
one of your own. You know that when it if it doesn't work out really under any even if it is a graceful exit or if it's a messy divorce, it's still going to forever change how you know, how we view said coach, and again that that that all comes down to if it doesn't work out, and clearly with Indiana and Mike Woodson it's not working out. So when other jobs are open later, I don't think there's gonna be a bigger job than Indiana opening. I don't, at least I can't. I can't think of it. I mean,
I don't know what it would be. Sometimes guys just retire, though, so maybe that'll happen, because in the last few years there's been a bunch of coaches just random out of nowhere. You find out they're just deciding to step down because
they just don't want to do it anymore. Starting I think it started with with Jay Wright as far as just kind of out of nowhere, and then of course Shoyshsky did his retirement tour, and you know, you've had countless others that just decide to walk away, and you know, there's neally many left that I think would I guess if like Izzoh decided to just walk that would be that would be I guess another guy that's similar to that era, that that that just doesn't want to do
it now that they have to deal with Nil and the portal and whatnot. But Izzo is actually thriving this year. He's got a really, really, really good team. So who these who these programs go after is going to be very intriguing to me because one thing that I that I think will we'll slow down a little bit when it comes to hires is guys that are assistant coaches at really successful programs that have worked under really good
coaches but have never been a head coach before. Think about that, likes and I'm trying to think of again, because all these legendary coaches have retired in recent years, there's really not a longtime assistant sitting there for somebody to go pluck. But honestly, that's what Kenny was. Kenny was a longtime assistant and never decided to take a chance and go be a head coach.
And you know, we now know he now knows he's not a head coach.
So I believe in a previous era, maybe I don't know, eight nine years ago, maybe right before NIL and the portal and whatnot, I think you would see a school more likely, like like a Florida state that's open now in Miami of Virginia, because there's really not some big sitting up and coming dude that's just you know, primed for another. Like there's no Shock as Smart from VCU.
There's no Brad Stevens from Butler. Not to say there's not coaches that could have success like that, but like there's just not this buzz name that you know any moment is about to go and take a big job. Honestly, Dusty May was the last guy to do that, and he's not Michigan, so I think think guy. I think again, right before the NIL era started, that window of time, I think you would be more likely to see a Miami or a Virginia hire a great coach's top assistant
and just hope that they carry over that success. But I think now you're seeing guys like Nate Oates, who was a successful coach at Buffalo, Well he got the Alabama job. Look at him now. I mean, you can use Pat Kelsey as an example. We'll see how things
finish up this year with Pat in Louisville. But he's a guy that was successful at Winthrope, successful at Charleston, and you know, he just got an opportunity to take what he was doing and succeeding and try to do it at this this higher level at Louisville.
And again, so far, so good. And it's not to say that those guys.
At a Charleston or at a Winthrop years ago wouldn't get an opportunity to you know, to end up at an ACC, a top ACC job or a top Big ten job. But I feel like they had actually another step on the ladder at that point, right, like you'd have.
To go to.
From you have to go from Charleston to.
Let me think of a like Charleston to which a toss state to then maybe get the job at a Michigan or a Virginia and I just don't you know, I think with these guys not having these larger than life personalities, they don't have decades of experience of landing McDonald's all Americans.
That used to be a real red flag.
And look it might still be now, but but you don't have to be that larger than life guy if you have a gig that's got good resources within ile money, because that now can can make up for that. And then there's some coaches that really I mean, I think Pat Kelsey just given what we know about him as far as his energy, his personality, I mean, you could tell he's got this fan base supporting him and believing in him, and clearly these players are a reflection of him.
So you know, Pat to me, and I'm biased, I suppose, but he's one of those guys that, you know, I think he probably always would have been a good recruiter anywhere because I think he's pretty good at that exact thing. But now he's walking into a living room and or you know, he's wearing he's he's walking into a living room with a polo on with the Louisville logo on it instead of a Charleston logo, same thing when he's walking into these AAU tournaments across the country. It's a
little bit different. So with Indiana, I think they're one of the last schools that could maybe take I mean, I think Indiana will be a rare situation. That's why Bor, That's why I went into the whole thing about the other jobs that are open, because I don't think that these other jobs that are currently open or even maybe going to open after the season, would be able to pluck a Bruce Pearl from Auburn or a or a Chris Beard from ole Miss. Because Indiana is a legitimate,
elite job. It's not the best, but it's up I mean, it's it's up there. And clearly, if you're at Auburn and ole Miss, you're making a lot of money because you're in the SEC, and the SEC is a loaded league right now. But these guys know, Indiana is different. It's a basketball blue blood. It's a dynasty.
I mean, not a dynasty, but it's a yeah, blue blood. I mean, and I mean.
They've they are a basketball school. And I think that really doesn't matter to some coaches. And that's okay, Like some coaches are totally fine knowing, Hey, I could go to a Final Four every year and my fans are still going to Cary way more about football.
Like some coaches don't worry about that. Other coaches do.
And I'm not sure if that's something that like Chris Beard and Bruce Pearl are worried about, but I know that they value what it means to be at a place like Indiana to where here's the real deal. Kurt Signette could be going to the playoff every year. If Indiana is good in basketball, they're going to get way more attention. It's just different. So I really do believe if they go after and they pay, both those guys would leave.
I do.
And it's kind of a rare situation because if you're if you're Bruce Pearl and you're at Texas instead of Auburn, you wouldn't go to Indiana, even though Indiana is a better job. At least I don't think you would. If you're Chris Beard and you're at Florida, you may still leave because Florida's I mean, Florida's had success in basketball and really never seemed to have great support. And I think Chris Bard's got a better chance to have been
support at Ole Miss than Florida. Maybe they're not a good example, but Tennessee, Like Tennessee's not a basketball school, but it's clearly a good program that's had a lot.
Of success recently. So if Chris Beard's at.
Tennessee instead of All Miss, maybe he does stay there and not go to Indiana. But I kind of feel like Indiana has an opportunity here to really change everything. I mean, I was trying to think of the last because they had some decent years with Tom Crean, but I kind of feel like the years they were supposed to be really good, they underachieved and fell short. And then the years that you kind of felt like they were going to be terrible, he exceeded expectations, but they
still weren't that good. So since Bob Knight, who has not coached there in twenty five years, they had Mike Davis from two thousand to two thousand and six and he won fifty nine of his games and he made four tournaments, but man like it was just one year where he ended up getting all the way of the championship game in his first year really with a Bob nineteen then they hired Kelvin Sampson. Man that that's really something you got to consider.
I mean that that.
That hire was in two yeah, two thousand and six. Like, if Kelvin Sampson got hired in two thousand and six, really I would imagine he'd still be at Indiana because I think he would have succeeded in a big way there.
And what he was accused of doing, I guess did do that got him in trouble, Like the thought like I'm gonna look it up like what I think it might have been, like sending text messages when you know that you're not supposed to and just think about that now being something that gets you fired.
I mean, it's crazy, but that's what happened.
And had that not happened, Indiana for nineteen for them, for the last nineteen years, might have been one of the most consistently elite programs in the country. Because again, Kelvin Sampson is killing it at Houston, and the only reason he wasn't your coach for longer than you know, a couple of years is because of because of this stupid and sibilly rules. So after Calvin Sampson, I totally forgot they hired Dan Dockisch. Did you know that Austin that Dan Dockicch was Indiana's coach briefly?
No, I did not.
Well, I'm sorry, I guess they didn't hire him. My mistake.
What they did is that he took over for Samson when Sampson got fired. So Dan Docas went three. Yeah, Doctach went three and four in his seven games as the coach. And by the way, Kelvin Sampson was good when he was there at Indian and he was forty three and fifteen, won seventy four percent of his games in a little less than a two year stretch. And then of course they hired Crean, and with Crean, I
still feel like it took Crean too long to get good. However, it was different back then, right, Crean couldn't Crean inherited a team that really actually started walk On's because everybody left because of the Sampson stuff. And you couldn't use anil to go get players. You couldn't go to the portal and build your roster. So again, he does deserve a little bit of a pass because he did inherit something that he could not quit, he could not fix
quickly like you can now in college basketball. But they didn't have a winning season until his fourth year, and that was in twenty twelve. That was the good team. That was the That was a team that lost to Kentucky in the Sweet sixteen. And then the next year they were a one seed in twenty thirteen with Oladipo and Jordan Holes and they lost in the Sweet sixteen and got upset by Syracuse because they couldn't get out
of the zone. And after that, Tom Creane coached a couple more years, a few more years, and he did go back to the Sweet sixteen when he beat Kentucky, but there was just never any consistency.
Any good season.
Was followed by a bad one right right after that Sweet sixteen appearance. He went eighteen and sixteen, seven and eleven in the Big Ten. So cream was there a long time, and he won fifty five percent of his games, So he's I mean, he wasn't he wasn't awful, but man, he wasn't anywhere near as good as Indiana needs their coach to be. I mean, even in the last six years, whenever he was well established and no longer I mean no longer relying on Walkon's because of the previous team
that he inherited. So I mean, he just wasn't good enough at the end of the day. So after Tom Crean, that's when you went to Archie Miller. I thought that was gonna be really, really successful, just because I thought, man, if Archie Miller can win it Dayton, he can win it Indiana. And man, that couldn't have been worse. That was just a terrible fit. And I think, you know, Archie's one of those guys that was a good coach at Dayton, had some good years, but he won three
games in the NAA tournament in two seasons. He went to the Elite eight in fourteen, and that was just a run. Like that team wasn't that good. That wasn't even one of his better teams. And that's that's I get why we do it, but it is really stupid if you think about it. We value way too much on one time, random tournament runs that really are are
not luck. But like it's one time, it doesn't necessarily mean that that guy's an elite coach based off of three games in the two weeks in a two week period. So at Indiana, Archie won fifty three percent of his games and never made the tournament. However, believe he would have made it in the year where we didn't have a tournament because of COVID. But let's not act like that was a great year. They were nine and eleven in the Big Ten. So like Indiana even and by
the way, here's what's crazy. I think both some of in fact, a lot of Crean's teams and maybe every Archie Miller team. When you look at their personnel, they weren't elite, but like they still should have been better than they were, Like there were some good players that came through Indiana. Like what did Indiana get out of the Romeo Langford experience? Because he was a good freshman.
I mean, he was a good player. A lot of hype, right, but I mean, and he certainly didn't pan out in the NBA, which is kind of crazy how quickly his NBA career ended. But either way, like in college, he was good, and like it was a forgettable experience because you know, I mean jack Jackson Trace Jackson Davis said his name, I mean, he was JD.
He was elite.
He was an elite player, and they really never got much for it. So Indiana, in my opinion, has always just been getting the coaching thing wrong. And sometimes they get it way wrong. Sometimes they you know, unexpectedly get it wrong. Like Archie Miller. I feel like was a decent decision, good decision at the time, but you know, it didn't work out. So if they go get Chris Beard to Bruce Pearl, easier said than done. But I
believe they could get them. I mean, I think that's really all that Indiana would be missing in order to get their program to where they're not just you know, making the tournament consistently.
They should be really.
Really good, all right, speaking are really really good. We're gonna try to be really really good the rest of the way. So don't go anywhere. Keep it locked right here. Coffee and Company. Phil about Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Say retails your region.
One Now back to Coffee and Company. Fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine.
Day, I guess it makes sense that my voice would be going out with seven seven ish hours of radio per day the last the last few days and make yeah, it makes sense my voice would would be would be fading. But that's not good timing. I actually have to give a speech tomorrow, which.
Hall of Fame.
Yeah, I'm I'm so so excited for tomorrow, and I'm I'm still just congratulations, thank you.
I really appreciate that.
It's it's clearly corny to to some, but I will. I mean, I can't, I can't even put into words how how honored I am and how.
How special it is to me.
And it's and it's it's not just because of you know, they're acknowledging me when I played basketball at the school that I you know, that I went to.
And then by the way, that's I'm very appreciative of that too.
But this is where it gets kind of you know, corny to some, is that I kind of feel like where I went to school in North Bullet High School, like it is, it is a huge part of me for more than, you know, for reasons more so than just the fact that I went there four years and I played basketball. But my dad was a part of
the second graduating class in school history. So you know, he's signor a coffee Yeah, seven nineteen classes seventy nine, and he won the first district championship when he played basketball there, and he was he was a lot better than I was. I mean, he had thirty eight points a couple of times, and they didn't have a three
point line back then. He was he was, He was a baller, and my mother, who of course went was was obviously they were together in high school, got married and and created this this magnificent man you're listening to right now. But she graduated a year later, and she was she was the homecoming queen in nineteen eighty. So, you know, I remember it in very early age that I would run into people in the community that I grew up because that's where we lived, where they where
they grew up as well. And I would meet people who who knew my parents or knew of them, and or it would be it would be weird sometimes whenever I would I would say my name, and they say are you Who's your dad? And I would say Mark Coffee, and and uh, who's your mom? And I would say Patty Coffee, And then they would make the you know, there was no social media, so people would then't realize when they would meet kids. Oh my gosh. Mark and Patty ended up getting married and they had a kid.
So the family that lives at the Maxwell use, but people would tell me how how how great my dad was a basketball and how how my mom was great. She was captain the cheerleading team, and again she was homecoming Quinn. I guess she was pretty popular. And you know, I remember as a young at a young age, thinking, man, that's really cool that like these people really thought highly of my parents. And you know, I knew I was going to go to school there, and basketball became my
life when I was growing up. It was something that I was just absolutely obsessed with. I don't really have a whole lot of memories that that vividly stand out about my childhood that are not about basketball, because it's just what I was obsessed with. I have a very addictive personality, and that was just my first love and just something that was a huge part of my life. So,
you know, I I had a good basketball career. We won district championship, and to be the first father son duo to play at the school, Uh, it was was really really awesome. And again it's I'm sure it's corny to some, but to go into the Hall of Fame this weekend is uh something I'm excited about.
Thank you very much.