3.10: Phone Numbers - Hour 1

I believe. However, you know, the big tournaments start start this week. And it's nice from the Louisville side of things to not have to play in the Day of Shame after what three straight years of that, so exciting times, no doubt. I will certainly talk about everything from the weekend. But it's beautiful outside, and I I you know, it's it's just a it's a crutch for a lot of

people in whatever you want to call this. But you just mentioned weather because you know, regardless of what people are interested in or what you know who they're a fan of that kind of stuff, like you know, the weather's it's it's like it's the easiest just thing to bring up when when starting conversation. But today really is one of those days where when I got in the car to head here and when I got out to walk in, I mean, I'm just sitting here thinking like

does it get better than this? I mean, what is it like sixty? I mean it felt warmer than that. You know, I had my car. I wasn't in the garage earlier. I was out and usually when I leave the house, my car's been in the garage for hours. So my car was warm when I got inside of it, which was actually a nice thing. Usually if you get in your car and it's you know, it's a one hundred degrees, that's terrible. And it wasn't it wasn't anything like that.

But right now we're looking at Sonny and sixty four according to my phone here, and I'm not sure. I mean, that might be Sonny in sixty four might be, in my opinion, the perfect weather. Some would say they like a little bit more warmer than that. That's fine, but you know, like that's shorts and hoodie, right, that's that's that's in my opinion, it's perfect. So a beautiful, beautiful day. And if you guys want to join us on the show,

we'll let you know how you can do that. But I will once again, and I'm really gonna do this a lot in the next week. Means not going to be something I do every five seconds. But we do have a new text line. So if you want to call in, this number still the same five oot two five to seven one seventy nine hundred and text line still the eleenent Federal Credit Union text line, but because of some Google issues, we had to switch the number five oh two four three eight ninety seventy three. Five

oh two four three eight ninety seventy three. All right, the one and only Montgomery, also known as the Travel Chief.

at least I think I do. My two closest friends that I've known my whole life. I remember when we got our first cell phones. We were we were you know, fourteen, fifteen, whatever it was. Yeah, and they have the same number as that day. Therefore, I still remember their numbers off the top of my head. But outside of that, like I don't, I don't, really I don't. I don't know if I can. You know, my dad, he's changed numbers

so many times with work. He hasn't changed it in a while, but there was a stretch there where he would get a new job and get a new phone number, and and that's made it to where I don't remember his his off the top of my head. In fact, you know what number I can. I can remember that it didn't it wasn't one that I ever think to use.

But my mom's work numbers. So when I was at when I was old enough to stay home as a kid during the summer, like mom, you know, I don't even if cell phone, don't think cell phones were a thing, but like if we were at home and we needed to call mom, like I knew her work line and she still has the same one. So how many numbers can you cause I if I've met you in like the last I don't know, ten maybe fifteen years, there's

no way I remember your number. I'll have it but but and I don't even people would need Once you put the number in the phone and you save it, you never even look at the number. You wouldn't you'd never know it, right.

the house phone like when I was a kid. That's really good because when it even even the earliest days of cell phones, once you put the number in and you save it as a contact, then you don't I mean, you'll never see it again.

and a coke for six dollars. There you go at Thornton's. I means just nothing like putting in your refreshing rewards number and just like watching fifty or sixty cents go away, because the hot dog was add one for a dollar.

I mean, Louisville having that phenomenal send off for this special team on Saturday. I think it lived. I mean, it couldn't have been a better ending, right, I mean the only thing that was the real bummer is that Rain Smith didn't play. And we can get into sort of you know, should we be? I mean, look, he's hurt, there's no way around it.

dealing with. So like if he if he wanted to play, and then collectively, like he and the staff and everybody decided, yeah, let's just gets you more rest. We probably won't need you against Stanford, and we really are going to need you when it comes to postseason play. So another week off of your foot could get that ankle in a better spot than if you were to play thirty minutes on Saturday in a game where really we didn't need you. Like, if that was the mindset, then that would make me

feel better. But like if Rain's trying to play and they're telling him, like, you know, you can't, I mean with it being an ankle, I mean, I doubt they would tell him that he can, But like he knows his limits, and look, he's a grown up. He's you know, just finished his fifth year of college. So I'm hopeful that it's that it's something that is not super serious

and he could have played if he needed to. If it was a winner go home situation Saturday, then he would have gone but two straight games without Rain And clearly Louisville hasn't missed him in a major way in these last couple of games. But obviously when you get to the postseason, you want to be at full strength. In Rain Smith one of the biggest weapons in college basketball when it comes to that. I mean just he's deadly from three point range. I mean didn't make as

many in the last couple of games. Obviously that's because he was probably dealing with that injury or just just winded. But you know, he's he's somebody that I just kind of got used to. Yeah, if he hits five or six in a game, that's just another night for him. Or maybe he'll be off for a half and then make three a in a segment right in between TV timeouts, like maybe he he he just changes the game by hitting three or four in a row. Like having a

guy they can just do that at any moment. And you know, it's not a given that he's gonna make every shot he takes, but it's also not really a surprise when he can quite literally single handedly change a game. So again, hopefully Rain is Uh is able to go and and you know, can help Louisville make some kind of a run here this week in the ACC tournament and of course next week when it when it really starts. So outside of Rain, I mean, I don't know if

it could have been better. And I think this has been such a let me give you, and I've said a billion times, I mean, this has been such a fun ride so far, and I think a lot of fans have done the same thing. And what I mean by that is like you you're kind of living in the moment more than you even like realize it. Like Louisville fans I think in any other year would be bitching and complaining about how the seed seven or eight, like that's insane. We should be a four seed because

we've got twenty six wins. But look, I'm sure you can find some fans saying that, and I don't think they're correct. But my point is, like that really isn't even I mean, it's on your mind. You're happy that you're going to be in the tournament. You're happy that you know Selection Sunday is going to be fun this year,

like it's something you're aware of. But it's not really, it's not distracting you from just living in the moment and realizing we just went through one of the best seasons we'll ever get around here as far as just the pure joy that came with it. I mean, let's be real. They also finished in the top fifteen in both poles. At the end of the regular season. They're number thirteen in the AP Pole, thirteen the Coaches Poll, eighteen and two in the ACC. And yes, the ACC

is down, we all know that. But to have the previous few seas be what they were, and then to have this and have not only the success, not just a much better season than the previous ones, because they could have won thirteen games this year, and it would have probably no joke been applauded by a lot of people. I mean, we probably wouldn't have been like over the moon, because the bar wasn't just said, hey, be better than can he paying anybody? We could hire somebody off the

street to do a better job than he did. But you know, if you don't win thirteen fourteen games, we probably would have been like, you know what, it's gonna take time. But man, that was a good step in the right direction. No, LOVLL won twenty six games this year. I mean, think about that. I mean, this team was good, and I wish that there would have been a little bit more opportunity to kind of, you know, get a

feel for how good you are. But I you know, as much as I have reference that, it hasn't kept me from enjoying everything that was this. I'm sorry. Six twenty five wins. Twenty five and six was the was the record overall. And I mean you go to that game Saturday, you know, kind of knowing that it's Senior Day, which is why you saw the biggest crowd in quite some time. I'm at the m Center and everybody stuck around it seemed, which was awesome. So like, none of

that's a surprise. But I think you know, you weren't thinking about the emotion that was gonna hit you when you're sitting there watching these guys get on or when you're seeing Chucky Hepburn kiss the floor.

to life. I'm gonna remember these guys forever. But again, you're so caught up in the moment that like you're just you're up nearly twenty on stan for in the second half, but yet you're into it more so than you ever have been into games where you're up that big because you know what, we really learned how much we would miss getting wins like that whenever you had,

you know, but we had the last few years. So I mean, I think any notion that like these guys will be forgotten more so than you expect because of so many different Like Louisville next year may have an entirely different team, not to the level of what they did this year, but like college basketball is clearly different now you're gonna have a lot of newcomers every year. The scenario where a guy stays and plays four years

is almost like how would that even happen? Because it could happen at places, you know, like this, like Kentucky, because there aren't gonna be many if you have a good if you're not an NBA guy, and you have a really good role and a really good team with a program with a lot of resources like the top Dogs do, Like where would you where would you look to go? Like maybe you'll just you know, jump to a slightly lower level and maybe get a little more money.

But like, if you're doing well and you're getting all the minutes and your team succeeding, like guys would want to stick around. I would think. So you may see some four year guys over time, but it's still gonna be a rare thing. So again, anybody who just thinks that, you know, I hate it. We only got these guys one year. Like I'm with you, I hate it too. I wish these guys play here ten years. I can't think of I mean, I can't think of a group.

In fact, there's not one that comes to mind. And really, more than anything, it's just because like you really can't compare this situation anything, because when has Louiville ever been in this situation where they went out and created a brand new team from scratch with guys from all across the country, many of them that are twenty three, twenty four years old. So like, there is no comparable situation.

But I think, you know, I think these guys will be remembered forever, and you know, not something you got to really like rack your brain for Louisville Trivia you're just gonna remember that special season. And I know I could be I could be singing a different tune in a couple of weeks, because if you get bounced early in the tournament, that's such a such an awful feeling, to be honest with you, that's one feeling I don't miss, right, That's one of the one of the benefits of being asked.

The last few years, we didn't have to deal with that. I mean, the overall sadness and you know, devastation was with you every day because you care so much about Louisville Hoopes. But like the daily game day stress and like sadness after a loss like that was we were numb to that. So if they don't make a deep run, maybe others will view it differently. And look, people can have their own opinion. I know we don't all collectively

have the same thoughts on everything. But I just cannot imagine this team doing anything like maybe they lose by thirty in the first round. Clearly they would be disappointing and that would be a real bummer and it would make some probably question, Okay, well how good were they? But even with that, the joy and just the awesome season that these guys gave us that has such such

a high value to me. And I know I'm not alone that they're you know, there's no way I could ever look at this group and not remember how awesome it was and how really, more than anything, they And this is what I was gonna say a moment ago. I'm sure there are plenty of guys who played at Louisville that we didn't realize how much they appreciated the fact they were here because it's not something you know,

it's college sports. Was the same for generations to where it's just you know, and really, I think Louisville was so Louisville was so solid. I mean, they weren't. They're not elite, and clearly they've had down years before other than just the last few. But what I'm saying is that Louisville basketball, even in a down year previously, you know, not down year the level we had last few years, but just overall, everybody knows this one of the top

ten programs in the history of the sport. Therefore, you would just assume, of course, these guys have have appreciation to be here. It's Louisville. But these guys, this group, like you could tell, man like, they really did value bringing us back to life, and they embraced sort of what they were doing for us, and it was such an infectious thing on both sides to where clearly the crowds got bigger as the season went on because these guys kept winning and man, they played their ass off.

They played hard. You can tell they love Louisville. And then these players themselves, I mean I think they you know, I think from day one, right there's a business arrangement for a lot of these guys right in il was a big factor in how a lot of them got here, and that's just the way it is now. And a lot of these guys, honestly, they probably made themselves a

lot of money later in life down the line. Because Chuckie Hibern wants to retire from playing basketball whenever that is and live in Louisville, you tell me he's not going to be a made man. I mean, Ray Smith, I'm sure he's gonna want to go back to his homeland of Australia. But if not, and he wants to live in Louisville. God should never buy a drink in town ever. In fact, never let him not have a

drink in his hand. Javon Hadley, like I could see him retiring and being, you know, a business leader around town here and you know, being somebody that you know is just embedded in the community forever. I mean even even like Frank anzelom Ivey, who has a very minor role, but man, he embraces the hell out of that role and really, I mean gives you everything he has and and is clearly a great supporter of his teammates. Like these guys, they just there's a lot of things that

went into it really was the perfect storm. But I think what really hit me early on this year and they just each week it seemed to really hit me even harder. And then to see them have the sendoff on Sunday, these guys had an appreciation for Louisville that I'm not sure we'll ever see again. And that's I'm not trying to take this in like a negative direction. But Pat Kelsey may have better teams down the line. In fact, he probably will when it comes to talent.

He may have teams that have a better record, although twenty five and six is pretty damn good. He may have a team that you know, who knows what I'm saying is that no matter what the team looks like as far as wins and losses, success, NBA prospects, that kind of stuff, I don't know how you could recreate what we just had here well, and you really couldn't, because these guys were tasked with, you know, literally digging us up from the dead and bringing us back to life,

and they did a great job at that. So nobody else hopefully we'll ever have that opportunity, because God knows, hope we never end up in the situation we were in prior to everybody arriving here. But telling you this group, I mean not only the success because again, who knows, twenty five and six is a pretty damn good record. Like Pat Kelsey set the bar pretty high for himself in year one, did he not? So you know, who

knows what happens in the future. But I just think this was a once in a lifetime kind of team to where not the production, you know, not Chucky being the best defender in the country, Ran Smith being the best shooter in the country. I mean, those things are great, but they were able to give you something from like you know, an appreciation standpoint that I just don't know if it's going to be recreatable. And that's not a

knock on anybody moving forward. I'm gonna love this program if it you know, I'm always gonna love it, clearly. But you know, we're having success and everybody's winning. That's awesome. But there was just something about this group that clearly very special. And I know some are probably a little dramatic, others are probably you know, making fun of other people

who claim they got emotional. I did. I mean I didn't actually cry, but like, you know, you start to feel like you got frog in your throat, right, like when those guys were being taking out individually and going over and hugging Pat Kelsey and then Chucky kissed the floor, and you know, you could just you can just tell by body language that these guys, man, it meant a lot to play here. And I just think you could

have great players, great teams, teams that you love. But these guys, I feel like, in a time where you typically wouldn't see this is such a business transactional world now meaning college athletics, and it was for these guys, but they also clearly kind of fell for us right, and clearly we fell for them and it's a beautiful thing. And Austin, you know, there's nothing that hurts worse than losing in the tournament and having it all be over right like, And I don't even terrible. I don't even

want to think about that for this Louisvell team. But would you agree? And if you don't, it's fine. I'm just I'm trying to get your opinion because I know, you know, in the moment after the loss, when it comes to too, I mean, it's gonna be awful. We're gonna be sad, we're gonna be angry. It's gonna be you know, it's gonna suck. But I just I don't think no matter what that result, if that happens, then they lose, no matter how bad it would be or whatever.

I just can't imagine that being enough to make me lose all the love that I will always have for this group.

could care. Obviously I want them to go far. But if they lose, you know, even if they get Cinderella and they lose to a twelve seed or something like that, I mean, obviously that's gonna suck, but what a successful season. I'll be happy with it. The bar has already been cross jumped. Whatever you want to say. But you know, I'll be sad because of the guys, Like we love the team. There's an emotional attachment to this team that I don't think Louisville fans have had since the twenty

thirteen season. So I mean, whatever happens, happens, and I'm here for the ride, but will not be disappointed.

I have worked together full time. Hopefully it's the first of many, but like, what a fun ride for you and I to to kind of, you know, start working full time together on this show.

feel like that win for Kentucky on Saturday. I'm not sure, you know, if it changes a whole lot for them as far as resume or whatnot. But it proved one thing about Mark Pope throughout the entire year that I'm not sure he really got enough credit for so partying while I go throw up here because I'm gonna have to give him some more problem on your hand. I've been doing that a lot this year, and I don't want to do it. It makes me, you know, makes me icky,

but I gotta do it all right. Also, we got a lot of other stuff again, we'll go ahead and get to a time out. I'll quit yap and so we can save some time. It's coffee and company. Feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

OO two four three eight ninety seventy three. So this text earlier was was one that really U I never hadn't thought about it this way, but I agree the texterre essentially said, and they didn't leave their name, by the way, So if you could leave it. You don't have to leave your name. It's not that big of

a deal. But I'm just trying to, you know, make it feel a little more like a family around here, to where if we have people that text in, you know, every day, and they bring something to the table that's worth you know, bringing to the airwaves, bringing it on the show, then I can say their name and it'll feel like people kind of you know, they maybe they don't, they don't know them obviously, but they'll know, hey, that person, he usually makes good points or whatever it may be.

So anyways, they said that they realized earlier this year that they couldn't get mad at this team, and I agree. I mean I could be disappointed and you know, not happy when they play poorly. Right that that that's clearly something we all. I mean, I don't know how you would never if you're a fan and your team loses, you know, even if you're not angry, like you know,

it's not a good feeling no matter what. Right. But whenever they lost to Georgia Tech, I remember realizing, wait a second, why am I not you know, why am I not upset? Like I'm bummed they lost? But like I can't look at anybody on the bench, staff, play, or anybody on the court and feel like, wow, can you believe these guys? How could they lose this game? Now, again,

they lost to a bad team. It happened. But I just think given the circumstances overall, and you know how successful they they were this year in the regular season, I mean, when it comes to having genuine like disappointment and you know, frustration, it's it's it's not that I expect them to lose the teams like Georgia Tech, and clearly that was a one off thing. They didn't lose

any other game like that. But I feel like, more often than not, in fact, ninety nine point nine percent of the time, from coach to player, don't you feel like you've you've got everything you possibly could almost out

of these guys. I don't want to say they've already played their best basketball and it's only downhill from here, because you know, I mean, really, for this group, I think what really makes them potentially special is when things are clicking everywhere and oh, by the way, they're making shots right, three point shots that they're making thirteen fourteen threes a game, and they've been and they're able to kind of, you know, be the same team they've been

really all year. I guess post injuries, then they're dangerous. I mean, they just are. But yes, I you know you think Chucky Hepburn didn't give us every single thing that he had. Do you think that you know he that maybe we didn't get the most out of him? And I think you say that same thing about nearly every player, right like Javon Hadley, guy's playing hard, and I don't really know what else he can give us

that he's not given us consistently. And oh, by the way, you know, these are guys that, in my opinion, as we talked about last week, they're producing at a high enough rate that I believe they should eat They should be all acc guys. I don't think they will, at least not all of them where I believe they will.

But nonetheless, like I'm with you, like, I don't know if I could genuinely be bothered by these guys, because like even if Pat Kelsey like made a mistake and it really was a bad decision and it cost you a game, I mean, that would suck, But I can't generate any real emotion that is anger, disappointment or sadness, because I mean, I guess I mean more than anything, it's because, like I know, they weren't trying to do that. And look, nobody's ever trying to lose or trying to

misshots or screw up. But I just think these guys have become so beloved that, like, I just I don't know if I'll ever be able to be disappointed or upset. I mean, look, the twenty thirteen team gave me my first and who knows, maybe the only national championship I'll ever see around here, right, So like I love those guys to this day, Like I love them, But man, I was really mad at him when they would lose games.

I was really mad at him whenever you know, they were down to which a tall state at halftime in the final four. So you know, it's just it's it's a different it's a different feeling. Are we talked earlier about with us having a new text line here by the way, Babo two four three eight ninety seventy three,

we were asking. I asked Austin, like, how many numbers? Actually, no, he I asked him if he was surprised that I that I still was having to like look at the text line in order to give you the number, Like I haven't been able to memorize it just yet. I'm sure I will soon, just like any livery and do I have any client, Eventually, if I just say their their number enough, then then I know it. I'm sure

that'll be the same here with the text line. But then we were talking about numbers that like we remember off the top of our head. And you know, if you've met someone, really, I'm not kidding you. I feel like in the last fifteen to twenty years, you met them and you took their number down. That's probably the only time you've ever like, think about this. I never give anybody any number anymore. Yeah, Like, hey, the numbers five, O two, I send it, I share the contact right,

Like I haven't even actually had to. I mean I do it every day on this show, but other than that, I haven't actually Like maybe sometimes when you go to the doctor, they'll ask you for your phone number or something like that to like reference your account or something, but more often than not, like I think, moving forward, memoring anybody's phone number off the top of your head, it's gonna be a real rare thing, and in fact,

it kind of already is. But somebody on the text line asked if if we remember our if we know our license plate? Oh god, so I I know mine, and I'll tell you all. I know mine because my wife has fun with it. She she the three, the three. There's three letters, three numbers. It's I can tell people my license number. It's not like they're not gonna like steal my identity, right, I don't. It's a BWn is

my license plate. And I only know that because my wife uses those first three letters and and and and says that it stands for something. And then I just remember the one forty. But other than that, I mean, I've I've had multiple different license plates, different cars. I couldn't. I couldn't give you a single number or letter in any other license plate that I've had. Yeah, either yeah, no,

and I And why would you remember that? Like unless you just unless you just unless you have a vanity plate, like you know, we were just talking during the break, do I win? His license plate says Cobo on it, and some people have the customization And clearly you remember that because you pick it out and it means something to you. But I don't know why anybody else would wouldn't need would know, wouldn't Like I'm.

them my family. There's one that always ends up where people just kind of like halfway park their car and they're not staying, they're just going to pick up food and leave. So they you know, you end up in these church parking lots where it's kind of a free for all. People get blocked in or there's like, you know, you're parked somewhere you can't park because of like the

fire hazard that kind of stuff. So they have to get on like the PA at these churches and tell people if you're driving this car, and then they mentioned the license plate number and I'm like, who remembers? Like, that's not a good way for you know, if you tell me I'm driving the white Ford Explorer. Yeah, I know that that's what I have. But the license plate number is not going to get my attention. Oh that's me, you know what I mean, Like it's just yeah, anyways, we'll move on.

I did what I probably couldn't remember it. I'd be I'd be more trusting trying to pull out my phone and take a picture really quick and get blurry than I am, Like all right, that was that was B sixty seven? Oh tw n.

play tomorrow at four thirty. The winner of that will then play on Wednesday against Stanford, who's the seventh seed, and then Louisville will play the winner of one of those three teams on Thursday at seven o'clock. So if it goes Chuck, you'll play Stanford once again. I've got you know. I mean, they were a better team than a lot of the teams you played in the in the ACC, and I kind of we didn't have a

long show on Thursday, so I didn't or Friday. I'm sorry, so I didn't really get a chance to get to it. But you know, Stanford is a team that, despite being another one of the non tournament teams in the ACC, and another team that when you beat them, you get no value because they're not that good. They are better than a lot of the teams in the ACC. And I started to think about that. You know, you had some teams that you know, we know are really bad

give you more trouble than you would have expected. So like Stanford was the kind of team that I feel like, you know, one, they do have a really good player in their big man, who I believe is gonna play a long time in the NBA. And you know, again, they ended up finishing nineteen and twelve. And again I'm not telling you that to say that they're great, but you know, you look at everybody else in the league.

There's a lot of teams with overall losing records. So you know, I was about to say I got to

worry about Stanford. Bring them on, and I really don't worry about them because Louisville didn't have much trouble with him, and their big guy was able to kind of do what he does, and Louisville really was able to not I mean, you know, Stanford's not a team that I would be worried about but with that said, you know, if somehow you can end up getting Cal because of an upset that happens, I'll take that as well, because the reality is on a neutral court, you need teams

to be in the top Let's see here the net rankings, because the neutral court, the range is different. So if you beat a team that's in the top fifty on a neutral court, that is considered a I'm pulled up here. Make sure I've got this right, because the only scenario where Louisville could get quad ones is the Semis and the championship if they get there, and of course you'd

need Clemson and Duke to still be alive. Clemson and Duke would have to be your teams because if not, then you know, you wouldn't have chances because there's nobody else in the tournament, the a SEC tournament that's going

to give you any real value. So, like you know, part of me says, well, Stanford would Stanford is better in the metrics than a CAL or Virginia Tech, but not enough to where it really makes a difference, right, I mean, beating any of these three teams, whoever it is, is going to be the same value, which it has very little value. So again, you've kind of been in this position for a while, now you knowing you can

do about it. You have a lot to lose in very little to gain with with really every game seemingly in the ACC And again we know that that's that's out of your control. But Clemson and do give you a chance to potentially change your seat. I want to get you this in the four o'clock hour because I really you know, we talked about a couple weeks ago,

if Louisville finishes with this record, what happens? And here we are, like they finished the regular season unbeaten, and you know, I guess technically they could go three, three and zero and Charlotte and I still just have a tough time. And I'm not saying they'll do that, But if they did, how high can they climb? I mean, we'll never know until you know one that you know that does actually happen, which is you know, very unlikely

because Duke's playing really good basketball. But I'm just saying I don't know how much higher they can climb because there's teams that are that are resume wise ahead of them on the seed line substantially that I'm not sure what they could do to where Louisville would jump ahead of them, even if Louisville, again hypothetically had a Duke win. So I just think six and seven is what you're looking at. I don't think you can get an eight, but I really don't know if you can get higher

than a six unless you beat Duke. And I think then, like, I still feel the same about Louisville in the tournament as I did a few weeks ago. Right you know, it's going to depend on matchups who you know, that kind of stuff. But overall, I guess as it's played out in the last couple of weeks, few weeks, I guess there really was not a whole lot of room for you to climb, because again, what we always Louisville right now is a great resume when it comes to

the overall win. I mean, they don't have a whole lot of Quad one victories, but they also you know, it'd be different if they played in thirteen quad one games and had you know, three wins. I mean, right now, Louisville and it all. You know, Indiana finishing strong did in fact heell, but Louisver right now is number twenty three in the net and they they are four and

five in quad one games. You know, if they had four quad one wins and instead of playing nine quad one games, they played nineteen of them, that'd be a different situation. Now again, we'll save this for later because we need to get to a break. But I just think with Louisville, the committee really, you know, it's always down to what they decide, right, because they're the ones who decide. It's there's human beings that do this, not just robots, but clearly they use a lot of analytics.

They have their own formula, which is the net. But I really do think, you know, like if Louisville ended up getting like a higher seed than most expected, meaning a better one, I can't say I'd be shocked, because you know, it would make sense with the resume, But if they kind of end up being set and eight,

I kind of think that would make sense too. There's there's there's it's open for interpretation when it comes to Louisville's resume, and I don't think the committee is going to look at it and say, no, they're not very good, let's give them like an eight. But also, you know, maybe they say, look, there's a lot to like about this resume, and we're gonna v We're gonna, we're gonna actually,

do you know what makes sense? You know, regardless of who's who's on the schedule, let's credit teams for you know, not losing the bad teams. I quick break will come back on the other side talking about the SEC tournament draw, which, again, once you just look at this bracket, I mean, it confirms what we already know, and that is that this league has been insanely loaded this year. However, I've got a bold prediction about the SEC and the instead of

late tournament. I'll tell what that is next right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Because you gotta keep in mind they're gonna play in the SEC tournament in the first game, I think, yeah, because the championship of the SEC is Sunday, their first game will be like they didn't get the double by this time around, So they'll play on Thursday, and they're playing the winner of Oklahoma and Georgia. That doesn't do anything to hurt you really if you lose that game, I mean, you would probably be losing the two teams

that aren't in the tournament right now. But if they beat you, then maybe they are, you know, so, I mean, if Kentucky's slotted as a three right now, a loss to Georgia, it could drop them off the three line to a four, but probably more so because other teams are going to be able to Like teams that are competing to go from four seed to three seed will have have probably had a good run in their conference tournament and maybe slightly put themselves in a better spot.

But like right now, if you look at the latest update from Joe Lenardi, he has by the way, he still has Lovell as a seven. Everybody's got lovel as a seven everywhere I've looked, but he's got Kentucky Leonardi does this is let's what was this put out?

highly surprised. So again that's because Mark Pope did a good enough job this year of just getting a ton of wins that have value, and like like Louisville, the majority of their losses are too teams that really don't

do a lot to hurt your rest. And for certain teams like Kentucky right now, let's see, let me pull up their team sheet here, because you know, their records not great, it's fine, I mean it's it's not terrible, but they're twenty one in ten and you know a lot of teams that are twenty one and ten wouldn't sniff the tournament. Kentucky's twenty one and ten, and again I don't think they can do worse than a four, and I think it's because they had enough wins that

that you know, just had a ton of value. I mean, they're ten and nine in Quad one games, one in one in Quad two games, and didn't They don't have any losses in the Quad three, in the in the uh in the quad four range. So right now, I mean, is their only Quad two loss Arkansas at home? It probably is. So I have no clue what to really make of Kentucky as far as like how how are they built for you know, a deep run in the tournament? And I mean that, like I just I wouldn't be

shocked if they make a deep run. But I also can't say i'd be shocked like if they loseing their round of thirty two, because I think they're good. They've they can beat really good teams, but you know, they're also pretty vulnerable. A lot of teams are. But one thing Mark Pope did this year that really I think speaks to the bright future he probably has in Lexington is that they never got too high or too low, regardless of anything. And that's probably a factor of a

lot of things. Like Louisville, they've got a lot of mature players, guys who played a lot of college basketball that are four or fifth year got four or five year guys. But also because they're led by a good leader who you know when they would come out and lose a game to again Vandy, right, they lost to Vandy at Vandy. Well, next came out, they traveled to Knoxville to take on Tennessee, who's top five at the time,

and they beat them, and again they swept Tennessee. So they've proven they can win some games, not get I think where they can pick out really good wins with value that make you feel good about a deep run of the tournament. Let's be real, the majority of those wins came at a different time than than you know where you are right now. I mean, the Duke game happened a long time ago. Heck Evan Louisville, but Lord,

louisill be Kentucky if they played right now. I don't know, but I certainly like their chances better today than I did when the game happened a couple months ago. So you know that win against Missouri, I mean they won that game without a whole lot of trouble. And I don't know how good Missouri is overall, but clearly they're a good team that's going to make the tournament and

get a good seed. And it's not like I'm saying they're bad, but like that, that's a win that gets you to twenty one and ten rather than being twenty and eleven, and it's another really valuable road victory. And it's just you know, you can have the twenty one and ten record and the ten and eight record in the league play and maybe even an early exit in

the SEC sturnment. You can have all that and still be at a four seed at worst, because they ended up winning enough games to where they never did any like the bottom never fell out. And I do remember when they what lost was it they lost four or five and again they were all the good teams, but when Cal got them and then they lost to Ole

miss and really were getting embarrassed in that one. I kind of felt like that season not was going to fall apart to where they wouldn't make the tournament, but you know they were going to be in shambles because

they couldn't guard anybody. The health of their guards was still up in the air in a major way, and yet they stayed the course and you know, never too high, too low, And I feel like that's a good sign for Mark Pope and next year when he's got a team that's probably more talented, that probably doesn't have these kind of injuries. I mean, they could be even better. All right, quick break, two more hours left. Stick around

right here, it's coffee and company. Feel about Thorton's on Sports Talk seven to ninety