3.12: Humpday Hoops H1

and we've got college hoops on. In fact, more games on today, as we're getting a little bit later in the week, as these conference tournaments are getting rolling, and as it as of right now looks like we've got a close one between well and the YouTube TV is great, but if you ever watched it on your this is not something really worth complaining about it. It's just iderotates me. So I keep YouTube TV on in a window like a Google Chrome window on one of the monitors here,

and it's convenient. I can mute YouTube TV to where I can still play sound from the studio and it's not you know, pulling in the feed from the game. But whenever you have it minimized, there's like that little thing that hovers over that shows you know, pau rewind fifteen seconds again, a really useful tool that I use quite a bit. However, it gets in the way to where I can't actually see the score. It blocks the score bugs, so I got to move the mouse over it.

So again, not that big of a deal, but I was trying to get an update on the game here as far as the score, and I couldn't see it. But anyways, we'll get you updated on all the games going on, because, believe it or not, as of three o'clock, we already have had some games conclude. We've got many games coming up. So again, it's an awesome thing. In fact, one of the things I noticed last night I was watching the Horizon League championship game. It was down to

Youngstown State and who was it? Was it Robert Morris. I did watch it, but I've been really taking in a lot of college hoops lately. Basketball overload for me, So I know Youngstown State lost, and I can't remember who it was that they ended up losing to. But either way, there are now a handful of teams, in fact, more than I realized now that I look at it, that have already punched their ticket, that have won their

conference tournament. And as much as college basketball, I'm really college sports in general at the high level, mostly college football and men's basketball, women's basketball, and I'm sure there's other sports where you can see athletes making a lot of money in it, and it's you know, it's confirmation essentially that they can call it an IL, they can

call it revenue sharing. But at the highest level, we now have professional sports within college sports, and it makes some people uncomfortable, and I get it, We've had those conversations before. But if you are someone that's still longs for those days of the pure wholesome moments in college sports that you you know, really just get hit in the fields because you can tell these student athletes men, they're playing for the love of the game. They're playing

for the name on the front, not the back. They don't care about an IL. They're not paying They just you know, they don't They don't get an IL. And I'm sure some of these guys that play at the lower level do. But what I'm getting at here is if you are some that really really misses those days where you could just easily distract yourself because right now you can if you just watch between the lines, you wouldn't know that these guys are getting paid a lot

of money. But it's really this day and eight. It's hard to not know that, right. It's such a factor. If you're a fan of the sport and you want to keep up at the sport and keep up with your team, you're going to probably know that money was a big factor and this guy transferring here or there. So watching last night, it was it was Robert Morris who I saw ended up knocking off Youngstown State in

the Horizon League Championship. And then also last night you and see Wilmington they got back to the tournament and then over the weekend Drake, which was actually kind of cool. They've been to the tournament more so than a lot of teams of the mid major level. But cool story, right. Ben McCollum, the former D two dominant coach, a guy who's a legend at the D two level. He jumped up this year from D two Missouri Valley State. I think it was to go to Drake. Brought his whole

team with him essentially. I mean not every but the majority of the guys who play for him just came with him when he left his old school to go to Drake. So you know, these guys think about this a year ago, they're the D two level. They probably didn't know for sure if their coach was going to be leaving or not. And now a year later they've been able to jump up to the Division One level

and now they're going to the tournament. So I'm someone that will always enjoy watching that because just making the tournament when you've got sixty eight teams is really not a high bar to set, especially when you are a college basketball program that has actually accomplished some things. I mean, even if you're not a program that has even like made multiple final fours. You know, just making the tournament in most instances should never be your bar. Now, you'd

rather be there than not. But in Louisville, this year clearly is gonna make it. And this would have been a ran. You know, this would have been a very unusual exceptions given how bad we were for the previous three years. So these guys who play for High Point by the high Point is in from a big South Lipscomb they won the Atlantic Son Wafford, they won the SoCon Troy was your winner of the Sun Belt, Omaha, the Mavericks making their first appearance, they won the Summit League.

Saint Francis, the Red Flash they won the Northeastern Conference Final. Gonzaga, they count, but they're you know, they're a regular. They won last night. So you know, every school I mentioned outside of Gonzaga, I feel like has guys who the dream is to play D one and they probably, you know, they had options. I'm sure if you're playing at those level schools. But my point is this, they go to

college at that level. I would imagine if you're going to high Point or you're going to Wafford, the majority of the schools you chose high Point or Wafford over are probably in that same level. So you enter your college career knowing that it's unless you're going to a powerhouse who wins their conference tournament every year. I mean, you don't know if you're ever going to make the Big Dance, right, So it's really a different world for

this level of college basketball. They're not. I mean, I'm sure if they can make some anile money, they're gonna say, hell yeah, sign me up. I'll take some money. Who wouldn't want to do that? But they also live in reality where the bag's not being dropped at Troy University for you to come and play in the Sun Belt Conference at least not to the extent of you know,

going to a SEC Big ten or ACC school. So to see these guys you know, clearly still get such satisfaction and have their hard work paid off by getting there, it does kind of remind me that as much as this is pro sports and it's very much a transactional industry, now college athletics is, you still have some moments like this that can really again fill that void if you're somebody that misses the old amateurism model, which is archaic and it's insane that it lasted as long as it did.

But yeah, I enjoyed watching the few teams in the last couple of days be able to actually get it done because look, you can be a let's say you win your league and maybe I can pull some numbers here because I'd be interested to see this, because it really does point out that just making the tournament, even if you're a sixteen seed and you know that you're probably going to get your butt kicked, or even a fifteen seed, I mean, you're still going to in your

mind think, okay, let's go be Cinderella. Let's go let's go find a slipper and put it on and try to ride some march magic into a deep run. You could tell yourself that, but you're aware of you know who you are. So just getting there, regardless of where your seed is, even if you're the playing game, is a big deal because you can be really, really good and not winning your conference tournament every year, right like

winning your league. And this is a conversation that probably isn't something many people care about because again different levels.

People who care about college basketball around here don't really get into the weeds of low level college basketball, understandably so, but I've always felt like you should make the tournament if you win your conference, not your conference tournament at that lower level, because that's actually a more impressive thing, and that actually is i think a bigger accomplishment from you know, the gauntlet, if you can even call it that.

I'm sure some of these teams maybe they run through their league, but I wouldn't be shocked if you've got a school that wins their conference regular season title, let's say four out of every six years they're regular season champs or co champs, I would not be shocked if that results in only one or two actual trips to the tournament, because you know, there's teams you know that are good, but you know, only one team gets to

go from these conferences. There's no bidstealers in these leagues that we're watching here right Like high Point Winthrop's not going to get in because high Point snuck past them in the championship game. So it is such a big rewarding thing that even if you're good and you had you know, two games to spare in your conference and you've got the one seed, you still have that pressure of winning sometimes four straight days in order to actually get the you know, get the ticket to the big dance.

And I'm not sure if there are championship games tonight we'll get we'll get a look at the scores that have already you know, we've already got some games that have concluded. We also have some games that are getting ready to start. So a full day at college hoops will get you caught up on all that. I should let you know that this is Coffee and Company. I haven't let you know that. I assume you did know that. The fancy voiceover guy let you know when the show started.

But again, it is Coffee and Company, and we are fueled by Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety's taking you up till six o'clock. So sit back, relax, make yourself at home. We do not have Austin with us today. He's out he's got to do his other gig. But when I say other gig, he's got like four jobs within our company here at iHeart. So when I say other gig, you know he's not out bartending or you know, working on the assembly line or I don't

know whatever other gig he could have. He's also he's just doing another job for us here. So there's an event he's got to be at. So it's okay, It's okay. Look, you want depth, you want to be able to go to your bench when it matters most, and that's March. We go to the bench today. We bring in Carl filling In, who will take us up till six o'clock. So again we're we're locked and loaded. If you want to take us with you wherever you go, you can listen live on the iHeart Radio. I also listened live

at seven ninety Louisville dot com. And if you guys want to be a part of the show today, obviously today's day where you can certainly you have a better chance of getting through just because you know we're a little bit lighter when it comes to the contribution that we're going to get. So FABO two BOBS seven seventy nine hundred is the number if you want to give

us a call. We'll open up phone lines once we go to break here and just just about five six minutes or so, and then you can also text in the Ellenn Federal Credit Union tex line FIBO two four three eight ninety seventy three. Again FABO two four three eight ninety seventy three. So before we do take our first break, I did want to kind of pick up where we left off yesterday. However, I don't think we actually had at least I hadn't talked about it on I don't think I talked about it. Towards the end

of the show. It started to appear that way. But the tragic news about Junior Bridgeman a Louisville legend, not only because of his impact on on the city of Louisville, the Louisville basketball program, the business world, really just the

community as a whole. So again I feel silly kind of resetting this because I assume everybody listening is well aware of what happened, because you know, it was something that we did bring up here and there throughout the show yesterday, but I was not going to address anything that wasn't confirmed by you know, legitimate outlets out there. So it was in an event yesterday he was being interviewed by Kent Taylor and had a heart attack. And

he knew he had a heart attack. Apparently he had told people that he feels like that that's what had happened. But he was at the Gold House and at seventy one years old, had a heart attack and passed away. So very very sad. You know, I can't think of many people that have been as impactful and successful as Junior Bridgeman, right. I mean I obviously was not around

to see him play. He's a lot older than I am, but I think you could be substantially younger than me and know who Junior Bridgeman is because of just how successful he is and how I mean he's a philanthropist. He's somebody that was able to create an insane amount of wealth for himself and it just became, I think second nature for him to just share that wealth and give back and do good things for people who need it.

So again, very sad thoughts in prayers with his family, his loved ones, and of course his louisl basketball family. You know, Junior for good reason became a mentor and a guy that a lot of his peers other former Louisville basketball players looked up to, because how could you not. And you know what really stood out to me about Junior One, I knew he was a good player, but I'm somebody that really just I learned about him at

a young age. But by the time I learned who he was when I was young, he was already a super successful businessman. And now here he is at seventy one. He was a billionaire. But he was an All American for the Cards in seventy five and of course was part of that national semi finals team in seventy five as well, two time Missouri Valley Player of the Years. Only he's only yeah, he's got He's one of only

twenty players to have his jersey honored. I mean, he's a part of the Athletic Hall of Fame as you could expect. I mean, this is a guy who was a phenomenal player, here for Denny Crumb. Early in Denny's days at Louisville and then in the NBA, had a hell of an impact there as well. First round pick in the seventy five draft, played twelve seasons for the Bucks, I'm sorry, twelve seasons in the NBA, ten for the Bucks and two with the LA Clippers. His jersey's retired

by the Bucks. Played in seven hundred and eleven games for that franchise. And this is another thing that really isn't surprising, but I didn't know this until yesterday. It makes total sense. But the guy's got a lengthy resume of impressive accomplishments. I did not realize. But for four years he served as the president of the NBA Players Association, And that may be the gig that really nobody else that's ever played basketball in the NBA is more deserving

of having that that honor. Meaning their peers have have named them the person who is the president of their you know, basically of their union if you want to call it that. Right, it's the players Association who collectively they're looking out for themselves, the players, the employees essentially, right, And he was the leader of that for four years which again is a sign of respect that he has from his peers. So, you know, Junior Bridgman's somebody that

around here. You hear of him and you're like, oh yeah, I mean, nobody's unaware of his status and his accomplishments and his success. But because we're just understandably so proud that he's connected to us. He's a former cardinal, he still is very much involved in the city of Louisville, cares a lot about the city of Louisville, has done so many great things. You know, we just we just

it's almost like we just take claimed him. Yeah, Like when we think of him, it's not as much about what he did, you know, globally, it's just knowing he's super success and he's one of ours, right, He's he's he's somebody that that that represented this city, represented the program, and he's a Louisville legend, right, And I don't just mean the University of the basketball program. I mean a Louisville legend, really a Kentucky legend, to be honest. So you know, I when I when I think of him,

for years, I've kind of had the same mindset. While that guy's super successful what a great story. And and yesterday a lot of folks, you know, as you could expect, sharing their condolence, is sharing stories about him because you know, they knew him well and he meant a lot to them.

I mean, there were guys in the NBA last night, coaches and even Shaquille O'Neil, who was on set with inside the NBA, I mean getting very emotionally choked up because they they they they absolutely looked up to Junior Bridgeman and and thought he was somebody that you know, they could they could get advice fro him, and he's one of those guys that it takes, unfortunately, something like this, meaning him passing away unexpectedly, for you to really truly

understand the impact that he had, the amount of people he impacted, and you know, the links in which he went to to, you know, to be a guy that after seventy one years of life, I mean, he seems

like a very well, very well beloved guy. And I thought last night hearing it was it was Doc Rivers, who of course spent some time with the Milwaukee Bucks franchise, and obviously he's I mean, he's people know who Doc Rivers is, but he he, like many, had a very very close connection to Junior Bridgeman, and he was choked

up and talking about it last night. And I don't know if I've heard anybody in you know, a minute in a minute and a half here, ninety seconds roughly that really can put into perspective you know why Junior Bridgeman is in fact the absolute model professional basketball player.

He's the guy that the National Basketball Association should always point to as the best example of somebody who used basketball to get an education, used basketball to make a great living, but then used everything that came with his basketball career to become a billionaire, to use that wealth to help people, not only when it comes to helping you know, monetarily, but also with guidance other athletes who don't have the awareness of like finances and that kind

of stuff. But here's Doc Rivers yesterday, and I thought this was really, really, really heartfelt and certainly worth hearing given the unfortunate circumstances here. So again I knew there was a connection with Doc Rivers and the Bucks. For some reason, I was thinking that he was the Bucks coach and then got fired and went to Philadelphia. But it's the other way around. He was Philadelphia, got canned, and now he's now he's in he's in Milwaukee. So yeah, condolences,

I mean, just really sad. But man, what a life and what an impact Junior Bridgman had. And I mean, I think you could really get lost in these next few days, maybe even longer than that, just hearing different stories that others have about Junior Bridgeman, how much they looked up to him. He's probably a guy that in the circle of high level sports entertainment, basketball mostly, but

not just basketball. I mean, he had a level of wealth that probably could call anybody he needed to because he's just that's the kind of you know, company he could keep, that's the kind of circles he ran. And he was one of the most successful businessmen in America. So you know, there's so many He's not an A list celebrity, right, he doesn't walk down the street and everybody know who he is, but the people who are like this is something I thought that was really really

well said. And I don't remember which player it was. It might have been Dangelo Russell, of course, Louisville native who apparently had some connection some relationship with Junior a lot of guys did, but he was your favorite player's favorite player, probably not only because he was a great, I mean phenomenal NBA player himself. Again, he's got his

number retired by the Bucks. Was a first round pick, had a hell of a career, right but NBA stars looked up to him and really loved just soaking up his guidance and his you know, his knowledge on on you know, how to be a businessman, how to you know, how to carry yourself, how to be a pro off the court. So it's always nice to see former cardinals and guys who represent, you know, the program you care about, have success really at any level doing anything you want.

You want these guys to do well. But Junior did it, and then it's just it's also it's just I don't know, it's one of those things that I would have never thought about it until, of course something like this happens. But think about the best NBA players ever, Think about your favorite NBA player ever, like somebody that you really just idolized that you think the world of. Be a real big surprise if Junior Bridgeman wasn't one of their role models, which is pretty cool to say. I really

do believe that. All right, quick break, we got a lot to get into. We'll get you caught up on all the scores from around the country. We've got some games going on as we speak, some games coming up. We've got more bracketology updates to look at them. Getting scared, guys, I'm not not about, you know, any one specific matchup, but I think there's a big difference in being a seven in and eight for obvious reasons, because if you're seven

and it goes chalk, you get a two seed. I think there's a big gap between these one seeds and two seeds this year, which is why I really hope Louisville can find a way to avoid the eight or nine line. But we shall see. Also, Indiana, are they going to hire Brad Brown? Well, please don't do that, Indiana. I mean, I don't know why I would really care.

I don't like I'm not an Indiana fan, but that just seems to be like such a I mean, that to me would be such an Indiana move to where they are just going to remind us once again they've got all the resources, all the tools to be successful, but they can't find the right coach. You could do worse than Brad Brown. Well, but like I just to me, that's a flat higher. And speaking of the Hoosiers, we'll talk to the company man himself, Mister John Owen's going

to stop by around four o'clock. We'll chat with him and keep this thing rolling along. Again. It's coffee and company, and we are fueled by Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. That's right, it's coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's. You're on Sports Talk seven ninety five point two five seven seventy nine hundred is the number. If you want to give us a call. We'll get to the text lin in just a moment, but real quick. Some scores from the from the afternoon so far. Let's

see of the game. I know, yeah, the SCC just had. Yeah, Arkansas survived South Carolina seventy two to sixty eight. So John Caliperry, I feel like this is the first SEC Conference tournament win for him in quite some time. But again they win seventy two to sixty eight, and I think they're safely in because of what the can you call it the bubble? Like for example, Arkansas and Indiana, they could have some bid Steelers make some magic happen to where they would end up back on the bubble

to where maybe they're sweating on selection Sunday. But like Indiana and Arkansas, because of just how bad the bubble is, they're like they're ahead of that group of teams that are sweating it out, like North Carolina. By the way, they're up, looks like thirteen or so at half. What's the score? So so North Carolina, it's just just the first half just concluded forty three to twenty nine. So look, Carolina, I don't I mean, I don't think that they belong in.

But then again, when you look at as much as I think they've Carolina is a school that you probably, at least I do. I probably at times am a little more harder on them than I should be, and I oftentimes probably think that they're worse than they actually are. But they're thirteen and seven in the league, twenty and

twelve overall. In no way are they a world beater, and I'm not even really sure how good they are, but they do have a record and a resume to where like it's not crazy that they could get in. But I think they need to obviously win today and at that point then probably just hope other bubble teams fall. But Carolina is a team that should just be better than they are, and the fact that they are, Like, there's certain teams in the ACC, like, for example, like

Boston College. I mean, I'm not really I'm not really that mad at them for being four and sixteen and twelve and nineteen overall because like, I don't know if they even could possibly be a whole lot better than they are. They just don't have many great players. It's Boston College. But the league to be where it is right now, meaning the ACC, I mean, wake Forest should be safely in. Carolina should be safely in. Like here's

the thing. If these teams did a little bit better when it comes to the non conference and they didn't have the slip up games against the awful teams in the ACC, they would all be safely in. And imagine the difference that you would have as far as the narrative about the ACC if it wasn't just Duke Clemson in Louisville, but it was Duke Clemson Louisville, SMU, wake Forest, North Carolina. And I'm even gonna throw Pittsburgh in there because they stunk towards the end, but they should have

been better. So like those teams were all, in my opinion, more than capable of doing enough to make the tournament. In fact, all of those teams that aren't gonna make it, it's their fault. And again because technically, if you didn't do enough, then it's your fault. You got to look in the mirror, right, The results matter, but you you goofed. Sometimes you're gonna slip up and lose games, but to do some things with your schedule to where like wake

Forest is the best example. I mean, they're thirteen and seven, twenty one and ten, and yet the numbers for them are terrible and you already have that working against you, and then you end up losing to teams like n C State in Virginia, who we all know are terrible. Florida State got them at home too. I mean, like Florida State and NC State are teams that Wake Forest in you know, mid maybe early mid whatever it was February.

You can't look at where you are and then lose to teams like n C State or Florida of Florida State and blame anybody but yourself if you don't make the tournament. So again it's all would it, could have, should have. But imagine what Clemson and Louisville could be as far as potential NCAA tournament seeds right now if you know the teams I just mentioned that aren't going to make the tournament had a little bit better of resumes themselves. I mean, that's just what it really what

it comes down to. And that's why when you look at updated bracketology out there from Lenardi, Jerry Palm, whoever, and look, this is the there's one time to remind people it's now, and that is that these people have

nothing to do with the tournament. They don't have any I mean, I think they're pretty good as far as guessing and assuming the range which teams are going to be, as far as the seed, but as far as like what's I mean, there's human beings that are going to be having conversations this weekend that truly determine who's on

the right side of the bubble and who's not. So, because it's such a constant thing, as you get close to selection Sunday, all the updated bracketology out there, sometimes you get a little lost in taking in so much that you don't realize. Oh yeah, these people. No disrespect to Jerry Palm, Jolinardi, those guys, they don't have anything to do with how the tournaments put together. They're just guessing, right, so you know, we'll see how it you know, how

it all shakes out. But I mean, Louisville on the eight, I'm not telling you, hey, because Lenardi and Jerry Palm says they're an eight, that's what they're going to be, because again we don't know, but it wouldn't shock me if they are. And it all comes down to other teams that you're fighting for seed line opportunities. They have way better likelihood of bumping up their resume this week and then you do. And really that's I mean, that's

just that's that's the ACC's fault, top to bottom. All right, some other scores. Let's see, let's see. I'm trying to find the games that have already that have already wrapped up. So I mentioned Arkansas did get past South Carolina. Iowa State hammered Cincinnati, which Wes Miller not not working out real well for him at Cincinnati. I mean, they've been they they've missed the tournament every year he's been there,

and their athletic director. I only know of his name because I want if I saw him, i'd kiss him. Not really, that'd bed be I probably shouldn't do that, but you know, it was a bad joke. He's the guy, John Cunningham is his name. He's the one who paid Louisville so he could take Scott Satterfield off of our hands. And that brought Jeff Brohm home. So like, I'll always

love him for that. But if you're a Cincinnati fan, this guy replaced Luke Fickle with Scott Sadderfield, and now he's got Wes Miller on a crazy buyout, and that doesn't seem to be working out there at Cincinnati. So I remember the Bearcats. I remember being jealous of them and thinking this is weird, this is gross. They're kind of a rival, right They made the fourteen playoff as a G five team, and you know, Louisville couldn't you know that point, you know, couldn't really get over the

hump with Sadderfield. Never thought i'd be in a position in ving Cincinnati football, and sure enough we were. And then now you know, life's a little different for both programs basketball and football. Wasn't that long ago Wes Miller or Who's not Great, was beating the hell out of Kenny Payne's team when Louisville went to the Maui Invitational a couple years ago. So anyways, other scores, Davidson, they got past Richmond for those who care about that game.

And then also in the ACC, the first game today was Georgia Tech and Virginia. Georgia Tech was able to hold on and win that one sixty six to sixty. So again today, a little bit later on, you'll have the I guess it's the next game after this one in the ACC tournament. That'll be between Virginia and not sorry, Virginia Tech Cal who was able to beat Virginia Tech yesterday.

And then also Stanford. So if it goes chalk, meaning the favorite wins, you'll have a rematch between Louisville and Stanford. The team they just played will be who they play the first game in the ACC Tournament. That is, of course, if they win, maybe Cal can can pull off the upset, but that game will take place at seven o'clock, and again the winner we'll get Louisville, and then later today in the SEC you've got is that the night game? Yeah,

not already late late late night. You've got Oklahoma and Georgia, and the winner of that one will play Kentucky in their first game in Nashville tomorrow. I just goed the text line five O two four three eight ninety seventy three. I'm not there yet, but I'll be there soon. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, we got a new text line number. It's still the eleen Int Federal Credit Union text line, but I I'd somehow lost the number we've had for years, so now we had

to get a new one. And it's it's not as you know, we have the same one for like eight years, so it was programmed in my brain. This one not as much. And what happens is, I do I feel like I could, you know, if I was forced. I feel like I could remember the new text line FIBO two four three eight ninety seventy three. I feel like I could remember that on the spot, but I almost

say the old number. So then I just trip myself up, and then I got to go pull up the actual text line to make sure I'm giving you guys the right number, so apologies. The number is FIBO two four three eight ninety seventy three. This is from Danny who asks if there's any up there on rain Smith, and he also mentions that Louisville should sit him and just let him get healthy. Yeah, I mean, I hadn't even

thought about that, Danny, But you're right. If rain Smith's situation with his ankle is he just it's something he's going to have to play through. So from here on out, he just got to be off his feet rest as much as possible. That way, whenever he is, you know, when he is playing, he's you know, he's he's able to fight again. You could rest and still have pain that you're gonna have to deal with, and what I think a lot of us, I don't know. Maybe he's

practicing to see what the pain tolerance is. I would imagine that would make sense to at least let him try to give it a go, but also still kind of be aware that you want to keep him off his feet because you want to keep him as fresh as possible for when it matters, you know, in games. But yeah, I mean, if he doesn't put it this way, if he doesn't play tomorrow, I would hope that it's just because they feel like they can get past the quarterfinals without him, But I'll also kind of be worried

that man, he still can't go. Been over a week, and that's just me being you know, the paranoid person, because louisll is gonna need to play well to be really anybody, I think when it comes to I mean just the tournament, not even just INSTAA tournament, but I mean they can't lay an egg against the Stanford or a Caw tomorrow and not you know, potentially be vulnerable to lose that game. So with that said, I kind of feel like with it being such a like, I feel like if he if he can go, he can go.

And I don't mean like he's gonna be fully healthy. But I just don't know, even though this is a game that technically won't you know, it's not as big of a challenge as who you would get in the semis if it's Clemson, or maybe even if you beat them, you get Duke. But I don't know. I like the thought of just you know, now, if he can't go, he can't go, But I would I would feel a little bit better if he was out there tomorrow, just as a sign that you know, it's not so bad

that he simply is unable to go. I mean, it sounds like on Saturday he was still in pain, which again is not great. Doesn't mean he can't fight through it. And maybe he's made some big improvement with the ankle in the last few days. But we'll see. But to answer your question, I haven't heard any kind of an update. And look, they're gonna do what they're gonna do, and

we'll just have to wait and see. But this is where I just get I get a little selfish as a fan, because if he doesn't play, I would love some context that we probably won't get. Meaning, all right, did you guys decide to encourage him to rest longer or was it one of those things where he or the training staff simply told Pat Kelsey he's unable to go. Because there's a big difference there, real big difference. All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side. Keep

this thing rolling along. There's a lot to get into before we wrap it up today, So hang out again. We're gonna bring him in. He is the one and only the company man, mister John Alton. He'll join us at about four o'clock. Wet's talk some college hoops. Also, he's an Indiana fan, so he's kind of got the best of both worlds. His team's got some momentum. They're gonna be in the NAA Tournament, but they're also going to make a coaching change at the end of the

year regardless of what happens. And we'll talk to John about that coaching search, because I mean, I just I don't know if it's Brad Brown, well, you could do worse, but I kind of feel like I would have just Ken Woodson if it was going to be Brad Brown. Well, I'm just being real with you. Also, at five o'clock, we'll bring in mister Kent Spencer from WHS eleven. He's on his way to Charlotte. We'll get his thoughts on both the local teams here as we get set for

postseason play, stick around coffee and company. Feel about Thorton's right here on Sportsbox seven ninety. That's right, we're wrapping up the three o'clock hour here on a beautiful, beautiful Wednesday afternoon. They didn't get much better than this as far as the weather. Also, I mean, we got college basketball on Carolina now running away with it against Notre Dame. They're up fifty three to thirty four with just about

sixteen minutes left. So he had a decent lead at halftime and off to a quick start here in the second half. All right, So let's go to the text line the Ellen and Federal Credit Union tax line FABO two four three eight ninety seventy three. This text comes in from Ben, who says, Nick, big UK fan here, but I'm curious, what do you think the ceiling is for Kentucky seating? How high can they climb if they make it all the way to the SEC Championship game.

It's a good question. So right now, Kentucky is a is a three everywhere I've seen as far as the bracket, the bracketology updates. I think Palm still has them at four. But I mean, a win tomorrow is really just kind of what you're supposed to do, and a neutral court win against Oklahoma and Georgia doesn't do anything to really, I mean, it doesn't really help you as far as jumping up a seat or anything like that. And if you end up getting yeah, it'll be Alabama because Alabama

doesn't play until Friday in the quarterfinals. So win against al Obama, I mean that would be right now, Auburn's the only Elite SEC school that Kentucky hasn't beat yet. I mean the Ken Paul Alabama's number six. So what I'm getting at is this would give Kentucky a win against all the top teams in the SCC not named Auburn, and another win against the top six team. So you would have and I'm just looking at the net here, Kentucky would have two wins against Tennessee, one win against Florida,

and one win against Alabama. Hypothetically speaking of Corse, you throw in the fact that they also have a win against Gonzaga, who will not be seated great and they shouldn't be, but they're number eight in the net. I mean, I think what that would do just that game, and they could beat Alabama. I don't know if they will, but they could beat Alabama. I mean, in Kentucky, there will be nobody in the country that'll have that many wins against the net top ten, right. I mean again,

you're talking. I forgot Duke. They went against Duke, who's the number one team in the net. So that gives you that would be let's see, six wins against the top ten in the net. If they are able to get past Alabama, like that alone makes it to where they'll they're not going to fall farther than a two

or than a three if they beat Alabama. And then the thought of because here's what you have to consider, can like right now, if you are behind a Texas Tech or a Michigan State or even in Alabama, if you're behind them for the two line, can they fall enough to where you would jump ahead of them? Right?

Like I know, beating Bama would say well, hey we should jump ahead of them because we just speed, and well no, you would have been one and two against them, and they're win against you interrupt is way more valuable than any than the win you have. So I don't know. I think some of these teams, man, they're just like I don't think there's anything that could happen for Duke Auburn, Houston, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas Tech, in Michigan State to not be ones and twos.

I really believe that that is what you're in no particular order, but those eight teams I think have locked down the top two seeds and I don't really know if there's going to be enough movement one way or

the other for them to drop. But if there's a team that could do it, it would be the team that if Kentucky beats Bama again, that gives them a sixth win against the top ten, and then they'd have an opportunity to play Florida if Florida ends up getting there to the Semis, and Florida would give them another mean, they already beat Florida once he beat them. I mean Florida, by the way, would be a better win technically on paper than beating Alabama. So answer your question, I think

three is the highest they can go now. They end up winning the SEC tournament, then maybe it's different, but I'm not even like put it this way. Winning the SEC Tournament would be another really really really impressive thing about Kentucky's resume that that that you know, would would would help them in a major way as far as

just their resume would be better. But that's not going to drop the other teams off the two line, and it shouldn't because at this point they've done enough to where one loss isn't gonna make them fall that much. So I think I think honestly three is the highest Kentucky can get, which is where they are right now. Gives you some real house money to play with when when you when you get to Nashville, right, I mean, they get no they they have no pressure at all,

and they really can't fall either. I don't even think a loss to Oklahoma or Georgia would fall, would have them fall past a four and some some would probably still have them as a three. And I'm definitely jealous not of you know, not of much, but I'm jealous that Kentucky is able to have those opportunities to play

games where you get value. And look, I know Louisville would not have the twenty five and six record if the ACC didn't stink, But you could also have a worse record but a way better seed if we're in the previous world where the ACC was a respected conference. All right, we got two hours left. We will bring him in on the other side. He's the one and only John Alden. I feel like I don't need to tell you guys who he is. He was the producer

of this show for a long, long time. Until he got ripped away from me by the Big Stick News Radio eight forty whas they get what they want around here, and they took him from me. But we'll bring him back. We'll have some funs, coffee and company. Feel about Thornton's right here on Sportsbox seven ninety