All right, our number two here on a Wednesday afternoon coffee and company Fieldbeth Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety and we are now welcomed by a man who I missed greatly, mister John Alden, the company Man.
John.
Before we get into it, how I mean, can I call you that?
Still?
I feel like, you know, did the nickname die when you left me for has?
I feel like it's in limbo. I don't think it's officially died, but as you know, Tony Cruz has tried to call me who's your daddy on occasion.
That's it kind of makes me uncomfortable because I mean, I get it, it's Tony trying to be funny, but I don't know. I mean, the company Man not only is it does it? I mean it made more sense for the name of this show obviously, but like it's it's a compliment to you, your work ethic, that kind of stuff. I don't know why he won't embrace it. Just embrace the company man, Cruise. It's a good I wish he would. I wish he would.
It's a good name.
So we were just talking off the air about how how awesome it is this time of year for us to be in this position where both teams are going to the NAA Tournament. Whereas the years we worked together, Louisville basketball wasn't a place that I hope they never ever end up in again. So we'll get into that. As it's here, March madness is here. It's winner, go home, start next week in the NAA Tournament. We've got conference tournaments already underway. But you're about to be a dad before too long?
Right, Like?
Is it?
Is it?
I mean, how about how far away? How far away are we from seeing you become a father?
So my wife's due date is May eighth, but I do believe she had a doctor's appointment this morning. I do believe that she is going to end up getting induced a little bit earlier than that. So I don't know exactly how long, but we are under two months. We'm both very excited.
Does it seem as if you had a moment maybe recently or maybe it'll be happening soon where it hits you like okay, because nine months is a long process, right, Like you've got like you've got time to kind of, you know, let it marinate and kind of reflect on your life pre becoming a father and always tell this to people. You never like when people ask are you ready?
You're ready? You're ready, it's a it's.
A common question and it's not you know, I get why people ask it, but like you can't get ready, like you know, ready or not.
It's gonna happen.
There's gonna be some adjustments, but it's it's a beautiful thing, no doubt. But when I remember whenever we had our first when it got to be about a month away, is when it hit me like, Okay, this is really happening, isn't it, Like this is really a thing I'm going to be responsible for a human being.
So she or the for me, I feel like the first the first time it hit me was, of course when you see the pregnancy test. And then the first time I noticed that my wife was showing that was early this year in January. And then I think the third moment that something kind of hit me it was is when I felt the baby kick for the first time. And that's a very surreal thing that of course if you're a dad or a mom, like of course two different perspectives. Someone's holding the baby and the other person's
feeling it. From the outside, but two or three very surreal moments. And now at this point we're just counting down the days.
You mentioned those surreal moments, and you really can't describe it to anybody until you've experienced yourself, you know what I mean, Like, really you can. I think it checks out to say, Wow, it's pretty special and it's a it's a real moment where it makes it all seem real that this is about to happen, such a big
moment in your life. But like there's just things about being a parent that even before you have kids, you probably yeah, I'm sure that's you have a different mindset when you have kids about this and that, but like you just you can't process it until it happens. So very very excited for you, and I get one more before we move on. How's how's the wife doing during the pregnancy. She good, she's doing fine. She had a rough first trimester, as many women do. She was, you know,
without being too graphic, sheet a lot. Uh and then she she's had a few she she got the stomach bug a couple of weeks ago. And I think just because you have a compromised immune system, you know, it's more likely to unfortunately get those types of things easier than other people.
So she had any real weird cravings.
Weird she this has been recently. She she likes the squeezeable apple sauce. Okay, so that's I think that qualifies it.
Yeah, my wife she became addicted to pickles, Okay, I mean it. And it wasn't like where she would just sit around and eat, you know, an endless amount of them, but it was one of those things where it was like truly a craving addiction to where like not sure what she's doing where she's at, but she's got to have to have a pickle, so I gotta go find one. Yea.
It was became just one of those things that like it wasn't necessarily to where she just started completely going crazy over one specific food item or snack or whatever it was. But it's just when the hormones are where they are when it comes to being pregnant, when you want it, you need it, like you know, I remember just thinking, Okay, if all I've got to do is just make sure that if she has that craving for a pickle, I can I can make it happen. Then
you know, then I'll be okay. But anyways, I'm I'm a little bit in disbelief because there were times this year, John, where I was watching your Indiana Hoosiers and I thought, for certain, there's no scenario they sniffed the instead of a tournament.
Oh absolutely, And I think the most recent time that that happened, they were on the road a wisconsinant I think they were down like twenty six to four in like the first few minutes of that game. And then once that loss finished up a few days later, you find out that Mike Woodson's going to be stepping down. That's what you kind of think. Okay, things are kind of falling into place, is kind of the direction we thought things were heading. But since that announcement, I've been
saying this the last few weeks. It's like Mike Woodson, even though he doesn't have hair, he's letting his hair down, and the players are letting their hair down. There lose, nothing to lose, Yeah, And I think they've maybe only lost two, maybe three games since that point. And now, although they're squarely still on the bubble, I think they're going to find themselves in the Assembly tournament.
I'll be honest with you, man, I think the way the bubble has you would need a ton of bid steelers, Yeah, in order for Indiana to be sweating on anything. Because what's happened is that the bubble like there's probably twelve to thirteen teams fighting truly borderline to get in or not.
Indiana is not one of them. They're ahead of them.
And it's just the way it's played out to where you know losses that they have, I mean right.
Now, zero, quad two, three or four losses, I mean right now, just.
Just knowing you know what you know about your team when you think of a bad loss for them, take away the margin. But just like a team and maybe more arching combine, like what loss to you stands out. It's like, Okay, if we didn't get in, it would be because of this loss.
I don't know if there's a specific loss, Ye, there's not this one Northwestern. There's just somebody that kind of stands out just in fun fact, it's the only team that Mike Woodson hasn't been able to beat at least one since he's been in Indiana. But that's it's not a bad loss, but it's not necessarily a good one. Either.
Yeah, so they have two losses that just again they don't look like devastating losses for your resume. But Northwestern on the road and Nebraska on the road, those are those are those are losses that you know or aren't too good teams. Those teams aren't considered to be good. However, you are on the road and they're good enough in the formula to where that's still a quad one loss for you. Yeah, so you look at the rest of their losses. They did have a loss to Iowa, which
was a twenty five point beat down. That was probably the Iowa in Illinois back to back blowouts. That was probably in the Illinois when was at home, that was probably where I was thinking, Okay, yeah, it's over for Woodson. But you know, overall, Illinois still not a bad loss because they're good. I mean, Louisvillingan's out of those aren't
losses that really hurt you. Maryland, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan, even UCLA Oregon on the road like nineteen and twelve doesn't sound super impressive by any means, But the vast majority
of their losses are not too bad teams. And I think what really took them out of that pool of teams I was just referencing that are really fighting like crazy and really just I think it's going to come down to preference, Like the committee is just going to have to decide there's going to be a lot of teams that are very much the same and you're going to have to just determine meeting the committee what you
value most. But when Indiana got the win against Purdue and they got the second winning ast to Ohio State swept them, I feel like that made it to where they're above that group. And I mean, heck, they've got opportunities in the Big Ten tournament to where if they can go out and get some more wins. I mean, I don't know how much they'll jump, but I mean clearly they've got a situation where they can improve, they can improve their seating in this tournament. Louisville, on the
other hand, a little bit of a different situation. We'll get to them a little in just a moment. But with Mike Woodson, he's on his way out. He's retiring. Clearly it was a forced thing. I give him credit for reading the room and not going about it the way a lot of people would. I mean, Kenny Payne could have gone on a lot.
More gracefully than he did.
But what's the temperature like with Woodson, Because you know, overall, big picture, regardless of what happens from now until he coaches his last game, which could be before too long, he.
Did the right thing. I mean, he walked away, He didn't fight it. He did the right thing.
And I feel like that is already starting to pay dividends for him because nobody's around here, at least that I've heard, claiming he should still be the coach after the year. But like there's been a different appreciation for him to finish strong like he has. He's won five of six to close out, like I kind of feel like given everything as far as just the facts, the results, right,
his win loss record is what it is. But outside of that, I feel like this this exit has been graceful and I think that can go a long way for his legacy.
Yeah, people have gone from booing him, and there was a lot of booing going on at certain points indly all this year, gone from that to really just rooting him on and hoping that he finishes the season as best as he can. I mean, I think when things kind of came full circle whenever they beat Purdue on it was it was one of the major anniversary of
the of the Bob Knight chair throwing. You may or may not have seen this, but he had what was supposedly the exact chair that Bob Knight had thrown across the court and he was sitting in it that night, and then I think after the game that he had met and talked with some people on the court afterward, and things just kind of, you know, the dark cloud that Louisville was experiencing last year that Indiana was kind
of dealing with at some certain points this year. I'm not trying to say that they are compared to clear the air. Yeah, like there was no reason to really, you know, there was no more question marks. Yeah, you knew, you knew that things were going to end. You just hope that things are going to be ending on a positive.
There's some transparency about where things are headed.
He's on his way out.
There's going to be a new life in Indiana, and I think just because it's out there, everybody knows what's happening, and because of the way in which they've cleared the air, I just think you've got real No, you've had a year that should have been better than it was. Everybody knows that. That's why, that's why they're going to make a change. But like there's no toxicity within the program, No, despite it coming to an end in him kind of having to be nudged out, which again that's there.
This isn't even a realistic conversation, But there's been people who have thrown out like, what if Woodson takes him on a deep run in the tournament, would they end up changing their minds on certain things? And I don't. I don't think in any way, shape or form that would ever happen. But the fact that people are even having that conversation right now shows that people have already kind of shifted away from all of the negativity that all.
Things considered, as you enter postseason play, you're gonna get in the tournament. I mean, I really think given the certain giving what we know, what is happening, I'm not sure it could be in the moment at a better spot because again, it's not like he's bitter. I mean, he might be, but he's not showing it a whole lot. You know, that game against Perdue, there must have been some magic on that chair, because the second half against Purdue in that game, like that's when everything just changed
for them. I mean, they did end up losing at Oregon, but that's not a bad loss, and that's that was.
All chance to avenge it. Yeah, exactly Thursday.
So what do you make of the Louisville basketball season thus far? Because you know, you and I went through I mean, basically, you were my support system during the dark days, right, the awful era that was the Kenny Payne era. It was like a funeral for Louislle basketball every day on this show, and it sucked. But you know, it's part of the gig, and that seems like it was ten years ago because of how different things are
just a year later. But as you've sat back and watched Louisville put together a good season, their seed probably not going to be great by any means. Clearly, they didn't beat many good teams and they had opportunities. However, the ACC just didn't give him many chances in league play to really go out and boost their resume, but nonetheless finish the regular season twenty five and six. I mean, if I would have given you, let's just say we knew the ACC was gonna stink because it wasn't great
last year either. This has been a gradual decline as far as what the league is overall, top to bottom. But if I would have thrown at you, Pat Kelsey, ACC coach of the year twenty five and six safely in the tournament regardless of the seed, top fifteen in the AP pole and the coaches pull to finish out the season top twenty five, Ken palm Net like, if I'd have said that to you in the summer after we knew the roster, like, nobody would believe that.
Right, No, they would have said a plus season. Again, you mentioned throwing out how weak or strong the a SEC actually is. Nobody from any standpoint, thought Pat Kelsey would have been able to do what he's been able to do. He took a team that was nothing. When I say nothing, there was nobody on this roster that was on the roster last year, found a way to
make them fit the system he wanted to run. And I think as far as just making things mesh and then finding ways to win, there's not a single coach in college basketball, especially at a first year job right now that has done a better job than Pat Kelsey. And I love the way that it feels like Louisville basketball fans are happy again and they're not We're a lot from my perspective back from the dead. They're not obnoxious.
And I had to deal with the thirty point loss in the Battle for Atlantis back November, and that was one of the low points for me for sure as an Indiana fan. But it's still it's still I think Pat Kelsey is a very likable guy. Yes, it's mad. It's made it easy to root for Louisville from an outsider's perspective.
That's I'm glad to hear you say that, because you can provide a perspective someone who does. You know, you're around it a lot. You know a lot of Louisville fans. You work in this market, but you're obviously not a Louisville fan yourself, so you've got a real objective view of it. But also you know you're not that much of an outsider because again, you're around Yeah, but I think you know his guys are a reflection of him.
I think you know, the not making excuses next man up, not feeling sorry for yourself I mean, he's a great, great leader and a great salesman really because whatever he's selling, these guys, they they've bought it. They're all in as far as just embracing what he wants to do, the culture that he wants to have within the program. But I think in a way two things. I think it's also kind of rubbed off a little bit on the fans.
But also I think Louisville just being so back from you know, who knows how far they go in the tournament, if they even win a game in the tournament. It's tough to say, but we were dead for two years, lifeless, there's really I mean, it was just the same thing. Every game you knew you weren't gonna win most likely, and if you did, it probably didn't mean much of anything.
So I think Louisville fans, this has been a real and I've struggled to really put into words what I mean when I say this, but this has been the
ultimate season that you'll never be able to recreate. Not because like you won't be able to have the same win win loss record, not because you won't be able to finish second in the ACC but you've had an ability as a Louisville fan this year to find appreciation for things that you only appreciate because of the circumstance, because of what had happened previously.
Like I think Louisville fans in.
Any other year would be really obnoxious and insufferable about their seed, right, you.
Know what I mean.
But we're so caught up in the moment and just riding this wave of like can you believe this is this real? Or we back Chuckie?
Hepburn.
This guy's phenomenal, one of the best guards ever played here. He only played one year, but man, he's great. Pat Kelcey, man, this guy, he's gonna have these guys ready to play to where we're kind of just in our own world to an extent, Like it was kind of like an album experience to see Duke, their fan base and their program in general be so bothered by Pat Kelcey winning Coach of the Year and by Chucky winning Defensive Player of the Year, because you know, it kind of is like, Wow,
I guess they are kind of jealous. Not that they're a better team, clearly, and I think Louisville have a tough time if they played them again, but it's just I think this has been a special year in a way that we'll remember meeting Louisville fans for a long long time. But the way in which you've been able to kind of just be in the moment and appreciate little things. If we get back to where we think we belong, you should still appreciate it. But the human
elements a powerful thing. To where beaten somebody by twenty in November, it's just going to be like what you're supposed to do, right.
Yeah, Like you mentioned, you know the honeymoon period with all of this, and you relate the seeding and all that sort of thing. If Louisville were to with the season that they're having be rewarded with something like an eight seed where you have to play one of the top teams in the country and the second round, it
feels like there's no reward for everything that's happened. And I know that the ACC's probably as down as it's ever been, But when you're looking at trying to validate your season, I think that's what you do with March in the NCAA Tournament. You want to be able to have that chance to make a deep run and I mean not saying Louislle will get an eight s, but it'll make it a lot more difficult to really kind of see where you stand in that sort of thing.
Yeah, I think the matchups in the second round, which look, they could lose in the first round, even if there're a seventh seed or a sixth seed, just because you just don't you just don't know. I mean one thing that is crazy to say, but it's the truth. And I don't say it as a criticism. A lot of Louisville fans, I think sometimes hear me as if I'm like criticizing the team.
I'm not.
I'm just stating a fact. Whoever Louisville plays, if they're anywhere between a six to a nine, whoever that first opponent is, is going to be substantially better than everybody you've played from January on other than Clemson.
Like that's just that's that's the position.
So again, I would feel, you know, if they're not if they're against New Mexico in the eight to nine game, I mean, I feel like they would be they'd be able to win, but I also would have to realize, Yeah, New Mexico would probably be the fourth fifth place team in the AEC because that's how bad Lee is.
It's odd to me to even see. I was looking at the different like the conference numbers that were in the projected fields the other day, and the Mountain West being on the same level as the ACC just really puts into perspective how far the ACC has fallen from me. I mean, they're what five six years removed from being the best conference without a doubt in college basketball, and this is where things have gone. It's very, very puzzling.
It is wild, and it really starts with coaching. And there's going to be some changes made. Already two HighRes have been made, and I don't like either of those, just because I feel like the direction both Miami and Florida State decided to go. There's just not a whole The risk is not worth it given the new world we're in, which so.
That actually gives me a chance.
If you could hang out for a few we'll talk about this on the other side. We'll do another segment here because I want to get your thoughts on the Indiana coaching search itself. But yeah, the ACC, it's else. They need some new blood, some new coaches. And although I don't love what I've seen so far from Miami and Florida State.
Maybe it works out.
But if in C State is apparently going to hire the gay they're talking about, which we'll get to that later, that could be. That could be a positive to where you know, n C State starts to become successful and that helps the league.
But let's take a quick break. We're way too late for it. Stick around. It's Coffee and Company.
We've got the company man back hanging out with us, taking you up till six o'clock right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. That's right, Coffee and Company. Field by Thorton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Thanks for hanging out with us. Some quick updates for you when it comes to college basketball games going on right now. Conference tournaments in full swing. You've got West Virginia up forty four to thirty five over Colorado. Not sure if you
care about that, and if you don't, I get it. However, West Virginia, the better they do here staying above, you know, staying in the top fifty. If they can get to the top fift down they're not even sure where they are, but that would be good for Louisville, also Northwestern on Minnesota at the half in the Big Ten tournament, Texas up twenty seven to nineteen over Vandy in the SEC tournament, and then we do have some games that have now concluded.
Carolina no trouble with Notre Dame. They won seventy six to fifty six, and I believe that's about it as far as those the games that have concluded. We did talk earlier about Arkansas South Carolina. That one's also over seventy two to sixty eight. But the company man, mister John Alden is back with us. Always good to catch
up with him. Glad to have him back in and we talked at a lot of hoops in the first segment here, but definitely want to do to continue the conversation and talk a little bit about.
The Indiana job.
For this to be such a big job and such a monumental hire, I don't feel like it's been discussed
as much as I would have expected, like nationally. Maybe it's because obviously you realize they're going to go after somebody probably who's still active in coaching, to where you really aren't going to do a lot of the legwork in this search until a little bit down the line, But who are some name like, who are the give me three names that you feel like if you had if you had to, you know, you had to make a big wager it was gonna be one of these three people. Who would you say?
Okay, right now, I'd put Ben McCollum at the top. I probably wouldn't have said that a few weeks ago, but be the perfect higher by the way, And I'm a big Ben McCollum guy. And it's funny if that's somebody that our our friend Jerry who calls the show, was mentioning a whole lot last year during Louisville's coaching search. And he's somebody at the currently the top of my list for Indiana. I think Mick Cronin somebody who's not at the top of my list, but somebody that people
have thrown out a bunch. I think he's kind of wanting to get out of UCLA, and I think Indiana might be a good landing spot for him if he's something, if he's someone who actually desires to get away from the Bruins. And then also Brad Brownell from Clemson. I don't know why his name has come up recently. I guess maybe he's going down to the ACT too, and it's I just to me, that would be a really really it'd be underwhelming for me.
Yes, And it's not to say that he wouldn't be able to succeed, because let's be honest, Clemson's on a roll right now, but they've also done it in the two years where the league's been terrible, and he's Brad Monroe's been at Clemson for so long.
I don't believe this is like a he broke through.
He finally got it. I kind of feel like, you know, the ceiling is not that high for him at Clemson for that matter. Therefore, I just think that would be a really flat higher. You never know how any higher is going to work out, but I just think, you know, it's it's I'm fascinated with coaching hires in general, but McCollum is the guy that he's proven he is a winning formula, and for.
Me, it's been it's kind of become cliche for me to say because I've said it so much now, he's he's the Kurt Signetti of college basketball right now. He's done so much at the lower levels Division two where nobody really cared what you were doing or how much you were doing. And now he comes up to drake him. One year, he's got him to thirty wins and won the Missouri Valley regular season and conference title or tournament title.
And I just the one the one thing that worries not only me, but Indiana fans in general is that he plays a very very very slow style that is
reminiscent of Archie Miller. But in this day and age, where you can get the guys that you want to build that way, where it's a lot easier to do with nil and you can kind of piece things together like the way Pat Kelsey has, I think it makes it a lot easier to have success playing that way, whereas Archie Miller had to do it whenever you're just traditionally recruiting guys out of high school.
Yeah, I think I find myself obviously looking at what Louisville was able to do with hiring a guy like Pat Kelsey with his background, his path, and I'm just thinking, why doesn't everybody do that? Well, Pat Kelsey's don't grow on trees. You could you could go get a guy that's been at a lower level and had success, and you just never know how any high is going to
work out. But to me, with money being such a factor in how you maintain players, now, I just think if Indiana goes and gets a guy who has proven at different levels he can win, and McCullum is that guy D two obviously, and then then a phenomenal job basically brought the same team with him from the Division two level to Drake. I just feel like Indiana has everything built in for a coach to succeed. They always have, especially now in the new world they do. They've got money,
they've got resources. The roster Mike Woodson has this year is a very expensive roster, so just get if you can bring in a guy who you know has a winning formula, can get guys to buy in, has proven that. I mean, I just think that's such a safer route to go now because these larger than life personalities, like these big recruiters like cool, But I don't really know if there's a whole lot of value in a guy
that can recruit out of high school. Right now, you still want to be able to get young players, but you got to be able to not only get young talent, you need to get transfers out of the portal. You've got to be able to manage the locker room and get those guys like they've got to believe in you. There's got to be a a I mean, you got to know x's and o's, and I would say, if you're winning at a lower level, clearly you know the game.
But I just I don't know.
To me, there's some names out there, not just for Indiana that I'm just thinking, like, you know what, that wouldn't be like to me, Mick Cronin. McK cronin's a fine coach, but I just don't know why that. I just think the timing with Indiana and the timing before we are in college basketball, I just feel like that would be I mean, it'd be a splash. But I could see Mick Cronin having the same type of run that Mike Woodson.
And that's the thing I've told people a few different times, and maybe I would be dead wrong about this, but it worries me that Mick Cronin's already had his peak as a head coach. And I know he's he's not old. He's like in his mid fifties or whatever. It may be so he still has plenty of years of coaching and left. But will his will what he wants to do, can he can he get it done at a bigger
place like Indian. Now, I guess when it comes to tradition and I guess really none of that stuff matters anymore. But ucl in Indiana kind of on that same level, there are a bunch of has beens. They haven't really done anything of significance in a while, other than Mick Cronin's UCLA Final four run of course, which that that came from from Dayton, Right, didn't he come out of the first four.
COVID year where like people it's a blur of people forget.
So, yeah, that that kind of falls into the fluky final four category where you know, Dusty May kind of falls into. Now, he's had a great season in Michigan, and I know Dusty May's not gonna be Indian's head of coach. But it always worries me whenever people get super excited, as I know it does you when people get super excited about those who have one fluky final four rous.
All people have to do is just go look at like just go back and look at guys who have been hired because of the one off type of run in the tournament, the vast majority of them have never gotten back to that and have had step up jobs and kind of shown that. Not to say it was a fluke, but it was an outlier. It wasn't something
that was you know that was. But I've always defended Indiana's program when it comes to what they have to offer, because if you have a guy who can coach, can lead, knows the game, everything else within Indiana's built into where you should succeed. I mean, and it's it's really not anybody. I mean, the Kelvin Sampson situation is while to think about now how that all played out. But they just haven't got the hires right. I mean, Tom Creane different
world at that time, and Tom Crean wasn't bad. It just kind of had run its course. Archie that was a bad hire. With Woodson, it just you know, he hasn't been good enough. It's not like it's been terrible.
That's the weirdest thing. Like a lot of times, especially a big programs, you either fail or you have massives, massive success. Whereas Woodson all four seasons and I know he missed the tournament last year, but he's kind of always been in that, you know, eighteen nineteen, somewhere between
eighteen and twenty two wins. It seems like where you're just kind of in no man's land for a long time, and you don't really know how to fully evaluate other than the fact that he's maybe the most mid coach of all time.
For just being honest, yeah, I mean he there's really not been any I mean, one thing I'll say is that for the most part, it does feel like his guys have always still held some level of like they're going to work for him.
Yes, the players love Mike pas and that.
And that matters, but you know, Indiana is still a team that when I watched him in the second half against Purdue, obviously that was a different Indiana team than I've seen all year, but it was just a reminder that, you know, doing that again would be tough because, man, momentum was on their side.
Assembly Hall was rocking. It was crazy.
I was also a Purdue team that thing had lost like four or five in a row.
At that point, but they were up in the half.
I mean, they the way they blitzed them in the second half was impressive, but like seeing that was a reminder that you know what, like if if Indiana does get hot and go on a run and beat some good teams to maybe make the second weekend or something easier said than done. But if it would happen, I wouldn't claim that I was predicting it, but I also would say, yeah, look at the personnel. I mean, they've got some really good players that are I mean Ballow is a force. I mean, Malik renew is one of
the best players in the Big ten. Which one of the two transfer guards has really played well lately?
One of them, I feel like Louke Goody's become a really great I mean he's not your typical starter, but he gets hot from three point.
There's two guards that transferred in the.
Probably think of Miles Rice and Canaan Carlisle. Carlisle's gotten very quiet. Miles Rice has done well coming off the bench as Okay.
That's who I'm thinking of that that has given them a good spark off the bench. So again, you know, you never know what you're gonna get with this Hoosier team, it seems like, but if they do in fact play well, it's not like they're they're you know, I don't think it's gonna be luck. I think it's because they've just got enough talent and it's finally kind of coming around for him. Which college basketball is a tricky bitch, if we're being honest, because Indiana's had a roller coaster this year.
There's been some games where they got killed and you know, Louisville was one of those teams, and you just feel like this, this, this, this is this is terrible what's happened. But if they somehow like went on a run, none of that would matter exactly.
It's funny. College basketball is weird. I mean, it's the only it's the only sport where you can have so many ups and downs and from the beginning you don't know where your season's going to end. It may be somewhere totally different than you would ever expect. And if you're an Indiana fan back in the Bahamas or watching the game in the Bahamas November in Indiana where to make it run to the second weekend, you'd be completely surprised, I feel.
And you know, it wouldn't change anything for Woodson. I wouldn't imagine, however, it would It would change how people view the ending of his time. They would say, yes, here he is got some momentum on his way out to hand off to whoever the coach is. So again, I always end up betting on Indiana when I bet on Big Ten basketball, just because it I haven't always won. But like I also, I just know what the I
know the pieces that they have. Therefore, if they do play well, like when they've when they've won but not covered or sometimes they've won big against some teams, like yeah, I'm you know, like where do they finish in the Big teen, Like what's their seed?
I think they're not they're either eight or nine.
Because yeah, right now in the Big Ten you've got at the top Michigan State by themselves, and then it's Maryland and Michigan and then Wisconsin and Purdue Ucla and then after that it's Illinois Oregon and then Indiana's right there behind them. So you know, right now they're ahead of Ohio State, they're a little bit behind Ucla.
Well, if they played Ucla.
And beat them by fifteen again, that would be an upset when it comes to point spreads, I would imagine, But like I can't say that I'd be shocked because again, you know, I've said it since they started building their roster. They went out and got some really good players, and
it's just wild to think about it. If it all comes together at the perfect time, that's all anybody's gonna remember down the line, which is you know again, it's it's why college basketball is so tricky a right, real quick, speaking of the Big Ten, who do you feel like is you know, in the best position as we get to not only the Big Ten Tournament, but winter go home next week in the NAA Tournament, Because I feel like Michigan State has clearly it's weird.
It's like Tom is teams of old. Tom Izzo hasn't had a team this good, and I think since maybe pre COVID maybe he had one.
He is Anzo team in a weird way, right, Like he's went out and got a guy like these guys fit what he wants to do.
His style very old school style too. And if if they get the right matchups, and I know they may or may not be a one seed, if they get the right matchups in the NCAA Tournament, they should very well find themselves in the final four.
I mean, maybe it's just because they played against each other, and this league clearly is a lot better than when I got used to watching in the ACC. But like teams like Michigan and even Purdue, maybe Wisconsin, I just kind of feel like they they're they're not heading in the right direction as as as the regular season ends. But then there's a team like Maryland that I've watched
up this year. I think Maryland's really good. Like Maryland's one of those teams that, again, nothing can really surprise you, but I think Kevin Willard has the pieces to where if they're an Elite eight team, I'm not going to be shocked. Like I've watched them play at times and I'm like, they've got They're not loaded as far as depth, but they've got a seven man rotation that I feel like I wouldn't want to see him in the tournament.
I think with the Big Ten in general outside of Michigan State, well you can kind of collectively say about every other team in there, especially those that will be in the tournaments, that they're inconsistent. You really never know who's going to play their best on which night, and if you get him on an off night, you can beat them if you if you're both playing your best game, it'll be one of the better games you watch in that you know, for that particular night or whatever it
may be. So it's very very weird Big ten this year, and outside of Michigan State, it could be. It's kind of a wild card to me.
Yeah, I mean I as far as imagining who's in the championship game of this, it could be of a I mean, I would expect Michigan State to be there just because they've looked that good, but like there's like eight nine other teams that I wouldn't be shocked if they end up in that championship game on Sunday. All right, last question for you, I think you kind of answered it. But if you're making the decision you're hiring Indiana's next head coach, who is it?
It's been mccollo what I thought. You want to make sure we're talking realistic Canady. I think previously i'd mentioned Chris Beard. I think that ship sailed a while back, but at this point in time, definitely, Ben McCollum.
Well, John, as always, it's great to catch up with you, and I'm glad to stop.
I can't wait for you to be a dad.
Yeah, you're gonna be getting even less sleep than you already do now with your early wake up call. But it'll all be worth it. It'll all be worth it. So thanks, brother, appreciate it.
All right, let's take a quick time out.
We'll come back wrap at the four o'clock hour right here on Sports Talk seven ninety All right, coming up here at five o'clock when we get the five o'clock hour started, it'll be a little bit after five o'clock, in fact, closer to five oh five. We're gonna bring in mister kent Spencer from WHAS eleven. Looking forward to catching up with him as he's on the road heading to Charlotte for the ACC tournament. Not just we're not
just gonna talk about the A SEC tournament. We'll also talk about you know, Kentucky's SEC tournament, which starts tomorrow as well, if you missed it earlier. I don't think Kentucky can really go much higher than they are, and I don't think they can go much lower than they are. I really feel like, no matter what happens in the SEC tournament, the teams that are on the one in two line are are safe, and there's nothing that could be done for them to not be a one or two,
whereas can Entucky. They really can't fall because their resume is already so valuable. And yes, maybe if they do get to I mean, if they won the SEC tournament, it'd be hard to not see them jumping ahead of a three. But there's only two spots you can go. And again, Kentucky doing that, would that make them a more worthy one or two seed compared to the other eight that I feel like they've already got.
It locked down. So we can we'll talk. You can't come up prety shortly. Also, before we get to the top of the hour.
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two four four four four thousand is the number. All right, not to pile on the ACC, but this was hilarious. I mean, all you can do is laugh at this point, because one, it is kind of funny, but it also just is a sign as to where the ACC is as a hoops conference. So Virginia Tech lost yesterday to California, ending their season. I don't know why Virginia Tech's not making a move from Mike Young. I just think it's not even that he gave you a fireable season.
Which you could make the case that he did.
But I think the quick trigger to move on from certain coaches is understandably growing, because when you know, you know, and you don't have to be patient anymore.
Right, you can go flip the roster every year if you want it. I don't know why you'd want to do that.
You'd like to have some continuity, right, But I mean, you think Mike Young is the guy that's going to ride Virginia Tech out of the dumps of the the ACC in this new world where the portal is it really matters, and like to be Virginia Tech's the kind of job right now that go hire a young, hungry coach that has been able to succeed in the new
climate at a level and he's energetic. He's coming to Virginia Tech to show Hey, yeah, I've been doing it in the uh, you know, in the A ten, but man in the ACC, I'm gonna bring this same winning formula and we're gonna win. Like Mike Young's not a bad coach, but like it just seems like it's run
its course. But anyways, Virginia Tech, there's season's over and they've got a young man by the name of Toby la Wall who had the single greatest quote I think I've ever seen that is really the truth, but also, you know, probably something you should just keep internally. But after the loss, this young man who by the way, averaged twelve and a half points per game, seven rebounds per game in his first season in Blacksburg, I mean,
you really can't. You can't make this stuff up. But he was asked about, let me see if I can pull it up here. He was asked about, you know, sort of the season, you know, being a being one that was you know, underwhelming, and what he had to say, I'm gonna see if I actually have any sound here. I don't know if there's any sound there probably isn't, but I think that.
Would be better.
It would be better if we could hear it rather than just read it. But either way, I think it'll still it'll still it'll still make sense. But when asked about Virginia Tech this year, he mentioned that they exceeded expectations, which, again, that's a wild place to be. I know, Virginia Tech's not Duke or Caroline or even Louis of that matter.
But to finish the season on the day of shame where you finished thirteen and nineteen, in fact, I'm sorry thirteen and twenty overall, to then say that you exceeded expectations, that's a sad place to be and you should never acknowledge that expectations are there, even if they are. But this is what this young man had to say when asked about it. They thought we were going to be ass I mean, we were still ass, but you know,
we weren't that bad. Like what a world we live in where acc basketball programs can be.
Well aware of where the league is.
You could be one of the worst teams in said league and still feel like the like it just speaks to the didn't you know this is just one player, But like that's what really stood out to me.
Not to go overboard here, but I couldn't believe.
When I was in a when I was in Charlotte for the ASCY Basketball Media Days, that nobody was like acknowledging that the league needed to really get some new life and get back on track. They acted like everything was fine, and I'm like, geez, like, I mean, nothing you can do about it at media day. But let's not be let's not be delusional here, all right.
Quick Break, We've got another hour to go.
We'll finish strong, get you updated on all the scores because we've got basketball overload right now, and I'm loving it.
I'm loving it, all.
Right, quick Break, keep blocked your five o'clock hours. Next on Sports Talk seven ninety