3.13: Waiting For Tonight - Hour 2

Louisll currently favored about ten and a half against Stanford. It'll be the second consecutive opponent meaning Stanford, because obviously that was who you ended the season with on Saturday, and that was a good I mean, louisvill won that game by twenty points, and I really think all in all, statistically, I mean, you once again got great production from Terrence Edwards, who's really turned it on late, and I kind of

feel like good game. I mean, I wouldn't in no way would I even like nitpick Iraq like Saturday was anything other than great Louisville one by twenty. What a great sendoff for these special seniors. It was awesome. But what I'm getting at is like they won by twenty, and I don't feel like they really did anything overly impressive compared to you know, their standard. I mean just bob of twenty two from three point range forty four percent. Overall.

They did out rebound Stanford, which was good. But what I'm getting at is, you know, Louisville, I feel like Saturday showed that they not only shouldn't have a lot of trouble with Stanford tonight. I think there's this scenario they may beat them worse than they did, which you know, I'm not saying that that's the bar that they need to beat them by more than twenty. I don't really because at this point, I mean, a close win against

Stanford on a neutral court, it doesn't do it. I mean, it does, and it doesn't that hurts you by any means. So as much as I would really, really, you know, like to see Louisville below out everybody they play, We're at a point now where that doesn't matter, right, I mean, even if you like even if you win tonight and

you feel like it wasn't as easy as you thought. Sure, that may make you feel a certain way with the potential matchup against Clemson tomorrow, but it's just kind of this point, like, you know, it's win or go home. Technically it's not for Louislle because they're gonna make the tournament, but you know, like you're not worried about resumes anymore, and even if you were worried about resumes, it'd be a waste of your energy mentally, because Louisville, again, I

think they are just gonna come. It's gonna come down to the to the committee and their judgment because their net ranking and their Ken Palm and that kind of stuff is in line to where they could find themselves as a six or a seven, But you're seeing them

as an eight in a lot of places. And I think it's just because, and I made the analogy earlier, they don't have a whole lot to get to work with to make themselves look more sexy by selection Sunday, whereas these other teams, who let's just say they're entering the conference tournament with the same you know, in the same neighborhood as Louisville. As far as fighting for a seed Louisville to be, I guess you know the bonuses.

I don't think Louisville at any point has a chance to really drop very far because I think right now, if they're an eight, they lose to Stanford tonight, they probably stay at an eight. I think they beat Stanford and loose to Clemson tomorrow. It really will come down to two things. What the other teams that are fighting

for us the same sea line as you do. But also just how the committee chooses to view you, because you can look at Louisville in a couple of different ways, and it just comes down to preference, and it comes down to, you know, an individual's opinion more so than any kind of a number. Now, I guess technically you could you could make set opinion and take a certain side based off a number. But what I'm getting at

is Louisville does not have any real big wins. Their best win is against Clemson, and that's a good win, but it's not like an elite win. They don't have any bad loss. Really, their loss at Georgia Tech is as I mean, it's comparable to other teams that have a lot more losses than you, that are fighting for the same seed line. They may have two losses, similar

to Georgia Tech for being honest. So where it hurts you is that you don't have a ton of big wins, or even really any big wins as far as you know, monumental wins to kind of make up for that one loss that was kind of a head scratcher, a loss that you shouldn't have, and you now are in conference tournament play where you have a chance to potentially get your best win that you currently have twice, which hey, that's better than going one and one against Clemson certainly,

and then you've got Duke, so you know, for Louisville, I'm gonna still even if I tried my hardest to not pay attention to bracketology and what others are saying, level is gonna get as far as a seed Even if I tried, I wouldn't be able to do it. But I wish I could just not even think about it, because again, you don't really have a whole lot of control here, and you're probably not getting any higher than

a six. I think right now, seven to eight is the most likely scenario, and that just means that you know you're gonna you're gonna have a a you know you're gonna have a challenge in your first game, although you should win. Although eight nine, man, it's really toss up, but I feeling more from the not I see a nine seed and I'm like, not that it matters, but like they should be the eight. It should be the

other way around. But I just I would as much as it's out of our control and it's not gonna keep me from being excited about once again being involved in March Madness and having a team involved that you care about. I just think to play a two seed in the second round rather than one of these one seeds, it's still gonna be a tough task for Louisville regardless,

But I just I don't know. To me, despite it only being really one difference as far as the seed line, right, you getting a seven instead of an eight, or you playing a two instead of a one. I just doted for for some reason it feels monumental to me. But again, it'll come down to what the committee decides, and nobody knows.

Nobody like nobody has a clue because again the other side, like, you could look at Louisville as a team that is, yeah, they have only one real good win, but they're also twenty five and six and they did all you can do against the teams they played. They didn't just win the ACC. They didn't just win a bunch of games in the ACC. Going eighteen and two, they finished with a huge margin of victory. Only Duke, who of course is a one seed, beat teams worse than Louisville did.

So again, maybe the Committee's like, look, we're not gonna fault them. Yeah, maybe there's room for doubt because there's not three or four, you know, top ten wins, but they're twenty five and six and they did beat up on a lot of the teams they played that they were supposed to beat. So we're going to reward them

for winning. And it really comes down to that, is the Committee going to be in a mood to where they want to view Louisville and decide that they're factoring in winning and losing more than they you know, more than they typically do. We shall see, all right. This text came in earlier and I wanted to read it because I'm with you. I can't relate necessarily, but I'm

glad you shared this. This was on the Ellen and Federal Credit Union text line five oh two four three eight ninety seventy three is the number again five oh two four three eight ninety seventy three the Ellen and Federal Credit Union text line. This text says Nick, I was very happy to hear that you were able to enjoy March Madness despite Louisville being so bad the last few years. I wish I was you. It made me so sad to even see bracketology or see people promoting

the Instabla tournament, knowing Louisville was so bad. I feel alive again for the first time. It's awesome. That's from Karen. Well, thank you, Karen. I'm glad you shared that because I'm sure others are the same way. Like maybe when it comes to, like, you know, diehard Louisville fans, maybe I was in the minority as somebody that still was able to enjoy March Madness. I mean it felt a little flat, but Louisville for how many years, has not been relevant

in the tournament. They've made it more than you know. In fact, Louis's made the tournament. Let's see. Gosh, this is crazy, but this can't be right. Since twenty fifteen has Loivill only made the tournament twice. I think that talks about right, because they made it in two thousand and fifteen when they lost in the elite eight. Ten years ago, sixteen they held themselves out, seventeen they made it, got upset early as a two seed by Michigan. Eighteen's

the David Paget year. They didn't make it. Yeah, nineteen's Max's first year. Twenty twenty no tournament, twenty twenty one, first team left out, twenty twenty two mac leaves mid season, they don't make it, they're bad. And then twenty twenty three four wins, twenty twenty four eight wins. So yeah,

they've only made that. So yeah, I mean, like more than anything, it wasn't like I was just able to block it out like it It never felt like the norm, because it's such a special thing around here, more so than it is really anywhere else in the world when it comes to riding with your team in March, when

it comes to the NSTAA tournament. So even though there has been a real decade here where the results have just been I mean, look, even if you've made it, you only made it twice and get made the second weekend since twenty fifteen. So like, I don't think it was by design. I mean it for me, it just came down to realizing, hey, I'm now at least used to it. I've at least been able to get some experience in having to find ways to enjoy it when

your team's not there. So, in all honesty, this is I don't say this to like you know, this isn't even I don't, I don't for me. I don't mean for this to be a joke because it wouldn't be a good joke. So I don't want anybody to think I'm trying to make a funy because it would probably fall flat. But in all seriousness, what really helped me be all in and love the NAI tournament was betting. I mean, it's awesome, and I'm not going to be the I don't, well, I guess I am. I'll be the corny guy. I

don't want to be the corny guy. But if you put like a scenario in front of me where I'm like going to create legitimate differences in my life financially because of bets in the tournament, Like what I sacrifice that if it meant Louisville could go on a deep run, I'd probably have to give it some deep thought and think about, you know, my family and realize, you know, the industry that I work in, and also you know, realize, hey, I've survived with ten years without making the second week,

and what's another year. Like, you know, I probably would make the decision that makes the most sense for me. But like in the moment and having this excitement because we're here and you know you're going to be there on selection Sunday, We're going to see this team playing the postseason season tonight. That kind of energy makes me think, you know what, like the joy would be way better than you know, putting some money in the bank account. But again, it would all come down to you know

what kind of money that is. So again, I I'm excited as can be and I do feel like there And I said this yesterday on the show when we had the company man on, I think, like most fan bases, and I know this fan base pretty well, if we weren't sort of in this back from the dead season where it's just been such a fun ride. I think we would be insufferable as a fan base about our seed, will we not Austin like we would? You know, you

know how we are on the internet. Like Louisville fans would be losing their mind about being disrespected when it comes to the seed. And some of them may be doing it, and they may have valid points as far

as how could little be an eight? They're twenty five and six, But like it's been such a milder version of that because we are in the moment kind of just lost in watching this thing that doesn't even still seem to be real, meaning we went from winning four games to eight games to now winning twenty five and going eighteen and two in the conference, and I mean it again still doesn't seem real. It's but it's awesome.

So again Louisville tonight in action against the Stanford team, and we'll talk a little more about them specifically a little bit later. I don't know if we need to, but kind of nerves you're feeling right now for it a you're feeling good about it, or if it was anybody other than the team I just watched Louisville beat Bout twenty five days ago, i'd be a little bit more nervous. However, I mean, I look, I don't say this just to you know, be able to claim, hey,

I told you so, they could lose. I mean I say it because I mean it. Louisville could play poorly and lose to anybody. I mean, they don't have like they're getting I think nearly every bit possible out of the majority of the guys that are playing the major minutes. So you know, if for some reason you had a collective bad game from three of your four core guys, that would be a scenario to where you might lose to anybody, including Stanford, who has I believe the third

best player in this conference. And it's not close. The big fella, I mean he's special. In fact, against Louisville on Saturday, and I kind of feel like it was one of those games where he, you know, in thirty four minutes he had let's see, seventeen, I mean Raynot had seventeen and eleven in thirty four minutes, was six or thirteen from the field, made three threes. I mean, he was, as the kids say, he was in his bag, and yet it didn't matter at Louisville still Blitznemer, so

I kind of feel like he could go off. And if Louisville's able to kind of keep everybody else in check, which nobody else had double figures, then I feel like that's a pretty good recipe in this team should be

should be able to get past stand for tonight. And one of the reasons, Austin, why I don't necessarily feel the nerves is because despite knowing that they could slip up and lose, I just I think we've got a coach that it'd be a real, real shocker to not only us but certainly him if he put a team on the floor, especially in a game like this where it's a tournament and like they weren't locked in and

ready to play, you know what I mean. Like even when they nearly lost to Virginia Tech where it was a dud of a game, they came out ready, they were up eleven nothing, so you know, it doesn't change anything about the I guess you know the likelihood of losing, But when you end up losing games like this where you're the two seed and they're the whatever seed, the eight or maybe even I don't even know what they

are to be honest with the Stanford is. But you know, if you had a history of just kind of coming out flat and looking like you didn't respect your opponent, then it'd be different. But this team, because of the guy leading them, I just don't think that's in their DNA at all. Don't mean they're guaranteed to win, but that does give me a little bit more confidence to where I'm I'm not thinking, Okay, are they Is this

a trap game? That kind of thing. I think everybody that's been a part of this ride, Pat Kelsey in his entire group, they've just been so appreciative of this, of this season, that they've had the experience they had at Louisville and being able to kind of see this fan base coming back to life that I think they're

not taking it for granted. So again, they could lose tonight and then lose in the first game in this tournament like that could happen, But if so, I don't think it's going to because they got complacent and they were feeling too good about themselves. In fact, somebody said this earlier on the text line, and I don't, I won't. We'll never know. Oh but if I and it's just me. And you know this may surprise some of you guys. I was not a high level college basketball player, so

you know, I'm not built like these dudes. But as a as a human being, as a competitor, I would be absolutely fueled by Duke shenanigans. Not saying hey, bring me Duke. I wouldn't be going on social media calling out Cooper Flag and the Duke in the Duke Twitter account saying hey bring it, We'll see on Saturday night. You better come ready, better pack a lunch. Like I wouldn't have that attitude, but I would internally be like, all right, all right, like that because it's not something

that's totally egregious. But make no mistake about it, the official Duke basketball Twitter account is disrespecting Louisville, Pat Kelsey and CHUCKI Hepburn they used all like in their own way, they're doing it. It's again, it's not egregious. We don't need to call the cops, but like, you don't need to be like there are guys who find motivation on

the shoulder based off of nothing. This is at least something, so part of me kind of feels like these guys are gonna are gonna use that because they rarely you know they I mean they haven't really the Louisvill's been the good story, right, they're coming back from the dead. Can you look at what this guy's doing. Pat Kelsey, He's got it rolling, He's so likable. Look at his energy. Chucky Hepburn, He's having fun. He's he's he's amazing about that.

Rain Smith, the Ause can light it up like they've been. They're not really on the radar of like people looking to tear him down. But Duke did some things to where we may see this group energized in a way that like they they feel disrespected in a way. And again I want to be clear, I'm looking at this from like a competitor standpoint, like Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant, two of the best competitors I've ever seen in sports.

Like they would find that you could you could you could fart in the locker room, in the other locker room, the visiting locker room. They find out about it and take that as a sign as you're disrespecting my career, I'm coming for your neck, like you know what I'm saying, Like that's what they would do. And I don't know that's the extreme. But even if you're not an extreme competitor,

you are out there competing. It's a competitive thing to where you'll find whatever to give you that kind of edge. And I don't think Louisville needed it. But and look, they may not even play due because they may not win the night. They may I win tomorrow, who knows. But anyways, I'm geared up ready for this this postseason run to start, and I hope that it is a run into Saturday and then more. All Right, we'll talk

about Cooper Flag's ankle injury. I mean, there's not much of an update as far as what's already out there, but I think for Duke it makes total sense to just sit him. I wish they wouldn't, but I think that's probably what's going to happen. Also, we'll get you caught up on some other scores from around the country. Minnesota they fired their coach last night. Rarely when we ever talk about Minnesota basketball, but I think they should be thrown in there in that group of teams we

talked about last week with Call in town. You remember we talked about how like one of the most some of the more random just like easy to forget, non relevant, irrelevant, I should say teams Minnesota's up there, Yeah, they have to be. So we got a lot to get to stick around Coffee and Company. Feel about Thorton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

get in. And as we get later in the week here closer to selection Sunday, the bit stealers out there are I mean there's not I mean, I guess I mean a lot of the leagues that are not in the I mean like George Gonzaga and Saint Mary's played the other night. I mean, there wouldn't have been a bit still there because both those teams are making it regardless.

So like the Mountain West, they could have a team win it that's not sniffing it, Like that's the league you get to worry about when it comes to the bid Steelers. And I guess technically it could happen from the bigger leagues, but you got to keep in mind, I mean a bid Steeler from the SEC would be in fact, it's not even possible. It would be a team that you know is already eliminated, like a South Carolina who lost yesterday. I mean the Big Ten, I guess could have a bid Steeler if I mean, I'm

not even sure who's left in the Big ten. Northwestern

like they could be a bid Steeler. So and I've always liked I remember like knowing that that was the thing, but not really paying attention to it, not really having any examples or any real memory of it until it happened to Louisville, and it, I mean, that is absolutely what kept Louisville out of the tournament because they were bubble ish, but they weren't even I think looked at as a team that was, you know, in real danger of not making it until the weekend went on, and

then you saw Georgetown win the Big East with Patrick Ewings bomb ass somehow winning that was such a weird year, man, nobody, I mean, it's a very forgettable year of college basketball. Nothing made sense. Mick Cronin made a Final Four. Therefore, you know, it was some fluky stuff going on. Who else Colorado maybe was it Colorado or Oregon State won the Big Twelve or the I think Colorado won the Big Twelve or maybe they were in the Pact over

the time. Either way, there were big stealers in that that I think like three or four of them, and that led to Louisville being left out. So it is something if you're on the bubble you got to worry about, all right. Some other scores from around the country. Earlier today, Duke they won seventy eight to seventy over Georgia Tech got down big, in fact, they were down twenty six to twelve in the first half, but and then Cooper Flag goes down with the ankle injury, and obviously they

were not the same team without him. But you're able to see that Kan Kaneple has twenty eight points and eight assists. I mean, I know the kid from Texas, Trey Johnson, I think is his name, and there's other really good freshmen out there, but it's not a crazy thing to think that the two best freshmen in the country are both on duke Like Kankanniple's really really good

and he's had a really good year. And I know George Tech's not great, but I mean when needed to kind of, you know, step up and take on a little bit more responsibility than he's already taking on, he's had no issue because he's that talented of a player. So the other matchups going on in the Power Conferences, You've got Houston up nine early in the second half against Colorado, BYU held on to beat Iowa State. So BYU quietly one of the hottest teams in the country.

I think they are safely in at this point, and that was not the case like two weeks ago, so Iowa's date. They were on fire earlier this year, and now they've kind of crumbled. I mean, they were looking like a lock for a two for a while, just because they were in a great spot with the Big twelve, but they ended up losing. Looks like they lost four of their last seven games, some of those two teams that aren't very good, including a loss a loss to

Oklahoma State, who's not good. So they ended up finishing thirteen and seven in the league and then lost today. So they still get in the tournament. But you know, I wonder if Alzolberger's name coming up for jobs maybe distracted them a little bit, because they've definitely fallen off a little bit, and they're a team that when you start to lose, even though you're not stacking up countless losses,

they are a program. And I'm nerved out here because I know a lot of people don't care, especially about Iowa State, but they're the example when it comes to different ways you can go about manipulating the net rankings in the Quad system. They strategically schedule the worst of the worst and they play their starters thirty eight minutes and win by fifty and that way when you get to conference play and you get and you get, you get to the early stages of the net rankings coming out.

They they won by such a big margin that it's you know, if you don't be if you beat a team by seventeen and they're in the three hundreds. That's

going to hurt you in the net. You beat a team by forty five that's in the three hundreds, it'll boost you big, even though the reality is this, there's probably not a whole lot you can take one way or the other in those games that everybody involved, fans, coaches, referees and players on the court know that it's a waste of time because you know, you really mean, it's different conversation for a different day. But like, you shouldn't

have three hundred and sixty something Division one teams. I mean, you just shouldn't. That's too many. Like there's way too many levels within the Division one level to where it's impossible to really know. Like when it comes to a team a tournament that we put sixty eight teams in and it comes down to assessings where teams have played

thirty games. There's so many different types of teams that can have similar records, right, and that's why you have the net, the Ken palm, the quad system and all that. But those things can be easily manipulated or they could work against you, and you know it won't. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense why they work against you. But that's why I have no sympathy at this point in the game play for programs like wake Forest who

strategically scaled and out. They strategically did it, but they didn't avoid scheduling the worst or the worst, and they barely won in some of those games. And that's why you can have the record that you have, meaning Wake I mean Wake Forest is sitting here with a I mean, in any other year, if you see an ACC team that's twenty one and ten in the regular season thirteen and seven, you wouldn't say that they're guaranteed to have a great seed, but you would not say they're a

bubble team. And part of it is the ACC as a whole, and they're struggling with it like every other team in the league, trying to make the tournament. But they are also partial to blame because they could have saved themselves and they didn't. And they also, I mean, you don't you don't have any obligation to your conference.

You can do whatever you want as far as a schedule, but they put themselves in a spot to where they need to win probably today and tomorrow in order to feel like they've even got a chance to make the tournament and that could have been avoided. And I go back to this, and I know I've said it many times and I just can't they can't get over it because everybody, like the ACC really has itself to blame

for the way the tournament shaping up this year. Now overall, I guess technically they still have themselves to blame, but like, you got to get the bump coaches out and go hire good ones, like that's that's a big factor in what you gotta do. And they're doing that. I don't know if they're getting good coaches, but there's gonna be a big turnover in the ACC this year, and there's gonna be more even next year, I would imagine, because I think the guys that are getting the extra year.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like it's foolish, right, Like, what do you need to I mean, what makes you think Mike Young at virgin Tech, Jeff Capele at Pittsburgh. I already forgot what's the guy's name who's at Boston College who came from Charleston, Earl Grant. You don't you don't know if you're gonna go get anybody that's better. You could get somebody worse, right, because you don't have the option to just go get any coach you want.

Look at who you are, but you really believe that haven't you seen enough to know that, like the ceiling's not very high at all for those guys, like coming back next year and winning five more games would be an improvement, But what are you really in a different situation? And with there being so much turnover, so much change every year in college basketball. Unfortunately for coaches, they're gonna be part of that too, right, why not start completely over?

The fear of starting completely over is no should no longer be there for programs it used to be, right, Well, I mean, we could get rid of this coach and yeah he's not great, but man, we're decent. We could get a guy that's awful and that would be terrible. Yeah, but then you could also, you know, start over again

if you need to. You don't want to do that, but I just when you've got coaches that have been there at least three years and the results haven't been good enough to where you feel like it's ever gonna work out long term, what's other than maybe just not having the money to buy them out. Why would you not just shake it up and make a change, because yeah, you could technically get worse, I suppose, but you're already not good. In fact, you're already bad. So anyways, the

acc last time, I'll say it, and we'll move on. Carolina. They should they they would safely be in the tournament had they not lost to Stanford at home. Have they not lost at Pittsburgh? I mean they did. I'll make the case for Carolina. A lot of people are claiming that, you know, you are one and eleven in quad one, that you've had plenty of opportunity, you didn't cash in.

You you prove you're not good enough. But yeah, but they're only like the only loss that Carolina has to like a team that everybody would tell you is lousy is is Stanford. I mean pitt technically, I guess, but pitt isn't terrible like Wakes on the bubble. Louisville's safely in the tournament. Florida's a top five team, Alabama's a top ten team, Michigan State is a top ten team, Auburn is a top five team. I was a number one team in the country. Kansas fell apart, but there's

still Kansas. Like I know, I'm gonna sound like the acc Homer here, But like Carolina at twenty one and twelve, thirteen and seven, if they win today, they should be in over the teams that have god awful records even though they played in a better league. It'd be different if the losses for Carolina were two disastrous teams, then they're not. But anyways, like Carolina should just they should, they should be better. Wake Forest they're their own they're

the biggest they're their own worst enemy. SMU. I mean, I don't really know enough about them. You know, they have some losses in non conference play that hurt them, Like they lost to Butler, who's terrible in the Big East. But their other losses have come against Wake Clemson. I guess losing to Stanford in Florida State will put you in your in the spot you're in. But again you

also if you're I mean, like SMU, borderline bubble. But like with Wake Forest, their schedule in the non conference was so dreadful as far as bad teams they played that they barely beat that they're not even getting any bit. They're not even getting any bump for beating Michigan in the non conference, like that's a good win for them, but the numbers don't work out for them to where they get any value because of something they could have avoided.

So anyways, currently Texas up thirty three to twenty five with fifty seconds left in the first half. They're taken on Texas A and M. Obviously a win for Texas would would help their situation. And Kentucky. I feel like Kentucky's fighting for seed lines with teams in their own conference, and I think A and M is one of them, so that that could be a good day for Kentucky if A and M ends up losing, and of course it would make you know, the path a little bit

easier for him. All right, real quick, Minnesota they fired their coach last night, Ben Johnson. Three years I think three years might have been, yeah, three years, and he didn't make the tournament in any of those years. And you know, Minnesota, they are quite literally one of the more they let me look it up because I was gonna say they never made like any deep tournament run,

and they have made one, but it got vacated. And this is one of the things that like you hear coaches say within college basketball, and I'm sure others have said it to not just people that are you know, on the inside of the sport, but like it's when you talk about that job opening up, is it a job that a mid major coach could you know, should go take this day and age? You should because you just don't have any opportunities you're gonna get and it

is in the Big ten. And financially, if you're in like the SoCon, you take a Big ten job, even if you and you're out after three years, you're financially going to change your life because that's just such a big paybump. But Ben Johnson was there for four years, never made the tournament. The only term I mean, look at this the tur they made the round of thirty two twice since the mid nineties, and that was when they beat Louisville in twenty nineteen with Richard Patino and

then in twenty thirteen. I think that was also when Richard was there. Maybe I'm wrong, but anyways, the only time they've ever been like successful where they made a run was in nineteen ninety seven. And I remember this team because they were really really good. They had Bobby Jackson, who I remember had like the silkiest baseline reverse layup that he would always I mean, he was really good, and that's the only time they were ever good in

my lifetime. But they got caught cheating. I'm pretty sure at that point they were coached by former WKU head coach, Yeah Haskins. So what people say about Minnesota, don't take that job because the only way you can win there is if you cheat. So nowadays it's different because you know, what used to be considered cheating is now something you have to do, and it's not cheating if you you know,

you got to go buy players. But the reason I want to talk about this is because one, I think Minnesota is a proven job that like good luck, right, I mean good luck being able to win there because the last time, the only time anybody's ever won there in the last thirty five years is when they cheated. So last night, this is this is what happened. And I probably didn't save myself enough time here, but I'll

try to be as quick as I can. So after they lost last night in the Big Ten Tournament, Minnesota obviously flew back to UH to Minneapolis and their seasons over and whenever they got back into town, the athletic director had left Indianapolis because apparently the AD for Minnesota is on the selection committee, so he's been in Indianapolis getting prep for selection. Sunday. Well, he left the selection process to go back to his campus to fire his co coach. And it was in the middle of the night.

They announced it at like two am, and a lot of people are claiming this was ruthless, this was heartless, what a classless move, And I'm thinking, how what like what else? I mean? In fact, I actually think what would have been more ruthless would have been to wait till like eight thirty this morning and you know, do

it via phone or something like. I think this ad wanted to do it face to face, so he, you know, in the middle of the night, made his way back to Minneapolis so he could meet Ben Johnson face to face and let him know that the movie, I think, there's just no good way to fire somebody, is there, Like there's better ways to do it than others, But like, just imagine a scenario. Well, wow, I want to give I want to give the ad a lot of credit.

He really fired that guy. He canned his ass with a lot of class, you know what I'm saying, Like, it's just like you can't like anybody claiming it was really like, again, there are bad ways to go about it, but I think even the most politically correct, classy way to fire somebody, you're still firing him. Like it's still a thing that's going to be a bitter situation for

the person getting fired. But the ad I'll defend when it comes to like people attacking him for the way he went about it, I think, honestly I would have said that's the best way to do it. And it's a sign of respect that you are like you me, give an example, Charlie Strong. Say what you want about him. Everybody knew wh's taking the Texas job. He wasn't going to tell anybody who's taking the Texas job publicly until he met face to face with Tom Jersey to tell

him everybody knew. And that's respect, Like that's I think that matters. Sure, So you know, there's right. So again respect to Mark Coyle the ad for firing Ben Johnson the way he did, but he's also a big liar in his press release about this job now opening. I'm gonna give you three things that he said that are just blatant lies that not even he believes. He says, these decisions are difficult and are made after careful consideration and evaluation. Here's the lie quote, the expectation for our

program is to compete for championships. How how is it an expectation when you've never done it? Ever? And then he goes on to talk about the job itself. First five sorry, first six words in this quote lie here it is quote, this is an extremely desirable job. No it's not. Also, we offer everything that is needed to be successful. No, you don't I mean sure, like I mean you can. You don't want to talk about Yeah, we'd hope to get a great coach, but like we know.

that's what those are lies. All right, quick break will come back on the other side, wrap up the four o'clock hour, keep it rolling. It's coffee and company. Feel about Thorn's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

don't understand how they're in. But also I can't really give you somebody that I can with certainty say is more deserving. And they put sixty eight teams in. But Indiana, I mean, they have the win against Purdue, but that doesn't really have the value that it that it you know that it did in previous years. And really outside of that, I mean, they beat Ohio State twice, but Ohio State fell a pardon now is not gonna make the tournament. So I mean, here, I am my acc loyalty.

I suppose if I have any. I don't think I do, but maybe I do, because I mean Wake Forest in North Carolina to me, are I mean, I think more deserving than teams like Texas and Indiana because winning and losing should still matter. It shouldn't just be about what league you're in. I mean, and again, I'll go back

to what I said thirty seconds ago. I'm not claiming those teams have great resumes, but they put sixty eight teams in and you getting in with a terrible record and a bunch of losses significantly below five hundred in your league. But hey, you're in consideration because your league's good and your formula, your net ranking is so good because of your league. Like that, that really is just saying that we know they're not good, but they play in a good league and our formula's flaweds, so we're

going to put him in. Because I mean, it's just it makes no sense. I mean tournament doesn't need to be expanded. It does not. I mean, I think putting thirty two teams in would actually make it a better event, but that'll never happen, and I don't want to. I don't want to change anything about the tournament, adding or removing anybody. I'm just stating the whole the whole push for more teams is just I mean, it's it's about money. We know that, all right. You know what else I know?

I know a lot of things I think maybe things I know aren't what I think they are. But one thing I feel certain about is that the Louisville Men's Clinic can help you, fellas. They can help you become a happier and healthier man. A lot of different services they provide to again make your life better. Your life may not be bad at all, and maybe great, but it could be better than great. That was me. I

didn't feel like I had any real issue. I just knew that at some point, hey, I got to a certain age and despite still trying to take care of myself as best I can and monitor what I put in my body without going on like a crazy diet and you know, working out, exercising mostly because it's good for my mental health, but also, you know, I wanted to take care of myself, but I wouldn't get in the same results, and there was really no change other

than you know, getting older, thirty four, thirty five. And then I thought to myself, Okay, maybe low testosterone is something I could be dealing with. Thought, you know, maybe they're onto something you're telling me. People in their thirties deal with that too. So sure enough I went and saw doctor Wood. He explained how it works, and it's changed everything for me. That's not an exaggeration. I'm not gassing them up just because they're partners. I'm telling you

the truth. It changed my life. I now have more energy throughout my day. I'm not lethargic at six o'clock at night and wanting to sit in the recliner and go to bed. I get better results from the workout, like I've had a transformation when it comes to just not my overall like weight, but just like my build. Not that I'm anything to brag about, but you used to have a lot more pudds, used to have man boobs.

And again I'm not anxious to take off my shirt and flex in front of anybody, But I feel better about it now. If I had to do it then I did a few years ago. And it's all because I've got low testosterone treated by the friends of mine at Louisville Men's Clinic. Doctor Wood as a pro. He's the best. So go give him a call FABO two four four four four thousand, or check them on online Loivelmen's Clinic dot com. And if you're just hearing this

and you're like, all right, Nick, enough, I get it. Finally, I'll just call them and see what they can do for me. They'll be happy to tell you that because again, we as men, at least a lot of us, we just we just we just deal with it, right. We don't want to admit that we're potentially, you know, dealing with something that might need to be fixed or need

to be treated, because we're strong. We you know, we're tough, and any sign you know, there's this awful stigma about going to get this stuff treated, as if you're not manly enough, you're weak, you have to go. But it's life like, it's not about anything like that. It's I mean more than in fact, not just testosterone, but direct tell us function more than fifty percent of men over fifty deal with that, meaning if you're somebody that doesn't,

you're lucky. So it's not about acknowledging that you are flawed. It's just dealing with things that happen in your life and being able to live a better life because you've you've you've addressed it. So again, Loulivan's clink dot com fabo two four four four four thousand, quick break five o'clock hours coming up next to a lot more to get into. It's big night around here. I mean Pat

Kelcey first postseason game for him tonight. I'm fired up just knowing that it's a game where there's something on the line, an opportunity to advance to the semi finals, something Louisvell's never done before in the ACC Tournament. Kentucky in action tonight as well. It's gonna be a late night, a lot of drunk Kentucky fans in Nashville, which I say that as a sign of respect. They'll probably have that place rocking, and it'll be a big home court

advantage for me against Oklahoma. I would imagine, all right, don't go anywhere, keep it lock right here. In sports, Talk seven ninety