3.18: Hatin' Creighton - Hour 2

five is when it's going to start for Louisville. That's when they're going to have the Louisville players available. And then Pat Kelsey will talk from eleven twenty to eleven thirty five. So basically eleven am till about eleven thirty ish was when we'll hear from coach Kelsey. And I'm not sure if it's certain players. I'm really and it's kind of crazy. I don't really remember how they do it. I know there's more players available for the NCAA tournament.

Press conferences than there is typically, but you know, as far as how many, I'm not totally sure. Now as far as let's see practice time, so let's see this is open to well, I may be lied to you because I know they had open practices the last time that I went to cover rate INSTABA tournament, but I don't know if that was based off of the host that was in Des Moines, Iowa, which by the way, Drake was the host, and there was an open practice

for fans. But when I'm looking at here the practice schedule, it just says that it's open to the media, and Louisville's will be tomorrow right after the press conferences, from eleven forty five to twelve twenty five, So maybe there's I guess there's not an open practice for fans to watch it, and I'll double check on that. But anyways, with this being such a short trip, I would imagine that you know, you're not having to stay overnight or anything.

Therefore you're probably just gonna if you're gonna go, you're gonna just drive up on Thursday morning and then of course come back after the game and hopefully make your way back to Lexington on Saturday all right, it's coffee and company. We are feel about Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Appreciate you hanging out with us, Nick Coffee.

That's me the tribal chief, Austin Montgomery alongside today. And when it comes to this home court advantage that you should have to an extent on Thursday, I hate talking attendance turn out because I can never win, right, because if you give any honest thoughts on it, you have some folks that will tell you that it's terrible and it's a huge issue. You need to acknowledge it. And then if you do actually express some concern and question, I guess maybe why there isn't a big crowd, then

you're being negative. So I've learned long ago that the whole conversation about attendance turnout it's really not that interesting, and it usually, you know, puts me in a spot to where I you know, I can't win. So I'm gonna make an exception here because I feel like you're gonna need a good amount of fans there, and I think there's no scenario where Louisville doesn't have more presence than their opponents in these games. If they even get

to a second game. I mean, Creighton's gonna have fans, which, by the way, Creighton has a way bigger basketball fan base than people realize. And I'm sure some of them will be here, I mean, because they have a fan base that's passionate enough to where they make the even though it's not close. They're in Omaha, Nebraska, that's far away. But they'll have some fans here too. But Louisville should

clearly have more. But what I don't know, and I can't like I could totally see it being one extreme or the other, which maybe that means it's probably gonna be in the middle, because I wouldn't be shocked if it's you know, painted red as they say, because again, like this team has been so fun to watch, Louisville fans are way way into it in a way that

like I forgot how awesome it was. I mean, even last week postseason play acc tournament, being able to play three straight days, it just, you know, I could feel the sense of you know, camaraderie, family feel among the fan base because we haven't really been first of all, we have been good in a long time, and you're playing games that matter and it was just fun. So with that said, if there is a great turnout to where it's not twenty two thousand people there, you know,

I think that that wouldn't shock me. We're talking, you know, if Louisville's got way more fans than Creighton, and even when Creighton's playing, well, you still hear and see way more Red, that wouldn't be a shocker at all. But then again, it's Thursday at twelve fifteen, and I just like, I also can't say I'm going to be stunned if Louisville has an advantage, but it's not what some people are expecting. And I don't know, maybe everybody's expecting a

different level of you know, fanfare. I just don't really know, Cause again I'm not going if you can't make it because it's at twelve fifteen on a Thursday and you're not able to just you know, drop what you're doing, get off work. I mean, people have lives, they and it's not really about like do you prioritize Sometimes it's just you can't make it work, like you know you

aren't gonna be able to do it. I mean, if you go to the game at twelve fifteen, I mean, your kids aren't out of school, like maybe you are in charge of gain like, so again not to say it'd be impossible for you to make arrangements to be able to get there, but I also can see, you know, there being plenty of people that would go, but they just had a tough time making it work. Now, Saturday, if they're able to get past Creighton, I mean that I think will be a huge Louisville crowd because that's

a much easier thing to get to. It's Auburn the number and overall seed, it's a quick trip up the road, Like, I mean, that'll be that if it is Louisville and Auburn, Louisville could sell it out and Auburn would still have

a good chance of winning because they're that good. But if we're building up to Louisville, like if we're doing the press conference on Friday in between games to get set for Saturday and it's Louisville going up against Auburn, Bruce Pearl, I think will rightfully bitch and moan about having to play Louisville as an eight seed in Ropperena because it is insane. I mean, if you think about I've been much more focused on Louisville just being an

eight seed and getting shafted in that regard. But you could make the case that the bigger great could be from Auburn just because quite literally, this will be a road game for them if that's who ends up there, it being Louisville. Now again, maybe it's not because again Crayton's good team Wolves is gonna have to get past them first. But I mean, by the way, Rick Beteen, I don't know if you guys saw this or not. He was talking about he was asked about the.

It was a sixteen seed and it was I mean it was North Carolina A and T and there were clear Louisville fans there and it was a Thursday, but it was in the evening, so it's easier to go like it's such an if this game was at night, totally different situation, Like I don't want to complain about Actually I have complained, but I don't want to act as if there's no benefit in having Lexington as the host city because because true, there is but am I the only one that's like, yeah, but it knew it

on Thursday. It's not as big of a benefit as people are making it out to be. I mean, maybe I'm underestimating the amount of people that will go, because again, they'll do whatever they can to get there because it's the tournament, it's winter go home and you love this team. And I hope that's the case.

where Louisville played, So I had no expectation. It was really just you know, probably and I knew going in there's probably the only time I'll ever be here. So it exceeded expectations because they were low. But like that city gets to host because they they do love basketball to where there were a lot of people and it's a thing to where in Des Moines if they're hosting,

the people go. If you're not a fan of either team and you just know that there's games going on, they will sell tickets to people who aren't traveling, and that's what the NUBABA cares about. They want to sell tickets. So what happened is that Louisville despite being the you know, a slight favorite. I mean we're talking seven to ten,

not two and fifteen, but Minnesota started making shots. They brought some fans as well because it wasn't quite as far for them, and Louisville didn't bring hardly any fans because again, you know, it was it was far away, really far away, and that team didn't quite didn't quite you know. I mean Louisville had support back then, trust me, but it was just different. So anyways, there were more Minnesota fans there than Louisville, and then those that showed

up that didn't really have any rooting interest. I think it's human nature. You find yourself pulling for the underdog, and Minnesota was the underdog. It wasn't David versu Goliath, but you ended up not in like a road environment, but you ended up in a You ended up in a situation where there were clearly more cheers for the other team than you, And you know, to say that

had a factor in the game, I don't know. I think what happened is Louisville was offensively challenged that year at times and played guys a lot of minutes, and Minnesota, who'd been a really you know, suspect team, offensively with no good shooters, they got hot and Richard Patino ended, I mean, he's the last guy that sent you home, and that is I've heard other people mention it, but I feel like it would be a bigger talking point than it's been that the last time Louisville played in

the tournament, they also played in the very first game, and that's just like I think, even I could be wrong, but I kind of feel like, even if it's not in a like, even if you feel good about your seed, like even if you're in like the five to twelve game or or the six to eleven game. I mean, I just think the first game of the tournament. Nobody wants that, right.

team is has all throughout the entire season. And it's not even just about like their wins and losses. It's just they've never got too high or too low to where I've I believe Pat Kelsey's the kind of guy that will be able to have these guys taking the floor on Thursday with no emotion about their seed and feeling like they were wronged. I think they're going to be focused and they're gonna be ready to play. They're gonna be ready for Craigon. And don't mean they're gonna win,

because Craion's gonna be a tough out. But I just hope that there's a there's a good amount of fans there, and there will be. I mean again, it's not like it's gonna be a no show. I just I've had a hard time not letting it out there until now as I'm doing it on the show. I just I think some are expecting it to be, you know, fifteen thousand Louisville fans there tomorrow, and I just don't or a Thursday, I should say, And I just I don't think that's gonna be the case. But again, I could

be wrong. I could be wrong. All Right, we'll let you hear some more sound coming up here a little bit later on, because I talked about it earlier, this this ACC Network feature. I guess we'll call it that about Pat Kelsey and how he got this whole thing started. In fact, i'll play it for you guys coming up when we get back from our next break, because it's about two minutes long, and it's just a it's just

a really good behind the scenes, you know story. I guess about how it all came together about how when when these guys first met, you know, there was a process as far as what they did to get to know each other, open up with one another. And and it's gonna sound corny, but this is this is what they had to love each other and they certainly it seems as if they have developed a real strong connection because I can't tell these guys that never played together

until this year when I watched them play. All right, real quick, before we get to our break, want to shout out to the text line five h two four three eight ninety seventy three is the number if you guys want to text in on the Ellen and Federal

Credit Union text line. This text mentions the the ACC is five and four over the Big East this year, So take I don't even know which games those were, to be honest with you, but for all to talk about Louisville's league being such an issue for them, and again, the a SEC did stink this year, I can't act like it didn't. At least you know, you have a winning record against this conference and Creighton's in the same situation,

right they finished second in their league. But you don't know is that because they're pretty good, and I think they are pretty good or is it more so just because you know the league was what it was, So I think that's a weird way where these two teams are kind of compared well as far as how they enter the tournament. They both finished second in two leagues that used to be known for dominating the sport of college basketball. These two runner ups in their league are

in the eight to nine game wild. Speaking of Wild, there's a stat about the SEC when it comes to hoops. I'll get to that right here on the other side because it'll really put in perspective what this league has turned into in regards to basketball. Stick around, it's coffee and Company. We hear fuel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

you know, all that kind of stuff. But because they put sixty eight teams in, you can have a phenomenal season. But if you fall short, it usually means if you had that great season, that you fell short early to a team that wasn't supposed to be nearly as good as you. And that can really put a sour taste in your mouth for what that whole season was. And I don't want to sound dramatic, but it can kind

of ruin it. I mean, that sounds like silly, and you know it would be foolish, just like to tell a great team who got upset in the tournament that everything that they did didn't matter at all. But college basketball sickos kind of you it that way. It's not personal, it's just college basketball is all about the big dance. You work so hard in the regular season, by the way,

is important, because well I thought it was. Sometimes we don't really seem to get any value from what you do in the regular season when it comes to the selection committee or you don't really get punished for what you do in the regular season, like North Carolina. So anyways, I'm sorry if that's like the third time I've just kind of stopped midpoint to just bitch again. And I'll try to stop because it gets you know, we're over that,

we're past that, we're on to Creighton. But anyways, the SEC, even if they do flame out on the tournament, which would be hard to do because they have fourteen teams in right, I mean, just by you know, the pure number of teams they have here, the chance of them having like a bunch of really early exits just seems unlikely.

But anyways, even if they fall short, and let's just say, because I don't think this is a crazy prediction, to be honest with you, like I I mean, maybe this is me just being like a you know, an insecure hater, Like maybe I don't even realize I'm being a hater when I say this, but like, it wouldn't shock me if you get to the Final four and there's only one SEC team, or if you get to the Elite eight there's only two SEC teams, just because you know

they're beaten up. And even though the league is great the best league in college basketball deservedly, so doesn't mean you can't lose to it. Like for example, like let me try to find like Missouri, Missouri's gonna play Drake Drake's thirty and three. They could easily lose that game. They're good, Missouri got a six seed because of what they did in a great league. But you know they're vulnerable. So this is not in any way like a knock on the SEC as if they weren't, they weren't worthy

of getting the amount of teams they got in. I mean, you could have the conversation and I may not disagree with you if you're somebody that does think that maybe they got a little too much love. But nonetheless they proved it in the non conference portion of the schedule, which that's when that matters, because then when you beat up on each other in league play, you get that benefit of the doubt, right. I mean, again, we've talked about some of the examples. Look how bad Oklahoma was.

They got a non seed in the tournament. They were awful, and SEC played they beat any good SEC team.

And then again the whole like that doesn't necessarily prove that Oklahoma would be the second best team in the ACC or the Big Ten, but like when you have those opportunities to kind of see where you stand against other conferences, that that's where you really again you earn

the benefit of the doubt. So I mean, I'm not predicting any major upset just yet from the SEC, but you know, if they end up having a really really unsuccessful trip to the tournament, like throughout this tournament, a lot of people will say, well, it was overrated, the committee got it wrong, they gave too much love, and we'll never know that's the reality, but we'll never or no, was it that they were overrated or was it that they were just as good as we thought? But man,

they ran out of gas. They had to play each other each night for two and a half months, and man, that just takes a lot out of you. So regardless, we'll never know, and I have no problem in admitting, regardless of what happens in the tournament, I believe the SEC is insanely loaded in basketball and I don't see

that changing anytime soon. And what's happened here is that we've seen I believe, the biggest transformation from a power conference in any sport, with the SEC being what it is today compared to what it was ten years ago. So I forgot about this, and I'm glad some Louisville fans have kind of, you know, reminded me of this, because obviously that's all Kentucky fans have talked about all years, the ACC stinking I mean, Kentucky Louisville attendance and ACC's

you know, value. That's really been the biggest focus of Kentucky fans this season, despite Mark Pope having a really good debut year, right, I mean, they've just been a test. They want us to know that the ACC isn't a great league, and we appreciate you guys letting us know that, so you know the SEC what it was ten years ago will blow your mind. And Kentucky used to Kentucky used to dominate that league, and because you know why they were good. I mean when cow was rolling in

the early years. It wasn't just because they played. But if I remember the conversations, thinking like if they got passed Louisville in that December game, if they get passed Florida in early January, right then they're gonna probably run the table because they don't play anybody that's any good. Yeah, didn't mean they weren't good, but like, that's just what the league was.

They got a ton of money from the SEC network launching, and they had more in they had inventory they had to fill, so they needed basketball to be better it had They had to invest in it because there's gonna be a ton of games on the SEC network and if nobody cares about basketball and nobody's watching, it's not a good It's not a good arrangement for ESPN, who just paid you a bunch of money for your network rights.

So they they have one of these spring meetings and they told these athletic directors, hey, you have got to invest in basketball. You have to go out and you know, make this a priority to be better. And man, they use that money wisely because you've got some of the best coaches in the country in the SEC. And again they're the best conference in the sport right now and I'm not sure it's particularly close, but listen to this.

Kentucky this year three see the tournament. Their record twenty two and eleven overall, ten and eight twenty thirteen, Kentucky's record twenty one and eleven overall, twelve and six in the SEC, and they missed the tournament. I mean that should tell you what the league used to be. Because Kentucky went twelve and six in their conference and didn't make the tournament. They weren't even actually on the bubble. I don't think that was the year Nolands Noel got hurt,

but they still went twelve and six. I mean, it's crazy. And what used to really stand out Austin about those years of Kentucky in the SEC, when like they clearly didn't care about basketball and they weren't good, was that because it was kind of like, I mean, the teams that weren't good would actually at times play their best against Kentucky because is wh is we don't like to

tell them this. Kentucky is a big draw. I mean, Louisville is too to an extent, but like when Kentucky's in town on the SEC for basketball, it is a bigger draw. They just mean they're they're one of the premiere programs in the history of the sport. It's like that, that's true, and that's why some teams would play better because man, they've got a bigger crowd on their home floor,

because here we go. There'd even be games where you could tell teams were playing well because they were rough, and they'd be on the road and be playing out of their mind because they're locked in. They realize this is a big opportunity here, we're playing Kentucky, probably gonna be on national television, and man, like clockwork, those teams would clockwork, sorry, gotch. These teams would be in position to pull off the unthinkable, and man they would. They

would impressively find ways to crap their pants. And how many times did you remember?

it wasn't close. They were like the NBA team within their own conference, to where everybody in that league was wide eyed and just couldn't believe we got Caliperi And now, I mean Kentucky still does well of course in the league, but there's big name coaches like you know that. That's what really really stood out in the final years of Calipari and Lexington is that he used to run that league.

He used to quite literally have a hold of that league like nobody else did elsewhere, No coach really had the presence and just the arrogance, justifiably so, because who was he competing against, right like Billy Donovan had left, I mean who else, Like who were the good coaches in the early days of the SEC. I can't I'm sorry, the early days of calip Parry, Like, I don't know who it was. Now. I mean, you've got guys who

you know, this ain't their first rodeo. You got Bruce Pearl, got Rick Barnes, You've got I mean this coaches that aren't big names like you know for decades now, but like Todd Golden's a hell of a coach. Florida. He's gonna he's gonna be really successful there. I mean, Buzz Williams has shown no matter where he goes he can be he can be successful. I feel like I'm blanking on some other big names too. You remember Calip Perry still there, He's at Arkansas now, you know?

But anyways, I mean, he he would say things that I think would surprise people to hear them now, Like at the time it was just Cal doing cal things because he was on top of the world. But like, I mean, he would it wouldn't just like something you would hear that he said, meaning like it was something you know, word of mouth, Like he would say things like we'll take any player we want, and like again he kind of did, right, But also you don't hear

people say that. I mean, that's just that's just crazy. But again he was on top and clearly those teams were great. But also another factor in those teams where that they didn't really have any Like I don't really remember when the when the SEC got really good. It certainly happened in the last few years, maybe even a little bit further than that, but I mean in twenty fifteen, that was when Kentucky that was the last time they were like elite good. Right, of course that team was really, really,

really good. But twenty fifteen sec Like, I want, is this gonna show? Who makes I've got it pulled up here on Sports Reference. I'm not even sure if it's gonna show.

Billy Kennedy. And then you had Vandy make the tournament somehow. I don't know how they made it, but they did. They finished nineteen and fourteen. Is that like a I don't know. I mean, was that Kevin Stallings? I guess it was.

and now it's put together. I believe, as far as the regular season, the best regular season we've ever seen, as far as I mean, they had fourteen teams and they broke a record. All right, So in twenty fifteen, Kentucky was, of course elite. Arkansas made the tournament, and LSU made the tournament, Georgia made the tournament, and Miss and Old Miss made the tournament. But it doesn't look like any of those teams won a game. So in

the round of thirty two, it was just Kentucky. So I'm trying to start, I'm trying to track when it actually got rolled in a little bit. So in sixteen seventeen, that was that was the year that Florida was really good. Arkansas was good again, but not like elite. Kentucky of course was the best. They went sixteen and two, uh, South Carolina. That's the year they randomly got in and

made a Final four, which is crazy. And then so I wouldn't even have I wouldn't have be I would not have even say that was when it really started rolling.

Kentucky Arkansas with it with Anderson. Yeah, I mean they had they had let's see, they had eight teams in the tournament in twenty eighteen, so I'm gonna say that was the year that it like really broke through. And then the next year they ended up having seven. So yeah, about seven years ago is whenever it really made a jump as a league. Yeah, and to see where it is now, I mean, it's it's it's crazy, dude.

But those just not joining us. Why we're talking about in twenty thirteen, Kentucky went twenty three, I'm sorry, twenty one and eleven twelve and six in their league, they weren't even on the bubble, and then in twenty fifteen. This year they went twenty two and eleven, ten and eight in league play, and they're a three seed the NAA Tournament. I just feel like that stat specifically is one that really just kind of put some perspective the leaps that this league has made in that amount of time.

And it's not like we're talking just a couple of years. I mean, it's crazy to think about it, but that was twelve.

and they've now. I mean, if you'd have told me ten years ago, maybe not even that long ago, that the SEC for basketball would be able to keep their elite coaches despite nearly every every school in that conference prioritizes football way more right, you'll always be second fiddles.

So I would have just assumed that was always going to be a factor to where coaches wouldn't really want that. They would want to be top dog. They would want to know that the program that their leading is going to get the most resources, it's going to be valued the most, and it's gonna and it's gonna mean the most, but now, man, you're getting paid enough money in the

SEC you don't care. And the league has made such an improvement that despite football still being what it's known for with most of these schools and really the league overall, it's still getting when it comes to college basketball pub the SEC clearly gets a lot of love. They got fourteen teams in, so it is wild to see the jump that it's made. And I don't I'm sure others aren't as interested in this as I am, but now

that I'm kind of going down the rabbit hole. And you go back to that year Kentucky missed the tournament, Ole miss made it with Marshall Henderson, Florida made it and they were really good, and that's who Louisville beating the elite eight. I think it was yeah, that I know that was the year. That was the year before, it was a year before, Yeah, and then Missouri made

it somehow. But you go back to the year that Kentucky won the national championship at twenty twelve, I mean, you had Florida get in, Vandy got in, and I guess Bama got in. So and again it's one thing to like mean, getting teams in means a lot for your league, but they have I mean a lot of the for the most part, outside of Kentucky in the

occasional Florida. When we're talking about this previous world of SEC hoops, anybody else that got in outside of those two teams was just barely and lucky to be in. Now you've got I mean, look at the I mean, the current bracket has two to one seeds from the SEC. And let's see, is it two or yeah? Two one

seeds from the SEC and how many two seeds is it? Yeah, so they've got four of the top yet, so basically four of the top eight are or SEC when it comes to the seed Lions, and that's not a real surprise. And then you look at the three line, I mean, and you've got you've got a Kentucky team that I mean, I don't mean. I just I'm trying to sound like a hater when it comes to Kentucky, but I just I think with their injury situation, I just it's hard for me to they're deserving of the seed they got.

I can't really dispute it because the wins they have they do matter, but they're not like their ceiling is not nearly what it was then because they don't have Jackson Robinson and Lama. Butler sounds like he's gonna play, but I think he's been given the green light to play for like the last six weeks or a month, and anytime he does play, he gets hurt again and

then doesn't come back. So I mean, hopefully it doesn't happen again, but I just you know, who knows anytime Pope's been in a position where you feel like they've run out of gas. And it was a great first year, but the injuries got them, and you know they're just playing too good a teams. They always surprise you, so maybe they do that this year. But man, the sec is is. I mean, it's crazy to see what that league has become. All right, quick break, I mentioned that sound.

I wanted you guys do hear. I'm gonna save it for our five o'clock crowd because we won't have a whole lot of time to get to it, and I feel like it's better to play it than the five anyway, because that's that's the I mean, that's the the ian. Every hour is valuable on the show. We give every every bit of energy and effort into every second, regardless if it's three, four o'clock, five o'clock, whatever, But five o'clock's when most people are listening, because that's when people

are ending their day. So we'll save it for that and keep it rolling along right here on Sports Talk seven.

has apparently emerged as the top candidate in Indiana. That is That's and again, you don't know what to expect when it comes to or you don't know what to believe as far as what's out there when it comes to coaching searches. I think we learned that last year, but he's at West Virginia. Was it Drake for a long time. One year at WVU and did a pretty good job. Obviously lost his best player's son early in the year, and they still I think did enough to

get in the tournament, only they were left out. And he's been successful at both. I mean, it's not a long time track of success at a West Virginia, but certainly a guy that probably should have got an opportunity out of Drake than he did. But apparently Indiana is really close to maybe making him the guy, which would be tough for West Virginia because only one year, and I mean, you get screwed by the committee and then your coach leaves after one year. That would be a really,

really tough tough thing for West Virginia. But you know, couldn't have it to a better group of fans, right Their fan base just all collass just great, great, great human beings. And then obviously the other name is Ben McCollum, who we've talked about quite a bit here because he finally got his opportunity at a D one school and it was at Drake where Devrees left because he ended up going to West Virginia and then in his first

season been McCallum was phenomenal at Drake. And I mean again, I'm trying to to to to check and see who I wonder who would be the most likely to have the latest on this. I would say, I'll do this. When it comes to Jeff Goodman, I'll at least give him the McIntyre, not him get I'll I'll give up. I'll give Goodman the benefit of doubt because he probably wouldn't float something out there if he didn't know if

it was for sure the truth or not. So when it comes to the latest that I saw is that that Indiana is close to making it devrees and therefore another Iowa, and it have been McCullum could be going right back to Iowa, which I guess Drake, you know Drakes and Omaha, not no Drakes and des Moines, not

in in Iowa. Anyways, McCollum is from Iowa. And as soon as McCaffrey was fired or looked like he was maybe going to be fired or they were going to try to force him out, there was already talk that McCollum, who would be I think worthy of the Indiana job or the Virginia job that they may not be able to get him because if Iowa opens up, he would want to go there. I don't know if that's true

or not. But if Divres ends up at Indiana and and and I'm not saying Divres, you know, should be a candidate at Virginia or the other ACC jobs that were open, but man, McCullum not going to Indiana or Virginia and ending up at Iowa, it kind of feels like that would be a big time win for Iowa because I know the conference affiliation stuff matters now, but you wouldn't typically think Iowa would not. You wouldn't think

that Iowa would be able to land. And again, if if Indiana is choosing Devrees over McCollum, then that's their choice. But I don't know. I just think both those guys are good coaches, especially McCollum, and I thought him being in the ACC would be a really good start to get this thing turned around. But sounds like it'll be Indiana or it'll be it'll be Iowa. After just one year at Drake and the whole, the whole of Brad Brown Well to IU thing. I mean, he was reportedly

a candidate. There was interest on both sides, but I just I mean, he's he's done well in the last couple of years, but like he's also had way more years where he wasn't very good. Like him, even him still being at Virginia, I think is I'm not Virginia at Clemson is is kind of a surprise, because you know, he was at he got hired in twenty eleven and

he made the tournament that year. He didn't make another tournament until twenty eighteen, and then he didn't make another tournament until twenty twenty one, and then last year he made the tournament for the first time in four years,

and he broke through and made the Elite eight. But you got to remember he lost to Kenny Payne with a team that went fourteen and six in the ACC twenty three and eleven and missed the tournament, and then lost to Morehead State in the first round of the Niit so like there's way when the ACC two things, when the ACC was a lot better, even like a little bit better, not even when it was in his prime,

but when the ACC was better. I mean, Brad brown Well was lucky to have a job, and then the league got you know, the league got worse substantially, and he has then kind of broke through. Like there's way more of him being a very average coach at best at Clemson than there is him being great. And know, by the way, when he was considered to be good the last two years he has gone twenty nine and eleven in the league. But let's be real, the league is not now what it used to be. So anybody

wanting Brad brown Well, like, you could do worse. But Indiana if they would have made that move, who knows, maybe I'd be wrong and it would have worked out great, but it also would have been like, Okay, now I know why Indiana is never going to be what they once were because no matter what, despite having all the money and all the resources and a huge fan base and all the history and tradition, they just can't seem to hire coaches because I just don't think Brad brown

Well would have done well there. But it sounds like he's not. I megan when I watched Brad burnamall coach last week in the ACC Tournament. I mean, again, he's been better than you know, Louisville last couple of years as far as his team overall, but Louisville, I mean, I don't know. Pat Kelsey sweeping him this year I think says more of a Pat than anything else. But also, like I don't know, if you're Indiana, you could not have been enthused by that higher if that was going

to be what it is. And I haven't heard anything recently on the will Waite stuff, but I hope he ends up at NC State because that'll be a good coach added the league. And that's how you get a turned around. All right. We got to run one more hour to go, stick around, a lot more to get into and I mean it a lot before we wrap it up, So keep it lock right here on Sports Talk seven ninety