It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven to nine day now here's Nick Coffee.
We're excited to be in our home state. I think our fans are gonna come out and droves hopefully, and our guys are excited to compete against a world class coach in a high level program, in a very very very dangerous team.
That was Pat Kelsey earlier today.
As we are now just less than twenty four hours away from tipping it off, Louisville and Craigon tomorrow will get the tournament started. As far as I'm concerned, I know the playing games took place last night. There'll be another couple of games tonight in Dayton. But of everything, when it comes to all the things I've bitched about this week, when it comes to just the seating, and that's really what.
It is, but there's layers to it.
Obviously, being the first game is maybe my biggest complaint, just because just selfishly as a as a as a you know, an anxious individual with anxiety, somebody who you know worries more than I need to about things. I overthink things. I know I'm not alone, but I'm probably you know, that's just that's how I'm wired. Unfortunately, just knowing that we're the first game like just has me so uneasy about it. And it's it's nice to feel
alive again because we're not dead anymore. Pat Kelsey, this team. The revival was a real thing. They brought us back to life and it was great.
But if there was a.
Positive about being dead, you couldn't feel what this feels like. And it feels great at the moment just because there's excitement, but man, just the the worry of what tomorrow will be like if it all comes to an end, and that's where my nerves.
I've said that throughout the show today.
I'm not worried about Creighton as far as them being I mean, look, they could easily beat Louisville and Louisville I think being a two and a half point favorite makes some sense. So it's not like I'm telling you I'm not worried about Creton. It's going to be a cake walk. It's just knowing that if it doesn't work
out and you come up short, it's all over. And I'm sure I've sounded hilarious to some people out here who don't have like the emotional connection to a team because you know, and by the way, you're probably way more normal than I am, and you know, props to you.
But the overall roller coaster of being a local basketball fan in the last decade, knowing that it's been ten years since we made the Second Weekend, six years since we made the NAA Tournament, and then to go through the last few years to have this now, I mean, it's it's hard not to be this insane about it.
And again, I don't want to regurgitate too much, but throughout the last few weeks, like that's what's really kind of made me sad that this is going to end soongardless of how many games they win in the tournament, because I don't really know if if we'll have the perfect storm like we've had this year where it all just kind of came together the way it did. So I'm I'm going to enjoy it as long as I can, and who knows, maybe twenty four hours from now it'll
be a different it'll be a different situation. So again, Louisville Place to March twelve, fifteen, We'll go live as soon as it ends and react to whatever it is that happens. It's either going to be a celebration as we remain on the dance floor and get to the round of thirty two and take over Rapperena on Saturday, or it's going to be really sad and we'll just go, you know, we'll we'll, we'll have to get through it together. Or if you want to join us on the show
today you can again It's Coffee and Company. Philbout Thorton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety and the number to give us a call it's five oh two, five seven to one seventy nine hundred. You can text in on the L and N Federal Credit Union text line five oh two four three eight ninety seventy three. And we'll go to the phone lines now and welcome in a gentleman by the name of Hippie Lettuce Jeff.
Longtime, no talk, Jeff. How we doing, brother?
Not too bad? Not too bad? Man. If I knew that you were were that anxious man, I would have dropped you off some R delicious chocolates or some Gommies or something.
Man.
Don't worry about tomorrow, ma worry about itself.
Let me ask you this, Jeff, because I mean, look, I gummies have been a big, a big part of my life in a good way in the last few years. But you know, I don't want to be you know, like I wanted to feel real right. Gummies would help if they lose, because then I'll be, you know, I'll be chilling. I won't be as as on edge. But like if they win, I don't want to be, you know, sleep walking through it. You gotta you gotta get me the right you.
Know world right Bounce is about twenty milligrams and and and you just take it and you're easy chilled. Twenty milligrams would last you good four hours, six hours, and I mean you should only have anxiety about that long anyway, Yeah, because you'd be going to sleep and then you wake up in the morning and take it one. Just take one in good morning when you wake up. What's your cereal? Well,
and Poppy want is to deserve a cereal? Yes, yes, And then I mean the game will be here and then that's what you really need to worry about, because I'm telling you what, Son, I'm not worried about Auburn. I'll be honest. If we make it past Craton, we're in the sweet sixteen. That's my opinion. I've I've kind of kept an eye on Craton and I've lost in one the shekel or two on them. Ye, so uh, just good advice tomorrow is you might want to take two gummies because tomorrow is the day.
Okay, uh yeah uh And anyway, man, one other thing, man, I feel bad for the sacrificial land they called San Diego State because they sure set them guys up.
You know, they let North Carolina line in to begin with, and then at the press and media random mouth about it. So Carolina they got talent. What are they gonna do? Man, I bet the arm on them and I one my farm was only eight bucks. Hey, but that's right. So yeah, this is a great silling. I ain't felt I guess in six years. Man, good stuff taking off work. I don't care if the ball has heard me or not.
Take care of that's hippy letters, Jeff. Yeah, so he lost a couple of yes on Yeah. So a lot to unpack there. But yeah, when it comes to when it comes to the gummies, you know, and I'm I'm not even well.
I'm working.
There's a couple of different clients, potential clients that I've talked to and and and you know, I'm not going to mention any specific place where I get the product from, but you know, I've I've I don't know what we're talking about this today, but it has become like the best thing for me when it comes to my anxiety.
And and you know, finding that perfect balance is is a little bit tricky at times because I feel like adrenaline can can can change the level of like you know what I mean, Like if you've got adrenaline, maybe you wouldn't feel the effect like you would if the adrenaline wasn't so high. So anyways, if there's one person that may be able to get me on track with what what you know, balancing out what I need, it may be Hippy.
Letters Jet of course sounds experience.
Cereal and gummies to get the day started very very nutritious. So yeah, look, Creighton, we talked about this yesterday. They they clearly have an elite player in Ryan coch Printer Cookbrner.
It just met her. Yeah, I mean, can I take it to dinner first?
Geez?
We haven't done that enough, have we? And I hope people can sense the sarcasm because you know, I'm sure we give you way, we give you way more childish humor than you probably want.
Yeah, no, we haven't done it enough.
So you know, he's he's a he's a he's a presence that you just aren't gonna see very often in college basketball because he's a giant and he's productive. Uh but you know, they don't they don't really like to play in transition. He's not you know, nobody really his size is going to be able to really run the floor. Great now, if you do, you probably are in the NBA because that's what the game is at the pro
level now. So you know, as much as he is a real issue for you and you got to you got to make sure you prepare for him and and you know, contain him as best you can, there's also some things you could do that will make him uncomfortable. And that's been shown this year with Creighton. Also, you know their point guard who is you know, he's he's solid, Ashworth, He's he's a playmaker in both aspects. He's a scorer,
and he's also somebody that can really distribute. And again I said this earlier in the week, and I don't I mean, I feel like this was this. I didn't say this to kind of, you know, take a shot at Chucky by any means, But Chucky's been one of the leaders and assists all throughout college basketball this year,
and Steven Ashworth has more total assist than Chucky. Now, Chucky also missed a game and a half and whatnot, So I just I tried to mention that more so to just put him, you know, to let you know, this guy really is is a big time distributor. But also you know, there aren't many others that do that on his team, right, I mean, outside of him, you've got Jamia and Eel who's another guard of theirs who starts plays thirty four minutes a game. He's averaging about
four assists. But after that, I mean, they really don't have anybody else that can create for others pop Isaac's. By the way, if you would just look up the Creighton stats, you'll see these guy's numbers that think, oh, we're gonna have to be prepared for this guy.
Well, he's hurt.
He's been hurt since I don't think he's played since the beginning of December. Yes, so he was a big time transfer for them, and I forget where he played at and that's sort of yeah, he played at Texas Tech. That's sort of why things you know. I don't say they fell apart, but they were. Creighton was expected to be a really good team this year, and sure enough, they ended up they ended up losing one of their
better players. He was averaging sixteen points for assists a games, So you know he's been you know, not having not having him has been has been one of the reasons why you know this Creighton team, you know, it's probably in a position where they feel like they should have been better than their seed line is. But back to Ashworth. He can score it, he can distribute, but also Louisville should be able to speed him up and make him uncomfortable. He has a ton of turnovers. He has more turnovers
than anybody in college basketball. A wild stat but is true. So for every little thing you see about this creating team that understandably worries you and is concerning, there's also some things that make them vulnerable. Right, they don't foil a lot, and I don't know what to make of that. Right, they foil fewer than fewer than they commit fewer fouls a game than anybody in the country, not only the tournament,
at the country. And that is a good thing because it keeps you, you know, teams can really find themselves in a game as far as momentum and rhythm at the free throw line, and if you're not fouling very often, that's going to limit them from being able to kind
of do that and reset. And Louisville is a team that I feel like the free throw line is a you know, they actually ended up putting together a really good and as far as the overall percentage, there were some games where clearly they didn't shoot it well, but overall, they shot a lot of free throws and they shot a pretty good percentage comparatively speaking. So you know, that's sort of a battle that I'm anxious to see who
comes out on top. Right, is Creighton able to keep this what they want right, playing defense but not fouling, keeping Louisville from the free throw line, or is Louisville going to force the issue and I mean that in a good way and just get downhill and make them have to foul to where you know you're spending a lot of time at the line.
And again, Louisville at the line.
Especially with guys like Chucky Fat Edward's rain, of course, but he didn't shoot a lot of free throws. But if they're at the line pretty periodically throughout the game, that's a good sign that, I mean, you're guaranteed to win. But again, I think that's that's a pretty good sign. So I think this is a very even matchup in all aspects. And you just hope that the home court
advantage for Louisville can can can come into play. And you know, Louisville didn't have rain the last few games, and obviously that's that's you know, like that's not something like we keep forgetting about. But what I think I'm doing is just maybe not realizing how different this team is with him on the floor, Like we talked about it.
It's not like I'm unaware of it.
But I guess just because I've had that fear of him maybe not playing at all, just because of how serious the injury might have been, that I just maybe I just started thinking about life without him. But he was there today at the open practice, moving around like here's the thing he's gonna play. There's no scenario where like we find out before the game that he's not able to go. I mean, I guess crazier things have happened, but it just comes down to, you know, how rusty
he is, how well can he move? And he looked very comfortable today, looked very loose, was knocking down shots. But again, what they did today in the open practice is nothing like what you're gonna see tomorrow. But as we get closer, I'm sure it's just you know, the natural fan emotion that comes with this stuff, Like I'm getting more confident as the show goes on. Today I mentioned I called my mother today on the way in and she told me she's feeling good about the game.
She's feeling confident about Creighton and I you know, so we got my mom, my sweet wanerful mother. We got Hippie Lettuce, Jef, that's not worried about the Creighton Blue Jays. I mean they may not even show up tomorrow. When they hear Hippie Lettus, Jeff and my mother, they don't like their chances.
Oh, Jeff, miss it's Donahue, right, that's right at that house? How about that nice?
You know I I've mispronounced her as coffee. So yeah, well, most people disrespectful. Well, I mean you wouldn't know. It's totally normal. I mean it's trust me. Like my my sister, she's she's divorced.
And she has the name of her her ex husband, who a lot of people now don't know. So therefore, you know, people say you Emily Coffee and she's like, no, actually it's an you know, so anyways, like it's it's a very common thing.
Don't feel bad.
I've actually had I've been around a lot of people who do that, and it's a it's a normal thing. So but hey, I'm proud of you for remembering. Of course, that's that's that's impressive.
Mama Donnie, that's right. And and her her wonderful husband John, who's my stepdad. That's right. And while we're giving shout out sad And while we're giving out shout outs to the parents, how about a shout out to my.
Dad Mark Coffee. Yes, just get the whole family in here. Of course, his wife, Mitzi. I mean we're giving out family shout outs today, let's do it.
Mitzi is a great name. You like that, huh, I do. It's rare. I don't know many Mitzi's, but yeah, it's a it's a it's a fun name. It sounds like a nickname, like it's built in am I t z I mitzi.
All right, let's play some more sound this uh this. Now, I knew you were going to go there. I could feel that happening. I could see it. I could see it in your face. You were about to you you were about to just slightly step over that line. Not where you did anything wrong, but you know, you just you made it kind of weird for me. And that's you like to keep me on my touch.
A step mom, dude. All right, let's hear.
Terrence Edwards because he talked today at the press conferences as well as Pat Kelsey, Rain Smith, Chucky Hepburn, and Jevon Hadley. And this is Terrence talking about how how important it is to have of Rain Smith out there on the floor with these guys.
You know, it's always better when Rain is on the floor because he spaces the floor and he kind of knows the system at the back of his hand because he's been with the coaches, and he helps us a lot with the offense and just send cuts up, send things up, and he just make your job much easier.
And This is Rain himself talking about his health and availability for tomorrow.
Had a great past week of treatment and kind of doing everything I can to get back, So it's in a really good spot now and looking forward to getting on the court with with my teammates and kind of competing in this tournament. It's an exciting time of the year, so just really excited to get out there.
So we'll get back into this matchup a little bit later on, because I do want to let you guys hear some motivation that you know. I don't get the sense that Louisville meeting Pat Kelsey really is the kind of coach that's going to be out there looking for added fuel. I feel like they're kind of self made when it comes to just being ready to compete. But if you can get an extra edge chip on the shoulder, they certainly already have that with the Sea Line. But
Seth Greenberg, this clown. I mean, there's no scenario what he said yesterday on the Pat McAfee show was anything other than just a direct f you to Louisville. And look, it's because he now has to hear from us, because he's one of the many that just you know, I don't know if he blamed us, but like he's one of those that just felt like Kenny Payne was the no brainer higher it would have been dumb to hire
anybody else. And he's one of those that he's a stubborn former coach who will never admit that they might have been wrong. And you know, clearly whenever things were going bad for Kenny and Louisville fans of course wanted to change understandably, so he at times acted as we were at fault, maybe we were a factor. I mean, he wasn't to the level of a Corey Alexander because
he didn't call our games. But he said him yesterday that I'll let you guys here on the other side that again, if they wanted some extra motivation there and you know, we won't matter because you know, we don't play meeting fans. But it fired me up, made me ready to see this team go out there and you know,
hopefully get past this this Creighton team. I did see, so we I was walking out of the walking into the bowls of the arena as they say, from from rupp Arena on the court and Auburn had just showed up their bus and they were headed to get ready in the locker room and then you know, do their press commerence. They were later on in the day, but I was right around Bruce Pearls and I Broun the grandpa Baker Mazarro is that his name, And you know, they didn't look that scary, so I'm hoping we get
a chance at him on Saturday. They did look very old, by the way, which they are. They are as old they're starting lineup. They're old, should have been out the game years ago. It's the home because he ates his wife. I'm glad you do that, right, yeah, oh yeah. Anyways, they are old. They're starting lineup. The average age is nearly the same age as the starting lineup for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
But look, they're good.
I'm not gonna act like they're they're anything other than a great team. But man, I just would love to get a shot at them. Last week it was working towards getting a shot at Duke.
We got it. I want to shot at Auburn.
Now.
May be careful what you wish for, but look, there's nothing.
There's the one thing that I just can't stop thinking about is just the difference. It's going to be to either make it to the round of thirty two or lose tomorrow. Like again, losing on Saturday would still suck, especially for at home. But man, I just hope they win tomorrow. All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side. Talk about the Indiana Higher. I don't think it's a bad higher, but it's also not a big splash either, which I'm not sure that was possible.
But I think they could have done better. But we'll see.
Now back to Coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
That's right, Coffee and Company rolling along here on a what is it Wednesday?
Right?
Yeah, Wednesday afternoon?
We are field without Thornton's also want to give a shot out once again too. The find folks over the local men's clinic. Was nice to be in earlier this week and have my lab work done. Just catch up with the great staff over there at the lois of Men's Clinic. And there's a lot of things that make them great. Their staff may be the most important thing because you guys, hear me talk about doctor would how great he is, but also everybody else part of the
team over there. They have I mean clearly they've they've been doing this a long time. Love of Mence Clinic has been open for over ten years, where other imitators have have popped up, and no pun intended, they can't. They can't last. They can't, they can't stick around. They're premature, they get ahead of themselves, and you know they don't last.
Little of Men's Clinic they've been doing it for well over well, not well over a decade, but over a decade now because they're great at what they do and when it comes to having conversations about a rectildis function or questions about low testosterone, like even that could be something that's an uncomfortable thing for people to address or just want to learn more about, because you know, men are supposed to be macho and not have to think
about those things or worry about it. But you know what, every not every I think fit, over fifty percent of men over fifty deal with rectildus function. So that should just tell you that it's a really common thing and you don't have to deal with it. You can reach out to the find folks at the Litible Men's Clinic and they can help you. Loblemnsclinic dot COM's the website. Bibo two four four four four thousand is the number. All right, let's go to the phone lines. Bibo two
five's seven one seventy nine hundred. Let's welcome in, Terry, Terry. How are you doing brother?
Hey? Nick?
Yeah, I got a two games on one to run. Pass it right? Will Wade taking the NC stage job. I mean that McNee stay was a trendy trendy epsit pick. Do you think that affects anything there, affects the way is peens your.
Life in the early rounds, I would say McNeese State, they have to know that their coach is probably I'll put it this way, it'll it'll probably impact them to an extent. But I wouldn't be as worried about it as maybe others because here's what I think could easily be happening. He's already told told them about it, and he kind of admitted that today he's probably saying, hey, let's go on a run here and I'm gonna bring I'm gonna bring some of you guys.
With me to n C State.
So you know, it is a distraction, But we're in such a different world now that I feel like these guys are going to know that they're gonna be more eyes on them because there's there's They're already being talked about as a trendy upset pick. So you know, maybe maybe it is an issue for him, but I wouldn't be as worried about it as much as others. And I also think NC State's making the right call here.
Okay, and here's four games. I want to run val you real quick and tell me if you agree with me or you might go the other way. Okay, tonight out tonight. I love Exager. You could lay the points, I'd probably take him on the money on but I love Exager over Texas.
Yeah, I make a lot of I make a lot of jokes about about Sean Miller being allergic to the Final Four because he's never made it, but he is a good coach in March. He's made a lot of Elite eights and sweet sixteens and Xavier. You know, they've got a big name, Zach Fremantle, who quietly had a pretty good year this year, but two years ago he was like a rising star in college basketball, got hurt, missed all of last season. So I've just never been
sold on on this Texas team. I mean, when I watched the loaded SEC, I kind of felt like, just as far as personnel, Texas was on the low end, as far as just you know, I don't feel like there is loaded now. Trey Johnson the freshman, he's special, so like maybe he he goes off, but no, I like I like Xavier minus too, and especially knowing they're gonna they're gonna have a real home court advantage.
Okay, then I love I love Saint Mary's overall.
Yeah, yeah, you get Vanity.
Out of the memo, and they just are not the same team.
They don't defend and they did enough at the right time to punch a ticket to the dance, but they did not look well at the end of the year. And I think what you said is the truth that they're not playing in Memorial. They they look like the Vandy of old.
And then two more and I'll let you out of here. I love. I don't like to give this many points, but I would do it. I think Gonzaga takes care of Georgia. I don't know that they blow them out, but I definitely think they win the game. Uh and the Arizona Acron game it's a high total bad things going over and I'll hang up in much and thank.
Thanks, Terry, appreciate it. Yeah, Gonzaga. I think Mark Few is super safe in the first round in most years, and I think they'll win. I just don't know if I would take them minus six and a half. Georgia competitive team. They're one of those teams that their best win, the win that has the real value that got them in the tournament and avoiding the bubble was beating Saint John's. But they also beat Saint John's in November on a Saturday morning. This was a rare game for Georgia and
Saint John's. They both played in different holiday events that took place at the same resort in the Bahamas, and they stayed after a day or two longer than anybody else in their events and just played a one off game at that neutral site. And that's where Saint John's loss. So I kind of feel like Georgia and Georgia b Kentucky of course, which that's that's another big win that helped them get in. So you know it can put it this way, Mark Few has been able to make the Sweet sixteen.
More.
Let me pull it up here because I know currently there's no team that has made the Sweet sixteen consecutively like Gonzaga has. I mean, the the longest active street of at least streak of at least making the Sweet sixteen belongs to Gonzagon. I'm trying to figure out when it was. Yeah, the last time they did not make it at least to the Sweet sixteen was in twenty fourteen. So they always take care of business early, and I feel like they're going to do that at least in
the first round this year. But you got to keep in mind what happened with Gonzaga is that you know they would they would have a thirty one in one record or a twenty eight and four, maybe a thirty one and six, thirty two and five, thirty five and three.
And what happens is these this ends up getting them really good seeds, right, So maybe they end up getting to the second weekend because they end up getting the best possible scenario as far as seed line, right, Like there's I don't I've never felt like they're worthy of the seeds they give because again, they just don't play anybody for two and a half months, and that didn't mean they're not any good, but like they're not battle tested.
But because they get that one or the two, mostly a one, they end up having to play a sixteen and then you know an eight or nine, which you know you got to play well to beat those teams in most cases. But yeah, to answer your question, Terry, I don't know if I would take at six and a half just because I think Georgia could compete and I watched Gonzaga earlier this year. The leftovers from the PAC twelve ended up, I guess for the season being a part of the conference that Gonzaga and Saint Mary's
in is at the WCC. I think it's what it's called, and I watched it was I think it was might have been Washington State. No, it's Oregon State.
I'm sorry. Oregon State got Gonzaga pretty good.
And that probably shouldn't be what I based my decision on here because it's just one game, but they just didn't look like a Gonzaga team that would typically put fear into other teams. So maybe I'm just giving too much respect to the SEC. But I would actually take Georgia to cover plus six and a half. And then the other game that he mentioned Akron in Arizona one sixty six and a half. That's a lot of points.
Let me see what ken Palm has here, because I don't think that's a I don't think that's a bad call to take the over. I know Arizona is gonna score a lot of points, but the current projected score according to ken Palm is eighty nine whoops, sorry, drop my phone eighty nine to seventy six. So that would put us at the total of one sixty five and a half. So the Ken Palm formula tells you that, you know, if you want to trust ken Palm.
Then you would take the under.
But I would probably I'd probably take the over to too, just because I think both teams will will be able to score. Now, if you're looking to make a bet on that game. As far as the spread, I really really really like Acron to cover. I think John Gross is a coach that if he got another chance at a bigger school what he's good at and he's good, he wins. He won a lot of games at Miami, Ohio. He did decent at Illinois, but never really broke through, and he probably deserved to be moved on from But
at accurate. He's bounced back in a major way, and I think what he's good at, what makes him a good coach, is really valuable now in this new world. But anyways, what I was going to share with you as far as the number here, we talked about this a little bit yesterday, but I'll reset it again since we're talking about this matchup specifically. But when it comes to let's see, where's it at here?
I just had it pulled up. Now I can't find it. Where is it?
Because the fourth I'm sorry, whatever seed? What seed is Arizona?
They are four or three? I think there are four seed?
Yeah, so four seeds that are favored by a certain amount meeting here it is, And I'm sorry for spinning my wheelshairs to make.
Sure I get it correct. Yeah, so four seeds have gone seventeen I'm sorry. Let me back up.
Four seeds have gone seven, fifteen and one against the spread when favored by eight and a half points or more in the last ten tournaments. So thirty one point eight percent of the time have four seats covered when they're favored by eight and a half or more. Currently, Akron is fourteen point dogs, So I like Akron to cover. That's a lot of points. I think Akron is a pretty good team and the MAC. The MAC is a league that nobody would claim is anything other than a
mid major. But I think the MAC, when they've got some good like the top of the MAC in most instances, I think is a better league than people give it credit for. So I'm not saying they'll win, but I think they'll I think they'll score a lot of points, and I think they can keep it within thirteen.
This is Tommy Lloyd's third year, right, yep? Or second? Okay, I think it's his third year.
It's at least his third year, and he's had I mean, I feel like I know, they lost to an IVY League team in his first year, and yeah, so they lost to In twenty twenty three, they lost to Princeton, and in that season they were really good. I think they were a two seed and lost to a fifteen seeded Princeton team, and.
Yeah, they had Benedict mathern all that team.
And then last year they went twenty seven and nine, got a two seed and ended up losing in the sweet sixteen to Clemson, who of course finally broke through and made.
It to the Elite eight.
So Tommy Lloyd, I would say, you know his h and by the way, his first year.
This is his fourth year, by the.
Way, so his first year was in twenty twenty two and he went thirty three and four and they made the Sweet sixteen and lost to Houston, who was the two seed. They were the one seed. So outside of that upset when they lost to Princeton, I feel like the Tommy air Tommy Lloyd AIRA has been pretty good Tarazona, right, Yeah, I mean I kind of feel like they need to you know, I think an early exit here, like if I got upset by Akron, that would be bad news.
But yeah, he's been a like he's one of those guys that set and waited forever to be a head coach. He sat behind mark U Againzaga and the patients paid off. And I don't think that right now, that's the kind
of higher that I would be making. Like I just when it comes to Power five jobs, I just don't think the risk is worth it to get a guy who's never coached a program, because you've got, like, you've got to have some experience in being in charge of a locker room managing personalities because nowadays like you got to be able.
To be really the players.
Got to respect you, They got to be able to communicate with you. And if you've never done that before, you may be great at it. You may just be waiting on that opportunity. But it's also a risk for the employer to say, hey, we'll see if you can give it a shot, because it's a different thing being an assistant and a head coach. I think we all have known for a long time that's a big difference. There's a big difference in what that job is. But man, if we didn't learn it around here now again, I'm
sure there are many other coaches. In fact, any other coach that's been a long time assistant that got an opportunity to be a head coach would do better than Kenny Payne did. But I just like, for example, the decisions that Miami and Florida State made when they when they hired their coaches. That may look there's no way to know. You never know with any higher it's going to work out. But I just like, if that doesn't work out, I'll think, Okay, there were proven coaches that
maybe haven't coached in the ACC or the Power five level. Man, they've proven they've got a winning formula, why not give them the keys to what you've got in the garage and let them, you know, bring over their formula and and you know, have better things to work with. I just to me, that's to me right now, with where we are in college athletics, I feel like that is the most obvious way to go about it, unless you
can go get you know, a big name. And by the way, speaking of big names, this guy's not a big name. We've talked about him this week. Darien Devrees he left West Virginia after a season to now go to Indiana. I don't think Indiana in any way made like a I we'll never know until we get a couple of years in to see if this is gonna work or not, just like any other higher But I don't want to make it sound like I think this guy's a bad coach.
He was really successful.
At Drake and in his first year at West Virginia, you know, to be to be fair, if he didn't lose his son in early December to an injury, they probably belie or safely and in fact, they should have been in any way. I mean, Givonne Small transferred from Oklahoma State to West Virginia. He was an All American caliber player. We saw that firsthand. That back and forth between him and Chucky in the Bahamas was was unreal. So you know, I don't dislike to hire for Indiana.
I just you know, if it was me, I think I probably would have more so been been. I don't know, because maybe Ben McCollum is the guy who's a great coach, but like maybe it would be a really big adjustment for him to go to D two to Drake to being the coach of Indiana. But it sounds like now the Iowa job will probably end up going to Ben McCullum. But you know, Indiana, they do kind of you know, again, you can't I'm gonna laugh at the joke, but also not make fun of them.
Can you do that? Is that possible? Is that a thing? Sure?
Can you be laughing at laughing at someone's expense, but you're not the one making fun of them. Of course, because I hide behind that the tweet that the that was sent out yesterday by one of the college basketball writers that I follow, I mean, it's really like not even that funny, but it is kind of funny, like it made me, It made me internally laugh, and that was I mean, if you can go hire a coach who didn't or if you're gonna let me, let me, let me, let me back up because I don't want to.
I'm gonna make sure I give credit because again it's this person being mean to Indiana fans, not me. I'm just gonna share it with you. And also again I admitted that I did. I did kind of laugh. But this is Carter Elliott, who covers college basketball for Sleepers Media and bleacher Report. He said, anytime you can fire your coach for not making the tournament only to hire a coach that also didn't make the tournament, you have to do exactly that, which I mean to.
Be fair though good one, but yeah, like what makes.
That not like I mean, it is kind of funny, but like West Virginia should have been in, Like we can laugh at them now because they lost their coach and they got left out and there's no better fan there's no, you know, no better fan base south of than West Virginia.
I just feel so.
Bad for their fans because they're so they're such great people, but anyways, like as much as we can make fun of them, which we are, they I mean, they belonged in the tournament like they should have been in.
There's no real question about that.
All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side, wrap up the four o'clock hour, and I want to let you guys here what Seth Greenberg had to say, because I just don't think there's any way you could spend this as it being anything other than just him wanting to tee off and take a shot at Louisville. And as to why he'd want to do that, probably because he doesn't like us, not because he's conspiring against us.
But you know, he's one of those that was real loud about Kenny Payne not getting a fair deal and whatnot. And you know we don't forget stuff like that around here. Stick around to Coffee and Company. Feel about Thornton's on Sports Talk seven to.
Ninety Now back to coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
That's right, we were wrapping up the four o'clock hour here on a Wednesday afternoon, another day of playing games, and then tomorrow it all gets started and Louisville, of course, will get the whole thing started with the first game in the round of sixty four. And it's our last I mean, it's our last show, of course, our last hour coming up here before we get to tomorrow. And what I mean is when we start the show tomorrow, we're gonna know one way or the other, is it
all over? Are we continuing to keep this really fun and awesome season alive? And only Tom will tell. All right, one person who is quite clearly he's not worried about as far as what's going to happen to Louisville. He either has seen the future or he's just that confident
in Creighton. Because Seth Greenberg was on with Pat McAfee yesterday and of course was asked about the toughest I think it might have been something along the lines of like who got the toughest draw and instead of saying Louisville because of, you know, being an eight seed that a lot of people, most people thought that they shouldn't be, or maybe Creighton having to play, you know, Louisville in Lexington he went, he went with Auburn and here's what he here's what he had to say.
Ball, But I think they've got the toughest second round game in the tournament, even if even after if they win their first game, they get a Creighton team like Creighton is good, the big kid kolp Renner, he's like a one man's own. They play fast, a really good passing team, sneaky defensive team.
So you know, maybe he just is that confident, But it's almost as if he doesn't even really think there's any reason to play the game between Creighton and Louisville. And I don't think anybody's out of line to think that Creyton can win this game. I mean, trust me, I won't be shocked if Creighton wins. And you know, I'm sure there are endless scenarios that could give you
that result. But it's just because I think these teams are pretty evenly matched for the most part, and it's just going to come down to who plays better, who makes more shots that coming. You know, I'd be really shocked if this thing is ugly one way or the other. Wouldn't you agree? Austin like this to me, he just doesn't feel like a game that's gonna get that's gonna get out of hand on either side, and and you know, I would hope that it does get out of hand
and it's Louisville on the right side of that. But you know, I don't, I don't really, I never really embrace the it's us against the world because I just don't believe that that that Louisville is on the minds of so many people to where they're just plotting for our downfall, you know what I mean.
Like, I just don't. I don't.
I don't think we and I don't want to say that it's because we're irrelevant. It's just that I don't think a lot of people are wired that way. Like I don't think that anybody is out there thinking about how they hope the worst for Louisville and they're going to conspire to screw Louisville over I just because I just don't think that's how a lot of people are. But again, maybe I'm giving people a bed fitted out. Maybe I'm too naive when it comes to that kind
of stuff. But your rival is different. That's that's a whole totally different thing. But it has been to me, it has been pretty clear with certain people that really don't like our fan base because we let them know we were listening when you said nonsensical things about our program, our fan base. In Kenny Payne burning into the ground right like Corey Alexander in the ACC tournament was unbelievable, Like I I mean, I get the hate now.
Yeah.
Like so, he I think did about as good of a job as I thought he could do when it comes to just coming back to Louisville and doing a game knowing that like he was the one that it all opportunity would tell Louisville fans they were the problem,
not Kenny. Kenny deserved it better another year. I mean, even in Kenny's last game, whenever they were losing in the ACC tournaments n C State, as the clock's running out and the game's over, he used that airtime, which is really not what he's supposed to do, at least I don't think he is. I don't think his employer wants him out there using the platform to advocate for
coaches to keep their jobs. But he did that. And like even Beheim, who didn't want to pile on Beajem is just you know, probably ready to get the you know, the day of shame games over with. He was like, yeah, but you gotta win games. I mean, and you know which is true. You have to be We don't need to get into the whole kpire as far as like what would have needed to happen for him to stay. But Corey, you know he not only was he clearly
wrong about everything he said about Kenny. Here we are proving him right in a major way in letting him know about it. I mean, I don't know how often he's on Twitter, and often he checks his mentions, but when Louisville was rolling and really all year, I don't think it was something Louisville fans did every day.
But like he's probably the first guy that.
Came to mind for certain folks whenever you thought, okay, you remember these clowns that told us that we were the problem and that like Kenny was a good coach and we needed to just get him time like this, you know, not only did we know they're wrong, now we have the proof and we can shove it and rub it in their face so understandably, So like he's gonna feel like Louisville fans are lunatics instead of just having some realization that you know, what you said was
crazy and really I mean irresponsible to use platform and act like Louisville fans are going to keep Kenny Payne from getting recruits because we're upset that the team sucks. Ass Like, No, Louisville wasn't gonna get recruits because Kenny and his staff weren't even recruiting. Even if they were, who's would to come and play for a guy that showed in two years he was the worst coach of
all time. So I think when he came back to do a game, instead of acknowledging any of that, he just talked up Louisville, talked up Pat Kelsey, and you know, he was a pro about it. That was I believe the way Forest game was the first time he came back.
But in the ACC tournament, you could just tell because of you know, the blowback that he got from Louisville fans for just his ascid on takes and just how much we're gonna let you know, we remember he doesn't like us, and it's the human element that is uncontrollable at times. I don't think he has any issue with Pat Kelsey. I don't think he has any issue with Louisville players, but he hates Louisville because of the way we let him know he was wrong, and he you know,
he needs to take his medicine. So to hear him in both the Clemson game and the Duke game, you know, not be able to like he he didn't come up for air, just out just just gagging on Clemson and and and Duke the whole time, and then losing his mind about the foul call That wasn't a foul in the Clemson game. Now, to be fair to him, it did look like a foul in real time. The replay showed that it was very well exit. And by the way,
we haven't talked about the ship. It's probably not relevant, but there's no way that that wasn't a strategized design sure to where they had the big fella Shifflin push tray Ora into Was it was it Edwards?
Whoever?
It was?
Yes, that that that you know, and there was no contact I mean the push into him by Shefflin or was it no, No, Hunter was the guy that took it up. Okay, but there was a play. I mean, go back and look at it. He went up in the air, clearly tried to sell that he got there was a sniper in the nosebleeds that took him out that net I mean, I mean, I don't know how you.
Put your neck back like that, to be honest.
But before that or as he's going into the air, Trey Oray jumps to be kind of you know, rim protector, you know, around the rim because he's got good link like that, and Clemson pushes him in the back, And I honestly, what't a bad idea about Brad brown Well to push your guy into his guy, who then forces the defender on Hunter to commit a foul and Guible
didn't foul him. But he's so bad even if it was a bad call, like Heapke came unglued as if he was the Clemson coach upset about a call that you know might have cost him a game.
So you know, it's it's just part of Like again, I I'm the.
Reason I bringing all this up is because I'm now kind of getting into embracing it a little bit more. Not because I really think people are out there losing sleep thinking about Louisville, but like, yeah, when you're we are the fan base that that keeps receipts, pays attention, we know what We're not dumb. You can't fool us and tell us we're the problem. So I think it's just gonna be like that with Corey Alexander for a long time. And I'll give you an example. Some of
you guys may not remember. It's kind of faded since then because it's been so long. You remember, Kirk Curve Street let us know that Florida wasn't interested in the Sugar Bowl.
Oh how long.
We let him know about that? We don't forget around here. And I kind of love that about us, among many other things. All right, quick break, five o'clock hours next, keep you locked right here on Sports Talk seven ninety