It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
Holy crap, I don't know who the hell we think when we.
Are get off our show, idiot.
The kids are crying or turning off, crying. The countries are screwing it up.
Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, gold Play Inner Murals.
They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really not.
Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here?
Are you kidding me?
Now? Here's Nick Coffee?
All right, let's get the good Friday started here. What a beautiful, beautiful day. It is Coffee and Company. That's the name of the show. We are fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety Nick Coffee. That's me Austin Montgomery alongside. He's also known as the Tribal Chief. And I'm happy to be here. I say that every day and I mean it pretty much every day, So I'm happy to be here. This is always fun. But man,
I want to be outside right now. I mean, I wish we could just like pick up all this stuff and just take it outside and do the show there. I mean, that's not realistic, and we probably have some you know, some noise issues, because you know, downtown Louisville's a pretty noisy place, just with you know, the hustle and bustle. But what a beautiful day. I'm not going to complain. It's warm, like it's it's kind of humid.
I think the high's like seventy nine or eighty. But it's beautiful, and we're going to get the weekend started. I mean, I feel like once the show starts at three o'clock on a Friday, that's kind of I mean, like that that's the weekend we're here. I mean not really, but just you know, imagine that the weekend started, get the vibes going early. At least it is Friday.
Didn't have to get confused by it, It's right, I mean, in fact, oh, how did that feel?
I'm looking I'm looking at it. It's like, you know, I got the natural joy that comes with a Friday today and then yesterday, like it wasn't real. But you know I didn't know that, you know, for about five hours, I'm like, here we go Fridays. So it was a punch to the gut, a real letdown. But all in all, I mean, if you really just you know, if you live in your own world, convince yourself of things and just live life and believe you know whatever you want.
And by the way, there's a lot of people to do that, a lot of delusional people that live in their own world that are not with us in reality. That was me yesterday thinking that it was in fact Friday, but it was not. But today it is Good Friday. We've got Easter Sunday coming up. And do you when you were in school and you grew up in Arizona, right, like all of your schooling was Arizona. Rists So do you remember or do you know if you ever got
a day off school because of Good Friday? No? I didn't, Okay, So this is I think this speaks to guess our age. But my group text that I've referenced from time to time, it's about thirteen guys that I've known for some of them more than thirty years, some not quite as much. But we all kind of grew up together. And it started with a group chat that we created for our fantasy football and then it became like a con instant thing.
Whenever we were all in quarantine because the pandemic happened, and you know every day there's some good back and forth and it's it's you know, it's it's it's uh. I turned the notifications off for because if if you know, there's times where if I don't if I have, and I think they all do to be honest with you. But anyways, last night we were going back and forth because one of my buddies, Dave, he's of the belief that we used to get out of school for Good Friday,
and I don't think we did. And I don't really know if that's ever been a thing. And I'm you know, I'm I'm I'm a big Easter guy. You know, I just uh, Good Friday. I don't think it's ever been a holiday to the to the I mean, honestly, I know what it is, like I hear people talk about it, but I don't mean is it a holiday like it is, but it's not right like when you when you like it's one of those holidays like where would you rank it as far as like because it's not Halloween, even
like it's certainly not like Halloween. You don't get out of school right like holidays that don't require school closure, or like businesses maybe business like that's a broad thing business, but I mean like office work, right, Like there's certain places like on President's Day or Martin Luther King Junior Day, those kind of holidays to where a lot of companies will close down. But if you're in like retail business, restaurant, like,
you know, you'd be foolish not to be open. So anyways, happy Good Friday everybody, the Holy Day as we get the weekend started. Can you believe Derby is like almost here? I know, I mean crazy two weeks away, I know, and I know I'm not the only one that has said that. In fact, that's what's led me to realize, you guys are right, like, it is crazy that Derby's
almost here because it's sneaking up on us. But a lot of folks that I've talked to, they claim that the reason it's just it's it's hitting us out of nowhere here we go, is because we didn't have thunder over Louisville. Yes, that's exactly yeah, And I guess that. I mean, that makes sense for a lot of people. But I'm you know, thunder to me is like if we just didn't we randomly didn't have thunder, which we did this year, and it wasn't random. It's because of
the flooding and whatnot. But I mean, I it's not my but I understand how big of a deal it is, and it was an awful situation to where we couldn't have it here locally because that impacts businesses and there's so many people that come to Louisville for that that aren't from here, which is great obviously for the economy. But you know, for me, I feel like it's sneaking up. But I don't know if it's because for me, my my perspective only, I don't feel like it's because of
not having thunder. But anyway, speaking of thunder, we didn't have it because obviously at that point that it stopped raining. But man, it was a mess down there on the waterfront. And obviously the waters is is, you know, not what it was a week ago, which is good. But for like the chow wagon and stuff like the Great Lawn, is that not a mud pit? I mean, because are
that this year? They haven't said anything about making any change yet, Okay, but there are some events that I know that that are that are supposed to be a part of uh. The is it called the chow wagon. Yes, it's a chow Yeah. Well I know I know what the chowan is when you call it, because there's like a certain amount of days where it's there, and I've always just called it the chow wagon. But for some reason, I feel like it's it's there's a Herby festival branding
name that I'm just blanking on. But anyways, Uh, there's there's a couple of like you know, yeah, I couldn't couldn't figure out what it is. But like OVW Wrestling, they're doing a show at the waterfront, which they did last year during during during the chow Wagon. Uh, and
and the plan is to still do it. But I think it's I mean, it kind of seems like it's in limbo as far as like I don't think they're going to cancel it by any means, but they may have to make some adjustments to where like not everybody is just near what I imagine, it's just a bunch of mud. I mean that that's one of the things about flooding that I never really thought about until the recent flooding that's happened where and it's not just when the water goes down, I mean it's once it goes down.
I mean, all that gunk and just nastiness, just lingers, and you know it doesn't just go away. You have to you have to clean it up. Which I know that's been a big, a big thing here in Louisville the last week or so with Mayor Greenberg and and all the resources he's trying to get together to try to get this place cleaned up. I mean, obviously you need to do that in general, but you also kind of need to do it because you know, you want Louisville to be looking as good as possible because it's
our time to shine. Derby Week is here, Derby Season is here, so you know, I hope it's not something that where they have to make a bunch of big changes to uh to the chow wagon and whatnot, because that's actually I can't really tell you why, but like that's one of my favorite things about Derby season. You know, I don't go to any of the big fancy Derby parties or anything like that, although I would love to
go if I get an invite to one. I'm just you know, I'm not that important, not that special, and I'm poor. So like ones where you got to buy big tickets, like I can't afford that. But anyways, for me, there's two events that kind of you know, I think I think of Derby Festival season and know that here we go, we're about to have the you know, the run for the Roses, and one of them no longer exist, which I'll get to that in a second. But one of the other one is the chow Wagon just being there,
you know, getting getting you drinking some beer. They usually got concerts going on. They got all like the fair the fair type food, right, I mean, that's that's the good stuff. So I would hope that it goes off without a hitch. But ok action, yeah, A foot long corn dog funnel cake, yes, baby, a lot. I felt like a lot of like the State Fair type of food that is pretty exotic, if you will, Like you see that at the show wagon, and and it just I mean, I was, you know, I love Louisville, you
guys know that. But a lot of times downtown Louisville by the water, especially like if we've gone in a drought where we haven't had rain, doesn't smell great. But when you've got all those food options there, all within feet of each other it smells like one of the best things I've ever smelled in my life. And well, I want to make this more of a bigger conversation later on in the show. But my favorite Derby event ever just it no longer exists and it makes me really,
really sad. And that was the Kentucky Derby Festival Classic and I assume most people listening know what that is. But it was like our version of the McDonald's All American Game, and at one time it was the event. Oh they don't do that anymore. Yeah, so it just disappeared. You didn't realize it, did you. I did not realize it. I think the last year might have been like twenty seventeen,
and I don't I really don't know why it. Well, it became much harder to bring in the bigger name type of players to where like if you want, you got to sell tickets, right, I mean, that's part of it, and if you've got and there used to be a stupid rule like where you could only play in two of those kinds of things. So you had the Jordan brand game and you had the McDonald American Game obviously, which has been around forever. And that's the cream of
the crop. But now you've got like you've got other I feel like there's one I'm blanking on that's actually it's probably third in line outside of McDonald's and then the Jordan Brand Classic. So when you could only pick two as a big time recruit, if you got offered to go to jordan Brand or McDonald's, you weren't coming to the Derby Classics. So that put him in a
tough spot to an extent. So therefore they just didn't have the highest caliber players they used to get, and that of course was a factor, and it not selling tickets the way that they used to sell it, So you know, I think it was a budgetary thing when they decided to get rid of it. But I mean I remember thinking, like, they're just going to get rid of it and like not like I mean, it just kind of went away. Like I don't think there was
a formal like announcement. Maybe they don't need that. But I went to that thing from the time I was like five or six years old until the time it didn't exist anymore. I never missed one from like five years old to whenever the last one was, So I went from going to it as a kid getting autographs and just being you know, super excited to just you know, I when I was really young, I didn't know who some of the players were, but you know, obviously it
looked like NBA players to me whenever I'm a little kid. Goodness, gracious, we had somebody working on that damn bathroom again. Good God. I don't know if that came across the air. I'm sure it did to an extent. It sounded like somebody just let out like a five minute long fart. But somebody's drilling next to us. They've been working on this bathroom for way too long. I mean, I'm not a contractor. I don't I wouldn't be able to assist them in any way to speed up the process.
Us.
You guys, hear that like you have.
It's vibrating my brain. It's still going out. How long had they been doing You just.
Missed the whole conversation because you're on the phone. Yes, but but yes, I just I said, I don't know, I would not be able to assist them to speed up the process. But I have a feeling they're not moving at a pace that you know, most contractors would like. It's just been a never ending like I mean, no, it's been a month at least, maybe even maybe in the bathroom. And by the way, the bathroom's tiny.
And remember I think it's probably like two weeks ago where I came in and I got a glimpse in the bathroom when I was walking in, and everything looks brand new, And I had thought that they were close to done, because I'm like, you could tell new tile, you could tell a new floor, like from the from the little sliver that like from when you're walking in through our garage and you could see right there on a way to our office. You can without directly walking
in there, you could tell everything's new. So like, as I'm looking in there, I'm like, are they shouldn't be that much far off? But now now it sounds like they're just like like how it.
Was day one.
For those are the initial day that you weren't here and you heard the banging and the drilling.
It's been like that all day. Oh today, so today's been a big day. Okay, first time I've heard it, so today, meaning so for those who don't know what we're talking about, we are here at four Street Live, and the bathroom that is like the public bathroom for
the facility. Here we have our own restrooms here in our iHeart office, but there's bathrooms on each level, the ground level and then the level that we're on, which is upstairs, and the bathrooms are tiny and they've been renovating them forever and then out of note like where I am in this studio, quite literally, it has to be like a paper thin wall because I mean I can hear. It doesn't come across the air, and if
I'm yapping, I don't hear. But like if it's quiet during the break and they're in there working, I can hear their conversations. Not I mean I can't pick up on what they're saying, but like it just seems like
it's taking here chatter. Yeah, it's taking them a really long time, and it's directly next to me and I it's not the end of the world, but it whenever the banging is annoying, but whenever there's like a drill like whatever that was, that just makes me completely lose my train of thought because I'm like, you know, it's just not normal. So anyways, we'll get through, it'll be okay. But back to the Derby classic when they got rid of it. It was you know, it was real sad, and
I wish it would come back. I don't think they they're going to bring it back. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if moving forward, you see maybe some other of the not as popular, not as known Derby events just kind of just kind of go away. But I feel like that was, like, that was an awesome event and it was for a long time. But I guess the cost of putting it on and relying on volunteers to not be paid to do it, but you know, just utilize Kentucky Derby Festival funding to travel and recruit
players to play in it. I mean, it was it was special to me. But I will say now that i'm reflecting on it, when I got old enough and you know, I started a career in doing this and I was able to actually cover it from a media perspective one that was awesome. But also the tendance did kind of like imer, the attendance was nowhere near what it was when I went when I was a kid.
So yeah, I bet there's others just like you, Austin that kind of because it did fade in relevance as it was as it was dying, I guess, and I bet it went away, and like I brought it up, and I bet there's others out there right now they're like, oh, yeah, they haven't had that in a while. Have they been a long time? So if they bring it back, I
would do anything to help them in any way. I don't know what I could do specifically, but you know, promoting it and you know it was and we are the market to where like that that event Kentucky, every festival classic basketball event that you know is now dead because we are in Louisville, of course, a college basketball market that is like no other. We have three programs. Really, I mean they were. It was at its best when they were able to get recruits that had committed to Louisville,
Kentucky and Indiana. And there were years where they had a good mix of that and it was I mean,
it was. It was very very well attended. They would do the the Night of the Future Stars event, which was the Friday event where they have like the initial stages of the three point shootout and the dunk contest, and then they do like a two on two tournament and the next day they actually have the game and then they do the finals of three point shootout in the dunk contest at halftime, and it went from being at the game itself, was at Freedom Hall for a
little while, then it went to the Center, and then there was a rule change in the NCAA where you couldn't host those kind of events in your own arena, and then it went back to I believe it went back to Freedom Hall, and yeah, just went away, and it makes me sad. All Right, the rest of the way here today, we're gonna we're gonna have some fun. It's a Friday. Friday gives me the feeling to where I can just go in directions that maybe you know I wouldn't go on a Monday or Tuesday. And you
know that's exciting to me. So we need to talk a little more about Tyler Shuck because the love fest for one Tyler Shuck is awesome to see. I believe it's legit. But sometimes when guys end up getting is completely gassed up like this this close to the draft, you know you wonder like, is it a smoke screen? I don't believe that it is. But there's some sound I want you guys to hear from a former Louisville
quarterback Jay Gruden, who now does the media stuff. He was talking about Shuck and he believes that it's gonna be cam Ward Shadoor Sanders and then Tyler Shuck. He thinks he's gonna be the third quarterback taken. He's gonna be taking head of Jackson Dart and there's a chance he could be a first round quarterback because it'd be a shocker to me if there's not three quarterbacks taken in the first round. And yes, I know this quarterback
class is not believed to be great. That's one of the reasons why Shuck's been able to emerge as such a you know, intriguing prospect in the eyes of a lot of these you know, NFL executives. But the NFL is desperate to find the next big quarterback, right, And sometimes there's a guy that's got all the hype, all the praise, and they're like, man, if he's there at eight,
we're taking him. And then sometimes they overthinking and like, man, we're so desperate to find a guy, they're gonna start convincing themselves that they have found that di'mond in the rough that like not everybody realizes just how good they are. So but look, Louisville is already believed to be and they are I say believe to be. I mean, it's if you go out there and look up. I think ESPN has done one, twenty four seven Sports has done one.
But like the quarterback, you wide receiver, you schools that have had the best success at putting certain positions in the NFL for good careers. Louisville's not one or two, but they're in the conversation, and they really have been for a long time, like even before Lamar. But if if our man Shuck ends up getting drafted pretty early, and even if he doesn't, but he ends up having a pretty good career, like that are really I mean, it's just another one of the good quarterbacks we've had.
And Chuck certainly isn't going to be Lamar Jackson. Nobody's going to be. And I'm not even sure where he would rank among louisvill quarterbacks because he only played here one year. But we've been pretty lucky with quarterbacks, even in years where Louisville is not great and like they've got some issues, it usually isn't quarterback play. I mean, when I think, actually, well, let's this, let's make this a conversation. But I'm gonna have to dress it up
to not make it sound so negative. But you know, in the last twenty years, like who are the worst starting quarterbacks that Louisville's ever had? Because I asked the question because I feel like even the guys that you would say would probably be in that bottom tier, Like I don't think they were terrible by any means. And there's all I mean. I watched a lot of college football.
There's a lot of teams that have terrible quarterbacks. So anyways, if you've got some thoughts on at Austin, I think you kind of do save it for later because I want to make that a segment. So anyways, we'll mix it up today. I hope you guys will stick around, and I hope you guys will join us on the show. A lot of ways for you to contribute your best bet is the text into the L and N Federal Credit Union text line of five O two four three eight ninety seventy three again five oh two four three
eight ninety seventy three. Questions, complaints, compliments, insults, whatever you've got, feel free to send them our way. You can give us a call to five oh two, five seven to one. Seventy nine hundred phone lines are now open, so feel free to give us a call and uh, hang out. It's beautiful outside. It's Friday. If you're out, if you're enjoying this weather while listening, maybe you know, with the
old fashioned radio dial. I mean, I feel like people are listening to the show live that aren't in their car. They're listening on the Iheard app which is the way you should. So if you're outside enjoying yourself, I'm jealous. Crack a beer for me or two or ten. It's coffee and Company. We're fuel about Thorton's right here on Sports Talks seven to ninety.
Now back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
I should have known better. I don't know why. I just assumed that a lot of a big movement in the portal had already happened. But in the last couple of days, really yesterday, I mean, it was a wild day as far as players deciding they were I mean, it's almost like there's players that had decided to come back and then they decided well, actually no, I'm not going to. I mean, that's exactly what happened with Chad
Baker Mazara. But we now have a player that hit the portl yesterday that is the number two player in in the portal overall, just behind the Lindenborg big man from UAB that committed to Michigan, which I happen to think he'll probably not end up there. I think he's gonna get good reviews in the I think we'll go pro.
But it's wild that we're here now that if you are viewed as somebody that's going to be taken late in the first or early in the second, you're gonna make more money if you come back to school, if you play for one of these schools that's throwing big money around. I mean, that's how quickly this has exploded. They're finding money to pay these players to where it
would be financially not irresponsible. But I mean, there's no reason for you to go ahead and jump to the NBA whenever you will literally make less money on your initial You can be a rookie in the NBA with a first round contract and make less money than you will at certain schools. If you're getting like the JT. Topping I think is his name, the kid who came back, Kidy, he's grown ass man, came back from Texas Tech, had a really good year. I think it was a first
team All American. He decided to come back, and his deal is apparently worth a little bit over three million. Texas Tech of course has that oil money and his great like his he graded out in the I think it was Jonathan Jevoni's NBA draft evaluation said that he's a late first rounder and quite literally in his first season he would make less money than in the NBA somehow than he would make as I mean, that's just again,
you got. The NBA rookie contract is absolutely a I mean it's a multi year thing, and overall the contract itself is paying more. But in just the one year, like your base pay for the nil that you're getting is going to be more than what you would make in your first year playing NBA basketball, which is a crazy thing to think about. And I mean I don't have any complaints. I mean, you know, I still believe that this is all good news. This is all I
mean this. I think college basketball, more than any sport, has benefit from this new world. I say that knowing maybe it's just me loving college basketball and you just being super positive about the sport as best I can because I love it. Maybe there's part of that as to why I'm saying this, But again, you just have
better like the products. Better players now play college basketball a lot longer than they used to because they can make money, and teams can be really down and then quickly flip it around because you can go, if you've got resources, you can go build a team. And in football, yes, it's the same, but there's so many more pieces to a football program to where I mean if you're having to really start off, and you also need way more
depth than football too. I mean, if you get seven eight really good players and they stay healthy, you might run into an issue like Louisville did. I think this year at times where they were just man, they were gassed, like they became really you could just tell they were winded. And I don't think it's because they were in terrible shape. I mean, these a lot of these guys that Louisville relied on this year, most of them actually were playing nearly the whole game at times. Not everybody, but a
lot of them that were in the rotation. So but if you have seven eight guys, I mean that's all you really need. I mean you don't even need eight. You've got like six that are playing a good chunk and you've got a seventh and eighth man that they're getting twelve to fifteen and sometimes they may play more because of foul trouble or whatever, and they're not like a huge liability, Like you can still have a lot
of success. I Depth is valuable whenever it's needed, but depth is not needed if things are going great and you have a good team. Like I hesitate to say that depth is overrated in basketball, because again it's a good thing to have, especially if you know something goes wrong with an injury or foul trouble, that kind of stuff. But if you have six to seven and you know they're in great shape and they stay healthy, which is hard to do now for you to have a whole
season where nobody gets hurt. But yeah, college basketball I think is much better for in this new world. But I'm sure there's other to disagree, and that's okay. We can have a difference of opinion. Now, this is a good text that comes in and I don't have the answer for you. And I'm not even really like I can't even I mean, I don't even. I think there are players out here that are gonna try whatever they
can to get extra years. So the text comes in says, how the hell are all of these guys that have played five years still entering the portal ineligible? Well, they're not. There are guys that aren't eligible that are entering the portal that obviously you know, they're just hoping that they get a waiver. And the nce double A does not give you any answers in any way consistently. As far as the timing of it, I mean, they'll do it whenever. Could take a year to get an answer on something.
I mean, Louisville waited different situation, It wasn't about eligibility, but like they'll looking back the amount of time it took to conclude Louisville's n CUAA situation, it's criminal. I mean that's an exaggeration, but I mean there is no scenario anyone could give me where it took that long. And really the waiting that was the punishment, the amount of time, like Lilia didn't get an added postseason ban.
They didn't. I mean when it played out, little didn't get anything, but they did because they just set for years. And the reason you were even in a situation where you had to hire a Kenny Payne is because of just how long it took. So if you are recruiting players in the portal that are waiting to get a waiver, you gotta be careful because why you can't put resources and time into somebody that you know it's a fifty to fifty shot if they're even going to be able
to play. I mean the big fellow from Charleston who's suing the NC douablea. I haven't heard any update on that, but he, you know, he claimed that he's able to make a million dollars if he gets eligible, and the NCAA is restricting him and his Division two season couldn't count. Well, he's a good player. He make any team better, and he has apparently a lot of options as far as schools that are interested in him, and I think it's Clemson that's reportedly the school that is willing to he can.
You know he can, he's able to play. They're gonna give a million dollars and good for him, but like, if you're Clemson, you know, sit around and just hope and if he doesn't get eligible, you wasted time and there may not be that many guys available, So it's uh,
it's it's wild. And the person who sent that text and sending a screenshot from a Rain Smith tweet where he he let me see what Rain said here, because why don't I mean, just force the NC double A to like say no, you can't do that, Like just bring Rain Smith back and wait until they tell us like you can't do it, and then when they tell you that you can't, maybe do it anyway and just see what they do. I mean, I'm joking, but like instab a has never had less power, it seems. But yeah,
Rain tweeted this earlier today. Is there an extra year of eligibility I'm missing out on? How are these dudes in the portal? And then Trulli Donovan, I'm sure he was just you know, playing the character that is, you know, this synonymous guy who breaks all these big stories in college basketball. But you know he, I guess was cracking jokes on some of these guys that are entering the portal quite literally knowing that like there's what what like Dane Danger I think is the guy's name. He's been
in a lot. I mean, he's he's played five years, I think it is, and he just finished up like he has not to my knowledge, he has no like legitimate reason. And it's not like I followed it closely, but I did read as Memphis commercial appeal article about how he's he's he's entered the portal and yet like nobody knows what claim he's gonna try to make that he could still be eligible. He's like, there's no like, there's no medical red shirt. There's no I mean there's nothing.
Like he's played every he's played five years, and yet he's like yeah, it's almost like he wanted to do it to see if anybody noticed, which they're gonna clearly they're gonna notice, because they're gonna maybe want you on their team, but like if you were, like if you're Louisville, like Dane Danger is the kind of guy that I think actually could be the beefy physical presence in the post that I think that they're gonna you know that
I that I think they could add. I don't know if they need it desperately because actually thinks Sonny is going to be a bigger physical presence than people realize. But either way, like if you could get Dann danger and he's eligible and like you could make it work, Like to me, he'd be a really good piece just because of what he brings that you don't have, which is just a big physical presence. And he's also pretty good.
He averaged fourteen and a half seven and a half rebounds last year at Memphis, all a AC first team. But you can't like put resources and time into recruiting this guy until you know he can play, right, I mean, I wouldn't so for Kentucky. I mean I'm not making the jokes that other people are making because I know if I really thought Kentucky was in trouble because of these misses they've had in the portal, then you know,
I would say that. But I think Mark Pope's a good enough coach to or he'll have enough pieces to work with. And I don't know if they're going to be as good as they were this past year, but like they've missed on guys, and they've also got guys that I think can probably have success. I mean, like Lowe isn't a type of guard that I think would be great for Mark Pope offense. But he's a talented player, and Hoope's a good enough coach I think to realize how to make it work with that guy, it's by
him being a little bit different. I mean, oh take away, he's not in the portal right now, and he's not going to be. I think his his announcement recently was he's going to test the waters and then you know, keep his eligibility if he doesn't get great feedback from the NBA. So, like, here's something I can't believe. I'm doing this to like make Kentucky fans feel more optimistic about their team. Here's what you could you should consider. He's a guy that if he comes back to college,
he's coming back to Kentucky. It certainly seems oh take away that is, but if he did hit the portal, he would probably be a top five player and you already have it. So sometimes the biggest gets are the guys you already have because they're coming back and they're not going to the portal or they're not going to the NBA. So anyways, with Kentucky, they like they have missed out on guys, and that's I talked about it last week, and you know, I still stand by this.
I think some of the some of the additions that Pope has made, it would be a stretch to say that it reeks of desperation. But when he went after Dent from New Mexico didn't get him, went after Yax Lindenborg from UAB, didn't get him, And then the guys to take those spots are Jalen Low and Jaden Quaintans, who by the way, are good pickups, but they're different players,
really on different planets as far as their styles. So that kind of tell I mean, I shouldn't say it reeks of desperation, But like your plan seems to have shifted, right because you wanted a veteran, you wanted two veterans that are elite, grown ass men that have proven to be really good at this level of college basketball, and then you got Jalen Low, who is nowhere near the kind of guard you typically bring in, and obviously Quaintance to me is still a raw prospect that like you know,
he's probably a ten and eight guy, which isn't bad. That's a good I mean, that's a lot of teams would like to have a guy like that, but he he is still ranked as a top fifteen prospect in the portal based off of what he did in high school as far as a prospect, and because there's a lot of upside and oh, by the way, he just had surgery on his ACL to where like you don't even really know when he's gonna be able to play.
So anyways, but back to the Kentucky situation, they missed on those guys that I just reference, But then you've got guys in the portal like PJ. Haggerty at Memphis who is the number two player in the portal now was a first team All American and I don't know
where he's gonna end up. I haven't even seen a list of schools, But like, if Kentucky gets in the mix for him and they get him, that'll play out to where they actually benefited from whiffing as people are saying, because you can't go wrong with Donovan Dent, but technically Haggarty is just as good, if not better, right, So for Louisville, you know, a couple of people have sent this question in on the text line this week, different wording,
but I think essentially some question is that, you know, because there's not been any new players out there as far as at least that I've seen, as far as names that you know, Louisville is really pursuing and wants to add. And it's because in the back court, I feel like they've pretty much I think they pretty much you know, got that squared away. I still think the two pieces for me are I would love to see
them add another physical presence. I mentioned Dane Danger, like you know, I doubt he'd be eligible to play, but if there's a world where Louisville gets involved and they get him, I think it'd be huge. And then another another point guard. Now I'm starting to kind of shift on that a little bit because the reviews and everything you we're hearing about mkil Brown right now is that
he's he might. You know, again, it's really rare this day and age that a true freshman can come in and really impact your program and be one of the better players in the sport. That's really rare now. But it's got to be one of the elite of the elites if they're going to do it well. Last I checked, this guy keeps getting more and more praise to where he I mean, he's viewed to be one of the
best guards entering college basketball next year. Therefore, if that plays out, not to say he's gonna be like an All American, but like you know, he's gonna run the show. It's gonna be his. He's gonna be driving driving the boat, if you know what I mean. Now, with that said, you still need to backup point guard. And maybe Kobe Rodgers could be that. We don't know because we haven't
seen him play. But I still think like finding a veteran point guard, like even if it's somebody that doesn't have gaudy numbers or anything like that, but they've been like maybe they've been a backup point guard elsewhere. I mean, if that's the case, then they're in the port. I would imagine they're probably going to try to find a role where they're not a backup and they can actually be a starter and kind of have a more significant role.
But maybe a starter that's been productive and successful, but it's been at the mid major even lower than that. I mean, hell, go get a D two guy, because again, this is where it get it gets tricky. You have a need but and it's an important need, but the role's not substantial. That makes sense, right, Like the best example I can give you was when Louisville was adding their last piece a year ago. It was Frank ancelom Ib and he was kind of exactly who I think
realistically would take that spot, right. He's been a kind of a journeyman, backup guy. It didn't get a lot of minutes, and Louisville had to sell him like, look, we probably want you to have the same kind of role here, but we can give you this in a all money and you know, take it or leave it? Do you want to come here? We value you and you you'll earn what you get. But obviously you know we can't sell you that you're going to be the
focal point of our front court. And you know, those those are tough guys to get because yes, you need those kind of depth, those kind of pieces, guys that know their role and and really embrace it. But a lot of guys in the portal are leaving because they don't want that kind of role, you know what I mean. So those are you know, That's where I think it gets a little harder in the portal, and it's not as big as getting you know, your core foundation that's
going to be a huge part of your team. But in any like, for example, when it comes to I guess the timing of it wouldn't. I was going to give an example because you know you had Case and Pryor get hurt. Well, thank god you had Jevon Hadley right now. Javon Hadley actually committed before Case and prior. But still, you know, like and those guys could have played together. So maybe last year with Louis's injuries, there's not a great example because you know, with Cora and
getting hurt. Terrence Edwards was always going to be a part of the team and be a factor because he was, I mean, one of your big gets in the portal. But you just were lucky that he was able to actually play back up point guard for you when he had to, and he was pretty successful at it when he had to towards the end of the season. All Right, some other names in the portal that that you know
just entered. We talked about Baker Mazara from Auburn. He's available, and uh, I haven't seen any I mean again, I probably should have gone looking considering him such a big talking point yesterday on the show. But I haven't seen anything as far as what schools he's going after. But he'll have options, he will, And again, to my knowledge,
the Louisvill stuff is still just purely speculation. But I think case In Pryor posted something yesterday after Baker Mazar entered the Portal, which again just had more and more folks saying, Hey, this, this could happen. Now. I'm glad somebody in the text line dis mentioned this, which, by the way, it's the Ellen and Federal credit. You need text Len five oh two four three eight ninety seventy three and you can give us a call if you want five oh two five to seven one seventy nine hundred.
But yeah, I don't think it's come up on the show, but I have seen it. I just don't think it's you know, I'd be shocked if this guy ends up at Louisville. But Jamiir Watkins is a Florida State transfer coming off of a really really good year. I mean, Florida State obviously wasn't great, and that's why they made the move that they did. But he hit the Portal after a successful season. Statistically, he I think he was
first team All ACC average eighteen points, five rebounds. He's a six to seven wing, and Louisville has been listed by Louisville is listed as one of the schools that is that is uh, that's in the mix for him. And look, if you could get him, great, he's a good player. And if they sell him on a role that he's willing to embrace and you know the money's right,
hell yeah, that would just give you more talent. But I don't really know, Like as far as a wing, I feel like you kind of have that already with both Hadley and Prior. Given that, I expect him to come back and then you can play I mean, if you look at like, I guess he's more of just a shooter than anything else. Clearly he's a perimeter a
perimeter player. But I mean, I don't know when people talk about positionless basketball, I think most people think of like, yeah, well he can play the four or the two, But really positionless basketball can also just be the fact that you've got three guys that played the perimeter and you know who the one is, but like two, three, and sometimes even four, Like it's just it's a mixed bag.
But I don't know, I'm maybe I'm thinking that Prior and and Hadley or more wings than they actually are, because you know, technically, I guess those guys are stretched fours, whereas Watkins is a true three. But yeah, I mean Isaac McNeely is is six four, one seventy like that can be your three man and maybe you wouldn't say he's a wing, but he's just a bigger guard like
you can have. I mean, did Louiville ever have like all, Yeah, I guess they did because Russ and Payton obviously were pretty pretty on the smaller side, and honestly it worked out perfect because both those guys could play point for you and both were really good at it. Like though they you basically had two point guards on the four at times, and then obviously Luke and Wayne were more of the wings. But conwell, he's I mean, he's a
combo guard at six four. So but yeah, if you ended up maybe again, he's listing many schools, louisvill being one of them. Like if louisll ended up adding him, he would be the highest rank guy they have and that would give them as far as the twenty four to seven Sports portal rankings. They would be uh, you know,
they'd have one of the best classes out there. All right, quick break, We'll come back on the other side and bring in the one and only mister Jeff Milby from a racing Louislle to talk a little footy, little soccer. So stick around right here on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety Now back to Coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
That's right, Coffee and Company are rolling along here on a beautiful, good Friday, and it is now time to bring in our friend the Uh. Actually, you're gonna have to bring him in because somebody messed with this I didn't I didn't do it this time. Somebody messed with this boy. Okay, so that's no problem. That's a producer's job. There we go. It's Jeff Milby from Louisville City and
also racing Louisville. You know, kind of the same thing. Jeff, How we doing, brother, I got a start with this man. Take me back to when you found out the sad news that, of course, you know, Thunder got canceled. Had to be you know, I know you guys weren't alone. A lot of a lot of folks. That's a big day for a lot of people around here, and you know, mother nature got in the way.
Yeah, you know, it was devastating. It was really truly devastating. We've been hyping this thing up for months, Racing Louisville Sun Girl over Louisville. Two things, two Louisville's.
Favorite things married together. But then thunder had to go away. It was not a great crowd last week, seven thousand plus. Obviously they were all disappointed not to be able to stick around for fireworks, and also disappointed by the result of the game. I'll say that too to nothing lost for Racing Louisville. But we appreciate the support from everybody in the community. We know it was a hard week for.
Folks around the city of Louisville with the floods, homes, businesses affected, and yet people still found time to come out for Racing Louisville FC, and we really appreciate.
Well, they can't keep you guys down long because here we've got tomorrow a big match up with the San Diego Wave FC, and we've got a big Easter egg hunt going on. Right.
Yeah, well, let me let me tell you this Nick, I'm glad you introduced me as your friend, because I'm coming on here so often. I'm starting to feel like your friend, and as your.
Friend, your fish within the show, I.
Know, I know, but as your friend, I feel like I can talk about a couple of your favorite things on Earth, right because I'm getting to know you so well. Number one and I an ice cold beer.
Absolutely, oh, absolutely right right, You're talking about language beer for the.
Low low price of two dollars at One Family Stadium not only tomorrow, but before every Racing Louisville and Loose Citting game. Hates open at one point thirty tomorrow up until kickoff. What's the catch, There's no catch. We want you to come and vibe in a few beers and then be loud and rowdy for the game. That's the whole gimmick.
That's right there.
Knock a few back, knock a few down, and then boo the heck out of San Diego and sheer the heck out of Racing Louisville when they score a couple of goals tomorrow. That's your first favorite thing, I was, you know, one of your favorite things. The other favorite things that I want to talk to you about I'm gonna ask you the question, all right, what is the best sporting event of the year. What is the best sporting event of the year.
For me personally?
NCAA twen For you personally, of course, it's the NCAA Tournament. Right You're you're from here, you know what this is my religion reads for I agree. The NCAA Tournament is pure magic. That first Thursday when there's three upsets all brewing at the same time you're flipping channels or you got the multiview on. It is absolutely magic. Well, soccer has its own version of the NCAA Tournament. Let me tell you about it. It's called the US Open Cup.
It's one hundred and ten years old. It has got history of plenty, and lou City is in it right now and they have an opportunity to play Cinderella. We love Cinderella. In March, I got a Cinderella for you here. In the month of April and maybe further into the season, lou City drew Minnesota United. They're a Major League Soccer team,
They're an MLS, they're the big boys. This US Open Cup tournament, it is open to everybody all the way down from MLS to the USL, the second divisions, the USL League One, which is the third division, all the way down to amateur teams. There's a restaurant in San Francisco that is a Mexican restaurant, and they submitted a team into this and they actually beat a pro team last week, Honterey Bay, which is in Low City's league. I'm dead serious. It's wonderful, it is amazing.
It is.
It is the most slept on sporting event in all of sports, because nobody knows what the hell it is. But I'm here to tell you, Nick, it is got the magic and the flavor of that NCAA tournament. It's spread out a little bit more over the course of the season, so it's not just a couple of great weekends. It's a few great weeks. But lou City's got the chance to pull off an upset against an MLS team, Minnesota United. They're coming on May seventh. That's a Tuesday.
I know everybody wants to say Tuesdays, nobody wants to get out and do anything.
I know better, man, Tay Saturday.
As last I heard, Man, I've been calling it Tuesday turn up for years and on the Tuesday turn up is on May seventh, Minnesota's coming to town, big money team. They got a coach who's a hot name in the game, thirty three years old. He's probably gonna be coaching like Manchester United one day. Right, he's a big deal at this stage in his career. And they're coming here and you know what, They're gonna get their ass kick. That's what's gonna happen on May seventh. I love it. You
want to be a part. If you want to be a part of Soccer's in Cuba tournament, show up when gates open for that game. Knock back a couple of those two dollars beers. You should do it tomorrow as well when Racing host San Diego and then cheer on LU City as they try and knock off an MLS team and pull off some some magic like in the NCO Double A tournament. And I'm telling you, it is so much fun. We're hoping to have that kind of
night and I know you're gonna be there. Man. I offered beer, offered the nc DOUBLEA tournament kind of atmosphere that a recipe for coffee or.
Right, you sold me, my man, And look I'll tell you this. I mean, when you're when you're speaking it into existence about what's gonna happen when they show up here. I mean, I can see just I'm visualizing Cinderella putting on the slipper, you know what I mean. It's it's it's gonna happen. They're gonna take They're gonna take out Glyde.
And it does build up for this because there's all kinds of reckless stuff being said about Louisville as it is in their own league, and nothing better than to humble a team from the MLS.
That's right, man, I've told you about racing Louisville in the NAUSL. Nobody likes Louisville in that league. Everybody thinks Louisvill's this little old town that nobody needs to pay attention to San Diego most of all. I mean, they got beaches in Sunshine. He thinks they're it out there. But they don't know nothing about what we got going on in Louisville. So we're gonna prove them wrong tomorrow with racing Louisville. But yeah, to your point about lou City,
these are the big boys. This is MLS. They think they're Major League. It's in the name of the damn league, right, major League, Socter, We're gonna prove them wrong. We're gonna show them that we have something major going on here in Louisville, Kentucky with Louisville City. On Tuesday, May seventh, it's the US Open Cup. It's gonna be a seven o'clock kickoff. Minnesota United comes to town. Got that two dollars halfy hour before the game. I'm telling you it
is the Tuesday turn up of all Tuesday turnups. You do not want to miss this Tuesday turn up coming up on May seventh.
I'm stealing that, guar get out. I'm gon I'm gonna have to say that every day that we have a show on a Tuesday, it's Coffee and Company and it's the Tuesday turn Up. I'm gonna have to just I mean, I'll lease it from you. I'll give proper credit. I know we don't need the least. We're friends, Okay, we work, we work together, partners, Yes, I get you know. I
like the way I like the way you're talking. All right, So with with with tomorrow's Easter Easter egg hunt that's going to be going on with the San Diego Wave FC coming in. What what what is your expectation for this this match up here. I know obviously you mentioned last week's result not being a great one against the Washington Spirit and the two oh loss. But is this a game where where where the club could bounce back? What type of challenge are you expecting to see from San Diego?
It is a It is a game where the club could bounce back. I'll tell you what. You're right to bring it back to the Easter egg hunt, of course, bring out the family on Eastern weekend. Maybe have a couple of cold ones yourself if you want, but the kids can enjoy themselves with an Easter egg on tomorrow. The Easter Bunny, I'm told is going to make an appearance. I know he's got a busy schedule this weekend, but he's going to be there, so it's worth your time.
But to years before the game, even Easter Buddies, I could pass that up.
I mean, come on, oh man, I mean I'm trying to slide him a couple when he shows up. I mean that's for sure. I mean he works so hard. I mean, this is his time to shine, right, now, no doubt, but on the on the field, on the field, this is the game. I'll be honest, I may sound critical of Racing. This game they got to win. This is a game they gotta win if they want to be a team that's gonna be in the playoff come
the end of the year. Last week, Washington's really good, man, They're gonna They're gonna be a contender for the title. They're got their legit championship level team in this league. The losing to nothing to them, Look, would you have wanted a better result, absolutely, but you'll you know, you understand it when the team is the quality of Washington comes in. San Diego is one of those teams that's either gonna take Racing Louisville spot in the playoffs or
Racing is gonna take their spot in the playoffs. This is a game that they have to win, especially at home. It is a game that they can win because San Diego blew up their team in the offseason. They had big stars on their team. They had Alex Morgan on their team. How much of a bigger star in women's socer and you get to that, get that, and they blew their team up in the offseason started from scratch,
started over. So it's one of these games where we're gonna find out what this Racing Louisville team is made of on Saturday at three o'clock at Lynn Family Stadium. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a must win, but it feels it's it's quacking like a duck, it's walking like a duck. It kind of feels like a duck in terms of the must win. So's see what happens tomorrow with Racing louisll. But you know what, regardless of the result, come out, bring the kids, Easter
egg hunt, two dollar beers. It's a good time. Hopefully the weather's nice. It's it's always a good time in Lyn Family Statium.
I'll tell you what. I don't know what Soccer Holdings is paying you, but it's not enough, Jeff, because I mean, if there's somebody that, I mean, you're you're the first person I've heard that can execute like this when it comes to telling people. I mean, I feel like everybody listening is like, damn, I've been missing out about having been going to Lynn Family Stadium and taking in on all the great soccer action and everything else that comes with it, with the Easter egg hunt of two dollars
beers before the game, so good stuff. We certainly appreciate you and looking forward to it.
And also but let me throw this out for the designated drivers among us, it is two dollars Pepsi products as well, So you have to be just knocking back to beers, but taking care of that's right, That's right. But I appreciate you Nick as always.
As your take care. That's Jeff Milby from Racing Louisville as well as lu CITYFC.
Man.
I love the passion, love the energy. Good stuff. So if you've not if you've not made arrangements yet, made plans, get out there tomorrow, take the kids. They're gonna have the Easter egg hunt. And obviously you know, great soccer action and as he said, it's a it's a big game for the club. You know, I hesitate to always say must win as well. I'm not saying that Jeff does. But you know, very rarely do you find yourself in a situation like where it's a must win. But I
know exactly what he means. This is a good bounce back. Like you know, you can accept the loss last week because of who you played. Clearly, as Jeff said, that's a that's a club that a lot of teams in the league are probably gonna have a tough time taken down. But San Diego is it's kind of like a chin check, if you know what I'm saying, Like, Hey, let's see where you are. You know, this is gonna be maybe
not a season defining, but potentially it could be. Right a win here could maybe shift them in the right direction as far as some positive momentums. So good stuff. I'm I'm not kidding you. Jeff Milby has got people thinking like they've missed out on soccer if they've not been taken it in. I love the energy, love the passion. Miss him around here of course with us at iHeart. But he's worried belongs my man? You heard it is he does? He not sound like a guy who's made
to be out here. Oh, he's home calling the action for the soccer games, and of course you know, letting everybody know about how great the atmosphere is and all the action over there at Lynn Family Stadium. So big, big thanks Jeff for the time, and look forward to seeing you soon out there. At the stadium. Quick Break, we got two more hours left. Stick around right here on Sports Talk seven ninety