4.18: Friday Vibes Are High - Hour 3

And whenever I leave here at six point thirty or you know, earlier, depending upon what I have to do before I leave, and I walk outside and like it's not only still daylight, but like it's sunny like that. I don't know, because I'm in this cave all day. I guess it's just taken me a little longer actually realized that, you know, here we are in late April, mid April. I guess, uh, you know, it stays light outside,

and it's uh like tonight is the night patio dinners. Right, Like if you if you you got a restaurant with a good patio, you're gonna be busy tonight for good reason, so good vibes, no doubt. As we get you out of here, we'll get you set for Easter weekend and uh we'll finish strong, at least we'll attempt to. So I'm gonna look up here with the n C Double A. When is the n C Double A transfer portal window?

Because we talked about that a little bit earlier that I just assume that, you know, if guys were gonna leave in college basketball in the portal, they would have already they would have already decided. But no, because the last couple of days there have been some really good players that have decided to UH to enter the portal. And you know, one of them now is believed to be one of the UH top three players in the portal overall, and that's PJ. Haggerty, who, by the way,

UH is this is from on three Sports. He is asking for four million plus and to play primarily the point guard role. Well, the report is from on three is reporting it, but they're citing Jeff Goodman, which makes me believe it even more because Goodman, despite being you know Goodman, he is as connected as anybody in college basketball. But yeah, I mean four million. He'll probably get it. Somebody will pay him that. I don't know if it's gonna be worth it, but somebody will probably pay him that.

And that's just where we are now. This would be a huge get for Kentucky. And I don't even know if they're I haven't seen if they're in the mix here or not. But you know, you missed out on Donovan Dent, you missed out on Linnenborg, and those were you know, those were Missus and clearly guys that right out of the gate Pope and company were prioritizing and they chose to go elsewhere. They did bounce back with other good players that to me are different than those

two guys. But still, you know, if your consolation gets in the front court, in the back court are Jade and Quaintance and Jalen Lowe, I mean, you're still getting good players. I don't think they fit Pope's system as quite as much, but still, like it's not like you went had had to go recruit some walk ons to try out. But if they could somehow get in the

mix here, that would change a lot of things. But I'm just gonna assume that Mark Pope, if we're going to do, you know, if we're basing it off of you know, consistency, He's not even gonna want this guy if he's already, if it's already out there, that it's going to be a formulion other price tag because and I know, there's no way for me to talk about Kentucky without people hearing it the way they want to hear it, as if I'm being like overly critical and

I'm being you know, just a troll Louisville fan. And sometimes it probably does come off that way, and it's for good reason. But I think Mark Pope has has kind of made it clear that regardless of the budget, he doesn't want to bring in guys where the only reason the real kicker to get them to pick Kentucky over three other elite schools is money. I guess he just feels that is, if that's not going to be

good a good fit for his locker room. I mean, clearly, guys who come to Kentucky are getting paid in IL is a real thing, and he can sell that if you come to Kentucky and you have some success, maybe you're ANIL deal isn't going to be four million. But man if you're good here, you can make endless amounts of money. I mean, Kobe Brea ended up getting that March Madness endorsement where he was in that commercial for

one of the major sponsors of the NAA tournament. Kobe Brea was, you know, a role player a lot of the times this year, a good player. Clearly at times he played really good, but like he wasn't even like a top four a guy on their team. And he got that. You tell me it's not because he played a Kentucky, one of the bigger brands. So maybe onto something. But like, I think you will continue to miss out

on guys like this. And I don't even know if they're recruiting him, I really don't, but I would think that they would at least try to get in the mix, but maybe they won't. I don't know. I haven't seen any schools that are already in good shape with PJ. Haggerty the transfer from Memphis, because he just hit the portal yesterday and he probably hasn't had time to even like read every text message or take every phone call.

Because you know, he's gonna be a player that everybody wants, but some won't be able to pay for him because they don't have the funds. And some will say, yeah, we just can't justify that because you could have got four million dollars. I mean, human nature, it's a real powerful thing. Meaning like I feel some way if I'm in the locker room and I'm making a teeny tiny percentage of four million, and I know this guy might be better than me, but man, he ain't that much better.

Like four million dollars for a player. I think it just becomes something you really got a babysit more than anything as far as egos, and just making sure that like that doesn't become contentious because you know, eventually that'll probably go away because look, in real life, you're gonna make less money than other people. That's just that's just how it is. So you get what you're worth based

off what somebody is willing to pay you. So like there's no there's no like you know, in the NBA, if you get sour in the locker room because Lebron's making more money than you, like you got your you know, you need to change your job, change your career, because like that's just better players are going to get more money. That's just how it works, and that's how it's working in college. But it's still relatively due because yes, it's now become pro sports, but we still live in this delusion.

Well we don't we know what it is, but like the NSTA LA operates in delusion to where these guys aren't being paid to play, they're just being paid because they're because of who they are. Like it's nonsense, and I'm sure you still see like clearly like Cooper Flah Cooper Flag was in the was in the commercial that you saw too many times during March Madness at the retirement home. And I just mentioned that Kobe Bray commercial, Like those are those are those are clearly like they're

they're using those guys to help promote their product. But like it's not a return on investment, Like which athlete got a lucrative and il deal at the college level that whoever gave them the bag got a legitimate return on investment. Nobody like And I don't say this to be critical, it's just it's just an example that comes to mind for me that that I think makes sense. And again, we appreciate, as Louisville fans anybody who's throwing up big money to help get these players because that

matters now and you need it. And thankfully Louis's got some really good support. But like Rick Keeper, he is the CEO of Glow Brands. They own Planet Fitness, Suntan City and I believe Buff City soap here in the UH in the Kentucky and area. Very successful businesses. Rick's a very successful guy. Great guy too, by the way, also owns Thoroughbreds and you know, he's he's he's clearly a made man and he's and he's great. We appreciate

his support at U l as loisvell fans. But do you think Planet Fitness has has has made the money back specifically from what they invested to sponsor all these great UL athletes. Probably not. And that's okay because you know, it's just these nil deals name, image and likeness. It's stupid that we even call it that, to be honest with you, because yes, there are examples of it, but the like when you see that you've got at least eight schools now reportedly are spending over ten million dollars

on their roster for college basketball. You know, if it's coming from the collectives, that's different because that's that's just crowdsourcing and bringing in, you know, a big pot of money and splitting it up. But there's also some big time boosters that are saying, all right, we need three million to get this guy, I'll cover eight hundred thousand.

That person is not getting a return on that investment, and again that speaks to how fortunate they are to where they have money, to where they can do that, you know what I mean. So here, I am somebody who has advocated that this is better for college basketball now that we have this, and I believe that wholeheartedly. But also I also can acknowledge that like it's just an unregulated mess. And as someone who never will have money like that to throw around to get players from

a favorite team, I can't relate. So, like, you know, I just I can't. But I even if I had it, I don't know if I'd be able to justify giving the money, because yes, I want my team to win and you need good players. But like as someone who's never and I don't want to act like i've i've been. You know, I'm in poverty. I'm very fortunate, and you know, my wife and I do well for ourselves. I had a very good childhood. So I don't want to make

it out like I've never known what money is. But if I gave as a fan a lucrative amount of money couple hundred thousand to go towards bringing in a really good player, even if I even if I even if that wasn't a huge expense to me because I was wealthy, I do feel like I would watch said player and be like, good thing. I kept the receipt,

Like that's how it works. But I just again, that's what I mean when I say I can't relate to like like, I've never paid any kind of money for you know, the most expensive purchases that I've ever made, like most people is my home. I didn't pay cash for my home, you know what I mean. So yeah, just again, we're lucky as sports fans at the college level to have very wealthy boosters that that are willing to, you know, support because you have to. Now if you

don't have it, you're screwed. Like and by the way, there are programs out there that like they're they can't. I mean, you know, you always hold that hope, but like if you're Boston College, where's the light at the end of the tunnel for you, like what scenario will you ever be competitive at the top of the sport? Like you probably won't. So you know, having big money and going and getting really good players does not at

all guarantee anything. I mean, look at look at the two most expensive rosters in college basketball last year, Kansas and Indiana. Big failures in both aspects. Kansas huge disappointment, Indiana same thing. So doesn't guarantee anything. But you also have to have it to have a chance. I think you just do. So we're we're fortunate in that regard. But anyways, another few names to mention as far as guys that have that have hit the portal that are

still out there. And again I don't know ifloev is gonna get involved, but Jimir Watkins he didn't at the portal recently, but he's one of the top ten players out there and Louisville is still listed for him. I just and I would love for Louisville to be able to bring him in. He's a really good wing, was

an All acc player average eighteen points a game. I just, you know, a part of me thinks he might look at Louisville and think they're a little too crowded, but then again maybe not like maybe the native ment stuff has made it to where Louisville can now set aside money for somebody else and sell that role that I guess, for at least a little while, there were some that believed that was going to be naatea amant because it looked like Louisville was in good shape, and now it

looks like there's no, He's clearly not gonna come to Louisville.

It's going to be either Tennessee or Duke, which again, if he had committed that I had said, great, that's exciting, but also like, I'm not losing any sleep over not getting him, because, as we discussed all throughout the week, the scenario where he's a piece that really substantially elevates you in the one season he's here, I just think that's unlikely and you're only going to get in one year, and he would cost a lot of money, it sounds like.

But ba back to the Kentucky aspect here, I'm curious to see if there ever is a change of heart for Pope because I just think if you're if you're living in the world of well, yeah, they've got a million, We've got a million. This other blue Blood or this other school's got two million, But you know you're still gonna get paid. And clearly like we're better. We're Kentucky. Look at us. We've got the biggest fan base in the country. Maybe we've got all these national championships. We're

one of the most followed programs in the sport. That stuff matters and it has value. But man, if the money's not right, that's not a big enough incentive for a lot of these guys to bypass more money in order to Okay, yeah, I'll take less money, but it's Kentucky. Now, maybe some will, but the guys that'll do that are not the PJ. Haggerty's, are not the Donovan Dents. Those are the guys. Again, those guys, they're sticking around because

of money. That's why they're still here. If there wasn't money to be made, they'd leave and go play professionally overseas and make money. But the more, the bigger payday is in college. So if you're selling high school kids, yeah, we'll give you a mill. I know this, Uh you know, I know Mississippi State and uh, Saint John's they're offering more money, but you're gonna be an NBA lottery pick regardless of where you go. You'll have a better platform,

you'll be more tested playing here at Kentucky. So those guys probably will take less money because they they don't like they're not as hard up for it. The biggest payday in basketball that Donovan did and PJ. Haggerty are ever going to get is that is right now and they know that. So not to say that money is the only thing that matters, but I would be highly shocked if money isn't the biggest and most important factor when they're making these decisions. And who can blame them.

That's how we operate, right, Like, if you're considering a job, Yes, there are some jobs. Maybe if the salary was a little bit lower, you'd still take it because it would be less stress, and there's other things that come with it, maybe a shorter commute, less stress, like those things matter. But you wouldn't take that job if it, you know, paid substantially less. You'd live with having a bigger a longer commute, and maybe more stress because you know you

want to make money. It's your livelihood. So yeah, I'm just at a quick search here. I don't know, it doesn't look as if there's been any you know, this is you know, Goodman reported that he wants four million plus and wants to play point guard. But he's one of those guys that, like any school you hear is interested in reaching out to him. You're not surprised because he's believed to be one of the best guys that is that is available. I didn't even realize that Mackenzie

and Bacco was in the portal like cold. I think I saw that when I was on vacation. I totally forgot about it. His recruitment to me kind of went. You know, I shouldn't say that it was ignored, but I don't really. I don't really remember hearing anything about it. But apparently Kentucky was in on Mackenzie and Bacco and he has decided to go to Texas A and M instead and play for coach Bucky, who got that job

after Buzz Williams left to go to Maryland. So, I mean, I don't know if that's another whiff as they're saying for Mark Pope, but clearly I think Kentucky was recruiting him and wanted to get him in for a visit.

I don't know if he visited or not, but you know, to me, A and M is the perfect kind of example to where, yeah, Kentucky probably has a good role for Imbaco, and you know, Kentucky's clearly a better program than A and M. A and M will always be a distant second, maybe even a distant third, because I think they have a pretty popular baseball team too. But like Bucky, even he is not as proven as Mark Pope, and that's saying something because Pope still relatively new on

the after his first year. But I would be willing to bet A and M. You know, being A and M, they probably have a lot of money and that was the factor for McKenzie and Baco. Now. Not to be hypocritical, because I did say earlier like there are going to be guys that just simply decide that they want to go elsewhere and not go play for you. Wilkerson did earlier this this this week? Was it this week? Yeah? Somebody I was thinking of this last week. It was

this week. But anyways, let me see here before we move on. Yeah, here, so the window for the transfer portal, let's see it opened Monday, March twenty fifth, which, of course you know that was right before the Final four, wasn't it. I think that's what it was, but which is just insane to think about. Or maybe it was maybe it was the Monday with the Sweet sixteen. Either way, Uh, it's been open now for just about three weeks and

it'll close in Wow, he closes in four days. So I knew they trimmed it to where it was there wasn't as big of a window. But yeah, if you so, I'd be willing to bet that over the weekend and even up until Tuesday, you'll continue to see guys that were contemplating what they wanted to do, maybe seeing if their school could could could pay a big amount or not.

And I wouldn't be shocked if there's guys that hit the portal that end up being in the top twenty as far as guys that were available, because again when I mentioned Haggarty and you know Chad Baker, Mazzara, Jimmy or Watkins, like those guys being top twenty five players, that's including dudes who've alread committed elsewhere. So as far as Louisville, I don't know who else they're going to get.

In fact, a good question just came in on the text line that I hadn't really considered, but we'll talk about it. On the other side, it's about case in pryor, meaning like does he owe Louisville a real like like a real confirmation so they can actively know what they need to go out there and pursue. That's a good point I hadn't thought about, but we'll get to that. On the other side, we are a little bit earlier today.

I didn't realize it until earlier, but we have a louis Bats game coming your way, so we'll come back for a segment and then we'll get out of here early for the weekend, which has me excited. So stick with us right here. Coffee and Company. Feel about Thornton's on Sports Talk seven.

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Men's clinic. Check them out online level mens clinic dot com, give a call FABO to four four four four thousand. So the text that came in earlier, it's a fair point. At least it's a question because I hadn't really considered it. But one, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes, and we're not really entitled to it. It's that weird. Do we need Cason to say anything? He's still on the roster, he hasn't entered the portal, so like, should we expect anything? I am even more so now than

I was earlier this week. Of the belief that Cason knows what he's doing here and you know, he's got until Tuesday to say something. I would be shocked, it really would if we get to Tuesday where the portal closes, and he, you know, and he hasn't put out something to say one way or the other. Now, another thing

that just hit me. He could be graduating, and I think that's still a thing that if you were a graduate transfer, there's no window you can pop whenever, which means he could tell us in August that he's leaving, but I doubt that would be the case. So the question that came in was, you know, can Louisville really know what they need without assurance from Casein as far as him coming back, which is true, but I believe he's coming back, but it's just belief. There's nobody that's

telling me that. I just assume that he's coming back. And also Pat Kelsey's no dummy. He's probably had, you know, like look Case and Pryor. I mean, he's already a guy that made money last year and obviously got hurt,

which was unfortunate. So you know, when you are being paid and this is now viewed as a job for you, because you know it is, you don't get paid based off performance, clearly, But I just have a hard time thinking that Pat Kelsey wouldn't be real direct with Case and as far as like what's going on to where

I guess Case could burn him. I just don't see that happening to where I'm of the belief that everybody internally knows he's coming back, and they are moving within, you know, the portal and even the high school ranks maybe to try to find the pieces that they know that they're gonna need, meaning that they're not looking for somebody to fill the role that they have in mind

for prior because they believe he's coming back. I don't know that, and I feel like to say that I'm just guessing wouldn't even be fair because that makes it seem as if like it's totally up in the air. He has not said he's leaving, and I still think even though things have changed quite a bit, that does

have some value. But as we talked about earlier this week, he's he is someone that you would expect there to be some kind of an announcement because of how big of a PC is and because clearly he's somebody that's that's utilizing this new world and this extra eligibility to make money and continue to play college basketball. Guys like can I Russ and James Scott. I mean, if they hit the portal at this point, it would be a shock, but like they haven't done it yet and it's just

not super necessary. James wouldn't do it anyway. He's not on social media and he's very much just you know, don't like the attention. Can I, you know, he said after the season in the locker room he can't wait to come back. So like technically they you know, he did tell us he's coming back. It just wasn't like

a formal thing. But you saw Noah what's his name, what's the guy's name, Trent Noah for Kentucky and then also Colin Chandler yesterday, those guys in ounce they're coming back, and like it used to be make fun of you thing like you used to announce that I'm coming back instead of going to the NBA Draft, and people would be like, you were never going to the NBA Draft and you never will, Like who do you think you are? Like it used to be people just clown you for

doing that. Now you announce your coming back just so your fans know that you're not hitting the portal, because again, so many guys do hit the portal. So I don't think Case's holding out on him, like making them like again, I hadn't even thought about that, And look, I could be wrong, but I'd be highly shocked if it's a situation to where they're not knowing who they need to be targeting because of you know, he's not told them what he's gonna do. I think they're under the impression

he's coming back, and I hope he comes back. All right, So Kentucky's gonna get a visit from Ryland Griffin. I meant to mention that earlier, but he's a Kansas transfer and I don't I know the name, I don't know a whole lot about him. But they're still obviously looking to fill some some roles. And you know, when you have Otega away coming back, and you brought in Jalen Lowe, and you do bring back some other players too, you

know at the guard spot. If they were to get if they get in the mix and they get Haggardy, then clearly they they would I mean that would be huge for them. But I feel like if you, like this is something you see from time to time, if in fact they got Haggarty to commit, like, would it be a shocker if Jalen low then decided to not

come to Kentucky, and who would blame him? And Kentucky would be like nobody totally get it, Like we we really liked you, but like then something, you know, things changed.

So anyways, Ryland Griffin is a six' six guard and he's played At kansas for three seasons and he averaged six points a game last, year so you, know solid, PLAYER i. Suppose but, again if you've got oh way back Low Jasper, JOHNSON i, mean Maybe Ryland griffin is the kind of guy that like is, realistic because you, know he can't be thinking he's somebody that's, gonna you, know run a team because obviously you know he couldn't do that At. Kansas why would you think you could

do that At. Kentucky that's what's, interesting. Man, well these guys take on whatever role for the. Money some of them probably, will AND i don't blame, them because it's so much more of a just a job now that it is anything. Else All, right we're out of. Time you, guys have yourselves a good, weekend a Good easter. Weekend we're back at it On monday and look looking forward to. It have a good, weekend. Everybody see. Soon