It's time for Coffee and Company.
Fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety 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.
The countries are screwing it up. Gold Play Intermurals, Brother, gold Play inter 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.
So I started the show yesterday and I made a prediction and the prediction came true. Actually, I mean it wasn't a bold prediction, but my prediction was that by the time we get out of here, which was a little early, he was our our our wrap up because we had bats game. But with it being the deadline day for the portal, you had until I guess midnight
last night to end of the transfer portal. I just assumed that in that two and a half window of time there would be at least one notable player in college basketball that would hit the portal that would have
everybody feel in some way. Right Either you were thinking, Okay, let's see if we can round up some money, it'd be great to go get this guy because he's special, or you were like, damn, we should have waited before we took some guys because you know, now at the last minute, there's a really good player and we're full.
So again, I think it's safe to say that that did come true because I think Boogie Flann leaving Arkansas was in fact a big addition to the portal because you know, he was a really good freshman until he got hurt and was the number one point guard in his class. So as we discussed the process of the portal, just how you know, because with Caseon we got the good news yesterday. Caseon Pryor made it official at least by letting Louisville fans know. I mean, I guess he
was never not a part of the program. He never hit the portal, but he did announce he was coming back, and that was good news. But you know, if he was gonna hit the portal, we were talking about sort of how that works, right.
Like do you do you do it?
I mean, because you don't do it instantaneously as a student athlete. You have to let compliance officers know that you know you're you're you know you're entering the portal, and I guess they technically do it for you, per like the NC doublea actual portal website, if it's even a thing. So I kind of thought we were done talking about additions to the portal because you know it's over.
But I guess yesterday at some point there were two players that made it official, and we didn't get news about the Louisville player that didn't entered the portal until this morning. At least I didn't. Maybe somebody had it last night. It was out there. I was up pretty late, well not super late, but I feel like the news broke this morning that James Scott has decided that he will enter the portal and move on, at least we
think he will. I mean, usually if you enter the portal and you do it this late in the game deadline day and really don't communicate seemingly with a lot of people that you're gonna do it, I mean, it seems as if it's it's done, meaning you're gone.
However, I guess there's a chance.
That maybe he could be persuaded to stay, if in fact the staff does try to keep him around. But that's the big news. We'll certainly talk about today. James Scott. To me, he is the ultimate example of someone that were well, he's the example that you really just should never be surprised by anyone. I mean, it wasn't as if James Scott, you know, is a three year first team All American or anything like that. It's not like
he's from Louisville. But I mean he has a close connection to Pat Kelsey in a way that most didn't last year. I mean, he's one of two guys I guess three technically that Pat brought with him from Charleston, and there's just something it's almost like there's a hesitation to start talking about how much he loves coaching James Scott because Pat Kelcey. I mean, I feel like those two were like a perfect combination. So tough news, no doubt, not the end of the world, and we'll certainly talk
about it. And then on the Kentucky side, this is not a player that I think they're really going to miss because they didn't really get a whole lot last year. But it is a Kentucky a Kentucky native, and that's Travis Perry. Same thing with him. I don't know when he hit the portal, I don't think he announced it. I don't think there was any kind of an announcement. It just I guess news broke. Somebody got the story, shared it, and again it was confirmed.
I'm very interested.
I'm sure nobody else is, but I'm interested in sort of how how you figure it out. Meaning if like, if you don't announce anything as a player, and you don't tell anybody and your staff that you're leaving, you know, they don't tell anybody because they you know, maybe they just don't want to or they don't want it out there. I don't know, I mean, would anybody know, Like I guess if you are a like who has access to actually look at said portal and see who is in
you know, the database. And I don't know why that interests me. It's really not that interesting at all. But the overall process here is kind of you know, news breaks sometimes guys that mean, sometimes players want to announce it because they want people to know, hey, I'm available, give me a call, check me out, that kind of stuff. But I don't think that's what happened with either Travis Perry or James Scott. But again we'll certainly get into
that today and a lot more. It is Coffee and Company and we are field By Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. Appreciate you guys hanging out with us. We will take you up until six o'clock myself. That's me Nick Coffee. Hope you knew that. If not, now you do. Austin Montgomery, the travel Cheap is back with us. How was mich Lennox?
Yesterday?
Was great? I forget how much I loved that place. Every time I go back.
It's a rare spot that I really don't think there's a comparison. And what I mean by that is you know the you know I've never gone there and eaten inside, have you? I mean maybe you guys did yesterday. I know because a lot of you know they have spots
where you can eat inside. Yes, and we are open, not like in the brutal winter months, but they are open at times where you really don't know what you're going to get weatherwise, meaning you wouldn't you might want to be indoors, but just the outside dining, I don't know, just it's it's it almost feels like you're you're in somebody's back patio in a neighborhood. It's far far, far far south end. I guess that would be considered south right, like southwest, I guess.
Yeah.
So, uh, I just can't think of any place like it. It's been around for a long long time. And of course they've got you know, great food, good atmosphere, and yeah, sounds like we had a good event last night, right.
Yeah, it was good. Even your boy even sold some tickets at the door. Nice about that. How about a couple of people showing up late and how do I how do I get me a ticket? Went and showed them how to do it.
Well.
Shout out to to our guy Joe who has put I think he put this whole thing together years ago, and now we've been doing it anyually behind and it seems to get more and more popular every year.
And I really don't think.
There could be a better location to have it than, uh than Mike Lenning.
So yeah, it was a dude in the weather yesterday, amazing perfect day to work at Mike Lea.
I mean, yesterday might have been and I know I've said this before in other days, but yesterday, especially like during the day, like you know, probably between like I don't know, two o'clock to six o'clock. I mean, it was absolutely perfect outside. Could not get much better.
I listened to the start of the show when I heard you talk about it, when you're said, I'd rather be outside, right, Yeah, And I sat and you looked around and I said, look at me, I'm outside right now. It was it was awesome. I know, I know you're probably not going to get too too much into a Derby. Uh, probably like between a couple of days before, because I know you say the Derby kind of messages sometimes.
But I got a lot, you got some good, got a lot of stuff.
Oh, Jody Demmling, I gut Joe Chris effect right.
He was on the st last week.
Uh, dude. They were locked in answering questions. They were watching the Arkansas Derby, Santa and Nita Derby and just break down horse by horse Man.
Yeah, they were in their bag. That's what they do.
I mean, And I missed you yesterday, but I'm glad you're back. And I'm also glad you come now back to the show with some knowledge about the big.
Race coming up. Right.
I have a few marked down good stuff. We'll certainly get into it. We got all a week to do that next week, and I'm looking forward to you and I having some fun with Derby because yeah, you know, I like to not talk about the actual, you know, sport of horse racing a whole lot, because honestly, it's
just not something I know a whole lot about. But there's so much that can be done when it comes to a three hour daily radio show with everything that is the Kentucky Derby experience, Derby Season, Derby Week, and we'll certainly have some fun with that.
But I can't wait.
Yeah, me too.
I don't into each other at Coles again?
Is that last year?
That was last year?
Gosh?
Why does that feel like that was ten years ago?
It really feels like forever ago.
It also feels like you and I have been on this show together for years and it really hasn't even been that long at all.
No, I thought I was only one feeling.
I mean, what it was it four or five months or something like that.
I would say since November, I think.
I have really really lost the ability to to get a feel for I mean, look, time is the same, it never changes, right every hour as an hour.
We all know that.
But obviously you know, certain things feel way longer ago than you know they should, or vice versa. I'm you know, we'll move on, trust me. I want to make this a longer conversation. But I'm kind of I'm spinning my wheels here because I'm not.
I swear to you.
I feel like there's no there's no chance that we've only done this show together since December. I know, I feel like it's been years. I don't know why. I guess that's a good thing, right, Like we're having fun. Yeah, and it's you know, it's been great. I was fill in part time for a while. I was always in the bullpas.
That's true.
That's probably an aspect of it.
And really, you know, there'd be times where you were pretty regular if if you know, John was on vacation, that kind of stuff. But yeah, our first derby together should be should be a lot of fun.
It's gonna I can't wait. Just hope the weather's nice.
Me too.
I'm with you, all right, so don't forget. You could take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the Aheart Radio app. Also listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com, and if you've got some thoughts on this news in regards to James Scott or the news
in regards to Travis Perry. Again, I think the reaction from fans if it's I mean, I doubt many people are like celebrating because, you know, even if you feel good about your team, regardless of James Scott not being a part of Louisville or Travis Perry not being a part of Kentucky, I mean, it's not really something you
would be like happy about. So you know, if you do have some thoughts on it, we'll let you guys react coming up here after this first segment, but and we'll let you know how to do that coming up as well. But let's just when it comes to James Scott, of all players on the Louisville roster that were you know, that were in this position to come back, right, they weren't going to run out of eligibility, certainly wasn't weren't
going to go to the NBA. James Scott is honestly the one player that I thought there would be no scenario that he would enter the portal. There would be no scenario that he would leave. And it's not because he wouldn't have options. It's not because you know, I felt like he was going to be making insane money here that he couldn't get elsewhere.
It's just because of Pat Kelsey.
And I just mentioned a moment ago and I think everybody knows this, but James came with Pat from Charleston, just like Rain Smith and obviously the other the other transfer from Charleston that came in play last year, it's Kobe Rogers. So James was somebody that Charleston felt pretty
lucky about getting whenever. You know, they recruited him out of high school, a guy who didn't have a whole lot of pub as far as a recruit, but you know, he had a lot of ability, raw upside potentially, you know, all those buzzwords you hear about somebody that could potentially be really really good.
And I think they saw that.
They I don't really know who James picked Charleston over, but he is in that area, the Carolinas, and you know, as a freshman he showed a lot of upside and at Louisville, I mean he he was a big factor in why Louisville was able to put together an eighteen and two season in the ACC and also, you know it was at eighteen two, seventeen and three. I think it was eighteen and two, wasn't it? Or am I crazy?
I think it was Either way, Louis ended up with having some terrible injuries that that at the time you felt like we're going to be brutal, that you just really weren't gonna be able to recover from and have any type of success. And we were totally wrong. And look, I'm not saying James Scott was the biggest factor in that, but certainly he was.
He was a factor. He was a part of that.
And I just again for me, he's he's And I'm sure it'll change moving forward, because you know this, this this new world is.
Here to stay.
We're not going to have a situation where players can't transfer anymore. You may end up having like a cap on nil. There may be some some some regulations, but as far as players just being able to go where they want to go, I don't see a scenario where the NC double A is gonna win in court where they're gonna they're gonna be able to keep players from attending whatever school they want to attend. So maybe there'll
be a better example, moving forward. But to me, James Scott leaving is like, okay, well, now you never never assume anybody is just for sure going to stick around for a long time. Because Pat Kelsey and James Scott, I mean what I mean, they were like a perfect match. I mean, I think Pat Kelsey enjoys coaching every player,
you know. I mean, I don't think that guys just end up here without him doing a good vetting as far as do they fit not only the style that I want to play, but can they fit the culture? Can they fit the system? Are they you know? Are they selfless?
Right?
I mean I think sometimes it does, you know, get a little corny when you when you I mean it's not corny to those guys in the locker room. I mean that's part of the process. But for us, you know, we just sat here and talked about, you know, the culture and trusting one another and loving one another. I mean that's you know, I get it, but it is
it is. I mean, it matters, and I think James Scott was almost like a guy that was created in a laboratory as far as having everything Pat Kelsey wants about being a guy in his system and I'm not talking about what he does as a player. I'm talking about, you know, his selflessness and the fact that he gives you every single thing that he has he at times.
I mean, and this is one of the things that stood out about James Scott this year for me, among many things, was that I noticed more than anybody else he would tell the bench he needs a break. And you know that's not that rare and not but it's not because he's out of shape. It's because he literally
gives you every single thing that he has. And you know, it's been I've been kind of surprised, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see some people acting as if like it it's no big deal and it's not the end of the world. James Scott. You can replace his production, trust me. But that's one of the things I don't really like about the New World in the portal.
If you listen to me just a little bit, I think you probably are aware that I think this has been great for college basketball more so than any other sport. Free agency and in il money, those two things have improved college basketball. I think in a major way. You can quickly make a big jump from one year or
the other. We learned that with Louisville last year, right, because guys can just you know, you can build a team from scratch with the portal, and because of nil, players stick around in college way more than they ever used to.
So it's great.
But one thing I don't like is that when a player does leave, I guess technically it's still considered if you're a fan, like he got dumped, right, like you got James Scott broke up with Louisville, And I guess that's how we're probably always going to see it because just despite this now being job a job, I mean this, if you're in college, but if you're in college for four years, you know, some guys play five or six now, but like it's now a job, you have a chance
to make more money. And I believe this, by the way, I can't prove it. I believe that about ninety eight percent of college basketball players will make substantially more money playing the game in college than they ever will playing anywhere else. So when you've got four years to really take advantage of that, I mean, you gotta look out for yourself, and you know it's not personal, it's transactional.
That's all this is now. And if you've got to bounce from team to team, maybe play for four different teams in four years, because that was the best scenario for you to stack up a bunch of money to you know, to start your life post basketball in a really good situation financially, Like, there's nothing wrong with doing that. So again, it's all transactional. And what's crazy is that with coaches it's always been right. We would like tell ourselves, now,
he loves it here, you know, this is home now. No, if the coach has got a chance to go get a better job with better resources, making more money, climbing the ladder in his industry, they're gonna do that more
often than not. Well, now, players are it's transactional. So as much as I think a lot of us, myself included, kind of have accepted that, I think because we are fanatics and this is our program that we care so much about, there's gonna be you know, that awkwardness about you know, we get it if James and I don't even know this specifics of James's situation, and we'll get
into it. I mean, I think I have a good idea as far as what played out here, and we'll certainly get into that, but nobody else would be like realistically shamed or I guess, I mean, I just don't know how you could look at somebody who left a job to get a better job, making more money, in putting their family in a better situation. Like in what world would you look at somebody as if they've done something wrong or they've wronged you?
You wouldn't.
But because for generations this wasn't a thing in college sports, like there's going to be a process, So you know, we should never be we should never be surprised really with anybody leaving. And I think there's a couple of factors here when it comes to James Scott as far as you know, money, I also think playing town was probably somewhat of a factor. And again I don't want to get into it now because we've got to get
to our first break coming up here. But to me, there's like three or four things that I want to really hit on when it comes to James Scott because to be clear, and I've already said this once, but if you are just not joining us, Louisville will move on without Jamescott and it's not like they're going to be, you know, a team that simply can now no longer you know, make it, you know, have a special season because they don't have him. It's not about the production
though that you're missing. It's about the role that he embraced that. I just think it's harder to find guys to do that. So again we'll get into that talk a little more about Travis Perry. I mean, there's not a whole lot to that because I think it makes total sense. I mean, he was going to have a tough time getting significant minutes at Kentucky and.
He probably would have hit the portal.
Actually, I don't even think Travis Perry, to me, is somebody who would have never even considered playing at Kentucky for Mark Pope or for John Cala. Perry he committed to Cal but it's just because he's a Kentucky kid and it's the dream. But again, it's a job. Now, it's your life. You've got to do what's best for you. And just sticking around to play on the Kentucky program, play for the Kentucky program because you grew up a fan like that would probably be a cool experience for you.
In that aspect, but like you're gonna have a tough time having a significant role maybe at any point in your career. So a lot of other things we'll get into today. Just to day away from the NFL Draft. The Shannon Sharp situation is wild, and I mean I'm starting to think that like maybe this is a setup. But then again, I don't want to act like, you know, oh, we don't believe these people who claim this stuff happens to them. But the latest voicemail that got released today from TMZ.
Oh, I haven't heard it.
I mean it it sounds take. There's two ways to talk about the sound of something. One is like, oh man, that sounds bad, like they said awful things. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about like the sound quality. Like to me, that sounded doctorate as hell, Like yeah, if it's real, it's bad. And it may be real, I don't know, But to me, it just sounded like a script, Like it's almost like she or who maybe her attorney, who Shannon Sharp claims is doing this whole thing.
There was like they have audio of Shannon Sharp saying certain things and they cut it up and had her say stuff in between to make it sound worse.
Than it actually is.
And again I would never say that if it you know, I work in audio, like it's what we do. Like to me, it just sounds doctor. But either way, even if everything is totally one billion percent consensual and it is a shakedown, Shannon Sharp, man, you gotta grow up, dude, Like maybe if I was in your position, I would be living the lifestyle you're living. But like, come on, unc like it's a bad look. And I don't mean just with this situation. I mean like, you know you
are aldo to be her grandpa. Maybe maybe that's maybe that's a little bit of a stretch. Be Anyways, we got a lot to get to stick around. Austin's back. We're having fun. It's coffee and Company fuel about Thorton's right here on Sportstock seven.
Ninety now back to coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
If you guys want to join us on the show today, there are plenty of ways you can do it. You can give us a call five O two five seven one seventy nine hundred is the number. Again that's to give us a call, and you can text in on the Ellen and Federal Credit Union text line five O two four three eight ninety seventy three.
Coffee and Company.
That's us and we are fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety before we get back into the James Scott News.
Uh, yeah, I was, I was.
I was not surprised to see that what happened with the NBA action on Monday night was was an outlier because we didn't get very competitive games last night and if you missed at Austin randomly on Monday, we had too phenomenal NBA playoff games that if if that's if that's what we ended up getting every night in the playoffs,
like the NBA product would be much better. Which again, so the Pistons outlasted New York in the Garden and that was a close finish, and then the Nuggets fell short because Kawhi Leonard returned to being like the Kawhi Leonard of old, and the Clippers upsets. So it was two upsets, and I don't it wasn't just that, but I guess that that made it, you know, a good result for me as far as entertaining.
It was just the fact that the games were competitive themselves.
Honestly, had New York come back and won and the nug or the Nuggets held on to win, I still would have been saying the same thing, but the fact that he was close throughout you had to both games, you had two separate instances where it looked like there was gonna maybe be a little bit of a fight that broke out, which I don't think there really was, but that just speaks to it being competitive, and it was nice to see that given the fact that on Sunday you had a team lose by fifty one points
in the playoffs. Well last night, I guess it wasn't as bad as you know, fifty one points, but the Pacers, my Pacers held on to to move to two and zero against the Bucks. And then of course the Grizzlies. They're the ones who lost about fifty one on Easter Sunday, not as bad last night, but they were never really
in it late and got killed. Which I don't want to make it a whole thing today, but John Moran, like it is wild that his that his career is kind of I shouldn't say like flamed out, because that's I mean, he's still young, but this was a guy that had as much upside and promise as anybody in the NBA in a long long time. And you know, now he's just immature and you know, can't seem to get out of his own way with not stuff that's like you know, super crazy criminal, but like just being an idiot.
And I never saw that. I never saw John.
Morant being the guy that you know, would would you know, be in trouble with the NBA because of just silly, avoidable things, And it looks like maybe he's gotten past that. I think this year the only thing I could think of was that he kept getting teed up for the pulling up his shirt like he had a gun under his waist.
Which again, that's just that's just stupid, Like you why would you do that?
Like it's one thing to do it and have fun, but once you know that, it's like something you're gonna get teed up for and the association doesn't like you doing it and they're going to find you for it or give you a technical like and you continue to do it like it's just dumb and avoidable.
Like brother, you lived that more bad state, Yeah exactly.
And you know, like the fact that he's still the franchise player for the Grizzlies, and like they're they're not that good and they're getting beat by fifty points in a playoff game. That's not all on him, but like, I never would have thought that he'd be in this position where he's the franchise guy and his team's getting beat.
Bad in the playoffs.
And again, the thunder are really good, so it's not like they're getting beat by bums. But I don't know, I just it's almost like his career hit a little bit of a roadblock. And you know, he's still young, he's still got time, he's talented as hell, and he did have an injury last year that was a big factor in him kind of just you know, not being
super relevant. It just seems like in the last couple of years, specifically, when he's been discussed, it's been for him being in trouble, him doing something stupid off the floor, or you know, being injured and then another game that ended up being you know, I guess this one. This one was pretty competitive last night the Lakers and the
and the Tea Wolves. Yeah, so I'm not gonna lie to you and act like, oh yeah, I'm all in on the NBA now, But in the last two nights, I have at least had it on more than I thought I would.
And yeah, I haven't had it.
On Monday night. And I know which I guess you were reminded me of what I watch because I did watch that Nuggets And I know you bet on the NIXT game too, so yeah, I ssure you and and yeah it fell through and I had Okay, still, the riot is what it's all about. Baby.
You want to win, but if you don't, you know, for a good chunk of the game where that you're watching, you don't know if you're gonna win or lose. And that's what's entertaining about it, right.
I was. I desperately needed Jokic to hit that fall away three at the buzzer to send over time because I would have put him at thirty points and I had him at thirty.
And banged it off the side of the backboard, so it just clunked.
It built my house with that shot.
Yeah, that uh, but that should be a good series, I mean, honestly, yeah, I mean, we'll say, Kawhi Leonard shows up and he was on fire the end of night in one thing before we get back into the
James Scott situation. Somebody did send in a kind of a counter to my my comments about the NBA Final, like the NBA playoffs not being that competitive, and they did share some real numbers that would make me look like I'm wrong, But you left out like the important detail that I talked about, because there have been some really like really competitive series as far as you know, three games to to you know, winning four games to three, or you know winning in six or seven. I mean,
that's usually a pretty competitive series. If it goes to six or seven, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about it's not competitive because a lot of these games are blowouts, which again that's the product the game itself, not just the series lead the series, you know, game by games, it's in between. And also you never get
many upsets either. So like even if a game, even if a series does goes if so, if a series goes to seven, yet the top seed ends up winning the series, and the average margin of victory in all seven games is like twenty five plus points. Yeah, the series I guess overall was competitive where you got to extend it to seven games, but everything in between you know, the actual stuff that matters was awful.
That was my point.
But anyways, back to James Scott for those who missed it, I guess yesterday he hit the portal, or maybe he did it before then and we just didn't know, Like I don't know, I don't know, and I guess it's really not important. But what I'd love to find out is that he did he tell the team, like did he tell this? Did he tell Pat Kelsey, Hey, just so you know, I'm going to hit the portal? And uh, you know, I wanted you to find out for me, or did he not? And it became news this morning
because somebody realized he was in the portal. Like, I don't even know who broke the story. I know Jody Dimmling is the first person I saw as far as just you know, on Twitter. Jeff Borzella also had something at ESPN, and uh, you know, I guess it really doesn't matter. But if you're somebody that that maybe is of the opinion that he could he could get a bigger offer to come back to Louisville than I guess the offer that he had to to to stay initially,
then you know that'd be great. But I feel like if if, if this was a last minute thing and he just kind of you know, waited and waited weighted, and then he got the confirmation that Casen was back,
and then he decided, you know, I'm out. I mean hard Again, it's weird because it's hard for me to imagine any scenario where Pat Kelsey wouldn't want to do everything he can to keep James Scott around, because again, I think he's the perfect fit for a guy who you know, does things the right way and he's good too, by the way, Like I James Scott is somebody that last year averaged what seven points a game. I mean,
it's not like you can't go replace his production. And something we've talked about quite a bit when it comes to James Scott other than you know, his cool mask and his.
Dunks.
What did he finish top three in the country and dunks in a season. Other than that, we've discussed that he is kind of a liability at times on offense. I mean, he is not very polished as as an offensive player, and you know that played out at times this year. But he averaged seven points, six rebounds, had
eighty dunks. In fact, It was the second most in the country and the second most in a single season in u of L history, behind only Mantrez Harald who I'm convinced they'll never be anybody that breaks Montrez's dunks record. So it's not like you're losing somebody that you can't go out there and find. I mean, hell, when it comes to just production seven and six a game, Sonny Frew may give you that. I mean a'll Lei Khalifa
can give you that. These are guys that are coming in that that you know, will I think easily be able to collectively fill that void as far as just the numbers. But with James Scott, you know, for those that you know kind of think, well, you know, we're not really losing a whole lot.
There was a lot left to be desired.
When it comes to you know, his his game offensively at times, he wasn't super physical. I mean, you know, you're you're not wrong, but I just feel like getting guys that'll that'll give you that type of energy, has a motor that's always running, can rim run. I mean,
that's not something that's just easy to go find. And I think this past year where we saw James Scott at times look like an offensive liability, and you know, just because let's be real, if he wasn't if he wasn't above the rim dunking a lob at times on offense, like he was probably gonna screw up.
I mean, he just he was like he walked, he would walk.
He miss free throws, you know, if he had the to be honest with you as much I love James Scott and I hate that he's leaving. If he had the ball and you know it wasn't him for a millisecond above the rim throwing it down, I got nervous because he just you know, he's he's he's not very polished offensively, and I think we would have been able to avoid a lot seeing a lot of that had had the injuries not happened. I mean, with Noah Waterman really never getting going, like let's let's just be real.
Noah was probably the biggest disappointment of anybody that Louisville brought in. And I think a lot of it was that he, you know, he got injured and didn't tell him. I mean, we didn't know, but he you know, broke his broke a bone in his hand, or something like that. He couldn't never get a shot to fall. He'd added some weight like and also he kind of had to when Cason went out, Noah had to kind of adjust what he was brought in to do. Same thing for James.
So that along with Caate so caseon and Noah being out for a good I mean case in prior missed almost the whole season, Noah Waterman was kind of in and out, and even when he did play, I never really felt like he was anywhere close to the guy
that Louisville was expecting to be brought in. So James Scott had a lot more on his plate this year than I think he would have ever had at Louisville, Meaning, you know, he's not a guy that you're gonna have playing that many minutes just because you know, if there was a more serviceable big that could actually give you some production around the rim, they would have played him. But they didn't have that guy. I mean, outside of James Scott. It was it was Big Frank, and you
know he gave you all he could. So what I loved about the front court next year, and I still think even before James Scott decided to hit the portal. I still think they it would have been nice to see them add another another guy that's just got some skill around the rim that could give you some you know, some basic is somebody that the opposing team's got to worry about if they get the ball on the low block.
Not to say that they're gonna double team them, but just somebody that is able to score a little bit around the rim. That's just you know, James James Scott can do that, but it's if he's catching lobs. So areas where James Scott struggles, you know, offense, that's where Cason pryor Ali Khalifa, Sonny Frew, like, those guys are great in those areas. And I'm not saying they're not good at the things James Scott does, but they're they're
not six' eleven rim running like he. Is they're not they're not as athletic as he.
Is probably.
SO i just felt like last, Year James, scott if you felt like at, times you, know there was a lot left to be desired and he wasn't good enough to play here in a big, ROLE i think you, know you're probably, right because he was having to do more than he probably ever would have to do For
louisville if they didn't have. Injuries so next, year if he's coming off the bench and he's playing twenty minutes and he's just you, know he, rebounding he's setting, screens he's rim, running he's catching, lobs he's giving you every bit of energy that he. Has that's not a guy that you can value based off of how many points he scores or how many rebounds he. Gets that's a guy, that you, know it's just a good it's just a
good player to. Have AND i just think one of the best things About James, scott maybe the best thing about his, game is that he knows who he is as a player and he sticks to that right like he. DOES i, mean that's what kind of makes it even more insane about the offensive issues that we saw from him last, year is, that you, know it wasn't as if he had a whole lot of opportunity to just you, know create and go to work on, offense because nobody
would ever dial that up for. Him but just because he played so many, minutes because the team was so, thin he just at times found himself in spots where you, know shot clock's, low he's got the, ball what's he gonna? Do you, know sometimes he would just you, know miss a layup or kick it off his. FOOT i, MEAN i don't want to pick on the, guy but he ended up having to do that more than he probably ever.
Intended AND i just think it would have been perfect next year for him to just play the role that he is supposed to. Play so guys who know who they are and stick to. That that's a value THAT i just don't think that people realize just how important that. Is like he's not out there trying, to you, know take somebody one on. One he could play twenty five minutes a, game not take a single shot and be totally happy and be.
Fine that's that's hard to. Find that's.
Rare not many guys are content with just going out there and doing the dirty, work and he. Was and that's to, me that's the biggest miss here is THAT i just don't think it's going to be easy to find somebody to replace. Him now, again the, production you could replace, that no. Problem and maybe Maybe Sonny frew's a guy who brings some things that are that's similar to What James scott. Brings as far as just that high, motor a guy that you, know seems to never really get, tired,
selfless physical. Enough at times it looked Like James scott would, be you, know not pushed. Around but at times you felt, Like, okay he needs to he needs to you, know develop a little bit more in the weight. Room but let's be, honest he was a nineteen year old sophomore last year going up against you, KNOW i mean Grown of all the guys On louisvill's team that played big, minutes most of them were grown men twenty, two twenty, three twenty
four years. Old James scott was nineteen and he turned, NINETEEN i believe during that last, season so he was. Young him and AND i were the only guys that got minutes that are legitimately young.
Players SO.
I can't really you, KNOW i don't know If i'm If i'm explaining myself as well AS i want. To but it's not the end of the, world trust. Me BUT i just think when you get put it this, way one of the things we've discussed really over the last year and certainly, recently when you have the rosters starting to kind of finalize and there's only a couple of spots. Left it's hard to find guys that are willing to come in and be your you, know eight
piece because they're in the. Portal they want big, money they want big, opportunity and right, now you, know it's hard to sell that if your team's almost. Complete James scott is a guy, who you, know let's just hypothetically, speaking if he's transferring from somewhere else And louisville has a spot open and they need a guy to come. In it's not worried about getting twelve shot, attempts that's not worried about, starting that's not worried about playing thirty five.
Minutes James scott would be the perfect piece and he just lost. Him so that to, me that's why it's a big. Deal now again WHEN i say, big big, DEAL i don't mean into the. World But louisville had a good season this past. Year he was not as impactful as As Chucky hepburn Or Terrence edwards Or Rain smith Or Javon. Hadley but when you only played like six guys consistently all, year because again the rotation got to seven and. Eight but Like Trey, ora he didn't
get healthy and able to play Until. JANUARY i, Mean, chuck he missed some time rain obviously didn't play much at the end of the, year and and wasn't even ready to play in the last. GAME i, mean there were there Were there were probably five guys that really were able to play in healthy all year that gave you know that that were that were there and ready to.
Go and And james was one of those. Guys so you, know he.
Was this was a special season AND i kind of would have loved to have seen a guy stick stick, it stick it out through his entire career here to where you, know maybe by the time he's a, senior this team is legitimately one of the best in the country with a chance to maybe do something really really, special and we'll remember back to where it all. Started he was impactful in that year as. Well but What i've got to learn is THAT i GOTTA i GUESS i gotta, listen listen to the ADVICE i give a
lot of fans every every. Day four your, players that's, rare, man that's just not gonna that's just the scenario where you have four year guys moving. Forward it's almost. Impossible BUT i kind of felt Like james was going to be the. Guy, well, yeah of, COURSE i mean he he's he's contenting role here because he's not a me. Guy he's, selfless he Loves Pat, kelsey he plays, Hard he's not looking to go somewhere and score thirty points a. Game so he'll be. Fine WELL i was. Wrong now
where he ends, up we'll. See but it sounds LIKE Nc state And Will wade have Let James scott know that, hey, buddy if you hit the, portal we want you and we got a big bag of money for you in a big. Role and it sounds like that's what led to him making this. Decision so it's a, bummer no. Doubt but again this is a reminder for me that never be surprised by anybody leaving the leaving your program and hitting the, portal because sometimes guys are going to do it just because they.
Can AND i think With, james.
You, know although he is content not being a guy that's taken twenty five shots a, GAME i mean that's an, exaggeration but you, know his playing time might have been significantly lower as a you, know next, year as a guy off the. Bench that's really just you, know a seventh maybe an eighth. Man and as much as he doesn't want to, necessarily you, know be the guy he did just play thirty something minutes a game and that would be a big step. Back AND i guess if you're,
him you know that's not something you want to. Do all, right quick, Break we'll come back on the other. Side give it locked 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 rolling along here on A wednesday, afternoon taking you up until six. O'clock take us with you wherever you. Go listen live on The. iHeartRadio have also listened live at seven Ninety louisville dot. Com has there been any college athlete actually give money back to AN nil collective or AN nil you, know somebody who paid them to endorse their company or whatever it.
IS i can't.
IMAGINE i, mean.
They're jew, no BECAUSE i feel like it's one of those things that like you just tell, them, Yeah i'll see in. Court you, know they're not going to really go through with trying, to you, know legally recoup that. MONEY i, mean they have a right to if they. Want but, man there's just that players can fully take
advantage of. It and these schools are trying their best to figure out whatever they got to do to compete at the highest, level but they get burned with with with, money you know WHAT i. Mean and it's JUST i mean the, SCHOOLS i GUESS i should say the, collectives which technically really is the schools in a lot of, instances like they're they're in a winless position at times because what they're doing in order to get, players you, know to try to win is technically in the eyes
of THE nc DOUBLE, a in their delusional world that they live. In it's it's not because they're you, know they're they're here to. Play it's because you just gave them money for who they. Are well in what contract can you you, KNOW i don't. Know just it's it's
it's an absolute. Mess but the Reason i'll bring it up is because we have more on the story we talked about a little bit yesterday Because, arkansas AGAIN i believe they're the first program to have like their athletic director put out an official statement claiming that they are trying to get money back from some of these players that decided to you, know take, money come to their
school and then leave without. Playing but what, AGAIN i just have a hard time thinking that as it stands right, now there's currently SOME i, mean there's a reason like. This this is all about to change with revenue sharing and all that kind of. Stuff it'll be, Different BUT
i still don't know until we get. There as far as just how this thing has been the last couple of, Years i'm just not sure if there's going to be anything in writing that would legally, require according to you, know like a, judge to have these players give money, back because THE ncaa is making it to where anything you have in writing is not pay for. Play so they were, there they didn't stick around very, long they didn't, play but.
Yet they showed. Up so are they still entitled to that.
Money you can put provisions in the contract that, stay you, know you need to be here for a certain amount of.
Time BUT i don't. Know it's just it's a.
Mess and what's great that when these when these schools through their nil collectives are OR i guess they're, gms because that's that's a position that's clearly very you know that that's a role that's popping up everywhere now when they're scrambling to try, to you, know get players because they want to compete at a high. Level they want to,
win they want to. Succeed in the, moment they're probably not really thinking about we better cover our ass here and make sure that if this guy screws, us we have we have some protection within the. CONTRACT i mean you should, be but, LIKE i don't think that that's probably in the. Mind Like i'm sure if you're a head coach and you're telling YOUR gm and you're collective, people,
hey figure this. Out we got to get this. Done like you, KNOW i guess you in the back of your mind, know, yeah we better cover our own our rear. Ends but you just want the player because you want to, win and you know that if you don't get it done, quickly they're gonna get money and go. Elsewhere but, yeah the uh this is from on Three sports That. ARKANSAS i guess now has two student athletes that they have have sent two demand letters to asking them to fulfill
buy out. Clauses, SO i guess if you have a buyout, clause then you have to write yes and.
NO i would think So but then, again this is WHY i always imagine this stuff getting. Tricky it's so messy during right, here during these gray. Areas and because because and.
AGAIN i would am, like like the buyout, clauses LIKE i would imagine that that would make it to where like a good Dad arkansas sending demand. Letters they're not this far in this process if they don't truly believe that they have in writing what would get them their money. Back So i'm assuming that the contracts are worded the way that, yeah if you, leave which these guys, did Meaning nico's little brother who Left arkansas to go back TO,
ucla like you got to pay that money. Back BUT i could see a scenario where the family hires a lawyer and they, say, look the contract that this nil collective put in place wasn't actually something that they were allowed to do according to THE, ncaa because you, know this contract wasn't for me to come and play. Football it was for me to you, know it was for me to come to school there and you know exist and, YEAH i, left BUT i still.
Came there and it.
Existed, yeah and you, know the buyout clause did state THAT i needed to be there for a certain amount of. Time BUT i wanted to transfer TO ucla to be a student because they've got a great program for for, this and you, KNOW i. DIDN'T i didn't anticipate that. Happening but the INSTABLE, a you, know SAYS i can transfer, Whenever so why WOULD i have to pay money? Back
like it's just it's an absolute. Mess BUT i do think at least at this, point this is the Furthest i've seen a school actually take take this kind of action to try to get their money. Back AND i get, IT i totally. Do so what's going to happen is that there's going to be when it comes to revenue. Sharing so, yeah this is FROM a three. Sports let me read this real quick and then we'll get to our.
Break most schools now include buyouts and revenue sharing contracts or inn nil collected deals that are being transitioned to revshare. Contracts that'll happen this, Summer so the contracts that you're going to get are going to be.
Rev, share not IN.
Il, THEREFORE i MEAN i could say that that's MONEY i think you can, recoup because again this is something that THE nc DOUBLE a is allowing these schools to do to where, yes if you agreed to come here and, play you get a certain amount of money from THE rev, share but if you end up, leaving then you have to give that money. Back like because in that, aspect THE nc DOUBLE a is this is, there this is their, doing.
Right they're the ones who are telling you that you can share revenue and they're gonna have some guardrails and some. Regulations but THE nil, component it's it's and again it's not going, away LIKE nil is going to be still a very very impactful thing because if everybody's sharing the same amount of, revenue you're all at an even level playing. Field where you get an edge is you come over the top with a BIG onil. Deal and that's how
these guys are going to decidehere to. Go it's pro, SPORTS i, mean that's what it, is all, right quick, break we got two more hours. Left stick, around we got a lot more to get. Into we'll talk a little more about The James scott. Situation and you, Know Travis perry not as big of a deal For kentucky to lose him because clearly they can more than make
up with the production they lost with. Him but THEY i think they thought With pope we could have the four Year kentucky, boy AND i guess it's still technically. Possible But Travis perry all time letting score in the history of high school basketball in the state Of. Kentucky one year At, Kentucky he's now. Gone coffee And. Company feel About thornes right here On Sports talk seven ninety