It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now, here's Nick Coffee.
All right, let's get it started. Our number two here on a Friday afternoon. It is also day two of the NFL Draft, and obviously there's a lot that goes into the first round. It's its own event, and it's awesome. Last night was awesome, and I really don't think that there was any real big stunner. I mean, I guess shad Or Sanders not being taken, that's probably the biggest talking point as far as I guess the surprise in the eyes of a lot of people, And I don't
really think it's that that shocking. And it's not even necessarily just about him. It's just that if shad Or Sanders was shoud Or Coffee, and you know, he was in the mix as one of the top five quarterbacks
in this draft, just because you know that alone. It wasn't anything to do with the Dion and the Colorados, because people act like that hurts him without any realization that he wouldn't even get the hype that he gets and the attention that he gets if he wasn't Dion Sanders' son, Like that's I mean, he also was the starting quarterback for a team just a year ago, not this past year, but the year before it was awful.
And most guys who you know, have an awful team and you're the guy leading at quarterback like that would
be held against him. So what I'm getting at is, take away the Sanders component of it, the prime component with the way everybody views this as a pretty weak quarterback crop if it was, you know, any regardless of who it is, the fact that there was just two quarterbacks taken that more so speaks to you, is that, Yeah, the NFL is telling us that all the noise around this just being not a great group of quarterbacks in this twenty twenty five draft, they agree, meaning you know
the NFL. So I think early on, I mean, I guess, I guess maybe you know, it was a big shocker to see that the Jaguars traded up to get Travis Hunter. And I give them credit for making a big move because what do they have to lose? Oh, they get it wrong, and maybe they continue to be irrelevant. They've been irrelevant for ninety eight percent of their existence. It
seems like maybe that's an exaggeration. But like the Jaguars took a chance, they gave up a lot of future picks, but they also did it for a guy that Yes, there's still clearly some concern. Okay, he's a super gifted, talented guy that is just special in that regard, just some god given ability that a lot of people don't have. And he's good at playing both the defensive back and receiver.
But maybe he's not elited either, Like if that's the concern, I mean, I think the Jaguars have shown us that they believe in his ability and really the way he carries himself, the way he I mean, I've been really impressed with him.
I think he's a really likable guy.
And I think that's saying something because I don't think Colorado in any way is really likable.
And not to say they don't have fans.
And yes, I've admitted I'm a hater, but let's not act like when Dion Sanders was losing games by you know, three touchdowns. Even if he didn't say it out loud, I know a lot of people enjoyed it because it's just human nature. Somebody that is so arrogant that talks and is so cocky without really any results as a coach to show for it. Like when they whenever they, you know, get humbled, you feel like, okay, yeah, you
deserve that. Now. I don't think it's possible to humble Dion or shit or I just don't know if that's I don't think it's something that could be done. Although I will say I thought the video that Chad or posted or the video that was that was that was out there from him talking after his draft party where he didn't get taken. I mean I thought he handled
it about as good as you as good as you can. So, you know, with all that said, Dion coaches as if his accomplishments as a player, his accomplishments as a hype man, his accomplishments as an entertainer, like he happens to think that that warrants him, like to be put up on a pedestal as a coach when it has nothing to
do with it. I mean, I remember last year when he acted as if somebody needed to be thrown in prison because they didn't rank him as one of the best coaches in the Big Twelve, whenever he'd only coached one season of Division one football and he went three and nine or four and eight whatever. It was like he thinks that everything he's done as a player, which, by the way, he was special.
He's a gifted, gifted guy in a lot of ways.
Again, when I say hype man, I'm not that's not an insults. I mean he's gifted at that, he's got the juice. But as a coach, you know, he did
take a big step forward this past year. But it'd be easier to acknowledge that and really prop that up if it wasn't for the fact that Colorado Dion specifically, they carry themselves as if they've got six rings and got they got to put two of them on one finger because there's just there's not enough fingers, too many rings, because all they do was win, when in fact they don't.
I mean, it was a sight to behold.
Whenever they would get they'd beat down big time in some games, and they'd still be chesty and yapping at the other team. Is if they're not getting their brains beat in like it, it's fascinating to me. So anyways, that's probably the biggest talking point. Travis Hunter ended up getting taken second and he was the Jags traded up to get him, as well as only two quarterbacks being taken shit or not being one of them, and Jackson Dart.
I mean, they looked like everybody was well aware that the Giants I guess didn't you know even before the GM's teenage son leaked the pick on social media. It seemed as if there was enough buzz out there that they were going to make that move and take Jackson Dart and they did exactly that.
So look, maybe they're wrong, but can you think.
Of a quarterback Austin, but you felt like, man, that guy, I mean, I don't know what people see, that guy's going to be a bust and it ends up really really working out. And you were wrong because to me, I really felt like Jayden Daniels was gonna be was going to be, you know, not a bust, but like I had no clue he was going to be as good as he was in his first year. Yeah, he had the best rookie quarterback season in my lifetime.
I liked, uh, yeah he did.
I liked that Jayden Daniels also felt what you felt about Jay Daniels about bo Nicks, and he totally made me prove it wrong. But it feels like everything that I watched, or the only thing that I cared about watching, because I didn't watch Oregon a whole lot, was his biggest thing is it's just a lot of under stuff, a lot of quick passes, get it out, under slants.
Everything's quick. There's not like a whole like developing. It's not like the West Coast spread pro style offense that they run at Oregon that translates to the NCAA.
But no, I was wrong, Bo Nicks. Bo Nicks is actually yeah, I like the Broncos this year.
You know somebody else who I thought was just to me, They did kind of scream bust. And maybe it was more so just because it was harder to really get a feel for guys who were wrapping up their college career during the pandemic in that twenty twenty one season. But I thought for sure that who's the quarterback of the Chargers?
Who justin Herbert?
Yeah, like I thought.
First of all, I thought he screamed bust and he had a good start. But I think at times now people are realizing I'm not here in trust me.
This isn't me saying that I'm here for that.
I'm not saying that I was right all along that he was a bust, but I do think the early love that he got maybe it was warranted. But like I think people are now realizing that he's fine, but like he's not really special, you know what I mean.
Yeah, I'm here for all the Justin Herbert slander. I think he's a fine player too, but like everybody has always carved him out as if there's one guy that you can start your franchise over with, obviously it's it's my homes Burrow and then they just always throwing it's justin Herbert's always in that conversation, and like he's just like this elite molded after quarterback. And I think he's fine, but I just don't see him as God's gift like a lot of other NFL fans seem to.
Well, he's talented, he can make plays, he has shown that, but here we are many years into his career. He's still young, but I mean he's been in the league for at least four years now, and yet he hasn't really done anything, you know what I mean, Like nobody's I mean, it's not like all the guys thinks, but like he hasn't really done anything, and he's had some games where they were big games, and he's not only not done anything, he's in fact played poorly, like in
Benefactor in some of their losses. So you know, you never really know. I mean, I'm trying to think of guys who everybody thought, there's no scenario they're not really good as because here's what happens. We tend to by the time a lot of these guys, not all of them, Like when Joe Burrow went number one, the reality is none of us knew how it was going to work out, but he was. He was getting all the love right,
and it's worked out. He's been phenomenal. But a lot of the a lot of the quarterbacks that aren't in that position, like the Cam.
Words or the or the Joe Burrows.
You know, you end up getting to draft night and realize they've kind of been like broken down, like everybody they they've decided. You know, it's a roller coaster, right, you love them, then we don't like them, then you love them again, and then yeah, I don't know, I don't know if I'd have taken it in there.
So like, you never really know.
But one thing that is evident is that NFL teams cannot help themselves in most instances as far as just knowing, hey, that's a really important piece to your franchise, your quarterback, and you know you'll fall in love with a quarterback as a GM or really maybe just your front office in general, maybe even a head coach, because those guys clearly have some maybe maybe not all of them, but there's some coaches that have a level of influence on
what's what's what's done when it comes to the draft. But like, you fall in love because you want to fall in love, not because it's genuine, you know what I mean, Like, you know, it would be really nice to have this man, I really love to have a companion, a girlfriend, somebody to kind of share my life with. And who knows, maybe we date for a while and we become, you know, pretty serious, and we have a real life together in a family.
Like that's that's the dream for people.
But like, sometimes you get to the point where you just want that relationship in that situation so much that you that you don't even really focus on the individual. Are they the right one to do that with? Or are you just saying, hey, you know, I'll I'll ignore or maybe be in denial about some potential flaws, some potential issues that we could have together. But I just want someone so bad that like, I'm going to force
it to work. And that's what happens. I think with some of these NFL teams when they drafted quarterback and I just turned the NFL draft quarterback conversation into the Doctor Philshaw feel.
Like, but you know, I think people, I think people get what I'm saying.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, So the Vikings on fire?
How do you?
How do you? How do you evaluate what they did last night?
They they got the guard from Ohio State. I liked it at first, and I think I still liked it because they've fully have addressed everything that I've wanted to the last couple of years, and especially after watching the Super Bowl, like, beef up your offensive line, dude, I'm sorry. They took a lot from the Colts. They took Wolf Fries and Brian Brian, Brian Kelly, Ryan Kelly for me, Yeah, it works for me. Ryan, I'm pretty sure it's Ryan Kelly. But and they beafed up. They beat up their their
interior offensive line. They already have two stud tackles with Brian O'Neil and Christian Darisol got hurt last year, but as regarded as one of the best left tackles in the country or in in the NFL. But also since they talked about it, New York trading back into the first round literally right after their pick, and they gave up a first round for next year's so that makes me think that that offer was possibly on the table for the Vikings and they don't have another pick till
the third round. They're pretty low one picks this year, so I thought you could have probably snagged him in the second round. But also reports come out that they were possibly He also blocked for CJ. Stroud a couple of years ago, so they were possibly afraid that the Texans could go up and snag him.
But at the end of the day, I'm fine with it.
Uh, It just it just would have been It just would have been one hell of a package if you would have just taken what the Giants have given you.
Yeah, I think when you trade up to get somebody, I mean, look drafting, I mean, anytime you spend a first round pick on somebody, you you you love that guy because because you've got to believe I mean, yes, you're not settling in the hurst times, you're not settling in the first round, like you know in your mind this is now. Maybe you end up not getting the guy you thought you you thought you would get at
that spot because somebody took him. But the NFL, I would imagine there's rarely a scenario to where you're having to make a pick and you realize every single player that you had in the mix at that spot is gone. I mean, I guess it could happen, but like you should always be prepared to know where you're going if this guy's not available, if that guy's not available. But there is something that if you trade up, it is it.
I mean there's no hiding it. You you are you love that player, you know what I mean, Like if you are a and that it's an obvious thing. But man, I really was impressed with with with night hearing Travis Hunter. I mean, it was the interview kind of led to it, so it wasn't like he went out of his way to do it. But he's done multiple interviews as you could expect since being drafted with the second pick. But he keeps emphasizing that that team traded up to get him,
and again, it's a no brainer. If they trade up, that means they're not going to risk you falling or not following them. They're not going to take that risk. Maybe they feel somewhat certain that you'll be there, but they're not going to take that chance because they want you so bad, they're going to give up other things
to make sure they get it. But like he seems to really emphasize, like they didn't just want me, they traded up to get me, And again, like I just feel like he's mature to where he understands, like, you know, any team would be lucky to have me. But also like, man, this team really showed me they wanted me. They weren't going to risk me slipping, you know, to wherever the DAGs were picking. I don't remember what it was. So,
you know, trading up again. For some reason last night, it really stood out to me that you know, there's no like, there's no scenario where you could try to sell anybody that you know you weren't totally all in on, said player. If you've given up things in the future just because you're not willing to risk them not being there when you were taking your you know, your original pick.
I would say, also just because I'm a sucker.
And this this just goes back to my compulsive need for wanting me to be like, see they're talking about my team. See they're talking about my team because I like that. Who's not a fanatic if you don't like when your team is a center of attention on TV and a crowdfull of other KANDA teams like, all right, let's go ahead and hype me up a little bit. And this goes back to the problem yesterday that we were talking about most of all of ESPN and sports.
So like when you're watching on the ESPN feed last night, you're seeing that the Vikings make this pick, they're hardly not.
Talking about them whatsoever. They don't even.
Show the the the picture of Donovan Jackson at home like with his family and getting the pick or anything like that. The Packers were a pick right before, and they were doing like this what felt like a forever ceremony that was going on, So like the Vikings were shoved them between that and then once they got done. That's when here comes to New York Team Trader back into the first round. Let's talk about that. We're not
even screw what the Vikings just did. So I'm like, oh, well, you know that kind of sucks because that's at the point where the four letter network is at when it comes to that coverage, because they didn't break, they didn't give like the guy turning around and tossing the football up slowly while they have mel Kiper just rave over.
What's going on?
No, mel Kiper is still there at ESPN, right, I can't think so and so like while they have him rave over.
Well, there were so many different types of coverage for the draft too, Like you had the ABC, which was like the emotional family component. Yes, you had the college football talking heads for ESPN their coverage of it. Then you had the NFL people. But have you ever once considered, man that the reason, Like, when's the last time there was a whole lot of attention leading up to the draft, during the draft, or even after the draft. When it comes to the Chiefs or the Eagles, they're good. Any
draft pick they get that works out. Just an extra topic, right, Like the Vikings had a phenomenal year last year. Yeah, the biggest storyline for them is that they let they let him, they let's Donald go and they and they're now embracing the guy they took it quarterback, So you know, but outside of that, like it's a good thing if you're not being like you're if you're not interesting on draft night as a franchise had a good thing ninety nine percent of the time, it's because you're not desperate
to get players out of college to fix your broken franchise. Yeah, you're already good. And the Vikings are in a great spot.
Again.
It kind of fell apart late and I know the ending of the season was pretty sour, but like they got it. They got some good components to where like they should. Like it's another thing about McCarthy. He didn't have to be great. I mean, hopefully he is for the sake of the Vikings and he can't be terrible, Like he can't be a huge liability. But man, they've got a good play caller, they got a good defense. I mean, they're they're in a good spot.
Yeah, when when they lost to what well, first of all, when they lost they got absolutely blitzed by the Lions and they lost and had to go to the wild card to go play the Rams. The week right afterwards, and I don't think either of those two they just blitzed and they took over that offensive line. Sam Donald got sacked like thirteen times in like two different games. Again, they think he got sacked nine times in that Rams game.
So the Vikings game plan just going in there just like we're going to make sure that this doesn't happen with our new quarterback that we have a lot of faith and so I'm I'm.
Happy with that. So we'll see, We'll see what they do.
And uh, you know, I'm always fine with them wanting to protect their investment.
Look, I I'll admit I've been so out on my Colts really just with the just just just the the overall it. I Mean, there's just not good energy within that organization right now because you've got Ballard and Hearsay acting like everything's all right. We don't know what everybody's upset about. Pat McAfee, who I actually at times kind of think is a clown, but but he is somebody that was a part of the winning culture that the Colts had, and he's somebody that I don't think he
was doing this for attention. I think he's seeing these guys carrying themselves as if they were a part of a you know, as if they have the results that Peyton and the gang had when any pactlets were good. Yeah, he cares about the Colts, no doubt. So like, and then you've got players with the Colts like wanting to fight McAfee like he's you know, he's he's created drama whenever. All he's doing is like acknowledging that things aren't great, you know, so much so that your franchise quarterback. I
can't say that without laughing. You know, he's pulling himself out of games in the fourth quarter because he's tired, and then he tells the media that in the press conference like that really happened. So anyways, last night, I'm fine with their pick. You know, I think they got a really good tight end and Tyler Warren, and I
think tight in positions clearly valuable. But you know, I thought to myself, Okay, buddy, get ready to catch eight yard passes that are going to be thrown at you at five hundred miles an hour coming from Anthony Richardson mister AR fifteen. But then I thought, okay, actually no, he'll probably not be our starting quarterback. It'll probably be Daniel Jones, who we paid too much money to get.
I mean, we're a joke, and you know, I it'd be one thing if I could if I mean, they're in such a bad division, although I don't know, maybe maybe the division improves, but let's be real, like they they could be a terrible team and finish good enough in their division and their conference to where they will back. They'll be back in the same spot right picking at number thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and that'll leave them continuously in
this same existence, which yeah, it could be worse. But sometimes to get to the top or at least make a big push to grow, you have to be bad. And they won't commit, and they are bad, but they won't commit to being bad enough. They won't embrace letting it just kind of fall apart so that they can they can regroup. They'll be in that range of like barely making the playoffs or barely missing it and looking around, like, what's everybody upset about? We weren't the worst team in
the league. And it's like they didn't even like Peyton Manning and even Andrew Luck for a while, like the Colts had some respect about them, and they're not the like they want to live in a world where like, hey, we're not the worst team, everybody should be happy. Like no, like not at all. But again, I don't nobody cares about the Colts.
Let's take a break.
We'll talk on the other side about the quarterbacks that are gonna probably be taken tomorrow or you know, tonight and certainly tomorrow. But the latest mock draft, I like this spot for Tyler Shuck if this is where he
ends up. And again, if this mock draft I'm looking at is accurate, I mean kid should or Sanders fall to the third day, I mean possibly, I mean again, I think just because of all the hype around him and all the just just just always being talked about, that would be viewed as like a real surprise, and I'm sure he'll be painted as a victim if that happens.
But but you know, overall, I don't think it's that surprising because one take away all the prime aspect of it, as far as just you know, the TMZ world that those guys are in. Dion and his whole crew should or was good, but like nothing that would warrant like
you got to take him in the top five. And again this is you know, as much as I keep gassing up Tyler Shuck and talking about how he could really have a chance to, you know, make it work in the NFL long term, I'm also willing to acknowledge one of the reasons why he's been able to really emerge as one of the top five quarterbacks in this draft is because, you know, no, no offense to him, but this quarterback class sucks. I mean, that's that's the way a lot of people view it, outside of.
Maybe cam Ward.
I mean, wouldn't be shocker if like there's one or maybe no quarterbacks that in the long run, you feel like we're guys that could change a franchise.
All right, quick break, keep it locked right here.
It's coffee and company. Feel about Thordon's On Sports Talk seven ninety Austin and I are going to draft fast food items could be, you know, a burrito at Taco bell a sandwich hit Rby's, a burger at McDonald's, fries at you know wherever. So looking forward to that, just our own, our own draft. You know, we're not we're not qualified to be making decisions drafting NFL players. But I feel pretty confident in my ability to put together a pretty good five round class of a fast food items.
So we'll do that coming up here again about five twenty five. But it is Coffee and Company, and we're feel about Thortons. Don't forget. You could take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the out Radio app. Also listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com. So the the quarterback crop here obviously two quarterbacks taken, as we've discussed, and I'd say it'd be a real stunter if the next three quarterbacks, in no particular order are
Tyler shuck Shit or Sanders and Jalen Milrow. So there's really not any specific analyst that puts together mock drafts that I follow more than anybody else. So, you know, the NFL dot Com, NFL network, this is the latest that they have. This was put together just a couple hours before the show started today.
So again maybe it's.
Just purely guessing, but you know, maybe there's also some intel that they have at the NFL network. But when it comes to when it comes to QBS, the first quarterback taken tonight, according to this mock draft won't be Shuck, won't be Sanders, It will in fact be Jalen Milrow. And they have him going at let's see where's he going. I just saw it up here. Yeah, they have him going number forty, which is early in the second round to the Saints. Can hear that down?
I didn't know it's still on.
Sorry, that's all good.
Yeah, I never even know if anybody can hear it other than me. But here's the thing. If I wore if I wore the big cans on my ears like you do, and I didn't wear earbuds, I probably wouldn't hear the can because you don't.
You don't hear it, right.
No, I don't. I think it got fat fingered.
That Yeah it's.
The button.
No, no, it was.
It was really really low, and you know, I think you can feel like the knob is all the way down and it just again, it's a me thing more than anything. Most people would notice it. And again I'm not even sure it comes across the air. But because trust me, there's a difference in wearing earbuds and wearing headphones like you know, and everybody's got their own preference.
But for me, like any little any little Uh. You know, I'd rather something be louder in my ear than just that little that little because the little faint sound makes me feel like, you know, I just makes me think it's something else, experience that something, so I feel it. You always go with the cans.
Right, always thought this is radio to me?
Yeah, I uh, And and trust me, I think I'm one of maybe like three people that just has always gone to earbuds if I can. Although John Alden started doing it once we started working together, and then Venetti
now does it. But I think it's because he's going deaf, Like he he wears these and he can turn the volume down lower and still you know, because I think if he'd continue to have it full blast with standard headphones, I think at this stage in his career, he might he might not be able to hear anything.
It might be fully deaf.
There are some people that don't even use the headphones, like you ever see Gus do it. Gus doesn't even use headphones. Just how do you strictly off the board.
Yeah, I don't know about that.
I mean he's uh, he's a pro. Yeah, I mean he knows what he's doing.
And that is one thing though that anybody who's never been live on the radio before or it always it always stood out to me that they're not used to hearing themselves in their own ear while they're talking. Clearly, when you're speaking and you you could hear yourself talking, I mean, that's that's a no brainer. But whenever it's in your headphones while you're talking, it'll trip you up. If you're not used to it, you clearly get used
to it. But anyways, Milroe going fortieth to the to the Saints, which would be looks like the I guess the seventh eighth pick tonight in the second round.
And look, maybe I'm a hater.
Maybe I'm just thinking, like, you know, Shuck's way better than this guy, shucks way better than Sanders.
But like, I don't even I don't think I've heard.
Anybody talk about Milroe being like a guy worthy of an early pick in the draft. I mean, and by the way, second round is still an early pick. Let's be real. So to me, this screams, I mean, this to me screams the desperation that teams have to find a quarterback. I mean, he's talented as far as just you know, a big arm, big athlete and he's you know,
he's not bad, but I just I don't know. Like if he got drafted in the sixth round, I would have thought, Okay, yeah, that makes sense, but again, what do I know? And then the next quarterback to be taken after Milrow, according to the NFL Network's latest mock draft, is in fact, the one and only Tyler Shuck and they have him going to pick number fifty two to the Seattle Seahawks.
I don't love the fact that.
He would be in Seattle because I don't think that their current coach, like I hear, here's the thing, I don't think the coach they have is going to be very good. I don't know that for certain, but you know, to me, he's one of those guys that just you know, was an analytics guy. And there's a lot of those
guys that have been hired and they've been successful. But it just doesn't and I don't know, I could see that not working out well, especially because they're trading all their pieces, right, Like they got rid of Tyler Lockett and who's the big giant they had a receiver, the special athlete. Yeah, he's now in Pittsburgh. So like if Shuck's there and they do throw him out there early, like, I don't really know what he's got to work with, but he is from the West coast. Maybe he'd be comfortable.
But you know, Seattle's a team that did a lot of folks think might take a quarterback. And then as it looks here, I mean, I'm trying to see where they even have Sanders going in this one, and look, they could be wrong. Maybe Sanders is the first guy taken the night. Who knows, but it looks as if, yeah, they've got him going. Well, here we go, third round. Let's see if he's in the third round. They had they had it on I thought they had both rounds.
On the same page.
They did not.
But SHADOORA.
Sanders is taken at pick number sixty seven by the Cleveland Browns. That's the fourth pick in the third round. And maybe maybe that's right. But I thought when I was listening to Rich Eisen and Kyle Brandt earlier, they made a good point that if the Browns liked Shadoor Sanders, they would have taken him like he would have been off the board. Maybe this here, this scenario would tell
you that they liked him, but not enough. And then they thought, okay, yeah, we wouldn't take him in the first to the second, but we need a quarterback, and you know what, like we'll take him the third because that's a different And again, it is a different world when you invest a first round pick compared to a third round pick. I mean it's just you know, two picks apart. You only draft. You know, if it's a standard draft with no trades, then you only have seven
of them, but seven picks meeting. But yeah, I mean, let me ask you this when it comes to because I was watching the draft with some buddies last night and the they're Bengals fans, so clearly they view the Browns, you know, as bums, which you know, for good reason. The Browns for the most part have always he has
been bums. But their initial reaction when the trade took place and Travis Hunter thought he was going to Cleveland and then realized he was going to Jacksonville, that like he got so lucky, like, oh, he's going to avoid Cleveland and he gets to go to Jacksonville. And I'm thinking Cleveland as a city is not great in like weather, right, but like Cleveland is a humongous market. Jacksonville, outside of Green Bay is the most obscure market in pro sports,
especially the NFL. Yeah, because Jacksonville doesn't have any other pro team.
It's I mean, they honestly don't even care about the Jaguars.
No, they've been around long enough to where, like you know, they're not new by any means. But if you really give it some thought, it is crazy that Jacksonville, Florida has an NFL team. Like, he doesn't make any sense. I mean, if they're worthy of NFL team, we are, I mean, and we don't need one. I mean, I'd love to have one, but like that's not some people
are talking about. So I actually think Travis Hunter. To me, there's a little bit of like Zion and Zion got hurt a lot and hadn't played, so it didn't really like it didn't really regis like it doesn't really add up now. But I was devastated for Zion when he went to the Pelicans because that's just an irrelevant market that like, you know, he'll bring them attention, but nobody cares about the Pelicans. Nobody cares about Jaguars, right, Like, and you know he is from Florida and he'll be
in his home state. But like, I actually think if you're somebody that cares about and this is why, like Tavis Hunter, I don't think he cares about what market he's in. I think he wants to win. I think he's a competitor. I think he wants to you know, win football games and be successful. But you know, this is a business, this is your job. And even though Cleveland is viewed as like a dump, to quote joke Im Noah years ago in the NBA playoffs, I mean,
who goes to Cleveland? Like you ever heard anybody say we're going to Cleveland for vacation. No, that was Jokim Noa when he was on the Bulls making fun of the Calves.
And he's right.
But Cleveland's a big market and they have a humongous fan base that cares. Like, yeah, they can say what you want about the Browns. They have a massive fan base. And I learned this about them when I was listening to whenever I would as you know, before I could make this my job my.
Career, I listened to a lot of sports radio across.
The country just because you know, I was obsessed with it and there was a show in Cleveland. I became a really big fan of and I learned that Cleveland fans, I guess, to deal with their existence and to maybe numb the pain. Nobody makes fun of themselves better than Cleveland fans, you know what I mean. So, like, you know, I kind of found them to be a little bit endearing because yeah, I mean the Browns, like we all know,
Like that alone tells you. I mean, they're the Browns, but you know they know that and they care and they're passionate. Like I think Jacksonville could be good, and like, I'm not even sure it'll really matter a whole lot to that city. I mean, maybe that's an exaggeration because you know, clearly they have fans, but like, I don't know, Like, he'll be fine if he's good, because if you're good, you make plays and your team wins. That's all that matters.
But I do think some players would have really looked at it. Really, their agent probably more than anything, would have been like, man the value because again think about like again.
If he's good, it'll all work out.
But Dak Prescott, do you know how much money he makes just because he's the quarterback for the freaking Dallas Cowboys. I'm just kidding. He's not good. I mean, like he's not that good. He's fine, but like he clearly has a big contract. But like the Cowboys are the biggest brand in pro sports, maybe of any in America. So just because you're the quarterback of the Cowboys, you're gonna get endorsements, you're gonna be like, you're gonna be highly
highly publicized. The ceiling as far as marketability in Jacksonville is just a lot lower. I mean, yeah, you can, you can get you you can be all over the billboards. You can have deals with with big businesses, big big money people in Jacksonville, and you know it'll it'll, you know, you'll you'll make money.
But like they're like GM like look like he's eighteen.
Yeah, Like let's say, like, let's just say, you know, the biggest endorsement, advertising partnership deals for the for the best player for the Cowboys compared to the same thing for somebody with the Jaguars. We're talking about living in vastly different neighborhoods. I mean, and again we're talking about one extreme.
To the other.
But like Jacksonville, they're just irrelevant. Like nobody thinks of Jacksonville ever. The Browns, you know, like they're they're they're relevant to an extent just because of like they're the joke, but like they also like you can just tell brown there's a ton of Browns fans right like, and they care even though they're you know, Tom's They've been pretty you know, they've been pretty sad about, you know, everything for good reason.
But like if I was, if I.
Was Travis Hunter, I would you know, I'd like to think I would have the maturity to embrace wherever I'm going. I'm gonna give it my all and hopefully we win and they'll all work out, because I believe in myself. But like I actually don't actually thought Cleveland, Like there's an aspect of the Browns that if he went there, there would be a lot of attention because of the two things. Right Like, man, the Brown's got Travis Hunter. Let's see how they screw this up because they got
a special player. But the Jaguars, like the Jacks could suck and he could be elite and everybody will say, well, yeah, what did you expect? It's the do you know what I'm saying? I do Uh I do Liam Cohen, I mean like that he's weird, that awkward, like serial killer type. So as soon as they traded up, like everybody's sharing that video, and it reminded me how like I wanted to go crawl in a corner and cry, like that's it's a painful, awkward, self like secondhand embarrassment thing, right.
Everyone from the coach him or Liam Cohen, the coach.
Oh, the GM, and the g GM's in second grade.
He's he's like thirty years old. He's just he's like a couple of years older than the guy that they just drafted. And they're ran by well they're ran by Tony Kahan's dad.
So and by the way that the spars money. Tony CON's got enough money to where maybe they'll all work out. But Javis, right, have you seen their boat? Dude?
Oh dude, he's loaded.
But but anyways, like if you look at it again, you shouldn't let looks tell the story, but like look at the young GM who looks like he's still in high school. And then you just just show the clip of of In doing the duval chant or the du duvall saying, and you would just say, like Yeah, there's no way this.
Is gonna work out.
I mean we could be wrong, like it looks for you, but still like I don't know the Jags or you know the Jags. Yep, quick break quick, we'll come back on the other side. Keep a lot right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
All right, we wrap it up the four o'clock hour here on a Friday, getting you set for the weekend.
This week went by really fast, which it's a good thing.
Right, We're all working to get to, you know, this moment, the weekend, and it's five till five, so I'm sure there's many that have already started their weekend. There's some that'll get it started here soon. And you know, I take I take pride in that being able to you know, for those of you that do choin the dude, join us and choose to be a part of this experience that is Coffee and Company. If we're getting into the weekend. I mean, that's not something I take lightly. That's something
that's a that's a big responsibilities and not austin. I mean, we've got a duty to get them off to a good start, to get the weekend going.
We want to get them in everywhere, but the weekend's more important, no.
Doubt about it.
Most important.
And we've had some pretty crappy weather the last couple of days, but I do believe tomorrow is expected to be uh pretty perfect. Actually, I mean, you never know what to expect. Last week, I believe we thought we were going to get a lot of rain. Yeah, and it and it worked out well. So maybe maybe we're we're due for some some sloppy weekend weather. But with all that said, I would I would sacrifice some wet weather this weekend if it means we don't get wet on Derby.
That's what I was about to ask. Do we know the seven day forecast? Shit? Usually they're on it by now.
Yeah, I mean, let me ask you this. I just it's not because I'm pessimistic by nature. I mean I am at times, although I'm getting better at that.
I just don't know. It makes me very cynical towards the weather.
But I actually just now expect that we're going to not get good weather on Derby. And I don't I can't tell if that's my processing it so I can prepare for the worst hope for the best, because I do think that's a good way to approach a lot of things. It helps you, it'll help you, you know,
avoid being super let down. And it also you know, it can make it even more excitingly if you get good weather, if you've just been assuming it was going to be terrible, then it'll feel you know, it's that unexpected joy of because that's what last week was, to be honest with me, I thought it was gonna rain all weekend and it was going to impact the Easter egg hunts for Easter, and it was gonna impact my
daughter's baseball game, and it worked out well. So yeah, it looks like next next Saturday of next year, next Saturday we are expected to have. Right now, it says seventy five degrees and mostly sunny with a twenty three percent chance of rain, but during the day, mostly sunny, skies, high neer seventy five. Somebody, somebody spank me, I mean that's I mean, could that get better? Seventy five and mostly sunny, and it.
Looks like it's literally gonna rain almost every day lead.
And that's fine. Like again, Yeah, we'll sacrifice, is it?
Like? I know a lot of people go out to the track and you know they find their day. I mean, I'm still a big Oaks guy.
I haven't been to Oaks yet. That's the one I haven't been to. Well, I'm going to five oh Tuesday this year.
So a lot of people say that Oaks, you know, used to be the day for locals, and I'm sure it was. But even from from my earliest time thinking of Oaks, when I would go because that's our day, like usually, I mean for years I've gone to Oaks with my fan, with my wife and you know, we don't ever I mean, I work Derby, but she doesn't go to Derby. She's got Derby parties and I usually end up joining her there. But Oaks has kind of
been our day. But I feel like even since we've been doing that well over ten years, I've just known that, yeah, it's not going to be a super local day and it's going to basically be just a light version of Derby because it's still pretty crowded. And then you know, you had Therby, but now Therby apparently has become too corporate and to you know, to like does Louisville still have a day they do five oh Tuesday, which I think like a lot of folks are like now embracing
that is the locals day. But if you really think about it, I mean Tuesday on it's especially if there's good weather, it's really crowded and you may not realize it, but there's people there all throughout the week that are that are not local because that's what that's what Churchill Downs during Derby Week does. That's one of the things that I really I just felt dumb, and I feel dumb a lot in life. You know, I have moments where I'm like, man, you really are a real special dumbass.
I mean it's not like, you know, not a daily thing, but trust me, I've had moments and this is one of those moments. Whenever I started doing the annual interviews at Churchill Downs, talking to folks you know that are there and bringing interviews back and being a part of the Derby coverage that we have on eight forty whas you know, I'd say like nine out of ten people that I talked to are not only not local, they're
not from anywhere around here. And I think just because Churchill Downs has always been here.
It's home for us.
And a lot of times when I would go to Churchill Downs, you know as a kid, it wouldn't be during Derby. It would be just you know, one of
the one of the days of the races. Like we still go, Like we love going a lot when it's like it's just the fall meat or you know whatever, Like Derby's great, everything that comes with it, it's awesome, but I actually enjoy going when it's not a big event and there's just not as much people and you know, for me, I can take you know, my son is obsessed with horse rays, so like he gets a little more access and he gets closer to stuff. So, you know,
just because it's ours and it's been here forever. I never really had the awareness that when you look at Churchill Downs on Derby Week, especially Oaks and Derby, the vast majority of the folks that are there are not from here. They're there just because of that and that's special. Like we haven't and again I've known, I don't think you can be from here and not know how big the Derby is. But whenever it just you kind of get used to it and it's just you know, like,
I don't see we take it for granted. I think we know it's special, but man, I mean we're talking. I mean I remember I went three straight interviews a few years ago, somebody from Amsterdam, somebody from Canada, somebody from Puerto Rico, and like two of them so coo. Like two of them they this was like the fifth or sixth time they'd come. Yeah, the others it was the first time and we weren't even having good weather, and these people were like, this is so cool, and
it just made me, you know, it made me appreciate that. Like, you know, I don't have any ownership of the Derby or anything like that, but we do have, like, you know, we do have something that's pretty cool. I mean, the Derby is one of the biggest events in sports every year, and there is there's a moment where for two minutes, there's there's an insane amount of people watching that watching a horse race that is taking place right here in our in our city, and it's it's pretty cool.
I love the Derby. White.
When I first got here, I said the same thing about Thunder too. I just kind of didn't get it, and then I kind of got boogie on it. I got with the w I I got with the the big wigs tags, and I've got to go down there and cover it.
And it is awesome. Yeah, I love being out there.
It's I love dressing up, smoking a cigar with some big wigs from all over the place where you say Anstram someone from Atlanta.
It's awesome.
The energy in this city during Derby season, not just Derby Day or even Derby Week. It's it's special. But I just kind of feel like we didn't. It snuck up on us this year. And I know a lot of people keep saying, oh, it's because thunder over Louisville was was boat was canceled, and maybe that was a factor. But again I've said this and this is just me, Like I've never once looked, Okay, here we go thunders here.
Let's cause I've never I mean, I know that it's a part of the Kentucky Derby Festival events, but like I never even I never even the connection that like we have thunder because of Derby, like you think it's.
Also because of weather related Usually we're kind of in springtime and like, all right, it's starting to feel like it's Derby time. But leading up to it was literally a hurricane and we're doing and it's early May. Yes, you know what I mean, like it's it's Easter was so late too. I think that had a lot to do with it.
And I kind of feel like we've mean, what was it? Was it the Christmas season? We got robbed of like a week of it just because of the way Thanksgiving fell or something like, Yes, there was, there was something that we talked about on the show.
Because we still had to come in Wednesday.
Yeah, we didn't have we didn't have as much time leading up to. I don't know what it's gonna Oh yeah, no, it was. It was Thanksgiving, so Thanksgiving was later than it usually is, I believe, which meant once you once you turned the page from Thanksgiving, like we were a lot closer to Christmas than we typically are because because obviously Thanksgivings not on the same day. Thanksgivings on the same day. It's just that Thursday. Yeah, so all right,
we got to get to a break. I'm sorry for taking so long, but we've got our draft coming up here before too long, and of course we'll reset some things and get you set for a round two and Round three Friday. You know, it's not the first round, which of course gets most the attention. But I feel like Friday is a sneak Friday Night of the NFL drafts, a sneaky undervalued sports day on the calendar. So looking forward to it this evening, So stick around, don't go anywhere.
It's coffee and company. Feel about Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety