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 turn off. Their coaches are.
Screwing it up.
Gold Play Inner Murals, 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'm gonna, as I've said all throughout the last couple of weeks, try to make the most of what is left and six hours left here for me at Sports Talk seven ninety. Not to be dramatic, but I mean it's the truth. We've got today, we've got tomorrow, and then I make the move to eight forty, whas very excited. But also I've had some moments in the last couple of days that really kind of get me in the fields as far as just you know, this,
this whole thing coming to an end. And this morning I had one and it was I was I had just dropped the kids off at daycare and at school, and I was listening to eight forty whas, which you should too all the time, and especially you know, starting Monday if you're not already listening in the mornings. But anyways, there's been it's been a fun week, not only for me as a as a person who works here. And
you know, I'm a radio guy. Whatever that means, for better or worse, it's it's my it's my craft, it's what I do. So as there have been many many I'm trying to think of how many, and if I tried to name them all, I would miss somebody and I don't want to do that. But there have been so many people that have been in this week to be a part of Tony Cruz, to be a part of Tony Cruz's show because he's he's retiring and tomorrow's
his last show on AHAs. So it's been nice to hear from people who used to be a part of the station, used to be a part of his show, Legends that I never got to work with, but obviously they're a big factor in why has is what has is. And this morning John L. Smith, former Louisville football coach, was in studio and I could listen to that guy talk all day in fact, he used to be on
this station many years ago. But whenever Venette came in to finish up the crew, Tony Cruz is Kentucky in the morning news show and they finished with John L. I think he was in for maybe the last hour, and it was a lot of fun. He's pretty good at the radio stuff, and I'm sure he knows that, but you know, he's got better things to do he's retired. But what I'm getting at is Tony had mentioned that John L should write a book, and he told him he because he can just tell stories. I mean, no joke.
It could be a Joe By and Denny situation with him. Maybe I don't know who would be the Joe b for him, but he's got some great stories. And Vinetti mentioned, well, you should write a book, and he said, you know, I don't know if I'd remember all these stories. Like if he just sat down and tried to think of stories, he may not be able to. Actually, you know, it may not be as effective. But in conversation, he's always got a story and they're usually pretty funny stories. And
that was certainly the case this morning. But when Venette mentioned that he should write a book, he Venette said that he knows what he would what he should call the book, and he said that it should be called
the players are playing the coach. The players are playing their tail off, and the coaches are screwing it up, and that he mentioned I think John LL mentioned, well, you would you'd had to bring that up, didn't you, you know, playfully, because I guess that wasn't a great moment for John L. But it's certainly a legendary moment. And then Bennetti, without even me really realizing it, I just wasn't thinking of it at the time, that that's a part of the intro for the show that you
hear every year. Is so with that, I.
Didn't know that that was from John L though.
Yeah it was when it was when he was at Michigan State, I believe it was, and he's running off the field at halftime and the coaches were screwing it up. He was he was telling the truth, and in fact,
he reiterated that today. And anyways, it just made me think, you know, because Venette said, you know our morning guy on seven ninety who's coming over to take over for Tony cruz Nick coffee, he has that in his opening for his show, and it's been there for many, many years and it plays every day, and I thought, you know what, that's true, and what happened with me there
was this. There's a lot of things I'm proud of as far as what I've been able to do here, I mean just being able to do it is meeting having the opportunity. That's something I'm proud of and thankful for beyond belief. But I've always felt like the intro for this show, which really has not changed. I believe I created this intro in twenty sixteen when I got hired,
and I believe we've changed the background music. Obviously the show name has changed from Red Zone to Coffee and Company, But other than that, as far as the montage of clips that I put together, it's remained. And just by nature, I'm someone that oftentimes will try to just mix things up, just to mix it up, which I shouldn't do sometimes. You know, if it's not broke, don't fix it. That's
that's a saying for a real reason. But anyways, what I'm getting at is, of all the things, and there's many of them, I think the intro for the show is one of the things I'm most proud of because it I think it gives you a pretty good sense of what you're gonna get here. And I think the clips that you hear within are are pretty fitting for you know what it is that you get. Play it for me once more, Austin.
You want me to roll it back again?
Yeah, you could fade it out once we get past just the just the clips, but I think, like you know, I'm proud of this and it's not gonna be there anymore because obviously you know, 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 playing or turn off your tuntures are.
Screwing it up? Gold play Inner Murals, brother, go play Inner Murals. They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really not. Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here?
Are you kidding me?
Now?
So with that, I mean it plays every day. It's it's in one ear and out the other for me. But I hadn't really stopped to think to listen to it, because again, it's just been a constant thing every single day, and I'm sure it's the same way for people who do start the show with us every day at three o'clock. But all those clips, most of them, I think nearly all of them are clips from coaches having a meltdown, either at the podium press conference or for John L
when he was when he was running off the field. So, yeah, I saw John L earlier and oh he's I mean, he looks like a ball coach. God knows ball, he can talk ball. I was helping a Dwight limp into the office. Did you hear what happened to him? No, he tore his achilles? Are you serious?
Or he ripped his Now I guess from what I heard he was helping move something.
Okay, I was gonna say, like, I can't imagine, you know, Dwight having that happen when he's playing full court basketball or something not that he won't give buckets out to anybody who wants to challenge him. I'm just saying, like I would, I would be curious as to how it happened. But yeah, moving furniture, I can see it, just snapping.
But yeah, I was stepping out of the studio to run back into uh load some stuff in the in the radio car. And then I just see a guy on crutches and I look down at Dwight and the first thing that I think of is it's a joke, right, Dwight on crutches? I said, are you all right? He's like, no, Dorman Dam's And I'm like, did this just happen? If he yep, last night? If he was a fag.
If he was a football player for John L. Smith, JoNell Smith, would I would have told him to get out there and play play through it. And Dwight would have done it because he's a team player. Yeah, and he'll sacrifice for the squad.
He sure will.
But uh, this is the this is I believe this is how it. Uh yeah, they I guess they let me see. I think I've got the clip in its entirety. This was in two thousand and five when he was in Michigan State, and I don't remember really the context of what led to him saying that. But let's let's take a listen.
Let's go to Jack.
As you watch John LL.
He's losing his mind.
By the way, cannot believe what is happening. Let's go to Jack his coach.
Obviously a miscalculation there, and you're upset.
Tell me about her?
He upset and above then we're crass. Real goal for coaching center. Man, we're sure to sent it. Man, that's a Dan coaching mistake, that the kids are playing their tail life and their coaches are screwing it up.
You don't have to say anymore than Matt Brent.
No, you certainly don't check.
I've missed John l coaching football. I also miss Brittain, how about that? So anyways, I hadn't thought of this until John El. So maybe I thank John Ll and Benetti for this because John Hill's been in the intro for the show forever. I just you know, it's not I don't If you asked me what's in my intro, I would be able to tell you. But it's just
not something that's ever on my mind. And John ELL's a clearly a very memorable and special coach for U of L to where I don't think about my show When I think about John LL, I think about damn, I missed that guy. He was great, What a character and what a good ball coach and his success here that he had before leaving for Michigan State was one of the eras of Louisville football that is important for where for being where it is today. But with this, I went back and I'm so glad I did this.
And I don't really remember doing it, but I remember thinking, know, you better do that, and I'm happy to find out that I did. My memory is a little bit foggy from the time we moved out of the old building into the new one, and I thought to myself, you know, you've got terabytes of sound on a drive that is attached to the studio computer at the old studios at
our old building over there on Newburgh Road. And I at the time had taken everything to drop box that I used regularly, but like every day in the morning, I would cut up a bunch of sound every day. And then there's also times where if I heard something, whether it be like a you know, a coach and
a press conference or just something. I mean, now, it would actually be a lot easier to do because there's so much you can just pull directly from TikTok, which will be easy to do as far as movie clips and what but I'll be getting at is I grabbed everything I'd ever cut up and put it on a drive that I still have, and it's now on this computer in here, and I'm not gonna play I mean, I wouldn't be able to play it in its entirety.
And a lot of it is just clips from a coaching press conference or uh, you know, Paul Rodgers highlights, those kind of things. But I did have a folder specifically for just sound drops that you used to hear. And I don't know why. I think just for the with the moved afternoon, I didn't feel and there's no rhyme or reason for this. It wasn't I don't remember
making the decision. But once we moved here, despite having a nicer studio that is much more modern and better, I just kind of abandoned sound And I don't really
know why I did that. But there are some that if you listen tomorrow for my final show, you will, I hope you will be entertained by some of these, if anything, just because you'll you'll heck, if you hear some of these for the first time, I mean these are clips that there used to just be a be a certain that there's there was certain things that would be said or certain tone of something said by either me, a producer, a guest, or we played sound and then I would just you know, I had I had a
button bar essentially just set up to where I could I could just hit a button and it, you know, it would would tell you that, you know, you were so dumb, you were really dumb for real. From Antwine Dotson the guy who you know was what was the climbing in your windows snatching your people up? One of the early viral videos of YouTube as far as a
news scene. So anyways, two shows left, and I've just spent eleven minutes of the two show of the six hours total, probably accomplishing nothing, but I don't really care. I mean, I've been overthinking it the last day or so as far as man, you really need to make the most of this and do something, go out with a bang, do something that is special, and I mean it's not anything extravagant. I do have plans for the rest of this show as well as tomorrow, and we're
gonna have some fun with it. But I feel like the best thing for me to do is to just not even think about it being the end and just enjoy it, because I feel like if I overthink about I overthink it as far as just the little time that I have left and how amazing it's been here for the last nine years. And again, I'm not leaving the company. I'm just taking a different job within the company, and I'm still gonna be on your radio dial just
a lot earlier than three PM. But I want to live in the moment with it and just enjoy it, because if I if I get to thinking about it, then I'm just gonna be in my own head. And that's really something I'm oftentimes not able to control. I get my own head to overthink things, but I'm gonna try my best not to. As we round it out, and today's Austin's last day with Coffee and Company because he won't be here tomorrow. He's out with some events that he's got to work. And then also he's gonna
be he's gonna be going to a wedding. So we'll make the most of the rest of the show. Certainly gonna be a lot of fun. I guess I don't know if I mean again, One thing I need to say is I hope over the years you have at least some level of a radar for sarcasm, because that's always been something that a no, no, you everybody, everybody you do clearly that's why you're such a good fit for the show. But there you know, and I assume
most people do. But I often, oftentimes am amused by the random the randomness of people who really don't understand like I was. It was a poor attempted humor for me. I'm not being serious. It was a bad attempt at sarcasm, and the fact that you thought it was real actually amuses me. But then I have that fear of Okay, I've been doing this a long time with kind of the same shick, kind of the same style. I mean, you like it or you don't like it. Clearly you
choose to listen or you don't. But I would also feel really bad if some of the things I joked about people thought I was serious. And I was about to do that right here, because I was going to say thank you to Pat Kelsey because I feel like he knew Nick's only got a couple of days left
with Coffee and Company. So let's get a basketball commitment in addition to the roster, because we want to give him something fun to talk about on his last couple of shows, so thank you, p K. I don't I doubt there's any doubt there's any chance that that's actually how the timing worked out. But the timing worked out, and I'll believe the timing was for me just because, you know, because why not. But anyways, evangelists Zugris probably been having trouble trying to think of what it is
to Vangalis evangelist or avangalists. I don't really see how it couldn't be that in the last name z O U g r I S Zugris. I'm guessing evangelist Zugras. And we'll get a we'll get a pronuncia and see if I see if I'm correct, or I guess see how wrong I may be. But he is another big man from across the pond. He has been playing in He's from Greece. He's six eight, two fifty, a big fella.
And it looks like the news was broke by the director of scouting for Draft Express, John Chipikovic, and he's he put it out there about an hour ago that a, uh this so he is twenty one years old and uh he was Yeah, he's born in twenty two thousand and four, which means he's he's yeah, he's twenty that's old. He is he's twenty one years old. Uh wait a second, is that right? Yeah, twenty one years old, and or
at least will be twenty one this year. So he's he's not some seventeen year old that you got to worry about. As he physical, as he grown, he's he's grown again. He's six eight, two fifty, and he's apparently just a you know your tip And again I'm I'm I should say this ahead of time. I'm just reading about what what what they're saying about his game. I'm not going to try my poor attempt to even rea
about his game. I do not want it to make it sound as if I'm trying to act like I know anything about this guy, because you know, I don't.
I think I found a pronunciation from at least one of these basketball videos.
Let's hear let's hear it. What we got van jele zugrievanngely Zugrie. That sounds that's fun to say.
It is actually a fantastic.
I like that. I like that. So this guy, actually I wouldn't have remembered his name, but he he's been I guess rumored as somebody that may eventually come to play basketball in college. And to my knowledge, Louisville has been the only school that people have connected to him for quite a while now. And uh, you need him because again you you do. You don't know what's going
to happen with Ali Khalifa. And you also lost James Scott and I don't think that was an expectation, and and and up until then, you really hadn't done much to replace that. So there have been two guys added to the roster in the last month or so that completely off the radar again, Grees Zugrie or zu Grese say with me, zu Grees or Zugree.
Sounds like it's it sounds like they're saying, Zugria to play it on the air hold on, hold on.
How easy would that be?
I guess that'd be probably be the easiest thing that we've done to it.
Yeah, I like that.
I like that.
Yeah.
So they haven't said his first name, but if if, if it's like the bass is hidden on the Zugri part, I can only imagine it's Evangelie Evangeliz.
So the last name is so fun to say, we can just call him, but you know, he's somebody that again he's just been on the radar as a guy that that could end up at Louisville and and now he's he's going to be here. So this was this was I guess his This was last October when he was playing in Because with with professional basketball overseas, you
you're Mike. So the basketball basketball overseas it's a little bit like soccer as far as you'll just like there's a club element to it and you know, you have your you know, honestly, the leagues are very much similar to what you see in European soccer. So he played four games with I guess his club in October and was you know, twenty minutes per game. He averaged twelve and a half points, shot eighty six percent from the field, one hundred percent from the free throw line, and averaged
about five rebounds. So again I'm not gonna act like I know a lot about him, because I don't. However, he is he's another piece to the front court, which clearly there's there's a need there. And even if you get good news with Ali Khalifa, which I hope that you do, you know you still you know, he still needs some depth. I mean last year Louisville because of injury more than anything, I guess with Casein and you did bring in Khalifa, but he couldn't play because of
the injury that he already had when he arrived. I mean, you had a thin court or a thin front court last year, and I really do think you couldn't have done much better in the front court than how you did with what you had to work with. That's not to say those guys weren't weren't good. I mean James Scott wasn't really an offensive threat at all unless he
was dunk in the basketball. And he gave you a lot of energy and effort, but obviously, you know he's not somebody the opposing team really has to guard unless he's right underneath the rim. And then obviously John Hadley stepped up in a big way. And I mean some of your guards, I mean they weren't post players by it he means, but you know, Chuck you, Eburn, Terrence Edwards. They'd get in the paint, mix it up a little bit more so than they probably were used to. So
there you have it. Another another edition of the roster. We'll try to see if we can get some more info on this on this guy before we get out of here today, because I'm interested. I mean, he's somebody that you know, you just you really never know what you're getting with any player, to be honest with you,
I guess you have a better idea now with the portal. Right, if you bring in a guy who's been a consistent All American caliber player, I think you could expect him to still be that when he ends up with your team.
But these are guys that most fans have never heard of until they commit at all, and you can reference what transfers you've never heard of, you can reference their numbers at the previous college and make you know, determine whatever you want to determine right come to come to your own conclusion with these guys, it's really unknown because it's this is new, Like there haven't been that many examples that I can think of in the last couple
of years because it's new meaning now with college players making big time money, especially at big time programs, these guys are more interested in coming to college and getting a bag and realizing that they're eligible with four years despite being twenty one or twenty two years old sometimes so again it's the ultimate unknown. But what we did know is that without James Scott and also again with Khalifa situation uncertain, you need to add some pieces and
they've done that. Some other things we'll get into today. We now know the kickoff time I think for a third of Louisville football schedule. We can certainly get into that. And then there's still some more to take away from
the SEC meetings that went on. The Big twelve meetings took place today, and there's the conversation about what happens with the future of the college football playoff has not died down really at all, and yet I don't get any since there's any the progress made as far as what is going to work right, what everybody will agree upon, But we do know that you've got until I guess the end of November or the beginning of December to get it figured out as far as the deadline, and
I guess the deadline is with the TV partners because they need to know sort of what they're going to have to work with because obviously this is this isn't made for TV event. I mean, this is just a tournament that was created that the NCAA has nothing to do with. And obviously it features the best teams in the country and it rightfully determines who's the national champion. But again, this is nothing to do with the nc DOUBLEA.
So when you think about the college Football Playoff, heck, keeping your conference championships as well as any bowl game. I mean, those are just made for TV events. But you know, when you make billions of dollars seemingly with these, with the event that is the College Football Playoff, it's a pretty important thing to understand exactly what it is you're you're working with. Also, NBA Playoffs will continue to talk about that. Obviously, not much competition last night at
all between the Thunder and the Tea Wolves. I mean, why they even show up. I mean, they got off to a decent start, they made their first three and got a couple of stops. It almost looked right at the beginning of the game as if this was gonna be like the OKC Thunder were gonna be. You know, they were gonna have their first off night at home, and I guess they've had off nights at home throughout
the year. But obviously They've been good all season in the in the postseason as well, but especially when they're playing in front of their home crowd, and it was juiced, and they just got off to a slow start at the very beginning. And then it was all she wrote.
They just turned it on. It was they beat the living hell out of out of the uh out of the Tea Wolves, And I was given given Moosa bath and and I had at the TV was on in the living room and I could hear it, and all of a sudden, I just I heard whoever was on the call because the ESPN coverage man, it's I don't want to pick on him because I.
Think Doris Burke just doesn't do it for me.
I think Doris Burke and Richard Hamilton are phenomenal as far as knowing basketball. I genuinely mean that Doris sit people. Can you know, maybe she's not an acquired taste, Maybe you just don't like women calling games. Whatever, I mean, you like what you like. I'm not going to try to lecture you, but I love what she brings to the table as far as her knowledge of basketball. It
just doesn't work with the trio that they have. I mean, who is it, it's Richard Jefferson Herd, yeah, Breen and Breen's fine, But I mean I can't tell, am I really just that underwhelmed with it because it just doesn't seem to have the dynamic. It just doesn't seem to
really work. He just works so much better with Van Gundy. Yeah, Mark Jackson, sure, for sure, and that's what we think about when we think of him, right, But also I can't tell if it's you know, just that it doesn't seem to work, or if I just realized that the TNT crew is so much better that's what it is too, I mean you kidding me? I mean Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller,
and I think Stan Van Gunny's been phenomenal. Yeah, he's great, He's got he's got some I mean the bar is set low as far as like character slash personality for a gig like that. I mean, he's not Charles Barkley, because nobody is. But he's got some personality to him. But also he clearly you know, he loves talking who
so you know the thunder we're not. But anyways, back to the trio that was calling last night's games for ESPN, Breen made a comment and said, this is a type of deficits you just don't see very often this early in a game. And I went and looked at the TV, and I think within the time I put the little fella in the bathtub and sat down, you know, let him play with his toys in the bathtub, We're probably in there ninety seconds. And I feel like they went on like a ten oh run, like it was already
bad and then it got really ugly, really quick. So we now know that the OKC Thunder are moving on to the NBA Finals first time since twenty twelve. I think Sam Presty has been maybe as good as we've ever seen as far as quietly building an NBA roster that is won phenomenal and took chances on guys that others probably wouldn't have taken chances on, like he I think, you knew, hey, we can go get Alex Caruso and he's going to be a phenomenal piece for us, and
he is. He's probably one of the most valuable guys I can think of in recent years off the bench for a team. And sometimes it does show up in the statute, sometimes it doesn't because he's just out there. You know, he's such a good player. I used to clown on Caruso a lot, but because he was balding, and then he just shaved it off. And now and now we're rocking with him.
Right. He left the Lakers and when he came back, they did like a tribute video for him. I'm like, all right, guys, are we doing this?
Well?
He's well, So you know he for some reason, don't I never was. I never found him unlikable, but I get why. Like he was kind of easy to be a punching back for certain people, but that was whenever he was playing alongside legends, like with the Lakers.
Yeah.
But now that he's the og with some young stars and he is so selfless and conceding to letting it be their team and he's just playing the leader role, doing the dirty work, being a great defender. I mean, like he's he's hard not to like.
Now.
Yeah, it's quite the role reversal, and I believe it's mostly due to the fact that you know, you're seeing him be a guy that is no longer the young dude just happy because he's a.
Pre makes me feel old.
Yeah, I'm with you, hitn't he a perfect example of a guy though that when he was playing alongside Lebron in LA you just assumed that it was because, well, you know, he's a Norris Cole.
Right, he's a he's a mare there. What now is Austin Reeds? Yeah, he get excited. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So he's really showing his value in OKAC. And I think if you realize the moves that have been made by the Okac Thunder in recent years, then I'll not only have the a roster that looks like they're they're gonna be the favorites to win the whole thing, that's for certain, but also they've got like really good draft picks coming up,
like they've like he has done a phenomenal job. And it would get so much more attention if it was anybody but Oka. See.
I mean, if it was the Knicks or the Lakers or something like that, it would be the only thing anybody talked about in the NBA. But it's okay, see, and it's just different. So anyways, let's take a quick time out. We'll come back, keep this thing rolling along, have some fun before we, uh we end the week. Keep a lock right here. It's coffee and company, and we are feel about Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
That's right, it's coffee and company. Feel about though. Jordan's here on Sports Talk seven ninety nit coffee, Austin Montgomery, the travel chief alongside and I haven't mentioned this just yet, but we did have a couple of people ask on the text line, and I mean, Austin's not going anywhere. He's still gonna be He's still gonna be around here at iHeart and around and he'll be producing other shows here and there when needed. And actually, I don't, I
don't care. I'll say it. What are they gonna do? Fire me? Please don't. I'm not I'm not challenging you. This is not a this is not a dare. But there are there are plans. There are plans. We don't know what the plans are for sure just yet. However, they're gonna put local programming here. I just don't know when that's gonna happen and what it's gonna be. I have, you know a good feel for kind of what they're
at least exploring. But and if that's the case, then then I would imagine that Austin will be a part of it here and there. And also I think you may hear Austin on forty whas here and there as well. You already do at times whenever he's he's in with Tony and Dwight on some of the remotes, or he just comes in studio with him. So yeah, I mean he gets here early, so heck, I probably will have him pop in with me every now and then on has and the.
Saw earlier today, yea in the studio that's.
Right in the eight o'clock hour. You know that'll be uh, that'll be you know, see you here and uh. Again I talked about yesterday. Just to be clear, I did say earlier within this show that at times I can be sarcastic, and I can, you know, I can just hope that I can. I can say something and it's a poor attempted humor, and I just hope you guys understand that I'm trying to be funny and not being serious.
What I said yesterday was absolutely the truth. This guy has probably done more jobs again, all the jobs I listed, all the things he's done, riding our iHeart vehicles, in parades, producing shows, you know, giving away concert tickets, introducing artists at festivals that were a part of Like, he's done everything, so you know, even if it's fun, even if you're not looking for him, which I don't know why you wouldn't be looking from a man, I'm just saying, you'll
probably just hear him or see him when it's something related to iHeart Louisville because they rely on it for just about everything.
Right, You'll see me around somewhere. Yeah, and like I'm like a spider, I'm never more than like ten feet away from you.
Well, even earlier today, I was walking out of this studio and you were in the other studio doing again one of the many things you do here, and you said, hey, what's up, And I'm like, who's that? And then I said before as soon as I turned around, I'm like, of course it's Austin. He's always here doing something. I mean,
he's always working. So it's been a fun ride. I do want to thank everybody who's who's been a part of the show in a producer role, and there have been many over the years that have been a part of it to some extent, but those that really were around a long time. Again, this stuff doesn't doesn't work without them understanding sort of what I want the show to be and any scenario where I would have Again, I get why that it's always kind of been that way,
but it's really not anymore. And that's the whey when I was hired. The guy who hired me forever grateful for him. But he comes from a little bit of a different era in radio, and he's a legend. I mean, he's a big factor in why the talk stations here at Ihart Louis Will have been so successful over many decades. It's Kelly Carl's again. He gave me the opportunity, and really, you know, that opportunity is why I'm still here today.
I mean I was able to leave my full time job and career and you know, take a chance and see if I could do this, and so far I'm still doing it and it's been a great ride. But his style of just putting shows together, programming talk radio, I mean, it's different than than it is now. So there was always a all right, well, utilize your producer. They're certainly going to be a part of the show,
but you know it's you. It's you, And I'm thinking I get that, but I don't think there's many people that can be legitimately entertaining enough interesting enough to keep someone's ear if they're just Rush Limbaugh on an island with no other voice at any point throughout any part of the show. So Matt Allen was somebody that was with me for a while, and obviously he and I have a similar sense of humor, and we had some
fun with that a lot of years with him. And then John Alden was in the seat for a little while, and man, that was something that really it wasn't rocky at any point it was. I mean, I always love working with John. John's a great, great guy, but he and I didn't really know each other that well whenever he became my producer, and then certainly over time we get to know each other a little bit more and it becomes a little bit more natural. And then he was taken from me to go to has which he'll
now be my producer in the mornings. And then Austin was somebody that I already knew, was friends with, had a relationship with. I never had any worry at any point about it working, and certainly it has worked. It's been a lot of fun. I think everybody who has been a producer for this show has brought their own flavor, if you will, and yet I've still been able to make the show what I want to make it. But you and I, man, we've got a similar sense of humor in a way that I don't have with a
lot of people. And I don't know what that says about you, man. I hope you hope you take that as a compliment, because I mean it as a compliment. So this show has just been going in different directions organically through our own way of doing it, and it's been a lot of fun. And you know, I can tell that clearly what we've been doing has been working because throughout the change there was no dropping listeners. In fact,
we gained some more. And you know what I really really am gonna remember is that the season where Louisville basketball came back to life, we certainly didn't feel like we were working, you know what I mean, We were in the moment enjoying it. It was it was fun, you know, going to games together. So I'm acting like I'm saying good bye to you I'm still go to see you every day. In fact, i'll probably see you more just because I'm gonna be here during the day more.
But in our promotions, closet is literally right next to that door, so you'll always see me popping in.
And there we go, there we go. So again, big thanks to Austin and also everybody else who's been a part of the show in any way. And tomorrow, here is my plan. Tomorrow. I have got a total of six guests that are gonna come on that have been a part of this show somewhat consistently for nine years, and there aren't many that have been around where they've been a regular. There have been some that have been regulars for a long time and then they move out
of the market. There have been some that are that are regulars, but it's more so whenever we're like in season. But if you listen to this show just a little bit over the nine years I've been on the air, rather it be mornings, middays or afternoons, then you'll you'll probably you'll probably remember these people. And I hope that you enjoy our enjoyed our conversations again because they are so consistent and yet you know, if you're a consistent listener,
then they weren't. You know, clearly it was good enough to where you stuck around. So we'll have some fun and tomorrow. I mean, I'm I mean when I say, I have no clue really where like how it's gonna go. And I know what I'm doing at least what I'm gonna try to do, but it could go in a lot of different directions, and I'm gonna try my best. I mean, I can, I mean, Austin can attest to this.
I just talked to him before the break. Please don't mention what I said potentially could happen, because I don't know if it's gonna happen. But like, I don't want to be emotional. I don't want to cry. I don't wanna. I don't want to not to say. I don't want to be that guy like it's some awful thing. I mean, I don't know if many people have thought, yeah, I can't wait to get in there and just ball like
a baby because I'm emotional. I mean, if you do, you do, you can't really control it or fight it. So I don't. I don't mean others get I now get why that's happened for people over the years. I mean, I remember Locl McClain doing his last show on Sports Talk eight forty. I remember the I mean, I remember Adam Neff leaving the Afternoon Underdogs with Tony Venetti and he couldn't speak. He was crying and he was so emotional. And now I get it, and I'm I'm an emotional
person to an extent. I'm not like super sappy, but I'm I'm I'm very much content with my emotions, if that makes sense. Like you know, I'm not somebody who tries to fight off any emotion that comes my way. But I also am not super sappy emotional all the time like I'm you know, like I'm a crowdbaby or anything.
But here's what I'm worried about. If there's ever a slight moment where I'm getting close to it, I think I'm gonna explode because i haven't had that moment yet, you know what I mean, and it being the final day and you know, yeah, so if I do, I'm just gonna let people know this ahead of time. I'm gonna go to break and I'm gonna gather myself because I just I'll have to do that because if not, I won't be able, Like I'm gonna need some time with a you know, give me a thirty second time out.
Well probably not even I'm gonna tell Carl to not even have like a full splot not don't even if it happens, Carl, don't run a full spot block just hit me with a couple of PSA or is there just a couple of quick spots or hell carce car Yeah, Carl, you take the show, brother, I mean, you have, you have, you know, it's your time to shine. If I can't speak because I'm emotional and I don't, I don't know
if it's gonna happen. But you know, I think most people would be a little self conscious about that, just because you don't. Like one of the best things about this is that people don't think it's work, and we don't think it's work. We work hard at it, we love it. It is something we're able to, you know, make a living doing right. But like I think, you know, taking yourself too serious is never a good look in what we do, especially on the sports talk. So I
just my opinion, and maybe that's just my preference. Obviously you don't want to completely mail it in and take nothing serious. But I think being being able to be a punching bag yourself, being self deprecating to an oh that's my whole personality, it could go a long way. So, you know, I think, I guess my worry is that if I do get emotional, it'll be it'll be viewed as if what is this guy doing? He's just the
sports talk host. Dude, your your life's not coming to an end, you know, So if that's the way you may take it, I get it.
Whatever, but yeah, the same anxiety as me. I swear, Yeah, this is the type of conversation I would have definitely like, oh right, well, I mean if someone's going to say something, it's going to because of this and I it's I it's admirable things.
Well, well I'll say this. I I have learned that without even really any attempt, I guess, just doing it long enough, and it just you know, like, there's not much different about what you hear at all on this show than what you hear when I'm not on the air, and that everybody wants to do that, but that's not always. You got to kind of find your own style of your own voice and really kind of find your footing as far as what you who you want to be
on the air. And I've never been more comfortable with with with there being some real consistency with both sides of it. And again I think that's harder for some. But I now like what I just said that you mentioned You're the same way, and trust me, this is not a gas myself up kind of thing, But I don't. I think a lot of people wouldn't even like I mean, I have no problem telling people I have my own issues.
I can get in my own head. I've had mental health issues to it to an extent, and I mean, like you know, regardless of what is going on in life, everybody's human and they have emotions. And I'm now comfortable in just saying whatever I really feel. For the most part, I don't want to give myself in trouble, but just being myself to a fault and if it turns you off,
turns you off. And honestly, even if I was to share something about me, or you know, a side of me maybe that you didn't like as much, my hope is that even if that's the case, you would maybe find me a little bit more relatable because I'm human. I'm flawed like anybody else, right, And I don't mind admitting my own flaws and just being me here on the air and having the platform to do it and knowing that I can do it and people actually give it,
damn and they listen like that's cool as hell. So anyways, quick time out, we'll come back wrap up at three o'clock hour. We'll let you know we've gotten now kickoff times for four of Louisville's twelve games. Football season will be here before you know it, and should be another really fun season for Coach brom and the boys. So and I didn't forget we're going to do the rest of the all time football player rankings. We've got to do wide receivers, and we've got to do defensive players.
And I think that this one that's about it should be a lot of fun. Stick with us 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, So the Louisville football season will be here before you know it. I say that just to speaking into existence because a lot of times the summer goes by really, really, really slow because I'm just feeding for some football to watch, and we've had football over for quite some time now. Basketball season, as far as college hoops, has come to an end. We've got the NBA Finals coming up, and once that's over, then I'm really going to be just a just a fiend looking for a
you know, a crack rock. In the crack rock is a college football parlay I can put together and probably lose but still enjoy the ride. That's what I'm feeding for. So it really isn't going to be here that soon. We've We've still got many months to go, but we now know at least the kickoff times for four of these games, which I think should you know that's at least part of the process is getting there, right Or maybe I'm just again saying that because it's what I
want to believe. But when Louisville kicks off the season opener on Saturday against Saturday August the thirtieth against EKU, it's going to be on the ACC Network at three pm, and you will play the following week but on a Friday against James Madison at seven o'clock and then also Friday again, I don't know what's new here, and I'm not you know, I saw this earlier, and I got to be honest with you, I didn't realize the James Madison game is such a whatever game to me because
I just you know, I watch and I'll probably go and I'll have fun and it'll be great and I hope to see brom light up the scoreboard. But you know, if FULLIVI wins by forty, I'm just gonna say, hey, team look good. But that's kind of what I would expect you to do against a team like that. So it's not like I'm not excited about the game. It's just I treat those kind of games as just really, I mean, hopefully entertainment, because if you do win, you
win big. It's tough to know if it really meant anything. That's what you would hope you would do against those kind of teams. And if you end up winning and maybe you don't cover but it's close, you also shouldn't panic as if that's a reason to be alarmed, because human nature is a powerful thing. The human element in
sports is really really an under talked about thing. Because Louisville could get up four touchdowns against James Madison if they're lucky enough, and like, you know, are you gonna be? Like you can tell yourself every play, keep playing hardkey, playing hard, key, playing hard, but like you know, maybe you take your foot off the guest a little bit. So what I'm getting at is I didn't realize that the three. I mean, it's obvious if you play out
a Friday night, you're gonna play on a Friday night. You're not playing at Friday at noon or Friday at four pm or Friday at six am. So Friday's the first Friday game of the season will be against JMU on September fifth, and that's gonna be at seven pm on ESPN two. And then you also have October seventeenth, another Friday game where you will play Miami and that'll be at seven pm on ESPN or ESPN two. And then your home game, this is gonna be a party Clemson
November fourteenth, on Friday night. That also happens to be the same week you play Kentucky and basketball, so that'll be a big time gaming. Look Clemson's supposed to be if Louisville is the team we hope, and I think most of us expect them to be a team that could compete for the ACC Championship. There's a scenario where that Friday, November fourteenth, if Clemson does their part as well and they're as good as everybody expects, that could be one of the biggest home games we've ever had
here at ellen And Stadium. I mean, that's just it could not only be. I mean, the hope would be that both teams are really good. I mean, I don't know how realistic it is to both be undefeated at that point. Louisville does have to go to Miami and play on October seventeenth. Then they're gonna be tough to beat because they're always talented and just I understand the criticism of Mario Cristobal, but I actually think he's a
better coach than a lot of people think. But anyways, that'll be huge because that could be if if Clemson's in a good spot and Louill's in a good spot meeting, they're clearly looking like the two best teams in the conference. Which again I'm sure teams like SMU and Miami are going to have something to say about that. But that could be monumental and the best case scenario is that you go in at that point looking as if and I don't think it's going to be the case because
it's just hard to imagine. It's hard to imagine, but I would hope that it'll be. It'll be another scenario, not where you get the entertainment value that you got with Lamar Jackson versus Shan Watson in twenty sixteen. But if you remember the reaction of that game after the fact, outside of the emotional damage that Louisville fans went through with just knowing that you were right there, how'd you lose the James Quick situation? Right? We all know that
we remember it. It's a nightmare. But after that game, the reaction from just about everybody, take away Louisville fans and Clemson bands, I think the consensus reaction everywhere was, all right, those are the two of the best teams in the country. They should absolutely be playing in the College Football Playoff or they should both still be a live of the College Football Playoff, and obviously didn't play
out that way. But what I'm getting at is, if it looks that way this time around, now that the playoff is at twelve teams, it could be, it could be much more realistic. But I don't know why I'm gonna Why do I lie to myself? I mean, why do I lie to myself? Because Louisville. I mean, look, let's look at their schedule as far as that, I mean, we know the opponents, but let's look at the order of the schedule. So when they get to Clemson, I mean Clemson, so you play right before SMU in Kentucky.
So I would say s CMU in Dallas is gonna be your second or third toughest game. I mean, you should start the season. I'm just being gonna be real with it. You should start the season without any issue at five. And oh, I know Pittsburgh has been good at times and they beat you a couple of years ago and it was a head scratcher. But louisll should beat Pittsburgh. They should beat Virginia and of course they start the season with EKU JMU and Bowling Green. So
then you've got Miami. If you can get past my Miami. I like your chances against Boston College, Virginia Tech. You got to go to Blacksburg. That'll be a tough environment. But they've they're not. I mean they've not. Mean last time Lovell played them, they beat the hell out of them. And then you look at cal, who you know probably
won't be very good. I don't think they come to lenn So I'm not saying you will be, but you could be undefeated in week nine against Clemson, going to be ten and zero, and I feel like even if you did have wins against Miami and maybe Virginia Tech's decent, the conversation once again will be about, well, you know, Louisville, I don't play nobody in the ACC. I mean, it'll probably be the same kind of conversation people were having.
Actually to be worse, because if you remember when you were undefeated until late in the season in Brom's first year, you already had a top ten win against Notre Dame at home, and people were already doubting you. You won't really you probably won't have that this time around. And again I'm not saying they're going to be undefeated when they get to Clemson, but it's certainly possible, it's certainly realistic.
And I just I now know why Brohm was very much trying to get a different game on the schedule, meaning Indiana canceling and you having to scramble to make up those games. Last year, I don't remember who it was you played instead, who was it it was? It was I think it was Jacksonville State who ended up on your on your schedule at the last minute because
of the UH, because of the cancelation from Indiana. So now it's this year, this upcoming season, it is UH, it's JMU, and actually JMUS is a it's actually a return game from when they played a couple years ago.
What I'm getting at is, I think you have to just understand that with the just like basketball, the ACC, they decided to get away from two conference games because they want their league members to go play other teams that aren't in the ACC, because they're having the self awareness of understanding that those other teams and other leagues willbably give you a better chance of having a better resume on selection Sunday, because the AEC has just taken
that many steps back. In basketball, I mean, you can't control it if you're Louisville or you're anybody. I mean, it's just what it is. In football, I don't think you need to make any changes to the amount of
games you play. But if for some reason this year you have it play out where you're left out and it's just because nobody's giving you the benefit of the doubt based off of previous years what you've done in the non conference, then there should be a meeting with Jim Phillips to tell all the members, Look, you are now required to go play a really good team in the non conference from a power league. Again, maybe not even requirement as far as how good they are, because
you can't control that year by year. But I mean, if the ACC continues to just not get any respect for winning in the league, and I'm not even saying they totally deserve it, I think the ACC has actually at times been picked on a little more in football than they should be. But I'm not going to act like that that the league's great and it's not been. It's not been close to the Big twit the Big Ten, or the SEC for that matter. I mean, to be honest,
it would be nice if Kentucky didn't think. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love knowing that they're gonna be awful next year probably and they were terrible last year. I mean, I wouldn't I wouldn't change it. But you know if you did beat them and they were good, it would help you. So anyways, football season will be here soon and I'm excited. Quick break, We got two hours left, so stick around at Is Coffee and Company. We are fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety