5.29: Counting The Hours - Hour 2

to tell you, but keep them in mind. They can help you get your day started. I mean, you can injured day at Thorntons. You can go any time of the day. They're open all the time, including holidays, twenty four hours. And I know a lot of folks start their day there. I do, and I know that because I see a lot of people there. It's usually pretty crowded, but you move in, you get out. There's never a

real long line. If so, it's usually because you're maybe getting a lottery ticket or some tobacco products or whatnot. But the Thornton's experience is a great one, always has been, always will be, at least I hope, so I can't see that changing. But they can help you save money. And last I checked, a lot of people like saving money, especially with this economy. And you can get up to twenty five cents off per gallon every week, once a week,

I should say. But also anytime you fill up, you get five cents off a gallon, So that that alone is an incentive enough to sign up if you haven't already. But there's also other reasons you should sign up. So just take you know, just trust me, take my word for it, all right. So the commissioner of the Big Twelve, I feel like this is the first time we've really heard,

you know, kind of direct. Maybe I just haven't been paying attention, But when it comes to those that are talking about the playoff, I feel like it's mostly just SEC coaches and Greg Sanky And maybe it's just because they get way more of a platform to do so, but I I mean, I haven't I haven't seen any coach from I haven't seen a coach from the non SEC level of the power for meaning ACC, Big Ten

in Big twelve. I haven't really heard or seen any quotes that has had those coaches basically just calling out the SEC for just trying to, you know, just have it catered to them. Despite I mean, look, the SEC has always been has always proven to be one of, if not the best league. And look, there's years where maybe they don't produce as much and there are some results that make you question if they're deserving of this

benefit of doubt. But even with that said, in those years, I find it hard to believe that from top to bottom they still haven't been the best league in the country because again, they're just they've got so much depth and I don't see that changing. So I mean, I would love for a commissioner from the ACC Big twelve or Big ten to come out and say some of the Big ten's actually doing it. I think like Tony Patiti,

is hey handling it the right way. He clearly is not going to be against a format that gives the Big ten to four automatic spots regardless of what of

what happens, but he's not as outspoken about it. In fact, he hasn't said a whole lot, whereas Sankie has really played this in a way that's probably again I was getting ready to say something that maybe because this has been at least the fourth or fifth time in the last week or so when we've talked about the potential expansion of the college football Playoff on what it looks like, where I get to the point where I'm about to criticize Sankie, But I don't know if that's fair because

he's not the commissioner of the college football world. He just is kind of perceived to be that because he's a powerful guy and he's really good at his job, so you know, he'll do whatever he can behind the scenes to make everything better for his conference and it not be as convenient or great for other conferences. And I think because he's viewed as some powerful guy that does that, you know, has the future of the college

football world in his hands, but he doesn't. He's the commission of one conference, so he's played both sides to her. He's really been heavy handed in doing his job, which are something wrong with that, But then whenever it is it is portrayed, is that if he's trying to be greedy and he's the bad guy, he'll come out on

you know, he'll come out and defend himself. So I just kind of feel like the whole thing has been the SEC being outspoken in regards to what needs to happen, as if like they're they're the ones being wronged here is if there's some kind of a conspiracy against them, which is nonsense. But you know what, when you control the narrative, you control the messaging. Maybe you speaking into existence in the eyes of some, but I mean even some of the SEC coaches that clearly are going to

be hanks for the SEC. I mean I think Lank Kevin is the one who came out and said that he is, and he hopes that they just seed it one through twelve or one through sixteen and it's just the best teams regardless of your conference, and that to me, would be the way to go. However, what I don't think many people are thinking about is that if you do that, why would anybody even want to play in a conference championship game? Because it's nice to win a

conference championship. If you're there, you're gonna want to try to win. But if you're really good, you would rather just avoid a When I say really good, I mean you're legitimately one of the teams of the sixteen, and there usually aren't many they can say that realistically, you are going to be competing for a national champions if

you're a national championship caliber program. I just think that the conference championship, rather it be acc SEC whatever, it's just gonna be in the way because you wouldn't trade that championship in your league for even a chance to play for a national championship. Right Like, a conference championship is important. Nobody would tell you that they don't matter

at least as of right now. But if it genuinely doesn't do anything for you other than maybe, I guess give you a chance to boost your resume before you get to selection Sunday, but it could also hurt you. Right Like, it's like if you've got of Goliath and you are let's just look at it this way. If you are Clemson of old and they're just absolutely dominant and they're looking like the best team and it's not

even close. They're being talked about as a team that could be one of the best college football teams we've ever seen. Let's just say hypothetically that happens and Louisville is in a spot to get one of those last bids to the sixteen team tournament, but they already have a loss to a Let's see, let's say they lost to Bill Belichick in North Carolina hypothetically and Belichick the hoodie he got them, and Louisville now has that blemish.

But they're in a good spot. But they're about to go to the ACC championship game and they're likely going to be twenty one point dogs because Clemson's just that good. Again, hypothetically speaking here, if you're Jeff, I mean, yeah you would. I mean, you wouldn't back out of the game. You would never do that. But like it's you kind of wish you weren't in the position. You wish that maybe a tiebreaker didn't break your way, because you'd be able to then avoid that data point that could take you

out of the playoff. So, I mean, they still need to have some kind of an incentive when it comes to this postseason playoff for those who win their conference championship, or it will become what the bowl games have become in the eyes of some. Now again that's not always like there's gonna be some that are fighting to get in with a potential win. So it won't be that

way every year. But if you've got the SEC championship down to Georgia and Alabama and they're number one and number two, neither probably cares to play the game they're going to because you're not going to back out of it. But a win, what does it do? It might move you from one to two. A loss might move you to two to one, and you could you know, you could get hurt, like you just don't have a whole

lot to gain or lose. And I know what some of you are thinking, Well, I mean you could hang a banner, right, not many SEC championship banners have been

hung by certain programs. I get all that, but it's not like, let me give you an example, if they take away any value in winning these other than just saying you did it and having that accomplishment, that's where you get into the conference tournaments in basketball to where they don't really mean a whole lot unless I mean the committee, by the way, has told us that right

like we've seen it. I mean, Louisville played in the championship game in the ACC this past season against Duke, who is a one seed, and if they didn't beat Stanford and nin Clemson in the first two games of the tournament, would they even have gotten in. I mean, I say that kind of jokingly, but I mean the committee has been pretty consistent. Yeah, you'll get an auto bit if you get in, but we don't really care what you do when it comes to those tournaments because

we've already probably put the bracket together by that. So other than bid steelers, it's they're kind of other than bid stealing. There's somewhat not useless, but there's not a ton of value there from the good leagues. That's what the conference championship would turn into in football if there's not some level of incentive. So I don't really know

what the perfect scenario is. I think the best I've heard is to give auto bids two conference championships, but it is no longer entitled you to a guaranteed top four spot where you get to host a game and get a buy or where you get to get a buy not I guess the only people that host games in the first first year of the expanded playoff was those who had the better seed in those first round

games before you got to the Elite eight. So back to what I was initially going to get to, is Brett Yormack, who is your mark, I should say, he's the commissioner of the Big twelve. He says he wants five automatic qualifiers and eleven at large spots for the twenty twenty six playoff and wants an end to con considering multiple auto qualifiers. One playoff proposal. One playoff proposal gives the Big ten in the SEC four auto I'm ready to hear from Brett McMurphy. So this is not

an outlandish thing to say. This isn't even really like,

this isn't even like a strong statement. This is just, you know, this is just I think what a lot of people are probably thinking, which is that, yeah, you give auto qualifiers, meaning the Big towelve, the ACC, the SEC, and the Big Ten, their champ would automatically get in, and there'll be one automatic spot given to the best team that is not from the power level meaning those four conferences, and then you just put eleven at large spots. I mean that that makes too much sense to not do.

Why would we not do that? Because Sankie and I guess the Big Ten, Tony Petiti they want, They want to just be given those they want half the field, regardless of what happens. Just the more you say it out loud again, it's just eliminating the true competition of the of the sport. Right. I mean not to say that anybody would just get in, but I again say

it out loud. Guaranteeing spots for conferences before anybody plays a game, is you admitting it's quite literally a fact that you are just stating that, because of what you've always done in previous seasons, this is the way it's gonna be. When last I checked, you mean you should never consider what was done a year ago or what was done thirty years ago as far as how you determine what a team is in what they're deserving of

in that current season. Yes, sure, brand is always going to be with you, it's gonna matter, but not to this extent to where, yeah, well the sec has always just been great, So we want four, the Big ten gets four, and then you guys can do it. You know, you can fight for seconds, which again it'll probably play out that way. It'll probably play out to where they're still gonna continuously get way more teams in than any other league, But why not just earn it instead of

just being handed to you. Here's a quote from Brett Yormack. I'm about fairness. There's a lot of conversations about aqs. We want to earn it on the field. I think five plus eleven format does that. It's fair, it's what our fans want. They don't want an individual they want they don't want an invitational, they want a true playoff system, and we have that right now. We need to put these multiple aqs and take out of the of the

conversation and focus on what's right with college football. I think five plus eleven does that, and that's our preference, that is everybody's preference. And in fact, the Big Ten, unless I'm missing it, they're not outspoken about needing four automatic spots. They're not going to fight against it, I'm sure, but it seems like maybe they have a little bit of awareness. They can read the room that, Yeah, why

why would anybody agree to that? And that's my thing, like, I don't know what power or leverage anybody truly has here. I mean, clearly the Big Ten in the SEC, if they wanted, they could just do their own thing. But they wouldn't. I mean, that would be a successful thing as far as television, but like that would totally change college football. And I think people would still watch it, but like it would change it so much that it

really wouldn't be the same sport. And oh, by the way, that there'd be a lot I have notts right if we lived in a world where the Big ten and the SEC only competed with themselves and each other. I mean, Kentucky's winning what a game a year? Two a year? Like That's that's that, you know, as much as there's the big boys that that, you know, maybe throw that out there as a as a threat that we don't really need you because we're the big dogs. You're lucky

we let you play at our party. I mean, that's kind of how they treat it. Right. As much as that is said by the big dogs, there's not many big dogs in either of those leagues. You know, you got many programs like let me give you an example, Lane Kiffin and ole Miss really good. Their ceiling is not as high as the big dogs. In fact, Lane kiffn put together the best roster ole Miss on paper reportedly had last year, and they were good, but not

good enough. I mean, if they had to play more games against everybody from those two leagues and didn't play any of the Patsis, didn't play wake Forest, who you know, did suck last year, and bought out of that series, they wouldn't even be in the conversation for doing something special.

So I'm of the belief that common sense will prevail here and it'll probably be five plus eleven with five automatic bids eleven at large, and sank You'll play victim and say that because of this, they're not going to go from eight games in the SEC to nine, and a lot of people will believe it. I don't know, maybe Sanki is ultimately now that I really have been able to read how he's handled this current situation with the expanded playoff, and again he's not really doing anything wrong.

But the SEC has a level of delusion that is just not justified. It's not warranted. They are the best conference, but they the way in which they stretch that is just insane. And there's no better season than the woman we just had that can give you proof of that. So anyways, the way in which he's just I mean, the fact that he's even throwing out they should get four automatic. I mean, not many would even do that, but Sankie will because he's sanking He's good at his job.

And I think that just more so spreads the delusion as far as the SEC thinking that they're the NFL compared to everybody else. And yes, you could be the best league, but it's not to the level that you think it is. And even if you are even better than you think you are, what would mean that you're entitled to spots based off of what previous teams have done. I know I'm being very repetitive here, but why change now?

I've probably done that for nine years, right, But it's also just it's maddening to me like that people get Like when you hear of those throwing out television audience as a potential qualifier for the playoff, go play in traffic?

on the other side. In fact, Austin, do you know what I'm talking about? No, I don't. This is magic. I'm getting teased. This is magic because it's regarding the guy whose music you're playing right now. How about that for a tease quick break right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

would enjoy having that. I mean, maybe there are people that enjoy I mean, I don't know everybody's different, I suppose. But if you know there are people out there that can help you, and I know the people that can help you when it comes to that, why wouldn't you take me up on that? The Louis of Men's Clinic doctor would he can help you. He's helped many, many Kentucky and a Natives. Over the last ten plus years they've been in business. Many have come and gone, no

pun intended. They've tried to imitate what the Louis of Men's Clinic is doing, but they can't. They can't perform what they tried to help you with. They ran into their own that issue themselves because they just can't compete. They don't have the stamina. They can't last like the Louis of Men's Clinic has lasted. So if you know you have it, I hate to hear it. I'm sure it's not fun. I'm sure it does a lot to you,

right mentally, emotionally, to your partner. It's probably, you know, a pretty tough thing to deal with, I would imagine, and maybe I'll be there one day, But if i am, I'm not gonna sweat it because I know the Little of men Clinic can help me. They've got a lot of different ways they can treat ed. And if you really want to believe that a company is one thousand percent confident in what they do, the lot of men clinic's the best example, because if you don't perform, you

don't pay. If it doesn't work, meaning whatever method they tried that you wanted to go with as far as correcting the ed, then you don't pay anything. I mean that that is I mean, I mean if every place offered that, I mean, life would be a lot easier. But they don't because they can't guarantee it, or maybe they don't trust it. Maybe their phonies well Little of men Clinic, there's nothing about them phony, So go see them. Lovelemnclinic dot com, give them a call. Five h two

four four four four thousand. Did not mean to have as many puns in there, but you know, kind of worked out that way. Shut out, doctor would And will you guys ever grow up? I mean I can't. We can't go two weeks without somebody the doctor who helps people with eds. His name really doctor Wood? Or are you just making that up? What do you know? No, I'm a professional, doctor Wood.

a Louisville fan. He's a close UK fan. This is a bb AT invasion on seven ninety. He's from Bullet County. How could he like Louisville. I mean, you realize people aren't. Some people play along with it and it's fun, but then you realize there's others that truly believe that. And

I have one person responsible for that, Kenny Pain. That's true that I mean, even whenever you give a negative opinion about something, U of l as somebody who clearly as a fan, you have people just claiming your negative or you know you suck, you know, you know, because people may agree with you, they don't want to hear it's their team. So I've dealt with that over the years.

I can be negative and Austin again, that's why you and I are are on the same on the same wavelength because I think we you know, we don't want any homers around here, right, you know, we we we want people to be real with us and be honest. And I've always tried to do that as best I can. But I never thought I would ever be in a situation we were in two years ago where Louisville basketball was in the place that it was in. And I'll be damned if I'm going to do this and not

say what I think I mean. That would be I mean, that was a chance for me to really look like a complete fraud. And maybe you think I am whatever, that's your opinion, but imagine like sugarcoating what that experience was and that to me. And again, I don't know

how many people truly believed it, but I did. I did hear enough of it that it, you know, to an extent, even if it was just a handful of people, ten people like the fact that people thought I, you know, dedicated the vast majority of my life to just being a diehard fan and put so much time into, you know, just being a fan and utilizing the platform of the Internet, and that thankfully was able to kind of launch me into where I kind of this is what I do.

for a variety of reasons. And I would never you know, I would never come on here during that time when we're all just miserabout level basketball and talk about why I'm miserable as an individual in my in my job, because you know, it did make me think, like, am I being too hard? Am I over the Am I over the top? And I never once was personal. I never once, at any point got nasty as far as just saying what was I mean? I would say that he sucks as a coach because he sucked as a coach.

It wasn't really up for opinion. The facts were there. So now that I look back on it, I'm not surprised that I second guessed myself at times. But it was really stupid because anybody telling you anything other than what was right in front of our face, they're the ones who are having issues, right and again, nobody wants it to be that way, and I'm sure you don't want to hear it every day, but you know what we do around here in this market. We talk college

basketball a lot, a lot more than anybody else. And when you get a program like Louisville and that kind of a situation, it's gonna be talked about a lot. And you know what I dealt with. That really bothered me to where I started to wonder if I'm if I'm if I'm doing the job the way that I should be. Was that when people would call in and be like, come on, man, we get it, we suck, and I would just lose my mind on him, like what do you think? Like what do you think this is?

You think we only talk about the team when they're good, like no, like we've had bad years, down years, we've had scandals, But that was a level of just the product and the overall life being sucked out of the program. And I mean, you got to address it, you got to be real about it. But that led to it wasn't as much towards the end, but the first year those that wanted to act like there weren't alarming signs

from day one, that wanted to believe that. In the second year with the new roster, I mean, I guess a lot of people wanted to believe his excuses, even if they deep down I don't know. I mean, I don't know how many people, even those who claimed they did believe in Kenny Panna, I don't and they're worn't that many, honestly. But those who did claim that they did,

I'm not sure if they even really did. They just they wanted to believe that they did, so they ran with it, and they became insufferable because they acted like if you call out a team sucking and being terrible, quite literally one of the worst teams in the country, that you're that you've got an agenda. No, it's just it's just using your eyeballs and brain. I mean, it's

that's what it was. So it was. It wasn't a long stretch of that, but really at the end of year one and even in the summer the off season, that's where I like, I guess, people, just what do you mean? They got it? They got it? They got Dennis Evan's coming in, they got Trend Flowers, we got Tyler Johnson, and we've got Mike James back. I mean, Brandon Holly Hadfield. I mean that that whenever I would

talk about, you know, we'll see, we'll see. But last year was you know, I think even if they had better player, they still would have been a mess, because you know, they weren't four and twenty eight based off talent. When I would say that, then it would be, oh, well, then you just must be a UK fan like what. And again, it wasn't like it was a huge amount of people, but it was a weird experience that I never envisioned happening. And uh, it was never it was

never a troll job. And I think, honestly, it's a that's like a distant thing for people now because I used to really lean into it on the internet just because you know, why not. It's a toxic dump that the internet is. And you know, if people want to engage with you and you know, be a lunatic, be a lunatic, back to him and have some fun with him. That's really what it turned into during the overall Kenny Payne experience.

like I'm comparing the two. But during that time, when I no longer had to worry about anything I said about UFL because we no longer had their games, I could just say what I wanted to be myself, and yet football was not anywhere near basketball. But still at times I would be pretty upset about Saturdfille because like he should have been better, Like he wasn't terrible, but he wasn't great either, And I think seeing that his only real success came with Bobby Patrino players like that

kind of speaks to what he can do. And again, not to bag on him, but he was voted six. He was ranked the sixty third best coach at a sixty eight at the Power four level last week, and the you know, others at app State have actually been better than him since he left there. So what I'm getting at is just being honest and at times maybe it is too negative in the eyes of some and at times maybe you know, it just wasn't a side of me you hadn't heard yet. As far as just

being negative, well one, well the football. When I got hired, Lamar Jackson was our quarterback and then we had you know, great success with Bobby until that final season and then it was terrible. It was over, and then we had we had sat for a year, momentum was good and then it fell apart and you got back on track. But never really, I mean, you probably would have been a perennial six and six, seven and five at best. Seventy five was a stealing with Sadderfield and with Jeff.

Obviously we're in a little bit of a different world. I think seven and five will be a real outliers is you know what happened? How'd you go? Seven and five? So the reason it's kind of died off, and I rarely even think about that time where people would just be all over me about being negative and somebody accused me of being a UK fan, is because you know what,

we got some good momentum right now. You got to hear me every day like a little kid excited on Christmas morning because Pat Kelsey brought us back to life. Jeff Brahm took us to the ACC Championship in his first game. So if you know, maybe I'm not your cup of tea. Maybe you prefer a little Homer in your dinner. Maybe you like somebody to just, you know, talk bad about your team because you just or into

that kind of thing. Maybe you're kinky like that. I don't know, but what you get from me is what I really feel, and that never made me feel more alive. I mean, we used to. I don't want to act like I ever had to completely really just I mean, I got lucky the first time I ever got a phone call about Hey, would you say Tom wanted me to a Tom wanted me to talk to you? Would you say the same? The first day that happened, no joke.

Five days later he was effectively fired. I'm not saying I celebrated and that was a great thing, because you know, you don't want to see somebody's demise. But the timing worked out to where once Tom was gone, there wasn't as much really give a damn about like what we'd say, because I mean the fact that they used to worry about the way they didn't reminded me of like I heard stories that I'm like, there's no way this is true.

And then I you know, once I started working here and you get a little bit more close with people at u of L, you realize that Tom jorg did really care. And I've always to my I've always believed that he did that based off the fact that he didn't have the ability to not make it personal because to him, U of L was not his, like he owns it, but he built it outside of our basketball program. Lovell Athletics, I mean knows a lot to Tom Jorge

because the vision. I mean, you went from a commuter school with a hoops program and a team every now and then. In the other sports it would be decent, but I mean things are really different because of him. So I just look at it not as to where he he was, you know, he was an a hole. I just think it was impossible for him to not take you saying something about the programs that isn't positive.

I mean literally, if you weren't gassing up the team, then he thought you were being like he took it personal, and that's a weird thing. To do. But I kind of, in my mind, I think that's why he was that way, is because he truly just cared so much and he put so much into it to where he didn't have the ability to not take it personal. If you said you didn't like a play call by one of his coordinators. I mean, he may not punch you. He wouldn't. I'm exaggerating,

but he'd remember you said it. I'm not kidding, by the way, And there's people listening that have ever been in this position, you know what I'm talking about. Like, I heard stories for years before I got a chance to actually work here, and I thought, although it was exaggerating, there's no way. But no, I mean Benetti was essentially shunned because he, you know, said Patino probably should be fired because there was a prostitution situation at the team dorm.

You thought he'd just said that, you know, he wanted kittens murdered. I mean, really in an outlantic thing to say in the grand scheme of things, right, yeah, prostitution scheme. Oh yeah, you probably got a clean house. Uh, it was different back then. You said that it meant you were you were an enemy. I mean the fact that him and Matt Jones. We were friendly on air, and you know, still are. They just don't run on the air together anymore at any point. I mean like that

they were coming for his head. Not literally, but you know, I think you do know what I mean. So it was, you know, and look now that I'm moving to eight forty. He didn't mean I'm not going to talk sports, and it doesn't mean I'm not going to say what I think. It's just going to be, you know, in different doses and clearly a different format on a news talk station. All right, this time, we're really gonna get to what I was teasing about on the UH. And this is

what I mean by that, Austin. You took me in a in a direction I wasn't heading on headed. I wasn't headed there, but you took me there, and I'm glad you did so. On the other side, John Mellencamp, he's upset with Pacer fans, and I don't really care that he is, but I don't. This gives me some bad energy and I don't want that. You got one game left to close it out, to get your ass back to the finals. Let's get it done. Shohn Cougar Mellencamp, who I like. I'm a fan. He's got some legendary hits.

But you can't be spreading this bad energy when we're about we're about to potentially clench our ticket to the finals. Bro Come on now, JCM, will you think it quick break? Keep it locked right here? Sports Talk seven.

there's a reason he still is. If he has a show, it won't be at a big arena this day and age, but if he has a show really anywhere, there's enough people still that'll show up because he's he's John Cougar Mellencamp, right, Like for me, Pink Houses, Jack and Diane Hurts, so good is great. I mean he's had. I mean, look, I'm looking here now and he's got I mean, there's there's more than I'm there's more of his songs than I now that I'm looking at it, than I even realized.

But again, I'm sure people know way more than I do.

But anyways, he is a I mean, when you think of John Cougar Mellencamp, other than all you know, all the music, you probably think of him being a proud Indiana hoosier and his man like his his his music kind of sound like it kind of sounds like Indiana like I just think of the Indian like in Indiana's scene, you know, over the heartland and the you know, the big fields that you see on those long drives up north north on I sixty five, and you know, you get off an exit and there's not a whole lot

there but a lot of fields. In fact, that's exactly where he's from, and that in that area that's right just north of here, which by the way, I my my aunt Linda, she was she was at w k U around the time that he was. I mean, I think they're around the same age, so he he wasn't a known name just yet by any means, but you know, he was the guy who liked to party and bring his guitar and he would jam for people. Well he

I think. I think the story is this, My aunt Linda had a either a sorority sister or a friend in college many many years ago that was from Seymour and they had to get together. And he didn't go to WBKAU obviously, but he came and brought his guitar and like performed at the party, like just around like a group of people. But he wasn't John Mellencamp, the celebrity at the time. He was just a guy who, you know, people thought was good and it was a

different time then. So yeah, she shared that story with me many years ago. I thought that was super cool because to be able to say you heard that guy in that setting long before he became John Mellencamp, Like that's that's pretty damn cool. But anyways, he's upset with the pacers, and I don't think of the Pacers when I think of Mellencamp, but again, if you do, I get it. But I think of Indiana. You know, the Hoosiers because he's oftentimes court sided in Bloomington. I think

he actually lives in Bloomington still. But he put this out on his Twitter account, which is a very very very very poorly put like I don't know if his grandkid did it or what, but it's a picture of him and I guess his wife at the game and it just got text over at it. It's like hard to reach. Just look, it looks really unprofessional. But anyways, here's the message he wanted to put out on all days to do it. It's you seeing it too, Yeah,

the Knicks Pacers games. I mean, let's be real. It sounds like an old man that doesn't know how to use social media, is it not? In his message here? His tone also sounds like an old man who just isn't quite clear with the current climate in sports. And also either he just is old enough to not give it down, which if that's the case, respect, or he just doesn't understand that this is going to be a

wildly unpopular take and he's gonna get roasted. I mean, this has two point eight million views and it's only been on the internet for a few hours. But this is what he said. The Knicks Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who likes basketball or sports. I attended game Boer in Indianapolis, Who's your Hospitality? I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team and in turn

support our team. The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not who's your hospitality? One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud of be Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life. On behalf of most Hoosiers. I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this. SmackDown John mellencamp. I mean he's coming at Pat McAfee.

It sounds like because there's no I mean, even though Pat McAfee's on raw and not SmackDown's right, that's not a coincidence. And also when he says under whose direction I don't know, Pat McAfee's the hype man at the games in Indie, and he he likes to get on the big screen and yell and uh and you know, do his thing. Be Pat McAfee, but also like you know, bring the wrestling component to it. I don't think he

was encouraging anybody to be violent or nasty TOAs. But you know, yeah, like you know, rhym him a little bit right, like and that that's that's normal. That's expected to an extent really at any game you go to the pro level. But I mean, I have not seen any stories or seen any videos that are that show Pacers fans behaving anything close to what Knicks fans behave, Like.

big fan of John Cougar Mellencamp. Again, I feel like, you know, if your celebrity, you probably are feeling yourself a little bit because you know, why not, you're successful, You're famous to an extent, and balancing that I think is really important to your likability. And you know, nonetheless, my guess is that he's bothered that McAfee who isn't from Indy. But it's be kind of he's kind of I mean, he's a superstar now and he's he's clearly going to be up in the suite at the Colts games.

He's clearly a big fan of the He's a supporter of the Colts so much so that you know, look, he played for him. He called out the Colts and the culture because he's right. And I don't even really like Pat Backay that much. I don't dislike him. He's just not my not my cup of tea. But I get why people do like him, you know, and he's he's definitely a breath fresh air as far as sports media. It's just a little too much for me at times. But I'm not a prude. I mean, he's again, I

get why he's got an audience. But and by the way, a huge audience for that matter. But like he's kind of become the Indiana celebrity, right. I mean, look, it's become a talking point that the Knicks, they've they've got a Rollerdex, Ben Stiller, Larry David. I mean Spike Lee is the most legend. Yeah, I mean a guy, he's that guy is getting some heat, I feel like, but like Spikey, like Spike Lee is always gonna be the

top celebrity. I give Ben Stiller the benefit of that doubt because I think even when the times with the Knicks have been bad, which most of them have, he's he's he's been pretty visible as a Knicks fan, I think all throughout his career. And there's some others as well, and they just you know, fat Joe court side. I mean like you're never surprised really to see any celebrity, especially one with New York affiliation at a Knicks game court side being shown on the big screen and of

course being shown on television. The Pacers, there was a guy dressed like a like a celebrity court side and had had a good build to him, looked like a million bucks. And I'm like, man, I don't know who that guy is, but I'm glad he's having himself a time and he's gassing up my man, Tyrese Haliburton right after he gets a big steal late in that game and it turns out it was George Hill. Loved George Hill. But that's what we're working with court side. You know

who else was there the game? Triple H? Papa was there. He was in the house they have. Why was he there? I gotta be a McAfee thing.

t who's from Indianapolis briefly played for the Pacers. He took a lot of heat on his podcast because he said the Pacers don't have a huge following in India, in Indiana, and he's wrong about that, I think. But again, maybe he knows more than I do. But he did bring up a really good point about Indiana Pacers might be the least celebrity. I mean, if the Indiana Pacers in the Oklahoma City Thunder playing the finals, there will never be a finals matchup that has less celebrity influence

in fans. Sure ever, so I think John Cougar Mellencamp is thinking, what a second, you guys, you guys know who I am. As as Austin said, he's from a small town where he where he'll die in a small town.

nobody really connects you with the Pacers. They connect you with the Indiana Hoosiers, the actual, you know, the college team. So anyways, I think he's a little jealous, and I get it. You know, he's done a lot in his career. He wants to be noticed, and he's taken jabs at Pat McAfee, starting a little beef to see if you know the old guard, the older crowd will be I guess anti McAfee and pro John Cougar. So anyways, it's a weird post with the texts. It's very weird. It's

very very weird. But anyhow, we got to get to the top of the hour break. We've got one more hour left, four more hours total before it's done. So for me here at seven ninety, so let's have some fun, give a lot right here on Sports Talk seven ninety