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 start at five o'clock here on a Thursday. It's Thursday, right, yeh, it's Thursday. Thursdays start to feel like Fridays, which is a good thing. But Friday's tomorrow, and Friday will be my last day here on Sports Talk seven ninety. I've mentioned that many times over the last few weeks, while not once more.
As far as the plans for tomorrow, we'll have a guest heavy show, and I don't know where these conversations are going to go, but these conversations are going to be with people that I feel like have been a big part of my nine plus years here on this station, meaning that they've been pretty regular for a good chunk
of those nine years. And you know, if you've been a listener for a while, and you you know you've been with me for a long time or maybe even just you know, nine plus years is a long time. So regardless if you're relatively new or you've been here since day one, I would imagine if you do like the show and you listen, then you like these people because they've been a.
Part of it.
So and I've already had two people text me that they weren't included. Well, I was hoping. I guess I kind of told myself because I mentioned that there were six people. I have those six people in mind, and two of those people haven't been contacted yet. And it's just because I assumed you wouldn't let me down on
my last day. I just assumed that there's no way you would say, yeah, Nick, I'm not going to come on with you one more time before you move on from talking sports on seven ninety to being a morning man hosting Kentucky in his morning news. So really excited, but also a little bittersweet obviously, And I keep anytime I mentioned bittersweet and the thought of it being like a sad thing. I just need to remind myself. I need to slap myself like I'm not. I mean, I'm
still gonna have a platform here. I'm still gonna be doing what I love, and I'm still gonna be talking sports. It'll just be different. And I mean, whatever ends up happening here on this station in this time slot, which I don't think I'm gonna get in trouble for saying it, but they they they intend to do something. They're not just gonna do replays of stuff long term, at least
they don't want to. We shall see. I don't know for certain, I have no say so, but I did have a good conversation yesterday that made me feel a little more confident that if they can make something work to where they can keep some local presence, some Louisville presence, certainly here, then they'll then they'll do that. So if that happens, then like I may just barge in here.
Not that I'm entitled to anybody's time on the air, but you know, I'm gonna have an itch to talk some sports more so than I probably will be doing on the morning. So and I get some other things in the works to where I may be able to to satisfy set itch an urge to talk sports differently than you know what this is. But and that's a really vague, weird thing to say, but I got some things I want to do that I'm gonna ask them if I'm able to do, and I hope they'll let me.
So you'll you'll find out one way or the other. But again, We've now got less than four hours left here, and Austin's got less than an hour left because he's out tomorrow, so we'll we'll finish strong here for you, brother, I I've always enjoyed working with you on this show.
But as I said earlier, we're still gonna be working together in general, and you know, I just I need to keep reminding myself of that because if I don't, then I'll start to overthinking and then I'll just you know, I'll be a real spaz and maybe get emotional, and I don't want to do that. You know, I talked about it earlier. But tomorrow, if there is a moment where I kind of get a little I don't know,
I have a moment which I don't. I don't expect that to happen, but I do know that if it does, it'll probably be It'll probably be a lot, just because I haven't really had that yet and that's just kind of how I'm wired. So if it does happen, then then you know, I'm just gonna take a quick break.
I'm gonna say, hey, Carl Blendin, throwed a break, brother, I need a minute, because I don't I don't want to be that guy that's and this is actually a this is actually a benefit on my end as far as how this played out, where my last day will be me and a great guy and Carl who just and again, we have a lot of guests, a lot of people, and maybe it happens with one of the conversations I'm having with one of these guests, I don't know,
but we'll see. But when I think of the farewell that Adam Neff did, which Adam Neft and Tony Venetti the original afternoon underdogs on this station at least eighteen seventeen, maybe years ago, like that's what introduced me to sports talk radio, to where it was not only listening to people talk about the local teams, but hearing callers call in and you know, take a run at the other side of the rivalry, and you know, it was entertaining as well, and it was just something I hadn't really
experienced on the local level, and I loved that. I was hooked and never thought a million years I would ever be in a position to do it for a or do it at all, And I've been doing it nine plus years here at this same station. That introduced me to it, and it's just a it's a dream come true. I know I've said that many times, but
it's the truth. I think that's why it's hard for me to envision that it was nine plus years doing it, because I knew at any moment it could be gone, and I was just privileged and lucky to be able to be in the position. But it's the longest I've ever done anything other than be married to my wife, and it kind of seemed like it went by in a blink of an eye. But I choose to believe that it's because that I was in the moment and I wasn't you know, I was. I was just enjoying
it and not, you know, not taking it for granted. So, you know, Tom Flaisman, when you're having fun. I suppose that's a very cliche, a very cheesy cliche, but it's but it's also true. A lot of cliches have some truth to hi. Anyways, back to Adam Neft, I mean, I could be remembering it wrong that any and I were texting earlier, maybe still listening, and he can text me. He cried at Adam Neft cried like a like a
little schoolboy. I mean, and it was a moment, but you know, at the time, I'm thinking, get it together, man, And then I'm pretty sure my memory is correct. Bennetti was nice, but also like Vannetti, he was kind of like, come on, yeah, like all right, buddy, doesn't cry. I I don't know for certain, but I've had sources tell me that the man has shed a tear once or twice in life, but it's a rare thing. Yeah, and I and I'm not just saying this for effect. He
has he has emotion, like he has a heart. He's not a robot, and you can clearly you know he's a person.
He has a new heart. Actually, yeah, it's true.
But also he is like there's no change in emotion when you're talking about something with him, Like he's very animated on the air.
He's an entertainer.
He can change his boys and say a little bit. You know, he's he's Bennetti.
It's a pasta.
But but also you know, like we could be talking about something insane that is like hard to talk about, and it would it would be like we're talking about what he had for breakfast, Like it's just it's it's different. So yeah, so Anyways, I think Bennetti was kind of making fun of him, but in a playful way. But like, you know, I remember if it was a memory that I'm like not even thinking at that time. I hope I never do that, because I never thought in a
million years I'd be in the position. But I was like, gosh, man, this guy's really emotional. I felt bad for Nef because he couldn't control it, but I kind of get it now, like he and by the way, he moved on and no longer did radio once he left Columbus. He left Louisville to go to Columbus and work for a monster station out there, and I don't remember what led to him no longer being at that station, but he ended
up getting into a different business. But when I think of goodbyes on the radio, I think of that because again, that was still new as a sports radio listener at that time. That was so long ago. That was in like two thousand and seven or two thousand and eight, maybe, like that was a long time ago. So we're talking about, you know again, that long ago. So with that, I mean, I'm I'm I'm gonna make sure that if I do get close to that I'm just gonna I'm just gonna
you know, I'm just gonna punt. I'm gonna punt, and then you know, get back on the feet the bring the defense back on the field.
Maybe I just maybe just shoot over to a Brian Brahm interview.
Yeah, exactly. No, here's what I'll do all.
Kelsey's press conference.
That's the case, what I'll probably do. It'll be the worst list show ever because I would then be in fear of it happening again. So I would then just do the show as if it's not my last, and I would like, just if I just start just rambling about you know, old old Rick Patino takes or something, just because you know, go back to the bag, play a rerun until you can until you can get out of here before you before you cry like a baby. But and I don't anticipate that will happen.
I have a banner conversation.
Yeah, put the banner back up, damn it. I'm gonna use my last hour here to make sure we fight to get that banner.
But you already saw that they put h they put up in the practice facility like murals now or like the things that are reference in twenty thirteen, now that I'm pretty sure that they had to take down. Is that correct?
Yes, they're they're acknowledging the title, I guess without doing what the NCAA said that they couldn't do. But I'm still to the point like do it and see what I mean what the NBA's got a lot more things to worry about than Louisville acknowledging a title that did actually happen. Considering with the way this house then c Douable, a situation is playing out and it looks like it's gonna get taken care of. But I mean, there's never been as much uncertaint about the instaba's existence that I
can't imagine they're sitting around thinking about Louisville. However, they did deny Ali Khalifa a uh An his fourth year of eligibility, which is insane. But yeah, anyways, here's here's what's gotten. I think my wife is gonna have my kids call and that that will probably get me uh And they don't mean like my my kids know what I do, and you know, I hope I don't know what they think of it at all. They just know that's what dad does. And that's what he's always done
since they've been alive. But uh, I mean, I'm not even sure what they would say, but just I don't know, me probably already being emotional and just feeling, you know, grateful for the amount of time that I've that I've been able to do this. Just hearing the little the little voices of the little ones you know, that I created, that'll probably get me. I mean sometimes I'm just like, you know, just watching my kid play sports and you know,
talking to like you know, you're a parent. You just there's there's things that you know, there's times where the emotion and really again not to not to preach to people like you can't have emotions if you've never been a parent, but everything is different emotionally really, and everything is different in life when you become a parent because you know you're responsible for a human and you without even having any real mindset of it. You didn't you
didn't think, okay, I need to change now. It just happens to where you become a level of selfless that you didn't know you could ever be. Because again, like you you got kids, now you got to your parent. You are a provider. So anyways, I'm I'm excited for the rest of this hour, of course, but also tomorrow we'll have some fun. And then again, I'm not I'm not abandoning anybody. I'm just moving down the moving down the hall to the big stick, and I'm super excited
about that. Woke up really early today, right, and it wasn't that difficult.
And then didn't didn't do didn't do too much. Yeah, just I mean it.
It's not you know, maybe it's just the the the energy that we have here on the show. But I'm sure I'll probably be really tired tonight around like nine. But that's okay, Like that's what that's what my life is now. However, I did I mentioned this earlier this week. I was listening to you guys out there at the remote for Tony and Dwight and and Terry stopped in and those those guys wishing crews well and then being happy for him that he's retiring, and also that he
doesn't have to get up any morning. Like they just couldn't end the segment there they had to acknowledge oh mornings. God, that's awful, and you know they're right beneath them. Well, I don't think they've looked at it that way, but they acted as own, They acted as if like, yeah, have fun doing that. I mean, not not because it was beneath them, but just like you know, you know
they're yeah, I know what you mean. But like they've they've they've been super supportive in me in this entire situation. And I can't tell you how much I've appreciated that, cause it's been It's been huge. It's made me feel better about my ability to go over there and hopefully make that thing work and keep it successful. I mean, I I guess Tom will tell, but I have more confidence in myself to do that because of the support
I've gotten from those guys. But it was also just a reminder, yeah, like, if you don't have to be on the mornings in has like you probably would prefer to be elsewhere. And I get it, but hey, I'm looking at it as a guy that's not been doing this for thirty plus years like those legends. I'm looking at as somebody who, Hey, are you kidding me? Don't wake me up. I've got an opportunity to go to eight forty whas and it's still changing, the game doesn't seem real so.
I tell you what. You might not like it because I know that you're not a big coffee fan, but you got it. You got to get into oh yeah, have to get into the habit and make yourself a habit of it. Because that trip, you know how we talked about, like the trip to the grocery store. Yeah, like that trip just walking from just doing one little routine from your studio just to go get like a coffee and fill it up. It's it just might put some because I know you said you like some structure
in your day. Yeah, that will add to it.
Well, So coffee is I mean, I haven't acquired the taste of it just yet, and I don't know if some people ever really do. But it's also I can drink it and understand there's a real benefit from it, not only because it can give you that jolt in the morning and get your day started. Can also keep your regular if you know what I mean. But I hope he's not listening, and he might be. But like I've got an I've got a I got an idea for a well, I don't know. I shouldn't have said anything.
I'll just say it.
Why not because I.
Don't think I would have the heart to do it because I care about this person and would never would never want them to not know that I was just joking with him. But the only cup of coffee that I've ever had that I drank and thought, okay, maybe I can drink that in doses and it's not so bad and I see the benefit of it. It was made by the company man John Alden, who who is a coffee drinker, and you know we did it just
we weren't even trying to make it content. But he made me a cup of coffee in the afternoon one time because I was dragging ass, and you know, it gave me a nice boost. It was it was super plain. It was just you know, regular dark coffee, black coffee. There's nothing in it, no sugar, nothing, And you know, it wasn't it didn't taste great by any means, but it but you know, it got the job done and it wasn't like a big cup of coffee. So the only time I've ever had coffee like finished, an actual
cup of it is that John has made it. So if I ask him, if if I ask him next week, would you mind making me a cup of coffee? He would do it without question because he's a good friend and you know, he's my guy. But I wonder like if I just like I would, I wouldn't be able to do it. But I love the thought of just waiting for him to be like, listen, I'm not your bitch, I'm gonna you know what I mean, Like I could totally because he's I.
Mean, taking this company, and I wouldn't.
Yeah, and I would not. I wouldn't be able to do it because I would feel awful. He's you know, but but he's at least done it a few times and it's been appreciated, and it's.
A pretty new slick coffee maker massa.
I mean, like, let's be honest, it's not It's not something I wouldn't be able to figure out on myself, right, I mean, he's not putting anything in it. What's he doing?
He's just you know, page here.
Here's the thing. This goes to show you what I don't know about coffee. I don't he Maybe he does put something in it, but if so, I don't notice. And h it's certainly not creamer and there may be sugar, but I don't even like, I don't I think he puts something in his and he asked me, and I'm like, no, just give it to me straight, doc. And and you know, it's not a taste that I that I enjoyed, but it's also I mean, I've had worse hipster craft beers that I've that I've that I've finished.
So love the smell of coffee. I like the I like the taste. That's I mean, I don't love the dark, just the straight black coffee taste, but I do love like the after taste of all that is. That's you know, that's some brew right there.
Well, so when do you get cold coffee ever? Like cold brew?
Yeah, I'm getting done like a cold brew or like a la te.
Well, that's clearly a booming business. There's that new. I don't think they're new overall, but their new ish to the Louisville area, the Kentuckian area, the Seven Brew Place. Yes, I mean like I've never driven by one where the line wasn't to the interstate. I mean, they're they're clearly very very popular, and I'm just thinking, I'm just thinking, like there's no way it's that good. And also it's probably not cheap. But also uh, clearly they got a
market and they're doing well because people love it. But I feel like if you're doing like the like the sweetest thing I can drink is what I drink for energy, which is a monster energy drink. Yeah, that's that's got that's got a real bite of carbonation to where it's more like a soda.
Yeah.
But like if I'm drinking soda, I'm drinking diet and I really don't drink at all.
It doesn't have a lot of sugar. Yeah, So I just.
Feel like if I was gonna drink one of those fou fou coffees that I see a lot of people get, I'm like, man, that's so rich and sugary, Like you might as well just you know, might as well be drinking a donut. And I just feel like that it may give you that boost because again there's caffeine and it's the kick, and it may taste delicious. But like, I'm to the point now where if I eat if I eat a whole glazed donut and stop there, I'm
probably okay. But sometimes if I eat one, I get really full, as if Like man, I just like it's just so rich and just it's a little much, so.
You still love all the gimmicky donuts, like the sprinkles and the choc I still love a chocolate glaze, but you know, like the ones that they have that it's not crumble. Let's see other one where they just like they just put There's just so much that goes on the doughnuts, like you could put like the crackers or like cereal, like the piece of the cereal on it. That's too much. I'm I'm fine just glazed in a cinnamon.
But I start that if I start my day with that kind of food, I I would just want to go take a nap and hibernate because I would just feel like so full. And breakfast. I get why people say it's like super important to start your day, but if I eat a big breakfast that's anywhere close to as big as like my dinner would be, I just feel full and tired.
So yeah, I'm interesting.
I'm well, breakfast food is great, and I like a good breakfast, but just you know, I don't want to. I don't want to start the day feeling like I've already you know, eaten enough to And I don't know why. Maybe it's I don't know if it's everybody's metabolism is different or whatnot. But if I tried to eat a huge breakfast, I would I would probably fail. Sometimes though I get a few mimosas in me eat a big breadth and then it's like, you know, man, I've had
I've had a hell of a day. I'm kind of tipsy. It's ten am, and exactly, demon Tom, I like that. All right, let's let's do this quick break. We'll come back and I'll kind of reset some things we discussed today because there's it's been a busy show, including Pat Kelsey. Thank you for thinking of me getting a new commitment when I'm doing my second to life show. I'm sure
that timing was specifically for me. And again, I hope over the years you've been able to since my poor attempted humor, my bad sarcasm, because I know that's not the case. But they did get a commitment today. We'll talk about that a lot more and we'll finish up this, uh this all time list for you of l I've been working on when it comes to football, So stick around, coffee and company. Feel about Thorntes right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
It's certainly not something that we're used to just yet. But I do think and I believe I predicted this a couple of weeks ago, and again, the time will tell if this ends up being an accurate inaccurate predicta
an accurate prediction or not. And that is that we will probably more often than not, at least I believe when you get to the last few scholarships, the last few spots on your basketball roster, it'll probably be guys kind of coming out of nowhere, guys that you don't know a lot about, because when you're in the portal and you only have a couple of spots left, and you know you no longer can sell a big payday
because a lot of your money's been spent. You can no longer sell a big role because others have decided to take that role. You're just going to have to be less selective and find a guy that is willing to embrace the role that you're offering. And you're going to tell these guys that you can compete, and you
know there's no guarantee what happens. But clearly you can read the room, you know, if you're a guard or if you're a guard and you look at the three transfers they've already brought in in McNeely, Whirley, uh, And I always forget the guy from Xavier. Don't know why I always forget his name. He's probably gonna be the league scorer for this team, to be honest with you, at least I think he will be. But it'd be nice if I can get his name Ryan Conwell, Sorry.
I forgot it too. Who I'm not gonna let with.
So with Ryan Conwell and Woolley and McNeely as well as Mark Michael Brown, the number one point guard in the country coming in. Like, if you're a guard, you end up in the portal at Louisville, you know you're gonna have to compete with some of the best, some really good players to where you know you seem to at least be open to the idea of being a guy that's rarely called upon and finding guys who are
cool with that is hard to do. So I think it's going to be pretty routine to get to this late in the process, and the last few guys taking
up roster spots be pretty unknown. Well that's certainly been the case for Louisville in the last couple of weeks, because we've now had two guys join Louisvill's roster that I I mean part of it's because they play overseas and one of them is from NBA Africa, that they committed a couple of weeks ago, and then today I'd seen on social media just that this guy had been linked to Louisville. But I will be I have no
clue if he was actually gonna. I mean, the recruitment's not exactly covered like those who are in the portal or those who are high school kids, just because I mean, these guys are in another country. But Louisville did land a big man. This certainly gives him some more depth that's needed, not only with James Scott transferring. But you now wait to see what the NAA is going to do with Ali Khalifa when it comes to his eligibility.
So Vangeli's zu grease. He is a six to eight, two hundred and fifty pound big man from Greece, and Pat Kelsey sent out his social media video. I guess is like the I guess that's his sign this year. As far as announcing or celebrating, I should say, more than anything, a commitment. So I would imagine by now you're probably done with your roster, but I guess you never know. Nothing would surprise me anymore when it comes to college to college basketball, when it comes to the portal.
All right, something else we've discussed today, because it's going to be a discussion I think for a while until it gets all figured out. And that is what happens with the expanded college football Playoff. They're certainly going to be moving from twin the sixteen after this upcoming season, and there's been a lot of back and forth about what makes the most sense as far as determining how
those sixteen spots get slotted. The thing that makes the most sense is to do five automatic qualifiers, meeting the conference champions from the Power four and then a champion from one of the other conferences, and then you do at large bids for everybody else, and you seed it one through sixteen based off the best teams, not based off those who win the conference championship. That's the best
way to do it. That makes too much sense for them to do, because you know, they don't just think practical. It's the SEC that just wants to just well, you know, we need to we need four automatic spots, and the Big ten needs four automatic spots, and then everybody else. And that's just the way it is because because we say so, And I mean, who would like agree Again, I don't know what power anybody truly has here, but who would agree to that? I mean, why not say
it once more? Upset up a billion times, guaranteeing half the tournament, the playoff go to two conferences, regardless of any games being played, but just because they've always been good, it's quite literally the closest we've ever been in primetime sports. It's not pro sports, but college football is a pretty powerful thing. It's not close to the NFL, but nothing is. But that would be the first real sign that we're
no longer really caring about competition as much. We're literally making it based off of popularity from previous seasons and previous generations. Really, and it's not to say that the Big ten in the SEC won't end up getting more than half the field, because they probably will, they're that good. But just to say we should just have it because it is insane and I don't believe that that they're going to get what they want, but I don't know,
maybe it's wishful thinking on my end. I also don't think this will ever happen, but just to know that this is being discussed and this is being thrown out there by people who I guess have some influence in what happens with the playoff, that TV viewership could potentially be a factor in how they determine who qualifies. I mean that alone is in a mission that it's popularity contest.
It's not about winning games, which sometimes your popularity your brand is going to give you a bump because with a twelve game regular season, it's just not any real there's no great way to determine who, in fact is more deserving, right, I mean, you can have a twelve game season pretty routinely and not and you can just you can decide were you were you good or not?
Like for example, when when Saturfille was here, I mean Louisville, they went seven and five at least a couple of times, and you know, you didn't really lose to any bad teams in a lot of those years. But you also never beat anybody we're talking about, so you could end the season not knowing that, like almost felt like a
waste of time. I hate saying that, but you know, there was no no climax one way or the other, seemingly, and the lost to Kentucky and then we were reminded that our coach at that time wasn't built for this rivalry, which is sad thing to say, but it was the truth. So I don't know what's going to happen, but anybody
arguing that it shouldn't be one through sixteen stop. The best teams and the automatic qualifiers are those that win the conference championship four from the Power four and then of course whoever is the best conference champion from the G five. That's that's what makes too much sense. Now, if you think that no conference championshould be in I don't think you're wrong there, because you know, I get it.
But doing that, you've basically made the conference championships not only useless and really other than just claiming that you did it, I mean, that's what and again there's fans would love that to be able to say you won your conference championship, but in the moment. If you're coaching one of these teams, you're not thinking about that. You're thinking about, I mean, thinking about winning a national championship.
Because if you are in play for the SEC, the Big Ten, or the or the the Big ten of the the Big ten, ACC or SEC championship, it may not be super realistic every year, but at that time, you're still thinking you've got a chance to win the whole thing. Again. It may not be true, but that's where your mind is. You're not thinking about, I hope we can go to Charlotte and win the ACC. I
hope you go to Atlanta and win the SEC. You're thinking about winning the whole thing, and you could also end up, you know, if you just if you just see to one through sixteen and you still have it again. Here's the examples I gave earlier that I think that I think are are a good reason as to why you would. You still have to find some way to
incentivize winning your conference championship. If you're Alabama and your Georgia and you're number one and your number two, therefore you're playing in the conference championship, you don't want to play because you're fighting for a championship, that game is just another opportunity for you to potentially hurt yourself slightly or maybe maybe jump from number two to number one, And there's value there, but how much you could also, I mean, you also become way more winded you played
an extra game, you could get somebody hurt. And then if you're Louisville and the hypothetical, the hypoth the hypothetical that I threw out there was that let's say Clemson went back to Dabbo when he was in his prime, where they looked like they were the top program in the sport overall. There was a brief stretch there where but like they passed Alabama a little bit, didn't last long, but there was that moment right after they beat Bama in that last championship. They when they got their second
it felt like they were the top program. So with that, let's say they're there again, and Clemson's being talked about as one of the best teams of all time and Louisville is twelve and one and they are currently projected to be one of the last two teams in Well, let's say they end up playing in the ACC championship game and they get beat by thirty because Clemson's just that good. That could just put them I mean that
could one. They could probably get beat up if that happened. Also, it would potentially put them in a spot to where they got blown out and lost their chance to get in. Like you would want to avoid it if you could.
You would hope that then this sounds crazy to say, but you would hope that if you're Jeff Brahm in that situation, that the tiebreaker didn't go your way and you were able to avoid a thirteenth game for a variety of reasons, because you want to still get in the playoff, and also you don't want to get your ass kicked right before you get to the postseason, so
you have to find a way to incentivize that. And I think just guaranteeing that you get in the field is enough now them not getting the top four seeds and getting the buy that makes sense, and that played out pretty clearly in the first year that it just didn't make a whole lot of sense to do that. So anyways, real quick, this is something we did yesterday. I'll reset this quickly and then and finish up here. And I had fun doing this, so thank you to
whoever it was that that requested it. I'm not sure anybody else wanted it or cared about how I ranked these players.
But I've been waiting for it.
You've been all You've been thinking about it, huh.
I've been looking at records. I like to hear that, let's go.
I like to hear that. So the top four quarterbacks for me, and again, this is my lifetime what I remember. So guys who played, you know, before me, like Jeff Brom, Browning, Nagel, obviously Johnny united Is, I don't remember those guys playing quarterbacks, so I didn't include them. I'm just going based off guys I watched play in my time as a fan. I went Lamar Jackson number one, Seddy Bridgewater number two.
I went Brian Brohm three, but I was so close to putting stuff on the fours at number four, but I was pretty content with that. I did leave Redmond off, and it was it because I don't think he's great. It's just that was a little bit little, not as fresh in my mind, but he certainly had a hell of a career.
And then.
At running back, I ended up going with Michael Bush number one, and it was easy for me. I went blal Pal number two, and then at number three, I went a guy who is so easy to forget. We talked about this yesterday. I think this is the best running back that's played here that you won't remember in four or five years unless you just have a good memory, and that's Javian Hawkins. He was here for SAT's first
season and was the ACC Freshman of the year. He had twenty three hundred yards and I believe it was like nineteen total games because he opted out the second year with the COVID stuff going on and went pro, didn't get drafted, and honestly no clue whatever happened to him, but he was good. And then I went number four, Brandon Radcliffe, and I just think his consistency over a long stretch of time put him there. And then did I just do those two? Yeah, okay, doing receivers in
defense got just so receivers and defense. I have that for some reason. I think it was another one I did yesterday. But receivers, I mean, I think I think I probably would have a little bit of a different list than others, But I don't think my list here will be one that people question as if like this is this guy no way to think about Louisville football.
But Devonte Parker, I mean, he was just he was not only really good the entire time he was here, he was he was a top twenty draft pick for good reason, played in the league for quite a while, and he was a part of some good teams. And to me, he was just a weapon that we haven't had very often at receiver. To wear there was a good chance that whoever you're playing, if he's not being if it's single coverage, he's just gonna go up and get it. I mean he was. He was really really special.
So I put him at at number one. After that, how can you not go, Dion Branch. I mean, I'd forgotten that he was only here two years, but in those two years he was really really special. For John L. Smith one hundred and forty three catches, twenty two hundred yards, eighteen touchdowns in just two seasons. I mean he was good. Yeah. I oh, by the way, he went on to be a Super Bowl MVP. Now he's on the staff. So
he was at number two. Some people would probably have him number one, and I wouldn't fight you on it. I just think with Devonte a little bit more of a longevity and Louisville football was in a little bit of a different spot when DeVante was here, including you know, beating Florida in the Sugar Bowl, and then after that it gets a little tricky. I think three is Harry Douglas. Another guy who had a great run, and he played
alongside some other good receivers like Mario Rudia. But I think Harry had a great career over a long stretch of time, and he did it when Louisville was really starting to become relevant.
Nationally here it was a threat.
Yeah, and then what I don't know is number is number four.
I mean.
This guy, I feel like I'm I'm just I'm you Like, who is it you mentioned the other day Brock Bowlin. Loved Brock Bowland, by the way, but like that was you as a kid, just knowing that guy was good at what he did and people liked him and he was a weapon. Right, this is me. This guy was clearly good. His numbers are insane, but like I think this is more so me just because again, I'd be a liar if I told you I remember a bunch
of specific plays by this guy. But I remember when Louisville had Arnold and he was I mean, he was just a he was so damned almost four thou, Yeah, I mean he was. I mean, he's one of the most productive receivers in the history of the n C DOUBLEA when he got finished with his college career undersized, but man, he was unstoppable. So I'm going with him. And so tw TO is another guy that really which
is wild because to Tow was great. And yet what people will forget is that when things started to really get loud about is Bobby Petrino really gonna be able to keep this thing going in his second stint? Or is he gonna be Bobby and it fall apart? And we know what happened. But the reason I feel like it got so loud about wait a second, is everything gonna be okay? Is because two two app was the
guy that they took over Rondell Moore. Now, they still recruited Rondelle and they wanted him, they liked him, but I think they they probably made it clear that they'll take Rondel Moore, but they actually like to do better. Both were great college players. Yeah, Rondelle was way more It was way more successful in college than to too, but both were good and both were still in the NFL. I hope with the with Rondelle he can get healthy
and really have a strong season. I know he's coming off a pretty big injury, but with two two he's still productive still in the in the league with the Rams, and he was really really good when he was here. Another guy that'll probably be forgotten a little bit just because of the era, right it was it was it was I keep one to call Sadderfield crack Thorpe, but it was the Saturfeld era and then one of those seasons, one of those seasons was uh was you know a
COVID year where it's just easy to forget. So anyways, there you have it. We'll do defense here on the other side and call it a day right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven.
Nine day, Jody Messina or Martine McBride, one of the Yeah, good stuff, good stuff, what a finished strong there? Hit me with that nineties sassy lady contrast. It was an era, man, It was an era that I that I was a big fan of and your cowgirl boots and go be independent somewhere baby. Yeah, and it's it's it's it's kind of maybe this is just me, but like it's actually a really like that You Go, You Go nineties female
country hits. It's actually a decent, surprising workout mix. Like there's good energy, it's uplifting, that kind of stuff.
So, yeah, you used to listen to that song at ups Load in seven forty seven.
And I guarantee you did a better job with those tunes playing, all right. So lastly, we'll do the defensive side here. And this was tough at the bottom half here because I think, honestly, Elvis Dumerville is number one just because he's I mean, Elvis Duomerville is one of the best defensive players we've ever seen in college football, certainly at Louisville forty two and a half sacks, twenty sacks and ten force fumbles alone in two thousand and
five unanimous Al American five time Pro Bowler. I mean, Elvis is a legend. Outside of that, I mean, Amobia Koye was really really good, and obviously I think him being drafted tenth overall and him being so young when he was in college, so I don't have a problem having him at number two. And it's more so just because after that there were so many really good like Louisville football on defense during even the Bobby era the first time around, obviously with Charlie Strung. There's so many
great defensive players. Uh but you've got a lot of guys that are that are really good. But how do you differentiate who would be at number three or number four? Because I mean a guy that people would forget who was a who was a bully here defensively was Calvin Pryor. I mean that dude was was tough.
Oh yeah, I mean.
He and he he should have been good in the NFL. I don't really know what happened there, but he was actually successful until the rec until Re's uh Rex Ryan got fired by the Jets, and then it kind of all went downhill from there. But he was great. Gerrod Holloman, I mean it was it was random with one season, but they got fourteen interceptions in the Jim Thorpe Award, and I mean it was just insane how he was right place, right time, go make a play like it
was not if he dropped four of those interceptions. It would have been looked at as a special season and you just to say, well, that's why that guy's on defense. I mean, he just it was crazy how he was picking people off. A guy who was consistent from won always a problem. Lorenzo Maldon Preston Brown. Yeah, I mean, this guy was a tackling machine for many, many years. In fact, I think every year he was here, he
was a monster defensively, and you know, longevity. I think he and then obviously JayR Alexander he became an elite level player, probably even more so than we realized at the time because you know, he was overshadowed by his teammate Lamar Jackson and then Sheldon Rankins, James Bargess, I mean, Brandon Johnson back during those two thousands teams. Yeah, I mean, I just I don't really, I think I'm gonna go so I'm going Dumerville a Koya, I'm gonna go Gay
year and then not bad. I'm down now to either Preston Brown or Lorenzo Maulden. I think I'm gonna go Preston Brown, just because I mean he was kind of like your leader of the defense at that linebacker spot and was good every year he was here and was really instrumental in the in the Charlotte mean, when you think of the Charlie Strong era, he's probably the most important guy that isn't talked about really at all. I mean you think of Davonte and obviously Teddy and whatnot,
but Preston Brown was good. So there you have it. All right, we're out of time. Back at it tomorrow for one more farewell, and Austin appreciates your brother. It's been a fun ride. I'll see you tomorrow. I just I'll be with you on air here. So all right, heavy goo on, everybody, talk to you tomorrow.