It's time for coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick coffee.
That's right, it is coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety hour number two in the final edition of this show, which again I know I've mentioned it many times, and I guess I should say both things. I'm not leaving, like I'm not. Actually, it's not like you're never gonna hear me again. I mean, if you don't want to hear me again, you can certainly choose not to. But I'm just moving up your radio dial and at a much earlier time slot five am to nine am.
So this is the last show.
Again.
We've talked about it a lot throughout the last few weeks, but with the four o'clock hour hitting potentially a new audience. I mean when I mentioned it in passing and don't really lay things out, I get people that hit me up that I guess. You know, they listen when they can, and they aren't aware. You know, It's wild how people aren't totally consumed by what's going on in my life.
It's crazy.
I figured everybody was always keeping up with me and again, I hope you can. You can since the sarcasm there, my poor attempted humor. But yeah, we've got two more hours left and I'm gonna gonna make the most of them. And this is fun. I've said it each time we've come back from break. I'll say it again. Not letting people know who the next guest is. I can just feel that you are on the edge of your seat
in anticipation, and that excites me. And I don't know if he's excited, but I'm excited to bring this guy on. He's a former Louis of a Cardinal played in the NFL, which I told him one time, and I meant it. I would say that to everybody. I would tattoo that on my head. I played in the NFL. I'm an NFL player, not just you know. He actually was on a roster for a couple of seasons, had an NFL career. He's a friend, He's been a big part of the
show when it comes to talking football. He is mister Alex Cupper.
Cupp.
How are we doing, brother, I'm sure it's an honor for you to be here today.
It is the solar, the you know, the celebratory send off.
That's right to be a part of it. Great congratulations.
So I'm moving up to the the big time and whs and all that.
My friend, let me ask you and thank you. By the way, let me ask you you. You went from being a I mean, you're a football lifer. We've talked about your story. A great story, by the way. Something you see in a movie. A kid locally walks on at the hometown program, earns a scholarship, plays, has a great career, was a big factor on one of the best teams we've ever had. Here goes to the NFL. I mean, you're not one to brag, so I'll brag for you. But you then switched to being a career guy.
You now are in the you know, you now don't work in football, and obviously you're doing really well in that. What was the transition? I hear all the time about how when you've put so much, I mean, the biggest part of your life is probably up to that point, you know football and it and it consumes you. You work your ass off at it. That's how you end
up in the position that you were in. What was the transition like when you walked away and you decided, Okay, I'm ready to start this next chapter, as I'm starting a different chapter, still doing radio, but obviously a different world from what I'm used to.
No, for sure.
I mean that's a really yeah, it's really a interesting to look back on it, because I don't i mean, now consumed with so many other things. Football is still fun and now I get to get the privilege of trying to bring my kids up through it. But really the bridge of not playing ball anymore and still being involved. So those those few years I did the color commentary with Paul was very.
Very helpful because it still felt involved.
It still felt like, you know, I would listen to, you know, a game plan, you know, a Petrino game plan and kind of understand you know, ways of ways of working, still a little bit without the physicality part of it. So that was that was a helpful tool because really, yeah, the mental side.
Of it is tough.
It's hard to shift your mind to thinking about, oh gosh, you know, I need I need to look at life differently, and you know, there's not as much of a.
Demand on my body, but a demand on you.
Know, how I think about things and and how I you.
Know, I mean it really is a different it's a different life within your life.
Right, Oh yeah, no, absolutely, And then you know as kids, uh, as the kids started growing it it made you know, made that transition obviously a lot more, a lot more seamless, and there's there's way there's way more of a focus and attention on on that. And obviously as you know, that is that is the primary. That is the the tertiary. That's everything. So everything you you know, all the all the decisions and in all of the you know, essentially non work items is is your family life. So those
two pieces in general or were the big bridge. But you know, people ask me quite a bit on on what, you know, would I go back and do and play long? You know, it's like an obvious would be yes, would miss miss that part of it? Just because the competition, the things that I talk to you about all the time, sure during the season, just just that itch on the thrill.
There's there's nothing that there's nothing that.
Can match that, that level of competition, that level of you know, angst and and energy that you can get and the thrill you can get on being successful in that it's second to none.
Look, a lot of people who really put a lot into it. And I don't want to say you weren't blessed with God given talent, but obviously I think you've always been a guy that really put in the work and let the results speak for themselves. And you know, when you get the good results that you got, like the career you had in football, you know, it's not a surprise to see that you can transition that to really a second a second life. And I don't want to act like you had no life in all you
did was football. You were a robot, just some dumb jock. But you know, it's you have to put everything into it if you want to be super successful at it. But when you did, when you did say okay, I'm gonna hang up the cleats, I mean, was it were you still trying to see if you could get a practice squad thing, or were you content thinking, okay, I
could still try to grind it out. But you know, I'm ready because I feel like it would be a really hard thing to do, because it's you know, you're gonna have the belief in yourself, You're probably gonna be able to stick around. And look, you could have played in CFL done those kind of things. But when that moment happened, did it, did it hit you that, Okay, I'm doing it. I'm actually gonna you break free.
Yeah, I mean the unfortunately, the the UFL and and XFL and all there, that hybrid. I guess the spring, the spring alternative. I guess you could say professional leagues warnt a thing. Unfortunately. Uh so the CFL never never really entertained it.
I did.
I mean, I kept kept working and and actually tried out a few more times.
But I'd say it like.
They missed out.
Yeah, they're lost skinning at the six month mark. I appreciate that. It was when I, you know, came to grips, got got re enrolled and finishing up you know, some of the master studies that I had started and started down the career path.
Well, congrats on career, Congrats on all your success. And I can tell how much you love being a family man, and and I can I can't relate to a lot of things, I believe it or not. Folks did not play in the NFL, never played a snap of football in my life. But you know, I can tell how much you're into being a family man. And I'm now more so. Inter you know, I'm still going to talk sports on HS and it's going to be always a
big part of my life. But now what really gets me excited and the passion I have is experiencing it with my with my son. And I'm sure you know you're going through the same thing on your end, and it's a beautiful thing, no doubt. But I have to pick your brand quickly before we let you go and
get your weekend started. The era that you were at U of L, I feel like is monumental to where the program is, and there's been few there's been a few instances throughout where it feels like, okay, that was pretty big as far as Louisville continuing to be able to say as a program, we were thrown in the microwave and and we've had some big jumps throughout and we're not a power program by any means, but we're not. You know, we're pretty successful and I think the success
is going to be there moving forward. Is there's something you could share and I'm putting you on the spot here, but that when the transition happened from Steve Kragthorpe to Charlie Strong and the culture change, and within a few years, you guys were, you know, we were, we were losing our minds because you beat who was its Southern Miss and the Beato Brady's Bowl and Saint Pete. I mean that felt like the Super Bowl. And I don't mean to to to poke fun. I mean literally we were.
We were brought back to life and it was exciting as hell. There was clearly a lot of energy on the roster or on the field with just the enthusiasm, and then a couple years later, you're beating Florida in New Orleans in the Sugar Bowl. Is there maybe something that you don't think people realize about sort of that era? I mean again, I think it's pretty straightforward. You guys
were coached hard, you played hard for your coach. I think you had a really good stat that maybe people don't know about, but that that run that team really it's it's it's my favorite season as a fan just because it was.
It was awesome.
But is there something you could share that maybe people would be surprised by. I don't mean like giving us dirt on your teammates or anything, but I would have loved to have been a little bit more connected to the program back then. I was a lot younger, but man, it was a lot of fun.
Oh absolutely, and it yeah, I mean all those things just to turn the you know, the turnaround six games, it felt like we won twenty, you know, like it was it was really you that passion that the fan base felt.
It was tenfold in a locker roo.
It kind of reminded me a little bit of basketball this year, Cut because you know, I think you know, you guys then could sense that you were bringing us kind of back to life and we were really energetic. And I think that's exactly what played out with Pat Kelsey this year.
Oh for sure.
And really the big I mean, although they're in basketball, is a little different, just based on the track for it and the coaches that we we did have prior to you know, our turbulence that we've gone through. But really, if you leave Louisville fans with anything, it's it's the resiliency and not as much consistency. So just how how resilient the program can be and basketball, you know, finally
finding its footing. Football's always been that way where it's if you have the passion, you have the support from the fan base from the athletic department.
The programs set up in a way or gout.
You know, kids, guys, you know, young men want to come be a part of it and really try and push the program forward. You know, you have that pipeline that started in Florida. It's still there. And then I think coaching wise, I mean, it's it's it is. You can call it a stepping stone job, and that's what people you know usually refer to it, as.
You know from AFAR.
But but really it is one of the top notch programs just based on how much focus you have and how much you know, how much people care about it really and how big the town is. I mean, it's it's a it's a large college town. People always talk about it. So being a part of it, being a small part of it was you know, a pleasure and a gift that I'll.
Cherish for for a very long time. So always happy to chat about it too.
Oh yeah, and I again, I don't think you tell people enough and I don't know how you would do it. You don't bring it up in conversation, but you do have a really cool story. It's been great to get to know you and call you a friend over the years because I was a big fan of yours and I still am today. So I'll leave you with this, and I'm not gonna put you on the spot. I found a way to where I'm not gonna make you like pick which teammates you think are better, because that
would be a cruel thing to do. But I, in the last couple of days, have been tasked by one of our listeners to give my top four Louisville football quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, and then defensive players. And I'm not going to tell you how you'd rank them. I'm gonna give you my four. You give me a grade in the A would mean that you really agree, in like a D would mean that you totally disagree. And I won't press you to tell me which, because I don't
want your teammates find that out. You know, you know you didn't have them in the top four. So you and I are relatively the same age. So some of these guys you played with, and some of these guys I know you grew up watching them because you know you're you're you're a Louisville guy like me. So I'll start with quarterbacks. To me, this was pretty easy. Lamar number one, Teddy number two, I went, I went with I don't remember how I ordered him because it's really tough.
I know I went Stefan. Did I go Stefan?
No?
I went Brom three, Stefan four, And I'm content with that. But I was really close to putting Stefan at three. But I don't know if it's just because I was just so obsessed with that. I still think that twenty four team, with the coaching staff and that roster, despite it being a Conference USA team, that team was special. A lot of guys that went on to play in the NFL. How do you grade that?
So you had you had Brahm at three and Stefan yeah, fo yeah, yeah, I would be in line with that.
Okay, so an A, you know the Red Redmond were as the as my you know, you know those guys.
Hey, look we're spoiled as hell. A quarterback. Yeah, I mean, I mean again, Tyler Schucke.
He only played her one year, so it's gonna be really weird to think about how he's thought about down the line. But we know he had we had a pretty good quarterback here last year. And it sounds like he's doing well with the Saints, all right, So with with uh, let's go, let's go with receivers. I went to Vante number one. I don't know if that's just my era. I feel like he was just a weapon and there was a good chance that if you throw it up, he was going to go make something happen.
I then went with Harry Douglas or no, I'm sorry, Deon Branch, then Harry Douglas and then at number four. I think it was more just with those three. Is that aligned with you give me A you're thinking, B, you think?
And C. Is there somebody I'm leaving off that you would have had on there?
Yeah? Or I mean urridy it was another one.
Yeah, I mean production wise, it's hard to beat, hard to beat Harry and yeah.
So with Mario he was he was great, But I feel like he doesn't get forgotten. But I think maybe I'm guilty as others as far as maybe not realizing how good he was because he played with some other really good receivers too.
Sure, No, I know we are aligned all right now?
With running backs, I went and again, this is really my lifetime what I can remember. Obviously, you know, there's some guys that I know are great, but I can't tell you I watched him play because I wasn't a live where I was too young. So running backs, I went Mike Bush number one. I went with the low pal number two, just because of how special he was in that last year, and obviously he had some other good moments before that. And then three, I got a
wild card for you. I think most people forget this guy, and it's unfortunate because the timing of what was going on in the world. He will be forgettable, but he was special. Jadane Hawkins was bad. He was I mean, that guy was really really talented, and I think it's easy to forget because there wasn't a who lot of accomplishments along the way, although he was acc Freshman of the Year in his first season, but again all that's a blur. And then at number four, I went Brandon
Radcliffe just because I felt like consistency was there. But there's other good options that you know you could throw in. I mean, even guys like Colby Smith, who who obviously got a lot more run whenever Mike Bush got hurt. So we've been pretty spoiled. A lot of positions. That one was a little bit more difficult for me. It wasn't at the very top. But you know me give me your assessment of that.
Yeah, I mean.
I always look like looking back on like the Eric Sheltons of the world.
Yes, Shelton's a good one.
It's funny how I look at it.
It's just the way the uniforms looked, and just how they looked in the uniforms. Just how you know, It's like you see their their pictures and they're the Montague.
Yeah, you're that.
You're looking at Eric Shelton in his uniform and you're you're you're you're at Trinity High School or almost there, and you're thinking, you want to you want to be wearing that uniform, right, I get it.
Oh yeah yeah.
Yeah, so no, But I mean Bush obviously for obvious reasons, and and we we all think about what could have been, but what could what did happen was he he was extremely successful, so was Blau in the NFL and had had very fruitful careers. So those those two are the obvious. The one too, Hawkins was Yeah, that was god. He It felt like he was our only option there in that first year of sadderfield, and he was. He was productive as hell running behind Beckton and and that offensive line.
So that was that's that's a really sneaky one because you do forget about it.
But he was. He was the hell of a back. And this is this is not nice that we got our legit to.
Oh, no doubt, we're spoiled in a lot of ways. It's and you mentioned it. It's been proven if you can coach stepping stone or not, you can win. And it's been proven many many years. And if you can play, you'll get on the field and you'll stand out. I mean that's been proven as well. Now with defense, we did a I just just before the sake of toime yesterday. I just went through defense as a whole, not specific positions. I had Elvis Dumerville number one. I went with a
Mobia Koye at number two. And I can't remember if that was justified based off of like production or just knowing that he was sixteen years old when he started playing in college and he was an early draft pick. And then after that, man, it's tough and a lot of these guys that I was on the fence about putting in the top four you played with. I mean Calvin Pryor, he was good. I mean that guy was dangerous out there, and I mean that in a good way. Drodd Holloman. It never made any sense to me how
he got fourteen interceptions. And I don't mean that to insult him, but like right place, right time, consistently, that guy was just I mean, fourteen interceptions in a year is insane. And then two guys that you played with that I hope are remembered in a good way, Lorenzo Mauldon and Preston Brown, not that people would remember them in a bad way, but like Charlie Strong put some defensive studs here on campus. Oh absolutely, and un forget.
Yeah, I obviously Jaire didn't play with him. But Sheldon Rankins is another one that you put in. And this is more from a brought on and maintained you know, didn't didn't go I mean this day and age, guys like with that caliber potentially go looking elsewhere with the coaching change.
Sheldon didn't.
He stayed true to his guns, stayed working, became a first round pick, was extremely productive under under under Bobby in that coaching staff. So that's another one that that pops out that I know personally playing with him.
He was young when I was there, but Lozo for sure. Uh.
James Burgess is another guy that I that I think was really consistent.
He was so I mean, just when you talk about a ballhawk, and just so smart. He was so cerebrally gifted when it came to football, like picked up fun things so quick. I could read and react so fast. But then there's God, I'm I'm blanking Marcus Smith Lord. Oh yeah, another first rounder didn't didn't really pan out, but how tough he was, and in a ton of the plays he made that year, you know, that Sugar
Bowl year for sure. The year after, I mean he was he was an ex football player and there, I mean you could if you go back into the the Bobby one point days, I mean you can start rattling off several guys.
Brandon Johnson was pretty pretty damn good too.
Ja.
Yes, gosh, I can't think of him. He was a dude that would carry away. He was a linebacker or a big ass back plate.
It was it was so yeah. Yes, Ronald or McCune.
Oh, Robert McCune, Yes, Oh.
He was m He had the biggest traps. Oh god, yes, we would put they'd put.
Up like graduation photos or what are guys that you know on the wall whatever, and like everybody you know, normal, just.
You could tell he was kind of scary dude like he was.
It was a different times.
Yeah, apparently I think he was in Like he wasn't in the service, he was in something like that when it was all we always heard that he like carried around a like a hundred pound bowlder or somewhere everywhere.
That's how his traps got well there, they were humongous. That's another one, him and Michael Dyer.
There's a couple of pictures of those guys and I'm like, if that's not photoshopped, I'm very scared of these dudes. Michael Dyer. He had basketballs on his arms. Oh yeah, that guy was a character. But all right, lastly, and I'm nerding out so much on this air was such a fun, fun time during Uh, it's fun now too, But going back in the past is always fun. I'm sure it's fun for you as well. Which staff are on Charlie Strong's group, would you say may have been
a bigger impact than your all's overall success? That maybe people wouldn't necessarily know. I know you've oftentimes given a lot of praise to that entire staff because really that was it was a perfect form of of guys that really seemed to mix well, and Charlie had a good staff and clearly there was a lot of success. There is there anybody that maybe you look back on and feel like maybe they were more impactful on your all success than than than we would know.
Oh man, that's hard to narrow it down to one.
I mean Bedford strategically, I'd say from a mentality standpoint, Clint Hurt for sure, Yeah, just just from all the guys that he brought like he was able to I mean he was.
He was the key recruiter, right.
He was the guy that would you know, with the ace in the hall if you will, if you're trying to get a guy to commit, and he would follow through with it.
You know, there was he had a genuineness to him.
It seemed that really stood out to where players really connected to him.
Yeah.
I mean he got caught up in whatever happened in Miami that gave him a bad rap, But I would I would run through a walt for Clint Hurt.
And I didn't even play.
Defense, So that I'll tell you the type of coach he is, and it just shows you know how how resilient he's been working his way through the NFL's on the Eagles.
Now you know obviously they're that character.
And and that makeup as a coach is wanted and needed and is valued at a very high level. So that's that would for sure be the one that I would peg that answer to.
Cup.
You are the man.
Thank you for giving us twenty minutes of your time here on a Friday. You can get your weekend started now and stay well, my friend. I know I'll be seeing you soon and I'm looking forward to appreciate your brother.
Sounds good that congrats again.
Thank you, take care.
That's Alex Cupper, former Louver Cardinal, former NFL O lineman and a damn good dude. So good stuff. Quick break, we'll come back. We do not have a guest coming up here on the other end. So and this has been so much fun and it's it's working out like I wanted, where I'm just enjoying conversations with friends and hopefully you guys are enjoying it as well. We are talking sports we talked from Seinfeld and had some fun
along the way. But it's been a nice distraction to where I'm not in my own head because I can get my head a lot and not a good way.
But this has been good.
So again, if you're not enjoying it, if you're listening to me say that, then you know that just means that you're you're willing to ride it out with me one more time because it's it's the end after this. So if that's the case, thank you very much, quick break. We'll keep it rolling along here. It's Coffee and Company. Feel about Thorton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
If you're listening to Coffee in Company with Nick Coffee on Sports Talk seven ninety.
So I'm unable to leave you in suspense here about a guest coming up at this point, but we do have a couple more, maybe three more, that are going to be joining us before it comes to an end. And when I say it comes to an end, I don't mean just the show and the week. I mean the show for good. So it's been fun so far, and I hope you guys will stick around. Don't make me do it alone, which I don't think you will.
And there have been some.
Folks that have asked about calling in, and we've had some people that did call. And you guys know how bad I am as it is when it comes to, you know, keeping this thing on track. And I've already done a poor job of it today as far as being on schedule and whatnot. So you know, uh, thanks and really do appreciate you. And there have been some
that have reached out. And you know what is what is probably something that I should should say more than I do, and certainly should have said more so in the last nine years, is that you know, people who loyally tune in and interact with your show, and you
can sense the people who rather it be. And I'm so glad we have social media now because you know, you really would have no way of knowing who listens other than other than than if they call you, which of course, We've had a lot of regular callers over the years, and I certainly appreciate those folks, even those that you know, when they would call in, it wasn't always a great conversation, because you know, that's what I love about doing this, meaning I can actually you know,
have a common you know, even if we don't agree, we can still have a conversation and that's what makes this fun.
So thank you to everybody.
And when people say, hey, you know, I've been listening a long time, I mean I know, like you know, if you're somebody.
That has asked if the podcast is.
Going to be up soon in my DMS and mention it, you know, I can't speak for anybody but me. But even if they don't acknowledge it, people don't forget that who do this because you need that, you need all feedback. But what really I think, just knowing me as an individual and how I'm wired for better or worse, that has that has helped me is that there's no daily report card. And I think if if if you were able to truly measure every single day how many listeners you had, it would.
Get in my head. And I don't mean like I.
Would get big headed, but like if we had a show that, for whatever reason didn't reach the same amount of people as it did the previous two days, I think I would probably pay and think, O, what did I do wrong? So you know, you don't ever know, and I think that's a good thing. Now you can track things digitally now, like we know live streams and podcasts and whatnot, and that's a great metric to have, and that's certainly what we need now. Is obviously media
has changed in a big way. You got to be digital, and you got to be you got to be productive, you got to be able to reach people. And with radio there's ways you can do it. But I don't want to nerd out on it today. But if you guys knew, and some of you might know, really how they judge what's called ratings in a market like this
with a journal, I mean you wouldn't. You probably wouldn't believe me because it's just I mean, it's an archaic way of and it's it's kind of always been nonsense, but it's the only way they've really been able to do it, because when you're listening on a trestial radio, there's no way at this time to currently track specifically how many people are picking up your signal, because radio is as old as time, right And I'll say this once again because why not it's fitting to say, given
the conversation we're having right now, radio is still an insanely popular medium. It's just consumed differently and one of the reasons why I think, you know, I'm so energized about going to HAS is they they they really sold me. When I say they, I mean those that make this decision, that that decided I was somebody that could, that could at least until they tell me I can't anymore built take over for Tony Cruz and be in that spot. I mean, it's it's it's a big opportunity, but adding
some more youth. I said this to Terry Miners when we were talking earlier today, and I'm not this is nobody's fault, and I'm trying not to put my foot in my mouth and say something that may come off the wrong way. But I am thirty six. I'll be thirty seven in July. I grew up listening to AHAs, but just because of the sports aspect, and when I
became a young adult, HAS just really didn't. It wasn't what's the right way to say this, I wasn't somebody that you know, was worried about traffic on my way in listening to the radio. You know, I didn't grow It just wasn't. It didn't become because of the digital world being available apps on your phone smartphones, that kind of stuff the Internet. I never grew up having to rely on the great resource that is eight forty whs. And I'll say this, you rely on it now, but
we know at least I know you can get it elsewhere. Right, News, traffic, weather, those are things that if you just get out that thing in your pocket that's called a phone, you can you can get that stuff. My attempt at HS is going to be I'm going to be well aware that you can get that. You'll still get that there. But the reason you stay there is one because you're an HS lifer and we certainly appreciate you. But also you
can have some fun along the way. You can be entertained throughout your your daily or your morning commute or just your morning routine, whatever it may be. And that's what excites me is because you know it's built into where it's routine for people. They want they're driving to work, they want to know what traffic looks like, they want to hear the weather, they want to hear news. And within that, I've got a chance to get creative and have some fun and I look forward to doing that.
But anyways, back to my original point, like those that reach out and tell me, you know, hey, I came, I came to your show at this at this time.
I remember that like I and when you call and you say your name is this, and that I remember because I appreciate you, and you are, you know, having somebody that And I'm sure there's people who listen that have never interacted with me and never would And I wouldn't expect you to write that's not a necessity, but it is appreciated when it does happen, because you can really in this in this particular, I guess space you can.
You can kind of convince yourself whatever you can tell yourself you're you know, you're kicking rear end and you've got the best show in the world, and you know there's really not a way for you. I guess there are. There are ways to determine that. Like if you're making all the money and you got all the endorsements and you know everybody's telling you're great, then you probably are gonna believe you're great. But whenever you don't have that,
you can kind of convince yourself whatever you want. So I actually appreciate knowing that each day. I wouldn't able to know was this show good or bad? And really it's all up to people's opinion. Tony Vinetti said this to me many years ago, and it's been one of the many things he said that ended up being true. He was right that you would have a show where you felt like he was the best thing ever, and then you didn't get any traction.
Right.
You may had callers and interaction, but like you didn't have anybody notice that you thought the show was particularly better than it usually is. And then you'd have a show you're like, man, I hope my boss wed listening. That could be it for me, and you'll have people say, man, the show is great, and that wouldn't make any sense to me. But it made me realize just get comfortable, do your thing, and really write it out as long as you can. I mean, I've said this many times
in the last few weeks. To be able to say that I've been in this position for nine years is it still doesn't seem quite real. And I don't mean that just because I'm blessed beyond belief, which is true, but like, I've never once thought about how long I've been doing this. I've never once felt like, man, nine years what's next, or you know, are you gonna? Because I never wanted to. I never would lead this market.
I mean, I just wouldn't. This is my home, this is where i'll I'll live the rest of my life. And if you know, if I had to change careers because of something, I would because I'm not leaving Louisville.
Never would.
So that's probably another reason why I've been able to stick around, because you know, I'm not looking to get out of here and go to a top twenty five market, and I wouldn't wouldn't leave for a two hundred percent raise, probably just because this is what I've always wanted to do. So I think because of that, it has hit me
in the lab. I was talking to Tony Cruz this morning at his event as we celebrated his retirement, and you know, he said to me that he kind of hit him that he didn't he couldn't believe that I've been here almost ten years. And I thought, I'm saying like I saying it out loud, it almost doesn't seem real. But to give you, you know, another poor attempted humor
and a really overused cliche. Time flis when you're having fun and I've had myself a whole lot of fun, and I'm gonna have fun on HAS and I hope you guys will will join me starting next week. Five am is in early in early start, but I'll be I'll be ready to go, and i'll be I'll be trying to make that as best I can. And I do love knowing that there is not necessarily like a crazy amount of pressure. But like there's been four people that have had this job since it's existed for over
one hundred years, seemingly. I mean, I don't know the exactly I mean, I know how old HAS is in general, but it's been you know, a long, long, long long time. So that means that those guys were doing something good that has continued to make that very successful. And it's such a big part of people's daily routine. You know, I better not screw it up or they won't. You know, they're gonna let somebody sit there and sabotage something that
has been so successful for so so long. So real quick, before we get to a quick time out here and get to the last segment here in the four o'clock hour, a couple of things that are not related to me blobbing about me and me ending my time here at seven ninety. But the decision from the SEC to now find teams half a million if they if they storm
the field. Maybe I'm missing something here. I'm just was there some type of legal action that they're now like letting you know, all right, enough's enough, or because this is way after the season has ended. I just I feel like there's got to be some level of some level of risk that they've they've realized that they they're now having to let people know it's going to be an even bigger fine. I mean, I believe they doubled it.
I think, yeah, yeah, it says. The SEC's new five hundred thousand dollars fine for field storming, announced yesterday, replaces an earlier escalating scale of one hundred thousand dollars for the first offense and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the second, five hundred thousand dollars for the third that was put in place in twenty twenty three. Now you do it at all, he's half a million dollars, which is a lot of money, I feel like to anybody.
But again, I don't know, maybe not if you're really living that life. But schools are now. I mean they've always monitored money because they need to.
I mean, they have to.
But now when you've got an annual bill that you got to pay of more than twenty million dollars because you're sharing revenue with your athletes, I mean, I feel like there's gonna be athletic directors in the SEC that really have to get creative to figure out some way to make it clear you cannot storm the field. We
cannot have you have we cannot have that happen. And they say it all the time and sometimes it's just inevitable, but I really don't know what you can do because a lot of the field storming I feel like as college kids, but not always the case when Lowell beat Notre Dame, when they stormed the field a couple of years ago, and I mean a lot of people that were college kids, a lot of people that were old enough to be my dad. I mean, and I have
no problem with that. It's just we're a little bit different. We are We're not necessarily just a stadium that's gonna be filled with nothing but students every game. But when you see it happening, I feel like the announcers talk about it, you know what's about to happen, and sometimes they just they try to just make it as safe as possible. But even if you tried your best, how could you stop it? Like how could you mean? You would have to have an insane amount of resources on
the field to keep it from happening. Like I kind of feel like this is this big number. Should put more and force, should put more awareness to those that attend your games, Like maybe they'll maybe they'll figure out who you are. Maybe there's an AI tool that can track face detection and determine who it was, and you'll be banned for a life. Like they can put a lot of fear into you that would make you second
guess if you should do it or not. But in the moment, if it's worthy of a field storm, it's probably a big win. If you're a college kid, you're probably hammered. So I mean, good luck. And I don't have a strong opinion on the field storming or court storming because.
I don't have an issue with it.
I also don't necessarily think people are out of line when they bring up that it is a huge risk
when it comes to safety, So uh, middleman. That's where I am on that, which, by the way, real quick before we take a time out, the one thing that has been said to me more than anything as far as a surprise since I announced I was leaving sports to do news talk is hey man, love you, but and the I love you but I've gotten a lot of those over the years, and I do think most people who say that they mean, well, but I love you. Butt is a really nice way to let somebody know.
That's a heads up. I'm about to insult you. I'm about to say something that might be offensive. I'm about to potentially hurt your feelings. But they've given me hey man, congrats, I love you, but please stay out of politics. Please don't bring politics into it. Politics are going to be discussed as far as like news talk, because that's what
it is. But I mean, if you think I'm going to go there and really just inject my political beliefs and try to influence those listening, I mean, that's not what that is at all, and you know shouldn't be.
So I mean, you're gonna hear about politics because that's literally what the format is, but it's not gonna mean the way I hope it works out, is that it'll be something that clearly is feature, but it'll be built in right with our news updates as well as some of the guests that'll come on, and then in between we can have some fun our hair down if you will. All right, quick break, we'll come back final seven to the four o'clock hour, and then we'll finish strong here
clock sticking. It's it's the last ride, and I'm hopeful that you'll stick with me until six o'clock. Right here on Sports Talk seven.
Ninety, you're listening to Coffee and Company with Nick Coffee on Sports Talk seven ninety.
We are wrapping up the four o'clock hour here on Sports Talk seven ninety Coffee in Company. Feel about Thornton's I am Nick Coffee. Hope you knew that. If not, now you do. And we've got a little bit of time left here in this hour and then one more hour to go, and I feel again, I don't know how good. I don't know how good today's show has been because it's been very different than what we typically do.
And I knew that was gonna happen, and I would imagine you guys probably would have expected that to happen, but feeling good about it. And again if if if I'm alone in my belief that things are going well, that's okay, because it's uh, it's all over after this. But big thanks to to Carl Blenton who was producing
this afternoon and everyone who has been a part. I mean, I've uh, I feel like I've been pretty easy to deal with when it comes to working with anybody in in in this just because I've always just felt like, I mean, the last thing I want to do is be on the radar as somebody that's difficult or somebody
that you know, is not easy to work with. But man, there have been so many, so many then, and I was I was gonna try to run through a long list of folks that I worked alongside with or helped me, you know, in any way, rather it be helped me get in this position or worked alongside me.
It's been.
It's been a real treat. And I put together a list last night and I feel pretty good about it. But I know there's probably somebody along the way that I that I would leave out. So for that, for for that, I'm not going to uh, I'm not gonna run through it because I don't want to leave anybody out, but those who are passionate about and maybe maybe they're not that passionate about it, they just they just enjoy
doing it, or maybe it's just a gig. I don't know, but there are so many people that I've met along the years doing this that are that are older than me, that have been around radio a long time, that have you know, I mean, the internet wasn't a thing when they were when they were cutting their teeth and broadcasting, whether it be as a producer or maybe maybe on air in some way, but you know, they have a passion for radio to where even a little bit later
in their life, they still they still come in and they produce a show, and that is a like that is clearly a very important gig. And I understand now why it's not as appealing and attractive to the younger crowd, just because you know, times have changed. It's it doesn't maybe it's not as cool to say you're on the radio as it was back in the day, and maybe you never thought it was cool.
I don't know.
Everybody's got their own opinion on what's cool and what's not, but there's we still have a good team of folks that I mean, maybe they do it all for the money, I would imagine that's not the case. But they do it because they love it and they take it serious and for a host to be comfortable, that's key, you know, if you're if you're working with somebody who's in control of the I mean quite literally, they're the reason you're on the air. And I don't want to say they're
just pushing buttons. I mean, that is part of it, but there's a lot more that goes into it. It's timing, it's understanding things that can make everybody comfortable to where the show is smooth. Uh, And I really appreciate those are people that don't get the the acknowledgment probably that that in fact, I know they don't get the acknowledgment that they should and they clearly don't care. And that's what makes some great people because they don't do it
for that. I mean, they they go in and they're a part of a radio show every day and they don't care if their name's even mentioned. And uh, they're but they're a big part of it. Carl is certainly one of those. Rick Ryder, many others along the way that have that have you know, been here and there. I mean again, I I'm mentioning those that are with us now, but there have been others that have moved on, and those people I hope they do know that they
are in fact appreciate it. I mean, I hear stories about back in the day when when you know, I guess, I guess you could still be a bit diva in a big a hole, in a jerk if you're a radio host, because I mean, that could just be who you are as a person. But you know, I never even have been a part of an era at least other You know, there are some that I've worked alongside with and I could tell that they're a little full of themselves. And look, maybe they're justified in doing that,
but they've treated people poorly and that's not good. But for the most part, I haven't really worked with many people like that or encountered that, which is good. But anybody who is not appreciative of somebody that helps them throughout the show, even if they I mean again, let me give you an example. Jim Finn. He's somebody who's worked in radio a long long time. I bet many of you have heard that name. If you're if you're a loyal radio listener to talk radio in this market,
you've heard the name Jim Ben. You probably know it, you may even know his title, but you've never maybe never heard his voice because he doesn't want to be on the air. And he's somebody who got into this. He's made it his life, his career. He's been very successful. He's been a program director here for seven ninety and ten eighty for a long time. And you know that that's somebody that loves this. But it isn't about glad.
It isn't about the spotlight. It isn't about the fact that they just want to They want to tell people you can hear them on the radio. And I say that selfishly knowing there's a big component to that.
I mean, you do.
It's not like you just want to hear yourself talk, but like you know, you want to have the platform, you want to be able. I mean, there's I don't think they'll ever be a way to say this without me cringing a little bit because it just sounds like I'm full of myself. But this is entertainment. That's what it is. I mean, that's what that's quite literally the industry that this is. I don't think I could take myself serious looking in the mirror if I said I was an entertainer, because.
It just it doesn't seem it doesn't seem fitting. But that's what this is.
But these people are such a crucial part of of of how this works, and they're they're you know, there's a show that you probably love that you don't even know who produces it. But without them, you wouldn't You wouldn't You wouldn't the show wouldn't be the same. So uh, I know, over the years, you know, when you know somebody doesn't want to be a part of the show or just isn't expecting it, that's you just get used
to that. But I also do hope those people and again I love the fact that maybe they don't care if they're appreciated.
They just love this. And if that's the case, then cool.
But there are many that have that have come in on a Saturday at eleven o'clock at night to produce a postgame show so I can yell about Louisville football. And they do that because they love radio and they love what they do and they enjoy it. And man, if I could find a if I could find a magical potion to give to people to get them to love this as much as I do and others do, I would, I would do it. And I know people still love radio. But obviously, like growing up, the thought
like all I wanted to do was this. And I don't know if there's many people now that are in the younger demo, meaning young young adults or maybe even like high school kids like I don't.
I don't.
I don't think that that's viewed as like a cool thing. And look, I can't control that. I think it's cool, you know, and that's fine. But you know those who do this and it's just because they love it and then they're not looking for any any any gratification. That's uh, that's that speaks to someone's character more than anything. So big thanks to everybody, and big thanks to Carl Blanton, who's who's here on the final day and as always doing it, doing a really good job. All Right, we
got to run quick hour or quick break. Then we've got an hour and that'll be it. We have a couple of guests that to join us. And again I love the suspense because I know you're waiting anxiously to hear who it is, and you'll find out next right here on Sports Talk seven ninety