5.6: Love Your City - Hour 2

Monster Energy drinks for seven bucks. I stopped in today thinking, surely by now they've they've got it. They've had to have seen that was a mistake because everybody's cleaning them out. They haven't figured out yet because they're still letting you buy four Monster Energy drinks for seven bucks. And I know, I've really gone above and beyond to emphasize how big of a deal that is. But it's because, like I'm not gay keeping from you guys. I'm letting you know

this is a steal, not a deal. Retail average price for one of the standard size Monster Energy Drinks is just under four dollars. They're going to give you four of them for seven. Do the math, crunch the numbers. You can maybe not even know how to count, and just hear that number and know, hey, that seems like a deal. That's too good to be true. But it's not.

They're letting you do it, so take advantage. Also the Frequency Club, meaning if you purchase certain items a certain amount of time every now and then, you're gonna be surprised when you check out. Once you put that phone number in, or you scan that Refreshing Awards card boom, it's free because get it, hence the name frequency Club.

So my kids get these fizz free slushies every so often, and we get a enough of them that it's not not that uncommon for me to scan one of them at the You scan and see, okay, that one's free, and look, even though I'm saving eighty nine cents, it's not a big deal. We love free stuff, don't we like it? You know, I'm walking out of there like I got up on them. It's you know, simple, uh, you know business right, it's negotiating when you and I've learned this just in what we do here in radio,

because we give away a lot of prizes. And I know Austin knows this very well because he's the guy on a lot of the f M stations, especially AMZ that like, people want free stuff and they got to call in at this time. They're calling him people. It could be anything. People love free stuff if they if they got it and they don't even know what it is, but they know they didn't have to pay for it, and they know that there's a value on it. They feel like they hit the lottery sometimes No, I mean

it's it's it's a special thing. So I uh, I can't. I can't recommend him enough. Thornton's get the Refreshing Awards membership and they can't guarantee this, and neither can I. But I need you to trust me. You can't trust me? Who can you trust? Your life will be better if you are a Freshman Awards member. Just trust me. I mean, why wouldn't you trust me? All Right? If you guys want to join us on the show, you can FABO two five seven one seventy nine hundred is the number

if you want to give us a call. You can also text in on the LLNN Federal Credit Union text line five O two four three eight ninety seventy three. We'll get to the text line in just a moment, but at LLENN Federal Credit Union members get more. You can learn more and open your account today at lnfcu dot com. So this text that comes in is it's good timing because it's sort of in the same arena that I wanted to start here in the four o'clock hour, and that is these updated rankings from ESPN as far

as college basketball next season. But the text says Nick, I'm with you, and trust me. There's many people who text in that don't agree with me, and I'm happy to read those two. But this one says, Nick, I'm with you. I think the loss of James Scott was a bigger deal than people realized at the time, and I don't see anybody currently in the mix to take that spot. Should we be concerned, I mean, I'll be a straight shooter. I don't know if we should be concerned.

I think if we need because here's the thing with James. His production, meaning the pure numbers is not something that you should mean honestly. Case in Pryor alone could be able to give you what James gave you as far as just statistics. He could give you that in a half as compared to what James gave you in a game. Now, I don't say that to be little James Scott. I say that because, like James Scott is somebody where the statistics didn't always really tell you how valuable he was.

So I think the real I guess, the real concern as far as like are we really going to be missing him? It just comes down to how good Sonny Frew is, because he's the mystery, he's the wild card. And what I mean by that is, I think you have every right to be excited to have him and expect him to contribute, but like the level of what he's bringing, none of us no right. Like it comes

down to how does it translate. Maybe it translates really well, and like he goes from being the best young big in the top level of the German professional basketball world to being like an All American player, or you know, it's an adjustment and he's a contributor, but it's at a mild level. Now, one thing you got to keep in mind is that he's he's he's twenty one, twenty

two years old. I believe he's played professional basketball for a while, so like he's not somebody that you know, Like he's not somebody that is, you know, gonna be fresh out of high school that's gonna need you know, a real uh you know, he doesn't have to mean in fact, he's older than James Scott, Like that's it's weird to say because he's a newcomer, that'smverer played college basketball, but like he's he might be a couple of years older than James. So I still think they're gonna add

at least two more players. I could be wrong, and I don't and I would be willing to guess not bad, but guess I'm gonna guess that there won't be big names that people are like, oh wow, this guy's gonna be a game changer for us. I think it's just gonna be filling out spots that are available because you need depth, you need balance, and honestly, you need you need as many solid players as you can to put

together the most competitive practices that you could have. So I think the loss of James Scott, there's a lot of factors, right, Like what exactly fresh off the injury. Can Ali Khalifa give you by the way sawm at Derby, he's lost half of himself, Austin, I didn't show you this picture. I didn't show you yet. I got a picture of him in the I guess what used to be the paddock area. He I mean, remember you told me when we went to a game, like, look how

much way he's lost. He's lost a ton since then.

guy that hasn't played legitimate grown man competition. He's a grown man himself at twenty one years old, and he's played against professional athletes for the last however many years. So like, I don't want to get anybody's hopes up and exceed, you know, and have expectations set too high.

But the more I see about both him and mckil brown is that, like, we should expect these guys to like like I shouldn't say expect, but like, it wouldn't be some big, huge shock if they come in right away and they're two of our most consistent and like best players, which I think is saying something considering who you're bringing back with Javon Hadley in case inm Pryor and oh, by the way, the three of the best

shooters that hit the portal that you brought in. But Sonny Frew, he was named the best German young player in the BBL League, which is again German's top professional league, So you got to keep that in mind. I mean, he's this isn't a This was announced yesterday and it's presented annually to the league's most valuable player that is under the age of twenty two. He's twenty one, and he also has he's a German national. He's from Germany. So the previous winners of this are Dennis Schroeder last

tight check. He's pretty good, an't he? Franz Wagner last I checked. He's about to get a big payday because the magic simply fell off when he got hurt and then I don't know if you guys remember this name. Maybe you don't know this name, but Daniel Thiss thest I don't really know how you say it, but I reckon. I mean, he's been in the NBA, or it was in the NBA for a long time, and actually just recently he was on he was on those Celtics teams I think it was that made the Eastern Conference finals.

So again, this is a league that he's playing in, meaning Frew that isn't you know, over time elite with a bunch of eighteen year old, seventeen year old, sixteen year olds. This is a guy who's been playing again.

He's twenty one years old himself, meaning fru. So I'm not here to overhype it, but I really think what he brings will will make us remember if it'll make us think back to James Scott as somebody, man, I wish we had that guy, or maybe we kind of just don't think about him, which isn't because we don't. We didn't, you know, like him and didn't appreciate him. But like the same thing that happened this past year, and I know I'm not the only one who did it.

How often during the month of January specifically, did you forget that Louisville was missing Korn Johnson in case and Bryor And it wasn't because they weren't any good, but like you were playing really well without him, so or it didn't even come to mind that you're dealing with two guys that were probably your two of your biggest editions in the portal that simply never really played for you. All right, let's go. So the updated rankings here from

Jeff Borzello. He's Louisville at number seven, which to me still sounds like are you kidding me?

cover college basketball, how they view your team. So Louisville did fall five spots from the last ranking they fell from. I guess were they up to number three? I guess they were, So they fell and they're now at number seven in which again, like I if they're somewhere, I mean, like, here's what's crazy to me, Austin, there's a good chance that, like, no matter what happens elsewhere in the portal, Louisville's going to be a preseason top ten team next year. Isn't that insane to say?

I'll read you the quick write up here that Burzilo has about this Louisville team. Here's where it starts. Pack Kelsey had as strong an offseason as any coach in the country so far, landing impact transfers Ryan Conwell of Xavier, Isaac McNeely of Virginia, and Adrian Wooley of Kennesaw State to go up or to go with top ten recruit

mckael Brown Junior in the back court. Case In Prior and Javon Hadley where question marks entering the offseason, but both have since announced their returns, and despite the late departurel I'm sorry portal departure of James Scott, there's still depth up front behind me Prior and Hadley. The arrival of Germany Uman Germany native Sonny Frew also had some intrigue. Kelsey's first NCAA tournament win Isn't far away gets me excited?

Man gets me excited. I mean, Jeff Borzello, thank you for you know, giving me that moment, and it was storing the feeling. Yeah, and he's not alone. Others are doing it too. But like I mean again, I know I'm gonna probably embarrass myself. But we went through like three to four years of off seasons like I didn't have I mean, like I had interest because I love college basketball, but like it would have been a pleasant surprise if like somebody said we weren't going to be

complete ass you know what I mean. And now they're saying we're like preseason top ten.

say about UK. Kentucky is absolutely loaded on the perimeter next season, with the rival of transfers Jayalen Low of pitt Cam Williams of Tulane and Denzel Aberdeen of Florida and five star prospect Jasper Johnson and Go, along with the potential return of leading score O Tega Oway and

reserve Colin Chandler. Mark Pope also revamped the front court with the defense in mind, with the additions of Diabate of Alabama, Jaden Quains of Arizona State, and then he goes on to mention that Quaintans could miss time after suffering as acl Taar and then a big step forward for Brandon Garrison is going to be needed. So I mean, I don't want to be heavy handed, because again none of us know, and I've said it more than I

probably am comfortable saying it. I think Mark Pope's is good enough coach that he's got enough to work with the word. They'll figure it out and they're not gonna like the seal. I'm sorry the flour is not that low. But like I could see Kentucky being pretty solid, or I could see him being like insanely average. I'm not doing it from like a hater perspective like Jalen Lowe. I mean, he was at Pitt and they weren't he good.

Jasper Johnson might be elite because you know he's he's a really good point guard, but he's a freshman, like the best bet on their team. As far as guys returning is O takeaway like he's I mean, he's somebody that it's weird to celebrate him like a big get because you know you already have him. But what I always say is put it in perspective. If you get a guy back that you know that if he hits the portal, he's a top ten player. Like and he comes back to your school instead of hitting the portal,

that's humongous. But like Diabate, he left Alabama because he couldn't crack the rotation. He averaged seven points a game. Now he's going to be your starter. Jaden Quayton's who knows when he's even gonna be able to play. Garrison clearly has a lot of athleticism, but like he couldn't get on the floor at times in big games last year. So I don't know. I just I'm trying not to view it from like the rivalry stamp, But like, I

just don't know where they got a lot. They got better athletically, they got better probably defensively, but like things that I would assume are really important for Mark Pope's system to thrive the way he wants shooting, versatile bigs who can pass it and shoot. They don't check those boxes at all, like Jake and Quaintin's. I mean, he can't make a free throw. He ain't taking jump shots. Same with Diabate, he didn't shoot many. So maybe it's

tough to know. And let's be real, both they're bigs that played a lot last year, Amari Williams and Andrew Carr. They were facilitators at times to where like you could throw the to them in the high post your guards go back door, Like that's how you were able to make up for the big gap and athleticism against the SEC. You knew they were going to guard you hard. Get it to one of your bigs in the high post, free throw line area, extended boom, always going back door.

Lamar Butler's going back door like running and running and also shooting. Jalen Lowe not a good shooter, Denzel Aberdeen not a good shooter. Jasper Johnson. I have no clue who's good shooter. Otago Away He's somebody that I wouldn't classify as like a great shooter as far as percentages, but like he makes big shots and like I wouldn't, you can't just leave him open. So I mean again, I know I sound like a hater, but I just

I don't like put it this way. If Otaga Away like decided to stay in the draft, which I find highly unlikely, Like what would they be viewed at as then, I mean, which again I don't think that's gonna happen. But I just think they're very much dependent upon him more than anything, and that mostly speaks to the fact that he's like really really, really good, but he nobody

wants to say it. He was your best player last year, and maybe they will say it, but like everybody acted like Butler and Robinson, No, we're there were really good pieces and they did certain things that you needed, like Robinson could go off for thirty on any night, although soaked away and he was actually more consistent than Robinson. And Butler was a really good veteran heady guard who was a really good defender, a smart, savvy player, made big shots at times like a good player. But like

a Takeaway was your most consistent and best player. So last year he was your most consistent and best player. Others around him got hurt, Like do they think Ken Williams is better than Jackson Robinson that they think Jalen Lowe is better than Lamont Butler or Kobe Brea, And look, they might be, it's just you know, and Aberdeen absolutely was a good role player for Florida. But he's a

role player. And by the way, now he's going to come off the bench, were you which I guess more than anything, that speaks to the amount of money Kentucky was able to pay him. But again, if uck if Florida won a national championship with him as a bench guy, and you're bringing him in as a bench guy, like I don't know if you could position him as like

the big piece. But again, I hate to say say this because you know, I enjoy talking college basketball three hundred and sixty five days a year, and I like to convince myself that you all enjoy listening to college basketball talk around the you know, around the whole year, like we're doing right now. But at the end of the day, once we get to November and games are played, like we all kind of forget about this. So I'm not here to say, hey, Kentucky's in for a root awakening.

They're going to be terrible. I just I just think their roster, to me, the pieces are more of a question mark than others. But again, I've been wrong a lot, and you know, I'll probably be wrong a lot more moving forward. Maybe I'm wrong about this. Our quick break will come back on the other side, believe it or not.

There's even more to the Belichick and his twenty four year old girlfriend that it's not anything like some new revelation, but just more proof that like this chick, she got with Belichick and she's milking him for every bit she can real estate properties, funding her mom's sex toy store. Not making it up, by the way, freak out about that's a real thing. And also, like nobody even knew who she was at the time. People thought she was

just an extra. She forced her way into that Dunk and Donut Super Bowl commercial from last year, twenty twenty four, that's how long she's been just you know, trying to capitalize on allegedly.

sad and scary, but it's his choice. Quick break, keep a lock right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

But every now and then, if we've got like a big event like there's like we give you an example whenever Louisville hosted the Sweet sixteen and Elite eight some years back, it might have been the year Kenny was hired, meaning like that that Spring. All I know is that the final in that regional ended up being Craighton and somebody else who did Creighton San Diego State beat Creighton here in Louisville to advance to the final four. And you know, there was a lot of people in Louisville

because of the regional rounds being here. So I'll go on Instagram or TikTok, mostly those two social media platforms, and I'll look and see at the trending posts or videos that come from people who checked in in Louisville. And you know, sometimes they'll post about like just being there to watch their team at the Young Center and the Elite eight, or just being here at Churchill Downs

and everything that comes with the derby. Then you see people who do both and they highlight their like they're showing off that they're here in our city and they're taking in the night life in you know, a four Street or downtown or anywhere in the Highlands, Nulu, whatever. And I just like to get a feel for what people think of our city when they come here, because you know, it's best for everybody if we become a

place that people want to come and spend. Tourism dollars and you know, it's good for our economy, it's good for every So I ended up doing that on Sunday a little bit yesterday, just looking at people who had checked in and had a lot of viewership on their posts from Instagram and TikTok that they were in Louisville. And again they weren't just posting about the derby, but like, you know, just being here and you know it gives me, I guess, hope and optimism that you know, we one

day will not have this. And I don't even know what to call it, because I was going to say this this stigma or this fear, but like I get it. Like if you were somebody that lives in Louisville and you don't want to go experience certain things in certain areas because of fear of safety, Like who am I to tell you that you're wrong for doing that. I mean, I'm not in a position to tell you how to live your life. But I just think we have a lot more to offer as a city than even some

of the people that live here realize. And to see others that come here and enjoy themselves and you know, really like what we have to offer like, I just wish more people that live here would do that, you know. Wk why that's our partners, and they put this out earlier today, and it's about a downtown Louisville downtown like a hotel. I think it's a bunch of different hotels in downtown Louisville that are hosting a hiring event, you know,

to accommodate people that come to Louisville. And we're not just talking about the Derby. We're talking about like you know, and I only know of this because of working here

downtown every day, Austin, you can attest to this. We there could be an event that the majority of the city doesn't even know is going on, like a trade show or a convention, and we I don't know where we rank, but like we seem to be a pretty decent spot to where we get enough of those to where sometimes we'll leave downtown and it's not a concert

at the Yum. It's just that there's a lot of people staying downtown because they're here for a work trip or something like that, again, like a convention or a trade show, and you know, like if we can accommodate those people, while like why not why not.

and positive news. But if anything, I hope that it makes you realize that you know, you live here every day, why not like once a month or once every couple of months, like try to get out and take in what might be viewed as a place that a tourist would go to if in fact they were visiting here. And like people are, like downtown restaurants are popping up, Like it's not like it's not like people are scared to open up a new nice steakhouse in downtown Louisville.

I mean, you know, and in a lot of places I'm sure are well aware that there's gonna be certain times of the year where the majority of their patrons

are going to be people that are visiting. But also like it didn't used to be that way, Like maybe this is just how I remember it, and I could be incorrect, but like right before the pandemic, I feel like downtown Louisville was in a better place than it's ever been in my lifetime, to where it was vibrant, it was busy, and it just kind of felt like one of the places to be in Louisville, not thee

because again there's a lot of options. There's some great place, great areas, but I just from a local perspective, I just don't feel that really at all anymore. And maybe it's because I'm getting older and I don't connect with people that would ever go out and enjoy the night life. But you know, when you see that they're hiring like a hiring fair, not just one, but like all these hotels downtown are essentially saying we need help. It's not

because they're just you know, it's not a charity. They need help because they got people coming to stay and people that want to experience Louisville. And again I'm not lecturing anyone. I just I would be I wouldn't be shocked if as I share that news with some of you that it surprises you, because I think in your mind, oh, nobody goes downtown Louisville. It's a boarded up war zone.

Now it's just too dangerous, and yeah, we don't really help ourselves at times when it comes to, you know, curbing the fear of people being scared to go anywhere downtown Louisville. But it's you know, this is where it gets tricky. This isn't a good thing. But it's just the truth. And you can take it however you want. And ain't just downtown Louiville. You gotta be worried about. There's other areas that you you know, at any moment

could get robbed. I mean, I hope that doesn't happen, and you know ninety nine percent of the time it doesn't happen to people. But you know, live your life, be mindful, you know, don don't be super you know, unaware of your situation. But like my wife and I next week are going to be celebrating our fourteen year anniversary.

I just wish there was more like this. Had this this fell through last time around because of some changes. Actually it was the pandemic. We had a deal. I don't think I've told you this often. We had a deal with a hotel downtown. And I won't mention who this because who knows, maybe it'll maybe, maybe it'll maybe it'll come back and we can make it happen. But we had a deal to where we were going to

have like a partnership. They were going to be a client, and my messaging within the promotion was going to be encouraged people to like do a staycation, like plan a night one Saturday, one Friday, whenever, and you and your wife, you and your significant other plan a night to where you go get a room at this nice, very nice hotel, and then you, you know, enjoy some of the night life, maybe get a nice dinner somewhere there's plenty of options, and then maybe hit up a couple of the bars

and just you know, feel like you're on a little goodaway. But it's not. It's just right here in your hometown because they they you know again, if you just drive down like New Lou up, like New Lou is amazing, and I know i'd fun. I consider New lou downtown. I don't know why people don't. I get that New lou is like its own section of downtown and it should be like it is its own area.

But like that area, like if you had a couple more restaurants on both sides, and I'm sure I think the other sides, like businesses, but like that could be like a block party that is cool as hell, like and I don't mean like it's got to be some special event, but like it's just a given that in the spring and in the summer, you know, all four or five, however, many bars are going to be there, bars, restaurants, Like it's just outdoor dining and it's downtown, but you're

not in the hustle bustle of like getting hit by a car because it's closed off. You know, like I don't know here. I am acting like I've got these grand ideas to improve downtown Louisville, but like I just I don't know. Like I say this knowing that it sounds corny, but it's true. Like I do enjoy coming to work every day in in you know, in a in a in a city that you know, one is

where I'm from. But also like Louisville isn't Boston, Louisville isn't you know, La, But we got a you know, we got a beautiful skyline, We got a lot of cool stuff. And whenever I see like nothing makes me happier to know that other people come here and they enjoy it too, you know what I mean.

I don't. I've never driven in New York, and god knows, I would never want to know because it would just be like me yeah. Yeah, But like everything you see in like movies and TV shows that like take place in New York. When I've visited New York, like the four or five times i've been there, like it, I feel like it's exactly what I see, you know what I mean, Like like I feel like I'm living in a TV show or like a movie. Like I'm walking down the I'm walking down you know, near Times Square.

Who knows, maybe Elliott Stable is about to pop out because he's investigating a new a new crime, you know what I mean? Like, Yeah, New York is is.

went up for the Louisville Boston College basketball game. And this was in January of twenty twenty, so this there were already like people really paranoid at airports about COVID, and I remember like seeing people with masks on, thinking like this is weird as hell, Like these people are conspiracy lunatics, like nothing's going to come of this, not knowing that the world would shut down in like two

months after that happened. So anyways, I remember just kind of being a little freaked out about the travel, just knowing, like you know, like I guess this is a bigger deal than I realized. Also, I got there on a Monday night, and the game was on a Tuesday night, so I did my show that Monday morning. I was on morning, So I landed, got to the hotel, got checked in, walked across the street from the hotel to get a bite to eat, came back, went to bed,

got up to the show. It's like ten thirty, and I showered, like getting ready to start the day because I got a day in Boston. The games not until even o'clock. My flight doesn't leave until Wednesday morning. Well, I ended up taking a phone call from my wife after I got of the shower, just kind of letting her know what my plans were. And I guess because of travel, jetlight, whatever it may be. I just laid down on the phone with my wife and like hung

up the phone not thinking. I mean, I fell asleep and I slept all day, woke up at four thirty in the afternoon to where I had no time to go do anything and experience Boston. So I got up, got ready. I did end up like making my way to a place nearby, but like I was pressed for time, so like I got a beer and went back to the room and got my stuff for the game, and caught an uber to Chestnut Hills, which is a little

bit away from Boston's downtown. And I went to the game, great experience, and then caught an uber back and by the time I got back to my room, it's like ten thirty. My flight leaves at like seven am. Like I went to Boston technically for work, but I had like all day to have a day and I slept

it away in a Boston hotel by myself. Like it wow, But it's also given me like all right, I gotta find a way to get back because like that was because I mean, I imagine Boston would be really really cool, you know, just to see an experience, and I didn't get to do much of anything.

most uh oh, I remember that. I think he tied a record for most points scored in their arena.

us myself, Nick Coffee. Austin Montgomery, the tribal chief, keep it locked right here on Sports Talk seven ninety