It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick Coffee. I've kept up with the NBA Finals. I kept up with the Eastern Conference finals in the Western Conference finals, you know enough. I mean, I wasn't watching intently, but last night I watched. The second half looked as if the Mavericks were going to be able to get back on track, only for a huge run from from Boston to
uh to kind of burying. But then again, they even made a late run to where it felt like they had a chance to potentially to potentially tie it up. But what I'm getting at is I would watch. I would. I would, I would. It would be appointment viewing for me if every game we got to hear Brian Winhurst just completely bought bag players like he did Luka Doncic last night. Like I don't have a strong opinion on Luka Doncik because you know, I just I don't. I don't. I'm not
a huge fan, Like I don't. You know, I'm not not a Mavericks fan. I don't. I don't. I don't root for the guy, but I don't really dislike him. But lately, I find myself one acknowledging how talented he is. I mean, I've known that since day one, since he got to the league. He's a special, special player. But he kind of seems like really unlikable and I don't feel like he used to be that way, and I don't really want him to be to be that way he's been. Yeah, Like, I'm sure he's not a terrible
person. I mean, I don't know that. I don't know him. But when he screamed at the bench last night after he picked up that foul that was a foul because he can't he can't defend with that fouling. He's a terrible defender, yes, but him screaming at the bench as if it's there, I mean, he just kind of looks like a little brad and I don't feel like he used to have that kind of demeanor. I don't
know what it is. I don't know if he's you know, getting if he's feeling himself, if he's getting an ego or what it is, but you know, just the way he carries himself, he just kind of seems like somebody that I that I find out, I think it's hard to like him. I think he's a hell of a player, although I think he has been exposed in these play in these uh not just this series, but the playoffs, because again, the talent's there from an offensive standpoint, but
when it comes to defense, there's two conversations. One, I don't think anybody would tell you that when it comes to his physical attributes that like def like he has the he doesn't have the lateral quickness, you know, he doesn't have intangibles and really even I'm trying to think of another word way to describe it, but he is not athletically gifted enough to where he's just gonna be able to lock in and defend some of the best players on the planet,
you know, which happened to play in the NBA. But he also doesn't try. And that's what really stands out to me. You can be a poor defender and even be slow and kind of know how to make up for that, right Like, if you've got a weakness, it's gonna be tough at times for people to not expose it. But this is one of
the best players on the planet, meaning Luca. As far as skill, maybe that's a stretch to say, because again I don't know if you can claim you're one of the best ever, maybe not the best of all time. But you know, he's clearly one of the best players in the NBA. But he's so bad defensively. But there are other guys who you wouldn't say defense is their strength, but they just I mean, it looks as if he doesn't even try to defend because he knows he's bad. And then
whenever he fouls, he complains to the refs. And look, he's not the only NBA star that will find themselves, you know, complaining to the refs, But he just does it in a way to where I feel like he's being a little brat, and you know, maybe he needs to mature because he is still relatively young. I mean, he was drafted what at eighteen, nineteen years old or something like that. But did you hear what Winhurst said after the game last night? Yeah, they put him on He
put it on a grill. If we're gonna get Brian Winhurst just body bagging a player after each and every NBA game, that would increase viewership. That would increase I mean, I mean, guess if it's after the game, then maybe they're watching afterwards. But the most entertaining thing I saw last night was was this, I mean, just to complain. I mean, he did it. It's he did it respectfully. He did it, you know, professionally. He didn't do the windhorse hands. Yeah, that's an iconic
meme that will never go away. But here's here is what he had to say about Luka Doncik last night that I just I mean, I was almost in disbelief thinking like, did he really just say? Because you don't you don't hear that. You don't hear this very often you don't hear, and especially from a guy who's not necessarily known for being the shock value guy like steven Ao. Just yell, And that's just kind of what he does. By the way, I love stephen A before I play this, Are you
steven A guy? I don't mind him. So I think he is in his own lane when it comes to sports media because he's an entertainer, ladies and gentlemen. He is not technically an analyst. When's the last time you heard steven A breaking down basketball when it comes to strategy x's and o's. And I'm not to say he can't do it, but steven A Smith is paid and then sad amount of money because he's polarizing. People either love him
or hate him. Yeah, and they and they hate watch. But he is an entertainer, he is a character, and I just think that there's value in that because at the end of the day, this is entertainment. I don't take what he says all that serious. A tomes he does make good points. I think he's an educated means. He was a great writer and reporter before he became just a talking head for ESPN. But I actually like Steve and although I know a lot of people can't stand him and if
they hear his voice, they turned the station or turn the TV. But here's Winhorse last night on Luca, which again just complete body bag toe tag. Yeah. I thought it was perfect that Luca fell onto the ground there in an unacceptable position to put himself in with four minutes left with five fouls, and then immediately looks at the bench and says, you better bleeping challenge it, as if it's the bench's fault that he just made a terrible play.
I'm standing here in the Mavericks Tunnel. Over there is the Celtics Tunnel. That's where the winners are if Lucas ever going to be a winner coming out of this tunnel here, he is going to have to use this have what's happened in this finals as a learning experience. His defensive performance is unacceptable. He is a hole on the court. The Celtics are attacking him. They are ahead in this series because they have attacked him defensively. And you've
got a situation here where Luca's complaining about the officiating. They have begged him, they have talked with him, they have pleaded with him. He is costing his team because of how he treats the officials. He's a brilliant player, he does so many things well. They are here because how he did. His performance in this game is unacceptable and the reason why the Mavericks are not going to win. He's got to get over this. And the fact
that he came out after the game and blame the officials showed me. He's nowhere close yet. So maybe over the summer somebody will get to him, because nobody with the Mavericks or anybody else in his life has and that's where the Mavericks are at this point. They're never going to get to this tunnel with the trophy if he doesn't improve those aspects of his game, I feel like if he would have said that in a way that you hear, I don't want to just use Steven A. Who else is someone that really just
is animated in their thoughts and analysis. I guess you could throw Shannon Sharpen there. I love him. Maybe, By the way, have some Colin Cole Howard is not as an no, Skip is definitely one of them. And Matt Dogg Yes, yeah, So I think if you if you were to say that with the tone and the you know, theatrics that come with those other guys we just mentioned, I think people would have just heard it
his loud noise and not really thought about what he said. But that was a very well thought out take that that Windhorse gave us that you know was just spot on. But he also kind of you know, you see that tontal like when he brings up the tunnel, like that's almost like he's delivering like some kind of a like a like a battle rap or something, you know what I mean. Like it was just it was so it was so spot on and boom roasted. There you go, there you go. I
like Windhorst. I know, his story is one that you know, people will never forget, and that is that he was somebody that followed Lebron. He covered Lebron James's high school team and was like the guy who you know, I don't think most high schools have a beat writer, but he was the guy that covered Akron basketball and the local from Yeah, oh yeah, that's where he got so really been a big windy guy. Yeah, I
mean he to me, he's I'll put it this way. For a while, whenever he was all over ESPN, it to me seemed like he was just that guy because of his relationship and connection with Lebron. And I think ESPN thought that Lebron would would you know, their ability to have an insider that could get some information about Lebron would be would be this guy because he already had the relationship to an extent before Lebron was in the NBA. But
slowly but surely, I think he's proven him. He's proven himself, meaning Windhorse, to be a very connected guy in the league. He's he's broke stories and you know, last night, I mean I thought he was thought he was phenomenal and what he shared and I look, I bag on ESPN's NBA coverage a lot, and I think I think it's it's it's very subpar compared to what we we've been spoiled with with TNT. And again, I'm not just talking about Kenny Charles Shack, those guys. I'm talking about even
like no offense, like JJ Redick and Doris Burke. Like, to me, that is such a flat crew compared to what we get from you know, the others. So you know, they're not terrible. Doris knows basketball and JJ. I think he knows basketball in a major way. I think he's really really bright, but you know, at times I feel like he's he's kind of talking, talking down to people as if you know Redick yeah yeah, and I don't. I don't, I don't. You know,
I like JJ Redick. Fine, that's your former Lakers head coach right there, buddy, don't. Well, so let's talk about that, because I this is so Lebron right, with Lebron James being, you know, the most influential player in the NBA and clearly having you know, it's just a I mean, there's no other player, not a one that could have a son in the position that Lebron James's son is in right now, a guy who has really never proven anything in regards to legitimate NBA upside, not to
say a terrible player or that he's a bum. He may end up being a fine college player or would have been a fine college player, but Lebron being Lebron is why he's going to get drafted and it's why the Lakers may
draft him. So, you know, Lebron has a lot of power, And what really irks me is when he does the faux humble about like, oh yeah, Laker, you guys, just you make the decision that's best for the franchise long term, don't think about me, when clearly he's he's always thinking about himself and he's always trying to influence decisions of franchises that he works for. And it's not to say that he shouldn't have any level of
awareness and even conversation because he's Lebron James. Like, I think keeping him happy is certainly something you have to do if you're going to employ him and have him on your team. But you have to have that balance, and I think a lot of players would understand, like the line not to cross, like Hey, I'm sure I can share my thoughts on this and that, but I can't expect this NBA franchise to make a higher or draft a player because I've said so, Ron does the fake humble as if like he
would never do that when we all know that he would. But this is this is this is next level Lebron. And this goes back to the JJ Reddick being a candidate for the Lakers, which it sounds like nobody really knows
if that's real or not. I mean Whenhorst said the other day that the extent of the interview process with JJ Redick and the Lakers is this podcast that him and Lebron James are doing and they're talking basketball, and I guess it's like an it's like an audition for Reddick to put in, you know, on the podcast what he would do schematically basketball wise with this team. And it's all because Lebron James wants them to be the coach so bad. Like
the timing of them launching this podcast is not a coincidence. He did it because he wants JJ Reddick to show off his basketball acumen to where he could impress the Lakers brass. Because it sounds like the Lakers. Lakers' front office has not had any real conversation with him about, Hey, we want to talk to you about this job. But it's Lebron thinking that if he does this podcast thing that it'll all, you know, it'll all work out.
Here's Steven a On on this entire thing, calling, you know, calling calling them out. Here we go. I think JJ is a different situation because of the situation Lebron James and his camp created by doing that podcast in the middle of the season, knowing that Darvin Hand was on a hot seat. I don't care what anybody says, that was a very egregious thing to do. I'm not talking about the podcast. Wendy knows I'm not doing this. Andrea, Dude, Wendy knows, I'm not doing this. I'm not
talking about the podcast itself. I'm talking about the timing. The Lakers get eliminated and Lebron James and JJ do their podcast. There's no problem. This summer starts, they're doing their podcast. There's no problem. Darvin Hand was on the hot seat. And that's when Lebron James, in the middle of the season decides to do a podcast with a brilliant Surrey April Basketball mine. And they're breaking down plays. They're talking plays, they're talking am I lying,
Wendy. They're talking plays, they're talking schemes, they're talking I'm strategy, they're talking all of these things. Hud say what you never seen what before? Wendy. I've never see what before. I've never seen I mean, this is a new thing I've ever never done in the NBA. What you're talking about this podcast? Never so again, Like that's what happened. Lebron started a podcast with JJ Reddicks so he could flex his basketball brain and
hopes that the Lakers would then fire Darvin Hamm and hired JJ Reddick. Like I'm not blown away that he has that, Like that he knows that he might have that power, because again we're talking about Lebron. But to Wendy's credit, meaning Windhorst, I guess that's what they call him. I'll call him that too. By the way, he's got the juice right now. Again, you know, I want to know, gass him up a little
bit, but like it is, just say that out loud. NBA player creates podcast with a guy he wants to be the coach to put the pressure on the franchise to fire the current head coach and hire this guy like it's insane, but that's the kind of stuff that comes with Lebron James. All right, it's Coffee and Company. We are fielded by Thornton's here on Sports
Talk seven ninety nit coffee. That's me Austin Montgomery alongside today And before we get to our first break here in the four o'clock hour, let's hit the phone lines. Five W two five hundred is the number if you'd like to to give us a call, and we'll let the text line as well. On the other side. Some good stuff coming in, some reaction to our Pat Kelsey conversation. So but without further ado, let's hit the phone lines. Let's bring in mister Jerry, Jerry, how are you? Hey?
You been Nick? Hey Jerry, long time no talk brother? How are you good? Good? I'll hit on some things that you discussed today. First of all, the Big Twelve. You and I are on the same page. When when all that news hit today on social media Twitter about the Big twelve selling their name raising funds that way, I send it to a lot of my buddies. I said, this guy that runs that conference gets
it. Yep. He thinks outside the box. He's creative and that's yeah, and that's and it blows me away that we don't have that in the acc It's a killer Okay about the n b A. I watched an interview today with Dan Patrick and a and a writer and a local l A writer talking about the Lakers and the and the and the writer said, he said that the Lakers will never be the same until Lebron, or have a return to greatness until Lebron is gone. And I believe that I'm a Lebron fan.
I never have been. And well, I can't say that early on, I enjoyed his game. When he got bigger and bulkier and less skilled in my opinion, as time went on, and he uses a physique to score instead of I don't know, he just looked a lot. He's a lot more fun to watch. When he went to Miami, he became like bully Lebron. Yes, yes, And when he was very young with the calves, he was fun to watch. But then then he became a referee too. You know, he reps and plays and and and that that sickened
me. And and it's funny that you're talking about Luca and all that came up with the rest last night because I told all my buddies one game end of that series, I said, I can't stand watching Luca because all he does is cry. Okay, Pat Kelsey, I'll give you two things. There's a lot of things I love about the guy. But recently I've been seeing all these pictures of him at all these exposure events. And the thing I like about it. You know that you talk about Louisville fans being crazy,
and I'm one of them. I look at pictures, I look at things, and I say, I see what I'm seeing here. And I got a buddy that coaches at the D one level as an assistant, and he tells me all the time, he said, a lot of assistants go through the motions at those exposure events. They show up late and they leave early. Well, the thing I like about Kelsey is he's not sitting beside
a bunch of coaches showing the fat bs and on his phone. Every picture I've seen, he's got his notes, he's got his book, and he's paying attentions. Yeah, that tells me that is that is awesome. The one thing I wish somebody would asking. And this is again shows my level of craziness. Uh. And I don't know who decided to do this. It could have been your boy Mac, could have been somebody that worked for
Mac. But but when they when they did the practice facility and they redid it and they did the floor all that crazy scheme, and it looks cool. But in my opinion, I think that court should mimic the Young Court because I mean, when you're teaching and you and you're talking about spots on the floor, do you know what I'm talking about? The crazy graphics I've never seen in humongous Yeah. And and and by the way, I've played on that court, I'm a Chris Mac fantasy camp champ. You may have
heard me mentioned that a time or two. But yeah, yeah, it is hard. It is hard to really know where you are. I mean, I've only been on it a few times. But no, I know exactly what you're talking about. If you're in that, they call it like the hangover were there, like where the office you overlook the office kind of overlooks the court meeting Pat Kelsey's office. I mean the humongous dunking bird logo, which I love, the Cardinal dunking bird. It is so humongous.
I'm not even really sure where the court is. I have to look at the rims to kind of know what I'm looking at, if you know what I mean. Yes, and Nick, I've been to many campuses. Anytime I get near a campus, I'm sort of like the guy on Twitter that tries to sneak in places. I'm always trying to get in so so recently, I was in Nashville and my wife knows I'm I like to do that kind of stuff, and she said, you want to run over to Vandy tomorrow? I said sure. And it was only that guy that got hired
from James Madison's only about his first week. And there was a guy inside the door, and I tapped on the window and I told him. I said, Hey, I'm from Louis, Kentucky. I'm just down here in Nashville. I just want to check out this arena I've seen in a million times on television. Blah blah blah. And the guy lets me in. He was a holdover graduate assistant from from from the previous staff with Stockcast.
And I got to talking to the guy and anyway. But anyway, he let us in and he said, take your time and all that stuff. And I went in their practice facility that's attached to it, and that floor is exactly like the floor they play on. And I can't believe as big as stickler as Kelsey is for that kind of stuff that that won't change. I think it needs. I think it needs to change, yeah, because
I just think it's I just think it transfers come game time. No. I I if I was a coach, especially when as a player I could, I would want to. I would want to be practicing on a court that is that is similar. In fact, I'd want to practice at the Young Center, to be honest with you, but obviously that's not logistically always an option. But Jerry, I appreciate the time. Good to hear from
you, my man. And uh, you know, Jerry's been a longtime caller and I, uh he's He wasn't someone I was thinking about, but he is a great example of what I was referring to when I asked Pat Kelsey if he's willing to embrace our crazy because we're crazy, because we care that much and sometimes you know, every now and then there's like a brief, brief moment where I'm thinking, like why am I getting so worked up?
Like why this isn't life or death for me? Why am I so happy or so sad based upon what happens in these basketball games with these college kids. But thankfully, at this moment in my life, it's a millisecond. And then I quickly realized because it's like my religion, and I wouldn't want it any other way. So Jerry was a loyal listener, has been
and a loyal caller on the postgame show. A lot of therapy sessions with Louisville fans during the last couple of years during those postgame shows, and Jerry was a frequent caller. And I always remember this because you know, I'm
an insecure human like a lot of people. When I was pretty early on calling out how worried I was about Kenny Payne working out here, you know, some people agreed, some thought it was too quick to say that, some thought I was just being a hater, And you know, it messed with me little bit, right, because I don't want people to think that I'm actively rooting against love, because I never would. I wouldn't even know
how it wouldn't it wouldn't be natural. But I'm also not delusional. I'm going to tell you what I think and and believe it and and know what my eyes are telling me. And Jerry always uh has has has reminded me that he appreciates that I was at least will it would like I did anything crazy. I didn't. I mean, I think it's pretty obvious for anybody to see that this thing was going to be bad. But UH, now
it's over and that's a good thing. And we've got a new era here that is the Pat Kelsey era, the revival, which he did share for those who missed the interview earlier, we are going to play it in the five o'clock hour for you guys. But UH coach Clohman, I guess he deserves the credit for uh for coming up with the revive ill, which, of course you know is the slogan for this this program this season. All right, don't go anywhere. We'll keep this thing rolling along its coffee and
company. We are field about Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety keep in locked on Sports Talk seven nine days and Kimmy Kitchen North from it. Bet let me put a show it South Ones for stuff for because she now back to coffee and company fueled my Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day Geman movie and that's what she dancing. I'm not sure how many are keeping up with us, but Terrence Shannon, the former Illinois star who I'm surprised, Well,
I shouldn't say that, I guess I'm not surprised given the situation. But he was really really good last year, uh for Illinois. I mean it
was one of the best players in the country. I think with his draft being as weak as it is, I think he's one of the better players in the draft, and I guess where he's projected, and the mock drafts is kind of all over the place, given the fact that he is currently on trial for sexual assault, and it did get you know, it wasn't something that was ignored throughout the college basketball season, but you know, he was able to somehow with you know, with help, with help from an
attorney, get it to where he could still play. And throughout he's maintained his innocence, uh completely, And this trial there's a there's a lawyer, Mitch Gillifillon is I think say that Gilfillan, but he's on Twitter at Mitch gilfin g I L F I L l A N. He's a lawyer, he actually played basketball at Lehigh and he's been covering this trial, and you
know it's just me following along with his updates. But a few things that have stood out make it seem as if there's a chance this entire thing could be made up. I mean, on he testified today during his trial, Darren Shannon Jr. Did that he had no clue who the woman is and the first time that he saw who she was was at the preliminary hearing.
Like he's completely claiming this is all made up. There's no witness, there's nobody, there's nothing to back up what she's saying other than a friend that has you know, been alongside throughout the entire thing, meaning a friend of
the victim or the alleged victim. And you know, she testified and one of the comments here from from this reporter was that, you know, putting a nineteen year old kid up against a seasoned, very you know, successful defense attorney is you know, is not something you typically see and you know, she didn't do really well. It sounds like and that's not to say that you know, well that proves that that you know, he's in a
sentence is all made up. But I don't know. I mean, let me let me share some details here as far as the what was testified. You know, actually this isn't this isn't just from the testimony. This is actually what the defense presented at the trial yesterday. As far as evidence,
and I mean, it doesn't prove anything, but it's something. So ESPN broke the story on December twenty eighth, twenty twenty three of these allegations, and a group text was offered into evidence and it's the friend and it's two
friends of the alleged victim. So one of the friends, one of the friends, shared the ESPN article and just provided in the text, OMG, the best friend who is who is you know not only testifying on behalf of the victim, but you know she went with the victim to the hospital, so like she's been she's, I guess the only person that can actually validate what this victim is claiming happened. So then the best friends said, you got him? And then the alleged victim said yep, yes, sir.
That was her response. Well then, and this could be something minor, but I gotta be honest with you, I don't think this is totally coincidence. Then the best friend responded with got his ass and then the emoji of the smiley face with dollar signs as the eyeball and money as like the mouth. I mean, with that, along with nobody being able to at all back up anything she's saying, there are some, including myself, kind of starting to think that, like, maybe this was just an attempt to to
you know, I don't again, I don't know. I probably shouldn't even be saying that because I have no clue. I'm not there at the trial. But this has happened before, where you know, there's athletes that are accused of of of sexual assault and they weren't even there. I mean Chris Jones, I mean former Loovo player who had already gotten himself into some hot water with the program just because you know, he wasn't doing things he was supposed to be doing, and you know, he was in the doghouse with
Patino. But then when that happened, you know, I think because of that meaning he was already in the doghouse. I think a lot of people just so well, so, yeah, it's true, and then you know he was completely exonerated. Wasn't even there. I mean, he was able to prove that this was just not like that was made up or she had the wrong guy. And then a story that I know is is out there,
it gets a lot of attention. But that former punter, I can't think of his last name, but I know he punted for the bills. He lost his entire career seemingly because of an accusation of sexual assault, and later he was able to prove and confirm he was not even there, like it was just completely made up by somebody. And I don't know how you can go through that. I mean, I guess you can just have the wrong guy and be confused and it's a terrible mistake to make and whatnot.
But then there's also other instances where nobody believes you just had the wrong guy, like you were clearly trying to penant on somebody where you could file a lawsuit or get him to pay a hush money or something like that. So I don't know what's going to happen, but I would say this trial is seemingly going in favor of the defense, which is Terrence Shannon Junior. And another thing. Again without context of the situation, it's tough to really know.
But after this alleged sexual assault took place, they left, meaning the alleged victim and her friends, and then they went back out that night. So I just feel like that's that's that's not I just feel like, that's that's not what you would typically do if, in fact you were sexually assaulted.
And she did end up getting I guess a rape kit done, and she had not showered since the alleged crime took place, So that is good when it comes to trying to get DNA that could help in court to prove if somebody was you know, was involved, and there was no DNA found at all on Tarrean Shannon's junior. Tan Shannon Junior's DNA was not anywhere.
There was no evidence that he was ever near this woman. And also something else that came up in the trial, there were two other male DNA sample you know, to two other there was DNA of two other males, maybe not you know, I don't want to get to graphic here, but like there were two other DNA profiles found that that that matched other dudes. Doesn't mean that she had, you know, intercourse with them, because it could just be around her. You know, it wasn't that you know, that
kind of DNA, if you know what I'm saying. But either way, this is a guy who could end up a complete victim himself in this entire thing. And maybe it won't impact if he gets you drafted. I don't know, But I mean the character witnesses on behalf of him, which again you would expect the defense to bring people who are character witnesses that are going to really just rave about the high character of this defendant. But you know, I mean, if you look at some of the statements that were made,
I mean, it sounds like this guy's never been in trouble. He's very low key, very mild mannered, has never I mean, you know, I just found it really telling that when he testified today, it wasn't just hey, it didn't happen. He's never He doesn't know this woman, which is kind of crazy. Either he's lying his ass off or she is. It seems like, and you know who knows. Again, I don't
have all the details. I shouldn't, you know, just because you can't prove that that something happened to you like that doesn't mean it didn't happen. But with the evidence that has been shared on both sides, I mean, if I was on the jury, I would I would There's no way I would be able to claim that this that this guy. Again, I wasn't there the whole time, but from what I've seen, I wouldn't be able to say this guy's guilty of that. In fact, we do have a
little bit of an update here. It said, well, I'll take a break because there's a long thread here and I don't want to just start reading random tweets to you guys. But it sounds like there may be there may be a let's see here. Yeah, there could be could be a verdict here soon. So all right, let's let's get our last breakout of the
way here. We'll come back on the other side. If you missed the pack Kelsey interview from earlier in the show, we will replay it for you in the five o'clock hours, so you'll be able to hear it if you missed it, and we'll keep this thing rolling along. It's coffee and company. We are feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Sorry, so now now back to coffee and company. Few my Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. How about uh Pat Kelsey Gas set up my man
Austin on his musical selection. I mean I told Austin before we brought Pat Kelsey on, was like, hey, you know, just play something generic. But he already had something in the queue ready to roll. And that was the first first thing Pat Kelsey said, is he you know, he thought it was Jim Awsome, which I guess, you know, same same
lane. Yeah as matchbacks twenty, match bucks twenty. Do you know what you're gonna play before, like you come in for the show or do you just let the vibes kind of control just by okay, because you do a good job of thank you keeping me guessing and I feel like, you know, maybe this is why you got into radio. For those who don't know, Austin is a he's a he's a Swiss Army knife for us here at our Heart because you hear him on w A MZ, you hear him on
some of our other stations. Uh. He's got his own podcast that is super successful that covers wrestling, so he's he does a little bit of everything, including help produce this show. Uh, but you know your your play song. You play songs that I wouldn't seek out, but it always just it fits right, the vibes are compatible. So that really that made my day. What would be yourd What would be your DJ name? I had no clue that one. That one's ah, that one's a little bit tough.
Frosty DJ Frosty. I've always liked Frosty. Now, yeah, you remember back in the day he used to Yeah, well it was Chucky, Yeah, Chucky. That's right, that's right. And I gotta be honest with you, that just doesn't stick. Like it didn't. It didn't because when you have a nickname, in my experiences, you know, like you know, the person who's getting the nickname probably doesn't like it and doesn't know.
But that's why nobody can come up with their own nickname, which is why, you know, for for Billy Rutledge, I mean, we had some good ideas for nicknames, but Billy, you know, and I get it. He's all about branding, and he's good at that. He's he's become a very very very successful colleague of ours here. But like it was just a wasted waste of time because any nickname we through out there like he
was he was, he was just gonna fight it. Yeah. But when it comes to radio newbies, and I don't mean like just interns or even people that are new to new to radio in general, but just like newly a part of the team, usually you find out something about him, something happens, there's some type of story that you learn that is a big factor in how the nickname comes about. And Austin used to work at Chuck E Cheese, right, yep, And I just felt like that would be a
for perfect thing to call you Chucky, but it just didn't. It didn't hit And uh, that's why you've kind of been nicknameless. But you used to be frost Austy Frosty on Twitter, right, Yeah, yeah, it used to be Austy Frosty. I always thought that, for whatever reason, Austy Frosty was kind of cool. Yeah, it's kind of I think DJ Frosty on the Ones in Tuesday, that could that could work DJ DJ Frosty
on the Ones in twos. I feel like if it ever gets down to where you're getting out the uh you know, the iPad or the I'm sorry. The the the iPod if that's the thing anymore, the laptop, like you know it's DJ Frosty, yes, something you know, like DJ cancels on a wedding and they need like an impromptu guy and I'm just there for the vibes. I can just I can. I could pull up the Spotify play list and I have a lot of you have a lot of Matchbox twenty
and Big Rob Thomas Guy. Oh yeah, I love the Goo Goo doll. What is that genre? Because that is that's good stuff. I guess it could be involved in, like you know, that could be involved in kind of like yacht rock maybe, but I just always sad two thousands White Boy, Yeah, in late nineties two. But it can be I think you could find some of those tracks on a on a on a yacht rock type of playlist. But I feel like it was like Seattle grunge or something
probably, and I guess it's like all all music. I guess you could probably call that one right before really kind of like the post grunginess. It was a very short lived era, but it produced a lot of songs that like, you don't hear that often at least I don't hear that. Often. When I do hear, it takes me back. Those were those were bangers. Those were the days. Yeah, you know, oddly enough, when I first got here, when I first moved to Louisville, when I
was in Arizona, all my boys, the crew called me. It was relegated down to steeze. They would call me steeze. It was short from My buddy used to call me Austezy, and for the longest time easy Steezy, just as just like as a Yo, aust easy, what up? Kind of something like that. But then it just kind of got regulated down to yo, what up Steeze or Yo, Steeze is coming over to pick
us up? And that always kind of always kind of stuck. But you know, when that died off, I guess, I mean, when you moved to a new play it's hard to explain that to people and then believe it or not. When I had my ups run, I told them the whole story, you know, my background. You get on a career, you start to tell people where you're from. I told the Chucky Cheese story. Stuck with them too, So I was called Chucky by a lot of the UPSP told me that before I even got into radio. I know,
I didn't want to give a fuel to the fire. I get it. You didn't want to embrace Chucky, you know. But Chucky is one of those names where it can just people could think your name is Charles and you go by Chucky. But what makes it a good nickname is the story. Did I is this like wishful thinking on my end as far as creativity here, or did you actually dress up as the mouse? I had to dress up as the mouse one time. I shared that with me and I was like, Okay, he's going to be Chucky. You know I was.
I was a little a little bit more hefty back in the day. This was like when I was able to glow up before the glow up, all right for the glowdown, I guess, but the slim down, but I wouldn't The one time I got thrust in it at the very last second and they said, well, you're new here, just go ahead and try this. And the suit is adjustable, but the person that was in it before was very, very small, and I didn't know how to adjust it, so like I really couldn't do it. I just went back to my boss
and said I. I couldn't fit. I couldn't fit in the suit. And I guess he probably just thought that that's personal. We're not going to ask the fat kid to get in a suit no more. So hey, got you, got you. There was any like a Saturday rush and they were, you know, dying for someone to be chucky with. I just told them, can't fit in it. Brouh. That's a good excuse to
have helped. It helped. I'll I will take and they're not gonna they're not gonna grill you like hey, lose weight so you could beat the mouse. So yeah, it uh, it all worked out for you perfect. I kind of missed the Chuck E Cheese days. Is tuckyche still around? It is? It's completely rebranded though, So let me let me guess up Chuck E Cheese really quickly here because do it. This is one of my
favorite stories from the pandemic, and I wish it got more attention. It did get some attention, But Chuck E Cheese, you don't think of the pizza. You think of everything that comes with the Chuck E Cheese experience. Kid's birthday parties. Yeah, the you know, the mouse, it's and the crew like that. You know that there's like it's not just the mouse. But yeah, anyways, there's Munch. Shout out to my guy Munch with the other one of the characters. Yeah, he was one of the
carries, like the big Grimace looking. So during the camp pandemic, you know, restaurants were dying because they couldn't they couldn't open up for business, so they had to thrive on takeout, which was still a struggle, but it was better than nothing. Right, Well, Chuck e Cheese initially had entered themselves and they didn't used to be a part of one of the food delivery services rather than be of grub Hub or uber Eats. Uh, what is there one that I'm I feel like I'm missing one. Yeah, do
or Dad Doors is probably one of the most known ones. So if you just put Chuck e Cheese in there, it didn't hit people weren't well, people didn't line up to order Chuck e Cheese. They just went with other places as well. The name of the mouse is like Pasquelli, right, Uh, that's no. Pasqually is the guy with He's a part of the
band Chucky. He's the lead guy. I'm an idiot so Pesquelli is part of Chuck E Cheese though, right, yes, well so they they re entered in these in these delivery food delivery places in the apps as Pesquali's pizza, and people thought, oh, this must be some local pizza joint, so they started ordering it and they started doing well, you know, not probably not great, but given the pandemic, they were actually able to start delivering pizzas and at least making some level of money, right, not having
no business at all, And people would get the pizza and it would be in a Chucky Cheese box and they were they were fooled, but like it also reminded people that the pizza there is actually pretty good. Wow, created pizza that is that is good? What a swindle by them, right, yeah, because they knew if if they were just in the Uber Eats app as as as Chuck E Cheese, it probably wouldn't you know, it wouldn't
resonate. But if someone's looking for a new pizza place to try, because they've already had Domino's, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut thirty times during the pandemic, let's give this local joint to try. And it ended up being Chuck E Cheese, and I'm sure they enjoyed it because they do have good pizza. Yeah. I always thought their food was good. Anytime anybody's ever tried to like frown upon Chucky Cheese's food, I feel like really have never
never had. I've always loved their pizza. I've always loved their dishes. I love pizza. There's not many pizzas that I will turn down and say, Nope, not good. But clearly some pizza is better than others. But I'm certainly on a pizza snob because I actually think that both Gaddies and Chuck E Cheese Yeah, has really good pizza. And if they like, you know, if it was a convenient thing to order and have it like delivered to you along with the others Papa John's, Domino's, I would order
it. Stuff. Stuff. At one point they were talking about disbanding, like the electronic band, the creepy robots that are in there that play for you. Yes, they taught I think that they kept it now. The electronic band was something you talk about being in there like late late night and you have to close and it's like twelve o'clock and got to go back there.
To clean. It is pretty creepy on that and I feel like, no matter what, if you look at one of those members of the of the Electronic Band, it looks like they're staring into your soul and it's very scary and creepy, and they can just sometimes move. When I was there, if you remember Chucky Cheese, well that here's a Chucky Cheese talk right when we they had actually rebranded the whole mouse to where the mouse is actually
like a little guy. It used to be like the big, huge mouse, and they still had that as a mascot, but they moved to like a more petite looking mouse. And here's what their catchphrase was, say cheese, it's funner. Do you remember that funner? It's not even a word. Yeah, that's not good. That's good, that's good marketing. I remember having the shirt say cheese it's funner. Yeah, that's We'll throw that in the list of bad decisions. Chucky Cheese mads not included with the decision
they made to fool people about who they were as a pizza place. Shout up a squally though, shout out shout out to them. Are we got to run way too late for a break? Here, we'll come back on the other side, reset some things, and then let you guys hear with the Pat Kelsey interview if you missed it, so stick around right here on Sports Talk seven ninety