It's time for coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick Coffee. Now back to coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
That wasn't supposed to play.
Sorry, I got distracted during the commercial break there, but now you know we already had the voiceover go. I tell you once, now I told you twice, so there's no excuse for you to not know what you're listening to. It's coffee and Company fuel. But Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. I got a little distracted because I do find myself questioning my ability to be objective and fair. I've kind of been in this spot for the last, you know, a couple months, and it's been
discussed right like Louisville football. I can't tell you that I believe that they're being disrespected. I can't tell you that they're going to shock the world and prove a bunch of you know, haters wrong, because I'm not really sure they have many haters. Them being right outside the top twenty five makes total sense, especially considering, you know, anytime you really depend on the transfer portal in a major way, like Jeff Brohm has done the last two years.
You really never know. Right. Last year worked out well.
They brought in a good mix of transfers that really helped them have a great first season of the brom Era. No reason to think that can't happen this year. But again, you never know. They also started the season nine to one and then lost three straight games, and these were games where they were actually supposed to win.
I mean, I don't remember.
I could just be completely wrong here, but weren't they favored against Florida State given the circumstances.
I don't know.
Maybe I'm wrong with that because Florida State, even without Jordan Travis like, they were still a team.
That everybody viewed to be a lot better than Louisville I think.
But I know they were favorite against USC and they were certainly favorite against Kentucky and they lost. So you know, had they won one of those three, maybe they'd be in the top twenty five. So again I find myself having these urges like, let me give you the latest example.
There's an email that came in from betonline dot ag that gives us the odds for the passing leaders in each Power four conference and there are eight quarterbacks listed ahead of Tyler Shuck as far as the best odds to lead the ACC in passing yards, And I'm thinking, that's well, they got against my guy, Tyler Shuck. I've never watched Tyler Shuck play. I have no problem telling you guys that, but you know, I'm feeling like he's going to be way better than that, And it's like, what
am I basing that off of? Just me being a fandel Again, I think he does have a really good arm, and I think if he's healthy, he has shown that he's a guy that can be more.
Than just a serviceable quarterback. He's a guy you can win with.
And they're not going to use him the way that the other coaches used him at Texas Tech in Oregon. So I have good reason to feel good about Tyler Shuck, but like again, putting him at fourteen to one odds to lead the ACC in passing yards with cam Ward at the top, Haines King at Georgia Tech, Kate Club, Nick Clemson, Grayson McCallen, C State, Preston Stone, SMU dj Ugala Leiley.
Florida State.
Although he's always stunk like, why does he still continue to get like benefit of that. Dj Ugla Leley's been in the acc before and he was lousy Malik Murphy at Duke like those are all the guys ahead of him, and like it's not blasphemy, it's not you know, criminal to have shuck where they have him.
But I don't know.
I think more than anything, as I give myself sort of a self psychological diagnosis here, I think I'm just like I got the bron fever.
That's what it is.
You know, I've always tried to be and I say this being serious. I know at times, I you know, can be sarcastic, like I'm a Louisville fan one thousand percent. Have never shied away from that. In fact, sometimes I'll be honest, right, I'm a Louisville fan, but I'll tell you what I think things are bad.
I'll say it.
And that led to people thinking, oh, no, he's you guys heard the lineup on seven ninety guys a UK fan. They just they just told him not like a Louisville fan, so they can have, you know, a little bit of both fan bases. I saw him at lunch with Matt Jones one day, he's in no way he's a Louisville fan. So like you know, I try to be really objective and just tell you like it is and also no deep down like I do have an allegiance as a fan, like I'm a Louisville fan. I want to see him
do well. I want to see Kentucky lose every game. But I can also at least I try to be objective about both sides. That I'll take my digs when I can get them in about Kentucky because you know it's part of the rivalry. But I'll be honest at least I try to be he's best I can. And now is being closer to football season, I kind of I find myself wondering.
Like are you are you? Are you turning into the ultimate honk here? Like are you are you being? Are you? Are you a fanboy? Which what's wrong with being a fanboy?
I mean there is a very high negative stigmatism, I guess with being a fan boy.
I think it's just what it sounds like. Yeah, it's it's just so demeaning, right.
Yes, it sounds like you have, you know, all of your eggs in one basket. When it comes to just like you know, you can do no wrong with the team that you like.
Yeah, And when I think of fanboy, I think of someone honestly, well, I don't know, I don't mind. I was going to go down a path we don't need to go down. When I think a fanboy, I think of someone who is unwilling to criticize their team, their coach at any point, and they always play the disrespect card and always act as if there's a conspiracy to you know, hurt their program in some way or discredit their program. And when their team loses, you know, it
was about the rest like that. When I when I think of what a fan boy is, that's what I think of. And there's no mirror in here. But am I looking at Do I need to look at one?
Because I mean I don't feel like and I know that there hasn't been a lot for you know, and especially when you when it comes to Louisville basketball, for you to be truly upset about other than I mean, you could be upset about what with the team, but like in terms of like a controversial play call a reason to be upset about a loss, I don't think I've seen that side of Nick calls.
You mean football, No, you said basketball.
Well, I was referring to just in general, the fan boyinous of your you tube in general.
Yeah, So like last year, I think I was. I guess I was geeked up because it was.
Just a fun ride at the first year, right and they were already had a schedule. I mean again, I felt uncomfortable knowing they were in the midst midway through of a very special season, and I wasn't thinking about this is going to be a special year. We're going to remember forever. They might make the playoff, Like I was just thinking like, hell, yeah, this is awesome. Man,
there's life back in the foot ball fan base. Satterfield wasn't an awful coach, but I think it was pretty clear we we capped out with him and it was only going to get more difficult to win with him. So now you know, if they don't meet expectation, like we're gonna.
Have to be critical.
And one thing I do like about like you know, because I've had there's been coaches that have been here. Not to say that I was ever on their minds, but like you know, they didn't like me because I was honest, maybe among other things, I don't know. Maybe they don't like me because of other things. I don't know, But you know, like with Jeff brom if people if Louisville stunk this year and they were like six and six, clearly way below expectation, that would be it would be
it'd be a bad sign. That would be concerning, right. I guess it's possible. But like if anybody was out there trying to act like things weren't bad and they had a platform like this one, Jeff Brown wouldn't respect them because you know, he would know that that's just people kissing his ass.
So I do.
I do like the fact that both coaches, I think Pat Kelsey, who I don't know as well as Jeff, but you know, from what I can gather, I think they are very excited about the you know, Jeff's a little different, he's one of us, but I think they love that. Fans do always have high expectations, right, and you don't have coaches they, let's be honest, Centerfield would act as if fans we were over the top and out of line for expecting more than what he gave us.
Like it sounds mean, but like he had a lot of loser in him, and like that's not how these coaches are wired. So like, even when the criticism is there, I think these guys are gonna be so bothered by it, so driven to win to where they're not gonna listen to it. They're gonna and they're gonna know that it's out there, and they're gonna probably think that it's expected, right, Like, you don't want somebody that's going out of their way to create negativity. And that's what people accuse me of
doing with Kenny Payne. No, that guy did it all himself. Like you think I had anything to do with the many disasters from a pr standpoint that Louis of basketball went through during that era. I know by the way they lost a lot, they never won. So this year is gonna be different with Jeff because the expectations are there, like it or not. And what I do know is that he likes it. He wouldn't want I mean, he can't control it, right, you can't control what expectations are
nationally or even from your own fan base. But like if fans were like, man, I just hope we get to a Bowl game this year, Like if Jeff heard somebody say that he might punch him in the mouth. Probably not, because you know he wouldn't do that. That'd be a no no. But you know what I mean.
So I just need football season to start because I'm getting more and more like, you know, I'm questioning myself, like, hey, why am I feeling so Why am I being so thin skinned to people not putting more love on Louisville's name. And here's the thing, they're not. Like it'd be different if somebody said they're going to be a five and seventeam.
In fact, the AP voters put Louisville at twenty six. Right, they're the first team outside of the top twenty five, which means if they take care of business, right, if they end up getting passed, I say getting passed, I mean they they should curb stomp Austin p and Jacksonville State. And when they do that, because of just losses that are gonna happen within the top twenty five, by the time they get to week three, their first against a
conference opponent, they'll be ranked. And once again we're looking at that Notre Dame game. You start, you should start three and zero. Notre Dame should also start three. And although I think they have Texas A and M beforehand, and that one probably won't be it won't be built up like last year. But still that'll be a big opportunity to go get a big win in South Bend and then from there. Sim used this team that people think is going to be, you know, super competitive right
away in the ACC. So you know, I think Louisville being at twenty sixth is probably right on track with what a lot of people expected objectively, because again, despite the special season, they didn't win their last three games, and they were expected to win at least two of those. And again I thought, because of the Florida state situation with and look, let's be real, they could have won that game.
I mean, that was It.
Was one of those games where you reminded you had you had to remind yourself, Oh yeah, we got a quarterback that you know, in the worst out there, but man, he doesn't come through when we need him at times. And that's that's Jack Plumber, which, by the way, I didn't watch a second of his preseason game for the Panthers on Thursday, but I just did a quick search to see, like, HM, wonder what people are talking about with Jack Plumber. I know he got some reps for
the Panthers in their first preseason game. Good god, I mean, Panthers fans were ruthless. He must not have played well. I haven't even looked at the stats. Maybe we should pull it up here to see what Jack Plumber did in his first game.
But I don't know.
Like he's clearly not a great quarterback. He does not have a future in the NFL, I don't think. But for some reason, I feel like any other quarterback could have a similar bad throw, bad play, bonehead move, and Plumber, for some reason, just is a bigger target for people. They just unload on him. See what he did here now now I'm curious to see what he did.
I see it right now.
It's not as bad as you'd expect based on you saying the backlash. But he threw it twenty one times, he complete little seven times, no interceptions, but no touchdowns either, only eighty six yards.
And that's what's crazy is he was an All acc guy last year, like third team I think it was, and his numbers at the end of every game you'd look down and they weren't bad. In fact, sometimes they were pretty good, but you'd watch them and you'd know, like, hey, that's a little misleading. So anyways, no more Jack Plalmer. Now we got Tyler Shuck and I think he's going to have a special season. All right, this is some sound I wanted to play for you guys earlier, but
I didn't get around to it just yet. You want to hear from the man himself, mister Jeff Brohms. So he talked after practice on Saturday, which was a scrimmage. They had their first legitimate scrimmage of fall camp. They do a handful of these. I'm pretty sure every program in the country does this to where they try as best they can to replicate a real game situation in camp.
They bring in refs. I'm not sure how.
I'm sure different I'm sure different programs keep scoring differently, or maybe they don't keep score. But this is where, until you get to a game, you get a chance as a player to actually, okay, under the lights, real game situation again, as close as you can get. This is where you have a chance to show what you can do. And knowing what I know about Jeff, I feel like he's somebody that you know what you see
is what you get. Like, I don't think he's being I don't think he's being super strategic here to try to motivate his guys.
I think he is knowing.
I think he's being honest, and I think he probably knows that by saying this, he is going to motivate him. But you know, he says he needs more playmakers out there.
You know, even new guys of the teams, they've emerged in fall camp and they did it today. So that was good guys who maybe needed a chance in a scrimmage setting to step out and newly emerged did not happen. So that is what we've got to work through. So the guys that are new here, they're pretty much all up to speed for the most part. That might be a couple of mental bus that we got to make sure we don't have happened again. But you know, the ones that have stood out in fall camp stood out today,
and I just think we need more guys. It's not enough yet right now.
So I mean, where I hear that, because I've listened to that a few different times so far. Today when I was cutting it up, I mean, I think that's probably just a very direct and honest answer about what he thinks of his team after one scrimmage. He's not being dramatic, he's not you know, calling anybody out specifically. He's actually acknowledging that the guys who have stepped up so far in camp stepped up once again in the scrimmage.
But he's wanting to see more. And here's here's the gist of what I can gather.
And again, I'm not the closest as far as being connected to what's going on in practices that aren't open to the public or that kind of thing, but it sounds as if they feel like they have really good depth on the defensive line, they feel like they have good depth in the secondary, mostly due to the transfers, and then you know what you have with certain guys back defensively, it sounds like in that scrimmage there were a few plays that really and this is where it's
kind of tricky for me, because there were a couple of plays in that scrimmage apparently that the defense, you know, it was a letdown. They had a big play somebody, you know in the run game. I don't know which running back it was, broke free, you know, just a just a big chunk play that can really just be
a momentum swinger and kill you. And the defense gave up those last year towards the end, the defense from being so reliable and just really the strength of this team to where once she got towards the end of the season, that just wasn't the case as much. I think these guys got gassed a little bit and they started playing better teams, let's be honest.
So you know, I.
Think they want to limit those defensive you know, big you know, those defensive breakdowns. And Brom actually talked a little bit more in that Q and A there about you know, could sometimes it could be scheme, which when he says that, you guys realize he's calling on his own coaches, right, Like he's done that before. Like sometimes questioning when there was a defensive letdown, a defensive breakdown, you know, he mentions maybe they were in the wrong scheme,
which I mean I remember Jeff brob directly. I think of halftime of the Georgia Tech game in the opener, his first game as the head coach, when they looked like they were going to get beat bad, you know, but halftime he was doing an sideline interview on his way to the locker room and basically just said, like, you can't. You know, you can't stay in the same thing and not expect a good team to figure out.
How to counter it.
And you know, I think he really likes his defensive coordinator, Run English and Run English. I mean, for the most part last year did a damn good job. I mean it didn't end well, but I mean, for the most part, the defense was really good. But I think from a personnel standpoint this year like they have good personnel defensively to where I feel like if the results aren't there, there's gonna be a lot of criticism towards Run English.
And I'm not saying that that will be the case, because I have no reason to think that they won't be good. They have more depth than they did a year ago. They've got guys healthy. I mean your trio of Ashton Jilotti, Quincy Riley and MJ. Griffin who's now healthy.
I mean, that's a lot of talent right there. Not to mention stan Clon Clark, who I think is going to really emerge as a as one of the better players in the ACC defensively, and then Ramon per Year, who I want to talk about a little bit later, rarely gets a whole lot of love because he's a former walk on, but he's a guy that has been
valuable on the defensive line for quite some time. Every year there's a there's a defensive lineman that come in the portal that you just expect to beat him because Ramon per Year was a walk on, and you know, he was just a guy we had to use because we didn't have anybody else. And that's not the case that all this guy can play, so you know, defensively they should be good. So back to the big chunk
plays that broke free in that scrimmage. If it was a running I keep hearing that there's so much concern about the running game because there hasn't apparently been somebody that has really emerged. You have Cheney from Miami, who you know, people act like he's slow as molasses. And I'm sure he's not a guy that's known to turn on the jets and just beat guys in a race, but you know, people like handing the ball off to him is like handing it off to a bowling ball
or something. I mean, again, he's not one that's just going to break free in any given moment. But I feel like he's showed enough at Miami to where you know he might break free for a twenty five yarder when you get close to the red zone for a touchdown. And then obviously, Maurice Turner's been around a while, and I think there's been the expectation that if he was well.
I think I think a lot of people thought if he was ever going to turn it on and be the guy for you, then he would have already done it. And I understand why people have that mindset, But I've said it for weeks and I'll say it again. I think they have enough in the running game to where if in fact, you're utilizing the tight end position way more than you were a year ago, your quarterback is clean in the pocket and he can establish some good chemistry with his receivers.
Hope Chris Bell has a breakout year.
I think Colin Lacy it sounds like he's getting more and more acclimated with Tyler Shuck. And then obviously Jacorey Brooks from Alabama. If your offense is different this year, because again those things your quarterbacks a little more sharp you can trust him to go to be more vertical and you're utilizing the tight ends.
If all that works.
And I'm not saying they got to go out and those units specifically got to be the key to you putting up thirty five and a half, No, but if you've got that balance, I think your running game is gonna be fine.
Now, maybe you don't have.
A Jordan, but you are. Jordan was a really, really special player. Although it sounds, in fact Jeff Brom said it, said it word for word that Isaac Brown the true freshman running back from Miami, that you know he's got a little Jair Jordan in which, hey, that's that's that's
a that's high praise. So you know, maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I do believe that from a personnel standpoint, Like I think offensively, you know, you've got you've got the pieces to be good, and you've got depth in areas you haven't had depth in in a long time. When's the last time you heard a coach around here talk about how much they like their depth in the interior.
I mean some of it is from the portal, so you really, you know, have to wait and see how much of that translates, but overall, I mean again, here we go again. This is where this is where I'm starting to get insecure about Fanboy, because I think Louis has got a chance to be pretty damn good. I really do. All right, what we'll do on the other side, we'll let you hear from Mark Stoops. We heard from
Jeff brom Let's hear from Mark Stoops. He talked about the vacated twenty two one season, and it wasn't something you know, he didn't. I mean, in fact, I think he probably addressed it later than he should have, but probably addressed it perfectly as far as there's so much you can say after that happens. But we'll get to that, because I actually think you're gonna start to see Kentucky as we get closer to the season because of how loaded the SEC always is and how challenging their schedule is.
You're not gonna hear anybody predicting them to be in the playoff. But I do think Kentucky's got a chance to be better than I think people realize. But will that result in wins? That's where it gets tough, all right, Stick with us. We're about halfway through, taking you up till six o'clock. It's Coffee and Company. We are feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. It's right coffee and company rolling along here on Sports Talk
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All right, So this tex says Nick, I, And by the way, the text line is five O two sixty five three zero seven ninety. It's the L and N Federal Credit Union text line. This text says Nick. I'm a lot older than you, but you said something earlier that I rarely hear anybody around your age mentioned. Louisville Athletics has always been built on being the underdog, back against the wall, nobody giving us any credit. I don't
know why we don't embrace that every year. You're right, I mean, I think you know that there's some truth to that, especially in football, because of where Louisville football once was. I mean, historically speaking, louis football is a baby compared to other programs that you now compete with in your own league that have history and tradition that is just much different than yours. We got thrown in the microwave, and you know, I'm fortunate for that, right Like Louisville football.
Let's be real.
I mean, they had a program for you know, a long time, and fans were into it and supportive of it. But basketball had won a couple of national championships before Louisville football really had made any kind of an imprint, any kind of an imprint nationally. So sure enough, Howard Snellenberger comes around. Obviously didn't have a winning record when it was all said and done, but really started talking about Louisll football haw having a legitimate program.
Right.
I'm not sure if we'll ever accomplish what Howard Snellenberger discussed as far as you know, winning a national championship, but hey, he talked about it enough, people were starting.
To dream big.
And then you know he moves on, obviously, and things weren't good at that point. But Tom Jurich, you know, he really I means a lot Tom jurch did here that changed everything about Louisville athletics. But clearly making football such a priority and investing in it, and you know, getting the stadium put together or you weren't playing on
a baseball stadium anymore. Within gosh, I mean it really, it sounds like a long stretch of time you know for it for you know, you and I right, like, hey, ten twelve years, that's a big chunk of our lives, right, But historically speaking, that's a really small amount of time. And to see where Louisville football was from this school that you know, at some point there was talk that they may get kicked out of Conference USA because of how awful the stadium was. There was no real investment,
no real priority for football. It was just basketball. I'm not sure how legitimate that was. That was long before I was old enough to know what was going on,
but that was that was what's out there. That was the noise about Louisville football, how they were perceived nationally within their own league again, the league that they outgrew pretty quickly, but again around that time to where you're playing on a national televised game with the top five matchup with West Virginia in a blockout, you go to the Orange Bowl, knockoff Wake Forest, get a BCS Bowl win.
I mean, like that is that's a microwave type result to where there was questions if you'd even have a program fifteen twenty years before that and now you are. I mean, that's to be honest, that season. Had they not slipped up against Rutgers, they'd played for a national championship. I don't know if they would have won it, but you know that was a special team. So you're right
on the text line. That was your first text, by the way, unless you got a new phone number, because it doesn't show that there's any other texts that have come in from that number. So thank you for participating and contribute I guess maybe not participating. Thank you for contributing to the show. Good stuff?
All right?
Uh, Mark Stoops, he talked after practice on Saturday. Not sure if Kentucky had a scrimmage like Louisville did. But this is the first time Mark Stoops says in this setting. You know, in fact, I don't know if he's talked about it to anybody else, but on the INSTABA violations that Kentucky football announced earlier this month that they were vacating the twenty twenty one season. And again, I'll let
you guys hear this in its entirety. And and you know, clearly, I'm pretty I'm pretty outspoken about where I stand within the rivalry. But I don't really know if Stoops could have I mean, I feel like this is this is probably the best way you could have addressed it. Again, it probably could have come a little sooner. However, it sounds like he was, according to him, kind of told not to talk about it right after it had happened.
Talk to your reaction.
To the revolution. Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously, you know, I really can't say much, so I'm not trying.
To dodge it.
But I mean, you know, you're you're you're disappointed, you know, because people did a lot of her work and want to get to that place. And obviously, you know, three years ago now things have changed traumatically, but you know, it doesn't make it okay, and uh, you know mentioned and Doc cup Ludo commented on that, and in the ends Double A has asked me not to say anything about it.
I'm not dodging it.
And heck, it was three years ago. I'm really worried.
About right now, you know what I mean?
And uh uh, but we you know, work tirelessly to educate our kids and make sure they're doing things right. And it worked really hard. We're far from perfect, but we work at it, you know, and we try to try to do the best we can. And you know, I know the compliance in general at this university is very diligent, and uh, you know, you know, so we're again work, we work at it, and you know we're not perfect, and certainly in today's world, we wouldn't be
on these conversations. You do flat given to them. You know, I shouldn't say that you gotta send a tweet get a million dollars, but if you call that one.
So, I don't know if I buy the inst of AA is telling him not to say something. But if you are going to speak, you gotta be calculated, you gotta be careful. And you know, to hear him say that, you know it is disappointed, and of course you would be disappointed. But he's not acting as if it was unfair. He's not acting like it was the wrong decision.
You know.
He said something there that really was relatable for me as a Louisville fan, because those dudes getting money for jobs they weren't working. Ghost employment, I think, is what it's referred to as. That had nothing to do with Kentucky winning ten games, nothing to do with it, and vacating anything is stupid. But for guys who you know did work hard for that special season for Kentucky, and I'm not I'm not. This isn't this isn't like a
backhanded compliment. I'm being serious. Kentucky went ten football games is unbelievable.
I mean it is.
It's just it's something that again I never thought would happened, and it happened twice according to the record books. Now it'll only show that it happened once with Mark Stoops.
But that's a special thing that people when they become professionals in other walks of life post football, they should be able to bring up their senior year where they were maybe I don't know, not the star, but they were, you know, an interior you know, an offensive lineman or something, or you know, maybe you just played special teams, but you played every play special teams and you were part
of a ten win season at Kentucky. It is unfortunate that now there may be people, oh, yeah, isn't that the team that had a bunch of dudes working jobs they weren't really working and getting paid and the NSAA made you vacated. I just think it's unfair to That's why such a stupid punishment, like that's why I get
and I'll admit it. I'm sensitive and a little bit biased towards guys like Peyton and Russ and Gorgee and Luke in those guys, because again, they did something insanely special and they worked so hard for it, and what went on in Minority Hall had nothing to do with them actually competing and winning, and so many of those guys were not involved in any way in any way. So like, I just think it's unfortunate for those guys too when they bring it up around here, they won't
have to worry about it. But you know, let's say you're let's say you're Russ Smith in twenty twenty or in twenty years. I should say it's way past twenty. Let's say in twenty forty four, Russ Smith now has the best and biggest bourbon brand in the world, because you know, he's already a bourbon entrepreneur himself, and it seems like things are going well. But let's just say in twenty years it's taken off to where he's now
just known for being this bourbon mogul. And he starts talking about his time as a national champion, and people think, oh, oh, in that the only college basketball team that had a title vacated because there was stripper party in the door. Like, I just think that's unfair to those guys who had nothing to do with it, that now like their legacy in some former fashion, in the eyes of some is attached to that. That's unfair to them. We're not going to think about it that way because you know, we
know it had nothing to do with it. And I'm hopeful that at one point, well we'll all realize collectively how stupid vacating seasons and wins is to where it
isn't even thought of anymore. But it is wild how Kentucky you know, their twenty twenty one season is not comparable to Louislle winning a national championship and them getting a season vacated three years later and a season that unfortunately didn't really matter in college football in the grand scheme of things, Like it's it's not something.
It's not gonna be.
Part of trivia Louisville basketball being the first team to ever have a national championship taken away from them because the n S DOAA. That's history. It's the wrong side of history. And that's where I just feel like, you know, it's not to like Mark Stoop said, it's not it's not to say that it makes it okay, because clearly there was at least an ounce of truth to what
she was saying, and that's that's disgusting. But to act as if that means that the title was not legitimate, like d n SAA tried to tell us, it's just nonsense. So you know, I didn't realize this until Kin Spencer said it last week because we were talking about the whole NIL stuff and just how you know, cause Stoops right around SEC media days was I've I mean again, I just read quotes from the on three KSR story as well as what we could give from Darryl Bird's article.
I believe Darryl Bird's with Rivals.
Maybe I'm wrong there, but either way, like just from what I could read, it's he sounded as defeated as ever as far as like just how tough it is with Nil. Well, you know, Kin Spencer mentioned it last week that everybody knows that like it's pay for play.
Now that's exactly what it is. But there are only two coaches here locally in the in you know, the area that seemed to really just address it that way, and Kin said, one is Mark Stoops and the others Jeff Walls, And I mean he's right, like you can pay players now. In fact, you have to pay players if you want to get good players. This day and age, it's changed. It's changed dramatically real quick before I get
to our next break and potentially vomit. Because I do think Kentucky football, if their schedule wasn't so loaded, I think you could look at them a little bit differently this year because they're one of many teams Clemson's in this same category as well. Kind of a not Clemson didn't use, doesn't use the portal at all. Kentucky did, and they added some guys in the portal. They got Ohio State running back to transferred in, obviously, Brock Vandergriff
from Georgia. You know, we'll see what he can do now that he gets a chance to start. He's got some good weapons to work with. But Kentucky defensively for years now has developed really good players, but developing guys who come in as a four star or a three star in those guys developing into being all American caliber players. Maybe not all Americans, but you know, really good players that can that you can win with that is not sexy,
that is not talked about. It's all about the instant gratification from the portal to where you can still keep good players around that were talented when you recruited them, and if you can coach and develop, you can win and have a lot of success with big time players that just are not in the news cycle like other guys because they don't hit the portal. And I think if you look at Kentucky defensively, they should be pretty deep.
They should be pretty damn good. And that's not a huge surprise because again Mark Stoop says, that's if there's one thing, well there's a couple.
If there's two.
Things he's done really well is in the later half of his tenure here he's really dominated the rivalry, which I hate to say, but it's true. But also they've recruited and developed really well defensively. And I mean, again, if their schedule was a little bit different, I think you might see people talking about them not as like a sleeper to win the SEC or to make the playoff, but a team that you know could be pretty good.
But their schedule, I mean a fourth of their schedule, this is wild, But really, I guess it's not that wild considering the SEC is the SEC. But Kentucky in the AP pole that came out today, one four, I'm sorry, one third of their schedule is top fifteen teams. They play number one Georgia, number four Texas, number six Ole
miss and number fifteen Tennessee. Not to mention, they play Louisville, who is twenty sixth if you factor in those that are receiving votes but not ranked, so you know, they could be one of Stoops's better teams he's had, but the wins are gonna be tough to come by. All right, quick break before I throw up, just gassing up Stoops gross. All right, stick around, it's coffee and company. We'll talk
some Louisville football. Coming up at about five thirty, we'll bring in the one the Only mister Alex Cupper, former Louisville cardinal. I mean, I mean, you guys know Cup, right, But I feel like now when I reference Alex Cupper and his playing days, like he's been a while since he played, like he's getting a like me. I'm not sure if he feels that way, but anyways, quick break, stick around right here on.
Sports Talk seven ninety.
I don't know a whole lot about this song, although you know I've heard it, I can recite it, I could sing it. Don't know who sings it, but it just it gets me moving a little bit, you know what I mean?
Just gets me.
It gets me up and around, a good default track whenever I just need something to come back.
What did it?
What era did this song come from? I have no idea. I'm gonna guess seventies, but I could be way off.
That's yea.
So this one I'm actually playing off the button bar, believe it or not. The one thing I know about this song is it was in the Shrek Too movie, and that's what I always think of when I hear it.
So is this the Lips?
It sounds correct?
Yeah, I think I think. I think that's who it is. And I'm gonna guess we go.
Nineteen seventy nine, Okay, good year as the year my dad graduated high school.
The Lips, So they're still around, I would assume not, but it might be a one hit wonder could.
Be all right, let's see here, not a lot of time left in the four o'clock hour, But I do want to to go to Texa on just to to tell you or I guess, let you know how different you can get when it comes to reactions on certain things. You know, I talked at the beginning of the hour here about how I find myself really needing to kind of woosaw and calm down before losing my mind about Louisville football being disrespected coming into the twenty twenty four season,
because they're really not being disrespected at all. And I don't know why I have this eagerness to like, wait a second, they don't think Louis is gonna, you know, win ten games again, they don't think Louisves is a top twenty five preseason, and again it's all justified. So like I think, I just am so excited about year two of the bram Era, knowing that they were off
to such a great start. But it got me talking about how, like, you know, I do try my hardest to become to be very objective despite clearly having because there's a lot of people that claim if you're a fan and you have emotion involved, meaning you have an emotional investment in a program to where you are very happy if your team wins, and very sad if they lose, that keeps you from being able to be objective. I think that's the dumbest thing ever. I think it's nonsense.
And there's a lot of people that claim that you shouldn't have a platform to talk about these things if you can't be objective and be honest, which again nonsense. I think I clearly have have you know, made it,
made it? I mean it's obvious. I'm a Louisville fan. However, if Louisville stinks, I have no problem saying it, right, Like, if Louisville is a team that is looking like, you know, maybe they're overrated, I may not come out and you know, lead the show with it and just start parading Louisville stinks they're overrated, but I'll at least acknowledge Yeah, I'm not sure if they're as good as others think they are. Like,
I have no problem shared modest opinion. So I kind of pride myself on that I liked, you know, because I just feel like if you if you're not gonna be real and honest regardless if it's good news, bad news, whatever, then who would want to listen to you? They would just think you're they would know every every time out what you're gonna say. They would know you would be
so predictable. So anyways, when I talked about that earlier, I cut two every time messages on the text line five O two six five three zero seven ninety is the lln N Federal Credit Union text line. But this text, the first one says, I'm not kidding you, Nick. I was introduced to your show by a co worker who's a Diwhard Louisville fan, and they swore up and down that you're a UK fan. They have finally come around to believing that you're not a Kentucky fan.
And then, you know, the.
Other side is you should really stop acting like your objective. You are the biggest homer on Cards Radio. Those two texts came in within two minutes of each other.
Fun fact, we're not even Cards Radio.
Yeah, I mean, I think they just call it cards Radio. Maybe they are referring to the brand that once was yeah, cards Radio seven ninety, or maybe they just you know, they call all Louisville Homer's card Radio bird Brain Radio. Somebody said that to me one time. I thought that was creative, very clever, because it's you know, you can only I mean Loserville like that.
Come on, Like, has anybody ever asked you in person like, hey, are you a UK plant?
No?
Never like directly like that.
But I have had, like I've had UK fans, some that I know, like some people that I know, and then others like cause again, it never fails. And I appreciate anybody who listens, regardless if you hate me, love me in between Louisville fan, Kentucky fan, butthole tech fan, whoever you're a fan of. If you listen, I appreciate it because that's that's what you want is to get, you know, people that'll tune in, and we need listeners and we have listeners, So.
Thank you guys.
But the same people who call in that say hey, UK fan, but you know, wanted to say this, they say it in person too, Hey man, I'm a UK fan, but I really do like your show.
So again, I do appreciate that.
But there have been some that have said that that and are like, man, like do you cause whenever I lose my mind and I just rail on Kenny Paine or you know, I guess it really was that because that was that was a level of bad that I never thought i'd experience. And I'm the person that's got a three hour show every day and have to do a postgame show for a basketball program that was going
through just again something we never thought we'd experienced. So Kentucky fans like they look, they like that right like when we lost to who was it? Arkansas State last year and it felt like right before Christmas, Kenny might get the boot. We had listeners to that postgame show, probably more listeners than I've ever had at any point in radio other than the day that Rick and Tom got effectively fired and they put me on Hasa and
seven ninety at the same time. That might have been a bigger window because that was a big story, and of course we were on.
The big stick, as they say.
But those people are like, man like, it's almost like they're bothered that I'm not being homer enough, you know what I mean, Like they because they want to hear a homer.
They want to hear somebody, you know. They want my tears. Yeah, And that's like and that's like want the emotion.
Yeah, And I do take pride in not giving them that at times. It's not that I'm you know, a sore loser. But like when Louisville lost to Kentucky and football last year and I do the postgame show, I mean I was. I'm sure they enjoyed it because I was, you know, I was devastated. But it wasn't like I was. It wasn't anger, it wasn't you know, the ref screwed us. It was just you know, like man, Yeah, I said
it all week. I said it for weeks. This is the one game you don't want to lose the in the series here because it's set up for you to take care of business. They have no confidence, they don't even like their own team, and Louisville lost.
And it sucked.
So anyways, we got another hour to go, so stick around. We're going to talk some Louisville football with mister Alex Kupper coming up here around five thirty, So stick with us again.
It's coffee and company.
Feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety