It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day, Holy crap, I don't know who the hell we think when we are.
Get off our show, idiot.
The kids are crying or turning off. The countries are screwing it up.
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Here?
On a beautiful, beautiful Tuesday afternoon. What is this weather? I mean, I'm loving it.
It is such a tease.
Oh, it's amazing. Last two days I have, I've had both, you know. I try to run every day, usually though in the summer, and honestly, really around I prefer the treadmill. I have learned though. The treadmill is easier. You know. I like to just get lost within a show on my iPad or a movie or something, just to distract myself from the fact that I'm running, and you know, help the time pass. But I just haven't had as much time to spend, you know, an hour, an hour
and fifteen in the gym. So I just walked outside yesterday morning, in this morning to take the kids to school, and I usually, you know, take my gym bag and you know, prepare to go to the gym. And I thought, you know what, Nope, not today. I'm coming right back here, just gonna hop out of the car, go on a
quick couple mile run. And uh, I mean the weather has been great, and I be you know, yesterday I'm thinking, well, it's probably because it's a little bit early, but no, I mean we have August weather, August temperature that is just I mean, it's gonna beautiful the rest of the week. I think I love it. I Uh, I feel like August is always the most brutal month when it comes to weather, just because of the humidity. And a lot of people probably have already got their vacations out of
their way, the beach trips probably already happened. And you know, not everyone. Some people when it's not summer, right, they love summer and that's just what they want year round and whatever. Everybody's got their own preference. But I know some people who love summer also get that fall itch. Like in fact, running around my neighborhood. There are people already got pumpkins out. I mean one house already has
like Halloween decorations up. So I'm loving this weather and again another sign that fall and football will be here, be here soon. But welcome at everyone. And again it is coffee and company. We are fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Sign up to become a member of the Refreshment Awards program. If you haven't already. You'll save money at the gas pump and your life is just going to be better if you are a
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it pretty easy. It's free and again you'll be better off with it. My name is Nick coffee the company mana John all on alongside today And today's one of those days where I'm very happy I have a radio show that lasts three hours, John, because I got things I want to talk about.
Oh do you now?
Yeah?
I mean it's not like I'm you know, I've got some big breaking news or any controversial opinions that I'm itching to share to see what kind of reaction we get. I just got things I want to discuss today. So it works out good. Today's a good day where I'm like, you know what, good thing, I've got a radio show because I want to talk. I like to talk, hopefully you like to listen. Hopefully Again, We're with you for the next three hours. If you can give us, you know,
any of your time, we certainly appreciate it. And if you do want to take us with you wherever you go, you can do it live on the iHeart radio app.
Also listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com. All Right, so yesterday, I don't remember when it was on the show, but at some point I got a little worried, kind of had like a brief moment of panic and worry while on the air, and it was in regards to what's happening on Thursday, and that is when I'll be throwing out a first pitch at the Louisville Bats game. And it wasn't you know, me worried about embarrassing myself because honestly, I'm going in completely like I have no
expectation of doing anything that looks impressive. Uh, I just you know, I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna I'm gonna try to put one right across the plate, probably not going to be in the strike zone, probably isn't gonna look good. But I still feel confident that I'm gonna be able to do that. But the panic came in from a post that I happened to see on Facebook. I rarely ever go to Facebook on on my on on on online, Like I've got the app, but like rarely do I pull it up on a browser.
Probably the same for you, John Rightle, Like if you're gonna check Facebook, it's probably on your phone, right for sure. Like when it comes to things that I U like when if I'm in studio or even at home getting ready for the show, just working throughout the day, believe it or not, I do prepare for the show. Facebook is not of any use for me, so you know, rarely do I ever get on there, but for some reason, I just did. And I saw that the louisvill Bats
were promoting another appearance on Thursday. There's gonna be someone else throwing out the first pitch, a first pitch, and I thought, okay, did did did? Did something kind of get lost here? Like you know, I've been communicating with him, if you remember last week, John, I was hesitating to even like talk about it, yes, because I'm thinking, I mean, I'm getting emails from the Louis of Bats. They're a great partner of ours here. We do, of course, do
a lot of promotional stuff with them. We don't have their games on our station anymore, but you know, we still work with them. And uh, you know, I'm thinking they why they want me, Like there's gotta be some kind of a mistake here. They meant to send this to Tony Vannetti. They probably meant to send this to Terry Miners. Why why am I being asked if I want to be able, if I want to throw out a first pitch, and look, trust me, I'm gonna have
fun with it. And we're gonna you know, we're gonna have it's gonna be great, But like, you know, I just think these things kind of fall apart, and this is one of those things you don't want to put out there and promote until you know for sure that
it's gonna happen. And I had confirmation last week, but I still just felt kind of, I don't know, like, really, are they really gonna do that, or really good that they're really gonna invite me out there, introduce me and let me out there and throw one across the plate, because I'm really appreciative of it. So anyways, I was already hesitating to kind of talk about it, just because I didn't want it to fall apart. And yesterday when I saw that there's another person gonna be throwing out
a first pitch, I worried that. You know, maybe they said, yeah, Nick, we wanted you to throw the first pitch, but we meant for our Double A team, the Chattanooga Lookouts. Can you make it down to Chattanooga on Thursday and throw one across the plate? You're more of a Double A type of guy for a first pitch. Maybe, you know, maybe they wanted to send me to the to their single a affiliate, the Dayton Tortugas. I'm sorry, the Daytona Tortugas.
They also have the Dayton Dragons, maybe the Arizona Complex league Reds, which is part of the lowest level of their organization. So do you know the other person is? By the way, you probably looked it up, didn't you know?
I didn't.
It's Pat Kelsey. Oh okay, So I called my guy Brandon with the Bats because we talked yesterday, and I'm thinking, man, like, surely you know really this is I didn't know how, like, how could this be right? Because Pat Kelsey's way more deserving of getting the honor to do this than myself. Trust me, I've got no problem admitting that everybody knows that. In fact kind of you know. So, long story short,
I called Brandon earlier today. I was like, hey, man, just wanted to see if we're still uh, if we're still good for Thursday, because I did see a Facebook post that said that that and I you know that Pat Kelsey was gonna throw out the first pitch, and I said, look, I'm not asking for any of you all to promote that I'm gonna be there because look,
I trust me. But I said, if there was like a error, if you if you double booked, if maybe there was some kind of uh, you know, miscommunication, Like look, if you got to move me to a different date, if you know you want me to come out, and you know, just be there and give me a ticket and not have me throw, like just let me know. And he was like, oh, no, it's good, We're good. This has been the plan. We're gonna have two. He's gonna he he's also gonna throw out a first pitch.
I don't know how it's gonna work as far as when we're gonna do what. But what if you did him at the same time. I don't know how that. I mean that would you know that'd be tough for the catcher. I mean, so sometimes they pull out two catchers.
They really they do double case pitches and it doesn't happen very often.
I wouldn't want to do that, but you know, because I mean we can. I mean, I'd be honored, actually, but like you know, I'm trying not to embarrass myself that much. And I have no clue if Pat Kelsey's got any heat he can bring. I mean, I'm sure he threw out a first pitch at a little baseball game this past year when he got hired. So it's still on. But like you know, like if they do one by one, like imagine the up the roaring crowd for one Pat Kelsey and then me with like, who's this guy.
It does seem odd to do too at the same time like that.
Yeah, so I don't I don't know what happened as far as how there's two. Here's my guess. You know, Pat Kelsey probably is a guy that his schedule fluctuates, right, like, you know, maybe he was gonna be he was going to be doing the first pitch at some point for them, but he didn't really know a date to do it because he's recruiting, he's traveling, you know, he's trying to get Louisville basketball back on track. So my guess would
be is that and I guess this probably. I just wanted to confirm this before I started, you know, yapping in my trap because I talked about the promotions going on. It's like tomorrow or Thursday. I'm sorry if you go to if you go to the game from five thirty. Let me just make sure I get this right, because I don't want to be given wrong information about these great promotional promotions that they have at the Louisville Bass game. So yeah, so here we go, here's the it's college night.
So Pat Kelsey is a college basketball coach here, so that makes that makes a little more sense. But again it'll be let's see. Yeah on Thursday, says all, hail U OFL. Come celebrate the Cardinals at Louislle Slugger Field with a special moment as a member of the UFL community steps up to the mound, I throughout the first pitch. That is not me. It's got to be Pat Kelsey. I mean, I am in the Louisville community, but you know, come on. So anyways, Thursday, Thursday, two dollars Miller Lighting
Corps light from five thirty to eight thirty. And also, uh, if you are a student, college student, you can doesn't doesn't I don't think it has doesn't have to be U of L. Can just be a college student in general. Maybe you go to JCC, maybe you go to Bellermant, Spaulding wherever. I use Southeast. Uh, if you have your student idea as a student, you can get six dollars
general admission, So there you go. So, uh, you know, I'm still appreciative of the of the of the opportunity here to to, you know, throw out the first pitch. But I was worried there for a moment that like, I'm gonna have to walk it back, which wouldn't be the end of the world. It would just it would just be kind of embarrassing to me because it could have been like, oh, yeah, they realized what are they
doing with this guy? He's a total clown. Which look, I think, you know, I could be a clown and still take part in it and have some fun. But anyways, I was worried, what do you think you think he's gonna be competitive?
I'm just curious if they're gonna have you do it together or if it's gonna be one after another. I just don't know.
I mean, make can you throw out the first pitch at like the seven thening stretch or something like, I don't, I don't know.
At that point it's like the sixtieth pitch.
Yeah, so we'll see, you know, we'll see. I'm not you know, I'm excited and again very appreciative of the opportunity to do it and looking forward to being there at slugg Or Field on on Thursday.
And you feel like there's more pressure to throw a good pitch.
Now, No, okay, I mean I haven't thought about it that way really at all. And I think some people, you know, my friends, my family, who've talked to me about it, they take that as if I'm like overly confident, and I'm like, no, that's not. I just I'm not like this is just something like just getting it at Like,
here's the thing. My goal is to just make sure I can get it within the vicinity of the plate to where the catcher whoever's catching this first pitch doesn't have to you know, like you know, run for it or just like not move it all because he realizes I'm six feet wide or something like that. Like that's kind of what I'm hoping to be able to do, and I feel that I am going to be able
to do that. It's not like I'm just all and it's going to be a brief I'm gonna walk up there and just you know, put it right across the plate in the strike zone, you know, looking like I belong like that. That's not where I'm coming from. However, to hear that it is sixty feet and six inches from the mound to the plate. That that that just hearing that number was a little intimidating. That seemed I mean, does that does that? I mean, did you know that
off the top of your head, sixty feet that's a lot. Yeah, I mean, like you know, visually in your head. Yeah, I just thought, like you know, And again, what I tried to do after I saw that it was sixty feet six inches. I tried to use the power of
the Internet. Google couldn't help. Maybe there's an AI tool that could help me when it comes to this, but just something to give me like a comparison, all right, like what else can you tell me from this to this visually that's also sixty feet six inches because just here in sixty feet six inches, I mean it sounds I mean, it is a little intimidating. But you know, we'll see what happens. By the way, the Bat's homestand
starts tonight. They're taking on the Gwynet Strippers and tonight's specials two dollars menu Nite two dollars hot dogs, popcorn, chips, and pepsi products. So there you go. They're in action tomorrow as well, and the it starts at six thirty five each of these next few days over there at Slugger Field. But tonight or tomorrow it's half price Senior Citizen tickets fifty five and older that's presented by Humana. And then they also have Baseball Bingo as their game highlight.
So again, get out to Slugger Field. Could you get better weather in August for some baseball? Come on now, you kid, meet cold beer, ballpark, delicious food, the Bats themselves always great promotions going on. So again big thanks
to Greg galli At and the Louis Bats. All Right, so that's not like what I wanted to talk about today when I told you guys, you know, I got some things I want to discuss, and I rarely get into like, you know, rumor, like bringing a rumor to the airwaves and making it a topic because you know, back in my day, John, when I was cutting my
tea in radio, I was told that was irresponsible. But like we live in a world now where that, like with Twitter, social media, you know, that really is a huge part of this platform, not meeting this show specifically, but like how many times have we discussed things that you know, we're either a rumor that people are either deciding if they believe it or not, or just something strictly hypothetical. I mean, that's that's what a lot of
this is. So as far as a potential last minute addition to the roster for Louisville football in hopes of, you know, trying to get by as best you can with Colin Lacy as he recovers from a broken collar bone, there's some noise out there, maybe some would say, some smoke about something something happening in the next couple of days to you know, to help them throughout that process. I will be honest, I have no clue if there's
any truth to it at all. But we'll get to that coming up here at about ten minutes when we get back from our first break. Also, there is a rare athletic director opening in August usually. I mean, in fact, I think you could make the case in the month for an athletic director's job to become open at a power type not a power but you know, a division one, a known university. I would say August would be the month that that's least likely to happen because that is
when the sports calendar starts in college athletics. But New Mexico they are looking for an athletic director. I don't know the specifics of what happened as far as you know why Eddie Nuniez is out. But he's out. Actually, here's why he's out, because he has taken He's taken the job at Houston. Didn't even know Houston had an opening. So anyways, the reason I want to bring this up is because New Mexico has an athletic director position open, and Rick Bittino is doing what he does every time
there's an athletic director position open. He's pumping his man, Tom Jurch. He wants Tom Jurich back in the game. Now. The connection here is Rick's son, Richard, happens to work in New Mexico. So I have no clue if New Mexico would consider him. But I'll explain this a little later on. I want this to happen so badly, and it's not because I just so badly wish Tom Jurich
could get another opportunity. Because I'll be honest with you, I don't I don't have a clue if Tom has pursued roles that he didn't get hired for I don't know if schools have pursued him, he's had no interest. I don't I have no clue about him not working as an athletic director since he left Louisville because of it being a hymn thing or because schools don't want it. I don't have no clue. But I kind of feel like what Tom like the game has changed? Right, It's wild?
It wasn't that long ago he was the athletic director here. What are we seven years removed from that whole thing coming to an end? I mean that it's kind of crazy to say that. It's like, damn had been that long? Has it? But then again, seven years in the grand scheme of things is not that long. But think about how much college athletics has changed in seven years. Think about how much college college athletics has changed in three four years. So, like, what made Tom Jurich really great
as an athletic director? I kind of feel like he is more important now than it ever has been because you know, he ran ul athletics like a guy who ran professional sports franchises, and like, say what you want about Tom, he was really good at it. So I have no clue. Again, another one of those things that it's you know, I don't know. I would Rick putting it out there makes me think that like he thinks that there's a potential chance they'd consider him. I mean,
his son works there. His son, you know, probably has a good relationship with his boss. I think Richard actually ended up signing a new deal with New Mexico once, uh, you know, once the whole Louisville thing ended up, you know, not happening, So we can take a look at that. Also, it's unfortunate we've got some Week zero issues. It may come as a surprise that a football team in the MEAC is having trouble getting their entire football program to Hawaii from Delaware, might not be able to make it.
It sounds like which again a football program with the MEAC budget wouldn't be a shocker that they don't have the resources for travel that you know, other programs would have. In fact, it really is kind of sick if you think about it, Like Hawaii, they're not a I mean, Hawaii is really sucked in football, I think recently. In fact, now I got to look it up because I'm curious. I know, nobody cares, but like Hawaii used to occasionally be sneaky good, but I feel like in recent years
they've really sucked. Here's what's happened. They've either been really really bad or I've bet on him and they've not come through for me. So I just I just say the hell with them. So it looks like last year, what were they last year? It doesn't share and eight last so five and eight, three and ten, a year before six and seven, the year before they did have a decent run there when Todd when when not Todd Graham, but Nick Rolovich was there who he has since moved on.
He's now the Uh he's now the head? Is he head coach? Yeah? He's well never mind he got he got himself into some trouble and at Washington stated I forgot about that. But anyways, back to like Hawaii is not Alabama, but like if you really think about it, think about the again, it's Hawaii. So therefore, like it's probably not a destination when it comes to like the view and the type of place you're gonna be at that you're dreading. But just think about the travel that
it takes to get to this place. And they're only going to get their ass kicked on a football field and bring home a check? Like what do you do? And like it's kind of sad, isn't it like that? Because that's what this is.
This is a bye.
Game and you know, you know you're not gonna win, you know that, but you gotta make this almost impossible trip from Delaware to if you want to keep the lights on for your program, Like is this Isn't this a really good reminder that like what are we doing? Like we need like the highest level of college football is professional sports. Now, let's just top to bottom, full transparency treated as such. I mean, am I being too harsh here?
No, you're not being harsh because I mean we talked about it a little bit yesterday. The journey from the east coast of the Cotton United States all the way to the Pacific for Hawaii, it just seems like they're they're kind of doing a little bullying on Delaware State's part. If you're Hawaii, well, I mean, but again, if you'll I mean, you got to get there first.
That's the caveat. You know, it would be an awesome story. And I'm not even kidding. If Delaware State won.
That would be a great way to kick off college football.
It'll be quickly forgotten, and I mean quickly forgotten. Nobody would care after Week zero that had happened. But like that would actually be one of the craziest things that I could think of this season potentially happening, just because again this is what was it thirty eight points spread or something like that. I have to look it up later, but it was something huge. Maybe wasn't that big. There's
a lot of points. It's kind of got me thinking, I'm not gonna throw it in a parlay because it it would crash, but I might put somebody sprinkle something a little small John on the Delaware You have a guess.
I think they're the hornets, the Delaware State hornets. I know Delaware like regularly now the Blue Hens, but I think this Delaware State's the hornets. If I'm not mistaken, how about you look at that?
Oh man, they got I don't mind, I don't I don't dislike their colors. Have you seen them? Is it like pink pink or something. No, it's a lighter red. It's certainly red, and it's a teal. It's kind of it's kind of like a different version of what you get with old miss Okay, it's kind of it's kind of spicy. I like it.
What was the record last year, trying to find any sort of man find them with the Delaware State Hornets.
Let's look it up. Gotten up to Delaware State last year? They went one in ten. They also lost to Bowie State University, which I don't I mean, is that a I don't know what that is, lost to Army fifty seven to zero, lost to Richmond six six to thirty eight. Yeah, they weren't good. In fact, they're one win came against Virginia University of Lynchburg, but other than that, they weren't good. So maybe I won't sprinkle anything on them to win
this game. But again, this isn't another reminder. You get a one to ten team who's traveling across the globe essentially to go pick up a check so the program can still you know, they're the ultimately budget week zero. Yeah, I mean, did you see the spread?
It is?
I didn't see the updated morning there's anything different. So yeah, I know it was close to that thirty eight that you mentioned.
I mean it might have been more than that because I remember, like it kind of stopped me in my tracks as we're discussing the spreads in these week zero games. Yeah, let's see Delaware State thirty eight and a half. Goodness gracious. Also something else we're going to get to here sooner rather than later. I wouldn't call it a controversy because it's just a matter of one person's opinion or ten
people's opinion. There is a brewery here locally that previously has partnered with U of L is still partner with you of L to my knowledge, and now they've partnered with UK, and that's got some Louisville fans like I guess sensitive to that, Like, you can't be you can't be making us an official beer cardon ale if you're also making something for those big blue bozos right, Like you know it's a rivalry. We're petty as hell. I wouldn't have it any other way around here when it
comes to the rivalry. But also, you know, as someone who understands you know, I don't want to say I'm an expert by any means, but like you know, marketing advertising, like you're in your best interest as a business to not alienate a fan of any team. So I've got a couple of different ways to approach this one. I do think there's a legit argument in regards to the difference here in their arrangements, which I'm trying to get.
I'm trying to get more information before I start yapping about it, because I do think there's one thing specifically that I need to know before I kind of decide, Okay, is this fair foul when it comes to Louisville fans
being a little upset with this brewery. But again, like you know, believe it or not, if I did a show every day that you know was nothing but nothing but red and if I find out, you know, somebody on the on the UK sides listening, I'm gonna I'm gonna have iHeart block their app from their phone, like they wouldn't be good for anybody. So anyways, we're loaded today, stick with us. It's coffee and Company fuel by Thornton's
right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. It looks like the Kentucky basketball program has released their upcoming schedule in full, which I feel like by the time you get the official schedule from you know, from a program, you you typically already know who you're playing for the most part, there's maybe a game or two against a Rando that you didn't know was on the schedule, And I guess more than anything you figure out the actual dates of
all these games. Well, the one game of I would assume any that will be circled more than any on the Kentucky schedule is when Cali Perry returns to Rapperena. That's gonna be a big game. H So it will be on February the first. That's a Saturday. So you know, if you want to make arrangements, if you're Kentucky, I mean, I don't know what you do, Maybe try your best
to get hold of some tickets. Maybe if you're Yeah, I mean, I don't know how Kentucky fans will go about it, but it will be on Saturday, February the first, at Roparaeno, when Cali Perry returns to take on a team he coached for you know, a long time, and the ending, the exit, the departure, it was I don't I don't even know, I mean I could. I mean, we talked about it quite a bit whenever it happened,
and it easily is the biggest storyline thus far. I think in the college basketball world in the offseason that Cal left Kentucky for Arkansas. But you know, it's it's bitter.
It's.
It's he he's at a competing school. Now he's cow so you know he's going to be spiteful. You know that he clearly, you know, in the end, didn't really like the Kentucky fan base, and he I think did a really good job of making that clear on many occasions. But he also is somebody that you know, for a good chunk of whenever he was there, he was worshiped, and he's always been loved by his fan base. They just kind of, you know, it'd run its course, that's
the best way to describe it. So if Cal, you know, retired and then, I mean, it's just weird. So like there's no doubt in my mind he'll get booed, right, Like he'll get boothsolutely he's there to beat and he's now a competitor. He's now the enemy, not in a way of like he's enemy number one, but like he's in the sec and he's you know, he's trying to beat your brains in, and Mark Pope's going to be trying to beat his brains in can he Payne if he was involved, he would only want to win by one.
By the way, Kenny Payne will be there too. Man, you think Louisville fans will go to the game and just just yell at Kenny. I mean, I wouldn't encourage anybody to do that, and I don't think anybody would, but like, you know, I just there'll be people that like, here's what if I was just looking ahead and I could predict the future, and let's say I'm, you know, a fly on the wall at Rupperena on February first, when Caliperry and Arkansas are there, you'll hear a mixture
of both. But I do think they'll be more booze than cheers. Agree, yes, And I also think that there'll be some people that'll kind of turn around that aren't booing and kind of be like, come on, really.
It'll be a very awkward Yeah, it's awkward.
That's it's awkward. That's the best word to use. But again, it even though Kentucky fans are having to get used to such a different way of things and it's refreshing for them in a way, I'm sure that Pope is more relatable. He is definitely all about the brand being
Kentucky and not just the brand being cow. You know, he's gonna recruit differently, He's going to play a different style that you know, won't look like he's got a bunch of future and be a PA on his roster, but it'll be more fun to watch and it'll certainly be more modern when it comes to, you know, how the game is played as we speak. But Cal does big time things. He's a big time guy, and that's
why he wins the off season every year. No doubt in my mind, had Cal come back this year, there's still there'd be angst, there'd be fans having a hard time really saying, yeah, we're gonna go get number nine. But he would do the Cal type of stuff in the offseason, all that sizzle, all that hype that he produces, and you'd be thinking, all right, we got our guy. I mean, he Cal's our guy. Come on, he's Cal Like he's a larger than life figure within college basketball.
And there aren't that many people left, So I don't know really honestly, More than anything, I think comes down to where each team is at that time. If Cal is really struggling in his new home, and maybe there's some noise out there nationally when it comes to college basketball that maybe Cal didn't realize. You know, Kentucky was a big factor and why he usually kept them towards
the top in this sport. Obviously didn't win when it mattered in the tournament in a long time, but you know, and if that's how he's doing, and Mark Pope looks like he's got a team that may not be the best in the SEC, because that's probably gonna be Alabama, but they look like a surefire tournament team, top twenty all year. I think at that point, you know, maybe they're not as willing to boo him. No matter what,
there's gonna be some booze. But like if he's on top of the world and he's he's got it rolling, which, let's be real, usually in February he does, and he did last year. In the year before that, it's just been you know, in the tournament recently, he completely flamed out in a way you can at a place like Kentucky.
But in those two years, let's be real, last year and two years prior, I mean, for a good chunk of the season, they were viewed as one of the best teams in the country and that that has value until March. So you know, if he's he's got it rolling. And there's some clear grit owing pains with with Mark Pope and maybe you know, you look like a middle of the pack SEC team at best, that looks like your tournament, looks like you're gonna be in the tournament
on February first. But you know, you know, if you don't take care of business, you could easily turn to a bubble team. Like that's a scenario where I think there'd be more energy to boo his ass out of the building. And there's some fans that are just gonna say, look, I love cal appreciated everything that he did. I kind of wish he wouldn't have left. But you know what, he's at Arkansas now we got Mark Pope, so he's the enemy. I'm gonna boo him. I'm gonna hold up
a sign that says he sucks. I'm gonna make fun of him, like you know, like everybody's different.
I think he's gonna want to get booed. And I think the week leading up to that game, when they have you know, their their pre cop their pre game press conference a few days before, he's gonna say something to the Arkansas media that will get up here to Kentucky and fire up the UK fans. Why do you think he wants to be booed, Because that's just it's more attention for him. It becomes a talking point, and that's that's how he is.
Yeah, But also I mean, I I don't I think that I think that's valid in regards to he likes being the villain and now you know, this is a chance for him to be the ultimate. Like Cal probably got a little bored with like the rivalry stuff because he honestly owned Louisville and the rivalry and you know, like Kay's gone, he really saw Coach k is a guy he wanted to stick it to, you know, Rix and Saint John's there's not really any kind of connection
there anymore. So like maybe this does give him some new life, Like he's going to be so motivated and fired up to come and stick it to Kentucky now that he's at Arkansas. And I do feel like that is that is probably how he's wired. But since he left, if you remember, like he's thrown the occasional tweet out there, about Kentucky that like kind of insinuated that he misses him, you know what I mean, Like, I'll see if I
can dig up some stuff. But like you know, he had tweeted something about the craft of the Craft family at some point. You know, he had talked about, you know, about how he was back in Lexington and you know, we'll we'll always love it there and we have so
many and family, this and that. So you know, like I think, deep down, once you know, because say this about Cal's a competitor, and once you know, once the lights are on, I don't mean like you know him out there playing, but once college aback, once the season is rolling along, he's clearly you know, wired to win. He wants to win. But when he's thinking about, Okay, we're not the best, but I want to be better than this team, he's going to be thinking about Kentucky.
And I think that's just that's not even Calby and cal That's a normal competitive interaction as a human being, I would think. So, you know, there's a part of me that says he wants them to boo and he wants to crush it at at Arkansas, not just because he wants to win, and he's a competitor and he wants to maybe you know, further his legacy, but I think he also wants them to wish they would have appreciated him a little bit more. There's no doubt about it.
He felt unappreciated towards the end. He was and again not to get into this whole thing that we discussed quite a bit during the departure and whatnot, but he could not believe that when the pandemic happened and they were that bad, that like he was getting criticized, because honestly, before then, there really wasn't much criticism out there for cal Like even in a year where they went thirty eight and one and lost in the final four, that was a gut punch and it's still probably the worst
Kentucky loss that a lot of their fans have ever experienced. But even if you were like a lunatic about it, you can't look at that year and say that it was anything other than a spectacular once in a lifetime season. It just happens that you fell short, two games short, and a lot of times like again, here's here's the way I feel like Kentucky fans were psychologically dealing with cal before the pandemic, because really pandemic season, they were terrible.
I mean they were god awful, right, And then after that they came back the next year and that was the first year of chiwe was it not twenty twenty two? Yeah, and they were really good. Lost to who was it that was Saint Peter's. Saint Peter's. And then they come back the next year. They weren't great in the regular season, but they were good, got a six seed, lost in the second round to Kansas State, and that's where it felt like, okay, okay, like this is slipping Cal, this
is slipping. You gotta do something. And then the next year they were good, like they were fun to watch at times too, because they have they had three of the best shooters, not only in the country, they statistically had three of the best shooters that ever played at Kentucky. In fact, I don't know if that stat held up or not, but at one point the three best shooters in Kentucky history as far as three point field goal percentage were three guys on that team that never played together,
Rob Dillingham, Reed Shepherd, and Antonio Reeves. So they were good last year and could have beat anybody as far as personnel, but they did the one thing you can't do, lose in the first round to a fourteen seed. Were they a three seed last year? I think they were right. Yeah, So, like you know, that's it was quite clear why they were criticizing him in that era pandemic and then after. But before that, they were always really good and they would end up losing to teams in the tournament that
more often than not. You felt like they were better there, Like they should have never lost to Kansas State in the Sweet sixteen, shouldn't have lost to West Virginia in his first year with John Wallen DeMarcus Cousins. They lost to KIMBA that second year, that was probably justified. They won it. The next year they made the n IT against Robert Morris. He kind of got a pass for that one because he did bring them their first title
in a long long time. And then you know, in fourteen, they weren't that good in the regular season, but man, they made it all the way to the championship game before losing the Yukonic team. Again, they shouldn't have lost to They lost to Auburn in an Elite eight game where an Auburn team that had played that same Auburn team played him like a month before and got killed, meaning Auburn got killed. They lost to Carolina the year
Carolina won it. That was a good team that just lost on a last second shot, and whoever won that game probably would have won it all and it was Carolina, so when they had good seasons but it fell short later in the tournament, even though it came against the team that you know you were better than. Here's what they would always say, Well, I mean stuff like, here's random. I mean it's like, is it like terms random? It's just random? And I remember thinking, yeah, there's some randomness
to it, no doubt. But also, how many random teams win a national championship. I can't think of any. Yukon. We can't call them random anymore. They won it in twenty fourteen, which is the most unexpected tournament victory I've ever witnessed as far as winning at all. But they're Yukon, right It's not like it's Vandy, so I think there are little or they're Kentucky fans right now that like don't really know what to think about cal like they
cause again I'll put it this way with Rick. If you know, if Rick starts to becoming like the ultimate UK guy, I'm not gonna like that. I'll understand it because again, like I think people here forgot, like, yeah, it makes total sense for Rick to want to see Mark Pope dou Well a Kentucky. He won a championship there, was beloved there, and his former player who won a title and was a captain is now the coach, like
you know, like that's a part of his story. But with Rick, even whenever I felt like he was involved, like the day that it happened, and you realize, man, we kept this guy and he's got another scandal that could potentially bury the program like we've never seen before, eligible for the death penalty. Like I was angry, but like I also still love the guy because he coached Louisville, a program that I love as a fan, and more
often than not we had great times with him. It's unnatural, I think, to flip a switch and just loathe someone and we don't know these people personally, so like I don't know, maybe you can do that because you realize, hey, this isn't real life, this is just him as a coach. But like you know, I think they're Kentucky fans right now. They don't really know how they're gonna feel about Cal
in ten years. And honestly, it probably depends on how this next era plays out for him, right Like, if he's at Arkansas and he's winning big and he's rubbing it in your face, which he might do he's col then it's probably gonna change some things. All right, quick break, we'll come back. Keep this thing rolling along. It's coffee company. We are feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk
seven ninety. Not something you typically see in college football from a power for program, but given the program and the current situation it's said program. I can't say I'm surprised. Deon Sanders has lost one of his one of his coordinators, you know, right before the season starts. And I will admit, you know, I haven't seen any any specific reason as to why, but his special teams coordinator has is no longer around. I go, well, let me back up, I don't.
I don't think they call him the special teams coordinator, but he's the only he's the only analyst staff member on the staff for Colorado that is specifically it is specifically a special teams guy. So Trevor Riley, I think it's how you say that former NFL player, he's he's resigned from the staff at Colorado. Now, if it comes out that he resigned because you know, he got in trouble for something, or there's some kind of a scandal,
totally different situation. But would anybody be shocked if we find out this guy's like, yeah, I'm out of here. This is a circus. This guy is the worst. This guy is a little too much to work for. So I don't know. Again, I'm trying to find more here to see if there's any you know, legitimate reason that's given. But the reports that I'm seeing all say that, hey, unexpected, you know, move says here that Colorado stafford Trevor Riley, who oversaw special teams, is no longer on the staff.
This is from, by the way, the Colorado Buffalo's beat writer for the Boulder Daily. I mean, that's that's the Bolder Daily. That's that's got to be the big paper in town and Boulder, Right, it has to be Bolder Daily. Guys, it's like the CJ of Lowell. Right, So he oversaw special teams no longer for the program, and his source here would not comment on whether he resigned or was let go. It has since been confirmed he did in
fact resigned, but they did elevate somebody. Uh, you know, I guess to take this to take this role randomly. It does say that he was recently. This this exact, I mean this, This is kind of wild. I'm reading here, getting from the tweet from Brian Howell, who again is the beat writer for Colorado for the Bolder Daily. It's fun to say Bolder Daily. It's like Boulder das Bolder Daily. I barely know her anyway. He's a former Jets linebacker.
But somebody posted it. Somebody shared a tweet underneath this post about him departing the Colorado staff, saying that he was recently at a Hawaii football practice and he is the older brother of ex Hawaii quarterback Bo Riley, so he looks says he played under Hawaii football defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman in New York, So you know, maybe he's maybe he's leaving to go to Colorado, and maybe if he's got a flight, he can throw the Delaware State
team on his flight. If he's leaving out of New York he played for the Jets. Maybe there were on something here. I don't know, but I'm telling you what happens with Colorado is like, well, believe let's let's let's throw it out here and maybe we'll remember to bring
this up down the line. Maybe we won't. But what what record could Colorado have that keeps them from being like let me rephrase that, what record could would Colorado need to have for them to be talked about at minimum in the world of college football, Because if they're really good or really bad, they're gonna be talking about a lot, right, Yes, I happen to think they're gonna
be talking about a lot regardless. But if they're like five and seven, I still feel like there'll be a lot of heat on Dion because of how he carries himself and because of you know, like, let's be honest, like, you can't say you're going to be a college football playoff team. You can't have your players acting as if they've already won sixteen national championships. Like again, we talked
about it a few weeks ago. When you carry yourself the way that they do, you need to win or you're just it's human nature for others to just want to clown you and put you in your place and humble you. But I don't think humble is something that like anybody within Dion Sanders orbit can can probably like, I don't think they don't know what that is, you know what I mean? Like if they're six and six, are they still gonna be talking about you.
Think, Yeah, they'll get mentioned that they're in a bowl and then maybe they're taking a step forward.
That'll fiss me off.
Yeah, And I'm sure Dion will continue to act like they're on a crash course or a collision course with the national championship. Shout out Howard Snellenberger, but shut out. I mean, we'll see, we'll.
See man like he got. I mean, the way he acted at that press conference coming off of a four and eight season, and he was bothered that in his first year in the Big Twelve when he has four wins and eight losses as an FBS coach, Like he's that distraught that CBS Sports happens to think that he might be the second worst coach right now in the
Big Twelve based off of performance. Like with Dion, there's so much flash and sizzle, but he also delivered as a player and made him the larger than life superstar I think in coaching, because he's not out there making plays like he doesn't understand, and he's putting together really really good rosters, right, Like I mean they recruit, well, they kill it in the portal all that stuff. Yeah, I mean his kids are great, so they tell me so.
Like it's like he doesn't really understand that winning is attributed to him, losing is attributed to him. He's the coach now, because he's still acting like he's Prime. I mean he is. He's not become a different person, but like Prime is a coach and Prime as a player not the same thing. All right, quick break, we got two hours to go. It's coffee and companies. Stick around.
We'll talk a little more Lowell football on the other side, because I do want to discuss this rumor out there about a potential addition here to the roster at the last minute. That would be a name a lot of you, in fact, everybody I'm sure would be familiar with. So we'll talk about that in a lot more. It's coffee and company. Feel about Thorton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety