It's time for coffee and company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine days Now, here's Nick Coffee.
All right, our number two here on a Tuesday afternoon Coffee and company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. Thank you for hanging out with us. We appreciate it. Don't forget you could take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the radio app listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com. And let's get it started here with the very special guest that joins us each week. Here, it's mister Kendrick Haskins from Wave three Sports. Kendrick, how are we doing today? Brother?
I'm doing great. I was just at a gas station. It's not your major sponsor, shone, no give the name, but they play opera music and they blar it really yeah. It's on Lower Brownsboro Road and they just blair opera music all day long.
I'm curious. I'm curious if that is a if that's just the person working that's their preference, or if maybe that's just the kind of vibe they're trying to give off there. That's it that it certainly stands out and everybody's trying to stand out in some way, so maybe that is maybe that is their uh maybe that's what they're going for. But uh yeah, opera music's pretty chill, right.
Yeah, I mean it definitely is soothing and calms you down. You know, this area can be a little shady sometimes.
Maybe it's well, I want to ask you before we get to Louisville and their first test that's coming up, We'll get to Kentucky first, just because that was an impressive and very unexpected performance from them where they were. I mean, again, I've said it all week. The if you took everything away that you already knew about each of these two programs and these two teams, and you just watched what you what you watched on Saturday night, you'd say these two teams were pretty comparable.
No. Yeah, And I wasn't surprised that Kentucky played. I knew they were gonna play much better than they did the week before. I was surprised that they were right there where they should have won the game. I wish they would have been a little bit more aggressive and fourth down, but I wasn't surprised they made it a game. I was surprised they made it that much of a game.
Stoops's decision not to go forward on fourth has been the biggest talking point from this game, and he's continued to double down. I didn't hear any of his coaches show last night, but I know his press conference and he kind of emphasized that, you know, the way they played, I mean, really, his conservative approach really was why they were in the game, and that's really a big part of why they've been successful. But to me, it just as an outsider and somebody who's not a UK fan
and I'm happy Georgia one. Just to be honest with everybody here, I just think it was a very It's almost like you weren't really trying to win. And that sounds crazy because everybody's trying to win. But if you really, just if you really weigh the most likely outcome from each of those two decisions to either go for it or it away, I mean, I feel like there's way
more up. There's way more opportunity for you to see yourself on the winning end of that game if you get the first down there rather than just punting it away to them, right.
And I feel like he's because by his answer yesterday. They asked him because you know, his hand, him and his offensive coordinator has had plenty of success on fourth down when he was at Boise State, and Stoops's answer was like, well, we're not playing uh, the Mountain West, We're playing Georgia. And I'm like, okay, right, right, I mean, you're playing Georgia, which means you should be going for it. Because you're playing Georgia, what do you have to lose.
You're expected to lose the game anyway, at least go out fighting. I get it that, you know, his conservative ways kept him in the game, but sometimes you do have to stick your chest out and you know, go for it and show them you know what and do it.
And and look, yeah, he trusts his defense and and they were doing really really well in that game, and they were, I mean, they were great. But you know, at that point, when you've got a fourth and long, even though it's unlikely that you get a first down, it's improbable, you still have some control there. If you'd have punted it back to Georgia, which he did, and they just instead of them, you know, running clock and
it playing out the way it did. Let's say Georgia's offense decided to wake up, and you played great defense, but you know what, Georgia kind of realized who they were and put one of the end zone pretty quickly. That would not have been a surprising outcome. In fact,
nobody should be surprised because it's Georgia. I just feel like you gave up control and really just you know, it just it was a I think it was a weak thing to do, and I get why fans are super critical, and I I know that Kentucky fence probably feel much better about their team now than they did,
even though they did lose that game. But I think his decision there and his continuing to you know, double down on it, it's kind of maybe taking a little bit of the attention away from how well they played and how that's could maybe spring you know, put their
get their season heading in the right direction. Not to say that won't be the case, because there's a lot of positives to take from it, but like, it was such a Mark Stoops thing for him to let his conservative play calling and stubbornness kind of become a bigger part of that story rather than just being like, Hey, this Kentucky team, they just took Georgia to the wire.
Right, I mean, I get it. I mean he you know, he asked to answer the question, but I mean I'm just like, he's got to go for it right there. I mean, that's Lane Kivin is, Lane kenvin Is. He totally goes for it right there. You know, Nick Saban goes for it right there. That's the difference between those guys and you know, the smaller programs, because those guys know that there's sometimes you got to be a conservative, but sometimes you just have to throw cafts into the wind and go for it.
Yeah. I was, you know, I was. I was not surprised to see that he did, in fact hunted away just because that's his style. Yeah, yeah, no, but nobody really was. And uh, it just I don't know. I guess what Before we move on to Louisville, I think the answer to this question I'm about to ask is obvious. Right, They're not probably gonna be able to play as well as they did against Georgia every night out, but they're clearly a lot better than what they showed in that
South Carolina embarrassment. What do you think is reasonable to expect from this team moving forward, because they're now one and two and they still have a lot of really good teams on their schedule, nobody as good as the team they just nearly beat. But I guess, you know, do you think this could still be a team that finds themselves around seven maybe eight wins?
I think eight might be a little bit optimistic. I think they can get up to seven. It's gonna be tough, though, because and it's not even a knock on them, it's just their schedule is insane. I mean, They've got they have Texas, they have Missouri, you know.
Ole miss and let's say Louisville ends up having a great year. I mean, yeah, their schedule is really tough, no doubt.
Yeah. I mean because they and even Florida, even though they've kind of owned that series of late, it's in Gainesville, and it's it's further down the schedule, and you never know, if Florida's got the athletes and the talent, they could wake up and you know, play a decent game. So yeah, They're schedule is so hard. They was going to be tough to get the seven wins anyway, So I think they can, but it's gonna be hard all right.
Let's switch gears here. Louisville. They've not been tested at all. I mean, they had two nobody's on the schedule, took care of business, looked solid in both those games, then had the rare win weird bye week in September, which you know, I guess it's now gonna be the norm because they're gonna have two bye weeks every season with the expanded playoff. But this match up with Georgia Tech, like, I mean, their double digit favorites. Obviously, Georgia Tech has
played Florida State, won that game. It doesn't look as good now as it did when they pulled it off. They did have that loss to Syracuse. I mean, what are you what's your expectations for this one? I mean, I I kind of feel like we know a little more about Georgia Tech than we do Louisville, and I think fans around here are justified and feeling good about their team. But the reality is this, they haven't been tested in any way.
Yet, right, And I think that ten point spread is a little big. I might have to get in on that one, but they I think they'll play well. I love when they played Georgia Tech because it gives me an excuse to show their shot Lebron with their goosey helmet on after they beat them last year. Yes, I telled it last night. I show it every time I get a chance. But uh, I think they'll be good. Hans King is a problem though, because I mean, because he can get out and run, he can throw the bay.
He's a really good quarterback. He's the best by far quarterback they've played so far, and so you got to kind of uh contain him. Which the way they defense, way we think, way we think this defense should be this year. I think they should be able to which they say we haven't really been able to tell it as much so far, but we know that those guys are good, and so if they play up to their expectations and coming into the season, I think they'll be fine.
But guess it's by far the toughest game they've had so far.
What do you think the crowd's going to look like? I mean, I think this is not like a huge game, right, It's not Notre Dame level or Kentucky level from a year ago. It is the opener. Weather's going to be looking like it's on our side. You're coming off at ten win season. There's clearly a lot of good mojo with the Louisville football program right now in the fan base. But we also have a humongous music festival going on, and I have no clue what to expect as far as the turnout.
And I can tell you what's gonna be terrible. The traffic traffic right around there is gonna be awful.
But you think it'll be more so bad when people are leaving the game or going to the game.
Both, probably both, but most that game.
Is gonna the festival is gonna be I guess really just getting going with the headliners, it's probably gonna be on the way there where it's just a mess.
Yeah, I think if that would be a mess regardless. You know, that's the good part of covering the games because we have to get posts and all that so we don't leave right right when everybody else is leaving. But I don't think it's gonna make a difference on Saturdays. But I hope the crowd is good. You just never know.
If you a U of L crowd, you just don't you'd expect, you'd expect, you could expect a huge crowd and it may not be that great turnout, and really that even matter what their own team is doing, they just won't worry about who they're because like even the awesome p game, I was surprised to see as many open seats as I did because it's the season opener. But you know, but then they might show up and it may be a pack half. You just never know.
Yeah, and I think now and I'm happy this has kind of become the talk. You know, not everywhere, I guess, but why there's always been such an emphasis on people that not that don't go to a game rather than those that do go to a game, And something I've never really been able to understand, especially if you're a fan and you're there and you paid, you paid money for a ticket and you show up and then you look around and see empty seats and like that, that
becomes something that impacts your experience. I just I can't relate, but you I now watch college football these last few weeks, and I can see that there are there are stadiums that don't have a full house. Wouldn't even be able to guess the amount of fans there, but they can it can still look like a really good atmosphere, like you can have a seventy five percent full stadium and it's still be a very big time home environment for you.
That should that'll have an impact on the game. And I don't know, I just I the tendance to talk has always been silly to me. But I'm with you. I think Louisville football maybe it's just because we're here and this is where we are and we've lived here our whole lives. But I'm telling you, you never know what Louisvill fans are gonna do as far as turnout. Now, I know, I do think we do big events, big games well, like if you you know, like Notre Dame
last year, Kentucky and Clemson when they came to anytime. Yeah, Miami, no doubt. But when it comes to the you know, middle of the pack conference team, it depends on a lot of things. Weather, traffic, mood, that kind of stuff.
Right which way the wind is blowing, and they just never know. Plus it is always acceptive because of that party deck and you look up and it may not be that many but at the top of the stadium, but the party deck is full. So that part is the season. But I mean, you work at stadiums around the country. Not every stadium was fulling when I was
watching Florida State for a bit. Of course they're struggling, but and then I know they're doing construction on their stadium, But there were a ton of efty seats at that game. And that's a traditional power that won the national championship not that long ago. So it's not just U of L. But yeah, we do seem to focus on it a lot around here.
Kendrick Haskins is our guest joining us here on Sports Talk seven ninety. All right, I'll I'll just get right to it. The Cowboys, man, Like what I mean, I don't even feel like you're probably not even surprised as to what happened, because I feel like last time we talked to you, you laid it out that like they really anytime they let you down, it's really not that big of a surprise, just because you've become kind of
numb to it. But I feel like the way they looked phenomenal in Cleveland to open up the season, they just paid Dak he looked great, and then to just come out at home and get embarrassed by a team that I'm not really sure is very good. Derek Carr. I mean, I don't know if he's great, but I mean, it's just it seems like this Brinson repeat.
Right, Yeah, that's Dallas. Soon when they get some positive pub and you know, people start saying, oh they're great, they start believing it, and then they do that. They Dallas is Dallas doesn't surprise me at all, and doesn't. And when they win big and they play well, that doesn't surprise me either. It's fair because they have the talent.
I mean, they definitely have the talent. I understand why every game when they do doubt talk about Dallas and defense, they talk about Michael Parsons and how fast he is and how talent it is, and he could play safety if they wanted him to. I'm like, well, how about we drop him back and covered sometimes just rushing the quarterback every play? How about that? But it's just Dallas they play. They play Lamar this week. That game could
go either way. Lamar desperately needs a win, so I counterfay Baltimore is going to win that game, but you never know, Dallas might come out win by four touchdowns. You never know.
What do you make of the Ravens tough start here. I mean, they did lose in a close game and a good showing it looked like in the opener against the Chiefs, and then of course not a great showing at home as they took on the Raiders. I get a little worried. You know, I'm not a Ravens fan by any means, but I want to see Lamar do well. Therefore, I guess by proxy I am kind of a Ravens fan. But second he left. If he was to ever leave, i'd be I'd support whatever team he's on. But I
worry they might have missed their win. Maybe that's an overreaction. It's just two games. They did just take the Chiefs to the wire, but you know, teams only have a certain amount of time where they can really cash in and make a Super Bowl and potentially win it. And I think their personnel's pretty good, right. I think Zay Flowers is a really good draft pick for him. Obviously, they've got Derrick Henry, who obviously isn't a young guy anymore but still a serviceable running back. And we know
what Lamar can do. I don't know, I feel like I'm overreacting a little bit, but they haven't. I mean, even when they did make that comeback against the Chiefs, like, I don't know if I'd say they played, they just haven't looked. They haven't looked the part yet.
They are so weird. I was a diehard Ravens fan that they would draft me pray because they blow leads. Yeah, every year. I mean, that was their problem last year. That's what happened on Sunday. If they get up and they.
Don't do well at coming from behind very often either well.
They're not built to come from behind. They're built to they're built to hold the leads because they're a defensive team and a rusting team. But they don't. And it's very odd. I don't understand it. You talk about Zay Flowers. I love that dude. I love that dude. When he was at Boston College and he'd beat you.
Oh yeah, and so I love it was a wild postgame show after that one, Kendrick, I can tell you that the one guy that you can't have beat you at Boston College did exactly.
That, right. It was like k Y Hilton all over again. Oh yeah, So I love that kid, and he's he's played great. I think there's they're still trying to figure out their tight end the limma, which is not a bad limit. I have that they have two great tight ends, so I think they're still kind of trying to find their identity on office. But the defense is supposed to mean it's the Ravens. That defense supposed to be good
every year. But they blow leads if they're up, if they're up going into the fourth quarter, it's time to tune.
In because they may blow it all right, real quick, a couple of questions for you, both on the NFL and in college football. We'll start with college here. As of right now, who do you think are the four best teams? I know the playoff is expanded, but who do you think of the four best teams in college football right now? That you've seen.
Texas. I'm still gonna keep Georgia up there despite Saturday then laying an egg. Tennessee looks really good, even though I never trust Tennessee whenever they could as soon as they play a big game, they usually they used to drop a ball. I had to edit myself, and then the forest kind of up in the air. Fourth team maybe Miami, but I'm leary about Miami because they haven't played anybody.
Yeah, Miami and Tennessee look insane right now, but I'm with you. We've been here before, maybe not to this level, but you feel like, okay, wow, they look like they've got something special. Maybe they're back, and then you know, they show that they're not. I think Ohio State has been a team that, you know, preseason top two by just about everybody, and I just I feel like they've not got a whole lot of love. But maybe it's just because they haven't played a really good team just yet.
Yeah, it's weird to say Ohio State fly hang under the radar, but they kind of are.
Yeah, yeah, i'd agree with that. Right on the NFL, who who would who have you seen that that you feel like, you know, like right now, if you had to give me four teams that you think are most likely to be in the Super Bowl, who would it be?
Chiefs? Of course? I know a lot of Bengals fans were mad about their past and experience, but it was as.
I'm with you, I'm with you, I mean, and here's what's crazy about that, Kendrick. The Chiefs. They probably get some calls that go their way that maybe other franchises don't. But the reason everybody think and I hate the Chiefs, by the way, but the reason everybody thinks that they're just the refs are in their in their favor, it's because what they do is when you do give them a chance, they make you pay for it. If you
screw up, they're gonna make you pay for it. That that's they're not getting every good break, but if they get a break, they'll bury you with it. And that's why it seems as if man, these gunners get everything.
It's human nature with fans, yep, this thing and every time there's a good team all the league won't stand to win, no matter it's the Chiefs. Now, it was the Patriots on Sunday, all right, Well, you know it's whoever's and and.
The reps and the Chiefs didn't make didn't make Jamar Chase completely lose his mind there for a minute.
Right, Well in his mind, the ref did because they didn't call them. Yeah, but it's really it's the Chiefs. And then everybody else has been so inconsistent. I guess the Bills, yeah, because they I mean, I mean they were blowing out Miami before too got hurt the forty nine ers, even though they lost to the Vikings. Still I still like the forty nine ers going forward and shout out to Sam Arnold. I mean that dude just came out of nowhere.
Yep.
And and then the fourth Yeah, maybe the Lions, but they let me down on Sunday yep.
Same here the Lions. There was a lot of the Lions were the team that I could understand. I think it was justified. They were getting a lot of love heading into this year because of the great season they had last year, you know, comparatively speaking to what they've done for so long. But they've they've they've not lived up to it just yet. Although it's early, a team that I just can't say that I think they're one of the best teams. But the Buccaneers have looked good.
Man have looked good. I felt like going to the season, either Detroit or Green Bay, one of them was going to take a step back from last year because they got so much hype, and I think I was like, one of them is gonna take a step back. But yeah, your Buccaneers, they have looked great. They're always good on defense. Baker Mayfield, he is so he is really good when he's healthy. He doesn't get the credit that he deserves,
but probably and probably kind of he did that to himself. Yeah, he has played really good since getting to Tampa Bay, and he actually played really good at Cleveland before he got hurt. So he's been super underrated. Yeah, I give you. Matter of fact, give me the Bucks over Retroy, especially since they went up there on Sunday.
There you go, Kendrick, you are the man. I appreciate you making time for it. I'm sure you're ready to turn on some more opera music and continue your Tuesday.
I just got to hang out at the gas station.
See if rather take care? All right, that's Kendrick Caskins from Way three Sports. Always appreciate him making time for us. Good stuff, quick break. We'll come back on the other side. Stick with the NFL because I mean it's quite clear who looks to be the worst team in the league right now, and that is the Panthers, as they've benched their quarterback this early in his career and he has
not played well. There's nothing statistically or even like visually that can make Bryce Young look any better, but the franchise that he is employed by I mean, I think we're in the midst of a franchise putting together a run to where and who knows. I don't know how they I don't see light at the end of the tunnel for them, but they are. They are very poorly run.
And just to see some of the decisions they've made and how they've backfired in recent years is I mean, I think it's an all timer when it comes to NFL teams just doing stupid stuff. So we'll get to that in a lot more. It's Coffee and company. Feel about Thorton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. All Right, so I remember this coming up on the show when
it happened around the time of the NFL Draft. It was the Panthers owner David Tepper, who if you remember last year, like last season, he went to the Jacksonville Jaguars game when his team played, and he threw a drink on a fan. Like it's crazy for anybody to do that, but like, this guy owns an NFL franchise and he threw a drink on a fan in attendance. I mean, I mean that alone is like wild behavior for anybody. But again, this is somebody who you would assume,
especially while on the job. I mean, if you're at an NFL game and you own one of the teams that is playing, I think it's fair to say you're on the job. But there was a sign that basically, I don't have the sign in front of me. I'm trying to google it real quick to see if it'll come up. But there was a restaurant in Charlotte, if you remember, and this story, I mean I remember, I know we talked about it, but I don't feel like it got the attention that deserved because it's just insane
behavior from an NFL owner. But there was a sign that was trying to just have some lighthearted fun because the Panthers, you know, they suck and they blame a lot of that on their owner, who's more involved than he needs to be. And it said something along the lines outside like come watch the draft here. Let's just
hope Tepper's not making the pick. So this guy stopped at the restaurant the owner of the Panthers, David Tepper, and walked in and asked who put the sign up, And when the manager came out to like let the no, like you know, to let to let you know, to let him know it was me, And then I think they're kind of laughing, thinking he's joking. He knocked the guy's hat off his head. You remember this John I story, Like, who does that? Like, you're lucky you didn't get your
ass beat. I mean not to say that anybody who gets the hat knocked off their head should respond by doing that, but like if you do, in fact, do that too a stranger and get dealt with, like you you can't blame anybody but yourself. I don't think so. I mean, he's he's the worst. He's the worst, and he's been in charge of this franchise for a long time now. I don't know when it was that he bought it, but you know he's he's not the GM. Yeah, here's what it was. The sign said, please let the
coach and GM pick this year, insinuating. He didn't even say Tepper's name. But he's that sensitive as an NFL owner, which is just crazy. So right now, the Panthers are the laughing stock of the NFL, and Bryce Young cannot really defend himself with his play because he's been that bad. But if you really, I mean, if you really consider the overall dysfunction of this franchise as far as how
they've handled trades and whatnot. Like, I don't know if anybody's set up to succeed there now they're not doing anything close to succeeding. But anyways, that restaurant, the Dilworth Neighborhood Grill, they're back with another sign. John got this. This one says Mayfield two and oh Donald two and O Rule three and oh Matt Rule who was their coach? Young oh and two? Because obviously Mayfield and Darnald have moved on not by their choice, I mean they were cut,
they were let go. They weren't I mean they weren't wanted, they were traded or they were waived. And Matt Rule, I don't know if he would ever been good as an NFL coach. Like again, here's what's crazy about all this, Like these guys are defending me, this this this neighborhood girls, defending the other guys that have moved on and had success,
not with a franchise owned by David Tepper. But like even if Tepper wanted to blame Matt Rule and blame Mayfield and Darnold, which those two guys never really got a chance to be the guy there. But my point is this, he's the one that employed them. So like by blaming and throwing people under the bus, when you're the one that brings them in and you make that decision, you're also blaming yourself. In fact, it's more on you than them because you trusted them and you got it wrong.
So it's just it's just it's crazy. I mean, this is one of the craziest things that you'll ever see. And this sounds like an exaggeration, but I believe what I said. I believe I believe what I believe. It is this crazy. So they they have traded players like Christian McCaffrey, DJ Moore, Brian Burns, those guys like in the prime of their career. That's not we're not even talking about like Darnold who's having great success in Minnesota
and Baker who looks phenomenal with the Buccaneers. But those other guys were in the prime of their career when they got traded from the Panthers, and in those deals, the Panthers actually gave up more first round picks than they received in return. All three of those players were twenty six years old or younger when they got traded away, like he's blowing up and starting over, but getting rid of guys who like that. The franchise is so in upt they don't even really realize what they have until
it's gone. And they gave up, like they they gave up more first round picks than they received in return with the acquisition and the you know, the transaction essentially of McCaffrey, Moore, and Burns. It's crazy. I mean, they've led for all of ten seconds in the last ten games, and he purchased the franchise, by the way, in twenty eighteen.
I didn't realize that that's what I wanted to look up because if remember they were in the Super Bowl with Cam Newton, and I thought with Ron Rivera, they had a pretty decent situation, right, they were never going to be an elite team. They're a smaller market and they're just not you know, they're the Panthers. But they really are at a bad way now. They are officially the worst team in the NFL since he took over, which was in twenty eighteen. They're thirty one and seventy.
So that loss coupled with the Jets win over the weekend makes that the worst record in the NFL in that span, And I mean, who would like if you've got options as a free agent and money's relatively similar, why would you go there? And that's what's crazy is
that Arch Manning. You know, he's believed to be the top quarterback that's going to be taken when he's eligible for the draft, which won't be until not this up, it'll be twenty twenty six, which, by the way, they already have a there's all kinds of twenty twenty six mock drafts out there, which is crazy. But again I guess it's not crazy. It's the NFL. The content is endless year round. But if you think the Manning crew, the Manning clan, they weren't gonna let Eli play in
San Diego for the Chargers. You think they're gonna let Arch Manning play with David tep Road and that team in Carolina. Not a chance. And this guy has shown with his behavior to be defensive and you know, want to do things on his own rather than letting the guys. He pays a lot of money and he employees make decisions, So like, I don't see him caving, Like, I bet, I don't think this guy thinks any of this is
his fault. And what's crazy when you are the owner, it all starts with you, like you are literally in control of the whole thing. But you could at least have a little bit of, you know, of a pass if you hired these me it's still be on you because you're You're the one making this these decisions. You're the one that has influencing your GM and your coach. But if you stayed out of it and it was all them making the mistakes, you'd get a little bit
of the ben of the doubt. Not to be not that you're a good owner, but they're like, hey, he just keeps picking the wrong guys. This guy's picking the wrong guys. Actually that I think that actually makes it worse. Wouldn't agree, John, Players and personnel, like gms and coaches have moved on and been and been okay. Whereas you know, when they were with him, they probably weren't even allowed to do anything because he was he was the one in control. They were leased up. Yeah exactly, So yeah
they are. They're in a bad way, and makes me not it makes me not as mad at my coltso I think also are a bad team that's going to have you know, I mean we lost him Alik Willis the other day.
Now by the way they made draft Quinn you Weres from Texas this year, if they get the first round pick.
If they end I mean again, like it's rare that a that a player will truly refuse to go to a team that wants to draft him. I mean, it's happened, but it's really really rare, and you've got to have a lot of You've got to have a lot of like proven value in order to be able to pull that off. I think, and there was talk that maybe Caleb Williams would do that because of just the way he handles himself and like you know, he's kind of a diva. But he didn't do it with the Bears.
But I feel like any like any quarterback that is petitionally is potentially going to be taken by the Panthers and David Tepper like you don't. I mean, again, you have no control because if you want to work within the league, you have you know that. I mean, it's not easy to do. But I wouldn't blame any of them if they're like again, this is what it could be. If you've got eligibility left, why not come back to college so you don't end up going to play for
that franchise. Because this has always been the case. No matter how good you are, you can't do it all by yourself. And even if you you know, can make a team better, because if you're God given a ability and talent like you got to have for things to really have a high ceiling in the overall success to be there, not just individually, but to where as a franchise things are running well, you're winning when it matters, You're making deep runs into the postseason, maybe winning championships.
Like you got to have a good organization. Bad organizations don't win Super Bowls or NBA titles, they just don't. They got to be well run. Personnel matters more than anything, right, If you don't have good players, good luck, you need good coaching. But the best scenario to find a squad that looks like, man, they're really put together. They got a good coach, they got a good GM they've really
drafted well. It all starts with the owner at the top who finds the right people and lets them do their job, and a lot of owners just get in the way, Like, for example, Dak Prescott just got a ton of money from the Cowboys, and he's better than a lot of quarterbacks. But is he worth the money that he got. I mean, by definition, he is because
the Cowboys gave it to him. However, if it was just a GM that had full control and not Jerry Jones, they probably wouldn't have given him that and nobody would
have blamed them. So if you like, if I owned a pro team in sports, which I never will, but if I did, I would want to have what's the fun in having a pro team if you don't have any involvement Right now, with that said, a lot of the people that are insanely rich for other reasons they're good in business, or they wouldn't be in the position to buy NFL franchises or buy into ownership groups that
own these professional teams. But like that's not your experience, like your background is not running an NFL team as far as personnel or an NBA team. Owners never really get talked about unless they're visible, like Robert Kraft with the Patriots obviously, Jerry Jones with the Cowboys, or you could be like David Tepper, who's not really known for anything other than being a terrible owner and a guy who doesn't really behave like you'd expect an NFL owner
to behave, but they are. I mean again, some of the best owners are probably the ones that just have the money and they stay out of the way. Right. This thing makes a lot of money. That's the reason it was evaluated as a multiple billion dollar business when I bought it. So I'm gonna stay out. I'm gonna make a big investment, and I'm going to cash in because this thing's gonna make a lot of money. David
Tepper had the money, got involved in. I'm sure there's still a lot of money to be made in owning the worst team of all time, even if that ends up being the Panthers. But still just to not something you typically see in professional sports really at any level, an owner that is just this inempt. And if I'm a Carolina Panthers fan, I don't know how you find or can see light at the end of the tunnel here. All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side.
Wrap up the four o'clock hour, keep this thing rolling along again. It's coffee and company, we are feeled about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety so, the Chiefs Bengals game on Sunday drew an average of twenty seven point eight million viewers, making it the most watched
September game since nineteen ninety eight. So twenty six years ago is the last time in the NFL had a Sunday game with more viewers than that matchup between the Bengals and the Chiefs, which of course is a I mean, if you like, the Bengals are starting to revert to the Bungles again, to where, yeah, they've got a quarterback who has really given him some swagger, helped him go to the super Bowl, and he's got a great receiver that he's paired with that he was teammates with in college.
I mean, Chase and Burrow. That's a hell of a duo. And I still think the world of Borough. I think he's a great quarterback and you know he'll be fine. But the way in which they let that game get away is a very Bungles thing to do, Meaning when the Bengals just aren't even I mean, I'm sure they were pissed, as any fan would be if that's how you lose. But I feel like there's a lot of Bengals losses over the years pre Borrough era that like they know it's their own fault and they just can't
get out of their own way. The one that comes to mind for me was the playoff game against the Steelers back in I guess would have been in twenty twenty sixteen. And they've had many of other situations like that too, it seems like. And the Bengals, again, I've always talked with this, They've always been good at making fun of themselves because they, you know, would just I guess laugh to keep from crying. And then they got Burrow.
He gave him a nice shot in the arm, and then within a couple of years they're in the super Bowl and they've been a good team really since then, although last year things kind of fell apart with injuries and whatnot. But to see the penalty on Chase just losing his cool because you know, he thought he got held and they didn't call it. And I have no clue if he's worried about the contract situation. He's still
out there playing. I mean, I wouldn't, I just I don't think you can just all right, I'm gonna go out here and play, but I'm gonna let my emotions get the best to me because I'm upset up. I mean, you never know, But like those trying to connect those dots as if he's he's not himself and he lost his cool because he's worried about being paid. I mean, maybe there's some truth to that, but overall, I mean, it was just him losing his mind in the worst time.
I mean, because I mean that was terrible. And then the pass interference call that gave the Chiefs new life and gave him a chance to hold on and win. I don't know how anybody can look at that and say that that's not pass interference.
It is.
And I was talking about this earlier with the Kendrick Haskins for those of you that missed it. The Chiefs, Yeah, maybe they get more breaks here and there than others. But you know what, find me any player that has had a run like Patrick Mahomes in any sport that's not gonna get some calls go their way that others wouldn't. Michael Jordan, you think he didn't get calls? Lebron you think he didn't get calls like it's just how it works. It's not it's not fair, but like it's just part
of it. And again, there are humans that make these calls, and the human element is is oftentimes minimalized by people in sports, and I don't understand why. So it was the right call. And what makes it seem like, oh, these guys they're so lucky, is because when you shoot your in the foot and you mess up, they're gonna make you pay for it, seemingly at a higher rate than anybody else is going to. And that's exactly what
they did. It is rich, though for Mahomes to, you know, complain about the refs like he did last year when they lost to the Bills and then you know, get up. I didn't see if there was any like real heat. But you know, Mahomes is one of those guys that I respect him. I think he's a hell of a player. I don't dislike him when I see him in a postgame interview and his weird Kermit the Frog voice, Like, I think he's what you'd want in a guy that is really not the face of your franchise, but really
the face of the NFL right now. But man, I was on the edge of my seat wanting to see the Bengals loose or the Bengals beat him because I hate the Chiefs. I guess I'm just becoming more comfortable and acknowledging I'm a hater. Patrick Mahomes hasn't done anything for me to not like him other than just be really good and I can't stay.
It's a different kind of hate than the Dion Sanders. And yes, yeah, like Draymond Green, that dude's a great villain. I love cheering against the Warriors. But you know, whenever it's just Steph and Draymond's you know, irrelevant, like same thing, Like Steph's not a STEP's an easy guy to like, I feel like, yeah, you're right.
It's a good example with the with with Dion, because Dion is an easy guy to root against when it comes to just his lack of humility, his arrogance, with really no results to back any of that up. All right, let's talk real quick about the Jefferson Animal Hospital. They've got a big event coming up that you guys are going to continue to hear me talk about because it's something that we need more awareness about, and that is
that your pets, they can also donate blood. That's a really important thing when it comes to you know, humans, but it's also very important when it comes to animals as well. So if your dog is over fifty pounds or your cat is at least ten pounds, they may qualify to be a pet blood donor, where every donation
can save up to four to six lives. Plus there's all kinds of benefits so your pet's becoming a blood donor, including regular examinations, regular blood work, vaccines, and it can all take place at the same place, Jefferson Animal Hospital on outer Loop. So if you want more information on how your dog or cat can become a pet blood donor called five oh two nine hundred pets are visit pet bloodbank dot com and they've got their big event
coming up next month. It's actually just a little under a month away, I'm sorry, a little over a month away, and they'll have it on October nineteenth. They're partnering with the American Red Cross for the very first pints for paws and people at Jefferson Animal Hospital on outer Loop. You bring your pets your family to enjoy food, live demonstrations on pet blood donations and the opportunity for you to donate blood yourself to the American Red Cross. So
pints for pausing people. October nineteenth, ten to two. All pets are welcome, All people are welcome. For more info again, five o two nine hundred pets is the number, or you can actually visit pet bloodbank dot com to get more info on this event specifically, so again shout out to our friends over you Everson Animal Hospital. All right, quick break, we've got the five o'clock hour coming your way, so stick around right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety