WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:08.679 It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine 2 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:15.439 day. Now here's nit coffee. Hey, welcome back on Scott Fitzgerald. 3 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:18.800 It is John Alden filling in our final hour taking you home. Appreciate everybody 4 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:22.120 coming along for the ride on your way home. And we've been trying to 5 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:25.440 cover just about everything in the last two days we've spent together. Always a 6 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:28.679 pleasure to sit in this chair. I just saw Terry Miners there. Johnny 7 00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:32.399 was getting something to eat in our our little makeshift snack bar that we have 8 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:36.240 out here that the good management here at iHeart feeds us. We'll put it 9 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:39.560 that way. And so Terry was out there and goes, you like doing 10 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:42.320 this, and I said, I love doing this, Terry. It's nice 11 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:44.840 to be able to come out and have conversations with people. It's like you 12 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:48.600 can't ever have a conversation with anybody in the morning. Everything's go, go 13 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:52.240 go, you got three minutes go do this. You can't like Also, 14 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:56.719 some people who aren't awake, like mentally awake. That's exactly right, dude. 15 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:00.719 And I mean, you know, everything's like moving like people think I'm 16 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:03.600 crazy when I say this. But I say, thirty seconds is a lifetime 17 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:07.640 in the morning, and thirty seconds. I look at the clock and I 18 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:08.400 go, I got thirty seconds. Oh man, I got time. I 19 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:12.280 can chill. And it's like, but now when I come in and sit 20 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:15.439 down and do this and you get to talk about fun stuff, and you 21 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:19.040 know, it's so weird because I was, you know, I was telling 22 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:23.879 my wife and my kids, and you know, I literally do not see 23 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:26.680 anybody all day. I work here and I sit down in studio. I 24 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:30.439 can't remember which one is again, D yeah, D I sit in studio 25 00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:34.840 D. I can't. Cruise has to have we have cameras that are on. 26 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:38.319 So when John and I are doing long form, it's nice to have 27 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:40.799 the camera because it's like John and I are just having a conversation with each 28 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:45.519 other. Cruise has to have the camera on. I can't talk to Cruise, 29 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:49.079 do sports, produce a show, call somebody halfway around the world and 30 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:55.599 stare at Cruise. So in the morning, I don't listen to any I 31 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:57.239 don't see anybody. You're flying the mother ship in the morning. Yeah, 32 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:00.959 I don't talk about and you know, offense to John Shannon, our news 33 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:02.799 guy, had to tell him. He's a talker and he liked to come 34 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:07.000 in one day and just likes to have a conversation. And I'm like, 35 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:08.759 dude, I can't talk to you right now, Bro, I got of 36 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:14.719 stuff I got going on. So it's nice when I can come in here 37 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:19.960 and sit down and John, you make it so easy to have a conversation 38 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:22.159 with. Well, I appreciate it because you get it. I mean, 39 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:24.280 you get it, dude. N made it easy for me. Oh, 40 00:02:24.439 --> 00:02:27.879 Nick's a great person to have a conversation with. Bro. I mean you, 41 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:30.680 Like I said, I talked to him at Derby and we even got 42 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:34.879 to I swear to god. We talked for well over two hours standing in 43 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:37.439 the same spot and it turned out was like one of those things, Hey, 44 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:38.680 how are you doing? How you doing? And then we just started 45 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:42.520 talking and we are. We are blessed with good people here. They can 46 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:44.719 do it like Terry. You know, when I sit in and do sports 47 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:47.039 with Terry, it's fun because Terry and I can just kind of talk and 48 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:51.560 you're on your way. And I've even sat in with Vinetti and Do White 49 00:02:51.560 --> 00:02:53.199 a couple of times and talk to them. But you know, you're moving 50 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:57.159 in the morning. Then I go to my other job and I really don't 51 00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:00.639 talk to anybody there, which I'm not complaining. Look, I am blessed. 52 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:02.479 If you follow me on social media, you're probably nauseated by how many 53 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:07.960 times I posted I'm blessed on a number of levels. I'm blessed with two 54 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:09.879 good jobs that I've done for quite a while that I enjoy thoroughly. I 55 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:14.759 love the fact that that I can go to my other gig and everybody leaves 56 00:03:14.759 --> 00:03:17.919 me alone and I can just do my job. But when I get a 57 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:21.439 chance to come in and sit down with people and talk to you and talk 58 00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:25.520 to Michael Lyons and yesterday talking to Matt Melosovich and you know Tom Hellman with 59 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:29.680 the helmet guy, that's fine. I'm like, okay, I can still 60 00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:32.159 do the conversation thing. All right, We're winning. That's good. So 61 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:36.919 it's nice. So it's been a great couple of days hanging out with you 62 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:39.520 guys, And especially when I get to do this on a Thursday and Friday, 63 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:43.360 because what we like to say, Thursday is the new Friday. So 64 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.639 when I got done last night, I went to the gym, called up 65 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:51.319 the game, watched that I was so chill got home, had bowl berries, 66 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:53.120 pet the dog, went to bed tonight. I'm gonna do the same 67 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:57.520 washerin's repeat. I'm gonna stay up, probably end up standing. What if 68 00:03:57.639 --> 00:04:00.479 Edmonton can hang in there in this game done. I'm probably gonna be tired 69 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:04.039 in the morning when I get on with Joe and John Shannon, but I 70 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:08.240 do the same thing. It's Friday, it's chill, so anyway, just 71 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:13.159 my obligatory Appreciate you guys, Appreciate you John, Appreciate our boss, Gus 72 00:04:13.159 --> 00:04:15.720 Allen, and of course Jim Finn, the programming director here at Sports Talk 73 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:18.720 seven ninety for allowing me the opportunity and reaching out and allow me to do 74 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:25.000 this, all right, boss, Women's college sport or women's sports period, 75 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:30.000 kind of a big deal. There are some forecasts that say, in twenty 76 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:32.839 twenty four, for the first time, women's elite sports will generate a revenue 77 00:04:32.839 --> 00:04:40.600 that surpasses one billion dollars one billion that's in women's sports. That's a three 78 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:46.720 hundred percent increase from the industry's evaluation in twenty twenty one. So I know 79 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:49.160 a lot of you did not agree with Mega Murpino because of our politics. 80 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:54.439 I understand if you're a person that you know you don't like it when people 81 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.600 don't stand for the flag or disrespect the country. I can I can respect 82 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:00.560 that. I'm not gonna hold you against that, and I can certainly understand 83 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:03.920 why there's that jealousy part there. But you got to admit she got one 84 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:06.959 thing right, and when she said it's time to start paying women, it's 85 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:11.879 time to start paying women. And that's what they're starting to see. And 86 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:15.000 you're starting to see that now, and that is amazing, And it was, 87 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:17.160 you know, one of the things. I was born kind of where 88 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:21.480 I get that mentality. I was born my mom was a public school teacher, 89 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:25.680 and I'm seven years older than my two younger brothers. They were born 90 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:29.360 as twins. The old man left right after my brothers were born, and 91 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.560 my mom was She was a victim of spousal abuse. So I watched my 92 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:39.000 mom buster her hump as a public school teacher and work retail on the weekends 93 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:43.480 and provide for us kids so we could still be here today. I told 94 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.879 my daughter, I don't care what you do in life, whatever you do, 95 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:50.439 do not become dependent on one man or someone else's source of income. 96 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:55.040 Go out and make a life for yourself. So she did. She graduated 97 00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:58.399 from Mercy, she got her master's degree in teaching from Bellamant and now she's 98 00:05:58.439 --> 00:06:01.399 a teacher and she's going along. And I couldn't be more pleased. So 99 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:08.519 to see women getting paid what they are due. I got no problem with 100 00:06:08.519 --> 00:06:12.079 Megan Rapino. I think she was a trailblazer. I think she'll go down 101 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:15.040 in history as a trailblazer. I think you know, she got it right. 102 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:20.040 She was onto something. And I love watching people. I love watching 103 00:06:20.040 --> 00:06:25.519 the ladies get paid because they deserve it. That said, of course, 104 00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:29.279 the Indiana Fever are back in action tonight. They're looking to extend their winning 105 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:32.079 streak to four games. They're gonna be taking on former Kentucky wild Cat Ryan 106 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:35.720 Howard in the Atlanta Dream. They're in the atl tonight. It's the second 107 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.920 season. It's the second meeting of the season between the two teams. And 108 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:44.399 you know, when everybody was, you know, bashing Caitlyn Clark and bashing 109 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:46.680 the Fever and they they weren't winning well, suddenly lo and behold on on 110 00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:50.800 the verge of winning four straight. Even Caitlyn Clark admits that they're finally starting 111 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:54.160 to hit the groove. I mean, I think it's just this group is, 112 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:56.560 you know, starting to click and build some chemistry, and it's one 113 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:00.839 day at a time. But like I said, everybody loves it and satisfaction. 114 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:02.720 But sure we would have probably loved that too, but I think we 115 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:06.439 all kept a good perspective on knowing we just need to get better at one 116 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:09.560 step at a time, and that's where we're going to continue to do. 117 00:07:09.639 --> 00:07:11.800 Even though we've won, you know, three in a row at home here, 118 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:15.839 so you see that Caitlin Clark's finally starting to make her do and now 119 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:19.319 and now her chief rivaling. Look don't I don't know if this was scripted 120 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:23.560 to come out this way or it just happened to go this way, but 121 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:27.560 the Clark de Reese rivalry is turning into a big deal. In fact, 122 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:30.879 Angel Reese seven straight double doubles a rookie record, are you kidding me? 123 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:35.920 Good straight double doubles. No other rookie in WNBA history has done that. 124 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:41.560 So let us get your initial reactions into making history here today. Man, 125 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:46.319 I'm just happy we finally won. I'm at home. It's super exciting obviously 126 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:48.360 for myself and I try to get myself some grace and tell myself I'm doing 127 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:50.279 a good job, but I have so much more to grow. And I'm 128 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:53.920 I'm just excited to be in this league and just be excited to win. 129 00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:59.360 Somewhere, Angel, your name is being mentioned with some of these great post 130 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:03.759 players that have played for the Chicago Sky, Candice Parker, uh Elena Dela 131 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:09.920 Don, Sylvia Files. You're on pace to break Sylvia Files single season franchise 132 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:13.439 offensive rebounding record. What does that mean to you? I love Sylvia. 133 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:16.279 She was a She was a great person to me and a great mental to 134 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:20.040 me. When I was at LSU, man I would have had that relationship 135 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:22.720 with LSU, so I know she's gonna be super proud of me. I 136 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:24.079 mean, obviously, I just want to do whatever it takes to win, 137 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:26.360 and rebound is but I do to win. Yeah, And you know, 138 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:30.720 and I play that sound bite because John you mentioned this yesterday and I think 139 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:33.960 you're you're you were spot on. There are times when Reice gets a little 140 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:37.320 carried away behind the mic and you got to kind of reel that in a 141 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:39.679 little bit. But she's young, Yes, she's young, and Kate have 142 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:43.200 had to grow up very fast. That's right, that's right. But I 143 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.799 think you're I think your argument is valid, and I think she will get 144 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:50.200 the hang of That's kind of what Gino Rima was talking about Caitlyn Clark. 145 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:52.919 He said, she's going to get the hang of this game. It's just 146 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:56.080 these these crazy fans have put I mean they were there were wagers being put 147 00:08:56.120 --> 00:09:00.759 on whether Kaitlyn Clark when she was gonna win the m VP this year. 148 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.759 And Arima is like, slow the role, beat this, stop dropping these 149 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:09.159 expectations on these players. And then they get frustrated because they've got all these 150 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:13.840 expectations and they physically just can't meet them right now. And and so I 151 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:16.480 think, but I wanted to play that sound bite from Reese because she does 152 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:20.919 have a humble side to her, she does have a human side. And 153 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:24.480 and I think the Caitlin Clark angel res Robberry is fantastic. I mean, 154 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:28.639 let's be honest. I mean, when Bird and Magic would go at it, 155 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:31.759 you know, everybody thought that was the greatest thing since Cantuna Fish. 156 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:35.519 Now, maybe I'm comparing apples to oranges here, I understand, but kind 157 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:41.679 of same church, different pew. And let this play out because it's great 158 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:45.679 for women's sports. It's great for sports. Are you kidding me? And 159 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:52.080 now, not only is the WNBA seeing increase TV ratings, they're expected to 160 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:58.639 get the highest priced ticket for a WNBA game coming up when the two tangled 161 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:01.440 this weekend. That'll be Sunday in Chicago. They're gonna meet it Win Trust 162 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:07.399 Arena. So I'm looking right now on sea geek. I just logged in. 163 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:11.960 I logged in earlier this afternoon. Now I just logged in, So 164 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:16.159 I'm looking right now in the cheapest seat I can find right now, John 165 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.279 is one hundred and fifty two dollars. And that's crazy. You said. 166 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:22.039 That's from the corner that's up in the corner you need then, and that's 167 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:24.639 that's a couple of rolls down one hundred and fifty seven dollars in the other 168 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:30.080 corner. Now if you want, somebody's trying to unload. I'm gonna click 169 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:33.159 on this right here. If you know Wind Trust Arena for those of you 170 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:35.559 that know Win Trust arenas, Oh is it? Yeah? That's right, 171 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:39.360 that's right, that's right. Thank you the old Roseman horizon. Yes, 172 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:43.159 And so they go, okay, thank you. Court side to row one. 173 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:50.399 That's right down the court thanks to the visitors bench three thousand, five 174 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:54.679 hundred and twenty six dollars each. Wow, is what now you got to 175 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:58.000 You gotta keep this in perspective too, that this is what people are asking. 176 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:03.240 Are they going to get it? I don't know. If Jeff Bezos 177 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:07.519 wants to come to town, maybe yeah, move over. Let's move over 178 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:13.559 and take it down to courtside on the other end, court side seven row 179 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:20.519 two, two thousand, one hundred and sixty six dollars each. So women 180 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.080 are getting paid. I think it's a happy medium. I think when it 181 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:28.279 comes down to it, as you get closer to game time, you'll start 182 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:31.000 to see some of these come down. Or if the hype continues to increase, 183 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:33.759 there's always somebody out there that'll pay for it. Though, there's always 184 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:35.559 somebody that says, I just want to be at this game. In fact, 185 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:39.360 my son had one of his friends like that. His parents were loaded 186 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:43.440 with money. So if the hot item came out or the hot event came 187 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:48.120 out, the parents were there to buy it. I'll be interested. I'm 188 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:50.600 going to watch these and see if somebody picks up these seats and see what 189 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:54.799 they go for. So again, the most expensive seat right now is thirty 190 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:58.240 five hundred dollars, just over thirty five hundred dollars qurt side two road one 191 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:03.639 to be right on the court for this you look at, you know. 192 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:07.120 And here's where I feel bad is players like Asia Wilson and she played for 193 00:12:07.159 --> 00:12:11.320 South Carolina and she kind of and this is where some of the resentments coming 194 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:16.519 towards or came early on, at least towards Caitlin Clark. Yeah, players 195 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:20.440 like Asia Wilson who just blazed that trail. I mean, they were the 196 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:22.879 ones that were playing when nobody was given him a love. In fact, 197 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:26.559 I heard I heard a couple of folks in embarrassing moment, a couple of 198 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:33.080 folks in our media about this was about ten fifteen years ago, that referred 199 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:39.440 to women's basketball players as nags. And I actually saw a graphic for the 200 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:46.480 WNBA that had like a herd of horses running and it was embarrassing. It 201 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:50.799 was absolutely embarrassing. And I'm not going to call that person out in sports 202 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.840 media who did that, but I was listening to them just the other day 203 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:56.480 and they're not local, mind you, it's not local. It's a national 204 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:05.159 host and total change of tune when it came to women's basketball, and I 205 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:07.639 was embarrassed for them more than anything else. But you take a player like 206 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:13.639 Asia Wilson who played when that stuff was going on, and they were They're 207 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:18.159 like, look, we paid our dues, and I think they're mature enough 208 00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.399 now to say, okay, it happens. Look we did this, we 209 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:24.519 know we did this. Well. Asia Wilson put this in perspective. A 210 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:30.240 player as great as Asia Wilson, the WNBA's leading score Her and Caitlin Clark 211 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:33.000 lead in the first voting returns for the All Star Game. Wilson leads all 212 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:37.519 players with more than two hundred and seventeen thousand votes. Well, Clark sits 213 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:41.840 at number two with just over two hundred and sixteen thousand. What's that tell 214 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:46.759 you about the sport? Longtime? Asia Wilson two hundred and seventeen thousand, 215 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:52.000 Clark just one thousand less, not even in the league a few months the 216 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:54.039 game. By the way, we played ju July twentieth in Phoenix. You'll 217 00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:58.600 see Team USA take on Team WNBA. Players in the top ten when voting 218 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:03.200 ends on June twenty ninth and aren't also a member of Team USA we'll make 219 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:09.320 the team WNBA roster. Other players currently in the votings top ten included Leah 220 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:13.440 Boston of The Fever, New York Liberty Is Beyonna Stewart, and of course 221 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:16.039 Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese. All Star rosters by the way, Gonna announced 222 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:22.080 July second. And you know what's interesting, John, when I do sports 223 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:28.559 on has and I hope that I do a good enough job at at splitting 224 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.799 it down the middle. We were following a former Assumption softball player this year. 225 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:39.679 She played at the University of Indianapolis, the Greyhounds's All World Player, 226 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.320 All World player. We kept talking, we were following her story, and 227 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:48.759 I kept getting people texting me emailing me. When Eastern Kentucky's volleyball team came 228 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:54.159 here to play Bellerman, I would always try to mention some of the players 229 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:58.480 who are coming home, as I did. And I got a call from 230 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:01.679 a dad and the dad left me a voicemail. I don't even know how 231 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:05.799 we answer our voicemail here, but he left me a voicemail and it comes 232 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:09.679 to our email. And he was so appreciative of the fact that someone was 233 00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:13.120 finally talking about women's sports in the right light in this town. And he 234 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:16.159 said, they just they don't do He said, these girls they go out 235 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:20.480 and they play, and they work just as hard as the guys. And 236 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:24.879 yet somehow that you don't hear them complaining. You don't hear them. You 237 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:26.159 know, they're not saying why me, Why are you not talking about me? 238 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:30.720 They're just going out and there getting it done. And and you know, 239 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:33.639 yeah, there's the Clark Reese back and forth in the media, but 240 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:39.519 you know, you gotta admit someone like Caitlyn Clark, she could be really 241 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.240 vocal if she wanted to. If somebody's got a legitimate gripe, it's probably 242 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:46.039 she could have pushed back on the media, and she didn't, and she 243 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:50.360 kept her wits about her. And as you know, Arima said, it 244 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:54.960 shall grow into that role. Now here's where I think women's college basketball is 245 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:58.320 going to have it over men. And we'll see if it stays depending because 246 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:02.399 now that it appears that the WNBA is beating very popular right now. But 247 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:06.159 Gino said, the best thing about our sport is these girls stay. They 248 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:10.399 they're not jumping ship after a year, and that's how fans develop relationships. 249 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:14.679 So Diana Tarazzi's I mean you walk around you kin Diana Tarazzi's, and I 250 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:18.240 mean they're just household names and fans would show up to see them play. 251 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:22.879 You saw it around here in Louisville with yes, Yes, exactly a great 252 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:26.919 point. I mean, and I can only imagine had Hayley van Litz stayed 253 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:30.639 at Louisville, she became public enemy number one when she did. I know, 254 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.759 had she stayed, the fans loved her. She was the first real 255 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:41.720 instance of a women's college player taking advantage of nil to go to a different 256 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:45.720 program. Yeah, that's right, That's that's exactly right. And you know 257 00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:48.440 the thing that I love most about this town, and this is where Louisville 258 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:52.759 gets it right and Kentucky gets it right as well. After talking with Darren 259 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:57.279 Headrick, who calls Kentucky women's basketball games, Louisville fans know Jeff Walls, 260 00:16:57.399 --> 00:17:02.840 Jeff Walls. Louisville fans no players. If I say the name Emily Inksler 261 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:04.240 in this town, she was only here one year from Syracuse, people know 262 00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:11.240 Emily Inksler. If I say Ryan Howard, people know Ryan Howard because she 263 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:14.680 was such a player people love. I've been to the Kentucky Lovo women's basketball 264 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:21.839 game, fans show out and it's I just I can't say enough. And 265 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:25.640 I'm not saying it just for women's athletics as a revenue generator. I'm saying 266 00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:30.759 what this does to young ladies is the father of a young lady who grew 267 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:34.759 up and made something of herself and was not dependent on one guy. Was 268 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:38.279 on the She was on the Irish Dance World Champion stage twice, once in 269 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:41.839 Dublin, ones in Scotland. I know, because she almost broke our bank 270 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:45.000 doing it. I'm like, you couldn't. You couldn't just play softball in 271 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:48.759 school, right and go to a public school. But it was money that 272 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:52.839 I don't regret spending at all, because what happened was Irish dance became her 273 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:56.160 life and that drove her to do what she wanted. She never went to 274 00:17:56.200 --> 00:18:02.359 prom. In fact, just now she just now met a guy long after 275 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:06.799 I mean, she's twenty five years old and he's amazing and she just now 276 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.359 met a guy. And I've told her on a number of occasions just how 277 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.480 absolutely proud I was of her that she did not become dependent on that one 278 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:15.319 man. She was never worried about what she looked like she was never worried 279 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:18.720 about the feedback she got. She's a very independent woman, and I don't 280 00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:22.799 think there's a dad or a mom out there who's listening right now who doesn't 281 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:26.759 say, that's all I want for my child. Have that sense of independence. 282 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:32.240 And that's why I think people like Angel Reese, yeah the comments aside, 283 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:36.279 and indefinitely Caitlin Clark bring to the table. They're inspiring these young ladies 284 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:40.680 to be their own woman and be that woman. And that's what Megan Rapino 285 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:45.160 was getting at. She's like, just pay us what we're due. That's 286 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:48.160 all they want. It doesn't matter whether you're straight, by lesbian, gay, 287 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:53.400 whatever. Meghan Rapino performed on the field and she just wanted to be 288 00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:57.839 appreciated for it. If others were too. We do the same thing. 289 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:03.039 We did the same thing in our workplace. If you're busting your hump and 290 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:07.960 somebody's just skating by and they're getting paid all the money, you got a 291 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:12.519 problem with that. And that's what Megran Repino was getting at. So you 292 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:17.640 can't sit there and say you want to empower women and then get on somebody 293 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:21.000 like megranm Repino when she speaks out just because she didn't stand for the flag. 294 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:25.720 That's not doing anybody any favors at all. That's that's helped promoting your 295 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:30.680 own personal agenda. So I just it's it's one of those things that it 296 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:33.920 has been so much fun to cover doing sports here in the media. Is 297 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:38.160 watching the emergence of women's sports. You know, you watched look at the 298 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:42.920 dude, look at the Nebraska volleyball game, ninety the football stadium, ninety 299 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.559 two thousand fans, and let's get well, we're doing that. Let's give 300 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:51.920 a big tip of the hat to Danny bus Boom Kelly for putting Louisville volleyball 301 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:55.839 into MAP. I mean, they're putting people in the YOUM Center women's sports 302 00:19:55.880 --> 00:20:00.839 that nobody watched more of them. You're talking about the championship in the WNBA 303 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:04.480 drew the biggest crowd in history, and then of course the twenty twenty three 304 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:10.680 FIFA Women's World Cup champions in soccer. It's just it's an amazing time to 305 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.759 be like in this and I know we got a break and I'll get out 306 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:15.440 of here, but it's an amazing time to be alive and going back to 307 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:19.319 what we opened the show with listening to what people like Reggie Jackson and Willie 308 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:25.480 Mays had to live with and to see where we are now. And if 309 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:29.079 you're getting upset because of Pride Fest, somebody wants to say they have pride 310 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:33.119 that makes you mad, well, nobody can help you there. But please 311 00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:37.839 don't rate people because we're living in a day and age now where we're more 312 00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:42.680 accepting of people than we ever have been. That's a problem. I don't 313 00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:45.559 get society. Sometimes it's a great time to be alive, that's for sure. 314 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:48.319 It's a Friday, all right. We're gonna have a little fun wrap 315 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:49.799 things up here with John when we come back. Thanks for letting me get 316 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:52.920 on my soapbox for just a bit, and again, best of luck to 317 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:56.119 all you lady athletes out there. You deserve it for sure. We're back 318 00:20:56.119 --> 00:21:03.000 after this on Sports Talk seven ninety always that my man JT. It is 319 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:07.240 just got busted for DUI unfortunate. You know he's coming to Lexington and Louisville. 320 00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:11.319 Is he coming Louisville too? November? Oh, Lexington's in July? 321 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:15.559 I believe Yeah, it's two weeks from Sunday. He's a guilty pleasure of 322 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:18.599 mine. He is. There's nothing wrong with JT, dude, and nothing 323 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:22.279 wrong with him at all. Funny dude, you watch you. By the 324 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:25.839 way, I'm Scott Fitzgerald, He's John Alden. I'm in for the vacationing 325 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:27.720 Nick coffee. He will be back with you on Monday. Thank you again 326 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:30.799 to Nick for letting me sit in this chair, and thank you all for 327 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:33.640 putting up with me, that's for sure. And by the way, you're 328 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:34.839 talking about JT. There, John, Hey, have you seen his Saturday 329 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:37.759 Night Live skit where you bring it on down to Olmaville. No, that 330 00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:41.119 sounds funny though. Oh dude, you got to see that. Just look 331 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:45.839 up justin Timberlake and the Olmeletville skit. It is the funniest thing out there. 332 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:49.279 You can give that a watch. It is John Alden, I'm Scott 333 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:53.200 Fitzgerald, and we're talking all things, of course, sports and about everything 334 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:56.519 in between it. And when I love about sitting in with you for these 335 00:21:56.519 --> 00:22:00.920 forty eight hours is sees we can talk a little bit more sometimes in this 336 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:03.359 town, be honest with you, sometimes in this town we get a little 337 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:07.160 too. It's little basketball happy right, well, yeah, it's it's Louisville, 338 00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:10.680 it's Kentucky. And and you know, again, no offense. I 339 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:12.680 know that's what breads the butter here, or what butters the bread here. 340 00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:17.039 Okay, So please don't hear me say that, Please, please please, 341 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:19.519 because when those when those programs are in action, they are my a story. 342 00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:23.799 When I go to sports that I look read the room, fellas read 343 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.279 the room. So and I also do my sports for Kentucky News Network. 344 00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:30.799 I hear from folks all around the state, and trust me, I get 345 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:33.039 it. I understand. But it is nice sometimes when we have a lull 346 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:37.680 in this this season that we're in. Now we've come out of the busy 347 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:40.799 part of the Spring crossover. We're gonna get ready to enter into the Fall 348 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:45.640 crossover. It is nice to bring to lights some other sports, and that's 349 00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:48.240 what we hope we did here. You know, I used to be, 350 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:51.880 you know, a two sport kind of guy, and you know, somebody 351 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:53.799 took time to introduce me to other sports, and I was glad they did 352 00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:59.720 so. But along those lines, let's do talk some college basketball here, 353 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:03.640 because we did get some breaking news there John earlier today, and we found 354 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:07.640 out that the Louisville Cardinals are going to play some summer ball. They're going 355 00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:11.920 to the Bahamas, so traditionally saved. This is traditionally you know, Bahamas 356 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:17.960 are for Thanksgiving and whatnot. They were selected to play the Baja Mar Hoops 357 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:21.279 Summer League. They're going to play four other teams. We do not know 358 00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:27.319 who those teams are yet. I'm actually at Bambajamar hoops dot com and it 359 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:32.119 looks like the Cardinals are going to play July twenty eighth through August second. 360 00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:34.759 Their games are going to be on July thirtieth and August first. They'll have 361 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:38.000 tickets will go on sale soon, So I expect we'll see another announcement from 362 00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:41.759 some of the other teams coming up as to who they will play with. 363 00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:45.039 Because I know that fans are very excited for Pat Kelsey, at least what 364 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:48.519 they've seen what he's done out of the transfer portal into john It really is 365 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:53.359 a new dayah for Kentucky and Louisville and these college teams. They're allowed to 366 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:57.720 take these summer trips abroad, if you will, once every four years. 367 00:23:57.759 --> 00:24:03.279 Louisville hasn't been on one of even nearly ten years, because I think their 368 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:07.599 window to go on one most recently landed during the COVID season, so for 369 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:10.799 obvious reasons, they didn't do one during that year. So it's been a 370 00:24:10.839 --> 00:24:15.480 while since Louisville's taken advantage of doing stuff like this. Obviously, Kentucky last 371 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:18.279 season went over to Canada. Indiana did their turn down to the Bahamas during 372 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:25.200 Mike Woodson's first season, So this will be really really valuable experience for this 373 00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:30.440 brand new thirteen man roster for Pat Kelsey. I mean, there are so 374 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:33.400 many things when Nick and I talk about college basketball that are going to be 375 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:37.839 extra exciting for this season. In particular, when you think about Louisville and 376 00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:41.680 Kentucky, you have the two brand new head coaches. Yeah, you have 377 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:47.319 two virtually I think for both teams, brand new faces, roster members for 378 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:52.279 both teams, and so there's a level of intrigue that both the UFL and 379 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:57.480 Kentucky fan bases are both going to be experiencing at the same time. And 380 00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:03.039 it's again it adds. It's a boosted level of excitement for college basketball around 381 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:06.480 here. I feel like, oh, well, I agree one hundred percent. 382 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:10.680 I mean, okay, so remember when there were the days when you 383 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:15.160 know you had the Peyton Sibas. Oh yeah, the Terrence Williams. You 384 00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:17.720 remember these names, just household nmes. You could rally these names. There 385 00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:19.720 were days where you could rattle off a Louisville basketball roster and I think twice 386 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:22.920 about it. Same for Kentucky. Let me read you some of these names. 387 00:25:25.079 --> 00:25:27.759 Frank Islam I Insulam, thank you, thank you very much. You 388 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:30.960 can help me with these. Dude. Oh, by the way, thank 389 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:34.119 you Louisville Athletic Department for putting that little ear symbol next to their name with 390 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:38.079 the pronunciation guide. That's my pet. Peeves schools that don't do that, 391 00:25:38.359 --> 00:25:45.039 and then you can't get an Salem eBay, Terrence Edwards Junior, Javon Hadley, 392 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:51.000 Chucky Hepburn, Korn Johnson, Ali Khalifa, Aiden McCool, Cason Pryor, 393 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:56.119 Kobe Rogers, Connie Rous, James Scott, rain Smith, Abu Carr, 394 00:25:56.559 --> 00:26:03.319 Abubakar Traire thank you and Noah Waterman. Tell me you had them on 395 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:07.359 your radar, right, and it's just to your point. And then when 396 00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:08.880 you look at you know, Kentucky, we can do the same thing. 397 00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:12.160 Kentucky fans. You know there were days you could go through and just just 398 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:19.519 recite the lineups Ansley Almoner and correct me. Step that's somebody I'm not familiar 399 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.079 with. The Kentucky's right, Joe does this all the time. With Joe 400 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:26.720 does this all till now. Now, look, let me let me disclaim 401 00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:30.079 her here. Let me say this. Those of you who live, breathe, 402 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:34.200 and eat Kentucky basketball and listen to KSR on the station and listen to 403 00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:37.319 Nick, You're probably going, dude, who doesn't know these people? Come 404 00:26:37.319 --> 00:26:41.680 on, man, get with it, Scott. I understand that. I'm 405 00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:45.160 just saying from an average fan standpoint. You look at Kobe Bray, Lamara 406 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:51.200 Bria, thank you, Lamon Butler, Andrew Carr, Colin Chandler, Grant 407 00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:56.519 Darbyshire, Brendan Garrison, Walker Horn Kerr. And I'll get this one wrong. 408 00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:59.200 I know I will. Carissa, that's me, Crisa. See I 409 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:02.119 told you Trent Noah. No, I didn't know Trent Noah. I didn't 410 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:04.440 know that as a local guy. Yeah, he's a local guy. Otega 411 00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:07.720 owah is how he say it? That's a tough on. I'm not sure 412 00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:11.759 how to say his name. Okay, Travis Perry, Jackson Robinson and Amari 413 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:15.160 Williams, Travis Perry another local guy. Yes, he is so so what 414 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:19.480 you know, I guess maybe I was too spoiled when it was real easy 415 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:25.119 to do the You know, Tyrese, Maxis, Karl, Anthony Towns, 416 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:29.519 you knew those names and just like I rattled off for Louisville. So but 417 00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:33.079 now to your point, John, I'm actually really looking forward to this. 418 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:37.160 In fact, I saw the two coaches were together earlier today. Y'all have 419 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:41.480 to forgive me the it's the Titans basketball tournament that's going on, I'll get 420 00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:47.160 it straight which one it was, but both coaches were there, and it 421 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:51.880 was Mark Pope and Kelsey were both there. It's a different day and age, 422 00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:53.640 and to be honest with you, it was. And I think John 423 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:56.839 Cala Perry said it best. He goes, I think it's just time to 424 00:27:56.359 --> 00:27:59.839 and I'm paraphrasing for him, but he just basically said it's time to move 425 00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:03.920 on, it's time for change. And what's so much different too about Kentucky 426 00:28:03.960 --> 00:28:07.920 specifically is that. And I think it became all the more clear when I'm 427 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:12.519 about ready to say after Cali Perry left. But with Caliperry at Kentucky, 428 00:28:12.680 --> 00:28:17.799 it was always about him. It wasn't about I mean, yes, Kentucky 429 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:22.160 was attached to him, but without Cali Perry, you don't get all of 430 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:26.759 these five star All American type players. Because now you bring in Mark Pope 431 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:32.440 and it's more about Kentucky again and you're not focused on Oh, I'm going 432 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:33.920 to bring in all of these guys. There are gonna be one year guys 433 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:37.200 going to the NBA right after they play for their freshman season. To Kentucky, 434 00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:41.599 it's going to be more about development. I feel like with the Wildcats, 435 00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:45.319 now, yeah, you're gonna get some talented guys who probably gonna stick 436 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:48.160 around for a little bit. And even with the transfer portal, it's even 437 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:51.440 hard to tell how long some of these players will stick around. But I 438 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:56.799 definitely think with Mark Pope and his program specifically, it's gonna be a lot 439 00:28:56.920 --> 00:29:00.400 more on the traditional side of things when it comes to college basketball compared to 440 00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:06.200 what we got with Cali Perry the last ten fit nearly fifteen years. I 441 00:29:06.279 --> 00:29:10.480 would tend to agree, and it's gonna be because we are in a new 442 00:29:10.599 --> 00:29:15.839 day and age of college basketball, and you know, for people like my 443 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:19.119 son and Pops, if you're out there listening. Dad, you are, 444 00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:22.440 and you got younger kids, and you know, we're all having the same 445 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:27.160 conversations our dads had with our moms had with us. That is, oh, 446 00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:30.240 back in my day. Back in my day, we just we played 447 00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:33.960 every team in the conference. Well, I didn't grow up with that. 448 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:37.559 I mean, we had non conference games. I didn't grow up with the 449 00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:41.680 Big eight. I don't know what the Big eight is, you know. 450 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:45.799 And so, and that's why when I talk with my son about sports, 451 00:29:45.319 --> 00:29:51.880 I sit back and I just listen, because I remind myself that he doesn't 452 00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:56.519 know life like I knew it like he He will never know a Rose Bowl 453 00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:03.400 between the Pac ten and the Big ten when they legitimately ten teams in the 454 00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:08.440 conference. I mean I went through the years where where Michigan played Washington every 455 00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:12.640 year, and you knew when you saw that game that was a big deal. 456 00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:18.759 So it was almost sacrilegious. I will never forget the first time a 457 00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:21.440 Big ten team and a Pac ten team did not play in the Rose Bowl. 458 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:25.319 I mean I went kicking and screaming into that bad boy. I was 459 00:30:25.319 --> 00:30:30.440 like, are you kidding me? This is ridiculous. But for my son, 460 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:33.240 it was no big deal. We sat there and watched Michigan Alabama playing 461 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:37.119 the Rose Bowl. That matchup was unheard of when I was a kid. 462 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:41.640 You never get those teams because that was when you had the writers picked the 463 00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:44.920 number one team and the number two team. In fact, nineteen eighty six 464 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:51.920 they split, Michigan and Nebraska still arguing over the national championship, and now 465 00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:55.680 they're in the same conference together. And I want to ask you something, 466 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:57.720 Scott, since you grew up in that era. Yeah, as somebody who 467 00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:06.000 never experience a college football season where there wasn't a definitive national champion because to 468 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:08.279 me, and I know you got ties and soccer and that's something I understand, 469 00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:14.279 that kind of thing. I cannot imagine sharing a national championship in any 470 00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:18.240 collegiate sport. Yeah, because you now you play for it, right, 471 00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:21.839 it would have had Nebraska and in Michigan. Is Miami or Michigan you were 472 00:31:21.880 --> 00:31:25.559 talking about? It was Michigan in Michigan because Michigan and Nebraska split in ninety 473 00:31:25.559 --> 00:31:29.359 seven. And that's insane to me, right, And it makes it even 474 00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:33.000 weirder when you talk to somebody who didn't know that. The way things were 475 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:36.440 then, my son and all he knows is Michigan and Nebraska played in the 476 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:40.039 same conference. In Nebraska has a pretty bad football team. Oh yeah, 477 00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:42.519 I know anything about that. That's so as we transcend sports, and this 478 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:47.359 is where on the cusp of seeing the NCAA tournament expanded, not just in 479 00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:52.640 football but in basketball, this is what people are gonna know. And as 480 00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:56.480 I remind mister Cruse every morning, who you know, everybody wants to coach, 481 00:31:56.519 --> 00:32:01.680 but nobody's coaching. There's people for the in the NC DOUBLEA that paid 482 00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:07.000 a lot more money than we do in our privy to a lot more data 483 00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:12.279 than we have to make these decisions. There's something that's telling the NC DOUBLEA. 484 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:15.559 Hey, if we expand this thing by six more teams, I'm talking 485 00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:20.200 about the men's basketball tournament, we'll get this, this and this in return. 486 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:22.279 This is our cash Coyle right now. Now? Do they always get 487 00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:25.960 it right? Of course, not not at all. I mean, expanding 488 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:29.359 a college football team is not gonna be a different than when we had four 489 00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:31.880 teams. We argued about the fifth, we'll argue about the thirteenth. But 490 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:37.440 you made the point eloquently last yesterday, and that is by the time is 491 00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:42.920 yours. Maybe it was my daughter's boyfriend. But once you start getting down 492 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:47.920 to like eleven or twelve, it's not as critical as opposed to say a 493 00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:52.680 fifth team not making it in what we saw out of Florida State this year. 494 00:32:52.680 --> 00:32:57.319 So people, I'm trying to say is people aren't as worried about, 495 00:32:57.319 --> 00:33:02.079 say, the thirteenth team is much as they're worried about a Florida State not 496 00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:06.359 getting in because of injury. And as it turns out, it probably was 497 00:33:06.359 --> 00:33:08.680 the right call because Florida State would have got drilled had they had you put 498 00:33:08.720 --> 00:33:12.480 them in there with the with the injury, I'm saying, with the injury, 499 00:33:13.160 --> 00:33:16.039 they would have got drilled. So as things change, you can do 500 00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:19.279 one or two things. And this applies to life, and this is kind 501 00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:23.680 of where I live. You can either embrace it or you can go kicking 502 00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:27.119 and screaming into it and you'll just be miserable every day of the week. 503 00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:31.160 And I had to learn that the hard way. I did. And so 504 00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:37.680 when sports changes. For example, I was a college football guy mentioned on 505 00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:40.119 the show yesterday. I did a show for nine years, a college football 506 00:33:40.119 --> 00:33:44.519 show here. I lived eating, I just everything was college football with me. 507 00:33:45.359 --> 00:33:47.319 But when it got to a magical point with me inside where it's the 508 00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:52.880 college football started looking like the NFL, I walked more and leaned heavily into 509 00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:57.480 the NFL. And that's where I'm living now. But that doesn't make me 510 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:00.720 right or wrong. That doesn't make that's just me and John. You said 511 00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:04.799 you like the college game, and it's interesting you mentioned how it seems more 512 00:34:04.839 --> 00:34:08.639 like the NFL. I think to me that makes college football more attractive because 513 00:34:09.159 --> 00:34:13.800 these players have like they want to be treated like their professionals. That's the 514 00:34:13.800 --> 00:34:15.599 way it comes across when you have all this in I own transferportal of that 515 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:20.239 kind of stuff. Do I wish there was more regulation, absolutely, But 516 00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:23.800 when it comes down to it, it is still amateur sports. They're still 517 00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:30.559 playing for schools, for institutions. Yeah, and do with that what you 518 00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:34.199 will, But that's why there will. You'll never be it'll never purely be 519 00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:37.199 like the NFL. But this is as close as it can get to it 520 00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:39.840 at this point. I feel like, do you think too, that age 521 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:44.599 plays a part in this? That you know, my son is in college 522 00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:46.880 now, so I think he relates more to the college game. Yeah, 523 00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:51.800 And that's so I grew up. Maybe it's because this the air we don't 524 00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:55.239 really have a dominant NFL fan base. Yeah, people who are Bengals fans, 525 00:34:55.280 --> 00:35:00.000 people in Bowling Green area, more Titans fans. You have Steelers fans 526 00:35:00.119 --> 00:35:04.039 everywhere obviously, but there was never a definitive fan base around here. So 527 00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:06.880 a lot of people they always go to uvl UK or in my instance, 528 00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:09.000 in Deana. I grew up in Jeffersonville, so that's kind of where I've 529 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:13.639 always been with the Hoosiers and that kind of stuff and the kind of it's 530 00:35:13.679 --> 00:35:15.599 not really a tr rivalry, but you know, the three local schools. 531 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:20.719 Like we always talk about college football, college basketball, and as long as 532 00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:24.159 as long as there, as long as the game stays palatable, no matter 533 00:35:24.199 --> 00:35:29.239 what changes the NCAA or the playoff committee, that kind of stuff, no 534 00:35:29.239 --> 00:35:31.239 matter what changes they make, people are still going to come back to it. 535 00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:35.119 It doesn't matter what they do to the game. Yeah. I think 536 00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:37.800 you're right, and it's bigger than ever. And when we saw that with 537 00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:42.119 Louisville fans. And what also what I noticed too is when your product is 538 00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:45.039 taken away from you, you're starved. And we're saying and we're going to 539 00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:49.800 see that with Louisville basket if things work out the way they should for coach 540 00:35:49.880 --> 00:35:52.159 Kelsey. We're going to see that with Cardinal basketball fans. I mean, 541 00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:55.800 I was my son and I were big time and we went to every game 542 00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:00.559 we could get to during the Peyton Siva era. And when that's taken away 543 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:04.079 from you, you come back and you're you're like a rabbit Doug and it 544 00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:07.199 had Nayton in a month. And you're seeing that in Louisville football now. 545 00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:13.159 And unfortunately, I think I told Tony, I said, this bowl gaming'll 546 00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:15.480 be the best thing for him. And I'm not talking about playing on the 547 00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:19.840 field. I'm just talking about it's played in the baseball stadium against the USC 548 00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:22.239 team. It's half their starters aren't even playing in the bowl game anymore. 549 00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:27.000 And they still spanked him, and they still spanked him. And so I 550 00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:30.159 think for I told Tony that bowl game is going to do them no favors. 551 00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:31.760 But what did do them? Pay? Wellus? It didn't help that 552 00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:35.400 you lost to your rival too at home. We were at that Kentucky game 553 00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:38.920 and that stadium was just deflated except for the Kentucky fans, mind't you, 554 00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:45.840 But there is still that hope and I think that that coach Brahm and the 555 00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:50.639 Cards will get there. And when they do, and they we we saw 556 00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:54.519 to Kentucky and Kentucky had that nice run. Kentucky put a bunch of players 557 00:36:54.559 --> 00:37:00.320 in the NFL because they had that good run. Now they fall and off 558 00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:04.320 a bit that's yet to be seen. I mean winning changes everything. You 559 00:37:04.400 --> 00:37:07.400 win. People look at what lou City's going through right now. Had lou 560 00:37:07.480 --> 00:37:13.840 City not had those very successful years early on and been like, say what 561 00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:16.000 Miami is right now, I mean they're horrible. They have seven points in 562 00:37:16.039 --> 00:37:20.960 the table. If you don't win out of the gate, it's hard for 563 00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:25.360 people to get on board. We talked about the USFL yesterday. I still 564 00:37:25.440 --> 00:37:29.719 was a fan, why because they won right out of the gate. Everybody 565 00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:34.000 loves a winner, but you gotta win unless unless you're able to stand on 566 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:37.440 your laurels Louisville. Schools like Louisville and Kentucky can buy time during the down 567 00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:40.119 years because they've been around so long. So it is the changing face of 568 00:37:40.199 --> 00:37:45.000 sports. We love it. That's why we're here. And when it comes 569 00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:46.400 to the nuts and bolts, I'm gonna leave you in the hands of Nick 570 00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:51.599 Coffee and John Alden because they can get tighter into that than I ever could. 571 00:37:52.280 --> 00:37:53.679 But it's fun to be a sports fan. It's fun to be a 572 00:37:53.719 --> 00:37:57.000 sports fan here in Louisville. It's fun to be able to talk about it 573 00:37:57.000 --> 00:37:59.599 on the radio. Hey, we're gonna come back to wrap things up after 574 00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:01.960 this, Scott Fitzgerald. He's John Alden, We're back after this on Sports 575 00:38:01.960 --> 00:38:07.960 Talk seven ninety. Yeah. That is Dylan Marlow. He is in concert 576 00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:10.800 on four Street Live tonight. I was just coming in from back there. 577 00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:14.800 You can you can hear them doing sound checks out there, John, and 578 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:17.039 it's like vibrating like that about where we're at. Yeah. Then I was 579 00:38:17.159 --> 00:38:21.840 they were doing sound checks and you can feel it vibrating here in the studio 580 00:38:22.119 --> 00:38:24.519 and we're in the back here, and I'll be back here in about eight 581 00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:29.840 hours and getting ready for the show on Saturday, and I guarantee you folks 582 00:38:29.880 --> 00:38:31.320 will still be out there party and you got to walk in amongst them. 583 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:35.719 So we're gonna get out of here. And John is always thank you so 584 00:38:35.840 --> 00:38:37.039 much, my friend. I appreciate you. If you look forward to the 585 00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:40.159 next time. Yeah, same here and Nick will be back with you Monday. 586 00:38:40.199 --> 00:38:43.519 Look, I know a lot of people don't always agree with me, 587 00:38:43.639 --> 00:38:46.159 and sometimes my takes don't make sense, and I totally understand that, but 588 00:38:46.840 --> 00:38:51.320 I that's why we're here. I appreciate you at least listening to me, 589 00:38:51.719 --> 00:38:54.079 and I'm grateful that you're able to allow me to do it. So have 590 00:38:54.159 --> 00:38:58.480 a great weekend, everybody. I'll be on radio Study Hall starts tomorrow morning 591 00:38:58.519 --> 00:39:01.039 at six o'clock I News Radio forty WHS. Have a great weekend.