WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:08.720 It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine 2 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:11.919 day, Holy crap, I don't know who the hell we think we are. 3 00:00:12.199 --> 00:00:16.000 Get off our show, idiot. The kids are playing to turn off. 4 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:19.239 The coaches are screwing it up. Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, 5 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:23.960 gold Play Inner Murals. They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really 6 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.440 not. Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here? Are you kidding 7 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:41.039 me? Now? Here's nick coffee? All right, let's get it started, 8 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:45.039 ladies and gentlemen. We have another day here where we get to get 9 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:50.079 to the We get to get the party started. Reacting to a big update 10 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:55.960 in a highly followed situation, and that situation is the Kentucky basketball coaching search. 11 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:03.320 And the update is that Scott Drew has a ficially said no toa to 12 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:07.719 Kentucky to State Baylor, and within the last twenty five minutes or so, 13 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:11.959 Matt Norlander, who who, by the way, broke both of these stories 14 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:15.000 today, if you want to call him that it broke the news. I 15 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:21.439 guess that Drew's staying at Baylor and that there is zero percent chance that Danny 16 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:26.200 Hurley will be leaving Yukon to go to Kentucky, and I know it turned 17 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:32.159 to well, now with Drew off the board, we gotta make Hurley say 18 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:36.719 no. He's got to say no, which technically he doesn't have to. 19 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:40.879 He can just ignore you. He doesn't, I mean, and maybe he's 20 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:46.120 doing that right, Like, got to make him say no. We don't 21 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:48.879 really have any control over what they say or what they do. So like 22 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:53.959 I can you know, if I was single, I can say, you 23 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:57.000 know what, Uh, who's the hottest woman on the planet right now? 24 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:00.200 John, Let's just go with Taylor Swift. She made me the hottest in 25 00:02:00.280 --> 00:02:05.280 terms of entertainment. Yeah, she's not really my style, but yeah, 26 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:13.199 yeah, so something like that. Margot Robbie is that let's just say Margaret. 27 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:15.800 Am I saying her name right? Because I gotta come correct if I'm 28 00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:19.080 doing this Margot Robbie, Look, I got to make her say no, 29 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:23.000 like she she has not turned me down yet, She has not said no. 30 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:27.000 So it's alive. Anybody telling me that I don't have a chance with 31 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:32.599 Margot Robbie, she hadon said no, hadn't said no? What's your wife 32 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:38.560 think? We'll get this is hypothetical that's true. But if if Margot Robbie 33 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:43.319 wanted me, my wife would probably be like, good for you, man, 34 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:46.039 I hope not, you know, but like God to make them say 35 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:52.400 no, isn't it? It doesn't get classified like the other stupid things we 36 00:02:52.439 --> 00:02:58.039 say in sports, like win is a win, Remember that win is a 37 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:01.280 win. That that's the dumbest thing people say in sports. It's really just 38 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:06.759 a deflection of like acknowledging that your team stunk and you're worried. But in 39 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:09.719 order to not you know, address that as a fan, win's a win. 40 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:14.759 So I don't know if he's gonna say no. I think he's just 41 00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:19.560 going to stay at Yukon. And the only thing that is that is that 42 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:23.199 has kept it from like being official, which again, it doesn't have to 43 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:29.000 be official. But I guess the reason that Kentucky fans and even some of 44 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:31.479 those that cover Kentucky believe that there's still a chance is because one they do 45 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:35.240 know they can throw an insane amount of money at him. They can go 46 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:38.439 New York Yankee style and say, oh, we're kind of we're kind of 47 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:45.680 screwed here. Let's let's just throw money that would literally make him unable to 48 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:49.280 say no, and he would have to come here. But I think the 49 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:55.280 official rejection that they that they're seeking is going to be whenever the details of 50 00:03:55.360 --> 00:04:01.680 Danny Hurley's new contract are released. Could be today, could be tomorrow. 51 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:05.840 But they're having a parade, I believe, on Saturday, to celebrate their 52 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:11.360 national championship, and I would be really really surprised if there's not already a 53 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:15.560 public there's a public if there's not a public arrangement as far as the contract 54 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:19.839 should maybe not public arrangement, but an arrangement that has been made public as 55 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:26.920 far as him getting more money and everything else that he wants. So I 56 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:30.240 think, and I'll get to this in just a second, but I guess 57 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:32.120 I should let you guys know what you're where you are. You're with us. 58 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.639 It's Coffee and Company. My name is Nick Coffee. The company man, 59 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:40.879 mister John Alden is alongside today as we take you up until six o'clock. 60 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:44.560 As you know, we are fueled by Thornton's and we got a loaded 61 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:47.800 show today ladies and gents, three guests, which is rare, but I 62 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:53.120 think it's necessary just given what's going on. We're gonna talk coming up here, 63 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:58.399 at three thirty with mister Kevin Sweeney, college basketball insider for Sports Illustrated. 64 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:02.160 We've been talking to Kevin for really the whole season, and now the 65 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:06.759 season's over, and man, the first week of I guess, I mean 66 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.120 it is the first We're four days into the offseason. Three days into the 67 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:15.560 offseason, I suppose, and we're gonna be joined by Kevin, and there's 68 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:20.399 a whole lot to get to when it comes to just the crazy week we've 69 00:05:20.439 --> 00:05:26.439 had with Kentucky losing their coach, leaving go to Arkansas, and obviously a 70 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:29.199 lot of guys in the portal. So I look forward to talking to Kevin 71 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:31.680 coming up here in about twenty five minutes or so. Another guy's going to 72 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:35.279 join us at four thirty from Fayetteville, Arkansas. That is j. C. 73 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:41.040 Hoops aka Jackson Collier, who covers Arkansas for the Rivals Network, and 74 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:46.199 Cali Perry was shining yesterday. I mean, my man was looking like a 75 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:51.560 million bucks. You can tell he is rejuvenated and he's got the fire in 76 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:58.040 him, and I think he is going to be absolutely motivated to win in 77 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:01.920 hopes of sticking it to I guess, Mitch Barnhardt, I mean, I 78 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:08.600 think that's the root of his I shouldn't say hatred, but like he's he's 79 00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:13.399 motivated to win at a high level there, I would say for a variety 80 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:15.000 of reasons, but one of those reasons, and I think the big reason 81 00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:18.480 is to stick it to Barnfard. I mean, I think that's it. 82 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:26.160 And we'll see if he actually ends up having success. But I mean, 83 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:30.079 so far, he looks to be in a pretty good position. Whereas Kentucky, 84 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:31.560 who knows, Maybe they get a coach in a couple of days and 85 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:35.439 they start reeling in players, but you know, hadn't happened yet, which 86 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:39.519 is not crazy, right. The job has officially been open for two days, 87 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:44.000 but they've been turned down in one way or another by everybody that you 88 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:48.720 would believe they want. But we'll talk to talk to Jackson coming up at 89 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:51.519 four thirty. And then our man Rob Cassidy of the Rivals Network. This 90 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:56.160 is a Rivals takeover here. I guess on a coffee and company he covers 91 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:59.319 recruiting, and I want to get his thoughts on Pat Kelsey as a recruiter. 92 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:02.639 Rob is somebody that early on in the Louisville search, and I mean 93 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:08.240 when Kenny was actually fired. Rob was a big, a big supporter of 94 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:12.639 Pat Kelsey. I mean, I don't think anybody thought it would end up 95 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:15.160 getting there, but uh, you know he once it became clear that they 96 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:18.519 were going to probably be going to the mid major route, including even Dusty 97 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.600 May, Rob was, you know, Rob, somebody I talked to you 98 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:25.439 here and there, and he really likes Pat Kelsey and said that's who louisvill 99 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:27.720 should hire. So sure enough they did that, And I want to get 100 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:31.560 his thoughts on you know what, he what he really likes about Pat that 101 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:35.360 makes him think he's going to succeed here. So we're loaded, got a 102 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:39.519 lot to get into today, and we hope you guys will will stick with 103 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:42.160 us. All right. If you want to be a part of the show, 104 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:45.160 you can five OO'T two five seventy nine hundred is the number. If 105 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:46.639 you want to give us a call. You can also text in five O 106 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:49.560 two sixty five three zero seven ninety. That is the L and N Federal 107 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:54.160 Credit Union text line. And let's just get right into it. So earlier 108 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:58.199 today, I guess around I don't know, ten thirty, ten forty five, 109 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:03.279 that is whenever Matt Orlander broke the news that Scott Drew is going to 110 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:07.560 stay in Waco, Texas and remain at Baylor and not come to Kentucky. 111 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:13.279 I do believe his statement was sincere in what he said as far as why, 112 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:18.199 and that is just that you know, he God is telling him that 113 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:22.959 he needs to stay in Waco. And here's what his statement said. In 114 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:24.800 our program, we strive to put Jesus first than others, than ourselves. 115 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:28.920 We truly believe God has called my family and I to continue our work here 116 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:33.120 at Baylor surrounded by the best people in community anyone could be could anyone could 117 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:35.320 be blessed to have. We are grateful for the support of Mac Rhodes, 118 00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:39.879 President Livingstone, and the entire Baylor family, and we look forward to we 119 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:46.600 look forward to working together to bring more championships to Waco. So as much 120 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:50.440 as I'd love to, you know, enjoy and celebrate Kentucky's you know, 121 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:54.240 downfall and shortcomings in this coaching search, and I will, by the way, 122 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:58.799 trust me, because they had the same type of energy whenever you know, 123 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:01.240 it was I mean, this is a guy who turned down Louisville and 124 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:05.679 it became like oh wow. And then Kentucky wanted him and they didn't get 125 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:13.559 him. He turned him down, which I know why athletic directors do this, 126 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:18.480 but it really it's insulting anybody's intelligence, even if they don't have much 127 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:22.679 of it. The whole Well, he wasn't offered the job. What do 128 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:30.200 you mean he wasn't offered the job like the reports that state, well, 129 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:33.320 he was asked to consider the job. That's offering him the job? Are 130 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.960 you gonna ask him to consider the job? And he says, I've considered 131 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:39.919 it, I'd like the job. Okay, Well now the offer's like it's 132 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:46.200 such a silly way of dancing around the ability to say you were rejected, 133 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:50.480 right, Like, that's what it is. And I bring that up to 134 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:56.720 say Scott Drew turning down Kentucky to state Baylor is not a knock on Kentucky. 135 00:09:56.759 --> 00:10:01.759 It doesn't mean Kentucky is a is in trouble and they're not a good 136 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.320 program. That's not at all what it means. Just like you know, 137 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:09.799 when Dusty May turned down Louisville, it didn't mean Louisville wasn't a great job. 138 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.639 In fact, it just meant that he wasn't built for that job. 139 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:16.039 And he knew that. And I respect the fact that he wasn't going to 140 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:18.840 just take the higher profile job. He was going to go to a place 141 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:26.559 where he knew he was a better fit. So Josh shurtz he turned down 142 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:30.559 Louisville because he couldn't take the job due to not ever thinking he was gonna 143 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:33.519 get it, so he'd already signed something with Saint Louis. So I get 144 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:37.480 it. Nobody wants to be turned down, but sometimes people will turn your 145 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:43.679 job down. And it doesn't mean that you have like you've fallen as a 146 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.200 program. I mean if you get to if you get to the you know, 147 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:50.720 fifth, sixth, seventh guy, then maybe that could be maybe that 148 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:52.799 could be said. And look with Louisville, Yeah, they went with a 149 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:56.000 mid major, and I have no problem in saying, and he was their 150 00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:00.919 fourth choice. But he's also somebody that all throughout the process they were interested 151 00:11:00.919 --> 00:11:03.320 in and they had talked to. He was always on the board. Again, 152 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:05.840 I believe he was the first coach that Josh hurt talked to. So 153 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:11.799 you know, the way in which Louisville search played out, I think publicly 154 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:16.320 could have been avoided pretty easily. But either way, they went the mid 155 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:18.879 major route. And that's what was the hardest thing for me to accept, 156 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:22.120 just that this is what they're gonna end up doing now. I think, 157 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:24.279 you know, maybe it was my ego as a Louisville fan, just thinking 158 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:28.480 we won't do that because we're not We're not a program that would rely on 159 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:33.159 a mid major right now because we're Louisville. But you could see why an 160 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:37.519 athletic director and a lot of athletic directors are doing this. They are going 161 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:41.759 with guys that have won and proven to have their own formula as far as 162 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:46.600 success, maybe doing it two different mid majors like Pat Kelcey, or doing 163 00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:48.480 it at one and having a lot of success in what you do is you 164 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:52.519 say, Okay, this guy is gettable affordable and we don't have to go 165 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:56.279 pay a ten to twelve million dollars buyout like these other good coaches have, 166 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:01.200 and we've got resources here that if this guy could win down there at the 167 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.200 mid major level, imagine what he could do with resources like this. And 168 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:09.279 I don't think Kentucky would go that route. But if in fact they don't 169 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:16.200 get Billy Donovan, because that's I guess the only man left in the top 170 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:20.879 tier of their candidate pool that has not given them a direct no. And 171 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:26.080 I'm sure there are people that know things that I don't know about Billy Donovan. 172 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:28.080 In fact, I don't know a whole lot about him, but I 173 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:35.440 do know that the I mean, why would he want to come back to 174 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:39.840 college when he's already a successful NBA coach to an extent and he would get 175 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:41.240 it, like if the Bulls didn't want him, he could get another NBA 176 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:46.440 job that's a retread league. I feel like the notion that he would that 177 00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:52.399 he would come back to college is just silly, And it's not It wouldn't 178 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:56.320 be because Kentucky's the problem and he doesn't feel like they're worthy of his services. 179 00:12:56.840 --> 00:13:00.559 It's because if the guy wanted to coach in college basketball, he could 180 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:03.080 have come back and taken a lot of jobs in the last I don't know, 181 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:07.600 six seven years and the job has changed so much. So maybe he 182 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:11.919 is itching to get back in the college game because he misses it or something. 183 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:16.519 But when he left it was because he'd hated recruiting and all that comes 184 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:20.399 with it, and in the NBA didn't have to deal with that, and 185 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:22.960 he likes it that's why he's been in the NBA for a long time. 186 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.879 So look, I'm not going to say that there's no chance he would ever 187 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:31.360 consider it, but I just there's got to be something I'm missing that makes 188 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:35.039 people think that he is, like he's going to have a hard time saying 189 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.039 no, Like what would make you think that? And the only thing I 190 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:39.279 can think of is because you're Kentucky and you just think, well, anybody 191 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:43.039 would be stupid to say no. And I get it. I mean, 192 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:45.360 I guess I've looked at the Louisville job that way to an extent, but 193 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:48.559 I mean, and look, I'm well aware Kentucky's a way better job than 194 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:52.200 Louisville because it's probably the best job in the sport. But with that, 195 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.080 there's some things that come with it that would make a good coach in a 196 00:13:56.120 --> 00:14:01.000 good situation, or maybe a good coach in a great situation, respectfully decline 197 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:05.480 any interest if their interest was there. And I don't even know if that's 198 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:11.720 what Scott Drew did, but clearly he didn't want to come and with Danny 199 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:18.720 Hurley, I mean, the only reason you would say that he would consider 200 00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:20.559 it, and then maybe it potentially decided to come would be because of money, 201 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:28.759 and money matters to all of us, right, But it sounds like 202 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:31.559 there's no chance now that that's actually going to happen. And I never really 203 00:14:31.559 --> 00:14:35.519 thought there was much of a chance, but I just thought it was fascinating 204 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:37.840 to hear what we got to make him say no. Why does he have 205 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:39.840 to say no? He's not required to say no. He can just continue 206 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:43.519 to live his life and be the coach at Ukon and you can be waiting 207 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:45.799 for years for him to say no, Like I just don't. I don't 208 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:50.720 get that. So maybe he shocks the world and the report from Norlander is 209 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:56.440 not correct, but I guess now it's just waiting to see what Billy Donovan 210 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:58.320 does. And I say waiting because the Chicago Bulls are going to be in 211 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:03.320 the playing game, and I think that starts next week. And you look 212 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:07.200 that up for me, John, I think it starts next week. And 213 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:11.399 I wouldn't imagine you'd even be able to talk to him about the job in 214 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:18.440 a series like in a serious you know manner in regards to like specifics, 215 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.600 salary, that kind of stuff. And look, I know his agent would 216 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:22.600 be the one involved in it. It's not like he would be leaving the 217 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:24.679 Bulls for a couple of games to go, you know, have a conversation 218 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:31.320 with Kentucky. But I just feel like if you waited and then you didn't 219 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:35.559 get him and you're kind of starting from scratch, I don't know, Like, 220 00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:37.240 let's say they keep the Bulls, can win and keep playing. Like 221 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:41.080 to me, Billy Donovan is just unrealistic in a variety of ways because of 222 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.840 the timing of it. And if you're Mitch Barnhardt, you can't take that 223 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:48.080 risk. You can't take that risk to let him finish whatever's gonna happen with 224 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:50.200 the Bulls, for them to for him to then tell you no, it 225 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:54.120 wouldn't mean that, like you couldn't end up getting a good coach because at 226 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:56.320 the end of the day, coaching searches are wild in a variety of ways, 227 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:02.320 but mostly because you can't actually evaluate how an athletic director did in his 228 00:16:02.440 --> 00:16:07.440 quote unquote search until you see the results of the guy he hired. I 229 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:11.840 think assessing the search itself, and you know, maybe some you know, 230 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:17.679 optics along the way, like yeah, I think that's that's when it looks 231 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:19.360 as if you don't really know exactly what you're doing. That's a bad look. 232 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:25.159 But at the end of the day, you can't ultimately judge a higher 233 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:29.559 until the hire is in place and there's results that you can assess to see 234 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:34.639 if it's either going well or going bad. So I guess my question here 235 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:40.840 is, if Kentucky can't get one of those four, who's next? I 236 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:45.000 mean, is it Rick Patino? Surely not right, I mean, he's 237 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:48.480 a hell of a coach. He's seventy one. He could handle the job. 238 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:55.039 But like, could that happen? Why do I kind of want it 239 00:16:55.039 --> 00:17:00.399 to happen, John, Why? It would be the most newsworthy higher you 240 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:04.559 can make it this point. Yeah, and it would bring so much oh 241 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:10.440 rama between now and next season. I mean that is I mean, I 242 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:12.720 hate to say it, but it's priceless. Yeah, yeah, it's I 243 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:18.519 mean Rick is larger than life, and he is I mean, he's a 244 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:23.000 great coach. I think you know, he'd be able to even though he's 245 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:26.960 a lot more old school about things than other coaches, but he I mean, 246 00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:30.200 if he's still a great coach, and I imagine he'd be able to 247 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:33.319 get really good players at Kentucky. Like, to me, it would make 248 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:37.279 sense it's just that, you know, like the history. I mean, 249 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:41.400 one thing I do know is that if Rick Patino was hired at Kentucky, 250 00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:45.599 Kentucky Sports Radio's database would need to be completely deleted because I think for about 251 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:52.279 fifteen years of that website's existence, the vast majority of the content was making 252 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:56.359 fun of Rick Patino. So do you think he would go on KSR? 253 00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:59.799 Oh, yeah, he would. Okay, this Rick would the old Rick 254 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:02.160 meet and I don't meet to me, obviously, the old Rick wouldn't go 255 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:07.480 on KSR whenever he was here at Louisville. And you know, they made 256 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:08.720 fun of him, and he did every chance they got. I mean just 257 00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:12.119 I mean that was really a big part of their and I say making fun 258 00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:15.319 of them, I mean, that's what they were doing. But obviously, 259 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.880 just the coverage, I mean, Matt will tell you this, the coverage 260 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:23.680 of his of Rick Patino during the Karen Cipher trial really elevated his following, 261 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:30.000 probably more than anything any one thing specifically he's done. And it was wild 262 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:33.720 to hear them on KSR this morning, kind of like being opened potentially to 263 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:37.599 the idea of Patino if in fact, these four don't one of these four 264 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:41.160 doesn't work out. But Rufe Franklin, my man was was not budget. 265 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:45.200 I mean it sounds it sounds like he would have, you know, given 266 00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:48.000 the reins for like Ryan Lemon to take over the program before he would let 267 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:52.599 Rick Patino so. And again that would be like that would be the old 268 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:59.400 That's kind of the reason why I want Patino to go there, because the 269 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:00.680 one thing that would make me not wanted is that it would be I would 270 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:03.000 have to just not like him. I would have to really be anti Rick, 271 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:04.519 and I don't really want to do that. But again, if I 272 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:07.440 have to, it's whatever, Like enough time has passed, it's it's really 273 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:12.079 you know, it wouldn't bother me that much. But also I would love 274 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:18.759 for all of the Kentucky fans that like the rivalry. For a good stretch 275 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:22.960 there was just them making fun of Rick Patino for being coach number two, 276 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:29.000 for the fifteen seconds for the you know Katina pal stuff. I mean, 277 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:33.480 that's that's that's what they did, and that's why the rivalry was at its 278 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:40.680 best because again they didn't just mean they I guess him being their former coach 279 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:41.960 was a component to it as well. But what I'm getting at is like 280 00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:47.599 Rick's a larger than life presence, and like that's why he could have when 281 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:49.039 he has these things happened to him, whether it be you know, happen 282 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:52.799 some of these things he does to himself, whether it be scandal or you 283 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:57.440 know, controversy, just saying out outlandish things. Like the reason it gets 284 00:19:57.480 --> 00:20:02.400 the reaction it does is because he's Rick and Patino. So I doubt that 285 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:04.880 that would ever happen. But man, wouldn't that be something because they're not 286 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:07.720 going to hire Mark Pope, are they? If they do, I'll win, 287 00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:11.119 not not money, but I'll win a dinner bet with a buddy of 288 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:15.039 mine. So what's the bet? So, if Mark Pope gets hired, 289 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:18.680 buddy buys me dinner. If Billy Donovan gets hired, I buy him dinner. 290 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:23.839 Both kind of wild card hires. I feel like, yeah, I 291 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:27.319 mean, and one of them would be a lot more underwhelming than the other. 292 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:32.839 Sure, sure, And I'm trying to think about this wager. What 293 00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:36.279 is the most likely result. I'd say the most likely result is neither, 294 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:41.079 I agree, but I'd probably I'd probably lean Pope because I could see mister 295 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:48.920 Barnhardt really wanting to hire Mark Pope. There's what I don't understand. Why 296 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:52.480 isn't Natoates now back in the mix where you can literally throw a bunch of 297 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:56.519 money at him. Matt alluded to something earlier on the show today that that 298 00:20:56.599 --> 00:20:59.759 I don't I don't know what it is. Maybe I'll ask him and see 299 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:03.960 if I'll tell me that there's something that prevents Natos from being able to move 300 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:07.400 out of Alabama. Don't know what that would be, but he said it, 301 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:08.759 and I have no clue what that would mean, but that would explain 302 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:12.079 why he put that statement out before they ever would even have contacted him. 303 00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:18.000 And then also Bruce Pearl, like why not Bruce Pearl? Bruce Pearl's a 304 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:25.200 good coach. I know Drew has As I mentioned yesterday, Drew has the 305 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:26.720 title, which again you can't like those are those are not something you just 306 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:32.960 randomly just just move on past. When you're looking at somebody's resume. It 307 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:37.720 stands out it's the biggest accomplishment one can have in college basketball. But he's 308 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:40.680 one at Tennessee at a high level. He's won at Auburn at a high 309 00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:44.480 level despite a couple of early exits, including this year. But like he's 310 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:48.440 done he's recruited and pulled. He has put together really good rosters at Auburn 311 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:53.319 when they're an under armour school, and I'm sure they have resources for ANIL, 312 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:56.440 but not like a lot of the other SEC school do SEC schools to 313 00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:00.599 do for basketball? I would bet so, like I think he would crush 314 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:03.160 it at Kentucky. And I just don't feel like there's ever been a whole 315 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:04.640 lot of traction for him as a candidate. I don't really know why, 316 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:11.599 but anyways, Uh, Drew, he's out. Hurley was probably always out. 317 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:15.240 But I guess they just got to wait for him to say no, 318 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:18.720 right, Like I guess he could have his three peet right, but he 319 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:22.480 still hadn't told Kentucky no, So therefore, you know what I mean, 320 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:26.680 Like he hadn't said no, Gotta make him say no. Just go without 321 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:27.480 a coach next week. Yeah, we're just gonna do an interim. We're 322 00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:32.680 gonna we're gonna uh, let's bring Kenny Payne. Yeah, bring Kenny Payne. 323 00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:36.839 Is the interim just buying some time here and then we're just waiting for 324 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:38.759 just waiting for him to say no. We gotta make make Hurley say no. 325 00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:42.319 And by the way Scott Drew didn't have Wait a second, he didn't 326 00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:45.279 turn it down because he didn't have the offer. He was told to consider 327 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:48.720 the job, but consider it, consider the job, but don't know, 328 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:51.960 you don't have an offer? Like what the he what kind of sense does 329 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:53.839 that make? All right, We're gonna take a quick time out again. 330 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:56.519 On the other side, we will bring in our man Kevin Sweeney, who 331 00:22:56.559 --> 00:23:00.640 covers college basketball for Sports Illustrated, to get his thought on all this. 332 00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:03.440 I mean, what is it madness? Is it chaos? I can say 333 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:06.880 this. It's exciting, it's fun. We've got a lot. I mean, 334 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:10.559 these two programs that, of course we all care about so much. 335 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:14.079 There's gonna be some new flavor. In fact, a lot of new flavor 336 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:15.759 from top to bottom, really, and that's exciting to me. I don't 337 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:18.119 go anywhere. It's Coffee and Company. We are feel about Thornton's right here 338 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:23.440 on Sports Talk seven ninety. That's right, Coffee and Company rolling along here 339 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:27.000 on a Thursday afternoon. We are fuel about Thornton's. And don't forget you 340 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:30.720 could take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the AAHUT Radio. 341 00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:33.799 Have listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com for those just now joining 342 00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:38.400 us. Kentucky has I guess gotten an official no from Scott Drew, And 343 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:42.440 the latest reports are that, despite I guess him not giving them a direct 344 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:45.759 no, I don't want to be with you, Dan Hurley is going to 345 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:49.559 stay in Connecticut and not take the Kentucky job. But even with the latest 346 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:53.200 that's out there from Matt Norlander, who if you've missed it, here's what 347 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:59.440 Norlander put out about an hour ago that his source tells him that there is 348 00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:03.640 zero chance Dan Hurley will leave Yukon for Kentucky, stating that it's not happening 349 00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:07.440 and he's going to get a big pay bump. And it sounds like also 350 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:10.039 his staff is going to get a big pay bump, some better resources. 351 00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:14.920 I don't know if that means facilities or whatnot. So regardless, it seems 352 00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:18.119 as if they're now putting all their attention to they will put all their attention 353 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:22.279 to Billy Donovan. So that's the latest. It's been a highly followed thing 354 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:25.119 in the last couple of days. And I know a lot of you are 355 00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:26.880 working doing whatever you're doing. Maybe you're I don't know what you're doing, 356 00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:30.559 but you probably can't keep up with it as much as others. So there's 357 00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:33.000 the latest. Now to talk about all this and more, we're going to 358 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:36.279 bring in our man, mister Kevin Sweeney, who covers college basketball for the 359 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:40.119 fine folks at Sports Illustrated. I guess we'll start with the most recent stuff 360 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:44.160 here, Kevin, and then work our way back. Did you ever think 361 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:51.319 there was any chance about of Dan Hurley leaving Yukon for Kentucky? Not really, 362 00:24:51.640 --> 00:24:52.759 Like I don't know. I think I would have given it maybe a 363 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:57.640 five percent chance when it first opened. Of you know, I think the 364 00:24:57.720 --> 00:25:03.200 timing of this was particularly hard because at what point would you make the decision 365 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:08.200 to leave the place you're at when you're already have won two championships back to 366 00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:11.440 back, Like I think of this job opened in twenty twenty six, and 367 00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:15.480 you know, Hurley was two years removed from a couple of championships, and 368 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:19.359 he's so fiercely competitive, right like the opportunity to go build it somewhere else, 369 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:22.480 and you know, if you felt like he'd stagnated the Yukon and I 370 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:26.119 could see maybe a world where and where he would have considered this, But 371 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:29.799 look, I don't think he's so hurting for money that, you know, 372 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:33.640 twelve million versus eight or nine. It's the difference. And I think at 373 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:36.319 the end of the day, the opportunity to keep building Yukon, to stay 374 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:41.440 in the Northeast where he's comfortable to be around his family, that was too 375 00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:44.960 much to overcome in this in this case, and I certainly wasn't surprised that 376 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:48.680 he has officially told them now at this point now with Scott Drew, I 377 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:49.759 mean, I think this was a pretty I mean, I think for those 378 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:53.759 who cover college basketball like yourself, Scott Drew seems to be a very what 379 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:56.559 you see is what you get, very genuine a guy that the things he 380 00:25:56.599 --> 00:26:00.519 says in regards to his beliefs, his faith, like it's not just something 381 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:03.640 he says to say it to look like a good guy. It's it's very 382 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:06.440 genuine. I mean, to me, it just seems as if he probably 383 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:08.880 loves everything about Kentucky in that job. But he also has made Baylor home 384 00:26:10.039 --> 00:26:11.920 and he's been there twenty something years. I believe it is that's where his 385 00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:15.599 kids have grown up, and it's it's he just can't leave. I mean, 386 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:18.920 that is that Is that the way you see it? Yeah, Look, 387 00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:22.640 I think in a vacuum, he probably takes it on his own, 388 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:25.680 right. Like I think if he was just getting said, hey, do 389 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:27.799 you want to take Kentucky right now, I think Scott Drew probably says yes. 390 00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:32.440 Right. Like reading between the lines of him sending his family to Lexxington, 391 00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:33.920 I think this is the family decision, right, Like, he's comfortable, 392 00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:38.920 he's happy at Baylor, he's inspired by the mission that he's been on 393 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.319 for, you know, the last twenty years of building that place. And 394 00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:45.079 his family's really happy, right. You know, his kids, you know, 395 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:48.960 in high school and college, doesn't want to move them. Just wasn't 396 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:52.200 the right, you know, opportunity to make a move. Right. These 397 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:56.279 things are much more complicated than just basketball decisions. And I think, especially 398 00:26:56.319 --> 00:27:02.799 in this day and age, with nil, the gap can be closed a 399 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:07.559 little bit from these elite jobs to the rest of college basketball. And so 400 00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:08.279 if you're scot through, you don't feel like, oh, I need to 401 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.240 go there. If I want to have a chance of winning title, I 402 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:11.880 need to go there. If I want to have a chance to care to 403 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:15.279 league players, He's doing that already at Baylor, And so I think that 404 00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:21.200 was the eventual calculus. There so both fan bases in this city, this 405 00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:25.240 city that I call home Louisville, Kentucky, where I believe we can match 406 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:29.920 and probably exceed anybody's passion for the sport of college basketball because in Louisville there 407 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:33.880 are so many of both sides, right, I think obviously Louisville is the 408 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:36.759 University of louisvels right here in town, Kentucky's and Lexington. But again, 409 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:38.279 I can tell you firsthand this city. I don't know if it's fifty to 410 00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:41.119 fifty, if it's sixty forty, but there's so many that care so much. 411 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:45.839 And we've both gone through Cote, Kentucky's going through the search now Louisville 412 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:48.000 did a few weeks ago, and you know they got told no. I 413 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:52.000 think Louisville's search the optics were pretty poor because you know, I didn't have 414 00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:56.240 to be public about some of these rejections, but it was not really sure 415 00:27:56.279 --> 00:27:59.759 who's totally at fault for that. But either way, they got a guy 416 00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:03.319 that Louisville fans at least are energized by. It's Pat Kelsey, and you 417 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:04.480 know, there's there's a lot to like about him, and he had a 418 00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:07.480 winning formula at both stops prior to Louisville, and let's see if he can 419 00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:11.200 do it here. Now. On the Kentucky side, they're getting rejected too, 420 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:15.319 But is it? I mean, I think fans just think of their 421 00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:18.200 program clearly in a different way than most do, because that's you know, 422 00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:22.359 they're fans, they're fanatics. But when you get told no and rejected, 423 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:26.039 essentially, it really doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you, right, Like 424 00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:30.039 I don't think Drew or Hurley not taking the Kentucky job means Kentucky's not a 425 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:33.960 great job, right Yeah, Like I agree with that. Like I think 426 00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:37.480 at the end of the day, I'd rather go through the process and see 427 00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:41.640 if the best coaches the country want to take your job than not because you 428 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:45.559 think they'll say no, Right Like, like if I'm the AD at Kentucky 429 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:48.319 or I'm the boosters or the board or whatever, like, I'm cool with 430 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:52.240 spending a delegation in New York and doing what I can they get Dan Hurley, 431 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:56.559 even if it's a two percent chance, because that's you know, the 432 00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:00.640 level of coach that he is, It's worth doing. Yeah, I think 433 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:02.079 at the end of the day. You have to have a plan. I 434 00:29:02.119 --> 00:29:07.359 think, you know, sometimes communicating that plan to all the necessary stakeholders is 435 00:29:07.680 --> 00:29:11.759 a big issue. I think one of the things that made the Louisville search 436 00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:15.599 feel so chaotic because it didn't necessarily feel like there was a lot of direction 437 00:29:15.640 --> 00:29:18.640 and plan. Right now, it does feel like Kentucky is working through this 438 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:22.160 quote unquote top group of Dan Hurley, Scotterer and Billy Donovan. We'll see 439 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:29.359 what happens in this kind of intermediary period where Billy's still coaching the Bulls. 440 00:29:29.640 --> 00:29:33.000 He's got time to finish up that season. Do they talk to other candidates? 441 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:36.519 Do other people quote unquote pull themselves out of the search even if they 442 00:29:36.519 --> 00:29:40.519 weren't necessarily evolved. I think that's where things could get really messy. That's 443 00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:44.720 why I think through saying no was a big deal as much as anything. 444 00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:48.559 But yeah, I don't necessarily think it's a huge indictment for any of these 445 00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:51.400 guys that they know, because they're already in good situations. Right think if 446 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:55.920 only Stature is walking away from a bad place to work and live, he's 447 00:29:56.039 --> 00:29:57.640 been there for twenty years. He's obviously very happy. He's turned down other 448 00:29:57.880 --> 00:30:02.759 quote unquote pay raises and job bumps in the past. This was just kind 449 00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:06.880 of part of the course. Billy Donovan. You think he wants the job, 450 00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:10.200 you think he's got genuine interest. I mean, I it wouldn't be 451 00:30:10.279 --> 00:30:12.640 crazy, But I just have a hard time seeing him want to come back 452 00:30:12.680 --> 00:30:17.960 to college. And maybe the belief that he hates recruiting is inaccurate. Maybe 453 00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:19.519 he you know, maybe he did, he didn't hate it that much. 454 00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:22.640 But I just feel like if he was going to come back to college, 455 00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:25.799 he could have done it before now. But then again, Kentucky is is 456 00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:27.839 a different job. Any thoughts on or any anything you're hearing as far as 457 00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:33.759 him genuinely being interested in the job, I think there's at least some level 458 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:37.000 of interest there. I don't know how real it is. I think one 459 00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:41.440 thing I would say is that the timing has rarely been right to go get 460 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:45.839 Billy from the NBA. Right. He's not someone who's likely to walk away 461 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:48.200 from his team. And most of the times these jobs are opening, they're 462 00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:52.119 opening in early March, if anything. Sometimes they're opening during the season, 463 00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:56.839 right. I think last year we talked about, you know, Texas potentially 464 00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:59.480 wanted to take a swing at Billy Donovan, Well, they were open for 465 00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:03.400 January February. That doesn't help anyone. So I think just the fact that 466 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:06.759 this is a little bit later, and we're really only talking about a week 467 00:31:06.839 --> 00:31:08.240 or so that you'd have to wait to get some clarity from Billy, I 468 00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:14.079 think that makes things a little bit more palatable on both sides. I think 469 00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:18.400 the Kentucky job is obviously one that Billy has always coveted, or at least 470 00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:23.359 always had interest in. I also think that he probably views things from the 471 00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:26.519 standpoint of, yes, I didn't like recruiting, but now it's a very 472 00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:30.160 transactional business, right and I can hire staff who can go pay players, 473 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:36.160 and maybe I don't have to be as on all the time in recruiting as 474 00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:38.480 you know I used to be in twenty fifteen. Is that one hundred percent 475 00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:41.640 true, I don't know. Like I do think it is still a major, 476 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:45.279 major grind, and I think it will be a very hard life to 477 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:48.640 walk away from in the NBA come back to college, especially to come to 478 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:53.359 Kentucky where there is such such pressure and so much work to do to fill 479 00:31:53.400 --> 00:31:56.640 out this roster. But I wouldn't rule it out at this point. I 480 00:31:56.680 --> 00:32:01.000 certainly think that Kentucky's going to make a strong offer and we'll see how We'll 481 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:04.720 see how aggressive he is in responding. All right, So no, Drew, 482 00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:07.160 No, let's just say. Billy Donovan says, no, we know 483 00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:12.559 Dan Hurley is going to stay at Yukon. Who at that point would you, 484 00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:16.519 Kevin Sweeney say is the higher that could be made? Where you would 485 00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:21.240 say, well, Kentucky couldn't have done any better than that? After those 486 00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:24.400 said, those three said no, Yeah, I think I feel really good 487 00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:28.559 about a Bruce Pearl higher. Thank you? Why is he not being talked 488 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:30.279 about more? I don't want him there because I like him, but geez 489 00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:36.160 yeah, Like that fit to me is really good, right Like, personality 490 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:37.920 wise, it the key would embrace it. He's proven he can win at 491 00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:42.880 a high level. He's been to a Final four. I think he is 492 00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:45.240 the guy that I would go after, especially given that Natoaks has kind of 493 00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:49.319 pulled his name out. Maybe there's some room to get him back into the 494 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:52.279 conversation because I do think Nate is like the perfect fit for Kentucky. He's 495 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:55.640 innovative, he's smart, he's a high level recruiter. He's been to a 496 00:32:55.680 --> 00:33:00.480 final four. He's winning in the SEC as we speak. But I think 497 00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:04.839 Bruce would be a guy where I would feel pretty good about the search ending. 498 00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:07.039 But it does seem like for whatever reason, whether it's the past tense 499 00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:10.119 no play stuff, or just the way he carries himself, he hasn't gotten 500 00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:14.359 a lot of traction yet. Maybe that will change, but for now, 501 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:17.119 it doesn't feel like Bruce is getting as much attention as I would have expected. 502 00:33:17.799 --> 00:33:20.519 All right, not a lot of time left here, and we do 503 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:23.519 appreciate you as always making time for us. Kevin in the portal of thus 504 00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:29.119 far, I mean, have you been underwhelmed or maybe you've been surprised as 505 00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:30.680 far as the like who's in yet? I mean, there's still some time 506 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:34.480 for others to put their name in the portal, but from you know, 507 00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:37.480 someone who is now looking at it more than I ever have. Because Louisville's 508 00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:42.119 got thirteen scholarships to fill. There's good players, no doubt, and we 509 00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:45.039 saw in this past tournament there can be guys that hit the portal that maybe 510 00:33:45.079 --> 00:33:47.480 didn't generate a whole lot of buzz at the time, but then they've found 511 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:52.079 a spot at a better program, had success, but what do you make 512 00:33:52.119 --> 00:33:55.160 of I guess the current options in the portal right now. Yeah, look, 513 00:33:55.319 --> 00:34:01.960 I think it's been increasingly obvious that like the number of true, like 514 00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:06.839 high major difference makers, right all conference guys at the highest level of the 515 00:34:06.839 --> 00:34:10.880 sport, it's pretty limited in the portal. It's just the reality of it. 516 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:14.480 Doesn't mean you can't go out and get one. I think Louisville got 517 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:20.000 one in Terrence Edwards from James Madison, who's nominal phenomenal player, right like 518 00:34:20.039 --> 00:34:21.800 that, those are the types of guys you have to go get you you 519 00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:23.480 have to be able to project up some of these mid major guys. But 520 00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:27.559 yeah, I don't think there was ever going to be this mass wave of 521 00:34:28.039 --> 00:34:32.119 like high major, all conference proven dudes who wanted to just switch schools for 522 00:34:32.119 --> 00:34:34.719 for an aisle's sake. Right at the end of the day, a lot 523 00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:37.719 of those guys are graduating, a lot of those guys are going pro some 524 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:38.920 of them are going to get paid to stay at their own schools. I 525 00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:42.440 do think we'll get a few more trickling in here over the next couple of 526 00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:45.840 weeks, especially as things become more clear and you know, schools miss on 527 00:34:45.960 --> 00:34:50.880 top targets and start throwing crazy money around. But yeah, I think the 528 00:34:50.920 --> 00:34:53.239 market's been about what I expected so far. There's enough guys out there to 529 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:59.039 go get a good roster and compete. But I think it's also still a 530 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:00.920 challenge people if you could, you know, just build an all star team 531 00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:02.760 in the portal, it was always going to be a little more challenged with 532 00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:06.960 I think those people realized, all right. So it still seems weird, 533 00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:10.800 and it seemed weird last night John Caliperry being the head coach of Arkansas, 534 00:35:10.840 --> 00:35:16.000 But it's real and it became officially official yesterday. I guess just your overall 535 00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:19.159 thoughts. I mean, I don't see a scenario. I don't see why 536 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:22.440 that wouldn't be able to while that wouldn't work out, but obviously Cal hasn't 537 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.280 had the same level of success in recent years. But just thoughts on you 538 00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:29.800 know, I guess what you think, how I guess how successful you think 539 00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:32.840 that could be. Look, I think the one thing I'd say is that 540 00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:38.679 you know the bar is higher there than I think it's maybe like perceived right, 541 00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:44.599 Like walking in him alone does not automatically make him the savior of this 542 00:35:44.679 --> 00:35:46.800 place, like they've been the three sweet sixteens in the last five years. 543 00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:51.679 I think the last four years actually like they're a very good program. They 544 00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:55.199 have great history, advanced court and financial support like go down the line right. 545 00:35:55.280 --> 00:35:58.400 So he's gonna have to win at the high level, win at a 546 00:35:58.440 --> 00:36:00.159 higher level than he did to Kentucky the five years, and quite honest, 547 00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:04.480 he's going to do it without some of the built in advantages of Kentucky. 548 00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:07.800 I do think the money side of things is a lot more even in the 549 00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:10.519 nil world and whatnot. But I do think it's going to be harder to 550 00:36:10.599 --> 00:36:15.840 sell elite high school kids on Arkansas than it was to Southamund Kentucky. And 551 00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:19.000 I think he's going to have to adapt. I think he's gonna have to 552 00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:22.199 be a little bit more aggressive of the portal, change his staff up, 553 00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:25.199 change up to people around him, bring in some new voices. I think 554 00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:30.039 he has every opportunity to be very successful. I certainly think it was a 555 00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:32.599 good gamble if you're Arkansas, but I don't think it's the sure fire home 556 00:36:32.679 --> 00:36:36.119 run this. Some people have made it out to me, Kevin, you 557 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:37.800 are the man. Appreciate you making time for us on such short notes. 558 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:39.920 Keep up the great work and we will talk soon. A right buddy, 559 00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:44.480 Thank you sir, all right, that's Kevin Swayey does a great job covering 560 00:36:44.519 --> 00:36:47.960 college hoops for Sports Illustrated. Always appreciate his time. Let's take a quick 561 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:51.599 time. I will come back and wrap up the three o'clock hour. Keep 562 00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:55.519 this thing rolling along. If you are someone like me, an unsuccessful sports 563 00:36:55.519 --> 00:37:01.519 better more often than not. I saw something earlier today in this Otani situation 564 00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:07.159 that made me feel like I'm not as bad of a better as I thought, 565 00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:08.400 and it's got to make you feel the same way too, So stick 566 00:37:08.440 --> 00:37:10.840 with us right here, Coffee and Company. Feel bout Thornton's on Sports Talk 567 00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:16.599 seven ninety. That's right, Coffee and Company rolling along here on a Thursday 568 00:37:16.679 --> 00:37:22.199 afternoon. Appreciate you guys hanging out with us, and we'll take a little 569 00:37:22.199 --> 00:37:27.320 bit of a break from the Kentucky coaching search and just the college basketball overload, 570 00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:30.119 which, by the way, the portal and obviously the coaching changes here 571 00:37:30.159 --> 00:37:34.679 recently, those don't happen very often, but the portal it has given us 572 00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:37.960 free agency season, which means college basketball is going to be talked about more 573 00:37:39.239 --> 00:37:43.440 within the calendar year and I think that's good for the sport. But anyways, 574 00:37:43.760 --> 00:37:49.480 this story is just it's sad and it's just wild that the long time 575 00:37:49.639 --> 00:37:59.079 interpreter and confidant of Shohei Otani is just an absolute scumback. He's been charged 576 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:06.000 by the FA's for stealing over sixteen million dollars from Otani and he actually is 577 00:38:06.039 --> 00:38:12.840 being accused of impersonating the MLB superstar to hide bank transfers in illegal to an 578 00:38:12.840 --> 00:38:17.440 illegal sports book, not a legal one. And I mean, I guess 579 00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:24.159 you can never be surprised if somebody cannot control the temptation of money and the 580 00:38:24.239 --> 00:38:29.880 access and the easy ability that they would have to you know, steal it 581 00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:34.320 and probably be able to get away with it for a little while. But 582 00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:37.559 I guess that's what like, that's got to be what really gets everyone in 583 00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:43.519 deep, deep deep trouble is that you get away with it once or twice, 584 00:38:43.559 --> 00:38:46.239 you know, skimming something off the top from a company, or you 585 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:51.039 know, being able to to take some money that's not yours but disguise it 586 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:53.360 with something and you got to be it has to be to you do it 587 00:38:53.400 --> 00:38:58.119 once twice and then you just it becomes the norm and you feel like you're 588 00:38:58.400 --> 00:39:00.119 you're you're never gonna get caught, and it comes back to bite you. 589 00:39:00.480 --> 00:39:07.239 I have really really fallen for this show and just get sucked into it. 590 00:39:07.239 --> 00:39:13.000 It is American Greed. It is on I believe, CBS, CVS, 591 00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:19.639 MSNBC, I believe is what it's on. And it's just fascinating because there 592 00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:22.960 are corrupt people that you end up just you know, some people are just 593 00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:27.920 scammers and they just a career, you know, like catch me if you 594 00:39:27.960 --> 00:39:31.239 can a great movie, by the way. But there's others that just probably 595 00:39:34.519 --> 00:39:37.480 maybe because they're just not thinking, they they know they can get away with 596 00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:45.360 probably a minor level of theft or fraud, and it worked and nobody noticed, 597 00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:47.800 and then it's got a snowball to where they just can't control themselves. 598 00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:52.159 And then it becomes such a fixation that it's not as easy to disguise. 599 00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:55.119 And then once you've got eyeballs on you by people who are maybe a little 600 00:39:55.119 --> 00:39:58.800 bit aware of what you're doing, then they do the deep dive and then 601 00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:02.480 you're screwed. But this guy, I mean, he stole the majority of 602 00:40:02.480 --> 00:40:07.639 this money here just to gamble, and he's a really really bad gambler. 603 00:40:08.440 --> 00:40:13.360 And I mean like really really bad. I mean some of these numbers that 604 00:40:13.480 --> 00:40:15.519 I that I saw earlier, I mean it makes me feel like, you 605 00:40:15.559 --> 00:40:20.119 know what, Nick, You're not that bad at gambling. Don't feel so 606 00:40:20.199 --> 00:40:22.519 bad because you didn't have a good year in college basketball. Because he could 607 00:40:22.519 --> 00:40:28.480 always be worse. You could be this bad. Because again this former interpreter 608 00:40:29.159 --> 00:40:34.079 and confidante of Otani. From twenty twenty one to January of this year, 609 00:40:34.800 --> 00:40:40.000 his average wager was twelve tho eight hundred dollars. Largest wager was one hundred 610 00:40:40.039 --> 00:40:46.679 and sixty thousand dollars. Total losing bets was one hundred and eighty two point 611 00:40:46.760 --> 00:40:53.119 nine million. His net losses, yeah, nineteen thousand wagers in that time, 612 00:40:53.239 --> 00:40:59.480 his net losses forty point seven million dollars. It makes me want to 613 00:40:59.519 --> 00:41:04.280 throw up. And to be honest with you, as much as I love 614 00:41:04.360 --> 00:41:08.840 gambling, not because I'm a big winner and I have changed my life financially 615 00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:14.519 because I've I've been cooking the books and you know, just dominating the book 616 00:41:14.559 --> 00:41:16.760 makers. I just love the action. And John, I don't just say 617 00:41:16.800 --> 00:41:20.360 this, you know, to get you to like, you know, agree 618 00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:22.199 with me, But you are a great case study because you had no real 619 00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:27.199 familiarity with gambling until we could do it really full with the offshore stuff now 620 00:41:27.480 --> 00:41:30.239 and now you know you enjoy it, right, It's absolutely and it's a 621 00:41:30.280 --> 00:41:32.880 healthy fun thing to do. For college basketball, yeah, I mean it's 622 00:41:32.920 --> 00:41:37.159 in any college sport. And I don't think I would ever because again, 623 00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:40.840 if I lose, I'm and I very much value and I don't know if 624 00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:45.920 you'd call it a just my mentality or whatever it is. If I lose, 625 00:41:45.079 --> 00:41:47.639 I'm more inclined to just stop doing it all together. I'm not somebody 626 00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:51.960 that's like all crap. I just had two losses. Now, now I 627 00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:53.400 gotta triple down on this next bet to make it up, Like, I 628 00:41:53.760 --> 00:41:58.000 just don't think like that. I just you know. The first time ever 629 00:41:58.039 --> 00:42:00.480 went to the first time ever gambled was when I went to play blackjack at 630 00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:04.480 the casino when I was like twenty one, twenty two years old, And 631 00:42:04.519 --> 00:42:06.840 the first time I went, I took forty forty bucks. I left with 632 00:42:06.880 --> 00:42:08.679 like one hundred and twenty. I'm like, this is amazing, this is 633 00:42:08.760 --> 00:42:10.599 a new way for me to just make money. I might quit my job. 634 00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:14.559 And then I went back maybe a month later, forty bucks. It 635 00:42:14.679 --> 00:42:16.559 was gone in five minutes, and I thought, that's gross. I want 636 00:42:16.559 --> 00:42:20.960 to throw up, and I'm never coming back here because it just you know, 637 00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:23.920 I that wasn't fun to lose forty bucks, but you know, just 638 00:42:23.960 --> 00:42:28.039 to know that, like it's that dangerous, I mean, that's I guess, 639 00:42:28.119 --> 00:42:31.599 that's that's a some people just can't exactly they don't have it. And 640 00:42:31.639 --> 00:42:36.079 I have a very addictive personality and so do I and I'm just glad it's 641 00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:38.800 never turned into I guess just because when it's money, that's like a you 642 00:42:38.840 --> 00:42:42.880 know, money's not something I've ever thrown a Yeah, I'm not something and 643 00:42:42.960 --> 00:42:45.760 I'm not like super cheap or whatever. As we've discussed, my wife handles 644 00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:49.199 all of our money. I don't even know. I mean, I'm just 645 00:42:49.280 --> 00:42:52.079 again, I've got this debit card. It's plastic. I swipe it when 646 00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:53.840 I need gas and food and just just survive as a human being and it 647 00:42:53.880 --> 00:43:00.119 works and everything else. You know, my wife handles. But I'm I'm 648 00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:04.320 also not to the point where I would just be like wasting money on gambling 649 00:43:04.320 --> 00:43:08.320 and if I bet ten to twenty bucks thirty bucks a day on college basketball 650 00:43:08.400 --> 00:43:14.679 or college football, like, that's just that's that's entertainment for me. It's 651 00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:17.079 not like I'm banking on a big payoff. I'm just having fun and it's 652 00:43:17.079 --> 00:43:20.440 worth the price to do it because it's not a lot of money. And 653 00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:22.039 again, it's a fun ride. All right, quick break, we'll come 654 00:43:22.039 --> 00:43:24.039 back here on the other side. Keep this thing rolling along. We'll get 655 00:43:24.039 --> 00:43:29.360 to some Louis of basketball stuff because some more names that Pat Kelsey and his 656 00:43:29.400 --> 00:43:31.800 staff are in on from the portal and John or if you know this or 657 00:43:31.840 --> 00:43:36.480 not, we may have our first Pat Kelsey Mike Woodson battle for a player. 658 00:43:36.519 --> 00:43:38.440 Oh, I'm ready for it, and a big staff addition for Pat 659 00:43:38.519 --> 00:43:40.760 Kelsey that I think fans are going to be really excited to hear about. 660 00:43:40.760 --> 00:43:45.840 That's next right here on Sports Talk seven ninety