It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine
day. Now here's Nick Coffee. We're just a couple of days away from
from a final four that I don't have any real rooting interest in. I'm
gonna figure out which way I'm gonna bet, and that's gonna be what I
root for. But as far as the teams here, I don't have a
strong feeling about any of them. Don't. I don't like any of them
as far as like, hey, that's my When you're a die hard fan
like we are for the teams around here, can you really have like a
legitimate secondary team that you have a level of invested emotion in, Like I
know a lot of I'll give you an example where I think it does make
sense. A lot of Louisville fans that grow up in Louisville and it's just
because they were kind of born into it, but they went to WKU and
they like both, like there's a legitimate, you know, true fanhood with
both. But it's it's just different. So there are I guess some compare.
Like I know a lot of folks who over the years have become like
even Tony Vinetti, old man Vinetti. He now is a Purdue fan because
his son John is at Purdue and they go to a lot of the football
games and basket I mean, he's been all in on this Purdue team in
the tournament. So you know, when I say I don't I don't like
him, it's not that I dislike them. I mean, I love Kevin
Keats, but I'd be a fraud to say that I root for NC State
because I don't mean I'm root against them, but I don't really care.
So sometimes it's good to have a villain involved because he may not have rooting
interest. But if you have some hate sports hat, which I think we
all know is not maybe you know personal, it's just part of it,
right, It's entertainment. It gives you a big time team to root for,
and it's whoever that villain is playing against. So I'm really pleased with
the four teams we have here, and I hope we get some good games.
But Yukon clearly is the big is the big favorite, and I think
they're gonna be the ones that cut down the nets on Monday. But uh,
we can get into this later because I'm I'm I think I'm gonna take
n C State money line Austin. I think I think I'm doing it.
I think I'm doing it. I think I'm doing it because you hear the
dogs. I mean, Purdue as a beatable team. They're good, they
deserve to be here, they deserve all the praise that they've received. Zach
Dy's been great. But I think you know, this NC State team,
I'm now no longer thinking it's just some magical experience. They're playing good basketball,
yeah they have. I mean they've got two good bigs. They're not
Eatie right Burns and d Ara Dara. Here's the here's the factor. And
this is an important thing in every basketball game, obviously, But if n
C State can can shoot a pretty good percentage from three, and you've got
their guards more Sell and Horn and Dara can knock those down two. I
mean it's not a weapon that you'd use a lot, but he can.
But if it makes a couple the other day, but he usually makes it.
Yeah, so you know, I know they're underdogs, and clearly the
reason I would take this is because of the juice that would be there,
because you know they're not expected to win. But I think they can.
You know, this is not a Cinderella team where you're just waiting for them
to get creamed by somebody, and that could happen, I know, but
NC State's won a national championship for now. I know that happened many many
decades ago. That has nothing to do with this matchup currently. But they
have caliber play like n C State. If you've watched them when they were
good this year, which wasn't very often because their season fell apart, I
mean, they have capable players and Purdue again, they deserve to be favorites.
And I think what they've done to be able to bounce back with really
the same team and and you know, I mean, they should have never
lost to a sixteen seed. But I think they've played throughout this tournament with
a chip on their shoulder despite being a really good team that you know,
deserves all the praise that they've received. Very few myself inclined. I'm not,
you know, I was not one of very few people actually felt comfortable
in putting them this far into the tournament because Paydard never made a final four
and they lost to a six He'd said last year, and look, there's
no way around it. When you watch Purdue, like visually, they don't
look like they don't look like they're nearly as good as they actually are.
So yeah, I'm looking forward to which we'll get to the Yukon stuff coming
up in just a moment, because it worked out perfect. I mean,
I'm sure he wouldn't classify it as perfect, and it's far from ideal,
but this constant attempt to play the role of not like underdog, because that
would just be a blatant lie, but to play the role of we don't
get enough credit. Nobody likes us. It's Yukon versus the world. The
flight situation last night just added more fuel, I mean added more fuel from
a man Hurley, which you know, not that he needed it, but
I think if you look at some of the best competitors, maybe not the
best athletes as far as accomplishment and just you know, god given talent,
but some of the best competitors had a gift to manufacture motivation that did not
really exist, and hey, whatever gives you an edge, big part of
it. So we'll talk a little more about those matchups, not only today,
but we got tomorrow to do that as well. But let's bring in
a friend of the show. Have been a while since we chatted with him.
He's our man, doctor Eric McElroy from pro Reha Physical Therapy. Eric.
How we doing brother? I'm doing fantastic. How are you Nick?
Doing good? I gotta get your thoughts on the uh on the new basketball
coach here in town for Louisville, Pat Kelsey. Uh. He's been on
the job roughly a week now, off to a good start with recruiting.
But I mean, how about that press conference. Man, I feel like
everybody listening wanted to go line up and play for this guy. Absolutely.
I mean, how could you not want to play for him? I mean,
uh, you know, I think that. And you can tell just
looking at you know, like everybody looking at videos and some of his past
you know, you know, practice videos or whatever it may be, and
you can tell that energy is real, like there is That's just who he
is every day and we've all been around people like that, and it's infectious.
And I think at this time obviously we need something like that, uh
to to help get not just the fans juice, but whoever, you know,
the program juiced up and everybody excited. So you know, I think
that you know, like I think we talked about off air, you know,
it's sometimes you just need under the radar guy who who's hungry, and
he obviously is and obviously he can coach. So it just just a matter
of get him the resources and the talent to be able to compete at the
highest level. Yeah, when you go for a guy that you go when
you're in that tier of mid major coaches, those guys clearly if they're getting
interest from a place like Louisville, they've done enough in their career to where
they you know, they've had success, right, And I think where it
seems to be a really good match here as far as compatibility is that this
is someone I think that not to say others couldn't do it, but I
feel like the ceiling and really he's going to utilize every tool that's here in
a major way. In those tools that I'm referring to are what makes Louisville
a really good job that when things are going well, I mean, it's
it's one of the best programs in the country. And I think we all
knew that. Engaging with fans and just kind of injecting some life into the
fan base in the program and really the city. We knew that was needed.
But now and once we heard him and and sort of heard his message
and whatnot, I mean, it made a little more clear as to why
Josh heard. You know, throughout the entire process wasn't the first or second
choice, but there was. You could tell why that conversation. After it
happened, Josh kept him in mind, right, Oh, absolutely, I
mean, and who knows, he may have moved to the top of the
list. I mean, I think obviously the big names out there, they're
appealing. You know, I think that Louisville was in a sticky situation and
and you know, but those top ten to fifteen programs sti't stay down long.
History tells us that they're going to bounce back at some point. It
just takes the right person to come in and to get them back. And
I think that, you know, given the state of the program as it
was, it's not surprising that some of your bigger names, if he even
called him, obviously probably you know, we're speculating, but you know that
that they may turn away right now. They're in a better situation at that
moment, and that's okay. Let somebody else come in. And be willing
to kind of not say be a trailblazer, but to kind of get get
the ship going back in the right direction. And and uh, you need
somebody sometimes who's got a chip on their shoulder and is hungry and and you
know, isn't I hate to say complacent, but you know getting there at
some point in your career. I know exactly what you mean, because I
I on my end, have struggled to kind of to really put into words
what what you know the I don't know how to do it without sounding as
if you know, this guy's just you know, never believed or dreamed he
could ever be at this level. Because I'm sure when you're the ultimate competitor,
and I don't think you're in that space as a coach that's won at
Winthrop, be in college to Charleston, if you're not the ultimate competitor.
But this is somebody that you know crawling here, I think you totally.
I mean, it's it's it's that's that's clearly not something that's realistic. But
I mean, like, this is a guy that was what was fine if
he wasn't the first or second choice. He knows what he can do and
knows what he's about, knows the resources here, and it's gonna work or
he's gonna die trying, and that, you know, we'll see how it
all plays out. But the first week on the job, man, it's
just it's nice to see. It's it's it is exciting to be excited again,
if that makes any sense. And you know, a long way to
go before we get to the season. But you know, so far,
so far, so good. But I've at least become a little more used
to watching the NCAA tournament without Louisville being a big factor, and I'm hoping
that that changes soon. But we've got a big matchup in the final four,
and pun is intended there because we've got Zach Edie, who's just an
absolute giant and a hell of a basketball player, and then DJ Burns,
who has become the darling of this NCAA tournament. DJ Burns is listed at
six nine, two seventy five, and that may be his actual weight,
but if you told me he was three twenty five, I probably would have
believed you as well. Clearly a different frame that we you typically see from
a high level college basketball player, but it works, man. He's he's
effective. He's really really good. And I'm just curious in this, you
know, the sports medicine world, you know, when you see I just
feel like a lot of coaches would be against going after a guy that looks
like that, just because they would assume they weren't they were they weren't going
to be in good enough shape and this and that, and I just think
it's nice to see that. You you know, you can have somebody with
a much different frame and a and a body type that I think a lot
of coaches would be against even pursuing. And here he is in the final
four, and you know, I don't know if it's going to project to
the next level, but he gets it done. He does, and you
know he's not he doesn't need to sprint up and down the court all the
time, and neither does he d I mean, that's a lot of mass
to move all the time, and they will get tired. I do think
that, you know, from my perspective, his longer term health. You
know, what he does when he's done playing, how you know, because
he's a you know, six or nine. I mean he's a big offensive
line sure, you know, and like you said, he's probably got to
be closer to three hundred. But and he's it seems like over his career
he's gotten bigger like that, you know. And and so I agree,
Now, obviously he's got the ability on the talent side and the ability,
and he's very right to use the word savvy, but he's just a smart
player. And and that carries over to his ability to conserve energy and not
to put himself in situations where you know he's going to be dragging towards the
end of the game. And and so I think that, you know,
obviously, ideally you would want, you know, your strength conditioning staff to
have all your players in quote unquote tip top shape, but or at least
appear to be. But genetics do play a role. And you see this
with athletes. You see it and female athletes. You'll look at a pro
I don't know, soccer player and you know she's a pro soccer player,
she looks kind of heavy. But some of that's genetic, you know,
It's just the way they carry their body fat. And there's you know,
sometimes it's just not a whole lot they can do about it. So I
think that those are things that you know, every individual is different, and
obviously he's he's able to make it happen, and he can, you know,
in his And now we're at the end of the season and he's still
rolling and they've had had so many games between the ACC tournament now and he's
still able to go out and produce. So you know, it's hard to
argue that. You know, you just kind of keep him where he is,
and he's probably in better shape than we give him creditude just on sure.
Heck, I mean, even just playing at this level and you know,
putting up the numbers he's putting up. I mean, he may look
like he's he's sucking win the little more than some other guys, but man,
he's still getting it done. Dude couldn't stop it. And it was
and it was and it was great to see it. And you mentioned six
' nine, and I think just because he's a little more round than the
other you know, in fact, him and the area the other big on
his team are relatively close and hype, but you just wouldn't you wouldn't guess
that just by visually looking at him. But you know, that makes it
to where what he can use he can use the big frame and and you
know, create a little separation. But he's tall enough to where it really
is kind of hard to defend him. It'll be a little bit of a
different story when he's going up against Zach Edy, who is just you know,
another monster in a different way. But let's seah, let's Zach Dy
is somebody that go ahead? Sorry, no, I just hope they let
him do that. You know, obviously it's the challenge. But you know,
in the game previous, which I do have a little bias too,
but there was just some of course ridiculous number of fouls, uh, you
know, and you just when you have a big like uh Burns, I
mean, he's gonna use his size to move Edie has to, and so
hopefully they let these guys play, uh and don't just kind of take for
granted to bump. I mean they're gonna bump, and they're gonna push,
and they're gonna you know, hopefully they allow that to happen. So the
game flow is a lot better and we're not winning or losing it at the
free throw line. I'm with you, and I think what happens is the
you know, guys like Edie especially and then also Burns, I mean,
it is harder to defend those guys. I think Edie at times is a
guy that is almost impossible to defend or I'm sorry to to officiate, not
to defend. And I think you know, refs are humans, right,
they they overthink it at times, and I think they get in their head
and they just feel as you know, I think the refs would probably be
honest with you behind the scenes that, like you know, it is there's
probably times where they just felt like it was it was you know, it
was an instinct call for them. But in the end, it's just they're
they're in their own head a little bit. Because of Zach Edie's frame and
his size, and you know, he's a really really good player. But
you know, and I'm certainly not trying to jinx him or anything, but
a guy that big to be able to be pretty much injury free throughout his
career, I mean, I'm sure it's happened before, but you know,
he he's somebody that again, he's not fast, you know, he can't
sprint up and down the floor. He's not what they'd call a rim runner.
But you know, I just I feel like the despite his game,
not really projecting to the NBA just because of style of play. I think
the way his body's held up to this point, this many years in college
basketball at the highest level, playing a lot of minutes. I'm just curious
if maybe there would there would be more NBA interest because of that, because
I think sometimes you see guys that are that tall and it's just nearly impossible
to think that they hold up. Yeah, and surely there's a spot for
him. I mean, he's very well distributed, so if you look at
him, you know, he's not overly tall and very thin like you've seen
in the past with maybe the Sean Bradley's or some other guys that are who
was he was actually taller than Eadie, But but you know those he looks
for proportionate and I think that helps. He obviously has great endurance because he
plays majority of the game, doesn't get a lot of rest, So that
kudos to him because that's a lot of mass to move up and down the
court. He hangs out down there, but I mean in some ways he
has to. I mean he's not going to be able to move up and
down the court just physically or around as much and be able to and serve
energy. So you know, he utilizes his body at the highest level.
And I think that you know, given that and given his ability, surely
there's a there's a place for him. I think it would be unfair not
to give him that shot. I get the difference in the NBA, but
you know, again, we're in a world of which you know and I
and we've talked about this before and I agree with it of you know,
workload management. So if you're already doing that with these other players, why
does it matter. You know, when you bring in a needy you're going
to be doing the workload management anyway. So there's got to be times that
he should be in the game, even if it's just defensively his pure size
and rebounds and so on and so forth. You know. And the NBA
is changing, you know, I know there's some rumors out there they're going
to make some changes to help kind of bring in bring the quote the post
player back into play. Uh And so you know, maybe that's something that
club's looking at as they project for the future. Yeah, and you know,
the NBA is a little more modern as far as spacing and the big
guy. I mean, I'm that's what's That's what I've really loved about watching
Burns is because he's a throwback. Because he's not quick, he's savvy,
he can catch it, he can feel the defense coming, he's a good
passer, just a really smart player, and NC State can play through him,
and you just don't see that as much anymore. However, you know,
with Edie, I mean there's gonna be many teams in the NBA that
realize, hey, yeah, we like to play fast too, but you
know what, we don't have the horses to play the type of style and
tempo that the opponent wants to play, right, because if we play them
at their game, they're just better. Well, hey, you know,
there's a role for Eddie where you can give you twelve to fifteen minutes where
hey, we're slowing it down and we're going to give the ball to him
and just you know, I mean, even he's so big and so skilled
that you know, even in the NBA, those guys are bigger, stronger,
faster. I mean, that's that's where the best players on the planet
play. But I mean, I still think Edie could have a have an
identified role and it wouldn't probably be something that leads to him being an All
Star. But I'm with you. I mean, I feel like you'd be
wise as an NBA franchise to bring this guy in, and you know,
he probably will be a much different situation than what he's done at Perdue Man.
He's a hell of player. Well, I mean, look at the
guy who's the I mean, I'm drawing a blank on his name. He
was with the Grizzlies and he's I think he's with another he got traded,
but a huge like post player. What long hair? Oh oh, he's
gonna drive me crazy. But I mean is he Is he an older guy
or a younger guy? Well, he's probably middle now, Oh my goodness,
proceed because I'm gonna look it up because I'm somebody that once, once
I start thinking about names, I'm gonna find out who it is or I'm
gonna die tryn Well, I think about him. I mean he's huge,
seven two or seven three. Uh, so you know we're not talking about
too far off now. He's also built like David Robinson, which I think
Edie will put on more sides. You can tell that he's got the ability
to I mean, his legs are huge. He just needs to get his
upper body a little bigger, uh, and then he could be a major
force. I mean we're talking about a couple of inches, so you know,
he's not not as big as YAO mean tall as you. I know,
it's a different era, but you know, so I think he has
that going for him. I think there's got to be a place because there's
other guys that aren't much shorter than meeting that have made it work. All
right, one more question for you, and when it comes to this Final
four stuff, the the Yukon Huskies did not land last night until six thirty
Eastern time in Phoenix, and they had some travel issues. You know,
we always talk about rest being really key for everything when it comes to sports
performance and whatnot. These guys are college kids. You know, they've got
to still like they have a couple of days before they play. Anybody thinking
that this could impact their performance? Is that? Is that fair? I
mean, again, probably not much sleep last night, especially on an airplane.
But am I foolish to think that about the time we get to Saturday,
that's not going to be anything that impacts their performance. I don't think
it's you know, it's hard to say. I think It all depends on
what are their obligations that they have throughout the day. You know that other
teams have been able to rest for so do they have to get up earlier
to go to media gations or are they going to adjust that for them?
What are their scheduled practice times and so on and so forth. I know,
honestly, this has been a little bit of an issue throughout the NCAA
tournament. You've had multiple coaches talk about some of the scheduling and the inconsistencies
with it and how that's impacting rest. And you know, as the tournament
goes on, I mean, yes, the amount of rest they need is
going to continue to grow. I mean, this is a lot of practice
and play. When not they're practicing a ton, but over a relatively short
period of time, and so I think that any coach is going to try
to squeeze out as much time as they possibly can. So, you know,
to say it wouldn't impact them would be a false statement. Do I
think that if they lose, should that be the number one excuse? No,
absolutely not. I think that you know, obviously you can't take away
from the credit of the team that wins the game and you can't blame it
all on the fact that you had a few hour difference in rest. But
I do think that, you know, you can't ignore it. Uh And
again it depends on what kind of adjustments they may have made for the obligations
they may have once they arrived. If they're if they're doing that for them
where they can get you know, extended rest time or change their practice time
or whatever. Maybe you know, maybe that that that will help out and
minimize that effect. All right, who do you think wins at all?
Who's cutting on the nets on Monday? Uh? You know what, I
don't know if anybody can figure out Edie. Uh So, if Purdue can
shoot the ball, I'm gonna go with Purdue. Uh Yukon's hard to pass
up, but I'm gonna go with Purdue this year. I think that they're
they you know, at some point they deserve it. Uh So maybe if
for that reason, I hope they win because they've been such a long drought
since they've made any noise. Uh and such a passion rich basketball school.
So uh, I guess my gut's telling me or my heart's telling me Purdue,
And I'll stick with that, all right, Good good to catch up
the Eric. Appreciate your time as always, and we'll talk soon. All
right, my friend, all right, all right, that's doctor Eric McElroy,
Prori episcotherapy. Good catching up with him. We had to do a
couple of back to back with doctor Binn's last couple of weeks and schedules just
in the line. But again, always good to catch up with our man,
doctor McElroy. Quick break, we'll come back, keep this thing rolling
along, talk a little more about the uh this list of things that Yukon
is using to uh really, I guess, you know, give themselves motivation
that it's Yukon versus the world, which it's all silly stuff, at least
most of it. But hey again, whatever works. And also we'll talk
more about the Transfer portal, because you know, throughout a three hour show,
especially this time of year, when the portal just officially opened, what
was it a couple of weeks ago, I mean it's I mean since the
show started. There's some new things to share, so we'll get into all
that. And the Kentucky we're gonna read the comments from Kentucky fans as to
why their nil collective is struggling. Don't go anywhere. It's coffee and company.
We are feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Book seven ninety ow back
to Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
All right, So a couple of things that have that have broke during the
show today. Eric Musselman leaving Arkansas to go to USC. That had been
h That had been the belief as far as that exchange for quite some time
once it was clear that Andy Enfield was going to go to SMU, I
mean USC. I mean muss has been trying to get out of Fayeteville for
a while and couldn't get other jobs that were open, and I think the
perfect fit opened up for him, and now he's headed back to the West
Coast where he's from. Good coach, But uh, I don't want to
get sued, and I don't think I will. But like it is,
it is a surprise to me how much it kind of became public, Like
what what Eric Musselman could like be into that would make you know, an
academic institute of this caliber at Louisville or even you know elsewhere not want him
to be the coach? You know what? It is Austin. You don't
have to say it, but just give me. I know, I don't
know, I don't. Oh okay, well well little little bugger sugar.
Yeah, I mean that's that's and like if you've ever seen him on the
sideline, you could like totally believe it, you know what I'm saying.
So I don't look I got some nose candy. Yeah, Yeah, that's
that's that's you know, that's the belief that that that is he's you know,
that's just kind of part maybe part of his you know, daily routine
or something. I'm not sure. I mean, are we surprised he takes
his shirt off at you? Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like the
the the the behavior of of muss uh. You know, let's just let's
just say it on a little bit different gash exactly. Like I'll give you
five coaches and I'll tell you one might you know, uh might be into
that kind of thing, and you'd say, of course it's it's Eric Musselman.
So with all that said, I think he's a hell of a coach
and I think USC got a good one. But for those sharing the Arkansas
list, to me, I mean, are are you trying to like act
like I mean, I'm sad that Arkansas is gonna probably get Chris Beard,
Jerome Tang or Will Wade. I mean I'm not because I've already fallen in
love with a guy named Pat Kelsey, so that's where my allegiance lies now.
And I didn't care about where those guys end up. Although of those
three, I was never really I just knew Louisville was not gonna consider Chris
Beard. And I know some say, well, that's stupid. They should
have. Maybe you're right, he's a good coach, but like, because
I know that they're not going to do it, and I know that I'm
not going to speak it into existence, I just never really got all that
fired up about it, because you know, it would just been it would
have been a waste of energy from me. The one coach out of those
three that I really like a lot is Jerome Tang, and if he ends
up at Arkansas, I think I'll do well there. I really do.
But I wouldn't be shocked if if he is still at case date, because
it certainly sounds like Chris Beard is going to be the guy that Arkansas goes
after. So we shall see. But then you got to keep in mind,
like other jobs open up because of this, like the coaching carousel has
not It's not come to a full stop just yet. Like the other piece
of breaking news that just came down here in the last ten minutes or so,
Hayley van Lyfth is leaving LSU. So she will be back in the
portal for the second consecutive year where she ends up no clue. You know,
she's obviously a good player, and she had a better year at LSU
than I realized. As far as numbers, she averaged about twelve points a
game, but man, she just got I mean when the eyeballs were on
here like they've never been before, which was Monday night during that game against
Iowa. I mean, it is kind of sad. Not that I have
like a lot of sympathy for her, because you know, I mean I
don't wish her any ill will or anything like that, but I mean,
look, it's it's basketball. It happens. But when there was as much
as she was already a star at Louisville, hell, she was a star
before she got to Louisville, right, I Mean I say this all the
time. Her highlight mixes in high school when she was playing with Kobe Bryant's
daughter and stuff, and she was she was. I believe she's still the
highest ranked commit to ever or the highest rank recruit ever come to Louisville.
But I as somebody who used to dabble in the internet world as far as
you know, internet monetization views and all that, it used to be how
I would make a living. I mean, you know, I was pretty
familiar with sharing highlight mixes of players that were either considering Louisville, that went
to Louisville for basketball, football, whatever. There's no doubt in my mind
nobody entered their U of l athletic experience at the University of Louisville with more
YouTube views than Hayley ven left. And you know, she's a good player,
but she chose to go ring chase and they didn't get the ring.
But I think her leaving and wanting to be done probably you know, confirms
what a lot of us expected was with that. She probably might have regretted
that decision a little bit. So where she ends up, I don't know.
I highly highly doubt we see a reunion here in Louisville. But hey,
given like her, I cannot pinpoint any specific thing that led to people
assuming that there was some real bad blood. I mean, she left,
but I don't know why she'd be bitter about Louisville. She had a great
experience here, made a lot of money through nil and they won. But
you know what she'd said about Middle Tennessee State whenever the bracket was unveiled,
and just I mean, I know Louisville fans feel a certain way about her,
and I get I don't I can't speak for anybody by myself, but
I get the sense that there are many fans that you know, realized when
she was here you liked her because she was playing for Louisville and like,
if she was on another team, you would probably not like her. And
then she dumped us, left and went to join a team that, I
believe, in all honesty, is one of the most hated teams in women's
sports ever. Hates a strong word. But like like Kim Maulky, is
the reason vast And I know other people have their thoughts on an angel and
all that, but I think the reason why a lot of people feel the
way they feel about LSU women's basketball is mostly because Kim Maulki, not because
of Haley or any other player. It's just because of that. So anyways,
we'll see. But maybe she goes to UK just to kind of,
you know, oh, be a villain. Just just go ahead and live
long enough to see yourself become the villain. I kind of hope she does
go to UK, just because that would like that would be that would that
would set everybody here that loved women's college basketball absolutely on fire. Jeff Jeff
did not have a good year compared to his standard, but hopefully he can
reload and they got that new coach, yeah Kentucky. Yes, and he's
a good coach too, by the way. Kenny Brooks is a really good
coach with Virginia Tech. And you know, I think Kentucky women's basketball will
be a lot better under him. And you know, look, I'd love
for that rivalry to get real heated, and it hasn't really been much of
a rivalry because Louisville honestly is dominated like one time, yeah, kind of
like the men's yeah rivalry for Kentucky, they've dominated us, and on the
women's side, it's been who counts men's basketball? Yeah, I mean,
that's yeah, it's just for fun. It's not women's tournaments going on.
We just hope the guys go out there and play and have fun. We
don't even I don't even when Wolve Kentucky playing basketball. I don't even look
at the score, Like it's not what it's about. For me. It's
about just everybody out there having fun and showing good a good sportsmanship. You
know what I'm saying. That's what it's about. Love each other exactly,
exactly, that's what it's all about. All right, So real quick before
we get to our next break, And we went a little along there in
the first segment, So these will be some short segments, but we'll try
to get this clock management sorted out in the in the five o'clock hour.
But let's talk about the Yukon list of you know, I mean, they're
not even really big deals, but things that they're probably probably listing to fuel
this narrative that is Yukon versus the world. So we'll start with the latest,
and that was last night. They did not have a plane to fly
to Arizona, and the NC double A is fully in charge of travel,
so I'm sure the NC DOUBLEA had really no control over this plane situation.
But you know what, Dan Hurley, he's not gonna believe that. He
thinks that the NC double A is screwing Ucon. They don't want you Ukon
to win it all again, so let's let's make sure they don't have a
flight to get out. So what ended up happening was they had a plane
in Cincinnati that flew out. An Allegiant plane flew from Cincinnati to Connecticut to
pick up the huh Kies and take them to Phoenix, and they did not
arrive until I think it was six thirty in the morning Eastern Standard time.
And what I loved about this whole situation was that, I mean, they're
playing into it, and maybe they truly do believe it, like to their
core, that everybody is just downplaying them, and you know, they know
they're good, but they just don't want them around, like you know,
there'd be no scenario, is that me? Sorry, There'd be no scenario
where anybody would claim Yukon is not good. They're great. They're they're actually
But I think that's actually the root of all this. When I'm trying and
I'm all over the place right now. But I'm saying, I think because
Yukon realizes they could, they're likely going to be back to back national champions
that hasn't happened since Florida did it, you know, nearly twenty years ago.
But like that, you don't, they don't. You don't the sports
center doesn't lead with them, like they're just not as they're not talked about
like another team. If another team was doing the exact same thing that was
a bigger brand from a different league, I do think there'd be more notoriety,
So, you know, I think that's kind of the root of it.
But Dan Hurley, he tweeted at one eighteen am, wheels not up
yet, like he's letting people know, yeah, you guys won't believe this.
Now we got a plane here, we can't even get off the ground.
And then the Yukon Basketball twitter account shared this graphic of a bus.
I guess it's like the team bus waiting to go to the airport, and
it just shows different different tweets from people covering college basketball just acknowledging how you
know, there's the NCAA or whoever makes these decisions just trying to stick it
to Yukon, which I don't think anybody's doing that, But I do understand
the vast difference in like, if this was Kentucky doing this, and I
know Kentucky's a better program, trust me, Like they've done more and this
was Duke. If this was you know, one of the og blue bloods,
it would lead Sports Center every night as far as them, you know,
when football's over and what. And that just doesn't happen with Yukon.
And I don't know if it's because Yukon is not a team that has a
historic tradition. I mean again, they've got a bunch of titles. They're
up there, right, I mean, let's see right now. Mean obviously
Yukon has let me see here. We just talked about this yesterday. Yukon's
first title came in ninety nine, and they currently have five right now.
They could get six, that would put them two behind Kentucky. Wow.
And they've all done it since nineteen ninety nine. So like they are not
only in the elite status when it comes to the ultimate accomplishment, which is
national championships. They've done it quicker than anybody, and yet they still kind
of don't carry that that that weight the way a bigger brand would and they
have a huge fan base too, by the way, So I just find
it fascinating and it kind of makes me like Dan Hurle even more that like
he's probably believing this to a certain extent, but also kind of leaning into
it and just kind of having fun with it. But yeah, I mean,
whatever gives you an edge, right, I mean, everybody's trying to
compete, and sometimes whenever you know you are a twenty point favorite or something
like that, you know you're gonna need some added motivation. But you know,
one thing I will say, though, this is true, Yukon was
the number one overall seat and it wasn't even close. And there's no scenario
where you could make the case they did not have the toughest bracket and they
got out of it. I forgot about this last year when they were in
Vegas. There was stuff stolen from their rooms. I remember that. Yeah,
And again Sports Center never leads with them, and that's true, by
the way, Like that's Yukon fans are leaning into this, and they got
more time on their hands to really focus it. But they showed a previous
year where a team was kind of you know, rolling on a two year
run like this, and it was a much bigger deal nationally, whereas Yukon
it just kind of lightly gets mentioned. Wow. So yeah, I mean
it's all silly, to be honest with you, but hey, whatever gives
you an egg. And that's silly considering the kempa years and the chef has
years. They were all over the well and this this is something that may
sound silly to some, but we all know how important TV network like TV
network coverage is, right, Like, that's I mean, that's really what
For those who think college basketball college football has been ruined with realignment, it
all goes to TV TV contracts and whatnot and the fact that there's no Big
East games at all on any ESPN channels. You can't tell me that that's
not why they're not lead with the on Sports Center. They used to be
on Big on the Big Monday and all that. Now it's all Monday.
Yeah. Now they've got to show Fox Fox, Fox, you know,
highlights when they show Yukon, And they're going to do that, but I
don't think they want to do it. We used to be a fine country.
We did basketball, used to be on the Letter network. Good stuff,
all right, quick, break, we'll come back and wrap up be
four o'clock hour right here on Sports Talk seven ninety now back to coffee and
Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. So we'll get back
into the portal stuff coming up in the five o'clock hour. But the name
we led with start to show is John L. Davis, the number one
player in the portal according to at least a couple of different of those outlets
that do rank players in the portal FAU transfer. I don't know where he
ended up on All American lists, but I mean it was an all American
caliber campaign. When you look at the numbers he put up for it seem
that you know, wasn't great, but they made a final four of the
year before and he was a big part of that. So Louisville is in
the mix. And the latest report is that Michigan, as you could expect
with Dusty May leaving FAU to go up north, that the early leader for
every one of these transfers seems to be Michigan for obvious reasons. But Louisville
and Pat Kelsey not only is him being a and there really was nothing to
throw out there to make it truly you know hit as the kids say,
Do they still say that, Austin, I think, so, I'm not
a kid anymore. Well you're you're you're the younger generation of this show right
now, I think people say, yeah, HiT's different, Yeah, it's
you know, it hits to Yeah, we're still We're still hip, We're
still hit. There was no numbers to reference really that would make it that
make it seem this way. But he recruited really well at Charleston. Now
again that doesn't mean he was landing with Donalds all Americans, but I think
he had a few top one fifty recruits during his time there, and that's
not something people get super excited about around here for programs like Louisville or Kentucky,
but at Charleston that's almost unheard of. So, you know, now
he's selling a different program, and he's selling what Louisville can can provide.
And I'm sure he's got to dance around it as far as the specifics and
what he can say. But money nil and on three says that Louisville is
making a really good push and it maybe they landed him, which would be
great, But one of the things that one of our listeners had mentioned.
Allison shout out to her for remonemi of this in Austin as well, that
Kron Davis is the cousin of Jenelle Davis, who's you know, this really
good player that might end up here. And I don't I don't want to
say this and give anybody any kind of indication and that I'm leaking some news
or anything like that. But Karon Davis is in the portal. But he's
still here. Like he posted something on his Instagram, I think even yesterday
about him, you know, just showing he was working out of the facility,
which of course he has the ability to do. But you got thirteen
scholarships, three of them are taken up. He got ten right now?
Was it crazy to think that, like, maybe you could incentivize John L.
Davis by saying, well, we'll keep your cousin around to I mean,
I don't know if that's realistic, but I mean, Caron Davis because
of how bad that thing was handled by everybody else outside of him. I
mean, he kind of became like a fan favorite, did he not,
Dude just showing up to games in the crowd, and you know, he
was getting the cameras at home. And now, well, all that said,
I do know that you know he I don't know what led to it,
but he was dismissed from the team, and Kenny just was really stupid
about how he handled it. And I think the wanting to not put up
player out there as being dismissed that is that that's that that's a good thing.
I mean, I think you're he was doing that with good intentions and
there's nothing wrong with that at all. But the way he did not communicate
it at all about it and had no like there was it left everybody wondering
what the hell's going on because it's just not normal for a guy to just
no longer be on the bench but be in the stands at games. So,
you know, it became it kind of was a world of its own,
right, this whole Koran David, like, what the hell's going on
with this guy? Like nothing makes sense? Well then just not being transparent
enough and not you know not And people put some of this on Zach Greenwell,
the sid and I can tell you firsthand he doesn't get he does not
get full control over what is sent out. He does about certain things with
the press release. But you know, Kenny Payne told him essentially, yeah,
he's he's leaving his transfer and we're gonna put that out there. Well,
then turns out that like there wasn't the conversation. He didn't want to
transfer, so there was a statement made and Kron Davis was like, yeah,
that's not what happened, and easily could have been handled much better,
but it wasn't. And just because of it, and Kron Davis seemingly handling
it, you know, better than anybody else after the fact, made him
kind of a fan favorite. So again, I would do that. It'd
be one thing if you were on a scholarship crunch they got ten to give
out, Yeah, you just pass them out, will Yeah. So all
right, we got another hour to go. Sorry for that really short segment.
I'll try my best to keep this, uh, keep this hour much
more more on track. Maybe, Yeah, sometimes it happens when you just
get divibing. So stick with us right here. Coffee and Company. Feilbeth
Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety