It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine
day. Now here's Nick Coffee. We have been busy this afternoon, which
means the show has completely flown by, but it is our number three here
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There's a lot of perks and benefits that come with it, including saving money
every time you're at the gas pump. So just a quick catch up.
I would imagine that most people who have any level of interest in the Kentucky
coaching search are aware of how things have transpired today. But it started earlier
this morning, around ten thirty eleven o'clock roughly that Scott Drew officially said no
despite not being offered the job, which still think is hilarious. How that's
such a I mean, it's just again, it's insulting. Whatever intelligence level
someone like myself has to tell me that Scott Drew was told to strongly consider
the job, but that he wasn't offered. I mean, that's just that's
dumb. It's not. I mean, it's such a desperate attempt to try
to do whatever you can to make it look as if you didn't get rejected,
which it happens. Rejection is you know, it sucks, but sometimes
it cannot be a compatible fit. They don't want to go there, and
it doesn't mean that you're not a great program. I think Louisville Search,
as I've mentioned, had some rejections that you know, optics weren't great about
it, but overall it wasn't because Louisville sucks and they can't get this caliber
coach. So Drew said no. Danny Hurley I think has always been saying
no any chance he gets, but it hasn't been the direct no, because
Kentucky fans still at any time he's asked about his future, he pretty much
says no. But they want like the direct find statement with you know,
a notarized what it was. People called who like notaride like is it a
notary? Yeah? Yeah, they need a notary to make sure it was
officially from him with his signature, because if not that then they haven't actually
heard no. Because he said no many times, but out saying no,
I'm not going to Kentucky, which honestly, no coach ever says those kind
of things. That's just not practical anymore. But the latest came down about
two thirty from Matt Norlander, who broke both stories. By the way,
broke the news about Scott Drew and now he has broke the news about Danny
Hurley. I guess Kentucky fans still don't think that this is the official no,
but this is from Matt Norlander at two thirty. There was a little
doubt. I'm sorry there was little doubt as is, but this is final.
Sources just told CBS Sports that there's a zero percent chance Dan Hurley will
leave Yukon for Kentucky. It's not happening. Happening Hurley is staying in stores
with a deserved big pay bump coming for him and his staff. One source
tells them that Hurley to Kentucky quote, they could offer twenty million a year
and he wouldn't go. So maybe they still need the official no from him
directly and not through CBS Sports. But I'd advise you just move on if
you're a Kentucky fan. And I still think the comparison I made earlier,
the analogy is real, it's I mean, just because you got to make
them say no doesn't mean they like. Just because you say they have to
say no doesn't mean they're gonna say no. He could just ignore you,
right, Like he could not take Mitch Barnhardt's call. Right he could have
his agent just say look, we don't want to talk. That wouldn't be
telling you no, but that would just be clearly giving you the signs that
he's not interested. So what I said is like, Margo Roby, is
that her name? I keep feeling like Robie, Michael Robbie. I'm butchering
her name because I'm so nervous about the thought of getting a date with her.
And again, not really, I'm married. But if I was singled
in a different world, I'm just willing to tell you Margot Robbie would be
someone that I would be interested in. Okay, I'd make her tell me
no, right, I want her. But you know, so the fact
that I would never possibly have any ability to converse with this human being to
get an answer on my request to maybe go on a date, I could
just you know, because of that, I can just say, well,
she hasn't told me no yet. She hasn't said no. She hasn't said
I mean yeah, I mean we haven't dated yet, but you know,
she hasn't said no like that. That's how silly it is to do the
whole got to make them say no when they've given you many, many polite
and respectful rejections, just automatically pivoting too. Got to make them say no
is sad. Really, so he has said no, it's not happening.
And now Billy Donovan has emerged as the guy that Kentucky fans Kentucky media are
talking about more than anybody else. For a good reason. He's a damn
good coach. The situation's not ideal, though, meaning he's still coaching in
the NBA, and if the Bulls keep winning, you may have to wait
until the end of April to get him, because if they win the playoff,
if they get they get if they're able to play into the playoffs essentially
which starts next week, then they're in a seven game series, which again
would leave it to them, would make it to where you're talking about late
April, maybe early May, before you would be able to even get his
services. And he's not going to take the job privately. While still coaching
in the NBA, because the more success he has in the NBA playoffs,
the more likely he would want to stay with Chicago. So now it's like
the secondary list. I'm thinking Bruce Pearl, Chris Beard, maybe take another
run at Nate Oates, hell drum tang, Sean Miller. I just don't
think there's a whole lot. Sean Miller needs to do a little more before
he becomes I think, a big candidate at a big job again, but
he's apparently in the mix. And then the latest name is Mark Pope,
which has always been brought up because you know, Mark Pope is a good
coach at BYU. Hasn't accomplished a whole lot as a coach, but I
don't think that that is because he's not a good one. It's just because
sort of where he is in his career. He got his start yeah Utah
Valley and was really good there, I mean, won twenty three games in
his second to last year, twenty five games in his last year. And
he's been really really good at BYU. I mean they won twenty four games
in his first season, the year that they didn't have a tournament, they
made the tournament in twenty twenty one, going twenty and seven. Did make
the tournament in the last two years, but then this current year in the
Big twelve they were ten and eight, twenty three and eleven had a good
seat. I believe, of course, got upset. But he's just he
would be as I mentioned at the end of the four o'clock hour, he
would be the higher that I wouldn't say is similar to Pat Kelcey, but
maybe he is. I mean, Mark Pope has never won a tournament game.
Neither's Pat Kelsey. Pat Kelsey's been to the tournament a few times.
In fact, Pat Kelsey, I believe let me see here. I mean,
I may have overestimated what Mark Pope has done because again he had some
success at BYU. But again the you know, the he's coached in two
tournaments and hasn't won a game. Pat kelce has coached in four tournaments and
all losses in the round of sixty four, which, to be fair,
I think it's very understandable that you would not win a game in the tournament
when you're at Winthrop in Charleston, whereas it BYU. I don't know what
the expectation is, but they are in the Big twelve now, So I
mean it would be kind of the same hire, would it not. The
only difference is that he's he's a player that played at Kentucky back in the
day. Yep. So I don't think this would mean that, Man,
our programs around here that we care about suck now and they're not going to
be any good because we had to resort to hiring mid major guys in Pope's
not a mid major, but you know, b y, you don't really
know what you where. You would throw them in in regards to like the
hierarchy of college basketball, a former mid major who's now in a power company,
Yes, I would say, yep. So it would just be,
again, I think, just a sign of big program. Like every other
big job that has opened up. What we talk what do we talk about?
Right before Louisville really started their search, all the other big jobs that
had opened recently prior to that, it was all a guy they knew.
Hubert Davis stepping on up, John Shire stepping on up, Kyle Neptune.
Same thing with Villanova, Jay Wright. Look, there's another one I'm missing
Syracuse that's kind of different. Yeah, No, it's it's a little different,
but that was a long time assistant under Beaheim. But he also played
at at Syracuse, I believe Fred Autrey. So you know, when you
can't go in that direction, you got to go to them in major out.
That's what Alabama did, and they look Alabama wasn't a blue blood or
I mean they still aren't, by the way, but like they went them
in major route, invested in natoates from out from Buffalo and he has been
a rock star broke through the shoot of the Final four, Danny Hurley.
Yukon's not a not a mid major, and I don't know if you would
call them a blue blood prior to his arrival, but they damn sure are
now and they are the most successful program in this generation for sure, or
this century for sure. But I think even in my lifetime, who's done
more than Yukon. Nobody. But they did it by getting a guy from
the mid major path. He was at Rhode Island and he didn't do anything
at Yukon for four seasons. Yeah, and that's you know, that's that's
true. That's the weirdest part about all this. In the first four the
seasons, two miss tournaments, and then the next two seasons after that round
of sixty four exits and one of the round of sixty for exits when they
were they had a really good seat and lost in New Mexico State. That
was the year before they won the title, I believe the first one.
So you know, that's just the way people are going. And it doesn't
mean but in Louisville and Kentucky, what makes us, I think different than
a lot Maybe not everybody. I'm sure this is the case at Carolina and
Duke and you know, Kansas and whatnot, but we expect to have a
larger than live figure within the sport leading our program because we believe we are
that elite and we have results. I mean, Kentucky obviously has a lot
more as far as just the overall history of college basketball, but Louisville has
done enough in just the last I don't know, I mean just take away.
I mean even the Rick Betino era specifically was phenomenal in the grand scheme
of things. Not everything was great, But my point is this, like
we have i think probably a different perception of our own success than others,
because again we are fans, but that larger than life person is kind of
non existent anymore, and you can maybe get somebody that becomes that, but
I don't even really know if that's the way it's going to be done moving
forward in college basketball, because it's a player's game now. Players have all
the control, every bit of it. Like it or not. You got
to kiss their ass as a coach, or maybe you don't have to do
it, but somebody else does, because you got to be the baby in
them at times. Maybe not all the time, but like you got to
rerecruit them every year and make sure that they're getting paid or if not,
they're gonna leave. The guys who became these larger than life figures within the
sport, they didn't have to do that. It was a privilege to play
for them that you didn't want to mess up and ruin. And that can
still be said now, but like the players also will Yeah, should I
go play for this coach that won a few titles twenty years ago because he's
a great coach and I want to get better, or you know, I
can go play for another program that's top fifteen, that has a coach that's
successful, and at that school, I'm gonna be paid a lot more money,
like, it's just the game has evolved, and some would say it's
not it's for you know, it's for the worst. But I'm somebody that
is so obsessed with college basketball that whatever happened, I don't know if there's
anything that could be done to the sport that's gonna make me like not like
it and say that it's not awesome. So Mark Pope is now being reported
as the guy who is maybe then, and look at I don't really know
what to believe. I think there's so many instances during these searches is where
where people get information that they know is coming from somebody that has given them
good information before. But you know, some of the stuff ends up just
not being the case. Maybe somebody lied along the way. But when you
see national folks kind of get some stuff wrong, and even local people who
I trust that I know would not put something out there unless they didn't get
it from somebody that has given them good information before. You know, it's
just incorrect. And that's really what coaching searches have kind of turned into.
And honestly, when it's not you know, your program in the fire,
it's just it's it's actually interesting and entertaining and pretty good for this business of
you know, just speculation. That's really what a lot of sports radio is.
So I doubt we get any kind of an update here soon. But
here's two things I think that happened. We get a long little drought where
there's no updates and it's just quite clear that they're zeroing in on Billy Donovan.
Or they move quickly and they hire Mark Pope. I bet if it's
Mark Pope, we hear something tomorrow. Yeah, And here's the thing,
Billy Donovan, I really just think he's ungettable because of the timing here.
I mean, but I guess, I mean, think about this. Earlier
in the year we talked about I came out. I think it was the
Bucks. They moved on from their NBA head coach in the middle of the
year, and I know this is kind of a different situation. But the
Bulls can continue on without Billy Donovan, can they not? You mean,
like right now? Yeah, I mean, I know it's the playoffs.
He would never walk away from his job. He's too much of a professional.
He's in the playoffs. I mean, you don't do that. You
don't leave your team in the postseason. In any sport. I mean that's
actually never been done before. Then that's even more unlikely that. Yeah,
I mean nobody's ever done that. I mean, that's just never happened.
Because again, like you're abandoning your job, which makes it to where you
are essentially blackballed from your industry. I mean, Bobby did it in the
NFL, and he'll never sniff the NFL again, But he didn't do it
in the postseason. He did it, like, you know, either I
think he did it early like maybe I don't, you know, it was
during the season or not, but either way, like, he just would
never do that, And if Kentucky asked him or expected him to do that,
he would probably slam the door in their face essentially because that's just not
something you could realistically ask someone. I mean, let's be real, Kentucky
basketball is a big deal in college basketball. Nobody would argue otherwise. But
you know what, the Chicago Bulls are a pretty big deal in the NBA.
It's not as if he's just looking to get away from that. If
he can keep succeeding in Chicago, why would he leave. So the thing,
if the NBA play in tournament doesn't start until next week. I think
it's the sixteenth or the nineteen I saw earlier. And then the week after
that is when the first round starts, which they could easily be playing in
Kentucky. Cannot they can't wait, That's what I'm saying. They can't wait.
It's just not realistic. And he's a dreamy name because of what he
did at Florida, and there's our there's somewhat of a connection because of his
attachment to Patino, But you just can't wait. And I know you think,
well, hey, what's what's it? You know, what's what's the
harm? And uh, what's the harm in waiting and potentially having a bad
year because you got the guy in long term you'll be great. You think
Kentucky fans are gonna be cool with that. They may say they'll they'll do
it, but they won't. And I don't even criticize him because that's just
not realistic. I mean, Billy Donovan is a perfect candidate, but circumstance
and timing makes it, in my opinion, just not doable. Like take
away his interest level. Take let's just say meaning like, let's just say
he is interested. Are you gonna be able to wait. I mean,
I don't think you can, but maybe they will. You never really know
how any of this stuff's gonna work out, but I do know that Kentucky
fans seemingly aren't thrilled with thought of it being Mark Pope. I mean,
this is from Matt Jones, his personal wish list, and who would go
for if they don't get the main names mentioned. I guess Billy Donovan is
still on there. Then Bruce Pearl and Chris Beard. Chris Beard, I
think you know you could get and I think he'd be a really really good
coach. I just you know, would Mitch Barnhart go that route? I
don't think he would, but I don't know him for sure. I just
know his values and the fact that he's already interested in Mark Pope and not
Chris Beard tells me a lot. And then with with the let's see here.
So the response is to Rostein's tweet that came out about four point thirty
about Mark Pope being a candidate for the job. I'm just going to read
some of the Kentucky Oh I'm ready. No, just no, His record
and head coaching is not nearly enough to deserve a legit shot for the most
important opening for UK basketball in their history. Just stop. That's from Big
Wayne on Twitter. I mean, yeah, Jonathan Martin, this is where
Kentucky basketball is now. Wow, this would solidify Kentucky as a football school.
Chris says, please know, Uh no chance from BBN commenter, Uh,
let's see not a good fit. From JJ, Chris says, Lexington
will burn to the ground if that's the best Barnfart can do. I'm curious
how many of these people commenting know he's an alum. I would say they
probably. I'm sure. I'm sure most most of the average family's about Twitter,
though Twitter is a different animal. Twitter is. Twitter's a dump.
By the way, I tweeted six hours ago, Kentucky's going to end up
hiring Mark Pope and fans are going to lose it. This is the beginning
of it. I'm excited. I saw it coming, my man Calleen as
Dom. This is from the Skiddler on Twitter. Mitch Barnhart, get ready
to learn about unemployment. Sheldon says, Arkansas clearly won the trade UK has
done. If this is who we hire, I will say if this does
fail, this will be the end of Mitch Barnhart for sure. If it
fails, you know, if this fails, oh yeah, bitch, barb
Well, I think this is going to be the infor Mitch anyway. I
think he'll walk away within a few years. And I give him credit because
I do believe he could have left before, but he did not want a
new ad to have to deal with this exchange moving on from cal hiring someone
else. I mean, some Kentucky fans probably would say, if he's going
to hire Mark Pope, his ass should have left years ago. But I
think this is sort of his last effort to kind of solidify his legacy because
Barnhart, you know, I think all the sports that he has made hires
in have have been better off by hires he's made. Football is certainly,
I mean, Mark Stoops was not a candidate anywhere and he and I still
don't think he's what Kentucky fans think he is. But clearly Kentucky football is
a different version of itself in a major way since Stoops was there. And
they're not elite, but but again, they used to be an absolute joke
in the hierarchy of football, and now they're respectable, and at times they
have occasionally a pretty good team, not often, but it happens. So
basketball is where Cala Perry was great. But as we discussed yesterday with Ken
Spencer from WHS eleven, Barnard didn't hire and didn't want him, and everybody
knows that, I guess, so like that's like something that like cal had
a great had a great run there, but like I think Barnhart knows that
it was also like not anything he was going to get credit for because he
didn't want to hire him. And basically the president of the school stepped in
and said, this is what we're doing. So if he ores a basketball
coach and it's rolling and things are in great shape in a couple of years,
a few years, I think he'd walked that point and just retire.
But with that said, wouldn't you think he would be a little less involved
as far as like like the values he valued, you know what I'm saying,
Like it shouldn't be a moral thing. Now you don't want to go
hire a complete scumbag, a guy that you think would represent the program in
the university in a bad light. But like going from Scott Drew to Mark
Pope tells me that he just wants somebody that he knows is gonna, you
know, maybe be a choir boy, like just somebody that is gonna be
squeaky cleans almost like I dealt with Cala Perry for as long as I have.
I deserve this. Yeah, so we shall see. What we're gonna
do. On the other side is catch up with our man Rob Cassidy of
the Rivals Network in a while since we chatted with him, get his thoughts
on all this stuff. And of course he covers recruiting, but I know
a lot of the recruiting guys are now shifting to really extensive coverage of the
portal, which, hey, everybody's interested in that, right. Luva needs
players, Entucky's gonna need players in the Anays players. So we'll talk to
him. On the other side. Keep it locked right here. It is
Coffee and Company. Philbuth Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. All right,
let's just get right to it. Let's welcome him to the party that is
Rob Cassidy of the Rivals Network. We've had a really good few weeks here
of just you know, speculation, which is a big part of sports talk
radio. Rob the Louisville Search that was that was something, and now Kentucky,
I don't think it's hit like a level of Shenanigan's. But they've been
rejected, whether they want to admit it or not. What do you make
of the Kentucky situation before we get to I guess their current situation. I
mean, imagine me a week ago telling you that John Caliperry would be at
Arkansas. Well, I mean it's just that, you know, as an
outsider, it's been incredible to witness for a number of reasons. We can
go back as far as the man decides to load up his dog into a
stroller and put on a Kentucky Blue hoodie. I mean, the whole week
is just that'll be that's an all time thing and this rivalry rob that is
something Cali Perry. The day it's come out that he's leaving him walking his
dog down the busiest road maybe in Kentucky, be we'll remember that forever.
It's like, you know, people that choose to like and to put on
a Kentucky Blue hoodie, load up the stroller and go down a busy road
like he wanted somebody to stop and ask him about that. No doubt he
wanted somebody to He wanted somebody to probably beg him to stay because I do
think he got cold feed there at the end, and at that point it
was too late. Yeah, but we're gonna see what happens there. Like,
you know, I don't know how I'm not one of these people that's
going to be like, you know, this is a terrible choice of the
university because there's no way, especially now and we can talk more about this
when we get to talk about coach Kelsey. It's almost impossible to tell how
higher is going to go, sure, because there's so many moving parts with
you know, nam image, like this money and just you know how much
you can energize your booster base, and it's it's not like it was ten
years ago. It's it's kind of a pull of praise situation for everybody.
But I'm wondering if there aren't some members of the Kentucky fan base right now
anyway before they make a hire that are wondered if maybe they should have held
on calum of a year or two. Yeah, I think if you'd have
told Kentucky fans two weeks ago that the scenario that would play out is that
he would leave for another job in the conference, a school that you kind
of considered a arrival and that you would maybe be hiring Mark Pope, who
I believe is a good coach. It's just so underwhelming for Kentucky fans because
they've never really been in this spot before. And I'm not saying it's going
to be Mark Pope, but you know, the Donovan thing, I just
think is just unrealistic, not because he would never do it, but because
of the timing here. This man is going to be coaching in the playoffs,
playing game. He might get to the playoffs in the first round,
and at that point you're looking at waiting until the beginning of May, potentially.
You know, you cover recruiting, and I know a big part of
that now is recruitment of players that are in the portal. I mean,
Kentucky. If anybody could pull off some last minute stuff with a guy like
Donovan, maybe it's them. But I just feel like he's not realistic just
because of the timing and circumstance. Yeah, you're pretty much punting on your
one if you do that, because by the time he gets in a lot
of the time guys in the portal are going to be on. It's not
like he can recruit four or twenty twenty four because those kids are going to
be signed. You know, as good as the coach as he is,
it would be real hard to win in year one. And as you know,
if you don't win in year one at Kentucky, things can kind of
start spiral. So no, I don't. I don't think the time's great.
Is it impossible to make it work? No, of course not.
Anything's possible, but there are some timing issues there for sure. So let's
just say they get the no from Donovan or they just move on. And
you know, we know Hurley's not leaving Yukon Scott Drew decided to stay.
Put it Baylor, who would you say, in your opinion, would like
if they made a hire, not including any of those guys, who would
who could be the guy that they would get where you would say, all
right, they did the best they could. They're gonna be great now.
I don't think that they will hire Chris Beard for obvious reasons. I wouldn't.
Obviously, I think he's got the baggage, so I wouldn't want to
take on. But he is good basketball coach. I think that you CalPERS
pearls he at least there's a track record of winning with Cope, you're kind
of taking a risk. Yes, he's done well at BYU. Yes there's
reason to like him, but are you know you as Kentucky it's the Blues,
the Blue buzz, as John Calipari said, willing to take that kind
of chance on this hire on a guy who with a sample size isn't exactly
huge of winning and recruiting on the highest level. It's a roll of the
dice that that, frankly, they didn't need to take. So I'd be
interested to see, but I would I would line up Bruce Pearl and see
what he says. At least you know there's a high floor there. You
know, you get Pearl in the floor on Bruce Pearl isn't going to be
at the complete disaster. You're not gonna get Kenny Payne, you know.
And he could thrive at Kentucky because he's thrived elsewhere in Kentucky is believed to
have, you know, an advantage over everybody when it comes to resources and
whatnot. So I just am surprised his name hasn't really generated any traction.
You're the second guest today that I've asked that question and the other guest said
the same thing, Bruce Pearl, and I just I don't know. Maybe
Barnhard is just against anybody that's had any n CUAA, you know issues in
the past. But I mean that was for that was for really silly stuff
that's not illegal now. But I guess really what got him in trouble in
the big ways he lied about it, right, Yeah, that's exactly what
happened. But you know back then in the wild West, if you weren't
cheating the lion, you weren't trying. He just happened to get caught exactly
exactly like you know, it's not like he had a you know, do
messing violence thing on his record like Beard or anything like that. It's I
don't look at those NCAA violations in any kind of way. I think,
knowing what I know and covering the sport for as long as I've covered it,
you know, like everybody was lying and sheeting, dropping bags and everything
else. So you know that's kind of the record's white cleaning on that front
for me. For you know, Telvin Sampson's in the same way, people
are gonna devilify him for making too many phone calls. Could you have Maddin
that it's twenty twenty four. I mean, it's insane to think that that's
what led him to not be the coach in Bloomington. Who knows what would
Indiana would look like if that would have been, if he if he'd have
had, you know, a long run there. I say that, you
know, painfully, because my producer is an Indiana fan, and you know,
I mean they've had they've had not much success since that happened. So
anyways, let me ask you about Pat Kelsey because you and I were talking
during Louisville search when it was clear that they were not going to get dust
he may and then at that point it kind of just turned to a handful
of guys from the mid major level, including Pat Kelsey. You know,
you told me you feel like he'd be the right guy among those types of
candidates. What impresses you the most about Pat Kelsey? Obviously, he's really
he's really ignited this fan base in a major way in the last couple of
weeks. I knew it would work, or it would be be exciting anyway,
I don't know if it can work. I shouldn't say that, but
I figured once they missed on their top candidates, Kelsey seemed to fit to
me because I knew he'd go in there and win the press conference. He'd
go in and kind of restart things and kind of united fan base that needs
He gave us a light of it bad and you know he's gonna work hard.
That's the one thing about it, Like he's this is not a guy
that is going to be at work. I know about him. He has
never had the resources that he will have with them, But you know,
the book on him. When you talk to people that know him, the
first thing they say is, you know he's one of these worked, you
know, one hundred and twenty hour week guys. It's that hard and you
can recruit to a big conference. I think that there's some potential there.
I think the flour on him is extremely high to a little bit, maybe
not like a Bruce Curl. But I can't I mean, obviously it can't
be worse than the last guy. But you know, I don't think with
his reputation and his connections, especially the East Coast, I think there will
be mark improvement, you know, or may not, you know, compete
for a conference championship in year one. But I think, you know,
even from an ex's and oh standpoint alone, there should be a dramatic win
total increase. And maybe this is wishful thinking on my end, Rob,
but I feel like he's a really good salesman, a guy who again is
is. I mean, in fact, he showed that right away as soon
as he took the podium here at Louisville. But I feel like he's kind
of a guy that could really utilize resources that a program like Louisville has that
he doesn't get at Winthrop or College at Charleston to where Yeah, he probably
hasn't landed elite recruits before or even big name transfers, but I feel like
he's got the personality to to to really you know, thrive with with more,
with better resources and really just a different logo on the polo. Yeah,
you know, the most important thing is obviously money and right now,
I mean it just is, especially they like this, but you also have
to have energy. You know, you can have all the money you want,
and if you don't have the energy to go and recruit at a high
level, you know, it's it's a grind. It is variant's getting harder.
The recurring calendar isn't getting easier. It's you know, you better,
you better have the energy to do it. He does. I think it
will help him that he seems to kind of understand how to play social media
too, and he can play that that part of these weevil fans when things
are going well. When it is not going well, I can see how
that would be a little bit off putting. But for now, you know,
and and I understand how to play the game. Yeah, in this,
in this honeymoon phase, he's he's doing everything right, which you know
that could change if we get to the season and results are bad and whatnot.
I mean, we are we are one of the crazy fan bases that
really we don't even know what patience really is for for basketball. And that's
probably a flaw, but it is. It's just it's just the way that
the way that we are. So one more thing I wanted to ask you
you're there, Well you can goog down there in Kentucky is he's following Kenny
Payne and whoever Kentucky hires following John Style party. You never want to be
the guy after the guy. You want to be the guy after Kenny Payne,
sure, because you know, even if the improvement is I feel like
the vibes around Lewisville, if the records are equal, are going to be
sky high compared to what's happened at Kentucky. Is just because the expectation,
sure, no doubt different worlds. Really, as far as what's happened lately,
there is no doubt about that at all. And to know that Kentucky
I could potentially hire Mark Pope and Louisville would would end up be Louisll would
end up having the guy of the two new coaches at the two new schools
that has more tournament appearances than than than the Kentucky coach. It's just crazy
to think about. Doesn't mean it would fail because again, as you've said,
and it can't be overstated, you never know how any higher is truly
going to work. And sometimes it's it's hard to remember that, but it's
I mean, it's uh, it's the truth. So when it comes to
the Kentucky recruits that were signed to Kentucky, I mean, and if asked
for a release of a letter of intent, I mean, is it just
a given that some of those guys are going to follow cal to Arkansas.
Do you think they'll wait to see who Kentucky ends up hiring. You know,
both teams looking for a lot of new players. But with Kentucky,
you know they do have some guys on the roster like DJ Wager that hasn't
entered the draft or enter the portal yet. What are you hear in as
far as what that roster could look like. I know who the coaches is
a big factor in that, but you know, I expect it. Actually,
there'll be more guys to automatically hit the portal right away and follow cal
So on the portal front. I think I'm not as confident on what's going
on there with the portal guys, but I have talked to some of the
coaches of the current recruiting classes. You know, I think that Jaden Quainton's
and Carter Knox are near locks to land in Arkansas. I don't know so
much about Sarrell or what's going to go on with him. Maybe he's back,
I have no idea. I know he's in the portal, but I
have not talked to anybody around him. I've talked to some people Cooch to
Boogie Flan today who said they kind of want to wait it out, but
if it takes too long, he may have to survey his options. So
I would expect if a hire's not made in the next couple of days bug
you to at least he commit. And maybe he commits back to Kentucky when
the hire's made. But I could see him looking around. But the two
big ones that I'm sure, almost sure we'll land at Arkansas borrowing something unforeseen
or acquaintance and knocks. I think that was always the plan. All right,
last question? Who do you you know? We're all guessing at this
point, it's all speculation. Who who would who would you lay money on?
Is going to be hired in Lexing to take over for Kentucky. God
man, I you know, I don't you know. If you would have
asked me two days ago, I would have told you just Scott Drew before
that whole Also, you want to talk about funny. That was also funny,
but we can get into that the other time. I don't know,
I really don't you know. I think if I was making the higher it
would probably be Bruce Pearl, But I'm not making the higher. Yeah,
And they seem to be a little bit of smoke around Mark Pope. You
got to imagine quote will take it if it's offered to him. But of
course, you know with Kentucky in every school, they'll just tell you,
you know, we never offered We only offered the job to one person.
Nobody gets of course, yeah, we told him to strongly consider it and
then let us know. But just be clear, he wasn't offered the job.
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. But that's how they're approaching the
search. Also, are they hiding that from like and it's not just Kentucky
this is it? Are they like? Who is that for? Though?
It's like everybody knows, So you know, what are we lying about?
Like everybody's laughing at you? Just be honest? Yeah, I think And
actually what makes people genuinely be able to laugh as the I guess the insecurity
to just acknowledge like it's okay, you got turned down, like it happens,
like it's it's it's never a fun thing, but like sometimes it's just
about compatibility fit. It's not because you were too ugly, right, they
didn't they didn't see your pictures on tender meet you in person and say see
you later. I mean, it's just you know, it's just not it's
not working, so pause. It's hard in this era of name, image
and likeness to really know what you're getting into as a coach. That's another
thing I talk to coaches about it. It's like, okay, so I
go to Kentucky. Especially if you want a successful coach like a Scott Drew
or Dan Hurley who are comfortable with a gainst in their current jobs. You
don't really know what you're walking into, especially in the in this era.
You know, everybody can make a lot of promises about how much money is
there and how much your budget's going to be. But that seems to change
quickly as soon as you get on campus and maybe you miss on a guy,
or maybe you know you get on the wrong side of the wrong person
in the athletics department. It takes so much to get somebody to leave a
comfortable situation to go risk it in a place for the expectations or sky high.
It's harder than it looks, no doubt about it. Rob. I
appreciate the time is always great to catch up, but let's do it again
sooner. I brother absolutely nice here for me, Nick, all right,
take care. That's Rob Cassidy does a great job covering recruiting college basketball stuff
for the Rivals Network. We got to get to a quick break. We'll
come back on the other side and finish with a very little time. But
there is apparently I don't know if there's any truth to this, but I
could believe it. But maybe there's an added reason as to why Mark Pope's
name is gaining steam that might make Kentucky fans reconsider if they want him or
not. That's next right here on sport Stock seven ninety trying to guess who
this is. Don't tell me Easton Corvin correct. I have a buddy,
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nine nine twenty eight hundred. All right, So Mark Pope, I still
just have a hard time thinking that that would be the guy. But you
know, within the last hour and a half, there's some momentum gaining for
it, I suppose, and that has uh that has just still just doesn't
seem realistic, but maybe that's the direction that they go. However, there
is one, uh, there is one I guess a component to this that
potentially could I think make fans go from being hell no, don't do it
to all right, I can. I can live with it. And that
is the fact that Reed Shepherd has apparently told people that he would come back
back to Kentucky if Mark Pope is hired. I think that may have got
and started in like the Trilli discord, but that would be I mean,
is it worth it? I mean, Ree Shepherd's a once in a lifetime
kind of player. I think in the State of Kentucky really good. And
his dad played with Mark Pope at Kentucky. For those wondering about the connection,
but we'll see real quick, John, we're out of time. Do
we know who Kentucky's coach is? About the start of the show tomorrow?
I bet during the show, Okay, that could be fun, right,
it could be all right. Everybody to have a good night.