It's time for Coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine
day. Now here's Nick Coffee. So I just looked it up the Battle
for Atlantis as far as the dates that those games get announced, because all
you find out is the bracket, and who you play first and who you
play in your second and third game just depends on who wins and who loses.
But it was the end of July last year, I think July twenty
ninth, so we should be getting that at any moment. And if you're
wondering why I'm starting the four o'clock hour mentioned that is because the UFL basketball
program released their non conference schedule about thirty minutes ago, and that's really the
only opponent. We don't mean we know who's in the event, we don't
know who they're gonna play. And again, all we'll find out is who
they open with. And in a weird, maybe sick and twisted way,
like I'm hoping that it's like not Davidson or you know, not, I
feel like West Virginia and Davidson another two that if you really want to get
a marquee win to start off the the Atlantis Tournament, you don't want those
two, yeah, I mean we can't be good. Yeah, and Davidson
to be fair, like, they usually are pretty good in the Atlantic Ten.
It's just been a little while since that happened. In West Virginia.
I mean, they were awful last year. Now they lost their coach and
they hired an interim guy and it just fell apart. But the uh and
I'm not even sure who they hired. Oh, it was the Drake's coach,
so and he brought his son, who's you know, one of the
best players ever coming from the best players ever from the Missouri Valley Conference.
So maybe they'll be better. Look Louisville, I mean they're probably looking at
us that way, right. Gosh, if I really want to improve my
resume in November and get some wins, that'll have some value when we get
to selection Sunday, Let's avoid Louisville, who won twelve games total in the
last two seasons. But you know, Louisville will be much better this year.
But as far as you know where they end up the end of the
season, I mean, it's anybody's guests. I think there's a lot to
like about the roster. Really like the personnel. But I've said this many
times, been a while since I said it. I think it's fitting to
say it now. It's the ultimate unknown with this team, brand new coach,
a new system for most of these guys, all new players that for
the most part, have never played together before other than a couple. Right,
You've got the two that came from In fact, you've got three that
came from Charleston with Pat Kelsey, and those guys played and will play this
year, and that's Rain Smith and James Scott. And then you've got two
teammates from BYU, but only one of them is going to play this year
in Noah Waterman. So I mean it's it's the ultimate unknown. I don't
say that to tell people not to be excited. I don't tell that.
I don't say that for people to not have expectations, because it's fun to
have expectations, and I'm gonna have expectations this year. But it's the ultimate
unknown. And I guess you could say that about every season, because there's
plenty of examples of teams that you really expect to be good and they're not
vice versa. But when you think about how new this entire thing is from
top to bottom, and in a way that's what makes it exciting. But
as far as like realistically knowing what to expect, I mean and I like
to have expectations. I like to you know, have a standard in my
mind as far as what I want to see almost game by game, just
because you know, I'm I'm a super fan. But there also is a
little bit of added excitement knowing like we'll see we don't know, Like it's
the anticipation is big. And look, they're gonna play in the Bahamas next
week they leave or I guess is it next week? I think they they
arrive I believe on the twenty eighth, which is the Yeah, I think,
gosh, they leave soon and then their first game will be I believe
on the thirtieth, that Tuesday, and they'll play again on the first,
which is the Thursday. But I don't know if we're gonna be able to
see it on TV. But either way, I'm excited. But it's a
challenging schedule, no doubt. All right, it's coffee and company. We
are feel about Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety hour number two. Don't
forget you could take us with you wherever you go. Listen live on the
AHUR Radio ap Listen live it's seven ninety Louisville dot com and real quick for
those just now joining us, here's the schedule. You start with Morehead State
at home on the fourth, Tennessee on the ninth. That's of course going
to be a big game Pat Kelsey his second ever game coaching this program is
going to be a team that's coming off of an Elite eight and we'll probably
be ranked in the top fifteenth at that time, So buckle up Bellerman on
the nineteenth at home, went thro Up on the twenty second, and then
you head to the Battle for Atlantis and we'll see who they end up with
their ole Miss and the ACC SCC Challenge on December third. That's a home
game. Ole Miss also expected to be a top twenty caliber team. You
tap on December eleventh, Kentucky at RUP on December fourteenth, and then you
will finish up the non conference schedule with EKU on December twenty eighth. So
a couple of observations really quickly. Here You've got Morehead State, which actually
of the teams that are kind of you know, that level, Morehead Bellerman
EKU Winthrop UTEP. I mean UTEP is a Conference USA team, so that's
a better league than where those other schools I mentioned are coming from. But
Moreheads, actually, I would say they did just lose president Spradland. He
left to take the job, but I'm not sure where he went, but
got he got a promotion, essentially jumped up the ladder a little bit,
and they hired the one of his assistants. But Morehead's been you know,
again, it really comes down to what they do post Spradland. Louislle should
beat Morehead State without any trouble. But I'm just saying, like of those
caliber games, Morehead has had the most success recently. I would say,
so, you know, you'll you'll get that one out of the way.
Then you have Tennessee and it's a real big test. There's no doubt about
that. I mean, that arena is going to be unbelievable. I mean,
I can't imagine something happens where they lose an exhibition game or a game
to Moorhead State to kind of dampen the uh, you know, the mood.
I mean it's possible, I suppose, but you know, I'm not
looking at what Kenny Payne did. He did the unthinkable with some losses and
just you know, I mean, things you just can't do here and things
you certainly can't do if you expect fans to like believe in you, so
don't I'm not I'm not even going there. But I do like the fact
that you have Tennessee and let's say, you know you're competitive, but they
get the best of you, and you know you're taken l to a top
fifteen team. There's no shame in that. I mean, we hope they
win. But then you've got Bellerman in Winthrop to kind of, you know,
work on some things from there, and then you go to the Bahamas
and they'll be tests every step of the way. So then you come back
play all miss. I don't like that there's only one true road game on
the non conference schedule. I mean, this team's first game away from the
YOUMP Center that's not in the Bahamas. It's going to be a rep arena.
So it could be a culture shot kind of thing for these guys.
But then again, most of this team has experienced, right, I mean,
I'm sure these guys have played. I mean, you got to keep
in mind where some of these guys came from you know, help the BYU
guys, I mean Ali and Noah Waterman. They went into Lawrence last year
and beat Bill self. So they've been in some crazy atmospheres before. You
know, CHUCKI Hepburn and Wisconsin. I know, the Big Ten has had
some really rowdy atmospheres during his time there. And you got to keep in
mind the other guys who've transferred in from you know, Charleston, you know
Pat Kelsey's teams. They would they would do by games, right, they'd
have to go play some of these you know Power five programs that are top
twenty. I mean it's a by game for them. When you're in the
big South cater Trailway from Long Beach State, same situation, they go play
by games. In fact, they went into USC and beat Bronny in them
last year. And I say Bronny in them because you know, I just
remember that was the first game he played, and there was the NonStop,
you know, coverage of his first game where I think he scored like four
points, and like nobody even talked about the fact that Long Beach State beat
USC in that game. So I also this has become kind of the norm,
and I don't I mean, I don't really know what you do about
it. But the long layoffs, so you'll have ten days between games after
you play Tennessee, so November ninth, and then you play ten days to
go play Bellerman, which I don't like the thought. I mean the thought
of, you know, kind of having to stew a little bit on a
tough loss to Tennessee. If that's what happens. I don't like having to
wait ten days to see this team in action again. But you know,
maybe it's ten days of feeling good about yourself because you pull off an upset,
and then when you get to December you play the third I mean this
December schedule. I again, I feel like it didn't used to be this
way, but maybe I'm just not remembering it correctly. You play December third
when you get back from the Bahamas against ole Miss and the sec ACC Challenge.
Then you've got eight days off and you play UTEP, then a full
week off, you play UK, then a full week off and you play
EKU. So I for some reason, I feel like there used to be
not non stop, but I feel like it used to be just maybe once
from November to January? Would you have like a week off? Louisville has,
I mean four different stretches of the schedule where they have more a week
or more off. Now, does the ACC do the the two conference games
in the middle of the non conference slate the way that the Big Ten does
and maybe the SEC. You may be onto something there, Johnny. That's
probably it's why. That's why that makes sense to me because it's just never
been that way. That's what that's got to be what it is, and
they always have since they went to a twenty game schedule. Do you guys
do twenty game schedule? Yes? The Big Ten. Yeah, when they
went to a twenty game schedule, and it was because they needed more inventory
for the a ACC network, they did go to twenty games and they made
they made it to where you played two of those before Christmas, and in
fact, the first year they did it, they made you play your first
game of the season. I mean Louisville opened up against Miami down there in
Coral Gables in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty. So yes, that's what that
that makes that makes a lot more sense. Look at you, because I'm
looking at Indiana schedule right now, and it lays out the same way.
There's a there's like a two week gap. Yeah, that doesn't make any
sense. So Louisville played Virginia Tech on December third last year, and then
they played Virginia on well, let me see here, I thought they had
two ACC games before. Maybe it's just before you get to the end of
the calendar year. But then again, that Virginia game was January the third,
So but yes, they there's no doubt there'll be at least one,
maybe two ACC matchups before Christmas. I would assume that's that's that you've sense
of it. So thank you, John, appreciate that. All right,
we'll get back into basketball stuff coming up a little bit later on real quick.
I do want to talk some football, as we'll find out probably by
the end of the week, maybe early next week, where each team in
the ACC comes in in the preseason media poll. And we all know what
the ACC preseason media poll, as we all know what off season rankings and
preseason rankings are. They're worthless. They mean nothing once you actually get to
the season and there's results and you actually show where you are and how good
you are. If you are as good as people said, or if you're
as bad as people said, I mean in a weird way though it's actually
I mean, even in a twelve game season, let's be real, there's
no way to know who. Like Saban had a quote long ago that always
stuck with me about how rankings are stupid, but he didn't lay it out
because you know, these people don't know what the hell they're talking about.
They play no ball. He just basically said, like, how do you
know who's the twenty fourth best team? Like you don't think it's and there's
not enough data points to analyze to where you really feel like you or I
mean three four games in like you can make you can have teams with the
exact same records and it'd be completely different situations. Right, And that's why
I do love the college football playoff rankings because they actually are unveiled when you
have a body of work to assess. And I really thought that that would
make it to where we wouldn't even hear I mean, like maybe those preseason
rankings and the ape pole would just be a necessary but that that's they're never
going away. And I'm not really advocating that they should, but I do
think the playoff rankings have made it to where people just aren't putting as much
emphasis on where you are in the coaches pole or the ape pole. It's
it's nice to see that number next to your name when you're on TV.
Makes you feel special, especially if you see that number next to a team
you beat, right, because beating ranked teams is hard to do in college
football. So, you know, I don't bring this up to say that,
you know, this means a whole lot, but I'm gonna guess that
ACC media polls going to have the obvious number one choice being Florida State because
of you know, how how good they they were last year, and they
are replacing their quarterback, but they brought in dj Ukulele, and you know
they're super talented. They bring back a lot of pieces Florida State. They
appear to be in position to reform as a program that can lose a lot
of guys to the NFL, or lose you know, guys to graduation that
were high impact players and feel very good about being able to replace them with
guys they developed from recruiting them or go to the portal. So they brought
in you know, a lot of talent in the portal this uh this past
year. I mean, I think it's Mavin Jones, one of the best
defensive players in the portal. I mean that was that was a big time
addition for them. And then Clemson, I think, by default is always
just gonna stay at number two, like unless unless they fall off a cliff
and they you know, because let's be honest, Clemson last year, I
think that was the first time that they didn't when what ten games under Dabo
in like ten years. Yeah, let's look at it real quickly here,
because as much as the Clemson fall off is real and worth discussing, you
don't look at Clemson now like you did four five years ago. You just
don't. Doesn't mean you're gonna beat him easily. They still aren't losing many
games, especially when they play at home. But the Clemson being the one
A, one B as far as best program in the country is now not
even close to being the case. They went four and four in the ACC
last year, nine and four overall, and it was the first time that
Dabo did not win at least ten games since twenty ten. So you know,
I did not remember Clemson going eight to oh in the league in twenty
twenty two and they lost in the Orange Bowl. So they've now they've now
lost let's see, six games in the last three years in ACC play.
This really puts in perspective how they've not fallen off, but they're not what
they want. Well, they have fallen off, but they're you know,
they're still respectable. You're not just gonna walk in and beat them. They're
not lousy, but their dominance is just not is not what it was.
So again, they've lost six sec I'm sorry, six ACC games since twenty
twenty one. So that's just the last three years they lost. Let's see,
they lost six ACC games total from two thousand and thirteen to two thousand
and twenty. I mean they lost. This is when they were really rolling
through it. They went eight O seven and one, seven and one,
eight no eight, no, eight and one in a in a five year
stretch there and the one of the loss, I mean they I guess when
they went eight and one, that was the year where you had to play
only conference opponents. So they're still they're still good and I'm not predicting that
they end up like dominating the ACC this year by any means, but they
them not using the portal is an issue for them because they're just they're limiting
how good they could be, if that makes sense right. They're not going
out and plugging spots that they could easily go plug because of Dabo Sweeney being
you know, Dabo Sweeney. But they still bring in elite talent and develop
it really well. And I think so much attention is now on the instant
results from the portal, which again I get it. I mean, there's
teams this year that will be really good, and you look at why they've
been able to pull off a nine to ten wins season, it's because,
Wow, they went out and got some really good players in the portal.
But there's also the other way to do it. Not many are doing it
the way Dabo is. In fact, nobody's doing it the way Dabo is
by literally not using the portal at all. But the teams that don't end
up in the top you know ten, as far as portal rankings or the
top twenty, even they just nobody's thinking they're gonna be lousy, but they
kind of just get forgotten about. They kind of get pushed to the side
a little bit, and that doesn't mean they can't be really good. I
mean, there's still a ton of guys on this Clemson defense that have that
came in as top fifteen, top twenty caliber players and they've been developed and
like they could explode and be some of the best players in the country.
So I mean, I think Clemson is is worthy of being there at number
two, to be honest with you. And then after that, man,
I guess it's anybody's guess. I mean, here's what bothers me a little
bit. There's some teams that Louisville beat last year that Louisville was better than,
not just because of the of the victory over them and they had to
head because they just had a better year that I'm seeing some people start to
put, you know, ahead of Louisville, like NC State's become this cute
see, you know, not a off season team. Because obviously Dave Doran's
done a good job. There's no there's no way around that. I think
he's I mean, he's a good coach and they you know, they usually
bring in enough talent in recruiting and they do well in the portal, or
at least well enough. But you know, I'm not sure why they would
be picked ahead of Louisville. I mean, they went nine and four last
year, six and two in the league, so they're coming off of a
good year. But they you know, they lost to Louisville at their place,
and I know they've got the kid from uh, Coastal Carolina. What's
his name? Uh? I feel like he's been at Coastal Carolina. First,
Rayson McCall. Yes, good pool there, John, Yeah, Grayson
McCall's there, So they're gonna get they're gonna get a lot of love because
of that. And then Virginia Tech. I know Brent Prye, I mean,
what was that his was that his second year last year at Virginia Tech.
I think it was my actually might have his third year, and I
guess they kind of had a breakthrough. But Louisville beat the breaks off them
last year and they didn't have a great year. They were Look, they
were seven and six overall, five and three in the league, and if
you remember, you know, they were still I mean, it was weird
how the schedule played out last year because if you remember, there was some
kind of weird scenario like when they played Louisville that they could still somehow,
you know, finagle their way into actually being in the in the ACC Championship
game. So I'm not buying Virginia Tech ahead of Louisville, and I think
you'll see some people pick them ahead of Louisville, but not enough to where
they'd be ahead of them. As far as NC State, I kind of
happened to think they're going to get enough love with McCall and with Dorin,
you know, finishing strong last year, that they'll probably be number three.
And I would guess Louisville is going to be number four, but I could
be wrong, maybe they're fifth or six. Because again there's Miami, and
every year the same thing is said about Miami. Well, talent shouldn't be
a problem. Talent probably, you know, won't be an issue. But
you've said that about Miami for multiple different eras of Miami, every coach that's
been in Miami's been able to bring in players. And I've always felt like
the one guy that could win there was Mario Christobal and he's not made me
look smart since he got there because they haven't really done much. But I
mean, I think he's a good enough coach and I think cam Ward.
I mean, it really comes down to, Okay, was it gimmicky over
in the PAC twelve at Washington State or has this guy got an arm that
can carve up this league? And that you know that remains to be seen.
So my guests to answered the question of the textan from earlier, I'm
gonna guess that Louisville ends up at number four in the ACC preseason media poll.
But again, nobody really cares. I mean, it's it's it's it's
something we're probably gonna forget all about once you actually get to seeing these teams
in action. So I would guess that those six teams will be the teams
that you see in some former fashion. Like I think the top six is
gonna be pretty easy to figure out in in whatever order, although I think
FID Florida State, Clemson that yeah, let's put it this way. Florida
State, Clemson I think are gonna be one and two's gonna be a big
shock if they're not that. But then Miami, n C State, Virginia
Tech, and Louisville I think are gonna be clearly your three through six.
But as far as the order, it's anybody's guests and again my guess would
be Louisville coming in at number four. Wouldn't be shocked if they're number three
based off respect from last year. But then again, I'm seeing too much
love for NC State, and I'm even seeing a lot of love from Miami
too, because again it's hard to not look at their talent and realize that
they've got pieces to be really good. SMU will be the first team outside
of that pack, I believe. I think SMU will be at number seven.
And then from there, man, you got cal Georgia Tech, Qes,
Carolina, Duke Wake, Boston College, Pitt Virginia, I mean,
Stanford. I forgot about them. So as far as how that shapes up,
you know, no clue. In fact, like I don't even know
like a Wake for is supposed to be better than Boston College. I mean,
I don't know. All right, let's take a quick break. We'll
come back on the other side, keep this thing rolling along. We'll talk
about Joe Burrow's hair, because I really like Joe Burrow as a competitor,
respect the hell out of him, think he's a great quarterback. But I
feel like this is a little bit like kind of feels like a force,
and he's not usually the guy that's to do that. I think does stuff
just to bring attention to him. But we'll talk about it, stick with
us right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. I feel like when you're super
famous for whatever it may be, being a professional athlete, an actor,
a musician, entertainer, you know, there's probably a moment where it hits
you how famous you are and that like this is now life and maybe you
just know that and you're never surprised by things you can't do as a celebrity
and expect it to not be discussed, you know what I mean. But
I would imagine there's probably something and maybe it's how you're wired as an individual
that you know, you kind of just you know, you get you know,
everyday life. You don't think about it much, and then and then
something happens and you're like, wow, why is this a big deal?
And you think to yourself, Okay, I guess it's because I'm this famous
and that I feel like that could be happening for Joe Burrow today. Like
I don't know if Joe Burrow knew he was the kind of fam to wear
him just going with a different hair style would end up being one of the
most talked about things in sports. And maybe that's a little bit, a
little bit of an exaggeration, but I don't know. I mean, it's
all over, it's all over the internet, all over social media, and
he's he's got a much different look. It's kind of a kind of a
it's a buzz cut, but it's long, if that makes sense, Like,
what do you call that a bird? It's almost like a mini fro,
which is that may be very incorrect. That's that's kind of the way
I want to discribe it. My hair was that and it's not a fro.
If my hair was that long, it would be more flat, if
that makes sense. Like it's like a flat top, but there's no top
to it. It's just all the way around his head, If that makes
sense. We're probably both doing a very bad job of describing it because you're
not totally off as far as like how it does have some elevation to it,
right, and some volume, but you know, it's blonde, like
bleach blonde, not a blonde where you get hair your hair colored to give
off a natural look. But like it's the I mean, it's the m
and m slim shady look that you know was a thing. I got say.
If it's just the particular picture I'm looking at, but I feel like
this age is him by maybe ten fifteen years. You know who he looked
like when I first saw the picture. Before I knew who it was,
I just saw the picture, and I think there's only one picture that's going
around with it that we're looking at here. But you're right, it does
agent. But man, when I saw it, I thought, Okay,
that's Cody Rhodes, who you may not even know who that is John he's
professional wrestler, looks like. I mean, that's what it. I think
the color is what really made it made it pop for me as far as
reminding me of Cody Roads. But then again, like I'm seeing a side,
I'm seeing a side by side here. I'm gonna send it to you
real quick in the DMS, And I mean, maybe it's just this picture,
but I think you can look at this side by side and see that
Cody Rhoads hair although it looks blonde like that, it's styled with like gel
and whatnot. Burrows isn't even long enough to do that. But they also
kind of look alike in the face in what I just do you see it?
Yeah, maybe maybe that's what he's going for. I don't know if
he's a Cody Rhodes fan, I don't know. But look, Joe Burrow
is a phenomenal quarterback. I still like, when I say it out loud,
it doesn't seem like it really happened, like I think, Okay,
wait a second, I can't be right, and that is that the Bengals
played in a super Bowl in the last few years, Like that just never
seemed possible, and they did it because of Joe Burrow and also Jamar Chase.
Like you know, I actually think both those guys were almost kind of
the same level of of a hot you know, change in everything about the
Bengals because those that's a hell of a connection. That's a hell of a
duo to have on offense. But Joe Burrow, you know, this is
going to be maybe a really over the top I love you, but but
like Joe Burrow made Bengals fans completely change how they view themselves as a fan
base, as a franchise, Like he gave them some confidence that I'm not
sure they've ever really had consistently, Like with Burrow as the guy in him
doing what he did in his first couple of years, I think it really
did make Bengals fans, you know, dream bigger, because if they can
get to the super Bowl, why can't they win one? Right? And
again, that was years ago, and you know, maybe they take a
step back this year. Obviously they've not been great since then. In fact,
I think they've had what three when was that? By the way,
they've been good enough. Yeah, so they look they've they've been good enough
to really, you know, get hot and knock off anybody, because I
guess that's kind of really how it happens in the NFL, right, Anybody
beating anybody is not that big of a surprise in the grand scheme of things.
You've seen some teams in recent years, specifically that you knew were quite
literally, you know, some of the worst teams in the league, and
yet they knock off some of the best teams in the league. So it
happens. But Burrow, I can't think of a guy who has in the
last five years entered the NFL and changed a franchise as much as he has.
Because he's given him relevance. He's again like he's got a quiet confidence
about himself. He's got a swagger. I hate that word, but that's
really what I think is best to be the best way to describe what he
brings to the table. And this isn't to say that the Bengals are great.
They may stink this year, I don't know, but like he's changed
how they view themselves as a franchise more than any player that has entered the
league in the last five years. So again, really do like Joe Burrow,
respect him. I'm not a Bengals fan by any means. I don't
root for him, but this to me seems kind of like an attention thing,
and I don't think that's Joe Burrow. And by the way, if
you're somebody that likes to do things to keep yourself, you know, being
talked about, you know, I think it's a natural human feeling to want
attention in some form of fashion. Now, sometimes you don't want attention if
it's if there's something bad going on, but like, I don't care who
you are. Like sometimes people crave attention because you know, they're lonely and
they don't want to be left out that kind of stuff, So you know,
it isn't really isn't really even a criticism to me. It just seems
very not like Joe Burrow to do something like that. I mean, maybe
this was his hair style from years ago and he's going back to it because
nobody knew Joe Burrow, you know, six seven years ago, before he
got to LSU could walk into you know, just about anywhere, nobody know
who he was. Not the case now. Heck, maybe he lost a
bet. I don't know, Like I don't think he's provided any comments as
to why the hair has has been cut off, and there's any and he's
rocking a different shade, but it's certainly been you know, discussed quite a
bit by NFL fans and again to give you an example of what he has
done to sort of change how the Bengals view themselves. Meaning the fans like,
this is just a haircut, guys, a hair cut in color.
Millions of people get it done every day across the country, across the planet,
I should say. But yet like they see Burrow and they're like,
oh, the rest of the league better look out, better look out,
because Burrow cut his hair off. He means business now and he's and he's
going with the slim sh looks. So now they're probably referencing eminem lyrics and
putting something together to where you know it's going to be like, oh,
this is what he's doing. It's all part of a plan for Joe Burrow
to take over the NFL. And you know, maybe it is something that
he did to send a message or you know, again, maybe he lost
to bet. I don't know, but it is a big story within the
NFL, that's for sure. Also another story is potentially expanding the regular season
by one game, so they went from sixteen to seventeen. I feel like
it's not been that long since that that happened. And now there's been discussion
from the NFL Players Association. They've engaged in what they call high level discussions
with the NFL about a potential implementation of an eighteen game regular season. And
who says no to that? Maybe some NFL players, you know, because
they it's them that has to you know, go out there and basically play
this violent game that at any moment could in their career. I don't want
to exaggerate, but like it could also any moment in there. Like football
is such a violent sport and depending on what position you play. Just about
every snap for you is you know, could potentially be a car wreck that
you're involved in with you know, no air bag, just some pads at
a helmet. So player safety is always going to be a big concern.
And anytime you talk about expanding a schedule, adding more games, that's the
first thing that comes up when if there's any resistance to doing it. But
as far as a fan who loves to consume the product that is the NFL,
and I know I'm not alone, there's billions of us. I feel
like we want more NFL. If we're going to get more NFL, we're
going to say, thank you, can we have more? Oh that's good,
but we want more. We love the NFL. So I have no
problem with an eighteen game schedule. As far as how they break it down
like what they do two by weeks, I don't know, but I'm sure
they'll make you work because it's going to be more money for everybody involved.
And usually that somebody's on the fence about it. When you mentioned the revenue
component, they'll think, Okay, well, you know what if you're gonna
if my south going to be bigger because I'm playing another game, then you
know what, let's do it. And this is probably like a really unpopular
take, but I always share it, not because like I'm looking the troll
and to get people yelling at me. It's just something that and it's not
something we'll have to worry about at this point. But football is still relatively
new in the grand scheme of life, and it's it's insanely dangerous and they're
always going to mean that's why they're you know, they're never gonna stop trying
to find ways to keep players safer, whether it be different equipment, technology,
all that kind of stuff, advanced research. The NFL has invested an
unbelievable amount of money and continuously trying to find ways to make this game safer,
and they'll continue to do that, but this sport will continue to always
be violent. And I think you can do both. Right. Just because
you know it's always going to be violent and somebody can get hurt doesn't mean
you shouldn't stop looking at ways to keep guys safe. But if they introduce
this sport today and we'd never played it before, and the players involve,
you know, these super large, freakishly athletic human beings, that you know,
are far from you know, the normal average joe. Like if you
introduce this sport today, I think medical folks would tell you, no,
you cannot do that. It is not safe to play. But we don't
have to worry about it because they're not taking football away from us and that'll
never happen. But it's just like I say that at times because I don't
think people realize. I don't think people truly understand like that. Twenty years
from now, we'll see the lasting impact of dudes who played in the NFL.
You know, not everybody's gonna probably have CTE that kind of stuff.
But when you do hear about more games and there's resistance, you know,
we're we're fans, we're customers. We just we want the product. Not
to say that we're heartless. We don't care about people's being safe, But
that's not what comes to mind to us because we can't relate. We don't
play. We're watching on TV or we're going to the games and tailgating and
whatnot. But when you hear people being against it, it's not because they're
fun suckers. It's because they think about those kind of things, right,
Like should we doing this, you'll be should we be playing this much football
a year? Whenever it's you know, such a violent, physically demanding sport.
All right, quick break, we'll come back on the other side.
For those that just joined us for the four o'clock party, stick around.
We're taking up till six o'clock. We haven't talked much about the TVT since
the beginning of the show. Trust me, we'll get back into that because
we got a big game tomorrow night to see if Louisville can you know,
get to the mean. This round they're in tomorrow night is the furthest they've
been last year. This is the round they lost in, so this will
be the furthest they've gone if they can pull off the win tomorrow. Kentucky
plays later tonight, of course, if both teams win, and these next
two days they're going to play each other at Freedom Hall in Indiana Place tonight.
Right they do who they have? They have Everlin Drive. That's a
bad good team. It's bad news for Everline Drive. Right, it is
all right, stick with us right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. It's
right Coffee and Company wrapping up our number two. We'll take you up till
six o'clock, So hang out. We are Field by Thornton's. Make sure
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Go to Refreshing Awards dot com download the app. You'll be happy that you
did. You'll also be happy if you're somebody that feels like you might have
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so, but I know you'll be happy if you reach out to my friends
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If it's a rectiled it's function, they've got three different ways, maybe
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Lo testosterone, Peroni's disease, joint pain, weight loss therapy, hair restoration.
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is the number. Louisville Men's Clinic. Dot com is the website. All
right. So Lebron James is going to be the first ever member of the
team USA men's basketball team to be the flag bearer for the opening ceremony of
the Olympics, which that will be on Friday. I believe so Lebron James
is somebody that needs no introductions, of course, but also you know,
and I always kind of tiptoe around it because I have so much respect for
Lebron as a legendary player, and it's unbelievable what he's been able to do
throughout his career. And also it's unbelievable to know that if you go back
twenty years, the expectation and the hype was unbelievable to where even if he
was a legendary player, I felt like at that time it would have been
hard to envision him living up to what was being said about him. But
he has, and some he's succeeded it. But I also know and understand
why a lot of people have Lebron fatigue and are just you know, as
I always say, come on, Lebron, Like he does a lot of
things, says a lot of things to where you just think, like,
you know, this guy's not the worst guy in the world. He's not
a criminal, he's not a low life, but man like, he's not
self aware. He is dramatic, he flops, he jumps from team to
team, like you know, I get it, Like, I understand why
people feel that way, but I also wish that people could put that aside
and acknowledge that you're watching something that we'll never see again. This man is
going to turn forty years old before the end of this year and he is
still playing like the best basketball player on this planet. It's unbelievable. I
mean, yesterday he scored the last eleven points. I think it was for
Team USA is they had to claw back to beat Germany ninety two to eighty
eight was the score or I mean, in fact, in yesterday's game,
twenty points scored the final eleven in the fourth quarter, six rebounds, four
assists, two of two from three made eight of eleven. And look,
I know some of these numbers are being put up against I mean against you
know, guys that aren't great, but him playing at this level and clearly
just being the best player on the floor. I mean, say what you
want about Germany and South Sudan and all these other teams that Team USA is
going to play. He's playing against the best this country has to offer on
his own team. And he's the guy not because he's you know, demanding,
he's the og, the bully, because he's just that guy. He's
Lebron James. And if they do a documentary on Lebron James from start to
finish his career, if we get something similar to like The Last Dance,
but it's just about Lebron in his career, a lot of people probably won't
watch it because you know, they have Bron fatigue. And I probably will
watch, but be annoyed at times. Just like a lot of you.
But it needs to include this part of his career because right now he's still
playing at a high level in the NBA, but the Lakers think they're not.
I mean, does anybody think the Lakers are going to emerge as like
a legitimate title team next year? They might, but if they do,
it's because of him, because of anything else. So that could happen.
But like he's played in LA and still put up crazy numbers at a old
age. I mean, he's an old man when it comes to the NBA.
I mean, thirty nine is not an old man. He'll be forty
again in December, so it's not I mean, he's not an old man,
but in terms of NBA basketball years, he's a he's elderly. Dudes
fall off at thirty two, thirty one sometimes in the NBA. This guy
is going to be forty in a few months, and he's still the best
player on the planet that can do things that like nobody else has been able
to do really ever, let alone at his age. And I just I
think that's not getting talked about enough. And what's unfortunate for Lebron is because
of Lebron, like he didn't have to inject his son into this whole NBA
stuff. He could have told his son, look, you ain't ready kid,
stick around in college, but he wanted to do it. You know,
Lebron loves to make everything about him and at times that backfires on him
without him eybe knowing it, I think because he has no self awareness.
But what he's doing here, like this team, if this team wins,
which they're going to, they're gonna win the goal. Like I don't see
a scenario where that won't happen. And he continues to just be the man
and he's the best player on the floor every game he plays and it's not
close. Like that probably won't be that big of a chakra to people,
but like I want you to consider that when you look at the legacy of
Lebron James, and this is not an MJ versus Lebron because that's stupid.
I wish that would go away, but it never will. One thing that
doesn't get mentioned enough is that the nineteen ninety two Dream Team legendary group of
guys, right, I mean, we're talking Jordan Byrd, Drexler, Stockton
Malone, Pippen, Ewing, David Robinson Barkley. I mean the Dream Team,
folks, they only played nine NBA players in the Olympics. Well,
now when you face other countries, you've got NBA stars on those teams.
Team USA we'll play against sixty one NBA players. So you know, you
still shouldn't be shocked when an NBA legend is dominating a team from another country,
because we dominate in basketball in the United States. But it is even
it's it's harder to do that than it once was. Not to say that
it's it's you know, impossible. But there's my there's my that's my nice
conversation about Lebron after for a long time. You know, the whole browny
thing just really made me want to barf. I feel like my voice is
baiting. Can you notice that I've always but maybe you need like a peppermintgum
or something. What's going on there? The bush light might help on all
right now? We number three is on the way right here on sport Stock
seven ninety m