It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Holy crap, I don't know who the hell we think we are get
off our show, idiot. The kids are playing or turning off. The
countries are screwing it up. Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, gold Play
Inner Murals. They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really not.
Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here? Are you kidding me?
Now? Here's Nick coffee? As we get the party started here on a
Monday afternoon, I kind of feel like we are picking up exactly where we
left off on Friday. It's the first it's the start of our first full
week with both sides of the rivalry feeling refreshed. New era. Obviously,
Pat Kelsey's been here for a few weeks now, I guess coming up on
a few weeks. And Mark Pope hired late last week at Kentucky and then
it was made official yesterday where he sold out without way. Not really a
seller, they didn't have to sell tickets, but the amount of people who
showed up for that press conference, I really can't believe it. Like Kentucky
fans, I mean, sometimes you know, they're kind of the worst,
and that's you know, that's just the way you're supposed to see it in
the rivalry. I mean, I don't mean that personally. I have a
lot of close friends and family that are Kentucky fans, but I did not
expect that at all. What'd you think of it, John, I'd like
to say I'm surprised, but I'm not. It's Kentucky and they, like
you say it all the time, They're everywhere, and especially here in the
Commonwealth, and they're gonna show out for one of their own, even if
they are underwhelmed by the hire. Initially exactly and that's what I guess surprised
me because we all knew and loul of the fans just did it right.
I mean, yesterday felt like just another reminder that these two programs just the
exact same situation happened. A lot of bigger names being mentioned for the job
for different reasons never really played out that way, and they ended up hiring
a guy that with part with Mark Pope. I think not only was the
noise about fans being just you know, depressed and just sad because they were
hiring Mark Pope, and that's the guy. Clearly, there's a lot of
Kentucky fans. I think they have one of the biggest fan bases you'll find,
so it got more attention because of that. But I also feel like
the level of their you know, just melting down was crazy. Lois Well,
let's be real. I mean, I'm somebody that you know always said
I liked Pat Kelsey any time his name came up, like him, but
I never thought he would be in the mix for the Louisville job. I
think Kentucky fans would say the same thing about Mark Pope, mostly just because
they know him, because he played there with Pat Kelsey. I've just been
familiar with him. I know people think a lot, you know, you
think people have always thought really highly of him in college basketball world. Of
course, he has his connection to to Chris Max, So I always liked
him. I just never thought that that was the route they would go.
A coach that had, you know, has only been sort of at the
mid major level. But you know, I think we felt and trust me,
I'm not like doing the comparison as far as you know, this is
not a comparison as far as who melted down the worst and is going to
have to eat crow. Because here's one thing I know, and I think
everybody listening knows this. None of us are gonna be able to say we
knew all along, like this is the guy we wanted, like because I
don't think there's anybody that really pushed for this. I'm sure you could maybe
find a few people within each side of the fan bases, but Pat Kelsey
was not a name that many people were pushing to be the guy, even
at the very end. And Mark Pope was somebody that I truly don't think
Kentucky fans could actually believe that he would ever be considered for the job,
because you know, they're Kentucky and now both coaches have been hired, and
both fan bases are ready to roll. None of us know what's gonna happen
on either side, but just having something new, something fresh, is exciting
and it's a lot to keep up with. I'm just going to tell you
that because I feel like we need like a secondary show, like a different
show, just to keep up with the roster. As far as Louisville,
for sure, given the fact that they've had a handful of visitors over the
last few days, still have more this week. They still have ten scholarships
to fill. So it's exciting, and it gives you the chance to put
together a really good team. I mean, you know, I don't want
to set expectations too high, but when you have the nil bag, as
they say, a lot of scholarships to use, you know, at Louisville,
you are a primetime program despite how bad you've been the last couple of
years. And from what I can tell, the guy selling this program,
Pat Kelsey, seems to be a really, really good salesman. So it's
exciting. But I'm just going to tell you I have a hard time keeping
up with a lot of it, but I'll do my best to share what's
out there. Some of you probably already know. Some of you probably have
more time on your hands to keep up with it. But it's exciting.
No doubt. Kentucky's gonna go through the same thing. I know today they're
they they've got guys entering the portal and I'm sure they're in on some transfers.
I just don't know a whole lot about which transfers they are going after.
But uh yeah, both team's gonna have a brand. I mean,
the era has essentially started. But you know, again, I think we're
picking up kind of where we left off on Friday. And again, make
no mistake about it, we all are gon. We're gonna always go back
and forth and you know, jab each other. That's what rivals do.
However, I will say that anybody trying to claim that you know, no,
you guys didn't want your coach. We wanted ours, like I think
we the process of how this all played out to where we are right now
feeling good about the new era and the fresh start. It was a roller
coaster, but it's gonna be fun, I can tell you that. All
right. Welcome in everybody, Monday Edition. Coffee and Company. Philbeth Thornton's
here on Sports Talk seven ninety. My name is Nick Coffee, the company
made John alongside today. Hopefully you guys had yourselves a good weekend. I
mean, the weather was phenomenal. I mean just a beautiful, beautiful weekend.
Saturday was opening day for I think a lot of the little league's around
town baseball for the kiddos, and my daughter is starting her second season in
the Miracle League, which is a really cool league that's over at Fern Creek
Park where they have it's for special needs kids, and they've got a surface
out there on the field where you can have wheelchairs and it doesn't you know,
damage the field and all that. So it is just it is so
much fun. Even if you don't have a connection to the league or anything,
I think you would enjoy seeing just how they champion all of these special
needs kids. They've got an announcer John, they've got walk up music,
they hype them up. They've got their picture on the big scoreboard back there,
like not just their name, but like a picture of them. It's
so cool. Yeah, they are it is. It is awesome. So
the Diamondbacks that's that's who Maya's that's Maya's team this year. So that was
such a good event. I call it an event. I mean it's competition
out there playing ball. So it was awesome. And then just again,
like I'm somebody that you know usually gets a little bit of that wee well,
it's not a little weird, it's very weird. Seasonal depression is a
real thing. But I'm a sicko that actually at times has dealt with that.
When it gets warm outside again, I'm I'm I'm I'm not well.
Uh, but I don't know. I'm growing out of it, I guess
because this weekend being outside doing stuff. I mean I was outside all day
yesterday, uh, doing stuff with the kids, a little yard work,
cleaned out the car, played some ball with the little one and tall.
Oh yeah, I mean I feel like I feel like a dad what I
feel like, which I am. You know, I'm happy to be.
But that's that's like's that that's now my brand, you know, initially when
I first when I had my first kid. Kind of growing into it now.
I mean I got baseball for both kids on Saturday because Moosey was playing
in his T ball league, So like got a game tonight at six o'clock.
So I mean, it's it's the dad life. It's uh, it's
the life I live now. But uh, good, good, good weekend,
no doubt. It feels like with ring, feeling like it's here.
You know, Derby's just around the corner. So the vibes are strong right
now. And today it's legitimately like hot outside. I'm not complaining because you
know, I'm sitting inside where it's nice and cool, and yes, the
air conditioning is working great in here. Is very worried today because today today's
a big test for it, right today, because it's not just like warmer,
it's hot outside. Usually the first day when we're testing the air conditioner,
it can be a little rough. Yeah, so it's set on seventy
but it's at seventy two, which is perfect for me. So I'm not
going to touch anything. And you know, if it can handle nearly ninety
degrees, then we should be in good shape of the summer. But you
know, we shall see. So there's a lot we're going to get into
today. I promise you that it's a little bit of an overwhelming Monday for
me because, you know, just reel and off names of dudes we've never
heard of that are in the portal, Like I don't think that's fun,
but it's also just you know, random name from random school. Like they
may not be they may not be exciting, but it's exciting to see these
rosters come together. So Louisville just had a handful visitors over the weekend and
they'll have many more this week. And I'll try my best to you know,
to share again the info that I do have. And then I think,
when you think of visitors right now. I think a lot of us
have just assumed that was going to be nothing. But guys that are transferring,
Well, this news dropped last night from twenty four to seven Sports.
I believe it was Travis So Travis Brandam who put this out there. I'm
sorry, No, it was Eric Bossei of twenty four to seven sports who
broke the story that five star McDonald's all American Jaden quantans am. I saying
that, right, there's no way they just think it's quaints quaintance that makes
more sense. So quaintance makes way more sense. And that looks as if
how it should. But I just I was typing it out earlier today when
I was tweeting, and I kept there's obviously not an auto correct for that,
because that's not you know, that's a real Yeah, it's somebody's unique
name. But I kept butchering it like I'll be like, oh, here
we go, it's q U A A n CE and then I put an
a n c H And I just so I was overthinking, Yes, a
quaintance that makes total sense. But he is a five star kid, top
ten consensus player. He is just sixteen years old. Is not going to
be eligible for the NBA Draft until twenty twenty six. He reclassified into twenty
twenty four and signed with Kentucky in November. And you know, this is
a guy that is elite. You know, he jumped up from twenty twenty
four to twenty twenty I'm sorry, from twenty twenty five to twenty twenty four,
and it did not move his ranking at all. He stayed a top
ten player. He's the number two big in the country. And I mean,
I have no clue if Louisville's just getting like a courtesy visit what their
chances are. But I feel like this is kind of a statement. And
I know, getting a guy on campus really means nothing in the grand scheme
of things if they don't end up choosing to play there. But this is
a guy, meaning Pat Kelsey, who had never been able to recruit at
the level before, right, that had never been able I mean, and
I don't mean because he was bad at it. I mean because he was
at Winthrop and Charleston. Let's just be honest here. So you know,
with that said, I wouldn't be shocked if you know, him being able
to you know, work the phones and sell who he is, what he's
all about, how he's going to run this program. Wouldn't shock me if
that led to this kid saying, you know what, I'm wide open.
Don't have much familiarity with Louisville, but let's give it a visit. Let's
see what happened. Let's let's go check it out. I heard you guys
got the bag. Let me ask you this. I need you to help
me. John. When I say the bag, do I sound like a
douchebag? I don't think it sounds douchey. You'd be honest with me,
right, I'm dead serious? Okay, because that's now like the that's when
I hear people talking recruiting, like people who actually, you know, that's
their job, that's their work. Like it's not necessarily in the uh in
the write ups that you see at rivals in twenty four to seven sports,
but you know podcast video clips, interviews with recruiting analysts that go on shows
that when they talk in IL they now say the bag. But I feel
like I'm way too old and not cool enough to say that. So can
we say are you giving me the pass? I'm giving you the po Okay,
I may say it cause that's what's going to like. That's all that.
Let's just be real. That's now a factor when it comes to recruiting
players, whether it be high school kids or transfers. If you have the
perception that you have the bag and you can deliver said bag, that is
going to help you. Now you need to do some other things as well.
But like Pat Kelsey, you know, we'll see. I don't want
to act as if the kids already decided to come to Louisville, but I
do think one of the early signs about one of the first things I heard
about Pat Kelsey whenever you know, everybody was melting down about him being the
guy myself included was that you know, obviously he's a mid major guy,
and you never know how it's going to work out. He's not a big
name within college basketball, but people really like him, and of all the
mid major guys that it looks like Louisville was considering, he is somebody that
should be able to utilize those tools, those resources and really crush it.
And I think just getting this kid who has no familiarity with Kelsey himself,
that is that's a big that's a that's a good sign. I should say
now there is somewhat of a connection here, and I've brought it up.
I feel like two three times on on you know, in the early weeks
here. But one of one of Pat Kelsey's top assistants who followed him from
Charleston. I believe, I believe he was only at Charleston for maybe one
year. I think it was just one year. But Thomas Carr, he's
an assistant coach. He was one of the four that was officially announced last
week. Prior to him going to work for Kelsey at Charleston. Uh,
he was at Word of God Academy, and that is where Jaden quantaints.
Is that right? Acquaintance God, I'm gonna screw it up every time we'll
get there. I'm overthinking it now, John, I'm over and I'm not
yelling at John's not his fault, but like acquaintance, right, like acquaintance
about the first part perfect, I'm not kidding you, man, I'm in
my head, not just about this young man, but about the whole name
thing. I think you were gone. You were on vacation when it got
brought up again. Like I went from being relatively like I felt like I
was very strong in regards to remembering names, Like I put myself up against
many to say no, I'll probably have a better I'm probably better remembering names.
And it's not like anything that did anything for me. But now I
don't remember anybody's name at all. What's your name again? The company man?
That's what we call you. You're John right, company man? Yeah,
So I mean I'm overthinking it. But anyways, he played at Word
of God Christian Academy, and I don't know if he played there for like
many many years because a lot of guys, let's be honest, you know,
they move around from different prep schools, but you know that connection surely
is some level of a factor in how you get this five star top ten
unanimous five star kid that I assume everybody would want to get him to come
to school for a visit. And he's gonna visit, by the way,
on Thursday. So look, I don't want to get everybody's hopes up.
I mean, I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but just to
be able to swim in these waters and it be with the guy that you
know, Like for example, if Kenny Payin was to get a certain recruit
to visit, you know, you know, at the end, it would
have been clearly just a you know, a desperation attempt to try to make
it look like he's actually recruiting, even like he knew none of those kids
that were gonna visit, we're ever gonna come to Lois. But he was
just doing whatever he could to make it look like he was working. But
we know he has like connections, like he's Kenny Payne was the top recruiter
for John Kellaperi for many years. So it's not to say that it wouldn't
be like something like Okay, okay, there's a momentum here. But you
know with Pat Kelsey, you know this is this is new to him.
I'm sure they recruited these guys, you know, before they became five stars.
That made it quite clear they're only going to consider the elite programs.
But to give you the old corny saying that you hear from coaches, whenever
they take a jump up from one level to a higher level, they got
a different logo on the polo, right, they're selling something different. So
I mean I saw that yesterday and I you know, I'll admit the first
thing I did was look and make sure that like it was a real account,
and sure enough it is. So again, there's been some visitors that
were here over the weekend for Louisville. There'll be more visitors this week,
and we'll give you the latest on that as we roll through here on a
Monday afternoon. Also, I mean, how about Kel's just shining this weekend.
He was out of the football field fielding punts. He caught a kickoff
I think it was behind the back, which I don't know if that does
anything for him as a basketball coach. I'm sure it doesn't, but it
looked kind of cool. I don't know many people that I know I couldn't
do that. And then he goes out and throws at the first pitch on
Saturday, looked good doing it. He's he is somebody that has only been
on the job two weeks and some change here. But it does seem as
if he really he's not leaning into it, he's embracing it. And what
I mean by that is when I say leaning into it, it's like you
know, you're you're kind of really having to overcompensate because cause you know,
you just know that that's what they want. I think he loves this now
will he love it whenever things maybe aren't going well and they lose a few
games, which they're going to Hopefully we won't completely turn into lunatics, but
we know that we can. But I think for the most part, he
seems like someone that will will embrace that is best anybody could. I mean,
if it just turns into where everybody's you know, being awful, then
that probably would weigh on somebody. But either way, it's his job and
that's what this job is. And then we've always known that. But the
way it's played out recently, with the way it ended with Mac and then
with Kenny being exactly the opposite of what you thought you were getting, I
think we all know now that, hey, we need a coach that's going
to be really embracing that You're not just a basketball coach. You know,
you are somebody that I mean, I guess you are a basketball coach,
but the position, I mean, there's more to it than just coaching basketball.
And again, I think so far he looks like not only is he
somebody that can really excel in that area, but he looks like somebody that
you know, loves it all right, So back to the Kentucky press conference
yesterday. When I asked you if you were surprised by the amount of like
people that showed up there, I think the fact that and this is crazy,
but if it was Scott Drew or maybe even Dan Hurley, would there
be that many people? I think definitely with Dan Hurley, not with Drew
though, right, yeah, just because you don't have because he's boring.
He's the alumni factor. He's the missionary man. Yeah, you know what
I'm saying, like that missionary man. And Mark Prope maybe too, but
he's a former player. People gonna call missionary Mark, missionary Mark. But
look, I'll admit it. He killed that yesterday like he was. He
was playing all the hits, hitting all the notes. And that's not a
tall task. That's not necessarily something that you know. I mean, that's
really just showing up and at least giving the perception that you're competent to know
what the job is. But I felt a little envy yesterday from Kentucky for
one reason. And it's not because I wish LOUISVI would have hired Mark Pope,
trust me, because I love the way things are going with Pat Kelsey
and I kind of like having a guy that you know understands that he was
in the top choice and nobody really would have thought he'd be in this position
because I think it's going to make him hungrier and work harder than you know,
anybody else. But what they got yesterday with Mark Pote was what I
think, Well, Kenny Payne was never gonna do that because Kenny Paine had
been I think the situation was just different. Kenny'd been in Kentucky, Kenny
hadn't been a head coach before. But what he did is he ignited Mark
Pope, meaning he ignited an era of Kentucky basketball that wasn't forgotten. I
mean, everybody knows how phenomenal they were in the nineties, right, I
mean, they won two national championships in three years, and I actually think
the team in ninety seven was their best team, to be honest with you,
So nobody forgets that era, but it just really wasn't in any way
a part of the Kentucky basketball brand currently, and I'm not really sure you
know how. I mean, you can do some like maybe they bring back
the Denham jerseys this year. They're certainly going to do some things that play
into that era where their coach was a part of it, and they'd be
foolish not to. But he said all the right things, showed some personality
that I didn't really know that he has did the self deprecating thing, and
I think that that works. Pat Kelsey did the same thing. Self deprecating
is in John. If you ever just want to own the room, to
start insulting yourself to people and doing it in a clever way and they'll just
be like, this guy's great, I've tried. Well, then that that
explains why you, explains why you're the rock star and everybody loves you,
so you can just make fun of yourself. Let's way. I guess I
need to do better at that too. But he did all of that,
but it seemed really genuine and it I'm I assuming it was because he played
there like he was part of it. And I don't want to relive anything
from the Kenny Payne era at all, but I was a little jealous because
the way in which those two guys went about it was just totally different.
And we were still so intoxicated by Denny showing up at the airport to greet
Kenny Payne when he walked off the plane like that picture that visual alone.
Kenny Payne could have came up there and farted in the microphone and we just
said, hell, yeah, he's one of us. We're back, like
because you're just riding that moment. But like, Kenny didn't really say anything
that conveyed any real like I mean, I don't think you say anything wrong
at that time, But Kenny didn't get this fan base. Kenny didn't Kenny
doesn't didn't view Louisville basketball the way that everybody else does. I don't know
why. I'll never understand why. I mean, at the end of the
day, I said this a lot towards the end, I was a broken
record. That stuff matters, man, It's how we became so lifeless.
We didn't win, But man, this guy didn't act like he ever wanted
to be our coach. He didn't own I mean, he just he did
the bare minimum. And that that's sad because you never want that. But
if a guy did that, and it was believe like if Kinney Payne was
around here really just you know everywhere in the community, you know, talking
about former eras of Louisville basketball and just you know, like seeming like like
Jeff Brahm does. Honestly, like it would have It would have been nice,
it'd have made us feel good. But at the end of the day,
none of it matters, because if he won twelve games in two years,
it wouldn't matter if he was the best in that role as far as
just embracing the fan base understanding what comes with the job, you still would
have had to move on from him, and in fact, it would have
made it even harder, right if he became this really likable guy. But
I could sense how cool that was for Kentucky fans, especially those of my
age, because you know, Mark Pope played whenever I was just coming around,
like like probably right around the time I got into the rivalry when I
was, you know, sick seven years old, and he wasn't a notable
guy, like, he wasn't somebody that like. I mean, when I
think of those Kentucky teams, I think of Ron Mercer, Antoine Walker,
Derek Anderson, Tony Delk, Scott Paget, Jeff Shephard, those guys just
because you know, those teams were rock stars. I remember Poe, but
you know, not a whole lot. So when each of these fan bases
found out who was being hired at that time, we went nuclear and now
here we are and none of us know if it's gonna work out or not,
but there's there's just something exciting about being able to collectively reunite as a
fan base and just say, look, this is the guy, let's support
it. Let's go, let's go see what happens. All right, quick
break, we'll come back on the other side. Don't go anywhere. It's
coffee and Company and we are Fieldbeuth Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety
all right. Just to be clear, when I mentioned that no side of
the rivalry, the two sides, of course Louisville and Kentucky fans like none
of us will be able to collec that, well, hey, we always
wanted our guy to be the coach, and you all didn't. I'm not
saying that we like. I'm not saying that's not me trying to like pick.
I mean, I was a Louisville fan that just never ever thought that
that would be the route that Josh Hurd would take, just given the circumstances
of the higher I'm just saying, like, you know, when we're gonna
go back and forth, which we're clearly going to do, is what we
do. Like that that should just be something that we put away because neither
side can win. I mean, we're both losers in that regard, but
it's okay, it doesn't matter. The reason we act like that is because
we care so much, and the two dudes that were hired, we have
no clue they're going to be good enough to get Louisville back to where they
belong. And for Kentucky, I guess, you know, I guess the
same can be said, but obviously circumstances are a little bit different. So
it's just the fear. It's I guess it's panic, you know, because
we care so much. It's really not about this guy or that guy being
lousy coaches. It's just put it this way already, seem like enough of
the infighting within like each of the fan bases. You know, John was
just sharing a story with me. I've seen it. You know, hell
could happen with me, Like I'm somebody that did not think Pat Kelcey should
be hired now because I think he's a terrible coach, But just I just
felt like Louisville wouldn't go that go that path with mid Major, So like
just it it's it's just I don't know, like I think everybody, maybe
not every single person, but nearly most, especially those that are passionate about
it, that you know that dip into too radio shows like this and are
active on social media, even those maybe that are on the message boards.
Like I think everybody on both sides is you know, collectively embracing the new
era that that's in Lexington and in Louisville and hoping that it works out all
right. It is Coffee and Company, that's us. We are feeled by
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So a quick update from over the weekend as far as visitors for Pat
Kelsey. We'll start with those that have recently visited, and that is Maddox,
the kid from Toledo who felt really good about him. But I kind
of feel like if he was going to commit the Loisvill he already would have.
But you know, maybe maybe it's happening in any moment. There was
some some rumors out there that he was potentially going to be commit. You
know, he was kind of already committed, like a silent committee was going
to maybe make it public whenever he was on campus for a visit. But
he did when I gather, have a good visit. And now he's visiting
Illinois, so he is from the Chicago area, I believe, so maybe
that gives them the advantage. But they just picked up a transfer Illinois did
I'm not sure exactly who it was, but I know it was somebody that
also was a guard. So you know, maybe Maddox is a guy that
will end up elsewhere. But and he's a good player. I'd love for
them to get him. But what I like seeing here is that you've got
updated rankings from ESPN, and I'm sure you can find a bit on three
Sports, twenty four to seven sports, all that stuff, but they're the
guys who are the best available players in the portal as of right now.
You know, obviously Maddox is a good player. But Booby Miller, who
for those who don't remember, who played at wake Forest the last I think
he's there a couple of years. But he was a really good guard.
You know, averaged about fifteen sixteen points per game for wake Forest last year,
who was a pretty good team. He's he's gonna be visiting at the
end of the week on the nineteenth. So, you know, I think
what you're seeing here is and this is probably how it's gonna work for every
coach in the portal that has spots to fill. That is all right,
we need a veteran productive player at this position. We're going to pursue five
of them, and clearly they're not all going to be the same. We're
going to have some preferences as far as how much we you know, how
much we really prioritize each of these guys. But at the end of the
day, if we do our part and we really work to sell and pursue
these guys and we'll get one of them. Well, that's happening now.
But with Pat Kelsey it's with ten different spots, which is why I just
see it seems so difficult to you know, to keep up with. Also,
Nick Boyd was a visitor this past weekend. He is an FAU transfer,
averaged about ten points a game for him. Last year he shot thirty
five percent from three. So those guys were here on campus. The other
two visitors, Rain Smith and James Scott are the two players that followed Kelsey
from Charleston, so they're already in the mix. They're already committed. So
as far as Boyd Maddox, you know, I'm not sure what other visits
they have played. Again, I mentioned Maddox's Illinois, So now we shift
to some other visitors. In fact, there's a visitor I believe. Yeah,
So Javon Hadley. This is a name, and this is just me
giving you an example of how quickly this stuff moves. Now maybe you know,
and there's a good chance I am not consuming this information as much as
everybody else as far as players in the portal, who they are, who
they're considering, who they're visiting. But Javon Hadley is a name that I
don't believe we'd ever talked about at all. And then sure enough he is
in the portal and he visited louill yesterday. I think it was just for
one year. Yeah, it was only for he was only at Colorado for
one season. But a six six, two hundred and fifteen pound shooting guard
who you know last year for Colorado who was a pretty good team. He
averaged eleven and a half points, six boards, shot fifty three percent,
in fact, fifty four percent from the floor. So again, i'd be
a fool to kind of break down his game. That's why I'm just rambling
off his stats because I don't know nothing about him. But he played Colorado
last year and you know who was you know, a Pac twelve team and
he put up some good numbers. And now he visited Louisville, So maybe
he's somebody that joins what makes this? You know, I don't act like
it's you know whoever. Just bring in ten guys and we'll see what happens.
But this is like next level hectic and chaotic as far as like,
Okay, this guy, we heard his schedule to visit, then he didn't
come on the visit. That was the young blood kid from South Florida who
looked like Louisville had a good shot at him. He cancels his visit,
goes to Alabama, commits to Alabama. So the other visitors that will be
here soon, there's one of them who will be making his way from Bloomington.
So Omar Ballow from Arizona. A really good player who I mean every
I think every team, regardless of like how you want to play as far
as stylistically, everybody could use an Omeir Bollow because he's a big physical presence
seven foot two hundred and sixty pounds and he's just I mean, he's a
big physical presence that like you don't have, you don't play through him,
right, Like it's not like he's getting twenty shots a game, but thirteen
points, ten rebounds, one and a half blocks a game last year,
did that in twenty five minutes per game, shot sixty five percent from the
floor. So he is actually ranked as the number one player in the portal
according to I think it might be ESPN, and he he's set up some
visits. Louisville is going to get the visit after he leaves Indiana because he's
visiting there currently today until tomorrow. Who else was in the mix for him?
I forget, you know, John Louisville, Indiana, and uh,
either way, it sounds like just to be honest, it sounds like Indiana
is believed to be you know the pick for him. Oh, Kansas State
Jerome Tang in the mix. I forgot about that. So we'll see.
You know, if omar Ballo does not end up committing to Indiana in the
next twenty four hours and he does make his trip to Louisville, I mean,
that's that's promising, So we shall see. But again, he's the
number one overall player according to ESPN and the Portal, So we'll see what
happens here. John, you think they've made the trip to Mother Bears yet
they may have. Maybe that's I mean, maybe that's tomorrow whenever you know,
it's exit out. Yeah, that's like thinking, Yeah, that's like
the that's the final sales pitch. You get him at the Bear's Pizza in
Bloomington, and you know it's almost like, you know, he put the
bag on the table with the pizza. Yeah, he can't say no,
right exactly. So again, we'll see. I really like this guy,
but I have a feeling, like well I say I have a feeling just
because that's what all the noise is is that he's going to end up in
Indiana. All right, So I want to get to this when we have
a little more time, but we've already had a couple of people texting and
asking about Rick Patino's offer to pay in ile money for Mark Pope to get
to get players. I'm not going to tell anybody how they should feel about
Rick Patino being like super horned up for his former player being back in Lexington
because you know, as a Louisville fan, I can get that it might
make you feel a certain way because he was our coach for a long time.
Kentucky was the rival. In fact, you know, Kentucky fans.
I mean, I don't think it's out of line to say that during that
era, Kentucky fans loved I mean, I mean the Rick like they made
fun of Rick Patino for you know, over a decade. And let's be
real, there was some really bad ammunition provided on Louisville's part for the rival
to make fun of Rick Patino, right, Karen Czeipher fifteen seconds, you
know, Minority Hall, Katina pal Like, we know. But I have
a theory as to why Rick is doing that that I've not really heard anybody
else bring up. So I'll talk about it coming up a little later on,
because I get that it's something people are talking about, but I just
I don't. It doesn't it doesn't do anything for me, meaning like it
doesn't it doesn't make me want to go beat Kentucky even worse because Rick is
now like on their side. So we'll get to that a little bit later
on. All Right, something else we're gonna have to get you at some
point with both rosters, I mean looking looking to completely put to I mean
I say rosters. Both programs are gonna have completely new rosters. It seems
next year. We haven't even talked about DJ Wagner hitting the portal today not
a real surprise, but that did break earlier today. Aaron Bradshaw has committed
to Ohio State, So you know basketball is going to be hectic. But
football, the portal opens tomorrow in college football the post spring portal, and
it closes on the thirtieth. So from the sixteen to the thirtieth of April
is when you have is the amount of time you have to decide if you
want to stick around and run it back with your team or if you want
to hit the portal and leave. So Louisville is losing. Some guys in
the portal will tell you about who they are and this is going to be
normal, right, Like, there were certain positions maybe you felt like in
the portal that Louisville was still pretty thin at and we knew that Jeff Brohm
and his staff were going to have to wait until the spring ball wrapped up,
which probably their spring game is his Friday. But you know players are
already going to be hitting the portal. In fact, there's already reports out
there as far as which guys are going to be leaving. So you know,
we'll get into it, maybe not today specifically, but I think there
are some spots where Louisville wants to go add depth. And if there's one
thing we can say that Jeff Bram has done really well thus far since he's
been at louisvo Is, he's done well in the portal. I mean back
to back years where his portal class is not only ranked towards the top of
the country, but again the portal, you know, you get a big
splash, a big impact guy, guy that you've watched being All American at
this school and then he's coming to your school like you have you have justified
expectations with that. But one of the things that's always really you know,
especially this past year with Brahm, is that they lost guys in the portal.
And you know, I'm sure some of the guys that left, they
didn't want them to leave, but that this is now the game, right,
I'm gonna go out there, like Mari Huggins, Bruce he ends up
at South Carolina. He was a good receiver here, was great. Wasn't
an elite guy, can't be your go to. So I don't think aybody
want him to leave. But Jeff Brom's gonna go get guys in the portal
that are going to probably be ahead of him. So he moves on.
So there's still were clearly some guys that I wish would have stayed, but
they were gonna get overrecruited. And when you look at how twenty four to
seven sports evaluates the portal as far as look looking at what you lost in
what you gained, and Louisville is bringing in damn near ninety percent of their
class that is better than the guys they lost at those positions as far as
those trade offs. So I don't know exactly if there's a one if there's
one specific spot that they feel like they really got to go add some players.
But I'm sure we'll we'll get into it throughout the week, but let's
get to a quick break. We'll come back on the other side. In
fact, before said break, let me tell you, guys about my friends
at the Louisville Men's Clinic. Fellas, if you are struggling with a rectiltis
function, that's unfortunate A feel for you, but you should do something about
it. And that's something is reaching out to my friends at the Louisville Men's
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been putting on for a long time because you know, it's probably not something
you even want to think about. But I would imagine if it's an issue
for you, it's probably impacting the intimacy, probably impacting. You know,
When I say the intimate, I mean with with your with your loved one,
with your partner. So uh, you know, that's not good,
that's not fun, right, So reach out to Louis of Men's Clinic,
go see doctor Wood and uh, it'll change your life. That sounds like
such a dramatic like what do you mean change my life? It'll change your
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know, kind of non existent. That's why you go get it, taking
care of it. The love of Men's Clinic again five two four four four
four thousand, Louis of Men's Clinic dot com is the website. All right,
quick break, we will come back on the other side. Keep this
thing rolling along at his Coffee and Company, and we are fueled by Thornton's
on Sports Talk seven ninety So again I mentioned it earlier. If you were
somebody that is bothered by the Rick Patino love fest for Mark Pope being the
coach a Kentucky again, I get it. I'm not gonna tell anybody how
they should feel, and in a way I would. I mean, I
wasn't expecting anybody to be like, Okay, that's cool, but this is
a guy that played for him at UK and I mean Rick felt a certain
way about Kentucky when he was here. Clearly, and it actually worked out
well because I don't think Rick ever hated Kentucky ever will I don't think it's
possible. I mean, he said it recently on the part of My Take
podcast with Big Kat and PFT, that you know, he wishes he would
have never left Kentucky. Do people realize he has said that before, Like,
that's not the first time he said that. And I don't even think
it's a crazy thing to say. I mean, when you're the coach at
Louisville, you gotta be careful because you know, you want people to believe
that you and I think he loved it here too. But what made it,
you know, what made the rivalry, you know, at least seem
as if Rick had he felt a certain way about Kentucky was John Caliperry being
there. There's a personal rivalry between the two already they hate each other.
So Rick always was going to love the University of Kentucky's basketball program because it's
part of him. It's part of his story. So seeing a guy who
played for him when he won a national championship there like that's that's that's a
good moment, right take take the emotions of the of it being the rival
and you know your former coach out of it, which again you can't just
erase that it it matters. But for Ricks, from Rick's position, like
this is probably one of the more prouder moments he's ever had as a coach
because of the level of job that Mark Pope just received. And Ri's had
guys that played for him get jobs elsewhere as head coaches. But this is
different. This is a guy again who they want a national championship together,
and now you know, many many years later, Hope's been brought back.
Now will he win? I don't know. I have no clue if this
guy is going to be able to get it done in Kentucky. No clue
nobody does. But I think Rick is genuinely happy for Mark Pope. And
another factor that like nobody's bringing up that I just think is pretty obvious,
like I think he wants to overdo it because Rick knows the reach that he
has. Rick tweets out something, Rick says something, I mean, it's
not going to lead TMZ, but let's be hones. Is there another coach
out there, John that you think that could just, you know, use
his press conference to just talk about something like he was doing a talk show
or tweet out some kind of a change that he wants to recommend for Nil
and that stuff like Patina John Cala Perry. Yeah, but he did,
but he didn't do that. Yeah, you know Cal is You know,
maybe Cal will one day kind of grow out of his arrogance to wharre because
Rick's arrogant too, trust me. But there are a lot of like,
if I'm being honest with you, now, Rick I think has a little
bit of that faux humility because of what he went through publicly with the embarrassment
m Cal. I mean, Cal would still be the coach at Kentucky because
he would have been much more successful than he was in recent years if he
wasn't so stubborn like that's what That's what led to that being so bad,
bad at the end and needed to end. So you know, I think
Rick now knows that if he's just out here talking about Mark, like in
what four days time, this has turned into you know, I think relatively
big stories. They're not again leading Sports Center, it's not you know,
it's not to that level. But him doing the video about Pope getting the
jobs, saying that he would cut the nil check. I mean that became
a big story and Rick knows that, and you know who that's probably gonna
piss off, John Caliperry cows at Arkansas. You know, he'll have to,
you know, get his own team together. And obviously there's gonna be
a rivalry renewed there between Arkansas and Kentucky, if it ever was really a
rivalry, because again Cal's now going to be playing against him in the conference.
But you know, Rick wouldn't do anything to gas up Kentucky when John
Caliperry was there like this, because it would be also gassing up a guy
who he loaths, which is John Calipery. Notice the said low than not
love. I don't know why it came out weird, but you know he's
earlier today Patino this morning. Wow, just saw clips from our captain's press
conference. Not shocked, but pleasantly surprised. Would expect nothing less from coach
Mark Pope. Also Saint John's men's basketball excepts this year at UK next year
at the Mecca. Looking forward to saying goodbye to Kentucky men's basketball. Like
that opens the door for Rick to go back there and be treated like a
legend. Which he is a legend there. Obviously we know some you know,
since he'd left. It wasn't as if, you know, he became
a low life human being, but he coached the rival like that's just that's
gonna make Kentucky fans feel a certain way about him. But this era,
that nineties era that was super successful. It wasn't forgotten, it wasn't tarnished,
but it wasn't exactly going to be in the line. It wasn't going
to be referenced as much. It wasn't going to be elevated as much.
Because you know why, John Calipari wanted it all about his brand. His
guys love familiar. And even though cal benefited from the nineties decade that Kentucky
had because again, it added to the brand, It added to what Kentucky
basketball is. That helped him win, that helped him get players, But
he's not going to go out of his way to reference that run. You
know why, because it was Rick Patino who did it. So I think
Rick is genuinely wanting to go back to Kentucky and be welcomed, And I
don't blame him. I don't think it has anything to do with Louisville.
It will have nothing to do with Louisville. It's just because he had a
phenomenal career there, and it was weird for a while because he went to
the rival and then Cali Perry got there, and Cali Perry, to be
honest with you, owned Rick during the rivalry and they hated each other.
So I don't think it's Rick trying to flip sides on Louisville. I don't
think Rick is Some people have said, we've got people in the text line
say trying to guess I guess what I was mentioning. As far as like
why Rick's doing that. The two guesses that came in were well, because
people forget Louisville did fire him. They did, But like, that's not
why I think he's doing it. I think he's genuinely just over the moon
and by the fact that his former player who loves him is now the coach
of Kentucky. So now that opportunity for him to be welcomed and feel comfortable
there is there, and I think that's cool for him. Really had nothing
new with Louisville, to be honest with you, but one thing that will
bother me, right because I'm a fan like anybody else. You know how
many years Louisville fans, myself included, experienced Kentucky fans just making fun of
Rick Patino, talking about like he's he's the worst human being ever and just
you know, bringing up, you know, the scandals that of course did
happen. And the more he keeps talking up Mark Pope, you guys are
gonna be eating right out of Ricky PA's hands. I mean, you're already
doing it, to be honest with you, So, like that's the one
thing where you know, I don't really blame him if they're want to embrace
the nineties era because it was great, but like they want to check your
like, you know, your social media stuff, because there's probably some of
you that said some despicable, awful things about Rick Patino when he was Louisville's
coach, and I get it he was the rivals coach, but talk about
a complete one eighty. I mean, Rick Patino was like the villain in
that fan base for decades and now you know, you know they're going to
bring him back, like you know, he's going to be like a fixture
within their program as much as you can be when you're a head coach everywhere
else Alright, don't go anywhere. We got two more hours to go in
a lot to get into. It's coffee and company. We are feel about
Thorntons right here on Sports Talk seven ninety