It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Now, here's Nick coffee. All right, So some breaking and exciting
scheduling news for Louisville basketball here as we get the four o'clock hours started on
Sports Talk seven ninety. UFL just sent out a release within the last few
minutes announcing a home and home series with Tennessee. So Louisville will play.
The volunteers will host him at the UMP Center this year on November ninth,
which will be an early game. Gotta be one of your first games of
the season, to be honest with you. And the return game will be
in Knoxville next season December sixteenth. So I love legitimate game on the schedule
that give you a chance to not only get a win that could really impact
your resume, you know, in the offseason or I'm sorry, in the
non conference I just say, but also to see where you stand, like
louis was going to find out pretty early where they stand because they're playing in
the Battle for Atlantis and the Bahamas. But you know, I know why
you play some of the the the you know, the by games, right
and last year I mean they strategically scheduled a week week non conference schedule to
help Kenny, and he still lost to some of those teams. And you
know, even when he did beat those really bad teams ranked in like the
three hundreds, you found yourselves one nearly losing and also falling in these metrics
because you know that's how bad they were, and you barely beat him.
So anyways, uh, if this is a sign ast the way as to
how pack Kelsey's gonna want to schedule, I love it because I love a
challenging non I mean, I wouldn't be bothered if every year Louisville had a
top five schedule as far as strength, because it you know, it's it's
it's gonna. Let I mean, first of all, it's bet it's more
entertaining. Like I hate watching a game in any sport, mostly basketball and
football for Louisville, this is what I relate it to. If I can't
realistically learn much of anything about my team in that game, I kind of
feel like it's a waste of time. Now again that's just me talking as
a fan. You know, consuming the product. If you're a coach and
you have thirteen new scholarship players, it would make sense if you'd want to
have a lot of those games this year to kind of work it out and
get everybody on the same page because it's all brand new. But when Louisville
is back where we want them to be, meaning just competitively with you know,
being competitive with some of the best programs in the country, you know,
consistently being a top twenty five team, when we get there. Of
course, if we get there, I hope we will, I think we
will. I'd love to see a really competitive schedule every single year. And
again that doesn't mean every game you play in the non conference is going to
be against a Power five team that's ranked, because that's never going to be
the case. But you know, Denny used to schedule really tough. Rick
would schedule tough enough. But during the majority of Rick's tenure, well,
I guess mostly after Conference USA, when Louislle was in the Big East,
in the early years of their existence in the ACC, you could play a
few non come maybe four games in the non conference that were legitimately challenges to
where if you win, it's a big win for you. In the non
con if you lose, it's probably not devastating because you played a good team.
But then it'll all work itself out in conference play because if you do
well in your league, you're going to be safely in the tournament. Because
you know, there was a time where Louisville in the Big East and again
early on in the ACC to or where you didn't have to worry about getting
the benefit of the doubt because of your conference. Well now it's changed.
So the first question I have here is Louisville being in this game on November
the ninth against Tennessee. Is this like the unofficial confirmation that they're not going
to be in the ACC SEC Challenge once again? Like I think that's what
this is now. The biggest lie ever told by the ACC was that Louisville
was left out last year because they finished last in the league, because that's
something they can fall back on if they need to, But they don't always
follow that when Louisville was a part of the ACC Big Ten Challenge, which
that's what it was until things changed to where now the Big Ten doesn't have
any affiliation with the with ESPN, does it only if they're playing like I
think maybe the Bahamas games might be on the EN but but those rights are
owned by that event, you know what I'm saying. So you'll never have
home games, yes, like you'll never see Indiana and Purdue playing each other
on ESPN. So because of that, they switched it up to her.
Now again, it's the it's the sec big of the sec ACC Challenge.
And last year Louis was left out and it was embarrassing because you know,
it just was I mean, there's a lot of I mean to me,
that was just a one of many things that you know, really told us
where we were is that we didn't already know. But there are two previous
instances where the last place team in the lead the year before didn't get left
out. And the best example in the one I can remember. I know
that I looked into it because I remember people saying, well, hey,
no, you know, because I remember doing what I typically did, you
know, not being able to control myself and talking about here, you know,
this is where we are. God bless us, Kenny Pannes the coach,
and it's a dumpster fire, and you know, people were, well,
there's nothing, you know, it's a new team. They didn't leave
us out because they think we sucked. They left us out because we finished
last last year and it wasn't Kitty's Faulty won four games. Believe it or
not. There are people listening right now that would say those kind of things,
and it would just make me want to rip my hair out that I
don't have because I'm thinking, well, you do realize he was the guy
who was coaching when they won four games, so technically like it still like
falls on him. So anyways, Virginia Tech, I believe in twenty eighteen
or nineteen made the Sweet sixteen with Buzz Williams. Following year, they were
the team left out, so like they don't always do that, and you
would think they would want Louisville because Louisville, despite being in a rough spot
in recent years, they're still going to generate more interest in you know,
the Look, these are essentially bowl games. They're television matchups. That's what
that's in fact, that's what this is. The acc SEC challenge is is
a is A is a television event? I mean, obviously it's a real
game and it's for your schedule. It's not a bowl game to where it's
like, you know, a gore Fied exhibition. But ESPN owns these rights.
They are looking to put the best matchups together to where you get a
bunch of people watching. That is why more often than not, these things
are scheduled pretty easily, right Like rarely will you see a Vandy taking on
a Duke. Like you'll never see that because you're talking about the cream of
the crop in the league and the bum Why would they do that. That's
not They don't flip a coin. They strategically match these teams together to where
you are going to have clearly some games you're gonna put on espn U or
the SEC network, and then you have the games where you're gonna put them
on the four letter prime time. And it's when you get Indiana in Duke
or Indiana and Carolina playing, which I know when it was the ACC Big
Ten Challenge, I know, I know, it's very common. Yeah,
have to happen. Yeah, And Louislle played Michigan State a lot in that
they played Michigan, they played Ohio State. They ended up playing Purdue a
couple of times too. So I mean, I just have a hard time
believing that Louisville will be left out again because you would think that there'd be
some more interest in, you know, putting them in this event playing anybody
rather than choosing Georgia Tech or Boston College or teams like that. But I
don't know. I feel like because here's the and I'm glad somebody pointed this
out because I tweeted this as soon as they posted it on Twitter. I
said, you know, this is awesome. Curious if it means Louisville has
been left out of the ACC SEC Challenge for the second straight year. If
they're in, they'd be playing two SEC teams before Christmas. Nope, it's
three. So if you're in the ACC SEC Challenge, which by the way,
they may not even know those matchups yet. They may not know if
you're in that I don't remember when that gets unveiled. But sometimes, I
mean, there's this belief that you have to schedule things eight years in advance.
You don't. I mean Rick Patino, because it's Patino. He got
Louisville's opponent in the ACC Big Ten Challenge switched once. I think it might
have been it might have been the year they played. I don't know which
year it was, but they were. So this is a blast from the
past here, and it really wasn't a blast. But Jaquan Lyle, who
remembers that name, Evansville kid, big time recruit back in like twenty fourteen.
He was I believe, committed to Louisville and then ended up decommitting and
ended up at Ohio State. Well, Jaquan Lyle was also apparently one of
the recruits that talked to the NCAA about the Katina pal stuff, and it
became clear that he was somebody that was on a visit when those alleged things
happened and whatnot, and Rick was so worried that they would be a talking
point when they played, and Rick did something called somebody I don't know who,
and they switched it to where I believe they ended up playing Purdue instead.
And I think that year. Maybe I'm wrong here, maybe I got
my timeline mixed up, but they ended up playing somebody differently because of that.
And the reason I know is because at the time, this was,
yeah, this was let me see here, I was working an ieheart because
I remember Terry Minors, who for those who don't remember, Terry was really
close with Rick literally where they would talk, you know, often not just
in an interview, and you know it's been eight years, I believe eight
seven years since that happened. But I remember, you know, Terry in
so many ways kind of telling me, yeah, Rick wasn't gonna let that
happen. And because Rosstein broke the news, Lovell was playing Ohio State and
then he was wrong and it was because they switched him. Anyways, I'd
love for Louis will play three SEC teams because I'd rather play those teams than
play you know, a bunch of morehead states, which I only mention them
because we now know that's who Louis is going to open the season with on
on what day is it? I think it's is it the third? Yeah?
I mean, like heck, their second game maybe Tennessee because that's gonna
be November the ninth. So I love these kind of skit. I love.
I love home and homes. You know, the non conference tournaments that
take place in the Bahamas, those are fun too, right, those are
a lot of fun. But a good old fashioned home and home in college
sports is is what it should be, right, Like the neutral sites.
The neutral site stuff can be cool if like it's a tournament, like it's
a multi team event, and that's what the Battle for Atlantis is and the
Maui Invitational and whatnot. But I think it's so stupid that I mean it,
when you play like the CBS Sports Classic in New Orleans or Chicago,
when nobody goes played on campus, man, the atmosphere, the environment,
it's an open like, it's an open opportunity for you to make a bunch
of money with ticket sales, right like Calip Perry. I don't know if
he's responsible for it, but he started doing that to where they'd play.
Kentucky would play some of their best non conference games on neutral sites or I
mean, yeah, I guess it's still a neutral site, but like they'd
go play I can't think of any that they would go play a team ran
like, for example, they would go to play Gonzaga, but he wouldn't
play them at their place. He'd play them in you know, Spokane's biggest
arena that's not on campus. He would go play Seaton Hall, but he
wanted to play him in the garden, not at Seaton Hall's campus, because
you know, he just wanted to make it like a big event. And
by the way, he's doing that at Arkansas too. They've got game scheduled
for I think they're gonna play a game in the garden. They're gonna play.
I mean, he's going to continue to try to. I mean,
by all accounts, Cali Perry's not doing anything differently at Arkansas that he did
at Kentucky. Now will it work out the same? Only time will tell.
But is Kentucky still playing like in the Champions Class again? Be a
sports classic without count? They are okay? But and I have no clue
if it's true or not. It's just Arkansas. You know, media guys
saying that Col's gonna fight for ESPN to switch Kentucky in Arkansas, which I
don't think they would do that, but I could totally see him trying.
That would be something. Wouldn't he try to? Like me, He's gonna
try to stick it to him? Oh this is Col. Yeah, So
there you have it. Louisville Tennessee set for November ninth. I cannot wait
for Louisville basketball season and cannot wait. Can't wait for football either, But
with basketball it's new. We are desperate for some good vibes, and the
vibes are here. You know, as far as what you can do when
you've been hired and are putting a team together. But when it comes to,
you know, seeing this team in action again, we have no clue
what it's really gonna look like. But certainly I think a lot of things
in place in the first couple of months on the job for Pat Kelsey for
fans to be justifiably excited, and that makes me happy. All Right,
we'll talk more about the Dan Hurley situation coming up here in just a few
minutes. For those just not joining us, I'm assuming you know the news.
We really spent the majority of the first hour discussing it. Danny Hurley
is being courted by the Los Angeles Lakers, and I think the way this
has played out, meaning the timing, meaning the way the news broke,
I feel like it's happening. He's going to go to the Lakers, and
I believe that Yukon will will probably I think we'll probably promote Luke Murray,
which kind of sounds crazy because Luke Murray has never been head coach before,
and you know, you're you'd be taking over a program that just won back
to back national championships. But I do think if you're a Yukon and you
want to keep this thing in motion, and it's not going to be possible
if he leaves, because again he's a big part of it. Danny Hurley
is super I mean, he's if he sticks if he sticks around in college,
who knows, maybe one day he'll be a guy we look at as
the best that ever did it. That sounds like a stretch, but again,
look at what he's doing right now. Luke Murray could keep that team
together. And Luke Murray is actually the guy that is I don't want to
say mostly responsible for, but he I mean, he was hired by Danny
Hurley to implement the offense and run the offense and get him and you know,
get him together offensively. And the is so impressed with the offensive Yukon
and I'm sure Danny Hurley has a big role in that as well. But
like Luke Murray, like, I could see them doing that. But apparently
Bruce Pearl is a name that Jeff Goodman's throwing out there, and I don't
think that's being put out there unless Bruce Pearl wants it to be out there
that if Yukon opens up and Hurley leaves, he wants that job. But
anyways, real quick back to the Louisville side of things. So Coleman Hawkins
it's been proven. Then he'll throw stuff out there on social media that is
cryptic, that could mean a couple of different things, and he likes to
keep people guessing. Then he'll later delete the tweet, and then it makes
you even wonder more so, like what's going on here? Like what could
it mean? Well, yesterday he tweeted, I'm gonna get off of here
for a few days. Actually, let me pull up exactly what he said.
He might have deleted that too, by the way, they're sweaty tweeted,
Yeah, he says, taking a break from this app. Please don't
believe everything you see on the internet. Nobody knows what that could mean,
but some even myself at least a little bit, has wondered does that mean,
Like, because he hasn't confirmed that he's visiting Louisville, it's just a
report out there from on three Sports. I don't think that this is all
made up and there's no communication between Colemanhawkins and Louisville. I think for sure
that they're they're going to try to get him on campus. I believe he's
going to visit but there's these little things that make you wonder, Okay Waites
that like, are we being we be controlled here? And I said it
on Monday, the tweet from Pat Kelsey on Friday evening about Joker and the
Thief of the Night, Like, I don't think that that was a tell
about anything, but others seem to think that it might have been actually the
first sign that something was in the works. And then now that Kansas State
in Arkansas added too, Bigs Coleman, Hawkins really doesn't have as many options
as he once did. He look, he can go, he can find
place to play, but as far as a team that has you know,
resources and a role, you know, Louisville apparently is in good shape because
he's reportedly going to visit, but if he ends up just like not visiting
and like nothing ever comes from this, is it like the ultimate troll job,
because look, Pat Kelsey can't talk him at him, he can't come
out and say yes he is visiting or no he's not. But he was
talking earlier with Ken Spencer today and again this interview took place today. Just
Pat Kelsey's doing his sit downs, which, by the way, I have
mine next week looking forward to that. And this is what Ken Spencer asked
him about the roster. I'll just let you guys hear it for yourself.
Do you feel like your roster ha set? Yeah. I mean we love
the makeup we love. I love first of all, the fact that we
have a veteran, mature team, right. We have guys that come from
programs with winning DNA's. We have guys that have logged a ton of minutes
at the collegiate level, not just played minutes at a high level college basketball,
but had a lot of success in it. Won And you know,
I think in this day and age of college basketball, they say getting old
staying old is very very important. But just the makeup of these guys,
their BASKETAYQ, their basketball intellect, their experience, I think is going to
be one of the major advantages in the hallmark of this team. So I'm
not trying to think any of it because you know what would that give me?
Right, we'll know when we know, Right, if he visits,
he visits, and if he commits to Louisville, then that'd be great.
And I do think it realistically can happen. And I still think right now
that they're the most likely landing spot for Coleman Hawkins because I haven't heard about
anything else, but because he said his roster is set, meaning Pat Kelsey.
There are already some saying, wait a second, is that him kind
of telling us that, like, none of this is real? And then
Coleman Hawkins said, don't believe everything you see on the internet, Like that's
a level of overthinking that one I can appreciate because we're so we're so back
as a fan base, just being obsessed with basketball and overthinking everything and overreacting
to everything because we're crazy, and Kelsey knows we're crazy. I think I
would hope that that's one of the reasons why he wanted to come here,
and he's going to embrace it rather than being, you know, bothered by
it. But I'm not looking to, you know, fast forward the weekend,
because hey, the weekends are great, but I I'm looking forward to
at least seeing it happen, meaning the visit taking place, it being for
sure that he's here, and then you know, you wait, you wait
to see if he is impressed and he wants to join in and helping Pat
Kelsey get this thing turned around. Fingers crossed because again, this would be
a massive addition. There's no doubt about it. I mean again, I've
said it throughout the week. I'm trying not to make it seem as if
they don't get him it's going to be disastrous because I think with the thirteen
players they've added thus far, this could be a team that does have a
good season, makes the tournament, and I don't know, maybe they end
up winning a couple of games. We'll never know until we actually see what
they look like on the floor. But as far as what you can engauge
right now, a lot to like. But man, you throw in Hawkins
and it's you know, it's even better. So we shall see. All
right, let's get to a quick break. We'll come back on the other
side. Keep the party rolling along. I am not a conspiracy theory guy.
You guys know that. In fact, I find myself being very naive
when it comes to that kind of stuff. But I am now not convinced.
But if it comes out that this in this WNBA stuff is all strategically
planned to keep them in the news, I believe it because the Caven Clark
stuff's one thing. But the last couple of days there's been some stuff that's
just to me seems forced. It's a forced attempt to keep the WNBA talked
about for longer than it ever has been talked about. So we can get
to that and some other stuff that I want to make sure we save some
time for. Stick with us again. It's coffee and company. We are
feel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. All right, so
the Danny Hurley news is dominating the news cycle right now. In fact,
we'll let you hear some updated sound from WOJ who is already on set with
the ESPN crew there as they're getting set for Game one tonight, and I
think before we let you hear the sound, he actually will let you here
in just a second. Here we go, he mentions that right now Hurley
or the Lakers have Hurley's attention, and again it just comes down to getting
him to, you know, to decide to take the job, which you
know, I happen to think that that he will. I've I just I
don't feel I guess there's a chance he could really consider and just decide that,
Yeah, I've got something so good going here, and as attractive as
the Lakers' position is it's just, you know, it's hard to walk away
because it could it could crumble. Look, when you're pro coach, you
are so expendable. And that's why coaching in the pros obviously it's a phenomenal
opportunity for anybody in basketball. But you could be a good coach. They
could know you're a good coach, they could know that you have potential.
But if they've got way more money tied up in a superstar, they're going
to get rid of you before they even consider getting rid of the superstar.
And in college, you know, you don't have to worry about that.
Now you got to win. And there's some that you know are going to
try to point this out as another example. The great coaches are leaving college
because of the portal and because of nil And Hurley's done his fair share of
complaining about the portal and whatnot. But I mean, it hasn't stopped him
from having a lot of success, right. I mean, in fact,
he put to the other two phenomenal seasons back to back national championships in the
midst of the Ultimate Wild Wild West. Right, here's the latest from woej
on Dan Hurley and the Lakers pursuing him. I think the timeline moves relatively
quickly now, whether that's the weekend, whether that's early next week. I
don't think that this is going to linger with Dan Hurley having this hangover his
Yukon program and having the uncertainty about what's next for them and the Lakers,
who at some point here really have to get on with their search. They
have been focused on Dan Hurley from the beginning and very quietly trying to lay
the groundwork to get him interested and open minded and ultimately committed to come into
LA. I'm told he's going to be presented with a massive long term contract
that Rob Polenka, Jenny Buss. What they're talking to him about is putting
a program in place in LA that they want him to be. What they
consider to be a leg coach. They've had them in LA pat Riley,
Phil Jackson, coaches who spanned a significant period obviously had great success. It's
not fair to put any young coach in that category. But they see Dan
Hurley as a coach who can be there a long time and put in place
a program and give him a lot of voice about what it's going to look
like what Lakers basketball is what a Lakers player is, and I think build
that together. That's what they're selling him on. Dan Hurley has made no
secret of his ambition to eventually coach in the NBA. Well, so there's
another clip I'm going to share with you guys from an interview from a while
ago that really, you know, at the time, I don't know if
anybody would ever have even thought he'd be off to the NBA. But I
mean, he, as woj just pointed out, I guess he's never made
it a secret that he does aspire to be in the NBA. And you
would think, once you've won back to back titles, your buzz is going
to be there, and like, what else do you have to prove in
college? Like maybe the timing actually is is right for him right now.
But I do love the Lebron stuff here. And it wasn't in the clip,
but one of the clips that I saw earlier from I think it was
Wojes discussing this big story in the NBA that Lebron has told him to make
a higher that is best for the franchise long term and don't don't think about
him when making this highre very humble of you, Lebron, because you'd never
make anything about you. I mean, you'd never step in and tell an
organization, your employer what to do, would you never you? That's not
that's O of character Lebron. You would never do that. I mean Lebron
is just so Lebron. I mean, in fact, he's already tried to
make the biggest, you know, one of the bigger storylines in the NBA
about him, right, Like, this is Kyrie Irving, who I don't
like, right, but he's in the NBA Finals. He's never had any
success in the NBA without Lebron, and now he's with Dallas and he's clearly
option number two. I mean, he's this is this is Luca's team.
But you know, Lebron doing interviews earlier this week on a podcast or wherever
it was talking about how the most talented player he ever played with was Kyrie
and wishes so much he was still his running mate. Like that's faux humble,
That is you wanting to make it about you. First question Kyrie's asked
yesterday at the press conference, when it comes to the NBA Finals, did
you hear what Lebron said about you? I mean, like, come on,
I mean Lebron. That's why I like as much as I respect Lebron
as being one of the best it's ever played the game, and I do
think he's one of one. There'll never be another specimen like Lebron, just
the talented player that he is. But man, like, come on,
Lebron, because I don't want him to be this guy that, like,
I can't defend, who has no self awareness. That is just you know,
Lebron. But pardon my take. The podcast that has Big Cat and
PFT, they I mean, I'm assuming a lot of you listening know who
that is, but they had Danny Hurley on, I believe right after he
won a national championship this past year. Actually it might have been after the
first championship, but this has made its rounds because it's it's pretty much,
you know, anybody thinking that Dan Hurley would never go to the NBA,
He's told you that he would. He's told you that he aspires, uh
you know, to do that. This is when he was on with uh
yeah, with with the pardon my take, guys. And the date of
this isn't there, but I get the sense that this was right after this
pass championship I'll give you the opportunity. We'll do a headline grab here.
So I'll just give you the opportunity to say, the Houston Rockets call you
tomorrow, we want Dan Hurley as our head coach. What do you say?
Yeah, No, I'm not. I've still got some I got some
developing to do on the sideline. There's no one coaching like me in the
NBA. They're not ready. They're not ready. They're not ready, and
maybe I'm certainly not ready. I do believe. I mean that is something
I aspired too, you know, down the road. You know, I
love college. I hope I could continue to put Yukon in this position moving
forward. I don't think we're going anywhere. I think we'll kind of.
I think we're gonna stay somewhat in the area where we are. They're hard
to do every year, but I think we've established a level. But NBA
someday, I just gotta kind of, you'll continue to mellow and you know,
yeah, yeah, when he's saying there about nobody's coaching like me,
and I got to continue to mellow, that is him acknowledging the NBA doesn't
have coaches that are challenging and that are demanding and you don't have to be
a jerk and be a dictator. But again, a coach is a leader,
and I feel like the way in which he like, he's not he's
not He's not Tom Izzo, right, He's not somebody out there that's like
a drill sergeant that'll just scream in your face and you know, treat you
like that. But like he's intense and he's going to have high expectations and
that's probably one of the manufactors as to why he's been so successful at Yukon
and doing that in the NBA now would just be weird, Like he's just
you know, I don't, but I think I think there's there. He
is trying to think about how to word it because you know, he's not
Urban Meyer of football. You know, he's not tom Izzo, like I
said, he's you know, he's not John cala Perry, who, by
the way, is you know, the ultimate players coach. But it'll scream
at you. And you don't see NBA coaches screaming at players in the NBA
in twenty twenty four. I mean, you might find it here and there,
but it's it's uncommon and they're especially you know, coaches out there screaming
at Lebron James. That's for damn sure. So that's kind of him acknowledging
that he right now, like the way he coaches is not the way the
NBA is going. But you know who knows that, the Lakers, and
they still are like the Lakers are trying to convince him, No, we
will let you be you and this will work. You will be you know,
there aren't many, but there are coaches, mostly Pop who's not very
good anymore, at least it's team's not and Steve Kerr Spolstra, Like those
are the three I can think of that for the most part, they're like
they're I don't want to say they're bigger, they're bigger than anyone player because
clearly, I mean Steph Curry's a global, global superstar and whatnot. But
to me, those are guys that they get the benefit that out from the
NBA. They have respect because they've coached enough great players. They've coached and
had enough success to wear You're still gonna have the egos of the NBA players,
but overall, like they will buy in and you know, be bossed
around essentially, I mean, that's not what coaching is. But again,
you're when you're dealing with grown men who are not you know, young kids
in college that are making probably more money than you, some of them.
Like, it's just it's a different world. And I can appreciate that level
of self awareness from Dan Hurley to acknowledge, yeah, like they're not coaching
like me anymore. And again the Lakers know that, and they're now trying
to convince him, No, we can work, we will, We're gonna
support you. This will work. Now. I'm also thinking back to the
Kentucky pursuit of Hurley. It might have just been, look, he's never
leaving Yukon, but if he does, it'll be to the NBA, not
do a college job like you know that would make it to because his level
of disinterest in Kentucky really was fascinating. And it doesn't mean Kentucky's not a
great job. But I don't think this guy was interested in any college job.
Not because he thinks Kentucky sucks, but I just think he's you know,
at Yukon like that. You know, remember the hole. You gotta
make him say no, got him? He hasn't said no. It's because
he's not picking up the phone, man, he's not going anywhere. Like
you know, it's like me telling you again, I thought it was a
really good a really good example. Like Jennifer Aniston, who I've you know,
she's not like my all timer, but you know, she's obviously a
lot better, you know, better than anything I could do. Who do
you think is the most hot? Who do you think right now is like
on top of the world as far as the woman that people just think like
Margo Robbie is that her name, that's a good Yeah, she's up there
for Yeah. Yeah, I'll use her because she's you know, she's probably
you know, on top right now. When it comes to like a woman
who a lot of folks believe is one of the most beautiful people on the
planet. She's never told me no. I don't know for sure that she
would turned down my pursuit of her in a date or a romantic relationship.
I would never because you know, she's no Tiffany Coffee. Nobody is.
I'm spoke, I'm spoken for. But this is just a hypothetical situation here.
She'll never tell me no because she'll never know that I exist. Obviously,
Danny Hurley knows that Kentucky exists. But like, I just found that
to be very very arrogant and hilarious to hear what he hasn't said no yet,
Like he doesn't really need to tell you no, because he's clearly not.
He's not engaging in conversation. He's he's content, which, by the
way, same here, Margo Robe, if you were listening, I'm not
interested, so we don't have to worry about it. But I think he
goes to the Lakers. I really do, I really do. All right,
let's see here, this is that uh, this is that point where
we need to get a quick time out out of the way. We're gonna
come back on the other side, and we're gonna bring in a guest,
and I forgot about this. I'm glad. I just uh just double checked
here to make sure we're still on. We're gonna bring in Kevin Sweeney to
talk about this exact, uh, this exact situation here with Danny Hurley.
So Kevin Sweeny of Sports Illustrator's gonna join us on the other side, keep
it locked right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. That's right, Coffee and
Company rolling along here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Appreciate you guys hanging out
with us on a Saturday, not a Saturday. And when I said Saturday,
I'm thinking about the weekend. But it's a Thursday and it's warm out
side, and I hope you guys are enjoying your afternoon. We now bring
in the one, the only, mister Kevin Sweeney, who covers college basketball
for Sports Illustrated. Kevin, I'll just start with this direct question. Let's
just back up two months ago, when Yukon was putting together, you know,
a championship run. If somebody mentioned to you that Dan Hurley would would
have interest on his end to make the jump to the NBA, what would
have been your reaction then, Did you already know that he would potentially be
interested or were you just said no, this guy is going to stay in
college. Yeah. Look, it's funny, like I think it must have
been like January, maybe early February that someone that I trust to, you
know, knows a lot about kind of the interworkings of the sport. You
know, we were texting and he said, look, if if Dan wins
the title, he's going to go try to coach the next and we kind
of laughed it off. It is what it is. But like I think
I always believed, like, yeah, like there was another mountain to climb.
I think because of the way he's wired. I mean, look,
Dan Hurley is you know, has always been the third Hurley. He's always
had to try to prove something to everyone about who he is. Now that
he's done it in college and he's climbed that mountain, what is the next
thing. I don't think it's going to fulfill him as you know the same
to come back and try to keep doing the same thing at Yukon year after
year after year. Becoming an NBA champion, becoming one of the greatest coaches
in basketball history, not just college basketball, would be a very very attractive
thing for him. And you know, having the plumb job that is,
you know, the Los Angeles Lakers certainly certainly with help in that regard.
For someone who has always been in the shadow of other people in his life,
to be the unquestioned star not just of college basketball, but of basketball
coaching as a whole, I think is it's a pretty attractive self. As
a basketball super fan myself throughout Yukon's you know, even when they won the
title in their first, you know, the first of these back to back.
It's super impressive. But this past year I really found myself just not
a Yukon fan by any means. I don't root for them. I don't
really have much of a preference. But I'm so impressed with everything about Danny
Hurley. I think what he's implemented there is not dependent upon generational talent that
you only get every now and then. I think he's identified the type of
guys that fit his DNA and the way he wants to coach. And I
think, you know right now, it's hard to win at the high level.
I mean, look, will he win three in a row if he's
back? Who knows? But I also don't. I can't tell you that.
I think they're going to slow down. I think it's sustainable, which
is a scary thing for everybody else. But he's already won two and I
don't he has nothing else left to prove at the college level. And the
Lakers job is I mean, you could make the case it's the best job
in basketball at any level. However, coaching Lebron James is probably not something
that I would imagine a lot of coaches would be really eager to do just
especially given the situation where he's he's getting older and his son is apparently gonna
be joining him in LA at least that's what a lot of people think.
So, knowing what you know about coach Hurley, how do you see that
dynamic with Lebron? Because Lebron can play the well, hey, you guys
make the higher that's best long term, you know, don't worry about me
is if Lebron doesn't get in the middle of everything with every team he plays
for. But I don't know. I could to me that that's the most
fascinating thing is Dan Hurley the way he coaches, coaching Lebron and potentially his
son who may be on the team as well. Yeah, one hundred percent
right. His personality is not something that is a standard in the NBA by
any means that it's much more laid back lifestyle. He will have to adapt.
I do think that the cell is, Look, yes you get to
coach Lebron, and yes you get to go make a run at a championship
here for the next probably two years, right, I think realistically Lebron has
two more years of being a guy who can anchor a team that goes to
the playoffs and potentially contends to the Western Conference. You know, come in,
be a part of that experience, get the coach Lebron, and then
get to put your stamp on the organization long term, right Like any contract
that woos Dan Hurley to the Lakers will be I imagine at least six and
maybe as high as eight to ten years. And the sales pitch, if
you listen to some of the report reporting from WOEJ to ESPN, has been
like, we want a program, we want a culture, we want we
want a system at with the Lakers, similar to what he built a Ukon.
I think the comparison I would make is to to what the Heat it
built with pat Riley and eRx Bolster of like, hey, yes, like
players are gonna come and go, but like there is an identity to our
teams. There is a cult culture of work ethic and accountability that you know
makes the Heat not for everyone, but it's an attractive place for free agents
to come. And I say, it's an organization that will always win regardless
of who is in that organization from a personnel standpoint, And I think that's
the sales pitch with with Hurley is come in and try to build something like
what the Heat has built with Spolstra in the biggest, you know, market
in basketball, one of the biggest places to attract free agents. Like they're
gonna have talents. Now it's up to you to kind of mold it into
your image. Yeah. I actually, of all the different clips I've heard
throughout the day that are interviews previously of Hurley where he has in fact mentioned
that the NBA is something he'd be interested in, it was with part of
my take, which those guys obviously do a great job. They have a
super popular podcast, but obviously more of that is entertainment than anything else.
But Dan Hurley his answer about the NBA was you know, pretty and he
was pretty understandable. You know, he knows that right now, the way
he coaches at Yukon is just not what you typically see in the NBA.
But I feel like the Lakers know that he probably has those understandable concerns and
they're selling him, No, you can this will be you know, this
obviously will be something we're going to give you. You know, as you
mentioned, potentially eight ten years and this is going to be a longevity thing,
and I think, you know, I you know, I'm an NBA
fan myself. I love college basketball more, but I like it when you
have coaches that are at a place for a long time and they're not viewed
as just super expendable. So in a weird way, I'm kind of hoping
that he does go to LA because I want to see how it works.
But also I would be bummed to see one of these potential greats who you
could say he's already a great, not potentially because he's won back to back
titles. But I guess I'll move to this if in fact he does go.
What happens with Yukon. Obviously timing is not great, but it's a
great job that maybe if somebody did bail, it wouldn't be a big surprise.
But what would you what would you say yukon first move would be if
they lose Dan Hurley. I think that the most likely upcome would be an
internal hire Luke Murray, right, I actually think it would be Kamani Young
Okay, who's the coach? Luke would be in the conversation. I think
if if Luke is not the head coach at Yukon, I imagine he will
go join Dan at the Lakers. I think a lot of people are who
Luke thinks that Luke is maybe more wired to be an NBA coach than a
college coach. Uh, and he could have a pretty clear path to being
an NBA head coach and not just makes sense. So I do think it
would be one of those two. You know, obviously there's some guys you
can kick this hires on, but it's June, uh and Yukon for all
the championships and all the success, Like, the fundamentals of that job are
probably not you know, the type of things that attracts a huge name,
right, It's it's it's in stores, it's kind of in the middle of
nowhere. Uh, there isn't football money flowing like they're not on ESPN ever.
Yeah, Like, I think it's a harder sell, right, And
if Kentucky can't pull, you know, a massive name, and Louisville can't
pull a massive name, like, I'm not I'm not convinced necessarily that Yukon
is going to especially in June. So I think it's an internal thing more
than likely. But look, Yukon's found ways. Yukon's had three straight coaches
with the national championship there like that's the standards for some, but it is
also an opportunity that I think we'll certainly cause a lot of interest. I
know you can't speak for him, but what do you make of your boy
Goodman throwing out Bruce Pearl. I found that to be insanely random, Kevin.
Look, I think Bruce has been always kind of known as like one
of the really really good coaches who is willing to explore outside of the situation.
His biot's more manageable. He has ties to the Northeast. As Goodman
said, the personality fit is certainly there. Look, I think more likely
than not anything Bruce does with the Yukon job would be a leverage play.
He wants his son, Steven, who's on staff right now at Auburn,
to be named head coach in waiting so that when Bruce retires, which I
know some people believe will happen in the next really two to four years,
that Steven is the head coach at Auburn. Obviously, it's great for an
ad to say that that will be the case. It's another to put it
in writing. I think that that writing portion is really what Bruce wants,
and I'd be a little surprised if it's anything more than a leverage move by
him if the search comes to that. Yeah, and no offense to Steven.
I don't know much about him other than when he played for his father
at Tennessee and I always been on staff with him at Auburn since. But
like that, like, why would Auburn do that? I mean, I
guess just because they don't want to lose him, right. They love Bruce
obviously, Stephen is is is a really good young coach. Houston is in
a some more situation with with Kell and Sampson. Now, in a lot
of cases, like the contracts that these quote unquote coaching waiting deals are aren't
so stringent that you couldn't get out of it if you wanted to. Like
if Auburn gave Stephen Pearl head coach in waiting and gave him a million dollar
buyout, it wouldn't really be hard for Auburn to go get a million dollars
together and go hire you know, big name X, Y or Z.
If you know Bruce goes down that route, it's more of a it's more
of a statement of confidence. And also obviously boosts the stock of those guys
in the market, right Like Kellen Sampson doesn't have to listen to you know,
non Power five head coaching jobs right now because he could say, I
have you know the bird in the hand right now? If Houston, I
think the same thing would go with Stephen all right. So I happen to
think that the way this has played out as far as the timing, how
the story broke this morning with WOJ, I guess he hasn't made a decision
yet, but I think it'd be I'd be surprised if Dan Hurley doesn't end
up taking the Lakers up on their offer. What say you, what do
you think ends up happening here? Yeah, as of now, I would
lean the same way. I don't think this gets out if at least Dan
Hurley doesn't intend on taking this to the wire and making that decision. I
think anything can happen once it's in the public eye. I do think it
will happen relatively quickly either way. Like I know a lot of people said,
oh, it'll take through the weekend or whatever. Like I'd personally be
a little surprised if it makes it past tomorrow, Like I think I think
there will be a decision either way made by Friday. And because it's not
about the money, right This isn't a leverage play, This is not what
you can combat with, right Like, like Yukon could offer him like a
portion of the state GDP, and I don't think it would change his mind
if he wants to go to the Lakers, right like, it's it's about
the basketball decision, and it's a it's a professional decision for Dan and he's
got to make the choice. I just think it'll come quote quickly though.
Once once the news is out, it's hard to sit on it, no
doubt, Kevin, you are the man. I appreciate you making time for
us. I would say enjoy the offseason, but I feel like you haven't
had much time to really relax. There's been no games for a while,
but college basketball has certainly been very, very active with the portal and everything
else. So keep up the great work, brother. Always a pleasure to
talk to you, my man. Hey, good to talk ball in June
sixth, that's a I'll say, that's right. Kevin Sweety's our guest here.
Sports Illustrated does a great job following him. If you guys aren't already
following him on Twitter. He's at CBB Underscore Central. All right, quick
break, we'll come back five o'clock hours next right here, on Sports Talk seven ninety