WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:08.679 It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine 2 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:25.320 day. Now here's Nick Coffee. All right, let's get it started, 3 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:29.440 Ladies and gentlemen, Hour number three, the five o'clock hour on a Wednesday 4 00:00:29.480 --> 00:00:32.560 afternoon. Coffee and Company. Myself, Nick Coffee, the company man, 5 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.359 mister John Alden alongside, and we are fueled by Thornton's. Make sure you 6 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:39.880 sign up to become a member of the Thornton's Freshman Awards program if you haven't 7 00:00:39.880 --> 00:00:43.320 already, a lot of incentives to come with it, including saving money every 8 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:46.359 time you go to the gas pump. I want to give him a shout 9 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:49.600 out real quick, because you know, I'm a bush Light guy. That's 10 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:54.560 my go to beer. And you can find bush Light in most places if 11 00:00:54.600 --> 00:00:57.640 you want to buy it, like you know, gas station, liquor store, 12 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:03.439 whatnot. And you're now able to find that actually at restaurants more so 13 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:06.439 than used to. Like it's not that uncommon to find out that the sports 14 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:07.760 bar or just the restaurants you're going to, they they might have it on 15 00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:11.480 tap. Hell, the Louisville football game sold it last year, and which 16 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:15.680 was you know, I was a big fan of But most places just have 17 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:19.920 the cans, which is fine, but I prefer either the aluminum bottles or 18 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:23.879 the glass bottles a bush like, that's my preference. And Thornton's the one 19 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:26.560 that's near me. They've got it every time, and you know, just 20 00:01:26.599 --> 00:01:30.120 another reason why they're great. And I'm sure they didn't, you know, 21 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:34.879 make it available in their beer cave because of me, but you know, 22 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:37.760 I can at least think they did and say thank you, so thank you 23 00:01:37.799 --> 00:01:38.920 Thornton's, and thank you all for hanging out with us today. We've got 24 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:42.079 two hours in with one more to go, but a busy show thus far. 25 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:45.079 And I hate doing this because I know a lot of folks are just 26 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:48.560 now getting in their vehicle or maybe you know, ending their work day. 27 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:51.840 I don't know what you're doing, but a lot of people joining in. 28 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:53.879 Right around five, right the audience turns over, so I don't want to, 29 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:57.640 you know, start discussing something you just missed. But we were discussing 30 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:02.359 the interest that Fan Duels Sports Book has in purchasing the previous you know, 31 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:06.680 the regional sports networks. The Valley Sports South used to be the Fox Sports 32 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:09.439 South, those channels, which is just crazy to think that you could be 33 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:14.479 watching your team play and it be on a sports books network. I mean, 34 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:20.639 it's just the rapid growth of sports betting in this country is awesome and 35 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:24.680 also kind of unreal. And what I think about more than anything is there 36 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:30.319 was clearly always an appetite for it. But one of the things that led 37 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:34.759 to me discussing this was the latest scandal. And I guess, I mean, 38 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.479 I guess you would call it a scandal, but Major League Baseball has 39 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:43.719 had to suspend four players for an entire season, and then there's one player 40 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:50.000 that has now been banned from Major League Baseball for life. And I would 41 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:53.319 say, this guy clearly has a betting problem, you know, and that's 42 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:58.280 not good. But these numbers are insane. So Jeff Passon, who covers 43 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:02.719 Major League Baseball, the infielder for the Padres. His name is Tukupeda Tukipeda 44 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:08.319 Marcano. That is, that's the guy who's banned for gambling. He only 45 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:15.039 won four point three percent of the two hundred and thirty one Major League Baseball 46 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.879 related bets he placed. Guy sucks at gambling. I mean, I feel 47 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:24.960 I feel better about betting on sports whenever I realize these guys who you know, 48 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:29.159 play the sport, they are terrible at betting on it. Same thing 49 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:32.599 with the Javonte porter who's been banned from the NBA for life. But the 50 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:38.800 total amount that this this young man bet when he was in the major leagues 51 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:45.439 with the Padres fifteen thousand dollars. Actually, I'm sorry, Wait a second, 52 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:49.560 I'm sorry. No. Total amount bet on baseball one hundred and fifty 53 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:53.800 thousand dollars. Total amount bet on major League Baseball eighty seven thousand dollars. 54 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:55.800 In some change. I guess he was betting on other baseball too. Average 55 00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:00.080 amount per bet three hundred and seventy eight dollars. Number of major League Baseball 56 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:05.759 bets was two hundred and thirty one bets on pirates games, UH twenty five 57 00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:11.120 and he only won again four point three percent of those bets. So I 58 00:04:11.159 --> 00:04:15.199 mean unfortunate. Clearly, this guy's got a problem. I would say, 59 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:16.680 I don't think you end up in that situation unless you are in fact addicted 60 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:23.000 to gambling. Even the uh the you know, the Javonte Porter, the 61 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:26.079 Raptors player who also had the same treatment. He was betting on his own 62 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:30.240 team and betting, you know, betting on his team to lose and betting 63 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:33.639 on his own props. The story came out yesterday, the details that the 64 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:36.519 reason he you know, how this happened was he was so he was so 65 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:40.079 much in Have you heard this story, John, I heard some of it 66 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:43.519 this morning, So he's he was so much in debt to a bookie, 67 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:47.160 meaning he wasn't just betting with the sports book. He was betting in like, 68 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:50.920 I don't know if you don't, can you bet in New York City 69 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.160 or New York State? I don't know if you can. Yes, yeah, 70 00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:58.079 well probably just like Kentucky. It's relet like we haven't eve been able 71 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:00.199 to bet legally in this state for a year yet, so I'm sure New 72 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:04.160 York was either around the time. So long story short, he was probably 73 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:09.160 betting in New York when he was living there when it wasn't legal, and 74 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:15.079 he was using a bookie. So the bookie who was arrested at at At 75 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:19.560 I think it was JFK the airport with I think it was sixty thousand dollars 76 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:25.079 in cash, a one way ticket to Australia and two cashiers checks that were 77 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:27.600 like over one hundred thousand dollars so he was on the run trying to get 78 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:30.480 away before they got him, but they did apprehend him. But he he 79 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:34.120 he was owed money by porter, so he's the one who told him, 80 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:38.480 Hey, here's what we're gonna do to make up your debt. You're gonna 81 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:41.480 fix these you know you're gonna you're gonna make sure these prop bets for you 82 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:45.519 go this way. And you know, I know there are some who see 83 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:48.439 this and think, well that these guys have these guys ruined their lives because 84 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:51.720 betting is illegal. This guy was already this guy was doing it when it 85 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:57.079 wasn't illegal. And I don't want to get too worked up. It's the 86 00:05:57.079 --> 00:06:01.720 five o'clock guy. We're having fun. But when people get addicted to something 87 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:06.480 that is legal, there's a really good chance they would be addicted to it 88 00:06:06.519 --> 00:06:12.759 if it wasn't legal. Heroin last I checked, not something you can purchase 89 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:15.839 at the store. But there's a lot of people unfortunately addicted to it. 90 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:21.519 It being legal or illegal. Really, I don't think has any impact on 91 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:29.480 people getting addicted to it now if it's more commonly. Again, like clearly, 92 00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:31.800 sports betting is in your face everywhere now when it comes to sports stuff, 93 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:36.160 so maybe you got into it because of that, but I mean you 94 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:41.040 probably could have gotten into it at some point anyway. And because there are 95 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:46.160 some that can't control themselves and you know, may ruin their life. I 96 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:48.639 mean, that's what's happened with these young men who were professional athletes making a 97 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:54.240 lot of money and now their careers over. I mean, that's unfortunate, 98 00:06:54.279 --> 00:07:00.639 but that's not like those isolated incidents are not worthy of you taking it away 99 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:03.079 from everybody else one, because we all enjoyed a lot of people do it 100 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.680 responsibly. It's not about making money or a second gig. It's just having 101 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:11.839 fun. It's entertainment. And also a ton of money is being made by 102 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:17.319 everybody involved in this sports betting world, right the league's I mean the NFL, 103 00:07:18.040 --> 00:07:21.120 major League Baseball, in the NBA, They're incentive to be in bed 104 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:25.240 with these sports books is because of money. And last I check, that 105 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:30.399 matters a lot, all right. I actually I'm going to bet on the 106 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:32.920 finals, though I don't know what I'm gonna do, but I ended up 107 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:39.560 doing a two leg parlay for the Game seven Sunday that the two game sevens 108 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:43.759 we had on that Sunday before I left Town. I took both Dogs money 109 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:47.000 line, Pacers Game seven money line and the Wolves money line against Denver and 110 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:50.360 both hit. It's like a twenty five dollars parlay two legs. It paid 111 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:54.480 like one to sixty and I haven't touched it since because I went to Florida, 112 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:56.720 as you guys know, and you can't bet there, which is just 113 00:07:56.759 --> 00:07:59.480 weird to open up the app and be like, oh, what can't bet? 114 00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:01.519 There's one app in Florida, and I think it has something to do 115 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:05.040 with hard rock. Yeah, it's hard rock, but that's weird that and 116 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:07.480 I think you have to be there or something. You have to be there. 117 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:09.519 I don't know how they work that out, but yes, there's some 118 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:13.439 and in a weird way, there's some kind of a loophole to where like 119 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:16.040 it's betting, but it's not like I don't I don't do a lot of 120 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:22.959 like the underdog fantasy stuff or like there there's some there's some creativity out there 121 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.839 where you can use an app and do like daily fantasy and win money and 122 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:31.160 I guess technically it's not gambling, but yeah, there is some level of 123 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.639 Uh, hard rock has some kind of connection. I don't know how they 124 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:35.399 pulled it off, But eventually it's gonna be legal just about everywhere, right, 125 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:39.320 I mean, I can't imagine that in ten years we will have I 126 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:41.440 mean, in fact, do you have a guess, I'm gonna google it. 127 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:46.320 I'm gonna guess. I'm gonna say that there are twenty three states that 128 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:48.840 you can gamble and legally, what do you think I was gonna say, 129 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:54.399 thirty six? That's probably You're probably no, You're probably closer to being how 130 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:56.279 many sports can how many states can you dead on? Just like whatever? 131 00:08:56.440 --> 00:09:01.279 Guess Indiana's preseason ranking from Jeff Goodman. That's the case. I'm gonna have 132 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:03.120 to start. You know, did you say how many? Did you say 133 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:09.120 is a thirty six? It's thirty six? Is it? Kind of? 134 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:13.840 So here's what it says. This is from Forbes. There is a patchwork 135 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:18.399 of laws and regulations. The industry has grown thanks to a twenty eighteen US 136 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:22.720 Supreme Court ruling. Since then, thirty eight states and the District of Columbia 137 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:26.440 have allowed some form of sports betting. Among those betting states, twenty nine 138 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:31.720 permit wagering online. So I think you are kind of pretty close, correct, 139 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:33.840 Yeah, you're the man I'm just I'm just just gonna start, you 140 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:37.879 know, I'm just starting saying things confidently. How can we shift this over 141 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:41.200 though, to like, you know, where it makes us money, where 142 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:43.759 we bet on what you're just guessing. I guess you've got You've got to 143 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:46.440 give me matchups. Here's what I'm gonna do tomorrow. I'm gonna ask you, 144 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:50.799 put you on the spot, give me the total score of game one 145 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:54.600 of the finals, and then we're gonna make a wager off of that as 146 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:56.039 far as the over under. Right, So it's like, your total score 147 00:09:56.120 --> 00:10:00.360 is four points over what the total is and we're going over. I mean 148 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:01.759 that thing. That's what we're gonna do. No pressure, but you've been 149 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:05.240 on fire lately. It's impressive, no doubt. All Right. So the 150 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:09.840 big news today for Louisville basketball fans is that they're gonna get a visit from 151 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:16.279 a guy who I happen to believe is the most highly the top ranked guy 152 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:18.879 available in the portal, which really isn't saying much because there's not that many 153 00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:22.120 guys left in the portal. But Coleman Hawkins, even if everybody who entered 154 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:28.200 the portal was available right now, he'd still find himself ranked in like the 155 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:30.480 top thirty, right, I mean, maybe even higher than that. I 156 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:33.399 don't really know. There's been so many guys that hit the portal and all 157 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:37.159 the rankings are kind of different, which is interesting. But he's going to 158 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.840 visit Louisville. This is really happening, not meaning that, like we know 159 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:41.799 for sure it's really happening. He's gonna come to Louisville. But last week 160 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:45.879 he threw out a little bit of a hint, quickly deleted it, and 161 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:50.120 then from there it sounds as if folks did some digging. I don't have 162 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:52.639 the ability to, you know, call Pat Kelsey and ask him, Hey, 163 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:56.120 you're gonna go take this guy, But people talk and they were still 164 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:01.519 they want to put it this way, they were still to add a player, 165 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.600 and they had money to go get a good player, and there really 166 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:07.279 aren't another options. I mean, to be honest with the the young man 167 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:09.159 who's in the twenty twenty four class, a freshman to be Jiggie Phillips. 168 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:13.480 I mean, he would be a nice edition as well. But whenever I 169 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.720 heard that, they were prepared to, you know, make another big splash 170 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:20.279 if they can make it work. One that told you that they're not worried 171 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:22.320 about the scholarship limit. They clearly have a plan to bypass that, and 172 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:24.799 they have money available, and I'm thinking, okay, well, if that's 173 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:30.080 your mindset. Like the only person that I feel like made sense was Hawkins, 174 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:33.279 because again, most guys that hit the portal are not still available. 175 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:37.679 So yesterday Jody Dimmling I believe, is the one who broke the news that 176 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:39.679 you know, and others I guess had hinted at it, but you know, 177 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:43.600 Jody is as connected as anybody when it comes to these kind of things, 178 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.720 and he said on his board that Louisville was actively trying to get it 179 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:50.639 finalized, meaning a visit. And then today on three Sports, I believe 180 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:52.840 it was Joe Tipton actually broke the story that he is going to visit this 181 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:58.759 weekend. So Louisville right now on paper thirteen scholarships that have been filled with 182 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:03.480 all the guys they've added since Pat Kelsey got here, there's a lot to 183 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:07.480 like. I think this team right now, just with the pieces you have, 184 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:11.279 and not just the fact where these guys come from and what they've accomplished 185 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:15.720 in their contributions, but just the way they I just think stylistically, like 186 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:18.840 this seems to be like clearly Pat Kelsey wasn't just out there going and grabbing 187 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:22.600 a dude who said he'd wanted to come here to put up decent stats. 188 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:26.360 I think he went after guys who fit the way he wants to play. 189 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:30.919 A lot of versatility, a lot of shooting. You've now added some good 190 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:33.320 defense that sort of came later in the process of adding these thirteen players. 191 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:39.279 And these guys win, right, Like, I'm sure I'm pretty sure everybody 192 00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:45.000 but two that are on this roster right now. The thirteen played in the 193 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:50.039 tournament last year. I guess twelve because Kahani Roos didn't play in the tournament. 194 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:54.759 He's a freshman. So I already feel good about where Louisville is and 195 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:58.159 I'm excited about year one of the Pat Kelsey era, and I think this 196 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:01.840 could be a tournament team. None of us know how it's actually going to 197 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:03.639 play out, but it's just nice to be excited again and know that it's 198 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:07.120 justified. Right, we're not just being Homer's thinking that Louisville is going to 199 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:09.840 have a solid team next year. I think he'll be better than solid, 200 00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:13.879 But if you add Coleman Hawkins, that takes it up a level, not 201 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:20.559 to where we're scheduling hotels booking hotels for the Final four, but he would 202 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:24.639 be, in the eyes of some the best player on your team. I 203 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:26.919 don't know if I would agree with that, but he's certainly in the conversation. 204 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:31.240 A six to ten, two hundred and twenty pound big who has played 205 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:35.279 in the Big Ten for four years, and he's been pretty damn good since 206 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:37.960 he's been there. I mean, as most guys do. He got better 207 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:41.120 every year at Illinois, and this past year he was all third team Big 208 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:46.039 Ten twelve point six boards, three assists, and at six ten he shoots 209 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:50.600 at thirty eight percent from three, So we'll see. I know SMU and 210 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:56.120 maybe Georgia are believed to be trying to get a visit as well, and 211 00:13:56.159 --> 00:14:01.159 I guess they've got some money to spend. But you know, I think 212 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:05.720 Louisville. I mean again, those who cover recruiting are claiming Louisville is in 213 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:07.679 the lead here, They're in the driver's seat. They look to be the 214 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:13.440 most likely landing spot. And I don't usually get caught up in like where 215 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:16.320 Louisville is in preseason rankings that are from you know, I mean, it's 216 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:22.519 nice to be ranked in the actual rankings because you know, actually it is 217 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:24.120 silly. I mean, I'm as guilty as anybody, but seeing that number 218 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.639 next to your team's name when you're playing on TV, it does give you 219 00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:30.960 a sense of like, you know, we're ranked, especially if you haven't 220 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:33.919 seen it in a while. Yeah, And that's actually what I was getting 221 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:37.399 to is, like these rankings that are put together by the field of sixty 222 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:41.440 eight, ESPN, the Athletic Sports illustrated these off season college basketball rankings. 223 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:45.080 You know, even though I respect a lot of the opinions of those who 224 00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:46.840 put these together, like I never I don't really care. I can't fake 225 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:54.240 outrage or emotion if they're not included. But I mean, because it's been 226 00:14:54.639 --> 00:15:01.159 so long since we've had any real legitimate buzz and optimism around louisvill basketball, 227 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:03.080 I am like hoping that they get Hawkins, not only because I think it 228 00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:05.600 would make them a better team, but like there would be like they I 229 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:09.279 think they would be a top twenty five team in the eyes of just about 230 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:11.440 everybody, which again, if they don't go out there and play and you 231 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:16.120 prove that they're good. None that matters, but little things that we used 232 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:20.360 to take for granted that used to not really even be something we'd notice or 233 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.039 it was just an expectation as far as like expectations in the offseason, like 234 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:26.759 we haven't had those in a while. And by the way, one guy 235 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:33.720 who we actually talked about on the show already is not real impressed with what 236 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:39.000 Pat Kelsey's done so far, because I think not having Louisville as a preseason 237 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:43.720 top twenty five team right now is totally understandable. I don't even know if 238 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:46.039 I would have him in the top twenty five. I was being a objective 239 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.879 and most don't. It's just Jeff Goodman who put him out there, and 240 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:50.559 others have said, you know, this could be a top twenty five caliber 241 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:54.200 team with what Pat Kelsey's done. So it is not egregious to say Louisville's 242 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:58.879 not a top twenty five team, trust me. But John Rosstein he does 243 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:03.159 a forty five and he still doesn't have Louisville in the top forty five. 244 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:07.799 Am I am I justified in saying okay, like you're you're in the minority 245 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:14.960 here, Like he has Georgia, Wisconsin, Saint Mary's. I mean, 246 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:18.120 I think it's Mississippi State again. I know these teams were better than Louisvill 247 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:22.480 last year because everybody was, but like these teams got gutted by the portal 248 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.039 Louisville put together. I think, on paper a pretty good team. So 249 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:30.200 now that I find myself feeling like, Okay, am I letting my you 250 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:33.519 know, it's card Boy taken over here? Am I letting my fanhood get 251 00:16:33.559 --> 00:16:38.279 in the way of me being fair and objective? And you know it's I 252 00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:41.600 think it is happening a little bit, which tells me I'm back, Like 253 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:45.360 you know, we're I'm I'm like this is It's just nice to be excited 254 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:48.720 legitimately about Louisvill basketball again and not having to try to like psych yourself up 255 00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:52.600 as a fan, like, hey, no, we won four games last 256 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:53.799 year, but next year is gonna be different. We're gonna be good and 257 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:56.000 nobody believed that, but you said it, because what are you gonna do? 258 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:00.200 Be miserable? Let me give you a different perspective. So earlier this 259 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:03.320 week you talked about Leonardi leaving Louisville. They were like the first team out 260 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:07.200 right Yeah, so you think about the teams that get at large bids, 261 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:11.039 you get three four four teams for each seed number. This is gonna involve 262 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.160 a little bit of math. Most of the at large bids go to the 263 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:18.960 top eleven, you know seed lines. If you do that times four, 264 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:22.599 it's forty four. So if you're that forty fifth team, you're that first 265 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:25.000 team out, and I guess you do have the twelve seats use of the 266 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:26.839 playing games. Yeah, so that goes up to forty six or something like 267 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:30.680 that, forty forty eight. Maybe, So if Louisville's just on that outside 268 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:36.400 line for LNARDI, maybe that's where Rothstein realistically has Louisville as well. That's 269 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:41.200 a good point. And you know, I'm looking at other teams that are 270 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:44.359 ranked in this top forty five, some that are even ranked, you know, 271 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:52.759 like UCLA's number sixteen, and I'm thinking, you know how and they 272 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:56.200 by the way, I mean, their their roster features one guy who you 273 00:17:56.200 --> 00:18:00.440 know was here at Louisville, and you know, fine, fine player, 274 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:03.759 But like Scott Clark, if he's going to be the key catalyst in UCLA 275 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:06.680 being a top twenty team, good luck mc cronin. I mean no offense 276 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.839 to Sky, but like, he's not that big of a game changer. 277 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.640 So and by the way, UCLA did get better, but if you remember, 278 00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:15.440 at one point last year, they were at like the same boat that 279 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:18.960 Louisville was in. So again I'm not this is not me claiming that Louisville 280 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:22.640 should be ranked ahead of UCLA. But when I see them at top fifteen 281 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:26.359 and they're coming off of a sixteen and seventeen year, like, I don't, 282 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:27.920 I don't mean, how do you do that? And here's one other 283 00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:30.720 thing I don't like about roth Stein's list, at least other than he's a 284 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:36.319 psycho. Other than that, like I'm looking at Indiana's line specifically, he 285 00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:40.400 has the key newcomers and key losses. I don't think he has them really 286 00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:44.359 listed as key newcomers or key losses. They're just people that are leaving and 287 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:47.000 coming in. Because when I look at the key losses, a few of 288 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:48.160 those guys I'm looking at, I don't really care that they're gone. They 289 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:52.200 were really key impact players. I think you can I think you can have 290 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:56.640 again. Indiana is the best example. They don't have a key loss. 291 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.400 The only key loss is to the NBA with with where Yeah, I do 292 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:07.559 like how with Rostein in his top forty five he he actually shows you like 293 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:11.960 the projected starting five because then because that you know, because let's be real, 294 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:15.160 I can't tell you for sure, I mean I don't. I don't 295 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:17.480 know what a lot of these teams have done top to bottom. I know, 296 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:23.519 like big additions like for example, you know, I know that who 297 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:27.119 is it trying to find? You know, like Arkansas? He has Arkansas 298 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:30.440 number nine now, so like I'm aware of and by the way, Arkansas 299 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:33.319 a little different because I'm more more prone to pay attention to what Cal's doing 300 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.480 just because of the connection there. But I can at least see, okay, 301 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:38.519 why would you have Florida there? And then I can look at okay, 302 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:41.880 wow, they do bring back some good players that I'm familiar with and 303 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:44.079 know by the way, their bench looks pretty good, you know, via 304 00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:48.240 the portal. So yeah, these are things that I would just purposefully avoid 305 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:52.960 looking at because it would just make me sad to know that we once used 306 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.920 to be in the mix, and you know, then we weren't. Then 307 00:19:56.920 --> 00:19:59.160 we weren't. All right, real quick, I wanted to get to this 308 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.759 text that came in earlier, and then we'll take our first break here in 309 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:04.240 the five o'clock hour. This text on the Ellen N Federal Credit Union text 310 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:07.839 line says, Nick, do you worry that if, in fact he does 311 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:11.640 get two million dollars it could create some real jealousy within the roster. That's 312 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:15.640 one of the most untalked about things with NIL that I think is a real 313 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:19.759 issue players here. What other guys are gonna get and get jealous? I 314 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:22.920 mean, I don't I don't think it's ignored. I just think that's now 315 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:29.480 a big part of the staff. I mean, and in fact, there 316 00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:33.200 are positions created within universities to kind of handle this, right, like an 317 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:37.640 in between with the university. And I don't know what the title is, 318 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.559 but you know there are schools out there that have that have hired someone that 319 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:45.000 is the in between, right, like the coach will tell And I'm not 320 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:47.839 even sure if you're allowed to do. I mean, nobody really knows, 321 00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:51.279 I think what you're allowed to do and what you're not. But if a 322 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:52.880 coach knows what the NIL collective has to work with, I guess they're not 323 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:57.160 supposed to have any involvement. But yeah, I mean they're gonna like they're 324 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:00.400 gonna have say so, Like, let's put it this way, the FIBO 325 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:03.559 two circle is not going to decide how much money. I mean, I 326 00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:06.799 guess technically that's probably the way it's supposed to go with the rules. But 327 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:11.839 you know, Dan Furman, the president of FIBO two circle, he's not 328 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:18.200 the one who decides if Coleman Hawkins gets two million and you know Chucky Hepburn 329 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:22.240 gets five hundred k like he you know, wow, you know, no 330 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:23.480 offense to Dan. I love Dan, but I'm just saying, like this 331 00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:26.599 world where coaches have no involvement, they don't even know what it is, 332 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:29.920 they don't even know how, you know, it's just not realistic. That's 333 00:21:29.960 --> 00:21:33.960 not Planet Earth. So there's an in between that is really there to you 334 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:38.000 know, be the middleman between the collective, the player and I guess you 335 00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:41.640 know, the coach and the staff. So yeah, that's something you got 336 00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:45.799 to worry about. Jealousy, and I think that's I think that's happened here 337 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:48.599 at Louisville with football. I mean, I think some of those guys that 338 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:52.960 Jeff Brohm packed their stuff and told them to you know, kick rocks and 339 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:56.680 get out of town. It wasn't just because you know they were going to 340 00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:00.200 be leaving anyway, but it's because they were created beating a toxic environment to 341 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.519 where they were trying to kind of create jealousy. And you know, players 342 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:07.400 are going to lie about what they make. That is the one thing where 343 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:15.000 it would be beneficial for it to be public internally because it would eliminate somebody 344 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:18.079 claiming they're making way more. Now again, you also could have the realization, 345 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:23.079 I mean, I think from the player's perspective, it being public could 346 00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:26.640 be beneficial to where nobody's lying within. Again, like at work, at 347 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:32.960 your job, that's not I mean, that's a no no in most businesses. 348 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:36.720 I mean, I'm sure employees talk and they share what they're earning, 349 00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:40.960 and that way you can know if somebody that's doing the same job you are, 350 00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:42.160 maybe you've been doing it longer, and somehow they're making more money than 351 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:45.039 you. If they've told you that, then you can you know, you 352 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:48.920 can take it up with with your employer and they don't have to match that 353 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:52.720 salary of the other person. But yeah, I mean to answer your question, 354 00:22:53.079 --> 00:22:59.640 I'm sure there would be some jealousy, but you know, what are 355 00:22:59.640 --> 00:23:00.839 they going to do walk and not get any money. I mean, you 356 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:06.839 know, like and by the way, I don't believe two million. I 357 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:08.400 just have a hard time thinking two million dollars is actually going to be the 358 00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:11.599 amount of money that Coleman Hawkins would receive. But again, if they have 359 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:15.680 the money to do it, and they choose to do it, that doesn't 360 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:19.440 matter to me. Make it happen. It's not my money, all right, 361 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:22.839 we'll come back on the other side. Keep this thing rolling along. 362 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:26.440 And I haven't talked about it much this week. I think I mentioned it 363 00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:30.759 briefly on Monday, but there seems to be some real genuine worry that if 364 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.559 South Carolina offers their job to Dan McDonald, he'll leave Louisville. And I 365 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:41.039 don't have any inside scoop or anything like that, but I do have some 366 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:45.480 thoughts on you know, if that did in fact happen, and maybe how 367 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:47.640 it could end up happening, because that'd be a big deal, no doubt. 368 00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:52.720 But I think at some point it it, you know, it's sometimes 369 00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:55.839 at some point it kind of seems inevitable that he may just want to go 370 00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:00.640 elsewhere and be somewhere where baseball is a bigger priority. I don't go anywhere, 371 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:03.880 keep it locked right here on Sports Talk seven ninety right. So we 372 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:06.960 don't have a whole lot of time left, but thirty minutes. I mean 373 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:08.240 we actually we have time left. It's just I got a lot of things 374 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:11.559 I want to try to get in a little bit of rapid fire here before 375 00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:14.200 we wrap it up. But I do need to tell you guys about my 376 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:18.559 friends at the Louisville Men's Clinic before we do anything, because they can help 377 00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:22.519 you, fellas. I know a lot of men out there would never think 378 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:26.160 to get checked out, right, Like, I know a lot of dudes 379 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:30.839 who don't ever go to the doctor until like they have to. And maybe 380 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:33.559 that's not just memy that maybe that's just people who don't trust doctors. I 381 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:37.559 don't. But what I'm getting at is you're not broken. You know, 382 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:40.400 you're not you know there's something wrong with you as if you're you know, 383 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:44.920 a flawed human. But as you get older, there are certain things that 384 00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:49.000 just don't they don't think of the right way to describe it. I mean 385 00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:55.400 rectile dysfunction, right, Like that usually is folks who get older and it 386 00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:59.319 just happens, right, I mean, it's pretty common unfortunately. In fact, 387 00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:00.880 you can be young and deal with that, and it's probably not something 388 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:07.079 you want to discuss with anybody because you know, it's maybe embarrassing, it's 389 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:11.000 private, it's awkward. But if you know you can do something about it, 390 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:15.759 why would you not. And a lot of men in this area Kentucky, 391 00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:18.960 Ina have gone to the Louis of Men's Clinic to seek treatment. There's 392 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:22.640 a variety of different ways you can treat ed, and they've got a variety 393 00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:26.720 of ways at Louis of Men's Clinic, and they can figure out what makes 394 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:30.319 the most sense for you, what you're comfortable with, and they'll help you. 395 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:32.799 You know, saying that they can change your life is not an exaggeration 396 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:37.240 because look, direct tiutis function. It can be something that leaves you depressed. 397 00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:41.279 It could be something that makes your partner feel a certain way, and 398 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:44.640 really it has nothing to do with them. It's just something that you're dealing 399 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:48.119 with. So you know, if you know, you know, and if 400 00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:52.759 you've not done anything about it to get help, to get treatment for it, 401 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:56.039 better late than ever. Give my friends at the Lois of Men's Clinic 402 00:25:56.119 --> 00:25:59.920 a call five O two four four four four thousand check them on online Louis 403 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.680 Men's Clinic dot com. It's an all male staff there at the Little of 404 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:07.799 Men's Clinic, so you know, they're very discreet about everything and they can 405 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:10.839 help you, not just for the d if it's low testosterone, maybe joint 406 00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:14.720 pain, weight loss therapy, hair restoration. They can help you fellas. 407 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:15.680 So again, keep them in mind. Louis of Men's Clinic dot com is 408 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:18.839 the website FIVO two four four four four thousand if you want to give them 409 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:23.559 a call. All right, So, South Carolina they've got an opening for 410 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:30.640 a head baseball coach and Dan McDonald has been mentioned for a while now because 411 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:34.079 a couple of weeks as far as somebody that could potentially be the guy they 412 00:26:34.119 --> 00:26:40.519 want to hire. And I've always thought that there was a scenario where Dan 413 00:26:40.599 --> 00:26:47.799 McDonald could eventually leave because you know Louisville baseball, I mean, they haven't 414 00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:49.920 had a lot of success in the last couple of years, but you know, 415 00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:55.119 they were in the College Baseball World Series. I mean, how many 416 00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:57.240 times has Dan been there? I mean I feel like it's at least at 417 00:26:57.319 --> 00:27:02.519 least four. Let me see here, and what I'm getting at is, 418 00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:04.240 since this is something that you guys probably already are well aware of. Dan 419 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:07.880 McDonald, I mean, he is Louisville baseball. I mean there was a 420 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:11.319 program before he got here, and you know they had moments, but I 421 00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:15.279 mean when it comes to the yeah, they've Yeah. So as far as 422 00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:21.720 College World Series, he has been to the College World Series one, two, 423 00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:25.400 three, four, four times I'm sorry five times, including in his 424 00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:29.599 first season. So you know, Louisville had really no NCAA tournament history in 425 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:32.839 baseball prior to his arrival. And he's now been here. And even though 426 00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:37.160 they've struggled to the standard that he set in the last few years, I 427 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:41.880 mean, he's still won sixty nine percent of his games in his career. 428 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:44.759 You know, won the Big East four times, when the Atlantic Division of 429 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:51.440 the ACC five times, like despite the twenty eight and twenty two season in 430 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:55.759 twenty twenty one, they did make the Super Regional in twenty twenty two, 431 00:27:55.880 --> 00:27:59.759 but you know fell short there and then the last couple of years they did 432 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:02.240 not make the tournament. So back to back years Dan McDonald not playing in 433 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.440 the postseason has unheard of it, It never happened. For this is the 434 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:07.160 first time they've gone back to back seasons with no postseason, not making the 435 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:11.799 NCAA tournament, so clearly not heading in the wrong direction. But he's done 436 00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:15.160 enough as as a coach here to where any talk of like moving on from 437 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:19.039 him is acidin, to be honest with you, and I don't hear anybody 438 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:23.799 saying that. But I think, like every sport in college athletics, the 439 00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:29.960 portal and in IL has has changed things. The job is a little bit 440 00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:33.319 different, and I know that there are some that think, you know, 441 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:38.680 Dan is resistant to using in IL and he doesn't like the portal, and 442 00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:41.640 I think the portal. Maybe that was true early on, but you know, 443 00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:45.279 lately they've been active in the portal. I don't know if they are 444 00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:51.599 crushing it into the portal compared to some other teams. But I think the 445 00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:56.119 changes to college athletics, which again includes baseball, has made it more difficult 446 00:28:56.119 --> 00:29:00.400 for Dan McDonald, and that may potentially make him want to go to a 447 00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:04.559 different school where it wouldn't potentially be It's difficult, right, I mean, 448 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.240 first of all, we'll start with the facilities. I mean he was told 449 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:11.359 that in fact, they cut they had a ceremony, they cut a ribbon, 450 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:17.480 big donation from Kroger to get the new facilities over there, and it 451 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:22.359 still hadn't happened. And I know some folks who are close to the baseball 452 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:26.960 program. I know some folks who played for the baseball program over the years, 453 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:30.119 not recently, but you know, they're early during Dan's tenure at Louisville. 454 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:33.680 So you know, I don't say this because I'm like dissing the baseball 455 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:38.039 program, but it's just the reality of it. With the recent settlement with 456 00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:41.839 the NCAA and the anti trust lawsuit, and we now know that schools are 457 00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:45.400 going to be on the hook paying student athletes if they want to win, 458 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:49.400 Like baseball's not getting money anytime soon for an ail. It's just I mean, 459 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:55.079 and it's just clearly not a priority for U of L right now. 460 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:57.799 And I don't mean that they are thinking the hell with it, you know, 461 00:29:57.880 --> 00:30:00.319 Dann McDonald, you can if we don't need you, we're gonna shut 462 00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:03.240 up. We're gonna shut down. It's not that, it's just, you 463 00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:11.440 know, when it comes to prioritizing resources, meaning money, U of L 464 00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:14.839 and other schools are just not gonna do it for baseball when it doesn't it's 465 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:19.359 it's not a money maker, it's not personal, So I don't know if 466 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:22.799 he's gonna end up leaving. I've always said that if he stays here for 467 00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:25.680 the rest of his career, nobody can be surprised because he this is his 468 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:30.440 program, right, I mean, Louisville Baseball has a brand within the sport 469 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:34.440 that is strong because of him and of course all of his great players. 470 00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:38.640 But I mean him going elsewhere, I've always felt like, deep down wouldn't 471 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:41.519 happen, because look, why would you want to go start over? Like 472 00:30:41.559 --> 00:30:44.039 he has everything he needs to win at Louisville, He's already doing it. 473 00:30:44.119 --> 00:30:48.200 There was a stretch there where if they broke through in the College World Series 474 00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:52.279 and won the whole thing, it wouldn't be considered some crazy surprise. Well 475 00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:56.759 now I think they're trending in the wrong direction, and with the recent changes 476 00:30:56.799 --> 00:31:00.160 to the sport, it's making it even more difficult for I think him to 477 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:03.200 kind of get back to where he was. So it sounds like there are 478 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:07.039 folks close to ul that do believe that, like this is a real threat, 479 00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:08.920 and I think there's been real threats before, But he's always decided to 480 00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:12.160 stick around, and I hope he does stick around. I think Daan McDonald 481 00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:17.319 is a legend around here. Again, we talk mostly, especially on this 482 00:31:17.400 --> 00:31:22.279 show, about men's basketball and football. I mean we talk about other sports 483 00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:23.720 too, right, I Mean it's not just those two, but those move 484 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:27.640 the needle and those lead the conversation more so than anything else. But the 485 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:32.759 two most successful coaches at Floyd Street since I've been around, you know, 486 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:34.480 as a fan and covering this, you know, meeting guys who I've seen 487 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:38.079 start their career and still have their careers active here at Louisville. It's dam 488 00:31:38.119 --> 00:31:41.400 McDonald with Louisville baseball and it's Jeff Walls with Louisville women's basketball. I mean, 489 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:45.039 so you know, I hope they never lose it, either of those 490 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:51.960 coaches. But there are other schools out there that as much as U of 491 00:31:52.119 --> 00:31:55.839 L does prioritize women's basketball. Jeff makes a lot of money. You know. 492 00:31:55.920 --> 00:32:00.200 The fan attendance, the fans support here is crazy for women's basketball. 493 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:02.640 Most schools, and I mean most schools out there and women's college basketball do 494 00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:07.440 not have the fan support that Louisville does. In fact, a lot of 495 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:12.480 men's programs don't have the attendance numbers that Louisville women's basketball does. In baseball, 496 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:15.359 again, attendants was really bad the last couple of years, and you 497 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:21.200 know, the success hasn't been there. But U of L has paid Dan 498 00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:23.119 McDonald a lot of money his pitching coach. I don't know what his exact 499 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:25.400 salary is, but I know for a while now he's been one of the 500 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:30.799 top paid assistant coaches in college baseball. Maybe that's changed and others have been 501 00:32:30.839 --> 00:32:35.400 making more money, but there's clearly been an investment in both of these sports. 502 00:32:36.440 --> 00:32:43.440 But when you're sacrificing and you're trying to figure out how you're gonna use 503 00:32:43.480 --> 00:32:45.920 the money, you have to go towards things that are a priority. You 504 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:50.559 know, those two sports just don't usually mean they're they're behind those two right 505 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:54.960 like they're behind men's basketball and football, and that's just the way it is, 506 00:32:55.000 --> 00:32:59.200 and that'll probably never change. But now it's going to be it could 507 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:02.000 potentially become a bigger issue for you because again right now, again, like 508 00:33:02.279 --> 00:33:07.680 the SEC has got more money than most schools in any other conference, So 509 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:10.000 you know what, they could probably give Dan McDonald more money to pay baseball 510 00:33:10.039 --> 00:33:14.240 players than Louisville will and can. I mean, I hope I'm wrong, 511 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:20.039 but we'll see again. I won't claim to have any any kind of inside 512 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:22.599 info, but if they offer Dan McDonald the job at South Carolina, I 513 00:33:22.599 --> 00:33:27.240 wouldn't be shocked if he takes it. And it's sad because you know, 514 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:29.920 it'd be an end. It'd be the end of an era where he again, 515 00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:32.880 whoever you go higher, the interest level in the Louisville job would be 516 00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:37.039 strong. And it's all really because of the era that he was here from 517 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:38.519 from two thousand and seven to you know, twenty twenty four, if in 518 00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:40.799 fact, it does come to an end. So I haven't talked about it 519 00:33:40.839 --> 00:33:44.079 much this week. I don't have any inside info, but I really do 520 00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:46.000 hope that he sticks around and they can get things back on track. But 521 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:51.319 i'd say the mass exodus in the portal that somebody you've probably already seen is 522 00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:53.680 not a good sign as far as you know where this is headed. But 523 00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:59.880 again, we shall see. All right, we've got one more segment here 524 00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:01.839 to go, and I was going to try to get to something else before 525 00:34:01.880 --> 00:34:06.400 we take a break, but let's go ahead and get a break now that 526 00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:09.280 we have a little bit more time before we have to wrap it up and 527 00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:13.079 say goodbye. Stick with us right here. It's coffee and company feel. 528 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:16.960 But Thorton's on Sports Talk seven to ninety. One of the things we discussed 529 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:22.920 earlier is the schedule that's been released for the expanded college football Playoff twelve teams 530 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:27.440 now, making it where it's been four for a while now, and it 531 00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:31.679 gives you a chance to dream big and not be completely out of your mind. 532 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:36.400 Now, if you have the expectation of being there every year and you're 533 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:38.880 a Louisville or a Kentucky fan, I mean that's delusion. But now you 534 00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:42.239 know, if you had just said, hey, we could be a playoff 535 00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:45.280 team when there's four, I mean, like the likelihood of that is insane, 536 00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:50.960 meaning insanely tough. Like even last year Louisville was was rolling, right, 537 00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:57.119 I mean they were, I mean they were undefeated, manageable, scheduled, 538 00:34:57.119 --> 00:34:59.280 there was nobody out there you felt like they couldn't beat. I mean, 539 00:34:59.320 --> 00:35:00.480 they slipped up in a pit, which meant there was no way they 540 00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:04.679 were going to make make the playoff. But even when they were rolling, 541 00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:07.159 I still felt like, yeah, that's just that's just not I can't I 542 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:09.360 can't. I can't believe that, Like I can't realistically tell you that I 543 00:35:09.400 --> 00:35:13.159 believe there's any chance they make it. Well, when it's twelve, it's 544 00:35:13.159 --> 00:35:15.199 a totally different story. That means's gonna happen. But again I've mentioned it 545 00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:20.199 throughout the show. I think that's the best benefit of expansion is for programs 546 00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:22.320 like the local ones around here that every now and then we'll have a special 547 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:25.039 season and that would usually just lead to you maybe get into a New Year 548 00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:30.119 six Bowl. Now a special season, you know, ten wins for one 549 00:35:30.119 --> 00:35:31.480 of these two teams in the regular season, which both have done in the 550 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:36.599 last five years, that could, if some breaks go your way, put 551 00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:44.480 you in the playoff. But one thing that I do like like the schedule 552 00:35:44.639 --> 00:35:47.239 for Louisville, Like, let's be real, I know that Louisville plays in 553 00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:52.519 a weaker conference than Kentucky, and there's some games against conference opponents in the 554 00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:59.239 ACC that you know they're not you know, there's not many like the bottom 555 00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:01.599 feeds of the AC, aren't you know, one two win teams like you've 556 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:05.320 had previously, But still like you know, when you play Boston College, 557 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:08.880 when you play Syracuse, when you play who else. I mean, you 558 00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:13.400 know there's Virginia. I mean, there's teams that just typically are not very 559 00:36:13.400 --> 00:36:15.519 good and it's not gonna be that tough of a game for you, and 560 00:36:15.559 --> 00:36:17.719 you benefit from that, there's no doubt about it. Like Louislle winning ten 561 00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:21.199 games last year, like that was probably their ceiling. You know, if 562 00:36:21.239 --> 00:36:23.400 they played other schedules where they have won ten games, I'm sure they wouldn't 563 00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:27.760 have so, like I'm well aware of that. And for Kentucky, you 564 00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:30.719 know, I think they always believe that if they played in the ACC that 565 00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:32.840 they would have every year be a ten win season. I mean, I'm 566 00:36:32.840 --> 00:36:37.719 sure some believe that I'm doing a little bit of exaggeration. However, they 567 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:39.559 play in a tougher league now. Sometimes it breaks out to where their non 568 00:36:39.559 --> 00:36:45.599 conference schedule is is weak and the SEC East only has like two good teams, 569 00:36:46.039 --> 00:36:49.800 and then at the end of the year, strength of schedule it actually 570 00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:54.280 favors Louisville doesn't matter because anytime Louisville Kentucky played recently, Kentucky's one. But 571 00:36:54.320 --> 00:37:00.719 what I'm getting at is, even though it's at twelve teams now with Texas 572 00:37:00.760 --> 00:37:05.960 and Oklahoma joining the SEC and other teams getting better, like Missouri took a 573 00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:08.280 huge step forward last year. I don't think Shane Biemer is going to be 574 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:13.239 the guy at South Carolina. But clearly Georgia is not going anywhere. I 575 00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:16.599 mean Tennessee with hypel I mean, they're I don't know if they're going to 576 00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:21.599 be elite, but there's certainly they've got some you know, some stability now, 577 00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:25.159 So could Kentucky get there? Like I still think the best days of 578 00:37:25.239 --> 00:37:30.199 Kentucky football under Mark Stoops are in the rear view, mostly just because again 579 00:37:30.239 --> 00:37:31.960 it's going to be harder to compete other teams, Like other teams are getting 580 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:36.000 better and they have better resources than you do. And you've added two programs 581 00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:40.760 that typically have been way better than you in Texas and Oklahoma. So Kentucky, 582 00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:44.639 you know they have according to A three Let me make sure I have 583 00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:46.199 this correct. Yeah, according to On three Sports, this is ESPN. 584 00:37:46.280 --> 00:37:52.559 Well, yes, on three aggregated it, but it's using ESPN's FPI when 585 00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:58.239 it comes to strength of schedule, and this is the Kentucky has the fourth 586 00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:04.119 toughest schedule in the country right now, which it looks like every one of 587 00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:07.840 these schools in the top ten as far as the toughest schedules are in the 588 00:38:07.880 --> 00:38:09.840 SEC, and then Georgia Tech is at number nine, which is extremely random. 589 00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:15.880 But you know, like if Mark Stoops starts going six and six every 590 00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:22.320 year occasionally seven and five, and that becomes the ceiling just because again, 591 00:38:22.519 --> 00:38:27.519 they do play a tough schedule, and the schools that have traditionally been better 592 00:38:27.559 --> 00:38:30.079 than them are back to being better than them, right Like South Carolina. 593 00:38:30.199 --> 00:38:32.559 That's the one school that I could kind of see you guys going back and 594 00:38:32.559 --> 00:38:37.199 forth with. But if Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, even Missouri now when 595 00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:42.840 they're thriving, you might get him every now and then. But the fact 596 00:38:42.840 --> 00:38:45.000 that Stoops wanted to go to Texas, say, and m at least I 597 00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:50.719 believe he did and he didn't work out. I mean, I'm just curious. 598 00:38:50.760 --> 00:38:52.639 He's always been a made man and I get why. And I'm not 599 00:38:52.639 --> 00:38:55.840 saying Kentucky fans should like want him to be gone, but like if he 600 00:38:55.880 --> 00:39:00.320 did just become this guy who's making a ton of money win in six maybe 601 00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:02.440 seven every now and then, like would that be sustainable or would they want 602 00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:06.239 to change? It's fascinating, But yeah, they have the fourth toughest schedule 603 00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:08.920 in the country this year. All right, we're out of time, you 604 00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:12.119 guys. Enjoy your evening, Stay safe. We'll talk to you tomorrow right 605 00:39:12.119 --> 00:39:13.320 here on Sports Talk seven ninety