It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine
day, Now here's Nick Coffee. I'm just going to assume that either today
or yesterday was the deadline for players to pull their name from the NBA Draft,
because, uh, these tweets coming out in the last uh in the
last I don't know, a few hours have have put me in a panic
here and there. I'm sure other fans have seen the same thing because,
you know, for example, I did not realize that case in Pryor,
one of Louisvill's top transfers from South Florida, was even going through the draft
process. But I think it was Rostein, who you know, reported that
he will remove his name from the NBA draft and play at Louisville this year.
But they just had one for the Butler kid who's transferring from San Diego
State to UH to Kentucky and uh yeah, I mean, I think anybody
who's gonna be going. I think everybody knows now that those announcements, if
you will, are in fact, you know, just a formality, like
these players aren't putting them out there yet. I feel like it's Rostein and
who else is it, maybe Goodman, but somebody. I mean, is
that necessary? Like if the players themselves, by the way, we know
they're gonna get a graphic designer to make something with some long message that nobody
reads other than the bottom to see. Okay, are you saying you're transferring?
Are you saying you're coming back? Like? What are you saying here?
I mean, if the players don't even feel the need to let people
know that they're going to remove their name from the NBA draft, I'm not
sure it needs to be you know, on the news wire here for folks
like Rostein and Goodman and you know whoever else is putting it out there.
And that's kind of Rostein's brand, isn't it though. Yeah, Rostein breaks
a lot of things that you don't typically see the other reporter's breaks. Like
he'll he'll he talks about random non conference games like Chicago State's gonna play against
Vanderbilt or something. Yeah, but he'll dress it up as if like,
ooh, looks like we've got some Rossteine scooping. Then it and then it's
that it's like, you know, looks like looks like uh, you know,
it's it looks like he's gonna play merist on November seventeenth, and that
would actually be something that I would have some level of interest in because because
I'm a Louisville family. Yeah, like Mike Woodson's gonna bring back his video
coordinator for the fourth consecutive year, congratulations, you know, and then whatever,
what's this? What's his saying about? We sleep in may You know
what's his saying about Woodson? Does he have one? Like he's got a
He's got something he says about every coach, you know what I mean,
I've never noticed that. Oh dude, I'm I mean again, I don't
catch on to everything, and that must be good when I start mentioning these,
I'm gonna pull it up today. I'm gonna pull it up here because
he has shirts that he sells that are you know. For example, the
new one for Kentucky is keeping the Faith and it's more Pope with prayers.
Let's see Rick Patino the Godfather, Ed Cooley the American Dream. Chris Jans
is the dentist for some reason, I don't really know Greg Guard, Silent
Assassin, Shaka Smart reincarnation like he clearly they haven't caught on that much.
But you know, I can't believe I haven't noticed this. Look up John
like search John Rostein's tweets. I mean, not right now, but whenever
you get a chance, I would be willing to bet at John Rostein and
then put in Mike Woodson. There'll be some tweet that he put out after
Indiana beat somebody, and there'll be some corny tagline about Woodson that you know
he's probably trying, and some of them catch on, but some of them
don't, like the one for Chris Mack with stone Cold. Don't really know
why. Maybe because he's bald like stone Cold. But yeah, yeah,
I just look at up Mike Woodson. Let's see here, doesn't fee like
he's got a whole lot of tweets about Wodson. May yeah, maybe he's
hating on Woodson. He didn't refer to him as the Portal King at one
point, maybe that's going to be you know, what he says or how
he you know, refers to him as. I mean, again, they're
all corny, but anyways, what a way to get the four o'clock hour
started. I guess this is just a way for me to say, if
you do see somebody like Rosstine, reporting about players that have transferred to Kentucky
or Louisville, and he mentions the NBA Draft. Read it all the way
through because it's not him telling you anything other than you didn't and he's not
telling you anything he didn't already know. He's telling you that they're removing their
name from the NBA Draft, which they probably already have. So anyways,
it is Coffee and Company Hour number two. Back after a nice vacation,
always going to be back. I enjoy vacation, but it also, you
know, reminds me that I do, in fact get to do something that
I really love for a living because I miss it and I'm looking forward to
getting back at it. And that's what we're doing today. So appreciate you
guys hanging out with us. I do and remind you we are fueled by
Thornton's. Make sure you sign up to become a member of the Thornton's Refreshman
Awards program. If you haven't already, you can do it online or you
can download the app Refreshman Awards dot Com. All right, So, overall,
as I mentioned to start the show, I didn't really miss out on
a whole lot, like you know, there's some things that you know happened
last week that you know would have given us something to talk about it.
And I'm sure it was discussed by the cast that helped fill help fill in
while I was gone. But that's the best type of vacation to take in
this role, at least in my opinion, is that you know, it's
not as if I had Fomo right, I wasn't wishing I was back on
the air talking about some big developing story that I know many people would be
interested in. Again, I think the Scotty Scheffler stuff has kind of carried
over, and we did just share some news at the end of the end
of the three o'clock hour that you guys may not be aware of. But
there is going to be a press conference tomorrow at one point thirty with Steve
Romins, the attorney for Scotti Scheffler. Scheffler will not be there and at
one o'clock well, actually I don't know. I mean, let me just
read the exact details here, because maybe it'll be a presser with Scheffler being
present. Actually no, he's not gonna be. Just it just says that
Scheffler's attorney, Steve Romins, is gonna a press conference at one thirty,
So the Jefferson County Attorney, Mike O'Connell is going to be in court to
speak with the judge about this case at one o'clock. Presser at one thirty
with Scheffler's lawyer. So again, what do I know, But a lot
of people seem to be coming to the conclusion that this is likely going to
be an announcement that charges are dropped, which I hope that's the case.
I hope that that's how this thing ends up working out, because I don't
believe that Scottie Scheffler did anything that would warn him being arrested. And we
will never know the full extent of it because there's no sound, clearly,
and the guy who was involved in it violated the LMPD policy by not having
his body came on. So it's still an embarrassing look though, and it
could have been avoided. And you know, I tried to give law enforcement
and I always do and will continue in most instances to assume because I know,
I'm not even saying that, you know, the cop who did this,
Brian Gillis he may not be a bad human being. He may not
be a terrible cop, although there's some things on his rap sheet, if
we can call it that, that make it make me question as if why
he's still employed. But even if he's just even if he's guilty of just
being a knucklehead. One, you probably shouldn't be a knucklehead and be a
police officer because that's a big role, that's a tall task, and that's
something that you should always be not doing things like that. But I know
that many of those that, in fact, the vast majority of those that
are part of law enforcement, are very professional and good at what they do.
You know, you wish that everybody was perfect, but that's just not
reality. That's not planet Earth, that's just not how things work. But
I wanted I didn't want Scotty Scheffler to be on video looking like an a
hole, But I wanted to make some sense of how this happened, because
I've from from the beginning. When it played out like it did two Fridays
ago, at seven o'clock in the morning, I'm thinking to myself, there's
no what is this can be real? So I was just hoping there would
be some explanation that would make it make sense. And here we are ten
even days later, and I still don't think it makes any sense as to
how it ended up in that type of a situation. So if chargers are
dropped, that'll, I think, will be a good thing, But the
embarrassment is still there, and I just hate that, you know, because
there are people who don't come to Louisville very often, maybe they've never come
to Louisville and they only really know the Louisville headlines that get national, sometimes
worldwide attention, and unfortunately, over the years, we've had a handful of
those that weren't great looks for this city that you know, I've lived in
my whole life and will never leave unless they kick me out. And it
just I hate that, Like there that you bring up Louisville at an airport
in Texas tomorrow. Wouldn't be shocked if people start making fun of LMPD for
you know, or maybe not making fun of them, but just you know,
talking about how bad they are at about how Louisville will never get a
big event again. And it's just one person, But like that, I
just feel like it could have been avoided. Sometimes things can't be avoided,
and it's just it's unfortunate, right, Like, I don't think anybody blamed
Louisville for the tragic situation that happened. I mean a mass shooting, but
you know, but that's just that's a tragic situation. That's sad. There's
good stuff that goes on here. I love this place, and we had
the PGA Championship here, which of course is a huge event, and it
seems as if everything went extremely well other than that. And I don't just
mean the incident where Scotti Schefler was arrested, but the tragic accident that led
to somebody losing their life who was volunteering. So if charges there dropped,
I would say that that's the right thing. It's a good thing. But
it still just sucks that everything happened the way that it did. And I
don't want to get you know, I don't want to get too serious about
it. And I'm not trying to get I'm not like emotional, I'm not
fighting tears, and I'm just trying to find the right way to describe this
without it's sounding like I'm being over the top. But if Scotty Scheffler wasn't
Scotty Scheffler, and this entire thing happened an innocent man from what I can
tell, and the only evidence that that is real other than that it's just
this guy's word, meaning Giles the officer. I mean, this guy would
probably be going to prison. Like that's that's scary to think about, right,
Like they could be sending you know, like this guy, this Brian
gillis kill us whatever I think it's kill us. He got irritated and clearly
just lost his mind and started banging on the window. He was not.
And again for those who claimed, well you didn't see everything, the video
didn't actually have the initial the initial exchange between the two and that's where he
that's where he he dragged him ten to fifteen yards, because there's no way
a cop would lie. And we have to hold like people who say that,
okay, whatever, but use your brain even if it's not big Mine's
not big mine didn't work great. But I know a little bit about,
you know, reading a situation by body language and by reaction of other people.
If when he made the you know, when he when he stopped the
vehicle and he you know, because he was banging on the window, if
that was because the man had just been dragged ten to fifteen yards. As
it said in the report, every other law enforcement officer around him would have
been I mean they'd had their guns out. They would have because he was
drying a cop and they didn't because it was it was nothing. So I
just, you know, I hate that. But again, if in fact,
I mean, let's just say Scheffler couldn't make bail because he wasn't Scotty
Scheffler, he was Scotty Something, he'd be sitting in jail right now waiting
for these charges to hopefully be dropped. I mean, that's scary, is
it not. I just I don't know, I don't know people think about
that kind of stuff, and I know it sounds I mean, I'm not
trying to be too dramatic, but that's the first thing I thought of whenever
I saw the video, and like, knowing what we don't everybody's side of
it, because again I think every I mean everything Scotti Scheffler said, from
what we can tell, appeared to be true misunderstanding. He didn't tell them
who he was, He didn't try to mean, they didn't know who they
arrested, and that shouldn't matter anyway. But the people who lied from what
we can tell is the officer. And if he didn't and he wants people
to believe him, good luck. I mean, I mean, did you
see some of the things he was acute that he's been written up for.
John, I didn't look at his rap sheet. I did see the video,
well, I mean, and that's totally you know. I mean when
I say look at his rap sheet, I don't mean like I didn't pull
an open records request. But this became a big story on I guess it
was last Wednesday, maybe roughly a week ago. I mean, he's been
suspended more than once for policy violations, including a violation where he drove an
intoxicated person in his police car on duty doing donuts in a parking lot.
Like you want people like that to get the benefit of the doubt when they
choose to not have their body came on, Like you can't, Like,
it's insulting to think that you can just believe someone who says that because they
are law enforcement, especially when they've had legitimately other incidents that make it clear
that they're not always maybe on their best behavior. But that is just one
part of it that when I think about it now, I don't think about
Scotty Shuffler. I think about it could have been Scotty Scotty and he may
don't have a lot of money, he may not have resources. He'd be
sitting in jail right now, not being able to make bail, and maybe
they wouldn't be you know, maybe they wouldn't drop the charges like that.
Look, it's unfortunate, but it's the reality. There are many people who
end up getting in charge with stuff and you later found out that it was
bogus. There are people who go to prison you later find out it wasn't
legit and they were in there for something they didn't do. It's a scary,
scary thing to think about. And this is not that right. I
mean, everybody's okay at least you know from this situation between Scheffler and law
enforcement, and he's he was able to play golf right after he ended up
getting arrested, and he was able to get back home to his family.
He just had a newborn baby, So like, I'm not trying to paint
him as a victim, but it's just another reminder that there that we need
to be able to trust law enforcement. And when you know body cam footage
exists for a reason, and I'm kind of a nerd for this. There's
these TikTok accounts that all they do is show you, like a five part
video of somebody getting pulled over and somebody making an ass out of themselves and
you know, just being a complete criminal and just lunatic. And the cops
are on their best behavior, doing everything by the book. And it's because
they know they're being recorded, and they look forward to telling the criminal who
they're arresting. Oh, don't worry, everything's being recorded. Yeah, I'd
love to show the judge how you're acting like that, like that like that
helps, right, I mean, that's that level of transparency. You know,
doesn't mean everybody's perfect. Clearly they're going to still make mistakes and do
things they shouldn't do, because again, nobody's no profession has everybody that does
everything the right way. I mean, that's just not it's not it's not
realistic. But if you intentionally turn your body cam off as a cop,
there's got to be a reason for that. And I'm not saying he did
that. Maybe he never had it on, Maybe he never had it on
him. I don't know. And that those details haven't haven't been made public.
It may they may not be made public. But you know, if
you if your body camera stops working at a time where you know the person
you arrested is claiming you did this or that and you don't don't know to
just stop working for you know, ninety seconds while I beat this person's brain
in, Like I just you should be held accountable to the point where you
can't still be a law enforcement officer if you can't, if you can't do
that part And another side of it though, is and this is this is
true, like now many people are signing up to do that job anymore.
And I don't blame them because it would be difficult. It could be a
thankless to me, it's a thankless type of position. And the people who
do it and take pride in it, they're passionate about it. It's their
career. They protect and serve, it's the job. Like God bless those
people, because again, like that's I wouldn't want to do it. I
wouldn't be good at it, you know, I mean, they put their
life on the line. But I just wish there was more accountability at times.
And the one thing I don't understand. And I'm getting a little sidetracked
here, but who cares if you use your status as law enforcement to break
a law you know a little easier than someone else could because of your position,
because of maybe access you have to things, or maybe because you think
that you can get away with it. You should be held accountable differently than
anybody. In my opinion, like that is disgraceful, it's disgusting. And
oftentimes you see to where law enforcement doesn't get nearly the type of punishment or
even a punishment at all, that someone else would get. And that's what
I don't understand. Now, maybe there's a maybe there's somebody that's thinking right
now, oh here, let me tell you, Nick, it's because you
know, despite this mistake or this issue for years, this person did sacrifice
their life by being in you know, being law enforcement. But that doesn't
mean they get a free pass for stuff. And I'm not talking about some
like well, some of this stuff is pretty it's pretty crazy. But there's
a guy that I went to high school with and I'm not gonna name his
name, but I'm sure you know the story. He is one of the
LMPD officers who was throwing slushies on people in the street, and you know
that is an awful thing to do, to be a cop and be throwing
slushies at random strangers on the side of the street, Like that's just like
that's disgusting behavior. Well, he was part of that, but he also
was in trouble for using law using his status in law enforcement to you know
again, I don't I don't want to get sued. I'll just read you
the direct headline here from WDRB on June thirtieth of last year. Former NBD
officer convicted for throwing slushies in people's faces. He faces lawsuit for sex stortion.
So he's also involved in a sex stortion case if you don't know what
that is, looking up sex stortion and he was found. I mean,
he clearly did it, and you know, he was charged with it.
I don't know if he went to trial, if he pleaded, but like
he ended up going to prison. He's getting out in shock probation, maybe
already is out. Maybe he's a listening right now. I don't know,
but I went to school with this guy, and like it just kills me
to know that, Like I know somebody or knew somebody who could do something
like that, and like he's not even like he's not really getting punished to
the level that I feel like most people would. I guess I can't know.
I can't. I can't comprehend that. But anyways, back to the
whole Scotty Cheffer thing, if they drop charges tomorrow, I would say that
that is that's the best thing you could do at this time. But I
just feel like this thing could have been completely avoided. And I don't even
think it'll have anything to do with Louisville no longer getting a PG event because
by the time, I mean, there's not many events they can even pick
from to throw Louisville in the mix, because they've already picked most of the
places they're gonna be going for the few. Like, it's just it was
very unrealistic even before that happened. But I know now that, like,
you know, five six years down the line, if they don't get one,
and there'll be people that just well, you know why, and that
may you know, it could have helped their situation. But I just again,
what makes this, in my opinion, just such a frustration for me
because I don't care about the PG. I mean, I'm not a golf
fan, trust me, and you know I don't. I don't feel terrible
for Scotti Scheffer. I mean, I hate that that happen to him,
but like he's okay, and he's probably gonna sue LMPD and probably take a
lot of money. But it just could have easily been avoided, and I
wanted there to be at least something that made it make a little more sense.
And it actually left me questioning more than I was even the day that
had happened, because law enforcement is supposed to de escalate things, and I
feel like that was de escalated by one person. And I'm sorry, I
don't. I wouldn't give this guy the benefit of that out knowing he didn't
have a body cam on and he's been punished by a MPDE before for you
know, just being being a knucklehead for lack of a better word, quick
break will come back on the other side. Keep it rolling along. It's
coffee and company. We are fuel. But Thornton's right here on Sports Talk
seven ninety so thank you to someone on the text line reminded me of the
other I guess write ups policy violations that Detective Brian Gillis. Jillis has had
reprimands that range from being found at fault in an accident, failing to appear
in court, and conduct unbecoming of an officer. If that was already on
my record with my employer, I wouldn't I would probably have my body came
on at home, off duty, just to make sure I don't. You
know, I can defend myself if something happen happens, because I'm not going
to get the bene of it out because I've made mistakes already. And again,
I'm not trying to claim that this guy is the worst human being in
the world, but I mean, it's hard to I mean, and I
would say this. And by the way, this definitely generated a lot of
feedback from people, and most people are having, you know, civil responses.
It's not like they're claiming you're in any year, you know, but
again it's of you. Well, if you had your body came on and
you still do what you did and they still you know, they still charged
him, you know, it's still would happened. You looked even more foolish
if in fact what we do see in the video is really all that had
happened. But it's just hard to If this was a random person and not
Scottie Scheffler, I would say the same thing, meaning like this guy,
I mean, he looks like he looks like he escalat it rather than de
escalated and turned it into something it just didn't need to be, all right.
So we did talk about Bill Walton earlier in the show, and I
meant it when I said it. I loved Bill Walton, and I always
talked about that whenever I felt you know, at times, I remember thinking,
like, man, I coul talk about Bill Walton all day. But
I know a lot of people don't really want to hear that because either they
don't care, it's not relevant to them, or you know, maybe they
don't like it. But I would. It became pretty clear to me in
the last twenty four hours that I did talk enough about him to where people
realized that I was a super fan. And I was sad yesterday. I
mean I was, and I think somebody who could get an unbelievable amount of
love from countless fans and supporters of him, knowing he was terminally ill and
going to die, and just chew and chose not to to not make it.
I mean again, I hate even saying, like to make it about
yourself, because I don't think if you do that, that's what you're doing.
I would be scared to death. To figure I a better way to
say that, because like, that's not I'm not trying to make a joke.
It's just me being a dumbass. I would be so scared. I
would be terrified if I knew I didn't have that much longer to live because
of a health condition like cancer. I would want people on my side at
all times, not showering me with praise and compliments, but just loving me.
So I feel, you know, a little bit of a numbness to
my fear. And I'm sure he had that with his close ones, but
you know, he chose to keep it private. And I just think that's
a selfless thing and it kind of speaks to him. And I think he
was somebody that you know, and people may not know this about Bill.
He used to talk openly about depression and suicide. I mean, he contemplated
killing himself many times in his life. He was always in pain. I
mean he I think he spent the amount of time he spent in a hospital
as an adult, you know, because of injuries. I mean just he
was a banged up player that had I mean, he could barely move,
you know, at times. And I don't think in the last thirty years
he's really done a whole lot of active things just because again his health from
playing from playing basketball. But he one of the things that he had said
that that, you know, I remember hearing it a while back, and
I have heard it and have seen people mention it on social media. Happiness
begins when selfishness ends, and I think he did, you know, I
just choose to believe he did find some peace and really presented himself as a
really just the happiest guy ever, right Like, I don't think you could
ever hear any of Bill Walton stories or you know, especially not in the
last you know, twenty five thirty years. A lot of the stories of
him that you've heard, or you you know, you hear him on games
as a broadcaster. He seemed like a guy who loved life, maybe more
than anybody. And I think that's why you hear folks who say I met
Bill Walton randomly, and I'm just a random joe. He talked to me
for an hour because I think he was that selfless to where he would give
you. I mean, it was just his spirit. You know. People
can say he was hippie. I think he kind of was, like I
think that was kind of his brand. But he had an ability to,
I think, kind of see everybody and I mean everybody the exact same way
and not I mean he he talked to you. I mean again, I
don't know this first time. I wish I would have gotten a chance to
meet him. But my buddy Aaron Torres, who you guys here on the
show. From time to time you hear him on Fox Sports Radio. I
remember right before the pandemic put a halt to sports, he got a chance
to interview Bill Walton, and he he ended up I think delaying the interview
because I think it was at the Pac twelve tournament and it might have been
the day that all hell broke loose where he had some teams playing in the
early rounds of the conference tournaments. By the time you get to the end
of the night, the NBA's canceled. You know, there's seasons put on
hold, and then then the next day you didn't get any basketball other than
like one team played like a first half somewhere so the interview that he did
with Bill Walton, as far as the timing of it, you know,
I don't want to say it became a dud. And I listened to it
and it was a great interview, but you know, releasing it right would
not have been the would not have been, you know, the right timing
to do it. By the way, Aaron has re released that shared it
on a social media I check it out if you're a big, big Bill
Walton fan. But I remember Aaron telling me, He's like, dude,
you wouldn't believe it. It was great, but like I didn't have to
ask any questions and I'm kind of following on my phone what's going on?
Was with like, you know what Corona is doing to the world in sports,
and Bill Walton's just rolling like he never stopped, like he just kept
talking me. He didn't want to. You know, it wasn't usually the
interview somebody of that of that status, you would think that, all right,
I got eight minutes here. I got to make sure I maximize what
I have. Bill Walton. We'll talk to anybody for any amount of time,
and it's one thing to do that and just be somebody that makes everything
about you that you know is so self absorbed to where you just make any
And we all know people like that, right, any conversation you have with
somebody, they're going to find a way to make it about them. That's
just how some people are are wired. You know, Bill would talk a
lot to people, but he wouldn't make it all about him. In fact,
I mean there's some people that just casual younger fans, they probably know
him as the WACKI announce, or they may I know anything about him as
a player. He was a legendary player. So I was very sad to
see that he passed away yesterday, But it's also not a surprise by any
means to know that he made such an impact on so many people. And
I just you know, he's a perfect example of like just your your attitude,
your energy, and again this is the word that I guess some people
will will attach to like being a hippie, but like his spirit. It
made me at times think, like, you know, I would ever be
man this guy's I mean, he's loving life. Like if I had this
outlook, I mean, nothing could ever be that bad. So I'm very
very sad that he passed away, But he clearly had a lot of fans.
It wasn't just me. He's a legend and I forgot about this,
but Jason Bennetti, who became one of his broadcast partners by the way,
Dave Pash and Jason Benetti were the two guys that worked with him mostly at
ESPN. Those guys were clearly I mean, it was all about Bill Walton
whenever he was doing a game, but he wasn't a play by play guy's
color analyst, and usually he wasn't doing much of that. He was just
being Bill Walden. Then I know id annoyed people that he wouldn't talk about
the actual game, and like, I get it, but I think those
two guys, Benetti and Pash never got enough credit for kind of knowing how
to do a game with Bill Walton and keeping it on the rails as best
you can and knowing that, look, he's going to say something at least
once per half that's probably going to be all anybody on Twitter is talking about,
because that's what Bill Walden does. I went viral for the first time
on Twitter during the MAUI Invitational because they were playing in in Nashville. Because
of COVID Indiana was playing. It might have been Davidson. Does that sound
right, John, It's one of those schools, yes, and somebody.
It might have been somebody on Indiana, but I know what you're talking about.
There was a player who you know, came out and had like eight
points in the first ten minutes in Walton, Oh my god, this is
the best game of his life. And he was a I don't know why
I just did a dick if I tell there, but he's I mean,
and the announcer said, he's a true freshman. This is his second career
game. And Bill Walton, you know, just acted like he didn't say
anything. And I shared the exchange, not the video, but just the
quote and pardon my take. At one point, I think it's still up
there one of the most popular podcasts in the world. They screenshoted my tweet
and put it like on a graphic next to Bill Walton and like, of
course, like that's a that's a typical Bill Walton thing. But those guys
were really good. I think it making that at times be you know,
comedic. And here's what I said this when because I used to get a
lot of heat from people like pushback, like why do you say Bill Walton's
great? Bill Walton's the worst. He never talks about the game. He's
just a clown gotta and I get that it would be bother some to have
him on a game when you are really into it. And I'm glad I
never had that. Bill never called a game I had real rooting interest in.
He was probably on the call for games I bet on, but like
you never called a Louisville game. I wish I would have had that experience
in a way, but I'm kind of glad I didn't, because I don't
want to have any different you know. I mean, I would tune in
if he was on just to see what wacky stuff he would say. So
I experienced it a couple of times, and it was I guess it was
during that Mali Invitational that Indiana was in, and maybe for me specifically,
it wasn't because I don't think Indian did very well in that Maley Invitational,
and I think him being himself helped the losses not be as difficult to over.
And I'm somebody who likes Bill Walton. I know a lot of people
don't like his name. You really I was, I mean, I feel
like your age group doesn't appreciate Bill Walden. And I remember and again this
is how I love that man. And when John told me when we started
working together he actually liked him, I love that. I thought that was
like I was like, man, we'll see how this goes. I love
John already, but man, he's already earned some extra points with me.
Not that that matters because he likes Bill Walton well, because he helped me
make light of something that normally pissed me off. You wouldn't take you that
you would you didn't take it as serious as suppose and it didn't bother you
because you know, his perspective had kind of rubbed off on you a little
bit. But Bennetti also, I think he actually has moved on to do
games elsewhere. But he was the Chicago White Sox play by play guy on
television for a while and they brought Bill Walton to do the baseball game with
him. And this is one of those. This is a thirty or I'm
sorry, a forty five second clip from his debut as a baseball announcer White
Sox and Angels at the Diamond in the Park. This is your first ever
baseball game doing this job, right, This is a job that's true.
Well, I understand that it starts and then you play, yeah, but
that the offense can't touch the ball and that the defense goes first, and
then there's no time limits and you just go until somebody says it's over.
Sounds very much like a dead show. It's a timeless game. I love
timeless than this. You're timeless. Well, the one thing, I've been
dead for quite a few years, and we all maybe by the end of
the night. The music playing means we are actually out. And there are
people who don't find that funny, and that's fine. Everybody has their own
sense of humor. But that Bill Walton, that's what made him, in
my opinion, you know great. And there's another one that I saw for
the first time yesterday. He was on years ago with part of my take
Big Cat in PFT. And I don't believe there's any cursing in here,
so I'll just play it and we're good. I don't think there is.
I know he doesn't curse, and I don't think they do in this question.
But like it just this to me, especially the end of this thirty
second clip, like it really lets you know where like Bill Walton, I
think just stayed high. Like that's just like he's high on life at all
times. When you go off in the middle of the broadcast, do you
ever get lost in your own mind and you like almost forget where you are.
I get lost all the time, and it's it's unbelievable to listen to
like people, it's late night on the East Coast. It's fun to get
lost, and it's important to get lost. But getting lost that implies that
I know where I am to begin with, and and that's a giant leap
of faith, right. I mean if somebody came up to me and said,
I get lost all the time, but you know, it also lets
me know where I like, I would I would think, like, what
is kot talking about? But that I'm like Scout's brilliant. Worry about him
yesterday where he said he was a very shy human being up until I think
it was his late twenties. He said he had hardly he would never do
interviews that kind of thing. As a player. He always had a tough
time expressing himself. But then that once he began to, I guess learn
how to do that. He says the best experience of life he ever had.
I guess that was the beginning of Bill Walton truly becoming Bill Walton at
that point. And I think everything you saw was you know, genuine in
him being himself, which I loved. But there's also times where I'm like,
Okay, I think he's trying to make a joke there, and it's
actually hilarious. Because his son, Luke was named the head coach of the
Los Angeles Lakers, and he was supposed to do a press conference, and
he did do a press conference, but it was on the same night that
Luke and his and Bill were going to go to a Grateful Dead concert.
I'm sure they've gone to many, and Luke had to tell him, you
know, hey, Dad, not going to be able to make the concert
because you know, check this out. I just became the head coach of
the Los Angeles Lakers and Bill Walton and Bill Walton didn't share this story.
Luke did that. Bill Walton told him he's proud of him, but he
does think he needs to reassess his priorities, which again is that that's Bill
Walton being Bill Walton. I love all time, all time. Let's get
to a quick break. We'll come back on the other side, wrap up
the four o'clock hour, keep this thing rolling along. So the ACC.
I didn't miss anything when I was gone about the ACC specifically, however,
I think they're going to fight like hell to keep Clemson in Florida state because
I think they have the ability to do that with this grant of rights.
But I think there's some early signs as far as what direction they may go
in if they ever have to, you know, exist without those two and
I don't like it, but we'll talk about it next right here. Coffee
and Company. Fil Beth Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety no joke the entire
break there. I watched a ten watched as much as I could have a
ten minute highlight mix of Bill Walton not playing, but just you know,
many of the things he said during broadcasts, so Bill to sixty eight props
to them. I don't know how they found all the great archived footage over
the years, but good stuff. I won't you know, I won't play
a whole lot more because I know, you know, even if you are
somebody that is a of Bill Walton or just you know, appreciate everything he
brought to the world. You know, we're not going to play everything,
but I do want to share a clip of him describing Denny Crumb and really
highlighting Denny Crumb's involvement. And maybe I'm under selling it by just saying involvement,
but you know, he really made it quite clear Denny was hugely responsible
for the great talent that John Wooden had to work with at UCLA. That
of course led to, you know, one of the best runs you'll ever
see in any sport. But I'll save that for the five o'clocker. We
don't have a whole lot of time left here, but let's talk about the
future of the ACC. So I was happy to know that the ACC is
a league does not seem to be interested in letting Clemson in Florida State out
of their agreement. And I don't mean like just letting them walk. They'd
never do that. That'd be stupid. But there was some discussion maybe they'll
let him go for eighty percent of what it would cost, and these two
schools would be able to round up the money to do that, And it
sounds like they're not going to do that. They're gonna, I mean,
because the best case scenario for the ACC is that somehow they unify and the
league finds a way to make themselves more valuable. And what's unfortunate there is
that just by winning and being better and having a bigger presence in college football,
as far as you know the hierarchy of it, that doesn't always mean
you're gonna get more money from your TV deal. And like it or not,
everybody in the league agreed to sign this grant of rights deal that runs
till twenty thirty six while all these other leagues are getting more money than you.
Every so often, you're locked in. And we all know that that's
not an ideal thing. But Clemson in Florida State still being in the league
gives the league its best chance of survival. And I find it to be,
you know, more than interesting. I mean, it's unheard of really
because everybody knows they want to leave. Everybody knows anybody in the ACC or
SEC would leave if they could to go to the Big ten or the SEC.
I mean that I say SECM in ACC. Everybody in the ACC would
leave to go to the SEC or Big Ten if they could. And I
think that if they could get out of the grant of rights, Clemson in
Florida State would find a home somewhere. You know, Florida State probably ends
up in the Big Ten. Heck, maybe both Florida State and Clemson end
up in the Big Ten because that would give them presents in a place that
the league doesn't have right now, meaning the Big Ten. So you know,
if they are stuck together, I think that's best case scenario. But
that's coming from a Louisville fan, right Like, if you're Clemson, like
everybody knows that the league is does not look to be in great shape compared
to the top two. And if you can be the third, meaning you
can be the third best league outside of I mean, really you're you're in
first place of the second division. And I hate to frame it that way,
but like the SEC and the Big Ten, they have the power.
The Big Ten doesn't have the success. They just won their first championship in
how long, right like, and they're good. I'm not claiming that the
ACC is a better league than the Big Ten in football, but think about
that. Like the SEC has the power of the money and the success.
The Big Ten they have relevance and they have good programs. But like they're
not close to the SEC when it comes to like accomplishments, but you know,
they've got humongous alumni bases and that matters. There's value there. They
have huge brands that are valuable to you know, that help you get these
lucrative television deals. So if you're third place and you're miles behind the other
two, but maybe many miles ahead of everybody else, you're probably not happy.
If you're Clemson and you know that South Carolina is quadrupling your annual revenue.
If you are Florida State and you know that Florida in Miami specifically or
no, Miami's in your league. But if you're Florida State and you're in
you're Miami and you know that you're getting left behind Florida by three times four
times the amount, maybe that's not as bad as Flida's actually a good program.
South Carolina not as much. Historically. Let me give you a good
example, because this could happen right the Big twelve. They will have two
maybe three resets of contracts right TV deals like you know, because nobody does
a twenty year one like Swafford did for the ACC. I don't I mean
I don't think they can do anything about it. But can you imagine how
pissed off Florida State and Miami would be to know that Central Florida may in
five years make more money than them from their conference TV deal. Again,
they're powerless, they can't do anything. They sign an agreement, but Central
Florida ten to fifteen years ago wasn't even a Division one school. Like,
think about that. Like, so they're going to fight it, but I
just don't think they can. So the best case snary for the ACC is
to stick together. But if they do get a way out, it sounds
like Utah Sandy, like they would just go more in the West coast and
make it like a national conference. But I don't know, Man, if
you lose Florida State and Clemson, you could still exist as a league.
But I don't know if you could. I mean, it would feel as
if you're no longer really a part of a power league. And I hate
to say that it all just comes down to those two, but like,
let's be real here, those are the two big brands that have I mean,
especially Clemson that has maintained relevance and even they're slipping, all right,
quick break we'll come back on the other hour. One more hour to go
right here on sports Stock seven to ninety