It's time for Coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day.
Now here's Nick Coffee. All right, let's get it started at the
five o'clock hour here on a Tuesday afternoon. Appreciate you hanging out with us
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do, all right. So for those that have been hard at it throughout
the afternoon, the full work day here, maybe you're just now jumping in
the car and you're you're and if you chose this as your resource to catch
up on the latest with sports, thank you. I appreciate it. I'm
sure there's things that you've missed out that I can't inform you of, but
I would imagine if you're listening to this show, then you're probably somebody that
is a fan of Louisville, Kentucky, maybe Indiana, I don't know.
Maybe you're a transplant and you know you are a fan of a different school
in a different state city and you tune in here because you're like, man,
these people are nuts. God, they're insane, and you're right,
but you know that actually leads to me and having a chance to you know,
have this job to be honest with you. So all three Louisville,
Kentucky, and Indiana have landed players in the portal today. We'll start with
Louisville. They picked up a commitment from Javon Hadley, who is a fifth
year guy, meaning he'll be in his fifth year here when he transfers to
Louisville. He visited the last couple of days and made his decision. I
think he made his decision last night, maybe this morning, but he announced
it right before the show started today. So a good get for Pat Kelsey,
no doubt. I'm just reading some quotes from the Colorado coach. I
think his last name is a tad Boyle. I believe is his name.
And just throughout the season just really gassing up Hadley as sort of the unsung
hero. I mean, he was fourth on the team in scoring at eleven
point six points per game, second in rebounds with six a game, two
and a half assists per game, shot fifty four percent from the field forty
two percent from three. I mean, he's a guy who can do it
all. I'm not sure what his true strength is is what you know,
he's got one tool he can pull out of the bag. What's he pull
and I'm not sure, but he doesn't really seem to have anything that's like
a great weakness. So a good pickup, no doubt. He ended up
choosing Louisville over USC the other schools that he was involved in the other schools.
I'm sorry that he was hearing from and considering Iowa State, which you
know isn't usually a school you'd have to worry about. But TG Alsoberger is
a hell of a coach. Also, Michigan State was involved. I don't
know if he visited. So that gives Pat Kelcey four scholarship players. Which
I don't say that to criticize or anything. I'm just it's we all knew
as soon as you hired a new coach that there's a good chance that most
of the guys are not going to be back, and now it looks like
all of them are going to be gone. So he's got four players.
Thirteen scholarships is which you were allowed to have. I mentioned it earlier.
I think ten scholarships, ten scholarship players. They can give you a very
competitive practice and you know you can lean on him. I'm obviously not all
ten guys are going to play the same amount of minutes or anything like that,
but I think you know they may end up using the last three scholarships
on walk ons and it won't be something that I will say is an issue,
just because I just think when you get down to your last few spots
and you've already filled your roster with ten guys that are, you know,
from the portal. I just think you have a hard time selling somebody to
come in and be your eleven to twelve man, even if it's just for
one year. Maybe you could go down to the level. Maybe you'll find
a guy in the portal that is transferring from a low low D one school
and they already had low production and they just are looking for a new opportunity.
Maybe you could say, hey, come here and you can help us
out in practice. Probably won't play a lot, but you know you'll be
at Louisville and not at you know, Missouri Valley State or something. Is
that a real school. I think the Mississippi Valley the real school. Sorry.
So on the Kentucky side, Mark Pope lenn At his first player today,
and that is a player who had already committed to him years ago.
And that is Colin Chandler, who will be a twenty year old, twenty
one year old freshman this year making his debut because he was in the twenty
twenty two class, but he had a two year more mission that kept him
from playing basketball. So a good get, I would assume, just because
of where he ranked. But two things really stood out with me when it
comes to this, this addition for Mark Pope, which really again doesn't matter,
but it's an addition, but it's kind of not right, Like this
is somebody that Mark Pope didn't really have to start the process over and re
recruit. But here's the thing he was able to get him to go to
BYU. Of course, I think the Mormon connection there is the big factor
in why he chose BYU. But also, you know, he's now selling
Kentucky, so I would imagine that's an easier sales pitch for a guy like
Mark Pope. But this commitment and it being you know, in the news
wire the discussion among Kentucky fans, two things stood out. One. I
don't think that in the two years he was on a Mormon mission that he
was like allowed to play basketball. Like I don't know. I won't claim
to know anything about what you are and you're not all I mean, but
when you're on a mission trip, like let's do a quick google's actually you
google it, johncy on mission trips, like what are you like? Is
there is there requirements as far as what you can do as far as activity.
I mean, maybe he's rusty in fact, he probably is rusty,
but you know, he's twenty years old. He'll probably be just fine.
But this is this is something BYU deals with every year, but it's not
I mean, I would imagine the players that Mark Pope now recruits are not
going to be all guys that are from the Mormon faith that need to do
a year or two abroad because you're anywhere because of a Mormon mission. But
I just never really thought about that, right because it's it's very common at
BYU. But when these guys are taking time off, like are they in
shape? Are they are they playing pick up ball? That kind of stuff.
Apparently there are certain I guess mission trips that they wouldn't require you to
play basketball, but you can do it on the side, And I guess
it depends on what you're doing or you going over to. And I'm trying
not to sound as if I'm poking fun because I'm not. Because you know,
every religion and faith has their own, you know, beliefs and things
that they encourage you to do, things they don't want you to do,
that kind of stuff. But Mormon there's a lot of things that are very
yeah, yeah, exactly, just different than what you'd exc so then what
you would expect from like, you know, I'm not gonna talk religion anymore.
I'm just gonna eject completely from that whole thing. But the other component
to this piece of news that really stood out to me is that it's going
to sound like I'm making fun of Kentucky fans and some of the media,
and you know I'm not. But you know, clearly there is a little
bit of you know, tongue in cheek with this. But the Mark Pope's
got his first player and it's a big, one, huge git for Mark
Pope. Wow. And most fan bases would have that reaction really no matter
who it is, because that's what fans do. But also because it's a
top thirty five player, top forty depending on where you look, and there
are very few if maybe Kentucky was the only school for fourteen years that like,
wouldn't really be gassed up about this kind of a player, And it's
just wild to see the difference. But that's I think one of the reasons
why they are so excited about the change that they've made is because Mark Pope
is so different than Ala Perry. And it's a good thing, right,
now, and I think, honestly, it's a good thing overall. Now
does that mean he's gonna win. Nobody knows. But Mark Pope is going
to appreciate the job that he has. He's going to understand what, in
fact Kentucky basketball is and they've missed that. They needed that. I think
they forgot what that felt like to have somebody there that loves Kentucky basketball.
And I think other coaches that have coached there have loved it. But it's
different with Pope because again, he played their won a national championship, all
that stuff. But he's going to go out and get guys that Cali Perry
wouldn't allow in the same room with him during the recruiting process. Doesn't mean
they won't be good, but it's just going to be so drastically different.
And I just know, you know, to see them excited and acting like
this guy you know, might be Jim or Furdet or something like it.
I couldn't help but think like, if that was Louisville that got a player
of that caliber, you know, maybe just a year ago, two three
years ago, the Kentucky reaction would have been, oh that's cute, Oh
wow, he's a nice little player, the four star kid. Wow,
good for you, Like that would be their reaction, and you all know
it's true. And now you know, it's just different, not right,
not wrong, it's just drastically different. And that really stood out to me
in a in a major way. So I'm really looking forward to seeing these
rosters come together and we can you know, determine, well, there's no
determining. That's going to mean. We know Louisvill's roster, the fans are
going to claim that they got a better team. Kentucky's roster, they're gonna
claim they got a better team. And you know, that's that's what this
is supposed to be. Like, right, I love it. And I've
already seen, like the Kentucky fans, some of them, you know,
already manufacturing some things upstairs to tell them that Mark Pope is is actually an
elite coach compared to Pat Kelsey. You know, to be fair, neither
of them are proven at all at this level. I mean, Mark Pope
coach to BYU and they did play in the Big T this year and he
beat some ranked teams. Like that's that's fine, but like you know,
neither of these guys have been at this stage before. None of us are
gonna know until we know. But I do like the fact, you know,
Mark Pope coaching at BYU and winning some games in the Big Twelve against
some good teams. Like I'm not saying that that's not real, but like
if Pat Kelsey was coaching at a place like that, he probably have similar
results. But we'll never know. And again, that's what makes the rivalry
insane and great, is that we yell at each other three hundred and sixty
five days a year about things that will never be able to prove each other
right or wrong. A lot of it's hypothetical, right, like oh,
if Kentucky played Louisville's football schedule acc Champs every year, Like we'll never know.
I mean, that's nonsense, but like that's what makes it. Why
are you laughing, John, I don't know? This is I love the
rivalry talk because and I we've said this before. Look, I've picked my
face up off the mat when it comes to this stuff. Have I not?
Like I had no life. I had no I couldn't fight back.
And this is something that I haven't experienced, at least from the show's perspective
since I've done Coffee and Company with you, because it's been nothing but Louisville
being terrible. And you're an Indiana fan and you host this show, which
of course is Louisville centric, but obviously we talked about everything. But you
grew up around here. You know Kentucky fans, you know Oval fans,
like you know the fan base as well, right, Like, living around
here is the reason that from even though I'm an Indiana fan and Kentucky's not
my primary rival, I see them as more of a rival than Perdue because
I interact with the UK fans more so than I ever have with Purdue fans.
Yeah, and that's a huge part of We actually had a caller yesterday
that I think that is why he's a Kentucky fan, and he just doesn't
think, you know, he doesn't think about Louisville as much as I guess
other Kentucky fans or vice versa. And it's because it's all about who you're
around in your environment, and around here you grew up John, where you
were probably sticking out like a sore thumb. People are like, why are
you Yeah, Na fans, so you know so so I think I do,
like because I can see John and the monitor throughout the show, and
I think you've you've realized that I'm pretty good at at like calling out exactly
the Kentucky band behavior, right, Like I've laughed at that's cute thing.
Yeah, because times today, well I'm not. And it's not like I'm
trying to tell you to gass me up. I'm so funny. But like
it's if you've been in the rivalry as long as you know, I mean,
if it's been something that's been a part of your life and you've been
around Louisville fans and your Kentucky fan, You've been around Kentucky fans and your
Louisville fan like you you know, we all kind of play the same hits,
right, Cow's only got one title, you know, like twenty thirteen
or didn't happen like those kind of things. I mean, it's just it's
it's it's stupid, but it's what we do now. In the Indiana side,
bollow the seven foot, two hundred and sixty pound big man who transferred
from Arizona picked the Hoosiers, And I told John earlier in all seriousness,
Louiville just didn't want him. I mean, he was supposed to be visiting
Louisville today. I think Pat Kelsey called him this morning, was like,
look, man, we we'd love to have you, but it's just not
going to work out. It's not you, it's me. You don't play
the style I want to play. So best of luck in Bloomings. And
that's what happened, was in the Brinks Trust the Bears, Yeah it was.
It was just Litland and won him, which clearly you know it's not
the truth. But I do think Louisville, as Kelsey and his staff were
well aware that they were probably not the leader. It was Indiana, and
Indiana got him, which is a big get, no doubt. But also
I think, and we'll see, I don't want to get I don't want
to get ahead of myself here. But Quaintance, the five star top ten
player who's visiting on Thursday. I mean, it sounds like Louisville could potentially
just you know, make an offering get him. I mean, I'm sure
others are going to mean, let's be real, Arkansas, they got money,
and we know that Cala Perry's gonna want to bring a Quaintance with him.
Jaden Quainton's who is the number eight player in America who was committed to
Kentucky until Cal left. So I still say that he's probably gonna end up
playing at Arkansas. But Louisll's getting the first visit, which I think for
transfers that seems to be pretty important for recruits. I really don't know.
And this guy is so good that he can take his time. Every program
that wants him will leave a spot open for him. Now where they leave
enough money available, that's a different question. So I think them being at
least involved here with Quaintans might have had a little bit of a you know,
I don't think it would have changed anything with Bollow, but it's just
nice to know that, Hey, you know, that was a guy you
were going to bring in for a visit. Things look good, you didn't
get him. Well, now you move on. Now you've got another guy
coming in totally different situation, right, And I'll be fair, I'll be
honest with you. I would have taken Bollow just because he's a more proven
guy. Quaints is a freshman. But they are totally different types of players.
And you know, you've even said John that you think that there's some
Indiana folks that aren't going to be super thrilled about Bollow because they don't like
the way, like, you know, because he's he's not a guy that
you run. I mean, he's a guy that is a big bull in
a China shop physical presence, and you know, he's not true hybrid big
that is more popular these days. One thing that has driven Indiana fans nuts
for the past couple of years is the buddy ball as they call it,
where Indiana runs two bigs. This year it's their last year, is Malik
renewing collel where in the trace Jackson Davis the year before and this year would
likely be Omar Balu and Malik renew So the big thing for Indiana is can
they get shooters to surround these big guys? I think yeah, But I
mean, I don't know. I just and I agree. I'm glad what
you said about Ballow not being the guy that you play through, because I
think that's been Indiana's number one issue is revolving your entire offense around the big
guys. Yeah, and I'm sure there's been plenty of production offensively from him,
where it is more of your traditional let's feed the big fella. But
I'd be willing to bet the vast majority the bulk of his production on the
glass, and from a scoring standpoint, I think it's him just being seven
foot, two hundred and sixty pounds and going and getting whatever points he needs
to get. In rebounding, I mean, that'd be great for Indiana because
they struggled to rebound the ball last year. I mean, he's a good
player. So and look that's he's a two time first team All Pack twelve
guy, was on the All Pack twelve defensive team twice. I mean twelve
points or thirteen points, I'm sorry to boards a game. I mean twenty
double doubles in his career. This guy is, I mean, he's special.
So Indiana, I think at times we and I say we meaning like
Louisville and Kentucky's honestly, they're not their a rival to Kentucky. And some
would say their arrival to Louisville just depending upon again, who you're around,
Like you know that kind of stuff. But Indiana has not had big time
success in a long long time in basketball. And I'm not telling anybody anything
that you don't already know. But I think it makes you at times forget
that they have one of the biggest fan bases in college basketball. They have
a I mean, they have a humongous alumni based too. We're talking rich,
successful people that don't live in Indiana, but they went to Indiana and
they care about it. So to hear that they are believed to be one
of, if not the leaders in college basketball's nil may prize some but it
really doesn't surprise me. I mean, they've had a huge fan base and
they freaking care about basketball almost as much as anybody. Maybe you know,
maybe as much as anybody. I don't know. I mean, they just
haven't had the big breakthrough success for that to show on the national stage.
But here's what I know, Internet numbers. Right before I was able to
make radio my full time career, I used to run a website. Did
it for a long time. It was a lot of fun. I don't
really miss it, but it was it was you know, internet monetization,
web traffic like that's how I had to you know, it's how hustled.
I mean, it wasn't the only thing I did to make a living,
but it was part of it. And I know that Indiana numbers are insane
on the internet, Like inside the Hall is that still around? It is?
Yeah, I mean it was in It was one of the earlier websites
that that you know, was a little bit of ahead of its time and
the traffic that that website would do. And no offense to the guy running
it. I don't know. I don't frequent the site, but it wasn't
you know, because there was some like crazy compelling entertaining content. It was
just well done writing about Indiana basketball reporting on it. But a lot of
days now that just doesn't move the needle like you got to have, like
you gotta be doing entertaining stuff right because nobody's I mean, people aren't get
People can get any real notable information that they want on a social media app,
which is awful for the world of journalism. But that's just the way
it is. There's great journalistic work being done, but you cannot monetize it
in a way you used to, which is just sad. But Indiana fans,
man, they're everywhere, and I don't think that's like known as much
as as you would think. And let you know, maybe I'm wrong.
I mean you mentioned what did you share with me the other day. I
was about to bring that up so on the in the Burner Ball discord.
Well, that's that's Chillie Donovan's thing. The top two fan bases in their
discord channels. I guess I've never been on this on I don't know exactly
how it works, so I have it. I'll show you after the Okay
Show. But Kentucky's for just for example, they have fifty three, eight
hundred and forty seven messages that have been sent in their discord Indiana says eighty
four eighty six, four hundred forty six telling you that. I mean,
that's that's not something that's going to equate to anything successful for Indiana, but
it's just another reminder that, like, don't be surprised when they have money
available for NIL because not only do they have a huge fan base and I
think you know, people who grew up in Indiana that didn't go to IU
are still big Indiana fans, right, but also they have a humongous alumni
base, and I think they've got people who were probably that are probably very
successful. I mean not everybody, but I'm sure they have very wealthy alum
that are very successful in different business ventures, maybe not in Indiana, maybe
maybe abroad. I don't know, but maybe they were there at Indiana when
when Indiana was great, right, and they're they got money and they're starving
for Indiana to be great again at that level. So I don't know,
just one of those things. Whenever I saw Ballow being clearly the you know
in Indiana Leane, and I'm sure it wasn't just money, but I think
that'll be something that and maybe that's why there was some more Maybe that maybe
that is why there's more pressure on Woodson to win because you know, last
year they did well in the portal, but they ended up just missing out
on it. You know, I guess they they whiffed on on. Some
guys didn't get they didn't fill all their holes. He left a scholarship open,
and then you had a guy get injured, so you technically had two
scholarships open, if you think about it. And I think what Woodson did
that was that was just a risk that you take as a coach. Is
that I do believe that he you know, I say this like I know
Mike Woodson. I think he felt like there were going to be guards on
that team that would make a natural jump and they'd be able to do their
part and you all could win and play through renew and where and it just
didn't work out. And honestly, I'll retract at least some of the things
I'd said about, you know, in defensive Woodson. When you have that
kind of an nil situation, you shouldn't leave a scholarship open. I think
there's situations where it could happen. Maybe there was a situation there where they
thought they had somebody last minute, they didn't and they didn't just want to
burn it. But the only time I think this day and age where you
should leave scholarships open is when you're going through what Louisville and Kentucky are going
through is where they literally have to build an entire team. So anyways,
let's take a quick break. We'll come back on the other side talk about
the portal a little bit more, but on the football side. So some
I mean, got to keep in mind there are people that probably were on
their way to work today or popped open social media this morning and then have
been hard at it and have been able to update you. Some names you
saw that were entering the portal this morning are not entering the portal, and
it wasn't like a last minute change of heart. It was literally one of
the more credible writers in the recruiting world just being wrong and you know,
owning it like you don't typically see I mean, just basically blaming it.
Yeah, I got duped. I listened to a bad source or something.
So quick break, we'll come back, keep it rolling along again at his
Coffee and Company. We are a few about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk
seven ninety so. We were talking earlier about the Javonte Porter, the situation
in the NBA where they're investigating if he was, you know, in on
people make money on his player props, and the more you the more that
they have they've learned about his His gambling habits is he does a lot.
So this has nothing to do with that. But a little quick gambling update,
if you will. As far as how things are going in Kentucky since
we now can bet on sports legally, hasn't even been a full year.
In fact, I think it actually is right around a year when it got
passed and we knew it was going to happen. But keep in mind this
didn't start till what the end of August. I think it was you could
do it in time for college football. Yeah, you could do it in
person right around the time the season started, but I don't think it was
till the end of September until it was able to be done on on online.
But yeah, it's it's crazy. Kentucky's already exceeded the first year tax
estimate in five months, so from September to February. This is not in
count This does not include March when everybody bet on We'll get those numbers later,
but when everybody was betting on college basketball, which I'm sure a lot
of people around here made many wagers on college hoops. But the online handle,
which just means the online amount of money that was wagered one point three
billion dollars in the state of Kentucky was wagered online, so the online revenue
from that as one hundred and sixty three point eight million, and the tax
generated from online sports wagering in the state of Kentucky from September to February is
twenty three point three million dollars. Now the retail meaning in person betting just
a lot different handle meaning just the amount wagered fifty seven point three million revenue
five point six million. The tax generated from retail wagers made in Kentucky from
that time September to February was five hundred and forty three thousand dollars and some
change. So, you know, it confirmed what we already knew, which
is that everybody ever, you know, everybody who's gonna wager will do it
from the comfort of their own wherever because they're going to do it on their
phone. Although I do think, I do think there is still something that,
you know, I think there's something that can be can be said about
the experience of wagering at a place. I mean, it's not he's easy
to do, right, but I like going to a sports book and having
a day. But you know that I'm not in a position where I can
do that a whole lot. But when I do, it's a lot of
fun, all right. So on the transfer portal stuff for football, we
talked about it throughout the show. For those just now joining us. Brandon
Marcelo, who is one of the one of the top I think he's one
of the top reporters writers that covers college football recruiting and transfers and just I
mean, he's not really somebody that's just recruiting or just portal. He kind
of does everything for the folks at twenty four to seven Sports. But right
now he's done something that you don't often see, which is completely admit that
he got something way wrong. And earlier this morning he listed about five players
that we're going to be in the portal for Louisville, and you know he
was wrong. I'm not gonna read you his direct tweet again, but to
see somebody come out and just say, hey, I called Jeff Brahm to
apologize. You know, I'm big on credibility. This was on me.
You deserve an explanation rather than just a deleted tweet. So good on him.
You know, I think he You know, it doesn't happen very often
for for well, it probably happens often, but I don't think you often
see a writer come out and just basically say they were duped and they were
they were wrong and make an apology. But either way, the guys that
are leaving Ruben Unjai probably not saying that correctly. That's a guy who transferred
from Houston on the old line and is now leaving. Jaden Davis, who
let me make sure I remember who. I mean, this is somebody I
don't want to act like these guys leaving you know who the hell needs them
or whatever. But yeah, Jade and Davis, let's see here. Is
that the name of the guy? Let me see here. I got my
names mixed up here. But I do you know the one name that everybody's
talked about more than anyone Else's Penny Boone? Who that is the Toledo transfer
from the Mac Who's all he was the Mac offensive player of the Year this
past year rush for I think over fourteen hundred yards at Toledo. Louisville landed
him over some other big schools in December. Never played it down for Louisville.
Obviously was here through the spring, and now he's leaving. And I
think a lot of things can be true here in regards to what happened.
One, if he's claiming it's because he wants more money and he didn't get
it, that could be true. I mean that's something only he would know
right as far as like what he wants as far as money. But I
do know that he was not leading the running backs in spring. But also
doesn't mean Louisville like is happy to see him leave. I think they want
depth and they like him a lot, but you know, he wasn't where
he wanted to be, so only he could truly give you the real reason
as to why he's leaving. But I don't know if I mean to me,
this could end up falling in one of the rare I mean, it's
actually not going to be that rare moving forward in my opinion. But like
somebody's in the portal and you want somebody to be mad at it, and
you want something that you want, you want to blame it on something or
somebody, And I don't really know who you blame it on, because you
know, if this guy wants more money and yet he can't end up getting
first or second on the depth chart in the spring, I don't know why
you would give him more money, right, And if he wants to leave
because you're not going to give him more money, then like what are you
gonna do? And if in fact, you know he feels as if he
was probably that he was misled again, that's only something he could he could
tell us. But the noise out there from random anonymous Twitter accounts at CFB
headlines or twenty four to seven Football, which again is not affiliated with twenty
four seven Sports, but they kind of want you to think that with their
Twitter handle. I mean, these are accounts that surprisingly are growing with thousands
upon thousands of followers. They buy the blue check and they don't have a
like if they don't even have like if you're if it's just a Twitter account
and there's no link to an actual entity or an organization, doesn't mean that
it's it's a it's a terrible Twitter account led by a terrible person, but
like it's not real. They're not someone who is legitimately, you know,
relied upon to share credible information. So I don't even know much about this
specific uh Twitter page, because I just I learned of it today. This
isn't one of the bigger ones either, by the way, uh John you
mentioned earlier, Like this isn't even one that like I've ever really seen before,
because there's a lot of them just like this, but this one is
uh let me see. CFB headlines is the name of it, and it
is running with screenshots that could easily be doctored, could easily be made up
that you know, that claim that Louisville's checks aren't clearing and they don't.
They don't have the money that they were, you know, know that they
claim to have when they're recruiting these players. And I mean, I have
no reason to think any of that is true. In fact, I have
good reason to believe that that's just a complete lie. Because nobody we shouldn't
say nobody, but the you know, the uh, the arrangement from the
from the collective, from what I understand, is not that you just get
paid a big chunk of money to come here. And I'm sure if you're
one of the elite players, maybe there is a certain arrangement made because if
you're somebody that is that is a big time portal edition, meaning you're costing
a lot of money, It's probably not done specifically through the collective. It's
probably done through somebody that is willing to put up some money to help or
make sure that you come to that school, rather that be a company or
just somebody that owns a company. So I don't know where that you know,
where that came from, but I do believe that you know, that's
just not true. But that's not to say that like anybody claiming like Louisville's
probably at some point going to lose players because they don't have the money that
another school has. Right, I think they can be really competitive. But
when it comes to who's who's gonna thrive with nil more than anyone else,
it's going to be the same programs that have thrived and dominated the sport since
the beginning, because that's how this works, right, The rich get richer
essentially. But Louisville, you know, they're in a unique spot to where
they could really take advantage of getting I mean they they could really thrive and
be a consistent top twenty caliber program in football. Kentucky can do the same
thing, to be honest with you, because there's gonna be guys coming out
of high school that go to Georgia, Bama, Michigan, Ohio State,
Texas, USC because that's where the elite high school kids go. And then
they're there for a year and you know what, they just can't crack second
string because they're going to a school that has all the players. And those
schools, by the way, you know, if you were a five star
and you know you cut your teeth as a red shirt freshman and you're looking
at a big jump the next year, well, those those that program you're
at. If they can go get a dude that's played three years in the
portal that is more ready than you and more proven, they're going to do
that. So if you can go get one of these guys that is that
is looking for a new opportunity because they just want to play, and you
also have nie all money that you can offer, you could be really good.
So you know, Jeff Brahm has continued to be able to bring in
players that actually are viewed as bigger additions than the guys they lost. Not
every time, I'm sure, but like that, I think he's he to
me, he has to me. He is somebody that is is just understood
that this is what it is. There's no changing it. So you know
what I'm gonna, You know, I'm gonna. I'm gonna just accept it
and do what I got to do to get players and try to win.
So there's already one running back that they've reached out to that could potentially replace
Penny Boone who's leaving, and that is a I mean, this would be
insane. But Dallas Hayden, a running back for Ohio State. As a
freshman, he had over five hundred yards five touchdowns and then only played three
games last year I think because of some injuries. But Louisville is believed to
be involved here. Apparently they've already been in contact, you know, so
that would be huge. Indiana's got a running back that is transferring. What's
his name again, John Trenton Holland. He has an interesting or he's had
an interesting last few months. So when the season ended, he jumped in
the transfer portal. He committed to Minnesota. After Signetty was hired, he
came back to Indiana, went through spring ball, and now he's back in
the transfer portal again. Yeah. I mean those are guys that that that's
not somebody you would think would be a high priority. But I think you
are looking to just build depth here and if you could get him, then
maybe they'll take him. And this is gonna sound I mean, this is
a really homer thing of me to say, but you know, to be
clear, I'm pretty transparent with you guys. I'm a big fan of Jeff
Brohm. He needs talent. Every coach needs talent to win actually at the
high level, and we saw at times, especially when you played USC in
that Bowl game, like they just got dudes that you don't have, like
those dudes who were sitting behind starters at USC, but they're at USC and
Louisville Secondary got exposed in that game, and there were some other spots where
clearly, you know, they just looked way where they looked elite compared to
the talent that you had. So you know, it matters. But I
also think one of the reasons that Jeff Brom is a really you know,
one of the things that makes Jeff Brom a very well respected coach and a
successful coach is that from an offensive standpoint, it's not just about personnel.
I mean, I don't want to say he can plug anybody in off the
street and they would have success. But you know what Louisville's offense, and
it's not just Louisville's offense. He's coached here one year. Brom's offense from
top to bottom. At Western Kentucky and at Purdue. You know, there
were guys that weren't I mean, look at what Charlie Bakers at his name,
not Charlie Baker, Charlie Charlie Jones, the receiver for Purdue. This,
yeah, I mean, he that's a guy who was not good where
he was previously. I don't think like it was in Iowa. I mean
he was fine at Iowa. He wasn't. I mean, you plug him
into Jeff Brohms offense and he's crushing it. I mean he was ended up
being like a third round draft pick. So you know, I'm not going
to you know, lose my mind over certain offensive players that leave. Now,
if you end up having to just rely on walk ons and guys who
were really good for you and thrived and were excellent they then choose to leave,
then clearly that would be that would be a head scratcher. But I
think if you've got talent and some you know, some you know, good
pieces to work with, and honestly we learned last year like Louisville's offense was
fine, but the weakness was its quarterback. And yet they still were able
to score a lot of points and be very effective offensively. And I think
more than anything, that speaks to how you know, imagine what Jeff could
have done if he had a quarterback that was better than the guy he had,
which you know, Plumber I took up for him more than I think
most because you know, he did his role like louisll was able to win
ten games, but I'm aware also that there were games that they easily could
have lost, and if they did, it would have trickly been put on
him, fair or not. That's just how and sometimes it would have probably
been fair. So I just wonder if we're ever gonna get to the point,
and I think we are slowly getting there, but I wonder when we're
ever going to realize that, like sometimes portal losses are going to happen and
you have no one you can blame. I mean, it's just part of
it now because it's still new, all right. Speaking of portal Kentucky football
just lost a big addition that they landed in the winner. We'll tell you
that is on the other side right here. On Sports Talk seven ninety so,
we talked about Pitty Boon, the Louisville well, he transferred from Toledo
to Louisville in December or January something like that, probably December, and now
he's leaving. And he was one of the top pieces for Louisville's portal class,
although he wasn't, you know, at the very top, but one
of Kentucky's top guys that they added early in the offseason is now transferring as
well as Raymond cottrell transfer from Texas A and m who transferred to Kentucky is
now back in the Portal. So not sure if that means, you know,
he's not good enough to play there so he's leaving or what it was.
But it's this is this of all the madness and just circus that is
the portal and free agency and all this stuff. The guys who leave in
December and then leave again in April, like that's really stupid. There's just
hate saying that there's gonna be something that can keep that from happening. I
hate saying that they shouldn't be able to But that is one aspect of this
that I wish the athletes were unable to do, is just go from one
place to the next in a few months time. Yeah, because it's I
mean again, I just think it comes down to the NCAA but have a
tough time legally telling the kids that they can't do that. But I mean
it's impact. I mean, it's that's three four months essentially, and now
some coaches again for better or worse, like they it's just it really makes
I've always said I have very little sympathy for coaches who have to make adjustments.
But like, that's just stupid and and there's nothing I mean, that's
just stupid and there's really nothing you can do about it, just like there's
no way that I mean, guess yeah, I'm sure that you can.
If you land in the right spot, it will benefit you. But hopping
around from place to place, it feels like more often than not, you're
you're not doing well in your football or basketball career. And look, you
said it perfectly right there, and it gives me a chance to kind of
jump right on and carry that even further. Because it's a cutthroat world.
Players or coaches know they got to get players, they got to win.
They need talent, they need talent. But there's no doubt about it.
If you transferre to somewhere mid season, and you know, mid mid year,
after your season ended, and you're transferring again four months later, no
matter how you slice it, that's a bad look on you. I Mean,
there are some exceptions where clearly you know maybe you were misled or maybe
you're transferring because you just simply know that you like you're you humbled. But
I mean that also isn't a good look that you like, you're running from
competition after spring, you know, So these guys will still get recruited because
everybody's going to try to have an edge and talent and all that stuff.
But I mean, I am surprised that there are this many guys that have
that have left. Like for example, Storm Duck was a North Carolina defensive
back. He transferred in December of twenty twenty two to Louisville. I'm sorry
to Penn State. Well then at Penn State, you know, I guess
he couldn't crack the depth charts, so he transferred Louisville. At Louisville,
he was not a guy that you really wanted to me. He made some
plays here and there, but like he was one of the guys that I
think, you know was an issue for you, right, Like not to
say he was a terrible player, but like you knew you needed to be
better at that spot. So you know, he probably saw that at Penn
State left there. So I mean, again, coaches are going to take
these kind of guys. But I would be willing to bet more often than
not the dudes who do this exact thing. It ain't money it's thinking they
were going to be a star somewhere and in the spring they got humbled.
I think that is more often than not why that happens. All right,
quick break, we'll come back here on. Actually, we're gonna take a
twenty one hour break. We'll be back tomorrow at three o'clock