WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:08.720 It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine 2 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:20.399 day. Now here's Nick coffee. All right, let's keep it rolling here 3 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:24.640 on this beautiful Thursday afternoon. I feel very confident that despite me being in 4 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:28.519 this dark cave of a studio for the last two hours, I feel confident 5 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:32.880 in saying that it is still very beautiful outside, which we're gonna finish strong. 6 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:36.640 But I can't wait to just be outside, get a beer, hit 7 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:40.799 the patio. I'm sure I'll have to, you know, play with the 8 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:44.960 kids outside, but you know what, it'll be great for everybody involved with 9 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:49.960 the family, So hopefully everybody else can enjoy a beautiful Thursday. And we 10 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:54.920 talked about it at the beginning of the show. The weather during this time 11 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:57.840 of the year. I mean it's a little inconsistent as we're fading out of 12 00:00:57.880 --> 00:01:00.280 winter and to spring. I mean technically it's spring yet it is right now, 13 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.320 we're almost a month into it. Okay, that's what I thought. 14 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:04.760 You know again, I you know, I thought we were we were there, 15 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:11.040 but we haven't had like very consistent weather, and maybe that's now about 16 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:15.000 to happen. But the best part about April. Is that when you do 17 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:18.719 get the warmer weather and it arrives this early by the time. When I 18 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:21.599 say warmer weather, I mean, you know, it's eighty five degrees outside, 19 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:23.840 I think, or at least it was early summer type wether. Yeah, 20 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:26.920 I mean eighty five degrees is hot, but there's no humidity because it's 21 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:30.879 April. And then when you get to like seven o'clock, probably earlier than 22 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:36.400 that, but like it's perfect outside. So the allergy is not good though, 23 00:01:36.519 --> 00:01:41.400 Like I just being outside in the evenings the last two nights, one 24 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:44.560 at my kid's baseball game, the other I was just outside playing with my 25 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:48.359 daughter and I come in side, and you know, look when I do 26 00:01:48.439 --> 00:01:51.000 go to the bathroom, look in the mirror. I do just tell right 27 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:56.879 away my eyeballs are completely like bloodshot with some you know, allergies used to 28 00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:59.560 be something I never had to worry about, even though we live in an 29 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:04.879 area where if you have allergy issues it's a nightmare. But the older I 30 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:07.960 get each year, it seems to get worse and worse. So I guess 31 00:02:07.960 --> 00:02:12.000 I should just you know, start taking allergy medicine. But I felt like 32 00:02:12.039 --> 00:02:15.199 a badass for years being able to say, oh yeah, allergies, no 33 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:19.599 problem here a week allergies can't get me, they can't bring me down. 34 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:22.599 And now the slowly but surely they're starting to, you know, become a 35 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:24.680 pain in the rear end. All Right, it is Coffee and Company. 36 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:28.439 Fiel buth Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety Nick Coffee. That's me the 37 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:31.400 company man, mister John Alden alongside today very busy show. So we'll start 38 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:37.159 with the breaking news within I guess an hour or so. Ree Shepherd is 39 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.599 going to go to the NBA and he's going to forego his college eligibility, 40 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:45.960 which essentially is him letting. Because now there's a way in which you can 41 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:50.639 go through the process with an agent and still come back. So it used 42 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:53.199 to be where if you mentioned that you're hiring an agent, that meant you 43 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:55.199 were done. You cannot have an agent. You can have representation and still 44 00:02:55.240 --> 00:03:00.599 maintain your eligibility. Well, NAA has no really, they don't mean these 45 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:05.719 kids have agents now that are transferring. They're represented by agents. So he's 46 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:07.520 not coming back, no surprise. He's viewed as a top five pick, 47 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:12.879 potentially a top three pick. So I don't get the sense that many Kentucky 48 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:15.840 fans thought it was realistic that he would come back. But if you did, 49 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:20.479 now you know that he's not. And we'll get back into Kentucky coming 50 00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:23.960 up a little later on, because it sounds like there's a better you know, 51 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:28.879 there seems to be a better idea as far as who Mark Pope is 52 00:03:28.919 --> 00:03:30.800 targeting here to try to get the first few pieces for their roster. But 53 00:03:30.840 --> 00:03:34.759 on the Louisville side, you know, I think they're off to a really 54 00:03:34.759 --> 00:03:37.599 good start. It's just they have a lot more spots to fill because they're 55 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:39.280 replacing an entire team. So Pat Kelsey, as you know, brought two 56 00:03:39.319 --> 00:03:44.800 guys from Charleston with him, Rain Smith and then the other young man who 57 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:47.560 followed him. I always forget his name. Drives me crazy. And this 58 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:53.879 isn't just like you know, this isn't just me no longer being good with 59 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:57.560 names, like I literally just forget this guy's name, you know all together. 60 00:03:57.719 --> 00:03:59.879 James Scott is his name, which is very easy. It's an easy 61 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:02.000 to remember, right, James Scott. That's probably why though it's so common, 62 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:04.800 that's like it would be somebody's name on the roster that makes sense. 63 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:10.319 So he brought those two guys with him. Charleston James Edwards Fats as they 64 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:13.599 call him. He committed a few weeks ago from James Madison, he was 65 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:15.839 the Sun Belt Player of the Year, and then earlier this week, Javon 66 00:04:15.920 --> 00:04:20.040 Hadley, the Colorado transfer, he committed. So so far, I mean, 67 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:24.079 I think they're moving at a pretty good pace and even when they do 68 00:04:24.199 --> 00:04:27.480 in fact, you know, I mean, they've got a lot of guys 69 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:30.319 that I mean, they're recruiting a lot of players right now, a lot, 70 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:31.279 and they're not going to get all of them. And we saw that 71 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:36.199 earlier because Dante Maddox, the transfer from Toledo, he visited Louisville, visited 72 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:40.519 Illinois, visited Xavier, and he ended up choosing Xavier. I don't know 73 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:44.959 as to why Louisville, you know, didn't get him, but for what 74 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:48.120 it's worth, there is a visitors set up. Coran Johnson, the guy 75 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:51.439 we talked about yesterday from Washington. We'll see what happens, but he is 76 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:57.319 somebody that will visit this weekend, and everybody who does the recruiting predictions expects 77 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:01.399 him to visit or I'm sorry to commit, so that maybe I don't know. 78 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:03.560 I mean, I'm not trying to do like the excuse thing, but 79 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:08.480 you know, maybe I guess there's a chance that Maddox saw that and felt 80 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:13.959 like he would be better off going to Xavier where he could play alongside you 81 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:17.480 know, the young man from Western Kentucky who transferred there. The hell's his 82 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:25.959 name? The name thing is literally becoming like an issue for me because this 83 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:29.639 is somebody I've talked about a bunch. Is Dave McKnight, Yeah, Davian 84 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:34.199 mknight. Like I anytime I'm on the radio and I think to remember a 85 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:40.120 name, I just block out, Like I have a mental block. What's 86 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:43.120 your name again? Company man? Is it John? It is John? 87 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:48.279 John? So anyways, it's uh, it's it's never ending as far as 88 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:51.800 keeping up with new names in the portal and visits and all that kind of 89 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:56.639 stuff. But there were visitors visiting today. Maybe the visit's still going on 90 00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:00.360 as we speak. At Louisville, obviously, Jaden Quanton's Jane Quainton is the 91 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:03.399 big name, a top ten player who was committed to Kentucky de committed after 92 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:06.399 Cali Perry left for Arkansas, and his first visit is to Louisville and he's 93 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:10.600 visiting right now. I still think all signs point to him going to Arkansas, 94 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:15.279 but we shall see a Louisville, as I mentioned earlier, looked like 95 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.279 they could get a commitment before the show ended. That happened. So a 96 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:25.279 Lee Khalifa, the transfer from BYU, has committed to play for Louisville and 97 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:31.759 Pat Kelcey six' eleven big who again, like, I gotta watch this guy 98 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:36.519 play for any of the for me to make any sense of his stats, 99 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:42.199 because you know, he's a seven foot or six eleven, I should say, 100 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:46.959 and he weighs two hundred and seventy pounds, and I just don't even 101 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:49.959 know what it would look like to see a player in twenty minutes per game. 102 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:55.800 I guess nineteen minutes per game have this stat line five point seven points, 103 00:06:55.879 --> 00:07:00.879 three point seven rebounds, shot thirty one point five percent I'm sorry, 104 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:03.839 shut thirty eight zero point six percent from the floor as a as a seven 105 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:09.439 footer, but averaged four assists per game in those nineteen minutes. So just 106 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:13.240 looking at highlights here, he looks like a guy who can who can pass 107 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:15.560 it. You know, he's a guy that they clearly they pull him away 108 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:18.519 from the rim, and he's a threat to knock down threes, but you 109 00:07:18.519 --> 00:07:21.160 know, he didn't shoot a good percentage. He shot thirty one percent from 110 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:25.360 three. But he's also somebody that you know is a really good passer, 111 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:29.480 you know, and you need that. So I'm not gonna act like this 112 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:31.759 is a huge git, because you know it's not. This guy will not 113 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:38.519 rank very high in the in the portal rankings, but you have to keep 114 00:07:38.519 --> 00:07:41.319 this in mind. Louisville is not looking for three, four, maybe five 115 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:46.399 guys to really finalize their roster and on paper have something they feel could be 116 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:50.000 special. They're looking to build an entire team that also includes role players, 117 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:55.160 guys that you know know that they're going to be reserves, and heck, 118 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:59.079 there maybe games where they rarely even get off the bench. So I can't 119 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.199 imagine that that won't be the kind of role that Khalifa will have. But 120 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:05.920 we'll see. You never know, maybe he ends up being super productive at 121 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:11.439 Louisville. But I would also keep in mind that, knowing his role at 122 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:15.399 BYU was what it was, I doubt he is looking at Louisville as a 123 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:18.040 spot where he could, you know, go from playing nineteen minutes to playing 124 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:24.439 thirty four minutes per game. So that's another roster spot taken. And again 125 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:30.800 it's not a big name that you're gonna hear fans claim is gonna get us 126 00:08:30.839 --> 00:08:35.000 back to prominence. But again, you need every roster spot filled. You 127 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:37.840 have nobody coming back, and it's you know, the guy, you know, 128 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:43.000 having a big that could pass it and step away from the rim and 129 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:46.639 really, you know, do some things for your offense, set some guys 130 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:50.879 up. You know, that's there's value there. But what you're gonna see 131 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:56.000 Louisville fans mentioned when they talk about this commitment is that he committed to Louisville 132 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:03.440 instead of instead of you know, BYU. I'm sorry, Kentucky, I 133 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:07.000 keep saying BYU because he's transferred from BYU. He played for Mark Pope's That's 134 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:09.879 kind of the story here, right, Like, the only reason that this 135 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:16.080 guy was really talked about as far as a transfer is because he hit the 136 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:20.200 portal and he listed three schools Kentucky, Louisville, and BYU, meaning he 137 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:24.960 could return to BYU. And everything on the surface made it look as if 138 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.799 this guy was trying to give Mark Pope his first recruiting win. Right, 139 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:33.039 he was going to, you know, act like Louisville wanted him, and 140 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:37.480 then commit to Kentucky and it'll be all Pat Kelsey taking his first l to 141 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:43.639 Mark Pope. Well, on the other end, maybe you know, Louisville 142 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:46.279 fans are going to claim that they couldn't even get be. They couldn't even 143 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.279 Mark Pope couldn't even get one of his own players to follow him to Kentucky. 144 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:52.399 He went to the rival. That must mean Mark Pope sucks. It 145 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:54.879 wouldn't shock me if Mark Pope really wasn't pursuing this guy. I don't know 146 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:58.399 that for sure, but you know, I think Mark Pope is traveling across 147 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:03.480 the country, this young man who's visited, who visited Louisville and committed today 148 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:07.799 Ali Khalifa. You know he he didn't have a visit schedule to Kentucky that 149 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:13.120 I know of, So maybe that's what it is. But hey, he 150 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:16.279 he's instantly earned some points in my book, which again have no value for 151 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:18.919 him. But if he really did do this to kind of conspire to, 152 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:26.240 you know, troll Kentucky fans as he's about to join the program that that 153 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:31.559 their rivals with, then you know, I can respect that. So his 154 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:37.159 numbers again, I keep mentioning his numbers from from this past season, but 155 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:41.440 the year before he played a lot more minutes and he averaged let me see 156 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:46.000 here, I think let me pull it up here, because yeah, he 157 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:48.720 before a BYU, he was at Charlotte, and at Charlotte he was better. 158 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:52.879 I mean, he had better numbers. He averaged roughly twelve points a 159 00:10:52.919 --> 00:11:03.440 game, six rebounds, well yeah, uh two point seven and started every 160 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:05.879 game. So you know he was more productive at that lower level, which 161 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:09.000 is Charlotte, and then at BYU. You know, he had a kind 162 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:13.679 of a minor role. And I mean, would you even call that productive? 163 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:18.080 Because again, I'm just I'm not kidding you his stat I can't make 164 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:22.000 sense of his stat line. If you have that many assists as a big 165 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:24.600 man in nineteen minutes, that's productive, right, That's definitely productive. It's 166 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:28.480 just not what you would expect out of somebody of his stature. But it's 167 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:33.320 only productive in that specific spot. Everything else It's like, huh, in 168 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:39.200 nineteen minutes and you only had three rebounds and you're seven foot tall, so 169 00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:43.799 you know. Anyways, I'm viewing this as not a huge piece that changes 170 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:48.799 everything. But again I talked about it early on when we knew that Pat 171 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.039 Kelsey was probably gonna have to build an entire roster that it's going to be 172 00:11:52.120 --> 00:11:56.759 difficult to get guys like Khalifa. And what I mean by that is not 173 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:01.159 seven footers. I mean guys that are well or or moving to a different 174 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:05.000 school and are fine with maybe even having a smaller role than they had at 175 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:09.279 their prior school. Because usually I mean if you see if you see a 176 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:13.759 guy with that stat line and you see he's transferring, I think you would, 177 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:16.480 especially knowing that he started his career at Charlotte, you would think that 178 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:18.799 he's moving back down to where he can play more minutes and have more production. 179 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:24.919 But he's coming to Louisville. So again there's more visitors coming coming to 180 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:28.919 town tomorrow and the weekend and all that. So we'll get into that on 181 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:31.440 tomorrow's show, and we've talked about it throughout the week. But when it 182 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:39.120 comes to UH the visitors today, it's UH acquaintance and Khalifa, and so 183 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:43.200 far Khalifa is is in the mix. All right. Some other news that 184 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:46.279 that that we did be talking, Yeah, we talked about reed Shepherd and 185 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:48.679 he's move. He's going pro as I mentioned for those just not joining us, 186 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:50.080 which is not a real shock, but one of the things I mentioned 187 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.759 at the beginning of the show that I wanted that I want to reset here 188 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:56.320 because you know, Kentucky fans, they're not panicking at least that I can 189 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:58.759 tell, and if they are, they're doing it in silence like their in 190 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:03.720 turn only kind of worried, and I can't speak to if they're worried or 191 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:13.240 not at all. But wait a second, here some breaking news on Khalifa. 192 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:20.000 So apparently Khalifa is going to red shirt this upcoming season. Interesting. 193 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:30.799 I don't know if it's because he's coming off of an injury or yeah, 194 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:35.919 yeah, he has a knee issue according to Jeff Goodman. So that that 195 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:39.840 that makes it to where you don't even have to worry about him being on 196 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:43.279 the floor, right if you were worried about it, and maybe you know, 197 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:48.120 with when healthy, he could be more productive. And if he's red 198 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:54.279 shirting, I'm curious will he practice like you see having a knee operation, 199 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:58.080 because if anything, you just need dudes that can help you in practice, 200 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:01.720 just bodies that can give you a realistic look when you play teams. So 201 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:09.039 anyways, back to the Kentucky side of things. Right now, Mark Pope 202 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:13.960 has at least started conversations with Liam McNeely, who is probably one of the 203 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:16.639 best available. At one point he was the very best available player left in 204 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:20.120 the twenty twenty four class after he decommitted from Indiana. Well, then all 205 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:22.919 of the Kentucky kids decommitted and it changed a little bit, but he's still 206 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:26.039 a top fifteen, top twenty player that everybody would want. And I have 207 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:33.120 not heard anything about which schools are likely to land him, but Mark Pope 208 00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:35.320 has at least had a conversation with him. As far as what that conversation 209 00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:39.440 is, I don't know, but that would be that would be kind of 210 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:41.320 a statement get for Pope, would it not, Yeah, for sure. 211 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:46.960 And his Liam mcneely's process has been interesting because once he decommitted, you know 212 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.639 why he decommitted from Indiana, No, and that's part of it. He's 213 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:52.559 been so quiet since then. A lot of people thought he was just going 214 00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:54.960 to commit to Kansas pretty shortly afterwards, and that hasn't happened obviously, but 215 00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:00.320 it's been nearly I guess over a month now since that happened, he hasn't 216 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:01.799 made any sort of decision, which is odd to me. Yeah, I 217 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:05.399 mean he's got options, so I don't know if it's an nil thing or 218 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:11.679 what it is. But also Cali Perry, I'm just seeing this now from 219 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:18.519 one of the Arkansas writers. He's visiting with Liam McNeely too, and that 220 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:20.559 I'm glad that I just saw that because that's actually the direction I wanted to 221 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:28.960 go in because Cali Perry, I mean, he he's going to get big 222 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:33.519 time recruits. He's going to probably get some big time transfers now because the 223 00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:39.000 money situation is in a good spot within IL And as we discussed earlier, 224 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:43.519 this is actually something that I'm surprised that it hasn't got more attention, maybe 225 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:48.960 because it's coming from Trullie Donovan and not a known outlet, but Jerry Jones 226 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:54.519 of course, Dallas Cowboys owner. He's a big time Arkansas supporter from Arkansas. 227 00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:58.919 You don't see him attached to the program like you see, you know, 228 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:03.360 McConaughey with Texas, but like it's a known thing that he's an Arkansas 229 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:07.399 supporter and he's given them money over the years. But he says that he 230 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:11.159 is offering to double whatever the Kentucky commits we're making if they follow Cal to 231 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:19.320 Arkansas. So apparently he also financially helped out with the Cali Perry situation alongside 232 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:26.240 the Tyson Chicken guy. So like that's the kind of stuff that Cali Perry 233 00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:32.600 can do that most can't. Cali Perry is the master of flash and sizzle, 234 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:37.519 and he's a big figure within the world of college basketball. So Jerry 235 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.559 Jones, I mean, yeah, he sees Cali Perry come into Arkansas and 236 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:45.720 the attention that it gets and how excited Arkansas fans are, and it gets 237 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.279 him excited because he's a fan, so he wants to throw money at it 238 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:52.519 and Cal doing stuff. I mean, Cal is somebody that moves the needle 239 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:56.919 in college basketball in a major way. And he's going to continue, I 240 00:16:56.919 --> 00:16:59.480 think, to stay in the spotlight, especially now because he's at a new 241 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:02.960 school. Right like it had kind of becomes stale Cali Perry. You know, 242 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:06.119 he'd been getting top ten top I mean he beginning, he'd been getting 243 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:08.519 the top classes every year in college basketball, and they were always good for 244 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:12.559 the most part. But you know, lately it'd become where it'd become the 245 00:17:14.359 --> 00:17:17.240 it had become a situation where everybody just knew he was probably gonna lose early 246 00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:19.960 in the tournament. Well, now he's at Arkansas, he's probably gonna start 247 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:22.839 getting a bunch of players. He's got Jerry Jones, the owner of the 248 00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:29.599 Cowboys, wanting to throw money at anil to help. And it's just he's 249 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:32.799 going very much gonna be in the limelight, whereas Mark Pope is the exact 250 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:34.960 opposite. And that's not a bad thing. I'm just curious to see how 251 00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:40.839 Kentucky fans deal with the drastic difference that you're you're gonna see as far as 252 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:45.279 brand, Arkansas's brand is going to be more visible, it's going to be 253 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:49.440 more known. It's gonna have more momentum than it's had in a long long 254 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.720 time. Now will that result in results and wins next year? I don't 255 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:56.519 know who knows, But that's what Cal was the master of winning the offseason 256 00:17:56.839 --> 00:18:03.319 every year because he's a hype machine. When he says things and he makes 257 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:07.200 statements and he does the Cal stuff like it gets it moves the needle. 258 00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:10.720 And that's going to happen in Arkansas, probably even more so than it did 259 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:15.119 at Kentucky recently, because it's mentioned it's new and who knows, maybe next 260 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.319 year Mark Pope's got a really good team and cal sucks. I mean, 261 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:21.799 I doubt that's the case, but I just think it's going to be almost 262 00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:27.640 impossible for Kentucky fans to not find themselves comparing Mark Pope to Cali Perry, 263 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:30.240 and I get it. I would be doing the same thing if I was 264 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:33.880 somebody that was a fan of Kentucky and that was the coach for fourteen years. 265 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:37.960 It's almost human nature. So I think they're well aware it's going to 266 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:41.319 be different, and they're excited about the differences that are going to make them 267 00:18:41.319 --> 00:18:45.079 feel better about their program. Where Mark Pope is clearly going to be more 268 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:49.119 of a Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky, where Caliperry his brand at Kentucky was Cali Perry, 269 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.960 right. I mean, he never seemed to really understand that. One 270 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:56.680 of the reasons he was able to sell and really kind of climbed to the 271 00:18:56.680 --> 00:19:00.720 top of college basketball at Kentucky was because one, it's a great recruiter, 272 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:03.559 always has been. He's a he's a really I mean, he's he's got 273 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:07.559 a powerful presence, right, larger than life kind of guyler, larger than 274 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:14.119 life figure. But he also was selling Kentucky. So it's quite too early 275 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.359 to know how things will work out with Mark Pope. But I just think, 276 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:21.160 you know, for example, Leam McNeely, now like if he comes, 277 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:25.559 if it comes down to where he's considering Kentucky and Arkansas, and we 278 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:29.960 know Jeremy Roach is considering those two maybe with Saint John's Like, there's no 279 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:33.559 way a Kentucky fan could tell you that they realistically believe and expect Mark Pope 280 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:37.839 would get those wins in recruiting battles over Cal Perry. And then if they 281 00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:41.960 don't, meaning like they go to Arkansas, both of them somehow, I 282 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:45.359 just I it won't sit well with them. I'm here for it because I 283 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:49.400 think that it'll be a complex and I mean, yeah, I would enjoy 284 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:52.880 seeing that happen, but I mean I get it, like this is just 285 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:56.720 the dynamic. Here's weird. Cal didn't just ride off into the sunset, 286 00:19:56.759 --> 00:19:59.839 go to the NBA or go to a school that you know he didn't get 287 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:02.559 five. He left for Arkansas. But again, it was because he knew 288 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:04.559 he needed to leave. It did run its course, but now he's a 289 00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:10.000 direct competitor, and he's gonna be petty. He's going to I mean, 290 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:14.960 he's gonna if he hears Mark Pope called some dude cali Perry's calling him on 291 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:18.079 the other line. Is that a thing like other line? Like we don't 292 00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:21.400 have one line. I feel like I just talked about phones, like we're 293 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:23.880 in the nineteen nineties, Like it's one of those camp phones or whatever. 294 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:26.000 Yeah, something like that. So what's like a break? Keep it rolling 295 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:30.880 along? Pat Kelsey talked earlier today at an event filling in for John Caliperry, 296 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.960 who was scheduled to be the speaker. Of course, he's not here 297 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:37.680 anymore. And anytime Pat Kelsey sees an opportunity to get in front of a 298 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:41.720 crowd and do his thing, it seems like he's going to thrive in that 299 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.599 spot, and I think he did today. I've got more sound from that 300 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:47.319 to share with you. We shared a little bit of it earlier, but 301 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:48.839 there's more that I'll share on the other side. Stick with us right here 302 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:53.200 on Sports Talk seven ninety. We got Aaron Torres the Fox Sports Radio going 303 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:55.960 to join us in just a secondent, I do want to let you guys 304 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:59.920 hear this clip of Pat Kelsey speaking earlier today at a Cosair children's event, 305 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:02.519 filling in for Caliperi, who is the keynote speaker, who, of course 306 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:06.799 you know, has left Kentucky. But this is some of what he had 307 00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:10.799 to say. And again, I think if you are not a fan, 308 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:15.279 or if you're already, this will probably make you feel justified in your love 309 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:17.720 for Pat Kelsey. I mean, he hadn't coached a game yet, but 310 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:19.559 when it comes to this talking in front of a crowd, he's pretty good 311 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:23.640 at it. Even though the business has gone to a version of professional sports, 312 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:29.880 I still believe that the young men that I coach and that I bring 313 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:34.000 into this program, that at that stage of their life nineteen twenty twenty one, 314 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:37.480 twenty two, twenty three years older, still formative years of their life. 315 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:42.079 And it is very very important to me that obviously, first and foremost 316 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:48.519 right talented individuals that fit our system, that are about the right ideals, 317 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:52.079 that have toughness, that have competitiveness, that have basketball IQ, that make 318 00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:57.440 people around it better and are adaptable. But we still talk about the ABCS, 319 00:21:57.519 --> 00:22:02.720 whether I'm talking to four hundred children at a basketball camp, or I'm 320 00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:07.960 talking to twenty two to twenty three year old high level players with NBA aspirations. 321 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:15.000 It's always about the ABC's academic basketball character, academics, basketball character, 322 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:19.680 academics basketball character. That piece of paper from the University of Louisville will feed 323 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:22.559 their family and open up doors for the rest of their life. The ball 324 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:27.480 will stop bouncing. That is always one of our major priorities to be is 325 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:33.960 basketball. I want people that are passionate about their craft. We call it 326 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:37.319 hoop dudes. And if I'm talking to a group of children and I say 327 00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:41.759 ABC's academics basketball character, and the four hundred kids at that basketball camp, 328 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:45.240 there might be fifty that are really really passionate about basketball. The other ones 329 00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:49.640 are going there to do something fun. And that's fine. My little girl 330 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:53.559 Caroline and Ruthie went to my camp all year all their lives. You know 331 00:22:53.599 --> 00:23:00.359 what, They're not that passionate about basketball. But be passionate about something something. 332 00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:03.680 I don't care if it's a musical instrument, I don't care, if 333 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:08.240 it's dancing, I don't care if it's science, but be past I love 334 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:14.440 passionate people. And when we say basketball, it's guys that get there early 335 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:18.559 and stay late, care about their craft right, pour into the details of 336 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:22.599 their game. The see is character, right, ABC. A character is 337 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:26.839 guys that are about winning first and foremost. You give them yourself for the 338 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:30.519 good of the team. You're willing to sacrifice for the guy next to you. 339 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:37.519 You know that was courtesy of Tyler Griever WDRB. Which look, I 340 00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:41.160 know he hasn't coached a game yet and he's still putting together a roster. 341 00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:44.599 But the box that need to be checked, you know, engaging fans and 342 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:48.720 giving us some life and you know, using the platform rather it be an 343 00:23:48.759 --> 00:23:52.039 interview on a radio show, a TV show or speaking in an event like 344 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:55.599 he did today. Uh, he's injected some life in his fan base and 345 00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:59.279 man, it was missing in a major way. You know who else has 346 00:23:59.319 --> 00:24:00.240 been missing on the show show in a major way? Is the one the 347 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:04.039 only mister Aaron Torres of Fox Sports Radio who's a passionate guy about his craft. 348 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:07.279 Are you ready to run through a brick wall? Could you hear that? 349 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:11.440 Well, here's the problem he's talking about the wrong. ABC's where I 350 00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:18.519 come from. ABC is always be closing and I bought my boy Pat kelcey 351 00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:22.279 knowing that I was coming on with you today saying, you know what, 352 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:26.680 we're gonna take this commit from Ali Khalifa. Big Blue Nations go to claim 353 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:32.319 that we never wanted him anyway. ABC is always be closing Nick coffee and 354 00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:36.200 we got a new car to talk about, man we do and the what 355 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:41.599 are your early impressions of Pat Kelsey, because I've got you know, you 356 00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:45.200 know a lot of people in college basketball as far as just coaches here and 357 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:48.079 there and just connects that you've made throughout your your career, and I've not 358 00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:52.720 heard anybody say anything bad about him. In fact, everybody's been consistent that 359 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:55.920 does speak of him just because he's a high energy. He's a high energy 360 00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:59.000 guy that it's something you remember when you do meet him, just because he's 361 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:00.680 he's always on. But there's a lot of folks that just really don't know 362 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:03.440 a lot about him, didn't know much of him. What you know, 363 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:07.680 obviously he's done a good job thus far getting some players, But you know, 364 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:10.519 from who you've talked to, what have you heard about Pat as a 365 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:12.960 guy and a coach? Yeah, bluntly, Nick, you know, he's 366 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:17.200 a guy that I don't know a lot about either. I mean, but 367 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:18.559 but I think a couple of things, you know, and I'll equate it 368 00:25:18.599 --> 00:25:25.039 to this after Yukon won second straight national championship and I'm not bringing it up 369 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:29.720 and I'm seriously now, I was talking to Yukon Da d Day Benedict on 370 00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:33.200 the floor in Phoenix, you know, about two weeks ago now, and 371 00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:34.880 I said, what did you see in Dan Hurley? And he said, 372 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:37.720 you know what, Aaron he goes. Guy has won everywhere he went. 373 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:41.160 Dan Hurley won in high school, he won at the low major level, 374 00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:44.559 the high major level, whatever, Rhode Island, et cetera. And Pat 375 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:48.559 Kelsey I don't know anything about him. But when you win consistently, it 376 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:53.960 went through them, and then you immediately go to h to Charleston and win 377 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:57.519 there. There is clearly a blueprint that is in place that works for you 378 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:02.200 and has a proven track record. So that's one but set. What has 379 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:04.559 really impressed me Nick just watching from a distance, and it's really all kind 380 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:08.559 of come out the last week or so. I really respect that. Right 381 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:14.880 now, Jaden Quaintance is on campus. I don't know if Louisville will get 382 00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:19.519 him. I'm not in tune with his recruitment. I do know also that 383 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:25.119 you know, there's a belief in basketball circles that Boogie flanned another five star, 384 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:30.160 that Louisville is pursuing him as much as anybody outside of Arkansas, where 385 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:33.720 he obviously has ties to the new coaching staff there. And what I respect 386 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:37.279 about Pat Kelcey, and I do think it's something that was lacking from the 387 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:41.319 previous regime, is he's sitting there saying, I'm coaching the University of Louisville. 388 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:45.519 I'm coaching in the ACC at a program that has won three national championships. 389 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:51.119 Every player in America should want to play for me and play for this 390 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:52.799 school. And I don't know if he's going to get him, but I 391 00:26:52.839 --> 00:26:59.960 don't think there should be a fear I think there should be a entitlement almost 392 00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:03.279 of this is Louisville. You should want to come play here. We're going 393 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:06.839 to give you every resource imaginable to get for you to chase your dreams and 394 00:27:06.839 --> 00:27:10.240 have success. And so those are my first impressions. But I just love 395 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:15.599 the way that he is attacking recruiting fearlessly and using all of the benefits of 396 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:19.319 Louisville to his advantage and saying this is a place every player in America should 397 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:25.079 want to complain for. Now, what do you think of Mark Pope as 398 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:26.799 far as you know, obviously we know he's the guy now and I know 399 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:32.279 you're you're familiar with what he did at BYU, But were you expecting to 400 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:34.920 see the Kentucky fans kind of one show up the way they did on Sunday 401 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:38.279 and at least within the first you know, forty eight hours and I assume 402 00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:41.039 they're all still in they're getting Nancy because you know, they don't have a 403 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:44.920 team yet, which is understandable. He got he just got the job essentially 404 00:27:44.920 --> 00:27:47.920 a few days ago. But were you expecting them to make such a shift 405 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:51.640 and such a turn from thinking it was the worst move ever in the history 406 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:55.400 of the program to being completely all in and you know, completely filling the 407 00:27:55.440 --> 00:28:00.000 arena for him to you know, be introduced as the coach. So I'm 408 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:03.039 I'm not surprised. I'll tell you what actually did surprise me was the initial 409 00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:06.200 reaction is, you know, listen, and this goes for Louisville fans as 410 00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:11.680 well. Kentucky fans are very passionate, but they're very knowledgeable basketball fan base, 411 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:15.079 and I was surprised at the number of people that only looked at the 412 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:19.799 two NCAA tournament appearances, zero NCAA tournament wins, and listen if it was 413 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:25.920 Mark Pope, you know, yukon grad or Mark Pope BYU read that's different 414 00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:29.640 than being a guy that has been in Kentucky, that knows this program, 415 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:33.880 that knows the expectations. So I was actually a little surprised by the initial 416 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:37.119 response. It was funny, I do a show every Thursday night, and 417 00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:41.200 the news kind of broke after my show, and I'm kind of grateful that 418 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:45.200 I didn't have a show that night because it would have been basically a therapy 419 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:48.960 session. So I was a little surprised. I wasn't surprised that once they 420 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.640 did a little homework, realizing the challenges that we had to overcome, it 421 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:56.400 BYU with the honor code and all that, and then just seeing the style 422 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:00.880 of play that they got on board pretty quick, especially because he's obviously a 423 00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:03.839 uk guy. So that part actually did surprise me. The part that surprised 424 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:10.039 me was more the the initial reaction. But obviously to your point, Nick, 425 00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:14.079 now it's about getting to work because hack Kelsey's making moves. You know, 426 00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:17.319 cal Perry's got a few tricks up his sleeve, whether Kentucky fans won 427 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:21.079 admitute or not. And if you're Mark Pope, listen, you don't have 428 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:23.000 to sign it. To quote John cal Perry. You know, John Calperry 429 00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:26.160 said, you don't have to make every shot, but you can't miss them 430 00:29:26.200 --> 00:29:27.920 all. It's like Mark Pope, you don't have to sign every five star. 431 00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:32.359 But we need to kind of see what the plan is here over the 432 00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:34.559 next couple of days. Obviously one to two players on the roster, obviously 433 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:38.359 assuming Travis Perry is going to be there along with Colin Chandler. But Mark 434 00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:42.400 Pope obviously has a lot of work to do. Not surprised by the initial 435 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:45.599 reaction, but now it's time to get to work for Mark pol So, 436 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:48.440 who do you I mean, who could you see being the first edition that 437 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:52.880 is you know, substantial to where it's not just another player because they need 438 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:56.119 a lot of them. You know, Louisville's building an entire roster, and 439 00:29:56.160 --> 00:30:00.279 so is Kentucky. But maybe one that would get some attention across us the 440 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:03.039 country that you know wouldn't be maybe the guy call because Calup, there's nobody 441 00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:07.799 that no matter who they hired, they weren't going to have the recruiting ranking 442 00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:10.480 credit that cal Perry has. I mean, the guy had the number one 443 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.640 class just about every year, and if he didn't have that, he had 444 00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:15.279 number two, and I think once he had the third rank class. So 445 00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:18.839 they knew whoever was taken over would not be that kind of recruiter. But 446 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:21.480 is there somebody that you believe they're in the mix with that they could end 447 00:30:21.559 --> 00:30:22.960 up getting. That would put maybe their fan base at a little bit of 448 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:26.480 ease, just knowing that, hey, this guy isn't cal As a recruiter, 449 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:32.079 but he's also somebody that can go get talented players. Yeah, I 450 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:34.119 mean I could start naming names, Nick. I just think it's hard to 451 00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:37.960 speculate because obviously Mark Pope doesn't even really have a staff right now. Now. 452 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:41.200 You know, obviously there's there's yeah, there's you know, reports about 453 00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:45.279 Antigue Wo potentially staying all this and that. But I just bring it up 454 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:48.759 because it's it's hard to say without knowing, Like we don't even know who 455 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:51.079 the assistant coaches are going to be. So yeah, I think there are 456 00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:53.359 names you know, I think if if Mark Pope can get you know, 457 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:57.359 Jackson Robinson, who's a very good college basketball player out of the PA Draft, 458 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:00.400 bring him to Kentucky. I was the guy that average fourteen to fifteen 459 00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:04.640 points a game in the Big Twelve last year. I think that obviously sends 460 00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:08.759 the right message. You know, I've seen some buzz on Leah McNeely, 461 00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:12.880 who of course was the five star McDonald's All American that's actually set to visit 462 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:18.039 Yukon next week. It feels to me like it's a little too late in 463 00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:19.799 the process to get involved. But listen, I think that would be a 464 00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:22.920 huge statement if he could. And then the last thing I would say is 465 00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:26.359 obviously, look, I mean, I think if you can convince some of 466 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:30.039 those cal commitments that hey, Kentucky is still the best place for you, 467 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:33.799 even under a new coaching staff, I think that'd be a heck of a 468 00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:37.480 statement. But it just seems like from a distance, those guys aren't his 469 00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:41.039 priority. No disrespect to again, Jayden Klayton, so I know is on 470 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:45.200 campus right now at Louisville to a boogie planers. Not saying they're bad players, 471 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:48.960 but that just doesn't seem to be a priority for Mark Pope. So 472 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:52.440 because of it, like I said, it's just hard because we don't even 473 00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:56.319 know what the coaching staff is right now to really speculate on what recruits have 474 00:31:56.440 --> 00:32:00.240 really moved the needle. Yeah, and I think they know that it's going 475 00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:02.400 to be a lot different and Cal's gonna be very you know, Cal's just 476 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:06.319 and this is where I wanted to shift to Cal because you know, he's 477 00:32:06.359 --> 00:32:09.680 he's a figure within the sport really unlike anybody else. He's just different and 478 00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:15.680 he's he's flash and sizzle. He's won the off season every year because that's 479 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:17.640 just what he does. He'll go load up a roster, he'll talk is 480 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:22.759 junk and you know, and usually they're pretty good. Now lately they've become 481 00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:25.240 a team. When he was there Kentucky where they flamed out on the tournament, 482 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:30.160 But he's going to do that at Arkansas, and because it's new and 483 00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:32.279 because he's re energized, it's probably gonna be a bigger deal than it has 484 00:32:32.359 --> 00:32:36.119 been in Kentucky in a few years. Because you got Jerry Jones wanted to 485 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:38.440 put up money to help. I mean, he's he's gonna want to stick 486 00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:42.200 it to Kentucky. They're a competitor. Now, I just you know, 487 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:44.839 for example, let's just say it. You know, Kentucky's in on Liam 488 00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:49.240 McNeely, and they're in on Jeremy Roach, and Cal gets both of them, 489 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:52.680 and Mark Pope gets you know, shut down. I just can't see 490 00:32:52.680 --> 00:32:55.200 that fan base handling that any other way than you like losing their minds. 491 00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:59.680 So I bring with you one hundred percent. By the way, I don't 492 00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:01.119 know how much time we have stuff I go along just cutting me off. 493 00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:05.759 I was offended. What no, no, no, First of all, 494 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:07.000 you know, so first of all, I agree with you, and I 495 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:10.920 do think listen, I think Mark Folk's gonna be good. But I do 496 00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:16.799 think it's going to be interesting for Kentucky fans to kind of deal with. 497 00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:22.519 You know, there's there's a lot of all those things. Like I don't 498 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.519 even know how to phrase this properly, but like I'll just give you an 499 00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:27.319 example. Last night on my show, I talked a lot about, you 500 00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:30.440 know, the next move for both Kentucky and Arkansas, and I got a 501 00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:34.440 lot of the I'm tired of hearing about Cal Perry. I can't listen to 502 00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:37.319 this show anymore. It's like, well, you know, Cali Perry is 503 00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:39.400 a Hall of Famer in a first year, replacing eleven players. We're going 504 00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:44.480 to talk about him. It's the biggest move of college basketball off season, 505 00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:46.920 no doubt, dude. I mean probably over the last ten years. It's 506 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:51.000 the biggest coaching move, you know. And so you have that, you 507 00:33:51.119 --> 00:33:54.480 have you know, other programs arriving, but then you know, you also 508 00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:59.440 just have the you know, I do think there's a little bit of cal 509 00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:01.000 Perry back on the way out where, you know. I saw some stuff 510 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:04.759 today of well, you know, I mean, you know, because Red 511 00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:07.719 Schifford declared, I mean, how different would the season that's been if Reid 512 00:34:07.800 --> 00:34:12.639 had started from the beginning and good riddance talent. It's like, well, 513 00:34:13.239 --> 00:34:15.840 you did finish in the second you finished second in the toughest SEC. Ever, 514 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:20.920 Now, I will admit the SEC tournament performance, the NCAA tournament performance 515 00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:23.119 was not acceptable. I don't disagree with Kentucky fans on that, but this 516 00:34:23.320 --> 00:34:27.719 idea, you know, you're coming off here and once you finished second in 517 00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:30.320 the SEC, and it's like, good riddance. All I will say is 518 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:36.880 I think while the tournament success wasn't there and while I think a fresh start 519 00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:40.599 was best for all parties involved. Just because you're Kentucky and I learned this 520 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:44.519 as a Yukon fan over the last couple of years before Van Hurry, you 521 00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:47.599 learned this as a Louisville fan. There's no fan base that is entitled to 522 00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:52.679 greatness every single year. And I am curious from the recruiting perspective, you 523 00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:55.599 know, I think there's going to be more talented teams in the SEC than 524 00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:59.760 them next year. I will be curious how the fan base handles it. 525 00:34:59.800 --> 00:35:02.800 Bec because again, as a Yukon guy who saw three straight losing seasons within 526 00:35:02.840 --> 00:35:07.519 the last decade, I can tell you nobody's entitled anything. I know Louisville 527 00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:09.599 fans feel the exact same way. Yeah, and I think they, you 528 00:35:09.639 --> 00:35:13.760 know, they'll have the level of patients that a program that is used to 529 00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:16.320 excellence will have meaning very little, but they'll at least they'll understand. But 530 00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:21.679 I just think the Caliperi component to it, when he's when he's thriving at 531 00:35:21.719 --> 00:35:23.519 his new school, it's just gonna it's gonna make it uncomfortable for him. 532 00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:27.719 What do I have a second ask you a question or a week ago yeah, 533 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:30.559 we got to make it quick. But yeah, okay, what is 534 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:34.519 your how do you think Kal's going to do? Because I do think he 535 00:35:34.679 --> 00:35:37.920 is reinvigorized, reinvigorated at it. I manage made it for where they're reinvigorated, 536 00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:42.719 and I think it means something to have a fan base that believes in 537 00:35:42.760 --> 00:35:45.920 his vision and his tone, something that had obviously run pretty dry at Kentucky 538 00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:49.320 the last couple of years. I'll answer it quickly. I think he will 539 00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:52.000 win there. I think he will engage their fan base throughout, but I 540 00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:55.039 don't think he finds himself in multiple final fours or a national championship. That's 541 00:35:55.079 --> 00:35:58.599 my prediction. That's that's the way I see it. But we got to 542 00:35:58.639 --> 00:36:00.360 run sixty five years old. Yeah, I get it. A t appreciate 543 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:02.719 your brother, Thank you, sire. We gotta take a quick break. 544 00:36:02.760 --> 00:36:05.800 We'll come back on the other side. Wrap this thing up on Sports Talk 545 00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:10.159 seven ninety Just a couple of minutes left here before we say goodbye. Been 546 00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:14.840 a fun, busy show so far today. A lot of news during the 547 00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:16.920 show today, well, you know, at least two big pieces of news. 548 00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:21.840 One read Shepherd heading to the pros and also Louisville end's a commitment from 549 00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:27.320 BYU transfer Ali Khalifa, who, of course uh played for Mark Pope at 550 00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:31.039 BYU and was expected to also consider Kentucky and a return to BYU, but 551 00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:35.079 he chose to commit to Pat Kelsey. Lois Well, he's gonna red shirt 552 00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:38.199 this year, and uh sounds like he'll probably have a knee surgery, which 553 00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:44.119 would explain why he is why he's gonna take the year off, which really, 554 00:36:44.199 --> 00:36:45.239 you know, you're in a position where you could do that if you 555 00:36:45.239 --> 00:36:50.360 think the kid could help you down the line, because obviously, you know, 556 00:36:50.360 --> 00:36:52.440 you got scholarships to give, and I thought that they would end up 557 00:36:52.440 --> 00:36:57.599 probably having to just give some of those last couple of scholarships to walk ons. 558 00:36:58.119 --> 00:37:00.800 But in the end, you know, you can give it to somebody 559 00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:05.119 who can rehab get better there and potentially play the next year. I mean, 560 00:37:05.239 --> 00:37:07.119 that would be a better way to do it than giving it to somebody 561 00:37:07.159 --> 00:37:08.519 who you don't really feel like could ever end up, you know, helping 562 00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:12.480 you. All Right, Tomorrow, you got to remind me John, we 563 00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:16.119 got to talk about this Kaitlyn Clark press conference with Greg Doyle, because yeah, 564 00:37:16.760 --> 00:37:20.400 it kind of won't die like, you know, for those who don't 565 00:37:20.360 --> 00:37:24.559 know what we're talking about, a guy who covers Indianapolis sports up there was 566 00:37:24.599 --> 00:37:28.639 at the Fever press conference with Kaitlyn Clark and just like, I mean, 567 00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:34.840 total cringe creep. It just really couldn't have made himself look. Yeah, 568 00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:37.880 it was just all around uncomfortable. So all right, we're gonna call it 569 00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:40.920 a day. You guys, enjoy your evening. We're back at it tomorrow 570 00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:44.719 right here at three o'clock for a feel good Friday again Coffee and Company. 571 00:37:44.719 --> 00:37:46.760 Fieldbut Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety