WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:09.839 It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thorntens on Sports Talk seven nine 2 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:18.120 day. Now, here's Nick Coffee. All right, folks, let's get 3 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:22.760 it started hour number two here on a Monday afternoon, as we coomes you 4 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.920 live from our four Street Live studios here iHeart Louisville. My name is Nick 5 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:29.800 Coffee. I hope you knew that. The other voice you're hearing this afternoon 6 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:33.560 is Austin Montgomery fill an in for the company man, mister John Alden, 7 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:37.719 who's on vacation. And we thank you for joining us. We know there's 8 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:40.119 other things you could be doing, and the fact that you're with us right 9 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:43.039 now again, thank you. And you can take us with you wherever you 10 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:45.320 go, whatever it is you're doing. Listening live on the iHeart Radio app 11 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:49.799 Listen live. It's seven ninety Louisville dot Com. The big news today, 12 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:54.000 Dan Hurley has decided to stay at Ukon and not go to the Lakers. 13 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:59.399 And I'm not one for conspiracies, because I think that their interest was clearly 14 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:06.680 I think Dan Hurley really considered it. But let me throw this conspiracy out 15 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:11.840 there that let's see who started it. Joe pomp Alino is his name. 16 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:14.959 Yeah, I just wanted to make sure I know who he writes for. 17 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:19.040 He's a sports and business reporter and he has the Joe Pomp Show, and 18 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:23.799 he put this out shortly after it became breaking news. Because Woje, of 19 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:26.760 course, the same person who broke the story that Dan Hurley was the Laker's 20 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:30.159 top choice is the one who broke the story that he's staying at Yukon. 21 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:34.359 And I'll start with Woj's tweet, says breaking Connecticut, Stan Hurley has turned 22 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:38.079 down the Los Angeles Lakers six years, seventy million dollar offer and will return 23 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:44.319 to chase a third straight national title. Sources tell ESPN LA would have made 24 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:49.079 in one of the NBA's six highest paid coaches. So the response to that 25 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:53.079 is from Joe Pomp, who says this, it's almost like Dan Hurley leaked 26 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:56.959 all of this through a trusted media source who literally wrote a book on his 27 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:00.799 dad to secure himself and even bigger con tracked at Yukon. Woje gets a 28 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:05.920 big scoop, the Lakers get to say we tried, and Hurley gets a 29 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:09.520 huge raise. When when when again, I'm becoming more and more open to 30 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:15.960 conspiracies which actually conspiracies. I'll share one. It's fun to kind of just 31 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:20.199 you know, get lost in one and where you really just see signs that 32 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:23.120 are thinking, Okay, well this really is like controller thought, yeah, 33 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:28.159 So but this one I don't buy. Like, I mean, we're talking 34 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:35.439 about the Lakers job here, and I mean I just can't understand. This 35 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:38.680 goes back to what I talked about a little bit earlier, Like, Dan 36 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:46.879 Hurley just won back to back titles at Yukon and he just turned down Kentucky. 37 00:02:46.759 --> 00:02:51.199 Did he really need to float the Lakers interest to get more money from 38 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:54.840 Yukon. If that's the case, then they're poor bums. I mean again, 39 00:02:55.039 --> 00:03:00.759 yeah, the Lakers being interested in wanting to hire him, absolutely, 40 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:06.840 I mean there's no doubt about it. It absolutely makes him even more valuable 41 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:10.240 to where they didn't get his deal done prior to the Lakers getting involved, 42 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:14.319 so now they probably need to throw even more money at him. But like 43 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:17.360 I just to me, just like, let's just let's go back in time. 44 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:23.080 Let's throw this out there, because again, Hurley's dad was the first 45 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:25.479 feature in a book written by Woj many years ago. But I just have 46 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:30.960 a hard time thinking Dan Hurley is feeling like he's got he's got to float 47 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:35.719 something out there in order for him to get more money from Yukon, Because 48 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:42.039 if Yukon is not giving him more money without the Lakers involved again after back 49 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:47.319 to back national championships and him turning down Kentucky, then they're not giving him 50 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:50.840 money because they don't have it. It's not because they're being cheap. It's 51 00:03:50.840 --> 00:03:53.840 not because they're wanting to save, you know what I mean? Like, 52 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:57.800 I just feel like that would be a really flat attempt here to try to, 53 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:00.879 you know, get him to open up the pot book even more. 54 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:04.080 Let's say pocketbook. I guess I mean the wallet, the check book. 55 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:06.840 I don't know what is a pocketbook? Is that like an old way to 56 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:10.680 describe a wallet? I don't know why I just said pocketbook. I'm not 57 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:15.719 sure what it is. A quick Google search of pocketbook shows me. Let's 58 00:04:15.719 --> 00:04:17.959 see here. Yeah, I mean what it is now you should know? 59 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:20.600 Yeah, like a mini It looks like a mini wallet. I guess. 60 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:25.759 Anyways, I just found out what a shoehorn was the other day. What 61 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:30.199 is it? Educate us, sir? It's I guess they now have well, 62 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:31.759 I guess they've been having it. But it's it's like a it's like 63 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:34.920 a long stick, and it's you know, like when you put your shoes 64 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:39.680 on and the heel like kind of like sticks to the back and there's no 65 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:42.560 way for you to reach down in there with with this object, the shoe 66 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:45.600 horn, hence the name shoehorn horn, and then you just pull it right 67 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:47.000 out. You don't have to burn your finger now to do it. Look 68 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:50.959 at you educating me. I didn't know what a shoehorn is. Now I 69 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:56.480 know what it is. It use the word shoe horn without knowing exactly what 70 00:04:56.519 --> 00:05:00.800 it meant. I got one pair of Nike dunks that are or the same 71 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:03.040 size as the other ones I have, and that left foot, man, 72 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.199 I need a shoehorn for it because I'm getting down there and I'm tearing up 73 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:10.439 the index finger because I'm trying to, you know, bring up the crumbled 74 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:12.959 part of the back end of the shoes. So that's what that is. 75 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:15.879 I thought it was a backscratcher. I love. I love when you educate 76 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:18.480 us here on the show. Often for the people, we certainly appreciate it, 77 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:21.639 all right, So we'll let you hear. Actually, let's just go 78 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:25.240 ahead and give you one of these clips because I thought this was this is 79 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:29.199 Rob Douster, who covers college basketball for the Field of sixty eight, and 80 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:33.759 you know he with this isn't some crazy, never before heard of reaction to 81 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:40.279 the news of Dan Hurley staying Yukon and turning down turning down Kentucky. But 82 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:43.879 if you just think about the you know, and again, I've yet to 83 00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:46.800 hear anybody bring up something that's super similar. And I don't because I don't 84 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:50.720 think it exists. Meaning a coach that has been on such a run that 85 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:56.199 he turns down these two caliber jobs, the Lakers in Kentucky basketball. I 86 00:05:56.199 --> 00:05:58.759 mean, I can't think of any coach that in I mean, maybe over 87 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:01.040 time that's happened, right, But in one off season, within a couple 88 00:06:01.079 --> 00:06:04.480 of months time, you turned down two jobs that I think you could you 89 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:08.079 could. I mean, in fact, I believe this to be the opinion. 90 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:10.199 I believe this to be true. But everybody has their own opinion. 91 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:12.519 There's no way to prove anybody to right or wrong. I think Kentucky's the 92 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:15.959 best basketball job in the country for college and the Lakers is the best job 93 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.879 of the NBA, and he turned them both down. In about six weeks 94 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:23.160 time, and it's just crazy to think about how on top this guy is 95 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:26.079 right now. In fact, let's throw back to wrestling, shall we. 96 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:30.920 Austin Dan Hurley's over man, you're super over that. I'm using it correctly, 97 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:33.519 right, Yeah, yeah, it's a babyface too, wouldn't you say, 98 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:36.800 oh, absolutely not a heeli's Yeah, because again, he's one of 99 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:40.839 those guys. And I can't think of who was kind of a heel but 100 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.680 you couldn't help but still love him. There's probably probably many wrestlers out there, 101 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:46.040 right. The one thing that I can just come to mind is like 102 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:49.519 Triple h he was always the bad guy. People loved him, though I'm 103 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:53.120 trying to think of who it was, like one of the all timers, 104 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.759 Like, even if you did turn him heel, there was still people that 105 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:59.279 like couldn't help but like like the heel I mean Hulk Hogan. Yeah, 106 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:00.879 when he went to dub U W people, I mean they hated him in 107 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.519 the moment, but he was then cool to like, yeah, he was 108 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:09.000 already he'd already been over so long that like it would be very unnatural for 109 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:11.759 people to just not like it. Yeah, but anyways, this is Douster 110 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:16.360 talking about Dan Hurley deciding to stay in stores. Connecticut is coaching in stores. 111 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:21.560 Connecticut has said no to the University of Kentucky and no to the Los 112 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:27.079 Angeles Lakers in the span of two months. Is It's wild man. Dan 113 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:30.879 Hurley is staying at Yukon, Scott Drew is staying at Baylor. NATO to 114 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:35.399 stay at Alabama, like I do. I kind of love that all of 115 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:39.160 these coaches that are kind of in I don't want to say, off the 116 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:43.240 beaten path places, but aren't in the places that typically have the most money 117 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:46.360 and the biggest fan bases and the most prestige are staying exactly where they are. 118 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:49.480 I love that about college path so real quick, and then we'll move 119 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:53.560 on. The reason I wanted to play that is because there was a lot 120 00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:58.639 of noise out there after Nil and the portal became this new world of college 121 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:01.959 athletics. The noise in regards to coach is just not wanting to do it 122 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:05.480 anymore. Coach is wanting to walk away. Coach is just deciding it's too 123 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:09.720 much. And yeah, there probably are some examples, but if you really 124 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:15.720 look at the examples that people throw out, you can consider that there were 125 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:20.399 other factors in play than just the fact that coach that players can get paid 126 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:22.959 and they can transfer. I mean, Roy Williams, to me, was 127 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.600 the most outspoken coach when it comes to his decision to leave North Carolina. 128 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:31.320 I mean, I mean, I think he flat out said it. One 129 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.720 of the players that was supposed to be coming back that he talked to, 130 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:41.399 asked about money, and then he just decided it was it. But Roy 131 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:45.039 is seventy three years old. Guys, he'll be seventy four coming up here 132 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:48.200 in a couple of months. If he was forty three, do you think 133 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:50.759 he'd have walked away? No? I mean, this is a guy who 134 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:54.120 really didn't have anything else left to prove. He's won many national championships. 135 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:58.679 I mean, I just you know, I'm sure the change in the sport 136 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:01.279 did have an impact. He even said as much. But it's not as 137 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:05.440 if, oh, Wow, the best coach has just decided they're done with 138 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:09.240 college basketball. I mean Jay Wright, same thing. And Jay Wright's been 139 00:09:09.879 --> 00:09:13.639 unusual for many years. He's turned down big jobs multiple times to stay at 140 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:16.720 NOVA where they can't pay him a ton of money, and he's like the 141 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:22.360 fourth Maybe No, he's probably like the fifth biggest option in Philadelphia. Like 142 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:26.279 Philly does not support Nova. I mean, I'm sure they do to an 143 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:31.600 extent, but like they are such a distant i mean, fourth probably fifth 144 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:35.200 option in in Philly, and yet they won two titles in the span of 145 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:39.519 three years. But Jay Wright, you know, he's just he's never been 146 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:43.679 chasing big jobs and notoriety. He walked away and is content doing the TV 147 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:50.279 stuff. Coach K, I mean, I don't know why Coach K retired, 148 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:52.960 But again, it's not as if he was in you know, it's 149 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:58.080 not as if he was dominating the sport and you know, was about to 150 00:09:58.840 --> 00:10:01.679 put himself on the map as one of the best ever and then retired. 151 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:07.320 No, he already was that and the job did change and it wasn't you 152 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:09.679 know. Just these are dudes who've done in a long time and have accomplished 153 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:15.320 a whole lot. I'd be a little more worried about the sport becoming just, 154 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:18.879 you know, less relevant because of the good coaches leaving. If you 155 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:24.840 had somebody like a Natoats who you know has been grinding for years, was 156 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.840 a buffalo and had a good run there, turned it into the Alabama job 157 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:31.360 and has been good ever since. And then this year they broke through, 158 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:35.000 made a Final four. That was a breakthrough when for Alabama and natoats and 159 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:41.080 he's not going anywhere. So you know, it is different, like it's 160 00:10:41.080 --> 00:10:43.559 not as if it had nothing to do with it. But I don't spend 161 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:48.639 a lot of time worrying about the health of the of these two sports that 162 00:10:48.679 --> 00:10:50.600 I love so much, college basketball and college football because of these changes, 163 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:54.799 because again, every coach that has left has been. You know, if 164 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:58.320 you really just use your brain and give it some thought, there's other reasons 165 00:10:58.679 --> 00:11:03.120 while left, and those other reasons are probably way more impactful in their decision 166 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:07.480 than nil on the portal. I mean, Nick Saban, what else does 167 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:11.000 he have left proof? I mean Nick Saban has been has been. I 168 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:13.679 mean, I don't think you'll ever see another coach do what Nick Saban did 169 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:16.879 as far as the run that he had in college football. Jim Harbaugh again 170 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:20.440 already was in the NFL as a successful coach, came back to college and 171 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:24.080 wanted to put Michigan on top his alma mater where he's from, and he 172 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:28.559 did exactly that, and then he went back to the NFL, So it 173 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:30.960 is different, and coaches are here's the thing. Coaches are going to continue 174 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:33.120 to complain about it. That's just what they're going to do, right. 175 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:37.639 I mean, even Dan Hurley, he made a comment during their run to 176 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:41.440 the national championship this year, at some point during the tournament that he doesn't 177 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:45.080 want the tournament to end because you know, he wants to obviously make a 178 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:46.159 deep run and win it all, but he also doesn't want to have to 179 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:50.600 start dealing with the portal. So again, that is the big news today. 180 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.960 If you are just now joining us, Stan Hurley turning down the Lakers 181 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:54.960 and we'll stay at Yukon. As I said to start the show, if 182 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:58.639 this was going to be such a devastating hit to college basketball to lose a 183 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:03.000 guy, it has already put himself in the upper echelon of the sport all 184 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:07.679 time. Again, that sounds crazy because it's you know, he's relatively new, 185 00:12:07.159 --> 00:12:09.799 but he's also won back to back national championships and doesn't seem to be 186 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:13.720 slow down. So again, if losing him was going to be such a 187 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:18.639 hit, I think that him staying at Yukon should be considered a big win 188 00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:22.759 for college basketball and I know none of us listening care about Yukon because maybe 189 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:26.519 you do. Maybe you are a Yukon fan, maybe you're a transplant, 190 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:28.440 or maybe you just live in stores, Connecticut and love this show. If 191 00:12:28.440 --> 00:12:33.480 that's the case, thank you. But I got the sense that those who 192 00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:37.919 love college basketball not as if they were losing sleep over it, but probably 193 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:41.960 thought it would be best for everybody who loves college basketball like us for Early 194 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:46.120 to stay. And that's what he's doing, and that that makes me happy, 195 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:50.799 It really does, all right, So let's talk about Kenny Payne really 196 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.840 quickly here. So on Friday in the five o'clock hour, I just happened 197 00:12:54.840 --> 00:13:01.600 to see this clip hit the timeline on Twitter, and it's from a podcast 198 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:07.639 that Kenny Payne did in Arkansas. I believe the podcast is called is it 199 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:13.519 called All Hog No Hogs plus the Razorbacks? Of course the Hawks. So 200 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:20.279 Kenny Payne, this is the first time he has talked publicly. I mean 201 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:22.759 it's not really public. He's in an office, an empty office, by 202 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.919 the way, but he's sitting there doing like a zoom interview with this Arkansas 203 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:31.799 podcast. And again, this is the first time we've heard anything from Kenny 204 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:35.679 since he did a press conference when Louisville lost in the ACC tournament and that, 205 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:37.919 of course, you know, ended his time here and we all knew 206 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:43.720 that was gonna happen. And when I saw it on Friday, I kind 207 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:46.960 of thought to myself, should I play this, like does this you know, 208 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:48.840 does anybody care? And I did play it, and it was just 209 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:54.000 because it was once again a reminder of how delusional this human is. And 210 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:00.279 it ended up becoming news over the weekend. Right Eric Crawford wrote a great 211 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:03.519 piece on it at WDRB. I think every news station in town covered it, 212 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:05.399 because again, that is news. This is the first time that Kenny 213 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:11.679 has talked about being fired at Louisville, and you know that, you know, 214 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:16.639 hearing him share his thoughts on the departure and him moving on, you 215 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.759 know, that's regardless of what he says. That is something you would expect 216 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:24.279 a local news outlet here in Louisville to cover, and they did. But 217 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:28.080 I think fans hearing it, you know, in a weird way, I 218 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:31.720 almost feel like it made you appreciate coach Kelsey even more now he hadn't coached. 219 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.360 He gave yet we have to wait and see what those results are going 220 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:39.559 to look like. And I think fans are one thousand percent justified and thinking 221 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:43.240 this team could be pretty damn good in year one. I'm with you, 222 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:46.200 that's what I think. So if you are of that opinion, we are 223 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:50.840 on the same page. But I don't want to make I don't want to 224 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:54.159 turn this into where I just get a chance to just rail on Kenny and 225 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:58.759 talk about how bad he was as a coach and talk about how bad of 226 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:01.440 a that it was and how he took no accountability. Because I did that 227 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:05.120 for almost two years. I don't, you know, I don't. I 228 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.559 don't want to do that anymore. I don't have the energy for that. 229 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:11.200 I don't. I don't care about Kenny at this point. But what has 230 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:16.120 really started to hook me in when I hear him talk, which again I 231 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:20.159 didn't hear him for a while, is just how delusional someone can be. 232 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:30.320 It fascinates me how someone can be that disconnected from reality. I mean, 233 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:35.720 we always talk about other fan bases, especially like rival fan bases. I 234 00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:37.799 mean, heck, how many times have you heard of Kentucky fan Oh, 235 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:41.200 Louisville fans they're delusional or Louisville fans say, Kentucky fans, man, they're 236 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:48.480 delusional. This is this is a different level of delusion because this is just 237 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:56.240 it. You almost would need to be I think checked by a psychologist, 238 00:15:56.279 --> 00:16:00.360 a psychiatrist maybe, like how can you have this opinion? And the opinion 239 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:04.120 is that he was doing a good job here. So again, we played 240 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:07.799 it for some folks on Friday at five o'clock if you were listening at that 241 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:11.039 time, in the five o'clock hour. And I don't think this is going 242 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:12.679 to get people angry. I don't think this is going to throw off any 243 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:18.679 of the good mojo we've got right now for Louisville basketball. But I think 244 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.840 for me, I was a you know, part of me said, well, 245 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:26.200 I'm surprised that there's this many people reacting to this comment from Kenny. 246 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.320 I'm surprised there's you know, there's people talking about it because he's gone. 247 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:32.480 He's old news, like you know, it's but this thing has over five 248 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:37.320 hundred thousand views on Twitter. This this clip and if you didn't hear it, 249 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:41.360 this is what Kenny Payne had to say about about the departure at Louisville. 250 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:45.240 I'm at Louisville that was Mayama Mata. We decided to part ways. 251 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:49.200 They decided to part ways, So you question all right before we get to 252 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:56.600 more of it. I got to when he said we decided to part ways. 253 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:00.720 They decided to part ways. Only can and he can answer this, 254 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:03.559 But I got a question for you, Austin, what do you think when 255 00:17:03.599 --> 00:17:07.559 Kenny just started at the beginning and then pause it again. I'm at Louisville. 256 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:11.519 That was Mayama Mota. We decided to part ways, they decided to 257 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:17.279 part ways. So you they we decided to part ways, they decided to 258 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:22.680 part ways. Is that him correcting himself because he initially sounded like collectively everybody 259 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:29.039 said this was over? Or is he acting as if both sides he wanted 260 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:32.680 to part ways and leave and they wanted to part ways and leave. I 261 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:36.440 mean, he's not a great a speaker, we know, Yeah, So 262 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:40.880 I think I think what he really feels is he knows that everyone knew it 263 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:42.839 was over. But I feel like he's just trying to make it seem like 264 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:47.039 not as bad. Amicably, Yeah, I just walked away. They were 265 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.680 fine with what if he but to begin, if you wanted to walk away, 266 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:52.119 then then can you give Josh hurt his money back because because you got 267 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:55.799 paid a lot of money to not work here. So I would assume that 268 00:17:55.839 --> 00:18:00.160 you still wanted, you know, to to work here, you wouldn't you 269 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:02.880 wouldn't have received, you know, a buyout. I mean, if you 270 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:06.079 quit and you wanted to walk away, then that would mean that louisvill wouldn't 271 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:10.079 have had to pay you anything. But my guess is that he just corrected 272 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:11.559 himself. But anyway, we would like to be paid damages as well. 273 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:18.279 This is him sort of discussing, you know, the reaction that he heard 274 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:22.160 from people. According to him, after you know, it all ended, 275 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:29.519 so you questioned yourself as a coach. And then when it's over, the 276 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:36.359 conversations that happened around the country, numerous NBA teams, numerous college teams and 277 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:38.599 programs, Kenny, we want you to be a part of what we're doing. 278 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:44.720 We know exactly what happened. And then you realize, you know, 279 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:52.240 you really was on the right page. And so for me making sure that 280 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.359 I went to a place that was a fit so and then he just starts 281 00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:57.000 to talk about Arkansas, and for those of you thinking like why do you 282 00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:03.559 care? Quit polling on the guy him alone. I mean, I hear 283 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:07.039 you, but I'm not piling on I am. I mean, I'm more 284 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:12.319 I'm more so fascinated that he could he could believe that, because I think 285 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:18.279 he believes it. I don't think he's just trying to not make it sound 286 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:19.640 as bad as it was. I mean, look, I think he believes 287 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:23.960 it. I think he believes everything he told us, which again I'm just 288 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:30.839 blown away that someone could someone could believe that after after how they I mean, 289 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:33.640 it's it's almost concerning for someone's mental state that they could not see this 290 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:37.400 for what it was. Now, I'm not expecting him to come out every 291 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:40.640 after every game, or even after he'd left and act like, oh yeah, 292 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:41.720 I really learned the hard way. I was a terrible head coach. 293 00:19:41.799 --> 00:19:45.160 No, but like again, he for him to say that he was on 294 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:52.920 the right page, it's just so far from reality that it's a level of 295 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.880 delusion. I'm not sure i've ever I've ever witnessed. Eric Crawford, who 296 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:00.759 again does a great job, has for many years. He put together an 297 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:04.880 article at WDRB dot com. I'm gonna read an excerpt here because I think 298 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:11.279 it's spot on. Oftentimes Crawford will put together a great column, and I'll 299 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:15.000 find myself thinking, you know what, I wish I'd have said it that 300 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:18.960 way, because I think Crawford has pretty level headed, not a whole lot 301 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:22.640 of hot take reactions to things, but the way he puts it together in 302 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:26.960 his work is just, you know, really really well done. And I 303 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:30.799 appreciate his work. But also I'm gonna read at little part of it here 304 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:34.400 for you guys. If by exactly what happened, they meant that Pain wasn't 305 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:37.359 cut out to be a head coach, not at Louisville, then yes they 306 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:41.799 knew what happened. Payne saw it another way. You really were on the 307 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:45.960 right page, he tells himself, And then Crawford goes on the right I 308 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.519 don't see how he can say that Louisville, with its empty arena and back 309 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:52.759 to back last place ACC finishes, was on the right page. If he 310 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:56.480 thinks they were on the right page, we're not even using the same hymnal. 311 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:00.640 He had a chance to get them on the right page. In Louisville's 312 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:03.799 final eight ACC games of the season, the schedule eased up, the team 313 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:07.240 actually had a chance to put together a little run to dress up what had 314 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.920 been another disappointing season. It lost eight games in a row in nine out 315 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:14.519 of ten. What page is that is? This is Stephen King novel. 316 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:18.000 I think instead Payne is on the right page now as an assistant coach. 317 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:21.319 Understand that's not a knock, it's not a criticism. He'll make more money 318 00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:23.519 as an assistant this year than I'll make in the next seven years. Not 319 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:27.200 everyone is cut out to be a CEO. Some are really good coos, 320 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:32.720 and that's a worthy and that's a worthy thing. So again, I would 321 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:34.720 I would recommend going and reading it because it's just really well done. But 322 00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:41.559 I mean a lot of coaches have done exactly what Kenny Payne did, not 323 00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:47.440 to that extent, not been that bad, but it is not unheard of 324 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.599 for a guy who's been a career assistant get a chance to be a head 325 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:56.440 coach and not have success. This guy, though, unfortunately for him, 326 00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:03.680 was really really bad, really really not fit to be a head coach, 327 00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:07.799 like glaringly obvious that this dude was in over his head from day one. 328 00:22:08.599 --> 00:22:12.640 And yet he's the one, you know, he's the coach that is still 329 00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:21.240 living in this delusional world. In speaking of the situation is if, I 330 00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:27.160 mean, it's just crazy to me. I mean, he gave the impression 331 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:32.240 that he thought he was doing a great job at Louisville and that everybody else 332 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:36.759 in basketball, college and NBA agreed with him. Like, how can you 333 00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:42.599 tell people that and expect and expect them to think you're not a crazy person? 334 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:48.400 I mean, blows my mind. All right, Sorry for going so 335 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:51.400 long here in this first segment of the four o'clock hour. Let's get to 336 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:52.839 a quick break. We'll come back on the other side. Let's talk a 337 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:59.480 little baseball. I have a little bit of jealousy because I'm not a baseball 338 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:02.519 guy. You got know that. But this time of the year, early 339 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:04.759 June, you get the super Regional rounds. Everybody's playing for a shot to 340 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:08.720 get to the College World Series. It used to be a given, it 341 00:23:08.839 --> 00:23:12.119 used to be just the expectation for Louisville baseball. Not as much lately, 342 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:18.240 and now Kentucky they've made their first World Series appearance, College World Series appearance, 343 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:21.480 I should say, And I'm a little jealous. I am, all 344 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:22.599 right, don't go anywhere. It's coffee in company. Feel about Thornes right 345 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:27.119 here on Sports Talk seven ninety enough sports to kill an ordinary man. But 346 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:45.119 you're not ordinary, are you? Sports Talk seven ninety number one for sports 347 00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:52.160 Sports Talk seven ninety. So I need to clarify something. When I mentioned 348 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:56.440 not a big baseball guy. I don't. I won't pretend to know this 349 00:23:56.480 --> 00:24:02.240 and that about Louisville baseball program or college. I don't do it to act 350 00:24:02.279 --> 00:24:04.799 too cool, and I don't think it ever sounds that I'm like, I'm 351 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:08.640 trying to do that. But there's one person anytime I say that about baseball, 352 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:12.839 they chirp in on the text line and say, you know, are 353 00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:17.039 you too cool? It's not that at all that I think I'm too cool. 354 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:19.160 I don't think I'm very cool at all. And hey, having some 355 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:23.799 baseball knowledge might might make me cooler, but I just I've never been that 356 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:27.839 interested in baseball. It's not a sport that I find to be, you 357 00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:33.880 know, all that entertaining. But my favorite baseball moments as a extremely casual 358 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:37.200 baseball fan is whenever Louisville's making a deep run and they get to the postseason 359 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:41.960 and went a regional and then get a chance to host a super regional and 360 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:45.039 win that make it to the college world series. I mean, that's not 361 00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:48.759 something that's happened every year at Louis, but it's happened enough to where we've 362 00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:52.680 experienced and we know that it's awesome. So the reason I say that is 363 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:55.880 because I never want to sound like the guy. I don't want to sound 364 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:59.599 like a poser, like a fraud, me acting as if me at least 365 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:03.119 once, if I was trying to talk about the sports baseball, I would 366 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:06.759 make a fool of myself. I mean, I probably do that enough as 367 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.519 it is, but I try to be transparent because if I do slip up 368 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:12.359 and say something that makes it quite clear that I don't know much about baseball, 369 00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:15.119 I just you know, I'm being transparent with you guys. So it's 370 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:18.160 not like I think I'm too cool for it. Now. Even if I 371 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:22.640 was a big baseball fan and was really into college baseball and even major League 372 00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:26.400 baseball, I still wouldn't talk about it a whole lot on this show, 373 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:29.880 because that's not really it's just not It wouldn't work right. There may be 374 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:32.599 some that really enjoyed it, but there'd be a lot of people that would 375 00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:36.240 tune out. So again, when I say that, it's not like I'm 376 00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:38.160 acting too cool for it. It's just when I say I don't know a 377 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:41.680 whole lot about baseball, I mean it. I don't know a whole lot 378 00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:45.960 about baseball. I mean I've probably made that clear without trying to over the 379 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:52.359 years. But I'll never forget whenever I was asked to be a celebrity umpire 380 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:56.480 in the Chris Mack softball game that they had for the Louisville basketball game, 381 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:02.720 I you know, I called second base second plate instead of home like you 382 00:26:02.759 --> 00:26:07.319 know, I like that speaks to my level of baseball knowledge, which again 383 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:11.079 not a whole lot of it. Baseball's a very deep sport to get into, 384 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:14.640 Like there's so much history and there's so much there's so many players. 385 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:18.039 It's just so different in every way, Yeah, than the mainstream sports that 386 00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:22.519 sort of dominate the mainstream news cycle as far as sports. Yeah, and 387 00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:26.240 that doesn't mean that it's terrible. It's just different. Right, Like like 388 00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:30.119 in college, you know, rarely do you why it happens? Trust me, 389 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:36.200 it happens. But most of the guys who become super successful in the 390 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:38.480 major leagues, it seems, are guys who were drafted, like fresh out 391 00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:44.519 of high school. Yeah, who you know, were prospects that the big 392 00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:47.319 leagues had interest in. They went and played in the farm system for a 393 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:49.839 few years. So you know, it's just you know, so again I'm 394 00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:52.720 not not a big baseball guy because anything that I could do, like if 395 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:56.559 I could go back and like do sports all over again, low key, 396 00:26:56.680 --> 00:27:00.160 I kind of think it'd probably be baseball playing it. I think i'd actually 397 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:04.319 try to play baseball and just try to get it's kind of very low physical. 398 00:27:04.359 --> 00:27:07.480 I was always kind of a whimp. I mean, I played football, 399 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:10.279 but I didn't really love the idea of like getting hit. I mean, 400 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:14.440 you could just hit the so you think, you know, so, 401 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:17.680 I obviously it's like one of the hardest sports to play if you go by 402 00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:19.359 like some of the metrics all. Yeah, but like I mean, like 403 00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:22.680 you said, you take at baseball going one hundred miles per hours, seems 404 00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:26.640 like if like if if you'd have if you'd have shown me someone doing that 405 00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:30.039 effectively, and I'd never seen it before, didn't know it existed. Yeah, 406 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:33.160 I would believe you if you told me that's the only person on the 407 00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:34.400 planet that they can do that, because because it's that hard, I mean, 408 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:37.440 you have to decipher the pitch first of all, if it's even gonna 409 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:40.960 break, and then you have to find out if you want to swing at 410 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:42.759 it or not. And it's just I don't know. Like you said, 411 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.240 you could get caught up, not called up, but you could get drafted 412 00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:48.880 very early, and you can make a lot of money before you even ever 413 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:51.720 hit the big leagues. So yeah, there's something I feel like i'd go 414 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:55.640 back and do. Yeah, I don't. I played t ball and I 415 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:57.200 didn't make it past yeah, and that was it for me. I knew 416 00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:00.799 it wasn't gonna be my sport. But my son loves it. So mos 417 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:03.839 is gonna moos is gonna exceed you wor maybe one day whenever, I you 418 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:06.839 know, maybe one day, five years from now, I will be much 419 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:11.599 more knowledgeable because I've learned from my son, because he's he's really into it, 420 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:17.519 and it is a it is a very it's a very tough feeling as 421 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:19.480 a father, like knowing that one day he's gonna really want me to talk 422 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:23.039 to him about the game, and I really don't have the ability to do 423 00:28:23.079 --> 00:28:26.319 that right now. And luckily I've got a lot of friends that played baseball 424 00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:27.799 and they can they can help me out. But anyway, the reason I 425 00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:33.200 want to bring this up is because Kentucky baseball punched their ticket to Omaha yesterday 426 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:36.319 with a win over Oregon State. It's the first time they've ever made it 427 00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:40.160 to the College World Series. And I won't pretend to know a whole lot 428 00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:44.839 about their season specifically, other than I know that they were very successful. 429 00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:47.359 They've tied for the EAT, they tied for first place in the East. 430 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:52.400 They were forty five and fourteen overall. And Nick Mangione, he came out 431 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:55.880 on fire his first season there. They made it to the Super Regional and 432 00:28:55.920 --> 00:29:00.319 I'm pretty sure that was Super Regional where they played Louisville at Jim Patterson Stadium 433 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:03.720 in Louisville. Swept him, and after that it kind of all, I 434 00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:06.880 don't want to say it all fell apart, but it kind of all fell 435 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:11.160 apart. After that, he went thirty four and twenty two, no postseason 436 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:15.359 appearance, twenty eight to twenty nine, a losing record. In twenty nineteen, 437 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:19.319 went seven and twenty three in the SEC, and then no season because 438 00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:25.240 of COVID twenty nine and twenty three and twenty twenty one. Sixth place finish 439 00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:30.680 in the East in the SEC. No postseason in twenty twenty two, twelve 440 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:34.319 and eighteen again no postseason six in the SECS. So I feel like for 441 00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:38.200 like two straight years it was it was being discussed that he would that he 442 00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:41.039 wouldn't, he wasn't going to survive, and then he was going to get 443 00:29:41.079 --> 00:29:48.839 fired. And I don't remember specifics, but I know at some point they 444 00:29:48.839 --> 00:29:53.680 were losing players to transfer before the portal like was a thing, meaning guys 445 00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:56.559 were willing to sit out just to not play there, and some of them 446 00:29:56.599 --> 00:30:00.559 were, you know, airing some stuff out on Twitter, which is never 447 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:03.960 a good thing. That sometimes that's just kids being kids, and you know, 448 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:07.480 it's probably more of a bad look on them than it is the coach. 449 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:11.160 But either way, it looked like Mitch Barnfardt was going to have to 450 00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:14.359 fire him, and he didn't. He's stuck, stuck around and now they're 451 00:30:14.359 --> 00:30:18.079 having success. I don't know if he is someone that really actually thrives in 452 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:22.200 this new world of college athletics with the portal and INIL. I mean, 453 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:26.279 baseball players can clearly make money through INIL like anybody else, but I have 454 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:30.119 no clue what the actual value is for them. Like, what kind of 455 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:33.640 money those guys are actually making. I mean, heck, I think they 456 00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:36.640 probably say, hey, instead of giving me money through anil, like, 457 00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:41.079 put it towards my tuition because there's not many full scholarships to go around in 458 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:45.599 college baseball. So either way, Kentucky's having success and it has made me 459 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:48.720 just kind of miss again. I'm not gonna act like I'm I'm this diehard 460 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:52.240 fan that you know is devastated because Daan McDonald's now missed the NCAA tournament three 461 00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:56.279 the last four years. But it did used to become something in June that 462 00:30:56.319 --> 00:30:57.480 I could get into. Right, there's no other sports going on that I 463 00:30:57.519 --> 00:31:00.720 really care about. I mean, the NBA, I'll into that a little 464 00:31:00.759 --> 00:31:04.759 bit, but we used to have late May early June when college baseball started 465 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:08.079 to get you know, the most detention it's going to get throughout the year 466 00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:11.160 is when the postseason starts. And for Louisville it's just you know, they've 467 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:17.119 they've not they've not had success lately. You know, this year they were 468 00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:21.759 thirty two and twenty four, same record last year actually thirty one and twenty 469 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:25.319 four, and then in twenty twenty two they had they had they made it 470 00:31:25.319 --> 00:31:26.960 to a super regional, they end up losing, but that looked to say, 471 00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:30.519 Okay, we're getting back on track here, and then again back to 472 00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:33.799 back seasons with no instab A tournament. They missed the tournament in twenty twenty 473 00:31:33.799 --> 00:31:37.759 one, and during their COVID year they were thirteen and four before the season 474 00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:40.759 came to an end. And when you look at the personnel that was on 475 00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:44.559 that team, there's some that believe that could have actually been Dan McDonald's best 476 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:47.599 team, maybe a team that gave him the best chance to actually get to 477 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:52.480 Omaha and do some damage. But they've been to the College World Series five 478 00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:57.599 times, I believe, ye one, two, three, Yeah, five 479 00:31:57.680 --> 00:32:02.720 times, I mean, and so despite their struggles, I think, and 480 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:07.119 I couldn't speak for anybody but myself. I think most fans though, like 481 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:08.400 know that, like, whoo, who would you want o them? Dam 482 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:14.319 McDonald day McDonald is Louisville Baseball. This program did not exist in this in 483 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:19.079 this way and at all before his arrival. And yeah, this is easily 484 00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:22.599 the worst stretch of his of his time here. But you know, it's 485 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:25.039 not a matter it's not a matter of Kenny coach. It's a matter of 486 00:32:25.079 --> 00:32:30.279 figuring it out right. Why has why have things kind of fallen off a 487 00:32:30.279 --> 00:32:31.319 little bit here? I don't Again, I won't claim to know a whole 488 00:32:31.319 --> 00:32:35.480 lot about it, but it sounds as if, you know, pitching has 489 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:37.480 been a real issue in the last couple of years, especially this year. 490 00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:39.839 I don't. Again, I trust those who say that because I know they 491 00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:43.440 follow it closer than I do. And then one thing I don't know, 492 00:32:43.480 --> 00:32:50.319 because I've heard both things is NIL meaning does Dan McDonald not utilize it because 493 00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:52.960 he's not a fan of it or does he not have the resources? And 494 00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:54.799 I don't know the answer to that. I actually have a hard time thinking 495 00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:59.359 he wouldn't want to use it, knowing that it's hard to come by for 496 00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:02.160 baseball pro and I'm sure they're on the short end of it, right, 497 00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:06.000 I don't. I mean, let's be real, if money's being raised for 498 00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:08.160 ANIL, I know that there are ways you can make sure when you donate 499 00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:13.519 to the FIBLO two circle that you are supporting a specific program. But the 500 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:15.960 money that you know, the most amount of money for NIL is football. 501 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:20.519 Second most is going to be basketball, and then after that it's probably women's 502 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:22.160 basketball, and then from there on, I really wouldn't even be able to 503 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:25.039 tell you how it gets split up, right, And you can have your 504 00:33:25.079 --> 00:33:30.920 own deals if you're a marketable player for a non revenue generating program. But 505 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:35.119 as far as just the collective keeping these programs healthy, baseball is not going 506 00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:40.720 to be in the top three for sure. So I hope that whatever needs 507 00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:45.799 to be done is done. I don't know if that's getting more funds available 508 00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:51.440 for NIL, if it's you know, maybe adding some resources to the staff 509 00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:55.079 that can help. Obviously, there's new positions created all over college football and 510 00:33:55.160 --> 00:34:00.359 basketball for these GM type roles to where you are somebody that is kind of 511 00:34:00.359 --> 00:34:05.599 in charge of NIL for the basketball program or the football program. I mean, 512 00:34:05.640 --> 00:34:07.599 that would be great for baseball, but let's be real, they don't 513 00:34:07.639 --> 00:34:12.719 even have the ability to have like more than two. I think it's changed 514 00:34:12.719 --> 00:34:16.519 since then, but at one point, it was unheard of the lot what 515 00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:21.159 college baseball programs had to do as far as like paying their staff. Like 516 00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:25.400 you'd have somebody that was working way more than forty hours a week for a 517 00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:32.039 college baseball program, a big time college baseball program that was successful, and 518 00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:37.239 they were like a volunteer. I mean that's I mean, it's crazy. 519 00:34:37.000 --> 00:34:40.639 And look, I know the sport does not produce money, so therefore it's 520 00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:46.079 hard for it to be first in line when it comes to resources given. 521 00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:52.199 But Louis of Baseball, I mean, trust me, I don't talk to 522 00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:55.119 Josh Hurt very much, haven't talked to him in a long time. But 523 00:34:55.199 --> 00:35:00.239 I'm sure everybody at U OFL that has any kind of say so once Louis 524 00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:02.519 of Baseball to be really good, and they're gonna do whatever they can to 525 00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:07.960 help dam McDonald get this thing turned around. But you know, unfortunately, 526 00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:12.800 it's going to be even harder now because you're gonna have to start paying players 527 00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:15.960 the school is and where that money's gonna come from, I don't know. 528 00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:20.239 I mean, if they can get twenty million, twenty million dollars annually added 529 00:35:20.280 --> 00:35:23.760 to go towards paying college athletes on campus, that'd be great, but I 530 00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:25.639 don't think that's ideal. I think you're gonna have to do a lot of 531 00:35:25.639 --> 00:35:29.719 cuts here and there. And I don't mean sports that could happen, but 532 00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:34.280 I mean just really monitoring every penny you spend in your athletic department to make 533 00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:37.920 sure that the school can be competitive with other schools when it comes to how 534 00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:42.599 you pay student athletes. So day McDonald was up for the South Carolina job, 535 00:35:42.719 --> 00:35:45.320 sounds as if they've gone in a different direction. Don't know if he 536 00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:49.360 was truly interested. I wouldn't be shocked if he was. But I hope 537 00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:52.559 gave McDonald's here for a long time, and I hope that they get it 538 00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:57.119 worked out to where louisvill baseball can once again be part of the annual calendar, 539 00:35:57.199 --> 00:36:00.000 you know, the annual calendar of events for Louisville, right like obviously 540 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:05.119 basketball football, you know, most fans that's their main priority, just because 541 00:36:05.159 --> 00:36:07.960 that's just how it is. But baseball really became something you really got into 542 00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:14.119 really every year. I mean we're talking from I mean, geez, you 543 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:16.920 go back to I mean two thousand and seven, College World Series, Regional 544 00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:20.360 the next year, super Regional the next year, Regional the next year, 545 00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:23.199 and then in twenty twelve, regional, College World Series the next year, 546 00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:28.159 College World Series the year after that, super Regionals back to back, then 547 00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:30.360 a College World Series again. I mean they were rolling from two thousand and 548 00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:37.559 thirteen to two thy and nineteen. Dan McDonald was on top. Now he 549 00:36:37.559 --> 00:36:39.960 didn't win the College World Series, but that was the kind of that was 550 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:44.159 the run they had to where if they ever did get hot and win the 551 00:36:44.199 --> 00:36:47.039 whole thing, nobody'd be surprised because that's where they that's where they were. 552 00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:50.199 Now will they get back to that, I don't know. That's gonna be 553 00:36:50.239 --> 00:36:52.559 tough to do. That's when hell of a run. But dam mcdonald' shown 554 00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:55.239 us that he can. He's a phenomenal coach. He just got to navigate 555 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:59.039 through these tough few years and get it figured out. And I hope they're 556 00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:00.239 able to do that. All right, quick break, we'll go back on 557 00:37:00.239 --> 00:37:02.760 the other side for a very short segment as we wrap up the four o'clock 558 00:37:02.760 --> 00:37:23.559 hour right here on Sports Talk seven ninety time, I'll about to coffee and 559 00:37:23.679 --> 00:37:30.719 company few my Thortins on Sports Talk seven ninety Once again, I put myself 560 00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:35.559 in a situation here where I don't have much time before we have to once 561 00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:38.079 again take another break here. But we've got the five o'clock hour coming your 562 00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:42.559 way here soon, and we always try to finish strong on the five o'clock 563 00:37:42.599 --> 00:37:46.800 hours, so we'll do exactly that. But one of the things that I've 564 00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:52.440 been asked a few times on the text line that I've just not ignored. 565 00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:54.880 I just don't really know how to answered. But I've met people ask me 566 00:37:55.079 --> 00:38:00.159 what starting lineup I would I would go with? What starting lineup I think 567 00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:02.880 Pat Kelsey's going to go with now that we feel like the roster is pretty 568 00:38:02.960 --> 00:38:07.679 much said, obviously, the news Friday, the Coleman Hawkins visit canceled Louisville 569 00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:12.159 wanting to not rock the boat, essentially wanting to do whatever they can to 570 00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:15.320 try to maintain the chemistry and continuity that they had, which, you know, 571 00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:19.639 chemistry and continuity would you would think would be a weakness of this group 572 00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:22.920 because they're all brand new, and I hear you like, as far as 573 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:29.639 playing together on the court basketball specifically, hard to imagine they have any chemistry. 574 00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:32.280 But when I say chemistry, I mean as a group, and that 575 00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:37.000 matters, Like obviously there's a lot more that matters than just that, but 576 00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:42.079 I think it's not that complicated. If they were to add Coleman Hawkins, 577 00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:47.519 it would have led to probably one, maybe two guys deciding to leave, 578 00:38:49.400 --> 00:38:52.679 and who knows, maybe it would have been worth it, don't know, 579 00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:58.719 but this is the new era of college basketball where your staff has to decide 580 00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:01.480 what they want to do because they now, I know, with it being 581 00:39:01.519 --> 00:39:07.480 such a transactional thing and they're essentially being free agency and money to provide to 582 00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:12.079 players. You got to balance it. And I think they feel good about 583 00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:15.360 where they are and the addition of Coleman Hawkins. If it meant that they 584 00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:20.159 were potentially going to be losing one, maybe two, they didn't think adding 585 00:39:20.199 --> 00:39:23.840 Colemanhawkins would be worth it. So as far as the starting lineup, I 586 00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:28.559 mean, it's a good problem to have, meaning that I can't I don't 587 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:30.239 know who would be because I think there's a lot of different ways you could. 588 00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:34.400 You could put a starting five together, a lot of different lineup combinations. 589 00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:36.519 You can play small, you can play bigger if you'd like, which 590 00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:37.239 I don't think they're going to do that a whole lot because they don't. 591 00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:42.079 That's just not the way Pat Kelcey typically plays. But they can if they 592 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:47.239 need to. So I would say the one guy probably there's probably two guys 593 00:39:47.280 --> 00:39:52.719 that I feel comfortable in saying like, yeah, they're gonna actually three three 594 00:39:52.760 --> 00:39:59.599 guys that I feel like will will play a lot of minutes and probably be 595 00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:06.480 starting and that is Terrence Edwards Junior from James Madison, Chucky Hepburn from Wisconsin. 596 00:40:07.639 --> 00:40:10.840 And I'll I'm gonna say case and Pryor just because he's a versatile big 597 00:40:10.920 --> 00:40:14.119 you know, he can stretch the foe a little bit. But also he 598 00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:15.960 can you know, he can be he can be a five for you in 599 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:22.760 the in the traditional sense if you need to. But Trey Ora, I 600 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:27.039 mean Waterman, uh heck, James Scott. It sounds like he's continuing to 601 00:40:27.079 --> 00:40:29.840 impress. So, I mean, there's a lot of different lineups you could 602 00:40:29.840 --> 00:40:30.639 put on the floor. And to be clear, I'm just guessing. I 603 00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:36.119 have no clue who they're gonna who they're gonna start and what type you know, 604 00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:38.159 what type of lineups they're gonna roll with. But I mean, you've 605 00:40:38.199 --> 00:40:43.239 got a lot of versatility, you've got experience, you've got shooting, and 606 00:40:43.880 --> 00:40:46.559 those are pretty good ingredients to have when it comes to putting together a pretty 607 00:40:46.599 --> 00:40:51.679 good team. Again, I'll always throw this disclaimer out there, probably more 608 00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:54.000 than I need to. It's the ultimate unknown, Like I'm not me being 609 00:40:54.039 --> 00:40:58.480 excited and telling fans they're justified and thinking this team could be a tournament team. 610 00:40:58.480 --> 00:41:00.920 It is not me saying they better do it and if not, it's 611 00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:02.320 going to be a travesty and it'll mean that this coach is a bum. 612 00:41:04.239 --> 00:41:06.559 It's just, you know, because you have no clue how it's going to 613 00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:09.639 work out. All new players, brand new staff like it's it's all brand 614 00:41:09.639 --> 00:41:15.199 new, which again to me, it's the ultimate unknown. Nobody's played together 615 00:41:15.400 --> 00:41:21.280 really for the most part, so I'm not here to set expectations too high. 616 00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:23.840 But again, I think this is a roster that on paper, when 617 00:41:23.840 --> 00:41:28.400 it comes to the personnel and the type of players they have, this could 618 00:41:28.400 --> 00:41:30.400 be a tournament team. I think it should be a tournament team. I 619 00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:34.480 think it will be a tournament team. And I don't think Pat Kelsey would 620 00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:37.920 be would be bothered by fans putting those kind of expectations out there. I 621 00:41:37.960 --> 00:41:40.400 think that's one of the reasons why he would come to a place like Louisville, 622 00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:45.199 because we have expectations, we care, we're kind of crazy, and 623 00:41:45.239 --> 00:41:46.480 so far in the first couple of months on the job, he seems to 624 00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:50.719 be someone that you know, isn't bothered by our craziness. He seems to 625 00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:53.480 embrace it. Are we got another hour to go? So stick with us 626 00:41:53.480 --> 00:41:59.079 to five o'clock hours. Coming up next, we'll reset some things and something 627 00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:01.559 I want to ask you guys, do you feel like it should be a 628 00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:06.920 requirement for the big schools in this state Louisville, Kentucky. Should it be 629 00:42:06.920 --> 00:42:10.960 a requirement that they fill out their schedule when they can with other in state 630 00:42:12.039 --> 00:42:15.519 schools like a Bellerman or a Murray State, Because that's actually happening in another 631 00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:20.639 state where there's a bill that's been put out there to require those schools to 632 00:42:20.679 --> 00:42:22.239 do that, and I think it's nonsense. So we'll get to that in 633 00:42:22.280 --> 00:42:32.400 a lot more right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. This report is sponsored 634 00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:36.840 by Gutter Helmet Byiclassic dot com