It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety
Holy crap, I don't know who the hell we think when we are get
off our show, idiot. The kids are playing or tail off. The
countries are screwing it up. Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, gold Play
Inner Murals. They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're really not.
Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here? Are you kidding me?
Now? Here's nick coffee? I'm not sure if you were looking at the
monitor there as soon as the show started, well, as soon as you
started playing the music there, John, because not a great start to the
show. Not a great start to the week here on a Monday. I
feel bad because I should have checked in. Did you see I spilt my
energy drink? Thankfully, not on anything like now. I just feel like
a like a rebel, like I'm playing Russian Roulette or something, but just
having a drink near this humongous board in front of me that you know,
I probably should never have water, drink anything in front of it, but
I do every day. And today you know, I'm moving around to get
the headset my headphones, and I just bang this nearly full no longer full
by the way of Monster Energy drink, and it falls over and luckily it
just spilled on me. So it's spilled on my lap, got a little
bit on the carpet, but it did not damage anything. And now I'm
about to have a panic attack just knowing that I have an open can of
something near this board. So that was scary for me, not because you
know, I mean I was scared I was gonna break something, and you
know, if I damaged this thing to where it didn't work anymore, like
just by being an idiot. I mean you think I get fired. Probably
not, but like I'm honestly surprised unless I'm just like this thing costs more
than they've paid me since I've worked here for eight years, I'm sure.
Yeah, I'm surprised nobody that works here has damaged any of these boards yet.
Yeah, because we've been here for nearly two years at this point,
close to it, and we don't, like, we don't have any signs
that say like keep you know, food and drink out, which you know
it if I had like a water bottle like this, it's one thing to
have an open can. That's just me being you know, reckless, I
guess. But anyway, we get the cans. I'm wearing the cans today,
are you I hate it too. I'm so you don't have any I
usually bring, you know, the little black earbuds that I bring in,
But I feel like I'm in a totally different world today because I've left those
at the house and I've got the cans on them. What if I told
you I have an extra pair that I've never used before, never used,
never used them, I would take you up on that. I'll bring them
in there to you after this break, if you can, if you can
suffer through, oh, I can do it. Sixteen minutes or so of
the big cans. I'm with you cause I we we're the minority. We
use earbuds, and I just use old Apple headphones, like you know,
the ones that you know used to be able to plug into your phone.
It's been a long time since Apple gave you a phone, an iPhone,
I should say, or even an iPad, an iPad where you plug in
headphones. So uh yeah, if you ever need headphones around here, you'll
find them. But they're the big, bulky cans, and for some reason,
the cord on them is eight miles long. Have you noticed that on
some of these, like the one I have, is tied together, so
it's a lot shorter, but it's it's heavy on one side. Use of
it. You need some length, so she said, you know, to
be able to move around in studio, right and not you know, have
them yank you just yank, you know, yanked off your head because you've
walked too far away from the board. However, the length on these cords
is if you just get to move and you really your next thing, you
know, you're tangled up like a hostage, like you just don't know how
it happened. You're moving around and all of a sudden, this whole you
know, it's it's it's out of hand. So anyways, uh, three
and a half, well four minutes in now we're ready to get this thing
started. So welcome in everybody. Coffee and company that is us. We
are fueled by Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety taking you up till six
o'clock. Hopefully you had yours a good weekend and hopefully you had a long
weekend. We certainly did. It's been since Wednesday that we were here and
I certainly enjoyed my time off. John, did you have a good Fourth
of July? Do see? Do you have all ten fingers still? I
do? Didn't participate in any of the fireworks extravaganza that happened over the weekend.
But I also saw that you celebrated a birthday yesterday, right, I
did, Yeah, thirty six yesterday, and it was a good day.
I woke up, which I got a story to share in just a minute,
because you know, you remember the trip to Missouri that I yes completely
just you know, had my dates wrong, and then sure enough, in
a matter of seventy two hours, I was going on a long trip.
So that kind of happened again, although I'm not taking full blame this time
around. But anyways, I woke up yesterday. We'd gone on a little
trip Saturday. Woke up yesterday morning, which was my birthday, drove home
and my wife and my kids took a nap, and I just hung out
on the couch. I watched true crime stuff, I drank a few and
I just had some meat time. And then we ended up going and getting
some dinner last night with some friends. So a very low key thirty six
birthday and I'm not doing this as an invitation for you guys to say,
oh, you're not old, because I don't think that I'm old old,
like I know that I'm like, I'm not an old man. But for
a while I've kind of been in that in between of where I'm not young,
but I'm not old. I'm you know, I'm whatever you want to
call it. But thirty six feels not like, you know, I didn't
wake up today like damn, I'm old. But just saying thirty six knowing
that I'm in the back half of the thirties, it is like yesterday,
I didn't want to have a birthday, Like I didn't want to be thirty
six. Yet's first time that's ever happened to where I'm like, yeah,
I'd prefer like if I could get, you know, can I get another
six months at thirty five before I hit the back half of my thirties.
And again, it's not because I feel like I've you know, like I'm
getting. In fact, I feel better now than I did when I turned
thirty, to be honest with you, and that's thanks to my friends over
at the louisvill Men's Clinic. But you know, just thirty six, Like
I don't know, maybe it's me, maybe I'm in my own head.
But like if I tell somebody, hey, I'm thirty four thirty, I
feel like that's different than when you say thirty thirty six. Are you somebody
who's afraid of eventually turning forty? I feel like that's kind of the cutoff
for most people and when like you kind of officially become a middle aged person.
Yeah, I'm not afraid of it, Like I'm not. I don't
have fear because I'm a procrastinator and I just assemble that's so far away,
but sure enough, I'm you know, time goes by so fast when you
get older. I swear to where like it'll be here before you know it,
Like it's it's exactly you know, it's uh, roughly four years away
from today, but no, forty will be forty. Forty's the one man
Like I can't say that as someone who's experienced it. Obviously I'm still four
years away, But I do feel like when you're when you're thirties, you
have probably moments in even maybe a year where you feel like, you know,
I'm on the younger side, right, I'm older than I once was.
But you know, I'm still young enough to where I'm living life and
I you know, I'm care free. I feel good. But then you
have, you know, a year, maybe two years where you're like,
damn, I'm like thirty. It can fluctuate as far as how you look
at it and how you feel. Right. Am I experiencing things that I
feel like, Wow, I'm still young enough to do this and it's great?
Or are you feeling like, man, these hangovers didn't used to hurt
so bad? And wait a second, I didn't shave for a few days.
Is that gray hair on my face? Like things like that? Like
thirty is is really what you make of it? I think, because you
can still be young enough to where you're you know, active, and you
know, maybe I don't want to say wild, but you could be if
you wanted to be. I'm certainly not wild. But when you're forty,
really, I guess you could do all those things. But man, forty,
I think you're right. I'm not fearful of it yet because I'm just
in this world of like, I got so long and so much I want
to do before I get there. But forty will be the age I feel
like to where you're like, Okay, I'm like forty and above, you're
not like an old person. But it just I don't know, it sounds
so different realm. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, Like I just feel like
there's gonna be things when I hit forty that I'm going to think, well,
you know, I probably would have done that at thirty seven, but
you know what, I'm forty two now. Can't do it like it?
You know, we'll see. I mean, as much as I talk about
age, it really is how you view it, right, I mean,
like, you know, live your you could live your life like you're twenty
when you're in your forties, but you know that probably isn't the why.
I mean, you're probably a little too old to be doing that for a
variety of reasons. But yeah, thirty is that is that even? Like
is that sun? To be thirty? Sounds so young and yet you still
have four years until you're there. Yes, that's right, I'll be twenty.
Like you're not like that's not like an you're not like dreading that right,
No, not at all. Yeah, you are in and I'm not
kidding you. You are in the perfect age because you're old enough to wherey
like you. You know, you've got your own money, your own career.
You can you know, you're you're a grown up, you're on your
own, you're married, but you're all so young and can you know,
I don't know. That was a fun era for my for myself, my
wife and we had a good time. So when you have kids, it
all changes. So no, rush, I'm sure you guys will get to
that whenever you were ready, and uh, you know, but that's that's
really what changes a lot of things in life for people, you know.
And I wouldn't have it any other I cannot imagine life without children. I'd
be bored. I mean, I wouldn't really know what to do. I
mean today, you know, I was with my kids because Friday, my
wife had to work, so I had both kids. So I've just been
attached to these kiddos really since since Thursday because of the holiday. And you
know, I missed them today because I'm you know, they are daycare and
the other ones at the babysitters. So yeah, anyways, real quick,
this is what I did Saturday. I went camping, which you could still
call it camp well glamping or camping, because now that's kind of there's differences
nowadays, So I think we did a little bit of both. So I
don't I remember talking about going camping for the Fourth of July weekend with with
my buddy Blake and his wife and in their kids. And I don't ever
remember like saying, yeah, we're going, can't wait, Like he and
I never talked about it. The only time the conversation happened was when we
were all at dinner a couple of weeks ago, and it was really the
girls talking about it. So, you know, they left on fourth of
July to go, and they were there for you know, four days.
We I guess had made the decision to just go Saturday and stay at night
and come home Sunday. Well, my wife and I were at dinner on
Friday and she's telling me, you know, hey, are you you know,
are we good to go? Like and I'm like, what are you
talking about? Like there's no way we made it. There's no way we
said we were going. We haven't discussed it once, you're telling And I
was like, you're messing with me. I said the F word though,
like you've got to be effing with me, Like there's no way that.
Then she was like, no, and I said, then, why haven't
you brought it up? Why have we talked about what we're gonna do.
Why haven't we discussed sleeping arrangements? You know, I don't like being outside,
Like what do we like? So full blown panic attack, So sure
enough, you know, I didn't want to back out on them, and
I wanted to go, but it just felt like, you know, this
is this is probably the best way trying to describe this without it sounded like
I'm as big of a you know, whimp. But like if I was
going to be camping with somebody and they didn't have rooms, so we had
to like sleep in a tent, like I would, I would be.
I wouldn't. I got to be miserable. I'd be miserable to be around.
I would be. You know, it just wouldn't be good for anybody,
for anybody there, just because of, you know how I am.
So we ended up actually getting a room at this lodge, which I'd never
been to. This part of Kentucky, Dawson Springs. It's apparently where the
Bashers are from, and the Penny Ryle State Park is where we went.
That's where they camped at. And you know, they've got They've got a
camper, but it's not like you know, it's one you pull on wheels.
It's it's it's not it's not very big. It has a C,
but like you know, it's I would say, it's like just above a
humongous tent, but it has a C. And the thought of my family
sleeping in there, the four of us with their face, I just knew
that that wasn't gonna work out, like it would not be good, mostly
just because of me and my kids, to be honest with you. So
they ended up having one room available at this lodge place. So we end
up booking the room there, which was like, you know, a mile
down from where the actual campground was. So we went to again. It
was Penny Ryl State Park. We hung out. They've got this really cool
beach. Look google it real quick, John Penny Ryle State Park beach.
I mean it looks not like a Florida beach, but they do some stuff
to the water to where you've got like blue, like a bluish green.
Yeah see that. Yeah, it's like it's a beach. So we hung
out there for the day, went back to their camp site, grilled out,
had an awesome evening and then went back to the lodge and you know,
got up the next day and came home. So it was fun.
Have you ever been to that party that like that's like it's western Kentucky.
But yeah, there's in Dawson Springs. There was whenever I was a WK
I won't get too deep into the weeds of this, but we whenever I
was a part of a college ministry, we did some stuff in Dawson Springs
a couple of times. Yeah, Like I mean, I can't say that
I'll ever go back there, but it was you know, it's definitely intan.
That was the place that was hit hard by the tornadoes back in a
couple of decembers ago, and you can still you can still see, I
mean they've got there's still I mean there's still I mean, it wasn't like
you know, a war zone or anything like that, but you can still
tell like some old historic buildings, you know, there's still just some damage
there. And yeah, so yeah, I had a good Fourth of July
weekend. But now that now, I'm like ready for the summer to be
over. I'm ready for you know, the sports that I care about to
get rolling because you know, now we now, now we wait, I
mean, now, I wait, I should say, I'm sure you guys
have got some things you want to do the rest of the summer before it
ends. Maybe you're into baseball. I mean, I'm looking forward to the
TVT which is gonna be nice because that's gonna give us, you know,
basketball in July, which is something that I really enjoy. But hearing Jeff
Bram talk earlier today really really got me excited for for football season, which
I've got some takeaways from his press conference. We'll let you guys hear some
sound as well. I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Jeff Bram is
somebody that you know is And look, have I made it pretty clear I'm
a big fan of Jeff Bram John Like I think it's I think it's pretty
well noted that like I love Jeff broms. I love Jeff brom and I'm
so glad that he's here. There's clearly benefits of having your guy who's successful
coaching your program, and I knew that going in when they hired him,
but like having like now that he's here, like it's just the fact that
he's coming off a ten win season and he's entering year two and I mean
it's just it's it's perfect. It's a perfect match here. Now again,
he's got to keep winning, and I think he's going to. But as
much as I love Jeff brom this is what I was gonna say. His
press conferences are very boring. And I don't even say that as like an
insult. It's just you know, he's gonna talk football, right, Like
I mean, coaches, oftentimes they really want to give off this persona that
they are football robots, Like when they try to act like they don't know
it's an election year, that it's election day, they don't know, they've
never heard, like they just live in this world that is just is just
football, like you when they you know, Saban did it. And he's
a little more believable because he's kind of does seem like a football robot.
Now he's not for coaching anymore. He's actually showed some personality. But bron
really is that guy, like he's just sports man, like if he's not
watching film and you know, doing something to try to make Louisville football more
successful or doing his job, you know, coaching the program or recruiting and
all that stuff. He's watching other sports like he's so you know, he
doesn't have it, you know, seemingly a whole lot of personality in these
press conferences, but you're not supposed to. So it's, you know,
there's I don't want to act as if he said something crazy today that.
I can't wait for you guys to hear it because it's going to really elevate
your expectations for the upcoming season, because it wasn't anything like that, but
just giving us a nice summer update. It made me realize this team,
you know, I'll say it, this team should be better than last year's
team. Now when I say that, you're thinking ten wins last year?
Okay, you thinking eleven or twelve this year? Nick, no much different
situation with the schedule. You have to go to Notre Dame, you have
to go to Clemson. There was not a game comparable to that on the
schedule last year. Now Clemson's not what they once were, but you still
don't see teams go in and win at Clemson very often, right, Sam
deeven Notre Dame. So you can win those games, but you know you're
gonna be You're gonna be dogs unless like by the time you get there,
one of these two teams has had drastically different seasons than people would have expected.
So I don't have any games they're gonna win. I still believe this
is this is like a ten win team as far as the ceiling. That's
like best case scenario ten wins for them, and I guess they could do
better than that, but you know, i'd feel foolish saying eleven or twelve.
But you know, I didn't think they'd get ten last year, and
they did, so I think I think eight and four is the floor,
but I feel like they'd really have to be underwhelming to loot to to to
be eight and four. I could be wrong. Maybe some of these teams
on this schedule are better that than anticipated, but I just think from a
personnel standpoint, this team is going to be better. And it is crazy
to me. Last year ten wins ten and four overall? Was it ten
for because you played? Yeah, you lost two regular season games and then
you lost to Florida State. Yeah, that's right. So they did all
that without, like Louisville having the type of Jeff brom team that any of
us would have ever envisioned. It was a team that really was led by
their defense, and their defense fell apart a little bit towards the end of
the season. That was unfortunate, But the defense was the reason Louisville was
so good early on, and well, I shouldn't say so good, but
they were winning close games, getting it done because their defense. And again,
I hate saying this because it sounds so mean, but it's just the
truth. Last year, on offense, your weakness was your quarterback. Doesn't
mean didn't mean the guy sucks. Jack Plumber wasn't terrible, but clearly he
wasn't. I mean, it's just wild to think of Jeff Brom, a
Jeff Brom coach team having that level of success with a quarterback who times played
well and made plays, and clearly he did good enough to where you could
you know you were winning. But like he was the weakness. There's no
doubt about it. Now. I think you could also point to receiver depth
was a problem, and you know, maybe some of that though was on
him. Maybe some of these other receivers would have been more successful if Jack
was a little more consistent. So you know, they're gonna be better.
I think I really do believe that they're gonna have more depth and more balanced.
I mean, last year was such a fun you know, who cares
what happens. You know, obviously we needed I think we needed to win
enough, right, But I don't think anybody said ten wins before last year,
and that's certainly what happened. But I think we were intoxicated by just
the fact that that happened. To realize that last year he kind of threw
together a team on the fly, and yes, he did the same thing
this this year when it comes to adding a bunch of guys from the portal.
But you know, you bring back a first team All American in Ashton
Jelati Quincy Riley. I think one of the more undervalue, underrated defensive players
in the country. MJ. Griffin is healthy again. I mean, I
really think this team, just from a personnel standpoint, they're gonna be better.
Now will it result in the same amount of wins? Who knows,
but it certainly could and I can't wait. So we'll talk about some of
the comments he made today, just some takeaways from that, and then also
on the Louisville basketball side, we'll talk about the video. So if you
haven't seen it. Maybe you were out doing stuff over the weekend and maybe
or maybe you just don't even get on social media because you don't care.
But last night at seven o'clock, the UFL men's basketball social media accounts released
a three minute video called Operation Revival. And it's a short film and I've
got some thoughts on it that i want to share with you. I will
warn you these aren't It's not like I'm going to say something about the video
that you probably haven't already said yourself or maybe you heard somebody else say.
But I'll just before we move on and take our first break, it's just
cool to at least be doing this kind of stuff right, Like there's energy
and enthusiasm around the basketball program, which is what we needed more than anything.
I mean, I know you want to win, but like in the
time where Pat Kelsey was hired, until the time he can actually coach games
and give us results, He's done so much to keep the energy and excitement
there and get people pumped up about this new era and these creative projects like
this short film. I mean, even if people didn't think it was like
maybe somebody thinks it wasn't as cool as they're hearing other fans talk about it
either way, like it's something creative that's being done that has people engaging with
Louisville basketball in July, which you know we didn't have that the last couple
of years, so we can certainly talk about that. I don't want to
get caught up in the Brownie James stuff because you know, I just I'm
already annoyed by the coverage of the coverage, if that makes any sense.
When it comes to Bronnie James. All people are doing is complaining about ESPN's
homepage for two days having Bronnie James underwhelming NBA Summer League debut stats. But
we all knew that was going to happen, Like just because you know something's
gonna happen, then it happens and it sucks. Like you could still complain.
People can playin all the time. I can plain all the time,
But I do feel like I'm when I when there's not a surprise and you
just know something is going to play out that is going to annoy you,
Like I guess being prepared for that makes me less annoyed, because you know
I was, I was already well aware that anything Bronnie and James. In
fact, not that I'm the first one that said it. I'm sure many
people said it. But before he got drafted, like you knew ESPN was
going to make Bronnie, it was gonna be the Bronnie James Summer League.
So I don't know, I'm annoyed by it. But then again, I
cannot get enough of Lebron James's daddy being just completely just on a unable to
read the room, having zero level of self awareness. And it's it's always
been that way with Lebron. But he did a Good Morning American interview I
think it was today, one of those shows nationally, he did an interview
talking about it, and like, I mean, Lebron James saying that his
son being in the NBA is his greatest accomplishment in life. Like maybe that
doesn't sound off to you guys, but like, how about like you know,
I don't know, maybe in a way that's actually him taking a step
in the direction of self awareness, because I guess, you know, you
would say most parents would say that's the greatest accomplishment from my son. I'm
so proud of what my son did. I'm so proud of him. He
did it, he worked hard, you know, those kind of things.
But Lebron's you know, taking credit for which again maybe that is him actually
starting to read the room, because we all know you are the reason your
son got drafted, has nothing to do with anything he's done, you know,
as a basketball player. But look, when you've got early July the
only live sport going on that, you know that. I mean, I
don't care about it, but I guess enough people care about professional baseball,
like this isn't going anywhere. Also, something else I'm gonna get to at
some point, Dan Hurley's contract details come out, and I'm not surprised looking
back that he did stay at Yukon because nobody wants to be associated with the
James family circus in LA. That's been proven with all these free agents that
did not want to go play in LA and shows to go elsewhere because you
know that's a circus. But Dan Hurley, you know, U can needs
to pay that man more like if he's going, if he's willing to take
that deal and you know, be happy, then good on him. But
like I just assume they would have to give him more money than they actually
gave him to keep him there, but then again, they don't have the
amount of money that a lot of big schools have, so we're loaded the
rest of the way. Hopefully you guys will stick with us. If you
want to take us with you, you can do that. You can listen
live on the Aheart radiop listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com and we'll
let you guys be part of the show today. No guests. We usually
don't schedule any guests on Monday, so if you want to join in on
the conversation, you can do it. Five O two five seven one seventy
nine hundred is the number if you want to give us a call, and
you can also text in on the L and N Federal Credit Union text line
five out two sixty five to three zero seven ninety. Keep a lock right
here on Sports Talk seven ninety. It really does feel like a Monday for
the first time, meaning like, I don't know, I was I was
struggling a little bit earlier today. Maybe it's because I'm thirty six now.
Maybe it's because, you know, for the last five days, I've just
been kind of, you know, not partying, but you know, hanging
out spending time at the pool, drinking, you know, enjoying the long
holiday weekend and a birthday mixed in as well, so it is a Monday
edition. Coffee and Company appreciate you guys hanging out with us again. We
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com. And again we are fueled by our family over at Thornton's. All
right, let's talk about Jeff Broms. So he talked earlier today, and
you know, I don't want to, you know, have a whole segment
where I'm just you know, highlighting some things he talked about, because I
want. I know, off season press conference reaction is not usually the most
entertaining thing, but you know, I don't feel as bad spending some time
really just nerding out on what the coach had to say about his personnel when
practice hasn't even started, because again, there's momentum here for LOUISLL football.
They're coming off of a ten win season. They finished as a top fifteen
program last year, and they're certainly not getting that kind of love right now,
meaning to top fifteen. But I think this team could be really good,
and I said it earlier for those just now joining us. I think
this team is going to be better from a personnel standpoint. They're more talented,
they have more depth, They're going to be able to I think just
clearly do things differently offensively now will that result in you getting back to the
a SEC Championship? Who knows? I mean, Florida State clearly the deserving
favorite. Clemson, even though they've taken a step back, they still are
in the top tier of this league. But outside of that, you know,
I think Louisville, I mean, I think Louisville getting back to the
AEC Championship is something you can not look at and say it's likely, but
like, it's not a it's not a delusional thing to put out there as
like an expectation for your team. And we'll start with the most talked about
position in football, probably the most over evaluated, over analyzed position in sports,
and that's the quarterback spot. So always I like John is a straight
shoot. There's a lot I like about the company man, but I oftentimes
go to him because he, you know, is forced to listen to every
word I say, because he produces this show. Was I did did you
did? It seem as if I was a bigger defender of Jack Plumber than
most. I don't think you were a defender of Jack Plumber. I think
you just you You never really hesitated to just kind of point out whenever he
didn't have the best performance. You never you never really blamed anything on him,
but you ever, you never really gave him full credit either, if
that makes sense. I just feel like at times I felt myself doing a
little bit of the of you know, defending him, maybe more than I
should have should have, but but it was because you know, people would
call in after wins and talk about bench at him and saying he sucks,
and I, I, you know, I hear you. Like again,
it's weird to say, because usually if your quarterback is the weakness of your
offense, you're not winning ten games. Usually if that's the case, you
suck. And usually if Jeff Brahm has a quarter I mean, I feel
like any quarterback is going to be better playing under his play calling and his
offense. And you know, Plumber was, you know, he was solid
enough for you to win ten games, but like you weren't. You weren't
beating anybody because of what this guy could do with his arm. Like it
just wasn't who he was. But I always felt when people call him the
postgame shows, I would I would always just you know, out of nowhere,
find myself defending him, and maybe I maybe I shouldn't have I don't
know. I mean people for people thinking that Louisville was going to make a
quarterback change when they were in the midst of a phenomenal season seven and one
in the ACC like, you got to tell you got to think about what
you're doing to your locker room. If you are winning and you're achieving a
special season and then you bench a guy like at quarterbay. Just to me,
that's just unrealistic. And I don't think they truly had a guy last
year as a backup that they felt would be capable of doing what Brohm needed
the quarterback to do. So Plumber's gone and Tyler Shuck, let's be real,
huge question mark here. He's had stretches of play went healthy and you
think, Okay, this kid's got a big arm, he's got great size,
that could be something special there. He's had other stretches of play at
Texas Tech and Oregon where he's healthy, and you think, Okay, you
know this kid's all right, but you know he's not great. I think
you've had, you know, just from what I've referenced, I think you've
you've had more good Chuck than bad Chuck. Went healthy. But that's the
thing. He's never been healthy. I mean I shouldn't say never, but
I mean he has been banged up. I feel like every year he's played.
And I gotta admit there's a reason for that that I didn't know.
You know, he let me pull up his his measurements here because again,
he's a big kid. I say, kid, he's a grown man.
I think he's almost twenty five. Yeah, he's six five two twenty five.
That's a big guy. So you know, it makes sense that that
they would run him when he was at Oregon in Texas Tech, but I
did not know just how much they relied on him to use his legs.
Brom said this earlier today, and I thought, okay, well that's you
know, that sounds that sounds like an important detail that gets left out when
people talk about this guy's injury history, because you know, if you're running
a lot, that's probably going to have a factor in why you're not always
staying healthy. And I don't even know if the injuries that he's suffered,
let were caused because he was taken off and scrambling and somebody laid him out
and you know, broke his shoulder or something. I don't I've never seen
any of the plays that led to him actually having some season ending injuries,
which he's had, but in two he had in twenty two career games,
and that's at Florida, or not Florida, but at Oregon, Texas Tech,
Oregon, in Texas Tech. Most of it was in Texas Tech.
In twenty two career games, he had two hundred and four carries. So
like when he's playing, if you really break it down and look at the
games, he was actually the guy. Right, He's out there for the
bulk of the game or maybe you know, eighty percent of it or ninety
percent of it because he had to come out becase he got hurt. Like
that happened to him a lot. He's carrying the ball nearly ten times a
game, Like that's a lot. He's not going to be asked to do
that here. And that's what brom I wouldn't even say that he emphasized it,
but he kind of mentioned it, And I'm like, Okay, well,
that makes me if he's healthy now, which he is, that makes
me feel a lot better about about him staying healthy. Right, They're not
going to have him moving around and I mean, in fact, I think
what Jeff said word for word is they will have they will have a package
available for him to use his legs when need be. But like they're going
to get the ball to the playmakers, tight end, receiver, running back.
I mean, they're I've never once thought about Chuck being a dude who
takes off in runs like you know, as far as that being like a
big an added weapon. And sure enough, at both places he's been like
that is something that the previous programs he's played for relied on him to do.
They're not relying on him to do that. At Louisville. He's going
to be relied on to make the throws be accurate, get vertical. This
won't surprise anybody. Jeff Brom wants to be a little more vertical than they
were off last year, and they can be if he can stay healthy.
So you know, I'm not gonna act as if I know. I mean,
we'll have to wait and see when it comes to Shuck and his ability
to you know, hold up and be healthy and really just be able to
make plays. But I actually think if he's you know, if he's just
sitting back in the pocket and they can protect him and he's not taking a
bunch of sacks. I think he could be you know, I think he
could stay healthy. But it's also one of those things like he's never had
a season where he has been a full time starter and and had the whole
year, and I'm hoping that this is that year. Another thing that is
kind of crazy to think about with Louisville being a ten win team who played
in the ACC Championship last year is that they did it not only with a
quarterback who again I think was the weakness of the offense, but really no
presence at all from the tight end position. I mean Jeff Brom, I
mean he's put some dudes in the NFL. One at Western, one at
Purdue. I mean, Jeff Brom loves to get tight ends involved when it
comes to you know, just spreading it out and you know, just being
really balanced offensively, and that just was not a weapon for them last year.
I mean, they brought in the kid from Kentucky, Joey Gatewood,
who you know started his career Kentucky and then actually think he started his career
at Auburn and then was at Central Florida, and so you know, he
had a couple of plays they had a walk on. I can't I forget
the young man's name who walked on. I believe he was a walk on.
Maybe I've got that completely wrong, but yeah, I mean they did.
The tight end position was just kind of empty last year, and this
year it should be substantially different. I mean Mark Edmond, San Diego State
transfer, he was a really good player in the Mountain West, probably the
best tight end in the Mountain West. And he's here. He's a veteran,
he's played a lot of football. This is his last year of eligibility.
Jamari Johnson, a former big time recruit who was a red shirt freshman
this year. He's sounds like he's gonna be ready to go. You throw
in Isaiah Cummings, who transferred in from Kentucky to Louisville Native. I mean,
I'd be really shocked if at the tight end position, if the tighten
position isn't like the most noticeable thing different from last year's offense. And that
makes it to where, you know, at running back, where I think
you are going to be a little bit like, let's just be honest here,
you lost two really good running backs that would be starting running backs for
not every program in the country last year, but most almost all of them.
Maybe I mean, Jeff said this at the presser, and I feel
like i'd heard it, but maybe I forgot about it. But Louisville is
the only program that have two that had two guys drafted at the running back
position last year in the NFL. And yeah, a lot of that has
to do with the fact that NFL teams know they don't have to draft running
backs anymore. But these these teams invested a draft pick on running backs Juir
Jordan and Isaac Garrinde because those guys are that good. So you're going to
be taking a step back there, there's no doubt about it. But I
think it actually worked out well because those guys were so good, so dependable.
Your line did the offensive line did their part, and it made it
to where you know, you didn't have to ask Jack Plumber to do as
much right because you knew you could hand the ball off to either of those
two guys and you were probably gonna find some success. In fact, Louisville
and Georgia were the only programs that had multiple running backs invited to the combine.
Both running backs for Georgia that went to the combine did not get drafted.
Both of Louisville's guys did. So. Look, I think they're going
to have probably a running back back committee here. You know, you probably
want one to be good enough to where if you really feel like you're going
to have to rely on the ground game and you want, you know,
kind of your premier ball carry. Like, I don't know who that's going
to be. As far as who have emerges, but they've got a lot
of options. You know, i'd say post spring, you know, it's
pro. I don't know, Maybe I'm wrong here. I was going to
say, maybe it's maybe it's anybody's guests. As far as who actually gets,
you know, the most carries, who was actually going to be number
one on the depth chart, if you go off of just the names that
Jeff Bron mentioned earlier today, I would I mean, I kind of feel
like you probably would lean Maurice Turner being the guy that gets the first carry,
just because he's a veteran. It sounds like he's had a really good
spring. Jeff said, he's in great shape. Donald Chaney, the transfer
from Miami who was good at Miami and is gonna be more than serviceable here.
Keewan Brown. I think that kid's got a lot of upside. You
didn't play a lot last year red shirt freshmen and then freshman Isaac Brown,
the kid from Florida. I mean, Rom talked about him today. He's
the fastest running back on their team. That's true freshmen. So they've got
options there. So you know your running back spot can be more of a
hey, do it by committee. Maybe one game you got a guy.
That's because last year you had some performances from Grindo in Jordan that were not
only like really good, I mean a lot of running. Like those two
guys were two of the best running backs in the country whenever they were the
guy. And obviously it rotated because obviously Jordan had a phenomenal start to the
season, then he got banged up, then you handed off to Grindo.
And I actually don't think it's a crazy thing to say that Grenda might have
actually been better, to be honest with you, So you know you're gonna
take a drop off there, but you're gonna be way better at quarterback.
I think you're gonna have tied end that you know, just didn't exist last
year that can really help you, you know, I mean help you out.
And then at receiver, you know, it's more of a hope,
it's more of a hey. I hope these transfers really really do workout meeting,
that they can take their production at the lower level G five level and
make it work here. I mean Colin Lacy. I think it's only one
receiver in the country that had more receiving yards than him right now. He's
the transfer from South Alabama JA Corey Brooks from Alabama. He was limited in
the spring. Now he's healthy. I mean, there was one year at
BAMA where he was he was one of their top top receivers. So if
you can do that at Bama, I don't know why you couldn't do it
here. And then Chris Bell's back, you know, he had a big
spring. I'm hoping he can take a big step. So again, I
don't think it's crazy to say Louisville from a personnel standpoint, it's going to
be better. And all I've talked about right now is offense, one thing
real quickly to hit on. Then we'll get back into this coming up a
little later on in the show to some other things to take away from Jeff
Browns press conference this afternoon. Pierce Clarkson is your backup, which you know
that could change, I guess from now until they actually play a game.
But obviously Tyler Shuck is the guy. And if they have to go to
a backup for any reason, rather it be injury or somebody not playing,
well, it's gonna be Pierce Clarkson. So that's exactly what you want to
hear. And I think the hope is that he gets enough reps this year,
maybe just in situations or maybe because you're killing somebody, you know,
maybe he gets to play the whole second half because you're just throttling Jacksonville State
or Austin p and you see enough there to where you know, okay,
we're gonna keep our eyes open in the portal because you have to. But
twenty twenty five, that's when Pierce Clarkson takes the reins. I mean,
we'll see if we get there. That's a long way away, but I
was glad to hear that. After the spring is no doubt he's the backup
quarterback. Hey, look, I don't think you want to have a quarterback
by committee thing, but Jeff will do it because I think he you know,
I think he enjoys doing I think I think he play as many quarterbacks
as he could. All right, don't go anywhere, keep it locked right
here. It's Coffee and Company Field by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety.
So we add some folks asking last week if I had any insight as to
who the unnamed new edition is for the Louisville TBT team, And it hasn't
been like officially announced with any fancy social media graphic or video, but the
actual TBT website I think kind of kind of spill the beans here because if
you go to the if you go to the home to the TBT website and
you click on teams and just go to the Ville. If you go to
the Louisville the Louisville landing page there at the website that shows the roster,
David Johnson is listed. So that's a good addition. Man, He's probably
gonna be the youngest guy on that team, right. I mean, I
don't think that the other players like Russ and Peyton and Kyle or old guys,
but I guess they are compared the DJ. I mean, DJ,
gosh, what is he twenty three twenty four? Maybe maybe not even that
old. He left after two seasons at U of L. That was in
twenty twenty, I believe. Yeah, there no DJ. Did he play
the twenty twenty one season. He did. He played in twenty twenty one
as a sophomore, him and car Leak, So yeah, I guess he's
probably twenty three twenty four. And he's a good player too, So yeah,
I think that team just got even better. All Right, fellas,
let's talk about it. You hear me say it over and over because I
care about you, guys. I want you to be happier and healthier,
and that's what my friends at the Louisville Men's Clinic can do for you.
You know, I'm thirty six. I don't like saying that out loud.
It's the back end of my thirties. But I feel better than I have
in a long time since I started working with the folks at the louis of
Men's Clinic, Doctor Wood, who's a pro. He's got me on testosterone
treatment, which is a game changer. I no longer am lethargic throughout the
day. I now have better workouts. Flab that was there is you can
still find some flab bombing. He trust me, but you know, I
just it's it's been a bit off official for me in a variety of ways.
I don't know if it's just because I feel better about myself after you
know, being healthy or working out, but like mentally, like it's it's
been a game changer. And if you go look at all the potential signs
that you have low testosterone, you know, mental fatigue, even to levels
of depression are are factors or I guess signs that you could have low TE.
So I didn't really know what it was, but sure enough I decided
to educate myself and go talk to them and think like, hey, you
know what, maybe I could feel even better, and sure enough I do
so. Luivillman's Clinic dot com is the website five O two four four four
four thousand. That is the number if you want to give them a call.
But it's not just low t They can also help you with a rectile
dysfunction. They've got a variety of different treatment options there, joint pain,
weight loss therapy, semiglutide that is a new craze here helping people not just
lose weight but change their lifestyle. And if you've tried some big diets that
you know are challenging, and you just kind of fall off the wagon,
or you follow some diet for a while and then you know your lifestyle switches
back to where you're eating bad once again, and it's just not sustainable.
This is this is the way to go. I mean, semi glutide is
a weekly injection that will just completely curb your appetite. Right, You're gonna
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that hunger to go snack. I mean, it is. It is a
game changer. So again, one of the many, many options that you
have at the Little Men's Clinic when it comes to being happier and healthier.
So again, Little Men's Clinic dot coms the website FABO two four four four
four thousand. All right, So what I want to get to coming up
here in the four o'clock I we'll talk a little more about I don't know
that the bullet County came out in me there, John, four o'clock Are
it happens in the four o'clock are we're gonna talk a little more about Jeff
Brohm, this Louisville basketball short film that a lot of people had thoughts on,
which I have thoughts on it as well, So we'll talk about that.
Keep this party rolling along, and I hope you guys will stick with
us. We've got two hours left. Right here, it's Coffee and Company.
Phil Beth Thornton's on Sports Talk seven to ninety