WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.720 --> 00:00:05.839 It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Thornton's on 2 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:23.079 Sports Talk seven nine day. Now, here's Nick coffee. 3 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:26.679 All right. 4 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:29.079 So for those of you that are interested and able 5 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:32.119 to make it up to Lexington tomorrow to see the 6 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:36.439 team have their open practice, it will start at let's see, 7 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:40.000 let me make sure I get this correct. So here 8 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:43.960 we go. Well, the press conferences that I can tell 9 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:47.799 you when they start, Louisville will have Pat Kelsey from 10 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:51.399 eleven twenty to eleven thirty five tomorrow morning, and then 11 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:54.840 let's see, I'm trying to see when they're doing the 12 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:57.439 player Yeah, I'm sorry, let me back up. Eleven oh 13 00:00:57.479 --> 00:00:59.159 five is when it's going to start for Louisville. That's 14 00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:01.600 when they're going to have the Louisville players available. And 15 00:01:01.640 --> 00:01:03.719 then Pat Kelsey will talk from eleven twenty to eleven 16 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:06.680 thirty five. So basically eleven am till about eleven thirty 17 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:10.959 ish was when we'll hear from coach Kelsey. And I'm 18 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:13.400 not sure if it's certain players. I'm really and it's 19 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:15.040 kind of crazy. I don't really remember how they do it. 20 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:18.319 I know there's more players available for the NCAA tournament. 21 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:22.560 Press conferences than there is typically, but you know, as 22 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:25.519 far as how many, I'm not totally sure. Now as 23 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:30.920 far as let's see practice time, so let's see this 24 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:32.879 is open to well, I may be lied to you 25 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:37.719 because I know they had open practices the last time 26 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:40.560 that I went to cover rate INSTABA tournament, but I 27 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:43.640 don't know if that was based off of the host 28 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:45.120 that was in Des Moines, Iowa, which by the way, 29 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:48.120 Drake was the host, and there was an open practice 30 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:50.560 for fans. But when I'm looking at here the practice schedule, 31 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:52.920 it just says that it's open to the media, and 32 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:55.640 Louisville's will be tomorrow right after the press conferences, from 33 00:01:55.640 --> 00:01:59.920 eleven forty five to twelve twenty five, So maybe there's 34 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:02.159 I guess there's not an open practice for fans to 35 00:02:02.200 --> 00:02:05.200 watch it, and I'll double check on that. But anyways, 36 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:09.039 with this being such a short trip, I would imagine 37 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:12.000 that you know, you're not having to stay overnight or anything. 38 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:13.919 Therefore you're probably just gonna if you're gonna go, you're 39 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:16.280 gonna just drive up on Thursday morning and then of 40 00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:18.400 course come back after the game and hopefully make your 41 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:22.639 way back to Lexington on Saturday all right, it's coffee 42 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:24.280 and company. We are feel about Thornton's here on Sports 43 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:26.439 Talk seven ninety. Appreciate you hanging out with us, Nick Coffee. 44 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:30.159 That's me the tribal chief, Austin Montgomery alongside today. And 45 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:32.680 when it comes to this home court advantage that you 46 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:38.039 should have to an extent on Thursday, I hate talking 47 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.680 attendance turn out because I can never win, right, because 48 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:43.879 if you give any honest thoughts on it, you have 49 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:48.599 some folks that will tell you that it's terrible and 50 00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:51.199 it's a huge issue. You need to acknowledge it. And 51 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:54.960 then if you do actually express some concern and question, 52 00:02:55.080 --> 00:02:57.439 I guess maybe why there isn't a big crowd, then 53 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:00.319 you're being negative. So I've learned long ago that the 54 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:04.199 whole conversation about attendance turnout it's really not that interesting, 55 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:07.840 and it usually, you know, puts me in a spot 56 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:11.199 to where I you know, I can't win. So I'm 57 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:15.479 gonna make an exception here because I feel like you're 58 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:17.479 gonna need a good amount of fans there, and I 59 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:20.520 think there's no scenario where Louisville doesn't have more presence 60 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:24.719 than their opponents in these games. If they even get 61 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.520 to a second game. I mean, Creighton's gonna have fans, which, 62 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:30.719 by the way, Creighton has a way bigger basketball fan 63 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:34.840 base than people realize. And I'm sure some of them 64 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:36.439 will be here, I mean, because they have a fan 65 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:39.319 base that's passionate enough to where they make the even 66 00:03:39.319 --> 00:03:41.639 though it's not close. They're in Omaha, Nebraska, that's far away. 67 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:44.639 But they'll have some fans here too. But Louisville should 68 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:46.520 clearly have more. But what I don't know, and I 69 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:51.240 can't like I could totally see it being one extreme 70 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.520 or the other, which maybe that means it's probably gonna 71 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:57.080 be in the middle, because I wouldn't be shocked if 72 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:01.280 it's you know, painted red as they say, because again, 73 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:03.840 like this team has been so fun to watch, Louisville 74 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:05.800 fans are way way into it in a way that 75 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:09.000 like I forgot how awesome it was. I mean, even 76 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:13.039 last week postseason play acc tournament, being able to play 77 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:16.160 three straight days, it just, you know, I could feel 78 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:21.319 the sense of you know, camaraderie, family feel among the 79 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:24.120 fan base because we haven't really been first of all, 80 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:25.800 we have been good in a long time, and you're 81 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:28.759 playing games that matter and it was just fun. So 82 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:31.680 with that said, if there is a great turnout to 83 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:35.759 where it's not twenty two thousand people there, you know, 84 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:38.399 I think that that wouldn't shock me. We're talking, you know, 85 00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:42.519 if Louisville's got way more fans than Creighton, and even 86 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:45.120 when Creighton's playing, well, you still hear and see way 87 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:47.439 more Red, that wouldn't be a shocker at all. But 88 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:52.319 then again, it's Thursday at twelve fifteen, and I just like, 89 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:54.480 I also can't say I'm going to be stunned if 90 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:57.560 Louisville has an advantage, but it's not what some people 91 00:04:57.639 --> 00:05:01.079 are expecting. And I don't know, maybe everybody's expecting a 92 00:05:01.079 --> 00:05:04.759 different level of you know, fanfare. I just don't really know, 93 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:07.839 Cause again I'm not going if you can't make it 94 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:09.879 because it's at twelve fifteen on a Thursday and you're 95 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:12.360 not able to just you know, drop what you're doing, 96 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:15.040 get off work. I mean, people have lives, they and 97 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:17.959 it's not really about like do you prioritize Sometimes it's 98 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:19.399 just you can't make it work, like you know you 99 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:22.160 aren't gonna be able to do it. I mean, if 100 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:25.560 you go to the game at twelve fifteen, I mean, 101 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:27.720 your kids aren't out of school, like maybe you are 102 00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:29.399 in charge of gain like, so again not to say 103 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:31.240 it'd be impossible for you to make arrangements to be 104 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.680 able to get there, but I also can see, you know, 105 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:37.000 there being plenty of people that would go, but they 106 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:40.240 just had a tough time making it work. Now, Saturday, 107 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:43.160 if they're able to get past Creighton, I mean that 108 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:48.079 I think will be a huge Louisville crowd because that's 109 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:50.199 a much easier thing to get to. It's Auburn the 110 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:53.720 number and overall seed, it's a quick trip up the road, Like, 111 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:57.920 I mean, that'll be that if it is Louisville and Auburn, 112 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:01.319 Louisville could sell it out and Auburn would still have 113 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:03.560 a good chance of winning because they're that good. But 114 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:06.759 if we're building up to Louisville, like if we're doing 115 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:11.279 the press conference on Friday in between games to get 116 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:15.120 set for Saturday and it's Louisville going up against Auburn, 117 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:20.199 Bruce Pearl, I think will rightfully bitch and moan about 118 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.000 having to play Louisville as an eight seed in Ropperena 119 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:24.759 because it is insane. I mean, if you think about 120 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:27.720 I've been much more focused on Louisville just being an 121 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:31.920 eight seed and getting shafted in that regard. But you 122 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:34.920 could make the case that the bigger great could be 123 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:38.360 from Auburn just because quite literally, this will be a 124 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:40.240 road game for them if that's who ends up there, 125 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:42.519 it being Louisville. Now again, maybe it's not because again 126 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:44.160 Crayton's good team Wolves is gonna have to get past 127 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:47.560 them first. But I mean, by the way, Rick Beteen, 128 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:48.680 I don't know if you guys saw this or not. 129 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:53.639 He was talking about he was asked about the. 130 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:55.519 Where. 131 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:57.959 Yeah, they're playing in Providence, Rhode Island, which is not 132 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.199 far from New York, right, So that's you know, Rix 133 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.120 teams not having to go too far from New York City. 134 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:05.319 And he was asked about that given his team like 135 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.279 an advantage, and he did he I'll let you guys 136 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:10.000 here for yourself. But he essentially said it won't be 137 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:13.319 that much of an advantage. But however, basically saying he 138 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:17.839 feels for he feels for for Doug McDermott and Creighton, Well, Cad, you. 139 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:21.759 Guys go to Providence. They're one of the few fan 140 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:23.639 bases in the dagest that do. 141 00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:26.560 You applause when you get into us. Just the fact 142 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:29.360 that it's closet enough for New York Saint John's fans 143 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.439 at top of the plus the local Rhode. 144 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:34.519 Island fans probably going rooting Bree and Runey for Saint John's. 145 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:36.319 How big a plus is that you? 146 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:38.839 I think in the NCAA tournament it's not much of 147 00:07:38.839 --> 00:07:43.319 a factor. I think, now, a Louisville in Lexington, because 148 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:45.560 I've done that as a Loville coach, going to Lexington 149 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:48.000 where we had twelve thousand people, that's a big factor. 150 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:51.680 But this is not as big attact then, So he's right. 151 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.079 I remember when Louisville went to Lexington the first game. 152 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:56.240 It was a sixteen seed and it was I mean 153 00:07:57.000 --> 00:07:59.759 it was North Carolina A and T and there were 154 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:02.639 clear Louisville fans there and it was a Thursday, but 155 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:04.319 it was in the evening, so it's easier to go 156 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.480 like it's such an if this game was at night, 157 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:09.319 totally different situation, Like I don't want to complain about 158 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:12.519 Actually I have complained, but I don't want to act 159 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:15.759 as if there's no benefit in having Lexington as the 160 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:19.120 host city because because true, there is but am I 161 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:21.079 the only one that's like, yeah, but it knew it 162 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:24.319 on Thursday. It's not as big of a benefit as 163 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:27.519 people are making it out to be. I mean, maybe 164 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:30.000 I'm underestimating the amount of people that will go, because again, 165 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:31.639 they'll do whatever they can to get there because it's 166 00:08:31.639 --> 00:08:33.320 the tournament, it's winter go home and you love this team. 167 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:34.200 And I hope that's the case. 168 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:38.639 I just you know, college kids still aren't on spring break, 169 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:40.960 are they. I have no clue, okay, because I wonder 170 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:43.120 if that I'm sure that will make a big difference 171 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:43.399 to you. 172 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:46.519 And look, I don't think you're gonna see It's like, 173 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:48.600 for example, whenever louisll played in Des Moines, I can 174 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.440 tell you what happened. Louisville was a seventh seed, Minnesota 175 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:55.159 was a ten and there's not a whole lot to 176 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:57.879 do in Des Moines, Iowa. And and it was actually 177 00:08:57.919 --> 00:08:59.960 a pretty nice city. What are those places I'll pa 178 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:03.279 never go back to a rare trip to where you know, 179 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:04.679 there had to be a reason to go there, And 180 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:06.279 it was because the NAA Tournament was there and that's 181 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:09.360 where Louisville played, So I had no expectation. It was 182 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:11.320 really just you know, probably and I knew going in 183 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:12.879 there's probably the only time I'll ever be here. So 184 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:16.039 it exceeded expectations because they were low. But like that 185 00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:19.120 city gets to host because they they do love basketball 186 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:20.960 to where there were a lot of people and it's 187 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:22.879 a thing to where in Des Moines if they're hosting, 188 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:24.879 the people go. If you're not a fan of either 189 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:26.720 team and you just know that there's games going on, 190 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:30.039 they will sell tickets to people who aren't traveling, and 191 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:32.159 that's what the NUBABA cares about. They want to sell tickets. 192 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:35.639 So what happened is that Louisville despite being the you know, 193 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:38.039 a slight favorite. I mean we're talking seven to ten, 194 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:42.840 not two and fifteen, but Minnesota started making shots. They 195 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:45.200 brought some fans as well because it wasn't quite as 196 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:49.000 far for them, and Louisville didn't bring hardly any fans 197 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:51.159 because again, you know, it was it was far away, 198 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:56.840 really far away, and that team didn't quite didn't quite 199 00:09:57.240 --> 00:10:00.000 you know. I mean Louisville had support back then, trust me, 200 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:02.039 but it was just different. So anyways, there were more 201 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:04.360 Minnesota fans there than Louisville, and then those that showed 202 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:06.720 up that didn't really have any rooting interest. I think 203 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.279 it's human nature. You find yourself pulling for the underdog, 204 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.159 and Minnesota was the underdog. It wasn't David versu Goliath, 205 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:14.399 but you ended up not in like a road environment, 206 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:17.159 but you ended up in a You ended up in 207 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:21.240 a situation where there were clearly more cheers for the 208 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:23.399 other team than you, And you know, to say that 209 00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:24.799 had a factor in the game, I don't know. I 210 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:28.519 think what happened is Louisville was offensively challenged that year 211 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:32.000 at times and played guys a lot of minutes, and Minnesota, 212 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:35.519 who'd been a really you know, suspect team, offensively with 213 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:38.600 no good shooters, they got hot and Richard Patino ended, 214 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:40.759 I mean, he's the last guy that sent you home, 215 00:10:41.080 --> 00:10:45.039 and that is I've heard other people mention it, but 216 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:47.320 I feel like it would be a bigger talking point 217 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:49.440 than it's been that the last time Louisville played in 218 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:51.399 the tournament, they also played in the very first game, 219 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:55.320 and that's just like I think, even I could be wrong, 220 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.399 but I kind of feel like, even if it's not 221 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:00.960 in a like, even if you feel good about your seed, 222 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:04.200 like even if you're in like the five to twelve 223 00:11:04.279 --> 00:11:07.720 game or or the six to eleven game. I mean, 224 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:10.080 I just think the first game of the tournament. Nobody 225 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:10.919 wants that, right. 226 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:12.360 That's always an uneasy feeling. 227 00:11:12.440 --> 00:11:14.799 Yeah, maybe if you are a underdog, like if you're 228 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:16.879 a big underdog, maybe you hope that you can come 229 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:18.720 out more loose because you've got nothing to lose. And 230 00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:20.919 maybe you'll hope that the favorite, the better team than you, 231 00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:24.120 is tight and you could take advantage of it. But yeah, 232 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:26.200 playing the first game would just would just suck all 233 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:28.840 the way around. And I mean there's nothing you can 234 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:32.080 do about it, so you know, it is what it is. 235 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:36.039 And again, I believe that this I believe that this 236 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:40.759 team is has all throughout the entire season. And it's 237 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:42.840 not even just about like their wins and losses. It's 238 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:45.200 just they've never got too high or too low to 239 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:49.159 where I've I believe Pat Kelsey's the kind of guy 240 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:53.120 that will be able to have these guys taking the 241 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.200 floor on Thursday with no emotion about their seed and 242 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:58.639 feeling like they were wronged. I think they're going to 243 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:00.600 be focused and they're gonna be ready to play. They're 244 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:02.440 gonna be ready for Craigon. And don't mean they're gonna win, 245 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:05.440 because Craion's gonna be a tough out. But I just 246 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:07.399 hope that there's a there's a good amount of fans there, 247 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:09.840 and there will be. I mean again, it's not like 248 00:12:10.279 --> 00:12:12.919 it's gonna be a no show. I just I've had 249 00:12:12.919 --> 00:12:16.240 a hard time not letting it out there until now 250 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:18.639 as I'm doing it on the show. I just I 251 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:23.000 think some are expecting it to be, you know, fifteen 252 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:26.279 thousand Louisville fans there tomorrow, and I just don't or 253 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:27.879 a Thursday, I should say, And I just I don't 254 00:12:27.879 --> 00:12:29.399 think that's gonna be the case. But again, I could 255 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:32.200 be wrong. I could be wrong. All Right, we'll let 256 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:33.519 you hear some more sound coming up here a little 257 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.000 bit later on, because I talked about it earlier, this 258 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:39.240 this ACC Network feature. I guess we'll call it that 259 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.559 about Pat Kelsey and how he got this whole thing started. 260 00:12:41.559 --> 00:12:43.080 In fact, i'll play it for you guys coming up 261 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:45.080 when we get back from our next break, because it's 262 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:47.159 about two minutes long, and it's just a it's just 263 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:52.559 a really good behind the scenes, you know story. I 264 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:55.559 guess about how it all came together about how when 265 00:12:55.879 --> 00:12:58.360 when these guys first met, you know, there was a 266 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:00.679 process as far as what they did to get to 267 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:02.799 know each other, open up with one another. And and 268 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:04.879 it's gonna sound corny, but this is this is what 269 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:09.720 they had to love each other and they certainly it 270 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.200 seems as if they have developed a real strong connection 271 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:15.279 because I can't tell these guys that never played together 272 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:18.120 until this year when I watched them play. All right, 273 00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:19.960 real quick, before we get to our break, want to 274 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:23.080 shout out to the text line five h two four 275 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:24.919 three eight ninety seventy three is the number if you 276 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:26.480 guys want to text in on the Ellen and Federal 277 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:30.360 Credit Union text line. This text mentions the the ACC 278 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.399 is five and four over the Big East this year, 279 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:34.399 So take I don't even know which games those were, 280 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:36.320 to be honest with you, but for all to talk 281 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:40.279 about Louisville's league being such an issue for them, and again, 282 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:42.080 the a SEC did stink this year, I can't act 283 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:44.720 like it didn't. At least you know, you have a 284 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:47.200 winning record against this conference and Creighton's in the same situation, 285 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:50.639 right they finished second in their league. But you don't 286 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.559 know is that because they're pretty good, and I think 287 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:54.639 they are pretty good or is it more so just 288 00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:57.480 because you know the league was what it was, So 289 00:13:57.559 --> 00:13:59.360 I think that's a weird way where these two teams 290 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:00.720 are kind of compared well as far as how they 291 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.279 enter the tournament. They both finished second in two leagues 292 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:05.120 that used to be known for dominating the sport of 293 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:08.279 college basketball. These two runner ups in their league are 294 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:10.879 in the eight to nine game wild. Speaking of Wild, 295 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:13.879 there's a stat about the SEC when it comes to hoops. 296 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:15.320 I'll get to that right here on the other side 297 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.200 because it'll really put in perspective what this league has 298 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.840 turned into in regards to basketball. Stick around, it's coffee 299 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:22.679 and Company. We hear fuel about Thornton's right here on 300 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:37.399 Sports Talk seven ninety. 301 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:42.480 Now back to coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on 302 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:44.240 Sports Talk seven nine day. 303 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:50.240 Yeah, we'll see how good the ACC. I'm sorry, the 304 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:54.600 SEC is in the NCAA tournament. Right in college basketball, 305 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:59.440 we all know that if it doesn't play out for 306 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:01.639 you in mar than really everything you did before then 307 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:04.759 doesn't matter. I Mean, it sounds crazy and unfair and stupid, 308 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:08.080 but it is what kind of makes college basketball special. 309 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:11.879 Every sport, the postseason means more because that's when you know, 310 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:14.840 you find out if you could make a run and 311 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:17.279 maybe win the whole thing, win a championship, super Bowl, 312 00:15:17.559 --> 00:15:20.240 you know, all that kind of stuff. But because they 313 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:23.320 put sixty eight teams in, you can have a phenomenal season. 314 00:15:23.320 --> 00:15:25.879 But if you fall short, it usually means if you 315 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:27.759 had that great season, that you fell short early to 316 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:29.480 a team that wasn't supposed to be nearly as good 317 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:33.720 as you. And that can really put a sour taste 318 00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:36.720 in your mouth for what that whole season was. And 319 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:39.080 I don't want to sound dramatic, but it can kind 320 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:42.720 of ruin it. I mean, that sounds like silly, and 321 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.799 you know it would be foolish, just like to tell 322 00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:47.080 a great team who got upset in the tournament that 323 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:49.919 everything that they did didn't matter at all. But college 324 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.440 basketball sickos kind of you it that way. It's not personal, 325 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:55.159 it's just college basketball is all about the big dance. 326 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:58.519 You work so hard in the regular season, by the way, 327 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:02.720 is important, because well I thought it was. Sometimes we 328 00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:05.720 don't really seem to get any value from what you 329 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:07.960 do in the regular season when it comes to the 330 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:10.440 selection committee or you don't really get punished for what 331 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:13.399 you do in the regular season, like North Carolina. So anyways, 332 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:15.279 I'm sorry if that's like the third time I've just 333 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:18.080 kind of stopped midpoint to just bitch again. And I'll 334 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:20.080 try to stop because it gets you know, we're over that, 335 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:23.440 we're past that, we're on to Creighton. But anyways, the SEC, 336 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:26.080 even if they do flame out on the tournament, which 337 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:27.960 would be hard to do because they have fourteen teams 338 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.240 in right, I mean, just by you know, the pure 339 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:33.759 number of teams they have here, the chance of them 340 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:37.399 having like a bunch of really early exits just seems unlikely. 341 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:41.159 But anyways, even if they fall short, and let's just say, 342 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:43.360 because I don't think this is a crazy prediction, to 343 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:46.799 be honest with you, like I I mean, maybe this 344 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:50.120 is me just being like a you know, an insecure hater, 345 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:52.120 Like maybe I don't even realize I'm being a hater 346 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.159 when I say this, but like, it wouldn't shock me 347 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.679 if you get to the Final four and there's only 348 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:00.840 one SEC team, or if you get to the Elite 349 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:04.880 eight there's only two SEC teams, just because you know 350 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:08.279 they're beaten up. And even though the league is great 351 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:11.960 the best league in college basketball deservedly, so doesn't mean 352 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:15.960 you can't lose to it. Like for example, like let 353 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:18.240 me try to find like Missouri, Missouri's gonna play Drake 354 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:22.559 Drake's thirty and three. They could easily lose that game. 355 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:24.240 They're good, Missouri got a six seed because of what 356 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:26.759 they did in a great league. But you know they're vulnerable. 357 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:29.920 So this is not in any way like a knock 358 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:33.400 on the SEC as if they weren't, they weren't worthy 359 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:36.279 of getting the amount of teams they got in. I mean, 360 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:38.440 you could have the conversation and I may not disagree 361 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:39.920 with you if you're somebody that does think that maybe 362 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:41.599 they got a little too much love. But nonetheless they 363 00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:44.759 proved it in the non conference portion of the schedule, 364 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:47.200 which that's when that matters, because then when you beat 365 00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:49.799 up on each other in league play, you get that 366 00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:51.519 benefit of the doubt, right. I mean, again, we've talked 367 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:55.559 about some of the examples. Look how bad Oklahoma was. 368 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:57.640 They got a non seed in the tournament. They were awful, 369 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:01.079 and SEC played they beat any good SEC team. 370 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:03.160 I don't think they did, No, they just came particularly 371 00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:05.799 close to Kentucky, tol yeah, so there's that. 372 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.720 But then you know what they did in the non 373 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:11.079 conference They won the Maui Invitational and not that invitation 374 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.039 of the Battle for Atlantis. They beat Louisville, who was 375 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:15.720 the second best team in the ACC, and they also 376 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:17.400 beat Michigan, who is the second best team in the 377 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:20.359 Big Ten, who won the Big Ten tournament. So you know, 378 00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:23.400 like that's a great to me, that's like the best example. 379 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:25.599 And then again the whole like that doesn't necessarily prove 380 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:27.799 that Oklahoma would be the second best team in the 381 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:31.000 ACC or the Big Ten, but like when you have 382 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:34.200 those opportunities to kind of see where you stand against 383 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:37.319 other conferences, that that's where you really again you earn 384 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.720 the benefit of the doubt. So I mean, I'm not 385 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.920 predicting any major upset just yet from the SEC, but 386 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:49.960 you know, if they end up having a really really 387 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:54.839 unsuccessful trip to the tournament, like throughout this tournament, a 388 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:56.480 lot of people will say, well, it was overrated, the 389 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:58.359 committee got it wrong, they gave too much love, and 390 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:00.279 we'll never know that's the reality, but we'll never or no, 391 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:04.200 was it that they were overrated or was it that 392 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:05.920 they were just as good as we thought? But man, 393 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:07.680 they ran out of gas. They had to play each 394 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:09.759 other each night for two and a half months, and man, 395 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:12.279 that just takes a lot out of you. So regardless, 396 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:14.759 we'll never know, and I have no problem in admitting, 397 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:16.920 regardless of what happens in the tournament, I believe the 398 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:19.759 SEC is insanely loaded in basketball and I don't see 399 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:22.480 that changing anytime soon. And what's happened here is that 400 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:26.640 we've seen I believe, the biggest transformation from a power 401 00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:31.400