WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:07.080 It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on 2 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:10.279 Sports Talk seven nine day. Holy crap, I don't know 3 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:14.359 who the hell we think we are. Get off our show, idiot. 4 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:16.879 The kids are playing or turn at the countries are 5 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:19.920 screwing it up. Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, gold Play 6 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:23.519 Inner Murals. They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're 7 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:23.960 really not. 8 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:25.719 Who's the kid here? 9 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.559 Who's the kid here? Are you kidding me? 10 00:00:29.160 --> 00:00:33.759 Now? Here's Nick Coffee? 11 00:00:35.799 --> 00:00:38.880 All right, let's get it started here, Coffee and Company, 12 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:42.359 thanks for joining us at Kentucky Oaks edition of Coffee 13 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:45.640 and Company, as always, fueled by Thornton's putting the finishing 14 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:47.600 touches on Derby Week. 15 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:49.920 Well, I guess the work week of Derby Week. 16 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:53.079 Obviously we've got tomorrow's big day and I do want 17 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:54.320 to remind you. I know I've mentioned it a lot 18 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:57.280 this week, but it's worth mentioning a lot. So that's 19 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:00.600 what I'm doing. We will have all day coverage from 20 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.840 the everywhere Churchill Downs. I was going to say, backside, 21 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:06.560 I think we actually do start off the broadcast with 22 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:09.519 our Derby coverage on eight to forty, whas with some 23 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:12.480 backside coverage, but I mean it's all day and we 24 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:14.760 will be set up in the grand stand where I 25 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:16.959 believe we've been for every year that I've been a 26 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:18.200 part of our Derby coverage. 27 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:19.280 But also. 28 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:24.200 You will get to hear the sounds and we'll kind 29 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:28.000 of set the scene of pretty much everywhere at Churchill Downs. 30 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:30.879 That's kind of what our annual Derby coverage is, and 31 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:33.560 again I'm really happy to once again be a part 32 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:36.120 of it. And it's something that I will say, I 33 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:39.239 think early on I kind of took it for granted, 34 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.200 meaning I didn't realize, you know, it's pretty cool to 35 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:45.719 be able to be a part of the coverage of 36 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:48.079 a huge event, the biggest event that we have here 37 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:50.760 annually in this city and in this state, and it's 38 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:54.239 one of the biggest sporting events of the entire year 39 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:59.000 all over the entire world. So again getting closer and closer, 40 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:01.439 but tomorrow's big day. We'll have all the coverage for 41 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:04.879 you on News Radio eight forty. Whas I do feel 42 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:07.519 a little as if now that we're here and we are, 43 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:11.000 you know, a day away from the Kentucky Derby, we've 44 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:14.840 got the Oaks today that maybe I would start to, 45 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:19.039 you know, shift into really doing more more content of 46 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:20.560 a horse racing. But I'm just I'm not going to 47 00:02:20.599 --> 00:02:23.039 do it every year. I get the I have that 48 00:02:23.080 --> 00:02:24.639 moment where I'm like, man, what are you doing? This 49 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:27.680 is Derby Week? We should be talking horse racing. But 50 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:29.759 I feel like, again, it's just a better move to 51 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:32.759 talk about what I at least can can yap about. 52 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:35.159 I mean, I'm not sure if it's great radio, if 53 00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:38.240 it's entertaining, certainly not really informative, but you know, just 54 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:41.199 talking about everything that comes with Derby rather than talking 55 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:45.159 about horse racing specifically, that's that's that's my comfort zone. 56 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:46.680 And I wish, you know, I wish I had a 57 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:50.439 little more range when it comes to you know, Kentucky 58 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:51.520 Derby stuff, but I don't. 59 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:52.639 I don't. 60 00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:57.000 But we do have a handful of Derby profiles you 61 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.919 will hear throughout the day today because our man jodymling Uh, 62 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:03.120 former colleague of ours here at I Heart, he still 63 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:05.439 helps us out every year during Derby time, and he 64 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:07.120 is as good as it gets when it comes to 65 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:08.479 handicapping races. 66 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:09.960 He is a horse racing. 67 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:13.719 Expert slash insider, so much so that it's not just 68 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:17.199 you know, something he does around here locally. He is 69 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:21.080 somebody that's CBS Sports has has worked with. I mean 70 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:24.599 they've they've hired him every year, uh for as long 71 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:26.159 as I can remember, to be a part of their 72 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:28.000 Derby coverage. And one of the things he does for 73 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:30.319 us is he will give us a profile of each 74 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.840 and every horse that is in the field. And foolishly, 75 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:37.319 I have neglected that throughout the uh, throughout the the week. 76 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:39.680 So we're gonna take advantage, right, I mean, I can't 77 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:40.919 give you a whole lot of info on any of 78 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:43.199 these horses, and I could, I could lie to you 79 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:45.960 and act as if I, you know, have some some 80 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.360 some insight into what I think will happen in this race. 81 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:51.840 But Jody's the man who is again the expert, so 82 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.199 we'll we'll, uh well, we will rely on on him 83 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:57.840 and utilize the resources that that we have. But again 84 00:03:57.879 --> 00:03:59.919 it is Coffee and Company. We are fieled aout Thornton 85 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:01.840 to make sure you sign up to become a member 86 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:04.199 of the Refreshing Awards program if you haven't already. He'll 87 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:06.800 save money at the gas pump and you can save 88 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.039 every single time, you know, if you go and get 89 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:09.879 gas every day. 90 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:13.319 I mean, that would be odd, I think, but hey. 91 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:14.159 That's what you do. That's what you do. You're gonna 92 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:16.160 save each and every time. However, once per week you're 93 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:18.399 gonna save up to twenty five cents per gallon, so 94 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:20.439 that that is the real incentive. 95 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:23.920 I know that there are a lot of other I guess, 96 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:25.160 you know, competitors. 97 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:27.480 I don't really think Thornton's has any competition, but you 98 00:04:27.480 --> 00:04:31.279 know other businesses alike that offer a similar type of 99 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:33.759 program you can sign up for and you can maybe 100 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.959 save some money, but you know they're not giving you 101 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:38.360 twenty five cents off per week because. 102 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:40.519 You know they're not as good as Thornton's. Nobody is. 103 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:44.920 And one thing that I I mean, I talk about 104 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:47.160 Thortons a lot. You guys know that right clearly. It's 105 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:49.079 a big part of this show. And know I've always 106 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:53.040 been really appreciative of the appreciative of them partnering with me, 107 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:55.120 and they've been doing it for a long time now. 108 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:57.120 So what I'm trying to get to is, I'm sorry 109 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.439 Thornton's because again here I am yapping and gassing them 110 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:01.800 up about things that you know, you typically hear me 111 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:04.399 talk about but I did not realize that they have 112 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:08.240 now got their bakery back open, so therefore their fresh, 113 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:11.680 delicious donuts are back. And I don't know the details. 114 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:14.160 I'll certainly get it because I think they may have 115 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:17.199 had a transition at some point, or maybe it was 116 00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:19.399 during COVID, I don't really know, so again i'll get 117 00:05:19.399 --> 00:05:24.360 the details. But their donuts really really popular, and I 118 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:27.079 don't know if they decided to go with something different 119 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:29.519 in the meantime, meeting in like the last few years 120 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:32.759 or whatever. But you know, my friends at Thornton's let 121 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:35.279 me know, Hey, we really need you to start pumping 122 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:38.079 up these donuts because you know, the bakeries back open, 123 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.360 and these things are made fresh and they're delicious, and 124 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:44.800 you know, I remember hearing Thornton's has always had great donuts, 125 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:46.879 and I never heard that they had bad donuts. But 126 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:49.279 clearly there was some kind of of a change that 127 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:51.560 they made for reasons. I'm sure that made sense at 128 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:54.720 the time. But again, they're wanting me to let you 129 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:58.600 know that their donuts are back, the bakeries back, and 130 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:00.839 if you forgot, or maybe you weren't aware of how 131 00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:03.120 delicious Thornton's fresh made donuts. 132 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:05.560 Are no better time than now to go to go 133 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:05.879 get some. 134 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:09.720 All right, So a lot to get into here today, 135 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:14.360 and I'm not really sure where to start, but I 136 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:18.399 feel like this is going to be a thing for many, 137 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:20.920 many many years to come, this time of year where 138 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:24.759 we talk about something that we didn't talk about for 139 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:27.120 decades prior. And what I mean is, once you get 140 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.879 to the end of the college basketball season, that's whenever 141 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:39.000 everybody's attention shifts to the portal and NIL, because NIL 142 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:43.519 has led us to players sticking around in college basketball 143 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:46.839 longer than they ever used to. And there's some real 144 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:48.240 numbers that I want to get into here in just 145 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:51.560 a moment that I think really makes me feel more 146 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:53.959 confident in what I've been saying for a while, and 147 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:57.959 that is that the new world here with NIL and 148 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:01.079 the transfer portal, meaning now you get paid to play, 149 00:07:01.399 --> 00:07:04.920 and now with the portal, you can go wherever you want, seemingly. 150 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:06.120 As many times as you want. 151 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:08.879 So what that has done is that has made college 152 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:14.279 basketball a much better product, not only because you know, 153 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:17.560 you got guys sticking around longer, but because you got 154 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:21.000 you've got free agency essentially where you can just you know, 155 00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:23.879 build a team from scratch, just like Pat Kelsey did 156 00:07:23.879 --> 00:07:26.959 a year ago. Like that, that's good for the game. 157 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:29.480 And yeah, there's the downside of it where you don't 158 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:32.560 get guys to stick around for four years. The four 159 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:34.360 year player is going to be a real rare thing 160 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:37.120 moving forward, and that is and you know that sucks. 161 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:39.879 However, I still believe that if you're. 162 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:43.560 Just looking at the pros and cons, I mean, it's 163 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:46.079 way more beneficial for college basketball. 164 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:48.319 This new world is than detrimental. 165 00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:50.839 And I you know, I'm somebody who loves college basketball, 166 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:54.319 so I certainly appreciate that. So again, I don't see 167 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:59.720 any change as far as what I guess late March 168 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:02.600 and really all of April is and that is where 169 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:04.279 you get a feel for what your team's going to 170 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:08.040 look like the following season and the NBA Draft. I mean, 171 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:09.519 you used to have guys that would go to the 172 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:13.360 NBA Draft knowing like they would turn pro, enter their 173 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.360 name and draft and know that they didn't have any 174 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:19.519 real chance of getting drafted, right, but they just decided, look, 175 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:21.879 I don't want to stick around in college anymore. You know, 176 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:25.279 I can come back and get my degree whenever I'm 177 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:28.680 twenty one years old, and I want to go ahead 178 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:31.319 and start my pro career now, because you know, when 179 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:35.200 you're a professional athlete. Let's be real, in most instances, 180 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:38.519 you can't do that for the same amount of time 181 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:41.879 that folks can do most jobs that they have, right, 182 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:45.759 like God willing, I won't need to have any athleticism 183 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:47.799 or be in great shape to do this for as 184 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:50.000 long as they allow me to do it. If you're 185 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:54.000 a basketball player, you got a window. And if you 186 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:57.000 spend four years in college, yeah, it would probably be 187 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:00.639 a great experience. I doubt anybody would ever regret that experience. 188 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:03.159 I'm sure there are some examples, and yes, you would 189 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:05.519 get an education and you'd live a good lifestyle, right 190 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:07.799 if you're I mean before an il, before anybody was 191 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:10.320 getting paid to play as far as you know, name, 192 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:13.679 image and likeness, they were still living a pretty good life, 193 00:09:13.720 --> 00:09:17.480 right they've got I mean, these college athletes have nice 194 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:21.519 facilities they live in, they don't pay for health insurance. 195 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:24.279 I mean they're fed, and you actually even get like 196 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:26.600 a stipend, like the cost of attendance stipend. So like 197 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:28.759 even before that, you were still living a great lifestyle. 198 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:30.519 It wasn't as if you were out here just you know, 199 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:36.639 doing manual labor and being tortured, nothing like that. So 200 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:41.480 you know, like it would make sense that you would decide, hey, 201 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:45.919 you know, I'll come back and get my degree, because again, 202 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:50.039 why not go ahead and start making money and instead, 203 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:53.600 let's just say you've got a ten year pro Let's 204 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:55.639 say you're going to play till you're thirty two years old, 205 00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:57.919 and by the time you get thirty three or just 206 00:09:58.120 --> 00:09:59.840 you know, your your body's not what it once was. 207 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:02.240 You no longer are playing at the level to where 208 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:05.960 you can earn a living doing it, G League. 209 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:06.559 Europe wherever. 210 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:11.879 So if you left college at twenty you would have 211 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:14.600 had twelve years to do it. You leave college at 212 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:17.080 twenty two twenty three, you have less time. So again 213 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:19.799 it's not that big of a difference. But now you've 214 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:24.480 got guys that are turning down the NBA knowing that 215 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.559 they would get drafted, albeit maybe late first round, second round. 216 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:31.200 They're now turning that down to come back to college 217 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:35.559 because they're going to make more money. So Draft Express 218 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:38.559 put this out earlier. Today, they're only one hundred and 219 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:42.480 six players that have entered the twenty twenty five NBA Draft. 220 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:46.759 According to the NBA's latest release, this is the lowest 221 00:10:46.919 --> 00:10:50.679 number of early entrants since twenty fifteen. 222 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:53.480 And it's down. 223 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:56.440 Yeah, it's down from a peak of three hundred and 224 00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:59.679 sixty three in twenty twenty one. Think about the timing here, 225 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:03.360 in twenty twenty one, that was right before the NCAA's 226 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:08.159 NIL era officially started. So again, these numbers probably don't 227 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:11.600 really surprise you, but I just thought it was worth 228 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:14.799 sharing because again, I think of all the sports that 229 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:18.919 have you know, impact, been impacted differently with this new world, 230 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:21.480 I don't even think it's I don't think it's close. 231 00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:26.480 College basketball has benefited from it more than any and 232 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:27.039 it's not. 233 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:30.000 Just because of the obvious right that guys. 234 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:34.399 Stick around in college. You now have you know, guys 235 00:11:34.440 --> 00:11:36.799 that are twenty two, twenty three, sometimes even older than 236 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:39.759 that playing and they're mature their experience. Maybe they don't 237 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.480 translate to the NBA, but you know, the product of 238 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:46.000 the game is good, and when you've got the portal, 239 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:48.399 you can go add guys that are twenty two that 240 00:11:48.440 --> 00:11:50.519 have played a bunch of college basketball that can come 241 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.360 in and really help you, you know, make a big 242 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:55.960 improvement from the year prior, or maybe even you know, 243 00:11:56.039 --> 00:11:59.559 just sustain what you did the year prior. But let's 244 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:03.240 go back to where college basketball was before this happened. 245 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:06.000 I think I think it was suffering in a big way. 246 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:10.000 I mean, I'm gonna always love college hoops because you know, 247 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:12.480 that's just what we do around here. I mean, I 248 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:14.960 know not everybody probably is obsessed with it like I am, 249 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:19.440 but we're clearly a big college basketball market, both programs 250 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:21.159 here in town. I mean, I think, let's I mean 251 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:23.879 in the state, I should say both Louisville and Kentucky. 252 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:26.600 Like when people think of our athletic programs, they think 253 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:29.159 of basketball, and I don't really see a scenario where 254 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:31.799 that we'll ever will that will ever change. 255 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:35.200 But you know, when you've got top twenty. 256 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:38.720 Five recruits coming in for a year leaving if they're 257 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:42.360 one and dones, or guys that stick around for a 258 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:45.159 second year, because that's that's what this wasn't. I mean, 259 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:48.200 it wasn't widespread, but it was, but it was growing. 260 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:51.240 And what I'm talking about is guys who weren't good 261 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:56.919 enough to be you know, one and Don's right out 262 00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:00.399 of high school because they weren't maybe they weren't develop yet. 263 00:13:00.440 --> 00:13:04.440 Maybe they were still just you know, all about potential. 264 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:06.480 It wasn't about anything they were actually ready to do 265 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.080 and produce. So then you would have guys that would 266 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:11.679 come back for a second year. And if you're a 267 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:13.879 top twenty five recruit of McDonald's All America and you're 268 00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:17.000 American and you're coming back for a sophomore season, and 269 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.440 it's because maybe your freshman season, like you didn't you 270 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.559 didn't really have a big role because you weren't ready. 271 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:23.519 Like it was almost as if like you got to 272 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:26.000 go pro after that year. Because at that point, if 273 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:28.440 you keep sticking around in college like you had no 274 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:30.360 time to develop, I mean you. 275 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:31.279 Did, but you didn't want to. 276 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:34.159 You would you would just move on because guys who 277 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:37.919 stuck around in college that were really really highly regarded players. 278 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:41.480 I mean it was viewed if you it was viewed 279 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:43.440 that you were a bust if you didn't leave early. 280 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.879 And I just think, you know, you go back to 281 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:51.720 guys like BJ King, Jalen Johnson for Louisville, I mean 282 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:55.960 even EJ. Montgomery for Kentucky. You know, clearly those guys 283 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:58.799 weren't great. I think they knew they were never going 284 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:04.399 to make it to the NBA, but they just decided 285 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:06.120 to move on from college and start their pro career. 286 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:09.360 And look, maybe they don't regret doing that, But there's 287 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:15.679 also I think some level of being worried that you're 288 00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:17.600 The longer you stick in college, the more people were 289 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:20.480 going to bring up the fact that you were a 290 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:23.360 McDonald's All American or a top twenty five recruit, and 291 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:25.639 if you're still in college, it was just viewed as 292 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:27.399 a bad thing, that you were a bust and you're 293 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:28.399 you know, you know. 294 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:29.200 Your story's over. 295 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:31.600 Yeah you're you're all right, you're decent, but hey, they 296 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.559 were really wrong about you. Will now, I mean, you've 297 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:38.399 got time to develop. I mean, because let's be real, 298 00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:39.759 if you're not ready to play as a freshman and 299 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:41.559 you're at a high level, you're probably going to transfer 300 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:44.480 after your freshman season a to a program where you 301 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:45.919 can have a bigger opportunity. 302 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.840 So I just think it's. 303 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:53.720 It's beneficial for literally everyone involved in college basketball. I mean, 304 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:57.200 I guess those that would probably say, hey, you're out 305 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:58.639 of your mind, this is killing us. 306 00:14:58.679 --> 00:14:59.279 It's probably the. 307 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:03.559 Mid majors, right, the coaches that are recruiting players and 308 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:07.440 developing them for a few years and then they're about 309 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:10.240 to enter a special season that they've been building for. 310 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:13.320 But then they're two best players. They leave because they 311 00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:15.559 can go elsewhere and make more money, and they'd be 312 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:17.879 foolish not to do that. So yeah, I guess from 313 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:21.600 that aspect, there are some signs there are some downsides 314 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:24.759 of it, but they'll adapt, right, I mean, that's what 315 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:27.799 they have to do. I mean, it just sounds like 316 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:34.000 something unheard of, but I really don't think that we're 317 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.440 that far away from it being a very public sales 318 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:42.799 pitch from mid major and low D one programs that 319 00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:45.799 we're selling you to come here and we'll give you 320 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:49.039 an opportunity right away and then you can get the 321 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:52.240 hell out. I mean again, think about that, a coach 322 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:54.120 selling you come here, you'll only be here for a 323 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:55.720 year and then you can go to a better program. 324 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:58.360 Like that's just unheard of, and I'm sure that's not 325 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.200 going to be directly how it is, but that that's 326 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:02.480 probably a good to an extent, I think that's probably 327 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:05.679 a good sales pitch because you know you can sell that. 328 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:09.039 Hey with with coaches at the high majors now being 329 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:13.480 able to reload and add to their roster with grown, 330 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:17.559 experienced players that are twenty one, twenty two years old. 331 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.960 Most coaches are choosing to do that, and I think 332 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:22.720 that's a trend that's only going to grow. So, you know, 333 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:25.600 if you're coaching at the low D one or mid major, 334 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:29.519 you can you know, you use that against those coaches, right, like, hey, yeah, 335 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:31.559 I know they offered you a scholarship, but let's be real, 336 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:33.480 you're going to have to sit and wait for a 337 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:36.200 long time because they've got this guy back and that 338 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:37.840 guy back, and oh, by the way, they brought in 339 00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:40.519 two guys that play on the wing just like you. 340 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:41.919 So why don't you come here. 341 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:45.320 Yeah, it's not the SEC, it's not the Big ten, 342 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:48.200 it's not the ACC. But you'll get minutes, you'll put 343 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:50.840 up big numbers, and then when you hit the portal 344 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:54.759 the next year, you'll have everybody calling you again. I mean, 345 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:57.679 I doubt that that will be like the direct sales pitch, 346 00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:59.279 but I feel like that's what you should do if 347 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:01.279 you want to, you know, I mean, if you're gonna 348 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:04.240 make this work, because if you just try to, you know, 349 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:07.279 I mean again, you could try whatever you want to 350 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:09.400 keep guys to stay, but it's just not realistic. You 351 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:12.640 can't pay, and I the NIL situation is just gonna 352 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:15.880 be just gonna be much different. So, I mean I 353 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:17.759 used to kind of worry about the future of college 354 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:22.119 basketball because you know, the product wasn't great and you 355 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:26.079 needed guys like Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis to really 356 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:30.720 bring eyeballs to the sport because you know, of the product, 357 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.079 meaning guys that everybody knew were probably gonna be stars 358 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:36.240 in the NBA. And you can tell when you watch 359 00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:39.480 them play for programs like Duke in Kentucky. But you know, 360 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.319 you don't get those guys very often. That's a pretty 361 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:43.720 rare thing. Well, now maybe you don't have I mean, 362 00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:46.000 Cooper Flag was certainly a big, big deal this year. 363 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:48.519 But I think even. 364 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:50.519 Though you know, you may not have a guy that's 365 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:52.519 viewed as just this can't miss NBA. 366 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:54.880 Prospect like Cooper Flag was the product. 367 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:57.160 When I say product, I mean the game like it's competitive, 368 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:00.400 you have you know, and there there's a lot of 369 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.839 parody too. I mean that's another factor that I think 370 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:06.359 makes it a benefit to college basketball, meaning the new 371 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:09.359 world that we are that we're in now, with nil 372 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:11.920 and with the portal. So I just thought, you know, 373 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:15.680 I just thought that number. I mean, that's pretty crazy 374 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:17.920 to see only one hundred and six players enter the 375 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:21.359 draft when just four years ago, right before you get 376 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:24.519 paid to play three hundred and sixty three innered. And 377 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.599 another thing to keep in mind, of the one hundred 378 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:28.799 and six that have entered this year, there's many of 379 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:30.720 them that know they're coming back to school or at 380 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:32.720 least probably expect to come back to school because they're 381 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:35.480 just going through this process to get the experience and 382 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:37.400 maybe get some good feedback from the NBA, like, oh, 383 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:39.359 take it away at Kentucky. I mean, I think the 384 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:42.359 expectation is he's back for Kentucky next year, but he's 385 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:45.240 considered in one of those one oh six. And also 386 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:48.839 there's also guys from across across the pond in Europe 387 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:53.279 and other countries, international players that have entered the draft. 388 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:58.279 So again, I don't know if this proof. I'm sure 389 00:18:58.319 --> 00:18:59.880 some would say, you know, they don't notice much of 390 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:02.440 a difference, but for me, like this is this is 391 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:05.799 a good thing. And yeah, it's not really college basketball anymore. 392 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:09.519 It's professional basketball, just a you know, a different version 393 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:12.680 of it compared to the NBA. All Right, a lot 394 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:15.039 we're gonna get into today, so make sure you stick around. 395 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:17.440 It's Coffee and Company feel about Thornton's on Sports Talk 396 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:25.920 seventy and seven ninety. 397 00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:29.240 All right, welcome back in. It is Coffee and Company. 398 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:31.680 Field about Thornton's here on Sports Talk seven ninety at 399 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.400 Kentucky Oaks Day edition of the show. As we continue 400 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:37.480 to get you set for Kentucky Derby one point fifty one, 401 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:41.400