WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:07.919 It's time for coffee and company, fueled by Sortins on 2 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:09.720 Sports Talk seven nine day. 3 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:12.199 Holy crap, I don't know who the hell we think? Well, 4 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:15.199 we are get off our show, idiot. 5 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:16.800 The kids are playing or tail off. 6 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:17.879 Their countries are. 7 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:20.760 Screwing it up. Gold Play Inner Murals, Brother, gold Play 8 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.440 Inner Murals. They're supposed to be mature adults, but they're 9 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:28.519 really not. Who's the kid here? Who's the kid here? 10 00:00:28.519 --> 00:00:29.399 Are you kidding me? 11 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:30.359 Now? 12 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:36.920 Here's Nick coffee. 13 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:40.240 You know what I was worried would happened last night 14 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:44.159 actually ended up happening. And I'm not talking about, you know, 15 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:48.320 the game itself. My worry was that at nine o'clock tip, 16 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:51.119 been a while since Lovell had a nine o'clock tip 17 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:53.600 when the team was good and there was a momentum. 18 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:55.719 So my worry was, Man, it's gonna be tough for 19 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:58.079 me to fall asleep. And that's exactly what happened. I'm 20 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:01.159 running on about I don't know three hours, but don't 21 00:01:01.159 --> 00:01:05.480 care because last night was awesome and we're going to 22 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:07.480 talk about it today, and of course we'll talk about 23 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:09.319 a lot of other things here on a Wednesday. 24 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:10.000 Thanks for hanging out. 25 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.239 It's coffee and company fuel about Thornton's here on Sports 26 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:14.680 Talk seven ninety Take us with you wherever you go. 27 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.640 Listen live on the iHeartRadio app. Also listen live at 28 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:21.000 seven ninety Louisville dot com. There'll be plenty of ways 29 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:23.760 for you guys to participate on the show today, and 30 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:27.120 I want to hear from you because you know, we've 31 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:30.799 had more caller interaction as of late, and we always 32 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:32.760 want you guys to be a part of the shows. 33 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:34.079 That's sort of how this works. 34 00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:38.519 But days where we had really NonStop interaction where I 35 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:41.079 had to kind of remind myself, hey, don't be so 36 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:43.200 caller driven. I mean, there are certain days where that 37 00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:47.400 makes total sense, But in recent years when that's happened, 38 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:51.000 it's been because there's a lot of panic going on. 39 00:01:51.079 --> 00:01:57.120 There's real concern about really the basketball program. Right We've 40 00:01:57.159 --> 00:02:00.480 had our moments in football where things weren't and great, 41 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:03.319 there was some worry, but really, like I just I 42 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:06.439 want to get back to having a super interactive show, 43 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:09.479 and it's because fans are excited. I don't want to 44 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.240 turn this into Homer Radio, but I kind of don't 45 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:15.479 really know how else to do it. When it comes 46 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:19.120 to talking about this Louisville basketball team. So again, what 47 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:21.840 a what a night last night. I didn't know what 48 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:25.960 to expect from SMU, and I was kind of spending 49 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:29.560 my wheels yesterday during the show because you know, I 50 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:31.520 wasn't going to make it a pregame show, but obviously 51 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:35.280 it was. It was the last opportunity for Louisville to 52 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:37.840 get a quad one win. SMU was kind of a 53 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:41.680 mystery and Louisville was riding some momentum eight game winning streak, 54 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:44.319 and I was confident. But I guess maybe that's just 55 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.560 I guess that's part of this process. And what I 56 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:53.479 mean by that is the process of, you know, remembering 57 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:55.919 what it's like to kind of be in situations like. 58 00:02:55.879 --> 00:02:58.199 This, to where you feel pretty good about your team. 59 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.759 You've got into a point where you're I guess near 60 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.840 the back half, well, I guess the backstretch of your schedule. 61 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:07.000 I think you're clearly halfway through the season at this point, 62 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:10.439 but still, you know, like I felt really confident, but 63 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:13.879 in recent weeks when I was confident, it was really 64 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:15.319 just because I felt like, Hey, I know. 65 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:16.039 They can win. 66 00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:19.800 I know that they they you know, have played well 67 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:22.360 and they they are good enough to do it, but 68 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:25.439 I kind of felt like against some of these teams, 69 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:27.879 I was just you know, not as confident because I know, 70 00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:29.599 I don't know. I guess what I'm getting at is 71 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.280 I felt good yesterday, but it was almost like I 72 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:35.680 wasn't convincing myself that Louisville was gonna go win. And 73 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:37.599 it was more to do with just not really knowing 74 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:40.080 how good SMU was. And I don't really know how 75 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:42.000 good they are right now. I don't really care, to 76 00:03:42.039 --> 00:03:44.319 be honest with you. What I do know is that 77 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.479 Louisville was a lot better than them. And I mean 78 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:51.639 last night was that the best performance you've seen from. 79 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:56.520 A Louisville basketball team? And how long? I mean, they 80 00:03:56.520 --> 00:03:58.719 weren't perfect. You never are going to be perfect. 81 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:01.879 I mean, they miss shots, they made me stakes, But overall, 82 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:05.400 I mean that that was a game that I think 83 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:07.719 was relatively close or maybe that. 84 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:09.280 Is sort of the ceiling for this group. 85 00:04:09.800 --> 00:04:11.080 I mean, you could look at the stats and there's 86 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:12.800 certainly some things they could have been better at. 87 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:13.439 We all know that. 88 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:17.959 But I mean, just an absolute ass whipping in Dallas. 89 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:21.920 And I know I'm not alone as far as thinking Okay, 90 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:25.839 how good can this team be? I mean, ninety eight 91 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:29.319 to seventy three against a team that probably you know, 92 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:31.240 has a lot of work to do to end up 93 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:35.160 making the tournament. But still, I mean they're not I mean, 94 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:38.120 last night really wasn't about SMU, and clearly they didn't 95 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:40.279 play well, but like Louisville had a lot to do 96 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:42.199 with that. I mean they had. I mean, I think 97 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:45.240 they were the biggest factor in that. SMU never really 98 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:48.800 got comfortable. They missed some shots around the rim because 99 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:52.639 I think they were a little bit caught off guard 100 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:54.720 by the pace. I mean, clearly they want to score 101 00:04:54.839 --> 00:04:58.199 and they don't like to play like slow, but that 102 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.879 game got away from them pretty quick and it was 103 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.439 just an absolute beat down. Louisville wins ninety eight to 104 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:07.720 seventy three. They've now won nine consecutive games. Joel and 105 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:11.480 already just put out an updated bracket in Bracketology, he 106 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.639 has Louisville as a five seed, and I'm starting to 107 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:17.319 wonder what is the ceiling for this group as far 108 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:22.680 as seed line. I mean, you don't have many opportunities. 109 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:24.839 In fact, you have very few opportunities left in the 110 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:26.560 regular season to get wins that are going to have 111 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:31.560 really any value. I mean, you can look at you 112 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:34.600 have pitt that comes to your place. They'll have to 113 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:36.519 be back in the top thirty through outside of it. 114 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:39.120 Right now, I guess that gives you an opportunity for 115 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:43.720 another quad one win. And who knows what happens in 116 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.600 the in the ACC tournament. It's impossible to know exactly 117 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:48.360 how this thing's going to finish. But like I can't 118 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:52.959 be the only one that feels like the expectation is 119 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:55.720 that they're going to maybe win the rest of their games. 120 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:58.160 I know I said yesterday that they may slip up, 121 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:01.759 and certainly that could still happen, but this team really 122 00:06:02.759 --> 00:06:04.759 the last six games, because they're on a nine game 123 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:07.920 winning streak right now, and I feel like it was 124 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:11.399 I guess the last seven games because obviously the Florida 125 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:14.279 State game and the and the EKU game, those were wins, 126 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:16.120 and you know you'll take them, especially when you only 127 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:18.079 had eight of them last year and four of the 128 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:20.319 year before that. But I'm telling you, guys, in that 129 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:23.600 Carolina game, when they came out once the year twenty 130 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:26.000 twenty five had started at the beginning of January here 131 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:29.079 and they've just been a team that has been so 132 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:32.839 phenomenal defensively. I mean, that's what really has has I 133 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:36.560 think been the big difference maker defense is creating offense. 134 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:37.279 I think they. 135 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:41.319 Realized that they've got they've got to They got the 136 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:44.360 personnel to go out there and guard anybody, and that's 137 00:06:44.360 --> 00:06:46.319 going to give them a chance against a lot of teams. 138 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:49.839 And I just think they've really built a lot of confidence. 139 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:54.040 And last night, I mean as soon as the game started, 140 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:56.480 you know, I'm thinking to myself, Yeah, this this like 141 00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:59.319 this team every night, especially in the last you know, 142 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:01.439 this month, They've they bring it and. 143 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:05.000 What I don't like And again I'm not complaining. 144 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:06.879 Trust me, this is a great position to be and 145 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:09.959 this is awesome, especially when you consider where things were 146 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.959 the last couple of years. So this has just been 147 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.199 an unbelievable ride and I am. I am loving every 148 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:17.439 second of it. And I know I'm not alone. But 149 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:19.759 what I say, I just don't I don't like not 150 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:23.079 knowing at all, like what I should realistically expect. And 151 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:25.519 then I think to myself, like I'm going, I'm trying 152 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:27.319 to revert back to like what life used to be 153 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.319 like before we had that traumatic three to four year 154 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:35.240 stretch because you would you know, you would be thinking 155 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:38.079 about seed line, you'd be thinking about losses that might 156 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:40.439 have really hurts you as far as you know, taking 157 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:42.639 you from a potential three seed to maybe a four 158 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:45.240 or five seed, And like those things are coming back. 159 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:48.319 I'm starting to do that again. And you know that 160 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:49.879 that feels good. That's what you want to do. That's 161 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.279 what makes this exciting, That's what makes all this fun. 162 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:55.000 Like the things that come with college basketball, we eat 163 00:07:55.000 --> 00:08:00.959 that stuff up. But I'm having like a blockage, if 164 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:04.079 you will, mentally, because I keep telling myself, hey, no, 165 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:06.800 let's not even go there. Let's not think about seed line, 166 00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:08.800 let's not think about how far they could go in 167 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:10.839 the tournament. Let's just enjoy this. But I don't. I 168 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:12.639 don't think I need to do that anymore. I think 169 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:16.480 I can. I can comfortably embrace this team having some 170 00:08:16.519 --> 00:08:18.639 real expectations the rest of the way. None of us 171 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:21.680 know how this is going to finish. But I mean, 172 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:25.959 I don't. I don't care that the ACC is as 173 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.480 down as it is. I mean, I'm not going to 174 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:31.279 tell people that they're wrong when they when they act 175 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.000 like the ACC is is, you know, a bad league, 176 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:37.159 especially for what it once was and what it's supposed 177 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:39.840 to be. Like, they're not wrong, it's true, but I 178 00:08:40.679 --> 00:08:45.559 think Louisville is is is playing basketball at a high 179 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:48.720 level to where they could be in other leagues. And yeah, 180 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:51.399 they probably would have more losses in league play, but 181 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:54.919 I feel like they can compete with just about anybody. Again, 182 00:08:55.639 --> 00:08:57.200 I don't know that we'll find out if they do, 183 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:58.960 in fact make a run in the tournament and end 184 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:02.000 up playing a really, really good team. So maybe I'm wrong, 185 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:05.639 But I mean, I think you're starting to see some 186 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:09.759 others out there, not Louisville fans, but people that are objected, 187 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:12.639 people that cover college basketball in a major way. They 188 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:15.039 are willing to now embrace the Yes, the ACC is 189 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:16.919 what it is, but Duke one of the best teams 190 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:19.679 in the country, maybe the most talented team out there. 191 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:23.480 They're in a league of their own within college basketball 192 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:25.600 maybe when it comes to talent, and certainly they are 193 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:28.039 in a league of their own within the ACC. But 194 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:30.480 I think you're starting to see, well, Louisville, Yeah, they're 195 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:32.759 taking advantage of the down league, but they're also a 196 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:35.799 pretty damn good team. And last night for me, seemed 197 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:38.039 like the moment where it kind of hit me like 198 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:40.919 I'm breaking free of the shackles as far as just 199 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:44.639 you know, having these tempered expectations and trying not to 200 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:47.159 get my hopes up because you know, just making the 201 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:49.639 tournament this year, if I'm being honest with you, would 202 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:53.080 have been awesome. And clearly they're going to do that. 203 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.279 Now that's happening. They're going to be a tournament team. 204 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:59.919 And now I'm thinking, Okay, what's the highest seed weeking 205 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:04.039 get and you know, where are these first and second 206 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:06.440 round games being played? Those kind of things, and man, 207 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:09.399 it's just it's just been it's just been fun and 208 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:12.559 I'm loving every minute of it. And it's been it's 209 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:14.559 been a fun ride so far. So you know, we'll 210 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:16.519 talk about some other things today, but obviously, whenever you've 211 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:19.000 got this kind of momentum in Louisville basketball, and you 212 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:22.200 can just tell, the vibes are off the charts right now. 213 00:10:22.919 --> 00:10:24.799 I see people out wearing their U of L gear 214 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:26.600 and they've got a little bit of an extra pep 215 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:28.879 in their step. They look to be a little bit 216 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:32.559 more happy than maybe, you know, maybe others, and it's 217 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:35.919 because they're they're loving this and not right now a 218 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:39.960 non game winning streak and easily the second best team 219 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:40.960 right now in the ACC. 220 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:43.879 And look, SMU, they weren't. They didn't scare me by 221 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:44.480 any means. 222 00:10:44.519 --> 00:10:49.159 But that was really the last team on your schedule 223 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:51.399 that I mean, Look, it's crazy to say this now, 224 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:54.279 but Louisville was an underdog last night and they could 225 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:56.519 have won the game by thirty plus and they won 226 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.440 by twenty five, like they were an underdog. The kim 227 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:01.720 pump for me projected that they would lose that game. 228 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:03.480 And that's not like, I mean, I don't think that's 229 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:05.159 a crazy thing to put out there. It sounds like 230 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:08.480 it now. But to be able to dominate that SMU 231 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:12.240 team the way that you did, I mean, how can 232 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:14.759 I I can't with a straight face look at the 233 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:17.559 rest of the schedule here and say that every single 234 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:20.639 one of these games are not games that you should win. 235 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:22.720 They are these are games you should win. Doesn't mean 236 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:28.000 it's gonna happen, but it's just it almost doesn't seem real. 237 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:31.759 Like last night seeing rain Smith break taekwon Dean's record 238 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:35.840 ten three point field goals made in a game. I 239 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:40.720 mean unbelievable ten of seventeen from three last night for 240 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:44.080 rain Smith. Taekwondan's record of nine was broken, of course 241 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:46.279 with the ten, and I love that they were out 242 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:50.519 there wanting to break those records, right. I loved that 243 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.759 Pat Kelce not only was keeping these guys in to 244 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:56.360 where they could potentially break some records, but they were 245 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:59.720 gunning for it. I mean, it's not something that you know, 246 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:02.360 it doesn't make this team any better, but like what 247 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:06.840 it made me realize is that they understand that breaking 248 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:09.000 that kind of a record at a place like Louisville 249 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:12.480 is a pretty big accomplishment. That's a pretty impressive thing 250 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:14.320 to have on your resume. And by the way, the 251 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:16.960 two guys that had records broken last night just so 252 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:18.759 happened to be two of the best players that have 253 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:22.480 ever played here. So it's Taekwon Dean who had the 254 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:25.600 three point record, and I feel like Taekwon has every 255 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:28.440 three point record threes in a career, three's made in 256 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.440 a game, three's made in a season, three is attempted 257 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:34.200 in a career, three is attempted in a season. And 258 00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:36.600 in rain Smith, of course, when it comes to career, 259 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:38.600 he's not going to be able to come close to 260 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:41.279 Taekwon because Rain's only here one year. But as far 261 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:45.080 as those records for single season, I mean, I think 262 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:47.759 Rain's coming for him. He already broke the single game record. 263 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:51.440 And what's awesome about rain Smith is that he could 264 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:54.039 go off at any given night and get ten. I mean, 265 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:55.080 it's not crazy. 266 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:55.240 Now. 267 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:58.600 Expecting that to happen again is not realistic. And I 268 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:01.200 don't anticipate they'll have another game where he makes ten, 269 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:03.600 but like he could make six and it would just 270 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:06.360 be another day at the office for him. And that's 271 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.919 such a weapon that you have. The other record that 272 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:13.600 was broke Chucky Hepburn. I mean, I remember thinking to myself, 273 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:18.679 wait a second, Like Louisville, they've not they've not had 274 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.159 a bucket, a basket, three point shot, layup, whatever. They 275 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:26.320 have not scored where it wasn't from an assist. And 276 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.440 I feel like Chucky has a lot of them. So 277 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:30.480 sure enough, I pull up stat broadcast on my phone 278 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:32.840 while I'm watching the game last night, and he's got 279 00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:36.919 eight assists very early in the game, and sure enough, 280 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:40.600 he went to halftime none assists, and I'm thinking to myself, Okay, 281 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:43.559 I mean non assist at halftime's crazy. 282 00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:44.279 Not assists in. 283 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:47.120 A game overall in forty minutes of play is impressive. 284 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:50.120 He had it in about fifteen minutes of action, seemingly, 285 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:52.720 and I'm thinking, okay, can. 286 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:53.159 He break this record? 287 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:55.600 Like he'll have to play, you know, a lot in 288 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:58.679 the second half, but he probably will, And you know, 289 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:00.879 I wonder, I just I thought to myself, will. 290 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:04.000 They even really like chase that? Because it's doable? 291 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:06.679 But sixteen assists is a lot, And sure enough, Chucky 292 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:10.679 gets seventeen, breaking Francisco Garcia's record of assists in a 293 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:14.159 single game. So to do that in conference play against 294 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:16.639 a team that, look, even if SMU doesn't end up 295 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:19.240 making the big Dance, I mean, it's not like you 296 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:24.440 did it against Bellerman or a you know, low level 297 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:29.200 three hundred's net ranking team. You did it against an 298 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.440 SMU team that was coming off of one hundred point 299 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:35.840 performance against Miami and only had one loss in league play. 300 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:37.080 I can't lie to you and tell you that after 301 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:40.960 last night, I think SMU is good, but who knows, 302 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:44.600 Maybe they are not good, but you know, maybe they 303 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:46.960 are a bubble type team that finds their way in 304 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:51.080 But Louisville was just able to flat out expose them 305 00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:55.879 and just you know, beat them that bad. So I 306 00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:59.080 just I can't get enough of this Louisville basketball team. 307 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:02.360 And usually when it comes to how we remember teams, 308 00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:05.879 like down the line many year, like your legacy as 309 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:08.399 far as teams, it's what you do in the tournament, 310 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:11.360 and that'll never change, and I don't want it to. 311 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:15.360 Like college basketball, it really is stupid if you think 312 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:16.200 about it, not the sport. 313 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:17.399 I love the sport, but. 314 00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:20.120 It's kind of stupid that if you have a phenomenal season, 315 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:22.399 but yet you slip up early in a tournament that 316 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.279 has sixty eight teams in the field, Like that's all 317 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.679 people really remember. Now, if you make it a point 318 00:15:28.679 --> 00:15:31.279 to go back and reflect on a season and think 319 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:33.399 about the good the bad like you remember it, it's 320 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:35.440 not like it gets. It's not like men in Black 321 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:37.639 where they put that thing in front of front of 322 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:39.559 your eyes and zap you and you don't remember anything 323 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.279 at all like you remember it. But like the lasting 324 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:45.759 thing that sticks with any team is what they did 325 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:47.679 in the tournament when it came to an end, or 326 00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:49.600 maybe you know, whenever they won it all, which of course, 327 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:53.080 has only happened once in my lifetime. So we'll see 328 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:56.759 what this team does. They've unfortunately showed that they can 329 00:15:56.840 --> 00:15:59.679 be a good enough team to wear fans. I think 330 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:01.840 now not only expecting them to me may mean they're 331 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:04.080 gonna make the tournament. Like there's no scenario I can 332 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:07.320 see happening where they're not in the tournament, And I 333 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:09.360 really think they've got a good chance to keep winning. 334 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.000 And if they keep pounding these teams, they're gonna keep 335 00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:14.960 bumping up in the formula, the net, the kin palm 336 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:16.840 and all that, and that of course gives them a 337 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:18.960 better chance to get a good seed. So like, if 338 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.399 you're in that position, which is where they're headed, they're 339 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:23.840 probably gonna gonna get a good enough seed to where 340 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:26.519 we're gonna maybe expect and maybe expects the wrong word, 341 00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:28.919 because you never know. But like Sweet sixteen, like that's 342 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:31.840 kind of where I'm at right now, and I keep thinking, Okay, 343 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:33.440 pump the brake, snick, what are we doing here? 344 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:35.039 This is crazy? This team. 345 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:37.200 Just a month ago it looked like they were not 346 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:39.039 gonna be able to make the tournament. It took a 347 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:43.799 Noah Waterman desperation falling over bucket to avoid a disastrous 348 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:46.960 loss to EKU. But man, once she got to January 349 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.600 here in twenty twenty five, things have changed, and I'm 350 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:52.679 now gonna only think about this team and the way 351 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:56.039 I've seen them since then, because they've been consistent and 352 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:01.039 they just keep winning, and the likelihood of going undefeated 353 00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:03.159 is still just I mean meaning the rest of the way, 354 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:04.599 it still just seems unlikely. 355 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:05.920 But I mean maybe it's not. 356 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:08.960 I mean the teams that they have played and beat 357 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:12.920 in the last you know, really this month. I mean, 358 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:17.279 take away Syracuse, who's not very good. Take away Virginia, 359 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:21.240 who's not very good. I mean the other teams, Pittsburgh. 360 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:23.519 You know, Carolina lost last night to Wake Forest. But 361 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:26.880 Carolina has talent. I mean, they're always going to be 362 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:29.160 a talented team. And I don't think they're bad. They're 363 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:30.720 certainly not as good as they should be and as 364 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.440 good as they typically are. But like they're doing this 365 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:37.279 against teams that again, let me make sure I'm putting 366 00:17:37.319 --> 00:17:40.039 this out there the way I want to these teams 367 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:43.400 that I'm just mentioning that Louisvill's knocked off like SMU, Pittsburgh, Clemson. 368 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:46.400 I'm not telling you those teams are elite North Carolina. 369 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:50.119 I mean, I don't think those teams are that good, 370 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:53.319 but I'm just pointing out the fact that those are 371 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:55.200 the best teams that you play in your league, and 372 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:58.160 you've already gotten it out of the way, and I 373 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.240 just think to expect them to win every game the 374 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.119 rest of the way, although they might slip up, Like, 375 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:05.640 I don't think you're you're out of line to expect that. 376 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:10.119 So again, I'm almost in disbelief, Like I woke up 377 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:13.359 this morning thinking did that really happen last night? I mean, 378 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:14.920 it used to be something that I don't know. Maybe 379 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:17.519 actually let me back up the records being broken, just 380 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:21.519 the amount of the amount of points they scored, the 381 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:24.359 domination that you can see within the stat sheet here 382 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:27.160 or the box score. Like, I think, no matter what 383 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:31.279 Louisville team, it was right, no matter what, no matter who, 384 00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:33.599 Like it could be a team that had preseason top 385 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:36.240 ten ranking and was still top ten as of now. 386 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:38.759 I think fans would still be really really excited about 387 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:41.480 what they saw last night. But obviously you factor in 388 00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:44.119 that we haven't really had a game like that. I mean, again, 389 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.079 two records that you know, if you'd have told me 390 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:49.400 that those records would never be broke in my lifetime, 391 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:51.559 I would have believed you, and both of them were 392 00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:54.680 broke last night in the same game. So again, what 393 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:56.039 I was getting to when it comes to like how 394 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:59.519 you remember it as a team, this team, like, I 395 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.960 hope that regardless of what happens in the tournament. And 396 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.759 this isn't like, hey, we shouldn't embrace expectations. We should 397 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:08.519 just be happy to be there. That's not what I'm saying. 398 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:13.880 But I think fans loved this team, maybe not more 399 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:16.720 than they've loved any other team, but in a way 400 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:20.799 they've never loved any other team, and it's just made 401 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:23.359