WEBVTT 1 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:14.880 It's something we've talked about for I guess really the 2 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:19.280 last last few months, maybe even longer, definitely during the 3 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:22.679 college basketball season. The rivalry here is a special thing. 4 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:26.480 I think we all know that, and in Louisville it's 5 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:28.839 a little different because there's so many of both Louisville 6 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:32.439 and Kentucky fans and it's been kind of awkward, kind 7 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:36.840 of weird because you can't help but like the other coach. 8 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:39.240 And I know again there's some that will say I 9 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:42.320 don't care, I'll hate whoever coaches Louisville. 10 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:44.280 And you know, I think, you know, I get it. 11 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:47.079 There's a level that you know, there's just no scenario 12 00:00:47.560 --> 00:00:50.280 that they wouldn't And not to judge those people, because 13 00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:52.640 again those that are the most passionate, the most crazy 14 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:55.439 about it. You know, that's why we're a special market 15 00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:58.039 here to where college basketball is king and whatnot. But 16 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:02.799 it's been awkward because Louisville fans I think at this 17 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:06.120 point would probably have to really try to find something, 18 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:10.840 really manufacture something almost to use against Mark Pope as 19 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.840 far as being a guy that's like easy to dislike, 20 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:15.239 because you want to be able to dislike your rival. 21 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:17.000 At the end of the day. It's really never personal, 22 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:19.920 like we don't know these people, right, I mean, we 23 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:22.799 don't know them as human beings, but we get caught 24 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.120 up in it. And Cali Perry was a great villain, 25 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:28.599 a great guy that it was easy to dislike, honestly, 26 00:01:28.599 --> 00:01:30.120 because I think he wants to be disliked like. I 27 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:31.840 think that's kind of its brand. Especially when he got 28 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:35.000 to Kentucky. He realized I can use this army of 29 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:39.840 fans and will be you know, well we will adopt 30 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:42.159 I guess the motto you know they hate us because 31 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.439 they ain't us kind of thing. And it worked well 32 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:46.840 for a little while, and you know it didn't. But 33 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:49.760 Mark Pope is really hard to not like. He's a 34 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:51.599 he's a very likable guy. I think he's a good 35 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:54.239 coach man. I don't want him to win. It'd be 36 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:56.439 I think it'd be great if they weren't successful. But 37 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:59.319 I don't find him at all easy to dislike, meaning 38 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:01.719 he's pretty like and I think he's good basketball coach, 39 00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:04.159 and I think he'll utilize resources and everything that Kentucky 40 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:07.680 has to offer and probably succeed at a high level. Well, 41 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:10.960 I think Kentucky fans at least a lot of them, 42 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:13.240 many of them that you know that I've that I've 43 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:16.240 talked to, say the same thing about Pat Kelsey. Maybe 44 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:18.199 they're not as convinced that he's going to be great 45 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:21.039 or anything like that, but they they they have a 46 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:24.680 hard time not acknowledging that, Like, he seems like a 47 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:27.840 good dude, and he seems like a coach that would 48 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:30.280 be really easy for a fan base to get behind 49 00:02:30.280 --> 00:02:31.000 and really root for. 50 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:33.000 And I think he was. 51 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:35.039 Even yesterday or maybe the day maybe the day before. 52 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:36.400 I don't know when it was. I get my days 53 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:38.120 mixed up, but I know it came up on KSR, 54 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:40.240 the video of Pat Kelsey driving down the road and 55 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:43.919 fans realizing, Hey, that's Louisville's basketball coach next to us. 56 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.360 Let's let's let him know we see him and we 57 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:48.759 appreciate him. And sure enough he rolled down the window 58 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:51.719 and was, you know, yell and go cards and all 59 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:54.599 into it, and that that that that's quite literally what 60 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:57.159 you would expect from him. It's pretty consistent. He's got 61 00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:01.080 good energy, he's got good vibes, and clearly he seems 62 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:05.280 to be pretty good basketball coach too. So I do 63 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:08.080 believe some Kentucky fans when they say that they're happy 64 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:10.280 Louisville is getting back, not because they're happy for us. 65 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:13.400 I mean maybe some of them are, but like it's 66 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:15.800 because it does, in fact make it more fun for them. Right, 67 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:18.639 if you beat your rival and they stink, you're happy. 68 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:21.159 You beat your rival and you're happy they stink. But 69 00:03:21.240 --> 00:03:24.400 you also get more satisfaction from beating said rival if 70 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:27.759 they don't stink, because it means more because you beat 71 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:29.400 a good team and you know it's going to hurt 72 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.759 your rival more knowing that their good team lost to you. 73 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:34.840 I mean, that's just how it works, right, So in 74 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:39.000 recent years, Louisville fans were lifeless in the rivalry in 75 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:42.719 every way. So this year I don't get the sense 76 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.039 that Louisville fans are as much. I mean, we're just 77 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:48.800 so because of recency. Louisville fans are just enjoying the ride, 78 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:51.319 and there's probably not as much attention spent on anybody 79 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.479 else or any I mean, I don't think many Louisville 80 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:58.319 fans right now are tracking other teams and their resume 81 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:01.560 and their seed line projection because we're just enjoying it. 82 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:03.680 I think in previous years when this was more of 83 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:05.719 like the expectation to be a top twenty five team 84 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:07.599 that looks sure to make the tournament, you would be 85 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:09.719 focusing on the other stuff. But this is a very 86 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:14.599 rare situation and it's it's again. It's not to say 87 00:04:14.599 --> 00:04:16.439 this is the ceiling. We know that's not the case. 88 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:19.120 But for reasons I've mentioned many times over the last 89 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:22.560 few weeks, everything that happened in recent years has made 90 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:25.560 this be more enjoyable and if anything, that's the silver 91 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:29.079 lining where the success isn't crazy for what Louisville has 92 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.720 done historically, but man, it's been a while since we've 93 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:35.160 been here and it's a different planet compared to where 94 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:38.000 we were previous years. Therefore, it's been a lot of fun. 95 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:40.160 So what I'm getting at is it's been kind of 96 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:41.680 a you know, it's been kind of a playful thing 97 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:44.000 back and forth this year where boat teams are pretty good. 98 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:47.839 In fact, Kentucky deserves a better seat. Kentucky beat Louisville 99 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:50.279 head to head. I think with that, clearly they deserve 100 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:51.879 to claim that they're a better team. They have a 101 00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:53.879 better resume. Like I'm not arguing against that at all, 102 00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:58.279 but numbers wise, And again this is I'm not even 103 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:01.920 making the argument here about who's better. Kentucky is better 104 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:04.319 right now. They played and I mean Louisville might get 105 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:07.160 them if they played them right now, but they played 106 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.680 ten times on a neutral court. I think most would 107 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.040 expect Kentucky to win more than they lose, and I would. 108 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:14.000 It doesn't mean it's gonna happen, but I would understand. 109 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:16.160 But like in the Ned and the kin Palm, they're 110 00:05:16.199 --> 00:05:18.839 pretty pretty similar. Actually, Kentucky's weird. The kin Palm does 111 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:20.879 not like Kentucky as much as others. I think I've 112 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:24.519 said that before, But still they're both in position to be, 113 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:27.439 you know, right now, Kentucky looks like a three seed 114 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:30.199 in the recent bracketology and Louisville's a five. So again, 115 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:33.560 they're not that far off. But and in most years 116 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:35.399 I think it would be you know, you'd have people 117 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:38.079 at each other's next. But I think Kentucky fans understand 118 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.279 why Louisville fans are excited, and they can't really knock 119 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:42.240 them because hey, we have been bad and now we're not. 120 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:45.240 And with Kentucky it's been such a good ride. Like 121 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:47.720 they're losing games here and there, but they know they're 122 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:49.800 really good. They know Mark Pope is a good coach, 123 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:52.160 at least seemingly good enough to where if you utilize 124 00:05:52.199 --> 00:05:54.439 what Kentucky has to work with, you should succeed at 125 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:56.519 a high level. So we haven't really had a whole 126 00:05:56.560 --> 00:06:01.720 lot of back and forth until now now, and it's 127 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:07.120 about the National Coach of the Year conversation, and it 128 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:10.639 was I mean, you're now seeing everybody put out who 129 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:13.800 they think is in the mix who should be candidates 130 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:16.160 as of now for National Coach of the Year, and 131 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:18.879 Kelsey and Pope are in the mix just about everywhere, 132 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:23.279 but as of late there has been more mention of 133 00:06:23.319 --> 00:06:25.639 like Pope being more deserving. And I'm just going to 134 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:27.240 say this, and this is not I mean, I know 135 00:06:27.319 --> 00:06:30.399 it's going to sound like I'm just trying to appease 136 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:34.279 both audiences, but I promise you that's not my intent here. 137 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:36.839 It's just me being honest with you. I think right now, 138 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.600 the two best candidates for that job I'm sorry for 139 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:45.279 that award would be both the coaches here, Pat Kelsey. 140 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:45.639 And Mark Pope. 141 00:06:46.439 --> 00:06:51.199 Now I'm biased, although I try not to be, but 142 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:54.639 I would give the edge to Kelsey for some obvious reasons. One, 143 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:57.120 he didn't take over a winning culture. He had to 144 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:00.639 kind of start from scratch, and he's missed two key 145 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:04.399 guys like Louisville has been impacted. We read the numbers 146 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:07.680 earlier this week and I forget that they're even dealing 147 00:07:07.720 --> 00:07:10.279 with the injuries. But Louisville has had Louisville has had 148 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:14.199 more of an impact with injuries than anybody this year 149 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:15.839 as far as guys that were you know, that were 150 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:17.800 playing big minutes or expected to play big minutes, both 151 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:20.240 Case and Bryor and Koran Johnson, and I keep forgetting 152 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:21.399 that those guys were ever even here. 153 00:07:21.399 --> 00:07:22.000 I hate to say it. 154 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:24.639 Love them, hope they stick around because they're both good 155 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:27.360 to qualify for medical red shirts, But like I just 156 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.319 forget about them because Louisll's playing well and we're not 157 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:32.120 missing them a whole lot. We'd be better with them, 158 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:35.639 I'm sure. So that's why I would give the nod 159 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:37.680 to Kelsey. But again, if you want to claim that 160 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:40.000 I'm doing that because I'm biased, you may be right. 161 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:42.079 I'm not gonna fight you on that. But I'm also 162 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:45.800 saying that Mark Pope is deserving because he also started 163 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:50.680 appro started the team from scratch essentially, and I actually 164 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:56.560 think Kentucky is is more successful because of his coaching 165 00:07:56.600 --> 00:07:59.399 than they are his personnel. I mean that like, and 166 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:01.000 you know what that means. It's a good if you're 167 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.720 doing more with less. And again, it's not like he's 168 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:04.360 got a bunch of bums, but he has no pro 169 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:05.079 on this team. 170 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:06.879 I'm not even sure whose best player is. 171 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.240 Maybe it's Jackson Robinson, but you know, he can also 172 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:14.800 just kind of not show up sometimes. Maybe it's Lamon Butler, 173 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:17.920 who went for what thirty plus against the Louisville and 174 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:20.680 he's a good player, but you know, times means not elite, 175 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.120 Like I don't even I mean, it's gonna sound crazy, 176 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:26.399 and I guess some will say that maybe it's a 177 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:31.120 backhanded compliment, but I don't mean it that way. Who 178 00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:34.320 on Kentucky's team is even deserving of being All conference 179 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:38.000 in the SEC? And again it sounds like I'm dissing them, 180 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:41.679 but I'm actually, I mean, I'm more than anything trying 181 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:43.399 to emphasize it. I think Mark Posts done a great 182 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:46.919 job with the group that he has, and although it's Kentucky, 183 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:50.440 nobody's surprised they're a top ten team. Nobody's surprised they're 184 00:08:50.440 --> 00:08:52.639 in line for a really good seat. It's Kentucky, but 185 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:55.440 it's also you know, it's also not a situation where 186 00:08:56.159 --> 00:09:00.080 I mean, he started from scratch and he's winning, and 187 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:03.120 he's in a better position in late January than Caliperry 188 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:06.200 has been in a long time. And yet I think 189 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:09.519 he's doing it with less and they've got good players. 190 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:10.879 Trust me, I'm not trying to act like he's doing 191 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:12.360 it with a bunch of rudies, a bunch of walk 192 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.759 ons out there, but they've got I mean, otega Oway 193 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:19.759 is their leading scorer. I don't think anybody would claim that. 194 00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:22.080 And he's a good player, trust me, good player, but 195 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:23.960 like he's not he's not a I mean, he's not 196 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:26.440 a pro. And he's also not somebody that anybody would 197 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:28.360 would try to make the case to be like an 198 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:31.120 All American in any way, or even like an All 199 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:35.919 SEC first team guy. So the coaching from Pope, his style, 200 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:38.720 he found the pieces and that's why they're so balanced. 201 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:43.799 They've got five guys averaging eleven or more. Kar and 202 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:47.240 Brea right at eleven, Robinson at thirteen, Lamont Butler just 203 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:53.039 a little bit above that, and then Ottiga oway is 204 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:55.360 is at fifteen point seven points a game. So again, 205 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:57.759 good players. And again it's weird to say there's some 206 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:01.039 real similarities between these teams. They're veteran less. They don't 207 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:04.000 have any NBA players to my knowledge, although maybe Chucky 208 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.879 plays in the league for a little while, maybe maybe 209 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:08.960 Robinson does. 210 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:10.759 I mean, who knows. You never know about the pros. 211 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:13.759 But I think as much as we are kind of 212 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:17.840 back and forth, I can't get on Kentucky fans for 213 00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:21.279 claiming that their coach should be deserving of the award 214 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:23.519 as well, because I think he is. I think again, 215 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:26.000 it sounds real, you know, it sounds like I'm just 216 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:28.120 catering to the audience here, and maybe I am, but 217 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:30.519 I believe when it comes to because the Coach of 218 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:35.600 the Year award is stupid. It's a selective thing based 219 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:37.360 off of year. And what I mean by that is, 220 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:40.919 are you gonna give it to the overachiever of the year. 221 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:42.440 Are you gonna give it to the guy who is 222 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:45.840 the best team? Like people mentioning John Shier for Coach 223 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:48.840 of the Year is the ultimate reminder for me that 224 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:50.519 the Coach of the Year is not a it's not 225 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:54.519 a legitimate award. It's just about who's the biggest overachiever, 226 00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:58.000 or if there's not a big overachiever, let's give it 227 00:10:58.039 --> 00:10:59.679 to the guy whose team had the best year and 228 00:10:59.720 --> 00:11:02.000 coach who have teams that are really good and win. 229 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:03.919 You know what, they deserve a lot of credit because 230 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:07.480 they're a part of it. But it's the one award 231 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:10.759 in sports I can think of that quite literally, there 232 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:13.960 is no consistency because sometimes the guy who wins it 233 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.240 will be thirty six and one. Sometimes the guy who 234 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:19.879 wins it will be a guy who made the tournament. 235 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:23.600 I mean, so it's not about accomplishment, it's about like perception, 236 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:26.840 and perception is different for everyone. I'm not gonna say 237 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:28.639 that I think John Shire is a bad coach doing 238 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:29.240 a bad job. 239 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:30.480 Duke is great this year. 240 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:34.200 But John Shire has Cooper Flag, a guy that people 241 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:36.240 think is the best guy to enter the college basketball 242 00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:39.039 game in a long time. And you know he's at 243 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:43.039 Duke and he's in his what third year, So he's 244 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:46.000 not a bad coach. But like when you have your 245 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:49.919 lead candidates be such have such different profiles this year, 246 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:52.840 what are we doing? Are we going over achiever or 247 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:54.559 are we giving it to the guy that we believe 248 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:58.919 has done the best job coaching, because I think you 249 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:02.440 need two awards. You know, I don't know overachiever of 250 00:12:02.440 --> 00:12:04.879 the year as a coach, or bounce back coach or 251 00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:08.120 a guy who you know you just feel like because 252 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:10.000 here's the thing. In the regular season, that's when that 253 00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:12.000 award's given you. You don't vote coach of the Year 254 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:15.600 in the tournament for obvious reasons. So let's say you 255 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:20.000 got five teams, six teams contending for one seeds. If 256 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:22.080 everybody has the mindset of we're gonna give it to 257 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:23.720 the coach who we think has the best team, and 258 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.440 clearly he's a factor, he's the coach. You just come 259 00:12:26.440 --> 00:12:28.519 down to deciding which of those you think is better 260 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.759 and which was a better coaching job like Pat Kelsey, 261 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:33.399 in my opinion, deserves Coach of the Year because I 262 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:35.600 feel like his coaching and his and I don't just 263 00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:38.159 mean in game like x's and o's everything. 264 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:38.840 He has brought. 265 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:40.919 Everything he's brought to the table here in Louisville is 266 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:43.759 working and it's helped us go through this healing process 267 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:45.000 that's been a lot of fun. And oh, by the 268 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:47.440 way they're winning, they're ranked, they're safely in the tournament 269 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.960 right now. So that's the kind of the way I 270 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:51.759 see it. And I think you could say the same 271 00:12:51.799 --> 00:12:54.440 for Pope and some will say, well, he was supposed 272 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:57.200 to be good. No, he was, Kentucky was borderline ranked. 273 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.679 I mean, Mark Pope and Kentucky I've actually at this 274 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:04.039 point done substantially better than people would have expected. I 275 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:06.919 don't think many thought that they were going to be terrible, 276 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:09.559 but I mean I remember KSR having the conversation that 277 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:10.919 they think they could be really good, but they're just 278 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:13.000 hoping they make the tournament because you just don't know. 279 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:16.919 It's all brand new, and you can get a brand 280 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:19.759 new team and a coach and have success. That's been 281 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:24.200 done elsewhere. There's examples of that, but I think the 282 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:27.159 way both of these guys have done it, and knowing 283 00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:29.440 sort of their background, it's got to make both fan 284 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:32.799 bases feel really good about these guys' long term because 285 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:37.399 when you progress throughout your time and you are successful 286 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:40.639 at a place like Louisville and Kentucky, what is it 287 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:42.480 going to do. It's going to show proof of concept 288 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:45.159 you can win there, and all that's going to do 289 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:49.120 is potentially help you with anile resources from supporters and 290 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:52.039 players who want to come play for you. So I 291 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:54.840 think the two best candidates for this job are are 292 00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:57.320 those two or for this award? Of those two, now, 293 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.240 if I could, if I could throw one more out there, 294 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:02.200 I would actually say Bruce Pearl, just because I think 295 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:03.960 Auburn might be the best team in the country. And 296 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:07.200 I also believe that Auburn is and I don't want 297 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:08.559 to say they're doing it with a bunch of a 298 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:10.960 bunch of walk Ons or anything like that, but you know, 299 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:14.679 Bruce Pearl, I heard this during the I don't know, 300 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:17.279 I can't think of what they played in one of 301 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:19.360 the tournaments around Thanksgiving Auburn did. 302 00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:20.879 I don't know if it was Maui or. 303 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:23.240 Where it was, but they had a really tough schedule 304 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:25.759 early on and they've been rolling. They're sitting here at 305 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:29.240 seventeen and one overall undefeated in the ACC, so they're 306 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:32.279 they're quite literally, you know, the best or one of 307 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:36.120 the best teams in the country. So I remember watching them, 308 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:39.320 and yeah, it was Maui and they won the Maui Invitational. 309 00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:44.320 I think I might have been Billis mentioning that Bruce Pearl, 310 00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:46.679 throughout the early stages here in the new world of 311 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:49.879 the Portal and Nil and all, that he's found a 312 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:52.200 formula that he thinks really works for him. And it's 313 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:57.399 going and getting guys who are valuable and really wanted 314 00:14:57.480 --> 00:15:00.679 from the portal. But they're not guys that are Dickinson's 315 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.039 coming from Michigan, where you've been, You've been the man 316 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:05.919 at a big school. Bruce Pearl knows, Okay, I want 317 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:07.279 to go get a guy who would be hungry to 318 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:09.559 play for me, that has been really successful at a 319 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:11.320 lower level. I don't need him to be a lottery pick. 320 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.919 I just need him to be a dog. I need 321 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:14.320 him to work hard, and I need him to be, 322 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:17.200 you know, to be talented. Of course, I mean jan 323 00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:19.240 I Broome, a guy who a lot of people think 324 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.480 has been as deserving a Player of the Year in 325 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.559 college basketball until he got injured. It's probably going to 326 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:27.960 go to Cooper Flag, but Jeni Broome he played at 327 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:30.240 Morehead State for two years before he ended up at Auburn. 328 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:32.120 And you know, that's a guy who climbed the ladder 329 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.679 here in college basketball, got a lot better, and now 330 00:15:34.679 --> 00:15:38.399 he's I mean, he's he's embraced what Bruce Pearl provided 331 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:41.679 and embraced his coaching. He didn't arrive as the guy 332 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:44.919 who he felt like, you know, Auburn should be lucky 333 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:46.759 to have. I think he probably felt lucky to be there. 334 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.559 And it's a good it's a good, good chemistry. There's 335 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:52.840 some real compatibility there. There's also a guy on Auburn 336 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.960 who haven't checked his numbers lately. But I just love 337 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:57.120 stories like this because I'm a nerd for this stuff. 338 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:02.120 But they went out and got a transfer from Yeah, 339 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:03.399 I think his name. Let me see if this is 340 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:06.519 who it is. This there's a Division two Yeah, there's 341 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:09.000 a Division two player on their team, and I believe 342 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:11.440 it's Cheney Johnson. I could have the guy wrong, but 343 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:14.279 he's a Division two guy who was successful at a 344 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.879 D two school in Alabama, played some pickup games against 345 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:19.679 Auburn players in the offseason, and clearly he could hold 346 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.120 his own and he hit the portal and Pearl wanted him. 347 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.559 And you know that's a guy. 348 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:27.480 Who he's not scoring eighteen nineteen a night like he 349 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.840 probably was at his Division two school, but he can 350 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.240 play and he can fit with what they want. 351 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:32.480 To do and it's working. 352 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:34.399 So like I think you're going to start to see 353 00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:38.799 as the transfer portal is not changing. In fact, we 354 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:41.200 may get to a point where guys can transfer mid season, 355 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:45.159 like that's that's actually being talked about now. So being 356 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:49.200 able to find what you can you can believe will 357 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:52.000 work for you. It's not just about their style of play. 358 00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:55.080 It's not just about their productivity. It's about are they 359 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:56.600 going to come in and buy in? Are they going 360 00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:58.039 to are they going to be Are they going to 361 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:01.399 come in and feel like, Man, I got this opportunity, 362 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:03.600 I've taken a step up here in the ladder of 363 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:06.759 of of of my of my world, here in college basketball. 364 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:09.200 This is this isn't this is motivating. I'm gonna work 365 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.799 hard and show that I did belong here. Or are 366 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:14.039 you going to say, hey, it's a payday and you 367 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.440 know you're just a free agent, and I mean, and 368 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:18.519 you never know, like you really never know how it's 369 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:21.000 gonna work. But I think you're gonna see more coaches 370 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:24.559 out there realize the way they used to do it 371 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:27.119 right whenever you didn't have money, at least not the 372 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:28.759 way you do now. I'm sure there's always been some 373 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:31.799 handshake deals and all that kind of stuff. But now 374 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:34.279 it's blatantly in your face that money matters. You've got 375 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:36.640 to come correct financially to get big players who have 376 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:39.039 other offers. That's just that's just part of it. So 377 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:42.160 now that you have that, and now that players can 378 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:46.119 and will leave whenever they want, there used to be 379 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:47.640 a real fear. When you're an eighteen year old kid 380 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:49.960 and you go to college to play basketball. The thought 381 00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:52.480 of just not playing for a year is something you 382 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:54.920 would never consider because it's all you know. So that's 383 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:57.279 why guys never transferred. They don't want to sit. Sometimes 384 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:59.200 it would happen, but it was rare. Well, now it's 385 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:02.160 happening all the time for really no no real reason. 386 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:04.200 There are guys that just leave because they can. So 387 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:08.400 what I'm saying is, I think these coaches who really 388 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:12.799 became great in the previous world, right, break them down, 389 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:18.079 then build them up, really put them through a lot, 390 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:20.279 you know, and and develop them. And I you know, 391 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:23.839 I like that. That's old school. I think that. I mean, 392 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.920 that's to me, that's that's what it's all about. But 393 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:28.559 now the game's change, right, players have way more power 394 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:30.640 than they've ever had and that's not changing at all. 395 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:33.039 So for these coaches that really kind of made their 396 00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:36.000 mark and became big names and successful coaches in the 397 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:40.559 previous world, the most compatible player for them is the 398 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:44.640 guy that you know is going to work his ass 399 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:48.240 off because he's just grateful for the opportunity and he's 400 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:51.039 not gonna waste the opportunity. He's happy to be there, 401 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:53.160