WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:03.600 All right, our number two here on a Wednesday afternoon 2 00:00:03.640 --> 00:00:06.960 coffee and company Fieldbeth Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety 3 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:09.640 and we are now welcomed by a man who I 4 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:12.560 missed greatly, mister John Alden, the company Man. 5 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:13.359 John. 6 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:15.080 Before we get into it, how I mean, can I 7 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:15.519 call you that? 8 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:15.839 Still? 9 00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:18.879 I feel like, you know, did the nickname die when 10 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:20.160 you left me for has? 11 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:22.359 I feel like it's in limbo. I don't think it's 12 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:25.280 officially died, but as you know, Tony Cruz has tried 13 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:27.519 to call me who's your daddy on occasion. 14 00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:30.519 That's it kind of makes me uncomfortable because I mean, 15 00:00:30.920 --> 00:00:33.159 I get it, it's Tony trying to be funny, but 16 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:36.679 I don't know. I mean, the company Man not only 17 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:38.399 is it does it? I mean it made more sense 18 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:40.560 for the name of this show obviously, but like it's 19 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:43.119 it's a compliment to you, your work ethic, that kind 20 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:44.719 of stuff. I don't know why he won't embrace it. 21 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:47.439 Just embrace the company man, Cruise. It's a good I 22 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:48.560 wish he would. I wish he would. 23 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:49.200 It's a good name. 24 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:52.320 So we were just talking off the air about how 25 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:55.600 how awesome it is this time of year for us 26 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:58.520 to be in this position where both teams are going 27 00:00:58.520 --> 00:01:01.759 to the NAA Tournament. Whereas the years we worked together, 28 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:04.560 Louisville basketball wasn't a place that I hope they never 29 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.280 ever end up in again. So we'll get into that. 30 00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:09.920 As it's here, March madness is here. It's winner, go home, 31 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:12.120 start next week in the NAA Tournament. We've got conference 32 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:15.079 tournaments already underway. But you're about to be a dad 33 00:01:15.159 --> 00:01:15.799 before too long? 34 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:16.200 Right, Like? 35 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:17.120 Is it? 36 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:17.359 Is it? 37 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:19.879 I mean, how about how far away? How far away 38 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:21.879 are we from seeing you become a father? 39 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.959 So my wife's due date is May eighth, but I 40 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:27.719 do believe she had a doctor's appointment this morning. I 41 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:30.439 do believe that she is going to end up getting 42 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:32.480 induced a little bit earlier than that. So I don't 43 00:01:32.519 --> 00:01:35.000 know exactly how long, but we are under two months. 44 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:36.079 We'm both very excited. 45 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:40.640 Does it seem as if you had a moment maybe 46 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:43.120 recently or maybe it'll be happening soon where it hits 47 00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:46.200 you like okay, because nine months is a long process, right, 48 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:47.959 Like you've got like you've got time to kind of, 49 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:51.079 you know, let it marinate and kind of reflect on 50 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:53.760 your life pre becoming a father and always tell this 51 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:56.319 to people. You never like when people ask are you ready? 52 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:58.400 You're ready? You're ready, it's a it's. 53 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:01.079 A common question and it's not you know, I get 54 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:03.159 why people ask it, but like you can't get ready, 55 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:04.200 like you know, ready or not. 56 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:04.760 It's gonna happen. 57 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:07.920 There's gonna be some adjustments, but it's it's a beautiful thing, 58 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:11.120 no doubt. But when I remember whenever we had our 59 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:14.120 first when it got to be about a month away, 60 00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:17.080 is when it hit me like, Okay, this is really happening, 61 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:19.039 isn't it, Like this is really a thing I'm going 62 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:20.879 to be responsible for a human being. 63 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:24.159 So she or the for me, I feel like the 64 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:25.919 first the first time it hit me was, of course 65 00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:28.479 when you see the pregnancy test. And then the first 66 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:30.719 time I noticed that my wife was showing that was 67 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:33.319 early this year in January. And then I think the 68 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:35.919 third moment that something kind of hit me it was 69 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:37.840 is when I felt the baby kick for the first time. 70 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:40.360 And that's a very surreal thing that of course if 71 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:42.360 you're a dad or a mom, like of course two 72 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:44.400 different perspectives. Someone's holding the baby and the other person's 73 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.520 feeling it. From the outside, but two or three very 74 00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:49.960 surreal moments. And now at this point we're just counting 75 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:50.520 down the days. 76 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:54.919 You mentioned those surreal moments, and you really can't describe 77 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.639 it to anybody until you've experienced yourself, you know what 78 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:00.360 I mean, Like, really you can. I think it checks 79 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:02.159 out to say, Wow, it's pretty special and it's a 80 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:04.759 it's a real moment where it makes it all seem 81 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:06.520 real that this is about to happen, such a big 82 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:09.439 moment in your life. But like there's just things about 83 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:11.719 being a parent that even before you have kids, you 84 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:14.240 probably yeah, I'm sure that's you have a different mindset 85 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:16.400 when you have kids about this and that, but like 86 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:18.960 you just you can't process it until it happens. So 87 00:03:19.479 --> 00:03:21.879 very very excited for you, and I get one more 88 00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:24.639 before we move on. How's how's the wife doing during 89 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:27.439 the pregnancy. She good, she's doing fine. She had a 90 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:31.039 rough first trimester, as many women do. She was, you know, 91 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:34.439 without being too graphic, sheet a lot. Uh and then 92 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:36.879 she she's had a few she she got the stomach 93 00:03:36.919 --> 00:03:38.280 bug a couple of weeks ago. And I think just 94 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:40.439 because you have a compromised immune system, you know, it's 95 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:44.120 more likely to unfortunately get those types of things easier 96 00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:44.759 than other people. 97 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:46.639 So she had any real weird cravings. 98 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:50.360 Weird she this has been recently. She she likes the 99 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:53.840 squeezeable apple sauce. Okay, so that's I think that qualifies it. 100 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:58.360 Yeah, my wife she became addicted to pickles, Okay, I 101 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:01.319 mean it. And it wasn't like where she would just 102 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:05.159 sit around and eat, you know, an endless amount of them, 103 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:06.840 but it was one of those things where it was 104 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.879 like truly a craving addiction to where like not sure 105 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:11.479 what she's doing where she's at, but she's got to 106 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:13.039 have to have a pickle, so I gotta go find one. Yea. 107 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:14.680 It was became just one of those things that like 108 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:18.000 it wasn't necessarily to where she just started completely going 109 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:20.360 crazy over one specific food item or snack or whatever 110 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:22.279 it was. But it's just when the hormones are where 111 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:24.319 they are when it comes to being pregnant, when you 112 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:26.839 want it, you need it, like you know, I remember 113 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:28.839 just thinking, Okay, if all I've got to do is 114 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:30.920 just make sure that if she has that craving for 115 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:32.800 a pickle, I can I can make it happen. Then 116 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:37.399 you know, then I'll be okay. But anyways, I'm I'm 117 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:40.480 a little bit in disbelief because there were times this year, John, 118 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:43.079 where I was watching your Indiana Hoosiers and I thought, 119 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:45.079 for certain, there's no scenario they sniffed the instead of 120 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:45.560 a tournament. 121 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:48.560 Oh absolutely, And I think the most recent time that 122 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:50.600 that happened, they were on the road a wisconsinant I 123 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:52.879 think they were down like twenty six to four in 124 00:04:52.920 --> 00:04:55.120 like the first few minutes of that game. And then 125 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:58.120 once that loss finished up a few days later, you 126 00:04:58.120 --> 00:04:59.879 find out that Mike Woodson's going to be stepping down. 127 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:01.639 That's what you kind of think. Okay, things are kind 128 00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:03.720 of falling into place, is kind of the direction we 129 00:05:03.720 --> 00:05:06.759 thought things were heading. But since that announcement, I've been 130 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:09.120 saying this the last few weeks. It's like Mike Woodson, 131 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:10.920 even though he doesn't have hair, he's letting his hair down, 132 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:13.120 and the players are letting their hair down. There lose, 133 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:15.600 nothing to lose, Yeah, And I think they've maybe only 134 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:18.519 lost two, maybe three games since that point. And now, 135 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:21.399 although they're squarely still on the bubble, I think they're 136 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:23.439 going to find themselves in the Assembly tournament. 137 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:25.800 I'll be honest with you, man, I think the way 138 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:30.399 the bubble has you would need a ton of bid steelers, Yeah, 139 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:32.959 in order for Indiana to be sweating on anything. Because 140 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:36.439 what's happened is that the bubble like there's probably twelve 141 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:41.800 to thirteen teams fighting truly borderline to get in or not. 142 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:43.519 Indiana is not one of them. They're ahead of them. 143 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.600 And it's just the way it's played out to where 144 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:48.160 you know losses that they have, I mean right. 145 00:05:48.040 --> 00:05:50.519 Now, zero, quad two, three or four losses, I mean 146 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:53.000 right now, just. 147 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:54.639 Just knowing you know what you know about your team 148 00:05:54.680 --> 00:05:57.879 when you think of a bad loss for them, take 149 00:05:57.879 --> 00:05:59.879 away the margin. But just like a team and maybe 150 00:05:59.879 --> 00:06:01.839 more arching combine, like what loss to you stands out. 151 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:03.480 It's like, Okay, if we didn't get in, it would 152 00:06:03.480 --> 00:06:04.360 be because of this loss. 153 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.519 I don't know if there's a specific loss, Ye, there's 154 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:09.680 not this one Northwestern. There's just somebody that kind of 155 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:11.839 stands out just in fun fact, it's the only team 156 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:13.560 that Mike Woodson hasn't been able to beat at least 157 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:15.839 one since he's been in Indiana. But that's it's not 158 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:18.000 a bad loss, but it's not necessarily a good one. Either. 159 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:21.240 Yeah, so they have two losses that just again they 160 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:27.360 don't look like devastating losses for your resume. But Northwestern 161 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:29.639 on the road and Nebraska on the road, those are 162 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.800 those are those are losses that you know or aren't 163 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.199 too good teams. Those teams aren't considered to be good. However, 164 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:36.800 you are on the road and they're good enough in 165 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:39.079 the formula to where that's still a quad one loss 166 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:40.959 for you. Yeah, so you look at the rest of 167 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.240 their losses. They did have a loss to Iowa, which 168 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:46.079 was a twenty five point beat down. That was probably 169 00:06:46.360 --> 00:06:50.839 the Iowa in Illinois back to back blowouts. That was 170 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:53.240 probably in the Illinois when was at home, that was 171 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:55.360 probably where I was thinking, Okay, yeah, it's over for Woodson. 172 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.000 But you know, overall, Illinois still not a bad loss 173 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:00.639 because they're good. I mean, Louisvillingan's out of those aren't 174 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:04.240 losses that really hurt you. Maryland, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan, even 175 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:08.399 UCLA Oregon on the road like nineteen and twelve doesn't 176 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:12.160 sound super impressive by any means, But the vast majority 177 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:14.800 of their losses are not too bad teams. And I 178 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:17.439 think what really took them out of that pool of 179 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:19.480 teams I was just referencing that are really fighting like 180 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:21.120 crazy and really just I think it's going to come 181 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:22.839 down to preference, Like the committee is just going to 182 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:24.480 have to decide there's going to be a lot of 183 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:26.800 teams that are very much the same and you're going 184 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:29.399 to have to just determine meeting the committee what you 185 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:32.399 value most. But when Indiana got the win against Purdue 186 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:34.759 and they got the second winning ast to Ohio State 187 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:37.720 swept them, I feel like that made it to where 188 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:41.519 they're above that group. And I mean, heck, they've got 189 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:43.800 opportunities in the Big Ten tournament to where if they 190 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:46.120 can go out and get some more wins. I mean, 191 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:48.319 I don't know how much they'll jump, but I mean 192 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:52.000 clearly they've got a situation where they can improve, they 193 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:54.600 can improve their seating in this tournament. Louisville, on the 194 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:56.600 other hand, a little bit of a different situation. We'll 195 00:07:56.600 --> 00:07:58.040 get to them a little in just a moment. But 196 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:01.720 with Mike Woodson, he's on his way out. He's retiring. 197 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.319 Clearly it was a forced thing. I give him credit 198 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:06.720 for reading the room and not going about it the 199 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:09.319 way a lot of people would. I mean, Kenny Payne 200 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:10.240 could have gone on a lot. 201 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:11.240 More gracefully than he did. 202 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:15.879 But what's the temperature like with Woodson, Because you know, overall, 203 00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:18.639 big picture, regardless of what happens from now until he 204 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:21.680 coaches his last game, which could be before too long, he. 205 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.959 Did the right thing. I mean, he walked away, He 206 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:25.439 didn't fight it. He did the right thing. 207 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:27.959 And I feel like that is already starting to pay 208 00:08:27.959 --> 00:08:30.639 dividends for him because nobody's around here, at least that 209 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:32.360 I've heard, claiming he should still be the coach after 210 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.120 the year. But like there's been a different appreciation for 211 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:37.200 him to finish strong like he has. He's won five 212 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:38.840 of six to close out, like I kind of feel 213 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:43.200 like given everything as far as just the facts, the results, right, 214 00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:46.000 his win loss record is what it is. But outside 215 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:49.279 of that, I feel like this this exit has been 216 00:08:49.320 --> 00:08:51.360 graceful and I think that can go a long way 217 00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:52.200 for his legacy. 218 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:56.120 Yeah, people have gone from booing him, and there was 219 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:58.720 a lot of booing going on at certain points indly 220 00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:01.840 all this year, gone from that to really just rooting 221 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:04.200 him on and hoping that he finishes the season as 222 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:06.360 best as he can. I mean, I think when things 223 00:09:06.440 --> 00:09:09.080 kind of came full circle whenever they beat Purdue on 224 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:11.000 it was it was one of the major anniversary of 225 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:13.960 the of the Bob Knight chair throwing. You may or 226 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:15.840 may not have seen this, but he had what was 227 00:09:15.879 --> 00:09:19.639 supposedly the exact chair that Bob Knight had thrown across 228 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:21.519 the court and he was sitting in it that night, 229 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:23.879 and then I think after the game that he had 230 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:25.879 met and talked with some people on the court afterward, 231 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:29.639 and things just kind of, you know, the dark cloud 232 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:32.240 that Louisville was experiencing last year that Indiana was kind 233 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:34.080 of dealing with at some certain points this year. I'm 234 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:35.519 not trying to say that they are compared to clear 235 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.519 the air. Yeah, like there was no reason to really, 236 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.759 you know, there was no more question marks. Yeah, you knew, 237 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.960 you knew that things were going to end. You just 238 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:46.279 hope that things are going to be ending on a positive. 239 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:48.559 There's some transparency about where things are headed. 240 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:49.440 He's on his way out. 241 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:51.639 There's going to be a new life in Indiana, and 242 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:54.799 I think just because it's out there, everybody knows what's happening, 243 00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:58.120 and because of the way in which they've cleared the air, 244 00:09:58.759 --> 00:10:00.759 I just think you've got real No, you've had a 245 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:02.879 year that should have been better than it was. Everybody 246 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:04.240 knows that. That's why, that's why they're going to make 247 00:10:04.279 --> 00:10:07.279 a change. But like there's no toxicity within the program, No, 248 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:09.960 despite it coming to an end in him kind of 249 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:12.039 having to be nudged out, which again that's there. 250 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:16.399 This isn't even a realistic conversation, But there's been people 251 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:18.679 who have thrown out like, what if Woodson takes him 252 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:20.320 on a deep run in the tournament, would they end 253 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.320 up changing their minds on certain things? And I don't. 254 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:24.120 I don't think in any way, shape or form that 255 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:26.679 would ever happen. But the fact that people are even 256 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:29.600 having that conversation right now shows that people have already 257 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:32.480 kind of shifted away from all of the negativity that all. 258 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:35.360 Things considered, as you enter postseason play, you're gonna get 259 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:37.919 in the tournament. I mean, I really think given the 260 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:40.519 certain giving what we know, what is happening, I'm not 261 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:42.679 sure it could be in the moment at a better 262 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.519 spot because again, it's not like he's bitter. I mean, 263 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:47.200 he might be, but he's not showing it a whole lot. 264 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:49.519 You know, that game against Perdue, there must have been 265 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:52.559 some magic on that chair, because the second half against 266 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:55.360 Purdue in that game, like that's when everything just changed 267 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:57.559 for them. I mean, they did end up losing at Oregon, 268 00:10:57.879 --> 00:10:59.840 but that's not a bad loss, and that's that was. 269 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:01.879 All chance to avenge it. Yeah, exactly Thursday. 270 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:06.480 So what do you make of the Louisville basketball season 271 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:10.320 thus far? Because you know, you and I went through 272 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:12.840 I mean, basically, you were my support system during the 273 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:15.639 dark days, right, the awful era that was the Kenny 274 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:18.120 Payne era. It was like a funeral for Louislle basketball 275 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:21.159 every day on this show, and it sucked. But you know, 276 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:23.879 it's part of the gig, and that seems like it 277 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:26.600 was ten years ago because of how different things are 278 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:28.879 just a year later. But as you've sat back and 279 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:33.080 watched Louisville put together a good season, their seed probably 280 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:34.840 not going to be great by any means. Clearly, they 281 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:38.360 didn't beat many good teams and they had opportunities. However, 282 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:40.759 the ACC just didn't give him many chances in league 283 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:42.320 play to really go out and boost their resume, but 284 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:46.080 nonetheless finish the regular season twenty five and six. I mean, 285 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:47.799 if I would have given you, let's just say we 286 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:50.480 knew the ACC was gonna stink because it wasn't great 287 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:54.679 last year either. This has been a gradual decline as 288 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:57.080 far as what the league is overall, top to bottom. 289 00:11:57.519 --> 00:11:59.919 But if I would have thrown at you, Pat Kelsey, 290 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:02.679 ACC coach of the year twenty five and six safely 291 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:06.440 in the tournament regardless of the seed, top fifteen in 292 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:08.480 the AP pole and the coaches pull to finish out 293 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:10.919 the season top twenty five, Ken palm Net like, if 294 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:13.080 I'd have said that to you in the summer after 295 00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:15.120 we knew the roster, like, nobody would believe that. 296 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:18.240 Right, No, they would have said a plus season. Again, 297 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:20.320 you mentioned throwing out how weak or strong the a 298 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:24.519 SEC actually is. Nobody from any standpoint, thought Pat Kelsey 299 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:26.039 would have been able to do what he's been able 300 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:29.240 to do. He took a team that was nothing. When 301 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:31.320 I say nothing, there was nobody on this roster that 302 00:12:31.399 --> 00:12:33.639 was on the roster last year, found a way to 303 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:36.799 make them fit the system he wanted to run. And 304 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:39.559 I think as far as just making things mesh and 305 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.720 then finding ways to win, there's not a single coach 306 00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:45.399 in college basketball, especially at a first year job right 307 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.000 now that has done a better job than Pat Kelsey. 308 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:50.840 And I love the way that it feels like Louisville 309 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:53.679 basketball fans are happy again and they're not We're a 310 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:56.600 lot from my perspective back from the dead. They're not obnoxious. 311 00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:58.360 And I had to deal with the thirty point loss 312 00:12:58.360 --> 00:13:01.000 in the Battle for Atlantis back November, and that was 313 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:03.440 one of the low points for me for sure as 314 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:06.600 an Indiana fan. But it's still it's still I think 315 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:08.759 Pat Kelsey is a very likable guy. Yes, it's mad. 316 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:10.840 It's made it easy to root for Louisville from an 317 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:12.039 outsider's perspective. 318 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:14.120 That's I'm glad to hear you say that, because you 319 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.559 can provide a perspective someone who does. You know, you're 320 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.399 around it a lot. You know a lot of Louisville fans. 321 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.200 You work in this market, but you're obviously not a 322 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:22.639 Louisville fan yourself, so you've got a real objective view 323 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:25.000 of it. But also you know you're not that much 324 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:27.679 of an outsider because again, you're around Yeah, but I 325 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:31.320 think you know his guys are a reflection of him. 326 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:34.159 I think you know, the not making excuses next man up, 327 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:38.480 not feeling sorry for yourself I mean, he's a great, 328 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:42.039 great leader and a great salesman really because whatever he's selling, 329 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:44.080 these guys, they they've bought it. They're all in as 330 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:46.080 far as just embracing what he wants to do, the 331 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:48.320 culture that he wants to have within the program. But 332 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:50.000 I think in a way two things. I think it's 333 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.399 also kind of rubbed off a little bit on the fans. 334 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:58.759 But also I think Louisville just being so back from 335 00:13:58.840 --> 00:14:01.399 you know, who knows how far they go in the tournament, 336 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:02.679 if they even win a game in the tournament. It's 337 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:05.759 tough to say, but we were dead for two years, lifeless, 338 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:07.600 there's really I mean, it was just the same thing. 339 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:10.720 Every game you knew you weren't gonna win most likely, 340 00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:12.960 and if you did, it probably didn't mean much of anything. 341 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:15.320 So I think Louisville fans, this has been a real 342 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.080 and I've struggled to really put into words what I 343 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:20.080 mean when I say this, but this has been the 344 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:22.919 ultimate season that you'll never be able to recreate. Not 345 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:24.360 because like you won't be able to have the same 346 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:26.759 win win loss record, not because you won't be able 347 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:30.080 to finish second in the ACC but you've had an 348 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:33.519 ability as a Louisville fan this year to find appreciation 349 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:36.559 for things that you only appreciate because of the circumstance, 350 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:38.000 because of what had happened previously. 351 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:39.919 Like I think Louisville fans in. 352 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:44.440 Any other year would be really obnoxious and insufferable about 353 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:46.159 their seed, right, you. 354 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:46.600 Know what I mean. 355 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:49.440 But we're so caught up in the moment and just 356 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:51.600 riding this wave of like can you believe this is 357 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:53.279 this real? Or we back Chuckie? 358 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:53.639 Hepburn. 359 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:55.639 This guy's phenomenal, one of the best guards ever played here. 360 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:58.679 He only played one year, but man, he's great. Pat Kelcey, man, 361 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:00.720 this guy, he's gonna have these guys ready to play 362 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:02.759 to where we're kind of just in our own world 363 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:04.919 to an extent, Like it was kind of like an 364 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:07.799 album experience to see Duke, their fan base and their 365 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:10.799 program in general be so bothered by Pat Kelcey winning 366 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:13.399 Coach of the Year and by Chucky winning Defensive Player 367 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:16.000 of the Year, because you know, it kind of is like, Wow, 368 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.279 I guess they are kind of jealous. Not that they're 369 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:20.279 a better team, clearly, and I think Louisville have a 370 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:22.320 tough time if they played them again, but it's just 371 00:15:22.679 --> 00:15:25.879 I think this has been a special year in a 372 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:28.080 way that we'll remember meeting Louisville fans for a long 373 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:30.720 long time. But the way in which you've been able 374 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:32.639 to kind of just be in the moment and appreciate 375 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:35.519 little things. If we get back to where we think 376 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:38.679 we belong, you should still appreciate it. But the human 377 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:41.919 elements a powerful thing. To where beaten somebody by twenty 378 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:43.879 in November, it's just going to be like what you're 379 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:44.759 supposed to do, right. 380 00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:47.720 Yeah, Like you mentioned, you know the honeymoon period with 381 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:50.080 all of this, and you relate the seeding and all 382 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:53.320 that sort of thing. If Louisville were to with the 383 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:56.440 season that they're having be rewarded with something like an 384 00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:58.320 eight seed where you have to play one of the 385 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.000 top teams in the country and the second round, it 386 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:04.120 feels like there's no reward for everything that's happened. And 387 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:06.840 I know that the ACC's probably as down as it's 388 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:10.879 ever been, But when you're looking at trying to validate 389 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.679 your season, I think that's what you do with March 390 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:14.960 in the NCAA Tournament. You want to be able to 391 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:17.000 have that chance to make a deep run and I 392 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:18.679 mean not saying Louislle will get an eight s, but 393 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:21.000 it'll make it a lot more difficult to really kind 394 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:22.879 of see where you stand in that sort of thing. 395 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:27.799 Yeah, I think the matchups in the second round, which look, 396 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:29.519 they could lose in the first round, even if there're 397 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:31.320 a seventh seed or a sixth seed, just because you 398 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:33.039 just don't you just don't know. I mean one thing 399 00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:36.000 that is crazy to say, but it's the truth. And 400 00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:37.399 I don't say it as a criticism. A lot of 401 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:39.279