It is! The JR Sportbrief Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you to everybody tuned in and locked in all over North America. I hope you are well. I hope you are safe. I hope you're enjoying the basketball.
I hope your bracket is doing okay. I hope that you could win some money. I don't care what you're doing, where you're at. Thank you for being here. Nobody told you thank you today.
I did. I'll be here with you in this spot for the next four hours. This is when the show gets started every weekday at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 Pacific. Thank you to our producer in New York holding it down for us today, Ryan Botcher.
And thank you again to you. Because if you ain't here, there is no show. We got a lot to get into. First of all, to get us all up to date on the 16 games we've had today, the games yesterday, and about 20 minutes from now, we're going to have a chat with Scott Doctorman from The Athletic. We got a guest who's going to join us later on in the show. Covers all things McNeese basketball from Lake Charles. And we'll get into that later on in the show. McNeese's kind of got everybody excited as they move forward to get ready to take on Purdue. Oh, it's a... Hey, Ryan, you can let the music.
It's Friday, man. Let's get the music. There we go.
Want some Jay-Z and some energy. We got a lot to get into. We'll give you an update on the games that have taken place, the games that we'll see.
Damn it, we got a good one right now. Ole Miss is trying to hold on and beat North Carolina. The current score right now, 63 to 59. We got Maryland leading Grand Canyon, 42 to 30. And about 50 minutes from now, we'll have the Florida Gators taking on Norfolk State.
They will probably obliterate that. And so we'll keep you up to date with everything going on in the tournament. You want to be a part of the show? It's real easy. You can call up anytime. 888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4ISN. You can always listen on the free Odyssey app, your local Infinity Sports Network affiliate. You got Sirius XM, channel 375.
And if you got a smart speaker, ask the speaker to play the Infinity Sports Network. And there's more than college basketball. Aaron Rodgers was hanging out in Pittsburgh. Deion Sanders isn't happy with some of the stories coming out about his son. Steph Curry, he has a bruised pelvis. It's not something that anybody wants, but he has a he has a bruised pelvis. Anyway, Steph Curry is going to get an unwanted, unrequested vacation. Mark Cuban letting everybody know he wasn't in favor of Luka Doncic getting traded.
I think we all would have known that. And then the matchup that we talked about last night, we're finally going to get this match up over the weekend. I cannot wait. Coach Cal and Rick Pitino.
That'll be a lot of fun. Rick Pitino keeping it real simple last night wearing that that black suit as St. John's came back to beat up. I mean, they beat up on Omaha edges.
They ran him out of the gym at the end of the game. And of course, at the end of the show, we'll go through quite a few things that took place this day in sports history. It has been March 21st all day long.
And so we have so much more to get into. Ryan Botcher has been quite some time. And how are you doing? You good? I'm doing great. I'm loving the March Madness so far.
How's your bracket looking? I know it's not perfect. Yeah.
Let's not talk about Clemson was in yesterday. Yeah, let's not do that. Oh, boy. Oh, you and everybody else, right?
I haven't gone pretty far. Oh, my God. OK. Yeah. Yeah. All right.
So you're not going to check your bracket the the rest of the tournament. You pretty much cooked. One of them is absolutely cooked. The other one, it's not doing that bad. I got Auburn still.
OK. All right. Well, when we when we bring on our guest who covers McNeese, we can we can ask him what his thoughts are on what McNeese is doing and what they started to do by already beating Clemson. We'll see what they do tomorrow as they take on Purdue. I know a lot of people looking at McNeese going, hey, McNeese can go out there and beat Purdue. And of course they can.
Of course they can. And we had some games earlier today. Some of them were beat downs and some of them were close. You know what? Let's get to the let's get let's get to the beat down already.
OK. So the shock of absolutely nobody. Duke won its first tournament game. Cooper Flag was out there. Cooper Flag was able to play. His ankle was fine.
He's doing windmill dunks in the layup line. I think his ankle was just OK. Duke went out there and beat St. Mary's ninety three to forty nine. Now that's not beaten up on somebody.
That is absolute abuse. But this is what we expected from Duke. We talked about it last night. Twenty percent of people who filled out a bracket has Duke winning the championship. Twenty seven. That's one out of every four. More than one at every fourth person. I don't know what more than a quarter of a person is, but more than one out of four people believe that Duke will be national champions. Next up for Duke, they got Baylor. Good for them. Anyway, Cooper Flag and his return only had to play 22 minutes. He still had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Duke Blue Devils were on a roll.
There was no debate about what was happening. Here. I want you to listen to the final call of the game courtesy of Westwood One. The Blue Devils hoping to get to yet another final four. Seventeen of them in history. This is the first step for the Blue Devils. Spencer Hubbard with control of the ball. A full team effort from Duke in every way in the opening round. Ninety three.
Forty nine. The Blue Devils dispatch Mount St. Mary's. Yeah, they beat him. They smacked them.
That was nothing but a warm up. So they got Baylor up next in Cooper Flag. Of course, he spoke after the game. Of course, Cooper Flag spoke and Cooper Flag was just like, listen, man, it was all about execution. It was nothing about how we beat an inferior team.
Listen to this. Yeah, I mean, I thought we kind of just came out, executed our game plan, did what we were trying to do. We didn't take them lightly. We came out, we executed and we just jumped out to it. But yeah, I think it was great execution by us.
Great execution. Yeah. I mean, I like the I like the media training. Like Botcher, what do you think was really going through his head about why they beat him?
What do you think was really in the back of his brain? They were horrible and we're a better team. Yeah. As simple as that. Can't say that out loud. You have to be dignified. You got to go out there and win with class. So an easy way to say this is, hey, yeah, we just we went out there and we we executed.
He didn't say that seems sucks in comparison to us. We're Duke. We're not supposed to lose to these bums.
Anyway, speaking of losing. Baylor went out there and beat Mississippi State. OK, Mississippi State was trying to battle back into this game.
Baylor and nine seed Mississippi State and eight. And this one basically came down to the wire. It came down to a three point shot by Mississippi State to potentially tie the game that led to a whole lot of.
Nothing. It led the air. They missed the shot. And so VJ Edgecombe, this man had just four points at halftime. Baylor still came out here on top.
You know what? Let's go ahead and listen to the final call as Baylor beat Mississippi State and they could thank a missed three pointer. Point to left Mississippi State down by three. Matthews fakes it to Hubbard, sends it to Hubbard, who will catch it.
He from the midline, they'll wave it off. It would not have counted. And this long and winding road to start the day in the eight nine game goes to Baylor. VJ Edgecombe at the end of the day, he was able to pour in more points in the second half. I told you about the three that he had early. He finished with 14.
Do the math. That's 11 in the second half. But if Baylor is going to play like this, they're going to play inconsistent. They got they got no chance versus Duke. No disrespect.
That's that's just the reality. Another game that took place earlier today as. We continue to march on through all of the madness. Alabama, they held on to beat Robert Morris every now and then. It looked like Alabama was going to let them get back into it every now and then. It looked like Robert Morris was going to hit him with a punch to surprise everybody. They did not. Alabama held on and their head coach, Nate Oates, Mr.
Colorful Suit Man. Nate Oates was like, man, we we won, but we sucked. Listen to this. You know, a little disappointing, our defensive rebounding, but I'll say this. Our guys were resilient. We said coming into this tournament that we're going to welcome some adversity. Hopefully it's not self-inflicted. I thought tonight some of it was with the rebounds we gave up. But whether it's missed chats, whether it's for recalls, whether who cares what it is, if we face some adversity, let's welcome it, let's handle it with the right attitude.
You got what is he supposed to sound like? The guys team. They just won. They could have lost. It was too close for comfort.
And speaking of too close for comfort, we still got a good one going on right now. As North Carolina is trying to show its own life. They trail Ole Miss. Sixty six to sixty one is a little more than a minute to go in the game right now.
Sixty six to sixty three. North Carolina now trailing by three with about a minute left in the game. And so for North Carolina, a lot of people had a lot of thoughts as to why they even got into the tournament. Via the first four, they were able to go out and beat up on San Diego State to get into the tournament. And now they're playing it close against Ole Miss.
It's going to take a comeback for them to get back into this game or ultimately win it. So we'll keep you up to date as this one continues on. We had some other games earlier today.
You want to talk about a close one? This was a this was a fun watch in and of itself, a little bit of a shock for everybody involved. And thinking about what we saw as Colorado State walked away with a victory themselves made everybody kind of go.
Colorado State. The threes were falling. They were able to pick up a victory and advance as they knocked off Memphis 78 to 70. Penny Hardaway may have to look for something else to do.
This man has been to the tournament seven times and has advanced once. I have no idea whether or not Penny Hardaway can still go out there and play, but it's not looking all that good for his tenure in Memphis. I want you to take a listen to the final call. Colorado State knocking off Memphis. This is courtesy of Westwood one.
Lake will dribble out near midcourt. Rams players exchanging high fives. Memphis players begin to walk to the bench. Down to two, down to one and for a second straight year. The Colorado State Rams have won an NCAA tournament game. The Rams upset Memphis 78-70 and Colorado State is on to the second round. And Penny Hardaway is on his way back to the beach.
That's just what it is. So now Colorado State. It looks like they're going to take on Maryland. I don't know if they're going to get past Maryland, but Colorado State awaits the winner between Maryland and Grand Canyon. That game is currently in action right now. Maryland leads a 51 to 36. I would assume that Maryland is going to go ahead and advance. Some of the other games that have finished up today.
Let me give you a quick rundown. The St. Mary's knocked off Vanderbilt. That was a close one.
59 to 56. We just talked about Colorado State beating Memphis 78 to 70. Baylor beat Mississippi State 75 to 72. We just heard from Nate Oates as Alabama beat Robert Morris 90 to 81. Duke put the smacking on St. Mary's. We heard from Cooper Flag 93 to 49. And in Iowa State really beating up and down on Limbscombe 82 to 55. We're going to keep you up to date on all of the action as the day as the night continues on. Right now, Ole Miss and North Carolina is still rolling ahead. Ole Miss, the Rebels lead the Tar Heels 69 to 64.
There's less than a minute to go in the game. We're going to take a break and when we come back, we'll keep you up to date with everything going on in March Madness. I told you in a few minutes, we'll have a chat with Scott Doctorman, who covers all things college basketball via the athletic. So we'll have that chat. We're going to tap in with someone who is covering McNeese basketball to just talk about the wild ride that they have been on.
It seems like this year, McNeese is everybody's favorite immediate darling. So we're going to tap in with someone who covers the team there. We'll talk some NBA as well. Steph Curry, I told you, with the bruised pelvis. Got some NFL news as Aaron Rodgers is making a stop in Pittsburgh to have a chat with the Steelers brass.
So we have a lot to do, a lot to get into. On the other side, Scott Doctorman from the Athletic, you are locked in to the J.R. sport brief show Coast to Coast on the Infinity Sports Network. You're listening to the J.R. sport brief.
It is the J.R. sport brief show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. March Madness is upon us. And we had basketball yesterday. We had basketball the day before that. We had basketball all day today. We got basketball tomorrow. We got basketball. I can't keep up with all of the basketball.
So now it's time to talk to someone who somehow some way is covers all things college basketball for the athletic. Joining us right now is Scott Doctorman. Scott, how are you, man? I'm doing great on this Friday. How about yourself? Listen, I'm living and breathing.
I don't have a complaint in the world, Scott. I appreciate it. Yeah, you bet. And thank you for the time.
I know this is the very busy time of the year, especially right now. We're looking at Ole Miss trying to hold on versus North Carolina. It looks like they're not going to be able to. Well, looks like North Carolina isn't going to be able to bounce back. What are your thoughts on how up and down they've been and proving people right and proving people wrong?
And and even getting up to this point where it looks like they're going to take it out? Yeah, North Carolina's had a tough year. I mean, I think you look at what they have or haven't done. I mean, this was a team that was expected to compete at a very high level, if not for the national title. It should have been at least a sweet 16 caliber team. And and what it was put together yet didn't really have any impressive wins.
I think I had one quad one win all year. A lot of people believe that it shouldn't have gotten into the tournament or and then I think that that's a fair discussion point. I mean, they they won a game against San Diego State, which matters. But I don't know that this you know what happens in a one game scenario or what even what happens in the first weekend of the NCAA tournament validates or invalidates a season.
Sometimes you just have a bad game and sometimes things just don't work out or other times you you're really hot or it's a great matchup. So in North Carolina's case, it's kind of like with Kansas, even though Kansas is a little bit better during the season. These are two blue blood programs that have a lot of equity. And in this new world where it's basically free agency starting Monday, they're going to go out and get their guys.
And it's not like you have to build it from within like you used to. And it is it is officially all final as the rebels beat the Tar Heels 71 to 64. A team that didn't have to worry about this a little more than an hour ago is Duke as they they put the beat down on Mount St. Mary's. A final score there.
Ninety three to forty nine. We have a CBS says that twenty seven percent of people who filled out brackets via their platform had Duke winning it all. Cooper Flagg certainly looked like he was perfectly OK and fine. What are your thoughts on how far Duke is going to take things? You know, I think with a healthy Cooper flag, I think we got an opportunity to go all the way to the Monday night. I mean, this is a this is a very talented team. He is the most talented player in the country. I might have a few other people that are in that discussion, but but certainly he is in it. And, you know, he got hurt last week at the ACC tournament. They've held him out. But the fact that he was able to come in and play, even though it was against an overmatched opponent, Mount St. Mary's. I mean, they could have beat him, beat them probably as badly even if he didn't play. But but you want to get him out there moving around. And he was six and twelve in the field. Twenty two minutes scored 14 points.
That that tells me that he's feeling pretty good about himself. And, you know, and you got the next round against Baylor, which could be a challenge. Baylor is not on an even day. I mean, if they played 10 times, Duke could win eight or nine for sure. But you never know when that one might pop up. And when you got Scott Drew is as the head coach team, you know, a guy that's won a national title. Things can happen in a heartbeat. So I think.
But I do. I do like Duke's chances of going pretty deep in the tournament. Scott, document is joining us courtesy of the athletic is the J.R. sport ratio on the Infinity Sports Network.
That'll definitely be a fun one. We have two. Well, we got more than two. But if we look at a Cooper flag on Duke, he's one of the well, he is going to be the number one overall pick. And then we saw Baylor today.
Vijay Edgecombe didn't necessarily have the greatest of games. Is Baylor going to get ran out of the building to it? They're going to put up a fight. It didn't look all that good today and holding on.
You know, it's it's just when you get to these kind of games, sometimes there's a crapshoot. I think Baylor can compete now. Can they compete possession by possession for 40 minutes? That could be a real challenge for this team that hasn't really put it all together yet this year. They've been they're kind of a modest team. And the in the Big 12 had some, you know, got into the tournament. This is probably where their final destination lies, as it gets.
That's why you're an eight and they're a one. And you think that that would be the case. But but we have seen teams put things together in short order, again, with a coach like Scott Drew, who's taken teams, won championships. You know, anything is possible. I'm just not sure that this is the year and this is the team that is capable of doing that for Baylor. So who do you think poses the best and biggest challenge to Duke? I know we got we got Florida getting ready to beat up on Norfolk State in a few minutes. So who do you think has the best odds of knocking them off?
Yeah. You know, I guess looking, you know, big picture at the at the bracket there. I mean, I would say, you know, even in the Sweet 16, get into Oregon or Arizona. I've seen enough of both of them where I think that they're, again, one day, one game, they're shooting Duke isn't.
Maybe something can happen, but it's not something I would predict. I do think out of the bracket, though, the BYU may have the best of the opportunities. There are six are playing Wisconsin.
That should be an even matchup. And, you know, and then, of course, Alabama, who has one of the weirdest games coming up of the season. When you got high flying Alabama, the leading scoring team in the country against one of the slowest, if not the slowest tempo team in St. Mary's, that's going to be a real fascinating style.
Like Stiles make fights while Stiles make matchups here. But for some reason, I just I like the way BYU plays. But I don't unless they get into a game with Alabama and Alabama can really run up and down the floor unchecked. I think Duke's a Final Four team for sure. And then once you get into the Final Four, that's you know, it depends on your night and fouls have a big impact on that, too.
Most definitely. Well, Scott, one of the teams that that we'll see in action tomorrow as well, sitting number one in the south region. That happens to be the Auburn Tigers. A lot of ups, a lot of downs, especially heading into the tournament. I feel like they've they've garnered a lot of criticism for their play as of late and even some criticism due to how old a lot of their guys are. What do you think the Tigers are in store for as they get ready to take on Creighton and possibly beyond this?
This is one of those I think out of the the second round matchups for the for the number one feeds. This one to me is is one that they've got to be careful with because Creighton is a very good team. It's well coached.
I mean, Ryan Kalkbrenner is tremendous. Yesterday they shot fifty seven percent against Louisville. And so they're feeling it from the rim there. You know, they were almost forty seven percent from three.
And Jemiah Neal, twenty nine points. I think this this could be a challenge. Auburn is going to have to come out and play with kind of a renewed energy and focus that it's kind of I think it got right before the SEC tournament. I think you saw a team that was, you know, playing as well as anybody. And then it just kind of slumped down.
Maybe it felt like it was too good. Well, yeah, one by twenty points yesterday against Alabama State, but Alabama State had a third and they had a 13 point lead on Alabama State. You got cut to one and it's only kind of a 9 0 run at the end of the first half that really kind of put them back in control. So if you're going to do that with a 16 seed, you can't play around with a nine with the kind of players that Creighton has. And, you know, with Greg McDermott coaching them with the players they have, you know, Stephen Ashworth at twenty two points. This is a dangerous team. I mean, they went into Kentucky and blew out Louisville. And I don't think that they would have any problems lining up and competing possession by possession with Auburn. And Scott, doctor is here with us courtesy of the athletic.
You talk about coaching. I was I was eagerly awaiting this last night. I know St. John's didn't have the hottest start against Omaha and they blew them out of the water. And then we have this inevitable matchup or not inevitable because who expected Arkansas to just go out there and beat Kansas. But we got Rick Pitino on one hand and then we have Calipari on the other. I'm looking forward to this one. What are your thoughts on that match up outside of the colorful suits we might see?
I love it. This is what this is what March Madness is all about. What makes these this time of year so great is when you have a rivalry between two coaches that have clearly they're they're one of they're among the best of their generation. I mean, they both have more than eight hundred seventy five wins. They've faced off.
You know what? This will be their twenty fourth time that they've faced off against one another. Most of the time there was, you know, Kentucky and Louisville, which is incredible rivalry. You know, they both have what, 58 and 54 tournament wins, you know, 13 combined final fours among them. And then there are two different institutions, St. John's and Arkansas, that they combined for three total years there.
So I like I think this could be a really great matchup. And St. John's, as you said, you know, had a really slow start, but then came on strong. You know, I was able to knock down 14 three pointers. That's not really their strengths, but they're getting better at that.
And, you know, one by 30. You know, again, the slow start was something, you know, laser town seven and nothing. We didn't think that that was going to be the case. But I think with Arkansas, the way they were able to outlast a kind of a disappointing Kansas team, but also one that is full of really bonafide players, you know, shows that Calipari has got his team rolling, too. So I think this is going to be one of those games that comes down the last couple of minutes and just who executes, who's in foul trouble, that type of thing. It's going to be a lot of sweat in the coach's box and hair grease flying all over the place, Scott.
That's what I expect as well. Speaking of legacy coaches, we got to wait a few more hours, but we still will see Tom Izzo out there for like the 27th straight time. Well, he's last championship. I mean, it's crazy.
It was twenty five years ago. Like Michigan State at this point, they're going to take on Bryant. They should win.
They're just checking a box right now. Right. And in all legitimate contenders.
Yeah, I think what what Michigan State and I cover primarily the Big Ten all year long, you watch this team and going, how are they doing it? They don't have a superstar. Jason Richardson, you know, son of Jason Richardson was on the one of the last teams, I think.
I think he was on the twenty two thousand team. But Jason Richardson is probably their best player. And yet he was a third team all Big Ten selection. And but this team knows how to compete, knows how to win. Tom Izzo coach is tough and his and his best Michigan State teams are very tough mentally and physically.
Tonight will be should be a layup. But, you know, and then who knows what will happen with Ince Marquette or New Mexico. But I think Michigan State's got a chance to go into the you know, maybe the elite eight. I don't see them as necessarily a national championship threat, but he's as good as it gets. And he talked about a year where he had broke the Big Ten record for the most for the most wins.
Beating Bobby Dykes record tied the record all time for the most Big Ten titles with 11. That that would be kind of the icing on the cake to at least get to the final four again. And, you know, with this team again, no superstars. But there has been only tough and it's physically tough as it gets in the NCAA tournament.
So I'd love to see them against the Iowa State Ole Miss winner in the Sweet 16. Hey, Scott, final question for you since we're talking about all these these legacy coaches and they're in, well, at least the other two in new places, new faces and new places. What are your thoughts on on how the game has just changed with the transfer portal over the the past few years? Are we in for smaller tenures with some of these coaches with the older guys all gone at this point? Are we really in like pay for play?
Yeah, it is. It's 100 percent pay for play. And you're going to start seeing it on Monday when the portal open that it's going to be pretty transient. You're going to see players hitting the portal and players wanting to get paid. And and I think a lot of old school coaches really struggle in that system because you want to build your team up with your players, the ones you recruited and watch them grow. And instead, well, you know, if you don't have enough money, you can't keep them. And that goes for even the great programs at times.
So it's that is a challenge, no question. But so but what it means for the younger group of coaches is that you've got to figure out your system and it's got to be versatile enough to accept new players. And you also have to kind of keep short memories and no hard feelings. And that was the one case in the past.
They had no problems with hard feelings. Well, now when you've got these players moving in and out, you've got to make sure that even if he's one of your former guys, you never know what might happen down the road. So I think that's that's something we'll see, you know, well into the future. Yeah. The new era, a new time. And it came upon us rather quickly. And it's moved.
And I think it's going to keep moving fast. Hey, Scott, thank you so much for the time and for the insight. Where can people keep up with you and your work with the athletic? Yeah, I'm at the athletic.
You can check me out on my on Twitter or X, I guess it is at Scott Doctorman. Or you could go to the athletic dot com and they'll have a lot of college football and college basketball. So it's kind of a mixed time of year with spring football and the NCAA term. Yeah.
See, Dionne Sanders is out here trying to change spring football. So changes everywhere, Scott. Absolutely. And it probably should change. But that's that's a discussion for another day.
My friend is no doubt about that. Appreciate the time. Scott, we'll catch you on down the line, OK? OK. Thanks so much.
Absolutely. That Scott Doctorman covers all things college basketball. And as you heard, football joining us via the athletic. It's the J.R. sport re-show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. The phone number here is 888-710-4ISN.
That's 888-710-4ISN. And speaking of college football, when we come back on the other side of the break, you know, yeah, Dionne Sanders does want to change things when it comes down to spring football. By the way, Dionne Sanders is also not happy.
This man is not thrilled with some of the things that are being said about his son as his son is just about a month away from being drafted into the NFL. I'll share that with you on the other side of the break. Of course, we're going to talk more college hoops as well. But to get an update on everything going on now, things that took place earlier, what we might see all over the place. It's time for a news flash.
Here he is. It's Rich Ackerman. You are listening to the J.R. sport brief. It is the J.R. sport re-show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network.
Thank you all so much to Scott Doctorman for joining us from the athletic in our last break. March Madness continues to roll on. We got a match up. Well, this matchup cannot end any faster, right?
This is a whooping. Maryland is beating up on Grand Canyon 77 to 48. And whenever this one is done, there's about three minutes left to go in the game.
It cannot end sooner. Maryland will advance to take on. Well, the team that surprised Penny Hardaway's team, Memphis, Colorado State and Maryland will advance to take on Colorado State. Some of these games, you just look at it and just go, oh, my God, will they stop the bleeding? You know, I had on Duke and as I saw, they got out to like a 10 to two run to start the game. And then I looked up again intermittently. And then the next thing I knew was halftime. It was 51 to 20 something.
I said, man, sometimes you just you just want the bleeding to stop. So much pain. We'll see what happens as we got a bunch of teams getting ready to advance. This might be another beat down starting in another few minutes. Hey, Ryan, we got Florida and Norfolk State. What do you think that score is going to look like? Oh, my gosh.
Are you saying that they they don't take out the starters in the 10 minute mark of the second half? Oh, my God. Maybe sooner than that. I don't know.
I say Florida. Ninety three, Norfolk. I don't know. Sixty. So you say ninety. Sixty.
It beat him up by 30. Yeah. OK, I will see what the the Gators do. This is another match up.
Oh, my goodness. This is going to be an interesting one. We got to wait a few hours before this one gets underway. But Yukon, the defending national champs, the two time national champs, Yukon is going to take on Oklahoma. And so Florida will take on Yukon or Oklahoma. I hope it is Yukon. And then I hope Florida waxes Yukon because I don't think there's a more he's he's annoying.
He is not likable. Dan Hurley has become. A villain, he has all his whining and complaining, and I knew all I needed to know. And there was enough that I knew and heard and saw. But when he yelled at the ref.
And he's screaming at the guy and he's telling him, hey, I'm the best referee in the whole damn game. Don't turn your back on me. Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you. I'm like, well, OK, that is just a different level of arrogance. And of course, I think anybody or most people who are good at what they do, they feel confident in their abilities. And especially in sports. You know, sports is nothing where you just sit on your hands.
It's full of bravado, whether or not that bravado be loud or quiet. If I got to think in basketball terms, man, Kevin Garnett, one of the greatest power forwards we've ever seen in NBA history. And then on the other hand, you got a guy like Tim Duncan. Well, I was going to say Tim Duncan Wake Forest. And then I had to go away. Kevin Garnett never went to college with the Farragut High School in Chicago.
But I digress. Kevin Garnett was allowed. He was emotional. He wore his heart on his sleeve. On the other hand, you had someone like Tim Duncan was like a quiet assassin. I mean, Kevin Garnett has told stories about how he could never get Tim Duncan to break.
He could never get him to respond. And so you can be you can be confident and it comes in two different ways. But then there's another way, maybe a third way where you are just ridiculously obnoxious. Dan Hurley, after winning two championships, has stepped into the space of being obnoxious. Like I'm way I'm not expecting him to start throwing, you know, chairs and whatnot onto the court. But there's not a press conference where he's not exaggerating is there's not a moment on the sidelines where he's not, you know, screaming at refs. He's just too much. I don't want to say that all of it has gotten to his head, but his responses and how he treats everybody is just.
It is a whole. Pain in the ass. It's like Dan Hurley and I know his whole family comes from a coaching tree. Well, he comes from a coaching tree. He needs some humbling because it comes upon in a time where it's just like, man, just back it down.
It's too much. I don't know if getting offered the Los Angeles Lakers job went to his head. I'm sure it did. Winning two championships. I don't know if that went to his head.
I know it did. He is just DTM doing too much. And out of every who cares about the players, most of his players, the good ones advanced on into playing in the NBA. I don't I don't know if there's a more unlikable guy in the tournament right now besides Dan Hurley. I hope he loses.
That's that's what I say to say all of that. I hope he loses. What do you think, Ryan? Is he the biggest villain in the tournament or am I missing somebody? Is it him or Patino? I don't know.
He can't. So he's the biggest character and tool you could say in the entire tournament. But Yukon hasn't won enough this year to where they're not they're not super favorites. So people I don't think will be like cheering and celebrating if they lose.
So I wouldn't say that. I want I want him to lose. He's a pain in the ass. Well, you want him to lose.
But I feel like the majority of the casual viewer of college basketball probably doesn't know what's going on with Dan Hurley right now. Well, forget the casuals who just filled out a bracket for people who have an idea. Is there an overall bigger villain in the whole tournament? Is there a bad guy? Is anybody else? Nobody, right? Not that I know of right now.
Maybe one to have a story later in the tournament. But right now it's Hurley. No. Yeah, there's no there's nobody out here tripping people. Allah, you know, Grayson Allen is is no bad coach who did something to some kids and there's no there's no villain.
It's him. And you're right. They have been bad all year, which has been great to watch. And maybe that's a that's one of the reasons why he's been out here imploding at at every chance and opportunity.
It's just there's no expectations for them to win a title this year. Good. Great. I just want him to get served up some some humble pie. You know, I mean, all things considered, up until what we have right now, Rick Pitino has certainly garnered a lot of attention. I think in past years and different stops at Louisville, when you think about some of his scandals and damage, some guys who have gone to prison as a result of some of those scandals and boosting the kids and whatnot. At one point in time, Rick Pitino, you look at a lot of people who didn't care for him.
Same thing with John Calipari. But I think at the end of these guys careers and looking at what what Pitino is doing in New York with St. John's and now you can look at Arkansas. I just I think I don't want to say getting older is kind of calm them down because Rick Pitino can certainly tear into the St. St. John's.
I just think. Age age does change, folks. Being at the end of the line does change folks just a little bit. And I think Calipari and Pitino, it's not as much hate. There was a point in time where John Calipari was threatening to be choked and killed at the end of a press conference.
So it's a botcher. Do you remember that? No, I was too young for that.
Oh, my God. Yeah, that was I don't want to call that the good old days. But nowadays, I think if you would have threatened to choke and kill a head coach that you would. Well, you would face some some real repercussions.
John Chaney, God rest his soul, decided to lace into him. We need more of that little less, less violence, though. We don't need the violence, but the threats are OK on my book. OK. And I hope that Hurley loses. I'll put a punctuation mark on that one. Eight, eight, eight, seven, ten for ISN. That's eight, eight, eight, seven, ten for ISN. We are going to take a break.
We come back on the other side. I will give you an update on the games that have just started some of the finals that we got. And then speaking of coaches, I mentioned this.
I'll get to this as well. Deon Sanders, he's a coach, right? Coach at Colorado, the Buffaloes. Deon is not happy with the coverage that his son has received. And Deon is ready to strike back.
Maybe he said he might be done taking a high road. We'll get into that. Talk more college basketball. And then Aaron Rodgers had a very special visit today in Pittsburgh. We'll get into it all. You're locked in. It's the J.R. sport re-show coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network.
