June 12, 2025 • 8 mins
840WHAS morning show host Nick Coffey popped by to discuss Vince Marrow's shift from UK to UofL and the subsequent fallout from angry Cat fans.
Also, how are schools going to split their allotted $20.5 million for athletes? Will there be enough for UofL to maintain football momentum, basketball's resurgence, and still bolster baseball?
Looking forward to seeing it all come together.
Also, how are schools going to split their allotted $20.5 million for athletes? Will there be enough for UofL to maintain football momentum, basketball's resurgence, and still bolster baseball?
Looking forward to seeing it all come together.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Nick coffee's in the studio with me. It's good to
see you're here all day.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I am. I had a little bit of a break to,
you know, just kind of recharge a little bit, but
back here and they can't keep me away from here.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
All right.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, I'm a company man.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
He's our morning guy here on news radio A forty whs.
So then you're doing a great job. I've heard your
show every day that you've been on.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I love hearing you talk to the news people from
around the globe about various things. I mean, sometimes there
are horrible stories, sometimes they're enlightening. Sometimes there are things
we're hoping for down the road. But the morning show
is great for all that's all but great information.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's balancing a lot of different things, which has been
a lot of fun news, things of interest, some sports
mixed in, and I mean it's has so I'm happy
to be on board. And I'm going to bed a
lot earlier. That worked out, That worked itself out. Now
it can no longer fight bedtime, and it's much earlier
than it used to be. But I'm ready to go
early in the morning.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Your kids are young enough where it doesn't affect them.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Now, so they outlasted me a couple of times in
the last two weeks. They just got out of school,
so they're staying up a little bit later. Yeah, Dad's
going to bed earlier than he used to.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
I do want to pick your brain about a couple
of sports things, and that is number one. Vince Marrow
coming over to the University of Louisville from Kentucky has
really riled up a lot of people. I mean, it's like,
I'm surprised there's so much backlash for someone who's technically
an administrator.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Absolutely, I don't think Kentucky became a worst football team
this upcoming season because Vince Mayor won't be on the sidelines.
I think it really is the ultimate sign as to
things falling Apart from Mark Stoops and with Vince Marrow,
he was so beloved by the fan base. He was
really the hype man kind of, I don't want to say,
the face of their program. But not many coaches in
(01:43):
that same position elsewhere had as much worse visible as
Vince Merria and he embraced that, and he did it
in a really good way. It was like almost like
a match made in heaven. He was the perfect guy
that had the personality that would really lean into what
Big Blue Nation can bring as a fan base.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
He loves college football. Have been texting with him every day.
He's he's excited about, you know, this opportunity here and
he you know, and he's sincere when he says, I
want to retain my friendships with people in Lexington that
I've had over the years, and and you know, maybe you.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Can't just turn that off, but for some people they can. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Well, you know, I was involved in the Patino recruitment
here so long ago, and I couldn't believe people in Lexington.
There were his good friends, some of whom just said, sorry,
you're dead to me. It's like when he took the
Louisville job and I was like, you can't. What are
you twelve years old? Do you have an enemy seventh grade? Yeah,
that's what sounds like. It's very bizarre.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Well, I think Vince leaned into the big the rivalry.
He knew that that if you really wanted to play
into making Big Blue Nation happy, it would be have success.
And also let him know that you realize it's more
of a special thing when you can you can beat
the rival. I think one of the one of the
big factors in this move that has been mentioned, but
maybe we're learning now that it was a stronger connection
(02:58):
than we thought, is that Vince Marrow and Jeff brom
have a relationship, have had a relationship for twenty five years,
long before either we're in the position they're in now.
And I think that that he wouldn't come to Louisville
if it wasn't for Jeff Bron.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Vince was sitting next to me or near me, a
few seats away from me at the Louisville Kentucky basketball
game in twenty three, two years ago, when the last
time we had him here and I've known him for
a while and he's he's terrific. He's always been nice
to me. And then we got up to start talking
and Jeff Brown walked over started talking to him. Then
the camera started clicking clicking. It was wild, but it
(03:31):
was like, they're friends. Why wouldn't he come over and
say hi to them?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah? And and there. I don't know if there was
any real animosity, but you could sense, especially those that
are that are covering the programs to an extent where
you talk about it on a daily basis. There was
this shift in I guess a respect that the Kentucky
staff had for the Louisville staff once Jeff came here.
And I don't necessarily think it had a lot to
do with them not respecting Sadderfield. I think it was
(03:54):
because of the relationship that that brom had with with
Vince Merrill and the bron family. That's a bit name
in football, and clearly this is an opportunity that has
been out there for Vince, I guess for a little
while now, and he pulled the trigger. And seeing seeing
the release today and and the you know, the quotes
from from everybody involved, that's what made it real. And
(04:15):
I know it probably was was was a big uh.
I'm sure made Kentucky fans said, But I would say
the biggest the biggest thing for them now is just
seeing if this guy is bailing on Mark Stoops's right
hand man and guy who really helped was instrumental in
giving Kentucky some sustainable success in football. It just there
was really no way around it. It's not a good
sign for where they are right now.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Well, UK fans, you can go back into Vince's tweets
from several years ago and look at all the l's
down and all that stuff and republish those he doesn't care. Yeah,
you're not gonna hurt his feelings at all. It's gonna
be fascinating. And I think this one week we have
coming up in November is massive in this city. November eleventh,
Veterans Day, Kentucky comes back over here for basketball. We
all wonder what these rosters are going to do. But
(04:57):
it's early in the season, no time for them to
really get a feel for who they are. Yet we're
playing Kansas, They're playing somebody prom when it before Louisville. Yeah,
and they'll be here. That's November eleventh, and then three
days later Clemson is here to play football against u
of L Brohms team.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
If these two teams, Clemson and Louisville are where they
are expected to be, which you never know, that could
be one. I mean, this is getting ahead of myself.
That could be one of the biggest atmospheres we've ever
had at Cardinal States. Now, just because Clemson is now
once again back in the spot to where people expect
them to be a legitimate national championship contender, we know
what that stadium could get like on Friday nights with
(05:34):
Louisville fans.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
And you're the only game on in America.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Oh yeah, so it's not alone.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, that's the beauty of all that.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
So then it feel weird knowing you're playing them in
football before or playing them in basketball before football.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
It's just gonna feel weird.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
I don't care. I like with the games. Whenever they happen,
bring them on. I'm excited about, Like at.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Three am, we're gonna be watching and be into it.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Last thing, Nick Coffee, since we're on sports, the return
trip to the College World Series. Man, we've been thirsting
for that for a long time and it really came
out of nowhere for me because Louisville was floundering. Yes,
in that last month, Kentucky, by the way, was rising
and doing great. So I don't know what's going on
with coach men Zion's team over there in Lexington. But
(06:14):
you know, again, I have some affection for UK. They're
just you know, if they're going to play Louisville, I'm
for Louisville.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
But yeah, coach men g Own, I mean, they just
they made the College World Series last year for the
first time, which was a big breakthrough for them, and
this year they just they were not in any way
consistent it seemed, and you're right, they had a little momentum. Louisville,
on the other hand, I can't remember the time a
time where they entered the postseason as a good team
where they had such little momentum. And here they are
back in Omaha. Dan McDonald so big for him. He
(06:41):
put Louisville on the map as a baseball program in
a time where they really had no mean, I don't
say they had no history, but he built Louisville to
be a power in baseball really since since he arrived.
And then things change. Then you have a new set
of circumstances that make it harder for you to win
in baseball because obviously a lot's changed with Nil on
the transfer portal. And to have him have this breakthrough
moment getting back to omahall really in a new world
(07:03):
where a lot has changed. What it speaks to how
lucky we are to have him as the coach, but
also with a lot of things different now than they
wear five six years ago. He's now back in the
position to where they I mean, they've got a chance
to win a national championship, which you wondered for a
few years, was that going to return?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
And here we are, Yeah, all right, last thing, then
that's where I wanted to go. With all this basketball, football, baseball,
there's only so much money allowed to be spread around.
Every school is going to have their arguments about it.
What happens at the University of Louisville.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I would imagine they will follow with what most schools
are believed to do, which is seventy five percent going
to football, fifteen going to basketball, and then I would
say after that, you've got five percent that will go
towards It just depends on the program. With Louisville, it's
going to be tough because women's basketball does well in attendance. Volleyball,
ye have volleyball too, That's another one that they've really
(07:55):
climbed in recent years. And that so outside of the
majority of it's going to be mostly football, and then
it's basketball getting a chunk, and then the rest is
I think gonna be split up to everybody else. But
you're gonna this is what I find interesting. Priorities are
going to be exposed. Some will make total sense, but
there's gonna be a level of transparency that I'm sure
some schools, some administrations would really went out there, but
(08:16):
that's where we are. Now. You're gonna have to share
your revenue, and there's gonna be certain sports that maybe
get a little more than others, and it's gonna tell
you that that's the one that you prioritize. And some
of it's pretty obvious, but now it's gonna be pretty clear.
It's gonna be clear, it's gonna be documented that this
is where you're putting more resources for success.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Nick Coffee's the host of our morning show Kentucky and
his Morning News that's weekday mornings, bright and early at
five until nine. He does it all for us here
on news RADIOA forty WHS. Great see you brother, Thank you,
Terry
Nick coffee's in the studio with me. It's good to
see you're here all day.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I am. I had a little bit of a break to,
you know, just kind of recharge a little bit, but
back here and they can't keep me away from here.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
All right.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, I'm a company man.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
He's our morning guy here on news radio A forty whs.
So then you're doing a great job. I've heard your
show every day that you've been on.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I love hearing you talk to the news people from
around the globe about various things. I mean, sometimes there
are horrible stories, sometimes they're enlightening. Sometimes there are things
we're hoping for down the road. But the morning show
is great for all that's all but great information.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's balancing a lot of different things, which has been
a lot of fun news, things of interest, some sports
mixed in, and I mean it's has so I'm happy
to be on board. And I'm going to bed a
lot earlier. That worked out, That worked itself out. Now
it can no longer fight bedtime, and it's much earlier
than it used to be. But I'm ready to go
early in the morning.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Your kids are young enough where it doesn't affect them.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Now, so they outlasted me a couple of times in
the last two weeks. They just got out of school,
so they're staying up a little bit later. Yeah, Dad's
going to bed earlier than he used to.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
I do want to pick your brain about a couple
of sports things, and that is number one. Vince Marrow
coming over to the University of Louisville from Kentucky has
really riled up a lot of people. I mean, it's like,
I'm surprised there's so much backlash for someone who's technically
an administrator.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Absolutely, I don't think Kentucky became a worst football team
this upcoming season because Vince Mayor won't be on the sidelines.
I think it really is the ultimate sign as to
things falling Apart from Mark Stoops and with Vince Marrow,
he was so beloved by the fan base. He was
really the hype man kind of, I don't want to say,
the face of their program. But not many coaches in
(01:43):
that same position elsewhere had as much worse visible as
Vince Merria and he embraced that, and he did it
in a really good way. It was like almost like
a match made in heaven. He was the perfect guy
that had the personality that would really lean into what
Big Blue Nation can bring as a fan base.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
He loves college football. Have been texting with him every day.
He's he's excited about, you know, this opportunity here and
he you know, and he's sincere when he says, I
want to retain my friendships with people in Lexington that
I've had over the years, and and you know, maybe you.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Can't just turn that off, but for some people they can. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Well, you know, I was involved in the Patino recruitment
here so long ago, and I couldn't believe people in Lexington.
There were his good friends, some of whom just said, sorry,
you're dead to me. It's like when he took the
Louisville job and I was like, you can't. What are
you twelve years old? Do you have an enemy seventh grade? Yeah,
that's what sounds like. It's very bizarre.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Well, I think Vince leaned into the big the rivalry.
He knew that that if you really wanted to play
into making Big Blue Nation happy, it would be have success.
And also let him know that you realize it's more
of a special thing when you can you can beat
the rival. I think one of the one of the
big factors in this move that has been mentioned, but
maybe we're learning now that it was a stronger connection
(02:58):
than we thought, is that Vince Marrow and Jeff brom
have a relationship, have had a relationship for twenty five years,
long before either we're in the position they're in now.
And I think that that he wouldn't come to Louisville
if it wasn't for Jeff Bron.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Vince was sitting next to me or near me, a
few seats away from me at the Louisville Kentucky basketball
game in twenty three, two years ago, when the last
time we had him here and I've known him for
a while and he's he's terrific. He's always been nice
to me. And then we got up to start talking
and Jeff Brown walked over started talking to him. Then
the camera started clicking clicking. It was wild, but it
(03:31):
was like, they're friends. Why wouldn't he come over and
say hi to them?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah? And and there. I don't know if there was
any real animosity, but you could sense, especially those that
are that are covering the programs to an extent where
you talk about it on a daily basis. There was
this shift in I guess a respect that the Kentucky
staff had for the Louisville staff once Jeff came here.
And I don't necessarily think it had a lot to
do with them not respecting Sadderfield. I think it was
(03:54):
because of the relationship that that brom had with with
Vince Merrill and the bron family. That's a bit name
in football, and clearly this is an opportunity that has
been out there for Vince, I guess for a little
while now, and he pulled the trigger. And seeing seeing
the release today and and the you know, the quotes
from from everybody involved, that's what made it real. And
(04:15):
I know it probably was was was a big uh.
I'm sure made Kentucky fans said, But I would say
the biggest the biggest thing for them now is just
seeing if this guy is bailing on Mark Stoops's right
hand man and guy who really helped was instrumental in
giving Kentucky some sustainable success in football. It just there
was really no way around it. It's not a good
sign for where they are right now.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Well, UK fans, you can go back into Vince's tweets
from several years ago and look at all the l's
down and all that stuff and republish those he doesn't care. Yeah,
you're not gonna hurt his feelings at all. It's gonna
be fascinating. And I think this one week we have
coming up in November is massive in this city. November eleventh,
Veterans Day, Kentucky comes back over here for basketball. We
all wonder what these rosters are going to do. But
(04:57):
it's early in the season, no time for them to
really get a feel for who they are. Yet we're
playing Kansas, They're playing somebody prom when it before Louisville. Yeah,
and they'll be here. That's November eleventh, and then three
days later Clemson is here to play football against u
of L Brohms team.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
If these two teams, Clemson and Louisville are where they
are expected to be, which you never know, that could
be one. I mean, this is getting ahead of myself.
That could be one of the biggest atmospheres we've ever
had at Cardinal States. Now, just because Clemson is now
once again back in the spot to where people expect
them to be a legitimate national championship contender, we know
what that stadium could get like on Friday nights with
(05:34):
Louisville fans.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
And you're the only game on in America.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Oh yeah, so it's not alone.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, that's the beauty of all that.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
So then it feel weird knowing you're playing them in
football before or playing them in basketball before football.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
It's just gonna feel weird.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
I don't care. I like with the games. Whenever they happen,
bring them on. I'm excited about, Like at.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Three am, we're gonna be watching and be into it.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Last thing, Nick Coffee, since we're on sports, the return
trip to the College World Series. Man, we've been thirsting
for that for a long time and it really came
out of nowhere for me because Louisville was floundering. Yes,
in that last month, Kentucky, by the way, was rising
and doing great. So I don't know what's going on
with coach men Zion's team over there in Lexington. But
(06:14):
you know, again, I have some affection for UK. They're
just you know, if they're going to play Louisville, I'm
for Louisville.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
But yeah, coach men g Own, I mean, they just
they made the College World Series last year for the
first time, which was a big breakthrough for them, and
this year they just they were not in any way
consistent it seemed, and you're right, they had a little momentum. Louisville,
on the other hand, I can't remember the time a
time where they entered the postseason as a good team
where they had such little momentum. And here they are
back in Omaha. Dan McDonald so big for him. He
(06:41):
put Louisville on the map as a baseball program in
a time where they really had no mean, I don't
say they had no history, but he built Louisville to
be a power in baseball really since since he arrived.
And then things change. Then you have a new set
of circumstances that make it harder for you to win
in baseball because obviously a lot's changed with Nil on
the transfer portal. And to have him have this breakthrough
moment getting back to omahall really in a new world
(07:03):
where a lot has changed. What it speaks to how
lucky we are to have him as the coach, but
also with a lot of things different now than they
wear five six years ago. He's now back in the
position to where they I mean, they've got a chance
to win a national championship, which you wondered for a
few years, was that going to return?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
And here we are, Yeah, all right, last thing, then
that's where I wanted to go. With all this basketball, football, baseball,
there's only so much money allowed to be spread around.
Every school is going to have their arguments about it.
What happens at the University of Louisville.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I would imagine they will follow with what most schools
are believed to do, which is seventy five percent going
to football, fifteen going to basketball, and then I would
say after that, you've got five percent that will go
towards It just depends on the program. With Louisville, it's
going to be tough because women's basketball does well in attendance. Volleyball,
ye have volleyball too, That's another one that they've really
(07:55):
climbed in recent years. And that so outside of the
majority of it's going to be mostly football, and then
it's basketball getting a chunk, and then the rest is
I think gonna be split up to everybody else. But
you're gonna this is what I find interesting. Priorities are
going to be exposed. Some will make total sense, but
there's gonna be a level of transparency that I'm sure
some schools, some administrations would really went out there, but
(08:16):
that's where we are. Now. You're gonna have to share
your revenue, and there's gonna be certain sports that maybe
get a little more than others, and it's gonna tell
you that that's the one that you prioritize. And some
of it's pretty obvious, but now it's gonna be pretty clear.
It's gonna be clear, it's gonna be documented that this
is where you're putting more resources for success.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Nick Coffee's the host of our morning show Kentucky and
his Morning News that's weekday mornings, bright and early at
five until nine. He does it all for us here
on news RADIOA forty WHS. Great see you brother, Thank you,
Terry
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