Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Dick Gabrielle with you on a Friday edition
of our program. As we wrap up the week tonight, we're going to
talk football, basketball, some volleyball, and soccer. Believe it or not.
Why well, because the US team needs a new coach and one of
the election and sportscasters here in town, Forrest Tucker, reached out to me.
He's a big soccer nut and wanted to talk about it. And we
also talked with Tucker every now and then about football and basketballs Forrest will join
us coming up in our number two. We're also going to hear more from
some of the Basketball wildcasts. We chatted with them yesterday. I played a
little bit of our conversation with him last night, but we're gonna gonna go
with a deeper dive tonight with the two of them, and then coming up
at the bottom of the hour, Lonnie Green will join us. And if
you've ever heard him talk about the UK track and field program, you know
what to expect. He is vivacious, energetic and very very successful. He
was an assistant coach at the program in Arkansas, which is it when it
comes to track and field and cross country. Arkansas has built an incredible program
through the years, with so many championships team and individual. It's staggering that
he went as a head coach to Purdue, very successful there, and when
coach Florielle left Kentucky for Texas, Mitch Barnard hired Lonnie Green away from Purdue
and he is kept right on going here at Kentucky. And now he has
multiple athletes in the summer games coming up, so it's going to be fun
to talk to him about his role with the US Olympic team. He is
not an official part of the team, but he's going over as the individual
coach for a couple of the athletes. So looking forward to that conversation at
the bottom of the hour. The biggest story involving a UK player, well,
he's a former player now. Tonight, Reed Shepherd makes his debut in
the NBA Summer League in the California Classic. But I don't care what happened
unless he absolutely explodes as the first American taken in the draft as the number
three overall pick, number one by the Houston Rockets. Unless he has just
a massive game, the headlines tomorrow will be about Bronnie James because the Rockets
play the Lakers. And I've talked about this before. Yeah, it's a
big story for good reasons and bad. But Bronnie James with the Lakers now,
every time he steps on the floor, that will be the headline.
Here's a great example. There's a preview on the cbssports dot com website.
I like their website, their sports page, but and I'm not singling them
out because i'ven't looked at all of them, but I'll guarantee you an overwhelming
majority of any story today looking ahead to tonight's games in the Summer League,
they're going to include Bronnie James. And here's the headline. NBA Summer League
storylines colon Bronnie James ready for breakout, number one and number two picks set
for opening matchup. Ready for breakout means that he hasn't done anything yet and
that maybe you'll have a good game tonight. But of course it's clickbait.
They want people to click on, which I did, but I was looking
really for Reed Shepherd and feel quite frankly, but I clicked onto it,
and a lot of people will as well, especially Laker fans and when you
get into the story, you see deeper down. They mentioned Reed Shepherd.
They also mentioned the fact that the Lakers have Dalton connecting their team and who
you know some of the other guys are Zach Edes playing again tonight. But
I just found it was interesting that that was the big headline for the CBS
Sports story. The Las Vegas Summer League has got the top picks from the
recent draft going at it tonight. The Wizard and Hawks are squaring off.
That will get attention in the headlines and in the broadcasts tonight and tomorrow.
But it seems like right now it's all Bronni all the time. I guess
we have to get used to it. But Steven Hunter, a former NBA
player, has lashed out, saying that Lebron's influence has been what he called
an abuse of power, you know, taking a position away or taking an
opportunity away from another player at least, but what do you expect. It
was a calculated move by the Lakers, and they're trying to resign Dad,
so they're gonna draft Sonny. He didn't do it in the first round,
but they're spending a lot of money on him in the second round. There
is a story out right now about EA sports video game and he's college football
twenty five. Yeah has revealed its top one hundred players in the game.
Three players topping their peers with ninety six overall ratings, not one of them
as a quarterback. Oli Gordon, the second Oklahoma State halfback, talked about
him yesterday looking at a drunk driving arrest. Will Campbell of LSU he's at
left tackle, and Will Johnson of Michigan is a cornerback. Those are the
top three players. Caleb Downs of Ohio State is a free safety. He
is one of what five or six seven players ranked with a ninety five after
them, But if you're looking for a quarterback, you got to drop down
to number eighteen. It's Carson Beck of Georgia and he has rated a ninety
three, just ahead of number nineteen Dion Walker of Kentucky. How about that,
and Dion not the only player listed for the Wildcats in the top one
hundred. Maxwell Hairston, talented cornerback, was given a ninety one score and
he was ranked sixty second. He is one of twelve players ranked with a
ninety one. You know, I don't play these games. I think if
I did, I would waste entirely too much time on him. But if
you play, you know what I'm talking about. In case you're wondering at
Louisville has two players. Quincy Riley, a cornerback, is ranked number thirty
seven with a score of ninety two. Ashton Gillott is a left end and
he was number seventy one given a rank of ninety But obviously, the Southeastern
Conference shows up big but amazingly, the highest rated SEC player is Will Campbell,
the left tackle from LSU, ranked second overall, one of three,
given a score of ninety six. Now Tennessee has James Pierce Junior. He's
a right He is rated with a ninety five. Georgia's got a bunch of
guys obviously, but interesting, Dan Walker ranked right about the same spot as
Carson Beck. That's pretty cool. While we're talking about Georgia, they've got
a problem down there. And seems like we talked about this last summer orin
the last year about Georgia players getting in trouble with the law when it comes
to driving speeding. And I don't know if they were Deuis involved, but
a couple of Georgia players have been arrested of late on reckless driving charges,
one of them racing with a third teammate, and it from everything I've heard
and read, this is an ongoing problem in Athens, Georgia, and so
far they have been really fortunate because no one has been killed yet. But
you had a, like I said, a reckless driving charge. You had
another UGA player arrested on DUI charges, and for whatever reason, they don't
seem to reacting, to be reacting very well. And the coaching staff there
under Kirby Smart has taken some shots for that. We were just talking the
other day about Oli Gordon, the Oklahoma state running back. His coach basically
all but said we're not going to punish him. We're going to punish him
by giving him the ball fifty times. And Mike Gundy took a lot of
flak, which he should have for saying, what Ali did, I've done
it probably a thousand times, meaning he admitted to driving drunk. Does it
take a fatal accident for these guys to respond and react. It shouldn't,
obviously, but sadly it might, both in Stillwater and in Athens, Georgian.
As I mentioned the other day, if a similar thing happened at Kentucky.
I'm told it would not be solely up to the coach's discretion on how
to handle that. It would be kind of a group effort. I don't
know that there's a set policy in place. I think it's case by case
when it comes to either traffic violations or alcohol related violations. But I just
braced myself for a story coming out of Athens or Stillwater or wherever they all
but turn a blind eye to it. Somebody is going to get seriously hurt
or killed, maybe a player, maybe an innocent bystander. But it should
not happen obviously. Up next, we'll check in on the baseball Wildcats.
They've got talent coming through the portal, and we'll hear from Craig Skinner,
UK volleyball coach. On six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider.
Coming up in just a few minutes, Lonnie Green, who was ahead
track and field coach at the University of Kentucky, looking ahead to the summer
Olympics. A little bit later on, we'll hear from two of the basketball
Wildcats in depth. Linked the interviews with a couple the Cats. We had
a chance to talk to yesterday. I wanted to look at UK baseball real
quickly with the portal door spinning and right now. The Wildcats have racked up
some talent and of late they picked up an outfielder from San Diego State,
Shawn Montoya, left handed outfielder three seasons at sd State, transferred in after
Rich sharded as a true freshman at UC Irvine and then played for the ASTEC
second team All Mountain West last year. At three twenty seven, they get
a pitcher, Matthew Watson, right handed, transferred in from Texas and m
Corpus Christi. Began as a juco at Eastern Oklahoma State, then wound up
in Corpus Christi. Ahead of the twenty twenty three season, All Southland Conference
second team had a three point seven to four ERA over sixty five innings,
struck out seventy four, started eleven games and relieved in two. And then
another right hander from Indiana State, Simon Gregorson. I have to go back
and look at my book. I probably saw this guy pitch for Indiana State,
which reached back to back inn SA tournaments. He transferred in from Ajuco
in Des Moines and you're asking yourself Indiana State, I will tell you,
over the last couple of years at least Indiana State has been one of the
best teams in college baseball in this area. Kentucky swept Indiana State last year
in Lexington, but just watching that team, they were contentious ballgames and you
could tell how good Indiana State was and ultimately made the NS Tournament, and
I think hosted two years ago, should have hosted. But anyway, that's
a good program and a right hander transfers in. He was all conference seven
saves in the Missouri Valley and pitched against the Wildcats this year in the Lexington
Regional. Yes, so I did see him pitch when two and two thirds
of scoreless relief. He is a relief specialist. Last year appeared in twenty
four games, all in relief. So that's just part of the list of
players that Nick Bingeon and his staff that pulled through the portal. Not to
mention the fact that they've got what a dozen true freshmen coming in, recruits
coming in, and what's interesting about that four infielders and they're all listed as
shortstops. That's okay because obviously one or two of them might move to second
base, maybe to play somebody at third base. Didn't we see this this
past year where Kentucky basically had three shortstops in the infield and Amelian Petrie,
Grant Smith, and Mitchell Daily And it's why the Wildcats had the best defense
in the country according to many, including myself. So because when you look
at Kentucky's number of errors, the Wildcats committed a handful of like six or
eight of them were by pitchers, wild pickoff throws and things like that.
But as far as the infield goes, nobody could top Kentucky this past year.
So we'll see if the Wildcats can keep that going. But the portal
has been good to the Wildcats. Kentucky Volleyball in the news yesterday Craig Skinner
appearing over in Louisville in a teaser event basically previewing the American Volleyball Coaches Association
Showcase coming up in August. We had Craig on the show not long ago
to talk about his team, talk about the event coming up in the Wildcats
playing Nebraska, But Skinner talked to the media over in Louisville yesterday and he
pointed out that this is a high profile event, and in fact, the
worldwide leader will show the showcase event, and that's a big deal given the
fact that everything in late August is usually about football. Another first, what
I learned today is the first time ever that a match is being played on
ESPN in the month of August. So there's so many different first that are
happening in our score right now. So many athletes are playing this game.
We are just in Las Vegas recruiting the National Championships. It's amazing how many
elite players are playing this game in every state in the country, but also
the state of Kentucky, and we can't be more excited to be part of
this event. Blang, a tough schedule early in the years, nothing new
for Kentucky. Skinner has done that for many, many years and of course
has helped set his team up for runs in the SEC, which the Wildcats
have won or shared for the last seven years. So they've taken their lumps
early. They've also won some big matches early. It just goes to help
you, like I said, in conference play and then get ready for the
NCA tournament. That's the goal with this event. Yeah, I mean,
we always want to play good teams at the beginning of the season, and
when we got invited to play in this, it was a no brainer because
there's no better measuring stick for you to make a run in December than trying
to play against the best teams. Now we play against the best teams.
Now we know what we need to do, we know how we need to
improve, we know what we need to continue to work on. So you
know, we're always you know, have an expectation to compete for SEC championships
and give ourselves a chance to compete for national championship in December. That's Craig
Skinner speaking over in Louisville about the AVCA event coming up on August twenty seven.
Staying with college sports, something really weird happening. I didn't know this
was going to go on. I think it's I think it's great. But
yesterday was first of all, the Big twelve Media Day and it was in
Las Vegas. Sixteen teams in the Big twelve across town at the same time
the PAC twelve Media Day. That's right, the PAC twelve, which is
down to two teams, Oregon State and Washington State. They were left behind,
but a former PAC twelve network analyst put together an event and actually it
says here about one hundred people showed up, including about a dozen reporters,
and there was an open bar and the commissioner there's still a commissioner, Teresa
Gould said, yeah, we got a bar in the back. We're drinking
tonight. I would venture to say that if anybody has earned the right to
drink, it is the PAC twelve. Okay, And then the tough questions
began. But among the people who showed up were alumni from the two schools,
Steven Jackson, really good running back from Oregon State, and two former
Washington State quarterbacks, Jack Thompson, the throwing Samowen and Ryan Leaf, formerly
the number two overall pick in the NFL draft. And Leif told supporters he
said, the other schools, he said, or some schools at least,
they're going to come scrambling back when a new college football playoff changes in two
years or whatever. He said, you guys are going to be the foundation
of that. So it was quite the contrast to the Big twelve event,
which was staged at Allegiance Stadium, the home of Las Vegas Raiders. There
were more than five hundred media members to preview the football coming football season for
the sixteen Big twelve teams, including four that left the Pack twelve last year,
but the Pac twelve was hanging in there. Go Beavers, Go Cougars.
And by the way, if you saw the original version of The Longest
Yard, you saw Jack Thompson. He played for a while for the Bengals,
had a great college career, was not a great pro played for a
little while, but he was also one of the real former football players,
along with Ray Nitzky and Ben Davidson, among many others who were in the
original Longest Yard. So I always said one of the greatest nicknames the throwing
Samoan. UK track and field coach Lonnie Green is up next here in The
Big Blowinsiders six thirty WLA. Welcome back to the Big lu Insider. Joining
us now for the first time on these airwaves is Kentucky coach Lonnie Green track
and field cross country as well and coach Congratulations. First of all, welcome
to the show. Thanks for joining us. Well, thank you very much,
I really really sincerely appreciate. Uh. What a busy time, but
a glorious time for UK track and field right now heading into the games.
Uh, I got to think you're just about as excited as the athletes,
aren't you? Hey? Man, I think I think I'm as excited as
the young baby old Christmas morning. Tell me a little bit about your role
going into these games with some of these athletes, some you coach, some
you didn't, But of course they're wildcats forever and will represent UK in one
way, shape or form in Paris. But what what is your role right
now? My role is an individual coach. I think when when when people
see them, they see them the team, especially track and field, they
see the Olympic team, and and and and and and the media will say,
okay, here is then mister Gabriel, he's the Olympic coach. Well,
he's just basically that coach entitle okay, and and and the way we
look at the sport, that is the highest honor in our sport that a
coach could could could attend to to being named the Olympic coach. Okay,
But our sport is comprised of twenty two disciplines, twenty two events, and
and each and each each country can ten three or three athletes per event.
Now, each of those individuals have their own individual coach. My job going
to the Olympic Games is going to to coach Messiah Russell and Devin Charlton.
You know, that's that's going to be my job. Get them to the
podium. My job is when we started this in September to is to get
them to the podium in any which way, shape, form or fashion.
You know. So I'm knowing that as a personal coach, I would be
with the US contingent, but I'm going to be the coach. I'm going
to be responsible for when they wake up, when they when they eat,
when they train, when and when they lay down, and I make sure
they get to the track on time, they do everything they need to do.
Tell would be called championship day. Man. That's pressure, isn't it.
Although that's nice, that's what you signed up for. Yes, sir,
it is. It is. It is pressure. But but that's what
we all time. What would you get to the level? You know,
I just remembered there were many many years ago one of the Olympics there were
some athletes who missed their events because the coach didn't get them up on time
or something like that. So exactly exactly, you know what I'm talking about
you. Remember that, Yes, I do. You know, basically,
our job is when we get there to make sure everything flows. You know,
communication with the USATF staff has got to be consistent, but everything flows.
Our job is to take as much stress of the student, now of
the athlete as possible. You know, it's interesting when you're saying this.
In my world, excuse me. You know who does that is a great
producer. And I was told I've been on the air and I've been a
producer, and I was told early in my career that if you can take
stress off of a play by play man and just let him concentrate on calling
a game, you've done a good job as a producer. You're taking stress
off these athletes. So all they got to do is look down the track.
Is that right? That's it. That's it. That's our job.
That's our job once we get them to that space is to make it as
stressless or as seamless as possible. Yeah, you know, so that their
job is just to wake up, warm up, and get ready to be
me. And obviously that will help them block out whatever's around them. And
I know they're literally world class athletes. So when they step into the blocks.
They won't think about it. I'm in Paris at the Olympics. I
could win a metal. Look at all these people, they're looking at the
finish line right, yes, sir, yes, sir. There's a lot
of pressure on that. As I refer to all of them as babies.
So these young men, you know, they get to that place. There's
a lot of pressure on those babies, especially the ones who who who the
media now plays up to the world, that's a favorite or Olympic medalist or
potential gold medalists. There's a lot of pressure that comes with this. My
brother used to say all the time, he said, pressure bus pipes,
you know. And so at the end of the day, you know,
there's a lot of pressure. They look really relaxed, they look real focused,
but there's a lot of pressure that they're dealing with in the moment.
I can't imagine how they sleep the night before. You know, most of
them struggle to do that. So what sometimes they'll have to go to the
team doctors just to get a sleeve bait so that they can rest. Yep,
I said, a little mellowtonin might help, you know, but pressure
also the oak clichde turns coal into diamonds, So definitely. You know,
something I've always wanted to ask a track and field coach is when you're coaching
a sprinter, obviously there's technique involved and strategy involved, but there's more to
it to this, Hey, get out there and run as fast as you
can. Just how technical do you get in events like that? It's very
technical, you know, But I think the mistake that coaches make is they
try to go to the technical component first, and that's the mistake. You
have to literally get the athlete fit, get them physically stronger, get them
faster, and then you bring the technical component along. But everybody wants to
go straight to technique. For example, you get coaches talk about speed.
Oh, we got to work speed. You see a lot of you know,
I'm specialists around come to me and I can get you faster, and
they goes the minute the young man or woman or the baby comes to them,
they go straight speed. That's a mistake in my humble opinion, you
know what I mean. And you have to get them fit, get them
strong, and get the body ready to handle those stresses. What happens is
you go straight to the stress and an injury recur and prep occur prefully.
The injury won't won't be one that's going to take them out for a long
period of time, you know what I mean, like a tone, hamstring
or or or something that serious. You know that sometimes that even surgery will
have to be done to correct it, you know what I mean. So
I think the mistake is, Yes, they do a good job of getting
a kid faster, but you got to you have to literally prepare the body
to handle the stress that comes with sprinting or moving that fast. Talking to
Kentucky, yes, Kentucky track and field coach Lonnie Green, who's helping prepare
some former Wildcat and current Wildcats for the Olympic Games coming up, you mentioned
prep work, and we hear a lot from the football and basketball really in
baseball people too, about nutrition, and I'm wondering about I got to think
it's it's pretty much the same for all the UK athletes on campus. But
I know that they've put a lot of time and resources into nutrition and the
weight room and things like that. How do you feel about that on campus?
I think it's phenomenal. I mean, you know, you can't I
don't think you can buy a Lamborghini and put low ofting gases. You've got
to put high OFFTENE gasses. You know what I mean. You know what's
going to happen to the engine? Enginees gonna start knocking it. Eventually,
YouTube will fail, you know what I mean if you don't put the right
fuel into that into that engine. And I think the commitment that that Ms
Mister Barnhardt are athletic director and President Capaluto and all of our senior staff are
made to our student athlete, our student athletes, that is that is paramount.
If you want to compete at a very high level, those things have
to be in place. We the older, older folk with oh it,
don't take all of that. Oh oh I was doing it. You know.
We didn't do this and we didn't do that. Yeah, that has
some merit, but we didn't perform at the level of these young people.
What I always want to say, for very knowledgeable guys, what I always
want to say is, okay, but what if you had done that?
How much better might you have been? I know you drank pickle juice when
you were getting cramps, but you know, yes, sir, you've heard
that one, haven't. But I think but I think the commitment that the
commitment that mister Barnhutt it's made to our athletic department in terms of providing every
possible thing that he believes our student athletes need, but our senior staff leave.
Our student athletes need to be successful nine seconds none. But you can't
compete in any sport and I repeat that again, any sport at a very
high level if those things aren't in place. I said, you can compete,
but it might not be it might not be fruitfal Absolutely, we're talking
with Lonnie Green, UK head track and field coach. He's got athletes going
to Paris for the summer Olympics. More to come on the Big Blue and
Sider six thirty w l a P. We're talking with Lonnie Green is the
head track and field coach at the University of Kentucky also cross country, and
as of July first seven UK Wildcats from track and field will make the trip
to Paris. Has that number changed, coach, No, it's remained consistent.
Right now. Okay, so UK had four champions at the US Olympic
team trials. Uh And by the way, we have you and I have
spoken now for nine and a half minutes and I haven't usually our word yet
recruiting. This has got to be the ultimate recruiting tool, I would think,
Am I right? It is? It is? I mean if if
if me being the head coach, you know, being the director of the
program, if if I don't, if I don't capitalize, or we as
a as a department, as an institution, don't capitalize on the moment,
we will lose a very, very, a great opportunity to attract athletes with
such with such talents or even greater. You're or you mentioned Massiah Russell class
at twenty twenty three and she I remember I was on a panel discussion show
on KAT with Miss Barnhardt and we were talking about social media and he's mentioned
her name before. She was maybe the first UK athlete, no matter what
the sport, men or women, to really build a following on social media.
What is it about her that that people just gravitate to her? She's
got what She's got what I call a very gregarious personality, you know what
I mean? She is one who she understands the social media platform. She
understands that she was there was something she was doing when she was in high
school and she's very bubbly, she's very personable, and I think she she
she figured out a way to capitalize on on that that that that in those
platforms, in those arena, in those spaces. But she's also very very
passionate to her viewers or her followers, you know what I mean. I've
followed, I've listened to her talk to her peer group here on campus and
talk about how people will in box her telling her how motivational she is.
They were about to give up, and then they watched a video or something
she posts, and it gave them that that that exusia, that dynamite that
they needed to keep going, to go one more day, you know what
I mean. And I told her, I said, the beautiful I think
social media, the Internet failed us, I said, And I said,
the reason is because you can do a whole lot of good with it,
but you can do a whole lot of bad with it. But you your
platform is doing good and blessing people. I said, don't ever lose that.
Don't let people pull you into a vacuum where you're not doing good with
it. You know what I mean. You stay there, don't let don't
let what people think you should be doing with it. Dictate what you do.
But she's she's done a great heard. Her family have done a great
job of capitalizing on She won the US Championship in one hundred meter hurdles and
at a world leading time, and broke Gail Dever's the US Olympic Trials record,
which had stood for twenty four years. So she obviously is running her
best right now, isn't she. She she's one of the favorites. She
is the She's only three women in the history of the sport has run faster,
and they have only done that by hundreds of a second and in some
situation thousands of the second. You know what I mean? Is she going
in as one of the favorites? Yes, I personally believe. Now people
might say, Ana, you got to start drinking mountain dew. But when
I make the statement, but I believe if she if that race that she
executed at the US Championships when she said to Bullimpic Trials record shows up on
the eleventh of August in Paris, she either breaks the shef that particular race
with the field that would be that either the world's record fall while she wins
the goal, or she will she will be one of the individuals on the
party. That would be awesome. It's broken the collegiate record in both the
sixty meter hurdles and one hundred hurdles. Uh. Speaking of high profile athletes,
how about Jazmine Camacho Quinn being chosen to carry the flag for Puerto Rico.
What a great honor. Jazzy Jazz, that's what I call all the
time. When I say, I call it jazzy jazz. You know,
you know, she is probably one of the most humble individuals you would have
a meet. She's very aggressive and then when it's time to compete, you
think she's being difficult. But that's just what great athletes do. When it's
time to do the work, when it's time to to to present their product,
they they go somewhere and that is something they learned. That's a that's
a god given gift, you know what I mean. We all can go
back to high school and even college and you there's a peer or a friend
that they were great great and the minute the lights come on, they become
We will say, man, that person becomes a peace that person because that
comes an animal. That's what you see with jazz. But at the end
of the day, once she's done working in her craft. She is the
most humble. She has the sweetest demeanor. You whatever you'd ever you can
even you could have a think of. Well, imagine so for her country's
Olympic Federation to ask her to be a flag at the opening ceremonies, that's
one of the greatest honor any act or any person, in my mind could
be asked to do to That's when national pride really pushes forward, you know
what I mean. At that moment, I don't care where you're from.
You can be from. She brought in the corner of the east corner of
the world. But they say, we want you to to bear the flag,
you know what I mean in this particular situation, that's the greatst honor
one could, one of the greatest honors one could could be asked to do
the service of her country. Well, she made her debut in Brazil in
twenty sixteen and one hund and then yeah, helped Puerto Rico win its first
Olympic gold medal in the same event and the delayed Tokyo Game. So yeah,
she's she's a great commodity down there. She finished up in twenty eighteen,
as did Sidney McLaughlin, which is when you got her. So I
don't know that there was no overlap between you all, was there? You
didn't coach them? No, there was not any overlap. Jazz finished.
She was done with her eligibility. She graduated in December of twenty eighteen.
She still had a year of eligibility, but she she opted out of that
and went pro, became a professional apt and yeah, for one year with
Sydney. Of course they wanted to go pro oaud High School, you know
what I mean, But she opted to pursue the professional round. You know,
you know, you got to tip your hat to Edward Floielle, my
predecessor. He had some very very good, I mean, some of the
most the greatest talents in the world. In that event. You look at
Kenny Harrison, who was the world's record holder until the last World's two World
Championships ago, who still is the American record holder, you know what I
mean. All of those wore UK on the chest, you know what I
mean. So you have to tip your hat to the work he did prior
to us getting here. Would we have done? Thanks to be the god
that that all we have done is tried to maintain it or take it to
another level. You have a freshman from Nigeria, and I don't want to
try his last name because I'm afraid all you could say it. I'm sure,
but Alexander helped me with his last name. His name is Alexander,
thank you, excellent. But his opportunity to take part in events like this,
in international events, I've got to think that's going to set him up
even more for a great collegiate career. I think so he's just a freshman.
As I refer to the freshman's babies, he's just a baby. His
upside is going to be phenomenal. Before him, we had a young man
here by the name of Daniel Roberts who who just recently made US Olympic team,
and we had an even the part of when I was here, Yes,
and he just ran twelve point ninety six. There's only a very hand
few handful of men but in the one ten hurdles that have dipped under thirteen
seconds, and if my stat's line up correctly, it might be ten in
the history of the whole sport. Okay, I think he's got the ability
to surpass Daniel Roberts. You were part of that great, great tradition and
culture at Arkansas as an assistant coach there. You went to Purdue and did
a phenomenal job, and Mitch Barnhart pulled you to Lexington and as you mentioned
that there was a great foundation here and you said about building on that,
what has that process been like for you here in Lexington? I mean,
it's just it's the support Mitch, you know. You know. I would
present a presentation to to Mitch and his usually his response for me responsibly would
normally be is this good for kids? Is this good for young people?
And I usually would say yes. He said this this does this help us
to be successful? My response is usually yes, And he said, let
me see what I can do make this happen for you, And he's done
that. You know, I mean, you can this long at this?
I think a man every man in wo likes can they can? They can
toil and be. But when you get what I call in my mind,
your says, you're the place of outpouring. You know everything you touched terms
of goo. You know what I mean, You can think about it and
it's become successful, you know what I mean? And so and I think
what Missions allowed us, allowed me and my staff to do is to continue
to work in opposessed. I think this is the place of about poor.
You know, people have asked me, well, Alani, what would you
entertain anything? I said, No, I said, miss would have me.
I'm he can put me out the pastor yet and I'm not trying to
look at the next jingling keys. I said, if he would allow me
to do it, and I'm still working and we're successful, it would be
this is where I'm gonna go out to pasture, and this when I'm gonna
look at my wife at sixty five. And so maybe what you want to
do, you know what I mean? You know that sounded like a plan.
I tell you. When I was growing up in Louisville, I used
to go to the Mason Dixon Games. I loved it. And I'll be
keeping a close eye on the Olympics as well for the UK people. And
in fact, my nephew, who was six eight six' nine, did
not like basketball. He threw the shot in the discus in high school,
wasn't great at it, but he enjoyed it and I enjoyed going to watch
him. So there's a lot to like, isn't there, Yes, it
is. It's you know, you know, I don't know about other sports.
I never claimed to know other sports that would participated in other sports,
but truck and feel like you just alluded to. It's an addiction. I
don't know. You know what addition looks like. Maybe me me stopped drinking
four mountain of six mountain dues today. Oh man, you know you know,
But but it's an addiction, and you get to enjoy, just I
guess, the at of competing, you know what I mean. You get
to appreciate the thriller victory, You get to to understand the arguay of defeat.
In my mind, that's what track brings to you. So you wake
up, you lay it down the knighting to that if I do more push
ups, if I if I can bench press ten more pounds, if I
can if I can move this a little fast, I can be better.
I can beat him or be there. You know what I mean. The
sport will consume you. You live it daily. You know there's something about
it. Coach, thank you so much for your time. I know your
time is valuable right now as your prayer to go to Paris safe travels and
we'll do it again soon, I hope. Thank you so very much.
I appreciate you so much. Thank you. That's Lonnie Green, Kentucky's head
track and field coach also across country. He has seven UK Wildcats, either
current or former, making the trip to Paris for the Summer Olympics. Also
one staff member going over as well, and he'll be on hand, as
he said, lend his expertise as the Cats go for the gold, literally
go for the gold. I re Number two is up next here on six
thirty WLIP Welcome back to the Big Moon. Sitar. Joining us now is
a colleague from WTVQ channel thirty six, Forrest Tucker. And Forrest, you
reached out to me and said you wanted to talk about this US soccer team
situation where they just bagged their coach. And you're a soccer guy, aren't
you? One hundred and ten percent. Hundred and ten percent. That's when
I live, breathe, eat and sleep, And I honestly I tell you
what. I went to the University of South Carolina, love the game talks
in their soccer programs. I'm really ready to root for UK as well this
season and plus the Columbus Crew f C, Cincinnati, Louisville City Racing,
Louisville Lex and Sporting Club. It's all a really great up and coming sport
here in our area. And I think the national team plays into that.
They're going to be in Cincinnati on September tenth versus New Zealand, and they'll
probably hopefully have a head coach by then, a new one. Will you
be there? I am going to try my very best, deity. I
just told mister Pikoro, my boss, about that, and you know,
I think that's something that we're this is this might be an international event.
Yeah, you know, no, I agree. I agree. It will
be literally one of the biggest events in the world. So next time I
see him, I'll try to try to put put in a word for you.
Uh. You reached out right after they fired their head coach, Greg
Berhalter. Matt Crocker is the director of the US Soccer Federation, and uh,
I know it was a controversial choice when he rehired the guy, Wasn't
it one hundred and ten percent? You know? Greg was a guy who
had gotten them to some good spots after the twenty twenty two World Cup,
and he shown some success there, but there was a little drama, a
little soccer mom and dad drama that reminds me of when I was playing at
the youth level with Gio Urana, one of the midfielders on the team,
and it was about playing time. And I'll leave it at that. You
can look into it yourself. It really doesn't war much attention, but things
are blown out of proportion. People were kind of sore about some things.
But you know, these national team coaches don't stick around for much more than
what we call a cycle, which is about four years. So Greg got
us out of the dark days where we didn't qualify for the World Cup in
twenty eighteen. That was his job and for us we should have moved on
then, maybe withholding any of that drama that you know pops up. Yeah,
and then they fire him fairly early in this process, didn't. I
mean, that was a big move by Crocker to cut this guy loose.
Yeah. I think that everybody after the loss to Uruguay and the pretty much
just an absolute devastation and embarrassment on home soil in the co of America.
Getting bounce in the group stage led pundits and fans alike to say, what
do you mean you need time to do a quote comprehensive review, But crocerd
took nine days. He kept his word that he would review it. And
he says that he wants a new era of on field success for this program,
and that has to be making the quarterfinals and semifinals of big torments,
including the twenty twenty six World Cup being held here in the United States and
then up Northern Canada, then down south in Mexico too. And also Crocker
says that you know, in those games, they should have found a way
to win. And the grit and enthusiasm that should be displayed by this national
team, which you know for every player should be a huge source of pride,
just has not been there. So hopefully we have a manager that will
come in in the next two months or so that can do that, it
can get the best out of these players. Talking to Forrest Tucker of WTVQ
about right now about the US men's soccer team, we'll talk a little football
in basketball, uh in a few minutes. But Forrest is a soccer fan
and played it, as he said, coming up and covered it at South
Carolina before he came here. To Lexington, what was the knock on the
way Burrhalter coached? Was it? You know? The way is his teams,
the formations or motivational style or strategy. And mind you, all I
know about soccer is I never played it, but I love going to games
in high school because my buddy's played. But all I know is what I
see in Ted Lasso and Welcome Direcsham so well Harry Show to Learn, Dick.
I'm happy that you watch those shows. They actually provide very good educational
knowledge. So if people need to learn about soccer, then they should probab
watch those two shows. Aside from that, you know, I think that
the tough thing with Greg was that, you know, when you have a
team that gets called in for a tournament or windowed international break, you have
about twenty three guys and the roster was pretty deep. You know, we
have a wealth of talent and optimism with the players that are suiting up to
play for this national team, and we had that decades ago. Yes,
but these players have had the krem Dela creme of everything coming up and they're
a lot younger than the previous part. So Greg brought them all in.
But you know, only really used the handful to formulate and eleven a starting
side and didn't really extend into much depth. So, you know, we
talk about a lot of players that start, but there are a lot of
players that are not starting out playing and I wonder what are they like on
this team. That's one knock And the other one is that you know,
this team is really good going forward. They can attack well, they can
attack and as they have a lot of good pieces in place. Now issue
is defensive. You know, you have a guy outside back, Tim Greene
places for Fulham in England, been around for a long time. You know,
he's the old guy on the team. You have some up and comers
at the same spant Anthony Robinson aka Jedi, that's his nickname, on the
outside back slot. On the other side of the pitch. Green can play
center back too, and other guys are are pretty versatile. But that unit,
with a lot of you know, good goalkeeping talent too, is just
not come together as much. And so you know, those are kind of
the two things to stick out to me. His demeanor overall. You know,
we know coach Cala Perry, right, you know, we can read
some coaches. We know Mark Stoops his demeanor after these games, said to
me that he was really chill with these guys and there was not a lot
of pressure on them. We need to have pressure exerted on these players,
because, after all, they're young. We needed to grow up pretty fast.
We've been saying that for years ago, and it hasn't happened. You
know. The knock on America has been maybe even one of the excuses has
been best athletes play other sports, whereas in foreign countries, you know,
la la la. But we've also got three hundred million people, you know.
Yeah, you can say, well, what if Michael Jordan or Lebron
played soccer. What if you know, Tom Brady or or you know whoever
other athletes the best athletes in those sports, what if they played soccer instead
of there? But like I said, and you just talked about it,
three hundre million people there should be I would think enough talented depth. Well,
look what the women have done, right. Of course they don't have
as many athletic options as men. But should we be a lot further along?
And it sounds like that's what you're telling me. I think that's part
of it, Dick. The thing that I get hung up on is if
you want to talk about that and go down that route, you have to
open up a Pandora's box of how we developed in this country, and that
is something that's a whole, entirely other conversation. Yeah, that requires so
much more researching, kind of in depth. Not that I wouldn't be prepared
to say a few things on it. I think that the issue is is
there's a lot of debate on how European we should look, how should we
have all these academies. MLS teams all have well established academies where players are
in, you know, teams that are a pipeline to a pro pathway,
but they're you know, that should not be the only way players should should
be prepared. We come from a country where we have so many other main
sports. You know, when does a player want to specialize? When does
a player want to just play soccer or play basketball? There's some more options,
you know, And I know in Australia and England there's rugby as well,
there's cricket as well, but you know, football, soccer is the
main sport in a lot of these other nations, and that's why that's the
root of the issue. And so my thing is is, you know,
get kids playing it, If they like it, they'll stick with it.
You know. Everything between that and becomeing a national team player, that's a
gray area. Yeah, you know, And I think that when kids are
thrown into soccer right now, it's as much as anything just to get them
outside, get them out from in front of the screen, get them off
the video games, and get them moving well. And there's there's nothing wrong
with that. But what happens after that, I guess is the question mark.
Right. Yeah, I think that if you know, people are looking
at soccer is just something to keep the kids busy. Maybe that's not the
best optic for the game. I don't think that's the thing in a lot
of people's minds. I think, you know, having MLS and us L
and a lot of other great competition in this country become something that people take
seriously and watch regularly, saying on what you like. I think that's the
thing that these kids need role models. They have them now. You know,
we have a really great player in someone you might have heard of,
Renal Messing, who plays versions for Miami, you know, And and I
think people say, oh, we need to capitalize on that. That's that's
our hope. Yes and no, it's the World Cup make or break,
you know. I think that's the thing that we saw us soccer say,
yes, we cannot afford to choke here because this could be huge, you
know, funding for everything broadcasting to training pitches to you systems and clubs hopefully
becomes astronomically bigger and better. Because we play well in twenty twenty six,
I don't think we've proven ourselves yet, and that is as a sport and
that's as a national team. Forrest Tucker is a sports reporter for WTVQ here
in Lexington and a soccer lover and wanted to talk from soccer, which we
are glad to do. On the other side of the break, we'll talk
basketball and football here on The Big Blue Siders six thirty WLAP. Welcome back
to the Big Blum Sider. We're talking with Forrest Tucker of WTVQ, who
has been covering sports in this area for a while and of course came up
from South Carolina, which is challenging Kentucky Forest in what used to be the
SEC East now just the Southeastern Conference. But these are two teams that have
been trying to climb over each other to the top in the Southeastern Conference,
and things obviously are getting a lot tougher with Texas and Oklahoma. Are you
a believe were in what Shane Biemer is doing down there? And how do
you see this this matchup because it's going to be early this year. Yeah,
it's going to be hot Roly Gasman for air down at Croker Field.
It's going to be so aired and just dry and hot. So aside from
that, Dick, yes, I'm on the beamer train. I think this
year, if he doesn't start producing, his clock is sticking. And it's
so hard because you know, the Chansfer portal is difficult, and we kind
of saw for a lot of coaches things swing in and out of their favor
based on the popularity that just booming over the past. You know, i'd
say year and a half, Hey have you a degree? So yeah,
I'll give I'll give him a couple more years. I think that it's really
difficult because Kentucky and Te Carolina have the same goal. They want to challenge
Georgia, and how can you do that at this point? Right? You
know you can't. I don't think you know I don't think winning the SEC
East is on their radar. Upsets always possible, uh, but you know,
it's one of those things where this conference has turned into having This isn't
any team's went on any given day conference to me, And I don't think
he used to be that way. I think he kind of had a hierarchy.
But now, you know, I've been impressed with what Soups has done
and he's really, you know, kind of falling back or not really I'd
say falling back not to be an insult, but he's gotten a lot of
good guys from Ohio, his home state, coming in here. So I'm
optimistic and I think that's really good for Mark because if he wants to win
recruiting battle, he has to win it against Ohio State and Louisville. If
suck Calanda wants to win recruiting battle, it's Clemson in Georgia. And I
think we're gonna have to, you know, see a lot of in state
guys or guys who have a tie to like someone like Mark. You know
an Ohio kid, an Ohio coach, you know Shane Charleston born head coach,
Guys who are you know from from place he's been. You know,
you have to report these guys, you have to have them want to stick
around for longer than the season. I look at what La Motte Parris is
with the men's basketball program in Columbia, and I say, man, you
got camp Scott out Election High School. He's a great kid. He's an
in state guy, and other in state guys who come around. Uh I'm
missing on the name, but a kid from Whale Branch High now where near
my parents live now in Suport. He's committed. So you've got to get
the culture going early, you know, or else it's not going to be
there. Uh. And I'm hopeful for this season. I want it to
be back because there's nothing there's nothing like SEC football. But I'm not too
much in favor of the expansion. I think it's a little bit. You
know, they're two great brands. You know, it's I guess it does
just mean more, uh, for for a lot of other reasons than just
the football. Absolutely absolutely, I mean obviously financially better for the league,
But is it is it best for college football? I think we'll all agree
the answer is no. But you know, you got to move forward.
Now you've got you just mentioned Clemson in Florida State seemed bound and determined to
leave the are trying to drag two or three other schools with them? Oh
yeah, exactly. Well, I think the thing that is something that we
can't forget. And I asked Trex Skinner about this about a year ago a
little bit less. I said, Craig, of course you hit head men's
volleyball. It had had a women's volleyball head coach. You know, hey,
what do you think as a as a as an Olympic female sport head
coach about expansion? And he was happy as the yeses. He wasn't doing
too much, but that not a lot of re alignment, you know.
Yeah, football has these big budgets, Basketball the same. These smaller sports
don't have as big of a budget. It's hard on these athletes who do
not play the big sports, and including baseball. So like really, you
know, feel comfortable in my opinion sometimes so I kind of feel for them,
you know, oh yeah, yeah, definitely, because not everybody charters,
you know, and Kaylee Clark kind of brought that to the attention of
the way. But as someone who has done both, I've been very fortunate
enough to do both obviously football charters. But I've traveled with baseball when it
has not, I've traveled with women's basketball when it has, and as you
know, it makes a huge difference. Oh yeah, one hundred and ten
percent. I mean, you know, it makes difference for everybody if they
get on a plane or not. I love flying, so I you know,
I'm cool with it. I hate driving, so I don't like it.
But you know, I've never been a student athlete before, so I
don't have the idea of what it's like to be on a bus with all
of your you know, twenty of your best friends, or fit for a
hundred of your best friends if you're a football team. So i'd imagine that
you know, anywhere you can get some extra Lagrim's probably pretty good, that's
true. And uh, plus on the football charters, they feed these guys,
uh to keep that Cali level up. You know, that's that's huge
for football. Obviously, a couple of minutes left with Forrest Tucker. I
don't know if you've had a chance yet. I don't think you were at
the gathering yesterday with the basketball players. But one thing I noticed, and
you will too, A team full of veterans. Man. They are all
really experienced or a little experience at being interviewed. That's going to be make
our lives a little easier, isn't it. I was not there. I've
been out. I'm actually at it. I'm sitting on a golf cart and
he traced golf club right now. That's what I've been all week, and
I plan to be there through Sunday. So that's that's a fun assignment.
But yeah, I think that a marks very uh what's the word here?
I'm looking for. He's friendly and familiar with the media, and his players
are seeming as you kind of say, I trust your instinct there or are
taking after him, which is really good, Dick, because you know,
we want to tell stories on these guys. Sometimes it's hard to tell stories
on these players when they're freshmen coming into college. There's not a lot of
STPs to them. You know, everyone could do the Reed Shepherd story and
read you know, he's gotten good in front of camera, right, but
you know, I want to know about these guys. And Marion Williams is
a guy from Nottingham, England. Obviously I've probably spoken before. I have
family over there. That's part of where my lineage lies, and basketball is
an up and coming sport in that country. I don't really think he has
an accent if we haven't seen in front of the camera before. So I'm
interested to see what he's like and see what it was like coming up and
playing basketball in that country, because there's a pro league there out and I
think that'd be really cool to talk to him. So I'm looking forward to
this basketball season having a coach that's not to stand offish with us. And
also if he just cookies, that's true. I did that at the last
press conference. And the other thing too. We've talked before about this a
lot of us. Have he answers your question, you know, I mean,
he doesn't try to control the narrative. Yeah, the other guy,
his predecessor, brilliant at controlling the narrative, but got a little frustrating when
you were going after a particular storyline. So we'll see how that plays out.
Forrest Tucker, watch for his work on WTVQ, and I hope you
get to cover that soccer match up on September tenth. All right, Well,
Thomas Tukele for national team manager or other people who knows, just make
a decision. By the way, September tenth is a Tuesday, so honestly,
if I were still running sports at WKYT, I would love to cover
that match. I may try to get up there myself. That's going to
be fascinating. That is a huge deal when one of the US teams,
men's or women's comes anywhere close to Lexington to play soccer. Yeah. I
know we've joked about soccer in the past, but it is It is a
big deal and I appreciate for us reaching out and wanting to talk about it
up next, couple of basketball wild Cats, we get to know them a
little better. On six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue and sider
Dick Gabriel with you on a Friday as we wrap up the week. I
thought we would do something a little bit different given the fact that yesterday UK
trotted out three of the new basketball players, first time they've done that.
Some people have had one on ones. I have not yet had a chance
to sit down with any of the players. I had a chance to talk
to Mark Pope, but they're giving us a bit more access now as the
season draws near, the semester draws near so yesterday and I played a little
bit of it on the show. Last night. They brought out to Andrew
Carr, Ansley Almanpor and otega Oway, and I thought I would share the
interviews with you. I will tell you this. You're gonna hear from Andrew
Carr, and you're gonna hear from Angeley Almanor, but not otega Oway,
simply because and I played a little bit of his interview last night. He
is such a soft spoken young man. He has a beautiful deep voice and
his speaks really well. Gave a great interview, but because of the way
he his voice was so deep and soft, and he was at a big
table and those of us would handheld microphones, I for one, could not
get close enough to him to pick it up on my mic without having all
the other voices in the background bleeding over. I was able to find a
little bit last night to play for you, but I want to get another
conversation with him, because he's a really good interview and, like I said,
as a beautiful deep voice. But in trying to play back the entire
interview, there's so much room noise. You can if you're watching him on
YouTube or TV or whatever. You can tell what he's saying, but just
listening it's very, very, very difficult. So we'll have to come back
to him another time. But let us start with the big man, Andrew
Carr six' eleven transfer from Wake Forest from Westchester, PA. He will wear
number three Rex Chapman, and he talked to us yesterday about the joys of
being a big man, playing for Mark Polpe and playing at Kentucky. Just
touching on keep chemistry. This is a small amount of time, at a
short period of time to come together. How does that work for you guys
thus far with this small period of time. Yeah, you know, I
think it's been. It's actually been a lot of fun. A lot of
guys you know who are older, fourth, fifth year guys, and you
know they're coming in with the emphasis on trying to get to know everybody.
And when you got you know, ten to twelve guys who are trying to
put in effort to get to know each other, it becomes a whole lot
easier when when everybody's trying to learn, you know, learn about each other.
And and it's been it's been really awesome. You know, it's it's
my my third team that I've been on and and so I've been able to
be around a lot of college basketball. But you know, whenever you get
to be a part of a team, it's really special. And these guys
are really awesome. It's been really really great people and there are a lot
of fun to be around, so that that part makes it a little bit
easier too. So have you been the most impressive so far in practice?
You know, that's a hard question. You know, I think a lot
of people have have done a really great job, and I think for for
us, it's it's been really cool. It's not just one person every day,
so you know, it switches up every single day. Different people have
good days on different days, and I think that's what I'm super excited about
with this team in general, too, is the depth. And you know,
we got two of everything, so you know, it's been it's been
really fun to see that throughout practice. Did everybody surprised you, like,
maybe a little better than you thought, or maybe even just different, different
skill set that he maybe thought coming in. You know, I definitely tried
to watch as much film on my teammates as possible, so I felt like
I had a pretty good grasp of what they like to do and and everything.
But I'd say BG is super physical, and you know, I think
he's made a really concerned effort to keep his super high motor all the time
in practice and and give it his all, and it's been really apparent.
So you scattered your own teammates, of course, yes, so you've done
that before, uh, somewhat, you know. I think whenever you go
to a new spot or have new teammates, I think this year is a
little bit easier, a little bit different, just because you have a lot
of film from a lot of guys. There are a lot of transfers and
a lot of people who played a lot of minutes at other places, so
it's pretty easy to kind of find that you know. And you have other
transfers for me as people who necessarily didn't play as much or things like that
at their last school. So it's been really fun to to really be able
to kind of dive deep into some of my teammates and see where they like
and where they thrive on offense, defense. And this is not your first
transfer, but this is so new for everybody. I mean, the entire
team, a new coach and all that. I mean, how crazy.
Is it been to be a part of just getting to know everybody? Yeah,
you know, I think it has been. I think it's been pretty
crazy. But I think also that's the blessing and all of it too,
is everybody's new, So everybody's experiencing the same thing. You know, Coach
Pope and the coaching staff are trying to feel each other out and figure it
out, just as you know, the players are trying to figure feel each
other out, figure it, figure it out. And so that just I
think, you know, the the perspective that gives everybody in the program is
really special, just a super graceful perspective, and you know, I think
that allows for growth, you know, not only with the coaching staff,
but with us as well, just to be able to, you know,
know that everybody is in a new situation and everybody's gonna give as much effort
and try as hard as they possibly can to make it work. And so
that's been been really cool, and to have that perspective has been I think,
on both sides, really beneficial for relationships. Your new coach six practices.
Yeah, so I think I don't know if it's necessarily new, but
I one thing I love. And one thing I know about Coach Pope and
he showed it definitely in in recruiting as well. But he just he loves
people, you know, and and Coach Pope is just a really really great
personality, and you know, it bleeds into everything that he does and with
his family. You know, the way he the way he coaches us,
the way he acts with the coaching staff, and all the way down to
the way he acts with the janitor janitorial people here and just like everybody.
And I think it rubbed me a really great way. And just the way
that he cares about people, the way that he goes out of his way
to you know, to to love on other people, and endless gratitude with
him. And that's been really special to see out of someone who's a leader
at University of Kentucky. Especially, So how is he practices? How involved
is he with Yeah, very involved? That was pretty cool, especially you
know, uh, for me being able to to go first day, within
the first couple of minutes of the first practice, Coach Pope has this in
the post, is doing post moves, guarding me and showing me tis and
tricks and things like that, which has been really really cool and you know
he's out there, you know, directing everything. It's been. It's been
a lot of fundering practice. Andrew's part of question, You've gotten a lot,
But why I Kentuck you? What made you want to come here?
You know, this is a really special place. I think for me,
I knew what I was looking for when I went into the transfer portal,
and this is a combination of everything that kind of came together for me.
First and foremost, it was a basketball fit, and I think, uh,
Coach Pope did a really great job, you know, showing me how
I would fit within the team and in the recruitment and just the way that
I've been able to play. But also, uh, it's been was really
cool for me to say, hey, you need to get better at this
and this, and this is how we can help you do that. And
you know, for someone trying to to continue to get better obviously has aspirations
to to go play in the NBA. That's that's all you want to hear
when you're in the recruitment process. And so that was really cool to to
understand my fit. And then the second part was just the embracement. Embracement
from the fans. You know, I think, uh, Big Blue Nation
is is just I think you said it before. It's just it's just different.
You know. I think it's a really special place and been my dream
ever since a little kid coming and watching basketball. You always, you know,
you hear about Kentucky, Kentucky basketball. You watch Kentucky basketball, and
you know you want to be a Kentucky basketball player. So we've heard a
lot about this team's shooting ability right early practices. Who's who's the one guy
that you you just cannot ever leave. I think it's pretty cool. You
know, Travis Perry has done a really you know, great job, just
be working on going in and seeing them in there. You know, sometimes
you walk in and he's at five hundred and six hundred shots up right in
the day and something like that, and he's still at like eighty five percent,
and I'm like, like, how is that possible? Walk over it's
all threes and he's at eighty five percent. It's pretty crazy. So I'd
say, you know, Travis Perry has been lighting it up. You know,
I made fifty nine in a row from a corner the other day.
It's just it's incredible. So what's it been like getting acclimated. I know
Wakes, I'm from Winston, Okay, very good Wakes, kind of shell
Ansler. You get here, everybody's recognized automatically because you play. Yeah.
Yeah, No, it's been definitely a little bit different. I think my
favorite part has been, you know, you get downtown and been able to
go out to eat it some some really beautiful places downtown and things like that.
A lot of rooftop places I didn't know a city, you know,
try to get you on the roof for some extra space or something like that.
But it's been cool going there. My favorite part is also just you
know, you go ten fifteen minutes and it's just green for forever, and
like, you know, it's just been a beautiful I just love nature and
things like that going outside. So for me, it's been really cool to
to you know, drive fifteen twenty minutes and you know, get to a
taste of your hometown. And for me, West Ester is really similar to
that, a lot of green, a little bit more hills, but a
lot of green, and so Lexington has really felt like home and you get
a taste of both in city and the country. So it's been a lot
of fun, you know, being able to explore and experience it, and
you know, pretty comfortable being away from home at this point in my life.
So it's been it's been great. Welcome back to the Big Blue and
Cider final segment of our show. We are presenting the full interviews with some
of the basketball Wildcats we had a chance to talk to yesterday. Shared a
little bit last night. Andrew carr otega Oway and Angeley Almanor, who is
the six to seven wing player from Upstate New York. He transferred in from
Fairleigh Dickinson, and he spoke to us yesterday first of all about the Kentucky
non conference schedule, how he's looking forward to those marquee matchups. You you
can't wait to get out there and play, you know, actually play against
other teams. Obviously excited for some of the bigger games like Duke Louisville and
stuff like that, but just can't wait to get out there and go compete
other guys. Is that kind of why you came here playing those marquee games?
Oh yeah, it's definitely a reason. You don't get to play in
that type of exposure playing national television games a lot those big time teams,
big time players, you know, definitely, definitely was the reason why I
came here for sure. How are games like that gonna help you, guys
gel maybe even quicker than a game against a team that's not quite up to
the same part, Because you know, you face adversity. University brings you
closer. So when you play those bigger teams, you're gonna go through a
lot of tough stretchers. They're gonna go make runs because there's a lot of
talent on those types of teams. So when you when you face adversity,
you end up becoming quicker and jail quicker and stuff like that. So those
those games definitely help us. What do you mean by adversity there? I
think I know, But what do you mean? Just you know, when
another team goes on a run, they're gonna hit shots. They're they're obviously
talented too. You know, they're gonna go there, hit shots, going
a little run. How we're gonna respond to that, the little things like
that that help build us to where we're a competing in March. And how
practice is going so far? What? What what have you seen in the
practices? Oh? Practice is great? You know, I love it.
I love the lay coach runs things. You know, we got a lot
of skill development and we get to play a lot go up and down,
uh, and then putting in his system and stuff like that. So it's
just been great. I love this so far. Let's talked about communications and
how vital that is. I mean, how quickly has this team picked up
on that? Uh? I feel like since we have a lot of vets,
has something we've we we knew, we know and f uh coming in
for sure. So we're I feel like we're pretty good communicators, all of
us top to bottom. You know, all all of us were out there
talking, you know or c We're a pretty close team too, So I
feel like it's something that we definitely have is a strength of us. What
makes you say you're close? I mean, how do you get that feeling?
What? How does it manifest itself? I you need to spending so
much time with the guys, like living in the lodge and stuff like that.
Just I feel like it just made us jelt quicker. Like I feel
like all these guys are my brothers, Like I know them, I could
h t text them, call them whenever I need'em. Like I feel
like everybody has that same type of feeling when it comes to this team.
Yeah, in the same boat. I mean, you're all new coming into
the program new year. I feel like that definitely does play a part too.
You know, everybody is news first time here and we're all learning these
things together, so uh that that definitely does play a part in it for
sure. You guys be a team building you guys on the football field yesterday?
Who who stood out on the on the football field? Who? Who?
I mean? Colin did pretty good? He has a good little arm?
Uh uhh? Who else is pretty good? Uh? Bg is pretty
good. You know, I feel like we are. We're pretty pretty solid
as a team. You know, what was your reaction to Coach Pope in
the helmet? Oh? Yeah, I was laughing. He came out of
nowhere with the helmet on. It's like he was a tight end out there.
You know, talk about you know, on paper, you guys can
shoot the ball, and Mark recruited guys who can all shoot it. Can
you just talk about the ability of this team to shoot from from depth?
Yeah, it's not just on papers in real life too, you know,
like you we really got a lot of shooters. That's something he emphasizes even
in every day in pract This's where he makes us everybody go take a lot
of threes, a lot of shots, make sure we're prorecting our craft,
and that's something that he emphasizes a lot as a key to how we're gonna
play this year, how we're gonna beat teams. Just we're gonna take a
lot of threes. We're gonna make a lot of threes, and that's definitely
a big part of us for sure. Is that something you're looking forward to,
Yeah, it's something I'm definitely looking forward to. You know. It's,
uh one of my strengths. So definitely can't wait. Can't wait to
do that. How much different in say, offense from what you ran previously?
Uh, it's p It's pretty different, you know, cause it's is
just like these types of players, these types of coaches, like they just
go out there, they let you play like there's no really set plays like
that. You're really gonna go out there and read each other, read a
defense like you know. That's why being a close team really matters when it
comes to this type of system, cause you got to know each other.
You gotta know where this person's gonna be or well, how this person's gonna
react to a certain movements. So I feel like that's really like, uh,
how this offense works, you know, just being able to read each
other and that something that's different that I haven't really is there a thing?
Is it gonna make it juts? But uh not really. I feel like
you I played basketball for almost all my life, so once you play basketball,
like you're a basketball player. At the end of the day, you
know, you know what the right players, you know the wrong players.
So as long as you out there trying to make the right play, everything's
gonna fall into place. For sure. We're not playing with six you guys
have got six fifty year seniors. What's that gonna mean for you guys?
Or just experience? You know, we're an older team when it comes to
compare, Like comparing us to the rest of the country's gonna be older than
a lot of these teams. You know, fifty your seniors, they've been
through a lot. I mean I'm a senior myself. I've been through a
lot. Like I know college basketball like the back of my hand, Like
I've been through the ups and downs that they've definitely been thro the ups and
the downs. So I feel like that's gonna help us, especially when it
comes to later in the season, like when we're pushing making a play for
Marshall, stuff like that. I definitely think that's gonna be a key to
while we win games and being able to put pull them out. The championship
team coach played for had so much talent, and they told us that going
into that year, they were all talking among themselves like, how is Rick
Patino gonna do this? Who's gonna play what position? And how much are
you guys going through a similar thing because you've got so much experience talent on
this roster. I mean, I feel like we're not even work like right
now. I don't think anybody's really worried about that right now. We're just
really focused on trying to learn his system. Yes, I think it's a
little too so as you get closer to this season, we'll start figuring that
out. But like, we're still just trying to learn everything. You know,
It's there's a lot of it's a lot of this stuff is coming out
as fast. We're trying to learn his system, excuse me, trying to
learning system, learning things that he's teaching us and trying to learn each other
like on and off the court. So that's that's something a little too early
for us to really think like that. But like you said, there's a
lot of talent on this team, so they got a tough job. I
feel like trying to figure out what was your impression of when he took you
over it? It was unbelievable. You know, you see it on TV
and stuff like that. You see see the games on TV, but being
in there, sitting like like sitting at the top, just seeing the whole
arena from that point of view is just crazy. Like I'm gonna be able
to get to play there and represent those fans, and I can't wait to
do that. There's always coach Pope's system that's very advanced, and it's hard
to learn from a lot of people. What a lot of people have said,
can you maybe just just kind of go into a little bit of death
of what you've seen from his system so far? Just just like a lot
of reads, That's what what it is like. You play fast, you
p you make a lot of reads. You play basketball with a hot Q.
You've tried to find your teammate to open shot and that's really what it
is. And it sounds easy, but to really not, like you know,
it takes a lot of movement. It takes a lot of practice and
a lot of hard work to be able to you know, mastur it and
perfect it. But it's been fun so far learning it. So what do
you If there's one thing you want BBN to know about you? What is
it? Uh? Know that I'm here to represent you guys, and I'm
only here to win this national championship. You're not gonna see nobody go out
there and like I mean a person, I'm gonna go out there and give
them my all every time I get out there, you know, like I'm
then to comfort the the glids to the glamor. I just came here to
win a national championship and represent you guys. That's all I came here for
and com for, none of the fancy stuff, you know. So that's
definitely something I want them to know about me. What about defensively? What
have you seen defensively in their practices so far? Defensively, what he teaches
us like really fun, Like I feel like you've got a lot of good
defenders and that's something that he emphasized that people don't really realize that he's really
a big, big emphasis on defense. We do that every day. We
you know, certain schemes and stuff, the way we play it's that's something
that it's important. We got to get stops and we got to be able
to rebound on the defensive end. So it's something that people don't don't really
talk about when it comes to coach Pope, but that's something we definitely emphasize.
Defense is fun. Yeah, the way like defense is fun, Like
the way the way we want to play like defense is fun. You get
stops, you've got, you get out and you go make them guard us.
Like it's just fun. You know, what do you see from Amari
so far? I mean, medium have you seen from Weed? He's been
He's been great. You know, he probably got to get to talk to
them in a couple of days. But you know, everybody's been great.
Like I said, everybody is just a great player out here working their butts
off and you know, doing their best. So it's been a great,
greatperience so far. Sure you guys don't worry about this, but the prese
he's in way too early. Top twenty fives, probably don't have you guys
anywhere. How good can this team be? I know, the sky's a
limit and all that, but you've seen a lot of basketball, Like you
said, just just how good is this team gonna be? I feel like
this team's gonna be really good. Like I said, it's gonna really shock
a lot of people how good we're gonna be, especially especially when it comes
to playing some of the teams on our schedule, Like we're gonna we're gonna
go out there and shock a lot of shock a lot of people in this
country. And we're definitely gonna make a deep run when it comes to March,
because that's the goal is anyway, it's the goal. Obviously when of
those non conference games in those conference things early, they matter, but the
end goal is getting that band number nine, and that's what all of our
goals are. So so you think those big non conference games could be statement
games, They're definitely gonna be statement game. Especially you got a lot of
guys who are you know, we want to be here, we want to
represent Kentucky. So we're gonna go out there and make statements and hopefully,
you know, show people that we're not someone to play with so yeah,
we're definitefinitely gonna go out there and make some statements in others in those games.
That'll do it for now. Next week I actually get a chance for
one on one with Trent Noah. I'm really curious to talk to that young
man after seeing him play in the state tournament and we're all asking each other
why hasn't this guy at least been recruited by Kentucky and now he's a Wildcat
instead of a South Carolina game Cock. Next week, of course, SEC
Media Days down in Dallas. I'll be attending toward the end of the week.
Tell you more about that coming up on Monday. Have a great weekend.
That's a good night. From the garage in Lexington, Mama says that
Alligate is the owner because they got all empty but no toothbrush.