WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:03.960 Welcome to the Big molind Sider Dick Gabriel with you on a Monday edition of 2 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:08.199 our program. Coming up tonight, we'll talk baseball, football, basketball. 3 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:15.400 Ken Spencer of WHAS formerly WTVQ will join us and talk about the football Wildcats. 4 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:21.480 It's media week, talking season begins open for business today down in Dallas. 5 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:25.640 Wildcats don't speak until Thursday. In fact, they're the last group to 6 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:30.239 go, so we'll talk with Kent. We'll talk also with Aaron Gershaan who's 7 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:35.079 already in Dallas about what's coming up and the kids that Mark Sooops has brought 8 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:39.240 with him down there, including Dion Walker. He'll be a smashhit. I 9 00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:45.039 believe we're also going to talk with Aaron about basketball. We had a chance 10 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:48.759 to talk to some of the Wildcats last week, the new guys and baseball 11 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:53.920 because it was a big night last night for the Wildcats and for the Southeastern 12 00:00:53.960 --> 00:01:00.520 Conference. Man did SEC players go? No surprise at the draft in Fort 13 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:06.799 Worth, Texas at the Cowtown Coliseum. I guess the only surprise was Ryan 14 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:11.719 Walschmith didn't go a little bit higher, but he's in. We'll tell you 15 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:15.560 more about the pick that he went with after we go through some of these. 16 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:19.599 You've seen you and I saw these guys play this year here in Lexington. 17 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:23.519 Charlie Condon from Georgia was the number three pick. Kind of a surprise. 18 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:27.400 We thought he would go to the Reds. Number two. Hagen Smith 19 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:32.040 from Arkansas, the great left hander, went to the White Sox. Number 20 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:36.959 five. Jack cagleone. He was here last year with Florida Wildcats, played 21 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:42.840 at Florida this season. He went sixth to Kansas City. In fact, 22 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:49.319 it's interesting because on the web page, the SEC sports page, they've got 23 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.439 him going to the Kansas City Chiefs. Big enough, he could have been 24 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:57.879 a tight end there. But Christian Moore, the outstanding second baseman for the 25 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:04.599 national champion Ti fannasy Valls goes to the Angels. Number eight. Brandon Montgomery 26 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:08.080 good pick by the Red Sox. He went twelfth. He's the injured Texas 27 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:13.039 A and M second basement. Good pick. The kid who pitches lefty and 28 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:17.599 righty for Mississippi State or Angelo Sincha. He went to the Seattle Mariners. 29 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:23.599 Number fifteen overall. Ben Hess went to Alabama. Alabama pitcher at number twenty 30 00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:31.319 six, Ryan Waldschmidt was a prospect Promotion Incentive selection. He was the thirty 31 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:38.199 first player taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round. Among the SEC 32 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:46.360 players, Emilian Peatrie goes number fifty eight overall to the Tampa Bay Rays Billy 33 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:52.520 Rutledge's Tampa Bay Rays. So good night for the Wildcats, good night for 34 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:59.719 the Southeastern Conference. Travis Bozana was the first Australian ever taken with the top 35 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:05.080 pick. You saw him here in lexingon. He's the second baseman from Oregon 36 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:08.639 State. Good player, but Kentucky had a great game plan for him and 37 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:15.520 held him down as the Cats took both games in the Super Regional. From 38 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:22.159 Oregon State, the Cleveland Guardians took him with the overall number one, and 39 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:24.800 he was a great, great player this season. Hit four oh seven, 40 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:30.560 twenty eight homers, drove in sixty six. Played for Australia at the twenty 41 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:35.719 nineteen World Cup, and as I said, Kentucky did a great job, 42 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:42.960 although he did unleash a wicked line drive late in the second game and Mitch 43 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:46.759 Daily made a tremendous play on it and robbed him of a base hit. 44 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:53.639 Thirty eight Australians previously have played in the big leagues. But he's got a 45 00:03:53.719 --> 00:04:02.120 chance because he's the number one overall guy. CBS has another space filling pole 46 00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:10.120 on its website where it's kind of combined what two four seven Sports did ranking 47 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:15.879 the positions in the SEC, and CBS Sports ranked the top coaches and gave 48 00:04:15.920 --> 00:04:23.600 them all numerical values to see who would be the overall number one and right 49 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:27.279 now, if you do the math, it looks like Georgia with top ranked 50 00:04:27.319 --> 00:04:30.199 quarterback, number two, skilled players, number three, O line, top 51 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:36.199 ranked front seven, top ranked secondary, and top ranked coach. I'll spare 52 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:43.920 you the trouble. Kentucky had the eleventh ranked quarterback, twelfth ranked skill players, 53 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:49.240 seventh ranked O line, ninth ranked front seven. Now it had the 54 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:54.079 third ranked secondary, even though there were some holes to fill, but veterans 55 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:58.319 coming back, and they rated Mark Stoops sixth. Among the head coaches, 56 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:03.480 Brian Kelly was second, Steve Sarkisian of Texas was third, Alabama's new coach, 57 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:09.079 Kaitlin de Bore coming over from Washington fourth, and Lane Kiffen was fifth. 58 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:14.040 Cbsports dot com if you want to see the entire survey, I mentioned 59 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:17.160 that today opens the SEC media days down in Dallas for the first time, 60 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:21.879 and Greg Sanki, the commissioner, talked about the future of the league and 61 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:27.519 said, right now we're at sixteen teams, and we'll be at sixteen teams 62 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:30.480 tomorrow, meaning, as he said, I'm not a recruiter. So much 63 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:38.079 talk about Florida State and Clemson leaving the ACC. Perhaps evidently there are cases 64 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:44.160 before judges in Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina where they're hearing arguments. 65 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:48.319 In the cases where Florida State and Clemson have sued challenging the grant rights 66 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:54.519 the grant of rights by the ACC, the League has sued those schools trying 67 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:59.680 to keep them in place and defend the conference. So naturally people assume that 68 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:03.360 if they can get out, they'll join the SEC. But Sankee said he 69 00:06:03.480 --> 00:06:08.639 is not looking for that right now. And he said, when you point 70 00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:13.839 out the fact that the Big Ten added four teams from the PAC twelve, 71 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:18.959 the Big twelve added four teams from the PAC twelve, the ACC itself added 72 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:26.560 two plus SMU, and now you've got all these weird geographic configurations. But 73 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:30.959 Sankie talked about the fact that the SEC did its best to hang on to 74 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:36.160 the geographic configuration. I guess you could say those two teams are adjacent to 75 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:41.800 the southeast, but close enough, closer than PAC twelve teams. All right 76 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:45.399 up next way here from La Familla here on the Big Moon Siders six thirty 77 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:50.480 WLAV Welcome back. Coming up in a few minutes, Ken Spencer from WHAS 78 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:55.879 we'll talk Entucky football, and then our second hour, Aaron Gershan will join 79 00:06:55.959 --> 00:07:00.360 us to talk about media days. He's already in Dallas and with talk with 80 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:03.199 Aaron as well about basketball and baseball with the draft happening. As I said 81 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:09.839 last night, today was media day for La Familia that, as you probably 82 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:14.879 know, is the UK entry into the TBT, the Basketball Tournament, So 83 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:20.240 it's redundant to say the TBT anyway. The roster set Willie Carley Stein, 84 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:26.199 the Harrison Twins, Eric Bledsoe, James Young, Nate Cstina Killn Grady, 85 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:31.120 Daniel Orton, Brennan Canada. Tyler Eulis is the coach. He's assisted by 86 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:38.199 John Hood and Sean Woods, our regular guest each week. Also, Kareem 87 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:45.199 Canter is playing. He's the younger brother of Ennis cantor Freedom Canter. But 88 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:48.680 they let us talk to all these guys today. I got to everybody, 89 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:51.199 I think, but well I got the most of them. I didn't get 90 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:56.519 to Andrew Harrison before we ran out of time, or to Brennan. But 91 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:59.879 it was kind of a group group kind of thing. And I listened to 92 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:05.480 and asked a few questions of the head coach, Tyler Eulis will join John 93 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:09.480 Caliperi in Arkansas. How much fun has it been so far? Just to 94 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:13.240 see everybody back together in the gym, in the hotel last right and all 95 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:15.920 that. How fun to see everybody back together. This is our first day 96 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:16.800 back together. But you know, it's fun, like I said, but 97 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:18.879 blessed, so is my vet. I haven't seen them in four or five 98 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:22.600 years. Of the twins, I haven't seen probably in about three years. 99 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:24.879 So you know, it's good to get back with these guys. You know, 100 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:26.680 get some camaraderie and you know, just you know, come out here, 101 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:30.439 have fun. Dude. We love try to win some games and you 102 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:35.360 know, be successful together. How do you approach coaching guys like this. 103 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:39.080 You've played so much basketball, maybe older than you are. You know, 104 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:43.639 I feel like we all have mutual respect for each other. I've played with 105 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:46.759 blood I've played with the Twins. You know, these other guys know me. 106 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:50.360 I know them. They we all came under cal so it's not really 107 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:52.000 hard. They know who I am as a point guard. They know my 108 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:56.440 personality. They know I want to win. I know they want to win. 109 00:08:56.039 --> 00:09:00.360 We all have the same mentality seeing them for these first twenty minutes, 110 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:03.840 they're locked in and ready to go. I was gonna say, they also 111 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:07.320 know of your skills is a point guard. That's gonna be a big help 112 00:09:07.559 --> 00:09:09.240 for sure. You know, they they've played. Like I said, I 113 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:11.639 was their point guard most of them, so they trust me. They understand 114 00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:15.639 me. They know I'm a leader, you know, and I understand them 115 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:18.559 too, so you know, I understand. I'm not gonna be overly coaching 116 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:20.840 these guys. They're pros, so you know, hopefully they helped me out. 117 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:24.000 You know, I help them as much as I can. How much 118 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:26.240 will this experience I guess We'll wait and see you. But how will this 119 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:31.279 help you in your career? ARC now is your approach coaching? It will 120 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:33.399 help me a lot. You know, this is my first experience as a 121 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:35.559 head coach and on any level. You know, I'm having coach kids or 122 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:39.879 anything, So, you know, really no, I mean it's a big 123 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:41.799 step, big first job, but you know, I'm just gonna have fun 124 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:45.440 with it, not put too much pressure on myself. I want to win, 125 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:48.399 though, you know, just try to have fun and you know, 126 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:50.559 piggyback off all our coaching staff and these guys. You know, we're all 127 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:54.679 pros. We've all been through and played at different level. So you know 128 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:56.120 it'll be a lot of fun, you know, but you know they gotta 129 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:58.159 come out play hard. As long as we do that, I think we 130 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:01.519 will be fun. Just have to make quick decisions in the heat of battle. 131 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:03.720 But you did that with the ball in your hand, did Yeah? 132 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:07.240 So for me, you know, the things I haven't done are more like 133 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:09.000 you know, I haven't drawn plays up in the huddle. I haven't done 134 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.639 things like that. But when it comes to adjustments and you know, in 135 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:15.720 game decision making, I feel like, you know, that'll be second nature 136 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:18.639 to me. What about keeping people happy with playing time? Not gonna make 137 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:22.279 it. I don't think that's the thing. Uh, you know, yeah, 138 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:26.399 you earn, you earn playing time. And I feel like these guys, 139 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:28.440 we have a great group of guys, uh, really skilled players. 140 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:33.120 I feel like everybody will touch the court. But you know the guys who 141 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:35.600 are playing, who are you know, producing are gonna play more because you 142 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:39.960 guys have this shared experience even in this building. You feel like that will 143 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:43.120 help that. You know, you guys are all playing for each other. 144 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:46.320 Oh for sure. You know we all know each other, we all have 145 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:48.360 a common goal, We've all played with each other. We have respect for 146 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:52.639 each other. So you know, I don't think there will be any egos 147 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:54.360 or anything like that. Guys, understand, if you aren't playing better than 148 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:56.840 this guy and he's gonna get more minutes, you know, it's basketball. 149 00:10:56.840 --> 00:11:00.879 It's the way life. Last time I saw you, if you're on crutches, 150 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.600 are you good now? Yeah? I'm better. I've been rehabbing for 151 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:05.639 the last few months out in Vegas, so I'm a lot better. Hopefully 152 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:09.879 get running soon, moving around more than you were a world class athlete before 153 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.879 that accident. How frustrating has that been for you? I'm extremely you know, 154 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:18.200 obviously I would love to still be playing, but you know we're here 155 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:22.720 now. Coach Kyl, you know, blessed me to come back. The 156 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:24.399 last few years. I've learned a lot from that staff and you know, 157 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:28.000 now I'm here and I just got to do what I gotta do. This 158 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:30.679 is what's next for me, and you know, I'm loving it. And 159 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:33.600 Tyler was in the NBA for a little while and then that terrible accident comes 160 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:39.399 and just kind of robs him of his athletic ability. But now he's putting 161 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:41.879 the brain to work as a head coach. I think he'll be a good 162 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:46.159 when he was such a great point guard. But as he said, this 163 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:48.720 is his first opportunity to be a head coach, really a coach of any 164 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:54.159 kind, you know, except for being a GA. But he said he 165 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:58.879 never even coached kids before, so this is going to be really really interesting. 166 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:03.360 Anson Harrison twins. Of course Aaron was the shooting guard. Now, 167 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:07.480 they played two years at Kentucky, came back and we're part of that twenty 168 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:15.399 fifteen team and made that undefeated run that ended two games short. But Aaron 169 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:20.960 is the guy who hit not just two huge shots, but three. He 170 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.720 had two in the twenty fifteen tournament, one against Louisville, one against Michigan. 171 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:30.480 But remember in twenty fourteen, as a freshman, with about seven seconds 172 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:35.519 left, he buried one against Wisconsin, the team that of course eliminated Kentucky. 173 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:39.399 The following year, had a chance to talk to Aaron about coming back 174 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:43.840 and being part of La familia. What's it like being back? That's exciting. 175 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:48.879 I mean seeing my guys, Willie, James Tyler, the guys I 176 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:52.720 played with, and just being able to play with Drew and you know, 177 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:58.039 just other Kentucky legends like Eric. So I'm just excited, you know, 178 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.559 to get out here this excise and to be here, to be back even 179 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:07.679 you know, missing cal but you know, new energy here and it's exciting 180 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:11.799 and I'm just excited. Some would say you're a Kentucky legend. I don't 181 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:15.639 know if you go that farwards you but I don't know. You got you 182 00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:18.080 got history. Yeah, I got history here. We had some really good 183 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:22.159 teams that I was on, so yeah, we made history. We made 184 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:26.240 a lot of a lot of fun, lot of memories. So big shots 185 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:28.159 too, yeah for sure, for sure. But you know that was just 186 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:31.720 part of the just helping the team and being a part of the team. 187 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:35.240 You know, I was, that was my role to take the shots, 188 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:39.320 and I'm happy that it was and it'll be in history forever. But I 189 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:41.080 mean, you know, I think it'll take a couple of years for me 190 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:43.519 to a couple more years to appreciate it all the way. Really, you're 191 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:46.279 still getting there, Yeah, for sure. I think I think about the 192 00:13:46.279 --> 00:13:50.480 losses and more than than the shots that I made for sure, whause you 193 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:52.840 don't lose very often. Yeah, I guess. I mean that's a good 194 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:56.480 thing. Yeah for sure. But those shots live on the internet for sure. 195 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:58.679 For sure. Yeah, I definitely see them every day on social media 196 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:01.759 every Oh, yeah, for sure. So I mean that's definitely I'm blessed 197 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:05.399 to be a part of that, and that's something that can't be taken away. 198 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:09.399 So you still get goosebumps or anything like that when you see them. 199 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:11.480 Oh, I mean here and there. It just depends on you know, 200 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:15.799 the situation, or depends on where I see it. But it's definitely like 201 00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:18.559 just something that I'm proud of for sure. Oh, tell me about this 202 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:20.320 team and what do you think you can accomplish? Oh, the team's great. 203 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:24.159 I mean I think that if we can, you know, it's it's 204 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:31.200 kind of tough playing at a high level and then playing you know, something 205 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:33.799 like this in the summer. You know, some people might not take it 206 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:37.120 as serious as but I think that if we take it serious, we have 207 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:39.399 a great chance of it. If we get on there and play hard. 208 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:43.639 We have the players and the experience and the talent and everything to win. 209 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:46.679 So you knew what it was like here for people coming at you because of 210 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:50.440 the name on the front of your jerseys. It's gonna happen again now, 211 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:52.679 Yeah, for sure, I'm sure everyone's looking forward to coming and rub A. 212 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:56.600 I bet a lot of guys that were playing against I always wanted to 213 00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:58.720 play rough, So yeah, we're gonna We're gonna show them how it is 214 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:03.200 playing right, for sure. I got one more for you. Kellen Grady, 215 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:07.840 who of course transferred in from Davidson for the twenty one twenty two season 216 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:16.519 and was just having a great year until plantar fasciitis set in and just really 217 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:20.960 ruined his only opportunity to help pull the Wildcats through the nca Tournament. That's 218 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:26.679 the team that lost to Saint Peter's. But injuries caught up with that Kentucky 219 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:30.960 team at the end of the year. Otherwise, and you'll hear him talk 220 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:33.080 about it, they were the best team in the country for about a month 221 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:37.600 in the middle of the year, just unfortunate. Like I said that, 222 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:43.960 the injuries showed up at the worst possible time. But now he's back and 223 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:46.000 he's got a chance to play again in blue and white. And he talked 224 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:50.320 about the fact that really he only knows one of his teammates fairly well, 225 00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:58.000 only Nate Nate obviously Brendan because I was Brendan m Canada was here. But 226 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:02.039 the rest of the guys I'm getting to know now. And you know, 227 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:04.679 it's funny. I'm I'm now the youngest guy in the Kentucky gym, which 228 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:11.679 is uh hi, which is not I'm not a granddad anymore. I'm I'm 229 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:15.159 the young I'm the young ones. So now it's a it's a special group, 230 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:17.720 man, everyone's excited to be back here. And I think we'll cover 231 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:21.759 at the phone. Do you keep up with like any of the old guys 232 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:25.320 familiar your team? Well, I'm a groomsman and CJ's wedding in two weeks 233 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:33.200 and yeah, still still talk with Jacob a little bit, Oscar uh And 234 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:37.279 I'd say those guys in terms of guys I'm kind of regularly in contact with, 235 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:41.360 But I've been watching them in Summer League. They've been doing pretty well, 236 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:45.679 the last couple of days, I've I saw a little bit of Reid's 237 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.320 game. I saw Jacob had a pretty good game. We've been pretty busy 238 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:52.399 here with a lot of you know, engagements in their community and stuff like 239 00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:56.919 that. So after practice today I'll see I can check some of those guys 240 00:16:56.919 --> 00:17:00.039 out. Though. All right, such a great run here for a while, 241 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.319 and then the injuries took over. I mean, when you think back 242 00:17:03.359 --> 00:17:08.799 on your stay here at Kentucky, what are your thoughts. I mean, 243 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.920 we had a we had a great year. It just ended, you know, 244 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:17.119 as I was just talking about the single elimination. You know, we 245 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:19.960 went we were undefeated at home, fourteen and four in the league. We 246 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:26.000 had some real quality wins, you know, being in Carolina by thirty on 247 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:33.160 neutral court, going into Fog Island and beating Kansas by twenty, overcoming a 248 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:37.799 lot of doubts and adversity when we lost Titan and Severe and we went to 249 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.599 and oh in that little stretch. Look, man, we had we had 250 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:44.519 a great year. Unfortunately, we were pretty banged up at the end. 251 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:49.839 And now it's it's unfortunate that our season gets defined by by one loss. 252 00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:53.279 But at the same time, I understand it. You know, we should 253 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:56.599 not have lost that game, and it still still haunts me to this day. 254 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:00.920 I'm sure it haunts all of us, but it is what it is. 255 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:03.000 And overall that, you know, we did have a successful season. 256 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:06.640 So we get a chance to come back and wear the blue and white and 257 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:10.279 play here with your buddies, that's got to be a lot of very rewarded. 258 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.599 Oh yeah, it's special, man. I mean in the fact that 259 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:18.039 we get to play at Oparita. It's just it was a no brainer once 260 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:22.240 twenty gave me the call, and I would assume that most of these guys 261 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:26.240 feel the same. So this is a special place to all of us, 262 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:29.720 and that's why we're here. That's Kellen Grady And actually he was not on 263 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.759 the same team in Nate Sustina, now that I think of it, Nate 264 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:37.920 was here twenty nineteen, twenty twenty. But at any rate, everybody's getting 265 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:42.319 back together trying to win some money in the basketball tournament. Well you're more 266 00:18:42.359 --> 00:18:47.680 from more of the guys coming up tomorrow, as well as assistant coach Sean 267 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:53.279 Woods. When we come back. Ken Spencer Whs will talk UK football on 268 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:56.759 the Big Blue Insider six back big blew Insider joining us now is a long 269 00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:00.519 time buddy at, a friend of the show, former wd TV sports director, 270 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:04.880 now the sports director w HS said Louisville Kent Spencer, who, as 271 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:07.519 I like to say, is one of only two guys on the beat that 272 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:11.400 I know of who's been hitting the mouth in a college football game. Him 273 00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:15.480 and Jeff pecorro So. I love talking football with Kent sec media days in 274 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:18.799 Dallas. It's gonna be a zoo down there, Kent. But if your 275 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:23.160 mark stoops, what do you think is gonna be the message about your team? 276 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:26.799 Because last year I think everybody bought into the Kentucky hype, and I 277 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:32.599 think rightfully so, and Kentucky underperformed. I got to think he backsat down 278 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:37.519 a little bit, don't you. I think cautious optimism is probably, you 279 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:41.440 know, his his best thing. And you know, I think if if 280 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:45.799 he has a few question marks, or if he has a few unknown even 281 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:48.000 if it feels good about him, I think it's okay to put things out 282 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:52.119 like, look, hey, we're gonna have to see We're gonna see have 283 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:53.960 to see how these guys perform. We're gonna have to see how these guys 284 00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:59.640 hold up in this in this situation. But I think you know, if 285 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.720 you're Art Stoops, you're you're one hundred percent right. He was pretty he 286 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:06.759 was very bullish on his team last year, and to be quite honest, 287 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:11.039 I mean they were you know, they were really close to having a really 288 00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:15.680 good season. But you know some of those losses I e. South Carolina 289 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:21.119 and a few others, you know, they were real letdowns and underperformed in 290 00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:23.640 certain situations. I mean even look at the at the bowl game. Great 291 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:27.200 great moments, right, yeah, but you can't get it done against a 292 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:30.920 Clemson team that's a that's a notable brand. That would have been a huge 293 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.160 victory for them, you know, and and propelled them into the off season. 294 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:38.160 Just didn't work out that way. Yeah, I think Kasia's optimism is 295 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:42.839 fair because there are so many question marks starting at quarterback, but defense has 296 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:48.119 question marks two so uh and and they can't mess around ken as you know, 297 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:52.799 the scheduled demands may be ready to go almost immediately. No, you're 298 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:56.440 right, and and you know you you mentioned you mentioned quarterback. They felt 299 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:02.799 so good about Devin Leary going and to last year and that he was more 300 00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:07.559 of a proven product than than Brock vandergriff Is. And so you know, 301 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:11.240 I think when you and I think, for me and probably most people would 302 00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:17.920 would agree, the Devin Leary experiment was more of a disappointment than it was 303 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.799 a positive. There. You know, I just don't think, you know, 304 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:23.400 anybody he had the season that anybody thought he was going to have. 305 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:26.359 I thought, you know, I think everybody thinks that they were going to 306 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.039 be a lot better in that in that department. So you know, those 307 00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:33.400 kind of things, especially early on, that's going to be tested. And 308 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:38.279 then also, you know, I think the offensive line showed a little bit 309 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:44.160 of improvement last year, as you know, but but it needs that it 310 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:47.759 needs to get back to where it used to be, and that's tougher. 311 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:51.359 You and I have talked about this before. You know, the longer that 312 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:56.839 John Schlarman is is not there anymore, the more you know, the big 313 00:21:56.880 --> 00:22:00.720 Blue wall is only the big Blue all in name only at the moment. 314 00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:07.000 And it's a I almost kind of equate it to you remember when Nebraska's defensive 315 00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:10.920 line used to be known as the black Shirts, and they and they would 316 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:14.599 have the black Shirts. You know, they still do that at Nebraska that's 317 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:18.680 the name only, like they don't play that way anymore. And so and 318 00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:22.759 that used to come from the tom Osborne days. Well, you know tom 319 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:30.079 Osborne is long since gone. So you know, you almost have to redefined 320 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:34.920 or find your own identity now. And so you know, they really need 321 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:40.799 their offensive line to get back to protecting the quarterback, to be in physical 322 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:45.240 on a on a consistent basis, and they just weren't that anymore. And 323 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:49.440 I look at their their secondary so many question marks there, like, hey, 324 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:53.400 what's what's going to happen there? You know, I think there are 325 00:22:53.400 --> 00:22:56.039 a lot of question marks, and they're going to be tested, like you 326 00:22:56.079 --> 00:23:00.920 said, with that schedule early, with with the likes of South Carolina and 327 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:03.079 Georgia. You know, early, man, they're going to be put to 328 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:08.160 the test early. Yeah, you can't losing Andrew Phillips and and right away 329 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.759 think oh, we'll be fine, maybe we'll be even better. Now you've 330 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:15.279 got to go out and prove that. Uh, And they've got some opportunities 331 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:18.279 to do that. But the last time we saw that defensive backfield, it 332 00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:22.920 had been decimated by injuries by the end of the bowl game, and we 333 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:25.839 all know what happened at the end of that game, so so much to 334 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:30.000 prove, isn't there. You know, they've They've had guys though that have 335 00:23:30.119 --> 00:23:33.440 had rough outings and bowl games and at the end of the season season, 336 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:40.599 and they specifically in the secondary, and those guys have used that in the 337 00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:45.799 past as a motivation for the future and really have have bounced back and had 338 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:52.400 great seasons the bury next year. And so that's that's one of those things 339 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:57.880 that I'm curious to see and and you know, to be to be quite 340 00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:03.400 to be quite honest, you know, I look at a Barryon Brown at 341 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:10.119 wide receiver, who I think had nice moments last year, and even maybe 342 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:15.960 Dame Key at wide receiver. I think those guys had nice moments, but 343 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:19.279 I think they would even probably tell you their season as a whole was largely 344 00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:23.839 a disappointment, Yeah, because they had set so much of expectations on them 345 00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:29.160 on themselves and what they did. I think both of those guys had had 346 00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:33.119 had nice bowl games there, Well, how do you use that back and 347 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:38.000 how do you have a more consistent season because those guys they have the talent 348 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:41.319 to be able to play on Sundays, but you got to be consistent in 349 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:45.920 what you do. You got to be consistent in how you prepare and your 350 00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:52.079 knowledge for the game. So I'm curious to see how they react and I'm 351 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:56.200 curious to see how they perform in bush Hampton's offense that they're going to use 352 00:24:56.279 --> 00:25:00.839 this year. Talking to Ken Spencer, sports director whas Over in Louisville, 353 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:07.000 and I'm glad he brought up bush Hamdan because it's interesting. One of the 354 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:14.000 things that Mark Stoops I think has done at Kentucky is built consistency in the 355 00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:19.839 way they recruit and and develop and win games. But he's not afraid to 356 00:25:19.880 --> 00:25:25.200 make changes. And it's not often his decision like you know, Liam Cohen 357 00:25:25.240 --> 00:25:30.759 suddenly bolts. But he has had more than one offensive coordinator. They have 358 00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:36.119 not all been cookie cutters. But you know, I think that he is 359 00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:41.039 willing Stoops to go with a guy like bush ham Go to say, let's 360 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:44.759 see what you can bring. You know, in basic philosophy is what he 361 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:48.000 needs. But he's always going to want to run the football, isn't he. 362 00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:51.559 It's always going to have to be balanced. Yeah, I mean they 363 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:53.880 want they want to be fifty to fifty. They want to be better in 364 00:25:53.880 --> 00:26:00.000 the passing game. They want to be explosive. You know, I say, 365 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:03.720 you know, everybody talks about Okay, Kentucky football is here, Okay, 366 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:08.839 And they've had a few years where they've been able to kind of make 367 00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:15.000 that jump and get up there and and you know, have have really really 368 00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:21.440 a really really nice season. And so for me when I look at when 369 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:26.640 I look at them kind of going forward, I think that they need consistency 370 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:33.160 in the offensive coordinator position. They just haven't had it. Dick. I 371 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:36.559 mean, you know, yeah, Liam Cohen came back for two different stints, 372 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:41.319 but it was to one year stints. I believe, Yeah, that's 373 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:45.880 just not that's just not enough. And you know, Rich Gangarello and then 374 00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:49.200 even before that, obviously there was there was the one year even though Eddie 375 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:53.119 Grant had been there a long time. But I mean we're talking what Bush 376 00:26:53.119 --> 00:27:00.640 Hampton is is the fifth offensive coordinator they've had in five years. And you 377 00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:04.480 know, maybe you know, some things stay the same, but verbage always 378 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:11.160 changes and how things are called in different things. So that's these kids happen 379 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:15.200 to learn five different you know, five different systems in five different years. 380 00:27:15.240 --> 00:27:18.319 Now some of those are coming in and new and freshmen and you know, 381 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:22.640 they they really haven't had to learn that much. That's so much change, 382 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:26.079 you know, And and it's impossible to say, like, hey, we're 383 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:30.000 going to keep an offensive coordinator for five ten years, but you know, 384 00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:36.480 you could really benefit by having somebody for three to four years. And so 385 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:41.559 I think they really need consistency at that position in order to be able to 386 00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:44.880 take the next step. It's impossible to do it with so much change. 387 00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:48.680 You know. As you say that, I flash, and it doesn't take 388 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:55.039 much to the Bill Curry era when Bill changed his offensive coordinator so many times. 389 00:27:55.079 --> 00:28:00.279 But the difference is they change their style, you know. They go 390 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:06.519 from pro style to eyebone to optionists, you know, and it affects your 391 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:11.359 recruiting patterns. That's the one thing they haven't really had to change. They've 392 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:14.759 they've kind of stayed pro style, so they haven't had to go out and 393 00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:17.640 you know, maybe get a whole bunch of fullbacks or a whole bunch of 394 00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:22.200 more wide receivers or different kinds of old linemen, you know what I mean. 395 00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:26.799 Yeah, but but here's my here here would be the only pushback on 396 00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:30.200 that. So personnel is always the same, right, But when you change 397 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:33.559 burbage. That's so much. That's right, when you change burbage and plays 398 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:37.799 and all of this this so much. It can be the same concept that 399 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:41.319 it can be completely different. What is what is the one thing that coaches 400 00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:45.240 want their teams to do. They want them to play without thinking. They 401 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:49.240 want them to play fast, right, want them to be free of mind. 402 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:55.799 So you can play fast if you are learning a whole new playbook each 403 00:28:55.839 --> 00:29:02.039 and every year. Man, it is impossible to do that saying without thinking 404 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:07.559 and so and in college football in the sec when you take a moment and 405 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:11.720 you're thinking about it, the plays already passed you. That's right, you're 406 00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:15.240 long gone. If you're a step slow in that league, you're losing by 407 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:21.880 thirty. And so, you know, it's one of those things where I 408 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:26.359 think, you know, these guys in some moments are thinking so much. 409 00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.440 That's why it's so tough for true freshmen to really be able to excel. 410 00:29:29.799 --> 00:29:33.720 They can excel in certain positions because maybe some positions are a little simpler, 411 00:29:34.200 --> 00:29:38.240 but or they have a certain package. But you know, you put a 412 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:41.880 you put a true freshman in there, let's say an offensive line or something 413 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:45.200 like that. Man, that game moves really really fast. It takes a 414 00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:49.119 long time for it to slow down. So I just think the bentsl side 415 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:53.680 of things, it needs to get easier and with that comes consistency. Ken 416 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:57.559 Spencer's my guess he is a sports director. W HS and Louisville will come 417 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:02.200 back and talk more Kentucky ball with Ken on the other side of the break 418 00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:04.440 here on six point thirty w Eli Well come back for talking with Ken Spencer, 419 00:30:04.519 --> 00:30:10.680 talking Kentucky football with a sports director, whas this week in Dallas, 420 00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:15.319 Dion Walker I think will captivate the writer's room. I think, really any 421 00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:18.559 room he's in doing you. He's one of the three players. And I 422 00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:22.160 think Derek Jackson will be fine, Marcus Cox will be fine. Old limoner 423 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:26.839 usually, as you know, pretty good interviews. But there's just something about 424 00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:32.440 Walker. He's charming, isn't he. Yeah, so he not only is 425 00:30:32.440 --> 00:30:38.440 he charming, but he's not afraid to be bullish. That's true. You 426 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:44.480 know, there might be some they may tell him not to say certain things, 427 00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:48.519 but sometimes you just you you know, you can't put him in a 428 00:30:48.599 --> 00:30:52.880 cage. First off. First off, he's too big and he's too good, 429 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:56.720 and there may be a few things that come out of out of his 430 00:30:56.839 --> 00:31:00.960 mouth that will make Mark Stukes cringe a little bit. But yeah, he's 431 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.880 one of those kids like once you sit down with him and then you get 432 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:07.359 away from the conversation, you look at whoever you're with and you're like, 433 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:11.559 man, I really enjoyed that. Yeah, that's right, that's just the 434 00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:15.359 way, that's just the way that he is. Yeah. I think that 435 00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:21.680 he'll be a kid this week that everybody enjoys talking to. Yeah, And 436 00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:23.799 I'm curious to see how de Eric Jackson does and I think he will do 437 00:31:23.960 --> 00:31:29.759 well. He's a smart kid, but he is soft spoken. As you 438 00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:33.119 know. He's not a bad interview. But generally when it came to linebackers, 439 00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:37.599 we would gravitate to Trevin Wallace, wouldn't we his running mate and now, 440 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:41.880 but of course Derek D. Jack is a veteran. He's played a 441 00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:45.559 lot of football and he knows what's coming at him. I think, you 442 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:51.839 know. The funny thing about it is is sometimes like you know a kid 443 00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:55.680 and you don't know if they're the best talker or not, or you know, 444 00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:59.720 you don't maybe necessarily go with them to interviews. So when it comes 445 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:01.799 to coaches, and fans they don't care about that stuff, like are you 446 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:07.839 solid? And Eric Jackson for Kentucky's defense is as solid as rock. I 447 00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:14.880 mean, I really think that he took a massive step forward last year on 448 00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:21.079 that defense. And I think when you look at their defense outside of Dion 449 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:23.799 Walker, who's always going to be you know, a one man wrecking crew 450 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:29.599 up front, I think the Eric Jackson at linebacker is as solid as a 451 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:34.119 guest. He always seems like he's in the right he always seems like he's 452 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:37.319 in the right place. And when he arrives, he arrives with bad intention. 453 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:45.279 When you lose a running mate, like like a Trevin Wallace who obviously 454 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:50.200 was a great college player, he's in the NFL now and came out a 455 00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:54.720 year early as a linebacker, what are the adjustments you have to make? 456 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:59.319 What kind of challenge is it going to be for Jackson? And again an 457 00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:02.480 experience, but he's gonna be flanked by a new running mate, you know 458 00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:07.599 what I mean? Yeah, but that that running mate has already had some 459 00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:14.240 experience, a ton ton of experience at the SEC level. And so you 460 00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:16.839 know, the one thing about you know, playing with a linebacker for a 461 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:21.559 couple of years is you know where they're going to be, you know kind 462 00:33:21.559 --> 00:33:24.839 of how they do things and this and that, you know it will it 463 00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:30.880 will come, and it can and I think at linebacker, honestly that I 464 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:34.680 think it can come in practice. You know, sometimes you don't really know 465 00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:38.599 things until you get in a game, but I think you can feel of 466 00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:45.480 each other at that position in practice. And the way that that that Brad 467 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:50.519 White and and those coaches they you know, they've they they've coached those linebackers 468 00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:53.400 up really well, you know over these you know, last handful of years 469 00:33:53.480 --> 00:34:00.559 or how however many long, so you know, inside linebacker for them, 470 00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:06.279 in my opinion, has generally been a strength for what they do. They've 471 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:09.079 always found the right fips and they found guys who kind of compliment each other 472 00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:14.559 there. Yeah, they've done a good job at that and they need to. 473 00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:19.239 That has to happen because if they're not communicating, that could be a 474 00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:22.599 real disaster. A couple of minutes left of Ken Spencer kent covers U of 475 00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:27.519 l Indiana, whatever it takes there in the city of Louisville, and I 476 00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:32.039 watched again that Louisville Kentucky game. I was laid up recovering from surgery, 477 00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:37.239 as you know when they played that game, and what a great football game. 478 00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:42.480 But I had kind of forgotten how talented Louisville was going into that game. 479 00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:45.960 It was the favorite, an eight point favorite, I think in that 480 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:52.360 game Ken. So now it's almost a rebuilt roster for Jeff Brohm and they've 481 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:58.320 already been predicted to be better than Kentucky. That's a win from most prognosticators 482 00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:02.039 for Louisville when they look at the Ski what can we expect from from the 483 00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:07.400 Cardinals and when when UK and U all get together. A lot of football 484 00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:10.039 has to happen between then and now. But it's going to be interesting again, 485 00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:14.760 isn't it. Yeah. I mean, you know, when you look 486 00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:20.639 at the when you look at the cards I think that most people even though 487 00:35:20.960 --> 00:35:25.159 I mean, you know they Louisill played so well last year, but you 488 00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:29.920 know, their their biggest disappointment was, you know, they lost the last 489 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:35.280 three games of their season. They did, and Jeff Brown was He has 490 00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:38.559 not been shy about the fact that even in those three games, his most 491 00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:44.880 disappointing loss was the Kentucky loss. Because that's a rivalry game, that's the 492 00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:49.960 game that he desperately wants to win. He knows his fan base desperately wants 493 00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:54.079 to win. It's not been easy going for them in that series the last 494 00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:59.760 handful of years, and so it's it's the one game that he wants. 495 00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:07.039 I also think that most fans would tell you that they thought that Jack Plumber 496 00:36:07.239 --> 00:36:09.920 was not the best answer for them at quarterback, even though I think he 497 00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:14.960 was by far the best quarterback they had on the roster. Right, They 498 00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:17.960 wanted more out of that position, right, And let's be honest, I 499 00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:22.280 think Kentucky fans wanted more out of that position for them last year as well. 500 00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:29.119 So Jeff Brown brings in Tyler shuck transfer from Texas Tech. He is 501 00:36:29.159 --> 00:36:31.360 going to be I want to say, he's going to be twenty five years 502 00:36:31.400 --> 00:36:37.679 old at some point in like August or September, right, and he's a 503 00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:43.320 talented kid. Actually he's a talented man. When you're twenty five, you're 504 00:36:43.360 --> 00:36:49.760 told you're a man. But he is a talented man who has not been 505 00:36:49.800 --> 00:36:53.239 able to stay healthy. They have to keep him healthy, they have to 506 00:36:53.320 --> 00:36:58.679 keep him upright for them to be able to win football games. I think 507 00:36:58.719 --> 00:37:02.960 that they believe that their offensive line is even though they lose a Brian Hudson. 508 00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:07.559 I think they think their offensive line is you know, one of their 509 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:15.559 strongest assets that they have coming back. Their question marks obviously are at quarterback, 510 00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:19.199 if you can keep him healthy running you know, they running back. 511 00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:22.119 They lose two of their running backs, their their top two running backs to 512 00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:25.920 the NFL. And then wide receiver. You know, you had a lot 513 00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:30.800 of wide receiver turnover. Now you do have some guys coming back, but 514 00:37:30.039 --> 00:37:35.239 not you know, not your high end producers. So they do have some 515 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:39.639 question marks. He's you know, he has lived in the portal. You 516 00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:45.039 know, they they've really attacked the portal, and so you know, we'll 517 00:37:45.159 --> 00:37:49.079 kind of see, you know, not so much early on because you know 518 00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:52.400 they kind of they kind of ease into this thing right a little bit schedule 519 00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:57.440 wise, but at some point you know you're gonna be tested and you'll see 520 00:37:57.440 --> 00:38:00.239 how those guys perform. But no, I think, you know, with 521 00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:01.960 the way that they you know, some of the guys they got out of 522 00:38:01.960 --> 00:38:07.039 the portal, they feel good, but you got to be able to mesh 523 00:38:07.280 --> 00:38:13.719 and go forward and be successful as a unit. So I guess by the 524 00:38:13.719 --> 00:38:17.000 time UK and U of L play, we'll find out which team is meshed 525 00:38:17.079 --> 00:38:22.239 the best. I guess and stayed healthy. I think that's the dick. 526 00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:28.039 I think that's the biggest thing right Like also, I think what what are 527 00:38:28.079 --> 00:38:34.519 you playing for when that game rolls around? And are you healthy enough to 528 00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:37.239 be able to perform at your best? I think those two are huge, 529 00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:45.400 huge factors. Ken Spencer sports director, Whas and Louisville give everybody your ex 530 00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:51.039 handle at WJS eleven ten. It's just that simple. Thank you, brother. 531 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:53.519 We'll see it on the road here, baby, I Re Number two 532 00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:57.559 is up next with Aaron Gershan and the cast Balls here on six point thirty 533 00:38:57.800 --> 00:39:22.360 w LAB. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider and joining us now from 534 00:39:22.480 --> 00:39:27.360 Dallas, Texas. He's already down there for the SEC media days, and 535 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:30.079 Truth went down a day or so early to visit a friend. But Aaron 536 00:39:30.119 --> 00:39:34.760 Gershan joins us on our celebrity hotline as he does every Monday, covers baseball, 537 00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:37.519 football, basketball, whatever it takes for the Cats pause, we're going 538 00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:43.840 to talk about all three. Aaron, You've already posted photos from downtown and 539 00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:49.920 a big SEC sign in Dallas first time for media days in Dallas, Texas. 540 00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:52.760 So this is gonna be wild, isn't it. Yes, it is 541 00:39:52.840 --> 00:39:58.000 definitely going to be a while event. Greg thank He's going to be gloating 542 00:39:58.039 --> 00:40:01.480 and bragging. Let's just put it that way. Because the SEC is healthier 543 00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:05.360 than ever, you know, sixteen team the league now, adding Texas and 544 00:40:05.400 --> 00:40:10.239 Oklahoma to two juggernauts really in football and other sports too. I mean Texas 545 00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:15.039 basketball was in the earlite a couple of years ago, has a rich history. 546 00:40:15.079 --> 00:40:17.360 Oklahoma basketball isn't too shabby either in the Final four or than the last 547 00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:22.679 seven eight years here. And both schools are great in baseball Texas you know, 548 00:40:22.840 --> 00:40:29.800 look at volleyball of what they do there. So just two monsters that 549 00:40:29.840 --> 00:40:32.880 they've added to this conference and that's why we're here in Dallas to accommodate that. 550 00:40:32.920 --> 00:40:37.000 They're welcoming a little bit, but that's all right. It's a different 551 00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:44.280 experience and you know, first SEC media days in almost fifteen years over that 552 00:40:44.280 --> 00:40:45.960 that nick name is not going to be at the podium instead, he'll be 553 00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:51.360 working for ESPN. So it's just going to be It's going to be different, 554 00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:53.079 to say the least, but I'm looking forward to it. Yeah, 555 00:40:53.119 --> 00:40:58.920 I know Oklahoma's won four straight softball titles. But you know something I was 556 00:40:58.960 --> 00:41:04.519 looking for another sports there, Yeah, dah, I started asking people recently 557 00:41:04.679 --> 00:41:08.360 about something else on this topic though, Aaron, and Yeah, the SEC 558 00:41:08.559 --> 00:41:13.480 just got a lot tougher, But so did life for Texas and Oklahoma. 559 00:41:13.679 --> 00:41:17.360 Sure will those schools be able to keep dominating in certain sports, you know, 560 00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:22.480 in postseasons, postseason, but their life, especially in football, just 561 00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:27.239 got tougher, There's no doubt about it. I mean, I think I 562 00:41:27.239 --> 00:41:30.719 think Texas is very much ahead of where Oklahoma should be right now. I 563 00:41:30.719 --> 00:41:35.440 think the Starkesian you look at the roster he's put together, what they did 564 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:37.639 last year, I mean that their roster can go to to so is just 565 00:41:37.679 --> 00:41:42.199 about anyone in the country right now. So I'm not too worried about Texas 566 00:41:42.280 --> 00:41:44.960 making the transition. They also have a guy in ars Manning sitting on the 567 00:41:44.960 --> 00:41:50.440 bench, so they're going to be fine for the for the foreseeable future in 568 00:41:50.480 --> 00:41:52.480 my opinion. But Almo, yeah, I think they're going to be the 569 00:41:52.480 --> 00:41:58.079 war football wise, that they're going to realize this is it's not the Big 570 00:41:58.119 --> 00:42:00.559 twelve anymore. I mean, they're at program and that kind of slumped their 571 00:42:00.559 --> 00:42:04.519 way to ten wins last year. If you look at their scores, I 572 00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:08.239 mean, they had a dogfight with UCS that probably should have gone UCS lay. 573 00:42:08.320 --> 00:42:12.400 There were some I remember watching that game, there were some calls that 574 00:42:12.719 --> 00:42:15.320 tendsually helped out as Sooners at home that day. They did have the big 575 00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:20.400 win over Texas and the Red River rivalry, but you know, they've still 576 00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:22.880 lost their games and didn't even make the big tall championship game that Oklahoma State 577 00:42:22.960 --> 00:42:28.800 was representative. So yeah, I think they're gonna think bred Venables is in 578 00:42:28.880 --> 00:42:32.079 for a top of year one in the league. I reflected that in the 579 00:42:32.159 --> 00:42:37.239 Cash Calls Yearbook sec Standings prediction. I just I don't I don't think. 580 00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:39.239 I think it's gonna be a little bit tougher for Oklahoma than Texas this year. 581 00:42:40.079 --> 00:42:44.119 But at the end of the day, I do think over time, 582 00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:46.840 both of those programs will find their way. I think Tactics go right away, 583 00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:51.320 but I think I think Oklahoma just for the history they have, the 584 00:42:51.360 --> 00:42:53.679 recruited dates they have, because they recruit the heck out of Texas. There's 585 00:42:53.719 --> 00:42:59.480 some good players in their own state and surrounding states, and the money they 586 00:42:59.480 --> 00:43:02.000 have that they and push portal portal. They'll be fine. Uh, It's 587 00:43:02.039 --> 00:43:06.079 just I think they're going to have to be in the top acclamation period just 588 00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:08.920 with their current rosters in Texas well. And they can also say as they 589 00:43:08.960 --> 00:43:12.760 recruit, come play in the SEC. I mean, we all know what 590 00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:15.639 that means all those other schools that are recruiting. Since you and I spoke, 591 00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:20.159 In fact, you and I talked last Monday, and shortly thereafter UK 592 00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:24.199 released of the list, we speculated about who Kentucky would bring down to Dallas 593 00:43:24.239 --> 00:43:28.199 to do the talking. When it comes to the players, no surprise, 594 00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:34.079 Dion Walker, Derek Jackson, a veteran linebacker really talented, led to team 595 00:43:34.119 --> 00:43:37.960 and tackles the last couple of years. Marcus Cox who transferred into play old 596 00:43:37.000 --> 00:43:42.960 line last year, So no real surprises there. Dion I think will captivate 597 00:43:43.400 --> 00:43:46.239 the audience. The Eric's kind of soft spoken, though, isn't he He 598 00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:52.079 is He's a very very soft spoken guy, So I'm interested to see. 599 00:43:52.199 --> 00:43:54.400 Sometimes this event will bring some guys a little shy out of their self. 600 00:43:54.840 --> 00:44:00.679 I mean, I wouldn't categorize I think he's Austin nine as a shy guy, 601 00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:05.159 but he you know, I thought he was a really good representative last 602 00:44:05.239 --> 00:44:08.400 year. And same with DeAndre Squaire, who is one of my personal favorite 603 00:44:08.480 --> 00:44:13.679 to interview during my time covering Kentucky. One of just my favorite people. 604 00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:16.719 I think he's such a good kid and he was even a little on the 605 00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:21.760 shy side at times, and he came to a few media days and he 606 00:44:21.800 --> 00:44:28.320 carried himself wonderfully, so usually flats up there goes what he's doing. I 607 00:44:28.360 --> 00:44:30.519 think the Erica will do a great job. We'll see what he he says. 608 00:44:30.559 --> 00:44:35.760 But I think Marcus cos is a great personality for this. He's he's 609 00:44:35.800 --> 00:44:38.039 a lot of fun to talk to, and he's a guy going into his 610 00:44:38.159 --> 00:44:43.360 seventh year, which is crazy, but plenty of experience. He's not going 611 00:44:43.400 --> 00:44:45.679 to be saved by this at all. And then Deion Walker will be, 612 00:44:45.119 --> 00:44:49.679 like you said, the Stars a show from Kentucky's perspective, and Kentucky's a 613 00:44:49.719 --> 00:44:52.239 lot will be closing this event down. So there's the last team to go 614 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:57.800 on Thursday. And Leon Walker is a pretty good guy to stick around for 615 00:44:57.960 --> 00:45:01.320 at the end there because knows I mean, he'll probably be the second or 616 00:45:01.360 --> 00:45:06.920 third guy in the whole league drafted in twenty five, maybe only behind Carson 617 00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:08.920 Beck and another so, uh, that'll be a guy post. Won to 618 00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:13.719 stick around and talk to talking Aaron Gershan to the Cats pause and Aaron on 619 00:45:13.800 --> 00:45:19.760 your Twitter. In the X page, you have a pinned post that you're 620 00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:22.320 gonna have to change here sooner or later because it's from last last year. 621 00:45:22.960 --> 00:45:28.320 It's the cover of the Cass plus yearbook from last year and the Eric Jackson 622 00:45:28.480 --> 00:45:31.280 is on it. A long that was that was that was? That was 623 00:45:31.280 --> 00:45:35.880 an issue? Okay covert, Okay, yeah, it is a yeah, 624 00:45:35.920 --> 00:45:39.000 a cover story about the two Georgia kids who teamed up for Kentucky and teamed 625 00:45:39.079 --> 00:45:45.320 up extremely well. Obviously Van is going on to the NFL. So now, 626 00:45:46.199 --> 00:45:51.079 uh, obviously you're gonna have to pick a new uh, a new 627 00:45:51.079 --> 00:45:55.800 cover. But I do think that this is kind of a telling look at 628 00:45:55.800 --> 00:46:00.199 this team, and it reminds that Trevin Wallace is gone, d jack is 629 00:46:00.280 --> 00:46:05.239 back, and it's going to be interesting to see. I really think Pop 630 00:46:05.320 --> 00:46:10.800 moves in Doomus Johnson to take Wallace's spot, But it reminds that there are 631 00:46:10.840 --> 00:46:15.280 going to be some interesting new faces on that defense. Yeah, no doubt 632 00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:20.880 about it. I think that what's really cool. First of all the defensive 633 00:46:20.880 --> 00:46:22.400 line is pretty much all in fact, so that's really good. And then 634 00:46:22.400 --> 00:46:27.079 the outside linebacker, maybe he can argue that they could use another body to 635 00:46:27.079 --> 00:46:29.760 help JJ, but they're in past too. So the front seven is in 636 00:46:29.880 --> 00:46:32.719 really good good shape out try to the only I wouldn't say good shape. 637 00:46:32.960 --> 00:46:36.400 It has a top. It is a good shape. But the contonuity he's 638 00:46:36.519 --> 00:46:38.800 there, or maybe isn't that other positions, but yeah, the one part 639 00:46:38.800 --> 00:46:43.159 of the front seven that's new is Pop Johnson, the inside linebacker. And 640 00:46:43.239 --> 00:46:46.000 I guess you're not gonna have Travil Wallace back. That's a pretty good consolation 641 00:46:46.039 --> 00:46:50.239 to have a guy that's a you know, a former first team All American 642 00:46:50.320 --> 00:46:55.079 and the captain at Georgia, two year starter starter for an undefeated national championship 643 00:46:55.119 --> 00:46:58.800 team. So, uh, you know, not a bad guy to add 644 00:46:58.800 --> 00:47:01.840 there. I think he'll sit in pretty seamlessly. I think I know for 645 00:47:01.920 --> 00:47:06.719 a fact that the coaching staff loves him, is very confident in him. 646 00:47:07.079 --> 00:47:09.199 He's got a very unique personality that we got to see a couple of times, 647 00:47:09.639 --> 00:47:14.280 uh when you know, first posts when he got here and then at 648 00:47:14.760 --> 00:47:17.440 spring ball. But uh, I think, uh, he's a guy that's 649 00:47:19.119 --> 00:47:22.159 from the guys I talked to. He's down that covered Georgia, that that 650 00:47:22.199 --> 00:47:24.400 has covered him. He's a castabell last year's team. Uh, he's beloved 651 00:47:24.400 --> 00:47:28.320 in the locker room, and he's gonna he's gonna make an impact on and 652 00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:30.760 off the field to the defense and then other new faces will be really more 653 00:47:30.840 --> 00:47:36.199 so at the corner position. It's I mean, that's the biggest question, 654 00:47:36.280 --> 00:47:38.039 right. You know what you got in Mack Harrison, Uh, the top 655 00:47:38.119 --> 00:47:43.960 tennish corner in the country, But across the field, you don't know what 656 00:47:44.000 --> 00:47:46.559 you got at all. So you lose Andrew Phillips probably a little bit of 657 00:47:46.599 --> 00:47:50.000 a surprise and ended up being a third round pick, so you can't blame 658 00:47:50.079 --> 00:47:52.360 him at all. But you know, is it gonna be Jenson Dunn, 659 00:47:52.360 --> 00:47:55.360 who from all accounts had a really good spring, but it sounds like he's 660 00:47:55.440 --> 00:47:59.559 more comfortable in the flat. Is going to be Dj Waller, the kid 661 00:47:59.639 --> 00:48:02.719 they just in from Michigan who has zero starts under his belt, but you 662 00:48:02.719 --> 00:48:07.079 know, was varied at Michigan for you understand why it doesn't have any starts 663 00:48:07.199 --> 00:48:09.559 because he's you know, he's only a red shirt sophomore. Is gonna be 664 00:48:09.599 --> 00:48:14.360 jqu Hardaway, who I thought struggled when he played last year, but has 665 00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:19.519 the length that Mark Sukes was in quarter. So that's that's a big one 666 00:48:19.519 --> 00:48:22.880 on this defense, and that'll probably be a big talking point for Mark Soukes 667 00:48:22.920 --> 00:48:27.360 on on Thursdays, or at least the big questioned him is what are you 668 00:48:27.400 --> 00:48:30.920 going to do across the field from Max Harrison because this past defense struggle last 669 00:48:30.960 --> 00:48:32.880 year. And then you know the safety room. They're bringing Christian Story to 670 00:48:32.960 --> 00:48:37.079 kind of replace Jalen Baiger, but you bring back Jordan love It, You're 671 00:48:37.079 --> 00:48:40.119 bringing back Zion Shoulders and Ty Bryant who played a lot last year. So 672 00:48:42.079 --> 00:48:45.360 I think that room just needs to I talked about right about it for the 673 00:48:45.440 --> 00:48:49.119 yearbook. You can read it in the Q and a session about that room. 674 00:48:49.159 --> 00:48:52.320 And I used to word underperformed and he didn't like that. He was 675 00:48:52.320 --> 00:48:55.199 like, oh, I would say, you know, the injuries. He 676 00:48:55.199 --> 00:49:00.840 would say, the injuries and you know continuity issues with I mean to shift 677 00:49:00.880 --> 00:49:04.440 guys in and out, you know, so and obviously, and he made 678 00:49:04.440 --> 00:49:07.239 a good point that Jordan Loved played really well when he came back at the 679 00:49:07.320 --> 00:49:09.480 end of the year. He's absolutely right about that, So you know, 680 00:49:09.559 --> 00:49:13.880 I walked it back a little bit. I gave him a break pass on 681 00:49:13.920 --> 00:49:16.440 that. But in reality, they whether it's injuries or not, they need 682 00:49:16.440 --> 00:49:19.840 more to that safety, the fear and the towns there to have it. 683 00:49:20.440 --> 00:49:22.920 Jordan Lovey did intercept the pass at the end of the Louisville game, but 684 00:49:22.960 --> 00:49:27.719 that was kind of a hail Mary. But yeah, also a big taking 685 00:49:27.760 --> 00:49:30.280 the Bowl game. But Devin Larry through the ball right back. Yeah, 686 00:49:30.639 --> 00:49:34.280 right. Aaron ger Shawn is in Dallas for sec meety days, but when 687 00:49:34.280 --> 00:49:37.920 we come back, we'll talk basketball and baseball. Some Wildcats drafted last night. 688 00:49:37.960 --> 00:49:43.559 Back in a minute on the Big Blooe Sider six thirty w LAP Welcome 689 00:49:43.599 --> 00:49:45.239 back to the Big Blue and Sider. We're talking with Aaron gershewan of the 690 00:49:45.280 --> 00:49:50.800 Cats boss. As I mentioned, we're talking baseball, football, and basketball, 691 00:49:50.840 --> 00:49:55.400 and most recently we're talking baseball because last night was the first and second 692 00:49:55.440 --> 00:50:00.079 round and the additional rounds of the major league drafts. A little confusing, 693 00:50:00.119 --> 00:50:06.320 Aaron, I know you're a baseball walk but yeah, technically, I guess 694 00:50:06.400 --> 00:50:09.039 you could say that Ryan Walsh went went in the first round, but not 695 00:50:09.159 --> 00:50:14.440 the traditional first round right. Yeah, he technically he was not a first 696 00:50:14.519 --> 00:50:16.880 round pick. He was the first pick after the first round. I'm going 697 00:50:16.920 --> 00:50:20.719 to get you the name of that round. Only two teams and all explaining 698 00:50:21.119 --> 00:50:23.559 exactly what it is, the Prospects Promotion and Centive pick. So what that 699 00:50:23.800 --> 00:50:28.920 is. It's cool. I actually like it. So it's an incentive for 700 00:50:29.079 --> 00:50:31.920 you know, major league teams to call up their top prospect. Maybe they're 701 00:50:31.920 --> 00:50:37.480 not necessarily a finished product, but they're exciting players that are ready to be 702 00:50:37.519 --> 00:50:42.079 in the in the league and uh, you know, are close enough to 703 00:50:42.159 --> 00:50:44.639 being ready to be in the league and maybe they can make a difference. 704 00:50:44.679 --> 00:50:47.880 So it has to be a top one hundred prospect either by two of the 705 00:50:47.920 --> 00:50:53.239 three major services which are at MLB dot com they Fall America and ESPN. 706 00:50:53.639 --> 00:50:57.920 And if that player is on the opening day after and goes on to win 707 00:50:58.039 --> 00:51:01.159 Rookie of the Year, that team gets a pick right in front, right 708 00:51:01.159 --> 00:51:05.159 after the first round. And the two guys to do it last year were 709 00:51:05.199 --> 00:51:08.639 Corbyn Carroll the Diamondbacks and Gunner Henderson of the Wrioals. So that's why the 710 00:51:08.760 --> 00:51:14.400 Zionbacks pick thirty one and the Orioles pick thirty two and Ryan Walsh ends up 711 00:51:14.400 --> 00:51:17.199 in Arizona, who is coming off the trip to the World Series, but 712 00:51:17.559 --> 00:51:22.920 they promoted Corbyn Carroll one rookie of the year, gets the thirty first pick 713 00:51:22.960 --> 00:51:25.840 and they take Waldy right outside the first round. Yeah, and you know, 714 00:51:25.880 --> 00:51:30.639 it was a little thankfully he wasn't in, you know, whatever they 715 00:51:30.639 --> 00:51:36.400 have that Mike double is the green room. He wasn't there, so we 716 00:51:36.440 --> 00:51:38.960 didn't have to, like a Will Levis situation, didn't have to watch him. 717 00:51:39.000 --> 00:51:43.239 I got it. He was getting a little little antsy wherever he was 718 00:51:43.320 --> 00:51:46.079 because he was projected as a late first round pick and when he was at 719 00:51:46.079 --> 00:51:51.239 his hottest, some were talking top ten. I never really thought that, 720 00:51:52.000 --> 00:51:58.400 Yeah, maybe he had a couple of defensive issues down the strategy. He 721 00:51:58.400 --> 00:52:02.639 struggled in the College World Series and I started watching high school kids go before 722 00:52:02.719 --> 00:52:07.639 he went. That really concerned me. Yeah, I think the college I'm 723 00:52:07.679 --> 00:52:12.280 sure the cool streak a little bit in the College Hold Series effective that he's 724 00:52:12.320 --> 00:52:15.960 also had. You know, he had the Tory ACL in the summer of 725 00:52:15.960 --> 00:52:22.920 twenty three and the broadcast on MLB network that still carried it after ESPN went 726 00:52:22.960 --> 00:52:24.920 off air. They he talked about that he had a major injury in high 727 00:52:24.920 --> 00:52:29.239 school that I wasn't aware of, so I don't know if he knew that 728 00:52:29.280 --> 00:52:30.639 one, but I don't know if that was something they just never said. 729 00:52:30.719 --> 00:52:36.159 But to two major injuries, that probably is what did it, more so 730 00:52:36.639 --> 00:52:38.119 I think than the cool college World Series, because you know, he hit 731 00:52:38.159 --> 00:52:43.239 three seventy or something during SEC play and he's a guy who can steal a 732 00:52:43.239 --> 00:52:45.719 ton of bases. He's a guy when he's at his best as a really 733 00:52:45.760 --> 00:52:50.280 strong west fielder. I know he had the mischuse later in the year there, 734 00:52:50.320 --> 00:52:52.239 like you said, but this is a guy I think that has all 735 00:52:52.280 --> 00:52:55.800 the tools. He's only a rising senior because he's still twenty one, twenty 736 00:52:55.840 --> 00:53:00.480 two, and you know they compared him in interestingly enough to kind of being 737 00:53:00.519 --> 00:53:05.320 a right handed Corbyn Carroll and Corbyn carrolled both of his numbers this year because 738 00:53:05.320 --> 00:53:08.000 they're not good. But this rookie year last year, you're talking about a 739 00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:12.519 guy who was near the top of the league and still in bases batting average, 740 00:53:13.079 --> 00:53:15.880 and the guys would hit the ball for power just from the left side 741 00:53:15.920 --> 00:53:19.519 where wall Deal'll be from the right side. So Arizona has a vision with 742 00:53:19.559 --> 00:53:22.360 those type of players clearly, and they make it happen with wall Shrint. 743 00:53:22.440 --> 00:53:25.599 The signing bonus is still two point five million, so we didn't miss up. 744 00:53:27.079 --> 00:53:29.159 I mean, yeah, he was the top twenty take. He would 745 00:53:29.159 --> 00:53:34.280 have made more, but still making pretty good money there in that spot and 746 00:53:35.079 --> 00:53:37.320 goes to an organization that develops players really well. Right now, they have 747 00:53:37.360 --> 00:53:40.559 a lot of They've done a really good job at developing some young players, 748 00:53:40.559 --> 00:53:44.320 and they topped into the World Series last year and they're a game out of 749 00:53:44.360 --> 00:53:49.119 playoffs right now. So kind of similarly to the Levitt when he dropped in 750 00:53:49.119 --> 00:53:52.880 the NFL drafts, I think Glenn's in a pretty good spot. I was 751 00:53:52.920 --> 00:53:57.639 a little surprised at how high how quickly Amelian Petrie went in the second round. 752 00:53:57.719 --> 00:54:00.920 Happy for him, of course, he's going to be a guaranteed Darren 753 00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:05.719 Hendrick and Doug Flinde when they were saying they thought he'd be a second round 754 00:54:05.760 --> 00:54:09.320 guy. Yeah, I was here in second third for him, and I 755 00:54:09.400 --> 00:54:12.800 say he's going to be stood guaranteed one. I think he's really good. 756 00:54:12.840 --> 00:54:15.960 But the Tampa Bay Rays, there's a team that that's going to draft you 757 00:54:16.039 --> 00:54:20.639 early and knows what they're doing. It's Tampa Bay. They get the best 758 00:54:20.679 --> 00:54:23.079 out of their prospects. He was like every guy they take, they hit 759 00:54:23.159 --> 00:54:28.360 on, and uh, he's going to an organization that that is really really 760 00:54:28.400 --> 00:54:31.599 good at player development. He shouts exactly what they like to do. Compact 761 00:54:31.639 --> 00:54:37.400 guy. Uh, the guy, Uh can play the heck out of second 762 00:54:37.440 --> 00:54:39.079 base. They are, you know, always at the top of the league 763 00:54:39.079 --> 00:54:42.599 in fielding percentage. I think they're up there again this year in the top 764 00:54:42.679 --> 00:54:46.519 five. He is going to be. I think he's going to flourish in 765 00:54:46.559 --> 00:54:51.719 that Tampa Bay system. And then Tampa you know, less than pent Thick 766 00:54:51.800 --> 00:54:55.519 later takes Kentucky's top high school signing Poler Bell and other short stop well Apche's 767 00:54:55.559 --> 00:55:00.440 the second baseman, but you know, middle landfielder. Uh, that'll be 768 00:55:00.440 --> 00:55:05.119 a decision. That's a one point five spot. But kind of the kind 769 00:55:05.159 --> 00:55:07.920 of the way around this is Pich is a guy that, like you said, 770 00:55:07.960 --> 00:55:12.320 they probably went a little higher than he was projected. He's going to 771 00:55:12.360 --> 00:55:15.039 be more enticed to sign and maybe go a little underslots and then you can 772 00:55:15.079 --> 00:55:19.639 pay overslot for a guy like Pylot Bell, who you know has a big 773 00:55:19.679 --> 00:55:24.320 decision to make with college. So the Rays tapped into that Kentucky uh farm 774 00:55:24.400 --> 00:55:30.320 system and their and their their current squat, so they like what they're seeing 775 00:55:30.360 --> 00:55:34.599 from from UK. Clearly, Yep, Tyler Bell likely will not be a 776 00:55:34.679 --> 00:55:37.800 Kentucky Wildcat. But you know you can't get gay high school same position as 777 00:55:37.840 --> 00:55:42.320 Ryan Ritter Tyler Bell. That's what they were talking about on the broadcast. 778 00:55:42.400 --> 00:55:45.679 So uh, it's interesting there. Yeah, people move around, so you 779 00:55:45.719 --> 00:55:49.960 know, things change. Uh before we hit the break, I'm gonna have 780 00:55:49.960 --> 00:55:52.119 to hold you over to talk a little basketball. But uh, don't have 781 00:55:52.159 --> 00:55:57.519 time to go through all the names. But it looks again like Kentucky is 782 00:55:58.400 --> 00:56:02.079 recruiting the need and and hitting some long balls when it comes to the portal. 783 00:56:04.480 --> 00:56:10.239 Yeah, I definitely think so. The sixteen, which is a crazy 784 00:56:10.559 --> 00:56:15.760 number of baseball transfers coming in, but they needed it because it's the roster 785 00:56:15.880 --> 00:56:20.320 overall. So yeah, I don't have all the names in front of me 786 00:56:20.360 --> 00:56:22.440 either, but I do know there are a couple of names to watch worth 787 00:56:22.599 --> 00:56:27.800 today during the MLB Draft. Ryan Verdugo, right handed picture from cal State 788 00:56:28.440 --> 00:56:32.639 Bakersfield is probably a guy who's gonna get drafted in the first couple third through 789 00:56:32.679 --> 00:56:36.519 fifth rounds. Today, so he's gonna have a decision to make. He's 790 00:56:36.519 --> 00:56:38.880 a guy who is ninety eight with a nasty splitter. Kentucky really wants to 791 00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:43.679 get him on campus. And then the other one, his name is flipping 792 00:56:43.719 --> 00:56:47.920 me, but it's an outfielder from Kinisius who sold forty bags this year at 793 00:56:49.000 --> 00:56:52.679 Canisis and hit well over three hundred. So those are kind of the two 794 00:56:52.000 --> 00:56:55.639 top guys in their portal recruiting class, or two of the top guys that 795 00:56:55.679 --> 00:57:00.159 there are some other some good names in there as well. Those are kind 796 00:57:00.159 --> 00:57:05.239 of the guys that they're a little worried about maybe getting drafted today and signing, 797 00:57:05.360 --> 00:57:08.039 So I keep an eye out on those. Jackson Strong is the kid 798 00:57:08.079 --> 00:57:13.440 from Drafty Trump. Thank you for hello. Just a couple of minutes here 799 00:57:13.480 --> 00:57:16.320 in this segment. But Nick menzione Hire is a new hitting coach, a 800 00:57:16.360 --> 00:57:19.800 guy from Wright State. You might scratch your had a little bit, but 801 00:57:19.920 --> 00:57:23.960 Wright State has had a really strong program over the last five or six years, 802 00:57:24.239 --> 00:57:29.840 if not absolutely, I mean yeah six years about yeah, maybe even 803 00:57:29.840 --> 00:57:30.840 more. You're right, Yeah, this is the guy who was a part 804 00:57:30.840 --> 00:57:34.039 of that as a player. I mean he just finished his playing career. 805 00:57:34.079 --> 00:57:37.440 In twenty nineteen. So we're talking about a twenty six or twenty seven year 806 00:57:37.480 --> 00:57:40.119 old guy who you know has led to Right State to having a top ten 807 00:57:40.159 --> 00:57:44.840 offense twice in the last three years, including this past season. They've won 808 00:57:44.880 --> 00:57:47.000 the Horizon League regular season every single year he's been the hitting coach. And 809 00:57:47.039 --> 00:57:50.360 then you know, this is the first year that he didn't makes a part 810 00:57:50.400 --> 00:57:54.599 of it because from upstate North Kentucky. Northern Kentucky won the Horizon League tournament, 811 00:57:54.880 --> 00:57:59.039 so right they didn't get in to the dance this year, won did 812 00:57:59.119 --> 00:58:01.199 league. By Yeah, you're talking about a guy who's coming from a very, 813 00:58:01.719 --> 00:58:07.480 very much winning program up there at Right State Chase Bone. He got 814 00:58:07.599 --> 00:58:12.000 top ten offense the staff year, number eight in home runs a sucking percentage, 815 00:58:12.079 --> 00:58:15.119 so has produced six shots packs in a mid major north school, which 816 00:58:15.199 --> 00:58:19.679 is hard to do. Uh. Had a fourth round pickers in the in 817 00:58:19.800 --> 00:58:22.159 Triple A with the ashtros Now. So, uh, he's done a great 818 00:58:22.199 --> 00:58:25.159 job with there. Rick Clayton can talk to you a couple of times at 819 00:58:25.239 --> 00:58:30.360 KPP since he's been the hitting coach. So I bet Nick Mingeon saw that, 820 00:58:31.039 --> 00:58:36.199 noted that, and uh, you know, got a guy Aaron Gershan 821 00:58:36.320 --> 00:58:37.559 is Mark. Guess we're going to go an extra segment with Aaron, and 822 00:58:37.599 --> 00:58:40.519 we talked to him every Monday, but we got to talk some basketball because 823 00:58:40.559 --> 00:58:45.320 we had a chance all of us really to talk to some of the new 824 00:58:45.360 --> 00:58:47.320 wildcasts. We're back in just a minute here on the Big Blueing Sider six 825 00:58:47.440 --> 00:58:52.119 thirty WLAP Welcome back. We're talking with Aaron Gershan of the Catch Baus. 826 00:58:52.159 --> 00:58:55.119 We talk with him every Monday, and as I said, we're talking baseball, 827 00:58:55.159 --> 00:58:59.840 football, and basketball. So an extra segment with Aaron so we can 828 00:58:59.840 --> 00:59:02.039 talk Aaron about the three guys we had a chance to chat. I don't 829 00:59:02.039 --> 00:59:05.800 know if you'd had a chance to talk to any of the three that we 830 00:59:05.880 --> 00:59:09.519 had a chance to talk to last week. But they're all good interviews, 831 00:59:10.079 --> 00:59:16.039 no surprise, because they're all veteran guys, and they all had kind of 832 00:59:16.039 --> 00:59:21.480 a different take, didn't they on a lot of different topics. Yeah, 833 00:59:21.519 --> 00:59:24.400 there's no doubt they were all really good interviews. Yeah, I thought that 834 00:59:24.599 --> 00:59:30.480 they definitely were all a little bit unique. I think Andrew Carr had a 835 00:59:30.159 --> 00:59:34.159 lot of interesting things to say, and at all in a good way. 836 00:59:34.280 --> 00:59:37.079 Thatsn't bad, obviously, but just about his recruitment, the tiste that Mark 837 00:59:37.119 --> 00:59:39.840 Pope made to him, about being born to play here, and just you 838 00:59:39.840 --> 00:59:44.360 know, some of the things he was saying about his game and being a 839 00:59:44.440 --> 00:59:46.239 leader, how he really wants to be one of the leaders on this team. 840 00:59:46.360 --> 00:59:51.400 So that was cool to hear. Ansley Alamanno were the chancellor from Fairley 841 00:59:51.480 --> 00:59:55.039 Dickinson. I asked him a little bit about being part of a sixteen to 842 00:59:55.039 --> 00:59:59.679 one upset because not many people can do that, and how that might help 843 00:59:59.760 --> 01:00:02.719 him just be prepared because every game here is a big stage. So and 844 01:00:02.800 --> 01:00:06.639 he you know, he's the guy who's just super happy to be here. 845 01:00:06.840 --> 01:00:10.159 Like he talked about how he has no ego, he has nothing, no 846 01:00:10.760 --> 01:00:15.199 personal agendas. He's just here to win and you know, win at the 847 01:00:15.280 --> 01:00:20.039 highest level. So was impressed with him. And then otego Olay, who 848 01:00:20.039 --> 01:00:22.639 I think is one the more just look at his numbers. I think he's 849 01:00:22.639 --> 01:00:24.599 one of the more underrated players on the roster. I don't I just don't 850 01:00:24.599 --> 01:00:29.679 think he gets enough buzz compared to some other them. That's okay, but 851 01:00:29.920 --> 01:00:35.280 uh, you know, he talked about kind of how he is as kind 852 01:00:35.280 --> 01:00:37.440 of being one of the raw Rod guys on the team, just one of 853 01:00:37.440 --> 01:00:40.039 the guys who hypes guys up and lists guys up. And also how you 854 01:00:40.039 --> 01:00:44.000 know, as soon as he had interests from Kentucky, he was kind of 855 01:00:44.000 --> 01:00:47.639 the place he wanted to be at. Talked about, you know, his 856 01:00:47.760 --> 01:00:52.039 game, a lot of the attentions on defense, talked about some of this 857 01:00:52.119 --> 01:00:54.679 stuff on offense because he was a thirty seven and a half three point shooters. 858 01:00:54.679 --> 01:00:59.039 So good stuff all around. And you know, we'll finish those interviews 859 01:00:59.039 --> 01:01:04.920 I think next week with the guys YEP. I felt like Andrew Carr just 860 01:01:05.119 --> 01:01:08.679 his his speech pat in the way he sounded to me kind of like Mark 861 01:01:08.719 --> 01:01:12.360 Pope, you know, the way he talked and he said, did that 862 01:01:12.840 --> 01:01:15.360 and you know it's not a Caver coach was coached by, you know, 863 01:01:15.559 --> 01:01:20.639 by Mark Pope. He went to Wake Forest. But he's still what he 864 01:01:20.760 --> 01:01:22.599 said and how he said it. To me, he sounded so much like 865 01:01:22.639 --> 01:01:25.599 the coach. Well, Mark Pope did say that, right, he said, 866 01:01:25.599 --> 01:01:29.920 they're very similar. Yeah, and yeah, you can definitely see it. 867 01:01:29.960 --> 01:01:31.119 There's no doubt about it. He did kind of sound like a mini 868 01:01:31.159 --> 01:01:37.119 Mark Pope, very mature, well spoken, upbeat guy and uh yeah, 869 01:01:37.199 --> 01:01:40.519 I think. I do think sometimes the coaches looked for guys that remind them 870 01:01:40.559 --> 01:01:45.039 of themselves because they know that they're going to be what they're looking for off 871 01:01:45.039 --> 01:01:49.360 the court and maybe as a vocal guy in the locker room and carry also 872 01:01:49.480 --> 01:01:53.039 fits exactly what they want to do stematically from a stretch force. So really 873 01:01:53.079 --> 01:01:57.440 good stuff. I thought he was not a rank any of them, but 874 01:01:57.719 --> 01:02:00.760 that was one of the better players. And sure, that's three interviews. 875 01:02:00.079 --> 01:02:04.199 You know, Trey Mitchelhill was a really good one last year, but right 876 01:02:04.440 --> 01:02:07.800 right there up there with him, Yeah, I agree. I thought Ohway 877 01:02:08.559 --> 01:02:12.920 had some really interesting things to say. Although I couldn't use a whole lot 878 01:02:13.239 --> 01:02:16.159 on the radio, Aaron, because he's so soft spoken as a beautiful deep 879 01:02:16.239 --> 01:02:20.960 voice, but they put it behind that big table and I couldn't get my 880 01:02:21.079 --> 01:02:24.440 microphone close enough to you. But but but he does have that level of 881 01:02:24.480 --> 01:02:29.039 maturity, doesn't he. Yeah, no doubt. I mean that's another three. 882 01:02:29.679 --> 01:02:31.679 He's actually a junior, so technically as another year if he wants it, 883 01:02:32.239 --> 01:02:36.679 if he's not ready for the NBA. But yeah, another mature guy, 884 01:02:37.119 --> 01:02:39.280 well spoken, carries himself the right way, and you know, you 885 01:02:39.400 --> 01:02:44.440 definitely felt the common theme with those three guys. They're all they were all 886 01:02:44.480 --> 01:02:46.800 that way, and I think that I wouldn't be surprised. It's the whole 887 01:02:46.880 --> 01:02:51.440 roster. Honestly, when I've spoken the only guy on this team I've spoken 888 01:02:51.440 --> 01:02:55.400 to so far as tabs Perry in passing, you know, throughout his high 889 01:02:55.400 --> 01:03:00.119 school career. Uh and then over at the at the think sure that say 890 01:03:00.199 --> 01:03:04.360 I stopp him, but so I already know he's going to be in that 891 01:03:04.400 --> 01:03:06.519 group. He might be a little shy at first, That's okay, he's 892 01:03:06.519 --> 01:03:10.559 a fession, but I honestly think you know, you listen to some one 893 01:03:10.639 --> 01:03:15.039 back and listen to some stuff from Lamon Butler for Mensala tournaments, Jack and 894 01:03:15.119 --> 01:03:21.760 Robinson, this group, their fans will notice the team, and they're all 895 01:03:22.000 --> 01:03:27.599 very very personality wise. They take on their head coach, and it's easy 896 01:03:27.599 --> 01:03:30.079 to see why he takes these places. Oh, absolutely absolutely, And that's 897 01:03:30.119 --> 01:03:35.159 why it took a little while. Some people, I think we're getting nervous 898 01:03:35.920 --> 01:03:38.719 about why it took him quote unquote so long to put the roster together. 899 01:03:39.880 --> 01:03:43.360 He didn't just throw it open to say who's to play for Kentucky. You 900 01:03:43.360 --> 01:03:45.920 know, he had to get the right, guys in there. Uh and 901 01:03:45.960 --> 01:03:47.440 you know one of the things I asked, I asked a couple of them, 902 01:03:47.440 --> 01:03:51.559 but it's too soon to answer. I was just curious to see what 903 01:03:51.599 --> 01:03:54.840 they say. But I keep coming back to the ninety sixth title team that 904 01:03:54.920 --> 01:04:00.400 Pope was was such a key part of, and in our documentary that we 905 01:04:00.440 --> 01:04:02.719 did. You know, a lot of the guys were seeing preseason, they 906 01:04:02.760 --> 01:04:09.079 could not understand how Rick Pattino was going to make this work with all these 907 01:04:09.119 --> 01:04:14.159 players. Everybody wants to start, everybody wants the minutes, everybody wants the 908 01:04:14.199 --> 01:04:17.920 spotlight. How does he make it work? And he did both with his 909 01:04:18.039 --> 01:04:21.440 coaching approach, you know, the way if one east, we all the 910 01:04:21.599 --> 01:04:26.800 kind of thing the Caliperi used as well. I don't think Patino ever said 911 01:04:26.840 --> 01:04:30.679 that, but essentially basically he said, if we win, everybody benefits. 912 01:04:31.599 --> 01:04:36.199 But they said it's too soon to tell right now how Pope is going to 913 01:04:36.280 --> 01:04:39.880 do that, you know, but I got to think it's going to be 914 01:04:39.960 --> 01:04:44.599 some combination of the way Caliperi and Patino did it. No doubt. I 915 01:04:44.639 --> 01:04:46.920 think they'll be a lot of coach Patino just because that's how he's done it. 916 01:04:47.519 --> 01:04:50.159 And also doesn't be a lot to coach Pope because you know, obviously 917 01:04:50.199 --> 01:04:55.480 he hasn't been at a station like Kentucky, but he's been a head coach 918 01:04:55.559 --> 01:05:00.320 now for almost a decade between Defaul Valley and Dyu. So I think she's 919 01:05:00.360 --> 01:05:02.440 probably come on to his own and has his own style that you know, 920 01:05:02.880 --> 01:05:06.519 it'll be something that's passed on the Cody figure. But well, Cody figures 921 01:05:06.559 --> 01:05:11.519 already got he's been in the poke forever. But uh, Mark, not 922 01:05:11.599 --> 01:05:14.800 Mark Parker, Al Halgen, Broke, Jason Hard, some of the younger 923 01:05:14.840 --> 01:05:17.280 assistants on this stash as they you know, let's have become head coaches one 924 01:05:17.360 --> 01:05:20.519 day. So yeah, I definitely think it's gonna be a lot of there's 925 01:05:20.519 --> 01:05:24.440 gonna be a lot of Patinoisms, There's gonna be a lot of just post 926 01:05:24.519 --> 01:05:29.039 I mean all Moner talks a lot about kind of how he just different from 927 01:05:29.039 --> 01:05:31.079 a sense. He doesn't curse, He doesn't. He's not a screamer like 928 01:05:31.119 --> 01:05:34.960 he's very Tom. He'll coach you up. He's gonna correct your mistakes, 929 01:05:35.039 --> 01:05:39.320 that's for sure, but he's not gonna he's not gonna He'll get on you 930 01:05:39.400 --> 01:05:43.440 too, but he's not gonna chew your your butt out. He's not gonna 931 01:05:43.760 --> 01:05:48.159 be He's not gonna lose his level headedness that you know coach Shall certainly had 932 01:05:48.159 --> 01:05:50.960 in the past. Not not a bad thing necessarily. Every coach is different, 933 01:05:51.679 --> 01:05:56.000 but you know, he's not gonna be a hot heads like cow or 934 01:05:56.039 --> 01:05:59.760 Bruce Pearl or even Patino. Uh, he's gonna you know, kind of 935 01:05:59.800 --> 01:06:02.599 do I think a lot calmer than most coaches will. So that was cool 936 01:06:02.639 --> 01:06:06.079 to learn from perspective on how these first practices are going through and his coaching 937 01:06:06.119 --> 01:06:10.480 style. Well, he's not Italian and I'm calling out my own you know. 938 01:06:12.280 --> 01:06:16.559 Do you know that the coaching box was installed, invented, if you 939 01:06:16.639 --> 01:06:21.639 will, in part because of Rick Patino. He was one of a back 940 01:06:21.679 --> 01:06:26.719 in the day who made it a point to race up and down the sideline 941 01:06:26.760 --> 01:06:31.559 even beyond mid court too. We'll get buzz Williams. This past year he 942 01:06:31.639 --> 01:06:35.880 ran onto the court onto like the free throw line to call time out and 943 01:06:35.880 --> 01:06:40.360 didn't get teed up there either. So yeah, some of these coaches just 944 01:06:40.519 --> 01:06:43.400 lose their mind, but I don't think. Well, I've seen help get 945 01:06:43.400 --> 01:06:45.360 teed up a couple of times. There's some quests from BYU. So he'll 946 01:06:45.360 --> 01:06:49.000 get into it during the game, yes, believe it or not. So 947 01:06:49.039 --> 01:06:54.480 he'll get after it. But he's not He's not gonna chow other players. 948 01:06:54.599 --> 01:06:58.639 I just don't see it happening unless someone really really strews up. As we 949 01:06:58.679 --> 01:07:00.239 wrap this up, do you remember what he did to get teed up? 950 01:07:00.239 --> 01:07:08.239 I mean he was riding the rest hard. I don't know if he used 951 01:07:08.239 --> 01:07:11.960 any foul language, but he would not let up, and I think they 952 01:07:12.039 --> 01:07:15.719 just had enough. It was I think it was I think it was Baylor 953 01:07:15.199 --> 01:07:18.360 the opponent. It was this past year for sure. I think it was 954 01:07:18.440 --> 01:07:23.199 Bailor. And we all know how smart he is. I guarantee you. 955 01:07:23.280 --> 01:07:28.239 Yeah, he sets his sights on an official. There's something funny going to 956 01:07:28.280 --> 01:07:30.239 be said, something deep and cutting, you know what I mean. Yeah, 957 01:07:30.360 --> 01:07:33.480 he's creative because he's not, like we said, he's not going to 958 01:07:33.559 --> 01:07:35.719 cuff. So what is he going to say. He's going to say something 959 01:07:36.639 --> 01:07:40.960 maybe see as weird if he will, just because he's a little bit of 960 01:07:41.000 --> 01:07:44.239 a point guy. That's not a bad thing that he is a pointy guy. 961 01:07:44.599 --> 01:07:46.840 So I'd love to know what got him seed up that day. But 962 01:07:47.320 --> 01:07:50.880 yeah, he lost it. On that official Well, as I'll let you 963 01:07:50.960 --> 01:07:56.320 go, I'll see you down there in Dallas real quickly. Is there anything 964 01:07:56.320 --> 01:08:00.239 in particular coming out in the magazine you need to point us at. We 965 01:08:00.400 --> 01:08:04.880 have our next Our next issue should be in the mailboxes and be available for 966 01:08:05.000 --> 01:08:10.800 purchase this week, recapping Omaha, and you know some of the stories from 967 01:08:10.840 --> 01:08:15.440 throughout the summer. I think our next one will be after UK Football's media 968 01:08:15.519 --> 01:08:17.359 Day, so a lot of coverage from this that in Dallas, a lot 969 01:08:17.399 --> 01:08:21.039 of coverage when we get back to Less and then obviously, like we were 970 01:08:21.079 --> 01:08:25.960 just talking about all these basketball player interviews, so that that'll be the next 971 01:08:25.960 --> 01:08:30.520 one, not share exactly, but the one recapping Omaha should be available today 972 01:08:30.600 --> 01:08:36.000 or tomorrow. And it's not already out honestly, I'm sorry it's not already 973 01:08:36.079 --> 01:08:40.079 if it's not out there already, And we'll watch for the yearbook as well. 974 01:08:40.119 --> 01:08:43.760 We'll talk about that next year. Thanks so much, Aaron. Anytime 975 01:08:44.640 --> 01:08:48.600 up next to w NBA coach misses it golden opportunity to either give a better 976 01:08:48.640 --> 01:08:53.399 answer or just keep your mouth shut. And it's about as always, it 977 01:08:53.479 --> 01:08:57.800 seems. Caitlin Clark back in a minute six thirty WLP Welcome back to the 978 01:08:57.800 --> 01:09:00.720 Big Blue Insider. Thanks again Aaron gerse John for working overtime with us. 979 01:09:01.479 --> 01:09:06.239 So much to talk about there on baseball, football and basketball on a Monday, 980 01:09:06.279 --> 01:09:09.600 so when a little long with him, but it all worked out for 981 01:09:09.640 --> 01:09:15.159 the best. I mentioned prior to the break a WNBA coach and Caitlin Clark, 982 01:09:15.239 --> 01:09:17.840 and I don't know that you could call this controversial, but it just 983 01:09:17.880 --> 01:09:24.000 seems like the discussion is never ending right now in this Clark's rookie year. 984 01:09:24.680 --> 01:09:30.439 Minnesota Link's head coach Cheryl Reeve, prior to their game with Indiana yesterday, 985 01:09:31.560 --> 01:09:35.960 was asked about the fact that Caitlin Clark is going to bring a lot of 986 01:09:36.000 --> 01:09:41.279 fans, and there are a lot of fans in that area anyway, she 987 01:09:41.479 --> 01:09:46.920 had played at Caitlyn Clark in that building more than once because of the Big 988 01:09:47.000 --> 01:09:51.279 twelve championships, so well known in that area. But it's Kaitlyn Clark for 989 01:09:51.319 --> 01:09:57.720 crying out loud, and there was going to be a lot of cheering for 990 01:09:57.880 --> 01:10:01.279 her, for Fever fan from Fever fan and for the Links fans, but 991 01:10:01.479 --> 01:10:08.720 Caitlyn Clark is filling the building. Cheryl Reeve was asked pregame about the fact 992 01:10:08.720 --> 01:10:13.680 that there were going to be a lot of fans cheering for the opposing team 993 01:10:14.239 --> 01:10:17.359 during that home game in Minnesota, and here's what she said. But as 994 01:10:17.359 --> 01:10:19.199 a as a coach, as a home team a year, I mean, 995 01:10:19.399 --> 01:10:26.880 there's maybe a lot of people cheering for that other side. And the hubble 996 01:10:26.920 --> 01:10:32.760 one. You heard it right, she said, I don't give two bleeps. 997 01:10:32.880 --> 01:10:35.720 And given a chance again, she said, I don't give even one 998 01:10:36.560 --> 01:10:42.479 bleep. Keep in mind, Cheryl Reeve is the coach of the US Olympic 999 01:10:42.600 --> 01:10:47.199 team whose committee chose not to put Caitlin Clark on the team. The only 1000 01:10:47.239 --> 01:10:50.680 thing that Reeves said about her was I've never been to war with her in 1001 01:10:50.720 --> 01:10:55.159 a way backing the decision, And I got to admit that I've done a 1002 01:10:55.159 --> 01:10:58.960 little bit of a one to eighty on that situation. Maybe not a complete 1003 01:10:58.960 --> 01:11:02.359 one eighty, maybe a forty five degree turn, because when it was first 1004 01:11:02.399 --> 01:11:08.560 announced that Clark was not going to be on the Olympic team, and everybody 1005 01:11:08.600 --> 01:11:13.159 got upset because here's a chance to sell more tickets and grow the game and 1006 01:11:13.560 --> 01:11:15.640 interest and all that. I thought, well, yeah, but if you're 1007 01:11:15.680 --> 01:11:20.039 the coach, your job one, and job two and three is to win 1008 01:11:20.039 --> 01:11:25.760 the gold medal. Right, that's your job to put together the best team 1009 01:11:26.239 --> 01:11:30.479 literally in the world, to go out and win that gold medal for the 1010 01:11:30.560 --> 01:11:35.680 United States and choose the best players from among the players available to you. 1011 01:11:35.800 --> 01:11:42.479 Obviously there are WNBA players from Europe and whatever, but you got players from 1012 01:11:42.520 --> 01:11:45.000 the US of A. And you ought to be able to win the gold. 1013 01:11:45.079 --> 01:11:47.760 Yeah, but who are the best players? At the time, Caitlin 1014 01:11:47.800 --> 01:11:54.840 Clark was just into her WNBA career and I wasn't yet sure that Caitlin Clark 1015 01:11:54.960 --> 01:11:59.079 was one of the best twelve or fifteen or whatever, because you knew there 1016 01:11:59.159 --> 01:12:02.439 was going to be a learning curve in the pro basketball game. You knew 1017 01:12:02.439 --> 01:12:05.319 they were going to beat her up, not like they are now, but 1018 01:12:05.399 --> 01:12:10.439 you knew it was going to be more difficult for a college kid to come 1019 01:12:10.479 --> 01:12:16.359 in and excel. I did not expect the level of excellence from Caitlyn Clark 1020 01:12:17.159 --> 01:12:23.960 that we have seen now. If I may be allowed to say, she 1021 01:12:24.239 --> 01:12:28.000 is one of the best players, one of the best players available to reeve 1022 01:12:29.239 --> 01:12:32.000 who could help her win a gold medal, There's no question about that. 1023 01:12:32.079 --> 01:12:39.840 Now she has proven herself as Caitlyn Clark as one of the best players in 1024 01:12:39.880 --> 01:12:45.560 the league, and yet there has been so much consternation about Caitlyn Clark and 1025 01:12:45.640 --> 01:12:53.239 the cheap shots of both physically and verbally other players disrespecting her. You had 1026 01:12:53.239 --> 01:12:56.840 the one clown who said all she does is to shoot three pointers. Right. 1027 01:12:57.319 --> 01:13:02.720 No, No, she does every thing and does everything well. And 1028 01:13:02.760 --> 01:13:06.000 as I've said before, and I've said more than once, and this goes 1029 01:13:06.039 --> 01:13:13.119 for the coach. This is bad for business to not recognize her as being 1030 01:13:13.199 --> 01:13:16.399 great for business. This is not smart. And I will give Cheryl Reeve 1031 01:13:17.159 --> 01:13:23.000 a measure of the benefit of the doubt. Going into the game. I'm 1032 01:13:23.039 --> 01:13:30.079 certain she was focused entirely on winning this game. So someone puts something in 1033 01:13:30.079 --> 01:13:34.039 front of her that might have been a distraction for her team, She's gonna 1034 01:13:34.039 --> 01:13:36.840 shove it out of the way. I don't care. You know. That 1035 01:13:36.960 --> 01:13:42.159 may be why she responded the way she did. I don't give two blanks 1036 01:13:43.880 --> 01:13:47.560 because her players shouldn't give two blanks going into the game. They need to 1037 01:13:47.600 --> 01:13:55.800 put that aside and win. But with this situation with Caitlin Clark, she 1038 01:13:56.000 --> 01:14:00.640 needed an attitude and it could have been just a quick response pregame. You 1039 01:14:00.680 --> 01:14:03.399 know, look, anything that's great for the game is good with me, 1040 01:14:03.920 --> 01:14:11.439 that kind of thing. But what she said after the game was smart and 1041 01:14:11.479 --> 01:14:14.479 she mentioned Bird and Magic and we'll play it for you here in a second, 1042 01:14:15.239 --> 01:14:16.279 and it was one of the first things. Not that that makes me 1043 01:14:16.359 --> 01:14:25.359 smart, but a lot of us realized that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and 1044 01:14:25.479 --> 01:14:32.920 a couple others coming into the WNBA is really similar to when Magic and Bird 1045 01:14:33.359 --> 01:14:39.960 save the NBA they did. Charles Barkley has said that over and over that 1046 01:14:40.119 --> 01:14:46.279 NBA players himself included, oh, practically everything they have, maybe not everything, 1047 01:14:46.319 --> 01:14:55.359 but the biggest money to Bird and Magic. Because the NBA Finals were 1048 01:14:55.399 --> 01:15:00.000 on tape delay during the week. They were on live during the weekend. 1049 01:15:00.960 --> 01:15:05.840 But some of you don't know or remember that the NBA Championship games, the 1050 01:15:05.960 --> 01:15:13.199 series, midweek games, they were on tape delay. Nobody liked the NBA. 1051 01:15:13.880 --> 01:15:16.439 Then here came BYRD, here came Magic, and here's where we are 1052 01:15:16.479 --> 01:15:23.920 now. I'm telling you it's not exactly the same, but it's very similar 1053 01:15:24.640 --> 01:15:30.479 with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, Angel Reese in Chicago, and like 1054 01:15:30.520 --> 01:15:33.960 I said, a couple of other big name players, and Cheryl Reeve, 1055 01:15:34.039 --> 01:15:39.239 to her credit, did mention that after the game, which by the way, 1056 01:15:39.520 --> 01:15:43.880 her team lost, our teams around the league are having sellouts or because 1057 01:15:43.920 --> 01:15:47.880 Caitlin Clark are the steps that this league can take to have this be more 1058 01:15:47.960 --> 01:15:55.000 consistent in the regular season and event the game atmosphere like today. I mean, 1059 01:15:55.039 --> 01:16:01.239 I don't know that I quite understand the question and that everybody knows that 1060 01:16:01.560 --> 01:16:08.159 the reason why our teams around the league are having sellouts are because Caitlin Clark 1061 01:16:08.159 --> 01:16:13.000 and the Indiana Fever are coming to town. Angel Reese has impacted their their 1062 01:16:13.680 --> 01:16:16.479 attendance at the Chicago games. I suspect on the road as well. So 1063 01:16:16.560 --> 01:16:20.640 what the league can do is be ready to capitalize on the moments. But 1064 01:16:20.760 --> 01:16:25.119 it's it's much like when we saw saw you know, Bird and Magic come 1065 01:16:25.159 --> 01:16:29.239 in the league right that the league has been building, you know, for 1066 01:16:29.319 --> 01:16:32.239 a watershed moment and we're here and now you got to take advantage of it. 1067 01:16:32.439 --> 01:16:35.840 And it's it's beyond just kind of saying, Okay, well, the 1068 01:16:35.840 --> 01:16:39.720 Indiana Fever are coming and they're selling out, you're just sitting back and watching 1069 01:16:39.720 --> 01:16:43.359 it. How do you how other ways can you monetize and capitalize on it? 1070 01:16:44.399 --> 01:16:46.279 You know, that's obviously a business and a layered thing, but but 1071 01:16:46.359 --> 01:16:50.560 that's how I think you could. You could capitalize as Cheryl Reeve, the 1072 01:16:50.560 --> 01:16:55.960 head coach of the Minnesota Links and the coach of the US national team, 1073 01:16:56.000 --> 01:17:00.560 and that what she said, is smart, that's good business. She's right, 1074 01:17:00.119 --> 01:17:02.800 what do you do with it? Now you've got this new toy? 1075 01:17:02.880 --> 01:17:09.680 Basically, how do you maximize? And one of the smartest things they've done. 1076 01:17:09.760 --> 01:17:14.560 And it seems like overkill, but it's really not. Is Indiana Fever 1077 01:17:14.720 --> 01:17:19.439 games are on national TV, like forty times most of their schedule is on 1078 01:17:19.560 --> 01:17:24.479 national TV. We had Debbie Antonelli on with us. She is, of 1079 01:17:24.520 --> 01:17:28.920 course a Hall of Fame broadcaster, former UK sports marketing director, one of 1080 01:17:28.960 --> 01:17:34.000 my former broadcast partners who now calls a ton of basketball for ESPN, CBS, 1081 01:17:34.039 --> 01:17:39.159 FOX, whoever's got a game, she'll call it and works most of 1082 01:17:39.199 --> 01:17:43.439 the Indiana Fever games. And we talked with her last week on the show 1083 01:17:44.520 --> 01:17:48.600 about the fact that the league needs to capitalize and as the coach said, 1084 01:17:48.760 --> 01:17:54.479 monetize what's going on. So I'll give her a pass on that first snarky 1085 01:17:54.520 --> 01:17:58.520 comment, but she was right when she followed up. Thanks so much to 1086 01:17:58.560 --> 01:18:01.439 my guest today, Aaron gershein Ken Spencer. I'm heading for Dallas later on, 1087 01:18:01.520 --> 01:18:04.039 but we'll be back with you tomorrow night. That's it. Good night 1088 01:18:04.079 --> 01:18:09.159 from the garage in Lexington. According to this morning sample, it would be 1089 01:18:09.199 --> 01:18:15.800 a Twinkie thirty five feet long, weighing approximately six hundred pounds. That's a big twink