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<v Speaker 1>It's Dick Gabriel taking a little bit of time off,

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<v Speaker 1>so we thought we would replace some of the best

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<v Speaker 1>interviews from over the last several months. Please enjoy the

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<v Speaker 1>best of the Big Blue Insider. Joining us now is

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<v Speaker 1>a longtime friend who worked with me way back when,

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<v Speaker 1>not that far she's still very young. Debbie Antonelli joins us.

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<v Speaker 1>She is a well known color analyst for ESPN, CBS.

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<v Speaker 1>If you got a game, she'll work it. How are

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<v Speaker 1>you young lady?

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<v Speaker 2>Hey Dick, it's so great to get reconnected with you.

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<v Speaker 2>You know I love Big Blue Nation and I'm so

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<v Speaker 2>pleased to be with you today.

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<v Speaker 1>You are traveling covering the WNBA, Caitlin Clarky and an Fever.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to talk about that, but first I would

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<v Speaker 1>love to talk with you about your Nothing but Net

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<v Speaker 1>fundraiser for Special Olympics. You had I guess back in May,

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<v Speaker 1>but you really put yourself through it. Tell everybody what

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<v Speaker 1>you did well.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much for asking. I'm so proud of

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<v Speaker 2>team Antonelli around this effort to raise money and awareness

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<v Speaker 2>for Special Fix. The fundraisers called twenty four hours Nothing

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<v Speaker 2>but Net, I make one hundred free throws, make one

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<v Speaker 2>hundred free throws on the top of every hour for

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<v Speaker 2>twenty four hours, So at the end of twenty four hours,

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<v Speaker 2>I've made twenty four hundred. We've been doing this for

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<v Speaker 2>six years and in six years we have been able

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<v Speaker 2>to raise over one million dollars for Special Olympics, and

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<v Speaker 2>we have raised not just the money, but we've created

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of awareness and been able to share a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of stories about why sport is important not just

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<v Speaker 2>for everyone, but important for people with intellectual disability as well.

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<v Speaker 2>So I couldn't be more proud of the effort. And yes,

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<v Speaker 2>the fitness part of it is incredibly taxing. Requriors a

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<v Speaker 2>year round effort on my part, from training and from

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<v Speaker 2>fitness and from nutrition to be able to be capable

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<v Speaker 2>of pulling this off, but it definitely is worth it,

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<v Speaker 2>and I couldn't be more proud of Team Mantinelli.

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<v Speaker 3>And the effort around it.

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<v Speaker 1>How do you train for this other than shoot free

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<v Speaker 1>throws on stuff?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, it's funny, Dick, Shooting free throws is not

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<v Speaker 2>the part that I spend the most time on. I

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<v Speaker 2>spend more time on the fitness aspect, the conditioning, So

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<v Speaker 2>it's a lot of burpies and planks, and it's a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of weight. It's what I call sprinting, even though

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<v Speaker 2>at my age it probably doesn't look like sprinting. But

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<v Speaker 2>it is all of that effort to try to get

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<v Speaker 2>myself in the best condition so that I can do

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<v Speaker 2>it at a high level. It's not just about completing

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<v Speaker 2>the task, It's about doing it the best I can

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<v Speaker 2>because the better that I can do it, the better

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<v Speaker 2>the story is. And when we live stream it, nobody

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<v Speaker 2>wants to tune in and see somebody shooting a bunch

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<v Speaker 2>of bricks. So I want to do it at a

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<v Speaker 2>high level so it helps us raise money and raise awareness.

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<v Speaker 1>How long have you been doing this.

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<v Speaker 2>I've been doing this for six years, and I will

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<v Speaker 2>tell you that I'm going to keep doing what I

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<v Speaker 2>say on the air, and that is shoot till my

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<v Speaker 2>arm falls off. And my six year average is ninety

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<v Speaker 2>four percent. So when I'm in the game and there's

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<v Speaker 2>the team that's struggling and can't make free throws, or

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<v Speaker 2>there's a particularly poor free throw shooter, I usually nudge

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<v Speaker 2>my partner and say, do not give my percentage on

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<v Speaker 2>the air. I don't want to embarrass the kids.

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<v Speaker 1>That's big of you. And your inspiration is your middle son, Frankie.

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<v Speaker 1>Tell us about Frankie.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, thank you, Dick. I've got three boys, my son Joey,

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<v Speaker 2>my son Frankie, and my son Patrick. And I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 2>have to share with you about Patrick in a second,

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<v Speaker 2>but Frankie is definitely my inspiration. He is a young

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<v Speaker 2>man living with Down syndrome. He is a college graduate

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<v Speaker 2>of the Clemson Life Program, which is a program learning

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<v Speaker 2>is for everyone, and he is living independently with support

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<v Speaker 2>at Clemson, holding down two jobs and doing remarkably well.

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<v Speaker 2>Sport was so important for his development early on. He's

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<v Speaker 2>a gold medal winning athlete in golf and basketball, and

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<v Speaker 2>he in swimming, and because he was able to compete

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<v Speaker 2>and train and organize and socialize, it gave him a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of the skill he needed to be able to

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<v Speaker 2>live independently and manage college life. Isn't that what sport

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<v Speaker 2>is supposed to be. It is for my other two,

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<v Speaker 2>It certainly was for him, And we're just trying to

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<v Speaker 2>help other families like ours.

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<v Speaker 1>And of course your fundraising efforts to raise money and

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<v Speaker 1>awareness for special Olympics athletes, and as you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>think I told you my daughter teaches special needs children

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<v Speaker 1>at Great Crossing High School here over in Scott County,

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<v Speaker 1>and our longtime friend Mark Berger has worked for Kentucky

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<v Speaker 1>Special Olympics for years, so that has been in There

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<v Speaker 1>have been sports connections people know about here in the

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<v Speaker 1>state of Kentucky. There's huge crowds for Special Olympics. But

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<v Speaker 1>you mentioned the connection between sports and special needs kids

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<v Speaker 1>primarily but people in general. Why is that so important?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, we can go down to the park with a

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<v Speaker 2>ball and find a pick up game and get some

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<v Speaker 2>friends together. Athletes with special needs can't do that. They

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<v Speaker 2>need help organizing and training, and they need the support

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<v Speaker 2>of coaches and the encouragement. And we have been able

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<v Speaker 2>through programming because the money that I raised a million

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<v Speaker 2>dollars goes directly to the athletes to help them train, compete, organize, socialize.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not for anything else. And so when I am fundraising,

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<v Speaker 2>because Special Olympics is such a grassroots effort. Unice Kennedy

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<v Speaker 2>Schreiver is one of my role models. I think about

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<v Speaker 2>what she did in her backyard in Chicago and how

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<v Speaker 2>she started Special Olympics, and I'm in my driveway shooting

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<v Speaker 2>free throws as an example that if you just try

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<v Speaker 2>to help someone and come up with a really good

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<v Speaker 2>theme and cause, you can really make a difference. And

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<v Speaker 2>I'm just one person shooting free throws in my driveway,

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<v Speaker 2>but I would love for the state of Kentucky to

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<v Speaker 2>get involved. The state of Kentucky can do the same

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<v Speaker 2>thing I'm doing or something similar. I'm going to have

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<v Speaker 2>to get with your guy with the CEO of Kentucky

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<v Speaker 2>Special Olypics to see if we can find a way

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<v Speaker 2>to create an event around twenty four hours, nothing but

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<v Speaker 2>that in your state because it will definitely impact those athletes.

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<v Speaker 1>Talking to Debbie an Chinelli, college basketball analysts, works for ESPN, CBS, FOX,

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<v Speaker 1>Westwood One, the Big Ten Network. If you have a ballgame,

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<v Speaker 1>she'll analyze that we've been talking about through her efforts

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<v Speaker 1>to raise funds for Special Olympics and people in need

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<v Speaker 1>more than a million dollars right there in your own

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<v Speaker 1>driveway before I get over to basketball. Do you draw

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<v Speaker 1>a crowd? I gotta think you do when you're throws.

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<v Speaker 2>You know what, Dick, We had such a crowd this year.

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<v Speaker 2>I had to bring some bleachers in. We do live

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<v Speaker 2>stream the last we livestream the whole twenty four hours.

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<v Speaker 2>We've been doing this for six years. We've been live

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<v Speaker 2>streaming the whole thing, and it's quite remarkable the storytelling

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<v Speaker 2>that comes with the live stream. It takes me about

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<v Speaker 2>fifteen minutes to make one hundred and then the next

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<v Speaker 2>forty five minutes. I have lots of different programming on

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<v Speaker 2>there between interviews with athletes and coaches and celebrities, players,

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<v Speaker 2>I have some entertainers. It is a who's who on

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<v Speaker 2>the live stream, and it's really remarkable who were able

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<v Speaker 2>to get who we can ask to come on and

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<v Speaker 2>I pretape about fifty interviews, and the best interviews that

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<v Speaker 2>I pretape are the ones with the Special Olympic athletes

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<v Speaker 2>all around the country that have benefited from Special Olympics

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<v Speaker 2>and can share their story why and when you hear

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<v Speaker 2>from these athletes why sport matters to them, how many

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<v Speaker 2>friends they've made, how much it's helped their confidence, how

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<v Speaker 2>much it's made them understand the value of healthy life choices.

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<v Speaker 2>Then how can you not give me one penny for

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<v Speaker 2>every free throw I make? It's just twenty four dollars,

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<v Speaker 2>And that's how we've raised a million dollars.

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<v Speaker 1>Fantastic. Well, let me shift you over to your basketball work,

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<v Speaker 1>and I will say, memory serves you were the first

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<v Speaker 1>analysts I work with on UK volleyball because you were

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<v Speaker 1>the sports marketing director of the very first one at

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<v Speaker 1>Kentucky just a few years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, yeah, you know what, Dick, You're absolutely all right.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean you know, when I was at Kentucky, I

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<v Speaker 2>was the first director of marketing in athletics. Them Newton

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<v Speaker 2>hired me right before I hired Rick Patino, and people

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<v Speaker 2>can remember back that far. And the local cable company

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<v Speaker 2>came to us and said, can can we try to

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<v Speaker 2>produce sport? We think we can do it, and we said, okay,

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<v Speaker 2>let's put a package of basketball, volleyball, some baseball, and

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<v Speaker 2>of course host Communications was able to help us out

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<v Speaker 2>as well. I was twenty three years old at the time.

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<v Speaker 2>I was able to do all those games, and I

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<v Speaker 2>did get to work with you. And of course you

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<v Speaker 2>were a great sports banker for so many years in

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<v Speaker 2>the Lexington market and still covering the market as much

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<v Speaker 2>as you have. You've been in it longer than I have.

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<v Speaker 2>But this is I'm embarking on my thirty seventh college

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<v Speaker 2>basketball season, and it all started in Memorial Coliseum.

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<v Speaker 1>Sure did. When you took that job in sports marketing

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<v Speaker 1>and gravitated, or let's say, added basketball and bob ball

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<v Speaker 1>TV to your resume. Was that a goal of yours?

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<v Speaker 1>Had you all always wanted to be in broadcasting?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Dick, if you remember the time for people

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<v Speaker 2>that are listening in the late eighties, on the women's side,

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<v Speaker 2>the only game on television was the CBS National Championship game.

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<v Speaker 2>So as a player at NC State, I never played

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<v Speaker 2>on TV, never came, gave it a thought, watched the

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<v Speaker 2>one game every year. Unfortunately, my team at NC State

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<v Speaker 2>never made it that far. We only made it to

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<v Speaker 2>the sweet sixteen twice. We never got out of that bracket.

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<v Speaker 2>But to watch the one game and then to have

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<v Speaker 2>this local cable company come in and right then I

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<v Speaker 2>was just removed from playing. I had been a coach

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<v Speaker 2>at in grad school as a GA at Ohio University.

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<v Speaker 2>It was I was running a parallel path in my

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<v Speaker 2>career at that moment because I was trying to be

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<v Speaker 2>an ad but I also was considering being a basketball coach.

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<v Speaker 2>And then this television showed up and I thought, Wow,

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<v Speaker 2>this is something that I never thought of. This is

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<v Speaker 2>something that keeps me in the game as a market

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<v Speaker 2>sports professional. I can sell the game and it allowed

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<v Speaker 2>me to stay in it on both fronts, and I'm

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<v Speaker 2>so grateful it worked.

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<v Speaker 1>Out for me.

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<v Speaker 2>My timing could not have been better. And I have

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<v Speaker 2>worked really relentlessly to continue to promote and push the

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<v Speaker 2>game forward. And boy, are we having a time right

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<v Speaker 2>now inside the women's game.

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<v Speaker 1>We are, and I want to talk about that in

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<v Speaker 1>just a minute, but I will say this before we break.

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<v Speaker 1>Timing is so viotl in our business. As you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I've had opportunities. You've had opportunities right place, right time,

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<v Speaker 1>knowing the right people. But you've been able to persevere

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<v Speaker 1>because you were up to the job. But it takes

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of work, doesn't it be. You're one of

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<v Speaker 1>those ones who make it look easy, But that's where

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<v Speaker 1>the hard work comes in.

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<v Speaker 2>Right Nobody knows how much prep goes on in the

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<v Speaker 2>two hours that you're on the air. You can tell

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<v Speaker 2>fans certainly, can tell, coaches, can tell people that follow

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<v Speaker 2>the game, no whether you put the time in or not.

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<v Speaker 2>And I've always been somebody that's been a grinder. I

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<v Speaker 2>don't mind the hard work, I don't mind the detail.

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<v Speaker 2>I think the product is the narrative, and so I

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<v Speaker 2>am constantly pushing forward the women's product because I knew

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<v Speaker 2>one day we would get here, and boy, we are

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<v Speaker 2>in a spot right now that is really fun to

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<v Speaker 2>be around.

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<v Speaker 1>Dewie Antonelli, college basketball and pro basketball analyst. As my

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<v Speaker 1>guests will come right back. We're listening to the best

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<v Speaker 1>of the Big Blue Insider. Want to come here on

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<v Speaker 1>six thirty WLAP. It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to the

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<v Speaker 1>Best of the Big Blue Insider. We're talking with Debbie Antonelli.

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<v Speaker 1>She is a former broadcast partner of mine from back

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<v Speaker 1>when she was a sports marketing director at the University

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<v Speaker 1>of Kentucky and now does a lot of work for ESPN, Fox, CBS,

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<v Speaker 1>Westwood One here on TV and radio and w you

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<v Speaker 1>talked about the WNBA. You are essentially following the Indiana

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<v Speaker 1>fever all over the country. But what it's such a

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<v Speaker 1>grand time. As you said, this controversy, debate whatever you

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<v Speaker 1>want to say about Caitlin Clark. I find puzzling because,

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<v Speaker 1>as I've said, and I didn't invent this image, but

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<v Speaker 1>pro basket pro athletes are independent contractors, pushing their own

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<v Speaker 1>brand as well as that of their team, their sport,

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<v Speaker 1>their league. To do anything that might detegrate a player

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<v Speaker 1>who is attracting these crowds, these ratings, that's not good business,

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<v Speaker 1>is it? Because why not take advantage of what's happening now?

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<v Speaker 2>Am I?

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<v Speaker 1>Right? Oh?

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<v Speaker 2>I think you're one d right. I think we are

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<v Speaker 2>in incredibly special time. And I say that because I

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<v Speaker 2>have even coined a name for it. I call it clarkonomics.

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<v Speaker 2>And it is clarkonomics because you and I both understand

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<v Speaker 2>the economics of it. Like you can see, it's tangible,

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<v Speaker 2>the ratings, the attendant, the amount of investment inside the league,

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<v Speaker 2>the economic forecast forward for the league with the new

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<v Speaker 2>media rights and the player collective bargaining and the union

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<v Speaker 2>and all the things that are coming about. Because it's

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<v Speaker 2>a cliche, I don't always like to use cliches, but

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<v Speaker 2>a rising tide lifts all votes. Caitlin has been the

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<v Speaker 2>greatest disruptor in the history of our game. And I

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<v Speaker 2>say that all as a positive. It's a one hundred

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<v Speaker 2>percent positive because it's an economic influence and it's a

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<v Speaker 2>confluence of many things coming together. Yes, the league has

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<v Speaker 2>always been good. Yes the product has been good, but

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<v Speaker 2>we have seen incremental growth five percentages. We don't have

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<v Speaker 2>the raw data. Now the league puts the data out,

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<v Speaker 2>they put the percentages out. You see the ratings. And

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<v Speaker 2>for somebody like me who's been waiting for this, we've

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<v Speaker 2>talked about ratings for a long time, but nobody was

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<v Speaker 2>selling Now the amount of investment, the creative inventory that's

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<v Speaker 2>been generated, the opportunity now to see our game through

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<v Speaker 2>a different lens. Caitlin Clark has helped us all with that.

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<v Speaker 2>Everybody is going to make more money because Caitlin has

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<v Speaker 2>been the biggest disruptor in the history of our game.

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<v Speaker 2>Now have we had great players all along? Yes, As

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<v Speaker 2>a matter of fact, I've covered every one of them.

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<v Speaker 2>I've played against Cheryl Miller and I've covered them all

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<v Speaker 2>since then. Okay, I have seen the greatest talent in

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<v Speaker 2>the history of our game on display in my career.

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<v Speaker 2>Caitlin is another great that's coming up. But the confluence

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<v Speaker 2>of name, image and likeness, the transfer portal, the success

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<v Speaker 2>of the college game, those are all things to celebrate,

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<v Speaker 2>and that's all I'm going to do.

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<v Speaker 4>Dick Is.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to celebrate those things because for somebody that's

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<v Speaker 2>sat in that chair at two institutions in college Kentucky

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<v Speaker 2>and Ohio State and pushed and begged and asked and

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<v Speaker 2>kept getting told no, but kept pushing, how many people

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<v Speaker 2>have come before me that have been waiting for this moment,

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<v Speaker 2>people like me that are in the moment. Now it's

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<v Speaker 2>our responsibility to carry it forward. But we also have

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<v Speaker 2>to use it as an educational tool to help everybody

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<v Speaker 2>understand that this is an economic business. That the WNBA

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<v Speaker 2>is not college. It is a business. You say, independent

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<v Speaker 2>contractors with their own brands. That's one hundred percent true.

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<v Speaker 2>And to come together in a team setting and to

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<v Speaker 2>be able to push a movement like these women have pushed.

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<v Speaker 2>Caitlin is the driving force of it, but there are

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<v Speaker 2>others that are there and it doesn't diminish anyone else's game,

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<v Speaker 2>It doesn't diminish the light that shines on the league.

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<v Speaker 2>It's all positive and I don't understand why people can't

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<v Speaker 2>see it that way. Maybe no one in the media

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<v Speaker 2>has shared it the way that I have just shared it.

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<v Speaker 2>They're looking for clicks and social media. You know, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not doing that. I've never done that. I'm trying to

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<v Speaker 2>pump the league up, and Caitlin Clark happens to be

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<v Speaker 2>a driving force and I get to follow her around

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<v Speaker 2>all summer. How lucky am I?

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<v Speaker 1>Magic Johnson, you may have seen this tweet or quote

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<v Speaker 1>or whatever, but and this is this exact same thing

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<v Speaker 1>occurred to me. And I'm no genius, but it's obvious

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<v Speaker 1>to me that Angel Rees Caitlin Clark was bird magic

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<v Speaker 1>and Magic Johnson said the same thing. They have those

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<v Speaker 1>two guys. He's not saying that Kaitlin Clark's saving the WNBA,

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<v Speaker 1>but those two guys did save the NBA West Coast,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, East coast, black white, different styles, whatever, But

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<v Speaker 1>Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese or whoever else, it's great

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<v Speaker 1>for business, and it's great. It's so entertaining.

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<v Speaker 2>Let me remind you because you will remember this as

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<v Speaker 2>two Kentucky people who covered Kentucky landscape of sports forever.

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<v Speaker 2>Bill Curry, the football coach who was there when I

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<v Speaker 2>was there. Okay, Bill had this speech and you can

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<v Speaker 2>look it up on YouTube, and I hope your listeners

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<v Speaker 2>will look at It's called the huddle and the huddle

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<v Speaker 2>is about coming together inside a huddle. Race, religious, sex,

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<v Speaker 2>of politics have nothing to do with getting the next

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<v Speaker 2>verse down. You don't care who's beside you except for

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<v Speaker 2>that's your brother who is sweating the same sweat and

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<v Speaker 2>the same blood is red. And everything is like about

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<v Speaker 2>the team and moving the ball. And when you listen

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<v Speaker 2>to the huddle and you think about what Bill Curry

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<v Speaker 2>was basically saying, that's where sport is supposed to be

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<v Speaker 2>the one place in our society where none of that

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<v Speaker 2>other stuff matters. And I don't like to frame it

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<v Speaker 2>in any other context except for the product is the narrative.

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<v Speaker 2>This is a business. We are trying to move the

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<v Speaker 2>game forward, and we've found the greatest economic disruptor our

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<v Speaker 2>game has ever seen. And aren't we lucky to be

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<v Speaker 2>experiencing it all together? And everyone's going to benefit from it.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just going to take time for those that don't

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<v Speaker 2>see it to understand it. When their bank account starts

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<v Speaker 2>to grow, then they'll understand it.

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<v Speaker 1>And if they can't understand it getting on a charter

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<v Speaker 1>flight that they didn't have in the past, well, what

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<v Speaker 1>are you going to do before I let you go? Debbie?

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<v Speaker 1>Congratulations and this happened a couple of years ago, but

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<v Speaker 1>inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, you're already

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<v Speaker 1>in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. I know

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<v Speaker 1>you didn't see that coming. That was not necessarily a

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<v Speaker 1>goal for you, but it just means you show up

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<v Speaker 1>for work and you get the job done, and you

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<v Speaker 1>got to take pride in that.

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<v Speaker 2>I certainly do, Dick, And I'm so grateful, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>when you went on boards and the Kirk Gowdy's coming

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<v Speaker 2>up in October from Naysmith, and when you start reflecting

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<v Speaker 2>back on someone like you who was there at the

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<v Speaker 2>very beginning for me when I was just a kid

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<v Speaker 2>right out of college trying to figure out what I

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to do and not sure what direction, but I

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<v Speaker 2>always loved the game. And to be able to spend

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<v Speaker 2>the four years that I got to spend at Kentucky

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<v Speaker 2>with CM Newton and Jean d Philippo and Chris Cameron

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<v Speaker 2>and Kyle Motes and Kathy de Boor, I mean, I

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<v Speaker 2>can go right down the list of Larry Ivy, just

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<v Speaker 2>really great people around Kentucky, Rodney styles, I mean, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the coaches, just the opportunities that I had, and here

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<v Speaker 2>I sit with a chance. When you win these awards,

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<v Speaker 2>even though they look like individuals, they're always team awards

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<v Speaker 2>to me because there's so many people that have been

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<v Speaker 2>involved in helping me get to this point, and I

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<v Speaker 2>am incredibly grateful. Now I do have to mention one thing,

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<v Speaker 2>and that is that my youngest son, Patrick is a

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<v Speaker 2>walk on at the University of Louisville. Oh, and I

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<v Speaker 2>hope that. I hope that Big Blue Nation, knowing my

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<v Speaker 2>ties to the university, when that curly headed dude shows

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<v Speaker 2>up in rough Arena and sitting on the end of

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<v Speaker 2>the bench as a walk on trying to help Pat

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<v Speaker 2>Kelsey in the University of Louisville, that Rugh Arena and

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<v Speaker 2>Big Blue Nation will be nice to that kid because

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<v Speaker 2>he's living out his dream as an opportunity to experience

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<v Speaker 2>college basketball at the D one level after playing four

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<v Speaker 2>years of division too. It's a little bit of you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, my Kentucky roots are strong, but obviously he's

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<v Speaker 2>doing a little bit of following up in Rick shadow,

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<v Speaker 2>if you will, the guy he's always admired for a

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<v Speaker 2>long time, and Pat Kelsey certainly is a great man

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<v Speaker 2>who will do a good job at Louisville, so he.

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<v Speaker 1>Comes through the portal t U L. I don't know

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<v Speaker 1>how that process works, but apparently they liked each other.

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<v Speaker 1>Kelsey and your son.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, it's you know, it's as a walk on. He'll

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<v Speaker 2>have a specific role and that will be to help

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<v Speaker 2>the scout team and to do other things to help

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<v Speaker 2>the team get ready. But he wants to coach one day,

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<v Speaker 2>and I can't imagine him having a better experience than

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<v Speaker 2>experiencing the entire state of Kentucky and basketball, and that

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<v Speaker 2>includes you know, Mark Pope and getting a chance to

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<v Speaker 2>meet him. I did cover Mark in the NCAA Tournament

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<v Speaker 2>for CBS this year at b YU and I had

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<v Speaker 2>b YU and the upset over Kansas and Allen field

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<v Speaker 2>House at the end of February. So Tucky got a

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<v Speaker 2>great one and Mark Pope and he's going to do

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<v Speaker 2>really well.

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<v Speaker 1>Well I got about a minute left, But what was

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<v Speaker 1>your reaction, as someone who's worked within an athletics department

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<v Speaker 1>of the Mitch Barnhart hire of a guy like Mark

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<v Speaker 1>who had not yet won an NCAA tournament game but

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<v Speaker 1>has a pretty strong background.

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<v Speaker 2>I think because Mitch has had so much success in

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<v Speaker 2>hiring lots of different components of that athletic department, that

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<v Speaker 2>this is still a relationship building business, which is number one,

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<v Speaker 2>and nobody wants to win more than Mitch Barnhardt. But

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<v Speaker 2>what you're going to see through Mark is a style

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<v Speaker 2>play that's going to be exciting and up tempo, just

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<v Speaker 2>like everybody talks about. You're going to see a definite

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<v Speaker 2>identity and culture in which he's going to bring from

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<v Speaker 2>his Byau days. And remember, he is a Kentucky guy,

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<v Speaker 2>so he does understand the landscape, and he does understand

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<v Speaker 2>the fan base, and you have to understand the fan

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<v Speaker 2>base to know what you're getting into. But I think

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<v Speaker 2>it's a brilliant hire by Mitch. I'm pulling for Mark

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<v Speaker 2>Pope every chance to get, but I don't know what

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<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna wear when I go to the Louisville Kentucky game. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know what I'm gonna wear.

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<v Speaker 1>I thank you so much. Supposed to be stronger, right,

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<v Speaker 1>find that old John Y Brown sports coach that was

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<v Speaker 1>half red, half blue, and you can rock that. Debbie Antonelli,

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<v Speaker 1>former Kentucky sports marketing director but now one of the

420
00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:23.039
<v Speaker 1>top color analysts on TV and radio, and you'll see

421
00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:27.519
<v Speaker 1>her coverage of the WNBA specifically, but in general Indiana

422
00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:29.960
<v Speaker 1>Fever games because they're all over the tube. Thank you

423
00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:31.960
<v Speaker 1>so much, Debbie. Great talking to you. Let's do it

424
00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.480
<v Speaker 1>again soon.

425
00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:34.920
<v Speaker 2>Hey, listen, Dick your friend for a long time. I'm

426
00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:37.200
<v Speaker 2>so grateful that you included me on your program. Thanks

427
00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:37.839
<v Speaker 2>for having me on.

428
00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:40.400
<v Speaker 1>You're listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider.

429
00:22:40.599 --> 00:22:44.960
<v Speaker 1>More to come here on six thirty w LAP. It's

430
00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:47.559
<v Speaker 1>Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to the Best of the Big

431
00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:50.680
<v Speaker 1>Blue Insider. Joining us now is a guy who has

432
00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:54.480
<v Speaker 1>covered Kentucky sports for a while now for the Courier

433
00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:56.880
<v Speaker 1>Journal on the beat. Ryan Black has been on our

434
00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:00.000
<v Speaker 1>shore with us several times. Ryan, thanks for joining us.

435
00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:03.240
<v Speaker 1>So before we talk baseball, a little more roster news.

436
00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.039
<v Speaker 1>But Ugana and yenso kind of I think surprised people

437
00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:09.640
<v Speaker 1>when he ended up in Manhattan and not the one

438
00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.160
<v Speaker 1>in New York, the one in Kansas at Kansas State?

439
00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:14.240
<v Speaker 1>Was that Was that a surprise to you?

440
00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:17.440
<v Speaker 4>Oh and Dick k thanks again for having me on.

441
00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:19.599
<v Speaker 4>But been a while you had to answer that question

442
00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:23.240
<v Speaker 4>about on enso yeah, for sure, it just seemed like

443
00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:25.519
<v Speaker 4>for a long time, even if you date back to

444
00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:27.359
<v Speaker 4>prior to last season, you know, when he put his

445
00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:29.720
<v Speaker 4>name in the portal and then came back to Kentucky,

446
00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:32.240
<v Speaker 4>there was just a lot of you know, kind of

447
00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:34.960
<v Speaker 4>smoke surrounding him that he was going to maybe transfer

448
00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:38.200
<v Speaker 4>to a school in a big, big, big metro area,

449
00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:40.079
<v Speaker 4>like you're saying, whether it's somewhere up there in New

450
00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:42.279
<v Speaker 4>York maybe DC. I know at one point he'd been

451
00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:45.799
<v Speaker 4>connected with Georgetown as well. So for him to end

452
00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:49.960
<v Speaker 4>up in Manhattan, Kansas, somewhere that I lived and worked

453
00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:51.440
<v Speaker 4>at the local paper the four and a half years

454
00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:53.599
<v Speaker 4>little bit a little bit surprising to me. But uh,

455
00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:56.079
<v Speaker 4>you know, that's that's a place that loves basketball and

456
00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:57.960
<v Speaker 4>loves sports, and I'll be interest to see kind of

457
00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:59.680
<v Speaker 4>what what he can do there next season.

458
00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:01.519
<v Speaker 1>It's just town of how many do you remember?

459
00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:05.079
<v Speaker 4>Oh, well, Dick, that's a good question. I'm trying to

460
00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:06.759
<v Speaker 4>remember off top of my head because so many people

461
00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:08.759
<v Speaker 4>who live there are transient right in terms of like

462
00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:10.920
<v Speaker 4>they're either k State student. And then right down the

463
00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:13.720
<v Speaker 4>road you've got fort Riley, which is the biggest employer

464
00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:15.599
<v Speaker 4>in Sata, Kansas, the big Army base there.

465
00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:17.839
<v Speaker 2>So I'm gonna guess here, Dick.

466
00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:19.880
<v Speaker 4>I'm gonna say I think last I saw in the

467
00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:22.279
<v Speaker 4>Last Ins it was around fifty.

468
00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:24.240
<v Speaker 2>It's five thousand, wow, and.

469
00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:27.359
<v Speaker 1>I got a big chunk of that's to college. I

470
00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:30.039
<v Speaker 1>don't know much about their program now, You're right, they've

471
00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:33.519
<v Speaker 1>had some good teams. I'm guessing they could really use

472
00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:34.640
<v Speaker 1>a guy like him though.

473
00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:38.720
<v Speaker 4>Oh yeah, no for certain and they're you know, Dick,

474
00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:41.400
<v Speaker 4>when they when they beat Kentucky, you know a little

475
00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:44.400
<v Speaker 4>more than now a season removed, yea. You know, they

476
00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:46.119
<v Speaker 4>made it to the Elite Eight and lost to Florida

477
00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:47.880
<v Speaker 4>Atlantic and Elite eight. You know that they've got this

478
00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.000
<v Speaker 4>mark now, which I know is just maddening to their

479
00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:52.880
<v Speaker 4>fan base. They've lost I believe it's either eight or

480
00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:55.160
<v Speaker 4>nine straight Elite eight games.

481
00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:55.759
<v Speaker 1>Wow.

482
00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:56.039
<v Speaker 3>You know.

483
00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:58.640
<v Speaker 4>And they had made four final fours up to nineteen

484
00:24:58.680 --> 00:25:02.559
<v Speaker 4>sixty four and actually were really on par, if not

485
00:25:02.599 --> 00:25:05.200
<v Speaker 4>slightly ahead of Tansas. Actually at that time back in

486
00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:07.680
<v Speaker 4>the sixties when when TeX's winner who went on to

487
00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:09.839
<v Speaker 4>you know, develop a triangle with the Bulls and everyone

488
00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:12.400
<v Speaker 4>knows what he is, they were, you know, one of

489
00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:14.920
<v Speaker 4>the absolute elite programs in the country and they just

490
00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:16.640
<v Speaker 4>you know, they've not been able to get back to

491
00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:18.319
<v Speaker 4>the final four, but you know, I know their fans

492
00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:20.519
<v Speaker 4>are starved for that, and we'll see if Jerome tank

493
00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:21.680
<v Speaker 4>it can get them there at some point.

494
00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:24.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, nineteen and fifteen last year, so yep, they could

495
00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:27.559
<v Speaker 1>use some help. All right. Well, you've you've been covering

496
00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:30.559
<v Speaker 1>a lot of baseball of late. And I was talking

497
00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:33.559
<v Speaker 1>internet on the show about a lot of folks who

498
00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:37.519
<v Speaker 1>enjoy covering baseball to wait until basketball is over. But

499
00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:39.960
<v Speaker 1>you've You've picked up at a good time, haven't you.

500
00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:42.519
<v Speaker 2>Well, you know this is so funny.

501
00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:43.720
<v Speaker 4>I was saying about this the other day when I

502
00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:45.640
<v Speaker 4>was sitting there in the post the post game press

503
00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:49.000
<v Speaker 4>conference after Kentucky's won the regional for the second straight year.

504
00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:52.799
<v Speaker 4>I never, in a million years, knowing where things were

505
00:25:52.839 --> 00:25:55.559
<v Speaker 4>when I first got here in October twenty twenty two,

506
00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:58.480
<v Speaker 4>would have believed that if someone had told me Ryan,

507
00:25:58.519 --> 00:26:02.559
<v Speaker 4>you're going to cover two Super region and in baseball

508
00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:05.599
<v Speaker 4>before you ever cover Kentucky basketball and a Sweet.

509
00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:08.960
<v Speaker 1>Sixteen ash that's right. Wow.

510
00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:12.119
<v Speaker 4>Never would have had them that. So it's funny how

511
00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:12.559
<v Speaker 4>things work.

512
00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:16.079
<v Speaker 1>None of us would have fathomed that. But yeah, a

513
00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:18.440
<v Speaker 1>lot has happened. But of course we'll get back to

514
00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:22.400
<v Speaker 1>basketball in a minute. But man with with a baseball

515
00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:25.880
<v Speaker 1>program and big crowds and all the interest, I mean,

516
00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:29.000
<v Speaker 1>that's part of the fun, isn't it That people are

517
00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:32.240
<v Speaker 1>excited about being excited, aren't they?

518
00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:33.640
<v Speaker 3>Yeah?

519
00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:35.880
<v Speaker 4>Well, and Dickon also one who you know, fortunate. I've

520
00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:38.359
<v Speaker 4>covered all these different schools and all these different events.

521
00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:40.160
<v Speaker 4>But to me, there's just something to be said for,

522
00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:43.160
<v Speaker 4>you know, getting to cover something that's never been done before.

523
00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.519
<v Speaker 4>And so later this week, you know, when Kentucky gets

524
00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:48.160
<v Speaker 4>to host their first super Regional in history. You know,

525
00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:50.039
<v Speaker 4>I can't I can't wait to be there for that,

526
00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:53.480
<v Speaker 4>just see kind of what's the excitement, the electricity and

527
00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:55.640
<v Speaker 4>just what that's going to be like just for the

528
00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:57.960
<v Speaker 4>sand basically get to experience something like that because you know,

529
00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:00.480
<v Speaker 4>friends going there last year, you know, to see them

530
00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:02.359
<v Speaker 4>play LSU. You mean now that there was not a

531
00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:04.680
<v Speaker 4>buzz there with just the history of what LSU is,

532
00:27:04.839 --> 00:27:07.319
<v Speaker 4>But that's just like that's an expectation down there and back.

533
00:27:07.400 --> 00:27:09.599
<v Speaker 4>I mean, they expect to be there, whereas like it's

534
00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:12.119
<v Speaker 4>just fun to be here for something where it's just

535
00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:15.440
<v Speaker 4>going to be completely brand new for everybody involved, you know.

536
00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:17.440
<v Speaker 1>But I can't blame the fan base for being a

537
00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:19.880
<v Speaker 1>little bit miffed about the fact that, you know, you've

538
00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:22.720
<v Speaker 1>got the weird format with Kentucky hosting, and yet the

539
00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:25.519
<v Speaker 1>visitor on the scoreboard for a couple of games. I

540
00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:28.000
<v Speaker 1>could see maybe one game, but and now you've got

541
00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:31.279
<v Speaker 1>a nine o'clock start on Sunday that seems really random.

542
00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:33.519
<v Speaker 4>Well, I mean, the only thing I could think of

543
00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:35.319
<v Speaker 4>two deck, right, was that maybe they're also trying to

544
00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:37.920
<v Speaker 4>throw a bone to the West Coast people exactly, you know,

545
00:27:38.039 --> 00:27:39.839
<v Speaker 4>Oregon State coming from the West coast, and so they

546
00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:41.880
<v Speaker 4>don't want to make them, uh, you know.

547
00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:42.400
<v Speaker 3>Have to get up.

548
00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:44.000
<v Speaker 4>Let's let's say, for instance, like if it was a

549
00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:45.799
<v Speaker 4>three o'clock first pitch. I mean, that means that it's

550
00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:48.000
<v Speaker 4>still a new first pitch for them out there. And

551
00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:49.440
<v Speaker 4>that's one of the only things I can think of

552
00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:51.359
<v Speaker 4>is the fact that since Kentucky has matched up with

553
00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:54.000
<v Speaker 4>the West Coast scene, that that ESPN and the TV

554
00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:57.759
<v Speaker 4>broadcast people wanted to at least somewhat accommodate, you know,

555
00:27:57.880 --> 00:28:00.799
<v Speaker 4>that that portion of the viewing audience But to your

556
00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:03.200
<v Speaker 4>point about like you said that Kentucky being the visiting

557
00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:06.319
<v Speaker 4>team twice during that regional Uh. He's talking to another

558
00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:08.759
<v Speaker 4>person who covers the team, you know, Dylan Ballard. Uh

559
00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:10.720
<v Speaker 4>the other day about this two, Dick. It's to me

560
00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:13.640
<v Speaker 4>it would make sense if Kentucky was a visiting team,

561
00:28:13.720 --> 00:28:16.119
<v Speaker 4>for instance, if they were hosting this that quote unquote

562
00:28:16.119 --> 00:28:18.319
<v Speaker 4>a neutral site, like if it was in Louisville or

563
00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:22.000
<v Speaker 4>Cincinnati or somewhere that's nearby. But the fact that Kentucky,

564
00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:25.000
<v Speaker 4>you know, literally is hosting at their own park, that's

565
00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:27.359
<v Speaker 4>the that's weird to me that they still make them be.

566
00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:28.240
<v Speaker 3>The visitor at times.

567
00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:30.160
<v Speaker 4>Like to me, if you if you again, if you've

568
00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:32.319
<v Speaker 4>got a national seed, not only their national seas, there's

569
00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:35.400
<v Speaker 4>number two. They should never be the away in any

570
00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:36.960
<v Speaker 4>of the regional game. That is my opinion. You know,

571
00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:38.720
<v Speaker 4>I know they're not gonna change the rules. That's my

572
00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:41.200
<v Speaker 4>opinion Dick, that if you're a national seed, you should

573
00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:41.880
<v Speaker 4>never be the away.

574
00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:45.960
<v Speaker 1>But they did survive it. And once you began covering

575
00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:48.559
<v Speaker 1>this team, and I know you've done some research and

576
00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:51.799
<v Speaker 1>reading and all, but what have you enjoyed about watching

577
00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:53.880
<v Speaker 1>this team?

578
00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:56.079
<v Speaker 4>Just this season or just including last.

579
00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:58.720
<v Speaker 1>Year too, well this year for the most part, okay.

580
00:28:58.480 --> 00:29:00.000
<v Speaker 4>Just well, I mean, Dick and like that, I got

581
00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:02.359
<v Speaker 4>to always, you know, seed to you on this because

582
00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:04.079
<v Speaker 4>you've seen this team and been around this pergram so

583
00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:09.279
<v Speaker 4>much longer. But man, this this team, especially defensively, it

584
00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:12.119
<v Speaker 4>just feels like like that any second any of these

585
00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:13.839
<v Speaker 4>guys up there on the field can just about make

586
00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:16.799
<v Speaker 4>like a web gym type play. And the two of

587
00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:18.640
<v Speaker 4>the best plays I think I've ever especially the Grant

588
00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:20.680
<v Speaker 4>Smith's play the other day was one of the best

589
00:29:20.680 --> 00:29:23.240
<v Speaker 4>plays I've ever seen at any level of baseball. That

590
00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:25.480
<v Speaker 4>that that catch he made in the outfield.

591
00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:29.319
<v Speaker 1>That and you know, it's funny because that was such

592
00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:33.599
<v Speaker 1>a tremendous play, and prior to that, the play he

593
00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:36.519
<v Speaker 1>made to trigger that double play was the play of

594
00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:39.319
<v Speaker 1>the game. So yeah, you can't look away when these

595
00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:40.200
<v Speaker 1>guys are playing.

596
00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:44.200
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, and you know, I think I believe it was

597
00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:47.200
<v Speaker 4>I think it was Krey Pouser who said this that

598
00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:49.079
<v Speaker 4>I think it was him, But it was basically him

599
00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:50.319
<v Speaker 4>just saying that, hey, you know, it makes my job

600
00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:52.720
<v Speaker 4>so much easier as a picture when I kind of hey,

601
00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:54.519
<v Speaker 4>even if the ball gets them play. I've got such

602
00:29:54.599 --> 00:29:57.000
<v Speaker 4>great defenders behind me that you know, I can just

603
00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:58.599
<v Speaker 4>basically go up there and pitch for I need to

604
00:29:58.599 --> 00:30:00.000
<v Speaker 4>pitch it. I know they're going to back me up

605
00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:01.279
<v Speaker 4>if I need that help.

606
00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:04.559
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and Nick Minjeone the other night used the term

607
00:30:04.599 --> 00:30:08.440
<v Speaker 1>pitch to contact, and my partner Doug Flynn says that

608
00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:11.920
<v Speaker 1>a lot, especially if he's getting a little frustrated when

609
00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:15.079
<v Speaker 1>pitchers try to be a little too fine, you know,

610
00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:17.759
<v Speaker 1>tackle in the strike zone, and he'll say, just pitch

611
00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:20.759
<v Speaker 1>to contact, you know. Of course Doug was a defensive

612
00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:25.440
<v Speaker 1>specialist as a second baseman in the major leagues, but yeah,

613
00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:27.880
<v Speaker 1>when you got guys like that and the outfield's not

614
00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:28.839
<v Speaker 1>too shabby.

615
00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:31.119
<v Speaker 4>As well either, well, you know, in a way, it's

616
00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:33.079
<v Speaker 4>like I almost feel like, you know, Dick, It's that

617
00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:35.599
<v Speaker 4>sense of like in football right where you can be

618
00:30:35.640 --> 00:30:39.400
<v Speaker 4>aggressive up front if you're so confident in your defensive back, Hey,

619
00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:40.920
<v Speaker 4>you know, we can do what we need to do

620
00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:42.559
<v Speaker 4>because we just know, hey, the ball gets up in

621
00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:45.160
<v Speaker 4>the air, we've got such great defensive backs, they're going

622
00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:46.960
<v Speaker 4>to take care of any messes that we maybe don't

623
00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.400
<v Speaker 4>take care of.

624
00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:49.480
<v Speaker 2>Getting the quarterback first, exactly.

625
00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:52.920
<v Speaker 1>You know, and it also kind of underscores everything that's

626
00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:57.480
<v Speaker 1>going on how powerful the Southeastern Conference has become in baseball,

627
00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:59.839
<v Speaker 1>because one hundred years ago, when I was a kid,

628
00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:03.200
<v Speaker 1>it was West Coast and Florida, and now it's the

629
00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:04.960
<v Speaker 1>SEC and everybody else, isn't it.

630
00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:08.880
<v Speaker 4>I mean, it's it's just I mean, Dick, it's it's unbelievable.

631
00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:11.799
<v Speaker 4>Just how I mean the top three seeds. I mean,

632
00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:13.319
<v Speaker 4>then you just kind of go four of the top

633
00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:15.000
<v Speaker 4>eight of EIG or five of the top eight, and

634
00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:16.519
<v Speaker 4>just just like you go up and down. And then

635
00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:18.559
<v Speaker 4>of course, Dick looks, I mean next next year, then

636
00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:21.400
<v Speaker 4>you're going to be welcoming Texas and Oklahoma, who both

637
00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:23.400
<v Speaker 4>have been have both I mean, obviously, Textas have been

638
00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:26.599
<v Speaker 4>more caufable series than any program. Oklahoma's been there quite

639
00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:29.440
<v Speaker 4>a few times. Uh. And then heck when you also

640
00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:32.440
<v Speaker 4>welcome Oklahoma softball wise, I mean it's just I mean,

641
00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:35.279
<v Speaker 4>the conference is already so good in so many sports,

642
00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:39.440
<v Speaker 4>but welcoming those two, Uh, it's really it's really going

643
00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:41.480
<v Speaker 4>to be something, and I think it's nothing else too, Dick.

644
00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:43.400
<v Speaker 4>I want to make sure that we say this, I mean,

645
00:31:43.400 --> 00:31:46.319
<v Speaker 4>that makes what Kentucky baseball is doing now even more impressive.

646
00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:47.920
<v Speaker 4>I mean they're not doing that at the time when

647
00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:50.240
<v Speaker 4>the league is down and they're maybe beating up on

648
00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:53.000
<v Speaker 4>you know. I mean they are in the toughest conference

649
00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:56.079
<v Speaker 4>in America and earned the number two overall national seeds.

650
00:31:56.119 --> 00:31:56.759
<v Speaker 2>Unbelievable.

651
00:31:56.880 --> 00:31:59.079
<v Speaker 1>You're listening to the Best of the Big bluinds Cider

652
00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:03.480
<v Speaker 1>or to come here six thirty w LAP. It's Dick Gabriel.

653
00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:06.279
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Best of the Big Blue Insider

654
00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:08.880
<v Speaker 1>talking with Ryan Black. He is the UK beat writer

655
00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:11.440
<v Speaker 1>for the Courier Journal. He'll be covering the Super Regional

656
00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:14.400
<v Speaker 1>this week. As he covered the regional tournament last week

657
00:32:14.839 --> 00:32:17.160
<v Speaker 1>before the break, we were talking about how powerful the

658
00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:21.359
<v Speaker 1>SEC has become. Will you be going to SEC media

659
00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:22.480
<v Speaker 1>days in Dallas?

660
00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:24.279
<v Speaker 3>Well, I actually would not be, Dick.

661
00:32:24.359 --> 00:32:24.880
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to be.

662
00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:27.039
<v Speaker 4>I guess we've covered this this year's of it for

663
00:32:27.160 --> 00:32:28.359
<v Speaker 4>by hel Okay.

664
00:32:28.839 --> 00:32:30.480
<v Speaker 1>Well, you know, and a lot of people are saying

665
00:32:30.519 --> 00:32:33.279
<v Speaker 1>that because at least from this area, because that's a

666
00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:36.279
<v Speaker 1>commitment man, getting you know, getting a flight, getting down

667
00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:38.880
<v Speaker 1>to Dallas. And of course they're doing that because Texas

668
00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:42.279
<v Speaker 1>and know you have joined the conference but uh, I

669
00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:45.599
<v Speaker 1>was just looking at the one of the polls yesterday

670
00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:49.039
<v Speaker 1>about tough of schedules in America nine out of ten

671
00:32:49.079 --> 00:32:51.799
<v Speaker 1>or from the SEC, you know, and Texas is one

672
00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:55.599
<v Speaker 1>of Kentucky fourth. I mean, this is gonna be an

673
00:32:55.640 --> 00:32:57.960
<v Speaker 1>incredible football season in the league, isn't it.

674
00:32:58.039 --> 00:32:59.880
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, And that's I mean, that's why I kind of

675
00:33:00.119 --> 00:33:02.319
<v Speaker 4>you mentioned earlier. You know, Dick is getting to do

676
00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:04.160
<v Speaker 4>stuff around what has ever happened be for so I

677
00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:06.319
<v Speaker 4>mean that's something I'm so excited to see this upcoming,

678
00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:09.240
<v Speaker 4>you know, sports season with Texas and Oklahoma joining the

679
00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:12.480
<v Speaker 4>league and just kind of seeing what those two fan bases,

680
00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:14.640
<v Speaker 4>what those two athletics apartments too, obviously care a so

681
00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:17.720
<v Speaker 4>much about sports, what they bring to the table. You know,

682
00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:20.839
<v Speaker 4>obviously Kentucky will be going out there and playing in November.

683
00:33:20.920 --> 00:33:23.599
<v Speaker 4>I mean, it'll be just such an exciting time. And

684
00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:25.720
<v Speaker 4>I'm don't be wrong, Dick, I understand, especially on the

685
00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:29.960
<v Speaker 4>football side, adding those two again blue blood programs, it's

686
00:33:29.960 --> 00:33:33.119
<v Speaker 4>gonna make things tougher for everybody. I mean, especially Kentucky

687
00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:35.119
<v Speaker 4>is it continue to try to rise in the league,

688
00:33:35.160 --> 00:33:37.640
<v Speaker 4>but hey, you know, they kind of know there's gonna

689
00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:39.119
<v Speaker 4>be no easy games out there, so you just get

690
00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:40.640
<v Speaker 4>out there and play well.

691
00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:43.599
<v Speaker 1>Basketball is going to be tough for women's basketball. You

692
00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:47.160
<v Speaker 1>look at them all obviously baseball Texas is won the

693
00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:52.960
<v Speaker 1>last two women's volleyball championships, Oklahoma YA softball, So yeah,

694
00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:55.000
<v Speaker 1>this is this is gonna make it tougher, and it's

695
00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:57.200
<v Speaker 1>going to be tougher on them, you know. Now they

696
00:33:57.279 --> 00:34:00.440
<v Speaker 1>got to take on the likes of Georgia Alabama. Darnard

697
00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:03.240
<v Speaker 1>pointed out that you know, teams are going to rack

698
00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:06.440
<v Speaker 1>up more losses now, and you got wonder Ryan or

699
00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:08.639
<v Speaker 1>a d is going to handle that? How well? Are

700
00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:10.159
<v Speaker 1>AD's going to handle that? Right?

701
00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:11.320
<v Speaker 2>Well?

702
00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:14.000
<v Speaker 4>I know, certainly Dick specifically, you know, for for for

703
00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:16.760
<v Speaker 4>my outlet, you know, the Courier Journal, Louisville certainly a

704
00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:20.280
<v Speaker 4>compsit topic of conversation on that front is what is

705
00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:22.599
<v Speaker 4>the future of of Kentucky versus Louisville.

706
00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:23.920
<v Speaker 3>It's like this Kentucky.

707
00:34:24.280 --> 00:34:26.400
<v Speaker 4>Obviously Louisville wants to keep it just just for I'm

708
00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:29.119
<v Speaker 4>sure the tickets, but for Kentucky, I mean, when you're

709
00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:30.880
<v Speaker 4>not going to be adding at some point, Dick's gonna

710
00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:32.800
<v Speaker 4>happen at some point there's going to be another SEC

711
00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:35.039
<v Speaker 4>game at it. I know they're taking their time to

712
00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:35.280
<v Speaker 4>at it.

713
00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:35.920
<v Speaker 2>There's gonna be a.

714
00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:38.400
<v Speaker 4>Ninth game, you know, put on this schedule at some

715
00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:41.000
<v Speaker 4>point that's an SEC game, is Kentucky DoD They just

716
00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:42.840
<v Speaker 4>feel like, you know, it's just not worth adding another

717
00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:46.480
<v Speaker 4>power conference foe when we're already adding another power conference

718
00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:47.679
<v Speaker 4>foe in our own conference.

719
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:47.880
<v Speaker 1>You know.

720
00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:51.280
<v Speaker 4>So, I think it would be really, really really unfortunate

721
00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:53.199
<v Speaker 4>for the state if it goes away, Dick. But I

722
00:34:53.199 --> 00:34:54.760
<v Speaker 4>mean I wouldn't be surprised if it does.

723
00:34:54.920 --> 00:34:56.840
<v Speaker 3>And I don't know if you.

724
00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:58.559
<v Speaker 4>Maybe have any feeling on that at all, but that's

725
00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:00.719
<v Speaker 4>certainly like to a certain eighte. The top of the

726
00:35:00.760 --> 00:35:03.159
<v Speaker 4>conversation in Louisville was the future of the football season.

727
00:35:03.239 --> 00:35:05.519
<v Speaker 1>No, I completely agree with you, And I could not

728
00:35:05.719 --> 00:35:10.639
<v Speaker 1>blame Stoops and barn Root and company if they said, look,

729
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:14.280
<v Speaker 1>you know this is we've already got all these heavyweights

730
00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:18.440
<v Speaker 1>coming at us, and I guess Ryan, the money makes

731
00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:21.000
<v Speaker 1>sense to add another conference game. There's got to be

732
00:35:21.840 --> 00:35:26.400
<v Speaker 1>some reason that the member institutions in the SEC would

733
00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:29.760
<v Speaker 1>agree to this, you know, a bigger paycheck, because everybody's

734
00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:32.519
<v Speaker 1>looking for a bigger revenue stream that's got to be it,

735
00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:35.679
<v Speaker 1>of course, and it seems like they're already tapping out.

736
00:35:36.400 --> 00:35:36.639
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

737
00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:37.719
<v Speaker 2>Well, I would say, I just know.

738
00:35:37.760 --> 00:35:39.920
<v Speaker 4>Everything I've read, Dick is that it definitely has to

739
00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:42.480
<v Speaker 4>do with the fact that ESPN, et cetera, of the

740
00:35:42.519 --> 00:35:46.119
<v Speaker 4>TV partners for the SEC have basically said, Hey, this

741
00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:49.360
<v Speaker 4>is how much more money another and an additional league

742
00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:53.000
<v Speaker 4>game brings to the TV contract as opposed to if

743
00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:55.960
<v Speaker 4>you if you again go and schedule someone from the

744
00:35:56.079 --> 00:35:58.960
<v Speaker 4>MAC or from the Sunbelt or through Hey don't and

745
00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:00.559
<v Speaker 4>I don't roll take me. Some of the teams are

746
00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:02.920
<v Speaker 4>very like they're not gidee games all the time, especially

747
00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:06.320
<v Speaker 4>the Sun Belt. But you know, I just I do

748
00:36:06.440 --> 00:36:09.519
<v Speaker 4>get to you know, Dick, just like TV TV money

749
00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:12.239
<v Speaker 4>is what makes everything go round at this point in

750
00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:14.559
<v Speaker 4>college sports, especially on the football side.

751
00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:16.280
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, you're you're up to one hundred and

752
00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:19.719
<v Speaker 1>fifty million dollars budget at the University of Kentucky. Talking

753
00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:22.000
<v Speaker 1>to Ryan black at a Courier Journal beat writer covers

754
00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:25.000
<v Speaker 1>the Wildcats, who's also had to keep an eye on

755
00:36:25.079 --> 00:36:28.440
<v Speaker 1>the expanding roster, putting it you can put together by

756
00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:31.039
<v Speaker 1>Mark Pope, He's got one more. Scollarie just hired a

757
00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:34.559
<v Speaker 1>couple more assistants this week. But I know you weren't

758
00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:38.360
<v Speaker 1>expecting to write stories like that here in the off season.

759
00:36:38.440 --> 00:36:41.480
<v Speaker 1>But this has been an unprecedented off season at the

760
00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:43.000
<v Speaker 1>University of Kentucky, hasn't it.

761
00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:46.000
<v Speaker 4>Huh Man, You know, Dick is so funny because I've

762
00:36:46.039 --> 00:36:48.039
<v Speaker 4>told so many people when they've asked of Ryan. You know,

763
00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:51.280
<v Speaker 4>you've been you know now as a professional journalist out

764
00:36:51.320 --> 00:36:54.599
<v Speaker 4>of college for almost twelve years, and then obviously covering

765
00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:57.280
<v Speaker 4>stuff in college before that. But just how much things

766
00:36:57.280 --> 00:37:00.199
<v Speaker 4>have changed, like even from five years ago, is that

767
00:37:00.239 --> 00:37:01.360
<v Speaker 4>you know, it used to be, hey, if you're going

768
00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:02.920
<v Speaker 4>to transfer, you're going to sit out a year, and

769
00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:05.280
<v Speaker 4>some some people like, well, hey that's that's that that

770
00:37:05.440 --> 00:37:07.239
<v Speaker 4>Jews isn't worth the squeeze. You know, I'm gonna just

771
00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:09.719
<v Speaker 4>sit out and just deal with learning the new school,

772
00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:12.599
<v Speaker 4>learning the new verbiad whatever. Uh And and you know,

773
00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:15.199
<v Speaker 4>basically an incoming coach, you know, knew they were going

774
00:37:15.239 --> 00:37:17.599
<v Speaker 4>to be inheriting whatever roster for the most part was

775
00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:21.000
<v Speaker 4>left by the previous coach. And now it's just like

776
00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:23.320
<v Speaker 4>as we've seen not to hear at Kentucky, but every

777
00:37:23.320 --> 00:37:25.679
<v Speaker 4>other place in the country, when the coach leaves, they

778
00:37:25.679 --> 00:37:31.320
<v Speaker 4>can just immediately overhaul an entire roster in one off season. Again, Kentucky,

779
00:37:31.480 --> 00:37:33.559
<v Speaker 4>not a single player from last year will be back,

780
00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:35.679
<v Speaker 4>which I know Alex to Kentucky dealt with that maybe

781
00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:37.360
<v Speaker 4>more than other school was all the one and done

782
00:37:37.679 --> 00:37:40.199
<v Speaker 4>type players they recruit over the years. But the fact

783
00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:43.079
<v Speaker 4>that again all the recruiting class outside of Travis Perry,

784
00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:46.280
<v Speaker 4>all that gone too. So, uh, you know, don't mirro

785
00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:48.679
<v Speaker 4>On Dick. I do understand that. I think you know,

786
00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:50.079
<v Speaker 4>you would have loved to have been able to bring back

787
00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:52.639
<v Speaker 4>some some players just for the second familiarity. I know

788
00:37:52.679 --> 00:37:54.800
<v Speaker 4>the fan base would have loved to have reached Shepherd

789
00:37:54.800 --> 00:37:56.440
<v Speaker 4>for one more year, but you know you can't. You

790
00:37:56.519 --> 00:37:59.400
<v Speaker 4>can't turn down being a lottery pick, and who knows

791
00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:02.159
<v Speaker 4>how high up going. But it's just the fact that, Dick,

792
00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:04.599
<v Speaker 4>I mean, there are already people saying that potentially, and

793
00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:07.920
<v Speaker 4>I agree with heym Kentucky could potentially challenge for the

794
00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:11.119
<v Speaker 4>SEC championship here just in the first season under Mark Pope,

795
00:38:11.159 --> 00:38:14.360
<v Speaker 4>And that just speaks so incredibly well to the job

796
00:38:14.440 --> 00:38:16.760
<v Speaker 4>hitting him and hits that I've already done to getting hired.

797
00:38:16.880 --> 00:38:20.400
<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah, yeah, but the guy in Arkansas is putting

798
00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:23.920
<v Speaker 1>together a pretty good team as well, Alabama gainst Mark

799
00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:27.360
<v Speaker 1>sears back. So yeah, like everything, it's it's going to

800
00:38:27.440 --> 00:38:28.679
<v Speaker 1>be brutally tough, isn't it.

801
00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:29.199
<v Speaker 2>Yeah?

802
00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:31.079
<v Speaker 4>No, And I I mean I would agree with you.

803
00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:32.599
<v Speaker 4>I think that if if you put it to me

804
00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:35.239
<v Speaker 4>right now, I would pick Alabama to win the SEC.

805
00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:39.000
<v Speaker 4>But i'd say that you know, uh, Kentucky and Arkansas

806
00:38:39.119 --> 00:38:42.000
<v Speaker 4>as well as Tennessee, Uh, you know them getting linear.

807
00:38:42.039 --> 00:38:43.840
<v Speaker 4>I think they're going to be They're going to be

808
00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:46.559
<v Speaker 4>in the mix to Auburn usually again, Bruce Burrow, what

809
00:38:46.599 --> 00:38:49.119
<v Speaker 4>he's done there is incredible. So it's like you said that,

810
00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:51.000
<v Speaker 4>we just just go down whatever sports you want to

811
00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:52.960
<v Speaker 4>name the SEC. It's like it's going to be probably

812
00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:54.760
<v Speaker 4>a pretty tough sledding for every team out there.

813
00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:57.360
<v Speaker 1>Brian Black will cover it for the Courier Journal.

814
00:38:57.519 --> 00:38:58.679
<v Speaker 4>Hey, thanks, Dick, appreciate it.

815
00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:00.840
<v Speaker 1>You're listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider.

816
00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:04.000
<v Speaker 1>Our number two is next here on six thirty wlap.

817
00:39:39.079 --> 00:39:41.679
<v Speaker 1>Hey it's Stick Gabriel. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider.

818
00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:44.599
<v Speaker 1>Our number two taking a little time off, So please

819
00:39:44.679 --> 00:39:48.480
<v Speaker 1>enjoy the best of the Big Blue Insider joining us

820
00:39:48.519 --> 00:39:51.280
<v Speaker 1>now in our celebrity Hodeline. He's my longtime friend and

821
00:39:51.360 --> 00:39:55.599
<v Speaker 1>colleague Jefficoll from the UK Sports Network and WTVQ. He

822
00:39:55.719 --> 00:39:59.119
<v Speaker 1>was there earlier today when Marxs Tubes and the coordinator spoke.

823
00:39:59.159 --> 00:40:02.519
<v Speaker 1>Did anything jump off the podium at you, Jeff. I

824
00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:06.199
<v Speaker 1>know I talked earlier about how Stoops made some comments

825
00:40:06.239 --> 00:40:09.480
<v Speaker 1>that were kind of referencing what he has said about

826
00:40:09.519 --> 00:40:13.880
<v Speaker 1>the burdens of really all college administrators and coaches. Now,

827
00:40:13.920 --> 00:40:17.239
<v Speaker 1>other than that, really optimistic. He sounds like to me,

828
00:40:17.320 --> 00:40:18.079
<v Speaker 1>how did you hear it?

829
00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:20.960
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think all three of them were, let's put

830
00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:24.559
<v Speaker 3>it this way, cautiously optimistic. I really think that for

831
00:40:24.679 --> 00:40:29.280
<v Speaker 3>this team, they've got to get through the the workouts

832
00:40:29.280 --> 00:40:31.920
<v Speaker 3>here in the next month unscathed, me mean, no injuries.

833
00:40:31.960 --> 00:40:33.920
<v Speaker 3>If they can get if they can get to the

834
00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:36.400
<v Speaker 3>end of August with little or no injuries, that would

835
00:40:36.400 --> 00:40:39.239
<v Speaker 3>really help, especially in the defensive front. You know, you're

836
00:40:39.320 --> 00:40:41.800
<v Speaker 3>you're you're probably going to be one guy down with Hayes,

837
00:40:41.840 --> 00:40:45.920
<v Speaker 3>but uh, you know, but you're thankfully that's a decently

838
00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:48.840
<v Speaker 3>deep position and a couple of the guys that did

839
00:40:48.840 --> 00:40:52.519
<v Speaker 3>not practice in spring will be ready, uh, you know

840
00:40:52.599 --> 00:40:53.719
<v Speaker 3>here in the next couple of weeks.

841
00:40:53.760 --> 00:40:56.239
<v Speaker 1>So well, I like to talk with you, obviously, because

842
00:40:56.280 --> 00:40:58.760
<v Speaker 1>you've been through this, not just as a college football

843
00:40:58.760 --> 00:41:02.079
<v Speaker 1>player but at Kentucky. And yet there have been so

844
00:41:02.239 --> 00:41:04.719
<v Speaker 1>many changes in the way things are done and things

845
00:41:04.800 --> 00:41:07.480
<v Speaker 1>are allowed to be done in the college game. But

846
00:41:07.599 --> 00:41:12.440
<v Speaker 1>right now there is much more opportunity for a coach

847
00:41:12.639 --> 00:41:15.239
<v Speaker 1>to work with a player here in the off season,

848
00:41:15.320 --> 00:41:17.239
<v Speaker 1>here in the summertime. Then it was I don't know

849
00:41:17.239 --> 00:41:18.960
<v Speaker 1>what the rules were back when you were playing.

850
00:41:19.800 --> 00:41:20.440
<v Speaker 3>There were none.

851
00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:25.079
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, well that's true, but after a point it was

852
00:41:25.119 --> 00:41:28.639
<v Speaker 1>like coaches, as stud's point out, could only watch or

853
00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:31.320
<v Speaker 1>they could work out without a ball or whatever. Now

854
00:41:31.360 --> 00:41:34.760
<v Speaker 1>those rules have changed so much. But how much do

855
00:41:34.840 --> 00:41:37.920
<v Speaker 1>you think, Jeff, that helps a program like Kentucky that's

856
00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:41.000
<v Speaker 1>trying to challenge the big boys every year?

857
00:41:41.840 --> 00:41:44.000
<v Speaker 3>Well, cheese, and I'm glad you brought this up, because

858
00:41:44.320 --> 00:41:49.000
<v Speaker 3>you know, back in the seventies and eighties, what they

859
00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:51.280
<v Speaker 3>did is we actually had three days. We had a

860
00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:54.559
<v Speaker 3>morning practice, an afternoon practice, and then we came back

861
00:41:54.679 --> 00:41:59.519
<v Speaker 3>after dinner for night practices. Was all special teams, so

862
00:41:59.559 --> 00:42:02.679
<v Speaker 3>we did offense, defensive, morning, offense defense afternoon, and then

863
00:42:02.760 --> 00:42:05.559
<v Speaker 3>special teams at night, and so we had two or

864
00:42:05.559 --> 00:42:08.840
<v Speaker 3>three days where guys stayed on campus and stuff. But

865
00:42:08.880 --> 00:42:12.599
<v Speaker 3>before that, before the practice started, so like right now

866
00:42:13.000 --> 00:42:16.519
<v Speaker 3>because it starts tomorrow, we would be working at Clayburne Farms.

867
00:42:16.519 --> 00:42:19.920
<v Speaker 3>Who worked at the FC bottily plant. We worked at UPS,

868
00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:22.079
<v Speaker 3>So you could do that in the off season to

869
00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:25.960
<v Speaker 3>get yourself some money. Now obviously all they got to

870
00:42:25.960 --> 00:42:27.400
<v Speaker 3>do is sign on the dial line to get them

871
00:42:27.440 --> 00:42:29.639
<v Speaker 3>sell some money. But I like what you said at

872
00:42:29.639 --> 00:42:32.440
<v Speaker 3>the start. They have loosened up the rules where you

873
00:42:32.519 --> 00:42:34.199
<v Speaker 3>can't have two of the days anymore. You can't have

874
00:42:34.239 --> 00:42:36.880
<v Speaker 3>three days like we did. But it's almost a year

875
00:42:36.960 --> 00:42:41.000
<v Speaker 3>round gig. We got basically the summer off and we

876
00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:44.800
<v Speaker 3>worked out on our own. Randy Jenkins, Bill Randol, lul

877
00:42:44.760 --> 00:42:46.880
<v Speaker 3>Am mccrimm and all the different quarterbacks we had and stuff.

878
00:42:46.920 --> 00:42:48.519
<v Speaker 3>Would get with the receivers and we'd go out there

879
00:42:48.559 --> 00:42:52.400
<v Speaker 3>and toss the ball around. But now it's basically eleven

880
00:42:52.440 --> 00:42:53.920
<v Speaker 3>and a half month out of the year job. And

881
00:42:53.960 --> 00:42:56.239
<v Speaker 3>it's one of the reasons I asked, well, you know,

882
00:42:56.280 --> 00:42:59.159
<v Speaker 3>cause I get to go to practice and they don't

883
00:42:59.199 --> 00:43:02.920
<v Speaker 3>run a whole lot run gassers and sprints and stuff

884
00:43:03.159 --> 00:43:05.599
<v Speaker 3>like we did. And I'm like, what's up with this?

885
00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:08.280
<v Speaker 3>Why don't you do that? And I was told by

886
00:43:08.639 --> 00:43:11.400
<v Speaker 3>mostly the weight guys and the Mark Hills and then that, well,

887
00:43:11.400 --> 00:43:13.840
<v Speaker 3>these guys now not you know, when you played, it

888
00:43:13.880 --> 00:43:18.159
<v Speaker 3>was basically a ten month job. Okay, now it's year

889
00:43:18.239 --> 00:43:22.159
<v Speaker 3>round and these guys stay in shape year round, much

890
00:43:22.199 --> 00:43:24.960
<v Speaker 3>different than what it was, so you don't have to

891
00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:27.480
<v Speaker 3>get back in shape. You know, they do tests and

892
00:43:27.519 --> 00:43:30.719
<v Speaker 3>things like that. But we had to run sixteen forties,

893
00:43:30.760 --> 00:43:33.239
<v Speaker 3>we had to bench press squad all that kind of stuff,

894
00:43:33.320 --> 00:43:36.440
<v Speaker 3>Whereas now these guys are basically working year round, so

895
00:43:36.760 --> 00:43:39.480
<v Speaker 3>you don't really have to do those types of things

896
00:43:39.519 --> 00:43:40.360
<v Speaker 3>when you come back.

897
00:43:40.559 --> 00:43:42.679
<v Speaker 1>And some of them do have jobs, to be sure,

898
00:43:42.719 --> 00:43:45.960
<v Speaker 1>but to your point, a lot of them don't need it,

899
00:43:46.000 --> 00:43:47.880
<v Speaker 1>so that gives them more time to spend in a

900
00:43:47.880 --> 00:43:50.639
<v Speaker 1>weight room or just throwing with each other.

901
00:43:50.719 --> 00:43:54.840
<v Speaker 3>Right, Yeah, and Dick, look you've been over to that facility.

902
00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:58.239
<v Speaker 3>A lot of people listening probably haven't. Everything's there. They've

903
00:43:58.280 --> 00:44:02.480
<v Speaker 3>got a hair I didn't share, you know, barber shop. Basically,

904
00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:04.800
<v Speaker 3>they've got a game room. Guys can go in there.

905
00:44:04.840 --> 00:44:08.239
<v Speaker 3>Hang out, play pool, white huge TVs, play Xbox, all

906
00:44:08.239 --> 00:44:12.440
<v Speaker 3>that kind of stuff. There's the pools in there, there's

907
00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:16.960
<v Speaker 3>the indoor facility. Yeah, there's food, nutritional food, not just

908
00:44:17.000 --> 00:44:20.440
<v Speaker 3>going there and you know, scarf stuff down, but nutritional stuff.

909
00:44:21.320 --> 00:44:24.639
<v Speaker 3>All the weights, the bikes you want. It's totally different.

910
00:44:25.440 --> 00:44:28.039
<v Speaker 3>It's just it's it's such an arms race now and

911
00:44:28.079 --> 00:44:31.039
<v Speaker 3>it's totally different. So a lot of these guys have

912
00:44:31.079 --> 00:44:31.760
<v Speaker 3>all the benefits.

913
00:44:31.800 --> 00:44:34.079
<v Speaker 1>What else they have is it's so much easier now

914
00:44:34.079 --> 00:44:37.239
<v Speaker 1>to study video, which you all they still call film. Yeah,

915
00:44:37.280 --> 00:44:39.360
<v Speaker 1>but we'll say, back in your day, when you wanted

916
00:44:39.360 --> 00:44:42.559
<v Speaker 1>to study actual film, you had to go in and

917
00:44:42.559 --> 00:44:44.440
<v Speaker 1>grab a projector. And I don't know if you did

918
00:44:44.480 --> 00:44:47.159
<v Speaker 1>it much, but it was it. It was I don't

919
00:44:47.159 --> 00:44:50.159
<v Speaker 1>want to say it was an ordeal. But now heck,

920
00:44:50.239 --> 00:44:52.679
<v Speaker 1>they've all got iPads that they can study video in

921
00:44:52.719 --> 00:44:53.559
<v Speaker 1>their room, right.

922
00:44:54.440 --> 00:44:57.679
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, And this really started in the late nineties into

923
00:44:57.719 --> 00:45:01.800
<v Speaker 3>the two thousands. We had, as you said, Doug Martin, uh,

924
00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:07.360
<v Speaker 3>you know, Billy Ramsell, Randy Jenkins, they bring the projector

925
00:45:07.400 --> 00:45:10.239
<v Speaker 3>back to their room and the Rick Masseys and jokers

926
00:45:10.280 --> 00:45:10.719
<v Speaker 3>in us.

927
00:45:10.599 --> 00:45:11.039
<v Speaker 2>Of the world.

928
00:45:11.119 --> 00:45:13.039
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, we would go up there and because they were

929
00:45:13.039 --> 00:45:14.840
<v Speaker 3>going to watch. We'd go in there and watch with them.

930
00:45:15.920 --> 00:45:17.880
<v Speaker 3>But yeah, it was totally different. You know, our film

931
00:45:17.960 --> 00:45:21.719
<v Speaker 3>study was an actual you know, before practice it was.

932
00:45:21.880 --> 00:45:23.480
<v Speaker 3>It was an actual yet to be there, you know

933
00:45:23.559 --> 00:45:26.519
<v Speaker 3>two thirty and then two thirty, three thirty you hit

934
00:45:26.559 --> 00:45:29.199
<v Speaker 3>the waits maybe, or or you watch film with the coaches,

935
00:45:29.679 --> 00:45:32.840
<v Speaker 3>your coaches. Yeah, now they just give them a disc

936
00:45:32.880 --> 00:45:35.119
<v Speaker 3>and go here you go, everything's here, or download it

937
00:45:35.159 --> 00:45:38.280
<v Speaker 3>now on the iPad as you said, and it's all

938
00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:42.320
<v Speaker 3>specific to your position. Back then, you just watched the

939
00:45:42.719 --> 00:45:43.679
<v Speaker 3>high high eleven.

940
00:45:44.559 --> 00:45:44.760
<v Speaker 4>You know.

941
00:45:46.039 --> 00:45:49.400
<v Speaker 3>Now it's specifically the defensive backs. You can watch the receivers,

942
00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:52.800
<v Speaker 3>the line. So yeah, it's it's so much easier now.

943
00:45:53.079 --> 00:45:56.159
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Talking to Jeffikoro the UK Sports Network, he was

944
00:45:56.159 --> 00:45:59.519
<v Speaker 1>there earlier today when Mark Stoops and the coordinators spoke

945
00:45:59.559 --> 00:46:03.079
<v Speaker 1>to the fan. The annual kickoff luncheon. Another great crowd

946
00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:05.400
<v Speaker 1>on hand. It seems like it's getting bigger every year.

947
00:46:06.000 --> 00:46:09.519
<v Speaker 1>What about what bush ham Dan mentioned earlier today? Did

948
00:46:09.559 --> 00:46:11.559
<v Speaker 1>anything he said jump out at you?

949
00:46:11.760 --> 00:46:15.239
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, yeah, I know a lot of people want this

950
00:46:16.079 --> 00:46:19.280
<v Speaker 3>almost Tim Couch offense where Kentucky's gonna throw it fifty

951
00:46:19.320 --> 00:46:21.880
<v Speaker 3>five times a game, you know. But the thing that

952
00:46:21.960 --> 00:46:23.760
<v Speaker 3>I really liked is when he said, you know, seven

953
00:46:23.840 --> 00:46:25.800
<v Speaker 3>years in a row, you've had a thousand yard rusher. Yep,

954
00:46:25.880 --> 00:46:27.719
<v Speaker 3>and I'd like to see us run the ball thirty

955
00:46:27.760 --> 00:46:30.440
<v Speaker 3>times a game. I thought that was a great number

956
00:46:30.440 --> 00:46:33.280
<v Speaker 3>that he threw out there. And the thing that he's well,

957
00:46:33.440 --> 00:46:36.239
<v Speaker 3>I think you've got to have ballot. I think it's

958
00:46:36.280 --> 00:46:38.440
<v Speaker 3>pretty much been proven. I mean, you look at those

959
00:46:38.599 --> 00:46:42.079
<v Speaker 3>those years with Tim Kouch and Jared Lorenza. You had

960
00:46:42.079 --> 00:46:44.719
<v Speaker 3>great offenses and you scored points, but the other team

961
00:46:44.760 --> 00:46:46.960
<v Speaker 3>scored a lot more points a lot of the time. Right,

962
00:46:48.760 --> 00:46:51.880
<v Speaker 3>you have to be balanced. You have to be able

963
00:46:52.159 --> 00:46:54.639
<v Speaker 3>to control the line of scrimmage because if you control

964
00:46:54.679 --> 00:46:56.239
<v Speaker 3>the line of scrimmage, then you can run it or

965
00:46:56.280 --> 00:46:59.400
<v Speaker 3>pass it, and you can also control the clock. And

966
00:46:59.440 --> 00:47:01.360
<v Speaker 3>that's what Canuck he likes to do. Because there's so

967
00:47:01.480 --> 00:47:04.719
<v Speaker 3>many high powered offenses you don't want to you don't

968
00:47:04.719 --> 00:47:07.519
<v Speaker 3>want to get into when you play Georgia or in

969
00:47:07.639 --> 00:47:11.559
<v Speaker 3>Alabama or a Texas. You don't want to get into

970
00:47:11.760 --> 00:47:15.840
<v Speaker 3>a pinball machine game with them because you know they're

971
00:47:15.840 --> 00:47:19.159
<v Speaker 3>going to be able to score forty and you hold

972
00:47:19.199 --> 00:47:22.199
<v Speaker 3>them down. This year's team looks like it can. But

973
00:47:22.320 --> 00:47:24.880
<v Speaker 3>I really like what Hampden said.

974
00:47:25.400 --> 00:47:29.320
<v Speaker 1>Well, and Stoops referred directly to number of plays and

975
00:47:29.480 --> 00:47:32.920
<v Speaker 1>talked about, you know, offenses in the past that yeah,

976
00:47:32.960 --> 00:47:35.320
<v Speaker 1>they work, but they didn't run enough plays and the

977
00:47:35.559 --> 00:47:39.360
<v Speaker 1>clock was going down three two one. You know, people

978
00:47:39.480 --> 00:47:41.840
<v Speaker 1>always talk about why didn't so and so get the ball?

979
00:47:41.880 --> 00:47:43.800
<v Speaker 1>Why didn't you throw to your tight ends, Why didn't

980
00:47:43.800 --> 00:47:46.440
<v Speaker 1>this running back get it? Well, if you're only running

981
00:47:46.440 --> 00:47:49.559
<v Speaker 1>fifty five plays, yeah, and it could happen. Rich Brooks

982
00:47:49.639 --> 00:47:52.639
<v Speaker 1>educated or tried to educate people, you recall back when

983
00:47:52.639 --> 00:47:55.920
<v Speaker 1>he was here. But to your point, thirty running plays

984
00:47:55.960 --> 00:48:00.159
<v Speaker 1>now add thirty to thirty five passing plays, and you've

985
00:48:00.239 --> 00:48:02.800
<v Speaker 1>controlled the football, haven't you. But if you're only gonna

986
00:48:02.880 --> 00:48:07.039
<v Speaker 1>run thirty running plays in twenty pass plays, well, the

987
00:48:07.079 --> 00:48:09.159
<v Speaker 1>other guys are getting the ball way too much, right.

988
00:48:09.960 --> 00:48:10.239
<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

989
00:48:10.320 --> 00:48:14.079
<v Speaker 3>If you're not gonna be at Tennessee Space or you

990
00:48:14.119 --> 00:48:16.239
<v Speaker 3>know some of the other schools that run the hurry

991
00:48:16.280 --> 00:48:19.119
<v Speaker 3>up where you're gonna get eighty to ninety offensive snaps

992
00:48:19.119 --> 00:48:21.320
<v Speaker 3>of the game, that's just not going to happen. But

993
00:48:21.400 --> 00:48:23.280
<v Speaker 3>to get in the sixties, I think that's a good

994
00:48:23.360 --> 00:48:26.480
<v Speaker 3>number because if you run thirty and you throw thirty.

995
00:48:26.679 --> 00:48:29.639
<v Speaker 3>That's a really balanced offense. Now, there's gonna be games

996
00:48:29.679 --> 00:48:32.559
<v Speaker 3>when you play some teams that maybe they're stouter up front,

997
00:48:32.920 --> 00:48:34.440
<v Speaker 3>so you want to get the ball on the edges

998
00:48:34.480 --> 00:48:36.679
<v Speaker 3>a little more, and you might throw it thirty five

999
00:48:36.760 --> 00:48:39.480
<v Speaker 3>or forty times and only run it twenty five times.

1000
00:48:39.719 --> 00:48:42.400
<v Speaker 3>But to get close to that number I think is

1001
00:48:42.519 --> 00:48:46.000
<v Speaker 3>huge for them running the ball because look, you've got

1002
00:48:46.039 --> 00:48:48.960
<v Speaker 3>a great offensive line, and I think, great, we throw

1003
00:48:49.000 --> 00:48:51.000
<v Speaker 3>that around too much. Let me tell you this. You've

1004
00:48:51.000 --> 00:48:54.440
<v Speaker 3>got an experienced offensive line and you've added a couple

1005
00:48:54.519 --> 00:48:57.199
<v Speaker 3>of key figures to give them depth. I don't know

1006
00:48:57.199 --> 00:48:59.639
<v Speaker 3>if they're great yet because I haven't seen them play together,

1007
00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:02.320
<v Speaker 3>but you've got some great depth there. You've got great

1008
00:49:02.400 --> 00:49:05.679
<v Speaker 3>depth of defensive line as well. So guys, so Dion

1009
00:49:05.760 --> 00:49:09.199
<v Speaker 3>Walker doesn't have to be out there sixty five seventy plays.

1010
00:49:09.639 --> 00:49:12.800
<v Speaker 3>If Dion Walker could go ninety to one hundred percent,

1011
00:49:12.800 --> 00:49:14.119
<v Speaker 3>and again, you're not going to go one hundred percent

1012
00:49:14.159 --> 00:49:16.199
<v Speaker 3>every play, You're only going to play twenty plays. But

1013
00:49:16.280 --> 00:49:19.360
<v Speaker 3>if he can be in the ninety percent tyle eighty

1014
00:49:19.360 --> 00:49:22.960
<v Speaker 3>five to ninety percent for forty five or fifty plays,

1015
00:49:23.199 --> 00:49:26.480
<v Speaker 3>then you're going to be really, really well off on

1016
00:49:26.480 --> 00:49:27.559
<v Speaker 3>the defensive side of the ball.

1017
00:49:27.760 --> 00:49:30.320
<v Speaker 1>One other thing to remember when we're totaling up plays,

1018
00:49:30.360 --> 00:49:34.119
<v Speaker 1>and this happened last year. When your defense scores or

1019
00:49:34.199 --> 00:49:37.480
<v Speaker 1>when your special team score, that gets your defense right

1020
00:49:37.519 --> 00:49:40.360
<v Speaker 1>back out on the field, obviously, and your offense doesn't

1021
00:49:40.360 --> 00:49:42.800
<v Speaker 1>get a chance to run more plays. So you're scoring points,

1022
00:49:42.920 --> 00:49:45.639
<v Speaker 1>but you're keeping your defense out there. But that's a

1023
00:49:45.639 --> 00:49:48.039
<v Speaker 1>good problem to have. We're going to talk more football

1024
00:49:48.079 --> 00:49:50.159
<v Speaker 1>with Jeffcorrol on the other side of the break. You're

1025
00:49:50.199 --> 00:49:52.559
<v Speaker 1>listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider. More

1026
00:49:52.599 --> 00:49:56.920
<v Speaker 1>to come here on six thirty WLAP. Hey, it's Dick

1027
00:49:57.000 --> 00:49:59.239
<v Speaker 1>Gabriel and you're listening to the best of the Big

1028
00:49:59.280 --> 00:50:03.159
<v Speaker 1>Blue Inside talking with Jeff Picoro the UK Sports Network.

1029
00:50:03.199 --> 00:50:05.920
<v Speaker 1>He is the color analyst for a couple of decades

1030
00:50:05.960 --> 00:50:09.079
<v Speaker 1>now calling Kentucky football. And Jeff, you and I have worked,

1031
00:50:09.079 --> 00:50:12.039
<v Speaker 1>as well as Tom Leach and our crew, our producer

1032
00:50:12.079 --> 00:50:15.239
<v Speaker 1>engineers eight straight Bowl games. We have every reason to

1033
00:50:15.280 --> 00:50:18.880
<v Speaker 1>think will work another one this year. The biggest question,

1034
00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:21.920
<v Speaker 1>and I'm sure in your role is color analysts as

1035
00:50:21.960 --> 00:50:24.960
<v Speaker 1>well as sports director Channel thirty six, how many games

1036
00:50:25.000 --> 00:50:28.199
<v Speaker 1>are they going to win. Yeah, yeah, I keep telling people.

1037
00:50:28.320 --> 00:50:30.239
<v Speaker 1>You and I talked about this down in Dallas. Chef

1038
00:50:30.320 --> 00:50:34.599
<v Speaker 1>was there for SEC media days. I firmly believe the

1039
00:50:34.760 --> 00:50:38.599
<v Speaker 1>calendar works against Kentucky as much this year as any

1040
00:50:38.679 --> 00:50:42.159
<v Speaker 1>I've seen, and that is to say, so many tough

1041
00:50:42.199 --> 00:50:44.440
<v Speaker 1>games up front where they used to be able to

1042
00:50:44.519 --> 00:50:46.880
<v Speaker 1>kind of work into it. You know, on the other hand,

1043
00:50:47.360 --> 00:50:50.440
<v Speaker 1>if you can handle these challenges early, you're in great shape,

1044
00:50:50.519 --> 00:50:51.960
<v Speaker 1>right yeah.

1045
00:50:52.320 --> 00:50:54.800
<v Speaker 3>You know with the one game that I point to

1046
00:50:55.280 --> 00:50:59.320
<v Speaker 3>says if Kentucky wins this game, they have a chance

1047
00:50:59.400 --> 00:51:03.480
<v Speaker 3>to win eight, nine, ten games, and that is Game two,

1048
00:51:03.679 --> 00:51:08.719
<v Speaker 3>thank you. That is a team that South Carolina that

1049
00:51:08.960 --> 00:51:13.800
<v Speaker 3>Kentucky is very similar to, but they've been able to

1050
00:51:13.800 --> 00:51:16.440
<v Speaker 3>have the upper hand until the last two years. Now

1051
00:51:16.599 --> 00:51:21.000
<v Speaker 3>South Carolina with Eli Drinkolitz, has really upped there recruiting.

1052
00:51:21.559 --> 00:51:24.519
<v Speaker 3>But I still think that that's that's a game. And

1053
00:51:24.559 --> 00:51:27.239
<v Speaker 3>I always said in Mississippi State when they were always

1054
00:51:27.239 --> 00:51:30.679
<v Speaker 3>our other side as the West team, will be played

1055
00:51:31.199 --> 00:51:33.679
<v Speaker 3>that Kentucky played. But I really think that game. Look,

1056
00:51:33.719 --> 00:51:36.400
<v Speaker 3>you're gonna know what you got going into Old miss

1057
00:51:36.679 --> 00:51:39.559
<v Speaker 3>If you're three and one, then you got a great

1058
00:51:39.599 --> 00:51:42.400
<v Speaker 3>shot at Old miss. If you're two and two, okay,

1059
00:51:42.440 --> 00:51:45.280
<v Speaker 3>you've probably lost the game. You shouldn't. If you're one

1060
00:51:45.320 --> 00:51:48.559
<v Speaker 3>in three, you know, now you better start battling down

1061
00:51:48.559 --> 00:51:51.599
<v Speaker 3>the hatches because you know, look, George is gonna be

1062
00:51:51.639 --> 00:51:54.960
<v Speaker 3>a tough game. It's here. You've got a boxer's chance, right,

1063
00:51:55.000 --> 00:51:57.559
<v Speaker 3>That's what you have to have the one. And let

1064
00:51:57.559 --> 00:51:59.000
<v Speaker 3>me go back to one thing that you said what

1065
00:51:59.119 --> 00:52:03.000
<v Speaker 3>excited here? What I take out of that? They've got

1066
00:52:03.079 --> 00:52:07.760
<v Speaker 3>some quarterbacks that can run. Now, they've got two, probably

1067
00:52:08.000 --> 00:52:11.239
<v Speaker 3>their top two, and I don't know, bo is probably

1068
00:52:11.480 --> 00:52:14.519
<v Speaker 3>one A or one B or two whatever you want

1069
00:52:14.519 --> 00:52:18.480
<v Speaker 3>to call him. But look, you've got two quarterbacks that

1070
00:52:18.599 --> 00:52:21.559
<v Speaker 3>are over six three and over two hundred and twenty

1071
00:52:21.639 --> 00:52:24.880
<v Speaker 3>five pounds and they can scamper around a little bit.

1072
00:52:25.400 --> 00:52:30.199
<v Speaker 3>One has got what fifteen college games under his belt,

1073
00:52:30.519 --> 00:52:33.719
<v Speaker 3>and one's got about fifteen backs under his belt. So

1074
00:52:33.760 --> 00:52:35.880
<v Speaker 3>it's going to be really interesting to see how that

1075
00:52:35.960 --> 00:52:42.119
<v Speaker 3>works out and how Bush tries to integrate the quarterbacks

1076
00:52:42.159 --> 00:52:45.559
<v Speaker 3>into the system or into the games. I should say, I'm.

1077
00:52:45.400 --> 00:52:50.320
<v Speaker 1>With you on South Carolina, and I just don't firmly

1078
00:52:50.360 --> 00:52:53.480
<v Speaker 1>believe yet in the game Cocks. I mean, you look

1079
00:52:53.480 --> 00:52:57.519
<v Speaker 1>at last year's schedule. They handle the teams they should

1080
00:52:57.519 --> 00:53:01.320
<v Speaker 1>have handled well, but Tennessee spanked them, a Florida team

1081
00:53:01.360 --> 00:53:05.000
<v Speaker 1>that was not very good, frankly beat South Carolina. Florida team,

1082
00:53:05.079 --> 00:53:08.360
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky beat an m spanked them. Missouri, the team you

1083
00:53:08.440 --> 00:53:12.920
<v Speaker 1>just talked about, beat him handily. They crushed Vanderbilt, but

1084
00:53:13.599 --> 00:53:16.960
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky just laid an egg that night in November, yeah,

1085
00:53:17.000 --> 00:53:20.920
<v Speaker 1>and lost. And then the following week South Carolina, full

1086
00:53:20.960 --> 00:53:24.719
<v Speaker 1>of itself, loses the Clemson you know, So yeah, I

1087
00:53:24.760 --> 00:53:27.800
<v Speaker 1>think that's that's that. And as you said, Missouri is

1088
00:53:27.840 --> 00:53:30.920
<v Speaker 1>just getting better. I believe much more Missouri than I

1089
00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:32.320
<v Speaker 1>do in South Carolina, you know.

1090
00:53:33.239 --> 00:53:36.519
<v Speaker 3>Yeah. Oh yeah, Look, and I said it wrong because

1091
00:53:36.519 --> 00:53:39.119
<v Speaker 3>I was talking about South st and said, Eli drinko,

1092
00:53:39.119 --> 00:53:41.480
<v Speaker 3>wi is what you've done. Those are the two games

1093
00:53:41.480 --> 00:53:44.679
<v Speaker 3>that I always looked at. Oh yeah, but look, if

1094
00:53:44.719 --> 00:53:47.599
<v Speaker 3>you beat South Carolina and then even if you lose

1095
00:53:47.639 --> 00:53:50.679
<v Speaker 3>to Georgia, you're probably gonna be three and one right

1096
00:53:50.800 --> 00:53:54.119
<v Speaker 3>going into that contest. That's what I was trying to say.

1097
00:53:54.159 --> 00:53:57.119
<v Speaker 3>If you're two and two, so that means you've probably

1098
00:53:57.159 --> 00:53:59.480
<v Speaker 3>lost to South Carolina and Georgia and beaten the two

1099
00:53:59.519 --> 00:54:02.119
<v Speaker 3>teams through supposed to be. Then that makes that Old

1100
00:54:02.159 --> 00:54:06.159
<v Speaker 3>Miss game almost and you know, if you don't win

1101
00:54:06.239 --> 00:54:10.239
<v Speaker 3>this basically you're looking at you know, then you start going, Okay,

1102
00:54:10.280 --> 00:54:12.800
<v Speaker 3>we may have a chance at the Liberty Bowl, you know,

1103
00:54:13.119 --> 00:54:15.360
<v Speaker 3>And I know that's early, but like you said, the

1104
00:54:15.360 --> 00:54:18.239
<v Speaker 3>way the schedule is, you've got to get out of

1105
00:54:18.280 --> 00:54:21.480
<v Speaker 3>the gate. You've got one game to learn this Hampden

1106
00:54:21.559 --> 00:54:25.320
<v Speaker 3>offense and really get it perfected. So you get to

1107
00:54:25.360 --> 00:54:26.519
<v Speaker 3>South Carolina.

1108
00:54:26.360 --> 00:54:28.800
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you know, and then after Old Miss you got Vandy.

1109
00:54:28.840 --> 00:54:33.159
<v Speaker 1>But two years ago, Kentucky goes to Old Miss and

1110
00:54:33.360 --> 00:54:36.440
<v Speaker 1>basically in a position to win the game, loses a

1111
00:54:36.519 --> 00:54:40.840
<v Speaker 1>last minute touchdown on a penalty. And yet Jeff we

1112
00:54:40.840 --> 00:54:43.519
<v Speaker 1>we talked about it during the pregame show. That was

1113
00:54:43.559 --> 00:54:48.119
<v Speaker 1>one of the greatest pregame atmospheres and not even talking

1114
00:54:48.119 --> 00:54:51.480
<v Speaker 1>about the Grove, but that got everybody ready. That stadium

1115
00:54:51.960 --> 00:54:55.880
<v Speaker 1>was literally rocking. And yet Kentucky fought back after a

1116
00:54:55.960 --> 00:54:59.320
<v Speaker 1>mediocre first half in an injury to Will Levison, came

1117
00:54:59.320 --> 00:55:02.519
<v Speaker 1>back and damn near won the game. So yeah, it's

1118
00:55:02.800 --> 00:55:06.199
<v Speaker 1>a challenge, but you know, like you said, that would

1119
00:55:06.239 --> 00:55:07.880
<v Speaker 1>be a pivotal game as well.

1120
00:55:08.280 --> 00:55:10.119
<v Speaker 3>And it's probably gonna be a national Philabelia.

1121
00:55:10.159 --> 00:55:10.320
<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

1122
00:55:10.519 --> 00:55:13.960
<v Speaker 3>I mean if there're three and one, or you know,

1123
00:55:14.880 --> 00:55:16.559
<v Speaker 3>if they're four and oh or three and one, that

1124
00:55:16.679 --> 00:55:19.519
<v Speaker 3>game is going to be at noon on ADC. That's right,

1125
00:55:19.679 --> 00:55:23.000
<v Speaker 3>So that is going to be an awesome game.

1126
00:55:23.840 --> 00:55:27.280
<v Speaker 1>Could be so much is going to depend on who

1127
00:55:27.360 --> 00:55:32.480
<v Speaker 1>plays quarterback. And I've been told that the battle for

1128
00:55:32.519 --> 00:55:36.119
<v Speaker 1>the starting job is probably closer than we think. But

1129
00:55:36.239 --> 00:55:40.440
<v Speaker 1>earlier today I felt like bush Hampden was indicating that

1130
00:55:40.519 --> 00:55:43.199
<v Speaker 1>it was Brock's job to lose. Do you have that feeling?

1131
00:55:44.079 --> 00:55:49.599
<v Speaker 3>Yeah? I do. I do. I think that here's the situation. Two,

1132
00:55:50.039 --> 00:55:52.840
<v Speaker 3>You've got really three guys in that room. Because bo

1133
00:55:52.960 --> 00:55:57.000
<v Speaker 3>Ally leaving and going to Charleton State and being able

1134
00:55:57.039 --> 00:56:00.480
<v Speaker 3>to start twelve games, yeah, and throw the way he did.

1135
00:56:01.320 --> 00:56:04.639
<v Speaker 3>You're not running the scout team. You're running a college

1136
00:56:04.679 --> 00:56:09.199
<v Speaker 3>team against really good teams. Charleston plays a tough schedule

1137
00:56:09.320 --> 00:56:13.719
<v Speaker 3>and he did really well. He looked different. He's a bigger,

1138
00:56:13.880 --> 00:56:17.039
<v Speaker 3>stronger kid. He still has the gun on his shoulder

1139
00:56:18.960 --> 00:56:24.639
<v Speaker 3>if someone gets hurt. Before I was hoping Boe could

1140
00:56:24.679 --> 00:56:27.039
<v Speaker 3>get the job done, but by going out there and

1141
00:56:27.119 --> 00:56:32.599
<v Speaker 3>playing in twelve games, it changed his career. Projection. He

1142
00:56:32.679 --> 00:56:36.079
<v Speaker 3>could have gone to a probably one hundred different schools

1143
00:56:36.079 --> 00:56:38.840
<v Speaker 3>and started this year, but he wanted to come back

1144
00:56:38.840 --> 00:56:40.559
<v Speaker 3>to Kentucky because he knows this is where I want

1145
00:56:40.599 --> 00:56:44.960
<v Speaker 3>to make home. And I think he's he's look, nobody's

1146
00:56:45.000 --> 00:56:49.440
<v Speaker 3>happy being the backup, but in his mind, he'd rather

1147
00:56:49.559 --> 00:56:52.440
<v Speaker 3>be a backup here and get some playing time to

1148
00:56:52.519 --> 00:56:54.519
<v Speaker 3>go somewhere else. And you got to hand it to

1149
00:56:54.519 --> 00:56:55.079
<v Speaker 3>a kid like that.

1150
00:56:55.480 --> 00:56:58.840
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, no, I agree, and I did wonder about that,

1151
00:56:58.960 --> 00:57:02.199
<v Speaker 1>but yeah, he wanted to come back and compete with

1152
00:57:02.239 --> 00:57:04.880
<v Speaker 1>the job here, and he's much better equipped right now.

1153
00:57:04.920 --> 00:57:07.199
<v Speaker 1>I think you'll agree to compete. I think you you

1154
00:57:07.320 --> 00:57:10.320
<v Speaker 1>just said that basically than he was before he was here.

1155
00:57:10.360 --> 00:57:13.280
<v Speaker 1>If we wrap this up with Jeff Pikoro the UK

1156
00:57:13.320 --> 00:57:19.280
<v Speaker 1>Sports Network. You mentioned the defensive line and Dion Walker.

1157
00:57:20.119 --> 00:57:22.159
<v Speaker 1>I thought he did a great job down in Dallas.

1158
00:57:22.840 --> 00:57:26.639
<v Speaker 1>He was you know, with us the media scrum. He

1159
00:57:26.800 --> 00:57:28.920
<v Speaker 1>was fun, he was kind of funny. I thought he

1160
00:57:29.000 --> 00:57:32.159
<v Speaker 1>was kind of more business like in the breakout rooms,

1161
00:57:32.199 --> 00:57:34.119
<v Speaker 1>you know what I mean. But I think he was

1162
00:57:34.159 --> 00:57:37.360
<v Speaker 1>trying to be more professional for lack of a better term,

1163
00:57:37.400 --> 00:57:38.519
<v Speaker 1>you know what. You know what I'm saying.

1164
00:57:39.119 --> 00:57:43.000
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, Look, he's bigger, stronger, faster than he's ever been. Yeah,

1165
00:57:43.039 --> 00:57:45.679
<v Speaker 3>I'm not worried about him. He's he's going to play.

1166
00:57:45.719 --> 00:57:49.440
<v Speaker 3>I think there's one key to the defense, and especially

1167
00:57:49.480 --> 00:57:53.360
<v Speaker 3>if Hayes doesn't play because of the injury, then I

1168
00:57:53.400 --> 00:57:55.079
<v Speaker 3>think a lot of it has to do with t

1169
00:57:55.239 --> 00:58:01.039
<v Speaker 3>Shawn Silver. If this kid can can bill the promise

1170
00:58:01.159 --> 00:58:04.559
<v Speaker 3>that he has and the ability that he has inside

1171
00:58:04.559 --> 00:58:07.920
<v Speaker 3>of him, can coach get that out of him? If

1172
00:58:07.960 --> 00:58:11.159
<v Speaker 3>he's able to go in there and play forty plays

1173
00:58:11.239 --> 00:58:16.239
<v Speaker 3>a game like he shown flashes of and practice and stuff,

1174
00:58:16.360 --> 00:58:18.840
<v Speaker 3>and again, it hits people at different times. We always

1175
00:58:18.840 --> 00:58:22.480
<v Speaker 3>talk about Andre Woodson. The first two years he was here,

1176
00:58:22.559 --> 00:58:24.880
<v Speaker 3>he was a deer in headlights, right, he was lost,

1177
00:58:24.880 --> 00:58:26.440
<v Speaker 3>and then all of a sudden his junior year, are like,

1178
00:58:26.719 --> 00:58:29.159
<v Speaker 3>who is this guy? And that's kind of what I

1179
00:58:29.159 --> 00:58:31.360
<v Speaker 3>helped because he's the biggest guy on the team almost.

1180
00:58:31.519 --> 00:58:34.119
<v Speaker 3>I mean, Silver is huge and he's going to have

1181
00:58:34.159 --> 00:58:36.039
<v Speaker 3>to play a lot of snaps right over the center.

1182
00:58:36.400 --> 00:58:38.800
<v Speaker 3>And like I said, if he can show the five

1183
00:58:38.840 --> 00:58:41.519
<v Speaker 3>star ability that he had in high school, then this

1184
00:58:41.559 --> 00:58:43.000
<v Speaker 3>is going to be one heck of a defense.

1185
00:58:43.360 --> 00:58:46.800
<v Speaker 1>Is Jeff Pecorrel. You can see him on WTVQ. You

1186
00:58:46.840 --> 00:58:49.480
<v Speaker 1>can also hear him on the UK radio network d

1187
00:58:49.480 --> 00:58:52.320
<v Speaker 1>It's coming up fast as the Wildcasts begin to open

1188
00:58:52.400 --> 00:58:56.360
<v Speaker 1>their football season. And follow Jeff on Twitter or ex

1189
00:58:56.440 --> 00:58:57.599
<v Speaker 1>at Jeff Pecorol.

1190
00:58:57.719 --> 00:58:59.559
<v Speaker 3>Thank you sir, all right, buddy, have a great one

1191
00:59:00.039 --> 00:59:00.440
<v Speaker 3>sitting to.

1192
00:59:00.480 --> 00:59:02.639
<v Speaker 1>The best of the Big Blue Insider. More to come

1193
00:59:02.639 --> 00:59:07.239
<v Speaker 1>here on six thirty WLAP. It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back

1194
00:59:07.280 --> 00:59:10.159
<v Speaker 1>to the best of the Big Blue Insider. Joining us

1195
00:59:10.199 --> 00:59:13.679
<v Speaker 1>now is a man who is familiar to these airways,

1196
00:59:13.719 --> 00:59:16.800
<v Speaker 1>familiar to this show here in lection in his first

1197
00:59:16.920 --> 00:59:20.320
<v Speaker 1>job was producing the Big blueon Sider, among other things

1198
00:59:20.679 --> 00:59:22.719
<v Speaker 1>at the radio station. And now Billy Rud Did you

1199
00:59:22.719 --> 00:59:26.079
<v Speaker 1>hear him every morning with Shannon the Dude just after

1200
00:59:26.119 --> 00:59:29.960
<v Speaker 1>the Tom Leach The Leach Report at nine am. Billy,

1201
00:59:30.000 --> 00:59:31.159
<v Speaker 1>welcome back to the show.

1202
00:59:31.559 --> 00:59:34.000
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, great to be on, Dick. I missed those days. Yeah,

1203
00:59:34.679 --> 00:59:36.239
<v Speaker 3>we'll never forget them for sure.

1204
00:59:36.800 --> 00:59:39.199
<v Speaker 1>And of course Billy comes up with Aaron gersha on

1205
00:59:39.320 --> 00:59:42.719
<v Speaker 1>Monday nights after coaching shows. But the reason I reached

1206
00:59:42.760 --> 00:59:44.920
<v Speaker 1>out and Billy and I communicate all the time, but

1207
00:59:46.360 --> 00:59:54.119
<v Speaker 1>I stumbled across an entertaining entry on YouTube where what

1208
00:59:54.440 --> 00:59:56.800
<v Speaker 1>Is it Bogies with Billy? Is that the right name?

1209
00:59:57.480 --> 00:59:58.280
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, that's right.

1210
00:59:58.360 --> 01:00:00.719
<v Speaker 1>Okay, how in the world did this come up?

1211
01:00:03.199 --> 01:00:05.519
<v Speaker 3>Well, Dick, I'm sure you have the same problem as

1212
01:00:05.559 --> 01:00:07.719
<v Speaker 3>I do with a lack of content in the summer,

1213
01:00:08.199 --> 01:00:10.719
<v Speaker 3>and with comes the summer as good weather, so I'm

1214
01:00:10.760 --> 01:00:13.880
<v Speaker 3>able to out go play a little golf, and I

1215
01:00:13.920 --> 01:00:15.800
<v Speaker 3>decided to film a couple of my swings and that

1216
01:00:15.880 --> 01:00:19.079
<v Speaker 3>turned into me filming a couple holes, and I posted

1217
01:00:19.159 --> 01:00:22.559
<v Speaker 3>online the other day Bogie's with Billy, and I felt

1218
01:00:22.559 --> 01:00:24.800
<v Speaker 3>like it was a relatable title because I ended up

1219
01:00:24.840 --> 01:00:27.440
<v Speaker 3>doubling the first two holes that I posted online, So

1220
01:00:29.000 --> 01:00:30.599
<v Speaker 3>you know, I don't know. It just gives me a

1221
01:00:30.679 --> 01:00:33.920
<v Speaker 3>chance to go to different golf courses and give an

1222
01:00:33.920 --> 01:00:36.000
<v Speaker 3>excuse to my significant other that I have to go

1223
01:00:36.039 --> 01:00:38.840
<v Speaker 3>play golf maybe once or twice a week. But I'm

1224
01:00:38.880 --> 01:00:41.039
<v Speaker 3>glad you enjoyed it and looking forward to doing a

1225
01:00:41.039 --> 01:00:42.159
<v Speaker 3>couple more here in the future.

1226
01:00:42.360 --> 01:00:48.360
<v Speaker 1>Now you also have the technology of illustrating the arc

1227
01:00:48.440 --> 01:00:50.519
<v Speaker 1>of your shot. I assume that's an app you can

1228
01:00:50.559 --> 01:00:51.679
<v Speaker 1>buy or how did that work?

1229
01:00:52.800 --> 01:00:56.079
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, it was a shot tracer app. I just filmed

1230
01:00:56.079 --> 01:00:59.320
<v Speaker 3>it with my phone, and the one that works does

1231
01:00:59.400 --> 01:01:01.320
<v Speaker 3>cost like six scholars or something like that. So I

1232
01:01:01.400 --> 01:01:03.800
<v Speaker 3>ended up buying that, and I had a free editing

1233
01:01:03.840 --> 01:01:07.159
<v Speaker 3>software on iPhone called cap cut, and it just took

1234
01:01:07.199 --> 01:01:08.840
<v Speaker 3>maybe about an hour hour and a half to cut

1235
01:01:08.840 --> 01:01:12.599
<v Speaker 3>all the stuff together. And luckily I didn't completely embarrass

1236
01:01:12.639 --> 01:01:14.639
<v Speaker 3>myself with doubling the last hole as well, I did

1237
01:01:14.639 --> 01:01:17.719
<v Speaker 3>get a par. But you know what, it's a little

1238
01:01:17.719 --> 01:01:20.320
<v Speaker 3>bit different when the camera's on you, Dick, You know

1239
01:01:20.320 --> 01:01:22.519
<v Speaker 3>what I mean, It's a little bit added pressure when

1240
01:01:22.559 --> 01:01:25.639
<v Speaker 3>you see everybody who's going to be watching. But you

1241
01:01:25.679 --> 01:01:27.559
<v Speaker 3>know what, hopefully my golf game can improve with this,

1242
01:01:27.639 --> 01:01:30.000
<v Speaker 3>and maybe that'll lead to a sponsorship one day, because

1243
01:01:30.119 --> 01:01:31.760
<v Speaker 3>how great would it be if you could play golf

1244
01:01:31.760 --> 01:01:32.840
<v Speaker 3>and actually get paid to do it.

1245
01:01:33.199 --> 01:01:36.039
<v Speaker 1>That's my next question was going to be about sponsorship.

1246
01:01:36.079 --> 01:01:39.599
<v Speaker 1>But do you have to improve your game to the

1247
01:01:39.639 --> 01:01:41.719
<v Speaker 1>point where it's Birdie's with Billy? Do you think to

1248
01:01:41.760 --> 01:01:45.360
<v Speaker 1>attract a sponsor or do you think someone will, in

1249
01:01:45.440 --> 01:01:48.320
<v Speaker 1>the spirit with which it's intended, have fun with it.

1250
01:01:49.239 --> 01:01:52.320
<v Speaker 3>I honestly think that it'd be more relatable with Bogy's

1251
01:01:52.360 --> 01:01:55.039
<v Speaker 3>with Billy. You know, when I see somebody trying to

1252
01:01:55.079 --> 01:01:58.559
<v Speaker 3>break you know, seventy and a golf video. I kind

1253
01:01:58.559 --> 01:02:01.000
<v Speaker 3>of roll my eyes and think I'll never be that guy.

1254
01:02:01.079 --> 01:02:03.480
<v Speaker 3>But when I see somebody, you know, double in the

1255
01:02:03.480 --> 01:02:05.960
<v Speaker 3>first two holes and having to take three drops in

1256
01:02:06.000 --> 01:02:08.480
<v Speaker 3>a matter of three holes, it's kind of like, hey,

1257
01:02:08.639 --> 01:02:11.559
<v Speaker 3>that's me. Credit to this guy for actually filming that

1258
01:02:11.599 --> 01:02:14.920
<v Speaker 3>and putting it out there. So, you know, I don't

1259
01:02:14.960 --> 01:02:16.519
<v Speaker 3>know if I'll ever get that good. So that may

1260
01:02:16.519 --> 01:02:19.159
<v Speaker 3>be one of the problems. But you know, Bogeys with

1261
01:02:19.239 --> 01:02:21.679
<v Speaker 3>Billy hopefully here to say if I can, if I

1262
01:02:21.719 --> 01:02:24.360
<v Speaker 3>can keep up with it. And here's the thing. It

1263
01:02:24.400 --> 01:02:26.679
<v Speaker 3>takes a little bit longer to film your shot, and

1264
01:02:26.719 --> 01:02:29.199
<v Speaker 3>if there's somebody behind you, which there was the last

1265
01:02:29.199 --> 01:02:32.079
<v Speaker 3>time I filmed, you know, you just have to apologize

1266
01:02:32.079 --> 01:02:34.320
<v Speaker 3>and say, yeah, I'm so sorry because I have become

1267
01:02:34.360 --> 01:02:36.480
<v Speaker 3>that person that is slowing up play a little bit.

1268
01:02:36.559 --> 01:02:40.320
<v Speaker 1>But see, eventually, if this thing really catches on, they'll

1269
01:02:40.360 --> 01:02:43.639
<v Speaker 1>either recognize you, Hey, that's the Bogeys with Billy guy,

1270
01:02:44.320 --> 01:02:46.719
<v Speaker 1>or you can tell them, you know, ever heard of

1271
01:02:46.760 --> 01:02:49.480
<v Speaker 1>Bogeys with Billy? So I think there's a bright future there.

1272
01:02:50.280 --> 01:02:54.320
<v Speaker 1>But yeah, you're you're talking about people watching. I mean,

1273
01:02:54.360 --> 01:02:58.199
<v Speaker 1>when I see those tournaments and somebody's on a tee,

1274
01:02:58.480 --> 01:03:02.880
<v Speaker 1>usually the first tee with patrons lined all the way

1275
01:03:02.880 --> 01:03:06.480
<v Speaker 1>down the first part of the fairway. I couldn't even

1276
01:03:06.480 --> 01:03:08.880
<v Speaker 1>begin to draw a club head back, much less put

1277
01:03:09.159 --> 01:03:11.840
<v Speaker 1>for big money. So yeah, just a few people watching.

1278
01:03:12.159 --> 01:03:14.719
<v Speaker 1>What unnerved me. We're talking with Billy Rutledge. You hear

1279
01:03:14.800 --> 01:03:16.880
<v Speaker 1>him every morning billying the dude at nine am on

1280
01:03:16.920 --> 01:03:20.400
<v Speaker 1>this station and with us Monday night on the Big

1281
01:03:20.440 --> 01:03:22.320
<v Speaker 1>Blue Side. I want us to state wide show. But

1282
01:03:22.760 --> 01:03:25.920
<v Speaker 1>we've been talking about bogies with Billy on YouTube. I

1283
01:03:26.079 --> 01:03:30.360
<v Speaker 1>urge you to check that out. Otherwise, mister Rutledge, what

1284
01:03:30.480 --> 01:03:33.280
<v Speaker 1>did you think of where? And again our argument will

1285
01:03:33.280 --> 01:03:36.400
<v Speaker 1>go on forever more. But the two top subs for

1286
01:03:36.519 --> 01:03:38.159
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky going into top ten.

1287
01:03:40.039 --> 01:03:43.119
<v Speaker 3>Well, you know, really happy for these guys. I mean,

1288
01:03:43.199 --> 01:03:45.199
<v Speaker 3>Read with somebody that didn't even know if he was

1289
01:03:45.239 --> 01:03:46.800
<v Speaker 3>going to get playing time it was going to be

1290
01:03:46.960 --> 01:03:49.559
<v Speaker 3>is Richie going to play? Is Read going to play?

1291
01:03:49.679 --> 01:03:52.119
<v Speaker 3>Is how we started the season last year, and the

1292
01:03:52.199 --> 01:03:55.239
<v Speaker 3>kid became the first college basketball player to get drafted

1293
01:03:56.039 --> 01:03:58.719
<v Speaker 3>after those French guys went. So I'm really proud for him.

1294
01:03:58.719 --> 01:04:00.480
<v Speaker 3>It was great to see Jeff in state. He's there

1295
01:04:00.840 --> 01:04:03.199
<v Speaker 3>in the spotlight. I mean, he deserves it, and I

1296
01:04:03.239 --> 01:04:05.039
<v Speaker 3>think he has a bright future with the Rockets or

1297
01:04:05.079 --> 01:04:07.559
<v Speaker 3>whatever team he goes to. But the real fun of

1298
01:04:07.559 --> 01:04:10.280
<v Speaker 3>the night was Rob Dellingham going to the Spurs, which

1299
01:04:10.320 --> 01:04:13.360
<v Speaker 3>I thought was a perfect landing spot with Gwin Binyama

1300
01:04:13.639 --> 01:04:17.199
<v Speaker 3>and how well they've developed talent there, but then immediately

1301
01:04:17.199 --> 01:04:21.000
<v Speaker 3>getting traded to the Timberwolves, a contender he can team

1302
01:04:21.079 --> 01:04:23.719
<v Speaker 3>up with Karl, Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. I mean,

1303
01:04:23.760 --> 01:04:25.960
<v Speaker 3>they've just beat the Nuggets and we're in the Western

1304
01:04:25.960 --> 01:04:30.159
<v Speaker 3>Conference Finals. So I definitely think it's a different expectation

1305
01:04:30.280 --> 01:04:32.239
<v Speaker 3>for Rob early in his career. If he were with

1306
01:04:32.239 --> 01:04:34.199
<v Speaker 3>the Spurs, I think maybe people would give him a

1307
01:04:34.199 --> 01:04:36.760
<v Speaker 3>pass for a year or two as he develops his game,

1308
01:04:36.960 --> 01:04:40.320
<v Speaker 3>specifically defensively. But now going to Minnesota, I feel like

1309
01:04:40.360 --> 01:04:42.920
<v Speaker 3>he is going to be an impact player immediately and

1310
01:04:43.000 --> 01:04:46.119
<v Speaker 3>I think expectations will be high for him. So I

1311
01:04:46.159 --> 01:04:48.360
<v Speaker 3>absolutely love seeing those two guys go in the top

1312
01:04:48.400 --> 01:04:50.840
<v Speaker 3>ten of the draft, along with two Yukon players that

1313
01:04:50.880 --> 01:04:53.159
<v Speaker 3>went in the top ten, as they've become one of

1314
01:04:53.159 --> 01:04:57.440
<v Speaker 3>the biggest blue bloods now But I saw that when

1315
01:04:57.440 --> 01:04:59.639
<v Speaker 3>Antonio Reeves got drafted in the second round just the

1316
01:04:59.639 --> 01:05:02.880
<v Speaker 3>other night that it was the fiftieth player drafted under

1317
01:05:02.960 --> 01:05:05.639
<v Speaker 3>John Caliparia. And I feel like this draft is kind

1318
01:05:05.639 --> 01:05:07.480
<v Speaker 3>of the end of an era, the closing of the

1319
01:05:07.519 --> 01:05:10.280
<v Speaker 3>book of cal with Kentucky a bit to a degree,

1320
01:05:10.320 --> 01:05:11.679
<v Speaker 3>I think there was no doubt he should have been

1321
01:05:11.679 --> 01:05:14.519
<v Speaker 3>there for his guys to support them. But now it's

1322
01:05:14.519 --> 01:05:16.679
<v Speaker 3>a full steam ahead with Mark Pope and this new roster,

1323
01:05:17.000 --> 01:05:19.360
<v Speaker 3>and honestly, I couldn't be more excited. I think we've

1324
01:05:19.400 --> 01:05:20.960
<v Speaker 3>all bought into the Mark Pope pipe now.

1325
01:05:21.119 --> 01:05:24.599
<v Speaker 1>No, I agree fully. And one other note, I'm Dillingham.

1326
01:05:24.920 --> 01:05:28.760
<v Speaker 1>I didn't realize God time flies. Michael Conley, the point

1327
01:05:28.800 --> 01:05:31.760
<v Speaker 1>guard for the Wolves, he's thirty six and he's got

1328
01:05:31.840 --> 01:05:35.239
<v Speaker 1>obviously contract issues when you're playing that long. So now

1329
01:05:35.239 --> 01:05:38.519
<v Speaker 1>they can groom Dillingham first as perhaps the sixth man,

1330
01:05:39.000 --> 01:05:41.159
<v Speaker 1>which would be perfect. He was the sixth man of

1331
01:05:41.199 --> 01:05:45.360
<v Speaker 1>the year at Kentucky in the SEC and then eventually

1332
01:05:45.400 --> 01:05:48.199
<v Speaker 1>take over feeding the post to a guy named Karl

1333
01:05:48.199 --> 01:05:50.920
<v Speaker 1>Anthony Town so that would be awesome. But yeah, to

1334
01:05:51.000 --> 01:05:54.119
<v Speaker 1>your point about Mark Pope, he had the news conference

1335
01:05:54.119 --> 01:05:56.000
<v Speaker 1>there today. I'm sure you heard a lot of that

1336
01:05:56.599 --> 01:06:00.079
<v Speaker 1>and the reason was there wasn't anything particularly going on,

1337
01:06:01.000 --> 01:06:04.159
<v Speaker 1>but they have been crushed with media requests. I don't

1338
01:06:04.199 --> 01:06:05.920
<v Speaker 1>know if he's been on your show yet. I finally

1339
01:06:05.920 --> 01:06:08.480
<v Speaker 1>got him on mine, but and he has said he

1340
01:06:08.559 --> 01:06:11.960
<v Speaker 1>will come to the garage at some point. But I

1341
01:06:12.000 --> 01:06:16.320
<v Speaker 1>think it's fascinating, Billy, just the things he has sent.

1342
01:06:16.400 --> 01:06:19.760
<v Speaker 1>I mean, quoting one of his English professors at the

1343
01:06:19.800 --> 01:06:24.039
<v Speaker 1>news conference. You know, the guy actually answers questions, unlike

1344
01:06:24.079 --> 01:06:27.880
<v Speaker 1>his predecessor, who answers but not necessarily the question you asked.

1345
01:06:27.880 --> 01:06:30.039
<v Speaker 1>You know what I mean. And you've produced this is

1346
01:06:30.159 --> 01:06:32.559
<v Speaker 1>Radio Coaches show. You know exactly what I'm talking about.

1347
01:06:33.039 --> 01:06:36.679
<v Speaker 3>Oh, I know very well about Tom Leech asking one

1348
01:06:36.760 --> 01:06:40.480
<v Speaker 3>question in each segment and Cal being able to take it.

1349
01:06:40.480 --> 01:06:40.840
<v Speaker 1>It is.

1350
01:06:41.199 --> 01:06:43.119
<v Speaker 3>I've heard people call it a breath of fresh air

1351
01:06:43.159 --> 01:06:45.039
<v Speaker 3>with Mark Pope, and it is. I mean, it was

1352
01:06:45.159 --> 01:06:48.119
<v Speaker 3>just time and sometimes you linking it to a relationship.

1353
01:06:48.159 --> 01:06:50.440
<v Speaker 3>Sometimes you just get tired with what you have, and

1354
01:06:51.519 --> 01:06:54.920
<v Speaker 3>Mark Pope has been everything and more so far even

1355
01:06:55.000 --> 01:06:56.719
<v Speaker 3>bribe the media with cookies, Dick. I don't know if

1356
01:06:56.719 --> 01:06:58.960
<v Speaker 3>you if you got any of those cookies the other day,

1357
01:06:58.960 --> 01:07:01.480
<v Speaker 3>but that's all. That's all off to a good start.

1358
01:07:01.760 --> 01:07:04.199
<v Speaker 3>You know, he's you know, he's saying the right things,

1359
01:07:04.280 --> 01:07:07.239
<v Speaker 3>and you know it's exciting to hear about the guys

1360
01:07:07.239 --> 01:07:10.159
<v Speaker 3>picking up the lingo and the team bonding and chemistry

1361
01:07:10.159 --> 01:07:12.280
<v Speaker 3>that's starting to take shape. You know, I actually heard

1362
01:07:12.280 --> 01:07:14.960
<v Speaker 3>a recorded interview with Cody Feger, the assistant coach with

1363
01:07:15.039 --> 01:07:18.199
<v Speaker 3>Tom Leach this morning, and they were likening their their

1364
01:07:18.320 --> 01:07:22.000
<v Speaker 3>three point attack offense to how Mummy's air raid attack

1365
01:07:22.079 --> 01:07:24.000
<v Speaker 3>back at Kentucky back in the day, and how it's

1366
01:07:24.039 --> 01:07:26.599
<v Speaker 3>not not a ton of like different plays, it's kind

1367
01:07:26.599 --> 01:07:29.280
<v Speaker 3>of the same concepts, and then you are forcing teams

1368
01:07:29.280 --> 01:07:31.159
<v Speaker 3>to make mistakes and you're able to beat them by

1369
01:07:31.199 --> 01:07:33.239
<v Speaker 3>knowing your system in and out. I thought that was

1370
01:07:33.440 --> 01:07:35.840
<v Speaker 3>very interesting way to put it, because that was the

1371
01:07:36.280 --> 01:07:39.239
<v Speaker 3>two BYU team last year that shot more threes in

1372
01:07:39.239 --> 01:07:42.440
<v Speaker 3>Alabama averaged two more game than the team that we've

1373
01:07:42.480 --> 01:07:47.119
<v Speaker 3>come to know as revolutionizing basketball with threes and layups

1374
01:07:47.119 --> 01:07:49.679
<v Speaker 3>approach and no mid range. So, you know, I think

1375
01:07:49.719 --> 01:07:51.360
<v Speaker 3>we've been screaming for this type of change for a

1376
01:07:51.400 --> 01:07:54.199
<v Speaker 3>while in Big Blue Nation. Instead of a massing talent

1377
01:07:54.280 --> 01:07:57.559
<v Speaker 3>and having log jams in certain positions, now you're picking

1378
01:07:57.639 --> 01:08:00.760
<v Speaker 3>players that fit your system and how they can compliment

1379
01:08:00.840 --> 01:08:03.679
<v Speaker 3>the team. And Mark Pope has put together a roster

1380
01:08:03.760 --> 01:08:05.719
<v Speaker 3>of guys that are going to compete for playing time,

1381
01:08:05.800 --> 01:08:08.760
<v Speaker 3>not just you know, people waiting for their chance at

1382
01:08:08.760 --> 01:08:10.679
<v Speaker 3>another school or when somebody moves on.

1383
01:08:10.840 --> 01:08:11.159
<v Speaker 2>I mean that.

1384
01:08:11.239 --> 01:08:15.280
<v Speaker 3>I think that's a testament to recruiting in the transfer

1385
01:08:15.280 --> 01:08:16.880
<v Speaker 3>portal age, that you can get so many guys to

1386
01:08:16.880 --> 01:08:18.439
<v Speaker 3>buy in to try to fight for minute.

1387
01:08:18.600 --> 01:08:20.680
<v Speaker 1>You know. To me, the biggest question is and I

1388
01:08:20.720 --> 01:08:22.600
<v Speaker 1>asked him this and he was asked this again the

1389
01:08:22.640 --> 01:08:26.760
<v Speaker 1>other day gave a similar answer, and this goes back

1390
01:08:26.880 --> 01:08:29.920
<v Speaker 1>really to the documentary that we did on the ninety

1391
01:08:29.960 --> 01:08:33.199
<v Speaker 1>six team. They told us, they told Cameron Mills and

1392
01:08:33.279 --> 01:08:37.000
<v Speaker 1>me that the player said. Our question was, how is

1393
01:08:37.079 --> 01:08:39.800
<v Speaker 1>Rick Patino going to do this? They had so many

1394
01:08:39.840 --> 01:08:42.720
<v Speaker 1>players on that roster, nine of them ended up in

1395
01:08:42.760 --> 01:08:45.720
<v Speaker 1>the NBA, so much talent. How's he going to do this?

1396
01:08:46.079 --> 01:08:48.039
<v Speaker 1>And that's been my question. It's a little bit of

1397
01:08:48.039 --> 01:08:51.880
<v Speaker 1>a different situation, of course, but how's Mark Pope first

1398
01:08:51.920 --> 01:08:54.920
<v Speaker 1>of all going to put this team together? Secondly decide

1399
01:08:54.960 --> 01:08:57.199
<v Speaker 1>who's star two gets what minutes that kind of thing,

1400
01:08:57.720 --> 01:09:01.560
<v Speaker 1>And he said the aff will help decide that the

1401
01:09:01.640 --> 01:09:05.359
<v Speaker 1>players will decide that, because to me, that's the biggest

1402
01:09:05.439 --> 01:09:09.159
<v Speaker 1>mystery going into this. You know, tell me a starting five.

1403
01:09:09.760 --> 01:09:12.119
<v Speaker 1>I think you asked five people, you get five different answers.

1404
01:09:12.159 --> 01:09:17.159
<v Speaker 3>You know, yes, and you know, you know, despite all

1405
01:09:17.439 --> 01:09:20.079
<v Speaker 3>the guys fighting for this playing time, he does have

1406
01:09:20.119 --> 01:09:22.640
<v Speaker 3>some guys with experience. You know, I think of Wilmont Butler,

1407
01:09:22.640 --> 01:09:25.279
<v Speaker 3>who hit that shot to send San Diego State to

1408
01:09:25.279 --> 01:09:28.319
<v Speaker 3>the championship game, a buzzer beater, that he has more

1409
01:09:28.479 --> 01:09:31.239
<v Speaker 3>Final Four experience than anybody that's come through Kentucky in

1410
01:09:31.239 --> 01:09:35.600
<v Speaker 3>the last decades. I was like, it's amazing that we're

1411
01:09:35.640 --> 01:09:38.600
<v Speaker 3>even saying that when Cal went to four final fours

1412
01:09:38.640 --> 01:09:41.479
<v Speaker 3>and five years at one point. Yeah, you know, I

1413
01:09:41.520 --> 01:09:44.720
<v Speaker 3>think there's some exciting additions like Amari Williams, who was

1414
01:09:44.760 --> 01:09:48.119
<v Speaker 3>his defensive Player of the Year in his conference. Andrew

1415
01:09:48.199 --> 01:09:49.760
<v Speaker 3>Carr is a guy that I think has a ton

1416
01:09:49.800 --> 01:09:53.319
<v Speaker 3>of the potential to be a shooting big and just

1417
01:09:53.359 --> 01:09:56.560
<v Speaker 3>his style of offense I think creates a lot of optimism.

1418
01:09:56.680 --> 01:09:59.159
<v Speaker 3>So you know, I had camera Mills on me when

1419
01:09:59.159 --> 01:10:01.079
<v Speaker 3>I was hosting Luis Support the other day, and he,

1420
01:10:01.439 --> 01:10:04.760
<v Speaker 3>you know, he was he was so positive about that

1421
01:10:04.960 --> 01:10:06.800
<v Speaker 3>and rightly so, I mean, he was part of that era.

1422
01:10:07.199 --> 01:10:09.399
<v Speaker 3>But at the same time, I think there is actually,

1423
01:10:10.079 --> 01:10:13.039
<v Speaker 3>you know, this optimism that wasn't there if we had

1424
01:10:13.039 --> 01:10:15.279
<v Speaker 3>to go through another summer with count would you agree

1425
01:10:15.279 --> 01:10:15.560
<v Speaker 3>with that?

1426
01:10:15.680 --> 01:10:18.039
<v Speaker 1>Yes, I would, And it doesn't surprise me. With Cameron,

1427
01:10:18.399 --> 01:10:21.359
<v Speaker 1>they were not only teammates, they were roommates at one point.

1428
01:10:21.640 --> 01:10:24.239
<v Speaker 1>So when this was all coming down and I was

1429
01:10:25.079 --> 01:10:28.800
<v Speaker 1>communicating with Cameron, he was so excited. So yeah, he

1430
01:10:28.840 --> 01:10:31.000
<v Speaker 1>thinks the world of Marp Pope. A couple of minutes

1431
01:10:31.039 --> 01:10:32.760
<v Speaker 1>left with Billy rut that did you hear him every morning

1432
01:10:32.760 --> 01:10:35.680
<v Speaker 1>Billy and a dude at nine am? Following the Leech report?

1433
01:10:36.119 --> 01:10:39.159
<v Speaker 1>And we talked earlier about Bogie's with Billy, but now

1434
01:10:39.159 --> 01:10:43.119
<v Speaker 1>he shifted, of course, over to Kentucky basketball and football

1435
01:10:43.239 --> 01:10:45.199
<v Speaker 1>meetings are coming up. I've not had a chance. I've

1436
01:10:45.199 --> 01:10:47.279
<v Speaker 1>asked a lot of people, but I've not had a

1437
01:10:47.359 --> 01:10:50.119
<v Speaker 1>chance to ask you, what do you think it's going

1438
01:10:50.199 --> 01:10:52.039
<v Speaker 1>to be like for Mark Stoops when he goes down

1439
01:10:52.079 --> 01:10:55.239
<v Speaker 1>to the heart of Texas and the Texas media jump

1440
01:10:55.279 --> 01:10:56.800
<v Speaker 1>on him and say, Hey, what about this A and

1441
01:10:56.960 --> 01:10:58.760
<v Speaker 1>M story? You know what I mean? And I'm not

1442
01:10:58.800 --> 01:10:59.720
<v Speaker 1>talking baseball?

1443
01:11:01.199 --> 01:11:03.960
<v Speaker 3>Oh oh, yes, it took me a second to remember

1444
01:11:04.000 --> 01:11:06.920
<v Speaker 3>that there was a courting that happened in the offseason

1445
01:11:06.960 --> 01:11:08.760
<v Speaker 3>where it looked like Stoops might have been the new

1446
01:11:08.800 --> 01:11:12.119
<v Speaker 3>Texas A and M coach. You know, a little awkward,

1447
01:11:12.159 --> 01:11:14.560
<v Speaker 3>but also I think expected in this day and age.

1448
01:11:14.880 --> 01:11:17.960
<v Speaker 3>But at the same time, you know, Kentucky will be

1449
01:11:18.039 --> 01:11:20.960
<v Speaker 3>traveling down to Texas this year in a really cool environment.

1450
01:11:21.000 --> 01:11:22.680
<v Speaker 3>You know, I think big Blue Nation fans that have

1451
01:11:22.760 --> 01:11:26.600
<v Speaker 3>a really cool opportunity as they welcome Texas and Oklahoma.

1452
01:11:26.119 --> 01:11:26.560
<v Speaker 2>To the league.

1453
01:11:26.600 --> 01:11:29.199
<v Speaker 3>But yeah, I mean Mark Stewke's now the longest tenured

1454
01:11:29.239 --> 01:11:32.279
<v Speaker 3>head coach in the SEC after Nick Saban retires. I

1455
01:11:32.319 --> 01:11:34.560
<v Speaker 3>think the media days should be a little interesting. In

1456
01:11:34.560 --> 01:11:36.920
<v Speaker 3>the past, we've seen stups get a little feisty with

1457
01:11:36.960 --> 01:11:40.760
<v Speaker 3>a Eli Drinkowitz or a Shane Beemer. But let's be honesty.

1458
01:11:40.960 --> 01:11:42.960
<v Speaker 3>This is a really tough schedule this year. I mean

1459
01:11:43.079 --> 01:11:45.159
<v Speaker 3>South Carolina early is a game that I think you

1460
01:11:45.319 --> 01:11:48.199
<v Speaker 3>have forgot to take advantage of. It's going to be

1461
01:11:48.239 --> 01:11:50.520
<v Speaker 3>harder and harder to get to those nine ten win

1462
01:11:50.680 --> 01:11:53.960
<v Speaker 3>seasons now that you're adding Texas and Oklahoma in. And

1463
01:11:54.000 --> 01:11:55.960
<v Speaker 3>then you throw into the fact that the Louisville game

1464
01:11:56.000 --> 01:11:57.720
<v Speaker 3>might be canceled in years to come if they would

1465
01:11:57.720 --> 01:12:01.119
<v Speaker 3>go to nine conference games. You know, as we go

1466
01:12:01.199 --> 01:12:03.840
<v Speaker 3>to twelve the twelve playoff teams. Now we have a

1467
01:12:03.880 --> 01:12:07.079
<v Speaker 3>college football playoff, you know, you could say there's more

1468
01:12:07.119 --> 01:12:08.960
<v Speaker 3>opportunity for the Cats to make it, and maybe they

1469
01:12:09.000 --> 01:12:11.000
<v Speaker 3>would have made it one of those ten win years

1470
01:12:11.600 --> 01:12:14.079
<v Speaker 3>in the past if it was twelve teams. But I

1471
01:12:14.079 --> 01:12:16.319
<v Speaker 3>think it's going to be a lot harder for Mark

1472
01:12:16.359 --> 01:12:18.520
<v Speaker 3>Stoops to get to that mark. And probably one of

1473
01:12:18.520 --> 01:12:20.640
<v Speaker 3>the biggest question marks is the defensive wide. I know

1474
01:12:20.680 --> 01:12:23.479
<v Speaker 3>we've got Dean Walker, but the depth there is not

1475
01:12:23.640 --> 01:12:25.840
<v Speaker 3>where I think it needs to be. And if you're

1476
01:12:25.840 --> 01:12:28.479
<v Speaker 3>going to survive a whole season in the SEC, you know,

1477
01:12:28.520 --> 01:12:30.800
<v Speaker 3>the hog ballis are a big part of that. And

1478
01:12:30.880 --> 01:12:33.800
<v Speaker 3>as the big Blue wall goes, Kentucky goes. But that

1479
01:12:33.880 --> 01:12:36.079
<v Speaker 3>defensive line has got to hold up. And Dean Walker,

1480
01:12:36.359 --> 01:12:39.079
<v Speaker 3>while he is a first round talent, and you know,

1481
01:12:39.119 --> 01:12:40.800
<v Speaker 3>he can't do it all by himself, so there are

1482
01:12:40.800 --> 01:12:43.399
<v Speaker 3>some question marks. I did see a photo of Brock

1483
01:12:43.479 --> 01:12:45.960
<v Speaker 3>Vandergriff with a cell phone cliff On earlier this summer,

1484
01:12:46.000 --> 01:12:48.520
<v Speaker 3>and that kind of reassured me that he's the man

1485
01:12:48.560 --> 01:12:51.560
<v Speaker 3>for the job, as simple as that may be. But

1486
01:12:52.199 --> 01:12:55.359
<v Speaker 3>you know, I'm always excited for another Kentucky football season.

1487
01:12:55.600 --> 01:12:58.399
<v Speaker 3>And Mark Stoops surrounds himself with such great talent and

1488
01:12:58.439 --> 01:13:00.880
<v Speaker 3>a great coaching staff that can recruit, and I think

1489
01:13:00.880 --> 01:13:02.760
<v Speaker 3>that's a big part of why he's been so successful

1490
01:13:02.760 --> 01:13:03.479
<v Speaker 3>for all these years.

1491
01:13:03.680 --> 01:13:06.640
<v Speaker 1>Is Billy. Let's follow him on Twitter or x at

1492
01:13:06.680 --> 01:13:10.439
<v Speaker 1>Billy r Sports, and of course find him on YouTube.

1493
01:13:10.439 --> 01:13:13.640
<v Speaker 1>Now Bogie's with Billy if you want to either check

1494
01:13:13.720 --> 01:13:16.800
<v Speaker 1>on Billy's game, make yourself feel good about your game,

1495
01:13:17.319 --> 01:13:19.880
<v Speaker 1>or learn a few things. Is there any how to

1496
01:13:20.079 --> 01:13:24.199
<v Speaker 1>stuff Billy or is it just you illustrating your problems.

1497
01:13:24.760 --> 01:13:26.439
<v Speaker 3>No, I think it's just a chance for you to

1498
01:13:26.520 --> 01:13:29.159
<v Speaker 3>laugh at my golf game, and I usually have a

1499
01:13:29.199 --> 01:13:31.960
<v Speaker 3>guest with it. You know, Bryson d. Chambeau quickly here.

1500
01:13:32.039 --> 01:13:34.439
<v Speaker 3>You know, he changed his entire image and I think

1501
01:13:34.479 --> 01:13:36.760
<v Speaker 3>a big part of that his move to YouTube and

1502
01:13:36.840 --> 01:13:39.760
<v Speaker 3>talking to the fans, and so, you know, maybe this

1503
01:13:39.920 --> 01:13:43.640
<v Speaker 3>is part of my rehabilitation with maybe some people.

1504
01:13:43.439 --> 01:13:45.720
<v Speaker 1>Up And it's ironic because you have never been a

1505
01:13:45.760 --> 01:13:48.199
<v Speaker 1>Bryson de Shambeau fan, But that's the time, I know,

1506
01:13:48.479 --> 01:13:50.880
<v Speaker 1>another night. I know. Thank you brother, see you soon.

1507
01:13:51.239 --> 01:13:52.479
<v Speaker 3>Enjoyed, Dick, thank you for.

1508
01:13:52.520 --> 01:13:54.880
<v Speaker 1>Listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider. More

1509
01:13:54.920 --> 01:13:58.720
<v Speaker 1>to come here on six thirty w LAP It's Dick Gabriel.

1510
01:13:58.760 --> 01:14:01.479
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Best of the Big Blue Insider.

1511
01:14:01.800 --> 01:14:05.880
<v Speaker 1>Angel Hernandez is retiring. One of the if not the

1512
01:14:06.000 --> 01:14:10.119
<v Speaker 1>worst umpire in Major League Baseball is hanging it up

1513
01:14:10.279 --> 01:14:13.439
<v Speaker 1>right now. He has caught so much criticism, and rightfully so.

1514
01:14:14.039 --> 01:14:18.359
<v Speaker 1>And let me say, I am an advocate for sports officials.

1515
01:14:18.399 --> 01:14:20.840
<v Speaker 1>I've done it. I did it when I was young,

1516
01:14:21.039 --> 01:14:24.000
<v Speaker 1>when I was a teenager, I did it for ten years,

1517
01:14:25.199 --> 01:14:30.159
<v Speaker 1>from everything from peewee to adultly my brother for almost

1518
01:14:30.239 --> 01:14:33.880
<v Speaker 1>fifty years has been a sports official, primarily an umpire,

1519
01:14:34.920 --> 01:14:38.560
<v Speaker 1>and so I'm very sympathetic. But this guy's terrible. And

1520
01:14:38.960 --> 01:14:42.840
<v Speaker 1>that's the problem is he didn't seem to care, because

1521
01:14:42.880 --> 01:14:46.640
<v Speaker 1>if he did, he would have worked to improve. And

1522
01:14:46.680 --> 01:14:49.960
<v Speaker 1>if you and I can see video showing just how

1523
01:14:50.000 --> 01:14:54.000
<v Speaker 1>bad his calls have been, so can he. He should

1524
01:14:54.039 --> 01:14:58.239
<v Speaker 1>have been sitting down and maybe calling on a supervisor

1525
01:14:58.279 --> 01:15:01.119
<v Speaker 1>and saying, how can I get better? Why am I

1526
01:15:01.159 --> 01:15:04.399
<v Speaker 1>missing these pitches that are anywhere from three to eight

1527
01:15:04.439 --> 01:15:08.680
<v Speaker 1>inches off the plate, or there's video on X this

1528
01:15:08.760 --> 01:15:12.760
<v Speaker 1>morning of a fastball that came right down the middle

1529
01:15:12.960 --> 01:15:17.880
<v Speaker 1>about thigh high on a hitter and that became ball four.

1530
01:15:18.439 --> 01:15:20.680
<v Speaker 1>So he's screwing over both the hitters and the pitchers,

1531
01:15:20.800 --> 01:15:25.840
<v Speaker 1>but more often the hitters. It was staggering how bad

1532
01:15:26.359 --> 01:15:30.760
<v Speaker 1>his calls were. Now. They tried to move against him

1533
01:15:30.760 --> 01:15:34.760
<v Speaker 1>to Major League Baseball at some point, but they knew

1534
01:15:34.760 --> 01:15:38.359
<v Speaker 1>they really couldn't because he sued in twenty seventeen for

1535
01:15:38.479 --> 01:15:42.239
<v Speaker 1>racial discrimination. He's a Cuban American and they claimed he

1536
01:15:42.279 --> 01:15:44.720
<v Speaker 1>had been He claimed he had been passed over for

1537
01:15:44.800 --> 01:15:48.479
<v Speaker 1>World Series assignments and a crew chief position because of

1538
01:15:48.520 --> 01:15:53.439
<v Speaker 1>his race. And it's easy to prove. I can't say

1539
01:15:53.479 --> 01:15:56.920
<v Speaker 1>for certain because I'm not in the room, but I

1540
01:15:56.920 --> 01:15:59.239
<v Speaker 1>got to think it's easy to prove. And he lost

1541
01:15:59.279 --> 01:16:02.920
<v Speaker 1>that case by it was dismissed, and an appeals court

1542
01:16:03.000 --> 01:16:07.039
<v Speaker 1>upheld the dismissal. You can show him video, here's why

1543
01:16:07.720 --> 01:16:11.039
<v Speaker 1>you're terrible. But the union is so strong, The umpire's

1544
01:16:11.119 --> 01:16:16.520
<v Speaker 1>union is so strong that it's almost impossible to fire

1545
01:16:16.600 --> 01:16:22.079
<v Speaker 1>somebody for incompetence. And their claim has always been no

1546
01:16:22.119 --> 01:16:24.920
<v Speaker 1>matter how bad a World Series umpire is well, if

1547
01:16:24.920 --> 01:16:27.239
<v Speaker 1>he's a major league umpire, he's one of the best

1548
01:16:27.319 --> 01:16:33.119
<v Speaker 1>in the world. Well, in theory, yes, but sometimes guys

1549
01:16:33.199 --> 01:16:35.840
<v Speaker 1>either get worse or they shouldn't have been there to

1550
01:16:35.880 --> 01:16:38.880
<v Speaker 1>begin with. I don't know which was the case for

1551
01:16:38.960 --> 01:16:42.920
<v Speaker 1>Angel Hernandez. But if it weren't for the fact that

1552
01:16:42.960 --> 01:16:47.880
<v Speaker 1>he was a threat to the livelihood of so many players,

1553
01:16:49.119 --> 01:16:51.560
<v Speaker 1>it would be funny how bad he is. But it

1554
01:16:51.600 --> 01:16:56.319
<v Speaker 1>wasn't funny. And now he immediately has retired, hadn't worked

1555
01:16:56.319 --> 01:17:00.439
<v Speaker 1>the game behind the plates since May nine, thankfully, and says,

1556
01:17:00.439 --> 01:17:03.640
<v Speaker 1>of course he's going to spend more time with his family. Well, good,

1557
01:17:04.079 --> 01:17:08.479
<v Speaker 1>I hope you do. Wow, how did the wildcatch rate

1558
01:17:08.600 --> 01:17:10.520
<v Speaker 1>right now? Do you care? Well, a lot of people do.

1559
01:17:10.600 --> 01:17:14.479
<v Speaker 1>That's why he's way too soon. Top twenty five's are out,

1560
01:17:15.239 --> 01:17:18.479
<v Speaker 1>and of course, with DJ Wagner over the weekend committing

1561
01:17:18.479 --> 01:17:22.119
<v Speaker 1>to Arkansas, that helps the Razorbacks. We took a look

1562
01:17:22.119 --> 01:17:26.479
<v Speaker 1>at the CBS Sports Top twenty five. Gary Parrish, well

1563
01:17:26.479 --> 01:17:34.680
<v Speaker 1>respected writer talking about Arkansas, Caliperry Wagner and the Top

1564
01:17:34.760 --> 01:17:39.439
<v Speaker 1>twenty five. Arkansas made the biggest move after adding Wagner.

1565
01:17:40.479 --> 01:17:45.920
<v Speaker 1>Arkansas jumped seven spots to sixteenth, Marquette fell out of

1566
01:17:45.960 --> 01:17:51.239
<v Speaker 1>the top spot, which now belongs to Kansas. That's because

1567
01:17:51.359 --> 01:17:54.359
<v Speaker 1>they get three to their top six scorers back, including

1568
01:17:54.439 --> 01:17:59.159
<v Speaker 1>Hunter Dickinson. Houston gets eight of its top ten scorers

1569
01:17:59.199 --> 01:18:02.800
<v Speaker 1>back their second, North Carolina five of their top eight

1570
01:18:02.840 --> 01:18:07.199
<v Speaker 1>scorers back third. Now, where's Kentucky, Well, not in there obviously,

1571
01:18:08.359 --> 01:18:11.319
<v Speaker 1>But what do you know about Kentucky really in terms

1572
01:18:11.319 --> 01:18:13.159
<v Speaker 1>of how they're gonna play this year? Nothing? You know,

1573
01:18:13.199 --> 01:18:16.279
<v Speaker 1>they're gonna have good players. How's Mark Pope gonna use them?

1574
01:18:16.319 --> 01:18:18.600
<v Speaker 1>We don't know. But they are not going to appear

1575
01:18:19.520 --> 01:18:21.920
<v Speaker 1>until I would think they play a game. They won't

1576
01:18:21.920 --> 01:18:24.079
<v Speaker 1>be in the top twenty five anywhere. I wouldn't think

1577
01:18:24.159 --> 01:18:26.520
<v Speaker 1>till they play a game. Unless somebody decides to take

1578
01:18:26.520 --> 01:18:29.640
<v Speaker 1>a flyer on them. It's too soon, but that's the

1579
01:18:29.640 --> 01:18:32.279
<v Speaker 1>way the top twenty five looks to Gary Parrish. That'll

1580
01:18:32.279 --> 01:18:34.199
<v Speaker 1>do it for now. Thanks for joining us for this

1581
01:18:34.239 --> 01:18:37.560
<v Speaker 1>special edition the best of the Big Blue Insider. That's it.

1582
01:18:37.680 --> 01:18:39.760
<v Speaker 1>Good night from the garage in Lexington.