WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:03.919 Hell, everybody to the facilities of the iHeartMedia Megaplexis is 2 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:07.000 Dick Gabriel. This is the state wide edition of The 3 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.240 Big Blue Inside. He heard Mark Pope today with Tom 4 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:11.960 Leach here, Nick mangeone with Darren Hendrick and some of 5 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:14.759 the UK women. After that heartbreaking lost to Kansas date, 6 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:18.039 but what a game and what a game is the 7 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:20.760 Wildcats beat Illinois tonight. We'll talk with a couple of 8 00:00:20.839 --> 00:00:24.079 guys who were up there. Jeff Picoro, who covers football 9 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:26.760 for the UK network but covers the cash for WTVQ, 10 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:30.000 and Lee K. Howard from wk WAIT to Billy relaigives 11 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:32.560 here be a part of the state wide BBI, The 12 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:36.479 Big Blue Insider Pikeville to Paducah. You know the drill, 13 00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:40.119 and it seems like it's becoming a drill with Jeff 14 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:43.320 Pecorro that we don't reach him right away. Remember the 15 00:00:43.399 --> 00:00:47.119 one night he called us at like seven minutes to 16 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:48.159 the top of the hour. 17 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:50.439 I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I forgot. 18 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:53.439 We tease him now because half the time when we 19 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:56.079 can't reach him. When he used to carry a briefcase, 20 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:58.079 he would leave his phone in his briefcase. Didn't do 21 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:00.479 a whole lot of good there. Now that he's you know, 22 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:04.519 in TV news again, he needs to keep it in 23 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:05.159 a hip pocket. 24 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:07.400 Well, my phone's never on Ringer, it's always on Vibe, 25 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:10.519 So if I'm not in this, it's not on my person. 26 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:12.159 Yeah, I don't hear it. 27 00:01:12.359 --> 00:01:14.680 Yeah, you know, I silenced mom when I'm working in 28 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:16.840 the garage on the radio show, and I always forget 29 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:18.920 to put it back or I'm you know, doing a 30 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:21.599 baseball game or whatever. So anyway, we'll we'll soldier on. 31 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:24.920 Maybe we'll hear from him, maybe we won't, but we 32 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:29.959 will contact leak as usually pretty good too. Anyway, let's 33 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:33.760 talk first about Kentucky Illinois. Did you pick the Wildcats? 34 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:37.200 I think no. I did pick them in my bracket, 35 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:43.159 but I just wasn't sure because Illinois is better than 36 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:45.760 I thought it was. When I first looked at the brackets, 37 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:48.760 I thought, well, But then I started doing research on him, 38 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:50.680 and I thought, oh man, they're good on the boards, 39 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:53.480 They've got some talent, got some draft picks, got some 40 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:54.239 draft picks. 41 00:01:54.680 --> 00:01:56.400 They got a visas brother out there too. 42 00:01:56.519 --> 00:02:01.200 That's right. But Kentucky Billy, I thought, may have played 43 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.840 its best game of the year all things considered. 44 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:06.840 Best defensive game. I think there's no doubt question. 45 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.120 I mean, yeah, you're right, because offense, they put up 46 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:12.960 one hundred million points against Alabama and Tennessee. 47 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.400 I mean, it's amazing, and they've beaten Florida this year, 48 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:17.960 who looks like the team to beat in the NCAA tournament. 49 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:21.000 So it was it was a great game. Defensively, you 50 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:23.439 saw the impact of Lamont Butler. I mean for him 51 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:26.479 to score zero points against Troy and then ten in 52 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:29.719 the first half in that game versus Illinois. But that's 53 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.759 not why he was at his best. It was defensively 54 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:36.159 and it was he was phenomenal. There was no doubt 55 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:38.280 about it. There's a reason why the Illinois coach said 56 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:41.199 afterwards that Kentucky will go as far as Lamont Butler 57 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:41.719 takes them. 58 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:43.719 And I think we all know that. 59 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:44.840 I did pick Kentucky to win. 60 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:48.039 I've actually got them winning against Tennessee in my bracket 61 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:51.080 and then losing to Houston in the Elite eight. But 62 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:54.719 my expectations have him met, Dick. I mean, I think 63 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:57.439 I said a minus earlier. He did a couple of 64 00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.599 weeks ago when I gave Pope grade. 65 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:00.919 It's now gone up to an a. 66 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:04.840 I mean, for Pope to put this roster together in 67 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:08.080 a matter of weeks to make the Sweet sixteen, and 68 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:10.719 to do it with the pressure of BYU and Arkansas 69 00:03:10.919 --> 00:03:13.879 both making the Sweet sixteen. People say that's not on Pope, 70 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:16.240 and there's no pressure there. I'm telling you there was. 71 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:20.000 And for Pope to get it done, it saved us 72 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:26.080 a long summer of sports talk radio, of calls and 73 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:30.080 well at times. Yeah, but this is just a very 74 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:31.439 very gratifying way. 75 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:36.400 It really is very satisfying. But you get the idea 76 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:38.439 that the players aren't happy to stop here. 77 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:40.919 But well, they were. 78 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:43.560 Loose too, you know, they were much looser I felt 79 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.520 like in the game versus Illinois than they were. 80 00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:49.759 Oh have you ever had that stuff? 81 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:51.639 I have not, I have you have? 82 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:57.520 It's awful. Oh it's awful. Now, I gotta say, I 83 00:03:57.520 --> 00:03:59.800 think I just put cold milk. I don't know if 84 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:02.919 it fruit on whatever. But I mean, I like shredded wheat, 85 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:06.319 and I'd read about this stuff, yeah, and I'd read 86 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:09.360 what what what they found out? It's it's better for 87 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:12.240 you than just regular old shredded we were, It's it's 88 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:14.039 got a lot of nutrients. In it. You know, it's 89 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:15.879 a lot of good stuff in it, right, So I thought, well, 90 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:18.240 that's that's good. And I like cereal and all. 91 00:04:18.439 --> 00:04:18.959 Uh. 92 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:22.160 Oh. I tried it once. You know, they come to 93 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:24.800 these big biscuits and I told them, I said, I 94 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:25.399 can't eat this. 95 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:27.360 It's tasty. 96 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:30.920 It's just the way I ate it, right, the way 97 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:33.120 I ate it. It was like wallpaper paste. I mean 98 00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:36.040 it was like, oh my god, you know. Uh, And 99 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:37.920 so I chucked it out in the you know, we 100 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:41.199 have a wooded backyard and put it out, put it 101 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:43.560 out there for the wild animals. You don't hope they 102 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:45.920 didn't hurt any of them. But uh but now I 103 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:49.800 hear that you need And I'm not going to do 104 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:51.519 this because I'm not a warm milk kind of guy, 105 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:54.079 but I understand. I like hot cereal and this could 106 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:56.519 be like hot cereal and you know, a bunch of 107 00:04:56.519 --> 00:05:00.319 sugar or honey or whatever. So yeah, I'll give it that. 108 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:03.279 It kind of reminded me in a weird way. It's 109 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:06.600 not the same stuff. But when we many years ago, 110 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:09.519 when a group of us went to China, we were 111 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:12.720 in a hotel in Hong Kong that had a great 112 00:05:13.160 --> 00:05:17.519 breakfast buffet. I mean, great, they're big on breakfast over there, 113 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:20.720 but they believe it or not, they serve salad for breakfast. 114 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:23.480 That's a big thing over there. I didn't touch it, 115 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.480 but I like hot cereal and they had it. So 116 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:29.199 I get some. I like grits, I like oatmeal. So 117 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:31.639 I get this stuff and it was awful, and I 118 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.680 come to find out later it was basically what we 119 00:05:33.720 --> 00:05:40.439 would call gruel, right or porridge. Well, I'm like nope. 120 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:44.319 After two bites, I'm like nope. So later on I 121 00:05:44.360 --> 00:05:46.759 see my teachers over there, my karate teacher, and this 122 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:49.759 guy is half a head shorter than you. It can 123 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:54.600 eat like a trucker, takes his time but really savors 124 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:57.680 his meals. Right. So anyway, he's over there and he's 125 00:05:57.720 --> 00:05:59.879 got a bold of this stuff and he's loading it up, 126 00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:04.480 but he's loading it up with cold vegetables. And I thought, oh, okay, 127 00:06:04.519 --> 00:06:07.800 this stuff's a carrying agent. And I guess we've min 128 00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:10.600 exist the same thing. And he said, of course, he 129 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:12.920 grew up in a man, I grew up on this stuff. 130 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.480 I'm like, good, hey, all you want take it, take it. 131 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:18.720 But anyhow, if that's if that was the secret, weapon 132 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:21.879 for the bigs, and now Mark Pope says he's going 133 00:06:21.959 --> 00:06:23.839 to have it good on you. 134 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:27.720 It does look like a show down, a brick of nothingness, 135 00:06:27.800 --> 00:06:28.279 like if you. 136 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:31.279 Can get it, trust me on Amazon, Well you can 137 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:32.199 get anything on him. 138 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:34.759 It's one of the top five cereals on Amazon today apparently, 139 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:39.600 now Tucky effect. Think about the Google searches right that 140 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.079 this cereal has gotten in this state and how many 141 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:45.199 people have ordered it. I mean, people are little boys 142 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:47.600 and girls are going to be eating this cereal this 143 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:49.439 week as we anticipate fire. 144 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:53.199 Still in local television, I would have, knowing what I know, 145 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:55.120 it wouldn't be me, but I'd have somebody on camera 146 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:59.319 doing something well, of course, And how about the assistant 147 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:02.720 going out, Maggie Davis, if you're listening, that's right, Ma, 148 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:05.120 I want to see you with a bowl of We've 149 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:06.240 been X in your lap. 150 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.839 But to go to an international store in Milwaukee to 151 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:12.720 bring a little home to Amari Williams, a guy that's 152 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:14.720 fighting back and found it. 153 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:16.680 Yeah, it's impressive, isn't it. 154 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:17.279 It really is. 155 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:20.959 I'm not I've never had warm milk before, not even 156 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:22.680 as a kid, not every even as a kid. 157 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:25.480 I like milk. I eat milk with dinner, but I 158 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:26.680 really ever had warm. 159 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:28.279 Milk, glass of Big Boy juice with dinner. 160 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:28.879 Whole milk. 161 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:31.199 Okay, wow, my son's the same way. 162 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:32.800 We got to grow big and strong. 163 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:33.639 Yeah that's true. 164 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:36.000 Now you've had hot chocolate, but that's had hot chocolate. 165 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:38.399 But that ain't the same. Coffee, that ain't the same. 166 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:40.399 Never really never, just hot. 167 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:41.160 Milk and cereal. 168 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:44.519 Yeah. Well and again in China, and when we were 169 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:47.720 in a small village and eating breakfast at a modest hotel, 170 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:50.399 you know, it was okay, a little usterear and this 171 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:54.439 waitress came out with a big tray of hot milk, 172 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.720 glasses full of hot milk because they thought that's what 173 00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:02.079 Americans liked hot. Yeah, and they heard that that's what 174 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:05.279 we ate for breakfast. And so I said, no, thank you, bud. 175 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:07.439 And so she turns to leave and I grab on him, 176 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:09.560 hang on a second, you know, because I was drinking coffee. 177 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:11.279 I said, I'll put something out my coffee, thank you. 178 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:13.759 But yeah, I'm not a hot milk guy either. 179 00:08:13.959 --> 00:08:16.399 Well, the poorly traveled man that I am, I thought 180 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:20.079 it was just strictly beans on toast. In England, Dick, 181 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:21.439 but it seems like they've. 182 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:22.319 Got you can get that. 183 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:24.720 Laporless cereal. 184 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:27.879 Yeah, yeah, but no when I had fish and chips 185 00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:30.759 in a restaurant run by a couple of guys in 186 00:08:30.839 --> 00:08:32.919 the Middle East, so you know, you can get what 187 00:08:32.919 --> 00:08:34.919 you want. You can get what you can sure. Anyhow, 188 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:39.759 So back to what we were discussing before, Yes, Defense 189 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:43.879 and Kobe Brea and I love this story. Once they 190 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:47.879 got through the weabineing stories that Pope told about. And 191 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:52.399 you remember that Old Miss game. I was stunned. I 192 00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:55.039 think the Big Blue Nation was shocked at how poorly 193 00:08:55.159 --> 00:09:01.559 they played, lack of effort. They almost seemed disinterested that night, 194 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:04.360 you know, on the road, almost came out, punched him 195 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:06.720 into John and he said, okay, thank you, May I 196 00:09:06.759 --> 00:09:10.159 have another? And he said, you know you heard him tonight, 197 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:14.399 said Brea threw himself into drills the next day. That 198 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.679 told me everything I needed to hear. 199 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:19.039 A good Old Miss team that just throttled Iowa State 200 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:22.399 to get to the sweet sixteen. So it's it's amazing 201 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:25.039 SEC's got seven teams in the tournament. I'm sure we'll 202 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:28.759 talk about that a little bit more later, but listen, 203 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:31.679 I think the numbers were Kentucky went from that Old 204 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:34.320 Miss game, they were at one twelve in the Ken 205 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:35.759 Palm and they made it all the way down to 206 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:38.639 forty five. Yes, since then, and that is something Mark 207 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:40.840 Pope said in the postgame that he has never seen 208 00:09:40.919 --> 00:09:44.600 no to be able to have that growth mindset. That's 209 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:47.120 something he touched on tonight as well, is that these 210 00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:48.879 guys are willing to learn, They're willing to do the 211 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.759 little thing to get better every day. And guys like 212 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:55.120 Colin Chandler and Brandon Garrison are going back to back 213 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:58.000 putting their own runs together. Bench boys were huge in 214 00:09:58.039 --> 00:10:00.879 these two NCAA Tournament games twenty five and respectively. 215 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:05.639 When Chandler rose from two steps beyond the arc, are 216 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:07.559 what I'm like, what is the own nice shot? 217 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:08.000 You know? 218 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:12.000 One of those deals you know. But I think part 219 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.159 of this too, and I heard somebody make a reference 220 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:18.600 to this is if this were And again I'm not 221 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:21.440 comparing the two, but let's say this where a Caliperi 222 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:25.639 team chock full of first year guys, freshman true freshmen. 223 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:29.200 That's why he always tried to point toward February March, 224 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:33.159 because it takes a while. I think the fact that 225 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:36.159 Mark Pope has a roster for the most part full 226 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:39.879 of veterans. They know how to learn, you know, they 227 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:43.879 know how to take that information and assimilate it. And 228 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.360 I was fortunate enough to go to a couple of practices, 229 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:48.759 not you know, I can't go every day, I'm not allowed, 230 00:10:49.080 --> 00:10:52.879 but going into the pro day event, they allowed me 231 00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:54.799 to come just to learn the players and you know, 232 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:56.519 see what they're doing so I could talk to them 233 00:10:56.600 --> 00:11:01.200 on camera about it. And it's complicated, you know. Their 234 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:04.480 offense which just looks beautiful and its simplicity is not 235 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:08.759 you know, and Mark Pope is anything but uncomplicated. But 236 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:11.919 these are older guys who've played a lot of basketball, 237 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:12.759 you know. 238 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:16.720 Uh, And think about them amassing twenty minute wins this 239 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:19.559 year in one of the toughest conferences of all time, 240 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:22.440 and to do it without Jackson Robinson for half of 241 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:26.480 the year. Mott Butler missed multiple weeks, kerkkrisa your backup 242 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:28.279 point guards out for the entire year. 243 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:32.039 Carr had a back injury hobbled. 244 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:35.600 It's just incredible that they've been able to play their 245 00:11:35.639 --> 00:11:37.600 best basketball when it matters most. 246 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:39.559 And that's now, Yeah, that's now. 247 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:42.399 And there's a lot of things you can't control, especially 248 00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:44.720 the guy who is the main translator of the Mark 249 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:47.960 Pope offense going down with injury and these guys finally 250 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:50.159 seem to pick it up. Colin Chandler steps up. But 251 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:52.639 it allows o Way to stay at his natural position. 252 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:55.759 It allows Kobe Brea to come in without or with 253 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:58.600 less urgency at times. So it's just it's just a 254 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:00.480 trickle down effect in a lot of ways. And if 255 00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:02.879 we could did Amari to dunk the basketball, this would 256 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:05.879 be a complete team. 257 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:08.039 It was great. A caller brought that up and Mark 258 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:10.600 didn't really answer it, but I did love that call 259 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.440 because how many times Bud he just dunk it, you know. 260 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:18.480 But speaking of Chandler, though I rewatched the first half today, uh, 261 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:22.360 and there was one plane in particular where there were 262 00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:24.759 two plays I want to talk about. Number one, Brea 263 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:27.200 hits a three, okay, or it might have been a jump 264 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:30.360 shot inside the circle at two, but it came in 265 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:35.159 a huge time. Chandler set the pick the screen that 266 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:40.440 freed him. He came off a pick himself and then 267 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:44.639 he screened Bray as guy and Bray just circles around 268 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:49.039 and bang you know. And when you listen to Cameron 269 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:51.679 Mills told this story many times. He thought he understood. 270 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:53.799 I had to set a pick at a user pick. 271 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:55.919 He said, when he got to college, he realized he 272 00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:58.159 knew nothing about it. And I got to think Chandler, 273 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:00.480 who's coming off two years of not playing as all, 274 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:03.759 had to learn that skill and he did. You know, 275 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:06.600 that's it's the little things that that kid does, you know. 276 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:09.120 I mean, the three pointers are great, but it's little 277 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:12.080 things like deflections. The other one was And everyone's talking 278 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:14.360 about this, but as I'm watching the game, I thought, 279 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:16.240 mental note, I got to talk about this with Billy 280 00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:23.200 Kentucky's up ten, what momentums shifted second half and Illinois's 281 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.679 doing some things. I'm about to go down and make 282 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:29.519 it an eight point or seven point game, and Lamarch 283 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:32.360 sneaks in from behind and makes a steal all the 284 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:37.799 sneaky steel in the scars. One to me, that was 285 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:40.039 I don't know it was the turning point, but it 286 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:41.919 was one of the biggest turning points of the game, 287 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:43.519 maybe the biggest one of the second half. There were 288 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:44.320 a lot in the first half. 289 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:46.480 Well, you're right about momentum. I think at that time 290 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:49.480 it was just chipping away, chipping away. It was after 291 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:52.279 Kobe went on his own ten oh run I think 292 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:55.879 in that game where he went three jumper, three jumper, amazing, 293 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:59.200 So that that came at a huge time, and you know, 294 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:03.399 Lamont to have that tourney experience that maybe has been 295 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:06.200 missing in years past, and also on this team if 296 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.679 you exclude Lamarch, so he's just been able to bring 297 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:12.240 a dimension to this team and they play with joy. 298 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:14.480 I mean, I think that you absolutely can see that. 299 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.919 You know, you mentioned Colin Chandler and Kobe Brea. Kobe's 300 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:20.559 looking to shoot when he's coming off those screens too, 301 00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:22.519 And it's not that he wasn't before, but I feel 302 00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:26.320 like it comes with much more confidence. And it's interesting 303 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:28.399 that Kentucky was able to hold on because I had 304 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:30.679 it locked and loaded in the chamber, Dick. If Kentucky 305 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:32.399 lost a game, it was going to be all about 306 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:36.039 the basketballs. You know, about this non uniformity and these 307 00:14:36.120 --> 00:14:40.279 PSI levels, and which is Kobe saying that he's having 308 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:43.600 to adjust the way that he shoots to adjust. 309 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.360 With these bad fuketball. 310 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:47.519 It's just there's so much money going on, and we 311 00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:51.360 saw the first round this year was historically low scoring averages. 312 00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:53.000 I'm not going to get into it. Is this the 313 00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:55.600 death of the Cinderella with nil? Please? 314 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:58.679 Jay Williams, steven A. Smith, you got a gas back 315 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:00.799 about something every single day. I think that's a bit 316 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:03.200 of a hot take. But I think there is something 317 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.600 to the the other point. 318 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.480 I fully agree, And I was stunned when I saw that, because, 319 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:13.000 you know, having worked for Jim Host and worked closely 320 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:17.720 for a couple of years with regard to NCAA properties, 321 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:24.159 NCAA sponsorships and stuff, I'm amazed that there isn't an 322 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:31.480 NCAA sanctioned via advertising, sponsorship, whatever you call it basketball. 323 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.559 Why aren't they a lot? Why isn't the same ball 324 00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:40.360 being used at every location for men and women at 325 00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:43.519 a hefty price? You know right that that you know 326 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:47.639 they can recoup the exactly. I was amazed that that 327 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:50.759 wasn't the case. But uh, I mean you're a baseball fan, 328 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:52.919 as am I how many times you've heard guys complaining 329 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:56.519 about the baseballs? Yeah, ranking two tightly or not tightly enough. 330 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:58.120 Well, then they can throw it away. They just throw 331 00:15:58.120 --> 00:15:59.919 it to the side and they get a new ball, right. 332 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:03.080 Yeah, But supposedly this year's ballder making them a different 333 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:05.080 way in a different place, and you know they're storing 334 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:06.279 him in a cold place. You know. 335 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:08.639 Well, it's like Saint John's missed so many layups in 336 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:12.559 that game versus Arkansas. Yeah, that's not characteristic of them 337 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:15.039 that I think there is something to the over inflation 338 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:15.720 of these balls. 339 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:18.519 Oh could be. Yeah, call Tom get Tom Brady online. Listen. 340 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:21.600 Everybody disposes of their cell phone by slamming it on 341 00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:24.039 the ground, Dick, It's just natural practice, don't. 342 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:27.320 Get We talked about that on my local show. Right 343 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:30.159 when it happened. You were in the studio, but that 344 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:34.399 was before Brady was before he moved it, Damp, exactly right. 345 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:37.279 You were on my side back then. God, before we 346 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:38.679 get to the break through, and I said this to 347 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:41.360 you before we went on the air. You gotta chip 348 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:44.440 your cap to Cali Perry for pulling his team together, 349 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:49.279 which he did at Kentucky's several times more often than not. Okay, 350 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:54.600 but I firmly believe after rewatching the second half I 351 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:58.679 did that this afternoon he had better athletes than Saint John's. 352 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:01.879 That to me, what was the difference. I mean when 353 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:06.160 it came down to players making plays. And I watched 354 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.240 that whole series on you know, Redstorm Rising, and I 355 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:12.680 watched several Saint John's games, and it was you know, 356 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:16.440 Big East basketball. It was tough, it was grinding out, 357 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:20.960 but they just had better athletes and they played well together. 358 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:22.440 Calipari's team and. 359 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:24.440 They're playing a lot better as of late. 360 00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:26.880 I mean, Jonas Ago is a guy that averaged five 361 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.119 points a game this year. 362 00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:30.079 He's averaging eighteen I think right now. 363 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:31.640 But you know, when they lost you and I talked 364 00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:35.400 about this before, when they lost Boogie Flann, they got better. 365 00:17:35.640 --> 00:17:37.960 Thank you. They that forced them to just kind of 366 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:41.039 figure out a different way to do business. But to 367 00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:44.559 his credit and theirs, now that he's back, I thought, 368 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:46.079 are they going to hit that wall? And all of 369 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:47.519 a suddenly we got to give the ball to Boogie 370 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:47.920 every time. 371 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.680 No, No, he's he's playing well. 372 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:51.759 He's a player, that's right. 373 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:54.720 And with thero out that kind of you know, defines 374 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:58.519 the roles even more. Yes, Arkansas starts zero to five 375 00:17:58.599 --> 00:17:59.440 in conference play. 376 00:17:59.519 --> 00:17:59.960 About that. 377 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:03.160 Cali Perry comes in, raises his eyebrow as he walks 378 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:06.279 onto the upp Arena court and pulls off the upset 379 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:08.599 and there just been a different team since then. I 380 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:11.720 think you got a lot of buy in. And you know, 381 00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:14.480 as much as I hate to admit it, I think 382 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:17.839 you look at the situation from a broad perspective and 383 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:20.640 you have to think that both sides won the breakup. 384 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:23.599 Look, I agree, but when you look at his body 385 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:26.960 of work just here, much less at his other stops. 386 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:29.440 I mean, he deserves its deserving in all of me, 387 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:33.480 everybody was mad at him, and I've told you this before. 388 00:18:34.119 --> 00:18:36.319 You know, so much of this can be summed up, 389 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:39.599 and I'm mad and someone needs to be punished. And 390 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:42.759 the Big Blue Nation wanted John Caliperi to be punished 391 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:45.319 because they were upset over what's happened over the last 392 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:48.720 couple of years. He had some really tough breaks with injuries. 393 00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:51.279 I still say, if May doesn't hit that shot for 394 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:53.720 North Carolina, he's still at Kentucky. And a lot of 395 00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:56.480 people believe if he runs the table in twenty fifteen, 396 00:18:56.839 --> 00:18:59.480 no matter what happened after that, he's still at Kentucky. 397 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:03.079 I mean, that's sports. It's fickle. We know this, we 398 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.440 don't care, we still love it. That's the way it works. 399 00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:07.440 But I don't think Cal has the success if he's 400 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:09.920 at Kentucky this year. I think that a change of 401 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:14.000