WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.680 Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider. Diay Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:05.599 you on a Thursday edition of our program. Coming up tonight, 3 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:09.480 we'll talk Kentucky football and basketball with Chris Fisher of 4 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:11.919 two four to seven Sports. We'll talk about all that 5 00:00:12.039 --> 00:00:15.640 portal traffic that's going on. MIKEA. LEPs from Fox fifty six, 6 00:00:15.960 --> 00:00:19.079 who was at the open practice recently for UK football 7 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:22.800 and has covered the basketball Cats all year long. Tim Sullivan, 8 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:25.519 freelance writer over in Louisville. Talk to him about the 9 00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:29.239 Cats and the Cardinals, what's going over there. Also, we're 10 00:00:29.239 --> 00:00:31.800 going to talk to Tim a little bit about the Bengals. 11 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.159 Tim used to cover the Bengals in the Reds when 12 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:37.759 he was with the Cincinnati Inquirer and the Bengals finally 13 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.039 ponying up for some talent. So that's all coming up 14 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:44.520 tonight here on the Big Blue Insider. And of course 15 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:46.799 you probably know by now. First of all, you know 16 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:48.880 the Masters is happening. I'm going to talk about that 17 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:51.320 in our next segment a little bit. But I hope 18 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:56.159 you got to see the daughter of Rory McElroy, who 19 00:00:56.520 --> 00:00:58.000 I'm going to tell you the next segment why I'm 20 00:00:58.039 --> 00:00:59.840 kind of rooting for him. I know he's not an American. 21 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:05.280 His daughter, Poppy, wearing what they call a boiler suit, 22 00:01:05.719 --> 00:01:10.680 played in the par three competition, got the putt and 23 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:14.200 she sank a long putt. I think she's three years old, 24 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:16.640 and the video is incredible. I urge you to google 25 00:01:16.680 --> 00:01:20.480 it and find it. But Rory and Shane Lowry helped 26 00:01:20.519 --> 00:01:23.599 her line it up at the par three contest at 27 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:28.200 Augusta National and she sank a huge downhill putt at 28 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:32.079 the ninth hole, and just like her dad and every 29 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:34.519 other golfer out there, she had to just give it 30 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:38.439 a nudge and let gravity take hold and do the 31 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:40.760 rest of the work for about thirty feet and it 32 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:45.040 dropped in and it was so cool because everybody went nuts, 33 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:47.799 and she didn't really understand. She just kind of stood 34 00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:51.560 there like uh huh. And Lowry's daughter, who was only 35 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:56.439 like six years old, ran up and hugged her, and 36 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:00.200 the kid was still like what just happened. It's a 37 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:02.840 lot of fun. I mean, the dad's went crazy. So 38 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:07.920 find that video. It's online, easy to find. Obviously, Mark 39 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:12.319 Pope has got himself a player in sights. He's a shooter. 40 00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:15.919 Maybe by now he's landed him. I doubt it because 41 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:18.280 the kid's going to take other visits. But he's from 42 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:23.120 sam Houston State by way of a junior college. Lamar Wilkerson, 43 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:26.280 who might be a candidate to step in for Kobe 44 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.879 Brea as the shooter is looking at Kentucky as well 45 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:33.960 as Ole Miss Auburn, and Indiana four star transfer ranked 46 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.240 fifty first best player, eleventh best shooting guard in the 47 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:41.960 two four to seven Sports rankings. Kind of got off 48 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:47.400 to a moderately good start with his career. But this season, 49 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:50.599 like last year, he averaged about fourteen points a game 50 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:55.439 and hit thirty four point seven percent from three. This year, 51 00:02:55.879 --> 00:03:00.000 his numbers twenty and a half points a game for rebound, 52 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:04.520 eleven one point one steals per game, hit forty seven 53 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:07.960 point seven percent from the field, forty four point five 54 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:12.599 from the arc. Again, I'm not saying he's the next 55 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:16.599 Kobe Brea. Who is, but this kid in terms of 56 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:20.080 the numbers, might fit the bill. But again, Pope and 57 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:24.520 his staff did such a remarkable job at fitting together 58 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.439 the people on the roster, the right kids coming together, 59 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:33.280 and that was as much as anything why Kentucky was 60 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:37.599 successful this year and now of course. John Rostein from 61 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:42.280 cbsports dot Com reporting that Pope got his automatic one 62 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:46.960 year contract extension thanks to Kentucky making the Sweet sixteen. 63 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:51.520 Quoting a team official, his contract now runs through the 64 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:55.919 twenty nine to thirty season, with a salary increase of 65 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:58.680 two hundred and fifty thousand set for the final year 66 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:02.439 of the deal. You know, it's interesting about this unless 67 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:05.960 something goes terribly, terribly wrong. I mean, you know the 68 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:10.599 passion Mark Pope has for this place, You're not gonna 69 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:13.759 have to worry now, maybe whistling past the grave bar, 70 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:18.040 but you don't have to worry about your coach flirting 71 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:21.720 with other teams, especially during the NCAA tournament the way 72 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:26.839 Kevin Willer did when he left Maryland. Mark Pope is 73 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:29.560 going to be here until and unless he gets tired 74 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.240 of it, and I mean like physically tired at the 75 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:35.480 end of his career, or he gets run out of 76 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:39.279 town for you know, successive back to back to back 77 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:41.360 bad seasons. I don't even see that happening, because that 78 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:45.240 ain't gonna happen. I don't believe with Pope, but he 79 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:48.480 is so beloved now fans will turn on him if 80 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:50.800 he loses too many games and too many years in 81 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:53.920 a row. They've turned on Mark Stoops, even though prior 82 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:57.959 to this past disastrous season they put up seven wins 83 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:01.639 each time. But that wasn't enough has been raised in 84 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:04.759 Kentucky football. And you're gonna get a chance to see 85 00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:08.759 the team on Saturday at Fan Day, basically the open 86 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:12.279 practice starting at ten o'clock at Kroger Field. And you've 87 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:16.959 got Bush Hamden now in his second year as offensive coordinator. 88 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:18.360 You're not going to see a whole lot. It's going 89 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:20.839 to be awfully vanilla, but at least you know when 90 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:24.199 the season begins, you've got to totally rebuilt o line. 91 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:28.319 And a staff member told me during spring break, and 92 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:31.680 he is. He was not the offensive coordinator. He was 93 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:33.800 not the offensive line coach. I won't tell you who, 94 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:36.680 but he told me he was really impressed with the 95 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:41.240 athleticism of the new guys they've brought in to the 96 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:46.319 point where they could be putting together another line in 97 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:49.439 the mold of the big Blue Wall. And in fact, 98 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:51.600 the guy had talked to invoke the name John Schlarman. 99 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:54.720 So you may be seeing that although we're not going 100 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:57.560 to be entirely sure what we see until the year begins. 101 00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:02.399 As for the former offensive coordinator, Liam Cohen is now 102 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:05.560 the head coach in Jacksonville, and he popped up on 103 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:10.040 the feed because he's got a quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, who's 104 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:14.240 excited about the new coaching staff. But his shoulder, his 105 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:19.360 left shoulder, has been rebuilt, and Liam Cohen was telling 106 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:21.120 the media how Lawrence is going to be on a 107 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:23.920 pitch count in the early going when it comes to 108 00:06:24.360 --> 00:06:25.040 summer camp. 109 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:28.600 He's been working on it himself right now in terms 110 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:32.000 of like monitoring that with the doctors and with Will 111 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:36.199 and ferging those guys downstairs. We haven't had anything to 112 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:38.639 do with it at the moment. As we lead in. 113 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:41.839 We're optimistic that we'll get there, you know, in terms 114 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:44.480 of where we need to go. He'll be on a 115 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:46.920 pitch count for those things, in terms of the where 116 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:48.959 he has to get to because he has little touch 117 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:51.720 points he needs to reach before he can obviously get 118 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:55.680 out onto the grass and do it full speed. Everything's 119 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.399 moving forward. He feels really good right now, so excited 120 00:06:58.439 --> 00:06:59.800 about that. 121 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:04.000 Liam Cohen, the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. It 122 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:06.480 just feels weird to say that, but keep in mind, 123 00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:08.560 as you probably know, he's got a couple of ex 124 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:13.279 Wildcats on that roster. Josh Allen, who got paid great 125 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:17.279 defensive lineman Luke Fortner had been the starting center but 126 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:20.759 now is scuffling for playing time and the job there 127 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.759 in Jacksonville, but still on the roster. Last time I 128 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:27.800 checked as we headed the break, I got to wrap 129 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:31.079 with a sad note in that yesterday afternoon, we had 130 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:34.199 already put the show together so we could include it 131 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:36.839 last night. But you may have heard her at about 132 00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:40.319 the passing of Richie Wells, who was a former assistant 133 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:45.000 athletic trainer at UK, and he was killed in a 134 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:48.600 car accident. Police in Atlanta were chasing a suspect who 135 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:51.600 had robbed at Chick fil A, and the guy in 136 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:56.480 Buckhead ran through an intersection, slammed into Richie's car and 137 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:01.360 killed him. You never met a better guy than Richie. 138 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:04.199 I really enjoyed getting to know him. He wasn't here 139 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:07.279 all that long. He was a fellow, which was like 140 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:11.800 an intern at UK, and then he left and got 141 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:14.800 a job with the Angels, the major league baseball team, 142 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:18.920 working with their minor league clubs. And when Nick Manzione 143 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:22.839 had an opening. He brought him back to college baseball 144 00:08:23.480 --> 00:08:26.759 and Nick was telling us that Richie, who had played 145 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:30.000 D three baseball, wanted to play in the SEC but 146 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:34.559 just wasn't quite good enough. But pulled Nick aside last 147 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:37.799 year and said thank you for getting me to Omaha. 148 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:42.360 And Nick thanked him for, he said, keeping the team 149 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:45.279 healthy enough. They were totally healthy when he got to Omaha. 150 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:48.200 Believe it or not. Over the last couple of years, 151 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:52.200 they were incredibly healthy as a ball club. But Richie left. 152 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:54.879 He got into real estate, I'm told in the Atlanta area, 153 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:58.919 originally from New York, and I used to tease him 154 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:01.720 a little bit. He would go out on the field 155 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:04.159 to check on injured players and games we were televising, 156 00:09:04.840 --> 00:09:07.120 and if he was doing it too much, say Richie, man, 157 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:10.000 you're getting too much FaceTime. I told that to Nick 158 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:12.639 MinJe On and he said there were times when Nick 159 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:15.279 asked Richie come out on the field and check this guy. 160 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:17.519 And later on, as he said, as he's running after, 161 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:20.000 he said, I know he doesn't really need it, but 162 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:22.559 I'm doing this so your parents can see you on TV, 163 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.559 which I thought was an incredible response. And it just 164 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.080 breaks your heart that Richie's gone way too soon, a 165 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:34.320 close friend to Devin Burke's, the UK team leader and catcher, 166 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:38.759 and all the condolences to his family for Richie. Wells 167 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:45.200 back in a minute six thirty WLAP Welcome back. In 168 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:46.600 just a few minutes, we're going to be talking with 169 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:49.159 Chris Fisher, the Cats Poles. We'll get caught up on 170 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:52.840 UK recruiting. Get his thoughts on the season that just concluded. 171 00:09:52.840 --> 00:09:56.080 A little bit later, Tim Sullivan, freelance writer over in Louisville, 172 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:00.279 get his closing thoughts on the college basketball season voting. 173 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:02.720 What's going on to U of L. The UKU of 174 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:05.840 L rivalry, which you know it kind of really cooled 175 00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:10.039 off thanks to the flop by Kenny Paine, is heating 176 00:10:10.120 --> 00:10:12.799 up in a big way now. So we'll find out 177 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:15.279 more about what's going on over there. U of L 178 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:18.360 showing up in these way too soon pre season top 179 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:22.159 twenty fives, in the top five in some instances, and 180 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:24.200 so it is Kentucky in the top ten at least. 181 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:26.759 And then a little bit later on as well, we'll 182 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:31.240 hear from Michael Epps of Fox fifty six mentioned earlier 183 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:32.799 the masters going on. You know that if you're a 184 00:10:32.840 --> 00:10:37.360 sports fan, and apologies. We pre record so man, back 185 00:10:37.399 --> 00:10:39.480 in the day, we could come on at six o'clock 186 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:42.279 live and you know, tell you who was up. We 187 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:45.039 had the TV on Billy Religion. I had to monitor 188 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:47.320 on and we'll get you up to speed on that. 189 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:50.720 But personnel being what it is now, so a few 190 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:54.360 people working in the radio station anymore, We've got a 191 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:57.399 pre record. So that's that. But I will tell you 192 00:10:57.440 --> 00:11:00.720 that I am rooting for Rory McElroy. I mentioned the odds, 193 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:03.519 the players that are favored meant talked about that yesterday, 194 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:06.200 and yeah, I root for the Americans, of course, but 195 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:09.840 I really root for Rory. I like him. He's from 196 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:13.639 Northern Ireland, that's where my grandfather's from. But I just 197 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:16.120 like him. He's great for the game and just a 198 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.039 great player. But it's amazing to me. I didn't realize 199 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:22.320 that here's a guy. We knew this. He lacks the 200 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:27.559 masters to complete the career grand Slam. I didn't realize 201 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:31.399 he's had eleven shots at it. Eleven shots. Only five 202 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:36.720 other people have done it. Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, 203 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:42.759 Jack Nicholas, Tiger Woods. That's it. That's the list. Those 204 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:45.000 are the people who have won the career Grand Slam 205 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:47.039 in golf, not in one year, although you could argue 206 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:49.360 Tiger did it over the course of a year. But 207 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:54.399 I heard Steve Sands at a golf channel mentioned the 208 00:11:54.440 --> 00:12:01.279 fact that these guys all completed the Slam within three years. 209 00:12:01.320 --> 00:12:05.120 And now, as we said, Rory has been trying to 210 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:08.879 get it done for almost a dozen years. So I 211 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:11.279 do root for me. See, he's been close, He's had 212 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:13.879 a four stroke lead on the last day and he's 213 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:17.000 blown it. So yeah, I would really love to see 214 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:19.039 him win it. But I'd be okay if Justin Thomas 215 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:21.799 wanted the kid from Kentucky, you know, kid young man. 216 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:26.039 But you know, it's going to be the kind of 217 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:31.799 thing where I think McElroy, who's now admitted that in 218 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:35.360 twenty nineteen he had won tournaments, but he really struggled 219 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:38.600 in the majors. So now he's kind of taking a 220 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:42.240 different approach to the majors a little bit more. And 221 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:47.799 as I understand Stans was talking about this, you just 222 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:51.240 have to be conservative at Augusta and if you follow 223 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:53.840 golf and all you know about the Greens, you know, 224 00:12:54.039 --> 00:13:00.759 unforgiving it can be and Rory apparently is more aggressive 225 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:06.279 than most at Augusta has been, So maybe if he 226 00:13:06.440 --> 00:13:10.120 just backs off and hangs close, you know, stay close, 227 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:12.639 the way Houston did against Duke, the way Florida did 228 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.440 against Houston. Stay close, stay close, and in the closing minutes, 229 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:20.399 in the closing holes, make your move. He's good enough 230 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.240 to do that. He teed off earlier today at one twelve, 231 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:29.679 and Colin Morrikawa was one of the early tea times, 232 00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:33.720 teed off at nine forty seven, philm Mickelson at nine 233 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:36.799 point fifty eight, rising to Shambo at one twenty three, 234 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:40.799 John Rahm and his group at one thirty four. They 235 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:43.960 play threesomes, and if you care about it, you are 236 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:47.360 or have been watching it, or you will on ESPN, 237 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:51.799 CBS picks up coverage for the last two rounds this weekend. 238 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.519 It's almost also simulcast on Masters dot Com, the Masters app, 239 00:13:56.679 --> 00:14:00.879 which I don't have but apparently is tremendous, ESPN plus 240 00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:03.799 Paramount plus, so it's all over the place if you 241 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:07.279 really really want to get in the golf this weekend, 242 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:11.279 And I don't blame you if you did. Something happened 243 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.399 during the NCA tournament and I was on and off 244 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:16.159 the air so much and I didn't have a chance 245 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:19.919 to talk about this. And it may not mean much 246 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:23.679 to many of you, but if you've been following college 247 00:14:23.720 --> 00:14:27.399 basketball for a while, UK basketball all your life, as 248 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:30.360 most of you have been, you know the name John Feinstein. 249 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:34.200 John was a career columnist and a best selling author. 250 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:37.840 He was the best, probably the best author of sports 251 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:41.840 books in the history of the medium. John wrote between 252 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:45.879 forty four and forty eight books. I've seen two different 253 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.000 accounts of it. I knew he had written a lot, 254 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:50.279 I didn't realize he'd written that many, But apparently he 255 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:54.039 wrote a series of books for young people for teens. 256 00:14:54.639 --> 00:15:01.600 But he wrote the first huge sports inside look kind 257 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:05.399 of book, A Season on the Brink, And that was 258 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:08.879 the year he followed Bob Knight. He got permission from 259 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:14.360 Night to hang out with his team and write about it. 260 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:16.799 Spent the entire season with it. It was a brilliant 261 00:15:16.840 --> 00:15:21.360 book and a bestseller, chronicled the eighty five eighty six 262 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:26.600 Indiana team. The whole season spent seventeen weeks at number 263 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:32.440 one on the Times bestseller list. Later on, Bob Knight 264 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:38.399 denounced it by saying that Feinstein had agreed to not 265 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:44.120 publish the profanities that Night used in almost every breath 266 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:47.519 that he took. And of course I thought that was ridiculous. 267 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:50.639 There was no way a guy like John Feinstein was 268 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:53.559 going to agree to that. No way. By the way, 269 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.879 later on it was turned into it. Remember when ESPN 270 00:15:55.919 --> 00:16:00.000 made movies for a while, Brian Denny, he played Bob Knight. 271 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:02.799 It was bad. It's a bad movie. I mean they tried, 272 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:05.840 you know, put him in a big red sweater. But 273 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:09.879 the book was phenomenal. He followed that up with a 274 00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:11.799 number of books. But he followed it up with a 275 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:15.840 book called A Season Inside. And I enjoyed that book 276 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:18.039 as much as any of his I ever read. I 277 00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:21.639 only read maybe five or six of Einstein's books, but 278 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:27.639 A Season Inside basically gave the same treatment to a 279 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:32.799 different team in every chapter. Wasn't just one team, and 280 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:35.399 I loved it. In fact, I was on an airplane 281 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:38.240 reading it, and I'll never forget this. I was so 282 00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:43.440 engrossed in it. The plane landed, people disembarked, and I 283 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:47.279 didn't even realize it. A flight attendant shook me, you know, 284 00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:48.600 grabbed me on the arm, said, sir, you have to 285 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:50.960 get off the plane. I was so into the book, 286 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:55.919 wasn't asleep reading the book. I read A Civil War 287 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:01.519 that's about the Army Navy football game. It's phenomenalminal New 288 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:05.720 York Times bestseller. And in fact, after he finished that book, 289 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:11.000 he had developed such a strong relationship with the people 290 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:14.119 at both the Army and Navy. John became the color 291 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:19.079 analyst on Navy. I think it was basketball games. Might 292 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:23.039 have been football as well, but it was just phenomenal. 293 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:26.039 He's written a book about Ivy League football published last year. 294 00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:30.519 I didn't know this, called The Ancient Eight. But there's 295 00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:33.279 so many a good walk spoiled. I haven't had a 296 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:35.119 chance to read that yet. Well, i've had a chance 297 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:37.720 of just havn't a want two though. I did read 298 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:40.759 a book called let Me Tell You a Story about 299 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:45.559 Red Aurback, and of course Feinstein developed this relationship with 300 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:49.279 Red Hourback to the point where Aurback invited him to 301 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:53.640 have lunch with Ourback and his boys on either Monday 302 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:57.240 or Tuesday every week. And Aurbak lived in Washington, DC. 303 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.480 He had lived in Boston even when he was coaching Celtics. 304 00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:05.680 Didn't even live in Boston. He lived in DC and 305 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:08.759 took the train to Boston, but he had lunch every 306 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:13.160 week at the same Chinese restaurant, and Feinstein had developed 307 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:17.359 such a great relationship with him that he finally broke 308 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:20.319 through and was invited to go to lunch, and he 309 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:23.759 said he sat there and remained silent, which, according to 310 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:28.039 Tony Korneiser as a huge upset because Feinstein always dominated 311 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:32.839 conversations and was always right, and Coronizer called him a 312 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.799 dear friend. But he said I had to step away 313 00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:38.440 from him for a year or two because he said, 314 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:40.200 I just got so tired of him telling me all 315 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:44.839 the time I was wrong and belittling me. So and 316 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:46.599 oh yeah, there's one other book he wrote called The 317 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:51.680 Last Amateurs, which was about the Patriot League and Ralph Willard, 318 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:55.279 the former UK assistant, was coaching at holy Cross. That 319 00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:57.880 was in the nineteen ninety nine two thousand season. So 320 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:01.720 many great books, but I bring him up primarily because 321 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:04.640 after I heard he died, I remembered this. I interviewed 322 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:07.319 Feinstein a couple of times. He may have even had 323 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:09.880 him on the radio, but I interviewed him in person 324 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:13.359 a couple of times at UK Games back in the 325 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:17.920 I guess it was early nineties, maybe late eighties, but 326 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.359 definitely in the early nineties, because it was in that 327 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:25.079 interview that Feinstein explained to me why he was so 328 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:30.200 ticked off that UK under Rick Bettino had risen from 329 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:33.079 the ashes and had made it back to prominence and 330 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:39.680 the Final Four in ninety three. He believed that whatever 331 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:44.480 it was the landed Kentucky on probation in the late 332 00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:50.480 eighties was so serious that the penalties didn't match. Okay, now, 333 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:54.559 the penalties were severe, but what happened was Rick Bettino 334 00:19:54.759 --> 00:19:59.400 came here and, as you know, rebuilt the program. It 335 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:04.200 felt like overnight, and Feinstein was going on and they 336 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:06.279 should have been this, and it should they shouldn't be this. 337 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:10.400 And I finally said, so, what you're saying is Kentucky 338 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:15.480 basketball hasn't suffered enough. And Feinstein on camera said right. 339 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:18.119 I thought, well, and I didn't say it, but I thought, 340 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:21.240 that's ridiculous. I mean, if he only knew what was 341 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:25.000 going on and how badly those penalties crushed the program, 342 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.599 and a lot of coaches, I think not a lot, 343 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:31.759 but probably a handful of coaches could have brought UK 344 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:35.559 basketball back in a manner of I don't know, five 345 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:39.799 or six years, but Tino did it. You could say 346 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:41.240 he did it in the first year when they were 347 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:45.799 fourteen and fourteen, definitely by the following year and not 348 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:48.519 long after that during the Final four. But that did 349 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:50.880 not set well with John Feinstein, who, by the way, 350 00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:55.319 went to Duke and was there when Kentucky beat Duke 351 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:59.400 in the championship game in seventy eight and was convinced, 352 00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:02.400 like everybody that that Duke team, which was so young, 353 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:06.799 was destined to win the NSAE title. Maybe the following year. Nope, 354 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:11.359 that was Magic Johnson. That Jem Banks Mike Jamiski team 355 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:13.640 never did win a national title. I didn't sit well 356 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:16.240 with John either, But I wanted to bring that up because, 357 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:17.759 like I said, I hadn't had a chance to talk 358 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:22.359 about Feinstein, and I remembered that conversation I had with him, 359 00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:25.160 and he died of natural causes. They said at age 360 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:29.119 sixty nine. Friends, that's not old. That's how old I am. 361 00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:31.160 We'll come back with Chris Fisher in just a minute 362 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.480 on six thirty WLA welcome back to the Big Blue 363 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:36.079 and Cider as promise. Joining us now in our celebrity 364 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:38.680 Odeline is mister Chris Fisher from two four to seven 365 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:40.920 Sports in the cast pause, How are you, sir? 366 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:43.839 Not as good as you mister Hall of Fame. Oh, 367 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:45.400 congratulations on that. 368 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:46.160 I appreciate it. 369 00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:49.400 Couldn't be happier for you, so so so much deserved. 370 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:52.039 Thank you so much. I appreciate it. You've been part 371 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:54.319 of our show for quite a while now and have 372 00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:58.880 made a real name for yourself covering UK sports, including 373 00:21:58.960 --> 00:22:03.400 of course recruiting. And this is a different kind of 374 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:06.319 beat now, isn't it. When you've got to keep an 375 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:09.799 eye on the transfer portal and not just the high 376 00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:11.519 school kids. What's that been like for you? 377 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:16.960 Yeah? I mean, I'm a hopeless romantic when it comes 378 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:21.440 to college basketball. I love the pageantry of it. I 379 00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:28.880 love the tradition of it. And for many reasons, I 380 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:31.599 was not a huge fan of the transfer portal because, 381 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:35.559 you know, you have such a large number of guys 382 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:39.759 playing for three schools in four years or four schools 383 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:46.200 in five years, and it takes away from you know, 384 00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:50.880 what makes college basketball great. If a guy is choosing 385 00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:53.440 a school just for the money, then it might as 386 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:57.640 well be the NBA, you know. And so but at 387 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:01.079 the same time, I would be lying to you if 388 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:05.480 I said the transfer portal and the all out feeding 389 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:09.680 frenzy that we see now every spring isn't a lot 390 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:13.799 of fun to watch, no matter, no matter, not just 391 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:16.960 fun to watch, fun to follow, no matter, you know what, 392 00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:18.599 the team you're a fan of. 393 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:22.759 Yeah, you're right. Every every hour, it seems there's a 394 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:26.200 new lead on the story. But i'd heard someplace, Christopher 395 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:28.920 there were a thousand names in the portal. That's nuts. 396 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:32.720 The last I heard it was close to two thousand, 397 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.559 and I'm sure, and that was probably three four days ago, 398 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:40.200 maybe even a week ago, So I'm sure it's well 399 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:42.839 north of two thousand, oh maybe now. 400 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:46.559 Yeah, And so much of it is linked to NIL. 401 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:48.920