WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.600 Welcome back to the Big Blue and Sider. Coming up 2 00:00:02.600 --> 00:00:05.679 in a few minutes Jeff Picoro the UK Football Radio Network. 3 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:10.679 He'll talk about last night's college football Championship game. Full disclosure, 4 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:13.199 Jeff's a little bit of an Ohio State fan. He 5 00:00:13.240 --> 00:00:16.719 grew up a Buckeyes fan because his dad played baseball there. 6 00:00:17.559 --> 00:00:20.120 But we'll also talk about the football Wildcats and the 7 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:24.480 fact that they finally landed what looks to be their starting, new, 8 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:29.039 starting offensive left tackle, which might be the final piece 9 00:00:29.239 --> 00:00:31.679 of the puzzle when it comes to the portal and 10 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:34.920 trying to cobble together an offensive line that can get 11 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:38.079 things done, which they haven't really had with all due 12 00:00:38.079 --> 00:00:41.280 respect over the last three years. You can talk all 13 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:47.840 you want about Mark Stoop's coaching philosophy, play calling, quarterback, 14 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:50.960 play this and that over the last three years, which, 15 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:54.320 mind you, included seven wins on back to back seasons. 16 00:00:54.719 --> 00:01:00.439 But last year, you know, was miserable, and it my opinion, 17 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:02.359 it all comes back to the old line. Now, there's 18 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:04.920 a lot more to it than that, but it starts 19 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:09.480 with the old line. So they appear to have put 20 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:12.239 in a lot of work in the portal and the 21 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:16.359 nil and they have brought in brand new players at 22 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:19.599 least four to five starting positions. It looks like will 23 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:22.319 be transferred. So we'll talk with Jeff about that. Our 24 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:24.560 number two is going to be all basketball. Jack Gibbons 25 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:27.879 from the UK Radio network and Ben Roberts from The 26 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:31.200 Hero Leader, the beat writer who covers Kentucky basketball. So 27 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.400 a lot to get to, but I wanted to start 28 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:38.159 with that championship game last night. Ohio State beats Notre 29 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:41.319 Dame and we all thought, well, a lot of us did, 30 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:45.640 could be a blowout. Eight point nine point favorite Ohio 31 00:01:45.640 --> 00:01:49.480 State falls behind seven to nothing. If you didn't see 32 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:54.680 the game, Notre Dame goes fifteen plays with its opening 33 00:01:55.079 --> 00:01:58.640 opening possession of the game and burns almost ten minutes 34 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:02.200 off the clock, and I mean rams of down Ohio 35 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.680 State's throat. The touchdown play was a quarterback keeper where 36 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.680 the guy ran through the line almost untouched. So now 37 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:12.120 we're like, oh, we've got a ballgame. And then Ohio 38 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:16.240 State takes over into the first quarter, into the second quarter, 39 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:20.520 puts up twenty one points in the second quarter unanswered, 40 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:24.120 and then comes out and right away it looks like 41 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.759 it is going to take an even bigger lead. With 42 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:30.520 some huge plays, but at one point fumbles the ball 43 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.319 to Notre Dame, gives up an opportunity to score. Long 44 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:35.680 story short Notre Dame, and if you saw the game, 45 00:02:35.719 --> 00:02:38.080 you saw it falls mind by a couple of touchdowns, 46 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:41.840 puts one up late to make it a one score game, 47 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:45.879 gets the two point conversion, and now all the not 48 00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:47.960 easier said it's done. All Notre Dame had to do 49 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:52.400 was stop the Buckeyes one more time to give themselves 50 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:54.879 at least a chance to score a touchdown. It was 51 00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:59.000 a long shot, but score a touchdown and get the 52 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:04.120 game into overtime would have taken a conversion. But Ohio State, 53 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:10.199 on a big third down play, goes deep and completes 54 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:13.560 a pass which the Buckeyes have done all year, and 55 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:15.360 they put it away. We'll talk to Jeff about all 56 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:19.639 of this, but also about Kentucky's movements in the portal. 57 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:22.240 But I did want to mention the fact, first of all, 58 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:27.599 that the open to the broadcast, which was a video 59 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:32.000 essay about two minutes long, very nicely done by ESPN. 60 00:03:32.039 --> 00:03:36.680 And yeah, I'm a former documentary producer when I was 61 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.560 with w KYT, so I love stuff like this. But 62 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:44.919 if you missed it. It was this great collection of 63 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:48.159 video clips through the years with Ohio State and Notre Dame, 64 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:53.400 highlighting the tradition of each respective program. The narrator was common, 65 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:58.280 the rapper, the musical artist. And I bring this up 66 00:03:58.360 --> 00:04:02.639 because this is becoming more and more common, no pun 67 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:06.800 intended with the TV networks, and I like it. Where 68 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:10.360 you know, ahead of a Texas game, Matthew McConaughey did 69 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:12.360 a voice over and then you know there are more 70 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:16.040 than one instance like this, so that in mind, and 71 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:18.439 if you were listening to our UK network this year, 72 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.720 you know we did the same thing with what we 73 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:26.920 called celebrity monologues and we had former players. Rich Brooks 74 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:32.600 did one. John Schlarman's widow Leanne did the voice over 75 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.839 prior to Kentucky's game with Tennessee, hearkening back to the 76 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:39.920 win at Tennessee where John was there with the team 77 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:43.560 and inspired the team to the victory. So I just 78 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:46.319 love stuff like that, and this was part of the 79 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:48.160 voice So I won't play the whole thing for you, 80 00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:53.439 but this pulled together a bunch of clips from former coaches, 81 00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:57.519 I mean legendary coaches for both Notre Dame and Ohio State. 82 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:00.680 If you take him to caller to move away, do 83 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:02.639 you have everything? You got your horse in his place 84 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:05.800 to day the name right away, by bye bye bye. 85 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:08.040 You fight for everything you believe in each other. 86 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:09.920 This program would by. 87 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:16.319 The night you see these teams and since the presence 88 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:18.279 of the pass, and there. 89 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:27.000 The players became us, coaches us and knows the stuff 90 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:28.240 of legend. 91 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:31.000 No gods. 92 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:37.680 Party begins with all these things. The guy yelling we 93 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:41.160 fight tonight, that's Ryan Day, the Colonel House State coach who, 94 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:44.800 if some Ohowse State fans had their way today the 95 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:49.120 day after the championship game, would be fired. Why well, 96 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:51.959 because he lost to Michigan. And if you think uk 97 00:05:52.199 --> 00:05:55.519 U of l brings out the best slash worst in 98 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:01.319 basketball fans in the Bluegrass man Ohio State, Michigan is nuts. 99 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:05.680 And there are fans who actually said on social media, 100 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:08.480 I hope we lose, Notre Dame will make it easier 101 00:06:08.519 --> 00:06:11.160 to fire this guy. I don't care if we win 102 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:15.360 or not. It's nuts. Nick Saban talked about that in 103 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:18.279 the pregame show on College Game Day, and I. 104 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:22.560 Think it is absolutely ridiculous that Ryan Day has been 105 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.759 criticized the way he has, having been a coach, having 106 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:27.680 coach at Ohio State and lived in the state for 107 00:06:27.800 --> 00:06:31.600 twelve or fourteen years. I'm telling you, when the fans 108 00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:34.519 are negative and the media gets negative, it affects so 109 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:37.000 many things. You know, you got to give the guy credit. 110 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:40.120 He built the roster. He's built the roster for three 111 00:06:40.199 --> 00:06:43.000 years and it's gotten better. His coaches have made the 112 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:46.439 players better, and they made a lot of improvement, and 113 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:50.399 they've overcome adversity, especially in the Michigan game. So we 114 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:53.480 should be given the guy credit and being positive because 115 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:57.319 every time you're negative, it affects recruiting, it affects everything 116 00:06:57.399 --> 00:07:00.360 that you do. And he's been able to over come 117 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:03.959 the naysayers and still get to the National Championship Game 118 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:09.279 and win or lose. I think that's that guy deserves respect. 119 00:07:10.360 --> 00:07:13.399 He does deserve the respect. He's getting it even more today. 120 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:15.439 And I got to think that it's a distinct minority 121 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:18.079 Ohio State fans who wont him fired at least today. 122 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:21.160 But you gotta beat Michigan, man. If you're Ohio State, 123 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.279 you gotta beat Michigan. I wanted to quickly talk about 124 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:27.879 the NFL because something popped up again on social media 125 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:30.800 on Up In Adams. It's an online show with a 126 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:34.680 woman named Kay Adams. Chris Simms, who has become something 127 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:37.959 of you know, he's a media guy now. Former quarterback 128 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:41.959 at Texas, committed to Tennessee and then went to Texas, 129 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.639 had an up and down career, went to the NFL 130 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:47.839 mostly a backup, and in fact, he suffered a terrible 131 00:07:47.879 --> 00:07:53.279 injury where he suffered a ruptured spleen and he later 132 00:07:53.399 --> 00:07:56.600 said if he had gone another forty five minutes without treatment, 133 00:07:56.600 --> 00:07:58.079 they didn't know what was wrong with him at first. 134 00:07:58.360 --> 00:07:59.959 If he had gone another forty five minutes, you would 135 00:07:59.959 --> 00:08:02.759 have died. Anyhow, did not have a great NFL career, 136 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:05.439 but winds up a media guy. That's a pretty good job. 137 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:08.879 Son of Phil Simms, the Louisville native, who of course 138 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:13.399 starred at Morehead. And I kind of liked what Chris 139 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.199 Simsons simly because I agree with him on the Mark 140 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:19.399 Andrews drop of the two point conversion. Andrews the tight 141 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:22.079 end for Baltimore, who could have put the game into 142 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:25.360 overtime if he makes the catch, but he would have 143 00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:30.160 had to make a really good tumbling backwards catch, and 144 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:32.840 some of that blame I thought right away should have 145 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:34.639 gone to Lamar Jackson. 146 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:35.840 But what do I know. 147 00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:39.960 Well, Chris Sims played the position at college and on 148 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:43.919 the pro level, and he knows, and he was not 149 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:46.759 afraid in pointing out that he felt like as much 150 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:51.159 blame as Andrews deserves and is getting, Lamar deserves to 151 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:54.399 share the blame as well, because it wasn't a really 152 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:57.559 catchable Well, it was catchable, but he made it a 153 00:08:57.600 --> 00:08:59.759 lot tougher than it should have been. And he starts 154 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:03.639 off talking to Kay Adams showing the video clip the 155 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:06.279 fact that Lamar, as you rolled out, waited just a 156 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:09.399 split second too long to get rid of the football. 157 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:11.039 When he played right here. This is perfect. 158 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:13.039 Okay, throw it, throw it, throw it. 159 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:16.879 It's too late. Lamar Jackson's making fifty five million dollars 160 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:18.960 a year. That fall needs to be on time, and 161 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:21.679 it was not accurate. Mark Andrews needs to catch it. 162 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:25.840 Don't get me wrong, but Lamar Jackson's making fifty five 163 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:28.480 million dollars a year. He double clutched it and threw 164 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:31.600 it like a dart. And now there's Mark Andrews where 165 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:33.759 it's cold. We're going to be getting in the end, 166 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:36.559 zone right and sh talk me through this one more time. 167 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:38.519 I've not in my head him like, why aren't we 168 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:41.480 giving it to Henry? But you're saying or we're blaming Mark. 169 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:43.679 What are you saying it's too late? Well, this play 170 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:45.879 is open. I understand that Henry concept, but this was 171 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:47.799 the perfect play call. So we can't get that at 172 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:48.399 top bunkin. 173 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:51.840 And what I'm saying is that Mark Andrews in the 174 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:54.039 meeting today at Baltimore is going to get a negative 175 00:09:54.039 --> 00:09:57.879 great for the drop, but also in Lamar Jackson's meeting 176 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:00.320 with his quarterback coach in the offensive coordinat to get 177 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:03.639 a negative grade for this throat he is it was late, 178 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:06.399 he didn't throw it with the same authority he usually 179 00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:07.639 throws it, and then he. 180 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:08.600 Threw it behind him. 181 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:10.519 But he made it as hard as it possibly could 182 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:12.919 be for a wide open touchdown. 183 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:15.799 And again I'm not giving Mark Andrews no free pass here. 184 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:18.039 He should have caught that. But I'm also telling you 185 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:19.879 Lamar certainly could. 186 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:21.919 Have thrown that better and made that a whole lot 187 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:24.399 easier on Mark Andrews in that big situation there. 188 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:26.360 I know there are a lot of Lamar Jackson fans 189 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:28.159 out there, especially at the other end of the interstate, 190 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:31.679 and he deserves all the accolades, probably should be the MVP. 191 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:36.120 But that double clutch cost him because Andrews kind of 192 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:38.480 got tied up in his own feet and again had 193 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:40.360 his back to the end zone as he tried to 194 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:43.279 pull the ball in, So the boss coming one way, 195 00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:46.279 his momentums go on the other. Again, a professional who 196 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:49.399 should have caught it, but his quarterback didn't help him 197 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:52.519 at all. I just kind of liked that sort of stuff. 198 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:55.000 I'm a little bit of an outlier on a lot 199 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:57.200 of things, and Chris Simms is a bit of an 200 00:10:57.240 --> 00:11:00.559 outlier on this, but I don't think he's wrong quite Frankly, 201 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.240 all right, when we come back, we'll talk Kentucky basketball 202 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:05.879 with Mark Pope. We won't talk with himbody talked to 203 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:10.799 Tom Leach last night about specifically the fouls that are 204 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:15.279 piling up against his team, especially in the conference losses, 205 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:19.519 plus learning the SEC and relearning it. Pope played in 206 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.240 the league, but it's nothing like it was when he 207 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:24.879 was here as a player. Bottom of the hour, Jet 208 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:28.720 Picor were here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to 209 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:32.159 the Big Blue Insider. No Kentucky men's basketball this week 210 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:35.519 and in the weekdays until Saturday when the Wildcats play 211 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:39.039 down at Vanderbilt. And of course I'm guessing the commodoers 212 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:41.000 are hoping they can get to the freeze row line 213 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:43.720 as much as Georgia did, as much as Alabama did. 214 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.960 That in mind, Mark Pope told Tom Leach last night 215 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:49.320 on the Mark Pope Radio Show that he and his 216 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:55.320 assistants are diving into the data, diving into tendencies when 217 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:58.440 it comes to fouls. What's happening, Why are they happening? 218 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.919 What can we get away with? What do we have 219 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.519 to stop doing to stop sending the opponents to the 220 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:06.919 free throw line so much? Twenty five percent of the 221 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:10.360 scoring for both Alabama and Georgia coming at the free 222 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:13.840 throw line, of Kentucky only getting about eighteen percent. So 223 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:16.799 Pope talked about some of the things they're trying to 224 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:19.519 study when it comes to free throws. 225 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:23.720 Actually, as we did a sweeping review kind of a 226 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:29.519 video and analytics on the files, we found some trends 227 00:12:29.559 --> 00:12:31.279 that are really important. I'm not actually going to talk 228 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:33.799 about those public because I'm sure that Vanderbilt is watching 229 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:38.840 right now, but but it's given us some real direction, 230 00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:40.879 and I think there's a good chance that we have 231 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:43.919 a chance to make some massive improvements. You talk about 232 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:47.240 learning this league and learning the whistle, and that's a 233 00:12:47.320 --> 00:12:51.480 genuine thing. There are times when I just internally and 234 00:12:51.559 --> 00:12:54.960 sometimes I external to lose my mind with some of 235 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:58.960 the officiating. But the truth is is that usually when 236 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:03.720 you go back and watch the film, the officiating might 237 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:07.000 not be what you're used to or how you would 238 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:10.639 correlate things with the book, but there is some consistency 239 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:15.200 to the officiating that the consistency may be surprising to us, 240 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:19.240 but it's teaching us a lot, and we're growing out. 241 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:20.840 We got to grow really quickly in that era, but 242 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:21.759 in that area. 243 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:24.000 But if you think about our five conference wins, the 244 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:26.279 two games that we've struggled in and the two games 245 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:32.000 where we've got really really abused, we've failed to perform 246 00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:36.039 in the free throw disparity category, and and that's a 247 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:38.240 place where we can really grow. And I love finding 248 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:41.159 places where we can grow. I actually love growing. I 249 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:44.679 love our team growing. And so you know, as we 250 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:47.759 kind of cross this the last thirty six hours, like 251 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:50.600 I have so much autism and so much excitement about like, man, 252 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:52.759 can we actually climb this mountain? Because there's some very 253 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:54.600 clear spaces for us to grow into. 254 00:13:54.919 --> 00:13:57.159 And of course the X factor and will always be 255 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:02.240 there is subjectivity of the officials. And I've talked about 256 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:04.840 this before, but I asked my brother, who's been a 257 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:08.080 high school referee for almost fifty years, I said, why 258 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:11.159 do you call a foul in the late going that 259 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:14.360 maybe you'll let go early in the game, And he said, 260 00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:18.039 because we've spent the entire game yelling get your hands 261 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:22.039 off him. So officials who used discretion early in the game, 262 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:24.639 late in the game of times don't have any choice 263 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:27.720 but to call a foul. And I respect that because 264 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:30.120 I hate the excuse about, well, we don't want to 265 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:31.879 call a foul there because we didn't want to decide 266 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:33.559 the game. Well, if a guy goes up for a 267 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:36.799 potential game winning shot and gets hacked and you don't 268 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.679 call it, you're deciding the game. You're taking that opportunity 269 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:43.759 away from the team on offense. And as our friend 270 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:46.600 Doug Hampton has pointed out, the former official referees look 271 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:51.320 at the defender first as opposed to the offensive guy. 272 00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:55.960 So you know, take that for what it's worth. But 273 00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:59.759 you've got to remember that some a foul to this guy, 274 00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:02.399 not be a fan of that guy. And they talk 275 00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:04.639 about a pregame, this team likes to play this way, 276 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:08.080 this team doesn't do that. You know, what are we 277 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:10.840 gonna call? What are we going to let go? You know, 278 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:15.120 it's not in favor of any team in particular, but 279 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:17.320 they do try to use discretion because they don't want 280 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:19.320 to be calling a lot of foul trust me on that. 281 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:23.600 I've talked to many official and official about that. And 282 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:26.320 all of this comes against the backdrop of an SEC 283 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:29.559 that's as good as it's ever been. And Pope talked 284 00:15:29.559 --> 00:15:32.879 about that about how his players are learning to play 285 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:35.879 in the SEC, and the rest of the country is 286 00:15:35.960 --> 00:15:38.639 learning about the SEC, which is learning about itself. 287 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:41.360 I think the league is learning also. I think I 288 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:43.840 think all of us are learning. You know, the league 289 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:45.960 is so dynamic, has changed so much. Not only does 290 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:50.759 that have some new coaches and some new teams, but 291 00:15:50.919 --> 00:15:54.639 it also has seismic shifts. You think about Missouri from 292 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:56.759 last year to this year, right, there are some really 293 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:01.159 seismic shifts in the league also, And and the league 294 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:05.279 is at a competitive level that the SEC has really 295 00:16:05.399 --> 00:16:06.840 never been at before, and I don't know if any 296 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:08.000 league in the country's. 297 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:08.120 Ever been here. 298 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:12.399 Again, I think nine teams in the top twenty five 299 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:15.000 and we're ranked number nine, and we love nine is 300 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:17.120 floating around. I see nine everywhere I go, and I 301 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:22.039 like when that happens. And so it's a beautiful time 302 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.720 to be an SEC. There's many times when it's super painful, 303 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:27.399 but as long as that pain has turned into us 304 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:30.759 growing and preparing and getting better, and it'll be. 305 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:34.440 Worth It can be painful, He's right about that, which means, 306 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:37.320 of course a loss. But if you learn from that 307 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:40.879 loss and get better and put it to good use, 308 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:43.440 put the information to good use, then yeah, you're ahead 309 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:46.120 of the game. One final note, and I, of course 310 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.759 I tweaked this every year. People love to complain, at 311 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:55.600 least some do about quote SEC referees. Please, folks, there's 312 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:58.759 no such thing. There used to be those of you 313 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:01.320 of a certain age, and I think even younger people 314 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:06.000 are used to hearing it cry and complain about SEC referees. 315 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:11.440 Basketball officials come from the same pool, the high division 316 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:15.720 IE guys, right, the highest level guys. Now, some work 317 00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:18.160 more SEC games than others. Some prefer to be in 318 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:21.839 the SEC for whatever reason, but the league no longer 319 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:26.200 recruits and selects its own officials. It used to, but 320 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:28.680 now they come Guys who might call an SEC game 321 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:31.079 tonight tomorrow night will be working in the Big twelve 322 00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:34.440 or the ACC. So do yourself a favor and stop 323 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:39.400 complaining about quote SEC referees because it just doesn't happen anymore. 324 00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:43.920 It used to, but that's not the case anymore. They 325 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.759 all come from the same pool essentially, and trust me, 326 00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:49.240 you're getting the best of the best. Jeff Picorrel's next 327 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:53.119 six point thirty wlap Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider, 328 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:55.519 as promised, joining us on our celebrity hotline as a 329 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:58.400 guy who usually talks with us on Monday nights on 330 00:17:58.440 --> 00:18:01.400 the State Wide Show. But once football wound down, we 331 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:04.559 excuse Jeff Picorol, Well, we've got to talk to our 332 00:18:04.599 --> 00:18:08.640 buddy from the UK Sports Network about last night's championship 333 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:13.160 game and if you've heard Jeff on before. Full disclosure. Jeff, 334 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:16.440 of course grew up or was born and raised in 335 00:18:16.599 --> 00:18:18.680 different parts of the country, but grew up in Lexingon, 336 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:21.640 but grew up an Ohio State fan because his dad 337 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:26.279 the late Grey John Piccorol played baseball at Ohio State. So, 338 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:29.400 Jeff understandable that they're growing up. You're a Buckeye fan. 339 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:32.599 I don't know how much you identify with our football team. 340 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:34.640 You guys still have season tickets up there, don't you. 341 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.079 We do. We've got the four season tickets to Ohio 342 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:42.599 State football since I can remember. Kid. But here's the 343 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:47.839 other thing. My grandfather's favorite team, obviously being a Catholic guy, 344 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:53.960 and you know from this is the Midwest, Notre Dame. 345 00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:56.359 Notre Dame was his theme man. And I've still got 346 00:18:56.440 --> 00:18:59.640 a picture of my grandfather and uncles on the field 347 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:03.160 at Note back in like nineteen fifty something. It's pretty 348 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.279 cool picture. Yeah. 349 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:08.559 Yeah, I talked earlier about my parents who were Notre 350 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:11.440 Dame fans, you know, of Catholic. My dad converted, but 351 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:16.839 they took a trip at some point up and at 352 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:20.000 one point they toured the Notre Dame campus and they 353 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:23.519 bought like a little bitty letterman sweater for one of us. 354 00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:27.240 And I still have a beanie, a Notre Dame beanie 355 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:32.079 that sits in my office right now. So yeah, it's 356 00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:36.119 just fun how that stuff accruised. So Anyway, we've talked 357 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:40.000 before about how Notre Dame and Ohio State were woefully 358 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.680 under seated, and we'll talk about that structure in a minute. 359 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:45.480 But it was a good game, I thought. Once that 360 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:48.960 streak of touchdowns began for Ohio State, I don't know 361 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:52.440 if it would look like that the TCU debacle from Georgia. 362 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:54.440 But it was a good game, wasn't it. 363 00:19:55.319 --> 00:20:00.119 Yeah. I really thought that Notre Dame, well, both their 364 00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:03.240 defenses are really good too, and Notre Dame comes right 365 00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:06.559 out and on the first drive, Riley Leonard carries them 366 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:10.279 i think eight times as the quarterback, and Ohio State 367 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:12.559 really didn't have an answer because you know, he's the 368 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:17.279 plus one, so you know when they're blocking, now everybody 369 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:21.599 gets ahead on somebody. And then Ohio State the biggest 370 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:23.839 unity is then they used the spy and they were 371 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:27.319 using a linebacker somebody to kind of just stay in 372 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:29.599 front of letter and that kind of took away a 373 00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:32.440 little bit of that run game. But yeah, but I 374 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:36.240 thought it was a great plan by them. But and 375 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:38.640 you saw the defenses. Both of them played great. But 376 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:43.880 it's just the Ohio State receivers. I've never seen a 377 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.720 package like that before. I mean, you know, you look 378 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:49.000 at the you know, you look at some great teams 379 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:51.559 in the past that had one guy that really stood out, 380 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:56.599 but really with them, you have three or four guys. Yes, 381 00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:58.359 it's unbelievable. 382 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:01.880 Wows. The coach of the Ohio State. 383 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:06.839 Receivers that would be Ryan Hartline, who I really I 384 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:10.160 really think, I really say, yeah, his brother of course 385 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:13.240 played quarterback here at the University of Kentucky. But you know, 386 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:16.839 I really think that he's passed up some opportunities to 387 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:20.039 move on to the pros, to the NFL. I should say, 388 00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:23.480 he's making a ton of money there in Ohio State. 389 00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:26.799 He's really good at what he does. And you know 390 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:29.279 that's the other thing when you look at these coaching staffs. 391 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:34.240 Are both teams al Golden for instance, that's Notre Dames 392 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:37.359 defensive coordinator. I think now that it's over, you're going 393 00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:39.440 to hear today that he's going to be named the 394 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:45.000 Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator. Really, oh yeah, So, I mean 395 00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:48.440 both of these coaching staff so you know, it's chock 396 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:52.599 full of guys who have been you know, been there, 397 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:55.440 done that, and the head coaches. You know, you look 398 00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:58.119 at the offensive coordinator for Ohio State. Gee who is he? 399 00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:01.519 A guy by name of Chip Kelly, you know, and 400 00:22:01.640 --> 00:22:04.240 he decided to step away from e c LA had 401 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:08.000