WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:02.799 Welcome to the Big Moins Cider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:06.280 Monday edition of our show. That's right, no Coaches Show tonight. 3 00:00:06.599 --> 00:00:09.439 That's gonna happen on Wednesday because the Wildcats are on 4 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:12.919 the road on Tuesdays, meaning Monday is a travel day 5 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:15.400 and it's not a long trip down to Knoxville, but 6 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:18.079 it could be a long night tomorrow as the Cats 7 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:21.280 take on the volunteers in Kentucky, coming off that loss, 8 00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.359 as you know, to Vanderbilt and going into the Tennessee 9 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:29.079 game very likely shorthanded. I don't really expect Andrew Carr 10 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:31.839 to play. We don't know that right now. We will 11 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:35.200 probably not know until just before the game tomorrow night. 12 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:39.679 But also Lamont Butler is he's not half speed, but 13 00:00:39.719 --> 00:00:42.600 he's not himself. We're gonna talk about that with John 14 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:44.600 Clay a little bit later on and the show. John 15 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:48.759 was down at Vandy and witness the Wildcats lost first hand. 16 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:51.240 Also gonna hear from David Sisk at the bottom of 17 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:54.479 this hour. The Coach Works, of course for the Rivals 18 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:59.399 Network covers Kentucky and North Carolina. Cats Illustrated is where 19 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:02.439 you see and Vinnie Hardy, our old Buddy from a 20 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:06.719 catch Talk Wednesday to podcast and to Believe in Kentucky Podcast. 21 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:10.519 Busy Man will join us in our number two. I 22 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:14.120 want to talk first though, about the super Bowl coming up. 23 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:17.680 All Right, Kansas City and Philly likely the two best teams. 24 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:21.359 We say that now because Kansas City dispatched Buffalo. This 25 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:23.359 certainly looked like it was going to be the year 26 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:26.079 for the Bills, And it looked last night now and 27 00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:28.519 then like it was going to be the year for 28 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:32.760 the Bills, especially when it seemed as though Josh Allen 29 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:36.079 had run for a first down. Run is a loose term. 30 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:41.840 He was shoved what looked like about, as Jean Sarator said, 31 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:45.079 about the third of the length of the football passed 32 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:47.159 what was needed for the first down, but after a 33 00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:50.840 lengthy review on fourth down, the ball went over to 34 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:54.719 Kansas City. Look, if you listen to me, we appreciate it. 35 00:01:55.719 --> 00:01:58.480 I like a good conspiracy as much as the next person. 36 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:02.760 I don't believe there is an NFL conspiracy involving the 37 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:05.959 referee simply because of this, and I know there have 38 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:09.400 been cricket officials in games in different sports, because it's 39 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:12.240 been exposed, never in the NFL. That I know of, 40 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:18.759 But for the NFL to have a league wide conspiracy 41 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:22.560 to promote the Chiefs, imagine all the people who would 42 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:25.479 have to stay silent on this and also know this, 43 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:29.919 if there were, their games would not show up on 44 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:34.759 the betting boards in Vegas because Vegas the sports books 45 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:39.360 have their own investigators and they are the best at 46 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:43.039 spotting when something is fishy enough to take things off 47 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:48.240 the board. But what we're seeing is games that are 48 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:52.319 becoming more and more poorly administered. And they've been It's 49 00:02:52.360 --> 00:02:55.840 happened in the past, but it hasn't been exposed as much. 50 00:02:55.879 --> 00:03:01.000 Because of the quality now of instant replay, freeze frame 51 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:04.919 camera angles, we can see it better now. And to me, 52 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:08.120 it's not entirely the official's fault because they're doing the 53 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:11.479 best they can with what they have. They're asked to 54 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:16.439 officiate the games with what they have at their disposal, 55 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:19.319 and I don't care if they mark first downs with 56 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:22.319 sticks in a chain, But when it looks on a 57 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:25.800 replay to the point where Jeens Saratore says that's a 58 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:30.120 first down and they rule that it's not. And yeah, 59 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:31.719 I was rooting for the Bills. I didn't have any 60 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:36.759 money on it, but there needs to be more accountability. 61 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:40.000 To me, is this is what cried out in this situation. 62 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:43.560 There should have been the white hat, not the head 63 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.759 of officials who's going to take up ninety nine percent 64 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:48.960 of the time for his guys. The white hat should 65 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:51.680 have been made to come out and say, or somebody 66 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:54.560 who made the decision, this is what happened. Even if 67 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:57.960 it's after the game and it didn't happen and it 68 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:02.560 tainted the game, all hail Kansas City. And in fact, 69 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:06.520 here's what Nate burleson a CBS said after the game 70 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:10.400 to the people who always complain if a team wins 71 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:13.280 too much, and Burlston said this on CBS. 72 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:17.360 If you're not a Chians fan, that's okay, but resist 73 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:20.040 the urge to fall for the narrative that we're tired 74 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:22.399 of seeing them win, that we might be fatigued to 75 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:25.480 watching Case go to the Super Bowl over and over again. 76 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:28.600 You are witnessing greatness and just be happy that you 77 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:30.639 are alive to be there to see it. 78 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:34.879 And of course he's right, but you can't expect fan bases, 79 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:38.720 especially the Bills. But you know, let's exclude them, the 80 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:42.160 Buffalo mafia. If you're like me. If you're a Packers 81 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:45.040 fan and you're frustrated that your team didn't get to 82 00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:48.319 the Super Bowl. Yeah, tip your cap to the teams 83 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:52.800 that did. You can still be frustrated and angry and whatever. 84 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.480 Maybe in the off season you think about that kind 85 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.560 of thing, but not right now. It's still the wound 86 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:04.160 is too And if you're Buffalo, especially the players, you 87 00:05:04.279 --> 00:05:07.360 just got to shake your head, why are we having 88 00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:11.199 these great seasons? At the same time as Patrick Mahomes 89 00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:14.600 over in Kansas City and Burger McFarlane talked about that 90 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:18.600 with regard to the Bills QB Josh Allen who played well, 91 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:20.079 just not quite well enough. 92 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:23.120 There was this cat that played basketball named Michael Jordan, 93 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:26.160 and during his time there were a lot of great players. 94 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:30.199 Malone Stockton Ewing, a lot of great players. They were 95 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:32.600 just born at the wrong time. I don't know if 96 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:35.319 Josh Allen is in that situation now with Patrick Mahomes, 97 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:38.639 but he's run up against this guy. He's changed his 98 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:40.199 game over and over. They said, well, he turned the 99 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:42.240 football over too much. He didn't turn the ball over 100 00:05:42.279 --> 00:05:44.160 this year. They said he needed to get help. He 101 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:46.560 still needs more help. Josh Allen in the back of 102 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:49.000 his mind has to wonder, what do I have to do? 103 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:51.800 And I think Josh Allen has to ask himself, was 104 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:54.000 I born in the wrong era? Because Mahomes is not 105 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:56.920 going anywhere? Boom, He's not going anywhere whatsoever. This is 106 00:05:57.000 --> 00:05:58.720 number five and he's going for three in a row. 107 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:01.319 And thought about it that way. Think of all the 108 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:06.000 great players trying to win NBA titles while Michael Jordan 109 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:09.759 was dominating the league. You can say that, but a 110 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:12.360 lot of players. I think of the college players that 111 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.959 didn't win when UCLA was dominating. That's just the way 112 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:20.160 it rolls sometimes, all right. Talking about the Wildcats, Kentucky 113 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:27.040 committed sixteen turnovers, forcing only five. Mark Pope really disappointed 114 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:29.040 with the way his team failed to take care of 115 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:29.519 the ball. 116 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:31.800 They did a good job getting us on our heels. 117 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:32.839 It's super disappointing. 118 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:34.839 This is a this is a style of play that 119 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:40.399 we love for teams to play, and it's a part 120 00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:42.240 of the game that we It's like when we're at 121 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:47.800 our best offensively, and for a bunch of reasons that 122 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:51.199 I know and some reasons that I don't, Man, we 123 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:54.439 were just heavy on our heels and the credit to 124 00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:55.720 Vanderbilt of course. 125 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:59.199 Of course, and that number might swell tomorrow night because 126 00:06:59.240 --> 00:07:02.759 of the way Tennis See plays defense and Pope knows it. 127 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:05.639 Yeah, I mean, everybody's good defensively, right, That's the great 128 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:07.959 thing about this league. I mean, it's it's a it's 129 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:12.680 such a it's such a fun, beautiful league, and every 130 00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:14.800 night is going to be the biggest challenge of your season. 131 00:07:14.839 --> 00:07:16.519 It's it's nice because you don't actually have to convince 132 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:18.600 your guys that it just is every single game and 133 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:24.519 and and so it's it's it's you know, and I 134 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:29.839 think every team is probably feeling some uh some fatigue 135 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.600 and frustration and some some you know, everybody's dealing with 136 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:36.480 injuries for sure, and and we're we're we're not far away. 137 00:07:37.639 --> 00:07:40.560 We are we have some you know, we have some 138 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:44.639 some some real issues that we have to find some 139 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.360 creative answers to. But but we're not far away, and 140 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:50.199 our guys are you know, we we did some really 141 00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:51.319 positive things tonight. 142 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:54.160 Kats have lost too straight and might stretch into three. 143 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:57.040 Darryl Byrd asked a great question I wanted about this myseself. 144 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.519 It comes tournament time, could teams be puned just because 145 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.360 of their one loss record now that they're beating each 146 00:08:03.399 --> 00:08:06.000 other up in the sec No, No. 147 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:07.959 I think it makes us better. Like I would I 148 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:11.279 would choose this league this way, this year, the way 149 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:13.160 it is this year, every single year. I think it's 150 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:16.600 I think it can like it can. 151 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:17.839 It can rip you to. 152 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:21.399 Pieces, for sure. But but our job is to is 153 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:22.319 to keep finding. 154 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:22.680 A way to get better. 155 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:24.879 And I have a I have a really good locker 156 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:27.079 room of guys that are that are going to keep 157 00:08:27.160 --> 00:08:29.639 focused on getting better. Like they're We're not gonna lose 158 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:32.080 our confidence. We're not gonna, you know, question each other. 159 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:35.000 We're not gonna, you know, we're gonna doubt what we're doing. 160 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:37.120 We're just gonna use all these experiences to get better. 161 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:40.840 And and and there's really specific things that that we 162 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:43.440 talk about to our guys all the time, but our 163 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.720 guys actually experience together as a team today for the 164 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:49.720 first time where they're like, oh, those words actually really 165 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:51.799 mean something, and it's really painful if we don't if 166 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:54.759 we don't actually do that, and and so it makes 167 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:55.399 us a better team. 168 00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:56.720 I'm I'm not worried about that at all. 169 00:08:56.720 --> 00:08:59.399 I think it's it's it's I think we're really blessed 170 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:01.679 to you fax this competition every yet, and. 171 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:03.200 Of course we'll have a game for you right here 172 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:06.399 on six thirty WLAP. Up next, Kenny Brooks on his 173 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:10.320 team's victory over Arkansas yesterday. The UK women got back 174 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:14.919 in that win column and Red's manager Tito Francona was 175 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:17.120 in town with the Reds caravan. We'll hear from him 176 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:19.120 on the other side of the break here on six 177 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:23.600 thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Coming 178 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:25.840 up at the bottom of the hour, David Sisk of 179 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:27.919 the Rivals Network. Part of his work you see on 180 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:31.879 Cat Illustrated. He'll break down the basketball Wildcats, the men 181 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:35.240 by the way, the women with a huge win yesterday 182 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:38.960 and easy win over Arkansas. Schedules starting to get tougher though. 183 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:43.720 Coming up Thursday, Alabama comes to town. The Crimson Tide 184 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.960 yesterday lost a tough one at home to Vanderbilt, a 185 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:50.759 good Vandy team, banding now eighteen and four, Alabama seventeen 186 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:53.919 and five, losing its sixty six sixty four at the time. 187 00:09:54.039 --> 00:09:57.159 The Tide rank nineteen, so dropping a little bit this week. 188 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:59.879 But like I said, the schedule getting tougher and tougher. 189 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:04.919 Oklahoma looms ahead on Sunday in Norman, an old good 190 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:08.919 old miss team next week along with Texas, which is 191 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:12.320 what's seventh in the last poll. After a home game 192 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:15.120 with Georgia. Then you got Miszoo, which is that, but 193 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:19.000 then LSU, Tennessee and South Carolina to wrap up the season. 194 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:23.480 So it's a challenging grid for Kenny Brooks and his team, 195 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:26.679 and of course the Wildcats losing that ice cold shooting 196 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:29.440 game down at A and M. So Brooks happy with 197 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:32.120 the way, of course his team bounced back, Proud of 198 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:32.600 our kids. 199 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:34.960 You know, we came out. We didn't always play great, 200 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:37.919 but we had some flashes. We looked really good and 201 00:10:38.200 --> 00:10:39.840 it's really good to get back into winn call them. 202 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:42.679 I'm very proud of the way we always tell them 203 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:44.440 in life is ten percent of what happens to your 204 00:10:44.519 --> 00:10:46.759 ninety percent is how you deal with it. And there 205 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:50.080 was nothing we could do about the Texas A and 206 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.600 M game, but we could do a lot about what 207 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:55.039 the future was going to hold, and they came out. 208 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:58.240 We had we had really two really good practices where 209 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:01.519 they were loose, confident, and I think it showed today. 210 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:05.000 Brooks always says that tianni Key for all the great 211 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:07.360 things Georgia Amore does and all the great things that 212 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:12.039 Clara Strachanale do. He said, tianni Key is our swag. Basically. 213 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:15.279 She had another double double, her seventh of the year 214 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:19.799 thirteen and eleven yesterday for Key, and she said the 215 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:22.279 difference between this game and Elosity A and M was 216 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:25.080 as a whole, the Wildcats were a lot more active 217 00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:26.240 on both ends of the floor. 218 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:29.480 I think today we would just all came out with 219 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:34.320 a more energy, more focus, just more like togetherness. I 220 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:37.759 think just being connected and confident with what we're doing 221 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:41.639 as individuals that helps everyone really get to their spots, 222 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:42.360 so what they're. 223 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:42.840 Doing and stuff like that. 224 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:46.679 So I think obviously we had some ups and downs, 225 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:48.960 but I think that was the biggest difference was just 226 00:11:49.080 --> 00:11:52.080 being out there together, being confident as an individual and 227 00:11:52.120 --> 00:11:52.639 as a group. 228 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:55.720 That's tianni Key who had the double double. We had 229 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:58.519 Amelia Hassett on the show last week and it agreed 230 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:01.360 with her. I guess she had fourteen points, seven rebounds, 231 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:07.080 four assists, four block shots and only one turnover in 232 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:10.559 thirty five and a half minutes. Amore brilliant as usual, 233 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:15.240 nineteen points, eight assists, did have five turnovers, but two 234 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:19.919 steals and clever Strack was seventeen points and ten boards. 235 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.519 So two Wildcats with double doubles? 236 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:23.000 Is he? 237 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:26.559 Higginbottom was the only player who did much for Arkansas. 238 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:30.759 She had thirty two points, ten of twenty five from 239 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:33.480 the field, three out of seven from beyond the arc. 240 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:38.879 She had more than half of Arkansas's points. But you 241 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:41.919 know I've talked about how plus minus can mean everything 242 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:46.919 or nothing. Is he Higginbottom in terms of plus minus 243 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:51.919 was the worst player on the floor for Arkansas minus 244 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:56.279 eighteen and plus minus. So again the way you look 245 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:59.240 at it, and shows had four blocks and three assists, 246 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:03.320 So take it for what it's worth. You know, it's 247 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:07.039 fun to look at, but oftentimes it's meaningless. Right, let 248 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:10.120 me shift over to baseball now, because Tito was around 249 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:14.600 Terry Francona making the rounds with the Reds caravan and 250 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:18.600 we've got some soundbites courtesy of WKYT. But he is 251 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:21.720 now the manager of those Reds after leading the Phillies 252 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:26.039 Red Sox and the Indian Slash Guardians for about ten years. 253 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:29.279 But he was with the Socks from four to twenty eleven, 254 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:34.120 and he led them to a pair of World Series titles. 255 00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:36.759 Stepped away from the game for a year, came back 256 00:13:36.840 --> 00:13:39.039 in Cleveland, stepped away from the game for a year. 257 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:42.519 Now he's in Cincinnati. It's a great hire, I think, 258 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:46.960 because he doesn't come back unless he's convinced, unless the 259 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:50.159 Reds have convinced him that they are going to make 260 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:54.240 good moves, smart moves and give themselves a chance to 261 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:57.120 compete even though they're in a smaller market. It can 262 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:01.080 be done. We've seen it happen just INSINCEI It's been 263 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:05.279 a while, but Kansas City's not a huge market and 264 00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:07.960 they compete. Yeah, it's tough to compete with the Yankees 265 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:11.480 payroll and the Dodgers payroll, but the players still have 266 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:17.000 to play. It can be done. So Francona talked about 267 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:21.799 getting the energy back in himself and in the team. 268 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:25.039 I mean, anytime there's a new year, everybody feels it. 269 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:27.879 But when you come to new organization, you're only new 270 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:31.919 ones and it does give you a little extra pep 271 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:34.440 in your staff and that's a good thing and I'm 272 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:34.960 enjoying it. 273 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:39.000 Red last year finished fourth in the division. They fired 274 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:43.080 manager David Bell after a seventy seven and eighty five finish, 275 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:45.639 and of course Tito Francona is going to know more 276 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:49.039 about his team when they break camp down in after 277 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:52.279 spring training, but he believes that they've got a pretty 278 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:52.840 good idea of. 279 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:56.480 What they need to do things that we know for 280 00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:01.279 us to make a move in the stand, we have 281 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:04.639 to be better defensively, you know, you give teams extra 282 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:08.559 outs or extra opportunities that doesn't bode well really too often, 283 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.919 and then want us to remain aggressive because our guys 284 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:15.240 are really they do a good job. They're aggressive, they run, 285 00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:17.919 but we want to make less outs on the basis 286 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:22.080 if we can couple being aggressive and being intelligent, that's 287 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.480 got a chance to get pretty special. 288 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:26.399 I am a Saint Louis Cardinals fan. When I don't 289 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:28.480 root for the Cardinals, I root for the Reds, and 290 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:31.000 I do believe this was a great hire. This guy 291 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:32.919 is one of the best in the game, one of 292 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:35.759 the best ever, I think, and I think if the 293 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.799 Reds do smart things by him for him, with him, 294 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:43.919 they're going to prosper. I do firmly believe that. I 295 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:46.879 also love the fact that he of course he kept 296 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:50.320 calling cal Gill. Former Kentucky All American was part of 297 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:54.240 UK's twenty oh six SEC championship team, went on to 298 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.679 a career in the majors, kind of curtailed by injuries. 299 00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:59.519 Then it became a minor league manager, a major league coach. 300 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:03.759 I ended up lately with the Reds, and Francona kept 301 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:08.120 most of the coaching staff, including Dolin Calgill, so he came. 302 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:10.279 Over to Cleveland for a couple months, so I did 303 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:13.039 know him, not not a lot, but a little bit. 304 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:16.799 We actually retained about six of the coaches, and the 305 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:20.960 reason being is one the guys felt like they were 306 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:25.360 good coaches, and being new, you certainly want to have 307 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:27.559 some people that know how you want to do things, 308 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.360 but being too new isn't necessarily the right thing either. 309 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:34.919 I had forgotten that Colin played a few games for 310 00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:38.039 the Indians back when they were still the Indians. Back 311 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.919 in twenty sixteen. He came over into trade from Los Angeles. 312 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:46.120 The Angels traded him and he played a little bit 313 00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:48.879 for the Indians. Went free agent at the end of 314 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.080 that year after he had been sent down to the Miners. 315 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:53.960 Then he bounced around to the Miners with the Padres, 316 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:59.639 the Phillies, the Washington Nationals, signed a contract with the Mariners, 317 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:04.279 and was named as the manager for THEBA Arkansas Travelers 318 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:06.880 back in twenty twenty one, and then he joined the 319 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:10.720 Reds as their first base coach before the twenty twenty 320 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:13.799 three season. So he and his wife Allison and their 321 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:17.559 two kids are closer to Lexion now and they're staying 322 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:20.200 there at least for the time being. So another reason 323 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:23.039 to like heet old Francona. All Right, when we come back, 324 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:26.440 David Sisk of Cats Illustrated, part of the Rivals Network, 325 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:29.200 we'll talk about Kentucky basketball here on six point thirty 326 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:32.880 WLAP Welcome back to the Big Lewinsider joining us now 327 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:34.839 is the guy who's been on with as many many times. 328 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:38.359 He is the guy who covers Kentucky and North Carolina 329 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:43.440 for Cats Illustrated, and that is part of the Rivals Network. 330 00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:46.640 That is David cis coach. Kind of got your hands 331 00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:49.640 full these days. North Carolina is trying to fight its 332 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:53.160 way through a tough season in the ACC and Kentucky 333 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:55.559 and his first year under Mark Pope. Since we've spoken 334 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:59.279 to you last, I know the Wildcats have stumbled a 335 00:17:59.319 --> 00:18:01.720 couple of times. Get to that. But what have you 336 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:05.240 seen in the way this Kentucky team has developed under 337 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:05.839 Mark Pope. 338 00:18:07.880 --> 00:18:13.799 Well, I think developed right now. That's in the eye 339 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:17.400 of the beholder. I think the more they play together 340 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:20.839 obviously that they do develop. But there's a lot of 341 00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:23.960 things working against them right now. Injuries are the big one. 342 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:27.920 Oh yeah, And you know, I was at Vanderbilt Saturday, 343 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:30.400 and you know, as I watched the game, there were 344 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:33.599 times on the floor I'm going, gosh, just doesn't even 345 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.279 look like the same lineup that you know they had 346 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:39.279 earlier in the year when they're scoring one hundred against 347 00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:42.440 Florida and then even the week before when they scored 348 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:46.960 ninety nine against Alabama. But it's not I mean they 349 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:50.480 were going to line up and I'm talking about critical 350 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:54.480 stages of the game, going to the lineup we've not 351 00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:57.640 seen all year, and the freshmen played. I don't have 352 00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.920 the number in front of me I think for combined 353 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:05.240 twenty six minutes. So you developed, maybe as far as 354 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:08.440 developing those youngsters and now and you line up that's 355 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:10.920 trying to get used to playing with each other. So 356 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:16.920 there's development there. But you know, as far as it 357 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:21.519 going into wind lost column and developing toward the team's selling, 358 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:24.240 you know, until they can get people healthy, that's kind 359 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:27.200 of been put on hold, and you just try to endure. 360 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:30.440 Right now. I think the other thing is too very 361 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:34.319 tough league. There was a question yesterday in the press 362 00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:39.079 conference tomorrow Pope I was at it about basically the 363 00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:42.920 league just feasting on each other, and you know, he 364 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:45.599 said there was nowhere he would rather be. We expected 365 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:48.279 that answer, but it does and it doesn't let up. 366 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:50.599 You know, you get out there, you've lost two in 367 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.920 a row. Just what you get to go to Knoxville 368 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.759 for that route canal so and then you know, on 369 00:19:56.920 --> 00:20:01.319 top of that team scouting and I just noticed that 370 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:05.640 there were some actions that kentake you in earlier in 371 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:08.039 the year for a good part, just like on her 372 00:20:08.119 --> 00:20:10.000 Zooms where you go over to the top and you 373 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:12.680 curl and you read. I'm like, how in the world 374 00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:15.119 and you guard this stuff? I don't know if you can. 375 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:20.720 But Vanderbilt guarded it well. They had they really Uh well, 376 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:23.119 you've got to watch it live. You've got to see 377 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:25.279 how teams were, what they're going to do, who are 378 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:27.440 going to play off of who they're going to get 379 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:29.400 up in who they're going to go ver the top up. 380 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:32.400 You know the switches. They've been through this and so 381 00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:36.359 many people run zoom. They know what's coming, but personnel 382 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.559 is different. So that's what makes it hard to guard. 383 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:41.759 And I just noticed, you know, they had a lot 384 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:44.079 of success Kentucky has the last couple of game and 385 00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:48.599 running the flex and getting away in on the block 386 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:52.079 or the smaller guard after they switched. But Vanderbilt was 387 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.599 ready for that and they jumped into an automatic front. 388 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.400 They just waited and no way had to get behind. 389 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:59.200 They didn't have to loop. So you know the scouting 390 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:02.359 reports that put out there, they know how to defend, 391 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:04.759 and they're want to see as good defense. I seen 392 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:07.720 all Europe not the best so far on Tuesday. So 393 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:09.799 right now they're just trying to work through those things. 394 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:13.039 You don't want to make excuses, but there are reasons. 395 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:15.920 And Andrew Carr is a big one. And early in 396 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:18.720 the year when he was playing well and they were 397 00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:21.920 trying to figure things out, there were folks who thought, well, uh, 398 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:24.480 they can win with that Andrew Carr. Then the pretty 399 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:27.640 soon as well, they can't win without Jackson Robinson and really, 400 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:30.640 the truth is they need all the pieces together, don't they. 401 00:21:30.680 --> 00:21:34.079