Speaker 1: Hell, everybody to the facilities of the iHeartMedia Megaplexus is
Speaker 1: Dick Gabriel. This is the state wide edition of the
Speaker 1: Big Blue Insiety. You've heard comments from Mark Pope and
Speaker 1: Cameron Mills and Nick ben Jon. Stay tuned and you'll
Speaker 1: hear comments now from Aaron Gershan and the cast paws
Speaker 1: on Billy Rutleds. Stick around for the state wide BBI
Speaker 1: from Pikeville to Padica. It is the state wide Big
Speaker 1: Blue Insider Tournament Week. March Man already here. Conference tournaments
Speaker 1: are already happening. But of course as SEC tournament play
Speaker 1: this week, as we all know, and the ever present
Speaker 1: argument about the value of said tournaments, and that happens
Speaker 1: It's gonna happen every day. I guess you know. We
Speaker 1: were talking off air about do the tournaments actually make money?
Speaker 1: I mean, that's why they were born. The road map
Speaker 1: was the ACC tournament way back in the day, I
Speaker 1: mean more than fifty years ago. But what it did
Speaker 1: was made money. And when ESPN came around and started
Speaker 1: soaking up all these tournaments, what happened was coaches would
Speaker 1: see them as hey, we can get on ESPN. It
Speaker 1: actually started when ESPN began to broadcast games at eleven
Speaker 1: o'clock at night, at midnight. I actually did some of
Speaker 1: those games for the OVC, but coaches said, we'll do
Speaker 1: anything to get on ESPN because it helps recruiting. Yep.
Speaker 1: So now the conference tournaments come around and Aaron and
Speaker 1: I were just talking about empty seats and you were
Speaker 1: telling me about Evansville.
Speaker 2: Oh OVC. Yeah, that was a brutal crowd. Yeah, it's
Speaker 2: a pretty big arena there. I lived there for a
Speaker 2: year and they maybe got a thousand people in there.
Speaker 1: What good is that? Now, that's what we get well,
Speaker 1: and the only good is you're on ESPN.
Speaker 2: And you know in their slot. They were the first
Speaker 2: championship game of any tournament on Saturday, and that's usually
Speaker 2: how I believe the OVC, that's usually how they work.
Speaker 2: I remember a couple of years back boxing them in
Speaker 2: a hotel room, kind of the same situation, end of
Speaker 2: season road game for Kentucky. So yeah, no, that that
Speaker 2: part of it. They definitely got exposure because they were
Speaker 2: on I think it was ESPN two eight o'clock tip. Yeah,
Speaker 2: standalone game. As far as championship.
Speaker 1: The sad thing is these kids are playing their butts
Speaker 1: off one kid. Obviously the Nancy Tournament, there ain't nobody there.
Speaker 1: Before we start breaking down the tournament, let me put
Speaker 1: it to both of you and Billy, how would you
Speaker 1: feel if the SEC Tournament went away?
Speaker 2: I wouldn't love it. I think it's fun. I think
Speaker 2: it's again, the importance of it can be debated, but look,
Speaker 2: the Kentucky fans care so much about it, and they
Speaker 2: sell that place out. And you know, we were just
Speaker 2: talking off air, which fan base should show up. Tennessee
Speaker 2: fans show up, show up and show out. Auburn fans
Speaker 2: lately have been incredible there. Bama, even Arkansas always travels
Speaker 2: for it. So I think it's still a big event.
Speaker 2: I think it definitely has lost some luster, and some coaches,
Speaker 2: John cal Perry kind of kind of vocalize it more
Speaker 2: so than others. But there's also coaches like Mark Pope
Speaker 2: and nat and Natos to his credit, always talks about
Speaker 2: how important is to win the conference tournament. Yeah, I think.
Speaker 3: There's some definite value to it. I mean, as a
Speaker 3: Western guy in a one bid conference, it's it's do
Speaker 3: or die every year, even if you did win the
Speaker 3: regular season titles. So I understand, you know, the tension
Speaker 3: and the drama and that's two different. But it means
Speaker 3: hold on. Yeah, what it means to college basketball.
Speaker 1: I want to gain, I want to come back to
Speaker 1: go ahead.
Speaker 3: But you know, Texas A and M also went on
Speaker 3: a run. Was it last year or two years?
Speaker 2: The twenty two team they were left.
Speaker 3: Out and they were left out, Greg Zankees like, we've
Speaker 3: got to expand the NCAA tournament. Bad idea, Greg, But
Speaker 3: there was something to the magic of that run by
Speaker 3: Texas A and M. If they could have won that
Speaker 3: last game, they would be an automatic qualifier. And I
Speaker 3: think a from a like a five thousand feet perspective
Speaker 3: to give teams the opportunity to win their way into
Speaker 3: the tournament. You know, I'm not going to say no
Speaker 3: to more basketball.
Speaker 1: All right, put your Western Kentucky back back on. All right,
Speaker 1: Let's say Western Kentucky goes fourteen and two but stumbles
Speaker 1: in the conference tournament and is left out. When's the
Speaker 1: regular season bid? That's where I'm going right Whin's because yeah,
Speaker 1: I'm glad you brought up Western Kentucky and that's that's
Speaker 1: in a league that should get more than one bid.
Speaker 1: But we all know why it doesn't. So that's what
Speaker 1: bugs me the most. You're right, those everybody loves the
Speaker 1: Cinderella and everybody loves the video somebody thrown in a
Speaker 1: shot rushing the floor, blah blah blah. But Western Kentucky
Speaker 1: has worked its butt off to go foot and this
Speaker 1: is all you know, conjecture fourteen and two or fifteen
Speaker 1: and one or some incredible regular season but is left
Speaker 1: out because a one bad game in a postseason tournament.
Speaker 3: Well, forget conjecture. Rick Stansbury was there for seven eight years,
Speaker 3: never made the NCAA tournament, made the championship game maybe
Speaker 3: three or four times, right, and just could never did
Speaker 3: he win the regular season I think maybe once? And
Speaker 3: during that time, I mean there were times where they
Speaker 3: were the clear favorite in the league and then they stumbled,
Speaker 3: like there's the situation and that sucks because it had
Speaker 3: really devalues the regular season, thank you.
Speaker 1: That's that's that's what I dislike outside of it. Yeah,
Speaker 1: but part of that too is there are too many
Speaker 1: mediocre teams from big conferences that get in. Yes, and
Speaker 1: some think that if you're sub five hundred in your league,
Speaker 1: you shouldn't get in I mean, there's all kinds of
Speaker 1: debate about it, but no, it's a it's a great entertainment,
Speaker 1: it's great spectacle, it's great theater. There's no question about that.
Speaker 1: Now let's get to Aaron's tweet, shall we, Uh, starting
Speaker 1: with Cali Peri who and again? And I completely with you, Aaron,
Speaker 1: And I'm sure Billy you agree that. And I've said
Speaker 1: this several times. Uh this year, for whatever reason has
Speaker 1: come up Calipery. The disconnect with the Kentucky fans began
Speaker 1: with NBA Draft Night. Five players chosen biggest, most important, most.
Speaker 2: Important, biggest in UK bas.
Speaker 1: That was a terrible thing now clearly clearly directed at recruits. Yes, okay,
Speaker 1: but you talk about misreading the room. We don't care
Speaker 1: about SEC championships, we don't care regular season or tournament.
Speaker 1: It's it's all about getting a seed. Well, hello, one
Speaker 1: leads to another. But to say that to this fan
Speaker 1: base that, like you said, shows up for the tournament
Speaker 1: and takes enormous pride in numbers of wins. Now, cal
Speaker 1: Perry was big on that. He was incredibly paranoid about
Speaker 1: losing the lead over Kansas, but which he did. But
Speaker 1: to dismiss the value and importance of SEC titles to
Speaker 1: this fan base who treasures those numbers and.
Speaker 2: The money they you know, expensive Nashville is can't buy
Speaker 2: a drink for even more.
Speaker 1: Even more than the than the folks who go and
Speaker 1: spend money. It's just the people. No, I mean, it's
Speaker 1: about pride in your program and bragging rights and all
Speaker 1: that you can.
Speaker 2: Now he's doing it at Arkansas. You can think it
Speaker 2: all you want, just don't say it. That's kind of
Speaker 2: what I was trying to get out in my tweet, like, yeah,
Speaker 2: I don't may I read it? Go for it all right?
Speaker 1: This is Aaron gh a Gershon ninety nine responding to
Speaker 1: if you're not following what you should my take on
Speaker 1: this for what it's worth or is your kids type FWIW?
Speaker 1: Number one, Aaron breaks his points down. Have you not
Speaker 1: read this show?
Speaker 2: I better look it up.
Speaker 1: Man, you're read you're a busy guy.
Speaker 2: I broke it down.
Speaker 1: Okay, I agree that if you're a lock in the
Speaker 1: SEC tournament doesn't matter much. If you're a lock the
Speaker 1: SEC tournament doesn't matter much. Two and Aaron's yelling here
Speaker 1: and all thats no paying and traveling fan wants to
Speaker 1: hear this, and then in lowercase, it's disrespectful to them.
Speaker 1: Right on the money. Number three, Kentucky hasn't won an
Speaker 1: SEC Tournament game in Nashville since twenty nineteen. It's been
Speaker 1: a while, and rhetoric from Cal has been more outspoken
Speaker 1: on this issue each year. So no, it's not helping
Speaker 1: his teams. Again, right on the money.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Cal's argument. And for the video for the fans,
Speaker 2: I haven't seen that video for I think it was
Speaker 2: Arkansas's radio postgame show. Was you said, point blank, I
Speaker 2: don't care about the SEC tournament And he also said
Speaker 2: my team's have done so well because I don't care
Speaker 2: about it. That is absolutely and I'm so like someone
Speaker 2: in my comments was like, you said it in twenty twelve,
Speaker 2: Well one maybe did. I wasn't here in all honesty
Speaker 2: and said, what the same thing in twenty twelve, Oh
Speaker 2: I don't care? Yeah, so, but I don't think that's
Speaker 2: the reason they're playing well. And by the way, the
Speaker 2: last and since then, social media has been it's crazier
Speaker 2: than ever now, so fans are putting more pressure on
Speaker 2: these kids. And you saw it last year at the
Speaker 2: SEC Tournament. I saw it in warm ups, Reed Shepherd,
Speaker 2: Rob Dillingham. Those freshmen looked terrified before that TEXTA, A
Speaker 2: and M game. They did not want to screw up.
Speaker 2: They wanted to win so badly for the fans because
Speaker 2: of probably what they see on social media and their
Speaker 2: coach combining that with that that doesn't matter. It is
Speaker 2: probably just screwing them in the head. So I just
Speaker 2: disagree completely. That's why you won the SEC tournaments because
Speaker 2: one your team's were really darn game and to the
Speaker 2: SEC was really darn bad at the time. So it
Speaker 2: just cribs me.
Speaker 1: Again, I'm not and I will say it is to
Speaker 1: your point. Those teams that were really good win it.
Speaker 1: They played their butts off, Yes, of course.
Speaker 2: So I'm not like, I'm not, mister SEC tournament. If
Speaker 2: they if they go one and done, can't they shouldn't
Speaker 2: even go to March bad And that's not it. No,
Speaker 2: it doesn't ruin March badness. But it's got to be
Speaker 2: somewhere Like to me, it would be acceptable for Kentucky
Speaker 2: this year to win one or two games and get
Speaker 2: home and get healthy and feel pretty good about it.
Speaker 2: And Mark Pope I guarantee when they lose if it's
Speaker 2: the first game, second game, third game, championship game, he'll
Speaker 2: be pissed off and devastated.
Speaker 3: Yeah right, I mean, I've heard calsay for years that
Speaker 3: nothing matters but March. Yet the SEC tournament lands in March,
Speaker 3: so you know, I you know, I don't think cal
Speaker 3: is lying when he says nothing else matters but March,
Speaker 3: because I can see where he's coming from. If you
Speaker 3: I mean, you're remembered for your legacy because of titles,
Speaker 3: but a big part of your legacy is what you
Speaker 3: do in the SEC and the conference tournament. And I
Speaker 3: think it would do a lot for his supporters if
Speaker 3: the first words out of his mouth wasn't I don't
Speaker 3: care about the now? Like kind of to Aaron's point,
Speaker 3: you can think that just don't flat out say those words.
Speaker 3: Does it improve your seating? Probably not a lot of
Speaker 3: times because the game championship games on Sunday. That doesn't
Speaker 3: help either. But you know what, it does matter that
Speaker 3: simply saying it doesn't is is not answering the question correctly.
Speaker 3: Does it help your seating a lot of times?
Speaker 1: No?
Speaker 2: But does it matter? Do I want to see what
Speaker 2: happened now? Like I hate to wish this on his
Speaker 2: kids at ARC. They've had a great month. But I
Speaker 2: hope they lose to South Carolina. Who would be that'd
Speaker 2: be a quad to loss. Well, he's never beat Lamont
Speaker 2: Paris that that's true. Yeah, And that their seed gets
Speaker 2: hurt and they have to play in Dayton. Let's see
Speaker 2: how he feels about that. Then then will he care
Speaker 2: about the SEC tournament if they lose to South Carolina,
Speaker 2: the last place team in the SEC, and end up
Speaker 2: in Dayton instead of a ten or nine seed.
Speaker 1: Well, and that takes me to Billy's point about seating. Look, ordinarily, look,
Speaker 1: and we all know this that the tournament is pretty
Speaker 1: much set by Friday. Yes, Okay, Now, Kentucky going into
Speaker 1: the SEC tournament more often than not, Kentucky's fate is
Speaker 1: already sealed. With regard to the NCAA. I just don't think.
Speaker 1: I'm sure maybe it did somewhere. Yeah, it's just but
Speaker 1: a loss for Kentucky and the SEC tournament very likely
Speaker 1: did not affect their bracketing, their seating, where they go
Speaker 1: when they play, you know, but it does for other teams,
Speaker 1: There's no question. But and I got so fed up
Speaker 1: with him whining about how the championship game went in
Speaker 1: doesn't mean we know this. We know this because the
Speaker 1: tournament's set on front. Unless you're a mid, middle of
Speaker 1: the pack team that jumps up like A and M
Speaker 1: did and makes it run. No, but it's like you're
Speaker 1: either in or you're out.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 1: Most teams are already in. It's just a matter of
Speaker 1: where are you. And for Kentucky it rarely is mattered.
Speaker 1: I'm sure. I think because of the regular season.
Speaker 2: Right so Kentucky loses a Quad one game, because even
Speaker 2: if they loseed Oklahoma or Georgia, it's Quad one. I'm
Speaker 2: pretty sure. Yeah, they'll still be at three or four
Speaker 2: like this.
Speaker 1: As I said, and you know, you talk about making
Speaker 1: the same mistakes. I mean, and again Billy him saying
Speaker 1: that now to Arkansas fans.
Speaker 2: So far on Twitter, they're they're defending it.
Speaker 3: Well, if you hear pro Pope tonight, he said something
Speaker 3: to the effect of, we're preparing for like three different
Speaker 3: teams right now.
Speaker 2: It's like all the different scouting that's going on. I believe.
Speaker 3: I remember Cal saying that they were not practicing or
Speaker 3: scouting anybody, because why would they They don't know who
Speaker 3: they're playing.
Speaker 1: Now.
Speaker 2: What's nice about the SEC tournament too, and the NCAA
Speaker 2: is you know, as media, we get the best access
Speaker 2: of all season. And right in front of you or
Speaker 2: next to you, wherever your seat may be, are the
Speaker 2: assistant coaches out there scouting. That's correct. And I can
Speaker 2: tell you from covering four or five whatever SEC tournaments
Speaker 2: under Cal his assistants are out there the shortest amount
Speaker 2: of time, no kidding, no question, but no. And the
Speaker 2: NCAA's different. They're they're probably a half. Most coaches, i'd say,
Speaker 2: are there for a half to you know, ten minutes
Speaker 2: into the second half. Rarely did they stay the full game.
Speaker 2: I'd say last year Chin Coleman brewis of Flint, and
Speaker 2: I forget who the third coach out there was out
Speaker 2: there for maybe six minutes wow, and they ended up losing.
Speaker 2: The scouting didn't met. So it's he just doesn't care
Speaker 2: about this, and that's fine. Again, that is fine. Just
Speaker 2: don't go tell that to your fan base who's probably
Speaker 2: already spent money on hotels whatever, not flights I guess
Speaker 2: from Kentucky, but Arkansas in their case flights like God
Speaker 2: only knows how much money it costs these people.
Speaker 1: I've got to think that maybe the vocal people on
Speaker 1: Twitter x whatever you want to call it, the squeaky wheels.
Speaker 1: They may be defending their coach or whatever, but start
Speaker 1: losing early in a turn.
Speaker 2: Again goal lose to South Carolina. Yeah, and we just said,
Speaker 2: we just said the tournament gets decided on Friday. That
Speaker 2: game's on Wednesday, So that gives the committee about thirty
Speaker 2: six hours to screw you.
Speaker 1: Arkansas is one of those teams it needs this turn ye.
Speaker 2: Right, they need to at least beat South Carolina. If
Speaker 2: they go lose a Quad one game to I think
Speaker 2: they would play I forget who the eight seed is
Speaker 2: Ole Miss if they go lose to Ole Miss on Thursday,
Speaker 2: But if they lose to South Carolina, it's gonna drop
Speaker 2: them a seat.
Speaker 1: It will.
Speaker 3: Well, look, coaches are human. They don't have to spend
Speaker 3: one hundred percent of their time preparing for the next game.
Speaker 3: But like, after a loss, you saying that you're gonna
Speaker 3: go watch a little house on the prairie during March
Speaker 3: my dogs, Like that's just not what the fan base
Speaker 3: needed to hear.
Speaker 2: And then they lost to Saint Peter's. By the way,
Speaker 2: let's not forget how that ended.
Speaker 1: And he also forgets or forgot, well, he's already doing
Speaker 1: it at Arkansas all that. I think he thinks he's
Speaker 1: sticking it to the media by not speaking or you know,
Speaker 1: speaking to the media out there in Arkansas, but didn't
Speaker 1: talk to us pregame for how many years?
Speaker 2: The last two? Yeah, and he has, he's done one
Speaker 2: this year and it was the game before Kentucky because
Speaker 2: it was about himself.
Speaker 1: Right, and then you know, ducked out by the way,
Speaker 1: you know, you're thumbing your nose at your fans. Yes,
Speaker 1: you know, we get paid either way, and he writes
Speaker 1: a story and I go back and report, and you
Speaker 1: go back and talk on your show either way. But
Speaker 1: fans want to hear from you, the ones who are
Speaker 1: footing the bill. And by the way, your contract calls
Speaker 1: for more money from TV and radio appearances than your
Speaker 1: salary from your school.
Speaker 2: That's lost the time.
Speaker 1: You know, I feel like, yeah, I agree, but well, yeah,
Speaker 1: because of the way the contracts are constructed. But the
Speaker 1: bottom line is, you know, that's your conduit to your fans,
Speaker 1: and so to blow.
Speaker 2: Them off, that's the problem.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that is. And so you're blowing them off in
Speaker 1: more ways than one.
Speaker 2: I love what Mark Pope says about the SC tournament.
Speaker 2: I guarantee you somewhere deep down he's like, let's just
Speaker 2: get through it healthy.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it was the first game, sure, but he's.
Speaker 2: Never gonna come out and tell us in that public No, exactly.
Speaker 1: All right, we'll take everybody come back and actually look
Speaker 1: at the tournament games and talk a little football in
Speaker 1: our second half hour. Because Mark Stoops has chatted with
Speaker 1: us again. More to come on to say why BBI
Speaker 1: Border to border it is to say why BBI, Dick Gabriel,
Speaker 1: Billy Rutledge, Aaron Gershawn, Kentucky and Georgia coming up nine
Speaker 1: thirty on Thursday on most of these same stage I
Speaker 1: would take all of these same stations clock man, Yeah,
Speaker 1: probably these boys. Well, I'll be watching as well.
Speaker 2: Man.
Speaker 1: We'll be working late, Aaron. Of course, we'll have to
Speaker 1: work after at least.
Speaker 2: It's Central time down there, so we do have an
Speaker 2: It is.
Speaker 1: Going to be a but your body clock's going to.
Speaker 2: Know, but I'll take it as a I can sleep
Speaker 2: in a little later in the morning because they won't
Speaker 2: play againuntil Friday night.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Billy, is this the time of year you just
Speaker 1: bring in a cot and sleep in here.
Speaker 3: Well, theoretically I'll be done with postgame about three thirty.
Speaker 2: If we start at ten.
Speaker 1: And it's am, Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 3: That's Eastern two and with a nine am radio show,
Speaker 3: you I think I might spend my first night overnight
Speaker 3: in a studio.
Speaker 2: Wow, what do we got? Sleeping bag? Blow up?
Speaker 3: The problem is the couches over there are just not
Speaker 3: comfortable enough. I'm gonna have to bring a sleeping bag.
Speaker 3: I mean I got comfy enough pillows, but the ground
Speaker 3: is not.
Speaker 1: How about no, no, no, I you know I actually
Speaker 1: an air mattress that once at the TV station and
Speaker 1: I cannot remember why, but I remember.
Speaker 3: Was it an overnight or Yeah.
Speaker 1: Anyway, that's a long store. It's not worth it. But
Speaker 1: I do remember sleeping on the couch and a lobby
Speaker 1: kyt once I had to.
Speaker 3: I just can't get like three hours of sleep, you
Speaker 3: know that almost wor for my system. Yeah, you get
Speaker 3: in a deep sleep cycle and then you just have
Speaker 3: to be waking.
Speaker 1: Right now. I will tell you this. I did forty
Speaker 1: eight straight hours and it was this time of year
Speaker 1: I worked the SEC Tournament for SEC Radio, and then
Speaker 1: on Sunday, after our championship game broadcast was done, I
Speaker 1: would finish up working for KYT with interviews and satellite
Speaker 1: feeds and all that stuff. And I catch a flight
Speaker 1: come home and I still had my suitcase in my
Speaker 1: hand when my phone rang and our news director, who
Speaker 1: was not a good person, he calls me, and I
Speaker 1: think he had realized that he was in a meeting
Speaker 1: where they had decided We're going to do an NCAA
Speaker 1: tournament special that week and never told me. So I
Speaker 1: walk in before I set my bag down, What are
Speaker 1: your plans for the nca special? I said, what's special? Oh,
Speaker 1: the one that air is Tuesday, Like, I don't know
Speaker 1: about that, and you know, he's acting like, oh yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1: you know, you know. I dropped my bag in the kitchen,
Speaker 1: turned around and went to the TV station and stayed
Speaker 1: there for forty eight straight hours.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 1: And I got about a one hour nap in Rob
Speaker 1: Bromley's chair up in the office because Rob had a
Speaker 1: bigger chair. Somehow that this bigger chair sort of made
Speaker 1: its way to the sports office, and I don't remember
Speaker 1: why I was at Rob's desk but I put my
Speaker 1: feet up and it was about five in the morning,
Speaker 1: and I maybe slept maybe for an hour and a half.
Speaker 1: Somebody came in and woke me up, but yeah, got
Speaker 1: it done. Then got on a plane for Boise, Idaho
Speaker 1: for the NC tournament.
Speaker 3: Wow, did you ask that person to wake you up
Speaker 3: or walk in?
Speaker 1: They just kind of walked in. But you know, anyhow, folks,
Speaker 1: this is what we do because we love our jobs.
Speaker 1: March it is the best time of year. But is
Speaker 1: it a shock of anybody other than I don't know, Auburn, Florida, Alabama.
Speaker 1: I'd be amazed if Tennessee won.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't. I don't see that though. Tennessee did
Speaker 2: beat they split with Florida, they beat Alabama, and they
Speaker 2: played different crap out of Florida. Yeah, and also the
Speaker 2: home floora played a big role there. It's going to
Speaker 2: be more of a Tennessee crowd just yeah, proximity wise,
Speaker 2: So Florida has been a fan base that hasn't traveled
Speaker 2: with this tournament. I have to think they would for
Speaker 2: this one because they're pretty darn good, those Gators. So yeah,
Speaker 2: I would say I haven't filled out my bracket yet,
Speaker 2: but I like Florida. I like the momentum they have
Speaker 2: right now. Auburn's had a rough week. Alabama's just I
Speaker 2: don't think they could guard Florida well enough. They just
Speaker 2: saw it in Tuscaloosa. And I just think they're playing
Speaker 2: the best ball in the SEC. They'll have a three,
Speaker 2: they'll be the two seeds, so they play like Missouri
Speaker 2: probably the first game, then Kentucky maybe or A Kentucky
Speaker 2: or Alabama. I just think Florida is gonna win it.
Speaker 2: I mean, I think I could see an A and
Speaker 2: M making a run. Yeah, I mean, if they beat Tennessee,
Speaker 2: which is very possible, they play Auburn in the semis.
Speaker 2: Auburn does not match up all with them as we
Speaker 2: saw it last week.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, they've got some flaws as a team
Speaker 3: that's been the number one team in the country for
Speaker 3: who knows how long, even though Duke is number one.
Speaker 2: Now Auburn fell the three.
Speaker 3: So I mean A and M meeting all Labama or
Speaker 3: Florida in the finals as possibility.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's it's it's hard to get a read on
Speaker 1: Duke because of the league it plays in.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean they're good, man, They're really, they're really good.
Speaker 2: And I'll defend U of L faithful for a second.
Speaker 2: I see that Duke Fans and Duke Twitter not happy
Speaker 2: about John Shire not winning ACC's Coach of the Year.
Speaker 1: Sure.
Speaker 2: Look, the a SC stinks, and I think if you
Speaker 2: put Louisville in the SEC, they're kind of middle of
Speaker 2: the pack to bottom, you know what, the middle of
Speaker 2: the pack and head you might get fourteen teams in
Speaker 2: so not bad, but pack hell's I mean, they were
Speaker 2: the worst worst power for program the last two years
Speaker 2: in college past.
Speaker 1: They really were.
Speaker 2: And they go and win twenty six basketball or twenty
Speaker 2: five basketball, twenty six basketball games, whatever it is. That's
Speaker 2: Coach of the Year stuff. I'm sorry he deserved it,
Speaker 2: and I don't I don't see them going I think
Speaker 2: that maybe when the a SEC tournament. I don't see
Speaker 2: them making a huge deep march run. It could be wrong,
Speaker 2: but all about yeah, you don't. Look, John Shire had
Speaker 2: a gold mine already work with that he recruited. It's
Speaker 2: not like he went out and reinvented the wheel. This
Speaker 2: guy put together what did the same thing as Mark Pope,
Speaker 2: and he did a great job. He deserved and I.
Speaker 1: Do agree somebody says that about Pearl. Pearl put that
Speaker 1: team together and then coached it. There should be something
Speaker 1: said for that putting a team together, because people making
Speaker 1: a case for for Pope at least being a finalist.
Speaker 1: He put that team together and coached it. Oh yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1: and no honestly, and he should have won it. But
Speaker 1: I think people forget about that, Billy, don't you that
Speaker 1: They forget about the actual construction of.
Speaker 3: The team, right, And you know, the the thing about
Speaker 3: this is is that you know in a time of
Speaker 3: transfer portal. Yeah, nil, That's that's the name of the game.
Speaker 3: Like that's the important, most important thing a coach can do.
Speaker 3: And they tied a program record for wins in the
Speaker 3: regular season Louisville's I mean, talk about a hell.
Speaker 2: He absolutely deserved for Peck with us.
Speaker 1: Welcome back, it is to say wide edition of the
Speaker 1: Big Boom. Sid arey our gros of the cast pauses
Speaker 1: here with us their own Billy Ruttledge, I'm Dick Gabriel.
Speaker 1: We're gonna have to Kentucky's SEC tournament opener with them
Speaker 1: Georgia Bulldogs, and then of course after that it's on
Speaker 1: to the NCAA. Is how much pressure is there on
Speaker 1: Mark Pope? Not so much SEC tournament. And we'll talk
Speaker 1: more about this, of course next week when they know
Speaker 1: where they're going. But you feel like people are laying
Speaker 1: in the weeds, the critics waiting if somehow Kentucky stumbles
Speaker 1: out of the gate in the NCAA tournament because it
Speaker 1: is different. Yes, probably, Well that's a dumb question because
Speaker 1: in this day and age, everybody waiting to do everything
Speaker 1: so they're.
Speaker 2: Gonna get.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: No, there's definitely a section of fans. Look, there are
Speaker 2: still people who think Mark Pope was a terrible hire
Speaker 2: just because he wasn't Jay Wright or or I don't
Speaker 2: know someone.
Speaker 1: They couldn't get someone, right, So yeah, he has forced
Speaker 1: them to silence.
Speaker 2: Right, So there will be a told you so crowd
Speaker 2: when if that day comes. But uh yeah, there'll be
Speaker 2: a ton. It's Kentucky. There's always gonna be a ton
Speaker 2: of pressure. And how you manage it and how you
Speaker 2: embrace it.
Speaker 1: There's additional for Pope, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2: Think yes, and no. I think from the I think
Speaker 2: it was more so from the non I think kit
Speaker 2: there's you almost can't lose the first round. That's what
Speaker 2: I'm saying, oh, in the first round, Yeah, there's no excuse.
Speaker 2: But if I don't think with all that's happened this year,
Speaker 2: if they go to the second round they lose to
Speaker 2: a hot six seed, yeah, I think you don't lose
Speaker 2: too much sleepover. You just can't lose the first There
Speaker 2: will be a ton of pressure going into that game
Speaker 2: against a fourteen or thirteen.
Speaker 1: People have had so much fun this year. Yeah, that
Speaker 1: almost had too much fun, but a lot of fun.
Speaker 3: I feel like he's bought some grace from some agreed
Speaker 3: because of eight top fifteen wins, tying an all time
Speaker 3: record with Indiana and Duke. So I mean, obviously he's
Speaker 3: doing things that the fan base wanted. You're beating Gonzaga,
Speaker 3: you're beating Louisville, you're beating Duke, you swept Tennessee. But
Speaker 3: you also hired a guy that's never won an NCAA
Speaker 3: tournament game. So I mean, if he were to go
Speaker 3: out in the first round, then yeah, I think there
Speaker 3: are some questions of is this guy can do it
Speaker 3: on the biggest stages. But if you're a fan that
Speaker 3: lives and breathes this stuff, you realize he talks to
Speaker 3: the fan base a different way, and that there is
Speaker 3: he had to put his roster together in two weeks.
Speaker 3: And you know, I can make excuses, but I think
Speaker 3: there's a difference between the Twitter troll waiting and the
Speaker 3: yeah and then a diehard BBN fan and looking at
Speaker 3: the direction of the program.
Speaker 1: You know, to me, the most fascinating part of all
Speaker 1: this is the loss of Jackson Robinson because when we
Speaker 1: were all sitting in here at various times, and Billy
Speaker 1: on your show and Aaron you wrote about it, we
Speaker 1: all thought Jackson Robinson would be to U. C. M.
Speaker 1: Newton's favorite expression, the bell cow, Jackson Robinson would be
Speaker 1: the man, the go to guy, the shoot, you know,
Speaker 1: all that stuff. And at times he was and was
Speaker 1: becoming a really nice player at this level. And then
Speaker 1: of course the injuries happened. People want to well, that's
Speaker 1: just a new no and you lose one of your
Speaker 1: best players. But there was that stretch where Andrew Carr
Speaker 1: was their best player and Amari Williams became their best player.
Speaker 1: But Lamont Butler is so crucial without him, I mean,
Speaker 1: forget it, forget it good, you know, always has been incredible.
Speaker 1: All of this is why they're so dangerous. But I
Speaker 1: just think it's been a really interesting sub story. You know,
Speaker 1: I agree, you know, it just it's just been fascinating
Speaker 1: watching this. I guess they're just growing. They are and
Speaker 1: what And I'm glad he brought it up today. And
Speaker 1: I think you've written about this where they've gone defensively,
Speaker 1: they were one of the worst in the country.
Speaker 2: They're playing not great, but so much fifty fifth yeah,
Speaker 2: and Ken Palm and they're like, I think bark Torvik
Speaker 2: has a way to like see since this date, and
Speaker 2: I think it's since February eighth, which was the South
Speaker 2: Carolina win, they're like fourteenth, Like that's a hell of
Speaker 2: And I know they gave up eighty three points on Saturday,
Speaker 2: which is by their standards not bad. But you go,
Speaker 2: like give it up to the Lexington kid Mark quiz
Speaker 2: war Like if that kid who for some reason only
Speaker 2: averages like twelve minutes a game at Missouri, even though
Speaker 2: he's like his points per forty, you're off the charts.
Speaker 2: He hit zero points in the first half if they
Speaker 2: and he had some contested ones too. Now if you
Speaker 2: take his numbers out, he scored seventeen the second half.
Speaker 2: I mean.
Speaker 1: That's like a fig downtown Columbia. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Against the top ten efficient offense. What they were able
Speaker 2: to do defensively, I mean Caleb Grill is a forty
Speaker 2: forty two percent three point shooter, their leading scorer. He
Speaker 2: held him to eight points on two makes from the field.
Speaker 2: And that's Colin Chandler and otego O Way now really impressive.
Speaker 1: Well.
Speaker 3: And also the fact they missed nine of their first
Speaker 3: eleven shots versus Missouri and their defense kept them enough
Speaker 3: defense to stay in it. And then the freshman really
Speaker 3: contributed and it was a team effort. And not only
Speaker 3: is this team growing, but coach Pope is growing. Did
Speaker 3: you hear what he said about referees on the show
Speaker 3: tonight that it is What do you think of that? Well,
Speaker 3: he said it is okay to throw a tantrum sometimes,
Speaker 3: okay to lose your mind to get your point across,
Speaker 3: which makes sense. But I think it shows how he's
Speaker 3: grown a little bit because I think he was very,
Speaker 3: you know, very nice.
Speaker 1: I think it was fascinating what he said to lead
Speaker 1: that off, when he said he had decided that I'm
Speaker 1: going to do what was the hell did he put it? Not?
Speaker 1: Ignore the referees, but just not even worry about it,
Speaker 1: act like it's nothing. You know. However, we framed that,
Speaker 1: you know, he.
Speaker 2: Went into the year, He went into the year determined
Speaker 2: to just not even pay attention attention to him.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and then well that it sounded like he didn't
Speaker 3: want to answer the question at first, because he went
Speaker 3: into the what the what the name mark means?
Speaker 2: And like Warrior, I thought he was giving us the
Speaker 2: coach answer.
Speaker 1: And somebody who once studied Greek mythology, I like that.
Speaker 2: You know, you talk about Pope growing, you want to
Speaker 2: know something. He wouldn't really budge on it when he
Speaker 2: was asked about after the game. But you know, you
Speaker 2: notice what else he did in that Missouri game zone. Yes,
Speaker 2: but there's something else you tight rotation. Ah, yeah, you'll
Speaker 2: look at the second half box score. I don't have
Speaker 2: it in front of me, but I no, I think
Speaker 2: Kobe played eighteen minutes, o Taga played seventeen, Car played
Speaker 2: seventeen or eighteen. The only guy who didn't play of
Speaker 2: the starting lineup Butler played sixteen. The only guy in
Speaker 2: the starting lineup that didn't play sixteen or more was Omari,
Speaker 2: which you understand and really the only guy off the bench.
Speaker 2: Colin played eight minutes and he scored, had a three,
Speaker 2: got scored a bucket of the lane was shutting down
Speaker 2: Caleb Grill. Outside of that, I think Harrison played like
Speaker 2: three or four minutes in the second half and then
Speaker 2: No One, No Travis Perry, who to those of the
Speaker 2: guys credit, they made two three big plays combined in
Speaker 2: the first half. Perry with a three and then the
Speaker 2: steal to set up that stop and fast break turned
Speaker 2: into a dunk for UK and then no hit a
Speaker 2: three to get them out of the offensive slump. But
Speaker 2: he tightened the rotation down to seven in the second
Speaker 2: half and really mostly to five. He played his best
Speaker 2: guys against a really I mean, I know, Missouri's not
Speaker 2: playing great basketball right now, but a top ten of
Speaker 2: fishing offense in their home building with a ton of
Speaker 2: seniors on their senior day, and you know, they got
Speaker 2: the job done.
Speaker 1: I felt like that was more about defense, probably so,
Speaker 1: but Travis and and Noah, yeah they can be victimized.
Speaker 2: And I didn't.
Speaker 1: I didn't like the matchups defensively.
Speaker 2: Even though they were up. What I liked that he
Speaker 2: kept the rotation short is they were up and I
Speaker 2: know they ended up got down to five or whatever,
Speaker 2: but they were like fifteen. Yeah, and he still said,
Speaker 2: you know what, I'm playing my guys.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but it was still learning the half and you
Speaker 1: saw like you said, and and you know what in
Speaker 1: today's game, man three pointers being with the other league
Speaker 1: and disappeared.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and that again Henry Clay, Mark quz Wark take
Speaker 2: him out of the game. I mean mark.
Speaker 1: All time leading scorer.
Speaker 2: Again, if you're if there's any Missouri fans listening, beg
Speaker 2: them to play that kid more. Yeah, because he can
Speaker 2: really play.
Speaker 3: While we're speaking on growth, I've never seen a player
Speaker 3: change more than Amari Williams has.
Speaker 2: Oh, this game fantastic.
Speaker 3: And I want to pose this question to you. The
Speaker 3: SEC awards were and that was still a and otega
Speaker 3: Oway was the only guy awarded on the second team
Speaker 3: all sees. Do you feel like Amar was snow Yes?
Speaker 2: Absolutely, yeah, I mean I'm trying to find I wrote
Speaker 2: an article about I mean his again, you look past
Speaker 2: the points per game or rebounds per game, but it's
Speaker 2: per forty minutes that's are historic. And his rebounding numbers
Speaker 2: are like two off from Oscar She but he's National
Speaker 2: Player of the Year year.
Speaker 1: Plus every coach in the league who has played win
Speaker 1: or lose. I guess down in the second half of
Speaker 1: the season as mentioned Amari Williams.
Speaker 2: Because he played when yeah, he's running the point. He
Speaker 2: was running a point for them at seven foot so yeah, no,
Speaker 2: he was the one. Look Lamart and Jackson missed too
Speaker 2: much time. Not going to ripe on that none of
Speaker 2: the freshmen were Freshmen of the Year. Good no one
Speaker 2: maybe gonna make it a good case for All defensive
Speaker 2: team from a Mari, but I still think there were
Speaker 2: too many struggles there early in SEC play to win
Speaker 2: it there, but definitely should have been at least thirteam SCC.
Speaker 2: There's not fifteen better players than him in the SEC
Speaker 2: right now.
Speaker 1: I remember one year, and I'm not saying there's like
Speaker 1: an anti Cantucky biased but I think sometimes people just
Speaker 1: assume they're going to be good, or they got too
Speaker 1: many player whatever. I remember when you're in Kentucky won.
Speaker 1: Kentucky was like thirteen and five in the league or
Speaker 1: something like it lost only four conference games and won
Speaker 1: the league by three or four games and had one
Speaker 1: person just like this year on the second team or something,
Speaker 1: and you know, Joe B was like, what in the
Speaker 1: world are you all looking at? So that's not the
Speaker 1: first time, but I do agree with you.
Speaker 3: I think it's about right though. For Otega, I mean, yeah,
Speaker 3: he had this streak of twenty plus or ten double
Speaker 3: digit points and at times would disappear and at times
Speaker 3: just looked like it was outmatched at times, but also
Speaker 3: had a game winner. So like, yeah, it was very
Speaker 3: it isn't very important to this team.
Speaker 2: No, I agree. Oh wait, I didn't even realize it
Speaker 2: until I think yesterday always scored twenty points in the
Speaker 2: second Sorry, yeah, didn't feel like I mean, I guess
Speaker 2: he's at the lived at the free throw line late.
Speaker 2: But also that's another thing. This team has gotten way
Speaker 2: better at this free throw getting to the line, getting
Speaker 2: to the line and making Yeah, like they were I
Speaker 2: think sixty four percent as a team earlier this year
Speaker 2: and early in SEC played there were a couple of
Speaker 2: like the Georgia game they couldn't make one, and they've
Speaker 2: had two perfect performances at the line Vandy I think
Speaker 2: in LSU, yeah, and you know the Missouri game down
Speaker 2: the stretch, they would not miss when it mattered most so.
Speaker 1: He speaking of perfect games. Mario Williams doesn't get credit
Speaker 1: for that conference, and he had.
Speaker 2: A triple double the fourth thanks school history.
Speaker 1: You know mentioned Georgia game and that was during the
Speaker 1: storms that happened here. Yep, So I'm at home, got
Speaker 1: no power. So I actually I meet up with mister Biccoro.
Speaker 1: We go over to a spot to have somebody to
Speaker 1: en watch first half and I went with him back
Speaker 1: over to their TV station to watch the second half.
Speaker 1: Every time I think about that game, that's what that's
Speaker 1: my reaction. We're we're watching, were like, what the hell's
Speaker 1: going on?
Speaker 2: Yeah? That was the game where and Jackson turned on
Speaker 2: the light switch the next game, but that was the
Speaker 2: game Jackson looked like he just was mentally shot. Yeah,
Speaker 2: are we talking about Georgeorgia. So I'll pose a question, then,
Speaker 2: would you rather so they might plague Georgia Thursday? They
Speaker 2: might play Oklahoma? Both both those games were well, the
Speaker 2: Georgia games forgettable, but they're both memorable and in different ways.
Speaker 2: What would you rather see? What's the better storyline for Georgia.
Speaker 2: I'd rather see Georgia Oklahoma. Now, I so I Georgia
Speaker 2: is not Remember they're won like five in a row,
Speaker 2: so they're red hot. They'd beat Florida. I personally would
Speaker 2: rather play Georgia because I think one, you want to
Speaker 2: beat the team you lost toe, and two I think
Speaker 2: they matched a better. Oklahoma is like a scary matchup
Speaker 2: in the sense they have they can play five guys
Speaker 2: in the court that can shoot at all times. So well,
Speaker 2: that is not good for Kentucky. We saw they almost
Speaker 2: lost to it.
Speaker 1: Look what kind of performance from oh way it took
Speaker 1: to beat Oaklay exactly.
Speaker 2: They're not going to get that again, and no one
Speaker 2: was gonna play and again Oklahoma. Everyone could shoot on
Speaker 2: that team.
Speaker 1: And does it not mirror what happened with the women
Speaker 1: Georgia aymore killed in season and they moved heaven and
Speaker 1: earth to make sure they would never read them comfortable
Speaker 1: in that tournament game and everybody and she still had
Speaker 1: a good game. Everybody else was terrible.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it would also be good. The thing
Speaker 2: that was really tough in that Kentucky game, not putting
Speaker 2: Jackson Robinson aside, was you know, Georgia has two beasts
Speaker 2: down low Newell. There's gonna be a lottery pick. And
Speaker 2: then Sampto Seerwill, the former UK commit And that was
Speaker 2: before Amari kind of turned that light switch to hey,
Speaker 2: I can bump around with these guys and not get
Speaker 2: called for it. And that was also the we're learning
Speaker 2: the whistle game, if you remember, right. So, I think
Speaker 2: now that those two things are kind of behind Kentucky
Speaker 2: and George. The fact George is hot, I think that
Speaker 2: would make it a really nice little challenge there. And
Speaker 2: George is also ranked number thirty in the net. So
Speaker 2: that's a quad one a win, you could add if
Speaker 2: the seating matters at all.
Speaker 1: The women also had a low post best to kill Kentucky.
Speaker 1: What were you gonna say? Why do you want Oklahoma?
Speaker 3: I just think Georgia is just so physical. They are
Speaker 3: such a problem for Kentucky. I know they've improved in
Speaker 3: that department and they've learned to guard without fouling. That's
Speaker 3: a big thing Goose talks about. Oh yeah, but let's
Speaker 3: say Amar gets two fouls in the first half. Yeah,
Speaker 3: and then you're playing against those two.
Speaker 2: Great point, because Oklahoma is a good BEG matchup because
Speaker 2: they play small.
Speaker 3: So and you know, that was such an emotionally charged
Speaker 3: game at Oklahoma you had a lot of homecomings with
Speaker 3: Otega and Brandon Garrisons, who probably both played out of
Speaker 3: their skin.
Speaker 2: But at the same time, I feel like Oklahoma.
Speaker 3: Probably played a little bit differently wanting to beat Kentucky
Speaker 3: at their home environment. So I mean, I like the
Speaker 3: parallel you put with the women's team because that was
Speaker 3: a great point, the cautious tale of you know, your
Speaker 3: players are just not going to score forty three again
Speaker 3: just because it's the same name scored like twenty three, right,
Speaker 3: Georgia was so long ago that you know, maybe that
Speaker 3: is the better matchup. But I saw them beat Oklahoma, Dick,
Speaker 3: So I'm going to say that I hope that they
Speaker 3: play Oklahoma again.
Speaker 2: I yeah, I think it's more so again since the again,
Speaker 2: if we're going to go back to this tournament doesn't matter.
Speaker 2: I'd like to see Kentucky have that challenge against the
Speaker 2: physicality of Georgia again and see how they handle it
Speaker 2: this time as opposed to on January eighth or whatever
Speaker 2: that was.
Speaker 1: That's fair where are you now?
Speaker 2: But it would be I think Oklahoma that would be
Speaker 2: the more exciting basketball game. But is Georgia what are they?
Speaker 2: The fourteen seeds? They are the eleven, eleven, Oklahoma's the fourteenth. Okay,
Speaker 2: oklahom Both of those two teams are playing great basketball
Speaker 2: exactly because Oklahoma's one. They just beat Missouri and then
Speaker 2: they went down and whipped Texas and then Georgia's won
Speaker 2: like for they beat Georgia, or excuse me, they beat Florida,
Speaker 2: and they've won Florida row since they beat Florida. A
Speaker 2: fruitless exercise. But where would you put Louisville in the
Speaker 2: SEC this year? Thirteenth? I think I think they're better
Speaker 2: than South Carolina. I think they're better than Texas. I
Speaker 2: think Kentucky. Texas is Kentucky's worst loss in my opinion.
Speaker 2: LSU definitely better than il SU, and so I guess.
Speaker 2: But I think Oklahoma's. The thing is, Oklahoma beat Louisville,
Speaker 2: and I think Oklahoma is better than louis so whatever
Speaker 2: that is. I don't know the methods, so better South Carolina.
Speaker 2: So I'd say thirteenth or fourth, whatever that is, thirteen, fourteen, twelfth,
Speaker 2: that range probably a little better than that, but not much. Yeah,
Speaker 2: I think Miss Louisville would be a good match. Well,
Speaker 2: miss killed Louisville in Louisville. Well, I'm saying now I know,
Speaker 2: but I think Old Miss would do it again. Maybe.
Speaker 1: So as we go to the break, what happened, What
Speaker 1: happens if Kentucky and Louisville play again, because everybody on
Speaker 1: that end of the interstate like, well, we.
Speaker 2: Love to play him now, you know Kentucky also that Kentucky. Oh,
Speaker 2: we don't have our guy now, So I think Kentucky
Speaker 2: would still beat him, though, I just do. Who knows,
Speaker 2: maybe they'll they'll set that up for us in the
Speaker 2: tournament as well.
Speaker 1: As Louisville is playing. They don't have an answer for
Speaker 1: a Mari.
Speaker 2: Williams, assuming he stays out of that's the big key.
Speaker 3: Yeah, well you better hope Kobe hits four threes, five
Speaker 3: threes at least, because sometimes this offense just has to
Speaker 3: not do anything unless Kobe's gonna make a shot or
Speaker 3: Amari gets hot down low.
Speaker 2: Well, that's how it just gets in the lake. That's
Speaker 2: another thing. Louisville. I'm not sure they have answers for
Speaker 2: Alway getting to the bucket. We saw it here and
Speaker 2: he's doing that better than he was earlier. Yeah, Chuckie
Speaker 2: just one defender of the year, and he's going to
Speaker 2: go guard the mont though. The Mon's not gonna score
Speaker 2: thirty three again, that's the one thing. La Mon's not
Speaker 2: gonna go ten for ten, especially with a bump shoulder.
Speaker 1: They just can't let Chucky at six straight threes, I think.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Chucky's an amazing defender, amazing.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, but watching was it Pitt? Oh yeah, he
Speaker 1: went off six possessions. Yeah, that was the greatest exhibition
Speaker 1: I've ever seen. I just happened to watch it on TV. Yes,
Speaker 1: I've never seen Steph Curry do that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that was nuts. That's what ACC games are. That's
Speaker 2: true exhibitions. North Carolina. Very goodbye.
Speaker 1: In on that, We'll take a break, come back and
Speaker 1: talk a little football. Mark Stoops pretty good mood today.
Speaker 1: Back in a minute on the state wide BBI final segment,
Speaker 1: Mark Stoops smiled the media today. Aaron, you said that
Speaker 1: one out because it is early in the spring, but
Speaker 1: you saw the video again, he he's fired up.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the chip is back on his shoulder. That's huge
Speaker 2: and how could it not after the boy last year
Speaker 2: went And I kind of liked what he was talking
Speaker 2: about at how they're making sure this team bonds really,
Speaker 2: they really gel and bond, and they're doing this yearbook
Speaker 2: thing where they make sure they know everyone's face and
Speaker 2: name in the building. And they got to get back
Speaker 2: to the little stuff because clearly the little stuff bit
Speaker 2: them piece by piece last year.
Speaker 1: Believe in that, Billy, the yearbook approach me, you know
Speaker 1: you got because you know who did that. We were
Speaker 1: just talking to break was Patino when he got here.
Speaker 1: You know. But I've heard of other coaches doing this.
Speaker 1: All right, you guys, you say you're close. What's his
Speaker 1: sister's name?
Speaker 3: Right?
Speaker 1: What does his father do for a living?
Speaker 3: That kind of staff, Well, that's a lot more than
Speaker 3: the basketball roster. You gotta do the football team ninety
Speaker 3: five guys, and the coaching staff.
Speaker 1: Well, with the football team, they're just like, what's his name?
Speaker 1: Where's he from?
Speaker 3: Right? Yeah?
Speaker 2: You know little remember the Titans esque?
Speaker 1: That's true? Yeah, good point.
Speaker 3: So you know, I'm fine. I'm fine with that, and
Speaker 3: I'm glad the energy's back it needs to be. But
Speaker 3: I'm just more worried about the schedule than you know,
Speaker 3: Kentucky's excitement for the season. Unfortunately, will we not be
Speaker 3: saying that from here on?
Speaker 2: With the sec we will but like Kentucky just if like,
Speaker 2: go look at Missouri, they lucked out. We're Kentucky. Just
Speaker 2: like it's like they got the biggest fu from Greg
Speaker 2: sank You. I mean they play out. They have no
Speaker 2: like now that Vandy's improved, there's not one game you
Speaker 2: could look at and be like, all right, who we
Speaker 2: got this team coming up next week?
Speaker 1: It is Aaron Gershan pushing the notion Greg Sanki hates
Speaker 1: Kentucky actually even though it's all done by a computer,
Speaker 1: it's programming.
Speaker 2: I'm not I'm just saying that's how it comes. They
Speaker 2: look again. And part of it too, though, is Kentucky
Speaker 2: caught a bad break and they fell down because South
Speaker 2: Carolina and Vandy would probably going into last year we
Speaker 2: felt pretty good about they both improved and Canentucky's digress
Speaker 2: has regressed. So part of it is that. But you know,
Speaker 2: you're talking Texas, you're talking Georgia. At Georgia, you're talking Florida,
Speaker 2: who's a lot better now Tennessee, who just doesn't matter
Speaker 2: if they stink or not, They're going to be Kentucky.
Speaker 1: So it's just we're not that far well Kentucky can
Speaker 1: beat Florida and Florida in Kentucky all.
Speaker 2: Over against That's where the place they're in right now.
Speaker 2: Welcome to the SEC. I like what they've done this offseason,
Speaker 2: but they it's not gonna like I understand. I feel
Speaker 2: like and my you know, our page views show it.
Speaker 2: This fan base is kind of like, I know what
Speaker 2: happens on September whatever when they kick off. There's just
Speaker 2: not that excitement there. I wonder what the crowd is
Speaker 2: gonna be like whenever they do the spring whatever.
Speaker 3: Well, it's good timing with that conspiracy theory, Aaron, because
Speaker 3: we're about to see the selection committee make TV matchups
Speaker 3: when Kentucky is the three in Arkansas, the Arkansas is
Speaker 3: the eleven and oh look, Saint John's is in the
Speaker 3: same brand Louisville.
Speaker 1: Do you think for a minute that doesn't happen.
Speaker 2: Of course, I think it does. Kentucky and Louisville they
Speaker 2: ended up I guess one was the final four, so
Speaker 2: they weren't in the same bracket. But what two years
Speaker 2: later they were playing each other in the Sweet sixteen
Speaker 2: or ely date whatever it was.
Speaker 3: But to expand on the football point, you might go
Speaker 3: to nine conference games soons, and you also might do
Speaker 3: a deal with the Big Ten where you're going to
Speaker 3: be playing an opponent every year.
Speaker 2: I do root for that though.
Speaker 3: Well if if that happens, goodbye to the Louisville game.
Speaker 3: That's right, that's the one that But because you need
Speaker 3: the free.
Speaker 2: One I want to see, Yeah you do. I want
Speaker 2: to see the Big.
Speaker 3: Ten and you want an extra home game, Like, if
Speaker 3: you're going to do the Louisville game, you've got.
Speaker 2: To when's the last I know, Kentucky used to play
Speaker 2: Indiana every year, But when's the last time Kentucky in
Speaker 2: a non Bowl setting played another power school team?
Speaker 1: Not it's been a while.
Speaker 2: That's why I like.
Speaker 1: But that'd get me exciting is you got a budget
Speaker 1: of one hundred and fifty million dollars and every home
Speaker 1: football game is worth zillions.
Speaker 2: And to give that up with that a guarantee on
Speaker 2: there for sure's you can't win at home. So I mean,
Speaker 2: why do you want home games? Hey? Then yeah, you
Speaker 2: look at this schedule too. Toledo beating SEC team last year, folks,
Speaker 2: that's game one, isn't it? Yes?
Speaker 1: Sir?
Speaker 2: Now is there starting running back? Revenge game? Revenge ship game?
Speaker 2: Same same as Brett, Brett, Kubick or Kobiek, whatever his
Speaker 2: name was.
Speaker 1: Aaron and Billy that said good night from Lexington
Speaker 3: H