WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:02.960 Welcome to the Big blon Sider Dicabrielle with you on 2 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:06.000 a Tuesday edition of our program. Coming up tonight, we'll 3 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:08.880 talk to John Clay, who is retiring from The Herald 4 00:00:08.919 --> 00:00:12.599 Leader after nearly five decades. He's in his fifth decade 5 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:16.039 as a writer for that newspaper, first as a sports 6 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:19.519 writer than sports columnist. So we'll talk to John as 7 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.199 well as the voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leach and 8 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:25.359 Keith Farmer from LAX eighteen and BBN tonight, and of 9 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:27.399 course we'll talk to all three of them about a 10 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:31.719 number of things, but chief among those topics Vince Merrow's announcement, 11 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:35.960 or really the story breaking on Twitter late yesterday afternoon. 12 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:39.119 Pete Thamil of The Athletic at it that Vince is 13 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:42.359 finalizing a deal with the University of Louisville and he 14 00:00:42.439 --> 00:00:44.719 was going to go on a Louisville radio station today 15 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:48.479 to talk about it, but had to cancel because U 16 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:51.200 OFL has to make it official and at that point 17 00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:55.280 he'll have a news conference, and I guarantee hope I 18 00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:57.079 can go, but there are going to be media people 19 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:00.280 from both cities who cover that, or if they don't, 20 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.560 they'll get the video and audio shipped over from their 21 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:07.560 sister stations in Louisville. Dear Vince Marrow talk about why 22 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:12.760 he's leaving his childhood buddy, Mark Stoops, who built this 23 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:16.840 program at Kentucky and Marrow his fingerprints are all over it, 24 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:21.640 and now leaving for the arch rival, both in ballgames 25 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:26.359 on the field once a year, but in recruiting every day. 26 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:29.840 And I hasten to say that, yeah, to Kentucky fans 27 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:34.760 and Louisville fans. Game day is probably the most important, 28 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:40.680 of course, but recruiting is even more vital. You got 29 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.000 to win the recruiting battles if you want to win 30 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:46.239 those games, not just against your arts rival, but every 31 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:51.840 Saturday during the season obviously. And when Brian Brohm, I'm sorry, 32 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:54.280 when Jeff Brom, Brian works for his brother, got the 33 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:58.640 job at Louisville, you could tell Mark Stoops, through a 34 00:01:58.680 --> 00:02:02.879 big smile, was kind of thinking, oh, because I remember 35 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:09.639 his predecessor, Brom's predecessor was struggling, and UK had its 36 00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:13.479 way with Louisville back then, well not now, and you 37 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.400 kind of saw that coming. Brom was successful at Purdue, 38 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:19.960 not easy and has of course you all know about 39 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:23.599 the bron pedigree in the city of Louisville, and he 40 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:25.560 got it done last year and they beat Louisville, or 41 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:28.120 they beat Kentucky last year. You know, the year before 42 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:31.240 they won ten games but lost to Kentucky. Wildcats played 43 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:34.199 a great game that day, not so much this past season. 44 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.680 So we'll talk to John Keith and Tom about Vince 45 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:42.639 Merrill and some of the other things coming up. Basketball 46 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:45.840 course will take an Oway. Brandon Garrison talked to us 47 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:49.280 today and we'll have a chance to share some of 48 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:53.159 those comments with Oway today. Garrison will probably hear from tomorrow. 49 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:55.280 And we're told we're going to be able to chat 50 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:58.319 with some of the players, especially the new players, all 51 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:00.680 year long or all summer long, I should say. So 52 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:04.240 that's great in this time of year when generally things 53 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.400 are kind of slow unless your team's in the College 54 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:11.120 World Series. Now, Kentucky was one went away from a 55 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:14.800 super Regional. It was disappointing, of course, the Wildcats blew 56 00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:20.159 those games against West Virginia even so, I didn't see 57 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:23.560 Kentucky getting out of the Lashoe Regional. Would have been 58 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:26.120 nice to see, though. That would have been great experience 59 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.120 for a guy like Tyler Bell, freshman who has been 60 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:34.159 named a Freshman All American, as you might expect, and 61 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:38.120 he is the future, the immediate future right now. Baseball 62 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:40.960 writers voted him. But as Aaron Gershan pointed out from 63 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:45.319 the cast, Boss, we were talking baseball last week, what's 64 00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:49.199 to stop other teams from raiding the Kentucky roster. That's 65 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:51.960 the way business is being done right now. And you know, 66 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.879 if they have money to spend, they will come after. 67 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:58.960 I gotta think first and foremost Tyler Bell, and they'll 68 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:02.039 come after Ben Cleaver, who has been voted as second 69 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:06.520 team All Regional Player left handed pitcher by the American 70 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:11.360 Baseball Coaches Association six and three on the year, ninety 71 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:16.480 two strikeouts in eighty three innings opposing hitters, a one 72 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:21.800 eighty five average against Ben Cleaver. So maybe he pitches 73 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:24.959 in Omaha next year. Maybe Tyler Bell helps his team 74 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:27.879 get there. It's going to be a fascinating World Series. 75 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:33.759 And I didn't realize this until Murray State finished up 76 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:37.959 knocking off Duke and the word got out. Although this 77 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.519 wouldn't have mattered, but for the first time since nineteen 78 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:46.720 fifty seven, none of the eight teams in the Men's 79 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:52.879 College World Series were there last year. None Arkansas eliminated Tennessee, 80 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:59.399 the defending champion, Kentucky eliminated by West Virginia. I mean, 81 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:01.759 there were four SEC teams last year, there were four 82 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:07.839 ACC teams. None of them got back to Omaha this year, 83 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:11.519 which is actually pretty cool when you think about it. 84 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:15.120 You know, new faces, new blood, kind of like that. 85 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:18.160 I'm kind of gonna root for I want to root 86 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:22.759 for Murray State, of course, but I'm gonna root after 87 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:28.800 that for Arkansas because they van are a pretty good dude, 88 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:33.079 and they blew on. They dropped a pop up that 89 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:36.000 would have given him the World Series championship a few 90 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:39.279 years ago. I do root for Murray State, obviously a 91 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.920 Kentucky team, only the fourth fourth seed ever to make 92 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:48.040 Omaha after winning the Missouri Valley Conference championship, then winning 93 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:53.040 the Oxford Regional not easy against Ole miss and then 94 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:55.759 winning at Durham. By the way, Duke's coach is now 95 00:05:55.759 --> 00:06:01.079 the new head coach at Virginia, so congrats to him. 96 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:06.759 There's a guy, a sports podcaster named Garrett Armbrust who 97 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:09.519 deals with college sports based in Knoxville. He tweeted this. 98 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:14.040 He said, Murray State, their own players tarped the field 99 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:18.360 at home games. Enrollment ninety nine hundred and forty one. 100 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:21.680 My nephew went to schooler by the way, four seed 101 00:06:21.720 --> 00:06:26.240 in the four seed in the regional and this was 102 00:06:26.360 --> 00:06:30.839 only the fourth NCAA tournament appearance for Murray State and 103 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:34.839 now our first trip to Omaha. Very cool. Another Kentucky 104 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.920 football note and this was I first saw this reported 105 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:41.360 by Aaron Gershaan of the Cat's Balls. Wilson Barry is 106 00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:43.600 coming back for his senior year. He was not with 107 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:46.600 the team in the spring, but he has been re 108 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:50.079 added to the roster. That's been confirmed by UK to 109 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:53.800 the Cats Balls. He of course is Australian. He has 110 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:56.720 been here since twenty twenty one after a career with 111 00:06:56.920 --> 00:07:00.839 Australian rules football. Only pointed four four times as the 112 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:05.199 freshman and then started the final four games of twenty 113 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:08.279 twenty two after remember Colin Goodfellow got hurt in that 114 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:11.600 Missouri game and Barry took over. Then he was a 115 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:15.800 full time starter in twenty three, started all thirteen games, 116 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:20.480 averaged thirty nine points seven yards per kick, ninth in 117 00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:25.240 the league, burying thirteen punts inside the twenty and had 118 00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:30.680 nine fifty plus yarders. Started the first five games last 119 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:35.680 year after beating Aiden Larros in fall camp, but then 120 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:40.439 he fell behind Larros on the depth chart. Remained the holder, 121 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:43.480 but was not there in the spring. But we'll be back, 122 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:48.680 according to Aaron, in the fall to compete with other 123 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:53.160 punters this year in the NFL. The Bengals and this 124 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:58.319 is not a surprise, after confirmed that Trey Hendrickson is 125 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:01.839 not attending mandatory minutes. He and the team are in 126 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:04.959 an impasse about his contract going into the final Gear 127 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:08.639 wants to raise from the sixteen million he is scheduled 128 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:11.480 to make this season. He will lose some money for 129 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:14.639 skipping mini camp. The Bengals will find him a total 130 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:18.600 of one hundred and five thousand dollars, but he's hoping 131 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:21.920 that it helps the team give him the kind of 132 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:25.240 long term deal he's looking for. Thirty years old, one 133 00:08:25.240 --> 00:08:28.319 of the best in the business, Pro Bowl all four years, 134 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:32.279 as seventeen and a half sacks each of the last 135 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:35.799 two seasons. They've told out all this money for receivers 136 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:39.240 and they're trying to protect Joe Burrow better. How do 137 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:41.960 you let this guy get away? I don't know anything 138 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:44.840 about their salary structures and all. I just know, if 139 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:47.600 you've got the best sack man in the league right now, 140 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:51.440 you do what you can to hang on to him. 141 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:54.639 But again, if he would rather play elsewhere, let me 142 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:56.960 tell you a little bit about Green Bay, Wisconsin, I'll 143 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:59.879 be happy to tell you. Coming up next, we will 144 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:03.519 revisit one of the greatest performances in sports history, and 145 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:07.279 for its particular sport, I think the greatest ever on 146 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:11.399 six thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big bullon Cider. 147 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:13.360 Coming up in just a few minutes, John Clay at 148 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:16.919 the Harold Leader. We'll talk about his impending retirement. Also 149 00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:19.840 Vince Merrill moving on, we'll get John's thoughts about that, 150 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.960 and we'll talk about that with Tom Leachs, the voice 151 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:25.759 of the Wildcats and our number two, and Keith Farmer 152 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:30.720 from BBN. Tonight quite the headline making story. I will 153 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:34.120 say that yesterday came and went, and I was so 154 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:36.399 busy doing other things that I missed the fact that 155 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:40.320 it was the anniversary of Secretariats winning the Belmont. And 156 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:43.320 it's not, you know, a ten, fifteen, twenty fifty year, 157 00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:46.440 but it was. It's always special to me. It's one 158 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:50.720 of the greatest performances in all of sport. From my money, 159 00:09:50.759 --> 00:09:56.799 it's the single greatest performance in thoroughbred racing history because 160 00:09:57.000 --> 00:10:01.159 for one thing, Secretariat wins the Triple Crown a mile 161 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:05.639 and a half distance and breaks the American dirt track 162 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:10.440 record by more than two seconds. I mean, a fifth 163 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:16.080 of a second is impressive. Anything beyond that is unbelievable, 164 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:18.559 and I don't know that that record's ever going to 165 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:20.360 be broken. And if you're a fan at all, even 166 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:24.320 a casual fan, you know Secretary had won the Triple Crown, 167 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:30.679 breaking the track record each time, set the record for 168 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:33.879 the Derby one f nine and two fifths. Only a 169 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:37.799 couple other horses have come even close to that, and 170 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:40.799 then set the record at Preakedness at Pimlico, although they 171 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:44.320 screwed up the clock and it was unofficial for many, 172 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:46.879 many years, and they finally did what so many of 173 00:10:46.919 --> 00:10:50.080 us were screaming to do, and that's go back, use 174 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:53.480 the video and digitally figure out what the time of 175 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:56.639 the race was. And they did, and now the race 176 00:10:56.840 --> 00:11:01.960 time is official. Secretariat owns the Freakness record and of 177 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:05.360 course the Bellmont record when he wins by twenty five lengths, 178 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:08.720 and again, even if you're a casual fan, you know 179 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:10.840 what that video looks like. You know what the photo 180 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:13.840 looks like. It's one of the greatest photos ever because 181 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:19.639 it's Ron Turcott nearing the finish line, looking back under 182 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:22.200 one of his arms. That's the way riders would would 183 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:25.559 peek back and see where the other guys were. And 184 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:28.759 I wonder if if he can see the other horses 185 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:33.879 because they were so far behind. And I've talked about 186 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.919 this on the show proudly. I will do it again 187 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:39.799 at some point. But when Kentucky in twenty fourteen, the 188 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:43.559 fourteen to fifteen season, the team that nearly went undefeated 189 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:47.759 in college basketball, do you want remember the UCLA game 190 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:49.840 when I think Kentucky was up like forty one to 191 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:53.480 seven or nine or something at the half, just completely 192 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:58.720 obliterated UCLA up in Chicago. And during the first half 193 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:01.919 it was such a route that we were running out 194 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:04.919 of things to tweet. And I was sitting next to 195 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:07.440 Brian Milin from wdkyt and he and I can get 196 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:09.279 silly at times, and we were having a big time 197 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:12.679 just talking about how bad this game was for UCLA 198 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:17.279 and how good Kentucky looks so at halftime, I pulled 199 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:21.440 up a photo, a copy of that photo, and I tweeted, 200 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:25.559 now UCLA knows what the rest of the field felt 201 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:30.200 like in the nineteen seventy three Belmont and said something 202 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:35.399 about secretariat. And I found out later on that ESPN 203 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:41.159 used that tweet in its game story coverage of the 204 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:44.440 Kentucky win over UCLA and the six o'clock edition of 205 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:47.080 Sports Center. I never got to see it. If those 206 00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:49.600 shows were archived, they couldn't find it, but more than 207 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:52.279 one person told me I was very proud about that. 208 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:55.639 But again, if you're a racing fan, you can quote 209 00:12:56.759 --> 00:13:00.879 that particular call was by Chick Anderson. CBS owned the 210 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:04.480 rights to the Belmont TV and radio. He was their guy. 211 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:09.480 And I've talked before about sports catchers and what we 212 00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:13.360 want to do on the air. I can't say that 213 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:16.039 sports catchers never root for the teams they cover. Yes, 214 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:19.440 many of them are big time homers. They say we, 215 00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:22.639 they say they. I do not. I came up under 216 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:27.720 Kable Lefford, he did not. But you just try to 217 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:30.159 give an honest account. But what you want going in 218 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:34.080 is you want something cool, you want something engaging, you 219 00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:37.879 want a good game. And win or lose. You want 220 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:43.000 a good game, something that either is so incredible or 221 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:46.519 goes down to the final seconds or both. Well for 222 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:50.600 Chick Anderson, you know, this was not a neck and 223 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:55.279 neck finish. And there have been many of those, and 224 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:57.600 a lot of racing announcers have done a great job 225 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:01.120 of those calls. But this was an absolutely route. This 226 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:04.399 was the biggest route when you talk about important the 227 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:06.919 race was in the history of thirdbred racing. And nobody 228 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:12.159 saw it coming because Sham had run well against Secretariat 229 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:15.799 and the Derby and the Preakness, and on this day, 230 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:18.960 Sham was hanging with Secretariat through the first half mile. 231 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:22.200 Really through the first three quarters there's only a five 232 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:26.639 horse field, but at three quarters of a mile, that's 233 00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:30.600 when Secretariat hit the gas and started to pull away. 234 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:35.919 And I don't know how where most race horses are. 235 00:14:36.039 --> 00:14:38.559 I've got to think because the best horses I think 236 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:43.519 are intelligent. Most race horses are not. They're highly strung, 237 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:47.039 they're so purely bred. A lot of them are just idiots. 238 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:51.639 But Secretariat was really intelligent, and a lot of these 239 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:54.240 great horses I believe are, and I believe Sham was. 240 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:59.679 Sham was a good race horse. But I firmly believe 241 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:04.639 that when Sham saw Secretariats start to make his move, 242 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:09.440 He's thought, to hell with this and just quit running. 243 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:12.480 I don't believe. Maybe down the stretch the rider put 244 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:16.080 him away. But from so I've read somewhere Secretary Hat 245 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.840 broke Sham's heart. That may be true. But Sham and 246 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.080 these horses know each other. They really do the smart 247 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:25.440 ones do. And I firmly believe that Sham's like, Nope, 248 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:28.440 I'm not doing it today. I'm done. It's hot, I'm 249 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:32.480 up here in New York in June. I'm simplifying. But 250 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:35.320 he shut it down. That's why he was at the 251 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.720 back of the pack when Secretariat hit the finish line. 252 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:40.039 But this is what it sounded like. Go to see 253 00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:45.200 CBS Radio Sports and CBSTV Chick Anderson's famous call of 254 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:50.120 the stretch run for Secretariots Belmont back in nineteen seventy three. 255 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:54.399 He's going into the turn, Secretariat holding onto a large lead. 256 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:57.080 Sham a second and then it's a long way back 257 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:58.039 to my gullon. 258 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:01.120 And twice a month they're on the turn that Secretariat 259 00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:03.200 is blazing alone the first. 260 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:04.879 Three quarters of a mile at one O nine and 261 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:09.000 four pens. Secretariat is lightening now, he is booming like 262 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:16.000 a tremendous machine. Secretariat by cloth, Secretariat by fourteen lengths. 263 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:16.679 On the turn. 264 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:19.879 Sham is dropping back. It looks like they'll catch him 265 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:23.039 today as my ballot and twice the Prince are both coming. 266 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:23.440 Up to him now. 267 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:25.639 But Secretariat is all alone. 268 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:28.279 He's out there almost the sixteenth of a mile away 269 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:29.039 from the rest. 270 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:32.279 Of the houses. Secretariat is in a precision that's in 271 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:33.480 compositive account. 272 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:37.320 He's into the steps. Secretariat leads his feel by eighteen 273 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:39.639 lengths and now twice a Princes. 274 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:40.080 Take him second. 275 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:41.919 The black gallop has moved. 276 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:42.320 Down the third. 277 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:43.679 They're in the steps. 278 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:47.279 Secretariat has opened the twenty keen length leaves. 279 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:50.320 He is trying to be the triple crown winner. 280 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:55.279 Here turn Secretariat from the wire and ibelievable, an amazing performance. 281 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:58.679 He hits the face twenty five lengths from black. 282 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:00.200 It's going to be quite. 283 00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:04.559 Third amazing. I wish i'd been there. I've been to 284 00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:06.519 the Belmont three or four times. I was not at 285 00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:08.240 that when I was a high school or just graduated 286 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:12.599 high school, frankly, and I would love to be sitting 287 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:16.119 on one of those tickets, because so many people have 288 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:21.279 win tickets from that Belmont that they never cashed. I mean, 289 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:26.400 clearly they're priceless. If you cash it, you win ten cents. 290 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:30.519 The winter the winning ticket was two dollars and ten cents. 291 00:17:31.079 --> 00:17:35.440 I mean, that's how big a favorite Secretariat was. But 292 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:38.720 I just get so excited whenever I see that, whenever 293 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:43.119 I hear that. And it happened in nineteen seventy three, 294 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:48.440 yesterday June ninth, seventy three. And this year's Belmont was 295 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:51.200 a great race. It really was. I don't know that 296 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:56.640 any race will ever match secretariats, and I'm happy to 297 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:59.240 say I got to go see Secretariat after he retired 298 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:03.000 more than a year later. Tried to reach out and 299 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:05.319 pet him. He was in a stall, like an idiot 300 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:08.480 that I am. I mean, a horse right off the racetrack, 301 00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:11.799 very fractious, and he almost bit me. I kind of 302 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:13.559 wish I'd let him. I'm sure it would have hurt, 303 00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:15.160 might have lost a finger, but what a hell of 304 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:17.200 a story I would have had. All right Up next, 305 00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:19.880 John Clay at the Hair Leader on six thirty wlap, 306 00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:23.839 Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Joining now celebrity hoighline, 307 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:26.440 he's a celebrity for a little while longer. John Clay 308 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:30.000 the Hair Leader, a long time sports writer columnist, announcing 309 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:34.920 his retirement. John, Congratulations. I remember when Rob Bromley stepped out. 310 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:39.279 I remember when I left KYT, people would tell you you'll 311 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:41.319 know when it's time. Was that the case with you? 312 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:42.920 Yeah? 313 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:45.799 I mean I went into this, uh at this season, 314 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:48.680 this past football and basketball season, thinking this might be it. 315 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:51.839 And then by the end of the end of the year, 316 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:53.799 at you know, the end of the season, I'd made 317 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.799 up my mind that, yeah, that I that it was 318 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:58.720 time for me to time for me to go. You know, 319 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:00.920 forty four years at the paper, for twenty five years 320 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:06.119 of sports columnists. Enjoyed every minute of it, ups and 321 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:09.839 downs and whatever. But you know, feel very lucky to 322 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:12.079 have the job that I had. But you know, I 323 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:15.079 feel like it's time let somebody else have a crack 324 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:15.599 at it. 325 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:19.920 Was there one element in particular, one one factor that 326 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:24.000 pushed you in that direction, No. 327 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:28.359 Not necessarily. I have three grandchildren now, so that probably 328 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:30.640 played a role in it as well. And you know, 329 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:33.799 I'm knock good, I'm in pretty good health, and I'm 330 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:36.559 sixty six years old, and I feel like you know 331 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:41.279 better to you know better to you know, to do 332 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:44.119 what my wife and I want to do, better to 333 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:48.480 get out now and you know, and I feel very 334 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:51.519 lucky to have survived all the changes that have happened 335 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:54.000 over the years, and in the media business and in 336 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:57.119 the newspaper business in particular. So I just felt like 337 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.079 it was a good time for me to call it 338 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:02.519 col It's I may keep writing, I may not. I 339 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:05.480 don't know. I'm gonna kind of see what happens once 340 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:08.400 how I feel once football were uh rolls around, But 341 00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:09.920 it won't be a job if I do it is, 342 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:11.720 if I keep writing, it will be more of a 343 00:20:11.799 --> 00:20:13.240 hobby instead of a job. 344 00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:14.119 You know. 345 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:17.119 And it's interesting because you have a job that has 346 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:21.119 required you, excuse me, to travel so much. People when 347 00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:24.000 they retire, I want to travel now. I got to 348 00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:26.119 think just the thought John, of packing and going to 349 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:28.960 an airport makes you a little queasy. But when you 350 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:30.640 can do it on your own terms. 351 00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:33.720 Right right, right, Yeah, it's different. You know, maybe go 352 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:35.599 go to places that they didn't get to travel to. 353 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:39.079 My wife and I, you know, during the during and 354 00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:41.359 you know, for the most part, I enjoyed the travel. 355 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.559 But obviously the older you get, the more you know 356 00:20:43.640 --> 00:20:46.240 taxing it is. I don't recover like I used to. 357 00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:46.759 I used to. 358 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:48.920 You know, you go on a trip, uh, you know, 359 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.160 a road trip, cover a game. A lot of times 360 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:52.559 when my kids were a little I tried to take 361 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:55.559 the first flight out the next day, how much asleep 362 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:57.839 I get to, you know, come back and see my 363 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.359 kids and help my wife. But uh, you know, you 364 00:21:00.440 --> 00:21:02.559 feel okay the next day, but it might take now 365 00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:06.359 a couple of days before I feel not, you know, 366 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:11.000 I get over that travel lag or whatever. So but no, 367 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:13.599 I mean, like I said, I enjoyed. I enjoyed all 368 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:15.920 of it. I feel very lucky to have gotten a 369 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:18.359 job at the hair Leader right out of school and 370 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:20.559 to be there all that time, and to write about 371 00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:23.279 the things that what I said in John Hale's story. 372 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.440 To be able to write about, you know, the teams 373 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:28.359 that I follow growing up, and do it in my 374 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:30.960 hometown or close to my home area, you know, it 375 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.920 has really been a blessing. 376 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:35.440 Like a ballplayer who played for just one team, you know, 377 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:40.359 y Mantle, and you know, not very many. We talked 378 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:45.440 in the past about how you transition from beat writer. Well, 379 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:47.839 generally you were an all around writer, you've got the 380 00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:51.640 UK Beat. Now you're a columnist and that job is different. 381 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:54.799 And sadly, so many people who still read the papers 382 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:59.519 didn't really understand what a columnist job was. He's so 383 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:01.839 by as you know, he's supposed to be objective, but no, 384 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:06.039 not a columnist. But how do you approach that job, John? 385 00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:08.240 And what was? What did you believe your mission to 386 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:09.359 be as a columnist? 387 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:13.039 Well, I think my mission and commist is to let 388 00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:17.759 the readers, you know, know, what how I thought about things, 389 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:20.799 Not always an opinion, but maybe a point of view 390 00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:24.240 about something. I mean, that's what a colmist, uh is 391 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:26.279 allowed to do. Like you said, a beat writers supposed 392 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:28.839 to be more objective and more here are the facts 393 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:31.960 where the commists may present his opinion on the facts. 394 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:34.039 And the one thing I wanted, you know, I wanted 395 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:37.720 to do is that this is how I feel and 396 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:40.319 you I may you may agree with me, you may 397 00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:43.279 disagree with me, but at least I hope that i'm 398 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:45.720 you know, understand my point of view, that I'm being fair. 399 00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:49.160 I was wrong about a lot of things, a lot 400 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.559 of things, Uh, I was I say this all the time. 401 00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:53.079