WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:02.480 Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:04.639 you on a Thursday edition of our show. It will 3 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:07.480 be an abbreviated edition because we're gonna make way for 4 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:10.960 Darren Hedrick in UK women's basketball coming up at six 5 00:00:11.080 --> 00:00:14.640 forty five pre game seven pm the Wildcats and Texas 6 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:16.600 A and M. The UK men, as you know, take 7 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.800 on Vanderbilt Saturday at two thirty. You'll hear that game 8 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:23.079 right here on six point thirty WLAP as Mark Pope 9 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:25.760 and his team try to keep base in a crazy 10 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:30.280 Southeastern conference. And what a wild night last night it was. 11 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:32.159 I don't know if you got to see it. We 12 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:34.960 watched use playing cards as usual on a Wednesday with 13 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:40.840 my friends. We had an eye on that Arkansas Georgia game. 14 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:45.679 Calliperri wins one. How about that do Thierio hitting the 15 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:48.200 winning free throws at the end, And in fact I 16 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:51.000 hit one, missed the second Georgia. They only had it 17 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:54.000 like one and a half seconds left. They had no 18 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:58.119 shot Georgia head of winning that game of trying to 19 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:00.240 pull off a missed free throw. So they stood there 20 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:03.119 and Thierro grabs the rebound and lays it in, ends 21 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:07.439 up being a three point margin, but Florida comes all 22 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:11.120 the way back from double digits down and beats South 23 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:16.040 Carolina in Columbia, leading only for the last four seconds 24 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:18.640 of the game. Texas A and M comes all the 25 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.760 way back, hits a three pointer at the buzzer to 26 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:26.040 beat Ole Miss sixty three to sixty two, and Peter 27 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:31.319 Burns of the SECRE posted a great stat online. Georgia, 28 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.079 South Carolina and Ole Miss led for a total of 29 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:36.959 one hundred and fourteen I'm sorry, one hundred and nineteen 30 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:40.400 minutes and fourteen seconds out of one hundred and twenty 31 00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:46.159 total against Florida's Texas A and M and Arkansas, and 32 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:51.480 all three of them lost. Can you imagine losing like that? 33 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:58.000 So just incredible come from behind wins and give Caliperry 34 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.120 credit without his best player. We talked about it my 35 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:03.439 buddies in me prior to the game. You know, do 36 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:06.040 they have any shot? I said no against Georgia, not 37 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:11.080 with that boogie, but everybody else just sort of do 38 00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:14.800 they like to say, stepped up and maybe minus boogie 39 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:19.439 the other team. Georgia didn't quite know how clearly Arkansas 40 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:21.280 would react, but it was a grinder of a game 41 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:25.400 obviously with that kind of score. At least Cali Perry's 42 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:27.319 got that monkey off his back. And yeah, I'm gonna 43 00:02:27.319 --> 00:02:30.560 mention Cali Perry why I'm not obsessed with watching him. 44 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:33.639 I don't care if he fails to succeeds. But it's 45 00:02:33.639 --> 00:02:37.919 a story in the SEC. It's one of the art 46 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.520 rivals for Kentucky. It's the brand new, high profile coach 47 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:44.960 rebuilding the program. The way Mark Pope has done not 48 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:47.599 quite as big a challenge because he did have I 49 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:51.599 think a couple players but similar and really the bigger 50 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:54.879 story was how badly they've played. They've they've stunk it 51 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:59.479 up up until now. So he finally wins one in 52 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:02.680 a weird ways. So Wildcats have to make sure they 53 00:03:02.759 --> 00:03:05.680 don't have that happened down in Nashville. I don't think 54 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:09.080 they will because I like what Mark Pope is doing 55 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:13.960 right now and in some corners he is getting mentioned 56 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:17.719 or midseason I should say for Coach of the Year honors, 57 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:21.319 and he should be mentioned. However you feel about the award, 58 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:24.199 his name should be in the mix. In fact, Gary 59 00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:28.639 Parrish for cbsports dot Com in a show he had 60 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:31.039 the other day with the four to three of his colleagues. 61 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:35.639 He unveiled his top three candidates number three John Shire 62 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:40.159 of Duke, number two, Bruce Pearl of Auburn, and then 63 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:41.400 came number one. 64 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:43.599 At number one. I've got Mark Pope at Kentucky. And 65 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:47.319 again you can argue John, Bruce Pearl other people as well, 66 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:49.520 but I just love the story. At Kentucky. He was 67 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:52.240 not their first choice to replace John Caliperry, but he's 68 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:55.599 been a perfect choice fourteen and four this season. He's 69 00:03:55.639 --> 00:03:58.319 re engaged a fan base, he's got a legitimate Final 70 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:01.719 four contender. Yes, other first year coaches around the country 71 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:04.840 doing great work. Pat Kelsey at Louisville, Darren de Freeze 72 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:07.719 at West Virginia, but nobody's doing more than Mark Pope 73 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:09.840 at Kentucky right now. He would be my National Coach 74 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:10.199 of the year. 75 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:12.439 Hard to argue, but there's always an argument. And Wally 76 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:16.560 Zerbiak was on the panel and he said, yeah, that's fine. 77 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:19.600 The other guys, that's great, but he mentioned Pat Kelsey 78 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:22.879 and you have to mention Kelsey in the same breath 79 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:26.639 because well, you know what was going on with Louisville 80 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:31.879 basketball when Kelsey took over and the job he's done 81 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:36.560 is remarkable, and he had to rebuild a roster just 82 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:39.240 like Mark Pope did, who had a tougher job. That's 83 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:42.120 hard to say. I know I'm biased, but I would 84 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:45.120 vote for Pope simply because when you talk about what 85 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:50.000 his team has accomplished, I think strength to schedule plays 86 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:52.120 in here. So I think some of the wins for 87 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:55.160 the Wildcats and how tough the SEC is this year, 88 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:58.120 I think that factors in. Now, some of the panel 89 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:01.560 members kind of dismissed fact, Well, you know, Duke's got 90 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:05.160 these great players, and you know they're not crazy about Pearl. 91 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:09.720 But as Parish pointed out, this award should take into 92 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:14.519 consideration putting the teams together, recruiting, developing, and then winning 93 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:18.160 on the floor. So you can't argue with Duke, you 94 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:22.040 can't argue with Auburn with Bruce Pearl, and certainly you 95 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:26.279 cannot argue with Kelsey. But I thought it was interesting 96 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:30.160 that Gary Parrish at this point says it's Mark Pope 97 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:32.959 and we'll see it could change, could change by next week. 98 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:36.959 Mark Pope already has a pretty good recruiting class put together, 99 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:41.040 as you know, including Malachi Marino and Jasper Johnson. Maybe 100 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:45.199 it gets better later tonight. I mean later tonight, which 101 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:48.399 is when we're gonna hear apparently about the five star 102 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:52.240 recruit Caleb Wilson. Now, a lot of the experts are 103 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:55.240 saying this kid's gonna go to North Carolina. But the 104 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:58.079 fact that Kentucky's in the mix along with Ohio State 105 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:02.759 is good news for Wildcat fans because for the longest time, 106 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:09.120 Kentucky wasn't in the picture. But Katen lewis signing or 107 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:13.519 committing at least perhaps brought Wilson a little closer to 108 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:17.120 Mark Pope and his program two four seven Sports. Travis 109 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:20.680 Branham and his Crystal Ball is saying that it will 110 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:24.720 be North Carolina. We will not hear about this until 111 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:30.360 after tonight's Celtics Lakers game on TNT, So either stay 112 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:32.759 up late or check it first thing in the morning. 113 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:36.160 Probably North Carolina, but the Cats are in the mix. 114 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:38.279 And what Carolina could use him right now? I know 115 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:42.120 everybody could use him. Really, he's that good. He said 116 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:45.920 he likes Kentucky's style. He said he likes the spacing. Said, 117 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:47.839 I'm a guy who can shoot, but I can also 118 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:50.480 get to the rim. And he wants to be able 119 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:53.839 to show off his entire skill set and says Kentucky's 120 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:56.439 a place he could do that, and likes the fact 121 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.680 that Mark Pope is friendly. Of course, all recruiters are friendly, 122 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:03.399 but I think he probably knows that Pope is the 123 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:06.040 real deal. And I'm not knocking Hubert Davis or anybody, 124 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:08.879 but this is just one of the things that has 125 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:13.480 made Caleb Wilson keep Kentucky in his list of final school. So, 126 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:16.480 like I said, we'll find out late tonight. We'll talk 127 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:19.439 about it tomorrow night right here. Up next, the passing 128 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:23.720 of a great Kentucky iconic high school football coach and 129 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:26.399 a big anniversary for yours truly as well. A little 130 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:32.800 later later from Kenny Brooks on six thirty WLAP Welcome 131 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:34.920 back to the Big Blue and Sider. Coming up at 132 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:39.199 six forty five pregame coverage of Kentucky basketball the women 133 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:42.199 taking on Texas A and M down in College Station, 134 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:45.160 and Darren Hedrick will have a call for you right here. 135 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:48.120 Pregame at six forty five, tip off at seven o'clock. 136 00:07:48.120 --> 00:07:52.120 It's the Wildcats look to stay perfect in Southeastern Conference play. 137 00:07:52.199 --> 00:07:56.600 There five and zero and sixteen and one overall, so 138 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:58.759 it's going to be important for the Wildcats to win 139 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:01.560 another one on the road. It always is. We'll have 140 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:04.800 it for you right here. A couple of personal notes. 141 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:09.759 I did not know Philip Haywood, but I certainly knew 142 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:13.600 of his work. He of course, is the guy who 143 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:16.639 was the Belfrey head football coach for the longest time, 144 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:21.480 and sadly he died this week after from injuries he 145 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:24.839 suffered in a serious crash Saturday morning. They took him 146 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:28.120 to the UK hospital and he passed on Wednesday afternoon. 147 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:32.799 He is the winningest high school football coach in Kentucky history. 148 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:36.440 Brian Milin texted me yesterday that Heywood had died from 149 00:08:36.440 --> 00:08:42.000 his injuries. But just what a remarkable story. He comes 150 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:46.679 to Belfrey in nineteen eighty four and settled in for 151 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:52.919 forty one seasons with the Pirates. It took a little while, 152 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:55.399 but he got him to their first ever state title 153 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:59.879 in Class two A in twenty three. All right after that, 154 00:09:00.440 --> 00:09:04.919 seven more state titles in four and then what a 155 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:11.840 run thirteen, fourteen, twenty fifteen, sixteen, nineteen and twenty one. 156 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.639 In twenty thirteen, USA Today voted to him the best 157 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:23.279 high school football coach in America. Just phenomenal and just 158 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:26.840 a real tragedy that he's taken. At this point, wrote 159 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:29.600 a couple of books, one called Faith, Family and Football. 160 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:36.159 The second was called Climb the Mountain, and the people 161 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:40.960 who have chimed in about him on social media just remarkable. 162 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:45.440 WSAZ and Huntington did a sit down interview with him 163 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.240 a few years ago, and one of the questions is 164 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:52.799 why so long at Belfrey. I mean, forty one years. 165 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:56.000 It's a long time to stay in anyone spot, especially 166 00:09:56.039 --> 00:09:57.840 for a coach. And he talked about how it just 167 00:09:57.879 --> 00:09:58.399 felt right. 168 00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:01.480 Sometimes you walk into comunity, which I did in nineteen 169 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:04.679 eighty four, and it just kind of fits like a glove, 170 00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:08.679 and this one fit me, just this character of the people, 171 00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:13.600 of the blue collar work ethic, attitude, the community itself 172 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:16.759 as well as the school and of course the football program. 173 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:19.440 And I said, I don't think I'm going to find 174 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:21.960 this anywhere else, and that's why I've been here as 175 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:22.519 long as I have. 176 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:25.759 And as I mentioned, it took a little while to 177 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:29.240 become a real powerhouse. But after a while there it 178 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:32.320 was just a given that Belfy would be in the 179 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:35.879 playoffs and be the favorite to win the state championship. 180 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:39.960 So just an incredible job he did. And generally when 181 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:44.360 coaches like that are successful and stay in one place 182 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:49.519 for quite a while, they begin to emerge as these 183 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:54.559 characters with this great wisdom, you know, this great advice. 184 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:58.240 And why not because they are successful and when they 185 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:01.200 think about what it's take to get there and they 186 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:04.120 just reflect on it and they share their thoughts and 187 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:07.679 opinions with you, and yeah, hey, it works for them. 188 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:12.080 But generally it's fairly simple. And he also talked to 189 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.360 w Sez a little bit about his philosophy on handle 190 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:17.559 how to handle kids and coaching. 191 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:21.120 The most important things to me are about players caring 192 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.919 for each other, doing the right thing, being able to 193 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:27.600 put someone above yourself. And we've always had that at Belfry. 194 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:30.840 We've always had young men that are very loyal to 195 00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:34.480 each other, very loyal to the program, and willing to 196 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:38.720 put their own personal gains aside for the betterment of 197 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:40.639 the team. And when you can do that, you always 198 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:42.080 have a chance for success. 199 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:45.200 Yep, check your ego at the door. And the best 200 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:50.039 teams do that and they take joy in winning for 201 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:53.279 each other and seeing their teammates happy when they're only 202 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:56.600 interested in their own personal joy and happiness. Then that's 203 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:59.159 when you run into problems. So I don't know how 204 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:01.120 long it took him, And again I never got a 205 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.120 chance to Sinamua man, But how long it took him 206 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:07.960 to instill that sort of value system at Belfrey, I 207 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:12.559 can't imagine it took very long, because again, he got 208 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:15.799 there in eighty four, didn't start winning state championships for 209 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:19.440 a while, but they became successful and he was much 210 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:24.320 beloved in that community. And he will be missed, there's 211 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:27.480 no question about that. But just the tragic losses. Philip 212 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:33.480 Haywood dies on Wednesday, and that's a big that's a 213 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:37.159 big hole in that community. On a happier note, and 214 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:39.960 again a personal note coming up, and I wrote about 215 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:45.240 this on Facebook today. Coming up, during the South Carolina 216 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:49.600 Kentucky men's game next month, the nineteen seventy four to 217 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:52.440 seventy five team will be recognized. That's the team that 218 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:55.879 went to the Final four, beat Bob Knight's undefeated Indiana 219 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:59.639 team and went to the Final four in nineteen seventy five. 220 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:02.480 As a student at UK, covered that team for the 221 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:05.799 Kentucky Colonel. I was there in Dayton when they pulled 222 00:13:05.799 --> 00:13:09.080 off that upset of Indiana. Talked to Jack Gibbons about 223 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:11.360 it on the air the other day. Amazing, it's been 224 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:17.440 fifty years, my gosh since that team comprised of a 225 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:22.039 really great senior class of Jimmie and Connor and Kevin 226 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:25.120 Greevy and Jerry Hale. Had Jerry on talking about it 227 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:28.759 the other night as well, Mike Flynn, Bob guy They 228 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:32.559 were the Super Kittens, Bob Guyett. They I think were 229 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:36.080 originally a class of seven. Joe Hall went out and 230 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:39.799 landed when he was recruiting for Adolf Rupp, and then 231 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:43.840 they played their varsity careers under Joe b They were 232 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:48.440 his first varsity team. They couldn't play as freshmen, but 233 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:50.960 the Super Kittens and again Jerry was talking about this 234 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:55.840 the other night could beat the varsity and they had 235 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:58.679 freshman games. They played a freshman schedule. They were undefeated. 236 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:01.960 They're the best freshman team team in the country and 237 00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:05.360 so they were expected to win multiple national titles after that. Well, 238 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:09.440 they won the SEC as sophomores, but they fell short 239 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:12.039 in the NCAA tournament. They lost to Indiana in the 240 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:14.559 second round. It was the Mid East Region finals. There 241 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:17.240 weren't sixty four teams that year, so they just needed 242 00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:20.000 to win two games to get to the Final four, 243 00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:23.759 but they lost to IU down in Nashville. Quinn Buckner 244 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:27.919 and Steve Downing both had double doubles for Indiana. Jim 245 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:30.360 Andrews had a huge game and what turned out to 246 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:34.320 be his finale for Joe B and the Wildcats. Jim 247 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:38.039 had twenty three to ten in that game, but the 248 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:40.559 Wildcats only got to the free throw line believe it 249 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:45.240 or not against that rugged Indiana defense four times. Kentucky 250 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:48.759 three of four from the line. That's it. Indiana was 251 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:51.840 ten to fourteen. I didn't see the game, don't remember 252 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:55.840 much about it except reading about it, but Kentucky was 253 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:59.399 down thirteen at the half and came back but ended 254 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:02.919 up losing seven. So going into the following year, we're 255 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:05.960 all thinking, well, you know, they'll they'll be contenders again. 256 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:11.519 But Jim Andrews moves on and Joe B was not 257 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:14.279 really able. Jim Andrews is a great player, averaged a 258 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:18.360 double double, underrated finally got into the UK Hall of Fame, 259 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:23.279 but Kentucky didn't have anybody that good to put in 260 00:15:23.320 --> 00:15:28.360 the middle coming up after jim So Bob Guyett, a 261 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:32.879 power forward, ends up playing in the middle for Joe B. 262 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:35.799 And Bob was six seven six ' eight, not a 263 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:39.679 classic post player back then, and that meant Jimmy dan 264 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:42.240 Connor had to play power forward at six foot three 265 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:46.000 six foot four. So this was a small UK team 266 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:49.320 and it cost the wildcit They were thirteen and thirteen, 267 00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:52.799 Joe B's second year and everybody wanted to get rid 268 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.480 of him. So what does he do. He goes out 269 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:57.799 and recruit size three guys who were six ' ten 270 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:00.879 six ' eleven and Rick Roby, Mike Phillips and a 271 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:04.080 guy named Danny Hall who later a transfer, as well 272 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:08.519 as two kids from Lection and named Jack Gibbons and 273 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:12.919 James Lee. So you add those guys to the seventy 274 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:15.960 four to seventy five team and now with Roby in 275 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:18.679 the middle and or Phillips in the middle and Bob 276 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:23.159 now playing power forward and Jimmy Dann playing the point 277 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:28.720 guard spot basically with Mike Flynn alongside. It was a 278 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:33.320 really good shooter and a really really good defender. That 279 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:38.320 was a fun team and nobody thought though they'd get 280 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.720 to the Final four, because well, they drew in against Indiana, 281 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:46.360 an undefeated team that had beaten Kentucky by twenty four 282 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:49.440 points early in the year. But you know by now 283 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:51.320 what happened. They pulled off the upset, they go to 284 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:58.519 the Final four, they lost to UCLA in the championship game. Well, 285 00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:02.360 that year, that spring of the seventy four to seventy 286 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:08.359 five team is when I stumbled into broadcasting because I 287 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:11.960 was at a game working for the Colonel, sitting in 288 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:15.400 the end zone at my press table seat where I 289 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:19.000 usually sat next to WBKY, which was the campus station, 290 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:22.160 and they would broadcast the games, at least I thought 291 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:24.720 they were. They had equipment there in an announcer, playboy, 292 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:29.720 play guy, and they can't do it now. But back then, 293 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:33.000 the contracts stated and Jim Host made this happen, that 294 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:38.079 the campus station could broadcast games and help develop young announcers. 295 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:42.119 Tom Hammond did it for that station, Keith Elkins did 296 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:45.160 it for that station, several people, Paul Rodgers now the 297 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:50.440 voice of the u OFL Radio network. And one night 298 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:52.680 I look up and they're not broadcasting. It's just the 299 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:58.119 station manager, Don Wheeler, sitting there by himself, and I said, 300 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:01.160 not doing the game tonight? He said, no, I lost 301 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:04.680 my announcer and I was just looking straight ahead watching 302 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:06.680 the game, and I just kind of muttered, you know, 303 00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:08.920 I've always wanted to try something like that or words 304 00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:12.200 to that effect, and he's like, call me. So I did, 305 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:17.759 and I auditioned a week or two later, and wouldn't 306 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:19.440 you know, I got the job. He said, all right, 307 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:24.319 next year, you'll be our guy, one of them at least, 308 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.240 and I, along with the guy who turned out to 309 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:28.000 be a close friend named Mike Connley, He and I 310 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:32.160 broadcast every home game for the next three years, football 311 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:38.000 and basketball, and Don was so happy with us that 312 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:40.960 he looked for other opportunities for us, and we actually 313 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:45.240 broadcast I think three or four high school football games. 314 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:48.319 When UK was on the road, we would do a 315 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.799 high school game that week. And in fact, at one point, 316 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:53.720 I think it was Lafayette played a game at oak Ridge, Tennessee, 317 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:56.880 and we went and did the game, did a game 318 00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:02.119 in Danville, I think in Somerset. Our senior year is 319 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:05.359 when Kentucky went to the Final Four again when they 320 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:09.519 beat Duke behind Jack Gibbons. And because the games were 321 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:13.160 relatively close to lexing in Knoxville, Dayton and Saint Louis. 322 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:17.200 We did the games. I broadcast the final four in 323 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:20.720 nineteen seventy. Nobody listened, of course, they were all listening 324 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:23.640 to k Wood. They had a very modest audience, but hey, 325 00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:26.079 you talk about great experience. And that's how I ended 326 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:29.599 up in broadcasting and non newspapers. It was coming out 327 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:32.279 of school. I thought I'd be a newspaper guy and 328 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:35.119 had some offers, but also had an offer to be 329 00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:39.480 the sports director WVLK across Town. Took that job, wound 330 00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:41.920 up on the UK network and here we are. I'm 331 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:45.119 the longest tenured member of the UK Radio network. But 332 00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:49.519 that all happened fifty years ago, stumbling into a broadcasting 333 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:52.599 career which has led me right here to my garage 334 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:56.279 and the Big Blue Insider. We'll talk about UK women's 335 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:59.480 basketball next on six point thirty WLAP Welcome back to 336 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:01.839 the Big Blue the Cider final segment of our program, 337 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:03.759 as we're gonna make way for Darren Hedrick in his 338 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:08.319 pregame coverage of Kentucky women's basketball. The Wildcats tonight are 339 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:12.440 in College Station Texas to take on Texas A and M. 340 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:16.079 You'd think the Wildcats would be favored in this game, 341 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:19.680 because Kentucky is, you know, still undefeated in conference play 342 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:21.440 at five and oh, just a half game back of 343 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:24.559 mighty South Carolina, which is six and o. LSU likewise 344 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:27.559 is five and oh A and M middle of the 345 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:30.119 pack nine and eight right now two and three in 346 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:33.839 SEC play. But the Aggies are coming off a win. 347 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:37.240 They beat a Georgia team that is not great. Kentucky 348 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:39.880 destroyed Georgia the other night, but A and M beat 349 00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:43.039 Georgia last time out. Prior to that, back to back 350 00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:47.440 losses the tenth ranked Oklahoma and an absolute butt kicking 351 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:53.079 by South Carolina the game Cocks winning ninety to forty nine. 352 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:56.039 A and M did beat Ole Miss, which is a 353 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:00.279 decent team, but prior to that lost to Tennessee ninety 354 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:02.000 one seventy eight. So A and M's had its ups 355 00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:05.680 and downs. Wildcats would just add one loss to North Carolina. 356 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:10.079 So you'd think Kenny Brooks's team would be favored to 357 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:12.599 win this one tonight. I believe they are, but you 358 00:21:12.680 --> 00:21:16.519 never know what happens on the road. Still, what a 359 00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:19.559 job he has done. Good hire by Mitch Barnard did 360 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:23.920 his homework. Kenny Brooks had a really strong reputation in 361 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:27.279 the ACC and was kind of fighting an uphill battle 362 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:30.880 a little bit at Virginia Tech, although as you probably know, 363 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:34.000 he did take Virginia Tech to the Final four. That's 364 00:21:34.039 --> 00:21:37.759 the one thing that UK women's basketball hasn't been able 365 00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:40.880 to do is break through to the final four. Matthew 366 00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:43.960 Mitchell had a couple of really good teams that had 367 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:46.880 really good shots at it, but then fell victim to 368 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:50.319 the seating and the bracketing in the NCAA tournament twice 369 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:52.960 running into a Connecticut team that will go on to 370 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:55.839 win the national championships. So the Wildcats get to the 371 00:21:55.880 --> 00:21:58.240 Elite eight, but haven't been able to break through. I 372 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.680 don't know if they'll do it this year or not. 373 00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:03.759 But Kenny Brooks knows how to get the job done, 374 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:07.039 knows what it takes, and he has done a terrific 375 00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:11.480 job putting this team together. And he talked earlier this 376 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:14.319 week about the fact that when you break down what's 377 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:18.720 happening with UK women's basketball, it's more than just the 378 00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.920 wins and the losses. 379 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:22.720 A lot of times people want to just, you know, 380 00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:26.319 equate your success with wins and losses. But for us, 381 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:30.799 we're really enjoying the journey, and you know, watching these 382 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:34.640 young kids come together in such a short time, it's 383 00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:38.480 been one of the joys of my career, you know, 384 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:40.640 because we put this group together, and we did it 385 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:42.400 by design, and we want to make sure we get 386 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:45.200 good basketball players. We want to get good people who 387 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:47.400 are willing to go out and sacrifice a little bitter 388 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:50.960 themselves for the betterment of the team. And they've done so, 389 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:53.279 and I've been very pleased with them the way that 390 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:56.519 they've been performing. And obviously, you know, the record is 391 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:59.839 good sixteen and one, five and zero in the conference. 392 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:02.400 But we're just taking it day by day, and when 393 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:04.720 we take that approach, I think good things really happen. 394 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:07.839 Tonight's game is on the ESPN or out of the 395 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.400 SEC Network, which is part of the ESPN family, but 396 00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:13.599 we urge you to listen to Darren Headrick, and there 397 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:16.079 is a way to if you can, depending on how 398 00:23:16.119 --> 00:23:19.160 you get your TV to sync your TV with. You 399 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:22.920 can listen on your phone the iHeartMedia app, which is 400 00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:25.079 what I do when I listen to Darren and watch 401 00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:28.799