WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.600 Welcome to the Big Boon Sider Dick Abriel with you. 2 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:05.799 It's a Friday, and it does not end well for 3 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:09.919 Kentucky fans as the Wildcats blow an early lead and 4 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:13.039 fall in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament four 5 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:17.839 to three. West Virginia walks it off on a sacrifice fly. 6 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.480 Kentucky scoring three runs in the top of the fourth, 7 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:25.640 but give up two runs unearned in the bottom of 8 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:28.120 the fifth, another run in the sixth, and then it 9 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:31.640 remained scoreless until the ninth, when West Virginia leads off 10 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:35.079 the inning with a double, runner, moves to third base 11 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:39.039 on a pass ball, and then scores on a sackfly. 12 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:43.119 Griffin Cameron made a tumbling catch in center field and 13 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:46.719 came up throwing, but never had a chance to nail 14 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:50.359 the speedy West Virginia runner from third. So the Wildcats 15 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:54.640 open tournament play with a four to three loss in 16 00:00:54.679 --> 00:00:58.679 the Clemson Regional. It's double elimination. They'll play again tomorrow 17 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:03.399 against the winner of Clemson and USC Upstate, and got 18 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:05.840 to win from here on now. Kentucky has won a 19 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:10.280 couple of regional titles under Nick menjeone, having lost a 20 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:14.079 game coming out of the bottom bracket, the losers bracket, 21 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:18.000 but they won their opener, then they lost the next one. 22 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:22.439 This is gonna be much much tougher. As the Cats 23 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:28.239 missed opportunities, they gave West Virginia new life with mistakes. 24 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:32.519 Kentucky with a couple of errors. West Virginia made mistakes 25 00:01:32.519 --> 00:01:36.799 as well, and the Wildcats took full advantage. Now, the 26 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:41.040 first run scored by Kentucky came in Kentucky fashion, the 27 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:45.000 Wildcats dropping down a bunt Cayas Gargett, but it was 28 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:47.200 not a great bun. He popped it up. And we 29 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:50.760 have seen that all year. Too many times Kentucky called 30 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:53.799 upon to bunt, they pop it up. But this time 31 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.280 the Cats got a little lucky because Gargets pop up 32 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:01.680 didn't go very far, and the West Virginia pitcher tried 33 00:02:01.719 --> 00:02:03.799 to make a diving catch, couldn't come up with a 34 00:02:03.879 --> 00:02:08.360 ball cleanly. Eventually handled the ball, but by then the 35 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:11.080 UK runner had broken for the plate and scored the 36 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:13.680 game's first run. Here's the way Darren Hedrick called it. 37 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.280 He needs to get this ball through the infield. Right 38 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:19.159 field is wide open. First pitch, he squares the butt 39 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:21.800 and popped it up. Third base side and it drops 40 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:25.319 fair and scoring his Swartz to thrown a second not 41 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:26.319 in time. 42 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:29.159 Off the bat. 43 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:32.280 It didn't look like a great butt, but the result 44 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:36.000 for Kentucky is terrific and they grabble one nothing lead. 45 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:40.240 So that made it one nothing Wildcats and break for Kentucky, 46 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:43.919 and that Kentucky got even luckier after that. We're still 47 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:47.120 in the top of the fourth inning and the Wildcats 48 00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:50.400 took advantage of West Virginia mistakes to put up two 49 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:52.759 more runs and take a three to nothing lead. 50 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:56.199 The old one swung on it bounce left side and 51 00:02:56.360 --> 00:02:57.879 it's bobbled by the short. 52 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:01.039 Stop Hi throw his wild over the first baseman. Herrera 53 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:07.039 stores carget process, standing it'll be an error on the 54 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:10.919 throw by the shortstop Cresser. But Kentucky grabs two and 55 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:13.080 takes a three to nothing lead in the fourth. 56 00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:16.800 But then the offense went to sleep. And we've seen 57 00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:19.960 it again happen this year, Kentucky taking an early lead 58 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:23.680 in a game, mostly in the SEC games, and then 59 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:28.159 not build on it and the Wildcats lose another one 60 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:35.000 run game. Eleven of UK's SEC losses came by one 61 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:39.680 or two runs. Twelve of UK's SEC loss this of course, 62 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.840 was an NCAA tournament loss came by a total of 63 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:47.520 seventeen runs. It's just been that kind of frustrating season 64 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:52.879 for the Wildcats and Kentucky and SEC games led in 65 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.120 twenty eight to thirty one games. So now if you're 66 00:03:55.159 --> 00:03:59.680 throwing this one twenty nine of thirty two games. Wildcats 67 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:03.039 get the early lead, but then just can't hang on. 68 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:05.520 They make too many mistakes in the field and a 69 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:08.439 couple of mistakes on the mound, a pass ball by 70 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:12.439 Devin Burks, and the Wildcats fall four to three to 71 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:15.759 West Virginia. This is not the same Kentucky team, nor 72 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:17.879 is it the same West Virginia team. But these two 73 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:22.680 programs met two years ago in the NCAA Tournament in 74 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:27.160 Lexingon and Kentucky won by a total of ten to nothing. 75 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.120 So the Cats aren't out of it yet. But now 76 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:34.839 Ben Cleaver pitched today. Was good, not great, was good, 77 00:04:35.079 --> 00:04:39.199 should have won and at times he was great. But 78 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:42.720 now he's their best starter. He had been their Sunday starter, 79 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:47.160 but he's done. Simon Gregorson came in, ran into trouble, 80 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.560 gave way to Jacksonoviy the ninth inn and Gregorson gave 81 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.000 up the double Novie gave up. It was just a 82 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:58.000 flare off the fists into center field. But it was 83 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:00.839 just one of those in betweeners and there's no way 84 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:03.759 Kentucky could have kept that guy from scoring. So anyhow, 85 00:05:03.879 --> 00:05:07.399 another tough loss for the baseball Wildcats. They'll play tomorrow 86 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:09.399 and we'll have to let you know a little bit 87 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:12.959 later on about what time they play. Keep an eye 88 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:16.319 on the internet if you will. Tonight on the show, 89 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:18.680 coming up, we're gonna be from Mark Pope as he 90 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:22.439 talks about otego oh way. We got more information about 91 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:25.839 the Wildcats and what they've got coming back and what 92 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:30.720 they're looking at this coming season. But some interesting comments 93 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:35.279 from Pope earlier in the month about otago away. And 94 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.720 we'll take a look at what Kentucky has coming back, 95 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:41.639 and we're gonna look at some interesting comments offered by 96 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:45.519 Mark's story at Harold Leader, who is wondering about the 97 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:49.639 UK offense coming up this season, So we'll talk about 98 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:52.160 that as well. Also coming up at the bottom of 99 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:56.399 the hour, Kenny McPeak, the trainer of last year's Kentucky 100 00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:01.120 Derby winner and Oaks Winter Torpedo Anna Derby Mystic Dan 101 00:06:01.639 --> 00:06:04.079 my day started at three am. I got up early. 102 00:06:04.120 --> 00:06:06.920 My partner and I the exec producer of our show, 103 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.319 Tim Francis, We drove to Churchill Downs today and we 104 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:14.639 were going to watch both of those horses work. They galloped. 105 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:19.319 We saw Anna gallop in a driving, absolutely driving rain 106 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:23.279 with Robbie Albarado up. So afterwards we talked to Kenny 107 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:28.360 about those two horses, and we also talked to Robbie Albarado. 108 00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:32.160 The jockey won more than five thousand races before he 109 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:35.199 retired and and now is working for Kenny. He galloped 110 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:37.959 torpedo Anna today, So that's coming up at the bottom 111 00:06:37.959 --> 00:06:40.319 of the hour. A little bit later on Billy Rutlers 112 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.480 will join us. We'll talk about Kentucky football and Kentucky 113 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:46.399 basketball as well. Billy you hear him on this very 114 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:49.680 radio station every morning after the Leads report at nine 115 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:53.040 AM on the KSR pre Show, and we'll top off 116 00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:55.240 the week with Heroes, fools and flakes. That's all ahead 117 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:59.759 here on the Big Moon Sider six thirty WLAP. Welcome 118 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:01.519 back to the Big Blue and Sider. It's been a 119 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:05.839 good week for Kentucky basketball fans. Of course, former Wildcats, 120 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:11.079 say Gildris Alexander Sga is the MVP of the Western 121 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:15.399 Conference Finals. He has led the Thunder into the NBA 122 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:19.680 Championship Round, where they will face either the Pacers or 123 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:24.279 the Knicks. The Karl Anthony Towns led Nicks now down 124 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:27.399 only three to two in their series, but it's going 125 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:30.519 back to Indy and right now the Pacers look like 126 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:33.480 the team that's going to play Oklahoma City for the 127 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:37.040 NBA Championship. Also, of course, for UK fans, it was 128 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:40.800 a great week because Otega Olway announced as expected that 129 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:43.560 he would return, but he needed to get as much 130 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:47.360 information as he could from the NBA and now he 131 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:51.720 will tackle his second season as a Kentucky Wildcat. And 132 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:55.560 earlier this month, Mark Pope answered a lot of different 133 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:59.199 questions about his team, his program as players, and you 134 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:02.560 might recall this is what he said about what Otega 135 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:05.480 Oway brings to the table as a ballplayer. He was 136 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:10.600 talking specifically then about what NBA scouts would see in 137 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:15.360 a way what Kentucky fans already see, and it's kind 138 00:08:15.399 --> 00:08:18.519 of the starting point for a way to improve his game. 139 00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:23.199 Oh Otega's physicality is elite. His physicality on the offensive end, 140 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:26.000 defensive end, and and that shows up in a lot 141 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:30.639 of ways. It shows up in in contact, actually hits. 142 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:35.320 He shows shows up in his explosiveness, He shows up 143 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:37.440 in his first step, shows up in his ability to 144 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.799 kind of navigate h Garden guys off the ball through 145 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:43.559 screens and on the ball through screens by creating space 146 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:47.720 with his chest. So he has a in those ways, 147 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.080 he is you know, he is as good as you're 148 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:50.679 gonna find. 149 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:51.639 He's really special. 150 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:54.440 He's he grew so much last season. 151 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:59.639 In case you need a reminder about Otago Away's numbers 152 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:02.279 this last year. First of all, I guess when you 153 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:06.600 think back at all the injuries and the shifting of 154 00:09:06.679 --> 00:09:09.559 lineups and things like that that Mark Pope and his 155 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.840 staff had to endure this past season. Yeah, I guess 156 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:16.000 it might not surprise you to know that Otega Oway 157 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:20.000 was one of only two Wildcats to start every game. 158 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:24.399 Give it a second, who was the other osa Mari Williams. 159 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:28.080 Of course, who are the Wildcats who played in every 160 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:33.080 game Besides Oway and Williams, Well, there are only a couple. 161 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:40.039 Kobe Brea played in every game, Ainsley Almanor played in 162 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:45.440 every game. Brandon Garrison missed a game to injury. Andrew 163 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:49.840 Carr missed the game to injury. Jackson Robinson only played 164 00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:55.679 in twenty four games. Lamont Butler missed nine games to injury. 165 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:59.519 By the way, Andrew Carr started twenty nine games. Brandon 166 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:03.639 Garrison and missed the one game he never started, so 167 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:08.320 he played in thirty five games without a start. Kerk 168 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:12.120 Creaes only played in those nine games. Now, as far 169 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:15.200 as the guy's coming off the bench are concerned, Travis 170 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:17.559 Perry played in the most games he played in thirty one, 171 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:22.200 started four. Of course, he's now at O miss. Colin 172 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:25.759 Chandler played in thirty games without a start. Trent Noah 173 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:29.720 played in twenty four games without a start. So again, 174 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:35.080 Oway and Amari Williams the only Wildcats to start every 175 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:40.039 game this season. And Oway led in minutes played at 176 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:44.600 twenty eight point three per game. Jackson Robinson averaged twenty 177 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:49.440 eight point one, so did Kobe Brea average twenty eight 178 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:53.639 point one. Lamont Butler only twenty six minutes a game. Remember, 179 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:57.360 he had the ongoing injury situation, so they had to 180 00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:01.480 sit him in some games and he got into some 181 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:05.879 foul trouble. Amari Williams sharing the time in the low 182 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:09.720 Post averaged twenty two point eight minutes per game. Car 183 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:13.279 averaged twenty four. Brandon Garrison averaged a little more than 184 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:19.360 seventeen minutes a game, So very similar to the kinds 185 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:23.480 of numbers that and again, this team not nearly that good, 186 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:28.240 similar to what Rick Patino's national title team in ninety 187 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:32.840 six was like because Antoine Walker led that team in 188 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:36.480 minutes played somewhere between twenty six and twenty eight minutes 189 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:43.720 per game. Really really unusual. Now the guys coming back, now, 190 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:48.240 you've got Oh Way, You've got Brandon Garrison, you've got 191 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:53.320 Colin Chandler. Those are the guys that it's going to 192 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:58.200 be really interesting to see what did Owen Trentoah, what 193 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:01.000 do they do in year two? Because Pope was talking 194 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.720 about this, the fact that because his system is so 195 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:07.679 unusual and you could see it this year, it took 196 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:10.440 a little while for these guys to figure it out 197 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:14.559 and to play without thinking so much. Well, now, Pope said, 198 00:12:14.919 --> 00:12:21.440 second year guys make huge strides, huge improvements because they've 199 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:25.519 already mastered, my word, what he's asking them to do. 200 00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:29.279 Our guys make a massive jump from year one to 201 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:33.000 year two. The guys that kind of are in our deal, 202 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:38.799 you know, wherever I've coached, it's so fun. Year two 203 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:42.799 is so fun because year one is just this onslot 204 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:47.080 of learning decision making. I mean, as a broad brusher, 205 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:51.519 just overwhelmed with learning decision making. Learning decision making takes time, right, 206 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:53.759 Learning dot to dot takes a little bit of time. 207 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:55.720 Learning how to make decisions takes a lot of time. 208 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:59.679 And understand why and where and how and the skill 209 00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:04.320 set actually do it and so and what works and 210 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:06.600 what doesn't and what works for you as an individual 211 00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:08.440 player with your skill set and what doesn't. And so 212 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:13.360 the guys coming in second year for me, almost without failed, 213 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.960 they take massive leaps. And so we expect all these 214 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:21.240 returners to be much much better than they were last year, 215 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:22.840 which is saying a lot, because they were really good 216 00:13:22.919 --> 00:13:23.480 last year. 217 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:27.440 So now when you figure in always inherent knowledge now 218 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.360 of Mark Pope's system and how he wants things to 219 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:34.720 do and what's expected of him, mix that in with 220 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:39.519 what Oway took away from his NBA workouts, it's going 221 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:43.080 to be fascinating to see what kind of player he becomes, 222 00:13:43.080 --> 00:13:46.720 as well as the other guys Garrison and Noah and 223 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:50.960 Colin Chandler and Pope talked at Linked about Chandler as well, 224 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:54.519 quite how much he expects him to improve this year. 225 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:57.440 So it's going to be really fascinating to see what 226 00:13:57.480 --> 00:13:59.519 these guys are like coming right out of the block. 227 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:04.960 Bad news on the basketball front is it looks like 228 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:08.080 they're gonna screw it up. They're going to screw up 229 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:13.039 the NCAA tournament. Charlie Baker, the president of the NCAAA, 230 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:17.279 said one of his top priorities, and he was at 231 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:23.159 the Big twelve spring meetings, was talking about expanding March Madness, 232 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:27.679 which could come as soon as twenty twenty six. He 233 00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:29.600 said that would be the goal. To try and do 234 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:34.399 it for this next do this for next year. We've 235 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:38.559 been talking about seventy two and seventy six. Stop it, 236 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.240 Stop it now. He said, if you have a tournament 237 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:45.320 that's got sixty eight teams in it, we're gonna have 238 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:48.200 a bunch of teams, probably among what most people would 239 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:51.799 consider being the best sixty eight or seventy teams in 240 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:55.120 the country, that aren't going to make the tournament period, 241 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:57.159 because you get a whole bunch of people who win 242 00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:01.200 their conference tournaments who aren't in that group. Sow what 243 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:06.000 stop it. Stop screwing with it, because what you're gonna 244 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:13.759 do is add more mediocre games. Quit screwing around with 245 00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:17.919 what has been fantastic. You're just gonna mess it up. 246 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:24.240 How can adding more and more teams that don't belong 247 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:31.120 there playing mediocre games improve anything except and here's the answer, 248 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:34.279 to put money in your pocket for the schools, for 249 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:38.440 the conferences, because there's more commercial inventory out there. I 250 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:43.159 get that at some point you gotta think about the fans, 251 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:47.000 don't you. Well, apparently not, because everybody's looking to get 252 00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:50.960 by now, but they are going if they're not careful, 253 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:56.440 they're going to wreck March Madness. They did it. I 254 00:15:56.679 --> 00:16:00.600 realize this is different in the high school ranks in Indiana, 255 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:06.799 which rivaled Kentucky for the greatest tournament in March, and 256 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:09.840 they screwed it up, and they've tried to get back 257 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:13.799 to it and they can't. Bad decisions. Here's another one. 258 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:17.120 I can't say this is a bad decision, but it's 259 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:21.440 going to really be untenable. SEC Commissioner Greg sank Down 260 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:25.600 in Florida announced that the conference is moving away from 261 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:29.480 the escalating fine system and now they're going to be 262 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:33.840 charging each school half a million dollars for each court 263 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:38.879 or field storming. He said the motivation was field rushing. 264 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.559 Is field rushing the first time or the eighteenth time? 265 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:46.759 He said, the random nature of it. If you're the 266 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:50.360 one getting rushed, it doesn't feel good. He said. It 267 00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:52.320 might be the first time it's happened, but it might 268 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:55.759 be your sixth time in a row. Literally, No, I 269 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:59.360 didn't know this, but evidently the conference could wave the fine, 270 00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:03.399 but only if the opposing team and staff members and 271 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:07.759 the officials can get off the field and in their 272 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:13.400 locker rooms before the storming happens. That's not gonna happen anywhere. 273 00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:16.279 And Mike, with basketball, if you've got a lot of 274 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:20.519 security people, it's not gonna happen with football because just 275 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:24.519 as the clock expires, fans are gonna come over the 276 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:27.920 wall and rush the field, and the other team will 277 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:31.079 not have a chance to get out of there. I've 278 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:36.799 always maintained this is a made for TV situation. Fans 279 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:41.400 storm the field and the courts because it looks good 280 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:45.519 on TV. And I reach out to my brethren and 281 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:48.480 say stop showing it, and that would help. Might not 282 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:51.079 stop it, but that would help here's the other thing 283 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:57.240 that's gonna stop it. If your school is penalized half 284 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:59.720 a million and another half a man and another half 285 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:04.400 a man, you're going to force the athletic department to 286 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:08.920 raise your ticket prices. And people like to joke about, Oh, 287 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:12.559 put buckets at the at the gates and people can donate. Yeah, 288 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:15.640 it's going to take a lot more than that to 289 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:19.599 absorb this kind of cost. But if you start jacking 290 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:21.720 up ticket prices, and if you do that, if you're 291 00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:25.000 the schools, you should say your tickets are going to 292 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:29.920 cost you an additional five dollars per this season because 293 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:33.839 of the court storming and the field storming, that would 294 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:36.759 go a long way to putting a stop to it. 295 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:41.160 You cannot stop it at football stadiums unless you hire 296 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:44.960 an army of security people. A lot of places have 297 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:47.720 already stopped it when it comes to basketball, and it 298 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:52.000 doesn't happen at Repperena because the configuration of Rupperina and 299 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:54.920 they've got enough security people there to short circuit it. 300 00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:58.319 But hit them in a wallet, hit them in a checkbook. 301 00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:04.079 That'll bring it to a club up next. Saggy trip 302 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:09.119 to Churchill Downs today here on six thirty wlap Welcome 303 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:10.920 back to the Big Blue Insider. I hope you and 304 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:14.319 yours made it safely through the weather we had earlier today. 305 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.559 My business partner and I, Tim Francis basically the execut 306 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:21.599 producer of The Big Blue Insider and a guy who 307 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:26.359 was quite active with the group that stages the Mark 308 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:31.160 Stoops event in the summertime, Coaches for Kids event. We 309 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:34.920 took a trip over to Churchill Downs to watch Torpedo 310 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:39.160 Anna and Mystic Dan training and also to get the 311 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:43.160 trainer Kenny McPeak to sign some items for the Silent Auction, 312 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:47.240 and it was obviously a terrible day to do that. 313 00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:51.079 We knew that rain was in the forecast, just not 314 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:55.559 this kind of rain. We drove through a monsoon which well, 315 00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:58.759 it was still there when we got to Churchill and 316 00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:01.039 I spent a lot of early morn a Churchill Downs 317 00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:03.839 covering the Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup and things like that. 318 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:07.400 Never have I encountered rain like this. And then when 319 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:09.519 Kenny McPeak showed up, it is born. We actually get 320 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:12.119 those barn a few minutes before he did. Well, he 321 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:14.839 showed up, and of course he is driven back and 322 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:20.039 forth between Lexington and Louisville for decades. Literally, he says, 323 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:23.519 I've never seen rain like this coming to the racetrack. 324 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:26.880 And I told my partner, I said, I bet they 325 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:29.519 don't send these horses out. Well they did. They sent 326 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:32.799 them out to gallop. We watched Anna gallop. They didn't 327 00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:36.000 gallop Dan until later on in the morning. But in 328 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:40.720 the driving pouring rain, a lot of trainers had their 329 00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:45.039 horses out and Thorpina Anna was one of them. And 330 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:48.960 of course she's a pro. She's a pros pro. Robbie Albarrato, 331 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:53.519 who works now for Kenny McPeak three, he's retired as 332 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:57.000 a jockey. He galloped and this morning we're gonna hear 333 00:20:57.000 --> 00:20:59.759 from Robbie coming up a little bit later on. But 334 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:02.920 I had a chance to chat with Kenny after the 335 00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:08.359 champion Philly galloped. And remember now Torpeda Anda won the 336 00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:12.839 Kentucky Oaks last year for Kenny McPeak, and the next 337 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:18.200 day Mystic Dan won the Kentucky Derby. Such a rarity 338 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.880 for a trainer to win the Oaks on Friday and 339 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:26.680 the Derby on Saturday. But Kenny McPeak, a UK product, 340 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:31.839 a Tates Creek High School alum, did that and we 341 00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:33.559 had a chance to chat about it. I talked to 342 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:35.599 him a couple of days after the race. He was 343 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:39.079 on the show the Monday after Kentucky Derby. Well we 344 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:42.039 caught up this morning between the rain drops. How bad 345 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:43.119 was that rain this morning? 346 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:47.759 Yes, all the year, all the years that I've been 347 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:50.960 training at Churchill, I've never seen rain like that coming 348 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:52.119 in or while I was there. 349 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:53.240 So it's pretty. 350 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:58.279 That's sunny in the background there. But yeah, it kind 351 00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:00.279 of puts a dam on our day general. 352 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:03.440 It's okay, I go say, how does it affect your work? 353 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:08.519 Well, everywhere you get frozen race tracks, you get sloppy racetracks, 354 00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:12.119 you get different different setups. But and sometimes it's too 355 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:14.599 hot too. You try to get done early. So it's 356 00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:17.000 as typical. We have to just what. 357 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:18.920 Has life been like for you? I mean, you haven't 358 00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:21.279 been a low profile, but since you won the Oaks 359 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:22.359 and Derby back to back. 360 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:25.440 Well, I've signed a lot of things I've got I 361 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:28.319 think the membabilia people have actually learned how to forge 362 00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:32.000 my signature, which is interesting, but but that's you know, 363 00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:34.839 that's an honor to do all that, and you know 364 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:36.880 a lot of people want to have selfies and things 365 00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:39.640 like that. So yeah, it's been kind of unique. It's 366 00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:42.240 a long way from you know, Tates Creek HW School 367 00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:43.720 or growing up in Lexington. 368 00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:48.119 I hear you on with Tony Kornheiser and you're lobbying, 369 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:50.839 lobbying to do the five Good Minutes on PTI. But 370 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:53.319 just the fact that you've you've got a little more 371 00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:55.680 notoriety now, which is great for the sport, isn't it. 372 00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:58.599 And I know you're not looking to promote yourself as 373 00:22:58.680 --> 00:22:59.680 much as you are the sport. 374 00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:01.640 Well, you know, me a long time when I had 375 00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:04.480 that good horse to Hana run years ago, my mother 376 00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:07.960 would say, speaking full sentences, make sure you take your 377 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:11.200 sunglasses off, and you do interviews all that. She always 378 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:14.759 critiqued all that. So I've you know, learned to be 379 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:18.160 relatively well spoken. So they then you all tend to 380 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:21.640 gravitate to me, which is fine. I don't know if 381 00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:25.160 that's well, it's obviously it's always good. But I think 382 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:30.400 this sport needs more openness, more information out there, and 383 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:32.799 the more people understand it, I think the more they 384 00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:33.960 can appreciate what we do. 385 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.200 Yeah, it's interesting because you know, kind of growing up 386 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:41.000 professionally covering races, ran into so many trainers. You just 387 00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:43.279 didn't trust the media, which I can I can get 388 00:23:43.319 --> 00:23:46.119 if they're not used to that. But I mean, you guys, 389 00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:51.160 you're independent contractors and you're promoting the game right well. 390 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:56.359 I think anytime, like for example, you're you're you're helping 391 00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:58.920 talk about the sport right now and and and anytime 392 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:00.960 people can learn about it, I think it's just better. 393 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:04.160 I mean, I've always been open, and you and I've 394 00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:05.680 known each other a long time and I'm not going 395 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:07.960 to change that. Whether I won the Derby or the 396 00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:10.920 Oaks or not, this conversation wouldn't be any different. But 397 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:13.839 it's it's real, you know, an honor for somebody to 398 00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:17.960 seek out your opinion or certainly care about what you're 399 00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:20.640 up to. And and I think horse racing really does 400 00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:22.240 need to be much more open, and I wish more 401 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:22.720