Speaker 1: Hell, everybody to the facilities of the iHeartMedia Megaplex. It's
Speaker 1: Dick Gabriel. This is the state wide edition of The
Speaker 1: Big Blue Insider. You've heard comments from Mark Pope, Kenny Brooks,
Speaker 1: even Jeff Picoro, who ordinarily is on this show, but
Speaker 1: he well, we just lent him out to Darren Hedrick tonight.
Speaker 1: So it's Billy Rutledge, Aaron Garshan, and you'rs truly on
Speaker 1: the state wide BBI from Pikeville to Paduca. It is
Speaker 1: the Big Blue Insider, Dick Gabriel, Billy Rutledge here in
Speaker 1: the studio. Aaron Gershawan is in the Sunny South. He's
Speaker 1: in Florida visiting family. We welcome him in on the
Speaker 1: Celebrity Hotline. And Aaron, I trust that the sunshine down
Speaker 1: there has helped your disposition, because, as we often do,
Speaker 1: we talk about the NFL, and I'm watching the highlights
Speaker 1: of the Giants game. They look like a real team,
Speaker 1: and the next thing I know, they're winning and possibly
Speaker 1: blowing the number one draft pick, which and you all
Speaker 1: along from the third week on you said lose, lose, lose.
Speaker 2: The sun couldn't even help me yesterday, Dick I've never
Speaker 2: been that upset about a team of mine winning a game.
Speaker 2: And usually look, I've honestly been a fan that has
Speaker 2: had trouble rooting for the Tank. It's just really hard
Speaker 2: to the guys you watch every week in your whole life.
Speaker 2: And this is the first time just with the quarterback
Speaker 2: being such an issue. And I don't even love the
Speaker 2: two quarterbacks at the top of this draft, but just
Speaker 2: to have that spot, have that be in that position,
Speaker 2: it was like, all right, just give me something, and no,
Speaker 2: they can't do that. And of course they've played the
Speaker 2: toughest strength to schedule of all the three and thirteen teams,
Speaker 2: so and they play an Eagles team that's gonna be
Speaker 2: resting their starters most likely this weekend, so that could
Speaker 2: be another win. And they just can't even lose.
Speaker 1: Right, even if you don't like the quarterbacks available through
Speaker 1: the draft, you can always trade the pick.
Speaker 2: And pick Travis Hunter. It's just yeah, brutal.
Speaker 3: And saw Barkley might win an MVP.
Speaker 2: On top.
Speaker 4: I rubbed that into.
Speaker 2: For Dix Packers.
Speaker 4: I've rubbed that into Aaron for the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 1: But I mean, everybody who watched hard knocks or whatever
Speaker 1: it was, and who was watched Saquon Barkley plays thinking,
Speaker 1: you know, you're basically committing yourself to Daniel Jones, who's
Speaker 1: on a scrappy now and and you know, but what's interesting,
Speaker 1: Aaron Folks will get to the Wildcats in a minute.
Speaker 1: But in this era of the NFL, where supposedly it's
Speaker 1: about quarterbacks, wideouts, left tackles, right, what have been the
Speaker 1: biggest impact players in the league this year offensively?
Speaker 2: Running backs? Absolutely?
Speaker 1: Aaron Jones, And you could make an argument for Jacobs
Speaker 1: with my Packers.
Speaker 4: There's one other question, there's one other.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, it's definitely, it's been. It's kind of been
Speaker 2: a revitalization of the value of that position this year.
Speaker 2: You saw both Saquon and Henry get paid this offseason.
Speaker 2: I think both teams will do that deal again ten
Speaker 2: out of ten times. Same with the Packers and Jacobs
Speaker 2: paying him Vikings and Aaron Jones, I mean, yeah, absolutely,
Speaker 2: And the Giants look that they've actually the unfortunate part
Speaker 2: is they're gonna get They deservingly are getting slammed for it,
Speaker 2: but they've actually had a rookie running back play really
Speaker 2: good football for most of the year, but he's not
Speaker 2: going to get any love or any anything when you
Speaker 2: let Saquon Barkley walk out the door. Our trival for
Speaker 2: free is.
Speaker 1: Not going to do what he did for the Eagles.
Speaker 1: He's not going to do that for the Giants because
Speaker 1: your O line is it.
Speaker 2: No no, and it's an improved O line, but it's
Speaker 2: not anything like the Eagles where they have a future
Speaker 2: Hall of Famer and right tackle Dick.
Speaker 5: Have you watched Aaron Rodgers documentary on Netflix side, I'm
Speaker 5: sure you were lining up for the release.
Speaker 4: I will, okay.
Speaker 3: I heard it's pretty bad, just not interesting.
Speaker 2: I heard. I've heard he's something else.
Speaker 4: Oh well, we knew that, which.
Speaker 2: We already know. I heard it, just it's there are
Speaker 2: even more layers to it.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, no doubt well, speaking of old lines, let
Speaker 1: us slide seamlessly over to the UK O line picture
Speaker 1: and we heard. I don't know if you're listening down
Speaker 1: in Florida, but Jeff Picorrel and Darren Hedrick talked about
Speaker 1: the portal and Jeff said he thought UK did an
Speaker 1: even more pointed job of recruiting through the portal for need,
Speaker 1: which I think they've always done. They just missed on
Speaker 1: a lot of guys. And you know, we can talk
Speaker 1: all we want about who's going to play quarterback, that
Speaker 1: are going to throw to La La and you know
Speaker 1: where I am. None of that matters if they cannot
Speaker 1: cobble together an offensive line. And I will remain doubtful
Speaker 1: until I see it in action two or three weeks
Speaker 1: into the season, not in the spring, not in what
Speaker 1: passes for a spring game. But these guys have got
Speaker 1: to learn how to mesh and that.
Speaker 4: Just takes time.
Speaker 1: Aaron, and from what you and you you've done a
Speaker 1: great job writing for the cash Balls website, keeping up.
Speaker 4: With the portal moves.
Speaker 1: Yeah, what kind of hope do UK fans have in
Speaker 1: that regard?
Speaker 2: I think they've gotten off to a good start, and
Speaker 2: I know four it sounds like that's a start, but
Speaker 2: it really is a remake of that room. I mean,
Speaker 2: you're only getting two guys who started last year back
Speaker 2: in Jalen Farmer and Jagger Burton. The latter didn't play
Speaker 2: great to begin with. I thought Farmer actually had an
Speaker 2: ok year. Yeah, I think he played a right guard.
Speaker 2: So it's a it's a complete makeover. A lot of
Speaker 2: the guys who Malchi Wood who started as well, but
Speaker 2: clearly and it just wasn't fair to him. He was
Speaker 2: thrust it in there too early. Kentucky knew it, he
Speaker 2: knew it, Everyone knew it. So you're basically starting from scratch.
Speaker 2: And they, you know, you bring in a a plug
Speaker 2: and play center, and Evan Webberley from Eastern from excuse me,
Speaker 2: from Western Kentucky. You bring in a plug and play
Speaker 2: right tackle, you know, all Mack guy from Bowling Green.
Speaker 2: So those are two you feel really good about. And
Speaker 2: Joshua Brown, the right guard from Arkansas. But then they
Speaker 2: brought in, you know, a tackle in Wallace in Bamba
Speaker 2: who's only has one year of d one experience at
Speaker 2: New Mexico. Other than that it's been at JUCO, hasn't
Speaker 2: you know, hasn't played all that much. And he's a
Speaker 2: right tackle. So you're you're still the most important position
Speaker 2: on the offensive line. Left tackle is a massive, massive
Speaker 2: question mark and a lot of the guys that they
Speaker 2: were targeting for that position, one being Gunnar Henderson from
Speaker 2: U I believe it's Henderson from Vanderbilt, a three year
Speaker 2: starter there who won the SEC Offensive Lineman of the
Speaker 2: Week in the in the game they beat Alabama. Uh
Speaker 2: kicks butt in that game. You know, he was set
Speaker 2: to visit Kentucky and then Florida State offered him a
Speaker 2: ton of money and he committed on the spot before
Speaker 2: he can make the trip to alex So that kind
Speaker 2: of ruined their plans at left tackle. And they're still
Speaker 2: on the market looking for one, and there's you know,
Speaker 2: not many names right now. You could still have guys
Speaker 2: on these teams that are in the playoff and I
Speaker 2: don't know exactly how. I know there's a little bit
Speaker 2: of a longer leash for the guys who just finished Bulls.
Speaker 2: I don't know how long that's extended. So they've got
Speaker 2: work to do there. They that left tackle position to
Speaker 2: me is still very very much up in the air.
Speaker 2: And we saw, you know, Marcus Cox was up and
Speaker 2: down at left tackle for the last two years. Twenty
Speaker 2: twenty two was a revolving door at left tackle. Even
Speaker 2: when you know some of the other guys on the
Speaker 2: line play well. If your blindside's not protected, it's a
Speaker 2: big issue. So I'd say from the offensive line perspective,
Speaker 2: good start, but there's a massive hole still there.
Speaker 5: One transfer portal player that did not work out this
Speaker 5: year was Brock Vandergriff and we got the news from
Speaker 5: John Hale that he would be retiring from football officially.
Speaker 5: We had heard those rumors, Aaron, But what do you
Speaker 5: make of the season brockhad And does it go to
Speaker 5: show you that maybe we don't really fully account into
Speaker 5: everything that goes into being a football player, Like when
Speaker 5: you get a bag concussion at Tennessee, maybe that rattles
Speaker 5: you a little bit more than that we give credit sometimes.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the mental side of things that finally
Speaker 2: got overshadowed this year and a lot of anger and
Speaker 2: victory all from the fans with how the season went.
Speaker 2: And look, Brock Vandergriff was at the end of the day,
Speaker 2: it was a risky move that you felt like it
Speaker 2: was calculated risks because he kind of went through it
Speaker 2: with Will Levis, But even to the lesser extent, the
Speaker 2: guy who had never started a game before, and you
Speaker 2: were banking on the fact that he was a highly
Speaker 2: recruited kid, he was in a system in Georgia that
Speaker 2: from a pro styles perspective, was similar to yours. And
Speaker 2: also just the fact that he was at a place
Speaker 2: like Georgia where he was really well coached and played
Speaker 2: behind a guy in Carson Beck who was spectacular in
Speaker 2: twenty twenty three and a guy in Custin Bennett and
Speaker 2: won two national championships. So you just felt like the pedigree,
Speaker 2: the practices that he was in, you know, you felt
Speaker 2: like you would get a lot out of them. And
Speaker 2: I think you saw what he could do in flashes,
Speaker 2: like in Week one against Southern Myss before the offensive
Speaker 2: line collapsed, and even when the offensive line class He
Speaker 2: played great at Old Miss, and he gave you some
Speaker 2: good things to see. But like you said, Billy, I
Speaker 2: think the mental side of things and the lack of
Speaker 2: confidence in this protection, the lack of confidence and probably
Speaker 2: some of his receivers, and then of course taking that
Speaker 2: huge hit at Tennessee and unfortunately probably diminished his love
Speaker 2: of the game a little bit. And it's really, you know,
Speaker 2: unfortunate it didn't work out for him. He was a
Speaker 2: nothing but a class act to cover and from everyone
Speaker 2: I've talked to, beloved in that locker room, you know,
Speaker 2: in a in a locker room that had some culture issues,
Speaker 2: he was not at all the problem. He was a
Speaker 2: universally respected and like guy, so just just didn't work out.
Speaker 2: Really unfortunate. But that's also and you know this is
Speaker 2: hopefully the last year of it for a little bit.
Speaker 2: But that's also the risk just in general of having
Speaker 2: a revolving door in this transfer cycleic quarterback. I mean,
Speaker 2: it is a risky business to have a different starter
Speaker 2: roll in year in and year out, and you know,
Speaker 2: sometimes it's gonna hit. And you know, look at just
Speaker 2: look at Louisville. I mean, they're doing the same thing
Speaker 2: as Jeff Brom. I'd kind of argue that. I know
Speaker 2: they went ten to two in the regular season in
Speaker 2: twenty twenty three, but Jack Plumber didn't play very good football.
Speaker 2: We saw it against against Kentucky and then the show
Speaker 2: Kid was awesome, and you know, their offense was a
Speaker 2: top fifteen, top twenty unit. So we'll see they're betting
Speaker 2: I'd say five hundred. We'll see how it goes this
Speaker 2: year with Miller Moss. So Kentucky's kind of playing that
Speaker 2: same game, and you know they're going to be doing
Speaker 2: it at least for one more year. It feels like
Speaker 2: with Zach cavsatakum In.
Speaker 1: Is Shasman mentioned is a guy who might end up
Speaker 1: in the NFL, or at least in a camp somewhere.
Speaker 4: But you're right about Vandergriff.
Speaker 1: We've talked about him, and maybe it's because I've spent
Speaker 1: some time last couple of weeks for various reasons, looking
Speaker 1: at video from games early in the year, and I'm
Speaker 1: telling you, Eron and you'll probably agree, he looked like
Speaker 1: a different QB back then. He looked like the guy
Speaker 1: that they needed him to be. But you're right, I
Speaker 1: don't know.
Speaker 4: I don't care.
Speaker 1: Who would have been behind center this year with that protection,
Speaker 1: with that consistent protection, whoever it was, would it ended
Speaker 1: up running for their life and getting battered like like
Speaker 1: Brock And if he decided to, I think retires a
Speaker 1: really interesting word, although it's probably accurate because he was
Speaker 1: making money, uh, you know, and good for him, But
Speaker 1: I do wonder when something like this happens. Yes, I'm
Speaker 1: sure he's lost some of his zeal for football, but
Speaker 1: I'm also wondering is he doing this for his own
Speaker 1: physical health? You know?
Speaker 4: And if he is, you can't blame him. But back
Speaker 4: to your.
Speaker 1: Point about QB, it's a it's a cycle. I won't
Speaker 1: say it's a vicious cycle because in some cases it's
Speaker 1: paid off. Uh, look at look at the top QBS
Speaker 1: who went to draft this pat of the guys who
Speaker 1: are rookies now, just about every one of them who
Speaker 1: were playing well came from a school that didn't sign
Speaker 1: them originally. But I thought Cutter Bowley would be the
Speaker 1: guy who could break the cycle. And maybe he will be.
Speaker 4: But now you've got to wonder.
Speaker 1: About his future at Kentucky if they keep recruiting over him,
Speaker 1: you know.
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, And I think, you know, it's gonna be
Speaker 2: really interesting to see what the plan is here. I
Speaker 2: think I don't sign it. I don't think Zach Calzada,
Speaker 2: as a seventh year senior who has SEC experience, was
Speaker 2: the conference player of the year and his conference, you know,
Speaker 2: probably would have had opportunities elsewhere. I know cal had
Speaker 2: Brian Harson, who was the coach that recruited him to Auburn. Yeah,
Speaker 2: you know, Calzada was hurt that year. Whatever it was
Speaker 2: it didn't work out. I'm sure that could have been
Speaker 2: a marriage. Who knows. He would have had an opportunity
Speaker 2: to start elsewhere, And the fact that he picked Kentucky
Speaker 2: means he thinks he's gonna be the guy. There's just
Speaker 2: no questions. So is it for Kentucky? What we don't know.
Speaker 2: Is it because they feel Cutters are still a year away?
Speaker 2: Do they feel maybe, hey, Kalsada struggles early, let's give
Speaker 2: him a little bit more time to marinate and then
Speaker 2: we can turn to him. Or is it truly is
Speaker 2: it truly a fall camp spring camp battle, which I
Speaker 2: think is the least likely the options. So hopefully for
Speaker 2: I think there's still hope there and Cutter is willing
Speaker 2: to be patient, which is not a given and the
Speaker 2: air of college football, and you can't blame him just
Speaker 2: because it's what everyone does. Now, I think there's still
Speaker 2: a task for him to be the guy, you know,
Speaker 2: as soon as possibly at some point in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2: It's not as early as twenty twenty six. But it's
Speaker 2: going to be up to both Cutter in the UK
Speaker 2: to get on the same page with what the plan
Speaker 2: is going to be.
Speaker 1: Well, you knew they were going to get a quarterback
Speaker 1: because they need death, They need somebody to compete with
Speaker 1: Cutter and vice.
Speaker 4: Versa, no question, But I always go back.
Speaker 1: To what Darren Henshaw used to say, and because he
Speaker 1: would prepare. Obviously, every quarterback and Liam Cohen said the
Speaker 1: same thing, and any quarterback coach is going to say,
Speaker 1: every guy in your room, you've got to feel like
Speaker 1: you can win with this guy. Not okay, this guy
Speaker 1: as a good practice player. He can throw past Skelly
Speaker 1: drills and all that stuff. So yeah, it figures that
Speaker 1: they're gonna go out.
Speaker 4: But I'm with you.
Speaker 1: I think the guy that they signed as QB one
Speaker 1: written all over him right now, he is as good
Speaker 1: as Cutter looked at times. He's still woefully inexperienced, but
Speaker 1: no question, I do think he's good enough to eventually
Speaker 1: break that cycle.
Speaker 2: To you, I do. I mean, I just don't think
Speaker 2: you'd I get that, And really, I guess it was
Speaker 2: still a two score game. I don't think you put
Speaker 2: together some of the plays on tape you do against
Speaker 2: Texas and that elite defense if you don't have something
Speaker 2: to you. Yeah, I mean, especially with the way Kentucky's
Speaker 2: offensive line played in that game and all season long.
Speaker 2: So I do think there was in you know, Murray
Speaker 2: State to a lesser extent, but there were some things
Speaker 2: that are just really good signs some of to throw
Speaker 2: some of the decisions that he made in that game
Speaker 2: that there's a lot to like. And then there's the
Speaker 2: Louisville game where you see all the inexperience and all
Speaker 2: the problems and all that. But yeah, I still think
Speaker 2: from what we saw in this in the small sample size,
Speaker 2: there's enough to at least see the vision and see
Speaker 2: the possibility. But I also I agree with the fact
Speaker 2: that they're bringing in a guy to start this year
Speaker 2: ahead of them. I just think it's it'd be different
Speaker 2: if this was a first year staff and you're kind
Speaker 2: of accepting you're going to take some lumps. But when
Speaker 2: it's a thirteenth year staff and or you know, thirteenth
Speaker 2: year head coach and to top assistant and they're kind
Speaker 2: of in win now mode and they're trying to win
Speaker 2: the fan base back, you have to go get a
Speaker 2: more proven commodity.
Speaker 5: And you know, Brock didn't have a ton of experience either.
Speaker 5: I mean, he was a backup and didn't get a
Speaker 5: lot of time playing as a Star warshow kind of
Speaker 5: maybe learning from what they've done in the past. Hey, Aaron,
Speaker 5: you're a guy with a lot of experience. Darren and
Speaker 5: Jeff we're talking about best press box, food in the SEC.
Speaker 5: Is there anything that stood out to you over your
Speaker 5: years of covering games?
Speaker 2: South Carolina football is probably it's funny because they're basketball
Speaker 2: might be one of the worst with food and access.
Speaker 2: I won't go down. I won't go all in on that,
Speaker 2: but South Carolina football. I think the last time we
Speaker 2: went there was the Sunday before Thanksgiving and they were
Speaker 2: cutting up meat on a carver and everything. They did
Speaker 2: it right. So South Carolina football in my six years
Speaker 2: so far is the top of the list for me.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Jeff mentioned them, but he was trying to flip
Speaker 1: through it, you know, because it all runs together after
Speaker 1: a while. You mentioned Tennessee, which always seems like it is.
Speaker 1: They always have like barbecue or whatever.
Speaker 2: One year I saw hot chocolate maker up there too.
Speaker 4: Oh is that right?
Speaker 2: Yeah? That gets some browning points.
Speaker 1: Vanderbilt every now and in LA and Chick fil A,
Speaker 1: which is fine. But one year Aaron two or three
Speaker 1: trips ago to Nashville.
Speaker 4: I don't know if you made a trip or not.
Speaker 1: They brought in about a million wings from one of
Speaker 1: the local wing places.
Speaker 4: They were like smoked wings in this wing. They were
Speaker 4: the best wings I.
Speaker 1: Ever had, and I rarely eat my before a game,
Speaker 1: depending on the weather, especially.
Speaker 4: If it's hot.
Speaker 1: I don't like to eat a lot of stuff and
Speaker 1: then go down, you know, and deal with the heat.
Speaker 1: But that particular Vandy game, I tried to be inconspicuous
Speaker 1: as to how many times I went back for more
Speaker 1: wins before I got down there.
Speaker 2: I'll tell you what. I'm not a big breakfas like,
Speaker 2: I'm not a big eggs guy, but Vandy had a
Speaker 2: Yeah I do too, but good Vanny had an omelet
Speaker 2: bar going before their football game in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2: That was an eleven o'clock picks. So you know what,
Speaker 2: Vandy does a really nice job of food lies in basketball.
Speaker 2: They always have like these oversized catering boxes at Chick
Speaker 2: fil A, So you know they do a nice job too.
Speaker 2: I got to give him credit. But I think South
Speaker 2: Carolina football from everything, all the options, healthiness, whatever you
Speaker 2: want to call it, desserts, they could dive up brownies
Speaker 2: in twenty nineteen. I remember that too, so I got
Speaker 2: to go. South Carolina football is number.
Speaker 4: One for me. You hate eggs?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I love eggs. What's wrong with eggs?
Speaker 4: Well? And I hate him too.
Speaker 1: Uh yeah, Aaron, You're the first person that I've encountered
Speaker 1: maybe ever. Even the smell of him gives me a headache.
Speaker 2: Yeah right there.
Speaker 1: And my wife loves him, eats them almost every morning.
Speaker 1: She has to wait till I'm down in the in
Speaker 1: the garage working on the show before she can, or
Speaker 1: she cooks him on the gas grill outside and spares me.
Speaker 2: My fiance is the same way.
Speaker 3: Uh, he just hasn't had my eggs.
Speaker 1: Hey when I I when I was in college, I
Speaker 1: made an egg dish with cheese and onion and chives
Speaker 1: and stuffing. My friends loved it. Aren't you having any Nope?
Speaker 1: I learned how to make it from my dad used
Speaker 1: to make him for us when we were kids, And
Speaker 1: uh yeah, I would whip him up and no jam.
Speaker 4: Dope, not me.
Speaker 3: He can cook him, but he doesn't want to eat him, No.
Speaker 1: Sir, All right on that happy not We'll take a break,
Speaker 1: come back and talk some basketball. But Aaron Gershawn and
Speaker 1: Billy Rutley, you're on the state wide BBI Border to border.
Speaker 1: It is the Blue Insider, Dick Gabriel, Billy rod LED's
Speaker 1: here in the studio. Aaron Gershawn's on our celebrity ideline.
Speaker 1: Aaron and I and I think we talked about this
Speaker 1: last week covered the.
Speaker 4: Kentucky game up in New York.
Speaker 1: Kind of weird, Aaron, this long layoff. I've covered Kentucky
Speaker 1: basketball since they pumped up the first ball. I can't
Speaker 1: remember the last time there was a break like this.
Speaker 2: You know, it sounds like the off season. Yeah, it's
Speaker 2: been a yeah it is. It's it'll be ten days
Speaker 2: by the time to take the court tomorrow. And you
Speaker 2: know it's a tough build, a swallows sitting on an
Speaker 2: ugly performance like that for for that long, But you know,
Speaker 2: excited to see the energy they come out with. I'll
Speaker 2: obviously be here in Florida watching it and be back
Speaker 2: for the game against the Gators on Saturday, but you
Speaker 2: want to see them come out and kind of I know,
Speaker 2: I know Brown's a half decent team. I actually caught
Speaker 2: some of their game against Kansas and they were battling
Speaker 2: them pretty hard. And they have a kid who's one
Speaker 2: of the better scores in the in the IVY on
Speaker 2: the on their roster. But it's still a game. You
Speaker 2: want to see Kentucky get off to a really hot
Speaker 2: start and kind of just dominate from top to finish
Speaker 2: like they were doing earlier in the year against these
Speaker 2: these opponents. I mean, it's just something where I think
Speaker 2: even the last couple of games against the non cons
Speaker 2: Western Kentucky Georgia State cold game, for the most obvious case,
Speaker 2: they just haven't looked quite themselves. They haven't shot the
Speaker 2: three too well, their defense on the three hasn't been great.
Speaker 2: They're getting off the slow starts and letting these teams
Speaker 2: have some life way later than they should. And I
Speaker 2: think it would do them a big, you know, confidence boost,
Speaker 2: and do the fan base a big confidence boost if
Speaker 2: then they get out to a hot start and kind
Speaker 2: of just insert their just just ta't care of business,
Speaker 2: don't don't make it interesting.
Speaker 1: We talked about this after the Ohio State game, and
Speaker 1: it's pretty evident that everybody is going to at least
Speaker 1: try to run them off the three point line. And
Speaker 1: Polpe talked about that tonight, about wanting to shoot more threes,
Speaker 1: but you know, shooting a rushed three is kind of worthless.
Speaker 1: But teams it had some success doing that. Kentucky carved
Speaker 1: them up from the paint Ohio State outscored Kentucky in
Speaker 1: the paint, and you got to wonder is that going
Speaker 1: to become a problem, especially if Brandon Garrison has got
Speaker 1: some health issues, and Pope kind of alluded to that tonight.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and he didn't. I think, I forget what game.
Speaker 2: I know he's sat a game too, just kind of
Speaker 2: get his body right and then yeah, I can't remember
Speaker 2: exactly what game was. Yeah, but it's huge and they
Speaker 2: need more from Mamary Williams. Oh. I think he's kind
Speaker 2: of the X factored unlocking this whole thing. Yeah, offensively
Speaker 2: and defensively, I mean they ca Yeah, he's you know,
Speaker 2: he's a two time or three time Defensive Player the
Speaker 2: Year winner in the conference yeat three. He really struggled
Speaker 2: against Ohio State. He struggled against Louisville a little bit.
Speaker 2: I mean, he's a guy that just they need more
Speaker 2: from on both ends. He's done a nice job rebounding,
Speaker 2: but other than that, you know, he's been out physical
Speaker 2: a little bit. Offensively, Uh, he really, I don't know
Speaker 2: what it is he's I'd have to go back and
Speaker 2: look at his Drexel stuff more. I don't know if
Speaker 2: he's just naturally not a great finisher or if he's
Speaker 2: not feeling confident. I don't know. He just kind of
Speaker 2: looks a little sloppy finishing down there in the paint,
Speaker 2: and they just need more from him. I think if
Speaker 2: they can get him going and be a steady center,
Speaker 2: I think that'll unlock a lot of things on both
Speaker 2: ends of the floor.
Speaker 4: I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 1: And it does make you wonder about the level of
Speaker 1: competition where he played before. But apparently I keep reminding
Speaker 1: myself if he's the three time doy, he is consistently good,
Speaker 1: and he has not been as consistent, as.
Speaker 4: You're right, as they need him to be.
Speaker 1: So that's something to watch for tomorrow and on Saturday,
Speaker 1: especially against Florida. We'll talk more about that when we
Speaker 1: come back with Aaron Gershaan who is down in Florida,
Speaker 1: Billy Rutledge here in the studio. From Pikeville to Paducah.
Speaker 1: It is the statewide Big Blue Insider.
Speaker 4: Welcome Back.
Speaker 1: It's the state wide Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel, Billy Rutledge.
Speaker 4: Here in the studio.
Speaker 1: Eron Gershan on the Celebrity Highline from down in Florida
Speaker 1: visiting family and Billy had something to chime in when
Speaker 1: it came to a Maari Williams.
Speaker 5: Yeah, we were talking about Amar and how much he
Speaker 5: needs to improve in this second half of the season,
Speaker 5: but it kind of alluded to the question. I wanted
Speaker 5: to ask you, Aaron, who do you think will be
Speaker 5: the most improved player from non conference to conference schedule
Speaker 5: on this team? And I'm gonna put my guy as
Speaker 5: Andrew Carr. Even though he's had a couple of good games,
Speaker 5: I feel like there's still something doing Lock a little
Speaker 5: bit there.
Speaker 2: I couldn't agree more. I'll make my point on a
Speaker 2: Car and then I'll give you a different answer because
Speaker 2: it's more fun that way. But Car, I think the
Speaker 2: big thing with him is just getting him comfortable. I mean,
Speaker 2: this is a guy that last year shot almost thirty
Speaker 2: eight percent from three. His best year of Delaware, the
Speaker 2: year that Delaware was in the NCAA Tournament, he shot
Speaker 2: forty percent from three. Like, this is a dude who
Speaker 2: can shoot it. And I feel like, how many times
Speaker 2: upstairs there, Dick, have we seen him with the ball
Speaker 2: in his hands open from three and he just doesn't
Speaker 2: shoot it. And it's like, dude, you're a good three shooter,
Speaker 2: and you know that's probably a you know, Mark Pope
Speaker 2: talks all the time about the volume, and I bet
Speaker 2: and from watching this team, I think he's kind of
Speaker 2: the main culprit. I'm not trying to call him out individually.
Speaker 2: It's not just all him, but he's the main culprit
Speaker 2: of that not living up to the volume because he's
Speaker 2: passing up a lot of open looks and just doesn't
Speaker 2: feel fully comfortable in the offense yet. And he's a
Speaker 2: guy that you know, Mark Pope preached about him being
Speaker 2: you know, perfect for their offense and being the couldn't
Speaker 2: have created him even better, just couldn't have written a
Speaker 2: player out better, and he's got to be that, And
Speaker 2: so I agree. I think he's the guy that they're
Speaker 2: gonna need the most improved improvement from and ultimately get it.
Speaker 2: I think another one I think it has to be
Speaker 2: for this team to get there is Jackson Robinson. From
Speaker 2: a consistency standpoint, I think they need him. I mean,
Speaker 2: at b Yu was a very very steady player, didn't
Speaker 2: tear up the stat sheet. I mean, fourteen points per
Speaker 2: game is solid. Obviously six Man of the Year in
Speaker 2: that conference, but every night it felt like he was
Speaker 2: in double figures as you go look in the stat line,
Speaker 2: and this year it's just it's up and down, and
Speaker 2: they need and on both sides of the floor. He
Speaker 2: has games where he's excellent defensively, he has games where
Speaker 2: he really struggles defensively, and it feels like he hasn't
Speaker 2: had maybe the Gonzagga game, but outside of that, he
Speaker 2: hasn't had that one game where he's had it going
Speaker 2: on both pens at the court. He's had some games
Speaker 2: where he's had it going on the offensive, then the
Speaker 2: struggled on the defensive end, and vice versa. Like Duke,
Speaker 2: he was awful offensively, he played great defensively. So I
Speaker 2: think he's a guy that if they could get just
Speaker 2: get more consistency, get him to, you know, have a
Speaker 2: couple of games here and there where he is that
Speaker 2: guy that they can put in his hands and he
Speaker 2: can go win it for him. I think that would
Speaker 2: do him a lot of good. So I do think
Speaker 2: Carr ultimately makes the biggest jump, But I think the
Speaker 2: guy they really need more so than anyone to do it,
Speaker 2: it's Jackson Robinson.
Speaker 1: Yeah, has talked about the fact that Robinson has done
Speaker 1: little things extremely well that maybe don't show up in
Speaker 1: the box score. And that's great and you've got to
Speaker 1: have that, but he also needs.
Speaker 4: To show up in the box score.
Speaker 1: Like you said, I'll tell you another guy when it
Speaker 1: comes to three pointers, when it comes to volume shooting
Speaker 1: and accuracy, is one of the guys they specifically signed
Speaker 1: for that is Ainsley Amanor.
Speaker 4: And yeah, he comes off the bench.
Speaker 1: But if he can play, give him a good ten
Speaker 1: or twelve minutes, not hurt them on defense, and throw
Speaker 1: in throwing two or three triples at a high percentage
Speaker 1: rate'll that'll balance the floor. That'll open things up for him.
Speaker 1: That's why they brought him here, you know. But I
Speaker 1: also think guys that not that it's an excuse, but
Speaker 1: I do think the loss of Kerr Crisa has had
Speaker 1: an effect on his team.
Speaker 4: It absolutely has, Yeah, and.
Speaker 2: I think it's more so from a comfort standpoint. And
Speaker 2: Mark Pope, I didn't like look in the first half
Speaker 2: of his radio show I'll finish at Tomorrow, but he
Speaker 2: talked about how they're kind of out of sync lineup, Lise,
Speaker 2: and that's better be something that worked on and not
Speaker 2: just better be. But I think it will be something
Speaker 2: they have worked on these last ten days is just
Speaker 2: getting more cohesive, tightening up those rotations, figuring out exactly
Speaker 2: how they're going to reallocate minutes with k Kirk Criasis sidelined,
Speaker 2: and gain some more comfortability with the guys who are
Speaker 2: going to be in these different lineups. So yeah, I
Speaker 2: think that's where it's hurting them the most. And then
Speaker 2: you know, from an energy standpoint, I think, look, Kerr
Speaker 2: is the guy that plays a little reckless, I would
Speaker 2: say at times, and that's probably his biggest flaw, but
Speaker 2: you can never question his effort, you can never question
Speaker 2: his energy, takes a bunch of charges, is just totally unafraid,
Speaker 2: does everything he can in his ability to win a game,
Speaker 2: and you know they're missing that spark from an energy standpoint.
Speaker 1: Every now and then, that recklessness I think is good
Speaker 1: just because it keeps the other guys off, you know.
Speaker 4: What I mean?
Speaker 2: That sure does. Yeah, And if you look, it's not
Speaker 2: like he's incapable of hitting these deep threes. Still they'll
Speaker 2: hit them. He's he was a forty two three shooter
Speaker 2: last year. But it does keep teams on their toes
Speaker 2: and uh, look, he could turn into some really big plays.
Speaker 2: He's made a couple of big plays early in the season,
Speaker 2: you know, hit some really clutch shots against Duke and
Speaker 2: made some big got got a big time charge against Gonzaga. Uh,
Speaker 2: had a hustle play that he got hurt on against Gonzaga. Like,
Speaker 2: the guy is a he's a tough customer and they
Speaker 2: need him back. But they also, uh, he's not a
Speaker 2: guy where it should make or break them. They really
Speaker 2: need to figure out how to how to play better
Speaker 2: without him.
Speaker 3: So Kentucky plays Brown tomorrow. Hand up.
Speaker 5: I forgot Brown was in the IVY League until Mark
Speaker 5: Pope said they have what is it the IVY League
Speaker 5: iverson on that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, they have a guard who's averaging twenty points a game.
Speaker 2: He did it the last two years basically as well.
Speaker 3: That's pretty impressive.
Speaker 5: I just wanted to ask you what you knew about
Speaker 5: this Brown team, because he also said it's going to
Speaker 5: be one of the best rim protecting teams that they've
Speaker 5: played this year.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I thought they have a couple of guys who
Speaker 2: are averaging over a block of games. So that's probably
Speaker 2: where the math comes from comes from. I know he
Speaker 2: said they're gonna play with great tempo. They're ranked three
Speaker 2: hundreds in tempo, So I don't know exactly. I mean,
Speaker 2: he might just have a different definition of it than
Speaker 2: I do. But I don't think they're I don't think
Speaker 2: they're gonna be running and gutting it up the floor
Speaker 2: like Kentucky likes to do, or like Florida is going
Speaker 2: to when they play them Saturday. That's gonna be a
Speaker 2: track meet, but it's gonna, I think they're gonna do, honestly,
Speaker 2: what all these opponents recently have done. They're gonna try
Speaker 2: to slow the game down. They're gonna guard the three,
Speaker 2: and they're gonna try to make Kentucky live in tough twos,
Speaker 2: live in the paint, and let's see what happens. And
Speaker 2: then you know they have guards that especially really I
Speaker 2: don't have his name pulled up, but they're Alvin Iverson
Speaker 2: of the Ivy Kid is a guy who's a forty
Speaker 2: four or forty three three shooter, Yeah, a volume shooter,
Speaker 2: and they're gonna try to get him. Uh, They're gonna
Speaker 2: try to isolate him. They're gonna get him ball screen
Speaker 2: and try to let him expose Kentucky's defense the way
Speaker 2: Ohio State's point guard was able to and the way
Speaker 2: Louisville's point guard, Chuckie Hemport was able to. So the
Speaker 2: blueprint is out obviously on how to be Kentucky, and
Speaker 2: it's up to Kentucky to adjust and make teams have
Speaker 2: to create a new blueprint.
Speaker 1: You know, what I thought was really interesting about that
Speaker 1: Ohio State game was Butler's line after that unbelievable effort
Speaker 1: against Louisville and was almost non existent against Ohio State,
Speaker 1: at least to mine.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think Ohio State deftly defended him a lot
Speaker 2: better than Louisville did. But no question, he struggled offensively,
Speaker 2: but you know, defensively, he held their leading scorer in check.
Speaker 2: I forget what their leading the point guard Thornton was
Speaker 2: not their leading score going into it, their leading score
Speaker 2: going into it. I think forget exactly what was but
Speaker 2: I think he only scored four to six points and
Speaker 2: Butler was his matchup. So you know, Butler still did
Speaker 2: what he's able to do on the defensive end, but
Speaker 2: you know, offensively, that's kind of what you expected you
Speaker 2: were getting. I mean, the Louisville game was the nominally
Speaker 2: he's not going to be a pretty three points per game.
Speaker 2: He's not even gonna be twenty points per game. He's
Speaker 2: gonna probably be somewhere in the low teams. Honestly, in
Speaker 2: his college career, he's in the high single digits, nine
Speaker 2: eight points per game, So you knew you definitely need
Speaker 2: him in the low teams, just with how this team
Speaker 2: is playing right now, and you know, Kirk Curisa being
Speaker 2: out and some of the limitations it feels like they
Speaker 2: have with the two centers scoring the ball. But yeah,
Speaker 2: they need more from him offensively. I think he'll I
Speaker 2: still think he's an improved offensive player and he'll he'll
Speaker 2: be productive, but you just can't count on him being
Speaker 2: their leading scorer most games, to be honest, and in.
Speaker 5: A somewhat mediocre year for him. Justin Edwards had one
Speaker 5: great game last year versus Alabama. It was incredible. He
Speaker 5: scored twenty eight points, was four for four from three.
Speaker 1: Actually had a good game against Tennessee.
Speaker 2: Not great, yeah, that's right, the game in Knoxville.
Speaker 5: Yeah, but that's well, make it two then then not
Speaker 5: just one, but Aaron, there is there anybody on this
Speaker 5: team that you could see having a performance like that?
Speaker 5: Is there are a Travis Perry game waiting for us.
Speaker 1: I don't know if he's the guy, Butler had one.
Speaker 2: I mean I think it's yeah, that's what I was
Speaker 2: gonna go. It's gotta be him. I mean, they need
Speaker 2: it to the end if we're gonna be honest. And again,
Speaker 2: he doesn't have to do it every night, but they
Speaker 2: they need him to be the guy that can do
Speaker 2: it the most of anyone on the team, just because
Speaker 2: that's what look look at where the roster was going
Speaker 2: into June. It was like, oh my gosh, we have
Speaker 2: all these shooters, but we don't have that one guy
Speaker 2: we trust to put the ball in his hands. We
Speaker 2: don't have the one guy that guys consider a star
Speaker 2: and circle him on the scout like, we don't have
Speaker 2: that guy. And Jackson Robinson is supposed to be that,
Speaker 2: and he just he hasn't been yet. The Kenzaga game
Speaker 2: he was, I know, I think he only scored nineteen,
Speaker 2: but he was the one. Him and Andrew Carr controlled
Speaker 2: that game from the second half on. And you know
Speaker 2: they can get that version of Jackson Robinson for a
Speaker 2: full game. He's gonna give you a thirty point outing.
Speaker 2: A couple times.
Speaker 1: And you know what's interesting about that. He is the
Speaker 1: one guy, Aaron who knows how this Mark Pope offense
Speaker 1: is supposed to run. I mean, the other guys, you
Speaker 1: can say they're still learning, they abandoned it against Aisost whatever,
Speaker 1: Jackson Robinson.
Speaker 4: It's ingrained in him.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. It's what he's lived in the last three years.
Speaker 2: And honestly, you know, he obviously spent time with Buzz
Speaker 2: Williams at A and M. He spent time with must
Speaker 2: at Arkansas, but he didn't play much. So this is
Speaker 2: the offense he's comfortable playing in. And I wonder, you know,
Speaker 2: I do wonder if it's been a burden on him,
Speaker 2: not saying it should be, but just if it's taken
Speaker 2: a lot out of him too. He's probably had to
Speaker 2: play or coach a little bit in practice. He's just
Speaker 2: the guy that knows what's going on. And you see
Speaker 2: sometimes his body language is a little off kilter. I
Speaker 2: don't really obviously never didn't see any games in person,
Speaker 2: so it's something you notice more in person than TV copy.
Speaker 2: But when I watched a couple of BYU games, you know,
Speaker 2: getting ready to cover this team, I didn't see that
Speaker 2: much from him. He just seems maybe it's Kentucky the pressure.
Speaker 2: Who knows, he seems agitated at times. Body language isn't
Speaker 2: great out there. So I just think hopefully this ten days,
Speaker 2: these ten days is a good reset for him both,
Speaker 2: you know, emotionally and physically, and just get him back
Speaker 2: to being the guy who was a BYU last year.
Speaker 2: Because if they can get that, because he's very capable
Speaker 2: of it and should be able to on a stronger team,
Speaker 2: you know, he could be super dangerous and really help
Speaker 2: them out.
Speaker 1: A couple of minutes left, Aaron gershine Yours truly and
Speaker 1: Billy rud leych here in the studio Eras in Florida,
Speaker 1: one of the you know, you were talking, Aaron about
Speaker 1: people running Kentucky off the line, trying to get mid
Speaker 1: range jumpers scoring the pain, and you're seeing that a
Speaker 1: little more out of Kobe Ray, aren't you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, offensively, I think he's you know, expanded
Speaker 2: his game. I think especially he's able to get in
Speaker 2: the lane and convert a little bit. You know, he's
Speaker 2: had a couple of dunks on on not even frast brakes,
Speaker 2: but just beating his man off the dribble and you know,
Speaker 2: cashing ends, and so I think offensively he has expanded
Speaker 2: his bag a little bit. Obviously, for the most part,
Speaker 2: has been really good from three. He's had a couple
Speaker 2: of games where the shot hasn't fallen, and they need
Speaker 2: to get more from him in these big games. But
Speaker 2: you know, a shot well against Louisville and hopefully that'll
Speaker 2: continue into SEC play for him to be a steady
Speaker 2: three shooter. You know, hopefully a couple more against these
Speaker 2: bigger opponents, and there's a lot of big opponents in
Speaker 2: the league. But I think defensively it's a work in progress.
Speaker 2: I mean, he's the guy they need a lot more
Speaker 2: from on the defensive end. He had a couple games
Speaker 2: defensively early in the year against some of the lesser
Speaker 2: teams where it's like, oh, he might be turning a corner,
Speaker 2: and you know, Mark Pope was praising him. But you know,
Speaker 2: you haven't heard that same praise or seen that same
Speaker 2: seeing it warranted honestly, you know, lately. And they need
Speaker 2: more from him on that side of the floor. And
Speaker 2: you know that's the one thing you worry about too
Speaker 2: with these fifth years, and look, they're mature they've been there,
Speaker 2: done that. They're not phased, but to an extent, they
Speaker 2: are what they are. I mean not to say they
Speaker 2: can't improve. They can't. And they're gonna get more comfortable
Speaker 2: in this system. They're gonna get more comfortable playing with
Speaker 2: the guys they're playing with. But when it comes to
Speaker 2: things like that, to me, it's a little bit. You know,
Speaker 2: it's just a man to man defense. It's not necessarily
Speaker 2: they play some zone, but for the most part, it's
Speaker 2: just stay in front of your man and playing defense
Speaker 2: and you kind of are who you are. Well, Maan
Speaker 2: Butler's the same guy he was in San Diego State
Speaker 2: and he's just doing it here same a. They'll take
Speaker 2: it away from what he did Oklahoma. He's brought it
Speaker 2: over here. When you're a fifth year guy, you're twenty three,
Speaker 2: twenty four, you're almost fully built into your body like
Speaker 2: you are what you are. And I don't know how
Speaker 2: much he's going to improve defensively, but they'll take any
Speaker 2: improvement they can get there.
Speaker 5: Not sure if you heard it tonight, but a caller
Speaker 5: called Mark Pope coach p and it kind of traded him.
Speaker 3: A little bit.
Speaker 5: He kind of I think he flashed back to the
Speaker 5: practices and said, there's only one coach, p and it
Speaker 5: wasn't him, but I believe it was either the same
Speaker 5: caller or the caller after that also mentioned about the
Speaker 5: Denham jerseys, and Mark Pope said without saying that he's
Speaker 5: working on it, which is I think an indication that
Speaker 5: we're going to get that. Aaron, Uh, did you know
Speaker 5: that's not real denim on the Denham jerseys back in
Speaker 5: the day, because I did.
Speaker 2: Not at first I knew, Well I did not know that.
Speaker 3: Yeah, so you did look at that. I didn't either.
Speaker 1: Uh, But well they they did their job.
Speaker 4: They look it.
Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, no, And and they look good, don't they, Aaron,
Speaker 5: Yeah they do, Yeah, now they do.
Speaker 2: Right. Everyone hated them, like everyone, Yeah, just everyone like
Speaker 2: hates the black football jerseys, even the black basketball jersey
Speaker 2: wore a couple years ago. But then ten years from now,
Speaker 2: they're going to back for him back.
Speaker 1: You want to know the funniest thing about that Denim
Speaker 1: episode was there were so many complaints and people actually
Speaker 1: called the radio show the Patino Radio Show, and at
Speaker 1: one point Beatino said something about, and I'm paraphrasing, you know,
Speaker 1: these are the uniforms get used to him, and then
Speaker 1: he said something like and I don't want to hear
Speaker 1: another word about it, Like, okay, Dad, I'm telling you
Speaker 1: it's it's quaint that people now act like they like them,
Speaker 1: and and the people who say they do, I guarantee
Speaker 1: you they weren't around when they were using them, playing
Speaker 1: wearing them back then.
Speaker 2: People like the Power case back in the day because
Speaker 2: now like everyone wants them back, but I like them
Speaker 2: in the day.
Speaker 4: Do you know what?
Speaker 1: They were numb to it quite frankly because they didn't
Speaker 1: know any better.
Speaker 2: Right, Because now it's like every time they they say
Speaker 2: they're going to create an alternate uniforms, there's a bloodown
Speaker 2: on the power Yeah.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: People love nostalgia people. Yeah, and I favorite uniforms in
Speaker 2: the world is nostalgic.
Speaker 4: Yeah, cream Sickles, Yeah. I like the cream Sickles.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I don't blame it.
Speaker 1: Uh.
Speaker 4: I know.
Speaker 1: People don't like that Wildcat logo, you know, the one
Speaker 1: that I'm okay with it. But my favorite actually was
Speaker 1: the logo they used when Pope was played, you know,
Speaker 1: the UK with the Wildcat with the pop up and
Speaker 1: all that stuff.
Speaker 2: Oh, I like that one. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but you know it's pretty evident, pretty common knowledge
Speaker 1: why they change it there, you know, it's some merch
Speaker 1: make some money.
Speaker 2: Oh look, there's gonna be and football just changed their
Speaker 2: uniforms slightly what two years ago, there's gonna be like
Speaker 2: tweaks to the jersey again soon. That's just pretty much
Speaker 2: every team in professional sports outside of my beloved New
Speaker 2: York Yankees do it because they want to sell.
Speaker 5: My thought process was just like they must be sweating
Speaker 5: their butts off during the game with denim on no,
Speaker 5: and then it's actually just looks.
Speaker 1: But like I said, they succeeded with it because people
Speaker 1: thought it was real denim look good.
Speaker 2: Then they shouldn't have let the cat out of the bag.
Speaker 1: Was pretty obvious after one game.
Speaker 4: Oh the other thing does play, I guarantee you somebody.
Speaker 1: Somewhere, probably Patino, and I want to if Pope would
Speaker 1: answer that question, put the fear of God in them,
Speaker 1: because when we tried to ask the players about them,
Speaker 1: they were like, I don't know, I don't care what.
Speaker 3: Yeah, don't talk on the jersey exactly.
Speaker 1: Yeah, no comment, Aaron, We're gonna turn you loose before
Speaker 1: the final break. Thanks for joining us and get some
Speaker 1: more vitamin D, some more sun down there.
Speaker 2: I appreciate it. I'll see you guys back Saturday.
Speaker 1: It'll be back from Florida to cover Florida. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1: We'll see you then and we'll come back and wrap
Speaker 1: up this edition of the.
Speaker 4: State Wide BBI. Thanks again to Aaron Gershwan. Final segment of.
Speaker 1: Our program, yours truly along with Billy rud Ledge here
Speaker 1: in the studio. Weird times for Kentucky basketball two o'clock
Speaker 1: tomorrow and in a lot of places it's still a holiday,
Speaker 1: you know, New Year's Eve. Yeah, and I guarantee you
Speaker 1: there's a solid lineup of basketball on the Worldwide Leader
Speaker 1: all day long.
Speaker 3: Well, I appreciate it.
Speaker 5: I can still go to a New Year's Eve party.
Speaker 5: I wouldn't be able to do that if it was
Speaker 5: a seven or eight pm.
Speaker 4: Are you a New Year's e person?
Speaker 5: I like to set resolutions and then you keep them
Speaker 5: until the second Friday January.
Speaker 3: That's called Quitter's Day.
Speaker 4: That's right. Oh, it's not January second.
Speaker 5: It's a second Friday, second Friday, give me a week.
Speaker 1: No, just today, or somebody could refer to January second
Speaker 1: as Quitter's Day, Second Friday, Second Friday. Okay, okay, I
Speaker 1: have never been a New Year's Eve guy.
Speaker 4: Never, So therefore never.
Speaker 3: You don't stay up to watch the ball drop.
Speaker 4: If I'm up, I'm up. I'm a night oul anyway,
Speaker 4: but I you know it's to me.
Speaker 1: It's But when I worked at the TV station, I
Speaker 1: was in charge of the sports department. It was one
Speaker 1: of the days I would give the sports guys. Everybody
Speaker 1: got the day off on New Year's Eve and New
Speaker 1: Year's Day unless there was a UK game on New
Speaker 1: Year's Eve, which really there was reason being because I
Speaker 1: was able to anchor the sports right. So I love.
Speaker 4: Those two days because what did you do?
Speaker 1: You watched football every once in a while while basketball,
Speaker 1: But you watch football, NFL, college, you name it, and
Speaker 1: you show highlights. And that's the thing when you're doing sportscast.
Speaker 1: Sportscasters love to show highlights, and generally the six o'clock
Speaker 1: news doesn't have it, but on New Year's Eve and
Speaker 1: New Year's Day, and usually the news producer downstairs says buckus.
Speaker 3: Yes, so they'll call you, hey, can you take an
Speaker 3: extra minute?
Speaker 4: Damn right, I can.
Speaker 1: I'll throw in another game or throwing three more touchdowns
Speaker 1: or whatever. New Year's Day has the biggest Bowl games.
Speaker 1: Plus the phone doesn't ring. Ah, yeah, there's no high
Speaker 1: school games. There's nobody calling me what time do the
Speaker 1: Cats play? You know, people, it's amazing to me. People
Speaker 1: who are Kentucky fans. And I'm told by my colleagues
Speaker 1: who still work on local TV, people still call the
Speaker 1: TV stations wanting to know what time Kentucky played. Wow,
Speaker 1: still still, you know. And obviously they don't take newspapers anymore.
Speaker 1: But the inner web is a wonderful thing for that.
Speaker 1: But the other thing is the boss isn't there, the
Speaker 1: news director isn't there. Yeah, it's like bothering you with
Speaker 1: something inane.
Speaker 5: It's like you're behind the wheel of the Cadillac as
Speaker 5: as a young teenager, the opportunity.
Speaker 3: Yes, there's no cops on the road.
Speaker 4: Yeah, doing what you want.
Speaker 1: Yeah. And the best thing about that, too, was they
Speaker 1: could burn their holidays the employees, and I wouldn't have to.
Speaker 1: You know, you need to work for this guy, you
Speaker 1: need to work for that guy. I owe you a
Speaker 1: day off that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4: Just go home, go. I gave Christmas Eve off for
Speaker 4: the same reason.
Speaker 1: Oh you know, yeah, phone never rings, well, always a
Speaker 1: couple of football games.
Speaker 5: Not everybody's willing to work that hard working holidays, seizing
Speaker 5: those opportunities so you can be a sportscaster.
Speaker 4: And as much of that time I was single.
Speaker 3: Yeah, so that's that's that's a big part of it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly right. So it's not that I'm a big hearted,
Speaker 1: big hearted boss. It was easier on me and easier
Speaker 1: on them, and that's what's important.
Speaker 4: Is it easy on me.
Speaker 1: Thank you for making it easy and Aaron Gershan as well.
Speaker 1: We'll be back next week following the Coaches Show and
Speaker 1: BBN Radio Rebellion.
Speaker 4: Aaron Dick Gabriel, that's it. Good night from Lexington