WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:04.799 Welcome to the Big New Insider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:08.320 Tuesday edition of our program. And maybe we should be 3 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:10.919 surprised we have a Tuesday show because this time of 4 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:14.759 year it seems like there's so many basketball games on Tuesday. 5 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:18.239 Well there's plenty tonight anyway. But Kentucky plays tomorrow night 6 00:00:18.679 --> 00:00:23.160 against Colgate. That's an eight o'clock start, so that means 7 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:25.839 our coverage on the network will begin at six thirty, 8 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:29.800 local coverage at five thirty. UK women played last night. 9 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:33.880 They destroyed Queens, which is not from New York. Queens 10 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:37.399 is actually a program that had been Division two moved 11 00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:40.520 up to D one. It's down in Charlotte and if 12 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:42.560 you've seen any of the scores from any team D 13 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:46.399 one teams playing Queens these days, it gets ugly, and 14 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:50.079 it did last night for the visiting team Kentucky. Rompt 15 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.280 we'll tell you a little bit more about that in just 16 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:55.200 a minute, but that means the UK women are off 17 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:59.200 until Saturday. The men again tomorrow night, then Louisville on Saturday, 18 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:04.040 and they should beat Colgate. You wonder are they looking ahead? 19 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:07.599 I know fans are, but this is a roster with 20 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:12.040 a couple of exceptions full of kids who have never 21 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:16.560 experienced uku of l All they know is what the 22 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:19.680 people around them have said. Hey, you got to be Louisville. 23 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:22.079 You know. And these guys do go to class. I'm 24 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.400 sure they've heard it from people in their classes. Hey, 25 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:26.879 you got Louisville coming up. Got to beat them. But 26 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:31.280 they don't know the emotions yet. They might by the 27 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:34.799 end of the game. But you know, this is not 28 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:38.120 in the YOUM Center start to say Freedom Hall. It's 29 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.840 not the Young Center. It's in Upperena. So this will 30 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:43.480 feel like another home game, but there will be an 31 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:49.640 additional level I think of not so much stress in Rupperina, 32 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:53.120 but shall we say spirit because how much the fans 33 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:55.480 want to win this game. But remember this now. You 34 00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:58.519 know UK fans didn't like Denny Crump because Denny was 35 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:02.319 always poking it at the Wildcats in the program and 36 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:05.560 Joe Bun till they became friends and started doing that 37 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.000 radio show together. But remember when Denny Crumb got here 38 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:11.560 in the early seventies, took a team right away to 39 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:16.360 the final four, and he signed a freshman class that 40 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:21.080 was crazy talented, just as Joe b had. You know, 41 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:24.680 the super Kittens Kevin Grievy and Jimmy Dan and Jerry 42 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:28.680 Hale and Mike Flinn, all those guys. Well, he signed 43 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:32.439 a class Crumb did with Junior Bridgeman and Alan Murphy. 44 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:36.400 Junior Bridgeman still is my all time favorite UFL player, 45 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:41.719 Great great player, great man. But anyhow, Denny said, I 46 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:45.240 take my class over those guys any day, so you know, 47 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:48.919 And of course he was pushing like the play Kentucky, 48 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:54.319 although I remember after a while Kentucky was thumping Louisville regularly, 49 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:58.000 and Denny at one point wondered, was this game worth 50 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:00.639 playing anymore? It's like, be careful what you wish for. 51 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:05.000 But again, these Kentucky players now, they have no feel 52 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:08.159 for that. But that's okay. They'll know by game time 53 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:12.120 how much it means. And their coach, Mark Pope, lived it, 54 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:16.719 loved it, and he'll explain it to them. But until 55 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:19.879 you experience it, and sadly some of these guys will 56 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:24.039 only get to experience at once, you just don't know. 57 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:28.400 But last night on his radio show, talking to Tom 58 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:31.120 Leach and somebody called in to talk about the u 59 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:34.439 of L game, Mark Pope shared a story. I had 60 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:38.560 never heard this. I know what this game meant to 61 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.039 mister Wildcat, Bill Kyteley and eventually to Rick Patino and 62 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:45.159 Toby Smith and really anybody who coached here. And he 63 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:47.919 had Eddie said with his comment called him a little brother. 64 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:51.439 You know that still resonates with U of L fans 65 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:55.439 and some UK fans pull it out at times. But 66 00:03:55.599 --> 00:04:00.719 last night Pope talked about a moment that he wouldn't 67 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:06.000 hear yet, but it was basically the window for Rick 68 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:10.680 Patino into this world of UK versus U of L basketball, 69 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:13.479 and he shared it with Tom Leech and again, I 70 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:14.960 never heard this story. It's terrific. 71 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:17.879 Coach Patino has shared this story many times, and he 72 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:21.199 shared it with me actually as he was recruiting me, 73 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:25.800 just talking about what Kentucky was. But the great Bill Kiteley, 74 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:28.839 one of won the best ever. 75 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:30.959 Was. 76 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:34.000 You know, he welcomed Coach Patino here and was kind 77 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:37.040 of one of Coach PE's trusted allies from day one 78 00:04:37.560 --> 00:04:39.639 when Coach Patino first got here to Kentucky, and I 79 00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:41.560 don't know what they were, five or six or seven 80 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.319 games of the season, and they had a routine where 81 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:47.519 when coach sent the players out of the locker room 82 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:50.839 the last time before the game, Bill kite would walk 83 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:52.959 in and make sure the coach had everything he needed 84 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:54.040 and then they would walk out on. 85 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:54.639 The floor together. 86 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:58.079 And so this game five, six, seven, eight, somewhere early 87 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:02.120 in the season, and and Coach p sends the team 88 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:04.399 out and he's like, there's no Bill Kitely. Where is 89 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:07.399 Bill Kiteley? And so coach is walking around the locker, 90 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.399 He's like, man, we gotta go. He looks out in 91 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:12.519 the hall. He finally goes back in the showers, sees 92 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:17.279 the great mister Wildcat Bill just. 93 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:17.319 Sitting on the floor. 94 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:19.959 He's dressed in his suit. He's sitting on the floor, 95 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:23.800 tears streaming out his face, with an open bottle of 96 00:05:23.959 --> 00:05:26.920 Urban in his arms, just feeling the stress and the 97 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:29.959 pressure of this Kentucky Louisville game. And that's when Coach 98 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:34.319 Patino was like, Okay, this is different, Like this just 99 00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:35.360 means more. 100 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:39.360 Yeah, the s SEC doesn't have total DIBs on that 101 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:42.360 come and it just does mean more. And by the way, 102 00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:46.240 Patino and Kylie, he became so close. And I remember 103 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:49.160 when Rick got here and there were people looking for 104 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:51.600 ways to pick at him. They were saying, yeah, he 105 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.839 wants to get rid of Bill Kiteley never the case. 106 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:56.120 And I will tell you this the first time Rick 107 00:05:56.199 --> 00:06:00.399 Pattino had to come out to WKYT to shoot his 108 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:03.120 TV show. This is before he made us start coming 109 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:06.879 to his office to shoot the show. But he came 110 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:10.639 out to KYT and got on the wrong road, you 111 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:12.680 know the roads a lead out of town. I think 112 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:15.079 he got on Paris Pike. Somebody said, yeah, get on 113 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:18.199 this road and just keep going instead of Winchester Road. 114 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:22.720 He ends up on Paris Pike and got way lost. 115 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:25.199 They finally, I'm as late, but we finally got the 116 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:29.600 show done. From that point on, Bill Kittee drove him 117 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:32.560 to the TV station. And you might recall at one 118 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:36.160 point Bettino bought a new pickup truck for Bill Kytee. 119 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:41.360 That's probably why. But oh Kitlee just love beating Louisville. 120 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:45.199 Hated the notion of losing to Louisville. And I'd never 121 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:49.959 heard Tubby Smith do impressions of anybody, but more than 122 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:54.680 once I heard Tubby kind of chuckling about Bill Kitely's 123 00:06:54.680 --> 00:06:57.480 obsession with Louisville, and Tubby would start doing his Bill 124 00:06:57.560 --> 00:06:59.959 Kittee impression, and he started going, you know you got 125 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.639 win this one, Tubby, Oh boy, you got one. You 126 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:05.959 gotta win this one. You know, I'm doing Tubby doing Kylie. 127 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:09.639 And Tubby's wasn't any good, and neither was mine, but 128 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:13.560 it was so funny. And Tubby said, like, I need 129 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:16.319 more pressure, He said, I got all the fans on me, 130 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:19.480 the Big Blue Nation, and now Bill Kyee, I gotta 131 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:23.480 win this one more, you know. So I just loved 132 00:07:23.480 --> 00:07:27.519 that moment last night, and Tubby loved Bill Kye as well. 133 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:31.319 I had never talked to Bill about uo. L never 134 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:34.399 heard much about it. But here's the thing, and more 135 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:36.480 than one person told me, you need to do a 136 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:39.800 documentary on Bill Kiteley. And I can tell you I 137 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:45.160 and dozens and dozens of people asked Bill Kyee through 138 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:50.040 the years for an interview, and I know he probably, 139 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:53.160 in fact, I'm certain he did. I didn't do anything 140 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:55.240 on him, as you know, the guy who hands out 141 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:59.639 the towels and the sneakers. But that's because I wanted 142 00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:04.120 so much more, you know, I wanted to know so 143 00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:08.040 much about Bill and his relationship with the coaches. I 144 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:12.079 was nosy, you know, the players. He was the father 145 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:16.240 confessor to them, how he got them through tough moments 146 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:19.920 in their lives, both the players and the coaches, and 147 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.319 he was not going to share that. You know, he 148 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:25.639 made that clear he was never going to talk about 149 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:28.519 that kind of thing. So I respected that and I 150 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:32.559 quit asking. But man, you could tell how much he 151 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:35.080 wanted and just I would look at him every now 152 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:38.639 and then during a Louisville game and you could see 153 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:41.919 the pressure all over his face. But I was so 154 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.519 happy Mark Pope shared that story with him about him 155 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:48.480 last night. Coming up tonight on the show, we're going 156 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:50.919 to hear from Tim Couch a conversation I had with 157 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:54.360 him back in the fall. He is in Vegas as 158 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:58.120 we speak, getting ready to be inducted formally into the 159 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:02.360 College Football Hall of Fame. Was notified earlier this calendar year, 160 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:06.600 and then UK honored him on the field pregame back 161 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:10.559 in September while the season was young, and I had 162 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:12.200 a chance to get him on the show and had 163 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:15.200 a nice conversation with Tim. So we'll hear from him 164 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:17.720 coming up in hour number two. At the bottom of 165 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:20.519 the hour, Jimmy Diykes will join us. Jimmy worked the 166 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:24.440 TV game Kentucky Gonzaga, as you know, a lot of 167 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:26.679 you listening to radio, I did too. I listened to 168 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:30.159 both and it was so great because Jimmy did a 169 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:32.879 tremendous job working with John Shamby. I don't know if 170 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:36.279 I've ever heard John Shabby. He's a great baseball announcer. 171 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:40.240 I believe he's now the regular voice of the Chicago Cubs. 172 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:44.360 But he's really talented. I thought he and Jimmy were 173 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:47.159 a great team. And of course Tom and Jack did 174 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:51.480 an incredible job. And when we get the melt, we 175 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:56.799 will share that with you. The stretch call for Kentucky Gonzaga, 176 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:00.759 but to hear Gibvens talk about Kentucky dropping into a 177 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:02.919 one to three one that was so much fun, and 178 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:06.200 hear Jack talk about the comeback. But we'll hear from 179 00:10:06.279 --> 00:10:09.000 Jimmy at the bottom of the hour. A former UK 180 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.639 assistant coach now an analyst. Those of you who don't 181 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:16.600 like him, I don't get it because he understands UK 182 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:21.080 basketball better than any analyst working today for obvious reasons. 183 00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:25.000 David Siske will join us as well from Catch Illustrated 184 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:27.799 part of the Rivals Network. We'll hear from him and 185 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:32.399 he'll break down Kentucky and Zaga and talk about what 186 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:36.200 he saw. Should Bill Belichick be the next head coach 187 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:38.919 in North Carolina, that would be intriguing. That would be 188 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:42.440 a lot like should Parcels or what if Parcells had 189 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:44.080 come here? I think it would have been. It'd be 190 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:47.679 more of a challenge with Belichick, you know, because you 191 00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:51.440 got to be that ambassador in North Carolina. Not so 192 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:56.559 much for football's basketball, but you still have to create 193 00:10:56.840 --> 00:10:59.279 and work on that link with the fans. I don't 194 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:02.320 think Belichick would have any interest in doing that, but 195 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:05.240 he built a heck of a program, hire a heck 196 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:09.200 of a staff. Imagine recruiting he could do. But now 197 00:11:10.279 --> 00:11:16.240 another name evidently has entered the picture. Within all the speculation, 198 00:11:17.240 --> 00:11:21.639 Steve Wilkes, former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and 199 00:11:21.799 --> 00:11:27.759 former head coach of the Carolina Panthers, wasn't successful, but evidently, 200 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:32.639 according to On three Sports, he interviewed for the head 201 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:37.799 coaching job, So that just made things more interesting. Coming 202 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:41.120 up on Thursday, the volleyball wild Cats will take their 203 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:43.679 next step in the NCAA Tournament. They play Missouri, a 204 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:46.840 team they've already beaten twice in the SEC. In fact, 205 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:49.799 Missouri was the team Kentucky beat to close out the 206 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:55.679 regular season and clinch out right another SEC championship. Up next, 207 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:59.000 we'll talk volleyball. Bottom of they were Jimmy Dikes here 208 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:01.679 on six thirty. A big Bill insider coming up in 209 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:04.480 just a few minutes. Jimmy Dyke's ESPN. We'll go back 210 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:07.679 over the Kentucky again Zaga game that he worked up 211 00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:10.799 in Seattle. Mentioned earlier that the UK women with an 212 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:14.519 easy win last night eighty seven of forty five over 213 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:19.240 Queens out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Twenty points for Georgia Amore, 214 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:24.519 nineteen for Amelia Hassett, including one thousand career points. She 215 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:28.720 started her career at a junior college in Florida and 216 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:32.039 decided to play for the Wildcats, signed on with Kenny Brooks, 217 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:34.840 and after the game said she's glad she did. 218 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:38.480 Obviously, it was a great feeling hitting out milestone. Obviously, 219 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.440 props to my teammates for obviously helping me get there 220 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:45.159 and stuff. But yeah, this team is obviously we can 221 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.480 be great. We just have to put the work in. Yeah, 222 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:50.399 I feel like it was a great fit, great choice, 223 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:53.480 and I just obviously loved the coaching staff and coach Brooks. 224 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:56.399 So yeah, so the wildcatch now eight and one after 225 00:12:56.440 --> 00:12:59.480 they lost to North Carolina, bouncing back, and as I 226 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:02.799 mentioned earlier, next up is Purdue coming up Saturday, and 227 00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:05.960 it's going to be obviously a much tougher contest, and 228 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:07.679 it is on the road. You'll hear it on our 229 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:11.320 sister station ninety eight point five FM with Darren Headrick. 230 00:13:11.639 --> 00:13:16.600 Coming up this Saturday, Thursday, it's Kentucky volleyball Wildcats taking 231 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:19.720 on Missouri, trying to beat that team for the third 232 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:23.039 time this year and move into the Elite eight. So 233 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:26.240 they're into Sweet sixteen. And of course this is a 234 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:29.360 Kentucky team that struggled early in the year, played a 235 00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:33.039 brutally tough schedule a lot of nashally ranked teams, and 236 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:36.000 in the early going lost them all. But after the 237 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:39.720 win over Minnesota the other night, Brooklyn Delay talked about 238 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:43.159 the fact that that rough schedule early, which of course 239 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:47.320 morphed into the SEC run that Kentucky made with eleven 240 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:51.559 straight wins twelve Now that resulted in an SEC title. 241 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:55.039 Those early lumps are paying off now, Yeah, I. 242 00:13:54.919 --> 00:13:57.240 Think at the beginning of the year we were just 243 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:59.960 trying to get our groove put some new pieces in play, 244 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:02.840 and I think throughout the season we have done that 245 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:05.039 really well, where other teams may have peaked at the 246 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:07.840 wrong times. And I think going into this tournament and 247 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.360 going into the next final stretch, I think we really 248 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:13.159 are just still improving and getting better, where other teams 249 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:15.200 already know what they're doing, and I feel like we 250 00:14:15.320 --> 00:14:17.919 have that edge and no one really can tell what 251 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:19.559 we're going to bring out because I feel like we 252 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:22.480 have so many different plays that others just don't do, 253 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:24.720 and I think it's just going to be really scary 254 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:25.519 to play us. 255 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:29.399 That's Brooklyn Delay, the SEC Player of the Year, are 256 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:34.320 All Conference teammate emmcgrom, the Kentucky setter, had similar thoughts 257 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:38.080 about getting beat up and knocked around early, but it's 258 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:39.000 paying off now. 259 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:42.279 The reason that we play the tough non conference schedule 260 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:45.399 is to be prepared this time of year, and we 261 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:48.320 might have lost those games, but we learned a lot 262 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:50.519 from those games. We learned how to battle, we learned 263 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:52.960 what it takes, and now we've just seen our growth 264 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:55.080 the whole season. We've just been going up and up, 265 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.200 and I think we're playing really well right now at 266 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:59.120 the time that we need to be and we've got 267 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:01.279 that edge that we've been talking about. We've got the greatness. 268 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:03.440 So I think we're ready and we're just going to 269 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:05.600 have to go in and take some chances. 270 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:09.360 Emma Groham sitting next to Brooklyn Delay when she made 271 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:12.879 that comment, which is kind of fitting because a couple 272 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:17.320 of years ago, Emma Grome was the SEC Player of 273 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:20.279 the Year and coincidentally the one who won it. Last 274 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:25.639 year at Georgia, Sophie Fisher transferred there from Kentucky. So 275 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:28.600 you got Emma Grome one year, a former Wildcat the next, 276 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:32.600 and in Brooklyn Delay this season and Craig Skinner talked 277 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:36.960 about Emma, who became the all time assists leader in 278 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:41.919 the Rally scoring era by passing current assistant coach Madison 279 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:46.159 Lily Groame needed fifty, she got fifty one, so she's 280 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.159 the record holder now. Just an incredible mark for somebody 281 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:53.600 who's been an All American every season in Kentucky. She'll 282 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:57.200 be one again this year. Craig Skinner talked about just 283 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:00.320 looking at a five to nine kid and decided this 284 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:02.120 is the one who's going to get the keys to 285 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:02.799 the Cadillac. 286 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:04.000 Yeah. 287 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:06.120 I mean they were recruiting, we saw something in em 288 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:08.240 and I think that some people didn't see, and you 289 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:10.360 saw a passion and love for the game that very 290 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:13.879 few people have. But the joy and the passion and 291 00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:16.559 the work ethic that she has is different because every 292 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:18.200 single day, you know she's gonna play hard. 293 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:19.759 You know that she's gonna try and get better. 294 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:22.639 She's got an edge to her that you know allows 295 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:25.840 her to compete under pressure. And you know, I think 296 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:28.360 this year you saw a growth in her to see 297 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:31.159 the value and everybody on her team. And and so 298 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:34.000 when you have that and the player that continually wants 299 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:37.759 to be better, it motivates others around you to be better. 300 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:41.120 So you know, certainly proud of her growth, and you 301 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:42.240 know the best is yet to come. 302 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:46.720 And if indeed that is the case, that's good news 303 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:50.200 for the Wildcats and their fans because next up to Missouri, 304 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:53.000 a tough team, hard to beat, a team, as you know, 305 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.519 more than a couple of times in one year. But 306 00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:57.440 that's going to happen at one o'clock. It's going to 307 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:02.240 be on ESPN two Thursday afternoon, and the winner most 308 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:05.279 likely will get Pittsburgh, which is not just the number 309 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:08.079 one seed in the region, but the number one seed 310 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:11.200 in the entire tournament. Before we go to break, a 311 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:14.079 Happy birthday to my buddy Cameron Mills, part of our 312 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:19.119 crew on the UK Radio Network coverage of Kentucky basketball. 313 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.440 You know him from this shot for the time. 314 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:29.599 Sit down, Mills goodly. They've been waiting on it. 315 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:35.119 That's his first basket of the tournament, Cameron Mills. 316 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:39.920 And of course that's the TV call because we're not 317 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:44.119 allowed to use the radio call. Westwood One owns those rights, 318 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:47.799 so we have jim Nanton Billy Packer calling that place. 319 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:51.480 So Happy birthday to my buddy Cameron Mills, who always 320 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:54.720 reminds people it was Scott Paget's three pointer that put 321 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:58.559 Kentucky ahead to stay. But that is the shot heard 322 00:17:58.599 --> 00:18:01.599 round the Bluegrass and you've seen the picture in the 323 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:06.720 video dozens of times. Coming up next Jimmy Dike's ESPN analysts. 324 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:09.680 He called Kentucky gun Zaga. Next on the Big Boon 325 00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:15.839 Cider six thirty w l A p Welcome back joining 326 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:18.279 us on our celebrity Hoighline is a longtime friend of 327 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:20.400 the show and a guy I really enjoy his work. 328 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:26.400 Jimmy Dike's color analyst. He worked Kentucky and Gonzaga for ESPN. 329 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:30.720 He and John Shambi, Uh Saturday night and Jimmy, I 330 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:32.759 know that was a long trip out there for you guys. 331 00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:35.440 You were rewarded with one heck of a game, weren't you. 332 00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:38.359 Goy He's one of the one of the great games 333 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:41.559 so far this year. And uh, you know, anytime you 334 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:43.839 get a chance to do a game between two of 335 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:46.960 the great national brands out there, obviously Kentucky, but don 336 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:49.680 Zaga is also you know, one of the one of 337 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:52.079 the strongest brands in the college game right now, you 338 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:55.039 jump on the chance. And did delivered And it didn't. 339 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:56.680 It did not look like at halftime it was going 340 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.640 to deliver it because our producers, I mean the halftime, 341 00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:02.000 ourdu literally asked me to me, what do you see 342 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:04.440 anything changing this game? I said, no, oh, like, I 343 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:06.839 didn't see any I saw nothing in the first half. 344 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:11.240 That said, Kentucky has an answer for this, but uh man, 345 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:13.799 they did, and man, what a what a great game 346 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:16.960 to watch. I'm sure from the second half through that overtime. 347 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:19.480 Oh yeah, before we break it down a little bit, 348 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:21.799 just quickly give me I don't know that we've talked 349 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:25.559 in a while, and I'm just curious about your reaction, 350 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:28.880 and I follow you on Twitter, of course, But when 351 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:31.920 Kentucky hired Pope, when all this happened and he had 352 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:35.119 to cobble together a team like a jigsaw puzzle, Well, 353 00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:37.440 what was your reaction? Because I always talk about the 354 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:39.759 fact that you know, of all the analysts out there, 355 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:42.799 of course you know Kentucky better than anybody because you've 356 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:45.920 lived it and you appreciate the tradition and all. But 357 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:48.720 what was your what was your response when all this 358 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:49.960 happened here in Lexington. 359 00:19:50.839 --> 00:19:53.440 Yeah, well, you know, because you guys are very aware 360 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:55.759 of the names that were thrown around, and a kind 361 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:57.799 of out out of left field comes Mark Popees and 362 00:19:57.880 --> 00:20:00.599 next of you're like, hump, that's an interest seen higher. 363 00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:03.160 But then as the twenty four hour period went by, 364 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:06.480 and I kind of dug into to what he's done 365 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:10.519 and started listening to all the things that he understood 366 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:13.400 about Kentucky basketball and like big Blue Nation. And within 367 00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:16.519 twenty four hours, that's think flip man, how they went 368 00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:19.519 from this is not a great hire to we hired 369 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:21.400 the guy that's going to put us back on the 370 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:23.319 map and then so far, so good. They they have 371 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:26.839 they've been right, and you know he was. He's exactly 372 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:30.160 what Kentucky needed right now. The guy that comes in 373 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:34.680 and and completely gets the value that Kentucky Jersey, the ure, 374 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:38.640 that team's the state, the expectations. He hasn't ran from it. 375 00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:42.079 He knows the pressure. But there's it's a it's a 376 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:46.440 perfect fit, you know, for a for a Kentucky program 377 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:49.759 that is desperate to get back to being who Kentucky 378 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:52.440 basketball is supposed to be. And so far they have 379 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:53.319 this year. 380 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:56.279 What do you think of what he runs and how 381 00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.400 his team runs it? 382 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:01.720 Well, they have a great belief in their system, which 383 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:05.319 is a great starting point. You know, they understand exactly 384 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:08.839 how they're supposed to play. If you're gonna shoot thirty 385 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:11.079 or more three point shots the game, then you have 386 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:13.359 to make ten or eleven the game to make it 387 00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:16.759 pay off. And they have not shot the ball well 388 00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:21.240 over the last three games. Now. They they delivered in 389 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:25.720 the second half against Gonzaga, but more importantly, that offense 390 00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:28.960 got things done on the inside. And I talked about 391 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.759 it during the game. You don't jump shoot your way 392 00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:34.039 back from sixteen downing. It's the top ten team basically 393 00:21:34.119 --> 00:21:37.839 on their floor right and Mark started calling play. Then 394 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:41.599 he went heavily with Andrew Carr and then when Chris 395 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:44.720 went out, it kind of worked out for their benefit 396 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:47.319 because Kentucky became bigger on both ends of the floor, 397 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:51.960 and now the matchup problem that was really something for 398 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:55.359 Gonzaga to have to work to on both ends. And 399 00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:57.559 you know, Mark does what a great coach does. You've 400 00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:59.559 got to find a way to change the game. And 401 00:21:59.640 --> 00:22:02.440