Speaker 1: Welcome to the Big Moon Sider. Dick Gabriel with you
Speaker 1: on a Tuesday edition of our program, or nearly a
Speaker 1: UK basketball night. But tomorrow night wild Cats play at Oklahoma.
Speaker 1: The game you'll hear right here on six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 1: It's a nine o'clock start, meaning network covered at seven thirty,
Speaker 1: local coverage at six thirty, So we'll be with you
Speaker 1: briefly from six to six thirty tomorrow night to preview
Speaker 1: the Cats and the Sooners. We do have comments from
Speaker 1: Colin Chandler tonight, a guy who's getting a lot of
Speaker 1: clock of late, played very well last couple of times
Speaker 1: out shaking off that rust from his two year layoff.
Speaker 1: But also today we're going to talk football because we
Speaker 1: had a chance to talk to a lot of the
Speaker 1: football Wildcats. In fact, UK made thirty one players available
Speaker 1: to us. I don't think and we're talking about the newcomers,
Speaker 1: the transfers. Don't think everybody got a chance to talk
Speaker 1: to the media, but we all talk to as many
Speaker 1: as we could because we had to kind of hurry
Speaker 1: it up and then get over to the basketball interviews.
Speaker 1: So from both football and basketball tonight start the morning
Speaker 1: started off with a conversation with Mark Stoops that lasted
Speaker 1: about thirty minutes, got some comments from him coming up
Speaker 1: here shortly, But I did want to start with the
Speaker 1: basketball that's more immediate. Obviously, spring practice for football is
Speaker 1: on the way, and Stoops did say there'd be some
Speaker 1: kind if not spring game once again, some kind of
Speaker 1: event for the fans, and it'd give us a chance
Speaker 1: to see the team in action. But we'll come back
Speaker 1: to Mark Stoops in just a moment, and a little
Speaker 1: bit later on, we'll hear from one of the newest
Speaker 1: Wildcats who was absolutely a fascinating story. A lot of
Speaker 1: them are, but this is a guy who is unique
Speaker 1: and well. Of course, we're talking about the offensive left tackle,
Speaker 1: the guy who figures to be the new starter on
Speaker 1: that left side. His last name is Pete and his
Speaker 1: first name is Shayaz Shaiaz Pete, who transferred in from
Speaker 1: New Mexico State, full blood of Navajo. We'll hear from
Speaker 1: him in just a few minutes. But Colin Chandler a
Speaker 1: true freshman, a little bit slow getting off the mark
Speaker 1: because of course he set out two years on his
Speaker 1: religious mission and saw Trent Noah Travis Perry doing really
Speaker 1: well as true freshman, and he was said he was
Speaker 1: rooting for them, but knew he had to be patient
Speaker 1: and it has paid off in fact, and now he
Speaker 1: is contributing and getting more minutes, of course because of
Speaker 1: the injuries to some of the starters and the other guys,
Speaker 1: but he is so happy that he is able to contribute.
Speaker 1: As tournament time draws near, you.
Speaker 2: Know, it's awesome. And what's great is the expectations known
Speaker 2: that anything less than a banner is disappointing, to be honest.
Speaker 2: So we're going into March knowing that, and we're ready
Speaker 2: to go and compete.
Speaker 1: I asked him about the fact that he signed on
Speaker 1: of course with Mark Pope followed him to Lexienen. He
Speaker 1: has had to wait to turn and now he's playing
Speaker 1: meaningful minutes and playing well. And I asked him what
Speaker 1: it felt like to, you know, be able to contribute
Speaker 1: knowing that his coach has confidence in him.
Speaker 2: I think confidence in yourself comes from knowing that your
Speaker 2: teammates and your coach is confident in you before you
Speaker 2: go out there, and so it means a lot to have.
Speaker 2: And I know he is confident even with the injuries
Speaker 2: that we have. Is he's got to make some adjustments,
Speaker 2: but I mean me and all the other guys are
Speaker 2: there to step up where we need to, and.
Speaker 1: As you can imagine, being able to produce the way
Speaker 1: he has, he said, is just a lot of fun.
Speaker 2: It's so fun, so fun. I mean, I've been playing
Speaker 2: a lot of basketball and practice and all those things
Speaker 2: and getting reps, but it's a difference. It's a different
Speaker 2: thing getting in games and being able to to p
Speaker 2: play freely and confidently, and so it's been really fun
Speaker 2: for me.
Speaker 1: And the fact that you've played well, what did that
Speaker 1: do for you mentally or confidence?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think, I mean it's I think for confidence.
Speaker 2: I feel like I can compete and belong here in
Speaker 2: this league and I can actually help the team. I
Speaker 2: think that's helped me a lot in my confidence and
Speaker 2: having fun in this game.
Speaker 1: As Colin Chandler well here tomorrow night from otega Oway,
Speaker 1: who is going back to OU transferred to Kentucky from Oklahoma.
Speaker 1: Jackson Robinson's from their Brandon Garrison played at Oklahoma State.
Speaker 1: So there's a lot of that going through the Kentucky roster.
Speaker 1: But more than anything, it's a game they've got to
Speaker 1: win again. Shifting over to football now. Mark Tuops talked
Speaker 1: to us this morning and I asked him the last
Speaker 1: question of the day, and I asked him basically about
Speaker 1: all the changes that have come about in college football
Speaker 1: of late. And he's talked about it ever since those
Speaker 1: rules and shot away from it. Some people don't like
Speaker 1: it when he talks about it, but it has changed
Speaker 1: the way the game is being played, the way the
Speaker 1: game is being operated for every coach and in say football.
Speaker 1: And I asked Stoops, given all those changes, is he
Speaker 1: enjoying his job now as much as he always has.
Speaker 3: I enjoy it right now as much as I ever have.
Speaker 3: And I think it would be you know, maybe maybe
Speaker 3: I shouldn't say it was good. It is what it is.
Speaker 3: Right last year it was, you know, it was not
Speaker 3: what I wanted. It was not what anybody wanted. That
Speaker 3: falls squarely on me, you know, And I know people
Speaker 3: all you get tired. You know, there's a lot of
Speaker 3: things that you have to adapt to, and you know,
Speaker 3: and one way or another it ties back directly to me,
Speaker 3: and you know so, but it is a big organization,
Speaker 3: it's a big department, you know, and there's a lot
Speaker 3: of areas that that we have to all adapt to
Speaker 3: and you don't do it, do it at a high level.
Speaker 3: And you know, so with that being said, with the
Speaker 3: situation the way it was, like, I couldn't be more
Speaker 3: energized and focused and determined to get this thing back
Speaker 3: into you know, keep growing the program like we once did,
Speaker 3: you know, as good as anybody with the sustained success
Speaker 3: that we had for a long period of time that
Speaker 3: it's hard to do in our league.
Speaker 1: I would say that he seems energized. And I think
Speaker 1: some of that, of course, is you know, being able
Speaker 1: to get out there, as he says, on the grass
Speaker 1: with his players and not have to worry about, you know,
Speaker 1: doing background checks on kids and putting a roster together
Speaker 1: and you know, doing the paperwork basically that comes. It's
Speaker 1: not busy work, but it's non actual coaching work that
Speaker 1: comes with being a head coach. That's what he signed
Speaker 1: up for. And of course he makes a lot of money,
Speaker 1: and people always bring that up to me. That's a
Speaker 1: specious argument, because it doesn't matter how much a coach makes.
Speaker 1: If you argue that coach makes xyz amount of dollars
Speaker 1: for that kind of money, blah blah, blah. I would say,
Speaker 1: where's the cutoff. If he's making half of that, will
Speaker 1: you be saying that, If he's making a third of that,
Speaker 1: will you cut him more slack? No, that much, making
Speaker 1: that kind of money, it doesn't matter. You know, you
Speaker 1: can still make observations. And people like to say, if
Speaker 1: the guy, if any coach makes a comment about maybe
Speaker 1: if it's an unnamed player who makes a mistake or
Speaker 1: doesn't consider, well, he's blaming the players, or he's blaming
Speaker 1: his staff, or if he fires an assistant coach, throwing
Speaker 1: a guy under the bus. You know, No, that's part
Speaker 1: of the job as the head coach. And I can
Speaker 1: tell you at least half a dozen times today Stoops
Speaker 1: took the blame for what happened last year in more
Speaker 1: ways than one. He said it directly, he said it indirectly,
Speaker 1: And I'm not trying to carry the guy's water. I'm
Speaker 1: just telling you what he said. And his entire news
Speaker 1: conference is out there, it's on YouTube. I urge you
Speaker 1: to watch it. But he basically took the blame because
Speaker 1: the responsibility is his, no question about it. And so
Speaker 1: he talked about that, among other things, about how he
Speaker 1: and his staff had to rebuild the roster and reset
Speaker 1: the way that they're coaching this team.
Speaker 3: I think we had to be very strategic in defining
Speaker 3: exactly what we want to do, and you know, and
Speaker 3: then you know, teaching that to the players and having them,
Speaker 3: you know, I just and I like the way they've
Speaker 3: accepted that, the way they've accepted the coaching. They understand
Speaker 3: very clearly what's expected of them. They're working very hard
Speaker 3: and it feels very good. You know, nobody likes the
Speaker 3: year that we had, but maybe, you know, I like
Speaker 3: where we're at right now.
Speaker 1: One of the questions I had prepared basically trying to
Speaker 1: figure out how am I going to phrase this so
Speaker 1: you know, I can get the answer that I'm looking
Speaker 1: so he knows what I mean. You know, he knows
Speaker 1: what I'm going for, And he answered it before I
Speaker 1: could ask it. But I kind of wanted to ask
Speaker 1: him about rebuilding the team, the roster and comparing it
Speaker 1: to when he first got here, because remember what it
Speaker 1: was like and I'm not not and the kids who
Speaker 1: were on the roster, and there were some good players,
Speaker 1: just not enough. They just weren't deep at all when
Speaker 1: it came to talent. They could compete a little bit,
Speaker 1: but when you started getting into the second team, the
Speaker 1: second twenty two, you know, way back in twenty thirteen,
Speaker 1: there just wasn't enough. But now, rebuilding through the portal
Speaker 1: is a different animal. Plus the culture's been established. That
Speaker 1: was something he had to do when he got here.
Speaker 1: Every coach does that. Some believe that word is overused. Culture.
Speaker 1: Somebody will come up with a different word and we'll
Speaker 1: start to overuse that, But I think it's a good
Speaker 1: word now. It's basically, you know, the vibe, the way
Speaker 1: things feel, what's expected of the players, how it's made
Speaker 1: clear to them what they need to know, what they
Speaker 1: need to do. Mark Pope does it. Nick bne Owne
Speaker 1: does it, Kenny Brooks does it. Every coach who's any good,
Speaker 1: they all do it. And for Stoops, the culture has
Speaker 1: been in place, they've had success. As he mentioned earlier,
Speaker 1: he had to go out and get guys who could
Speaker 1: fit the way he wants to do business, and it
Speaker 1: looks like he's done that well. Here from one of
Speaker 1: those new guys. Next in six thirty WLAP Welcome Back
Speaker 1: coming up in just a few minutes. Cameron Drummond of
Speaker 1: the heir of leader, we'll talk Kentucky basketball with us
Speaker 1: and in our number two, Josh Teeter, coming off a
Speaker 1: tour victory on the Corn Ferry Tour, had a chance
Speaker 1: to visit with Josh over the weekends, so you hear
Speaker 1: that coming up as well as Hallie DeVore of WTVQ
Speaker 1: I mentioned the football interviews we did today. In a
Speaker 1: fascinating interview, talk about unique Shayaz Pete, an offensive lineman,
Speaker 1: likely the starting left tackle six' eight, three twenty one
Speaker 1: senior transfer From New Mexico State. University he's a full
Speaker 1: Blooded Navajo Native. American played three seasons well kind of
Speaker 1: At New Mexico. State sat out as a, freshman played
Speaker 1: as a red shirt freshman in twelve, games started nine
Speaker 1: and after that started fifteen as a sophomore six games last,
Speaker 1: year but sat out the back half of the season
Speaker 1: with an. Injury and he came through the portal and
Speaker 1: you might recall he was the Guy kentucky was waiting.
Speaker 1: On you might have heard, that, well the portal traffic
Speaker 1: may be, done but there's one guy they're waiting, on
Speaker 1: or at least one old, lineman and this was the,
Speaker 1: guy and for whatever, reason other teams dawdled, apparently And
Speaker 1: kentucky was there and he cast his ballot basically chose The,
Speaker 1: Wildcats and today he talked to us about why he
Speaker 1: chose to be In.
Speaker 4: LEXINGTON i feel like a lot of other universities WERE
Speaker 4: i guess not taking seriously or the ship had already
Speaker 4: said for a lot of, Them But kentucky still offered
Speaker 4: their hand and coached scoops as a. Statesman he's a
Speaker 4: very genuine man AND i placed a lot of my
Speaker 4: trust into him in my final.
Speaker 5: Decision in my final decision with.
Speaker 6: Him how much was the relationship with Coach wolford a
Speaker 6: part of that?
Speaker 4: Too my relationship with, Him, YEAH i mean, it it
Speaker 4: started at the end at the start of the.
Speaker 5: Year he's he lives up to his.
Speaker 4: Name he's a, wolf he's, cunning he's, keen he's pretty.
Speaker 4: SHARP i, LIKE i like that about.
Speaker 5: Him there's a lot of guys From Los. Cruces then
Speaker 5: went To. Vanderbilt did did did? They did they try
Speaker 5: to pull you that direction as?
Speaker 4: Well ACTUALLY i toured At nashville OR i did an official.
Speaker 4: Visit it was good to see MY i, guess my
Speaker 4: former coaches, there former. Teammates it was good to, reconnect
Speaker 4: but it just wasn't the right fit for me in
Speaker 4: terms of their offensive, scheme AND i JUST i wanted
Speaker 4: SOMETHING i guess different FROM i Guess New mexico Slash
Speaker 4: vanderbilt's offensive.
Speaker 5: Scheme so how how challenging was it having the year
Speaker 5: that you had two seasons ago and then not being
Speaker 5: able to play for you, know half the year last.
Speaker 4: Year it's definitely a, challenge BUT i still approached it
Speaker 4: LIKE i would any other. Season you, know it's Still
Speaker 4: i'm still playing football out, there Whether i'm actually not
Speaker 4: playing football or. NOT i sustained a pretty heavy injury
Speaker 4: AND i had to kind of come come to terms with,
Speaker 4: that face reality and work my ass off when it
Speaker 4: comes to rehabilitation and getting myself battle.
Speaker 1: Ready, yeah you said Coach stoops as a. Statesman what
Speaker 1: do you mean by?
Speaker 5: That well's.
Speaker 4: Genuine he's super honest and he means what he. Says
Speaker 4: AND i like that about. Him he's a genuine. Person
Speaker 4: he's he's very h how do you put? It focuses
Speaker 4: on the players and the fact that this team is
Speaker 4: going to be player led in the sense THAT i,
Speaker 4: mean we're going to pave the way for. It we're
Speaker 4: the first on the. Line we're going to define our.
Speaker 4: Culture given, OTHERS i mean a lot of new transfers and,
Speaker 4: whatnot we have to come up with something like.
Speaker 5: That when you.
Speaker 1: Were Researching, kentucky what did you? See what did you look?
Speaker 5: For what DID i? See what DID i look?
Speaker 4: For, well one of my, decisions, apologies one of my
Speaker 4: decisions was kind of conference in my willing to compete
Speaker 4: in AND i, Figured, hell this is one hell of
Speaker 4: a mountain to, climb SO i might as well. Climate you,
Speaker 4: Know I'm i'm committed to making my last stand. Here
Speaker 4: so that's what was one of my decision.
Speaker 6: Points she has transferring the sec being AN nfl draft,
Speaker 6: prospect you're gonna be one of the most Visible Native
Speaker 6: American navajo athletes in the. Country what does that kind
Speaker 6: of label mean to you in representing that part of your?
Speaker 5: Culture, again it's a deep.
Speaker 4: OWNER I i love WHAT i, do AND i do
Speaker 4: it for my, community for the, youth to give them
Speaker 4: a beacon of hope that you, know there's there's a
Speaker 4: way out of, it there's a there's a way, up
Speaker 4: there's a way to create and turn defeat into victory
Speaker 4: And I'm i'm proud to be on the frontier of
Speaker 4: that and to define.
Speaker 6: It were there guys you looked up to growing up
Speaker 6: like that, too who taked the way for you to
Speaker 6: be in the?
Speaker 7: Spot?
Speaker 5: Not how do you? Mean were there Other Native.
Speaker 6: American And avo athletes out there who you, thought, OH
Speaker 6: i can do that, too or were you kind of carving.
Speaker 4: That animo as A Native american. Athlete he's a big
Speaker 4: influence on, me big. INSPIRATION i WISH i could shake
Speaker 4: his inn and introduce, myself But i'd have to say
Speaker 4: that's one of my main.
Speaker 1: INFLUENCES a few years, ago believe it or, not there
Speaker 1: was a pro athlete here in, town minor league baseball
Speaker 1: player who was the first member of The Crow nation
Speaker 1: to be a pro, athlete and he told us what
Speaker 1: that meant to his, culture stretching all the way back To.
Speaker 1: Montana you, know have you heard from a lot of
Speaker 1: relatives and things like.
Speaker 4: That, yeah you, know people reach out and what. NOT i,
Speaker 4: mean it's a very close knit community within The Navo.
Speaker 4: Nation i've, had you, know fans come up and introduce
Speaker 4: themselves and. Whatnot but how do you feel about?
Speaker 5: That it's, Nice it's it's.
Speaker 4: Different it's, new And I'm i'm recognizing That i'm a public,
Speaker 4: figure SO i have to conduct my business in a
Speaker 4: professional manner and compete with, class compete with.
Speaker 5: Like stoops the.
Speaker 6: Estatesman how different is it being In kentucky where they're
Speaker 6: they're just not a lot of Other navajo people around
Speaker 6: Versus New mexico where you grew, up where it was
Speaker 6: so much more common.
Speaker 5: In being around.
Speaker 4: It it's on that, community it's like it's foreign. Territory
Speaker 4: i'll tell you. That it's there's not a lot of
Speaker 4: representation out of, here And i'm Realizing i'm in like
Speaker 4: there's there's no one else, here AND i guess understanding
Speaker 4: THE i guess the knowing that there's not a lot
Speaker 4: of representation out, THERE i have an opportunity to to
Speaker 4: be that that person that to be on the frontier of,
Speaker 4: it to represent.
Speaker 1: That Is Shaia's. Pete the new offensive lineman came through
Speaker 1: the portal From New Mexico state and just a really eloquent.
Speaker 1: Speaker like most offensive. Linemen i'm a little, biased but
Speaker 1: just to give you some, background his, Dad, natani is
Speaker 1: a captain in The United States army and he is
Speaker 1: of The Salish navajo. Tribe his mother is full Blooded,
Speaker 1: navajo and he was born actually In, montana but of
Speaker 1: course he's been playing his college football In New mexico
Speaker 1: and now he's A Kentucky. Wildcat and AS i, mentioned
Speaker 1: six p' eighty three twenty one and, folks not a
Speaker 1: bit of it hangs over his. Belt he is the
Speaker 1: most athletic looking but the due respect to all the
Speaker 1: other old Linemen i've, covered and maybe it's just because
Speaker 1: he's so, big he is the most athletic looking old
Speaker 1: LINEMAN i Think i've ever. Seen and you know who
Speaker 1: else is big and we'll hear from him coming up
Speaker 1: in the next few. Days we talked To Joshua, braun
Speaker 1: who just might be figures to be the new starting
Speaker 1: center for The, wildcats transferred in From, arkansas also played At.
Speaker 1: Florida great, speaker and these guys are both really, mature
Speaker 1: SO i think you're gonna like the way they, play
Speaker 1: the way they handle, themselves AND i thought it was
Speaker 1: really fascinating to talk to WHO i Believe i'm pretty
Speaker 1: sure he's the first full blood Of nevajo ever to
Speaker 1: play At. Kentucky Cam drumming next and six thirty W
Speaker 1: welcome back to The Big Blue. Insider join us, now
Speaker 1: as you guys been on the show with us. BEFORE
Speaker 1: i haven't talked To Cam drummond in a while from
Speaker 1: THE Herold leader And, cam how's your basketball season?
Speaker 8: Going it's going pretty. WELL i, MEAN i think all
Speaker 8: of us have been thoroughly impressed and entertained so far
Speaker 8: with What kentucky's put on the, court both on the
Speaker 8: men's and women's, SIDE i should. Say but now as
Speaker 8: we kind of Approach march and the stretch run with,
Speaker 8: THINGS i think everything will ratchet, up you, know a
Speaker 8: couple of, degrees but the heat'll get turned on a
Speaker 8: little bit more and before we know, it we'll be
Speaker 8: talking about THE Sec tournament in THE Ncaa tournament and
Speaker 8: seating and brackets and all that good.
Speaker 1: STUFF i may point out as well That cam works
Speaker 1: on THE uk basketball beat With Ben roberts covers horse racing,
Speaker 1: soccer drops in on women's basketball. Year you're just kind
Speaker 1: of whatever it, takes, guy aren't.
Speaker 8: You, yeah let's try. It and you mentioned it the
Speaker 8: New Lexington Sporting club seasons or Are broth starting up
Speaker 8: for the spring as? Well and you, know as soon
Speaker 8: as the basketball season's, end whether that's early in the
Speaker 8: tournament or late in the, tournament The Kentucky derby will
Speaker 8: be right around the corner as. Well so, thanks thanks
Speaker 8: for reminding me of just how Busy i'll be this.
Speaker 1: Spring there's no, rest there never. Is. Uh you recently
Speaker 1: posted On twitter or a link to a story About
Speaker 1: Andrew carr coming back from his, injury AND i reminded
Speaker 1: myself and some people as well, that you, know early
Speaker 1: in the, season when he was playing so, well especially
Speaker 1: in That duke. GAME i think a lot of people
Speaker 1: believe that As Andrew carr, went so go The. Wildcats
Speaker 1: not exactly the, case but, UH i think people forget
Speaker 1: just how valuable he can.
Speaker 8: Be you, know, yeah, Certainly and, yeah you mentioned the
Speaker 8: article THAT i, Posted so please anyone interested in that
Speaker 8: please go out To kentucky dot com And kentucky dot
Speaker 8: com slash sports to read more About Andrew. Carr and
Speaker 8: to your, point you, know so you think about some
Speaker 8: Of kentucky's best and biggest performances this, season That duke,
Speaker 8: game in the third game of the, season the overtime
Speaker 8: win At gonzaga When kentucky was with That Lamon, butler
Speaker 8: and that was the game Where Kerr krista suffered his significant.
Speaker 8: Injury that Was carr's highest scoring game of the. Season
Speaker 8: and we've seen a bit of a return to form
Speaker 8: For Andrew carr over the last two. Games, obviously that
Speaker 8: back injury that first flared up when non conference play
Speaker 8: wrapped up On New Year's day kind of lingered with
Speaker 8: him for the better part of seven eight. Weeks he
Speaker 8: even had to miss that First vanderbilt game down In
Speaker 8: nashville because it was so. Bad was basically a non
Speaker 8: factor in the road win At. Tennessee he only played
Speaker 8: like ninety seconds because of it and just generally looked
Speaker 8: a bit out of sorts as he managed that obviously
Speaker 8: super painful and, significant especially for a big man. Injury
Speaker 8: but now we've seen him get back into the starting
Speaker 8: lineup and AS i, mentioned the last two, performances last
Speaker 8: week's win Over, vanderbilt and despite losing In, tuscaloosa we
Speaker 8: saw The Andrew carr of. Old he was aggressive on,
Speaker 8: offense he was active on the, boards he was hunting,
Speaker 8: Shots he was being real demonstrative in all of his offensive,
Speaker 8: actions whether that was shooting the, ball ducking in setting
Speaker 8: screens popping. Out you, know we haven't seen a ton
Speaker 8: of him from a three point shooting perspective this, season
Speaker 8: at least maybe not as much relative to preseason. Expectations
Speaker 8: but he made three shots from deep At, alabama WHICH
Speaker 8: i believed tied a career high and was the most
Speaker 8: he's made all. Season so we're Seeing Andrew carr trending
Speaker 8: in the right direction and certainly giving the injury outlook
Speaker 8: For kentucky right. Now that's something That Mark pope's team
Speaker 8: needs in a desperate way as the season nears an.
Speaker 1: End, yeah AND i remember earlier in the season cam
Speaker 1: before the, injury he was passing up three, pointers and you,
Speaker 1: know you could feel the fans being frustrated with, him
Speaker 1: even where we sit up in the. Rafters but And
Speaker 1: pope talked about, that and you could tell he BEGAN
Speaker 1: i won't say he was hunting his three point, shot
Speaker 1: but he was a little more aggressive with it before
Speaker 1: he got, hurt which is one of the reasons it
Speaker 1: was so frustrating when he went.
Speaker 8: Down, yeah, Certainly and Something i've even noticed is a
Speaker 8: bit more of a smoother flow To Andrew carr's three
Speaker 8: point shot as, WELL i, Mean i'm not sure if
Speaker 8: that's something where it's reducing the stress on his back
Speaker 8: or just maybe some refinements he's made in the gym
Speaker 8: or watching. Film but the last couple of games where
Speaker 8: he's kind of up to that three point shot usage as,
Speaker 8: Well i've noticed a bit more of a smoother, delivery
Speaker 8: a bit less of a hitch in his. Shot and
Speaker 8: obviously you don't really Need Andrew carr to be shooting
Speaker 8: five or six threes a game when we've seen What
Speaker 8: Kobe brea and Otega oway and some of the other
Speaker 8: guys have done as. Well but, certainly his distant shooting,
Speaker 8: ability his ability to space the floor in that regard
Speaker 8: is one of his most unique aspects as a, player
Speaker 8: and it's something That kentucky's other bigs don't really, offer you,
Speaker 8: know aside from that one three pointer In, texas And
Speaker 8: Mario williams isn't going to be out there shooting a
Speaker 8: ton of, threes you, Know Brandon garrison's on a pretty
Speaker 8: steady diet of one or two a. Game but still
Speaker 8: neither of those guys, really you, know command the kind
Speaker 8: of attention when they stepped beyond the three point arc
Speaker 8: from opposing defense as that car.
Speaker 1: Does, yeah you're, right and you could tell When williams
Speaker 1: hit that one Against. Texas, uh then he kind of
Speaker 1: looked for the next, one you, Know and you're, right
Speaker 1: that's not exactly what you want to. See we're talking
Speaker 1: With Cam, drummond OTHER erro. Leader he, covers among other,
Speaker 1: Things kentucky, basketball and you know when we were all
Speaker 1: trying to figure out what this team was going to
Speaker 1: do and How Mark pope was going to do, it and,
Speaker 1: then as you, said we were all kind of pleasantly surprised.
Speaker 1: EARLY i don't know about, you BUT i always kind
Speaker 1: of by WROTE i do it more for football than, anything,
Speaker 1: say but you got to stay. Healthy and YET i
Speaker 1: just who saw this? COMING i, mean at one point
Speaker 1: when you figured That otega was just blanked basically Against,
Speaker 1: alabama they essentially faced The Crimson tide In tuscaloosa minus
Speaker 1: four of their top seven players and still get them a.
Speaker 1: RUN i don't know what to make of, that do?
Speaker 8: You, No it's, Remarkable and you, know you think about
Speaker 8: the injuries That kentucky's had this. Year, obviously three significant
Speaker 8: injuries like they've had would hamper any team and would cause.
Speaker 8: Issues but then you think about the fact that they've
Speaker 8: all happened to basically the same position. Group you, know
Speaker 8: that point guard leave guard, role and you know the
Speaker 8: fact that they're down to their fourth option right now
Speaker 8: at point guard With Travis, perry who's been playing very,
Speaker 8: amicably you, know really giving it is all in a
Speaker 8: situation that nobody could have expected early in the. Season
Speaker 8: and yet to your, point with The Otago oway having
Speaker 8: an incredibly uncharacteristic, scoring you, know offensive performance Against alabama
Speaker 8: with the likes Of, Butler, Jackson robinson And cresa all,
Speaker 8: out the fact That kentucky even established that early double digit,
Speaker 8: lead the fact that they even in the second half
Speaker 8: late in the game on multiple, occasions had it down
Speaker 8: to a three or a four point game says a
Speaker 8: lot about just the fight and the effort That kentucky's.
Speaker 8: Had and you, know we've been discussing this with Mare
Speaker 8: hope for about three or four. Weeks it feels like
Speaker 8: now he's not going to blame. Injuries he's not going
Speaker 8: to say that as an excuse or as an out
Speaker 8: for some of these performances or. Defeats but obviously it's
Speaker 8: an incredibly valid one especially when you think about the
Speaker 8: fact that not only are those players out of the
Speaker 8: lineup In kentucky's down to essentially nine healthy scholarship, guys
Speaker 8: but they're having to completely reinvent the wheel a bit
Speaker 8: in terms of how they are playing with three freshmen
Speaker 8: in the, fold With Amari, williams With Kobe, brea with Artega,
Speaker 8: oway you, know With Travis perry being the guys who
Speaker 8: bring the ball up the. Court that totally affects their,
Speaker 8: sets you, know how they're able to get back in,
Speaker 8: transition how they're able to instigate transition on offense as.
Speaker 8: Well so just a lot of stuff that's had to
Speaker 8: be kind of reworked on the fly here By pope
Speaker 8: and his coaching. Staff and it's certainly things that you
Speaker 8: can't account in the early part of the. Season so
Speaker 8: as much As kentucky fans and just Probably i'm sure
Speaker 8: national college basketball fans at large have been disappointed by
Speaker 8: kind of the up and down nature of the, SEASON
Speaker 8: i think it's relatively under, standable just given how Hard
Speaker 8: kentucky has been hit at such a crucial position, group
Speaker 8: the way that they like to play on both ends
Speaker 8: of the.
Speaker 1: Floor, Well i've been Covering kentucky basketball. FOREVER i can't
Speaker 1: remember a rash of injuries like, this as you, say
Speaker 1: at the one position, group and of course this is you,
Speaker 1: know not that there are levels of, uniqueness but this
Speaker 1: is incredible unique this, year the way they had to
Speaker 1: rebuild the. Roster and, again AS i said, earlier you,
Speaker 1: know we're all trying to figure out when you, know
Speaker 1: we flat at Asked, mark how are you going to do?
Speaker 1: This and he, said the players are going to help
Speaker 1: me decide. That and he was, right of, course but
Speaker 1: he kind of hadn't changed the way he coaches this
Speaker 1: team right in the middle of the, year didn't.
Speaker 8: He, well, NO i mean certainly they're kind of trying
Speaker 8: to do the same, things obviously with just different personnel in.
Speaker 8: Place and, look you, know it's a bit of an
Speaker 8: unfortunate and probably unrealistic ask for anybody, to for, example
Speaker 8: slot in at the lead yard spot on defense and
Speaker 8: offer anything close to the point of attack defense and
Speaker 8: just the overall defensive ability that A Lamont butler. Offers,
Speaker 8: Right but we've seen different guys step up in different.
Speaker 8: Moments you, know A Colin chandler comes up with two
Speaker 8: or three steals in the. Game we've Seen Travis perry
Speaker 8: really fight his tail off on that end of the.
Speaker 8: Court you, know even some of the bigger guys on
Speaker 8: the offensive. END i mean, again the whole you, know
Speaker 8: big man point guard dynamic That Amari williams has brought
Speaker 8: to this. Team who could have envisioned, that you, know
Speaker 8: three four months. Ago and just the overall you, know
Speaker 8: offensive load that a guy Like Kobe brea has had to.
Speaker 8: Carry and we're seeing more from him on the defensive
Speaker 8: side as. Well and this is all coming. Simultaneously while
Speaker 8: even While Lamont butler And Robinson increasa were in the,
Speaker 8: Fold kentucky wasn't exactly going to, be you, know confused
Speaker 8: for a nineteen EIGHTIES nba defensive, juggernaut, Right but even
Speaker 8: despite those guys going, Out kentucky has shown the ability to, improve,
Speaker 8: however marginally on the defensive. End they're making strides in that.
Speaker 8: Regard you, know, obviously when you give up that many
Speaker 8: points To alabama and they have that much success on
Speaker 8: the offensive, end you, know things might be a bit
Speaker 8: sad in that regard when they look at the film.
Speaker 8: Tape but you think about some of the performances they've strung.
Speaker 8: Together in That South carolina, game in That vanderbilt, game
Speaker 8: you know they are making some instrumental. Process and it's
Speaker 8: not exactly about turning into again like you know the
Speaker 8: Eighties piston or the Eighties celtics on that end of the.
Speaker 8: Court it's just about getting good enough on defense to
Speaker 8: allow what you do on, offense making three, pointers play
Speaker 8: at a fast, tempo allowing your guards and big men
Speaker 8: to score from all over the. Court just being good
Speaker 8: enough on the defensive side to allow that to carry
Speaker 8: you to. Win and you, KNOW i Think, Kentucky i'm
Speaker 8: not sure if you'll be able to get, there but
Speaker 8: they're making more progress THAN i would have, envisioned given
Speaker 8: the injuries To butler And robinson, increase AND i think
Speaker 8: that's something that merits some praise as.
Speaker 1: Well talking To Cam drummond or The Hero, leader you
Speaker 1: can follow him On twitter obviously you want to see
Speaker 1: his work At kentucky dot. Com we'll come back with
Speaker 1: more questions For cam on the other side of the
Speaker 1: break here on six THIRTY Wlap welcome. Back we're talking
Speaker 1: To Cameron. Drummond See drummond ninety seven on ex Or
Speaker 1: twitter if you will covers, basketball, soccer horse, racing and
Speaker 1: a lot. More for the hero leader you, Mentioned Amary.
Speaker 1: WILLIAMS i think it's been fascinating watching. Him it generally
Speaker 1: goes in the other, direction watching him learn what he
Speaker 1: can get away. With you, know generally when big guys come,
Speaker 1: up they're a little too physical or they're you, know
Speaker 1: they get called for fouls too much because they're trying
Speaker 1: to do too. Much you, know because he couldn't get
Speaker 1: away with much at the mid major level when he
Speaker 1: was A. Drexel you, know, now as he's pointed, out
Speaker 1: he can be a lot more physical and he has
Speaker 1: BECOME i, think incrementally. Better have you seen it that?
Speaker 9: Way? Oh.
Speaker 8: Certainly. YEAH i think my favorite development just to, follow you,
Speaker 8: know just as a basketball fan throughout the course of
Speaker 8: This kentucky, season has been the emergence Of Amury, williams
Speaker 8: not just in a ball handling trying a big man
Speaker 8: point guard role LIKE i referenced, earlier but just in
Speaker 8: terms of his physicality on the block and the way
Speaker 8: in which he's learned how to throw his weight around
Speaker 8: so is muscle. AROUND i, mean this is the guy
Speaker 8: who's seven feet, tall two hundred and sixty two, pounds you,
Speaker 8: know has absolute size and strength about, him yet throughout
Speaker 8: so much at the early course of the, season he
Speaker 8: seemed a little bit tentative or just a little bit
Speaker 8: unsure of how to use that size and something that
Speaker 8: he's talked to us a lot, about you. Know as
Speaker 8: the reason for that is just when he played At
Speaker 8: drexel for four, seasons when he played at the mid major,
Speaker 8: level nobody else in THE Cia, conference you, know has
Speaker 8: the ability or the size or the strength to guard.
Speaker 8: Him so something that they would, do almost as like
Speaker 8: a bailout, tactic would be fall to the, ground they
Speaker 8: would get fouls drawn on. Him and while that worked
Speaker 8: at that, level guys in THE sec usually have a
Speaker 8: bit more stuff about, them both in terms of basketball
Speaker 8: ability and in terms of the actual size and brute.
Speaker 8: Strength so guys are facing him a bit, more you,
Speaker 8: know one on, one strength on, strength and that's allowed
Speaker 8: On mari to bring that out of his own. Game
Speaker 8: he's no longer concerned about a guy going to the,
Speaker 8: ground you, know for a charge or, whatever or an offensive.
Speaker 8: Foul so he feels very comfortable kind of backing a
Speaker 8: guy In everyone knows how dangerous he is with his left.
Speaker 8: Hand we're even seeing that right hand kind of come
Speaker 8: along a little bit in recent. Games and even when
Speaker 8: everyone in the country knows he wants to go to
Speaker 8: his left, hand he's still able to get to that
Speaker 8: left hand and finish effectively at the. Rim as a
Speaker 8: shot blocking, presence he's come along as. Well you, know
Speaker 8: he's had a couple Of titanic blocks that got the
Speaker 8: Rap aerena crowd really going this. Season so, yeah, CERTAINLY
Speaker 8: i think of Any kentucky player on the, roster he's
Speaker 8: the one who's maybe most evolved the, most not only
Speaker 8: in terms of expanding his game to that ball handling,
Speaker 8: role but also just in terms of evolving what he
Speaker 8: already was known to do as a defensive presence and
Speaker 8: as a general big.
Speaker 1: Man you mentioned earlier how entertaining this team has. Been
Speaker 1: did you expect this style of? Play did you watch
Speaker 1: Much Brigham young? Basketball because, Man Rupp aerena has gone
Speaker 1: nuts a few times this.
Speaker 8: Year, HONESTLY i can't SAY i expected it to be
Speaker 8: at this. Level i'm not going to confuse myself with
Speaker 8: A byu super. FAN i can't pretend LIKE i was
Speaker 8: up super late or making two much time to watch, them,
Speaker 8: why you, know whether they were in THE wcc or
Speaker 8: in The big twelve last. Season BUT i think we
Speaker 8: kind of knew what to, expect especially on the offensive,
Speaker 8: end in terms of sharing the ball five. Out you,
Speaker 8: know sometimes offense cutting being such a point of emphasis
Speaker 8: in terms of that's how the offense gets. Initiated you,
Speaker 8: know guys making back door, cut slicing through the, middle you,
Speaker 8: know just kind of constant. Movement BUT i do think
Speaker 8: the thing that that's kind of been interesting to notice
Speaker 8: is just how much that, cutting in that kind of
Speaker 8: off ball movement ties Into kentucky having a good offensive.
Speaker 8: Performance and when that stuff is, lacking where that stuff
Speaker 8: is a bit, lazier that stuff isn't as, Cohesive kentucky
Speaker 8: usually seems to really labor on, offense go long into
Speaker 8: the shot, clock all of those. Things so as much
Speaker 8: As Mark pope told us In October, november that, cutting
Speaker 8: spacing off ball movement was so paramount his, offense watching
Speaker 8: it in, practice both when things go well and when
Speaker 8: things don't go well for The cats has been just
Speaker 8: kind of a real eye opening thing in terms of
Speaker 8: all right with. It this guy's style of Play this
Speaker 8: is the most important thing to having a conducive offensive
Speaker 8: performance and people love.
Speaker 1: IT i mean when they cut to the basket and
Speaker 1: passed so, well it is so. Entertaining we're talking To
Speaker 1: Cam drummond of The Hero leader a few more, minutes
Speaker 1: BUT i do want to shift you. OVER i have
Speaker 1: not as learned it as you perhaps in soccer, sure
Speaker 1: but like to watch. It WHEN i was in high,
Speaker 1: school my buddies were playing and it can be. Fun
Speaker 1: how do you think the soccer community here In lexington
Speaker 1: has taken to what's happening way out there NEAR i seventy.
Speaker 1: Five what a complex out. THERE i mean it has
Speaker 1: sprung up really, impressively hasn't.
Speaker 8: It, yeah it's super, interesting just in terms of the
Speaker 8: growth That Lexington Sporting club has had in such a,
Speaker 8: short sir period of. Time excuse, me you think about.
Speaker 8: IT i THINK i arrived In lexington's summer of twenty twenty.
Speaker 8: One october of twenty twenty one was when the team
Speaker 8: was announced That Lexington Sporting club would be, formed that
Speaker 8: they begetting a professional men's. Team now you fast forward
Speaker 8: less than four years into the, future the professional men's
Speaker 8: team is about to be entering its third season of.
Speaker 8: Play they've already moved up a division FROM Usl League
Speaker 8: one to THE Usl, championship which is the same league
Speaker 8: That Louisville city plays. In and now we're in the
Speaker 8: first season Of Lexington Sporting club's professional women's, team which
Speaker 8: plays in THE Usl Super, league which is a brand
Speaker 8: new pro women's soccer league that just debuted this Past.
Speaker 8: September they use a fall in spring season, format So
Speaker 8: Lexington Sporting club on the women's side have just begun
Speaker 8: the spring portion of that. Season and that's to say
Speaker 8: nothing of as you, mentioned the sprawling complex that they
Speaker 8: have now NEAR i seventy five And Athens Boonsboro, road
Speaker 8: where they HAVE i think it's a five thousand speeder,
Speaker 8: stadium potentially even a seventy five hundred seater, stadium you,
Speaker 8: know something in the multiple thousand, range a ton of practice,
Speaker 8: fields a variety of youth, teams you, know all the
Speaker 8: way from the small children's side in that age group
Speaker 8: to the pre professional. Level talking YOUR u, seventeens YOU'R u,
Speaker 8: eighteens some elite high school players from The lexington And
Speaker 8: Central kentucky area into the. Fold so, yeah you think
Speaker 8: about that span of growth in just such a short
Speaker 8: period of, time it's pretty impressive how much you, know
Speaker 8: they've kind of, grown you, know throughout that. Period and,
Speaker 8: yeah you're starting to see more members of the community take,
Speaker 8: notice especially in comparison to where they used to play
Speaker 8: out At Toyota stadium on the campus Of Georgetown. College
Speaker 8: there's certainly a little bit more of A lexington local
Speaker 8: feel to it. Now you, know they've gone through some coaching,
Speaker 8: changers haven't had the most success on the, field BUT
Speaker 8: i think everyone in the organization from the top on,
Speaker 8: down is really targeting twenty twenty five as a year
Speaker 8: for gross on both the men's and women's, sides but
Speaker 8: in particular on the men's, side given that they're now
Speaker 8: at THE Usl championship, level the highest division offered under
Speaker 8: THE usl, structure and now as they're playing some official
Speaker 8: serious matches Against Louisville city as well to kind of
Speaker 8: spark that battle of The bluegrass.
Speaker 1: RIVALRY i, wondered what a facility that far off the
Speaker 1: beaten path out, There Athon's. Boonsboro it's selectioning and it's
Speaker 1: not that far, away BUT i wondered would it work
Speaker 1: would it draw are They are they happy with where
Speaker 1: they are right now with attendance and way the way
Speaker 1: fans are shown.
Speaker 8: UP i think there's certainly room for, growth you. KNOW
Speaker 8: i think a lot of that has to do with
Speaker 8: with just the fact, that, hey people are still kind
Speaker 8: of learning What Lexington Sporting club, is you, know learning
Speaker 8: That lexington in Central kentucky has a professional soccer franchise
Speaker 8: of its. Own you, KNOW i don't think attendancies are
Speaker 8: necessarily bursting out of the gate quite, yet but it's
Speaker 8: obviously still early in the inception of that. FACILITY i
Speaker 8: think moving to a higher division on the men's side
Speaker 8: will certainly. Help, obviously as The World cup in twenty
Speaker 8: twenty six kind of nears a bit closer in The
Speaker 8: United states And North america at, large attention on soccer
Speaker 8: will spike back up. Again you, know every time that
Speaker 8: there's An Olympic games like we had this past, summer
Speaker 8: interest in women's, soccer you, know it seems to explode
Speaker 8: in interested women's sports across the. Board obviously having a
Speaker 8: real boon right. Now SO i think it's a bit
Speaker 8: of a work in, progress. OBVIOUSLY i think if they
Speaker 8: can get the product on the field to be a
Speaker 8: little bit, better whether that's being in playoff, contention contending for,
Speaker 8: championships which is a stated goal of the, club enfranchise
Speaker 8: on both the men's and women's, sides that will certainly.
Speaker 8: Help but, YEAH i think just you, know kind of
Speaker 8: getting awareness. Out obviously you mentioned it's kind of a
Speaker 8: bit further out. There you, know it feels like you're
Speaker 8: almost driving THE eku And richmond sometimes when you're you're
Speaker 8: making the trek out to that. Facility but it is
Speaker 8: quite a nice. Facility it's you, know it's an all seater.
Speaker 8: Thing they have everything from general ticket options to you,
Speaker 8: know a LITTLE vip suite. Area the pitch always seems
Speaker 8: to be a in phenomenal, condition AND i think one
Speaker 8: of the things That Lexington Sporting club is banking on
Speaker 8: pretty strongly as well is getting that local community buy and,
Speaker 8: support in particular through youth. Teams you, know they want
Speaker 8: local high school clubs or local you, know youth soccer.
Speaker 8: Teams the, families, parents friends of the kids who are
Speaker 8: in The Lexington Sporting club youth set up already to
Speaker 8: be regular attendees of matt to help fill out the.
Speaker 8: CROWD i, know they're continuing to try and get a
Speaker 8: little bit more interest in activeness in terms of like
Speaker 8: the dedicated supporters group. Feel but excuse, ME i would,
Speaker 8: recommend you, know people going out and giving it a,
Speaker 8: try just because it's a new you, know sports phenomenon
Speaker 8: kind of in the Central Kentucky lexington sphere and something
Speaker 8: that the area hasn't really had, before and it's worth
Speaker 8: at least giving it a test drive in kind to
Speaker 8: see if that's something that'll.
Speaker 1: Stick we're talking To Cam drummond and, well we actually
Speaker 1: had a, time but the next Time, cam we'll talk
Speaker 1: about THE tbt. SITUATION i know you've been covering that
Speaker 1: it's coming back and they've made some changes for the.
Speaker 1: Better but for now you can Follow camin the pages
Speaker 1: Of The Hero leader At kentucky dot com and On
Speaker 1: twitter or Exit Seed drumming ninety. Seven thank, you, SIR
Speaker 1: i have a great. One appreciate. It thank you for the.
Speaker 8: Time dick.
Speaker 1: Up next hour number, two we'll we're more from the Football.
Speaker 1: Wildcats when we're From Hallie dolor OF wtvq and From Josh,
Speaker 1: Teeter kentucky boy and newly crowned golf. Champion that's next
Speaker 1: you're on six point. Thirty how would you l like.
Speaker 10: B welcome back to The Big.
Speaker 1: BLONSIDER i remember two of our programs coming. Up in
Speaker 1: just a few, minutes we're gonnare From Josh, teeter who
Speaker 1: was in town following his victory on the Corn Ferry
Speaker 1: tory one down At Panama. City panama won the. Championship
Speaker 1: huge win for The danville, Native Moorhead state, product And lexington.
Speaker 1: Residents we'll hear From josh in just a couple of,
Speaker 1: minutes also From Hallie DeVore OF, wtvq Covers Dowyle kats
Speaker 1: both basketball and. Football but we need to talk about
Speaker 1: what's going on, today and it's probably. Over maybe it
Speaker 1: spills into a second, DAY i don't. Know down In,
Speaker 1: dallas the conferences involved in a college football playoff are
Speaker 1: gathering to talk about the future. Format because we pre,
Speaker 1: recorded it is likely. Over we have to talk about
Speaker 1: what happened tomorrow if indeed they make some sort of
Speaker 1: announcement after today's. Meeting but this is gonna Get this
Speaker 1: could get a little. Ugly and if you look back
Speaker 1: on the playoff this past, YEAR i think we'll all
Speaker 1: agree that the seating was. Wrong it was, bad poorly.
Speaker 1: Done but some of those bigger conferences were locked, in
Speaker 1: and you, know obviously The big ten in THE sec
Speaker 1: were locked in to their slots the brackets in the.
Speaker 1: Playoff The big ten and THE sec wants straight seeding
Speaker 1: again for next season or this coming football playoff twenty twenty,
Speaker 1: five and THE, Acc big twelve and other SIX fbs
Speaker 1: conferences don't want. It so now the question is how
Speaker 1: badly do The big ten and THE sec want. It
Speaker 1: you got to wonder will they make the other conferences
Speaker 1: financially hold no matter what the, Format you, know what
Speaker 1: kind of guarantees will there be within the future format
Speaker 1: beginning of twenty twenty, six because that's when The big
Speaker 1: ten and THE sec will not need a unanimous agreement
Speaker 1: to change the rules this. Year today they need a unanimous,
Speaker 1: agreement but beginning next year they do. Not so The
Speaker 1: big ten moving forward can do ANY sec they can
Speaker 1: do whatever they. Want so today's, meeting obviously vital And
Speaker 1: Mike wilbond was on With Tony, KOENHEISER i believe this
Speaker 1: was ON pti talking about this, situation and he's the
Speaker 1: son of The Big ten with The northwestern but like
Speaker 1: most of us believes that what might be good for
Speaker 1: The Big ten in THE, sec really, good Including kentucky obviously,
Speaker 1: financially won't be good for the rest of college. Football
Speaker 1: my focus is entirely somewhere.
Speaker 7: Else it it leads toward the ruination of WHAT i
Speaker 7: appreciate about college, football having followed it all my, life
Speaker 7: having covered it half my. LIFE i hate what this is.
Speaker 7: Doing and, Yes i'm a trustee of the university in
Speaker 7: one of those conferences that is at the big kid. Table,
Speaker 7: okay it's The Golden child, table to be in The
Speaker 7: Big ten or THE, sec And i'm grateful for. That
Speaker 7: but Now i'm Sure i'm gonna make people who deal
Speaker 7: with me in The big ten.
Speaker 1: Cringe.
Speaker 7: TONY i don't like exclusion when.
Speaker 5: It comes to.
Speaker 1: SPORT i want.
Speaker 7: Inclusion and when you cut out fan, bases you cut
Speaker 7: out regions of the of the, country not just, conferences
Speaker 7: because you can absorb those teams under another. UMBRELLA i
Speaker 7: get that THE usc AND ucla And Washington oregon can
Speaker 7: be in The Big ten and you sort of don'ate
Speaker 7: slue what you're. Doing, exclude you exclude, rivalries you eliminate.
Speaker 7: Them you, eliminate you chop down when you do, THIS
Speaker 7: a big part of our college football really is AND
Speaker 7: i find it. Loathesome So i'm not gonna deal with
Speaker 7: whether it's. DESERVED i don't. Know it just it distracts
Speaker 7: in a major way from college football to.
Speaker 1: Me That's Mike wilbon talking To Tony kornheiser ON pti
Speaker 1: looking back at the playoffs this past, year this is
Speaker 1: what it would have looked like if not for the
Speaker 1: seeding the problems they had this, year because of course
Speaker 1: you had schools conference champs that were locked. In Boise
Speaker 1: state was a three. Seed people, said, well that ain't,
Speaker 1: Right and if they were properly, Seeded Boise state instead
Speaker 1: of a number, three would have been a number nine
Speaker 1: in the one through twelve seeding. Format Arizona state number
Speaker 1: four would have been number twelve per The Final College Football,
Speaker 1: Poll oregon's reward for earning the number one overall seed
Speaker 1: would have been a second round game against the winner
Speaker 1: Of indiana Or Boise state instead of against eventual national
Speaker 1: Champ Ohio. State, georgia with the number two overall, seed
Speaker 1: would have been in The Sugar bowl against Either tennessee
Speaker 1: OR smu instead of Against Notre. Dame so the big
Speaker 1: ten in THE sec, believe of, course the straight seed
Speaker 1: format is best for everybody and places an emphasis on
Speaker 1: successful regular. Seasons Kirby smart has said that he can't
Speaker 1: imagine a upper road TO hoe than winning THE, sec
Speaker 1: which is why AN sec champion deserves that. Buy but
Speaker 1: how could a champion from The big twelve of THE
Speaker 1: acc or a group of five champ supplant THE sec
Speaker 1: And big ten champs from the two top spots in
Speaker 1: any straight seeded. Pole it's a real, mess and it's
Speaker 1: again it's what's good for college football as opposed to
Speaker 1: what's good for these. Leagues and if you're A kentucky,
Speaker 1: fan you know then now With texas And oklahoma in
Speaker 1: the league and no more divisional, championships it's even harder
Speaker 1: for a mid level team Like. Kentucky i'm talking about
Speaker 1: really at its better, Times Thander Mark steubs still brutally
Speaker 1: tough to win AN sec. Championship Josh sheeters next on
Speaker 1: six THIRTY wlap welcome back to The Big blue and
Speaker 1: side they're gonna step away from basketball and football from
Speaker 1: in a talk a little golf because he was one
Speaker 1: Of kentucky's Own Josh, Teeter danville, native played At Moorhead
Speaker 1: state lives In. Lexington now you might have heard this last,
Speaker 1: week But i'm gonna get into it a little bit
Speaker 1: more because we had a chance to talk To josh.
Speaker 1: Recently he won an event on the Corn Ferry. Tour
Speaker 1: he won The Panama championship In Panama, city and this was.
Speaker 1: Incredible he started the final round six strokes. Behind he
Speaker 1: was four, under part tied for, twentieth you, know knocking it,
Speaker 1: around but he birdied three of the first five holes
Speaker 1: and then he made the turn in two under at
Speaker 1: thirty shot of thirty three on the front nine four
Speaker 1: more birdies on the, back so when he bogied, eighteen
Speaker 1: it didn't. Matter he finished with a sixty five and
Speaker 1: won the. Championship and they had a little reception for
Speaker 1: him of celebration recently At malons here In, lexingon AND
Speaker 1: i along with several of my media, brethren had a
Speaker 1: chance to talk To josh and he's a soft. Now
Speaker 1: he choked up a little bit during the. Interview he
Speaker 1: choked up a little bit when he was talking to the,
Speaker 1: crowd great crowd on, hand and he did a great
Speaker 1: job for the folks who put on the event At,
Speaker 1: malone's THE behg, group and it was a lot of
Speaker 1: fun and we had a chance to talk To josh
Speaker 1: about a big win for.
Speaker 9: Him you, know it's just fun to. Celebrate you, know
Speaker 9: play all the time and try to win every, time
Speaker 9: but you, know it rarely, happens as we've, seen and you,
Speaker 9: know sometimes it's my issue That i'm not, winning and
Speaker 9: other times you just get. Beat so this time it
Speaker 9: worked out for, me and just very thankful to be
Speaker 9: able to celebrate and thanks to Bad global for putting
Speaker 9: it all.
Speaker 5: Together how much they have to twist your arm on, this.
Speaker 9: Not too, much you, know you, KNOW I i'm glad
Speaker 9: to do it And i'm happy to do it and
Speaker 9: just really enjoy the night for.
Speaker 1: Sure why did this want work out for?
Speaker 5: You what went so well for? You you?
Speaker 9: KNOW i THINK i was just kind of unphased throughout the.
Speaker 9: Week the conditions were, tough kind of the whole week
Speaker 9: and panamall and, UH i just enjoyed the game and
Speaker 9: had fun with each, shot even uh though there were
Speaker 9: some bad ones along the, way AND uh just kind
Speaker 9: of went forward and didn't really look back and, uh you,
Speaker 9: Know sunday just was one of the better Rounds i've ever,
Speaker 9: played and in some of the toughest conditions THAT i
Speaker 9: didn't realize it was as good around as it was
Speaker 9: WHEN i finished until, uh you, know all the other
Speaker 9: scores kind of came in and, uh you, know just
Speaker 9: kind of the door.
Speaker 10: Open is that something you can bottle to take out
Speaker 10: with you next time you're out?
Speaker 9: There, YEAH i MEAN i think you can count of
Speaker 9: the mindset of just kind of being unphased and kind
Speaker 9: of control what you can and not worry about what
Speaker 9: you can't. Control you can kind of always do, that
Speaker 9: and that's kind of always the. Goal but some days
Speaker 9: it's tougher than. Others some weeks obviously it can be.
Speaker 9: Rough but, yeah that's a goal for.
Speaker 11: Sure, Josh, panama what an obscure place to play a
Speaker 11: round of golf or several.
Speaker 5: Rounds how did you find that?
Speaker 9: Experience you, KNOW i was about the seventh Time i've been,
Speaker 9: there all the way back to like two thousand and
Speaker 9: nine WHEN i was a rookie on what was in
Speaker 9: The Nationwide. Tour so, YEAH i Mean i'm kind of
Speaker 9: familiar with. It the golf course is pretty similar to
Speaker 9: what it was back, then just in better condition now
Speaker 9: because they've added some money into the course and got
Speaker 9: some good turf and linked in it a little. Bit
Speaker 9: but you, know you, know you're gonna have a thirty
Speaker 9: forty minute bus ride to the course each, day and
Speaker 9: with a you, know full of your playing competitors and
Speaker 9: caddies and really a lot like you, know my trip
Speaker 9: To Cocoa beach within your clay baseball back in the,
Speaker 9: day you, know so bring back some. Memories but, YEAH
Speaker 9: i mean just kind of enjoy.
Speaker 11: It did that thirty forty minute ride maybe helps you
Speaker 11: get right mentally in a different way than you ever have.
Speaker 9: Before you, KNOW i DON'T i don't THINK i could say,
Speaker 9: that but you, KNOW i was listening to some podcasts
Speaker 9: or watching comedy special Of Ghani Marion weber that just
Speaker 9: came out that, week and you, KNOW i was laughing
Speaker 9: on the way. There so maybe that had a little
Speaker 9: bit to do with.
Speaker 1: It you talked about having fun with each. Shot most
Speaker 1: weekend hackers can't relate to that with the. Golf but you,
Speaker 1: know tell me about that. Mindset is that something you've
Speaker 1: had to work up.
Speaker 9: To, YEAH i mean there's been times in my career
Speaker 9: where it's been like, THAT i think for extended periods
Speaker 9: and times where it. Hadn't but you, KNOW i think
Speaker 9: that's mainly the part of the. Game they, say it's
Speaker 9: between your ears and it's. Right you, know everybody out
Speaker 9: there can hit the. Shots it's just can you hit
Speaker 9: it when the time's, right and, uh you know it's.
Speaker 9: UH i just remember on the sixteenth hole the last,
Speaker 9: DAY i hit a poor, shot not really a poor,
Speaker 9: shot but kind of came up short of the, green
Speaker 9: rolled back in the bunker on the sixteenth, hole AND
Speaker 9: i was walking up there and just chatting with My
Speaker 9: caddy that. DAY i was, like we can make. THAT i,
Speaker 9: MEAN i made.
Speaker 1: It so you said that or he said.
Speaker 9: THAT i said, It and you, KNOW i mean it
Speaker 9: only gives you a better. Chance i'll sell you. That
Speaker 9: i'll tell you that for.
Speaker 4: Sure what's the next now that you've gotten this, win
Speaker 4: what's the schedule look?
Speaker 9: Like, yeah, so you, KNOW i didn't really have a
Speaker 9: schedule until probably After. AVACO i KNEW i was going
Speaker 9: to start reshuffling, in you, know to the rest of
Speaker 9: the Corn ferry. Schedule but now with the, win you,
Speaker 9: Know i'm exempt all year for, sure and you, KNOW
Speaker 9: i haven't really dialed it, in you, know past the
Speaker 9: next few weeks because we're going To argentina And. CHILE
Speaker 9: i Leave, sunday and then after that we'll be in,
Speaker 9: state so you, Know i'll play a majority of, them
Speaker 9: BUT i hope to play The isco here In. Louisville you,
Speaker 9: KNOW i wish it was still here In, lexington But
Speaker 9: i'll drive up the, ROAD i.
Speaker 1: Guess but at this point in your, career what does
Speaker 1: a win do for?
Speaker 9: You, yeah you, KNOW i mean it guarantees me this
Speaker 9: season and next season on the Corn, ferry and then you, know,
Speaker 9: obviously top twenty on Corn ferry this year gets me
Speaker 9: to THE Pga tour for twenty six and you, know
Speaker 9: right now that's the goal to get back out there
Speaker 9: and you, know perform better THAN i did last year out,
Speaker 9: there AND i THINK i can for, sure and you,
Speaker 9: know try to get get a trophy out.
Speaker 1: There but just, emotionally what does a win do for
Speaker 1: you at this point in your?
Speaker 9: Life, YEAH i mean it's, relieving you, know takes the
Speaker 9: pressure off a little. Bit you, know WHEN i went
Speaker 9: to The, bahamas there was a lot of pressure on
Speaker 9: my shoulders to perform in those two events or maybe
Speaker 9: not play the rest of the, year have trouble getting
Speaker 9: in the. Tournament so you, KNOW i feel Like i'm
Speaker 9: kind of playing the rest of the year. Free so
Speaker 9: it's gonna go go have fun and, uh you, know
Speaker 9: some weeks may not be, great but we're just gonna
Speaker 9: kind of keep moving.
Speaker 5: Forward like you're playing with house.
Speaker 1: Money.
Speaker 9: Correct, yeah there's another way of saying it for.
Speaker 11: Sure how long has it been since you've had that freeing,
Speaker 11: Feeling josh.
Speaker 9: Oh, man good. Question, uh you, know in twenty, THIRTEEN
Speaker 9: i had two really good tournaments ON Pga tour on
Speaker 9: The West, coast WHICH i knew my card was. Locked
Speaker 9: and that, YEAR i you, know probably played a lot
Speaker 9: for a year.
Speaker 5: And then.
Speaker 9: Would have been twenty eighteen maybe WHEN i got my
Speaker 9: card one time through Corn. Ferry you, know it was
Speaker 9: fairly later in the, season BUT i KNEW i had,
Speaker 9: it SO i could just kind of let loose and
Speaker 9: try to move up to up the. Rankings what does.
Speaker 11: It mean to your your family and your kids to
Speaker 11: see their dad have this success but have it not come.
Speaker 5: Easy it's a good.
Speaker 9: Question, YEAH i Mean i'm going a, lot AND i
Speaker 9: know that's tough on, them but you, know hopefully they
Speaker 9: see that the hard work pays, off and you, know
Speaker 9: hopefully they can kind of have a little bit of
Speaker 9: that and then as they go. Forward AND i, mean
Speaker 9: as we, speak seven year old's playing in his little basketball,
Speaker 9: tournament so hopefully he gets the win so we can
Speaker 9: go see. Tomorrow but, YEAH i mean they love, sports
Speaker 9: And ashley was a great basketball, player SO i think
Speaker 9: it's in the. House And i'm probably the fourth best
Speaker 9: athlete in the. House but you, know just hopefully they
Speaker 9: see the, hardboy you, know pays, off and you, KNOW
Speaker 9: i think there's lessons to be learned whether you win
Speaker 9: or we.
Speaker 1: Lose So courst talked with you about, playing and you
Speaker 1: asked about playing In chile And. Argentina you win In.
Speaker 1: Panama that's part of the, GRIND i. Know and it's
Speaker 1: physical and. Mental people think it's, Glamorous but tell me
Speaker 1: about the, life, though this is what you. Wanted but
Speaker 1: what's it like now dealing with this?
Speaker 9: Life, YEAH i mean it's it's. Wild you, know you're
Speaker 9: you're on a. PLANE i, mean you're gone thirty weeks a.
Speaker 9: Year whether it's the tournaments or to go To florida
Speaker 9: to try to practice or whatever it may. Be and
Speaker 9: sometimes they family can go with, you and sometimes they.
Speaker 9: Can't you, know as they've gotten, older it's tougher because
Speaker 9: they've got their own. Stuff but, YEAH i mean there's
Speaker 9: days you wake up and you've got a flight at
Speaker 9: four thirty or you got to get to the airport
Speaker 9: at four, thirty and you really don't want to go do,
Speaker 9: it but, uh you, know you dig deep and you do.
Speaker 9: It and, uh you know when you're coming, home you,
Speaker 9: know laid on a red eye or early on A monday,
Speaker 9: morning whatever it may. Be you, know it's always you,
Speaker 9: know gratifying to get back to you out.
Speaker 1: THERE i, mean You're caddy can help. You but it
Speaker 1: ain't a team.
Speaker 9: Sport, yeah you're, Right, yeah it's it all falls on.
Speaker 9: ME i mean we are a, team BUT i like
Speaker 9: to take the responsibility when things don't go, well especially
Speaker 9: Because i'm the one that makes a final call and
Speaker 9: final decision on What i'm doing or trying to. Hit so, yeah,
Speaker 9: yeah it's it's been going FOR i guess twenty three years,
Speaker 9: now and hopefully we can keep going quite a few.
Speaker 1: MORE i can't imagine playing for a doctor pepper on
Speaker 1: a golf course and here you're out there playing for first,
Speaker 1: money that kind of. Thing what is it? Like what
Speaker 1: was it like when the bottom the ball hits the
Speaker 1: bottom of the cup that last putt that either puts
Speaker 1: you way up or wins the tournament for, you because
Speaker 1: none of us can.
Speaker 9: Relate, YEAH i, MEAN i think you, know when you're
Speaker 9: playing on the cut, LINE i think that's got more
Speaker 9: nerve wracking than being at the top of the, leaderboard
Speaker 9: because you're obviously playing well if your the top of the,
Speaker 9: leaderboard and if you're on that cut, LINE i feel
Speaker 9: like you're struggling a little bit with your. Game So
Speaker 9: i've always felt Like i've played a little freer When
Speaker 9: i've been up there toward the. Top and this, TIME i,
Speaker 9: MEAN i knew it was a good. ROUND i knew
Speaker 9: my goal at the beginning of the day was to
Speaker 9: finish in the top twenty five and SO i could
Speaker 9: play In, bogatah AND i Knew i'd done, That so you,
Speaker 9: KNOW i didn't actually everything was. Gravy, YEAH i didn't
Speaker 9: know THAT i was in the lead UNTIL i signed
Speaker 9: my scorecard and THEN i, saw you, know a couple holes,
Speaker 9: Later Johnny keifer tied. ME i THINK i number, twelve
Speaker 9: AND i just kind of sat back and. WATCHED i
Speaker 9: had no. CONTROL i wasn't too, nervous wasn't TOO i
Speaker 9: was pacing or. Anything finally got up and hit some
Speaker 9: putts when he had a couple holes. Left so, yeah
Speaker 9: it was it felt. Good i'll, say.
Speaker 11: That is Your spanish ocaja sure better than others you're
Speaker 11: gonna play.
Speaker 5: In these all These South american, Places.
Speaker 9: Uh not very good at. ALL i don't know O'bla.
Speaker 9: Espanol just enough to get in. Trouble but there's plenty
Speaker 9: of you, Know South american players THAT i can kind
Speaker 9: of lean on and ask IF i need. Something but,
Speaker 9: uh you, know usually you can Use we've been Using
Speaker 9: Google translate a lot when we've been down, there so
Speaker 9: just get. By so a huge.
Speaker 1: Win, obviously any win is. Big but because of his
Speaker 1: victory picked up one hundred and eighty Grand i also
Speaker 1: picked up five hundred points in a Corn Ferry tourist points.
Speaker 1: List uh second now on the list top twenty finishers
Speaker 1: on that Corn Ferry Tour points, list earning status on
Speaker 1: the THE pga tour for the twenty twenty six. Seasons so
Speaker 1: good For, josh a member of The Orange State University
Speaker 1: Athletic hall Of fame after he led The eagles to
Speaker 1: AN ovc title in nineteen ninety. Nine good to talk
Speaker 1: To josh. Up, next we'll talk More kentucky basketball With
Speaker 1: Halle DEVOR wtvq here on six thirty W welcome back
Speaker 1: to The Big Moll insider joining us now is a
Speaker 1: familiar face if you WATCH. Wtvq Halle devare reporter anchor
Speaker 1: For channel thirty, six and you may see her as
Speaker 1: well if you watch A kentucky basketball. Game she is
Speaker 1: one of the, videographers oftentimes on the baseline and you
Speaker 1: see kids flying out of. Bounds have you been run over?
Speaker 5: Yet this?
Speaker 12: YEAR i was gonna, say you might see my legs
Speaker 12: in the air after being trampled by A Mary. Williams
Speaker 12: most horrifying.
Speaker 1: Experience really that.
Speaker 12: Happened, yeah, wow but it's all. Good, HONESTLY i feel
Speaker 12: like it makes my reflex says a lot.
Speaker 1: Faster, well and of course your boss Is, jeppicoro AND
Speaker 1: i guarantee you the first thing he would say is the, camera,
Speaker 1: okay not are You.
Speaker 12: Okay, yeah, right, no, thankfully our cameras are pretty. Small
Speaker 12: so first thing out of the way is you see the,
Speaker 12: camera how to protect the.
Speaker 1: Faith what has it been like for you covering This
Speaker 1: kentucky basketball team because there's so many, storylines starting With pope's.
Speaker 1: Returning you AND i have talked since he got, back
Speaker 1: but just the way this season has unfolded with the
Speaker 1: injuries and yet they keep you, know racking up quad one,
Speaker 1: wins we're losing games that get away from.
Speaker 12: Them, YEAH i think that's been the most interesting thing
Speaker 12: is to see, them you, know sweep the series With,
Speaker 12: tennessee but fall to a team Like arkansas who was
Speaker 12: one in six coming into that. Matchup SO i think
Speaker 12: that also just says a lot about the conference this,
Speaker 12: year and that's been really fun to, watch and it
Speaker 12: makes me really excited for THE Sec tournament because looking
Speaker 12: at how it's been this, year you, Know kentucky could
Speaker 12: bow out in the first. Round they could also go
Speaker 12: on to win the whole. Thing that's kind of just
Speaker 12: been the dynamic this year that's made it so fun to.
Speaker 1: Watch, yeah can you imagine a team that would have
Speaker 1: to win five games in five days against this kind of, competition.
Speaker 12: Right, yeah wait to say that. AGAIN i, mean if.
Speaker 1: You're going to win THE Sec, tournament you're probably gonna
Speaker 1: have to win well either four games and four days
Speaker 1: depending on the, buys or five games in five. DAYS
Speaker 1: i mean that's.
Speaker 7: Brutal it is.
Speaker 12: Brutal and that's the thing with THE sec is not
Speaker 12: a lot of teams have been able to get those streaks,
Speaker 12: going except for Maybe. Auburn and that's actually Something kentucky
Speaker 12: has struggled with the most is putting those wins back
Speaker 12: to back to, back especially with the injuries that they've
Speaker 12: been dealing with. Recently so hopefully they can get a
Speaker 12: couple of those players. BACK i know we heard on
Speaker 12: the radio show That Lamar butler And Jackson robinson practicing,
Speaker 12: today so could possibly see them back in the next
Speaker 12: couple weeks and maybe that would be huge for The.
Speaker 12: Cats but they've got to learn how to work with
Speaker 12: this roster if that's what they're going to have at
Speaker 12: THE Sec.
Speaker 1: Tournament you are a scholarship athlete in college At. NORTHWESTERN
Speaker 1: i know you are a. Runner it's not quite the,
Speaker 1: same but.
Speaker 5: You deal with.
Speaker 1: Injuries you, know you got to stay in shape, obviously
Speaker 1: and if you go, down it's next person. Up but
Speaker 1: that's not. Easy you, know in your, sport that's one,
Speaker 1: Thing but in a team, sport it's a little, different isn't.
Speaker 12: It oh, yeah BUT i totally understand that, mentality and
Speaker 12: it is it does keep there's not really a bench
Speaker 12: for cross country, necessarily but that you know WHAT i,
Speaker 12: Mean like on the. Toes like for cross, country for,
Speaker 12: example you race seven to nine, girls there's twenty four
Speaker 12: people on your. Roster and since running is such and impact,
Speaker 12: sport a lot of people go down with chin splints
Speaker 12: or you, know small stress fractures like. That you can
Speaker 12: have like nine girls out for a season and you
Speaker 12: really never know who's going to come up, next so
Speaker 12: you can't have anybody. Slacking and especially some of these
Speaker 12: freshmen that have really stepped up this year has been
Speaker 12: really impressive to watch For.
Speaker 1: Kentucky, yeah it's been kind of. Fun and Watching Travis
Speaker 1: perry And. TRENDELL i was fortunate enough to see them
Speaker 1: play against each.
Speaker 12: Other In NO i saw that last. Year, yeah that was.
Speaker 12: WILD i like even to think about that they played
Speaker 12: in Rev arena like just last year in high. SCHOOL i,
Speaker 12: MEAN i just got back from covering a couple of
Speaker 12: high school Games monday, night and that's it's just weird
Speaker 12: that that's where they were a year ago and now
Speaker 12: they're on this huge. Stage and even Though kentucky's battling
Speaker 12: a lot of, injury you, know they're getting a lot
Speaker 12: more playing time than maybe they thought they. WOULD i
Speaker 12: think that in the long run for This kentucky, team
Speaker 12: that's going to be. Huge and just the dynamic of
Speaker 12: playing At kentucky is so fun to watch some of
Speaker 12: these local, kids you, know draining threes and that kind of.
Speaker 12: THING i think the fans love, it and that also
Speaker 12: gives the team a lot of momentum down.
Speaker 1: There on the floors. Yard of, Course i'm up in
Speaker 1: the rafters, now it's where they stick most of the.
Speaker 1: Media but what has it been like in terms of the,
Speaker 1: crowd the, energy especially when the team's, Playing, well what's
Speaker 1: it like down there right in the middle of it?
Speaker 12: All SO i bought your. PLUGS i my ears have
Speaker 12: taken the bund of. It it is such a fun.
Speaker 12: Environment And i've been to a lot of college basketball
Speaker 12: environments and From, oregon So i've been To university Of
Speaker 12: oregon Games Oregon state went To. Northwestern So i've been
Speaker 12: in some big ten atmospheres and truly nothing compares to
Speaker 12: What i've, seen not only A kentucky but in THE.
Speaker 12: SEC i went to The tennessee game as well here
Speaker 12: and those environments are just. Loud But kentucky fans have
Speaker 12: a lot of, energy you, know don't give up till
Speaker 12: the final, whistle and it's just such a good. Environment
Speaker 12: it's a lot of.
Speaker 1: Fun talking To Hallie DEVOR, WTVQ i THINK i may
Speaker 1: have asked you this. Before were you At northwestern when
Speaker 1: they made a run to THE ncate? Tournament so for?
Speaker 12: Basketball, yeah, yes so they're my last year. There they
Speaker 12: did make a, run AND i believe they bowed out
Speaker 12: in the first or second, round and they did for
Speaker 12: two years in a. Row the last YEAR i was,
Speaker 12: there they lost TO, UCLA i, believe and you say
Speaker 12: that was one of the top ranked. Teams But northwestern
Speaker 12: basketball had struggled for so many. Years we were happy
Speaker 12: to be.
Speaker 1: There the stories about the kids who have come. In
Speaker 1: you got a chance to talk to a lot of
Speaker 1: These kentucky players when they first got, here AND i
Speaker 1: know we were all standing around during those initial interview
Speaker 1: sessions wondering How's Mark pope going to do? This you,
Speaker 1: know and we would ask. It you've shot a lot
Speaker 1: of the press conferences and people Ask, pope you, know
Speaker 1: how are you going to pull this team? Together and
Speaker 1: to his, credit he, said, well the players are going
Speaker 1: to decide. That and really that's kind of been the
Speaker 1: way it, is isn't.
Speaker 12: It, yeah they have gelled incredibly. Well BUT i do
Speaker 12: give a lot of credit to not discrediting the, players
Speaker 12: and you, know but a lot of credit To Mark
Speaker 12: pope and just the foundation that he has built with these.
Speaker 12: KIDS i, mean he was A kentucky man. HIMSELF i
Speaker 12: think he's done a really good job instilling in these
Speaker 12: players what that. Means AND i think that's helped carry
Speaker 12: this team a long. Way and you, know they got
Speaker 12: on a hot run at the. BEGINNING i think they
Speaker 12: were in such a good position because with a new
Speaker 12: team like you don't have anything to, lose so you
Speaker 12: might as. Well they got off on a hot start
Speaker 12: AND i think from there they started realizing they were
Speaker 12: really really strong. Offensively they proved that off the bat
Speaker 12: defense is where is where they're going to have to keep. Improving,
Speaker 12: yeah and.
Speaker 1: It really has been kind of a process with. Defense
Speaker 1: but ALSO i think you, know they had the. APPRECIATION
Speaker 1: i think we all kind of grasped, that didn't we
Speaker 1: at the. Beginning they were excited to be, here weren't? They?
Speaker 12: Oh, no totally. Excited every single one of these players
Speaker 12: wanted to be A Kentucky Wild. KAT i think that
Speaker 12: makes it so, special especially After john Cala perry. Left
Speaker 12: you saw a lot of those, players you, know leaving
Speaker 12: with the, coaches obviously from taking bigger steps in their.
Speaker 12: Career but to have some of these players come in
Speaker 12: and want to wear that jersey was really.
Speaker 1: Exciting, yeah and now they're finding Out it was interesting
Speaker 1: to me BECAUSE i, mean you've been on the. Road
Speaker 1: i've been on the road to find out what it's
Speaker 1: like to be an enemy territory wearing A kentucky. Jersey
Speaker 1: they've all been product players on the, road but never
Speaker 1: like the big Bad, empire The blue And. White what
Speaker 1: do you think it's been like for them.
Speaker 12: To learn, That, no that is such a brutal. Environment
Speaker 12: AND i THINK i really got a glimpse of that
Speaker 12: at The tennessee. GAME i know that's a rivalry, game
Speaker 12: but even just as the players were warming. UP i,
Speaker 12: mean the student section was there full, Early like just
Speaker 12: The kentucky name and Playing kentucky is any team's biggest
Speaker 12: game of the, year and you kind of see that
Speaker 12: in the, audiences even if you're just watching on the.
Speaker 12: Broadcast these teams want to Be kentucky because they know
Speaker 12: the name and the history behind.
Speaker 1: It you didn't run into that running cross, country did.
Speaker 8: YOU i did.
Speaker 12: NOT i don't think we had as many. Fans it's
Speaker 12: probably better for. ME i think if someone was like
Speaker 12: screaming those things in my, Face i'd probably start.
Speaker 9: Crying do you still.
Speaker 1: Pay attention to The Big ten when you?
Speaker 12: Can WHEN i? CAN i honestly have transitioned a lot
Speaker 12: of my attention just because of work into THE. Sec
Speaker 12: BUT i, also you, know keep my attention everywhere BECAUSE
Speaker 12: i like to keep up with The Oregon ducks as.
Speaker 12: Well not going to talk about the football, season BUT
Speaker 12: i like to kind of keep up to date with
Speaker 12: as much AS i.
Speaker 1: Can, well you came From pac. Ten you're From, portland
Speaker 1: From pac Ten, country but competed in The Big ten
Speaker 1: and now The pac ten is no. More somebody grew
Speaker 1: up in that. Area how did you feel about.
Speaker 12: THAT i have such mixed views on, That like it's
Speaker 12: so weird to, me LIKE i, said being From oregon
Speaker 12: and having gone To, northwestern that those schools are playing
Speaker 12: each other in the same, conference because to, me like
Speaker 12: that's just they seems so far from each. Other AND
Speaker 12: i think we've talked about this before a little. Bit for,
Speaker 12: me just the you, know student athlete aspect of, TRAVEL
Speaker 12: i can't, imagine like cross, country we didn't travel as
Speaker 12: much as some of these sports like, basketball, Baseball like
Speaker 12: that has to impact you. Academically so a lot of
Speaker 12: props to these players for keeping that on the top
Speaker 12: of their mind BECAUSE i can't imagine how difficult it.
Speaker 12: Is and then just in the other, words like not
Speaker 12: having a conference locally anymore feels. WEIRD i feel like
Speaker 12: for a lot of people on The West coast That
Speaker 12: i've talked to, now it just kind of feels like
Speaker 12: it's being like pulled away from you a little, bit
Speaker 12: like distance, wise you, know like none of these, games
Speaker 12: the majority of them aren't like super local. Anymore they
Speaker 12: just feel farther. AWAY a lot of the games are
Speaker 12: On Eastern time Or Central time since they're being played
Speaker 12: in these really far. Locations it just kind of changes
Speaker 12: the whole dynamic and you kind of feel like you're
Speaker 12: morphing into somebody else's, conference which you, are but just
Speaker 12: a weird, feeling AND i don't necessarily agree with, it
Speaker 12: but you, know ADOPTED I i.
Speaker 1: Guess Halle devor is my guest FROM. Wtv he will
Speaker 1: come back and talk a little bit more With halle
Speaker 1: here on the big bloone sider six THIRTY Wlap welcome.
Speaker 1: Back we're talking To Halle. Devor she is the weekend
Speaker 1: ANCHOR wdtv channel thirty, six and it covers of course
Speaker 1: the Basketball, cats the Football, cats and as we, mentioned
Speaker 1: she competed in cross country At. Northwestern the portal clearly
Speaker 1: Saved kentucky basketball this year Is Marks Mark. Stoops i'll
Speaker 1: get to him in a. Minute Mark pope had to
Speaker 1: reconstruct the. Team Mark stoops has got thirty one new
Speaker 1: faces at least on his team this year as a
Speaker 1: former scholarship. ATHLETE i don't know how much this affected.
Speaker 1: YOU i don't think it did when you were in,
Speaker 1: school but or if it affects many cross country athletes.
Speaker 1: Now but freedom of movement for the athletes has always
Speaker 1: been a real sticking point because coaches get the come
Speaker 1: and go and of course there are professionals in our
Speaker 1: under contract and all. That but as a former athlete
Speaker 1: who's now covering this, craziness what's your take on all
Speaker 1: this the new cut face of college athletics with players
Speaker 1: coming and going almost at.
Speaker 12: Will, yeah it is so. Different LIKE i didn't graduate
Speaker 12: too long. AGO i graduated in twenty twenty, three but
Speaker 12: it feels like the world of like the transfer portal
Speaker 12: AND nil is so. Different LIKE nil wasn't really a
Speaker 12: THING i feel like WHEN i was in. College not
Speaker 12: that it would have really applied to cross country, necessarily
Speaker 12: but it didn't really feel like it was a thing
Speaker 12: for any of my friends who played on the soccer,
Speaker 12: team women's basketball, team things like. That AND i do
Speaker 12: remember my freshman, YEAR i had a teammate that was
Speaker 12: looking to transfer To, michigan Another Big ten, school AND
Speaker 12: i can't remember the exact, statistics but there was something
Speaker 12: like you couldn't transfer to a school within your, conference
Speaker 12: right because you had to wait a year or you
Speaker 12: couldn't compete for a. Year and he completely changed her
Speaker 12: mind because she was, like, Well i'm not going to
Speaker 12: leave and not be able to compete for a, year
Speaker 12: lose a year of eligibility BECAUSE i don't think you
Speaker 12: got that back and that withheld your decision and she ended,
Speaker 12: up you, know remaining on the team and you, know
Speaker 12: stuck it. Out so it just has changed so much because,
Speaker 12: now like you, said you can just leave, whenever and
Speaker 12: it almost feels like a, business which it kind of
Speaker 12: is becoming in a. Sense but SOMETIMES i feel weird
Speaker 12: about it BECAUSE i, like you, know loyalty to a
Speaker 12: program that you chose sometimes and not saying that you
Speaker 12: know sometimes the grasses and greener that you wouldn't do
Speaker 12: better under certain coaching and stuff like. THAT i never
Speaker 12: hold it against people for TRANSFERRING, owl BUT i do
Speaker 12: just always have respect for players that you, know stick it,
Speaker 12: Out LIKE i have a lot of respect For Cassidy
Speaker 12: roil for, example you, know sticking it out on the
Speaker 12: women's basketball. Team she just loves this program and the
Speaker 12: fan base is behind. Her LIKE i think that just
Speaker 12: does a lot FOR bbn as, well or whatever fan
Speaker 12: base it might, be because they back those athletes a,
Speaker 12: lot AND i think it just says a lot about
Speaker 12: somebody that wants to stay loyal to a. Program that
Speaker 12: they picked. Again there's always extenuating circumstances or situations where
Speaker 12: you're just not. Happy i've seen a lot of athletes
Speaker 12: in those types of circumstances as. Well but the majority
Speaker 12: of it now is just like kind of a. Business
Speaker 12: especially if you're trying to go. Pro it's oh, yeah
Speaker 12: you almost like have, to which makes sense because you
Speaker 12: want to go down that. Route it's just weird because
Speaker 12: it wasn't like this four years, ago and it might
Speaker 12: not be like this again in four.
Speaker 1: Years that's a great. POINT i think it's here to,
Speaker 1: stay BUT i do think there will be more guardrails in,
Speaker 1: place probably need to. Be but what's also to your
Speaker 1: point about, Loyalty AND i agree with, you but you're
Speaker 1: right it's a two sided. Coin but to that, end
Speaker 1: there are coaches who are free to, leave free to,
Speaker 1: move but have, said, well this is teaching kids to
Speaker 1: be quitters or telling him it's okay to be to
Speaker 1: quit when times get, tough or something like. That nobody's
Speaker 1: in favor of, that BUT i agree coaches Like Mark
Speaker 1: stoops has made no bones about the fact that he
Speaker 1: recruit a kid and the next thing he needs to
Speaker 1: do is recruit over him because that's how you build
Speaker 1: depth and improve your. Team well you, know that's how it,
Speaker 1: works right, yeah.
Speaker 12: Which is just so weird and, that you, KNOW i
Speaker 12: feel like that was a big thing in The kentucky football.
Speaker 12: Program we saw you know a lot of kids not
Speaker 12: happy with the season this year and you know. Leave
Speaker 12: but it seems like that was something that like you,
Speaker 12: Said stoops just recruits the next and recruits the. Next
Speaker 12: and he's kind of talked about that a little, bit
Speaker 12: but has been very, adapting like he's you, know, understanding
Speaker 12: like LIKE i, said adapt or, DIE i think he's
Speaker 12: just kind of, understood you know, what like this is
Speaker 12: where the business is at. Now we need to do
Speaker 12: whatever it takes to bring the best player into our,
Speaker 12: program whether like you, said you recruit over people like you,
Speaker 12: know that's just what people are doing right. Now AND
Speaker 12: i don't blame him at all for just you, know
Speaker 12: turning his shoulder a little bit and taking that.
Speaker 1: Approach you cover a lot of his news conferences On,
Speaker 1: mondays your work schedule, depending AND i JUST i really,
Speaker 1: feel Like hallie that he is a guy who just right,
Speaker 1: now because of the way things are with a portal
Speaker 1: With nil he can't, Coach he can't really develop his
Speaker 1: program and keep develop against the way he wanted. To
Speaker 1: like when he first got, here well before you were,
Speaker 1: here you, know he, said we're gonna go out and find,
Speaker 1: players going to recruit, them going to develop, them going
Speaker 1: to coach them, up that kind of. Thing and now
Speaker 1: with kids coming and, going when you AND i cover
Speaker 1: football this come and, fall there are gonna be four
Speaker 1: new offensive linements starting and a lot of other. Guys,
Speaker 1: RIGHT i kind of feel bad.
Speaker 12: For, him you know WHAT i, MEAN i totally, agree
Speaker 12: because that is something he's preached over the, years AND
Speaker 12: i know that is he you, know builds his program
Speaker 12: on developing these, players you, know over. Time and you're,
Speaker 12: right you can't really blame him if he starts to
Speaker 12: develop a player and then a year later it's cut,
Speaker 12: short and you, know they go somewhere, else and then
Speaker 12: they bring in new players they try to develop for a,
Speaker 12: year and then they leave somewhere. Else it's almost, like you,
Speaker 12: know people complain about the football, program but he hasn't
Speaker 12: gotten time to actually finish developing the. Players i'm actually
Speaker 12: curious if he had a group of people that stuck
Speaker 12: with it and he was able to, develop to develop,
Speaker 12: Them like he, said he wanted to what the success
Speaker 12: of the team or the program might look. Like for,
Speaker 12: example you know Cutter, bollie if he gives him time
Speaker 12: throughout his college, Career i'm actually really curious to see
Speaker 12: how he would develop as a. Player, obviously like we
Speaker 12: were talking about with the transfer, portal you, know it's
Speaker 12: hard if you give him another year and then he's
Speaker 12: out of, here Like stoops can't really do anything but
Speaker 12: hold his hands up and joke back into the transfer. Portal.
Speaker 1: YEAH i done all with quarterbacks in that, Regard so who.
Speaker 1: KNOWS i got a couple of minutes LEFTFORE i let you.
Speaker 1: Go you had a story recently about the rifle team
Speaker 1: and they have qualified to try to win their way
Speaker 1: to THE Ncate, championships which will be right here In.
Speaker 1: Lexington that's kind of, exciting you know what a little hitting. Gym,
Speaker 1: yeah what did you think of? That that? OPERATION i
Speaker 1: did a story many years ago about the rifle team
Speaker 1: and people have no idea what goes?
Speaker 5: On do they?
Speaker 12: No and to be like completely, honest neither DID I,
Speaker 12: like that's just never a sport That i've paid much
Speaker 12: attention to or that. Have you, Know i'm not from The.
Speaker 12: SOUTH i feel like that's a sport a lot of
Speaker 12: people The south get into its hunting is kind of
Speaker 12: the vibes THAT i got a little, bit but it
Speaker 12: is actually so. Cool LIKE i got the opportunity to
Speaker 12: actually like take a shot on one of the guns
Speaker 12: and like THE i THINK i was thinking of, Archery
Speaker 12: like they have this massive. Target it's, like you know
Speaker 12: anything the way the bulls eye is like you, know
Speaker 12: an inter or too. Big the thing is the tip
Speaker 12: of a ballpoint. Pen that's how big the target, is
Speaker 12: and like it just looks like a quarter at the
Speaker 12: distance you're standing. Over it is so bizarre and insanely
Speaker 12: impressive the balance and stability that these athletes. Have and
Speaker 12: it's just not one of those sports that you would
Speaker 12: maybe go out and think to watch or look. Up
Speaker 12: but since it's going to be here In, lexington that
Speaker 12: Historical Memorial, COLLSEUM i would actually really encourage people to
Speaker 12: go check it out because this is a really good.
Speaker 12: Team like this program has four national championships two one
Speaker 12: in twenty twenty, two one in twenty twenty, Three so
Speaker 12: a lot of these athletes have you, know played Back caliber,
Speaker 12: before SO i think it'll be really fun for it
Speaker 12: to be In. Lexington it was supposed to be here
Speaker 12: in twenty, twenty it got canceled WITH, COVID i believe
Speaker 12: after everyone got. Here so it'll be back this year
Speaker 12: in the Renovated Historical Memorial, coliseum AND i think that'll
Speaker 12: be a really cool environment for the athletes and also
Speaker 12: just for the community if they want to check it,
Speaker 12: out they.
Speaker 1: Can shoot between. Heartbeats that alone tells you something about
Speaker 1: the precision in this. Sport so, Yeah i'm with. You,
Speaker 1: yeah it's gonna be. Cool Halle devor you can follow
Speaker 1: her ON. Wtvq tell people how to follow you On.
Speaker 12: TWITTER i believe My twitter is just my full, Name Halle.
Speaker 1: Devor you believe you don't look at it that.
Speaker 5: MUCH i.
Speaker 1: Don't blame. It thanks so, much and we'll see you
Speaker 1: at the ball.
Speaker 12: Games see, You thank.
Speaker 1: You that'll do. It thanks to my, Guest Hallie. DeVore
Speaker 1: thanks To cam. Drumming tomorrow, Night Kentucky. Basketball we'll have
Speaker 1: a quick show for you before The cats and The.
Speaker 1: Sooners that's a good night from the garage In. Lexington
Speaker 1: come with the.
Speaker 5: Album Caley clarkson.
Speaker 13: Tact don.
Speaker 5: Show.
Speaker 13: Anything canning then let taken leg as the tips AND
Speaker 13: i don't don't don't to theos