WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.759 Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.160 you on a Friday, the eve of the Big Game. 3 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:08.759 Kentucky Louisville, we aren't that far removed from Uku. L 4 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:10.919 Football didn't go so well for the Big Blue Nation, 5 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:16.359 but the Wildcats should fare better tomorrow when they take 6 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:19.920 on the Basketball Cardinals because both teams are actually be 7 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:22.800 set with injuries. But I think more depth for the 8 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:25.000 Wildcats means Kentucky should win it. 9 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:26.239 But you just never know. 10 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:29.280 I mean, Louisville threw a scare into Duke, and we 11 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:32.200 know how good Duke can be. So it's gonna be fun, 12 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:35.960 gonna be interesting. It is not quite the same rivalry 13 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:39.640 for a couple of reasons. Number one, both teams are 14 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:41.719 on their way back. Let's put it to you that way. 15 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:46.439 Kentucky is ahead of schedule, I think, by knocking off 16 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:49.920 a couple of top ten teams, of course, and creating 17 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:52.719 a lot of buzz in the college basketball world, not 18 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:56.359 just within the Big Blue Nation. But they've got coaches 19 00:00:56.359 --> 00:00:59.640 and analysts and experts and talking heads chattering all over 20 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:03.000 the country, especially after the comeback win over Duke and 21 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:08.680 the comeback win over Gonzaga. Louisville a little bit behind, 22 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:12.280 I think primarily because of injuries, but they got a 23 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:17.400 coach who is an absolute live wire, Pat Kelsey. Different 24 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:21.439 from Mark Pope, but similar in that he's younger, he's enthusiastic, 25 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:25.239 and in fact, he made national headlines with a comment 26 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:30.079 the other day when somebody basically asked him about his 27 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:33.239 concerns or his worries or whatever about his team or 28 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:37.519 his program, and he basically said, you know, life is good. 29 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:41.920 How challenging is it emotionally or mentally to give a 30 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:43.640 team ready when at. 31 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:46.200 Duke Point Sunday, this big marqueting event. 32 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:48.760 You got Kentucky on Saturday. 33 00:01:48.359 --> 00:01:51.640 Another marquee kind of game and uteb pluff right here 34 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:53.519 in the peddle. How difficult is that. 35 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:54.680 This emotional stand? 36 00:01:54.920 --> 00:01:57.519 I mean, we get a bunch of free sneakers, I 37 00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:03.000 wear sweatsuits the work like like you know, my kids 38 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:06.319 are healthy, my wife's hot, Like I got I got 39 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:09.639 pretty good life. We didn't get to play college basketball, 40 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:11.879 we get to play in the Young Center. We get 41 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:14.439 to get ready for Utah. My dad used to say 42 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:16.560 it all the time like I would. I would say him, Dad, 43 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:17.879 you gotta go to work today, said, so not I 44 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:20.840 get to go to work today, right heck heck yeah, 45 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:24.639 you know. I mean, schedule's been a little bit difficult 46 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:27.919 and we had some adversity, but you know, this guy's 47 00:02:27.960 --> 00:02:30.879 been awesome. Guy's been awesome, The process has been great. 48 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:33.879 Results will take care of themselves and just onto the 49 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:36.080 next one, most important game in the history of the programs, 50 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:38.960 the next one we play, and that's that one on Saturday, 51 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:41.319 about three hours ago. It was this one right here. 52 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:42.919 It's the deal? 53 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:44.879 Is that not great? 54 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:46.960 And I don't know about you, I think he actually 55 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:49.919 believes that. That's not coach speak. I do believe just 56 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:52.960 based on everything I've read and I've seen interviews and 57 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:55.599 heard interviews with him. I just thought that was great. 58 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:59.280 And apparently Mark Pope knows him, knows of him. It 59 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:01.360 has a lot of us for Pat Kelsey. 60 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:04.560 Pat does an unbelievable job. Like he's a he's a 61 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:07.560 terrific coach. He is going to crush it there and 62 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:11.479 and I like him as a person, and he's he's 63 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:19.280 insanely intense and competitive, but he's doing things the right 64 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:21.599 way and for the right reasons, and he's gonna have 65 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:24.719 great success there. So They're a good team and they've 66 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:26.639 already proven they can be really really dangerous. 67 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:31.319 They can be dangerous starting with Chucky. Hepburn their point guard. 68 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:35.759 They're all everything, really transferring in after three years at Wisconsin, 69 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:40.719 started every game of his career, total more than eleven 70 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:44.800 hundred points, more than three hundred assists, more than one. 71 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:46.199 Hundred and sixty steals. 72 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:51.479 Last year help Wisconsin get to the Big Ten Conference 73 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:55.319 title games at NJ Tournament, All Big Ten Defensive Team, 74 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:59.240 All Big Ten All Tournament Team. As kid's a player, 75 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:03.319 and now he's in Louisville and Kentucky is without as 76 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:07.360 you will know, it's top two point guards. So I'm 77 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:11.280 guessing Jackson Robinson will have to try to check Chucky 78 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:13.960 and he is the head of the snake, no question 79 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:17.519 about it. The former Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year 80 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:21.360 and Polk talked in general about how good this Louisville 81 00:04:21.399 --> 00:04:21.920 team can be. 82 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:23.199 Terrific team. 83 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:26.879 Uh, they've had some huge wins there. They can be 84 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:28.759 super disruptive, they're really aggressive. 85 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:34.240 Uh, they they're they're you know, they're really aggressive. Uh. 86 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:36.680 You know, Chucky is is playing at an elite level. 87 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:38.839 He's a veteran veteran guy, and he causes so much 88 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:41.439 chaos on the defensive end, and and and also causes 89 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:41.879 a ton of. 90 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:43.040 Chaos on the offensive end. 91 00:04:43.079 --> 00:04:45.800 And they got you know, he kind of feels like 92 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:48.720 they're you know, six six across the front line, guys 93 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.480 that can shoot it and drive it and make decisions 94 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:54.120 and play and have some real physicality of the game. 95 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:57.600 And and and then they've got some real length, you know. 96 00:04:57.800 --> 00:04:59.720 I mean, you think about playing No. At six eleven 97 00:04:59.720 --> 00:05:02.079 at the three and the four and the five and 98 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:06.920 everything he can do. And so they're a terrific team 99 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:09.920 with a massive upside. They're really really dangerous. I think 100 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:12.600 that's how they feel, is super dangerous. On any given night, 101 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:17.160 when all the pieces come together, they can be a 102 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:18.279 really really dangerous team. 103 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:21.079 Yeah. And if you're not sure about that, ask Indiana. 104 00:05:22.040 --> 00:05:22.600 I'll tell you what. 105 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:26.639 Over the holiday. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Louisville kind of 106 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:30.160 shocked the nation by beating Indiana, back then ranked fifteenth 107 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.800 in the country, and blew them out down in the 108 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:35.879 Bahamas eighty nine to sixty one. Then they beat West 109 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:41.839 Virginia in overtime, finally lost by five to Oklahoma in 110 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:44.879 the finals of that event. Now Tennessee blew them out. 111 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.240 Tennessee's really good. Ole Miss blew them out. Ole Miss 112 00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:49.319 is pretty good too, And. 113 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:52.319 That happened in Louisville. And you know about Duke. 114 00:05:52.360 --> 00:05:54.759 They had Duke down, kind of let him off the 115 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:56.480 hook in the Young center. 116 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:58.959 But they're coming off a close win over UTEB. 117 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:03.079 Texas l pass not a great team, but again, they've 118 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:07.959 had ups and downs like Kentucky, and they've got injuries 119 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:11.560 like Kentucky. And one of the kids who's injured is 120 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:16.879 a six to eleven center named Ali Khalifa, and you 121 00:06:16.920 --> 00:06:17.600 know he's out. 122 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:17.879 For the year. 123 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:22.319 Transferred in played one year for Pope at Brigham Young, 124 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:27.839 and so did another kid named Noah Waterman. And this 125 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:30.399 is where things get really interesting. This is where we 126 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:35.480 are today in college athletics. You've got a coach and 127 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:41.959 a player crossing paths at their next respective stops because 128 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.240 the kid was able to go into the transfer portal. 129 00:06:44.279 --> 00:06:47.920 Coaches move all the time, and obviously Mark Pope came 130 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:52.800 to Kentucky from Brigham Young and the biggest reason was 131 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.560 not that he's a former UK player, but he had 132 00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:00.439 success there and over the last couple of years, Noah Waterman, 133 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:06.399 a six ' eleven forward, had big seasons for Brigham Young. 134 00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:11.560 He was a really important part of their success last 135 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:14.199 year in twenty four minutes per game, nine and a 136 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:17.319 half points a game, five and a half rebounds, and 137 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:21.399 because he and his teammates played so well, that kept 138 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:23.600 Mark Pope front and center. They did so well in 139 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:26.680 the Big twelve. And when the job opened up and 140 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:31.079 Mitch Barnard started looking at Pope's track record, he saw 141 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:33.639 the success at Brigham Young, of course, and Noah Waterman 142 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:37.639 was part of that. And now he's in the enemy camp. 143 00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:40.639 But it didn't sound that way today when Pope talked 144 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:41.240 about him. 145 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:44.800 You know, it's our job to really really just hate Louisville, 146 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:49.279 but that's hard to do, and certainly in terms of 147 00:07:49.319 --> 00:07:52.759 those two guys, like I listen, no and I have 148 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:59.480 been through it, man, and I'm so proud of him. 149 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:00.680 The way that he's grown. 150 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:07.519 Uh, And he's two years with me, and then he's 151 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:10.480 continued to grow this year. It just as I love him, 152 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:14.120 and it hasn't been easy and and he just is 153 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:17.360 He's a special human being and he's grown into a terrific, 154 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:24.160 terrific person. And you know, the truth is, and I 155 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:27.680 actually had a conversation with my former players just a 156 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:30.800 couple of days ago that that, uh, you know, I 157 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:33.440 get to be here right now because of no Waterman 158 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:38.600 and that's actually no, that's no overstatement, and and I 159 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:39.320 love him for that. 160 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:42.159 I don't know about you, but I find that refreshing 161 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:48.600 because when coaches move, obviously it's because of the job 162 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.679 done by them, by their assistance, by the people on 163 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:56.399 their staff, and by the players. And that's why I 164 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:59.279 don't big rudge players being allowed to move, although I 165 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:02.120 think it should be a one time only thing without 166 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:05.240 sitting out portal's out of control. But that's a topic 167 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:09.799 for another night. But the fact that Pope openly talks 168 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:12.200 about I mean, if you held coaches down, they would 169 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:14.600 tell you the same thing. Most of them would, decent 170 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:18.799 human beings would. But Pope's saying, look, I don't have 171 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:22.720 this job without what those players did with me and 172 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:23.960 for me at bring them young. 173 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:26.399 And Waterman's one of them now. 174 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:28.559 Hugged before and after the game, but during the game 175 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:31.879 they'll try to beat each other's brains out, and that's 176 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:35.000 why it's fun. We'll talk Kentucky volleyball next here. 177 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:36.000 On six thirty. 178 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:39.799 WLAP Welcome back to the Big Bloon Sider Coming up tomorrow. 179 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:43.679 While the basketball Wildcats are playing U of L, the 180 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:48.480 volleyball Wildcats will play Pittsburgh, just the top seed and 181 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:51.399 the entire tournament playing at home, but the winner gets 182 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:54.559 to go to the final four, and anything's possible. As 183 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:58.120 we all know, Wildcats look pretty good against Missouri yesterday. 184 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:01.360 Missou really put it to them in the third set 185 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:05.240 after Kentucky won the first two and after the match, 186 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:10.480 emmac Grome, Kentucky setter who had fifty assists, talked about 187 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:13.039 how they lost a little bit of focus there it's 188 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:16.240 set number three and had to reset for set number four. 189 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:19.399 You know, I think we just realized that, like hard said, 190 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:22.279 we did have to step it up. We lost a 191 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:24.039 little bit of our focus at edge, I think in 192 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:26.480 that third set and their server, you know, those were 193 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:28.200 great service, but I think we could have adjusted a 194 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:31.279 little bit quicker. But yeah, we just came out and 195 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:34.480 forced a really strong kind of a mental change and 196 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:36.919 shift in what we were doing. So we'll just really 197 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:38.600 proud of how we responded and we were able to come 198 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:39.120 out fighting. 199 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:43.399 Obviously, you cannot lose focus against Pittsburgh. You know how 200 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:47.120 good they are. They've lost one match to MU, a 201 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:50.879 team Kentucky beat, But this is a team that is 202 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:54.960 so driven. Panthers have twice each of the last two 203 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:58.399 years made it to the Final four and lost, never 204 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:01.799 got to the championship round, so they are really wanting 205 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.519 this obviously. So yeah, you got to keep your head up, 206 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:07.799 you got to stay in it. Brooklyn Delay talked to 207 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:13.480 ESPN after the match about responding in a third set 208 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:17.519 and then trying to move on. Missouri made it difficult. 209 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:20.279 Just as Missouri did at the end of the regular season, 210 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:24.000 Kentucky played at Massoo and had to rally to win 211 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:27.759 that one and in doing so clinched the outright SEC title. 212 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:29.559 I mean, that happened the last time we played him, 213 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:31.480 so I knew we didn't want that to happen again, 214 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:33.759 and I think just experience what we did last year, 215 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:35.519 we didn't want that to happen again as well. So 216 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:37.480 I think just all around, we did really well at 217 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:38.559 responding And what. 218 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:42.000 Adjustments did you make defensively, especially in that fourth set? 219 00:11:42.039 --> 00:11:42.879 Just slow down Island. 220 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:45.240 You know, I don't think we really changed much. I 221 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:47.480 think it just started clicking more, it didn't really at 222 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.720 the beginning of the game. So I think the third 223 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:52.480 set just was not what we wanted obviously, and I 224 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:54.679 think we just really responded and played our own game. 225 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.559 What's it going to take to get another one headed 226 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:57.600 to the regional vinyls? 227 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:59.320 You know, we just got to clean up the little things. 228 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:00.360 But I think we're ready for it. 229 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.480 Well they're gonna have to be, because I said pitt 230 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:08.639 is big, strong, physical, They're tough. Kentucky is the champion 231 00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:12.320 of the SEC, but that league is not quite where 232 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:15.600 the Big ten or the ACC are right now. Still 233 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:19.759 not impossible for the Wildcats. They're playing their best right 234 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:22.639 now and they're about as healthy as they have been 235 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.600 all year long, with the exception of Asia thing Pen, 236 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:28.960 but she was kind of a bonus toward the middle 237 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:31.840 of the year when Kentucky was dealing with injuries. 238 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:32.679 They had to move her. 239 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:37.080 From a defensive spot basically to an offensive spot outside 240 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:40.039 hit her. She's only five foot ten, but she can play. 241 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:43.440 She'd be overmatched against this pit front line, but you 242 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:46.039 gotta go with what you gotta go with. So yeah, 243 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:49.879 the Wildcats will be underdogs for once. Craig Skinner talked 244 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:54.200 about that. How pressure kind of changes throughout tournaments like this. 245 00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:57.000 You know, pressure is shifts all the time. You know, 246 00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:00.720 pressure shifts to you know, we had the pressure on 247 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:02.440 us all year after we got in a win streak 248 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:04.240 and we were expected to win the conference the last 249 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:08.840 few matches, and so we understand what that means. We 250 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:11.759 also know how difficult it is to be, you know, 251 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:14.679 top teams in the country, and because we played a 252 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:17.039 lot of top teams in the country. So I don't 253 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:20.120 think there's a situation we haven't been in yet this year. Obviously, 254 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:23.200 no matter who wins this next match, it's gonna be 255 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:25.279 a tough one on Saturday to go to the final four. 256 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:29.440 Last night on the show, I came on and only 257 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:31.759 had a little bit of time because we pre record 258 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:35.639 to send this in and talk about the win. I 259 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:39.759 tweeted about the fact that this and I talked about 260 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:42.720 it on the show. The announcers and again I'm not 261 00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:46.159 going to go with names, but I was so disappointed 262 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:52.120 in the job they did because it was clearly from 263 00:13:52.200 --> 00:13:56.759 the Missouri point of view, And as I said yesterday, 264 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:00.720 when you're working on the SEC network or the ACCN network, whatever, 265 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:04.279 and you're the person in that home market. Yeah, you're 266 00:14:04.279 --> 00:14:07.360 gonna you're gonna call sports, as I always say, through 267 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:08.879 the prism of the home team. 268 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:13.639 But if you're not working on that school's TV or. 269 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:17.679 Radio network specifically, I think you have to call it 270 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:21.200 as much as you can right down the middle, because 271 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:25.440 there are as many viewers probably who are interested in 272 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:27.240 the opposing team as the home team. 273 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:31.840 I have no idea why. Maybe these women work Missouri 274 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:32.279 all year. 275 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:35.159 I don't think they did, but maybe they did. Whatever 276 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:39.320 the reason, it was almost as though Kentucky wasn't even there. 277 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:42.799 They didn't mention until the end of the third of 278 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:47.639 the fourth set that Kentucky was the defending SEC champion 279 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:51.480 that Brooklyn Delay was the player of the year in 280 00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:55.080 the SEC. In fact, they did a little quick feature 281 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:59.279 on her with a full screen shot of her coming out. 282 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:03.159 I think of the second set because Kentucky was on 283 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:05.960 the verge of a sweep and they had to get 284 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.120 it in, you know here they had the producer had 285 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:11.639 this prepared, so they finally got it in and then 286 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:15.039 Missouri really destroyed Kentucky in the third set, and oh 287 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:19.600 my god, were they overjoyed the announcers with that. So 288 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:22.039 and I thought of my being too hard on these people. 289 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:26.519 And again I'm not gonna name names, but my Twitter 290 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:30.919 feeds show that you all agreed with me. Gerard said 291 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:34.240 the volleyball call was very one side of ESPN fire 292 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:38.440 the announcers. Jeff said, definitely agree on the one side 293 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:43.799 of TV call that was blatantly obvious. Kenny said, thank you. 294 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:46.919 I thought the call on TV was horrible. I don't 295 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:50.039 know their love of Missouri, but hopefully they can go 296 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:53.279 home with the team NOP. They're gonna be calling the 297 00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:58.600 game tomorrow when Pittsburgh takes on Kentucky, and just look, 298 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:02.279 just brace yourselves if you watch it or record it 299 00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:05.120 and watch it after basketball, which if I'm gonna have 300 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:09.960 to do, it's gonna be all Pittsburgh tomorrow. It is 301 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:16.559 going to be a Pittsburgh Panthers Volleyball festival. It'll probably 302 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:21.360 sound almost like a documentary. And again not naming names. 303 00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:23.799 Just tune in you'll see what I mean. But I'm 304 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:27.639 really amazed by this, you know, I just because it 305 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:29.759 is a national broadcast. 306 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.159 This was on ESPN two. 307 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:34.919 It wasn't on the ACC network, it wasn't on the 308 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:39.879 SEC network, it wasn't on any network other than the Deuce, 309 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:46.600 and of course Missouri is an SEC team. Pits in 310 00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:50.000 the AC scene now in case you've forgotten, but it 311 00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:53.879 shouldn't matter. So again I wondered, was I a little 312 00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:57.519 too sensitive to this? I don't think so. And my 313 00:16:57.600 --> 00:16:59.600 own sister and I were texting back and forth. She 314 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:00.440 said same thing. 315 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:03.600 So all right, coming up next, Billy Rutledge joined us. 316 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:06.039 There's a lot to talk about in college and pro 317 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:08.519 sports today. We haven't had a chance to talk to 318 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:11.319 Billy all week as we were bumped Monday with a 319 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:13.440 state wide show, which is usually when we catch up 320 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:15.200 with him, so we will do that next year on 321 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:17.359 a Big Blue Insider. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider, 322 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:19.000 joining us down our celebrity hotline. 323 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:20.200 He's actually traveling. 324 00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:22.119 But we didn't get a chance to check in with 325 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:24.279 Billy Rutledge first of the week as we always do, 326 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:26.960 because the state wide show was preempted. 327 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:29.079 So I need to pick your brain, young man a 328 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:32.799 little bit. First of all, Billy worked. We all know 329 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.119 Western Kentucky alum, and you got a big one coming 330 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:40.079 up tomorrow as well. Western Kentucky plays Murray State. But 331 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:42.839 you were working in Louisville before you came down the 332 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:46.440 interstate to work with us here in Lexington, so you've 333 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:49.079 got a little taste of uku of l What are 334 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:51.000 your thoughts on the big game tomorrow. 335 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:56.400 Yeah, it's really exciting, Dick. It's the first matchup between 336 00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:59.000 two coaches that I feel like have re energized their 337 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:01.599 programs in Pat Kelsey and Mark Pope. They're kind of 338 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.960 in like a compliment off right now, which I'm not 339 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.480 the biggest fan of. Hopefully there will be a little 340 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:09.599 hay in between them eventually, but as of now, I 341 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:11.519 think there's a lot of excitement for this game and 342 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:14.119 a lot of excitement for Mark Pope. You know, people 343 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:17.680 are starting to say media members if that if their 344 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:20.079 coach of the Year of ballot had to be casted today, 345 00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:22.079 Mark Hope would be their coach of the year, I 346 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:22.720 think rightly. 347 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:23.680 So, I mean, you've got. 348 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:27.440 Two huge top ten wins versus Duke and Gonzaga, a 349 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:31.119 loss on the road at Clemson. But you know, with 350 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:33.400 the SEC schedule coming up, we may just have to 351 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:35.480 take a deep breath when Kentucky dropped a couple of 352 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.480 these games in conference, because the SEC is just so 353 00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:41.480 damn good this year. But I'm excited for Kentucky to 354 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:44.799 wrap up their non conference schedule with a win over Louisville. 355 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:45.480 Don't get me. 356 00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:48.359 Wrong, I think the Cards will play at a little 357 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:51.480 closer than they did then with Kenny Payne. But this 358 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:54.240 is still Kentucky's rivalry until they say otherwise. But yeah, 359 00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:55.559 excited for the game on Saturday. 360 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:57.839 Well, you know what really kind of turned it. I've 361 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:01.359 talked about this before. When Beatino got here, he kind 362 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:05.559 of dismissed this rivalry at first as just something that was, 363 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:08.759 you know, oh, well, yeah, it's nice. It's not the 364 00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:12.680 Celtics and Knicks, though, But then when he lost out 365 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:16.319 on a recruit. He lost out on Dwayne Morton to 366 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:19.640 U of L, which committed a secondary violation. I think 367 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:23.359 Danny Crumb bought his mom dinner or something, and Patino 368 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:25.519 really wanted Morton, and I think he thought he was 369 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:29.480 gonna get him. But that changed everything, you know what 370 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:32.880 I mean. I don't know that that happens with this staff. 371 00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:37.319 I think they're built differently. But yeah, it's a little 372 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:38.640 too warm and fuzzy right. 373 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.079 Now, isn't it. 374 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:40.960 Maybe a little bit. 375 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:43.480 And you're right about Patino he brought the juice to 376 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:46.880 that rivalry being the former Kentucky coach going over to Louisville. 377 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.079 And I tell you what, I don't know if Cal 378 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:51.680 wants anything more in this world than to beat Rick 379 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:53.599 Patino when he's on the other side of that court. 380 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:56.920 And you could tell, like you know, even in Rick 381 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:58.680 Patino is the same way. I think at times he 382 00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:00.920 saw the loisvill players play really tight when it came 383 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:03.680 to the Kentucky Louisville game because I think Matina wanted 384 00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:07.279 it so much, and so you know, it's just different 385 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:10.440 now and can't coach guys the same way. Rivalries are 386 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:14.119 different now. I'm hoping this rivalry sticks around, even though 387 00:20:14.119 --> 00:20:16.680 the football one ukuf L might be going away in 388 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:19.599 the near future, but this is a basketball state. The 389 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:22.640 entire Commonwealth will come to a halt on Saturday to 390 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:24.799 watch this game. And that's probably my favorite part is 391 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.680 you know, you go into a local shop on the 392 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:30.160 day uku of l play and nobody's really paying attention 393 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:32.160 because this is what matters right now. 394 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:35.000 And I tell you what, Louisville I. 395 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:36.559 Mean, if they can just stay healthy, Dick, I think 396 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:38.599 they've got a shot to do some pretty good things 397 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:40.119 this year. They had a good lead on Duke for 398 00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:42.519 most of the game, and you know, they've definitely got 399 00:20:42.519 --> 00:20:45.839 some potential. But this one, at being at rop Arena, 400 00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:48.799 I see the Cats doing some good things even if 401 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:51.680