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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Big Blue and Cider. Dick Gabriel with

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<v Speaker 1>you on a Tuesday edition of our program. Much to

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<v Speaker 1>discuss tonight baseball, football, basketball. We'll hear from some of

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<v Speaker 1>the basketball cats. We'll here from Mark Stoops also got

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<v Speaker 1>to hear in a moment from Vince Merrow. At the

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<v Speaker 1>bottom of the hour, Derek Shay joined us. He is

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<v Speaker 1>a new tight ends coach for the Wildcats. Takes over

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<v Speaker 1>that position group for Vince Merrow. Of course, Merrow was

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<v Speaker 1>the associate head coach. We all know this recruiting coordinator.

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<v Speaker 1>But Derek Shay, he's just going to worry about coaching

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<v Speaker 1>tight ends and recruiting. He's got a really interesting backstory,

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<v Speaker 1>as most of these coaches do. I had a chance

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<v Speaker 1>to chat with him earlier. Today. We're going to talk

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<v Speaker 1>college baseball as we put the show together. Yesterday, I

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<v Speaker 1>was telling you, and many of you know by now

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<v Speaker 1>we have to pre record early in the day. It's

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<v Speaker 1>a long story. But Murray State in Arkansas we're playing

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<v Speaker 1>while I was putting the show together, so I couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>tell you what was happening. Turned out to be the

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<v Speaker 1>no hitter by Arkansas. So Murray State bows out, but

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<v Speaker 1>bows out incredibly, so gracefully, and you can see why

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<v Speaker 1>Omaha and college baseball fans kind of fell in love

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<v Speaker 1>with not just because Murray State was Cinderella, but just

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<v Speaker 1>the way the players and the coach, Dan Skirka conducted himself.

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<v Speaker 1>So we'll hear from them coming up very shortly. As

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<v Speaker 1>I said Derek Shay at the bottom of the hour,

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<v Speaker 1>Buddy Ken Spencer from WHAS formerly WTVQ, in hour number two,

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<v Speaker 1>he'll talk Kentucky football and basketball. Can't of course play

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<v Speaker 1>college football at Morehead States. I'm always interested to hear

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<v Speaker 1>what he has to say his observations about college football.

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<v Speaker 1>And a little bit later on Mark Stoops, who had

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<v Speaker 1>some fun talking on camera with one of his players,

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<v Speaker 1>but we mentioned Vince Merriw. He decided I thought this

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<v Speaker 1>was interesting yesterday afternoon to release via social media a

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<v Speaker 1>statement of his own and he had done a few interviews,

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<v Speaker 1>And I'll be honest with you, I have not attempted

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<v Speaker 1>to get an interview with Vince may simply because and

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<v Speaker 1>it's the cynic in me, but I would love to

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<v Speaker 1>know exactly why. It's the journalist in me. Why did

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<v Speaker 1>he leave? And yeah, it's a great opportunity and Jeff

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<v Speaker 1>Brohm are buddies. The college football landscape has changed. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>sure the way they're doing business at UK has changed,

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<v Speaker 1>and it affected Marrow. It's an offer he didn't want

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<v Speaker 1>to refuse. He's had other offers, but were there underlying

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<v Speaker 1>reasons that he left, And it's it's something that will

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<v Speaker 1>probably never really know for sure, and that's fine. It

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<v Speaker 1>may be none of our business, but just kind of

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<v Speaker 1>dance around the topic, you know. You know, I'm not

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<v Speaker 1>really interested in that, but I'm more interested in how

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<v Speaker 1>it affects the program I cover University of Kentucky, and

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I'll keep an eye on how it affects

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<v Speaker 1>the University of Louisville as well, and if it affects

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<v Speaker 1>UOL in a positive way, that could damage UK's recruiting efforts.

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<v Speaker 1>In a course, they play on the field played, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they meet each other on the field of battle, as

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<v Speaker 1>they say, so, I think what's more important now not

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<v Speaker 1>as much why did he do it, as what's the effect?

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<v Speaker 1>How will this affect the way Mark Stoops and his

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<v Speaker 1>staff do business in terms of recruiting, in terms of

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<v Speaker 1>developing players and moving forward to try to erase the

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<v Speaker 1>memory of last year's disappointing season. Here's what Merrill had

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<v Speaker 1>to say. This was a message that had nothing to

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<v Speaker 1>do with his new job, but had everything to do

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<v Speaker 1>with how he feels about UK fans. He knows, of course,

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<v Speaker 1>how they feel about his move, but he kind of wanted,

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<v Speaker 1>in his words, to put a bow on things. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>not a bow, but put a little perspective on it.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to talk to you guys, the Big Blue Nation.

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<v Speaker 2>I really love you guys, and I really really appreciate

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<v Speaker 2>because you guys really helped me built my career with

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<v Speaker 2>your support from when I first came here. I remember

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<v Speaker 2>if Buddy told me why you're going there? You you

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<v Speaker 2>guys are gonna be fired in two years. I was

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<v Speaker 2>the lowest paid coach. I heard all the jokes. I

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to build and bring players in so we can

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<v Speaker 2>win and we can have some pride and dignity. It

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<v Speaker 2>is hard. I'm not gonna even sugarcoat it. It's hard

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<v Speaker 2>because of my loyalty to really you guys, the fans.

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<v Speaker 2>But this is a job opportunity I feel I can

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<v Speaker 2>pass up. I passed up several other ones that people,

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<v Speaker 2>you guys as the fans know. But just like a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of you guys, you got families. A lot of

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<v Speaker 2>you guys had opportunities with different jobs, and you move

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<v Speaker 2>and take it. You doing what's best for your family.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm doing what's best for my career. I really enjoyed

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<v Speaker 2>being here thirteen years with you guys, because you guys

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<v Speaker 2>are a really good fan base to the Big Blue Nation,

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<v Speaker 2>one of the best. I'm pretty sure y'all going to

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<v Speaker 2>Blue when I come back, though, But I really do

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<v Speaker 2>love you guys.

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<v Speaker 1>I have to appreciate the fact that they laid in

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit of music, you know, a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>of dramatic music, kind of soften the blow. Look, a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of you out there will never forgive him, and

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<v Speaker 1>that's fine. That's what college rivalries are all about. That's

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<v Speaker 1>what pro rivalries are all about. You know, Seinfeld did

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<v Speaker 1>a bit on it. You know, you're not rooting for

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<v Speaker 1>the player. He was talking more about the pros because

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<v Speaker 1>one player can get traded, let's say, from the Yankees

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<v Speaker 1>to the Red Sox, and then suddenly you hate them.

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<v Speaker 1>You're rooting for the jersey, You're rooting for the laundry. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>it's a little bit deeper than that with Vince Merrill,

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<v Speaker 1>because he had such a profound effect in a positive

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<v Speaker 1>way on the UK program, helping bring in guys like

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<v Speaker 1>Benny Snell and others who helped carry the Kentucky program

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<v Speaker 1>on a couple of occasions to double digit victories and

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of fun for you and me and the

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<v Speaker 1>media covering Bowl games down in Florida. That's important now

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<v Speaker 1>of late things have said, we know this, but when

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<v Speaker 1>you think about the new levels that Kentucky football has

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<v Speaker 1>reached with Mark Stoops and Vince Merrow recruiting out of

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<v Speaker 1>the state of Ohio out to Michigan, that's formidable and

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<v Speaker 1>it cannot be overlooked. And I know a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>you like to look at the most recent ski season

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<v Speaker 1>and it did not go well. But I also see

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<v Speaker 1>comments out there about how terrible the coach Stoops is.

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<v Speaker 1>He is not. And I actually saw some snide remarks

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<v Speaker 1>about how poor a recruiter a recruiter that Vince Merrow was.

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<v Speaker 1>He's not because lately some kids haven't worked out. But

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<v Speaker 1>that's sports. It's what have you done for me lately?

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<v Speaker 1>So we'll move on. We'll talk to the new tight

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<v Speaker 1>ends coach. At the bottom of the hour. Basketball Cats

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<v Speaker 1>have been talking to us as well, including Colin Chandler

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<v Speaker 1>and Trendoah and Chandler talked about the fact that even

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<v Speaker 1>though there's a lot of moving college basketball, he was

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<v Speaker 1>always coming back to be a Wildcat.

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<v Speaker 3>There's a lot of different aspects to the game of

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<v Speaker 3>basketball right now, and I've always been taught loyalty from

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<v Speaker 3>my dad, but you're also taught to do what's best

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<v Speaker 3>for you and your career, and so I was very

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<v Speaker 3>prayerful about what I'm always thinking about, what is God's

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<v Speaker 3>plan for me? What's the bigger plan for me? And

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<v Speaker 3>I love my time here in Kentucky and through lots

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<v Speaker 3>of prayer, and because you have to, you have to

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<v Speaker 3>figure out what's best for you in your life and

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<v Speaker 3>where you're supposed to be for purposes maybe greater than basketball.

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<v Speaker 1>I believe there's.

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<v Speaker 3>Purposes for for being here that's greater than basketball. But

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<v Speaker 3>I feel and I know that I'm supposed to be here,

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<v Speaker 3>So that was I was pretty sure about that in offseason.

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<v Speaker 1>So, yeah, a lot of players improved under Mark Pope

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<v Speaker 1>last year, but maybe cheap among them. What's Chandler who

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<v Speaker 1>took some minutes from Travis Perry quite frankly at point guard,

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<v Speaker 1>and he might have been one of the biggest reasons

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<v Speaker 1>that Perry decided to transfer. A Chandler shook the rust

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<v Speaker 1>and really helped his team down the stretch. And he

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<v Speaker 1>talked about this coming season and what he's hoping to

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<v Speaker 1>improve upon. But it's going to help. He said that

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<v Speaker 1>he knows the environment so much better.

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<v Speaker 3>I feel like I know my environment a little bit better.

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<v Speaker 3>Is I was coming in a little bit blind last

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<v Speaker 3>year of what to expect from just coming home as

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<v Speaker 3>a missionary is kind of a whirlwind of life changing

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<v Speaker 3>as well as playing basketball for the first time and

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<v Speaker 3>then also playing basketball at extremely high level. I didn't

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<v Speaker 3>really know what to expect how to go about it.

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<v Speaker 3>Whereas I feel like this year off season, I know

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<v Speaker 3>exactly what I'm supposed to be working on. I know

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<v Speaker 3>what I can do. I have a lot of experience

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<v Speaker 3>on the court for what I can do and things

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<v Speaker 3>I can get better, and so I think I have

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<v Speaker 3>a lot better of a vision of what I need

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<v Speaker 3>to do. I think that's the biggest difference.

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<v Speaker 1>Up next, we'll take a look at what's been going

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<v Speaker 1>on out of Omaha. But a note that Oklahoma City

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<v Speaker 1>fought off Indiana last night the Pacers who made a

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<v Speaker 1>run late, but Shay Gilders Alexander was excellent as always.

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<v Speaker 1>His teammate Jalen Williams was even better. He put up

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<v Speaker 1>forty you know one twenty to one oh nine win.

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<v Speaker 1>Oklahoma City is one went away from his first NBA championship.

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<v Speaker 1>Technically when they were the Super Socks they won one

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<v Speaker 1>back in nineteen seventy nine, but for Okasee this would

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<v Speaker 1>be a first. It was tough. They had an eighteen

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<v Speaker 1>point lead. Pacers cut it down to two, but oka

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<v Speaker 1>See hung on and they and the MVP of the league,

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<v Speaker 1>Shay Guilders Alexander the X Wildcat one went away from

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<v Speaker 1>an NBA title and by the way, she had thirty

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<v Speaker 1>one points. Tennissee actually blocked two shots, made a couple

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<v Speaker 1>of big steals down the stretch. I want a couple

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<v Speaker 1>of the Big bloon Sider Bottom of the hour, tight

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<v Speaker 1>Ends coach Derek sha six point thirty wlap Welcome back

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<v Speaker 1>to the Big boon Sider coming up at the bottom

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<v Speaker 1>of the hour. Derek Shae, Kentucky's new tight Ends coach,

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit later on Ken Spencer from w HS

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<v Speaker 1>We'll talk to you kay football and basketball, but we've

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<v Speaker 1>got to look back and tip the BBI cap to

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<v Speaker 1>the Murray State Racers eliminated just as Kentucky was last

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<v Speaker 1>year from the College World Series, although the Racers did

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<v Speaker 1>not get a chance to experience a win, but just

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<v Speaker 1>as Kentucky did last year, maybe even a little more

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<v Speaker 1>so because Murray State was a more of a cinderella

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<v Speaker 1>I think the Kentucky was last year. They really captivated

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<v Speaker 1>the fans out in Omaha. I remember Nick menze Ownes

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<v Speaker 1>sort of at a preliminary press conference in Omaha making

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<v Speaker 1>a plee to fans who maybe didn't have a team

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<v Speaker 1>to root for. He if you want to root for somebody,

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<v Speaker 1>rooted for us, and a lot of people did because

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<v Speaker 1>they liked the way Kentucky played, you know, the combination

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<v Speaker 1>of power baseball and small ball doing whatever it took

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<v Speaker 1>to win well. Murray State came in the greatest season,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, in the history of Racers baseball, the first

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<v Speaker 1>time a four seed came out of a regional since

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen ninety nine. Played well in its opening loss to UCLA,

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<v Speaker 1>but then yesterday no hit by gage Wood. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>of all times for a guy to have a historically

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<v Speaker 1>great outing, here's a guy who was injured earlier in

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<v Speaker 1>the year. He missed fifty four days on the injured list,

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<v Speaker 1>and then last night throwed just a third no hitter

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<v Speaker 1>in the history of the men's College World Series, in

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<v Speaker 1>the first in sixty five years. Nineteen strikeouts, that's a record,

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<v Speaker 1>and at one point struck out seven straight racers. Murray

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<v Speaker 1>never came close to getting a base hit hard ground

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<v Speaker 1>ball was about as good as it got, and he

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<v Speaker 1>missed a perfect game by one at bat. He hit

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<v Speaker 1>a guy in the eighth inning. He also hit a

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<v Speaker 1>guy and knowing the seventh and he hit a guy

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<v Speaker 1>in the eighth inning, but they took the Murray State

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<v Speaker 1>hitter off first base called him out for interference, but

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<v Speaker 1>that was a bogus call. The ball hit the guy

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<v Speaker 1>in the right handed batter's box. They said he leaned

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<v Speaker 1>into it. He did not, But anyway, they weren't going

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<v Speaker 1>to get gauge anyhow, they weren't going to get to him.

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<v Speaker 1>He was unbelievable. But after the game, as usual, the

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<v Speaker 1>Murray State players and coach handled themselves so well, it

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<v Speaker 1>was incredibly well And somebody asked the players about the memories,

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<v Speaker 1>and they talked about just it wasn't so much the

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<v Speaker 1>games on the field throughout the tournament. It was being

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<v Speaker 1>together and making it happen. You know what, guys they

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<v Speaker 1>worked with for so long in some instances, And this

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<v Speaker 1>is Carson Garner, the Murray State third baseman, on what

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<v Speaker 1>he's taking away and what he took away from the

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<v Speaker 1>entire season.

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<v Speaker 4>I told somebody the other day, I get to wake

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<v Speaker 4>up every day and go play the game I love

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<v Speaker 4>with my forty best friends.

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<v Speaker 5>So that's what I remember most.

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<v Speaker 1>I love that comment. But if you've been paying attention

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<v Speaker 1>to the Murray State run, it's not surprising. And our man,

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<v Speaker 1>Keith Madison, the Hall of Fame UK coach, was out

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<v Speaker 1>there in home all for a little while, had his

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<v Speaker 1>picture taken with Dan Skirka, tweeted it out. They know it.

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<v Speaker 1>In fact, Keith Madison spoke to the Murray State team

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<v Speaker 1>at Chapel on game day or the day before, so

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<v Speaker 1>he knows Skirka thinks the world of him, and Skirka

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<v Speaker 1>got a little emotional when he started thinking about this

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<v Speaker 1>run made by his team.

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<v Speaker 6>You know, one of my wife's favorite movies is The

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<v Speaker 6>League of Their Own and say there's no crying in baseball, Well,

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<v Speaker 6>you can throw that out the window. There's no way

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<v Speaker 6>I'm making it through this right here. What these guys

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<v Speaker 6>mean to me.

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<v Speaker 7>And my family.

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<v Speaker 1>And watching Skirka speaking. And by the way, again, this

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<v Speaker 1>is a Murray team that beat Kentucky back in March

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<v Speaker 1>five to four. His son Keegan was sitting on his lap,

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<v Speaker 1>and it reminded me last year again at Kentucky being

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<v Speaker 1>there and Nick manngeone through the regional, the Soupers and

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<v Speaker 1>the World Series. He allowed his son Reeves to sit

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<v Speaker 1>at the dais for the press conferences. Reeves actually fielded

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<v Speaker 1>a question or two. During the postseason. He had his

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<v Speaker 1>own placard up there with his name on it, and

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<v Speaker 1>the Murray State player was so cool. And I've seen

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<v Speaker 1>this before at basketball tournaments, but the official placard with

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<v Speaker 1>their name with the emblem on it College World Series.

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<v Speaker 1>When the Murray State players got up and left, they

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<v Speaker 1>took the placards with them, and good for them. What

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<v Speaker 1>a great souvenir, you know, So you can understand why

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<v Speaker 1>fans really adopted the Racers and skirt Could talked about

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<v Speaker 1>the effect his kids have had on college baseball.

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<v Speaker 6>What these guys have done to inspire people, to inspire

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<v Speaker 6>kids to play baseball, to inspire families to watch together,

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<v Speaker 6>to inspire families to come here and visit and be

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<v Speaker 6>a part of it. That's what's so special about this

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<v Speaker 6>and it's amazing. I mean, it truly is amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>Skirk had talked about the fact that one of his

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<v Speaker 1>players said, don't be sad that it's over, be happy

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<v Speaker 1>that it happened. They weren't there, They weren't just happy

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<v Speaker 1>to be there. Of course, they wanted to win, but

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<v Speaker 1>the way they just handle themselves was so great. But

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<v Speaker 1>I also love the fact that Skirka tipped his cap

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<v Speaker 1>and shouted out the parents of the Murray State players.

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<v Speaker 6>I mean, the parents traveling all over the place, you know,

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<v Speaker 6>providing for these guys. You know, nobody's on a full

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<v Speaker 6>ride on our team. Nobody's making money on our team,

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<v Speaker 6>and so the parents are sacrificing so much and the

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<v Speaker 6>guys are putting so much into it, man, And to

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<v Speaker 6>see them get to celebrate, you know, you say, into

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<v Speaker 6>the year, only one team's happy. That ain't the case.

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<v Speaker 6>This year, there's definitely more than one because these guys

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<v Speaker 6>just the run they went on, and you're not gonna

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<v Speaker 6>be able to wipe the smile off their face for

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<v Speaker 6>a really long time. And that's why I told them.

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<v Speaker 6>You know, they're gonna they're gonna share this for ages

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<v Speaker 6>and people are gonna ask them about it for ages,

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<v Speaker 6>and that's that's really the cool thing.

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<v Speaker 1>And again, you gotta wonder because right now the money

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<v Speaker 1>isn't there for college baseball. It's still eleven point seven

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<v Speaker 1>scholarships plus whatever you can dig up with nil or grants.

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<v Speaker 1>How many kids and their parents had to pay their

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<v Speaker 1>way to play college baseball this year. It's gonna change

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<v Speaker 1>next year, thank goodness. But again, you got to tip

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<v Speaker 1>your cap to anybody who paid to be there as

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<v Speaker 1>a player, as a parent, and tip your captain the

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<v Speaker 1>Murray State Racers. What a great year. Derek Shay, new

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<v Speaker 1>tight ends coach is up next year on six point

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<v Speaker 1>thirty w l A P. Welcome back to the Big

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<v Speaker 1>Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with you on a Tuesday

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<v Speaker 1>edition of our show. And of course, in the wake

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<v Speaker 1>of the Vince Merrow story comes the news that Derek

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<v Speaker 1>Shay has been promoted. He is the new tight ends coach.

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<v Speaker 1>He has been on staff for a year already more

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<v Speaker 1>than a year now as the senior offensive analyst and

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<v Speaker 1>run game specialist, basically helping Eric Wolford with the offensive line.

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<v Speaker 1>He's got a long and interesting resume which includes stops

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<v Speaker 1>at McNeese State on the one double A level FCS level,

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<v Speaker 1>and right after that he goes to LSU to go

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<v Speaker 1>to grad school and as a GA worked for ed

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<v Speaker 1>Orgeron coaching tight ends and Ojeron had a full staff

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<v Speaker 1>of ten assistants, but he made Shae the tight ends

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<v Speaker 1>coach because he had seen him in action coaching at

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<v Speaker 1>IMG Academy when he was recruiting and he liked the

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<v Speaker 1>way Shae coach, so he added him to his staff

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<v Speaker 1>at LSU, and he went from there to Missouri where

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<v Speaker 1>he worked under Bush Hamdan as a senior offensive analyst,

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<v Speaker 1>and now they've been reunited at UK. I had a

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<v Speaker 1>chance to talk to him earlier today about the talented

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<v Speaker 1>tight ends room, which includes the likes of the veterans

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<v Speaker 1>Josh Katis, who's in his senior year, Willie Rodriguez, just

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<v Speaker 1>a sophomore but played a lot last year. Justin Katis,

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<v Speaker 1>a red shirt freshman. He is a Josh's brother. Henry Boyer,

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<v Speaker 1>the transfer of Illinois's huge six six two sixty five.

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<v Speaker 1>I saw him in the spring. He stands out, no

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<v Speaker 1>question about that. Uh and a freshman six four to twenty

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<v Speaker 1>five Michael Skinner. So it is a talented tight end room,

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<v Speaker 1>and we talked about that among other things.

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<v Speaker 7>It's a really good room. There's a good mix, you know,

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<v Speaker 7>There's there's some older guys with some experience. There's some

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<v Speaker 7>young guys that have talent and potential that we have

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<v Speaker 7>to develop. And so it's an exciting time obviously to

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<v Speaker 7>be the tight end coach here because I get a

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<v Speaker 7>chance to get my hands on him and get a

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<v Speaker 7>chance to develop them and get him better, try to

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<v Speaker 7>get the most out of them. So I'm excited to

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<v Speaker 7>tack about the room.

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<v Speaker 1>Can I give you my theory about why people get

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<v Speaker 1>excited when they throw to the tight ends. Generally a

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<v Speaker 1>tight end play, if it's designed for a tight end,

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<v Speaker 1>or even if it's a you know, second or third option,

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<v Speaker 1>it takes a little longer to develop, and so people

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<v Speaker 1>in the seats get a little antsy. All can the

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<v Speaker 1>quarterback get it off, you gotta get sacked. And then

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<v Speaker 1>when he does, as often as not, it's a tight

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<v Speaker 1>end who's victimizing a linebacker who's not as fast as

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<v Speaker 1>he is, and generally something good happens. Does that make sense?

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<v Speaker 8>Oh?

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<v Speaker 7>I love it. You know, you're exactly right. And that's

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<v Speaker 7>so unique about the position you get. You know, we

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<v Speaker 7>got to do it all. You got to block, you

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<v Speaker 7>got to catch, you got to pass protect. There's not

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<v Speaker 7>many tight ends in the National Football League that don't

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<v Speaker 7>play special teams, right, so you have to get tribat

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<v Speaker 7>on special teams. And so it's a it's became a

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<v Speaker 7>unique position in that you better have some smart guys

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<v Speaker 7>because they've got to know a little bit of everything.

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<v Speaker 7>And you're exactly right, you got to be you got

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<v Speaker 7>to be big enough to block, but you have to

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<v Speaker 7>be athletic enough to stretch the field and and give

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<v Speaker 7>us opportunities to catch the football down the field. And

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<v Speaker 7>and uh yeah, like you said, that's always everywhere, ever been.

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<v Speaker 7>Why are we not thrown at the tight end more?

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<v Speaker 7>We got to give him more catches. That's not just

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<v Speaker 7>unique to to Kentucky, I promise, But but but we do.

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<v Speaker 7>You know, we've got to continue to develop them and

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<v Speaker 7>give them a skill set to allow themselves to get

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<v Speaker 7>open and catch a football and make plays down the field.

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<v Speaker 7>And so that's that's our job is as coaches, and

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<v Speaker 7>that's why I'm looking forward to doing.

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<v Speaker 1>I can't believe Josh Katis is already a senior. Feels

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<v Speaker 1>like he just got there. Uh, but that's a great

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<v Speaker 1>guy to have in terms of experience. And uh, I

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<v Speaker 1>know Willie Rodriguez, I mean, Mark Stews loves all those players,

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<v Speaker 1>but uh, he especially likes Rodriguez because this is one

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<v Speaker 1>physical kid. You talked about special teams. He you know,

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<v Speaker 1>he forced that fumble at Ole Miss. It turned out

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<v Speaker 1>it wasn't wasn't a fumble, but it was kind of

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<v Speaker 1>a window as to what he's all about physically, is

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<v Speaker 1>what was it?

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<v Speaker 3>Not?

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<v Speaker 7>No question the guy again, it's a testament to him.

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<v Speaker 7>He came in as a true freshman and his body

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<v Speaker 7>was physically ready to compete in the Southeastern Conference. And

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<v Speaker 7>that quite frankly, that's what usually holds guys back in

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<v Speaker 7>our league. You know, it's my fifth or sixth year

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<v Speaker 7>in the conference and you look at all these body

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<v Speaker 7>types and you look at these guys. It's not that

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<v Speaker 7>they're not athletic enough, it's not that they don't catch

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<v Speaker 7>the ball well enough. But the reality is that your

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<v Speaker 7>body has to be physically ready to take on the

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<v Speaker 7>battering of an SEC season. And to Willie's credit, you know,

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<v Speaker 7>he came in ready to do so and because of that,

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<v Speaker 7>he was able to get on the field. And you

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<v Speaker 7>know he's got the athletic tools to go with it.

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<v Speaker 7>He can move well in space, he catches the ball fluidly.

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<v Speaker 7>This guy's a good player and I'm excited about him.

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<v Speaker 7>And again, you know, I'm it's a challenge to me

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<v Speaker 7>to get this guy to take a jump from his

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<v Speaker 7>freshman to sophomore year and be a major contributor for

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<v Speaker 7>us and quite frankly, help us win more football games.

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<v Speaker 1>You work with bush hand In in Missouri. This is

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<v Speaker 1>his first opportunity to take advantage of being a Kentucky

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<v Speaker 1>for the full cycle, you know, spring, summerfall. What is

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<v Speaker 1>it about his offense, Derek that that has you excited

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<v Speaker 1>and that should have Kentucky fans excited when it's clicking.

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<v Speaker 7>Yeah, no question. I think the first thing that he's

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<v Speaker 7>you know, stressed continuity within your staff is important in

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<v Speaker 7>this day and aging college football because you know, college

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<v Speaker 7>football right wrong or indifferent is is more transient now

418
00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:33.799
<v Speaker 7>than ever, you know, with players, coaches and everybody, and

419
00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:37.279
<v Speaker 7>so when you create continuity on your staff, everybody gets

420
00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:39.519
<v Speaker 7>on the same page in terms of, hey, when we

421
00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:42.480
<v Speaker 7>install this play, this is the technique and fundamental we're

422
00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:44.559
<v Speaker 7>going to use. This is the verbage we're going to use,

423
00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:46.960
<v Speaker 7>and in the end that filters to the players. And

424
00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:50.039
<v Speaker 7>so you know, we've got a chance to be better

425
00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:52.640
<v Speaker 7>from that regard because our running back coach j bowl

426
00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:56.319
<v Speaker 7>Where is obviously back again. Our offensive line coach Eric Wolford,

427
00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:58.720
<v Speaker 7>who is as good of an offensive line coach in

428
00:22:58.759 --> 00:23:00.960
<v Speaker 7>the country, is back game in the second year in

429
00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:03.400
<v Speaker 7>the offense with Damian Washington, the receiver coach we just

430
00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:06.640
<v Speaker 7>recently hired, was with Bush previously at Missouri, and then

431
00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:09.160
<v Speaker 7>obviously I was I've been with hand in hand with

432
00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:12.519
<v Speaker 7>Bush for for several years. So I think that that

433
00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:14.720
<v Speaker 7>is our starting point and that it's going to help us,

434
00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:17.920
<v Speaker 7>you know, on the field in terms of instruction and

435
00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:20.799
<v Speaker 7>what Bush is looking forward, that that information is going

436
00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:23.319
<v Speaker 7>to get you know, more fluid to the players and

437
00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:25.240
<v Speaker 7>in terms of the offense and the scheme. You know that.

438
00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:28.440
<v Speaker 7>You know, Bush has obviously had success at previous places.

439
00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:31.640
<v Speaker 7>That's why he's here. And you know, we we've got to,

440
00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:33.880
<v Speaker 7>you know, put our players in the best position and

441
00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:36.400
<v Speaker 7>put our schemes in the best position to have success.

442
00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:38.960
<v Speaker 7>And Bush has done that obviously, not only in the

443
00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:41.000
<v Speaker 7>passing game, but also in the running game. You know,

444
00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:44.480
<v Speaker 7>he's had great success at Washington, uh throwing the ball around.

445
00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:46.279
<v Speaker 7>I obviously ran the heck out of the ball at

446
00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:48.720
<v Speaker 7>Boise State. And so we've got to put all those

447
00:23:48.759 --> 00:23:52.519
<v Speaker 7>things together and and obviously put those schemes together and

448
00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:55.279
<v Speaker 7>go have a better year on offense, playing and simple,

449
00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:57.039
<v Speaker 7>and we're working every day.

450
00:23:56.920 --> 00:23:57.359
<v Speaker 2>To do that.

451
00:23:57.799 --> 00:24:00.119
<v Speaker 1>You mentioned the old line. You have coached offense of

452
00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:03.240
<v Speaker 1>lineman in your career, not just tight ends. Other people

453
00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:05.279
<v Speaker 1>forget a tight end is an offensive lineman.

454
00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:06.559
<v Speaker 6>That's right.

455
00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:10.640
<v Speaker 1>You guys have worked so hard with recruiting, with a

456
00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:14.119
<v Speaker 1>portal to make improvements and with the way as you

457
00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:18.160
<v Speaker 1>know college football is now, it's hard to develop players.

458
00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:21.599
<v Speaker 1>Hard to develop old lineman as a unit when everybody

459
00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:23.960
<v Speaker 1>five guys have to work is one. How do you

460
00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:26.240
<v Speaker 1>feel about what you saw in the spring and what

461
00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:27.680
<v Speaker 1>do you think we might see in the fall.

462
00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:31.559
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, well, obviously Kause Wolford did an excellent job of

463
00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:37.799
<v Speaker 7>bringing in several transfer portal players in January. And because

464
00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:39.559
<v Speaker 7>of that, you know, the one thing that's important that

465
00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:42.680
<v Speaker 7>people get lost is especially at the offensive line position,

466
00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:45.480
<v Speaker 7>Like you're saying, these guys have to work in unison together.

467
00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:47.799
<v Speaker 7>I mean, five guys have to work in unison. And

468
00:24:47.880 --> 00:24:50.759
<v Speaker 7>so because we got you know, the majority of those

469
00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:53.839
<v Speaker 7>guys in January, we've able to you know, have an

470
00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:57.440
<v Speaker 7>excellent spring with them, an excellent off season of lifting

471
00:24:57.480 --> 00:24:59.680
<v Speaker 7>and conditioning, and those guys that have worked hand in

472
00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:02.480
<v Speaker 7>handing together for the past six months and are obviously

473
00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:04.160
<v Speaker 7>going to continue to do so throughout the season. So

474
00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:06.839
<v Speaker 7>I think that's an advantage for us, and that these

475
00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:09.519
<v Speaker 7>guys have been here together and uh, you know, they're

476
00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:12.119
<v Speaker 7>they're working together day in and day out. And the

477
00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:14.799
<v Speaker 7>other thing that we've got some older players there, you know,

478
00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:18.400
<v Speaker 7>which I think is a positive. Again, you know, people

479
00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:21.160
<v Speaker 7>are starting to study obviously the transfer portal and who

480
00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:23.640
<v Speaker 7>has had success and in the variety of things, and

481
00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:26.000
<v Speaker 7>I think what people are starting to find is Uh,

482
00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:29.680
<v Speaker 7>you know, experience and maturity is important right now in

483
00:25:29.720 --> 00:25:32.759
<v Speaker 7>college football, you know, and coach Wolf for the excellent

484
00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:35.240
<v Speaker 7>job with bringing in guys that have played a ton

485
00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:39.160
<v Speaker 7>of snaps in our older players. And I think that's, uh,

486
00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:42.119
<v Speaker 7>that's going to help us, I really do. So we're excited,

487
00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:43.519
<v Speaker 7>really excited about that group.

488
00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:45.200
<v Speaker 1>We got a chance to talk to a lot of

489
00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:47.920
<v Speaker 1>those guys even before spring began, when they came in,

490
00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:50.960
<v Speaker 1>uh during the break, you know, came through the portal.

491
00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:55.279
<v Speaker 1>I always envisioned people materializing, you know. But one of

492
00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:58.400
<v Speaker 1>the guys, one of the old linemen, said that a

493
00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:02.000
<v Speaker 1>great advantage in having the experience you just reference was

494
00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:05.000
<v Speaker 1>the fact that they don't have to learn drills for

495
00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:06.799
<v Speaker 1>the most part, they already know how to do it.

496
00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:09.759
<v Speaker 1>So it's almost like you know, cutting to the front

497
00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:12.559
<v Speaker 1>of the line. You know, they use obviously, they use

498
00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:16.480
<v Speaker 1>that experience from and they know how to practice. I

499
00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:19.880
<v Speaker 1>guess is what I'm saying, that's got to expedite the situation,

500
00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:21.079
<v Speaker 1>I would think, Am I right?

501
00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:24.119
<v Speaker 7>No, I think it does for sure. I think, like

502
00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:26.839
<v Speaker 7>you're saying, the advantage of guys playing a bunch of snaps,

503
00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:30.440
<v Speaker 7>and not only that, they're emotionally mature, which I think, yeah,

504
00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:34.640
<v Speaker 7>Wolf is an excellent job of, you know, kind of

505
00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:37.240
<v Speaker 7>going through the process of all right, yeah, this guy's

506
00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:38.839
<v Speaker 7>a good player. I do want him, but I'm going

507
00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:40.920
<v Speaker 7>to do my research. Makes for sure this guy is

508
00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:44.599
<v Speaker 7>an emotionally mature person. And you know, I think we

509
00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:46.799
<v Speaker 7>can say that about all those guys, and so what

510
00:26:46.920 --> 00:26:49.759
<v Speaker 7>goes into that is they have a good self awareness

511
00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:52.079
<v Speaker 7>and so even you know, hey, I've played all these snaps,

512
00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:55.000
<v Speaker 7>I know I need to work on my inside zone

513
00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:57.640
<v Speaker 7>step to the right because I've struggled with that over

514
00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:59.640
<v Speaker 7>the course of my career. And so when they get

515
00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:02.000
<v Speaker 7>out to the practice field there there they can you know,

516
00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:05.400
<v Speaker 7>potentially be more intentional about about what they're doing, which

517
00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:08.400
<v Speaker 7>is exactly what you're saying. I think. I think that

518
00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:11.640
<v Speaker 7>group is doing a really good job of honing their

519
00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:14.599
<v Speaker 7>techniques and fundamentals and working their tails off so that

520
00:27:14.599 --> 00:27:16.359
<v Speaker 7>we can have a successful fault.

521
00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:19.240
<v Speaker 1>He is Derek Shay, the new tight ends coach for

522
00:27:19.319 --> 00:27:21.559
<v Speaker 1>the While Cast. We'll come back and talk more football

523
00:27:21.559 --> 00:27:23.319
<v Speaker 1>with Derek in just a minute. Here on a Big

524
00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:27.200
<v Speaker 1>bullone Sider six thirty wlap. We're talking to Derek Shay's

525
00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:30.480
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky's new tight ends coach. You played your college football

526
00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:34.000
<v Speaker 1>at Western Illinois. You were a leather Neck, and then

527
00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:38.039
<v Speaker 1>you transferred to Eastern Illinois, which is where Tony Romo played.

528
00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:40.079
<v Speaker 1>I happen to know, do they have like pictures and

529
00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:41.240
<v Speaker 1>posters of him everywhere?

530
00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:46.119
<v Speaker 7>There's no question, not just him though.

531
00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:46.359
<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

532
00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:50.000
<v Speaker 7>I started Western, I finished up the Easter, started student

533
00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:53.079
<v Speaker 7>coaching there. And while I was there, there's a gentleman

534
00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:58.720
<v Speaker 7>by the name of Jimmy Garoppo, quarterback, and before Tony

535
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:00.880
<v Speaker 7>Romo was a guy by the name of Sean Payton.

536
00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:04.839
<v Speaker 7>So all three of those guys, which is a story

537
00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:07.759
<v Speaker 7>for another day, but not Sean Payton, but a guy

538
00:28:07.799 --> 00:28:09.359
<v Speaker 7>that was on our staff by the name of Roy

539
00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:12.200
<v Speaker 7>WICKI had been at Easternly for a long time and

540
00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:16.119
<v Speaker 7>recruited Tony Romo and recruited Jimmy Garoppolo, and both those

541
00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:19.720
<v Speaker 7>guys were obviously very very very under recruited, and he

542
00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:23.680
<v Speaker 7>had nine for talent and obviously found those two guys,

543
00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:27.200
<v Speaker 7>which is a book in itself, but yeah, you know,

544
00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:30.519
<v Speaker 7>interesting place. The other piece of that is there's a

545
00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:32.559
<v Speaker 7>lot of coaches that have been through Stern Annoy Mike

546
00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:35.480
<v Speaker 7>Shanahan's and Eachell Annoy Grad. Brad Childers, the former head

547
00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:39.240
<v Speaker 7>coach of the Vikings, the stern Illinoy Grad, actually one

548
00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:42.039
<v Speaker 7>of my mentors who was a longtime special teams coach,

549
00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:44.039
<v Speaker 7>won a Super Bowl with the Saints. Guy by the

550
00:28:44.119 --> 00:28:46.799
<v Speaker 7>name of Greg McMahon is an Eastern Illinois grad. Obviously

551
00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:49.480
<v Speaker 7>Sean Payton. So there's been some good players, but there's

552
00:28:49.480 --> 00:28:50.440
<v Speaker 7>been some good coaches too.

553
00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:54.240
<v Speaker 1>Credible of coaches say it's Miami, but you know, hey, man,

554
00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:58.079
<v Speaker 1>Eastern Illinois got something on them. You play there, you

555
00:28:58.200 --> 00:29:01.640
<v Speaker 1>coach there, You coach at the FCS level, You coached

556
00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:05.200
<v Speaker 1>the high school, the prep school. Your first uh D

557
00:29:05.319 --> 00:29:08.400
<v Speaker 1>one job was LSU. You work with at Orgron there.

558
00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:14.000
<v Speaker 1>What was that like, Derek moving from McNee State which

559
00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:17.599
<v Speaker 1>had a really good FCS program, but now LSU, which

560
00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:19.960
<v Speaker 1>is you know the cream and look at the SEC

561
00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:22.480
<v Speaker 1>and you got everything you'd ever want to have. You know,

562
00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:26.319
<v Speaker 1>you always want more. You know, you're flying everywhere. I mean,

563
00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:27.839
<v Speaker 1>what was that like to make that jump?

564
00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:30.920
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, I mean I joked at the time, I went

565
00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:34.359
<v Speaker 7>from the outhouse to the penthouse. Yeah, from McNee t LSU.

566
00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:37.440
<v Speaker 7>But obviously was fortunate enough, Like we talked about the

567
00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:42.119
<v Speaker 7>at Ozern, you know, you know, if whatever whatever it

568
00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:44.359
<v Speaker 7>may be, found something in me and hired me there.

569
00:29:44.359 --> 00:29:46.759
<v Speaker 7>And I think the thing about coaching, no matter what

570
00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:49.640
<v Speaker 7>the level. You know, one of my most impactful jobs

571
00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:52.480
<v Speaker 7>is I was a teacher and coach at Warren Central

572
00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:55.599
<v Speaker 7>High School, Indianapolis. Right right at I GA for a

573
00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:58.079
<v Speaker 7>few years, he's snowing only bowling green. I'm twenty four

574
00:29:58.119 --> 00:29:59.839
<v Speaker 7>to twenty five years old, and I get a full

575
00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:03.119
<v Speaker 7>time time job at Warren Central High School, Indianapolis, which

576
00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:05.720
<v Speaker 7>is obviously one of the best programs in the Midwest

577
00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:10.039
<v Speaker 7>at the time. And you know, I just think every

578
00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:12.759
<v Speaker 7>experience gives you something. And you know, I learned how

579
00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:15.480
<v Speaker 7>to coach there, you know, being a graduate assistant and

580
00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:17.279
<v Speaker 7>then going and doing it on your own and learning

581
00:30:17.319 --> 00:30:21.119
<v Speaker 7>how to coach, you know, not only not only Division

582
00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:23.519
<v Speaker 7>I players, but guys that are going to just have

583
00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:25.799
<v Speaker 7>just go to college and work regular jobs. You know,

584
00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:28.039
<v Speaker 7>you learn how to coach. And so I say all

585
00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:30.279
<v Speaker 7>that to say, you know, when I go to LSU,

586
00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:33.640
<v Speaker 7>I use the same skills as I did at Warren Central,

587
00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:36.039
<v Speaker 7>as I did at IMG, as I did at McNeice

588
00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:38.680
<v Speaker 7>to just go coach players. And I think the big

589
00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:42.160
<v Speaker 7>thing is, you know, all players are looking for how

590
00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:44.319
<v Speaker 7>to get them better. They're looking for good instruction or

591
00:30:44.359 --> 00:30:47.000
<v Speaker 7>looking for, you know, somebody to put their arm around

592
00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:48.720
<v Speaker 7>them as you're walking off the field after you've ripped

593
00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:51.000
<v Speaker 7>their butt. And I think I think that translates to

594
00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:53.240
<v Speaker 7>every level. And so when I went to LSU and

595
00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:57.160
<v Speaker 7>and started working there, although the lights were obviously a

596
00:30:57.160 --> 00:31:00.000
<v Speaker 7>lot brighter than what I was used to, I just

597
00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:02.759
<v Speaker 7>try to stay true to that and just continue to

598
00:31:02.839 --> 00:31:04.359
<v Speaker 7>coach the heck out of the players and try to

599
00:31:04.359 --> 00:31:07.000
<v Speaker 7>get them better. And we're fortunate enough there to have

600
00:31:07.319 --> 00:31:10.079
<v Speaker 7>some really good ones and some guys that are now

601
00:31:10.119 --> 00:31:12.960
<v Speaker 7>playing in the National Football League, and so that was

602
00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:17.599
<v Speaker 7>a great experience, you know, and quite frankly, my experience

603
00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:21.680
<v Speaker 7>and not to be conceded, but reputation working there has

604
00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:24.160
<v Speaker 7>led me to the last five or six years of

605
00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:27.240
<v Speaker 7>my career. And so you know, I've just tried to

606
00:31:27.319 --> 00:31:29.480
<v Speaker 7>draw on that and try to do the best job

607
00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:31.799
<v Speaker 7>every day, put your best foot forward and do the

608
00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:34.240
<v Speaker 7>best for your players, and hopefully everything else takes care

609
00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:34.480
<v Speaker 7>of it.

610
00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:37.440
<v Speaker 1>So you were the co offensive coordinator at Warren Central

611
00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:40.480
<v Speaker 1>and again at IMG Academy. How has that helped you

612
00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:43.680
<v Speaker 1>as you further your career as a tight ends coach

613
00:31:43.720 --> 00:31:44.680
<v Speaker 1>as an O line coach?

614
00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:49.440
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, I think the big thing sometimes office line coaches

615
00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:51.039
<v Speaker 7>you can get stuck, right, all you know is those

616
00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:53.319
<v Speaker 7>five guys. If you always joke, all you do is

617
00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:56.039
<v Speaker 7>watch the game zone copy of the film. You don't

618
00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:58.640
<v Speaker 7>watch the sideline copy, right, you know? And so I

619
00:31:58.680 --> 00:32:01.920
<v Speaker 7>think by by you know, you know, having coordinate responsibilities

620
00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:05.079
<v Speaker 7>at some places, it gives you just a better perspective

621
00:32:05.079 --> 00:32:07.799
<v Speaker 7>of the big picture. And that's what the tight end

622
00:32:07.799 --> 00:32:10.640
<v Speaker 7>position is. You know, you don't just you don't just

623
00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:12.279
<v Speaker 7>have to know who you're blocking in the box. You

624
00:32:12.279 --> 00:32:14.799
<v Speaker 7>have to obviously haven't understanding of the past game and

625
00:32:14.839 --> 00:32:17.440
<v Speaker 7>how you fit into all the schemes. And so I think,

626
00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:20.440
<v Speaker 7>you know, when you when you get coordinator experience, it

627
00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:23.880
<v Speaker 7>makes you kind of expand your knowledge and get outside

628
00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:27.599
<v Speaker 7>your box. And that's helped me progress to be able

629
00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:30.519
<v Speaker 7>to coach both positions, and I think that's that's given

630
00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:31.440
<v Speaker 7>me some flexibility.

631
00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:35.200
<v Speaker 1>And org Ron gave you your first big break and

632
00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:38.319
<v Speaker 1>arguably he is, to say the least, a live wire.

633
00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:41.440
<v Speaker 1>Uh and now you work for Mark Stoops, and of

634
00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:43.759
<v Speaker 1>course I'm going to ask you to brag about your

635
00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:46.799
<v Speaker 1>your current boss. You're not going to say anything controversial.

636
00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:50.759
<v Speaker 1>But what is it about Stoops that that you have found,

637
00:32:51.359 --> 00:32:53.559
<v Speaker 1>I don't know, interesting, intriguing. What is it you like

638
00:32:53.559 --> 00:32:56.039
<v Speaker 1>about him as a as a hands on coach?

639
00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:59.720
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, well there's there's really there's two things that stick

640
00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:03.240
<v Speaker 7>out me when people have asked me this question. And

641
00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:06.599
<v Speaker 7>you know, obviously we've all experience, We've worked for quite

642
00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:09.039
<v Speaker 7>a few head coaches at this point. The first thing

643
00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:11.720
<v Speaker 7>is this is you know, in this profession you're always

644
00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:15.799
<v Speaker 7>hunting a work life somewhat balance, which there's no such

645
00:33:15.880 --> 00:33:19.200
<v Speaker 7>thing in this profession. But the reality is, you know,

646
00:33:19.359 --> 00:33:20.880
<v Speaker 7>we all want to be good husbands, we all want

647
00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:22.880
<v Speaker 7>to be good fathers, and we all want to be

648
00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:25.759
<v Speaker 7>really good at football coaches. How can we try to

649
00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:28.880
<v Speaker 7>do a little bit of everything? And coach Stups, better

650
00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:32.839
<v Speaker 7>than anywhere I've ever been, values people's time, and he

651
00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:35.519
<v Speaker 7>values his coaches times, and he values his players time.

652
00:33:36.160 --> 00:33:38.720
<v Speaker 7>And because of that, you know, I mean Bush and

653
00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:40.920
<v Speaker 7>I talk about it all the time, it allows us

654
00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:42.839
<v Speaker 7>to try to be around our kids as much as

655
00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:45.599
<v Speaker 7>we possibly can, allows us to try to be the

656
00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:48.079
<v Speaker 7>best husbands we can and then obviously give the most

657
00:33:48.079 --> 00:33:52.160
<v Speaker 7>to our players. And that's because coach Stops doesn't waste

658
00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:54.759
<v Speaker 7>his coaches times. We get done what needs to get done,

659
00:33:55.160 --> 00:33:58.880
<v Speaker 7>and you know, we're allowed to do other things outside

660
00:33:58.920 --> 00:34:01.599
<v Speaker 7>of that, and that's not always case. And I've got

661
00:34:01.720 --> 00:34:04.640
<v Speaker 7>unbelievable respect for the way coach has done it here

662
00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:07.079
<v Speaker 7>because from my understanding, that's how he's done it since

663
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:11.800
<v Speaker 7>day one, and uh, that isn't that is an unbelievable

664
00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:15.960
<v Speaker 7>trait that people in our profession are always on the

665
00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:18.880
<v Speaker 7>hunt for. And then within that, it's it's the same

666
00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:21.320
<v Speaker 7>exact thing with our players. You know, I've been places

667
00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:24.559
<v Speaker 7>which I won't name them, where we grind them down,

668
00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:27.840
<v Speaker 7>you know, like they're in the building probably more than

669
00:34:27.880 --> 00:34:30.480
<v Speaker 7>they're supposed to be, you know, by rule, and they're

670
00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:33.079
<v Speaker 7>they're they're in the building too much. And because of that,

671
00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:36.039
<v Speaker 7>they're not excited about by the time August gets around.

672
00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:38.320
<v Speaker 7>You know, when you show up a football camp in August,

673
00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:41.039
<v Speaker 7>like you should be excited going the season play football.

674
00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:44.239
<v Speaker 7>And that hasn't always been the case places I've been,

675
00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:47.480
<v Speaker 7>and it's the same thing coach values these guys' time

676
00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:50.000
<v Speaker 7>and he wants them to be excited to be in

677
00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:52.239
<v Speaker 7>the building. We're not going to grind them down and

678
00:34:52.559 --> 00:34:55.320
<v Speaker 7>do excessive amounts of work. Now, we obviously have to

679
00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:58.280
<v Speaker 7>get the work done, but he values the player's time

680
00:34:58.519 --> 00:35:00.679
<v Speaker 7>and because of that, you guy walk around here with

681
00:35:00.719 --> 00:35:04.039
<v Speaker 7>smile on their face and are excited to go to work.

682
00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:08.039
<v Speaker 7>And those are those are two traits that I've got

683
00:35:08.079 --> 00:35:10.800
<v Speaker 7>an unbelievable amount of respect for coach Stukes because of

684
00:35:10.840 --> 00:35:13.840
<v Speaker 7>those two things, and I think that's obviously why he's

685
00:35:13.880 --> 00:35:15.119
<v Speaker 7>had success here for so long.

686
00:35:15.239 --> 00:35:17.599
<v Speaker 1>That's a really interesting answer. And I have been covering

687
00:35:17.639 --> 00:35:21.280
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky football really since the mid seventies, and one thing

688
00:35:21.320 --> 00:35:23.840
<v Speaker 1>I've noticed about Stoops. I noticed this was Rich Brooks

689
00:35:23.880 --> 00:35:25.559
<v Speaker 1>as well, and it didn't take long, and he was

690
00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:27.880
<v Speaker 1>a successful coach. And I'm not saying it's at the

691
00:35:27.880 --> 00:35:31.320
<v Speaker 1>expense of other Kentucky coaches, but just the way players

692
00:35:31.400 --> 00:35:34.360
<v Speaker 1>respond and react to Mark Stoops. He used to produce

693
00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:37.519
<v Speaker 1>his Coaches Show, so I'd see him interact with players

694
00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:40.360
<v Speaker 1>and that's genuine, you know, he just he enjoys the

695
00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:42.599
<v Speaker 1>players and they enjoy him. I'm not saying every one

696
00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:44.880
<v Speaker 1>of them. Uh, because there's always going to be somebody

697
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:48.719
<v Speaker 1>out there as grumbling. But no, they really do enjoy

698
00:35:49.239 --> 00:35:52.480
<v Speaker 1>their relationship. Well, speaking of time, I've taken up enough

699
00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:54.679
<v Speaker 1>of years. I'll let you go with this. Uh, you're

700
00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:57.280
<v Speaker 1>a young guy, But again, what are you thirteen years

701
00:35:57.320 --> 00:36:01.320
<v Speaker 1>in to your coaching career if not more man the

702
00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:06.559
<v Speaker 1>way college athletics in general has changed since you left school. Nil,

703
00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:09.639
<v Speaker 1>the portal, all of that, lawsuits here and there. I

704
00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:11.719
<v Speaker 1>know you still love your job, but this is a

705
00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:14.119
<v Speaker 1>heck of a time to be a professional coach, isn't it.

706
00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:19.599
<v Speaker 7>No, it is, it is, and there's no doubt about it.

707
00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:22.360
<v Speaker 7>And you know one thing I just spoke at a

708
00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:26.280
<v Speaker 7>coaching clinic about a month ago and this question, the

709
00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:29.360
<v Speaker 7>very similar conversation was had. And the one thing I'll say,

710
00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:31.719
<v Speaker 7>and this won't change for the eternity of time, is

711
00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:35.159
<v Speaker 7>if you care about your players, and you coach the

712
00:36:35.159 --> 00:36:38.280
<v Speaker 7>heck out of them, and you get them better, and

713
00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:39.559
<v Speaker 7>at the end of the day you put your arm

714
00:36:39.559 --> 00:36:42.000
<v Speaker 7>around them, I think you're going to always have success

715
00:36:42.079 --> 00:36:45.239
<v Speaker 7>in this profession. And if you can try to block

716
00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:47.320
<v Speaker 7>out some of the craziness, which is hard at times,

717
00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:50.280
<v Speaker 7>and focus on those things. I think you can have

718
00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:52.679
<v Speaker 7>a long, successful career, and I think by the end

719
00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:55.320
<v Speaker 7>of it, your players will have a lot of respect

720
00:36:55.400 --> 00:36:57.920
<v Speaker 7>for you. And everybody's different, you know, in terms of

721
00:36:58.440 --> 00:37:00.679
<v Speaker 7>why they do it, but that's why I do it.

722
00:37:00.760 --> 00:37:03.679
<v Speaker 7>At the end of this thing, and hopefully retire at

723
00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:06.960
<v Speaker 7>sixty five, we'll see how this thing goes. But at

724
00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:08.480
<v Speaker 7>the end of this thing, when it's all done, I

725
00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:12.280
<v Speaker 7>do I hope that you know, the players say, hey,

726
00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:14.719
<v Speaker 7>this guy treated me with respect, you coach the heck

727
00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:17.440
<v Speaker 7>out of you, got me better, and I'm going to

728
00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:19.440
<v Speaker 7>become a better person for it. And I think if

729
00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:22.239
<v Speaker 7>we all stick to that and have the best intention

730
00:37:22.280 --> 00:37:25.039
<v Speaker 7>of the players, at some point all this stuff will

731
00:37:25.079 --> 00:37:28.159
<v Speaker 7>blow over and hopefully we'll nail it back down to

732
00:37:28.840 --> 00:37:31.840
<v Speaker 7>what this thing's about. So that would be that would

733
00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:32.559
<v Speaker 7>be my thought on that.

734
00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:35.679
<v Speaker 1>Well, you've already got players and guys who are coaching

735
00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:37.920
<v Speaker 1>singing your praises, so you're off to a good start.

736
00:37:37.960 --> 00:37:40.960
<v Speaker 1>We'll put to you that way and best of lucky

737
00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:43.239
<v Speaker 1>the upcoming season. Hope to see us soon in practice.

738
00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:44.599
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much for your time.

739
00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:46.719
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, absolutely, thank you for your time. Day, Thanks for

740
00:37:46.760 --> 00:37:49.800
<v Speaker 7>having me and look forward to seeing you this fall.

741
00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:52.119
<v Speaker 1>Go cat and with any luck, this will be the

742
00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:55.760
<v Speaker 1>year we see tight ends catching more footballs. But got

743
00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:58.280
<v Speaker 1>to block that run game. First coming up next to

744
00:37:58.320 --> 00:38:01.280
<v Speaker 1>hour number two, Ken Spencer from w h AS formerly

745
00:38:01.480 --> 00:38:04.599
<v Speaker 1>wt v Q. He're Alexidon. We'll talk ing tucky football,

746
00:38:04.599 --> 00:38:06.880
<v Speaker 1>a little bit of basketball as well on The Big

747
00:38:06.920 --> 00:38:09.039
<v Speaker 1>Roman Siders six thirty Lap.

748
00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:35.760
<v Speaker 9>The show Everything Thenthing Dot Sat, Don't have to back,

749
00:39:47.199 --> 00:40:04.880
<v Speaker 9>Don't then Donning.

750
00:40:05.159 --> 00:40:07.360
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Joining us down

751
00:40:07.400 --> 00:40:10.280
<v Speaker 1>our celebrity Hodline is my buddy is a longtime friend

752
00:40:10.320 --> 00:40:14.239
<v Speaker 1>of the show. Mister Kent Spencer, former sports director w TVQ.

753
00:40:14.400 --> 00:40:17.000
<v Speaker 1>Here in lexingon now at w h A s over

754
00:40:17.079 --> 00:40:19.800
<v Speaker 1>in Louisville, and ask such covers both ends of the

755
00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:23.760
<v Speaker 1>interstate and when the Vince Merrill story broke, can't you

756
00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:26.280
<v Speaker 1>were looking at the story from both ends of the interstate?

757
00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:29.320
<v Speaker 1>Weren't you? This was maybe not a shock because of

758
00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:32.000
<v Speaker 1>rumors in the past, but still a surprise when it

759
00:40:32.039 --> 00:40:33.119
<v Speaker 1>comes to fruition. Right.

760
00:40:34.199 --> 00:40:36.559
<v Speaker 8>I'll be honest with you, I was shocked, but it

761
00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:39.039
<v Speaker 8>was because of the timing. Oh okay, it wasn't because

762
00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:41.440
<v Speaker 8>he made the move. It was because the fact that

763
00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:45.679
<v Speaker 8>like we're mid June and this thing goes down. Now

764
00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:48.400
<v Speaker 8>you know, from everything, you're kind of here and now

765
00:40:48.840 --> 00:40:50.840
<v Speaker 8>you know, apparently this is this had been in the

766
00:40:50.920 --> 00:40:54.039
<v Speaker 8>works for quite some time. But it was still the

767
00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:57.000
<v Speaker 8>fact that it was in mid June, you know that

768
00:40:57.199 --> 00:40:59.719
<v Speaker 8>that was a little bit. That was a pretty big

769
00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:02.920
<v Speaker 8>shot to me. Now, the fact that you know he

770
00:41:03.039 --> 00:41:08.679
<v Speaker 8>made the move. I think while these things have happened,

771
00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:11.880
<v Speaker 8>while Jeff Brom has has gone after Vince Marrow before

772
00:41:11.960 --> 00:41:13.880
<v Speaker 8>when he was at Purdue and then already when he

773
00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:19.360
<v Speaker 8>was at Louisville once, it's still like, you don't ever

774
00:41:19.480 --> 00:41:24.320
<v Speaker 8>really think that he's he was gonna leave Mark Stoops

775
00:41:24.840 --> 00:41:26.960
<v Speaker 8>and until he actually did, you know what I mean,

776
00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:29.159
<v Speaker 8>it was like, oh my goodness, he actually did. At

777
00:41:29.199 --> 00:41:33.039
<v Speaker 8>this time, he actually you know, he actually left Stoops.

778
00:41:33.079 --> 00:41:36.239
<v Speaker 8>He actually left UK And then you know, Vince has

779
00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:38.719
<v Speaker 8>got a lot of friends around the world in college

780
00:41:38.760 --> 00:41:43.360
<v Speaker 8>football to go with to go to Louisville, and Jeff Brom, Yeah,

781
00:41:43.400 --> 00:41:46.360
<v Speaker 8>that was that was a surprise, because you know, it's

782
00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:48.519
<v Speaker 8>it's one thing to maybe talk about it or be

783
00:41:48.800 --> 00:41:52.199
<v Speaker 8>some sort of negotiations, but to actually pull the trigger

784
00:41:52.280 --> 00:41:55.239
<v Speaker 8>and do it. You know, I was surprised by it.

785
00:41:56.159 --> 00:41:58.519
<v Speaker 1>You know, I thought you would leave from Michigan when

786
00:41:58.559 --> 00:42:00.639
<v Speaker 1>Harball made that run at him, and I threw a

787
00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:02.880
<v Speaker 1>lot of money at him, and uh, you know, some

788
00:42:02.960 --> 00:42:06.079
<v Speaker 1>boosters came through on this end to keep him. But yeah,

789
00:42:06.159 --> 00:42:09.000
<v Speaker 1>the timing was really bizarre. And the other thing too,

790
00:42:09.639 --> 00:42:12.719
<v Speaker 1>kent of course, is the position, the job, you know,

791
00:42:12.840 --> 00:42:15.559
<v Speaker 1>and Merrows has said, it's a job I couldn't turn down.

792
00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:20.239
<v Speaker 1>Any program worth its weight now has a GM like that.

793
00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:22.800
<v Speaker 1>So it's a bit of a step up for him,

794
00:42:22.840 --> 00:42:26.639
<v Speaker 1>isn't it. Although financially maybe a lateral move, but uh,

795
00:42:26.840 --> 00:42:28.280
<v Speaker 1>this is a different gig, isn't it.

796
00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:33.880
<v Speaker 8>It's it's something that probably gives him more options now

797
00:42:34.400 --> 00:42:38.119
<v Speaker 8>than he was ever going to have before. Yeah, you know,

798
00:42:38.199 --> 00:42:42.199
<v Speaker 8>when you were at when you're at of Kentucky, you know,

799
00:42:42.320 --> 00:42:46.079
<v Speaker 8>I think, you know, the most he was ever going

800
00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:48.239
<v Speaker 8>to be somewhere was going to be either you know,

801
00:42:48.360 --> 00:42:51.159
<v Speaker 8>a tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. I don't ever

802
00:42:51.239 --> 00:42:53.119
<v Speaker 8>think he was going to be hired to the to

803
00:42:53.239 --> 00:42:56.239
<v Speaker 8>a similar position. I don't think he was ever going

804
00:42:56.280 --> 00:42:58.159
<v Speaker 8>to be hired as an offensive coordinator. I don't think

805
00:42:58.159 --> 00:43:00.559
<v Speaker 8>he's ever going to be hired as a head coach

806
00:43:00.599 --> 00:43:04.760
<v Speaker 8>at a Power five. But you know, this gives him,

807
00:43:05.480 --> 00:43:09.039
<v Speaker 8>this gives him so many more options on what to

808
00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:11.719
<v Speaker 8>do with his career, and you know, kind of take it.

809
00:43:11.800 --> 00:43:13.840
<v Speaker 8>Takes me off the practice field, you know it takes it.

810
00:43:13.960 --> 00:43:17.320
<v Speaker 8>You know it it and it also gives him a

811
00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:22.519
<v Speaker 8>level of focus that that he can that he can do. Now, now,

812
00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:27.480
<v Speaker 8>let me just say this. Do I think that Vince

813
00:43:27.559 --> 00:43:33.039
<v Speaker 8>Merrow would have made this move if everything was hunky

814
00:43:33.159 --> 00:43:37.519
<v Speaker 8>dory with him in the Kentucky football program. This is

815
00:43:37.639 --> 00:43:42.280
<v Speaker 8>just my opinion. No, no, my gut says absolutely not.

816
00:43:43.239 --> 00:43:46.039
<v Speaker 8>So something I think that all of this was was

817
00:43:46.400 --> 00:43:49.960
<v Speaker 8>was missing, which is why he probably entertained the offer

818
00:43:50.320 --> 00:43:53.760
<v Speaker 8>the first time, or and well not even the first time,

819
00:43:54.000 --> 00:43:56.400
<v Speaker 8>which is why he entertained this offer to begin with.

820
00:43:57.719 --> 00:43:59.960
<v Speaker 1>You know, it's interesting because that was my next question

821
00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:02.480
<v Speaker 1>for you, And as you know, I always preface my

822
00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:06.239
<v Speaker 1>conversations with you by saying that you and Jeffikoor are

823
00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:07.559
<v Speaker 1>the only guys on the beat and know what it's

824
00:44:07.639 --> 00:44:09.480
<v Speaker 1>like to get hit in the mouth in a college

825
00:44:09.519 --> 00:44:13.719
<v Speaker 1>football game. But that said, that's one day a week.

826
00:44:13.800 --> 00:44:15.480
<v Speaker 1>The other six days of the week are about what

827
00:44:15.599 --> 00:44:18.039
<v Speaker 1>goes on off the field, inside the building, inside the

828
00:44:18.079 --> 00:44:20.840
<v Speaker 1>locker room, the weight room and all that. So yeah,

829
00:44:20.920 --> 00:44:23.440
<v Speaker 1>it was all about the vibe over there and coming

830
00:44:23.480 --> 00:44:25.800
<v Speaker 1>off a four and eight year nobody's happy, of course,

831
00:44:26.840 --> 00:44:30.119
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, I've got to think that there's something going

832
00:44:30.159 --> 00:44:33.519
<v Speaker 1>on over there, for better or worse, because something's got

833
00:44:33.599 --> 00:44:35.599
<v Speaker 1>to change, right yeah, And.

834
00:44:35.800 --> 00:44:40.159
<v Speaker 8>And honestly like and at that point, like it's all speculation,

835
00:44:40.360 --> 00:44:42.400
<v Speaker 8>and to be honest with you, Dick, we would never

836
00:44:42.480 --> 00:44:44.599
<v Speaker 8>get a straight answer in the public eye anyway, right,

837
00:44:45.079 --> 00:44:47.960
<v Speaker 8>and by the way, should we. I mean, as much

838
00:44:47.960 --> 00:44:50.519
<v Speaker 8>as I would love it, you know, like, nobody's ever

839
00:44:50.599 --> 00:44:53.480
<v Speaker 8>going to come out and say this. Maryland is never

840
00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:55.960
<v Speaker 8>going to come out and say I thought this was

841
00:44:56.000 --> 00:44:57.840
<v Speaker 8>a nice deal. Because I don't know how much longer

842
00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:00.719
<v Speaker 8>we have to be honest with He's never going to

843
00:45:00.760 --> 00:45:03.000
<v Speaker 8>come out and say that. Mark Stoops is never going

844
00:45:03.079 --> 00:45:05.320
<v Speaker 8>to come out and say to be honest, like, I

845
00:45:05.360 --> 00:45:07.199
<v Speaker 8>didn't really like the direction that he was going, so

846
00:45:07.280 --> 00:45:09.480
<v Speaker 8>we kind of changed things up and changed this role

847
00:45:09.559 --> 00:45:11.519
<v Speaker 8>and he didn't really like it, so he bounced. I

848
00:45:11.639 --> 00:45:13.639
<v Speaker 8>just don't think you're I don't think we would ever

849
00:45:13.719 --> 00:45:17.320
<v Speaker 8>hear any of those things. But I do think like

850
00:45:17.679 --> 00:45:20.239
<v Speaker 8>somewhere along the same path that I just laid out

851
00:45:20.599 --> 00:45:23.360
<v Speaker 8>in a very quick manner is what led to this

852
00:45:23.599 --> 00:45:27.599
<v Speaker 8>move in the first place. And you know, to be honest,

853
00:45:27.639 --> 00:45:29.880
<v Speaker 8>if if some of that was if some of that

854
00:45:30.079 --> 00:45:34.480
<v Speaker 8>was true, then it allows, honestly, like both sides to

855
00:45:34.599 --> 00:45:37.800
<v Speaker 8>be able to move on. It allows you know, if

856
00:45:37.960 --> 00:45:40.920
<v Speaker 8>if Mark Stoops, you know, didn't like the way that

857
00:45:41.039 --> 00:45:43.840
<v Speaker 8>recruiting was going, or wanted to do different directions than

858
00:45:43.880 --> 00:45:46.480
<v Speaker 8>what Vince Marrow wanted to do, then guess what. This

859
00:45:46.719 --> 00:45:50.000
<v Speaker 8>allows them a clean break to be able to go

860
00:45:50.239 --> 00:45:52.039
<v Speaker 8>do that the way that they want to do it.

861
00:45:52.599 --> 00:45:54.840
<v Speaker 8>And then it allows Vince Marrow to land in a

862
00:45:54.920 --> 00:45:57.960
<v Speaker 8>landing spot and a job that's really really good for

863
00:45:58.119 --> 00:46:01.400
<v Speaker 8>him and that you know, he can work for somebody

864
00:46:01.519 --> 00:46:04.239
<v Speaker 8>that he's known for a really long time, that you

865
00:46:04.320 --> 00:46:06.880
<v Speaker 8>know what he's he shared the field of battle with

866
00:46:07.320 --> 00:46:10.559
<v Speaker 8>a long time ago, and so you know, it allows

867
00:46:10.760 --> 00:46:12.679
<v Speaker 8>it allows both sides to be able to move on

868
00:46:13.079 --> 00:46:16.320
<v Speaker 8>if that's the case. And while in the in the

869
00:46:16.480 --> 00:46:19.880
<v Speaker 8>media or the fans are saying certain things like maybe

870
00:46:19.960 --> 00:46:22.559
<v Speaker 8>it maybe it is the best for both sides, you.

871
00:46:22.599 --> 00:46:24.719
<v Speaker 1>Know what I keep thinking about and then after this

872
00:46:24.840 --> 00:46:27.039
<v Speaker 1>I will move on to actual football questions for you.

873
00:46:27.159 --> 00:46:31.639
<v Speaker 1>But I remember when when Louisville hired Brahm, and Mark

874
00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:34.760
<v Speaker 1>Steups had a kind of a pained smile on his

875
00:46:34.880 --> 00:46:37.199
<v Speaker 1>face because he liked, with all due respect to the

876
00:46:37.280 --> 00:46:40.639
<v Speaker 1>previous staff, he liked what was going on over in

877
00:46:40.760 --> 00:46:43.000
<v Speaker 1>Louisville because he owned U of L for a while,

878
00:46:43.320 --> 00:46:45.800
<v Speaker 1>and he knew that when Jeff Brom was hired. The

879
00:46:45.880 --> 00:46:49.679
<v Speaker 1>day Brom was hired, his job just got significantly tougher

880
00:46:50.079 --> 00:46:52.159
<v Speaker 1>as the head coach at the University of Kentucky, as

881
00:46:52.239 --> 00:46:55.119
<v Speaker 1>much for recruiting as for trying to play against Louisville.

882
00:46:55.440 --> 00:46:59.199
<v Speaker 1>I keep thinking about, you know, that press conference when

883
00:46:59.320 --> 00:47:02.599
<v Speaker 1>when Ark you know, was was gracious when he talked

884
00:47:02.599 --> 00:47:05.440
<v Speaker 1>about Jeff Brom and admitted that, Yeah, things are going

885
00:47:05.519 --> 00:47:06.559
<v Speaker 1>to get a little tougher now.

886
00:47:06.480 --> 00:47:10.119
<v Speaker 8>You know, and even and if you look at it,

887
00:47:10.920 --> 00:47:13.119
<v Speaker 8>you know, even in the in the high school ranks,

888
00:47:13.480 --> 00:47:16.599
<v Speaker 8>right like even like recruiting the state you know, Kentucky

889
00:47:16.719 --> 00:47:20.400
<v Speaker 8>had Kentucky had you know, the city of Louisville pretty

890
00:47:20.480 --> 00:47:21.199
<v Speaker 8>much on lockdown.

891
00:47:22.280 --> 00:47:22.400
<v Speaker 4>Yea.

892
00:47:23.119 --> 00:47:25.679
<v Speaker 8>And but but I would say this, even when Jeff

893
00:47:25.760 --> 00:47:28.800
<v Speaker 8>was at Purdue. You know, Jeff could still come in

894
00:47:29.159 --> 00:47:31.960
<v Speaker 8>and get some high quality talent and bring them up

895
00:47:31.960 --> 00:47:34.960
<v Speaker 8>to Purdue. When Jeff was at Purdue, one time, I

896
00:47:35.119 --> 00:47:37.719
<v Speaker 8>was shooting a Thursday night. It was like a Thursday

897
00:47:37.800 --> 00:47:41.320
<v Speaker 8>night game. I was at Western High School and you're

898
00:47:41.360 --> 00:47:43.920
<v Speaker 8>from You're from Louisville, so you know what's all about.

899
00:47:44.199 --> 00:47:46.519
<v Speaker 8>And they're playing another team. It wasn't It was too

900
00:47:46.719 --> 00:47:49.760
<v Speaker 8>you know, not very good teams. On the other side

901
00:47:50.079 --> 00:47:51.960
<v Speaker 8>in the visitor stands. Guess who I saw was the

902
00:47:52.039 --> 00:47:57.159
<v Speaker 8>stands Jeff Brom you know what I mean like, and

903
00:47:57.679 --> 00:48:00.719
<v Speaker 8>I mean that that was the grinder that that he

904
00:48:01.079 --> 00:48:04.400
<v Speaker 8>was even at Purdue to come down here on a

905
00:48:04.480 --> 00:48:07.079
<v Speaker 8>Thursday night, yes, and excuse to come home, but to

906
00:48:07.159 --> 00:48:09.280
<v Speaker 8>go to that game and watch it and look into

907
00:48:09.400 --> 00:48:12.840
<v Speaker 8>talent like, yeah, the dude, the dude gets after it,

908
00:48:13.320 --> 00:48:16.559
<v Speaker 8>and you know it's it's you know, he has turned

909
00:48:16.960 --> 00:48:20.880
<v Speaker 8>this program around quickly and the two years that he's

910
00:48:20.920 --> 00:48:22.519
<v Speaker 8>been on the job, taking him to the a SEC

911
00:48:22.679 --> 00:48:26.079
<v Speaker 8>Championship game and they were good again last year.

912
00:48:27.800 --> 00:48:30.639
<v Speaker 1>Didn't he get a kid out of Trinity to Purdue.

913
00:48:30.639 --> 00:48:36.079
<v Speaker 8>Who had a heck of a career, The one kid

914
00:48:36.159 --> 00:48:40.119
<v Speaker 8>that yeah, Rondale Bore, he got Rod and then he

915
00:48:40.199 --> 00:48:42.360
<v Speaker 8>got another kid out of cow that was really good

916
00:48:42.400 --> 00:48:46.639
<v Speaker 8>in Milton. Right that that that went up, that he

917
00:48:46.840 --> 00:48:49.519
<v Speaker 8>got to come up to Purdue and Rondelle Moore, I

918
00:48:49.559 --> 00:48:55.400
<v Speaker 8>mean he's playing on Sunday. Yeah, so no, just just

919
00:48:55.880 --> 00:48:58.400
<v Speaker 8>you know, and and this year, right like I know

920
00:48:58.559 --> 00:49:02.559
<v Speaker 8>a lot of people in the LECs and community thought

921
00:49:03.000 --> 00:49:06.800
<v Speaker 8>Rock Kaufman should should be a Kentucky Wildcat. Yeah, and

922
00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:11.239
<v Speaker 8>he's a Louisville Cardinal and so they and they thought that.

923
00:49:11.559 --> 00:49:13.719
<v Speaker 8>You know, I know a lot of people down there

924
00:49:13.800 --> 00:49:16.039
<v Speaker 8>think that Kentucky made a mistake not getting his kids

925
00:49:17.320 --> 00:49:19.880
<v Speaker 8>and so did something. Man, these things happen.

926
00:49:20.679 --> 00:49:24.079
<v Speaker 1>Talking to Ken Spencer, WHAS sports director over in Louisville.

927
00:49:24.079 --> 00:49:25.760
<v Speaker 1>We'll come back and talk more with Kent on the

928
00:49:25.800 --> 00:49:27.599
<v Speaker 1>other side of the break here on six point thirty

929
00:49:27.800 --> 00:49:30.639
<v Speaker 1>w l a P. Welcome back. We're talking with sports

930
00:49:30.679 --> 00:49:35.159
<v Speaker 1>director Ken Spencer from WHAS formerly WTVQ here in Electionton.

931
00:49:35.840 --> 00:49:38.360
<v Speaker 1>A lot going on with baseball and basketball, But one

932
00:49:38.400 --> 00:49:41.239
<v Speaker 1>other football question for you, Ken. I've been talking to

933
00:49:41.320 --> 00:49:43.760
<v Speaker 1>several people about the fact that this is going to

934
00:49:43.800 --> 00:49:47.119
<v Speaker 1>be the first full cycle for bush Ham Dan, you know,

935
00:49:47.280 --> 00:49:51.360
<v Speaker 1>being in the building, his system, players getting used to him,

936
00:49:51.440 --> 00:49:55.599
<v Speaker 1>the way he does things. All that the year jumped

937
00:49:55.679 --> 00:49:58.679
<v Speaker 1>from one to two for players is always big, but

938
00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:00.239
<v Speaker 1>it's got to be big, I would think for an

939
00:50:00.280 --> 00:50:01.039
<v Speaker 1>oc as well.

940
00:50:01.119 --> 00:50:07.559
<v Speaker 8>Right, Yeah, you're teaching. You know that that first year

941
00:50:08.639 --> 00:50:11.679
<v Speaker 8>you're teaching things. You know, left and right and and

942
00:50:12.199 --> 00:50:14.559
<v Speaker 8>and by the way, it's not just in spring practice,

943
00:50:14.559 --> 00:50:16.559
<v Speaker 8>it's not just in fall camp. It's all the way through.

944
00:50:17.199 --> 00:50:17.360
<v Speaker 6>You know.

945
00:50:17.480 --> 00:50:19.960
<v Speaker 8>I'm sure that there are tweaks and everything that he's

946
00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:22.800
<v Speaker 8>that he's making sure that his players are aware of.

947
00:50:23.559 --> 00:50:27.920
<v Speaker 8>And you know, if if everything changes, I mean, you know,

948
00:50:29.880 --> 00:50:34.800
<v Speaker 8>players play when when players are thinking, players are playing slow. Yes,

949
00:50:34.960 --> 00:50:38.599
<v Speaker 8>when players just know and they can go, they play

950
00:50:38.760 --> 00:50:42.159
<v Speaker 8>so much faster. And so I would imagine that there

951
00:50:42.280 --> 00:50:45.119
<v Speaker 8>was a lot of thinking going on with Kentucky last

952
00:50:45.199 --> 00:50:49.920
<v Speaker 8>year and this year. It gives them the ability. Now

953
00:50:50.079 --> 00:50:52.199
<v Speaker 8>now look, I mean, obviously you've got a new quarterback,

954
00:50:52.199 --> 00:50:54.360
<v Speaker 8>You're gonna have new pieces, but you know, for a

955
00:50:54.559 --> 00:50:58.039
<v Speaker 8>for a decent part of that offense, you're gonna have

956
00:50:58.280 --> 00:51:01.280
<v Speaker 8>guys that can play a lot faster, and I think

957
00:51:01.360 --> 00:51:04.920
<v Speaker 8>that will be a big key, you know, moving forward

958
00:51:05.000 --> 00:51:05.519
<v Speaker 8>for Kentucky.

959
00:51:05.880 --> 00:51:07.920
<v Speaker 1>You played on the offensive side of the ball at

960
00:51:07.960 --> 00:51:11.079
<v Speaker 1>more End State. Were you able to notice much about

961
00:51:11.159 --> 00:51:13.519
<v Speaker 1>him Dan's offense last year to get a feel for

962
00:51:13.599 --> 00:51:14.440
<v Speaker 1>what he tries.

963
00:51:14.280 --> 00:51:19.519
<v Speaker 8>To do, you know, to be honest with you, I didn't,

964
00:51:19.719 --> 00:51:25.639
<v Speaker 8>only because you know, for me, it wasn't that I

965
00:51:25.760 --> 00:51:28.440
<v Speaker 8>saw games early on, but as the season goes on

966
00:51:28.599 --> 00:51:31.400
<v Speaker 8>when you're watching them on TV. For me, it's a

967
00:51:31.480 --> 00:51:33.559
<v Speaker 8>tougher thing when I don't get to see the all

968
00:51:33.639 --> 00:51:35.800
<v Speaker 8>twenty two. Look, you know, in a press box where

969
00:51:35.800 --> 00:51:38.519
<v Speaker 8>you get to see everything, it allows the field to

970
00:51:38.639 --> 00:51:43.840
<v Speaker 8>open up a little bit. So you know, I didn't

971
00:51:43.920 --> 00:51:47.119
<v Speaker 8>get that much of a feel for exactly what he

972
00:51:47.239 --> 00:51:48.719
<v Speaker 8>wants to do and how he wants to do it.

973
00:51:49.079 --> 00:51:52.119
<v Speaker 8>But to be quite honest with you, it's really really

974
00:51:52.239 --> 00:51:55.239
<v Speaker 8>hard to even get that feel when the offensive line's

975
00:51:55.239 --> 00:51:55.639
<v Speaker 8>not very.

976
00:51:55.559 --> 00:51:56.239
<v Speaker 1>Good, That's true.

977
00:51:57.239 --> 00:52:01.000
<v Speaker 8>And so like you know, I and I'll go back

978
00:52:01.079 --> 00:52:03.719
<v Speaker 8>to remember when Neil Brown was here. It was the

979
00:52:03.800 --> 00:52:06.760
<v Speaker 8>offensive coordinator in the first couple of years, and he

980
00:52:06.920 --> 00:52:08.599
<v Speaker 8>was like, look, there's a lot of things that we'd

981
00:52:08.679 --> 00:52:11.159
<v Speaker 8>like to do. We can't, that's right, like and and

982
00:52:11.719 --> 00:52:13.719
<v Speaker 8>basically he was just saying, like, we're just not good

983
00:52:13.800 --> 00:52:16.679
<v Speaker 8>enough upfront. To do anything that I really want to do. Yeah,

984
00:52:17.599 --> 00:52:20.119
<v Speaker 8>And so you know, it's like, you know, it's kind

985
00:52:20.159 --> 00:52:23.679
<v Speaker 8>of like that everybody. Everybody's got a plan until you

986
00:52:23.719 --> 00:52:26.840
<v Speaker 8>get punched in the face. Well every offensive coordinator, they've

987
00:52:26.880 --> 00:52:29.719
<v Speaker 8>got really fancy plays. But if you can't block anybody,

988
00:52:29.800 --> 00:52:30.480
<v Speaker 8>you can't run them.

989
00:52:30.679 --> 00:52:35.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. I was looking back, for whatever reason at that

990
00:52:35.559 --> 00:52:38.320
<v Speaker 1>seven year which was the best offense really in the

991
00:52:38.400 --> 00:52:42.599
<v Speaker 1>history UK football, and they could do so much, they

992
00:52:42.639 --> 00:52:46.800
<v Speaker 1>had so many weapons, but what was underscored was the

993
00:52:46.920 --> 00:52:50.960
<v Speaker 1>fact that Andre Woodson had time to throw right, so

994
00:52:51.079 --> 00:52:53.840
<v Speaker 1>he could find Stevie Johnson, you could find Keenan Burton

995
00:52:53.920 --> 00:52:56.480
<v Speaker 1>and Dickey Lyons and Rafael Little if he needed him.

996
00:52:56.480 --> 00:52:59.239
<v Speaker 1>And of course Jacob Tammy, you know. And now they

997
00:52:59.280 --> 00:53:01.440
<v Speaker 1>got a new tight end coach. We we just talked

998
00:53:01.480 --> 00:53:05.119
<v Speaker 1>to uh and he's got all kinds of talented players

999
00:53:05.159 --> 00:53:07.840
<v Speaker 1>in his room. But will they be able to leak

1000
00:53:07.920 --> 00:53:10.519
<v Speaker 1>out and catch footballs rather than have to stay in

1001
00:53:10.599 --> 00:53:12.440
<v Speaker 1>and chip or or full time block, right?

1002
00:53:13.440 --> 00:53:16.519
<v Speaker 8>Yeah, no, one hundred percent. Like and it's so funny

1003
00:53:16.599 --> 00:53:19.039
<v Speaker 8>you mentioned that seven and you started naming guys and

1004
00:53:19.199 --> 00:53:24.039
<v Speaker 8>my my instant reaction was Raffi, Rafael Little, right, and

1005
00:53:24.400 --> 00:53:28.039
<v Speaker 8>and when you're highlighting a running back, you know that

1006
00:53:28.199 --> 00:53:30.599
<v Speaker 8>you're good upfront to be able to highlight a running

1007
00:53:30.599 --> 00:53:32.960
<v Speaker 8>back like they don't just get they don't just get

1008
00:53:33.039 --> 00:53:36.960
<v Speaker 8>tough yards. You know, you've got to be you've got

1009
00:53:37.039 --> 00:53:38.599
<v Speaker 8>to have the holes and you've got to have the

1010
00:53:38.679 --> 00:53:41.360
<v Speaker 8>ability to get things done to be able to do that.

1011
00:53:41.679 --> 00:53:42.039
<v Speaker 2>And so.

1012
00:53:43.559 --> 00:53:47.199
<v Speaker 8>Yeah, it's it's it's great to have, you know, flashy pieces.

1013
00:53:47.679 --> 00:53:47.840
<v Speaker 2>You know.

1014
00:53:48.119 --> 00:53:51.800
<v Speaker 8>It's it's like there was a year in the NFL.

1015
00:53:51.840 --> 00:53:54.639
<v Speaker 8>I always I always point to this, the Tennessee Titans

1016
00:53:54.719 --> 00:53:57.000
<v Speaker 8>were like the number one seed in the AFC. This

1017
00:53:57.159 --> 00:54:00.840
<v Speaker 8>was years and years ago and Carrie Collins And this

1018
00:54:01.039 --> 00:54:03.440
<v Speaker 8>was not like New York Giants Carrie Collins. This was

1019
00:54:03.519 --> 00:54:07.039
<v Speaker 8>Tennessee tight with Kerry Collins. He was there, he was

1020
00:54:07.079 --> 00:54:10.320
<v Speaker 8>their quarterback. And Johnson was putting up video game numbers.

1021
00:54:10.400 --> 00:54:12.280
<v Speaker 8>Well what why were they so good? It wasn't just

1022
00:54:12.400 --> 00:54:15.800
<v Speaker 8>because Kerry Johnson had a resurgence. It wasn't because Chris

1023
00:54:15.920 --> 00:54:19.719
<v Speaker 8>Johnson was this all world thing. It's because they had

1024
00:54:19.760 --> 00:54:23.880
<v Speaker 8>the best offensive and defensive line in football. Look, I'm

1025
00:54:23.920 --> 00:54:26.599
<v Speaker 8>a wide receiver. I love the fancy plays. I love

1026
00:54:26.719 --> 00:54:28.719
<v Speaker 8>making you know, I back in the day. Like I

1027
00:54:28.800 --> 00:54:31.559
<v Speaker 8>love making plays, but I will be the first to

1028
00:54:31.639 --> 00:54:34.000
<v Speaker 8>tell you if you're not good up front on both

1029
00:54:34.079 --> 00:54:37.119
<v Speaker 8>sides of the ball, you've got no change. And that

1030
00:54:37.599 --> 00:54:41.679
<v Speaker 8>is what needs to continue an uptick this year. In fact,

1031
00:54:42.079 --> 00:54:44.639
<v Speaker 8>I say it needs to continue an uptick. It needs

1032
00:54:44.719 --> 00:54:48.400
<v Speaker 8>to make a drastic uptick for things to change in

1033
00:54:48.480 --> 00:54:49.360
<v Speaker 8>that program, if.

1034
00:54:49.280 --> 00:54:52.280
<v Speaker 1>You're absolutely correct. Just a few minutes level with Ken

1035
00:54:52.400 --> 00:54:56.880
<v Speaker 1>Spencer of whas over in Louisville. Last year was Kentucky

1036
00:54:57.000 --> 00:54:59.880
<v Speaker 1>going to Omah. This year Louisville gets back to Omah.

1037
00:55:00.599 --> 00:55:03.559
<v Speaker 1>And Uh, I've talked earlier about Murray State, but a

1038
00:55:03.639 --> 00:55:06.320
<v Speaker 1>couple of days ago I talked about Dan McDonald, who

1039
00:55:06.360 --> 00:55:09.159
<v Speaker 1>I know, Kentucky versus Louisville. I get all that, and

1040
00:55:09.239 --> 00:55:12.440
<v Speaker 1>I'm a UK baseball announcer, but I do like Dan

1041
00:55:12.559 --> 00:55:17.159
<v Speaker 1>McDonald a lot. And uh, he made some some headlines,

1042
00:55:17.239 --> 00:55:20.199
<v Speaker 1>didn't they With the fiery outburst in the dugout. They

1043
00:55:20.239 --> 00:55:21.360
<v Speaker 1>really lifted his team.

1044
00:55:22.000 --> 00:55:22.119
<v Speaker 3>Uh.

1045
00:55:22.159 --> 00:55:25.320
<v Speaker 1>I know that you guys respect him as well. Uh.

1046
00:55:25.400 --> 00:55:26.800
<v Speaker 1>That was a heck of a moment, wasn't it.

1047
00:55:27.679 --> 00:55:30.960
<v Speaker 8>Yeah. And sometimes look, sometimes your kids need a butt

1048
00:55:31.039 --> 00:55:33.559
<v Speaker 8>you that's right to get him, to get him in

1049
00:55:33.639 --> 00:55:36.920
<v Speaker 8>gear to get them. And sometimes you know, it's the

1050
00:55:37.079 --> 00:55:41.599
<v Speaker 8>passionate plea of I don't understand what's going on. I

1051
00:55:41.800 --> 00:55:45.000
<v Speaker 8>believe in you. You need to believe in yourself, and

1052
00:55:45.159 --> 00:55:48.159
<v Speaker 8>you need to You can't. You can't sit back and

1053
00:55:48.360 --> 00:55:50.599
<v Speaker 8>wait for something to happen. You got to go make

1054
00:55:50.679 --> 00:55:54.360
<v Speaker 8>it happen, you know. And and he even said in

1055
00:55:54.480 --> 00:55:58.400
<v Speaker 8>his post game he said, look, you know sometimes you

1056
00:55:58.440 --> 00:56:01.679
<v Speaker 8>got to love him hard. And and you know, like

1057
00:56:02.280 --> 00:56:04.360
<v Speaker 8>they know I love them, so they know that that

1058
00:56:04.519 --> 00:56:10.079
<v Speaker 8>comes from of a good place. And so yeah, it's

1059
00:56:10.239 --> 00:56:13.320
<v Speaker 8>it's you know, look, I mean the biggest thing, you know.

1060
00:56:13.440 --> 00:56:15.559
<v Speaker 8>And and Ova Hall is a tough place. And I remember,

1061
00:56:15.719 --> 00:56:19.079
<v Speaker 8>you know, watching the broadcast yesterday with Murray State in Arkansas,

1062
00:56:19.800 --> 00:56:23.039
<v Speaker 8>and you know, the announcers were talking about like, look,

1063
00:56:23.079 --> 00:56:25.199
<v Speaker 8>there's some people that try to change their offense when

1064
00:56:25.239 --> 00:56:28.079
<v Speaker 8>they get here because the park just plays completely different. Well,

1065
00:56:28.599 --> 00:56:32.960
<v Speaker 8>all season long, I mean, Louisville has an offense one

1066
00:56:33.079 --> 00:56:35.599
<v Speaker 8>through nine that is good and they've had it all

1067
00:56:35.639 --> 00:56:36.199
<v Speaker 8>season long.

1068
00:56:36.519 --> 00:56:36.679
<v Speaker 1>You know.

1069
00:56:36.800 --> 00:56:39.400
<v Speaker 8>The thing that was really missing for this team for

1070
00:56:39.559 --> 00:56:42.360
<v Speaker 8>much of the season was they weren't very good on

1071
00:56:42.400 --> 00:56:44.559
<v Speaker 8>the on the mound. Yeah, and then all of a

1072
00:56:44.599 --> 00:56:47.000
<v Speaker 8>sudden in the In the postseason, they got a lot better.

1073
00:56:47.119 --> 00:56:49.840
<v Speaker 8>Patrick Forbes came back, became a lights out guy. You said,

1074
00:56:49.840 --> 00:56:53.159
<v Speaker 8>every a freshman really stepped up, you know what I mean, Like, yeah,

1075
00:56:53.280 --> 00:56:55.800
<v Speaker 8>they've got they've got guys that they've really started to

1076
00:56:55.920 --> 00:56:58.440
<v Speaker 8>throw the ball better. And McDonald told me before they

1077
00:56:58.519 --> 00:57:02.000
<v Speaker 8>left for OHLL, He's like, look, hitt is great, but

1078
00:57:02.440 --> 00:57:05.360
<v Speaker 8>but championships are won with pitching and defense. You got

1079
00:57:05.440 --> 00:57:06.559
<v Speaker 8>to be able to pitch it and you've got to

1080
00:57:06.559 --> 00:57:09.159
<v Speaker 8>be able to defend it, and and so like that's

1081
00:57:09.199 --> 00:57:13.280
<v Speaker 8>the reason why why they got here. However, you still

1082
00:57:13.400 --> 00:57:15.280
<v Speaker 8>need to be aggressive with the bat in your hand,

1083
00:57:15.639 --> 00:57:20.320
<v Speaker 8>and even though that park is tough, you still got

1084
00:57:20.440 --> 00:57:23.760
<v Speaker 8>to be able to get runs across the plate. And

1085
00:57:23.920 --> 00:57:26.159
<v Speaker 8>so I just think that, like, you know, they were

1086
00:57:26.199 --> 00:57:30.480
<v Speaker 8>in a lull, and I would say he passionately woke

1087
00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:30.960
<v Speaker 8>them up.

1088
00:57:31.159 --> 00:57:34.480
<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah, and maybe getting run ruled at Kentucky was

1089
00:57:34.519 --> 00:57:37.360
<v Speaker 1>the wake up call that they had that the bullpen needed.

1090
00:57:37.679 --> 00:57:39.880
<v Speaker 1>I still can't get over that one. Just a few

1091
00:57:39.920 --> 00:57:42.159
<v Speaker 1>minutes left. I do need to ask you about basketball.

1092
00:57:43.199 --> 00:57:46.800
<v Speaker 1>Watching these two programs UK and U of L coming

1093
00:57:46.880 --> 00:57:50.039
<v Speaker 1>together for the next season under their respective head coaches.

1094
00:57:50.519 --> 00:57:54.039
<v Speaker 1>You know, it occurs that both of these coaches, these

1095
00:57:54.159 --> 00:57:57.880
<v Speaker 1>programs will be paralleled in terms of how they're judged

1096
00:57:58.320 --> 00:58:00.480
<v Speaker 1>by the jobs their respective coach are doing.

1097
00:58:00.960 --> 00:58:01.079
<v Speaker 8>Uh.

1098
00:58:01.360 --> 00:58:04.880
<v Speaker 1>Now, you know, maybe until both of these guys have retired. Uh,

1099
00:58:05.079 --> 00:58:07.679
<v Speaker 1>because both of these guys roll in, they've got to

1100
00:58:07.719 --> 00:58:12.760
<v Speaker 1>rebuild rosters. They both have success, they both play exciting basketball. Uh.

1101
00:58:12.920 --> 00:58:15.280
<v Speaker 1>First of all, what do you think of what Pope

1102
00:58:15.320 --> 00:58:17.400
<v Speaker 1>has done with his roster of late.

1103
00:58:18.480 --> 00:58:21.360
<v Speaker 8>Well, and they both have huge signs out in front

1104
00:58:21.400 --> 00:58:25.719
<v Speaker 8>of the complexes of their program and online that have

1105
00:58:26.079 --> 00:58:31.719
<v Speaker 8>money we'll spend. That's the most important thing roster.

1106
00:58:31.840 --> 00:58:32.320
<v Speaker 1>That's true.

1107
00:58:33.519 --> 00:58:38.199
<v Speaker 8>Now, look, I mean I think, uh so with Kentucky Burst,

1108
00:58:39.360 --> 00:58:41.480
<v Speaker 8>I think Mark Well, you know, I think Mark Pope

1109
00:58:41.519 --> 00:58:46.719
<v Speaker 8>has done an excellent job building this roster, adding adding

1110
00:58:47.000 --> 00:58:50.239
<v Speaker 8>the right pieces. I mean, you know, you've got you've

1111
00:58:50.280 --> 00:58:52.760
<v Speaker 8>got quality in your in your front court and your

1112
00:58:52.840 --> 00:58:56.639
<v Speaker 8>back court. You know, you've added a national championship guard

1113
00:58:56.719 --> 00:59:00.360
<v Speaker 8>who's willing to and teams ready to take the next

1114
00:59:00.400 --> 00:59:03.039
<v Speaker 8>step in his game and be a more featured player.

1115
00:59:03.559 --> 00:59:07.039
<v Speaker 8>You return your leading scorer from a year ago. And Dick,

1116
00:59:07.800 --> 00:59:10.679
<v Speaker 8>I mean he may have already like he may have

1117
00:59:10.760 --> 00:59:13.480
<v Speaker 8>been feeling this for a while, but let me, I

1118
00:59:13.760 --> 00:59:17.719
<v Speaker 8>don't think you can underscore how big it was. Yeah,

1119
00:59:17.880 --> 00:59:20.400
<v Speaker 8>Mark Pope got Brandon Garrison back, and he got Trent

1120
00:59:20.519 --> 00:59:22.719
<v Speaker 8>Noah back, and he's got Colin Chandler back. You know,

1121
00:59:22.920 --> 00:59:26.159
<v Speaker 8>like those guys, getting those guys where, you know, to

1122
00:59:26.239 --> 00:59:30.000
<v Speaker 8>come back, we're key. But to get the guy who

1123
00:59:30.159 --> 00:59:33.840
<v Speaker 8>played you know, maybe maybe the most roster last year.

1124
00:59:33.840 --> 00:59:35.360
<v Speaker 8>I don't know about that, but I know we scored

1125
00:59:35.400 --> 00:59:39.159
<v Speaker 8>the most points to get Otega Way back. Just to

1126
00:59:39.360 --> 00:59:43.440
<v Speaker 8>lead those drills and to be back, it is invaluable.

1127
00:59:44.039 --> 00:59:48.280
<v Speaker 8>And I and I'll guarantee you that coach Spieger is

1128
00:59:48.760 --> 00:59:54.360
<v Speaker 8>ecstatic about that because, you know, I think within the offense,

1129
00:59:54.559 --> 00:59:57.559
<v Speaker 8>you know, we talked about you know, uh, Kentucky football,

1130
00:59:57.920 --> 01:00:01.280
<v Speaker 8>but for Kentucky basketball and the all sense of complicated,

1131
01:00:01.480 --> 01:00:03.920
<v Speaker 8>you know, the cuts and everything that they run to

1132
01:00:04.039 --> 01:00:07.679
<v Speaker 8>get familiarity back is oh.

1133
01:00:07.679 --> 01:00:12.239
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, especially with Pope's offense, which by his own admission,

1134
01:00:12.920 --> 01:00:16.480
<v Speaker 1>takes a little while longer to master. But when they did,

1135
01:00:16.559 --> 01:00:18.199
<v Speaker 1>and it's going to be up to Garrison to try

1136
01:00:18.239 --> 01:00:20.079
<v Speaker 1>to figure out, you know, how to be a better passer.

1137
01:00:20.119 --> 01:00:23.719
<v Speaker 1>He was okay last year, but he's got to try

1138
01:00:23.760 --> 01:00:26.679
<v Speaker 1>to emulate Amary Williams, which he says he did, you know,

1139
01:00:26.760 --> 01:00:29.159
<v Speaker 1>watching the way A MARII worked and did his thing.

1140
01:00:29.280 --> 01:00:33.199
<v Speaker 1>And Pope has said year one to year two for

1141
01:00:33.360 --> 01:00:37.760
<v Speaker 1>both his players and his staff within his system have

1142
01:00:37.880 --> 01:00:40.519
<v Speaker 1>always been dramatically good. And I'm wondering I would have

1143
01:00:40.599 --> 01:00:43.440
<v Speaker 1>think we'll see a similar move at U of l

1144
01:00:43.519 --> 01:00:44.320
<v Speaker 1>under Kelsey am.

1145
01:00:44.239 --> 01:00:51.639
<v Speaker 8>I right, yeah, here, now here's the thing about and yeah,

1146
01:00:51.800 --> 01:00:54.920
<v Speaker 8>like right, like both of them, I'm I always take

1147
01:00:54.960 --> 01:00:57.000
<v Speaker 8>a little bit of more of a cautious approach. Yeah,

1148
01:00:57.039 --> 01:00:59.239
<v Speaker 8>I know that's not sexy in today's day and age,

1149
01:01:00.039 --> 01:01:02.840
<v Speaker 8>but I looked at, you know, the things, the pieces

1150
01:01:02.920 --> 01:01:06.440
<v Speaker 8>that both teams added, and I say to myself, are

1151
01:01:06.519 --> 01:01:10.840
<v Speaker 8>they better than what they had last year? And in

1152
01:01:11.000 --> 01:01:13.559
<v Speaker 8>some cases, you know, you don't know. I think they've

1153
01:01:13.599 --> 01:01:16.679
<v Speaker 8>done an excellent job of reloading them, but are they

1154
01:01:16.880 --> 01:01:19.519
<v Speaker 8>Are they better than what they were last year? And

1155
01:01:19.639 --> 01:01:22.559
<v Speaker 8>I'm going to have to see it, like like at Kentucky,

1156
01:01:23.159 --> 01:01:25.280
<v Speaker 8>will Jalen Low be better than Lamont Butler?

1157
01:01:26.159 --> 01:01:26.360
<v Speaker 1>Yeah?

1158
01:01:26.719 --> 01:01:28.400
<v Speaker 8>Man, that's a that's a that's a tough.

1159
01:01:30.119 --> 01:01:30.719
<v Speaker 10>But we got it.

1160
01:01:30.800 --> 01:01:33.320
<v Speaker 8>We got to see it, right, So let's now let's

1161
01:01:33.320 --> 01:01:37.119
<v Speaker 8>look at Louisville and and and you know, will they

1162
01:01:37.280 --> 01:01:39.920
<v Speaker 8>will it be a step up from Amari Williams. You know,

1163
01:01:40.239 --> 01:01:42.960
<v Speaker 8>like that's a sweet sixteen team. So in order to

1164
01:01:43.039 --> 01:01:45.000
<v Speaker 8>go deeper, you're going to have to have, you know,

1165
01:01:45.079 --> 01:01:47.800
<v Speaker 8>pieces be better than what they were last year. So

1166
01:01:47.880 --> 01:01:50.880
<v Speaker 8>at Louisville, you know, you've added these these transfers, and

1167
01:01:50.920 --> 01:01:53.760
<v Speaker 8>everybody has gone nuts about you know, Mike kel Brown Junior,

1168
01:01:55.199 --> 01:01:57.840
<v Speaker 8>you know Conway, you know, like these these guards they've

1169
01:01:57.840 --> 01:02:00.679
<v Speaker 8>added in the backcourt. Okay, so do you think they're

1170
01:02:00.719 --> 01:02:03.159
<v Speaker 8>better than Chucky Hepburn. Do you think they're better than

1171
01:02:04.280 --> 01:02:05.960
<v Speaker 8>Terrence Edwards? Do you think you know what I mean?

1172
01:02:06.079 --> 01:02:10.679
<v Speaker 8>Like so what we were talking about. I will say this,

1173
01:02:11.599 --> 01:02:15.719
<v Speaker 8>it is awesome that there's this much excitement at this

1174
01:02:16.000 --> 01:02:19.800
<v Speaker 8>point going into the season with both programs. Like that's

1175
01:02:20.119 --> 01:02:23.320
<v Speaker 8>that's something that's really cool to see. And they're both

1176
01:02:23.559 --> 01:02:27.559
<v Speaker 8>in the national conversation, which I don't really think they were.

1177
01:02:27.800 --> 01:02:30.760
<v Speaker 8>They were only in the national conversation last year because

1178
01:02:30.800 --> 01:02:35.159
<v Speaker 8>they had two coaches. Yeah, there's a lot of people

1179
01:02:35.280 --> 01:02:39.320
<v Speaker 8>that believe that they have the rosters to compete for

1180
01:02:39.440 --> 01:02:40.800
<v Speaker 8>this thing, and that's cool.

1181
01:02:40.960 --> 01:02:43.039
<v Speaker 1>I've seen Louisville ranked the head of Kentucky and some

1182
01:02:43.159 --> 01:02:46.159
<v Speaker 1>of those way too soon top twenty five, which is

1183
01:02:46.280 --> 01:02:48.599
<v Speaker 1>just fascinating. It's gonna be a lot of fun. Always

1184
01:02:48.639 --> 01:02:51.480
<v Speaker 1>fun talking to Ken Spencer is the sports director at

1185
01:02:51.599 --> 01:02:54.440
<v Speaker 1>wh has long time at WDTVQ, so he keeps an

1186
01:02:54.480 --> 01:02:58.760
<v Speaker 1>eye on both ends of the interstate. For sex so much, brother, Hey,

1187
01:02:59.000 --> 01:03:02.800
<v Speaker 1>always a pleasure. More from the basketball Wildcats when we

1188
01:03:02.880 --> 01:03:05.559
<v Speaker 1>come back on the Big Blue Siders six thirty WLAP.

1189
01:03:06.079 --> 01:03:08.559
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Big Blue and Sider. Thanks again

1190
01:03:08.679 --> 01:03:11.599
<v Speaker 1>to Ken Spencer for joining us. If you are just

1191
01:03:11.719 --> 01:03:14.360
<v Speaker 1>joining us. Earlier in the show we heard from Colin Chandler.

1192
01:03:14.400 --> 01:03:16.960
<v Speaker 1>I have a little more from the UK guard who

1193
01:03:17.039 --> 01:03:20.000
<v Speaker 1>was of course in his second year, but is just

1194
01:03:20.239 --> 01:03:23.599
<v Speaker 1>now getting his basketball legs back. Really towards the end

1195
01:03:23.639 --> 01:03:25.559
<v Speaker 1>of last year he got him back. Had the two

1196
01:03:25.679 --> 01:03:28.239
<v Speaker 1>year mission coming out of high school where he was

1197
01:03:28.320 --> 01:03:31.000
<v Speaker 1>the top player in the state of Utah, but went

1198
01:03:31.039 --> 01:03:33.719
<v Speaker 1>on the church mission for a couple of years. Might

1199
01:03:33.760 --> 01:03:37.079
<v Speaker 1>have played some pickup ball, but otherwise no basketball. And

1200
01:03:37.199 --> 01:03:40.840
<v Speaker 1>now he drops in to lection in Kentucky to play

1201
01:03:41.000 --> 01:03:44.679
<v Speaker 1>for the storied University of Kentucky Wildcats in the toughest

1202
01:03:44.760 --> 01:03:48.119
<v Speaker 1>league in America under the new head coach who was

1203
01:03:48.199 --> 01:03:51.000
<v Speaker 1>so high on him, and we could see why he

1204
01:03:51.199 --> 01:03:54.920
<v Speaker 1>really came around. His best game in terms of points

1205
01:03:55.599 --> 01:03:59.800
<v Speaker 1>was LSU on March fourth. Played so well in the postseason,

1206
01:04:00.760 --> 01:04:02.280
<v Speaker 1>and now you wonder what are we going to see

1207
01:04:02.360 --> 01:04:05.679
<v Speaker 1>this coming year. Somebody asked him at the recent media

1208
01:04:05.800 --> 01:04:08.960
<v Speaker 1>gathering about the fact that he was able to shake

1209
01:04:09.039 --> 01:04:12.159
<v Speaker 1>off that rust, and we kind of saw it happening,

1210
01:04:12.320 --> 01:04:14.760
<v Speaker 1>but you know, you got to wonder when did or

1211
01:04:14.880 --> 01:04:18.519
<v Speaker 1>if he felt like, yeah, the rust is gone and

1212
01:04:18.679 --> 01:04:19.119
<v Speaker 1>I back.

1213
01:04:19.440 --> 01:04:21.880
<v Speaker 3>I don't have like an exact moment in my mind

1214
01:04:22.079 --> 01:04:25.280
<v Speaker 3>or an exact time of when I felt like it

1215
01:04:25.360 --> 01:04:28.400
<v Speaker 3>came off. But it's just been a big emphasis for me.

1216
01:04:28.760 --> 01:04:33.880
<v Speaker 3>Is getting better every day? Is is yeah, becoming a

1217
01:04:33.920 --> 01:04:35.840
<v Speaker 3>better player every day. And so I felt like there's

1218
01:04:35.880 --> 01:04:40.320
<v Speaker 3>a lot that VbN didn't see in my journey of

1219
01:04:40.440 --> 01:04:45.159
<v Speaker 3>getting back and feeling comfortable and feeling confident. So there's

1220
01:04:45.159 --> 01:04:48.760
<v Speaker 3>a lot that went into that. But so I don't

1221
01:04:48.760 --> 01:04:50.400
<v Speaker 3>know if there's like an exact time of where I

1222
01:04:50.440 --> 01:04:54.159
<v Speaker 3>felt like, oh, I'm playing where I want to be

1223
01:04:54.480 --> 01:04:58.679
<v Speaker 3>right now, because there's I mean, there's always more to

1224
01:04:58.880 --> 01:05:02.360
<v Speaker 3>improve on. And and honestly, I'm I feel like it's

1225
01:05:02.400 --> 01:05:05.880
<v Speaker 3>too far distant to remember how I really felt when

1226
01:05:05.920 --> 01:05:09.119
<v Speaker 3>I was in high school playing I like, so, I

1227
01:05:09.159 --> 01:05:12.159
<v Speaker 3>don't know. I get questions all the time of do

1228
01:05:12.239 --> 01:05:14.679
<v Speaker 3>you feel like you're back into your high school form

1229
01:05:14.880 --> 01:05:16.480
<v Speaker 3>or do you feel like you're playing as good as

1230
01:05:16.480 --> 01:05:18.760
<v Speaker 3>you were in high school? Honestly, I have no idea.

1231
01:05:18.960 --> 01:05:21.840
<v Speaker 3>I'm sure that I'm a whole lot better in a

1232
01:05:21.920 --> 01:05:23.800
<v Speaker 3>lot of aspects than I was, and I might be

1233
01:05:24.599 --> 01:05:27.519
<v Speaker 3>different in other aspects, and so I don't know how

1234
01:05:27.559 --> 01:05:28.519
<v Speaker 3>to really distinguish that.

1235
01:05:29.480 --> 01:05:31.760
<v Speaker 1>Maybe not. But it was kind of fun watching it happen,

1236
01:05:32.000 --> 01:05:34.159
<v Speaker 1>wasn't it. And it's going to be interesting to see

1237
01:05:34.280 --> 01:05:37.679
<v Speaker 1>him make a bid for playing time this coming season,

1238
01:05:38.119 --> 01:05:40.519
<v Speaker 1>what with the new faces coming in and all. But

1239
01:05:41.000 --> 01:05:44.239
<v Speaker 1>he's got that leg up year number two in the

1240
01:05:44.320 --> 01:05:47.119
<v Speaker 1>Mark Pope's system, and he should be able to help

1241
01:05:47.159 --> 01:05:50.239
<v Speaker 1>the new guys coming in. That's gonna be another plus,

1242
01:05:50.880 --> 01:05:53.039
<v Speaker 1>you know, because Pope talked about year one to year

1243
01:05:53.119 --> 01:05:56.199
<v Speaker 1>two in his system for the players, for the assistant coaches,

1244
01:05:56.760 --> 01:05:59.400
<v Speaker 1>and now with all the transfers coming in. When you

1245
01:05:59.480 --> 01:06:03.000
<v Speaker 1>got a guy like Chandler as a point guard, you

1246
01:06:03.119 --> 01:06:06.199
<v Speaker 1>can help the young guys on the floor during drills

1247
01:06:06.280 --> 01:06:11.239
<v Speaker 1>during games. Huge plus right direct your attention. I commend

1248
01:06:11.320 --> 01:06:15.320
<v Speaker 1>you to the UK Sports Network, the Twitter account or

1249
01:06:15.559 --> 01:06:18.599
<v Speaker 1>x if you will, and most recently they posted a

1250
01:06:18.679 --> 01:06:24.159
<v Speaker 1>conversation as Ty Bryant, the defensive back, interviewed Mark Stoops.

1251
01:06:24.400 --> 01:06:25.679
<v Speaker 1>I got a clip for I'm not gonna play the

1252
01:06:25.719 --> 01:06:27.320
<v Speaker 1>whole thing and you need to go find it yourself

1253
01:06:27.719 --> 01:06:30.159
<v Speaker 1>on X on Twitter at UK Sports Network. But Ty

1254
01:06:30.320 --> 01:06:33.159
<v Speaker 1>Bryant with some interesting questions for the UK coach.

1255
01:06:33.400 --> 01:06:35.400
<v Speaker 4>Do you practice your motivate those speeches before you give

1256
01:06:35.440 --> 01:06:36.239
<v Speaker 4>it to us on game day?

1257
01:06:36.320 --> 01:06:38.360
<v Speaker 10>I don't practice them, but I definitely put some thought

1258
01:06:38.440 --> 01:06:42.360
<v Speaker 10>into it and try to have like three bullet points,

1259
01:06:42.960 --> 01:06:45.719
<v Speaker 10>you know, as you know and sat in the room

1260
01:06:45.800 --> 01:06:49.119
<v Speaker 10>for a long time, you have your Monday messaging, yeah,

1261
01:06:49.280 --> 01:06:52.920
<v Speaker 10>you know of kind of football topics, and then you

1262
01:06:53.079 --> 01:06:56.639
<v Speaker 10>have the motivational keys, and then you have the football keys.

1263
01:06:57.320 --> 01:06:59.079
<v Speaker 10>So those are the things that I try to keep

1264
01:06:59.119 --> 01:07:01.760
<v Speaker 10>in mind and build up throughout the week. And then

1265
01:07:02.000 --> 01:07:04.280
<v Speaker 10>you know, prior to game, as you know, you were

1266
01:07:04.320 --> 01:07:07.559
<v Speaker 10>either ready to play or not. There's very little the

1267
01:07:07.679 --> 01:07:10.400
<v Speaker 10>head coach could say the five minutes before, three minutes

1268
01:07:10.440 --> 01:07:13.480
<v Speaker 10>before we take the field, that that's going to change.

1269
01:07:14.119 --> 01:07:17.039
<v Speaker 10>You know, the preparation, right, that motivation has been built

1270
01:07:17.119 --> 01:07:17.440
<v Speaker 10>up them.

1271
01:07:17.360 --> 01:07:17.960
<v Speaker 7>Throughout the week.

1272
01:07:18.119 --> 01:07:19.679
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that's true, that's true.

1273
01:07:20.039 --> 01:07:20.360
<v Speaker 6>All right.

1274
01:07:20.440 --> 01:07:22.800
<v Speaker 4>So last of my questions. Then we'll get into some

1275
01:07:22.840 --> 01:07:24.480
<v Speaker 4>of my teammates questions and people.

1276
01:07:24.239 --> 01:07:24.840
<v Speaker 2>Around the building.

1277
01:07:24.920 --> 01:07:28.639
<v Speaker 4>But if we all had to switch positions for a game, So, oh,

1278
01:07:28.719 --> 01:07:32.480
<v Speaker 4>line plays, d line DB's play receivers, playbs, linebacker, play

1279
01:07:32.559 --> 01:07:34.519
<v Speaker 4>runn back, running back, play linebackers, who do you think.

1280
01:07:34.400 --> 01:07:35.000
<v Speaker 2>Will do the best?

1281
01:07:35.679 --> 01:07:35.920
<v Speaker 8>Man?

1282
01:07:36.159 --> 01:07:37.119
<v Speaker 10>Another good question.

1283
01:07:37.880 --> 01:07:39.239
<v Speaker 4>There is a right answer to this too.

1284
01:07:40.199 --> 01:07:41.559
<v Speaker 10>I mean I got to put you in there.

1285
01:07:42.400 --> 01:07:42.800
<v Speaker 1>I'm glad.

1286
01:07:42.840 --> 01:07:44.719
<v Speaker 10>You know, I'm glad You're not to put your position

1287
01:07:44.840 --> 01:07:45.360
<v Speaker 10>group in there.

1288
01:07:45.440 --> 01:07:46.800
<v Speaker 6>You and j Love probably you.

1289
01:07:46.800 --> 01:07:48.320
<v Speaker 1>Know what I mean, Jordan?

1290
01:07:48.400 --> 01:07:51.159
<v Speaker 10>Could you two could definitely go do some damage on offense?

1291
01:07:51.280 --> 01:07:52.639
<v Speaker 2>Yes, sir. Who do you think will do the worst?

1292
01:07:52.920 --> 01:07:57.400
<v Speaker 10>Probably the old lion trying to play the Okay, Yeah.

1293
01:07:57.440 --> 01:07:59.440
<v Speaker 2>All right, So that's all the question we have for me.

1294
01:07:59.639 --> 01:08:01.719
<v Speaker 4>But here's some of the questions that my teammates wanted

1295
01:08:01.719 --> 01:08:03.320
<v Speaker 4>me to ask you. Okay, not only my teammates, but

1296
01:08:03.440 --> 01:08:04.320
<v Speaker 4>people around the building.

1297
01:08:04.400 --> 01:08:04.599
<v Speaker 8>Yeah.

1298
01:08:04.760 --> 01:08:06.840
<v Speaker 4>If I had asked me one question and it just

1299
01:08:07.400 --> 01:08:10.760
<v Speaker 4>had to be anything, It'll honestly be like, you know

1300
01:08:10.800 --> 01:08:12.920
<v Speaker 4>what I'm saying, Where where do he see us? You know,

1301
01:08:13.039 --> 01:08:15.440
<v Speaker 4>come August? You know what I'm saying, because every day

1302
01:08:15.480 --> 01:08:16.960
<v Speaker 4>has been like a progress to me. You know what

1303
01:08:16.960 --> 01:08:20.680
<v Speaker 4>I'm saying, Like just looking how many guys has transferred

1304
01:08:20.760 --> 01:08:24.279
<v Speaker 4>in and the progress we have made and the leadership

1305
01:08:24.319 --> 01:08:26.520
<v Speaker 4>you have stepped in and you know, showing us what

1306
01:08:26.600 --> 01:08:28.720
<v Speaker 4>the coach is over here and how it should be done.

1307
01:08:28.840 --> 01:08:30.600
<v Speaker 4>You know what I'm saying, And just looking back at

1308
01:08:30.640 --> 01:08:33.159
<v Speaker 4>last season, which I wouldn't here, but last season or

1309
01:08:33.199 --> 01:08:35.439
<v Speaker 4>this season, it's gonna be totally different. And that's what

1310
01:08:35.560 --> 01:08:38.039
<v Speaker 4>everybody don't know. So I just want to see kind

1311
01:08:38.039 --> 01:08:39.560
<v Speaker 4>of where his mind at because I know what mine at.

1312
01:08:39.680 --> 01:08:42.119
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, appreciate your brother, appreciate you.

1313
01:08:42.359 --> 01:08:43.840
<v Speaker 10>Yeah, Well, I don't know if they better not bring

1314
01:08:43.880 --> 01:08:48.680
<v Speaker 10>all the energy? Better bring energy. What I do like

1315
01:08:48.800 --> 01:08:51.439
<v Speaker 10>and you can attest to this, and I know you've

1316
01:08:51.520 --> 01:08:54.039
<v Speaker 10>seen it is I love the fit, you know what

1317
01:08:54.079 --> 01:08:56.319
<v Speaker 10>I mean. I like the way they've come in and

1318
01:08:56.479 --> 01:08:58.800
<v Speaker 10>really adapted. And I think we've been trying to be

1319
01:08:58.960 --> 01:09:02.880
<v Speaker 10>much more intentional about setting the standards. What is our culture?

1320
01:09:02.960 --> 01:09:06.520
<v Speaker 10>What we've been through for so many years, and you

1321
01:09:06.600 --> 01:09:09.079
<v Speaker 10>know is setting that bar high and making sure the

1322
01:09:09.119 --> 01:09:12.479
<v Speaker 10>accountability pieces there, making sure the buying is there. And

1323
01:09:12.600 --> 01:09:14.960
<v Speaker 10>I love this group, and I'm sure you could reiterate

1324
01:09:15.039 --> 01:09:17.359
<v Speaker 10>that they see these guys have been very good about

1325
01:09:17.479 --> 01:09:21.399
<v Speaker 10>buying in and you know, becoming a part of our

1326
01:09:21.479 --> 01:09:25.000
<v Speaker 10>team and you know, our standards and our expectations, and

1327
01:09:25.199 --> 01:09:26.479
<v Speaker 10>I really enjoyed those guys.

1328
01:09:26.560 --> 01:09:28.880
<v Speaker 1>By the way, that question came from Kendrick Law, the

1329
01:09:28.920 --> 01:09:33.680
<v Speaker 1>wide receiver who is transferred in from Alabama, but Stoops

1330
01:09:33.720 --> 01:09:35.880
<v Speaker 1>has said that more than once. I love the Fits,

1331
01:09:35.960 --> 01:09:39.159
<v Speaker 1>So I think they did a better job on their

1332
01:09:39.239 --> 01:09:42.520
<v Speaker 1>homework when it came to accepting kids through the portal

1333
01:09:42.800 --> 01:09:46.600
<v Speaker 1>and plugging them in, not just position wise, but you know,

1334
01:09:47.079 --> 01:09:50.039
<v Speaker 1>in terms of attitude and chemistry, it seemed to be

1335
01:09:50.199 --> 01:09:52.760
<v Speaker 1>lacking in the last couple three years really, So we'll

1336
01:09:52.760 --> 01:09:55.159
<v Speaker 1>see how that works out. But again, go to UK

1337
01:09:55.319 --> 01:09:59.000
<v Speaker 1>Sports Network on Twitter on X and watch the whole clip.

1338
01:09:59.119 --> 01:10:01.520
<v Speaker 1>Want to come six thir reap. Welcome back to the

1339
01:10:01.560 --> 01:10:04.000
<v Speaker 1>Big Blue Insider final segment. As we wrap up this

1340
01:10:04.239 --> 01:10:07.079
<v Speaker 1>edition of the show. I talked a lot earlier about

1341
01:10:07.079 --> 01:10:10.399
<v Speaker 1>the College World Series, and you know, we look back

1342
01:10:10.479 --> 01:10:13.920
<v Speaker 1>on last year Kentucky going to Omahawk. Will the Wildcats

1343
01:10:14.000 --> 01:10:17.479
<v Speaker 1>get back there? Well, Nick Minzewing and staff, like everybody

1344
01:10:17.520 --> 01:10:21.720
<v Speaker 1>in America right now reconstructing their rosters. I would love

1345
01:10:21.840 --> 01:10:26.000
<v Speaker 1>to see a Division One team, that is, any kind

1346
01:10:26.039 --> 01:10:29.479
<v Speaker 1>of contender that can point to a roster and say

1347
01:10:29.520 --> 01:10:34.239
<v Speaker 1>we're basically playing a pat hand, which is what Kentucky

1348
01:10:34.319 --> 01:10:36.680
<v Speaker 1>did last year. To a point. There were new faces

1349
01:10:37.239 --> 01:10:40.159
<v Speaker 1>last year on that team, but when you looked around

1350
01:10:41.000 --> 01:10:45.119
<v Speaker 1>the starting lineup, just about everybody was back from the

1351
01:10:45.199 --> 01:10:48.399
<v Speaker 1>year before. Grant Smith and Melean Pitree up the middle.

1352
01:10:48.960 --> 01:10:52.119
<v Speaker 1>You had, of course Devin Burk's behind the plate, Patrick

1353
01:10:52.199 --> 01:10:55.760
<v Speaker 1>Herrera and others at third base. Ryan walt Schmidt was

1354
01:10:55.880 --> 01:10:59.960
<v Speaker 1>back in left field and had an All American year,

1355
01:11:00.199 --> 01:11:03.399
<v Speaker 1>had a first round draft pick Connie year. They brought

1356
01:11:03.439 --> 01:11:05.520
<v Speaker 1>in a couple of center fielders, but it was Nolan

1357
01:11:05.600 --> 01:11:09.760
<v Speaker 1>McCarthy who wound up playing a considerable amount of time

1358
01:11:09.840 --> 01:11:12.640
<v Speaker 1>and made big plays in center field last year. He

1359
01:11:12.640 --> 01:11:14.800
<v Speaker 1>had played a lot of right field the year before,

1360
01:11:15.640 --> 01:11:19.880
<v Speaker 1>and of course James McCoy in rye field as well.

1361
01:11:19.920 --> 01:11:23.520
<v Speaker 1>There were some new faces in the pitching rotation, but

1362
01:11:24.119 --> 01:11:28.479
<v Speaker 1>for the most part, Kentucky was able to, as I said,

1363
01:11:28.560 --> 01:11:31.359
<v Speaker 1>play kind of a pat hand and take advantage of

1364
01:11:31.399 --> 01:11:33.920
<v Speaker 1>that experience, and everybody got bigger and better and had

1365
01:11:33.960 --> 01:11:37.720
<v Speaker 1>good years. And they go to Omaha right now, just

1366
01:11:37.760 --> 01:11:41.359
<v Speaker 1>about everybody in America rebuilding thanks to the portal, thanks

1367
01:11:41.439 --> 01:11:45.560
<v Speaker 1>to transfers, thanks to high school recruiting, and Kentucky no different.

1368
01:11:46.760 --> 01:11:49.880
<v Speaker 1>And of course the Wildcats really needed pitching and they've

1369
01:11:49.960 --> 01:11:54.319
<v Speaker 1>gotten it. They got a kid from New Orleans named

1370
01:11:54.399 --> 01:11:58.680
<v Speaker 1>Ira Austin. He's a right hander. They got Ryan Mullen

1371
01:11:58.800 --> 01:12:01.880
<v Speaker 1>or Mulan, he is from Loyal and Marymount. He's a

1372
01:12:02.000 --> 01:12:05.600
<v Speaker 1>right hander coming off Tommy John surgery. Missed last year,

1373
01:12:05.680 --> 01:12:08.920
<v Speaker 1>but has a couple of years remaining. Got other guys.

1374
01:12:09.039 --> 01:12:13.560
<v Speaker 1>Got a infielder from Indiana. May have seen this on well,

1375
01:12:13.600 --> 01:12:16.880
<v Speaker 1>I'm looking at backcat central dot com, but it's been

1376
01:12:16.960 --> 01:12:22.279
<v Speaker 1>on the interweb. Tyler Serne from IU from Indiana. Another

1377
01:12:22.399 --> 01:12:27.439
<v Speaker 1>pitcher from Grand Canyon, Connor Madison who committed Madison with

1378
01:12:27.520 --> 01:12:33.560
<v Speaker 1>two teas, a catcher from Elon, Alex Duffy, and by

1379
01:12:33.680 --> 01:12:39.159
<v Speaker 1>default he has a shot at being the starter because

1380
01:12:39.239 --> 01:12:43.880
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky's basically out of catching. So it's interesting to see

1381
01:12:44.840 --> 01:12:49.000
<v Speaker 1>how Nick Menjee owned and his staff are putting the

1382
01:12:49.119 --> 01:12:54.520
<v Speaker 1>record together, and you might wonder about whether or not

1383
01:12:54.680 --> 01:12:57.399
<v Speaker 1>these guys are going to be able to compete at

1384
01:12:57.439 --> 01:13:00.600
<v Speaker 1>the SEC level. Well, there's plenty of evidence to show

1385
01:13:00.640 --> 01:13:03.880
<v Speaker 1>they can. They got the kid from Nku, Kaden Eshman,

1386
01:13:04.880 --> 01:13:07.960
<v Speaker 1>he's a right hander. Berkeley Bounds from Eku, a right hander,

1387
01:13:08.279 --> 01:13:13.279
<v Speaker 1>Jack Bennett from that really good Western Kentucky team, Bryce

1388
01:13:13.359 --> 01:13:17.560
<v Speaker 1>and Trickle I think it is from North Florida. So

1389
01:13:18.000 --> 01:13:22.560
<v Speaker 1>I count right now in the portal six different right handers.

1390
01:13:23.239 --> 01:13:27.960
<v Speaker 1>Gonna need some left handed help. But right now Kentucky

1391
01:13:28.159 --> 01:13:32.680
<v Speaker 1>is putting together a transfer class that should give the Wildcats,

1392
01:13:33.399 --> 01:13:37.560
<v Speaker 1>given the returning players as well, a chance to compete

1393
01:13:38.359 --> 01:13:42.079
<v Speaker 1>in the SEC and as such get back to being

1394
01:13:42.119 --> 01:13:45.159
<v Speaker 1>able to host a regional. And if you can really

1395
01:13:45.199 --> 01:13:48.840
<v Speaker 1>get hot at the right time host a super regional,

1396
01:13:49.479 --> 01:13:55.680
<v Speaker 1>that's the secret. Really, it's no secret to getting to Omaha.

1397
01:13:56.319 --> 01:14:01.239
<v Speaker 1>Because we had seen Kentucky under nickmnzeone win regional titles

1398
01:14:01.279 --> 01:14:05.159
<v Speaker 1>but then have to go on and play in the

1399
01:14:05.279 --> 01:14:09.760
<v Speaker 1>super Regional at Louisville at LSU Louisville a couple times,

1400
01:14:10.560 --> 01:14:14.319
<v Speaker 1>and it's so much of an advantage to have that

1401
01:14:14.439 --> 01:14:18.199
<v Speaker 1>home field edge when you're playing in a super regional.

1402
01:14:19.319 --> 01:14:21.800
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, it's interesting to see how it's coming together.

1403
01:14:22.560 --> 01:14:24.680
<v Speaker 1>I wanted to bring up one other note. I've been

1404
01:14:24.720 --> 01:14:27.079
<v Speaker 1>trying to get to this for a while, but I

1405
01:14:27.239 --> 01:14:31.720
<v Speaker 1>saw a story out there about the ad campaign by

1406
01:14:31.800 --> 01:14:35.920
<v Speaker 1>the NCAA and this actually began during basketball season and

1407
01:14:36.119 --> 01:14:42.359
<v Speaker 1>since then the powers that be have been studying research,

1408
01:14:42.439 --> 01:14:46.640
<v Speaker 1>studying the numbers. It was a PSA public service announcement

1409
01:14:48.199 --> 01:14:55.720
<v Speaker 1>about people who were attacking online and through emails and whatever,

1410
01:14:56.520 --> 01:15:01.800
<v Speaker 1>athletes and coaches when it came to gambling. And according

1411
01:15:01.840 --> 01:15:05.920
<v Speaker 1>to one story I saw, the NCA's campaign to curb

1412
01:15:06.199 --> 01:15:12.479
<v Speaker 1>betting related abuse has worked, but if you read the story,

1413
01:15:13.760 --> 01:15:17.439
<v Speaker 1>it's worked only to a point. Now. It's good because

1414
01:15:17.479 --> 01:15:22.359
<v Speaker 1>it has had some positive effect. But this all started

1415
01:15:22.399 --> 01:15:26.399
<v Speaker 1>coming out during March Madness, and it's one of these

1416
01:15:26.479 --> 01:15:30.039
<v Speaker 1>problems you could see coming with more and more gambling

1417
01:15:30.479 --> 01:15:33.920
<v Speaker 1>being legitimized. There's the betting services and things like that,

1418
01:15:34.760 --> 01:15:41.760
<v Speaker 1>and it's been happening for decades. Gamblers attacking again through

1419
01:15:42.199 --> 01:15:46.039
<v Speaker 1>crank calls, through emails, things like that, athletes and coaches,

1420
01:15:46.840 --> 01:15:52.319
<v Speaker 1>and the theme was don't be a loser, don't harass players,

1421
01:15:52.399 --> 01:15:56.079
<v Speaker 1>and basically coaches, and it's the kind of thing really said.

1422
01:15:56.439 --> 01:15:59.720
<v Speaker 1>There's losing and then being a loser. Game time comes

1423
01:15:59.760 --> 01:16:03.239
<v Speaker 1>with enough pressure. Way too often people are betting on

1424
01:16:03.319 --> 01:16:06.239
<v Speaker 1>sports losing and taking it out on the athletes.

1425
01:16:06.279 --> 01:16:06.399
<v Speaker 2>Well.

1426
01:16:06.439 --> 01:16:10.119
<v Speaker 1>According to the NCAA, the campaign, which ran during both

1427
01:16:10.520 --> 01:16:16.560
<v Speaker 1>the men's and women's tournaments, has worked statistically, but again

1428
01:16:17.119 --> 01:16:20.920
<v Speaker 1>at least in part. The Signified Group, which was a

1429
01:16:21.039 --> 01:16:24.640
<v Speaker 1>data science firm hired by the NCAA, used AI to

1430
01:16:24.840 --> 01:16:30.279
<v Speaker 1>monitor more than a million comments on x, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok.

1431
01:16:31.279 --> 01:16:35.039
<v Speaker 1>ESPN shared the results and there was a significant drop

1432
01:16:35.119 --> 01:16:40.640
<v Speaker 1>in abuse aimed directly at athletes during March Madness. Fifteen

1433
01:16:40.720 --> 01:16:44.279
<v Speaker 1>percent of flagged abuse was targeted at players, down from

1434
01:16:44.439 --> 01:16:49.880
<v Speaker 1>forty two percent the previous year. Betting related abuse also

1435
01:16:50.079 --> 01:16:54.680
<v Speaker 1>dropped by twenty three percent, but that didn't mean that

1436
01:16:54.800 --> 01:16:59.279
<v Speaker 1>all that hatred disappeared. It simply shifted, particularly on the

1437
01:16:59.399 --> 01:17:03.840
<v Speaker 1>men's side, with social media abuse aimed at coaches and

1438
01:17:04.640 --> 01:17:09.239
<v Speaker 1>tournament officials up by one hundred and forty percent, and

1439
01:17:09.399 --> 01:17:12.199
<v Speaker 1>a lot of it was directed at the selections committee,

1440
01:17:12.760 --> 01:17:16.000
<v Speaker 1>which kind of surprised me. According to one account, Bubba Cunningham,

1441
01:17:16.079 --> 01:17:19.239
<v Speaker 1>the ad in North Carolina. He chaired the men's selections committee.

1442
01:17:19.920 --> 01:17:24.079
<v Speaker 1>He got hundreds quote unquote of angry, profane, and even

1443
01:17:24.279 --> 01:17:29.039
<v Speaker 1>threatening emails after the tar Heels barely made the field.

1444
01:17:29.079 --> 01:17:32.159
<v Speaker 1>So that was more about who made the tournament and

1445
01:17:32.199 --> 01:17:38.199
<v Speaker 1>who didn't at the expense of North Carolina than about gambling.

1446
01:17:39.560 --> 01:17:41.640
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, it's a good thing. The student athletes got

1447
01:17:41.720 --> 01:17:46.520
<v Speaker 1>less abuse, but the hatred's still there. It just shifted.

1448
01:17:47.399 --> 01:17:50.560
<v Speaker 1>They looked at more than thirty one hundred abusive or

1449
01:17:50.680 --> 01:17:55.279
<v Speaker 1>threatening posts and in case you're wondering, referred some of

1450
01:17:55.359 --> 01:18:00.279
<v Speaker 1>them to law enforcement, but only ten of them, ten

1451
01:18:00.359 --> 01:18:04.319
<v Speaker 1>of the most serious cases to law enforcement. But this

1452
01:18:04.479 --> 01:18:09.199
<v Speaker 1>is one of those things that drives me nuts because

1453
01:18:10.159 --> 01:18:13.359
<v Speaker 1>when I say, and you know, I'm no genius, you

1454
01:18:13.479 --> 01:18:16.199
<v Speaker 1>know that didn't we see this coming?

1455
01:18:16.319 --> 01:18:16.399
<v Speaker 2>Well?

1456
01:18:16.439 --> 01:18:19.720
<v Speaker 1>Who didn't see it coming? I mean, I remember when

1457
01:18:19.800 --> 01:18:25.119
<v Speaker 1>Bill Curry's wife got threats because the gamblers didn't like

1458
01:18:25.199 --> 01:18:29.680
<v Speaker 1>what was going on, but Curry's football team. So now

1459
01:18:29.760 --> 01:18:31.520
<v Speaker 1>it's happened, it's happened for a long time, it's going

1460
01:18:31.560 --> 01:18:35.760
<v Speaker 1>to keep happening. And the fact that they are monitoring

1461
01:18:35.840 --> 01:18:39.720
<v Speaker 1>and they are referring some of them to law enforcement

1462
01:18:40.199 --> 01:18:42.880
<v Speaker 1>at least gives you a little bit of optimisty, so

1463
01:18:43.319 --> 01:18:44.960
<v Speaker 1>that's going to do it. Thanks so much, thanks to

1464
01:18:45.039 --> 01:18:48.039
<v Speaker 1>my guest Derek Shay can't Spencer. That's it. Good night

1465
01:18:48.079 --> 01:18:49.319
<v Speaker 1>from the garage and Lexingdon.

1466
01:18:50.319 --> 01:18:53.840
<v Speaker 5>What you've just said is one of the most insanely

1467
01:18:54.000 --> 01:18:57.720
<v Speaker 5>idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in

1468
01:18:57.880 --> 01:19:02.680
<v Speaker 5>your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything

1469
01:19:03.279 --> 01:19:06.399
<v Speaker 5>that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this

1470
01:19:06.600 --> 01:19:10.640
<v Speaker 5>room is now dumber for having listened to it. I

1471
01:19:10.800 --> 01:19:14.640
<v Speaker 5>award you no points, and may God have mercy on yourself.

1472
01:20:00.039 --> 01:20:35.760
<v Speaker 9>I think don't showing can think anything, then stat I think,

1473
01:20:37.359 --> 01:21:04.239
<v Speaker 9>don't think the dons of scows