WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.680 Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Day. Abrael with 2 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:05.320 you on a Thursday edition of our program. Coming up 3 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:07.839 on a big weekend for the baseball Wildcats, they take 4 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:10.800 on South Carolina tomorrow night. You will hear it right 5 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:14.359 here on six thirty WLAP. It's a six thirty game time, 6 00:00:14.439 --> 00:00:17.480 six fifteen pregame with Darreon Hendrick dug and I will 7 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:20.239 have it for you over on SEC Plus as well, 8 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:23.879 so you can watch on your mobile device tonight that 9 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:26.839 We're going to talk a lot of Kentucky football and basketball. 10 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:30.199 And we start with the Travis Perry situation, because we 11 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:32.479 talked about this over the last couple of days. He 12 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:35.439 puts his name in the portal, as somebody pointed out, 13 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:38.880 literally at the eleventh hour heading up to the deadline 14 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:42.320 Tuesday at midnight. And the reason I'm bringing it up 15 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:45.479 is because there has been so much consternation, so much 16 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:49.920 backlash on social media, which I suppose was really predictable. 17 00:00:50.439 --> 00:00:54.920 People disappointed. They wanted to see this kid matriculated Kentucky 18 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:58.799 for obvious reasons. You know, he's a great story. You know, 19 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:02.039 broke king Kelly Holman's record, as you know, leads his 20 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:05.719 team to a state championship was not really wanted quite 21 00:01:05.719 --> 00:01:09.040 frankly by Calipari and his staff. He didn't really fit 22 00:01:09.159 --> 00:01:13.200 their style of play. Let's be honest, but a kid 23 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:16.840 like that in your backyard, it behooves you to take him, 24 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:20.760 although now you're signing up for criticism when you don't 25 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:23.079 play him well. Mark Pope didn't have that problem because 26 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:26.120 he wanted him. He was glad to have him. He 27 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:29.560 inherited him, but he ended up needing him when Lamart 28 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:32.480 Butler and Kerk Crisa went down. And for a while there, 29 00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:35.079 Travis Perry was the point guard and he did okay. 30 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:38.920 His best games, unfortunately, were against Alabama and losing efforts, 31 00:01:39.799 --> 00:01:43.359 and he also was victimized defensively, as you would expect 32 00:01:43.400 --> 00:01:48.040 a lot of freshmen are by SEC backcourt players. But 33 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:53.719 the question was what is his future at Kentucky. I mean, look, 34 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:57.120 if he had finished his career at UK, he would 35 00:01:57.159 --> 00:01:59.959 have played more, he would have been successful. In my opinion, 36 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:02.439 he would not. I don't know it would have ever 37 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:07.920 been a starter for Mark Pope at Kentucky, either at 38 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:11.120 the point or at the two. And I considered Travis 39 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:12.960 Perry in terms of a skill set and this is 40 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:17.680 just one man's opinion. A shooting guard six 't one 41 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:21.520 was a point guard in high school because he needed 42 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.439 to be the facilitator. He was obviously the best player. 43 00:02:25.479 --> 00:02:28.520 But at Kentucky he was a point guard because of 44 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:33.000 a need for him to play point. But in terms 45 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:36.000 of his skill set, I truly believe he is a 46 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:40.240 two guard. Now. If he goes someplace where he's essentially 47 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:42.639 a combo, that's fine, and you can take him him 48 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:45.879 as a combo at Kentucky, but much better shooter and 49 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:49.199 score at a good handle, but much better I think, 50 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:52.960 in the off guard role than at the point. So 51 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:55.639 what was his future at Kentucky. Well, he had to 52 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:58.280 be asking himself that. And I do not believe for 53 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:01.360 a moment this had anything to do with nil. I 54 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:06.039 just don't. And maybe I'm naive. There's a rumor out 55 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:09.080 there that, you know, he found out what other guys 56 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:11.840 were making and somebody else made him a better offer. 57 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.240 That might have happened. He might have gotten a decent 58 00:03:14.280 --> 00:03:17.000 offer to go elsewhere. We'll find out, I would think 59 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:22.560 fairly soon. But I don't believe his motives were strictly 60 00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:25.280 about money. I just don't. And again, call me a sap, 61 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:28.560 that's fine. I've been call worse. But I just believe 62 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:33.080 that he took a good, hard look at playing time 63 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.360 and how he wanted to develop as a ballplayer, and 64 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:43.120 this had to be an incredibly difficult decision for Travis Perry. 65 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:45.919 And as as somebody I was talking to yesterday said, 66 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:48.879 you know, maybe he goes off and develops his game 67 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:51.879 and comes back to Kentucky. As long as the portal 68 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:57.400 doors keep swinging both ways, you know, without restriction, that's 69 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:01.000 entirely possible. Harley Gilmour came back that the football team 70 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:04.639 wasn't quite the same scenario, but it happens, and it's 71 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:06.960 happened in a lot of different sports with a lot 72 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:11.120 of different kids. But I find interesting the discussions on 73 00:04:11.159 --> 00:04:13.919 social media about, you know, the people who want to 74 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:16.560 paint Mark Pope is the bad guy. Pope could have 75 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.240 kept him, Pope should have done this, and that Perry 76 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:21.319 should have done this, or that you got to do 77 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.560 what's best for what's right in front of you, And 78 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:28.560 I would be again, I might sign san naive. I 79 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:31.800 gotta think Mark Pope said, Travis, if you want to stay, 80 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:35.319 there's a place for you here. It's not a Cassidy 81 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:38.240 Rose situation where they said you can stay, but it's 82 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:40.279 got to be as a walk on. No, Travis Perry 83 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:44.639 was on Scollie, but I'm sure Mark Pope was honest 84 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:47.759 with him, and even if without a word, what Mark 85 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:50.439 Pope has told him with his recruiting and with his 86 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:54.480 moves in the portals is we are recruiting guys who 87 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:58.160 are bigger, faster and stronger than you are because that's 88 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:02.680 what coaches do. And again, it's different in basketball, I believe, 89 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.399 than it is in football, where Mark Popell sign a 90 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:07.959 kid and he says as much, Mark Pope said, you know, 91 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:09.920 I'll sign a kid and say the next thing I'm 92 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:12.120 gonna do is go out and try to recruit over you, 93 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:14.399 because that's how you develop depth and that's how you 94 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:17.680 get better. It's not quite the same in basketball, at 95 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:21.240 least it hasn't been in the past because coaches could 96 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:25.160 put a roster up on the wall basically and see 97 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:27.680 the future. All right, we've got Travis Perry for the 98 00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:29.759 next four years. You know if the kid's gonna be 99 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:31.680 a pro two years or three years. But you know, 100 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:36.279 you had Travis Perry probably for four years, so you're 101 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:39.839 gonna recruit around him, maybe a little bit over him, 102 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:44.240 but you can't do that anymore now in college basketball. 103 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:47.199 It's year to year and we're gonna hear Rick Patino 104 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:49.079 in just a minute talk about that. Why he's not 105 00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:53.439 recruiting right now high school kids at Saint John's and 106 00:05:53.480 --> 00:05:57.399 why he's comfortable with that because now college ball is 107 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:02.399 more like the pros. You don't know literally from year 108 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:06.639 to year what's your roster is going to look like, 109 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:10.720 even if you have players with long term contracts, because 110 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:15.959 there are ways out. So Pope and company, every coach 111 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:20.079 in America is recruiting for this coming year. That's it. 112 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.879 Even when you sign a high school kid, you clearly 113 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.839 don't know how long you're gonna have him. So it's unfortunate. 114 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:30.439 I think everybody all root for Travis Perry. We all 115 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:34.120 liked him, We enjoy talking with him, and he's a 116 00:06:34.120 --> 00:06:37.319 great story. So let's trying to know the locals. They're 117 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:41.000 always great stories. But he's got to do what's best 118 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:44.399 for himself. Mark Pope's got to do what's best for 119 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:50.279 the program and you the fans, And sometimes those two 120 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:56.600 paths crisscross and go in different directions. So all this 121 00:06:56.720 --> 00:07:00.920 chatter on social media about you know this this nefarious 122 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:05.959 kind of action going on. You know, Perry is the 123 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:09.399 bad guy. Pope is the bad guy. You know. It's 124 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:12.759 just the way it is in college basketball these days. 125 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:16.439 All right. I mentioned Rick Pattino and he had said 126 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:20.000 during the n Sate Tournament, which is when there were 127 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:24.319 documentary series, the reality series on Saint John's Basketball aired, 128 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:27.480 that he's not going to recruit, at least right now 129 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:30.279 high school kids for Saint John's. They're going to the 130 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:34.959 portal because he's got experience. He's got to replace, et cetera, 131 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:38.720 et cetera. And keep in mind, now his money man 132 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:43.199 is Micropoli. Micropolis, a New York kid, Saint John's fan, 133 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.839 and a guy who sold vitamin water I think it 134 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:50.519 was to Coca Cola for a billion dollars. Then he 135 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:52.920 went back developed another drink and sold that for a 136 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:55.800 gazillion dollars. You might know his name because he has 137 00:07:55.879 --> 00:08:00.720 owned two different horses that were Kentucky Derby favorites, including 138 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:04.680 Fierceness or So I really liked last year. He also 139 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:07.160 had Forte who had to scratch out of the Derby. 140 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:12.120 So here's a guy living his dream plowing money into 141 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:16.040 Saint John's. And I got a comment here from Patino. 142 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:19.759 He was on a podcast from Barstool Sports and they 143 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:23.040 were asking Patino about the fact that he is going 144 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:27.439 basically exclusively with Portal Kids now, and not only that, 145 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:29.759 he seems really comfortable with the concept. 146 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:32.120 A lot of these guys feel like they've gotten out 147 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:35.759 because of the transfer Portal and Nil and having to 148 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:38.240 play a different game. You've kind of almost run into 149 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:40.240 the fire and been like, I'm ready for him. 150 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:40.519 Read no. 151 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:42.399 I like it because I spent ten years in the 152 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:45.440 pros and to me, it's it's almost a cobbon copy 153 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:48.120 of the EuroLeague. The EuroLeague, if you sign a player 154 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:50.559 for two years, that's a long time, so it's really 155 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:53.039 a one year contract. You're getting different players every year, 156 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:55.879 and that's the way it's with us now. Fortunately for us, 157 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:00.000 we haven't lost a freshman yet, a freshman have come back. 158 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:02.679 So this year we're losing. We're not even looking at 159 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:03.960 a high school basketball player. 160 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:04.279 We'll look. 161 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:08.200 We're losing Aaron Scott, Kadari Richmond, and Davon Smith. So 162 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:11.000 we're looking for three transfer guys. And I like it. 163 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:14.960 I don't get involved in the financial negotiations of any 164 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:19.279 of that. But if we need more money, I'll call 165 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:21.159 our guy Micropolis. 166 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.279 Esay, yes, he's ready to go. Wait, so you're not 167 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:24.039 even looking. 168 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:25.120 At any college or high school? 169 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:25.919 No, not this year. 170 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:29.120 So if a five star high school kid calls you 171 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:30.799 up AND's like, hey, no, you're not looking for but 172 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:32.279 I want to come to Saint John's. 173 00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:35.399 I probably wouldn't take him because I don't think you 174 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:38.279 could win and win big with high school kids. 175 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:43.320 Rick Potino courtesy of Barstools Sports, and boy have times changed. 176 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:46.799 I mean when you go back to Patino's best teams 177 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:50.200 in Kentucky, obviously he recruited the crap out of high 178 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:54.360 school kids. But keep in mind now that there was 179 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:58.399 some element of the portal at work when Patino was 180 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:02.080 putting his best team together at Kentucky. That, of course, 181 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:07.000 was the ninety six team. That team featured, among others, 182 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:16.480 Ron Mercer and Anthony Epps and Walter McCarty. But Tony 183 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:20.840 Delk became the mop in the final four. But two 184 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:26.080 of the most key elements for that team Derek Anderson 185 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:31.200 and Mark Pope. And I'll never forget this in ninety 186 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:37.080 five when Kentucky was struggling it's actually ninety four at 187 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:42.919 times to rebound and play physical on the inside. Mark 188 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:45.759 Pope was wearing a red shirt and was already in 189 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:49.039 lexingon and Rick Patino kept saying, that's not going to 190 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.440 be a problem next year because we have Mock Pope, 191 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:55.240 and he was right. Pope wasn't a starter in the UK. 192 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:59.320 Came off the bench, but he added something that they 193 00:10:59.399 --> 00:11:02.720 absolutely had to have. And Derek Anderson, of course was 194 00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:05.320 one of the best players in America when he went 195 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:09.080 first to Aisle State and then transferred I e. Came 196 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:14.039 through the portal to play Kentucky, but that roster was 197 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:18.679 supplemented with the transfers. It was essentially a high school recruits, 198 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.600 including the key to that team that was Asheoine Walker, 199 00:11:21.639 --> 00:11:24.720 and it was a guy Patino took because he knew 200 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:26.240 he could handle him, and a lot of coaches stayed 201 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:30.559 away Mantoine because they didn't think they could. So now 202 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:35.000 that that has swung entirely toward the portal for Rick Pattino, 203 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:40.200 and it's all part of the landscape now of college sports, 204 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:42.840 and it's driving a lot of people crazy, and it's 205 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:47.000 making some kids, very few really rich want to come 206 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:48.759 in a big Moon cider. At the bottom of the hour, 207 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:51.360 we'll talk to Jeff Drummond from Cats Illustrated. A little 208 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:55.799 bit later on John Wong, sports writer and blogger, and 209 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:59.480 also Peter Wilson from the Georgetown newspaper. We're going to 210 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:02.960 talk to him, but Scott Connie's new head coach, Shawn Woods. 211 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:05.240 That's all ahead on the Big Blue Sider six thirty 212 00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:08.799 WLAP Welcome back. Coming up at the bottom of the 213 00:12:08.840 --> 00:12:11.440 hour just a few minutes. Jeff Drummond of Cats Illustrated, 214 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:14.559 part of the Rivals Network and our number two. John Wong, 215 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:19.639 blogger and sports writer covers the Wildcats, also an established author, 216 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:23.919 and Pete Wilson, the sports editor of the Georgetown News 217 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:27.840 Graphic to talk about Scott Connie's new coach, Sean Woods. 218 00:12:27.879 --> 00:12:30.720 As you know tonight it's the NFL Draft. Going to 219 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:34.360 find out where Maxwell Hairston goes, and maybe he goes 220 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:37.200 to my beloved Green Bay Packers. He could be on 221 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:40.600 the board there. He ran the fastest forty of all 222 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:43.600 the players at this year's combine. He ran a four 223 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:47.000 point two eight forty. Now he is a little light 224 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:50.360 at oneint eighty three, so some wonder can he stand 225 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:53.080 up to the riggers of the National Football League. But 226 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.799 I would love to see him in Green Bay. And 227 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:59.200 of course the Wildcats had Carrington Valentine go to Green 228 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:03.840 Bay in the seventh round and was a pleasant surprise 229 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:05.879 to make the team. He got a little lucky. There 230 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:08.600 were some injuries that helped him make the team as 231 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.919 opposed to the practice squad, but he made the most 232 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:16.440 of his opportunities and now he is an established NFL player. 233 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:21.200 Of course, you have to establish yourself every year. Bryant McFadden, 234 00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:25.200 as a former NFL player, played at Florida State, when 235 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:29.519 a couple of Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive 236 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:33.759 back and he is a guy who really likes what 237 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:38.159 he sees in Harriston. He talked about Maxwell on thecbssports 238 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:39.320 dot com website. 239 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:42.360 He would go higher than many people expect. Remember Devin 240 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:45.120 Witherspoon's surprise a lot of outsiders when he was the 241 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:49.159 top five draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Maxwell Harriston 242 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:52.159 has that ability. The thing I love about Maxwell Harriston. 243 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.799 Unfortunately he didn't. 244 00:13:53.559 --> 00:13:55.159 Get chance to play a full season because of a 245 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:59.120 show to ailment. But when he started fourth Kentucky, he 246 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:02.320 was a player. Go back and watch the game earlier 247 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:05.080 in the year against Georgia there in Kentucky. Watch the 248 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:09.399 double move concept they consistently threw at Maxwell. Watch the 249 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:12.679 discipline eyes. Go watch what he did against Texas against 250 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:16.320 Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden. Consistently they trying to hit him 251 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:18.960 cross the middle with deep digs, deep posts, and he 252 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:22.039 was always in the hip pocket. So when you watch 253 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:25.279 him play, we all knew he was extremely quick and fast. 254 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:26.960 But when he went to Indy and put forth that 255 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:30.879 great personal workout, all he did was confirm everything that 256 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:34.279 we saw that he did while at college at Kentucky. 257 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:36.840 So I believe, like I said, he will be drafted 258 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:39.039 a lot higher than many people believe. And oh, by 259 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:41.679 the way, anytime you're running forward two, that's just the 260 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:43.879 icing on the cake, and you better believe that cake 261 00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:45.000 was already tasting good. 262 00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:50.279 Ryan McFadden courtesycbssports dot Com. If you're a Kentucky fan, 263 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:53.240 probably a question just as big as what happens with 264 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:56.600 Dion Walker when you're keeping an eye on the draft. Well, 265 00:14:57.799 --> 00:15:00.799 when he first came to Kentucky. You thought, this is 266 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:03.519 a guy six y six almost three point fifty with 267 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:07.919 great athletic skills, a dtackle who could be you know, 268 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:10.960 like top fifteen. And he has played well. He played 269 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.600 well in college, there's no question. And I was looking 270 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:18.480 at the walterfootball dot com website, the scouting reports, and 271 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:21.480 they've got pros and cons now on Diane. And again, 272 00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:25.000 Vince Merrow, if you're listening, this isn't me talking. This 273 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:28.759 is one of the scouting services. On the upside. He's huge, 274 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:32.159 of course, large body at the point of attack yeap, 275 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:37.159 athletic for a size oh yeah, burst to close, yep, 276 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:40.120 quick for a large defensive tackle. Well we saw that, 277 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:43.679 didn't we at Kentucky. But here is how they list 278 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:48.720 his weaknesses, and again not me. Doesn't play big, doesn't 279 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:54.879 play powerful, plays too high, thinks he's an athletic pass rusher. 280 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:58.159 All of that to a degree I believe is true. 281 00:15:58.200 --> 00:15:59.759 I don't know about how he thinks he's an athletic 282 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:02.360 pa as rusher. I don't know what that means. But 283 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.759 I will say that this year he did not command 284 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.399 the double teams that I thought he would. I don't 285 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:11.799 know why. I don't know if it was something he 286 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.240 was doing the team was or was not doing, or whatever, 287 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:18.279 but he didn't quite clear the path that I thought 288 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:23.399 he would as an elite defensive lineman in the SEC. However, 289 00:16:23.960 --> 00:16:26.600 I don't think and this is just me talking, I 290 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:30.879 don't think there's a work ethic issue with him. And 291 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.039 depending on where he goes, I think if and when 292 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:37.159 he gets well he'll get into a camp, I think 293 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:40.240 he'll respond, and I think he'll make a team ultimately 294 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:43.639 pretty happy. So that's going to be a mystery. Now, Look, 295 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:46.759 he's a big athletic guy, so he'll probably go I 296 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:49.639 would think in the second round. But what do I know? 297 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:53.039 We'll find out. To me, one of the most fascinating 298 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:57.480 elements of this draft is going to be Shador Sanders, 299 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:01.960 the guy who had his jersey retired or number retired 300 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:05.480 at Colorado for leading a team to a glistening thirteen 301 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:10.839 and twelve record. Man Anyhow, a lot of people believe 302 00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:13.279 that he might be a number one draft picking this 303 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:17.640 and that he's talented, there's no question, but going through 304 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:22.000 the process didn't help him much at all. And in fact, 305 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:25.599 here's a quote that leaked out from a long time 306 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:32.200 assistant NFL coach who spent time with Sanders, and here's 307 00:17:32.200 --> 00:17:35.920 the quote. He's the worst formal interview I've ever been 308 00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:40.920 in my life. He's so entitled, he takes unnecessary sacks, 309 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:45.480 he never plays on time, he has horrible body language. 310 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:49.880 He blames teammates. But the biggest thing is he's not 311 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:54.680 that good now. Of course, Dion Sanders calls it venomous 312 00:17:54.759 --> 00:18:00.720 and laughable comments like that, but the kids obviously athlete. 313 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:03.960 Can he step in and lead your franchise right now? 314 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:07.839 Probably not. And in case you're asking yourself, why would 315 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:10.480 a guy leak that? Why would he let that be 316 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:14.839 known publicly anonymously? Of course, one of the reasons that 317 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:19.039 pops to my mind is if you're an assistant coach 318 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:24.440 for a franchise that has fans clamoring for a guy 319 00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:29.279 like Shador Sanders, it's sad, but it behooves you to 320 00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:34.000 leak that information and let people know you don't know 321 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.599 that this is the guy you want, you know, and 322 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:41.119 they say, look, he's not a bad kid. Another guy 323 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:44.359 pointed out, he's been so insulated, it's going to be 324 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:47.480 a culture shock when he really learns how a locker 325 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:52.400 room operates and how it works inside a building. This 326 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:54.079 guy went on to say he's had so much input 327 00:18:54.119 --> 00:18:56.519 on the offensive game plan and who the coach is, 328 00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:00.759 and everything's been catered to him. When you walk into 329 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:03.039 one of these NFL buildings, no one's gonna give a 330 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:06.720 bleep about that. No one cares who your dad is. 331 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:10.079 You're gonna have to end up fighting through some adversity. 332 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:13.720 So this is gonna be an interesting story one to 333 00:19:13.799 --> 00:19:16.440 keep an eye on. There's a lot going on in 334 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:20.759 this year's draft. I think it's fascinating. One other note 335 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:23.000 about the portal I didn't mention in the first segment. 336 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:26.279 You may have seen this Aaron Bradshaw once again on 337 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:28.920 the move. You knew that he has picked the school. 338 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:33.279 Now he's gonna play at Memphis. First Kentucky, then Ohio State, 339 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:36.400 and now Memphis. This is a five star kid out 340 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:40.359 of high school everybody wanted, seven foot one with a 341 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:43.640 lot of skills, but he has yet to blossom into 342 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:46.160 the kind of player we all thought he would be. 343 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:51.000 And that's a guy who could be a absolutely significant 344 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:54.799 player on a team advice for a national championship, and 345 00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:58.359 it hasn't happened yet. So keep an eye on Memphis. 346 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:01.440 All right, coming up next, Jeff Drumming. If Cat's illustrated, 347 00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:03.640 that's all ahead right here on the Big Blon Sider, 348 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:08.160 six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big bon Sider. 349 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.200 Joining us now is a longtime friend of the show, 350 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:13.680 Jeff Drummond. Cat's illustrated part of the Rivals Network. You 351 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.160 see his work on the website. You see his photos, 352 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:19.480 especially when the baseball Wildcats are playing. We'll talk about 353 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:22.119 them in just a minute. But the Jeff's been covering 354 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:25.359 the UK beat for a long long time, and I'm wondering, 355 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:28.359 Jay Drumm, as a native Kentucky and yourself and the 356 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:30.799 guy who's seen a lot of Kentucky kids come through 357 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:35.160 all the UK programs, how surprised were you by Travis 358 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:38.440 Perry's announcement, Not just the way he made it, but 359 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:40.880 it's just the fact that by all accounts he was 360 00:20:40.920 --> 00:20:42.640 coming back. But the next thing you know, he's out 361 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:44.799 the door, or at least in the portal. What did 362 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:48.039 you think, Well. 363 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:51.759 It was new things where I was a little bit surprised. 364 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:57.200 But then again, not if that makes any sense at all, 365 00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:01.839 because I totally understand the rationale behind his decision. And 366 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:07.039 this is a kid that's been starting and playing almost 367 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:12.720 every minute of his basketball career until he got to UK. 368 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:18.720 So that's a big adjustment going from that to the 369 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:22.319 role he had at UK, and with UK recruiting so 370 00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:25.799 many guys out of the portal this season, I think 371 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:30.799 he just saw that he probably wasn't going to get 372 00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:35.119 that opportunity that he craved for at least another year 373 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:42.079 or so. It makes me sad that then it happened, though, 374 00:21:42.119 --> 00:21:46.160 because you know, a lot of people were hoping that 375 00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:48.640 he would get that opportunity and really didn't know if 376 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:53.319 he would when Cal was here, and he got it 377 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:57.359 and then played some good minutes last season in a 378 00:21:57.400 --> 00:22:00.720 backup role where he kind of had to be forced 379 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:05.759 in action. I had a schedule, but you know, I 380 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:08.160 just wish that that it would have worked out and 381 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:12.400 had been a similar storyline to you know, a Darius 382 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:16.319 Miller or a Dominie Hawkins, Guys like that who stuck 383 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:19.519 it out and eventually played an important role on really 384 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:20.559 good UK teams. 385 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:24.759 Yeah, that's a great parallel to draw. Darius, of course, 386 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:29.759 wins the national championship with the Wildcats. Hawkins was you know, 387 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:32.680 sort of on the fringe until he had that great 388 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.920 sweet sixteen and Caliperry happened to be there and he 389 00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:38.319 turned out to be a guy to Kentucky really needed. 390 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:41.240 But as you mentioned, you know, Mark Pope was bringing 391 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:44.839 in guys that were gonna keep Perry pretty much tattooed 392 00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:47.359 to the bench. He was needed this year because of injuries. 393 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:50.039 But yeah, just a great story. But you get your 394 00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:52.000 root for him. I know everybody will root for him 395 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:56.119 wherever he goes. But you know, it was just for 396 00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:59.319 the guy that brooke King Kelly Coleman's record to come 397 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:02.319 to Kentucky. And man, you could feel it, couldn't you, 398 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:05.240 Jay Drumm, And of course you were right there taking photos. 399 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:07.119 I don't know if you're upstairs are down, But every 400 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:10.440 time Travis Perry rose up to shoot, the crowd was 401 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:13.079