WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:02.560 It's Dick Gabriel taking a little bit of time off, 2 00:00:02.600 --> 00:00:05.200 so we thought we would replay some of the best 3 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:08.400 interviews from over the last several months. Please enjoy the 4 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:12.160 best of the Big Blue Insider. There's got a lot 5 00:00:12.199 --> 00:00:16.800 of response again to the Coaches round Table, not the coaches, 6 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:20.039 but the Chain Gang roundtable that we had here in 7 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:23.000 the garage. Whenever we get the Chain Gang, which is 8 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:26.920 our text chain group, Darren Hedrick, Keith Madison, Hall of 9 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:31.519 Fame coach Doug Flynn, who of course is my partner 10 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:35.240 on UK baseball telecasts, and of course Darren's a radio 11 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:38.479 voice of the Baseball Wildcats. They get to get in 12 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:40.560 the garage. We have so much fun talking about a 13 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:44.560 lot of baseball, sports in general, life, in general, music 14 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:47.759 and it just kind of free wheeling, and it's four 15 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:50.840 friends sitting together talking sports. And I always get a 16 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:53.840 lot of response on social media. So we're glad you 17 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:57.399 enjoyed the Encore presentation. We may roll it out again 18 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:00.759 this summer, but we'll get together again summer before the 19 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:04.359 football season begins. Coming up tonight is a pack show 20 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:07.359 coming out of the holiday week. Jeff Picorol is going 21 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:10.239 to join us. I should say rejoin us. He is 22 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:15.159 back from vacation as well, our UK Sports Network football analyst. 23 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:19.040 He and his brothers and a friend flew to Alaska 24 00:01:19.480 --> 00:01:23.200 for some fishing, and Jeff sent me some pictures both 25 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:27.920 during and after. Spectacular as you might expect, so we'll 26 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:29.959 find out a little bit more if you like the fish. 27 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:34.000 I am not a fisherman. I just didn't grow up 28 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:36.000 with it. My dad died when we were young. I 29 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:37.280 don't know if he was a fisherman or not. I 30 00:01:37.319 --> 00:01:39.840 don't think he was, but I was never really exposed 31 00:01:39.879 --> 00:01:43.159 to it. But I will tell you this. One day 32 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:48.120 in Maine with a buddy of mine on a drive trip, 33 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:52.439 we went lobster fishing. Got on the boat at five am, 34 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:55.359 got back about one in the afternoon. I learned all 35 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:58.920 about lobster fishing. One of those damn things almost took 36 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:01.040 off a piece of my finger, but that's a story 37 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:04.239 for another day. That's the extent of my fishing. I've 38 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:05.879 been on a couple of boats where we threw some 39 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.919 lines in the water, but that's about it. This will 40 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.840 be great to hear Jeff talk about not just Alaska, 41 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:14.759 but Kentucky football as well, because Jeff I think, is 42 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:19.240 going to cover SEC football media Days for WTVQ next 43 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:21.879 week in Dallas. I'll be down there as well late 44 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:24.599 in the week when the Wildcats are there. Aaron Gershan 45 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:27.280 will join us. He's heading for Dallas as well. We'll 46 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:29.919 get caught up with him on recruiting and other things. 47 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:32.800 A lot of recruiting news out there right now. And 48 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:37.199 also Max Godbees speaking of football. Max really I put 49 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.199 him on the air a long time ago on this 50 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:42.560 radio station. Since then, he and his wife have moved 51 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:48.039 to Louisville and he is working as a regular guest, 52 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:51.080 you know, full time co host on a segment or 53 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.759 two each week on ESPN six City. I don't know 54 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:55.719 how often he's on the air over there, but he 55 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:58.719 talks a lot of football on the ESPN radio station 56 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:02.240 in Louisville. But he reached out to me because he 57 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:07.000 is and another guy at the radio station are marketing 58 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:11.000 merchandise and it's really different, it's really unique, and he 59 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:15.879 sent me a link to the Round Daddy link of merchandise. 60 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:19.080 That's the nickname of the co host from the radio station. 61 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:23.599 And if you like UK merch that's different, you're gonna 62 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:26.240 like it. And I can't wait to see how much 63 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:31.039 of this merch shows up at Kroger Field this season, 64 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:34.159 and we'll see it in the stands when UK and 65 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:37.479 U of L play, because even though the show that 66 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:41.000 Max appears on with the host that is a primarily 67 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:46.560 U OFL slanted radio station, but Max and James Streeble 68 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:51.240 do a more of a UK show, so they are merchandise. 69 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:55.280 Are pushing this merch both UK and U of L, 70 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:57.680 and a lot of vintage stuff as well. It's really 71 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:01.039 interesting and we'll hear more about that from coming up. 72 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:05.000 In hour number two. I mentioned recruiting and over the 73 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:08.000 last week in the holiday weekend as well, there's been 74 00:04:08.039 --> 00:04:10.319 a lot of news of late which you might expect. 75 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:15.520 Probably the biggest literally and figuratively is in addition to 76 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:19.839 the big Blue Wall, Jemial Atkins, one of the top 77 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.800 offensive tackles in this side of the country, has committed 78 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:27.800 to the Wildcats. He's from Ohio, He's from Dayton and 79 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:32.360 man is he big six ' eight two ninety and 80 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:37.199 he committed to the Wildcats during the holiday weekend. He 81 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:40.360 is one of the best in the country and Eric 82 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:44.279 Woolford Vince Merrow helped reel him in. They worked together, 83 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:47.759 just like the Corona's brother's reeling in big fish. They 84 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:50.879 reeled in this guy and he said no thanks to 85 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:55.519 Virginia Tech, to Minnesota, a number of other schools, West Virginia, 86 00:04:56.120 --> 00:05:01.480 Arizona State. But this was a highly anticipate, hated decision 87 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:05.519 and the Wildcats got him. So now that's another lineman 88 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:07.879 who committed over the weekend, will go along. You may 89 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:11.920 have heard about Caitlin Edwards, a D lineman four star guy, 90 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:16.079 so to keep building on the D line. He's six four, 91 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:22.079 three thirty. He's from Dyersburg, Tennessee, and he chose the 92 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:29.240 Wildcats over Auburn, Louisville, Memphis, among others. Brad White had 93 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:34.120 a big hand in recruiting him and war Stuart as well. So, 94 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:37.040 and I tell you what an wash Stuart, not just 95 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:40.480 with the recruits but with the coaching is really getting 96 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:44.480 it done. And I got to think some programs will 97 00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:46.720 come after him. They'll have to work to hang on 98 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.480 to him. And it's what's been the most interesting thing 99 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:53.720 with me was hearing former players who go to practice 100 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:58.360 and who played with or know anwar Stuart. I have 101 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.199 not heard one person and who didn't rave about it, 102 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:03.720 not just say yeah, he's doing a decent job. No, 103 00:06:04.120 --> 00:06:06.519 they've raved about the job he is done. But the 104 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:09.160 person in the pudding look at the job they did. 105 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:13.040 And over the weekend I recorded a lot of stuff 106 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:17.720 off UK Takeover Day on the SEC Network, including the 107 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:21.639 two football games that went over Florida when Ray Davis 108 00:06:21.720 --> 00:06:25.519 went crazy and it went over Louisville, and I was 109 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:27.079 laid up for that game. I was there for the 110 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:29.920 Florida game, but I was laid up for the Louisville 111 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:33.360 game after open heart surgery. I missed three games. The 112 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:38.759 first two no problem. I missed Alabama, yeah, South Carolina Yeah. 113 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:41.959 But then I missed the Louisville game. That was a 114 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.920 great football game. And I'm not saying that simply because 115 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:49.040 Kentucky won. Any game like that that involves a rivalry 116 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:53.079 that goes back and forth, and both teams make big plays, 117 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:57.160 impressive plays. It's a great football game. And even the 118 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:00.240 announcement I listened when I watched it live. I listen 119 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:02.920 to our radio broadcast Tom and Jeff, and I think 120 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:05.879 Jeremy Jarman filled in for me on the sideline. So 121 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:09.519 this time I listened to the TV guys Joe Testitour 122 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:14.040 and Jesse Palmer. I think they're both really good. I 123 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:19.439 think Testatur is one of the hidden gems at ESPN 124 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:23.120 when you think about playbo play guys. I don't know why, 125 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:26.920 but I don't hear his name enough. I think maybe 126 00:07:26.920 --> 00:07:28.720 it's because he works the noon games. I don't know, 127 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:31.720 I think, but he works in primetime games as well. 128 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.199 I think that guy is tremendous. And they both did 129 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:39.839 a great job on that game. They were well prepared. 130 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:43.680 You could tell they've done their homework, and the great 131 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:46.879 the game lent itself. You know, it's very very not 132 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:50.680 very often. It's very rare that you see a great game. 133 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:55.000 And if you're watching a network broadcast or regional broadcast, 134 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:58.000 generally the announcers are up to the job. And these 135 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:00.920 guys were. Some some aren't. And I'll tell you one 136 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.959 moment as well. I also pulled up the Super Bowl 137 00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:08.439 this past Super Bowl when the Chiefs win it in overtime, 138 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:11.839 and I said this the moment the game ended on 139 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:16.519 the last second touchdown scored in ot Mahomes touchdown pass. 140 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:20.720 And we talked a week or two ago about our 141 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:26.600 broadcasters need to find the time and the inclination to 142 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:30.399 what we call layout on TV now not radio. Well 143 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:32.519 you can do it on radio as well, like when 144 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:34.639 Vince Scully would lay out it for a big play 145 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:39.639 in baseball. If ever they're called for a moment when 146 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:43.320 announcers should just shut up. It was at Super Bowl. 147 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:47.360 Nance had a great call, he said, jackpot on the 148 00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:51.320 touchdown past to mcole Hartman. But what happened next Tony 149 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:54.039 Romo starts running his mouth and I'm not a hater. 150 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:56.480 I'm not a huge fan of his, but I'm not 151 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:59.360 a hater, but I hated what he did. Then he 152 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:03.480 just started blubbering and blabbering instead of just letting the 153 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:06.279 pictures take over. And I wasn't the only one. I 154 00:09:06.360 --> 00:09:10.320 complained immediately on social media and a lot of other 155 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:14.639 people did too. But that reminded me of that game. 156 00:09:14.679 --> 00:09:17.600 And you know what, in the uk U of L game, Jessa, 157 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:20.360 Tor and Palmer knew when to shut up, when to 158 00:09:20.440 --> 00:09:22.919 let the picture do the talking, and when to do 159 00:09:23.080 --> 00:09:26.720 their talking. And I'm going to talk to jepicor more 160 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:30.120 about this, but it reminded me of obviously just how 161 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:35.639 great Ray Davis is, and as great as he wasn't 162 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:37.639 at Florida game. Think back to the big plays he 163 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:42.960 made against Louisville, but also a lot of defenders, the defense, 164 00:09:43.159 --> 00:09:46.399 the defensive line I was talking about anymore. Stewart tremendous, 165 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:52.200 Trevin Wallace, the linebackers, Eric Jackson. Kentucky played a great 166 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:56.720 football game and pulled the upset. We all think Kentucky 167 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:59.320 should be favored and as better than U of L 168 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:03.919 that day. Remember now, Kentucky was six and six going 169 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:08.039 into the game or six and five, and Louisville's top 170 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:11.080 ten Lowe was going to play the ACC championship. Gabe. 171 00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:15.000 Wildcats pulled the upset. They were the better team that 172 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:18.639 day and it was a great football game. We're listening 173 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:20.720 to the best of the Big Blue Insider. More to 174 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:25.279 come here on six point thirty WLAP. It's Dick Gabriel. 175 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:28.080 Welcome back to the Best of the Big Blue Insider. 176 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:32.080 Congratulations to Mark Pope and his family. They finally found 177 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:35.000 a place to live off Paris Pike, not far from 178 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:37.039 where I used to live, but kind of a world away. 179 00:10:37.080 --> 00:10:41.399 They live right next now to Lectioningdon Country Club off 180 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.639 Paris Pike, eleven and a half acres about four and 181 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:48.000 a half million dollars. Good for them, money well spent. 182 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:51.320 It's really pretty over there, so not quite the high 183 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:55.879 profile place that John Caliperry and his wife enjoyed on 184 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:59.000 Richmond Road, but you know they've got their privacy gated community. 185 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:01.840 Good for them. Wanted to bring up a couple things 186 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:06.440 that I had noticed on the interweb on my Google machine, 187 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:11.200 basically on X. Couple things real quickly, Bronnie James is 188 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:14.360 going to dominate the headlines and we're gonna get sick 189 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:18.200 of it. I already am. But it's funny. There's a 190 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:22.879 guy on X trying to make the point. As the 191 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:25.399 guy goes by Apex Jones and he posts a lot 192 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:29.320 of stuff about the NBA, and he was complaining, and 193 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:34.720 rightly when you talk about results. The coverage of Bronni's 194 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:39.720 game against Sacramento Summer League now Lakers versus Kings, Bronnie goes, 195 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:44.480 he starts, goes for four, two and two, and of 196 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:48.320 course dominates the headlines. And this guy made the point 197 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:55.159 that players like Adonnis Arms and Blake Henson, who did 198 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:59.399 much better, should have gotten more attention. But we got 199 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:03.600 to remember this ain't about Bronnie and his numbers is 200 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:08.320 about Daddy. You know, the entire story is not this 201 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:14.080 kid who at one point was they thought he had died, 202 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:19.919 was trying to make an NBA team. It's nepotism and 203 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:23.879 its finest. They in no surprise, they draft him to 204 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:27.080 try to keep Dad. And now he's on a two 205 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:31.759 way with the Lakers and he will probably take a 206 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.679 job from somebody like Adonna's Arms. And you're like, who 207 00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:41.120 Donna's Arms was? A juco guy from Milwaukee, went to 208 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:45.320 a small school, transferred to Winthrop, then transferred for another 209 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:49.120 year to Texas Tech. Undrafted free agent, has spent the 210 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:52.919 last two years in the G League and is trying 211 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:55.600 to make it in the NBA, trying to catch on. 212 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:59.440 And he had thirty two points and eleven rebounds in 213 00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:04.279 that same game. Blake Henson kid from Florida. Yeah, I 214 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:06.679 don't remember him, but he went to Ole Miss and 215 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:09.360 transferred to Pittsburgh where he was didn't do much at 216 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:12.519 all Miss. At Pittsburgh, he was second team All ACC 217 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:17.639 his junior year, first team All ACC his senior year. 218 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:20.080 Oh he spent a year at Iowa State but was 219 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.519 hurt or something never played, but anyhow, first team All 220 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:27.960 Conference and wasn't drafted, so he has been trying to 221 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:31.799 make it in through the G League with the Lakers. 222 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:36.879 Just get used to it. We're gonna hear way too 223 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:39.919 much about Bronnie. He's not a great player, he's a 224 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:45.639 great athlete. But in one of the headlines, well USA Today, 225 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:49.440 their story was Bronnie James held to four points in 226 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:55.159 Summer League debut. NBC Los Angeles their headline on their website, 227 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:59.679 looking a lot like Dad. Bronnie James makes NBA Summer 228 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:03.240 League League debut. Well, the only reason he looked like 229 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:05.960 his dad had nothing to do with the way he played. 230 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:09.159 It was how he favors him. Of course, he looks 231 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:13.360 like his father and came into the arena with shades 232 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:16.320 and headphones just like dad. I wonder where he learned that. 233 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:19.519 Good for him, but a couple of miss or one 234 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:24.320 misleading headline. Basically, he didn't play anything like dad, but 235 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:27.279 coming to the arena, yeah, he looked like him, which 236 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:33.720 is no surprise. There was another piece on X from 237 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:39.840 and it directed us to a YouTube video called the 238 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:44.879 Craziest College Football Season of All Time and it's a 239 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:51.120 twenty minute documentary on twenty oh seven, and it really 240 00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:55.879 was all the upsets in Kentucky. Twice is involved. The 241 00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:59.720 first time came in week three when stevee got loose 242 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:10.919 what's it from the gun play thing he's throw tucking 243 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:15.320 and of course that's a great call from Tom Leeds. 244 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:17.720 The music is from the documentary. We didn't have music 245 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:20.279 under it during the broadcast. And of course the other 246 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:25.799 upset was when Kentucky beat top ranked LSU and LSU 247 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:30.200 ultimately worked its way back to the top of the 248 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:34.159 polls in the championship game where the Tigers romped. And 249 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:37.879 what I had forgotten about that day was col the 250 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:42.159 Cow Golden Bears. They were second in the country and 251 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:45.240 so for a little while that day they were by 252 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:47.559 default the number one team in the country because LSU 253 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:53.600 had lost. But then Cow lost to Arizona State, just 254 00:15:53.720 --> 00:15:58.080 one of a bunch and mostly number two. The number 255 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:01.200 two team in the country lost time and time and 256 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:05.919 time again, including Boston College, which got all the way 257 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.720 up to number two and had to come from behind 258 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:10.799 to be Virginia Tech and then lost the next week 259 00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:14.440 to Florida State. And here's what that sounded like. There 260 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:18.240 was a pick six. They clinched the game on ABC 261 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:20.159 and ESPN. Brent Musburger with a. 262 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:22.960 Call on this second down and had seven. 263 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:31.519 Intercepting thank you doing touchdown Florida State and that bo 264 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:35.240 was spelled Doune, probably for another number two team. 265 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:37.480 What is it about number two this year? 266 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:41.360 Now, keep in mind that season began with app State 267 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.480 going to Michigan pulling off an upset there as a 268 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:47.960 thirty four point underdog, but you had all kinds of 269 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:52.480 bizarre upsets that year. Stanford beat Southern cow snapped the 270 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:57.000 thirty five game home winning streak for Southern cal Trojans 271 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:02.000 were a six touchdown favorite in that game. Stanford pulled 272 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:05.039 off the win. And remember that year Kansas was twelve 273 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:08.759 and one, went to the Orange Bowl under Mark Mangino. 274 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:12.039 They fell right back to mediocrity and of getting fired. 275 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.400 A few years later, West Virginia got up the number 276 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:18.920 twenty two and got beat by Pittsburgh. Check it out 277 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:23.279 on YouTube. Type in craziest college football season and you'll 278 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:25.359 find it. You're listening to the best of the Big 279 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:30.160 Blue Insider more to come here on six thirty WLAP. Hey, 280 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:32.440 it's Dick Gabriel and you're listening to the best of 281 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:35.400 the Big Blue Insider. Joining us now is a voice 282 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:40.039 from our past, Derek Terry, who has covered sports in 283 00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:43.319 the past. He now has a job in the private sector, 284 00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:45.720 but dipping his toe back in the water. He is 285 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.720 the creator. I believe you. Are you the creator of 286 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:52.440 Batcat Central. I am yeah. All right, Well, welcome back 287 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:55.720 first of all, and tell everybody before we start talking 288 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:59.359 about UK Baseball and beyond, about why you decided to 289 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.880 dip your toe back in the water and tell us 290 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:03.160 about Batcat Central. 291 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:09.599 Well, I actually started back at Central back in January 292 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:12.319 twenty twenty three, and I started it at the time. 293 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:15.400 I'd been out of sports riding full time for about 294 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:19.599 a year at that point, but still enjoyed riding still 295 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:21.799 right for my day job, so I've never really lost 296 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.400 my love for riding, and I tried to think of 297 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:26.759 kind of a pathway I could take to still cover 298 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:28.440 something that I liked, and that was kind of what 299 00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:31.920 I came up with from sub stack. And it's the 300 00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:35.200 platform a lot of journalists who are full time and 301 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:38.640 they kind of gravitated towards it. It's a really good platform, 302 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:41.720 so kind of the idea behind it, though at the 303 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.119 time was just to try to help fill avoid you know, Dick, 304 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.000 When I was a beat rider, you know, I covered football, 305 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:50.960 I covered basketball, covered some baseball. That's how the job 306 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:53.319 is if you're covering it. So my thought was, you know, 307 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:55.440 these people who they do a very good job on 308 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:57.599 the UK beat, they can't always get around to baseball 309 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:00.720 until you know, maybe men's basketball's over. So my idea 310 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:02.240 was I kind of wanted to. I thought I could 311 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:06.319 be good at it. And this this spring, I just 312 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:08.000 I went out to the ballpark song and I saw 313 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:10.960 how people were very excited about this team, and I thought, 314 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:13.319 you know, this could be a way that if I 315 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:15.680 really invest a lot of time and energy and try 316 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:17.920 to make it like a true part time job, I 317 00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:19.880 might have something I can work with here. And so far, 318 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:23.119 I've been very pleased with the reception. I mean generally speaking, 319 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.680 if that someone's not heard of it. It's a newsletter, 320 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:28.279 but also there's it's a website as well, So if 321 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:31.000 it's easier for you to to just get a story 322 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:34.039 straight to your email, h it can do that, but 323 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:37.440 it's also a website where I have a full list 324 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:40.400 of their high school commitments to scattering reports stuff that 325 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:42.960 I've not really seen done before. When it comes to 326 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:46.599 covering UK I've got a roster tractor going and and 327 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:48.759 just all the stories I've written are all on there. 328 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:52.240 So it's it's it's kind a pretty good reception so far, 329 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:53.839 and I hope to keep growing it and I hope 330 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:56.440 to cover Kentucky baseball. You know, it's a little bit 331 00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:59.440 deeper level because I think the circumstances of this past 332 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:02.480 year have really allowed to bring us to new fans 333 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.759 and then really just I think grow the excitement even 334 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.240 from the fans who have been watching it for a 335 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:06.720 long time. 336 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:12.319 Your resume includes the Rivals Network, two four seven Sports. Uh, 337 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:15.920 so we're talking deep dive, you know, agencies when it 338 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:18.160 comes to covering UK sports. So was this kind of 339 00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:19.279 like riding a bike for you? 340 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:22.640 Yeah, it kind of was. 341 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:26.519 You know, I've always loved riding, I always loved covering 342 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:29.839 sports man. It's kind of published for the first time 343 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:31.319 when I was in high school. It was for a 344 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:33.240 little blog, but you know, no one really read, but 345 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.279 it was still kind of my intro. And of course 346 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:38.400 I've got a journalism degree, and like I mentioned, I 347 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.880 worked for the city government. That's just fun job. Still 348 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:43.319 it's it's the right stories, just in a different way. 349 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:45.440 You know, they're not sports stories anymore. So I've never 350 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:47.200 really lost my love for riding, and I felt like 351 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:52.039 this was an avenue to be really uh be really centralized. 352 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:52.319 You know. 353 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:54.240 I really do have a great deal respect but a 354 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.960 lot of the beat riders in my friends, I mean 355 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:58.319 people I'll still talk to you, so they do a 356 00:20:58.359 --> 00:20:59.640 great job. I think there are a lot of really 357 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:02.559 good rid on the uk B, but I just thought 358 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:06.160 there was I don't really have the I'm just like 359 00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:08.640 baseball is my favorite sports what I like writing about. 360 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:11.160 But I couldn't make this work if I wanted to 361 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:13.119 try to cover basketball or football. There's no way I 362 00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:15.519 could do a better jobs. And the people are there 363 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:16.799 every day because you know, I do have a day 364 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:18.319 job and this is just something I do on the 365 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:20.839 sides in the evening. So I make it work when 366 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:24.160 I can. But I had invested a lot of time 367 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:26.759 these last three weeks and into doing this and I 368 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:29.039 think it's something that that will be pretty good and 369 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:30.799 I'm excited to see where it goes. So I'm excited 370 00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:32.880 to see what it looks like six years from now 371 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:35.599 or six months from now, as I work through the 372 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:38.599 fall and try to do that, because you know how 373 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:40.599 it is, there's not a whole lot that gets that 374 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:44.200 gets written once August gets here and football starts off. 375 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:46.839 You know, It's it's kind of most people's attention turn 376 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:48.519 to those fall sports. But I hope to try to 377 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:51.079 provide some stuff that people will find compelling and then 378 00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:53.680 to keep their on baseball all through the off season. 379 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:57.240 You mentioned how you were at the ballpark and you 380 00:21:57.400 --> 00:22:00.759 began to kind of you reclue in on what was 381 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:04.359 going on. It was excitement. What did you notice this year? 382 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:06.519 And when did you start noticing? It was at the 383 00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:07.640 very beginning of the season. 384 00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:12.559 Well, actually, after that Kinnasall State Series, I wasn't really 385 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:15.839 wasn't really all that sure. I mean what on a 386 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:17.279 pre season preview. 387 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:17.519 That I wrote. 388 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:20.039 I mean, I wouldn't say my expectations were low. I 389 00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:22.119 feel like the expectations for this group should have been 390 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:24.119 to get back to the intu A tournament. And really 391 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:27.720 for the Kentucky baseball program, making an into a tournament 392 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:29.799 appearance is a good season. They had never gone back 393 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:32.480 to back into a tournament, so looking at what they 394 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:36.519 had coming back looking at just where the program was 395 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:38.880 they got. You know, they lost one coach last year 396 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:41.599 with Willicogna, but but by and large the staff is 397 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:43.759 kind of the same and as a good group of 398 00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:47.880 players that were coming back. So this felt like reasonable expectations. 399 00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:50.799 But I went out to the UH I think they 400 00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:53.119 have emissaries and they had started playing really well. It 401 00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:56.240