WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.200 Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.279 --> 00:00:04.799 you Friday edition of our show. But because we were 3 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.199 bumped on Wednesday, or basically had to adjust to the 4 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:10.759 scheduling with the Coaches Show and then the state Wide 5 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:15.000 Show on Wednesday night, we have moved our usual Wednesday 6 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:17.800 lineup to Friday. That means we'll be visiting with Sean Woods, 7 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:21.280 the Unforgettable Guard, and West End Bureau Chief Gary Moore. 8 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:24.039 That all comes up in hour number two a little while, 9 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:26.960 we're going to talk to Hunter Mitchell about Kentucky volleyball 10 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:30.280 because tonight at seven, the Cats played Texas A and 11 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:33.079 M and Kentucky with a chance if it wins out 12 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:36.880 to win an outright again SEC championship, it would be 13 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:40.600 the wildcats eighth straight. And yeah, I'll be working that 14 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:43.960 one on SEC Plus. But also keep your radio on 15 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:46.359 because this is pre recorded so you will hear the 16 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:49.600 rest of our show. But Haunter, who covers volleyball for 17 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:52.880 on three, will be a chatting with us about the Wildcats. 18 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:58.359 Of course, Kentucky men's basketball takes on Bucknell tomorrow. The 19 00:00:58.439 --> 00:01:01.200 UK women won last night over Northern Kentucky. We'll get 20 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:04.560 back to that in just a minute. But Mark Pope 21 00:01:04.599 --> 00:01:09.040 talked to the media yesterday about what he liked so 22 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:13.079 far about his team. One thing he is concerned about, though, 23 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:18.200 is rebounding and offensive rebounding in particular. They only got 24 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:21.319 seven and then went over Right State. Right State actually 25 00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:23.799 got eleven. They out rebound a Kentucky did Right State 26 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:27.680 forty one to thirty two, but not nearly enough offensive 27 00:01:27.719 --> 00:01:29.599 rebounds to satisfy the head coach. 28 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:34.040 You know, if we could be a fourteen offensive rebound 29 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:38.239 a game team, it'd be extraordinary, certainly above ten. We're 30 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:40.400 just not living in that space at all right now, 31 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:44.959 and so that's part of We didn't really make much 32 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:47.599 progress last game either. But it's something we're really focused 33 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:50.040 on and we will make progress. We're just trying to 34 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:51.959 figure out how to get there. But it's very important 35 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:53.920 how we play. It's really important how we play. It 36 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:56.959 gives us staying power and gives us confidence in all 37 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:59.599 the other things we do. Our presence on the offensive glass, 38 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:01.879 in our can see on the defensive glass really important 39 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:02.200 for us. 40 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:05.599 I may have mentioned this before, but for many many years, 41 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.240 John Wooden, the late Great, believe that the single most 42 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.240 important stat in the box score was rebounding. Now late 43 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:15.280 in his career he changed his mind on that and 44 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:19.000 decided it was shooting percentages, but he still kept rebounds 45 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:22.599 way up there. So, yeah, if you don't go get 46 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:25.000 the ball, you're not going to win many games. And 47 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:28.080 the way Kentucky shoots it, you got to think offensive 48 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:30.360 rebounds are going to be vital. They are to every team, 49 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.879 but maybe especially Kentucky. I asked Pope about game slippage, 50 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:39.759 which means how much from practice floor to game floor 51 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:43.719 did your team leave behind? And apparently there was a bunch. 52 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:47.240 I thought we started the game with unbelievable focus and 53 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:52.560 energy and exactly the right amount of force. It wasn't 54 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:56.960 overly emotional. It was still really really intentional, but it 55 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:01.840 was incredibly physical and intention that's probably my favorite. 56 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:02.120 Word right now. 57 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:05.280 Right and then you know, at various points in the 58 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:08.599 game we had massive, massive slippers. We had slippers and communication, 59 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:11.240 we had slippage and decision making. We have slippage in execution, 60 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:16.439 we had we had uh, you know, slippage in our reads, 61 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:18.039 We had slippers in our energy. 62 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:20.960 Which is it? 63 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:24.039 Which is you know, that's pretty normal and natural and 64 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:27.280 it's going to be determining factor of our team of 65 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:29.800 how successful we can be as we limit that. And 66 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.080 that's not unique to us, that's universal. 67 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:35.280 Okay. His favorite word is intentional, So I followed up, 68 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:36.000 what does that mean? 69 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:39.000 It's a it's a feel. It's a good question. I'm 70 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:41.400 not going to give you a great answer. It's a 71 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:45.639 feel where you're actually seeing the game, You're communicating the 72 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:49.719 game with your teammates. You're doing it with unbelievable force, 73 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:52.439 wearing that gain stood up by physicality, but you're actually 74 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:54.719 getting to where you need to go when you needed 75 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:56.879 to get there, how you need to go, get there, 76 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:02.879 regardless of what's happening. And still, you know, with all 77 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:07.479 of that kind of force the game, still still being 78 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:14.840 able to read and and make decisions on the fly. 79 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:18.319 I thought that was really interesting, But then again, it 80 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:20.800 seems like every time he talks to us, there's something 81 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:23.720 else interesting that comes up about the way Mark Pope 82 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:27.680 sees the game of basketball and coaches the game of basketball. 83 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.560 So the Wildcats will try it again tomorrow against Buck. 84 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:34.199 Now it's a four o'clock start. Local coverage at one thirty, 85 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.680 network coverage at two thirty. Tom and Jack have the 86 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:40.720 call at four o'clock as the Wildcats take on the Bison, 87 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:44.240 and Pope pointed out that this is a really veteran 88 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:47.519 Leyden ball club, which he said was super cool. But 89 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:50.120 I think what he meant by that was guys are 90 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:52.839 stuck around. You know buck Now. Remember buck Now made 91 00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:54.920 a run in the NCAA tournament not that long ago. 92 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:58.040 But teams that stick around, in other words, with good 93 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:02.040 players who aren't poached by other teams, that says a lot, 94 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:04.759 and that tells you they'll be ready to play. So 95 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:08.560 we'll see if Kentucky can overwhelm and overpower buck Now 96 00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:12.120 tomorrow afternoon. The UK women did just that over Northern 97 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:15.759 Kentucky last night, although that's a pretty good NKU team, 98 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.759 and in fact, Kenny Brooks talked about the value of 99 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:21.199 coming up with a win over an in state team, 100 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:24.720 especially playing well as the Wildcats did. 101 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:27.519 It was a really good test for us. They were undersized, 102 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:28.920 so our post players are going to have to move 103 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:32.040 their feet. We talked about that Garden three point shot 104 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:35.240 was something that we focused on, probably a little bit 105 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:37.879 too much, because we were running them off the three 106 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:42.079 point line and sometimes we were getting beat off the line. 107 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:42.439 Drive. 108 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:44.759 So we know there's a lot we have to work on. 109 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.759 We know there's a lot to be had, but you know, 110 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:52.279 you still have to celebrate in these situations. And although 111 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:55.759 our defense wasn't as good, you know, schematically the communication, 112 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:59.639 we blocked a lot of shots. We use our strength. 113 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:01.439 You know, their height in or length. 114 00:06:02.040 --> 00:06:05.040 They use that height to the tune of nineteen block shots. 115 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:08.680 But that's because Northern just kept challenging the Wildcats trying 116 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:10.879 to hit from the outside. But that didn't work for 117 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:14.720 Northern Kentucky nortionally at three or four three pointers. That's 118 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:16.279 how you're going to steal a game from a team 119 00:06:16.759 --> 00:06:19.519 like Kentucky. But they were so overmatched because of Kentucky 120 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:22.879 size and of course in the middle. Clara Strack six 121 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:26.360 foot five, what a player she is, and she joined 122 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:30.160 Kenny Brooks at the news conference and they talked about 123 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:34.240 the fact that it's so vital for her to play 124 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:38.279 defense obviously without getting into foul trouble. 125 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:40.800 You have to play smart obviously when you have follows, 126 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:42.800 but you still have to be aggressive and still like 127 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:45.000 be a presence out there. So I think just being 128 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:47.399 smart and not jumping on doing things like that or 129 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:49.920 like really trying to block shots I was trying to do. 130 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.240 She's gonna have to learn, you know. With Elizabeth Hitley, 131 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:55.560 we sometimes we would tell her, you know, if you 132 00:06:55.560 --> 00:06:57.240 get in a situation where it could be a foul 133 00:06:57.240 --> 00:06:59.480 and could put you in a foul trouble, I'd say, 134 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:02.480 live to play another play, you know, almost like don't 135 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:04.480 let it go, but make sure you don't foul. 136 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:11.279 Track finished with fifteen points, thirteen boards, four blocks, eight assists, 137 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:13.959 and most of those coming to Clara Silva who came 138 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:16.839 off the bench and they played together because taony Key 139 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:19.160 was in a little bit of foul trouble and a 140 00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:22.639 Silva had a huge game. Of course, she so much 141 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:25.680 bigger than the kids from Northern She ended up with 142 00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:30.879 eighteen points, only four rebounds, but five block shots just phenomenal. 143 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:35.199 And the passing from those two Clara's high low. That's 144 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:37.279 going to be tough for a lot of SEC teams 145 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:41.519 now as they start facing teams that are bigger, more physical, 146 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.759 more athletic, won't be quite as easy. But it's a 147 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:49.720 good foundation that Kenny Brooks has been building here in Lexington. 148 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:52.920 Next up for the women is Wafford on Tuesday. You 149 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:55.240 will hear that right here on six point thirty WLAP 150 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:59.000 with Darren Heddrick. That's a six pm start at Historic 151 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:03.120 Memorial Colisecene and his pregame show will start, of course 152 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:06.920 at five point forty five. After that, it gets really interesting. 153 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:11.240 They take on the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday in the Coliseum, 154 00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:15.279 sixteenth of November. Mark your calendar. That's a six o'clock start. 155 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:20.000 After Purdue Fort Wayne, Kentucky goes to Nashville to go 156 00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:23.639 back to back against Arizona State and then Illinois. We'll 157 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:26.079 talk volleyball next week. Back to the big new insider 158 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.079 coming up at the bottom of the hour, Hunter Mitchell 159 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:31.319 of on three dot com, we'll talk Kentucky volleyball because 160 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:34.000 the Cats take on Texas A and M. Coming up 161 00:08:34.039 --> 00:08:35.600 at the top of the hour. We will have it 162 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:39.240 Leah Edmond and I on SEC Plus. Now. The radio 163 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:42.840 show will go on as well through the miracle of technology, 164 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.360 So keep your radio in one air, your TV in 165 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:48.639 the other. As the Wildcats play A and M. Kentucky 166 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:52.919 now with six matches left, all of them winnable. Of course, 167 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:54.759 they're always winnable if you're one of the best teams 168 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:58.879 in the country. But Kentucky now getting some people healthy 169 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:02.679 again and with its fade in its own hands, as 170 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:05.279 they like to say. If the Cats went out they 171 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:07.600 win the SEC title, it would be eight in a 172 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:11.679 row for Kentucky and boy back in September, which was 173 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.879 the last time I did a match for SEC. Plus 174 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.960 of course I've been watching ever since. They're on the 175 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:19.240 mother ship, and they've been on the road quite a 176 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:21.720 bit as well. They just didn't look like they were 177 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:25.480 gonna get there because there were just injuries and tough 178 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:30.000 losses and things like that. Tough, wicked, tough non conference schedule, 179 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.480 and they lost more than they won, which means if 180 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:38.080 they went out, they'll host an nca eight tournament site. 181 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:39.919 If they don't, they're gonna have to go on the road, 182 00:09:39.960 --> 00:09:41.960 which is rare for this team in the first round 183 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:46.000 of the NCAA tournaments. But things are falling into place, 184 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:49.879 chief among them, Texas has lost three straight. They swept 185 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:54.159 the Long Orange, swept the Wildcats earlier in October, and 186 00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:57.480 that's when it just things just weren't happening for Kentucky. 187 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:01.799 Since then, the Cats have turned things and Texas has not. 188 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:06.039 So the Cats, if they win tonight. That's a huge 189 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:08.440 step because this is an A and M team that 190 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:12.519 beat Texas but then turned around and lost to Mississippi State. 191 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:15.720 That's just life in the Southeastern Conference. As you know. 192 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:21.399 For Kentucky. What's amazing is that part of this turnaround, 193 00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:24.919 and it's a big part, came on the road. I mean, 194 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:30.240 the Wildcats lost to Texas at home, but then had 195 00:10:30.279 --> 00:10:35.559 a majority of their games away. They beat Tennessee in Knoxville, 196 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:39.840 they beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, they beat Ole Miss in Oxford, 197 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:45.240 they beat South Carolina in Columbia, and then Georgia in Athens. 198 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:48.480 So this win streak they're on, all of them came 199 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:51.600 on the road, which means, of course you got home 200 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:54.360 matches to close out most of the season with a 201 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:58.559 in MLSU, Georgia, Mississippi State, Arkansas. Then at the end 202 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:00.240 of the year you got to go to Missouri, which 203 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:03.840 is gonna be tough. It's always tough, but it's right 204 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:05.759 there in front of the Cats and it begins tonight. 205 00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:08.559 Question was, and I put this to Craig Skinner at 206 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:12.000 his news conference yesterday, how do you explain the fact 207 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:16.120 or what was there an overriding factor as to why 208 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.759 this Kentucky team has played so well of late. 209 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:22.320 On the road A good question. I mean, you know, 210 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:27.799 getting closer to healthy helps. I think that our offense 211 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:29.399 has become a little bit more balanced. We be able 212 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:32.399 to score in several different positions. Some of our freshmen 213 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:37.360 have got some experience, you know, they're playing, and you know, 214 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:39.879 our upper class we were doing a really good job 215 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:42.600 of not getting too high, not getting too low. So 216 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.480 you know, it's hard to pinpoint one particular thing. 217 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.200 I guess you know. Mark Stoops was talking about this 218 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:51.879 earlier this season. Kentucky played really well at Ole Miss, 219 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:55.240 played well against Georgia too, but probably its best game 220 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:58.039 of the year came against Ole Miss because it was 221 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:00.159 a win. But it was on the road, and any 222 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:01.600 coach will tell you that when you're on the road, 223 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:04.279 there are just on as many distractions. Number one, you 224 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:07.879 don't have many, if any family members hanging around. You 225 00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:10.080 have a few every once in a while, but not 226 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:12.159 like you do at home games, and not people bugging 227 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:16.039 you for tickets and all that. I mean, and you're sequester. Basically, 228 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:20.360 you're in a hotel and just about for football at least, 229 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:22.720 all the meals are at the hotel. Other teams will 230 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.399 get out to a restaurant or whatever, but everything is 231 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:28.080 just centered in the hotel, so you're right on top 232 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:30.039 of each other and all you've got is each other. 233 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:33.600 And on the road you've got a roommate, so it's 234 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:37.120 every man for each other. You know, it's always that 235 00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:40.080 way in sports, but it's kind of driven home on 236 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:43.240 the road. And I'm sure that had a lot to do, 237 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:48.320 was Kentucky. Kentucky's success in volleyball in road matches. Well, 238 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:50.080 now you're at home. You should have a good crowd, 239 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:54.039 and can you make that success that you found on 240 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:57.000 the road translate back to your home court. Well, the 241 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.600 last time you played, you got wiped out by the 242 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.559 long So we're all going to find out about that 243 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:04.279 together coming up in just a few minutes. And again 244 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:07.279 it's on SEC Plus, but we urge you to keep 245 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:10.159 that radio right where it is. You got two ears, 246 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:12.919 use both of them. While we're talking. We kind of 247 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:15.879 bumped into college football there for a minute. But one 248 00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:18.679 of the bigger stories in the Southeastern Conference in fact, 249 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.399 I think it was the biggest story yesterday last night 250 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:26.559 was the statement released by Scott Strickland and Scott's apal. 251 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:30.080 He was the sports information director at Kentucky as such, 252 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:33.480 an assistant ad under Mitch Barnhardt, and then left here 253 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:36.679 for his alma mater, Mississippi State, where he became the 254 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:41.200 athletics director, and then made a huge step up to Florida. 255 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.600 He's now the AD at one of the richest schools 256 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:49.840 and most powerful schools in the country. And he has 257 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:53.600 been under fire because he fired Dan Mullen, which was 258 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:56.919 a popular move at the time because of course Gator 259 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:59.480 fans one of their coach punished. He was not doing 260 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:02.519 well enough, and he made a popular hire. He hired 261 00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:06.759 Billy Napier, who was at the University of Louisiana and 262 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:09.080 he used to be losinga Lafayette but now it's just 263 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:12.320 the University Louisiana and was successful there and was a 264 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:16.440 good recruiter, and everybody this is almost like a Billy 265 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:19.879 Gillespie deal. Practically everybody who waged in said, yep, that's 266 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:23.360 a great hire. Grand slam blah blah blah. It's not 267 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:26.879 worked so far. They are really struggling under Napier, and 268 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:30.679 again Fan's won him punished. They want a change already, 269 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:35.279 despite the fact that it would cost the university gazillions, 270 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:40.039 and that's a school that has gazillions. But I'll guarantee 271 00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:42.440 of the budget does not include let's put let's put 272 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:44.720 aside twenty five millions in case we need to get 273 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:49.320 rid of our coach. So Scott Strickland released a statement 274 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:52.759 last night basically saying he's our man and we stand 275 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:55.399 by him. He said, in these times have change across 276 00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:59.240 college athletics, we are dedicated to a disciplined, stable approach 277 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:04.080 that is focused on long term, sustained success for Gator athletes, 278 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:10.639 recruits and fans. So he's basically saying he's our man 279 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:15.679 for now and pointing to stability, which is not a 280 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.919 bad thing to do. But it's not just stability within 281 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:23.080 the program, it's stability within your budget because and I 282 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.320 mentioned this before, Mitch Barnard said this to me once. 283 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:27.720 People have no idea For those of you out there 284 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:31.960 who want stupes punished, people have no idea, nor really, 285 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.799 in my words, do they care how expensive it is 286 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:39.440 to fire a coach, because not only do you pay 287 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:44.120 him off because they have buyouts, you have to pay 288 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:47.440 off any assistant coaches who have more than a one 289 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:52.240 year deal. Plus you got to turn around and hire 290 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:54.000 the new guy and pay him as much or more 291 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:56.759 as you were paying the old guy. If you want 292 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:02.000 somebody that you really covet, it's incredibly expensive. But fans 293 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:04.840 don't care because it doesn't affect them except that makes 294 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:07.519 them feel good if they liked a new hire. But 295 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:11.879 think about this, if every time you fired a coach 296 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:14.039 and had to pay off a huge sum of money, 297 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:17.360 what if you raise ticket prices, or what if you 298 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:19.759 made one more game pay per view or something like that, 299 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:23.720 in other words, forcing fans to pay the freight. How 300 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:27.840 would fans feel about that. They'd be angry. They would 301 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:30.120 probably in a lot of cases refuse to put two 302 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:34.600 and two together. But that's where we are right now. 303 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:38.080 The money is so nuts right now in college football, 304 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:40.960 and you know Napier's trying to get it done. You've 305 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:45.200 got three verbal commits in the current top rankings for 306 00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:47.960 the class of twenty twenty five, a total of eleven actually, 307 00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:53.000 and they're right now fifty first in the two four 308 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:57.399 seven Sports Composite Team recruiting rankings. So they're trying to 309 00:16:57.399 --> 00:17:02.480 get it done. And now tough Break DJ Lagway goes 310 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:06.359 down injured their backup quarterback, Mertz goes down, Lagway goes down, 311 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:09.759 but fans don't care about that. They want to win. 312 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:13.720 They want to win now. They're angry now. But Scott 313 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:18.400 Strickland came out in favor in support of his head coach, 314 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:22.759 and it reminded me of when rich Brooks was struggling 315 00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:26.640 here and in the middle of the Old five season, 316 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:29.519 there was a news conference where we talked to Barnhart. 317 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:31.880 Mitt said, we'll evaluate like we always do at the 318 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:36.839 end of the year, but it wasn't strong enough for 319 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.160 rich Brooks. Rich Brooks wanted to hear essentially what Strickland said, 320 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:47.079 and that really fractured their relationship and Barnhart, to his credit, 321 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:52.200 stuck with Brooks and it worked out. But it's rare. 322 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:55.119 My point is it's rare for ads to make that 323 00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:59.599 kind of statement. And as to why, well, that varies 324 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:02.640 from a to ad. I think some of them just 325 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:05.440 don't want to be pinned down. You know, hey, you 326 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.359 said it was your man, then you fired him six 327 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:10.799 months later, that kind of thing. But that's where we 328 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:15.480 are now in college athletics. I think people are demanding 329 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:18.720 coaches be fire and media members the coaches be fired 330 00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:21.640 quicker now than they used to and it's tougher now 331 00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:25.440 than it used to be because of the money. But 332 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:27.079 it's online if we want to read it. The entire 333 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:30.519 statement made the rounds on social media. Scott Strickland, former 334 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:35.240 UK assistant ad making headlines as the Florida Athletics director 335 00:18:35.319 --> 00:18:37.720 had a chance to say hi to Scott down in 336 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:42.160 Gainesville a couple of weeks ago. We didn't talk at 337 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:44.200 all about his football coach, but they got a much 338 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:47.599 needed win over Kentucky that night. As you know. Up next, 339 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:50.400 we'll talk volleyball with a Hunter Mitchell. A little bit 340 00:18:50.440 --> 00:18:53.440 later on a former Wildcat with a new team in 341 00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:57.720 the National Football League joining another ex Wildcat in a 342 00:18:57.799 --> 00:18:59.559 run for the playoffs. We're back in just a minute 343 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:01.960 here on sixth Welcome back to the Big Blue and Sider. 344 00:19:01.960 --> 00:19:04.240 As I mentioned earlier. Coming up in just a few minutes, 345 00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:08.680 actually it's Kentucky Volleyball's Wildcats take on Texas A and M, 346 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:12.039 and once again, turn your TV on to SEC Plus. 347 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:14.880 You'll have Leah Edmund and yours truly calling the action. 348 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:18.599 Leave your radio on, because to the miracle of digital technology, 349 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:21.440 you can hear us and see us hear the rest 350 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.759 of the Big Blue Insider and iur number two, but 351 00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:27.039 need to talk about what's going on with this volleyball program. 352 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:31.160 But the guy who really passionate about volleyball and has 353 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:34.160 covered this program for a long time, and it's Hunter 354 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:37.920 Mitchell from on three dot com and Hunter. A few 355 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:43.559 weeks ago, when Leah and I did our last streaming 356 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:45.599 match or all the other matches, it seems like I've 357 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:50.799 been on the mothership, as we say, to Kentucky. Yeah, 358 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:53.599 but Kentucky was struggling back then, and I said, you know, 359 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:56.799 next time we do a match, which will be in November, 360 00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:59.880 they may just be, you know, hoping to get in 361 00:19:59.880 --> 00:20:03.839 the tournament. So much has changed since then. Not only 362 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:08.039 are the Wildcats viable nationally, they could win out and 363 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:11.359 win another SEC title. How surprised are you by this 364 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.960 because it's all about Texas stumbling. 365 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:18.400 Yeah, I mean, it's it's wild how different the season 366 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:20.880 looks today than it did three weeks. Like you said, 367 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:23.480 you know, Kentucky all season long when they were playing 368 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:25.599 in that non conference schedule, they were playing teams that 369 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:27.480 were ranked in the top ten. I think they finished 370 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:30.079 playing five teams that are currently ranked in that top ten, 371 00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:33.559 and to their credit, they really hadn't looked bad against 372 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.799 any of them. I mean every game. The only game 373 00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:38.160 they've lost by a sleep this year was to Texas, 374 00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:40.440 who they later played in the conference. But all of 375 00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:42.440 those top ten matchups that they played in the non 376 00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:45.440 conference against the likes of the Nebraskas and the Louisville's 377 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.720 and Penn States, those were all close matches that either 378 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.480 went four or five sets. It looked like Kentucky could 379 00:20:50.519 --> 00:20:53.039 be something. They just weren't able to finish matches or 380 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:55.519 put it all together. I think injuries were a big 381 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:59.240 part about two. Obviously losing Aaron Land to that medical injury. 382 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:01.920 Were still winning from her on what's going on with that, 383 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:04.680 But they just were really struggling with some injuries that 384 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:08.279 happened in the preseason or even in the non conference 385 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:11.119 season that really put them behind. But I think it's 386 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:14.839 telling that the NC Double A or the at Pole 387 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:17.960 I should say they never actually pulled Kentucky any lower 388 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:20.680 than like fifteenth in the country. Even when Kentucky had 389 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:23.480 a record that was below five hundred, they still very 390 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:26.079 clearly saw this team has something. Their age is playing 391 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:28.960 a conent of a schedule, and b they're just getting 392 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:31.680 really unlucky with the injury bug. And I think once 393 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.240 Asia Stagepin has come back into lineup, they seem to 394 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:38.519 have settled into a rotation and they look more comfortable 395 00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:40.119 and now you're starting to see them developed some of 396 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:42.839 that consistency. But they were just missing early they could 397 00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:46.640 They couldn't get a healthy lineup consistently. That was always 398 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:49.200 on the floor, and you just were seeing, you know, 399 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:53.279 misconnection with Emma and the other hitters, just weird transition 400 00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:56.200 routes that just seemed off time. They just really couldn't 401 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:58.319