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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider this day after Christmas,

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<v Speaker 1>Dick Gabriel with you, taking another day off here for

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<v Speaker 1>the holiday. So this is the best of the Big

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<v Speaker 1>Blue Insiders, starting with our conversation earlier in the month

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<v Speaker 1>with Tim Couch just before he ended to Las Vegas

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<v Speaker 1>for the ceremony inducting him into the College Football Hall

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<v Speaker 1>of Fame. Here on the best of the Big Blue Insider.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm super excited, Dick. I mean, you know, it's a

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<v Speaker 2>tremendous honor, very humbled by, you know, being recognized in

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<v Speaker 2>this year's twenty twenty four Hall of Fame class, going

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<v Speaker 2>in with a great group of guys, and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>just very thankful for my time at Kentucky and for

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<v Speaker 2>the coaches and teammates that I had an opportunity to

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<v Speaker 2>play with, and you know, just just a great thanks

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<v Speaker 2>felling the place for me, you know, with coach Mommy

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<v Speaker 2>coming in and putting in the air raid offense, and

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<v Speaker 2>you know, very it suited my skill set perfectly and

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<v Speaker 2>was able to have a great run by my time

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<v Speaker 2>at Kentucky.

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<v Speaker 3>So I'm very, very thankful and grateful for it.

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<v Speaker 1>You were talking last night briefly on the show with

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<v Speaker 1>Mark Stoops and Tom Leech, and I could tell what

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<v Speaker 1>you really wanted to say was you would love to

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<v Speaker 1>take all your teammates in there with you, wouldn't you?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 3>Absolutely?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, you know this is you know, we played

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<v Speaker 2>the ultimate team sport, and you know, so to get

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<v Speaker 2>an individual recognition is you know, just something that.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm kind of kind of uncomfortable with, to be honest, because.

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<v Speaker 2>There were so many people that helped me get there,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, I wish I could take all those

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<v Speaker 2>guys with me, and I certainly, you know, when I'm

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<v Speaker 2>on that stage, I'll be thinking about my teammates and

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<v Speaker 2>and very appreciative of you know, having them, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>to play with in my time at Kentucky, and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>hopefully they feel part of this as well.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what was part of how Mummy's genius with

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<v Speaker 1>the passing game and obviously he had the right man

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<v Speaker 1>pulling the trigger, but you also had the right guys

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<v Speaker 1>catching the footballs and Craig Yeast and Anthony White and

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<v Speaker 1>Michelson and all these guys. You guys made it look

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<v Speaker 1>so easy on offense. Why is that with the air

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<v Speaker 1>raid when it's run right you can't have a bunch

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<v Speaker 1>of rum dumbs out there. But when you got the

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<v Speaker 1>right people running it, why does it look so simple?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I think the offense in itself is very simple.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, the concepts are simple. It's a it's not

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<v Speaker 2>a very complicated system to learn. It doesn't take very

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<v Speaker 2>long to install. But like you said, Nick, it's you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you can have the greatest, you know, scheme in the world,

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<v Speaker 2>but if you don't have a quarterback who's who's accurate

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<v Speaker 2>with the football, make quick decisions, you know, can can

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<v Speaker 2>get process information quickly. And then you have receivers who

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<v Speaker 2>were great with run after the catch, you know, because

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of the air raid is the short intermediate

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<v Speaker 2>passing game. So you're relying on those guys to break tackles,

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<v Speaker 2>the quarterback to be accurate, to put the ball on

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<v Speaker 2>the spot where receivers can catch and run. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>so we had all those guys, like you said, we

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<v Speaker 2>had Craig Yeast, who was, you know, one of the

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<v Speaker 2>best receivers in the history of the SEC. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>Lance Michelson, Quintin mccoor, James Whalen, Jimmy Robinson, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>so many guys Kevin Coleman. You know, obviously Anthony White

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<v Speaker 2>was unbelievable out of the backfield. It's uh, we we

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<v Speaker 2>just had a perfect, perfect fit of guys for to.

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<v Speaker 3>Run that scheme. It was.

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<v Speaker 2>It was just a match made in heaven with with

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<v Speaker 2>coach Mummy coming in and the guys we had there

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<v Speaker 2>on campus.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, I've got you on the phone, So I got

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<v Speaker 1>it because I have Anthony White on He's on every

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<v Speaker 1>Sunday morning. But I always bring up the fact that

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<v Speaker 1>his nickname was aunt B and you hung that on him.

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<v Speaker 1>Why did you call him an b?

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<v Speaker 3>Uh?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I can't remember exactly. It seems it seems

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<v Speaker 2>like somebody in practice said that, you know, we called

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<v Speaker 2>him aunt and then somebody said aunt me ballin or something,

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<v Speaker 2>because you know, they couldn't stop him. You know, he

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<v Speaker 2>was he was, you know, running for a hundred catching

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<v Speaker 2>for one hundred some games, and he was just he

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<v Speaker 2>was just a you know, all around kind of guy.

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<v Speaker 2>So we just started calling him aunt bee her short

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<v Speaker 2>and it just kind of stuck. But what what a

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<v Speaker 2>t to minus football player?

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<v Speaker 3>He wan?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh, Now that helps me because I had the mental

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<v Speaker 1>image of ant B from Andy Griffith. So now I

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<v Speaker 1>know it's a short for Anthony. Okay, that helps me

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<v Speaker 1>so much. But I also bring up the fact tim

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<v Speaker 1>and you may embarrass him a little. I don't think

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<v Speaker 1>it does that. When he left the UK, he was

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<v Speaker 1>a top five all time combo back, wasn't he. I

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<v Speaker 1>mean he was a perfect for that offense.

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<v Speaker 3>He really was.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, if you're going to run that type of system,

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<v Speaker 2>you know you need a running back. You know, Anthony

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<v Speaker 2>had wide receiver skills. You know, he could have been

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<v Speaker 2>a wide receiver, but he also had great running back

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<v Speaker 2>skills as well, and he could and he could block.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, he could pick up flitzes. You know, he

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<v Speaker 2>was unbelievable catching the ball out of the backfield. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>third and third and medium, third and short. When we

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<v Speaker 2>were in a passing game and I saw man coverage,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, it was either you know, Craig one on

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<v Speaker 2>one on the outside. If Craig didn't win, I was

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<v Speaker 2>coming underneath to to Anthony because I knew he was

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<v Speaker 2>going to be matched up with a linebacker or potentially

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<v Speaker 2>a safety maybe, and he was going to win that

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<v Speaker 2>match up every time. You know, with the option routes,

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<v Speaker 2>and the angle routes we were running, uh, some of

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<v Speaker 2>those things. He was just literally a perfect fit for

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<v Speaker 2>this game.

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<v Speaker 3>Yep.

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<v Speaker 1>And you mentioned Craig and his speed, and of course

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<v Speaker 1>he not only caught passes but return kicks in the NFL.

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<v Speaker 1>But people, somebody said this to me the other day,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, Tim Kasch didn't throw deep berry off and

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<v Speaker 1>I said, yeah, because they dropped two safeties back because

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<v Speaker 1>they knew Yeast could kill it back there. But Craig

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<v Speaker 1>could still, as you said, catch and run. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>he was just the greatest.

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<v Speaker 3>He was. He was, you know, in my opinion.

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<v Speaker 2>I know there's been a lot of great players at Kentucky,

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<v Speaker 2>and no disrespect any of those other guys, but obviously

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<v Speaker 2>I'm biased to Craig. I think he's the best receiver

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<v Speaker 2>ever played at Kentucky. You know, he was just the

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<v Speaker 2>guy was incredible, man. And you know, like you said, teams,

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<v Speaker 2>that was how they tried to defend us with keeping

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<v Speaker 2>two safeties back because they couldn't leave one on one

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<v Speaker 2>on the outside with Craig. And when they did, that's

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<v Speaker 2>when we took our deep shots. But you know, as

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<v Speaker 2>much as we were throwing the ball as kind of

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<v Speaker 2>a ball controlled passing attack. So a lot of those

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<v Speaker 2>screens and things we considered those runs, to be honest with,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, those were just tall sweeps us get on

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<v Speaker 2>the outside, you know, get the ball in Craig EA's

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<v Speaker 2>hand in space, or you know, throw a screen to

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<v Speaker 2>Anthony or something like that. Those were extension of the

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<v Speaker 2>run game for us. And if teams wanted to sit

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<v Speaker 2>back and play cover two, cover four, and we just

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<v Speaker 2>had to kind of you know, take our you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you pick and shoes underneath and just take what the

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<v Speaker 2>defense is given us.

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<v Speaker 1>You're one of three quarterbacks going in with the Clash

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<v Speaker 1>of twenty twenty four. It also includes Alex Smith, who

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<v Speaker 1>helped you tak to the top of of polls, and

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<v Speaker 1>Urban Meyer, and I was really pleased to see as well,

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<v Speaker 1>the kid from Apple Aachian State going in. Gosh, Harmani Edwards. Right,

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<v Speaker 1>when you get together with guys like that, do they

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<v Speaker 1>ask do you guys talk about the systems you're in?

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<v Speaker 1>Do they ask you what it was like to run

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<v Speaker 1>the air raid?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>We always talk about, you know, schemes that we were

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<v Speaker 2>involved in, players we played with, you know, things like that,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, it's it's a great class. Like you said,

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<v Speaker 2>we've got Randy Moss going in, Larry Fitzgerald, Warwick Dunn,

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<v Speaker 2>Julius Peppers who just went into the NFL Hall of

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<v Speaker 2>Fame as well, So it's a very strong class loop.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, it's just you know, list goes on and on,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, we just just you know, we got

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<v Speaker 2>to take a look at that list. It's very humbling

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<v Speaker 2>to go in with those guys. And you know, I

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<v Speaker 2>think the Hall of Fame sent me some information on

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<v Speaker 2>the hall, and I think they said there's been something

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<v Speaker 2>like five point five million people play college football and

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<v Speaker 2>there's a little over a thousand guys that have been

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<v Speaker 2>selected to the Hall of Fame. So obviously a very

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<v Speaker 2>selective group of guys. And you know, completely honored to

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<v Speaker 2>be going in.

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<v Speaker 1>Talking to Tim Kuch of course, UK Hall of Fame

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<v Speaker 1>quarterback and now the College Football Hall of Fame going

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<v Speaker 1>to be honored at the game on Saturday. But yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>what a class. And I love seeing Danny woodhead. It

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<v Speaker 1>was a running back at chaddern State, you know, a

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<v Speaker 1>small college player, but man, what a great player. And

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<v Speaker 1>then it kind of makes me feel a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>old because I grew up watching the Nebraska Oklahoma series

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<v Speaker 1>and Dewey Selman part of the Salmon family going in

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<v Speaker 1>he played at Oklahoma back in the early seventies. The

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<v Speaker 1>game has changed so much, though, Tim through the years,

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<v Speaker 1>and now it's it's much more about offense, isn't it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's changed, you know, so much. You know, I think,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, when I was coming into the SEC, the

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<v Speaker 2>SEC was really, you know, very much a running conference

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<v Speaker 2>that was known for having great running backs. Really the

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<v Speaker 2>only team at that time that was kind of throwing

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<v Speaker 2>the ball quite a bit was Coach Spurrier down down

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<v Speaker 2>in Florida. And then you know, Coach Mummy and Leaks

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<v Speaker 2>came in and just completely, you know, revolutionized the game,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know it. You know, I was doing broadcasting

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<v Speaker 2>for several years after I was done playing, and it

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<v Speaker 2>was it was always amazing to me to go to

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<v Speaker 2>all these campuses and meet with these coaches that had

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<v Speaker 2>different spots, and how all of them, you know, would

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<v Speaker 2>come to me and say, hey, we we came to

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<v Speaker 2>Kentucky in ninety seven or ninety eight and saw what

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<v Speaker 2>you guys are doing, and we're still running a version

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<v Speaker 2>of that even today. You know, twenty years later, so

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<v Speaker 2>you know, it was pretty cool to be on the

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<v Speaker 2>ground floor that thing, the air raid, and to make

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<v Speaker 2>it popular and to see that it's still very prevalent

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<v Speaker 2>across the country today.

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<v Speaker 1>You didn't get to spend as much time, I know,

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<v Speaker 1>as you like with Mike Leach because he just went

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<v Speaker 1>on to great and greater things in college football, helped

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<v Speaker 1>Oklahoma win a national Thailand and then made a name

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<v Speaker 1>for himself. But what was it like, Tim? I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>he was such a free spirit and a unique kind

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<v Speaker 1>of guy, wasn't he.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he was, you know, the most unique coach I

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<v Speaker 2>think I ever played for.

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<v Speaker 3>And he was Mike was one of.

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<v Speaker 2>Those guys that you know, you go to his office

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<v Speaker 2>and talk to him, and you know, he would talk

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<v Speaker 2>talk to you about.

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<v Speaker 3>Anything except football.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, he wanted to talk about pirates and you know, wars,

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<v Speaker 2>Andy and history and all this kind of stuff. And

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<v Speaker 2>he was just a very different, very different guy. But

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<v Speaker 2>he was also extremely intelligent. He was ahead of his

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<v Speaker 2>time as far as the passing game goes, and he

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<v Speaker 2>had a very clear vision for what he wanted an

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<v Speaker 2>offense to look like and how he wanted to install it.

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<v Speaker 2>And he was very precise. You know, he coached our

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<v Speaker 2>wide receivers and was the offensive coordinator when I was there.

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<v Speaker 2>And what he was all those wide receivers every single

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<v Speaker 2>day about you know, just doing the little things right

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<v Speaker 2>where you know, if you're split is supposed to be,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, inside the numbers, and that's where you better

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<v Speaker 2>line up. If you're supposed to run at twelve yards,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't want you at thirteen, don't want.

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<v Speaker 3>You at eleven.

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<v Speaker 2>And you need to be precise. And you know that's

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<v Speaker 2>what made our offense so successful. We were all so

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<v Speaker 2>dialed in and locked into the to the little details

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<v Speaker 2>which made everything work.

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<v Speaker 1>It was all so shocking when he left us way

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<v Speaker 1>too soon that that had to be a punch and

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<v Speaker 1>a gut for you.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know, I really hated to see that. And

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<v Speaker 2>you know, Mike and I have we kept in touch

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<v Speaker 2>over the years and would talk and you know, I

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<v Speaker 2>just talked to him a few months before that and

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<v Speaker 2>was completely shocked by the news and sad and buy it,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, I really wish it, you know that

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<v Speaker 2>he was around. I know he would be, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>in Las Vegas in December celebrating with me going into

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<v Speaker 2>the Hall of Fame, and you know, really really just

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<v Speaker 2>take that for his family, and he was such a

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<v Speaker 2>great guy and surely he's very missed.

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<v Speaker 1>When we come back. More from my conversation back in

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<v Speaker 1>the fall with Tim Couch, Say what us here on

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<v Speaker 1>the Big Blue and Siders six thirty w l ap

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you.

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<v Speaker 1>It is the best of the Big Blue Insider here

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<v Speaker 1>on this Christmas Eve. We'll pick up with my conversation

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<v Speaker 1>with Tim Couch from back in the fall. He talked

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<v Speaker 1>about his upcoming induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

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<v Speaker 1>When you set foot, you come back quite often, when

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<v Speaker 1>you set foot on that field, inside that stadium. How

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<v Speaker 1>does that make you feel?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I think the very the first thing I

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<v Speaker 2>feel is a sense of pride, you know what we

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<v Speaker 2>were able to accomplish, and and just how fun that

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<v Speaker 2>the game was when we were there, and you know

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<v Speaker 2>how how into it the fans were. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>because Kentucky football was kind of in a rough point

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<v Speaker 2>there when I first got to UK and and they

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<v Speaker 2>weren't winning many games. They were running the option. It

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<v Speaker 2>was wasn't a very exciting style of football. And then

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<v Speaker 2>we came in and you know, we were going spread offense,

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<v Speaker 2>four or five wide receivers and throwing the ball all

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<v Speaker 2>over the field, and uh, you know, it's just just

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<v Speaker 2>you know, a great time to be playing at Kentucky.

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<v Speaker 2>And and you know that coaching staff we had, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you talk about coach Mummy and Leash and Hatcher and

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<v Speaker 2>Sonny Dykes and Tony Franklin and and all those guys.

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<v Speaker 2>We had so many creative minds on the offensive side

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<v Speaker 2>of the ball. And you know, like we talked about earlier,

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<v Speaker 2>we had a great fit of players who run that

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<v Speaker 2>system as well.

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<v Speaker 3>So so yeah, just to sense the pride.

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<v Speaker 2>When I walked into the stadium about what we were

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<v Speaker 2>able to accomplish while while I was playing there.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, you mentioned Mummy and it was You're right.

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<v Speaker 1>He was such an interesting individual as well. You could

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<v Speaker 1>see why he and Leech were so tight. Uh. But

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<v Speaker 1>it was interesting to meet Tim. When things went went

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<v Speaker 1>south for how Here course, the fans were all over him.

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<v Speaker 1>And then when Kentucky was looking for a new coach

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<v Speaker 1>a dozen years ago, people were lobbying like crazy for

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<v Speaker 1>a how Mummy disciple somebody to be the next town mommy.

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<v Speaker 1>So you know, as long as you win, that's what

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<v Speaker 1>it's all about. But that people want to be entertained too,

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<v Speaker 1>don't they.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think so. And you know, it's just a

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00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:24.720
<v Speaker 2>you know, I think people see, you know, how teams

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<v Speaker 2>have been very successful with that system across the country

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<v Speaker 2>and other places, and and you know, it was a

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<v Speaker 2>fun style of football to watch. I think it was

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<v Speaker 2>very popular obviously with our fan base here a Kentucky

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00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:36.320
<v Speaker 2>and and people didn't want to see that come back,

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00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:38.559
<v Speaker 2>you know, and coach Sjuts did bring bring it back

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<v Speaker 2>for a little bit. He brought Neil Brown back here

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<v Speaker 2>for a couple of years, and obviously Neils went on

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<v Speaker 2>to do great things as a head coach at West Virginia.

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<v Speaker 2>And uh so it's you know, it's uh it was

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<v Speaker 2>a great, great, great offense to play in, and it's

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<v Speaker 2>very popular, like I said, with the fans and obviously

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<v Speaker 2>with cornerbacks and receivers love it. And you know, it's

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<v Speaker 2>just it's just a lot of fun to play in

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<v Speaker 2>that type of system.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. I got to ask you, being a father, do

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00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:06.799
<v Speaker 1>you have to queue up video to show your son

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<v Speaker 1>what you do. Because I remember Jamal Mashburn when he

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, he said

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<v Speaker 1>his kids didn't really believe that he was a great

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<v Speaker 1>player at the NBA. He had to show them video.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you have to do that?

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<v Speaker 2>I've done it before. Yeah, yeah, when they when they

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<v Speaker 2>were smaller, I had to do that. And you know

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<v Speaker 2>they used to love to watch those videos when they

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<v Speaker 2>when they were little. And you know, now I've got

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<v Speaker 2>a I've got a freshman in college and a freshman

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<v Speaker 2>in high school. My oldest son is he signed a

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<v Speaker 2>scholarship to play for Holy Cross up in Boston, so he's, uh,

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<v Speaker 2>he's playing defensive end up there. And then my youngest

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<v Speaker 2>son is a freshman at Lectern Christian Academy. So you know,

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<v Speaker 2>they're they're both good athletes and good students and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>certainly very proud of.

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<v Speaker 1>Them defensive ends. So you got to You've got to

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<v Speaker 1>talk to him about what it's like to go attack

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<v Speaker 1>a quarterback.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I told him. You know, he was playing quarterback

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<v Speaker 2>up until like eighth grade when he switched over the

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00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:02.559
<v Speaker 2>defensive end. And I was like, I can't tell you

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00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:03.960
<v Speaker 2>anything about playing defensive end.

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<v Speaker 3>Other than I don't like those guys.

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<v Speaker 4>That's all I know about it.

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<v Speaker 1>He's going to relish the licks he puts on quarterbacks.

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<v Speaker 1>You mentioned broadcasting and you stepped away from that, and

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00:14:15.559 --> 00:14:19.840
<v Speaker 1>you and your brother now very successful businessman. And a

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<v Speaker 1>tip of the cap to your brother. I always love

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<v Speaker 1>what he did at EKU. I keep reminding people that

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<v Speaker 1>Greg Couch was the last QB to lead EKU to

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<v Speaker 1>an undefeated OVC record and an OVC title, so and

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00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:35.120
<v Speaker 1>always will be now that they're out of the league.

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<v Speaker 1>But anyhow, you were on your way to a pretty

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<v Speaker 1>good broadcasting career when you stepped away. Now, Tom Brady,

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<v Speaker 1>a guy you know, a little bit has started and

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<v Speaker 1>it kind of got lukewarm reviews. But for crying out loud,

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<v Speaker 1>he's a rookie. But if you could give him some advice,

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<v Speaker 1>you giving Tom Brady advice on broadcasting.

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<v Speaker 3>What would it be? You know?

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<v Speaker 2>I think the biggest thing that I had to learn is,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, you do have to prepare like you're playing,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I mean, it is so much prep work

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<v Speaker 2>as far as you know, watching film, understanding schemes and

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<v Speaker 2>systems and game plans, and talking to coaches and players

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<v Speaker 2>throughout the week to get a feel from what they're

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<v Speaker 2>going to try to do that week, so you can

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<v Speaker 2>go on TV and explain that. And you know, for me,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I don't want to say dumb it down,

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<v Speaker 2>that's not the right word, but I wanted to talk

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<v Speaker 2>like I was talking to like maybe like my mother

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<v Speaker 2>at home, who knows who watches football, but she doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>understand like the you know, really inside of x'es and O.

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<v Speaker 2>So you can get on there and you know, obviously

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<v Speaker 2>Tom could talk about you know, the game as in

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<v Speaker 2>depth as anyone who's ever played it. But you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you have to make it simple for the people watching

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<v Speaker 2>on TV so they you know, you can say, oh,

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00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:42.600
<v Speaker 2>it's cover too, but you know, no one, no one

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<v Speaker 2>really knows what cover two is unless you you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you've studied the game, played the game, So so you

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00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.360
<v Speaker 2>make it you know, you make it simple for the

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<v Speaker 2>fans watching at home so they can follow along with

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<v Speaker 2>you and understand what you're talking about. But you know, Tom,

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<v Speaker 2>you know he's going to be great in whatever he does.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, it's it's very difficult to walk in that

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<v Speaker 2>booth and call a game if you've never done it before.

385
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<v Speaker 2>He's just going to get better and better with with

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<v Speaker 2>with refs than each game he does.

387
00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:07.159
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, they keep comparing comparing him to Greg Olsen, who

388
00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:09.639
<v Speaker 1>was not great when he started. None of us was

389
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<v Speaker 1>not that I know.

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<v Speaker 5>No.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, before I let you go, I got to ask you.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure your heart went out to the what your

393
00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:18.559
<v Speaker 1>Wildcats and a rock Vandergriff He had a rough day

394
00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:21.240
<v Speaker 1>at the office against South Carolina. But that's life in

395
00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:22.399
<v Speaker 1>sec isn't it.

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00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:25.480
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that's the way it goes, you know. I mean this, Uh,

397
00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:28.399
<v Speaker 2>in this league, anyone can embarrass you quickly if you're

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00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.960
<v Speaker 2>not not on top of your game. And obviously we

399
00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:32.480
<v Speaker 2>didn't play well. You know, I'm not going to make

400
00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:35.399
<v Speaker 2>any excuses. We didn't play well up front, quarterback didn't

401
00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:37.240
<v Speaker 2>really have many opportunities to play well.

402
00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:39.840
<v Speaker 3>And uh, you know we just in South Carolina played great.

403
00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:40.440
<v Speaker 3>Give him credit.

404
00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:43.080
<v Speaker 2>That's a good defense they got after us. And you know,

405
00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:45.720
<v Speaker 2>things can go go go south on you pretty quickly

406
00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:47.879
<v Speaker 2>in this league if you're not playing well. And you know,

407
00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:50.039
<v Speaker 2>I think we'll bounce back. I think we've got a

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00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:53.720
<v Speaker 2>very talented football team. I love our coaching staff. Obviously,

409
00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:55.399
<v Speaker 2>you know, coach Steps is the winning his coach we've

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00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:57.679
<v Speaker 2>ever had here, so I have all the faith in

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00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:59.600
<v Speaker 2>the world that he's going to get this, get these

412
00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:02.360
<v Speaker 2>guys rallied rallied up, and get them going back in

413
00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:04.240
<v Speaker 2>the right direction. And obviously got a tough one this

414
00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:07.119
<v Speaker 2>week with Georgia. But you know, it doesn't get any

415
00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:08.559
<v Speaker 2>it done get easier, you know, I think I saw

416
00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:10.720
<v Speaker 2>we played five of the top seven teams in the

417
00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:13.279
<v Speaker 2>country coming up over the next several weeks. So those

418
00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:15.960
<v Speaker 2>schedules just brutal, But you know, we got the guys

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00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:17.519
<v Speaker 2>that can go turn it around, and you know, I'm

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00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.680
<v Speaker 2>still confident in those guys.

421
00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:21.640
<v Speaker 1>People knocking the offense, of course, that's what fans do,

422
00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:24.279
<v Speaker 1>but it's too soon that I have no idea what

423
00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:26.440
<v Speaker 1>to make of this offense yet. And I'm sure you

424
00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:29.039
<v Speaker 1>know more about this stuff than I do. But it's

425
00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:30.960
<v Speaker 1>it's gonna be tough after this week, isn't it.

426
00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:34.079
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know you said it didn't get any easier,

427
00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:36.920
<v Speaker 2>you know, with with Georgia and that defense coming into town,

428
00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:39.160
<v Speaker 2>so you know, it is it is kind of hard

429
00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:41.559
<v Speaker 2>to see what what we have yet offensively, you know,

430
00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:43.720
<v Speaker 2>because you know we got to you know a little

431
00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:45.680
<v Speaker 2>over half a game in week one with the weather,

432
00:17:45.799 --> 00:17:47.880
<v Speaker 2>and then you know soon didn't play well at all,

433
00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:50.720
<v Speaker 2>you know, only thirty yards passing or so in Week two.

434
00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:53.319
<v Speaker 2>So you know, these guys, you know, just have to

435
00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:55.160
<v Speaker 2>get it gone, get it to you know, get everyone

436
00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:57.440
<v Speaker 2>on the same page and executing a game plan. And

437
00:17:57.880 --> 00:17:59.680
<v Speaker 2>you know, and it takes everyone. You know, it takes

438
00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:01.920
<v Speaker 2>the you know, the offensive line gave protection and brought

439
00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:04.880
<v Speaker 2>making quick decisions receivers, you know, getting that out of breaks,

440
00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:07.680
<v Speaker 2>catching football is getting separation from the defenders, and you know,

441
00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:09.880
<v Speaker 2>it takes all eleven guys on outside of the ball

442
00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:11.720
<v Speaker 2>to make it, make it work and make it look good.

443
00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:13.559
<v Speaker 2>So you know, hopeing they can bounce back a little

444
00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:16.119
<v Speaker 2>this week and get a little momentum build on that.

445
00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:18.720
<v Speaker 1>That's my conversation with Tim Katch back in the fall,

446
00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:21.720
<v Speaker 1>and he was recognized prior to a UK football game.

447
00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:24.599
<v Speaker 1>That was back in September when things were still looking

448
00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:27.920
<v Speaker 1>better for the Wildcats. But life is good to Tim.

449
00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:31.200
<v Speaker 1>He's got his healthy family and he's going into the

450
00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:34.279
<v Speaker 1>College Football Hall of Fame tonight. It is out in

451
00:18:34.599 --> 00:18:38.160
<v Speaker 1>Las Vegas, and it's going to be somewhere on ESPN

452
00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:40.799
<v Speaker 1>if you want to check it out. Up next more

453
00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:42.799
<v Speaker 1>the Best of the Big Blue and Sider, we'll hear

454
00:18:42.839 --> 00:18:46.480
<v Speaker 1>from Van Hiles, former Kentucky d back, conversation I had

455
00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:49.359
<v Speaker 1>with him following the UK season earlier this month on

456
00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:56.000
<v Speaker 1>the Best of the Big Blue Insider. Welcome back to

457
00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:58.720
<v Speaker 1>the Big Blueing Sider on this Christmas Eve special edition.

458
00:18:58.839 --> 00:19:01.799
<v Speaker 1>It is the Best of the Blue Insider and in

459
00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:04.319
<v Speaker 1>this hour we've been talking football. You heard from Tim

460
00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:06.640
<v Speaker 1>Couch a conversation I had with him before he was

461
00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:10.079
<v Speaker 1>inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. I'm going

462
00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:11.920
<v Speaker 1>to take you back a couple of weeks to the

463
00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:15.279
<v Speaker 1>chat I had with former Kentucky defensive back Van Hiles.

464
00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:18.960
<v Speaker 1>He breaks down UK football on a number of social

465
00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:22.759
<v Speaker 1>media stops, and we talked about this past Kentucky season

466
00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:26.839
<v Speaker 1>a disappointment for anybody who played or rooted for the Wildcats.

467
00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:31.680
<v Speaker 1>You hear Van Hiles all over the place. He is

468
00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:34.319
<v Speaker 1>a co host of The Locker four one one host

469
00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:37.359
<v Speaker 1>of Driving with Styles. Here him on Sunday Morning Sports

470
00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:41.079
<v Speaker 1>Talk with Anthony White. Tom Leech has him on every

471
00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:43.559
<v Speaker 1>Monday morning. Is the Monday Morning Quarterback and we bug

472
00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:46.400
<v Speaker 1>him in Renow and then here on the Big Blue Insider, Van,

473
00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:49.400
<v Speaker 1>I've got to think that in a way, are you

474
00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:51.640
<v Speaker 1>kind of glad this season is limped to an end

475
00:19:51.640 --> 00:19:52.519
<v Speaker 1>for the Wildcats?

476
00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:57.200
<v Speaker 5>Geez, with all that you said, I think we found

477
00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:01.319
<v Speaker 5>the reason why we had a bad season. I was

478
00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:05.599
<v Speaker 5>on tom Leased Monday morning. Without me there, we don't

479
00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:12.759
<v Speaker 5>lose out these games. Yeah, it was a hard season,

480
00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:17.880
<v Speaker 5>not because of the results, but because of the expectations.

481
00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:23.160
<v Speaker 5>And when you have expectations and in the season turns

482
00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:24.839
<v Speaker 5>out the way it turns out, it's going to be

483
00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:27.160
<v Speaker 5>a lot of disappointed people, a lot of people who

484
00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:30.039
<v Speaker 5>want pitch folks outside of a lot of coaches halts.

485
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.960
<v Speaker 1>When I look at expectations that fall way short, I

486
00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:36.680
<v Speaker 1>always the first thing I say is was I wrong?

487
00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:40.079
<v Speaker 1>How wrong was I to expect that? You know what

488
00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:43.480
<v Speaker 1>I mean? I mean, were we because going in I

489
00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:46.119
<v Speaker 1>still didn't have full belief in the offensive line. And

490
00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:48.240
<v Speaker 1>that don't mean to keep banging on this position group.

491
00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:51.119
<v Speaker 1>But we talked before it all starts there. But I

492
00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:56.039
<v Speaker 1>mean the defense. What confuses me, Van is the Georgia game,

493
00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:59.279
<v Speaker 1>the Old Miss game that they showed what they're capable

494
00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:01.079
<v Speaker 1>of doing and it just fell apart.

495
00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:07.240
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, it is a comedy of errors out Here's my

496
00:21:07.400 --> 00:21:10.359
<v Speaker 5>thing is people will blame the old line, and it's

497
00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:13.039
<v Speaker 5>the easiest position to blame, just like the cornerbacks are

498
00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:18.839
<v Speaker 5>the easiest position to blame. The miss mark for me

499
00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:24.200
<v Speaker 5>on this season was a quarterback. I wasn't because look,

500
00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:26.279
<v Speaker 5>there's there's two people who touch the ball every snap.

501
00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:28.200
<v Speaker 5>It's a quarterback in the center. Those are the only

502
00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:30.400
<v Speaker 5>two people who touch the ball all the time on

503
00:21:30.519 --> 00:21:35.119
<v Speaker 5>innyside of the ball. And that result was not what

504
00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:38.599
<v Speaker 5>I envisioned it to be because a quarterback can make

505
00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:41.240
<v Speaker 5>an old line look better and we did not do

506
00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:44.400
<v Speaker 5>well at that position this year. And as a guy

507
00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:47.559
<v Speaker 5>who played on a team where the offense wasn't the

508
00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:51.079
<v Speaker 5>strong part, the strong part of the team, at a

509
00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:55.000
<v Speaker 5>point of the season, defenses start to do things that's

510
00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:58.640
<v Speaker 5>out of character because you know that the offense is

511
00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:00.400
<v Speaker 5>not going to be able to put in them points

512
00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:03.559
<v Speaker 5>on the board to keep in games when you are

513
00:22:03.559 --> 00:22:04.200
<v Speaker 5>going to falter.

514
00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:07.119
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I'll tell you what though, And I was talking

515
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.759
<v Speaker 1>to somebody about this this week. I went back and

516
00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:13.000
<v Speaker 1>I was looking at video from early in the year

517
00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:17.240
<v Speaker 1>and Brock Vandergriff looked like a different guy. And I

518
00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:20.400
<v Speaker 1>agree with Jeff Picory. He played with a couple of

519
00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:23.160
<v Speaker 1>quarterbacks who got happy feet because they were beaten up

520
00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:26.519
<v Speaker 1>so badly because they couldn't protect him very well. And

521
00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.680
<v Speaker 1>I know that's maybe over simplification with Rock Vandergriff, but

522
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:32.759
<v Speaker 1>he just looked like a different guy down the stretch

523
00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:34.160
<v Speaker 1>for sure.

524
00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:38.920
<v Speaker 5>Look for sure. And here's I don't like to do this,

525
00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:45.279
<v Speaker 5>but here's the thing. Certain positions requires certain elements, and

526
00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:49.599
<v Speaker 5>that position requires more than any other position on the field,

527
00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.599
<v Speaker 5>and sometimes you have to endure things that other players

528
00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:56.359
<v Speaker 5>on the team does not have to endure because of

529
00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:59.920
<v Speaker 5>When we win, it's because of the quarterback. When we lose,

530
00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:05.039
<v Speaker 5>it's because of somebody else. So sometimes, even though it's

531
00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:08.240
<v Speaker 5>a tough position, that's the responsibility you have to You

532
00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:11.079
<v Speaker 5>have to be able to eat that. And I would

533
00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:13.359
<v Speaker 5>say that some of those stuff, some of the things

534
00:23:13.400 --> 00:23:16.119
<v Speaker 5>early in the seasons were on the old line, but

535
00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:18.480
<v Speaker 5>a lot of those things were on the quarterback. So

536
00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:20.000
<v Speaker 5>it goes fit this this.

537
00:23:20.680 --> 00:23:24.599
<v Speaker 1>He made some bad decisions and force some throws or

538
00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:29.680
<v Speaker 1>actually took some shacks he probably should have taken them exactly.

539
00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:31.880
<v Speaker 5>And that's and that's the thing is is we have

540
00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.519
<v Speaker 5>to That's why football is the best team sport out

541
00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:40.759
<v Speaker 5>of any sport because it really requires everyone. So for him,

542
00:23:40.920 --> 00:23:43.519
<v Speaker 5>the old line needs him to be able to help them,

543
00:23:43.640 --> 00:23:46.079
<v Speaker 5>and they need to help him. And sometimes as a

544
00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:48.400
<v Speaker 5>quarterback you need to not hold the ball so long

545
00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:51.200
<v Speaker 5>and throw the ball away. I mean, if you look

546
00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:55.920
<v Speaker 5>at Colorado severe standards has at least has forty plus sacks.

547
00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:59.079
<v Speaker 5>So it's not like every old line is a great

548
00:23:59.079 --> 00:24:00.920
<v Speaker 5>old line and they wont gat Yeah.

549
00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:02.400
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

550
00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:05.640
<v Speaker 1>Talking to Van Hiles, the former Kentucky defensive back V

551
00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:09.880
<v Speaker 1>Styles driving with Styles, he breaks down Kentucky football on

552
00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:13.599
<v Speaker 1>the interweb and is a frequent guest on the election

553
00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:16.200
<v Speaker 1>and media outlets. And of course we're talking about this

554
00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:19.880
<v Speaker 1>past season which ended with Cutter Bowley behind center. Now,

555
00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:22.079
<v Speaker 1>Jeff Picoro and I have been debating over the last

556
00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:24.839
<v Speaker 1>couple of weeks. Do you go ahead and commit to

557
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:28.440
<v Speaker 1>him even though you know he looked good at times,

558
00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:31.119
<v Speaker 1>but it's not like he grabbed the program and threw

559
00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:34.720
<v Speaker 1>it on his shoulders. But man, they've got to get

560
00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:37.880
<v Speaker 1>some continuity at quarterback. You know, the plan I keep

561
00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:40.680
<v Speaker 1>going back to this, the plan was for Drew Barker

562
00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:44.519
<v Speaker 1>to be the guy for three years and when he

563
00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:47.559
<v Speaker 1>went down injured. Now that the door starts spinning with

564
00:24:47.880 --> 00:24:51.400
<v Speaker 1>juco's and transfers. And there was some success with Steven

565
00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:54.720
<v Speaker 1>Johnson and Will Evis, but there wasn't success as well.

566
00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:57.640
<v Speaker 1>So do you go ahead and bite the bullet as

567
00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:00.200
<v Speaker 1>a staff and say this is our guy, we're to

568
00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:00.880
<v Speaker 1>hang with him.

569
00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:04.160
<v Speaker 5>I'm glad you stated that, because I've said that many

570
00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:09.039
<v Speaker 5>times that one quarterback affected the evolution of the quarterback position.

571
00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:13.799
<v Speaker 5>Here's the deal with Cutter. The next season. Let's just

572
00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:17.039
<v Speaker 5>say we won seven games, or let's say we won

573
00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:21.119
<v Speaker 5>six games. I think the transition to him and the

574
00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:24.279
<v Speaker 5>expectation of him being a quarterback next year for potentially

575
00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:27.799
<v Speaker 5>three seasons would be easier. But the fact that we

576
00:25:27.880 --> 00:25:32.279
<v Speaker 5>won four games. I don't think that the fans who

577
00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:38.400
<v Speaker 5>would take on another potential five and seventh season learning

578
00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:41.720
<v Speaker 5>to live with him as a quarterback. I truly think

579
00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:44.160
<v Speaker 5>if you can find him, you have to find a

580
00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:47.920
<v Speaker 5>quarterback that Bush Hampden loves and fits his scheme to

581
00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:52.039
<v Speaker 5>a t. Because people forget that Bush came late because

582
00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:55.480
<v Speaker 5>Liam left in February. So give him a chance to

583
00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:58.599
<v Speaker 5>find his quarterback in a pour if it exists. If

584
00:25:58.599 --> 00:26:00.319
<v Speaker 5>it doesn't exist, then we just got to get it

585
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:00.720
<v Speaker 5>the Cutter.

586
00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:05.920
<v Speaker 1>I gotta wonder what what is bush Hamden looking for

587
00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:08.839
<v Speaker 1>if not Cutter Bowlie. You know that's a real interesting

588
00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:09.559
<v Speaker 1>question to me.

589
00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:14.880
<v Speaker 5>Well, I will say this after the four in eight season.

590
00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:18.960
<v Speaker 5>He needs someone there has had a lot of reps. Yeah,

591
00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:22.599
<v Speaker 5>and that it's only based before an eight season. I

592
00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:27.160
<v Speaker 5>not think I know Cutter has the ability with time

593
00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:30.799
<v Speaker 5>to be a solid quarterback like I really he has

594
00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:34.519
<v Speaker 5>some intangibles that I see on on film that you

595
00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:38.119
<v Speaker 5>can't coach. Now, the problem is is he ready to

596
00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:41.680
<v Speaker 5>take the keys full time? I'm not sure. I will

597
00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:44.319
<v Speaker 5>put him on a learners permit first, let him drive

598
00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:47.200
<v Speaker 5>with a parent in the con first, before I give

599
00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:50.319
<v Speaker 5>him total control over over the program. But it's not

600
00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:53.359
<v Speaker 5>like he's not close. He's closed. But I think he

601
00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:55.319
<v Speaker 5>needs a little more time, a little more season.

602
00:26:55.599 --> 00:26:55.839
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

603
00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:58.519
<v Speaker 1>Well, Van played, as I said, d back and it

604
00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:00.119
<v Speaker 1>made it all the way to the NFL. So he

605
00:27:00.200 --> 00:27:03.920
<v Speaker 1>knows how to scout quarterbacks, how to study qbs on video.

606
00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:06.799
<v Speaker 1>But he was also a quarterback himself. So when you

607
00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:10.640
<v Speaker 1>talk about what you see and Cutter on video on film,

608
00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:12.920
<v Speaker 1>as you guys like to say, what do you see?

609
00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:18.400
<v Speaker 5>I see a guy I don't know Cutter, but I

610
00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:21.880
<v Speaker 5>see from a visual that he's a confident kid who's

611
00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:27.720
<v Speaker 5>a fluent athlete, and being able to be fluid is weird.

612
00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:31.400
<v Speaker 5>He's wired in a way where he never rushes, and

613
00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:34.240
<v Speaker 5>that is a key component of a quarterback because I

614
00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:38.640
<v Speaker 5>think his instinctual clock is where it should be, where

615
00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:40.359
<v Speaker 5>I need to get out of there or I can

616
00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:44.279
<v Speaker 5>extend the play. He did some great things against Texas

617
00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:48.319
<v Speaker 5>with extended plays. However, it was after seeing what Texas

618
00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:50.039
<v Speaker 5>could do and he got into the floid game on

619
00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:54.599
<v Speaker 5>the sideline this last guess. He didn't have that that

620
00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:58.440
<v Speaker 5>that opportunity, and I think his clock sped up a

621
00:27:58.519 --> 00:28:01.640
<v Speaker 5>little bit on him because of that. He has some issues,

622
00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:04.559
<v Speaker 5>but as a whole, I like the way he throws

623
00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:06.599
<v Speaker 5>the ball. He gets the ball his hand when he

624
00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:10.000
<v Speaker 5>needs to, He uses every receiver. He doesn't lock on

625
00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:13.839
<v Speaker 5>to his favorite receiver. Those are some things that you

626
00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:20.480
<v Speaker 5>cannot coach his His mechanisms are great, his operations are great.

627
00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:23.319
<v Speaker 5>I think he has a chance to be special for us.

628
00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:26.319
<v Speaker 5>But here's a deal. You cannot rush it because if

629
00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:29.720
<v Speaker 5>you rush it, then that confidence he has now will

630
00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:32.440
<v Speaker 5>be stagnant. We need him to get even more confident

631
00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:35.400
<v Speaker 5>and more swag as you prolong in this program.

632
00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:38.079
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, but how do you do that in a program that,

633
00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:40.200
<v Speaker 1>in terms of the offense is going to be an

634
00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:42.240
<v Speaker 1>almost total rebuild this coming year.

635
00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:46.440
<v Speaker 5>Well, and that's the thing is if they can't find

636
00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:49.200
<v Speaker 5>the right guy's And that's the thing that I've been

637
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:52.240
<v Speaker 5>saying in the past, I think Coach Steps has said recently,

638
00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:58.119
<v Speaker 5>is finding guys to fit their programs, their system, their culture.

639
00:28:58.480 --> 00:29:01.240
<v Speaker 5>You've got to find that guy. It doesn't have to

640
00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:05.319
<v Speaker 5>be cam Ward. It can be Diego Papavilla. It can

641
00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:08.759
<v Speaker 5>be someone who is just a solid presence in the

642
00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:11.480
<v Speaker 5>locker room and a solid guy on the field. If

643
00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:15.599
<v Speaker 5>they cannot find that, then you roll with Cutter Bowli.

644
00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:18.160
<v Speaker 5>And I think if you roll with him, you have

645
00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:22.400
<v Speaker 5>to simplify the offense to get him comfortable early, and

646
00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:24.720
<v Speaker 5>then it's kind of this. This would be a perfect example.

647
00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:28.799
<v Speaker 5>When Lin Bowm became quarterback in twenty nineteen, the scheme

648
00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:33.400
<v Speaker 5>was very simple. Each week, Eddie Grant adds some things

649
00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:36.519
<v Speaker 5>to complement what he ran the previous week. I think

650
00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:40.680
<v Speaker 5>that's what we should be doing next year. If Cutter

651
00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:44.200
<v Speaker 5>is the just the answer, you bring him along and

652
00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:46.960
<v Speaker 5>you progress slowly, run the things that he and his

653
00:29:47.079 --> 00:29:50.480
<v Speaker 5>teammates know how to run, to the to the to

654
00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:53.240
<v Speaker 5>the free estate and run fast, and then you just

655
00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:54.880
<v Speaker 5>add on to it as the season goes.

656
00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:57.440
<v Speaker 1>Vanheile's my guess when we come back, we'll talk about

657
00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:00.440
<v Speaker 1>the portal and some big names that stepped away from

658
00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:02.599
<v Speaker 1>the Wildcats. That's next year on the Big Blue and

659
00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:04.759
<v Speaker 1>Sider six thirty w we'll come back to the best

660
00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:07.759
<v Speaker 1>of the Big Blue Insider for visiting with Van Heiuser.

661
00:30:07.880 --> 00:30:10.400
<v Speaker 1>Paller lives down in the Louisiana now but keeps a

662
00:30:10.440 --> 00:30:13.200
<v Speaker 1>close eye on his beloved Wildcats, and you see him

663
00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:17.519
<v Speaker 1>break down video on social media. No surprise, Barrion Brown

664
00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:20.599
<v Speaker 1>decides to move away from the program. I think a

665
00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:22.720
<v Speaker 1>lot of us thought by now, if he had progressed

666
00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:25.160
<v Speaker 1>in such a way, he might have been to the

667
00:30:25.319 --> 00:30:28.200
<v Speaker 1>NFL by now, but we know that didn't happen. But

668
00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:31.720
<v Speaker 1>also Dane Key, which was a real disappointment. But again

669
00:30:31.799 --> 00:30:34.039
<v Speaker 1>we've talked about here on the show a couple of

670
00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:36.119
<v Speaker 1>nights now that you know, if he wants to make

671
00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:39.319
<v Speaker 1>that next big step toward the NFL, he's got to

672
00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:42.559
<v Speaker 1>go to a more stable environment, a team with the

673
00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:46.200
<v Speaker 1>stable offense for him. But they went out and recruited

674
00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:49.480
<v Speaker 1>four new Whiteouts, got the kid from Boyle County. Who's

675
00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.799
<v Speaker 1>you know. I'm not gonna say he's as good as

676
00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:55.960
<v Speaker 1>one Dale Robinson been in that mold, but those are

677
00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:58.799
<v Speaker 1>those are big losses regardless fan. But you hate to

678
00:30:58.839 --> 00:31:00.799
<v Speaker 1>see and they didn't get out of them what they

679
00:31:00.839 --> 00:31:02.039
<v Speaker 1>had hoped this past season.

680
00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:06.519
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, that's the unfortunate nature of having so many systems

681
00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:07.880
<v Speaker 5>in three to four years.

682
00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:10.759
<v Speaker 3>I'm lo, I am.

683
00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:14.160
<v Speaker 5>It's gonna be a weird thing to say. I am happy.

684
00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:18.200
<v Speaker 5>I understand why Dan ain't left. I as a parent,

685
00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:20.960
<v Speaker 5>I as a former player. I do not want to

686
00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:26.119
<v Speaker 5>go through another coaching change in my position room. I

687
00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:28.799
<v Speaker 5>don't think he has ever had back to back years

688
00:31:28.839 --> 00:31:31.319
<v Speaker 5>of having the same wide receiver coach. You're correct, And

689
00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:35.079
<v Speaker 5>if I'm going to go through that and my last chance,

690
00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:38.880
<v Speaker 5>why not go through that with somewhere else Because I've

691
00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:41.599
<v Speaker 5>done it. I've held strong with this program for three

692
00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:44.680
<v Speaker 5>years going through the turmoil of switching guys that are

693
00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:47.559
<v Speaker 5>leading my room. If that's the case, let me go

694
00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:50.559
<v Speaker 5>somewhere else, and I'm gonna be doing it again here anyway,

695
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:53.599
<v Speaker 5>So let me spread my wings and find a place

696
00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:57.079
<v Speaker 5>and find an offense that suits my skill set that

697
00:31:57.160 --> 00:32:00.759
<v Speaker 5>can propel me to the next level. We have to

698
00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:03.960
<v Speaker 5>we have to not look at it as a negative,

699
00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:07.680
<v Speaker 5>so to speak. It's just life. And I think he's

700
00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:09.079
<v Speaker 5>doing what's right for him.

701
00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:10.279
<v Speaker 3>In his future.

702
00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:12.640
<v Speaker 5>I have no critique about it. I would love him

703
00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:15.000
<v Speaker 5>come back, but I understand.

704
00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:17.759
<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah, And it's not like he didn't give everything

705
00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:20.000
<v Speaker 1>he had. And I thought dan Key took a step

706
00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:22.720
<v Speaker 1>forward this year. I thought, for lack of a better term,

707
00:32:23.079 --> 00:32:25.640
<v Speaker 1>he was more professional and the way he did have

708
00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:29.720
<v Speaker 1>that that that silly penalty in the in the Louisville game.

709
00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:32.480
<v Speaker 1>But I thought just the way he ran his routes,

710
00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:33.799
<v Speaker 1>and you know a hell of a lot more about

711
00:32:33.799 --> 00:32:36.519
<v Speaker 1>that than I do. But that's the way he carried himself,

712
00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:39.880
<v Speaker 1>you know. And and uh and obviously the way he played.

713
00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:42.799
<v Speaker 1>I was really impressed with that. I thought opposing teams

714
00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:45.079
<v Speaker 1>and everything they could to take away Barran Brown this

715
00:32:45.160 --> 00:32:45.839
<v Speaker 1>year didn't they.

716
00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:49.680
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, that look when you learn this and lack the

717
00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:55.039
<v Speaker 5>best abilities availability and one thing that Dane are presented

718
00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:58.279
<v Speaker 5>this year he was always available and not only available,

719
00:32:58.279 --> 00:33:01.079
<v Speaker 5>he was he was a professional with the way he

720
00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:04.720
<v Speaker 5>conducted himself, with his effort level and being and being

721
00:33:04.920 --> 00:33:08.319
<v Speaker 5>still focusing and integrated to the game. There are some

722
00:33:08.359 --> 00:33:10.359
<v Speaker 5>people who when things are I mean, just think about it.

723
00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:12.480
<v Speaker 5>The little look game. He didn't catch anyvolves, I don't think,

724
00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:15.839
<v Speaker 5>and he could have easily solved him and been you

725
00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:19.240
<v Speaker 5>know how some players get He wasn't. He still had

726
00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:22.720
<v Speaker 5>that focus and effort in the game, the entire game.

727
00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:25.240
<v Speaker 5>So that to me carries a lot of weight for

728
00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:29.359
<v Speaker 5>gms and for the future, to whomever his future employee

729
00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:32.519
<v Speaker 5>is gonna because now they almost gotten employees wherever he

730
00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:35.720
<v Speaker 5>goes to next I think they're going to take that

731
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:40.359
<v Speaker 5>as a positive and hopefully he takes the next step

732
00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:43.640
<v Speaker 5>and improves enough to get himself in that first, second

733
00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:44.720
<v Speaker 5>or third round next year.

734
00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:48.079
<v Speaker 1>Guy I know said he's sharing Dane Key is gonna

735
00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:51.039
<v Speaker 1>end up at Georgia as can you imagine I mean

736
00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:53.519
<v Speaker 1>seeing him in the Silver riches. But that would be

737
00:33:53.559 --> 00:33:55.759
<v Speaker 1>a huge step for him. I don't know if that happens,

738
00:33:56.200 --> 00:33:58.720
<v Speaker 1>but you know, again, the rich will get Richard.

739
00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:04.039
<v Speaker 5>Well, you just have a look. Find a place where

740
00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:08.719
<v Speaker 5>you can still get your targets but also be coached

741
00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:12.719
<v Speaker 5>by a guy whom you respect. It's not always about

742
00:34:12.840 --> 00:34:15.280
<v Speaker 5>the name on the front of the jersey. It's also

743
00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:18.360
<v Speaker 5>find a place that fits you and fits your skills

744
00:34:18.360 --> 00:34:22.000
<v Speaker 5>that find that place more than where about the national

745
00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:25.039
<v Speaker 5>championships in the name across the front of the jersey,

746
00:34:25.320 --> 00:34:28.079
<v Speaker 5>because I think he has the skill set, when used properly,

747
00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:31.920
<v Speaker 5>can propel him to a higher draft status.

748
00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:34.480
<v Speaker 1>Just a couple of minutes left with Van Heiles real quick.

749
00:34:34.519 --> 00:34:37.159
<v Speaker 1>Where you're concerned. I don't know if you're the rumors

750
00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:39.679
<v Speaker 1>about Brad White to Florida State. They filled that job.

751
00:34:39.719 --> 00:34:42.559
<v Speaker 1>But his name is gonna come up this time of year, though,

752
00:34:42.599 --> 00:34:44.400
<v Speaker 1>isn't it. He's he's pretty good.

753
00:34:45.320 --> 00:34:50.599
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, you know, I'm I'm hoping. Look, this is one

754
00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:53.440
<v Speaker 5>thing that I have noticed about Brad White from the

755
00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:57.320
<v Speaker 5>outside looking in, is he is one coach that is

756
00:34:57.400 --> 00:35:01.119
<v Speaker 5>comfortable in his skin. I don't. I think he has

757
00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:05.719
<v Speaker 5>an enormous ego, which it takes to be a head

758
00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:10.320
<v Speaker 5>coach in college football. I think he understands what his

759
00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:13.440
<v Speaker 5>skill sets are, and I think he likes to be

760
00:35:13.719 --> 00:35:15.679
<v Speaker 5>He likes to have his hands on young men and

761
00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:18.360
<v Speaker 5>lead young men. When you're a head coach, you don't

762
00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:21.639
<v Speaker 5>you don't have the ability to touch a group of players.

763
00:35:21.639 --> 00:35:24.719
<v Speaker 5>You got to be the overseer of everyone. When you're

764
00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:27.360
<v Speaker 5>a defensive coordinator, it's a little bit more. You get

765
00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:30.960
<v Speaker 5>your hands on your twenty plus thirty plus players that

766
00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:33.320
<v Speaker 5>now you can mold and become great men. Because one

767
00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:38.119
<v Speaker 5>thing about coaching that is losing in the current landscape

768
00:35:38.119 --> 00:35:41.239
<v Speaker 5>of college football is the ability to create, to create

769
00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:43.760
<v Speaker 5>great young men, and I think he has done a

770
00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:46.840
<v Speaker 5>great job of that. And I think his ego and

771
00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:50.760
<v Speaker 5>not comfortable, but knowing what his strength and skill sets are,

772
00:35:51.159 --> 00:35:54.000
<v Speaker 5>I think he likes to be able to lead a room.

773
00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:57.039
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that's a great point. In this day and age,

774
00:35:57.039 --> 00:36:01.320
<v Speaker 1>guys like him are well compensated. I can relate just

775
00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:03.119
<v Speaker 1>a little bit. When I was at UK, I wanted

776
00:36:03.119 --> 00:36:05.519
<v Speaker 1>to be the editor of the newspaper, lost out by

777
00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:07.480
<v Speaker 1>one vote to a buddy of mine, so I was

778
00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:09.719
<v Speaker 1>the managing editor. And it turn out he had to

779
00:36:09.719 --> 00:36:12.880
<v Speaker 1>go to meetings and make speeches. And I'm back hands

780
00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:15.280
<v Speaker 1>on running the paper, and I'm like, man, I'm so

781
00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:18.320
<v Speaker 1>glad I didn't get that job, now that you know

782
00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:20.280
<v Speaker 1>it wasn't a multi million dollar job. All right, I

783
00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:23.239
<v Speaker 1>got two minutes left. Talk to me about cold weather food.

784
00:36:23.320 --> 00:36:25.239
<v Speaker 1>You still, of course it ain't.

785
00:36:25.079 --> 00:36:25.960
<v Speaker 2>Cold where you are.

786
00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:29.280
<v Speaker 1>But but tell people up here hearing this frigid weather,

787
00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:32.000
<v Speaker 1>who still want to grill? What's a good you know,

788
00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:35.880
<v Speaker 1>bad weather, tough coldness kind of thing. They can go

789
00:36:35.920 --> 00:36:36.440
<v Speaker 1>out and grill.

790
00:36:37.599 --> 00:36:44.119
<v Speaker 5>Oh, when I was in Chicago, I grew, I would think, so,

791
00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:47.079
<v Speaker 5>So what you gotta do is is selling out your

792
00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:49.840
<v Speaker 5>spot for your grill. And back then I didn't have

793
00:36:49.880 --> 00:36:52.039
<v Speaker 5>as much money. I was on a little twenty one

794
00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:56.639
<v Speaker 5>that's Weber kettle grill. Yeah, and you just gotta do

795
00:36:56.679 --> 00:36:58.360
<v Speaker 5>what you gotta do. Now it's going to take you

796
00:36:58.440 --> 00:37:02.480
<v Speaker 5>longer obviously to cook because of the elements. But get

797
00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:05.159
<v Speaker 5>that thing. Don't do it in the garars now, don't

798
00:37:05.159 --> 00:37:08.079
<v Speaker 5>do that now. Yeah, no, no, no, get yourself out,

799
00:37:08.239 --> 00:37:10.320
<v Speaker 5>find a spot and you just got a man up.

800
00:37:10.800 --> 00:37:11.719
<v Speaker 5>As simple as that.

801
00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:15.880
<v Speaker 1>Is there anything in particular you think that lends itself

802
00:37:15.920 --> 00:37:17.679
<v Speaker 1>to this kind of weather we have up here when

803
00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:21.000
<v Speaker 1>it comes to grilling adders. It just the old reliable standards.

804
00:37:21.559 --> 00:37:24.039
<v Speaker 5>Well, I'll tell you this, I will not do a

805
00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:26.880
<v Speaker 5>brisket or pool park that takes too long. You know,

806
00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:30.639
<v Speaker 5>fourteen hours gets your steak. If you if you feel

807
00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:32.440
<v Speaker 5>like you want to do a rib, do a rib

808
00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:35.880
<v Speaker 5>that but then just speed it up. Maybe you just

809
00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:38.360
<v Speaker 5>wrap it the entire time. It's not going to be

810
00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:41.559
<v Speaker 5>the greatest rib, but wrap it for the five tick

811
00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:43.519
<v Speaker 5>you two and a half to three hours. And then

812
00:37:43.599 --> 00:37:46.480
<v Speaker 5>after you wrap it, then you you you unwrap it,

813
00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:50.239
<v Speaker 5>put it on the brawler in the oven for as

814
00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:53.199
<v Speaker 5>long as you need, and on how good you are.

815
00:37:53.360 --> 00:37:55.679
<v Speaker 5>But got to watch it and then cook it that way.

816
00:37:55.760 --> 00:38:00.880
<v Speaker 5>That that you steak chicken and port of the things

817
00:38:00.920 --> 00:38:04.119
<v Speaker 5>you can do outside when it's frigid. And if you

818
00:38:04.239 --> 00:38:06.159
<v Speaker 5>man or nothing, you can do it. You do a rib.

819
00:38:06.239 --> 00:38:08.039
<v Speaker 5>But you just ain't gonna stay out there for four hours.

820
00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:12.880
<v Speaker 1>Oh no, you can't stand there poking it for four hours. Well, man,

821
00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:15.000
<v Speaker 1>always a pleasure, and I will not be I will

822
00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:17.719
<v Speaker 1>not leave you alone because there's gonna be so much happening. Now,

823
00:38:18.119 --> 00:38:20.360
<v Speaker 1>what's your portal? And with college football, we'll talk to

824
00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:22.960
<v Speaker 1>the playoffs as well. But I appreciate it. It was

825
00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:24.800
<v Speaker 1>a tough season for all of us, but we we

826
00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:26.599
<v Speaker 1>thank you for helping us get through it.

827
00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:32.960
<v Speaker 5>I hope I did a good enough job to bring

828
00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:36.400
<v Speaker 5>people off the edge and at least at least let

829
00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:41.119
<v Speaker 5>us live another year. Look, there's nothing there's nothing positive

830
00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:45.039
<v Speaker 5>that comes out of negativity, true, and so don't be

831
00:38:45.159 --> 00:38:48.679
<v Speaker 5>as Coach Cerry's day of Fellowship of the Miserable. Find

832
00:38:48.719 --> 00:38:50.960
<v Speaker 5>a way to find a little positive light out of

833
00:38:50.960 --> 00:38:52.840
<v Speaker 5>this and this the pozzole light could be cut a

834
00:38:52.920 --> 00:38:56.400
<v Speaker 5>bowling and Jamary and Wilcock find something that you can

835
00:38:56.440 --> 00:38:58.320
<v Speaker 5>hold on to for the next few months.

836
00:38:58.400 --> 00:39:00.280
<v Speaker 1>It's the best of the Big Lom Sider here around

837
00:39:00.280 --> 00:40:12.159
<v Speaker 1>six thirty w l av welcome back to the Big

838
00:40:12.159 --> 00:40:13.840
<v Speaker 1>Blue and Sider. I re number two. It is the

839
00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:16.440
<v Speaker 1>best of the Big Blue Insider here. On Christmas Eve,

840
00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:18.920
<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna take you back to a conversation I had

841
00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:21.480
<v Speaker 1>with a writer from the Athletic dot Com but the

842
00:40:21.559 --> 00:40:24.559
<v Speaker 1>name of Brendan Quinn. He wrote a great piece about

843
00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:29.320
<v Speaker 1>Mark Pope and Mark Pope's family, and it was a

844
00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:32.800
<v Speaker 1>wonderful piece by a gentleman named Brendan Quinn who's on

845
00:40:32.840 --> 00:40:36.639
<v Speaker 1>our Celebrity Hotline. He wrote a great feature story about Mark,

846
00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:39.239
<v Speaker 1>Pope and Brendan. Welcome to the show. I appreciate you

847
00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:39.880
<v Speaker 1>joining us.

848
00:40:41.199 --> 00:40:41.880
<v Speaker 3>Thank you, Dick.

849
00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:46.199
<v Speaker 4>I got to tell me if you you're gonna need

850
00:40:46.239 --> 00:40:49.519
<v Speaker 4>to check that hotline. If this is a celebrity status.

851
00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:49.920
<v Speaker 3>Here, I gotta.

852
00:40:51.239 --> 00:40:54.000
<v Speaker 4>Something is going to wry. But I appreciate. Yeah, I

853
00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:55.000
<v Speaker 4>appreciate you having me on.

854
00:40:55.280 --> 00:40:58.280
<v Speaker 1>Here's the rule. While you're on the celebrity hotline. You're

855
00:40:58.320 --> 00:41:02.239
<v Speaker 1>a celebrity once you have that's all. It's all you.

856
00:41:02.639 --> 00:41:03.280
<v Speaker 1>It's all you.

857
00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:03.760
<v Speaker 5>Okay.

858
00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:06.159
<v Speaker 1>I will say this though, in the Big Bow Nation,

859
00:41:06.320 --> 00:41:08.719
<v Speaker 1>if people read your story, you'll become a celebrity, at

860
00:41:08.760 --> 00:41:11.599
<v Speaker 1>least locally. Here was a terrific piece on Mark, and

861
00:41:11.639 --> 00:41:14.599
<v Speaker 1>there have been a gazillion stories written about him. Of course,

862
00:41:14.639 --> 00:41:17.400
<v Speaker 1>you kind of went at the family angle, which I

863
00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:20.800
<v Speaker 1>thought was fascinating. Tell me, first of all, why you

864
00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:24.760
<v Speaker 1>chose that, and secondly, tell me about the access you got.

865
00:41:25.840 --> 00:41:26.679
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

866
00:41:26.719 --> 00:41:29.840
<v Speaker 4>So this all of this kind of starts more so

867
00:41:30.239 --> 00:41:34.719
<v Speaker 4>last basketball season when I wanted to do a story

868
00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:41.079
<v Speaker 4>on BYU basketball and the intersection of you know, the

869
00:41:41.119 --> 00:41:45.000
<v Speaker 4>school being owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ,

870
00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:47.320
<v Speaker 4>of the Latter day Saint, right, and that's kind of

871
00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:51.000
<v Speaker 4>the mission of the university and the athletic department being

872
00:41:51.039 --> 00:41:55.280
<v Speaker 4>a vehicle for exposure for the religion, et cetera, et cetera,

873
00:41:55.320 --> 00:41:56.000
<v Speaker 4>et cetera.

874
00:41:56.119 --> 00:41:56.920
<v Speaker 3>So that the.

875
00:41:56.920 --> 00:42:01.239
<v Speaker 4>Dynamic of that and the direction of college sports with

876
00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:04.679
<v Speaker 4>pay for play with nil, you know what I mean,

877
00:42:04.719 --> 00:42:06.760
<v Speaker 4>where there's this kind of it seems like there's a

878
00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:10.360
<v Speaker 4>fundamental tension between those two goals, right, So that's what

879
00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:11.519
<v Speaker 4>I wanted to write about. So I went out to

880
00:42:11.559 --> 00:42:16.400
<v Speaker 4>Provo and spent three days with with Mark and had

881
00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:19.000
<v Speaker 4>some behind the scenes access at in on some meetings,

882
00:42:19.599 --> 00:42:23.599
<v Speaker 4>got to know him fairly well. You know, I thought

883
00:42:23.599 --> 00:42:26.559
<v Speaker 4>the story was interesting, et cetera, et cetera. But you know,

884
00:42:26.599 --> 00:42:29.159
<v Speaker 4>we had a lot of conversations that had absolutely nothing

885
00:42:29.199 --> 00:42:32.199
<v Speaker 4>to do with the story, and it was about him,

886
00:42:32.199 --> 00:42:33.559
<v Speaker 4>and it was about his life, and it was about

887
00:42:33.559 --> 00:42:36.840
<v Speaker 4>his family. And I'm the son of a coach, so

888
00:42:36.920 --> 00:42:40.519
<v Speaker 4>I kind of grew up around. We're in a family

889
00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:43.960
<v Speaker 4>that kind of was, you know, subscribed to the schedule

890
00:42:44.079 --> 00:42:46.599
<v Speaker 4>of a college coach. And now my dad coached you know,

891
00:42:46.679 --> 00:42:48.599
<v Speaker 4>track and field, across country and all that stuff. But

892
00:42:48.639 --> 00:42:51.519
<v Speaker 4>it was every week at us away recruiting all that stuff.

893
00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:53.480
<v Speaker 4>But so we talked a lot about that and him

894
00:42:53.519 --> 00:42:55.719
<v Speaker 4>having you know, a large family that he was raising,

895
00:42:56.199 --> 00:42:58.840
<v Speaker 4>and you know, Leanne's experience of growing up as a

896
00:42:58.920 --> 00:43:01.159
<v Speaker 4>coach's child. So I just have stored all of that

897
00:43:01.320 --> 00:43:05.400
<v Speaker 4>right in the recesses of the mind. And once you know,

898
00:43:05.440 --> 00:43:09.199
<v Speaker 4>Mark at the Kentucky job, you know, one of my

899
00:43:09.199 --> 00:43:11.440
<v Speaker 4>first thoughts with Wow, that family's about to get you know,

900
00:43:12.559 --> 00:43:15.760
<v Speaker 4>a lot of exposure, and that's that's going to be difficult.

901
00:43:16.800 --> 00:43:20.840
<v Speaker 4>And then obviously, once you know, the great Kyle Tucker

902
00:43:20.880 --> 00:43:24.639
<v Speaker 4>decided to you know, take his talents elsewhere, you know,

903
00:43:24.679 --> 00:43:27.599
<v Speaker 4>we had a void for the preseason, and you know,

904
00:43:27.599 --> 00:43:29.920
<v Speaker 4>we needed to do something on Mark. I would argue that,

905
00:43:30.480 --> 00:43:33.840
<v Speaker 4>you know, it's they're interconnected, but him going to Kentucky

906
00:43:33.920 --> 00:43:37.760
<v Speaker 4>and Calgo in Arkansas and those two and Cooper Flag

907
00:43:37.840 --> 00:43:41.440
<v Speaker 4>are probably the three biggest stories of the preseason, so

908
00:43:41.599 --> 00:43:43.440
<v Speaker 4>you know, we needed to have them accounted for. So

909
00:43:44.719 --> 00:43:48.119
<v Speaker 4>I reached out to Mark and said, listen, I would

910
00:43:48.239 --> 00:43:52.360
<v Speaker 4>like to write something about you, but I think it

911
00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:55.079
<v Speaker 4>needs to kind of come maybe from the perspective of

912
00:43:55.480 --> 00:43:57.559
<v Speaker 4>your wife and your daughters, and maybe that can help

913
00:43:57.679 --> 00:44:02.039
<v Speaker 4>kind of have a broader audience learn about you, because

914
00:44:02.039 --> 00:44:03.559
<v Speaker 4>one of the big things that you like, you know

915
00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:06.599
<v Speaker 4>is you know, the second the game starts, you know,

916
00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:11.400
<v Speaker 4>the human sides over. No one cares anymore who you are,

917
00:44:11.679 --> 00:44:14.639
<v Speaker 4>right once there's wings and losses. You are a video

918
00:44:14.679 --> 00:44:18.039
<v Speaker 4>game character and no one cares. So you know, I

919
00:44:18.079 --> 00:44:21.679
<v Speaker 4>just wanted to maybe give a portrait of the person

920
00:44:21.800 --> 00:44:26.519
<v Speaker 4>underneath the job title before before things got real.

921
00:44:26.760 --> 00:44:30.440
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, how did he respond, because a lot of coaches

922
00:44:30.960 --> 00:44:33.519
<v Speaker 1>are very pretend as well they should be of the

923
00:44:33.559 --> 00:44:35.559
<v Speaker 1>wife and especially the kids.

924
00:44:37.280 --> 00:44:41.880
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, you know, he he was. He was open to it.

925
00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:44.760
<v Speaker 4>I basically just kind of painted a picture of what

926
00:44:44.800 --> 00:44:47.639
<v Speaker 4>it would entail and all this, and like I said

927
00:44:47.679 --> 00:44:54.719
<v Speaker 4>to the four girls, his daughters, like, you know, not

928
00:44:54.800 --> 00:44:59.159
<v Speaker 4>profiling you, right, Like the story is about your dad.

929
00:45:01.039 --> 00:45:04.840
<v Speaker 4>And and I think that gave everyone a degree of comfort

930
00:45:04.840 --> 00:45:05.960
<v Speaker 4>of like, you know, what do you want to know

931
00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:09.599
<v Speaker 4>about me? It's you know, it's not about you. So

932
00:45:10.440 --> 00:45:14.119
<v Speaker 4>you know, I think that that was put put people

933
00:45:14.159 --> 00:45:15.840
<v Speaker 4>at ease a little bit. And then also it's like

934
00:45:15.880 --> 00:45:18.800
<v Speaker 4>a matter of trust, you know that that that the

935
00:45:18.920 --> 00:45:23.480
<v Speaker 4>job requires sometimes and knowing that there's no other agendas.

936
00:45:23.519 --> 00:45:27.039
<v Speaker 4>There's no ulterior notice, there's you know, it's just trying

937
00:45:27.079 --> 00:45:32.400
<v Speaker 4>to produce the best story for the audience. You know,

938
00:45:32.519 --> 00:45:35.400
<v Speaker 4>I'm not a character in the story, right, It's it's

939
00:45:35.480 --> 00:45:39.920
<v Speaker 4>just it's just them as a family, and the goal

940
00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:43.519
<v Speaker 4>is just trying to make them as authentic as possible.

941
00:45:44.119 --> 00:45:46.519
<v Speaker 1>Talking to Brendan Quinn, he wrote a terrific piece about

942
00:45:46.519 --> 00:45:50.400
<v Speaker 1>Mark Pope and his family, uh Leanne and the four girls,

943
00:45:50.440 --> 00:45:54.280
<v Speaker 1>and you know, ultimately this story is about love, about

944
00:45:54.440 --> 00:45:59.199
<v Speaker 1>their interpersonal relationships with their dad, with the husband and wife,

945
00:45:59.239 --> 00:46:01.920
<v Speaker 1>and how much he loves this place. And I asked

946
00:46:02.000 --> 00:46:05.440
<v Speaker 1>Mark the other day during we were broadcasting the pro

947
00:46:05.559 --> 00:46:11.320
<v Speaker 1>day event, and I said, you know, your early fifties

948
00:46:11.400 --> 00:46:14.880
<v Speaker 1>or whatever, you only lived here for three years, and

949
00:46:14.960 --> 00:46:18.719
<v Speaker 1>yet you are so passionate about this place. So there's

950
00:46:18.760 --> 00:46:20.639
<v Speaker 1>a lot of passion in this story, isn't there.

951
00:46:22.400 --> 00:46:28.039
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, that's that's a great point. And you know, I

952
00:46:28.639 --> 00:46:32.000
<v Speaker 4>think a lot of it is. You know, there's probably

953
00:46:32.199 --> 00:46:34.559
<v Speaker 4>more digging to be done if you really want to

954
00:46:34.639 --> 00:46:37.239
<v Speaker 4>kind of print the screws on that brain and try

955
00:46:37.280 --> 00:46:39.519
<v Speaker 4>to figure out what's all in there. Like you know,

956
00:46:39.599 --> 00:46:41.519
<v Speaker 4>he moved around a little bit as a kid. You know,

957
00:46:41.559 --> 00:46:43.039
<v Speaker 4>he was in Washington and et cetera.

958
00:46:43.199 --> 00:46:43.639
<v Speaker 5>And then.

959
00:46:45.840 --> 00:46:49.320
<v Speaker 4>I think there was a fundamental disappointment with how things

960
00:46:49.400 --> 00:46:52.639
<v Speaker 4>ended at Washington. He was a big time he was

961
00:46:52.679 --> 00:46:56.119
<v Speaker 4>a big, big time recruit, and he and four other

962
00:46:56.280 --> 00:46:57.079
<v Speaker 4>this was a wormhole.

963
00:46:57.119 --> 00:46:57.599
<v Speaker 5>I fell down.

964
00:46:57.639 --> 00:46:59.559
<v Speaker 4>I was reading all these old newspaper stories about when

965
00:46:59.559 --> 00:47:05.360
<v Speaker 4>he committed to Washington in eighty nine. There it was

966
00:47:05.400 --> 00:47:07.800
<v Speaker 4>a big deal. It was him and the program was

967
00:47:07.800 --> 00:47:11.000
<v Speaker 4>in bad shape right that he and four other Seattle

968
00:47:11.039 --> 00:47:14.400
<v Speaker 4>area players committed to the program, and that was supposed

969
00:47:14.440 --> 00:47:17.880
<v Speaker 4>to be the turnaround. Yea, And two years later they

970
00:47:17.880 --> 00:47:20.840
<v Speaker 4>weren't winning. The coach was fired, and you know, Mark

971
00:47:20.920 --> 00:47:23.519
<v Speaker 4>had to go find a new place. You know, he

972
00:47:23.559 --> 00:47:27.039
<v Speaker 4>gave the new coach a chance and met with him,

973
00:47:27.159 --> 00:47:32.239
<v Speaker 4>but ultimately decided to go elsewhere. And you know that

974
00:47:32.840 --> 00:47:37.039
<v Speaker 4>he looked at looked at Utah, but but ultimately, you know,

975
00:47:37.039 --> 00:47:40.039
<v Speaker 4>he was recruited by Kentucky the first time, and and

976
00:47:40.079 --> 00:47:42.280
<v Speaker 4>then when Potito came back around, you know, I feel

977
00:47:42.320 --> 00:47:46.079
<v Speaker 4>like that really became part of his identity, and that's

978
00:47:46.079 --> 00:47:47.360
<v Speaker 4>where that passion comes from.

979
00:47:48.280 --> 00:47:52.599
<v Speaker 1>I remember hearing his name from Rick Patino when he

980
00:47:52.719 --> 00:47:56.559
<v Speaker 1>was unhappy with the way his team rebounded at one season.

981
00:47:56.599 --> 00:47:58.760
<v Speaker 1>He could next year. That's not going to be a

982
00:47:58.800 --> 00:48:01.119
<v Speaker 1>problem because Mark Pope going to be here and he

983
00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:04.199
<v Speaker 1>was already on campus, you know, practicing, So I thought, yes,

984
00:48:04.320 --> 00:48:06.639
<v Speaker 1>send the bar pretty high for this guy. But I

985
00:48:06.639 --> 00:48:09.159
<v Speaker 1>have heard Mark. I heard Mark maybe probably as a

986
00:48:09.159 --> 00:48:13.960
<v Speaker 1>player in the past, talk about some element of failure

987
00:48:14.079 --> 00:48:18.800
<v Speaker 1>he felt because of what happened. Had you done? But man,

988
00:48:18.840 --> 00:48:21.079
<v Speaker 1>you talk about second chances. He hit that one out

989
00:48:21.119 --> 00:48:21.880
<v Speaker 1>of the park, didn't he.

990
00:48:23.800 --> 00:48:24.079
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

991
00:48:24.400 --> 00:48:29.320
<v Speaker 4>And the thing that I'm kind of always been most

992
00:48:29.360 --> 00:48:34.159
<v Speaker 4>fascinated by with his Kentucky experience was, you know, Rick

993
00:48:34.280 --> 00:48:37.320
<v Speaker 4>telling him, you know, you're going to be kind of

994
00:48:37.320 --> 00:48:40.599
<v Speaker 4>the glue guy that holds this whole thing together, and

995
00:48:40.840 --> 00:48:42.280
<v Speaker 4>going from the guy I mean he was the Pac

996
00:48:42.400 --> 00:48:43.440
<v Speaker 4>ten freshman of the year.

997
00:48:43.559 --> 00:48:45.280
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, yeah, its first.

998
00:48:45.119 --> 00:48:48.599
<v Speaker 4>Season at Washington. He started every game his first two years.

999
00:48:49.039 --> 00:48:50.360
<v Speaker 4>You know, he was on his way to having a

1000
00:48:50.360 --> 00:48:55.920
<v Speaker 4>pretty prolific college career, and he he decided, you know,

1001
00:48:56.400 --> 00:48:59.719
<v Speaker 4>I'm going to go be the sixth guy on a

1002
00:48:59.760 --> 00:49:02.440
<v Speaker 4>real good team and with the aim of winning a

1003
00:49:02.480 --> 00:49:05.760
<v Speaker 4>national championship. And he ended up getting drafted. That's great,

1004
00:49:05.880 --> 00:49:08.599
<v Speaker 4>But you know, if you think about how big men

1005
00:49:08.639 --> 00:49:12.480
<v Speaker 4>were treated and thought of by the NBA in the

1006
00:49:12.599 --> 00:49:15.039
<v Speaker 4>early nineties. You know, if he had played somewhere else

1007
00:49:15.079 --> 00:49:17.679
<v Speaker 4>and been you know, all conference this, all conference, that

1008
00:49:17.920 --> 00:49:21.000
<v Speaker 4>averaging you know, seventeen a game, blah blah blah, it

1009
00:49:21.000 --> 00:49:22.880
<v Speaker 4>could have been a first round pick. Yeah, you know

1010
00:49:22.920 --> 00:49:25.480
<v Speaker 4>that he likes to downplay how how big of a

1011
00:49:25.480 --> 00:49:28.440
<v Speaker 4>player he was. But you know, I'm sure if he

1012
00:49:28.559 --> 00:49:33.639
<v Speaker 4>had maybe gone to Utah, gone wherever as a transfer,

1013
00:49:34.519 --> 00:49:36.639
<v Speaker 4>it could have been very different in terms of how

1014
00:49:36.719 --> 00:49:38.960
<v Speaker 4>his his career went from there.

1015
00:49:40.000 --> 00:49:42.280
<v Speaker 1>We're talking to Brendan Quinn of The Athletic about a

1016
00:49:42.320 --> 00:49:45.159
<v Speaker 1>PC wrote about Mark Pope and the family. Will come

1017
00:49:45.159 --> 00:49:47.440
<v Speaker 1>back with more and just a minute for Brendan. You're

1018
00:49:47.480 --> 00:49:49.639
<v Speaker 1>listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider here

1019
00:49:49.679 --> 00:49:55.719
<v Speaker 1>on Christmas Eve, six thirty wlap. Hey, it's Dick Gabriel.

1020
00:49:55.760 --> 00:49:58.159
<v Speaker 1>You're listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider.

1021
00:49:58.559 --> 00:50:00.960
<v Speaker 1>My guest is Brendan Quinn. He is a fine writer

1022
00:50:01.119 --> 00:50:03.559
<v Speaker 1>with The Athletic, and you also see his work at

1023
00:50:03.599 --> 00:50:06.760
<v Speaker 1>times on the pages of The New York Times, which

1024
00:50:06.800 --> 00:50:11.000
<v Speaker 1>now owns the Athletic and uses that basically as its

1025
00:50:11.000 --> 00:50:14.440
<v Speaker 1>sports section. Kind of picks and chooses, did they pick

1026
00:50:14.480 --> 00:50:17.480
<v Speaker 1>your piece? I take the Sunday Times, But was it

1027
00:50:17.480 --> 00:50:19.880
<v Speaker 1>anywhere else in the New York Times yet?

1028
00:50:20.280 --> 00:50:22.719
<v Speaker 4>You know, I would think usually a story of this

1029
00:50:22.880 --> 00:50:25.679
<v Speaker 4>length would probably fall on a weekend edition. Yeah, so

1030
00:50:26.119 --> 00:50:29.519
<v Speaker 4>I would look for it this weekend. For instance, last week,

1031
00:50:30.599 --> 00:50:35.960
<v Speaker 4>my story on John Califari at Arkansas ran on the

1032
00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:38.480
<v Speaker 4>Athletic on like a Tuesday or Wednesday, and then ran

1033
00:50:38.519 --> 00:50:41.320
<v Speaker 4>in print on I believe Saturday, with the leaders of

1034
00:50:41.320 --> 00:50:42.760
<v Speaker 4>the sports section in the print edition.

1035
00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:45.920
<v Speaker 1>Well, and the Times did retweet it, So somebody up.

1036
00:50:45.800 --> 00:50:46.840
<v Speaker 4>There like that.

1037
00:50:47.079 --> 00:50:48.199
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you know.

1038
00:50:48.480 --> 00:50:52.159
<v Speaker 1>I was looking through the story about the girls because

1039
00:50:52.159 --> 00:50:55.880
<v Speaker 1>it was so interesting to me that the reason Scott Drew,

1040
00:50:55.920 --> 00:50:57.840
<v Speaker 1>one of the biggest reasons, as you know, he didn't

1041
00:50:57.840 --> 00:51:01.880
<v Speaker 1>take this job, was because Missus Scott Drew would not

1042
00:51:02.000 --> 00:51:05.559
<v Speaker 1>have been comfortable with the spotlight here on her and

1043
00:51:05.559 --> 00:51:08.960
<v Speaker 1>her family. And that's why Drew sent her in the

1044
00:51:09.039 --> 00:51:11.880
<v Speaker 1>plane to Lexing and to check things out while he

1045
00:51:11.960 --> 00:51:16.800
<v Speaker 1>stayed back in Waco. But one of the stories Mark told,

1046
00:51:16.800 --> 00:51:19.320
<v Speaker 1>I'm sure you know, at the PEP rally that served

1047
00:51:19.559 --> 00:51:23.960
<v Speaker 1>as his welcoming back to Kentucky. He told about how

1048
00:51:24.000 --> 00:51:26.679
<v Speaker 1>all the girls were all in and you wrote about

1049
00:51:26.679 --> 00:51:29.440
<v Speaker 1>that how the youngest might have balked a little bit

1050
00:51:29.960 --> 00:51:32.360
<v Speaker 1>because it probably would have been the toughest on her,

1051
00:51:33.360 --> 00:51:35.639
<v Speaker 1>you know, yeah, picking up high schools, making new friends.

1052
00:51:36.039 --> 00:51:38.400
<v Speaker 1>But I was fascinated Brandon by the fact that they

1053
00:51:38.440 --> 00:51:40.519
<v Speaker 1>were all of them all in, weren't they.

1054
00:51:41.840 --> 00:51:42.079
<v Speaker 5>Yeah.

1055
00:51:42.119 --> 00:51:44.400
<v Speaker 4>I think part of it is, you know, they grew

1056
00:51:44.440 --> 00:51:47.119
<v Speaker 4>up Kentucky fans. You know, even while he was bouncing

1057
00:51:47.159 --> 00:51:50.440
<v Speaker 4>around jobs going Georgia, Wake Forest and then BYU and

1058
00:51:51.840 --> 00:51:56.000
<v Speaker 4>Utah Valley, et cetera, they were always at their core

1059
00:51:56.199 --> 00:52:02.480
<v Speaker 4>Kentucky fans. Yeah, And I think even beyond that, likes

1060
00:52:03.239 --> 00:52:07.639
<v Speaker 4>it's bigger than just oh, Kentucky's like the best job

1061
00:52:07.679 --> 00:52:09.480
<v Speaker 4>in the country, So we want that for dad, or

1062
00:52:09.519 --> 00:52:12.079
<v Speaker 4>it's his dream, so we want that for dad. I

1063
00:52:12.119 --> 00:52:16.159
<v Speaker 4>think a lot of this goes to Lee Man and

1064
00:52:17.039 --> 00:52:22.599
<v Speaker 4>she grew up changing schools every two three years and

1065
00:52:23.320 --> 00:52:27.960
<v Speaker 4>being around a basketball team and like that is her.

1066
00:52:28.639 --> 00:52:33.119
<v Speaker 4>That is her normal, right, It is being a coach's

1067
00:52:33.360 --> 00:52:38.119
<v Speaker 4>kid is you know, seeing the highs of winds and

1068
00:52:38.119 --> 00:52:43.800
<v Speaker 4>the lows of losses and being there being part of

1069
00:52:43.840 --> 00:52:46.639
<v Speaker 4>a team like that was normal. So when Mark dropped

1070
00:52:46.639 --> 00:52:48.519
<v Speaker 4>it out of med school and wanted to go into coaching.

1071
00:52:48.559 --> 00:52:51.280
<v Speaker 4>She was like, let's do it. And one of the

1072
00:52:51.320 --> 00:52:53.239
<v Speaker 4>things and this didn't make it into the final copy,

1073
00:52:53.239 --> 00:52:55.719
<v Speaker 4>and it's because I'm a bad writer. But one of

1074
00:52:55.760 --> 00:52:59.199
<v Speaker 4>the things that got the most is when they were

1075
00:53:01.199 --> 00:53:02.719
<v Speaker 4>Leanne was explaining to me, She's like, you know the

1076
00:53:02.760 --> 00:53:06.480
<v Speaker 4>thing about or no, I'm sorry Mark said this to me,

1077
00:53:08.760 --> 00:53:11.440
<v Speaker 4>or wait, even one of the girls, I'm sorry, I apologize,

1078
00:53:11.440 --> 00:53:16.159
<v Speaker 4>but I think it might have been Layla actually said,

1079
00:53:16.280 --> 00:53:21.920
<v Speaker 4>you know, Mom never has never complained or take an

1080
00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:27.800
<v Speaker 4>issue with or been angry about Dad's schedule or when

1081
00:53:27.840 --> 00:53:30.760
<v Speaker 4>he wasn't there right, And it was because it was

1082
00:53:30.880 --> 00:53:36.840
<v Speaker 4>always breakfast or framed as we have practice today, we

1083
00:53:36.880 --> 00:53:41.079
<v Speaker 4>have a recruiting trip, our team is doing this, our

1084
00:53:41.119 --> 00:53:43.960
<v Speaker 4>team is doing that. So it's not Mark as the

1085
00:53:44.000 --> 00:53:48.239
<v Speaker 4>head coach. They're all the head coach, you know. So

1086
00:53:48.320 --> 00:53:50.760
<v Speaker 4>that is the product. I think of Lehan coming up

1087
00:53:50.800 --> 00:53:54.960
<v Speaker 4>under her father, Lenn Archibald, who coached for twenty eight

1088
00:53:55.079 --> 00:53:58.159
<v Speaker 4>years and had you know, he was fired. He knows

1089
00:53:58.159 --> 00:54:00.039
<v Speaker 4>what it's like to be fired as a job and

1090
00:54:00.280 --> 00:54:02.960
<v Speaker 4>he had yes that place that he took a team

1091
00:54:03.000 --> 00:54:08.119
<v Speaker 4>to the NCAA tournament as a head coach, and I

1092
00:54:08.119 --> 00:54:13.960
<v Speaker 4>think her understanding that made her as a parent so

1093
00:54:14.280 --> 00:54:18.079
<v Speaker 4>uniquely qualified for what's really challenging. It is not easy

1094
00:54:18.079 --> 00:54:25.119
<v Speaker 4>being a coach's spouse, and she's just so hardwired to

1095
00:54:25.320 --> 00:54:29.159
<v Speaker 4>what's most important. And she raced Boord Alltars who were

1096
00:54:29.159 --> 00:54:29.599
<v Speaker 4>in the same way.

1097
00:54:29.599 --> 00:54:34.000
<v Speaker 1>I think really really fascinating. I saw that about Lynn

1098
00:54:34.039 --> 00:54:37.360
<v Speaker 1>Archibald and here's a quick aside. Lynn Archibald for just

1099
00:54:37.360 --> 00:54:41.199
<v Speaker 1>a union and took over for Jerry Pim at Utah, right, yes,

1100
00:54:41.360 --> 00:54:45.440
<v Speaker 1>Jerry Pim's Utah team in nineteen seventy seven. It was

1101
00:54:45.480 --> 00:54:47.599
<v Speaker 1>part of the seventy seven to seventy eight season which

1102
00:54:47.639 --> 00:54:52.119
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky won a national title. His Utah team upset Kentucky

1103
00:54:52.159 --> 00:54:56.760
<v Speaker 1>in their Christmas tournament and won their invitational tournament. Cliff

1104
00:54:56.800 --> 00:54:59.159
<v Speaker 1>Hagen was so ticked off that as he handed him

1105
00:54:59.159 --> 00:55:02.719
<v Speaker 1>the trophy, he said, congratulations, I'm inviting you right now

1106
00:55:02.760 --> 00:55:05.320
<v Speaker 1>to come back next year and try to defend this.

1107
00:55:06.199 --> 00:55:10.159
<v Speaker 1>They did not. But and then as you know, probably

1108
00:55:10.199 --> 00:55:12.079
<v Speaker 1>Pim went on to U see Santa Barbara because he

1109
00:55:12.079 --> 00:55:14.639
<v Speaker 1>wanted to live on a boat. And that's why Archie.

1110
00:55:14.880 --> 00:55:16.480
<v Speaker 4>Wanted to live on a boat. And he said it

1111
00:55:16.519 --> 00:55:20.480
<v Speaker 4>was a better job, and he just wanted to live

1112
00:55:20.480 --> 00:55:21.119
<v Speaker 4>in California.

1113
00:55:21.239 --> 00:55:23.000
<v Speaker 1>I'd say the ocean had a lot to do with that.

1114
00:55:24.480 --> 00:55:26.880
<v Speaker 1>We got a few minutes left with Brendan Quinn. You know,

1115
00:55:26.920 --> 00:55:29.519
<v Speaker 1>it was interesting. Uh. The one of the stories Mark

1116
00:55:29.599 --> 00:55:32.280
<v Speaker 1>told about his girls, I don't remember which one it was,

1117
00:55:32.960 --> 00:55:36.880
<v Speaker 1>but there's a really famous video clip where his ninety

1118
00:55:36.920 --> 00:55:40.159
<v Speaker 1>six team, his championship team in the hallway before they

1119
00:55:40.199 --> 00:55:42.159
<v Speaker 1>came out on the on the court. You may have

1120
00:55:42.239 --> 00:55:44.880
<v Speaker 1>heard about it or seen it, where they chant who's

1121
00:55:44.920 --> 00:55:45.840
<v Speaker 1>in the house tonight?

1122
00:55:46.599 --> 00:55:46.840
<v Speaker 3>UK?

1123
00:55:47.840 --> 00:55:51.079
<v Speaker 1>And when Mark talked about that to his kids, one

1124
00:55:51.079 --> 00:55:55.400
<v Speaker 1>of his daughters started chanting that. That floored me. That

1125
00:55:55.519 --> 00:55:58.440
<v Speaker 1>was I thought that was one of the great anecdotes.

1126
00:55:58.480 --> 00:56:01.039
<v Speaker 1>So that told me that the family was all in.

1127
00:56:03.039 --> 00:56:03.719
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, there's.

1128
00:56:05.039 --> 00:56:08.360
<v Speaker 4>There's a there's a million examples of that. When I

1129
00:56:08.360 --> 00:56:11.360
<v Speaker 4>think it was Shay even it was one of the

1130
00:56:11.400 --> 00:56:15.159
<v Speaker 4>younger ones and went in Shay when there was a

1131
00:56:15.199 --> 00:56:18.119
<v Speaker 4>game when he had the Georgia job. When he got

1132
00:56:18.119 --> 00:56:22.239
<v Speaker 4>the George job as a you know, low level assistant

1133
00:56:22.360 --> 00:56:25.000
<v Speaker 4>assistant to the director of Best Operations, which I didn't

1134
00:56:25.039 --> 00:56:26.679
<v Speaker 4>know was the job. I don't think i've seen that

1135
00:56:26.760 --> 00:56:31.000
<v Speaker 4>listed anywhere in any other programs, the dobo having having

1136
00:56:31.079 --> 00:56:36.159
<v Speaker 4>hit to her own assistant, you know, just a six

1137
00:56:36.280 --> 00:56:39.760
<v Speaker 4>ten ball boy. But he, you know, he had he

1138
00:56:39.840 --> 00:56:43.119
<v Speaker 4>got the position at Georgia. So the family went down

1139
00:56:45.360 --> 00:56:48.719
<v Speaker 4>and you know, one of the girls they grew up

1140
00:56:48.760 --> 00:56:52.159
<v Speaker 4>Kentucky fans and when they were going to their first game,

1141
00:56:53.199 --> 00:56:55.320
<v Speaker 4>realized that they were supposed to be rooting for Georgia

1142
00:56:55.840 --> 00:57:00.360
<v Speaker 4>and it was unacceptable, you know, it was like, we can't,

1143
00:57:00.360 --> 00:57:02.400
<v Speaker 4>we can't root for Georgia. So they had to stop

1144
00:57:02.440 --> 00:57:05.159
<v Speaker 4>and go buy a pair at Kentucky, a blue Kentucky

1145
00:57:05.199 --> 00:57:09.119
<v Speaker 4>stocks for her to wear at the game, Uh, to

1146
00:57:09.199 --> 00:57:11.039
<v Speaker 4>kind of put her at ease for root for an

1147
00:57:11.039 --> 00:57:15.039
<v Speaker 4>out rooting, you know, for for for Kentucky. So yeah,

1148
00:57:15.119 --> 00:57:20.000
<v Speaker 4>you know, I think it's it's it's one of the

1149
00:57:20.000 --> 00:57:21.800
<v Speaker 4>things that really I think was kind of like the

1150
00:57:21.840 --> 00:57:24.360
<v Speaker 4>big picture thought and the idea that when he was

1151
00:57:24.440 --> 00:57:27.159
<v Speaker 4>hired is the notion that you know, the job's too

1152
00:57:27.239 --> 00:57:29.880
<v Speaker 4>big for him, is what you heard a lot.

1153
00:57:30.599 --> 00:57:31.920
<v Speaker 3>And look, I have.

1154
00:57:31.920 --> 00:57:33.599
<v Speaker 4>No idea how this is going to go, right, Like

1155
00:57:33.679 --> 00:57:36.400
<v Speaker 4>if you told me it's not gonna work and in

1156
00:57:36.440 --> 00:57:38.440
<v Speaker 4>three years, you know, there's a change in whatever, I'd

1157
00:57:38.440 --> 00:57:39.840
<v Speaker 4>be like yeah, I can see that. And if you

1158
00:57:39.880 --> 00:57:43.480
<v Speaker 4>told me they're gonna win a national championship, iuld say yeah,

1159
00:57:43.719 --> 00:57:47.920
<v Speaker 4>I could see that. So but but either way it

1160
00:57:47.960 --> 00:57:50.360
<v Speaker 4>won't be because the job is too big for him,

1161
00:57:50.559 --> 00:57:54.679
<v Speaker 4>you know, like, that's not that is not it. Who

1162
00:57:54.760 --> 00:57:57.840
<v Speaker 4>knows what else could happen, but I think it's anything.

1163
00:57:57.880 --> 00:58:04.000
<v Speaker 4>It's the opposite. That's everything in a very unique life

1164
00:58:05.519 --> 00:58:10.639
<v Speaker 4>has been circumscribed for this exact opportunity or moment. So

1165
00:58:10.960 --> 00:58:12.360
<v Speaker 4>you know, let's see what happens from here.

1166
00:58:12.440 --> 00:58:14.719
<v Speaker 1>Well, yeah, and that said, before I let you go,

1167
00:58:14.760 --> 00:58:16.079
<v Speaker 1>I got to ask you to take you back to

1168
00:58:16.119 --> 00:58:19.800
<v Speaker 1>Tuesday night when Mark Pope, just three games into his

1169
00:58:19.880 --> 00:58:24.039
<v Speaker 1>first regular season at Kentucky, gets a signature win over

1170
00:58:24.199 --> 00:58:27.360
<v Speaker 1>Duke of all teams, the team Kentucky fans love to hate.

1171
00:58:27.960 --> 00:58:30.000
<v Speaker 1>I know you were spending the dial that night in

1172
00:58:30.039 --> 00:58:33.159
<v Speaker 1>your role as a guy who follows college basketball nationally.

1173
00:58:33.239 --> 00:58:36.079
<v Speaker 1>But what were you thinking, knowing this coach and this

1174
00:58:36.199 --> 00:58:38.960
<v Speaker 1>family the way you know now as they put the

1175
00:58:38.960 --> 00:58:40.559
<v Speaker 1>finishing touches on this upset?

1176
00:58:42.679 --> 00:58:46.440
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, I mean I think there was. It was a

1177
00:58:46.480 --> 00:58:50.400
<v Speaker 4>fine example of he's a Duke coach. I know that

1178
00:58:50.679 --> 00:58:55.559
<v Speaker 4>he presents as a certain way right. But I mean

1179
00:58:55.599 --> 00:59:01.840
<v Speaker 4>he is a really good basketball coach, and this team

1180
00:59:02.760 --> 00:59:06.599
<v Speaker 4>is is a very interesting blend of like guys that

1181
00:59:06.840 --> 00:59:09.679
<v Speaker 4>I think kind of has pieces of him where it's

1182
00:59:09.719 --> 00:59:12.239
<v Speaker 4>you know, there is it's almost a bunch of glue guys.

1183
00:59:12.400 --> 00:59:14.719
<v Speaker 4>Like I don't know who's the who's the star of

1184
00:59:14.760 --> 00:59:15.320
<v Speaker 4>this team?

1185
00:59:15.519 --> 00:59:15.960
<v Speaker 5>I don't know.

1186
00:59:16.000 --> 00:59:18.320
<v Speaker 4>I know and Andrew Carr was the leading scorer, right,

1187
00:59:18.360 --> 00:59:21.599
<v Speaker 4>but like, yeah, who's the guy who's the lottery pay

1188
00:59:21.679 --> 00:59:25.480
<v Speaker 4>I don't. I don't think that exists. It's a lot

1189
00:59:25.480 --> 00:59:28.000
<v Speaker 4>of pieces. There's a lot of bodies. I like that

1190
00:59:28.079 --> 00:59:31.440
<v Speaker 4>at any given time, the second that opposing team gets comfortable,

1191
00:59:31.719 --> 00:59:34.280
<v Speaker 4>he can roll a completely different lineup out there, give

1192
00:59:34.360 --> 00:59:37.800
<v Speaker 4>you a wildly different look. You know, you sub in

1193
00:59:37.880 --> 00:59:40.559
<v Speaker 4>Kobe Brea for at one stop or to play that

1194
00:59:40.639 --> 00:59:42.360
<v Speaker 4>other team is a pandemic, he's gonna bang it for

1195
00:59:42.400 --> 00:59:45.639
<v Speaker 4>two threes, you know, or you know kerk Creed to

1196
00:59:45.679 --> 00:59:47.400
<v Speaker 4>coming off a bench, giving a you know, a big

1197
00:59:47.400 --> 00:59:50.079
<v Speaker 4>time change of pace at at the league guard position,

1198
00:59:51.440 --> 00:59:53.960
<v Speaker 4>you know, and they're going to get looks. It's gonna

1199
00:59:53.960 --> 00:59:55.679
<v Speaker 4>be you know if they if they go down. But

1200
00:59:55.840 --> 00:59:56.639
<v Speaker 4>that's that.

1201
00:59:56.679 --> 00:59:57.519
<v Speaker 3>Was good basketball.

1202
00:59:57.519 --> 01:00:02.440
<v Speaker 4>You know, three point thirty seven two use seventeen assists.

1203
01:00:02.840 --> 01:00:07.119
<v Speaker 4>It's they're going to play I think good aesthetic basketball.

1204
01:00:08.760 --> 01:00:11.119
<v Speaker 4>Do they have the star power to go, you know,

1205
01:00:11.239 --> 01:00:15.440
<v Speaker 4>to to reach April. I don't know, but but yeah,

1206
01:00:15.440 --> 01:00:16.440
<v Speaker 4>I think it's gonna be good ball.

1207
01:00:16.679 --> 01:00:20.000
<v Speaker 1>It will be and Brendan Quinn will keep an eye

1208
01:00:20.000 --> 01:00:22.800
<v Speaker 1>on it for the Athletic. You can read him online

1209
01:00:22.920 --> 01:00:25.199
<v Speaker 1>or in the pages of The New York Times. Follow

1210
01:00:25.239 --> 01:00:29.440
<v Speaker 1>him on Twitter at b F Quinn. Tell me real quickly,

1211
01:00:29.519 --> 01:00:31.800
<v Speaker 1>what is what does your slogan mean? Is that is

1212
01:00:31.840 --> 01:00:35.239
<v Speaker 1>that Latin at astra per alasporchie.

1213
01:00:36.239 --> 01:00:40.760
<v Speaker 4>At uh It translates to to the stars on the

1214
01:00:40.760 --> 01:00:45.800
<v Speaker 4>wings of a pig. And it was. It was what

1215
01:00:46.360 --> 01:00:50.920
<v Speaker 4>Steinbeck wrote on the first page of every novel he

1216
01:00:51.000 --> 01:00:54.880
<v Speaker 4>submitted to his publisher. And it was because when he

1217
01:00:54.960 --> 01:00:59.079
<v Speaker 4>was a grade school student, a teacher told him, yeah,

1218
01:00:59.440 --> 01:01:01.000
<v Speaker 4>you want to be a writer. You'll be a writer

1219
01:01:01.079 --> 01:01:05.639
<v Speaker 4>when pigs flock ah, And so he went with astruct

1220
01:01:05.719 --> 01:01:09.719
<v Speaker 4>rally of ports. And I am no John Stevenbeck. But

1221
01:01:09.840 --> 01:01:12.679
<v Speaker 4>I did almost like basically fail out of every class

1222
01:01:12.719 --> 01:01:15.440
<v Speaker 4>I ever took, and was told by many, many people,

1223
01:01:15.800 --> 01:01:20.880
<v Speaker 4>you will not actually be a writer of any so

1224
01:01:21.480 --> 01:01:22.960
<v Speaker 4>nice reminder, Yeah.

1225
01:01:23.119 --> 01:01:24.760
<v Speaker 1>No one ever said that to me, but I'm sure

1226
01:01:24.800 --> 01:01:27.639
<v Speaker 1>they were thinking it, so I'm right there with you. Brenda,

1227
01:01:27.679 --> 01:01:29.880
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much again, congrats on a great piece,

1228
01:01:29.880 --> 01:01:31.360
<v Speaker 1>and I'll be looking for more of your work.

1229
01:01:31.719 --> 01:01:34.599
<v Speaker 4>I really enjoyed the conversation Tick, thank you, and.

1230
01:01:34.559 --> 01:01:37.199
<v Speaker 1>Again I really recommend that story in The Athletic by

1231
01:01:37.199 --> 01:01:39.880
<v Speaker 1>Brendan Quinn. You can search, go back and find it

1232
01:01:40.199 --> 01:01:42.480
<v Speaker 1>because there were so many things written about Mark Pope

1233
01:01:42.480 --> 01:01:45.719
<v Speaker 1>and his decision and Mitch Barnard's decision to bring him here,

1234
01:01:46.119 --> 01:01:49.280
<v Speaker 1>but how it was made as a family, how excited

1235
01:01:49.320 --> 01:01:52.559
<v Speaker 1>they were for him to come back to his alma mater.

1236
01:01:52.679 --> 01:01:54.639
<v Speaker 1>So I would check it out up next on the

1237
01:01:54.639 --> 01:01:57.760
<v Speaker 1>Best of the Big Moonsider, Ken Spencer from over in Louisville,

1238
01:01:57.880 --> 01:02:01.760
<v Speaker 1>whas here on six point thirty WAP Welcome back this

1239
01:02:01.840 --> 01:02:04.199
<v Speaker 1>Christmas Eve. It's the best of the Big Blue Insider.

1240
01:02:04.800 --> 01:02:06.920
<v Speaker 1>And at the end of the football season, I thought

1241
01:02:06.960 --> 01:02:10.599
<v Speaker 1>I would check in with sports director over at whas

1242
01:02:10.679 --> 01:02:13.559
<v Speaker 1>Kent Spencer, who for the longest time was the sports

1243
01:02:13.599 --> 01:02:17.239
<v Speaker 1>director here at WTVQ and a guy who played college

1244
01:02:17.239 --> 01:02:20.840
<v Speaker 1>football and as I always say, a guy knows what

1245
01:02:20.880 --> 01:02:22.199
<v Speaker 1>it's like to get hit in the mouth of a

1246
01:02:22.199 --> 01:02:25.280
<v Speaker 1>football game, college football game. It is Kent Spencer of

1247
01:02:25.480 --> 01:02:30.400
<v Speaker 1>WHS over Louisville formerly WTVQ here in Lexington. And as

1248
01:02:30.400 --> 01:02:32.800
<v Speaker 1>I mentioned before, Kent, in your job, you cover both

1249
01:02:32.880 --> 01:02:35.800
<v Speaker 1>ends of the interstate, and you and I have talked

1250
01:02:35.880 --> 01:02:39.079
<v Speaker 1>all season long about how this Kentucky football program is

1251
01:02:39.480 --> 01:02:43.480
<v Speaker 1>just sagging. Can I assume you weren't surprised by the

1252
01:02:43.519 --> 01:02:44.480
<v Speaker 1>outcome Saturday?

1253
01:02:46.559 --> 01:02:51.000
<v Speaker 6>Actually I was a little surprised. My final score prediction

1254
01:02:51.159 --> 01:02:54.800
<v Speaker 6>was Louisville twenty eight fourteen, okay going into the game,

1255
01:02:54.920 --> 01:02:58.719
<v Speaker 6>So I was not surprised that one. I was not

1256
01:02:59.039 --> 01:03:03.039
<v Speaker 6>surprised that they were They won by a couple of touchdowns,

1257
01:03:03.199 --> 01:03:07.679
<v Speaker 6>but I was generally surprised with just the complete physical

1258
01:03:07.760 --> 01:03:11.199
<v Speaker 6>dominance in the game by the Cards over the Cats.

1259
01:03:11.199 --> 01:03:13.880
<v Speaker 6>And look, I didn't think that Louisville was going to win,

1260
01:03:14.039 --> 01:03:17.760
<v Speaker 6>despite Kentucky being the much more physical team. Like I

1261
01:03:17.920 --> 01:03:20.840
<v Speaker 6>just if you never really see that out of this

1262
01:03:21.039 --> 01:03:23.960
<v Speaker 6>Kentucky football team, you can't expect them to show that

1263
01:03:24.039 --> 01:03:27.639
<v Speaker 6>kind of dominance over anybody. I mean, think about how

1264
01:03:27.679 --> 01:03:30.119
<v Speaker 6>many times Murray State got for the quarterback left, you know,

1265
01:03:30.119 --> 01:03:35.079
<v Speaker 6>a couple weeks ago and so so I wasn't surprised

1266
01:03:35.280 --> 01:03:38.360
<v Speaker 6>about that, but I was. I was certainly surprised by

1267
01:03:38.440 --> 01:03:43.400
<v Speaker 6>that dominant physically in the game and just how easy

1268
01:03:43.440 --> 01:03:45.239
<v Speaker 6>it looked. Like we kind of talked about like, look,

1269
01:03:45.320 --> 01:03:47.079
<v Speaker 6>Kentucky just kind of looks like a team that's just

1270
01:03:47.159 --> 01:03:50.320
<v Speaker 6>ready for the season as they played like it.

1271
01:03:50.679 --> 01:03:54.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, looking for a place to fall down. Yeah, and

1272
01:03:55.000 --> 01:03:57.679
<v Speaker 1>you know through the years, and I was, I've talked

1273
01:03:57.679 --> 01:04:01.119
<v Speaker 1>about this last week. Bud and my brother I always

1274
01:04:01.119 --> 01:04:02.960
<v Speaker 1>look them up in Louisville at the U L game

1275
01:04:03.199 --> 01:04:05.039
<v Speaker 1>and they always say the same thing, your linemen are

1276
01:04:05.119 --> 01:04:08.480
<v Speaker 1>so big. I don't know if size was the difference,

1277
01:04:08.480 --> 01:04:12.679
<v Speaker 1>but certainly execution and attitude were the difference in the

1278
01:04:12.719 --> 01:04:14.239
<v Speaker 1>trenches on Saturday, were they not.

1279
01:04:15.519 --> 01:04:17.719
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, And I think that's kind of been a I

1280
01:04:17.760 --> 01:04:20.719
<v Speaker 6>think that's kind of been a sign of a lot

1281
01:04:20.719 --> 01:04:22.880
<v Speaker 6>of things over the course of this season for this

1282
01:04:23.000 --> 01:04:26.119
<v Speaker 6>Kentucky football team. I mean, you know, we make so

1283
01:04:26.320 --> 01:04:31.239
<v Speaker 6>much out of you know, the Cats offensive line and

1284
01:04:31.320 --> 01:04:35.320
<v Speaker 6>not being able to protect the quarterback. I think, you know,

1285
01:04:35.480 --> 01:04:39.000
<v Speaker 6>generally speaking like yards per rush. You know, I think

1286
01:04:39.039 --> 01:04:42.159
<v Speaker 6>they were fine this year in that department. There was

1287
01:04:42.199 --> 01:04:44.880
<v Speaker 6>a couple of things you know, they didn't break big

1288
01:04:44.960 --> 01:04:49.519
<v Speaker 6>runs and they were really poor on short yarded situations.

1289
01:04:49.599 --> 01:04:52.199
<v Speaker 1>Yes, you know, and those two.

1290
01:04:52.039 --> 01:04:54.440
<v Speaker 6>Departments I think that they were they were lacking, but

1291
01:04:54.920 --> 01:04:57.079
<v Speaker 6>you know, in the in the general like down and

1292
01:04:57.199 --> 01:04:59.800
<v Speaker 6>distant stuff. I mean, I think they were fine getting

1293
01:04:59.840 --> 01:05:03.800
<v Speaker 6>the three the five to six yard runs and maybe

1294
01:05:03.840 --> 01:05:05.559
<v Speaker 6>you know, just a little bit longer than that every

1295
01:05:05.599 --> 01:05:08.119
<v Speaker 6>now and again. But those two departments, they just weren't good.

1296
01:05:08.639 --> 01:05:11.480
<v Speaker 6>But you know what, like the defensive line wasn't very

1297
01:05:11.480 --> 01:05:14.760
<v Speaker 6>good this year, Eason. No, I mean, you know in

1298
01:05:14.880 --> 01:05:17.880
<v Speaker 6>case in point, and I think Louisville and I mentioned

1299
01:05:17.920 --> 01:05:22.320
<v Speaker 6>and I after the game, I think I asked Louisville

1300
01:05:22.360 --> 01:05:26.119
<v Speaker 6>running back Duke Watson and true freshman running back at

1301
01:05:26.119 --> 01:05:29.280
<v Speaker 6>that I said, did you see anything from their game

1302
01:05:29.559 --> 01:05:33.719
<v Speaker 6>against Texas that allowed you to that made you think

1303
01:05:33.760 --> 01:05:36.519
<v Speaker 6>you could have some success? And he was like absolutely,

1304
01:05:37.000 --> 01:05:39.119
<v Speaker 6>because if you look back at that Texas game, I

1305
01:05:39.159 --> 01:05:42.760
<v Speaker 6>mean that defensive line and linebacker corps was just absolutely

1306
01:05:42.880 --> 01:05:46.320
<v Speaker 6>dashed the entire game into the run game, and in fact,

1307
01:05:46.360 --> 01:05:49.280
<v Speaker 6>when they got close and made it a game, Texas

1308
01:05:49.320 --> 01:05:51.280
<v Speaker 6>just ran the football all the way down the field.

1309
01:05:51.360 --> 01:05:54.440
<v Speaker 6>I mean we're talking like you know, seven eight nine

1310
01:05:54.519 --> 01:05:57.800
<v Speaker 6>ten yard runs each and every play, and that's just

1311
01:05:57.840 --> 01:06:00.800
<v Speaker 6>not something that you're accustomed to see from this defense.

1312
01:06:01.039 --> 01:06:02.119
<v Speaker 6>Just was the case this year.

1313
01:06:02.599 --> 01:06:05.679
<v Speaker 1>And you know, after that game, Van Hiles, who you

1314
01:06:05.800 --> 01:06:07.880
<v Speaker 1>probably know, I don't know if you've ever talked to Van,

1315
01:06:08.000 --> 01:06:12.960
<v Speaker 1>but former Kentucky d back analyzes a video on the internet.

1316
01:06:13.000 --> 01:06:17.599
<v Speaker 1>He said that Texas game really illustrated just how much,

1317
01:06:17.760 --> 01:06:21.519
<v Speaker 1>to your point, they missed Derick Jackson. You know, not

1318
01:06:21.599 --> 01:06:24.840
<v Speaker 1>that one guy's gonna stop everything, but as you know,

1319
01:06:24.880 --> 01:06:27.280
<v Speaker 1>there's a ripple effect. You know, he knew, he knows

1320
01:06:27.320 --> 01:06:29.360
<v Speaker 1>where to be or at least knew where to be

1321
01:06:29.960 --> 01:06:32.880
<v Speaker 1>and when, and he could execute. You know, I thought

1322
01:06:32.920 --> 01:06:36.320
<v Speaker 1>Kentucky's tackling against Texas and at times against Louisville was

1323
01:06:36.400 --> 01:06:39.639
<v Speaker 1>so poor. You know, Texas running backs are bouncing off

1324
01:06:39.639 --> 01:06:43.400
<v Speaker 1>people that didn't happen with Jackson, so plus they're worn

1325
01:06:43.519 --> 01:06:44.360
<v Speaker 1>down as well.

1326
01:06:45.239 --> 01:06:48.599
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, and think about think about this. You know, sometimes

1327
01:06:48.760 --> 01:06:52.239
<v Speaker 6>it's football can be a game of a half a second. Yeah,

1328
01:06:52.280 --> 01:06:56.800
<v Speaker 6>and Derick Jackson is somebody who's who's seen it all.

1329
01:06:57.400 --> 01:07:00.679
<v Speaker 6>And so if you're there, you know a second or

1330
01:07:00.920 --> 01:07:02.679
<v Speaker 6>you know, not even a second, but if you're there,

1331
01:07:02.719 --> 01:07:05.480
<v Speaker 6>like a half second sooner. Yeah, you know, the plays

1332
01:07:05.519 --> 01:07:08.800
<v Speaker 6>completely stopped. If you're a half second lay, that game's

1333
01:07:08.840 --> 01:07:12.000
<v Speaker 6>going for ten or more yards. And so you know,

1334
01:07:12.039 --> 01:07:14.239
<v Speaker 6>I think you you probably saw a lot of that. Yeah,

1335
01:07:14.280 --> 01:07:17.159
<v Speaker 6>I mean Derek Jackson not being in the lineup absolutely,

1336
01:07:17.480 --> 01:07:21.679
<v Speaker 6>you know, completely stuffed him. But you know, even him

1337
01:07:21.679 --> 01:07:24.599
<v Speaker 6>not being there a linebacker like you know, the front four.

1338
01:07:25.039 --> 01:07:27.079
<v Speaker 6>I mean, it just it wasn't a good day for them,

1339
01:07:27.280 --> 01:07:29.599
<v Speaker 6>you know, at all. And it really wasn't a good

1340
01:07:29.719 --> 01:07:30.679
<v Speaker 6>season for that unit.

1341
01:07:30.719 --> 01:07:34.840
<v Speaker 1>No, no, And you know the craziest thing was after

1342
01:07:34.880 --> 01:07:38.519
<v Speaker 1>the Old Miss win. For the next week or two, Ken,

1343
01:07:38.719 --> 01:07:42.039
<v Speaker 1>I heard some of the regional and national talking heads

1344
01:07:42.559 --> 01:07:47.199
<v Speaker 1>speaking of the Kentucky defense and using words like elite

1345
01:07:47.280 --> 01:07:49.079
<v Speaker 1>and when you go back and look at what they

1346
01:07:49.119 --> 01:07:52.679
<v Speaker 1>did against Georgia in all miss, I think that was fair.

1347
01:07:52.719 --> 01:07:56.760
<v Speaker 1>And then the bottom just fell out. Injuries took their toll. Uh,

1348
01:07:56.800 --> 01:07:59.400
<v Speaker 1>the offense left the defense out on a field for

1349
01:07:59.440 --> 01:08:04.519
<v Speaker 1>so long. So yeah, it was not clearly not a

1350
01:08:04.559 --> 01:08:06.119
<v Speaker 1>typical Mark shoots defense.

1351
01:08:08.599 --> 01:08:11.239
<v Speaker 6>No, not no. And you're right, you know you mentioned

1352
01:08:11.320 --> 01:08:14.400
<v Speaker 6>national talking heads. I mean honestly this like I said

1353
01:08:14.400 --> 01:08:22.920
<v Speaker 6>that about Kentucky's defense. But but I would say that

1354
01:08:22.960 --> 01:08:25.199
<v Speaker 6>about Kentucky defense after the Old Myth game. You know,

1355
01:08:25.920 --> 01:08:28.039
<v Speaker 6>one of those things where you know, you don't know

1356
01:08:28.079 --> 01:08:30.319
<v Speaker 6>if they can score enough points to win a bunch

1357
01:08:30.319 --> 01:08:32.199
<v Speaker 6>of games, but they're at least going to stop people.

1358
01:08:32.840 --> 01:08:36.000
<v Speaker 6>And they they stopped. They stopped people, and and to

1359
01:08:36.000 --> 01:08:39.159
<v Speaker 6>be honest with you, sometimes like they were their own

1360
01:08:39.199 --> 01:08:41.399
<v Speaker 6>worst enemy on that side of the ball as well.

1361
01:08:41.880 --> 01:08:45.119
<v Speaker 6>Fifteen yards, you know, with penalties and mistakes and different

1362
01:08:45.159 --> 01:08:48.279
<v Speaker 6>things along that, like like you know, all of the

1363
01:08:48.399 --> 01:08:50.720
<v Speaker 6>stuff about you know, there's so much there, but this

1364
01:08:50.960 --> 01:08:54.600
<v Speaker 6>just wasn't a disciplined football team. Yeh, from the from

1365
01:08:54.640 --> 01:08:58.199
<v Speaker 6>the penalties, from the assignments. Like you know how many times,

1366
01:08:58.680 --> 01:09:02.039
<v Speaker 6>you know, after I say this, after the Old this game,

1367
01:09:02.760 --> 01:09:05.359
<v Speaker 6>how many times did this team just not look prepared

1368
01:09:05.399 --> 01:09:06.000
<v Speaker 6>and focused?

1369
01:09:07.399 --> 01:09:07.840
<v Speaker 3>Yeah?

1370
01:09:07.880 --> 01:09:11.960
<v Speaker 6>And so like to me, when you don't have a

1371
01:09:12.039 --> 01:09:16.319
<v Speaker 6>team that's prepared and focused, man, that's that that starts

1372
01:09:16.319 --> 01:09:18.760
<v Speaker 6>at the highest position and then it works its way

1373
01:09:18.800 --> 01:09:21.560
<v Speaker 6>down Like if you're not prepared and focused, it starts

1374
01:09:21.600 --> 01:09:22.000
<v Speaker 6>at the top.

1375
01:09:22.159 --> 01:09:28.960
<v Speaker 1>Speaking of what did you make of Mark Tup's postgame comments.

1376
01:09:28.520 --> 01:09:30.960
<v Speaker 6>I made of the postgame comments, I mean, it was

1377
01:09:31.119 --> 01:09:33.760
<v Speaker 6>I think it was much of the same that we've

1378
01:09:33.800 --> 01:09:37.239
<v Speaker 6>heard pretty much all year, not good enough, not going anywhere,

1379
01:09:37.840 --> 01:09:41.560
<v Speaker 6>going to put in the work. Like I've said this,

1380
01:09:42.479 --> 01:09:45.439
<v Speaker 6>and I've said this to my kids, and I've said

1381
01:09:45.439 --> 01:09:48.039
<v Speaker 6>it to other people. And this has nothing to do

1382
01:09:48.079 --> 01:09:50.640
<v Speaker 6>with about Kentucky football. This has everything to do about everything.

1383
01:09:50.760 --> 01:09:54.000
<v Speaker 6>But but I think it still stands true here. It's

1384
01:09:54.119 --> 01:09:59.560
<v Speaker 6>easy to use words. It's easy to say I am competitive.

1385
01:09:59.680 --> 01:10:03.159
<v Speaker 6>It's easy to say we're going to go back to

1386
01:10:03.239 --> 01:10:07.640
<v Speaker 6>work and we're going to get this fixed. But do

1387
01:10:07.720 --> 01:10:09.479
<v Speaker 6>your actions back up your word?

1388
01:10:09.600 --> 01:10:10.319
<v Speaker 3>Yeah?

1389
01:10:10.760 --> 01:10:14.079
<v Speaker 6>Like, like when the hours that you're putting in each

1390
01:10:14.119 --> 01:10:17.680
<v Speaker 6>and every week to get this right, to get this fixed,

1391
01:10:18.039 --> 01:10:20.520
<v Speaker 6>are they matching the words that are coming out of

1392
01:10:20.520 --> 01:10:25.039
<v Speaker 6>your mouth. Nobody's you know, we're we're not in that complex.

1393
01:10:25.279 --> 01:10:29.359
<v Speaker 6>We don't see the things. But the proof and the

1394
01:10:29.359 --> 01:10:31.920
<v Speaker 6>pudding on the field doesn't match the words that are

1395
01:10:31.960 --> 01:10:32.800
<v Speaker 6>coming out of the mouth.

1396
01:10:33.000 --> 01:10:34.119
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

1397
01:10:34.159 --> 01:10:37.319
<v Speaker 1>You know, I got to thinking about everything Stoop said,

1398
01:10:37.359 --> 01:10:40.560
<v Speaker 1>both on the radio and in the postgame news conference,

1399
01:10:40.600 --> 01:10:44.399
<v Speaker 1>and I thought back kent to when he first got here,

1400
01:10:44.960 --> 01:10:49.239
<v Speaker 1>a young, younger decoordinator looking for a chance to prove

1401
01:10:49.319 --> 01:10:52.000
<v Speaker 1>himself in a big boy league, and he did that,

1402
01:10:52.119 --> 01:10:53.960
<v Speaker 1>and he came in and he was a dervish, a

1403
01:10:54.039 --> 01:10:56.439
<v Speaker 1>buzz saw, whatever you want to call him. Brought a

1404
01:10:56.479 --> 01:10:59.960
<v Speaker 1>great friend and Vince Merriw built a good staff. He said,

1405
01:11:00.039 --> 01:11:02.880
<v Speaker 1>some issues there, but you know, he knew he had

1406
01:11:02.880 --> 01:11:07.760
<v Speaker 1>a plan, the blue collar Youngstown approach of coaching football,

1407
01:11:07.840 --> 01:11:12.920
<v Speaker 1>and he did it. But now that approach would work

1408
01:11:13.000 --> 01:11:16.279
<v Speaker 1>to a point. But when you mix in the two

1409
01:11:16.359 --> 01:11:20.199
<v Speaker 1>things he abhors and every coach does the portal and nil,

1410
01:11:21.680 --> 01:11:25.319
<v Speaker 1>it's just I can't imagine him, you know, trying to

1411
01:11:25.359 --> 01:11:28.560
<v Speaker 1>throw himself back into this job the way he did

1412
01:11:28.560 --> 01:11:31.119
<v Speaker 1>twelve years ago because everything has changed so much.

1413
01:11:33.399 --> 01:11:38.840
<v Speaker 6>Uh, yeah it has. And you know you mentioned, you know,

1414
01:11:38.920 --> 01:11:41.640
<v Speaker 6>twelve years ago when he got the job and he

1415
01:11:41.720 --> 01:11:46.920
<v Speaker 6>came in and the mindset that you have when you've

1416
01:11:47.000 --> 01:11:50.800
<v Speaker 6>tasted success, and you know, let's be honest, when you win,

1417
01:11:51.119 --> 01:11:53.840
<v Speaker 6>you know, what is it ten games and three years

1418
01:11:54.000 --> 01:11:55.319
<v Speaker 6>or earth? You know what I mean? When that ten

1419
01:11:55.359 --> 01:11:58.319
<v Speaker 6>win seasons or whatever a couple and that many and

1420
01:11:58.439 --> 01:12:02.279
<v Speaker 6>that timeframe at a place like Kentucky that's just not

1421
01:12:02.520 --> 01:12:06.600
<v Speaker 6>used to ten win seasons. And then all of a sudden,

1422
01:12:06.800 --> 01:12:09.279
<v Speaker 6>you know, and look like it's all this is all

1423
01:12:09.319 --> 01:12:12.600
<v Speaker 6>part of the conversation. When you're making nine million dollars

1424
01:12:12.600 --> 01:12:15.960
<v Speaker 6>a year like now at this point, you're living on

1425
01:12:16.000 --> 01:12:20.439
<v Speaker 6>the yacht, and can you have the blue collar mentality

1426
01:12:20.479 --> 01:12:23.000
<v Speaker 6>when you feel like you're on the yacht now? Some

1427
01:12:23.079 --> 01:12:26.920
<v Speaker 6>people can't. Some people keep it? Did he keep it?

1428
01:12:27.159 --> 01:12:29.039
<v Speaker 6>Like I said, I'm not in that. I'm not in

1429
01:12:29.119 --> 01:12:32.520
<v Speaker 6>that facility. I don't know, but what I'm seeing on

1430
01:12:32.560 --> 01:12:35.399
<v Speaker 6>the field says it seems like somebody took the foot

1431
01:12:35.399 --> 01:12:35.960
<v Speaker 6>off the gas.

1432
01:12:36.800 --> 01:12:39.760
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, don't know how, when or why, but it was

1433
01:12:39.800 --> 01:12:43.119
<v Speaker 1>pretty evident this year and a lot apparently it will

1434
01:12:43.159 --> 01:12:46.439
<v Speaker 1>be happening fairly quickly in terms of personnel, according to

1435
01:12:46.520 --> 01:12:49.920
<v Speaker 1>Stoop's players, and he's hoping to keep his staff together

1436
01:12:50.359 --> 01:12:51.960
<v Speaker 1>over the next year three weeks.

1437
01:12:52.479 --> 01:12:54.560
<v Speaker 6>Here's what I Here's what I would also say, Dick.

1438
01:12:54.960 --> 01:12:57.560
<v Speaker 6>This is my opinion, and you may agree with it,

1439
01:12:57.600 --> 01:13:01.279
<v Speaker 6>and you may you may not, But like, this isn't

1440
01:13:01.479 --> 01:13:04.880
<v Speaker 6>this isn't a this wasn't in my opinion, this wasn't

1441
01:13:04.920 --> 01:13:09.760
<v Speaker 6>a twenty twenty four problem. Was this was All of

1442
01:13:09.800 --> 01:13:13.159
<v Speaker 6>these things that we're talking about now they took place

1443
01:13:13.159 --> 01:13:16.840
<v Speaker 6>in twenty twenty three, But the biggest thing that happened

1444
01:13:16.840 --> 01:13:20.039
<v Speaker 6>that masked everything was they beat louis at the end

1445
01:13:20.039 --> 01:13:20.399
<v Speaker 6>of the year.

1446
01:13:20.439 --> 01:13:20.600
<v Speaker 3>Yep.

1447
01:13:21.840 --> 01:13:25.560
<v Speaker 6>And if they don't win that game, everything that we're

1448
01:13:25.560 --> 01:13:28.159
<v Speaker 6>talking about right now we would have talked about last year.

1449
01:13:28.960 --> 01:13:32.520
<v Speaker 6>But that mass and it was a band aid over

1450
01:13:32.560 --> 01:13:36.039
<v Speaker 6>a lot of stuff. And so instead of all of

1451
01:13:36.079 --> 01:13:39.479
<v Speaker 6>this coming to light after one season, now you've had

1452
01:13:39.600 --> 01:13:43.840
<v Speaker 6>two seasons of erosion. So it's probably, honestly, it's probably

1453
01:13:43.880 --> 01:13:46.159
<v Speaker 6>worse now than if it would have taken place last year.

1454
01:13:46.640 --> 01:13:51.279
<v Speaker 1>Ken Spencer, my guest sports director whas formerly WTVQ, We'll

1455
01:13:51.319 --> 01:13:53.279
<v Speaker 1>come back and talk basketball with Kent on the other

1456
01:13:53.319 --> 01:13:55.760
<v Speaker 1>side of the break. You're listening to the best of

1457
01:13:55.800 --> 01:13:59.920
<v Speaker 1>the Big Blue Insider. Welcome back, my guest. Kent Spencer,

1458
01:14:00.079 --> 01:14:03.920
<v Speaker 1>sports director, whas over in Louisville and worked for several

1459
01:14:03.960 --> 01:14:08.319
<v Speaker 1>years here at WTVQ in Lexington. And being in Louisville,

1460
01:14:08.600 --> 01:14:10.960
<v Speaker 1>Kent covers both ends of the interstate. As I said,

1461
01:14:11.399 --> 01:14:17.880
<v Speaker 1>so now Kent, Kentucky basketball fun. Everybody's happy, Louisville basketball fun.

1462
01:14:18.000 --> 01:14:20.439
<v Speaker 1>I don't know if everybody's happy over there, but they

1463
01:14:20.479 --> 01:14:23.000
<v Speaker 1>got to be happier than they were because good things

1464
01:14:23.039 --> 01:14:25.399
<v Speaker 1>are happening on both ends of the interstate, which means

1465
01:14:25.600 --> 01:14:27.600
<v Speaker 1>all is right with our world when it comes to

1466
01:14:27.640 --> 01:14:29.159
<v Speaker 1>covering college basketball, right.

1467
01:14:30.119 --> 01:14:34.279
<v Speaker 6>Oh yeah, look, look I think I think Louisville fans

1468
01:14:34.800 --> 01:14:39.319
<v Speaker 6>and the Battle for Atlantis had so much fun, right Like,

1469
01:14:39.399 --> 01:14:41.920
<v Speaker 6>first off, they beat the Brakes off of Indiana and

1470
01:14:41.960 --> 01:14:45.000
<v Speaker 6>then they come and win a hard fought game against

1471
01:14:45.000 --> 01:14:48.479
<v Speaker 6>West Virginia. They're in the championship game of that tournament.

1472
01:14:49.760 --> 01:14:52.840
<v Speaker 6>And what a nice response for them after getting blown

1473
01:14:52.840 --> 01:14:55.239
<v Speaker 6>out at home by Tennessee a couple of weeks ago.

1474
01:14:55.720 --> 01:14:59.079
<v Speaker 6>So you know, like they're already starting to match like

1475
01:14:59.159 --> 01:15:02.279
<v Speaker 6>win totals under the Kenny Paint era and certain and

1476
01:15:02.399 --> 01:15:05.840
<v Speaker 6>certain points right like like this is this is like

1477
01:15:05.920 --> 01:15:09.079
<v Speaker 6>there they are. They're on cloud nine. And I think

1478
01:15:09.159 --> 01:15:12.439
<v Speaker 6>for for Kentucky fans, like yeah, I mean, you know,

1479
01:15:12.560 --> 01:15:14.159
<v Speaker 6>I've been asked this a couple of times and I

1480
01:15:14.199 --> 01:15:16.199
<v Speaker 6>would say this, like has anything.

1481
01:15:15.880 --> 01:15:17.119
<v Speaker 2>Gone wrong for Mark Pope?

1482
01:15:17.159 --> 01:15:21.439
<v Speaker 6>Yet Nope, Like he said all the right things, He's

1483
01:15:21.439 --> 01:15:23.640
<v Speaker 6>done all the right things. They've had the results on

1484
01:15:23.680 --> 01:15:27.359
<v Speaker 6>the court. You know, there's the video of the Duke

1485
01:15:27.479 --> 01:15:30.000
<v Speaker 6>game and him calling what Cooper Flag was going to do?

1486
01:15:30.720 --> 01:15:34.720
<v Speaker 6>Like you know, all of these things are are are

1487
01:15:34.760 --> 01:15:38.119
<v Speaker 6>are happening and in the right way, and it really

1488
01:15:38.279 --> 01:15:41.920
<v Speaker 6>feels like this is a team that people really like

1489
01:15:42.079 --> 01:15:47.880
<v Speaker 6>as far as personality, how they play, the style. You know,

1490
01:15:48.239 --> 01:15:52.279
<v Speaker 6>it's just it's all, it's all really well right now.

1491
01:15:52.960 --> 01:15:55.439
<v Speaker 1>You know I mentioned this more than once, and forgive

1492
01:15:55.439 --> 01:15:57.720
<v Speaker 1>me if I'm if I'm boring people with it, but

1493
01:15:57.800 --> 01:16:00.720
<v Speaker 1>I just think it's vital. Jack Gibbons made this point.

1494
01:16:00.760 --> 01:16:02.319
<v Speaker 1>And by the way, if you haven't had a chance

1495
01:16:02.359 --> 01:16:05.039
<v Speaker 1>to listen to Jack, because I know you work a lot,

1496
01:16:05.159 --> 01:16:09.359
<v Speaker 1>but he is. There's so much joy in his voice

1497
01:16:09.680 --> 01:16:12.359
<v Speaker 1>watching this team, especially because they're always jacking it up.

1498
01:16:13.000 --> 01:16:17.399
<v Speaker 1>You know, Jack was a shooter, unabashedly, unapologetically, and he

1499
01:16:17.439 --> 01:16:19.840
<v Speaker 1>loves what he's seeing. But he made this great point

1500
01:16:19.960 --> 01:16:22.600
<v Speaker 1>Kent in this third or fourth game. He said, it's

1501
01:16:22.600 --> 01:16:26.880
<v Speaker 1>so refreshing to see this team working when the shot

1502
01:16:26.920 --> 01:16:30.039
<v Speaker 1>clock is winding down and a play has broken down

1503
01:16:30.600 --> 01:16:34.359
<v Speaker 1>and they fix it among themselves. They don't stop as

1504
01:16:34.399 --> 01:16:36.920
<v Speaker 1>freshmen need to do and turn to look at the

1505
01:16:36.960 --> 01:16:40.439
<v Speaker 1>bench so their maniacal coach can wave his arms and

1506
01:16:40.479 --> 01:16:43.760
<v Speaker 1>scream and yell and direct traffic. They know what to do,

1507
01:16:44.520 --> 01:16:46.439
<v Speaker 1>and it's it's kind of fun to watch isn't it.

1508
01:16:48.119 --> 01:16:53.520
<v Speaker 6>Oh yeah, I mean, you know, sometimes it's it's changing

1509
01:16:53.600 --> 01:16:57.439
<v Speaker 6>the way that the game is played. You know, I thought,

1510
01:16:58.279 --> 01:17:00.239
<v Speaker 6>going back to a couple of weeks ago, right like

1511
01:17:00.720 --> 01:17:05.960
<v Speaker 6>in the first half, Duke's physicality was almost overwhelming to

1512
01:17:06.039 --> 01:17:08.640
<v Speaker 6>them in the first half, and they really struggled with

1513
01:17:08.680 --> 01:17:12.000
<v Speaker 6>it because up until that point, you know, when you're

1514
01:17:12.079 --> 01:17:15.079
<v Speaker 6>playing directional team, you there's not a whole lot of

1515
01:17:15.079 --> 01:17:18.760
<v Speaker 6>that going around. So they had to adjust to that,

1516
01:17:18.920 --> 01:17:23.119
<v Speaker 6>and at halftime they adjusted to that, and they just

1517
01:17:23.279 --> 01:17:27.199
<v Speaker 6>kept chipping away. Like in the NCAA tournament or in

1518
01:17:27.319 --> 01:17:30.000
<v Speaker 6>college basketball in general, I think you have to your

1519
01:17:30.039 --> 01:17:32.640
<v Speaker 6>way just can't be the only way. You're going to

1520
01:17:32.720 --> 01:17:38.119
<v Speaker 6>have to win different ways. And for me, it proved

1521
01:17:38.239 --> 01:17:41.319
<v Speaker 6>that that team can win a different way. They still

1522
01:17:41.359 --> 01:17:45.399
<v Speaker 6>scored seventy seven points, and they had not a very

1523
01:17:45.439 --> 01:17:48.640
<v Speaker 6>good night offensively at all that game, and you found

1524
01:17:48.640 --> 01:17:52.680
<v Speaker 6>a way to win that game. And so there's one thing.

1525
01:17:53.079 --> 01:17:56.399
<v Speaker 6>You know, some national folks out there will tell you

1526
01:17:56.520 --> 01:18:00.239
<v Speaker 6>that this Kentucky team and they're breaking down like other

1527
01:18:00.399 --> 01:18:02.600
<v Speaker 6>teams and stuff like that, and they're like, this Kentucky

1528
01:18:02.680 --> 01:18:05.880
<v Speaker 6>team is close to their ceiling. And I would I

1529
01:18:05.880 --> 01:18:10.760
<v Speaker 6>would push against that because this team has a new

1530
01:18:10.800 --> 01:18:13.920
<v Speaker 6>coaching staff that's only like Jackson Robinson is the only

1531
01:18:14.000 --> 01:18:17.399
<v Speaker 6>dude who's played for Mark Pope, and they've got so

1532
01:18:17.520 --> 01:18:22.439
<v Speaker 6>many new pieces. Yes, are they older, absolutely, But are

1533
01:18:22.439 --> 01:18:24.760
<v Speaker 6>they close to their ceiling in my opinion when it

1534
01:18:24.760 --> 01:18:27.239
<v Speaker 6>comes to getting used to each other and this system

1535
01:18:27.319 --> 01:18:30.039
<v Speaker 6>on a court in the heat of the moment in games,

1536
01:18:30.119 --> 01:18:32.239
<v Speaker 6>absolutely not. I think it's a lazy take to be,

1537
01:18:32.600 --> 01:18:35.960
<v Speaker 6>to be quite honest with you, because they can, you know,

1538
01:18:36.319 --> 01:18:39.159
<v Speaker 6>being comfortable with each other and knowing what somebody is

1539
01:18:39.199 --> 01:18:41.640
<v Speaker 6>going to do in the fight and the fire is

1540
01:18:41.680 --> 01:18:44.680
<v Speaker 6>completely different. And so I think that this team still

1541
01:18:44.720 --> 01:18:47.239
<v Speaker 6>has a long way to go as far as you know,

1542
01:18:47.319 --> 01:18:50.439
<v Speaker 6>reaching their ceiling. But watching them right now has it's

1543
01:18:50.479 --> 01:18:51.279
<v Speaker 6>been a lot of fun.

1544
01:18:51.560 --> 01:18:54.079
<v Speaker 1>And that'll do it for now. On this special Christmas

1545
01:18:54.159 --> 01:18:56.199
<v Speaker 1>Eve edition, the best of the Big Blue and Sider

1546
01:18:56.399 --> 01:19:00.159
<v Speaker 1>coming up tomorrow on Christmas Night and Encore presentation of

1547
01:19:00.159 --> 01:19:04.319
<v Speaker 1>our postseason football special. Yes, there were some highlights, especially

1548
01:19:04.319 --> 01:19:07.840
<v Speaker 1>the upsetable miss and our celebrity monologue. That's all I had.

1549
01:19:08.039 --> 01:19:09.680
<v Speaker 1>Hope you have a great Christmas everybody.

1550
01:19:09.680 --> 01:19:09.960
<v Speaker 3>That's it.

1551
01:19:10.199 --> 01:19:12.520
<v Speaker 1>Good night from the garage in Lexington.

1552
01:20:04.000 --> 01:20:05.079
<v Speaker 6>And in

1553
01:21:16.680 --> 01:21:19.079
<v Speaker 5>No Co