WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.080 Welcome to the Big Bluin Sider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:06.599 Thursday edition of our show, and it is one day 3 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.640 closer to the Kentucky Derby. Tonight, this will be an 4 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:13.400 hour number two. Ellis Star the Uber Capper, will join 5 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:15.839 us and tell us how to make a little bit 6 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:18.039 of money on the Derby and the Oaks. I have 7 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:22.600 had success betting with Ellis, so pay close attention, kids, 8 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:26.480 take some notes and you could have You're gonna enjoy 9 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:29.879 I know Derby and Oaks weekend, but it's always more fun, 10 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:32.280 right if you can cash. So Ellis will be with 11 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:34.560 us coming up in hour number two. At the bottom 12 00:00:34.600 --> 00:00:37.439 of this hour Tom Leech, Voice of the Wildcats. We'll 13 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.200 talk Derby with Tom as well, but we will also 14 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:44.079 talk about the late Larry Johnson, the Kentucky point guard 15 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.320 from Joby Hall's really good teams back in the seventies 16 00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:51.799 who passed away. This week, we'll also hear from a 17 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:55.399 couple of the Kentucky Derby trainers, two of the favorites 18 00:00:55.399 --> 00:00:58.679 that are coming in Journalism and Sandman, so we'll hear 19 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:02.079 their thoughts on their horses coming into the week, and 20 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:05.840 things have changed so much through the years, constantly evolving. 21 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.359 But back in the day, and I mean way back, 22 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:12.239 like in the eighties when I first started covering the 23 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:16.000 Kentucky Derby, this was the day. This was the morning 24 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:20.000 Thursday that we would just kind of make our way 25 00:01:20.040 --> 00:01:23.640 over to the racing office and get the post positions 26 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:27.799 and the odds. That was it. We would all go over, 27 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:31.120 they'd hand them out, Okay, thank you very much. Well, 28 00:01:31.239 --> 00:01:34.920 what happened was in the early eighties there was a 29 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:38.519 situation where there were I think twenty three horses trying 30 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:41.239 to draw in and there was a horse that was 31 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:46.040 left out one year and tried to sue to get 32 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.480 back into the race. The whole thing ended up in 33 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:53.799 court in downtown Louisville Derby week and then a horse scratched, 34 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.799 so they dropped the lawsuit and all this. So everybody 35 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:00.359 who went to get post positions, because it was a 36 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:04.519 big story, crammed their way into that office and it 37 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:07.799 became such a big deal that Churchill Downs changed the 38 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:12.759 format and then they had this public gathering to announce 39 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:16.039 post positions, and then that became so popular, so the 40 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:18.759 next thing, you know, they moved it around. It's on 41 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:24.080 live TV, and it was this past Saturday on live television. 42 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:26.759 So that's how much the Derby has changed through the 43 00:02:26.840 --> 00:02:30.680 years that instead of Thursday, you know what, two and 44 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:33.479 a half days prior to the race, which is generally 45 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:38.520 when every race is set up with odds and post positions. Well, 46 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:41.599 now of Kentucky Derby, they set the odds and post 47 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:44.680 position a week out. So I don't know, it just 48 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:47.159 gets bigger and bigger. But we'll talk about that. But 49 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:51.479 we got to talk about Mark Pope and John Rostein. 50 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:56.759 The podcast that Rostein produced and aired and it's on 51 00:02:56.840 --> 00:02:59.280 YouTube if you want to go back and watch and 52 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:01.800 listen to the whole thing if you haven't already. The 53 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:08.439 internet has been swamped with comments and clips and we're 54 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:11.439 going to share some with you now. Rostein was on 55 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:13.919 with Tom Leachs this morning. Been trying to get him 56 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:17.479 on my show. He's been so busy that he's not 57 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:20.159 been able to accommodate me. He was able to jump 58 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:23.319 on with Tom a little bit first thing this morning, 59 00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:27.000 but he had a great interview I thought, with Pope 60 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:32.560 and Mark of course as always so excited. And Rostein 61 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:37.560 began his podcast by just basically doing a monologue for 62 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:40.759 about twenty minutes, but one of the things he touched 63 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:45.479 on was how, yes, the NIL and the portal have 64 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:49.280 kind of turned sports upside down, there's no question, but 65 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:53.080 he basically told the same line that most of us have. 66 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:56.080 I think you probably have too if you're a college 67 00:03:56.120 --> 00:04:05.000 sports fan, in that NIL has really really jumbled college athletics. 68 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:08.400 But it's not necessarily a bad thing, because it's only 69 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:11.719 fair now that the players get to share and the riches, 70 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:14.520 and yes, some of these numbers are off the charts, 71 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.360 and the way the pendulum swings in sports, it'll swing 72 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:22.439 back the other way. But what is really turn this 73 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:26.680 thing upside down and inside out is the portal. And 74 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:30.360 I do think everybody agrees, probably with the exception of 75 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:33.560 a handful of players, that you ought to be allowed 76 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:36.800 to transfer once then after that you got to sit 77 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:41.680 out of here. The people who would disagree are perhaps 78 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:45.720 coaches who are welcoming a player they might need who's 79 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:48.839 already been at three schools, and the coach is willing 80 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:51.759 to overlook whatever problems the kid might have had. And 81 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:54.759 of course the players who are bouncing from school to school, 82 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:58.600 the school sometimes taking money with them without even playing, 83 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:04.560 but oftentimes usually trying to find a spot where they'll 84 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:09.680 better fit in because they're not patient at all. So 85 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:13.040 that in mind. One of Rostein's first questions de Mark 86 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:18.040 Pope was about being a head coach in today's climate. 87 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:22.720 In some ways, the path forward continues to get murkier 88 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:26.319 and murkier, And so I think where we are is 89 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:28.800 I think we're getting bolder and boulder as we push forward. 90 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:31.240 Uh, it's you see, you. 91 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:34.000 See all these changes. It's just this field that's ripe 92 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:36.720 full of opportunity and we're trying to steize on it 93 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:39.079 every single moment. What is it like to be a 94 00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:41.959 head coach in this climate? It is the great it is. 95 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:47.199 I love it actually because it tests you in every way. 96 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:48.600 It challenges you every way. 97 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:49.120 Uh. 98 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:51.319 You know, you're you're. 99 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:55.040 Taking in data and information at such an amazing clip 100 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:58.800 and you have to model so many different possible scenarios. 101 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:00.759 You know, as we as we kind of see here 102 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:03.720 waiting on this settlement to kind of get some verdict 103 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:07.360 on the settlement, you could see the trajectory of college 104 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:11.000 athletics and college basketball going in a dozen different directions. 105 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:13.519 You kind of got to model out all of those 106 00:06:14.279 --> 00:06:17.800 in scenarios that fit your program in your university, and 107 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:22.079 so the challenge involved in that is never ending, and 108 00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:24.600 it's like I said, it's full of opportunity. 109 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:27.759 Now as head coaches go, Mark Pope is on the 110 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:31.160 younger side, of course, the same profession that has seeing 111 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:34.360 guys like Jay Wright and Nick Saban, guys who have 112 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:39.759 won their championships, done their work. They've stepped away Roy Williams, 113 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:41.839 who again had had a great career and a little 114 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:46.600 bit older than Mark Pope. But Mark excited about the 115 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:50.560 opportunities first of all to be at Kentucky. Secondly to 116 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:54.720 take advantage of information, the data he likes, and build 117 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:58.160 a team. He's got a good recruiting class coming in, 118 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:00.680 he's got a good portal group coming in, and he's 119 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:03.720 got talented second year guys. You should listen to the 120 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:08.240 podcast to get the full rundown on what he has 121 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:11.680 to say about the guys coming back, Brandon Garrison, if 122 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:17.319 take o Way, Trent Noah. But he is excited and 123 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:20.279 it's to me it's an interesting reason he's so excited 124 00:07:20.279 --> 00:07:21.600 about his second year guys. 125 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:24.279 Well, like you said, I think it's a key at 126 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:28.360 being success and there's nothing like getting older with your own. 127 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:29.360 Guys, right. 128 00:07:29.800 --> 00:07:32.920 And the second thing is my guys Traditionally, my guy's 129 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:38.360 second year take a massive leap because you know, we're 130 00:07:38.519 --> 00:07:43.319 such a rebased offense and in parts defense, where our 131 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:45.720 guys are the deciders on the floor, they're not looking 132 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.560 over at me. We coach them to be capable of 133 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:52.160 making decisions on the court, so they spend very little 134 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:55.600 time looking over me. We coach them to coach each 135 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:59.000 other and communicate with each other. And so with a 136 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.360 year under your belt, now now you're coming in not 137 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:03.319 to learn the game or do the game, but you 138 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:06.839 come in actually starting to play the game and trick 139 00:08:06.920 --> 00:08:11.839 up the game and use all these actions to manipulate 140 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:15.600 him in creative ways. And that's where the game gets 141 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:18.680 incredibly fun. So these second year guys going to be 142 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:19.279 really key for. 143 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:23.759 Us, especially if he gets oh way back. I suspect 144 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:28.120 he will, and as Mark said, O take away, there's 145 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:31.560 a pretty good chance he'll be the preseason SEC Player 146 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:34.799 of the Year coming back. But he's going to find 147 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:36.480 out from the league at the very least what he 148 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.639 needs to do to improve his game, get himself ready 149 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:43.480 for the draft. And again, look at Antonio Reeves, look 150 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:47.399 what it did for him. He came back almost like 151 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:50.039 a different player, building on what he could do well 152 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:54.000 and then getting better. Improved his handle, improved his defense, 153 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:57.600 improved his ability to drive and score instead of just 154 00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:00.799 standing out there shooting three pointers, we could do the 155 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:06.360 same thing. Rosstein basically had Mark go down the entire roster, 156 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:12.720 and Pope was not shy about saying that, yeah, this 157 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:18.039 Kentucky team will be capable if things break right, of 158 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:19.600 winning a national championship. 159 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:20.799 We can get it done. 160 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:22.600 Now, there's a lot of teams that can get it done. 161 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:25.279 But if we do this right with the right guys, 162 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.000 you know, we can get this done. And that's our job. 163 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:30.240 That's what we're supposed to do. That's the standard here 164 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:31.879 and nothing less as acceptable. 165 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:33.799 But in terms of the rotation, how many guys do 166 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:34.840 you think you're gonna be able to play this? 167 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:35.919 I'd like to play them all. 168 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:38.840 So I have twelve guys right now. So I have 169 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:40.759 twelve guys that come help us. We're actually going to 170 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:45.320 try and round out this roster. I'm actually scouring the 171 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:48.919 planet right now for guys that would fit in as 172 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:51.879 maybe a red shirt guy that would kill it in practice, 173 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:54.360 or maybe a last year of your career, guy that 174 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:57.480 wants to come here and put on this one of 175 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:59.679 one jersey and be a part of this. So we 176 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:01.840 need to had a couple more pieces. But right now 177 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:05.039 we have our we have our roster that's gonna that's 178 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:07.480 gonna own the minace on this floor, and we have 179 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:08.759 all the pieces. 180 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:11.879 I hope people set up and took notice when he 181 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:14.559 said I'd like to play them all and you know 182 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:17.159 you can't do that, but you can to a degree. 183 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:22.240 But it was interesting to me how people got really 184 00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:28.159 I don't know, antsy about the way Pope subbed. And 185 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:30.960 there were times when he made mistakes and admitted to it, 186 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:34.039 but for the most part we've talked about it here 187 00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:39.360 on the show. He will not sub the way a 188 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:41.519 a lot of people expected him to and b the 189 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:45.399 way a lot of other coaches do, because as he 190 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:49.240 pointed out, and he got really specific, because more people 191 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:56.360 were actually calling and gently criticizing on his show the 192 00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:01.440 way he subbed. But as he pointed out, we try 193 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:05.519 to keep people fresh. I'm paraphrasing, but he said, we 194 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:10.519 work so hard offensively, not just on defense, but offensively. 195 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:16.679 We don't want people tiring and breaking down at the 196 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:19.720 worst times. So they might say, you know what, this 197 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:23.559 is my comment, they might sub a little earlier than 198 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.399 they might want. Pope might not. They Pope does it 199 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:33.519 and risk you know, missing a minute or two of productivity. 200 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:36.200 So you've got people later in the game, and he's 201 00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:40.279 going to keep doing that, so you will not see 202 00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:43.600 him do what Caliperi and a lot of other coaches do, 203 00:11:44.519 --> 00:11:48.120 and that's whittle it down to eight. And again, cali 204 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:53.720 Peri did that because John woodn't suggested it. But Mark 205 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:57.919 Pope coaches a different style than wouldn't at Caliperi than 206 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:03.080 a lot of guys. So don't expect to see a 207 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:09.480 quote unquote substitution pattern beyond the very basics for Mark quote. 208 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:15.320 People need to lose that terminology substitution pattern. Why do 209 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:18.840 you want that? Because if you can recognize the pattern, 210 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:23.240 so can the other guys. I say, you sub the 211 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:29.639 way the game demands, the way opposing personnel demands. That's 212 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:31.960 how you want to guy a sub. And if you 213 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.320 can't figure it out, that's because you haven't been at practice, 214 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:38.559 you haven't taken apart the game plan, you haven't done 215 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:42.440 the scout. We can all sit back and see how 216 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:46.120 it works. But if you're trying to coach along and 217 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.840 say thereselfing, man, I put this guy in right now. Remember, 218 00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:53.080 Mark Pope is all about data. I don't have it, 219 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:56.440 You don't have it, and he's collecting data while the 220 00:12:56.519 --> 00:13:00.759 game's going on. So just be paid. And if it 221 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:02.960 doesn't work, we'll ask him about it after the game 222 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:06.840 and he'll describe why. Oh and by the way, Rosstein 223 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:11.519 asked Pope about the schedule, and Pope said their son. 224 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:13.600 He basically said, there's something going on, but he couldn't 225 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:17.399 talk about it. What it probably was was the fact 226 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:22.679 that Kentucky will place Saint John's in the CBS Sports Classic. 227 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:27.399 The Red Storm will replace UCLA in the annual event, 228 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:32.759 So Mark Pope versus Rick Bettino in the CBS Sports Classic. 229 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:38.320 That's according to the Saint John's podcaster David Delroy, Red 230 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:42.279 Storm taking over for UCLA. On the other side, North 231 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:46.559 Carolina and Ohio State up next. Derby doings. Bottom of 232 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:50.960 the Hour Tom Leach on six thirty WLAP Welcome back 233 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:52.840 to the Big Blue Insider. Coming up to Bottom of 234 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:56.120 the Hour, Tom Leech to talk Kentucky Derby and we'll 235 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:58.679 talk about the late Larry Johnson, the UK point guard 236 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:01.440 who passed away this week. Of course, a little bit 237 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:04.039 later on Elis Star the uber Capper, we'll talk with 238 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:07.720 us about the Oaks and the Kentucky Derby. I said 239 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:10.759 it my horse is Journalism. Kind of picked him, not 240 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:13.039 just because of the name, but that works out well. 241 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.759 But I kind of liked him maybe two months ago, 242 00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:19.559 a little late getting in on the Derby picture this year, 243 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:23.360 but I liked Journalism won the San Felipe Stakes and 244 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:26.159 had been off for you know, three or four months, 245 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:29.759 and then came back and was huge in the Santa Anita. 246 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:33.000 Derby worked his way through trouble and won that race 247 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:34.759 in a race that they didn't really need to win, 248 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:38.759 but he wasn't going to be denied. So Mike McCarthy, 249 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:43.240 Michael McCarthy is the trainer, and he told horse Racing 250 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:46.919 Nation about how impressed he was by the way the 251 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:49.759 horse came back in the San Felipe, and then of 252 00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:51.639 course later added the Santa Anita. 253 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:53.279 I thought he would run very well. 254 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:56.679 That was a little bit it's a little bit more 255 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:59.159 than I expected, but very pleased with forb. 256 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:02.600 When a horse runs that big and March first, do 257 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:05.039 you figure, you know, feel like you've got a. 258 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:06.879 Plan on it, not push him too much. 259 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:08.840 I think it is what it is. You know, he'd 260 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:10.519 had it coming off of a bit of it. 261 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:12.399 I think it was a nine or ted week layoff, 262 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:15.639 something like that as a fresh horse had run out 263 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:16.120 of his bide. 264 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:19.240 Came back into Sanity to Derby. 265 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:22.639 And you know, I'm not gonna say duplicated that performance 266 00:15:22.679 --> 00:15:24.720 by that here had a fair respectable race. 267 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.039 There's in tense moments in Sanity Derby and Roberto got 268 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:30.240 kind of stuck in a five horse field there Or 269 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:31.840 was that a concern for you at all? 270 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:34.639 Or yeah, you know you could kind of see something 271 00:15:34.679 --> 00:15:36.240 like this get ready to brew about. 272 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.240 The half mile pole. Very happy that happened. 273 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:41.639 Three furlogs from rather than a quarter mile, for quite 274 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:42.600 a bit of different outcome. 275 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:45.200 There was a while there were it seemed like the 276 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:49.360 best contenders were coming out of California, and I wondered, well, 277 00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:53.000 are they fit? Are they more fit and horses back here? 278 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:56.080 But the answer was no. It's just that some of 279 00:15:56.120 --> 00:16:00.120 the trainers who favored the California tracks, like Wayne Lucas, 280 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:04.480 like Bob Baffort, had better horses than other people. But 281 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:07.480 then good horses come out of Florida, good horses come 282 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:11.039 through Arkansas. For a while, yer the Arkansas Derby was 283 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:14.000 considered eh, you know, yeah, they get some horses there, 284 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:18.200 but suddenly really good horses started coming through. Of late, 285 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:22.559 we haven't seen many great ones coming or even good 286 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:28.080 ones contenders through New York. Orb did for Shug McGahee, 287 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.600 but you know, of course Secretariat came from the Wood, 288 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:34.039 but the Wood Memorial now is a grade too, so 289 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:38.399 you know it's cyclical. A great Derby horse could come 290 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:41.279 from anywhere. Mine that Bird came through New Mexico. So 291 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:49.519 another strong contender is Sandman. Mark Cassie trains Sandman and 292 00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:54.519 talked to FanDuel TV about the fact that one of 293 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:56.759 the real pluses for this horse, and I really like 294 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:03.080 this is that this cult raced at two anymore. It 295 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:08.359 seems like you've seen trainers kind of gamble and for 296 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:11.480 whatever reason skip the two year old campaign, whether it's 297 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:17.599 injury or lack of development. But Cassie really maintains that 298 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:21.359 Sandman is the cult that he is today because of 299 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:23.759 the hard knocks he took at age two. 300 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:26.279 You know, we ran him at two and we got 301 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:30.279 a lot of starts, and it's something that I really 302 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:33.839 believe in. I think that when the going gets tough, 303 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:36.200 and it's going to get tough, that he's going to 304 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:40.240 have the experience over a lot of horses, and he's developed. 305 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:44.839 And if you've followed my career very far, that is 306 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:47.599 I'm kind of a guy that doesn't worries so much 307 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:50.960 about winning first and second time out and letting him 308 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:53.160 kind of come along. 309 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:56.960 In case you're wondering Citizen Bull won the Juvenile, you 310 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:00.240 might know that already and he's in the Derby field. 311 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:04.759 But gone of the days it seems that the two 312 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:08.279 year old champion, basically the Breeders Cup Juvenile winner is 313 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:12.640 looked upon as the Derby favorite. It's going to be journalism. 314 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:16.279 Of course, a Citizen Bull could jump up and do 315 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:20.119 some damage. But the last cult to win the juvenile 316 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:25.119 then when the Derby was Nyquist in twenty sixteen, Street 317 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:28.640 Sense did it as well in twenty oh six for 318 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:31.720 Todd Pletcher. A couple of other notes before we hit 319 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:34.599 the break, I told you yesterday about John Elway's agent 320 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:40.240 former agent falling out of a golf cart basically driven 321 00:18:40.279 --> 00:18:45.039 by Elway at an event in California, suffered late threatening injuries, 322 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:47.880 blowed over the head, and he died yesterday, So the 323 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:52.519 incident is under investigation. Atlanta Falcons have been fined by 324 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:56.599 the NFL a quarter of a million dollars. Teams defensive 325 00:18:56.599 --> 00:19:02.119 coordinator fined one hundred thousand. The DC's son prank called 326 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:07.799 Shador Sanders during the draft. That was a bit of ugliness. 327 00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:10.519 And I was looking for an update on Georgia Aymore. 328 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:14.640 Of course, now a Washington Mystics guard blew her acl 329 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:18.039 in a workout three days prior to the first exhibition game, 330 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:21.039 but the team has said there is no timeline yet 331 00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:25.240 for her return. So fingers crossed for Georgia Amore. What 332 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:29.759 a terrible, terrible tough break up. Next, Tom Leach, the 333 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:34.799 Voice of the Cats on six thirty WLAP, Welcome back 334 00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:37.240 to the Big Blue Insider. Coming up this Saturday, of course, 335 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:39.960 is the run for the Roses. Friday, it's the run 336 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:43.799 for the Lilies. But before we talk with Tom leachs 337 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:46.519 the voice of the Wildcats, about that and some UK 338 00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:49.720 related things. Tom, you and I were talking yesterday about 339 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:52.960 the fact that we lost Larry Johnson, a great player 340 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:55.680 from Joe Hall's first teams. And I've got a few 341 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:58.359 years on you. I was in school with Larry, but 342 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:00.400 you were, of course a fan grow up. You and 343 00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:02.319 your dad came to a lot of games. What do 344 00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:03.920 you remember about Larry Johnson? 345 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:07.640 First thing I remember is those great Union County teams 346 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:10.359 that he was on. When I would follow the Sweet sixteen, 347 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:14.839 I wasn't attending often then, but you know, would follow 348 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:18.440 it and then on Saturday get the semi finals to 349 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:20.960 finals the TV. So I was just you know, followed, 350 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.640 just as a basketball fan, eat up with the state tournament, 351 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:25.559 you know, when it would roll around. And so Union 352 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:28.720 County had that great run with Larry and Freddie Collen 353 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:32.720 and Dwayne Casey. Outstanding team. So I remember from that 354 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:37.640 and then the two memories that popped in my mind 355 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:42.720 when you say Larry Johnson. Number one is the seventy 356 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:46.200 seven team that I know. Goose says this, and I've 357 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:48.079 had so many other people say it to me over 358 00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:51.119 the years. Was as good as the seventy eight championships team. 359 00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:51.799 Yep. 360 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:57.359 And they just got four cornered by John Custer in 361 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:00.640 North Carolina. They got behind and couldn't catch him. The 362 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.559 four corners up in College Park, and you know, the 363 00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:07.480 next year, Larry had finished his eligibility and Kyle was 364 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:09.680 waiting in the wings as a transfer, and so he 365 00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:11.440 stepped in and they won the title that they could 366 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:13.759 have easily gone back to back. I think had they. 367 00:21:13.720 --> 00:21:15.519 Been able to get past. 368 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:21.160 North Carolina and then I would have likely denied the 369 00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:25.160 world the Al McGuire championship story. And like Pratt and 370 00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:29.200 Lee Rose and UNC, Charlotte might have spoiled their party. 371 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:31.480 Of course they've got to spoiled by Marquette anyway. But anyway, 372 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:32.960 they would have been in the final four and I 373 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:35.319 think it would have had a great chance to win it. Anyway, 374 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:39.039 long winded story. The other memory I have it popped 375 00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:42.519 in mind for Larry Johnson was the seventy six team. 376 00:21:42.680 --> 00:21:45.400 Wasn't it one of the best teams, But it was 377 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:49.359 just as a fan, a team I really remember very 378 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:52.279 fondly because they were struggling. They were ten and ten 379 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:55.200 and in those days, I think only the top two 380 00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:57.960 went to the NCUBA Tournament out of the league, and 381 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:00.000 they weren't going to be in the nc DOUBLEA tournament. 382 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:03.519 But they got hot at the end of the year 383 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:06.880 and you knew that if they lost, they probably had 384 00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:09.400 no shot of getting an n I T invitation when 385 00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:12.000 that's still meant much more than it does now. But 386 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:14.920 they kept winning and they got the n T bid 387 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:19.720 and then he drives the length of the floor. I 388 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:22.680 want to say it was against maybe Niagara Providence or 389 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:26.400 Kansas State Providence. Okay, you know they won that one 390 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.000 on a buzzer beater and went on to win the 391 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:30.960 title with Reggie Warford having a great game. But as 392 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:33.759 that memory popped into my head too when you mentioned. 393 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:36.359 This past, you know what, I was up there for 394 00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:38.880 that Providence game, and yeah, that's the game that actually 395 00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:43.119 put them into the championship game. And for whatever reason, 396 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:45.599 you know, you don't remember where you sat at Madison 397 00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:48.880 Square Garden, the newer one for the game this year. 398 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:52.160 That's where my seat was a sign up there and 399 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.720 I had been up like in what they call the 400 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:57.559 hockey press box, but I was down on the floor 401 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.480