WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:02.439 Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:04.919 you on a Friday, the eve of game day, but 3 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:09.359 also it is event is tonight Big Blue Madness unveils 4 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:12.880 the glass court basically at Rupperena. You can see it 5 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:15.039 on the SEC Network. And a man who will be 6 00:00:15.160 --> 00:00:19.640 there for the SEC Network, Tom Hart, also called Vandy 7 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:23.800 Alabama last Saturday. He will work the Kentucky Vanderbilt game 8 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:27.079 tomorrow night, So double dipping here and lexing, and also 9 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.280 we'll be with us coming up a little bit later 10 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:31.320 on in the show. In fact, after the next break, 11 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:34.320 he'll be working with Jimmy Dikes tonight and our own 12 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:37.399 Christy Thomas will pop in and talk about the UK 13 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:40.799 women's team on the SEC broadcast. She of course part 14 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:44.840 of SEC plus coverage of UK women's basketball, along with 15 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:47.600 our own Jeff Bicoro. So that comes up tonight in 16 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:52.240 Rupperina Football Tomorrow night seven forty five kick five point 17 00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:56.439 thirty pre game with Christy, Jeremy Jarman, and Logan Salo 18 00:00:56.520 --> 00:00:59.479 and then of course it's Logan Salo, Logan Stenburg. We 19 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:04.280 Logan s on last night the baseball coach, but Jeff 20 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:05.959 and Tom and I will have the action for you. 21 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:08.640 A huge game coming up a little bit later on, 22 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:12.439 we'll hear Diego Pavia part of his conversation with Dan 23 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:16.079 Patrick courtesy of The Dan Patrick Show, and Billy Derek 24 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:19.239 from vandysports dot Com. We'll tell us a little bit 25 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:22.280 more about those Commodorees. We talked to my friend George 26 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:25.519 Plaster the other night just about the history of Andy 27 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:28.120 football and what this all meant. But we get more 28 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:31.480 of a breakdown from Billy about the Cats and the 29 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:34.760 Commodoores coming up tomorrow night. We're also gonna hear from 30 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:37.920 Walt Wells, the EKU head football coach. Colonels have won 31 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:40.680 three straight coming off in bye week. They're on the 32 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:46.480 road tomorrow in Cedar, Utah against Southern Utah. So it's 33 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:49.359 a pretty long road trip for the Colonels, but a 34 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:51.920 chance to make it four straight. We're also going to 35 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:54.719 relive the highlights again. I know I had them last week, 36 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:58.200 but people have hit me up on social media and 37 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:02.120 they really like it when we play the melted highlights, 38 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:05.239 if you will, of the entire ball game. And so 39 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:08.080 you will hear once more the upset of old miss 40 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:13.159 think about this now Kentucky and Vanderbilt playing tomorrow night 41 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:16.840 right here in our town. Those are the two teams 42 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:21.919 coming off the biggest upsets so far in college football 43 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:24.879 this year. The only thing that knocked Kentucky off the 44 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:29.280 top of the coverage charts two saturdays back was that 45 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:33.400 great Alabama Georgia game. Even if Alabama had finished up 46 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:36.560 the blowout of Georgia, which of course it did not. 47 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.039 Georgia made a hell of a game of it. But 48 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:42.599 even if Alabama had beaten Georgia badly that day, it 49 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:44.599 might have still been the lead story. But I don't know. 50 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:47.400 Kentucky knocking off the top ten team and in some 51 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:51.240 polls top five or six team of Old miss might 52 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:53.759 have led the college football world. At any rate, it 53 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:55.439 was the biggest upset of the day. And then, of 54 00:02:55.439 --> 00:03:01.159 course Vandy does its thing against Alabama. Those two teams 55 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:06.159 now will clash tomorrow night, and we'll see which team 56 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:10.520 keeps the momentum going one of the biggest games, probably 57 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.599 the biggest game in the country, Tomorrow's Ohio State Oregon. 58 00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:16.840 I have already predicted to our man, our West NBA 59 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:20.280 chief Gary Moore and Ohio State blowout. I don't know why. 60 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:24.159 And I'll be rooting for Oregon primarily because my cousins 61 00:03:24.199 --> 00:03:26.400 live in Oregon, A bunch of my cousins and they're 62 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:30.400 all Duck fans, and I'll behalf of rich Brooks. But 63 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:33.439 I know my man Ocorro is a big Ohio State 64 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:37.000 fan because his dad played baseball there. So anyway, I'm 65 00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:39.680 still rooting for Oregon. But I do believe Ohio State 66 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:43.280 not just whin, but blow them out. I don't know why, 67 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:45.960 I just think that's going to be the case. One 68 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.639 other note about madness tonight, Well, there are several notes, 69 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:52.840 but if you need information and you're probably on your 70 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:55.960 way for listening in the car right now and it 71 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:59.360 being a little bit after six, that's whyse doors have 72 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:03.479 been opened since five point thirty. But it's getting close 73 00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:09.240 now to event time. But access your mobile tickets and 74 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:12.680 parking pass before you get there. You know what to do. 75 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:17.079 Parking is twenty seven bucks at the gate, no cash accepted. 76 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:23.199 And remember now Rupperina has gone entirely cash less, all right, 77 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:25.720 so you got to have your credit card. They need 78 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:29.680 those clear bags. There's a temporary box office area set 79 00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:33.360 up inside the High Street instance of Rupperina it is 80 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:39.079 already open, and if you're still needing information, you can 81 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:44.120 go online and find it through the UK website. There's 82 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.279 gamed assistance there if you need it, and all kinds 83 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:51.800 of info on the UK website. So have fun at Madness. 84 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:53.680 But if you can't get there, it will be on 85 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:57.360 the SEC network, as will tomorrow night's football game, but 86 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:01.040 we know you will have your radio close at hand. 87 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:04.720 By the way, the SEC has released it's times for 88 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:09.800 TV for college basketball games men's games. And you're not 89 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:13.439 gonna like this, but Kentucky plays a couple of nine 90 00:05:13.480 --> 00:05:16.600 o'clock games nine pm Eastern time. Although the first game 91 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:20.879 on the schedule Florida at Kentucky, that's an eleven am start. 92 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:22.680 A lot of you don't like that one, But that 93 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:26.079 one starts at eleven am. You probably like that more 94 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:30.079 than the nine pm games. There are at least a 95 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:34.639 couple of those. One is iffy. But February first, Alabama 96 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.480 at Kentucky, that is a nine o'clock start, even though 97 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:41.759 it's in the Eastern time zone. The Oklahoma game, which 98 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:45.680 comes up on February toward was a twenty sixth I 99 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:49.160 think it is, Yeah, is a nine o'clock start, and 100 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:55.240 then the LSU game, which is on March fourth. That's 101 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:58.079 either a seven o'clock or a nine o'clock game, So 102 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:00.920 is Auburn and Texas A and I guess they'll figure 103 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:04.279 out which game is bigger and decide then which game 104 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:06.720 is a seven o'clock start which game is a nine 105 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:09.959 o'clock start. Go to UK Athletics dot com you can 106 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:12.279 find out all the other start times. There are some 107 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:15.680 noon starts, mostly seven o'clock and two thirty in the 108 00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:18.199 afternoon on the weekends. But getting ready for the nine 109 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:22.560 pm games. They are coming at you. While we're on football. 110 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:27.920 Last night's Thursday night football game, Seahawks Niners. Niners turned 111 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:31.040 it over way too many times, rather than Seahawks turned 112 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:34.240 it over way too many times. Niners come back after 113 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:37.000 that shocking loss to the Cardinals. But I bring it 114 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:41.439 up because it was an historic game for Deebo Samuel, 115 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:46.079 the all purpose wide receiver slash running back for the 116 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:50.160 forty nine ers. He became the first wide receiver in 117 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:56.639 NFL history with twenty touchdowns, twenty touchdown catches and twenty 118 00:06:56.680 --> 00:07:03.759 touchdown runs twenty of eight. That's pretty amazing. And remember 119 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:07.680 now he was a South Carolina game cock and you 120 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:10.079 might recall back I want to say it was eight 121 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:15.519 years ago. The Wildcats go to South Carolina, fall behind 122 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:18.560 because Deebo scores like on the first play from scrimmage 123 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.600 for South Carolina, and we wondered, how in the world 124 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:25.680 are they going to handle this guy? Well, he had 125 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.000 a big game, but Kentucky actually came back and won 126 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:32.319 that one. I was actually twenty seventeen, that's right, and 127 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:35.560 Deebo caught a sixty eight yard pass from Jake Bentley 128 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:39.560 first played from scrimmage thirteen seconds into the game and 129 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:43.600 Kentucky was behind seven nothing, but the Wildcats answered with 130 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:47.160 the Benny Snell touchdown run later in the quarter and 131 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:49.959 ended up winning at twenty three to thirteen. And that's 132 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:55.319 the game where Jojo Kimp talked about the Wildcats celebrating 133 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.120 in the locker room and it was just nuts. After 134 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:02.720 that game, Deebo Samuel getting it done still in the 135 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:06.240 National Football League. Tom hard of the SEC Network next 136 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:09.560 on six thirty WLAP welcome back to the Big bluin Cider, 137 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:12.399 joining us now. One of our favorite broadcasters and a 138 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:16.279 good dude because we've watched him on ESPN, the SEC Network, 139 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.639 Tom Hart, he'll be in town. In fact, he is 140 00:08:19.720 --> 00:08:25.959 doing Friday Night Big Move Madness and Tom, I texted you, 141 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:27.920 and I know you've got tweets about it. What a 142 00:08:27.959 --> 00:08:31.319 great job you and your entire crew did on that 143 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:34.440 Vandy Alabama game. What was that like for you? Because 144 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:35.879 that was a slice of history. 145 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:39.159 So I really appreciate that, Dick, and thanks for having 146 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:42.320 me on. It was you know, it was thrilling in 147 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:46.399 many ways. And I think there's this great responsibility and 148 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:48.919 others may roll their eyes at this, but in a 149 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.159 scenario like that, you said, you s the word history, 150 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:56.720 and it is historic. And so there are times I 151 00:08:56.840 --> 00:08:58.600 like to be loose in the air. I like to 152 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:04.440 show some personality, you know, have fun. But it was 153 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:08.120 one of those moments where I didn't have to remind myself, 154 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:12.480 but I was hyper aware that, you know, a reference 155 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:16.440 to you know, famous comedian Theo Vaughn in this game, 156 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:18.679 in this moment, it's not going to hold up when 157 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:21.399 somebody watches that back twenty years from now, you know, 158 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:25.639 or anyway, just my way of saying that, I take 159 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:29.759 that responsibility seriously and our first goal is to document 160 00:09:29.799 --> 00:09:34.080 the game. I really appreciated what it meant for Clark 161 00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:36.879 Lee into the Vanderbilt program. And I got a message 162 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:40.840 from a Vanderbilt fan and he said the game moved 163 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:41.480 him to tears. 164 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:43.720 Oh wow wow. 165 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:49.639 Yeah, so to try to you know, that's hard to 166 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:53.360 process on air. But after the fact of all the 167 00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:56.159 messages I got, that one really hit home. 168 00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:59.759 Yeah. Well, and you know, and me being a TV 169 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:03.120 and do you guys notice these things? But the graphics 170 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:06.279 you guys had that frame the picture so well the 171 00:10:06.360 --> 00:10:08.720 first time this and all the record you've got to 172 00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:11.600 be ready for that in the unlikely event that this 173 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:15.000 upset occurs. But you and your producer, as your whole 174 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:17.679 your graphics people were right on the money with that, 175 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:18.240 weren't they. 176 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:21.480 Well, I really appreciate that. Yeah, and I am not 177 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:23.399 going to take credit for that, but I want to 178 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:25.320 bring up something that I brought up to our team, 179 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:30.840 and I said, we need these graphics. And you may 180 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:35.759 say to yourself, or some may say in a different light, well, 181 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:37.919 why are you making fun of Vanderbilt or why are 182 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:42.240 you poking at all of this failure? And I said, regardless, 183 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:44.399 if this is a game in the second half or 184 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:49.120 the fourth quarter, to your point, it frames what it means, Yes, 185 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:52.879 And I don't know that quite honestly, I don't think that, 186 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:56.120 you know, the people put it together really thought that 187 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:59.240 it was going to air in that way. But I'm 188 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:01.960 really glad, you know's that and appreciated that. I'm really 189 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:04.279 proud of our team for being on top of it. 190 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:08.240 And I agree, and I think I think one thing 191 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.200 we have to remind ourselves that too, is like, there 192 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:12.559 are a lot of people watching the game that were 193 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:15.919 at other games or at a bar or that you know, 194 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:20.279 maybe just start popping up on restaurant screens. And somebody 195 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:22.600 looks at her husband and says, well, what's the big 196 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:26.080 deal about this, and goes, look, they're all in sixty gets, 197 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:29.960 top five teams. They've never beaten Number one ever, That's 198 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:30.759 why it's the big deal. 199 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:33.759 I had Chris Doring from your network on the other 200 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:37.159 night and he talked about just in the studio, you know, 201 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:39.240 they could feel and it was pretty obvious that that 202 00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:41.799 audience had to be growing. And I know you you 203 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:44.799 you were processing so much in your mind, but looking 204 00:11:44.840 --> 00:11:47.519 back on it, somebody liked me. I was watching another game, 205 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:49.399 I'll be honest, and I saw the score, I thought, 206 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:52.279 I mean early, I thought, oh that's interesting, flipped over 207 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:54.799 and never left the game. And you had to know 208 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.519 that was happening across the country, right, one. 209 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.879 Hundred percent, And especially with some of the you know, 210 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:06.399 of all the media that I have an appetite for 211 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:10.159 during the week, hearing the different podcasts talk about it 212 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.879 and radio shows, it was evident that you know, you 213 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:17.240 weren't the only one. Yeah, and to your point, I 214 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:21.200 know you have an appreciation for this. Somebody said, well, 215 00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:26.279 sometimes those stats or those nuggets were redundant, and I said, yes, 216 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:31.120 but our audience grew every minute of the second half, 217 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:33.480 and I don't We don't have the numbers, but I 218 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:36.200 would venture to believe that you know, the audience from 219 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:38.080 the beginning of the third quarter to the beginning of 220 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:40.240 the fourth quarter probably doubled. 221 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:46.519 Well, no question, they measure it by fifteen minutes. Of that, yeah, 222 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:48.879 they measured it by every fifteen minutes. But yeah, I 223 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.159 guarantee you're right, every minute the audience grows. Tom hard 224 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.519 of the SEC Network, you see his work on ESPN 225 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:59.200 and SEC as well, worked the Kentucky as working Madness, 226 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:02.360 but also work Vanderbilt in Alabama, I got to tell 227 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:04.799 you a couple of weeks ago down in Oxford work 228 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:07.240 in that game, and you know, I've worked Kentucky football forever. 229 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:10.120 I've seen a lot of near misses. And when Vandy 230 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:12.200 took or rather Ole mist took the late lead, I 231 00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:15.320 was kind of bracing myself for the late hammer, wondering 232 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:18.480 about how am I going to phrase this postgame interview 233 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:20.679 with one that got away? And then they win it. 234 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:24.720 At what point did you, well, I'm not going to say, 235 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:26.879 did you think Vanderbilt had it, but were you bracing 236 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:30.279 yourself for the late hammer? Because Alabama did show some 237 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.480 life in the second half. 238 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:34.720 Alabama is an elite team and I think I still 239 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:36.919 think Jalen Milroe is one of the best quarterbacks in 240 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:39.639 college football. And what Vanderbilt did in that game, and 241 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:41.960 you know, I'm lucky that I get a double dip 242 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.080 this weekend. But they're going to try to do Saturday 243 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:47.919 night against Kentucky. Is possessed the football and keep Kentucky's 244 00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:50.320 offense off the field, and they were able to do 245 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:54.039 that with Jalen Milroe and Ryan Williams, maybe the best 246 00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:57.159 receiver in the country, and they limited them to only 247 00:13:57.159 --> 00:14:00.960 a handful of possessions. So when Van when Alabama was 248 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:04.679 driving in the fourth quarter and they had a they 249 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:08.360 had a sack fumble. The guy came basically untouched to 250 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:11.639 Milroe's right side when he was looking left and forced 251 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.879 that fumble. Then then, and only then because they took 252 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:17.919 the ball out of Jaln Milroe's hands, and I knew 253 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:19.480 they were going to be able to flate it going 254 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:24.519 forward and run some clock. And their offensive play calling 255 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:27.519 I thought was absolutely perfect. And they knew him to 256 00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:30.720 take a shot, they knew when to keep it on 257 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:34.320 the ground, and they didn't. They avoided mistakes and all 258 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:39.679 the while scoring forty points with these long drawn out 259 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:43.279 drives just led the clock. That's a lot of points 260 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:46.879 to put up. Their points per possession would be something 261 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:49.240 that Kentucky basketballill be proud of this year, for sure. 262 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:52.080 A couple of minutes left with Tom Hard of the 263 00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:55.320 SEC Network, all right, we got to talk about Diego Pavia. 264 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.399 I mean, he's become I don't know if folk hero 265 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:59.080 is the right term, but he's a heck of a 266 00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:02.080 football player. And you pointed out more than once what 267 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:05.519 a story he couldn't get the SCOLLI offer from the 268 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:08.879 hometown team Juco New Mexico State, And the next thing 269 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:13.159 you know, half the New Mexico State personnel had moved 270 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:17.000 to Nashville. This kid's a good ballplayer, isn't he? 271 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:17.320 He is? 272 00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:20.159 And it is a very unlikely marriage. I don't think 273 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:25.159 New Mexico State and Vanderbilt have anything in common academically 274 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:30.240 or otherwise, right, but to get Jerry Kill, Tim Back 275 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:34.240 and the coaches and Diego Pavia to come over, Eli 276 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:36.559 Stowers had a bunch of huge catches in the game 277 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:42.720 at their death conversions. He's not just this gritty ballplayer 278 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:46.679 who wills his team to success, although that's a big 279 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:51.039 part of his persona. He is incredibly efficient in that offense. 280 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:52.879 In fact, they were telling us that there was a 281 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:56.159 time earlier the season where they lost helmet communication and 282 00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:59.440 the offensive coordinator. They got to signal out to him 283 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.000 just right, and he calls his own plays, and he 284 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:04.799 runs the offense and he knows the balance. You know, 285 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:07.960 I don't know that he gambles. He seems like the gambler, 286 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:09.879 but he'd be someone you would never want to play 287 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:13.360 poker against. Right, he just has an eight feel for 288 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:17.600 what card is coming next? And when you run an 289 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:21.120 offense like that that you know, shows one play to 290 00:16:21.159 --> 00:16:25.039 set you up for another, and everything is this long string. 291 00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:27.720 It's like a popcorn string around the Christmas tree. Right, 292 00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:31.799 one leads to another, leads to another. And even though 293 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:35.000 it looks like a failure of a play, in fact, 294 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:38.480 they had a first down on their last possession where 295 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:41.120 he kind of tucked it and tried to stumble to 296 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:43.679 the left and boss two yards. And I said that 297 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:46.000 Cole Kublack, who's in the root for the game? I said, well, 298 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:49.440 are they not playing too conservatively? And he said, just wait, 299 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:51.840 let's see what that sets up. And that set up 300 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:53.759 a roll out to the right, the pass to the flat, 301 00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:57.120 the first down, and it was you know, to have 302 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:00.480 someone with that high level of football like to run 303 00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:02.080 the offense really what makes it work? 304 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:05.039 Yeah, and Cole did such a great job. Alyssa Lang 305 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:08.119 fighting for her life down there. My heart goes out 306 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:12.359 to a fellow sideline reporter, and just a great job 307 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.839 she did getting those interviews. I mean, that was athletic 308 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.720 what she did. But I know, you got to wrap 309 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:22.160 things up. But what's the storyline on Kentucky coming in? 310 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:23.279 As you've done your research. 311 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:28.200 Well, I think it's really similar to what Vanderbilt wants 312 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:31.839 to do. And I think the big picture is, you know, 313 00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:35.759 Mark Stoops has vacillated over the years with what he 314 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:40.319 wants his offense to be. And I think they came 315 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:43.880 into the season certainly wanting to run more plays last 316 00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:46.720 in the country in place per game last year, and 317 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:49.599 to be more explosive. And the thought is kind of 318 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:52.599 like we'll see with Mark Pope's basketball team. The more 319 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.519 possessions you have, the more you can share the ball, 320 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:56.880 the more guys get shot, the more guys get touched. Sure, 321 00:17:57.559 --> 00:18:01.480 it's evident now that it back a little bit and 322 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:06.480 being an old school ground and pound and then take 323 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:10.960 shots offense is what is going to fit fit Kentucky best. Yeah, 324 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:13.599 And I think styles make fights, and I think they 325 00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:17.000 have the you know it's in Vanderbilt obviously with toe 326 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:20.279 to toe in Alabama from a size and frisicality standards, Yes, 327 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:23.960 Saturday Night, but I still think that's an advantage for 328 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:27.359 Kentucky given what they have, especially on the defensive line. 329 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:32.200 This Saturday Night amazing that time of possession, which doesn't 330 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:35.039 always tell the right story, it did on both Kentucky Ole, 331 00:18:35.079 --> 00:18:39.240 miss Andy, Alabama and was almost identical forty to twenty. Basically, 332 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:43.400 I know you've done the madness football double dip before, 333 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.759 but you know, do you like that? Do you enjoy 334 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:48.880 coming to madness and then you know, how do you 335 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.519 work that compared to a ballgame? 336 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:51.519 Oh? 337 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:53.440 I love it. I love it. I think it gives 338 00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:57.640 me great energy. I really like to see a basketball 339 00:18:57.720 --> 00:19:00.519 especially as many teams I can before we get into season, 340 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:07.240 because certainly football takes takes priority, and so to build 341 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:10.039 relationships and to get to know players and get your 342 00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:13.400 eyes on helps. Then when you show back up and 343 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:15.279 with two more teams in the league, you might be 344 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:18.480 seeing it teams less often than than you did if 345 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:21.640 you have my schedule now. It gives me a great 346 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:24.680 feel for the fan base and their excitement and what 347 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:27.920 they're thinking and kind of their their state of mind. 348 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:32.519 And I'm just I especially like it when there is 349 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:36.440 such a high level of excitement around Mark Pope's energy 350 00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:39.799 and enthusiasm and the ties to the past, which obviously 351 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:42.880 is such a huge part of Kentucky basketball, and that 352 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:45.480 the football team's coming off of it such a huge win. Yeah, 353 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:47.000 it certainly makes a lot more fun. 354 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:49.160 Oh, it's been fun around here, trust me, and an 355 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:51.519 extra week to enjoy it because of the open date. 356 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:53.599 Do you get to sneak off to Keenland on a 357 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:55.839 weekend like this because I know you're working your butt off? 358 00:19:56.920 --> 00:20:01.200 I usually try to. I don't know, Madness, I'm going 359 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:04.000 to be able to, But it depends on how much 360 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:06.759 work I could knock out in the hotel. Maybe I'll 361 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.039 free to sneak be free to sneak out their Saturday morning. 362 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:11.960 I get it. Hey, thanks, brother, We'll see it safe travels. 363 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:15.759 Thanks great to talk to you'll. I'll see you Saturday. 364 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:18.759 Tom Hard He'll be on the call tonight for Madness 365 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:21.839 at Rupp Arena, and then he'll head over Saturday to 366 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:25.880 Kroger Field for the Wildcats and the Vanderbilt Commodorees. And 367 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:28.799 when we come back, we'll talk more basketball. We'll hear 368 00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:30.960 from some of the Cats in just a minute on 369 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:35.279 six thirty WLAP Welcome back tonight. It is Madness. Some 370 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:37.079 of you are already there, many of you are on 371 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:39.519 your way, and we thought we would help prepare you 372 00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:42.559 by sharing with you some of the conversations we had 373 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:44.839 in case you didn't see him and if you did well, 374 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:47.880 you'll enjoy him again. The conversations we had with some 375 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:51.799 of the Wildcats before Pro Day on Monday. Of course, 376 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:55.240 it's been a big week for Kentucky basketball fans as 377 00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:00.440 the Mark Pope era slowly begins to unfolds. Start off 378 00:21:00.440 --> 00:21:02.160 with one of the guys I talked to. They were 379 00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:04.440 all really interesting and they all did a really nice job. 380 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:06.759 But let's start with the point guard, the guy I 381 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:08.839 will handle the ball quite a bit for the Wildcats. 382 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:13.240 Here's my conversation with the San Diego State transfer and 383 00:21:13.559 --> 00:21:16.559 a tremendous defensive player, Lamont Butler. 384 00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:18.519 It's been a dream of mine for a long time 385 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:20.759 to play in the NBA, So you know, I'm really 386 00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:22.920 excited to have them, you know, come out here see 387 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:24.519 me and my teammates, and you know, it's just another 388 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:26.359 prep day for us to get ready for our season. 389 00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:27.759 So it's gonna be a fun day. 390 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:30.240 You have Final Four experience. So a lot of scouts 391 00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:32.799 have already seen you. What have they seen in Lamont Butler? 392 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:34.880 I think they've seen now. I'm a winner. I do 393 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:36.559 anything to go out there and win. I think I'm 394 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:38.920 a high level defender. I hang my hat on that 395 00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:41.400 in and then you know, offensively, I feel like my 396 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:43.599 game is continuing the girl. I feel like I'm a 397 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:46.920 great facilitator and then you know, just getting my shot 398 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:48.839 up to par and you know, just just making shots 399 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.440 at the end of the day, and you know, I 400 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:52.440 feel like I've improved that. I'm ready to show that today. 401 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.200