WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.279 Welcome to the Big Lowinsider. Dick Gabriel with you on 2 00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:06.400 a Thursday edition of our program. Coming up tonight, lots 3 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:09.640 of cat's talk. As always, at the bottom of the hour, 4 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:13.400 we're gonna hear from a former Wildcat, Jalen Whitlow, who 5 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:18.120 played quarterback in Joker Phillips system his Jokers last year 6 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:21.960 and then played under Mark Stoops and Stoops' first season 7 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:25.760 at Kentucky. So in twenty twelve and twenty thirteen. Those 8 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:29.879 were some rough times. Whitlow played fairly well for teams 9 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:33.880 that were just overmatched and out manned. He transferred to 10 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:37.799 Eastern Illinois, which was in the Ohio Valley Conference at 11 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:40.200 the time, and believe it or not, still is. It's 12 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:43.719 up in Charleston, Illinois and is probably best known at 13 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:47.439 least among people who have KEP kept an eye on 14 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:49.880 that program for a while as the alma mater of 15 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:54.399 Tony Romo and in fact, in a huge game toward 16 00:00:54.439 --> 00:00:57.880 the end of Roy Kidds's career, I remember e KU 17 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:02.320 went up there needing a win over Eastern Illinois to 18 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:04.879 remain in a hunt and maybe to win what would 19 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:08.079 have been Roy's last OVC championship. If memory serves me, 20 00:01:08.680 --> 00:01:13.680 and Romo scored on some incredibly athletic play, got himself 21 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:16.640 into the end zone, and the closing seconds kind of 22 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:19.439 broke our hearts because we were hoping that Roy kid 23 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.680 could win that last OVC championship. But that's Eastern Illinois 24 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:26.719 and that's where Jalen Witlow ended up and a couple 25 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:29.400 of really nice seasons up there. Since then, he has 26 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:32.920 become a high school coach, a trainer of quarterbacks, and 27 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:36.120 has written a book about being recruited and that sort 28 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:38.359 of thing. So we'll chat with him at the bottom 29 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:40.920 of the hour. Coming up. In hour number two, Ryan 30 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:44.079 Black of the Career Journal covers the UK beat for 31 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:48.280 the CJ. Also covered the Kentucky Derby, as everybody who 32 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:51.120 writes for the Courier Journal. It's all hands on deck 33 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:53.760 that week at Churchill Down, really for two weeks at 34 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.159 Churchill Downs, and justin Rowland of Cats Illustrated part of 35 00:01:57.159 --> 00:02:00.799 the Rivals Network, we'll talk with us about the expansion 36 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:05.359 of the Kentucky football roster and the basketball roster as well, 37 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:10.080 which now officially includes Rhys Potter. You heard him talking 38 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:13.039 on the show the other night. He has since made 39 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:16.479 the rounds of other media outlets, but he has signed, 40 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:19.840 so Kentucky was allowed to follow through with the official 41 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:22.800 press release. Although we all found out I think Sunday night. 42 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:25.280 I think David Sisk might have had it first for 43 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:28.879 Cats Illustrated and the Rivals Network. This is a guy 44 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:32.560 will clearly be a depth guy. I don't know how 45 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:35.280 many minutes he's going to command. He was a nice 46 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:38.280 player in high school Region eleventh region player of the 47 00:02:38.360 --> 00:02:41.599 Year out of election and Catholic eighteen points nearly nine 48 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:45.400 rebounds a game, a team captain who went on to 49 00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:48.960 as you know, Miami of Ohio and played well there, 50 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:53.039 but got the opportunity to come home. He stepped into 51 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:56.000 the portal, wanted to come to Kentucky, as he told 52 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.360 us the other night, But even when he got the 53 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:03.080 offer from Mark Pope, he kind of slow played it. 54 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:05.840 You know, he wasn't trying to maneuver himself at all. 55 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:08.840 But he did the smart thing, and he thought about 56 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:12.280 it and really studied the situation and then decided he 57 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:16.879 would become the eighty eighth UK player from the city 58 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:20.919 of Lexington. And that doesn't seem like a lot. But 59 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:24.479 I mentioned this a couple of times this week on 60 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:27.120 the show, Joeby Hall told me, and I got to 61 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:29.759 think other coaches have mentioned the same look. Just because 62 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:33.199 a kid is from Lexingon, it doesn't mean, you know, 63 00:03:33.240 --> 00:03:35.599 you want to burn a scolly on him just because 64 00:03:35.639 --> 00:03:37.520 he's going to be excited to play for the Wildcats. 65 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:39.840 It's got to be somebody who can help you win. 66 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:43.400 And as Joeb told me, he said he only took 67 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:45.280 a kid he thought could either play a lot or 68 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:49.960 start because there's so much pressure on local players to 69 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:53.400 get minutes to get playing time. So eighty eight players 70 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:57.120 all time from the city of Lexingon, and now he 71 00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:01.840 is part of a seven member class of newcomers to 72 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:07.280 go along with Denzel Aberdeen, Mohammed Diabate from Alabama, Andrea Jellovich, 73 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:13.360 Jalen Low, Jayden Quaintons, and Cam Williams. Jayden Quainton's appeared 74 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:18.600 on Aaron Torres podcast yesterday. He is, of course rehabbing 75 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:23.279 from knee surgery. Quaints from the Cleveland area and had 76 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:28.040 committed to Kentucky as you may well remember, under John Calipari, 77 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:32.560 but when Caliperi left, Quayton's asked for his relief from 78 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:35.920 release from his scholarship and he got it. Winds up 79 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:39.959 at Arizona State. Had a nice year, but in late 80 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:42.879 February he went down with a torn acl in his 81 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.519 right knee as he was driving to the bucket. He 82 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:49.120 had surgery on March nineteenth, and his rehabbing now, and 83 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:52.319 he told Torres, rehab is coming along well. He's working 84 00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:56.720 on his flexibility and the goal is to become ready 85 00:04:56.759 --> 00:05:00.879 to play ready, as he said, for contact essentially in 86 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:05.279 practicing and pickup games by September. And if that's the case, 87 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:07.040 and you don't want to put the cart before the 88 00:05:07.079 --> 00:05:10.560 proverbial horse, but if that's the case, then you think 89 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:13.879 he would be ready for the season opener. But you 90 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:15.399 know as well as I they're going to take it 91 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:17.839 really slow with his kid and make sure he's one 92 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:21.360 hundred percent before he becomes at least on the floor 93 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:24.720 a Kentucky Wildcat. He's a Kentucky Wildcat now. He has 94 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:29.120 signed and he talked with Torres about why UK was 95 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:30.920 the choice. When he came through the portal. 96 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:33.279 I had to find a program I felt fit my 97 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:36.120 play style a little bit better, and I felt like 98 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:39.040 Kentucky was that perfect spot. You know, they have a 99 00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:41.319 better basketball environment as well. You know, they have a 100 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:45.680 lot more fans support, so I felt like that was 101 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:48.040 a big part of it as well as, yeah, just 102 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:49.600 fitting my place style a little bit better so I 103 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:52.319 could show off my versatility more and you know, kind 104 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:53.439 of flourish in a different role. 105 00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:57.040 Obviously, Quaintans knew all about the Wildcats from when he 106 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.920 was previously recruited. He had previously committed and signed, so 107 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:06.680 that familiarity really played a large role in his decision 108 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:08.759 to essentially come back to Kentucky. 109 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:11.360 Already did my official visit. I had unofficial visits there 110 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:13.959 as well, so I'm very familiar with, you know, the 111 00:06:14.040 --> 00:06:16.040 fan support that's there. Even when I was on my visit, 112 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:18.199 you know how many people were there getting to see 113 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:21.519 the court and the energy that surrounds the program. So 114 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:24.360 that was already there beforehand that I already got to see. 115 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.600 And then the new coaching staff as well, they just 116 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:28.199 kind of showed a lot of support and they felt 117 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:30.360 like it felt like they really wanted here. It wasn't 118 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:34.000 like I was committed previously, so they thought the defense 119 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:35.759 wanted to be there, but like they thought I fit 120 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:37.600 very well into their system and I could really help 121 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.879 them make like make a difference next year. 122 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:45.600 That's Jaden Quainton's courtesy of the Aaron Torres podcast, And 123 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:48.000 it's just going to take a while for him to 124 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:50.720 get back to where he was before he was injured. 125 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:53.759 At Arizona State, he played about thirty minutes a game, 126 00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:57.800 average nine and a half points, averaged two and a 127 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:02.560 half block shots, and eight rebound So that's the size 128 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:05.680 that you've been hearing about. When you consider the new 129 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:09.519 roster and Mark Pope and company have put together, it's 130 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:13.519 going to be a bigger, more physical Kentucky team. Before 131 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:16.199 we hit the break, we've been talking this week about 132 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:18.240 the portal. Of course, we talk about that every week 133 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:21.079 in NIL and was talking with the Sean Woods about 134 00:07:21.079 --> 00:07:24.199 it on the show last night, and he sent me 135 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:28.879 a clip from a podcast where Penny Hardaway was talking 136 00:07:28.920 --> 00:07:32.000 to Mike Miller, remember him from Florida. Really good player 137 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:35.800 at Florida out of South Dakota, I believe, and went 138 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:38.920 on to a good career in the NBA. But Penny Hardaway, 139 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:42.680 now the head coach at Memphis, was talking about it 140 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:44.879 was kind of like one of these kids today kinds 141 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:48.279 of comments. But he talked about how challenging it is 142 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:51.800 when you were trying to coach kids who are making 143 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:53.120 all kinds of money. 144 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.519 We could give up to pass the ball, rebound it. 145 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:58.079 Come on, man, I mean when you were coaching here 146 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.079 with me, you understand how hard it is being basketball 147 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:03.680 savants and guys that played the game. Mike, you came 148 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:06.519 up like the same way we did, grinding everything out. 149 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:09.240 Nothing was given to you how to get it and 150 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:12.360 to see it. Now it's way different from seven years 151 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.279 ago when you were first with me, Like, now it's 152 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:17.639 to pay someone millions of dollars and then he might 153 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:20.759 come to practice and go, I don't feel like practicing today, 154 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:24.079 Or if he's out there practicing, he's not getting back 155 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:26.759 on defense. And if you make the team run, he 156 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:29.319 still might be the slowest job. He might not be sprinting. 157 00:08:29.639 --> 00:08:31.480 So you make the team continus he run, you just 158 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:33.159 got to kick him out of the gym and you 159 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:36.519 give him a million dollars. So to me, that's just 160 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:37.879 not what we were raised on. 161 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:39.080 It's just how it is today. 162 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:43.120 Up next, craziness in the NBA, and one of those 163 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.960 big games last night involved a former Wildcat. Also, Bill 164 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:51.120 Belichick is dealing with what one of his former players 165 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:55.480 calls a distraction, something that they tried at all costs 166 00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:58.759 to avoid when they were all together up in New England. 167 00:08:59.399 --> 00:09:03.279 And Tom Brady checks in on Shador Sanders. He's been 168 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:07.320 accused of having something to do with Sanders dropping in 169 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:09.840 the NFL. We'll hear what Brady has to say about 170 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:12.600 that next on six point thirty WLP Welcome back to 171 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:14.360 the Big Blue Insider. Coming up at the bottom of 172 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:17.480 the hour, Jaln Whitlow, the former Kentucky quarterback, will look 173 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:21.240 back on the final days of the Joker Phillips era, 174 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:24.080 but the early days of the Mark Stoops era, and 175 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:27.159 we'll talk to Jalen about the book he's written about 176 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:29.679 being recruited as a college football player. A little bit 177 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:32.720 later on Ryan Black at the Courier Journal and Justin 178 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:37.080 Rowland of Cats Illustrated. If you follow the NBA playoffs, 179 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:38.720 I know around here not a lot of people like 180 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:42.320 the NBA, but they get into it when the playoffs begin. 181 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:44.919 It has been crazy so far, with a road team 182 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:50.000 in the playoffs winning like six times, including the New 183 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:56.519 York Knickerbockers twice, beating the Boston Celtics in Boston. I 184 00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:59.720 mean they were just dismissed. The Knicks were about midway 185 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:01.679 through the year, looked like they might make a run, 186 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:04.279 and now they're like nope, and the Celtics are the 187 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:09.000 defending champs. But the somehow the Knicks have come through, 188 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:13.799 including last night when the Celtics were down a point 189 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:16.600 but had the ball after a Jalen bruns and free 190 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:19.679 throw made it ninety one to ninety, and the Celts 191 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:23.799 did not call time out, came down, put the ball 192 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:27.519 in the hands, of course of Jason Tatum, and then well, 193 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:30.840 the Knicks depended on defense. Here's the call from Knicks 194 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:32.919 radio Tyler Murray with. 195 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:36.679 The call second three, twelve for BRUNSI got them both. 196 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:39.840 That one was a swish. Knicks by one, ninety one 197 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.080 to ninety, Celtics not using the timeout. Tatum across McCourt 198 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:45.759 with ten, top of the ky with eight defended by Robinson, 199 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:48.080 was seven right wing, three across over foul line with 200 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:51.720 four left block step back stole it by Bridges, Pridges 201 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:54.000 sucks it down fourth. They've done it again. 202 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:55.320 They've done it again. 203 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:59.000 The New York Knicks take both in Boston and a 204 00:10:59.080 --> 00:10:59.840 two only to. 205 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:03.159 The Mecca Now that's how it sounded to Knicks fans. 206 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:07.159 Here's what it sounded like on Celtics radio with Sean grand. 207 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:11.320 Cross half court, Tatum behind the Horford screen, Tatum five seconds, 208 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:13.440 Tatum at the freight throw line, Tatum falling away in 209 00:11:13.480 --> 00:11:16.360 the baseline is passed block by Bridges, and the Knicks 210 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:21.320 have done it again. The Celtics do not get a 211 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:26.320 shot away, and the New York Knicks, written off as 212 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:31.200 a championship contender midway through this season, have just recorded 213 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:36.000 three extraordinary victories on the road to put themselves up 214 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:39.360 two games to none in the Eastern Conference semifinals. 215 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:44.080 Remember, these Knicks traded former Wildcat Julius Randall to Minnesota 216 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:48.039 and in that deal they got Carl Anthony Towns, and 217 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:50.960 it turned out to be a really good deal for 218 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.759 the Knicks. And in fact, Towns last night had twenty 219 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:58.360 one points and seventeen rebounds, so a huge night for 220 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:02.440 the former Wildcat. Wildcat, always a Wildcat. There are no 221 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:06.440 former Wildcats right now on the Celtics roster. There is 222 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:11.840 a Kentucky connection, Luke Cornet playing for the Celtics. Luke's 223 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:15.519 dad is Frank Cornet, who played at election and Catholic 224 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:21.159 went on to play at Vandy and then met Tracy, 225 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:24.600 his wife, who went finished her schooling at uk tot. 226 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:28.399 One point, she was the morning news anchor at w 227 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:32.320 l EX here in town and now works TV in Nashville. 228 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:35.639 And Frank had a long NBA career. Now his son 229 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:38.440 is playing in the NBA. But that's the only Kentucky 230 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:41.120 connection there. But still I always like to listen to 231 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:45.080 the radio calls on those last second shots from both sides. 232 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.480 That was kind of fun. I mentioned Bill Belichick, and 233 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:51.440 of course there's all kind of chatter about him and 234 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:56.159 his girlfriend and whether or not she handled things properly 235 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:59.799 during the interview, and you know in her background, she's 236 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:03.519 making all kinds of money now in real estate since 237 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:06.840 she started dating Belichick. Say what you will, judge how 238 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:08.960 you might if you will, about all of this. What 239 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:12.559 I find the most interesting is that none of this 240 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:18.200 has anything to do with Belichick coaching football at North Carolina. Now, 241 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:20.679 this interview with CBS was supposed to be as much 242 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:26.000 about his book as anything, but it has become a distraction. 243 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:28.879 And I'm not saying just saying that a lot of 244 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.360 people who used to play for Belichick are saying that 245 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:34.759 people around the situation. And one of those guys who 246 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:38.879 commented was Julian Edelman. He was on with Colin Cowhard 247 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:43.080 on Fox Radio. And Edelman who played at Kent State 248 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:46.320 and became it was a quarterback option QB became a 249 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:50.759 tremendous receiver on those great Patriot teams. He talked about 250 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:53.919 the fact that it was becoming a distraction, something they 251 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:57.000 tried to avoid. He took all measure to avoid. In 252 00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:57.639 New England. 253 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:00.960 The number one thing we used to talk about all 254 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:08.879 the time in New England was distractions. Let's not make distractions. 255 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:12.480 The game's already as hard as it is to prepare 256 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:17.279 for to play, to coach and and you know, regardless 257 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:20.960 of what her role is. Jordan h Yeah, I thought 258 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:25.799 he got an unfair public opinion on the whole thing, 259 00:14:25.879 --> 00:14:28.840 because that happens all the time. Sure time we're doing 260 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:31.679 behind the scenes this that you got someone who represents you, 261 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:34.960 they're gonna jump in. But now that it's it's gained 262 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:37.679 and it's snowball to the what it's become right now 263 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:42.080 where we're talking about it three weeks later, it's becoming 264 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:42.679 a distraction. 265 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:43.360 So that's what. 266 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.039 I'm sure that's what we all think right now. This 267 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.519 is becoming a distraction. We gotta we gotta gotta gotta 268 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:50.720 practice what we preach. 269 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:53.720 Here not a bad point by Edelman, who played as 270 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:56.279 a collegiate against Kentucky, and I always go back to 271 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.919 this story. It's one of my favorite stories that my man, 272 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:01.879 Jeremy Jarmon told once we were talking about the interview 273 00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:04.960 process prior to the National Football League Draft that he 274 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:08.000 went through, of course, and was taken by Washington, the 275 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:12.519 Washington Football Club, and he was asked by I don't 276 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:15.440 know which team might have been Washington, to name a 277 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:19.519 player who impressed him the most with their knowledge of 278 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:25.480 the game, an opposing player, and without hesitation, Jarman said, 279 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:29.120 Julian Edelman, of course, was the QB at the time 280 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:33.080 for an option Kent State team, and Edelman played well 281 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:36.519 against Kentucky and the Wildcats had to dig deep to 282 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:40.120 beat that Kent State team. But Jeremy told me that 283 00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:43.240 that was the answer he immediately gave. And it's surprised 284 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:46.960 whoever asked him the question he was expecting. Whoever was 285 00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:50.759 an answer about some mighty SEC player or a player 286 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:54.799 on a mighty SEC team, but instead it was an 287 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:58.639 undersized QB went on to play receiver, never batted an eye. 288 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:03.279 Edelman didn't about changing positions, but it was an undersized 289 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:06.759 QB from a MAC team. And of course when you 290 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:10.440 watched him play, you know he wasn't a burner, he 291 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:14.919 wasn't huge as a receiver, wasn't a monster, but he 292 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:17.360 knew how to get open, how to make plays and 293 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:21.519 as a result, was part of that championship run up 294 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:25.000 in New England. So I always love that answer. And 295 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:30.519 when I heard Edelman making comments about Belichick, I had 296 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:35.360 to sit up and take notice. Speaking of Belichick, Tom 297 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:40.279 Brady was talking about not North Carolina, not Belichick, but 298 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:45.759 Shador Sanders, because Skip Bayless take him for what it's worth. 299 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:48.960 I kind of think he's brilliant, but I think he's 300 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.840 a bit of a shyster. I think he's just all 301 00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:55.000 about clickbait and attention. I think he says things he 302 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:58.480 probably doesn't mean just to get attention. He made a 303 00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:03.799 fortune doing that on television before he finally lost his gig. 304 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:08.079 But anyhow, Tom Brady was on a podcast this week 305 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:12.559 called Impulsive, and the host asked him about Sanders as 306 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:17.799 it relates to comments Bayles's made blaming in part, Brady 307 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:22.720 for Sanders dropping down in the draft. Bayless tweeted this, 308 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:26.160 and I'm quoting it is now pretty clear Tom Brady, 309 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:30.519 who mentored Shador, told the Raiders not in all caps, 310 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:35.880 to take Shadeur duly noted that's what Skip Bayless said, 311 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:41.160 with no context, with no attribution. He just tweeted that. 312 00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:44.039 And so Brady was asked about. 313 00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:46.119 That, why did he go so late in the draft? 314 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:49.599 And there's I. 315 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:53.680 It's a good question. I was I wouldn't have part 316 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:58.960 of any evaluation process or otherwise. I know, Well, everyone's 317 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.279 got every you know, that's a problem with media is 318 00:18:01.319 --> 00:18:03.720 everyone can just say whatever they want or get away 319 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:06.359 with it. It's kind of unfortunate because there actually used 320 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:08.640 to be a lot of integrity in media and there's 321 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.160 way less now because everyone needs crazy voices to get heard. 322 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:16.079 That's it. And it's not just the media. I know 323 00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:18.480 people like the point fingers and yes, we the media 324 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:21.160 can be blamed for this, that and the other thing. 325 00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:26.119 But there's so much out there that is garbage on 326 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:31.880 social media that non traditional media members throw out their 327 00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:36.960 fans and people who fancy themselves experts because they anchor 328 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:41.160 a podcast at a mom's basement and they're never held accountable. 329 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:44.319 And that's the problem with what Baylis did and what 330 00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:47.720 he's done all along, is he can make these outrageous 331 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:49.960 statements and he's never held accountable. And I don't know 332 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:53.079 if anybody ever held him accountable when he said Johnny 333 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:58.319 Manziel would become a bigger deal in Cleveland than Lebron James. 334 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:01.319 He's been all kinds of comments like that and people 335 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:04.240 pointed out, but they don't point it out directly to him, 336 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:06.720 or if they have, I've not heard him held accountable. 337 00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:10.559 So I don't blame Brady for being disgusted by stuff 338 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:13.640 like that. And as a broadcaster now, he's got to 339 00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:17.680 be held more accountable to what he says. So up next, 340 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:20.680 Jalen Witlow, former UK quarterback. A little bit later, Ryan 341 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:24.720 Black at a CJ and Justin Rowland of Cats illustrated 342 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:28.119 on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue Sider, 343 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:30.720 joining us now as a young man. I spoke to 344 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:33.799 him several years ago on several occasions, but it's been 345 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:37.359 a minute to talk to Jalen Witlow, former Kentucky quarterback, 346 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:41.400 transfer it over to Eastern Illinois now works with young quarterbacks. 347 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:44.000 He's also also a published author. 348 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:48.640 How are you, man, I'm doing well. Man, cannot complain. 349 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:50.759 Man doing well? Stand busy? How about you? 350 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:53.680 Well, we've been good here. We've been watching watching football 351 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:56.960 evolve at Kentucky, and I wanted to ask you, just 352 00:19:57.440 --> 00:20:00.279 not only to get caught up, but just to ask 353 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:02.759 you to take us back to those early years. You 354 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:06.960 were there for the changeover Joker Phillips to Mark Stoops. 355 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.440 That was a tough time for Kentucky fans for some 356 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:13.720 of the players. You've played well here but decided to 357 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:15.839 go elsewhere and that worked out for you. Talk about 358 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:18.039 that in a minute. But what is that like for 359 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:20.680 a young guy like you, especially a quarterback, a guy 360 00:20:20.680 --> 00:20:23.519 who is trying to be a leader and things just 361 00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:25.400 aren't going that well and then you get a new 362 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.359 coach coming in. Tell me about that. 363 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:33.519 Yeah, it's uh, you know, it's not good man, obviously, 364 00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:38.920 but you know, it was definitely a learning process. You 365 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:42.920 definitely learned a lot, you know, not from from coaches 366 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:47.519 but also from players, but definitely from situations. Uh, you know, 367 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:49.880 I think it was it was a huge deal. Uh, 368 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.359 moving forward for me to go through that, But at 369 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:55.000 the same time, you know, in the midst of it, 370 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:57.480 it wasn't easy. I mean, you know, we kind of 371 00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:02.079 we had a we had an idea freshman year, especially 372 00:21:02.119 --> 00:21:04.079 after the Vanderbield game, that there was going to be 373 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:08.480 a change uh in staff. And once that game was over, 374 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:11.319 we knew that it was a pretty good chance. And 375 00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:13.640 then we got the news. So that wasn't that wasn't 376 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:16.240 cool man to see, you know, coach that that that 377 00:21:16.359 --> 00:21:18.799 recruited you and uh, you know head coach and offs 378 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:23.279 the corner of Randy Sanders as well. You know, you 379 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:26.160 know kind of you know getting let go, uh due 380 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:29.799 to how we were playing, and that's never a good feeling. Uh, 381 00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:31.720 you know, so we had to change, and you know, 382 00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:34.400 coach Stokes came in and you know, and his staff 383 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:37.039 and implemented some things, and you know, I thought we 384 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.279 were The record didn't really show, but we were better 385 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:43.119 in a lot of areas. Yeah, you know, I thought 386 00:21:43.160 --> 00:21:44.720 we had a good enough team to be a lot 387 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:46.599 better than what our record show though. I mean when 388 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:48.200 you look back at the defense, I mean we have 389 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.559 four or five guys that played in the pros two 390 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:53.559 of them are still playing right now, you know, so 391 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:56.400 we we uh, you know, we were better than when 392 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:58.599 our record showed. I think we have more talent at 393 00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:01.079 least than our record show. But you know, those times, 394 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:03.920 weren't They weren't easy, man, being a quarterback on you know, 395 00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:07.599 at a big university like that and not really being successful. 396 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:10.039 The first time in my life that I wasn't really 397 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:13.680 successful playing football, and and what it wasn't the easiest 398 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.799 thing to go through. 399 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:18.519 How much of that did you carry emotionally being the quarterback? 400 00:22:19.160 --> 00:22:22.079 Well, you know, you you still carry it in ways, 401 00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:24.799