WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:02.879 Welcome to the Big Blue and Siderday. Gabriel with you 2 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:05.320 on a Wednesday edition of our show Nasty Day. In 3 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:09.359 terms of the weather, we knew it was coming. Fortunately 4 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:13.240 it was sunny, very very windy earlier today, but really 5 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.800 pleasant otherwise, which meant a great It was a break 6 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:19.640 for us the media, because we were invited by Mark 7 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:23.239 Stoops to attend practice today and you've probably already seen 8 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:27.079 some video, heard some comments, read some stuff from today's practice, 9 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:30.079 you know. And what happens generally is we wait outside 10 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:32.359 the gate or in the lobby, then they come out 11 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:34.719 and speak to us after. But he let us come 12 00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:36.520 and observe today, and we'll get a chance to do 13 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:39.399 it again before the end of spring, just as you will, 14 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.679 I think on the last day of spring. More to 15 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:44.719 come on that when we find out. But yeah, we 16 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:47.119 got the eyeball things. You couldn't shoot what they call 17 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:51.039 team practice team periods, So you're not gonna see any 18 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:55.759 video right now of eleven on eleven stuff. For whatever reason, 19 00:00:55.840 --> 00:00:59.719 coaches get a little paranoid. Maybe other teams can scout 20 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:03.920 that way, Maybe other teams can poach players through the portal. Hey, 21 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:05.519 take a look at this guy. Let's go after him. 22 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:07.719 You know, he's deep on their depth chart, that kind 23 00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:08.079 of thing. 24 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:08.879 But that's okay. 25 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:11.920 I just enjoyed being out there and watching it and 26 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:15.680 then hearing comments from Stoops and some of the players afterwards. 27 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:18.439 I have said him many times for many many years now, 28 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:23.560 I stopped trying to evaluate what I see because I'm 29 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:26.920 not an expert. You know, what I can tell is, 30 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:29.599 first of all, somebody getting yelled at a lot. I 31 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:32.439 can tell if kick return guys are dropping the ball. 32 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:35.040 I can tell if punters are shanking the ball, so 33 00:01:35.159 --> 00:01:39.200 can you. I can tell the quarterbacks are connecting with receivers, 34 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:41.920 but if they're not, I can't tell whose fault it is. 35 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:46.920 Was the route run improperly or was the ball thrown improperly? 36 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:50.159 If it looks good, I can certainly recognize that, and 37 00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:52.920 there was a lot of that today with all the 38 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:56.840 quarterbacks Zac Calzada, Cutter, Bully and bo Allen. You know, 39 00:01:56.920 --> 00:01:59.480 but what does that mean? I don't know. You know, now, 40 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:02.640 in some of the team drills, the d backs got 41 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:05.599 the better of the receivers, and sometimes the receivers beat 42 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:06.280 the d backs. 43 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:10.360 That was fun to watch, But who was right? Who 44 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:10.719 was wrong. 45 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:13.280 Well, now you know what the coaches are looking at. 46 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:15.719 Marks Troops always talks about, you know, he's a little 47 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:19.240 bit torn after practices in the spring or the Blue 48 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:21.360 White game or whatever, and then they're not gonna there's 49 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:23.520 not gonna be one this year, but they'll have something. 50 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:24.680 But as a. 51 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:27.439 Coach, how do you evaluate did this guy do well 52 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:29.840 or did this guy screw up? Every coach in America 53 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:33.960 deals with that. But I'm not a football professional, so 54 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.719 I mean I covered professionally, but you know, I can't 55 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:40.000 tell you about footwork and technique and all that stuff. 56 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:43.240 I can tell you who looked good. But you know what, 57 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:44.039 for me, it. 58 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:45.879 Goes back to how mummy's last year. 59 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:48.719 Not picking on mummy, but I can tell you Mummy 60 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.319 let us come to practice all the time. Because he 61 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:55.840 was so overconfident, I should say, kind of smug. Uh. 62 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.120 He would say, you guys don't know what you're looking 63 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:00.680 at anyway, and he wasn't wrong. You know what are 64 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:03.000 we going to do? Run back and talk about formations 65 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:05.159 and this and that. Plus Mommy used to say, we 66 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:09.080 all steal from each other. Everybody steals from everybody. It's inevitable. 67 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:11.360 So he didn't care if we were practiced, unless he 68 00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:13.960 get mad at us threw us out a few times. 69 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:21.759 But going into the two thousand season, they looked great. 70 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:25.400 Kentucky looked great in the spring, in the summer and 71 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:29.360 the pre fall workouts because all they did was work 72 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:31.319 on pass Kelly and they never dropped the ball. 73 00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:35.039 I thought they in Bamadeli Li said. 74 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:38.080 I think it was him, said we're gonna win nine 75 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:40.560 games or ten games or something. No, Marlon McCree said that, 76 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:43.439 Marlon McCree, we're gonna win ten games something like that. 77 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:44.840 They won two. 78 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:48.159 Mommy got fired. You know, I felt like an idiot 79 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:49.719 because like, yeah, they're going to be really good. No 80 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:53.800 they're not, or they weren't. So I quit trying to 81 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:56.280 predict stuff based on what I saw in the spring. 82 00:03:56.439 --> 00:04:00.520 But I can tell, like I said, what QB's look like, 83 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:01.520 and they all look good. 84 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:03.719 I don't know who's gonna. 85 00:04:03.479 --> 00:04:07.599 Win the job, but Mark Steuops in general like what 86 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:08.439 he saw today. 87 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:11.199 You know, it was good to get outside. I'm glad 88 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:14.240 you all were here today and got to see, you know, 89 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:17.160 all the practice and got some footage. You could tell 90 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:20.120 there's quite a few new guys out here. As I 91 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:22.519 told the team, you know, there's plenty of work to 92 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:25.040 be done, but I believe the last time I talked 93 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.319 to you was last Saturday, and I felt good about 94 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:31.639 their attitude, their work ethic and and just the process 95 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:34.600 of getting better and putting in the work. And I 96 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:36.920 feel the same way. You know, hopefully you guys saw 97 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:40.560 that today. You know, I like this team. There's a 98 00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:43.839 lot of work to be done, but everybody's putting their 99 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:48.040 head down, working and getting better, and that I can appreciate. 100 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:51.839 So worked out well and again, glad you guys are here. 101 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:54.240 And I think he meant that. I think he was 102 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:56.560 glad that we got a chance to look. Although it 103 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:58.319 tells you he's in a pretty good mood. You know, 104 00:04:58.399 --> 00:04:59.560 he wasn't in a good mood at the end of 105 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:03.000 last year. Yeah, we asked about quarterbacks, no doubt, and 106 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:05.519 he talked about the group, you know, as a whole, 107 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:07.680 not one or two people in particular. 108 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:10.399 I appreciate that as the group. You know, the group 109 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:14.079 is growing. Zach brings in a guy that's played six years. 110 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:15.639 You know, he's played you know, this is six year 111 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:18.800 college football. So anytime you get that type of experience, 112 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:21.720 you know, we've seen snaps, we've seen him playing, and 113 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:24.519 now it's a matter of getting comfortable in our system, 114 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.720 putting it all together. You know, through spring there's there's 115 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:31.560 some things that look sloppy, that look ugly at times, 116 00:05:31.560 --> 00:05:33.279 and then we got to just pull it all together. 117 00:05:33.720 --> 00:05:36.279 And so both guys have made a lot of growth 118 00:05:36.279 --> 00:05:39.079 cutters getting better as well. You could see both guys 119 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:42.040 have very live arms and you know, so you know 120 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:43.560 that's a good thing. There's a lot to build on. 121 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:46.240 The QBS kind of take turns talking to us, and 122 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:49.560 today it was Zach Calzada. As you know, he spent 123 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:51.959 the last two years at Incarnate Word in the one 124 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:55.800 double A level FCS started all fourteen games, led the 125 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:58.879 Cardinals to the playoffs, passed for nearly thirty eight hundred 126 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:03.199 yards and thirty five touchdowns, had a big time in 127 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:06.839 his two seasons there. As a junior, was at Auburn, 128 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:10.000 but did not play in twenty twenty two, had an 129 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:13.920 injured shoulder, and then spent three seasons prior to that 130 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:17.399 at Texas A and M played in three games as 131 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:20.800 a freshman, didn't play appear at all as a sophomore. 132 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:25.639 Red shirt sophomore played in twelve games started ten of them. 133 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.680 At one point was the sec offensive player of the week. 134 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:32.720 But then he moved on. So now he's at Kentucky 135 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:37.920 and he talked today about how much he liked you know, 136 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:41.519 he's had to adjust what three times now to a 137 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:45.319 new place, but he talked about why it's a little different. 138 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:47.399 It was a little different for him arriving in Lexington. 139 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:51.199 Every you know, new place is going to be different. 140 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:53.600 But I think coming here it was a pleasant surprise, 141 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:56.519 just to see the morale and the mentality of the team. 142 00:06:56.639 --> 00:06:58.560 You know, everybody comes in and goes to work every 143 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:01.319 single day and it's been fantastic. 144 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:03.360 Why was that a surprise? 145 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:06.519 You know, It's just every place is different, you know, 146 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:08.199 and you never know what to expect. 147 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:08.879 You know. 148 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:11.519 Sometimes you go places and some guys work one way 149 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:13.399 and some guys work another. But here I just feel 150 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:15.519 really good about, you know, the whole group as the 151 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:18.240 group as a whole, just coming to work every day, 152 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.480 the willingness to get better and take the steps that 153 00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:21.079 we need to take. 154 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:24.839 Zach's cal Zada will hear more from him, and we 155 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:27.000 hear more about him as the spring goes on, But 156 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:29.079 it's only got a couple more weeks. One of the 157 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:32.279 other comments I wanted to share was what Stoops had 158 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:34.519 to say about the D line, which of course is 159 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:37.920 now with doubt Dion Walker's got some new faces in there, 160 00:07:38.680 --> 00:07:41.720 and Stoops didn't again speak about anybody specifically, but said, 161 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:43.519 as a group, they're really going at it. 162 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:46.480 You know, we all know that we needed to improve 163 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:48.720 on the edge as well and get some pass rushers 164 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:50.959 in here, and so you know, across the board, I 165 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:53.120 just again as a group, I like them, I like 166 00:07:53.160 --> 00:07:55.399 the depth. We need to stay healthy, as you know 167 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:57.800 this time last year, heck, I lost two d linemen 168 00:07:57.879 --> 00:08:00.160 for the entire year, and so we could go he 169 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:01.720 him bang heads all day. And you're not going to 170 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:05.279 get better when you lose two starters, you know, at 171 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:08.000 the D line. So we're staying healthy, but we're still 172 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:11.199 able to practice as physical as you saw today. 173 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:14.360 Or from Stoops and the Wildcats tomorrow. Up next though, 174 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:16.920 we're going to hear more about Malachi Moreno. The Future 175 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:19.959 Wildcat played the McDonald's All American Game last night, six 176 00:08:20.040 --> 00:08:25.800 thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue and sider 177 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:27.959 Dick Gabriel with you coming up in just a few minutes, 178 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.439 Tom Leach, the voice of the Wildcats, will join us 179 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:34.200 and we will break down, of course, this Kentucky basketball season, 180 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:37.519 look ahead a little bit to the Kentucky Derby. Our 181 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:42.240 number two as always on Wednesday, unforgettable guard Shawn Woods. 182 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:45.600 We'll talk about the Wildcats and the Sweet Sixteen. Sean 183 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:48.159 was there this week or this past week, i should say, 184 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:50.440 and saw a lot of the Sweet Sixteen, and he 185 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:54.679 worked high school basketball all year long for glycod dot com, 186 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:58.320 the streaming TV service, so he had a really good 187 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:02.480 handle on the eleventh region and some of the teams 188 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:06.000 from outside the eleventh region that the local teams did play. 189 00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:09.279 So we'll talk to Sean about that. Our Western Bureau chief, 190 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:11.399 Gary Moores got the next couple of weeks off. He's 191 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:14.080 out on the West Coast taking care of some business. 192 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.799 He is a very important guy, as you might expect. 193 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:19.799 So we're gonna have from Brian Milom, who covered the 194 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:22.840 Wildcats on the road throughout the tournament, but it was 195 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:26.360 also back, unfortunately in time to cover the Sweet sixteen 196 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:29.240 championship game. That is a real passion of his high 197 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.879 school sport. So that's what's coming up in our number 198 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:36.759 two and a reminder. Tomorrow night, weather permitting UK Baseball, 199 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:40.600 the Wildcats scheduled to take on Mississippi in a Thursday 200 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:47.000 through Saturday series. Ordinarily, back through the years, teams would 201 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:51.039 play Thursday through Saturday, last week of the year to 202 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:53.720 give everybody an extra day to get ready for the 203 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:58.200 SEC tournament. But once the SEC network came along and 204 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:00.080 they've tried to spread out the schedule a. 205 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:02.120 Little bit more to give more teams. 206 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:05.879 More exposure on the Mothership. Everybody's on SEC Plus on 207 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:08.759 the streaming channel. That's where you find Doug Flynn and 208 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:12.720 yours truly. This week the Wildcats play on the main 209 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:15.720 channel on the Mothership as we call it, tomorrow night, 210 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:18.919 so that game's at seven o'clock. That kind of helps 211 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:21.879 the fans in Mississippi or of course on the Central time. 212 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:25.720 That means Darren Heddericks pregame show will be at six 213 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:29.519 forty five and first pitch probably at seven to two, 214 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:31.840 and then Doug and I will have the games for 215 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:34.399 you on Friday and Saturday. 216 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:36.720 Now last night. 217 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:42.080 Malachai moreno in action in the McDonald's All American Game, 218 00:10:42.759 --> 00:10:45.000 and of course he has signed with the Wildcats mister 219 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:50.960 Basketball and now a state championship player. He led Great 220 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:55.200 Crossing to the Sweet sixteen title. That means back to 221 00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:00.840 back Wildcats who have won state championships had been named 222 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:04.519 Mister Basketball and played in the McDonald's All American Game. 223 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:08.320 Moving on to UK, Travis Perry did it last year. 224 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:12.480 So Malachi, if you saw the game, you know what 225 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:16.240 I'm talking about. I felt like, well, it's an All 226 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:20.120 Star game and it's one of those I'll get mine 227 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:21.759 kind of situations. 228 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:23.799 So he barely saw the. 229 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:27.279 Ball on offense for the first half of the game 230 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:30.559 or so, and then in the second half he began 231 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:34.759 to exert himself a little bit more, players began to 232 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:37.639 look for him a little bit more, and he finished 233 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.039 with a real nice game. He had nine points, four 234 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:43.120 out of five, hit a three pointer in his only attempt, 235 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:47.440 five rebounds, and had a game high two block shots 236 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:50.960 plus an assist. One of those block shots came in 237 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.840 the first half when the game was still in doubt, 238 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:57.000 and it came. It was a really nice play, and 239 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.600 the announcers were so busy talking about this guy or 240 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:00.399 that guy. 241 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:01.720 They kind of missed it. 242 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:05.919 I saw it, and one of the first game stories 243 00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:08.240 I saw said that Moreno had one block, but no, 244 00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:10.360 he had too. He got credit for that one. Then 245 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:12.480 he got another one in the second half, which was 246 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:14.080 much more dramatic. 247 00:12:14.440 --> 00:12:15.919 But no, he acquitted himself. 248 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:20.000 Well, this is not the kind of game where if 249 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.159 you've never seen him play and you're watching this game, 250 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:26.240 try not to judge, or just don't, because this is 251 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:28.840 not the kind of game where you judge a guy 252 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:31.399 with his skill set. And I know I sound very biased, 253 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:34.879 but I got to see him play last year. I 254 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:37.200 got to see him play through the in person through 255 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:40.480 the Sweet sixteen this year, and. 256 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:41.960 He's not the kind of guy. 257 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:45.000 Maybe he needs to be more selfish to go out 258 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:47.039 and get his But when you're big like that and 259 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.039 you live in the low post, you're at the mercy 260 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:53.240 of your teammates and nobody for most of the first 261 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:57.080 part of the game was even looking for the seven footer. 262 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:00.759 Everybody tries to get to the rims show after their moves, 263 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:03.480 try to dunk, hit a jump shot, hit a three. 264 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:06.519 But I think when his team, which. 265 00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:09.840 Lost, fell behind the East team, I think they realized 266 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:11.960 we're gonna win this game. We got to use the 267 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:14.600 big got to get to the big guy. So he 268 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:17.120 did have a nice game and of course had a great, 269 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:23.080 great Sweet sixteen. The entire team did for Great Crossing. 270 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:25.919 And again, if you were listening last night, or you 271 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:28.679 listened about the week, or you followed the Sweet sixteen, 272 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:31.639 you might know that Great Crossing get this, you know, 273 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:35.320 kind of a parallel with UK. Great Crossing lost its 274 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:39.120 point guard early in the quarterfinal round, was not headed 275 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:42.200 in the first round. But of course the games get 276 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:46.279 tougher as the week goes on. And LJ. Holman, who 277 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:50.399 is the veteran point guard for that team, and by veteran, 278 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:52.720 I mean this is a team that's been all over 279 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:57.240 the eastern half of the United States playing basketball, and 280 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:59.600 this is the guy who ran the offense. And he 281 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:02.159 laid he was trying to make a play on the 282 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:06.120 sideline and landed awkwardly and rolled an ankle. Man. It 283 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:09.120 was hard watching it and then watching him limp off 284 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:11.720 the floor. And in fact, Cameron Mills and I bumped 285 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:14.399 and we were walking out of Rup bumped into him 286 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:18.399 in the parking garage with someone who was waiting with 287 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:20.600 him for a ride. He had an ice pack on 288 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:22.840 his ankle, said he was going to try to go 289 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:24.759 the next day, but no way, there was no way 290 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:27.039 he was going to be able to play, and so 291 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:32.639 Great Crossing into adjust and rolled a couple different players 292 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.480 through the point guard spot. But it worked out. And 293 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:39.639 their coach told us, told me in the pregame that 294 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:44.200 during practice, these two other guys, Gage Richardson and Vince 295 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:47.919 Dawson is going to Moriad State. They take reps as 296 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:51.120 a point guard, so they were ready. You know, it 297 00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:53.519 wasn't super smooth, and a lot of that had to 298 00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:57.320 do with Bowling Green. Well, Bowling Green played, but when 299 00:14:57.320 --> 00:14:58.720 the game was on the line, they got it to 300 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:03.279 Moreno and everybody played well. Frankly, Bowling Green played well. 301 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:06.960 But it was Great Crossing once Saint X was knocked out, 302 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:09.240 And I don't know if X was better than Great Crossing. 303 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:12.559 Saint X beat Great Crossing earlier in the year, much earlier. 304 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:14.879 I would love to have seen that matchup, but hey, 305 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:17.559 they got knocked out in the first round by Jeffersontown. 306 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:21.879 So Great Crossing wins the state title. So how about this? 307 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:28.799 Just like Travis Perry, Malachai, Moreno's final game as a 308 00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:35.159 Warhawk or Great Crossing High School was in Rapperina. His 309 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:39.039 next game as a collegian will be as a Wildcat, 310 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:43.000 his next home game in Rapperina in the UK Jersey. 311 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:45.919 Somebody asked him about that after the game. 312 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:49.480 It's definitely a real moment because you know, I wanted 313 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.360 to end my high school career on this floor holding 314 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:55.600 a big old trophy, and I know it wasn't my 315 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.600 last time on this floor, but it was my last 316 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:02.279 time in a great Crossing uniform. So it's honestly surreal. 317 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:06.279 And coach canna have a tough time taking this jersey 318 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:08.919 away from you until you know right now. But yeah, 319 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:11.720 it was definitely a surreal moment and it's a great 320 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:12.279 way to go out. 321 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:16.120 So Malecia Moreno, before you know it, he'll be playing 322 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:19.559 in a Kentucky uniform. So it was kind of fun 323 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:21.960 to watch him win a state titled, just as it 324 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:25.480 was fun last year watching Travis Perry. You know by 325 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:27.200 now that the SEC is. 326 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.320 Down a coach right now. 327 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:30.360 A and M is well that as we speak, by 328 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.159 the time you hear this to me, I hired somebody 329 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:37.440 buzz Williams leaving Texas. A and M from Maryland clearly 330 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:41.480 wanted to get back to the East Coast and he's 331 00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:45.159 got a six year deal now with the Terps. Don't 332 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:47.840 know if he just wasn't comfortable with A and M. 333 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:51.320 Couldn't have been money, because I will promise you Texas 334 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:52.919 A and M is as much or more money to 335 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:54.720 offer as Maryland does. 336 00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:55.919 But this is a good coach. 337 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:00.799 Eighteen years as a head coach, eleven NCA tournaments, five 338 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:05.519 straight at Marquette, three straight at Virginia Tech, and each 339 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:10.079 of the last three at Texas. A and M. Also 340 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:12.519 spent a year as a head coach at New Orleans. 341 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:14.960 He is a good coach. Up next to the voice 342 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.599 of the Cats, Tom Leach, you're on a big moon 343 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:20.000 Sider six thirty wlap Welcome back to the Big Moon Sider. 344 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:22.200 Joining me now is the voice of the Wildcats. You 345 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:24.640 hear him, eat you and every day on this very 346 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:27.680 radio station on the Leech Report at eight am. Mister 347 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:31.599 Tom Leach, you just wrapped up yet another UK basketball season. 348 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:35.319 But no slowing down now, you're already You've been hard 349 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:38.880 at work on your Keenland material right. 350 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:43.359 Yes, head to get out there early in the week 351 00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:46.680 because of the onslaught of rain that is coming, so 352 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:51.039 trying to get some areas done for Keenland social media 353 00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:54.480 and the Today at Keenland show that airs every race day. 354 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:57.079 But a labor of love for mister leach as is 355 00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:00.880 being the voice of the Wildcats. Now that you've had 356 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:05.359 a couple of days for perspective, tell me if you 357 00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:12.039 would how did this season unfold based on what you expected? 358 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:17.680 You know, I think I would have said at the 359 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:21.440 beginning of the year that this is probably a Sweet 360 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:26.960 sixteen team really and and just you know, the talent 361 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:31.400 they could could do that, and but that you know, 362 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:33.599 then when you get to that point and you you know, 363 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:36.160 see what the matchup is and how well you're playing 364 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:39.240 and how healthy you are, and unfortunately, you know, the 365 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.400 injuries were an. 366 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:41.799 Issue as far as their overall health. 367 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:45.960 But the thing I don't I'm sure I didn't see 368 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:49.039 coming was how good they would be at their best. 369 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:52.400 I think at their best, I mean the team that 370 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:56.759 beat Duke and that won over Gonzaga in Seattle, even 371 00:18:57.160 --> 00:19:01.400 after Crisa had they had to go out in that 372 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:04.000 game and it was lost to the season and they 373 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:06.240 didn't have Butler that day, and the. 374 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:09.000 Team that won that shootout with Florida. 375 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:10.759 Another team that made it to the Final Four and 376 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:15.960 the first day of conference play that team was better 377 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:17.880 than a Sweet sixteen team. So it's just a shame 378 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:22.000 that we didn't get to see them full strength at 379 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:25.319 their best for the March run. 380 00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:30.440 Yeah, I agree, and I'm with you on that. Prior 381 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:33.200 to the season, I wondered could this team get out 382 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:35.480 of the first weekend? But then they shouted racking up 383 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:39.359 those quad one wins. We were counting quad one wins 384 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:43.440 early in the season with an eye on that the postseason. 385 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:45.000 That was pretty amazing, wasn't it. 386 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:46.359 Yeah? 387 00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:46.720 It was. 388 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:49.680 And I think the Duke, I mean, this is a 389 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:53.559 Kentucky team that wasn't ranked in some of the preseason polls, 390 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:58.759 was I guess somewhere probably south of the number twenty position, 391 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:02.200 and about it one of them, And I think that 392 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:06.920 was probably just done the name Kentucky more so than 393 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.079 anybody believing that they were, you know, maybe a serious 394 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:12.359 Final four contender. 395 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:15.400 And then what was it? Let me look here. Three 396 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:16.319 games into the. 397 00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:20.279 Season they go down to the Champions Classic and beat Duke, 398 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:23.440 and at that point it was. 399 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.480 Like, oh wow, what do we have here? 400 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:28.200 Yeah, And at one point Kentucky made it into the 401 00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:31.119