WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.160 Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.200 you on a Wednesday edition of our show. And it 3 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:08.080 is Wednesday, which means we will talk with West End 4 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:11.880 Bureau chief Gary Moore, as well as unforgettable guard Sean Woods, 5 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:14.519 who now has added the duties of head coach of 6 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:18.800 the La Familla entry in the basketball Tournament. That's the 7 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:23.800 team composed primarily of Kentucky players UK players that will 8 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:27.920 play in that national tournament one million dollars winner take all. 9 00:00:27.960 --> 00:00:30.399 They got to the SEMIS last year, beat the team 10 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:33.560 from Louisville, but lost I think it was to the 11 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:37.320 team primarily from Ohio State, which won the tournament. So 12 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:40.600 Sean Woods was an assistant last year and as the 13 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:44.479 head coach this year. Tyler Euless was the coach last year, 14 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:47.240 but of course now he's living and working in Arkansas, 15 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:50.159 so Sean takes over. We'll talk about that as well. 16 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.920 Now at the bottom of this hour, we're going to 17 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:56.119 talk with Cody Feger. He's an assistant coach under Mark Pope, 18 00:00:56.600 --> 00:00:58.840 and we'll talk about that first year and now this 19 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:03.119 year's team has come together. And fair warning, he grew 20 00:01:03.159 --> 00:01:06.079 up in Wisconsin. He's a Packers fan. There will yes 21 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:10.200 be some Packer talk, but hanging there it's mostly basketball. 22 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:14.120 You know by now, of course that Braden Hawthorne is 23 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:17.560 a Kentucky Wildcat. Speaking of this year's class, you wondered 24 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:21.560 was Mark Pope Donne And he kind of when he 25 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:23.920 was asked about this last week gave it the evasive 26 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:26.480 I don't know yet, that kind of thing. Still going 27 00:01:26.519 --> 00:01:31.560 after Braiden Hawthorne, who chose Kentucky last night from among 28 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:36.159 Duke Virginia Tech West Virginia, you know. And I would 29 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:40.239 play his announcement for you from YouTube, but the setup 30 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:43.920 just wasn't very good. Bless their hearts. The audio was terrible. 31 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:47.239 Two four seven had it up on YouTube, but it 32 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:50.599 just wasn't It was very difficult to hear, quite frankly, 33 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:54.159 but some of his comments were really interesting. And in 34 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:57.400 fact I talked with Chris Fisher this morning on Tom 35 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:01.920 Leach's show about this. But and he clipped part of 36 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:04.159 the story. It was on the two four to seven 37 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:07.319 website from Travis Brandam. One of the quotes but he 38 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.800 talked about he said, this is the Hawthorne. He said, 39 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:13.039 I feel like I have the best relationship out of 40 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:16.520 all the schools with Coach Pope, he said, he calls 41 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:20.039 me and texts me more than anybody I have ever 42 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:23.400 talked to in the past since he's been recruiting me. 43 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:26.000 This is the kid who committed to West Virginia so 44 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:29.120 had them in his finalists. I wonder was that really legit, 45 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:34.080 but then backed away in the fall, opened to reopened 46 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.520 his recruitment in the spring, and now was chosen Kentucky. 47 00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:43.680 And not only that, Pope convinces him to come to 48 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:48.199 Kentucky where you'll get the opportunity to play. When you 49 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:51.439 look at this incredibly deep roster, one of the deepest 50 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:56.360 in the country, and he is the tenth edition to 51 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:59.759 next year's team, he's going to need more than one year. 52 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:02.280 Every time they signed somebody you think is he wanted 53 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:05.960 to know he weighs one seventy five, so he's going 54 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:07.960 to need to spend at least a couple of years 55 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.479 eating well in the weight room. But at what six 56 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:14.960 seven six eight, he's got a seven foot three wings 57 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:19.240 span And according to the story a high basketball IQ 58 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.800 Bill said about as he said, trying to help Kentucky 59 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:27.240 win number nine. Good answer, kid. Speaking of Mark Pope, 60 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:30.199 He and two of Hawthorne's future teammates or I guess now 61 00:03:30.199 --> 00:03:34.199 they're current teammates, will be busy with USA basketball at 62 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:38.159 in Colorado Springs. Pope is part now of the staff 63 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:43.000 for USA Basketball's U nineteen under nineteen national team training 64 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.759 at the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. 65 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:50.159 That all begins on June fourteenth. He will be coaching, 66 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:55.240 among others, Malachai Moreno and Jasper Johnson. They will take 67 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:59.120 part in the tryouts as well, everybody trying to make 68 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.840 the twelve player roster for team USA squad that will 69 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:07.120 compete in the twenty twenty five FOEBA Under nineteen World 70 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:11.479 Cup in Switzerland. Not too shabby. Moreno has done this 71 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:15.439 before he was part and so is Jasper Johnson. They 72 00:04:15.479 --> 00:04:18.160 were both part of the USA men's Nike Hoops summit 73 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:22.600 team earlier in the spring that defeated the World Select 74 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:27.240 team won twenty four to one, fourteen in overtime. So 75 00:04:27.319 --> 00:04:31.920 Malachi and Jasper will get some bonus coaching from their 76 00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:34.839 head coach. Every now and then, we look at this 77 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:36.879 day in sports history, and it was on this day 78 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:40.800 we talked about the nineteen eighty nine, Preakness Yesterday and 79 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:46.000 Sunday Silence nineteen eighty eight. That Preakness on this day 80 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:50.839 went to risen Star. Risen Star ran third in the 81 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:53.360 Kentucky Derby in nineteen eighty eight. That was the year 82 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:58.560 the Big Philly jumped out winning colors for Wayne Lucas 83 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:01.800 and ran away st the Derby. Went back and watched 84 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:06.439 that race. She took the lead three jumps and she 85 00:05:06.519 --> 00:05:09.079 was a big horse. Three jumps out of the gate 86 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:12.279 and nobody caught her. I guess they all thought she 87 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:15.480 was going to back up. She was. She was seventeen 88 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:19.800 hands high. And I remember the first time I saw 89 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:23.639 her at Churchill Downs. First day I was there. I 90 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:25.600 was walking to the track and I passed her barn 91 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:29.079 and she came out with a rider up exercise rider. 92 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:33.560 He had to hug her neck just to clear the 93 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:36.279 top of the of the door in the stable. She 94 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:40.240 was so tall, And I said to myself, handicapping, note, 95 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:44.240 she's not a girl. But by Saturday, I'm like, I'm 96 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:45.920 not betting the Philly, and I threw her out in 97 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:48.759 like a dope and she won. Risen Star was third, 98 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:52.639 breaking from the three hole. He goes on to win 99 00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:56.680 the Preakness on this day in nineteen eighty eight. Then 100 00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:00.759 he won the Belmont just like his daddy, Secretary, who 101 00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:02.959 won the Belmont by thirty one lanks. You got that 102 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.120 famous photo of his jockey looking back to see that 103 00:06:06.199 --> 00:06:09.360 there's nobody near him. Risen Star won it the same way, 104 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:12.040 you know, And back then people were saying, we'll never 105 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:15.439 have another Triple Crown winner. It's too hard. And if 106 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:19.120 Risen Star doesn't let winning colors get away, he was 107 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:22.319 clearly the best three year old. He wins the Triple Crown. 108 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:26.040 And I'll always remember that famous photo of Secretariat because 109 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:31.079 I retweeted it when Kentucky was destroying UCLA during the 110 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:33.839 twenty fourteen to fifteen season. Remember they were up like 111 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:36.360 forty one to seven at half or something, and I 112 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:39.439 tweeted a photo saying Ucla knows what the rest of 113 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:43.560 the field felt like in Secretariat's Belmont. Thank you, thank 114 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:46.399 you very much. We'll talk sec football next on six 115 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:50.800 thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Coming 116 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:52.560 up in just a few minutes, We're gonna chat with 117 00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:55.959 Cody Feeger. He's an assistant coach under Mark popees who 118 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:59.319 will talk about what's been going on along the recruiting trail, 119 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.800 and of course we'll talk about the first season for 120 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:05.279 Pope and his staff, and a guy like Cody Figure 121 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:08.319 who's been with Mark Pope for we're going dating back 122 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:10.959 to the Utah Valley State days. A little bit later 123 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:14.360 on Sean Woods, The Unforgettable Guard and West End Bureau 124 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:17.959 Chief Gary Moore. Good news if you are a fan 125 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:20.040 of Nick Saban, and he's got a lot of them 126 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:23.800 now as an analyst for ESPN, not just Alabama fans. 127 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:28.040 He has won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Emerging on 128 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:31.279 Air Talent for the work he's done at ESPEN. I 129 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:33.560 guess it's like being the rookie of the Year. But 130 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:37.120 Saban really did crush it on the anchor desk. And 131 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.439 we talked about this back when Brady Tom Brady at 132 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:43.600 first started doing games and just quite frankly, was not great. 133 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:46.199 It was not the goat, you know whatever. I didn't 134 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:48.439 expect him to be. But he was catching a lot 135 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.399 of flak because he really, quite frankly, wasn't that good. 136 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:56.199 But as I pointed out, then it's completely apples and pineapples. 137 00:07:56.279 --> 00:07:59.000 I mean it couldn't be more of a different challenge, 138 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:01.439 more of a different job. But people were saying, oh, 139 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:03.319 Saban would have been much better at it, and you know, 140 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:06.920 maybe he would have. But the job he does for ESPN, 141 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:09.920 and I'm not diminishing it in any way, is completely 142 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:12.680 different from what Brady does. Brady's got to look at 143 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:16.439 a play and instantly know why it worked or why 144 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.920 it didn't. And when I coach up people, I've coached 145 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:23.399 up a few people who have done color analysts jobs, 146 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:27.519 primarily in football, but some basketball, and I tell them, 147 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:30.680 your job is to say that whenever you break down 148 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:33.960 a play that begins with in your mind. Don't say 149 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:35.799 it on the air. You don't have to, but in 150 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:39.240 your mind you're thinking that play worked because and then 151 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:42.440 start talking, or that play didn't work because and then 152 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:45.360 start talking, And you've got to do it right now. 153 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:48.240 Plus you got somebody talking in your ear, You've got 154 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:51.559 the replay, you got to run the telestrator, all that stuff. 155 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:54.840 It's hard. And I'm not saying Saban couldn't do it. 156 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:57.759 I'm sure he could. He's a very smart guy. But 157 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:01.320 the job he does on the Anchor Death is coaching. 158 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:06.159 He breaks down video. He explains it to the people 159 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:08.200 in the room. It's not a meeting room, it's the 160 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:12.039 anchor desk, and it's the cameras that take him to 161 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:14.960 millions and millions of people. But it's what he's been 162 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:18.679 doing his entire career, and to his credit, and he's 163 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:22.840 going to because he coached the ultimate team game. He 164 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:26.159 praised the people around him who helped prepare him will 165 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:29.919 help him before, during, and after the broadcast. And he's 166 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:32.399 great at it. And it comes at a really good 167 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:38.000 time because obviously Lee Corso is stepping down. Corso worked 168 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:42.799 to stay apart a viable part of ESPN's game day coverage, 169 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:44.399 but after a stroke, and he told me in an 170 00:09:44.440 --> 00:09:47.720 interview that it's just not the same because he can't 171 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:51.759 be as extemporaneous. He can do the scripted stuff really well, 172 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:54.000 but the remarks that used to come off the top 173 00:09:54.039 --> 00:09:56.960 of his head, it just doesn't work for him anymore. 174 00:09:57.639 --> 00:09:59.600 And I think I think he still contributed, but a 175 00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:01.519 little bit. I think he HASPN did the right thing. 176 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:04.720 They kind of eased him back a little bit, and 177 00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:07.600 I hope it was his decision to step down. But 178 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:11.879 when he as he does, there's not this giant chasm 179 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:15.960 on the desk because Saban's there, and maybe they'll put 180 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:19.519 somebody in Courso's chair. They really don't need it. They've 181 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:23.039 got enough people on that anchor desk. But a tip 182 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:26.799 of the captain, Nick Saban. Seven national championship trophies and 183 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:31.919 now a Sports Emmy. Good for him. Speaking of sports 184 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:36.840 on TV, there was a sports question at the end 185 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:39.600 of Jeopardy I think it was last night maybe, and 186 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:46.120 it was a really interesting question about population base for 187 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:50.240 states that have NFL teams. And here it is. I'm 188 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:51.679 going to play the clips. See if you know the 189 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:52.600 answer this. 190 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:57.799 Game NFL geography. Here's the clue. It's the state with 191 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:02.679 the lowest population density to an NFL team. Thirty seconds. 192 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:04.399 Good luck, and right. 193 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:07.240 Here my mind immediately went, of course, Green Bay, not 194 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:10.559 because I'm a Packers fan, but because it's the smallest 195 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:14.559 market in all of professional sports. But remember he said state, 196 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:19.519 and Wisconsin is fairly heavily populated compared to a lot 197 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.320 of others. So I'm running through the cities in my 198 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:25.320 head and I came up with the Colts in Indiana, 199 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.919 kind of a rural state, got some big cities, but 200 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:32.039 I decided Indiana was my answer because of the Colts, 201 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:33.120 and here it is. 202 00:11:33.559 --> 00:11:35.879 This would have been a different state a few years ago. 203 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.120 We'll start with Wendy Powish, who had eleven thy nine hundred. 204 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:43.559 She wrote down, what is Colorado because of the broncos. 205 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.519 I think that is the second least dense state today. 206 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:50.080 So you're going to lose eighty one hundred, leaving you 207 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:52.759 with thirty eight hundred. Mitch Laughlin was in second place 208 00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:57.519 with twelve four hundred. His response was Indiana, and I'm 209 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:02.360 afraid that's also not it. Mitch will lose six thousand, 210 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:04.840 one hundred and eighty, taking you down to six thousand, 211 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.000 two hundred and twenty dollars. Brendan Lao had a pretty 212 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:10.399 big lead with nineteen thousand, two hundred. Did you think 213 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.759 of the right team in the right state? What is 214 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:17.240 Minnesota now? I'm afraid not. In twenty twenty, the Raiders 215 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:21.279 moved from Oakland to very sparsely populated Nevada there in 216 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.759 Las Vegas now, so it's what is Nevada? 217 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:26.279 I say when he said it would have been a 218 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:28.440 state a few years ago, he couldn't say that prior. 219 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:31.360 That's a heck of a clue. But yeah, it would 220 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:34.320 not have been the Raiders in Las Vegas, but it 221 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:37.360 would have been Colorado, as he said, and I looked 222 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:43.519 it up. Colorado has five point nine million people. Indiana 223 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:48.559 has six point nine million. Nevada's only got three points something. 224 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:50.639 You know there are there are more people living in 225 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:53.919 the state of Kentucky than live in Nevada. So anyway, 226 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:58.519 interesting question on Jeopardy, I thought, and uh again, Indiana 227 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:03.399 wasn't even close. He's sticking with football. Aaron Murray is 228 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:08.480 the former Georgia quarterback who really good player. I mean 229 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:13.480 in terms of college football and what he did at 230 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:17.279 UGA A great player. He was drafted by the Chiefs 231 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:19.240 out of college in the fifth round. He only played 232 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:21.399 a couple of years in the league. He bounced around 233 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:27.840 on practice squads and all but at Georgia he set 234 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:32.440 some big marks that still stand. He is still the 235 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:38.519 SEC career passing touchdown leader head of Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, 236 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:44.639 Matthew Stafford, and still the SEC career passing yards leader 237 00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:47.639 a couple of times. Was second team All SEC in 238 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:53.039 twenty eleven and twenty thirteen. His senior year twenty thirteen 239 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:58.039 ended against Kentucky when Zadarius Smith, who said a long 240 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:01.320 NFL career, threw him to the turn and that damaged 241 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:05.159 his knee. He was on November twenty third in Athens 242 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.279 and he threw for four touchdown passes but in the 243 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:14.879 first half, but late in the half, Zadarius Smith sacked 244 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:19.559 him and he suffered a season ending knee injury. George 245 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:21.360 ended up eight and five on the year. This is 246 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:26.320 before Georgia became a superpower again in the Southeastern Conference. 247 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:29.639 But anyway, that's Aaron Murray and he had an interesting 248 00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:35.960 comment about arch Manning, and this came after the story 249 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:39.279 came out that arch Manning is considered the potential, if 250 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:43.120 not probable, overall number one pick next year after he 251 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:46.480 plays the season of college football at Texas. And remember 252 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:49.480 he was the benchwarmer this year. We thought we'd see 253 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:52.799 him against Kentucky, but we didn't. Quin Ewers went the 254 00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:56.000 entire way. And remember, yours was supposed to be the 255 00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:58.840 greatest thing since school aid when he came out of 256 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:02.720 high school, bounced around ni own money all that was 257 00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:06.279 never a college superstar. And Aaron Murray pointed that out 258 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:10.840 when he pushed back against the notion that arch Manning 259 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:13.440 is going to be the next superstar. 260 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:16.639 And I said this last year during the season too, 261 00:15:16.840 --> 00:15:19.320 because I was a big fan of quinn Ewers heading 262 00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:21.879 into the season. I thought Quinn did some good stuff 263 00:15:21.960 --> 00:15:26.639 at times last season, but let's be honest, Texas had 264 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:30.360 probably the second or third best roster in America, probably 265 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:33.879 the second or third. Why were they not competing for 266 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:38.240 a national championship is because Quinn was holding them back. 267 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:42.360 Quinn did not perform to the level that I thought 268 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:46.399 he could. And then you're sitting down in the NFL draft. 269 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:47.960 I mean, he gets what drafted in the seventh round. 270 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:49.679 So even NFL scouts we're saying, like, this guy's just 271 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:54.000 maybe not as good as as anticipated coming out as 272 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.200 a recruit or maybe even. 273 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:55.919 Two years ago. 274 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:59.879 So all in all, quinn Ewers had a disappointing season 275 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:02.080 and it reflected in his draft stock. 276 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:04.559 If you were so good. 277 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:09.039 And everyone as you projected number one pick in the 278 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.919 NFL draft come twenty twenty six, why in the hell 279 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:15.320 are you not playing above a seventh round quarterback? 280 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:18.840 And that is fair. Where was he if he was 281 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:21.279 so good, why didn't he beat out quinn Ewers? Or 282 00:16:21.320 --> 00:16:24.879 their politics? Involved. Probably did they not want yours to 283 00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:27.799 transfer again, I don't know, but the bottom line is 284 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:31.440 Steve Sarkisi and the head coach of Texas, and we're 285 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:36.240 down there. It's like Kentucky basketball. It's national championships or nothing. 286 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:40.039 And if he had a quarterback on his sideline that 287 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:42.360 could get him there, he's gonna play him. But he 288 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:46.279 didn't play Manning. He played yours. And remember the Kentucky game, 289 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:50.120 it was never really in doubt, but Kentucky was hanging 290 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:52.559 in there. But it looked to me like in the 291 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:54.759 second half they decided we're going to put the ball 292 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:58.039 in Quinn's hands, let him win the game. And he did. 293 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:01.600 And quite frankly, Kentucky played about as well I thought 294 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:04.799 as it could. Made some mistakes, but yours was the 295 00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:08.759 difference down the stretch. But he wasn't a superstar difference maker. 296 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:13.480 And that is why I really think Aaron Murray's comments 297 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:17.200 were fascinating. Welcome back to the Big Bluin Cider and 298 00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:20.680 joining us now in the celebrity hotline is assistant coach 299 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.920 Cody Fieger, Mark Pope's staff. Uh, And I got to 300 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:27.160 warn you, folks, he is I was Conson Native. He 301 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:30.039 is a Packers fan as am I, and we will 302 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:33.519 talk Packers football before this interview is over. But coach, 303 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:36.039 let's let's start with the Wildcats. Just tell me what 304 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:39.720 was your first year like for you when you came 305 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:42.359 to Kentucky. You knew the brand, you knew the history, 306 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:44.880 but you didn't really know it til you lived it, 307 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:46.160 did you? 308 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:49.960 No? No, you know, it was kind of like a 309 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:53.160 you know, when Coach Pope called and you know, asked 310 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:55.319 if I was interested and wanted to come, and he 311 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:00.519 has like a dream, you know, and you know, everything 312 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:04.680 I kind of thought of at this level, just the 313 00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:07.359 people that care and how much they love it and 314 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.599 the passion for it. The only thing that I experienced 315 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:15.839 it like this is growing up as a Packers fan, 316 00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:19.119 you know, so that that's kind of very similar how 317 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:21.559 it is growing up in Wisconsin, where all it is 318 00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:23.839 Green Bay Packers all day long. That's the only thing 319 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:27.559 you care about. And that's what Kentucky basketball is is 320 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:29.640 to this state and to most people in the country. 321 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:33.119 You worked with Mark Pope at Utah Valley, then it'd 322 00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:36.920 be y you when he called you. Was there any 323 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:40.519 hesitation or was it? Did he did he finish his 324 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:42.000 sentence before you said? Yes? 325 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.440 Absolutely not. I mean I was, I was all in. 326 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:49.160 I was so excited and you know, like I said, 327 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:50.920 it's it's it's everything. You want to be a part 328 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:55.599 of this place, he joked, I go ahead, Yeah, it's 329 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:59.839 it's grateful for this opportunity and great people here to 330 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:02.799 work with. And you know, I've been lucky to work 331 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:06.359 you know, alongside him for for you know, three twelve 332 00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:07.039 years now. 333 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:10.000 When he was introduced. He sort of joked about how 334 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:14.279 quickly his daughters said yes, because a move like that 335 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:17.359 was especially with with teenagers, you know, they're gonna have 336 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:19.720 to leave their friends and all that stuff. Uh, but 337 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:22.039 they grew up Kentucky fans because of him, but they 338 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:26.039 had never been here. Uh. What was was was was 339 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:31.119 there a Kentucky presence at all when it came to 340 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:34.200 Mark Pope working at Utah Valley, working at Brigham Young. 341 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:36.839 I mean, I'm sure there were some framed photos or something. 342 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.839 But how much did you know about Kentucky and him? 343 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:46.359 Yeah? So, uh, you know, growing up, I would go 344 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:49.200 to the YMCA and I had a good friend and 345 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:52.799 we would He was actually a big Kentucky fan, so 346 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:56.480 you know, we would we would play at the WYMCA 347 00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:58.720 and we'd end up pressing, would be the only you know, 348 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:03.000 fIF sixth seventh graders pressing at the Yanta, just normal 349 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:06.519 pickup ball, and we'd be like, so Kentucky defense time, 350 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:09.160 and just like what coach Tino did it, you know, 351 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:12.759 Kentucky a long time ago. So like I knew Travis Ford, 352 00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:15.559 Jamal Mashburn, like all those guys were guys that I 353 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:19.000 watched and I grew up, you know, really enjoying. And 354 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:21.079 then you know, I grew up in Milwaukee. I'm a 355 00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:26.759 huge Bucks fan and and Coach Pope was on you know, 356 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:29.839 some of the best Bucks teams ever. So he'd be 357 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:33.279 starting in the Eastern Conference finals, and you know, I 358 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:35.359 was just kind of grew up like watching coach Pope 359 00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:39.200 and and you know, it's it's it's kind of crazy 360 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:42.720 how it all all ended up. But yeah, he talked 361 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.720 about Coach Patino. He talked about how special Kentucky was 362 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:48.519 and the people there, and you know, when we're at 363 00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:53.000 Utah Valley, we played at Kentucky UH for a by game, 364 00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:56.640 and you know, you know, one guy gave him a 365 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:59.279 sword when we were out here, We're like, well, he's 366 00:20:59.319 --> 00:21:02.039 the real out of here man. This place is awesome. 367 00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:05.400 We're talking to Cody Figuer, assistant coach and er Mark 368 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:09.000 Pope at the University of Kentucky. And again, you grow up, 369 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:12.200 as you said, a Packers fan in Wisconsin, but you're 370 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:14.160 a basketball guy. How did that happen? 371 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:19.119 Yeah? Yeah, so I just I honestly, I love playing 372 00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:24.400 football growing up, but I just I spent so much 373 00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:28.240 time just loving basketball. I would go to Yanta every 374 00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:30.759 single day when I was younger. I get to play basketball, 375 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:33.319 you know, after school. My parents just dropped me off 376 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:35.640 there and I hang out and play basketball for a 377 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:38.799 couple hours, and I just kept on getting better. And 378 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:43.119 I just enjoyed it, you know, and love watching the NBA. 379 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:46.240 At any time you could, you could play. I mean 380 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:49.440 obviously I had to shovel my you know, driveway a 381 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:51.799 ton of times in Wisconsin just to play. But I 382 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:55.000 always really enjoyed it. And you know, I love to 383 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:57.960 talk basketball and watch it. And you know, I grew 384 00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:00.680 up around you know, Rick and Jerris, going to his camps, 385 00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:03.720 and you know, he was he was so great to 386 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:06.559 me when I was younger. He taught me a ton 387 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:09.160 of the game, and yeah, it was just there's just 388 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:12.240 so many great things that made me enjoy basketball. 389 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:14.440 How did you end up at the University of Utah 390 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:17.720 and not at Marquette or Wisconsin or somewhere up there. 391 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:23.440 Yeah, So Rick majeris, you know, former coach at Utah, right, 392 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:27.400 He's from Milwaukee. Originally he would do camps in Wisconsin. 393 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.359 So I went to those camps. My parents signed me 394 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:33.960 up and I was I went there when I was eight, nine, ten, 395 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:37.519 eleven every year for and coach Majaris's would always remember 396 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:39.000 me every year. But like because I was, you know, 397 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:41.400 the hardest worker at camp. I'd die my loose balls 398 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:44.119 and you know, take charges in camp, do all those 399 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:47.880 sorts of things, and he kind of remembered me every year. 400 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:53.680 And then you know, when when I turned fifteen, I'd 401 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:58.000