WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.600 Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:05.000 you on a Thursday edition of our program. It's an 3 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:08.400 abbreviated show because coming up at six forty five is 4 00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:12.759 pregame seven o'clock tip off for UK women's basketball Wildcats 5 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:16.760 taking on twenty second ranked Alabama Cats, coming off yet 6 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:20.839 another blowout win over Arkansas, this time it was eighty 7 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:23.600 nine to sixty nine. That was a bounceback game for 8 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:27.000 Kentucky after losing down to Texas A and M sixty 9 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:29.679 one to fifty five in a game where Kentucky could 10 00:00:29.719 --> 00:00:32.719 not buy a shot. Seemed like the Wildcats hit everything 11 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:35.560 at least in the early going against Arkansas, and they're 12 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:39.320 looking for more of the same tonight against Sabama in 13 00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:42.159 historic Memorial Coliseum. So we'll have it for you right 14 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:45.240 here on six point thirty WLAP. It will be on 15 00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:48.039 the SEC network as well. But you got two ears, 16 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:50.240 so you can listen to the radio with one and 17 00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:52.479 you can listen to the TV with the other. 18 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:53.799 Man. 19 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:56.799 What a season Kenny Brooks has going right now in 20 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:00.679 his first as the UK head coach, seventeen and two overall, 21 00:01:01.079 --> 00:01:05.040 six and one in Southeastern Conference play in the Wildcats 22 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:09.400 undefeated at home. They are eleven and oh so stand 23 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:12.400 by for that one coming up very shortly in the 24 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:15.000 Big Bow Nation. Of course, still buzzing. I think the 25 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:19.840 buzzing is split between what happened in Knoxville on Tuesday 26 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:23.439 and what is about to happen Saturday, one way or 27 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:26.879 the other with Arkansas coming to town. Was talking to 28 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:31.319 Cameron Mills yesterday, Cameron, of course, the former Wildcat who 29 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.439 hosts co hosts the pregame show, and he was talking 30 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.319 about the fact that he said, I still don't know 31 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:41.719 how we won that game. He said, because Tennessee essentially 32 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:46.239 beat Kentucky and virtually every statistical category except for a 33 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:49.439 couple and when you go back and look at it, 34 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:55.480 thirteen turnovers for Kentucky to just five for Tennessee, the 35 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:58.079 ball's out rebound of the Wildcats forty one thirty eight 36 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:05.920 with eighteen offensive rebounds, including sixteen rebounds but eighteen offensive rebounds. 37 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:10.080 They got off twenty two more shots than the Wildcats 38 00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:15.319 twenty five of seventy two, But the stat where it 39 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:19.639 mattered the most was Kentucky at twenty five of fifty. 40 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:24.039 And my Trinity High School math tells me that's fifty percent, 41 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:28.400 and so is three point shooting. Twelve of twenty four 42 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:33.479 for the Wildcats, including three of three for Kobe bray 43 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:36.800 At four of seven for Asley Almano in his first start, 44 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.439 he took. Every shot he took was a three pointer. 45 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:44.960 Tennessee foolishly falls behind and then kept trying to catch 46 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:49.639 up from the arc and Milliseits goes four of eight. 47 00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:52.680 All right, we know he can hit Lanier three of ten. 48 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:55.400 That's not bad for a guy who's rep is three 49 00:02:55.400 --> 00:03:00.639 point shooting. So what is that seven of eighteen? Ziggler 50 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:04.639 one of eleven, just kept jacking Danny two of eight, 51 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:10.879 Dubar one of seven for a team eleven of forty five. 52 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:14.360 And I know Mark Polk doesn't want his guys to 53 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:18.159 stop shooting. I guess that's the case with Rick Barnes. 54 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:21.840 I've never heard that about Tennessee. Ziggler is not known 55 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:26.560 as a great three point shooter. But I wondered would 56 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:28.719 they're not come a point where Barnes would say, guys, 57 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:31.000 why don't we attack the rim a little bit more? 58 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:38.039 Because Kentucky with minus Andrew Carr, is not the strongest 59 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:41.120 defensive team around the rim. And now they just kept 60 00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:43.479 firing up, and yeah, a lot of times they got 61 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:47.360 their own rebound, but far too often it was the 62 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:51.400 Wildcats getting to In fact, it was Amari Williams grabbing 63 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:56.280 fifteen boards take away. One of the guards had six. 64 00:03:56.759 --> 00:04:00.400 When your guards are rebounding like a Jackson Robinson four, 65 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:04.479 Kobe Bray I had three. So those guards had thirteen 66 00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:08.319 rebounds among them. That's huge. When your guards can board 67 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:11.479 like that, that's huge. And Amari Williams, the guy everybody 68 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:17.720 was trashing about six weeks ago, ten points fifteen. I 69 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:20.920 wasn't happy with him, but now he's getting it done. 70 00:04:20.920 --> 00:04:26.160 Ten points, fifteen rebounds, four assists. He had three turnovers 71 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:28.959 in twenty four minutes. But remember he brought the ball 72 00:04:29.079 --> 00:04:32.439 up the floor on a night when Kentucky needed help 73 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:35.519 at the point guard spot. Again, whenever he does that 74 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:38.360 reminds me is when Sam Bowie used to bring the 75 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:41.480 ball up the floor. And I've talked about Williams with 76 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:45.000 regard to his passing in the same breath with Sam Bowie, 77 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:49.120 who was taller, but Sam was a tremendous passer. People 78 00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:52.000 forget that about Sam passing into the high post and 79 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:54.800 oftentimes he could float it down to Melvin Turpin on 80 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:58.399 the low block. But that wasn't all he did, and 81 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:02.759 that's not all Amary Williams did. So that's why the Cats, 82 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:08.560 I think, for the fifth time in six games, beat Tennessee, 83 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:12.399 finding success once again in Knoxville. And I recall won't 84 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:15.560 move on here, but yeah, Cali Perry went down there, 85 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:18.959 beat him, Cali Perry. He had good success against Tennessee, 86 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:21.199 but one of the games I remember the most was 87 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:27.120 actually a loss. But Billy Clyde Gillespie took his team 88 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:32.560 down there first year, and Patrick Patterson had suffered a 89 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:34.720 stretch fracture in his foot, he was done for the year. 90 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:40.959 Perry Stevenson had one of the best games of his life, 91 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:45.600 and Kentucky fought, I mean to the bitter end and 92 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:49.279 almost pulled off the upset down there against a really 93 00:05:49.319 --> 00:05:55.920 good Tennessee team, And it was so impressive and Kentucky 94 00:05:55.959 --> 00:06:00.519 fans were just so knocked out by that game. Sixty 95 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:03.600 three to sixty was the final. Tennessee was ranked number 96 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:08.879 one in the nation, and yet the Wildcats forced the 97 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:13.079 Balls to play their game Remel Bradley at seventeen. Ramon 98 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:17.720 Harris had twelve, Perry had thirteen points and fourteen rebounds. 99 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:23.160 He was magnificent. So the Wildcats are no strangers to 100 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:26.680 good performances down in Knoxville. All right, now, we need 101 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:29.560 to talk about what everybody's been talking about, including Mark Pope, 102 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:33.720 the return of John Caliperry. Pope talked about it last 103 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:36.639 night on his show. A caller wanted to know Pope's 104 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:40.720 thoughts on I guess it's going to be the controversial return. 105 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:43.720 We have been blessed at the University of Kentucky to 106 00:06:43.800 --> 00:06:46.279 have some of the greatest coaches to ever coach the 107 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:48.480 game of basketball, and certainly Cal is one of those. 108 00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:50.600 He's a Hall of Fame coach. 109 00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:53.720 In his fifteen year tenure, what he accompts at the 110 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:57.480 University of Kentucky was incredible. In some ways, he revolutionized 111 00:06:57.519 --> 00:06:58.759 the game of college basketball. 112 00:06:58.759 --> 00:07:00.160 He's left a legacy. 113 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:06.240 That probably won't be ever reproduced in the same way 114 00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:10.319 that he did it. And and uh, you know, as 115 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:12.600 a as a member of BBN and a huge fan 116 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.720 of of Kentucky basketball, my whole heart is here. 117 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:16.720 Uh. 118 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:19.199 And I love Cal. I love Cal for what he 119 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:22.199 did for for Kentucky basketball. And on a very personal level. 120 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.720 He's been He's been so great to Leanne and I 121 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:29.199 as a mentor and a friend and so, uh, you know, 122 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:31.959 it's it's it's a little bit of a complicated relationship 123 00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:36.040 right now because he's coaching the other team and so that. 124 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:37.279 Always makes it complicated. 125 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:40.680 But you know, I know that I know BBN man, 126 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:44.000 I just know our fan base, and I know there 127 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.839 will be all kind of There's be so much emotion 128 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:48.439 because we care so much, So there will be so 129 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:53.319 much emotion in the gym on Saturday. And as time 130 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:57.439 goes on and circumstances change, Uh, there's gonna be a 131 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.600 time when Cal walks back into this arena and he 132 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:04.519 is going to feel all of the love that BBN 133 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:06.319 possibly has to offer, because that's what we do with 134 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:06.839 our family. 135 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:08.279 Now. 136 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:11.759 You know, we'll see Thursday, like Friday, Saturday, Saturday is 137 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:15.720 going to be you know, it's also a competition. 138 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:16.839 Right, so it's just gonna be what it is. 139 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:19.879 But but you know, I have a ton of love 140 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:21.399 for Cal, and I'm grateful for what he did here 141 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:24.519 at Kentucky and I'm grateful that, you know, I get 142 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:27.000 to be here and enjoy some of the fruits of 143 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:30.959 his incredible labors here, and so I was super appreciative 144 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:33.120 of him, and I know everybody in BBN feels the 145 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:36.080 same way, even though I also know everybody at BBN 146 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:38.000 wants to win this game on Saturday. 147 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:40.720 All right. That was on the Mark Pope radio show 148 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:44.320 last night on the UK Sports Network. Believe it or not. 149 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:48.840 John Caliperi had some thoughts when he was asked about 150 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:51.240 to return on his radio show. 151 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:56.519 We're gonna have three players to play there. My guess 152 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:59.320 is they're gonna get booed. My guess is I'm gonna 153 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:04.159 get booed. And you go to say it, Oh yeah, 154 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:08.159 you know, but that's all part of it. I mean, shoot, 155 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:13.279 you get booed. You I've done this so long. 156 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:14.799 How could I tell you? 157 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:17.279 I got Basukah holes in my body. So when you 158 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:20.919 shoot arrows, it doesn't even hit skin, it just goes 159 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:25.960 through one of those Basukah holes. So but it'll be interesting. 160 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:31.120 It's uh, you know, I can't say I'm looking forward 161 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:35.000 to it. I'm looking forward to coaching, but to walk 162 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:37.759 in and you know the vibe, I don't know how 163 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:39.440 I'm going to take it. To be honest with you, 164 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:42.159 I mean that was a special time in my life, 165 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:48.440 in Ellen's life, and fifteen years we gave fifteen. 166 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:50.799 And by the way, I don't know about you, I 167 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:54.639 believe he didn't want to go. I do still believe 168 00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:57.120 that he felt like he had to go, that he 169 00:09:57.159 --> 00:10:00.120 had kind of and this was his own doing. He 170 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:02.080 was backed into a corner, his own doing, by the 171 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:05.799 fact that his teams had fallen short. And it's the 172 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:10.000 responsibility of the head coach. And it had become so 173 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:15.879 tenuous here over the last couple three years that it 174 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:19.399 had basically wiped out all the good will he had 175 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:22.000 built up through the years. And I will still say 176 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:25.559 that if North Carolina doesn't hit a last second shot 177 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:28.600 in twenty seventeen, he may still be here. We may 178 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:32.159 not be having this conversation if Auburn doesn't come back. 179 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:36.399 Kentucky was twenty minutes from the final four, but let 180 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:39.039 it get away against Auburn. And there are a lot 181 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:41.600 of people who still think that if they finish up 182 00:10:41.639 --> 00:10:46.759 the undefeated season in twenty fifteen, that Caliperi could ride 183 00:10:46.759 --> 00:10:49.960 that good will forever as a national champ. I don't 184 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:53.399 believe that, because I do think if things go sour 185 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:57.720 at some point people will go sour. But we may 186 00:10:57.759 --> 00:10:59.960 not be having a conversation right now. But that's just 187 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:05.759 the way sports are. That's how things happen. Shots go in, 188 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:08.960 shots don't go in, You win, you lose. That's how 189 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:14.000 you're held accountable in that arena, literally and figuratively. But 190 00:11:14.039 --> 00:11:14.960 that's not the issue. 191 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:15.159 Is that. 192 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:20.159 The issue is how should he be treated? And it 193 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:22.639 seems like in the minds of me, of everybody, And 194 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:25.600 when I wrote about it on social media, on Twitter 195 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:28.440 and Facebook, I probably should have pointed out, you have 196 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:32.240 more than one choice. You don't have to give him 197 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:35.360 the heroes welcome and rain down cheers and all that 198 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.200 the way people did for Rick Patino, believing or not 199 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:44.159 at madness. I was shocked by that. But Mark Pope 200 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:47.240 has so much to do with that, because Patino had 201 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:50.960 endorsed Mark Pope wholeheartedly, and by then everybody loved Pope, 202 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:55.279 so Rick got swept up into all that. But it's 203 00:11:55.320 --> 00:11:58.440 not just cheer or rain down booze. There's more than 204 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:03.120 one choice, because people don't rain down booze on every 205 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.600 other opposing coach. People keep pointing out to me, well, 206 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:08.480 he's coaching for the opposition. Now he's coaching on an 207 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:11.919 arch rival, which it's not. Arkansas was for a while there, 208 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:16.360 but Arkansas had dropped from relevance, and I mean Nolan 209 00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:19.960 Richardson relevance when it was banging heads with Kentucky at 210 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:22.399 the top of the league and surpassing Kentucky for a 211 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:26.200 while at the top of the league. But yeah, it's 212 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:29.919 a Southeastern Conference opponent. Yeah, I get that. But do 213 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:32.240 they rain down booze on everyone? Do they rein down 214 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:36.279 booze on Barnes when he's here with Tennessee, No, NATO's no. 215 00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:41.840 So there's more than one opportunity. And we're going to 216 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:44.480 talk about some of the reaction to my social media 217 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:48.039 posts in the next segment. Now coming up at the 218 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:50.960 bottom of the hour, my man Curtis Birch will join us. 219 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:53.679 Curtis started with us here at the Big Blue Insider 220 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:59.799 and is now the manager of the UK Sports Network. 221 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:02.279 Has worked his way. I don't know if he's at 222 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:05.080 the top, but he's in a really good spot right 223 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:07.320 now because he worked his butt off. That's not what 224 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:09.000 we're going to talk to him about, but we will 225 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:11.639 mention it coming up at the bottom of the hour. 226 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:15.799 But next we'll talk about social media reaction to what 227 00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:18.720 I wrote and said about Caliperry. That's next on six 228 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:22.440 thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider Dick 229 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:24.240 Gabriel with you coming up in just a few minutes 230 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.080 at the bottom of the hour. In fact, Curtis Birch 231 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.840 will join us and we'll talk about the new project 232 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:32.679 that the UK Sports Network has happening. I wanted to 233 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:35.600 talk a little bit about some of the responses that 234 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:40.519 rolled in after my post on Twitter and Facebook. I 235 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:43.399 wrote about John Caliperi coming back, and I said, if 236 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:45.720 you want to boo John Caliperry, that you're right. Just 237 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:49.919 remember where this program was when he took over. It 238 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:53.879 had become irrelevant thanks to Billy Clyde. I said, now 239 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:56.840 remember where cali Perry took it for the next six seasons, 240 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:00.759 and if not for injuries to some of his later teams, 241 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.919 well there could have been a lot more success. It 242 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:07.120 did go sour at the end, but it was fun 243 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:12.000 while it lasted. Some of you agreed, many of you disagreed, 244 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:17.840 and somebody wrote, do you mean from DUI meaning irrelevant 245 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:20.919 to nit to Billy Gillespie story. Yeah, there were some 246 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:25.120 hidden lessons in there somewher. That's true. Another guy back, 247 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:28.480 Adam said, booene Caliperia would be what other programs would do. 248 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:33.000 It's almost the equivalent of rushing the court, not our standard. 249 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:38.559 That's interesting. Tom Tom Jones, not the Tom Jones wrote, 250 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:41.440 I would cheer for all the wonderful memories my father 251 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:44.639 and I got to enjoy. He died two weeks after 252 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:48.879 BAM and Fox lost to North Carolina. Those were some 253 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:53.440 great years except twenty thirteen and then some others. But 254 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:59.159 he said a National Championship final four runs exclamation point. 255 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:03.720 Atthew Chandler said, you did Patino get booed in one 256 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:06.639 when he returned? Yeah, he said, I leaned towards It's 257 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:09.360 fair to boo and then move on. In a few years. 258 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:11.960 It's over and done with. He did a lot on 259 00:15:12.120 --> 00:15:16.240 and off the court, that's very true. But the off 260 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:19.240 the court stuff, the charity work, that that doesn't really 261 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:22.240 figure in. On game day, I will say, I will 262 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:26.159 say that j Money said it sort of fell back 263 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:29.279 to the same place before he came. Not really, I 264 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:32.240 know what you're saying, and in the level of disappointment, 265 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:37.080 but no, Kentucky was a highly ranked, highly seeded team. 266 00:15:37.559 --> 00:15:41.759 Of course, when it was beaten in the NCA Tournament prematurely. 267 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:45.480 That's what made it so painful. Billy Gillespie's deal was 268 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:49.320 it was such a long grind of watching the program 269 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:53.480 sink into irrelevance, and you were almost thankful by the 270 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:56.240 end of the year, weren't you. You're upset, but it's like, 271 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:59.120 how much more of this crap can I take? And 272 00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:01.039 they made a brief run in the NIT. They got 273 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:04.000 to play in the coliseum in the NIT, which was cool, 274 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:05.879 but that's not where you want to be and that's 275 00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:10.799 not where Kentucky should be. The Caliperi man his last 276 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:15.639 few years, he did have people thinking, yeah, this could 277 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:18.519 be another great euro As I said seventeen the bam 278 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:22.879 Ate bio, the Aaron Fox team was outstanding. The team 279 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:26.080 that lost to Auburn in the Elite eight. What about 280 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:31.720 the COVID team with Quickly and Tyrese Maxi and Nick Richards. 281 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:35.080 I do believe that's a Final four team. Now, they 282 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:38.360 could have screwed it up like some of his teams 283 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:40.399 toward the end, but you know what, that team was 284 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:43.559 playing so well. Those teams that lost in the first 285 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:46.440 round of Saint Peters in Oakland. They weren't really playing 286 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.720 that well, but that twenty fifteen team or the twenty 287 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:54.399 twenty team, the COVID team that was playing well. Larry said, 288 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:58.360 we bowed Patino. He saved this program from probation. I 289 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:00.759 think cal will survive. A one third of the crowd 290 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:04.200 booing him, oddwill Nora said, maybe the ones that want 291 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:06.839 a boot can just stay silent or turn around. Just 292 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:11.759 the thought. Kyle Cooper said, don't boo him, thank him 293 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:14.279 for all the money he left on the table. Yell 294 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:19.240 thank you. But that's a great point. BP Harper said 295 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:22.240 the program was in better shape when he took over 296 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:26.400 than when he left it, but he said we literally 297 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:28.720 had zero players. That was always going to be the 298 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:31.319 case no matter when he left. He didn't build for 299 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:33.359 the future of the program. Well he never did that 300 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:37.799 year to year. I mean, when you're building and relying 301 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:43.400 too much on freshman, no, you're building for now. That's 302 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:48.480 the problem with investing time, money, effort. In one and done, 303 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:51.000 Drew said, we had a lot of fun with him. 304 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:54.640 He should have left earlier, but we shouldn't forget. Mark 305 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:57.240 Berger tweeted it was almost irrelevant when he left two 306 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:02.119 well after they lost, Yes, not going into the tournament. No, 307 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.839 they was still highly ready to highly ranked, and the 308 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:10.720 expectations were incredible, as they should be. Somebody else treated it. Also, 309 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:13.279 remember when he left his was zero roster and took 310 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:17.960 his five recruits and left for an in conference travel. Yeah, 311 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:20.319 but a lot of those kids left of their own volition. 312 00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:24.039 They could have stayed and did not, or at least 313 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:25.880 they could have shown interest in to him. Maybe Mark 314 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:29.880 Pope didn't want them. Big Tim said, you boo him 315 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:32.519 on Saturday. He's the enemy cheering when he comes back 316 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:36.319 after he retires. That's fine. And mind you, it's not 317 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.160 going to bother me if they bow. I know people 318 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:41.279 are going to boo him, but I just think it's interesting. 319 00:18:41.319 --> 00:18:44.839 I expected them to boo Patino because he was at Louisville. 320 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:48.480 Arkansas is not the same. Here's the worst take. Cal 321 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:51.519 took it to New Heights and almost ruined it. Purposely. 322 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:59.440 Come on, man, purposely. Why would anybody do that? Why 323 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:03.480 would a haul of theme coach do that knowing that's 324 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:08.119 his legacy. Please stop, whatever happens, we'll have it for 325 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:12.000 you right here. Late Saturday nine o'clock start, Thank you Television, 326 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.839 but we'll have local coverage, we'll have network coverage and 327 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.359 then the tip off probably a minute or two after 328 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:21.839 nine right here with Tom and Jack coming up next, 329 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:26.000 Curtis Birch, we will march down memory Lane and talk 330 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:28.440 about a new project for the UK Sports Network on 331 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:32.079 six point thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. 332 00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:35.039 As promised on our Celebrity hotline. He is indeed that 333 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:37.240 our own Curtis Birch. I like to say our own 334 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:39.880 because well we're teammates on the UK Sports Network. But 335 00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:42.559 Curtis had talked earlier on the show about how you 336 00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:46.960 started with the Big Blue Insider basically as a full time, 337 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:50.279 part time kind of guy, and worked your way into 338 00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:53.319 the radio station and the next thing you know, you 339 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:56.759 were running UK projects and when they needed somebody at 340 00:19:56.759 --> 00:20:01.559 the network, they turned to you. And as such, welcome back, 341 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.519 first of all, because you've here, Curtis, thank you arguing 342 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:09.200 with me on the show all the time. Digital technology 343 00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:11.960 being what it is and digital projects being what they are, 344 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.480 you guys are taking a big step of the new project. 345 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:15.559 Tell everybody about that. 346 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:23.680 Yeah, thanks Sick, We're super excited we're launching UKSM All Access. 347 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:28.880 You've seen most of our coverage on social media currently, 348 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:32.680 So if you follow UK Sports Network on x, Facebook 349 00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:35.079 or Instagram, which you all should be doing absolutely, I'm 350 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:38.759 sure you are, you've probably seen a real bump in 351 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:42.160 our content. We've made a couple of new hires. Michelle 352 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:46.039 Kenzevik and Jensen Linder were added to the team over 353 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:50.559 the past year and they've been pumping out some fantastic content. Additionally, 354 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:54.960 where you've probably got a chance to see either ussting 355 00:20:55.079 --> 00:20:58.359 someone around, we're in a new facility that's connected to 356 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:03.440 the College of Comms new Downtown studio right next to Rapparna, 357 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:08.440 So we've upgraded in personnel, upgraded in facilities, and we're 358 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:11.960 able to provide much better content. And when we do that, 359 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.119 we want to make sure that all the fans out 360 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:16.519 there are able to access it in one place. So 361 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:20.359 we're launching UKs AND All Access and it's going to 362 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:22.799 be your one stop shop for everything that we produce, 363 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:28.359 all the coaches shows, the booth cams, the podcasts that 364 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:32.000 we're doing, and then any of the features that we 365 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:35.119 do you we produce one with Tim Couch when he 366 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:37.119 made it to the College Football Hall of Fame. 367 00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:38.119 That. 368 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:41.920 Yeah, they did a locker room tour with Georgia Amore 369 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:44.680 earlier this season. So all of those kind of features 370 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:47.359 will also live on this platform and you'll be able 371 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:49.200 to check it out every day and catch up on 372 00:21:49.240 --> 00:21:50.480 all teams. You can't let it. 373 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:54.599 And I like what Cameron does. Cameron Mills drops in 374 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:57.559 once in a while and explains what's going on, and 375 00:21:57.599 --> 00:22:00.079 then by the way he checks with Mark Polpe. You 376 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:01.920 know what can I what can I share with the 377 00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:03.559 fans and that kind of stuff. But as a guy 378 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:06.920 who's lived it and as a former teammate of Mark Pulp, 379 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:08.519 I think those have been really effective. 380 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:13.279 Yeah, his practice reports have been fantastic. Yeah, I think 381 00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:17.160 obviously he has a great insight, has always had a 382 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:20.240 great insight as a former player, but now with one 383 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:23.440 of his former teammates and friends as the coach, I 384 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:26.279 think his insight has been taken to another level because 385 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:29.960 he not now not only understands the game that they're playing, 386 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:34.640 but he understands the coach's mindset more more than very 387 00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:37.680 few out there, you know, because he was with him 388 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:41.079 for so long. So yeah, that's that's prominently featured on 389 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:44.039 the new platform, but I should mention as well where 390 00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:46.960 to access it's we try to make it as simple 391 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:50.799 for everyone as possible. If you have the UK Athletics app, 392 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:53.599 it'll be a button there on the bottom the UKSN 393 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:57.519 just click that, so also be a menu option on 394 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:00.799 UK Athletics dot com or if you just type uk 395 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:03.640 s N all access dot com on your web browser, 396 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:06.039 you'll be you'll be able to access it. It's going 397 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:12.200 live on Friday morning, and we're speaking of the coverage 398 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:16.720 that we do live Friday, and then I think there's 399 00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:20.319 some kind of game on Saturday, Contugy basketball, has it? 400 00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:20.960 Has it? 401 00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:23.160