WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:02.560 Welcome to the Big Moon Cider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:02.600 --> 00:00:03.240 on a Thursday. 3 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:07.639 It's game day, game night, actually, Kentucky opens SEC tournament play. 4 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:12.160 As you know, Oklahoma lies ahead because the Sooners knocked 5 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:15.480 off Georgia last night. So it's the Cats and OU 6 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:18.600 in a rematch of that game, incredible game earlier this 7 00:00:18.679 --> 00:00:22.039 year when the Wildcats beat Oklahoma eighty three eighty two. 8 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:25.399 Got that incredible shot from Otega oh Way, who scored 9 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:29.079 eighteen of Kentucky's twenty one down the stretch and of 10 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:30.920 course helped block a shot. I don't know if you 11 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:32.880 blocked it or just got a piece of it of 12 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:36.399 the Oklahoma game winner at the buzzer. So it's a 13 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:39.359 rematch of UK and OU. Will have it for you 14 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:41.960 right here with Tom and Jack and all our pregame 15 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:44.799 coverage coming up. But before that, I wanted to share 16 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:48.079 with you a conversation I had with Donnie Adkins, who 17 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:51.159 was a former high school coach who coached Lafayette to 18 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:54.439 a state championship, and we talked about what's going on 19 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:58.280 with high school basketball now that coaches have made it 20 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:01.000 a point. And Rick Patino, the most high profile coach 21 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:04.000 of all to talk about ignoring high school kids in 22 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:07.400 favor of guys coming through the portal and high school basketball, 23 00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:09.599 and election has been sagging for a while now, But 24 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:11.879 I thought i'd turned to Don and get his thoughts 25 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:15.879 on the future of Kentucky kids, kids all over the 26 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:18.640 country playing high school ball and will they have a 27 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:20.959 shot now at big time college basketball. 28 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.200 Well, Dick, I think there's you know, a lot of 29 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:26.760 different things that go into this. You to look at 30 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:33.200 just what's happening nationwide with COVID, you know, affecting the 31 00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:36.560 years of play. Well, now, some college kids have had 32 00:01:36.599 --> 00:01:39.959 six years of play. You're talking about a twenty three 33 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:42.799 year old person play a four year old person going 34 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:45.560 up against an eighteen year old freshman in college. And 35 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:47.879 a coach kind of looks at that and says, well, man, 36 00:01:47.879 --> 00:01:50.719 he's proved himself for four years, five years. I need 37 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:52.480 to take a look at this and look at it hard. 38 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:56.719 You know, Look, we'll just look at Alburn with Rome, 39 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:01.120 and you know, these kids transfermed there major kids, but 40 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:04.680 yet they're transferring to a big program. How does that 41 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:08.599 affect high school you know, recruitment. I mean it puts 42 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:10.879 that high school person you've got to be a real, 43 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:13.199 real not a five A. You've got to be a 44 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:15.400 starter that year. You know, you got to come out 45 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.639 of high school ready to compete, and those are few 46 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:19.439 and far between. 47 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:22.479 As we don't know, do you think. 48 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:25.879 That more high school kids will end up going to 49 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:31.319 mid majors Naia's jukos because so many of the higher 50 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:34.919 level schools are going to be just looking more for 51 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:36.360 just the veterans. 52 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:39.560 I think I think, you know, right now, I think 53 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:41.479 that's the trend that we're going to see, maybe in 54 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:47.560 colleges that because you know, I'm a firm believer in 55 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:50.680 the maturity of somebody and working in your program for 56 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.560 three or four years and then as the time you're 57 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:57.240 a junior and season really you know, being able to 58 00:02:57.240 --> 00:03:00.479 come in and contribute to my program. And I you know, 59 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:02.439 I think a lot of coaches are looking at that 60 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:02.879 right now. 61 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:06.879 What's the answer do you think for high school kids? 62 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:11.719 I mean, it looks like they're just going to be 63 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:12.360 missing out. 64 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:17.360 Well, I think you know, a lot of kids, they 65 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:21.000 get these tags on them through AAU ball and summer 66 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:23.479 ball and going to all these recruitment things that you're 67 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.759 a five star, you're a three star, you're a two 68 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:28.879 star whatever it is. But yet there are a lot 69 00:03:28.919 --> 00:03:31.719 of young people out there that don't get that notoriety 70 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:35.280 that their athletic ability and how they play the game 71 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:38.360 is up there with anybody. They just don't get that 72 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:41.439 publicity that they that a lot of other people see. 73 00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:44.599 And I think that's a big part of it too. 74 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:48.199 Also is that some of these coaches go out and 75 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:51.879 they find these kids that quote, you know, coach John 76 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:55.719 Smith never looked at because he wasn't in his area, 77 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:59.599 or he wasn't you know, considered as a national recruiter 78 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:04.080 by an AAU program or something. So I think that 79 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:06.240 high school player is always going to have a spot. 80 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:09.240 I just don't think it's going to be as glamorous 81 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:13.639 it once was. You know, Uh, Coach Kyle Perry came 82 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:15.919 in and said, hey, you're a freshman, I'm going to 83 00:04:15.960 --> 00:04:19.319 make you an All SAR, and he did it because 84 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:21.199 look at his track record with what he did with 85 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:23.439 those you know, those ones and done. 86 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:27.560 Yeah, and those kids will always be because the Cooper 87 00:04:27.639 --> 00:04:30.560 flags are few and far between. The kids of that 88 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.600 you know, ability level, they're not gonna have to worry. 89 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:35.480 It's the kids, like. 90 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:38.480 You say, that need a year or two to mature 91 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:42.639 and grow in a program exactly. 92 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:45.920 And you look what grohme. Did you know he played 93 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.160 two years at Moreheads and transfer to Auburn and he's 94 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:49.839 All American and he's up for Player. 95 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:49.959 Of the Year. 96 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:54.519 And that just becomes with a maturity level of playing 97 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:57.879 the game and playing at a very high level and 98 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:03.040 you know, establishing your game as you know, hey, I'm 99 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.920 one of the biggest big men in the nation. 100 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:09.720 I was talking to a friend about developing quarterbacks now, 101 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:12.759 and you know how specialized that is. And he said, 102 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:15.480 you know, we talked about all the moving into Portland 103 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:16.800 all that, and he said, what do you do if 104 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:20.040 you're a high school kid? Do you sign with a 105 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:24.319 Western Kentucky all due respect, or any KYU or somebody 106 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:28.079 hoping that some other school's going to notice you. That's 107 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:32.079 essentially turning those mid majors into the feeder system for 108 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:33.920 the big schools, isn't it. 109 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:38.160 I think I think that's right, Dick. And you know, 110 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:41.639 whether wherever I can go to get my plane, that's right. 111 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:44.920 If I look at it from that standpoint, that's probably 112 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:48.560 where I have to go, because I'm I want to 113 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:50.959 develop I want to bake my game the best that 114 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:53.519 it could be, and how do I do that only 115 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:57.279 playing against competition and working out at it. That's not 116 00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:59.000 I mean, it's just like anything else. 117 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:00.920 You know. 118 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:05.519 I go back to when freshmen played freshman ball. I mean, 119 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:09.439 I'm that far back and coaching and being around programs 120 00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:13.279 is that that year was used as a development year 121 00:06:14.199 --> 00:06:16.680 to see what these kids could do playing against other 122 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:21.759 freshman team in college and practicing against varsity competition every day. 123 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:25.639 So that's how they developed. And then when the freshman 124 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:29.480 came in with eligibility, that changed the system again. And 125 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:32.759 now we have another change in the system again, and 126 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:35.639 how coaches adapt to that and how they go about 127 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:38.959 recruiting to their programs, there's going to be another change 128 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:40.600 in college sports. 129 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:43.360 Talking to Don Atkins, he coached Lafayette to the twenty 130 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:46.319 oh one state championship and on the eve of the 131 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.000 Sweet sixteen for the girls next week it's the boys. 132 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:52.839 We're talking about the future of high school basketball players 133 00:06:52.839 --> 00:06:56.360 and recruiting the Portland all you mentioned aau Donnie, and 134 00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:00.000 it's been around forever, but I think with the advent 135 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:02.879 of the internet with YouTube, the highlights and all that 136 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:07.160 there there's I don't want to say it's an unsavory element, 137 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.439 but are unhealthy. But like you said, I think I 138 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:11.079 think all the. 139 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:12.279 Attention being paid to. 140 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:17.480 These AAU All stars, who for you know, it's no 141 00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:18.879 fault that they're on. I mean, it's the way the 142 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:21.759 system is. They're playing three and four games a day. 143 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:24.759 You know, they don't learn things like team defense. They 144 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:27.759 don't learn much team offense either, do they. But it's 145 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:30.879 it's it's highlighting the one kid or two kids. But 146 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:34.480 I don't know how much good it's doing well, Dick. 147 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:37.319 I think it goes back, you know, many many years. 148 00:07:37.399 --> 00:07:40.199 I was down in South Carolina working in a basketball 149 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.360 camp one time, and I was talking to the coaches 150 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:45.839 down in South Carolina and they this was, gosh, twenty 151 00:07:45.879 --> 00:07:48.639 some years ago. They said that, you know, AAU ball 152 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:52.120 was killing their high school program because those kids were 153 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:54.839 playing AAU ball instead of playing high school ball. 154 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:55.360 Wow. 155 00:07:55.560 --> 00:08:01.519 And that you know, again, it's at this level. You're 156 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:06.240 getting that level of competition out there, and those kids 157 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:10.040 are getting noticed, and because they're getting noticed, the coaches 158 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:16.000 are taking interest. And it I've always said this, that 159 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.079 kid that's rated in the top one hundred and fifty 160 00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:21.839 in the country. There's another one hundred and fifty out 161 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:24.879 there that just don't get noticed that probably are just 162 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:25.360 as good. 163 00:08:25.480 --> 00:08:26.839 That's right, that's right. 164 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:30.560 And it doesn't have the appeal of an AAU program 165 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:35.120 that is, you know, legally funded by a shoe company 166 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:38.519 or this or that, and so they can offer airplane 167 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:40.559 tickets to travel to games. 168 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.720 And shoes and uniforms and that kind of stuff. Hard 169 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:44.799 for a kid to turn down. 170 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:50.080 Hey, it is, it is, especially when you know shoe 171 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:55.919 company X, Y Z or whatever it is. Clothing companies 172 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:59.639 you know, come into the picture and say, hey, we'll 173 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:02.159 give you this, and mom and dad can come and 174 00:09:02.200 --> 00:09:08.399 watch too, and it's it's just taken I'll say, amateur 175 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:12.080 athletics and really spun it on its head from what 176 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:14.399 from what I grew up with and you grew up with. 177 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.320 Let's put it that way. 178 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:18.120 Talking to Don Atkins, he was the head coach of 179 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:20.759 the Lafier Generals when they won the twenty oh one 180 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:23.559 state championship. We'll talk more with coach in just a minute. 181 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:28.000 On six thirty WLAP Welcome Back. We're talking with Don Atkins, 182 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.919 Donny coach the Lafier Generals to the twenty one Sweet 183 00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:36.080 sixteen championship, not the only state Tuttle Lafayat ever won. 184 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:39.200 But what a thrill coach for you your players. 185 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:42.759 Now you've got teams going into the girls tournament this week, 186 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:45.000 the boys next week. Of course, everybody's going to try 187 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:47.120 to upend Sacred Heart Academy this. 188 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:48.600 Week, which is going for its fifth straight. 189 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:52.440 But what do you remember about taking a team Because I, 190 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.360 as you know, I worked with Jock Sutherland for several years. 191 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:57.399 Jock was a great friend of mine and. 192 00:09:57.240 --> 00:10:00.559 Yours, and you know he just you how much he 193 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:04.399 adored the Sweet sixteen and what it meant to him 194 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.039 just to go there the first time he ever went, 195 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:09.840 much less win it. What do you remember about about 196 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.120 taking a team there? The thrill of winning it all? 197 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:17.279 Well, they gets started goodness six In my high school days, 198 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.639 I always wanted to get there, never did, just wanted to, 199 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:22.879 you know, I think that that uh just continued to 200 00:10:22.919 --> 00:10:25.639 grow and grow. And then being at Tates Creek in 201 00:10:25.720 --> 00:10:29.039 ninety one when we took that team state championship game 202 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:32.519 but lost in the finals to a good Fardale team, 203 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:35.759 but then ten years later to be the head coach 204 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:38.519 at lotyhat and come back and go on a twelve 205 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:42.039 game winning strict down down the stretch to win it all. 206 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:45.759 Was indeed kind of like I tell people all the time, 207 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:49.080 it's like a fairy book. You know, It's like it's 208 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.080 like a fairy tale, and it always It just happened 209 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:54.039 to be on my fiftieth birthday. 210 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:56.960 Oh man, Yeah, that was that was. 211 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:01.639 That was indeed, ah, a very good present. 212 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:07.200 Absolutely, just to share that entire experience, not just the 213 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:09.759 night of the championship game, but the whole you know, 214 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:12.600 I've Jock talked about when they handed him the packet 215 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:15.840 with all the credentials and badges and passes and things 216 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:16.200 like that. 217 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:17.919 I mean, is that when it hits home? 218 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:23.879 Well, I think it does. You get so involved in Okay, 219 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:26.759 what do I have to do to win four basketball games? 220 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:30.039 That's right, and you have to have good people around you. Luckily, 221 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:34.600 I had a great assistant coaches that helped me during 222 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:37.279 that time that they took a lot of that away 223 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:39.559 from me that I didn't have to deal with that 224 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:42.080 My job was to coach. They took care of what 225 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:45.639 I'll call the minutia, that outside stuff, the tickets to passes, 226 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:48.519 those kinds of things that yet still jumped in there 227 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:53.399 and coached. Also, those are what my memories are about 228 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:53.960 with that group. 229 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:58.159 The powers that be are going to ruin March madness. 230 00:11:58.240 --> 00:11:59.919 If we give them a chance, they'll they'll make a 231 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:03.399 money grab and screw it all up. I'm so happy, 232 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:07.440 I'm sure you are too, that the Kentucky Sweet sixteen 233 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:10.960 is still formatted the way it is. A team like 234 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:14.720 Lyon County, Little Old Lion County can jump up and 235 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:17.240 win it. All big schools will win it, but the 236 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:21.200 small schools have a chance. Lafe, it's a big school, 237 00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:23.320 but you know you might have been you could have 238 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:25.799 been knocked off by a small school. That's the beauty 239 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:27.200 of it, isn't it. 240 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:29.600 It is, Dick. And you know if we played Carlisle 241 00:12:29.720 --> 00:12:32.919 County the first game of that tournament, a very good team, 242 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:34.720 you know, down in the western part of the state, 243 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:38.320 came into the tournament, you know, unranked, just happen to 244 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.159 get on a street and we just happened to have 245 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.799 a very good game in the second half and beat them. 246 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:49.159 And those smaller schools, all you have to do is 247 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:52.399 win that one game in a district tournament. Maybe to 248 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:54.440 get you into the region and then win a couple 249 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:56.559 of games in the region and you're in the state tournament, 250 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:57.879 and then who knows what happened. 251 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:02.360 That's right, that's right, just got to get there. You 252 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.399 and I bumped into each other at a reception for 253 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:06.480 the seventy five team. 254 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:08.600 You were part of that. You were a ga, I. 255 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:14.440 Believe, well, I was a student manager, ye, but you were. 256 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:18.639 Soaking up the knowledge. What do you remember about that year, 257 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:20.799 because it's been fits hard to believe, Donnie, it's been 258 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:23.759 fifty years since we were in school and since that 259 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:26.039 group made that un You know, they started as the 260 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:29.480 super Kittens, had their ups and downs, but you know, 261 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:31.840 they all played four years together. For the most part, 262 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:35.320 they experienced all of that together, not just over a 263 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:38.960 year or two, but for four years. Such a great experience. 264 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:43.519 And they're still that way. You know, once a year 265 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:46.600 they all get together, and they'll get together when they 266 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.919 come back. It's not just for that reunion, but once 267 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:50.799 a year they always come back to the UK game 268 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:53.519 and get to dinner, go after dinner, you own and 269 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:55.840 sit and just tell bad stories on each other. 270 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:56.159 Again. 271 00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:00.639 I loved how Joe b told them at one of 272 00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:03.519 their reunions that you know, he had stories on them 273 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:07.080 that they didn't know, and Vera and Joe at one point. 274 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:08.600 I don't know if I want to hear any more 275 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:09.080 of these. 276 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:12.399 That was true. 277 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.240 That was such a such a good ball club too, 278 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:16.519 wasn't it. 279 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:16.840 It was? 280 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:19.000 You know, they came in, as you said, super kittens. 281 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:22.200 There were seven of them, and they just you know, 282 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:25.440 took the They didn't lose. I don't think their freshman 283 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:28.559 year they did not lose. And matter of fact, I 284 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.360 think they played one game over at the Frankfurt Convention 285 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:35.320 Center and sold it out against I can't remember who 286 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:37.879 it was, but uh, they sold that game out. And 287 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:42.240 you know that was coach Hall's class. He was the 288 00:14:42.279 --> 00:14:45.759 one responsible for putting that together. You know, they were 289 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:50.360 the they were his recruiting as those super kittens, and 290 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:53.159 they came in and you know Jimmy Dan and Kevin 291 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.759 and g J and Jerry and Mack and you know 292 00:14:56.120 --> 00:15:00.679 guy at that whole group. Yeah, Mike Flynn, Danny Hall, 293 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:04.799 uh and a coach Hall would have got Leroy Bird. 294 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:08.399 You're talking about the group because Leroy Bird was in 295 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:09.559 that recruiting class. 296 00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:10.279 Was he really? 297 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:13.799 Yeah, he was he would have been a freshman with them, 298 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:19.320 and uh with he would have been with Roby Fellack 299 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:23.440 and James Jack and James and Danny Hall. Garry Bird 300 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:27.360 was in that recruiting group. So you talk about a 301 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:30.840 two couple of groups. And that's what recruiting was. You 302 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.799 went out and got, you know, a class that was 303 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:35.480 very good. Yeah, and then maybe the next year you'd 304 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:38.000 have one or two to fill spot, and then the 305 00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:40.440 next year go get another and then that third year 306 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:42.440 that's when you really went after the bang. 307 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:44.919 Yeah, that's right before I let you go. 308 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:47.120 As we said, Don is part of the cruise or 309 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:50.879 scores table operates the twenty four second shot clock. 310 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:52.600 You are sitting there. 311 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:55.000 You you know a little bit about coaching basketball, and 312 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:57.519 I know you've got to concentrate on that shot clock. 313 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:01.080 But you are privy to so much where you are. 314 00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:03.840 What were your impressions this year? And it ain't over yet, 315 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:05.320 but the home. 316 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:09.679 Games are of Mark Pope and his style. You know, 317 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.000 he's got an intensity all his own. He's not quite 318 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:15.879 as profane as Rick Patino, if at all, but he's 319 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:18.960 animated and you know he jumps in the middle of 320 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:21.799 dust ups and things like that. But from what you've 321 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:23.600 been able to tell where you sat, what were your 322 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:24.840 impressions of Mark Pope? 323 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:28.240 Number one? I think coach Pope went one is very 324 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:32.039 very intelligent. I think, you know, granted, yeah he was 325 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:34.240 going to go to medical school, but his intelligence in 326 00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:37.799 the game of basketball, how he adjusts the game to 327 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:40.720 what you know, he makes adjustments in the game. That's 328 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:43.320 one thing I think as coaches we all have to do. 329 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.639 We've got to make adjustments. If this is not working, 330 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.759 what am I going to do next? If this doesn't work, 331 00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:51.559 what do I have to do next? Defensively or offensively? 332 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:53.399 Those kinds of things. You got to be kind of, 333 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:57.200 as I said, you kind of have to think three 334 00:16:57.240 --> 00:17:01.799 and four possessions down the road to me to make 335 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:04.599 things happen. And I think Coach Pope does an excellent 336 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:07.359 job of that. I think he does an excellent job 337 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:11.599 in relating to his players. I think his players respond 338 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:15.920 to that in a way that young people do. And 339 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:19.000 I always tried to do this as a coach. Is 340 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:20.559 the worst thing I think you can do as a 341 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:24.680 coach is embarrassed somebody on the floor, they make a turnover, 342 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:26.799 and you immediately jerk him out of the game. Well, 343 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:31.720 what have you done. You just told everybody in twenty 344 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:34.200 three thousand people or twenty thousand people, this guy just 345 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:36.559 made the biggest mistake in the world. Well he had. 346 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:39.039 It was a mistake, but we can let's try to 347 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.680 get over it and go to the next place because we 348 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:43.039 don't have time to worry about that. And I think 349 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.960 that was one thing that I asked Coach Hall one time. 350 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:48.640 I said, Coach, what was the one thing that Coach 351 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:52.720 Rupp did that you thought was better than anything else? 352 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:55.000 He said he. 353 00:17:54.880 --> 00:18:01.200 Didn't live in that moment. He was like, you know, okay, 354 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.839 it's old with it's done. Let's go to the next play. 355 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.880 You know, I'm not concerned that you have fallen down 356 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.640 trying to make a layup. I'm concerned that your man's 357 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:12.000 going the other way to better get back on defense. Yeah, 358 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:15.480 you know, those kinds of things. And that's what I think, 359 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:19.400 that's what we as coaches have to or had to do, 360 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:23.480 was to convey that message to our players. Hey, that 361 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:25.839 one play is not going to affect you. Let's get 362 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:28.720 back and make another player a better play, or let's 363 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:31.559 stop him on defense next time, or hey, let's see 364 00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:33.839 if we can't get a better shot. I can get 365 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.519 this shot, but can we get a better shot? And 366 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:39.400 I think that's what Coach Pope has done this year plus. 367 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:43.759 I think he has brought I think some great enthusiasm 368 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:48.920 to the fan base. Sure, Like you know, it's like 369 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:53.119 a hometown guy came home. Although he wasn't from Lexington, 370 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:56.640 but he was a hometown guy absolutely and he came home. 371 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:58.799 And I think that's you know, that's part of it 372 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:00.559 stands it. 373 00:19:01.240 --> 00:19:03.960 That's former Lafia coach Don Atkins up next to David 374 00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:08.680 Sisk of Cats Illustrated on six thirty WLAP Welcome back 375 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:11.000 to the Big Blue Insider, joining us down our celebrity 376 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:13.480 hotline as a guy who was a longtime friend of 377 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:17.000 the show. Now, David Sisk, you see his work for 378 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:20.559 Cats Illustrated, part of the Rivals network, and he covers 379 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:24.000 both Kentucky and North Carolina recruiting and breaks it down 380 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:26.759 on the internet for us both schools. I might get 381 00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:29.000 to North Carolina in a minute because they played Duke 382 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:33.279 on Saturday and that was an interesting game. But Kentucky 383 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:36.759 Missouri coach I thought Kentucky had a shot at winning. 384 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:41.079 I did not honestly think that Kentucky would run off 385 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:43.000 to a lead and then fight off Missouri the way 386 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:44.839 it did. I thought it might come to the last 387 00:19:44.839 --> 00:19:47.480 couple possessions. What did you think of that game? 388 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:55.319 Yeah, it was interesting, and you know it was it 389 00:19:55.359 --> 00:20:00.279 was the North Carolina paces. Let me start it over 390 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:01.200 after North Carolina. 391 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:04.119 Let me start answer the question when however, you just 392 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:04.920 start anytime? 393 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.160 Okay, Yeah, it was and it was an interesting game. 394 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:12.759 It was the Kentucky's pace. And I'll tell you, I 395 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:16.599 thought Mark Pope, He's done obviously a really good job 396 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:19.000 this year, but I thought that might have been the 397 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:22.200 best game that that he's coached all year because they 398 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:25.279 well they had to make adjustments, and I thought they 399 00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:28.480 were spot on offensively and defensively. It wasn't one of 400 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:34.240 those deals where I'll give you an example, you play Oklahoma, 401 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:37.319