WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:02.439 Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:05.440 you on a Monday edition of our program. We're gonna 3 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:07.480 be with you till seven thirty. That's when we will 4 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:10.359 make way for the Nick Menze own Show with Darren Hedrick, 5 00:00:10.439 --> 00:00:13.679 the radio voice of the baseball Wildcats, and of course, 6 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.719 lots to talk about with the UK head coach. Because 7 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:23.079 Kentucky knocked off Tennessee convincingly on Sunday, the rubber game 8 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:26.839 of a three game set and clinched the series victory 9 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:30.640 over the Volunteers. Ranked second, ranked fourth, whatever poll you're 10 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:33.719 looking at, d won Baseball I think has them second. 11 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:38.320 That's a huge series win for the Wildcats, only Kentucky's 12 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:42.039 second series win of the year. And what's weird about it, 13 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:44.880 They've both been on the road against really good teams 14 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:48.799 and Tennessee one of the best in the country. But 15 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:54.079 the Wildcats, who had an early lead as usual on Friday, 16 00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:57.960 lost the opener, bounced back in one on Saturday thanks 17 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:03.520 to an incredible pitching for performance by Nick McKay, and 18 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:07.959 then Ben Cleaver followed up with another great performance. Cleaver 19 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:10.879 went seven innings, gave up just a two run homer 20 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:16.760 walked only one, struck out seven. Simon Gregorson closed things 21 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:20.439 out with a pair of scoreless innings, and between the 22 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:24.239 two of them Clever and McKay fourteen and two thirds innings, 23 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:26.799 they gave up just three runs, one of them was 24 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:31.519 unearned on seven hits. They walked only four and struck 25 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:34.680 out nineteen. When you have a strikeout to walk ratio 26 00:01:35.480 --> 00:01:38.920 like that, you've got a big chance at winning, no 27 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:43.319 matter who you're playing, no matter where you're playing. So 28 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:46.920 the Wildcats come back home now for a non conference game, 29 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:50.480 doesn't get any easier, though, Louisville's coming tomorrow night. But 30 00:01:50.599 --> 00:01:53.680 UK now twenty two and fifteen, eight and ten in 31 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:58.159 the SEC. Those were two huge quadrant wins. When you 32 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:01.959 look ahead to the nca tournament, Yeah, Kentucky's had a 33 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:06.280 lead and they played eighteen SEC games. The Wildcats they've 34 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:09.080 led in seventeen of them. They've only been able to 35 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:11.000 hang on to eight for wins. But that tells you 36 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:14.599 how close they are. And you saw what they could 37 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:19.000 do if they executed for the most part over the weekend. 38 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:21.719 Now they did not bunt well again, they could they 39 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:23.240 could have. I don't know if they would have won 40 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:27.759 Friday would have given themselves a better chance. But they 41 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:32.360 could have blown Tennessee out really Saturday and Sunday if 42 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:36.120 they had just executed with bunts. They keep bunting back 43 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:39.319 to the pitcher. Now, there was a great bunt, more 44 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:43.680 than one laid down yesterday, and we'll get back to 45 00:02:43.719 --> 00:02:46.479 that in a minute. But what really helped the Wildcats 46 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:50.840 was running on the base. Pats at Tennessee just didn't 47 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:54.599 even seem interested in trying to stop them. Kentucky yesterday 48 00:02:54.719 --> 00:03:00.599 was six or seven in steals, sixteen of eighteen over 49 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:06.319 the weekend, and it was just phenomenal how many bases 50 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:10.479 the Wildcats picked up. We'll talk to Darren Hedrick Moore 51 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:12.319 about that a little bit later on in the show. 52 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:16.520 But again, Kentucky Louisville tomorrow night, six point thirty start. 53 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:19.479 Darren has the pregame at six point fifteen and you'll 54 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:21.199 hear it right here. Doug Flinn and I will have 55 00:03:21.240 --> 00:03:24.479 it for you on SEC Plus so you can watch 56 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:27.199 it on your mobile device and you can listen as 57 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:31.479 well right here on WLAP. Some other UK news over 58 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:34.080 the weekend, A little bit of recruiting news for you. 59 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:37.759 You probably already have heard that Kentucky maybe now is 60 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:41.120 done with the portal as it comes to running backs. 61 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:45.639 Mark Stoops and his staff got another commitment, the third 62 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:49.080 of its type in the spring transfer portal cycle on 63 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:54.960 Easter Sunday, Seth McGowan of New Mexico State is transferring 64 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:59.400 to Kentucky. Three star transfer rated as the number twenty 65 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:03.560 five best running back in the portal six one two 66 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:07.960 twenty as one year of eligibility. He's from Mesquite, Texas. 67 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:12.439 That's a suburb of Dallas. McCowan originally signed with Oklahoma 68 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:15.439 as a four star kid coming out of high school. 69 00:04:16.519 --> 00:04:19.560 Jay Bullwear who's now at UK, of course as the 70 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:23.560 running backs coach, was his primary recruiter. According to Aaron 71 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:27.480 Gershan of the Cats Baws, when the kids signed with Oklahoma, 72 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:31.560 so as a freshman, ran for three seventy three touchdowns, 73 00:04:31.720 --> 00:04:34.399 averaged six and a half yards per carry, and caught 74 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:38.600 thirteen passes out of the backfield. Then he ran into 75 00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:44.040 some personal problems, some off the field issues with legal 76 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:48.160 things and did not play football for a couple of years. 77 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:52.240 Worked through all of that, served a year of probation, 78 00:04:53.600 --> 00:05:00.920 and came back and played at Butler Community College. In Elder, Kansas, 79 00:05:02.600 --> 00:05:06.879 then bounced to New Mexico State last year and now 80 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:11.000 he's a Wildcat. And by the way, he played behind 81 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:16.480 Kentucky's offensive tackle, the huge Chiaz Pete, and ran for 82 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:18.439 eight hundred and twenty three yards one hundred and fifty 83 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:25.360 two carries, three touchdowns, twenty three catches, and three receiving touchdowns. 84 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:30.600 Second team All Conference USA. So another running back for 85 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:33.319 the Wildcats in the fold and that's an area where 86 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:39.000 the Cats definitely needed some added depth. No news as 87 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:44.199 we speak on basketball transfers. Oh yeah, one more a 88 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:47.319 bit of football news. Kentucky's going after a kid named 89 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:52.120 Keelan Marion. He's a wide receiver kick returner from Brigham 90 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:55.319 Young entered the portal on Saturday and a lot of 91 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:01.399 schools won in Arkansas, Arizona State, SMU, Oklahoma, Miami. He's 92 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:07.759 from Lawrenceville, Georgia, and originally signed with Yukon broke his 93 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:11.319 collarbone when he was up there, entered the portal, landed 94 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:15.839 at BYU, put up good numbers, then jump back into 95 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:21.360 the portal. Now Kentucky's already signed four wide receiver transfers 96 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:24.439 here in the off season. Kendrick Law looked pretty good 97 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:29.759 in the spring, Troy Stillado from Clemson, JJ Hester from Oklahoma, 98 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:34.199 and of course they just got Harley Gilmour back from Nebraska. 99 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:37.560 Still waiting to hear about True Edwards from Louisiana Tech, 100 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:41.279 but everything I've heard about him is not good that 101 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:47.040 they probably will not get him. So anyhow, nothing new 102 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:51.120 on the basketball front as we speak. Once again, we 103 00:06:51.639 --> 00:06:56.040 pre record, so things may have happened before you guys 104 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:58.720 hear this. After I get done putting the show together, 105 00:06:58.920 --> 00:07:01.720 I will tell you this. Tennessee just got a lot better. 106 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:06.879 Tennessee signed a top five forward, Nate Ament. He is 107 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:11.720 the highest rank recruit of the Internet rankings era for 108 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:17.879 Tennessee and Rick Barnes. He throws the balls over UK, Arkansas, Duke, 109 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:22.800 and Louisville, which should tell you something. Keep in mind, 110 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:28.199 there was no Internet ranking system when Tennessee signed Alan 111 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:34.240 Houston or Dale Ellis or Bernie or Ernie, so it 112 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:37.360 makes you know, technically makes this guy the highest rated 113 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.040 recruit they ever gotten. Now, all of those guys I 114 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:45.439 just mentioned had great college careers and really good pro careers, 115 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:48.160 So we'll see what this kid does. We'll see if 116 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.120 he stays more than a year. He's six foot nine 117 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:56.879 from Warrenton, Virginia and his highest ranked player to commit 118 00:07:56.920 --> 00:08:01.800 to Rick Barnes since Barnes got to Knoxville. So, like 119 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:06.560 I said, they got better. And his quote is Rick 120 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:09.879 Barnes wants me to come in and take what's mine, 121 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:12.680 wants me to be the Nasmith Player of the Year 122 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:15.759 and all that said, he's done it before with Kevin Durant. 123 00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:20.279 And he said, guys like Chaslanier and Dalton connect. So 124 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:24.480 he said, tremendous success with individual players. That's what a 125 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:29.720 men said. So it's a good get for Tennessee. Makes 126 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:33.360 life a little tougher for everybody else in the Southeastern Conference. 127 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:39.080 Before we hit the break at tip of the BBI 128 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:43.559 captain Mitchell Daily, the former Wildcat. Remember he played three 129 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:48.639 seasons for the Texas Longhorns transferred to Kentucky. It was 130 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:53.519 a key element in the Wildcats run to Omaha. In fact, 131 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:57.840 remember he had the home run that basically won the 132 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:01.679 game for the Wildcats, not basically it over NC State. 133 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:04.679 Ryan Nicholson tied the game in the bottom of the 134 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:09.240 ninth and then Daily's home run his seventh of that season. 135 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:13.240 Won the game for the Wildcats, gave Kentucky's first College 136 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:18.960 World Series victory, and Daily, of course, drafted by the 137 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:23.440 Los Angeles Angels. He's been promoted to Triple A. He 138 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:26.600 was playing for Empire in the Class A League, the 139 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:29.279 High eighth League, and it was kind of odd because 140 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.679 he was only batting one to eighty one. So he 141 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:35.879 might have been moved up just because they need an infielder. 142 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:38.960 He's listed as a second basement, third baseman and shortstop. 143 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:42.159 But whatever, he's in a good spot right now. That 144 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:45.039 proves that he's on their map. He's on their radar, 145 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.360 and they like him. And what's not the like? And 146 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:50.759 I'll tell you this, Salt Lake City has got a 147 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:53.679 great ballpark. He's got an incredible view of the mountains. 148 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:55.759 Doug Flynn and I did a minor league game there 149 00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:59.240 ten years ago and it is spectacular, you know. And 150 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:02.519 you're sitting there behind home plate and looking out. I 151 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:06.080 think they're the Wahsatch Mountains. Pretty cool. So I hope 152 00:10:06.120 --> 00:10:08.480 he gets a chance to show himself and prove himself 153 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:12.440 at the TRIPAA level. So good luck to Mitchell. Daily. 154 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:15.279 Back in just a minute to talk baseball with Darren Headrick. 155 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:18.519 A little bit later Ken Spencer talking Kentucky football in 156 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:22.000 six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. 157 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:24.200 Coming up in a few minutes, Darren Headrick, the boys 158 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:27.279 of UK Baseball. We'll talk with us about the great 159 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:30.600 weekend the Wildcats turned in down in Knoxville, and a 160 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:33.799 little bit later on Ken Spencer of WHS, we'll talk 161 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:37.200 with us about college football and the Wildcats. But I 162 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.679 wanted to talk a little bit about some of the 163 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:42.919 things that happened over the weekend, and one of them 164 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:46.759 was a golf tournament won by a Kentucky and JT 165 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:52.519 Justin Thomas, who took the RBC Heritage Championship at Harbor 166 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:57.759 Town and he needed a playoff to beat Andrew Novak 167 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:01.200 and it ended a three year drought for the Louisville 168 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:05.039 Natyve went to sin X and interestingly, as he was 169 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:09.720 walking up to the eighteenth green at Harbortown in the 170 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:13.879 playoff with Novak, he said to his caddy, Joe Griner, 171 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:16.679 he said, I've never made a putt basically of any 172 00:11:16.759 --> 00:11:19.320 length to win in the final hole. He's had some 173 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:23.639 tap ins for victories, He's won fifteen events, but He's 174 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:27.519 never had anything longer than fourteen feet four inches. That's 175 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:30.639 how long his winning putt was in twenty nineteen at 176 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:35.159 the BMW Championship. Now he won that by three shots, 177 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:37.159 so he did drain the long putt to win the 178 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:40.000 tournament to end the tournament, but that wasn't with the 179 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:43.320 tournament on the line. The longest putt he had ever 180 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:46.240 made came back in twenty fifteen, he hit a four 181 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:52.879 footer to win his first PGA Championship. But yesterday Justin 182 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:58.720 Thomas dropped in a putt of twenty one feet two inches. 183 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:02.519 This is the way Jim Nance called it on CBS. 184 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:04.399 Is it the winning putt? 185 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:09.840 Here it comes, Yes, it is Justin Thomas. 186 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:16.600 Back to the winner circle. The tears are going to 187 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:17.159 be pouring. 188 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:18.960 He's got his first win as a father. 189 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:23.559 Of course, his wife was there with the new child 190 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:27.039 and his dad and it was pretty dramatic. But what's 191 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:31.039 interesting as well in the follow up coverage was a 192 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:35.120 story about the fact that he went to Xander Shoffley 193 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:39.679 last year. Thomas had lost his touch, his putting touch, 194 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:42.600 you know, when he was at his best in twenty seventeen, 195 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:46.519 twenty eighteen. Back then and he just wasn't putting very well. 196 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:51.120 So he goes to Xander Shoffley, who is known as 197 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:55.039 one of the best putters in the game. Thomas had 198 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:58.759 been a top fifty putter early in his career, but 199 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:05.080 he dropped the one seventh and strokes gained putting last season. 200 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:08.559 So he goes to Shoffley, say's going to pick your brain. 201 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:11.960 They went out to the range and for two or 202 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:16.679 three hours they just plotted golf balls and talked fundamentals, 203 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:19.480 and Thomas said he realized he just had to get 204 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:22.720 back to what he was doing when he was most successful. 205 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:26.279 He was overthinking, I guess and so many people in 206 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:29.879 sports can do that. You know, they start overthinking what 207 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:33.200 they what they've been doing, even though it's been successful, 208 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:37.480 and start tinkering and you know, changing things and the 209 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:40.519 next thing you know, it don't look anything like they 210 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:44.360 did when they were at their most successful. So, yeah, congratulations, 211 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:48.399 even though he went to San x congratulations to at Kentuckian. 212 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:53.840 Justin Thomas for a big day at Harbor Town with 213 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:58.399 the Bambino on site. Had been more than a thousand 214 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:02.879 days since he won a turn tournament, and good for him. 215 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:06.720 A bogie free sixty eight. Not a bad day. And 216 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:11.559 how about this a check for three point six million dollars. 217 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:15.399 That'll work. Lots of NBA coverage over the weekend, and 218 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.039 I always check and see what might have happened on 219 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:21.960 the postgame show the NBA on TNT with Ernie Johnson, 220 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:26.159 Shaquille O'Neil, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and of course there's 221 00:14:26.200 --> 00:14:30.200 a little back and forth about championships because they were 222 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:34.240 reading off the names of award winners for the NBA 223 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:37.159 and they get to the Defensive Player of the Year award, 224 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:40.759 which is named for Keem Elijah On. Not a bad choice, 225 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:43.679 hell of a defensive player. And he played with Kenny 226 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:47.240 Smith or Kenny Smith played with him, and Smith was 227 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:50.799 on those Houston teams that won a couple of NBA titles. 228 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:54.440 This is back when Jordan was off playing baseball. Shaquille 229 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:57.399 O'Neil has the most on the anchor desk, he had four, 230 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:03.080 Kenny Smith has two, Charles Barkley zero. That's in one 231 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:06.399 of those Capital one commercials. They referenced that. And he's 232 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:10.679 a good sport about it, but he's always needling Kenny 233 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:15.159 about how literally did for those rocket teams that they 234 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.679 were all about a chem Elijah Wan and of course 235 00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:20.559 Kenny comes right back at him. Here it is courtesy 236 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:24.240 T n T. How about for the defensive player of 237 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:26.879 the year. Oh so you don't read this, you know. 238 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:30.039 This is and this is appropriate because it's the chem 239 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:32.559 Elija won troph the guy. 240 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:43.039 Who got you your two trophies, who got you. 241 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:40.600 He just bought him. 242 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:47.759 Silence, silence, silence, Golden who helped you winning championship. 243 00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:53.039 Nobody thank you. It's always funny when they get into it. 244 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:57.799 And again Barkley is uh, just a good sport about it. 245 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:01.559 But I do remember Barkley criticized. I don't remember who 246 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:05.679 the player was for moving from team to team trying 247 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:09.320 to win a championship. Might have been Lebron, but Barkley 248 00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:13.919 did the same thing. Barkley left Philly. I don't remember 249 00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:16.480 the exact order, but he left for Houston. He left 250 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:20.360 for Phoenix trying to chase a title. Pete Merovitch did 251 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:23.159 the same thing when he signed with the Celtics and 252 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:27.240 finally realized that it was a fool's errand but I 253 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.840 do enjoy it when they get into Barkley over the 254 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:34.000 weekend somebody posted from the SEC office on one of 255 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:37.320 their Twitter accounts it was a happy birthday shout out. 256 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:40.360 Yesterday was Steve Spurrier's birthday. And of course he's one 257 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:42.480 of those guys UK fans love to hate. But I 258 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:46.559 got news for you. Every team in the SEC as 259 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:51.279 fans who loved hating Spurrier. And there was a segment 260 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:55.759 on a piece about Spurrier that runs about three minutes 261 00:16:55.799 --> 00:17:03.639 long about how and why Pete disliked Spurrier. It included 262 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:06.359 a segment from an interview he did many many years ago, 263 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.279 back in the nineties. I guess was Roy Firestone, who 264 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:13.759 had a great interview show on ESPN, and Firestone kind 265 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:15.599 of challenged him a little bit about some of the 266 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:19.559 antics Spurrier would pull at times. You say stuff and 267 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:23.759 it speaks of vanity, and it speaks of a lack 268 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:29.440 of humility, ego, paranoid, cocky, arrogant. Sometimes I dig at 269 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:30.279 guys a little bit. 270 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:32.279 FSU Freeshoes University. 271 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:35.200 That's a low blow. What's wrong with that? What's wrong 272 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:38.440 with that is that really nobody else was a brutally 273 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:42.680 frank or honest, you know, with their opinions, with their 274 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:45.519 equips but here's the thing. It's like they say, it's 275 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:47.400 not bragging if you can back it up. And Spurriyer, 276 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:50.039 I had great teams in the nineties, won a national 277 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:53.799 championship in ninety six, probably should have won more than one, 278 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:57.799 but didn't. But Kentucky fans, you know how, we used 279 00:17:57.799 --> 00:18:00.319 to run it up. He hated Bill Curry, and he 280 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:02.000 would run it up and say things like, well, we 281 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:04.839 knew Kentucky had a good punter, and he had a 282 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:06.920 comment about some of the and that's not the only 283 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:10.119 comment he made about Kentucky or other teams. I've been 284 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:13.359 accused of saying things right after games that some people 285 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:17.160 felt like was a knock to our opponents, and they 286 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:20.240 were interpreted the wrong ways. How else are you going 287 00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:23.599 to interpret something like that? For instance, there are people 288 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:27.039 in Knoxville who can't stand him, couldn't back then, still can't. 289 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:30.680 And Pat Dooley, the longtime beat writer for the Gainesville Son, 290 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:33.400 talked about that in the piece, and then it was 291 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:36.400 followed up by a comment from former Tennessee wide receiver 292 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.240 Peerless Price. 293 00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:41.079 I remember going to Knoxville in ninety six, went and 294 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:43.680 talked to a bunch of Tennessee fans about Steve and 295 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:48.400 it was just nasty. Spur didn't like it. I'd written 296 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:49.960 that story. He goes, what'd you go find some guys 297 00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:52.400 under a bridge to write that story? And I'm like, no, coach, 298 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:53.359 people don't like you? 299 00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:56.640 How good you like him? When he making comments like 300 00:18:56.680 --> 00:19:01.400 you can't spell stitchers without ut They saying, yeah, Tennessee's 301 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.880 gonna win eleven games, but they're gonna lose to us 302 00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:05.599 and end up in the Sitters Ball and we're gonna 303 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:08.079 be in a national championship. Stuff like that. 304 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:11.599 You can't forget. That's peerless Price, a really good receiver 305 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:14.559 at Tennessee on some really good teams, but they just 306 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:17.599 couldn't get it done because back then Florida was better. 307 00:19:17.640 --> 00:19:21.200 And through that piece, they had a shot of Peyton 308 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:24.000 Manning back when he was playing for Tennessee, just this 309 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:26.160 horrible look in the space because they were about to 310 00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:29.799 lose to Florida. So if you want to try to 311 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:33.319 find that piece, go to Twitter and type in sec 312 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:35.400 and it'll come up for you. But it's it's kind 313 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:39.279 of entertaining, but you can understand clearly why people just 314 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:42.880 didn't like Spurrier. But man could he coach college football, 315 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:46.160 not in the pros, but college football at a place 316 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:49.079 like Florida where you got all kinds of recruiting advantages 317 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:52.599 and he did a great job down there. Yeah, you 318 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:55.039 can understand it all right. Coming up next, we'll talk 319 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:58.440 Kentucky Baseball with Darren Hedrick on six point thirty WLAP 320 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:01.680 Welcome back to the bag Bloon. Coming up at seven thirty, 321 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:04.279 it's the Nick Benji Own Show, hosted by our own 322 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:06.960 Darren Headrick. Our own because he of course is the 323 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:10.519 radio voice of UK Baseball and he's on our celebrity 324 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:14.119 highline back from his native state of Tennessee, his alma mater, 325 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:17.839 ut but he is the voice of the Wildcats. And 326 00:20:17.880 --> 00:20:19.680 had you had a good time of the weekend, didn't you? 327 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:23.279 I'm sure you saw family, friends and some Kentucky wins, 328 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:23.680 didn't you. 329 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:28.559 Oh, no question, Gabe. It was a terrific weekend to 330 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:31.279 go back home and see some family and like you say, 331 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:34.960 just kind of have a little mini vacation over the weekend, 332 00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:38.960 but also going to the ballpark every day and seeing 333 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:42.160 Kentucky come away with a huge series win over a 334 00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:46.960 very talented Tennessee team, and man I just got finished 335 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:50.960 talking with Coach Minzion and what a pitching performance they 336 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:51.920 had this weekend. 337 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:54.680 You're gonna hear the Nick Minji Oones show, as I said, 338 00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:58.480 coming up at seven thirty. But let's start with that pitching, 339 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:01.559 because it was good on Friday, not quite good enough, 340 00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:07.160 unbelievably great on Saturday, and again great on Sunday. And 341 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:09.519 the bullpen came through both times as well, didn't it. 342 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:12.920 Yeah, they did, And I mean you've got to start 343 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:17.359 with Nick McKay on Saturday, seven and two thirds, twelve strikeout, 344 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:23.160 one unearned run allowed. And then that followed over Ben 345 00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:26.160 Cleever on Sunday when seven innings, only gave up a 346 00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:29.960 couple of runs and just a phenomenal effort. And I 347 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:33.160 really think it started for them with the fastball. And 348 00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:35.960 this is something that I talked to Coach Menzion and 349 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:39.079 Coach Rozel about and from the press box it made 350 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:42.160 it look like Tennessee really had a hard time seeing 351 00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:45.440 the breaking pitches from both of those guys. And then 352 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:49.000 you mentioned the bullpen. It's been great to see Simon 353 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:51.519 Gregorson in the month of April turn into the guy 354 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:54.200 that we thought he would be when he transferred here 355 00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:58.200 from Indiana State. You know, Evan Byers made another appearance 356 00:21:58.200 --> 00:22:02.559 for the Wildcats over the weekend. Robert Hogan, I'll say this, 357 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:05.160 this kind of got lost because it was in a 358 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:08.519 defeat on Friday, but Hogan went two innings to finish 359 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:11.720 that game, only allowing a run. And if he gets 360 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:14.000 back to where he was when he was a huge 361 00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:17.720 piece of the bullpen last season, and then you factor 362 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:21.119 in Simon Gregorson looking like he has in recent weeks, 363 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:26.119 the dynamics of this bullpen completely changes and Kentucky all 364 00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:28.759 of a sudden becomes a far more dangerous team than 365 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:30.960 a lot of people were giving them credit for. 366 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:35.319 There's no question, excuse me, And because Hogan and Gregorson 367 00:22:35.400 --> 00:22:37.799 are such different types of pitcher, aren't they? 368 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:42.599 Yeah, they are. With Hogan, you start off he obviously 369 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:46.759 everything flows off a fastball for any pitcher, but with Hogan, 370 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:51.200 that slider in particular can look like two different pitches. 371 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:54.559 It can be firm, or he can throw it more 372 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:58.880 like a slurve, if you will, a softer breaking pitch, 373 00:22:58.920 --> 00:23:01.960 and so the rate on his breaking ball is a 374 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:05.240 huge weapon for Hogan, and when he's on the attack, 375 00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:07.559 he gets a lot of swings and misses, and then 376 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:11.359 Gregorson just hads an arsenal. He can throw three or 377 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:15.119 four to five different pitches up there and mixing match. 378 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:18.880 But again, everything starts with that fastball for Simon, and 379 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:21.920 he has been on the attack and getting strikes early, 380 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:23.559 and that's a huge key for Simon. 381 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.440 Well, let's back up to when they got there Friday night, 382 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:30.319 and of course, once again the Wildcats take the lead. 383 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:33.839 Devin burks with a two run shot, and he is 384 00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:36.720 swinging a bat better this year than he was last year. 385 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:39.759 But going in we talked about as you and me 386 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.880 and the coach and Doug Keith Madison and Doug last 387 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:46.119 week about going into Tennessee, which is a launching pad, 388 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:50.839 and yeah, Tennessee, you got some long bombs. Kentucky got 389 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:53.680 a couple, but it wasn't a homer fest. I was 390 00:23:53.720 --> 00:23:56.880 afraid it might be. Again a tribute to the Kentucky. 391 00:23:56.480 --> 00:24:00.559 Pitchers, right, I think so. I completely agree with you 392 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:03.400 on that. The fact that they held Tennessee to four 393 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:07.160 home runs for the weekend and only one after Friday 394 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:12.079 just speaks to the level of competitiveness and execution that 395 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:15.960 this staff worked with and they had Tennessee frustrated and 396 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:21.000 flummaxed all weekend. And you know what, credit to coach Rozelle. 397 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:24.480 If you think back, Dick to the last time Kentucky 398 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:28.759 was at Lindsay Nelson Stadium in twenty twenty three, Darren 399 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:31.599 Williams was on the mound for a ten nothing shutout. 400 00:24:31.880 --> 00:24:32.079 Yeah. 401 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:35.680