WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:02.879 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:05.240 on a Tuesday edition of our program. It's a full 3 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:08.919 show because there is no UK Baseball on Tuesday, no 4 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:13.000 midweek game. You'd think this team could use a midweek 5 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:15.439 game to kind of lift its spirits a little bit 6 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:20.000 after dropping the entire series over the weekend at Mississippi State. 7 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:23.719 But the Wildcats not can rest and heal because there 8 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:26.839 have been some injuries, significant injuries and get ready for 9 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.239 this weekend series with Oklahoma, the Sooners coming to town 10 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:33.880 for the first time as members of the Southeastern Conference. 11 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:35.679 And we'll have it for you right here on six 12 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:39.520 thirty WLAP. It's a six thirty start on Friday night, 13 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:42.520 Darren's pregame comes up at six point fifteen. We'll have 14 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:45.039 them for you over on SEC Plus as well. Doug 15 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:47.560 Flinn and I will have a telecast. But it's a 16 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:51.159 huge weekend for the baseball Wildcats and they have got 17 00:00:51.240 --> 00:00:54.119 the hang on to home turf. Got to win at 18 00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:56.960 least two man if they can sweep that would like 19 00:00:57.079 --> 00:01:00.799 put last week firmly in the rearview mirror. But Kentucky, 20 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:02.520 I don't know if it's on the bubble right now, 21 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:07.000 but it's not going to host a regional and being 22 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:09.200 a two seed or maybe even a three seed maybe 23 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:12.159 out the window right now. So big weekend of baseball 24 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:14.480 coming up, but a lot to talk about before that, 25 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:18.879 including the remnants of the Kentucky Derby. We'll talk with 26 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:21.560 Kenny Rice to look ahead of the Preakness that comes 27 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:24.959 up in our number two, and Keith Farmer's also going 28 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:27.239 to join us. He covered the derby, and we'll also 29 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:32.239 talk basketball with Kman because we have a new Kentucky 30 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:36.439 Wildcat to talk about. He is Rhyes Potter, and we 31 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:39.719 thought that the roster news would end, at least for 32 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:43.239 the time being with a yellich the kid from Croatia. 33 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.680 But a day or two later comes word that Potter 34 00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:51.640 is entertaining an offer to come through the portal and 35 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:55.719 transfer from Miami where he signed after playing at Alectiondon 36 00:01:55.799 --> 00:01:59.280 Catholic and become a Kentucky Wildcat. Sure enough, the word 37 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:02.760 leaked out on Sunday and it kind of made the 38 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:06.760 rounds on social media yesterday. So I had a chance 39 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:09.599 to touch base with Reese and he will join us 40 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:12.159 at the bottom of the hour. So coming up at 41 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:15.840 the bottom of the Hour, former Lexington Catholic Knight, former 42 00:02:15.879 --> 00:02:19.879 Miami of Ohio Redhawk, and now a brand new Kentucky 43 00:02:19.879 --> 00:02:23.719 wildead Reese Potter. He is listed at seven to one 44 00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:31.319 two fifteen, two fifteen. I mean that's slender, but you know, 45 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:33.039 if he plays as much out on the floor as 46 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:36.479 he does under the bucket, he'll be okay. And he 47 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:40.240 played well at Miami of Ohio, played about that eighteen 48 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:43.560 twenty minutes a game, averaged six or seven points, average, 49 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:47.000 nearly four rebounds a game in less than a half 50 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:50.280 of basketball. So he will help this Kentucky team with 51 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:53.520 depth and he will get better of course playing against 52 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:59.919 the likes in practice of Yelich and Garrison and Malik 53 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:03.639 I'm Moreno and all these guys. But we'll meet Rehyes Potter. 54 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:05.800 I've never interviewed the guy. We'll talk to him at 55 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:09.240 the bottom of the hour while we're on UK basketball. 56 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.639 If you followed, and many of you did, last year 57 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:17.199 the basketball tournament TBT LAFA media, the Kentucky team is 58 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:21.840 pulling itself together again. And the word came out over 59 00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:24.719 the last twenty four to forty eight hours that Andrew 60 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:29.960 and Aaron Harrison would be playing once again for La Familla. 61 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:35.960 And if you recall that Kentucky team last year did 62 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:40.319 really well, did not win. It lost to the team 63 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:44.560 that eventually won it called Carmen's Crew. This was the 64 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:50.879 team that was the team primarily made up of Ohio 65 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:55.120 State players former Ohio State players, and in fact, the 66 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:59.879 MVP for the tournament, the basketball Tournament for the second 67 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:05.120 time this past year, was Jared Sellinger and he might 68 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:09.280 recall he's the guy who bumped into Josh Harrelson a 69 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:13.360 few times in a NSA a tournament game against the 70 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:19.279 Wildcats and Harrison hurled the ball at him and it 71 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:22.920 was part of a Kentucky upset that included a huge 72 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:29.759 three pointer by DeAndre Liggins, who will play for TBT 73 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:34.959 or in TBT for the Wildcats. But the biggest news 74 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:38.120 game with the Harrison's coming back. And remember now this 75 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:42.480 is a tournament where the games can be decided at 76 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.560 a certain point. They might not go to the conclusion 77 00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:48.279 if it reaches a certain points spread at a certain time. 78 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:54.120 Game over and against Louisville the Ville last year in 79 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:58.160 the quarterfinals, it was Aaron Harrison who hit a huge 80 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:01.079 shot that ended the game and then you might recall 81 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:06.120 it was almost predictable. It was so chippy that there 82 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:08.680 was I don't know what you want to call it, 83 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:12.160 pushing and shoving, you know, all that kind of silliness 84 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:16.000 that can go on. And it indeed happened last year 85 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:21.600 between Laville and La Familla, but that was in the 86 00:05:21.720 --> 00:05:25.480 quarters and up in Philly, I believe it was. And 87 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:29.839 then the Wildcats, primarily the Lafamia team lost in the 88 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:33.800 next round of Carmen's Crew, which after that beat a 89 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:45.199 team made up primarily players from Houston Forever Koogs. So 90 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:47.680 the Harrison brothers are back, and if you go to 91 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:52.360 YouTube you can watch a couple of montages of the 92 00:05:52.439 --> 00:05:58.120 huge NC tournament games won by huge shots from Aaron Harrison. 93 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:02.079 Here's a little bit of the audio. Harrison back out 94 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:06.279 to Rama, driving up Blasture feeds the corner. 95 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:21.519 Harris the chops eight ten sentenced of. 96 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:25.240 The purpose like the space you get a contest a 97 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:28.120 charity better and what a shot? 98 00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:33.600 After Harrison underneath bounced to the Carmie shops and back outside. 99 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:35.959 This is the point where he always hits it. 100 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:43.399 Wow, my money from Sun, Let's. 101 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:50.879 Turnt it again. Kind of fun to relive those I 102 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:54.560 had forgotten it. On the Wisconsin shot, his brother fed 103 00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:57.800 him the ball Andrew got the assist. If you know 104 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:01.360 you follow such things on that and then against Michigan 105 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:05.639 you might recall this. It was a step back. It 106 00:07:05.720 --> 00:07:07.160 was a little jab step. I don't know if he 107 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:09.800 was planning on trying to drive or just setting up 108 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:13.720 his defender, but he used a jab step and then 109 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:18.399 stepped back and drained it. And those moments were just phenomenal. 110 00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:23.000 And you've got to remember those plays when you think 111 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:27.519 back to how frustrated you were and everybody was, and 112 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:31.560 the loss to Wisconsin in twenty fifteen, and I know 113 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:34.759 that there was some sentiment leading into that game that 114 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:39.319 cali Peri wasn't subbing enough because in the middle of 115 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:43.319 a news conference at one point, Calipari was talking about 116 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:45.800 the Harrisons and he stopped himself and he looked up 117 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.279 and he said, you know they're carrying us right now, 118 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:51.399 don't you to the media. And in fact, to a degree, 119 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:55.839 they were. But I'll never forget neither were you that 120 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:58.680 lost to Wisconsin in twenty fifteen when they could not, 121 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:02.800 even with the hairs in the game, couldn't get off 122 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:06.439 a shot for three straight possessions and over on the 123 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:09.600 bench say hello to Devin Booker. I know, not the 124 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.040 same Devin Booker he is now, But back then he 125 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:13.839 could get off a shot. And you know who might 126 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:17.319 have been better at doing that, Tyler Eulis, who could 127 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:19.120 have left somebody in the dust and gotten the ball 128 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:21.959 up in the rim at least. And yes, I know 129 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:25.519 there would have been challenges defensively. I'm not saying put 130 00:08:25.560 --> 00:08:28.360 them both in. You put one or the other end. 131 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:32.440 Wisconsin with bigger guards would have had a field day 132 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:34.440 at the other end, although Eulis was a hell of 133 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:37.919 a defensive player, but you know what you sew them. 134 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:41.039 I mean, I still oh man, I'm sure it bothers 135 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:44.440 you as well. But any other Harrisons are back and 136 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:48.120 the TVT was a lot of fun last year in 137 00:08:48.200 --> 00:08:52.720 Kentucky's kids played hard, they played well, they took it seriously, 138 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:57.279 they practiced well, and it's a great event. Make some money. 139 00:08:57.320 --> 00:09:03.360 Speaking of money, ESPN is reporting a big dollars thanks 140 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:07.480 to college sports ad revenue. It's not actually technically ESPN 141 00:09:07.559 --> 00:09:11.679 reporting it, it's Sports Business Journal. There's a story out 142 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:15.759 right now that says the network has increased its ad 143 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:20.559 revenue generated from college sports by are you ready forty 144 00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:25.279 two percent year over year. Now, this coincides with the 145 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:29.720 expansion of the college football Playoff, with those eight additional 146 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:33.879 huge games for ESPN to sell to advertisers. And by 147 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.120 the way, two of those games are on TNT. ESPN 148 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:41.240 kept the ad money. There you go. But it's not 149 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:48.080 just football. Add inventory on college sports such as basketball, baseball, softball, 150 00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:53.399 those sports, the non revenue quote unquote sports have combined 151 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:56.720 for an eleven percent year over year increase in AD revenue. 152 00:09:56.759 --> 00:10:01.639 You know what else? Volleyball is making money now for ESPN. 153 00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:06.919 And yeah, disclosure, I work for SEC plus, owned by ESPN. 154 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.840 I don't know what kind of money they make. I 155 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:14.720 know they don't spend a lot on SEC plus because, 156 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:19.080 for one thing, a lot of those broadcasts are primarily 157 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:23.360 manned by students. Doug Flynn and I we are not well, 158 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:27.360 we're students of life, students of the game. But what 159 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:30.720 I'm telling you is they are modestly crewed. We have 160 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:35.799 a great crew, we really do, and modestly but properly 161 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:40.360 equipped on the SEC level. So I'd love to know 162 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:45.039 how much money comes from SEC plus. Probably not a 163 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:48.279 whole lot since it's streaming, but it's all part of 164 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:52.320 one big package. And thank you college sportion. If you're ESPN, 165 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:56.080 you're saying thank you to the Southeastern Conference. Yeah, the 166 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:59.720 Big Ten network makes a lot of money. ESPN does 167 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:03.519 not own the Big Ten Network. It owns the SEC 168 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:07.480 Network and the ACC Network, among others, and those are 169 00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:11.039 the big money makers. So anytime you hear about a 170 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.879 decision being made that will favor not just college football 171 00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:19.159 but SEC football, if ESPN is anywhere lurking, you got 172 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:21.440 to think they're involved, or at least they're trying to 173 00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:25.840 influence the situation because that's what's paying their bills right now, 174 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:30.159 and that shouldn't be a surprise. Coming up to the 175 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:33.240 bottom of the hour, Reese Potter, the newest Wildcat, stay 176 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:35.080 with us here on the Big Blue Sider six point 177 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:39.679 thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Coming 178 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.600 up next, Reese Potter, the former election and Catholic Knight 179 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:46.840 and former Miami of isle Redhawk, now a Kentucky Wildcat, 180 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.279 will join us and talk about his decision to step 181 00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:54.480 into the portal and emerge as a Kentucky Wildcat. Good 182 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:57.039 could have gone to a lot of places said he 183 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:59.279 studied on it, did not do the knee jerk thing 184 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:02.720 and say yes and immediately to Mark Pope and Cody Fieger. 185 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:06.159 But he now is a wildcat and this is going 186 00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:09.919 to be one big, big team. There's going to be 187 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:11.759 a lot of size on this ball club. It's going 188 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:15.000 to be interesting to see how Mark Polpe deals with it. 189 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:17.200 But he's got a lot of size and a lot 190 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:20.559 of talent. Coming up in our number two, Kenny Rice 191 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:24.240 of NBC Sports, we'll talk Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Basketball 192 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:28.639 seam with Keith Farmer of LAX eighteen. Both of those 193 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:32.200 guys water logged on Derby Day, but we'll talk to Kyman. 194 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:35.000 We're also going to talk to Keith about a story 195 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:37.559 involving Jack Gibbons in his new book. Well it's not 196 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:40.039 new anymore. Really, it's been out there for a while, 197 00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:43.919 but more and more people being exposed to They call 198 00:12:44.039 --> 00:12:47.639 me goose and came in. We'll have more information on 199 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:50.159 that coming up in our number two. You might have 200 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:53.600 seen a story about that on Channel eighteen and again 201 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:56.600 just on Behalf of My Buddy Jack. I urge you 202 00:12:56.840 --> 00:12:59.399 to check it out if you're a Kentucky fan, if 203 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:03.000 you've grown up in central Kentucky. It's really really interesting 204 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:05.720 and it's a fun read. I saw this, of course, 205 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:07.720 I'm watching Derby coverage, and if you were too, you 206 00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:10.080 noticed it, or you may have not noticed it, but 207 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:13.879 it just kind of happened. Mike Terrico opened the broadcast 208 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:18.960 on NBC. It started off on USA Network and it 209 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:22.799 was anchored by Ahmed far Reid, who's really good, and 210 00:13:22.919 --> 00:13:27.320 then they turned it over to NBC. They basically said, 211 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:29.840 all right, our coverage is gonna shift over to NBC 212 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:32.559 and you know more coming up. Blah blah blah. So 213 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:38.519 there's Turco and they had just gotten started when I 214 00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:42.159 looked up and there's Ahmed Farid and he was doing 215 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:44.919 a little stand up piece for NBC. But then the 216 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:48.000 next thing you know, he's back at the anchor desk. 217 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:52.000 Was Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey I think are terrific. 218 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:55.879 They do a tremendous job covering the Derby, those two guys, 219 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:58.879 and so does far Reid, and Tarico's done a nice job. 220 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:01.480 I sure wish to Hammond was still on the broadcast, 221 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:04.639 but Thiiko does a nice job. But the next thing 222 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:09.480 you know, he's gone, and for Reed had taken over, 223 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:14.200 and eventually he got the opportunity to say, Mike's not 224 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:16.879 feeling well, so I'll be here for a little while. 225 00:14:17.559 --> 00:14:20.720 And in fact he finished the day as I recall, 226 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:27.399 and he spent four straight hours handling the coverage and 227 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:32.960 did a great job. And he talked about it later 228 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:35.240 on to a media outlet. He said he got done 229 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:38.840 with the coverage on USA at two point thirty, took 230 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:42.039 off his mic, took out his earpiece. He says, he 231 00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:45.240 was leaving the little studio there. He said, I bumped 232 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:50.720 into Mike and Tarico stopped him, and he could tell 233 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.320 that something was wrong for Reid could He said he 234 00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:57.200 didn't look quite the same, said I think his eyes 235 00:14:57.240 --> 00:15:00.879 were watering a little bit, and he Perico said to him, 236 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:04.080 I'm not feeling great. You might have to take over 237 00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:07.679 for me, and Fared said, that's a shock, because Mike 238 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:14.360 is a machine. So Fared said to himself, Okay, he's 239 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:16.720 not feeling well, but there's no way Mike's not going 240 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:19.840 to be able to power through this, which he tried 241 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:24.639 for thirty to forty five minutes, but apparently Tarico just 242 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:28.000 took Kip taking turns for the worse and worse, and 243 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:31.039 at one point Afreid had his ear piece back in 244 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:34.399 and about forty five minutes later, they got in his 245 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:37.120 ear and said you got to come back and host 246 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:43.200 the show, which he did and was terrific. And that 247 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:47.360 happens every once in a great while, somebody has to 248 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:53.320 step in for somebody. And I almost had a situation 249 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:56.440 like that, and I bring it up only because it's 250 00:15:56.519 --> 00:16:00.360 one of my great regrets. I was working the twenty 251 00:16:00.919 --> 00:16:05.200 seven NCAA tournament. I think the baseball team was out 252 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:09.000 of town that weekend, and by now I had wrapped 253 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:12.000 up the years I had worked for the nca radio network. 254 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:17.200 But I'm in Rapperina, And that was the tournament where 255 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:21.559 Billy Gillespie's A and M team emerged and beat Louisville, 256 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:25.480 and people mistakenly thought that Mitch Barnard was courtside watching 257 00:16:25.559 --> 00:16:27.879 Billy beat Louisville. That's when he decided to hire him. No, 258 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:32.919 Mitch was in Chicago with Kentucky. But that win and 259 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:37.320 that weekend for Billy Gillespie cemented him as the hottest 260 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:41.600 coach in America. But I digress across the way is 261 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:44.840 a guy named Dave Simms, who's now the radio voice 262 00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:48.279 of the New York Yankees. For many, many years, he 263 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:51.720 was the voice of the Seattle Mariners. Lives in New York, 264 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:55.159 commuted to Seattle. You know, he had a place out 265 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:57.039 there and he stay. He is one of my all 266 00:16:57.159 --> 00:17:01.080 time favorite broadcasters. I have never met the man, but 267 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:04.240 he's tremendous. I just love his work. So he's over 268 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:08.400 there and he's working radio in Say Radio with Dave Gavitt, 269 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:12.000 And I'd worked with Dave as a producer for Ensay Radio. 270 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:16.200 But the next thing I know, Gavitt's gone, and I 271 00:17:16.359 --> 00:17:20.880 come to find out that Gavitt, liked Turrico, had been 272 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:23.480 under the weather. The former Providence coach, the former head 273 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:26.680 of the Big East. He had had to leave. He 274 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:29.599 had had to go and get medical help and he 275 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:33.759 ended up being really sick after that weekend. I don't 276 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:35.799 know if he ever worked again for the NCAA Radio network. 277 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:41.440 But little did I know that one of the producers 278 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:44.359 for the nca Radio network who also worked with us 279 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:48.359 on the UK network, Mike Dodson, he was up in 280 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:50.039 New York, but he had a feeling that I was 281 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:53.160 going to be in Raperena. So he starts calling me 282 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:56.400 or trying to call me, to tell me to walk 283 00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:59.880 across the court and sit down and do the game 284 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:04.519 with Dave Gavit, at least doing them that day, because 285 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:09.079 I mean it was literally last minute. Well, I had 286 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:13.079 a cell phone back then, company phone. I was working 287 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:15.839 at IMG. I'm not going to say the brand, but 288 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:18.319 it's not what I've got now, and it was a 289 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:22.720 piece of junk, and he might kept trying to call 290 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:25.599 me and could not get through to me. I had 291 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:28.519 my phone right in front of me, could not get 292 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:32.599 into Rupperina. So many people, so many people on their 293 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:38.759 phones in Rupperena, couldn't text me, couldn't get anything through 294 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:42.200 to me, and tell me to walk across and sit 295 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.599 down and work with a guy I had idolized for 296 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:48.039 so long. I get somebody else to do it. I 297 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:50.440 think the next day they had Kyle Macy come in 298 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:54.119 and work with Dave. But that's the first thing I 299 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:58.160 thought of when I heard and sell the rest of 300 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:01.400 the story on NBC covers. If far Reid had sat 301 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:06.960 down and spent so much time subbing from Mike Tariko 302 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:08.559 and did a terrific job. Of course, he already had 303 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:12.519 complete command of the material. I would have been flying 304 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:15.920 by the seat of my pants, broadcasting two games, doing 305 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:19.599 the color for crying out loud. But really I just 306 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:21.200 would have been filling in, trying to stay out of 307 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:24.759 the way of the great Dave Simms. And now he 308 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:27.240 is the radio voice. It's a job he's always wanted, 309 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:30.799 he said, being the radio voice of the New York Yankees. 310 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:34.640 So Aaron Gershaan can enjoy him if he pulls him 311 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:37.920 up online. But I'm sure I've got I've got to 312 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.759 look around and see. There are other stories like that 313 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:43.720 where people step in at the last minute. And I'm 314 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:45.680 not saying I would have done a great job, but 315 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:47.599 it would have been a thrill for me. I can 316 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:50.319 tell you that. And I wouldn't tell them this, but 317 00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:53.079 I would have done it for free. Coming up next, 318 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:57.759 Rhys Potter, the former like you said, Catholic Knight now 319 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:00.759 a Kentucky Wildcat. Later on Kenny Rice Keith Farmer on 320 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:03.440 six thirty w Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. 321 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:06.319 Joining us now from right now is his dorm room 322 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:10.519 at the Miami Ohio is Rhyes Potter of the Newest Wildcat. 323 00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:14.039 Congratulations and I appreciate you. 324 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:16.880 It's been a lifelong dream of mind. So this is 325 00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:17.559 so real for me. 326 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.559 I had a feeling you're going to say that. So 327 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:22.599 let's let's start with when you were growing up always 328 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:24.680 a Wildcat fan. What are your earliest memories? 329 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:28.079 You know, growing up as a Wildcats fan and liked it. 330 00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:29.640 I mean I was always the thing. You're either a 331 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:31.920 Kentucky fan or a Lobal fan, so I think elected it. 332 00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:34.119 I was definitely a Kentucky fan, so I grew to 333 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:35.920 love the program. And you know, it was kind of 334 00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:38.680 all everybody knows is to be a Kentucky fan. Everybody 335 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:41.000 knows that when a Kentucky basketball game is, when a 336 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:43.680 Kentucky football game is. So it's the big deal around here. 337 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:47.200 And I guess was Tubby coaching when you were growing up? 338 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:51.799 Yeah, it with him and mostly cal Yeah, mostly the 339 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:53.279 years I remember of the cal Era. 340 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:56.839 Yeah, what do you do you remember any specific players 341 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.160 that really excited. 342 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:01.400 You would probably say John wall I mean that was 343 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:03.799 always a big thing. Wall dance when I was younger, 344 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:06.119 So you know, that was always the player everybody was 345 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:08.640 most excited about. Every little kid used to do his 346 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:11.039 little dance, So you know, that was probably, you know, 347 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:12.400 the best and earliest memory. 348 00:21:12.200 --> 00:21:14.359 I have, although your game is a little bit different 349 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:15.200 from his, right. 350 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:17.960 Yeah, I mean I wish I could say I was 351 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.240 as stass as him and you know, as good as him, 352 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:22.440 but yeah, it's a little it's a little different. 353 00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:27.039 You're you're a pretty tall guy. Were you tall growing up? 354 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:28.720 I mean, was it always basketball for you? 355 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:32.519 It wasn't always basketball for me. I was always kind 356 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:34.920 of I was always taller, but I was never really 357 00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:36.880 you know, that much taller than everybody. But I just 358 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:40.119 kept steadily growing, and so everybody kind of peaked and 359 00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:41.880 I just I just kept steadily growing, you know, a 360 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:44.279 couple of inches every year. So I kind of kind 361 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.759 of what what happened to me? 362 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:49.279 Well, and that happens to most kids that way as well. 363 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:52.319 And then when you got a chance to play college ball, 364 00:21:53.119 --> 00:21:55.880 what I mean again, Miami is a great school, the 365 00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:58.119 best option for you at the time, though, right. 366 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:00.319 It was. 367 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.799 I mean, it was probably not the most highly rated 368 00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:05.119 school for sure, But you know, I believe in coach Steel, 369 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:06.839 I believe in the staff. So that's kind of the 370 00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:08.480 place that I knew kind of was going to be. 371 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:11.480 Home originally, and you guys are coming off a great year. 372 00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:14.000 You drop a heartbreaker in the MAC title game. But 373 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.720 next thing, you know, you're in a portal. What led 374 00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:19.240 to your decision to see? You what else is out there? 375 00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:23.480 Just kind of just combined up a couple of things. 376 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:24.960 You know, I love my time at Miami. I had 377 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:27.720 no complaints. You know, Coach Steel, Coach Smith, and you know, 378 00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:29.440 Coach Home and Coach Ridgeburg. You know, we were great 379 00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:31.039 to me. You know, they they kind of helped me 380 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.839 get where it's where I am today, and I have 381 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:36.359 nothing but the thanks and gratitudes towards them. So, you know, 382 00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:38.279 I kind of wanted to, you know, move on to 383 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:40.279 a little little, bigger things. You know, I wanted to 384 00:22:40.279 --> 00:22:42.799 compete for national championships. You know that kind of the 385 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:45.279 thing I've always you know, growing up in high school 386 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:47.480 and stuff. You know, the big deal was that you 387 00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:49.599 weren't gonna win your you weren't supposed to win your 388 00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:51.319 city or your region. The goal with the win the 389 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:53.680 state title. So that've kind of kind of always been 390 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:55.559 in my mindset. You got to win the big thing. 391 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:58.079 So that's kind of the big difference between Miami and here. 392 00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.960 You know, Miami, you always kind of like the under 393 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.839 dog and you're always trying to compete for mac championships. 394 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:05.400 But you know, Kentucky, you're competing for banners, you're competing 395 00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:07.759 for you know, national championships. So that's kind of something 396 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.480 I'm looking forward to. 397 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:11.480 When you entered the portal, did you know Mark Pope 398 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:13.039 was looking for one more person? 399 00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:16.440 I know, so, I mean they were still constructing the 400 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:18.640 rest of the roster, recruiting some other people. So they 401 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:21.000