WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:02.560 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider at Gabrielle with you 2 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:06.639 Friday edition of our program heading into another frigid weekend, 3 00:00:06.759 --> 00:00:10.240 but Rupp Arena will be anything but cold. Even if 4 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:12.880 they're not hitting shots. The pace of the game when 5 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:16.160 the Wildcats take on Alabama tomorrow will be sizzling in 6 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:19.079 my opinion, So you're gonna want to listen here on 7 00:00:19.079 --> 00:00:23.079 six thirty WLAP. Yes, it's on ESPN with Jay Billis 8 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:27.079 and Dan Showman, the best combination on TV for my money, 9 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:29.920 and it's gonna be a great game. I think it 10 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:32.240 may not be the prettiest at all time, but it's 11 00:00:32.280 --> 00:00:35.840 gonna come down to who makes shots usually does. But yeah, 12 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:39.280 this will be a breakneck pace, nothing like we saw 13 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.880 with Kentucky and A and M noon tip, which means 14 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:45.399 you came network coverage with Dave and Cameron beginning at 15 00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:49.000 ten thirty, Cassar Boys at nine to thirty. So if 16 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:51.920 you're not going to the game, just put your radio 17 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:54.479 on when you get up in the morning. And then 18 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:56.960 of course you got two years, one for radio and 19 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:00.920 one for television. So Kentucky Alabama another a huge game, 20 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:04.079 but they're all big now in the SEC aren't they. 21 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:08.079 And if it's anything, if this weekends anything like last night, 22 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:12.439 it's gonna be wild because there were three upsets of 23 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:15.560 top twenty teams, not just top twenty five teams. But 24 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:19.519 Minnesota hits a three pointer at the buzzer and beats 25 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:22.560 Michigan eighty four to eighty one. Michigan was ranked number twenty. 26 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:27.480 First conference loss for the Wolverine, So Michigan State's got 27 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:31.239 a good year going and SODA's Michigan in the Big Ten, 28 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:37.000 Minnesota even destructor. That was Minnesota's first conference win after 29 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.359 six Big Ten losses. So I don't know if Minnesota 30 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:44.439 has been relevant since since Tubby Smith was there and 31 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:46.480 got off to a good start and an injuries caught 32 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:49.680 up with him and he eventually was fired. But yeah, 33 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:52.359 Minnesota pulls off the win in overtime, by the way, 34 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:57.519 eighty four eighty one. Now Temple in Philly hands Memphis 35 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:03.400 its first American Conference loss. Memphis ranked eighteenth, but Temple 36 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:07.879 wins eighty eight to eighty one, and at the same time, 37 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:12.879 out on the West coast, Oregon State in overtime upsets 38 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:17.919 Gonzaga ninety seven to eighty nine. This was in corvallis 39 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:23.960 first WCC loss for Gonzaga, which is now five to 40 00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:26.159 one in the league. Played fourteen and five overall, and 41 00:02:26.199 --> 00:02:29.159 of course one of those losses was a come from 42 00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:33.719 a head setback to the Kentucky Wildcats. So crazy, crazy 43 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:38.000 night last night in college basketball. But hey, what else 44 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.319 is new? Right? All right? The Cats and the Crimson Tide, 45 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:44.879 who feature what I think he's got to be the 46 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:51.080 best player in the Southeastern Conference in Mark Sears. He 47 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:56.719 is leading his team in scoring at eighteen points per game, 48 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:59.560 that's third in the league, four and a half assists 49 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:02.599 per game that's fifth in the league. He's the only 50 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:05.520 player in the SEC in the top five in both 51 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:10.759 scoring and then assists. Bama with five wins over AP 52 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:15.319 top twenty five opponents, two wins away from tying the 53 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:18.840 program record for most AP wins in a single season 54 00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:22.439 that was set last year, actually two years ago, in 55 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:25.039 that twenty two to twenty three campaign that ended up 56 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:27.240 a little short in the NCAA Tournament. Bama went to 57 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:30.879 the final four last year. As you might recall, Nato, 58 00:03:30.919 --> 00:03:34.840 It's what a job he has done. Amazing to turnaround 59 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:38.520 after coming from Buffalo. That's right, you can find good 60 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.840 coaches a lot of places, and Alabama plucked him out 61 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:48.719 of the frigid Northeast. Twenty five or twenty three AP 62 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:52.000 top twenty five wins during his tenure at Alabama second 63 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:56.560 all time behind Wim Sanderson. When Sam Newton was there, 64 00:03:56.599 --> 00:03:59.879 they only had the top twenty, so I don't know 65 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:03.360 that would have figured in. But Sam Newton had some 66 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:08.879 great Alabama teams. And by the way, in nineteen seventy four, 67 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:10.759 I don't know, I know why I was looking this up, 68 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:15.879 but Alabama went fifteen and three in the Southeastern Conference 69 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.319 and didn't get to go to the NCAA Tournament. Why Well, 70 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:22.600 there were only twenty eight teams invited back then, and 71 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:29.319 only one team per conference that was slotted an NCAA 72 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:34.800 tournament Berth. Alabama tied with Vanderbilt for the SEC regular 73 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:39.240 season championship. There was no tournament back there no postseason tournament. 74 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:43.079 They both went fifteen and three, but two of Alabama's 75 00:04:43.079 --> 00:04:47.360 losses were to Vanderbilt, so Vandy gets the tiebreaker and 76 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:53.000 Vandy goes to the NCAA Tournament. Can you imagine going 77 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:57.279 fifteen and three in your league and not getting a 78 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:02.839 bid in the NCAA Tournament and Vandy brother Alabama, and 79 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:06.079 Alabama did not go to the NIT for whatever reason. 80 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:12.480 Sixteen teams went back then and Alabama either didn't get 81 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:15.160 a bit. I can't imagine are chose not to go. 82 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:19.399 Purdue ended up winning it in seventy four. This Alabama 83 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.040 team is good enough to make a deep run in 84 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:26.879 postseason again, and it looks like so is Kentucky. Maybe 85 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:31.519 still a little premature to say that, but the Wildcats 86 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:35.720 have impressive wins, as you know, and they play a 87 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:39.519 similar style to Alabama, as you know. Our pope, talking 88 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:43.240 to the media in his pre Alabama game news conference, 89 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:47.199 said he certainly does expect to see similar styles on 90 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:49.480 the floor in Repperena tomorrow. 91 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:52.000 I mean, now you're hoping to find ways to increase 92 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:53.839 the pace of the game, for sure, Like we always 93 00:05:53.879 --> 00:05:56.079 want to keep the pace faster, and we want to 94 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:57.519 keep the space on the floor, and we want to 95 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:01.240 keep the pace as fast as we can. So you 96 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:03.360 would think Alabama come here and they're certain they're not 97 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:04.199 trying to slow down. 98 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:06.680 Those guys trying to go faster. So this might be 99 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:08.279 a breakneck game where it's. 100 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:09.800 Just like you know, down and back and down the 101 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.199 back of Tell two Who Falls over Dead first? 102 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:12.399 Right? 103 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:13.480 Which is super fun too. 104 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:17.120 So I think going into games you have an idea, 105 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:19.040 but every game takes on a character of its own. 106 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:21.360 I think this is one of those games where no 107 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:25.800 matter what's going on, whether team A is hitting shots, 108 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.800 team B is hitting shots, whether they're they're missing, whether 109 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:32.160 they're going on you know, cold spells, whatever, I think, 110 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:34.839 neither team is going to slow down. They're going to 111 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:38.639 keep pushing the tempo, keep looking for even more and 112 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:42.839 more pace. And Mark Pope said, no matter what, he 113 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:45.079 wants his team to keep it up. 114 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:47.560 I mean, now you're hoping to find ways to increase 115 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:49.439 the pace of the game for sure, Like we always 116 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:51.879 want to keep the pace faster. We want to keep 117 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:53.319 the space on the floor, and we want to keep 118 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:57.079 the pace as fast as we can. So you would 119 00:06:57.079 --> 00:06:59.279 think Alabama come here, and they're certainly not trying to 120 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:01.879 slow down. The guy's trying to go faster. So this 121 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:04.439 might be a breakneck game where it's just like you know, 122 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:05.959 down and back and down in back and Tell two 123 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:07.720 who falls over Dead first? 124 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:07.959 Right? 125 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:09.079 Which is super fun too. 126 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:12.680 So I think going into games you have an idea, 127 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:14.639 but every game takes on a character of his own. 128 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:17.639 Coming up in our next segment, I'm going to share 129 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.240 some stuff with you that Mark Pope talked about yesterday, 130 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:23.959 just big picture stuff involving his team. He talked about 131 00:07:24.040 --> 00:07:30.519 humility versus and confidence versus arrogance. He talked about synergy 132 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:34.199 and how that kind of translates into love for one 133 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:38.600 another on a team. Really fascinating stuff. You never know 134 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:40.480 what you're gonna get when you go to a Mark 135 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:43.800 Pope news conference, but you know you're gonna get something interesting, 136 00:07:44.680 --> 00:07:46.240 and may take him quite a while to get to 137 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:48.279 the point, but I think that's what's fun about it. 138 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:51.600 So we'll hear that coming up in our next segment. 139 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:53.319 But I wanted to share some other things with you. 140 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:59.160 Quinn yours. You saw him play against Kentucky, you saw 141 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:02.120 him in the playoffs, EXAs quarterback. He is declaring for 142 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:05.399 the NFL Draft. We were down there in Austin, Tom 143 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:09.279 and Jeff and I wondering about nixt season with Texas. 144 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.800 He could have come back. You had to wonder if 145 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:15.040 he did with their Arch Manning, if he came back 146 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:18.240 with Manning stick around, because now it appears Arch Manning 147 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:22.319 will be the incumbent. But get this, he could have 148 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:26.800 stuck around Quinn The Yours could have stuck around and 149 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:32.279 picked up eight million dollars in nil money if he 150 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.600 had transferred to another school to play one more year 151 00:08:36.360 --> 00:08:39.639 in the NCAA. That's according to the two four to 152 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:44.519 seven Sports. It did not share which school made that offer. 153 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:49.000 Apparently it wasn't Texas. But had he decided to play 154 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:53.639 another year wherever he had gone Quin Yours, now that 155 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:57.320 means you talk about gambling on yourself. He's pretty certain 156 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:59.679 he's going to be in the NFL next year, at 157 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:04.559 least somebody's camp, and he is supposedly the best quarterback 158 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:08.440 on the board. Honestly, I'm curious to see what he does. 159 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.720 Maybe he didn't have to do that much against Kentucky, 160 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:15.759 although he did play I think, really well in the playoffs. 161 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.399 So some say he's the best QB who's coming out, 162 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:23.480 so he'll make millions. But just imagine saying no, thank 163 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:31.720 you and walking away from eight million dollars. That's pretty incredible. 164 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:36.639 Speaking of dollars, in college athletics, there is a plan 165 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:41.080 on the boards to pay athletes directly, and I owe money, 166 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:49.200 but the Department of Education issued a statement yesterday that 167 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:53.200 would really gum up the worksh if you will, it 168 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:58.000 would run a foul, it says of Title nine, a 169 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:01.360 nine page memo from the Department's Office for Civil Rights 170 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:05.240 said nil money that goes two athletes should be treated 171 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:11.480 the same as athletic financial aid, meaning scholarships. So if 172 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:15.279 that remains in place, a lot of the plans and 173 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:19.759 schools are making could be upended. I have a feeling 174 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:22.519 the new president will stick his nose in there and 175 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:29.360 change things. But remember Title nine level the playing field 176 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.320 for women. But some say, I don't know. I want 177 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:36.440 to use the word unfairly, but it's not equitable because 178 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:38.519 it takes into account the fact that there are eighty 179 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:44.080 five scholarship athletes, you know, on college football teams. So 180 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:47.679 now when you're talking about equal numbers, if you will, 181 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:51.919 are equitable numbers, you have to balance that against football 182 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:53.480 and there's no way to you no easy way to 183 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:58.480 do that with women's athletics. So this really complicates the matter, 184 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.879 and it's going to be something that I think will 185 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:07.720 be battled over all summer long. Coming up tonight on 186 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:09.840 the show, we're going to hear from Jerry Hale. Jerry 187 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:12.519 played for the Super Kittens. He was part of that 188 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:15.720 great recruiting class with Kevin Greevy and Jimmy dan Connor, 189 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.399 that bunch that went to the championship game in nineteen 190 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:23.919 seventy five. They are of course celebrating an anniversary this year, 191 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:26.480 and they will be honored at an upcoming UK game. 192 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:28.559 So we're going to talk to Jerry coming up at 193 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.840 the bottom of the hour. Also, we're going to talk 194 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:33.080 with the Billy Rutleds, because Billy and I are going 195 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:36.480 to look ahead into the NFL playoffs and the college 196 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:39.399 football Championship Game. Try to figure out who's going to 197 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:41.919 cover if you will. I'm also going to talk to 198 00:11:41.960 --> 00:11:45.320 my old buddy Steve Moss from WKYT in advance of 199 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:48.440 the Herod Leaders Sports Figure of the Year voting. It's 200 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:50.840 kind of fun. I really love that project, and Mark's 201 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:53.639 story will join us as he always does after the 202 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:57.080 results are announced. But Steve and I have had many 203 00:11:57.399 --> 00:12:00.919 spirited discussions back when I was with WIE team really 204 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:06.799 since then. Oftentimes our voting was maybe not wildly different, 205 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:09.759 but markedly different. It's very similar this year, which kind 206 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:12.799 of surprised me, So we'll talk about that a little 207 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:15.639 bit later on in the show. And we're also going 208 00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:20.600 to hear about some crazy backstories from college basketball that 209 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:24.200 might surprise you. But next Mark Pope really digs deep 210 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:28.440 into what makes this Kentucky team special and why he 211 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.480 likes coaching it so much. That's all ahead here on 212 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:34.320 The Big Blue Sider six thirty wlap Welcome back to 213 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:36.240 the Big Bloon Sider. Coming up in just a few minutes. 214 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:38.559 Jerry Hale haven't talked to Jerry on the show in 215 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:40.799 a while. Jerry was part of the seventy four to 216 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:44.600 seventy five team that went to the NCAA Championship game, 217 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:48.320 part of the Super Kittens class that was recruited at Kentucky, 218 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.200 and of course those guys couldn't play as freshmen, but 219 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:54.200 their freshman team back when a lot of colleges played 220 00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:57.519 freshman schedules or the talk of the nation, and in fact, 221 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:02.039 it was said off times not just gave the varsity 222 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:04.919 team trouble, but beat the varsity. We're gonna I've talked 223 00:13:04.919 --> 00:13:07.159 to Kevin Grievy about that, but we're gonna talk to 224 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:11.279 Jerry about that as well. Including a conversation about the 225 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:16.039 upcoming get together and they're gonna have a reunion dinner 226 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:18.720 and they're gonna be honored at one of the games 227 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.200 because this is the fiftieth anniversary of that season. That 228 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:24.919 was such a great year, coming off a thirteen and 229 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:27.759 thirteen year, you know, And this is a team that 230 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:31.879 was supposed to win a national championship or two and 231 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:34.559 that win the conference every year, and they did as sophomores, 232 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.960 but really fell down as juniors and then bounced back 233 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:41.519 as seniors thanks to an infusion of young talent guys 234 00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:45.080 like Jack Gibbons, James Lee, Mike Phillips, Rick Roby. But 235 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:47.360 there was so much fun to watch. And that's the 236 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:51.480 team that I've sat Indiana, and Jerry is an Indiana native, 237 00:13:51.559 --> 00:13:53.639 so we'll talk to him coming up at the bottom 238 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:55.240 of the hour. But I wanted to share with you 239 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:59.519 a couple of comments from Mark Pope, and again, I 240 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.240 do it all for this and I don't make these 241 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:04.000 comments by way of judging him against the last coach 242 00:14:04.039 --> 00:14:08.080 he was here. But it's just a different style of coaching. 243 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:13.919 It's a different brand of philosophy. John Calibray won a 244 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.799 national title here. He did a lot of great things here, 245 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:19.720 and yes, things fell off towards the end. So I'm 246 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:22.360 not trying to compare the two, but I'm just saying 247 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:27.000 I enjoy some of these deep dives that Mark Pope 248 00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:29.679 is making. And I don't know if there was any 249 00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:32.039 way to expect this. You knew it was going to 250 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:35.559 be different with Mark, if for no other reason because 251 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:40.519 he is deeper into analytics than most coaches. But he's 252 00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:44.120 just got a big brain and he is a deep thinker. 253 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:47.399 And I guess if you held a lot of coaches down, 254 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:52.200 they would say similar things. But with Mark, it just 255 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:57.960 kind of comes more easily to him, and he every 256 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:00.879 now and then drops in a coach speak, but every 257 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:04.320 now and then he'll give an answer about well, the 258 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:07.480 way his team is put together and the fact that 259 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:12.320 he's got veteran players, but they're willing to all play 260 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:16.639 a role. Nobody and I'm paraphrasing here, nobody needs or 261 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:19.919 wants to be the star on this team. They're putting 262 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.720 the needs of the team first. And that sounds pretty basic, 263 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:25.679 pretty obvious, but it's not always the case. It's not 264 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:29.799 always been the case at Kentucky, and you, as basketball 265 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:34.000 fans you've seen it. You could tell every once. So 266 00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:35.720 it hasn't happened a lot, but every once in a 267 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:38.480 while there are guys who put their own needs ahead 268 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:41.759 of the team and their teammates. And one of the 269 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:45.240 things Pope loves about this team is the fact that 270 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:50.240 everybody is willing to be humble when it counts. 271 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:56.720 This idea of humility is so important, right. A lot 272 00:15:56.759 --> 00:16:01.759 of times we mistake, we think that somehow confidence and 273 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:07.840 humility somehow are not They're almost not exactly opposite, but 274 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:11.440 they almost are in contention with this They're not like 275 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:15.039 the most confident people are the most humble people. I 276 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:18.480 really believe that there's a big difference between arrogance and confidence. Okay, 277 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:22.759 arrogance people are not humble. Arrogant people are stuck. They 278 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:25.600 can't learn, they can't grow. They think they know everything, 279 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:27.919 and they're just stuck. Because you think you know everything, 280 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:29.679 You're not going to take any new data in, You're 281 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:30.960 not gonna actually be curious. 282 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:31.279 Right. 283 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:35.360 But when you have when you have really really confident 284 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:39.679 people that are really really humble and you throw in 285 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:42.559 some curiosity, that is a growing that's a that's a 286 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:45.000 growth mindset. Person that's someone's like, hey, I'm really good 287 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:47.720 at this, and I know that I'm good enough of 288 00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:51.000 this to get better. I know I can get better. 289 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:54.200 And the curiosity part seeps in there. And that's where 290 00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:55.720 we have a locker room with guys like that. Man, 291 00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:58.720 We have guys that are that are confident enough to 292 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:00.799 really really be humble, and they got a whole load 293 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:04.039 of curiosity and they get better. And we're seeing in 294 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:07.119 real time with like big like monsters, things like our 295 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:09.400 work on the glass right, and that's not done, like 296 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:11.279 that's going to be a continuing progress, but we've made 297 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.160 huge progress and. 298 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:16.960 It's fun. It's funny coach guys like that. 299 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:19.359 That was toward the end of the news conference when somebody, 300 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:21.559 I think it was Keith Taylor asked him about the 301 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:24.200 value of having veteran players and of course he's got 302 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:26.079 He didn't say this, but I am, he's got the 303 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:29.720 right veteran players. We've talked before about that, how Pope 304 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:32.240 has done his homework, he and his staff and did 305 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:34.640 a great job of getting not just the right kind 306 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:37.720 of athlete, but the right kind of person through the portal. 307 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:41.359 Because this was going to be obviously a unique situation 308 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.839 an entire team coming together, kind of like the Dirty 309 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:48.640 Dozen if you've seen a movie, you know, they needed 310 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:52.559 certain skills, guys with certain skill sets to plug and play. 311 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:55.759 But they needed the right kind of guy. And as 312 00:17:55.799 --> 00:18:01.000 Pope said, if you're confident as opposed to being arrogant, 313 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:04.200 you've got an open mind and you're willing to learn. 314 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.519 And you know he later on talked in a different 315 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:09.880 context about Amari Williams, but it fits here. He said, 316 00:18:09.880 --> 00:18:13.200 he bumped into Amari coming out of Rapperena, Mark'said, coming 317 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:16.599 out of the gym, coming out of Repperina after treatment, 318 00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:18.559 or might have been out of the joke Craft Center 319 00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:22.400 after the game late the other night, and he said, 320 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:25.839 Amari kind of brightly said him, I'm learning how to 321 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:28.799 box out. This is a guy who's three time defensive 322 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:32.400 player of the Year at his previous school. He's played 323 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:35.680 a lot of college basketball, he's been halfway around the 324 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:39.079 world and back. But he's learning and he's happy to 325 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:43.200 be learning it, which I thought was a really interesting SoundBite, 326 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:46.480 a real interesting comment, especially against the backdrop of what 327 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:50.920 Pope has talked about with regard to humility, and this 328 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:55.759 kind of ties into another comment he made about synergy, which, 329 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:58.559 as you know, is when a bunch of people or 330 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:04.799 different groups come together as one and accomplish something and 331 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:11.160 it's better than they could individually and cumulatively, you know, 332 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:16.559 on their own. Doing it together makes for a better result. 333 00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:21.319 And Pope use that word as well as the word love. 334 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:26.799 I believe that for a team to to become everything, 335 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:31.200 to have all the synergy that you can have. And 336 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:34.720 I'm using that word very specifically, like the definition of 337 00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:40.119 that word matters to really, like have the most impact 338 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:44.079 of the synergy of guys together on a team that 339 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:47.720 comes from a place of love, like it does. I 340 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:50.400 know that sounds soft, but it's real. Like that is 341 00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:55.240 a real thing. And love is a two part word. 342 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:58.400 Love is something it's an affection that you feel for someone, 343 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:01.640 but it's also a very it's also a verb. It's 344 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:06.200 an active endeavor. It's both. It's a nown and a 345 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:08.799 verb and they're both real and you kind of flip 346 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:10.079 back and forth between the two. 347 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:16.119 And you know, teams function an elite. 348 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:18.880 Level when you actually care enough about your teammate that 349 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.559 you're not totally lost, your thoughts aren't lost on yourself. 350 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:25.839 That's a real thing. It's one of the beauty. 351 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:28.680 It's why I love team sports, It's why I love 352 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:29.599 team organizations. 353 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:30.880 It's why I love a staff. 354 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:34.720 It's why I love looking at companies that actually function 355 00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:35.599 at a high level. 356 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:38.759 Mark Pope News Conference. Never a dull moment I can 357 00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:42.559 recommend them. Welcome back and talk to Jerry Hale, former 358 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:46.440 Kentucky super Kitten on the anniversary of a great season. 359 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:49.960 That's next on six thirty Wlap Welcome back to the 360 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.599 Big bluem sider joining us now on our celebrity hotline 361 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:54.720 is a longtime friend and a former believe it in 362 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:58.160 a classmate. We overlapped in school though, Jerry Hale a 363 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:01.480 little bit older than I am. You graduate in seventy five. 364 00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:03.640 Welcome back. We haven't talked on the show in quite 365 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:04.319 a while. 366 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:07.920 Have not, Dick, but thanks for having me appreciate it. 367 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:09.519 You reached out the other day to let me know 368 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:13.200 that you and your seventy five team that went to 369 00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:17.000 the championship game, you're having a reunion to celebrate golly 370 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:17.920 fifty years. 371 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:19.599 Fifty years. Yeah. 372 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:23.400 Now, you've gotten together before, of course, but it's always 373 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:26.799 fun when you guys get together, tell stories, and of 374 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:29.200 course you don't have Coach Hall with you anymore. But 375 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:31.799 I remember him talking about some of the stories you 376 00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:33.720 guys told. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear him, 377 00:21:34.039 --> 00:21:37.400 you know, but then he would tell stories on you guys. 378 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:39.160 So it's always fun. 379 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:42.920 Isn't it. It is? And it brings me back to 380 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:47.079 after I had graduated. Just a quick little story, Coach 381 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:48.960 All asked me to go up on a recruiting trip 382 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:51.839 up in Indiana with you. And it was Coach Parsons 383 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:56.759 and myself and the pilot who was a friend of 384 00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:59.720 the programs. And we flew up the Indiana and Coach 385 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:02.200 party since and I went to see one kid play. 386 00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:06.640 Coach Hall and Bob went to see this other guy play. 387 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:10.000 And when we got back, we got back to this 388 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.119 little hangar where we were. We were sitting there and 389 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:16.000 drink a salt drinking Coach Hall asked me, goes. He says, 390 00:22:16.200 --> 00:22:18.960 why did you drive me crazy? You know, talking about 391 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:22.359 our group? Yeah, And I said, Coach, you're the one 392 00:22:22.359 --> 00:22:24.640 that drove us crazy. I mean it was, it was. 393 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:26.319 It was a back and forth thing, but I was 394 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.559 I was almost scared to be sitting there with him. 395 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:32.400 But he's asked me this question. But but we had 396 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:34.839 a lot of fun and a lot of good stories. 397 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:38.640 Tell me a little bit first of all about why 398 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:41.960 you came to school here. You're one of several Indiana 399 00:22:42.119 --> 00:22:44.279 starred I mean you were you were a great player 400 00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:46.279 in the state of Indiana. Could have gone to a 401 00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:49.079