WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:02.879 Welcome to the Big Blue and Cider. Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:05.440 you on a Thursday edition of our program, Happy New Year. 3 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:08.960 Hope you enjoyed last night's special edition as we look 4 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.800 back on some of the great moments on the UK 5 00:00:11.960 --> 00:00:15.839 campus when it came to Wildcats sports and relives some 6 00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:18.719 of the calls from Tom Leach and Jeff Bacoro and 7 00:00:18.839 --> 00:00:21.960 Jack Gibbons. It was fun of putting that show together. 8 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:24.000 I hope you liked it if you missed it. A 9 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:26.519 lot of play by player highlights and things like that. 10 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:31.039 It is on our where you get your podcast, Apple Spotify, 11 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:33.799 things like that. You can go back and listen to 12 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:37.399 last night show. Tonight's show, it's going to be abbreviated 13 00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:40.840 because we have UK women's basketball coming up, Wildcat's open 14 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:44.320 conference play with Mississippi State. Darren Heddrick has the call 15 00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:47.920 for you seven o'clock tip off at Historic Memorial Coliseum. 16 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:52.439 Darren's pregame begins at six forty five with coach Kenny Brooks, 17 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:56.320 who coaches in his first SEC game as the UK 18 00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:59.799 head man, So stay tuned for that. Coming up a 19 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:02.280 few minutes, we're going to talk to Shawn Woods. We 20 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:06.599 usually talked to the Unforgettable Guard on Wednesdays, but had 21 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.239 the special show last night, so Sean's going to join us. 22 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:12.920 We'll get his thoughts on not just the win earlier 23 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:15.840 this week by the Basketball Cats, but that loss up 24 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:18.920 in Madison Square Garden. We haven't talked to Sean since 25 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:21.799 the holidays, so we'll get his thoughts on the game 26 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:25.879 that a lot of people think exposed probably a couple 27 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:29.519 of weaknesses that other teams will look to exploit for 28 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:32.079 the rest of the year, and it's probably fair to 29 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:36.560 say starting with the Florida Gators on Saturday at eleven am. 30 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:40.200 So we'll get Sewan's thoughts on that coming up. I 31 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:44.159 wanted to talk first off about something that is just 32 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:47.200 all over the inner web and now comes the story 33 00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:49.840 earlier today, and of course we pre record, and I 34 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:53.519 don't know where this story might be now, but this 35 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:56.599 came out earlier today. Arizona State has reportedly filed a 36 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:00.760 lawsuit against the College Football Playoff. And I'm not sure 37 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:06.159 who exactly you'd serve with papers on that, but ASU 38 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:10.800 denied was denied a crucial targeting call in the Peach 39 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:16.759 Bowl yesterday in that game against Texas and Honestly, I 40 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:21.800 firmly believe that if that call is properly made, Arizona 41 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:26.840 State wins that game in an spectacular come from behind fashion. 42 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:29.400 I mean, early in the game, they're down twenty four 43 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:34.680 to eight, completely outclassed, and it looked like just another 44 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:39.240 example and this was going to be, you know, exhibit 45 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:43.199 A of a team that was seeded and maybe didn't 46 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:46.439 even belong in the playoff. It definitely belonged because it 47 00:02:46.520 --> 00:02:50.479 won its conference. But Arizona State, it looked like, was 48 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:54.039 the beneficiary of the bracketing that had been set up 49 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:58.560 well ahead of time, stating these four conferences will get buys. 50 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:01.919 Everybody started to complaining about that after the first round 51 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:04.680 of games. Well, guess what those rules were in place 52 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:08.319 for weeks and weeks, that bracketing formula. So you can't 53 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:12.400 suddenly start whining about that, at least where I'm from, 54 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:15.960 where I'm sitting, you don't start whining about that as 55 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:18.199 soon as the first round games are over. You want 56 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:20.400 to whine about it, whine about it, and I'm sure 57 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:23.280 some people did as soon as the brackets were announced 58 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:26.919 many weeks ago. But at any rate, Arizona State came 59 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.439 charging back and quite frankly, if you saw the game, 60 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:34.759 Texas scored on an ASU defensive breakdown, got a long touchdown, 61 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:36.919 and then scored on a punt return. So now it's 62 00:03:36.919 --> 00:03:39.400 fourteen to nothing before he had a chance to pop 63 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:41.879 the popcorn. But then it turned into a hell of 64 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:45.120 a game, back and forth, back and forth. Cam scatbow 65 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:49.199 became legendary by carrying the ball, by throwing the ball. 66 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:53.599 Arizona State and a crucial make or break situation fakes 67 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:57.039 a punt and the punter throws to a two hundred 68 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:00.879 and eighty pound defensive tackle who was, you know, supposedly 69 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:03.159 just in the block, and the guy makes a hell 70 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:06.599 of a catch, fingertip catch. So it was a great 71 00:04:06.680 --> 00:04:11.439 game back and forth, but on a one particular play 72 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:17.000 where if this play is called properly, Arizona State wins. 73 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:22.800 And it looked like Texas was guilty of targeting a 74 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:27.040 Texas d beck led with a helmet helmet to helmet contact, 75 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:29.560 and I thought, well, this is just a matter of time 76 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:31.959 before they come over and it's going to be an 77 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:34.399 unpopular call with Texas, and it's going to be the 78 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:40.160 right call, you know, if you're Arizona State and they 79 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:43.399 didn't call it. And to me, like I always say, 80 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:47.959 and I am extremely sympathetic to officials because I did 81 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:50.160 it a bit when I was young, and again, my 82 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:54.600 brother's done it for fifty years. Get the easy ones right. 83 00:04:55.639 --> 00:04:59.959 The situation was not easy because it would have cost Tech. 84 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:02.360 This is a shot at the national title. But guess 85 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:06.120 what it costs Arizona a shot at the national title. 86 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:08.000 And they like to say, well, we don't want the 87 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:11.839 officials to, you know, decide the game, blah blah. Well 88 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:16.199 you did decide the game. You did by not making 89 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:20.199 the proper call. Obviously, Twitter blew up. Jacob Tammy, the 90 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:22.720 former Kentucky tight end, had a great take on this. 91 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:25.319 He said, the fact that it was not called targeting 92 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:28.079 and exactly why there needs to be a camera in 93 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:32.120 the replay booths and explanations from the replay booth. This 94 00:05:32.199 --> 00:05:35.560 game just got altered by a huge decision by nameless, 95 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.279 faceless explanationless entity. I don't know if it needs to 96 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:42.040 happen in real time from the booth, but it certainly 97 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:44.879 would help, and especially after the game. And then somebody 98 00:05:44.879 --> 00:05:50.120 else whose label is his avatar labels Mark Pope, respector 99 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:55.519 and his addresses at Bring Back Patino, So I don't 100 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:58.360 know where he stands on things, but he tweeted in 101 00:05:58.439 --> 00:06:02.560 horse racing we always get am on an explanation from 102 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:06.560 the stewards. No reason college football playoff can't do the same. 103 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:09.639 I agree, like I said, at the very least after 104 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:13.160 the game, it should have been explained and not just 105 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:15.839 this is the call we made and were sticking by it. 106 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:21.800 That's crap. They need to explain it properly, or as 107 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:25.439 many people have tweeted, do away with the rule. Do 108 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:28.120 away with it because if you're not gonna call it 109 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:33.160 and it's so obvious, do away with the rule. No 110 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:37.519 one would complain. It would be a bad decision because 111 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:41.000 I think it's a much needed rule because things have 112 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:44.480 gotten so dangerous. Players are so much bigger, faster, and 113 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:47.800 stronger now and the equipment is so much better now 114 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:53.720 that guys are turning themselves into actual missiles, and you're 115 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:58.360 seeing now what's happening with CTE, and people later in 116 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:01.800 life are developing real problems. But more than one person 117 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:03.920 said get rid of it, and one tweeter said, if 118 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:07.439 that's not targeting because of circumstances and not wanting to 119 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:09.560 call it in the last minute of a playoff game. 120 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:13.240 You cannot have the rule. The rules a rule first 121 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:16.639 quarter in September, fourth quarter of a playoff game, crown 122 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:21.839 of head contact plus defenseless receiver equals targeting. And it 123 00:07:22.040 --> 00:07:26.639 marred what was a great, great game. And you know, 124 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:30.560 another officiating issue that I don't understand, and I probably 125 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:33.079 would get a different answer from somebody. You know, for 126 00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:35.160 every person I asked, I'd get a different answer. I'm 127 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:39.800 sure whatever happened to uncatchable ball, I was tweeting back 128 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:41.920 and forth or texting, I should say, with Darren Hedrick 129 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:44.439 as we often do the chain gang. Keith Madison was 130 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:47.519 in on it, Doug Flynn popped in Jeff picorrel. But 131 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:49.480 there was a past interference call in one of the 132 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:52.800 games that Darren and I ai I think, disagreed on 133 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:55.920 whether it was interference or not, but we agreed that 134 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:59.399 it was an uncatchable ball. And I loved that rule 135 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:03.040 and that rule created. You didn't see it much at first, 136 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:06.399 and now you almost never see it. But that to 137 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:10.920 me took all the mystery out of a lot of 138 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:13.800 these calls, like the one Darren and I argued about. 139 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:17.879 You know it's up to personal interpretation. I know of 140 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:21.000 a different officials. There are some textbook elements to it, 141 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:24.839 but different refs see things different ways. I get that 142 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:28.600 that's the same in so many different instances in sports. 143 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:32.679 But if a boss twenty feet over the heads of 144 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.600 the receiver and the d bag flying out of bounds, 145 00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:39.440 it's unketchable. All you got to do is that signal 146 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.879 over your head if you're a referen uncatchable ball? Oh okay, 147 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:45.960 now there are Yeah, it was uncatchable because my guy 148 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:48.840 couldn't go for it. No, there are times when it's 149 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:53.919 absolutely obvious when a ball is uncatchable. Bring that back, please? 150 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.519 Would you appreciate that? Get back to me on that. 151 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:00.279 Sean Woods is next year on six thirty wlap back 152 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:02.080 to the Big Blue Insider and we say happy New 153 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:04.200 Year to one of our favorite guests. He reaches us 154 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:08.000 every week on The Big Blue Insiders. Jersey hangs in 155 00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:11.360 the rafters, A rough, unforgettable guard. Sean Wood's Happy. 156 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:14.279 New Year, Coach, Happy knew your Dick, Gabriel. 157 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:16.960 I want to ask you, as a coach and a 158 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:19.120 football fan and a guy you know the game a 159 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:20.879 little bit, but you and I were talking for one 160 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:23.200 of the year. You've watched a lot of football through 161 00:09:23.240 --> 00:09:27.240 the holidays, and that Texas Arizona State game was literally 162 00:09:27.240 --> 00:09:30.240 one for the ages. But so was what appeared to 163 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:35.159 be an obvious miss call definition of the rule targeting. 164 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:36.960 I just went off on it in the last segment, 165 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:40.080 but I'm curious. Now, you coached a different sport, obviously, 166 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:44.080 and play a different sport, but when you were in 167 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:47.200 a I don't know if there's a similar situation in basketball, 168 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:50.879 but that looked like the definition of the rule of 169 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:54.240 targeting and it wasn't called properly. And I don't know 170 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.600 if it's because they didn't have the guts to call 171 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.559 it down the stretch or whatever, But does that just 172 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:03.840 make your mind go crazy as a coach on the 173 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:07.519 sideline when something that obvious isn't called and you don't 174 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:09.240 get a decent explanation. 175 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:15.879 Well, first of all, you know everyone is human, and 176 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:20.120 you can't say that referees don't get caught in the moment. 177 00:10:21.799 --> 00:10:27.279 That was a unique situation where the referees in that 178 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:31.000 game got caught in the moment. There was definitely a 179 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:35.600 targeting call, and specifically by the new rule of targeting 180 00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:41.279 and you try to minimize it. There is no man 181 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:43.840 is either cutting dry idea, either targeting or it's not. 182 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:48.080 And you know, just make the call. You know. It's like, 183 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:51.519 for instance, I hate to go off on something else, 184 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:56.240 but Jay Billis says something that's relevant. We got too 185 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:59.919 many rules we got you know, we're not We're let 186 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:05.840 television and instant replaying things like that get more involved 187 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:11.679 in human error and human decisions. And now you know, 188 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:13.799 it's like a basketball game, the last two minutes of 189 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:17.039 the longest two minutes of a basketball game, because everything's 190 00:11:17.080 --> 00:11:23.039 got to be looked over. Everything, every call is is questioned, 191 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:30.440 you know. And same with this. You know, sometimes in targeting, 192 00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:34.840 it's hard to even play football anymore, make a tackle 193 00:11:34.919 --> 00:11:37.919 because when you were taught as a kid, you were 194 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:41.840 taught to either lead with your head or make sure. 195 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:45.919 You know, Now you're trying to tell a guy who's 196 00:11:45.960 --> 00:11:49.480 coming at another guy one hundred miles an hour to 197 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:56.080 stop and technique. Yes, you know. 198 00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:56.600 What I'm saying. 199 00:11:56.919 --> 00:12:01.480 That's hard to do, and and and and now you 200 00:12:02.200 --> 00:12:05.559 take natural instincts, which the football it is, is a 201 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:08.879 naturalisting sport, especially when it comes to tackling. You know, 202 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.080 you're taking it out and you punish people for it, 203 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:16.240 and which can be a game changing situation. And I thought, Yester, 204 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:18.200 I mean the other day was a game changing situation. 205 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:21.080 Yeah. Yeah, And you know that's the kind of thing 206 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:24.240 that needs to be altered in practice, with rep after 207 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:27.399 rep after RepU. But that's hard to do. Like you said, 208 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:29.360 when the kid starts playing football in the third or 209 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:33.480 fourth grade. Yeah, and I mean I remember, you know, 210 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:36.360 being taught you know, basically lead with the bridge of 211 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:39.399 your nose, and I was an alignment for a minute, 212 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:41.960 you know, and you didn't have a gash on your nose. 213 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:45.480 You weren't doing it right. So but yeah, billis is right. 214 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:48.559 But on the other hand, as a coach, as a player, 215 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:51.279 you just want them to get it right. And yeah, 216 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:55.080 they were human, but you know what, the video is 217 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:59.080 not human and the video seemed to show So it's 218 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:02.960 frustrating and Arizona State clearly had opportunities to win. But 219 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:07.200 that's one of those rare instances where things turned. I 220 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:08.799 did want to get your thoughts on that, but I 221 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:12.000 need to get your thoughts on the basketball Wildcats. We 222 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:14.919 haven't talked since before the holidays, so let's go back 223 00:13:14.919 --> 00:13:18.480 to that Ohio State game, and I guess we shouldn't 224 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:22.399 be surprised if anybody loses in a high profile game 225 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:25.320 like that. But Sean, it was the way Kentucky lost. 226 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:28.360 They just seemed flat and looked like Ohio State took 227 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.159 it to him and took them out of everything that 228 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.600 they wanted to do. What were you, I know you 229 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:36.919 weren't there, but what were your thoughts as you watched 230 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:37.919 that game unfold? 231 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:41.879 I just thought that Ohio State's game plan was better 232 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.519 than Kentucky's game play, as simple as that. Yeah, so 233 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:49.480 you know, Mark Pope has been almost flawless. But you know, 234 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:51.960 as you go deeper into the season, you start playing 235 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.600 real competitive teams. You know that other team is sitting 236 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:00.480 in their film room and trying to find ways to 237 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:02.799 stop what you're doing. It's made you successful. And I 238 00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:05.559 thought that what they did and the schemes they came 239 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:10.720 up with defensively was on point, you know, and it 240 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:13.840 took Kentucky out of all their strengths and it made 241 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:16.600 them do things that they weren't normally you know, aren't 242 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:21.159 normally good at doing, and you know it showed. And 243 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:24.399 then offensively, you know, the point guard, won the point 244 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:26.840 guard battle, and I just thought he dominated the game. 245 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:31.000 And you know, a former Kentucky Wildcat who didn't have 246 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:36.080 a great year, who was highly touted, really showed. You know, 247 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:40.279 the Kentucky people, you know why cow and those coaches 248 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:44.120 were so high on him coming in And he's healthy, 249 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:46.000 now you know what I'm saying. You know, I thought 250 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:49.720 that him and it was unfair for him. Z and 251 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:53.960 what was the other big that left? Yeah, I thought 252 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.879 that they were just it was unfortunate for them because 253 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.519 all of them were hurt. He got back to Z 254 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:03.360 got you're late and they couldn't play because of NCAA rules. 255 00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:06.919 From an academic standpoint, the other two had major foot 256 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:09.919 injuries that they had to sit out for six months. 257 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.120 And then they come back and you get thrown into 258 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:14.799 the fire. Well, the base of your game and the 259 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:17.360 base of being an athlete is your legs. Yeah, And 260 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:19.480 how can you have legs when you don't have feet 261 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:23.080 and you know, you can't even jump until two weeks 262 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:25.480 before they throw you in a game, and you're supposed 263 00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:28.080 to have base and be able to jump and be 264 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:31.480 spontaneous and things. And the athlete that you are or 265 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:34.799 were at that particular time. It was just tough for them, 266 00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:37.159 you know. And now both of them are healthy, z 267 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:40.120 is healthy, and all three of them pretty much, especially 268 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:42.799 the two are are are having decent seasons. 269 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:46.000 Yeah, and you go back to the to the Aaron 270 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:49.519 Bradshaw effort against Kentucky. It seemed like every time he 271 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:52.200 got a rebound or a bucket, it was at a 272 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:53.279 crucial time. 273 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:55.799 You know what I mean, no doubt about it. And 274 00:15:56.679 --> 00:15:58.840 you know, he's an athlete. That's why he was highly 275 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:00.679 tauted coming out and why why he was on the 276 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:03.360 draft board and things like that. And I thought that's 277 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:05.720 probably his best the best game of his college career 278 00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:10.840 thus far, all things considered. But you know, you got 279 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:13.480 to give Ohio State credit. You know, they they really 280 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:17.480 had their game plan, uh to a t and it showed. 281 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:20.519 And you know, they forced Kentucky to make some adjustments 282 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:24.720 which they couldn't do, and for whatever reason, it just 283 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:27.200 got out of hand and they they didn't let up 284 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:27.919 off the gas. 285 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:30.159 Only got a better minute left in this segment. But 286 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:32.720 what did they do? Did you think we're going to 287 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:35.559 see for the rest of the year when teams attacked Kentucky. 288 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.039 I don't want people to take just the wrong way. 289 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:42.639 But you know, as this thing goes on, you know 290 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:45.440 people are starting to switch. You know, me as a coach, 291 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:48.720 and I'm scouting them, I'm switching everything, and I'm switching 292 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.200 up and I'm not and I'm taking away the threes 293 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:54.919 and I'm making make tough twos. But on the and 294 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:57.320 on the other end, it's I'm limiting you to one 295 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:00.279 shot and then I'm going to push it and spread 296 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:04.039 you out, because especially your second team can't defend as 297 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:06.720 well as your first team. And Butler didn't have a 298 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:10.319 good night, so they just took advantage of it. You know, 299 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:13.000 they spread people, gonna spread Kentucky out. They're gonna make 300 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:16.039 them have to guard one on one. They're gonna challenge 301 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:20.480 how tough they are from a rebounding and toughness standpoint. 302 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:23.440 The two games that they lost, they got beat on 303 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:26.640 the toughness plays and they got taken out of what 304 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:29.920 they like to do, and adjustments wasn't made in those 305 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:32.759 two games, which allowed those two teams to really put 306 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.279 it on them. 307 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:36.440 Sean Woods is my guest, the unforgettable guard. We'll talk 308 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:39.599 more about Kentucky basketball. The Wildcats have Florida coming up. 309 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:43.759 Southeastern Conference play begins on Saturday. Game you're gonna hear 310 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:45.599 right here back in just a minute on the big 311 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:48.559 booing sider here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back. We're 312 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:51.440 talking with Sean Woods, the unforgettable guard whose jersey hangs 313 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:55.359 in the rafters of rup. Wildcats open conference play against 314 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:58.559 Florida coming up on Saturday, and coach, I don't know 315 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:01.559 how much SEC basketball you've seen in general. I've seen 316 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:04.480 a few other games. Some are saying this is the 317 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:08.160 best conference play in the history of the SEC when 318 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:10.839 it comes to basketball. That's all going to play out. 319 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:14.599 But you know from experience, man, you get in the 320 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:18.119 league play, it's a different kind of ball, Isn't it 321 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:18.960 totally different? 322 00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:22.279 All that preseason pre conference deals thrown out the window, 323 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:26.519 and now it becomes a slug fest. And now Kentucky's 324 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:30.079 really gonna have to grind. I don't see a lot 325 00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:34.319 of scoring of the nineties in the nineties in the SEC. 326 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:37.160 I mean, I think these teams are so good defensively. 327 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:41.680 I think the brutal league physically, and Kentucky's going to 328 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.960 have to find a way, especially getting better point guard 329 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:48.240 played coming off the bench, because you know, most teams 330 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:50.880 have several guards that can break you down, especially in 331 00:18:50.920 --> 00:18:54.839 the SEC. And that's Kentucky's problem right now. The system 332 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:58.440 is great, but when the other teams scout, your system 333 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:02.640 now becomes to manual manual, and they always say, like 334 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:05.720 like people always say, you can have the best exs 335 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:07.880 and those, but if you don't have Jim and Joe's, 336 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:10.720 you know you're going to struggle. And now it's time 337 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:14.240 for our Jim and Joe's to really play at a 338 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:17.759 higher level than they had to. Especially the two losses. 339 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:20.079 You know, somebody else is going to have to step up. 340 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:22.000 They're gonna have to go against the grain a little 341 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:25.519 bit and really try to make offensive plays from an 342 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:29.680 individual standpoint, because teams are going to make them do 343 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:33.119 that from here and out. And I think Marcus doing 344 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:34.720 a better job. I mean, I hope he is in 345 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:39.440 practice of creating an environment where everyone is confident to 346 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:42.599 go make a play when things break down from their 347 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:44.759 system is concerned per se. 348 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:49.279 When you played in conference games, how palpable was it 349 00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:54.039 that the other teams were coming at you because you're 350 00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:58.400 Kentucky and they just didn't buy the hype they were like, 351 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:00.680 where every bit as good as you are, Maybe I 352 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:04.400 should be in Kentucky proving myself. I know that probably 353 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:06.640 happens in non conference games as well, but I gotta 354 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:10.359 think Sean, it happens more in the SEC games. Am 355 00:20:10.359 --> 00:20:11.079 I right about that? 356 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:14.240 Well, any conference games, you know what I'm saying, but 357 00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:16.720 especially with the SEC. And you've got to remember now, 358 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:20.640 you know, if you there's five teams in the SEC, 359 00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:24.039 if you went down from whether their players were raped 360 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:28.960 were ranked, uh, we wouldn't be in the top five. Yeah, 361 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:32.160 and said, they're not looking at Kentucky as the name 362 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.240 of Kentucky anymore. They're looking at their players. And a 363 00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:36.519 lot of these players seem to think they're better than 364 00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:39.839 the players that Kentucky from a from a from a 365 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:43.720 notoriety standpoint, you know what I mean. So there's no 366 00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:47.920 mistique coming into rupt saying, uh, you know these guys 367 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:50.200 are good because they were this McDonald all American, that 368 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:54.160 McDonald all American. No, they have the poor McDonald all Americans. 369 00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:57.640 And all of these coaches that are in the SEC 370 00:20:57.720 --> 00:21:00.799 are a one coaches. So that locker room is a 371 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:02.960 little different. The tone and locker rooms are a little 372 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:06.880 different when they're going against Kentucky more so than years past. 373 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:10.440 Yeah, that's a great point because this is still the 374 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:13.960 team that a brand new coaching staff had to pull 375 00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:17.559 together and build literally from the ground up. You know, 376 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:21.720 this is not, you know, a roster that sparks all 377 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:24.440 kinds of debate about who's going to be a lottery pick. 378 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:27.319 The lottery picks are coming at him right now, aren't they, 379 00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:29.119 no doubt about it. 380 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:31.400 There's more lottery picks on the other teams, yeah, and 381 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:34.279 the SEC than there is that Kentucky. So you know, 382 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:38.759 no one's scared of them, you know. But there is 383 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:42.160 this system I think is going to be unique. But 384 00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:45.200 you know, people starting to find out about it, you 385 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.200 know what I'm saying. So you know, I'm sure Mark 386 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:50.640 is going to make some adjustments knowing that, you know, 387 00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:53.039 people are starting to figure out their style of play, 388 00:21:54.720 --> 00:22:00.119 you know, and now there's no neutral courts. Yep, you 389 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:02.559 know what I'm saying. You gotta go. You got to 390 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:06.119 go into the SEC, into their places, which some of 391 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:09.880 these places are hardest places in the country to play at. Yeah, so, 392 00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:12.119 and then they're not scared to come into rut. So 393 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:15.559 you know, it's gonna be a slug fest. It's gonna 394 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:19.039 be you know. The thing is who's going to end 395 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:22.000 up at the top the top five or six schools 396 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:24.720 at the end of the year. And I'm telling you what, 397 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:28.079 right now, I've watched a lot of SEC basketball thus far. 398 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:31.319 I'm gonna tell your team that no one's talking about, 399 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:32.440 and that's Mississippi State. 400 00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:36.319 I was just looking at them. Yeah, twelve and one. 401 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:40.319