WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.399 It's Stick Gabriel taking a little bit of time off, 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:05.040 so we thought we would replay some of the best 3 00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:08.240 interviews from over the last several months. Please enjoy the 4 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:11.800 best of the Big Blue Insider. In this segment, we 5 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:14.880 take you back to night in April when the Tennessee 6 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:18.359 Balls were in town for a huge baseball series with 7 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:22.839 the Wildcats. Huge series coming up tomorrow Kentucky Baseball, the 8 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.920 Wildcats taking on Tennessee. According to one poll, number three 9 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:30.960 versus number four. You'll hear all the games right here 10 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:34.719 on six thirty. Wlap and Darren'll have pregame tomorrow at 11 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:39.079 six fifteen, six thirty, first pitch, and I've got to 12 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:41.880 think that coach Madison, Keith Madison, will be in the 13 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:44.240 booth at least some of those games, I would certainly hope. 14 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:46.320 So right next door, Doug Flinn and I will have 15 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:49.679 it for you on TV, the SEC streaming channel. So 16 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:52.159 if you can't get out to the ballpark, we urge 17 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:53.759 you to get out. It's going to be a great weekend. 18 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.920 You can hear it, you can see it, and Kentucky 19 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:00.399 with a great opportunity to build on its lead in 20 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:05.680 the SEC East and the overall conference Chase Wildcats have 21 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:10.599 done remarkably well this year, coming off to win Tuesday 22 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:15.400 at Louisville seventeen to thirteen. Can you imagine, but now 23 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:18.959 set your sights on Tennessee. If you're a Wildcat and 24 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:23.719 everybody knows, it's going to be a crazy night, great crowd, 25 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:28.719 good weather, atmosphere should be outstanding. They have had that 26 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:32.719 kind of thing before for Louisville games, for tournament games, 27 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:37.400 and now with Tennessee coming in, Wildcats want it and 28 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.920 as Nick Menzilm pointed out, the craziness, they want it, 29 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:42.480 they need it. 30 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:45.959 We want that every game, and there's just been a 31 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:49.159 lot of people that have put in a ton of 32 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:51.519 work in order for that to happen. When you just 33 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:54.200 think about that, like in the history of the program, 34 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:56.799 a regular season game, right, this is number three verse 35 00:01:56.840 --> 00:02:00.000 number four, two teams battling now for the Eastern Division 36 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:04.359 and the overall conference. And that only happens because there's 37 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.159 been intentional effort by a lot of people from our 38 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:09.919 administration to build a stadium like this that number one 39 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:13.319 could even hold that many people, the former players that 40 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:16.719 have just put their blood, sweat and tears into this program, coaches, 41 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:21.240 staff members, previous teams. As I mentioned, the players are 42 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:23.400 this current team. There's just been a lot of people, 43 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.680 staff members that have put a lot of intentional effort 44 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:31.400 and work into this. So therefore, I mean, I'm excited 45 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:33.000 and then the big Blue Nation for them to be 46 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:35.319 able to show up, and it sounds like they're going 47 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:37.560 to and we got some great weather, so yeah, that 48 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:38.199 always helps. 49 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:42.120 Somebody asks Nick about all of the hype going into 50 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:45.599 this one and whether or not his players will be 51 00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:48.800 affected by that. You talk about the fact that they 52 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:52.879 are a veteran bunch, they are mature, and he believes 53 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:55.400 they can handle it. They can you know, enjoy it, 54 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.520 but use it to their advantage, take care of business pregame, 55 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:02.800 and make it work for them during the game. So 56 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:05.439 he's not really worried about player focus. 57 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:08.919 Our focus needs to be continue on what we're doing 58 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:11.479 and that's what made it. That's what made this team 59 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:14.680 so great. It's not on our opponent. It's not anything 60 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:17.479 that's going on outside. It's like when we literally have 61 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:20.120 those blinders on and I think I'm using another horse 62 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:24.080 keitland still going on right, Yeah, Okay, I mean there's 63 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:26.719 a reason why those horses have those blinders on is 64 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:29.039 because they don't need to be distracted and they need 65 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:30.840 to focus on what's in front of them and not 66 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.280 what's going on around him. And that's how I need 67 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:36.520 my team to be. And they're mature, they've done it. 68 00:03:36.599 --> 00:03:39.039 But I'll be happy for them. I will say this 69 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:40.919 to see all the people here and all the fame. 70 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:42.159 I'll be happy for our players. 71 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:45.120 In the Southeastern Conference. You need to take care of 72 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.120 business when it comes to baseball, and by that I 73 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:50.039 mean win the series at home. Yeah, you love a sweep, 74 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:52.120 but the bottom line is you got to win two 75 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:54.919 out of three to protect your home turf. Kentucky has 76 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:58.560 been sweeping teams this year at home and on the road. 77 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:02.120 It's just been incredible. The only loss for the Wildcats 78 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:05.639 fourteen and one in conference play was at Missouri, which 79 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:07.360 is better than we thought it would be. This year, 80 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:10.400 the Tigers have pulled off some surprising when including one 81 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:13.879 over Kentucky. The only win for the only lost router 82 00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:17.120 for the Wildcats in conference play three to two, and 83 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:19.759 two of the runs for Miszoo came in on wild pitches, 84 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:22.360 so that's one that got away. Otherwise, the Cats are 85 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:26.680 undefeated in conference play, but through the last few years 86 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:33.279 they have struggled. Indeed, with Tennessee. They lose the series 87 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:37.199 last year in Knoxville, twenty twenty one. In Knoxville they 88 00:04:37.240 --> 00:04:40.319 lose in twenty Of course, twenty twenty didn't play because 89 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:45.560 of COVID. They are swept in twenty nineteen. They dropped 90 00:04:45.560 --> 00:04:51.759 the series at home in twenty eighteen, but in twenty 91 00:04:52.279 --> 00:04:57.839 twenty two they actually took the series two games to one. 92 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:02.480 Here in Lexington. He was a Tennessee team that went 93 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:07.319 on to win forty nine games and hosted a Super 94 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:09.600 regionally here before they had gone to the World Series. 95 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:14.519 That Tennessee team hosted a Super Regional but lost in 96 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:19.000 an upset to Notre Dame. Really great Tennessee team won 97 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:21.600 something like nineteen out of its first twenty or something 98 00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:24.519 like that. And then you go back to twenty seventeen 99 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.720 and the Wildcats swept the Volunteers. That was Kentucky's first 100 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:34.839 regional championship team in Nickmnjones' first year. Tennessee is good. 101 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:38.600 Tennessee could come up here and win this series if 102 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:42.079 the Wildcats aren't careful. But I think Kentucky's going to 103 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:48.800 be Razor sharp. Question is can the Cats pull off 104 00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:52.120 two wins this weekend? We're all going to find out together. 105 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:56.879 So again, Darren Hedrick coming up to talk about that series, 106 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:00.920 if you will indulge me right here. Kind of a 107 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:06.079 personal matter, but I just stuff like this just always 108 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:11.439 kind of confounds me. Yesterday, April seventeenth, was would have 109 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:15.639 been my father's one hundredth birthday. He was born in 110 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:20.519 nineteen twenty four in Fairmount, West Virginia. And you may 111 00:06:20.519 --> 00:06:22.519 have heard me talk about this before we lost him. 112 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:25.399 He's way too young. He died actually on his fortieth 113 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:30.519 birthday April seventeenth, nineteen sixty four. He had a bad heart. 114 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:32.279 He had a heart disease when he was a kid. 115 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:36.600 It damaged his heart. But people have always asked me, 116 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:39.480 why are you a Green Bay Packers fan? And they 117 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:42.439 accused me of being on the bandwagon with Brett varv 118 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:45.000 and all that. In the nineties, said no, no. Since 119 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:51.879 the early sixties, growing up in Louisville, my dad was 120 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:56.040 reading the newspaper one day and he mentioned Paul Horneck, 121 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.279 who was one of the Heisman Trophy winner Hall of 122 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:04.879 Famer Green Bay Packers World champion multiple times, MVP, one 123 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:09.920 of the greatest ever from Louisville. They wanted him at Kentucky, 124 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:11.959 you know, the governor tried to get him to come. 125 00:07:11.959 --> 00:07:16.240 Everybody went to not here name anyway, So Horning was 126 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:21.519 suspended for gambling. Now you've got Johntay Porter dismissed forever 127 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:25.759 from the NBA for gambling. But Pete Roselle suspended Horning 128 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:28.879 in the early sixties for gambling. He had to sit 129 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:32.399 out a year. And my dad was reading about that 130 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:36.639 and he said, he told me who Horning was, who 131 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:39.360 he played for, and was from Louisville, and he said, 132 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:43.160 you should always root for your hometown players. I said, well, 133 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:46.000 who does he play for. He plays for the Green 134 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:49.759 Bay Packers. I thought, green Bay Packer. That's a cool name, 135 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:56.199 green Bay. I bet that's just this wonderful, gorgeous place. 136 00:07:56.279 --> 00:08:00.439 I kind of in my mind pictured like a acup 137 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:05.160 in Oregon, or you know someplace even something is tropical. No, 138 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:09.519 I've been there, and that town is right in the 139 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:13.199 middle of Wisconsin farm country, and you know, it's a 140 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:16.560 great setting, of course for a pro football team. But 141 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:21.560 I kept trying for years. I couldn't remember was my 142 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:25.319 dad telling me about Horning, who was going to be 143 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:30.040 suspended or was he coming off suspension. I don't know 144 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:32.240 why I wondered about that, but I did well. Not 145 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:37.919 long ago I read an autobiography by Paul Horning, and 146 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:41.720 he talked about when he got the phone call from 147 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:45.840 Roselle telling him he would be allowed back in the 148 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:49.559 National Football League. Because Horning said, when he suspended me, 149 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:52.559 I never knew if I was going to be allowed 150 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:55.600 to come back. Can you imagine a guy with his 151 00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:59.039 rep his abilities and what hey, he had no idea 152 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:02.200 what lay ahead of him, you know. But he was 153 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:04.840 already in the middle of a great pro career and 154 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:07.799 he thought it might be over. But he got a 155 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:10.840 phone call. He said, I'll never forget the day that 156 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:14.759 I got the phone call from Pete Roselle telling me 157 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:16.399 I was going to be allowed to play in the 158 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:21.200 NFL again. And as I read, he mentioned the date 159 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:27.759 April seventeenth, nineteen sixty four, as I said, that was 160 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:31.720 the day my dad died. So what that tells me, obviously, 161 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:34.200 is when Dad told me about hornering a year prior, 162 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.000 it was that Horning had just been suspended. I've told 163 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:42.320 this story to a few people, just the coincidence of 164 00:09:42.360 --> 00:09:47.320 Horning finding out about his future on the day my 165 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:51.080 father passed away, and people I see them react and 166 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:53.360 it's nice and they dropped their oh you know. To me, 167 00:09:53.679 --> 00:09:56.039 it's not. It's sad that my dad died when I 168 00:09:56.039 --> 00:09:59.279 was young. I was eight and a half. But it's 169 00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:04.279 a reminder to me that he gave me the Green 170 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:07.360 Bay Packers. I mean, and I'm on here, I talk 171 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:09.679 about him, and as I mentioned, I'm a stockholder. My 172 00:10:09.799 --> 00:10:13.559 kids bought me a share of stock. My son is 173 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:16.440 not a Packers fan because he wanted to root against 174 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:20.000 the Packers. I was being so obnoxious going into Brett 175 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:23.000 Favre's second Super Bowl against the Broncos. He rooted for 176 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:26.159 the Broncos. They win. He'd been a Broncos fan ever since. 177 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:30.960 I've actually bought him Broncos gear for Christmas. But they 178 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:33.279 buy me the Sheriff stock makes me an owner and 179 00:10:33.320 --> 00:10:36.080 I have so much fun with that. And people kid 180 00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:38.000 me if the Packers were going back, can't you do 181 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.480 something about that? You know? But as I said, yes, 182 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.320 it was devastating to lose my dad on that day, 183 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:47.440 but when I look back, I'm right now I have 184 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:50.879 a coffee cup in my hand with a Green Bay 185 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:53.639 Packers emblem on it that my daughter gave me. It's 186 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:58.000 a yetty and she had stenciled on it pops, which 187 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.120 is what actually my kids call me, my granddaughters call me. 188 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:04.919 And I've got my phone with the Green Bay Packers case. 189 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:08.519 And yesterday I was wearing Green Bay Packers socks. So 190 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:11.399 like I said, sad that I lost him on that day, 191 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:15.200 but before he died, he gave me my allegiance to 192 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:18.799 the Green Bay Packers. And again it was yesterday that 193 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:21.360 he would have turned one hundred. You're listening to the 194 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:23.679 best of the Big Blue Insider. More to come here 195 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:28.600 on six thirty WLAP. It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to 196 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:31.559 the Best of the Big Blue Insider, turning us down. 197 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:35.080 Our celebrity Hodline is a friend and a longtime coworker 198 00:11:35.320 --> 00:11:40.360 WKYT the legendary Rob Bromley, who was enjoying retirement now 199 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:43.559 and Rob, you and I were talking before we went 200 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:47.600 on the air. You covered since Joe B. Hall resigned 201 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:50.240 every other coaching change, and now you can sit back 202 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:52.919 and just watch what's happening. Now that's gotta be kind 203 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:53.440 of nice. 204 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:58.000 Yeah, it's a little easier, that's for sure, but you 205 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:02.159 never know what. You never know quite what might be 206 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:07.480 around the next corner, Dick. And just like on Sunday night, 207 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:13.759 I was surprised, really stunned by the news of cal 208 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:16.720 to Arkansas possibly going to Arkansas on the night, and 209 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:23.240 then I was equally stunned on Thursday night when everything 210 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:27.840 developed with Mark Pope. So it's surprised me. 211 00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:32.399 It's entertaining. Speaking of surprise and stunned, I'm gonna take 212 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:36.039 you back to when Joe Hall announced his retirement. You 213 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:40.120 broke that story from Denver. I'll never forget when you 214 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:42.720 called me and said, I think it's gonna happen, And 215 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:45.360 I think it stunned a lot of people. We had 216 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:48.720 heard the rumors, remember the year before, but really not 217 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:50.639 so much that year. We had kind of put it 218 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:55.000 to rest. But what's that like to be in the 219 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:58.440 middle of that situation, Because some people think you stuck 220 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:00.879 your neck out, But after I felt good about it, 221 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:03.000 After talking to you, I knew kind of who you 222 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:06.279 were talking to and and and what the situation was. 223 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:08.000 But what do you remember about that? 224 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.720 Well, I, you know, I just remember that afternoon and 225 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:19.240 talking to an individual down in the coffee shop who 226 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:25.000 simply was able to confirm it without a doubt. And 227 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:30.919 that person was Joe's security guy. And it all came 228 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:35.840 up pretty quickly, you know, getting getting a call from 229 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:40.759 Flexington and then searching it out at the Denver end. 230 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:45.799 So I didn't anticipate that happening, oh when we went 231 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:46.720 out to Denver. 232 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:51.000 That's for sure, absolutely not. And then I described us 233 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:54.960 the other night when CBS kept that camera hot, followed 234 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:57.320 Joe all the way around. You were right there front center. 235 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:03.039 You already start to think then about you know, what 236 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:06.720 what the future is. And it was a busy time 237 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:11.840 because the Final four was was coming into Lexington the 238 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:15.240 very next week, so there was going to be an 239 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:20.440 awful lot going on coaching search in the Final four. 240 00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:25.799 But you know, it just things quickly quickly changed from 241 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:28.960 earlier on that day and I guess it was a 242 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:33.159 Friday when when Dave gave me a call and we 243 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:37.240 started just working at it at the end out in Denver. 244 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:41.919 Yeah, and then Eddie Sutton becomes the coach, but not 245 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:47.000 before things happened, including Loud Olson took the job for 246 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:50.759 a couple hours. That was weird as well, wasn't it. 247 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.200 It was? 248 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:55.320 And you have to be ready for people to turn 249 00:14:55.399 --> 00:15:02.279 you down. Jeene Bartow also the job down, and they 250 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:06.360 were both very accomplished coaches. Geene Bartow had built a 251 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:08.639 big record at Memphis and then had gone out to 252 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:12.240 UCLA and only lost like eight or nine games in 253 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:16.759 two seasons, and he'd had he left left the West 254 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:19.879 Coast start of the program at UAB and lud Olson 255 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.360 had been very successful at IOWA, hadn't been in Arizona 256 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:28.679 that long, but apparently he came in here and just 257 00:15:28.679 --> 00:15:33.559 decided that he'd stay out in Tucson. So but you know, 258 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:38.320 you bring in still a very accomplished coach and Eddie Sutton, 259 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:42.240 a coach that could have easily have made it to 260 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:46.320 the final four or won the championship. In nineteen seventy eight, 261 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:50.720 came very close to beating Kentucky in the semifinal game 262 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:54.399 in Saint Louis. It's a very very tense game along 263 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.360 with the regional final and date were both very very 264 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:00.879 tense games. But you certainly got a, you know, the 265 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:03.799 very experienced coach and Eddie Sutton, a very very good 266 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:07.120 one man with a good track record. 267 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:11.840 People seem upset when when other coaches turned the job down, 268 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:14.720 but it's never been a sure thing really until they 269 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:17.240 got to Cali Perry, right and he I don't know 270 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:19.440 that he was their first choice because first they asked 271 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:21.639 Billy Donovan. So it's never a. 272 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:25.200 Lot well probably, although I don't know how likely it 273 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:27.200 would have been that, you know that, I don't think 274 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:30.919 it that likely that Billy Billy would would come in. 275 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:34.120 But I think I think Cal wanted the job. Cali 276 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.720 Perry wanted the job two years before, yeah, and definitely 277 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:43.080 definitely would have come so uh, and then they went 278 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:46.440 right after the two year experience with Billy Gilisbie, they went, 279 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.759 they went back to Cal and it turned out to 280 00:16:49.799 --> 00:16:53.320 be a you know, a great a great thing. Really. 281 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:58.519 It's a special time. Certainly you have the final fours 282 00:16:58.519 --> 00:17:05.200 and the postseason success. After twenty fifteen, they're out of 283 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:07.799 the final fours, you know, and it tails off and 284 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:11.119 we just start to lose some games that everybody thinks 285 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:15.759 you should win, and when they get to be postseason games, 286 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:18.119 it's just it's just pretty damaging. It just kind of 287 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:23.519 became an untenable situation. Dick with cal talking to. 288 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:27.440 Rob Bromley the long time as sports director WKYT in 289 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:33.400 for many many years produced and anchored the uk TV 290 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:37.240 Coaches Show in the format there changed quite a bit 291 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:39.640 through the years, Robin. You know, as we all know, 292 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:44.480 Caliperi is not nearly as accessible to the media as 293 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:48.240 other coaches have been. And there were times on that 294 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.720 anchored desk, Rob, where I had to tip my cap 295 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:52.759 because you were talking to a coach through the years, 296 00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:55.880 different coaches who absolutely didn't want to be there after 297 00:17:55.960 --> 00:18:00.000 a tough loss. But you know, yeah, most of them 298 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:01.640 dealt with it graciously, didn't they? 299 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:06.000 Yes, they did. It's the losses are hard, you know, 300 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:09.720 you ride the ups and downs and and it isn't easy. 301 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:15.759 I had some very difficult situations after games and things 302 00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:19.640 handled pretty graciously, things handled not so graciously, but you 303 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:23.119 over the years you just have to learn to roll 304 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:26.200 with it. One thing you end up doing, you always 305 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:29.839 are kind of pulling for the coaches and hoping that 306 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:33.400 it all you know, that it all comes through. That 307 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:38.559 isn't always the case, but and I I I certainly 308 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:41.160 would feel that way about Mark Pope coming in here 309 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:47.839 to pull for him and wonderful guy Deck. I haven't. 310 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:51.400 I have not talked to him since he came in 311 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.279 here with Georgia. 312 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:54.039 I'm staff. 313 00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:56.400 Yes, he was on the staff. I think Mark Fox 314 00:18:58.440 --> 00:19:02.440 this is you know, he got into I think he 315 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:05.039 AAO he went to med school or something. 316 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:08.279 Yeah, he was in med school. 317 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:11.559 I'm not yet, I'm not sure just how far. But 318 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:17.279 he went from med school to to Koching and uh, 319 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:23.200 I guess Georgia was the start of it. And then 320 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:25.799 you know, I mean he was at I think Wake 321 00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:33.240 Forest right and eventually headed out west. But it's an interesting, 322 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:39.400 interesting past. Of course, he played played quite a few years. 323 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:41.559 Just I think he played both of the NBA and 324 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:49.880 overseas and was drafted fairly. It was a second round pick, 325 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:55.720 I think, yeah, But I'm not sure how many years 326 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:57.920 he played, but it seems like there were quite a 327 00:19:57.960 --> 00:19:59.960 few there that that he was playing. Profess. 328 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:03.440 Yeah, he started off overseas and then in ninety seven 329 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:07.039 signed with the Pacers and basically retired after twenty oh 330 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:10.400 five and bats back over to Europe for a little while. 331 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:13.279 But yeah, I mean he is an NBA veteran. He's 332 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:17.119 been where his recruits want to be, you know, in Caliperi, 333 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:19.279 of course with that great trek record getting people to 334 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:21.160 the league. But when you can talk to a guy 335 00:20:21.799 --> 00:20:24.559 who's actually played in the league and as you said, 336 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:28.400 fought his way up from being the second round choice, 337 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:32.680 fifty second pick overall. But there's a lot going for 338 00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:35.519 I spoke to him, I mentioned earlier on the show 339 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:38.759 for the nineteen ninety six documentary we did, and I'm 340 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:42.319 like you, I think he's a terrific guy. Rob Bromley, 341 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:46.440 the longtime sports director WKYT. Rob, always a pleasure. Hope 342 00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:47.599 you and Diana, well, thank you. 343 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:54.640 Yes, doing well. But you know I'm going to leave 344 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:57.880 the coaching searches to others. 345 00:20:58.359 --> 00:21:01.880 Sounds sounds like a plan. Thanks man Man, all right, 346 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:04.400 all right, Dick, they're listening to the best of the 347 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:06.519 Big Blue Insider. I want to come here on six 348 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:11.599 thirty WLAP. Hey, it's Dick Gabriel and you're listening to 349 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:15.680 the best of the Big Blue Insider. NBA playoffs happening, 350 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:18.920 and there are a lot of former Wildcats in the news, 351 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:21.079 as you might expect, so many of them making the 352 00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:24.960 league thanks to John Caliperi. But some of the stories 353 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:30.359 that are out there right now really interesting. Shaquille O'Neill 354 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:34.480 is catching a lot of what they call backlash now 355 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:39.720 because he believes Shay Gilgus Alexander should have been the MVP. 356 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:44.000 And it went last night to Nicola Djokis of the 357 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:47.759 world champion, reigning champ Denver Nuggets. Now, they're not in 358 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:50.519 good shape right now in the playoffs, but they named 359 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:53.640 him the MVP. It's kind of ironic because I was 360 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:57.000 listening to a Denver radio station guy saying that Jokis 361 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:00.400 couldn't care less about being the MVP. They said to say, 362 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:05.480 he's a three times now MVP in four years. They 363 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:09.440 said the second time he wanted, he asked them not 364 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.039 to present it out on the court in front of 365 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:15.440 the fans, so they handed him the trophy in the 366 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:17.960 locker room, just where he was back with his teammates. 367 00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:20.359 They said, when he left the building, he left the 368 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:23.119 trophy there. He forgot it and somebody had to chase 369 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:26.079 him down and say, hey man, you left us in 370 00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:29.039 the locker room. So that's what he really cares about, 371 00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:33.039 how much he cares about being the MVP. But fans 372 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:38.079 have been blasting Shaquille O'Neal, who said this on TNT 373 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:42.079 when he interviewed The Joker, and he was straight with him. 374 00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:44.880 You know, I love you, the best player in the league. 375 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:47.000 I want to congratulate you, but I want you to 376 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:49.880 hear from me first. I thought the SGA should have 377 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:53.440 been the MVP. There's no disrespect to you, but congratulations, 378 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:55.079 and what do you guys have to do to get 379 00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:58.160 back on track versus Minnesota? Thank you, Shan. 380 00:22:58.279 --> 00:23:00.519 We don't judge people here, you know, so that's fine. 381 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:06.960 I'm joking. Hey, all good. I love you, I love 382 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:09.160 your brothers. One thing we always going to do is 383 00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:11.960 keep it real with each other. Congratulations, I love it. 384 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:15.039 So there it is, Shaquille O'Neal. No disrespect, he said 385 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:19.440 to the Joker, but he believed former Wildcat shake Gilgrish 386 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:24.559 Alexander should have been the MVP this year. SGA averaged 387 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:30.640 thirty points per game, five rebounds, six assists, not too cheby. 388 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:34.400 I thought he might be the MVP, but Joker didn't 389 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:37.200 win it last year. Then they won the championships, so 390 00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:40.000 maybe some guys are playing catch up with their voting. 391 00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:43.640 So at any rate, uh, Shaquille O'Neal being called a 392 00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:48.359 hater and disrespectful and hates other big men and isn't 393 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:51.119 going to give this guy's respect. You heard the comment, 394 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:54.799 Just now make up your own mind. But you know, 395 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:56.880 I thought it was really interesting that he was quite 396 00:23:56.920 --> 00:24:01.720 outspoken when it came to the former wild SGA should 397 00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:05.559 have been the MVP. I don't watch enough NBA to 398 00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:07.319 weigh in, but I thought it would be pretty cool 399 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:11.119 if he did. You know, watching the Pacers last night, 400 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:14.359 they scored seventy three in the first half against the Knicks, 401 00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:17.839