WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:03.319 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dicka Abrielle with you Friday, 2 00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:06.160 the eve of game day, and it's kind of a 3 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:09.560 Saggi Friday. Maybe a Sagi Saturday as well might not 4 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:12.519 be a bad thing for the Wildcats. We all remember 5 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:17.000 what happened last time Kentucky played Georgia in the rain 6 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:19.839 that was down there in Athens. That was the Lynn 7 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:23.079 Boden season, as has come to be called, when he 8 00:00:23.160 --> 00:00:25.879 was pressed into service as a QB. And it seemed 9 00:00:26.519 --> 00:00:28.920 maybe not that South Carolina game where he took over 10 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:31.719 late and showed what he was about to do, but 11 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:35.759 seemed like every game after that was rain. And it 12 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:40.119 certainly helped the Wildcats because any team that was inclined 13 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:42.280 to throw the ball had to think twice about it 14 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:45.640 because remember, it wasn't just rain, it was a lot 15 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:48.759 of rain, and for whatever reason, it didn't slow the 16 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:52.079 Kentucky running attack, not just Lynn Bowden but anybody else 17 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:55.799 who ran the football. So now the Belk ball, gorgeous day, 18 00:00:56.240 --> 00:01:00.799 bright sunshine, crisp weather, and what happened, Well, Bowden got 19 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:02.719 his yards on the ground, but then he wins the 20 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:06.799 game with a touchdown pass. But I don't think that 21 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:10.359 happens on Saturday. I think that Georgia is going to 22 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:12.760 come in ready to go, no matter what the weather. 23 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:15.920 I think Kentucky will be more ready than it was 24 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:20.079 last week. But it might not matter. George is just 25 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:22.760 really really good, as you know. So coming up tonight 26 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:25.519 we'll hear from Mark Stoops that comes up after our 27 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:29.159 first break justin Rowland, Have Cats Illustrated? Will join us. 28 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:32.560 We'll get his take not just on Kentucky football, but 29 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:35.560 on recruiting as well. For basketball. Things have gone well 30 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:39.599 for Mark Pope and company. Hallie DeVore from WTVQ to 31 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:42.799 new home for SEC football will join us as well. 32 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.239 She is often at practice conducting interviews with not just 33 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:50.359 Stoops but players, and she also was an athlete at 34 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:54.480 Northwestern ran track and cross country and in the Pac 35 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:58.879 twelve I'm sorry, in the Pac ten which is now 36 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:02.000 the Pac twe well as well as the Back ten. 37 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:04.799 Some of those Pac twelve teams umed up in the 38 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:06.879 Big ten. She did not have to travel the way 39 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:09.639 these kids now will have to travel in the Pac ten, 40 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:12.879 So I will ask her about that. We'll look back 41 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:15.680 on the week and Heroes, fools and Flakes a little 42 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:18.400 bit later on. But I want to start with football, 43 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:21.719 not college football today, but the pro game, because two 44 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:26.080 at Toungue Boloa last night took another wicked shot and 45 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:29.840 has been sidelined with a concussion. By coincidence, I was 46 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:33.759 in Cincinnati the night that he went down against the Bengals, 47 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:37.840 and another odd coincidence, some weeks later, we all know 48 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:43.919 what happened Damar Hamlin, who nearly lost his life on 49 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:47.319 the Bengals playing field. But you know that story. He's 50 00:02:47.319 --> 00:02:49.080 come all the way back to play football. And not 51 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:54.439 only that, he was the guy who tackled tu when 52 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:57.120 Tungue of Olio went down with a concussion. It looked 53 00:02:57.159 --> 00:02:59.560 like a routine tackle, but when you look at the 54 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:02.759 slow and it was not Hamlin delivering a helmet to 55 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:07.680 helmet blow. It was Tongue of Aloa hitting Hamlin as 56 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:11.840 they went down, kind of banged his helmet off Hamlin's chest. 57 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.240 So he goes down with another concussion, and now the 58 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:19.520 discussion is should he keep playing football? Because remember now 59 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:24.960 that concussion at Cincinnati last year that had him down 60 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.639 on the field for quite a while and sideline for 61 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:31.759 a while was not his first, but they kind of 62 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:35.800 overlooked the first one that year. He had gone down 63 00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:39.719 in a game earlier, and when he got up, was wobbly, 64 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:42.280 didn't know where he was, started to walk to the 65 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:46.439 wrong huddle, and yet he was cleared by doctors on 66 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:49.280 the sideline and they sent him back in. I am 67 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:52.439 not an expert, but I've talked to several medical people 68 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:56.360 through the years and read things and heard things. This 69 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:00.120 much I know about concussions. If you have won one, 70 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.039 the next one comes just a little easier, and the 71 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.319 one after that, and God help you the one after that. 72 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:10.639 And it's been described to me as a bruise to 73 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:16.240 your brain, and in some corners they say you never 74 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:20.759 fully recover. And now, of course all the research about 75 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.360 CTE players taking their own lives, and just recently, the 76 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:28.319 widow of Guy Morris, Jackie Morris, posted about the fact 77 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:32.319 that Guimo donated his brain to research. And of course 78 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:37.439 Guimo late had Alzheimer's late in his life and they 79 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.600 examined his brain and he had quite a bit of 80 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:46.600 evidence of CTE. So this is just a terrible development 81 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:49.399 in pro football through the years. I think some of 82 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:52.079 it is the fact that they're better at diagnosing it. 83 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:53.839 Back in the day they would laugh it off and 84 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:57.120 a guy got his belt wrung. Also, the helmets are 85 00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:00.519 so much better now, so guys can turn them the 86 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:04.800 missiles and not think twice about it. But something's got 87 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:07.720 to give, and far too often it's the brain. And 88 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:11.839 on ESPN this morning, Bart Scott, who was an NFL linebacker, 89 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:14.800 played for eleven years but hunging up a little bit 90 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:21.480 early because of symptoms he experienced after yet another concussion. 91 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.360 He said, finally the worries just took over and he 92 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:28.040 had to step down for the good of his health. 93 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:30.240 But he said, it's just not easy. 94 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:33.079 Everybody think I retired because my toe right, I had 95 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:35.759 reconstructuring surgery on my toe and I left, But really 96 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:38.439 it was because, like I started seeing spots and lights, 97 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:41.240 I had light sensitivity. I never really shared this with anybody, 98 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:43.759 but I feel inclined to do this in this intimate, 99 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:48.439 you know, setting that we have, and I didn't know 100 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:50.680 what to do, and I was like, you know what, 101 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:52.959 it's time to fold it up. And you know, it's 102 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:56.480 about the people that's around tool, right, because it's hard 103 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:59.079 for him not to make an emotional decision. That's why 104 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.959 you put people around you, your team that you trust 105 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:05.120 with your life and to make lifelong decisions, and you 106 00:06:05.399 --> 00:06:08.040 give them the information and then you come together and 107 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:10.879 you make a collective decision because it can't be a decision. 108 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:13.399 And sometimes you know, I regret that I walked away, 109 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:16.040 and sometimes you know because. 110 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:16.560 You have to live with that. 111 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:19.000 Like you know, leaving a game that you've dedicated your 112 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:21.240 entire life to is like a death. I tell people 113 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:23.319 all the top mornings have two dogs, right, and you 114 00:06:23.319 --> 00:06:24.959 don't know what to do. You wake up the next 115 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:27.439 day and you're thirty years old, you're twenty years old, 116 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:28.480 and you don't know what you want to do with 117 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:30.079 the rest of your life. And everything that you have 118 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:32.839 done has been defined by being a football player. And 119 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:34.279 it's not who you are, it's what you do. But 120 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:37.360 all the laws and everything that we've learned and all 121 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:40.079 the best qualities of us will learn on the football field, 122 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:42.040 how to work with others, how to be accountable, and 123 00:06:42.040 --> 00:06:43.439 now you're not a part of that. And it's the 124 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.120 loneliest feeling in the world. That's why we see guys 125 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:49.439 and we don't know why guys commit suicide, but it's 126 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:52.279 that lonely feeling of being not around anybody and feel 127 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:53.120 like you have no worth. 128 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:56.720 Can you imagine after you make a decision like that 129 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:00.720 and you leave football. Now, I'm retired from the daily 130 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:04.480 life of WKYT. But when I retired, I was able 131 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:06.800 to move into or keep doing other things like this 132 00:07:06.920 --> 00:07:10.720 radio show and the SEC network and the UK network. 133 00:07:10.759 --> 00:07:14.279 But I never had to just stop Cold Turkey, so 134 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:16.920 I couldn't imagine what it's like, as Bart Scott said, 135 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:19.279 to wake up the next day and feel like you 136 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:22.480 have no worth. I don't think I would have even 137 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:24.800 if I had none of these other projects going, simply 138 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:28.000 because I was in television for thirty five years. I 139 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:31.600 had had my pill and I don't care who you are. 140 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:35.079 As a pro athlete, your career is very likely never 141 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.000 as long as you hope it would be, because you're 142 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:40.759 living a dream. Not saying I wasn't in TV, but 143 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:43.040 everything has its ups and downs. But when you're a 144 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.040 pro football player, you are one of the best in 145 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:47.639 the world and you're making great money. You're living the 146 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:51.680 life something you dreamed of your entire life, and boom, 147 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:54.360 you give it up. And not only do you give 148 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.240 it up, and I'm sure Bart Scott felt like it 149 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:58.480 was taken away from him, and if Tua has to 150 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:02.120 hang it up, which you know what, he probably should. 151 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:06.199 It's easy for me to say he's set for life financially, 152 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:09.040 but still he's got to feel like the game is 153 00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:11.759 going to be taken away from him, but for the 154 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:13.839 sake of himself his family. I don't know what his 155 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:17.279 family situation's like, but I guarantee he's not alone in 156 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:21.279 life right now. It's just too dangerous. And you know what, 157 00:08:22.199 --> 00:08:24.199 if you know anything about him, and I've read about him, 158 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:27.040 I've never met the man, but he is incredibly well liked. 159 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:30.519 In fact, after last night's game the Bills beat the Dolphins, 160 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:34.200 this is what Josh Allen said on Amazon Primes broadcast. 161 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:34.679 Yeah. 162 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:37.840 I mean, I think if you know too outside of football, 163 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:40.720 like you do, like I do, you can't help but 164 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:43.320 feel for him. He is in a great football player, 165 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:45.639 but he's an even greater human being. He's one of 166 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:48.279 the best humans on the planet. You know, I got 167 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:49.759 a lot of love for him, and I'm just praying 168 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:53.080 for him and his family and hoping everything's okay. But yeah, 169 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:54.960 it's tough, man. This is this game of football that 170 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:57.759 we play. It's got it ties and it's got its lows, 171 00:08:57.759 --> 00:08:58.919 and that's definitely one of the lows. 172 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:04.159 So that's Bill's quarterback. Josh Allen on Amazon Prime Sticking 173 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:06.720 with a TV. We talked a little bit this week 174 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:10.600 about Tom Brady's debut, and again it was you know, 175 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:14.799 and everybody said the same thing about it. Paul fine 176 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:20.039 Baum destroyed him by praising when he was praising Nick Saban, 177 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:24.039 And of course fine Bomb'm a huge fan of Saban 178 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:27.480 in Alabama, so you expect him to be a complimentary 179 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:31.039 of Saban, and he did so at the expense of Brady. 180 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:34.320 He talked about Saban, called him analytical and precise on 181 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:39.039 ESPN's College Game Day show, and he talked about Tom 182 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.679 Brady and said he had to watch him stumble, fumble 183 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:46.759 and waste the audience's time, but Hackney cliches and tempered 184 00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:51.080 comments when good, well founded experience and opinion would suffice 185 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:54.320 has been fascinating. He said, I don't think Nick Saban 186 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:56.399 could be off to a better start, and that's true, 187 00:09:57.080 --> 00:10:01.559 but it's not fair. And I don't know fine Bomb 188 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:03.600 at all. I mean, I respect his work, I don't 189 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:05.440 always agree with him, and I don't agree with him here. 190 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:08.399 I mean he's right, Sabin was better than Brady. But 191 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.879 it's apples and pineapples. What was Sabin doing and he 192 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:15.399 was really good? What was he doing? I'm watching him 193 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:18.480 and I realized, he's breaking down film. He's coaching us, 194 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:22.240 he's coaching the guys on the set, he's coaching the audience. 195 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:25.440 Why because that's what he's good at. That's what he's 196 00:10:25.480 --> 00:10:29.679 done his entire career. He was, as they say, breaking 197 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:32.639 down film. It's video, I know, but he was breaking 198 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:37.200 down film. And he's a good talker. He's been interviewed 199 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:40.840 a thousand times, a million times, as says Brady. But 200 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:45.080 what was Brady doing. Brady was generating original thought and 201 00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:50.919 reacting and responding live on the air. If Brady had 202 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:54.399 been standing up in front of a whiteboard or had 203 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:59.559 been preparing, you know, since Friday to talk about certain 204 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:02.279 plays on VITI, you don't think Saban rehearsed. Of course 205 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:05.759 he did. He prepared, so did Brady, but he prepared 206 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:10.440 by doing practice games. But what he was doing was 207 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:15.320 live on the air and responding in real time, which 208 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:19.840 ain't easy, folks, trust me on that. I've done it. 209 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:22.360 I've done color a little bit. I'm not good at it. 210 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:25.279 Obviously I was not a college or pro athlete, of course, 211 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.879 But also if you're a playbook play guy, when you 212 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:31.679 get started, it's easier than color because you're reacting and 213 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:36.039 describing to what you see instantly, you know so and 214 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:38.639 so takes the snap drops back, that kind of stuff. 215 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.120 But now if you're the person breaking it down and 216 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:45.279 you have fifteen seconds and maybe a producer in your 217 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:50.279 ear or you're referring to replay, yeah, you might fall 218 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:52.200 back on a a what do you call it, a 219 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:56.080 hackneyed cliche, which no one should ever do. But that's 220 00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:59.080 a security blanket, and too many people fall back on 221 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:02.159 that way too many times. Brady's gonna get better. Will 222 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:05.519 he be great? I don't know. John Madden wasn't great 223 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:08.480 when he started. He's considered one of the all time best. 224 00:12:08.840 --> 00:12:12.360 Nobody is great when they started. Romo was very good. 225 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:16.159 I wouldn't call him great. Romo was popular because he 226 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:19.159 predicted play. If he hadn't been predicting plays, would he 227 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:23.440 have been considered great? I don't think so, simply because 228 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:27.320 the reviews of Romo after he started centered on and 229 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:31.639 they should have him predicting plays. Why because, first of all, 230 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:34.600 he was good at it. Secondly, nobody else was doing that. 231 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:39.000 He was unique, So really unfair, I think a fine 232 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:48.080 baumb because Brady and Saban were doing two entirely different jobs. Now, 233 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:51.080 Saban maybe he could sit down in a booth and 234 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:54.480 blow again, blow Brady out of the water. I don't 235 00:12:54.480 --> 00:13:00.440 think so, because again it's just a different mission. But 236 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:03.279 give Brady time. I'll be curious to hear what he's 237 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.879 like at the end of the year by playoff time 238 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.279 compared to where he is now. Up next, Mark Stoops 239 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.919 trying to get his team ready for those Georgia Bulldogs. 240 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:15.200 A little bit later, justin Roland here on six thirty WLAP. 241 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:18.559 Welcome back coming up in just a few minutes, justin 242 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:23.679 Rowland of Cats Illustrated. We'll talk Kentucky football and basketball recruiting, 243 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:26.639 and of course it's Kentucky Georgia coming up tomorrow night, 244 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:29.480 a game you will hear right here on six thirty WLAP. 245 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:34.360 It'll open with our celebrity broadcaster, let's call him that, 246 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:38.360 Rich Brooks will open the broadcast, as we have had 247 00:13:38.679 --> 00:13:41.639 a couple of other former Wildcats open things up this week, 248 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:45.000 Bill Ransdell in week number one, Jojo Kemp opened up 249 00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:48.240 last week's broadcast and Rich Brooks, who we heard from 250 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:51.159 last night on the show. Two of his teams beat 251 00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:55.799 those Georgia Bulldogs, including twenty oh six when the Wildcats 252 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:59.360 needed one more win to become Bowl eligible. They got 253 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:01.960 it against Georgia went on to beat Vandy as well 254 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:04.720 and then Clemson in the Music City bull So Rich 255 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:09.080 will open the broadcast tomorrow night, Yours truly along with 256 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:12.399 Tom Leach and Jeff Bicoro calling the action. Christy Thomas, 257 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:16.480 Jeremy Jarman, and Logan Stenberg with our pregame coverage as 258 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:20.840 Mark stoop sends his team out after another really good 259 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:25.480 Georgia ball club and Stoops was talking in practice after 260 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:29.759 practice just yesterday about the fact that they went back 261 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:32.600 to work this week. They just tried to clean things 262 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:36.240 up and go through the things they actually went through 263 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:39.279 against South Carolina, just trying to do a better job 264 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.519 and really hone in on some things that the Wildcats 265 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.039 let get away last week. They got to nail it 266 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:46.759 down this week. 267 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:48.919 Practice is practice. We have to be able to carry 268 00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:51.559 that over to the field. Therefore, you have to watch 269 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:54.440 what you do, what you install, make sure you know 270 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:57.639 that we can handle what we're bringing to the game plan, 271 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:02.279 and the players have that focus, you know, throughout the 272 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.240 week to understand what we're trying to get accomplished and why, 273 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:09.440 and you know, hopefully we'll make some growth in that area. 274 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:13.120 You might recall an opening night a two quarters plus 275 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:17.360 Kentucky scored thirty one, held USM scoreless, but it wasn't 276 00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:20.799 perfect by any means. Well, the problems that Kentucky might 277 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:24.799 have had obviously reared their ugly heads against South Carolina, 278 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:27.840 and according to Stoops, a lot of it was pre 279 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:31.919 snap stuff, which is mental and you've got to have 280 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:35.320 that nailed down before you take on a team like Georgia. 281 00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:38.879 We can't make growth if we're just worrying about, you 282 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:42.840 know what the pre snap you know, I mean we 283 00:15:42.919 --> 00:15:45.960 have a we do a lot pre snap. We can't 284 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:48.480 be you know, too consumed with that to not be 285 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:51.600 able to execute. And I thought that was, you know, 286 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:54.080 that was an issue last week. And we'll improve as 287 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:56.840 year goes on and as they get more comfortable, because 288 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:58.600 you know, you go through a spring, you go through 289 00:15:58.679 --> 00:16:00.919 camp and there's a lot of the face, a lot 290 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.519 of things that are used to and then you throw 291 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:04.720 in rakefules and you've got to be able to put 292 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:06.080 that on top of it. You got to have the 293 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:09.000 capacity to be able to handle all that, and we'll 294 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:09.440 get better. 295 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:12.000 And again, they may be a lot better this week, 296 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:15.200 but it may not show on the scoreboard. We heard 297 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:18.320 from Brock Vandergrift, the former Georgia Bulldog yesterday and of 298 00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:23.120 course on the defensive side, Jamon Johnson, a former Georgia Bulldog, 299 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:27.360 a former Georgia All American playing linebacker now for the Wildcats, 300 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:30.559 and naturally the media gravitated to him as well as Brock. 301 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:34.639 Talking about going up against his former teammates, he said 302 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:37.000 he still communicates with him. He said a lot of 303 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:39.840 times he goes back to Georgia, back to Athens when 304 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:42.399 he asks free time to be with his guys. But 305 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:45.600 his guys now are the Wildcats, and he said he 306 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:47.320 doesn't really feel like he has to go out and 307 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:51.200 prove anything to his former teammates. He just wants to 308 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:54.440 go out and play, play hard and win. And Stoops 309 00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:55.240 chimed in as. 310 00:16:55.080 --> 00:17:00.639 Well, I already deal didn't prove myself ready, but I 311 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:02.440 don't think of it like that. It's just another game 312 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:04.079 to get better. Another game. Try to win the ball 313 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:07.720 game another game while they didn't play, man, just playball, 314 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:10.359 do your job and play as hard as you can. 315 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:12.559 Pay it to one hundred percent and at the game, 316 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:13.079 be the game. 317 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:13.319 Man. 318 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:16.400 It ain't nothing you can do. Last week was last week, 319 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:18.920 onto a new week. Pay the game. 320 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:22.240 He's just a ballplayer, you know. I've said that his 321 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:24.359 demeanor since he'd been here. He's a guy that just 322 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:27.599 puts his head down and plays football. You know, he 323 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:31.440 just you know, I love his attitude and the way 324 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:35.480 he plays, and you never have to worry about him 325 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:38.319 bringing it to the field and playing. 326 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:41.720 Ball, basic football. But you gotta think there'll be a 327 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:46.640 little bit extra when both Vandergriff and Pops they didn't 328 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:49.480 really like to be called Pops anymore, but Johnson come 329 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.519 out and to see those Georgia Bulldogs and the Silver 330 00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:55.279 Bridges warming up and then coming out of the tunnel 331 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.599 before kickoff. So you'll see it tomorrow. You're here tomorrow 332 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:03.400 off seven thirty five thirty broadcast time here on the 333 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:08.200 UK Sports Network. Belated Happy Birthday to Mark Pope, the 334 00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:11.039 UK basketball coach. His birthday was actually a couple of 335 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:14.480 days ago. A happy birthday today to my brother Charlie. 336 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:18.160 Yesterday was my sister Peggy's birthday, so big week for birthdays. 337 00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:21.480 I got one coming up soon, but we thought we 338 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:25.759 would go back and revisit a moment from when Stoops 339 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:29.000 was hired because one of the Twitter accounts I think 340 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:33.400 it was catch classic put up video of Mark Pope 341 00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:37.480 hitting the free throws that basically locked down the win 342 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:42.319 over Syracuse. This is the CBS Sports audio as Jim 343 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:45.079 Nance called it. First you hear Billy Packer, then you 344 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:48.440 hear Jim Nance from nineteen ninety six as Mark Pope 345 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:51.960 hit the two biggest free throws of his life to 346 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:56.039 help the Wildcats nail down and win over Syracuse in 347 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:57.279 the championship game. 348 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:01.640 Now those people in Kentucky and really starts to feel it, 349 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:06.240 the great support they have for their basketball team and 350 00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:07.119 have had. 351 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:09.200 For so many years. 352 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:14.559 Pope first though seventeen fouls in Syracuse as a critical 353 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:18.200 one on one. The problem is who will Syracuse have 354 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:23.119 as it's got to guy at the other end, Hope, 355 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:28.920 who was a Rhodes Scholar candidate and the former Pac 356 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:32.200 ten Freshman of the Year the University. 357 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:32.799 Of Washington. 358 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.680 SPATA don with a salute and Kentucky up seven with 359 00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:46.240 a minute four women. 360 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:49.039 And I asked Mark Pope about that. You might recall 361 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:52.240 from the news conference that it happened right after he 362 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:54.319 was introduced a big pip route in the media. We 363 00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:57.599 the media got a chance to talk to him, and 364 00:19:57.640 --> 00:20:00.640 I asked him about that moment during the interviews that 365 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:03.759 we produce on the ninety six Championship, and Pope told 366 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:06.359 the story about what was going through his mind when 367 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:09.519 he hit those shots. And you told me, I knew 368 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:12.400 if I didn't hit those free throws, I could never 369 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:17.519 come back to Kentucky again. Here you are, But how 370 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:20.000 much is being a part of that championship team going 371 00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:21.960 to help you recruiting and building a program. 372 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:30.319 So we have time, can I tell this story? So, so, guys, 373 00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:34.039 we're playing Syracuse to the National Championship, right and there's 374 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:35.359 give or take a minute left. 375 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:36.880 And really, the. 376 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:39.920 Only meaningful play that I made in my entire I 377 00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:40.680 was a bad player. 378 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:42.359 The only meaningful player made my. 379 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:45.799 Entire career Syracuse pushing the ball down the floor and 380 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:49.359 I kind of trip and fall into a pass and 381 00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:53.920 deflected and they give me a foul. And so that's 382 00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:58.279 how good I was so so it happened right down 383 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:00.480 there in the meadowlands. But that's why on the court, 384 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:04.720 and I started walking from there to the free throw line. 385 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:06.920 I don't know, it's fifty seconds. Someone looking up, there's 386 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.079 fifty seconds left. I think we were maybe up three, 387 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:13.559 maybe up five. And there was only one thought. 388 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:15.039 This is, honestly the truth. 389 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:18.960 I wasn't thinking about form or team or celebration or score. 390 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:21.319 I literally was walking and. 391 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:24.000 I promised, this is your shoe. The only thought that 392 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:26.400 came into my mind was if I don't make this, 393 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:34.079 they are going to kill me. And who won't want that. 394 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:35.839 That's why we're here, guys, That's what we do, So 395 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:39.640 that's that's important. 396 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:43.920 And of course he was referring to the guys as 397 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:47.359 former teammates and former wild Cats in general. They were 398 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:50.079 standing over up to the side. Remember they all would 399 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:51.839 have killed him if you had missed those freed nine. 400 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:54.119 Not really, but that's what kind of pressure you put 401 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:57.000