WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:02.919 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:06.000 Friday edition of our program, the eve of Game Night, 3 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:09.439 when Wildcats take on Tennessee tomorrow night, it is gonna 4 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:11.279 be a tough one. We'll have it for you right here. 5 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:14.480 Five point thirty pre game with Christy, Jeremy and Logan 6 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:17.760 seven forty five. Kick the Cats and the ball's gonna 7 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:20.519 be nasty down there. Weather might be a little nasty, 8 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:23.960 but there's gonna be a blackout. Tennessee's got the orange uniforms, 9 00:00:24.519 --> 00:00:27.839 kind of the Halloween uniforms. They'll have their lights show 10 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:30.800 going like they did two years ago. Kentucky's got the 11 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:35.600 same technology now, really most SEC teams do. But yeah, 12 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:39.320 it's gonna be stiff because Tennessee's really good. It's not 13 00:00:39.399 --> 00:00:41.679 the jail break stuff that we've seen in the past. 14 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:45.000 It's a strong run game and a really good defense. 15 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:47.240 And we're gonna talk more about that tonight. Well here 16 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:49.560 in a minute from Mark Stoops about that. A little 17 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:51.920 bit later on, we're gonna play an excerpt from the 18 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:55.679 Wildcat Whip, Tom Leach and Jeff Picoro talking about this 19 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:59.000 Tennessee Kentucky matchup. If you haven't heard the Whip yet, well, 20 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:03.079 we directed to my Facebook page, also to Twitter or 21 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:05.959 x if you will, to the UK Sports Network account. 22 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:09.599 It's also on mine where Tom and Jeff and I 23 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:13.000 get together at South of Wrigley Great Sandwich Shop over 24 00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:16.760 on Southland Drive and talk about each game. It goes 25 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:19.959 up on Thursday afternoons, and what it is is basically 26 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:22.840 an extended version of what you hear in the pregame 27 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.239 show when we get together. Our segments like two two 28 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:28.079 and a half minutes, so we thought we're gonna do 29 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:30.519 a little bit more or a lot more. So that's 30 00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:33.799 what the Wildcat Whip has become. And again it's online 31 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:36.879 right now on social media. So if you really like 32 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:39.200 hearing the two guys who are gonna call the game 33 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:42.359 break things down, then yeah, I direct you to that. 34 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:45.079 I just kind of make sure it gets on the airs. 35 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:47.280 What I do I just bring up a topic and 36 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:50.439 sit back and listen and enjoy what they're saying. So 37 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:53.640 that's coming up in hour number two. But we're also 38 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:55.560 gonna hear from Mark Pope again coming up a little 39 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:59.680 bit later on because his team opens up play on Monday, 40 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:03.000 as does Kenny Brooks UK women, So that's coming up 41 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:05.319 in our next segment. At the bottom of the hour, 42 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:09.479 Tom Leech will chavel us just Tom on both football 43 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.439 and basketball. He's my guest at the bottom of the hour, 44 00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:15.560 and in the second hour, Rick Russo will join us. 45 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:17.800 Rickman on the show several times. Haven't heard from him 46 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:20.479 in a while, but he is the sports director down 47 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:24.919 a WVLT in Knoxville. He's been there forever and we're 48 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:27.080 going to chat with him about just what's gotten into 49 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:29.439 these walls this season. They got a really good team. 50 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:33.319 The rank seventh right now. So busy show coming up. 51 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:35.639 We'll talk a little bit more about the Dodgers and 52 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:37.639 the World Series. Also, we're going to present, as we 53 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:41.000 usually do on Friday one weekend Hero Schools and Flakes. 54 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:44.360 But Mark Stoops talked to the media yesterday. Of course, 55 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:47.240 he was up north with his family following the funeral 56 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.520 of his mother on Monday, so he wasn't on his 57 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:53.680 show or at the Monday news conference. But Stoops met 58 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:58.319 with the media last night and somebody asked him about 59 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:02.039 this Tennessee team and just what makes this particular Tennessee 60 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:03.319 team so different. 61 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:08.639 You know, you see the offense obviously, coming coming along 62 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:10.479 to where they want it to be or you know, 63 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:13.599 getting that way. I mean, obviously they could strike at 64 00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:18.879 any moment, you know, again, much like last year, very physical, 65 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:22.680 very good in the run game, and getting more and 66 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:26.439 more explosive and more comfortable, you know, with with the 67 00:03:26.439 --> 00:03:29.560 big plays. I think the big thing is is how 68 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:33.360 good they are defensively, you know, very very good football team, 69 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:36.479 very disruptive and very strong, you know, and they and 70 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:41.599 they're deep. They're deep. So they have some big guys line, yeah, 71 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:45.360 without question, Yeah, very very much. So you know, any 72 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:47.919 great defense usually starts up front, and they're no different. 73 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:48.120 You know. 74 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:50.319 I think they're very deep, they're very big, they're long, 75 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:52.240 they're strong. They do a good job. 76 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:55.840 And that D line, that defense pretty strong, pretty big, 77 00:03:55.960 --> 00:03:58.479 and they have not given up a lot of points. 78 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:01.520 And it's going to be a challenge for the Wildcats 79 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:05.719 to move the football, keep the chains moving. And throughout 80 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:09.840 the year, when Kentucky's been successful, the Cats have basically 81 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:12.639 been able to play some power football. I haven't scored 82 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:14.879 a lot of points, haven't put up enough yards a 83 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:17.879 lot of times, but when they have been able to 84 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:21.480 get things done against the likes of Georgia and Ole Miss. 85 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:24.240 They have held on to the football. They've been a 86 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:28.639 possession ball control team. Stoop said, it's vital for Kentucky, 87 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:31.639 which is, you know, dealing with so many injuries, but 88 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:33.879 just try to stay with what they do and as 89 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:37.199 he said, be who we are, and he referenced comments 90 00:04:37.240 --> 00:04:40.839 Brad White, the defensive coordinator, made earlier this week about 91 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:44.480 just looking for answers and trying different things to. 92 00:04:45.399 --> 00:04:47.879 You know, coach, you know White's defense. I think you know, 93 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:49.839 when you get a little bit banged up, when you're 94 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:52.000 trying to start throwing things. You've heard me say that 95 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:54.240 over years. I've been there as a play call. You know, 96 00:04:54.279 --> 00:04:56.160 when you feel like you're trying to throw things at 97 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:59.120 a wall. Sometimes you know it doesn't always. 98 00:04:58.879 --> 00:04:59.680 Stick, you know. 99 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:02.240 So we just got to be who we are and 100 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:05.079 just be a better version of us. And we've proven 101 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:07.639 we could do that. We just gotta we got to 102 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:10.560 strain and play with great pad level and play all 103 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:12.399 together and you know, and execute. 104 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:15.319 I mentioned what the catcher getting into tomorrow night, there's 105 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:17.600 going to be, like I said, the blackout. The uniform 106 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:19.399 is going to be a huge crowd on hand. They're 107 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.800 going to go nuts. It's the SEC, Welcome to life 108 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:25.920 and the SEC and Stupe said that's just something you 109 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:29.399 can expect wherever you go in the Southeastern Conference. 110 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:31.639 I understand I didn't see it. I don't I don't 111 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:34.519 really want on social media, but I understand that's pretty 112 00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:36.839 cool that they got a blackout going and the fans 113 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:39.480 have embraced it, you know, And I'm sure that'll be 114 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:43.959 a it'll be a hostile environment and uh, it generally 115 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.519 is when you play on the SECT, you know, particularly 116 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:49.040 at night, so it'll be it'll be a challenge. 117 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:51.040 Toward the end of the news conference, John Hall or 118 00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:53.639 rather a John Clay with a Harold Leader with a 119 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:57.079 with a really good question for Mark. He said, when 120 00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:59.319 it comes to offense, he said, I'm not talking about 121 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:03.600 play calling, but he basically said to Stoops, how can 122 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:06.680 you as the head coach, what can you do to 123 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:10.319 help the OC to help the offensive coordinator? Short of 124 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:13.560 just taken over calling the plays. Stoops talked about how 125 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:17.399 bush ham Dan eventually found a groove and found some 126 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:21.480 success calling plays for the Wildcast before these injuries began 127 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:23.519 to pile up. But really the back end of the 128 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:26.680 comment I thought was really telling. It was. It was 129 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:33.399 pointed directly at apparently what Stoops has seen as the 130 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.680 breakdowns of this team, and he made some references to 131 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:40.519 work he has to do with the program, particularly in 132 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:41.319 the off season. 133 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:44.040 The number one objective right now is to go try 134 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:47.079 to get a victory, but by any means necessary. And 135 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:50.120 so I think he does a really good job that way. 136 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:52.079 And as smart you know, we know we have some 137 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:55.120 some you know, shortcomings and some areas of concern and 138 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.319 some areas that we have to get addressed. 139 00:06:56.920 --> 00:06:57.079 You know. 140 00:06:57.160 --> 00:07:01.560 And you know that's a there's a things that that 141 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:04.279 you know, I you know that that you know I 142 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:07.319 got to get fixed, you know. And so you know, 143 00:07:07.399 --> 00:07:10.040 but he's done a nice job of trying to adapt 144 00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:11.480 the best he can to what we can do. 145 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:14.639 I went back and looked at the Kentucky roster. I 146 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:16.720 don't remember what I was looking for, but I remember 147 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:20.439 I went back and looked at the twenty eighteen roster. 148 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:23.000 That was probably Stoop's best team. That was the year 149 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:27.399 that Josh Allen won every award you probably possibly could 150 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.959 as a defender, and Kentucky wins ten games and wins 151 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:34.839 the Citrus Bowl. It was fun wasn't it. But the 152 00:07:34.839 --> 00:07:37.920 one thing that jumped out at me was as I 153 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:42.120 ran my finger down the list of Kentucky players from 154 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:46.800 that team, it was the number of guys who got 155 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:49.120 a shot at the NFL, maybe didn't make a team, 156 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:53.199 that maybe did, but got to a camp, signed a contract, 157 00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:56.720 and it seemed like and they weren't all seniors, you know, 158 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:02.040 but it just seemed like every five six names on 159 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:05.279 that roster, you'd say to yourself, Oh, that guy got it, 160 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:09.720 that guy made it, that guy signed. And now do 161 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:12.360 the same thing with this roster. And I'm not knocking 162 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:16.360 these kids sound like Caliperry, don't I. But the bottom 163 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:21.759 line is this team just isn't as good obviously as 164 00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:27.439 that team. But that goes back to Stoops and his staff. 165 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:30.439 How well have they recruited, how well if they evaluated. 166 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.639 They'll be the first to tell you they've made some mistakes. 167 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:35.039 They'll be the first to tell you that some kids 168 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:38.440 who came through the portal just haven't worked out. There's 169 00:08:38.440 --> 00:08:43.840 a reason some guys are in the portal because they 170 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:48.960 just aren't getting enough clock, enough plays at their previous school. Well, 171 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:53.000 why is that? Because they weren't good enough to play there. 172 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:57.440 Not everybody is Awandale Robinson obviously, who came back home 173 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.080 because he needed to be near his family, And not 174 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:07.279 everybody is Will Levis, who was probably misused or misevaluated 175 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:10.080 up at Penn State. No, he's not having a great 176 00:09:10.120 --> 00:09:13.600 pro career right now, but he had a terrific time 177 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:16.399 in college, at least with a good offensive line under 178 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:22.159 Liam Cohen. And he's a guy who was used primarily 179 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:25.080 as a runner, and he's a good runner at Penn State, 180 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:27.240 but they didn't really have the same kind of offense 181 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:30.840 in which he flourished at Kentucky his first year. Rock 182 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:35.240 Vandergriff has not had similar success. But I will always 183 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:41.039 wonder what his season or seasons would have looked like 184 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:44.440 at Kentucky or elsewhere. He's got another year after this season, 185 00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:49.159 if he was playing behind an offensive line with three, 186 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:51.879 four or five guys who were heading for the NFL, 187 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:54.720 and with all due respect to the kids they've got, now, 188 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:59.320 that's not what he's got. I still believe that the 189 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:03.080 crux of the problems for this team is a line 190 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:07.840 that is better. They're developing. They played really well against 191 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:12.879 Georgia and against Ole Miss and honestly, they did against 192 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:16.200 Vandy when they weren't shooting themselves in there and both 193 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:20.919 feet with penalties. But they're just not consistently good and 194 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:23.679 they are gonna have one hell of a challenge tomorrow night, 195 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:27.120 as they have against Auburn and Florida, because they're gonna 196 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:30.679 be running into some lines linemen who are huge. That's 197 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:33.759 been the biggest difference. I think no pun intended uh 198 00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:38.559 with these last couple of losses, big linemen. Same thing 199 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:42.799 for the Kentucky D line. They run into huge offensive lineman. 200 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:47.799 But getting back to the old line, when that group 201 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:52.399 is on its game and if Demi Shumol Karnbay is healthy, 202 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:55.240 Kentucky has a chance to move the chains. And if 203 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:58.440 you do that against Tennessee, it doesn't matter what the 204 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:01.200 lights show does. It doesn't matter what the crowd's wearing, 205 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:03.799 doesn't matter what the uniforms are on the other team. 206 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:07.559 You take the crowd out, you control the clock. You 207 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:09.840 saw the game at all, Missi either there. You watched 208 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.360 on TV while you were listening to the radio, and 209 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:16.159 you saw how Kentucky took that crowd out of the game, 210 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:20.159 and for a little while, Kentucky did it at Florida, 211 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:22.399 believe it or not, might not feel like it after 212 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:25.600 the final score, but when Kentucky was coming back and 213 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:28.279 made it a one score game and again the old 214 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:31.879 line was getting the job done, it silenced that crowd 215 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:33.399 and that was a really it was one of the 216 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:36.679 better crowds I've seen at the Swamp of late, not 217 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:40.120 back to the Spurier days, but you know how Kentucky's 218 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:43.559 gone down to the Swamp and pushed the Gators around, 219 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:46.360 and even one down there A couple of times that 220 00:11:46.440 --> 00:11:49.879 place has been silent, and it started to get that 221 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:53.559 way until Kentucky made some mistakes and Florida came back 222 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:56.240 and poured it on. There's a chance they can do 223 00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:59.399 that tomorrow night. But it starts with the offensive line. 224 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:03.159 And again, when I was a young reporter, Frank Kersey 225 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:05.279 took me to school in a good way. Wasn't yelling 226 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:08.360 at me or anything, but he basically educated me on 227 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:12.519 the fact that success up and down your football program 228 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:19.000 throughout depends on your offensive line, because of course that 229 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:22.279 says how much you're going to score, how long you're 230 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.600 going to be on the field, how much time your 231 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:28.879 defense has off the field. A smart talking head I 232 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:32.799 listened to said, the best defenses aren't on the field 233 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:35.799 a lot. The less time you're on the field is 234 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:38.720 the defense, the better you are. That's what needs to 235 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:41.840 happen Tomorrow night. We'll shift you over to basketball when 236 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:43.919 we come back. You're on the big boon Sider six thirty. 237 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:45.639 You come back to the big boon sider coming up 238 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:47.720 in just a few minutes, Tom Leech. She'll call the 239 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:51.720 action tomorrow night Tennessee Kentucky and then on Monday, Wright 240 00:12:51.879 --> 00:12:54.679 State and the basketball Cats. And we talked with Mark 241 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:58.399 Pope yesterday. His weekly news conference apparently will be on Thursday. 242 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:00.960 He's going to show up for him and answer questions. 243 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:03.600 How about that? And one of the questions put the 244 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:06.639 Pope in light of the shooting slump in the at 245 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:11.000 the beginning of the game against Minnesota State was somebody suggested, 246 00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:13.960 if a guy is not hitting, do you maybe take 247 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:16.120 the green light away? Do you shut that down? 248 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:19.720 Yeah, we don't do that. You drive your guys all crazy, 249 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:20.879 are you really? 250 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:22.679 Now? 251 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:25.639 It's part of the game. So so guess what if 252 00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:27.840 you're trying to scout us out and someone someone that shot, well, 253 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:30.639 the last couple of games, watch out because the numbers, 254 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:33.720 the numbers bear true. You know, every time you miss 255 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.960 a shot, you're one shot closer to making one. Like 256 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.360 that's just the truth. That's the data, that's the numbers, 257 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:42.000 And so you kind of got to pick your poison, 258 00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:45.639 do you got You know, the numbers might say, hey, 259 00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:48.679 next game, don't guard Jackson Robinson because he was eight 260 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:51.759 for twelve last game. So the chances are the numbers 261 00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:53.399 say he's not going to make his first one, right, 262 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:57.080 I wouldn't do that because Jackson is just that way. 263 00:13:57.879 --> 00:13:59.440 You kind of had a grin in his face. Yeah, 264 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:02.279 we don't do that, So don't expect that to happen, 265 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:06.759 even if the Cats aren't hitting from the outside. As 266 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:09.559 for Kenny Brooks, the UK women's coach, his team opens 267 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:12.440 up at USC Upstate on Monday. Can he talk to 268 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:14.720 us about how well he's been accepted here by the 269 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:15.440 big Blue Nation. 270 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.519 I can't go anywhere in Lexington without somebody coming up, 271 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:21.080 you know, saying how excited they are to have us here, 272 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.159 and and that that didn't happen, you know when I 273 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.039 got to Virginia Tech. When I got to Virginia Tech, 274 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:27.559 I don't think anybody knew that I was the head 275 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:31.240 coach there, and they grew to know and they grew 276 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:34.440 to appreciate what we were doing. But to come here 277 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:36.480 and yet before you've even played a game and have 278 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:40.000 everything sold out, it just goes. It's an attestament to 279 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:43.759 the fan base. And that was a big reason why 280 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:45.960 I wanted to come here, because I felt like it 281 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:47.120 was a sleeping giant. 282 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:51.360 Kyraelsey struggled with the job. Matthew Mitchell took the wild 283 00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:53.720 Cats to the Elite eight a couple of times, knocked 284 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:56.879 on the door of the Final four, and the crowd 285 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.720 showed up. The fans loved it, obviously, and that just 286 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:04.799 showed Kentucky fans are ready for women's basketball to be big. 287 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:07.240 One other note before we hit the break, I didn't 288 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:09.720 really talk much Halloween last night. We had so much 289 00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:11.559 to talk about. Hope you had a good one, Hope 290 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:13.919 your kids did terrible. Did it rain? I felt so 291 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:16.279 sorry for the kids who came to our house. Well, 292 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:19.879 we got more kids last night than we've had, maybe combined, 293 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.480 in the last three years. That's a good sign. My 294 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:25.000 granddaughter's got a chance to see them all dressed up, 295 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:28.279 you know, and it always raises this time of year, 296 00:15:28.679 --> 00:15:31.879 the never ending debate about candy corn, which is awesome. 297 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:35.000 Love candy corn, my favorite vegetable. A lot of people 298 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:39.120 don't like it, and three years ago it became kind 299 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:42.399 of a national topic for two or three days when 300 00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:45.919 our friend Alyssa Lang from the SEC Network was working 301 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:48.360 in Mississippi State game back when the late great Mike 302 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:52.759 Leach was the coach there and the Bulldogs rolled to 303 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:55.120 a big win. So she had a chance to have 304 00:15:55.159 --> 00:15:57.759 fun with Mike Leach, who had made it clear at 305 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:01.039 some point that he did not like candy corn. And 306 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:04.440 in fact, I think Kentucky played down there a week 307 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:07.200 before or after, and some of the students in the 308 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:09.679 front row one of the end zones painted their chest. 309 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.399 I have a picture of it where they spell that 310 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:15.919 candy corn sucks. Of course they're wrong as well. But 311 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:19.720 Alyssa talk to Mike Leech, who never hesitates to get 312 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:22.600 off football and talk about something that's more fun. 313 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:25.639 We talked about on the broadcast, how you hate candy corn? 314 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:27.440 What's your favorite Halloween nycorn? 315 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.799 I mean, I completely hate candy corn when I was 316 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:36.080 a kid. Well, gummy bears, Let's see gummy bears for sure, 317 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:37.639 now we're regular. 318 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:41.360 The airboon. It's got to be the airbow once. 319 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:45.639 And then the other thing I like is when they 320 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:50.159 used to have the sprees in a box outstanding. You 321 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:52.000 have to go to the dollar store to find it, 322 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:55.879 but I do. And then the latest, the latest, you know, 323 00:16:56.279 --> 00:17:00.639 there's still candy innovation, although a while back the Europe 324 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:03.279 had better candy than we did overall because they have 325 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:04.200 got me everything. 326 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.880 And then but the uh, you. 327 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:11.720 Know, they have those nerds clusters. 328 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:12.079 Which is new. 329 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:14.240 Yeah, which is good. 330 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:17.400 The nerds clusters is good. And then if you go chocolate, 331 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:20.599 probably all them enjoy I love it. Hopefully you'll get 332 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:21.440 some of that next week. 333 00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:24.039 Yeah, yeah, we'll see. Thanks coaching, all right, thank you. 334 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:28.240 That's Alyssa Lang of the SEC Network. And then Mississippi 335 00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:31.759 State head coach Mike Leach posted on October twenty third, 336 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:35.920 twenty twenty one, and less than a year and a 337 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:39.640 half later he was gone. Died on December twelfth, twenty 338 00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:43.960 twenty two. And I remember talking to Neil Price about 339 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:46.880 him after he passed and just how much fun Neil 340 00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:50.279 and everybody had with Mike Leach, who was pretty good 341 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:53.240 football coach and as you know, at one point was 342 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:57.119 coaching here on staff with hel Mummy. Up next Tom Leach, 343 00:17:57.160 --> 00:17:59.000 the voice of the Cats, to talk about a big 344 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:01.880 weekend coming up for him. I mean works football on 345 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:06.079 Saturday night and basketball on Monday night. That's next here 346 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:08.599 on the first day of November. Can you believe it? 347 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:13.519 We flew through October. Joining us now is the voice 348 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:16.359 Tom Leech, who is a busy, busy man. This Timmy, 349 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:19.039 you were going to talk both football and basketball with him. 350 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:22.400 Although Tom, you've been working hard on Breeders' Cup picks. 351 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.160 I mean it's too Is it too much of a 352 00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:27.319 good thing for you? 353 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:28.000 Probably not. 354 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:31.599 No, it's fun, but it's just kind of test your 355 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:34.839 time management. So yeah, I'm busy. 356 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:35.319 Uh. 357 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:38.319 I do a pot Jim Goodman, I do a podcast 358 00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:41.640 for Queenlan every weekend and for their adw site and 359 00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:45.279 Breeders Cup time like an Oaks and Derby Day or 360 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:49.319 Breeders Cup. We do all the stakes races for both days, 361 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.640 and so I've been busy toiling over numbers. 362 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:56.480 You know, when I was working for KYT and covering 363 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:00.000 horse races, I love covering the Breeders Cup. But I'll 364 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.680 he was always at a loss. I mean you cover, 365 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:03.759 you do a story on the Classic and some of 366 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:06.119 the horse in there. But it's the All Star Game 367 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:09.799 and the World Championships rolled into one. As I always say, Yeah, 368 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:12.640 so you can't go wrong picking a horse. But where 369 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:15.200 do you start? So, but that's what's great about it. 370 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:17.920 What was it? This is the fortieth anniversary? 371 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.160 Right? 372 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.759 Did it start about eighty four? 373 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:22.079 It is? 374 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:22.759 It's the fortieth. 375 00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:25.000 Last year they celebrated the fortieth because it was the 376 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:29.119 fortieth breeders couch. Okay, but this is the fortieth year. Yeah, 377 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:32.319 So it's always one of those deals that they they 378 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:35.319 started basically at zero, right with having. 379 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:35.759 It at eighty four. 380 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:39.000 So John Gaines had a great idea and they made 381 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:41.519 it work. Yes, you did well. Let us first talk 382 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:45.799 about what's happening in Knoxville Saturday evening and you and 383 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:47.920 Jeff and I and boy going back to the Jeff 384 00:19:47.960 --> 00:19:50.960 Fan No Days and others. We covered some games down 385 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:54.000 there that couldn't go fast enough. It just wasn't competitive. 386 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:57.160 Do you think the Cats can keep it competitive and 387 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:00.000 give themselves a chance against the balls? 388 00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:05.440 It's anywhere close to the team that we saw in Oxford, 389 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:11.759 Mississippi or here against Georgia in September. Absolutely, if it's 390 00:20:11.799 --> 00:20:15.960 the team we've seen in October, then it will be 391 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:19.880 tough to say the least Tennessee. If you look at 392 00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:21.400 the numbers, they're kind of scary. You know what you 393 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:21.960 have to news. 394 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:27.359 Take out the non conference numbers because especially on the 395 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:31.160 offensive side, they look much more mortal when they've played 396 00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:32.359 in league games. 397 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:36.799 But their defense has been tremendous. I mean, whether they're 398 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:41.000 playing SEC teams or somebody else, their numbers are tremendous. 399 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:45.640 You know, Kentucky has struggled to finish drives and it's 400 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:48.240 got to find a way to make some place. Hopefully 401 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:51.279