KSR - 10-2-2026 - KSR - HOUR 2

Episode Date: October 2, 2026

Live from Shady Rays in Lexington: Talk of Matt getting stuck in an algorithm, Heat 2 to start filming soon, Ryan gets mad when someone bashes Tubby Smith, and the passing of Jeff Van Note.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Concerned about your gambling or that of someone close to you, visit connectsontario.ca. Hey, it's Ryan Lemon from Kentucky Sports Radio. I'm not just a radio guy. I'm also a realtor. I talk to homeowners all the time. And what's the one thing many homeowners have but rarely think about? It's equity. It's something that can quietly grow over time while you're busy living your life.

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At Stockton Mortgage, they'll walk you through the possibilities. Answer your questions and help you understand your next step. If it's been a while since you've looked into your homes by you, now might be a great time to start the conversation. Visit Stockton.com.com to learn more. Stockton Mortgage, NMLS 8259, NMLS Consumer Access.org, Equal Housing Lender. Stockton Mortgage and Ryan Liven are not affiliated entities. borrowers are free to choose their own service provider welcome back it is kentucky sports radio hour number two here at shady rays shady rays lost and broken protection any pair lost or broken shady rays will replace just go in and talk to an associate and they'll take care of you people are in there right now buying we're giving away sunglasses here on the show and remember till one o'clock buy two pairs you get 50% off each pair which is great 859-280 2287 text machine is 7772 772 77-4-5-254. I'm about to go back to phones. A couple things here. First of all,

Shaden, I ended up in two algorithms. Twitter has changed now to where, like, used to be basically whatever you tweeted, only the people that followed you saw it. Right. So, like, my hate would be from the same 20 people. And you could block them and you could mute them. It ain't like that anymore. Now people can hate you from all over the globe, right? It's the beauty of the Internet. Yeah. And I ended up in two, in the last 72 hours, I've ended up in two algorithms of people that get really mad. One is politics.

I'm used to that. Before I sent the tweet, I knew that was going to happen. And then all these people, right, right, right, right. But the second one surprised me a little bit. I went to dinner the other night, and I talked to, I heard these guys, they were arguing about who the smartest Marvel characters were. Uh-huh. And then they were also wondering why their wives had divorced them. And I was like, well, maybe that's.

Yeah, maybe those two things were handing. Those two things are connected. But then that led me into the Marvel algorithm. Oh, boy. And, man, those people are intense. The Marvel people are intense. And they just started, in my mentions, debating who the five smartest Marvel characters of all time are. Are you tagged on all these?

Oh, I've tagged on all of them. So they're all like, no, it's Tony Stark. No, it's Bruce Banner. No, it's Brees Bering. And I'm like, good grief. Well, there you go. You know, not to get into those nerds. battles because the people are very passionate.

And they're very hateful. Like they're very, to each other. They're like, how in the world? Could you say Thor is smart? Like, it's just, it's crazy. Well, now that you've experienced it, don't put me into your back and forth political people. You just tag me on some of them.

And then I get stuck in those. I need another one. No, you don't. No, you don't. Ryan Lemon has thoughts. Yeah, I should, you know what, Drew? Ryan Lemon said. This feels like a Sunday, uh, this would be a good Sunday tweet.

Ryan tells me I should vote for the Democrats in the midterms at Ryan Lemon. Do you agree? Oh, my goodness. Well, they've got to function now. You can leave the conversation, right? Yeah, I think you can dismiss yourself. I'll put you back. I need to learn how to do that.

I will continue to put you back. Did you see Drew the video of the guy winning in chess? Have you seen this? No, I don't think I've seen a chess video. So I guess Magnus Carlson, he's the goat. He's the best. chess player in the world. And he's playing online.

I guess there are ways to just play people online. And he's playing like some guy in Belgium. Some kid in Belgium draws Magnus Carlson. So he's playing him, and he's streaming it live on Twitch or whatever. So he's streaming live. I'm playing the greatest in the world. That is something kind of cool about chess. It's like you can't just go play.

The greatest basketball player in the world. Yeah. But I guess in chess you can just play. So I don't know how, but somehow this Belgian kid, upsets him and wins. Wow. They're streaming him, and as he upsets him, he loses his mind and he ended up taking off his clothes and just running around the room.

My kind of guy. You need to see the video. It's like pure joy. This guy, I'm sure, did not think he was going to beat the number one player in the world when he did. First thing, tarps off running around the room in Belgium. It's a big upset. I don't have to know who the Belgium kid is to know that Magnus Carlson very rarely, if ever,

loses. I don't know how much you saw of this kid. running around the room, but it sounds like he kept it PG but he was I just love the excited are those players still using those buzzers to cheat remember that controversy that was going on several years ago I don't know but I just bought a book about it oh about but buzzers there's a book called checkmate and it's about that whole scandal I plan on reading it the next let me know how that goes yeah I just give me the cliff notes version I certainly will then they also announced I don't know how many people would care this I bet men certainly men my age

would care about this. They just announced they are, it's long been rumored, but they are going to now film starting next month, Heat 2. One of my favorites. Now, normally I'd be against the idea of doing Heat 2. It was De Niro and Pacino. Like, what are you going to do? But when I tell you the cast, Drew,

do you know who's playing De Niro and Pacino? Remind me. I've seen it, but it's not going to be. Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale. Oh, wow. That's pretty good, don't you think? Pretty good. big star power there to do that one.

You know, you all know me for Love and Forrest Gump. He might be second. It's top three. I've seen it many times. I think it was the first DVD I ever owned, and I can't wait to. Usually I hate sequels, but I'm going to believe in this one. I'm looking forward to it. That's the thing. A lot of times you want a second movie, then you get that second movie, and it's a big letdown, and it kind of ruins it for you. I feel like this one's going to be good, though.

I can't imagine Leonardo DiCaprio would agree to be in a sequel where he wasn't even in the original unless it's like crazy good, right? And so much time has passed from the original to now to this one. I think it will make it. And that diner scene was that famous scene. They had never been on screen together, De Niro and Pacino, and they look at each other. And they're like, if you leave, you've got to be able to leave your woman,

and I'm going to leave my woman. I mean, it was better written than that. That's pretty much it. It was a really good. Playing Cat and Mouse the whole movie. Yeah. Then they end up, well, it's great movies. Val Kilmer is in it?

Val Kilmer is. And Ashley Judd's in it. That's right. A young Ashley Judd. I think a young Ashley Judd plays Val Kilmer's woman. And Ari Gold, Jeremy Piven. He's in it with a very bald head. Yeah, so there you go.

He's a haircut. 859-28027. Who's up next? Jacob is next. Jacob. Go ahead, Jacob. Jacob. All right, no, Jacob.

Who's next? Okay, let's try Nathaniel. Nathaniel. Go ahead, Nathaniel. Hey, good morning, guys. Hope you all having a good Friday. It's going to be a beautiful weekend here in the great state of Kentucky. Keenland opening weekend, Big Blue Madness tonight,

and hopefully cats can take care of business on Saturday. But they just want to kick it back to basketball really quickly. You all talked about, you know, Pope needs to be successful this year, and I think we all agree on that. However, wanted to send this question to each one of you all, what would it take for you all to not just think that Pope had a successful year, but for you to be excited about Pope coming back? next year. What would he need to do this year for that to happen?

I like that question. Ron, you go first. We've got to do better at the SEC tournament. We've got at least, I would say, if not win it, get to the championship game of the SEC tournament, make at least the elite eight. I don't know if we'll make the Final Four with this group we've got, but you make the elite eight and you get to the last championship game of the SEC tournament, I think I'd be happy. You'd be, but he asked you'd be excited. I'd be excited. Okay, what about you? I need one of my big three things to win the SEC, win the SEC tournament, are making the Elite 8 and then some semblance of the following year's roster is off to a good start.

I know they already have Ryan Hampton from high school. People might tell you he's slipping a little bit, didn't have a great summer. I need to have some kind of star power out of high school that gets me excited and maybe there's some buzz about a portal, whatever, but something with the next year's roster getting me hooked too. I agree with the Elite 8 thing. I think you've already proven you can get to the Sweet 16. You've got to get beyond that.

I think it also matters what you do in the regular season. Let's have a good seed going into the NCAA tournament. of it as well. So, you know, for me, first, obviously, they got to win game, right? And they need to win a lot of games because I don't want to be the team that goes 19 and 12 every year. That's not really, to me, what Kentucky basketball is. But for me, if you're saying to me, there's two different questions.

What should give Mark Pope another year? And for me, it's a lot of what you all have said, Sweet 16, whatever, as certain. But there's a different question than then, what would make me excited about Mark Pope being the coach going forward? That's a different question. And on that question, I need to feel like this dude has the vibe of this program going in a positive way. We need to be cool again. Like one of the things, I mean, this, I'm just being honest. We are not cool at all right now in the general basketball world.

The general basketball world, still a lot of them respect Mark Pope's coaching ability. Excuse me. They still think he's a good guy. A lot of them still think he can get it done here. But no one thinks that we have the energy. And we are about to enter an era where whatever happens in the next year or two is going to decide the next decade of success. whether this bill passes or not,

college sports will never be the same after the next year or two. And I don't want a Kentucky basketball world where whatever it is that's next, we're not at the forefront of it. And I worry that that's where we are right now. I worry that we are, you know, I worry that we're like everybody loves Raymond in a curb your enthusiasm world. or we are, I don't know, sopranos breaking bad and the wire is out

and we are, you know, my two dads or my two sons or something. I just, I do worry about that. I just worry we're like, in this world where everybody's like cool and swashbuckling and throwing money around and like this and we're like, hello everybody, we have the sacred cloth.

And I just don't know that that's going to work. So I need some of that to change, Drew. Does that make sense? Absolutely. The vibes have to change a little bit. I support you in getting rid of saying Sacred Claw, that will be a big part of me getting excited again. But all that has to come of winning games, too.

You've got to win games. I mean, none of it matters if you don't win games. But I also think there's a scenario where we win games and we still don't in some ways fix that problem, which I think is the problem for the future. And winning games doesn't mean get a big win over John Caliper and upset Florida and lose to Georgia. Like, have a great year where you're,

Kind of kicking ass, and people are talking about you in March. It was kind of like North Carolina rhyme with Hubert Davis. Right. North Carolina with Hubert Davis, they won sometimes. But did you ever think that North Carolina was like North Carolina during the Hubert Davis era? I didn't. I'm worried we're going to be like fine, but we're not Kentucky. And that's kind of what I want.

I'm with you. I never really thought of North Carolina that way, and I'm sure the recruit to kind of see Kentucky that way right now. Now, I think Pope made an effort to try to be cool again. We brought in Mo Williams. The question is, do you think that's going to help him? Will it work, especially in the recruiting world, get bringing somebody that making the program cool again?

Well, I mean, we'll see, right? I guess we'll find out. Cornbreadhemp.com, if you would like to rest and relax, Misty, you're a cornbread person, right? Actually, Misty may be doing some stuff stronger than cornbread. Multi-colored hair today. I mean, looking at your hair. day. Well, you have your medical card.

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Check out cornbread hemp. We are here at Shady Ray's. We'll take more of your calls. Be right back. This is Kentucky Sports Radio. The hard rock bet casino app is here, Ontario. It's safe, secure, and crystal clear with fast payouts and 24-7 local support. You can play over 3,000 games right here, including hard rock bet casino exclusives.

The hard rock bet casino app is here, Ontario. Roll with us. Must be 19 years of age or old. order to play. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Concerned about your gambling or that of someone close to you, visit connectsonterio.com. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio here live in Lexington to one o'clock by two, get 50% off on Sadie raised sunglasses. One person writes in, Matt, how do you think Danny Hurley or Dusty May are cool? No, they both won. I would completely disagree with that statement.

Danny Hurley's probably the biggest star. I mean, if you're looking at coaches, probably the coach with the biggest next to maybe Cal, probably the coach with the biggest persona is Danny Hurley. I think Danny Hurley. And then Dusty May, that Michigan team was cool. I mean, whether he personally is cool is irrelevant, but that Michigan team was cool. They were fun to watch. They had a lot of energy.

Yes. And, you know, Bill Self. I'm not saying Bill Self is cool, but he got the number one player in the way. America, like Tyron Stokes. Like, we just don't have that. We are basically, we've become a recruiting chip to get players more money from other schools. And, like, cool, maybe I don't think a Hurley is cool in a sense of, like, wearing, you know, flashy stuff. But cool is being on, like, a Master Card commercial.

And, you know, like, you're a national brand. That's a good way to talk about you. I think having a big persona, big personality is a good way to put it. Danny Hurley, here's the question. Do you have a coach that's known across the? the regular sports fans world, Shannon, and Danny Hurley certainly is. He definitely is. There's not as many of those coaches out there anymore. Most of those have retired. But to your point, do we have that coach? I'm trying to think of like, all right, what programs have

been really successful while being considered nerdy? Yeah. Purdue? Yes. Yeah. Virginia. But they all both play styles that are really boring. We have play on. On paper, a fun style, Ryan. You know, on paper, we should be, like, really fun. We can seem to say, like, Vanderbilt football last year. They were. No, no, no, no, no. Because DiOyo Pavia was the biggest star in college football.

You're talking about Dorky, though, like, Signetti, Indiana's pretty nerdy. Nerdy, too. You know, that's true. He is. So I've been saying on the football side, that's the answer. On the basketball side, it's a little tougher to find. It is tougher to find. Purdue is probably the best one, although they've never won it.

They've been to the championship game. Signetti's pretty nerdy, no doubt. but I've read some of these stuff that's come out about him behind the scenes. He's also a stone cold killer. Some of his quotes in the locker room are crazy. It is not a nerdy dude. And he's been in a lot of national commercials here recently, too. Who's up next?

Jim is up next. Jim, go ahead, Jim. Hey, Matt. What's going on? I just wanted to complain a little bit about everybody bashing Pope already. He's getting ready to start his stuff. third year and he hasn't even had a good chance yet and people are trying to run him off. Do they not remember what we went through trying to get a coach and what we had for the last

10 or 15 years? This guy can coach. Well, okay, well, hang on. Hang on just a second. I mean, I agree with some of what you're saying, but let's say what we had the last 15 years. I mean, we won a title 15 years ago. We went nearly undefeated 12 years ago. And after 2015, he quit coaching for Kentucky and started coaching for the NBA. We went, in 2016, in 2016, we went to the second round. In 2017, we went to the elite eight. In 2018, we went to the sweet 16.

In 2019, we went to the sweet 16. Like, to be fair, sir, to be fair, things changed after COVID. But, and you know my criticisms of Cal, but it. It isn't fair to act like we sucked for 15 years. That's just not true. My question is, do you want him back? No, but that's a different point. Exactly.

But now, wait a minute. I say this respectfully, but here's why that's kind of a dumb point. Let's say you're a, let's just use the world of politics. Let's say you're a Republican, and you really didn't like Joe Biden. Does that mean that for the rest of time, you can't ever criticize who the president, is without going, well, do you want Joe Biden back? No, I mean, like you've got to be able to talk about the situation that's happening right now. And while I don't want Calback, I'm talking about the situation that happens right now. I'm not trying to go back to history. What about right

now? Well, I don't think anybody's putting any more pressure on Pope than he is. He puts enough pressure on itself. And I don't think, you know, people are giving him a fair chance. Let him Let him get three years in. Yeah, I agree with that. Then if he's not doing the job, then if he's not doing a job, I mean, I mean, Barnhart gave Cal what, 12 or 15 years. He gave Tubby 10 years. But again, my man, hang on just a second.

Again, you got to be fair. Tubby won a national championship his first year. With Patino's team. Oh, okay, okay, I appreciate the call. My goodness, my good. Well, I'll be honest with you. What did he do? He had a better record than Mark Pope's had so far.

I mean, I'm not trying to bat. Like, I think we can be good this year. But we do have to be fair, Shannon. Like, you know, people, well, what did Tubby do? Tubby's worst year was better than our year last year. Tubby's worst year here. Yeah. Was better than last year.

And Caliperia came in after Gillespie and had immediate success, won a title, what his third year there? And Cal had one huge dud, the COVID year. Right. But every other year, again, just if we're being fair, every other year Cal was here, he won more games than Pope has either year. Right. And if Pope comes out and wins a national title this year,

then we'll eat our words, right? I'm not even eating my words. I think he can do a good job. I also think when we're talking about the standards, we need to have objective criteria and not just what we think. in our head. And I don't even think you can compare any coaches that are new in the last few years to the past because those guys, it was a several year rebuild where you can only get high school guys. The game has changed. You're expected to win immediately and then it resets that spring

and then you're expected it immediately. Then it resets. That's why like last year when the season ended, he said we made good progress building. That doesn't exist anymore. It really isn't building. No one builds now. I mean, Florida got kind of lucky with all these guys back, but it's mostly hitting the reset as soon as the season ends. And that means you're at. expectations are immediate. I hate it when people say Tubby Smith was a failure here. I mean, that really jerks my chain. Oh.

Oh, it jerks your chain. I mean, the dude won the SEC regular season or the championship pretty much every single year. Okay, he won one championship. But he won a championship. I mean, we never were in the jeopardy of not making the tournament. We've been in jeopardy of not making the tournament last year. Again, not to just take up for Tubby. Here's a little stat about forget.

People forget. We never didn't make it to the second round of the tournament. Right. Right. And we made it to the second weekend of the tournament every year but two in his career. It's pretty good. Who's next? Jeff is next.

Jeff, go ahead, Jeff. Hey, Matt, first time, long time. Who are? I got a couple things. Me and my friend Steve were headed down to South Carolina for the game. And we're also stopping in tonight and watching Virginia Tech versus Pits so we can witness the enter Sandman. And the final thing I wanted to ask. That would be fun.

Yeah. And we got another, I got a question for Ryan. Does he have any advice for us not to get cold-talked in South Carolina? If you see a bunch of drunk college guys, just keep walking. Just don't walk. Just don't interact. Just keep walking. The story keeps changing.

You interacted with it. I was trying to break it up, remember? I was in the middle trying to break it up. Go ahead, sir. What was your other one? Oh, I was, Drew brought up Forrest Gump, and that's my favorite movie. And I had some advice for him. Don't ever have two or three bourbons on a plane and watch Forrest Gump because you'll be blubbering like a baby on the plane.

Buddy, I love a good airplane, bourbon. That sounds like a perfect. hours to me. What, crying and watching Forest Gump? Three bourbons on an airplane watching Forest Gump? Is there anything better than that? I appreciate to call. I get that. I guess it right. By the way, Malacow Marino said he thought Frank, or excuse me, he thought Injai could be Drew an All-American. That was kind of a cool, exciting quote. I will be honest. I had, you know, he practices against him. I need a friend like Malacomarino. That's what I hear there. I mean, that would be awesome.

And he's just so hard to figure out because he's one of these international guys. We had Z, and we had last year, Yelovich. You just don't know how they're going to translate. He could come out and be amazing, and it can also take him while. He's the guy on the team that I have the least expectations for, but that was an exciting quote. I think Malachi, to say something positive, I think Malachi can have a massive year. I mean, I think if the way he's worked and you look at him and he's got, himself even more. I think Malachi could have a massive year this year if everything goes well.

We'll take a break and be right back. This is Kentucky Sports Radio. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. 899-28027 here at Shady Race. Again, the Big Blue Madden is 7 o'clock tonight. It is on streaming, on SEC Plus, ESPN Plus, etc. Kentucky plays at 415 tomorrow. This pregame show starts at One o'clock. They will be live from Fanfest. So if you're going to Fan Fest, find these guys. I will not be on the pregame show.

But then the postgame show, a rare, we've never done this before. They are doing the post game from the game down in South Carolina. So they will have, it'll be Adam Luckett and Nick Roush doing the post game show with Billy from South Carolina. So they will be in Gamecock Stadium either celebrating or being. sad live for the post game show. Hopefully they're right there on the 50 after a win. Talking trash to Beamer. Those guys, not big fans of Beamer,

so I think they're looking forward to a moment to celebrate. They took the equipment with them, Shannon. They've never used it before. It's almost certain it will break. That will be exciting. Well, I would say be on standby because there's a good chance that maybe Billy will be doing the post game show on his own. And if we win, you can guarantee, Ryan, I will call in for the first segment.

If we lose, maybe not. You have to. You have to call on. You did that when we beat Texas A&M a couple weeks ago. I guess I understand they're going to be set up in our radio broadcast booth. So somebody should be there to kind of help them get set up and get it going, so they'll be able to pull it off. One person says, Matt, the SEC is much harder now than it was during a lot of those eras.

That matters. I agree with that. I mean, you do have to factor that in. The SEC is much harder. But I still think, I don't care how hard it is. Drew, give me the stats again about the SEC tournament. Oh, that we suck at it? But we've been to Saturday like once since COVID?

I don't even think we've been since COVID, haven't we? Before COVID. Yeah, before COVID. All right, so I don't care how good the SEC is. Kentucky basketball does not make it to Saturday the SEC tournament, not make it for six years and that's okay. Yeah. I mean, we were just, I'm going to remind people, Pope's first year,

what place did we've come in the SEC? Anybody know? Eighth. And the Pope's second year, what place did we come in the SEC? Nine. Ninth. It's not acceptable. That's not acceptable.

Period. We had to hit a half-court shot to beat Santa Clara to go to the second round. We do, I want to give him, I want to give Pope a chance. I want him to succeed. I think he can succeed. But this, I do agree with Drew. There are standards here. and we're paying 10 we are paying 22 million dollars a year for a roster we also we have the most expensive roster in the SEC by far we need to win and we start talking about sorry dear to cut you up but we just talk about you know Kentucky falling back that's that acknowledges that other schools have moved past you as a program and at kentucky you can't use that as an excuse that the league is better you're supposed to be the best which team has the second most expensive

roster in the SEC? Florida. What is theirs this year? First of all, they did. That was not true last year. What is their, what's their roster cost? I don't know the cost. But it ain't as much as ours.

No, we have the most expensive. And we had the most last year. So I don't think it's crazy to go, we had the most expensive roster in the country last year, and we came in ninth, and now we have the most expensive roster in the SEC. Let's, we need to do better than ninth. Who's next?

Jacob is next. Jacob. Go ahead, Jacob. Hi, good morning. Good morning. What are your updated thoughts on you, Keith's football record for the season after the A&M win?

They're like with both the Alabama and thanks to A&M again. What would you say today? Things better. Appreciate the call. What would you pick Kentucky's record to be right now? I think I predicted to be two and two. No, I mean, what would it be going forward?

Oh, the rest of the way? Yes. You said, what, we picked the record? I thought they'd be two and two right now. His question was going forward. I'd say probably five and seven. What? You think we're only going to win two more games?

Yeah. Well, you're a bundle of joy. What about you? I've got them bowling. I'm now to the point, even though A&M may not be the ninth best team when we played them, I still think that was a huge win that's changed it for me. a little bit and I'm now expecting to do me the ball game. I'll say six wins, but at least having a postseason.

I had them at six going in. I'm not really going to change anything just yet. I mean, obviously, I didn't have them winning against A&M, but that allows you somewhere along the way to slip up and maybe lose a game. You don't expect them to lose going in, so I'm still going to go six and six. Yeah, I'm starting to lean towards going to seven because I think we're going to beat Vandy, and I think we're going to win one of Oklahoma and South Carolina, which gets us to five. I think we'll beat Louisville.

That's six. And between Missouri, LSU, and Florida, we'll grab one of those that'll get me to seven. If you pull another upset, then yeah, I could be on board with you. Well, I mean, we get, yeah. We're an underdog in every game remaining except for Andy. But I mean, like a big upset, not just South Carolina tomorrow. You think only five, so you think we're losing tomorrow? I'm telling you, this game scares me because of South Carolina.

Like I said, they're the wounded dog. So are you picking South Carolina? I'm not going to pick it when we make our selections. Well, then that's not what you meant. That's not what you feel then. You don't get to have it both ways. You're just catering to the crowd. What's the really think?

We make our predictions? Yes. I'm more confused than I was. I just think tomorrow really scares me. But you keep saying that, but I'm just asking you who you pick. I'll probably pick Kentucky, but I'm scared to death. But he doesn't believe his own pick. That'll be my own pick.

This is like when we did the Pope game, he changed it during the... I don't really know what there is to be scared about. if you think we're going to lose? I think we're going to win. I'm scared. Depends on the minute you ask. I'm going to get in two minutes. I have no idea what that means.

Who's up next. Tim is up next. Tim, go ahead, Tim. Hey, Matt. First time and a long time. Who are? Well, okay, who are? You get one.

Hey, this game the ball is huge, no doubt about it. I mean, it would almost lock us in for a bowl. game. It's, uh, I feel like it would probably come down to turnovers and penalties like a lot of games. Nobody said anything about it

since we beat A&M, but A&M got every call that day. And we still overcame that. But we have, uh, we've got to protect the ball and we can't, we can't be jumping off sides. Yeah.

Big situations. And we need to win that turnover battle. You know, if we just maybe if we have one turnover, we need get to. Yeah, I mean, that's been something that has been beneficial to us, Drew, as we've gotten some big turnovers in these games in big moments, and we need to continue that.

I think, Drew, this game's going to come down to, like, one or two plays here or there. You make a big turnoff. Our defense has got to be able to get off the field. There's no doubt about it. I appreciate the call. Do you agree with me about it be one or two big plays? Yeah, and Kentucky was very lucky, or maybe skill, to not turn it over at A&M, which is huge to do on the road in the SEC. Going in this game, South Carolina actually doesn't have a lot of takeaways.

They're not getting many turnovers. So if that stays the case, we like Kentucky's spot, but also worry comes back to the average, and maybe we're due to get a couple. Yeah, I mean, if turnovers usually balance themselves out. So far, Minci's been pretty good protecting the ball, Shannon. Hopefully that continues. Yeah, that's going to be a big key point for tomorrow. I think it's going to be a close regardless.

I would be surprised if whoever wins, it's bigger than a seven-point spread. I think it's going to be within a one score. I think it's going to be a play. I think it's going to be a game where one or two plays swinging. There's going to be a play that somebody makes that swings the game, and we just need it to be us instead of them. The last few years have been blowouts, but when this thing was really competitive, it would be one thing.

Remember that one year we returned a two-point conversion? It would be like one or two things that would completely change the game. like what the caller said about, you know, no penalties. We've not had that pre-snap penalty we had there for the last couple of years with Stoops guys jumping off sides or illegal motion. And this was our guys moving all over the place, and they still kept it pretty clean. Yeah. Thank you to Jacob, by the way, who sent some donuts, door-dashed them here just a minute ago.

We've been donating it up here at Shady Race. We will take a break. 859-280-2287. This is Kentucky Sports Radio live here out at the Summit at Shady Race. on. Miley is having a moment. New name, new album, and two exclusive shows. So IHard Radio is sending you to experience it all life at the Hollywood Pole. Flights, hotel, tickets, and a thousand dollars cash. Listen to IHard new music for 10 minutes a day on the IHart Radio app and click enter. Every day you listen is another chance to win.

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Your car is worth more than you think at Don Franklin Auto.com. Scroll, click, drive with Don Franklin. We have some sad news to report that just came out. UK football legend Jeff Van Note has passed away. at the age of 80. Ryan, you know a lot about Jeff. Go ahead and talk a little bit about what he meant to Kentucky football and in the program.

One of the greatest linemen ever here at Kentucky. He's on the Mount Rushmore of lineman, probably with Bob Gaines, Sam Ball, Joe, Donnie Dawson. And after his playing career was over here, he went on to the NFL, play with the Falcons for like. 18 years. 18 years. Then he went into the broadcast booth with the Falcons.

Ended up coming and joining Tom Leach on the broadcast booth here for many, many years. The fans fell in love with the guy, and he was just a good-natured, good, humble guy, loved Kentucky, loved everything about the football program. It's just kind of a sad day to see him go. 80 years old, he had a good run. Yes, Falcons owner just released a statement about him. He was in the football booth for how long?

I don't know how many years, but maybe 10, 10 years or so. Yeah. He was, you know, then Jeff Piccaro stepped in his seat when Jeff finally retired, but he always talk to you all, just love talking about Kentucky and Kentucky football. He had a ponytail for a long time. I thought that was always so cool. There's this guy he's 60 years old, he's rocking a ponytail. I loved it. I wish I could

have a ponytail. Have it grown one in his honor? I like that. That'll probably be in the obituary. And he had a ponytail when he was 60 years old. Yeah, I mean, if you're talking about UK players that had legendary NFL careers, very

few of them had more or better than Jeff Funnode. So rest in peace and prayers to his family and friends and to the UK football community. Who's up next? Poppy is up next. Poppy, go ahead, Poppy. Poppy. All right, no, Poppy.

What's next? Hi. Hi, how are you? I should. My question is either have Kentucky this year win the SEC championship or Kentucky basketball make the final four. Final four. Hmm.

I mean, it would be Kentucky win a football SEC championship. We've never done it. That would put us in the playoff. That would mean Will Stein is the best coach in history. So, yeah, that's what I would do. I mean, Final four would be nice, but I think most people would choose the football, right? I think you've got to pick football. You know, never been there.

And, you know, just to get to that moment, that level would be so exciting. You know, we're a football state, so we'd go crazy in this state. Basketball, I want to let believe that we got beat in the elite. to prevent us from going to a final four, so we still had a good season, but I was still picked football. I want one time in my life be on a football run where we really have a chance at something special and feel what that's like in this state.

We've never gotten really to feel that. I really want to feel what that's like one time because we've just never in my lifetime done it. Also the Final Four. Oh, really? I'm surprised at that. Well, I mean, they're 12-year-olds that want to fill that feeling. It's been a while. Stein has a long time to get there.

Basketball, I know I've went on the big round a week ago, but this, we got a hole in the dam on the water's leaking, and we've got to plug it quick and get back and fix this program. I'm surprised that's your answer. You're usually big on the football thing, even if I promised you an SEC title. I'm that frustrated with basketball. Okay, interesting.

What about you? Drew is right in the fact that, like, we've got to fix it soon. We're becoming a joke. We need it more on the basketball side, but what would I rather see? I think I'd rather see the SEC championship for football. All right, your Braves have made the next round of playoffs.

Let's go through here. I'll go through the series, Braves Dodgers. Oh, God, this is going to be tough, but they all are at this point. I'm going to say the Braves pull it off in five. Yep. We throw out Ray Kerr in the final game of the series to win in Los Angeles. Braves run in Dodgers sweep. Oh.

Oh, wow. I don't know if they sweep, but I'll take the Dodgers. Padres Brewers. I think the Padres are going to be a real problem. I know the Brewers have the best record in baseball, but the Padres fans, that home stadium they got, it's going to be tough to beat them. I'm going to go Padres win.

I will also take the fathers here. Padres, you know, like, Channes have the best record in baseball, but the Padres won the series with the Brewers this regular season. So I'm also going with Padres. I'm going to take the Padres as well. Wow, all of us is sweet. Sleep for the Padres. You get two West Coast teams.

In a series that not one person in this room or in this facility, this isn't a facility, but outside this, I'm going to get this right the fourth time. Outside this store, does anyone know a White Sox or Ray's player? I think the answer, well, I do. But White Sox and Ray's. I do. I think the Ray's win this one. I think they win it pretty

handily. The starting shortstop for the Chicago White Sox is from Holland, Indiana. A little town 30 minutes from Otwell went to Southridge High School. Okay. They have a big windmill that I used to pee on. Colson Montgomery. All right. So you're taking the White Sox? Taking the White Sox. Well, knowing that, I got to take the White Sox.

take the white socks as well and then finally Yankees guardians I can't pick the Yankees although I think the Yankees are probably the better team I'm going to go with Cleveland just for a change I forgot the Guardians were a team so I'll take the Yankees. When you said guardians I was like what? I don't know if Aaron Judge is playing is he playing

I don't know yet I'm going to pick the Guardian in case he does not playing I'm going to take the Yankees baseball's better if it's the Yankees that at least gets to the next round let's do our KSR Parley from draft Kings everybody gets to pick one. We were really good at going three and one. Last week we went the opposite

one and three. I will say, Ryan Lemon has won three straight picks. He's hot. Oh, no. Be quiet. So since you're hot, since you're hot, I'm going to let you go first. Florida is a five and a half favorite at Missouri. I think Florida is a top ten team. I think Missouri has overachieved.

I'm taking Florida and five and a half. Okay. One of my peers. I'm going to go Tennessee at home against Auburn. Tennessee's a six and a half point favorite. I think they absolutely roll Auburn, beat them by three touchdowns. So give me Tennessee. So we got Tennessee, Florida. I will take the fighting cutter bullies of Arizona State.

They play Baylor. But Arizona State has been to A&M, and then they played in London, and then they had a buy week. So now they're home, and I think they cover that. What's a spread on that? Three and a half. Oh, I like that one. So I like them coming off some rest.

Alabama's on the road. They give up six points. Give me Alabama at Mississippi State. Oh, really? You think they're going to win by more than six? They're going to roll. Roll tide. I don't like that one.

But, all right, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Arizona State. That's your KSR Parlay. We're going to hit one of these this year when we do. It's this one. Is it this one? It's this one. All right. I like that confidence.

Cats at South Carolina. 4.15 in Columbia. Pre-game show will start at 1 o'clock. Massive game for Kentucky. Probably the game that would get Shane Beamer fired if he loses. can put on the sunglasses and celebrate his departure. If we win for Will Stein, probably a game that if doesn't assure a bowl, makes a bowl very likely who you got?

It's going to be a really close game throughout. I think Kentucky wins by three. Give me cats 24-21. And who's your MVP? I'll go another Shane. Shane Carr, wide receiver. Shane Carr? From southern Utah Thunderbirds.

He's going to step up and have a big game, catch a touchdown. Does he have socks? Shane ain't got no socks? What was that back in the day? Shane don't wear no socks. This is a little socks. Wow, that's, you're going for the, going deep cut. Ryan, go ahead and pick South Carolina like you want to.

This game scares me to death, and I think the score will be 21 to 20 when South Carolina lines up for a game-winning field goal at the end of the game, and it looks like it's going to be good going it's up, but the gods blow it to the left. He misses Kentucky wins 21-20. You're picking a blown to the left by the Lord field goal. Missed field goal for South Carolina. to give us the win. Well, the Lord's got to be your MVP then. Darius Rucker's the MVP because he likes South Carolina.

But they lost. Yeah, he's still the MVP. Okay. All right. Darius Rucker is DPP. That'll look good on the chart. What about you? I am 0 and 2 picking SEC games this year, so I'm going to stay hot and pick South Carolina.

Y'all didn't think I was going to go that around, did you? I think, as I said earlier, I think we've got to get back to the average on turnovers. I just think South Carolina's due, and we played such. a clean gate A&M. I'm worried about being able to pull that off twice. I'll say 24-20, Carolina wins. I don't like that at all. I think this is going to be a tough game.

I think Kentucky has been behind in the SEC, the third fewest minutes of any team in conference, which is kind of interesting. Only Florida has been, Florida and I think, what, Georgia have been behind less minutes than us. I think we're going to be behind a lot of this game, but I think in the fourth quarter, second half adjustments show themselves.

I'm going to say Kentucky wins 27, 23, and C.J. Baxter's going to run them over, including a long run towards the end of the game that gets us the victory. And the cats will go to 4-1 and set up what will be one of the great environments in UK football history next week. Thank you all very much here for coming out. One o'clock tomorrow. See you at Big Blue Madness.

Look for Derek and all the winners. And we'll be back on Monday. This is Kentucky Sports Radio.