KSR - 2024-04-15- KSR - Hour 1

Episode Date: April 15, 2024

Matt, Ryan, Drew, and Shannon talk Mark Pope's introductory press conference and take your calls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Welcome, everyone, to Kentucky Sports Radio Friday, April of 5th, or Monday, April of 15th. It's tax day. It's been a long weekend. It has been a long weekend. I still got to get my taxes done. The Clark's Pump and Shop phone line. is 8592802287, but to be honest with you, the phone line, Shannon, they're already full, right? Yeah.

Did you say that? Yeah, before the show even started. Yeah, you may have to try later. A Vision Auto Glass text machine is 772-744 in this edition is sponsored by the T.J. Smith, Law of us. If you call T.J. O'May, we are here at KS. Bar. Barr. There's already folks here. Two quick stories.

One, UK player Brett Barrett. His son is here. Yes. Very nice to see him. And then this guy right here heard me on Friday. say show up to Mark Pope's press conference, and he got on a plane from Tampa and flew up here. How awesome is that?

So very cool. Obviously, we're going to spend all day talking about yesterday. We got Full House, Ryan and Drew. I gave a lot of my reactions last night, but I'll give a short one for people who didn't get to listen to Postgame show, and then I want to hear what you all think. I think yesterday was like the reawakening of the Big Blue Nation in its purest form. Which is not to say that, like, in the last 15 years, it hasn't been awesome,

and there haven't been great moments. And as we talk about all this, I don't want any of this to seem like a Cala Perry, whatever, because it's not really about him. He did a lot of really great stuff here. But, like, yesterday, it felt like a reigniting of the Big Blue Nation that I grew up watching, right? Like where it felt like it was the fan ownership of the team. And it was a lot of people have compared it to a revival. And it was, I will tell you outside of a handful of times,

I'm not sure that I've enjoyed being part of something UK basketball related more than yesterday. Just everything about it. The randomness of a full house for a press conference, the fact that it was definitely a crowd that's not usually in Rupp Arena. I mean, it was, you know, you open the doors and anybody can walk in, you get the pure form of the fandom. right the exhilaration i mean you all saw on television the press conference and it was awesome but i would argue the 30 minutes to an hour before were just as awesome with music playing and people dancing and

cheering with nothing going on it was just like sheer exuberance and then mark pope comes out and he says everything you'd want to say all the former players are there it just felt like the the kentucky fandom at its purest sense, the thing that makes the people in this state and with connections to this state feel a love for this program that is not matched anywhere else in the country. It got to show itself yesterday. Without anybody telling them they needed to calm down, they were like, we're just going to be wild, and they had a coach got up there and said, be even more wild because I'm wilder than you are. And that was such glee and exuberance. And Ryan, I loved it. I mean I absolutely loved it.

All night was like reading and looking about it and looking at pictures, and it just, it was perfect. And I'm not sure this weekend could have gone any better. I love the word you use reawakening because that's kind of what it felt like. You're right. It was just one of those special, special moments that we're all going to remember for the rest of our lives because, like you said, we felt like we got our program back. It's no longer a player's first program.

It is back to a fan's first program. And we loved it because he. He's one of us. You could tell, man. He is one of us. So there were times I got go chili bumps, goose bumps, lump in my throat. You were grown men crying in there.

It was just a wonderful, wonderful experience. And I'm so excited to see the area. A lot of grown man tears, Drew. Lots of adults crying. There was a lot of adult cry. Yeah, lots of adults cry. I knew when Mitch told us on Friday that there was going to be a public press conference at Rupp Arena. I knew there would be a lot of support, even wrote some posts about it.

Just running into people in town. weekend or sending messages you're going to be there what time you're getting there i knew it would be good but i'm still in shock over how many people actually showed up to that i park on the other end of downtown i kind of walked the length of downtown to get to rup arena and i'm about halfway there an hour before it starts and i'm already thinking they're not going to have room because you can see they were lined down vine street down high street turn the building and meet on broadway and the building's already open with people inside and then you get in there when they finally let everyone in or most everyone in it was a true standing room only event like old school stuff you see in pictures where people

are just standing in walkways and in aisles because there really wasn't a seat. I couldn't believe the crowd that showed up for that. And they estimate 5,000 people were there that couldn't get in. It's amazing. On the streets, outside of actual competition and winning championships and stuff you can do on the court, I don't know that the BBN has ever flexed its muscles like it did yesterday. Our bar was full during the press conference of people who couldn't get in who came down here to watch it. I mean, it was absolutely, it was wild.

And at 2.30, we, Mario and I walked from my house to the arena. And it took a half an hour just because people were just like, they just wanted to stop and tell me how excited they were. Yeah. Like that's what they, they just wanted to like go, Mark Pope, and the amount of like craft goods that have been done, like the amount of shirts. shirts and Pope hats.

Like, I don't know, I guess Hobby Lobby is who sells all that stuff. They must have made a killing in Kentucky just for all the handmade goods that were everywhere. I loved it. And it's, I think that's a great way to put it about flexing the Big Blue Nation. I mean, it was, the fans did that. I mean, kudos to UK for setting it up. That's a risk, right? Like, you put that in Rupp Arena and 2,000 people show up.

That might not look good. Well, I obviously thought we were going to have half of Rupp Arena because the way the stage was set up. They thought they would have 6 to 8,000 people. Yeah. I said, you all are underestimating we'll have 12,000. Nobody thought they would have 22,000 and turn 5,000 people away. And, I mean, they had curtains up. You know, like they do for concerts that don't sell a ton.

They put, they had to take them down. Take them down. They took the curtains down so that everybody could then see. I think they wouldn't have even set it up like it did if they thought everybody was going to be there, Drew. And you're right about the energy leading up to it. I know everyone saw when it started streaming, but it was hours before it started. I have a friend that lives downtown. He's lived there a long time. He sent a text about one or two. He said, I'm sitting on my couch, and I can hear a go big blue chance. And I've never heard that before a basketball game. I've never heard that downtown at all. He's in his home.

And this is hours before it even started, and they're just chanting downtown because they're so excited to be there. It was, I would say there has not been a game. The best pre-game atmosphere I ever remember for a UK game in terms of people just like, before the game started being into it, was actually a game we lost, which was Kentucky, Florida during the tubby era when game day was in town on a Saturday night and Florida was defending champions. And they opened up the arena and for an hour it was a massive party. We ended up losing the game so nobody remembers it.

Now, there have been much louder environments during games, but I've never been there when the arena just was buzzing like that for a press conference, like for people to come and talk. But I do think there was a sense of people. John Clay said this in the morning, this morning in the Herald, and I think he hit it dead on. It felt like Kentucky fans felt like they were getting their program back. Yep, that's right.

Now, it doesn't mean that it wasn't. successful the other way, but this was like the program the way they wanted it with the thing on the front, the name on the front of the jersey, right? The, it's okay for us to be wild, right? And look, Mark Pope said some stuff that was clearly intentional. Oh, yes, he did. We're going to win banners in Nashville at the SEC tournament, right? That's when I cried. That was my tear. We're going to play in the Maui invitation. Yes. We're going to play defensive. and switch up our defense. That may be my favorite one.

He clearly was saying that on purpose, but there was a sense, I think Ryan, from a lot of fans like, this is the Kentucky that I signed up for in some way. This is why we love our Kentucky program. Like you said, we got our program back.

I agree with you guys. You said about the pre stuff. They played the videos and edited in some Mark Pope shots into those videos. But even the music, like they played Moni Moore. for the first time in forever and people were losing their I mean they were losing it it it was crazy they've you know when they came off the bus they played that the bulls intro music that

they used to play in 96 when they'd introduced the team that's the part that got me right you like that that was incredible like I got chills when I saw the team coming off the bus and they played that song you remember the starting lineups at ruff and how exciting that was from the 90s it was awesome I did wonder because like all of us like okay so so drew was a kid I was like about to go to college. You were working here during all that. And there was a part of me that wondered, okay, somebody Mario's age. He didn't even know who Mark Pope was, right? I'm not trying to be, but you didn't know. And I was like, now, what are they going to think about it? Because that's not nostalgia for them. That's like if I, this would have been like when I was at 22 watching

videos of the Rupp's runs, right? You loved it, didn't you? Yesterday. He said it was dope. Like, see, I know. Pope is dope. That's exactly right. But I wondered what their reaction would be because all they've known is Calpary. And they were into it everywhere. I just, I'm not sure it could have gone well better. And I just want people to think about psychologists should study the group think change in 24 hours.

Oh, there's no doubt. Thursday night, that thing comes out at 10 o'clock. And most everyone was negative. Myself included, Drew, I know you were. Ryan, you weren't on social media, but I'm sure you weren't sure about it. And then I think we'll look back at three things that I think flip the fan base in my opinion. Number one was the announcement early in the morning that $4 million of NIO was going to be there. Because people I think overnight convince themselves, well, Mark Pope can certainly coach, but can he get players.

Okay. And then all of a sudden with that announcement, you're like, okay, we'll get players. The second thing I think is Barnhart's interview on me. There's no doubt about it. I think he, even though he's not exactly the most charismatic dude in the world, I think he kind of sold it well. Yes, he did. And then I think the third thing was the Rick Patino video.

I agree. I think the Rick Patino video kind of, you know, it's been, like I've been as hard on Rick as anybody. There's no doubt. But secretly, deep in our hearts, we did kind of love the guy, right? and it was like that reignited that. Yeah. When he said mock,

Po. It was like back when he was talking about Richie and those guys, right? And I think those three things together, Drew, by noon, by the time we got off the air on Friday, it felt like everybody was like, you know what, we're going to make it happen, right? You know what? I'm getting behind this and we're going to make this work.

And then I think that's what led to what you saw Sunday. Yeah, and I can't speak for everyone that reacted negatively, but I assume most of it wasn't Mark Pope. It was, how are we offering Dan Hurley the biggest bag in the history of sports in the morning and then go straight to Pope? It was more of the process seemed to be very quick, was that instant reaction. But we just needed to sleep a little bit, get some food in our bellies, and then obviously everyone was in board the next day with Mitch and everything you just named.

By the way, Rick Petino has just said he accepts Mark Pope's offer for a home-and-home series. I didn't hear an official offer, but... Let's go to the garden. Let's go. I guess that might happen. Yeah, I was going to say with the Petino connection, afterwards I talked to some of the former players that were around, and I'm not trying to say any of them were anti-Cal.

I don't know what they thought of Cal. But there was a genuine excitement in all those guys, and it wasn't just the 96 boys. It was Richie. It was Sam Malone. All the former players were excited about the new era and how they're all together. I mean, that bus, how many people were on that damn bus?

2,000 people? Was that a circus bus? But it had players from every generation. I know that meant a lot to them. Let's say, I mean, I think that's fair to say. Scott Drew doesn't get that crowd. No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't.

No, he doesn't. I mean, Scott Drew, people would be excited, but he doesn't get that crowd. No. No. I mean, like, it needed Mark Pope to get that crowd in some ways, don't you think? Bruce Pearl doesn't get that crowd. He just doesn't. Like, that was a unique thing to what Mark Pope is.

And like we've kind of alluded to because we feel like he's one of us. He gets it. Like, we get it. He gets it. He understands what it means. means to be a UK basketball fan. And I think that came across yesterday. Well, I loved it.

I mean, that'll rank up there amongst my favorite memories. Yeah. I mean, really well. And if you were there, I feel bad for the people that couldn't get in. I do feel bad for that if you came and couldn't get in. But for everybody else, that was perfect. And the amount of people who said to me, this is my first time in Rupp Arena. I mean, how cool, what a great time.

Well, you picked a great time. 90% of the games are worse than that. 95%. So you picked a great time. 859, 28022, 87. I mean, it's full, but we'll do our best. We're going to take a break. Talk more about this.

KS.O. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio here, live at KS. Bar and Grill. A couple more favorite moments. I love seeing all the former players there. I love seeing some faces that I love, that like you see in Ramele walk off.

Yeah. Seeing Wu. Richie got a great ovation. Nice to see Rex there. It was kind of cool. Randolph Morris in the house. That was good to see. And then Darius Miller was there.

I thought that was great. You know, a cow guy there as well. I really enjoyed that. I was glad to see the mixture of some cow guys in there with the older guys. But then once the 96 guys started walking off, I've got to tell you, man, to me, that group is, to me, they are rock stars. That's my rock star team. A lot of them were there. I mean, it was a good majority.

It was, really was. Yeah. What about you? What were your moment? All of it. Back to the pops. I thought Rex kind of got a nice pop, but still the biggest pop in the building was,

wasn't a former player after Pope. I think it might have been you. I was sitting next to you. I was in a little disbelief by what transpired there when Matt Jones was asked a question. Yeah, I... What year did you play? I forgot.

I didn't have you in my notes. He was number 52, it looks like, on this picture up here. So the way the questions went, you had to, like, raise your hand, and then they did it in order. And I raised my hand, and they picked Kent Spencer next to me first. And then Kent asked the question I was going to ask,

which was about recruiting. And then he hands me the microphone. So then I'm like, oh, no. I'm going to have to find another question. So I'm like, Pope, please ramble about recruiting while I try to think of about another question. And then he finishes. So then it comes to me, and I say Matt Jones, Kentucky Sports Radio.

And I will say, folks, that meant a lot to me. I'm not going to lie. I didn't see it coming, and it meant a lot to me. It's been a long couple weeks, I'll be honest with you. Really since the Oakland game, it's been a long few weeks. And I don't get embarrassed easily, but I kind of got embarrassed. I kind of blushed.

And then I forgot what I was going to say. And now I'd forgotten my second question. So I'd said, nice to see you, Mark. hoping to give my brain a second to come up with a question, and then I just came up with the schedule question. But, you know, I'll remember that for a long time. That really meant a lot to me. I'm not going to lie to you.

Well, you deserved it because we know you, and we knew you were the target of a lot of anger there for a while unnecessarily. So the fans, I think, were showing you, hey, dude, we're not all like that. We still appreciate everything you've done. Well, it's a good example that the Internet's not the real world. True. It's very easy to think the Internet's the real world.

The Internet's not the real world. The Internet brings out the worst. How many times have I said this? Take the worst aspect of your personality, whatever it is, including mine. And that's the one that comes out the most on the Internet. Sure. It brings out the worst part of whatever personality you have. And it was nice to have that happen.

I also want to say, I thought it was really nice that Mark recognized Oscar Cohns. I thought that was really cool. Oscar couldn't be there, but like we can't forget him. No way. I said this on the post game show. If the Mount Rushmore of non-UK. Players or Coaches is made, it's going to have Kewood-Leafruit, Bill Kightley,

Tom Leach, and Oscar Combs. Yeah. And for Oscar Combs to get that recognition, even though he wasn't there, I thought was really neat. And Mario, first week stands up and ask a question. Like, are you kidding me? Week one.

You stood up in front of 20,000 people and asked a question on week one. That's crazy. I did a double take. I heard him, you know, and introduce him something. Whoa, that's our Mario right there. But it reminded me, here's what it reminded me of. I said this on the Post Game 2. In 2007, I'd been doing it for a couple years, but really didn't go to press conferences very much.

And we announced Billy Gillespie. And I show up, and I, if you look at that video, I look ridiculous. Like, people see the Cal video. I look ridiculous in the Billy Gillespie. I have hair down to my, like, I'm, like, it's just, I can't think about it. And I ask a question, of course, I've said before, my mom called me and said, if you're going to be on television, you have to get a haircut. But I remember being so nervous to ask that question.

And now, what, 17 years later, you hopped up there like you own the place and get up and ask a good question. He just said he was nervous. Yeah. Well, I didn't have to do it in front of a arena. full of people either. I'll add that when the press conference ended, I'm about to walk to the radio station to join you boys for a bit. And Mario's like, come on, let's go meet the coach.

And I was like, well, I wouldn't, you know, I don't really go meet the coach. I was about to leave. And Mario just walks me right up there and introduces me like I, like he knows him and then take a picture together of me. He was not shy anywhere in that building yesterday. And if Mark Pope could have, by the way, he would have taken a picture or shaken hands with every person. Oh, he would have.

I mean, again, there are little things I like to watch. Okay. he intentionally went back behind the stage because he knew those people couldn't see they were looking at the back of him and he went back there and waved and shook hands with people did a victory lap around roperina like i just you know we use the phrase he gets it but there ain't nobody that's going to get it drew more than mark pope nobody nobody's going to get it and in that search when you wonder about you know how will families handle this he obviously brought up his wife and daughters several times and then said they're going to know all of you. Like they know what they're getting in for. I love when he was thinking about the position and he said, I don't want to get their daughter's name, but maybe the youngest daughter.

Her first reaction was, who's in the house tonight and did the UK thing. Like, they were all in right away to get to Lexington and be a part of this. There was no hesitations on their end. So I think you may have heard me say Friday on the show, and I know I tweeted Thursday night, that everyone I contacted me Thursday night was expressing like, I didn't know about this. Oh, my, is this going to work? Whatever.

All right, now flip it. Last night, I haven't heard one person say a negative word. No. Not what. I mean, Friday on the show, I got up and said, look, this dude's the coach. Now we got to all try to make it happen. Well, everybody is in that mindset. Sure.

And let me say this about what happened yesterday. Yesterday was the best recruiting video Kentucky could have ever made for the new regime. I don't even do recruiting anymore, okay? I don't know. To get scoop in recruiting, you have to know, like, all these middle people, and there was a time I knew those people, I don't know them anymore. And they change a lot. So, like, I don't really get recruiting scoop often unless it comes from our end. Does that, you know what I mean, from the U.K.

In. With that said, I had two people who I don't even know. Somehow got my phone number last night. People asking me trying to get me to get them in contact with Pope for. for high-level transfers, including at least one name that has been bandied about as somebody people would want. Two transfers that are probably on the ESPN top 50 list going,

hey, how can we get in touch with Mark Pope? That does not happen without that press conference, right? That does not happen. So that was as good a step as you could have had in towards helping Pope now. He's going to spend this week getting players. Oh, yeah. I asked him to come on the show.

I was told he will be on your show. but I hope you understand we got to get staff and players for the next few days. I said, I get it. That makes sense. But that yesterday was a big step towards that happen. I love what he did with Travis Perry. You know, introduced Travis Perry. He was there.

He stood up, you know, got a great applause. And he talked about, you know, he knows Kentucky kids what it means to play here. Yeah. All right. So we'll take a break. We will take your calls. I want to hear what some of you all think. And more news from yesterday.

Mark Pope's a new coach. KSR. T.J. Smith, personal injury attorney. Call T.J. He'll make them pay. Now more of Kentucky Sports. presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones.

Welcome back. TechSports Radio. Text machine 772-745254. One person writes, Matt, I want you to be honest. You copied your shoes after Mario yesterday. I'm sure you had the same ones on. First of all, that was a complete coincidence. He showed up in my house in the same pair of shoes I did.

And I almost changed, but I said, you know what? I'm not letting this 22-year-old tell me what I can wear, but it did mean we were matching yesterday. You've got 300 pairs of shoes in your house. But it was Kentucky Blue. I was trying to do something. You'll have any other blue and white ones. Well, you know, I didn't want to be like Mario.

Maybe so. That's just how it ended up being. We have some breaking news, Shannon. Running on a nah. Within two minutes of each other, both of these announcements, Boogie Flan has decommitted and is asking for his release and DJ Wagner to the portal. Look, as I said, you just got to assume everybody's going to go. Yes.

This is going, with the exception of Travis Perry, I'm assuming it's a complete reset. If anybody stays, that's the way it goes. I expect Wagner to go to Arkansas. He should because he's very close. His dad, very close to Cal, that I would expect him to do that. Boogie Flynn, same way. But it also is probably the case, Drew, that those two things got announced at the same time. I would say that's probably intentional on the part of our former coach after the events of yesterday.

That's a move going away back. If there's a little bad news somewhere, maybe another. school gets a commitment the next day you have one announced but you know we expected that to happen he's got his own thing going on over there they might follow him but that doesn't change the excitement around lexston and you know pope's got a meeting with big z coming up i mean for style of play big z should really hear him out and consider staying so by the way ukays got to have radio shows kenny brooks the new women's coach is doing a show at six mark pope is doing a show at seven So he's going to do his official radio show and then Nick Mingeone at 8.

And I got to mention Nick Mingeon. They swept Auburn. They are now 14 and 1 in sole possession of first place for the SEC. Best start in the SEC play in the history of the school. And next weekend, they're going to host Tennessee right here. Tennessee is fourth in the country. We are seventh in the country. It'll be as big a series.

And then in two weeks, we host the number one team in America, Arkansas. So if you've ever wanted to go to a UK baseball game, I think they're almost sold out. So if you want to go this weekend, I would go ahead and get those tickets. But maybe the biggest Kentucky baseball series in a long, long time this weekend against Tennessee. They got bumped to third this morning by D1 Baseball, third in the country. Kentucky? Yep. Wow.

I'll be over there at Kentucky Proud Park. Third in the country. Hope we get some good weather. Unbelievable. Who's up next? We'll start with Adam. Adam. Adam. Go ahead, Adam.

What's up, guys? Good day to be a cat fan. What's going on? Hey, I was in the building yesterday, and I'm 44 years old, a lifelong fan. That was the most special time that I can remember being in Rapp Arena. I teared up as well. To me, the cow error was great. The cow error was like buying a new pair of tennis shoes, how they feel good and flashy.

Yesterday felt like pulling your Letterman jacket out from your high school years, putting it on and just feeling. that nostalgia and how times were better and I don't know it just it just gave me all the chills I tried to get in and call yesterday but the post game show was great I just you know wanted to put my two cents no I agree with that and look they've got to win I appreciate the call like all this great nostalgia won't matter if we stink but like if we win in some ways it feels like it'll feel better to win like this with one of our own you know Ali Tucker who used to write for KSR a long time ago one of the funniest people that I've ever known.

She wrote this, and I think this is a really good summary of it. She said it kind of feels like we traded being cool for getting our soul back, and I'm okay with that trade. And I kind of agree with you. You know, that happens actually when you get older. Like you kind of try to be cool and whatever, and then at some point you go, well, I just am who I am, and then you just are that person in a lot of ways.

I think this was kind of Kentucky getting their soul back. I think, Drew, that's a really good way to put it. Yeah, and it's, you know, it's hard to have these conversations and not be negative about what we had. I really don't want to do that. Me either. But, like, I kind of liked when he was, he brought up the NBA, as we have recently, but he did it a little differently. And I liked he said, I played in the league for 10 years. You know what we talked about in the locker room?

Our college basketball teams. So he's making that NBA connection where we can still use that at recruiting, but he's still keeping it on Kentucky and college basketball. Brian, what about this line? This was, for me, of all the lines, he said, the whole time, this was the one that stood out the most. Players are not doing the jerseys a favor by letting them clothe them. Our guys will know quickly it's one of the great honors of their life to wear that jersey. Now, I mean, objectively, that's the exact opposite opinion of Cal's opinion is we are lucky to have these guys.

Mark's opinion is they are lucky to be here. That's a completely different philosophy. but I also think it's probably the philosophy that's more aligned with this fan base. Yes, it is. I loved it when, you know, Mark held up his jerseys, and this is what I sweat, blood, and tears poured into this jersey. I know what it means to put this jersey on, and he'll now be able to relate that to the players that he brings into this program,

and that's what, you know, like you guys said, we can't erase or forget what Cal did for this program. It was awesome. It was fantastic. It was. But now we have a guy that is one of the, us and that's why I think we're so excited and I think we I think we have to show these former players for Cal some grace oh yeah it's going to take them a little while to get used to this right

they were kind of sold one thing when they came here right and this is different and so give them the grace to kind of work through it I know demarcus said some stuff I put up I disagreed with one of his comments and then I listened to full context and he does still say we a lot I disagree Arkansas is not going to be on TV more than us. That's not going to happen. But with that said, he has a right to that opinion. They'll come around. As I said to somebody the other day, you know what?

Some of them might make trips to Fayetteville in the next three or four years. But in 10 years, they'll be back here. Fayetteville's not going to be their long-term home, even if it's a short-term pit stop. What's next? Zach. Zach, how are you, Zach? Hey, man. I'm good.

How are you, man? Doing good. So I heard him say a quote, something to the extent of like, this leads to depression and something. He said entitlement leads to depression and sorrow. Gratitude leads to joy. I've never heard that quote, and it applies to a lot more than basketball. And I actually thought that was a beautiful quote, to be honest. Well, somebody put a picture of cow looking really depress that under it, and it really spoke life.

but today's not about him. Let's go forward. My other thing was, with all this money we're getting in from NIL, allegedly with all these new donors and sponsors, is there a legal sense to maybe investing in that some of it and making it a collective fund to replenish next year and grow further? I don't know. I'm not sure.

And I appreciate the call, the $4 million up front NIL investment. That doesn't mean it's all going to get spent this year. I mean, if you ask people, most people believe, believe that the most money spent on NIL last year by collectives was between, was about $3 million. So it may not be the case they need to spend it all this year. I trust the people whose money it is will know how to spend their own money. They don't need me to tell them.

But what that said to me, Drew, is that we're going to be able to get players. Now, you still don't just overpay for people, right, but that we will be able to get players and make a very competitive roster this year. And at least from my seat in the fan base, last week that was my probably only concern with Mark Pope and it's a big concern. But as you said, the moment they got that $4 million pledge and then seeing what we saw yesterday, I think Pope's going to be all right going out on that recruiting trail, even if he doesn't have a lot of experience all over the country.

It's mostly been in Utah. He can go to about anyone with that video and then whatever checkbook he has in his back pocket. So now the question is staff. And here's what I'm hearing on staff. So you can now technically have five people on staff. I think four of them are assistant coaches. and one of them is in some sort of operations. As I understand it,

he's bringing an assistant coach from BYU that's been with him for a long time. I don't know who that person is, but that's kind of going to be like his guy that he does X's and O's with. Then he has an analytics guy that's kind of his, he's like a young dude. I saw a picture of him, and he's like the mathematical analytic savant. So there's three spots. What I think they are going after one person that would be a heck of a get.

And I'll just leave it at that. We'll see if it happens. But there's one person they're going after that would be and everybody would know who it is. That's a heck of a get. And then there's a couple where I think they're looking for one elite young recruiter. And then I don't know what they're going to do with the other spot. I know there is a desire from people at you can. to have, I don't know if it's in an assistant spot or a grad assistant spot,

but they would like to have someone else with a UK connection, maybe even someone with a cow connection, because they would like to keep that cow thing going. But I don't know if that will be as an assistant or a grad assistant, but I do think you'll see a desire to try to get one of those. But I think the idea is Mark's got one that's his. they're going after a big name. We'll see if it happens.

An ace recruiter and then somebody else. But remember when Kyle was here, we felt like we need to go get an X and O coach. I think the theory is Marks are X and O coach. Mark's and now we've got to go find a recruiter because the X and O is Mark and this dude he's bringing Ryan from B. What can you explain the Tyler Ula's situation? He cannot be a grad assistant.

You could hire him as an assistant coach. but the role he was in, which is grad assistant, which is what he was in for the last two years, he could only do that for two years. That would have been true even if Cal had stayed, so he can't be in the same role. No, there's a lot of UK coaches people would like to see out there. If Pope goes that route, you got Scott Padgett,

was at Mississippi State, John Pelfrey's out there, he's been a head coach, and have a great run here recently. And a name I'll throw out there, if they ever create like a GM position, bring me Nasi Muhammad to just oversee things. With his NBA ties, everyone loves Nazi. He has so many connections. He's got a son that's a pretty high profile recruit. I'd love to give Nasi some kind of goal that exists.

I love that he said he wanted a GM. By the way, the other thing is if you've graduated from UK, you can be a graduate assistant. But if you have it, you can't. So there's some guys being mentioned like, man, I'd love to have this guy. I'd love to have this guy. You have to have your degree in order to be a graduate assistant. assistant. So that's important to remember guys who haven't yet grad like like for instance I think UK would love to have John Wall but I don't know that John Wall has his degree yet. If he does,

then I guess you could. But like you can't just you still have to have that to get those roles. It's a graduate assistant. I want to ask you one more thing. You mentioned the NIL money. You tweeted something out that after our show Friday and yeah let me talk about that. Okay. Remind me when we come back. UK federal credit union is the official credit union of the University of Kentucky. Award-winning, best place to work, serving the University of Kentucky for over 186 years. Two locations. There's one near you. UKFCU.org. Membership eligibility required. It's federally insured by NCUA. It's banking only better at UK Federal Credit Union. We will talk about that and more right after this, KSR. Welcome back, Tegg Sports Radio.

859-2802287. So a couple things. First of all, the interview of Mitch Barnhart was our most streamed radio segment in the history of the show. Was it really? Beats Catina Pal. It beat we had the segment right after Cal was gone. And it beats after the national championship. Wow. Most streamed segment of all time.

So that gives you a sense. The Club Blue NIL, which is the NIL. So I know the NIL thing is confusing. You have the 15 club, which is primarily the football one. And then you have Club Blue, which is primarily the basketball one. Although they both do stuff for the other sport, they kind of each have their roles. Club Blue took 500 new monthly subscribers in the 20 minutes after Barnhart's interview.

That's amazing. That really is amazing. If those people stay for the entire year, that's $150,000 in 20 minutes. Wow. That's pretty good. And to be honest, their website wasn't ready for it because it crashed. I mean, giving a sense of how exciting things were, to be honest with you, this restaurant yesterday was not ready. We had it staffed for a normal Sunday, and all of a sudden the entire state came in here.

So if you came, it was very slow yesterday. We apologize, but I still, our servers and everybody worked as hard as they possibly could. We were not staff for what happened yesterday because we only had two days notice that it was going into. But thank you for everyone that came, and I heard the vast majority of you were patient. So thank you for that. The other thing is everyone is coming out of the woodwork to try to be a part of this. Meaning, but not just, I'll mention the players, donors. You are going to see an influx of donations, the likes of which you haven't before.

I'm not going to get into the Cal Donor situation. A lot of the stuff online that I've seen that has been accepted as fact is just false. I'm not going to, I don't want to get into all that. It doesn't matter at this point. But safe to say this. The issue was not just an issue with one group of people. Wouldn't you agree, Drew? It was an issue with a lot of groups of people.

And those groups of people now feel back on board. And I think you're going to see it would not shock me within a few months we hear about a practice facility, which probably would make Cal's head explode. Probably. I think that will. But it wouldn't shock me. I'm not saying that's definitely going to happen, but it wouldn't, it wouldn't shock me. Who's next?

Let's go to Richard. Richard, what's up, Richard? Yep. And I'm just so trick up one of these. Jeff Shepard. And I say this with respect to old Kentuckians, Mark Pope can coach. He doesn't need help for many old Kentuckians. The X and O'Pont.

I mean, what I mean is just for the looks. You know what I've got. Well, we got the looks. We got our former player. We don't need, I mean, we don't want to, we need people who can now add to the program. And I appreciate it, Richard. This, this, Mark Pope is an X and O guy. I'll be careful how I say this.

But Mark Pope is an X and O guys is better than Cal is an X and O guy. Now, is he as good a motivator? We'll see. Is he as good a recruiter? Probably not. But when it comes to X and O's, I'm good. Like, he's going to be fine. The question for me is getting players motivating and all the other stuff.

Because when it comes to drawing plays, go watch his offense. it's better than anything we've seen Ryan in a long time and that's what we talked to about briefly it's almost perfect for guys like Big Z you know they play five out a guy that can step outside and shoot the basketball it's designed for guys like him also like how he's I mean here we go again but like he specifically said in-game adjustments

like that's what I'm going to do we we know that's been an issue recently and the analytics guy you mentioned I read a story about him he paid his own way to show up at BYU and knock on the door with like stats and stuff he'd already looked up and Pope just took him on to show the hard work and the fire that guy has. That's the one he brings. So, I mean, they definitely have the mindset to be a good ex and O. If you're at all worried about X and O's, which I don't think you should be, but if you are,

Kelvin Samson is the best defensive coach in the country. Year in and year out, Houston is defensively the best. Go watch Kelvin Samson talking about BYU's offense. He basically says nobody else does this in the country and it is the hardest thing to defend that we do that's a good endorsement that's a pretty good endorsement because you know Kelvin sampson's offenses are shaky sometimes but he always has an unbelievable defense and has forever in his entire career of coaching who's next let's go to tyler Tyler go ahead Tyler hey matt ron shannon shanan i hope you and your family's doing good uh can somebody tell me has drew worked all five days since he's supposed to be on five days.

I swear I think he takes like three days off a week. I would like you to name those days, sir. I've taken two days off in months. To be fair to Drew, he went to the Masters for two days. I think he's worked pretty much every day consistently besides that. Now, if you want to talk to Ryan, that might be different. But I think Drew has done his thing. The last thing is me, my wife and my two-year-old went through rough yesterday.

man, you hit the nail on the head. All these people have. It's a grown man tears. But the most thing I'm proud of is the fact that whenever you ask your question, man, everybody starts cheering for you because you deserve it, man. Everything you've sacrificed being from southeast Kentucky, you deserve it, man, 100%. Everything that's went on, all the crap that's been talked about you, if you deserve it.

And if you ever need anything, man, you come down to London, Kentucky, and we'll take care of you by God. That's very nice of you. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. It did, you know, that'll be one of those that I'll remember for a long time. You had it coming. And it's because I didn't see it coming.

And then Drew made fun of me the entire time. I was sitting here laughing at me the whole time while after the cheer. We will take a break and we will come back. Hour number two, beautiful day here at KS Bar. It's Kentucky Sports Radio. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite, unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

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