KSR - 2024-11-20- KSR - Hour 1

Episode Date: November 20, 2024

KSR is Live at KSBar & Grille talking UK's win over Lipscomb and taking your calls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves.

Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app.

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Keer Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you not have to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

This is Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones. Welcome, everyone, Kentucky Sports Radio Wednesday, November the 20th. I am Matt Jones here at the KS Bar and Grill in Lexington, Kentucky on a partly cloudy day. It is Wings Day, dollar wings, 70 cent, boneless. I had a guy write me and say, Matt, question for you, my buddies and I are in a debate. It was like a college student.

Is Wings Day 70 cents, a wing for boneless or for all 10? I was like, it's a wing. If we were to charge 70 cents for 10 wings, I think it would be hard to keep this place open. That would be 7 cents a wing. Not a very good business model. And I'm going to go ahead and say, I wouldn't eat a seven-cent wing. Would you?

I think it would be from a seven, I mean, first of all, that chicken is only worth what, 28 cents or 14 cents? Like, you know, I wouldn't eat that. I'm kind of with you there. I want to know what was up with that chicken. I'd want to know, why is it a seven-cent wing? So, yes, it is 70 cents a wing. Still an amazing deal, but I'm just saying.

859.9. What's are expensive? Clark's Pubbets Shop phone line, 859-9-280-2287. A Vision Auto Glass Text Machine, 772, 774, and this edition is sponsored by the T.J. Smith Law Office. You call T.J. O'Make them pay. Wake up, guys. You both look like you're asleep. Let's go. I've been up for three hours. I'm ready. All right. What's going on?

Nothing. We're ready to go. Why do you look like you're so tired? What's wrong? You know, it's Wednesday. You look like you've, I say this with love. You look like you've been beat up. What happened? What happened? It's funny. I mean, I didn't sleep well last night. I'm not trying to beat like, but you look like you been beat up. I was up from like two to four last night.

Could not go back to sleep. Doing what? Just up. I just woke up. Couldn't go back to sleep. Excited about Seattle? Yeah, that's what it was. Yeah.

Well, I'm excited about it. Should have been excited about that win last night. I was very excited about. Listen to your post game show last night. Just see what do you guys were going to talk about? Because I figured it wasn't going to be much about the basketball game. Well, we only talked about the basketball. I know.

Usually when it's a blowout, it goes kind of goes off the rails. I'm still excited. There's no reason, in my opinion, to deviate yet. I mean, win by 30. Drew, game was never in doubt. It wasn't like you had like a first half or a 10-minute stretch where you weren't sure. Honestly, we were up almost 40. And then, you know, at the end, they put the guys in and it got a little closer.

I think Pope was upset in the post-game press conference that we did that because he goes, you know, I try to keep him under 39 percent. We did all we could at the end to get them over 39 percent. But I thought it was as good a night as you could have had. Yeah, very fun night like we all wanted. Jackson Robinson told everybody to eat it. Don't you worry about me? I'm fine.

Wasn't that good to see? His first 20-point game is a cat. They almost shot 50% from three. Trent Noah missed a three that would have given them 100 and kept them over 50% and dropped them a little bit. But that's what makes it fun. You've got where I sit there's some kids around me and they're rooting to get to 100 every game now.

Yeah, I like it. When's the last time we've been doing that? It just adds to the excitement over there. So let's go over some parts about it. of all, um, Lipscomb missed their first 13 threes. Here's how you know if you're a negative UK fan. If when I wrote, hey, we're playing good defense, you go, well, they're just missing open shots.

Well, maybe we gave it to them because we thought they'd miss it. You can't stop everything unless you're like, you're not going to be able to stop everything. So you have to figure out what you're going to give people. Um, Pope will give any long two free. Yes. And he is okay doing the sort of whiff by three. and he says if you make it, you know, you make it.

Now, they did hit more as a game went on, but they didn't hit many. No. I thought Kentucky, second half, they did a little worse about the backdoor cuts, but first half, especially when you were getting their lead, kept them from getting one of their signature things, which is the backdoor cuts. And then offensively, you know, Jackson Robinson, Butler hits, goes three for three from three. Brea, once again, Braya is 16 of 19 from three point. That's pretty good.

Crazy. I mean, that's an insane number. Like, that's an insane number. I mean, if he keeps that up, Drew, I think that's a record. I would hope so. Reed Shepard just set the record last year for the highest three-point percentage in a season at Kentucky. It was like 52. It may last one year.

Yeah, he might be in trouble. Those two were one and two in the whole country last year. Yeah, I mean, historically, three of our top six ever were last year, and they may never. That's true. But, you know, I think that's a good. way to say. I was thinking about this last night as, you know, Dalton Connect for Tennessee had this crazy, crazy game last night. I had 37 points, which is amazing. Oh, yeah. You know, as college basketball has become more like the NBA, because it has in terms of

playstiles outside of Fayetteville, Arkansas. I mean, more, now the players aren't as good, but the play styles. And as in some ways, NBA has gone away. from what we used to think the NBA was, where guys just broke people down and all that to a little bit more of a team's concept, although they'll still do ISO because those dudes are so talented. The difference between what's a good college player and what's a good pro player has changed a little bit. I mean, right now, probably the two dudes who've had the best year in the NBA were Dalton, Kineck and Zach Eady, seniors. Yeah.

When's the last time the two best guys in the NBA? Oh, you have to go way back. We're seniors. I mean, you'd have to go way, way, way back. Similarly, though, on the college level, Drew, this team may be exactly what you want in college basketball now. Maybe you're short, one superstar,

but like, these guys seem to fit in perfectly together. Yeah, a lot of that's the spacing, how the game's gone to. I mean, when they'll play five out and all the motion they do, it's just so fun to watch. And I know we all worried about a guy that could attack, but I think Otega always kind of shown a little bit better. Leading score right now. Yeah, I mean, that's, if you say maybe they were missing something,

and he's competition, you'll have to keep doing it. But so far, I mean, he's shown he can go to the rim, which was one of the things you wondered if they had that kind of playmaker. Always the leading score. Bray is the leading shooter. Butler's probably the best defender. Carr leads the team in plus minus. And Jackson Robinson might be our best overall player.

and I just mentioned six different guys. It's amazing. If you're an opposing coach, it's almost impossible to game playing to try to stop Kentucky because of what we just said. They got so many weapons, so many guys that can shoot outside.

But last night, I was almost as more impressed with the defense. I looked up late in the first half and Lipscomb had 19 points. You know, they just completely, I think, came out and made an effort to lock them down last night. In the first half,

we won the game from defense, and then in the second half, it was offense. Basically, our defense was really good in the first half, And in the second half, we turned up and scored, what do we score? I mean, at halftime we had, what, 42? So we scored 55 points in the second half.

That's a lot. That'll win most games. And with about six, seven minutes to go, you've already putting in the end of the bench and have kind of taken your foot off the gas a little bit, too, pretty early into that second half. They had been playing full speed and kept in the main rotation in. It could have gotten real ugly. I talked about this on the post game show. I won't totally repeat myself.

But the Lipscomb coach said after the game, best off. offense he's coached against in a power 14 basically said you can't make one mistake against this Kentucky team if you make one mistake you're giving them an open three and they have a team full of guys who could all make it that was interesting to me yeah that's what I said I mean I think if you're an opposing coach trying to game plan to stop Kentucky you got it'll keep you up at night because it's what do you do you I mean I was sitting there thinking I'd probably say I'm going to make the bigs beat us yeah that's how you're going to have to do it I mean, I'm going to make Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison beat us.

But, you know, when Garrison gets going, his little hook shot is pretty solid. So I don't know. If those dudes, we haven't seen a ton of them going back to the basket a little bit. But if they do that consistently, then I don't know what you do. There would be a hack and Amari strategy. Yeah. Yeah, no, I think you're probably right. But for me, I mean, this to me was the ultimate Matt Jones nerd game because of his comments after the game.

Oh, okay. You know, because I, like I said, I'm a little bit Shannon, you know, of a dork. A little bit. Really? Just a little bit. Like, not, not much. You all made. You know, like, it's not.

It's just like that much. Just a little bit. You know, I take a book and read at baseball games. I read at halftime. Last night. What are you laughing at? We love you, but you are Danny Dork. There's no doubt about it.

First of all, my name's not Danny. All right. Don't we call me. Danny. You look like a Danny. I do not look like a Danny. A Danny's got a mullet and a Danny can fix your car

and I can't. Okay, that's what a Danny could do. I read a Jill Lepore book at halftime. Oh, that's a great book. You know, here's completely off topic. Jill Lepore has a new set of essays. I recommend them. Not for you. But for other people.

But you know what I realized is I looked at her author photo on the back? What was that? I went back. Jill Lepore interviewed you. What? Do you remember that? So Jill Lepore is like an author who has, like, she's, I think she's one of the best authors about America that exists right now. She writes for the New Yorker.

But she interviewed you at the 2016 Republican convention. Do you remember that? No. You remember that, don't you? I couldn't have placed the name, but I remember that. They walked around, they walked around the first day, and he would, remember, this is when Trump was still considered controversial. even with the Republicans. And there were people at that convention who didn't want him.

And they were interviewing the average convention goer. And I looked up and she was interviewing you. Oh, my. Not a convention goer. No, not at all. And I remember she found you so amusing because you kept saying you didn't know anything about it. Yeah, I kind of, I remember that now. I have a picture of that.

Do you really? And I didn't realize that was the same person until half time of last night. I'm off topic, shockingly. Let's get back. what I was saying, the nerd in me. After the game, his Ted Lassow meets,

you know, Jill Lepore tweets about neuroscience and positivity, they couldn't have made me happier. In part because I felt like I took a lesson from it. That's right. It's like he was kind of educating all of us, I think,

at that time. Yes, I mean, when he said, and I talked about this on the post game show, but when he said the neuroscience is 100% clear, We don't spend time talking about what we don't want to have happen. We talk about what we're trying to do. The neuroscience is 100% conclusive that the best way to success is to focus on what you want to have happen, not what you want to not have happen.

Your night is complete. There's never been a basketball coach. Never. Certainly in the Southeastern conference. Maybe the Ivy League coaches talk like that. Like, I haven't heard a Cornell press conference. I do remember DeMarcus cousin saying this ain't no spelling bee. Yes.

But, you know, I heard that. First of all, it makes complete sense. Yes. It does. Oh, absolutely. Rather than focusing on, oh, no, what could happen wrong. Go, what am I trying to do? But he said neuroscience.

And I was like, I think we found the perfect coach for me, Drew. He's smart. He's entertaining, a little goofy, and yet he really knows basketball. I think he's how's he per is he not is he perfect so far he's been perfect I've been trying to keep a record of his motivational quotes I mean it's one every interview every press conference it's good to the point we almost have like our own little inspirational like kind of like a self-help guy like I don't think he's cheesy no but I mean he he almost always has some message that's bigger than basketball every time I don't think he's cheesy like I don't like the people like when people hang up on their mirror believe in yourself and no one believes in you. And you're like, okay, dude, stop it, right? Like you just slow down. Like the old posters that'll say, like courage.

Yeah, I don't like that. I don't like to rip something off on your calendar and it comes up a Vince Lombardi quote. Like, I'm a little, that's a little much for me. But the fact that he blends that kind of hokeyness with being, like, with science, I just, I think now, I think that's a great. It's awesome. That's, I think, something that's so refined. refreshing to hear from what we've been been through.

Pope can reach his guys maybe, you know, these 50-year seniors have probably been through everything. But now he's reaching him in a different way that nobody's talked to him before. And he explains his thought process with God going, know what I did? You know what I did? You know what I did? You don't know basketball. You should see what I did. This is like Goofus and Gallet on the highlights.

Anybody remember Goofus and Gallet? In the Highlight magazine? I remember Goofs. You talk about Highlights Magazine? Yeah, yeah. You remember that as a kid? No. Goofus is Cal and you got Gallon over here, Pope, and there was always a comparison to the two.

You don't remember. How do you not remember that from highlights? I don't. I think I skipped. I went Shakespeare. You were reading highlights. I'm kidding. I do remember highlights, but I don't remember goofus and gallon.

I'll back some highlights on the trip, Shannon. We'll read it. Okay. The difference, there's something about a guy who goes, the neuroscience is clear that we're going to focus on positivity. And then he's like, I want us to shoot 39%. We went, or the other team to shoot less than 39%. 38.8% is what Lipscomb shot. If we keep it behind the blow 39% we feel like we're winning.

As you see, I did? Tweek. Tweek, twink. Tweet. I just think this. It's just more my style. I'm not saying the other thing can't work. I'm just saying, Ryan, hearing these logical explanations rather than peekaboo, to me, is a lot more

entertaining. This has been one of my favorite segments we've done in a long time, just watching you and your antics. Hey, you know basketball? You don't know basketball? You're not listening to me? You don't know basketball. I just told you yesterday.

We'll be right back. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reaction, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games,

from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my, new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health

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Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust.

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect.

We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this went to a billion-dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history.

You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them

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The ability to show gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back.

Danny Dork. Yeah. My name's not Danny. I'm okay with the dork. I don't want to be called Danny. Danny boy. Yeah, I'm not a Danny guy. I just found the picture.

I just tweeted out of Jill Lepore. We also found out, I didn't realize this. We interviewed her for Cracker Barrel versus Outback. That was a big thing during that era right there. That was the 2016. We did the fast food bracket and at the Republican Convention, think about. We asked, just off my memory, we asked her, Don King, Herman Kane, Van Jones. I think we even asked Tucker Carlson.

I have a picture with Tucker Carlson, Scott Bayo. Scott Bayo. You introduced me to Tucker. I had no idea who I was meeting. Yeah. Who would have known eight years later? He would have, I have a picture with him from that. I have a picture with a lot of people from that.

We just went around asking anyone that would talk to us. And the thing is about those conventions is they were like, you could talk to anybody pretty much. I have a picture of Trump accepting the nomination. I'm in the first row. There's a picture of him talking and me just looking up. Admiring. Nah. Of all of our trips, that one still may be my favorite.

They gave us a lot more access. We had complete access. We were kind of loopy and drunk the whole time. You were drunk. I was not drunk. Don't say you were. We were respecting the process. We were drunk.

You were drunk. I wasn't drunk. One person writes, Matt, on the morning, or excuse me, on the pregame show, Cameron, I did not hear this, by the way. Cameron Mills said Mark Pope has the players memorized the scouting report. He will walk up to random players during practice, say a number of, of the team they're playing and ask what that player's report is. The players got to say three things about that player. I heard Cameron talk about it.

I'm like, I was blown away. That's unbelievable to me. Especially for like, you know, no offense. But for some of these teams we're playing right now, I've got to break them. You know, no offense to David Lipscomb. Well, I mean, but the principle, you want to get them in that mode of we take these guys all seriously. But the idea that you would walk up in practice and say number 23 and everyone would have something, Drew, that's kind of unbelievable, isn't it?

Yeah, I mean, I've heard Cameron talk about it last night. I heard Travis Ford said in another interview, it all kind of started with Patino. He'd give him like 20 pages of information about the other team and do some of the same things. Now, Pope's done his own style, but it has kept about that preparation giving him so much information. Finally, Travis Ford was good last night.

He was really good. Like, I thought he was really good. Like for somebody who, he has to have done that somewhere because he had a presence about him. I thought, Drew, like, I thought he was really good at that. I was at the game. I got home and caught the replay, but only the first few minutes. But, no, I'm excited to watch more of it.

But nothing but good reviews online. People seem to really like it. Usually the first few times people do it. They sound nervous and whatever. He was on it. Really, I thought Cameron, Ravi, and Travis, all three of them have done a good job doing color commentary during the early season games. Back to the Pope asking players things about, you know, just getting them prepared.

I noticed in that Journey video, we might have already said this. but he starts his halftime plan. He asked them, what did you all see? So it's like really player empowerment. He's like asking them about number 41, what's he? At halftime, he's like, what are we not doing right? And I think Carr maybe speaks up transition defense, but it's a lot of asking the players things.

Also, Jackson Robinson last night apologized for his body language during the Duke game. I heard that was interesting. The guy is so mature to stand up and apologize for his body language from the Duke game. You know, he was still, though, busting he's been on the defensive end, still did a lot of things to help the team just because his shot wasn't following, but it was pretty admirable for him to stand up and say that. Neuroscience. Neuroscience.

I mean, look, I haven't heard, I don't remember Gary DeNardo, Jerry DeNardo mentioning neuroscience at Vandy. I don't remember Sonny Smith or Wimp Sanderson talking about that over the years. Kind of neat. Who's up first? Richard. Richard. Go ahead.

Well, appreciate it. He said he wants to take 37 to 39 threes a game. I mean, that's just going to be a much different style. You may remember last year, after we beat Alabama, where we played really well, you may remember Cal kind of made some comment like, oh, other teams can just shoot 35 threes a game. And he was like saying that like it was absurd. Mark Pope is saying, yeah, me, we're going to shoot those threes, 38 to 39 a game. Yeah, they were almost 50% last night, hit 12 of 25,

and I think he's disappointed that they only took 25. And he said he wanted to take more. Shooting 48% from 3, and he's disappointed that they weren't shooting enough. I mean, you know, like you said, Butler came out, boom, knocked down a couple. Then Jackson Robinson knocked down a couple. Every time Kobe Brea throws one up, I think it's going in. Okay. Is he the most money of all time?

He is right now. I mean, who's more money? If, like, would you rather have... A layup from the other guys or a three from Braille? I actually heard Travis Ford say that the Braith three is a layout. I'd rather have a brayout lay at three. He might miss a couple more, but you get an extra point. So you tell me I got Lamont Butler driving for a layup or an open three from Brea.

Give me the open three from Bray. It's money. I mean, as soon as it leaves his hand, I think everybody in the arena is like, oh, that's good because it just looks so good. He shoots it so easy. And he doesn't even hit the rim. No. Like it's, it is, it is splash from moment one. I like that, you know, some guys that needs to be a catch and shoot,

they need to take a little step. He seems to just throw it in however you're getting it to him, where he's running in transition, catch and shoot. He's created his own one time of guys, bye-bye. He's created his own a couple times, like a jab step, the pump fag. It's like, however you want it. Kobe Bray can shoot it. That's right.

859-2-8027. I love Mario. He doesn't let anything get in the way of the game in the camera. there's one guy sitting right there he just stood right in front of him for that this whole restaurant he could have stood at he just look and stood right because he's like i'm getting the perfect shot no matter what even if you can't see sir that's just going to be the way it is who's up first second would be second all right same thing ed go ahead ed hey man hey man i got my swagger back so what i mean by that is i used to sing another one bites the dust before and after the game because that's exactly what happens to them. They bike to dust. So I'm going to be singing all the way until we lose.

Go cats. Well, so how many do we win? I mean, do you think, now do you think we beat Clemson on the road? I feel like just one of those two. That's a tough week, at Clemson, at Gonzaga. I feel like one of those two. But if so, I don't care. We're still good.

Yeah, I don't think it really matters if you lose one of them. All right, appreciate the call. What do you bet you? I think they'll split. Do you have a preference of which you? you'd want to win Gonzaga? Well, I think you'd want to win Gonzaga, just because it would be a better win Gonzaga, for your resume. Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think, yeah, you'd want to win Gonzaga of those two. We'll take a break. Barry back to Kentucky Sports Radio.

T.J. Smith, personal injury attorney. Call T.J., he'll make them pay. Now, more of Kentucky Sports Radio, presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones. Welcome back, Tucky Sports Radio. We're going to get back to basketball in just a second. But Justin Rowland, I guess, just reported that VIII. Vince Mero had been a candidate for the Southern Miss job. It looks like Justin said that Vince was candidate for the Southern Miss head coaching job and that they reached out, but that, well, actually, he doesn't say. So he just says that Vince is a candidate for, I think I can add to that to say that

I think he was a candidate. I think he talked with him and I don't think he's going to do it. I think their head coaching job is actually less money than I think the job here. But there was, I think, some interest there, and there you go. I wouldn't want to live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, would you? Yeah, I got a good food down there. Do they? Oh, yeah, great Cajun food.

It's good seafood. What's your favorite Hattiesburg restaurant? We've been to one together. Yeah, we did. We went to one. I can't remember the name. We left Nick Rouse dancing on the middle of an empty dance floor. I do remember that.

It happens in most cities. But Brad White's name has been thrown around in some coaching searches. It's, you know, just getting to that time of the year where we're about to hit the chaos. Speaking of chaos, there's a lot of chatter out there right now in the, not the official world, but the unofficial world. So like the unofficial world. And what I mean by that is, you know, there are group chats, right? And they're like, you know, there's just this, like, sort of off the grid, UK basketball

and football scene. I don't think we really ever talked about it on here. I'm on some of them. But you know, they try to keep me off that scene because, like, I'm in the media. But you can't keep me off. There's people on the scene sending me the scene. Okay.

So I see the scene. You see the scene. There's a football. There's at least two, one a big one, kind of football donor, Chad. Right? There's Ryan in that one? That sounds like his crowd.

Oh, I'm sure Ryan's not. naked in it. He's the green text in it. You're the reason the text are green. Okay, I was wondering what it was. And their chatter is all about stoops. Yeah. And the future of stoops.

And there's not a consensus. I got sent a big flurry of messages. And there's not a consensus of people wanting him to stay or go. I don't think there is any, I've heard people go, the boosters want, I don't think that's true. I think it's mixed. I think some people are very, very loyal to Mark, very loyal to him. Some people really like Mark, but are like eh, and then there are a couple people who probably wish it would go the other way. But I think there is a general sense of among this group of people,

many of whom know Mark very well, they don't know what's going to happen. And they're like, what are we doing? Right. And I think there is a sense of, okay, let's assume he comes back does he really want to keep doing this? And there is an uneasiness, let's put it, I think in sort of the donor class of UK fans. I think if there are people insinuating that folks wanting to go, I don't think that's true, at least from the people that matter. But I do think there's an uneasiness about, okay, you know, if he stays, what's this going to look like, right? Because by the way, in three weeks, we got to sign people with their money. True.

So what do you make of that, Drew? I know you hear some of this same stuff as well. Ryan probably does too. We actually oddly in the donor world have three different communities we talk to. So what do you think? Yeah, I dabble in the underground occasionally, pop my head in some places, see what people are saying, but you're right. There's a lot of speculating.

There's a lot of debating. Like you said, some people want Stoops to say. Stoops and Eddie Grand specifically have built a lot of good relationships around town with some big donors. and even though those people are disappointed. Eddie Grant's a huge part of that. They are very good friends and they might want to break up, but they're hurt to do it because they're so well-liked personally.

So I think everyone's just kind of waiting. We all see Stoops Press conferences and here's interviews where he doesn't feel like he's all the way in it. I think we're all just ready for some assurance. Like are we tying our shoes back up, Will Cox, and doing this again next year, or is it, do we need to start shopping? Yeah, I think that's right. I mean, there is, I think everything you just said there

is exactly correct. You know, for many years, Ryan, I would say for since the 90s, the donor class has kind of not mattered, or they've mattered a lot less than they thought they did. And then UK football kind of made some of those people matter more and then brought in new people. But in the NIL era, we're kind of back to the 80s where the donor class does really matter because they got to raise money from these people. You know, college sports had made so much money, and Cal specifically, but Mitch as well,

had pushed donors away from running anything that really they didn't matter for a long time. But I think they kind of do again. And it's interesting, like that train is out there. Now, Mark couldn't have handled that class better. So probably no one has a higher approval rating as a human being than Mark does with those guys. but he's still going to have to convince him. I mean, these are still people they're going to have to write a check. And I think they've probably promised some money out there that they still got to raise,

and there's a lot of concerns with that. I think you're right. Mark Stoops is the main reason a lot of these boosters have come over to football. He's been great at it, actually. He's done things with the booster class that we had never seen here before. But I think there's also a little underlying talk like these next two weeks may determine what he does. I think these next two weeks are huge. I really do.

And I think they're huge also for how Mark is personally going to see it. But I do want to note that if you hear people say the donors or boosters want stoop's gone, I think that's going to probably never be true because they're just too good of friends. That's going to be like saying Matt wants Ryan or Drew gone. Yeah. That would never have. Now, there might come a day where Ryan or Drew like does something where I just have to go, but I'm never going to want it.

And that's how these boosters are. I think that's accurate. They're never going to want it because they're friends with him. I mean, when he wins a big game, they're at his house. Right. Like it's not like a theoretical friendship. It's a real friendship. We were at Vince's wedding.

It was the whole Kentucky football world. So that's a key thing to remember as you're thinking about Stoops' future. Who's up next? Derek. Derek. Derek. Go ahead, Derek. Yeah, I've heard a lot of the media and stuff about how this team is going to probably perform at mediocre level.

And as analytical and methodical as Pope has been, I think this team has been built to suit him. Oh, no doubt. It's not filled with scholarships. It's built. And it's going to be performed at that peak level like he's performing right now. With that being said, I was one of the guys that really wanted Cal back for at least one more year. I have been totally proved wrong. And I am so glad he's in Arkansas and we have Markup.

See, I know. There's nothing wrong with him. You see, that's a great call because there's nothing wrong with being wrong, right? Appreciate the call. I mean, I was wrong about, like, we all should at some point confess our sins of wrongness. I mean, I wasn't wrong about there needing to be a change. By the way, a lot of you all who were hideously nasty to us, y'all ought to admit you were wrong. But I will admit I was wrong about my initial reaction about Pope.

Because my initial reaction, which I got over in 24 hours, but my initial reaction was no. I remember when I got the phone call, listen, you're going to be, you listeners are going to be my, what is the Catholics do, they go do confession. Y'all are going to be my confession. You know, forgive me, Father, I have sinned. Isn't that what they say? About, I'm saying it to the Pope.

You are saying it to the Pope. Doubted the Pope. I'm saying to the Pope. Forgive me, Father, I have sin. When I got the phone call, which was about 15 minutes before it broke, to say it was going to be him, I just said, no.

and I think I was kind of being told to maybe even break the news and help like make it positive and I thought I'm not going to be I mean how am I going to convince people of this everybody's going to be upset and I had about a five-minute conversation I think then like I paused and said okay. I know I've got 10 minutes. Do I want to break this or not? I did I still was like trying to process what am I going to say and then I think Goodman or somebody put it out. And then when I put it out, you know, the internet just went nuts. And I did a threads or what if space, Twitter space. And like I was like, I don't know. This is. So that was my natural reaction. I'm clearly wrong. And I think we all, chances are, through this whole process, I'd like to meet

the person that wanted Cal gone and Pope was their top choice. Was that you, ma'am? From moment one, since Wisconsin. Okay, so there you go. So, ma'am, you're from Hopkins County. You're the only person that doesn't have to apologize. Okay, you're the only one. Like the people who said this program will break down if we don't have cow you you need to apologize the people like me who thought hiring pope was the wrong move on moment one we need to apologize ma'am you're the only person that doesn't need to apologize you've always like pope well clearly it's work do you agree with that yes i remember exactly where i was when you called me and you're like you're not going to believe this it's going to be marked

Yeah, that's right. I called you before it got out. I think I called you both. You were like, what in the world is going on? Well, I just couldn't believe it. Yeah, you were kind of talking it through with me like, okay, how are we going to do this? We got to, you know, we've got to do this. We got to do that.

Well, no, I can, we're going to go a little long here. But I can tell you exactly what my thought was. My thought was, I got to be honest with the fans about what I think. Yeah. At the same time, this is going to happen. and I want to have a good, a fresh start after these last few years of it being negative with Cal. So how do I be honest with the fans, but then also not burn a bridge before it even is built? Yep.

And that was not easy for me. And I slept on it all night. Like, what am I going to do? And then the next morning I had a phone call from someone at UK who basically said, can we get Mitch on? I talked to Mitch to sort of talk about you know, I understandably kind of wanted to know

how's this going to go found out about the donation from the crafts and then I was like, you know what? This is what it is, let's go. And then I think as we talked about slowly over time other people did and guess what? Mitch Barnhart

was the most right of anybody. You talk about sticking your neck out. If he makes that higher and it's a disaster like that's his legacy here. And Drew, you got to give him credit. That's gutsy. Yeah, that's why it was cool seeing Mitch kind of lead Pope in after the Champions Classic to the night into the celebration.

I even wrote, like Mitch kind of earned that moment because his pick was the one that was right after all when many people doubted him. And he made that higher knowing a lot of the fans have already been saying, I hope it's not Mark Pope. He went with it anyway. And now, look, what does he got 100% approval rating? And that's because Mitch took that chance. He deserves that celebration anymore.

Kenny Brooks was a great higher too, but like you knew that like he'd already had a lot of success. This was a risk. It was a risk. And so far, it's worked. Stop overpaying for sunglasses. If you're tired of buying expensive sunglasses only to lose or break them, go to Shady Ray's. Independent American-owned company right here in Lexington. Premium polarized shades for every activity.

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KSR. Yeah. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies,

and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

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Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant, this went to a billion dollar fraud.

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The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain.

It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything.

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Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. We got some good questions on the text machine about that last conversation. That may have been the most behind-the-scenes nuggets-y we've done in a while, right? Yeah, it really was.

And it just took me right back to that moment where we all were honest with our sense. really were questioning where we were headed as a program. I remember one time I was talking to Scotty Bazler, former congressman, and he goes, people all think that Congress, like it's some mysterious thing. He was like, I remember him going, you just got to remember there are people. And he was like, people do stupid stuff. And he goes, people can make decisions just cause they mad at you. And I look at some of it and think sometimes, like we think there's always these master plots.

and sometimes it just comes down to who you like and who you don't. So one person writes, Matt, it's great to hear that we may end up continuing to spiral in football because of Mark Stoop's friends. Well, first of all, I don't know if we're spiraling, but if we weren't, you can't look at it like that, though, Drew, if I was given a lot of money to a program, wouldn't I want my voice heard? Yes. Let's be real.

I mean, just be real. If you're writing a check to a program, you're going to expect to have some input. Like, that's just how it is, Drew, whether good or bad, it's just true. Yeah, that's where we are. And when Stoops moves on, whatever that is, those same people are writing checks, we're going to need them to keep writing checks. Because that's how you win in athletics now. Are the rich people in your community and your fan base have to keep sending those checks in?

That's right. That's why they now have more power than they used to, at least here. Another person writes, do you think you all are getting ahead of yourself? unsame, Pope's a success, it's four games. Well, I mean, I can't, I don't know if you can say, like he's going to be a success the whole time,

Ryan, but I think you have to say it's a successful hire. Like, I assumed when Cal left, we were going to be a disaster no matter what, just because of the way he builds programs. The fact that we're this good, it is successful, isn't it?

It's hugely successful in my eyes anyway, because I don't see how this team and how this program, and I don't see how he was going to let it fail. I think he's going to work and do everything he has to to make sure this program does not fail. Yeah. I mean, maybe it doesn't work, but it's about as good as it can be six months into it. Yeah. So we'll see what happens. Who's up next? Let's go to Rob. Rob. Go ahead, Rob. Hey, guys. I'm on my way. I noticed the spread changed a little bit. Do you think this could be a trap game

for Texas maybe since they got their big A&M rivalry next week? I think we have a shot at all. It's good question, Drew. Any chance this is a trap game for Texas and we play them close in the fourth quarter? I guess there's a chance if you want to be the optimistic fan and he's driving there from Owensboro, so I'd say he's pretty optimistic. You could say they're looking at A&M, that rivalry's back now that they're in the SEC next week. The winner of that game, probably in the SEC championship, they could be looking ahead. You could also say Texas hasn't.

I mean, they've got one loss in their rank third, but their wins aren't that impressive. their biggest win might even be Vanderbilt. So those things could give you optimism in addition to how Kentucky's been punching up in these big games. Yeah, Texas doesn't have a lot of great wins. Right. And they have to win this, though, or they're out of the SEC. I think one of two things is going to happen. We're either going to get the doors blown off of us or we're actually competitive,

like the Tennessee game, right? I mean, that was a competitive game. If we had done a couple things, we had a shot at the end, And I think you're either going to be, we're never in it, or we're like, we're surprisingly in this. So far on the road, they've played well. That's what the former player told me just yesterday. He goes, man, our best games we've played in the SEC all year, Georgia at Ole Miss,

at Tennessee, probably our three toughest opponents, and those are the three games we played the best in. I think that's probably right. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, those, no doubt, those are probably, and even on the road games, what, we play pretty well against Tennessee, obviously beat old. miss and didn't play great against Florida. Who's next?

Jacob. Jacob. Go ahead, Jacob. What's going on, guys? First time caller. I'm calling from Chicago, but I went to, I'm from Kentucky, he went to undergrad and law school at UK.

Yeah, I just want to say, I think the two things that Mark Pope really gives us is that he embraces analytics and modern basketball and he's willing to make adjustments. And I think that's what we've needed in Kentucky sports, not just basketball, football and basketball, I think Stoops and Cal have both reacted defensively to the push towards

modern trends and they take suggestions for adjustments as kind of an attack on their legacy and their credibility because their legacies are already cemented. But I think Mark Pope still has a lot to prove and is more of a student of the game. And it's just, it's nice to have a coach like that. Always good to have somebody that has something to prove. Totally agree with you about that. Appreciate the call. When somebody has something to prove, they tend to just, it's like my view about rich people. The first generation makes all the money, right? The second generation blows it, and then the third generation decides what your legacy is, right? I think that's kind of how, I think that's generally how it kind of works. Where are we in the coaching order of Kentucky

with the great good? We don't think. Maybe he's better than good. I don't think Mark Pope's drunk. So I think he's, I definitely think he's good. We're going to take a break. It's Wings Day here at KS Bar. Come on out, Dollar Wings. We'll be here. Talk a little other stuff. This Kentucky Sports Radio.

Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment and the stuff nobody gets to hear.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going?

On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness. from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host Kier Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

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