KSR - 2024-12-26- KSR - Hour 2

Episode Date: December 26, 2024

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. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office, Blue 42. A rep, my mama want you to wave at her.

What? Where's he at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to The Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Joey Dardano, and on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice. known to man. This is Help from a Hypocrite,

the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from a Hypocrite Wednesdays on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became

one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Looking for a mortgage bank to help you make your next major mortgage move,

whether it's a refi or a home purchase, regardless of whether it's your first one or one of many. Consider our friends at Stockton Mortgage. But don't just take our word for it. Stockton Mortgage has over 6th or 4. 70,000 five-star reviews and counting, just like this review from Joshua, who says this about his experience with Stockton. They were super professional. Always answered my questions I had and streamlined the process. I could not ask for better people to help me and my family get our first house.

I feel blessed to be able to go through them. Be like Joshua or the 69,999 others just like him and get started with Stockton Mortgage Today by going to stockton.com and get started. I've even used Stockton Mortgage myself on my own home loan. For your home loan needs, Stockton.com and click get started. Stockton Mortgage, NMLS 8259 Equal Housing Lender, NMLS Consumer Access.org. Welcome back. Hour number two, Kentucky Sports Radio, 859-280-2287. Here at the KSpar, we are open today. If you're tired of all your Christmas casseroles, you can come get something completely different.

Also, starting today through New Year's Day, if you come to KSpar, you pick the winners and the score of all the playoff games and the top ones will have a chance to win $1,500 during the semifinals or $5,000 during the finals. So make sure if you come in to pick the winners, the playoffs, start tomorrow night. Drew, or no, excuse me, start New Year's Eve. Tomorrow night's Friday. But four games coming up here in a few days. I'm excited. I hit a Christmas reset. My Draft King's account the last week has been absolutely brutal. I mean, I am just giving them money left and right.

That's good, Christmas spirit. Yeah. I hammered us to be to Ohio State. I took all the underdogs in the first round of playoff games. So moving forward this bowl season, I'm ready to get right. Yeah, by the way, just for those of you that are placing wagers on the bowl games, 14 bowl games so far, the favorites have won 13 of the 14. So maybe they know something that we don't. So is the format next week where there's one game again on New Year's Eve and then three on New Year's Day? That's right. One on New Year's Eve. Okay. So New Year's Eve, remember Kentucky plays on New Year's Eve.

I think people forget Kentucky plays at 2 o'clock on New Year's Eve. Then there's a game that night, then there'll be three games on New Year's Day, including one of them is the Rose Bowl. Boise and Penn State's the game after Kentucky plays the Friday night games on New Year's Eve. Yeah. All right. So let's talk for a second about 2024. Like I was thinking about this last night. You know, there's everything right over there.

There's very few things going on on Christmas. So I was thinking about the next few weeks in the show. And I was just trying to go back to Christmas last year and how much has changed in UK athletics since last year. And let's just take the four major sports and think about how much is changed. much different they are today than they were December 26 last year. We'll start with like, start at the minor one. Baseball. I think most people in baseball were like, are we going to have to get a new baseball coach? You know, there was a sense of like, well, program is really, I don't know, we'll see. And then all of a sudden they go through a year. They're in the college world series

and we had a team that was right number one or two in the country a lot of the season. That's true, yeah. The baseball made the jump where we were thinking about Minge L was on the hot seat for the past couple years and Barnhart may have to make a change. He secured his spot after what he did last year with that team. That was amazing. I know they made it to Omaha for the first time and lots of people went out there and had so much fun. But Kentucky Proud Park over here getting that run that it deserved.

That stadium in that home stretch to get to Omaha was so much fun and so electric. There were people in there, little pull-out chairs hours in advance. So just the path to Omaha. Lexington really deserved it. It was fun to finally have that moment. Then women's basketball. We were with a lame duck coach last year. Kentucky was one of the worst teams, was the worst team in the SEC,

probably one of the worst power five teams, period. And then now you end up taking a coach that's been a final four coach. He's come in. They've only lost one game this season. There's a woman. Jeff Goodman's daughter is a writer for women's college basketball. She said the Kentucky Louisville game atmosphere was the best home atmosphere in women's college basketball this year.

He's done that in just a year. Massive change for the positive with that program. You know, we don't talk about the women's program enough because it kind of gets overshadowed by what Mark Pope and the guys have done. But yeah, this new coach, team? I mean, he's got some superstars. I mean, Kentucky's going to be, I don't know how much people are paying attention, but Kentucky's going to be one of the three or four best teams in the SEC this year in women's

basketball. So they've got that. Now let's go to football, go the opposite way. Last year at this time, we're getting ready to get, getting ready to go to a bowl game, right? We're talking about who we're going to get in the portal or not. We think Liam Cohen is staying, right? You think you're getting another year. of Liam Cohen and he's going to go pick his quarterback. There's a lot of excitement about everybody that's going to come back and the chance that Kentucky can be really, really good next year. Then fast forward a year later and it's like the intensity and excitement, Drew, has gone

the exact opposite way in football. Yeah, last Christmas with the football fans, we're still, I guess, a month after beating Louisville. We're riding high from there. You have that excitement of all the additional practices. You've got Clemson as your bowl opponent, you know, a nice attractive opponent in a bowl game there, the Cohen thing you mentioned, and we all talk about, and I'm as guilty as anyone, best roster on paper. If it all just comes together, think about this ceiling.

You never had so much depth, so much talent, and we saw how that went. But in December of last year, there was so much optimism and belief. There was a ton optimistic. A lot of the guys we needed to say they were going to return. We're saying they were going to return. I mean, it looked like you couldn't have asked for a better setup, up and then the year goes the opposite. But then, of course, the biggest change is basketball.

I mean, it is crazy to think what has happened in a year in UK basketball. You go into this time last year. We're going into SEC play, right? Not the greatest non-conference, but people are at this point starting to love Reed Shepard, starting to love Rob Dillingham. You know, Antonio Reeves has just had his game against Louisville where he had 30-some points. and he looks like a potential All-American. And then three months later, Cal's out.

Mark Pope of all people is the higher. And we go from a program that, like, is about freshman, one and duns, getting people the draft to the oldest roster in the history of UK. I mean, Ryan, it is insane to think about what a different basketball program it is today than it was one year ago. One year ago, you're right. Who would have thought that we'd be sitting here with Mark, Pope as our head coach with a guy that's a bunch of super seniors, six-year seniors. I think they had just lost to UNC Wilmington, I think, right before.

They had. They had lost a UNC Wilmington. They had just beaten Louisville. They beat Louisville like right before Christmas, but that was the last one. Well, before Louisville, right before Louisville was the big win against Carolina and Atlanta, and that was awesome. I was down there close game where they went by like three points. And then you go and beat Louisville, they'd kind of put that Wilmington game behind them,

having those two back-to-back wins. and then Missouri and SEC play. Would you have ever imagined sitting here one year, December 26, 2023, would you have imagined the downfall of what would happen the next four months, three and a half months with Cal? Especially not at that moment when we saw, like you said, we were starting to see Reed and Rob and see them develop right in front of our eyes. But the fact that, I mean even like that he's at Arkansas.

No. I mean, the fact that he would end up at Arkansas looking sad, wearing red, that we would lose in the tournament in the first round again to Oakland. I went into last season, I said on the show, I thought it would be Cowles last year on a positive note. Yes. You know, with DJ Wagner, Reed Shepard, I kind of thought this is going to be the last ride. He's going to make a Final Four, and it's going to be awesome.

So at the beginning of the year, I did think it could be Cowell's last year. I did not think it would go the other way, and it would be so bad that it would be in last year that he'd end up at Arkansas and that you could lose to. It's kind of interesting because if you were to go back before last season started, there were a lot of friends of his that would tell you this is going to be it, right? Like he's got this last ride with DJ Wagner. He's got this class he loves. He thinks this team can win it all.

He's going to ride off in the sunset. And I think what's odd is his struggle. and the team being bad, I think made him want to come back more, whereas it made the fans want him to come back less. So it actually had the opposite effect on both groups, maybe, Ryan, of what we thought it would. I think you're exactly right. You know, the last three, the previous two march is going into this march,

you know, the early exits. Now, after one more early exit, what do you think? 80% of our fan base was ready to make a change. When he left? You're talking about in April? After the Oakland loss. I mean, yeah, 80's probably right.

The 20 that wanted him back were vocal, but I think, well, I mean, like, look at this group. How many of you all were ready for a change? Yeah. It was interesting. It was such an age divide, though. There were young people. Mario was one of them who, like, couldn't foresee a Kentucky team without John Caliperi, and I think that was what made it difficult for people to just fathom.

Well, I think a lot of it wasn't confidence in Cala Perry. It was the fear in something else. Like, what if we just stink? I mean, we have a guy that's already done it. Maybe he has a little left. I don't think anyone's like, oh, Cal still got his fastball. I think it was just the fear of making a change after 15 years with the Hall of Fame coach. And I think you also had the roster last year that was, at least for me, this is where I am.

Last year was the roster where I was like, if he can't win it with these dudes, then you know what, we just got to move on, right? Like if he can't win it with a team that shoots as well as they did that has two top 10 picks, that has a first team All-American in Antonio Rees, and if you still can't beat Oakland with that team, then why do we think this group coming in next year, which is significantly less talented,

why do we think, Ryan, that's going to do any better? I think that's where a lot of our fan base was, that exact scenario. You can't get to the weekend of the SEC tournament and you can beat in the first round in the NCAA tournament with one of your best teams you've had in the last five years, what more can we expect? A lot of the same. I think that's what was coming.

I will go to my grave thinking that team last year should have been good. Yeah, of course. That team last year should have been good. You give me, I don't care who else is on the roster. You give me Reed Shepard, Rob Dillingham, and Antonio Reeves. You should be able to be really good with those three guards. In today's college basketball world, those three guys, should be enough to get you to the elite eight.

That's why going into the year, I thought this is his last, it's the perfect ending. He has Reed Shepard, the Kentucky boy. Yes. I thought DJ, it's kind of like bookends on his career. Duran Wagner was Cal's first one and done. DJ could have been of his last class. You had Edwards at the time, that didn't pan out, but in November, he was projected number one. Yeah.

I might have another number one pick. You still have Bradshaw. He could send this great class off to the NBA, and it's his swan song. That's why I thought it would be his last year. it ended up being his last year just for the complete opposite reasons. And remember two years or two weeks from now last year was that game against Georgia when a Vich hit four threes in the first half. And if all of you're honest, we all thought we were winning the national championship after that half.

I mean, we did. We thought like now we got this kid. We got no chance to lose. And then he barely had a game like that. He hadn't had a game like that since anywhere. Listen, Nate Oates thought Kentucky was winning the national championship. after that Alabama game. He pretty much said it.

He said, we helped Cal find his five. He looks terrified of what Kentucky became. But what was interesting about that is, Nate Oates said, after we beat, remember, we beat a final four Alabama team by 30 and scored 120 points on them. And Nate Oates said after the game,

Cal just found his five. But here's what's interesting. Cal still wouldn't play it. He still wouldn't play him. He still wouldn't play it. He had to play at that game. game because I think somebody turned their ankle or something. I think DJ who still had lingering ankle this year.

And so, and Edwards, to be fair, was really hot in that game. 11 for 11. But at that moment, you knew who the guys were, and he just wouldn't do it, right? He just would not play those guys. It was obvious to everybody and why he continued to refuse to play that lineup. The most efficient lineup in the country was still at some malpractice. Do you think if we did, if we had to do it over again, and they'd played those three guys, Edwards at the four and a big. Do you think that team, or those three guys in Wagner or

whatever, if they had not insisted on making Justin Edwards the three, do you not think we would have been better? I think you can throw Chris Livingston in that same spot a few years before. If they had moved him to the four, quit trying to make him a wing when he wasn't a wing, I think that hurt the back. I think it happened with Edwards and Livingston. We're focused on the three that could shoot. But early in the year, Trey Mitchell was carrying them. Something happened with him halfway through the season.

But they should have been the center. They had a great roster. Aaron Bradshaw, when he got healthy, I mean, he wasn't perfect, but he could be in quality minutes. But that's, he should have been the center.

And we were trying to play him at four. He could have been like Andrew Carr is at the five. And instead, anyway, I don't mean to go off on it. And then Mark Pope ends up the coach here. It looks like a huge blessing. Do you think we'll feel that way in five years?

Yes, I think The one unanswered question mark, could he recruit? And we're seeing what he can do with the class coming in next year. He continued to do that, answer your question, yes. Everybody said, can this guy recruit, which is a fair concern? He's proven doing pretty well with that. He's about to get another one in January, hopefully. And he can't win a tournament game.

Well, he hasn't had the opportunity to win a tournament game yet. Can't hold that against him. But I consider Duke and the Champions Classic in Gonzag and Seattle is as close to winning a tournament game as he can do. So the two knocks against him, I think he's kind of silenced. a little bit. Yeah. Court physical therapy. If you need physical therapy, go to court. New Year, new you, right? Yeah. Yes. Yes. KORT.com. 70 locations all across the state. No reason to be in pain. Most insurance is taken and you don't need a doctor referral. It's court.com. It's KORT.com. Go check one out today. We'll take a break. Be right back here at KS. Bar and Grills. Kentucky Sports

Radio. Last night, a blown call changed the 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 athletes 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 and 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 field and conversations with so many incredible, guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. 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. 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 iHeartRadio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. This week on Crimless, we're joined by our first ever guest. Sorry, our first ever human guest.

I don't think I could be in the same room with Shamrock. the parrot. I'd be too nervous. That's right. The very funny Will Ferrell joins Rory Scovel and me, Josh Dean, for an episode dedicated to the many crimes committed by people also named Will Ferrell.

They called to his fellow officer for the nippers. What are the nippers? Very good question. No, I was thinking, would that be a good name for like a salad dressing? Simple assault. And it's a play on word, salt? Maybe not. I say we invest and we see.

There's only one way to know. This did not amuse the cops. By the way, normally the cops are amused, but this did not amuse the cops. Will even comes clean about some of his own crimes. I didn't get caught. You know why? If you don't want to be suspected of anything, you whistle as you walk. Listen to crime lists on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? This Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron Headed. into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game.

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night bases on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson,

we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers while he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, IZAD, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court,

and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. It's Ryder Strong. and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the Pod Meets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV,

who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor.

I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it? like what was yeah just because we yeah we'll be recapping the big conclusion in the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate please the finalist to a bunch of ha who again we are experts so make sure to tune in to pod meets twirled for all our survivor 50 takes listen to pod meets twirled on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts welcome back it is kentucky sports radio here at the ks bar and grill 859280 20 excuse me, 2287, day after Christmas energy around the, it's weird having Christmas midweek.

Because, like, I don't think anyone in the city of Lexington is working today, like no one. The streets were absolutely empty. We're open, but it didn't look like very much was open. I think people just pull a billy here on the 26th and 27th and say, you know what, we're not going to work on these two days. I think people know if they bring their employees in for Thursday, the 26th. and Friday the 27th. Probably not going to get a lot done in those two days anyway.

So whatever, just stay home. Pull a bill. Yeah, it's exactly right. One person writes, Matt, since you're talking about 2024, I always like your recommendations. Each of you get one choice. What's your favorite TV show of 2024? Ryan, I'll let you go first because I'm sure it'll be the best one. I found bear.

I know I was a couple of seasons behind, but I found bear this year, watched all three. But when the new episode came out, series, so that's my pick. Why did you like it? I think it was, it's phenomenal. Now, I will say this, season three is very slow. The first two seasons are really good, but the third season that just came out, it's kind of slow. I need to pick it up for season four. I didn't like season three, but there is one great episode.

The flashback episode with Tina, where she comes in and gets the job and meets his brother. That's a really great episode. That was a good episode, yeah. Also, I found righteous gemstones. You've got to have been recommending it for years. found it and watched it this past year. My guy says he found it. We've been recommending it to him for years. You found it because Matt

You found it because I've been telling you to watch it for years. All right, so the bear is yours. That's fair. What about you? What's your show of 2024? I feel like Apple TV had a good year. Bad Monkeys with Vince Vaughn. What else did I watch on there? So I three or four on there. But I think my official pick is going to be what was it called Chimp Crazy?

I've mentioned. Yes, Chip Crazy. Chimp Crazy on HBO. That show is insane. It's not, Tiger. King, nothing is. Tiger King is a legend in itself, but it is of the Tiger King family. Have any of you seen that where she's like in love with the chimps? I know. That sentence sounds weird, but that's exactly what it is. This week I started Landman. That's kind of the new Sheridan Yellowstone thing.

But then Beast Games, which is like Squid Games, but on Amazon, that's pretty good. I would say for me, the show of the year, my favorite was probably Ripley. It was like Talented Mr. Ripley. I don't want to interrupt you, but look at this coat walking in. Look at that coat. Look at that coat. Wow. What a great coat.

That is a great coat. That's an amazing coat. That's right. Yeah, I would say Ripley, which was like from the talented Mr. Ripley. It was in black and white. It was great. And then I'm watching a show now. I highly, you guys all would like this.

You need to watch it. I've said this before, but say nothing on Disney Plus or Hulu. It's about Ireland. Northern Ireland, and it's so well done. It's a great book that they've made. I've watched half of the show. It's great. You would like it, too.

Everybody will like it. Yeah. Well, I don't you recommend it was the one? Caleb from accounting. It's one you read something like that. Colin. But that's different. That's not for everybody.

This one would be for everybody. Everyone would like say nothing. It's a very thick Irish accent, though, so you might have to put it on subtitles. I'm going to check that one out. There's one people keep tagging us on Twitter, Kings of Tupelo. I saw the first episode. It's like a documentary, right? Yeah, it's another that Tiger King, Jim Crazy, just some people you wonder that you're

surprised people like that in the world. It's about real people in Tupelo, Mississippi, which is supposed to have really crazy people. There was an Elvis impersonator, and then his brother became a competing Elvis impersonator and took his wife. And there's a lot on. Competing Elvis impersonator. This town ain't big enough for two of them. And then they're brothers and there's all kinds of stuff. I like that.

This town ain't big enough for two Elvis impersonators. So it's not an official endorsement from me, but it's, it's a big enough. What's that on? Netflix. All right. I may check that out. Who's up next? Sarah is up next.

Sarah, go ahead, Sarah. Hi, Matt. I just wanted to call and kind of corroborate your Bob Huggins story with a personal experience. I used to attend bar at the Marriott in Cincinnati. And back in 2012, West Virginia was up there playing the University of Cincinnati. And the night before the game, Bob Huggins and all of his staff. Fat athletic trainers, everybody came in, and they were just pounding shots of patron, just throwing them back.

They almost went through a whole bottle of patron. And they also didn't tip very well. Well, that's why you tell the story, is if they didn't tip very well, you shouldn't. Yeah, I just got annoyed, and I appreciate the call by Huggins. The lawyer acting like I hadn't seen him. He was like, there's no proof he was at the bar the night before. And I was like, first of all, I'm sure there is. But my proof is my eyes.

I saw them. I don't have his receipt on me. I can't produce what he ordered, but I was there, and he was there. And I know what Bob Huggins looks like. And then they, of course, lost, and I thought he kind of looked tired at the end of the game. He wasn't able to stop Kevin Knox when he went off. And if Bob Huggins is trying to be a little incognito, I wouldn't wear the gigantic West Virginia pullover that he wears for every game. He wears that, yes, he wears that everywhere.

It must be his only outfit. You know, thinking about that weekend, that game, though, was one of the best college basketball environments I've ever been in. At West Virginia, it was awesome. By the way, the Herald leader today reported what our schedule looks like for next year. Basketball? Yeah, so we talked about this the other day, but they had it official. So we play Louisville at the Yom Center. We play in the Champions Classic against, is it Kansas? Michigan State. It should be, we just did. What was it? It's New York, Kansas. Yeah. I think it's Kansas. We play, um, Indiana at Rupp on December 13th.

So they announced it. So the first Kentucky Indiana game will be at Rupp Arena December 13th. We will play UCLA in the Champions Classic. And then we will play December 2nd or 3rd, a home game against an ACC team. So because of our schedule, we don't get Duke or Carolina next year. So the thought is we will get either Duke or North Carolina at home. next year. So that means you would have in your non-conference schedule next year either Duke or Carolina at home against and Indiana. So you'd get those two. That's

pretty good. Great schedule. Is the Gonzaga Series? Gonzaga Series is on in Nashville. And I think that the problem is they don't know when to do it. So like it'll either be very early in the year or it might be in between Christmas and New Year, but we will play. It'll be like our game this year. We'll get to play them in Nashville, and we control the tickets. So it will basically be all Kentucky fans in Nashville. So really, three home games.

You basically get Gonzaga, Indiana, and then either Duke or North Carolina, all at home. So a good schedule. And it's Michigan State because we played Hunter Dickinson last year in the championship. So it's Michigan State. All right. So there you go. We'll take a break. Be right back.

It's Kentucky Sports Radio. Welcome back, Techie Sports Radio, here live at KS Bar and Grills. Text Machine, 772-774-5254. Remember if you're out here to pick the winners of the games for the playoff coming up. Sports, it's a pretty bad set of sports here in the next couple days. Tonight's like the Seahawks and the Bears, and then there's nothing tomorrow. But then Saturday you get full day of bowls, full day of all that. That's good.

There's one random bowl tomorrow. Pitt plays somebody in the something bowl. But, yeah, to your point, not a lot happening. I like you're wearing a bear shirt and said nothing going on tonight. We're terrible. I mean, we're absolutely terrible. The bears are going to get destroyed. But the good thing is, I wanted to lose every game, get a better draft pick.

They can't, I saw everything about picking Pete Carroll as the coach. He's 73 years old. Let's not do that. Let's get somebody young, the sort of whippersnapper, and let's let's I like Pete Carroll but no and did you say the the they moved the bingles game to Saturday this week's game got moved to Saturday I'm actually going to go yeah are you going to go yeah because I never get to go I mean they never I always have the NFL show so I never get to go I think I'm going to go Saturday they play the Broncos big game for the bingles yeah or Saturday off for us in

the middle of a basketball season we don't usually have a Saturday without a game uh draft kings they've got promotions all until uh new years but you bet five get 150 Use the code KSR. It's time for our draft king's picks. Let's go through here, the bowls today. The game above sports bowl. That's the one I was trying to figure out. What is the game above?

I don't know. I was trying to pull that name out of my head. Didn't have it. Pitt versus Toledo. Next year we opened the season with Toledo, and they're running back next year will be a guy named Chip Trey at him, who just left Kentucky and went to Toledo. By the way, a little surprising.

A big school didn't want him. He ended up at Toledo. We were feeling. focus on, oh, we might have to play Dane at Georgia. We got Barryon could be in the conference. No, it's Chip that's going to be first. We're opening up with Chip. They're 7 and 5.

They play Pitt. Who you got? I'll go Pitt. Pit had a good run there for a while this season, fell off at the end. I thought Pitt was like top 25 ranked at one point. They were at one point, lost a bunch of... I'm going to Pitt. All right, and then in the rate bowl.

I don't know why what that means. Rate. R-A-T-E, Rutgers and Kansas State. What do you got? Rutgers good at basketball. by the way, two top five freshmen. If you ever watched them play yet, Dylan Bailey and is it Ace Austin? Is that the name?

Ace Bailey. Who's Austin? Harper. I should remember that since that's my middle name. Ace Bailey and Harper Austin are two top five picks. Those guys are great. Who you got in the football, though? I want to say Kansas State with Avery Johnson, their quarter, I have no idea if he's playing,

but they're pretty good. I'll say Kansas State. I have no idea, so I'll go Rutgers. I'll go Kansas State. And the 68 Ventures Bowl, shut your mouth, Ryan. Arkansas State in the 68 Ventures Bowl against Bowling Green. This game's at 9 o'clock on ESPN. Any of you that are watching this, you should find a hobby.

If you're watching Arkansas State Bowling Green tonight, who you got? Just one more venture. It's all they needed was one more. Who you got? Bowling Green. Bowling Green. Bowling Green lost a lineman to Kentucky. They're just in shambles when you lose a player like that to the portal,

so Arkansas State covers. I'll take Arkansas State, and it's Dylan Harper, not Harper. Harper Austin. Harper Austin, not Dylan Harper, Harper, Austin. They're very similar. Who's up next? Evan is up next. Evan, go ahead, Evan.

First time, long time. Who are? We're approaching conference play here. and we've looked good so far besides against Ohio State. I was wondering who you all thought would be the most important player in conference play for Kentucky. Well, I mean, our most important player is definitely Lamont Butler, but our most important player going forward to me, Drew,

is I still think for Kentucky to be really good. Jackson Robinson's going to have to take a leap. He's going to have to take a leap into that. Even if he doesn't get to Antonio Reeves level, You know, think about Antonio Reeves, you knew no matter what he was going to give you 18 to 20 a game, right? No matter what, even if he didn't play well, you were going to get 18 to 20. We got to get Jackson Robinson to where we know no matter what, I'm getting 18 to 20 points from that kid. So that's why I think he's the most important guy going forward.

Yeah, he still shies away at time. We need that second half for Gonzaga, Jackson Robinson, that took over a point guard and made some big plays to win that game. To answer the question, though, Lamont Butler, if something happens to him, he goes away, shut it down. I just think he is so important to this team. What happens if he were to get hurt? Would we, I mean, is he so important to the team that if he got hurt, we'd have a hard time making the tournament? Oh. I mean, if it happened early enough in SEC play, I think so.

Just with the physicality of the guards and the SEC, we saw what happened when he was out of a game or two. especially with Kerr being out, just not having a true point guard at all on the roster there. I mean, he's so important. Got to keep him healthy and playing well. We have seen, really, for the first time in the last couple games, this major drop-off from the starters to the bench. I mean, the top six are a lot better than the rest of our team. And I don't think we knew that at first,

but I think it's certainly shown itself to be true here recently. Like we said, I look about the whole Lamont-Buller situation. But I did like when Jackson Robinson had to play the point. He did seem to thrive in that position. Well, he did come back and beat Gonzaga without Butler or Kurt. I mean, we did in that second half. I mean, they didn't have either one of those guys, and they were able to do it. I wouldn't have to see Jackson become more selfish, though, actually.

Even if he's not the point guard, just I want him to be a little more selfish. I do see a little of what we were talking about with Amari Williams, where sometimes it's like you forget he's even out there when it's kind of like you want to nudge him. You're Jackson Robinson, go get a bucket. I think he has spans of a game where he doesn't see him all the way in. How does it make you feel that probably the two best teams in the country are Tennessee and Auburn? Gross. Makes me feel like I need to take a bath.

But, I mean, they are. They are. I mean, I personally, I think Auburn's the best team in the country by a decent amount. I think Tennessee is going to struggle scoring enough to win a title. but Drew, I think Auburn's good enough to win the whole thing. Yeah, and Auburn's not a surprise at all. Once Broom came back and all the pieces they have, we knew they'd be really good. What hurts with Tennessee is the Lanier is playing so well,

and he's a guy that was down to Kentucky and Tennessee. I'm not saying I'd kick anyone off this roster that we love to add him, but that's a guy Kentucky really went after and he's really panned out in Knoxville. He's been great, and that's now, if you go back to Dalton Connect last year, you could make an argument Tennessee's gotten the best, transferring the country two years in a row. I mean, Chas Lanier may so far this year be the best transfer in college basketball, and they got them last year with Connect, and now this one, you know, it's annoying,

but Tennessee, Rick Barnes, they've still never made a Final Four, though, ever in history, but he has got that program to where they're just kind of just churning it out. Ziegler, their point guard is back for like the seventh year. He's solid. I also, I'm still on the boat that I don't think Alabama is that far behind Tennessee and Auburn. I think Alabama eventually is going to be a really good team. Boy, it's going to be a hard SEC. I mean, it's going to be a really hard.

We've got to win that first game. I don't want to scare people, but I'm worried about it. We've got to win that game against Florida. I mean, they're good, good. They're good. And like, that's the kind of home game that if we're going to be good, we have to be. of Florida. I think they're good. I don't think they're undefeated top

10 good, but we've still Drew, we have to win that game. Yeah, they're scheduled until playing North Carolina recently, who they were up by a million on and got close to the end. They've been destroying teams, but the opponents haven't been that good, so it's hard to really get a good gauge on them. But just the fact that they're undefeated

and they're winning games by 20-something points, they're bringing in a very good team in here. And the SEC's so hard, you've got to win your home games. You've got to hold certain home. Every night on the road. Whoever it is, it's going to be a battle. You're going to lose some of those road games coming up.

859-280-2287. We are here at KS Bar and Grill. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. It is a post-Christmas. It's weird having one game in three weeks or two weeks or whatever, but that's where we're at. We'll take a break and be right back. This is Kentucky Sports Radio. 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 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 field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,

We get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. 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. 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, Keir Gaines, as we have. Real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

This week on Crimless, we're joined by our first ever guest. Sorry, our first ever human guest. I don't think I could be in the same room with Shamrock the parrot. I'd be too nervous. That's right. The very funny Will Farrell joins Rory Scovel and me, Josh Dean, for an episode dedicated to the many crimes committed by people also named Will Farrell.

They called to his fellow officer for the nippers. What are the nippers? Very good question. No, I was thinking, would that be a good name for like a salad dressing? Simple assault? And it's a play on word, salt? Maybe not.

I say we invest and we see. There's only one way to know. This did not amuse the cops. By the way, normally the cops are amused. But this did not abuse the cops. Will even comes clean about some of his own crimes. I didn't get caught. You know why?

If you don't want to be suspected of anything, you whistle as you walk. Listen to crime lists on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play.

play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV. who now have covered Dancing with the Stars.

Traders. And we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough.

Did people not like it? Yeah. Just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion of the 50th season. From the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate, is a finalist to a bunch of ha, who, ha, ha, ooh, ha, ooh, ha, who. Again, we are experts.

So make sure to tune into PodMeets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back, final segment here, Kentucky Sports Radio at the KS Bar and Grill, 859-280-2287. This segment is sponsored by Don Franklin. Tomorrow, we are at Don Franklin in Glasgow. so love to have all the folks there in the Glasgow area come and join us. That is, what, two-hour drive from here in the morning? A little over two.

But I'm so excited to give Brandon Stockton a hug and just confirm that he's still there. He's still alive. Yes. Was he who, somebody called and killed him off, right? Yeah, somebody called into the show. Well, we shouldn't do that. He will be there. He'll be there tomorrow, right?

And we are at Don Franklin in Glasgow. I just heard they're bringing free pizza for everybody there. And then they're giving away tickets to something here at Rupp, like the Water Willy show or something like that. Water Willie. I didn't know Water Willie was coming through town. It may not, hang on, it may not be Water Willie. It's like some kind of, let's see, Hot Wheels Monster Truck Glow. Nice.

Gotcha. I don't know what Hot Wheels, what is Hot Wheels Monster Truck? Is that like Monster Trucks? Yeah, but they got the Hot Wheels brand. Yeah. What makes it glow? The lights. that they put underneath the uh oh that sounds like something i could wear my cowboy hat too oh definitely

you would fit right in with your cowboy hat you know i've been trying to figure out where was i gonna where is i going to where is i going to wear it maybe i go to the hot wheels monster truck cowboy glow i was pretty disappointed that we can't do radio with the hat because the headsets or i might be wearing mine right now yeah you can you can't do headsets you can't do it that's true um duke duke signed a quarterback for next year it's a guy from toulain they're paying him $4 million a year in NIL. They think that is the highest amount of football player has been paid so far. If I told you that there was going to be a quarterback to make $4 million,

you might not have been shocked by that. But what if I told you there was a quarterback that was going to be paid $4 million and it was at Duke? Not a chance. Not a chance. I'm thinking Georgia, Texas, an SEC school for sure. not Duke where football is kind of secondary there. $4 million at Duke.

Did someone just wake up one day or rich? I kind of want football to be good now. I would have thought Duke would have kept most of its money toward basketball, and they went out. I mean, they took a quarterback that was 9 and 3 this year. I mean, Duke football was 9 and 3 and good, and they basically told him you can go somewhere else. We're going to take this guy.

I mean, they looked at 9 and 3 at Duke, and we're like, yeah, we're going to try to do better than that. I mean, that'd be interesting to see. That feels like a lot of pressure on this dude. I mean, the guy they just kicked out with 9 and 3. Yeah, I had great numbers. The Tulane quarterback, Mentsai, is his name. He's got decent numbers, but you've never really know how someone's going to translate.

Have someone in your locker room that's already done it. That's a big jump to go throw a bunch of money at a guy coming from the group of five. What about our quarterback, Cal Zada? Cal Zata. I'm going to want to call him Cal Zona. Calzada. You know, now you've had a couple days to digest it. How do you think he's going to do?

Of course, I'm going to end up being really excited about by the time the season starts, just like I was with Brandegriff last year. You know, he's put up some good numbers. He's got a good history. I'm hoping it translates on the field this year. So you're talking yourself into it? I'll eventually talk myself into it, yes. All right.

What about you? I have not talked myself into it. I mean, it's a good addition. You've got to go out and get someone. I just have huge concerns with all of the things they're going to have to do between now and the fall for all of it working out. I'm glad they got him. He's got a good tape. I hang on to that win against number one Alabama when they had a great defense and he drove down the field.

But get me excited for next year's football season is a big task. Do you – I mean, I just have no idea how to evaluate this transfer class. You know, like you could tell me they're good or not good, and I have no idea. Like, I don't know any of the players. They're all from schools that don't really know. It's just, I mean, it's going to be so hard to have a feel on this team next year. No matter what happens, I don't care what people say during camp, how are we going to have any idea if this team is good until they play that first game?

We're not. Absolutely not. You know, when we had the transfer portal guys like Ray Davis or Dumas Johnson, and we've seen those guys play, these guys coming in next year, We know really nothing about them. And we don't have a lot of dudes returning from last year's team. I mean, our offensive line is going to have five new starters. I mean, that's probably good because the five we had this year were terrible.

But, like, it's still five new starters. You know, I mean, that's going to be. And you don't really know until it's September whatever and you're lined up against Toledo. And if it's like, oh, crap, he didn't work out. Well, that's too bad. Too late now. You're in it. Yeah.

I think it's going to be It's just It's going to be so different This year. And that Toledo game, remember, go back to the schedule. Toledo, then Old Miss In the next game. That old miss game, there's going to be

such pressure on it Because it's one of the few games That you can even look at, Drew at home, and say, well, maybe we could win that. I don't want to scare anyone with Toledo, but they went into Mississippi State last year won by 30. Now, Mississippi State stunk, but that's a team that's not going to be afraid of an SEC school coming off, going on the road, and winning big just this season. So even week one,

I mean, you should be Toledo, but that's not a pushover opponent. One person writes, Matt, after the Ohio state loss, I watched Charles video that had all the wins and losses of the year. After the Ohio state loss, do you have any changes on your SEC preview? I'm staying 12 and 6. I felt like people thought I was conservative in doing that, but I think that's still about right. I don't think we are as bad as we looked against Ohio State, but I think we're going to have some bad losses, but I'm still going to go 12 and 6.

What about you? You had us at 11 and 7. 11 and 7. I don't think it's indicative of Kentucky. I think it's indicative of how strong the SEC is this year. You know, when you're going on the road to places like Oklahoma, you may think you get a win. Oklahoma is really good.

Florida's really good. Missouri's good. LSU's good. And that's the bottom tier. of the conference. So. I'm sticking with it. Okay.

I think I said six. I'll keep it there, but my confidence level has dipped a little bit. I read a lot of Ken Palm. He's not high on Kentucky this year. That system has its flaws, but he's dropped the prediction to 9-9 with his analytics. Oh, wow. So, I mean, think about if we went 9-9-9. I mean, that's, first of all, very plausible.

I mean, 9-9 is very plausible. And if you went 9-9-9, you would still make the tournament. We would still make the tournament at 9 and 9. We'd probably be like 7 seed maybe at 9 and 9, something like that. How would you look at the year if we went 9 and 9 and we were a 7 seed? I still feel like just the fact they beat Duke, Gonzaga, and Louisville is going to help me ease the pain if we lose some games in the SEC that maybe... What if you, after you beat Duke Gonzagin, Louisville, you lost twice to Tennessee, twice to Alabama and once to Auburn? Oh, I don't think you go say Arkansas.

Well, we win that Arkansas. We got to win the Arkansas. We're not even, none of us are even thinking an Arkansas loss into existence. That's not happening. No. Like Ryan said, one game shouldn't carry as much weight as it does, but beating Duke went a long way with me. Because if I'm being honest, if you told me in October before all this started, that they beat Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, and went 9-9 in the conference.

I'd go, yeah, I'll take it. Yeah, I'd sign up for that. I think if you said before the year, we're going to go. 20 and 11 with those wins, people take it. But I think when you start and you're the number four ranked team in America and then you get there, I think there would be some people who would be disappointed with that. But look, I think we're going to go 12 and 6. I think we're going to play well.

But I do hope people are prepared. We're going to take some smackdowns in conference play. We just are. Now I think we'll give a couple too. Yeah. But we're going to take a couple. and, you know, the Ohio State game kind of proved that to me, Ryan, that, like, we're going to throw a couple clunkers up. As poor as this team is defensively in the spots, we're going to have to outscore teams.

There's going to be other games where we have trouble scoring. Just be ready for it. I think that's going to happen. With that said, I still, I mean, I don't know, I'm excited to play in a conference where every game is going to be good. You know, I'm excited to play where every night, I mean, Maybe our two easiest games are two of the first three, right? Then, I mean, there's a stretch where they play six straight-ranked teams. Brutal.

Six straight-ranked teams in conference play. You never would have thought that would happen at Kentucky and the SEC. I'm excited. We've got to lower the expectations a little bit with what the record looks like. Not to sound like a paid Ken Palm guy. He has Kentucky losing the first three games in conference play. Florida at Georgia at Mississippi State. And his little predictions of scores.

And Georgia, Mississippi State are two of the easiest games. Well, Mississippi State's good. Georgia should be one of the easier games. Just to show you how tight the analytics have all these SEC teams. Yeah. I mean, it's going to be quite a battle. Hey, thank you all very much for coming out. We appreciate it.

Nice to see people from all over the state who come in. Nice to see my parents and my uncle over there. Thank you all. We will be in Glasgow tomorrow. Remember, Kentucky plays Brown at 2 o'clock on New Year's Eve. Our morning show that day will also be our pregame show for the game. Thank you all very much. see you later. This has been 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. 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 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 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 Slicelife-Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Why are we all so obsessed with romance? On the Radio 831 podcast, join us, Sanjana Basker, and Tyler McCall, as we unpack all the trending tropes, fuzzy adaptations, book talk drama, and celebrity love stories with hot takes and sharp guests. Each episode digs into what these stories reveal about desire, fantasy, identity, and how we love now. Listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Joey Dardano, and on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite Wednesdays

on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.