KSR - 2025-01-13- KSR - Hour 2

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

Willie Cauley Stein joins the show to talk about the current UK basketball team and reminisce about his playing career at Kentucky.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 IHeart 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, in 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. 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 Keir 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. 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 IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

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Welcome back. Hour number two, Kentucky Sports Radio, 859-2802287. There you go. Thank you very much. We're here at the KS Bar and Grill. You can come on out and see us this morning on a snowy day. We're now joined by Willie Colley Stein, former national player of the year. How's that feel to be introduced as that? Pretty crazy.

It is. I mean, like, that's, you know, that's the amount of, how many national players of the year have we had here? We have not had many. Oh, only like four or five, I think, right? I mean, we have what? Who all won it? Anthony Davis. Wall got one of them.

Wall got one, but he didn't get all of them. Did Oscar get one? Oscar got one. Yeah, I think you're right. Did anybody, who got them before Wall? Anyone? Did Kenny Walker get it one year? I'm not really sure.

So, I mean, like, that's a pretty amazing company. Oh, it's great. Feels good. Yeah, you got to love being in that group. Yeah, what? That's what it was about. So you, part of the 2015 team, I was just saying, I think it's along with the 96 team, the best team here.

Make the case for the 2015 team as the best of all time. because I think you believe it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I just think with the amount of guys we had, I mean, even like our 10th and 11 guy are off the bench, you know, like they could go somewhere else and start probably. I mean, Derek Wilson, Dominique Hawkins, didn't play. Yeah, and their starters somewhere else.

Yeah. I mean, those. I don't know. So when you look at it like that, it's just, there's just too much talent and not, I don't think any, probably 80% of us got the talent. happen to our whole talent. What were those practices like every day? Did you get to the point that you didn't want to see Dakari Johnson ever again?

Because you probably do you practice against him like every day, right? Yeah, that's Kat had to guard Dakari. I didn't really have to guard him too much. I was guarding Marcus. Yeah, put your microphone up there next. There you go. Go ahead. You guard Marcus Lee?

Yeah, I was guarding Marcus. And Kat had a guard Dak, so, yeah, them two bodies got the clash against each other a lot. What was the moment that year that you knew, like, this is going to be special? Like, this is a special team? Probably the summer. Like, when the new guys came in after, like, we have been there already, you know what I mean? And, I mean, the first, like, three weeks of practicing and, like, playing pickup, like, we were fighting. It was just fighting.

It was, like, the twins versus Book and Tyler, and, you know. I always got the sense. You tell me if this is right. Twins versus Booker and Tyler. Everybody liked each other, but there was something there, right? After the fact that everybody liked each other. At first, I don't think that was the case. I mean, they weren't supposed to be here.

You know what I mean? Like, it got like overpushed, like Twins should have left, Book and Tyler come up. You know, that's how it goes. That's how it's like recruited here. So when we all come back, it kind of like stacks it up. So now you create a little competition where it's, you know, more times, it's given to you. Now it's like you got a competition where like well these guys already

proved this like we can't just slide them out. You kind of had a battle for it. So I think they set it up for the battle. Did you, I mean during the year everybody said the right things about the platoon in the moment. Did you all like it or not? I think in the beginning we didn't like it. But then once we started just running people out the gym like they were tired by the time. You know what I mean? We're like still like, coach can, can, can please go back in? Because like, you know, you're not tired. And so once we kind of got like, you know, five, six games in of playing it like that,

then it was like, okay, we see the benefit in what we're doing. Let me take a step back. I like to go through people's career. So you came in here. How many times, Ryan, did we hear he played wide receiver in high school? Probably every single game. Every single game for three years. Did you?

I mean, you don't see the TV broadcast, but did you know, like, that that was set? about you every single game? Yeah, yeah, yeah, no. I mean, I'd get on Twitter afterwards, and it's on there. Did you, so you did play wide receiver in high school. Were you good? That was great. You'd be hard to cover at 6-11.

They would try everything. Triple coverages, double coverages, put a linebacker on me off the line. But the linebacker is like littler than me. So you came here, your freshman year, didn't play a ton, backed up in New Orleans, and then he gets hurt. And so you play a little bit more. When you came here, what was the amount of time you thought you were going to say? You didn't think you were a one and done when you came, did you?

Well, when I came here, I was just coming for the ride, bro. I didn't really have an expectation of what it was going to be like. I mean, that's why I came was because they said you would be, you know, like a one and done or have a chance to go to the league quick. So that's why I came. But as soon as I got here, I didn't know it was going to be like that. I mean, like, as soon as I signed, I was already like top 15 on the board, and I hadn't even played a game yet.

And I was like, how the hell? Yeah. How does that make sense? So the first year, there's the struggles end up in the NIT. Second year, you know, everybody remembers the run. But during the regular season, that 2014 team, there were a lot of struggles that year, too. And, I mean, you guys played a lot of close games on the road

where you would lose right at the end. Yeah. Did you during that time feel like, though, you know, there's still something else with this group? Oh, yeah. I mean, at that particular year, I mean, we were still putting it together. So when people kind of ask about it, it's like, I think people think that we were, because, well, we were the eight seed. Yes. Like, we were better than the eight seed.

I think we just got kind of hoed on it. Just because who we are, you know what I mean? and like, well, Wichita State is the one that ended up getting screwed on it because they were undefeated and had to play you guys in the second round. But we're the A-seed. What do you mean? What? They were one. I'm just saying like they shouldn't have had to play you. But why? We're the A-seed. I know, but like. So you're saying we're better than one of them.

You were better than an eight-seed, and I think that hurt them in some ways. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Let's go to that game. It's an often-forgotten game. That's one of the best college basketball games I've ever seen. It was awesome. It was great. Big shot after big shot. And they all the NBA talent. Yeah, Baker and Fred.

Fred Van Fleet, Clee Anthony Early, who didn't, I don't think play in the NBA, but was a great college. He did play. He did play. He ended up getting shot. The Knicks got shot in the leg. I didn't know that. Oh, well, that's a bummer. Sorry to hear that.

But that game, that was one of the most awesome in the moment games I can remember. It's crazy. Well, for me, for sure, because I'm from Kansas. So I got to play K State and then to get into that game, play Wichita. And it was like, it was different, you know what I mean? Yeah. So then game against Louisville in Indianapolis, Louisville's coming off a national championship. We had won one two years ago.

It was like the rubber match. I tell you personally, I've never been more nervous about a game in my life. I almost got spin on. I got the woman tried to throw up on me. Like it was one of the wildest. Y'all stay getting punched on them. this was during a pregame show these people were coming up to him during the pregame show and giving him the they accidentally they accidentally booked my pregame show at a Louisville pregame party oh yeah

and i just decided to i just decided to talk trash and a woman tried to throw up on me but that one that game what's what what was it like to be in it man it was i mean anytime like i say anytime you get to play in a rivalry game it's legendary so like the fact that I don't know. I've got to playing like six of them with them. So, I mean, I broke my ankle that game. So that's all I really remember in the last shots. Yeah, you didn't. That Marcus Lee had to come in there.

And that's when he had played really well against Michigan and Wisconsin. Yeah. All right. So get to 2015. Did you come back because you broke your ankle? Yeah. If you hadn't broken your ankle, would you have left? I was gone.

Yeah, I was out of here. So, I mean, I don't want to say a blessing in disguise. Oh, it was? Was it? Oh, yeah. Why do you think that? Uh, because I still don't think I was ready to go, but I was gonna go just because of the when we went to the ship, like, what else can you do better besides winning it?

So, I mean, the draft boards look good, like, everything was good. So, like, if we would have won it, I probably definitely would have won it. Were you bummed out that you had to come back? I mean, there's got to be a part of it that's like, oh, I was so close. I wasn't, I wasn't bummed just because I was hurt. So it just made it like, like, oh, I have so much. stuff that I want to get done. And, like, I remember laying in the hospital bed after surgery and, like, talking to my boy

Rex and was like, man, I got, like, so many accolades. I still, I haven't won. I've never won anything. Like, I think I want to go back to school and do it. And then, like, fast forward. We got all the accolades. All right. So before you did that, we go to the Bahamas.

That was a good trip. All right. I mean, we might as well just talk about that trip. I mean, first of all. Ten years ago. You guys, you guys had fun on that trip. I mean, that wasn't just a basketball trip. You guys had fun.

And I'm not sure anyone had more fun than you. Like you, you were at the clubs. You were at the bars. I mean, what did you, how did you look at that trip? I was hurt. So, you know, I had like a morning workout and then I was done for the rest of the day. I got to watch the good basketball. And I was with all the boosters all day and just.

Yeah, you were with all the boosters. That's one way to put it. Yeah, you were just chilling, meeting people. It was a good time. Yeah, I can remember I would go to bed and my friends that stayed out later, including this one, that would be when they would see you show up. I was going to show Willie some pictures and say, do you remember this moment, but we won't do that on radio.

We'll do that after the show. We've told, I don't want to go into the details on the morning show. This might be an uncensored podcast, but we have hinted over the years at the moment at the pool after you all did the ice bucket challenge. Do you remember you did the ice bucket challenge? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And do you remember you walk back to the pool? Do you remember what was going on at the pool when you showed up?

Uh-uh. Some people not in the UK party were having a very good time. Yeah, maybe there was some dancing going on in the middle of the pool and Cal and those guys ran off. Do you remember that? Actually, I do know. You don't see that on a lot of pools. Not, not, no. Not those, not that type of pool.

Not that type of pool. But that group, it did strike me that that Bahamas trip did kind of bring you guys together. By the end of the trip, you all seemed to have a much bigger connection maybe than you did before. Do you agree with that? I think so. I mean, we had a lot of downtime, too, where, you know, we were going paraceling and on the beach, riding jet skis. And just kind of, like, he took us out on the boat and got to, you know, snorkeying.

and do all types of stuff where we're just all together. I think that's one thing Cal does a really good job of is like putting you in situations where you have to be around each other. Like we have these temperate beds and we're going to go sleep on this floor instead of sleeping these temperate beds. You know what I mean? Like it's like stuff like that. Like he just make you be together.

Yeah. Well, let me, I want to come back to 2015, but let me talk about Calipa. When you hear Calipari is going to Arkansas, what is your thought at that moment? what is your thought at that moment? Damn. Yeah, like, damn. That was, it was unexpected. I think I woke up to it.

But I get it at the same time. Like, you know, stuff is stagnant. You know, people need change. People need change to keep things moving fresh. And so I think it was in a situation here where, like, okay, we're good, but we're not as good as we need to be. And you got to make a change. And I think it's mutual. Yeah, I actually thought it was, I actually thought it was best for both parties for that to happen.

Did you, I always worried about how the former players saw it, because we're here every day. I think we knew Cal needed a change. I think we knew we as fans needed to change. How did former players see it? Like, did you, could you feel that that needed to happen? Yeah, yeah, I mean, you can just tell, I mean, especially with the new, like, the way college is now with the NIL, like, we come from an era of like we had to like scheme the like how to get away with stuff like that you know what I mean and now you don't have to do that and like now it's like does Kentucky want to like fun into that well it didn't look like it so I feel like there's like a you know so did you I mean I will just say and I I thought he changed a little bit in the last few years I think he got complacent okay a little bit like like when I was here I feel like it was intense and then like you come back and And then, like, the way he talks to the kids, like, well, you didn't talk to us like that.

Is that right? Did you, could you see a difference? Maybe not as. Like, he was a little softer. Like, it wasn't like with us, man, he was. I was Alex, bro. Like, Alex got the worst of what I feel like. So I don't, I don't see, when I was here seeing that, I don't feel like anybody else got like that type of.

Why did you think Alex got the worst of it? I always thought Alex got the worst of it, too. Why do you think that was true? Because he's just so big. Like, he's just, he was supposed, you know, he was like a big guard and a beach. So but also like a very you know kind human spirited person. So I think cow was just trying to bring out that monster out of them. I don't think that's who he is. And so like trying to bring that out just made him kind of put him in a lower spot. Do you cheer? Well, on February 1st, Kentucky's going to play Arkansas right down there. Are you going to cheer for Kentucky? Yeah. Okay. Okay. I'm just making sure. I, you know, I, I, you know, I did. But do you cheer for Arkansas when they don't play Kentucky?

No. No, I don't. I watch, but I ain't, no. Yeah. I'm not, no. You're a Kentucky guy. I love it. Have you been there yet or have any intentions, at least check in?

I know some former players have at least from UK gone and said hi to Cal there. Have you made that trip? In Arkansas? Yeah. I've made the trip. I mean, it's right around the corner. My wife, she went to school there and stuff, and she wants to go. But I'm like, you know.

Have you met Mark? Yeah. Okay. How's that go? Mark's nice. I like them. I enjoyed the whole coaching staff. It was cool when we were here. They took care of us too. So, I mean, I like what they got going on. Tell me about Stockton Mortgage. Stockton Mortgage. Our friends of Stockton Mortgage make homeownership happen. And Tim can attest. Here's what he had to say. We had originally tried to finance our new home with our old lender.

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I can show Mario, but not with the camera there. Okay, there's a great picture. We had fun of the Bahamas. That was the Bahamas. That was the Bahamas. By the Vince Merrill just wrote me, he must be listening in. He said, I saw Willie play football. I was at Nebraska watching him.

He was a great football player. Great. There you go. Vince Mero, the recruiter, giving you the thumbs up. That's a blessing. We'll take a break. 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 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 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer 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.

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Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart 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. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. Boy to Willie's big fans just walked in here. Willie, you got fans left and right all over the place. It's a blessing. Really, it's got to be awesome. I mean, one of the things you get to do that these players get to do, what I know, I know you have a big heart. What is it like to see the effect you have on just regular everyday fans?

I don't think you really realize it until like it happens, you know? But it's good, you know? You're getting emotional thinking about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, like, because you don't feel it all the time. So when you come here, it's like you feel it all the time. So Marcus Cousins used to say, look, I went to the NBA, it was great, made a lot of money. But my favorite, year was my year here. There's a way people embrace you here that just doesn't happen, right? Anywhere else? Yeah. I mean, I think

they see you for who you are, not just a basketball player or what you do for the school. Like, you know, they see who for you really are. That's big time. In 2000, was it 14 or 15, the drawing on the sidewalk thing. Do you remember that? The sidewalk shock.

Yeah, so I think it was 2014. At the SEC tournament, they did these like profiles of the big player on every team. And I Remember, you guys were about to play Florida, and Patrick Young was their really good player. And it said, and it said Patrick Young, they were like, in his spare time, he goes out and he chops wood, and they showed him with an axe and all this. And you all were about to play him. And then they showed you, and they were like, for Kentucky, Willie Colley Stein.

In his spare time, he likes to go out on the sidewalk and do sidewalk art with chalk. And I was like, oh. That's how they did. Yeah. That's how they did you. Chopping wood. They had Patrick Young chopping wood, and you drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. Wow.

They did you bad on that one, Will. They did me dirty for sure. Did you actually do that, though? Yeah, that was an art contest that I did in high school. I had to do, yeah, sidewalk. Yeah, they did you dirty on that one, though. Yeah, they did. Yeah, what about him dunking on Florida?

Not coloring the sidewalk. Okay, so we were talking during the break about dunks. Is that Florida dunk your best dunk? That's one of them. What's the best dunk? In college? Yes. I don't know, man.

I mean, that's the one that we see all the time. I'm sure there's some other ones that are. Cincinnati's dunk. Actually, Auburn won my freshman year was pretty crazy too. Like, I got a little pitch from James Young at the three-point line. And everybody's like, what the hell did he catch it at the three-point line for it? I'm just like looking like, oh, nobody's guarding me? One dribble, boom.

And I was like, oh, that was fun. Now, I think I want it out there all the time. 2015, I'm going to give you some moments I remember get your quick take on. First of all, when you all nearly held UCLA scoreless in the CBS Classic, maybe the best defensive performance in the first half I've ever seen a team have. I agreed. They couldn't even get shots off. Yeah, they were flustered.

And that team went to the Sweet 16. They ended up being a pretty good team. I mean, they were good, too. They just, not for us. Was that one of them wearing the locker room? you're like, oh, wow, we're good. I actually feel bad for them because, like, they, it was just the timing that we played them.

Like, we have been going crazy, like, either playing against each other, and then we're, like, playing in that little thing, and then it's, like, Christmas break. So it's, like, once this game is over, we're all getting on a plane going home. So it was like, let's just finish this game so we can go home.

Did you start to feel the weight of the undefeated? Like, was there a pressure on that group during SEC play? No, I think the pressure. didn't happen until after when we were first going in. I feel like that's when it was, that's when we were hearing it the most. Like during the SEC, it was like whatever. But like once that was over and we were going into the tournament, then it was like a different type of pressure because now everybody's in the same boat, but now it's like, are you going to go undefeated and win this? That's different than just like, oh, going undefeated in the tournament and then you win it.

But it's like as the whole, you start thinking as the whole at that point. There's an argument fans have sometimes, which is there's this argument that there are people who wanted you to lose a game. Because they go back to 96 in 2012. Two great teams, I think along with 2015, those are the great teams of my lifetime. They both lost in the SEC tournament finals and then won the title. And there have been people who said, I wish they would have lost. Do you think it would have helped you to lose? I always argue no, but maybe I'm wrong. Do you think it would have helped you to lose? I don't think what's the difference. I agree. You just lost. now you now you lost but you don't think like that would have helped as the tournament went on

well you just well no because so you lose and then you still it's one game at a time like you lose again and you're over like you win you win so regardless we put the pressure on ourselves the pressure was gone because the only way it mattered was to lose in the SEC right yeah after that's over everybody has to go undefeated now that's a really good point you know what I mean so like we lose all right so you lost but I thought the only team going into the tournament The only team I thought had a chance to beat you all was Wisconsin. Just because of the way they played. Match up.

Do you agree with that? Yeah. Yeah. So look, I know you don't want to think about it, but tell me about that game. Uh, I mean, they just got it. They got us on a night that, like, we hadn't been in a position like that where, you know, we're necessarily down in the last few minutes of a game. And, like, you know, we're used to put.

and pressure on other people on that side of the things. And what, our last three possession, we got two shot clock violations and an airball. Doesn't happen. It hadn't happened the whole year. They had a shot. That was a shot clock pilot. It was a shock player. They should have called it, Ryan.

Should have called it. They didn't call it. Still makes me mad. It still makes everybody mad you think about it. And, you know, I'm friends with Big Cat, and he's Sam Decker's friend. I still hate Sam Decker. It was rude of him to win that game, Will you all should have been undefeated. We should have.

It was rude. We'll take a break. Be right back. This is 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, 859-280-2287. Willie, given a nice surprise to the people that came here. Give yourselves a round of applause. Those of you that got here earlier, didn't even know you were going to get this. And so thanks to Dr. Mike Wong, who is giving out pictures that he's, took of Willie with his dunk against Cincinnati and now he's signing him which is very very nice one person writes Matt I was here on campus when Willie was on his visit in the Hyatt lobby I went up and asked for a picture and he said why do you want

my picture I don't think he realized what he was getting into is that is that is that possible yeah I did not did you I mean did you have any idea what you were walking into when you came to Lexington no I'm from Kansas man I I didn't even know what Kentucky basketball was. So before, like, Cal and them actually came to my house, it was, I'm a Kansas kid. So when you walk on campus and all of a sudden, people are just coming up to you and wanting pictures and all that, is it just like a, it's got to be a crazy change, isn't it? For the better.

Yeah, for the better. I don't know, you just realize how much impact you can have on people. So, like, you got to just, I don't know, there's a couple ways you can take it. You can either be like the asshole or you can be like the guy that sits out here for two hours and sign everybody's autographs. I feel like that's the route that I took. And you've always been like that. I mean, that's one of the things I appreciate about you is that you, throughout the time, you seem to be like, I'm going to talk to these people. I get it.

I'm a small-town kid. So, like, I understand. I was that kid that was standing outside of a Dio City Legends game trying to get an autograph from a semi-pro guy. Is that right? You would go to G-League games trying to get? It wasn't even G-League at that time. You know what I mean? This is like below that.

Wow. In southwest Kansas somewhere. There's a young woman here who you met when you were at UK when she was like a child and she's come to see you again. How does that make you feel? I think those are the craziest ones. Like now when I come back. it'd be like all the students were children, you know, and they're like, oh, yeah, you saw my iPhone 5, and I'm like, iPhone 5.

Sheesh. I mean, wait until you get to do it as long as I have when people are like, my dad used to come watch you when he was in college, and you're like, are you kidding? Yeah. I mean, it's wild. And I look in the mirror, and I'm like, well, I don't feel like that old. I know exactly what you're talking about. I don't feel like I changed that much, and I'm like, look, and they're like grown.

Yes. One person writes, Matt, I think Willie. had the best death stare I've ever seen. Does he remember the death stare he gave Montrez Harold during the Louisville game? Yeah, it's hard to get past that one. That one gets shown every year too. That was pretty good.

He went flying. Do you remember that, Ryan? Every year Louisville comes into Rupp Arena, that video is on the intro video. It's like the Tyler Ulys blood thing. Same game. It was the same game. Literally same game.

That's right. One person writes, you know, ask Willie what his favorite thing about Calipari was. What was your favorite thing about Calapary? Just like the way, like, he empowers us to be who we are, but then, like, shows us, like, how to, like, use that after ball. So, like, a lot of the stuff that I learned from Cal would have nothing to do with basketball. I mean, it was just more, like, how to carry yourself off the floor

and, like, you're a brand and, you know, how to make money after this and like how to set up your family. Like we're in a position to, you know, stop generational curses and stuff like that. So, I mean, I really paid attention to that type of stuff. Yeah. One person writes, ask Willie of all the Cal big men, where does he think he ranks? Boy, that's a tough question for you. All right.

So just for your time at Kentucky, not what happens in the NBA? If I'm thinking about, let's just go through the various really good big men here. Start with you had DeMarcus, Jorts, Nurt. Erlins, Anthony Davis, you, Carl, Oscar, who else? Bam. Bam, that's a really good one. Julius Randall. Julius Randall.

You play with a lot of these guys. Willie, you're sitting there and you're going, right, where do I, where do you put yourself in that list? Shoot. Top three, not three. Top three, not three. Top three, not three. So let me, if I were going to put your list, just at UK,

at UK. Okay, not what happens after UK. I think it's the top four to me in some order is AD Demarcus, Oscar, U. I think that's the top four at UK. Come on, man, you want to, you can be a broadcaster. Rank those four for me. I mean, where the accolades say, what the numbers say. Well, the numbers would probably put you two, but the accolades may put him one. Well, Anthony had similar acts. Yeah, Anthony and him. He got the chip. We'll put Anthony first just because he got the chip.

So you're going to put you second? I'm second for sure. All right. National player of the year, defensive player to year. That's it. Consensus first team all-American. Come on. When you sweep national player of the year, defensive player of the year, conference

player of the year, conference defensive player of the year. SEC tournament player of the year. Like, come, man. Also, one two sports star on that list. No other wide receivers other than Willie. I think that also gives them a bump. Yeah, I don't think there were any other wide receivers. I'm saying, Matt. There's a lot of things. It's kind of going my way to bump me up there.

You know, I mean, if you look at the accolades, I don't think there's any debate. We've talked about this on the show. I do. Dude, you're getting where I'm going. If you're just looking at the accolades, your jersey should be up there one day because there is no one, Ryan. It's correct. I mean, the amount of people that have those accolades is on one hand. Wouldn't you agree?

There's no doubt about it. You put that just based on what he did here. the accolades he received after his junior year. It's a no-brainer that he gets his jersey retired. I agree. And he gets a bump for being here longer. I've been wondering the same thing. I've been here for three years.

Also. And I'm about to graduate. All SEC. Oh, wait a minute. Hang on. You're about to graduate. Yeah. Talk to me about that.

Came back. I got like another semester left. Spring semester. Actually, after this, I'm going on campus. I got a couple classes. I got to start doing. Why was that important to you? All of me, I'm done with, you know,

playing but I want to get into coaching and so to coach you got to have a degree so you want to be a coach yeah what do you uh you weren't to start that next year you hope on the college level no I think I want to do high school high school yeah why I think I could like serve the kids better like young adults moving into that college level I've always felt like probably more uniquely than any player that has played here since I've done it. You have, and you feel free to correct me, an artistic personality, a very like, you have a huge heart.

It's not your typical basketball player way of looking at the world. That's hard for me to really describe. No, you hit it on the head. Am I right? Talk to me about that. I think it just goes to, like, you seen my grandparents, you guys met them. Like, that was my parents.

So, like, I was raised in that type of, you know, small town environment they never in probably their whole life thought they would come to kentucky and watch their you know some playing move on to the NBA and stuff like that so i don't know with that that type of you don't know like and it was like all it was like a gift for all of us i don't know you carry that with you so like it's all the gift so like you know i got to learn a lot doing that and i just feel like there's a lot of like kids that are like me that i could like share that too so that's why i feel like the high school level would be fun i think you said to me once that you tended to gravitate towards people kind of left out a little bit.

I remember you saying to me in one of the interviews a long time ago that you kind of look for the kid that's off to the side by himself or herself. Is that right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like I was that person. Like, I was just tall, so I was in the back, you know what I mean? But, like, you always wanted to be in the front. You always want to dance around and stuff. But, like, you never, you know, for some reason you never did. And so, like, I look for that. I look for those type of people that you really know that they want to be in the mix but are like either too embarrassed or you know don't know themselves like that or haven't learned themselves like that to like put themselves in that position so like sometimes you got to force them in that that role you've

traveled the world a little bit with basketball where all have you been it's taking me far I don't know like when I played in Italy man we got to play in like a different country every other day so I passport got stamps a lot of stamps what's what town is what town is did you play for in Italy? Verraise. It's like 45 minutes from Milan, which Alex was actually playing there at the time. Wow, so you were in Milan. Did you get into fashion and all that stuff when you were there? I didn't, I wasn't there long enough, honestly. So I, it was nice there, though. He's probably stuck out a little bit there. Just a little bit. Yeah, maybe just a little bit.

I was also riding a motorcycle around. Like one of those little Cal Vespas? No, like a motor, like a. Like a real motorcycle? Crawled rocket, no. C4Moto. Okay, all right, well, that's... I was zooming. So when you watch Kentucky, you were here for the game. What do you think about this Kentucky team?

I like it, man. I mean, we're just... We can score. I feel like even in the SEC period, like, I ain't never seen so many, like, good teams in the SEC. You, like, watch... You, like, looking at their records as they pop up and everybody got, like,

12 wins, you know. Leagues a lot better than when you were in it. Yeah. Like, I mean, you guys would have like three or four. Probably like five teams that were, you know, I think at one point, I mean, we had like us, Tennessee. Florida. You know what I mean? We're all in like the elite eight at one point.

It was like three or four SEC teams. And it was, I mean, I thought that was crazy. But like seeing it this year, I mean, I'm like, we're at the power conference. Oh, without question. Without question. But everybody's scoring almost 100 points and nobody's playing defense. They don't play defense. So whoever decides to play defense is going to win it for sure.

Well, hopefully that's us. Willie, I want to thank you very much for coming in tonight. You're always generous with your time. Last thing before you go. How crazy was the TBT tournament in Louisville? It was fun. It was fun. I mean, I've never played a Freedom Hall either, so it was like a literally like a first for me.

You saw he got punched. I know, man. I mean, he got a crazy video. Got a lot going on there. You running it back next year? Yeah, I'm running it back for sure. That was great. I love that you guys still fight with the Louisville people 10 years later.

It's them, not us. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, it's them. It's not you. You're not a fighter. Never. Yeah, I like it.

Well, Willie, thank you very much. Thanks for being generous with your time here and with all these folks. Everybody give a round of applause to our man here. I appreciate so. Willie Collie's time. We're going to take a break and come back. Final segment. This is 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. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice 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 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, Keer 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 hard way, and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for great. 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. 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 podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness.

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 feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke.

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 like, 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 IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. in 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 I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome back. Techie Sports Radio. You know we were just at Greyline Station in Lexington Friday with Club Blue Bourbon. Drew and Ryan helped design it. So we're coming back again this coming Friday second in a row. Bespoken Spirits helps Club Blue Bourbon, which helps NIL for the UK athletes. They also make Leonard Skinnerds whiskey, which I didn't know until Friday. So they will have tours, tasting, cocktails, and more this Friday from 4 to 7.

And remember, we are back there 10 a.m. this Friday at Bespoken Spirits in Greyline. Learn more at BespokenSpirites.com. And remember, I'm giving away U.K. Bama tickets there Friday. We gave $500 away last Friday. UK Bama tickets this Friday. I kept Willie on for a second because I had to get him to hear this song. Do you remember the Kentucky Joe song,

I'm in Willie Collie Steinman? I don't think I could forget it. You did hear it. Yeah. Well, Kentucky Jones, he's had some health problems, but he will, he has legendary songs. Oh, yeah, this one lives forever. Shannon has found it from the archives. So, Shannon, go ahead and play.

I'm a Willie Colley Steinman. You're right. Here we go. Oh, I'm a Willie Colley Steinman. Oh, I'm a Willie Colley Steinman. I got that, look, God and that feels, oh, God, they're love. Oh, I am so, so. real oh i'm a willie call it sky man oh i'm a willie call his time man

my man got a good swang he really do oh got that to you oh got their love oh i'm am so real how good is that willie not most of us don't get songs written like that about us you're right that's not good that's awful that is so bad give it a great Willie? That's an A plus. A plus. He's got my name and it's an A plus. A plus. All right, Willie, thank you very much. I appreciate it. He's been nice enough to sign a picture for everybody here. Dr. Michael Wamm has this great picture of him dunking on. See, this is why you have to come to the remote. You never know when you're going to get something like this. This would be a $500 picture right here. This is a heck of a bonus. He signed

several of them for everybody here. Each table got one. So thank you to Dr. Wong and thanks to Willie. Very nice of both of them to do that. All right, before we get out of here, I do want to talk about Cameron and Dave fighting. They scream at each other on the pregame show, Ryan. You and Drew were the first ones to point it out, because I hadn't listened to a lot of them, and I turned it on Saturday.

I thought they were going to kill each other. I like, we all like Drew. We all like you. We do like Drew. We do like Drew. We do like Drew. He's sitting right here. Dave and Ken, we like them both.

But, man, they fight like little teenage girls, man. man they really go at it like do they like is it real no they like each other I think it's just the part of the show you have to tune in to listen to it

people think I mean to you like you should listen to the two of them you think I mean to Ryan go listen to how Cameron and Dave talk to each other it's a very very contentious preview I agree we saw them right before the show started the other day everybody's in great spirits

and I get in my car and they're like are you going to let me talk are you done talking so I don't don't know if it's a bit, but it is good radio. I enjoy catching it. I hear every one of them. I think they are, I think that's just how they are. But they are like two old people who have lived with each other for so long.

That's it. That they are going to kill each other. The show before this one, they were arguing about what you called the pregame shoot-around. And I thought they were going to fight just arguing over that. It's good radio. I don't miss it. Yeah, I think people, I think people either love it or hate it. There are some people who write me and go,

I cannot listen to these two scream at each other anymore. I texted you all eight minutes into that show. Are you listening? They're fighting already. I look for it. Let me just say this, because there's a young woman who has come to the show, who is in a wheelchair and who was the person that Willie knew when he played here.

And he's sitting here talking to her right now, and I think it's one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. The way that girl lit up when she walked in here, or she was brought in here and saw her. Like, that's what this is. This is what Kentucky basketball is. It goes to what Mark Pope did on Saturday, and it goes to the, like,

I'm trying to finish the show because it's so sweet right here in front of us. The backstory was, Olivia, was four years old, went to daycare and said she was going to marry Willie Cully Stein. Yeah. So he went on his own and met her for lunch when she was four years old. Now here she is 14, came in to see him. I'm watching his show and video. of his kids to her.

She was mad he had a wife. We heard that part. She didn't know about that, but he's just showing off his family. Just one of the sweetest things. It is absolutely. I've seen. Shannon, who's next? Seth.

Seth. Seth. Go ahead, Seth. Hey. Hey. Hey, how are you, man? Good. I called in on the pregame show.

Yes. The other day for Josh Hubbard and Lamont Butler's matchup. I felt like Lamont Butler was taking candy from a baby. He really owned the matchup. I mean, especially defensively. Offensively, he struggled. You said he started one for nine, but then, you know, the defense Butler played, and I appreciate the call, Seth, especially at the end.

I mean, it was clear. Hubbard was taking that last shot, and Butler did not give him an inch. I joke about championship chess because Pope said it a bunch in that video. But he does get that chest out. It will not let anyone get around him when they're trying to drop to the basket. And Hubbard's so good at that, and he's got that lateral quickness. He's just such a great on-ball defender that they could not get anything against him. It's it.

Lamont had him rattled, and Hubbard's their main star. Like he had 34-36 against his last year. Butler had him rattled that game. Butler, you know, Butler is even what I like about him, even if he's not shooting well, he is in the game, he's making passes and he plays the defense. He's our best defender by far, and it's great to watch him do it. And I wanted to add when we were talking about rebounding, I didn't get to work this in.

Otega Oway, I assume Pope told the guards to crash the glass and help. He and Lamont, more so O'A in the last game, were a big help inside rebounding, too. O'A had like eight or nine rebounds in the game. And a lot of them were in the second half. Yeah, so when they weren't scoring and making shots, they found other ways to impact. That is, that's a very good point. Draft Kings, bet five get $200 in free bonus bets with Draft Kings that we had a big weekend. KSR Parley hit.

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Bet five get $200 from our good friends at Draft Kings. No huge games tonight except Rutgers. Rutgers who has the second and third projected picks in the draft is 8 and 8. And if they're going to make the tournament, they probably need to win tonight at home against UCLA, a ranked UCLA team. Who wins? UCLA's a three and a half point favorite. Has Mick Cronin calm down yet? He's been on one lately.

He did say his house is kind of in danger in L.A. So I'm giving him a break. Before that, even before that, yeah. He's been a little crazy. Yeah, they've had some locker room issues there, aside from everything else going on, but I'll still pick them to win tonight. The one good kid is Ron Harper's son that plays for Rutgers.

Two good kids. Yeah. I say they win tonight. I say they win tonight. Pull off the upset because if they're going to make the tournament, they better start winning tonight. Hey, thank you guys very much for coming out and joining us. Thanks to Willie Colley Stein for being here as well.

We'll see you tomorrow. 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 Fendler. 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 SportsSlic 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. 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 Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that'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.

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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.