KSR - 2025-07-30- KSR - Hour 2

Episode Date: July 30, 2025

Matt, Ryan, Drew, and Shannon are joined by John Michael Montgomery to talk about his Farewell Tour and more.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.

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podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports.

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Welcome back, Kentucky Sports Radio. Now happy to be joined in studio by one of, you know, Luke Combs said this week, Kentucky produced better country music than anywhere else. And one of those names is sitting in studio with us. John Michael Montgomery. Hey, nice to have you on. That's nice. Did you know he said that, by the way?

I did not. That's nice to know. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I happen to agree with him. Well, I mean, just think about it. Okay, go through history. Loretta Lynn, Keith Whitley.

You know, Dwight Yoakum was kind of born in West Virginia, but also here a lot. Then you got the Osbournes. And then you even more recently, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, you, your brother, you know, the judge. The Judges. I mean, it just goes on and on and on. What do you attribute that? too. Oh gosh, I don't know. I think, you know, I think a lot of Irish people moved into the mountains of

Kentucky. Actually, you're right. Yes. You know, back in the day. And it just, you know, they're very music, you know, I've never been to Ireland, but I've been overseas where, you know, I mean, Irish people are very talented, you know, I love Irish. You can't go into a bar in Ireland. without people seeing it. I mean, but my knowledge of it is that they moved and loved the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee and all. And it just kind of slowly spread, you know, the rest over Kentucky. And I think all that heritage and background probably is a lot behind it. You know, I mean, you know, Tom T. Hall. Oh, wait a minute. My mom's going to kill me for not mentioning Tom T. Hall who's saying my uncle's

wedding. Somehow I forgot. I love Tom T. You did. Thank you very much. All right. So we were just sitting here. Shannon is a music guy. You can't see him. He's in Louisville. But he and I were sitting here talking about all of the songs of your career. And when, what was your first hit? Life's a dance. Life's a dance. So for a huge hit. When Life's a Dance starts rising, if I had told John Michael Montgomery at that moment that you were going to have the career you had, would you have believed me? Oh, absolutely not. No. You know, when we did the first album, them. You know, I had never really sang a song quite like Life's a Dance. You know, I did Southern Rock songs from Bob Sears and George Straits and Lionel Richie Love Songs and, you know, all this. You did Lionel Richie Love Songs? Oh, yeah, stuck on you and stuff like that. Wait a minute now. He's got to pull one of those out at Ruppering on December 12th. Him and George, you know, I mean, George Strait and I mean, obviously, you know, Keith and all that came

along in the 80s, but in the 70s and stuff like that. You know, I just, I had never really sing a philosophical song like Life's a Dance. The producer brought it to me, and I was like, yeah, man, it's kind of cool, you know. So I cut it. And then he also brought a song called A Love the Way He Loved Me to the Table, which I was like, I love that one, you know, and I was like, you know, so I assumed that that ballad was going to be the first song off of the album. I mean, that's what I was pulling for because that's what I, you know, it's what I really

love to do to sing good love song. They said, no, we're going to go with this song Life's a Dance, you know, and I went, Pretty good decision, though. Okay. I was like, you know, I mean, I was like, I thought it would be the ballad. And they said, no, it's mid-tempo. The ballads, you know, you're a new artist, and we don't want to put a four-minute song ballad out first for you.

We want this Life's a Dance Mid-tempo. It's, we think it will do well for you. I was like, okay, well, you know, I'm new. They've been doing it, the producers in the label. I said, let's go for it. And it took a while when it first came out, the life's to dance did, to finally get up, you know, the charts. Well, it is philosophical. I mean, it's, you know, it's, you're sitting there and it's, you can relate it to a lot of things in your life.

It has withstood the test of time. Then I would say when I think of you, you've got that one. You've got sold. Yeah. Right. I think be my baby tonight. And then I swear. Those are the four that to me kind of stick out.

Do you agree that those, if you were to sit there and do the Mount Rushmore of John Michael Montgomery songs, are those it? I would think those four would probably be it. And I mean, I love the way he loved me, when number one for me, I thought, well, that's going to be my career song. You know, number one hit for my first number one.

And then I swear came out and it just went to the next level. How did it happen? There was an alt for one or something version of that? and yours out at the same time. How did that happen? Well, what happened is I had put the song out first. The writer had had the song in his back pocket that had written a song. And it actually had been around for Nashville for a while.

And I was writing with him. And he said, hey, I got this song. He said, I think it's perfect for you. I'm not with a publishing company that, you know, they don't push it anymore. And he said, I think your voice is perfect. So he played it for me on a little cassette player. And I was like, oh, that's beautiful. so we ended up cutting it.

And a month after it was out, I mean, it was storming up the charts. My Rick Blackburn of Atlantic Records called me into his office, you know, and it's like, hey, I just want to let you know there's another version of I swear coming out from a label, Atlantic New York,

a group, and it's a, you know, popping R.B song and everything. I just want to let you know in case, we didn't want to make you mad about it or whatever. I was like, no, man, it's a great song. Hey, you know, I'm not a popping R&B scene. or let them rock and roll.

But that's so rare to have two songs that were massive hits. The only other one I could think of is that Tricia Yearwood, Lee-Anne Rhymes, when they both sing that song that was in Armageddon. I can't remember. Well, I had two of them. The other one was I can love you like that. They covered that one too. All for one did?

Did you ever sing with them? Did you ever sing it together? No, well, what we did? We did a little video thing. Okay. You know, out in California where we talked a little bit about, I swear, now it all happened. and we did, you know, sang a little bit, but that's about it. I've never done any shows with them or anything.

So, Grundy County Auction, Shannon, cue up where he goes so fast right there. All right, so this is, I mean, everybody knows this song. And did you have to learn to do the, did you have to? Kind of like all my songs, I tell people it's like, when I listen to songs, so I want to cut, I put them in, I'd put them in my CD player, and I'd put them on where they would, as soon as I started my vehicle up, that song would start playing. And after two or three weeks, if I did, it either burnt, I got burned out on it or I still loved it. I was going to cut it.

And, but basically, I thought I swear was going to be the song everybody recognized me by for the rest of my career. But sold is actually the one. Is that the one that was, is that, so you're playing a concert now? Is that the one everybody goes crazy? Yeah, because, you know, the young. Well, listen to how fast you go right here. Oh, it's awesome. Lips on, hair, blue eyes.

And now I'm about to give my heart good bag. Listen to that. That was better. Well done. Yeah, you know, I mean, I can't say that it was easy, but I had listened to it so many times over and over again. And then by the time I got in the studio, you know, I was prepared to, you know, tackle it.

And it's funny, though, I mean, you know, they give you the words and everything like that to read and all that stuff. But when I go in there, I mean, I want to be able to, I want the song to literally, I've lived with it long enough that, You know, that it's just like any favorite song that you have that growing up, you listen to it so many times, it becomes part of you, you know. And I think that was part of my success being in the studio, as a matter of fact, was I just, you know, I didn't like people handing me songs last minute going,

hey, here's a hit for you, you know, I know you're going in the studio this week. And I'm like, dude, I'm probably. You had to feel it. Yeah, I had to live with it. You know, I feel it's like, you know, just like going out on dates, you know. You ever get tired of a song? You ever like, and you don't have to say which one, but you ever get one where you're like, man, I've sung that so much.

I can't do it anymore. No, that's the reason I listen to it so much. I had that little thing where if I can get, if a song can stick with me for two or three weeks straight without me finally going, okay, I'm tired of hearing it, then it's probably a good, you know, a good way to avoid having songs on your albums that you're like, oh, now I really liked it at first, but now I hate it. Now I'm exhausted.

So you are a Kentucky and through and through, still live, in Nicholsville? Oh yeah, yeah. Born in Danville, my mom and dad, my mom's from Danville and dad's from Garrett County. So, you know, me and they were born in Danville. And then, of course, you know, they both picked and sang and had job, day jobs. And we moved, we moved from Garrett County to, I mean, Boyle County to Garrett County, then to Jessman County, back to Bull County, back to Garrett County, back to, yeah, I mean, we, we rented a lot, you know, so I mean, if the rent went up, you know, we picked up the music equipment that we used for chairs in our living. that boil garret jessman triangle that's that's the big triangle yeah it's hard to tell when people

say well where is you where are you from where'd you go to school at and we're like well it's kind of complicated i went to you know jessman grade school uh damble grade school uh garry junior high jerry garret high uh jessman high you know so i got we you know our roots run deep in that central kentucky part and uh you know i get uh advice to my high school school reunions from from lots of schools but you haven't left I mean a lot of people would

when they have success they go to Nashville and stay you you always kept roots here yeah you know and I at first I was dead set on moving to Nashville I just thought that's what you had to do you know okay I got a record deal which I didn't go to Nashville to get they came up

and found me you know at Austin City there in Lexington me and my brother you got discovered at Austin City yeah you know me and my brother we were weekend warriors another guy named Tim Williams played bass, and we had a little three-piece, and we played weekends all over central Kentucky, Frankfurt, Summets, and Richmond,

and we were trying to get into what we called the house band, you know, in Lexington, because back then house bands, you know, played five nights a week, get on stage at nine, you know, four sets, one. You didn't have to carry your equipment around. You didn't have to have a U-Haul to go, you know, load in, load out. So we finally got, you know, the job at Austin City Saloon.

Greg Austin, you know, played there for years. And I used to go in and send in with him, great dude. And when they ended up selling it, he left. You know, my brother, Eddie, was like, hey, I think, you know, the new owner, I think he might give us a chance to play Austin City five nights a week and we can have a full-time gig. And that was when, I mean, that was when Austin City. Like, I mean, it's still good.

But back then, it'd be like every night of the week. Well, Greg made it very popular. And so when we got there, I had kind of an idea of what the, you know, it was basically a college crowd that he drew. And they loved it, you know, and a lot of two-stepping line dancing music. And so when I, when we started, that's when I hired Troy. Yeah. You know, so me and Eddie Tim and then Troy hired Troy. Me and Troy would go in and said it.

So you all, I didn't realize you all three work together. Yeah, yeah. Montgomery, G and you. Yes. Yeah, my first band, Young Country, was me. It was John Michael Montgomery and Young Country, and my brother played drums, Troy played rhythm guitar, Tim played bass.

Had a guy from Eastern Kentucky played keyboards for me. And there were actually at one time a guy named Danny Williams, which used to be with Exile set in for a while, you know. We called himself Willie Daniels, I think, at the time. But yeah, we just got in there and started playing music and, you know, playing our... That's a pretty talented group. I mean, four guys just playing at Austin City, one of them is exile, two of them are Montgomery Gentry,

and the other one is John Michael Montgomery. I mean, the people that went and saw that group, I can't. How many times is a band going to three different groups that become huge? Well, you know, I mean, literally lightning struck three times. I mean, it happened for me. You know, it's funny because I saw this, I saw these guys come in.

It was on a slow night and, you know, where it was one guy, actually. And he was kind of dressed up and I've never seen him in the room here before. So me and my brother always got off stage and said, you know, said hi to the people that came in. And so this guy said, yeah, I'm from Atlantic Records. We're down here at this other bar down here. We're listening to a guy doing a showcase.

And he's like, yeah, I wasn't that impressed? And so one of the waitresses come up and said, if you want to hear the best singer in town, go down to Austin City. There's a guy named John Michael Montgomery. Wow. Did you ever find that waitress? No, I'd give her a real big tip right now.

That is amazing, though, that life can change on just something, something like that. Oh, I mean, yeah, I tell that story all the time. Like you said, I mean, my theory and philosophy was, you know, it's like I just wanted to, I didn't know if I'd ever get a record or not, but I knew I wouldn't get one if I never, if I, you know, didn't go do it. You know, I was a young guy, wouldn't marry, didn't have any kids. And, you know, my mom and dad got married very young and they had kids. And it made it tough for dad, you know, he wanted to make it into business. But when you got three kids to feed, you know. So your dad, tried to make it as well yeah my dad made me so proud to have two sons end up having well you know he got

to see me unfortunately died from prostate cancer uh you know in 94 but my my hits came out in 92 93 and 94 so he got to see all that uh happen and uh vindicated you know because a lot of people was like harold that's my dad and he's like you need to get a real job that music ain't gonna take you nowhere you know and uh and same thing to my mom but uh you know so when i made it obviously he was very well vindicated, but unfortunately passed away. Eddie and Troy got together. You know, Eddie went out and rode with me for a little while, but him and Troy hooked back up, became a duo, and went back to Austin City, and then they got some record deal.

And, you know, so that means literally three guys on that stage. That's amazing. You know, in the same spot. It was really, it's a really cool story, no doubt about it. People said, you write a book, you know, and I'm like, well, maybe one day. You should. If anybody, if I can do it, you certainly can do it. We're going to take a break.

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at Rupp Arena in December. 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. SportsLice 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 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

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Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? them. On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WMBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it.

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It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world,

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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. Welcome back, Tuggy Sports Radio. John Michael Montgomery joining us. All right, so you're doing your final show at Rupp Arena. Is this like final, final? I'm not touring him or after this year. Okay.

Yeah. You know, if I do a show, it's called my, you know, I got the itch and I was like, I just need to get on stage once, you know, just to get that out or whatever. but touring wise you know it's just 60 years old it's 33 years beating a black top out there you know the old body you know you bench like any athlete uh you know you pro athlete or whatever I mean you look in the mirror one day you go I mean I'm I just can't do it anymore it's time play golf hard on my body I need you know yeah and uh but yeah you know I was uh it's been 30 years since uh I played rup you know I in 94 I was opening up for rebut

all over the country and and she came to Rup and I was got to open up for her well the next year I went out on my own I swear it was big so you know all this stuff was just going through the roof and so uh they booked Rupp Arena for me in 95 to headline so that was you know to me I was like if I never get to play another place Rupp Arena that's my if I if I die tomorrow if I let let it be after the get my Rupp Arena show in you know and so uh which was in incredible and then of course like said that was 30 years ago so it's really a 30 year you know this would be a 30

year celebration so you haven't played it since 95 no no I my brother and Troy you know had some shows there with Leonard Skinner and stuff you know and I'd go there and maybe you know be part of that but I've not done a concert

at Rupp Arena and I and so for me my dream last show obviously would be Rupp Arena so it was able to work it out where we could that's awesome so it's you Eddie yeah it's your son-in-law yeah right Travis Deaning and my son Walker

yeah and Walker yeah so not only do you get to play Rupp Arena you get to do it with your family absolutely going to be a complete family affair and you know my course speaking of families I mean you know my daughter Madison which you know you know she got married a couple years ago and uh swore she would never have any kids

and then about two and a half weeks ago she had a little grandbaby girl. Oh, right. What's her name? Charlotte Lane. Charlotte Lane, and Charlotte Lane, and so I didn't know if I was ever going to be a grandpa or not. So, you know, about nine months ago when they let us know, me and Crystal were tickled to death, obviously. So, yeah, I got, I still going to have a lot going on after the tour is over at. I can tell you that.

But, I mean, that is so cool that you're going to get to do your final show, right, close to, where you grew up with your brother, with your son, and with your son of all. I mean, like, isn't that the American dream to get to play the place you idolized with your family? As if I just can't imagine a better way to go out. No, I mean, definitely. I mean, you know, you never think about, you know, when you're out there touring, you're so grateful that I got the opportunity to, you know, get a record deal and have hits and do something.

You know, because I never, I tell people all the time, I was not one of them artists like, you know, one of these days I'm going to be a big star. I just, I just, I was one of them kind of guys that's like, well, you know, there's something special about those people, you know, it probably ain't ever going to happen to me. I'm, you know, and why would it, you know, and, uh, although exile guys, you know, they would come by the bar from time to time, JP and all them and, you know, stop in, say hi to us and we just thought that was awesome, you know.

We were like, wow, man, we got, you know, these famous guys, you know, coming in and stopping to see us, you know. and so but you know and talk about touring i mean i think they've been turned for like 50 years you know but uh i just i know i know what my body tells me you know i'm like you know this is uh and plus i had a bad bus wreck a couple years ago broke four my ribs and stuff you know and when you're laying on the side of your on your side with four broken ribs looking out of a bus windshield down 75 and you're 50 7 58 years old you're going i don't know how much longer I can do this.

Well, thankfully, you're recovering. Let me ask you, I want to ask you quickly about UK. You got UK gear on. You love it, Mark Pope?

I love Mark Pope, yes. I think he was an absolute fabulous hire. Me and my brother are through the roof on him. And, you know,

I keep up with some of the recruits the best I can, you know, I mean, as a day's world, I mean, they're coming and going right and left,

you know. So, but not. I think, you know, obviously, I mean, when he was playing for the UK back, you know. Of course, I go all the way back to Rick Robey and Mike Phillips and Kyle Macy, you know, you know, that's my favorite team. I mean, I was in like grade school, I think, over in Danville and the team came by after they'd won a national championship and Jack Gibbons, I think, you know.

And I'll come by and spoke to the kids and stuff, you know. Like, no way, man, you know. Just, but, yeah, Pope was on that, you know, national championship team. I mean, you know, when you bleed blue, I mean, you know, like, you know, and he does. I mean, he is, he's a true blue, you know, I mean, you know, everything he's got and loves is about UK basketball and winning. And, you know, and of course, you know, I love Mark Stoops too. And I, you know, that's a, you know, he's, I just, I love Kentucky football as. much as I do anything.

I never would let me play growing up. See you at those games. He narrates the intro, right? It's right. All roads lead to Lexington. Can you get that? What? You got the intro?

You do the intro to the game. All roads lead to Lexington. Yeah. Well, my memory ain't as good as it used to be. I'd be able to do it. Well, you and I also got robbed. We won at the PGA tour, at the PGA Tour of it, Nicholasville. Me, you, Tubby Smith, and Rick D's won the Pro Am.

And they wouldn't give it. us because they said the celebrity team can't win. Yeah. And it made it. We won. They gave us all this hope up front and then just ripped it right out from underneath our feet. And I think the best story I ever heard was Vince Gill won.

He got a hole in one. And it was like he won a house. It was like a $250,000 home. Yeah. And so, you know, at the end of the round, he's like, hey, look, what I want. And he went, sorry, it's in the, you didn't, apparently didn't read between the lines that celebrities can't, don't get. Well, that's what they took our victory.

We can't win away from me. Rick Dees is great, but you and me and Tubby play better than we've ever played than they took it away from. John, thank you. December 12, tickets are on sale now. Come on out. Come back. Come see him.

I can't wait to watch it. John, great having you. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. We'll take a break. Be right back. KSR. 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. This is, I do love this song, Shan. This is that letters from home, right? Yeah, yeah, he's got so many of the songs. I think it's really pretty.

Yeah, it's great. I mean, I won't just sit and listen to it because now on the podcast, so you just get silence. But I still, I do really like that. That was awesome. Great having him in. Dude, it was fantastic. I love hearing those stories.

You know, Kentucky has produced a lot of country music stars, but for the Lexington area, him and his brother and Troy Gentry, you know, they're at the top of the list for us. You imagine just going to Austin City? And they're their plan. In the late 80s. And then all of a sudden they all end up being stars. I was excited to have him on already because we all love his music.

But those stories he was telling, I want to hear more. That was great. Me too. Like the waitress just saying, why don't you go on down the street? Listen, this guy instead changed the whole course of this career. Maybe a good person to have on that podcast if we ever, where we can do a longer interview. 859-287. Text machine 772-7525-254.

Tell me about Stockton Mortgage while I pulled this other thing up. Maybe you're a first-time buyer, Matt. Well, don't stress. Stockton Mortgage helps you understand every step of the loan process clearly and confidently. No confusion, no pressure. Maybe you're one of those guys that wants to buy it, fix it, and then love it. Stockton Mortgage offers renovation loans as well that roll the purchase price and improvement costs into one loan. So find out how to do it all at Stockton Mortgage.

Stockton.com, NMLS 8259 Equal Housing Lender. All right. So let's, I got to read you this. You don't even know about this yet, Drew. But, you know, we're doing, as we announced earlier, this week we're doing an NFL podcast. It's not official, but, you know. Our excitement is official. Yeah.

I can confirm my excitement. If they decide not to do it, then we'll just be crying. So anyway, we're supposed to have a content meeting this week. I guess one of the people, you know, they had the thing at the NFL, the shooter that came to the, so. So everything's gotten kind of pushed back a little bit. but but someone at iHeart who is also part of this wrote today to suggest names for the show Shannon i need you to to hear these names okay let's go now i'm not not making fun of these no we're workshopping but so thank Mario these are not going

to be it at least if i have anything to say about it Number one, the NFL show with Matt Jones. Let you know what it is. The most basic generic name you could possibly. Are you, Are you sure that wasn't just like the subject of email? Or is that actually that one of the four choices? Bluegrass Blitz.

Oh, boy. I don't know. Thank you to whoever submitted these. The NFL, according to Matt and Drew. Okay. People get paid to come up with these ideas. And then finally, Joneson for the NFL.

Oh my. I was worse than I thought. That's horrible. So that guy doesn't get to decide, didn't they? Okay. So, I mean, I think what we could say is if people have suggestions, it's still an open floor at this point, Shannon. I think we can still say that the four that have officially come in,

they could be beaten by other. suggestions. We need like a good brainstorming session because whoever came up with those clearly didn't put a whole lot of thought into it. Which of those is the worst? Bluegrass Blitz, the NFL show with Matt Jones, what was the third one?

The NFL according to Matt and Drew and then Joneson for the NFL. Jones for the NFL is the absolute worst. By far. By far. Jones in for the NFL is that can't be the next. First of all, that's a good way for the podcast to fail on launch. Yeah.

Because I don't care if it was the best show in the world. If I saw Jonesen for the NFL, I'm not listening. I'm not even to listen. I'm on it. I'd be embarrassed to type that into my search bar just to have that in my history. Jonzing for the NFL creesh. Not every show can be the sports mob with Matt and Rob. But see, I feel like sports mob with Matt and Rob is Harvard compared to this. That's very true. What about the alliteration of the bluegrass blitz? A little double B there, rolls off the tongue. It's awful.

But if I'm in one of the other 49 states, why am I listening to the bluegrass blitz? Sounds Kentucky specific. It's a very Kentucky specific. And the whole point of this is to sort of expand our horizons. So I don't bring this up to like, you know, make fun of the person who suggested it. But I guess I'm kind of making fun of the person. Like this is like how you come up with. These are the processes.

And I feel like we could do better than this. I hope so. It's not you're in trouble. I've eliminated a few user submissions too. Yeah. Someone said, uh, tush pushing. I was like, yeah, I don't know that we want to be tush pushing. Honest, I agree with you.

But honestly, tush pushing would get. Yeah. Although I think if people, there's a connotation there. I don't want to commit to. If people tuned into tush pushing, they might think it's like the gay NFL. Yeah. It's like two gay guys talk about the NFL.

We already have that brokeback picture on the internet. Let's just not do that. It's a clever name, but I just think like that might get us a different fan base. I got to put on my leather pants to listen to that. The tush pushing. Somebody suggested one career catch because in fifth grade I caught a pass. So between the two of us, one career catch. Not bad.

I think that would be better though if like, you know, we have. someone on who actually had made an NFL catch and it was just literally they had made one. My fifth grade catch probably isn't enough to carry the title. So anyway, that's where we are right now. The early suggestions I think can all Ryan be topped. Well, as you know, ESPN likes to use the host names in the title. So they're going to find a way to probably put Matt and Drew together. I actually would argue as bad as Joneson is.

the NFL show with Matt Jones is maybe the most like my mother could come up with that name. Like you don't even need to know anything. That's like literally the most basic basketball. I thought that's what it was with Ryan. I thought that's what it was called before we started digging a name. That's why I thought it was the email subject. No, I think that's very straightforward. Simplicity does work.

Look at the name of this show. Kentucky Sports Radio. It's nothing fancy about it. it. It says what it is. That's actually a really good point. But two interesting things about that. Kentucky Sports Radio, people would say, oh, it is what it is. But there's a strong argument that none of those words completely apply.

It started as a website. With no radio show. So Kentucky Sports Radio originally wasn't even radio. For years, I felt like I had to explain that every week to someone. It's a website. And we still, to this day, when I go to the SEC tournament, I have to explain to the people at the SEC, there's a Kentucky Sports Radio website, and there's a Kentucky Sports Radio radio show. And they're not even owned by the same people.

And they just look at them and go, same thing. I'm like, no, they're different things. I don't even own the website anymore. Secondly, we don't always talk about Kentucky. And third, as many of you remind me daily on Twitter, I don't always stick to sports. Really? So it is not necessarily the simple explanation.

I'll remind you you had a wrestling show on Netflix called R wrestlers. They really went all out on that one, too. I'm leaning into the NFL show now. That's true. I remember when they told me that name, I was like, were you sure? Wrestlers. What? You sure we can come up with something?

You know, something else? This podcast called football. Well, his show before. was just called cheer, right? It's true. So, I mean, he did have a thing. Did you see Will Levis's elbow? I did.

Knowing he was going to get shoulder surgery, I mean, I believe that he needed it. But the timing, I wondered if it was maybe a long-term play, too, to help him out next year, take the season off. They put that picture out. It's like, yes, please get surgery right away. That looks awful. So people didn't see it. His shoulder looks like, I don't know, it looks like he got hit by bat. It's like a baseball bat.

Like there's a bone sticking up. And then it has like a valley and then another thing. Like I don't even know how an elbow or a shoulder gets like that, Ryan. So here's what I don't understand. Why did he wait so on to have certain? Like that looks awful. And if he's throwing the shoulder, that's why how do you even, how could he even played it all with the way that it was before this? Yeah, I mean, he needs to get that taking.

I've never seen anything like that. I don't know how he didn't do it immediately when that happened. But I think he's had it for a while. A lot of people have said, he's just having the surgery to get out of playing because he's not going to be the starter. Do you feel like now he needs the surgery? I mean, there's no way he can look like that and play football. I think he had it like that last year,

but that needs to get taken care of. I still think it's smart of him to have the surgery now, but he still needs the surgery regardless of what it's going to do for a long time of his career. How do you even get like that? I don't know. It's such a weird look. Had to take some sort of hit, some kind of bone got displaced. there or something, it's weird looking. Well, I hope Will gets better. I will say to you, that is,

you know, you don't, I don't know what you do when someone hurts. I don't know if you just look at him and go, but I think that's what I would do. If I saw Will Levis, I would just be like, ugh. Yeah, it's like, as I'm talking about it, you probably knows I keep rubbing my shoulder. It hurts. It hurts. Just thinking about it right now. It does. It really does. Tell me about Stockton Morgan. Or did you already do it. All right, well, then you know what? Let's take a break. I've got 859-28-8-0. That's right. I was doing something else. 859-2-80-22-87. We will take a break. Be right back because KS. 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. SportsClyce brings

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Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app.

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Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but. Don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile,

that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. 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 IHeart Women's Sports. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets. the president of Turkey.

I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin, this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Drew had a good suggestion right there.

Cover zero. That works. Because we don't know anything, Shannon. So cover zero. All right. We've covered zero things in our life. Well, we're covering it, but we've played zero minutes. We've played zero minutes.

Actually, the ones I've, you know, put a pen. I don't dislike that. Is it live? Can let me give the number. 772, 7754. Is it live? We'll be live. It's going to eventually be live on YouTube on Sunday nights, but I think initially it'll be podcast

until we know what the hell we're doing, which may take a while with this crew, if you can see by the initial suggestions. We'll be ready for the playoffs. I think it'll be awesome when it's live, though. See you guys in real time. We do it live on Sunday night when we're all looking haggardly. Hey, attention, bourbon lovers. Commonwealth causes back with their July.

bourbon raffle. The ultimate bourbon collection drawing is set. Here we go. $20,000 line-up. Six bottles of Pappy Van Winkle. You also have a Weller six bottle set, a Blanton's eight bottle set, a club blue four bottle set and more. Big bourbon, big

prizes. Tickets are limited. The drawing is tomorrow. Commonwealthcauses.org. The drawing is tomorrow for the bourbon raffle. There was a guy who came to the remote the other day who won the last one. You cannot get this kind of bourbon anywhere else. I mean, this is amazing, this raffle they have that is able to put this package together. All right. By the way, we'll do a

second part of Ask Anything Wednesday tomorrow. Since we had John Michael's thing, we'll do it tomorrow as well because we are in studio. All right, so let me give you a couple other little things. Did you see the baseball player, Shannon, who got traded in the middle of a doublehead? No, I didn't see this. So he played for the Orioles and they were playing the Blue Jays. And in game one, he played the game for the Orioles. But then in between the games, he got traded to the Blue Jets. Just walk right across the field. So he literally walked across the field, changed uniforms. And even though he didn't get in, he was available for the Blue Jays in game two. I'm mad at the Blue Jays. They didn't put him in. Why wouldn't they put him in at

least just a pinch hit or something? Well, there's a pitcher. So that was... I felt like this happened like last year, like same situation where that happened? I guess it's just when you're right before the trade deadline, you're in the same place as the other guy and you're like, we're here. Yeah. We might as well make a trade with each other. What are you thinking? I saw, I liked when he walks by his bullpen.

They're just laughing. They're waving at him and he looks so confused and he kind of salutes them and he just goes and walks across the question. How did they have a uniform for him? I think they can dial those up pretty quick. But they were in the other city. Oh, yeah. They were the road team, though.

If you were Toronto and you're in Baltimore, how did they get a uniform for him in between the games? And he pitched in the first game. So he pitched for the Orioles, which also presumably they knew the trade was happening. Do you think the general manager, when he saw him come in was like, stop! Don't beat us. We got you in just a minute. Or he whispers like, you're on our team, help us. I just think that's a crazy scenario.

It is really crazy. Years ago with one dude, I think Joel Youngblood got a hit in the afternoon for one team, got traded, went to that team that night, got another hit. Well, we told the story, or at least I told the story, maybe on ESPN. Maybe it was here. I can't remember. In history, there was a guy who played for both teams in the same game. In the same game. Yeah, he played for one team. It was a rain delay. He was traded during the rain delay.

And then the next day finished the game for the other team. And he was allowed. to play for both teams. Now Major League Baseball had to make a rule, Shannon, that you can't play for both teams in a game. Yeah, I think it should be that way because then you can sabotage the entire thing at that point. Yeah, I remember that.

That was fairly recent. Maybe even like last season. It wasn't all that, wasn't all that long ago, but that did happen. So this guy could do because it was a double header through different games. It was two different games. It was two completely different games.

I should have put him in something. Just to make it, just to make it whatever. I also want to give one quick shout out for, you know, because I've been in the business and have been for a few years, I give, I have sympathies for independent restaurants, right? Like people who are doing their own thing. Yesterday I was walking to the sauna place that's on campus, which is, you know, about a couple mile walk for me. And I walked by a place that I don't know if people know exist, but has, but I saw it and I go, when I walk back, I'm going to eat there. It's on campus. Do you know what Peruvian?

chicken is. Do not. Oh, yeah. It's like rotissory chicken with spices. Okay. And it's called Peruvian chicken. Like over about the old I-Hart in Louisville. Remember the yummy point?

Oh, yeah. I took you to that's next I-Heart, the old I-Heart building in Louisville. It's so good. Still there. It's awesome. Yeah, we went there. I don't get there a lot anymore because we moved our buildings, but it's called Yummy Point.

Lexington now has a new place like that. Okay. And it's right there on campus and what used to be, what is it, mellow mushroom? Yeah. You know what I'm talking about, that pizza place? Yeah. And it's, I don't have an endorsement with these people or anything. I just stopped an eight.

I was like, the only person there. And they said they just opened and the woman said, we're having a hard time getting people who know us. I'm getting nothing for this except I, it's good. It's good for you because it's Peruvian, like it's not fried. It's rotisserie chicken. And it's called Pollo, which I think means blue chicken. We know what it is.

Yeah, it's actually a good name if you're going to be on campus. right, blue chicken. And I just would say that woman was very nice working there, and the food was really good. And so I'm just throwing it out there. Everybody, she said, you know, we're hoping things pick up when school gets here. So I hope they do for them. But it's good because we don't have a, that I know,

I don't think there's a Peruvian place in Lexington. I'm not aware of one. So I'm giving them a shout out, Pollo Azul, right there next to Target on campus. I've driven by it many times. on campus semi-often, and I plan to get over there. It looks good. It is good. And it's relatively inexpensive, too, for what you're getting, honestly. So, healthy. Yeah, I think it is healthy. All right, let's go to James. Go ahead, James. Yeah. Go for me. I still got you. Okay. Anyway, I was thinking about the name. How about NFL playbook with Matt and Drew? I mean, it feels like

that was similar to those other ones. So, but yeah, a playbook seems like a generic. I appreciate the call. I like the idea, but it seems like a generic name. I think we got to do something that's, that's why I like cover zero, because it's like kind of unique and we're going to find, we're going to figure out one. Kind of making fun of you guys, making, you know, cover zero like that. We're going to have to make fun of us.

We don't, I mean, we don't know it. Yeah. Literally, you're going to cover nothing. Well, yeah. Cover zero. Exactly right. We are going to, that's the name. We are going to cover nothing.

Cover zero and two zero. No safeties. We are not safeties. I mean, it's a podcast about NFL in theory. In theory, just like cover zero is a defense in theory. I think I'm in. Not just because I came up with it. It's pretty good. I think it works.

I want to hear other ones. But I think it's a pretty good one. There's also the problem. I feel like every term in football has a podcast. like on sportsmen like all the you know all the terms football kind of is there a cover zero i don't think so that's another i was looking to see if cover zero has been used okay and also in theory people would go oh they're using a football term these are probably smart football people you're going to trick them that's right well it's both it's a double it's like it sounds like we know what we're talking about

but secretly we're acknowledging we don't and then we won't put our pictures up so they'll just assume it's these two safeties that played football. They might think we play. Yeah. Until we start talking. Yeah. Yes, we're cover zero. We used to be the safeties they left on the bench.

I'm in. I'm in. I'm in. I'm in. I don't think it's bad. All right. Thank you all very much. Thanks to John Michael Montgomery for coming. Remember, we are at Football Media Day on Friday. 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, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports

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

I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio. app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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 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 and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.