KSR - 2025-11-19- KSR - Hour 1

Episode Date: November 19, 2025

KSR is Live at KSBar & Grille talking Kentucky's loss to Michigan State and taking your calls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headlines. 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 capabilities, that does not mean that you need to.

Listen and learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Comedy Off Broadway and Lexington, welcome Cincinnati native and club favorite Josh Sneed, November 14th and 15th. Then catch the return of AGT finalist Preacher Lawson, November 21st through the 23rd. And November 28th and 29th,

don't miss the Queen of Comedy and Lexington's own Adele Givens. For tickets to all comedy off-broad, Broadway shows call 859-271 joke or visit Comedy OffBroadway.com. This is Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones. Welcome, everyone. This is Kentucky Sports Radio Wednesday. November the 19th, I am Matt Jones here at the KS Bar and Grill. It is Wings Day, Dollar Wings, starting at 11 o'clock when we opened the door.

Last night, this place was packed with Kentucky fans excited, but it's. It didn't turn out well for them or for all the folks listening at home. You can give a shout on Clark's Pumpin' Shop phone line, 859-280-2287. We are going to take a bunch of calls today. I want to see the pulse of the fan base. I don't think it's good, but I would like to see it. A Vision Auto Glass Text Machine, 772-745254. This is sponsored by the T.J. Smith Law Officer.

You call T.J. I'll make them pay. I want to recognize first. We've got a couple folks in here. First of all, this guy's from Jupiter, Florida. came to visit his cousin, and this is his first trip to the bar. Tough day, but that's okay because you're still going to enjoy it. And then three generations of this family. You want to talk about a family looking like each other?

This is grandmother, mother, daughter, and they all, if you can't tell those three are related, then you're not trying. We all knew it as soon as they walked in the door. I know who that is. Our boy over here is listen to our show on six different continents. Six different continents. Which one? Antarctica is the only one?

That one you've done. Well, which one haven't you done? Australia. All right. Well, we can't have had many Antarctica listeners. So when I get the little map, I never see that on there. So I appreciate it. Well, look, last night was a disaster on all fronts.

In some ways, I'm not sure it could have gone much worse unless something had happened to the building. I mean, it was awful. The team played terrible. The players looked. disengaged and awful. And then after the game, somehow I almost felt like was worse than the game with the way the postgame comments went.

You know, we can, there's a lot of different directions we can go. I think the least interesting one is the basketball because it was so bad. I mean, it was an absolute pitiful display of basketball on all sides. Defense was terrible. I mean, Jay Billis said Michigan State, was essentially running their offense as if it was a shoot-around. And I think that's probably correct. Shot the ball poorly.

And then effort, especially in the second half, seemed non-existent. Ryan, I mean, I expected that we could lose yesterday. I mean, I thought we would win, but I thought, you know, it was possible we could lose. The idea that we would get run off the floor by that team was just not something I foresaw. Me neither. You're right. That was a beat down. That was an embarrassing beat down by a team.

You know, after the Louisville loss was a bad loss, but I didn't feel any different about our team. Me either. But boy, after this loss, I feel a lot different about our team because there's something off. There's got some issues or some things. I know we'll get into it, but there's just something not right about this team. And I never thought we were going to be this poor defensive team. I really thought they were going to be a really good defensive team start the season. I thought they were going to be, like, potentially an elite defensive thing.

I did too. Yeah, I think we even said that. And while I was very bummed that we lost low, I was like, well, the one positive is we'll be even better on defense. and we were much worse. That was a disaster. It was a disaster. I was getting shots for saying Michigan State can't shoot. Well, they can shoot if you just let them have target practice.

Anyone at that level of basketball can hit wide open threes. I couldn't believe the looks they were getting. Yeah. And they knocked them. I mean, they had four in the first three minutes. You know, honestly, I don't know there's a lot to dwell on on the basketball, except the defense is terrible. The offense looks very stagnant.

And I don't know. That's the one thing I don't know how it gets fixed because I think unless low plays, I still think you've got a real problem with guys beating people off the dribble. And unlike last year, which couldn't really beat teams off the dribble, but you could shoot. We can't shoot. So that combination is not a good combination. Brandon Garrison had one of the sort of epically bad performances I've seen in a while, including some, there's some clips out there of him, you know, just completely loggy-gagging.

and we still don't know what's happened with Otega O'Way. And it's just not good. Now, the more, I think, interesting conversation, the one people are talking about is kind of the whole overall demeanor of the team. This looks like, for me, three things. Number one, and most importantly, it looks like Mark, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but it looks like he's completely lost as to what to do. He just completely looks. He has been out game planned.

And, like, on an unbelievable level, these last two games. Yeah, I coached the Louisville game in Michigan. Oh, and just completely. Like, the other team's getting layups and we're struggling to even get a shot off. I also, like his whole demeanor. I mean, you know, we heard when he came here from BYU. This is a guy that takes losing seriously, and it hurts him. And I prefer that over, well, at least I got to go get to see my dogs.

but sometimes you can take things, you know, a little, and I have to tell you, if you only saw the postgame interviews he had with the media and then specifically with Jeff Goodman, you'd have been like, I'm worried about that guy. I mean, you would have. You would have said that. I don't want to say he takes it too hard, but it's like, man, okay, that doesn't look good. then the team chemistry, it looks like a group of people don't like each other. I mean, I don't understand how that is because it doesn't seem like any of them are bad guys,

but they do not seem to like each other. And that's really surprising to me because I was around them during the beginning of the year, and they seemed to like each other. So you go, well, what happened with that? And then just the whole vibe of, you know, now the $22 million and all these guys with the money and berber. By the way, I don't buy any of that. when it's saying the money. These other teams are making money, and they're playing well.

So it's not the money. Maybe it's our specific reaction to it, but other teams are doing fine. So all three of those issues, Ryan, are very worrisome to me. And about the players, you know, the mass substitution seemed to work last year because they seem to be supportive. I hated them last year. But they seemed to be, it seemed to work at time for their support with each other. I felt like we were having this conversation last year all the time about mass substitutes. The mass substitution this year definitely just kills every vibe, every momentum, everything we got going on when he does it.

But about Pope, you know, in a time of crisis, we look to our leaders. And so we're looking to our leader, and he's making it worse. After the Louisville game, he made it worse. And after the last night, he made it worse. We need, he's our leader. You know, what's all we look for him for guidance to help us out. I mean, there's a middle ground between like Baghdad, Bob, everything is fine. we are winning, it's great, and, you know, droopy dog.

There's a fine line there. You have to project confidence while also acknowledging pain. I'm trying to think, you know, they used to say Bill Clinton was good at that. When I think of coaches that are good at that, I don't know. I'm not sure. Who do you think is really good at that kind of? When they lose, you still feel like this is going to, I don't know. There's no way it comes to mind immediately.

But I know whatever it is is not what I saw last night. No, I'm glad he fills it when they lose. That's what you want. But you can't just, I don't want to say he was a baby going in hiding. But Tom Leach waited for like an hour. They had to get Darren Hedrick to call in from a car. It sounded like to fill time. If you were listening to radio broadcast, they did like a 17-minute interview trying to fill time

because he was so late. I mean, you know this better than anybody, Drew. There's never been a coach that took longer to come out than Pope did last night. And I would say the two closest people to Pope and his staff in the national media right now are Goodman and Norlander, and they're the ones tweeting like, where is he, Norlander, put like 45 minutes still waiting on Pope. I get your hurt, and I like that you're hurt. But I just think that's a bad look, not just making the people wait, but kind of to Ryan's point, you need to come out and show up, put on a good front and kind of give some confidence, even though it was so bad,

or some kind of an explanation, not what he did. I texted Billy during the radio interview with Tom Leach. It was like two minutes in. and I was like, Billy, he's doing Tom wrong here. He's giving one-word answers, and Tom's tripping over questions, and it's almost like he was, I don't want to say smart, Alec, but what was the quote you brought up on post-game? Well, the quote that was bad as he said,

what did you say to the team in the locker room, and he said, we said some things. And they just paused. I mean, that's, I'm not saying Mark is this, because I don't think he is. I think Mark's a really good guy. But that's the kind of thing a jerk would say. Like, that's what a jerk would say.

If you said to a jerk, What did you say to him? We said some things. And they just stopped. Like that would be what a jerk would say. Now, Mark's not a jerk, and he didn't even say it in that tone. But if you just read that quote, that's a horrible quote. If Cala Perry said that quote, I would have said, Cal, you're being a jerk.

If Billy Gillespie said that quote, we would have been like, that's why you got to be fired. You're an ass. Now, Mark didn't say it in that tone, but the word. are the words, you know, what'd you say to the team? We said some things. And then paused. And press conferences and radio interviews aren't the end of the world, but it showed me he has no answer or no grip of his

grasp of the situation. If you want to say like, you know, it was very emotional, I want to keep that in the locker room. Okay, I'll accept that. But we said some things. I just, when people, it's weird, because Tom Leach is such a nice man

that sometimes I think, like, when people are weird to him, then that's really not good. Like, it's one thing if you're weird to me. But when you're weird to Tom. Tom Leach. Like, he's the nicest guy in the world. Tom was doing the best he could to try to get something out of Pope last night.

And Park Mope is not a jerk, but to use that works as we've said it. He was being a jerk last night. Pope even answered, I don't know to one of the questions. Because he asked, like, when you were a player at Kentucky, did you have any sort of similar adversity? I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, he said, did you have any adversity as a player at Kentucky or in the pros? and he said, I don't know.

I was listening. I'm like, put Darren back on at the drive-thru to talk about the women's team. Well, I mean, just a little behind the scenes. I mean, the JMI post-game thing with the coach is supposed to be three segments. Right. Okay. And it varies in length. I hear all of them because I'm sitting there waiting to go on the air.

And sometimes I'm like, well, you hurry up because I got blabbing to do. And then sometimes I'm like, I want to hear what you had to say. He did three segments. They could only do two because he didn't even give them enough to do three. and it was three minutes and 11 seconds, two minutes of it was Tom trying to ask questions. I mean, it was, and then you're right about Norlander and Goodman. I think that's important because, you know, there are certain media members that become, in my opinion, almost the voice of the coach. Okay, because they know them.

So early in the Cal era, I think that was me. And then it became like DeCorsi and Greenberg. Like when they talked, you knew that. That's what Cal meant. Well, for Pope, I think it's Norlander and Goodman. And when they both say, this is the most down I've ever seen Mark Pope, that's not a good sign, Ryan. No, you know, staying in the locker room for 50 minutes,

they obviously were having some sort of heart to heart, and he came out of it, like, more down than we went in the locker room, I feel like. His interview with Goodman, man, just to see him and then we're hearing him, what he said to Goodman is like... That wasn't good. It was not good at all. That wasn't inspiring at all. And adding to that last year, and Pope says this about everything,

he's such an intelligent guy. He likes the puzzles. He likes figuring things out. He likes the challenge. I like having to think outside the box. I got to figure this out. Now it's just like, I don't know what's going on. I don't have an answer.

What do you think about him ending and saying? What was his final thing like? We're going to have a great year. We're going to get it right. We're going to turn it around. He did more than that. It was like a very definitive. I'll look it up.

We won't fail. We won't fail. That's right. We're not going to fail. That's a very strong statement. Well, that's what we need to hear from our leader. So you like that statement. Yes.

Yes, I just need to hear more of that. Yes, we're mad. He's obviously mad. He's upset. But still, you are the face and the leader of our program. We need to stamp up and be a good leader for us. Well, I'm not sure you could have gone worse last. It was awful.

I mean, it was awful. And if you talk to the people at the game, they are even more down about it than the people but weren't because they were seeing the body language of the players that we didn't see on camera. Like I probably had five or six people at the game say to me, man, we look bad. And I'll even go, I talk to someone I know in New York who is not even a basketball fan. And they just happened to be at that game. Their work went.

And she sent me a message and said, Kentucky's playing. You all look sad. and I was like well for her to recognize that we are sad she meant the players though you all look sad I was so jealous of everyone in New York

I love New York this time of year it ruined Christmas for me I hope they don't put the Rockefeller tree up don't even do the Macy's Thanksgiving parade because it'll just remind me as those floats come down of Michigan State shooters coming down and getting wide open shots that should have been a special trip

but now we've gone to the garden twice in Pope's first two years and gotten absolutely drilled. Absolutely shalact. Well, that was bad. And I, now the question is, where do you go from here? I was on the phone a lot this morning. There's a lot going on. And now, of course, as you could be expected,

the big talk is what happened in that locker room against Lul. I mean, and Mark said that, that's his fault. He did that. And so now that continues to be the question. We'll talk about it, and we will take your calls. 859-2-8-0-22-A-7. We're here at KSpar and Grill. 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,

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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, 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. 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.

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Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. 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 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 you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason

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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. Welcome back Kentucky Sports Radio.

I just need to say a couple things. This is from people on the text machine and online. Everybody's got to stop with the, we need a new coach, fire pope, or saying we're suggesting that. I'm having reasonable discussions. All right, he can have a terrible year. He's not going anywhere and he shouldn't, right? Like, that's just the reality.

But we got to talk about this as adults. And when you lose a game, you don't just go fire poop. Mark, I don't try fire poke. Like, I'm just saying, but you call a spade a spade, right? I mean, that means when I, if I go eat at Arby's and the food's not good, I'm not saying shut down all Arbys, I'm saying, hey, Arby's, make a better roast beef sandwich, right? That's kind of what this is. Mark, let's make a better roast beef sandwich. They should bring the five-for-five back.

I haven't eaten already in a long time, to be fair. But go ahead. When Mark Pope met with you before he coached his first game, he said when I need to be ripped, I want you to rip me. Well, he said that, and he's getting his request. Yes. Because. Congratulations.

I mean, but I gave him credit for that. Listen, I give him credit for acknowledging how bad we are. I just don't want him to be so sad. Because I need somebody to, you know, let me use up another political. On 9-11, okay, that was a sad day. I know that was much sadder than this. But one of the things I always thought George Bush did well is he projected the hurt people

fell, but then he stood on that rubble and said they'll pay for it. Yeah. Right. Right. And that was probably his finest hour, right? That's, you know, Nick Sabin does a good job about that. Nick Sabin, somebody pointed out as a good one. Like you lose.

You can tell he's angry, but he's also like, all right, now, we're coming. Whereas, like, dabbo is always like, we're fine, the Lord's going to make sure we beat Clint. Beep Duke next week. And you're like, come on, you cheeseball. You got to find what that message is. Yeah, I don't want what we saw last night from Pope, and I don't want Kyle Perry talking about going to see his dog. There's got to be a middle guy.

There's got to be a middle again. And I tubby, when he would come and do after a big loss, he could tell he was hurt and he was down. But at least he would talk to you and answer your questions and talk, bevers. respectful to Tom Leach and the post-game show. A couple things I need to happen immediately. Number one, I need Brandon Garrison not to start for a little while. Okay, because that's, he's maybe the most frustrated. He's getting worse, it seems like that.

That was my big point on pregame. I said this is his last chance. He goes to sit by Walker Horn if he doesn't play well. I'm ready to move somebody else and start. And I need Mo Diabate to never shoot with him, ever, ever. He has the worst shot I've ever seen. He seems to shoot from his belly button. And you talk about not thinking a shot.

You remember how I used to say last year that if Amari or Garrison shot a three, I was like, well, that's not going in. With Diabati, if it's in the air, I'll bet every dollar I have it's not going. I mean, I like him as a player, and he does a lot of good things, but I need him not shooting threes. And then, you know, I don't know if in Pope's system, can you have a four that doesn't shoot threes? That's my big question.

I love Diabate. I don't know. But Pope wants a five-out, 30-3s, game team and I'm looking at his roster going, sir, I think you forgot the shooters to go in that offense. I mean, we don't have, our starting lineup has three guys that can't

shoot right now. How about Aberdeen when that man misses, he's going to miss? He had another air ball three last night and it was open. I mean, he had a good game against Louisville in the second half. We need him, but he makes his misses count when he misses a three. You know, as Cedric, the entertainer would say

when we break, we break. When he misses, he misses. He's got to be chasing a record for Airball 3s. Yeah. All right, 859-280-2287. Who's up first? Let's go to Mike. Mike, go ahead, Mike.

Good morning, everyone. Did you say Park Moop? It wouldn't surprise me if I did. I don't remember saying it was saying you said Park Moe. I didn't hear that. Well, we know who we're talking about. For today, he's Park Moop. Okay, Park.

Maybe today he is. Plank Moop. Yeah, all right, go ahead, Mike. So, just let you know, know, I'm here in Knoxville, Tennessee. I'm a huge UK fan, originally from Kentucky. This past year, I've been married for five years, and this is the first year that my wife has allowed me to put up my UK tree.

So I put it up this week before this game. And I was like, okay, after the Louisville loss, I'm going to put this up. So I put it up, and I'm all celebrating, and then last night happens. So this may be your fault. your UK Christmas tree in Knoxville, you think maybe took it down. Well, you know, I'm hurting, but this is what I'm going to say. This is what I'm going to say. This is what Brandon Garrison.

Yes. Trash. I'm sorry. No, no. But he doesn't need to be starting. We don't call players names. I mean, I'm okay. I'm okay saying the way he plays is, but like we can't do that.

Okay. Brandon Garrison's the way he played was trash. Okay, I'll give you that. Marino needs to be starting. He's a freshman. I get it, but he's got, there's so much ceiling, you know, like he can do so much more. But this is my thing.

The chemistry of this team, there is some huge issues, man, and you can just tell the pregame, before the game started, the, I was watching like, you know, they were panning over to the UK bench, and they were looking at Mississippi or Michigan State. And I've seen the Michigan State players all up and in uniform and ready to go. I look over here at Kentucky's bench. And this is before they introduced the players.

They're all just like kind of laid back, setting back on the bench. Well, let's talk about that for a minute. I appreciate the call. Let's talk about that. Chemistry clearly an issue. Why do you think that's the case? Something's going on. I don't know it.

And I was hesitant to just start believing stuff after Louisville because I thought that's a true road game. There probably was something, but it probably wasn't anything big. Now after seeing that, something's got to be going on. I don't have the answer, but something is going on. Something's going on. I mean, I don't know what it is. You know, I knew Oscar and Severe didn't like each other,

and the team was split with most people on Severe's side, but Oscar was the good player. So, like, I could pinpoint what that. I don't know what this is. I don't know who's on whose side. I don't know who doesn't like each other. There are rumors flying around. I don't think they're true.

but I don't know. Like, I don't know if there was a fight in the locker room. Jack seemed to suggest maybe there was, but I don't know if he's just throwing that out there. I don't know. I have no idea, but I know this. Whatever it is, it wasn't handled correctly. Because clearly, the team I watched run onto the floor versus Purdue

is not the team I'm watching now. And they don't seem to like each other. Something's off. And when Jack Givens brings it up, you can believe it. I want to talk about what Jack and Travis said, because Jack Givens and Travis Ford both said something. And I give them a lot of credibility, and we'll talk about why that is right after this. We'll be right back. 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, Kentucky Sports Radio. 8592-80-2287. Text machine, 772-754. Okay, so, you did say Park Mope. I think last night, it's a perfect name for him. Park Mope. I mean, actually, if you're going to ever say Park Mope last night, because he did kind of mope.

He did kind of mope. When Stoops got beat, we called him Mark Poops a couple times, so now it's Park Mope. I think we all have done it before. I've never done it. Yeah, he might. Like, don't, don't say, did I ever call him Mark Poops? I did not.

I think Ryan has. I can guarantee you. that I've never said it. I do not believe Drew's ever said it. No, he has. Drew, you have. I've said Mark Poops. Oh, yeah.

She didn't says it. I don't think you have. We all said it. I have not said it. You did one time. That is a complete lie, Mr. Mope. All right, so let's talk about with Jack Giffins and Travis Ford's.

Okay. So Jack Given said, he said on the post-game press conference, or excuse me, in the post-game when they were filling time to try to. to get until Mark got there, that last year, that team, now remember, Jack is around practice like every day. So this is not a guy who's just, this isn't just us giving it to be, he's in practice every day. He said last year, all of those guys had an intense need to prove that they should be at Kentucky, that all those guys, they had played at Drexel and all these schools, and they wanted to prove that they were needed to be at Kentucky, and that's why they gave such energy. And he said,

this group just doesn't have that was essentially what he said. I tried to just call Jack and ask him, come on, he's in a meeting and said he couldn't do it today, but he'd do another time. Travis Ford apparently said in an interview last week that this team just had no chemistry and didn't get along. Now, he too has been in practice. That's not an opinion. He has called three of our games, and as such, he gets to go to practice in the days leading up to it. So that's two guys who are seeing practice, right?

This is not just random people. How much validity do you give to those two things? I give a lot of validity to it. You said nobody's closer to that team outside of the players and the coaches than Jack Givens. He travels with him. He's there at every practice. When he says something, I listen. I heard Travis on the chemistry thing.

I think he meant more basketball chemistry, but it's still a problem. He wasn't talking about. I mean, I can't speak for him. He might have said in a different interview, but I did hear him do an interview. But he was saying, like, basketball chemistry, they still have to figure out, which is a problem. itself. Yeah, that's clear.

I am starting to, hey, something's going on that I don't know. But I think, even if they liked each other, I think they have a big problem just with how the roster is built. I think in the NIL era, your general manager constructioning of this becomes very, very important, maybe as important as coaching. And I agree with you. I don't think they're, they, I had a nagging suspicion about the shooting going into this.

year. And it's not, I don't know, I don't know if that's going to get better. I mean, I don't know, what are you going to do to make this team shoot better, especially if Lowe doesn't come back? I mean, if Lowe doesn't come back, they're going to have a real shooting problem. A light needs to go off for Cam Williams and he needs to be the four. Now, right now that light hadn't really gone off. He's gotten a little better, but they have to have more shooters. I think always the biggest problem. Everybody's trying to figure out if it's money, MBA, whatever. I just think he doesn't have any lanes. If you go watch his highlights last year, he'd get the ball going downhill, no thinking, straight to the rim and finish.

It's just clogged, and the ball's sticking on offense. They need shooters for how Pope runs that offense. There was also a play early in the game where he beat his man and he had his lane and he let the guy block him from behind. I don't remember him ever doing that last year. I mean, usually if he got a step on you, he was scoring and probably getting an A and one, and he let him block him last. Do you take anything from that video clip of Oway last night on the post game?

Well, okay, so if you saw the press conference, it looked like he was rolling, in his eyes. There were two angles. There's the angle right below him where it definitely looks like he's rolling his eyes. But then somebody else posted an angle from the other side and it didn't really look like that there. And so as Mario's video, videoing sometimes show, life is about angles. You know, sometimes Mario can put a video out of me where I'm like, man, I got to do something. And then last night he put one out so good somebody thought I was on, I had Botox. And so, which I haven't.

I mean, maybe I should. So I think a life is about angles. So maybe the angles, you know, maybe he didn't roll his eyes. I don't know. But it looked like he rolled his eyes from the one video. Yeah, the Oway thing didn't bother as much. They just got whooped. I was rolling my eyes, too.

Let's all roll our eyes after that game. One thing that I did have concerns is a couple people texted me before the game him tipped off. And you said it on the post game show. Pope walking into that arena looked like a man walking into a job he hates. Okay, so let's talk about that. That concerned me more than the O-WA post-game clip that went around. He looked like a guy. So I didn't see that before it happened.

I didn't see it until after the game. But there's a video of him walking in before the game. And he looks like a man who life has beaten up and he's going into his accounting job going, what have I done with my youth? He did. That's what he looked like. And I know that's not how he feels, but he looked awful, didn't he? Okay, I have a theory.

All right, I want to hear it. My theory is that they know Jalen Lowe is not coming back. And he's already, for the second year in a row, he's going to have to do this, deal without his star point guard. They built everything around Jalen Lowe. You've called him the MVP of the team. I think they've made the decision he's not going to play. All right, is that scoop or is that scuttle butt?

Maybe a little scuttle butt. Maybe. Maybe is a word that you just need to. I give you the chance to do scoop or scuttle butt. You can't then go even further to make. I'm going to go to just maybe. Is it Scoop or is it Scuttle? No, because of course, they could change their mind today.

Or is it a guess? I think there's a strong possibility that he's not coming back. Okay. He's a very to say Scoop. Can you say Scuttlebutt, though? Well, I think maybe because like I said, they could change their mind today. After last night, they meant like, okay, I got to come back and save this team. So you would say, all right, let me put a different way.

You would say going into last night's game, he wasn't coming back. I think that was a very strong possibility. possibility, yes. Okay, that's not. You're giving yourself an eye. The Lamar Wilkins, the thing is still hurting. Yes, it does. That's what it is.

He got burned. And now he's not doing his thing. I'll give you some backup. Yesterday afternoon, it was floating around Lexington. He's not coming back. And that's what everybody was saying. And if you listen to Mark Pope's answer in the post game, he says, I don't have anything for you on that.

That doesn't mean he doesn't have an answer. Maybe they look at this after last night. and they do otherwise, but I am now moving my brain into the Jalen Lowe is not going to play. And if Jalen Lowe does not play, my ceiling for this team is different, even if they get all their stuff together. We're not winning a national championship without Jalen Lowe. Jail, if you listen to me all year, the key to this team, what did I say all year? You have to have Jailen Lowe. You have to.

And if we don't, it's a different team. I'm not saying it's a team that can be good. I'm not even saying it's a team that can be great. but I don't think it's a team that can reach its full. You have to have that guy, and if you don't have him, I think you've got to go find somebody. Like, if he's not playing, I got to go. I mean, now you can find people in the G League. I don't know, maybe Barani can play.

Like, you can get your, I mean, the rules of change. You got to go get somebody, in my opinion, Drew, if you don't have Jaylon Lowe. Yeah, I've never expected him back. I said that day at Sky Bar, someone should, Infinity, someone should already be in Europe right now. I mean, I know as fans, we want him back, but if you're Jalen Lowe and you write your pros and cons down. There are a lot more pros for not playing than why you should play. Well, you've got an extra, I mean, one, and again, people may not like this, but you've got to put yourself in the arm, in the position of the kid. A, you can get yourself

healthy. B, you now get another year at college basketball. If you come back and play six more games, you've now used up your year of eligibility. He's only played two games. He can get another year of eligibility now. He could play two more years. And for a kid like that, he's probably not going to the pros, that could be a $3, $4 million decision. I mean, I couldn't blame him, could you? Well, even before last night, I said I would sit out if I were Jalen Lowe, and now that we see the team has problems, why would I risk my arm for a team that doesn't even like each other?

That's true. If you're sitting there watching a team fight, you're like, well? I start looking out for my shoulder at that point. Not selfish as a person, but if he plays until January, toughen it out, and then re-ins it needs surgery in February, and now he's hurt himself. for next year and set the team back. So he's got to look out for himself. And with the two results they've had in the meaningful games,

I would say push them farther away. Do you agree we have to go get a point guard? They have to, because even though I think there's got to be somebody out. Denzel is a good backup. He's not the guy that's going to lead you to a big run, I think a point guard. So I think it's plausible that the Jalen Low Hangover had a little bit of effect on Pope going into last night. I mean, that's not a terrible explanation.

Who's next? Jackson. Jackson. Go ahead, Jackson. Hey, guys, how's it going this morning? Yeah. Yeah, that's the way I feel, too. I got a quick question and a comment for you, Matt.

Maybe the difference between Scuttlebutt and rumor, but I was reading on Mario's video of some of the comments there last night, and someone had commented, and I don't know what you called a rumor or shuttlebud. If you're going to do something about personal interactions with players, if that's what you're going to do, I don't want to put that on the air. if you've got it if it's something else i'm glad to hear it but if it's like this person did this i'd rather not i hope you understand i don't want to spread that no just just speaking about the team chemistry and stuff just a comment that was interesting about the issues behind the scenes

uh something personal going on between teammates or whatever maybe over a woman or something like that yeah i don't want to get into that no i wouldn't think so i wouldn't think so i appreciate no i understand generally speak i appreciate the call Generally speaking, this is a long-standing thing. When teams have chemistry issues, people always blame a woman. That's always been the case. I'm not saying that's never been the case. There's one time I think it was the case.

I think you're right. But in general, there's like, well, they must be fighting over a woman. And I don't think that's, I think that's most of the time not true. generally speaking there are plenty of fish in the sea for UK basketball players so I think it'll be I think we all agree there's something off something's not right and I don't know if we can

figure it out by the next big game we've got but it needs to be figured out quickly yeah I think we're going to Mark if you do nothing else just tell us what happened in that stupid locker room wipe the slate clean let's not make this the Epstein files all right let's just just Just say it, okay?

Just do it, and let's move on, right? Just lay the locker room files out. Whoever is involved. That's exactly what we don't need a houseboat. All right? We predicted this when he was being all coy about that. Like, it's going to linger in the next week, and if you have a bad game, it's just going to be magnified.

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These folks are going to get to eat them here. At least I hope you will. You're going to get something, aren't you, ma'am? Okay, I was just making sure. I mean, this is weird. We're not, we're not freeloading here. Yeah, okay, I didn't think. You didn't look like someone that would do that.

We'll take a break and be right back. This is Kentucky Sports Radio. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

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

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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. Ryan is doubling down on the Mark Poops thing. We've all said it. Drew just acknowledged he said it once. I was confused. I thought Ryan was saying we did it when Stoop wasn't good.

No, I've had the slip during the Dionne Walker interview that everyone remembers. I've never done it. You let it slip one time because then you started laughing at yourself. You were sitting right there in that spot right there. Well, I sit in this spot like every day. Yeah, well, that's what you said it. We were here. This is not a different spot than the other days.

I can remember the moment when it happened because you were kind of laughing at yourself. Yeah, I don't think that happened. We have Quiz Night to hit here at the bar. It's Quiz Night, Drew, with a guy named Quiz. It's got to be good then, right? Isn't that it's right? His name is Quiz. So the guy that gives the quiz, name is Quiz.

So you can come out. It's different than my trivia. It's a little easier. And it's a little different. So it's quiz night with quiz tonight at KSR. How do you know it's easier? I'm told. It's quiz night with quiz, though, tonight.

You can come on out and we also have Wings Day, so you can quiz and dollar wings and burgers, et cetera. By the way, we got good reviews on our NFL episode from our boss. So Drew and I are happy about that. We got to think of the NFL because we didn't know because we really didn't talk about football at all during any of the stuff. And they still, they liked it. So that was good.

And they had little, like, they proved they listened. Like at one point I said, ranch instead of blue cheese. They called me out on that. They mentioned Dick Van Dyke shoes. Talk about Billy's shoes. The guy from the NFL specifically said, tell Billy, I like his Dick Van Dyke shoes. They were dialed in. They were dialed in, which is nice.

Text machine, 772-745254. One person writes, Matt, I've seen all this about fights about all different things. You said you don't think it was women. Could it be religion? No. Come on. Come on. Come on.

Like, be reasonable. That doesn't happen either. We've had players over the years that were every religion. People are just, people just who are 20 don't just start fighting. They're not like people on the internet who get mad about everything. These dudes know each other. If they don't like each other, it may just be, I guarantee you it is very likely just personality base. Like, I don't like you. You're not someone I want to be around. That's what

usually ends up being. You know, when Oscar was here, and again, I like Oscar, they didn't dislike him because of religion. They didn't like him because they thought he kind of thought he was better than everybody, and there were different rules for Oscar than there were for everybody else in their mind. I'm not even saying they were right, but that's what they thought. That's why they didn't like each other. So it's not the things people, like, This is not people arguing about the latest comment from Hakeem Jeffries. These are people who just like, you annoy me and I don't like you, you know. What's so weird about it is, and the few things we've been to, they seemed close.

And usually when they're locker room problems, you know it right away. And that stuff leaks out before they even start playing games. Everything seemed just fine up until a week or two ago. It did. That's what's so weird about all of this. The women's team won, though, by 40. So that's good. Maybe we'll look back on last night after the heart-to-heart 50-minute meeting after the game.

Maybe things turn around. We can all point back to that night that everything turned around for this team. And they joined forces. Okay. So see, I would have thought that maybe. But then how do you explain Pope afterwards? Like if they came out of that meeting like, okay, here we go, wildcats, here we go. Then why did he come out being Park Mope? We didn't know it was a meeting.

could have just been sitting in the back in the dark. Yeah, they might have all just been sitting there listening to Morrissey. That would have been weird. It would have been nice, though, with it taking so long, if he did come out and be like, sorry, I'm late, the guy stood up, started talking about what's wrong, how they're going to fix it. I didn't want to break it up. It was a good moment for our locker room, but he was like, oh, no, I don't know what happened. We talked. Yeah, that's partially kind of why it doesn't feel great.

Who's next? Joseph. Joseph. Joseph, go ahead, Joseph. Morning, guys. How are you? I'm doing good. All right.

Before I get to my main point, which is mostly negative, can I just try to say something positive? Of course you can. All right. So what a luxury is it to have a coach that actually cares about losing? Agreed. You know, we aren't that far removed from a guy who would want to go watch Little House on the Prairie after every loss or whatever the hell it was.

So I'm happy that Pope cares. But with that being said, I was. praying that when he came out to that presser, he wouldn't talk about how disappointed they are and the typical song and dance that he does after we lose. I wanted to see some fire and, frankly, some anger. Yeah. Because I feel like this, this, like, moping around rubs off on this team in the wrong way, and you see it in their body language and how they react to things.

And I just wanted, I wanted some anger, you know. Yeah. I just don't think this team responds well to the, this. I actually think that's a really good way to put it. I appreciate the call. I don't know that this team responds well to sadness. But then again, I mean, if we're back to the locker room pregame story, the story that I heard that, again, may not be correct,

was that people were used to one kind of pope, and then a different pope walked in the locker room, and they were like, who's this dude? You know, the story was that he went up to, like, Jalen Lowe and was like, Mikkel Brown's better than you. Don't you want to prove it? Don't you want to prove it?

And they were like, who are you? Like, stop. And it maybe threw them off. Again, I don't know. So you do have to be within your personality, Drew, whatever that is. And Pope has a lot of strengths. We saw them last year, but I'm really starting to question him getting ready for these big games and how he's going to handle a deep roster where he's got to manage minutes.

He didn't have to do that last year. This year he's got a lot of dudes that need to play, and he has not figured out rotations yet. By the way, Rick Petino just did an interview where he said he didn't think we paid $22 million for the roster. He thinks that's exaggerated. So maybe that's good. I don't know. We'll be right back. Hour number two, KSR.

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 helped make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. 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 SportsSlic. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical 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 IHart Women's Sports. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to learn the hard way with your kids. 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 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.