KSR - 2026-02-18- KSR - Hour 1

Episode Date: February 18, 2026

KSR is LIve at KSBar & Grille talking Kentucky's loss to Georgia 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, 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 And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. A rep. My mama want you to wave at her.

What? Where's he at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano.

It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season, and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming until he's like, you know I love you, dog.

You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Comedy Off Broadway in Lexington welcomes the hilarious New York comedian Phil Hanley, February 5th through the 7th. Then it's the return of AGT finalist and impressionist Greg Morton, February 12th through the 14, and don't miss legendary comedian and podcaster Greg Fitzs. Simmons, February 19th through the 21st.

For tickets to all comedy off 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. It is Kentucky Sports Radio Wednesday, February the 18th. I am Matt Jones here. It is Ash Wednesday, and the official first day of Ramadan. I said it was yesterday.

I looked later. My book was a day ahead. It started at sundown. Now this is the actual day. So you got a couple of holidays. You give a shout on Clark's Pump and Shop phone line. 859-280-2287. A-Vision Auto Glass Tax Machine is 772-745254.

And this edition is sponsored by the T.J. Smith Law Office. We call T.J. He'll make them pay. We are here at the KS Bar and Grill. It is Wings Day. And you got burgers and you got wings. and you got dollar wings, but you also got a little bit of sadness because the cats lose last night. 8678. This couple came in here from Marshall County.

They drove all the way to the game. This is the one game they were going to this year, and they picked it because they thought, well, there's a good chance we're going to win this one. That's right. And that didn't happen. Instead, we lose. And what I think is a big loss for Kentucky, big picture. You know, I talked a lot of details of the game yesterday, but I think big picture, big loss.

If they had won last night, I think they were basically in the tournament. Probably needed to win one more game. But probably in either way. Now you've got five games left. You're going to be an underdog and four of them. And you can't afford to slip. And you might even need to steal one to not be in Dayton. The SEC tournament, your double by is probably gone.

Your single by is not certain. I mean, there are nine teams for eight spots. and you've got the hardest schedule of the group. So that's not certain. And, you know, at best, even if you kind of get hot here and win some games at the end, you've probably cost yourself a seed line losing it home. Ryan, it did not go well. It's crazy.

One week ago we're sitting here talking about playing for first place in the SEC. Now a week later we're talking about we've got to win a couple of these just to get in the tournament. It's crazy how things have turned. Just to get a not, I mean, even just like, we could not we can be playing on Wednesday. Not only can we be playing on Wednesday in the SEC tournament. We can play on Wednesday the first game. Because if we're the non-seed, just for people to realize, if we're the non-seat, we play at

one o'clock on Wednesday. And I don't think there's really a way for us to drop below the nine seed, but there is a way to be the nine seed. And so you could end up playing one o'clock on Wednesday. So like, it's not great. No, the double by was still a little unlikely, but I think we're not. We closed the door on that last night unless you just get some crazy hot to end the year. And, you know, we're going to be in that bubble conversation.

And this is why I hated losing early. Like, even if your team turns the corner, if you get to the tournament and you're such a high seed that your path is improbable, I mean, the Georgia games matter. The Missouri games matter. The games in November matter. Because to achieve the goals we want to achieve, you need to be one of those top seeds. And there's no way they're going to be a path that they're going to like when the bracket comes up. No, no, it's going to be, yeah, I've won it all. year avoid the eight or nine see because I think the ones are so much better than the twos and

threes in the tournament this year and we may end up avoiding the eight or nine because we're a ten or eleven I think if we're not careful so I look I went over why I thought we lost the game last night I want to get your all's take here in just a second but I will say to you I'm really I was really disappointed last night with two things in particular one of which is the well, they both kind of go to the same thing. I'm just really disappointed the way we played in the first half. I gave this stat last night, and in case you all went to bed, and I would forgive you if I did, I just want people to just digest,

because I want this stat to take root in people's minds. We've played 19 games against Power Conference teams this year. 19. We've played seven games against bad teams. 19 games against Power Conference teams. at halftime. Do you know what our record is if the game ended at halftime? I heard you say this last night.

Four and 15. We've been losing at halftime in 15 of these 19 games. In 13 of the games, we've been down at least a dozen points at some point. So, we, I mean, we're 4 and 15 at halftime. Now, by the way, we're only 10 and 9 for the game. games. We've barely won more games against major conference teams than we've lost. But we're 4 and 15 at halftime. And that is awful. Like that is awful. And yesterday is an example of a game where it costs you because you could have won that game, should have won that game. And 4 and 15

at halftime, to me as a coach, should be like, well, whatever we're doing in the first half is not working. But Mark Pope will not alter. He was asked a couple times after the game about, well, why do you do the substitution patterns you do? And he was like, well, we've done research that says that if you don't do that, your play will suffer down the stretch. I mean, I guess, but we know it's suffering, as Steve's Breyer would say in the first half. And then, so that's the first thing. And then second thing, listen, we had this conversation yesterday on the show, so it makes me hesitate to bring it up today because it's going to sound like I'm picking on the kid, and I do not want to pick on the kid because I don't just blame him.

All right, it's not his fault. But if you look at the plus minus from the game last night, most of our guys were all either plus one or minus five. So they were all like bunched together. Chandler was the best, I think actually Moran, Raino was the worst, but they're all close to each other. But Trentonoh, it was minus 13, and Jasper Johnson was minus 16. In 14.

So Trenton was minus 13 in nine minutes, and Jasper Johnson was minus 16 and 14 minutes. Jasper Johnson was two for eight from the field, and I watched him personally give up four baskets on his own. Now, he wasn't the only one. Yelovich probably gave up five. but I watched it and to me I thought well after that conversation yesterday

that's an unfortunate performance after the game Mark Pope unprompted brought up Jasper as having played well looked at the stat sheet so he goes Jasper I thought it's some really good names things for us and then you could almost see

him looking at the stat sheet and then he went well you know the stat sheet doesn't really show it but I thought he played played well and then he had said earlier I think he needs to play more minutes. I mean, there's a part of me, he goes, what game is Mark Pope watching? Like, what game is he watching where we don't change the first half, even though we're

four and 15 at halftime? And where the player who had, I think, objectively the worst statistical game, you come out of it and say he needs to play more. That's what kind of makes me go, what am I watching? Is that unreasonable? No, it's not. It definitely was not one of Jasper's better games last night. So I had a friend of mine text me.

He's doing a great job coaching at halftime, making adjustments for the second half. These are 40-minute games. Would you get half your paycheck? I mean, we need a full game. Yeah, I agree. I mean, okay, I'll give him the halftime adjustments. Okay.

But it's a full game. It makes no sense how they have started slow like this every single game. They actually started well. It was like the last eight minutes. of the first half. You're right. That's what stunk so bad last night. It wasn't what's been getting them all year and you're like, well, that's just what they are and they couldn't come back. They're up 27 to 19 with seven minutes left in the first half. That should be foot on the gas. We're running you out of Lexington tonight. You're not going to be in this. But instead, Georgia goes up

and they're up at half. All right, but I had somebody, a little birdie, send me. The advanced stats, what happened with each lineup? Okay. All right. I can look at the lineups and see exactly who was in. The same two players were in playing together during Georgia's run in the first half and the second half. He had Jasper and Yellovich in together for only five minutes in the entire game, and we were minus 14 in those five minutes. Now, why?

They can't guard, and you cannot play those guys together. If you're going to play them, you can't. And he had Jasper, Jellovich, and Noah in at the same. time for three minutes and we were minus seven in those three minutes. How does he think you can play objectively your three worst defenders on the floor at the same time? And in one of those, there were two possessions where we had Jasper, Jelovich, Noah, and Garrison in, which is objectively our four worst defenders.

And guess what? And guess what? And Georgia scored on both those possessions. So he is not, he is smart. But you cannot have stretches. I said last night, see if you agree with this. Aberdeen-O-way Chandler Moreno. Three of those four have to be on the floor at all times.

Agreed. Would you agree? Have to have three of those floors. You cannot have it. We had scenarios last night where only one was in. Can't play like that. This team's not good enough to play like that. And that shouldn't be that hard to do most nights.

That's the thing that drives me the craziest is he keeps saying, I'm trying to find these ways to get these guys rest. I'm not trying to be the old guy like these are college kids, but surely they're capable of playing 36 minutes a game with the season. I'll be the old guy. Surely they can do it. There are people all over the country that have figured out how to play 36 minutes in a game and they're doing okay. I mean, I would say, look, last night you completely screwed up the rotations and 08 played 34. You think if you plays 36, he's just going to fall down and go, that was it. But it's not that he says that.

Those last two minutes, that just did me in. Take me home, Lordy. I have to, like, I just don't believe that. He says we just start playing worse, almost like he's saying they lose focus. Well, he said this, yeah, in the post game show with Tom last night. He said the reason the ball went off Always's leg was for fatigue. Oh, come on. Come on, come on.

Did he say that? Yes, he did. I didn't hear that. He said he dribbled it off his foot. I think he didn't say that. Ryan, don't you be misquoted Mark Pope. Yes, it was when he was talking to Tom to the crowd. He said fatigue set in.

Oway had to turn over and we drove it in. So he thinks he drove it off his foot. He was tired. I mean, it's the 26th game of the season. There should not be a fatigue problem. Like Drew said, other teams have figured it out. Why does Kentucky not figure it out? And it's not lost to me.

Pope was on the team that is historically known for conditioning and vomiting. Like, he of all people should think the guys could handle it. We know all those stories from Petino's practices and the trash cans. I'm going to act like you're making that up. Because he did not dribble off his foot because he was tired. The exact word Mark Pope used Tom Leach was fatigue. Yeah, I just don't mind. Here's what I know.

Whatever fatigue set in, the full spirit of that lineup he was playing in the first half was worse. I'll take a fatigued Aberdeen Chandler in O'Way. I mean, I understand you're going to have to play Yellovich. You're going to have to play Jasper. And you might have to play Noah. I get that. But you can't play them all together. You can't put all those guys in together.

You're actually not even giving them a chance to succeed. Like if they have like if you're going to play Noah Put him with four starters in Noah Right But you cannot have at one point Aberdeen Oway Chandler and Moreno were all out And you can make an argument Those are our three best scores

And they were all out You just this team you can't do that Well so let's try to figure it out For most of the game last night You had two offensive threats Chandler and Owey until Aberdeen got hot late It was just like She was Chandler and Owe that was your only offensive threats

is he trying to find who could be another offensive threat but this is nitpicking but at the end of the game when we went from 9 to 3 who had the ball in their hands every play and made decisions Aberdeen why did we then not do that on the last play yeah right he gave it to Oway who then dribble and I understand

listen Oway's great but how about having Aberdeen make a drive then get it to Owey Aberdeen had the ball in his hands the last four minutes the game and he was getting to the rim and either finishing or kicking it out, those two Chandler threes were off kicks from Aberdeen. He missed them, but they were open. Why did we then go, all right, this is work for last four minutes.

I think Crencht, Dane Bradshaw says in the broadcast, they need to get to Aberdeen, let him create something, and then we didn't do that. So with all this said, you're right. At the end of the game, we had the ball in the hands of Chandler and O'way. The two guys that should have had the ball. That's true. Chandler just three opportunities.

Oh, for three empty possessions. And that's tough. But it's hard for me to get mad at those guys because we weren't in the game. We were already done at that point. When you blow an eight-point lead to Georgia at home and you're Kentucky, that's already a loss for me in itself. Yeah. So very frustrated. Very frustrated.

And I hate the miss free throws. Aberdeen, Oway, and Noah combined to shoot 7 of 14 from the free throw line. Those are your best free throw shooters along with Chandler. And Chandler got no free throws. So your four best free throw shooters combined to go seven for 14. Can't happen. Trent's like an 85% shooter. Diabate and Garrison and Moreno were five for six.

It was your guards who missed the free throws. At the end of the game, we talked about Aberdeen was getting in the lane, getting fouled. He stepped the free throw. He missed. Couldn't hit the free throw. One of them. It was good he missed because we got the rebound and scored. That's a big rebound.

Yeah, that was a big. Diabate had nine boards in 17 minutes. You got to give him that credit. You know, Georgia set the tone early, tried to get physical with us, and we didn't respond, but Diabate, the physicality of the game did not bother him at all. Yeah. 859-280-2287. Text machine 772-7452524.

We will take a break and take your calls. Tough loss, but you know what? We do. At least we're not Mick Cronin because we got to play that tip. Or clip, not tip. We'll be right back. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

Lights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real.

From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience

in the mental health field and conversations. with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it.

And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro.

Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter.

what? He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows, without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted

this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night to night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.

Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball.

So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes,

hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the I-Hart Radio app,

Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome back. Tucky Sports Radio, 859-280-2287. One person writes, Matt, LeBron James is 520 years old, and he plays 33 minutes a game. Are you telling me these dudes can't play 33 minutes a game? That's a good point. I mean, now, granted, he's a pro in an amazing shape, but he is like just a little younger than I am and still going. And why aren't our guys an amazing shape, right?

I mean, there's no excuse. I look at Shannon, like Shannon chiming in. So you think there's no excuse for not being in shape. I think there's a lot to be said about what Drew said earlier. I mean, Mark Pope played for Rick Petino and those teams, every guy on that team, I guarantee you back then could play for 40 minutes. And if it went to overtime, they'd play 45 minutes and not have to sit out. And it's like now, you know, he can't go another two or three minutes.

Why? O'way played 16 minutes in the second half. So he has a halftime break, four minutes somewhere in there. You're telling me that's why he dribbled off his foot. He was so tired from that. Yeah. And again, if you're going to give O'Way and Chandler rest, just don't do it at the same time.

Right? I mean, there's NBA teams that take the view. Well, the Lakers do this with LeBron and Luca. They're like, one of them's always on the court. So why don't we do that? I don't know. Substitution patterns. puzzled me ever since Pope got here.

One person writes, please ask Ryan to defend his position. He made a pronouncement yesterday about Jasper. He's now minus 34 in his last two games. We talked about during the break, not Jasper's best performance. What are you going to do, Mr. Stand on a Soapbox?

I still think he's an NBA player waiting to explode. He's not figured it out right now. What would you do if you were the coach? Would you play him? I think you got to play him a little bit. but when he's hurting it like he has the last couple games it's tough to get him on the floor yeah you know when he's knocking down shots and he made a couple good passes you know I think that's

what Pope was talking about I think he provided a spark offensively but he's such a liability defensively it's hard to leave him out there you know those guys just need to get in with four good players around them and just survive a few minutes to give the guys the break I agree they don't need 40 minutes guys do need to sit for a minute so just get Johnson in there with O-Way and Chandler. Give Aberdeen a little break. Johnson, just don't be the main character. I actually think that's

exactly right. I think Johnson should play when Aberdeen is out. I think what happened last night is they were taking Johnson in for O-Way. And then I don't think you got enough. Well, either way, just as you said, having all the bench guys in together doesn't

do them any favors. Just try to slot them in one at a time for a guy and get a few minutes to spell Aberdeen O.A. Chandler, whoever it is. But when you're putting him in and having, John, he had eight shots. I mean, I don't know if we need eight shots when he's having an off night like that.

Yeah, I agree with you. 859-280, 2287, one-person rapes. Matt, our players don't pass the ball. 13 assists and 13 turnovers is ridiculous. That's the stat, if the game, that's the most important. Georgia had 20 assists and seven turnovers, and we had 13 and 13. You're going to lose.

I'm surprised. You look at that surprise of score. not bigger, you know. If it wasn't O.A. driving to the basket or Chandler hitting the three, our offense did not look good last night. Like they put all, they were so being so physical, just kind of rattled us on the offensive end. But my question, defensively, it's a second game in a row we've given up

many wide open looks at the three-point line. Our perimeter defense, the last two games, has been pretty bad. This is just a guess. This is just a guess because I'm not in the, you know, I'm not in the walk-through or the game prep. Florida was ranked 350th in the country and three-pointers. Georgia was ranked 291st. So my guess is the game plan is let them shoot. That's my guess.

And I don't think that's irrational. What I wonder is do we just stay with it no matter what's happening on the court? Like once you see three or four go in, then don't you have to say, okay, maybe we got to change up. And it doesn't feel like they change up, really. I'll give it to them early in both games because Georgia especially, they do everything. other ground. They don't shoot threes. But you can't just leave them wide open. Like Lee, early in the Florida game, you're going under screens. Maybe that was the game plan, but you don't leave them 10 feet to

shoot. I mean, it was just open gym for those guys. So I think even this was talking about on the pre-show, these teams have bad percentages because people are guarding them and then Kentucky's just letting them shoot wide open threes. All right, so I'm going to act this out with Mario, even though the only people that will see it are these four people. Do you want me to film with my phone? No, no, no, we don't need to film this. This is going to be one of the reasons why you need to come.

No, you don't need to film. Oh, we have a basketball involved. Let's make this. This is just for y'all, okay? The people at home are just going to have to visualize it. All right, Mario, you're going to be a guard for Georgia, and I'm going to play defense for Kentucky, and I'm going to show you what drives me crazy. Okay.

All right, so you're going to be a guard. Let's say I'm Brandon Garrison. Okay. Now, you're a guard. You're faster than me. in real life this is actually true you are a little faster than me i will grade so i've gotten switched on you so i know i might have to give you a little space but here's my argument now make a move towards you need to get your arms up matt let's let's be fist so you go up here now make a move

towards me brandon garrison goes like all the way back here and malachi merino like like i'm and then you've given me one step right and you start to shoot and i come flying but the ball's already off. We give so, I want these guys, make Mario beat me off the dribble. Okay, if he does, I got big dudes that can collapse. If he can hit that little floater, that's fine. Well done. Okay, if you can Tyrese Max see it and hit that little eight-footer, but a wide open three, that, you know how much the two is worth? Two. Two. You know how much that three is worth? Three. Three. How much do you think he practiced the eight-foot runner off one foot? Probably not a lot.

How many open threes does a player shoot? A lot. A bajillion. And I get so frustrated our players. We play so far off of these guys. So far with trying to stop them from the drive that we can't get back out and they end up with a complete open three. That happened with Malachi at the end of the game. Millinder.

Huge shot on Millinder. Malachi was so far back that then, and he got and the Milander made one step, Malichai went. farther back and he came flying at him and it was too late hit the shot too late that's your that's your basketball acting i hope you all enjoy well done are you out of breath do we need to sub we need to get no in there and give you a few minutes a little fatigued well just i wanted to i just wanted to show for the you know basketball bennies i like the lateral quickness especially around the tables well there were tables they did a good job navigating them without the table those are like screens that we don't fight through and that leaded open

shot. Your water? I'm good. We'll take a break. We will take your calls. No more acting for me. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. Kentucky Sports Radio. T.J. Smith, personal injury attorney. Call T.J. He'll make them pay. Now, more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. 859280.22.87. One person writes, Matt, you say Mario's quicker than you. Is that regularly or what about when you're on ambient? A.M. B. Ambien, Matt, doesn't lose. Just for the record, all of you all on Ambien,

ma'am, I got you, just so you know. You're not going to beat me on Ambien. That show still, I can't listen to it. It makes me embarrasses me. Is that a UK beanbag? Yes, she's bringing it and getting us to the restaurant here. Oh, wow. How about that?

That's old school. That's a nice UK beam. We'll set that right here. That way when somebody, like, Larry can lay on that when he comes in. Nice. That's in the very nice. like the UK beam bag. That'll be a good, that's a good addition. Speaking of, someone stole our hat,

I think, unless one of you all took it home. Have we had a theft? A Mario's got it. Okay, Mario has it. Because Monique and I were ready to go to the cameras yesterday. Which hat? The big, the big fat UK hat that hangs up there. Oh, not that one. All right, good. I was ready to get the law involved. Yeah. Don't be, don't

come here and steal stuff. You're visiting. That's not very nice. You know, we did have eight draft king little football helmets. Whatever happened to those. They get, they get stolen. And by the way, I've turned you all into the police. It's just a matter of when they get around to. We're going to release the list. Yes.

859-280-2287. One person writes, Matt, these players have money, cars, girls, and phones. Do you think they care about Kentucky basketball? It's the phones. Yes, first of all, they've always had at least the money cars girls. But I say this every time people are like, today's era, the players don't get. These other teams are doing fine.

And they've got, I mean, think about Duke. They've got all of that. Maybe not, well, I went there. Maybe not the girls. But the money and the cars and the basketball, like, we're not the only school playing nowadays. So these other schools are finding a way to win. Michigan winning one on the road at Purdue last night by 10. They're good.

And they're a big NIL team. If there was a team that was going to have money problems, Michigan would be in that conversation. They're making the most money of anybody. Michigan's probably the only team that outspin us, and guess what? It's working. So I just, I don't buy that. Now, are there guys that maybe aren't given full effort?

Maybe, but it's not just because they're making money. It's because it's them or motivation, et cetera. So I just don't buy that. It works for the other teams. And really, if we just hit some free throws last night, we might be sitting here having a different show today. You know, they didn't play their best, but yet they had a chance to win it. The ball was in Chandler's hands at the end of the game.

The ball was in Otag's hand at the end of the game, and they missed some free throws. Well, they might have won that game last night. Come behind for another win. We lost three of the last four to Georgia. The last time that happened was the 20s. I don't remember those games. They have four wins in Rupp since 1923. The 19.

Last time we lost to them at Rupp was Billy Gillespie. Every time any stat goes since Billy Gillespie, everybody goes. Pope's got a lot of Sensibility Gilles All right, who's up first, Shannon? Roger. Roger, go ahead, Roger. Thanks to take my call, Matt.

I agree with whatever y'all was talking about while ago for sure on defense. I don't know if they don't know how to play defense. But anyway, what I really want to say talked about is the first half, O'Way was hot as I'll get out. Yes. I mean, he was putting this up eight points.

And what's he do? Pope takes him out and puts Johnson in. and the competitor said, what's he doing? Taking me out and putting him in? Always said that. And then he went down 11. And they was up 30. Then he decides to call timeout after doubt 30.

Yeah, that was too late on a timeout, by the way. You're exactly right. They went on a 70 run to cut an eight-point lead to one, and Pope let them keep playing, and then they scored four more. And next thing you know, we're down three. You're right. That was a, in my opinion, he missed the time. Well, he took him, he would say he took him out because.

Yeah, the numbers say get rest. And you and I are right. Agree, that's not what you do. If he leaves him in me and we're up 16 in another 10 minutes or five minutes. And then we're going to, we could blow him out maybe. But no, he's done this like four times we lost every game. Yeah, I appreciate it's called. I'm with you.

I'm with you. And then at the end of the game, Aberdeen's hot and you take the ball out of his hands. I mean, you know, numbers people will tell you the idea of people getting quote-unquote hot isn't true. But when you watch games, I don't agree with that. Chandler was hot from three. Getting more shots. Like when he's hot, go.

I mean, I would say a Chandler 3 is about the shot. A Chandler Open 3 might be my favorite shot this team can take. Oh, the run he's on since the Vandy game. It's five games now. It's like 20 for 33 or something from 3. It's insane. But to the point, sticking out O-Way, you're up eight, as the caller just said, push that thing up, and I don't know, maybe give O-Way a rest in the second half

when you're up by 15 in the game's out of reach. Let him sit the last few minutes. Like when you have that momentum and you're up eight early in the half, keep pushing it and see how big that lead can get and worry about the rest when you're up even bigger. Collar's right, too, the camera did catch O-Way when they took him out. You could read his lips like, really? Like, he was cooking. So clearly he didn't need a rest if he's like, really?

Yeah. You know, what is it, John Bond? Jovi said, Shannon, I'll sleep when I'm dead, right? No, yeah, he said that. Was that Bon Jovi that said that? He might not have been first. He said, you didn't love a bad name. Yeah.

Yeah, I don't think that was. I wasn't thinking of you'll give love a bad name. She's a little runaway. Yeah. Yeah, I was thinking more of the I'll sleep. Wanted dead or alive. Okay. But again, that those are not the slogans.

He also said, I'll lay you down in bed of roses. That doesn't have anything to do with this game. It might. This game I'm talking about when he said, I'll sleep when I'm dead. Well, like we just said, O'A was cooking at that point, and you only had two offensive threats to first half. O'A Drive, Colin three. That was it. There was no other offense to generate.

Got to leave him out there, man. You've got to win the game. By the way, the same two guys kill us every year. Somtoe and Blue Cane. I can't stand Blue Canes. Blue Canes sounds like a knockoff of, like, an independent wrestler. It does. The blue cane sounds like the Kentucky version of the wrestler Kane.

He comes out and he has blue fireball. Sompto is a monster, though. That dude's a free. side. I would have loved watching him at Kentucky. His rebounding numbers weren't huge, but he's just so physical in there. When he got the biggest rebound and one at the end of the game. I mean, that was a huge, that was the, that put the game away. Who's next?

Jake in Florida. Jake, go ahead, Jake. What on, Matt. It's pretty indicative, pretty crazy how indicative our exhibition games were as far as the high at Purdue and then the low-edgerstown. Yeah, that's true. Good point. Some of our games this season. and I went back and listened to the Purdue show, the postgame show,

and it's pretty funny what you were saying on there. Yeah, don't bring it up now. I'm sure I was way too happy after that Purdue game. And I learned my lesson. Next year, if we win an exhibition game, I'll go, well, you know, we'll see. That's all I got, baby. Appreciate it. You know, when Mark Pope was hired, I said this on this show a few times,

because I watched Pope a lot at BYU. he would beat really good teams, including on the road, and then he would lose to people he had no business losing to. Often at home. So I remember he beat Kansas in Lawrence on a Monday. I told you they don't lose on Monday. I think Mark beat them on a Monday once. And then he went home and lost it home to Central Florida.

And that has played itself out, Drew, here as well. Yeah, we were kind of warned that that's what he could do. And I guess we all just got excited. well, it won't happen at Kentucky. This is Kentucky, but that's what we're looking at right now through almost two full seasons. See, I wonder if I'm him, don't you sit and look at, well, why does that happen? You'd think for a guy that's so into the data and studying everything. Why is it that I have, because he has a, this is a pattern over both of his coach.

Why is this what plagues me? You know, Kyle Tucker had a really good article yesterday. He's back on college basketball. He's writing for 24-7 sports. He basically looked at Mark Pope what his friends said about him this year. And they all said the same thing. They were worried about him early this year in terms of what he was saying. Apparently Rick Petino not only called him, Rick Petitino called him and said,

what the hell is wrong with you? He even called him a name. He even called him a name. He was like, stop being a blah, blah, blah. And he was like, stop getting in front of the media and whining. And like, give Rick credit. He was like stop acting. He reminds me of the scene in Godfather when Marlon Branto snaps him and go,

or smacks him and go snap out of it. I have expected. Yeah. I saw the Godfather. Who did he smack? His son. No. His co-worker.

No. I don't remember. Keep guess. His dog. That would be bad. He didn't smack his dog. No, he smacked his, what was it, his godson or whatever, the lounge singer from Vegas. Remember, he needed a.

part in the movie. And he was like, Godfather, my career is of everybody. And he went, fack! And he said, snap out of it. Be a man. Petino did that to Pope. Pope kind of, I think, got a smack from Petino. He was the vet.

Pope was being the Vegas lounge singer. We can't talk like that about Pope as Petino can. But during that time, we were saying it feels like he's hiding under the table. And he's the one that should be sticking his chest out. There were a couple of post games that made me uncomfortable. I kind of thought we were going to get that last night. The Michigan State game. and then I think it was the Missouri game.

There were a couple of those where I was like, man, are you good? I really was. Yeah, what's wrong with you, man? Yeah. So, like, we're scared. We need you to tell us not to be scared. You're in the back of the line hiding behind us, and you're the coach. Where's the conference?

Like I said, I thought we were going to get that Mark Pope last night. It was such a bad loss at home. He was all right last night. Hey, BBN, don't let aches and pains fall into the new year. Start 2026 strong. Court physical therapy can help you get back to what you love. Whether you want to get back at the gym, pick up a new sport, or just be able to get around.

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From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own

experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

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And I'm CJ Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the play.

playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers while he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that I said, you figure it. out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th.

And on my podcast, The Clever Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Look. quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. There you go.

I knew Bon Jovi said that. Yes. 859-2802287. One person writes on text machine. No wonder our coaches don't want to come on your show. after loss, you guys trashed them. Well, I mean, I'm not trashing them. I'm giving you my opinion.

And I think they'll come on the show. But, you know, sometimes they stop. And that's, I mean, this goes back to my view. You're at Kentucky, man. You're getting paid a lot of money. If you can't handle it, nobody's making you coach here. Mark Pope looked you in the eyes and said, when things aren't going well, I want you to be critical.

He looked me directly in the eyes and said, when we lose, you should blast me. that's what he said. Yep. And I appreciate it because he's right. Now, I don't think I blast him. But, like, that's this job. And if it means that a coach doesn't come on here, so be it. Like, you can't, you want me come on here and say yesterday was good?

Hey, we're losing to George at home. That's no big deal. You know, one of our players was minus 16. And after the game, you said you need to play more. Makes sense to me, coach. Like, I mean, what do you want me? What do you want me to do? Do you want me to have, like, be real or not?

You know, I mean, the easiest analogy for me is politics. There are accounts you can follow that anything your guy says, boy, he's brilliant. But, like, that's not the real world. So, I mean, that's just how I am. But I think Mark Pope will come on here at the end of the year. he has any grudge but if he were not going to then you still have to be honest with the truth right we're fans that was not good Georgia has two wins in a month it's Kentucky LSU I mean what do you want us to say lost that's not the Kentucky basketball

grew up watching they lost it home at home to Oklahoma by 16 last week and then they came in here and beat us they have four wins in Lexington since 1923 we're going to be a little shocked and disappointed when it happens again now the one thing we don't have is a jerk for head coach. Did you hear Mick Cronin last night? I haven't heard of you, but I heard you teasing it. So here's the backdrop of this. Xavier Booker played at Michigan State last year

took a bigger N.I.L. to go to UCLA this year. This was his return to Michigan State. Okay. So he's playing for UCLA. Michigan State just runs UCLA out of the gym. During the game, the student section, every time

he does something bad, and apparently he played poorly, they just start chanting. Booker, Booker. Not the most creative chant, but, you know, trying to, like, get at the kid. So a student reporter for Michigan State asks a, what do you think of the student section, Channing? Now, I'm not saying that's Woodward and Bernstein journalism, but it's a reasonable question, right? Especially if he thinks it caused the difference in his performance.

Especially if he didn't play well because of it. He had two points. He had two points. So Cronin is doing his press conference. If you haven't seen the video, he's not even looking at the guy who asked the question. He has, like, his shoulder to him. And then this is one of the jerkier things I've ever seen someone do to a reporter, especially when it sounds like it's a student reporter.

Go ahead. What was your thought in the student section, Channing Booker's name? I could give a rat's ass about the other team's student section. I just about the overall the way that you would like to give you a, Kudos for the worst question I've ever been asked. Alright, did you like the, you should take it? The preparation of the... Do you really think I care about the other team?

No, I don't mean... I don't think you care about the other students. Are you raised your voice at me? No, I'm sorry. Yeah, you are. Yeah, you are. Come on, dude. No reason. Come on. Yes, you were, everybody's standing here listening to you. Everybody, this is on camera, they can hear you.

I answered the question. I could give a rat's ass about the other team student section. I coach UCLA. I don't care about Michigan State students. Who cares? What a jerk. Wow. Okay, so it's one thing to say, I don't care about the student section. Fine. If that's your answer, fine.

But then he comes back and says, that's the worst question I've ever heard. And the kid apparently says, I'll take it. And then he goes, yeah, you'll take it. Burr-bur-bur-bur. Still not really looking at him, by the way. That's a big part of it. He comes back, and he goes, you know, you're

br-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b. And then the kid responds he goes, you raised your voice at me? That's where he crossed the line right there, I felt like. And he didn't raise his voice. He didn't raise his voice. And then he goes, I answered your question. I don't care about the student section. No, you answered it, and then you kept yapping at him.

I was saying last night, if I was a student when this happened, I would have sat there and probably, I probably wouldn't have been as confident as that kid was. But if he did that to me now, I'd be like, you little, and if he did it to one of our KSR college kids,

like I'd be even madder. Who do you think you are? These college coaches are such jerks. They think they run the planet and that everybody should bat. You are Mick Cronin. You've never won anything. Yeah, what have you done? You've never done anything.

And it was a reasonable question. You're just embarrassing this. You raise your voice of me? You're right, he didn't even raise his voice. And he looks like everybody else. Like, right, it's on video. Look at him. Kind of like, it's like, yeah, it is on video.

Mick, we can see it. Yeah, you're going to be the one that looks like a jerk. The video does exist, and you're the one that look like a jerk. Video's going to show you tried to bully a college kid, a college reporter asking a listen to. I know you are, but what am I? That's what he should have. You're raising your voice of me. You raise your voice of me.

I would, I understand as a student, I would have had a hard time not being an assback. Because I was just way over the line. I agree. Did you? Well, the great strong stance One word, bully So Mick, if you can put your little man syndrome aside for one minute and answer my question Yeah, and he doesn't even look at him

Shannon doesn't, you saw the video, don't you think he looks like a jerk? Oh, he is a jerk. He's the angriest little man in college basketball. He is just the angriest little elf And is out there just... Yeah, hello, angry elf All right, who's next? Sean.

Sean, go ahead, Sean. Quick question, two little nuggets if I can. at 17 and 9 and 8 and 5, do we back off of they're a second half team, or are they a second half team and they're just not that good? Well, I don't, and I appreciate the call. We're not that good. I mean, we're not. We're not bad, but we're not good.

We're kind of in the, you know, I don't know, what's a team that's perpetually just over the bubble? What's a team that's like always a 7 to 10 Cs? It feels like for the last decade, Michigan State has been that a lot. I would take their scenario. But you know what I mean? It feels like they've been that quite. I mean, they used to be better than that.

But it feels like they've been that a lot over the last few years. I even told Ryan last night, I got my guard up big time with this game. He did say that. He did say that. I just felt like we won some we weren't supposed to. And eventually that average gets back to the mean. But, I mean, this is the kind of team that could go to Auburn and win Saturday. Easily.

You know, I mean, this is the kind of team that could go win at A&M. And you're like, what? I think Kentucky's back court really turned a corner. Chandler, Aberdeen, and O'A getting back to form. And Moreno is better. But outside of those four, I mean, guys have good games. They come and go. Diabate is Diabate.

But it's kind of like if any of those guys don't have a good night, you're in trouble. You're kind of relying on all four of those to play well. Yes. We have four guys. With Diabate going and getting every rebound in the house. We have four guys that you can count on. And then we have a Diabate who I think you can count on but is an offensive does. He goes and gets that free throw rebound that saves you a game.

So there's like five guys you know what you're going to get. And besides that, it's kind of like, well, who knows? Hope somebody brings it. Yeah, who knows. And you're right, be nice to have a former All-American big guy. Lottery pick. Yeah. 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 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 I-heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's

telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. Timbo, in every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories,

their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast,

The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue with 42.

Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you. you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hiring. You just understood. That's how personal it got.

Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.