KSR - 2026-03-03- KSR - Hour 2

Episode Date: March 3, 2026

Matt, Ryan, Drew, and Shannon talk Mitch Barnhart's expected retirement and all the latest news.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 podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions, about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app.

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Looking for a mortgage bank to help you make your next major mortgage move, whether it's a refi or home purchase, regardless of whether it's your first one or one of many.

Consider our friends at Stockton Mortgage, but don't just take our word for it. Stockton Mortgage has over 70,000 five-starry-starred. reviews and counting, just like this review from Joshua, who says this about his experience with Stockton. They were super professional. Always answered my questions I had and streamlined the process. I could not ask for better people to help me and my family get our first house. I feel blessed to be able to go through them. Be like Joshua, or the 69,999 others just like him, and get started with Stockton Mortgage Today by going to Stockton.com and get started. I've even used Stockton Mortgage myself on my own home loan.

For your home loan needs, Stockton.com, and click, get started. Stockton Mortgage, NMLS, 8259 Equal Housing Lender, NMLS, Consumer Access, dot org. Welcome to Hour 2 of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now, here's Matt Jones. Welcome back. It is hour number two, Kentucky Sports Radio,

859-280-2287. Text machine is 772-754. I do one piece of information. I've gotten multiple text from people I assume, Drew, that are listening who say that the South of Minister is a UK fan. Okay, good, good, good, good. There are people not following the rule and listening, and I don't want to call him a U of L fan if he's not. No, it's a horrible accusation. That's like the worst thing you can't do that.

You cannot call somebody a U of L van that's a U of L fan. they're struggling by the way Uval it's fell out of the top 25 first time all year they're not in the top 25th only has one win in the two years he's been there

over a team that was in the top 30 in the net now unfortunately that was us so you can't talk too much trash about it but they can't beat anybody good they play Syracuse at home tonight they'll crush them then they go to Miami Saturday might lose another one so you know

a lot of U of L fans work in this building very upset, Drew. Like they, in some ways, seem almost more upset than Kentucky fans were at Pope. Because I don't think they have that connection with Kelsey where, like, they want him to succeed because he's one of them, like we do with Pope. That and Pope at least has several, you know, top AP wins where Kelsey, that's one of the problems is he's not winning those games. Also, his last press conference, he didn't have his glasses on.

I didn't really know who I was looking at. He looked all sad. It's just falling so far from. when he was popping the cafeteria getting all the fans fired up when he first got there. For a long time and now I don't know. So we'll see. The tournament

can change a lot of stuff. Tyron Stokes has is according to, is it Fram Fashilla? Is that who said that? Who was it? About taking another trip? Yeah, about Tyron Stokes coming to Kentucky. I think it came from his coach to someone at ESPN.

Yeah, his coach told Fram Fasilla that Tyron Stokes has not only not made his decision he's going to visit Kentucky one more time. What do we make of this news? I mean,

encouraging, because it sounded like before he had kind of eliminated Kentucky, at least the door is still cracked a little bit that he wants to come back for another visit and entertain the thought of maybe committing at one point. He told Paul Bion Cardi. Stokes is planning another visit to UK after the season. Okay, so clearly we want him.

clearly you know Pope sees the value in high school recruiting which I like there are people who tried to make the argument when we don't get these guys oh that's kind of because that's not what Pope does Pope wants this guy at this point you still want this kid right he's the number one player in the country absolutely

like I said earlier if you're not I don't care if you're third choice fourth choice fifth choice if he picks you you want him are you worried at all about this whole question of attitude I mean, that's been something we've heard for years with this kid. And then Kansas had to kind of deal with whatever they've been dealing with Darren Peterson. So there are some people saying, well, they don't want to deal with that again.

Drew, I think he's the tech. When you get the number one player in the country, I think you take the risk. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but I think you have to take the risk, right? Yeah, there's some stories about him with some locker room stuff. You know, you don't love that. But Kentucky's kind of in desperation mode. I mean, I would take him regardless even if you had a class. But right now, you got to get bodies for next year.

And if the number one recruit in America wants to be a part of that, you absolutely have to take him. Also, it seems Kansas pretty much had this locked up. It just keeps trickling and trickling and trickling. So now Kentucky gets a visit. If Kansas doesn't close soon, maybe you are back in the mix more than we thought. We had it locked up. This may just be a guy, you know, that's when they're in a relationship at the end, Shannon. They're like, I just can't commit.

Yeah. Yeah. You wouldn't know anything about that. Oh, of course. No, no, no. You wouldn't either. No. So, yeah, I mean, that might be what it is.

Do you agree with me, Shannon? You take this kid no matter what? You know, he's the top rated guy, so I think you take him no matter what. Unfortunately, it could work out to where you have a situation with Peterson at Kansas, and you get a guy that has an attitude problem, and it's hard to manage that. But do we think we would be better? I guess my question, Ryan, is do you think we'd be better without him? because if you don't, then you'd give it a shot.

Unless you can convince me, there's somebody out there we can get that would be better than getting him. I'm taking him. And yeah, it might not work out, but you know what? There are other guys people get that don't work out, you know? Mark Pope needs this as nothing else for perception purposes that I can go out and recruit the top kids in the country and get them to come to Kentucky.

He needs that more than anything. And earlier this year, we weren't exactly leading the country in positive attitudes on the top. team either. So I mean, remember how the years started? I mean, okay, might have another locker room situation coming in. And maybe they'll play chess and get along. You know, it feels like that's

a big part. Maybe they play chess and everybody will be happy. Now, Kentucky, the SEC Women's Tournament starts tomorrow morning. So let me just go over some stuff. Kentucky women play tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. Eastern time, 11 a.m. Eastern time. First game of the SEC tournament, Kentucky plays at 11 a.m.

Now, as you know, we're on the air then. So tomorrow morning, just as a heads up, we're going to do the show as regular. It'll be on all the same things at 10 a.m. Then at 1045, we will have to, we will lose the Lexington and Louisville affiliates. You all will go to the game. But we will keep doing the show. You'll need to turn on the Somerset affiliate. If you're listening on streaming, if you're listening at home, you just listen on the station.

is that WSFC something like that Mario's going to make a graphic as to how you do it all right but just so you know when you're listening tomorrow we'll still be on podcast full and we'll still be doing the show

but at 1045 they'll switch to the women and I understand if you want to keep listening and listen to women I get that at the bar tomorrow we're going to be doing the show at the bar we will have cash will be there but we will also have the women's game on while we're doing the show and it is WSFCC

actually just yesterday Gus sent an updated affiliate list that I put on KSR every morning so if you get lost you can go find that too and find what's close to you. WSFC and so if you're in Lexington tomorrow you can come watch the show we will also have the game and they'll both be going on

and so that's that's an exciting morning. Let's go to Chase. Go ahead Chase. Morning gentlemen Shannon. I've got quick thing. You saying I'm not a gentleman? Is that a shot at Shannon? Is that a shot at Shannon?

Gentleman and Shannon. Go ahead. I would never disparage a good name of Shannon to do. But the prospect of certain announcements on the horizon. I'm wondering about our 80s department's approach to coaching in-game environments. Do you think that a new AD

somebody button is sort of a little lower, may have less concern with moral superiority, more concerned with winning and a better home game advantage? And along those lines, what's stopping us from poaching serves in charge of the end-game environment at South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, any of these places that are just electric, why can't we get any of those people?

Well, I think, appreciate the call. If there were to be a transition at the top of UK athletics, I think without question, the question is going to be what's next and what is the philosophy. I'm of the belief that college sports are so fundamentally different today than they were even four years ago that you have to hire somebody who's eager to embrace that change. Whoever that is, okay? Whoever that is, you know, it's sort of like saying if you are, I don't know, if you're a computer person and you don't like AI, then you probably shouldn't hire that person to run your

AI department, right? You should hire someone who understands and probably embraces the technology to run your AI department. Even if I don't, so like I wouldn't be who you should hire because I don't like AI. If you're somebody that doesn't like what's happening in college sports, then don't hire that person to be in charge of college sports. So I think it's going to be very important for Kentucky, whenever that job were to come open, to hire someone who embraces the future.

and who says whatever the future is, we at Kentucky will be at the front. That's what I want to hear, Ryan, from whoever ends up with that job whenever it comes open. Yeah, because it's ultimately a business. They're trying to make money, and you can't be afraid to spend money to make money.

You know, everybody's in competition for the entertainment dollar. You want to make your product good enough where they want to come and spend their money and watch your product. But you can't have any hesitation about the sport. Correct. If you don't like college sports, that is totally fine. But my view has been for years. If you don't like college sports as it is, that you're right.

Then you need to not be in it. It's that simple. Because just look around the country. Just look at college basketball. Look at the coaches that are succeeding. All right. Dusty May, John Shire, Nate Oates, Todd Golden, Danny Hurley. You don't hear Drew those coaches on TV going,

I don't like what's happening with college basketball. They just go win, right? They just go win. And that's what I want in the jobs at Kentucky. Will Stein did that. He came in, he was like, look, whatever the rules are, we'll make them work. That's what we need. Yeah, you just know that's what's so excited about Will Stein.

He even said exactly at his press conference. Like, if you want to complain about how this job is now, you're going to get left behind the rules and what's in front of us. It is what it is. So jump in and embrace it and love it or you're not going to be able to succeed. That's why, I mean, he showed up with two GMs. He's an example of a young guy that's ready for what's next in the future.

And hopefully the rest of the athletic department, kind of we see more of that youthful and exciting movement coming in. And it's not a criticism if you don't want to do it. Just don't do it. Give it to somebody who wants to. Dan, go ahead, Dan. Yeah, hey, Matt. Can I talk football?

Yeah, if you want. Yeah, look. This Dan from Rocky Mount. I got a tour through the Joe Craft Athletic Center a couple weeks ago on a Saturday. Let me tell you, me and my buddies, we had such a positive vibe, man. We were so excited when we left there. We got to meet a lot of the football players. Courtney loves one who took us through there.

He won the Warful Award back in 2017, something like that. But we got to watch. They were practicing a quarter of a quarter. the team was practicing, you know, on the indoor facility. And I'll tell you, every time we met these players, then, they were all so cordial. I am so pumped up about UK football this year. I'll tell you, everybody should be. Will Stein has just changed the whole vibes, man.

It was just a fantastic tour. Well, good. I'm glad. I appreciate you letting me know, Dan, and nice to hear from you. Yep. Appreciate the call. We hope to have Will Stein Ryan on the show on Monday

just for people to know. Yeah, he's kind of making the rounds talking to some people getting ready for the spring football season to start and you can tell you his energetic level is going to be infectious on everybody else they're excited to get out there. Shannon, his energetic level is going to be infectious.

We know what Ryan means. We've been around him for so long. You wouldn't want to read that from the transcript for the people at the church. I mean, infectious. Yeah. Not a word, Brian. Infectious.

Infectious. Yeah. That too. His energetic levels were infectious. Put that on a T-shirt. That's right. Jacob, go ahead, Jacob. Hey, Matt.

Just wanted to talk two things. One, the new AD, whenever that time comes, I think that respectfully, They need to, kind of like what you were saying, embrace, you know, modern, you know, the modern college sports. I think specifically we need to really be mindful of somebody who really understands college basketball as, you know, as the athletic director for the University of Kentucky. I think that, you know, basketball is definitely our flagship program when it comes to sports. and they need to approach basketball with modern eyes.

And I think that that means that it can't be a Mitch 2.0. All right, we can't have just a repeat of what we have had. I know that Mitch has done a lot of good things, and I'll appreciate that, but we can't have him, you know, again. Well, I appreciate to call. That's going to be, I mean, that's going to be the conversation. And I think I'm not saying that I don't think the person who can be, be the next one, can't have a connection to him, but in my opinion, they can't have his view

that has pervaded the last five years about what college sports is, because it's not that anymore. If Cats fans, if you haven't checked out the Kentucky Sports Factory, now's the time. It's a 92,000 square foot indoor sports factory in Madisonville. We were just there Friday. Amazing. Six basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts, 22 pickleball courts, 60 yards. indoor turf field. They got a great restaurant, which had awesome food, sponsorship opportunities. You can go play a game there.

You can rent it out for an event. It's great. It's in Madisonville. I think it's the best facility in the state. The Kentucky Sports Factory or Kentucky Sports Factory. com. Really was an impressive place to be. We'll take a break.

Be right back. KSR. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

Sports slice brings you closer to the action. with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit.

suit 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. Kier Gains is 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.

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. from the WMBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards.

If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs, Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone

and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. at our level at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard.

Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Welcome back. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. 859-280-2287. It's tourney Madness Week really starts today. A ton of tournaments all over the place.

Drew, I love the small tournaments tonight. A lot going on tonight in terms of you got Kentucky playing and then all these smaller tournaments. I love watching them. ESPN Plus has them all and then you get the big games going into the, you know, the championships. Are you a fan of, I guess they call it Madness Week? Oh, absolutely.

Today, not as much because every SEC game except one is tonight. There's one Wednesday game. The rest are all loaded into tonight, so I'll be locked in our conference. But tomorrow, I love like at noon you just sit down and watch a little A-sun. I'll admit. I like a little A-sun. Yeah, I'm mostly tuned in for the gambling. I won't lie.

But, of course, you can watch basketball in the middle of the day while you're working. Of course, I'm excited about it all of them. Yeah, I try to go to one of those most years, although I don't think it's going to happen this year. but I do really enjoy. The Sunbelt goes on for like a week. Yeah, what do you think of those tournaments where, all right, you know, there's the regular way conferences can do a bracket the way the SEC does, but they have these tournaments where they're trying to protect their top seeds.

So it's like nine plays 12, 10, plays 11, and then the winners play 8 and 7, and then the winners play 6 and 5. Do you like it like that, Shannon, or to give the best teams a little bit of an advantage? It puts a lot of weight on the regular season because the bottom four, have to win seven games and seven days to win the title. And it starts today and doesn't end until next Monday. Yeah. I mean, I get it, though, don't you?

I mean, I get it. You're trying to protect your... You want your best team to represent your league in the NCAA tournament. Because you have the best chance to get a seed where you can pull off an upset. Right. Yeah. But, man, I kind of pull for those bottom four teams to run the gauntlet, though. That would be really cool to see.

Which one do you prefer? If you were running a conference, Ryan, and you're doing a regular tournament? you're doing a gauntlet. I think you've got to do this way. Like Miami of Ohio is a perfect example this year. And they're a regular bracket. So they're getting no advantage, Miami of Ohio. I think you'd want to modify the bracket to kind of protect them a little bit to kind of get them in the tournament.

But I'm with Shannon. I would pull for one of those underdog guys to kind of win four, five, six games in a row and maybe make this Cinderella to run and get into the tournament that way. Speaking about Miami of Ohio, what do you think about Bruce Pearl versus Miami of Ohio? Bruce Pearl is holding the ground of if they lose, they're out. And he went as far as to say that if they were in the Big East, they would come in last place. Those are strong words.

By the way, I don't think he's wrong. Last place. I don't think he's wrong. First of all, they got to play somebody good. I think Miami of Ohio, if they go undefeated, I think it would be cool to see him in the tournament. but I also think they would come in last in the SEC. I do.

Now I want to see them make the tournament and actually beat somebody. But that's a one-game scenario. And maybe they will. Maybe they'll lose by 25. But if they had to play home and away in the – first of all, Miami-Bohy would win no games on the road. Can we agree on that in the SEC? I think that's fair.

Oh and 9. Now, could they pull off one or two in their home arena? Maybe. but Drew I think they go if they're in the SEC I think they go two and 16 I think they'll lose every game in the SEC I mean they just played like the 298th team and needed a layup at the buzzer to win it

their conference they barely have any teams in the top 200 I'm completely with Bruce Pearl for me it's very simple if they win their conference tournament they went undefeated so they're in anyway if they don't win their conference tournament they lost everyone shut up they're not undefeated they don't get in yeah that's how I am And by the way, did you see the Miami of Ohio coach, Ryan?

Did you see him kick the speaker over? I did. What's the speaker do to him, man? Take it out on the speaker. You saw this, right? Drew, Shannon. You saw. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

So he broke the speaker for Western Michigan. But here's what we just learned on ESPN learned. The speaker was actually not Western Michigan's. It was their halftime entertainment, the most incredible DJ Chuck. Oh. Okay, so it was DJ Chuck's speaker. And by the way, he doesn't just call himself DJ Chuck. He calls himself the most incredible DJ Chuck.

Well, speaker's blown now, so how's he filled about that? He broke his speaker, caused DJ Chuck $3,000 worth of damage. Miami of Ohio has agreed to reimburse DJ Chuck as they should for his speaker. So did DJ Chuck not get to perform at halftime then? I think DJ Chuck was not able to perform at halftime. It's an easy payday for him. And he's incredible. His speaker just got chucked.

Yeah. Poor DJ Chuck. I didn't know that was part of the halftime entertainment speaker. And first I now, I want to go here the most. Can you think you could get him to open for you at Tin Maru? Maybe we should open for him if he's that incredible. I don't know. You all are not the most incredible.

I mean, if somebody wants to give him and chuck our equipment and pay us and give us new equipment, that'd be all right. not you have to play still get paid let's go to john john how are you all doing doing good you think we're going to win the not um well i mean our picks are at the end of the show what do you what do you think i think we do i think we go down there and win by 15

i think the way we've been playing if we play like we did against vanderbill i think i think we win well i hope you're right i appreciate the call uh we got a minute minute here. Is that right? Sherry. Go ahead, Sherry. Hey, this is just a funny. You wanted somebody funny. So here you go. Why does Ryan Lemon take his clothes off all the time? I've been wondering the same thing for years. Is this a joke or an actual question? No, no, Matt. It's an actual question. Every time y'all does something, he takes that shirt off. Why the nudity? That's right. That's a good

question. Ryan, and we actually don't ask Ryan. He'll try to be funny. Why does he do it? He'll save a concept for lovers. Yeah. I think the reason, Sherry is he's kind of got like, he's kind of funny looking.

And I think when he takes his clothes off, it's, it's kind of like a comedy thing, right? Like, it's like, oh, look, Ryan, there he is. I just love him. And so I just wonder, but you know I love all y'all,

but it's so funny, he was just rubbing his chest on them women at that one place. Yeah, I didn't encourage that, Sherry. I thought that was... I didn't think so. Yeah, I didn't encourage that. You wouldn't know that.

I would not do that. I appreciate you. Yeah, I will not be taking... I think Sherry was thirsty. Drew, I'm not there. This is supposed to be your responsibility. He's beyond controlling at this point. Remember, he's the one that's almost 60.

859-280-22. We'll take a break, very 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 to Kentucky Sports Radio. We have breaking news. Running on a... I hinted at this earlier today, and it has now also been reported by Pete Thamele of ESPN. Mitch Barnhart is expected to retire as soon as today.

but likely this week. After 24 years as the athletic director, Mitch Barnhart, is expected to retire. So I've heard it's going to be today, but I think if it's not today, it will be this week. Conversations have been ongoing in the last four or five days over the weekend with folks that make decisions in the university, both boards, board of trustees, etc. And this is where they ended up.

I think Mitch, I'm going to give you my quick take and then we'll go around around. I think Mitch has 24 years has been a tremendous athletic director who you could make a pretty strong argument that virtually every sport was better after he was AD than it was before.

A lot of really good hire. in major sports. Some that come to mind, you know, Rich Brooks, Mark Stoops, see what happens with Will Stein,

obviously. John Cal Perry. We'll see what happens with Mark Pope. On the women's side, Matthew Mitchell, Kenny Brooks, Nick Mengeeone,

you know, volleyball, Craig Skinner. They've had a lot of success in softball, track, you name it. He,

I think, sort of took UK athletics from a school that was good at basketball and occasionally to be good at something else to really a great athletic department across the board and in the process helped make the University of Kentucky a much better place than when he got there from an athletic standpoint, 24 years, longest serving AD in the history of UK athletics and now will retire. no word on what happens next or when. If you remember, we talked in the fall.

His contract allowed him to be paid a certain amount of year if he got through Christmas. And I said back in the fall, I expected him to retire this spring and he will now. And I think he leaves this legacy as a great athletic director for the University of Kentucky, who is stepping away at a time that I think is correct for him to do, leading into the next generation. Ryan, what do you think? It's a loss, man. You're right.

You hit all the highlights. It's a big chair to fill what he did here at the University of Kentucky. But if he's not the kind of guy that wants to adapt to the changing college athletic world, maybe it is the right time for him to step down and get a breath of fresh air in there.

But there's outstanding work he did here at the University of Kentucky. We'll always, like him or not, of course, he made some decisions. A lot of people weren't happy with. Overall, he was a great improvement for the University of Kentucky. I mean, 24 years, you're going to make decisions that people don't like. And on a personal level, like, I don't know that he ever particularly loved us,

but I will say this, almost without fail, always kind. A couple times in my life did really, really kind things at times that were important. I think he's a really good man who, you know, just on a personal level, people should really appreciate was head of this school for so long. Yeah, you listed his accomplishments. I'll add internally people in the building speak really highly of him and working for him, people I know well, including like during COVID when a lot of athletic departments were having to, you know, cut bait with some people.

He did a good job of making sure UK didn't have to do that and has kept UK in the green for a long time. So I know, you know, we know his accomplishments in sports and all the secondary stuff you listed, but I know behind the scenes a lot of people liked working for him. Very loyal person who produced a lot of over the years, you know, a lot of people that worked at UK are running other athletic departments around the country. And I think Drew's right, like a person who really stuck by his people. And, you know, I think there's a lot to say about that. I, you know, if you were going to give

the pros. I think he is very good at managing people. A con, he was very difficult with dissent. Doesn't like to, never particularly like to be told that people had different opinions than him, had oddly quick temper sometimes. But you know, when you talk about hiring coaches, hiring cow when he did, that went against probably what he normally would have done, but he did it, and obviously that had a ton of success. Stuck with Rich Brooks when it wasn't popular and that ended up being successful, took basically an unknown Mark Stoops and had success. Now, you also had Billy Gillespie. You also had Joker Phillips.

Y'all say Kyra LZ. I mean, like, he had mistakes. So, but I think overall, a hiring record, Ryan, that's pretty good. And usually for athletic directors, that's your legacy. Who did you hire? Who did you set the program up with? And overall, you know, you mentioned three misses. The rest of them have been home runs, grand slams.

And you also mentioned his, you're talking about a coaches tree, his AD tree, Scott Strickland, Greg Byrne, Dwayne Peevy, John Cohen, Rob Mullins. Yeah, I want you to think about where the people that started here are. The AD at Florida, Alabama, Oregon all came from here. Yeah. DePaul. John Cohen was at Mississippi State. Mississippi State. I mean, just think about Florida, Alabama, and Oregon.

Three pretty big time. Three pretty big time programs. And their ADs came from here over the years. So I wish Mitch the best. I think it'll be the big question is what's next? You know, we should take a second everybody to celebrate his tenure because I do think it was very positive. But what's next is the most important thing. And we'll dominate the discussion.

And will UK hire someone internal? Do they already have the person picked, or will they do a nationwide search and kind of open it up and go outside the family? These are the questions. You know, you hear the names people, I think you have two different ways to go. Eric Monday is a name you've heard a lot. Does he switch from working under the president to the athletic director? Does Mark Hill, who's second command to Mitch, does he take the job? Do you bring back Dway who's at DePaul?

to take the job. Or do you say, we're not going in that direction at all, we're going to get someone none of us know. That to me will be the question that we figure out here over the next week or 10 days. And it'll be interesting to see, Eli Capiludo. I don't know how much longer he's going to be the president. So is he going to be making the decision?

There's still a lot of questions to me that are up in the air that we'll find out here soon. Let's go to Flower Power. Go ahead. How are you doing? Doing good. Listen, that changeover tomorrow is station 1240 a.m. 1240, all right.

It's Somerset Station 1240 a.m. And I have a statement. I want you to reply off of it on Quentin's. But we played Georgia, and that's surreal kid. He tore us up. If we'd have had Quaintains in there, I think he'd have done that. No, I agree with you.

That would have been a game. That would have been a game where he would have been very useful. You're right. Yeah. But we're going to meet up on a big in the NCAA where we're probably needing, you know. That's true. No, I think that's a very valid point. There would be a game.

Yeah. No, I agree with that. I appreciate the call. That, I think, is a very valid point of a game where you could just, even if it's just one game where he could come in and make a difference. National Sleep Month is here. and the better rest is on your mind. It might be cornbread before bed.

Not the food, but the organic hemp gummings. Crafted with all natural botanicals like valerian root, chamomile and lavender. It's all there. Cornbread hemp. I take them. I know these other guys do. It helps you rest, helps you relax.

It's cornbreadhimp.com. Try it now. And I promise if you like it, you'll be using it forever. It's cornbread hemp. We'll take a break. Be right back. Kentucky Sports Radio. Last night, a blown call changed.

a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer-beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsClyce on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust.

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is 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. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life.

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness. 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 you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light. up and smile. That means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals.

At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can, like, I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. that's definitely be true about Mitch. Yeah. Yes. He certainly never, he certainly had that stubborn.

I'm doing it the way I'm doing it. If you don't like it, including how I button my shirts. All the way to the top. Can we have our next AD just have like no buttons? Like just have it all hanging out. You got to show chest hair to the next day. That's right. Yeah.

Got to show a little bit of it. If your dream home awaits you at the bluegrass home center. You can now choose the siding, the shutters, the kitchen colors, and more. Whether you're looking for your first home or upgrading to something bigger, Bluegrass Home Center is a family-owned business, specializing and meeting the needs of homebuyers with standard-built single-section and multi-section manufactured homes. It's in Rudy Bear Road in London, Kentucky, 606-215-3300. It is the Bluegrass Home Center. Come check it out today, Bluegrass Homecenter.com.

One person writes, Matt, I think Mitch did a good job, but if you're going to talk about his legacy, I think you can't skip over the contracts given to Cala Perry and to Mark Stoops that put us in a bind with both of them. He kind of lucked out on the Cal one, but we ended up having to pay the Stoops one. I don't think you can skip over that. Drew, do you agree? Completely agree. The Cal hires weird for me with the credit to Mitch, because, I mean, he did hire him, but, you know, it was always reported that he didn't really want to. and then when Cal was here, they didn't talk.

So when I'm looking at Mitch's legacy, the Calipari era of basketball, I don't know how much credit to give him, but he did make that hire and ended up with a banner. So I guess he's good there. It was just weird that they never really had a connection when they worked together for so many years. I'm going to give him credit for the hire because while I do think, I think it's easy sometimes to go, well, you know,

when he get a bad hire, it's on him. But when he gets a good hire, it was Mike Pratt or it was, like, Mike Pratt was part of it. But Mitch still made the decision. Mitch still had to be the one to do it. And his initial inclination was no. I think he initially wanted to hire Tom Izzo. But Cal won him over because of Cal's charm.

And Mitch made the hire. So, Ryan, I do still give him credit for that. Now, the fact that their relationship was bad, I actually think it's on both of them. You know, they both could be stubborn. And I think they just didn't connect. I think Mitch was smart enough to include a guy like Mike Pratt in that search. And when he hired Mark Stoops, he was smart enough to include a guy.

like Tim Couch and you know in that search and get that research and well Stein included Jacob Tammy I mean he always did that he always kind of felt like having that connection to a former player was part of it and I feel like I can almost give him a slide for the Cal lifetime contract because you could not let Cal go at that time to UCLA I mean you had to lock him up somehow and I don't I don't thought as much of that one as I do the Stoops now that the Stoops contract was a little different there was a mistake but you know what at the time they didn't think it. But yes, I do think that that gets noted. Now, this is Scott. Is this the minister at Southland? Is that what you said? Yeah. All right. Yes, sir. Scott, how are you, Scott? I can abide

being called a lot of things. I can, I can abide being called a lot of things, but a Louisville fan. I have to clear my name on that one. We did, we did clear it. We heard that that was incorrect information. So I agree with you. My phone's been blowing up. We could not call you a Louisville fan. I appreciate you calling in. So, so I, so I, so I, I saw the thing you posted at the church about what to tune out. Did you mean KSR? I did not. I think that's important to point out. There's nothing about sports on there. Now, you can interpret some of those to where it might apply to you guys, but there's nothing about radio or sports. But you did say podcasts that weren't about.

You did say podcasts that we're not about Jesus. We're not about Jesus. That's true. But I wasn't thinking of you guys as a podcast only. You're called Kentucky Sports Radio. Okay. All right. Good deal. This is not a legalistic thing. So as is obvious, because my phone's been blown up today, we have a whole bunch of people who are still listening to the office. Well, I mean, we talked about it initially yesterday. Did you hear about it then? I started hearing rumblings. And then today, I don't know what set it off, but my phone just started going nuts. So I had confirmation.

I don't think people wanted to admit that they were listening because that would be. Exactly. So explain real quick. I've got like just a minute. What your goal with the challenge was or is? Yeah, man, I think you guys would probably agree with this. Like, we just have so many voices. So much of our algorithm is shaped around creating like an echo chamber. We were just trying to reshape people's algorithm. So what if we just took a little time and just said, hey, let's just tune in to one voice

and see if that would maybe bring down the anxiety level that we all experience and many other things. So that was the goal. Well, first of all, I appreciate you calling in. Way to be a good sport. and you listen the the couple people I heard from about it were doing it so they were doing your challenge they were just saying to me that they missed the show so clearly I think people have been following there you go there you go and if people think that's what they need to tune out for a little while that's their deal but we're not trying to be legalistic with it and hey in all

seriousness all good fun great to hear from you guys great to hear from you and give my guy james tallrico another chance scott you have you have a good day all right All right. Appreciate it. 859-2-80-2287. Let's go to Stanley. Go ahead, Stanley. Hey, Matt, you coming to the 13th region at the Corbyn Arena?

Tomorrow. We'll be there. Ryan and Mario and I'll be there tomorrow night. Good. We'll see you there. And I just wanted to say that about this season has been, I've been, you know, I'm old and this has been one of the most exciting seasons that I can remember. I mean, just, you know, everybody's got such high expectations.

And what's made it so exciting for you? Is it just because you don't know what's going to happen game to game? You never know, man, what you're going to get. And it's just been, you know, I've watched him all the way back to Issel and even Totten Nash. I remember him, you know, listening to him on the radio there in Barberville. And it's just been a great year, man. You certainly don't know what you're going to get.

Yeah, that's exactly right. You never know. Appreciate the call. You certainly don't know what we're going to get tonight. Marsha, go ahead, Marsha. Well, hello there. Hey there. I just wanted to comment on you telling the guy that they might beat the players tonight.

And I hope they do. But I want to tell you, I went to South Carolina, and they run us out of the gym. Did they really? Yes, they did. I was fired up. I was looking forward to seeing Pope and them, and we went over there. And, I mean, and all that, there was nobody. South Carolina people left.

None of their players came out at it. But we're standing in and there. If you do not have a blue band on, you must leave. And that only included. I wonder why. That doesn't usually happen at these road games. Maybe South Carolina was just particularly frustrated. Yeah, they run us out.

And Tommy happened to have a blue band on. So he snuck down there And he got to meet the Noah's And they were nice to him And he said only Noah And Malachi came out And that was it They run us out there

Well, I'm sorry And I went to Oh, it's okay I'll have another time sometimes I hate to catch you up But I got to finish this I appreciate it, Marchet Good to hear from you

Nice to hear from you All right Let's do a little draft Kings Bet 5 you can win up to $200 in bonus bets. Get yourself ready for March Madness. Big games coming this weekend and conference tournament week. Let's take our pick tonight.

I'll start with you, Drew. We are a two and a half point underdog at A&M. What do you think? I like the cats tonight. Obviously got a lot of momentum going with how well they played against Vanderbilt. I know it's a road game, but they've played well on a lot of road games this year. Last one of the season, I think the cats get it done and take advantage of A&M, collapsing and on a late slide.

here. So no Bucky ball for Drew, Shannon. I'll go Kentucky steals one on the road, 7776. I think Colin Chandler is going to continue to be hot. You think we hit like a shot at the buzzer or something like that? No, I just think it's just a really, really close game. So about like a one-point game. All right, let's Ryan. Yeah, I'm with Shannon. I think it's going to be a really close game because this game means a lot for Texas A&M for their NCAA tournament life. So I think Kentucky gets it though, 79, 77. I think it is a rock fight from a lot. I think it's a rock fight for most of the game. I'll go O-Way. He's been this. You can't go against him anymore. I'm going to take Kentucky 82-80. I think it'll be a tough battle. I say O-Way, we need to have him with a-winning shot down the stretch. I think he gets an A&1 light that gives Kentucky the win.

Now, do they announce the Mitch retirement officially by 1230? Were they waiting until this show ends? Yes. Yes. Yes. always happens. Any minute now. They didn't want that to leak out probably. We announced it first. They didn't want that probably. Well, that will be the bed of the day.

Because I think I said when the show started 1205, didn't I? Yes. If this comes out in the next 35 minutes, that will really make me laugh. We'll see. Right now it's just Pete Thaymore reporting it, but I do think it's going to come out today. We'll see if it happens in the next 35 minutes.

We'll be back 4.30 for the pregame show. You can watch the game at the bar tonight as well, but we will be at 4.30 in studio for the pregame. This has been Kentucky Sports Radio. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story

behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and 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.

What's up, guys? This is Clivert 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?

Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. You know,