KSR - 2026-03-17- KSR - Hour 1

Episode Date: March 17, 2026

Matt, Ryan, Drew, and Shannon talk Kentucky vs. Santa Clara, a Michigan player claiming Kentucky offered him $9 million, and 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor?

It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. From YouTube and social media, comedy off Broadway and Lexington, welcomes Josh Wolfe, March 19th through the 21st. Then from Late Night TV and the Bob and Tom show catch Nick Griffin, March 26 through the 28th. And don't miss New York Comedy Superstar and podcaster Mark Norman. April 2nd through the 4th. For tickets to all comedy off Broadway shows, call each. 259-271 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 Tuesday, March the 17th on St. Patrick's Day. And I'm Matt Jones here live, still in freezing Bristol, Connecticut. You can give us Shown-Clauarks' Pumpin-Chop phone line 859-280-22-87. A Vision Auto Glass text machine is 772-74524 in this edition sponsored by the T.J. Smith Law Office. Call T.J. I'll make them pay. Ryan and Drew did make it in in Lexington. Shannon made it in Louisville. Guys, I hear it's cold here, but sunny, I hear you guys had like Traffic Mageddon today. Both, all of you, right?

Apparently Black Ice has taken over downtown Lexington and traffic was a nightmare. Drew got it a lot worse than I did coming from his side of town. It takes me 12, sometimes 13 minutes to get from house to show. This morning I left at 9 a.m. and I barely made it. Yeah. Took me an hour as well. I nearly slid off the road twice coming in. So it's bad out there. So what's going on? So are our car is wrecking or is it traffic or are all of the above? All the above everything. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's no good. What was it was this scene? Did people know this was coming? No. No. We got like a light dusting of snow. I even looked out my windows. this morning and the street looked fine, so I'm just doing my normal routine until phone starts blowing up with friends turning around and going home and my wife running late and Billy sent us a message. So I ran out the door as early as I could. Yeah, by the way, Mario is a complete chicken. Mario is like, I don't drive in ice. Can I stay home? A diva. Really? I know. I didn't know we had a diva on the payroll. And I, you know, I'm not going to risk his well-being, Shannon. So I said,

sure you could stay home but I thought well maybe it'll just be me and Shannon maybe nobody can get there but then Ryan and Drew make it Ryan and Mario seems kind of diva-e staying at home being scared of the ice you know that really surprises me especially after seeing all that manliness he saw on you riding that bull the other day I thought don't know this is not on me look I would have been the one person that's always I would have been there but I'm just saying yeah I mean y'all didn't ride the bull I don't want to hear it but I would say but I was surprised that Mario backed out. Well, hopefully everybody is safe. I know I did see a thing that said the Lexington police were no longer taking calls, Drew,

for car accidents unless it involved an injury because they had too many. They said, we cannot take calls for car accidents unless there's an injury, at least right. And I'm sure that'll change at some point. But that must mean that, you know, it's like Bristol Motor Speedway or something, just wrecks everywhere. I only saw one wreck on my way in. It wasn't too bad, but it was just a parking lot having to go so slow. I'm sure there were wrecks elsewhere, but it wasn't too bad as far as Rex going my way in.

Just way too much traffic and completely unexpected. I was kind of thankful this wasn't tomorrow because the Sweet 16 starts tomorrow. It could have been even worse with all that traffic coming in tomorrow. Yeah, so Sweet 16 starts tomorrow. We'll talk a little bit more about that. Obviously, the NCAA tournament is Thursday. We, Shannon, we made a mistake. sake, me and Ryan, and we, I didn't look to see when the deadline for credentials was.

I thought it would be longer than 5 o'clock yesterday. Uh-oh. And I got on at 8 o'clock to try to fill it out, and it was closed. So I beg to the Missouri Valley Commissioner, because that's who's putting on the St. Louis Regional, the Missouri Valley Commissioner, who I oddly know, but from having gone to the Missouri Valley Conference, I begged for forgiveness and we'll see if it happens. Because if it doesn't, then we might not even go into St. Louis. I mean, there's no reason to go out there and not get to go to the game.

Right. So we'll see. We're playing on leaving for St. Louis tomorrow. Or, Ryan, maybe we won't. I don't know. It's all in the hands of the Missouri Valley Commissioner. Well, you know, you called me last night. I didn't, I never received a link either.

So I don't know. Well, I got the link. I just assumed you had to longer than 5 o'clock the day after. I mean, I assumed you had at least a full day. but I guess you didn't. And that's on me. And so hopefully, you know, I don't know how kind people are, Drew in the Missouri Valley,

but I guess we'll figure that out. Well, it's one of the kindest conferences in all of sports. Yeah, I think you all will be fine. Don't want to have you there. Are any of our teams in the Missouri Valley from? Murray State's in the Missouri Valley. Murray State, yes, that's correct. So maybe some of our Murray State people can help us.

I'm at the mercy of the valley. You know, I don't know. I'm at the, but Drew, you and I've been to the Missouri Valley Conference at least twice, right? Haven't we? I know I've been twice. We've been to so many random things.

I would bet anything we have. That was arch madness. Yeah, that's where we were up really high in the hockey arena, right? Their press rows was like on the roof. Yeah, that was a fun trip. You're definitely in there now. Even Evansville, I think, is in the Missouri Valley Conference. We've got two schools, two of our schools are there.

Well, hopefully we can make it happen because I would like to go. I'm flying back to Louisville tonight. night to try to make the trip, but I guess we'll find out. Cool thing happened yesterday, all right? And this is, and I have to say, you know, there's been a long time rivalry on this show, Shannon, going back a while with Seth Greenberg. Oh, yeah, yeah. Better have my money.

Yeah, he hosted this show once and was very adamant about getting his money, blowing me up. Yeah, which I think I heart finally paid. But Seth, you know, Seth better have his money. shit. That's one of the things we've learned. And it was literally like $30. I'm going to say how much you promised him, but he was blowing me up at all hours. It was very little. I mean, that was back in the early days, right? So it wasn't much money at all, but he wanted it. And, well, so last night, I'm here in Bristol, and I had stuff here until

about 5 o'clock, and then I was just going to come to the hotel and just hang out. And I get a phone call at 6 o'clock that says Seth Greenberg cannot fly out of Nashville due to weather. And he was supposed to do a digital hand bracket thing with us. And now I can't. Can you fill in and do it? And Ryan, I'm like, what's the lesson when you're trying to rise in a company? The answer is always yes, right? When I'm hearing Knox, you take it.

You just say yes. Yep. So I go, sure, what do I need to do? And they're like, you need to be here right now. And you're going to have to, I guess, Jay Williams, Jeff Borzello, all these college basketball people had done it, just show up. And I go, well, I haven't showered. I don't have they, like, just wear what you got on.

What'd you have on? I had a hoodie, and I had a Madisonville hat. And so Madisonville's getting some national TV play. Shut up. And a jacket. So I drive quickly over to ESPN, get through security, get in there. And they're doing this thing, which I think it's going to come out today, where they put one camera on me.

and then one camera above me just on my hands, and they have me fill out a bracket and explain it. Okay. And they said, this will be on ESPN Digital, and it will run on ESPN News. So go for it. And, you know, they say fill out the bracket, and then, Shannon, they say, do it in 12 minutes. Oh. Okay, so you have to almost in your mind think about spacing out 12 minutes. Yeah, right.

pace yourself. and you know it's just a monologue. You know, Drew, I don't like to host by myself. I don't really think that's entertaining, but you basically now have 12 minutes just to fill out your bracket. Now, those of you that know me, Drew, you know I don't have great handwriting. You've seen my handwriting. Doctors handwriting.

Maybe serial killer handwriting, yeah. It's not serial killer handwriting. It's just not great penmanship. But the kids are. camera is above me only on my hands. And then it occurs to me, Drew, did I clip my fingernails? Right?

Because this is a close-up on your hands. Thankfully, the night before I had clipped my fingernails. But I don't know if you all have ever looked. Just take a second and look at your hands. Okay? Everybody just do this. And think to yourself. Do you want these hands in HD on national television?

because you start to see imperfections in your hands when you do that. And all I could think is, okay, what are people going to focus on on my hands? I have, what is the thing? Because you know how the Internet is, Ryan. They'll focus on something, right? Yeah. I remember one time I did a video and they just kept saying, where's your left eyebrow because of the way the sun was, it was.

Do you remember that? That was, I didn't. I don't know. I remember that one. Because the light shined in a certain way that it looked like only had half of a left eyebrow. You did look. I granted it looked like it. So I'm sitting there last night sort of, you know, looking at my hands and going,

all right, well, we just have to do it. I start down the path, and I'm so used to Ryan doing this show. And even Matt and Myron on Sunday mornings, sometimes I don't think about what I said. As I'm filling out the bracket, I made a Bill's self-hairpiece joke. Oh, my. on that go over they kept it in they kept it in but i'm i guess because no one stopped me and said okay let's not do that and i kind of just kept going throughout sort of making snide comments about

coaches along the way and i guess they're going to keep it because at the end they were like that's great you did an awesome job uh exactly what we wanted thank you very much so that apparently will come out this morning and uh ryan national tv exposure for my hands and hopefully they didn't look too awful on TV. It may work because everybody else are probably going to be real serious and real critical. Oh, they are serious? Yeah. Without question.

So yours may actually work. I fit right in with what they're trying to pull off on this little broadcast. I think he meant this as a compliment, but it could have been a put down, Drew. I'm not sure. He said, well, everybody else had a lot of analysis. You added personality, which might just be a way to go. It didn't sound like you knew anything. But that's all right.

See, I take that as a compliment. Yeah. Analysis, especially on TV, filling out your bracket, it gets boring. Like, let's have some fun. It's March Madness. You don't have to give me points per possession right now while you're filling out your bracket.

So I would prefer your style. Because I didn't think it through, Shannon. I think I have Akron to the Sweet 16 in my bracket. Yeah. Which might be a mistake. I'm almost certain I put Akron to the Sweet 16. I don't 100% remember where I put everybody. I did pick Louisville to lose in the first round.

And I called Duke the Evil Empire. So I felt like I got a chance, Shannon, to air all my grievances on national team. I like that you did that. You didn't go complete chalk. There's nothing more annoying than they go to these experts. They have their final four, and it's all one seeds. Well, mine's pretty chalk.

I mean, I got mostly one seeds in the final four. But nevertheless, I will say it was kind of excited. It's the first time I've ever done anything on ESPN, where they put me in a, I was in the Sports Center studio, right? That's where they put me to do it because that's where they take. where they tape it and they had just finished the women's bracketology show. And can I give you an embarrassing moment? Yes, please.

So I walk in there. They've just finished the women's bracketology show. There's like three former women's players. And did you know there was a woman's Joe Lenardi? Did you know that? Yes. Yeah. His name's Charlie something. Do you know what it is?

Charlie Cream? Yeah. Yeah. Is that his name? I think it's Charlie Cream. So they're doing the show. And I'm in there. It takes them 20 minutes to change the set around to get to where they take the women's bracketology set off and put this set on.

So we're all just kind of standing there, and they're all talking about the women's tournament. And, Ryan, I feel like I want to fit in, but I don't know what to say because I don't know these people. Was Rebecca Lobo out there? She was not. I didn't recognize the women's – I've seen them on TV, but I didn't know who they were, right? So I'm wanting to try to fit in because I don't – you know, I want to be friends with these people. So I just kind of bring up the Kentucky women's team. And I'm like, you know, Kentucky women, yeah.

Who do you all think is going to win when they play West Virginia? You know, Shannon, trying to relate, right? Who's going to win when we play West Virginia? Yeah. And I think two of them have picked Kentucky and one of them pick West Virginia. And then I said, yeah, I feel like Kenny's team really should have gotten to host. They should have been the four seat. Now, Shannon, I don't really know if that's true or not.

Yeah. That's what you felt in that moment. But I thought I would say it in that moment. And then the guy who looks at me and goes, well, no, you have to look at their wins versus losses versus West Virginia. You know, they lost once in Burr. And I was like, yeah, but I started to argue with him. And then I realized that's the guy who does brackatology for the women's bracket. You argue with Joe Lenardi.

It would be like me going, come on, Joe LaNardi. What do you know? You don't know anything. And all of a sudden, somebody, I could see the producer was trying to. to help me and he goes, that's Charlie Cream. He runs the women's Bracketology and I went, you know what? Never mind. I'm sure you're correct.

My bad. I was about to argue. So Kenny Brooks, I tried to argue your case to Charlie Cream, I guess. But Drew, he probably did know more about it than I did. It's all right. I like you putting up the fight. And he had Kentucky close just a few weeks ago and changed it. So he can't act like it's a crazy sentiment that you would think. Well, he said they were West Virginia was probably the last team.

to get a home seed, and we were the last team to not. So he said, if we had won one more game, we would be hosting them in Lexington. Instead, they're hosting us in West Virginia. So, right. To me, your point is valid. You go about a good point. If they were the last team to get a host and Kentucky was the next one in line, you wrote up a good talking point.

But I didn't, but I didn't have a way. I argued Kentucky should get it, but I had zero facts to back myself up. I was just trying to make conversation. Yeah, he was a much. more prepared. You could have just made another Bill Self-Harepiece joke to him and just kept riding that way. That's really all I can bring to the table. But it was cool.

And do me a favor. When it comes out today, if you see it, watch it because hopefully it'll get enough views to where it doesn't look as pale in comparison to the other, to the stars who got to do it. So when it comes out, I'll link it. And I hope you all will check it out and look at my hands. 859-280-27. We're going to talk about UK's draw. A player says Kentucky offered $9 million to him.

Come on. And more. That's next here on Kentucky Sports Radio. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

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

From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. 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, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month,

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

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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 Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes

for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome back, Tuggy Sports Radio. One person writes, Matt, I am going to now be watching Seth Greenberg's hands this week to see who has the better. Yours or his.

Drew, I hope it's me. If Seth Greenberg has hotter hands than me, that's true. I'm in trouble. Oh, the jokes I want to make right now. No, I mean, there's some good ones. You saw the one from our friend Hubby. That's a great joke. I wish I could say them on the radio, but I can't.

But it was an honor for you. The Seth Greenberg stand in. You had to at the beginning, Ryan, go, I'm Matt Jones, and you should follow my bracket because, right? And I looked at the other ones, and Jeff Borzello was like, I'm Jeff Borzello. You should follow my bracket because I picked all the final four last year, right? So here's what I didn't know what to say. So I said, I'm Matt Jones. You should follow my bracket because Seth Greenberg missed his play.

You can't trust somebody who can't make a job. That was the only reason I was on it. So I felt like that was a good reaction. I'm getting just kind of a big kick of the fact that this is your big moment. You get me on the sports center set and you got a hoodie and a Madisonville hat on baseball hat on. I didn't have a choice. I didn't have anything else and they didn't have time for me to shower. So Madisonville, that hat you gave me a couple weeks ago is now on ESPN.

Best hell on earth. And if this is my big break, Shannon, it would be awesome because Seth Greenberg missed his play. That would be, that would be. A guy you've been feuding with all these years. I've been feuding with him forever. Yeah. And then that would be what it is. All right, Yaxel Landenberg, who of course went to Michigan, they are a one seed in the tournament.

He, uh, he did an interview with a Michigan beat rider in which he said that Kentucky offered him. His quote was $7 to $9 million to come to, Lexington, but he turned it down because he wanted the family atmosphere and the coach at Michigan. And as soon as he put that out there, you know, it's inevitable that people see that and then create a narrative based on what they believe. So Michigan fans' narrative is, see, things are so great here, people will take significantly less money to come to Michigan.

some people who really dislike Pope or like C, Pope can't even recruit when he has this amount of money, et cetera, et cetera. My reaction, Ryan, is pretty simple. There's no way that's true. That's completely false. I think you know fairly well what Yaxel was offered. It wasn't even close to the bottom of that amount of money.

And I do think it is possible that Kentucky offered slightly more money than Michigan, but not anywhere close to what he said. Now, Michigan, so I tweet that out, Michigan fans say, well, why would he make it up? Well, there are many reasons he would make it up. First of all, it makes him look good. I took less money because I'm a team player. It makes Michigan look good, his team. This place is so great.

You come here even without less money. And third, it's a good narrative going into the tournament, even though Michigan may have the highest paid roster in the country, it's either them or us. It makes them look like a bunch of plucky underdogs who didn't take money but came for the love of the game. All of its nonsense. But I don't believe it's true. Say whatever you want about UK recruiting. If Kentucky – no one offers $7 to $9 million.

Who would offer that? Because you know what the player would say, Drew? I'll take nine, right? Seven or none, which is, that's a $2 million gap right there. That's a $2 million range. People don't do that. But secondly, Ryan, if they had offered that, he'd have taken it. No one's going to Michigan for $4 million when they could have nine at Kentucky.

That's ridiculous. I don't know, Yaxel. I'm sure he's a nice young man, but liar, liar, pants on fire. I agree with you. There's no way that was the case. Kentucky probably made him a really good offer. And like he said, he tried to just make himself look better by saying, I turned it all the money down, all the cash, because I wanted to play at Michigan and be a Wolverine.

I just, I don't believe that. I don't believe it. I remember when it happened, and I was in some conversations where I kind of had a sense of what was going on. I think Michigan ended up paying 4.2, 4.3, something like that. And I heard that Kentucky maybe got up to 4.4. but Kentucky also knew that if they paid Yaxel that, they would probably end up having to pay O-Way that or close. So because you couldn't have him being the highest-paid player

when O'A was returning. So I think they stopped at that point. There are some people who tell you Kentucky ended up offering less. I don't know for sure, but I can tell you that whether it's 4, 4.2, 4.4, drew it ain't 7 and it certainly ain't 9. I don't believe that either. Let's say it's nine because, you know, if they offer you seven to nine, you're going to focus on the nine. He said Michigan paid a third of that.

So I can believe you take a little bit of a pay cut. But your agent would say, what are we doing if you turn down $6 million because you like the coach at another school? No agent is going to agree to that. With all that money, he's talking about his career on down the road. That's $6 million right there is a pretty good chunk to start your career. So I don't believe for one second that the... gap as wide as he says it is. Maybe Kentucky offered a little more and he preferred Michigan, but $79 million in Michigan paying a third of that. I do not believe that at all.

Is there any 24-year-old kid? Because he's older than most people in college basketball, 23, 24. Is there any kid, Shannon, that you think would turn down $9 million for $3? No. There's nobody. I don't care what your age is. Anybody with a brain has taken $9 million over $3. I mean, would you take a couple hundred thousand less to be in a place you loved? Maybe. Would you take, I mean, there's a lot of scenarios I could see. But there is no scenario where there are two major programs and one offers you $6 million more. Three versus nine, Ryan, and you take the three.

It's just not happening. It's like changing money for his entire family. I got to think of it. Maybe he was trying to total up, well, they said they were going to give me a car. They said they're going to give me a country club membership. What kind of car are you looking at? That's a heck of a car. I don't know.

Maybe he was adding all this stuff. and he came up in his head. It's somewhere between $7 and $9 million. I get free McDonald's for all year while I'm there. I don't know what he was trying to add up. I don't believe it. And I'm not going to be like, I'm not saying, okay, he's lying. But I don't believe it happened.

He, I think there's an exaggeration aspect. We all, sometimes people tend to embellish things to look good. And Michigan offered more than they asked. When it comes to money, the players and most everyone is lying because the incentive is to do it. And I just think that's important. We'll take a break. Be right back. T.J. Smith, personal injury attorney. Call T.J. He'll make them pay.

Now, more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones. Welcome back, Tegi Sports Radio. 8.5.9, 280, 2287. Text machine, 772-754. You were, by the way, Aidan Holloway, the Alabama player that got pulled over with the weed, It turns out it was 2.1 pounds of wheat, not one pound. So twice as many, Drew, that would be, according to Shannon's math, 2,000 pots.

So it's going to be hard to say that was for individual possession, right? Yeah, I mean, you must have some severe glaucoma if you need two pounds of weed on you at any moment. I don't know the Holloway or his life, but if you have two million on you, you're probably sharing. or two pounds on you, you probably have, are sharing that with other people, maybe for sure. So he's out of the NCAA tournament. Yeah. Alabama is playing, I think, Hofstra.

And then who were they scheduled to play in the second round? Who's their five seat? I don't have the bracket in front of them. I have Hofstra beating them, so I didn't need them going very far in my bracket. Well, whoever it was, I certainly will take the five seed now to the Sweet 16 without their leading score. Was it BYU?

BYU is six. Well, somebody. Texas Tech. Excuse me. It's Texas Tech. Final answers. I have Texas Tech losing in the first round because they play. Northern Iowa.

I have 12 verse 13 in that weekend. That may end up happening. Shannon, you said there was a thread of former March Madness Heroes and what they're doing now. I thought this was interesting. This is college sports only. Of course, we remember Doug Eddert, St. Peters. What's he doing now? He is now a basketball trainer and coach.

So he's not even playing basketball? No. Because he only played against us a few years ago. He's already out of basketball. He's not even playing overseas. Nope. He's a trainer and a coach. That's even more ridiculous.

How about Kevin Pittsnoggle from West Virginia? Let me guess. He's selling tractors. Close. No, he's a West Virginia middle school principal. Oh, actually, I had heard that. That also makes sense, though. I bet he also coaches like assistant coach on the football team, too.

That's got to be Pitts-Noggle. Who else? Let me give you one more here. Marshall Henderson, of course, from Ole Miss. He is now the director of business development at Rhino Golf. Wow. Got a job where you just went to play golf all day. Yeah, did you see business development?

That's got to be, yeah, that's got to be. He's just a sales guy, right? He goes Ryan and goes to golf shops and plays golf with somebody and tries to sell him something, right? That's got to be that. Yeah, I'll dig through it. If I find any more that are interesting, I'll let you know as we go throughout the show. All right, 859-280-22.87. who's up first?

Let's go to Will. Will, go ahead, Will. Hey, Matt, with all the conversation about the GM stuff, in the NBA and NFL, the pecking order is the order, then the GM, then the coach, then the player personnel guys mixed in there somewhere. What are your thoughts on hierarchy, you know, in the athletic department for that? Fascinating question. I think you make a very good point.

And Drew, I had this conversation. with somebody that I think may have been a candidate at one time for the job. And I appreciate the call. In the NBA, the GM works for the owner, which in college sports would mean the GM works for the AD. But in college basketball, what is happening is the AD works for the coach. So really, the coach has final say. That's different than in pro sports. And I think there are some people who would be otherwise interested in these jobs who don't like the idea of the coach ultimately

telling them, hey, you're going to do what I say? What do you think? Do you think the person who picks the players? Should it be like the NBA? Where the person who picks the players picks them separately from the coach? Or do you like in college basketball, the coach should still ultimately pick his players? It's tough. If you have a really good gym, I say let them do it.

Because, you know, in pro sports, the GM can span multiple coaches. And if you have a good one, that can carry your franchise a little bit. But it is odd how in college the head coach is doing all the interview. viewing. I guess I lean giving the coach more of the power. But if we hired like a Tashon Prince or someone that's a true GM, I would say sign him to forever and the coaches can change underneath them. But if Pope were to just go out and get somebody coach with it as an assistant, I don't think you would give them that responsibility long term beyond Pope. I mean, Ryan, clearly the coach is going to be in charge if the coach is the one doing the interviews, right?

But it is interesting that in college, that's completely different from the way the professional team set them up. And maybe that makes sense. The players aren't there as long, I guess. But it is a completely flip of the power structure from the professional level. And it is, you know, like Drew said, in college basketball, the head coach is the face of your program. That's the guy that goes into the living rooms. That's the guy that talks to moms and dads. You need that GM for the balancing of the budget and, you know, roster development.

But you still need your coach. You've got to be the face of the program to get out there and make it happen. Yeah. Coaches, I think, are much more central to who decides to go to college. college than they are in the NBA. I don't think a lot of players make their decisions on which franchise they're going to based on the coach. In college, they do.

So it probably does make sense for the GM to be under the coach, even on the college level. Who's next? Morris. Morris. Morris, go ahead, Morris. Yeah, I got a comment and a question. I'm over here in Henderson, and I already got my tickets for Friday. Western Kentucky is going to be well represented.

It's closer to us to St. Louis and his Lexington. Good. I'm glad to hear it. that's showing there. My question is, already seeing so many portal announcements, like the kid from Belmont and so many others, and every time you read about these players, it seems like they're the greatest ones that have ever played in their conference, MVP's. Is there any kind of resource that's already out there, whether it's a KSR board or ESPN board,

it's like the high school where it goes ahead and ranks these announcements as they get put out there, ranks the players, and kind of where they are? Yeah, so on three sports. and I don't know when they'll start it, but they'll have a ranking system. I think ESPN does it too, where they rank the guys based on how they think they're worth. Now, I think in the transfer portal system,

I've found those rankings are a lot less scientific because unlike in high school where all the players are playing against each other and you can kind of see who's best, it's harder in the transfer portal. So if you look at it, I think they give you a ballpark, but I don't know that number one and number two, have quite the gap.

But with that said, they will exist. Now, the question of who is Kentucky recruiting? I don't think we're going to know that, honestly, sir, until Kentucky loses. Whenever Kentucky loses, I think you'll start to hear bits of news about who they're reaching out to. It's natural right now that if a player comes out, you go, oh, I want him. Oh, I want him. But really, we don't even know who Kentucky's interested in.

So I would say to you, on three, you'll have a ranking system. I would use that as a resource, but you really won't know who Kentucky's interested in until whenever they lose, and hopefully that's three weeks down the road. And in the spirit of unrealistic ranges, I think we'll bring back either one to eight players from this year's team. One to eight, it's probably right. We did this a few weeks ago on who we thought was going to come back. Where are you now on it? I'm still, I don't, let's not, since it's tournament week, let's not say names because I want to get completely pumped to win these games.

I'm still kind of at four to five. Where are you, Drew, in terms of numbers? In my head, I'd say about five. Okay. What about you, Ryan? I'm dropping mine to three. Uh-oh, Shannon. Uh-oh.

Is this scoop? No, no, I just, that's it. We're making our predictions. Shannon, I'm dropping mine. That's one of those. That's one of those. He knows. I know how to read him.

Now, he's not been on, he's not been on his A game on the scoop here. Like there. He's talking to somebody's on the door or somebody. But sometimes he had, yeah, that's exactly right. Ryan's the kind of guy. He talked to their home inspector. He talked to the termite guy. Yeah.

Lowe recently said he's planning to come back. When we were speculating before, there was no comment from anyone on Lowe. So I kind of add him to my list. He did say that. He did say that. Someone got it in a locker room. And it wasn't like an official, I'm coming back. But some of their comments in the SEC were leading towards that's what he would want to be the plan.

but I mean anything can happen when the portal opens if Kentucky goes out and find two awesome That was during the SEC tournament? Yeah, late last week I'm trying to get the exact way. It wasn't like, hey, I'll be back, but it was kind of leaning that way. I didn't know that.

Who's next? Tickleball Paul. Paul, go ahead. What's up, Matt Jones? What's going on? Did you ever find out yesterday? I read what the tax stamp is. I do have a basketball.

I did read that, yeah. If you're going to use it for medicinal, use, you have to have a stamp. And I guess that, at least in Alabama, yeah. It's basically a business license. Basically getting you for not paying taxes on selling dope. Yeah. Well, that's probably the least of his problems.

A couple things on the basketball team. I know they look at things differently, but I had a bet we wouldn't be a seven seed because, in my opinion, a seven seed means you're a top 28 team in the country. And be honest with you, I'm a cat fan, but I don't think we're anywhere near the top 28 team in the country. And I've complained for years now. and I listen to Ryan Lemon said so many times we're not about grown-ass men. And you're actually talking about the Iowa State matchup before it came out.

Like, they didn't have grown-ass men. I still say. I didn't say they didn't have grown-ass men. You made that phrase up. I said they're a team that if Kentucky plays their best, they have a shot with. I never used the phrase grown-assment. They do. They're big.

Well, Ryan keeps using it. I don't think he said Iowa State would have it either. Okay, my biggest problem with the basketball team, not just last year or this year, even in the Cal area. I just, you know, we might not shoot it well. We might, but our lack of physicality is our bigs will get the ball two feet from the goal, and they won't even think about shooting. And until we change the narrative at University of Kentucky

and start getting, as Ryan says, and I agree some grown-ass men. Example, I think Cal has a great team. I think Arkansas, well, they're not Florida, but I think you'll see Arkansas have the tournament for that one reason. I think they'll get pushed and shoved around when it matters because I just don't think they're full of strong players. I'll let you go. I'll just talk. I appreciate to call. Do we need more? I think this year's team could use a guy like that. I think they probably thought physically that's what Quaintons could be if he was healthy, but that didn't end up happen. If you want to spring,

clean your wellness routine, our friends at Cornbread are offering buy one, get one 50% off everything they have, including the sleep support with code B1. G1. Shannon, B1 G1 at checkout. Got it. B1 Gels. Sleep gummies, all that B1G1. Buy one, get one free. 50% or buy one, get one 50% off statewide or sitewide. Go to be cornbread hemp.com B1G1. It's cornbread hemp grown for the good life.

Jim Higden who started cornbread hip. His wife went to Santa Clara Ryan, so they're having a little rivalry about. Now we know two people went to Santa Clara. She went to Santa Clara. That's right. We'll take a break. Be right back. KS.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise.

Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. All right. It looks like we might be able to get into the game, Ryan. Well, I hope so. The last time we went to St. Louis, I got into it with a poop tooth. That's right. What happened now? Oh, that's right. Your tooth broke during the game, didn't it? The fried ravioli during the game and half my tooth broke off.

I can still remember Ryan turning and looking at me and smiling and asking him if his tooth was okay and it was not okay. I didn't realize that. Okay, good. That was the Wichita State game we went over there for. I think we're eating with Jerry Tipton. Yeah. Well, that looks like they just wrote me. The Missouri Valley people, they seem nice, Drew, which is good.

I'm glad to hear that. I like, I'm in on the Missouri Valley. Told you the Condus Conference and Athletics. Not surprised they already got back to you before the show. Yeah. 859-28027. One person writes on a text machine, Matt. Did you see the Oklahoma City Thunder video where they're asking all the players who they're picking in March Madness?

All the players basically picked the place they went to college except Shea and Kaysen. I did see that. So Shea Gilgis Alexander says Arkansas or Kentucky. But he said Arkansas first. And then Kaysen Wallace says Arkansas. Yeah, it broke my heart a little bit. Not going to lie. I think part of what we like is Kentucky fans is the feel that the players are part of us.

I think for the most part that has always happened. Part of the deal, though, with Cala Perry, you're doing a devil's bargain when you have it. And we used to talk about this when he was here. Because Cal is very upfront about we, people come here. He always talks about the name on the back of the jersey, and I believe he means that sincerely. But part of what he also says is they come here for me. Remember when he went to Arkansas, he said, nothing's changing. The train just moved to a different place.

Part of the devil's bargain you make with Cal is you're going to have success, especially in his early days. But it's about me, meaning the coach, unless this. And that's why he has tremendous success. And you get to feel that and you feel part of it. But then when he leaves, the same thing has happened at every school he's left. He's left, and they don't feel the affection for him because he leaves. And when he left UMass and when he left Memphis, they don't invite him back.

Remember, I mean, they had that huge controversy when Memphis thought about inviting him back and their fans revolted. Right. That's just kind of how it goes with Cal. You are, you're making a bargain where you're going to get success in the short term. But long term, it's about Cal and it's about his relationship with the players. So the good thing is over the years, we've seen a lot of guys ranging from John Wall to Anthony Davis, to DeMarcus cousins, to Willie Colley-Stine, all these people feel that connection with UK. But then there's going to be guys who, for whatever reason, that connection is Cal first, UK second,

or in Case of Wallace's place, he just said Cal. I think if you ask them, do you feel love for your alma mater, they would all say yes. But Ryan, that's, you know, that is what you sign up for with Cal. You sign up for it is ultimately going to be about Cal and the university will be second. And you kind of know that going in. It hurts, like you said, it kind of hurts to hear these guys say that. When they leave and come back, they feel the love. and I think that grows.

So maybe Shea and Casey just need to make a couple trips back to Lexington and feel that love again, especially Kaysen. Case was here for one bad year. Shea won an SEC tournament title, made a good run in the NCAA tournament. Yeah, Drew, I was bummed to see it. I don't blame those guys. I think that's part of how they sell them. But I'll admit I was bummed to see it, especially about Kaysen,

because Shay said them both. But Kaysen saying Arkansas only, but again, he was just walking by. I don't hold it against him, but it is a little bit of a bummer. It is. She's saying both, I was fine with that. She's done plenty for Kentucky since he's been gone. I'm sure if he had to pick between the two schools, he wouldn't think twice about picking Kentucky. I just wish Cason would have included us in his mention.

Please mention our name, Cason. I hate to bring this up because it's been beaten to death. But when Reed wore the Arkansas, that kind of told us, you know, any player could do it when a Kentucky boy did it. So it's kind of just had the expectation that these guys. might be saying it when given the opportunity. But there have been others. Willie on our show was like, hell no,

I'm not like in Arkansas. I'm Kentucky through and through. You know, Darius has said that. There have been a few who won't entertain the idea of being a Razorback fan. And it might be partially, Shannon, which years we were really good and which years we weren't,

right? Because the experience here sometimes is based a little bit on how our fans are. You know, Hunter Dickinson. Did you all see the Hunter Dickinson interview? Yeah. Hunter Dickinson did an interview with, yesterday where he was talking about,

Kansas. He was basically like, a lot of my teammates and I were like, let's just end this season. This isn't fun. Our fans are me. So Hunter Dickinson probably feels no love for Kansas, but it's because his team struggled. So, you know, that might be part of it. It's a lot easier to get along with the fans, Shannon, when you're winning than when you're not winning. Oh, of course. Yeah, you hear that criticism when you're having a bad season. It's interesting to see where does the loyalty lie. Is it with the coach or is it with the university? I will say ultimately, remember this is a long game. Okay, I don't know, right? How much longer do you think John Kyle Perry is going to coach? Three years, four years, two, five, who knows?

I would have thought it was less, but he seems to be re-energized again now at Arkansas. So, yeah, maybe five or six years. What if he loses to Hawaii? He might not be as energized, right? That's true. Right, yeah. But my point is one of these days he won't be coached in Arkansas, and Shay and Kaysen got a long career and a long life.

and Drew, when that happens in 10 years, you know what their answer's going to be. It's going to be Kentucky. So, I mean, these dudes aren't becoming lifelong Arkansas fans. But I'm not going to, I'm not going to lie. It does stink, especially on the case. It wasn't casing close to Tyler U.S. Maybe that's another reason he's pulling for Arkansas.

That's right. That is partially why he came here. Yeah. You know, it is what it is. Cala Perry did awesome things here. But I remember, we said this when he came. You are making a bargain with Cal. And it's a bargain of we're going to have great memories.

But it's always going to some extent be about Cal. And I think that's kind of what you see with that as well. We're going to go back to hour two. Talk a little UK Santa Clara. Take your calls. This is KSR. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night, comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob

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

I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast,

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