KSR - 5-23-25 KSR Hour 2

Episode Date: May 23, 2025

Matt, Drew, Ryan, and Shannon are in Pineville for the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival. The crew discusses the festival, Memorial Day, and takes 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 it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor?

It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

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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, hour number two of Kentucky Sports Radio here. The Mount Laurel Festival. Remember at the Queens

coordination tomorrow at Laurel Cove? And they also have a parade. You know who the Grand Marshal, the parade is, Ryan? Russ Thompson. No. Chapel Tinius, that's Miss Kentucky. Okay. Is she from here? I don't think so. But, you know, she's Miss Kentucky.

Chapel Tinius, that's a great name, by the way. Shout out to Chapel Titties. I'm sure someone that knows her is listening. Shout out to her. Yeah, a big honor being the Grand Marshal with all the people we saw in that book that have done it before. Exactly right. The 94th Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival going on right now.

94, Shannon. Well, I hope there's big plans for the 100th. Yeah. They got to do something big for the 100th. I said on the pre-show, I'm more of a 94th type of guy when it comes to these things. You know, I want to make sure it's good and established. We've had 93 to make sure this is good. It's the longest running in Kentucky, right?

Longest, continuously running. We're big on continuously running. We have the longest running continuous golf course in Middlesbrough in America. You remember that right? In America. Yeah. See, everybody acts like that's great. The longest, the oldest continuously running golf course in the United States is in Middlesbrough.

Kentucky. There were a couple older that shut down and then they were reopened like 20 years later. But if you're talking about from start to finish, you've been able to hack up the greens the whole time. Middlesboro Country Club, it opened in 1887.

And I will go ahead and tell you, if you want to know who won the 1987 10 and under group, you're looking at it. I was wondering. I was going to ask you that. But there you go. That is pretty amazing that that old golf course has been around that long. People don't realize it. It's in Kentucky. It's one of the many things,

if you read Mitch Please, there are tons of things in Kentucky that people do not realize is here that I talked about in there, and that is one of them. You never do a Mitch Please sticker on your car. That one's kind of. It is somebody trying to peel it off or something. It's a little fainted over time. Before we go the phones, let me go to something Mark Pope said yesterday. I asked him, Drew, if he thought Kentucky after last year needed to get more athletic, and he should. shook his head and said yes, that basically he did not realize that he needed his team to be much more athletic than the group last year, and then he recruited to that philosophy. I think we've seen that. Next year's team is loaded with athletes.

You think that's a positive change? Maybe give up a little shooting to add a little athleticism. Definitely. They had a great non-conference, and then you get to the SEC, and Georgia was one of those first games. And Georgia played one of the most physical styles of basketball last season. I think that and many, the others were a wake-up call. That's why when the portal opened, he was quick to get guys that bring a lot of toughness. Yeah, he didn't shy away from that question at all.

And the way he answered it kind of, to me, sounded like he said, look, I over-underestimated the physicality of the SEC. I will not do that anymore. We will get athletes to compete in the SEC now. We were, Shannon. Thank you very much. We were the least athletic team. People didn't like when I said that last year during the season, but it was true.

We were the least athletic team in the SEC. We went from under Cal, we're usually the most athletic, to we were the least. I mean, we're still good, but it was clear, especially when we played Alabama, Auburn, that we just were a notch below them athletically, and I think he felt like he had to fix that. Yeah, and I also like getting, you know, a couple of players already within the SEC in the transfer portal on the roster as well. So, yeah, you got guys that can ball, some dudes, as you would call them this year. Well, there just comes a point, Ryan, when you're playing, When you're playing against a guy who is less skilled than you, but it's just quicker,

he can just take it by you every single time. And that was happening to us. It was what Cal used to do to other teams is what we were getting done to us last year. I think that's part of the reason we lost to Arkansas. Cal had his typical Cal team of athletes, and we just couldn't guard him. The way he answered it, did you kind of take away too? He was a little surprised by that, how physical it was of the OECC? He didn't. If you watch the video, Mario has a video on YouTube of the entire, it's at the KSR show, YouTube channel.

If you watch his face, it's kind of interesting if you watch the video with his face, Rime, you were there. He makes facial expressions that are even more pronounced than what he says, and you could tell he agreed with that. I think so too. There are a lot of questions that you ask him as a fan we would want to know. I love the fact that he didn't shy away from it, admitted some maybe some mistakes he made, admitted some things. he was wrong about, but then he got you so excited about what to come in the years ahead. Wimburson writes, Matt, you're talking about your high school basketball career and whoever this dude Russ Thompson is that beat you. That's not, that's disrespectful, Russ.

He's a dude. He's a dude. That's right. He made the regional tournament at least once. How in the world did you get on the radio talking about sports if you couldn't even play for your high school? that's first of all that's very rude and very mean um i don't know it's a good question i mean i mean there's a lot of people though i mean do you think paul fainbaum was a premier athlete good point in this job you don't think pa fimbab played sasy football no no they would

knock him in the next week you were a golfer and a tennis player other sports other than basketball okay well let's just go over it who are the biggest sports media person personalities. All right. Stephen A. Smith, have you ever seen him shoot? Didn't somebody find his stat line? He got a couple points of game. Yeah. So take that off. The part of my take guys. Not great athletes. Now, McAfee was a pretty good athlete, so he might be a little bit of an exception. Bill Simmons. No, no. What did he even do? Dan Patrick. Oh, he played college basketball at EKU. Oh, actually he did. That's right.

held the freshman free throw record, I think, at EKU. The point is, you don't have to have any talent. And I had, I mean, you don't. You saw me when I was, again, I wasn't one of the 50 best athletes at my high school. But it doesn't even really matter because that's ultimately not what this is about. Yeah, until we start showing up and they're like, we got to dribble while we play, I don't think that's a big part of the job requirement. And most of the good athletes would have terrible radio shows.

It's a completely different skill set. I could have out-argued anybody in the 13th region. You are a master debater. Okay. There was. All right, who's up next? Can't help himself. He cannot help himself, can he?

Jason. Go ahead, Jason. Matt, love the show. Been listening all in since my daughter was a freshman in the UK. But I was an escort in the Mount Laurel Festival for Eastern Kentucky University back in 94. So you were an escort. So did your queen win the Mountain Laurel Festival, or did you help throw the escort into the lake?

I helped throw the escort into the lake. We did the whole deal. We did the parade. The concert was Martina McBride. Oh, that's a big one. Martina McBride, wild horses. Yep. And then we watched the fireworks on the tennis court there in downtown Pinewall somewhere.

So it sounds like you have a good memory. It sounds like you enjoyed it. Am I right? As been, you know, from Kentucky, it's just one of the great things. It's being a part of all that. Yeah, I remember all of it. It was a great time. That's awesome.

Cross the state line there and came back with some refreshments. That's true. It's going to just go across. Although now you can buy alcohol here, can't you? Oh, you have to. Oh, it's moist. That's right. Yeah.

No, we're not moist. Oh, we're full. So you can buy alcohol here. See, that's crazy to me. I appreciate the call. The fact that you can buy alcohol in Bell County is crazy because he's right. You would have to go over the mountain, which back then there was no Cumberland Gap Tunnel, so you had to go on that windy, scary road.

You had to go to Harrogate. What was the name of that liquor store? It was just called the liquor store. That's how you knew. Tunnel two. That's right. The name was Tunnel two. I think my man's been there a few times.

He knows exactly what you're talking about. He really remember Tunnel, too. The Miller was on the show. Did I hear, by the way, I feel like this is turning into just me talking about high school. Did I hear the oasis burn down? Dude, that makes me sad. What was the oasis? The oasis was the one honky-tong in Harrogate where, but they had good pizza.

When I went over there, I wouldn't tell my mom. I'd say we were going to Shoney's. She believed that? Yeah, it's 9 o'clock on a Friday. night. We're going to Shoney's, Mom. All you can eat breakfast. Who's up next? They did have a good breakfast bar. You're right about that. Go ahead. Bobby, go ahead. Oh, yeah, I didn't hear you play the name. Sorry. I was calling because I was wondering if you brought your golf club down to play Wazi out of Wins, but I heard you're going to a red game today, so I guess that's not. Yeah, I don't get to play. I passed it, though. Wasey Ota wins, an underranked course in Kentucky. Very nice. When it's not flooding, it is a very

very, really nice course. Go ahead. Yeah, we, uh, yeah, we went down there and took a fellow trip, like 12 of us a couple years ago and stayed at the Pine Mountain Lodge. And they went there and then when you were talking about, because we were looking for somewhere to go after we played golf and they're like, well, there really ain't no place to go around here, you know, to get drinks and stuff. So we went over to area and there's some little hole in the wall face. And, um, we were a bunch of Kentucky and Louisville fans, but we got them to put the TVs on

because they're Kentucky and Louisville. we're playing football, not against each other, but, and all these Tennessee fans are looking at us like, what in the world? Yeah, you can't trust Tennessee fans. Yeah, just one of the questions was, because I know you play a little golf, but what's your five favorite public courses in the state of Kentucky? Oh, that's a great question. All right, appreciate the call.

Five favorite public courses in Kentucky. True, you're going to have to help me with this. Oh, I wouldn't be very good at this. Boy, that's a good question. I mean, the state park resort court, what's the one we used to do the show up at in Prestonsburg? In Prestonsburg. That's a nice one. That's a beautiful course up there. Stonecrest. Stonecrest is that that's in Prestonsburg, okay.

You got Wausiota, I think,'s really good. What's the one in Bowling Green? Not Old Stone, but the other one that's there. What? Oh, that one is popular. Mammoth Park? You know, in Louisville, it's. Isn't Persimmon Ridge is public, and that is a really good one in Louisville. Well, actually, I think the place we're having the KSR golf scramble next week, the U-Club, the University Club.

Billy, you're a big golfer, public courses? Kearney Hills has a history, has a senior PGA tour event there a long time ago. Oh, Persimmon Private? Okay, we'll take that out. I'll tell you what, though. Somebody write me the ones because a lot of the pub, they reach. did a lot of these public national park courses around the state, and some of them are really nice. I just haven't played a ton of them. I really want to play the one he mentioned.

I think it's called Park Mammoth. We had it backwards. That one's become really popular. I don't know if they've redone it recently, but that should be on the list. The Madisonville City Park is fond of me. I don't know if we're going to be top five. Park Mammoth? Yeah, I think it's what's called.

Oh, you were saying Madisonville City Park. Not quite the same. That course is called Park Mammoth, I think. It is a really popular one. One person writes, Matt, how did Parson? Paul Feinbaum get famous. I don't know anybody who knows less on television. Well, in some ways he got it, he didn't create a blog, but he just had, he was a newspaper

writer, had a local Alabama newspaper call, and they gave him a radio show, and now he's, I mean, there's not a nerdier person that talks about sports anywhere, is there? You're right. No, there's not. And if it weren't for his callers, I don't know what that show would be. I really don't. I don't listen a lot, but when I do, I feel like he doesn't ever, like, give his opinion. He's just kind of letting people go and all of it, kind of driving it rather than he.

You remember when he came to the bar, I don't know if you all have ever met him. He is the skinniest person on the plane. Little guy. Like he is the littlest human being. He's short, but he also, his arms are like, tight. He is like, it looks like he's going to break in half. And then he order, like, a grilled chicken salad with no salad dressing. He asked for a grilled chicken salad.

He said, hold the cheese, hold the dressing. So we gave him, like, left. and chicken. And he picked, he ate it by hand. He ate it with. I mean, have you ever seen anybody eat a salad with their fingers? That's exactly what he did. He would just pick little pieces and eat it with us.

A dry salad is exactly how I would describe the Paul Fivebacker. It basically is a dry salad. That was the first show to tap into a fan base, though, you know. He kind of paid the way what he did. I love how much you hate. I don't hate him. But what's the other guy that you hate? Sally Barrett?

Barrett, Sallie? I don't even know how that guy going. He's a braves guy now. Yeah, I guess so he's all right. 859-28027. Cornbread hemp. I don't know if they sell that down here, the seltzers, but they should. Cornbread hip, seltzers, you got the peach tea, you got the watermelon, you got the berry.

They have just a little bit of the THC in it, but we're not talking about that. It is the seltzer drink. You've loved it, Shannon. They're going to be selling it next Friday during Railbird, or next Friday. Saturday in our KS bar parking lot. Until then, you can learn more. Go to cornbread hemp.com. We're going to take a break and be right back

here at the Mount Laurel Festival. This is 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 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 beaders 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. 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.

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Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio here at the Mount Laurel Festival. Seems like Drew the universal picks on the text machine for best public golf course are Dale Hollow and Park Mammoth. Yeah. Those are the two that come up the most. most on the list. There are other ones on here, including Big Blue at the UK Club, Houston Oaks, Cherry Blossom, but the ones, lots of votes for Dale Hollow and Park Mammoth.

Del Hollow is that at Del Hollow? I assume. Yeah, okay. Yeah, I've been wanting to go to the Park Mammoth. When I hear so many good things about that, like, it's just a fun course. One person is right. Shannon's never said anything more true than his Fondbaum dry salad comparison, exactly how I would describe him and everything that happens on his show.

Everybody's being mean here, Shannon, to Paul Pimebomba today. Well, you know, I mean, the callers are exciting. They are entertaining. That's the best thing he's got going for him. I want to take the Pynville High School Senior Class for bringing us some great livenade. And the other group that gave us, I don't have the name, but thank them for that. Lemonade's awesome. I don't know what they put in the senior class Pineville Lemonade, but that's the best lemonade on the planet.

There's a little strawberry. I don't know what it's going on there, but that is fantastic. Ryan, the Kentucky Colonels, who probably almost no one sitting here remembers, maybe a couple, you remember them, yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the Kentucky Colonels winning the title. Yep. They won the title in 1975, 50 years ago yesterday. And I have to tell you, as somebody who really appreciates Kentucky basketball history, et cetera, I feel like I don't know enough about the colonels because I feel like there's a lot of

a lot of stories with them. Hubey Brown was the coach. Artists Gilmore played on the team and others. 50 years ago, a, you know, a professional sports title was in the state of Kentucky. I actually remember it because they played the Indiana Pacers in the finals. And the Pacers, you know, with their dominating team and the Kentucky colonels of all people came up and beat him.

Didn't Dan Isle play for him for a short term? Louis Dampeer. Did Dan Isle play when they won the title? I don't know if he was on that team. I think he was on the Nuggets. then, but they did have Dan Essel for a little while. Louis Danpier. Artis Gilmore, I think, was their main guy. He was the main guy,

yeah, so congratulations. You know, there was a push for a long time to bring the colonels back. Whatever happened to that? They're still active. What do you mean there was a push? You mean to get an NBA team? I mean, they still would like to have it, but I think a lot of that, unfortunately, will wither out

with Junior Bridgman's death. He was a huge part of Junior Bridgman, you know, is like the richest former NBA player ever and he I think was a big part of Ryan trying to get that I worried that that flame will kind of extinguish now that that's disappointing because they had a lot of momentum there for a while and it looked like Louisville was in the hunt to maybe get a franchise at some point yeah right and I'll listen to

Tom Leach on the way here did he say that they the colonels would occasionally play Memorial and like Moses Malone debuted there yeah Dr. Jay would play there all the Memorial College yeah that's like a really cool history that I'm just not you know you just don't you don't you don't hear a lot about One person writes, Matt, next year, let's assume we play Duke in the game in Ruppering in the ACC challenge. Between Michigan State, Duke, Louisville, and St. John's, which of those games would you look most forward to? Well, I'd throw Michigan State out. That's fourth.

I mean, if Duke's playing in Rupp, it's going to be number one for me. I mean, if Duke's playing in Rupp, that's the biggest non-conference. game in Rupp? I don't even know. When, again, and I'm not saying they are, but if the ACC Challenge work, UK Duke and Rupp, that would be the biggest non-conference game since when? Maybe when Patino and Louisville came in to play Cal? I think Cal last year is one of the biggest ever.

But that's conference. Non-conference, you know, you might be right. It might be the first Patino-Cow-Cow Louisville game. I mean, that's 15 years ago. Yeah. You know? And before that, it was probably when Patino came in with Tubby and Patino played each other. You know, we played Kansas a few times, but we had played them a bunch.

We played UCLA once the first time they came. I feel like that was a pretty big deal. Then they beat us. With Lonzo. But Drew, I think it would be the biggest, I don't know, it'd be the biggest in a long, long time. Yeah, I mean, we play them a lot in the Champions Classic, but to have that Duke brand in Rupp Arena, that would make it pretty special, no matter how they look. And they will be good next year. They added Dame Sarr yesterday. They have a good team. I think that'd be

one of the biggest games. And that's Olivier Sars brother, right? No. Okay, never mind. I mean, it could be. I don't think so. He's the one when Kentucky was reaching out to him. They put out a graphic that he's considering Kentucky University. So a little iffy on the translation there, but he's a good gift. Are you excited about the game in Louisville next year with Kentucky? Yeah. I mean, that's, they have a, they're going to be good. Yeah. I mean, that could be two top ten teams playing right there. Yeah, we got to, though, I agree with you in that interview that you had with Pope.

We've got to get Pope to spice up that robbery a little bit with Pat Kelsey. I know, he's like, oh, I hate a little, nobody believes that. We got to, I don't know, I don't know what it's going to take to get it. I don't know if it'll ever get back to Patino, Calipari level. I want you to think about for a second what next year's schedule is. Let's just look at the preseason top 10. You're going to play in the preseason top 10. There's a very good chance.

Duke will be in it. There's a very good chance. St. John's will be in it. There's a pretty good chance. Louisville, if not in the top 10, will be at least in the top 12 or 15. Florida is going to be in it. Purdue, who we play in an exhibition, is going to be in it. We are probably going to be in it.

So, I mean, six or seven of the top 10 are either Kentucky or teams, Drew, that we play on our schedule next year. Non-conference schedule is awesome. Then the conference schedule, too. But, like, at Gonzaga won't be top 10, but that'll be a big game. They're bringing that Graham E.K. back who scores like 30 points a game in this current series we have with them. They are third, fourth time seeing him.

Of all the ones to get excited about, that one might be number one on my list, just because it's a Friday night in Nashville. That's such unique circumstances. Yeah, I didn't even mention Gonzaga. That might be my first. I mean, when's the last time we played a regular season game in Nashville that wasn't against Vandy? I looked it up at the time.

I think it's like never. Maybe long time ago, they've had a few NCAA tournament games there, but not anything like this. I know the schedule's not complete yet, but there are very few throwaway games so far on this. No. Hardly any at all. Well, I want to give Mark Pope a lot of credit. This fan base wants those games, and he says he's playing. And so I give him a lot of credit.

He understands that, like, this is entertainment. You've got to give the fans what they want. Who's next? Boyce. Boy. Jason? Yeah, here we go. I'm just wondering that if it can certainly go to a 40-game schedule.

I think Mark Hope is going to have to go to a 15-20-game, I mean 20-man roster. You can't go to a 20-man roster because that bad. Boys, don't you think they need some big men, though? Yeah. Aren't you worried about the, you know, the gold protectors? Yeah, you can't. Shannon had bet me. He was going to ask about rib protector.

You can't have 20 players, boys, when the maximum's 15. We'll be right back. This is Kentucky Sports Radio. T.J. Smith, personal injury attorney. Call T.J. He'll make them pay. Now, more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio.

You know what, Liam, I'm kind of a fan of your music choices. I'm not going to lie. Loretta Lynn, Fis City. I don't know. She says, if you take it. her man she's going to take you to fist city i think that's a pretty good uh pretty good line was a feisty lady you you you find me in 19 what is this 70 71 i'm i'm trying to date loretta lid i mean she was she's punch you in the face she might get me to fit she might take me to

this city but that's that's kind of why i want to date her shannon you like a good strong woman she'd be your type kick your butt that's a that's something russ i wouldn't have said if my mom was here today. 859-280-2287. Text machine is 772-7-4-7-4. Dan Issel and Louis Dampeer were on the 1975 title team, along with Artis Gilmore. That's a pretty good team. Now you can see how they won the touchdown.

That's an awesome team to have at that point. So I was trying to think, did they play at Freedom Hall? Do they play their home games? Do they play? I think they did. Did they? Yeah, didn't they play? You said you were.

Do they play at Freedom Hall? I assume they did. Yeah. So, UK Baseball. All right, so they are on the bubble of the tournament. There's a couple things to watch. I looked this up last night, Drew. We need the teams that are already in to win their conferences.

So one thing to watch, Texas San Antonio. I know. Texas San Antonio apparently has a great record already in the tournament, but they got upset in the first round of the, what is it, Conference USA or American Tournament, but it's double elimination. We need them to win because they may take one of our bursts. Then there's a couple other teams like that.

We need Yukon to win their tournament because they might take a birth, but we are right on the bubble like one of the last two or three teams in. Kentucky may literally be the team that is the last team in, unlike the NCAA tournament where they have a play in. They don't have that in baseball, but we're going to need some help over the next couple of days. And in our own conference, we need A&M to lose. they were as the 14 seat have now won two games and have tied Kentucky and SEC wins. Kentucky still has the slight edge, but if they were to go another round in the SEC, we'd start to worry.

We did win the series over there. We got that, but I watched them beat Auburn yesterday, and as soon as the game ended on the SEC broadcast, they said, if you're watching at home in Kentucky, and I thought, wait, they're talking to me. They said, this is a nightmare situation for you with A&M won another one. I think that's a little extreme, but if A&M were to win today or even go on to the championship, that could be something. So root for Texas San Antonio to win and root for Texas A&M to lose. Otega O'A, Ryan, has until Wednesday to decide for the draft.

Almost every indication says he'll come back. There's really no, I've yet to see anything to suggest he's even a second round pick, much less a first round pick, but still I'll feel a lot better when the official announcement is made that he's going to come back. Yeah, he's doing the right thing. He's going through the process, so he'll be better prepared for next year, you know? You have any worry that he, well, I don't like to ask you, because when you guarantee stuff, it doesn't happen. Do you have any worry, Drew, that he will not come back? No, I haven't really had a worry the whole process.

This is what he should do. Honestly, he should take it to the final day. He should go to as many team interviews and workouts as he possibly can. It's good for him. But I haven't seen a single mock draft that has him as a second round pick. So I don't know why you would turn down the money in Lexington on a, you know, chasing something. that might not be there. I did also think yesterday it was interesting.

Mark Pope said we have 14 guys. You only have 14, Shannon, if you add Otega Oway. Right. So I'm going to assume he believes at least very likely to reach. Yeah, I mean, nothing's ever a guarantee. But, I mean, if you're Otega O'A, life is good in Lexington. You can come back, have another year, make a lot of money, and then go to the NBA. I don't have the salary in front of me, but I looked it up.

And I think it's like, from what I have heard Otega Owe's making. And remember, I don't. believe the money that gets out publicly. I think it's always less than they say. But I do think I know what Oteg is making, and it's pretty good. He would have to get picked, Drew, kind of at the upper half of the first round to get more money than he's going to get. So I don't see any way he doesn't come back. Maybe I'll be surprised, but I'd be shocked if he did. Yeah, and a guy like him, a competitor, he believes in himself that he could go back and rise his stock. I mean, it's, unlikely he becomes a lights out three-point shooter.

They would need to get in the first round, but if he returns to school, he should have in his head that that's the plan to climb into the first round the following year. So I'd take the money that's on the table now in Lexington and worry about the NBA next summer. Shannon, you said there's a thread on our Bond That Bridge, that's the KSR Facebook page of things they say that, like, beautiful and special,

Mark Pope says all the time. You said there's a list of things that people say, I say all the time. Yep, this is Fred. I'm going to see if I agree with you. on the bond that bridge Facebook page says you guys give Pope such a hard time with all these words he overuses

so he said if he were to make a KSR bingo card of a list of things that he hears repeatedly on KSR every day here would be the list he says I appreciate the call obviously definitely that's center square I'm not going to lie you know I do say that a lie

but but the implication then is that I'm lying the rest of the time I talk which is not a good implication but yes I do say that a lot It makes me sad. Do I say that? No, you say that? I hear you.

The next one is, I'm not going to lie. It makes me sad. I don't say them together. That's sounding like a bear when he quotes a Republican. A bear. That's what I do my voice. Right. But it's not Republicans.

It's just anybody that criticizes me. But go ahead. Then it gets into Ryan's chikikikik, chikik, powwow. Chikikazeer-paw-paw. Master debater. Yeah. And chili bumps. So if you want to add to the list.

I do really hate when you say chili bumps because it's not a thing and it does drive me crazy. We all know what I'm talking about. You get those chili bumps up and down your arm. Who's next, Liam? Dennis. Dennis. Dennis. Hey, how's everybody doing today, man?

Doing great. Can you hear me now? I got you. I could hear you before. All right. Hey, you better watch out. Loreno. Take it to the woodshed.

That's what I'm hoping for, but go ahead. I'm just, I'm kidding about it. I'm just kidding. Go ahead. You're seeing Kentucky's song. But I have an idea, man. If it could be pulled off, you, you guys there can pull this off. And that is a 48-hour statewide softball extravaganza.

No, thank you. Well, I know I'm not even a softball. Why would I, oh, are these queen contestants, by the way? This, with their escorts? All volunteer, everything. Which one of you guys are going in the river? I appreciate the call. What school are you from?

Murray State. Oh, University of Kentucky. We have our official UK. Yeah, give them a round of applause. Are you all required to walk around escorting them all over town? It's not a bad gig, though, right? We're not complaining. All right, well, good luck.

Are you having a good time here in Pineville, Kentucky? Good, I'm glad. Well, don't they, Russie, you all, local people, local people house them, right, during the thing. That's very cool. That's a very cool, cool thing. Well, you guys enjoy yourselves. There you are. There's all the Queen contests.

Do you want to link arms with me? Let's go walk around town, Shannon. Be my escort. You know, the weather is heating up, but auto rates are cooling. That's UK Federal Credit Union. If you need a high interest, if you want, if you're burnt out on high interest loans, get up to 2% on your current rate and make no payments for 90 days when you refinance with the UK Federal Credit Union. No payments for now and lower payments for later.

Save big on interest over the life of your loan up to 2% off your current rate. Refidence today at UKFCU.com.com. Visit UKFCU.org for terms and conditions. Membership Belgium required federally insured by NCUA. It's UK Federal Credit Union. Even more candidates. What's going from? Campbellville.

What? Union, and that's it. Oh, where are you? Northern. There you go. Look at this. All the Kentucky colleges, they get a nominee here, and isn't that nice? And for 94 years, they've been doing the same thing, representing all the colleges here.

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

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 SportsSlice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced 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, 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 Ladeki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. at our level at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world.

Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Oh, stop. Welcome back.

It is Kentucky Sports Radio. Well, dude, I mean, Liam is just killing the music. There ain't no getting over me, Ronnie Millsap. Ronnie Millsap, I think he played in Bell County once. Ronnie Millsap's head of sounds, dad was my preacher. And he always said he would bring Ronnie Millsap to our church to sing hymns, and he never did. But nevertheless, I like Ronnie Millsap because of the theory he could have come to our church, Ryan, to sing hymns, even though he never did.

He is a Kentucky guy, right? Isn't he from Kentucky? No. I thought he was. I don't think so. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. So that emphatically. But it is the mystery that any Sunday he could just show up.

I get it. I'm probably excited every time you go. Just in time for Memorial Day, it's barbecue season. Red State barbecue wants to remind you all the places you can get Red State barbecue. It is the best sauce, and it's Kentucky Proud, Liquor, Croger, Kentucky Horse Park, Jungle Gims, in Louisville, Lexington. or go to redstatebbbq.com. Redstatebbbccom.

And remember, if you do it online, use my code KSR. You get 20% off for the barbecue sauce at redstateb barbecue.com. Before we go to the phone, this is Memorial Day weekend. I do want to take a second to say, I guess because I've been watching Ryan all these military, like the bin Laden thing and the documentaries, Memorial Day is kind of the official start of summer. People are going to be out on the lake.

People are going to have fun. take a minute and remember those who have sacrificed their lives so that we can be here and do things like this on Memorial Day. It's a great holiday, but also remember why we have it. Probably everybody sitting here, all of us, knows somebody that was affected by the war, maybe passed away in the war. So yeah, that's when we need to take time out just to honor those people, men and women across the country. Yeah, he did not pass the war, but my grandfather was a veteran. I got up this morning, and I left middle. or left Pine Mountain State Park to drive to Middlesboro and go to my grandparents' graves this morning for Memorial Day as he was a veteran.

And I hope everybody gets a chance to take a second to do something like that over the course of the weekend. Who's up next? Stanley. Stanley. Stanley. Hey, Matt, this is an old 13th region boy. Welcome back home. And you've got a special guest in the crowd tonight.

Sonny Ann. She works for the SEC Network. Look at Sunny Ann with the SEC Network. Sunny Ann, will you do me a favor? Will you tell them to turn the volume up when they're in Rupp Arena so we can hear that crowd during the games for the SEC Network? Tell Paul Fibombeam, I said hi. I'm more worried about Sharon's moments.

You know what? When you were talking about Paul Fiamom, I saw her. She was texting. Mario, don't take her picture when we're talking about this. But I could tell something was like that. All right, go ahead, sir. Yeah, that's about all I got, man. She's sitting there with her pap off Sunny.

Well, here's Sunny, yes. Sunny was talking about the colonel, so I appreciate the call. You never know who you got, said a guy here. You never know. This is a great crowd here, by the way. The festival goes, what is it, today and tomorrow? Oh, Sunday as well. Today, tomorrow.

Perfect weather. You could have gone up better day. You could not ask for perfect weather, not hot, perfect. Who's next? Martin. Martin, go ahead, Martin. Hey, Matt. How you doing today?

Doing great. Better in your phone connection. Hey, you guys are catching on the ABA. You've got to remember, you just wanted to produce them. And I was about 12 and 13. My uncle, who was a student, UK, took me to a game and a moiled calis in between the tunnel. And I have the people who are in a passer, but they did have Dan Eiffel.

They had Louie Dan Eiffle. If you're some reason, I think he may get Jimmy Dan Turner, maybe six and my reason for some reason. But I call my first, Reverts Dunn. I'm sorry, man. Your phone, I appreciate the call. I want to hear it, but your phone is just too bad. I can't do it.

It sounds like his phone line of a gas. You do not like when people's phones are best. No, I mean, it's 20, 25. How do we have connections? connections that sound like that. I don't know. Oh, I saw yesterday they put out a story. You shouldn't text between iPhones and green textures because there's like it's not safe going from I message to androids. So Ryan is putting us at a security risk. Seriously. Every group chat. You know what? You are the reason we're falling behind China. Is people like you making us text to green text? Team Android. Let's go. Cross tracks. Team Android. By the way, my Matt Jones podcast, we put two episodes this week up.

If you are kind of roaming around looking for something to do, Ryan McGee talks car racing and college football, and he's a good southern guy. You'll like him. My friend Crystal Ball, it's more of a political talk. But even though you probably a lot of you'll disagree with her, I promise you you'll like her. She's a reasonable person. Those two things, Ryan are up for people if you want to listen this weekend.

I think I hope people are excited to hear this start up again because it was really good the first time. Kind of a lengthy interview, you get to know these people a little bit. Still number one, like four straight days on the Apple charts. Still number one. Thanks to Billy for helping that. And all of those interviews are also available on video as well. Who's next? Shane from Grayson.

Shane and Grayson. How are you, Shane? Hey, fellas, how's it going today? I'm doing great, Felder. Hey, I got a small town controversy. I want you to jump in. I like a good small town controversy. What is it?

Okay, tomorrow we have a big parade up town. About 2,000 people will show up. This town is going crazy over the candy deal. The candy deal. What's the candy deal? Well, when they come down to the parade, they've always thrown candy out into the street. You know, for the kids.

Yeah, they throwed candy. That's exactly right. I've been to ones where they throwed the candy, and it's good. The kids love it. They get to run and get it. Yeah, well, they banned that this year here in Grayson. They're not going to let the kids run out in the street.

Oh, why did they, why did they ban it? Well, they just said that last year they had a few run out too far in the street, and they almost got hit, so it's a thing from, you know, dangerous. Better kindergarten drawers. Wait a minute, you have the same issue here? That's wide open. See, see, here's the thing. Great, here's what you need to tell the leaders of Grayson.

Here in Pineville, we believe in freedom. They throw candy the kids, and they let them run out in the street and get it. You need to not make Grayson become socialist. We don't want that, Shane. This nanny state of not allowing kids to go get the candy. So you need to get that law changed. All right, I'll send them down. I'll let them know that orders from headquarters let the kids get the can't.

Thank you very much, Shane. Shannon's got the answer. Yeah, we need better arms. How about you just throw the candy throwers? Better candy throwers. That's part of being a kid. I remember the Christmas parade Madisonville, you run out, you get a little too close to a truck tire,

your parents yell at you, then you go do it again. You're always chasing the candy they're throwing around. Yeah, and it's always the same kids to get all the candy. But nevertheless, yeah, you can't ban that. By the way, college football voted. They're going to, for the playoff, Ryan, seed totally by record now. The champs don't get a buy.

It's by record, or excuse me, by ranking. So conceivably three SEC teams could get buys, depending on how it is. Do you like that rule? Yes, we don't have a Boise State and Arizona State incident where they were like maybe it's going to be seated 11th or 12, but they got the three seed and the four seed. Now they're going to be seeding the way they should be seated. Yeah, Ryan, now that both those teams, especially Boise, got absolutely smoked in the second round when they had a buy. I like it.

Just seed them the best top to bottom, how they are overall. And the report also is that the SEC is likely if the playoff goes four teams from the SEC are guaranteed. The SEC is likely to do like they do in European soccer. The one and the two best teams make it. And there's a playoff with the three team playing the six and the four team play in the five. Shannon, that means six SEC teams in theory could make the playoff. I think that's. I like that gives Kentucky.

I'm not saying this year, but theoretically, that gives us. Kentucky a better shot down the line. In the future, there could be, as you put it, a world where Kentucky's good enough to be. That's one I say a lot. That's one I say a lot. There's a world where that's a good one. So where Kentucky could make it in the future. So I like this.

Yeah, I love it, Drew. I think it's great. Listen, I think it's great. More teams being in it. Kentucky can finish in the top six in the SEC. They can. I'm not saying they ever will, but that is plausible. So that's why I love it.

Me too. In the old format, I'd probably live my whole life without seeing Kentucky in the playoffs. But you widen it a little bit, and there will be years where they're in the conversation. You can get over the hump and get in. Hey, thank you to everybody in Pineville here for having it. Seriously, great day. I love being here for the Mountain Loyal Festival. It's great to be home, and you could not have a better setting and perfect day here.

Appreciate it. Appreciate all of you that made it happen. This weekend, we got some new food items at KSbar. One of the things again? The Prime Rib Sandburg sandwich and the bacon jammer. and cheese burger is awesome. And if you want railbird parking, get it. Like, now's the time.

We've looked, a bunch of gone this week. So if you want it, now's the time. It will sell out, and railbirds coming next weekend. Thank you all very much. Come down here. Enjoy the ceremony. This has been Kentucky Sports Radio. We'll be back Tuesday after Memorial Day.

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 podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical 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 it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with.

And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi,

we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world.

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