KSR - KSR Postgame UK MBB vs Oakland NCAAT 03/21/24

Episode Date: March 22, 2024

Matt and Billy recap the Cats' 80-76 loss to Oakland in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I'm Matt Jones here, actually in the lobby where I was for the pregame show. It's the Marriott in Pittsburgh, where, unfortunately, this is the Oakland Team Hotel. There's nowhere else I could find to go. so I'm here. So if you hear noise in the background, that's unfortunately going to be them celebrating, as they certainly should do after beating Kentucky 80 to 76. I just got here after I wanted to hear the John Calgary press conference and the comments to reporters, and I just got back here from there.

And, you know, I thought on my walk a lot about, well, what are you going to say? Because there is no doubt this is not only anything. an inflection point. It probably is the inflection point for Kentucky basketball in the Calgary era. For the second time in three years, Kentucky has lost to a high-digit seed since the tournament went to 64 teams. Kentucky has only lost in the first round four times, and two of them are in the last three years.

Two seasons ago, in my opinion, it was the worst NCAA tournament loss in UK history. and this is probably the second worst, and it's happened in three years. Three years ago, probably the worst UK season in history. So a pretty terrible run over the last four years. And as I was walking here, I was trying to figure out, you know,

what am I going to say? Because there are certain times that, you know, you hit a moment with a fan base or with a coach where, like, you just have to, You just have to say it how it is. And this is where I think we are right now. It is all season long.

We said this last summer. I thought this was going to be the most important season in the Cal Perry era. And you've got to go back to COVID to see why that is. Since then, it's been a different cow. I mean, we just have to accept it. There's no sugar coating. It's been different. and the list of things that have happened, all of you know.

But at the end of the day, none of it really matters if you win. If you win, all the other stuff is secondary. Your relationship with the athletic director, your relationship with the media, your relationship with boosters, your relationship even with the fans, all of it really doesn't matter if you win. If you win, everything will be forgiven because you're winning. and the reality is the simplest way to put where Kentucky basketball is right now is we aren't winning and we aren't winning enough Cala Perry said in his interview on CBS he said it in his interview on the radio and he said it in the interview to the press conference

he said I hate that this team will be defined by this game I hate that because they're better than that Well, on some level I agree with him because I really like this team. But at the end of the day, the point of UK basketball and the point of playing games is to win. That's the point. The point is to get victories. The point is to build a program. And the point is to win. It is.

Now, there are secondary things that are also awesome. Building relationships with fans. Calgary talks about helping players reach their dreams. And all of that, I'm not only four. I think when you do that, it leads to more winning. But at the end of the day, winning has to be the primary thing. Winning has to be the centerpiece of why you do it. You play, to quote Herm Edwards, to win the game.

And you play to build memories and a program for the fan base that they love. And there is no place in college basketball, maybe no place in college athletics, that cares more about a particular. thing and about winning than Kentucky basketball. And Cal has said for years, this place isn't for everyone. And he's right. It's not. Not everybody can do this job. This is a different thing here. We care the most, thus you're paid the most, thus there's the most pressure on you, period. And the reality is that at this moment, Cali Perry in the last four years has failed at the number one goal which is winning.

I talked about this this morning. You know, for years, especially in the last few years, Cala Perry excused a lot of regular season mistakes by saying, everything's about March. March is what matters. March is what matters. and I always kind of hated that for him because in the tournament, random stuff can happen. Today, a kid who was playing Division III two seasons ago hits 10 three-pointers against you. Stuff happens.

But he himself has set the standard. This is not Matt Jones. This is not the fan base. This is John Calipari. He has set the standard. March is what matters. I have my teams ready for March. And one of the things, and as you're,

you hear this, the players for Oakland are starting to come back in, and you'll hear them in the background, because it is what it is. But he has said for a while, it's about March, March. Well, the reality is, we are failing in March. And he said this last year, and he said this year, I don't like that the season is defined by March. Well, you're the one that set it up like that. It has to be defined by something. We've won one regular season title since 2017. We've won one SEC tournament title since 2017. We've only won one SEC tournament games since 2019. We've only won one NCAA tournament game since 2019. So we have to define it with something, and right now we're defining it with losing. And I hate to say this. I do.

because I have a lot of affinity contrary to what people believe for John Calgary. The Calgary era has corresponded with my career. He has brought Kentucky great wins, great success, and for eight years made it about the most fun thing you could have. as a Kentucky fan during that period of time. But it's not like that now. It's not like that now. Now we have a fan base that tens, maybe hundreds of thousands are listening right now, and I think 97%, 95% feel the same way.

It just can't go on like this. The situation is untenable. It's a relationship, which has been great for a lot of it, but has reached the point that I think there probably needs to be a separation. I don't know how the UK fan base can get into another year of being excited but also dreading what's to come. Cal Perry is now in a situation that anything he says makes most fans frustrated. Anything he does makes many fans frustrated. and this year he had a team that this fan base loves.

They love Reed Shepard. They love Rob Dillingham. They love Antonio Reeves. They love these guys. This was the most excited this fan base has been on about a team probably since 2017, if not before. This team was beloved. And yet, we lost 10 games and we lost to Oakland.

Two years after losing to St. Peter's. I don't think it can continue like this. How do we go into an offseason with what's happening? How? How do fans continue to have interest? And how do fans get that love and excitement they have if it's going to be the same old thing? That cheering you here in the background, that's supposed to be us. That's supposed to be Kentucky basketball.

It's supposed to be a celebration. and it hasn't been long enough. And I think if we're honest, and you go back through this four-year history, outside of when we were on probation, this has been the least successful four-year history in what matters, which is the postseason, in Kentucky basketball history.

And if that's the case, how do you keep going? How do you keep doing it? I hate it. Cal's a great man. Cow's a great coach. And I believe that. And Cal has produced a ton of amazing memories for this fan base.

But good things end. And I don't know how it happens. There's $33 million owed. But I don't see how this can go on. I don't see how you can have a coach that has no relationship with his athletic director. No relationship with most of his donors. No relationship with his media. No relationship with most folks.

I don't know how you can do that and then come back and run it back again. Cowan his press conference did not sound like a guy that wants to go. He talked about how good the freshmen were coming in next year. He talked about how some guys may come back. And maybe that will be what it is. And if he comes back, I'll root for him. I want Kentucky to win every game, and I'll be the biggest advocate for Kentucky basketball I can. But if I'm being honest, and I think if a lot of people who are listening are being honest,

they know it's probably time for a change. It's probably time for two groups that have gone really well together, the Kentucky fan base and John Calgary, to just agree to go in different directions. How that happens? I don't know. but I think if you're asking Matt Jones, that's probably what needs to take place. Nights like tonight in the season of 2021

and the St. Peter's loss, this is not Kentucky basketball. And unfortunately we've gotten away from it and something has to change or I don't know how we get back on track. We'll open up the phones. 859-280-2287. I'm going to listen.

You guys get through, and say what you have to say. A couple positive things I do want to know. Antonio Reeves 27 points in his last game. He was great all season. He was great tonight. Trey Mitchell had a great game in his last game at UK. The older guys came through.

But the reality is, we rely on freshmen at a time, as Jay Wright said just a few minutes ago, maybe you can't do that anymore. Maybe with NIL, guys are going to stay longer. They're going to be in school longer. Maybe you can't rely on freshmen anymore. And if that's the case, I'm not sure if John Caldery's the coach if you can't rely on freshmen because our freshmen weren't able to play tonight. And we let a bunch of guys who I give them a lot of credit played well.

But we literally let a Division III player beat us. No offense to him. But that's just not Kentucky basketball. 859-280-2287. We'll take a break. We'll take your calls. This will be not a fun show, but probably a necessary one here on the local toy dealers, KSR postgame show. Welcome back.

It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. I'm not sure I could have picked a much worse environment for this, because literally there are Oakland fans absolutely everywhere. It's surreal hearing the cheering in the background. I mean, what can you do? The problem is there's no places around this arena. the only place is this hotel and it happens to be the Oakland Team Hotel. So unless I wanted to sit in the street where it's like 37 degrees, this is where we have to,

this is where we have to do it. I do want to talk about a couple things Cal said. You know, Cal was said, and he's right about this, some of these guys didn't play like they did most of the year. And we can, I'm glad to talk about the individual players in this game. I don't think it really matters a lot because the reality is it's the result that matters. So Reed Shepard did not play well. DJ Wagner did not play well. Rob Dillingham didn't play particularly well.

But it doesn't matter. Like at the end of the day, you had to win this game. I think you had to win both games this weekend. But you had to win this game. So, I mean, we can sit there and talk about the guy that didn't play well, etc. I will say this. This team looked tight as tight can be the entire game. They looked scared to play.

There were only three guys on the court I did not think look scared. Reeves did not. Mitchel did not. And Dillingham didn't either. He didn't play great, but he didn't look scared. look scared. Reed Shepherd didn't want to shoot. DJ Wagner looked scared. I mean, they just did. And why that is, I have theories, but I don't know. I'm not in the locker room, right? So I don't know. But it doesn't matter. Like, it doesn't really matter why. They did. They looked scared,

and it is what it is. You got to win these games. You are Kentucky. You have to win. And they didn't. And so ultimately, that's all that matters. It doesn't matter the specifics. Cal says, you know, I thought this team could win at all. Maybe they could have. I doubt it, but maybe they could have. But it doesn't matter. You didn't win. And you lost the benefit of the doubt from the St.

Peters game two years ago. Every program can have one of those. Kentucky had never had one until St. Peter's, but everybody can have one. Duke lost to Lehi. You know, it happens. But to have two in three years, I'm sorry.

Like, that can't continue. One person on the text machine writes, Matt, do you think Cal's legacy will be a positive one if he were to leave? It will be for me. See, that's partially why I actually think a separation needs to occur, because there's still a lot of good. But if this gets messy, if we did this again next year, you're going to get to the point that there'll be no positive legacy.

That's part of why I think there needs to be a separation so we can at least leave on good terms. Because we're headed down the messiest road possible if we run this backs next year. We just are. This year could have been messy, but we ended up with these great kids that we loved. But think about it.

Who are we going to have next year that we like as much as we liked Oscar? That we liked as much as we liked Rob or Antonio or Reed. Like, how's it going to be better? So that's why I feel the way I do. All right, who's up first, Billy? All right, Mason is first. Mason. Go ahead, Mason. Hey, first off, God bless all of BBN.

God bless you fellas. God bless them kids in the locker room. God bless everybody. I appreciate your story about on the ESPN cafeteria. That was pretty cool. First and foremost, though, daggone it, I'm tired of the stat line of rebounds, man. How many rebounds we have to give up before we decide, hey, we might want to box out and rebound. They had eight rebounds in the first six.

They had eight off. God bless you. They had eight offensive rebounds in the first six minutes, and they were shooting poorly at the beginning. And if we could have stopped those offensive rebounds, I think we would have gotten a lead we might not have given up because they were cold to begin with. But they got eight offensive rebounds in the first six minutes,

and that was a huge part of keeping them in the game until the one dude went crazy. And, of course, everybody's going to talk about him. He's a national hero right now. I mean, he's going to be the most. And we did it again. A dude off the bitch. Doug Eddard was a dude off the bench for St. Peter's,

he's averaging like four points a game at Bryant this year. And this dude, what is his name, Billy Golky? Golky, yes. Golky. I mean, he's made 10 threes, 10. Ten. Now, a couple of were contested, but some of them were open. He cooked Shepard and Wagner.

They put Reeves on him in the second half, and we slowed him down a little, but he cooked our freshman. And then we did it against exactly what Doug Edard did, and they did it again to us again. Who's next? Steve. Steve, what's up, Steve? Hey, man.

Hey, guys. What's going up? Hey, I'm just really just reliving my, you know, the 90s with the cats and, you know, just the glory days. And I'm trying to live that with my boys that are growing up. And man, it's just not happening. It's, you know, we've, we've been through so many good, just great eras with the, with the cats. And trying to get my kids to get, to get, get, get, into that and

being it's just not well it stinks and I appreciate I appreciate the call you're right it stinks and I've set and watched two crowds full of Kentucky fans walk away disappointed in Nashville it was awful it was awful and it was bad here tonight too we had the most

people in the arena you know we had we had a ton of folks there and the place is almost empty now and I had to sit right in front of the Oakland section. I was right in front of Oakland's fans. And here's what was interesting to me. The Oakland fans talked trashed our players all the whole game. The Golky guy talked trashed the whole game and our dudes said nothing. I haven't seen them like that. We've been the most confident team and we weren't tonight. Antonio Reeves does talk a lot to begin with. So like it's not

surprising to me he didn't talk. But the dudes that usually talk on our team were silent. Whereas the, if you just watched that game and you didn't have the jerseys, if you were just talking body language, you would have thought Oakland was Kentucky. Now, we, of course, have better athletes, but you would have thought Oakland was Kentucky the way they were acting. Our guys were tight again, and on some point that's on the coach. Like when your guys continue to be so tight that they can't play, that's on you, man. That's on you. It's not on them.

I heard his interview with, I didn't think, I heard some people say they thought he threw the players on the bus. I didn't hear it as that, but he said the players didn't play like they've played. Well, you don't coach the way you coached when you started. He doesn't like to hear that. But the things he says about the players are the same things the fans are saying about him. You're not doing what you did here for a long time. And if you can say that about the players, then fans can say that and media can say that

about you. It's not the same. It just isn't. Who's next? Jacob. Jacob. What's up, Jacob? First time, a long time.

Who up? Matt, just completely frustrated. I kind of just knew it was over when Justin Edwards missed a wide open dunk. Yeah, that. It was just, I mean,

what can you say? That's actually, When I thought the game was over, too, to be honest. And they still had a couple chances after that. But when he missed that dunk, I looked at the guy sitting next to me, and I was like, you know what? I don't think it's happening. That was really the moment for me. Yeah, when we get down by seven, you know, I know we can score and make a good comeback,

but I just kept telling my dad and my brother, I said, I just don't think we can stop, score, stop score, and we never could. We couldn't stop them. I mean, that was, we missed shots, and I think we could have had a better offensive game playing, but we could not stop them in key possessions. And it came down, I mean, look, it was a one-point game. They had the ball one-point game. They run the shot clock down, and we give up a wide-open corner three.

Like, what are you going to do? I mean, the reality is, if we had won, don't you agree, we wouldn't have deserved it? They led the whole game. Yeah, I completely agree. We would have stole it. We would have stolen it. And you can't. And then I appreciate the call.

This isn't any on it. This isn't on officials. This isn't on anything. We got the better end of the calls, to be honest with you. They miss free throws. How many free throws did they miss, Billy? They missed a bunch. I mean, they missed, I don't know how many, but they missed a bunch of free throws.

Like, we kind of would have stole it if we won. But of course, we didn't. Yeah, they went 13 of 23. They went 13 to 23 from the free throw line. This could have been worse. Who's next? He got givens through his headset when Edwards missed that dunk. I think all of us had that frustration.

He's missed so many laps. I feel bad for that kid, man. It's clearly in his head. He missed a layup early in the game. He missed that dunk. Let me read a comment I got that I want to respond to. A guy named Brad wrote me and says, the worst thing about UK losing tonight,

the only thing worse than UK losing tonight is the most powerful media personality in Kentucky, calling for Cow's head. Cow didn't miss a shot tonight. He didn't fail to guard the kid who beat us. he put some talented young men in a position to win the game. Brad, that's the biggest cop-out in the world. At the end of the day, the coach is always responsible. And if you think about it, if we all look in the mirror,

many of us have held everyone responsible except him. Oh, it's Devin Askew. Oh, it's Severe Wheeler. Oh, it's Kell and Grady. Oh, it's X. Oh, our seven-footers aren't very good. Oh, Oscar can't shoot from there. I mean, just name it. At the end of the day, the only common denominator is the coach. Okay, Devon Askew wasn't the perfect point guard for Kentucky.

Fair enough. Income severe Wheeler. Okay, that didn't work. We still keep starting not starting our best players. Different players. We wouldn't put Taitai Washington and Casein Wallace at point guard. Why? I don't know.

We don't start Dillingham and Shepherd. Why, I don't know, although they didn't, Shepard didn't play great tonight. There's one common denominator, and that has to be the responsibility. Brad, how many more years of losing the St. Peter's in Oakland before you actually say it's the person that's in charge? The reason he's paid $10 million is he won games that were awesome. And I used to say he deserves credit when Anthony Davis plays well and John Wall. He's in charge. He brought him here.

But then when we fail, he deserves the blame the same way he used to deserve the credit. Who's next? Rex. Rex. What's up, Rex? How's it going on that? I just wanted to, first off, say that I have been, obviously, with Kyle Perry from the time that he addressed us at Bibliud Madness many years ago, the championship, the elite eight, the great teams, the curses, whatever it may. may be.

We all know, let's face it, I've been a supporter with him throughout this entire season, but after this game, we all have to conclude that the dynamic of the entire program has changed. How can a Division II athlete, as you said, come into an NCAA tournament game and beat our historic franchise? I mean, Charles Barclay said it best before the game. He said that we have, we are, if not the most historic basketball program in the country. And that Calipari, I mean, he has not made any sort of change this dynamic.

His personality, his way he addressed everybody, and everything in between has gone downhill. Ever since, you name it, Wisconsin, 2015, whatever it may be. But we all know it's changed. And if you can, if anybody can sit here and say that he has a right to stay here, especially after this loss and a guy who came in and made 10 three-point shots against us and beat us out of the tournament after a great season with great players that we all love, man, I don't know how you can support the motives or anything right now. I hope that all sits well as the BBA.

God bless. Well, I appreciate to call him. I mean, I can't say I disagree with you. Bottom line, all year he looked at us and said, we're built for March. He deflected every criticism in every game with, we're built for March. And I have done my best this year to try to not, like, get into the tit-for-tat stuff with Cal when it comes to the comments and the shots he takes at, fans and media, etc. But what he said about every mistake or every bad situation, not fouling up three or go through the games, we're built for March.

Well, you're 0-2 in the March that matters. There's no excuse. There's no excuse. It's just not. And I don't know. I don't know. I don't know how you can continue down this path. Who's next?

Jason. Jason. Go ahead, Jason. Hey, Matt. First time, long time, maybe last time. What? Hello? Yes, go ahead.

Man, most people hit all the points I wanted to say, but I mean, you just get, there's only so many times you can get a punch to the face and not be like something's got to change. You know, he's the one that puts the team together. He's the one that's supposed to get them prepared, and they just come out, they play timid and this will keep on happening as long as you get freshmen that come in and their first big game is the NCAA tournament well i mean that's a big that's a bigger conversation right like that's a bigger conversation about how do you you know do you continue doing it with freshmen right like that's a bigger conversation i don't know jay right had a really

interesting comment tonight about that basically like we can't uh we can't continue you can't continue to do it with freshmen because guys are going to stay in college longer. I've always been a thought that you could, but nights like tonight, I'll be honest with you, do shake my confidence in it because it was our freshmen who weren't ready. Our fifth year seniors were ready. It was our freshman. Well, I mean, if I heard it right that, dude that hit the 10-3s is like 24. Exactly.

But he's 24, but he's still playing? Like as long as he's allowed to play, which I don't see why he shouldn't. Like, what are you going to do? You have to be able to match up with it. And that dude played like an adult, and our guys were scared. Like, they were timid. They just were. Yeah.

Cal always said he'd take talent over experience, but when you're – That was when, like, 22, you're out of college. Yeah, but I wonder if that's true anymore, and I appreciate the call. I wonder if you can still do that when guys are now going to stay longer. I mean, look at the best players in college basketball this year. Who are they? Zach Eadie. Dalton Connect, Antonio Reeves, you know, the kid at Houston, they're all seniors.

They're all old. Maybe that's what you have to do now again. And we've got to adjust. Like, it's very telling to me that Antonio Reeves and Trey Mitchell were our two dudes. Very telling. Who's next? Nathan. Nathan, go ahead, Nathan.

Hey, Matt. So, yeah, I echo a lot of the points of other people have been making. I just saw a tweet from Sean Venzel that when the three R's were in today and 29 possessions, we outscored them. And then without all three of them in, and the 40 possessions, we ended up losing in the aggregate. And I just, we have a situation where the coach and the fan base is so toxic that it's so plausible to me that he actively doesn't adapt to the situation. to leaning into the three R's and any lineups and things like that. He kind of feels the heat of like that's what the fans or the media are talking about. And I just...

No, I think he wants to win. I definitely think Calgary wants to win. But he wants to win his way, right? Like, that's the most important thing. He wants to win his way doing what he wants, no matter what anyone else says. I'm looking at the stat you're saying right now. So with Reed, Robin Reeves in, and let me note, this is with Reed and Rob not really playing that grade. They scored 37 points in 29 possessions.

Without those three in together. So every other possession, they scored 39 in 40 possessions. They had a, they were, they beat Oakland when they were in. They were down seven when they were out. There's a game, right? Like, isn't that the whole year? there. Yeah, and it's just like, I think, you know, most successful people have giant egos and are super stubborn, but I think his at such a level right now and sort of against the fan base that he convinces

himself that leaning into like the three R's or the Benny lineups. And like it's, he convinces himself that like he doesn't want to adjust to those. And then so now we have a situation where he's actively kind of going against the fan base. I, and then I think he's just going to stick around another few years, you know, based on that ego and that stubbornness. And it's just, I, I don't want to see his legacy, like, like you mentioned earlier, tarnished completely by how this is going to end up, because he did his amazing things here. But it's just, it's just sad all around. I have no excitement or hype for next year, which is, I think, the first offseason I can think of ever feeling that way in his era. I kind of agree with you on that. That's, that's, that's, that's, that's,

that is to me the, the thing that is the most depressing, to be honest with you. It's hard to, it's, it's hard to It's hard to see where the excitement comes from for next year. Who's next? Brent is next. 859-280-2287. Brent, go ahead. Hey, guys. Good to talk to you again.

A couple comments. We just looked completely surprised by the zone. I'm not sure what we were doing. We looked surprised by the dude who only shoots three. Drew called it on your calling show earlier this week. We looked terrified. and Reed passed the ball as soon as he touched it. And what breaks my heart is I feel like we're losing the younger generations.

You think that's right, though? I mean, I get the sense people are still as into it as ever. I mean, I've got two high school boys, and they are just, like, demoralized in March. I came from the Mashburn generation, the Antoine Walker generation, the generation that suffered through Billy Gillespie and experienced. the Kentucky effect, the gold standard, and now built for March. And now my sons are saying, man, I don't know if I can do this anymore. And I ultimately, Matt, want to blame Skyler Davis for planning a wedding during a possible second-round matchup.

And I think he put a curse on the Kentucky Wildcat. So I want to hang up and I'll listen. All right. I appreciate the call. 859-280-2287. Let's take a break. When we come back, we will, you know, we'll take more of it. The bottom line, I think all year, if he just played the best players,

maybe we're not sitting here with the laws. Play the best players. You know what they never did once tonight was go small? On a team that had no size, our seven-footers really were not able to do a lot. Why didn't we ever go small? The whole game. Couldn't have gone anywhere. We'll take a break.

Be right back. It's the local toy dealers, KSR Post-Gam Show. Welcome back and it's the local toy dealers, KSR post game show. You've heard enough from me. Let's get back to the phones. 859-2-8-0-2287. Who's up next? Bobby is next.

Bobby, go ahead, Bobby. First time, long time. Who are? What's up? Just want to say, BTI sucks. But, you know, what's the most sad thing is I woke up on Thursday of the NCAA tournament. Half expected us to lose. and, you know, of course, we did.

You know, Drew thought we were going to lose all day. It was crazy. Drew all day. Drew has probably looked at me. He looked at me like five times before the game and was like, we're not going to lose today, are we? And I kept thinking, come on, man. But he's never liked that either, and he was like that today.

Yeah, you know, I mean, I didn't expect it to happen, but I did. And, of course, it's just sad, you know. It's not who we are. It's not what we should be. Hashtag Billy was better. I don't think Billy was better. But I appreciate the call. Yeah.

Remember when we, I mean, we used to take these games for granted, right? Like, I mean, just assume, well, the first round game would be fun. I mean, Tennessee beat St. Peters by like 30 today. You know, let's not, I mean, let's just quickly do a gander around college basketball. Let's go look at the top seat. Kansas, who's without their leading score, is up 13 on Sanford. Creighton 3-C beats Akron by 17. Arizona beats Long Beach State by 20.

North Carolina beats Wagner by 28. Illinois beats Moorhead by 16. Iowa State beats South Dakota State by 17. Gonzaga beats McNeese State by 21, and Tennessee beats St. Peters by 36. That was the other top seats. not only we're the only one that lost, we're the only one where the game was close. We're the only one that game is even close.

And we lost. I don't know what it'll be like tomorrow, but that's pretty disappointing. Who's next? Kevin. Kevin, go ahead, Kevin. Yeah, Matt, for the first time in my life, Kentucky basketball is all I've ever known.

For the first time of my life tonight, I did not watch an NCAA tournament game because I did not want to deal with what, might happen. And I think he should be given the opportunity to step down. And if he doesn't, he should be let go, 30 million, whatever. But he has a staff that is not very good. John Welch was a fantastic hire. But what else do the people do on that staff besides recruit? And I have no idea what Bruiser Flint does. And I'm sure you know the actual story with John Robic, who was loyal to Cal for how long. I know you probably know the real story of what happened, but it's time for a change, man.

And I can't do this anymore with Kentucky basketball. I mean, my family's known it. My kids have known it. It's all we've ever known. So it's just, it's time for a change. Well, I appreciate to call. You know, I sort of wonder, like, all year, if you, if I were just looking at social media, you know, I mean, the fan base was to some extent divided. It doesn't. I mean, I don't see that as much now. I think it's kind of universal. It was interesting listening to Cal. Part of me wonders if Cal even gets how down the fan base is.

I think he, I genuinely, look, I'm not going to claim to know Cal the last three or four years. I really haven't known him since, really since COVID. I mean, when Dwayne, when Dwayne left, you know, I mean, if I'm, if I'm, if I'm being real. Dwayne was my connection to Cal. And through Dwayne, I got to know Cal pretty well. And so from 2010, Dway being Dwayne, from 2010

to 2019, I talked to Cal all the time. And I think I knew him pretty well. And Dwayne left that 2019, 20-20-year. I just didn't communicate with him, but the relationship was fine. I just never talked to him because Dway wasn't here. And then when I

was critical during that COVID year, I mean, he, I was told by people who know him that he was upset. He was especially upset. I think the day after we lost in the SEC tournament to Mississippi State when we said that we thought he needed to make major changes. And then we really haven't had a relationship since then. What I think was always good for Cal during those early years

was he had people who could push back on him. Everybody needs to have somebody to say, hey, man, maybe don't do that. Right? Like Drew's that guy for me when it comes to KSR stuff. say things to me that nobody else can because I've known him for so long so I'll listen to him I mean I'll listen to Ryan too but Drew will do it Drew will say man don't do that and I know that if Drew says that I should listen to it because he doesn't say it very often well Cal had those guys and they're all gone now nobody pushes back on him so I've had some conversations in

recent months with folks who are close to him who were like Matt we really need to rebuild this relationship and I always say I'd love to, right? But what I've learned in talking to them, they understand the situation, but Cald doesn't. He does not understand how the fans feel. I think he genuinely believes that it's like my fault for it's other people. No, I'm not kidding you. I think he genuinely believes that the media is out to get him. He says it all the time.

He says all the time like there's people saying out there to get people to I don't think he realizes that a lot of the fans are much angrier than I am. I don't think he gets that. And I think it's because over the years he's had these people who were very connected to the fans who he would listen to. Dwayne, Robic, Eric Lindsay, T.J. Bisoner. They're all gone now. And I think some of these other guys, they love him so much like they won't say anything. And so I don't think he realizes what this fan base feels.

And I felt like that when I heard him talk tonight. I mean, I know he knows we're disappointed. But he's like talking about how, you know, we still help change families' lives. And like, that's great. But that's not what we want to hear tonight, Billy. You know what I mean? We lost to Oakland. But the way that he puffs his chest out and, you know, teases us after a win, you don't think he listens to that clutter?

Listen, I hate that. I have literally tried not to talk about it. But every time we win, he puffs his chest out like, see, see, see, I hate that. But you know what? I've been like, look, man, it's all about March. You know, when he would puff his chest out of after wins, I think to myself, it's all about March. The only thing that's going to matter is March anyway. Well, March has now happened.

Who's next? Fred. Fred. Go ahead, Fred. Now he hung up. Okay. Let's go to Brandon. All right.

Brandon, go ahead, Brandon. Hey, Matt. First time, long time. Who are? What's up? I'll try to keep it short and sweet the best I can. I just have a few things to say, and then I'll hang up. I'm pretty down like the most of us.

But, you know, I want to appreciate what Cal has done for us. I think we all are very appreciative. But Kentucky basketball, we don't. live off of what you did for us, you know, in 2012 and 15. This has gotten tired, Matt. And I never called for this to happen. But John Caliperi, your time is up at Kentucky. Thank you. Appreciate the call. Who's next? Michael. Michael. Go ahead, Michael. Hey, what's up, Matt? How you doing, bud? Thanks for having me on. I've actually got everybody. brought next to me.

I'm going to be flat out on us, man. We were angry. There's people, I know everybody's getting on here. They're, you know, upset. We're flat out just angry. How watching this game, we're excited. We're pumped up for this team. This team we love.

The fans love the players. I mean, with Reed out there, Dillingham, and, um, Reeves. I mean, Reeves, Reeves, yeah, Reeves came back this year. You know, they wanted him back. And to sit and watch Mitchell and Reeves really go off in this game, I was becoming frustrated because I'm looking at the bench and I'm like,

the bench has got to get into this too. You've got to root for these players out there. They're tents, just like you said. And then once that final tick hits, I'm just sitting here in all. I mean, we're sitting here. I mean, Brock's looking at me. I'm looking at him. he's sick to his stomach.

I'm sick to my stomach. We can't believe that everything that Coach Cal has set and said over and over with the March, the March, the March, blah, blah, blah. And then you sit and watch the team that you're like, their final four potential, it's done. And then we're both sitting here like, he's got to go. It's the first thing that comes in when, you know, we had a friend that said and text me, he said 13th in win percentage in the past five years of S.

tournament, only 14 teams in the SEC, one win in the SEC tournament in five years, and the same with the NCAA tournament, can't win a champion classic game. Yeah, well, I mean, put it like this, last four NCAA tournaments. Let's put it like this. Last four NCAA tournaments. Guess who has the same number of wins in the NCAA tournament as Kentucky in the last four NCAA tournaments? Oakland and St. Peters.

They've won exactly as many games as we. have and they've beaten higher-seated teams and we beat to do it. I mean, it's, look, ridiculous. We have to stop acting like this stuff is normal. I just read you all the other one, two, three, and four seeds that played today, and every single one of them won by at least 15, and we lost. Right, right. So people talk about parity, and parity is good.

And this is not to be disrespectful to that dude because I give that guy credit, Golki, he had the game of his life and he will be a hero and he deserves it. And it's an amazing story. I mean, the kid played at a Division III school and found his way. But we let a dude from a Division three school beat us.

Yeah. I mean, it's crazy. That's crazy. We sat and watch this at the CBS sports when Charles Barkley was just talking. He said you've got all Americans on your team. You're talking about Kansas. You and Duke, Kentucky, we are top teams.

There is no reason in the world we should go in and let a horizon team show us up like it. And it's no point. There's no point in digging at these players. They played good. Oakland did. But when you have a... I don't blame the players. And let me...

I appreciate the call. I don't blame the players. And here's why I don't blame the players. Because they haven't been the same players all four years. We've been blaming players for four years. I now actually feel kind of sorry for. some of these dudes that were here the last few years. I sit there and think about like B.J. Boston, who everybody was so down on.

Well, B.J. Boston's in the NBA. B.J. Boston's playing minutes for the Clippers. So why wasn't he good here? I don't know. Maybe it wasn't B.J. Boston, right? Kell and Grady. You know, Davy on Mintz. Those guys played good at other schools. They were good for a while here.

I mean, Oscar is on the All-Star team in the gym. G league right now. You know, Kason Wallace plays playoff minutes for the number one seed in the West in the NBA. Taita will score 40 a game in a G-League game. Like, we're blaming all these other dudes, but there's one common denominator. So Reed didn't play well. But if this is Reed Shepherd's last game at Kentucky, I'm not going to feel bad about him.

He was great when he was here. Same with Rob Dillingham. Rob Dillingham was great when he's here. I'm certainly not going to be mad at Antonio Reeves, who improved. as much as any player I've ever seen here. And Bradshaw was the number one overall player in America. Why didn't he play well here? Well, maybe it's not him totally, right?

I mean, there's other guys this has happened to. At some point, there's only one common denominator. We've had four seasons of this. No players played all four of them. So that's why I'm not putting it on the players. I think there's a couple guys that me and two clued probably put too much on them. You know, it might not be that.

Who's next? Felt bad for DJ Wagner, too, man. He just couldn't get it. And DJ Wagner, man, I feel bad for him. He was nervous. I mean, there's a reason these guys are coming in these games nervous. And, you know, what that is, I'm not in the locker room, so I don't know, but they are. It's a trickle-down effect.

I'll tell you right now. It's Chase. Chase, go ahead, Chase. Chase. Chase, go ahead, Chase. Hey, Matt. Hey, man, I just want, I appreciate you having me on. I just wanted to say, I've been one of the longtime Cal supporters, and I appreciate all he's done for the program.

But I think tonight might have been the last draw for me. I've lived in Kentucky my whole life and Lexington now for going on 11 years. My love for UK sports is a huge reason of what's kept me here in Lexington, actually, all these years. I just wanted to be close to the program. But it's just getting sickening to keep getting humiliated like this. It's one of the biggest things our state has going for us nationally. Now we don't even have Kentucky basketball to hang our hats on a national landscape. It's just, it's not what it should be, and it's extremely embarrassing to continue getting put in this position.

Our state just doesn't have a whole lot to hang its hat on nationally, sadly, but Kentucky basketball is one of the main things we all have to be proud of. Just tough to be consistently upset about the results with a bunch of 18, 19-year-olds on a basketball court. And I just don't know where we go from here. before it really starts mattering to the people of this state and the level that, you know, it matters to all of us, the level that it all matters to us currently. I agree with you. I agree with you.

I appreciate the call. Let me give you two stats that I just saw that are mind-blowing. First, this is from Corey Price. Okay. In the last 125 games at their university, let me read you the winning percentages. Rick Petino, 110, and 15. Adolf Rup, 104, and 222. Joe B. Hall, 92 and 34. Tubby Smith, 91 and 35. Eddie Sutton, 87 and 39. John Cal Perry, 80 and 46.

Worst winning percentage of any coach besides Billy Gillespie in UK history in their last 125 games. Now let me give you one that's going to blow your mind. Guess how many, we've talked about, last five SEC tournaments. How many victories? One. Guess who else has one C tournament, or excuse me, one conference. tournament win in their last four tournaments. Louisville. Oh, no. How many NCAA tournament wins do we have in the last four years? One.

Guess who also has one win in the NCAA tournament in the last four years? Louisville. Now, granted, their regular seasons have been much worse. But when it comes to March, which is what it is, what can you say? 859-2-8027. We'll take a break. We'll come back for the final segment. This is the local toy dealers, KSR postgame show.

Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers, KSR postgame show. Right now, it's three hours since the game was played. We are Kentucky, Caliperi. They're the number one, two, and three trends in the country. There's a lot of people nationally saying that Kentucky, Mark Titus, who used to, you know, it was on the ringer. Now he's on barstool says Kentucky cannot let Cal,

coach another game for them and still be considered a serious program. Now, that's a strong statement, but he's not the only one that Matt Norlander said. I don't know if he can coach again. John Rothstein said. I don't know if he'll continue. You know, this is just, uh, it's just what it is, you know. So tomorrow's going to be brutal, by the way. All those shows, like all those talking head shows, it's all going to be about us.

I mean, I hope everybody realizes like, we're the butt of the joke tomorrow. Now, when they get to the weekend, they'll probably. probably have other stories, but we are the national conversation tomorrow, and it ain't going to be positive. You know, I think Cal always used to say, we don't move the needle. We are the needle. Well, the needle's going to be scratching the record tomorrow because it's about us. I mean, that's just how it's going to be.

What's next? Ritter. Ritter. Go ahead, Ritter. Hey, Loddaw. Glad I could talk to you this lovely Friday morning at this point. I think the Dallas Cowboys need to, like, cut back Prescott tonight, so we, we, won't be on every show. I'm going to have to head down that way.

But yeah, just a couple things is like one thing I know it's about this game and even with the post game show, like there's just like a sense of apathy. Like I've listened to and think there'd be fireworks, like people would be mad. And even tonight, like normally a postseason game, I'm pacing around. Like, I didn't get off the couch one time. And I don't know if that's just kind of, I was expecting it or what we're used to. But I don't know. It's interesting you say that. It's interesting you say that because, and I'll let you, I want you to finish that thought. But let, let me, let me. I'll just talk about my own personal self, okay?

You know if you've listened to show over the years. Like, I usually can't stay in the arena during games. Like, go back. It's been hard for me to stay in the arena in a game since the 2012 final four against Louisville. That's the last time. Like, I left the arena that game, and I've left the arena most postseason games since. Here's what's interesting. I sat there the whole time tonight.

And I never thought about leaving. And I want to call it apathy because I wanted us to win. Believe me. I mean, Drew and I were like sitting next to each other, like holding each other back every time Reese with two to three trying to not cheer on press row. But it was almost like I kind of expected it. Like normally in a game like this, I would have been so nervous I would have left. But for some reason I sit there and I don't think it's apathy.

But I think there was just something like I guess I was almost resigned to it before it even happen you know what i mean no i agree that's i was curious because like said i didn't know if you had a shower if you ran out of there what but no i stayed i sat there the whole game which i haven't done for a tournament game in a long time actually i think the last one i did was uh like the stony brook or something many years ago it's been a while but yeah my my question is and i think i think the biggest thing we could talk about rotations players schemes or whatever but like the elephant in the room is this buyout If this buyout was $0,

it wouldn't be like a mutual leaving. Everyone would say he needs to be fired. So my thing is, I think next year, if we hang on to him, it goes from $32 million to $25 million. That's still a lot of money. I mean, how often,

how long do this? You know, that was what I was saying at the beginning. I don't know how a separation takes place logistically. I think this is, I'll talk more about this tomorrow, but I think this is why we're in an untenable place.

I think it costs too much money to buy him out. I think he is stubborn and will not want to leave without taking every dollar. And so I don't know what you do. I don't think we have the money to buy him out, and I don't think he wants to leave, but I think everybody is going to be like, this can't go on. So I don't know what happens. I don't know. I mean, I really don't.

Like people, as I was walking out of the arena, that's all anybody said is like I don't know, but it can't stay like this. Again, it's one of those things. It's like you're in a relationship. You have three kids. They're all young. And you're like, what do we do? We have a mortgage on a house.

We can't pay off each other. Like what are we going to do? But we know we can't live together anymore. And there's a little part of that right here. There just is. And like I said, my last comment is like at the time, maybe that was a good deal. And that was the thing that Barnard had to do. but here it is.

This is what he's in. Part of Cal's jobs to win games, and part of Barnard's job is, again, this can't go on. He has to find this money. And, like, if he can beg him and say to leave, take a buyout, make the cheaper. Yeah, I don't know what's going to happen. I think that's a conversation probably for next week or tomorrow. You know what I mean? I appreciate the call.

I don't think there's an easy answer to this question. I think everybody just says firing. Where are you going to get $33 million? I mean, where's that going to happen? and the idea is that there's one or two donors that'll write the check, I'd like to know who those people are because I know some of those people, and I don't think they're going to be eager to do it. I mean, let me just put yourself, Billy, in the position of a really rich donor.

All right. And let's say, hypothetically, your relationship with Cal has soured. Are you eager to write that person a check? No. Are you eager to write a person whose relationship you're not, you don't have a good relationship with now, are you eager to write them a check? Like, that's a hard thing to do. I mean, you know, plus, I don't care how much people who get really rich, they don't do it by being stupid.

And so, like, giving people, giving people just writing checks for losing is not an easy thing to do. Now, some people do it. They did it at Texas A&M. But, you know, I don't think it's simple. Listen, Texas A&M was able to buy that guy out because two dudes did it. But what if those two dudes had decided not to do it? Like you're talking about the decision. You're really probably talking about the decisions of one or two people.

You know, it's not like, it's not easy. Who's next? Robert. Robert. What's up, Robert? Hey, Matt. Thanks for taking my call. Look, I've been at Kentucky fan my whole life and I graduate from Kentucky.

So believe me, I've been through. you know, all the ups and downs that we've had. So I have really two brief points. First, you were discussing earlier, kind of some previous players that maybe underperformed or were kind of held back Kentucky, like, you know, BJ Boston, for example, who's now in the NBA.

You know, two other names I was thinking of that came to mind as Charles Matthews. Yeah, played great at Michigan. Yeah. Johnny Juz, Johnny Juzay. Yeah. I was my second name. had a great career at UCLA.

Well, think about this. Antonio Reeves is just like those guys. It's just he stayed, right? Like, last year, Antonio Reeves did not play until he didn't have a choice but to play. And then he started playing him. He goes for 37 at Arkansas. And, you know, people who know Antonio's situation know, you know, there was a period of time where it didn't look like he was going to come back.

Thankfully, he did. If he didn't, I don't know what we would have done this year. But go ahead. I think the same thing with like Reed and Rob this year. You know, they didn't start and you can look and say like, oh, we could have done a lot of different things. It's like, do you look at them the same way if they go to NBA and be great? Like Dewey wasn't an issue with the coaching with the relationships, who knows? And briefly, second point, you know, I think the main underlying issue all season was our defense and rebounding.

You know, pretty obvious. Do these young guys that come in, do they just get used to this age? a used solid ball where they don't really well i just think we had bad dependence we didn't have a rim protector at the end of the day off your last year yeah we didn't have a rim protector yeah they're all skinny they're not strong they're getting bullied in the paint i mean you can't win when you but some of it is also scheme and i appreciate the call some of it's scheme you have a team full of guys that shoot threes you got you cannot give them threes you cannot you've got to make them i wish they had made it to I mean, the best defense we played was Reeves got put on the, the, what's his, I keep forgetting his name, the dude with the hit the threes, the, the gokel or whatever.

Yeah, gokel. So, Reeves, he had made seven, gulkey. He had made seven, and Cal switched and put Reeves on him for the first time because it had been Shepard and Dillingham and Wagner most of the game. He put Reeves on him, and he only had three after that, and one of them was a shot that you have to just shake his hand. It was an amazing shot. But if you notice at the end, he missed a lot because Reeves actually played him better. I don't understand how from moment one we were like, that dude ain't shooting threes. Because the other guy, their star player, actually didn't have a great night.

The Townsend or the guy that was a rising player of the year, he didn't play all that. I don't know what he finished with. I think he got some points down the stretch with free throw. 17. 17. But he at one point had like eight in the second half. make somebody else beat you. I just, 10-3s, the old-time record, Billy's 11.

He was one short of the all-time NCAA record. He was trying to break that record. He did shoot a lot. Who's next? Dar. Dar. Go ahead, Dar. Matt, what's up, man? So I know when we were in school, it was like a given that we made the Sweet 16,

and now it's not assumed at all. So my question, I have a two-part question. One is, as a small business owner as yourself, how upset do you get at the money that Calipari costs you? I don't look at it like that. I mean, I don't look at it like that. Like I, even though, I mean, look, financially, us losing in these first rounds is a brutal blow, especially to the bar. Huge. I mean, it's brutal.

but at the end of the day that's not what I'm thinking of when we lose because what matters I mean I'm just I'm a fan first people can believe that or not

but you just have I mean I can't stay in the arena during these games and I was like this before I owned anything I mean I used remember I started doing this as a blog when I was as part for fun like I

but does it have an effect of course it has a huge effect and it's going to have an effect on this fan back just think about this think if we had gone to the final four if these guys did autograph tours think about

how much think about that now I'm not saying they can't still do it but like think about what would have happened if Rob Dillingham and Reed Shepard and Antonio Reeves did an autograph tour around the state and we were in the final four like it's a

it is it is a massive impact on the state on the economy like it just is right so my question is, do you think Calipari should, for as much money as he makes, should he do anything about that to make up for that? And then my second question is, I wouldn't do. I think the best coach we've ever had, and a lot of people would agree with Patino, with all the talk he's had, do you think there's any chance he is coming back?

Zero, no. I appreciate the call. That won't ever happen. A long summer of that kind of time. That's never going to happen. Let's do six more, because I want to go a little long. since everybody has a chance to talk and Drew's still not here yet for us to go home. So let's do six more.

Who's next? Dan. Dan. Dan, what's up, Dan? Hey, how you doing, Matt? Thanks for taking the call. Doing good. Hey, it's really time for John Calipari to hang up his hat at the University of Kentucky.

You know, I was 10 years old when Calipari came over to Kentucky in April 2009. And, you know, what an incredible time to be a part of the Kentucky basketball program, just incredible energy with the media and everything. And, you know, Caliperi had a great national championship in 2012. I can remember when fans were burning couches and cars in the street and State Street in Lexington. But, you know, that was really the last great season, I think, Kentucky had in its basketball history. And we're not going to be getting another 2012 season again, if we're honest, under Calipari. I've been saying for the last five years that CaliPari, that CaliParii had in its basketball history, and we're not going to be getting another 2012 season again, and we're not going to be getting another 2012 season again,

that Cali Perry needs to leave the program and find a position in the NBA. He's put about 45 players so far, I think, in the NBA, and I think that's a great place for him to go after that. And you ask, you know, where is he going to get the $33 million? Or maybe like L.A. Lakers or an L.A. clipper. I mean, listen, let's be real. The NBA doesn't, I mean, with respect, and I appreciate the call, if the NBA wanted Cal, he'd already have gone.

I mean, let's be honest. The NBA wanted Cal, he'd already gone. It's the only thing he hasn't succeeded at was the NBA. If they had wanted him, he'd be in the NBA right now. The only time he came close to going was with the Cleveland Cavs back in 2015, right before the 2015 season. I think he was offered that job. I think he was close to going. He decided to stay.

That's not going to happen now. I mean, I say maybe it would, but I think it's unlikely. Again, this man, you think he's going to walk away from $33 million just like, like it's nothing? Plus, the NBA, again, respectfully, look at the style of basketball we've played up to this year. It's the exact opposite of what they do in the NBA. I mean, we've played more of an NBA style this year. But like the NBA spaces the floor, plays guys who can shoot, has versatile bigs who can step outside and handle the ball. That's not how we play.

So like, the NBA is not going to want that. Who's next? They also adjust their game plan in the NBA. And I don't think I've ever seen Cal do that mid-game. Well, he didn't tonight, I don't think. What's next? Matt. Matt, although we did run maybe the best out-of-bounds play I've ever seen his run to cut it to three right at the end.

That was good. That was a really good play. Too little too late. But Matt, go ahead. Matt's gone. We go to Johnny. All right. We still have five more.

Johnny, go ahead. Hey, guys. I think I must be a problem. profit or something. It was right before the season started. Honestly, I didn't know much about the team. I went on to like a message board. I don't usually do that. And I said, look,

I don't know the team, but the pattern is this. We have double-digit losses. We win some. We lose some. We lose all the big marquee games or most of them. We don't win the SEC. I hate to cut you off. I hate to cut you off. I'll let you finish. But the guy that hit all the

three just walked into the hotel. Oh, no. What are you going to do? The coach and the guy who just hit all the three, he just walked in there, chaining over there. All right, I'm sorry. Go ahead, sir. It's all good. But, yeah, you know, we're not going to win the SEC regular season championship or the tournament.

And frankly, if we make it out of the first weekend in the NCAA, you know, the real tournament, according to Cal, we're lucky if we even win a game. And, man, people blasted me, called me all kinds of crap. You know, I went to UK undergrad, grad. I'm from Owensboro, you know, I grew up watching Rex play ball. I mean, I bleed blue. And I live here, I live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I'm stuck between Tar Hills and Blue Devils, and now I've got to put up with this.

But I've got to tell you, I mean, I love Cal. He's done good things for us. He brought us out of the Galisbee era. But definitely his time has come. And I really think that, you know, maybe after a little soul search, and if he'll think about it and they can come to some type of buyout, if he really cares about Kentucky, he really cares about our fan base and everything like he says he does,

He'll walk away. He'll do the honorable thing and walk away, but not without a big payout, and I don't know who does that. Frankly, the Athletics Administration, if they were stupid enough to sign a lifetime contract with him or anybody else, well, then they're stupid enough to pay it out. So somebody's got to do it. Listen, I appreciate the call. I appreciate the call.

There was Kyle Tucker did ask Mitch Barnhart for a comment, and he refused to be interviewed after the game. Let me just say, that's not a good sign. because if you think about the painful losses Kentucky's had over the years, he usually gives some sort of statement of like, you know, it's a tough loss, but I support the guys, support the coach. Him not speaking, I thought was a very, I don't know that he's ever done that before. I'm not sure that I ever remember him doing that.

I cannot believe, by the way, that we have to be in the hotel while these guys are coming back. I mean, are you kidding me? Like, this wouldn't, this would be one if we were on like ESPN or something, people wouldn't believe it. Like, literally Golky is like standing over there. That opening monologue you had, there were cheers in the background the whole time. I know. I mean, I hate it. But there was nowhere else to go.

There's no other hotel close to this arena than this one. And I was running out of time. I almost walked into a bar and they were blasting, you know, pit bull. And I'm like, well, I can't do it in there. So I had to come in here because it was the only place I had. So who's next? Thomas. Thomas, what's up, Thomas?

Nobody should blame Mitch Barnhart. The time we signed Cal, he was at top of the world. But I hope on Monday morning, you guys have the analytics of how often we played our most productive five guys at the same time in this game. I just want to see the end. Well, no, no. I mean, I don't know if you heard that. I said it earlier. I don't know about productive five.

But when Reed, Rob, and Reeves were in the game together. And remember, Reed did not even play well. But when Reed, Rob, and Reeves were in together, we were plus four, and when they were out, when one of the three of them wasn't in, we were minus eight. So when we played our best players, which is, to me, that's my biggest complaint about the year is not who started. It is we didn't, we have three of the best shooters to ever play at this school. Three of the six best percentage three-point shooters.

that ever wore a Kentucky uniform and he would not play them together. And when he played them together, we scored because you can't guard all of them, and somebody would be open. And guess what? At the end of the game, when we made the run that cut it to one and we had the ball with the chance of league, guess who was in the game, the three of them together? And he just wouldn't do that. And I don't understand why.

Because he let the old man in. I'm just telling you, analytics don't matter anymore. and the egos takes over. Yeah. Well, I think you're, I think, and I appreciate the call, I do think there's a big part of Cal that I'll always take up for him that he wants to win. The people say he doesn't care about winning. He was as down tonight as I've ever seen him in the press conference.

I mean that. Like, I'm not just saying that. He was as down tonight as I've ever seen. But he wants to win. But Billy, he wants to win his way. Right. It's more important to lose his way than to win your way. and I think that is ultimately pride goes before the fall.

And I think that's a little bit of what we add here. Three more. Who's next? Jerry. Jerry. What's up, Jerry? No kidding. It's unbelievable.

I mean, literally, it's unbelievable that there he, I mean, he's literally right over there. There he goes. Look at that hair. I mean, that hair. All right, go ahead. Make sure you wipe out of Eddie. Oh, I can't. It's not his fault.

Listen, I'm happy, leave aside us. I mean, like, you got to, what an amazing story that kid is. And the other kid, his parents both played at Oakland. His dad was like in the photo section tonight. Like those are amazing stories. That's what's great about college basketball. And even though we lost, they better never change this tournament because this is what's great about it. Yeah.

I agree with that, actually. I agree with that. I think he's taking a lot less criticism this year because everyone loved those players so much. I agree with that. There's no. The other thing. Yeah, I hate that. I hate it.

That is such a... When I'm in me as a kid, I love a place to put... Well, where else can you put it? I mean, it's Oakland, it's Oakland and St. Peters, man. Like, it's, you know what I mean? It's Oakland and St. Peters.

Like, it's on him. Yeah, we were. We just was. I mean, that was... He looked like we had just... The last four days, I mean, I don't know. Yeah, and he also, I think... He was not prepared to play.

He almost takes... He almost... Just a second. He almost takes joy sometimes in telling us stuff to make us mad. Like, he'll say things like, I know y'all aren't going to like this, but I took him bowling. Like, I don't care that he takes him bowling. Like, it doesn't bother me. But, like, why say it like that?

You know what I mean? Like, why does he do that? Why, it's, I agree with you. He acts like if you criticize him, you're not a fan. And he says that all the time. I mean, you know how many times he has taken something I've said and then said, if you say this, you're not a fan. Billy, how many times does that happen this year?

I mean, how many times? It's happened 20 times. Several. And it's like, yes, I'm a fan. I've said this all year. We were here before him, and we will be here after him. Coaches and players are placeholders. They're important.

But the fans are what makes this program, and I feel like he has forgotten that. I agree. I don't think this is the universe. disheating you, Matt. I don't, wait me, hang on just a second. I don't, oh, you mean Rick Petino. First of all, I don't, I don't dislike Cal at all. I mean, I like him.

And I don't, I mean, Rick, there was a period I've probably disliked him, but I've gotten older, and at some point you realize disliking people's just a waste of time. And so I don't, to be honest with you, I kind of hoped he made the tournament this year. But you're right. He did, and Cal did in his early years, appreciate Kent. for being Kentucky, not just sort of a factory for him. Look at the eight years. Well, I don't want to get into Rick versus Cal.

I don't think that gets us anywhere. I don't know. I just think this is a cool thing to look at. If things put, look at the eight-year run, it is five, three years. He had them in a regional championship game, and it took a miracle Christian Leitner. Yeah, but I do think, and I appreciate the call. I'm going to take up for Cal on this. Our first eight years were pretty impressive, too.

We weren't in the death penalty, but we did go to the NIT with Billy, and then the next year we're the number one team in the country. So I do think I'll put cows first up eight years up with anybody. I'm talking about the last four or five years. It's like in baseball. Billy, I know you're a baseball guy. When you start paying people for what they did when they were good, that's where you screw up. When you play Albert Pooholz $30 million, because it's,

he hit all those home runs 10 years ago, that's when your franchise screws up. And that's what's happening right now. Like, I'll put his first eight or nine years up with anybody. But the question is, what are we going to get next year? And the recent history has suggested that it ain't going to be that great. Let's do two more. Who's next?

Mike. Speaking of Mike, shout out to Mike Golick, who just tweeted that he was listening. I think people like to revel in our misery right now. But I would do the same thing if it was North. Carolina, or Duke or Kansas, so I can't, I can't,

I can't get upset. Mike, go ahead, Mike. Hey, Matt. What's going on? From this team, who comes back next year? Yeah,

I don't know. I mean, I would have told you before the game that there's no way Reed Shepherd would have come back, but he had, what,

three points, he gave up about 20 on a dude that was a D3 player. I don't know. I don't know. As far as who comes back, Cal did leave open

that some people would come back. Let's be real. The first question is what's going to happen with Cal. Because if Cow doesn't come back, none of these dudes will come back, not one of them. So you're going to be starting over. That is true. If Cow doesn't come back, you'll lose everybody. So like, that's true. So we'll just say. You know, replacing people that are leaving this year. By the way, that's another thing to remember, is if Cal leaves, none of these recruits will come mean, so you do have a situation where you're going to be starting from scratch, but go ahead.

At the billions of dollars and NBA players that came through this school. I can't hear you, man. I'm sorry. We'll do two different ones. I'm sorry. I mean, I know I'd like to have heard you, but you're Bluetooth and or something like that. Who's next? Glenn.

Glenn, go ahead, Glenn. Glenn. I don't know the, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know the financials of the university. You know, cows buyout is $33 million. but the cost of not making that change will be far more than $33 million. You're going to lose a generation of fans.

I have a 10-year-old son who did not watch the game tonight because he just said, well, they're going to lose like they did last year. That's heartbreaking to me. We're in jeopardy of being IU, and I don't want to be IU. We were here before Cal, we was here during Cal. We would be here after Cal. We have got to make a change. right now.

I get off the listener. Well, I mean, that's pretty, you're pretty definitive, and that's pretty clear. I don't need to add anything. Let's do one more, and if it's good, Billy, we'll call it an evening. Let's try another Mike. Mike, go ahead, Mike. Yeah, hey, so, you know, I feel like most of the calls tonight haven't been, haven't been angry enough.

I feel like it's mostly been, it's been avatheave and sadness. And I feel like there's just, there's no more beating around the bush, right? Cal's got to go. All right. We have to rip the band-aid off. I know it's not going to be easy. But I feel like the last few years, we've been in that phase that programs can be in at the end of an era where it's hard to move on from a championship coach. And I've been saying this to my buddies for the last few years.

And I feel like he's not necessarily running the program into the ground. but it's become very stale. It has become stale. I agree with that. It's become stale. And I think part of the problem, and some of the other callers that hit on this earlier, I think part of the problem is the state of the program that he's built. There's just no continuity from year to year, whether players are going to one year.

Well, that's going to be true no matter what. That was true here for a long time, but it's going to be true everywhere. With the transfer portal, the days I haven't dudes for four years. And you're sorry. Like, that ain't going to happen. I mean, so, so yes, I agree there's not a lot of continuity. And that might have been a complaint a few years ago, but that's everywhere in college basketball now.

You just got to assume you got one-year teams. That's true. But some of the other top programs, whether it's UCon, Purdue, Houston, you know, I feel like they do have a little more than us. That's true. And I feel like they build their programs a little differently. And I don't know if Cal is capable of doing that. Because whether guys transfer or GoPro, it's very, there's just no continuity from year to year.

And it's not sustainable because like this year, for example, this year, next year's team, whether we've got great players or not, next year's team is not going to be as good, as likable, as exciting as this year's team. Well, that worries me about next year's team. By the way, everything we liked about this year's team, none of the guys coming next year do that kind of stuff. like they don't have shooters in next year's class like it's going to be exactly you know exactly so so you have to assume and nothing against any of the players coming in next year but you have to assume next year's team isn't going to be as good and so from from the jump like fans just aren't going to be as excited and that's not and that's not a sustainable approach to a program that all these other top programs are doing

I might to cut you off because I got I just had somebody walk in and we're we don't have much longer we can do. So I appreciate it. I'm going to have Drew, because he hasn't said anything. I'm going to let Drew do a minute or two. I only have one headset. So I'm going to have to hand it to him. This lady right here, Drew, said you were the centerpiece, the core of KSR. So with that pressure, just the first time you've said something about the game, what do you think? Like many of our listeners, I'm a little broken, a little sad. I'm kind of in a little bit of like a fog. Like did that really just happen? It's a little bit. both unbelievable and believable that they would lose to that team.

And like I said all week, for me, it's not the zone, it's not the three-point shooter, it's not trade Townsend, it's not their coach of 40 years. It's I don't understand what is going on behind the scenes that I'm watching Kentucky basketball be the team that's afraid of the team they're playing. It just doesn't look right that Oakland is pumping their chest. When the crowd is 90% blue, I don't understand why A&M has the confidence. I don't understand why St. Peter's had the confidence. And then it gets to a point in the game when you've hit seven threes, then you're going to have all of the confidence.

There's just something happening, and I don't know what it is, but Kentucky looks so tight in these games. And I don't know if it's something cows telling them. I don't know if they're filling it. I don't know what it is, but it just doesn't add up. People should fear that logo, especially the NCAA tournament. But in these games recently, these meaningful games, the Kentucky that I'm watching is the one that looks scared, and that's not how it's supposed to work. When everything is in your favor, you have the talent, the draft picks, the Hall of fame coach, you've got the whole crowd, you've got the path, you're a 15-point favorite.

I don't understand why you're the ones that are looking scared of the 40-year-old that was amazing, by the way, not to discredit him, but that's a mid-major. That's just not supposed to happen. Maybe a one-off, you go, holy crap, it was one of those nights, we'll get them next year, but this is now three years in a row of just coming home early from the tournament, and it's unbelievable as a Kentucky fan. This is what we look forward to, and I assume we haven't figured. this out yet, but when we end the show at 12 tomorrow, I would like to get in the car as fast as possible

and get the hell away from this city and go sit on the couch like the rest of Big Blue Nation, which has unfortunately become a tradition for us, is watching the second weekend and the third weekend from home, but that's what we're going to do. And I'm not looking forward to that, but here we are. All right, well, I agree with all that. All right, I'll just finish with this. I want to be clear that, you know, first of all, thank you everybody that's listened this season. This will be the last show we do for the year, obviously. But I want to be very definitive and clear with what I think about all this. John Cal Perry has been a great coach for the University of Kentucky.

I think he has been brought a ton of awesome memories, experiences, and success to this school. He produced more NBA players than anyone. He's produced a ton of talent. He's produced the most memorable games. And on a personal level, I am not a lawyer because John Calipery came here and made Kentucky basketball something that could be a career. But all good things come to an end.

And as awesome of purse human as I think he is, and as awesome a coach as I think he's been, And as much as he's done from the state of Kentucky from a charity perspective, from a leadership perspective, the last four years are not Kentucky basketball. And the easiest way in business and in life to screw up is to make decisions based on the past and not the future. If you're judging the past, Cal Perry should be the coach forever. but if we're being honest and we're judging now

in the future it's probably time for both sides to shake their hands say thank you for all you've done you've made you brought Kentucky basketball back from a down period in the late 2000

cow should say you guys have helped make me the most known coach in the country and a multi multi-millionaire and we've all had great time but it's probably time for us to each move on. To me, that's the only way this can go forward.

Otherwise, we're in for an off-season that will be tumultuous and bitter, and we don't need that, and he doesn't need that, so it's probably time to shake hands in part. Thank you folks very much for listening. Congrats to Oakland. Thanks to Billy for the whole year. Football and basketball being here.

We'll be around. We'll do the show tomorrow morning. And it's springtime now. I guess I can go watch the Reds lose. Thank you all very much. We'll see you later. This has been the local Toyota dealers. KSR, post game show.

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