It's Dick Gabriel taking a little bit of time off, so we thought we would replace some of the best interviews from over the last several months. Please enjoy the best of the Big Blue Insider. Joining us now is a longtime friend who worked with me way back when, not that far she's still very young. Debbie Antonelli joins us. She is a well known color analyst for ESPN, CBS. If you got a game, she'll work it. How are you young lady?
Hey Dick, it's so great to get reconnected with you. You know I love Big Blue Nation and I'm so pleased to be with you today.
You are traveling covering the WNBA, Caitlin Clarky and an Fever. I want to talk about that, but first I would love to talk with you about your Nothing but Net fundraiser for Special Olympics. You had I guess back in May, but you really put yourself through it. Tell everybody what you did well.
Thank you so much for asking. I'm so proud of team Antonelli around this effort to raise money and awareness for Special Fix. The fundraisers called twenty four hours Nothing but Net, I make one hundred free throws, make one hundred free throws on the top of every hour for twenty four hours, So at the end of twenty four hours,
I've made twenty four hundred. We've been doing this for six years and in six years we have been able to raise over one million dollars for Special Olympics, and we have raised not just the money, but we've created a lot of awareness and been able to share a lot of stories about why sport is important not just for everyone, but important for people with intellectual disability as well. So I couldn't be more proud of the effort. And yes,
the fitness part of it is incredibly taxing. Requriors a year round effort on my part, from training and from fitness and from nutrition to be able to be capable of pulling this off, but it definitely is worth it, and I couldn't be more proud of Team Mantinelli.
And the effort around it.
How do you train for this other than shoot free throws on stuff?
You know, it's funny, Dick, Shooting free throws is not the part that I spend the most time on. I spend more time on the fitness aspect, the conditioning, So it's a lot of burpies and planks, and it's a lot of weight. It's what I call sprinting, even though at my age it probably doesn't look like sprinting. But it is all of that effort to try to get myself in the best condition so that I can do
it at a high level. It's not just about completing the task, It's about doing it the best I can because the better that I can do it, the better the story is. And when we live stream it, nobody wants to tune in and see somebody shooting a bunch of bricks. So I want to do it at a high level so it helps us raise money and raise awareness.
How long have you been doing this.
I've been doing this for six years, and I will tell you that I'm going to keep doing what I say on the air, and that is shoot till my arm falls off. And my six year average is ninety four percent. So when I'm in the game and there's the team that's struggling and can't make free throws, or there's a particularly poor free throw shooter, I usually nudge my partner and say, do not give my percentage on the air. I don't want to embarrass the kids.
That's big of you. And your inspiration is your middle son, Frankie. Tell us about Frankie.
Yeah, thank you, Dick. I've got three boys, my son Joey, my son Frankie, and my son Patrick. And I'm gonna have to share with you about Patrick in a second, but Frankie is definitely my inspiration. He is a young man living with Down syndrome. He is a college graduate of the Clemson Life Program, which is a program learning is for everyone, and he is living independently with support at Clemson, holding down two jobs and doing remarkably well.
Sport was so important for his development early on. He's a gold medal winning athlete in golf and basketball, and he in swimming, and because he was able to compete and train and organize and socialize, it gave him a lot of the skill he needed to be able to live independently and manage college life. Isn't that what sport is supposed to be. It is for my other two, It certainly was for him, And we're just trying to help other families like ours.
And of course your fundraising efforts to raise money and awareness for special Olympics athletes, and as you know, I think I told you my daughter teaches special needs children at Great Crossing High School here over in Scott County, and our longtime friend Mark Berger has worked for Kentucky Special Olympics for years, so that has been in There have been sports connections people know about here in the
state of Kentucky. There's huge crowds for Special Olympics. But you mentioned the connection between sports and special needs kids primarily but people in general. Why is that so important?
Well, we can go down to the park with a ball and find a pick up game and get some friends together. Athletes with special needs can't do that. They need help organizing and training, and they need the support of coaches and the encouragement. And we have been able through programming because the money that I raised a million dollars goes directly to the athletes to help them train, compete, organize, socialize. It's not for anything else. And so when I am fundraising,
because Special Olympics is such a grassroots effort. Unice Kennedy Schreiver is one of my role models. I think about what she did in her backyard in Chicago and how she started Special Olympics, and I'm in my driveway shooting free throws as an example that if you just try to help someone and come up with a really good theme and cause, you can really make a difference. And I'm just one person shooting free throws in my driveway, but I would love for the state of Kentucky to
get involved. The state of Kentucky can do the same thing I'm doing or something similar. I'm going to have to get with your guy with the CEO of Kentucky Special Olypics to see if we can find a way to create an event around twenty four hours, nothing but that in your state because it will definitely impact those athletes.
Talking to Debbie an Chinelli, college basketball analysts, works for ESPN, CBS, FOX, Westwood One, the Big Ten Network. If you have a ballgame, she'll analyze that we've been talking about through her efforts to raise funds for Special Olympics and people in need more than a million dollars right there in your own driveway before I get over to basketball. Do you draw a crowd? I gotta think you do when you're throws.
You know what, Dick, We had such a crowd this year. I had to bring some bleachers in. We do live stream the last we livestream the whole twenty four hours. We've been doing this for six years. We've been live streaming the whole thing, and it's quite remarkable the storytelling that comes with the live stream. It takes me about fifteen minutes to make one hundred and then the next
forty five minutes. I have lots of different programming on there between interviews with athletes and coaches and celebrities, players,
I have some entertainers. It is a who's who on the live stream, and it's really remarkable who were able to get who we can ask to come on and I pretape about fifty interviews, and the best interviews that I pretape are the ones with the Special Olympic athletes all around the country that have benefited from Special Olympics and can share their story why and when you hear from these athletes why sport matters to them, how many friends they've made, how much it's helped their confidence, how
much it's made them understand the value of healthy life choices. Then how can you not give me one penny for every free throw I make? It's just twenty four dollars, And that's how we've raised a million dollars.
Fantastic. Well, let me shift you over to your basketball work, and I will say, memory serves you were the first analysts I work with on UK volleyball because you were the sports marketing director of the very first one at Kentucky just a few years ago.
Right, yeah, you know what, Dick, You're absolutely all right. I mean you know, when I was at Kentucky, I was the first director of marketing in athletics. Them Newton hired me right before I hired Rick Patino, and people can remember back that far. And the local cable company came to us and said, can can we try to produce sport? We think we can do it, and we said, okay, let's put a package of basketball, volleyball, some baseball, and of course host Communications was able to help us out
as well. I was twenty three years old at the time. I was able to do all those games, and I did get to work with you. And of course you were a great sports banker for so many years in the Lexington market and still covering the market as much as you have. You've been in it longer than I have. But this is I'm embarking on my thirty seventh college basketball season, and it all started in Memorial Coliseum.
Sure did. When you took that job in sports marketing and gravitated, or let's say, added basketball and bob ball TV to your resume. Was that a goal of yours? Had you all always wanted to be in broadcasting?
You know, Dick, if you remember the time for people that are listening in the late eighties, on the women's side, the only game on television was the CBS National Championship game. So as a player at NC State, I never played on TV, never came, gave it a thought, watched the one game every year. Unfortunately, my team at NC State never made it that far. We only made it to the sweet sixteen twice. We never got out of that bracket.
But to watch the one game and then to have this local cable company come in and right then I was just removed from playing. I had been a coach at in grad school as a GA at Ohio University. It was I was running a parallel path in my career at that moment because I was trying to be an ad but I also was considering being a basketball coach. And then this television showed up and I thought, Wow, this is something that I never thought of. This is something that keeps me in the game as a market
sports professional. I can sell the game and it allowed me to stay in it on both fronts, and I'm so grateful it worked.
Out for me.
My timing could not have been better. And I have worked really relentlessly to continue to promote and push the game forward. And boy, are we having a time right now inside the women's game.
We are, and I want to talk about that in just a minute, but I will say this before we break. Timing is so viotl in our business. As you know, I've had opportunities. You've had opportunities right place, right time, knowing the right people. But you've been able to persevere because you were up to the job. But it takes a lot of work, doesn't it be. You're one of those ones who make it look easy, But that's where the hard work comes in.
Right Nobody knows how much prep goes on in the two hours that you're on the air. You can tell fans certainly, can tell, coaches, can tell people that follow the game, no whether you put the time in or not. And I've always been somebody that's been a grinder. I don't mind the hard work, I don't mind the detail.
I think the product is the narrative, and so I am constantly pushing forward the women's product because I knew one day we would get here, and boy, we are in a spot right now that is really fun to be around.
Dewie Antonelli, college basketball and pro basketball analyst. As my guests will come right back. We're listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider. Want to come here on six thirty WLAP. It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to the Best of the Big Blue Insider. We're talking with Debbie Antonelli.
She is a former broadcast partner of mine from back when she was a sports marketing director at the University of Kentucky and now does a lot of work for ESPN, Fox, CBS, Westwood One here on TV and radio and w you talked about the WNBA. You are essentially following the Indiana fever all over the country. But what it's such a grand time. As you said, this controversy, debate whatever you
want to say about Caitlin Clark. I find puzzling because, as I've said, and I didn't invent this image, but pro basket pro athletes are independent contractors, pushing their own brand as well as that of their team, their sport, their league. To do anything that might detegrate a player who is attracting these crowds, these ratings, that's not good business, is it? Because why not take advantage of what's happening now?
Am I?
Right? Oh?
I think you're one d right. I think we are in incredibly special time. And I say that because I have even coined a name for it. I call it clarkonomics. And it is clarkonomics because you and I both understand the economics of it. Like you can see, it's tangible, the ratings, the attendant, the amount of investment inside the league, the economic forecast forward for the league with the new media rights and the player collective bargaining and the union
and all the things that are coming about. Because it's a cliche, I don't always like to use cliches, but a rising tide lifts all votes. Caitlin has been the greatest disruptor in the history of our game. And I say that all as a positive. It's a one hundred percent positive because it's an economic influence and it's a confluence of many things coming together. Yes, the league has always been good. Yes the product has been good, but we have seen incremental growth five percentages. We don't have
the raw data. Now the league puts the data out, they put the percentages out. You see the ratings. And for somebody like me who's been waiting for this, we've talked about ratings for a long time, but nobody was selling Now the amount of investment, the creative inventory that's been generated, the opportunity now to see our game through a different lens. Caitlin Clark has helped us all with that.
Everybody is going to make more money because Caitlin has been the biggest disruptor in the history of our game. Now have we had great players all along? Yes, As a matter of fact, I've covered every one of them. I've played against Cheryl Miller and I've covered them all since then. Okay, I have seen the greatest talent in the history of our game on display in my career.
Caitlin is another great that's coming up. But the confluence of name, image and likeness, the transfer portal, the success of the college game, those are all things to celebrate, and that's all I'm going to do.
Dick Is.
I'm going to celebrate those things because for somebody that's sat in that chair at two institutions in college Kentucky and Ohio State and pushed and begged and asked and kept getting told no, but kept pushing, how many people have come before me that have been waiting for this moment, people like me that are in the moment. Now it's our responsibility to carry it forward. But we also have to use it as an educational tool to help everybody
understand that this is an economic business. That the WNBA is not college. It is a business. You say, independent contractors with their own brands. That's one hundred percent true. And to come together in a team setting and to be able to push a movement like these women have pushed. Caitlin is the driving force of it, but there are others that are there and it doesn't diminish anyone else's game, It doesn't diminish the light that shines on the league.
It's all positive and I don't understand why people can't see it that way. Maybe no one in the media has shared it the way that I have just shared it. They're looking for clicks and social media. You know, I'm not doing that. I've never done that. I'm trying to pump the league up, and Caitlin Clark happens to be a driving force and I get to follow her around all summer. How lucky am I?
Magic Johnson, you may have seen this tweet or quote or whatever, but and this is this exact same thing occurred to me. And I'm no genius, but it's obvious to me that Angel Rees Caitlin Clark was bird magic and Magic Johnson said the same thing. They have those two guys. He's not saying that Kaitlin Clark's saving the WNBA, but those two guys did save the NBA West Coast, you know, East coast, black white, different styles, whatever, But Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese or whoever else, it's great
for business, and it's great. It's so entertaining.
Let me remind you because you will remember this as two Kentucky people who covered Kentucky landscape of sports forever. Bill Curry, the football coach who was there when I was there. Okay, Bill had this speech and you can look it up on YouTube, and I hope your listeners will look at It's called the huddle and the huddle is about coming together inside a huddle. Race, religious, sex, of politics have nothing to do with getting the next
verse down. You don't care who's beside you except for that's your brother who is sweating the same sweat and the same blood is red. And everything is like about the team and moving the ball. And when you listen to the huddle and you think about what Bill Curry was basically saying, that's where sport is supposed to be the one place in our society where none of that other stuff matters. And I don't like to frame it in any other context except for the product is the narrative.
This is a business. We are trying to move the game forward, and we've found the greatest economic disruptor our game has ever seen. And aren't we lucky to be experiencing it all together? And everyone's going to benefit from it. It's just going to take time for those that don't see it to understand it. When their bank account starts to grow, then they'll understand it.
And if they can't understand it getting on a charter flight that they didn't have in the past, well, what are you going to do before I let you go? Debbie? Congratulations and this happened a couple of years ago, but inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, you're already in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. I know you didn't see that coming. That was not necessarily a goal for you, but it just means you show up for work and you get the job done, and you got to take pride in that.
I certainly do, Dick, And I'm so grateful, you know, when you went on boards and the Kirk Gowdy's coming up in October from Naysmith, and when you start reflecting back on someone like you who was there at the very beginning for me when I was just a kid right out of college trying to figure out what I wanted to do and not sure what direction, but I
always loved the game. And to be able to spend the four years that I got to spend at Kentucky with CM Newton and Jean d Philippo and Chris Cameron and Kyle Motes and Kathy de Boor, I mean, I can go right down the list of Larry Ivy, just really great people around Kentucky, Rodney styles, I mean, you know, the coaches, just the opportunities that I had, and here
I sit with a chance. When you win these awards, even though they look like individuals, they're always team awards to me because there's so many people that have been involved in helping me get to this point, and I am incredibly grateful. Now I do have to mention one thing, and that is that my youngest son, Patrick is a walk on at the University of Louisville. Oh, and I
hope that. I hope that Big Blue Nation, knowing my ties to the university, when that curly headed dude shows up in rough Arena and sitting on the end of the bench as a walk on trying to help Pat Kelsey in the University of Louisville, that Rugh Arena and Big Blue Nation will be nice to that kid because he's living out his dream as an opportunity to experience college basketball at the D one level after playing four
years of division too. It's a little bit of you know, you know, my Kentucky roots are strong, but obviously he's doing a little bit of following up in Rick shadow, if you will, the guy he's always admired for a long time, and Pat Kelsey certainly is a great man who will do a good job at Louisville, so he.
Comes through the portal t U L. I don't know how that process works, but apparently they liked each other. Kelsey and your son.
Well, it's you know, it's as a walk on. He'll have a specific role and that will be to help the scout team and to do other things to help the team get ready. But he wants to coach one day, and I can't imagine him having a better experience than experiencing the entire state of Kentucky and basketball, and that includes you know, Mark Pope and getting a chance to meet him. I did cover Mark in the NCAA Tournament for CBS this year at b YU and I had b YU and the upset over Kansas and Allen field
House at the end of February. So Tucky got a great one and Mark Pope and he's going to do really well.
Well I got about a minute left, But what was your reaction, as someone who's worked within an athletics department of the Mitch Barnhart hire of a guy like Mark who had not yet won an NCAA tournament game but has a pretty strong background.
I think because Mitch has had so much success in hiring lots of different components of that athletic department, that this is still a relationship building business, which is number one, and nobody wants to win more than Mitch Barnhardt. But what you're going to see through Mark is a style play that's going to be exciting and up tempo, just like everybody talks about. You're going to see a definite identity and culture in which he's going to bring from
his Byau days. And remember, he is a Kentucky guy, so he does understand the landscape, and he does understand the fan base, and you have to understand the fan base to know what you're getting into. But I think it's a brilliant hire by Mitch. I'm pulling for Mark Pope every chance to get, but I don't know what I'm gonna wear when I go to the Louisville Kentucky game. Now, I don't know what I'm gonna wear.
I thank you so much. Supposed to be stronger, right, find that old John Y Brown sports coach that was half red, half blue, and you can rock that. Debbie Antonelli, former Kentucky sports marketing director but now one of the top color analysts on TV and radio, and you'll see her coverage of the WNBA specifically, but in general Indiana Fever games because they're all over the tube. Thank you so much, Debbie. Great talking to you. Let's do it again soon.
Hey, listen, Dick your friend for a long time. I'm so grateful that you included me on your program. Thanks for having me on.
You're listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider. More to come here on six thirty w LAP. It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to the Best of the Big Blue Insider. Joining us now is a guy who has covered Kentucky sports for a while now for the Courier Journal on the beat. Ryan Black has been on our shore with us several times. Ryan, thanks for joining us. So before we talk baseball, a little more roster news.
But Ugana and yenso kind of I think surprised people when he ended up in Manhattan and not the one in New York, the one in Kansas at Kansas State? Was that Was that a surprise to you?
Oh and Dick k thanks again for having me on. But been a while you had to answer that question about on enso yeah, for sure, it just seemed like for a long time, even if you date back to prior to last season, you know, when he put his name in the portal and then came back to Kentucky, there was just a lot of you know, kind of smoke surrounding him that he was going to maybe transfer to a school in a big, big, big metro area, like you're saying, whether it's somewhere up there in New
York maybe DC. I know at one point he'd been connected with Georgetown as well. So for him to end up in Manhattan, Kansas, somewhere that I lived and worked at the local paper the four and a half years little bit a little bit surprising to me. But uh, you know, that's that's a place that loves basketball and loves sports, and I'll be interest to see kind of what what he can do there next season.
It's just town of how many do you remember?
Oh, well, Dick, that's a good question. I'm trying to remember off top of my head because so many people who live there are transient right in terms of like they're either k State student. And then right down the road you've got fort Riley, which is the biggest employer in Sata, Kansas, the big Army base there.
So I'm gonna guess here, Dick.
I'm gonna say I think last I saw in the Last Ins it was around fifty.
It's five thousand, wow, and.
I got a big chunk of that's to college. I don't know much about their program now, You're right, they've had some good teams. I'm guessing they could really use a guy like him though.
Oh yeah, no for certain and they're you know, Dick, when they when they beat Kentucky, you know a little more than now a season removed, yea. You know, they made it to the Elite Eight and lost to Florida Atlantic and Elite eight. You know that they've got this mark now, which I know is just maddening to their fan base. They've lost I believe it's either eight or nine straight Elite eight games.
Wow.
You know.
And they had made four final fours up to nineteen sixty four and actually were really on par, if not
slightly ahead of Tansas. Actually at that time back in the sixties when when TeX's winner who went on to you know, develop a triangle with the Bulls and everyone knows what he is, they were, you know, one of the absolute elite programs in the country and they just you know, they've not been able to get back to the final four, but you know, I know their fans are starved for that, and we'll see if Jerome tank it can get them there at some point.
Yeah, nineteen and fifteen last year, so yep, they could use some help. All right. Well, you've you've been covering a lot of baseball of late. And I was talking internet on the show about a lot of folks who enjoy covering baseball to wait until basketball is over. But you've You've picked up at a good time, haven't you.
Well, you know this is so funny.
I was saying about this the other day when I was sitting there in the post the post game press conference after Kentucky's won the regional for the second straight year. I never, in a million years, knowing where things were when I first got here in October twenty twenty two, would have believed that if someone had told me Ryan, you're going to cover two Super region and in baseball before you ever cover Kentucky basketball and a Sweet.
Sixteen ash that's right. Wow.
Never would have had them that. So it's funny how things work.
None of us would have fathomed that. But yeah, a lot has happened. But of course we'll get back to basketball in a minute. But man with with a baseball program and big crowds and all the interest, I mean, that's part of the fun, isn't it That people are excited about being excited, aren't they?
Yeah?
Well, and Dickon also one who you know, fortunate. I've covered all these different schools and all these different events. But to me, there's just something to be said for, you know, getting to cover something that's never been done before. And so later this week, you know, when Kentucky gets
to host their first super Regional in history. You know, I can't I can't wait to be there for that, just see kind of what's the excitement, the electricity and just what that's going to be like just for the sand basically get to experience something like that because you know, friends going there last year, you know, to see them play LSU. You mean now that there was not a buzz there with just the history of what LSU is, But that's just like that's an expectation down there and back.
I mean, they expect to be there, whereas like it's just fun to be here for something where it's just going to be completely brand new for everybody involved, you know.
But I can't blame the fan base for being a little bit miffed about the fact that, you know, you've got the weird format with Kentucky hosting, and yet the visitor on the scoreboard for a couple of games. I could see maybe one game, but and now you've got a nine o'clock start on Sunday that seems really random.
Well, I mean, the only thing I could think of two deck, right, was that maybe they're also trying to throw a bone to the West Coast people exactly, you know, Oregon State coming from the West coast, and so they don't want to make them, uh, you know.
Have to get up.
Let's let's say, for instance, like if it was a three o'clock first pitch. I mean, that means that it's still a new first pitch for them out there. And that's one of the only things I can think of is the fact that since Kentucky has matched up with the West Coast scene, that that ESPN and the TV broadcast people wanted to at least somewhat accommodate, you know, that that portion of the viewing audience But to your point about like you said that Kentucky being the visiting
team twice during that regional Uh. He's talking to another person who covers the team, you know, Dylan Ballard. Uh the other day about this two, Dick. It's to me it would make sense if Kentucky was a visiting team, for instance, if they were hosting this that quote unquote a neutral site, like if it was in Louisville or Cincinnati or somewhere that's nearby. But the fact that Kentucky, you know, literally is hosting at their own park, that's the that's weird to me that they still make them be.
The visitor at times.
Like to me, if you if you again, if you've got a national seed, not only their national seas, there's number two. They should never be the away in any of the regional game. That is my opinion. You know, I know they're not gonna change the rules. That's my opinion Dick, that if you're a national seed, you should never be the away.
But they did survive it. And once you began covering this team, and I know you've done some research and reading and all, but what have you enjoyed about watching this team?
Just this season or just including last.
Year too, well this year for the most part, okay.
Just well, I mean, Dick and like that, I got to always, you know, seed to you on this because you've seen this team and been around this pergram so much longer. But man, this this team, especially defensively, it just feels like like that any second any of these guys up there on the field can just about make like a web gym type play. And the two of the best plays I think I've ever especially the Grant Smith's play the other day was one of the best
plays I've ever seen at any level of baseball. That that that catch he made in the outfield.
That and you know, it's funny because that was such a tremendous play, and prior to that, the play he made to trigger that double play was the play of the game. So yeah, you can't look away when these guys are playing.
Yeah, and you know, I think I believe it was I think it was Krey Pouser who said this that I think it was him, But it was basically him just saying that, hey, you know, it makes my job so much easier as a picture when I kind of hey, even if the ball gets them play. I've got such great defenders behind me that you know, I can just basically go up there and pitch for I need to pitch it. I know they're going to back me up if I need that help.
Yeah, and Nick Minjeone the other night used the term pitch to contact, and my partner Doug Flynn says that a lot, especially if he's getting a little frustrated when pitchers try to be a little too fine, you know, tackle in the strike zone, and he'll say, just pitch to contact, you know. Of course Doug was a defensive specialist as a second baseman in the major leagues, but yeah, when you got guys like that and the outfield's not too shabby.
As well either, well, you know, in a way, it's like I almost feel like, you know, Dick, It's that sense of like in football right where you can be aggressive up front if you're so confident in your defensive back, Hey, you know, we can do what we need to do because we just know, hey, the ball gets up in the air, we've got such great defensive backs, they're going to take care of any messes that we maybe don't take care of.
Getting the quarterback first, exactly.
You know, and it also kind of underscores everything that's going on how powerful the Southeastern Conference has become in baseball, because one hundred years ago, when I was a kid, it was West Coast and Florida, and now it's the SEC and everybody else, isn't it.
I mean, it's it's just I mean, Dick, it's it's unbelievable. Just how I mean the top three seeds. I mean, then you just kind of go four of the top eight of EIG or five of the top eight, and just just like you go up and down. And then of course, Dick looks, I mean next next year, then you're going to be welcoming Texas and Oklahoma, who both have been have both I mean, obviously, Textas have been more caufable series than any program. Oklahoma's been there quite
a few times. Uh. And then heck when you also welcome Oklahoma softball wise, I mean it's just I mean, the conference is already so good in so many sports, but welcoming those two, Uh, it's really it's really going to be something, and I think it's nothing else too, Dick. I want to make sure that we say this, I mean, that makes what Kentucky baseball is doing now even more impressive. I mean they're not doing that at the time when the league is down and they're maybe beating up on
you know. I mean they are in the toughest conference in America and earned the number two overall national seeds.
Unbelievable.
You're listening to the Best of the Big bluinds Cider or to come here six thirty w LAP. It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to the Best of the Big Blue Insider talking with Ryan Black. He is the UK beat writer for the Courier Journal. He'll be covering the Super Regional this week. As he covered the regional tournament last week before the break, we were talking about how powerful the SEC has become. Will you be going to SEC media days in Dallas?
Well, I actually would not be, Dick.
I'm going to be.
I guess we've covered this this year's of it for by hel Okay.
Well, you know, and a lot of people are saying that because at least from this area, because that's a commitment man, getting you know, getting a flight, getting down to Dallas. And of course they're doing that because Texas and know you have joined the conference but uh, I was just looking at the one of the polls yesterday about tough of schedules in America nine out of ten or from the SEC, you know, and Texas is one
of Kentucky fourth. I mean, this is gonna be an incredible football season in the league, isn't it.
Yeah, And that's I mean, that's why I kind of you mentioned earlier. You know, Dick is getting to do stuff around what has ever happened be for so I mean that's something I'm so excited to see this upcoming, you know, sports season with Texas and Oklahoma joining the league and just kind of seeing what those two fan bases, what those two athletics apartments too, obviously care a so
much about sports, what they bring to the table. You know, obviously Kentucky will be going out there and playing in November. I mean, it'll be just such an exciting time. And I'm don't be wrong, Dick, I understand, especially on the football side, adding those two again blue blood programs, it's
gonna make things tougher for everybody. I mean, especially Kentucky is it continue to try to rise in the league, but hey, you know, they kind of know there's gonna be no easy games out there, so you just get out there and play well.
Basketball is going to be tough for women's basketball. You look at them all obviously baseball Texas is won the last two women's volleyball championships, Oklahoma YA softball, So yeah, this is this is gonna make it tougher, and it's going to be tougher on them, you know. Now they got to take on the likes of Georgia Alabama. Darnard pointed out that you know, teams are going to rack up more losses now, and you got wonder Ryan or a d is going to handle that? How well? Are
AD's going to handle that? Right?
Well?
I know, certainly Dick specifically, you know, for for for my outlet, you know, the Courier Journal, Louisville certainly a compsit topic of conversation on that front is what is the future of of Kentucky versus Louisville.
It's like this Kentucky.
Obviously Louisville wants to keep it just just for I'm sure the tickets, but for Kentucky, I mean, when you're not going to be adding at some point, Dick's gonna happen at some point there's going to be another SEC game at it. I know they're taking their time to at it.
There's gonna be a.
Ninth game, you know, put on this schedule at some point that's an SEC game, is Kentucky DoD They just feel like, you know, it's just not worth adding another power conference foe when we're already adding another power conference foe in our own conference.
You know.
So, I think it would be really, really really unfortunate for the state if it goes away, Dick. But I mean I wouldn't be surprised if it does.
And I don't know if you.
Maybe have any feeling on that at all, but that's certainly like to a certain eighte. The top of the conversation in Louisville was the future of the football season.
No, I completely agree with you, And I could not blame Stoops and barn Root and company if they said, look, you know this is we've already got all these heavyweights coming at us, and I guess Ryan, the money makes
sense to add another conference game. There's got to be some reason that the member institutions in the SEC would agree to this, you know, a bigger paycheck, because everybody's looking for a bigger revenue stream that's got to be it, of course, and it seems like they're already tapping out.
Yeah.
Well, I would say, I just know.
Everything I've read, Dick is that it definitely has to do with the fact that ESPN, et cetera, of the TV partners for the SEC have basically said, Hey, this is how much more money another and an additional league game brings to the TV contract as opposed to if you if you again go and schedule someone from the MAC or from the Sunbelt or through Hey don't and I don't roll take me. Some of the teams are very like they're not gidee games all the time, especially
the Sun Belt. But you know, I just I do get to you know, Dick, just like TV TV money is what makes everything go round at this point in college sports, especially on the football side.
Yeah, I mean, you're you're up to one hundred and fifty million dollars budget at the University of Kentucky. Talking to Ryan black at a Courier Journal beat writer covers the Wildcats, who's also had to keep an eye on the expanding roster, putting it you can put together by Mark Pope, He's got one more. Scollarie just hired a couple more assistants this week. But I know you weren't expecting to write stories like that here in the off season.
But this has been an unprecedented off season at the University of Kentucky, hasn't it.
Huh Man, You know, Dick is so funny because I've told so many people when they've asked of Ryan. You know, you've been you know now as a professional journalist out of college for almost twelve years, and then obviously covering stuff in college before that. But just how much things have changed, like even from five years ago, is that you know, it used to be, hey, if you're going to transfer, you're going to sit out a year, and some some people like, well, hey that's that's that that
Jews isn't worth the squeeze. You know, I'm gonna just sit out and just deal with learning the new school, learning the new verbiad whatever. Uh And and you know, basically an incoming coach, you know, knew they were going to be inheriting whatever roster for the most part was left by the previous coach. And now it's just like as we've seen not to hear at Kentucky, but every other place in the country, when the coach leaves, they
can just immediately overhaul an entire roster in one off season. Again, Kentucky, not a single player from last year will be back, which I know Alex to Kentucky dealt with that maybe more than other school was all the one and done type players they recruit over the years. But the fact that again all the recruiting class outside of Travis Perry, all that gone too. So, uh, you know, don't mirro On Dick. I do understand that. I think you know, you would have loved to have been able to bring back
some some players just for the second familiarity. I know the fan base would have loved to have reached Shepherd for one more year, but you know you can't. You can't turn down being a lottery pick, and who knows
how high up going. But it's just the fact that, Dick, I mean, there are already people saying that potentially, and I agree with heym Kentucky could potentially challenge for the SEC championship here just in the first season under Mark Pope, And that just speaks so incredibly well to the job hitting him and hits that I've already done to getting hired.
Oh yeah, yeah, but the guy in Arkansas is putting together a pretty good team as well, Alabama gainst Mark sears back. So yeah, like everything, it's it's going to be brutally tough, isn't it.
Yeah?
No, And I I mean I would agree with you. I think that if if you put it to me right now, I would pick Alabama to win the SEC. But i'd say that you know, uh, Kentucky and Arkansas as well as Tennessee, Uh, you know them getting linear. I think they're going to be They're going to be in the mix to Auburn usually again, Bruce Burrow, what he's done there is incredible. So it's like you said that, we just just go down whatever sports you want to
name the SEC. It's like it's going to be probably a pretty tough sledding for every team out there.
Brian Black will cover it for the Courier Journal.
Hey, thanks, Dick, appreciate it.
You're listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider. Our number two is next here on six thirty wlap. Hey it's Stick Gabriel. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Our number two taking a little time off, So please enjoy the best of the Big Blue Insider joining us now in our celebrity Hodeline. He's my longtime friend and colleague Jefficoll from the UK Sports Network and WTVQ. He was there earlier today when Marxs Tubes and the coordinator spoke.
Did anything jump off the podium at you, Jeff. I know I talked earlier about how Stoops made some comments that were kind of referencing what he has said about the burdens of really all college administrators and coaches. Now, other than that, really optimistic. He sounds like to me, how did you hear it?
Yeah, I think all three of them were, let's put it this way, cautiously optimistic. I really think that for this team, they've got to get through the the workouts here in the next month unscathed, me mean, no injuries. If they can get if they can get to the end of August with little or no injuries, that would
really help, especially in the defensive front. You know, you're you're you're probably going to be one guy down with Hayes, but uh, you know, but you're thankfully that's a decently deep position and a couple of the guys that did not practice in spring will be ready, uh, you know here in the next couple of weeks.
So well, I like to talk with you, obviously, because you've been through this, not just as a college football player but at Kentucky. And yet there have been so many changes in the way things are done and things are allowed to be done in the college game. But right now there is much more opportunity for a coach to work with a player here in the off season, here in the summertime. Then it was I don't know what the rules were back when you were playing.
There were none.
Yeah, well that's true, but after a point it was like coaches, as stud's point out, could only watch or they could work out without a ball or whatever. Now those rules have changed so much. But how much do you think, Jeff, that helps a program like Kentucky that's trying to challenge the big boys every year?
Well, cheese, and I'm glad you brought this up, because you know, back in the seventies and eighties, what they did is we actually had three days. We had a morning practice, an afternoon practice, and then we came back after dinner for night practices. Was all special teams, so we did offense, defensive, morning, offense defense afternoon, and then special teams at night, and so we had two or
three days where guys stayed on campus and stuff. But before that, before the practice started, so like right now because it starts tomorrow, we would be working at Clayburne Farms. Who worked at the FC bottily plant. We worked at UPS, So you could do that in the off season to get yourself some money. Now obviously all they got to do is sign on the dial line to get them sell some money. But I like what you said at the start. They have loosened up the rules where you
can't have two of the days anymore. You can't have three days like we did. But it's almost a year round gig. We got basically the summer off and we worked out on our own. Randy Jenkins, Bill Randol, lul Am mccrimm and all the different quarterbacks we had and stuff. Would get with the receivers and we'd go out there and toss the ball around. But now it's basically eleven
and a half month out of the year job. And it's one of the reasons I asked, well, you know, cause I get to go to practice and they don't run a whole lot run gassers and sprints and stuff like we did. And I'm like, what's up with this? Why don't you do that? And I was told by mostly the weight guys and the Mark Hills and then that, well, these guys now not you know, when you played, it
was basically a ten month job. Okay, now it's year round and these guys stay in shape year round, much different than what it was, so you don't have to get back in shape. You know, they do tests and things like that. But we had to run sixteen forties, we had to bench press squad all that kind of stuff, Whereas now these guys are basically working year round, so you don't really have to do those types of things when you come back.
And some of them do have jobs, to be sure, but to your point, a lot of them don't need it, so that gives them more time to spend in a weight room or just throwing with each other.
Right, Yeah, and Dick, look you've been over to that facility. A lot of people listening probably haven't. Everything's there. They've got a hair I didn't share, you know, barber shop. Basically, they've got a game room. Guys can go in there. Hang out, play pool, white huge TVs, play Xbox, all that kind of stuff. There's the pools in there, there's the indoor facility. Yeah, there's food, nutritional food, not just going there and you know, scarf stuff down, but nutritional stuff.
All the weights, the bikes you want. It's totally different. It's just it's it's such an arms race now and it's totally different. So a lot of these guys have all the benefits.
What else they have is it's so much easier now to study video, which you all they still call film. Yeah, but we'll say, back in your day, when you wanted to study actual film, you had to go in and grab a projector. And I don't know if you did it much, but it was it. It was I don't want to say it was an ordeal. But now heck, they've all got iPads that they can study video in their room, right.
Yeah, And this really started in the late nineties into the two thousands. We had, as you said, Doug Martin, uh, you know, Billy Ramsell, Randy Jenkins, they bring the projector back to their room and the Rick Masseys and jokers in us.
Of the world.
Yeah, we would go up there and because they were going to watch. We'd go in there and watch with them. But yeah, it was totally different. You know, our film study was an actual you know, before practice it was. It was an actual yet to be there, you know two thirty and then two thirty, three thirty you hit the waits maybe, or or you watch film with the coaches,
your coaches. Yeah, now they just give them a disc and go here you go, everything's here, or download it now on the iPad as you said, and it's all specific to your position. Back then, you just watched the high high eleven.
You know.
Now it's specifically the defensive backs. You can watch the receivers, the line. So yeah, it's it's so much easier now.
Yeah. Talking to Jeffikoro the UK Sports Network, he was there earlier today when Mark Stoops and the coordinators spoke to the fan. The annual kickoff luncheon. Another great crowd on hand. It seems like it's getting bigger every year. What about what bush ham Dan mentioned earlier today? Did anything he said jump out at you?
Yeah, yeah, I know a lot of people want this almost Tim Couch offense where Kentucky's gonna throw it fifty five times a game, you know. But the thing that I really liked is when he said, you know, seven years in a row, you've had a thousand yard rusher. Yep, and I'd like to see us run the ball thirty times a game. I thought that was a great number that he threw out there. And the thing that he's well, I think you've got to have ballot. I think it's
pretty much been proven. I mean, you look at those those years with Tim Kouch and Jared Lorenza. You had great offenses and you scored points, but the other team scored a lot more points a lot of the time. Right, you have to be balanced. You have to be able to control the line of scrimmage because if you control the line of scrimmage, then you can run it or pass it, and you can also control the clock. And
that's what Canuck he likes to do. Because there's so many high powered offenses you don't want to you don't want to get into when you play Georgia or in Alabama or a Texas. You don't want to get into a pinball machine game with them because you know they're going to be able to score forty and you hold them down. This year's team looks like it can. But I really like what Hampden said.
Well, and Stoops referred directly to number of plays and talked about, you know, offenses in the past that yeah, they work, but they didn't run enough plays and the clock was going down three two one. You know, people always talk about why didn't so and so get the ball? Why didn't you throw to your tight ends, Why didn't this running back get it? Well, if you're only running fifty five plays, yeah, and it could happen. Rich Brooks educated or tried to educate people, you recall back when
he was here. But to your point, thirty running plays now add thirty to thirty five passing plays, and you've controlled the football, haven't you. But if you're only gonna run thirty running plays in twenty pass plays, well, the other guys are getting the ball way too much, right.
Yeah.
If you're not gonna be at Tennessee Space or you know some of the other schools that run the hurry up where you're gonna get eighty to ninety offensive snaps of the game, that's just not going to happen. But to get in the sixties, I think that's a good number because if you run thirty and you throw thirty.
That's a really balanced offense. Now, there's gonna be games when you play some teams that maybe they're stouter up front, so you want to get the ball on the edges a little more, and you might throw it thirty five or forty times and only run it twenty five times. But to get close to that number I think is huge for them running the ball because look, you've got a great offensive line, and I think, great, we throw
that around too much. Let me tell you this. You've got an experienced offensive line and you've added a couple of key figures to give them depth. I don't know if they're great yet because I haven't seen them play together, but you've got some great depth there. You've got great depth of defensive line as well. So guys, so Dion Walker doesn't have to be out there sixty five seventy plays. If Dion Walker could go ninety to one hundred percent, and again, you're not going to go one hundred percent
every play, You're only going to play twenty plays. But if he can be in the ninety percent tyle eighty five to ninety percent for forty five or fifty plays, then you're going to be really, really well off on the defensive side of the ball.
One other thing to remember when we're totaling up plays, and this happened last year. When your defense scores or when your special team score, that gets your defense right back out on the field, obviously, and your offense doesn't get a chance to run more plays. So you're scoring points, but you're keeping your defense out there. But that's a good problem to have. We're going to talk more football with Jeffcorrol on the other side of the break. You're
listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider. More to come here on six thirty WLAP. Hey, it's Dick Gabriel and you're listening to the best of the Big Blue Inside talking with Jeff Picoro the UK Sports Network. He is the color analyst for a couple of decades now calling Kentucky football. And Jeff, you and I have worked, as well as Tom Leach and our crew, our producer engineers eight straight Bowl games. We have every reason to
think will work another one this year. The biggest question, and I'm sure in your role is color analysts as well as sports director Channel thirty six, how many games are they going to win. Yeah, yeah, I keep telling people. You and I talked about this down in Dallas. Chef was there for SEC media days. I firmly believe the calendar works against Kentucky as much this year as any I've seen, and that is to say, so many tough games up front where they used to be able to
kind of work into it. You know, on the other hand, if you can handle these challenges early, you're in great shape, right yeah.
You know with the one game that I point to says if Kentucky wins this game, they have a chance to win eight, nine, ten games, and that is Game two, thank you. That is a team that South Carolina that Kentucky is very similar to, but they've been able to have the upper hand until the last two years. Now South Carolina with Eli Drinkolitz, has really upped there recruiting.
But I still think that that's that's a game. And I always said in Mississippi State when they were always our other side as the West team, will be played that Kentucky played. But I really think that game. Look, you're gonna know what you got going into Old miss If you're three and one, then you got a great shot at Old miss. If you're two and two, okay,
you've probably lost the game. You shouldn't. If you're one in three, you know, now you better start battling down the hatches because you know, look, George is gonna be a tough game. It's here. You've got a boxer's chance, right, That's what you have to have the one. And let me go back to one thing that you said what excited here? What I take out of that? They've got
some quarterbacks that can run. Now, they've got two, probably their top two, and I don't know, bo is probably one A or one B or two whatever you want to call him. But look, you've got two quarterbacks that are over six three and over two hundred and twenty five pounds and they can scamper around a little bit. One has got what fifteen college games under his belt,
and one's got about fifteen backs under his belt. So it's going to be really interesting to see how that works out and how Bush tries to integrate the quarterbacks into the system or into the games. I should say, I'm.
With you on South Carolina, and I just don't firmly believe yet in the game Cocks. I mean, you look at last year's schedule. They handle the teams they should have handled well, but Tennessee spanked them, a Florida team that was not very good, frankly beat South Carolina. Florida team, Kentucky beat an m spanked them. Missouri, the team you just talked about, beat him handily. They crushed Vanderbilt, but Kentucky just laid an egg that night in November, yeah,
and lost. And then the following week South Carolina, full of itself, loses the Clemson you know, So yeah, I think that's that's that. And as you said, Missouri is just getting better. I believe much more Missouri than I do in South Carolina, you know.
Yeah. Oh yeah, Look, and I said it wrong because I was talking about South st and said, Eli drinko, wi is what you've done. Those are the two games that I always looked at. Oh yeah, but look, if you beat South Carolina and then even if you lose to Georgia, you're probably gonna be three and one right going into that contest. That's what I was trying to say. If you're two and two, so that means you've probably lost to South Carolina and Georgia and beaten the two
teams through supposed to be. Then that makes that Old Miss game almost and you know, if you don't win this basically you're looking at you know, then you start going, Okay, we may have a chance at the Liberty Bowl, you know, And I know that's early, but like you said, the way the schedule is, you've got to get out of the gate. You've got one game to learn this Hampden offense and really get it perfected. So you get to South Carolina.
Yeah, you know, and then after Old Miss you got Vandy. But two years ago, Kentucky goes to Old Miss and basically in a position to win the game, loses a last minute touchdown on a penalty. And yet Jeff we we talked about it during the pregame show. That was one of the greatest pregame atmospheres and not even talking about the Grove, but that got everybody ready. That stadium was literally rocking. And yet Kentucky fought back after a mediocre first half in an injury to Will Levison, came
back and damn near won the game. So yeah, it's a challenge, but you know, like you said, that would be a pivotal game as well.
And it's probably gonna be a national Philabelia.
Yeah.
I mean if there're three and one, or you know, if they're four and oh or three and one, that game is going to be at noon on ADC. That's right, So that is going to be an awesome game.
Could be so much is going to depend on who plays quarterback. And I've been told that the battle for the starting job is probably closer than we think. But earlier today I felt like bush Hampden was indicating that it was Brock's job to lose. Do you have that feeling?
Yeah? I do. I do. I think that here's the situation. Two, You've got really three guys in that room. Because bo Ally leaving and going to Charleton State and being able to start twelve games, yeah, and throw the way he did. You're not running the scout team. You're running a college team against really good teams. Charleston plays a tough schedule and he did really well. He looked different. He's a bigger, stronger kid. He still has the gun on his shoulder
if someone gets hurt. Before I was hoping Boe could get the job done, but by going out there and playing in twelve games, it changed his career. Projection. He could have gone to a probably one hundred different schools and started this year, but he wanted to come back to Kentucky because he knows this is where I want to make home. And I think he's he's look, nobody's happy being the backup, but in his mind, he'd rather be a backup here and get some playing time to
go somewhere else. And you got to hand it to a kid like that.
Yeah, no, I agree, and I did wonder about that, but yeah, he wanted to come back and compete with the job here, and he's much better equipped right now. I think you'll agree to compete. I think you you just said that basically than he was before he was here. If we wrap this up with Jeff Pikoro the UK Sports Network. You mentioned the defensive line and Dion Walker. I thought he did a great job down in Dallas. He was you know, with us the media scrum. He
was fun, he was kind of funny. I thought he was kind of more business like in the breakout rooms, you know what I mean. But I think he was trying to be more professional for lack of a better term, you know what. You know what I'm saying.
Yeah, Look, he's bigger, stronger, faster than he's ever been. Yeah, I'm not worried about him. He's he's going to play. I think there's one key to the defense, and especially if Hayes doesn't play because of the injury, then I think a lot of it has to do with t Shawn Silver. If this kid can can bill the promise that he has and the ability that he has inside
of him, can coach get that out of him? If he's able to go in there and play forty plays a game like he shown flashes of and practice and stuff, and again, it hits people at different times. We always talk about Andre Woodson. The first two years he was here, he was a deer in headlights, right, he was lost, and then all of a sudden his junior year, are like, who is this guy? And that's kind of what I helped because he's the biggest guy on the team almost.
I mean, Silver is huge and he's going to have to play a lot of snaps right over the center. And like I said, if he can show the five star ability that he had in high school, then this is going to be one heck of a defense.
Is Jeff Pecorrel. You can see him on WTVQ. You can also hear him on the UK radio network d It's coming up fast as the Wildcasts begin to open their football season. And follow Jeff on Twitter or ex at Jeff Pecorol.
Thank you sir, all right, buddy, have a great one sitting to.
The best of the Big Blue Insider. More to come here on six thirty WLAP. It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to the best of the Big Blue Insider. Joining us now is a man who is familiar to these airways, familiar to this show here in lection in his first job was producing the Big blueon Sider, among other things at the radio station. And now Billy Rud Did you hear him every morning with Shannon the Dude just after the Tom Leach The Leach Report at nine am. Billy, welcome back to the show.
Yeah, great to be on, Dick. I missed those days. Yeah, we'll never forget them for sure.
And of course Billy comes up with Aaron gersha on Monday nights after coaching shows. But the reason I reached out and Billy and I communicate all the time, but I stumbled across an entertaining entry on YouTube where what Is it Bogies with Billy? Is that the right name?
Yeah, that's right.
Okay, how in the world did this come up?
Well, Dick, I'm sure you have the same problem as I do with a lack of content in the summer, and with comes the summer as good weather, so I'm able to out go play a little golf, and I decided to film a couple of my swings and that turned into me filming a couple holes, and I posted online the other day Bogie's with Billy, and I felt like it was a relatable title because I ended up doubling the first two holes that I posted online, So
you know, I don't know. It just gives me a chance to go to different golf courses and give an excuse to my significant other that I have to go play golf maybe once or twice a week. But I'm glad you enjoyed it and looking forward to doing a couple more here in the future.
Now you also have the technology of illustrating the arc of your shot. I assume that's an app you can buy or how did that work?
Yeah, it was a shot tracer app. I just filmed it with my phone, and the one that works does cost like six scholars or something like that. So I ended up buying that, and I had a free editing software on iPhone called cap cut, and it just took maybe about an hour hour and a half to cut all the stuff together. And luckily I didn't completely embarrass myself with doubling the last hole as well, I did
get a par. But you know what, it's a little bit different when the camera's on you, Dick, You know what I mean, It's a little bit added pressure when you see everybody who's going to be watching. But you know what, hopefully my golf game can improve with this, and maybe that'll lead to a sponsorship one day, because how great would it be if you could play golf and actually get paid to do it.
That's my next question was going to be about sponsorship. But do you have to improve your game to the point where it's Birdie's with Billy? Do you think to attract a sponsor or do you think someone will, in the spirit with which it's intended, have fun with it.
I honestly think that it'd be more relatable with Bogy's with Billy. You know, when I see somebody trying to break you know, seventy and a golf video. I kind of roll my eyes and think I'll never be that guy. But when I see somebody, you know, double in the first two holes and having to take three drops in a matter of three holes, it's kind of like, hey, that's me. Credit to this guy for actually filming that and putting it out there. So, you know, I don't
know if I'll ever get that good. So that may be one of the problems. But you know, Bogeys with Billy hopefully here to say if I can, if I can keep up with it. And here's the thing. It takes a little bit longer to film your shot, and if there's somebody behind you, which there was the last time I filmed, you know, you just have to apologize and say, yeah, I'm so sorry because I have become that person that is slowing up play a little bit.
But see, eventually, if this thing really catches on, they'll either recognize you, Hey, that's the Bogeys with Billy guy, or you can tell them, you know, ever heard of Bogeys with Billy? So I think there's a bright future there. But yeah, you're you're talking about people watching. I mean, when I see those tournaments and somebody's on a tee, usually the first tee with patrons lined all the way down the first part of the fairway. I couldn't even begin to draw a club head back, much less put
for big money. So yeah, just a few people watching. What unnerved me. We're talking with Billy Rutledge. You hear him every morning billying the dude at nine am on this station and with us Monday night on the Big Blue Side. I want us to state wide show. But we've been talking about bogies with Billy on YouTube. I urge you to check that out. Otherwise, mister Rutledge, what did you think of where? And again our argument will
go on forever more. But the two top subs for Kentucky going into top ten.
Well, you know, really happy for these guys. I mean, Read with somebody that didn't even know if he was going to get playing time it was going to be is Richie going to play? Is Read going to play? Is how we started the season last year, and the kid became the first college basketball player to get drafted after those French guys went. So I'm really proud for him. It was great to see Jeff in state. He's there
in the spotlight. I mean, he deserves it, and I think he has a bright future with the Rockets or whatever team he goes to. But the real fun of the night was Rob Dellingham going to the Spurs, which I thought was a perfect landing spot with Gwin Binyama and how well they've developed talent there, but then immediately getting traded to the Timberwolves, a contender he can team up with Karl, Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. I mean, they've just beat the Nuggets and we're in the Western
Conference Finals. So I definitely think it's a different expectation for Rob early in his career. If he were with the Spurs, I think maybe people would give him a pass for a year or two as he develops his game, specifically defensively. But now going to Minnesota, I feel like he is going to be an impact player immediately and
I think expectations will be high for him. So I absolutely love seeing those two guys go in the top ten of the draft, along with two Yukon players that went in the top ten, as they've become one of the biggest blue bloods now But I saw that when Antonio Reeves got drafted in the second round just the other night that it was the fiftieth player drafted under
John Caliparia. And I feel like this draft is kind of the end of an era, the closing of the book of cal with Kentucky a bit to a degree, I think there was no doubt he should have been there for his guys to support them. But now it's a full steam ahead with Mark Pope and this new roster, and honestly, I couldn't be more excited. I think we've all bought into the Mark Pope pipe now.
No, I agree fully. And one other note, I'm Dillingham. I didn't realize God time flies. Michael Conley, the point guard for the Wolves, he's thirty six and he's got obviously contract issues when you're playing that long. So now they can groom Dillingham first as perhaps the sixth man, which would be perfect. He was the sixth man of the year at Kentucky in the SEC and then eventually take over feeding the post to a guy named Karl
Anthony Town so that would be awesome. But yeah, to your point about Mark Pope, he had the news conference there today. I'm sure you heard a lot of that and the reason was there wasn't anything particularly going on, but they have been crushed with media requests. I don't know if he's been on your show yet. I finally got him on mine, but and he has said he will come to the garage at some point. But I think it's fascinating, Billy, just the things he has sent.
I mean, quoting one of his English professors at the news conference. You know, the guy actually answers questions, unlike his predecessor, who answers but not necessarily the question you asked. You know what I mean. And you've produced this is Radio Coaches show. You know exactly what I'm talking about.
Oh, I know very well about Tom Leech asking one question in each segment and Cal being able to take it.
It is.
I've heard people call it a breath of fresh air with Mark Pope, and it is. I mean, it was just time and sometimes you linking it to a relationship. Sometimes you just get tired with what you have, and Mark Pope has been everything and more so far even bribe the media with cookies, Dick. I don't know if you if you got any of those cookies the other day, but that's all. That's all off to a good start.
You know, he's you know, he's saying the right things, and you know it's exciting to hear about the guys picking up the lingo and the team bonding and chemistry
that's starting to take shape. You know, I actually heard a recorded interview with Cody Feger, the assistant coach with Tom Leach this morning, and they were likening their their three point attack offense to how Mummy's air raid attack back at Kentucky back in the day, and how it's not not a ton of like different plays, it's kind of the same concepts, and then you are forcing teams to make mistakes and you're able to beat them by
knowing your system in and out. I thought that was very interesting way to put it, because that was the two BYU team last year that shot more threes in Alabama averaged two more game than the team that we've come to know as revolutionizing basketball with threes and layups approach and no mid range. So, you know, I think we've been screaming for this type of change for a
while in Big Blue Nation. Instead of a massing talent and having log jams in certain positions, now you're picking players that fit your system and how they can compliment the team. And Mark Pope has put together a roster of guys that are going to compete for playing time, not just you know, people waiting for their chance at another school or when somebody moves on.
I mean that.
I think that's a testament to recruiting in the transfer portal age, that you can get so many guys to buy in to try to fight for minute.
You know. To me, the biggest question is and I asked him this and he was asked this again the other day gave a similar answer, and this goes back really to the documentary that we did on the ninety six team. They told us, they told Cameron Mills and me that the player said. Our question was, how is Rick Patino going to do this? They had so many players on that roster, nine of them ended up in the NBA, so much talent. How's he going to do this?
And that's been my question. It's a little bit of a different situation, of course, but how's Mark Pope first of all going to put this team together? Secondly decide who's star two gets what minutes that kind of thing, And he said the aff will help decide that the players will decide that, because to me, that's the biggest mystery going into this. You know, tell me a starting five. I think you asked five people, you get five different answers.
You know, yes, and you know, you know, despite all the guys fighting for this playing time, he does have some guys with experience. You know, I think of Wilmont Butler, who hit that shot to send San Diego State to the championship game, a buzzer beater, that he has more Final Four experience than anybody that's come through Kentucky in the last decades. I was like, it's amazing that we're even saying that when Cal went to four final fours
and five years at one point. Yeah, you know, I think there's some exciting additions like Amari Williams, who was his defensive Player of the Year in his conference. Andrew Carr is a guy that I think has a ton of the potential to be a shooting big and just his style of offense I think creates a lot of optimism.
So you know, I had camera Mills on me when I was hosting Luis Support the other day, and he, you know, he was he was so positive about that and rightly so, I mean, he was part of that era. But at the same time, I think there is actually, you know, this optimism that wasn't there if we had to go through another summer with count would you agree with that?
Yes, I would, And it doesn't surprise me. With Cameron, they were not only teammates, they were roommates at one point. So when this was all coming down and I was communicating with Cameron, he was so excited. So yeah, he thinks the world of Marp Pope. A couple of minutes left with Billy rut that did you hear him every morning Billy and a dude at nine am? Following the Leech report?
And we talked earlier about Bogie's with Billy, but now he shifted, of course, over to Kentucky basketball and football meetings are coming up. I've not had a chance. I've asked a lot of people, but I've not had a chance to ask you, what do you think it's going to be like for Mark Stoops when he goes down to the heart of Texas and the Texas media jump on him and say, Hey, what about this A and M story? You know what I mean? And I'm not talking baseball?
Oh oh, yes, it took me a second to remember that there was a courting that happened in the offseason where it looked like Stoops might have been the new Texas A and M coach. You know, a little awkward, but also I think expected in this day and age. But at the same time, you know, Kentucky will be traveling down to Texas this year in a really cool environment. You know, I think big Blue Nation fans that have a really cool opportunity as they welcome Texas and Oklahoma.
To the league.
But yeah, I mean Mark Stewke's now the longest tenured head coach in the SEC after Nick Saban retires. I think the media days should be a little interesting. In the past, we've seen stups get a little feisty with a Eli Drinkowitz or a Shane Beemer. But let's be honesty. This is a really tough schedule this year. I mean South Carolina early is a game that I think you have forgot to take advantage of. It's going to be harder and harder to get to those nine ten win
seasons now that you're adding Texas and Oklahoma in. And then you throw into the fact that the Louisville game might be canceled in years to come if they would go to nine conference games. You know, as we go to twelve the twelve playoff teams. Now we have a college football playoff, you know, you could say there's more opportunity for the Cats to make it, and maybe they would have made it one of those ten win years
in the past if it was twelve teams. But I think it's going to be a lot harder for Mark Stoops to get to that mark. And probably one of the biggest question marks is the defensive wide. I know we've got Dean Walker, but the depth there is not where I think it needs to be. And if you're going to survive a whole season in the SEC, you know, the hog ballis are a big part of that. And as the big Blue wall goes, Kentucky goes. But that
defensive line has got to hold up. And Dean Walker, while he is a first round talent, and you know, he can't do it all by himself, so there are some question marks. I did see a photo of Brock Vandergriff with a cell phone cliff On earlier this summer, and that kind of reassured me that he's the man for the job, as simple as that may be. But you know, I'm always excited for another Kentucky football season.
And Mark Stoops surrounds himself with such great talent and a great coaching staff that can recruit, and I think that's a big part of why he's been so successful for all these years.
Is Billy. Let's follow him on Twitter or x at Billy r Sports, and of course find him on YouTube. Now Bogie's with Billy if you want to either check on Billy's game, make yourself feel good about your game, or learn a few things. Is there any how to stuff Billy or is it just you illustrating your problems.
No, I think it's just a chance for you to laugh at my golf game, and I usually have a guest with it. You know, Bryson d. Chambeau quickly here. You know, he changed his entire image and I think a big part of that his move to YouTube and talking to the fans, and so, you know, maybe this is part of my rehabilitation with maybe some people.
Up And it's ironic because you have never been a Bryson de Shambeau fan, But that's the time, I know, another night. I know. Thank you brother, see you soon.
Enjoyed, Dick, thank you for.
Listening to the best of the Big Blue Insider. More to come here on six thirty w LAP It's Dick Gabriel. Welcome back to the Best of the Big Blue Insider. Angel Hernandez is retiring. One of the if not the worst umpire in Major League Baseball is hanging it up right now. He has caught so much criticism, and rightfully so. And let me say, I am an advocate for sports officials.
I've done it. I did it when I was young, when I was a teenager, I did it for ten years, from everything from peewee to adultly my brother for almost fifty years has been a sports official, primarily an umpire, and so I'm very sympathetic. But this guy's terrible. And that's the problem is he didn't seem to care, because if he did, he would have worked to improve. And if you and I can see video showing just how
bad his calls have been, so can he. He should have been sitting down and maybe calling on a supervisor and saying, how can I get better? Why am I missing these pitches that are anywhere from three to eight inches off the plate, or there's video on X this morning of a fastball that came right down the middle about thigh high on a hitter and that became ball four. So he's screwing over both the hitters and the pitchers, but more often the hitters. It was staggering how bad
his calls were. Now. They tried to move against him to Major League Baseball at some point, but they knew they really couldn't because he sued in twenty seventeen for racial discrimination. He's a Cuban American and they claimed he had been He claimed he had been passed over for World Series assignments and a crew chief position because of his race. And it's easy to prove. I can't say for certain because I'm not in the room, but I
got to think it's easy to prove. And he lost that case by it was dismissed, and an appeals court upheld the dismissal. You can show him video, here's why you're terrible. But the union is so strong, The umpire's union is so strong that it's almost impossible to fire somebody for incompetence. And their claim has always been no matter how bad a World Series umpire is well, if he's a major league umpire, he's one of the best
in the world. Well, in theory, yes, but sometimes guys either get worse or they shouldn't have been there to begin with. I don't know which was the case for Angel Hernandez. But if it weren't for the fact that he was a threat to the livelihood of so many players, it would be funny how bad he is. But it wasn't funny. And now he immediately has retired, hadn't worked the game behind the plates since May nine, thankfully, and says,
of course he's going to spend more time with his family. Well, good, I hope you do. Wow, how did the wildcatch rate right now? Do you care? Well, a lot of people do. That's why he's way too soon. Top twenty five's are out, and of course, with DJ Wagner over the weekend committing to Arkansas, that helps the Razorbacks. We took a look at the CBS Sports Top twenty five. Gary Parrish, well respected writer talking about Arkansas, Caliperry Wagner and the Top
twenty five. Arkansas made the biggest move after adding Wagner. Arkansas jumped seven spots to sixteenth, Marquette fell out of the top spot, which now belongs to Kansas. That's because they get three to their top six scorers back, including Hunter Dickinson. Houston gets eight of its top ten scorers back their second, North Carolina five of their top eight scorers back third. Now, where's Kentucky, Well, not in there obviously, But what do you know about Kentucky really in terms
of how they're gonna play this year? Nothing? You know, they're gonna have good players. How's Mark Pope gonna use them? We don't know. But they are not going to appear until I would think they play a game. They won't be in the top twenty five anywhere. I wouldn't think till they play a game. Unless somebody decides to take a flyer on them. It's too soon, but that's the way the top twenty five looks to Gary Parrish. That'll do it for now. Thanks for joining us for this
special edition the best of the Big Blue Insider. That's it. Good night from the garage in Lexington.