2024-09-04- BBI

Uh.

Oh, guess what day it is?

Guess what day it is?

Huh anybody, It's hump Day. Yeah, it's hump Day. It is Wednesday. Dick Gabriel with you on an edition of the Big Blue Insider unlike any other, because for the second day in a row, we're gonna have somebody live on tape here in the garage with us. Our West End bureau chief Gary Moore, who usually visits with us

I was very pleased with the ability to run the ball, you know, when we needed to, and certainly on the explosive plays.

It always starts with.

Those guys up front, and so the ability for them to hold up in protection gave us time to throw the ball down the field, and I thought that was impressives.

I would think the Big Blue Nation would agree with them, because just about everything went right after that opening drive for the Wildcats, including spreading the ball around. Yeah, there were big plays by barryon Brown and Dane Key, as you might expect. But so we got to see Fred Ferrier. Everybody was talking him up in summer camps from Mark Stoops on down, including his teammates. Fred Ferrier just, you know, nothing spectacular yet, but he can play. He showed that.

They got a really good D line and they got some taller, longer dv So we just got to play up to our level.

Man.

We know that they get their good team and they beat us the past couple years, but we know that we're a better team.

Man.

We just got to go out there shower. He's right. The South Carolina defense, really the team begins with the D line, and you know what, so does Kentucky's I think we all saw that. We knew that going in, but I thought Kentucky's D line set the tone on Saturday night. Somebody's got to set the tone and they did that. So it's going to be fun. We'll have the game for you right here. Speaking of fun, I'm sure a lot of you watched the LSU Southern col game on Sunday night. I did you know growing up,

I can't believe I'm actually this is your garage here.

This is well, look to your left, that's my car.

This is the garage.

This is really really awesome, actually it is. And again this is very cool.

I should have told you to bring you laundry because the washer dryer they're behind me.

I don't have to get up.

This is the same seat that Rex Chaplin has set it and some very famous human beings.

Tom Leach said, yes, yeah.

I'm honored. I'm very honored.

He had Jojo Camp early in the week ran wild over South Carolina. That's right, yeah, ten years ago. And he'll be opening our broadcast on Saturdays. So yeah, more and more people are dropping by. We're glad to have him. But Gary will be along and hour number two as well for two Guys in a six Pack. But I wanted to basically reach just because people ask me about you. They're like, he's your what now you're well, I said, well, he used to be my West Coast Bureau chief back

In It was, I believe late August nineteen eighty.

Wow.

So we go back forty four years and in fact, even before I was coming up here in the fall of seventy nine, forty five years ago, when I was a senior at Western and I was dating a young leag here at UK and uh living over in the Greg Page apartments. I read there behind Commonwealth Stadium, right, Yeah, they're fairly newer. I mean it just opened back then, and I was coming up here then, listening to Kay, listening to you guys on VLK. Of course you're listening

I was.

Leonard was still around for those pre games, but all that stuff, and I didn't even think that a year later I'd be, you know, working here. It was such a big deal for this, you know, small minded, you know, I got to I grew up in Murray, so my mind is kind of like this.

Big people in Murray, I forget.

Well, now there's probably in the city about twenty thousand, probably in the counties probably up to fifty is something like that with the university. But when I was there growing up, it was about maybe ten twelve thousand, you know.

Land grand institutionswells.

The numbers of the Murray Murray State was about it was never got more than six seven thousand enrollment. And then you know, once they cracked the eight thousand barrier, it's like whoa big time Now look out UK.

So you come to town. You were writing commercials, is that recalled?

I was writing commercials, doing a I think one weekend show, DJ show, music show on Sundays. So I was doing like Sunday through through Friday. Yeah, and Ken K Towers.

And you guys continuities what it's called. Your office was right next to the newsroom, so we bumped into each.

Other all the time, exactly.

And you quickly let it know. And you were a big sports fan.

And you quickly let it know that you were a black belt, I believe at the time, and of course that I would do one of these and I'm like ha, And all you did was like kind of look at me like, don't even go there, grabbed my hand and did some sort of crawl maga thing or whatever, what do you call it? And I think I still I never was able to write properly after that.

Yeah, right, but.

Yeah, that was that was great.

I was here for about six months, then went to Louisville, and then was in Louisville for about four years and then went out to LA.

Well.

I remember we stayed in touch a little bit when you were in Louisville, and like I said, though, the next thing I know, or like you said, you're moving out to LA And somehow we reconnected out there because when I went out to visit my close friend Harry Miller, I visited you as well. Yeah, and you took me through the radio station, which was in the same building as Channel two the CBS.

Right, yeah, yeah, that's right I was at. I was at the station at the time was KCBSFM became Arrow ninety three.

All stations did you work for out there?

Well, I started a KFI, which was the big one hundred thousand blowtorch am station out there, and that's why I started getting all the Yeah, it was a clear channel station like a whas or something like that, they're fifty are they Okay? This was like we would get calls from people in Chicago something. One time I got a tape of myself from a guy in Norway because the signal has skipped, yeah, on the other side of the planet and geez it was a main yeah throughout

Yeah, exactly about the time TV was coming along, and people would gather around the radio.

And they had a recording studio in there too, So the Birds, Buffalo, Springfield, Simon and Garfunkle Beach Boys, a lot of other people recorded down there in that studio area, and then they brought in the TV station. Well, I think the TV stations already in there by the time the music stuff was going on. But then above us was at AM K and x A M. And then the FM station where we were were on I think like the fourth floor. And then I got to do

Well, it would amaze me. I guess this is not a reflection on you or your ability. I guess it is. But you kept telling me, like you'd write me a letter or whatever about format changes, and you survived so many of them. Yeah, people came and went in that industry, and yet you always landed on your feet.

I don't know how.

I mean, I tried to get along with everybody at the time. And then I went over to KOs which was the last time when you've really started doing a lot of this, and I was there for twenty two years. Wow, And I went through I don't know, like six seven program directors general managers.

And that's what gets me. All the different pds who all have a better idea, you know, but none of them said, let's get rid of this guy. But as I've explained to people, you were the West Coast Beards because you and I when we kept in touch, we kept talking about, man, it would be great to do something together. Yeah, and even though you were on the other side of the country, once technology caught up with us,

It was two thousand, summer, two thousand and seven, that was the All Star game. Yeah, so I got to call it Dick again, you're aware I need to call Dick rub it in here because I'm sitting here with all the Cardinals because you know, that was two thousand and six they won the World Series. So that Larusa and all those guys. The next year, whoever wins the World Series in October the next year, that manager gets the Well, some guys think that it's it's it's an honor.

That was very fun. Yeah, that was a lot of fun.

That was.

And I'd been there before for the two thousand and two World Series, so that's a great, great stadium. They put the press people or US press people, way up on the highest level, up on the top, but at San Francisco, that's kind of where you'd like to be because then you've got the panoramic view of the entire bay, of the the Bay Bridge and all that stuff, the you know, the San Francisco Bay and all that Oakland's over there, and you can just see the ship's going like, oh,

I used to introduce you, Maybe I still should as someone with all of this on your resume, And I've explained to people that you were, for lack of a better term, a rock and roll DJ. Yeah, Yellow West, but you could get media credentials to just about anything because nobody else at the station cared right.

That's true, and it was happened by accident. When I first came here. I left Louisville in eighty five, and by the summer of eighty six, I was working for KFI, the big am station there, and our sports guy Chris Roberts, who would go on to be the play by play guy for UCLA basketball and football for several years. He was doing sports, but he didn't have any sound. I goes, do you do you not get any you know, any interviews with yeah, any soundbites from any of the players.

He was always at the station.

He was always at the station, and I guess he had family stuff going on. He couldn't get out there all the time. So he says, look, I'll give you tape recorder. Here's here's the taper, here's a press pass, and you put this in Tommy las Shorta's face and you ask him questions. You don't be afraid because you're You've got as much right there as all these other guys. And you go out there and you go get them. Boy, okay talk.

Sure.

So many times Tommy Lasorda was holding court. I wish I could tell you some of those stories. Most of them involved profanity and some rather blue humor off the air.

I'll tell you so.

But uh, that was that was incredible. That was the you know, after that whole eighty five series where they you know, getn't pitched it to a Jack Clark the following summer from that, so that's when it all started. And then I just I just kept going getting Lakers media credentials and so cool all that stuff, and then transferred that onto the other stations.

Yeah, oh man. Uh And like I said, uh, he's got roots here in Kentucky. We would make excuses to have him on from it, but it was you know, national stuff. We would just right like we do now. Yeah, we're two guys in a six pack. But it's been fun and Gary's been a regular part of our show. And because it's Wednesday, we talked with Gary middle of the week. We look at what happened over the weekend, we set up the upcoming weekend, and we're gonna do

Till right as they were calling it? So I was there back and forth. Yeah, yeah, I was going back and forth with that I had to do. And again I was staying up late last night watching the Vidgers. This is like a regular thing with me. Whoever's I've just but I had to see what's.

Going on with that. I wanted to find out, you know.

But with the rain delays, you could step out for twenty or thirty minutes, check another game.

Colet's do it.

Yeah, all right, coming up in just a few minutes, John Hale of the Herald Leader, we'll talk Entucky Football Hour number two, Sean Woods and Gary rejoins US Live and the Color from the Garage on six thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blu Insider And as promised, mister John Hale from the Herald Leader. Who I guess, John, are your shoes dry? Finally? I mean if you if you finished your ringing out anything that got soaked on. Are we able to avoid all that on Saturday?

Yeah?

I was actually able to avoid It was weird timing because I got there my normal two hours or whatever before the game, and the weather looked fine, and I saw people standing outside the stadium and just stop. They had to open the gate hit.

It wasn't until I got.

To the press box that I realized they were holding the opening for lightning. And then I was in the press box until it was over. By the time I left it, you know, one or whatever it was, it was drizzling a little bit, but I had a number one major to the car without any issue.

So I got lucky that way.

That's a veteran right there. Well, you've had a chance to talk to Mark Stoop. Some of the players and coaches already had practice this week. What was your take. Were you surprised other than the weather by anything, or did it unfold the way you thought it would.

Yeah, I thought it was pretty predictable. I think the most interesting part is, of course Rock vandergriff and he looked fine. He looked I think he looked impressive in certain ways, but you could tell there was some I think first start jitters out there. Some of the those hits he was taking, I think was probably for eagerness to go out and make a statement in his first game. He basically admitted that after the game. How he manages

I'll tell you what surprised me is the amount of running by Vandergrid. Not that he ran, not that he was good at it, but it was clear that that ham Dan dialed up the quarterback run game. He needs to see, of course, what he's got against, you know, live ammunition. But I was surprised they did it so much that they showed a too South Carolina and then, yeah, this kid's got to learn to slide, doesn't he.

Yeah.

I mean we know that a lot of us had that same issue at times, and he made it through his old first season, but really playing that way without issues. But then we know what happened in the second season, and in fairness, to Will, I don't think the hits that really did him in weren't necessarily him running as much as him just not.

Getting protected very well.

Yeah, it's always a risky endeavor with your quarterback and talking offensive players after practice on Tuesday, basically everyone was like, yeah, I really jazzed us up, but we went to him on the sidelines slide, we need you out there, and

For sure, I think if they had won the first four minutes the way Stoops loves to and that third quarter, I think we might have seen whim set even sooner than the fourth period, just because USM was just so overmatched. But you're right, should have had a touchdown on the drop pick six. A reminder that often dbacks are converted wide receivers because they're not great at hanging on to the football. But I wonder John was that it had

Yeah, that's something that I think you're always worried about with the first time starter who just doesn't have that many game reps. Like that's just something with experience that he's going to work through. And I do think it was good that it was clearly part of the game plan to spread the ball around a lot. I think like eight different offensive players got touches either with runs or passes. And so when you're able to do that and get so many different guys involved, maybe just scheme wise,

I had a comment earlier in the show from Brush Hampden from yesterday's news conference where you were about the old line, he was pleased. What did you see out of the offensive line, because you get a better look at it than I do from upstairs.

Yeah, I mean, I thought it was noteworthy that so many of the productive runs that they averaged over seven yards of carry. It wasn't like guys were running through tackles like we saw in the Benis and Nol Chris Rudder, because there were just holes there. That one drive in the second quarter where Jason Patterson, the running back, the freshman was out there, they got twelve yards, eleven yards and I don't think he really got touched until the you know, the until he got brought down. And so

Yeah, and vander Griff missed a big throw because of a little bit of pressure early. I don't know if you remember he was he stepped up in the pocket, had somebody draped on the bottom of his legs and had to throw little Tuesday and as somebody opened out on the left sideline and just barely overthrew them. And that one, even though it was incomplete, that really impressed me. It reminded me a little bit of Levis, you know, with contact, he's still able to put some juice on the ball.

Yeah, there were a couple of those. I mean I remember one specifically where he kind of rolled out to his right and then threw it back across his body down the field. It was the past that Barry un Brown dropped right before one that ye been the pick six like and and Brown should have caught that. Maybe it was wet or whatever in the rain, but that was a really impressive throw in terms of just on the move and seeing an open guy down the field, across the field and being able to get it there.

Well, speaking of Patterson, you somebody that Mark Steubs brought up more than once pre season, brought him up after the game as well, but you wrote about him, you wrote about the fact that he showed he's got some things that might make you think about Benny Snell.

Right, Yeah, he wears twenty six. That's the first number that pops to mind. And you're going to see the twenty six out there in the backfield. And it's been a while. I mean, Ramon Jefferson more it last year, but obvious then of two years, it was year there was another freshman retro Church freshman running back whould never actually played each transferred who wore it since Benny left.

I looked it up back in the day, and I think I'm right. Benny Snell's very first game, for all the great numbers he put up, you probably know this, his very first game is only stat was an assisted tackle on a kickoff return or something like that. It's just nuts what he produced eventually, and I'd love to see where Patterson goes. We'll talk more football with John Hale of the Herald Leader in just a moment here on the Big Boon Sider six thirty WLAP Welcome back.

It did surprise me as much as they did it, because, I mean, it makes sense to try and get very on the ball in space, but like the actual run, I mean, because we've seen that pitch ahead and plays you're talking about before with him, but they actually hand it off to him as a rush. I was surprised they went to it that early and then go to it over and over again. It makes you think that there's gotten to be something off that play they're setting

Know, it's interesting when you think about the respective coaching staffs preparing for this upcoming game, South Carolina versus Kentucky. The Carolina coaches only have two quarters plus five minutes of Kentucky video to study You can go back and look at Bush Hampden's work at Boise State, at Missouri

Yeah?

I think so definitely. I mean, I'm not sure how much more how many more wrinkles that Kentucky would have put a film in the second half? Right, they played it out anyway because the score was the way it was. But I asked Busham of that after Tuesday's practice, Blake, is there some advantage that you didn't have to put some more on film. It's a balance because yes, there are some wrinkles that they didn't show that maybe will

And you don't get to work on those plays, the whims, that package or whatever in a live game situation. So yeah, he's right, there's a better and a better kind of thing. Speaking of the South Carolina defense, I don't know if you had a chance to watch much of that, but not unlike Kentucky, John the d line kind of sets the way for South Carolina. That's going to be interesting.

Yeah, they've got two really really good ed rushers, including a five star freshman who in his debut looked every part of you know, his recruiting hype, and then a veteran guy too, And so it's going to be a much more difficult test for this offensive line, like we talked a little earlier, but also for broadman Griff he's got to figure out how much of that freelancing he was able to do in the opener and keep plays alive and find guys downfield, how much of that he

Based on the open.

South Carolina ran for one hundred and seventy four I think forty something yards was on one play for the game only gained two hundred and eighty eight yards. But a dangerous quarterback and Leonora sellars in terms of his ability to extend plays with his feet. I don't know what kind of army has. He didn't have impressive throwing numbers, but through the years, we've seen dual threat quarterbacks come in here in wreak havoc, haven't we.

Yeah.

I mean they're trouble for everybody. That's why Vandergriff part of the reason he was so effect But I do think it helps Kentucky's defense that for now a month of camp they've been going against Vandergriff and Gavin Winbson, who's a similar quarterback, and as they're running first and maybe not a great passer, So they've seen that a lot more than they did a year ago. When you're going against Devin Leary and practice every day, who's basically a statue back there. So like that part of it

South Carolina wins it last year when Kentucky played maybe it's worst game of the year all things considered, down in Colombia. Do you think there's much hangover from a game like that.

I don't think so, just because the rosters change over so much now. I mean, there's so many new transfers on this team and are playing big roles that weren't here last year. They don't experience. Yeah, but it's definitely

Even more important now with division's being gone.

Right, Yeah, absolutely, I mean because you know that you know at Georgia that's going to be really difficult. You're all your road games are hard. In Florida, we know didn't look good Week one, but that's still you got to play at the Swamp and they're going to be desperate.

I can't remember in my lifetime, are yours when Florida and Florida State were so mediocre when it came to college football. I'm sure research could dig up at least one year like that. But it's a strange time we're living in John But I'm just happy to be here. John Hale of the herold Leader. Follow him at Kentucky dot com and on Twitter or x at John Hale, j O, n h el E Underscore HL. John, thank you, we will see you at the stadium.

Thanks for having me.

Got to do it for hour number one coming up an hour number two. Sean Woods, the Unforgettable Guard as he joined us each and every Wednesday, and a return right here live Vincolor on tape in the Garage Westen bulanchie Gary Moore, that's next on the Big Bouin Sider six point thirty wlap welcome back to the Big Bluin Cider and joining us as he does each and every Wednesday,

The football game. Yeah, yeah, I didn't go to the game.

But I'll check it out though.

You know I did stick it out. And I'll tell you what, man, you Cathletics is so exciting now, was so colorful. You know, I never imagine me going to four baseball games this year, and I had a great time.

You like that tailgating, don't you.

I love it.

You know, I was in the HPCU sector, so that tailgate is a little different, but it's pretty good. But I just I just missed, you know, Kentucky and and being.

Out there at all the Kentucky fans and people hadn't seen it a long time, just hanging out having a good time.

You have not changed much in terms of what you look like since you played ball. How often do you get recognized all the time?

You know, you think you're coming in there with a hat on in this grocery store or whatever and somebody don't recognize you.

Uh.

My wife was just talking about that not too long ago, about you know, people just still know who you are and you had this to be and it is because these people here in at Kentucky. That's what I was telling the TBT guys. They don't forget, you know, they they know you can walk in in a place and you could be great, such and such man, that's such and such right there, man he used to be you know, they're telling their son or whatever and so looking like a whole.

Guy in play for UK.

Yes he did.

Uh, just tell him to turn on the turn on YouTube and you can. That's what's so great about your generation is almost everything is preserved, isn't it.

Yes, it is. And uh, I think just people our age just really did a good job of taking care of themselves. And you know if he is the new thirty so you know, it's just you know, people still working out. You know, I don't know nobody, especially in my group, that doesn't look good. I mean, Richie Farmer looks fabulous, like you can still play. You know, house

Of course, when it came to Fisher here, Richie looked like he was twenty five when he was in the eighth grade, so that was a head start for everybody. I remember the first time I saw him playing for a Clay County. How old are these guys? A lot of them looked that way. But yeah, it's interesting that there's just so much more info out there now about health and nutrition and exercise, and you know it's on you if you don't get it done right.

Exactly, you know. And me being an athlete, my body tells me it's time to get up.

You know.

I can't lay in to bed, I can't live around. I got to do a walk run up every day.

You know.

I haven't been to hot yoga in about three months when I'm about ready to start back. But uh, you know, my my body is my sanctuary, and I just like you know, waking up feelings. There's a lot of people I know that having some problems with this and that, you know, diabetes and yeah, conjecting our failure and you know, we lost a lot of friends during COVID, so you know, and it's for you know, underlying conditions, so you know what I mean. I just want to make sure that

Well as someone who's typed you diabetic, who's head open heart surgery, as you know, I can tell you that you can you can fight it, and you meet you still it's an uphill battle, but I'm glad to hear that. I'm glad to hear that you get up and out Sean Woods. It didn't surprise me that Sean Woods were having a conversation as usual every Wednesday with the Unforgettable Guard before I shift you over to basketball the NFL

Well, yeah, but here's the deal, though, you know, you got to go when you're hot, no matter.

If you're ready or not. And you know, if the pros a call and they're saying that that.

You're ready and you're a a number three draft pick, you can't get any higher that, what do you you know what I mean? And so you just got to you know, praying and really lean on your development once you get there. But you can't turn down that type of that type of money because at the end of the day, life is a business and you try to maximize it, maximize it, especially financially, as much as you can.

Yeah, yeah, so right.

You know they're trying to get to the money as quick as possible.

And you know, now you have to go to school for at least one year, so you know they want to they'll do that and then they're out of there. But you know, it's just a lot of people you know, train and ever since you know, eight nine, ten years.

Old to be a pro, not to be in college.

And you know, once you get an opportunity to do that, you know they take full advantage of it.

You make a good point because if you stay in school a year, that's a year of earning power that you that you pass up in the professional ranks. But on the other hand, if you go early, you might not get to a second or third contract, which is where the huge money is. So it is a gamble. I get that. But the other thing to remember, I keep reminding myself Sean, it's not are you ready to go? Are you ready to play in the NFL or the NBA?

You know?

And I think that and that's where the interpersonal communication comes, right. You got to talk to these franchises and make them convince you that they're not going to give up.

On you exactly. You know, allah Ree Shepherd, you know, you know he's a third ticking in the NBA draft. Yeah he's ready. I doubt it, but you know he had to go. You can't turn down that type of money and that type of opportunity. And he loved college.

You know, he wanted to be a UK not just a you know, student athlete, but just a student and enjoy the life of.

Being they could and going to the UK, and it was just too much to turn down. And you know, you can't blame it, you know, And you know, you got to remember these guys are still kids, and they're under twenty one, and you're going into a grown man's League, and you're dealing with guys that do grown men things you know, right wrong, going different, and sometimes it could be lonely out there, you know what i mean, unless you got some family that's gonna be with you, you.

Know, through the times.

You know, when you're on the road and guys are going out at night, you can't you're sitting in your room, and you know, sometimes camaraderie is built in the night life with these young kids, you know what I'm saying. So you know you miss out, you're not part of the gang. You know, they're looking at you a little different, you know what I'm saying. So it can be lonely sometimes as a rookie too. Now, don't don't get it twisted, you know by any means.

Man.

It's just something that you have to go through. Is growing pains, you know, but you're you're making you know, ten million dollars.

You know in two years you'll be a vet and that money be stacking up. So it's just everything's a sacrifice.

I remember reading Kobe Bryant's comments about what it was like when he was a rookie, because obviously he skipped college, went right out of high school. He said, My teammates were twenty nine thirty thirty one. You're old men with families. They're all going off to the clubs that I can't get into. So yeah, it's not entirely easy. Sean Woods

Everything is a must get. If you're the top player in the state of Kentucky and you and McDonald's all America, you have to go to Kentucky. If you're in the state of Kentucky, you don't miss those because they don't come around as much. Uh So, yeah, I think it's big to get one of the top five players in America that's in your state.

You got to keep him home.

But we keep here in Alabama. We keep hearing the n I l looms large. It's a different era, different age.

You're right, you know, and uh but you and you and you and and one, and it's one of the toughest basketball leagues in America and you don't want to let you know, a prestigious player like that get away and he comes in your house and you got to play him every day, come in and beat you. So you know, I I think he's important. I think you know, from a family standpoint, you know, their roots are here Kentucky, even though it was on the other side of the

You if Kentucky is not good enough for you to go to high school, you know because of money, it's Kentucky gonna be good enough for you to go to college because of money.

Yeah, well there are deeper pockets available at the University of Kentucky though. But you know what you make You make a great point because we were talking in the office several years ago at w KYT about high school basketball in the states of Kentucky and Indiana used to be it. I mean, that's where you went for high school talent. I don't know about Indiana, but it's not that way anymore in Kentucky. But Sean, I truly believe it is because the best kids, when they start getting good,

No, Because you know these high school kids are going to prep school and getting money, getting in IL money.

So you know in IL is like I said, is trickle down to the high school level. And you know, tradition is nothing anymore.

You know, I went to the Indiana Kentucky All Star Game and there was nobody at.

Kentucky in Lextionon Catholic for the Indiana Kentucky AFLO game.

Yeah.

Yeah, it used to be used and used to play that Freedom Halle and it would be a pact place. And then you go back and you.

Play at Martinus Square Arena wherever they play at. It'll be ten, twelve, fifteen, fourteen thousand. You have probably four hundred people at the Lexton Catholic deal, and then when it went to Indiana it was about seven thousand.

Wow, it's still something. But you know, and I remember because I went to a lot of those. You'd go to see the recruits. You'd go to see this kid is signed with Kentucky. That kid has signed with Louisville, that kid has signed with IU or Notre Dame. It was a great preview. And now you're like, who's this kid? You know?

Yeah, you know, and then you know it's not even attractive enough to keep the best players to have him played.

Yeah yeah, you know.

Reeve Shepherd didn't played two years ago. The kid that transferred from from Hazard, I mean from Harlan, he didn't play this year right, you know, I mean, where's the pride of Kentucky at you know, as far as high school basketball? I mean, that was the thing you dream of being a high school basketball player high school? You know, all state guy and especially all star, playing in the prestigious Indiana Kentucky All Star Game. And you know these

Yeah, if you're not mister basketball, you're not interested. I guess a couple of minutes left with Sean Woods, I know that whatever Jazzer Johnson does, he likely will spend one year in college. Would you be in favor? I know, as a coach, you'd probably love it. I wonder how you would have felt about it. We Well, it's hard for you to relate because this wasn't happening when you were playing. But what about when you signed with a school you signed for two years? Do you think that's feasible?

I think it is from a contractual standpoint. In IL, you got something's got to give because these boosters and alumni who are giving money to, you know, help out in IL. Come on, what type of investment is that I'm investing in a kid? I remember, now, only one team wins the national championship. Okay, and you got these schools with five ten million dollar budget with nil and they're not even winning their conference. Remember where a coach Saban said, you can spend money on a bad player,

The conference championship.

But you have every school, especially Power five, that are trying to raise millions of dollars to pay these kids to win maybe twenty games.

Everybody's not gonna win.

Good point.

But your your your your, your salary cap is getting to almost like an NBA salary Yeah yeah, very much. So you know, just think of all the millionaires that are playing in the NBA right now that again drafted to bad teams. Oh yeah, bad teams because you got bad players. Oh yeah, that you're paying means and millions of dollars too. And then the good teams have good players that are staying under the salary cap that the players for like they're underpaid because they're helping this team win.

So you know, a vicious cycle. And you know the thing too, You could have a good team, uh and manage your salary schedule, but then if you win a championship, everybody wants to get paid even more. So now you've got to break your team up so that it's just like the Crows.

You winn NASAL, win the World championship. Then guess what that team, you know, disperses because the contract graituation. That's right, well, trickle Coles dedare.

It's a different age and Sean Woods helps us sort it out every week right here, Sean, thank you so much, and we'll talk to you next week.

Okay, appreciate it.

Man, Western Bureau Chief Gary Moore in the garage next here on six thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue and Cider. We are in the garage. If you joined us earlier, you heard that our Western Bureau chief is with us every Wednesday. Gary Moore is with us here live and in color on tape, and welcome back to the garage. And each week we go through half a dozen topics you have cleverly labeled.

Two guys and a six pack. It's good to be back here in the les. It's part of my work release program over in Louisville. I'm here, so yes, we have six topics every week and we call them SIPs actually for two guys and six pack. And our first sip here is well for anybody who didn't partake of five consecutive days of football this past week, you got another shot starting tomorrow, so don't blow it knits.

Okay.

NFL giving us the AFC Championship rematch Baltimore, Kansas City tomorrow night NBC kickoffs about a twenty and if you like the pregame stuff that started six months ago basically, so jump on in.

And as for you, you.

Stockholder, you have the Packers Green Bay Philly in Brazil, Sal Paulo City with what four million.

More people than New York?

Did I?

Did I see that right?

And a country that has banned Twitter or X what do you want to call it? And they are going to prosecute people for trying to get to X as I understand it, as much as eight thousand dollars.

A time.

So let me give you some questions here about both of those games. Here, can Kansas City three pete? Will the Chiefs use one or more of Taylor Swift's.

That he's drying up?

And conversely, well Andy Reid write songs for Taylor's next album. It seems like it'd be a fair, if not disastrous deal, you know. And why play an opening week major NFL matchup in a South American city so dangerous to walk around in and with air practically unbreathable that they're going to go ahead and do it anyway instead of maybe putting and not even putting on regular TV. It's streamed, Peacock.

Yeah, well we all know about why it's streamed. I mean, it's forcing our fan base to ours being the Packers. But you know, I've talked about this ad nauseum. Now when I keep going back to Notre Dame Toledo four years ago, I think it was the opener for the Irish. Was only on peacock. I said, folks, that's the future.

Yep, you're right.

Jon Skipper has said, and I'll repeat it, that someday the super Bowl will be pay per view, and he's not wrong. I'm not sure how soon it will be. As for why they're playing it, I got to think because the Olympics was fairly successful in Brazil, they can get away with this. And by the way, there was a hoax for a while that neither team would be allowed to wear green because that is the color of

There's a lot of nervous players. Yeah, and some of them have been very vocal about it. Do you bring your family right? Well, some of them aren't, and some of them they've already got a list of here's what you don't do while you're here walking around, because obviously these are big humans walking around and they're going to be targets for certain kind of nefarious shople.

I would think down there, but.

What about when my kids are when I'm working and my kids are right sightseeing with my wife or whatever. That's what's great about London and Dublin and you know, you know one of the saveest cities in world, Tokyo.

I was just gonna say, Japan, Yeah, why wouldn't you want to go?

Maybe try that? Or Australia.

Yeah, our second sip In the six packs For other NFL games Sunday and Monday, there's some pretty interesting matches. Matchups and the Titans and the Bears on Sunday, Bears four and a half point favorites with Mayo cologne wearing Will Levis of Tennessee with the debut of the Ramblin Scramblin Caleb Williams. You know it's gonna be a lot of eyeballs on that one. Check this one out. In Florida,

Then later on Man.

Cowboys at the Browns. Brown's two and a half point favorites. By the way, last time I checked Tommy Brady's color commentating debut, and I'm thinking, okay, this is with Deshaun Watson. Can both teams lose in this if you or there at least maybe tie. And if Brady is this close to being a minority or having any kind of ownership with the Raiders, why even let this guy even near the press box or you know, getting close to some of these teams or whatever. It's kind of hard to

That's a prop.

I'm gonna touch that one. Which of those or any others? Are you looking forward to ignoring your your honeydew list of things?

Well, I want to see Dallas lose, obviously, I'll be curious in tune in Brady. Yeah, a lot of people will. I'm sure we'll. We'll enough people tune in to retire the debt of three hundred and forty five million dollars that Fox owes him. How much? Again, I think his total deal is like three and forty three and fifty million, but I don't know how many years. Curious for Tennessee Chicago. I want to see what Levis does. And I want

You know, I got a prediction about them later on. Okay, so we'll save that for the sixth on there, that's right, But yeah, of course, the Jets and the Niners. That's going to be Oh yeah, speaking of eyeballs, yeah, third swig and the six pack.

Okay, let's talk college football.

Obviously, UK and U of L passed their Week one tests, beating Southern Miss and Austin Pete respectfully by a combined total of ninety.

Three to zip on Saturday.

Conversely, my Hilltoppers, my alma mater, and e KU both played SEC schools Bama and Mississippi State and lost by a combined one nineteen to seven.

And what timing.

Eastern and Western revisit that once intense one double, a rivalry that's definitely cooled over the years. That's gonna be done in Bowling Green on Saturday.

They haven't seen.

I didn't see as spread for this yet, so I know that Western were probably the favorite at home, and they should win. It's at seven o'clock Saturday night down in Bowling Green.

There might not be as spread since it's one a versus one double.

That's true too.

Cards and Cats both have kickoffs at three thirty Saturday afternoon. Of course you'll be down there for that, and the Cats at last check ten point favorites. I believe over South Carolina.

Revenge, must have revenge. Forget that game.

Oh man, they should have won that one last year.

Yeah.

Number twenty two Louisville has another basic, glorified scrimmage with the new Conference USA school Jacksonville State Cards a twenty eight point favorite. So we're gonna take the Cats and the Cards and the Toppers this weekend.

Yeah, I believe.

So.

I think Western Kentucky, as is usually the case with FBS versus FCS depth because they have more scollies. Yeah, and hard, hard to get a line on ek on either team after those openers.

Yeah, well, I tell you when I was at Western, that was the rival ry game. Roy Kid would come in or Jimmy Fix would take the guys to hangar field.

Roy was a different guy at practice Western week We'd go over It was different guy. Oh yeah, it's huge.

What was on ABC for AC come in and coverage Fourth Swig and the six Pack. Besides those three games of bluegrass interest, there are a couple of others on Saturday with two ranked teams facing off against you. So we had a whole bunch of ranked teams playing each of the last weekend. Only a couple this week, and the Biggie of course, number three Texas at number ten Michigan in the Big House. That's seven o'clock at high noon. I'm sorry, that's at high noon on Fox, and Texas

Guy and the Emu li.

The Limu Emu is the worst ad campaign. So I'll go back and I'm watching Premiere Soccer. I come back and there's a country music guy singing some really sad song by himself, completely inappropriate for the crowd. So I leave that, go back to soccer. I come back in Pete Thammil, great reporter. Yeah he's in a fly fishing costume outfit.

What is this?

Go back to soccer, Come back more commercials. Go back to soccer. Then I come back.

Pat McAfee has taken off his shirt and jacket and he's topless. I don't want to see that. He's hugging Saban over here. At least Saban dropped the S bomb, and you had Coach Corso picking Notre Dame over a and m to kind of salvage the whole thing.

But I'm done for now. This is just so bloated anymore. The signs were.

Good, they usually are. Yeah, best part of the show.

Yeah, I agree, But there's just so many people in so many games. There's so much stuff going on.

Yeah it is.

Yeah, So that's my take on that. Can move on to the fifth wig here it's talk basketball. Got to talk some basketball. Last night, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever YEP clinched a playoff berth without even playing right Their first time the playoffs in eight years, and it was because of Chicago and Atlanta losing. So tonight they are playing on a cable channel most people have. It's going to be on CBS Sports Network. You've got well, she is for me the shoe in for in WNBA

Yeah.

So Caitlin now counts for thirty seven points in scoring every game, forty four percent of their points every night. I ask you, if she gets both Rookie of the Year and MVP, how many more friendships can she potentially ruin?

I could see her, Yes, clearly for that stat you just gave as the MVP. You know, Lisa Leslie floated on Twitter x the notion and I could get behind this. How about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark's sharing a Rope of Year? Yeah, you can make an argument, Yeah you could both if you really can, because there are two completely different types of player. They contribute into distinct ways, and they're both incredibly valuable to their teams.

I could see that.

I think in terms of overall MVP, I always try to look at not just who has the best stats, but who is the league's MVP? And I think it's I think it's clearly Caitlyn Clark. But it's definitely a bird magic situation with these two. Yeah, but there were other great talented players in that League. But I keep banging a drum over and over. If you're going to bash them, that's bad business. Yeah, you're a businesswoman. Let these both of these kids help you make money, and

This sixth and final swig.

So we've got tomorrow's Kansas City and a bomber rematch that begins a season in the NFL that shall end with who Dick Gabriel in Super Bowl fifty nine February ninth, twenty twenty five, done, New Orleans. I am gonna go with two teams that I picked even before Sports Illustrated picked them. Detroit Cincinnati. Wow, I've got the Lions winning thirty five to twenty seven, which means it will be the Niners in Kansas City, repeating against what that means.

I would love that I really would. I would love it for Detroit. I would love it, of course for the Bengals, because if I'm not rooting for my Packers, I'm rooting for the Bengals. But I will say what a lot of people said prior to last year, which I thought was premature. I will say the Chiefs and my Packers, Well how about that.

I'm glad you said that because I brought you something that might help you get into this.

Oh my, what we got here?

This is something that was from the collection here. This is a uh oh, I guess it's kind of a replica thing these This is a football jersey, Thank you so much that came out in the like nineteen ninety four, ninety three that Champion made these. They made one for name of John Unidas and Paul Horning. This is number five Paul Louisville yep, flaje A high and I warn

Thank you there, Thank you very much. And of course I've told the story that when I found out Paul Horning was from Louisville, that's what made me a Packers fan. So wow, I really appreciate that.

Enjoy It's very heavy show. I won't wear it for a few more weeks. I think it's big enough. I think the size is okay. But you know, like I said, I once I had it dry clean, it's been sitting.

On a crash diet. If I had a use way to get into this. Gary moorees in the garage bearing gifts. Let that be a listen to all of you future guests who want to be in the garage, and we'll come back with the hot rage in just a minute. Here on the Big one Sider six thirty wlap Welcome Back, final segment of our program. Gary Moore is live and in color. Right here in the garage. We have heard two guys in a six back time for a couple of hot reads to throw at Gary. Gary us opened tennis.

Right, This was just inexcusable. Inexcusable. I saw that, and she was like stood there like a statue while this girl was throwing balls and just let kind of let her bounce off of her. Didn't even make an attempt to get any of the balls. I think I saw two or three of them. And New Yorkers, who you know, have patented awful behavior for since the beginning of time. Are not going to put up with that, right, not in the sporting sense of it. I couldn't believe what

Uh.

I had not really good success with some of the tennis people that covered out there that would come to UCLA or whatever. Although I did get to cover Bjorn Borg in the scene.

Wow, that's very cool.

I had a beer with bjorn Borg. Now, that was pretty cool.

I don't know anybody on this planet who can say that.

Mel Purcell for Murray H. Mel was in the Senior the tour thing that Jimmy Conners had gotten back in the nineties, came to LA withorn Borg.

He's a Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame member, so that's how I got to meet him. So I got out, Well, if she's got any essential I read someplace where Russians are just obviously built dipperately. This is somebody I think it pointed out to her that she had done the wrong thing. So anyhow, maybe the next time she comes to the open, she'll uh seek out that young girl and uh actually got booed. Yeah, exactly right. Uh our second high read and once again Gary Moore is right

Isn't that great?

Because there's so many in the act and there's gonna be somebody in the Big ten's got what I don't know, sixteen yeah, that's gonna be.

I had to go back and count I thought the big the big ten quote unquote was no, the ACC But all those teams on the Atlantic coast like SMU. Yeah, but Florida State right now.

Here, they were complaining last year, Well we didn't get in.

We should we deserve to get in.

No, if you had your third string quarterback had gotten more than sixty yards against u of L, you might have gotten in there. If you had even that hundred yards passing, you probably would have gotten in. You had the worst third string quarterback, not one of the best teams. They were not, absolutely not.

And if there is a silver lining for the rest of us to all this, we will stop hearing about that because if they had won the first two games, Florida State fans, could you know, turn around and go, see, we belonged in the playoff last year. Well, I'm not saying you know, I have my opinion. I'm not saying you did or you didn't. I didn't think you did. But now just move on and drop this stupid lawsuit.

And had that Georgia game turn out for you last year at the end, so you could prove everybody wrong, right, Clemson.

How that Georgia game taste this year? So that's another team involved in the lawsuit. Thank you so much, sir. We are appreciative of the fact that you have come to the garage. I love it.

And what a great man cave. This guy's got the greatest man cave anybody I know.

That's it. Thanks to my guest, Thanks to John Hale, thanks to Shawn Woods. Good night from the garage and Lexington.

Sure Fisher, let me ask you something.

Six. Have you missed a play like that?

Six?

The ball jumped out of as soon as we make count down for a number.

What you were talking about?

You?

If you want to field now watch