Welcome to the Big Moon. Sider Dick Abriel with you on a Thursday edition of our program, still snow and ice bound here in the garage with the space heater cranked up. Hope you are warm and dry wherever you are. This is kind of a crossover day when we have
a full show on Thursday. There's no women's basketball tonight, so we've got the full show for you, and we're going to talk, of course about Kentucky basketball, a little bit of football in there, but this is the kind of day where you're still talking about the game in the rearview mirror, but you're looking ahead to the upcoming game on Saturday. And now the framework of that game, based on how Kentucky came back and beat Texas A and M and beat the Aggies by playing Aggie basketball
kind of ground it out tough defense. And now you've got Alabama coming to town, which could end up being a track meet. I mean, it could be just like the Florida game, because Alabama's defense isn't nearly what A and M's defense is, but Alabama may have more athletes, and of course A and M was missing its best player. So and like I always said, it didn't play four
on five. They had a guy out there, maybe not quite as good as Waye Taylor, but I think A and M made adjustments minus Taylor, and it gave other guys a chance to get some stuff done. And therefore they're jacking up threes and hitting them in the first half. Maybe that doesn't happen if the offense is going through one guy primarily in the first half. So anyhow, Kentucky gets the win and now is in good shape going into the game noon. Something you will hear right here
on six thirty WLAP. Coming up tonight, we're going to talk to Gary Graves. He's been a guest on our show before, but always as the Associated Press corresponded here in Lexington. Well, he just retired, took a little early retirement, as a lot of people do, but he has covered Kentucky now for about a dozen years, so we'll get his thoughts on what he has seen so far this season. Also going to talk to Lee K. Howard from WKA.
He covered the game the other night and shot the video for WKYT, meaning he sat on the baseline right next to the visiting team, so we'll get his thoughts on the Cats, how they've developed, and some of the things he heard and saw from the Texas A and M bench during those guys, the shooters and women on those baselines. I always have good stories to tell. I
like that. Also Tim Sullivan, freelance journalist over in Louisville, who has worked for newspapers throughout his career in Cincinnati, San Diego, Louisville, who's with a Courier journal now a freelance writer, will get his thoughts and observations on the Cats and the Cards over in Louisville. It's going to be interesting Saturday to see if Travis Perry can take that next step. And I mentioned him last night. Everybody was talking about Travis, and I said we would get
more into it tonight. So here we are. Mark Pope was asked by Daryl Byrd. Of course literary wrote the book on Travis Perry, the publisher of The Cat's Pause and the lead columnist. He asked Pope about the fact that they had to throw Travis Perry and of course he's now the number two point guard since Kirk Crisa is injured. And you talk about tough minutes and having to learn literally on the fly, against a team like Texas A and M. But as Pope pointed out, Perry was up to it.
He's terrific, isn't he Against a really complicated defense like this is not an easy defense to kind of figure out. Like, you know what, our guys are pretty good at They're pretty good at figuring out what they're seeing, and we're pretty good.
About coaching them.
And when things change as much as they did with Texas M, that's the next step for us is to be able to really change with the changes. But TP, you know, I mean, yeah, it was a big shots, really big shots, right. They made us feel a whole lot better. And he's got no fear and he's just going out to play, and you know, it's fun.
You know, if you.
Chart his trajectory, you just get to see these little steps that he's taking. We all get to say. It's It's one of the great things about coaching and being fans that are really invested, which is BBN, is you actually get to see like the beginning and the middle and the growth that we get to prognosticate about where they're going and to see these guys grow as special.
TP is definitely do that. This is a high pressure game, is top ten game against one of the best defenses in the country, and he was terrific.
He was terrific, no question about that. Gave them good minutes and Perry talked to the media after the game just about how he's grown since becoming a Wildcat.
The reps. Obviously from the beginning of summer till now, I've had.
A lot of reps against the best point guards of college basketball, against some of the best defenders in college basketball, so that goes a long way. But also just getting more comfortable in the college game, Like the pace is starting to come to me a little bit, just the feels, the reads, like I keep saying, the game is slowing down for me a little bit, and that's something that's
big to get more comfortable out there. And then the confidence side of it, like like guys are really showing a lot of confidence in each other, Like that's something we've had all season, and so when you're out there and know that everybody on the bench, the coach is said, everyone has confidence in here.
It goes along with our Jack Gibbons on Tom Leach's show this morning talking about Travis and Jack made a really interesting point no surprise, he said he was a little bit. Jack was a little bit relieved when Travis got into the game the other night and almost immediately committed a turnover. But it I'm paraphrasing, that didn't really affect his game. He just kept right on going. You saw how well he played, and Jack said that told him.
Told Jack that Travis has been able to relax more and not worry about making mistakes, understand and accept the fact that mistakes are going to happen. You just got to move on to the next play. And certainly now we are seeing that in Travis. Perry and Travis talked about how much more comfortable he is with just really not thinking, just going out and playing.
That's something that I was really working on.
He's just being more confident, being more decisive, and like you said, just being quick to pull the trigger.
That's something that the credits the kur.
Kurt told me all the time, him and one of our gas Austin Folk, just just being able to come in and make shots.
Like sometimes whether whether you.
Make the shot, miss the shot, take the shot, you might be coming out of the next media, so just be ready to kind of bring a spark, bring a spark when you're in there and take advantage of the opportunities that are given.
That's Travis Perry, and I'm really curious to see when he does get in against Alabama what kind of game he has, because this one could be a track meet. It absolutely could look like the Florida game because that's the way Alabama likes to play. And obviously Kentucky's at its best in transition, shooting threes, you know all that. So it's gonna be fun. You'll hear it right here on six point thirty WLAP A couple of other UK
basketball notes. Nick Richards, the guy who didn't get to play his last year at Kentucky in the nca Tournament because of COVID, has been with the Charlotte Hornets and playing well. He's been traded to Phoenix, which is trying to make a run toward the playoffs. Charlotte wasn't gonna get there, and they made a trade to bring in and he had some pretty good numbers going off the bench at Charlotte nine points a game, seven and a half rebounds per game in just twenty one minutes per game.
Phoenix eleventh place in the Western Conference, nineteen and twenty, and they're hoping he helps put them over the edge and sadly into the playoffs. And by the way, you know who had an eye on Nick Richards for a while back in September, the Knicks. This is before they got Karl Anthony Towns from the Timberwolves. That was a huge deal when they sent Julius Randall, but they were looking for big man help, so they were looking at Nick Richards. And now he's got a new home in Phoenix.
So keep an eye on the Suns if you are one to be interested. That's a past Wildcat future Wildcats Jasper Johnson Malachai Moreno. Two of twelve players named the Team USA for the twenty six annual Nike Hoop Summit, only Duke had multiple players. That's the only other school. Duke head three, but they were selected by the USA Basketball Men's Developmental National Team Committee to compete against the World team Saturday, April twelfth up in Portland. So great
experience for both. I want to say rip to Bob Yucker. Never met the guy. I've heard stories, obviously, everybody has seen him on TV and in Major League the movie. Jeff Picicoro posted a picture of himself with Yuker. Jeff of course a long time member of the Reds Network, so got to hang out with him a little bit. But Major League was really when Uker. I think he had already done the miller like commercials and all, but I think the nation fell in love with him all
over again. And everybody knows this line job. I don't know about that one, but so many of his lines in that movie where d libbd and he just went up and had fun with it and the producers left it in. He was such a vital part of the success of that Major League franchise, really the movie franchise. Not a great player, two hundred career hitter, but boy could he tell stories, especially when he was on with Johnny Carson making fun of the fact that he just wasn't very good, or.
Maybe my last time at bat, I'd looking the visitors doug out and see all the guys sitting there with their street cloths on.
I also love when Carson held up a photo of a bunch of players celebrating and they were pouring beer in the Uker's mouth, and he said, is that a celebration after a big win? They said, he said, now that's me getting ready to play love that one. And of course the knuckleball story. Best way to catch a knuckleball, pick it up on a quitch rolling. He was priceless and gone at the age of ninety. Rip Bob Buker. I want to come on six thirty WLAP Welcome back
to the Big Moonsider. Coming up in a few minutes. Gary Graves, who just recently retired from the Associated Press. He has spent a long time covering the Wildcats and a lot of other things. Who will talk to Gary? Also Lee K. Howard from WKYT and Louisville based freelance writer Tim Sullivan. We'll talk to him about the Cats and the cards. But a lot going on around the country last night, As always, let's start in the sec you know, I'm sure the results by now. Tennessee destroyed Georgia.
Seventy four to fifty six was the final halftime. Georgia is up a point. Georgia's up twenty six to twenty five. And I was playing cards with some friends and we had the game on, and every time we looked over the lead kept getting bigger and bigger. I think it was a thirteen to one run Tennessee began the second half. Georgia got it down to eight at one point and
antened I looked up at twenty one. I mean, Tennessee just absolutely destroyed the Bulldogs, who didn't quite get to the free throw line as much in this game as they did in their last couple of home games games including Kentucky. But Tennessee was hitting, Georgia was not, and the Volunteers go to three and one in the league. Georgia now is two and two. Vandy gets a win over South Carolina, which quite frankly, just isn't very good.
And you knew this going in. South Carolina was one of the few have knots in the SEC as league play began to unfold this season. Carolina's own four in the league now Vandy two and two, fourteen and three overall them Commodores. Texas gets its first conference victory in basketball beats Oklahoma and Norman seventy seven to seventy three. Texas was really kicking their butts in the first half. We watched some of that game, and then Oklahoma practically
turned it around in the second half. But Ou is still winless in the league and here's the thing. Oklahoma thirteen and oh going into conference play thirteen and oh. Texas was eleven and two. So and you knew this as you saw the records pile up that some of this was because of scheduling. Everybody kept talking about how amazing the SEC is, and by tournament time we may see, yeah, it really is, but some of that was scheduling, and clearly that was the case for Oklahoma and Texas, probably
South Carolina as well. So the surprises in the SEC. Last name of the margins of victory. I thought the Iowa State went over Kansas was pretty amazing. Iowa State. I've seen him play like one half so far this year, really good. They beat Kansas seventy four to fifty seven in ames by the way, I will say, fifteen and one now five and on the Big twelve, Kansas is only quote unquote twelve and four, three and two in the league. So not quite the powerhouse that some had
predicted for Kansas, at least not right now. Guess who's undefeated after six games in the Big Ten. Michigan State. Tom Mislo's got a ball club fifteen to two overall, six to zero in the league. After beating Penn State last night ninety eighty five, and Houston keeps rolling, knocked off West Virginia at home last night five and on the Big twelve, Houston is thirteen and three overall. None of the other real powerhouses in action last night from
the top twenty five. And of course Wildcats taking on Alabama Saturday afternoon at noon. You'll hear that game right here on six thirty WLAP. You know by now that the scuzz bucket who was verbally abusing the fan at the Philly game. Yes he was a Green Bay Packers fan, but didn't matter who she was rooting for. He has been banned from lincoln Field for life. We'll see along that stands up, and he's been fired from his job. But now, naturally, media members, at least a couple of them,
are questioning what happened. Questioning her fiance, two media types pointed out the fact that this guy created a go Fundme page to fund his travel to the game, and he wore a body camera. He's a YouTube creator, So now they're saying, we've been manipulated by this dude. Really, so what was this guy's role in prompting the Philly fan and they said, yeah, what that guy did was terrible. But my reaction is, so what, And again not just because they're fans of the Packers, So what? They created
a GoFundMe paid, that's smart. No one's forcing anybody to give this guy and his fiance money to go to Philly. No one's forcing anybody to watch his YouTube page, and nobody's forcing the Philly fan to be a part of this. It just clicked bait and two media people trying to stand and also they're trying to cater to their fan base. Naturally. I'm sure there are people out there who will stop and pause and say, wait a minute, maybe this isn't fair.
It's ridiculous, is what it is. So is what's happening out with the California fires. With regard to State Farm. State Farm is canceled. It's commercial for the Super Bowl. I don't know if they get the full refund on their seven million dollar purchase, but they have gotten so
much flak, so much criticism. It's the largest property insurer in California, but it announced in March twenty twenty four it is not going to renew seventy two thousand property insurance policies in the state because arising costs, outdated insurance regulations, and it said increasing risks of catastrophes, including fires. That's just great. So now, according to media which cover advertising at age specifically, they've canceled their spot. They had one
last year. I don't remember it. They had Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger kind of reprising their role from the movie Twins. So yeah, they're out. You know who else is out? A member of the Ohio State football team, a guy who apparently made famous from TikTok walk on defensive lineman Caden Davis the Ohio State student newspaper. So this guy's no longer on the team. The team wouldn't give a specific reason, and he is a non factor they say, in terms of you know, playing time and
things like that. But apparently he has two hundred and seventy six thousand followers on TikTok and another one hundred thousand on Instagram. He gives a behind us scenes look at Ohio State football as a player on a daily basis, and now he's gone. So this is kind of suspicious. This is kind of weird. Although apparently he came under fire video fire recently for a video featuring footage from the trip to Texas for the college football semi final
at the Cotton Bowl. Some viewers questioned whether he was actually on the trip because some of the footage actually appeared to be from Ohio State's Cotton Bowl appearance at the end of the twenty twenty three season. But now, for whatever reason, they're not saying why he's gone, and it seems kind of suspicious to his fans. One other
NFL note before we hit the brake. Some of you out there are Cleveland Browns fans, probably of a certain age because back in the day this was Cleveland Brown's territory, because that's what you got on television. I can't imagine anybody in this day and age without a tie to the team or the area saying, by golly, I'm going to root for the Browns. But they're trying to build a new stadium and move about fifteen miles south of
where they are now. Well, the city has filed a lawsuit because the team wants to build, or at least the owner, a dome stadium in the suburbs, and the suit filed in Cuyahoga County is looking to invoke what's called the Model Law to stop the Rounds removing Art Modell was the guy who snuck the Browns out of
town to Baltimore. But the state loss is any professional sports owner who uses a tax supported facility for home games and gets funding from the state or political subdivision cannot leave until it gets permission to play elsewhere or give six months notice. Given six months notice because they couldn't move till twenty twenty eight. But they haven't gotten permission,
have they. So stay tuned, as we say, up next to Gary Graves here on the Big Blue Siders six thirty, Welcome back to the Big Blue Sider, and has promised newly retired Gary Graves many many years with the Associated President, a good deal of that right here based in Lexington, but getting up and down the interstate, covering both UK and U of L. And before we went on the air, we were chatting about your retirement. You'll stay busy, but
you're still a fairly young man relatively speaking. Do you think that, like maybe when the NCA tournament rolls around, you'll feel like that old fire horse that here's the bell and wants to get out and run.
Oh, definitely, definitely for the tournament, and for that matter, you might see me on February first for the return of a certain head coach to Lexington.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I think I think that'll that'll that'll be a story around here. I don't know if it's a story in Arkansas right now, but we can talk about that later.
Well, I'm sure the cynics will say just stay there, you know. But let's let's double back though and talk a little bit gear. As I said, you worked for the AP, which serves not just newspapers but broadcast outlets as well. But media being what it is in this day and age, Gary, where people get, for better or worse, accurate or inaccurate, so much information off their their mobile device, if you will. I still maintain there is an important place in the world for agencies like the AP, which
still has standards. I was talking to some of the younger people saying, you know what, when I was a newspaper guy a long time ago, for instance, the Louisville newspapers, it had to you know, whatever I wrote had to go through three different people to get in the newspaper. You know, so you were held accountable and there's just not as much of that anymore, which fuels to distrust
of the media. Not always fair because I remind people, you're the media now, whoever I'm talking to, because you got a phone in your hand, you're a publisher, and that has that has just changed the world, hasn't it.
Oh yeah, yeah, you're so right. And for what it's worth at the AP, you know, content still goes through a couple of sets of eyes before it hits the wire as we used to call it. Uh, you know. Part of this transformation, which led to my occurrence status, is that we have become more of a digital or we're going to become more of a digital and kind of image based platform because anything, I guess advancements you'll force you to make changes in how you put your
content out there. And in our case, and I think it's in the case of a lot of print and broadcast outlets that uh, you know, shorter, smaller bite seems to be effective because you and I we're guilty of it as well, that if we have to read past two or three screens, then it's kind of lost our innswest. You know, we want the basics and and part of that is because everything is so instantaneous between alerts, between uh,
social media for for you know, good or bad. It's still out there and that's how people have access to it. And of course, you know, I mean sports Center still serves a purpose and immediacy, so you know, you don't have to wait for that that printed project or student printed project product on your doorstep the next morning. And might might sound really dated with that, but you know, I grew up working for a newspaper and delivering it,
so you know, I'm very old school. Do you remember when they used to collect for the newspaper?
You hated that?
Yeah, oh, man, go on door to door, like on a cold Saturday evening asking somebody for like four for this.
Exactly, and then they said, I don't have it right now. You don't have four bucks or they'd write you a check. And you know what, Oh we we were okay, we were thirteen fourteen years old, my brothers and me, and we were such bad business man. We laugh about it now, folks. I promise we'll get back to basketball in a minute, but uh, sibby, I'll get you next week, you know.
And then it would build up with some people and we we didn't have the nerve, the strength, the courage to say, okay, fine, we're not going to deliver your paper till you pay. That's what we should have done. But we didn't say anywhere.
Oh we we did. And guess what, you know there was a check or you know, paper and coins in my hand within a week.
Well, you were smarter than we were, I can tell you that, or tougher than we were, cause these are our neighbors. You know, Hey, missus Wilcox, I need your money now. You know that kind of thing. Uh, let me ask you. I've always wanted just when when you were covering the cats. Of course, a lot of your copy, the AP copy would end up in some of the smaller papers around the state or not uh, because they were they were disappearing, but it would be seen, read
and used around the country. So you basically had to keep that in mind. You had a much broader audience, didn't you. You weren't just writing to the BBN. You couldn't just assume everybody knew what you were talking about. How did that affect the way you did your job?
I think in a lot of ways that it kept me objective about the wildcats because of what you just said that yes, you know, I'm trying to drive the engine of uh, you know, the train engine of coverage in Kentucky, but also you know, mindful that it would go on your larger platforms that you had really be very, very balanced and down the middle. I don't want to say vanilla, because you know, vanilla is a flavor and
it takes a lot to make vanilla. So even for that that vanilla that you you had to put a lot of a lot of elements in there to not sound like a homer, to really emphasize, you know, really what what team won. And I think last year was was probably one of my I feel like one of my best seasons in terms of being objective and playing it down the middle, because a lot of times last season it was about the other team and and how
it affected Kentucky. And you know, when they had the losing streak, and I think you know when they lost in overtime to Florida that that was one of those those games that all of us I remember, were kind of saying, what the world just happened here? It's like, was they you know, they they took a hundred points and you know, losing overtime or something like that at and yeah. We never thought we would see a three game losing streak at home. Yeah. And when I say we, I mean the media, not.
We, anybody, anybody.
Yeah yeah, And so you know that that part was newsworth in and of it of itself. And that's when I remember. It's like, that's where I have to remember that it's not about what goes on here, it's the impact elsewhere because the sec being what it is, what it was last year, and it is even more that. Yeah, I think you really do have to look at the big picture because what happens in Tennessee or or Starkville, you know, it affects Kentucky. I mean we you know you saw that last weekend.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Uh.
And man, the league is crazy. There's no question we knew this going in. I think some of it's leveling off because and I mentioned this earlier in the show scheduling some of these teams that had gaudy records but now are winning, including Arkansas winless in the league. But you kind of saw that coming, didn't you.
Yeah. Yeah, I mean between the schedule and you know, again, I think with the balance of the League that there was a part of me that thought, I think, you know, overall, I think Arkansas will be okay.
Really but.
Well, yeah, because you know, just because I think things tend to balance out even in a transitional year. And and you know, we know Calibery finds a way to get it done eventually, you know, when they quote unquote
buy in and things start to fall into place. Now having said that, it's go time now because looking at that schedule, there is a real possibility that they could be one and seven in league play, and and you know, and and the that you know that that Chicken money, as I've heard, you know, people are going to start wondering,
you know, was this a good investment? Yea, uh Again, you know, you have to look at the big picture and look down the road and understand the position that you're in with all the all the up people that you went through last spring, that that led you to this point. And even though it's working out great for Kentucky right now, but the position that they left in that your other schools are not so fortunate. And for that matter, it's like Andy Anfield at.
S m U.
Yeah, I mean, he's going through a transition there and you know, in the A c C and with a new program, and it's just really I think you know, coaches like Cali Perry figured out, you know, he's just he's just got to get his players to really buy in and understand that it's not about just going to the league or for that matter. And I because I do think that that is a driver of a lot
of motivation for these athletes. Now, it used to be the NBA, but now I think NIL has really kind of changed the player's perspective in terms of how they approach the game, be it football or basketball, and they have to understand that money doesn't come unless you can help your team win.
It is a different era, a different age. And we will talk more about that with Gary Graves, who just retired from the Associated Press, but keeping an eye on the Cats and the Cards. We'll come back with more in a minute here on the Big Boo and Sider six point thirty. Welcome back. We're talking with Gary Graves. He's a buddy, he's a Packers fan. We're going to talk a little bit of Packers here in a minute. But he has just recently retired from the Associated Press.
How many years here in Lexington. I know you were on the East coast for quite a while, but how many years covering Kentucky in Nuol and whatever?
Twelve plus years? Yeah, I was on my thirtie season, and you know, and before that it was that was at the USA Today for eighteen years doing a variety of things. So and I'd had bounced around a couple of papers that down south, so you know it had been around, so I think it was it's been like forty eight years.
Amazing, amazing something like that.
Yeah.
But anyways, but as you said, a dozen or so years covering the Wildcats and you are stepping away as a daily journalist at a time you brought up the nil the portal the coach of football coaches are wanting to eliminate a lot of the days on the calendar, and you you were at the weekly Mark Stoops news conferences. How many times did he talk about how the calendar
has got to be changed, improved whatever? Uh, But you know it's going to be I think a tug of war geary with the players because although they really don't have any bargaining power, but you know, looking to limit the number of transfer portal days available might bring a little bit of sanity, but I don't know how much, do you.
Uh. I think it will bring bring some sanity. And you know, just last night I saw a Network Network reporter. Uh they talked to Oakland's coach about n I L. And you know, it focused on NIL but everything that he was saying, and of course they referred to, you know, the victory over Kentucky in terms of how the landscape is has changed for for him, even though they won.
And he basically said, I spend my off season trying to raise money and trying to convince my players to to to stay here because of the portal and because of NI L. And he says, you know, he says, I lose guys, you know, to other programs because some school offered them five hundred thousand dollars. And you know, it's mind boggling. And I do think that the transfer
portal freedom. It's good in a sense because you know, we've always said it was unfair for athletes to remain committed to a school when coaches jump all the time. But it's just become such a free for all that you really can't become attached to any player in any sport. You know for longer than that year. You know, we here in Kentucky have gotten used to that, of course, you know, with one and done, but it's just so
crazy now. And I think it makes it even more remarkable because of all the changes as to what Mark Pope has done at Kentucky in a short period of time. If you had told me last April that they would be, you know, thirteen three, fourteen and three and really looking like a team that could make a deep run in March, I would have said no, you know, because our first thing was, you know, be careful what you wish for. You know, all of you that wanted Caliperi out of there.
You know, now you've got a new coach, and you know I mean, and now it's not going to be one and done and be careful what you wish for. But he's making it work. He's making it work.
Yeah, And it's amazing to me that it's it's a group that is such a veteran group and yet man, they got to figure it out just like a young group. But what I love, and I've talked about this a lot. Jack Gibbons talked about this on the radio early in the year. He said, It's been really kind of refreshing. Not a knock at Caliperi, but you know, you got veterans on the floor when you know things aren't going
exactly the way they should be. But he could hear them talking to each other and figuring it out on their own, and lieuis of looking to the bench wide eye like coach, what do we do call time out? You know, the coach with his history AICs on the sidelines trying to direct traffic or Pope has the luxury, if you will, of letting these veteran players talk to one another and, like I said, figure things out. That's been kind of fun.
Yeah, and I think even more so than than you know, the past regime where he used to refer to you it being kind of a player driven team. Yes, you know where you know you say, yeah, guys would take themselves out, you know, and and and you know if they needed a breather or something. But what I'm seeing with this team is this communication where they say, Okay, somebody's got to step up. There's no finger pointing, but you know, I mean, I can I get this sense.
And there was it was a time out the other night where they they came out better, and I had this sense it's like, Okay, here's the situation. Somebody's got to step up. If you out a shot, take it, you know, I mean if if if you've got a foul, give or something like that, and it can it can slow the momentum, go ahead and do it, especially against the you know, an A and M team that really was intent on muddying the waters. And you know, I
mean it got very chippy out there. It looked like a seventies NBA game at times out there, and and I think that's what's refreshing is that somebody it's always a different hero every game for them, you know, whether it's it's Robinson or or or Williams uh you know, for example, or you know, I mean you're Travis Perry. Uh yeah, I mean, just like a basket here and there. And it's great to really, uh to see that that that kind of support and you know, filling the void
right that. I mean, you know that that is truly a team. And I think you know, we're seeing it over over in Louisville too, to an extent. You know, we could talk about that later too.
Yeah, And it's it's what he had in mind when he cobbled this roster together, and so did Pat Kelsey. I've only got a couple of minutes, so I am going to spend that bear with us, folks. We're both Green Bay Packer fans. But my take on the loss of the Eagles, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the defense played, especially trying to keep Saquon Barkley in check. But I was really disappointed with our quarterback. Gary your your thoughts, your take on the Packers.
Yeah, I agree. It's like they're the defense presented opportunities for the offense to take advantage, whether it's field position or just getting the ball back and really keeping it from becoming a blowout, and it's like, okay, you know, like just just somebody do something, you know, again, like we're talking about somebody. Somebody's got to step up. And they just seemed flat, you know, they I don't I don't know whether you know those those wild card games,
how seriously, you know, guys take them. At this point, it almost seemed like, okay, we've gotten this far, we're on a road in a hostile environment. You know, let's not try to get blown out. But but I don't think they really tried that hard to win, you I mean, Jordan Love just just made some mind boggling decisions, uh, you know, with with with the ball and and they didn't play to their strengths. And I can't remember what point I started to really dial out and say, Okay,
it's been a good year. You know, they were the number three team in a strong division and you know that. I mean, if this is as good as it's going to get get for them this year.
Well he's got to step up his game, Jordan Love. If the Packers, because they've got a good young team, just gotta hold it together. Given another shot next year. Gary Graves is a veteran journalist just into retirement after a long career with USA Today and EAP. Thank you, my friend. We will talk again soon. Maybe I'll get you over here to mic Garage. No sin, you have more free.
Time, Oh yeah, my pleasure, man, anytime, because look, I want to get ideas on how to set up micarage now that I'm going to be home able to clean it more often.
I'll let you talk to my wife about that. But we'll get together.
Thanks man, all right, take care, Thanks for having me.
Hour number two is up next. Lee K. Howard from WKYT, we'll talk to us about shooting video for the Kentucky Texas A and M game from the baseline under the basket right next to the A and M bench. He was there the other night. And we'll talk to Tim Sullivan, freelance journalist over in Louisville, kipped an eye on the
Cats and the Cards. All of that ahead, Carol the Big One Sider, six thirty WLAP manager, Welcome back to the Big blon Sider, joining us now as a friend of a former colleague at w k y T.
Lee K.
Howard, you see him anchoring the sports cast each night at eleven and his stories has coverage of the Wildcats, and you covered leek. That Texas A and M game kind of hits close, see you. We've talked about this before. Your new Mexico guy who worked in Texas for quite a while covered A and M. But however, what was your take on that game? And I guess going in we knew it was going to be kind of physical, kind of ugly, and it was a grinder, wasn't it.
It really was, you know, And I think that the fact that it was exactly what we anticipated it to be, and Kentucky was able to kind of rise to that challenge and in many ways beat A and M at their own games. Yeah, says a lot about this team. And so, like we knew the first of all that the you know, the book is out there against this Kentucky team, and even the words soft has been floated around that the way to beat this Kentucky team is to kind of be physical with them and rough them
up a little bit. And that's how A and M plays anyway, and they, you know, the number one team in the nation and offensive rebounding, so we knew that was going to be a challenge. And then for Kentucky to come out and play arguably its best defensive game, especially you know against the you know, similar level you know, talent of the season, and then to win the boards by ten, you know, I mean, that says a lot
really about how this team is. And then you know, the thing that I like the most about what Mark Pope said during the postgame kind of to that point was he he didn't use the word coachable, but he said every single thing, this may be the team that is the easiest to learn new things.
So to speak.
You know, like everything that they've thrown at them this year, whether it was Okay, they're not doing great on ball screen defense, or they're not being as physical, or you know, we've seen some deficiencies in certain games. He says, they've addressed those things, and these guys want to learn and they make that kind of adjustment. So, yeah, that was the most impressive thing I saw about that game the other night.
You shot the game correct from sitting under the baseline or under the bucket on the baseline, right near the A and M bench, And I talked to our addy, Steve Moss a lot about that. He loves to hear what they have to say on the bench, you know, either yelling at the at the other the other team, or the coach, the coach letting the referees have a piece of his mind. But I'm wondering what it was like a game that physical. What did you notice when you were down there so close to the action.
Okay, that's a really good question, because I don't think I've ever been asked. You know, you do get a front row seat to the opposing bench, and every bench is a little bit different, and there are certainly benches that are chirpier than others. You know, you have some that are that are a little bit quieter, and then you've got a couple where you've got the managers to
the video coordinator guy talking. We made a comment, me and a couple of people that were sitting on the floor right next to that bench the other night, this is one of the chirpiest teams we've ever been around. Really like they they were active, and I think a lot of that had to do with Wayde Taylor, who is their best player, probably at least best offensive player, didn't play and you know, he missed a couple of games, but he was on the bench and kind of leading that,
you know, that charge on the bench. Yeah, and I think when you've got kind of a leader on the bench as opposed to on the court, you know that his natural like chirpiness, I guess takes over. And so it was kind of interesting because I mean, you saw they got a technical foul in the first half early on for a couple of them almost came out in front of you know, a bunch of us photographers on
the floor. They were, they were that active. So it was yeah, I mean that's kind of buzz Williams though as far as like he wants his guys gritty and into it and that kind of thing. And so yeah, that's that's certainly was the case.
We mentioned you coming to this part of the country from that part of the country. Uh, basketball will never catch up with football. I realized that. You know, I lived in Texas for a couple of years, but there is so much more awareness and appreciation for basketball now, maybe now more than ever in that part of the world. Do you see it that way? And why do you think that is?
Well, you know, as far as A and M is concerned and now Texas and everything, I mean, the SEC I think is that it's peak right now of where it's been as a conference as a whole, you know, in in the sport. And so I think that you know, just by being in this conference, you're going to see teams out west have to elevate their game. And you know,
I don't know that. You know, football is always going to be football, and you know, from the NFL to college football, that's that's what drives the dollars, that's what people tune in to watch. But basketball is not far behind, you know, and no one understands that better than people in this state because basketball has always been at a level that is the rivals football, whether you want to say football, basketball, whatever, not in a lot of states
can say, you know, it is football. You know there's there's not a rival. So yeah, so it is. It is interesting, you know, and Kentucky fans probably get that better than anybody. Maybe Kansas or North Carolina. You could throw and you know people in those states could could kind of see the same way. But yeah, and just with the SEC this year, with nine ranked teams in the top twenty five and projected twelve to make the NCAA tournament, it's absurd, you know how good the competition is.
And I think it's great. I mean it's it's great for everybody involved, watching, playing, coaching, you know, covering in the media.
Yeah, it's it's it's great to be a part of it.
Things are leveling off though. I mean, these teams that had gaudy records now that have won zero or one game in the SEC. That was kind of predictive because you knew they start beating up on each other. But you know, one of my theories about basketball, and I know you've been alecxing it for quite some time. But I really believe that the growth of March Madness, which of course is on w k YT, has been forever.
You see schools, especially the Cinderella schools, that for a weekend or two or two solid weeks are making headlines because they become destinies, darlings, and you know, schools you never even think about are suddenly making headlines. And I wondered if like school presidents and chancellors and board members are saying, hey, why aren't we in on that, let's play better basketball. Maybe we can get some of that publicity, you know. And now you see schools spending more money
on facilities, coaches, and now nil uh players. Yeah exactly do you do you see.
Any of that?
Does that make sense?
Yeah, it absolutely does. And I think that's that, you know, that's the magic of college basketball in the tournament. And I'm not for necessarily expanding to allow more, but there's enough right now sixty eight teams. And you know, I was forward to play in games they added several years ago or hover long ago that was in Dayton, to give a few more of those usually mid major teams
or double teams a chance. But you know, maybe that's one thing that some of these these schools with the transfer portal, they they see an opportunity that you know, maybe we can compete, you know, we can win our league and have a shot. Yeah, and you know, and I think just in general, the talent across the country is a whole lot more spread out, you know, in the last five six years than it was a decade
or so ago. You know, your your blue bloods are still your blue bloods, but you you know, you still have talent spread out, and you see that every year because honestly, if unfortunately for those smaller schools, if you have one of those Jenni Brooms or you know, those guys on they usually get plucked by a power five, power four school. But at least that exist and so so yeah, the parody of college basketball will never be duplicated.
I love what college football is doing because at least having twelve teams you get a little bit of parody. I think that goes to sixteen pretty soon. But I think that's football saying, hey, we see the magic of the basketball in CAA tournament and what that can do. And they've tried to you know to their scale, try to duplicate that a little bit. But yeah, I think college basketball as a whole is only growing in popularity and it's always been popular, but you know, it's it's
the magic of the tournament. It's the magic of you know, what teams can do lot and where these kids came from Fairleigh, Dickinson and wherever in the world to compete. So I think, yeah, it's it's at a really good spot.
Right now is Lee K. Howard from w KYT. We'll talk more sports with him on the other side of the break here on a big New Insiders six thirty. Welcome back with chatting with Lee K. Howard, anchor reporter from WKYT. And of course you can see the Wildcats play whenever CBS has a game, and the INSA coming up in March. By the excitement for Mark Pope, I
can't imagine. Of course, it'll be predicated on how well the team is playing going into the SEC tournament and all but you and Brian and Steve Moss and everybody over there. You got to be loving because I think the Big Blue Nation was starting to approach the NCAA tournament with a sense of dread toward the end of the John Caliperio era. But now it's it's going to be crazy, I think come tournament time.
Yes, you know, you know Pope has earned so much equity right now from the fan base that you know, you don't want to say that nothing would be considered a failure because obviously, you know, losing out the first weekend of the tournament, nobody would want to see that, or poor showing at the SEC tournament. But you know, at this point, I think everybody since the moment he was hired, there was a bit of a hesitation of like, we know, we like this guy, he's one of our own.
We know that, you know that things could be looked up, but there was always like a little bit of a hesitation of like, okay, but can he do it on the court. And no matter what happens from this point on, and they're gonna look, I'm pretty they're gonna lose some games in SEC. They're not running the table here. I mean, they've lost to Georgia, but like, there's some really really tough games on this schedule still to go before we
get to any sort of tournament. But to have top five, top twenty five, really five top fifteen wins already on your schedule, and you know this, this team has proven so much at this point that you know it's gonna be hard for this season to be viewed as a failure no matter what happens, just because of what they've
been able to do so far. So, you know, and it's funny, you're you're you were part of the media, you still are for much longer than me, and you're not supposed to technically, like you know, cheer for you know, a team or whatever, you know, and you can still do your job, but you find yourself just wanting Pope
and these guys to succeed so much. You know, you want to see them, you know, many of them with their backstories of this wasn't ever a place they ever thought that they should be or they would be to now like not only are they here, their succeeding and they're doing it together, and it's it's just there's a different level of joy and like as you as you mentioned a second ago, there was this hesitation of like okay, what but what's going to go wrong?
Right?
Like we're up, we're up seven in this game, but there's still eight minutes to play. This can still this can still go terribly wrong once you start trying to dribble the the air out of the ball, right, But now it's like, okay, we're down seven, and now what's this team going to do and what is Mark Pope going to adjust to make them? You know out outside of the Georgia game, we've seen them really kind of adjust each game.
Yeah. Yeah, the Ohio State, you know, there was a little bit that's true, but you know, but yeah, they did make an hotest run. But yeah, it has been interesting, you know, watching these guys learn together and you know, seeing a guy like Travis Perry getting minutes because Kirk creases down. So uh uh, you're right. You know, you institutionally you try to maintain your objectivity because that's how
you you can be truer to the story. But you you wind up rooting for the people themselves, don't you. You know, you grow, you go to like these folks, and uh, they're very likable, they.
Really are, you know, And I tell people all the time, like, I can I can do my job and be objective at the same time, I try to believe me if if something went wrong with the program or they weren't winning. I'm not going to paint this, you know, rosy picture of everything's going perfectly. You know, it's our job to have a voice that's a little bit bigger maybe than others. I mean with social media, everybody has a voice now, right, but we we have a little bit more of a platform.
In many ways.
And you know, you can you know I've told someone before, are like, because I didn't grow up a Kentucky fan, right, I grew up a Texas Tech fan of all things. But when you are immersed in a culture of being around these kids, whether it's the basketball team or the swimming team or the rifle team or whatever, you find yourself somewhat rooting for these athletes because the large majority are really good people, right, and so you want them to do well. You want this to succeed. I think
that's a natural inclination. And if they don't, you know, you report that as well. And so, but just from a fan standpoint, I think everybody just connects with this particular Kentucky basketball team really well. They've got their collection. Yeah, you mentioned Travis Perry and Trent Noen. Those guys are going to be natural for people to gravitate toward because of their upbringing. But just you know an Anley Almanor who grew up in New York with a Kentucky poster
on his wall. You know, that's kind of a cool deal, you know, like okay, you know, and then you know, who knows when Amari Williams from Nottingham, England ever even knew what Kentucky basketball was, but people have embraced him and he's loving it, you know. And so yeah, there's just so many great personalities on this team. And then their response. They're so openness to the fans and the BBN and you know, just even the lap around the
rep arena at the end of the game. You know, it's just they are making a concerted effort to be connected to the fan base, and so it's natural for the fans to be connected to them.
A few minutes left with Lee K. Howard from WKYT and all these things, these wonderful things we're saying about Mark Posts program, you could say virtually the same about Kenny Brooks's program as well. And they've got you know, kids are transferred in from Virginia Tech, but you know, kids from overseas who might have known what Kentucky was, but now you talk about putting UK women's basketball back on the map has been pretty impressive.
Yeah, you know, I jokingly said to Kenny Brooks and said, how mad are you at Mark Pope for coming in and stilling your thunder? And and you know it's like because because let's you know, let's pretend nothing ever happened to the men's programs. The women's program would be all of the headlines, you know, with the way that they're doing it, and uh, you know, I saw the other day it was like there's there are three women's SEC programs undefeated, and it was your usual suspects of South
Carolina and LSU and then oh yeah, Kentucky. You know, you know, just the way that Georgia Amore has been able to, you know, run that team. And then I tell you that Clara Strack and she's young, she's got so much potential. And then you know, just even like Amelia Hassett, the other Australian girl, that's just they you know, you go into these matchups in Kentucky for the longest time, even when Matthew Mitchell had it rolling and he had
some really good teams, they were always undersized. Y they just beat you. They beat you defensively, they beat you with forty minutes of dread they did. But this, but man Kenny Brooks has put together probably one of the tallest teams in the SEC. And it's they're so much fun to watch.
Yeah, they really are. And Georgia Amore worth the price of admission, you know, and what a luxury to have her on the court. And I heard a story you might have heard the same anecdote that, uh, there were some people in the SEC who thought, oh, Kentucky's got a new coach. Okay, that's fine. But then when they heard Georgia Aymore was coming, now they've got their attention, like, oh, they've got her. Well, now we've got to pay attention to Kentucky. And you can see why.
Absolutely, you know.
And and unfortunately Kentucky only gets her for one year, but I think it's important that we got her for this one year to kind of establish things. And with the success that he's having now he's already got a couple in his recruiting class. But you know, players are going to want to come and play to be the next Georgia Amore, you know, just like it happens on the men's program. And you know, I just think it's
so vital for both of these coaches. We were talking about Pope as well, but to establish themselves in year one and it's just that, yes, that's great for this year, but I hope people are also seeing the bigger picture of you're establishing your legacy, your your program, not for just this year, but for the years going forward. And so like what Kenny Brooks has been able to do with this group, and so many of them will be back and he'll lose a few, like you know that
are that are you know daisire law Uh Lawrence? I believe she's a Yeah, she's a senior as well. And but you mean you're gonna have some coming in and I just the trajectory of both of these programs. It's it's just such a different feeling around those facilities than it was a year ago.
It's fun right now, and it's been fun like this before. Uh, And you know, you've got to got to be vigilant because you never know when it won't be fun. But right now, enjoy it while we can and enjoy Lee K. Howard's coverage for WKYT, and I'm sure we will speak again. We'll see you maybe Saturday. That's going to be a good one. Kentucky Alabama, but I've.
Heard Alabama's pretty good.
They're pretty good, brother, and they got beat the other nice that they're going to be angry coming in. Thank you, sir, my best of the missus and stay.
Warm, okay, thank you Dick.
And of course Lee k is married to the wonderful Christian Kennedy, an anchor for WKYT, and as I mentioned earlier, he is a New Mexico native but went to I think West Texas State and he covered Texas Tech when I think when Bob Knight was there, covered basketball there. So he's told us some stories, very interesting. But I enjoy talking to photographers videographers who get to shoot from
the baseline. Boy, do they have stories to tell. More stories coming up with Tim Sullivan, freelance writer over in Louisville here on six thirty WLAP welcome back to the Big Blue Sider joining us sounds a long time friend of the show and a guy who has covered sports from coast to coast in this country, and that is Tim Sullivan, who has gone from Cincinnati, San Diego to Louisville. Freelance writer now in Louisville as he keeps an eye on all things sports and Tim, welcome back. We haven't
chatted in a while. Are you staying warm over there?
No, I'm staying inside though, so I'm trying to avoid the snow and the ice.
Had a boy good to hear. Well, I know you've been checking out both the Cats and the Cards from the other end of the interstate. And as a as a journalist, as a guy who's told a lot of stories, what do you think of the way this Kentucky story is unfolding with You know, we talked a while back about Mark Pope coming in, but you know the fact that he had to cobble this team together and now they are one of the better teams in the country, to the surprise of a lot of people.
You know, I had a conversation with a Kentucky fan who, uh was was critical when I suggested that Pat Kelsey might be the national coach of the year, and he said, well, you know, look at what Mark Pope has done. I said, well, you know, what he's done is undeniably impressive, and you know, to put an entire roster together in a single season and get them to play as well as they have is you know, certainly to his credit. But you know, I don't think that he was starting from the same
base that Kelsey was. I mean, the Louisville program was really in tatters when when Kenny Paine left. Uh, you know, with all the traditions, the resources support, the history of blah blah blah that that Kentucky has. I have to give Kelsey a little edge because you know, he didn't
he didn't have all that. You know, obviously there's a lot of history with the Louisville program, but it's become a little more remote of wait, and you know, if the two of those coaches finished one two in either order in the Coach of the Year voting, you know, I wouldn't object that.
Yeah.
I think sometimes we get a little myopic around here and we think that you know, everything our balls around those two programs.
There is a there are forty.
Nine other states, not counta Canada ann but you know, it's tremendously impressive and I think it's revitalized basketball within the state and both fan bases I think are extremely pleased with their new guy.
Yeah. And you know what I find really fascinating as well, the latest chapter for Kentucky and you've you're a career media guy, is you know how many times have we heard coaches and players say, we don't pay attention to what's being said in the media the fan, we don't
hear the noise. We tune it out. And yet the storyline was becoming, Hey, this Kentucky team, they're talented, they're fun, but they're a little soft, you know, because of the three losses, it seemed like they were physically beaten, maybe a little intimidated, and they flat out admitted tim after this win the other night, that it was important to them to show that they weren't. They said, you know, they basically admitted, we heard it and we wanted to
respond to it. I've been around for a while as you have. I don't know that I've ever heard coaches or players admit to that. You know what I mean.
Well, I think the culture of sports has changed to a large extent because of social media, and it's it's very difficult for young kids to avoid the noise, as they describe it. You can insulate yourself to a certain extent but uh, you know, if you're on X or Twitter or whatever it's called today, you're going to get quite a lot of amateur advice, and it's it's not
always gentle. So you know, I think that in this environment thing, and you know, coaches will will sometimes say, you know, I don't want you guys on social media, but you know you're going to hear about it one way or another, you know, either directly or you know someone in your family say what this guy said about you or that, And you know that's so much different than uh, you know what most of the the athletes that I've covered, you know, for decades, the experience that they've had.
The ability to weather that to deal with it.
You know, I think it to some extent it toughens these guys up responding to it as as Kentucky has and acknowledging it. I think it's pretty healthy.
As you watch this Kentucky team, are you surprised at what you see? Because there have been so many different they've they've they've won track meets, they've won grind them outs, you know, and they've had come from behind wins. What's been your experience as you watch this season unfold.
Well, I you know, I think that any team that has been assembled as Kentucky's has is going to have some growing pains, Yeah, just because of a lack of familiarity with each other.
And this was.
I think a big problem during the Calipari era, where who is turning over the roster every year and you know, was starting from scratch with the freshman dominated team. I think the transfer portal has changed that to a certain extent and you get an opportunity to deal with, you know, a more seasoned roster than maybe we've seen at UK in recent years. But there's just a purific amount of talent there. And you know, when in doubt, I always always go with the more talented team and think, you know,
eventually they'll figure it out. And their ability to play different styles and adapt, you know, I think is really going to leave them in good stead when when the tournament comes around. I you know, last time I looked, the SEC had five or six of the top ten country and that's you know, uh, and we always hear about you know, s he speak football and what a
grind it is to get through a season. Well, uh, the same is true in basketball, and maybe right now to a greater extent in basketball, and and I saw Tennessee early in the season that was very impressed. I really haven't seen Auburn, but ah, you know, I think that the depth of that league and the talent at the top is you're going to see a lot of very high seeds in Mark.
You mentioned Caliperry. How surprised are you with the way his team has started a SEC play, Well, you.
Know, somewhat but not entirely.
But I.
Can't read his mind. And I you know, I think Arkansas is a different animal than Kentucky and you don't have quite the same expectations or uh, I guess, uh, you know ceiling that that you do. And you know, I think there's there were questions towards the end of his tenure in Lexington about you know, whether whether he had lost a step or was motivated, was able to use his formula with you know, freshman dominated teams, uh to compete with more experienced teams in this transfer portal
anile era. And I think he's smart enough to adapt. But uh, the SEC, as I just said, is is not a place that that you want to get your training wheels on because you're you're operating with a high level of competition and if you're not ready to go, feel it.
We're talking with freelance writer Tim Sullivan. He's over at the other end of the interstate and Louisville. Will come back and talk more college basketball in just a minute here on a Big Blue Sider. We're talking with Tim Sullivan, freelance journalist over in Louisville. He's kept an eye on the Cats and the Cards, and we talked about the two coaches, Kelsey and Pope off the top. How from a guy who's only been able to look in on TV a little bit, Tim, how has Kelsey done this?
Because he's got some talent on his roster, but it's not exactly guys where the NBA scouts are knocking his door down. So what's been the secret to his success so far?
Well, I think a lot of it is some of the players they brought with him from College of Charleston Blanket for a second there, you know, And he's been able to withstand some pretty serious injuries at once. They were very depleted, and you know, I thought that they were improved, but I I certainly didn't expect them to be going on a seven game winning streak and and winning UH at pitt and beating North Carolina, and UH, I had thought to that. I think he's got so much energy and it's.
It has.
Translated to to the fans, and I think the team has responded to him in a way that you know, they really didn't for either Kenny Payne or or Chris mack and.
H.
There is a an energy around the program that that I really haven't felt since UH, since Fristino left. But you know, I I think that this team is probably we UH looking at it, you know, maybe six or seventh seeded at this point. And at the start of the season, I thought, well, you know, if they get in the tournament, that would be a tremendous feat. But you know, the expectations are higher now. You win seven
in a row, you're going to get people's attention. And you know, I think that they are on an upward trajectory that that I think most of us would have thought it would have taken a couple of years. But you know, the great thing about the transfer portal is that you can revise things very quickly. You have the ni own money in place and in the system that that appeals to too high end talent.
I was texting back and forth with my brother dead or night. He went to Louisville, played in the pep band many back when they were going to the Final four in the early eighties, so a long time fan. But he said, very simply, he said, it's fun again.
And I can't tell you how weird it was. Having covered several Kentucky Louisville games in the Young Center, tim to tune in a Louisville game and you know, the last couple of years and the Young Center almost empty, and now you turn it on and it's not quite the same. But it's getting there, isn't it.
Yeah?
You know, I thought that it wouldn't take a lot to bring fans back, that they were hungry for a team that they, you know, felt confident in and wanted to root for. And what else is there to do. We don't have you know, the NFL or the NBA yere and you have a big arena that has looked rather empty for a couple of years.
Is but.
The attendance figures are on the f swing and they're not you know, they're not Kentucky figures at this point, and they may never be but uh, you know, for years and years this was the most profitable college basketball program in America, and I think it can be that again or close to it. Uh, if the the trajectory continues like this, and you know, and you're gonna they've benefited from what is a relative down here in the
A C c UH that that has certainly helped. But you know, just the idea that this new coach has won more games and three months and Kenny paigned it in two years, uh, has has energized people and restored a lot of the the faith and the the excitement that has existed around this program traditionally dating back to the early days of Denny Crown.
I don't think they've lost since that set back to Kentucky. So, yeah, March is coming quickly. That's going to be really interesting. We have a few minutes left with Tim Sullivan. I wanted to ask you. I don't know if you saw this story, but the new president, Charlie Bakerly he's not that new anymore, but he talked to day or two
ago about changing the transfer portal. And at the coach's convention, the coach is unanimously voted to eliminate December and April in terms of transfer portal windows and just set up a ten day transfer portal window from January two to the twelfth, which could make for a chaotic scene. But on the other hand, they got to do something tim because this has kind of gotten out of hand, hasn't it.
Well yeah, uh At the same time, I think that you know, this is kind of the payback for years and years trying to deny rights that that almost anyone else in American society has other than you know, college athletes until very recently, and you know, the the ability to put quote guardrails on the system and you know, have structure that that reduces the you know, the ability of athletes to move freely.
I think is.
Is kind of a slippery slope because of of the likelihood that it would face a court challenge, and if you look at the recent history, the n C double A has not done very well in court.
Uh so uh, you know, I think that as long as.
You don't violate the rights of these athletes, and you can come up with a changes that are acceptable or at least they're not going to cause open revolts. I don't know that doing in January makes a lot of sense. But greater minds than mine are working on this, you know.
But I think ultimately, until the universities decide that they're going to allow these athletes to be employees and unionize and do collective bargaining, you're going to have a system that is somewhat chaotic and inherently so, I don't think that that limiting athletes to it and a window makes a lot of sense, because you're you're kind of forcing them into rush decisions, not you know, not that a lot of stuff isn't going on under the table and right,
you know, ahead of ahead of time. But that's that's the sort of thing you want to avoid. I mean, there should be a certain amount of transparency, and I think there should be a reasonable opportunity for athletes to make informed decisions and not you know, with a gun to their heads.
Yeah, and like you said, it's not like they're going to suddenly come up on January second to say I guess I'll transfer. Where can I go? But it's amazing to me, Tim the numbers of kids who jump into the portal with no locked in landing area. You know, when the music stops, theres nowhere to sit down. And that's dangerous.
Yeah, it sure is.
And you know they're always going to be case studies of guys who go into the in the portal and they and they have nowhere to land, and uh, that's that's really unfortunate. But you know that that's I think almost inevitable. Uh, when you have a limited number of scholarships available. Uh uh, you know, coaches competing for the same high end guys and maybe the the guys who are frustrated where they are. And I shouldn't say just guys,
because you know we're seeing some women's athletics as well. Yeah, you know that not everybody is coveted and and sometimes if you're frustrated where you are, it's because of your own ability and not you know, not because the coach has an end for you.
He is Tim Sullivan and you can follow him on Twitter or x Tim Sullivan seven to one four and Tim will check back with you closer to tournament time. It should be really interesting this year.
Well, I think that in Kentucky this year you're going to see a lot more interest than there normally is, and there's normally quite a lot, which speaks well for both programs.
Sounds good to me. Thank you, brother, stay warm over.
There, all right, Dick, thanks for calling and that'll do it.
Thanks so much to my guests, thank you for listening. That said, good night from the garage in Lexington.
Don't want to meet the team? Clements. Did I meet the team? You sure did that in your face, Strawberry. Wait a minute, are you kenming? Griffy Jr.
No, sorry, didn't mean to get your hopes up.
Nat