Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with you on this Valentine's Day. Also a happy birthday to my wife and to my daughter in law, Yes, both born on Valentine's Day. I hope you've had a good one. It is the beginning. It is opening day of college baseball season, and as you know, unfortunately we pre record most of our shows, so I can't really get you
up to speed on the baseball. Wildcats are playing down in Nashville against Lipscomb, but we'll have a full report after the weekend on Nickmnjeones team and how the Wildcats opened up. So I hate to leave it at that with baseball, but that's just where we are right now. Coming up tomorrow night, it's Kentucky Texas Wildcats playing down
in Austin against the Longhorns eight pm Eastern start. That means our coverage begins at five point thirty with the Cats, our boys six thirty with Cameron and Dave, Tom and Jack with a call at eight o'clock and Jack's gonna join us at the bottom of the hour and we'll get a scouting report on Texas. But more than anything, I wanted to talk to Jack about the reunion. We've talked all week about the reunion of the seventy four to seventy five team, and of course he was such
a big part of that as a true freshman. So that's coming up at the bottom of the hour. We'll also hear from Kenny Brooks and Vic shaf for the Texas coach. The Long Orange put one on the Wildcats last night at Historic Memorial Coliseum, so we'll talk about that coming up as well. But we got to start off with Mark Pope giving us a medical update on his two injured backcourt players, Lamont Butler, Jackson Robinson. You probably know by now that the news was not good
coming out of his weekly press conference. The first question was about Lamont, who, of course took that terrible spell and reinjured his shoulder, and it doesn't sound good for tomorrow night.
We're still kind of going day by day. We're trying some different treatments and we're just it's we're going to piece it together. And then with Jackson, as I know, he said, maybe be a little while to.
See if you do with him.
Yeah, we either we'd actually did a third opinion for him yesterday. He's meeting with the best people in the world as well as Lamon also is, and there's just you know, we're kind of in the taking information, trying to figure out the course of action, decisions to be made, and so they're both pretty complicated situations timing wise and recovery wise, and there's als also a little bit of a guessing part in terms of just the best medical
treatment at the best time. They're both pretty serious injuries, and the guys are desperate to play and they're desperate to get healthy, and they're you know, short term and long term, and it's kind of balancing all those out with the calendar not just for the season, but for the summer and for next year. It's just all trying to fit all those piece together and then kind of see day by day what kind of returns they're getting from new medical treatments. Is it's you know, that's kind
of where we are right now. I know that's super vague, but that's I think we could potentially find some clarity on both those guys in the next couple of weeks.
We'll see next couple of weeks man, And as I've said, you know, they're not going to win the SEC. Any shot they have at winning the tournament hinges on having
at least one of those guys back. I would think, I'm talking about the SEC tournament, and then what kind of run do they make in the postseason tournament in the NCAA without one or both of those guys, And just it really is disappointing because they had something special going and still do, but to not have one or both of those guys, it just really taints what's going
on right now. And everybody deals with injuries, but this team is so roster specific, and he is having to move people around to try to figure out what to do and who to play where and what can I how many minutes can I get out of this guy play in a position that he's not used to playing, you know that sort of thing. So I just hated
for Pope and for the Big Blue Nation. We're all having such a good time watching this team, covering this team, watching this story unfold, and now you know, it's a big what if situation, and again, everybody's dealing with stuff, but the fact that Kentucky's dealing with two injuries like this, and the way Pope was making it sound really trying to read between the lines. You wonder will we see Jackson Robinson again. I think we'll see Lamont Butler. Just
question a when and now? Do you gamble and rest him as much as possible for that late season or postseason run if you will. It's getting late, folks, as you know, in the schedule. So that's just something a coach has to deal with. I will say this, For all the problems he's having with his team right now,
Mark Poulpe hasn't lost his sense of humor. Somebody at the news conference asked him tongue firmly planted in cheek about the fact that the SEC, for all its grandeur and greatness, best conference maybe ever overall, has a five hundred record. That of course has come up a couple of times broadcasters, two different guys, and I talked about it last night. Carl raviits fell on his sword, ESPN,
you know. But of course the overall record will never be anything but five hundred in this and every other league. But somebody asked Pope about it, and Mark played alone.
He talks about the SEC being the best conference in college basketball, but the conference is just five hundred since conference plays started.
What do you make of that.
I think it's been a really disappointing start at the conference play. I feel like we should you know, Oh, I feel like we're not living up to the expectations just being at five hundred as a conference, and I just, you know, I'm kind of looking around at the other programs of leading, But like, guys, we got to pick this up. This is embarrassing, and so we'll find a way. I believe in this league. I think we definitely have an upside and we're going to work really hard to get there.
You want to know, the best part about that to me is that he let it go all the way. He didn't round it off and say, oh, you know, guys, everybody makes mistakes and we're just kidding around. We're just having some fun. He didn't try to qualify it and cover his tracks. A lot of people start to feel guilty, and he wasn't making fun of any one person in particular. He was just having fun with it. And I kept waiting for him, you know, to cut it short and say, oh,
you know, guys, we're just kidding something like that. But he went with the gag all the way through, and he did it with that Rye grin on his face, which I thought was just fantastic. So I appreciated that probably as much as anything, So tip of the cap to Mark Pope for maintaining that sent the humor in a very difficult time. By the way, Texas is coming
in angry. They've lost three straight, destroyed by Alabama, a team that can destroy anybody, really, but it's sixty one percent from the game seventeen to twenty nine three pointers. So maybe there are some spots in that Texas defense the Wildcats can exploit from beyond the arc. Be a lot easier with Butler and or Jackson Robinson. Up next, we'll talk about the UK women. Bottom of the hour, Jack Gibbons here on the Big Balloon Sider six point
thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Boon Sider. Coming up in just a few minutes, Jack Gibbons will prep us for Kentucky Texas the men's game, but we'll also talk about the gathering the reunion of the seventy five team. We've talked about that all week basically with interviews here and there, and of course Jack was such a big part of it as a true freshman. So we'll talk with Jack about the Final four team of nineteen seventy five. But got to look back at last night's UK women's
game with Texas. Man, that is a good team Texas. That team has split with South Carolina. That tells you how good the Lady Longhorns are. And Kentucky held its own for a while there, but things started to get away by the end of the first half, and then the second half it was just really brutal and it was all about defense. Really, Kentucky played well defensively, believe
it or not. It may not look that way because of the final score sixty seven to forty nine, but Texas averages eighty four points a game, and the Wildcats held the Longhorns to thirty eight percent shooting for the evening. Now, the worst of it was the second quarter, where Texas shot fifty three percent, really pounded on the Wildcats. But on the other three quarters, the best the long Horns
could shoot was forty one percent. So Kentucky did a really good job most things considered defensively, but Texas smothered the Wildcats in that second quarter. Kentucky shot just twenty three percent three out of thirteen, and for the game shot thirty four percent. Now, the biggest problem once again was offensive rebounds. Wildcats gave up twenty boards to the Longhorns and got just five of their own. Tianni Key, who's just a warrior, she fought for three offensive rebounds.
The rest of the team got two, so overall rebounds forty five to twenty eight. And again, this is not an extraordinarily huge Kentucky team. There is length in height with Strack and Silva, but that's about it. Really, It's just about effort and wan and of course two Kentucky's best players, not an excuse, but you know they're out for the year. They're on the bench, so you knew going in this was not going to be an extraordinarily physical, banging Kentucky team. But that has been the problem in
the loss. They come from a head loss to Ole Miss and then they just could not compete physically with Texas. And again that's just a really, really good ball club.
This was the night where everybody wore pink and showed out for cancer, and there was a particularly moving moment prior to the game when Kenny Brooks and his wife went to mid court and they announced that his wife has been diagnosed as cancer free now she's been battling cancer for a while, so that was huge and a touching moment, and Kenny talked about that after the game.
While you know, it was disappointing with the way the game turned out, but in terms of the health of his wife and the way they've been accepted by the community made things really special tonight.
Nice eye tonight when you know what you've gone through and you know how you've gotten through it because of other people, and to be able to bring awareness to this navity disease, and you know, that's what Vick and I talked about. He has a son who he he almost lost and nice sight tonight really puts things into perspective. Can't do it by yourself, and that you have so many people that are helping you. So University Kentucky has
been great to me. I love it when people come up to me and before they even ask me anything about basketball, they'll ask me how my wife's doing.
And that's.
That means everything, because family families first. Tonight was special.
Big Shaeffer, the Texas coach, and they've known each other and they shared a moment. He and Kenny Brooks after the game. So yeah, I didn't know that that Schaeffer has a son who battled cancer. So yeah, it was a bitter with a better kind of thing last night
at the coliseum. And Schaeffer lauded his team's defense because while Kentucky did a nice job, relatively speaking, holding Texas down on the defensive end, well, you think about how well this Kentucky team shoots the ball, gets up and down the floor, and Texas holds Kentucky the nine points.
They're really a good offensive team. I mean, I'm really proud of my kids sight y'all. They held them to forty nine points, Like you don't do you know, they're obviously not doing that standing around in a two three zone playing hope you miss defense.
So now, back to back conference losses for the Wildcats are eight and three in the Southeastern Conference, nineteen and four overall. First home loss, they're twelve and one now at historic Memorial Coliseum, Texas twenty five and two, eleven and one in conference play. Don't be surprised if you see those Longhorns in the final four this year. Kentucky now zero and three all time against Texas. Coming up next,
Georgia on Sunday. It'll be on SEC Plus, but we'll have it for you right here on six thirty WLAP. It's a two pm tip. It's alumni Day. Darren Hedricks pregame at one forty five. So Kentucky which beat Georgia earlier this year. Now we'll take on the Bulldogs once again and try to bounce back before we get to the break. We didn't have a chance to talk about this last night at a tip of a big Moonsider cap to JJ Weaver named Jason Witten Collegiate Man of
the Year. And you know Jason's story. Now, he had to deal with the taunts and the teasing that come with as a kid being born with that sixth finger.
But more than anything, the way he bounced back after losing his father to homicide in July of twenty twenty, and then about a little more than a year later, his beloved high school football coach, he loses him to cancer and so dealing with his grief and after talking with Mark Stoops, he sought out help, went for counseling, and a lot of you know, especially athletes, football players, they're gonna try to tough it out. But JJ went
for counseling realize how much it helped him. Now he's an outspoken advocate for mental health and in the fall of twenty twenty three, and got some help from the Kentucky Center for Grieving Children and Families, launched an eight week peer led grief counseling group on the UK campus called the Perfect Fit Support Group, first of its kind at UK. And so he has done so much in the area of mental health for young people. And he is the Jason Witten Collegiate not just for UK, but
Collegiate Man of the Year. We'll take a break, come back and hear from Jack Gibbons in just a minute on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Moon Side. I'm joining us on our celebrity hotline as a longtime friend and broadcast colleague and a former classmate of mine, Jack Gibbons, And I mentioned that because we're going to
take Jack before we talk about UK Texas coming up tomorrow. Jack, we got to talk about the reunion you guys had this past weekend and the reception afterwards, and I was so appreciative that you guys allowed me to be a part of that. It's so great to see all you guys. But what did that mean to you? Just having as many guys as you couldn't have everybody obviously, but having you guys get together. And I can't believe it has been fifty years, you.
Know, yeah, tell me about it.
I mean, does where does time go?
Man?
It flies right on by.
But yeah, it's always good to get together with those with our former teammates and visit, talk about the good old days, if you will, and just spend time together. And we got we had a lot of time to do that. I mean, you know, Friday night of that Friday night we got together and had pretty nice reception down at the Lexus Room and Reperena. We had a really good time. Their families were there and good to visit with everybody. And of course Saturday morning we got
together right before the game. They had a nice set up down at Reperena. And you know, for guys who haven't had a chance to be on the court, and a lot of those guys it's been a long long time, if ever, to be on the court at rupp Arena, because you know, we weren't playing in that building back with that team, So for them to be on the court and to be recognized by twenty thousand fans who were there. It was just a special day for all of us.
Yeah, that team played its way through the old Memorial Coliseum. And when you and I were working the Pro day broadcast, which seems like forever ago, I talked that we were setting up to some of the current players and I, you know, they had Pro Day in the coliseum, the new and improved Historic And I told them, I said, you know, Jack and his first couple of varsity teams played the regular season here and they would look around like and one of them said, how did they do that?
I said, well, it didn't quite look the same seven five hundred. The coliseum was a great home court advantage, wasn't it?
Oh man, it was I think gave it had a home court advantage that even to this day.
Rep.
Aerna hasn't been able to match. I agree and and Reperena of course is still a special place for basketball. But it was something about the closeness of the fans in that building up even though it held only just showed of twelve thousand people, it would get extremely loud in there.
It was.
It was just a great place for basketball. Historic place for basketball. When you think of all the great players who played in their boat for Kentucky and guys who came in to play, it just it's made a great basketball arena. It was very fun to play in.
Opposing players would talk about how close that it seemed. It felt like the crowd was, They said, it feels it felt like they could reach out and touch us, which wasn't really the case, but it felt that way. And then of course the ceiling was so much lower obviously than it was at Roup Arena, so it trapped all that noise in there. And to me, I've never been inside Cameron Indoor. I've seen it countless times as
you have on TV. Maybe you've been in there, but to me, it was like a bigger version, just a little bit bigger of Cameron Indoor where it just closes in on you. Well, you know, if you're an opposing team and things are getting away from you, it must have felt nuts.
Yeah.
And you know, even back in those days, the College CM was bigger than most other arenas shot the SEC So even on that kind of scale, it was still very special for teams coming in here to play because I don't know that anywhere else for exclusively built for basketball. If any other place back then had that many seats, So yeah, it was. It was still big, and that made it more special for teams coming in as well.
Yeah, they weren't playing tournaments and football stadiums and stuff like that back then. And then I know when it was first Bill Rupp thought it was a white elephant. We'll never fill this place. And look at that. We're talking to Jack Evans, of course about we're going to talk about Kentucky Texas, but we're talking about the reunion of the seventy four to seventy five team. It's something I talked about with so many of your former teammate.
Well they're still your teammates, Jack. Was the fact that you guys experienced ups and downs. You know, you had the super kittens who preceded you, but your freshman year you helped this team go to the Final four. But the year prior they go thirteen and thirteen and you were growing up in election and you heard the fans
grumbling about Joe b and things like that. But the fact that they all stayed together that group and experienced all those ups and downs together for four and maybe even five years it's just something that doesn't sadly doesn't happen today. And we all know how we all feel about the one and done's and kids coming and going, But that I really believe Jack is what to help you guys get to the final four? Or am I crazy?
Oh? No, You're absolutely right. And for myself, Rick Roby, Mike Phillips and James Lee who came in along with Danny Hall who we were freshmen. A you know, there couldn't have been a better way for us to learn. I mean we come into a situation where really there's no pressure on us, I mean on the freshmen that with no pressure pressure, but for those seniors Greevy, uh and you know Mike swing Guy, Jimmy dan h Jerry Hall, all of those guys, I mean, the pressure was on them.
We we just came in and enjoyed the ride, which which was wonderful for us, uh because we got to play as well. And uh, you know, we just we just came in did what we did, and we thought that every team was going to be like this and go to the Final four and uh maybe lose the last game, maybe win one. We thought every every game, every season, we'd do the same thing. Of course it
didn't work out that way, but yeah, it was. It was a special ride for us throughout the course of that season, and uh we we we came close out there in San Diego to beating us to LA but came up a little short.
Yeah, yeah, we could. We could rehash that one. But it was funny to me how at least two more players told me because Bob guy Hada told me some time ago that he had encountered John Wooden, but more than one former Wildcat had had the chance to respectfully tell the coach, you know, we really believe that if you had to announced your retirement, we would have won, and coach wouldn't in his scholarly way, explained how, no, we would have won anyway. But what do you expect
him to say. But you know, you mentioned Jack that you didn't feel pressure, but it was pretty clear that the team needed the size that Rick and Mike and even Danny brought, and needed the scoring that you brought, and you had some big games down the stretch. But were you able to just deal with that because the seniors I assume the seniors made it a little easier on you.
Oh yeah, I mean, you know, having to go against Kevin Greevy every day in practice. Man, there is no better way to learn because greeb was just an offensive man. He was he could score and put just a machine, could put points on the board. And I had to defend him every day in practice. And he didn't take it easy on me. He made me work and made me learn the right way to play. But there were a lot of guys on the team that did the
same thing. I mean, you know, going against Bob Iad, I mean, coming off of thirteen and thirteen years, the last thing they were going to allow to happen was for us to come in and just skate by. And I think we all had some big games and had had minutes where we could where we could play and
show what we could do. But yeah, and there were times when the size Rick Roby brought going against Kent Benson and Mitch Cupcheck and all those other big throughout the SBC, Leon Douglas down at Alabama, I mean, yeah, yeah, that size was needed Rick and Mike brought. And you're right, we don't get to where we got without our contributions.
But still it was pretty easy, Gabe, because we just you know, Coach All put us in the game we played and if we Fortunately we didn't lose very often, but if we lose, if we lost the game, all of the attention went to those seniors and to Coach All.
It was no blamed on not.
That's right, before I shift your attention to Kentucky's game tomorrow. I got to Ask as a freshman, and I talked to some of the veterans of Jimmy Dan and to Mike and about the fact that it's now famous. Daryl Bird wrote a great story about this for the Cash Pause, about how prior to the Indiana game, when you guys upset them in the regional final after having lost by twenty four, Joe b the last thing he told you guys,
he went through it. He put up some notes on the chalkboard that was an old fashioned chalkboard back then, not a dry race, and he basically was giving you guys instructions about the postgame celebration.
You know.
It wasn't last minute strategy about x'es and o's. It was like, here's what we're going to do after we win. Do you remember seeing that and what your reaction was?
Yeah, I don't remember specifically all the four points he made, but the last one was was and he was he was one hundred percent serious.
Man.
He said, now, listen, guys, when you go up on that ladder and you cut the net, just be careful not to cut your finger with the physics, you know, he said, make sure you're careful because we don't want anybody getting hurt out there.
And hold on to that ladder. I mean.
He went through everyone and he made specific points about how we were gonna and we sat there like, man, this is the he's preaching the gospel. Man, listen because this is serious. And uh, yeah, it was fun. It was fun going through that and thinking back on it and just saying, mankind the heck did he know this was gonna happen?
But it was.
It was another great job by coach Hog making sure we were ready to play. The Other thing he said uh in that game was uh. He said, Now the first time Indiana said an illegal scream the very first time. And you tell the officials this when we go into the huddle before the game, you captains, you tell them the first time there's an illegal screen with an elbow high up in the throat area, there's going to be a fight.
We're gonna fight.
Was dropping the ball and we're fighting right now, and and and and and the captains Jimmy Dan and uh Mike Flynn, they went out there, man, and they told and told the referees, and refee says, no, don't start talking that stuff now. We don't want to hear that.
This is a game. And you know all of this, man.
But the first time it happened, and that's the way Indiana ran thereof right, with illegal screens and high elbows that hit you in the face or if you're lucky, it'd hit you in their throat or your chest. Man, the very first time, guyet Bob Guyette, I think it was locked up somebody, man, and they went down. And I mean, but that's the last time the officials let that happen without calling the fouls exact. Coach Hall did a great job coaching that game.
He did, and because he always said that Bob Knight's offense was predicated on a series of illegal screens. And yeah, that took. Now, there was a little dust uff towards the end, and James Lee, I can still see him sprinting the distance the length of the course before people got ejected for coming off the bench. But some I think Jimmy Dan may have locked up with somebody or somebody you you correct me, and and James went down to be the enforcer. That was a highlight.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, James. James could do that. If you came running down there and they saw me, Come on, come on, Jack, come on man, Yeah you can do it.
James comes. If James comes.
Running at you, man, you go duck and go the other way. Got that, so yeah, you know, but it was that kind of game. It was an awesome game to be part of.
Jack Gibbans is my guess. We'll come back and talk Kentucky Texas after the break here on six thirty w l A P. Welcome back to the Big Blue Sider. We're talking to Jack Gibins. He is Tom Leach's broadcast partner, as you know, and he'll call the action as the Wildcats take on the long Horns tomorrow. Before I talk about that brand of orange that shade. Uh, nothing makes me happier, Jack. Then Kentucky went over Tennessee being basketball
or football, which you're rare. I know because two of my good buddies on the broadcast sides of things, Jeffer Corro who played back before the Louisville series, and mister Jack Gibbons same. Your favorite thing in the world when it comes to the wackas is beating Tennessee. So I know how happy you were the other night. You just you had to be overjoyed by that effort.
Oh yeah, oh man, it was. It was just an unbelievable win. And uh, you know, it's one of those games that you you you just know that you better be ready to play because Tennessee is Tennessee, and it was just really really nice to see Kentucky uh come out and accept the challenge. Uh, you know, they had beaten We had beaten Tennessee down in Knoxville, so you know, Tennessee wanted to come in and try to make an example out of Kentucky and beat them on their home floor.
We knew that that was part of it, but we accepted it. And again we got out to a great start, which I thought was hugely important because you didn't want to try to fight behind, fight from behind to get back in the game, give them a chance to get going.
Kentucky didn't allow them to get going. And really defended them as well as I mean, I don't want to say as well as we could play defense, because there's still room for improvements, but many they really jumped on them and played well, and down the stretch of the game when Lamont went down, you saw guys step out of their comfort zone, if you will, gave and give Kentucky some stuff that they haven't given them all year. Otaga Olway kind of star guarding the offense for what
I think is the first time. I know he's probably been in there for a player or two, but he defended well. It's such a luxury to have Amari Williams be able to bring the ball down the floor because Tennessee is very good defensively at the guard spots. You don't want to bring the try to bring the ball up the floor with a guy like or take away against Ziggy. You know they they we just down the stretch, stayed tough and figured out a way to win a game through playing with a lot of heart.
I think you guys will break down the Cats and the Longhorns in depth tomorrow on the broadcast, But I guess when we look ahead to this game and going on the road, and you know the circus is coming to town. It's Kentucky's first trip to Austin since an NCAA tournament, appears, first time playing against the Longhorns. But it's just gonna take more of the same. And we don't yet know as we speak if Butler is gonna play.
We know there's no Jackson Robinson. But they have to keep straying from the comfort zone, don't they jack To win games like this?
Yeah, yeah, you know again. You're gonna have to have guys do stuff that they haven't done all season long. You're gonna have to have Kobe Brea, Yes, get the ball along the wing and just say, I don't care if you are Tennessee's best defensive player and may shock, I don't care. I'm just gonna catch the ball, Duke and jive a little bit and I'm gonna pull up and shoot it in your faith. And that's something he hadn't done much. I'd like to see him do a
lot more than that. You're gonna have to have Angeley almanor Uh put the ball on the floor, take a chance and make up big three point play the old fashioned way by creating a shot for yourself and and and getting fouled in the act, and you're gonna have to have that tomorrow. You gonna you're gonna have to have them take it away, handle the ball more, and bring it up the floor against against some pressure, all of those things that these guys haven't had to do
this year. We're gonna have to have it tomorrow. I mean, that's just no other way to win that kind of game.
Well, I'll let you go with this. And again I heard you talking to Tom about it yesterday and on the broadcast as well. But uh, you were a local kid. The two local kids had huge games, you know, collectively six of eight, Noah and Perry. And you know, people like to say, well, they're not freshman anymore, but yeah they are because they're going through all of this for the first time. And now they're going on the road once again in the SEC and it's down the stretch.
It's the grind now, trying to get into the postseason. But it's so much fun seeing these kids and seeing the way Pope has brought them along, isn't it.
Yeah?
Yeah, I mean it's Mark and his staff. I have handled these young guys pretty brilliantly. If you really think about it, I mean, where they were early in the season to where they are now. In a lot of ways, it's like night and day. And even if you think only about the confidence these guys play with, both of them play wet, even if you just look at that one area, and there's plenty of more to look at. But man, I mean, you got to say this, He's
brought these guys along for time, just like this. And yeah, injuries have helped get them more time and all of.
That kind of stuff.
But you can get time and not be ready. That'd be the last time you can. But these guys, these guys were ready for the challenge, and they've really proven themselves to be very, very valuable and they will continue
to be. And yes, they are still freshmen because we saw last year with a couple of pretty good players read Shepherd and Rob billing him what late in the season means and how yes, you are still still freshman because those two guys, as good as they were, they struggled in the SEC tournament, they struggled in the NCAA tournament. And until you get through that the for at least one time, you truly are still a freshman.
Yeah. Yeah, it just it wears on you. But that's all part of it and that's why experience. Yeah, he's off, so it really is. He is Jack GIBBNS. He is Tom Leach Broadcast Partners, the All American and by the way, rated by a panel of experts as the greatest high school player to come out of Lexion. And I know that was a humbling experience for you, wasn't it.
Ah Man, I gave you look at some of the names on that list and which I did, and I shake my head and say.
How nick heck did they put me first?
When you think about some of these other guys who came through here, and uh, some who weren't even on the list were really really good players.
So yeah, it was.
I was very humbled by that and honored to be in that position and to represent so many great athletes, so many great basketball players who played uh in Lexington and uh, well I just was blown away by being chosen in that position.
Well, I'll tell you what. I was one of the voters, and it was it was fun to go back, but it's so hard to to you know, compare eras, but you know, it did take me back quite away. You know, the guy that didn't see play like Steve Chandler and Jeff Mullins and guys like that. But you know those things, they're they're fun. But you could you could argue that for weeks and weeks, couldn't you?
But oh, I was.
Happy for you.
Hey, brother, have a great broadcast. We'll be listening.
Thanks, Gabe, appreciate it.
Man.
I just love how tickled Jack gets when a guy like Kobe Brayer, Trendo or somebody finds an open shot and takes it. Jack being in a shooter that he was and always will be, enjoys that, know, and and I hope you're having a chance to listen to him on the broadcast and you can sync it up with your TV. Takes a little doing, but I love doing that, all right. Coming up our number two, Tom Hammond's going
to join us. We talk with Tom Gosh a few months ago, just before his book came out, and so now we're going to talk to Tom about not just how the book has been received, but also he was part of that get together with the seventy five team. I was invited, so is Tom. So we'll get his thoughts on that and on this current Kentucky team with lots to talk about with Tom Hammond, and we'll talk about last night's Kentucky women's game with Jenna Liftin of
the Kentucky Colonel. That's all ahead here six thirty WLAP.
Any such such such tact stating the singing anything.
Welcome back to the Big Bill insider joining us now is a longtime friend and an absolute mentor to many of us. Tom Hammond legendary sportscaster, you know, as we're from WLX here in Lexington for several years, but for the longest time NBC Sports, the NFL, the NBA, college basketball, the Olympics, and of course his book is now Tom, Welcome back. Last time you and I talked was right before the book was released and now Races Games and Olympic Dreams of Sportscasters Life is out. You can get
it via Amazon and in bookstores everywhere. How's it doing well?
It's doing well as far as I know. Dick Mark's story, my co author and I have been around the state doing some signings and giving a little program about the book and how we came to write it, and the reception has been good. Now, I always I have a caveat that. I don't think anybody's going to walk up to me and say this book is terrible, So it might not be the best sample of how it's received, but so far it's been very, very fuss you know.
That's something. And we were all sitting around telling stories the other day at the reception for the seventy five team, and somebody brought up Jack Sutherland. I learned that from Jock very early. He was a real mentor of mine as well, and he said, you know, he saw somebody recognize me, and he said, you know, they don't tell you when they don't like you.
So now I think in the age of social media, you know, people can get on there and write whatever they want and with no accountability, so good.
Luck that's true when they do come up and talk to you. I got to think most people do they hit you with the personal story about something that you said or did, or something they heard you said. It really meant a lot to them. Do you hear a lot of that?
Yeah?
I do a lot. And I also have heard a lot of people saying to me, oh, I didn't know that about you. They're learning different to different parts of me and to be honest, it's a little scary to put all those things about your life, yourself out there that you've never really talked about before for everybody to know. So I've kind of gotten used to it by now, but at first it was a little frightening to do that. But people, a lot of people said they had learned
some things about me. And you know, people also notice of my affection for Lexington and supper Kentucky that comes through the book and what I say in the book tick, which I really have felt my whole career, my whole life, is that the best thing that ever happens to me is when a total stranger comes up to me and says, I'm a Kentuckian and I just want you to know you make us proud. And it doesn't get any better than that.
That's so great. And I had somebody tell me a long time ago, got in our business, when you start to move, he said, it seems like you never stop. And I've only made a couple of moves in my life, you know, lexing into Dallas, back to Lexing, And I was fortunate, and I know how much it means to you to be able to kind of keep this as your home base. You literally traveled the world doing your job, but you could always come.
Home to Lection and exactly, and one of the great moments is when you return, you fly over at Farman, you see that again and you know you're home. Yeah. I was so lucky, Dick, that I was not able to have to play the TV game where you bounce from one bigger market to the next trying to advance. I wanted to stay in Lexington, you know, because I love it, because I liked the horses and you know,
all the things about it. And I was so lucky that Harry Barfield, who was the general manager of w LA TV, let me supplement my income at the TV station, first of all by working at the Keenland sales as the announcer, and then at other sales around the country, so I didn't have to move. I was able to stay here, which is what I always wanted to do. And when I worked for the network, people would say, oh my gosh, you know, travel must be awful. I said, well,
I have to make the connection. Usually that's the only price I have to pay, and that's a small price to pay to still live in Lexington. So I did have to make lots of connections. But to me that was no big deal. And my six million Delta miles can attend to that.
Wow.
Yeah, I was fortunate too, because not nearly at the scale that you had. But I I've picked up some freelance work through my career and Ralph Gabbard let me do it, you know, I said, as long as it doesn't interfere with your duties as a sports manager at k y T. Yeah, go ahead, you know, and kind of you know, job well done. It's a reward and and so I was fortunate too. But yeah, I envy you. Uh. I never had a chance to work the Olympics. I always wanted to do it at least once.
Uh.
Just the majesty, the grandeur, the splendor, all of that really appealed to me. I got to think that when you first started doing that, was it overwhelming at all?
It was a little daunting to start with.
It was a bit intimidating.
Because it's it's something the whole world is watching. Yeah, when you get there, you realize the whole world is here. Yeah, and it's it's just such such a big deal and it's the one one of the things that the world usually agrees on and let's watch the Olympics. They want different people to win, of course, but they think that the Olympics are important enough to take time out of their days to watch. And my first Olympics was this sound so long ago now, was nineteen eighty eight in Seoul,
South Korea. And originally I was slated to do a questrian events and Michael Weisman was executive producer at NBC, the man that hired me at NBC. And I said, that's great time, I'd love to do it. I don't know anything about a question that I know about horses and horse racing a little bit, but about a question I don't know much, but I'll be fine and so lo and behold a little while later he changed my mind.
He said, I want you to do men's and women's basketball and with Al McGuire, And my gosh, you could afford me to knocked me over with a feather then, So what a compliment it was, and what an assignment it was, and what a lifelong memory as it was. And Il maguire one of the great characters of American sports. There's no never been anybody like him, a unique individual, and and we we just had such a great time.
In fact, for years afterwards, Dick that back in the days of answering machines, he would call my answering machine and he said, Tommy, baby, just want to tell you I love you, and he'd hang up. I want to tell you I love you. That would be his message. So and then Dick Ever saw when he took over NBC Sports as the chairman, had me branching out into
things I'd never considered before. In fact, that I tell the story that I'd done an NBA playoff game in Boston the Celtics and the Pacers on Sunday and throw him back home. And a Monday morning, ever Spell called. I said, oh my gosh, what did I do wrong? Oh gosh? And he so I answered, and he said, well, good job in the game yesterday. What do you know about track and field? And I said, if I had been to a track meter two in my life, but I really don't know much about it. Well, you'll be fine.
And that was my introduction to doing track and field. And that's that's the sport that I did most of all of the Olympics. I also did some gymnastics and some diving, and in the Summer Games. But the track and field was my main and to me that was such a confident once I learned.
My way around.
Yes, that was such a compliment because to me, that's the heart and soul of the Olympics. In fact that I think the one hundred meters dash is always the marquee event of the of the Summer Games. It's also the most difficult thing I did in all my entire.
Career, no doubt. And yet Tom, you got it right each time you didn't stumble, you got the right I mean, and you talk about pressure, We put pressure on ourselves, but it was just magnified because of the enormity of the event, the audience, the setting, and your years of experience came through. You were prepared and that's everything, isn't it.
Well, you're You're nice to say that, Dick, and you're right. I always thought there's no if you've prepared, done your homework, and then all you can do no sense being nervous. You're prepared and with the one hundred meters dashes over in nine seconds and there's no margin for error, so either you get it right or you don't and knock on wood. Still, Luckily I never got it, never got it wrong, and they did get it wrong at the Paris Olympics, which is embarrassing.
Yeah, we're talking to Tom Hammond, of course, legendary sports caster and now a co author of Tom Hammond Races, Games and Olympic Dreams, a book that he wrote with our buddy Mark's Story from the Herald Leader and a collection of great anecdote stories. And I thought about that, Tom when we were sitting together at a table at the reception for the seventy five team after last Saturday's game. And I was very appreciative of being invited to join
those guys, as I'm sure you were. But it was kind of fun at the end when people began to ask you questions about you know, what was your favorite this or how did you end up doing that? And uh, you know, they they sat and took it all in as you shared with them somebody the experience especially, I think they appreciated you're a McGuire stories. I mean that guy. And you know what, I think I worked his very first game when he was working on a green screen.
It was before you joined the network over at Freedom Hall. His very first game, he was under the stands in a small room with a monitor and they would I think Enburg was doing the game with Packer and they would bring him in once in a while. And it was right after that game Billy Packer said, we need Al out here with us at the table, and and and a career was born. So yeah, I happened just to be a witness to that.
But yeah, you know, of course the greatest threesome in sports broadcasting was you know, Edburg McGuire and Packer.
Yeah.
I think Enburg was my mentor and my friend, and uh we just had that the national connection, natural connection that can move on to the Al I think appreciated how much Dick cared for me and liked me, so that made our transition easy when when Al became my partner. We did some college games, and we did some exhibition games the US Olympic team against various teams before we went to the Olympics, and then we were in Soul for a month together. And then as I said, after
we even did a couple of NBA games. Afterwards, the NBC decided they didn't really like him on the NBA, but uh, it was just as I say, a unique individual and frugal and we ate the employee cafeterias, and lots of times when we were traveling he said, he put it up hot sauce, honey, and then it stays all right. And he was just he was, just like I say, a unique American sports character and would never
be another liking. And I was lucky to work with another one too, Dick in the Bill Walton another extent, you know, individual that will never reduplicated. And how lucky was that to work with two individuals like that.
Something you and Dick Enburg have in common, and really all the greats do, is that you knew and still know how to as we stay in the business, let it breathe. You know, you knew when to talk and when to not talk, which is just as important oftentimes which was big for Enburg working with McGuire and Packer, but also in your case as well. Letting the moment
have its moment, you know. And too often now I feel like people in our business they feel like they get paid by the word that they have to be yammering on when there's times, especially in television, just let it breathe.
Right, Oh, absolutely, Dick, and your right. That's in the stud observation on your part, because I don't think many understand that these days, and I do know that there are two hundred different channels to choose from, so they feel like they have to, you know, distinguish themselves or
make themselves stand out. But to me, that's the absolute wrong approach, and that I was famous at NBC for the hand if there was a dramatic moment that I thought deserved to be emphasized to my partners, I just held the hand up, like, don't say anything, don't say anything. And the first time they got that hand they didn't quite know what to do. But after a while they
became used to it. And you know, as you say, let the moment breathe at the network, that you have such talented cameramen and directors that the story, the picture is going to tell the story much better than anything I can say. I can only detract from the moment really by trying to put it into words when you
can see it on television. So I guess one of the most famous instances when I did that, gave the hand out in this case to Randy mass and to Jerry Bailey, was when American Pharaoh won the Teerful Crime and as he crossed the finish line and Larry Cole was to call the race, says, the thirty seven years route is over. American Pharaoh has won the Driple crown. And people were going crazy, absolute not standing on tables and chairs, throwing things in the air. And I just
held my hand up to Jerry and Randy. They didn't know quite they didn't know quite how to take it, and they were just chomping to say something, to say something, and no let And for almost a minute, I think I didn't say anything because the scenes that that that threw wessic off, our Hall of Fame director was getting told the story. I didn't need to say anything, and and I was. I was proud of that moment in here.
I didn't say a word. So maybe the best thing I did in my whole career was not say anything.
Excellent. Well, I was watching and yeah, and then I was at a wedding reception. I was in the bar. I ran down to the bar just to watch, and then I went back upstairs to everybody who was partying and dancing, and as soon as there was a lull, I yelled American Pharaoh was one, you know, and got an round of a plot wasn't for me. Of course, Tom Hammond is my guest. We'll come back and talk a little bit more with an engineery sportscaster in just
a minute here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back. We're talking with Tom Hammond, legendary sportscaster and the author of Tom Hammond Races Games and Olympic Dreams, which he co wrote with Mark's Story of the Hero Leader. Real quickly, as I mentioned, you and I were invited to the post game reception with a seventy five team. That meant a lot to me. I'm sure it did to you
as well. But what were your memories of that team, because those guys were so much fun to cover, given everything they went through from their freshman year through their senior seasons.
Yeah, they were a fun team to cover because they seemed to enjoy the game, the Twin Towers and the whole group of them, and of course Jack Gibbons a youngster then, and it was a delight And I was, like you, flattered that they would remember us and invite us to be there. Because I was working at WAXTV then, I was not broadcasting the games. I was just sitting
on the sideline with my little sixteen millimere cameraually. But you remember when when Bobby Knight slapped Jovi Hall up on the back of the head, and then when they met again in the NCAA turn, I've got to go to the game, and I did, and after the game, I said, I'm going to San Diego. I just can't. I can't stay away. I've got to watch the team because they've developed into something special and on a mission.
And of course, low and behold, John Wooden announces his retirement and nobody was going to beat him that in that championship game. But it was a wonderful experience. And like you say, it was wonderful too for them to remember us and to invite us back.
And you know, they experienced so much as starting off as the super Kittens and everybody thought, oh, three straight national titles and they went an SEC title for joe By and then they struggled through that thirteen and thirteen year, which was my first year, not to date you, but my first year at UK, and I'm like, wait a minute, this is UK basketball and they're losing as much as they're winning. That was a story in and of itself.
Wasn't it when they were so Yeah, when they were so highly hearted to start with? And you know, I wondered throughout my career and all the different sports I've covered, one thing I've learned is that the greatest obstacle to overcome really is the pressure of expectations. And that really inhibits people a time, athletes, and you can understand why.
But the pressure of expectations I think might have been a factor in their struggles and then probably in their determination to succeed, which they eventually did to overcome those troubles. But one thing I learned in all those different sports is man, the pressure to succeed when it's expected of you is really difficult to overcome.
Yeah, yeah, and now it may be worse than ever because of social media. I don't know how much of the business you miss, but the fact that you don't have to deal with it that much, if at all, that's.
As, isn't it when it's when it it was just coming in of course when I when I finally retired, yeah, it was starting to be really established, and I said to my partners, I said, you know, this is the work of the devil. This is this, this is going to be Uh, it's going to change the whole landscape, and of course it has. And and my philosophy was and is that you just can't listen to it. You you know, whether you did a good job or not.
I knew if I did a poor job or could have done better, and I knew when I knocked it out of the park, and so, uh, you just have to depend on your instincts and your knowledge and your preparation and not listen to all the noise or outside noise because and that and that includes don't listen to all the paths on the back either all the time,
because you can go that way as well. So you just have to tune it all out and rely on your own instincts to tell you whether you did a good job or what you need to do better at well.
Tom All, always a pleasure talking with you, and keep us posted on the book's progress. And I do appreciate all the help you gave me through the years, just treating me with respect when I was a kid, you know, and you were an established broadcaster, but that's important to young people and I try to remember that now as I'm getting up in years. So thanks so much. Always great talking to you.
Thank you, Dick, Thank you, and I've enjoyed your friendship and enjoyed your work over the years. And if I somehow, you know, influenced you or inspired you in some way, then that is very very nice of you to say, and I'm very appreciative of you saying it. And you know, a long time in this business, and one of the things I'm most proud of in my whole career, Dick, is I think I treated everyone with respect on all
our crews. You have two hundred and fifty people from NBC there to broadcast to Derby, and I tried to learn as many other names as I could, in course the regulars I knew anyway. So I just you know, you said that I always treated you with respect, and that's one of the nicest things you could say to me.
That's great, Tom, Thanks so much. Hope to see you again soon.
Thanks Dick, Thank you very much.
That was indeed the case. I always appreciated that about Tom and about Kate with Leedford. Even before I was a broadcast colleague of his worked on the UK Network with him, people used to ask me, is k would really that nice of a guy? That can't be, is he really? Yes? It is possible for guys like Ka with Leedford and Tom Hammond and Larry Conley and people like that to be decent guys and treat people who are coming up, young people early in their career with respect,
not like they're just kids. Speaking of young people, Jenna Lifts of The Kentucky colonels next on six thirty wlap Oh, Jenna and three two Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Joining us now in our celebrity hotline is a new voice to the show. But if you are a reader of The Kentucky Colonel you know her work. Jenna Liftion, who covers, among other things, women's basketball.
Welcome Jenna, Thank you for having me.
I'm excited to be.
Here, always glad to have Kentucky Colonel people on as I spent a lot of time, probably too much time in that newspaper office, but you know how that goes. First of all, give me some background. Where are you from? What year are you in?
Yeah, so I'm actually from Austin, Texas, a little bit ways away from Lexington.
And this is my sophomore year.
How did you find your way to UK?
You know?
When I was looking at for journalism programs because very few schools have them right now, Kentucky really stuck out to me. I knew I'd get to have the experience from the get go, and obviously now I'm getting to cover women's basketball as a sophomore. It's pretty pretty exciting. And I just loved Lexington at the city. It's a really great place.
Austin's a great town, ut is a great school, especially for journalism. Can assume you just wanted to get away from home.
Yeah, both my parents went to Texas, most of my family, but I definitely living twenty minutes away from home, I thought maybe I'd go home too much, have my mom do my laundry a little too often.
I definitely needed to get out of town and start my own life.
So good for you, Good for you, Thank you.
So things come full circle last night the Lady Longhorns come to town and put a beating on the Wildcats. And I was talking earlier in the show about how really it was such a defensive battle. I mean, Texas held below seven seventeen points below it's average. But what a job Vick Shafers did on Kentucky. And now we can see why this team beats South Carolina, right, Yeah, I mean there.
Are depths that they have.
You know, they scored twenty four points off the bench. They're just incredible all around. They can really throw anyone in their.
Lineup and they can put up double digit points.
And then obviously they have an absolute baller in Madison Booker. She is definitely finding her way. You have Rory who is obviously up for point Guard of the Year, defensive player of the Year. They just have an extremely well rounded team and they're really tough. So I definitely see them making a national championship run. So it was a really hard game for Kentucky, of course, but one I think.
They definitely needed.
You know, I think it's their first SEC matchup where it really was they just got out play.
So yeah, but you know, following up on that, come from a head lost Ole miss where they just got destroyed giving up offensive rebounds, and it happened again last night, And I know you can always work to get better, but I just really feel general like, given the physical makeup of this Kentucky team, I just don't see how they're going to be able to keep the other team off the offensive boards. That's going to be just a real weak spot for this team down the stretch. Do you see it that way?
Yeah, most definitely.
You know, I think in all of their losses, when you look at it, it's always been a struggle.
And last night it was, you know, really bad.
Texas out rebounded them on offensive rebounds four times the amount they had twenty while Kentucky had five, and that just really killed them. And it's an issue when you know, so many players on Kentucky are so tall, tallest team in the nation pretty much, and you know, you just can't give up that many rebounds when you're playing teams
as good as Texas. And you know, looking at the schedule, they do have an easier next two games against Georgia and Miszoo no SEC games or give me games, But when you look at that three game stretch they have at the end of the season LSU Tennessee South Carolina, they cannot be giving up that many rebounds, point blank. No.
When you started covering this team at the beginning of the year, and it was not unlike the men's team, of course, not an entirely total restart, but pretty much a brand new team with a brand new head coach. What did you expect going into this year from Kenny Brooks and from this team?
I think my biggest thing that I was looking for in the culture change. You know, Kenny Brooks during media day, the first time I ever heard him talk, you know, he emphasized us so much about building a family and building a culture, and I think all the players he had brought with him, and then obviously having Cassidy row return, who I just still think is really the heart of
the team. You know, their Kentucky girl, but he just brought in a group of girls that was ready to represent Kentucky and live up to the standard that people expect. And you know, it's hard to have those losses against Texas.
Where you genuinely are like they just played horrible. So when you look overall, I mean the turnaround.
He's had in just one season compared to last season is incredible, and this team is really really good.
You know, he put them together in a couple of months and they're finding their way. So you know, heading into it.
I was really hopeful that he would just shift the culture. And now the next the rest of the home games this season are sold out, so you're really starting to see that, so it's really exciting. You know.
What I thought was really interesting in one of his press conferences was when he mentioned, and I think it was remember early I guess it was December, there was that weird string of of in terms of scheduling, the games were just kind of weirdly placed. But he said, we had a hard time scheduling at first because we got in late. But then he said, when Georgia Amore transferred, people who at first were gonna say, sure, we'll come play, Oh you got Georgia aymore, I think we're busy that week.
I thought that was fair.
Yeah, I mean, yeah, you look at Georgia.
She's just she's one of a kind. I mean she you know, two thousand career points, eight hundred of sist she's on one in all of mc DOUAA men's or women's the one basketball that has those stats right now, and the number she puts up, yeah my game, what she averages, you know, nineteen points seven assists. She's just incredible. And know, every post game conference I've been to, the other team can't help, you know, win or lose, to
just applaud her for how incredible she is. You know, Vick Schaeffer last night was just in awe of her and was like, you know, it's it's nearly impossible to stop her. And then obviously her huge game against Oklahoma. There's just times where it feels like if she's if she's having a good game, they're gonna win point blank. But at the same time, that's their biggest weakness.
You know, every single game.
They've lost, including you and Ce, she's had fifteen points or less. So yeah, it's definitely a double edged sword for them, but it's benefiting them a lot more than it is, you know, causing them problems.
So are you surprised that somebody else hasn't sort of try to pick up more of the slack, because, yeah, when you're going to carve out a defensive game planning as Kentucky, clearly you got to cut off the head of the snake. But you know you come to expect that.
Yeah, most definitely, you know, especially I think early on in the season we didn't really see the roster change as much in regards to who Kenny was putting on the court. It was typically his starting five, maybe one or two Irriccasions. But I think as the season has gone on. He definitely has been playing with the lineup a little more, and you know they're doing their best, but it's just they really do need someone, I think, to get out there be able to drop you know, five, six,
seven points and really shift the momentum. I think that's what makes Texas so great and why they're going to be, you know, top two in the country is because they can throw a girl from off the bench and she can score or ten points. And I think that's what Kentucky is really lacking right now. But you know, you still have Sanni, Like last night, bad game, but she's still found.
A way to get a double double.
Yeah.
So there's definitely some sneaky girls in the lineup that are putting up good numbers. But it's just when you also have Georgia, it's kind of hard for comparison.
You know, Kiana Keys about as gritty as it gets, isn't she.
Yeah, She's she's incredible.
I mean, she's definitely gonna take over as a leader. I think the same thing about Clara Strack. Obviously not her best game last night, but she has grown so much since the beginning of the season, since the UNC game. Really, you know, Kenny talked about how he felt maybe they put too much pressure on her early on to become one of their key players, to become one of their key leaders.
Because she's so young. But you know, in regards to the rest.
Of the season, minus maybe these past two games, she has just really shown off. So I think her and tani are are really incredible as well.
Talking to Jenna Liftin from The Kentucky Colonel, she covers, among other things, UK women's basketball and of course the Wildcats losing to Texas last night. But what a year first home court loss, and you mentioned the sellouts, you know, and Memorial College excuse me, historic Memorial Coliseum has become a real go to for Kentucky fans. Good crowd last night, And uh, I'm really as someone who you know, I covered this program forever back in the eighties when they
won their first SEC title. But when that place is full in rocking, uh the coliseums a lot of fun, isn't it.
Yes, I think definitely about the Louisville game. Obviously, that sellout crowd, I mean it was incredible and I one hundred percent credit that crowd to the reason they were able to pull off that over time, when it's because they had that momentum, they had so many fans sharing behind them, and when that place is full, it it's really hard to play in point blank. And you know, with those three sellout crowds and our last three home games of the season, they're gonna need it.
LSU Tennessee it's gonna be hard, and Georgia of course this Sunday.
It's going to become a hard place to play, which is really good for them to have, especially since last season at RUPs they pretty much had no fans at all. It really was a disaster trying to play there. But they got their home court advantage back for sure, and I think it's definitely paying off. There's multiple coaches who have said, you know, it's the most beautiful arena they've been to it.
They've done such a beautiful.
Job renovating it, and it's becoming a really hard place to play.
We can look ahead because we're the media, we don't have to take it one game at a time. Yeah, So let's talk a little bit in these last to or three minutes about the SEC Tournament the NCAAs. I think this Kentucky team can have some fun in the post season. It depends, of course, I think, especially with the NCAA's on matchups, on seedings, on bracketing, But absolutely, what do you think this team can accomplish?
You know, I think the advantage this team has is, you know, you have players like Georgia and then of course Kenny, who have had experience in March madness, who have had success, you know, going to the Final four, and they know the stakes of the game.
So they have a lot of veteran players.
You look at Desia, you look at obviously Georgia, who have been in these situations before and hopefully can really use their leadership and their veteran experience to guide the younger girls of how they need to, you know, take.
On the tournament mentally.
And then looking at the SEC tournament, I mean, there's really no telling because that SCC is just point blank so deep that you know, it's so easy that you know, you could have a South Carolina losing their first game even with a double buy like you just really I don't know. I do think, you know, once again, if you're just having one of her incredible games, if the team is having one of their offensively dominant games where it just seems every single shot is hitting. Absolutely, they
can go as far as winning the SEC Tournament. I don't see why not when you're having.
Games specifically obviously.
I look at the game against Oklahoma where they just they couldn't miss Georgia couldn't miss shots. And when you look at games like that, I don't think anyone can beat that team.
And then in regards to March Madness, it's really hard.
You know, Ucla, Notre Dame, obviously, Texas. There's some really really good teams and really deep teams, and it's just a question of like how early on are they going to get burnt out and tired because they don't have as deep of a bench and as deep as of a team that can score points off the bench pretty much when you know, obviously there seems like Texas who
are getting twenty four points off the benching games. But I think either way, no matter how both the SEC Tournament and March Madness turn out, this is an incredibly successful season. It's the kind of hopeful glimpse into the future that I think all the Big Blue Nation really needs to see. You know, women's basketball hasn't been talked about in so long and I think no matter what that is changing, people are going to talk about women's as much as they talk about men's because they're finding
the success. And you know, Kentucky, you're supposed to win, and when you're winning, people really like that, especially at a school like Kentucky, So it's really exciting. And you know, it's still year one for coach Brooks, but he's just done an incredible job.
So winning is fun and that's what it's all about. If you have a good time and you go to you can't keep going and watch your team getting clubbed about the head and shoulders. Just after a while, you want to come away smiling. And for the most part they've done that. Not so much last night, but it should be a fun run down the stretch. Whatever happens, Jenna Liften will be there to cover it for the Kentucky Colonel. Tell everybody how to follow you on Twitter or X or whatever we're calling it.
Yes, so Twitter, slash X, you can follow me at gens Reporting. On Instagram, my personal account is Jena Liftin. Also have my media account which is Jen's Reporting, and I'm always active on both of those, but mainly on X is where I keep everyone up today on Kentucky Women's Basketball.
News, and of course you can read The Colonel online as well as something we didn't have back in the day, but it's something that we didn't have to serve twenty four to seven like you all do. I always tell Kentucky Colonel reporters, you have much tougher than.
We did back Yeah, it's hard work, but it's fun. I love doing It's why I came here, so I definitely can't complain good.
Hey, thanks so much and looking forward to having you on again.
Thank you so much for having me, and we'll.
Wrap up the week with Heroes, fools and flag on the other side of the break here on the Big moon Sider six thirty WLAP. Welcome back to The Big Moonsider, final segment of our show thanks to Jenna Liiften, Tom Hammond and Jack Gibbons. Time now for heroes, fools and flakes and our hero tonight is literally a hero in every sense of the word. A young man, a little boy really ten years old. Andre Howard. I remember that medical jet that crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood a couple
of weeks ago, killed a total of seven people. Injured two dozen at least, and Andre Howard was one of the people injured. He was struck in a head by a piece of metal debris as he was protecting his sister. Threw himself over his little sister and took one to the noggin, and in fact he needed brain surgery, And in fact, when he came out of it, he asked his dad, or have we played yet? He wanted to know it he missed the Super Bowl, and in fact he did not, and his beloved Egles going to win
it and A. J. Brown, a talented wide receiver. The Philly hate him a visit in fact, So yeah, when you talk about heroes, Andre Howard, the ten year old boy, he risked his life by saving his sister during that plane crash. This week's heroes naturally our fool tonight, we'll stay with the Super Bowl. All those idiots who had to go out and destroy things, burn things, tear things up. Is now it seems an American tradition. Why is this? There has to be violence and destruction after your team
wins a championship. You had a guy arrested for spitting on and striking a medic and was charged later with the resisting arrest and harassment. He had a guy arrested for assaulting a police officer during all of this. That went on, more than two dozen arrests after Phillies win in the Super Bowl. Why does it have to be this way? Doesn't have to It just is now. It's almost like it's some sort of something to brag about. I was gonna say a badge of courage, but it's not.
It's a badge of cowardice. Actually, is there any way we could turn this around? I'd be open for suggestions. Our flake tonight is kind of a weird situation given where we are these days in social media, marketing and all this. But if you haven't seen it, go find the photo of Anthony Edwards throwing down a dunk over Chet Holmgren. Edwards with the Timberwolves Homegrun with Oklahoma City.
This game happened last night, and I bring it up because it's an absolute poster dunk and it's Edwards following through with the dunk. He's got the ball in his right hand, eye up over his head about the hammer of dunt and his left hand is in Holmegren's face. Homegren is seven foot plus he goes up trying to block the shot. Good luck with that. And it looks like Edwards has his nose like alcohol, you know. And I give Homegrown credit because so many NBA players try
to avoid situations like that just for this reason. They don't want to be in the poster. I remember Kenny Walker ended up on a poster. I can't remember who might have been Michael dunked on him, but this will be a favorite poster of thousands of NBA fans. So give home Gren credit for at least trying. But Edwards made it special. That's going to do it. Thanks so much to all my guests. Be sure to listen to Kentucky Texas writer tomorrow night to an eight o'clock start.
That's it. Good night from the garage and Lexington. You want to hold it?
Yes?
Please? Yes?
Then you got got the child little tandon.
Nap batatattat shop, then.
Backed out, pack sacks the dip into