I assume every team is going there that way. That's why athletics is beautiful, is because you know it gets that pure. At the end of the day, you're either going to go win or you're not, and it matters.
Mark Pope's attitude is slightly different from the guy he replaced at Kentucky. We'll talk about that today on the Big Blue and Sider Welcome to the BBI. Coming up a little bit later on, we're going to talk to Kentucky football as well with Van Hiles, the former Kentucky d back who breaks down UK football.
On the interweb.
Jeff Pikoro the UK Radio Network. We'll talk both football and Kentucky basketball with him. Drew Diener from ESPN Radio six point eighty over in Louisville. I just wanted to get his thoughts and Drew, of course formerly with a UK network, work with us over at WKYT for several years. But I just wanted to get his take on what's going on with U of L right now. I got to wonder, as Kentucky and Louisville, are they going to end up in the same bracket?
You never know. It'd be kind of cool if they did. But Anyhow, it's been a fun season over at u of L, just as it has been here at UK.
We're also gonna check in on Heroes, fools and flakes coming up a little bit later on. But I've got to start with Mark Pope for obvious reasons. Big game tomorrow at Missouri, Every game big now you're playing. It's gonna wrap up the regular season, but every win matters because of seeding and bracketing and the SEC Tournament and the NCAA is Kentucky's in good shape right now in
the SEC tournament. Look, you're gonna have to get through Auburn at some point, but get as far as you can, win as many as you can and help yourself in the eyes of the selections committee, which probably already has a pretty good idea of where the Wildcats will end up. And I bring up Pope and previous management, and I haven't spent a whole lot of time this year comparing in contrasting Kentucky and Arkansas. That gets a little tiresome.
At first.
You wanted to see how things were going. Would have been more interesting if Arkansas I hadn't flopped this year under Caliperi. Although Interestingly enough, they've played better without Boogie Flan without their best player. Gonna knock on the kid just forced everybody to kind of step up and balance things out. And maybe that's what happens minus Jackson Robinson with Kentucky. Now that they know they don't have him, they just move on and do the best they can.
You know, they love him, he's their teammate, he's their friend. But you know he's not coming back. He's not coming through that door. Nieders Kirk Cree said, we knew that, but I just love the fact that Mark Pope when he got there, he said, we know what the assignment is and he made it a point to bring up the SEC championship because it was important to him, his coach,
his teammates. And I've said the Caliperi made two big mistakes when he got here as far as the fan base is concerned, and you know what they are when he said that having five players taken in the first round of the NBA Draft was the most important night in UK basketball history, and it was totally It was all for recruiting purposes, but he never tried hard and in my opinion, to walk it back. He kind of did toward the end of his stay, but not nearly
hard enough. And then when he always downplay we don't really care and I'm paraphrasing about winning the SEC. Well, your fan base doesn't feel that way. It's an extremely important point of pride for UK fans, especially the folks
who have followed Kentucky for the longest time. Look, you're only going to win an NCAA championship once every ten or twelve years, right when your conference have something to celebrate and Caliperi did win I think six SEC tournaments, and every time he did, his players went crazy celebrating. That cannot be lost on you. Mark Pope knows that feeling now as a senior. He didn't win an SEC
tournament total Mississippi State did. But I love the answer he gave Lee K. Howard about his question, was, you know, just basically about the importance of the SEC.
You know, sometimes in this culture, in this environment, with all the things going around, there's so much right and and and I could say this much more eloquently, but like, let's not forget this is about winning. Like we're here to win. We do all this work to win, and it's it's it's it's like, that's why we're here, is to go win, especially the University Kentucky. There's nothing less
than that. It's acceptable. And so you know, the the you know, social media stuff and the NIL and the transfer Borto and the professional and and all the things are great. But but you know, we should never be distracted by the fact that like that is not the end goal. The end goal is to win. The end goal is to raise a trophy and hang a banner.
That's the end goal. And and so we're here now, we've gone through this season, We've been through everything we've been through, and we've grown in all the ways that we could grow as fast as we could possibly grow. And now we're at the final stages where it's time to win. Like you're either gonna win or you're not. And that's not to be paralyzed by fear or crushed by expectations. It's just time to recognize that you know, what you've worked for for the last six months and
for your whole lifetime is actually right now. It's not the other stuff in the future of the past or wherever. It's right now. And so this SEC tournament matters it's the best league maybe that's ever been in any uh, you know, in any year of college basketball, and this SEC matters, and and so we're heading to Nashville with all of our successes and confidence and warts and holes that we got to plug, and we're going there to to with with one goal, which is to go win.
Kyle Perry, it was almost like he was sending a message to the SEC and the NCAA, Oh, this tournament doesn't matter because it doesn't help us with the seeding and the bracketing.
LA.
You know that's probably true when it comes to championships Sunday, and if Kentucky's playing the two or three seed, you already know where those teams are gonna be bracketed. So winning the tournament doesn't help you in the Yes, we know this, we know that the bracketing's probably done for the most part by Friday. But he brought it up every year, and it got really tiresome, and I just got really sick and tired of it.
Plus I hate the fact that he was.
Telling Kentucky fans, we don't really care, which implies I'm not gonna do everything I can with my team to win this tournament. I thought that was a big mistake by John Caliperry and that's why there was such a disconnect. The losing didn't help, but such a disconnect between him and the fans by the time he left here. So will Kentucky win the tournament? I odds are against him, but it's not impossible. Just got to make shots and
get a couple of breaks and it could happened. You know who else won SEC tournaments was Rick Pattino and if you followed him so far this year, you know they won the Big East. Well last night the victors grab some spoils. Rick Patino appears on The Jimmy Fallon Show. The Tonight Show Last Night with Jimmy Fallon, and the
first thing Fallon did was present a video parody. It was somebody wrote a sea shanty basically, and there was Fallon in a red cable Nitz turtleneck sweater and a tuk a red cap singing about the Saint John's Red Storm and the Saint John's players appeared in the video lip syncing the song, and who pops up at the end in the white suit that he wore when they played Yukon and Fallon had changed. They had changed in from the red sweater to the white, same white suit.
Rick Pattino side by side with Jimmy Fallon lip syncing a sea shanty. Here's a little bit of it from NBC.
Once was the squad from Jamaica Queens that went by the name of New York's team, the Garden at Sugar and depends, they roar, let's go Saint John's Red Storm, soony, the Red Storm.
Come to rock therim and make a run. One day when the winning is.
Done, we'll cut the nets and go.
Google it and you'll find it if you want to watch. All things really well done.
And as I said, Patino appears at the end, and I just kept thinking, man, this guy would never have done that when he was the head coach at Kentucky. He was so tightly wound when he was here, and he had a huge job ahead of him. Of course I had a huge job ahead of him at Saint John's. But just like he has done everywhere he's gone, he is successful in a second season. And if you if you haven't seen the documentary series, it's it's pretty incredible.
But I bring this up and I know a lot of you like, what are we talking about Patino?
Why?
Because r Pope.
Has very in a gentlemanly manner, very gently as he does things handled questions on his coaches show in from the media that have basically been well shrouded questions essentially,
why don't you coach more like Patino? People have called in or media folks have asked him about some of the things that he learned playing under Rick, and that they're successful now for Patino, and it's front and center Rick now, I mean, he's national headlines again as he was a Kentucky more so now because he's in New York and he's got a good team and Patino's right. They don't shoot well, they score enough, and they guard like hell, they really do. But he is Rick Battino,
and you know you hear a little bit. The Fallon played a clip from the documentary series last night, The Whole Life's Gonna be a Pirsity?
Why doing it?
Yes?
Yes, everyone send that clip today.
He went all over the place.
And who ended up winning that game?
We lost by twenty No, no, you won the game, that's exactly.
And you were down.
That clip is courtesy of NBC and the Vice Channel, But again, it's Potino being Patino, and I firmly believe that he's mellowed. He's changed a bit, I would hope so, but he's still fiery and profane. But he's Rick Patino. Mark Pope is not. And Pope has to be true
to himself. And you might recall this, but earlier this season he admitted that he tried doing that, not exactly aping Patino, you know, step for step, but he tried to be more of the you know, in your face kind of coach, and he said it just didn't work for him. So if you accept Mark Pope and he doesn't need me to carry his water, But if you accept Mark Pope and you and you enjoy what he does and how he does it, you got to buy in. And people, you know, you can call his radio show
and ask him whatever you want. But don't be surprised if he just basically says, I gotta be me and Patino's got to be Patino. And there are things that Pope took away from him, but he also talks about how he took away so much from Coach Bird.
He played for Larry Bird in Indiana.
George Carl who's an in your face coach Larry Bird was not but it's all about what are they talking about, not how they're saying it, So I thought you might enjoy that.
You'll hear more of that sea shanty a little bit later on.
Up next, Charles Barkley is added again feuding with an ESPN NBA analyst. That's all ahead on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Moonsider. Coming up in a few minutes, Van Hiles.
Former football Wildcat. We'll talk about what's up with Mark stoopsbaw club going into the spring. We're also going to talk.
About the Combine because boy Maxwell Harrison showed out really well when it came to the forty and Dion Walker was able to get out there and show what he can do. So we'll get draft Van's thoughts on it. He was drafted by the Bears in the fifth round, but Van was a little banged up going in to the drafts and we'll find out more about that and why he didn't get to play longer in the NFL.
It's all kind of tied together. Some of the things that are happening around the NFL though, have me excited because just on a personal note, the Seahawks say they will trade DK Metcalf if they can get the right deal. And I'm excited because my Green Bay Packers apparently at least war in the picture. I don't know if they still are, but yeah, anybody could use a Dk Metcalf. And this is a guy who when he was playing at Ole Miss he hurt the Wildcats back in the day.
So yeah, it's exciting if you're a Packers fan. It's been exciting around the NBA if for Norther reason. Charles Barkley has spoken again. Charles Barkley, you know, on the TNT studio show, speaks his mind. He's honest. I am a huge fan of his. I listened to the podcast he does. But Ernie Johnson is called The steam Room.
I commend you to that. It's terrific.
And it's not just strictly sports, not just strictly NBA. They cover a wide range of things, but it's really really entertaining. They do not talk much about politics, thankfully, but he was on the air the other night and he took a swipe at ESPN and as he pointed out, honestly, rightly, they're all gonna be working somehow, for ESPN next year. All the guys, I don't know if Ernie Johnson's going, but Shaq and Kenny to Jet Smith and Barkley are
going over. And Barkley took issue with something one of the ESPN he an NBA analyst, said a former player, and he calls him out here just going nuts about the Lakers and the Warriors and how well they're playing. And it went beyond that, and it just kind of drove Sir Charles crazy.
I saw a food idiot on TV talking about the Lakers, save the NBA, Save the NBA. Yeah, yeah, he's an idiot, the food, but he know he is. What's his name, Shack which when you're talking about Kendrick Perkins. Oh, he said the Lakers. First of all, the Lakers have had a great two weeks, he said, the Lakers, save the NBA season. That's about them. Foods on the other network, which we're gonna be working for next year, that's all they talk about. Let me tell y'all something. And first
of all, I want all the smoke. I don't see what's the when I walked by the graveyard or anything like that. I don't whistle what I want by the graz like that man still in that one. The Lakers are doing great, got a long way to go. But the reason the season has been going great for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City of Thunder, y'all just want to talk about the Warriors and the Lakers. They're
bull I'm doing great, don't get me wrong. If I turn out to be wrong, I got no problem with that. But idiots, because y'all talk about the Lakers and the Wars all the time. Y'all know Cleveland Kevin has won twelve straight games. So Oklahoma City got the MVP and they all own fire, y'all will talk about who's in second place. That's the reason I get pissed.
Right on the money.
And I'm not a Kendrick Hayter, I mean, and he fired back at Barkley, called him old man or old or something and some other stuff.
But Barkley's not wrong.
Once again, it's ESPN pushing the brands that they want to push. And I'm sure it's got so much to do with ratings, because Cleveland's not going to get you a lot of ratings when you talk about them and
show them neiders Oklahoma City. But and yeah, I know the Lakers and Warriors on the West Coast obviously, but they're the glamour brands right now and it have been for quite a while in the NBA, So it's a little bit dising if indeed, and I believe Barkley, I don't watch nearly as much NBA coverage as a lot of people do, but I don't doubt that they're pushing that narrative because look and Colin Coward when he was
with the ESPN, he's with Fox now. He addressed the complaints about ESPN going overboard with Red Sox Yankees, especially when they play each other, and he said, our research shows that that's what people want to talk about when they hear about I want to see. Well, yeah, those are two massive media markets, and they have fans all over the country, but there are fans all over the country who don't care.
As much about them.
But they, as you kids like to say, move the needle. So I really appreciate sir Charles. And this happened a couple of nights ago and Kendrick Perkins fired back at him, so and again you got to give Barkley credit. I mean, that's the hand that's about to feed him, and he took a big bite at it.
While we're on the NBA.
Though, Iron Eagle, who I know him, just just a tiny bit just to say hello, had him on the show a while back. He is so great and he's gonna be the voice of the Final Four this year for CBS. His day job essentially is the TV voice of.
The Brooklyn Nets.
And they had the Warriors last night and Steph Curry, as the half was winding down, took a hand off from Jimmy Butler and Curry's feet were almost in the Brooklyn logo near mid court, and he whirled and threw up a shot. This is how Iron Eagle called it.
Butler doubts it's Curry shit towed. Steph Curry is not humid baby.
One of the many, many reasons I really really like Iron Eagle, and I think he'll do a tremendous job. And as I told him when he came through town, it might have been last year he had just been named. As Jim Nantz was stepping away from the Final Four, I said, hey, congrats, he said thank you. I said it's about time, and he thanked me again. So one other note, before we hit the break. Michigan State wins the Big Ten regular season title last night by beating
Iowa ninety one to eighty four. Another championship for tom Izzo, but it was Michigan State's first conference title since twenty twenty. They got to share when Michigan lost to Maryland and then last night won at Outright, I bring it up agains. Michigan State is a team that could do some damage in the upcoming NCAA tournament. Tom Izzo also has been
on this show. This is back when Martin Newton was on with me every week, so Martin secured him as a high profile guest as a friend of Martin's and a guy who was interested in the Kentucky job more than once, but the timing didn't work out. Might have been interesting if tom Izzo and landed in lexingon, but a Hall of famer and a legend for SPARTI well come back and talk to Van Hiles, the former Kentucky dB who covers UK football on the interweb Spring Football Underway.
We'll talk about the combine as well here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Moonsider, joining us now one of our favorite guests, and I hope he's one of your faves by now. Van Styles V Styles seventeen is his handle. He is a co host of The Locker four to one one, host of Driving with Styles, former wild Well, once a Wildcat, always a wildcat, and I want to talk a little bit of basketball and track with Van.
But first, Van, first of all, are you doing okay?
Because you're kind of between football season and spring football. I know you're keeping busy, but are you hanging in there?
I am hanging in there. This is actually my favorite time of year. Yes, I'm a I'm a track junkie. I am. I'm honestly a track guy who played football, not possiway around. So there's track season, it's March madness, it's softball baseball season. It is the best time of year for me.
Okay, well, that's good. I'm glad to hear that. Uh Well, let me ask you first.
It's it's combine season, obviously, and uh you were drafted by the Bears. You were poked in product I guess, and interviewed and all that. Did you enjoy that process?
No, it's the worst, And honestly to me, it's it's too close to the end of the season. I actually had a torn label and I wasn't as prepared for the combine as I probably should. And I wasn't supposed to run. My agent said, don't run. We haven't ran enough because I was dealing with my shoulder. But but mine naives got peer pressure and I ran in the effected my draft stock the amount of so for me
with my shoulder. Instead of just one doctor like working on looking at it, every team that was interested in me had to work on my shoulder. So my shoulder was worked on like fifteen different times.
Wow.
Yeah, you.
Mean it was examined or did they do what happened?
Yes, it was an examined. So just just think about it. You know, I needed surgery. I opted not to have surgery, and I did and I had this physical therapy to make it better. Well, it's fine for the range of motion once or twice or maybe three times, so when you get to that tenth eleven, then it starts feeling bad and and they work on I mean, your your injury report is public, I guess to the NFL, so the ankles, the whatever they examined every past injury that I had.
Wow, well, I.
Mean, it's you're an investment to them. But oh for sure, if they see you as damaged goods coming in, they're gonna lose interest in you way too quickly, aren't they exactly?
And I, honestly I had no problem with it, But why have Why can't that be one general you know, one doctor Andrews who who examines everybody or every tent guy, and then that one examination is populated to all thirty two teams. That that was the issue with it? Just come on, man, this is this is insane.
Yeah, well, I'm sorry that it was. It was like that for you because that was a life's dream for you. Wasn't being drafted?
Oh for sure it look it when you when you get when you're in the moment. I'll never forget the moment of draft day. I was extremely disappointed, extremely frustrated, all the negativity that you can think of for someone who I was really fly like a third round just to drop to the fifth. But then when you get to your forty to your fifty, like, all right, there's a lot of guys who never even had a chance,
a lot of guys who didn't get drafted. So you start realizing how how much of a blessing it is the longer you are away from it.
Yeah, well you've got a lot of guys living your dream right now, Dion Walker. What about Maxwell Harriston, a fellow d back ran the fastest time first position.
That had to make you feel pretty good.
Here's the thing with the combine and why they do it is does your tape match your combined numbers? His tate matches his combine numbers. So with that said, he is going. That elevates him because there's always a question mark of easy that Sazz's he really that ad job, He's really that good out of breaks. When they're able to see it live in a person, when their GMS and scouts and decently coordinator DV coaches there, it really makes everyone excited. So he definitely jumped up on a
lot of boards. I'm not sure if he's how high he jumped up, but he definitely has a possibility of definitely going late first, definitely early second.
Yeah, well, he's proven he can do the job, he can play the position.
I know he's got a lot.
To learn though, when you talk about what he needs to learn, what do young guys like him moving into the NFL and you learn under fire.
What kind of things does he need to learn?
It's every day everybody NFL was followed the best player on their team, at least top two or three players on their team. So there's nowhere to hide. You're going to always be pushed. You can't go against the walk on wide receiver in one on one. You're always going to be going against one of the top receivers. So because of that, you have to bring it. You have to take care of your body. You have to get in the whatever playbook that is there a lot of
to you, especially now since everything is online. Learn the system, ask questions and get Another thing is get involved. Get to know one of the vets who is willing to take you under his wing. Yeah, and then you can potentially have a successful journey in NFL. Give it your dB coach and ask him and work with him off the clock and time outside of mini camp for practice so that you and him to be on the same page.
You can you can understand what he wants from you and y'all can form a relationship because relationships everything on the next level.
You know, being a Packers fan and an owner, a shareholder, obviously I watched as Brett comes up and doesn't help Aaron Rodgers much, and then Aaron Rodgers doesn't help Jordan's love much. I know, is that just quarterbacks or does that happen throughout? I mean, is he gonna find a veteran dB or help him?
Look when I was lookt bad, I mean honestly I had a guy telling me the wrong thing.
Oh for sure.
Yeah, I mean just if you think about it right. Every year they're drafting someone to take your position, and this is your job, so you're going to do everything possible to maintain your spot on the roster. Now it's upon you as the player who make sure you know what you're doing. What I mean by a veteran take
youre on the wing. It's like helping you understand how far to live away from the facility, the little things not only on the field, but it'd be nice someone can but the little things that you don't think about, fining apartment, learning the ins and out of the area. What's the good part to live and what's not the good part live. There's a lot of things that's outside the facility that it would be nice if someone help you out.
With well, what about Dion. What kind of future do you think he has?
Dion is a conundrum because the guy physically can do anything. He is one of the few guys that I can remember that can legitimately play every position in any scheme. He can play in a three four, he can play the nose, he can play a four I and a four to three. He can play the one tech, the
three tech or the two defensive ends. He's that gifted. Now, the issue with Dion is like I just said about Max, and he bring it every snap, and that is the only issue I have with him is that I'm not sure or you can get that out of somebody if they don't have it within themselves. So hopefully he has it within himself and someone can bring it out because he has every He has every a billity to be better than dods Allen Wow as as far as physically six' six three, plus he's, quick he can, run he's
he's dominant when he wants to. Be LIKE i said a few minutes, ago the great thing about him is he's Not he can play any. Scheme, yeah and that's not normal no.
By any means, No BUT i do believe And i'm not. Nearly, obviously he's learning when it comes to watching video as you. ARE i did THINK i saw him taking some plays off this past, year BUT i mean there were some there were some issues you, know with with you, know on both sides of the. Ball So i'll root for them wherever he. Goes we're talking To Van hiles about the Football, wildcats some of the guys who are. Gone we'll come back and talk about the guys who were
coming in and the guys who are coming. Back here on a big moons side er six thirty wlap welcome. Back we're talking To Van, hiles who breaks DOWN uk football for us on both on the radio and on the.
Internet and of Course van a Former kentucky defensive. Back of the of the new guys coming, in there are a, lot, Man is there any one or two or a position, group let me, say other than the old line that you're interested, In because each, time the last couple of times you AND i have, talked we've talked about how vital it is for the old line and it is going to be just about totally. Rebuild what about other areas that you're going to be?
Studying so the, linebackers the the off well the jack in what would they call, them the two outside, linebackers The, Sam sam And. Jack is that the fish and ankles IF i call? Them difference because, Yeah Mike will are the two. Inside yeah That's Sama, Jack, Yeah Sama. Jack those two positions are the are so important for us as far as on passing, now pass rush and being
guys who can get into. Coverage we have not had a dependable pass rush since twenty eighteen, really so getting some some old of that to plug in those, POSITIONS i think was a was a great fine for us AND i AND i really that's the area That i'm really looking forward to. Now the other the problem with, THAT i think we improved, There but who are going to be our mic and Will because in the three four the most important position is the nose and a mic and, Will so who is gonna man those two
positions are going to be. Important but getting some some guys who can bend the edge and get some pressure on the quarterback when we got your, five you, know guys pushing the push in the middle of the line of. Scrims we need someone to be able to close and finish the. Fact SO i think that is the Position i'm going to be really looking forward.
To.
TOM i had a chance to talk To Sam, green who is a. Sophomore he's actually From, washington D. C but started his career At Southern cal and transferred To. Kentucky AND i asked, him you, know interesting choice you're coming. From you, Know Southern, cal which is one of the great brand names in college, football and he Chose. Kentucky And i'm sure he had other, choices but he Likes
brad White man and he likes to Scheme kentucky. PLAYS i have no idea if this guy's going to be any good six two two forty, eight but they were more than happy to get. Him so that to be part of the answer to your.
Question you, know, yeah that that is for us getting back to the situation where we can win on third down and win because we'll forced a quarterback get the bar all of. Hands it's something that we just haven't seen, recently AND i think getting guys like that will help us because we were doing pretty decent on on getting teams at the third and and five or. More the problem was we couldn't get off the. Field so now with with with the caliber guys that we're coming that
we got coming off the. EDGE i think there's a chance where we can start winning on very and long and getting off the, field which will inherently help the offense because now the other teams the offense as the punt and offense can get a better field position short of start of field and potentially just fitting points on the.
Board.
Yeah, well you, know he started three games For Southern. Cal. Uh they also got a kid.
FROM tcu who is not a full time. Starter, uh got a kid who transferred in From buffalo who.
Who's got some. Size so, uh you, know BUT i know you're A Brad white, fan aren't.
YOU i mean, yeah?
Yes And Mark droups also talked about how they recruited as much through the portal for depth instead of like going for you, know a big name guy or whatever they're trying To and of course a lot of that has to do with nil, funds as you. Know but they needed more, depth didn't.
They oh for. SURE i think that we learned from last year, specifically but the last two years of what we need to to how to address the. Portal and we got some great guys From Ole miss With Josh, jones and got A. DP i can't think of the. CORNER i can't think of his name right. Now, yeah.
Oh.
Exactly so we had some we have some success, there AND i, HONESTLY i think with our, RECRUITING i think we went too much after stars and ratings and finding guys who fit our scheme and our system and more importantly the locker. Room and when we went that, route
that caused some. Issues AND i think what they did this year they found good guys who are also going to be good locker room fits and fits the culture that we created Coach stups created prior to probably twenty twenty, two AND i think we have gotten kind of back to. THAT i don't like the word blue, collar but let's say more of a blue collar, guy a guy who's going to come here and work hard and not have The Prima donna kind kind of. Attitude so NOW i
think we have gotten back to. That i've heard there the strength of condition is. Harder it's kind of back to what got us to the point of having two ten one. Seasons So i'm liking to hear. That so let's see what that does for this next.
Season, well speaking Of, witch after the twenty eighteen season after actually the spring you tweeted this and it's pinned to your your file On twitter or. X the most impressive thing ABOUT uk football recruiting is our ability to identify talent, early be one of the first to give an athlete, attention and that, leads you, know to great. Things i'm paraphrasing, now and you said we'll beat one of the top dogs for a four or five star. Recruit my concern, now that seems like forever, ago and
it was really it actually was five years it. Was but that is the Way stoops And, marijuando those guys built this program. Up and now it's not as much about identifying kids early and out recruiting and outworking and developing coaching them.
UP i really am curious.
That even THOUGH i do Believe stoops has been re, energized at least he appeared there in his press. Conference but and we have a chance to talk to him again this coming. Week but you, know he can't do.
Business the way he really wants.
To, really no coach, can but Especially, stupents who you know is not nearly as old AS i. Am but, buddy he's old. School you know, that do you fear for that the same WAY i.
Do, YES i, do because the landscape of football has, changed and and he is he created his own demon because when you start winning, games now better players want to come to. You so, now how do you how do you say to a four star, guy now you don't quite fit the, Culture we don't go for the two and three star guy and keep developing when you have a guy with a high floor already that all you got to do is hope you can coach him up.
Here.
Listen so he created the, monster and the monster kind of bit him more than what he. Expected i'm not saying he didn't expect some of the issues that come along with better rated, players but it bit him harder than he. Thought AND i think he AS i think he said at the end of the, year we are going to to, regroup re identify and not kind of do what we just, did and we're going to change it back. Up the only issue is he changed it up in the wrong.
Conference oh.
Buddy so it's not like he can he can get like an easier schedule and rebuild and. Reload, no he's in the in the in the midst of the best, conference top the, bottom of any conference and trying to figure it out in this conference is going to be.
Difficult, well and you're probably like me when people, say, well what about the schedule and what about? It you know it DOESN'T i mean. EVERYBODY i guess there are a few twisting turns that might help you here and.
There but everybody's playing a brutal.
Schedule, yeah and it's LIKE i feel like my high school coaches THAT i coach on, now it's like it's not always about their, team it's about the other teams, too like are they, regrouping are they losing players or are they having? Issues because you can be going through a, downtime but you might be not going through as much of a downtime as someone, Else so there is still a. Possibility AND i, mean who would expect The vanderbilt to be as good as they were last year? Preseason no one.
Expected there are always teams that come up and surprise. People hopefully that's.
Us, yeah, yeah because it happened. Before and you, know he has shown that he knows what it takes.
To get that.
Done but, yeah like you, SAID i, mean And pavia wins his case and he's coming back and oh, man it's it's gonna be, interesting it's gonna be, fun And Van hives will help us work through Advanced thank you so.
Much we'll talk again. BEFORE i guess maybe we can talk after. Spring we'll see what we both noticed.
There but hope you have a great spring with track and field and we'll talk.
Soon appreciate it. Anytime up, Next.
Drew diner here on six THIRTY.
Wlap you've got the finale tomorrow with a wildcatch playing In. Missouri that's a tough, game and now it's brackets. Time one of the THINGS i worry about with This kentucky, Team, jeff is.
Depth in the, turn especially THE sec TOURNAMENT x amount of games AND x amount of. Days what kind of damage can this team? Do do you?
Think you? Know it's it's.
INTERESTING i think that the loss Of jackson is is and you're gonna, say what it's a plus and a. Minus it's a minus because obviously you lose your second leading. Scorer he's up for the air and he's never gonna play. Again but there was always that EXPECTATION i think in the player's mind That Willis reid was going to come out of the locker. Room if you know WHAT i, mean you, know but so now that's not, happening you, know and we always see, that you, Know Larry birds
like coming through that. Door this is what we got AND i think that relieves a little bit of that looking over the shoulder for these. Guys now we know this is our. Team and the one thing That mark has said, is, look this is the first time and a month and a half that he's had the same group of guys for three straight. Games think about that for a. Second so now these guys know and you know, WHAT i got to play an extra two minutes a, game,
now that's. All and look here's the other. Thing And i've talked to some of the guys Like goose And kenny and stuff about, this especially when you get to the. Tournament you get the four timeouts a, half, RIGHT i mean the regular ones A tv, timeouts and they're. Longer oh. Yeah, now plus you still have your complimented, timeouts so you're really only playing about three minutes at a time or
four minute, gaps, right and that's what you. Need you break the game down into four minute segments and that's all it. Is and SO i think that if you do it that, way and you put it in your mind that. Way as a, player it's a lot easier than THINKING i got to play.
Thirty, yeah, yeah you're exactly. Right.
YEAH i think this breaks are at least thirty to forty seconds. LONGER i remember When patino was here him pointing that. Out the other, issue, though is it's almost like when that second unit comes. In you, Know pope has been asked kind of gently by, reporters by fans on.
His shows who basically hate.
It honestly when he pulls three or four starters and subs. OUT i kind of like his reasoning because he wants everybody to go as hard as he possibly needs them to go hard the way they play, offense and you can see him wearing down on, them especially With Maury. Williams BUT i do wonder about. THAT i Think Jackson robinson was a key when it comes to how he balanced his, people you know WHAT i?
Mean, Yeah and, look here's the. Thing you're either in with analytics or you're not as a coach and as a a collective, staff or you're not. Analytics say this guy's good FOR x amount of minutes at a, time and then he sees the drop off And mark plays that to the. TEE i, mean it's a little different in basketball than it is in the other sports because
you're using so much energy in. BASKETBALL i mean in, baseball you, know, LOOK i got ninety pitches out of this, guy and you know, that and you're just trying, to you, know see how far CAN i get with? Those? Nighty CAN i get through the fifth?
Inning you, Know.
Here it's a little. Different and he goes by the book with, that and when it says it's time for me to Get Lamont butler out, THERE i don't care if we're up to or down too or up ten or down. Ten he's coming out because that's what the analytics. Say and you just have to buy into that as a.
Fan and he can also just eyeball. It you can tell and so hes get. Tired so it's also a team we can see what. HAPPENS i, mean it's been obvious all year when they can get not just get up a number of three, pointers but get up good three. Points that's Like Cali perry, said you, know we got a lot of, shooters do we have? Makers when when they're, Makers kentucky can beat. Anyway and they hung With auburn when they were making, shots didn't.
They, Yeah and you, KNOW i go back to this, too and it's kind of a weird, comparison but like you just, said there are guys that are scores and they're guys that are great, shooters and then they're Guys Steph curry's both. Right But Rex chapman was a great. Scorer BUT i don't Think Rex chapman was a great AND i, mean you, know A Steph curry, shooter it took, Him, yeah it took him twenty shots to get the points he, got whereas other guys only takes eleven.
Shots, yeah you.
Know see THAT'S i think that's what you got to realize about these. Two but to, me it's, All, look everything in sports is. Confidence and you see this all the. Time If Kobe brea makes a three, Earlier annsley Albin or makes the three, arey they usually have a pretty good. Game Amelia hassen on the women, side if she makes the three, early look, out because you, know it's just something in them where IF i can make, this, okay NOW i feel. Good, yeah you, know and you just let them.
Go.
Yeah you, KNOW i was talking to some people about this earlier in the, week when you and you can say this about both the men's team and the women's, team it's really interesting the. Parallels When barnard had to go out and hire two new, COACHES i, mean what ad has had to do, that and both coaches have had.
To rebuild almost the entire. Roster brooks had to rebuild most of. It, mark with due respect to the Walk, Ons mark had to rebuild the whole.
Thing and of course you're THE tv voice of the women's team ON Sec, plus so you've seen a lot of, games, practices shoot. Arounds we've all seen the men, play and they both had really fun. SEASONS i, mean it's successful as they've, been it's been. Fun you, know this is these are MOMENTS i don't think we'll ever see, again you, know just because a. Circumstance but, Man i've had a ball this, year haven't.
You, Yeah and you, know both of them are very. Similar mark doesn't go absolutely crazy in practices That i've. Seen he doesn't cuss in practice That i've. Seen, kenny And i've been to a lot of, practices does not, cuss does not scream and. Holler they just they're almost like a horse, whisperer the basketball. Whisper you, know they they get their point across and they do it that
they're not upsetting. Anybody but you, know both of them have a. Stare kenny's got an unbelievable one that will cut right through, them so he doesn't have to yell and scream and. Holler BUT i think both of those fantastic hires in great. Futures and you talk about, similarities both of them lost two players that were really, key AND i think even more so on the women's side had those two girls. PLAY i, mean and this has
been a fantastic. Here this is a team that's you, know fourth and THE sec coach if he has those two, ladies AND i am not stretching saying, this this is a final four. Basketball, wow how good this he could have been with those. Two, Yeah george and is a great. Shooter George aymore's gone after this year.
Too, yeah you, know but, anyhow you, know put your faith In Kenny. Brooks he knows what he's. Doing s Gott Virginia tech to The final.
Four we're talking To Jeff pecaurel of THE Uk network AND, wtvq and we will talk more we'll talk a little football on the other side of the break here on six THIRTY. Wlap welcome Back Jeff picaorrel's on a celebrity hotline and we're gonna ask him to switch roles. Now as OUR uk football radio analyst going into spring, Practice Mark, stoops you said next to me at the news conference when he first started talking to us in the, spring
looks like he. Is his batteries are fully recharged and what a job ahead him, though man with all these new, faces and obviously it starts with the old, line but we've talked before this is a vital off season for. Him but based on the new, FACES i think he's positioned, himself he and his staff pretty.
Well do you see it that? Way?
YEAH i think this WAS i think what happened last year was a little come To jesus type of thing for him IN i think he was comfortable here and you can't get. COMFORTABLE i think he's going to go back to hell fire and brimstone and all that at practice and. STUFF i think that the how DO i put this in terms that doesn't Make mark look? Bad this is What i'm trying to think that you, know
he wasn't as as. STERN i think that he let guys get away with stuff a little bit last, year and he's going back to the basics of tough, love AND i think that has to happen. NOW i, mean you got, guys and this has to be so hard because he is a football guy through and, through and now he's coaching college players that are making more money than he made for the first probably twenty years of his coaching.
Career, right that's.
True and how do you do?
THAT i, mean how CAN i tell a guy that's making a million dollars go run a lap for?
Me?
No you, know what do you? Do?
MAN i, mean that's that's that's a real conundrum for. Me AND i think That saban said it best when he, says you, know we we win a national. Championship in ten minutes, later, guys they're asking me for. Raises you, know this is not WHAT i want to.
Do, well the kids who Took miami to the final four walked up To Laura nagen said we're.
Out we're, Out we're.
Leaving but.
To put it in more perspective, here, look they they went out and spent a lot of money on a lot of really good. Players and AGAIN i think What Old miss. Does it just goes out and gets the best players at every.
You know In.
Kentucky does it the way That i'm filling. HOLES i need, this, this and, this let's go get. It they got five offensive linemen for those guys are probably gonna START i, mean their pencil to the starters right, now and probably three of you can ink in as, starters you, KNOW i, mean we're really's going to be the center come hell in the high water unless he gets. Hurt you, know they filled exactly what they needed to. Do and, really when you look at what's coming. Back mala guy played
great last, year in my, opinion was very. Underrated that he was thrown into the fire and what he ended up doing really came on at the end of the. Year you've Got, jagger who's got three years of experience coming. BACK i just think that what you. Have you got the right guard coming, back basically the left guard coming back coming. Back plus you added five, guys so now you've got What john used.
To have and that's eight.
Deep a guy that can move to both sides, too AND i think that's big.
Key, yeah you spoke when they gave us a chance to talk to the newcomers To wibberley The, center who's you, know sounds like he's about twenty eight years. Old and Also, pete you know the transfer in From New. Mexico stay fascinating story on that young, man the full Blooded navajo and.
Amounting of a.
MAN i used to talk To jeff about the fact that you, know you go down and you see and you And i've talked about this, before how Big florida guys used to be compared To kentucky with all that mass in their chest and back in the day Of kentucky had a guy with wade it was below his.
Belt that kid. Has i'd love to know.
What his body fat is because he is an absolute, beast isn't He and just a really bright they all, are really.
YEAH i, thought and you, see if you see the comparison, HERE i think he's a Bigger landing Young Remember landing was a, wrestler and oh, yeah that's a great. Wrestler And landed was six. Five probably this guy's got him by a couple of. Inches AND i mean that is one. THING i, mean he wasn't in pad that he looked like he was in. Past yeah he.
Did, Man now can they play you know that's the, yeah exactly.
Exactly and then they've, got you, know a short amount of time they've got to do and what the best line That schlarman.
Had they had two and three years to work.
Together and be that five guys acting as, one they've got you know what six.
Months, yeah and that's and that's the QUESTION i asked those guys the continuity and BECAUSE i have to know that that guy next to me is taking that that drop step SO i can get through and he can come, around and, uh you, know and that's only, repetition, Repetition and all those guys, said and ESPECIALLY i think it WAS i think it was the kid From. Western we're talking about the center where he, said this is kind of the same style of offense that we play At.
Western so for him it was he, said you, know the only difference is When i'm calling out stuff IS i got to remember the terms that we used to. Remember AND i know there was a game when, Uh devin the quarterback made a call and it was AN Nc state, call you, know in a, Game so that's what the terminology. Said it's the same, play but the terminology is, different and he, said you, know that's the only THING i have to worry, about is you, know calling the right name for the what we're going to.
Do and it's but it's so different to and you were a wide.
Receiver you, know you guys could go out and pitch and catch whatever you felt like and. Whatever you could get everybody, together you, know and and A qb could call it a, play not just for, fun but hey go run you know this this or that.
Play old. Lineman can't do, that old. Lineman they let's go.
In the backyard and three of, us, yeah yea, yeah work on our, steps.
But let's get let's get three or four d linemen to help beat us up so we we we can replicate.
It, no they can't do. That so, uh it's gonna take hard, work which they're used, to and it's gonna take some. Coaching so it's going to be.
INTERESTING a few minutes left With jeppichor BEFORE i let you go spring training for The. Bigs and you were with The Reds network for so long and covered a lot of frustrating. Seasons BUT i know you're A Tito francona, fan and we were chatting on the text chain the other.
Day if he.
Doesn't, succeed in my, OPINION i think it's because he is obviously a proven. Commodity it'll be because the folks in the front office don't give him what he.
Needs do you agree with? That?
Yeah and if you talk to people that cover, baseball and especially cover The red there were some assurances that were made to him that of what we're talking, about that if you need, this we'll go get. It he would and have come just because he wanted. To, look he's too good of a. MANAGER i, mean it's just in all seriousness and and AND i don't think this is hyperbole by saying. This this is like going out and getting A Tony laruss Or Joe. Tory that's that's
how good this guy is. PEOPLE i, mean this guy's won a couple Of World series as a. Manager and, yes and look what he did In, cleveland and look you, know and and he came back not out of the goodness of his. Heart yes he's getting, paid but he could have made a heck of a lot more if he goes to The yankees Or chicago or some place like. That but he's not felling back for a seventy win.
Season that's not.
Happening he came back because he, knows AND i like the one of the first things he did when when when he got the job was he flew down and went To elie Day La cruz's house and met him and, said, dude you're. Good you want to be. Great you're going to fall in line behind WHAT i tell you to. Do if you're not in, it then you, know we'll get.
Ready if he you're gonna do?
What?
Yeah, Yeah and he, Said i'm all in. Skip that was.
It, players most, PLAYERS i should, say they they appreciate, that Don't they just let coaches need, coaching and baseball players appreciate a good, manager, Right.
Yeah AND i think, plus once you get to the, major's look there's a reason you're major you're pretty are, good, Right but guys are gonna guys are just LIKE i think baseball players are a lot like little. Kids they're gonna push you as far as you're gonna let them push. You and when they get the blowback is when they
kind of step, back. RIGHT i, mean we all remember the great thing With Barry bonds and, Oh i'm losing my, Mind laydon, Yeah leland in spring training when he went after, him it, Said, verry this ain't the way we do. It And barry got right in his face and they went at it and very back down and became the player he.
Was.
Yeah you, know my theory, Is i'm NOT i didn't invent, it BUT i think there's just more arrested development in baseball because so many guys skip college where you do a lot of growing up and and get right into the boys club that, is the minor leagues with the bus rides in the, clubhouse and you, know so that that kind of locks, in doesn't.
It you. Know the one thing is the bus. Ride one of the most telling things in the movie That costma does is, uh when he's With New coolution a, bus he goes a, right sit down. Kid they're on the. Bus he, says we're going to go through our you, know. Interviews here's what you say you're. Learning, yeah you're learning everything.
From the, veterans, right because that's.
Right you know you didn't go through.
It you, know.
You're just a, kid and that's actually pretty. COOL i always thought about.
That bull Durham, Man, YEAH i love.
It Jeffcarl is the radio analyst in THE Uk Football. Network he'll be covering spring football as well as tournament time both the high schools and colleges FOR. Wtvq thank your, brother will see you at the.
Ballgame, Hi, bud see you later and follow him.
On twitter or x whatever you want to call it At jeff MACOR o pie co R. O a Reminder KENTUCKY missoo, tomorrow we'll have that for you right. Here it's a noon tip off eleven o'clock. Local but LIKE i, said it's not going to be eleven o'clock to The wildcats because their body clocks will remain what they are.
Now but, Anyhow, yeah ten thirty pre game on the network With david And, Cameron tom And jack with a tip nine to thirty local time with The cats are boys and, early so kind of the equivalent of kegs and eggs if you're talking about a football, game but, basketball you, know and it's a road, game so just put your feet up and have lunch with The. Wildcats up Next Drew diner FROM Espn radio In louisville on
six THIRTY. Wlap right here Is. Drew we'll get you done with this in three two one over In louisville on THE Espn radio say there's a show Called The Diner, show and what's fortunate for them as they found a guy Named.
Dianer to host.
It that Is Drew, deaner who is a former friend in. Collegway he's still a friend but a colleague at W kyt worked there on THE uk, network has also worked on THE u OF l network and joins us on our celebrity.
Hotline do you? KNOW i kept saying you were the only guy that planning who ever done? BOTH i Think Doug ormey did, both didn't?
He, well there was someone.
Else you guys could always bring up a name THAT i couldn't remember from the a little bit further of the.
Past BUT i.
DON'T i don't know that or May, YEAH i know, obviously.
Ul but you know better THAN. I if he Did, kentucky he.
Did there was a four year Stam, yeah When jim hosted Not own The rights and uh and he was part of. It, uh Dougas dougs and other guy's a friend in a long. Time uh, Peer so, uh WHAT i got to ask you is what has it been like covering you OF i know what my brother has told me all he keeps texting me is it's fun.
Again AND i guess there's no better way to put it as.
There, YES i.
Mean i've actually personally Thanked Pat kelsey for giving us our winters, back you, KNOW i, mean not the, weather but had something to look forward.
To it's.
UNBELIEVABLE i, mean to go from the nuclear winter we had for two. Winters, yeah with no, hope no, accountability, lazy pure laziness from the staff the head coach to a guy.
Who just bleeds energy and.
ENTHUSIASM I had's.
Unbelievable.
This i've never seen a student.
Section like, This.
CEMER i was looking at that last. NIGHT i only last a little halftime at nine o'clock, TIP i left it the under four time out in the first. Half but the student, sections it's. Unbelievable it's never BEEN i don't think very good. Here and all it's taken is Like kelsey to like go it from the crowd a few. Times he's just his energies. Infectious it's just been. Fun and we know they're beating bad. Teams we get, it we get.
It you.
Know it's like a little fans are like all the who's In whoville every, time like they would a. Game it's like Aventor Comfort. State it's, like that's, right we're still. Singing we're still Singing christmas. Morning so it's. Fine, yeah it's been fun. Again it's not like last year people like we didn't, go not because they were, protesting because every the THING i would always hear is it makes me mad to watch what it's. Become i'm not going Because i'm trying.
To it's JUST i.
Get ill watching what this has. Become and NOW i got. People the problem is people think like getting free tickets was normal last few.
Years because now they're, like, hey you got any.
Tickets i'm, like, no this is back to. Normal there's no free tickets or.
Parking.
Yeah, No or when you leave for the game's rightly when you leave The like a year, AGO.
I could leave thirty minutes for the game and walk in with a couple minutes. Ago IF i leave thirty minutes Now i'm twenty minutes.
Late that's, right that's.
Right, NO i, mean, Okay so if you think they're beating bad, teams last, year they were losing.
The bad, teams so you, know but you know it's more than that. Too it's more than just a winning which is always. Fun it's style of, play isn't.
It, yeah style plays.
Overcoming you never talked about.
Injuries and they lost their two you, know leading scores based their guy that was they're leading, scoring a guy they were anticipating being the leading scorer.
In the first like one of within the first week of the, season the other in The.
Bahamas and it just goes right.
ALONG i, mean case In pryor still if you go by The Ken bomb would still be the highest contributor per possession and anybody on the, team and he hadn't played since The, bahamas so you.
Know, YEAH i mean, ay and it probably wasn't.
Made a big deal many places because he didn't want to talk about, it but those are going to be two of their three leading.
Scorers, yeah, yeah you, know and we know all about injuries over. Here is you, Know pope's lost at times three of his top perimeter players and you, know obviously we know About Jackson. Robinson so that, matters, clearly that, matters but more than, anything just just just getting it turned. Around and now it's postseason. Time you got what THE Acc tournament coming up On, tuesday do you do we know yet what Seed louisville's looking.
At, yes, WELL i mean basically.
Barring The duke, loss So i'd like to live in.
Reality, yeah they're going to be the two seeds and playing playing On thursday night in the seven o'clock, Games so that's, ideal so fans can fly. In you, know there's four or five direct flights From charlotte a little To, charlotte so people don't even have to take a work day off much on The thursday and get. There So i'll be curious to how many people go. There this would be the first A sec Tournament i've been to since twenty twenty WHEN covid stuff.
Short wow and and double. BY i mean you gotta love.
That, YEAH i, mean.
You, know they've never been to the semi final to THE acc tournament since they've been in the, league so it would be they'd have to have a bad loss to not get there this.
Time they lost To duke back In.
December we know that wasn't an embarrassing loss by what, Eleven but what what do we remember from that game that we think could change could be different this?
Time, WELL i mean they were, up they were pretty big On duke in that game and Then duke Name, duke don't don't Heckle cooper.
Flag any fan base that wants to.
Know the student section echoed, him and then he just went.
Off but you, know earlier in the, year this is just a different.
TEAM i, mean they got smoked By, tennessee they got smoked By old miss and you, know The duke game is. Respectable and that's sort of when you know they started right after The kentucky game with all those. Injuries and you've seen this a million times with. Teams guys are forced in the roles that they would never get the minutes for, doing and.
And sometimes it's a. Blessing and that's what's happened.
Here it's shortened the. Rotation it's just it's just. Worked.
Now Rain smith got injured last. Night we don't know the extent of.
THAT i won't know that.
TOMORROW i don't know that they can sustain that and hope they have much of a tournament. Run it's, Like, okay you can only take so many. Injuries he's their. Sharpshooter but, YEAH i, MEAN i think they've been proved a lot since. Then that's WHY i think it's it's sort of tough to evaluate them and a lot of teams mathematically since everybody went into conference, play because they're a lot better they were than what beating those.
TEAMS i don't, know BUT i know they're a lot better.
Basketball, yeah talking To Drew diner FROM Espn radio over In louisville and The Louisville cardinals finish up the regular season On saturday Against, stanford which is won nineteen, Games louisville twenty four and. Six and you can't talk about The cards of course Without Chucky. Hepburn he's become a NATIONAL i think figure if you. Will style of. Play i've got the hair going for. Him that insane. Straight i'm spending the dial the other, Night drew AND i landed
on The louisville game just when that streak. Began i've never seen anything like. IT i guarantee nobody has right of. Him he had sent straight three pointers in six.
Attempts the only games ON trentz went off like that Against.
Carolina, YEAH i think it was. Fine that was the only THING i can compare it to. IT i think this was a little more trunk, canted and then you, know then he even hit the.
Shot that didn't, count that was a, three that was.
Ubsurd, yeah it's.
Crazy they've had four different guys go for thirty this.
Year that's never. Happened and you, know AND chucki afference is. Great he's he's the smartest basketball player this side of ANY i gotta take the twenty thirteen team out of, it partly because they're around a.
Lot, yeah you know, so but he has become it's tough to you.
Know we're talking about this today to have like an all time beloved team for a bunch of guys who were playing elsewhere last. Year but this team is really kind of in that territory because they have restored you, know the, program and SO i you, Know i'd hate to see, them, like you, know losing the first, round bab because it's been such a great. Year but they have, there they've accomplished the. Job when you had eighteen thousand people there On saturday, night you, know all going, crazy
that's just that's what we. Remember BUT i, Mean Jeff kple even after the game was, like this is WHAT i Remember louisville basketball being like this is pretty.
Remarkable interesting that it's happening seventy miles apart of the. Interstate same deal over here where they hadn't quite bottomed out the Way louisville Under. Caliperry but you, know the fans were so, unhappy as you, know roster was, empty covered was. Bear here comes the former Player Mark, Pope and now you've got a team full of guys who dreamed of playing at a place Like. Kentucky and before and After senior night talked about how much they appreciated
just the opportunity to be a part of something. Big are you hearing the same thing from The louisville, Kids?
Yeah, Yeah AND i think it's just kind of the athletics these. Days you know that you're going to have the guys that you're going to have to allow into.
Your hearts if they're only there a, year, yeah you, know or.
Two AND i think that's the thing That kelsey hasn't doing himself the, most that he is genuinely authentically respectful of the history of the, program because even Though Chris matt grew up In cincinnati as, WELL i don't think he followed college basketball Like kelsey. DID i, Mean, kelsey can you know remember players the kind of obscure loil players and if he doesn't know about, it he immediately.
Researches i'll tell you, This she'll love. This he said something a few weeks ago that probably very few.
People caught THAT i brought.
Up he was talking With Paul rodgers on Their Coaches, show and he was saying about how.
That they used to do their interview on game, day but he.
Was too distracted and he wanted to do better job of give an, answer so they do the pregame interview the day, before and then he, said he goes BECAUSE i know you have ninety minutes to fill for a, Pregame AND i, THOUGHT i don't think there's ever been a coacher who's known exactly how long.
The pregame show.
IS i don't.
Knew, yeah do.
You Think pope knows exactly how long THE uk?
PREGAMES i, MEAN i don't Think grantee coaches.
Care enough to do, that Although pope can explain an injury like no coach in the history of.
Mankind when he was rolling over that one the other, day, well of course, school, YEAH i, Know.
But that just hit me because if he took the time to know exactly how long the pregame. Show is he's really good at figuring out what is important in your world with a relation to the, Program and AND i just that was a little thing THAT i just was, Like, MAN i don't think anybody's ever known.
That never met, him but NOW i like him even.
MORE i got a few minutes, left a few minutes left With Drew dineer FROM Espn radio over In Louisville court talking about The Louisville, cardinals who liked everybody has postseason coming up? Fast uh that, said you talked about the thirteen team and you were In louisville by the Time patino was working his magic over. There have you had a chance to check out the documentary series on What Saint john's is doing With patino and he even if not just checking out the work he's done up At Saint.
John's oh, yeah and nothing funnier Than kenny Klein.
Beans.
Yeah and so here's the.
Funny on the OTHER i was watching their game week ago.
And there playing The weekend AND i AND i, WAS i.
Was, like look At Kenny kleiner's mass.
Yellow and unless it said something that sounded, like, Hey, siri Call Kenny kline because my, WATCH i was making a weird noise and it's a loud are AND i look down the.
Here, hey why are you calling?
Me i'm, like, oh ON tv right?
Now?
Sorry so, Yeah i've watched watched a bunch Of i've seen all the Uh i'm all, theisodes But i've certainly seen all the. Trailers in The platina, locker e speed like who raised?
You you?
Know Kenny klein for anybody who might not, know was a long time Legendaries hall Of fame sports information. Director louisville went To, murray started At, morehead landed the job AT u OF l and stay there and Now patino took him with up to NEW i guess he's spending his well.
Year they had a sicknet so their S i d got. Six so he Called kenny and was, like, hey you need you for like a few, weeks and then they were winning and then he's made it worth his. While he's, like you're not leaving, Nice SO i know where's The we're barreling down the down barryl. Four, Hey Saint john's going to be a, Three louis will be a. Six they'll meet in the second round In, lexington After louisville has the sixth, place Calim perry as the eleven there In.
Lexington oh that would.
Be and don't think for a second that the committee doesn't look at. That they say they, don't but we know they. Do, hell they're going for ratings or selling? Tickets why?
Not, Right, well so.
Many things you just can't, avoid you, know if there was a three ones of, six which is what it looks, like you, KNOW i, mean it's just there's a pretty good chance it's gonna. Happen AND i think we could like It's Chris mack and win his league is the, fourteen Then patino could play him in the First raven just have the greatest you, know first second round pod.
Ever, yeah, Well i'll let you go with.
THIS i know you got things going, on But i'm curious About kentucky in the postseason because of depth. Issues But i'm wondering how well Is louisville built for the?
Postseason do you?
Think, WELL i, mean depth is they don't have.
Much but that's actually you know, AGAIN i think that sort of helped them come together because they have a very specific rotation because they don't have many, options uh in there and so you, know really Rain smith's injury is one that we're really watching because it was a non contact injury last night and.
He's just they're just out OF i need to, Lose so you.
Know that one would really concern me because then they really wouldn't have the real sharpshooter that he's one of the. Best he had ten threes in the game earlier this. Year so, yeah that one wanted to watch this. Team i'm not telling them something they can't, do and it's it's the smartest Team i've ever seen. It and they go To kelsey sometimes in four games and tell them that they decided who should guard who because they've already watched tak on their Next. Wow, Yeah i've never heard of.
That Did kelsey know that about? Them or is that something that has even surprised him because obviously he had to pick and choose or got to pick and choose a little bit Like Mark pope.
Did.
YEAH i mean he had a statistical profile for all the guys he, likes turn for, ratio high free throw.
Percentage, YEAH i don't know some of the other, metrics.
BUT i think he thought he was getting some of. That BUT i don't think anybody Could i've never heard of. That i've never heard, of you, know saying, hey we've looked at this and we think he should you, know this person should guard this person because of, this because they've looked at.
It and he was, like, okay you know you don't need no need buying at that, point and they just you, know they've.
Got some, good really good coaches as well to understand the matchups and what to do in.
Games so it's just night and day over.
Here, well you can Follow drew on Extra twitter At drew Dener real's No i'm.
Off, YEAH i have taken that uh you, know loaded weapon and available at any time that can get you fired and never hired and put it.
Away good for, YOU i am, Yeah i'm.
OUT i THOUGHT i Thought drew deaner real was, real because Not Drew deaner is not, you, obviously so uh, well you, know imitation is the sincerest form of Flattered deaner so maybe you should be.
Flattered but but good for you for for jumping off.
That, site saving myself from.
Myself that a, Boy that a.
Boy it's like it's like a car. Wreck you can't look. Away hey, man thanks a lot have fun this, postseason.
All, right looking forward to.
It we'll wrap up.
With, heroes fools And flakes when we come back here on The Big Boon sider six thirty. Wlap welcome back to The Big Boon. Sider time now For, heroes fools And.
Flakes and our hero.
Tonight this is a little bit of a strong word hero but It's Rick. Patino it's not so much that he did anything, heroic but what he did With Jimmy fallon last, NIGHT i think just shows how he. IS i don't want to say, soften but he's changed his. Approach he's enjoying life a little. MORE i gave him full credit for the going on not just going on, foul and he's plugging his Beloved New york And Saint.
John's but the song he did when he lip sync With, FALLON i thought was really, hilarious AND i Give patino full. Credit and you're gonna hear the whole thing coming up at the end, Here so kudos To Rick patino and whoever wrote that.
Song by the, way.
Our full tonight is whatever kid From Old dominion committed a late. Foul i'm not gonna name his, name AND i want to call out the kid by, name but his team we're talking about The Sunbelt Conference, tournament third.
Round Old dominion hits.
A go ahead three with one point one seconds. Left, okay one point one and obviously Now Texas state has to take it out of bounds and haul it in and put up you, know the, prayer the try for the miracle half court, shot and a.
Kid From Old dominion fouls.
HIM i have seen this so many times with somebody whose only hope is to throw one in from half. Court and for whatever, REASON i don't know if it's instinct or, what this kid who's threw up the, shot he hadn't even made it to half. Court he was on the sideline just beyond the hash, mark and the kid From Old dominion tries to block the shot fouls. Him but, sadly For Texas, state kids missed free throws and they've missed a chance at sending the game into.
Overtime AND i also wonder do coaches not tell them don't go anywhere near the guy with the, ball take it completely away from the. Officials and it was a good. CALL i got knocked a shoot. Down why why even try our flick. TONIGHT i don't, know maybe this should be a fool is The La, dodgers because they're looking at Signing Dave, roberts their, manager to a long term. Extension everybody's reporting on. It who covers The Big League Baseball New York post had an, exclusive although everybody else
had the. Story they've been talking about a new deal since the start Of, february and the word is that he may sign a record for baseball. Managers the largest contract ever right now that among current managers belongs To Craig council five, years forty million when he left The brewers for The.
Cubs that was In november.
Twenty, three and the word is they Expect roberts to top. That but his, deal that's great heading into his tenth season with The, dodgers but you're just gonna fire him. Anyway it just seems, like tell me a manager who left in his own.
Terms Tito francona. Did now he's, back that's gonna do.
It thanks so much To Jeff, Ocoro Van, Hiles Drew, diener and we leave you now with The Sea shanty courtesy of The Jimmy Fallon show in nbcwl E. X that aired last night on The Fallon. Show he is clearly A Saint john's, fan and so is the person who wrote the song and produced the. Video they did a great. Job that's a good. Night from the garage In.
Lexington there once was a squad From Jamaica queens that went by the name Of New york's team The garden At, sugar and depends their, Roar let's Go Saint John's Red.
Storm soon The Red storm comes to rock the rim and make go.
Run one day when the winning is, Done we'll cut the.
Nets and go draining freeze for through the.
Hoop lay a pump fake galley To johnny's march to victory the champs up the Big.
Ees Soon may The Red storm comes to rock the rim and make go. Run one, day when the winning is, Done we'll cut the nets and go do.
Do dot dot dot.
Dot d do dot do do do do do dot dot dot.
Dot dog back on.
Top but for twenty five, years led by a coach we all revere a legendary man among his.
Peers his name Is Rick.
Fittino Soon may The Red storm comes to rock the rim and make go. Run one day when the winning is, done we'll.
Cut the nets and got.
Tact even, then can anything then.
Back To.
Athens and it. Don't donating to the