Oh, oh, guess what day it is?
Guess what day it is?
H anybody, It's hump Day.
Yes, it is hump Day.
Dick Gabriel with you on a Wednesday edition of The Big Blue Insider. Thank you so much for joining us. And as we reach the midweek, there's all kinds of stuff to talk about, because of course, the portal never never fails.
It always gives us something to talk about, doesn't it.
And last night, late last night at the portal closed at midnight, and last night or sometime late yesterday, Travis Perry puts his name in the portal. Doesn't necessarily mean he's leaving, but for all practical purposes, if he wants to play, you know, appreciable minutes this coming year, then he'll find somewhere else to play. So we got that to talk about. The Wildcats lose one in terms of football to Vanderbilt.
We'll talk about that as well.
Arkansas apparently is losing a quarterback or maybe not.
They're gonna fight it.
That story popped up yesterday as well, and Lane Kiffin takes a cheap shot at Carson Beck. Lots and lots of portal news, which kind of shoves the Kentucky baseball win over Louisville last night.
To our second segment.
It was a really, really unexpected kind of game after those two teams played and again it was bitterly cold. Two weeks ago over in Louisville played a heck of a ball game. It went ten innings and Louisville won at four to three. Kentucky scored a run on the top of the ten, Louisville put up two and came away with the walk off win. Well, last night, Kentucky jumped on the Cardinals early and just kept piling up runs.
I got to tell you, with all due respect because Dan McDonald knows what he's doing the head coach at Louisville, especially when it comes to pitching, but that was the worst pitching I've ever seen from a Louisville ball club in that game.
And I've seen just about all of them through the years. They and we knew going in.
We were told by somebody who covered the team that man, these kids can hit, they can score runs, but they've got some real issues when it comes to pitching. They're still in the running in the ACC, but they've got problems, especially midweek. So Kentucky took full advantage. We'll talk about that coming up. We'll also talk about that with Aaron Gershan of the Cat's Pauls, who was covering the game last night. But we need to talk about, of course,
Travis Perry jumping into the portal. We'll talk with Aaron about that. Perry, it's a bit of a surprise because by all accounts he was coming back. Most of us thought he was coming back, and he had not indicated any interest in entering the portal. In fact, people talk to him right after the NCA tournament was over, but he jumped in just ahead of Tuesday's deadline eleven fifty
eleven fifty nine pm last night. Second scholarship player to hit the portal, as you know, kerk Crisa was the other, and then the two walk Ons, Grant Derbyshire and Walker Horn also in the portal. So now Kentucky with twelve Skalie players for next year. Waiting to hear from Otega Olway, who's going through the NBA draft process, he'll make his decision. He has to by June fifteenth in order to withdraw in order to maintain his eligibility. Perry played in thirty
one game, started four as a freshman. Of course, Lamont Butler's injury gave him more opportunity to play. Averaged two point seven points, only hit thirty one point three percent from the floor thirty two percent from three point range. Had his best games, ironically enough, in losses to Alabama. He scored twelve points at four steals in a loss at Alabama February twenty second, played really well, and then in the loss to the Crimson Tide in the SEC Tournament,
the blowout, he scored eleven points. Perry hit at least one triple in thirteen of UK's final twenty one games. But of course Mark Pope and staff bring in Jalon Lowe, the kid from Pittsburgh. Denzel Aberdeen comes in. Maybe that was the last straw. Who knows you knew Jasper Johnson was coming. He's a combo guard. Travis Perry is considered a point guard, and that's primarily what he played for Kentucky.
I never really thought of him as a point guard simply because and I know that's the position he played and that was his assignment for Kentucky. But watching him in the sweet sixteen, of course as the guy who broke King Kelly Coleman's record. He was the facilitator as well as the scorer for Lion County.
He handled the ball a lot and he looked to.
Get his teammates involved, but they needed him to score and he did. That's why he was the most viable player in the Sweet sixteen, leading the Lions to their first and only state champion and ship a couple of years back, five thy four hundred and eighty one points. Also the career leader in field goals made with nineteen hundred and eighteen free throws nine hundred and thirty three.
He holds the record for mad three pointers seven hundred and twelve and steals at six hundred and fifty and coming out two four seven Sports rated him the number eighty eight overall prospect in the country in the twenty twenty four class and the number seven point guard. But again, I never really thought of him as a point guard, although given his size, that's essentially what he probably needed to play in college, and he wasn't going to be needed to score that much for Kentucky. Now where's he
gonna end up? Well, who else recruited him? Western Kentucky, Ole Miss Cincinnati. You know, can he play in those places depends on who they have, who's coming through the portal to them.
Who's leaving through the portal. So kind of a surprise to the Big Moon Nation.
I think people are a little disappointed, but surprised only by the timing. If you looked at the roster, you had to wonder when and if this kid's ever going to get a chance to play. That's just the nature of the portal right now. So best of luck to Travis Perry. Wildcat football program missed out Jalen Sloan, who visited UK, chose Vanderbilt. He's a Southeast Missouri defensive lineman and it, from what I understand, look good for the Wildcats until the lake going.
And he's going to Vandy.
He tweeted an image of himself in Vandy Cullers and all I said is committed six two, two eighty eight three star recruits from a Georgia played thirteen games over the last couple of years with Southeast Missouri and didn't have great numbers, but he is the second lineman to
choose Vanderbilt. Vandy's getting done in the portal. Apparently, Clinton as a bookie or might he might pronounce it as a week A is an old lineman from northern Arizona, the Lumberjacks, and he announced he was going to Vandy. That was not a kid that Kentucky was looking at, but Jalen Sloan was somebody the Wildcats coveted, but instead going to Vanderbilt. Hey, you win some into portal and you lose some. To me, the biggest portal story today,
well there's two of them. Number one, Lane Kiffin sniping at Carson Beck.
I mean it's Lane being Lane, right.
Carson Beck transfers to Miami, hurt his arm in the championship game and has to go and get his arm repaired. He rehabs, and then he jumps into portal and signs with Miami after his season ended in the SEC title game. But apparently he has rehabilitated well enough for him to be handed an NIL deal worth more than four million.
Lane Kiffin was on a podcast called The Pivot with some former NFL players Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor, and one of the hosts brought up the fact that college kids are making an insane amount of money.
Right now compared to what the NFL guys make.
So, like you bring up the comparison to what they're doing, they're really getting NFL much. It's crazy, coach that you bring up the NFL structure with college now, because they're in the contract, they're making money. They're making millions a dollar. I think down in Miami, what's a Carson Beck four point three four points value union? He I think my biggest year was six. He's a college kid. So, like you bring up the comparison to what they're doing, they're really getting NFL money.
Mimi even four point three million dollars, that's what the evaluation says. Hey, did they watch this game against Oh, don't have to be great, Jane trying.
Not to go.
That's Lane Kiffin appearing on the podcast The Pivot, and you could probably maybe hear him in the background saying, oh, you set me up or something like that.
But he was still laughing about it.
Uh.
To his point, Beck did not play well against Ole Miss.
Which beat Georgia last year.
Beck was twenty for thirty one for one hundred and eighty six yards and one interception. Now, Carson Beck played well in the second half against Kentucky, but it was interesting how Kentucky stayed close to the Bulldogs until halftime, when it was apparent that the Georgia brain trust got together her and said, look, we need Carson Beck to win this game for us. And he ended up having a really good second half and the Bulldogs pulled away.
But for the.
Season, Beck threw for more than thirty four or nearly thirty five hundred yards, twenty eight touchdowns, twelve picks, sixty four point seven percent pass completion rate. But evidently Lane Kiffin isn't all that impressed with him. He did say, I don't get mad at the kids. It's not their fault. The system is they can go get it. It's free market with no cap and in some areas unlimited boosters. Apparently Beck's deal is only second to arch Manning's in value.
Apparently arch Manning, who is now I guess the starting quarterback of Texas six point six million. The other story is what's happening at Arkans. The Razorbacks apparently lose a quarterback, Madden Iamaieva, the brother of Nico. He is in the portal and heading apparently for Southern cal I'm sorry for Ucla to play with his brother, but Hunter Yurachek, the guy the ad who hired John Calipari, has stepped in and,
as one reporter put it, rattled his saber. He has said, I've spoken with the leadership at Arkansas EDGE that's a collective at Arkansas, and expressed my support in their pursuit to enforce their rights under any agreement violated by our student athletes. Moving forward, we appreciate EDGE his investment in our student athletes and acknowledge the enforcement of these agreements
is vital in our new world of college athletics. In other words, you can't take the money and run, or at least if you do, there are going to be consequences because it says here a lot of kids have ignored buyout language.
And now this may be tested legally. I won't say in court, but legally.
So these are going to be really interesting times when it comes to nil contracts.
How legal are they? Not?
Long after Nico transferred to UCLA, Madden told the coaches he's homesick, wants to go back to southern California.
But the rub is.
He never played a game for the Razorbacks. He had originally committed to UCLA flipped to Arkansas agreed to a one year deal with Arkansas Edge, and now he wants to go to UCLA, which originally, as we said, had signed him, or at least he committed to UCLA.
This is going to be interesting, all right.
When we come back with talk Kentucky baseball a little bit later on, Aaron Gershon of the cats Balls will chat with us, as will Shawn was the unforgettable Guard and our Weston Bureau chief Gary Moore here on six thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue Cider. Coming up at the bottom of the hour. Aaron Gershan of the cats Balls. We'll talk about the Travis Perry decision to end of the portal and some doings with UK football as it relates.
To the portal.
Plus he covered Kentucky baseball last night. Our number two Weston Bureau chief, Gary Moore, will join us.
Also Sean Woods.
We talked to Sean every Wednesday, but this will be our first conversation since he was named the head basketball coach at Scott County High School. So Scott County, which went six and twenty one last year, making the change, and we're going to see if Seawn can work kind of the same magic that he worked at Mississippi Valley State, a team that he coached to a conference and conference
tournament championship into the NCAA Tournament. When Shawn began to really make a name for himself, you might recall he was an morehead state. Things were going well and then there was some sort of misunderstanding with one of his
players who made an accusation about Sean. Long story short, it was a big misunderstanding, and as it was explained to me, this was a young man who was prone to get down on himself, and after a mistake prior to halftime, he was hanging his head in the locker room and Sean kind of popped him on the shoulder and said, hey, man, get your head up, We're good.
And later on the.
Kids said to his father, hey, the coach hit me, and the dad made a huge deal out of it, and then the young man wanted to recant and just make it all go away, but it was too late. By then the school had made a bigger deal out of it. Frankly, as I understand it.
Then it should have. So since then, Shawn's been looking for a new gig.
He's been doing this and that, but wanted to get back into coaching and was coaching right along. When he was on TV with Glacott dot Com the teams in the eleven region and had a chance to chat with him about high school basketball leading up to the Sweet sixteen, and at one point he indicated that he was maybe interested in coaching at the high school level because he
got excited about it again. So we'll talk to him about all of that coming up in our number two baseball Wildcats last night got their revenge and then some. They lost to Louisville four to three and ten innings two weeks ago. Last night it was seventeen to five. The big blow that opened the gates. Patrick Herrera crushed the.
Ball to center field.
And I had just been talking to Doug Flynn, my broadcast partner on SEC plus, about the sun, and Doug always brings that up as a Gold Glove winner, how difficult the sun can be both on hitters and defenders. And we could see with the shadows covering the infield, outfielders were still shading their eyes from the sun that was right behind the stadium and the Louisville the centerfielder simply lost the ball in the sun never had a chance, and that was a screamer that Herrera hit and it
rolled all the way to the wall. It bases loaded, cleared the bases. Herrera ends up with a triple. He later had a home run that was an unbelievable massive shot that was about six to ten feet past to the right of the fair file pole. So he had a huge game. And we talked to Patrick after the game on SEC Plus.
And when you squared up the ball they went for a triple, you knew you had crushed it, right.
Yeah, Well, I hit it and I was like, dang, I think I got all that. I don't know why he's running in and you know at our field the sun is right. Yeah, filled his eyes so kind of lucked out, hit it hard, couldn't ask for anything more, and then got by him. So he I was happy with that swing and happy I could get the rbs right there.
And you had to be happy with the swing on the home run. Tell us about that.
Yeah, that one a little more so, probably than the triple. I don't mind that one at all. But yeah, got a pitch in a good count and uh just got my swing off. I told myself before I swung like if.
I miss miss early.
So that was that was a good swing, Patrick, over the last week or so. You gotta like where your team is right now. You guys are playing good ball. The pitching has really come around, and every opportunity you get to knock in some runs, you guys have been stepping up getting some big hits.
Yeah, for sure, We've started a new thing where we just want to hop on the quab train. You know, we don't need a bunch of home runs or doubles. We just want to get a bunch of quabs one after another. So we found a way to do that this past weekend tonight. So yeah, it's been good for us.
All right.
You eased up there at first base on that one hit you okay.
Yeah, I'll be good, ready to go for the weekend.
Yeah, we figured that, We figured that, all right.
You played well in Northwestern You have been an important part of Kentucky baseball. What's it like for you now as a leader for this team. You got a lot of new faces this year, helping the young.
Guys come along.
Yeah, for sure. You know I've I've lucked out over the years. I've had guys like writer Childs who I lived with.
He's now one of our coaches.
Grant Smith, Amelian Pedre, Mitch Dailey just like showing me how you're supposed to go about your business. So I've just learned from them and use that this year, and I'm just really blessed to be in the position i am this year.
For Hey, you got to be really proud though, buddy, I'll tell you what you paid your dues. You worked at it, you kept getting yourself better, and now it's paying off.
Yeah, for sure, I'm glad the hard work's paying office here. And you know, we've been playing well, so we just got to keep it up.
That's Patrick Herrera and his last year with the program. He transferred in from Northwestern. He was all Big ten, but was a utility player last year infield or outfielder for the team that went to Omar. He locked down the third base job and except for some games where he was the DH because he.
Was a little bit injured. He hit an arm injury.
He's back now excellent defender and had a great night against Louisville last night. So the Wildcats heading into the weekend with a series against the South Carolina game Cocks who have been struggling this year. Big opportunity for the Wildcats to rack up some more wins and get themselves in a position for postseason, to take the decision making away as much as they can from the committee members, make sure they're locked in and rack up as many
victories now as they can. The schedule lets up just slightly the Cats with a home series this weekend against South Carolina.
You'll hear all those games right here, and you'll see him on SEC Plus.
Up next, Aaron gershan of the Catch Balls here on six point thirty WLAP Welcome back to.
The Big Blue Insider.
Joining us now as he does every week, is Aaron Gershaan of the Catch Bass.
We try to give Aaron some time off.
He joins us on the State Wide show on Monday through the seasons. But Aaron, there's too much going on man, Baseball, football, basketball. Let us start with Travis Perry's announcement. Should we be surprised by that, because by all accounts he was coming back. Does this represent a change of mind for him?
Or did we just assume too much?
Yeah?
Probably, It's probably a combination of bolts. Honestly, I mean the fact that came down to the eleventh hour quite literally, with a portal closing at midnight last night. You're seeing some you know, announcements today. That's just the paperwork being filed and trickling in. But you know, clearly he put as much thought as he possibly could into this decision.
And you know, I don't think we as the media read too much into it because he was the only guy after the Loston Tennessee that was asked if he was coming back in point blank answered with yes. So I mean, it's hard to not take a kid at his word. But when you see what Kentucky did in the transfer portal right this offseason, kind of loading up at his position and clearly recruiting over him, and you know they were at thirteen scholarship players, it just it
just made sense for Travis, I think. And there just wasn't the playing spot. I think Mark Polpe like to play eleven guys. Probably the two odd men out with the thirteen they originally had would have been I would say Malachi right now and Travis Perry. So, uh, it's a frustrating thing. I'm sure for Travis this is probably oh I know for a fact, this is Rome School. Yeah, it made sense.
Wait a minute, now, you think that did. Malachi won't get much run this coming.
Season, not as a true freshman. I just don't think. So you have Jaq Clayton, you are, you have Jay and Clayton's Jake Hughes his nickname. If he's that healthy. You know, maybe early on in the season you see Maliki in some of those non conference games, but he's going to demand a lot of playing time, probably gonna
be your starting center. And then they they learned Brandon Garrison that so I think if they were gonna if they were planning on playing MALICEI heavy minutes, I don't know if you go all out to lear Brandon Garrison back, well.
You know Moreno is like I'm sure, and I've seen him play a lot a lot of bigs.
It just takes longer for them to develop at the college level. He is a much better player now than he was last year when he led great crossing to this through the sweet sixteen.
So, but getting back to Travis Perry, you know, I'm sure a lot of schools will love to have a kid who can shoot like that.
I was saying earlier in the show.
Aaron that when I saw him in high school, he did everything, brought the ball up the floor, facilitated and scored. And I know he played point guard at Kentucky. He's listed as a point guard. I just think of him more as a two, you know what I'm saying.
Yeah, I definitely see him as a two as well. And I just think that last year he had to play the one at Sea. They were up against it, and they definitely played him at a position. The problem is, yes, he's a two, but he's also only six to one and eighty pounds, right, so in the SEC with the way it was last year, really hard to cut him at the two. Then they had to play him at the one at a necessity. I'm sure even before his decision to transfer, he'd been working on adding some weight,
but at this point maybe he could grow. He's only eighteen, but you know, you're only six to one and and as a physical as a league, it's really tough. So but this was also I'm just throwing this out there. I know, SOORC or scoop on this, but we're in a time right where crazy things happen. Who's to say Travis doesn't go put on some good weight play really well somewhere else and maybe it's at Western I don't know,
and comes back here one day. That is literally kind of how how the way the world is right now. And I just think probably at the end of the day, this is the best objectively for him, I think it's the best decision if he is going to go transfer where he can get somewhere to play. And for Kentucky, you know, not to nothing against Travis, but it's just it's not a big deal at all because they have so much depth. They had already eleven or twelve guys
whim to be playing over him. It opens up another scholarship. Maybe they had another piece they feel can help. It's kind of loaded. Maybe they go and get you know, there's the freshman Brandon Hawthorne or incoming freshman who is kind of a mid to high four star late bloomer out of West Virginia, z committed when they had the coaching change there. Maybe they maybe they pursued, they had to visit with him. Maybe they kick the tires and
go even heavier on him. It opens up another spot and another chance to be creative from our poping company. So I think at the end of the At the end of the day, it's going to be a win win for everyone.
You know, they did such a great job. We've talked about that.
Everybody has putting this team together that that played this past year, and they were guys who just had so much appreciation for being at Kentucky. Kobe Braham might have been the best example of a guy was told early on, you know, you're not good enough to play at Kentucky, and I was always in the back of his mind, and then by the time he got here, he was so appreciative. Andrew Carr sim a lot of these guys.
You gotta wonder, now, Aaron, the cynic in me wonders are they going to be able to keep finding guys like that in this day and age of big bucks in the portal. I need playing time now, you know. Hey, you know, hey, come be a part of Kentucky basketball.
Yeah, what's it worse to me that kind of stuff? You know what I mean?
Yeah? I completely agree. It's really hard. There's some really good players that they pursued very hard out of the transfer portal and they went other directions. Kentucky got outdid you know, talking about Donovan Dent to point Grup from Mexico, and then Lamar Wilkerson was kind of the big one.
Yep.
About a week ago today, right where he chooses Indiana, goes on the field of sixty eight because he doesn't want to go to Kentucky and just be another guy. And what he meant by that is Kentucky had a full roster at that point, Indiana had four players. He can go to Indiana, get all the shots he wants and get paid, you know, the higher amount. So they're
simply gonna be guys with those trains of thought. But I do still think there's a place for God, you know, with Andrew car Kobe Brea, the Kentucky kids and Trenton Travis's state of mind as well. And you just look at some two of the guys they added through the portal this year, Jade and Quaintance, and yeah, he's getting paid handsomely, you know, top center in the transfer portal and a guy who's probably gonna be a first round pick in next year's NBA draft. But he's a guy
that was committed to Kentucky out of high school. He was a guy to play for John cal Ferry. From everything I had heard around this time last year he was very interested in keeping his commitment, and it was more so Mark Pope and the staff wanting to just kind of start fresh and kind of remove remove themselves
from the Caliperry era, get a fresh start going. And now that he gets back in the portal, like, he's getting recruited heavily by Auburn who's coming off a trip to the Final four, and you know, those are kind of the two schools zooking it out.
And I heard.
The money was pretty much the same, and he picked Kentucky because he loved it here when he first committed and he's always wanted to play here, so you know that still exists. And then with Denzel Aberdeen the transfer from Florida, Jacob Poulichek, who wrote a great story about it in an interview with his dad, where basically Denzel didn't want to necessarily leave Florida, but Kentucky was his green school growing up, and when the opportunity came up,
he couldn't pass it down. So there is still some of that out there, but definitely it's definitely when there's crazy dollars being torn around and playing time is you know, there's only so many spots on so many teams. You know, it's harder to find those kids, but they're still out there.
Yep.
Speaking of the Portal, Boogie Flan leaving Arkansas for the Portal but also intends to remain in the NBA draft after that June fifteenth deadline, So I mean, why in the world even bothered to enter the portal, but period I did?
Did he expect him to be a first rounder?
Yeah?
I mean, look, it is interesting though, I think it probably is just an insurance policy got from He doesn't get the feedback that he was expecting or what cal Perry's clearly hinting out expecting there. I mean, he did miss almost the whole SEC slate with a wrist injury. He came back clearly wasn't quite one hundred percent during the NCAA tournament, So I don't know how scouts are viewing him. I don't know what his medicals are showing. And even when he played, I mean he played pretty well.
It wasn't like, uh, he was lighting it up and looked like a surefire lottery are Yet I think he has that ceiling. So with that, Arkansas's current roster construction. They have various sakhoff of Miss Donald's all American point guards coming in. DJ Wagner's coming back for his junior year. Uh, there's not really a spot for Boogie Flann there at all.
So if your boogie flanned, if you do end up having to go back to college, makes sense to open up your options because Arkansas has moved on, and as they should have, they had to, They had to prepare for that. All all indications were this time last year Boogie was going to be a one and done lottery pick, and you know, he stills a chance to be.
A first rounder entered the draft, so uh.
You know, you got to keep the keep the options open. And really that's what you're going to see, or that's what you see with a lot of these guys you know who have their names in the NBA Draft. I mean there was a kid from UiB that Yachtall Lendenberg that Kentucky went at pretty hard and then kind of pulled off of uh.
That ended up in Michigan.
I mean, he's going to make uh Dusty May and that's statsweat up until that May twenty eighth deadline. Jaron Pierre and Jacksonville State, and you know, Kentucky was kind of in the same boat waiting on Jackson Robinson this time last year. So you know, we'll see what Boogy ends up doing. But it makes sense open your options.
Well and more.
With Aaron gershan of the cash Balls, he after a break here on six thirty w l a F welcome back. We're talking and Aaron Gershawan he covers the Cats for the Cat's Boss football, baseball, basketball, he does it all. We were talking about the portal with regard to basketball the football Cats.
One got away.
Jalen Stone, who was a d lineman at Southeast Missouri State at the FCS Level one double A, decided at the last minute to go to Vanderbilt and from from everything I'd heard, Kentucky thought they were in pretty good shape with him.
Six two eighty eight was.
A three star coming out of high school, but has obviously improved and now he's going to be a common or how surprised should we be about this.
In the portal era? Nothing surprisingly, It takes one good offer and that you could not be on the radar to landing a commitment. Yeah, that's kind of what seems to have happened here with Stone. I know he had an Oklahoma visit earlier this week and he got through it without committing. And he's supposed to be at Kentucky Friday thor Sunday, So Kentucky probably felt pretty good internally that he got out of Norman without you know, choosing them.
But you know, Vandy step stuff and gets their guys. So that's just that's the nature of the Beast nowadays. Not too surprising, And to be honest with you, I was already not with him in particular. And I know you can never have enough D line depth, but you know, Kentucky as things currently, Sam will only have two or three more.
Spots scholarship wise available.
I feel like that's a position they're better off. And then maybe inside linebacker where they really really need to get somebody. I don't know if they're going to, but man, are they sinning there or even quarterback. I mean, if you have an injury there, you're talking about getting really sinned inexperience. So you know, maybe it's a blessing in disguise where you can go and use that scholarship for
something maybe of greater need. But yes, you know they've clearly had a visit set up and probably bummed to lose him through to an SEC rival there.
Yeah, that's the other thing.
Not only do they lose him, but they got to play against him, right And people know Vandy beat Kentucky last year, and don't forget Vandy finished the year by winning a bowl game for the first time in change years.
And they've won two it a three against Kentucky going back to twenty two. So yes, unfortunately for Kentucky, the momentum is shifted in that series. And you know that was you know, the rous stone. But also you know for Kentucky, Vanderbilt recruiting had to head Shaziah Pee that was down to Vandy in Kentucky it sounded like and Kentucky very badly needed that left tackle. So yeah, it is what it is that's important to give this take a type deal.
Yeah, I'm want to jump back to basketball for just a minute. What is Denzel Aberdeen give Mark Pope? Because I thought that was a really interesting movie. Goes from a national championship team to within the conference to basically an arch rival.
Yeah, it's fascinating how that all happened. But I think he just gives them one. He sits just such a position of need, which or if they have a second like experience ball handler, not that you know Tom Chandler is the capable of handling the ball. Shore Shaff Johnson capable of handling the ball. Sure, but you know those guys Chandler doesn't as to do it all that much. Last year, Jasper is going to be a true freshman. You know, you had to add another one to help Jalen Lowe out there.
And you know Aberdeen.
Does that, and you know he could play off the ball, and he's really really good in catch and shoot situation. He's not a great shooter off the drive or off the dribble, but he's great in catch and shoot situation. So he just gives you a versatile weapon in that backcourt, and he gives you a winner. I mean, he won a high school state championship in the seven A level down in Florida as a prep kid out of Orlando. Obviously, just won the NCAA Tournament at Florida, won the SCC
tournament at Florida. It's helped Florida get to the He had his breakout game actually was as a sophomore last season when Florida was a sixth seed in the SEC tournament. They gets to the semifinals and he dropped twenty seemingly out of nowhere on Texas A and M to get pored in the title game there. So you know, he's a guy who has tons of tons and tons of postseason experience and has excelled in those moments. And I
guess another guy is going to be fearless. You know, great length at six to five in the backboard so fits everything. Kentucky was looking for experience, proven winner, good shooter and got some really good length A few.
Minutes left with Aaron Gershan as a cast balls. Let me shift to the baseball. You covered last night's Louisville game. None of us expected that kind of outcome given the way these teams played two weeks ago, but that was in the freezing cold.
This was a perfect night for baseball.
But you've been able to cover more baseball since basketball ended, just in time to watch this Kentucky team eraon. It looks like really build confidence and start to play its best.
Yeah, they're they're fun. They're looking like an NCAA tournament team. Now. I don't think if any of us could have said that for sure, just it's so frustrating. It that jumps off the page is they have led in seventeen of eighteen SBC games and the one lost that in the one game they lost trailed start to finish was Texas, the third game of the series, and they only lost that game by our run. So they're losing these close games,
they're blowing leads and it's all sorts of frustration. And then you know, you go down to Tennessee, you lose game one, okay, and Nick McKay shoves in game two and they you know, the offense is able to get some in shuring frons you win that game. And really same thing in game three where Ben Cleever really shuts down Tennessee. I think he had maybe had give up a two run homer and that was it. And then
Kentucky has insurance late. And then yesterday, every time Louisville kind of made a run, I think they scored three in the fifth and cut it down to five, Kentucky just kept tacking on insurance runs. And they're they're finding ways to win games now where they felt like they were finding ways to lose games where the offense would kind of go cold in the later innings and the bullten would really struggle to hold up in the last three games. You know, take not the bullpen being obviously
you know, shut games down to Tennessee. But last night the story was the offense just a relentless attack and putting a ton of insurance funds on the board, to the point that Louisville shifted their first basement onto the mound and kind of waves the right white flag there.
So yeah, it was a.
Really good night. And this program is tending in the right direction at the right time. I mean, I think they were in the mid forties and the RPI before they went down in Knoxville and that seven yeah, yeah, thirty twenty seven. Yeah, I saw twenty seven right after the game. So yeah, so they're you know, they're probably on pace to be a two seed in the regional and you know, just how big of a deal would
it be to make the tournament this year? Was you know, all they lost in last year's roster, Like, the program has never been to the NCA Tournament three years in a row, and if they're able to do that this year with everything they lost and to be honest to deficiencies they have. That's super impressive stuff right there.
Yeah, and again a brutally tough schedule. And and something that Nick Minjione told us on the air last night is these new kids, the guys who transferred in through the portal, and there are a lot of them, are now just starting to figure things out.
And that's what it takes, especially at the.
SEC level, right, no question about it, no question about it.
It's it's the.
Toughest league there is in college baseball by quite a margin. And you know a lot of you can look at where a lot of these transfers from this year's team specifically are from, and they haven't come really close to what they're facing.
Now.
You're talking about some kids in the MAC, you're talking about kids from the Missouri Valley, like it is just a different beast here in the SEC, and they're starting to get the hang of it. And the starting pitching. You know, the big thing that Kentucky has that even some teams in the SEC don't is Mick McCain. Ben Cleaver is a one two punch. I know, I'm not quite sure why he does the thing where McKay doesn't start on Fridays. But the best things are here or there.
But those two guys are a one two. I mean that that's a kentuckting the team. You don't want to play in a regional just because of those two guys. I mean, those two guys are the real deal.
Mkay, I believe was the Friday starter for a while but began to struggle. Yeah, now he's looking more alive. Yeah, you know, now he's looking more like the guy that they expected.
Hey, yeah, do what you got to do to get him comfortable. But yeah, I mean even I was. I looked at Tony Vtello's transcript and he, you know, he said the same thing that you know, those two guys in Mkay and Cleaver. That's as good as a combo in the sec.
Yeah it is right now. He is Aaron Gershawn. He is the beat writer for The.
Cat's Pause covers football, baseball, basketball. Follow him on Twitter or x at a Gershwan ninety nine. Thank you, Sarah, I hope you get to slow down a little bit, But I don't count on it.
Don't count on it.
Appreciate it.
Up next to our number two, Sean Woods, the unforgettable guard who is now the new head boys basketball coach at Scott County High School along with Western.
BUREACHIU Geary Moore. That's ahead on six thirty.
Such tacking anything.
Welcome back to the Big Blue Sader And every Wednesday, scheduling permitting, we chat with unforgettable guard Sean Woods is yours.
He hangs in the rafters of rupp Uh.
He has coached extensively at the college level, but now we must address him as coach.
Sean Woods, the head coach at Scott County High School. Hey, congratulations, man.
Appreciated, Dick. You know, never thought I'd be coaching high school,
but you know, I'm looking forward to this opportunity. Uh, you know, as everyone knows, I'm a coach, you know, and I'm passing about you know, enhancing you know, young men through basketball and and uh, you know, uh had some other opportunities, but I just felt like, you know, I can make a much bigger impact, you know, in a situation that that's that's thirsty and has success and and uh, you know, it's just a new saga in my life and and and and and really looking forward to it.
You know, people don't know this, but when you and I were chatting one day off the air. Uh And as I've mentioned more than once, you've been doing a lot of broadcasting over the past year for Glcott. You've covered a lot of high school basketball.
You're at the sweet sixteen. You really got about high school basketball.
You had a great high school career, and you told me kind of offhand a few months ago, you know, maybe you'd like to get involved at the high school level.
How much did that affect you, Sean, when when you were around that that.
Atmosphere, Well, it rejuvenated me. Is just you know, being around it, talking about it, analyzing it. You know, I had to you know, do my homework and all these teams that I was you know, commentating about, and it got my juices backflowing. You know, it got me back into scouting, got me back into doing you know, detail info and then watching high school basketball, and you know, coaching is coaching, you know, And that's what I realized,
you know. You know, even though it's more money at the at the at the college level, so on and so forth, but when you have a passion for for something, no matter what the pay is, it just it's who you are. And that's who I am and you know, this is an opportunity. It's it's a very unique situation because it's not just a public school, it's a it's a school that really gets, you know, basketball, who has a passion for Basketball's community that I'm very familiar with.
And you know, they're Thurston for winning. They you know, the other school in the county won the state championship this year, and you know, it was just a great it was just a perfect fit. You know, the administrators there in Scott County are awesome. You know, they are on board with the vision that I've had and have and it was almost like a match made in heaven. Man. I mean, God works in mysterious ways. And it was just a situation that just smacked me in the face.
It was like, hey, this is what it is. And I didn't second guess it. You know, when the opportunity came, I went for it and uh, you know, look look out, we know we're here now.
Yeah.
Well, and yeah, it's it's it's a tough situation now because as you said, great Crossing jumps up wins the state championship. Scott County struggled this past year. Back in the day Scott County. Was it in that county as you know. And now some kids are going to Great Crossing, some are going to Scott County. But the tradition is there, isn't it for Scott County.
High Oh, no doubt about it. You know. I think what happened was and it's just like anything else. You know, when a talent comes in as a seven footage that's very very rare. You know you're going to get that. You know, Scott County got. Had they got Malachy Marino, it'll have been still Scott County. Yeah, you know, but unfortunately, you know, Billy Hicks left. You know, Steve was you know those guys, you know, middle school coach, they had a great relationship with him. When he moved up to
the high school level, they followed. And with a great player like that, you know, other kids are going to follow because they want to play with a great player like that, you know what I'm saying. So that was understandable. Now the time is great for me because oh that's over. You know, man, don't hit. He's gonna be big, He's gonna be a Kentucky. So we're starting back from scratch square one. So uh, you know, I don't have to
worry about that, you know now. You know it's about you know, me and Scott County starting our own legacy again from scratch, and you know it's it's almost like an even playing field, you know within the county.
Yeah, well you mentioned that that it was a perfect fit. You know, your your passion and your vision for the school. What what is that, Sean? How did you sell them on your brand of basketball, your brand of coaching?
Well, they did all their homework. I'll tell you what. Man, I Billy Parker, who's who's a great guy. Uh, you know, shoot, if I needed a GM, he'd be the first person that I'd hire. Uh he's a he's a county superintendent. And also D T. Wales, who's the county a d. I mean I opened the floodgates, you know. I gave them every person that knew me, who knew my career, you know, to reach out to them and ask them
about me. And they did that. You know, they they they you know, raised up every rock, you know everything. They I mean, they know me better than I know myself as far as what other people think of me. And you know, they did their due diligence because they wanted to know, you know, everybody you know, you know don't know what exactly, you know, what I was accused of, you know, years ago at Morehead and that was a big question mark because I haven't lived here, you know,
i'n't been around the twenty five years. The only thing they remember about me is you know, having a great coach career Morehead and then it ended because of something that I was accused of. And you know, they got a chance to talk to the ad who was at the school at the time at Morehead, they got a chance to talk to all my assistants, got to talk to people who knew who knew me and who I worked for and with after that, and they came up with.
You know, what they came up with was nothing. And they knew how talented I was as a coach and the success that I've had. You know, once they got past that, you know that that was nothing there. You know, now the rest is you know, you know, there's a reason why we you know, he's available West Scott County because if that does not happen, you know, I'm not accused of that. Shoot, you know, I'm at NC State or something like that. So you know, God has a way of putting you in a place where you can
make significant impact. And I'm just fortunate to be the steward and be seglected. Is that to be that, because that's what I am. I I you know, I love coaching young kids and young men. And I started my career coaching the Eastern Junior proh yeah, yes. And it all started with Wayne Martin and his kid and my son and some of the best players do in that era. And that's why I started that, and that's why I you know, I shoppened my teeth and uh, you know,
I'm more than a basketball coach. People don't understand, you know, I'm I'm a mentor. I've been there, done that, and now you know, I used to always talk about high school coaches on what they didn't do from a fundamental standpoint of teaching young men the bass of basketball, even though they're talented. Now I get an opportunity to do that. So it's a match made in heaven, you know, I can you know, and and you know how my career
has gone. You know, I've always been chasing and as successful as I've been at the schools that I've been at They've been very hard situations. Oh yeah, and I'm at a place in my life now with my wife and I you know, she's looking, you know, she's like Sean. You know, you you've proven yourself. You know, it's unfortunate that you didn't get the opportunities as other guys have gotten.
But you still want to leave a legacy somewhere and we need to, you know, be able to you know, place our feet in the sand and leave a mark. And this this is maybe your opportunity to do so.
I was going to ask you that you were a Mississippi Valley State. You became a national headline when you took that school to the Inside Tournament. There's there's it seems like every year there's there's a team like that that, you know, the little team that could to have nots to jump up and make a mark like that, and that obviously that was a boost to your career. But that that truly is you will know, no disrespect one of the have nots in college basketball.
You know, that's where Jerry Rice went to school and all that.
But and you know morehead State has battled for everything it's ever needed.
You were at Southern, you now.
You're at Scott County with a nice facility and as you said, great tradition, great backing, so you're not trying to dig out at this place. I know they had a poor year this season, but you know you got a lot going for you there that had to make it so attractive it did.
You know, And I'll tell you what I mean, it's almost a better job than two of the jobs that I had, you know what I'm saying, Just yeah, and that's refreshing, you know, And you know, you're not worried about the bottom line. You just worry about making an impact with kids. And when you do it the right way, especially at high school, good things happen. And you know, I know a you know, once we get it going, we'll be able to attrack some of the stage finance
and some of the country's finance. And then that's why I'm trying to get it to to where not only to be one of the best teams in the state, but you know, a national name like it had been when when when coach Itch was there, So you know, everything's lined up. I'm just happy to have an opportunity to be the guy and get it to back to where it was. I mean, you know, I'm not gonna
treat it any different than I did in college. You know, I'm gonna work my butt off, and you know my thing was to never never let anybody else outwork me. And shoot, I'm working hard already, and you know, just to be back in the saddle. Uh, it is a blessing.
And you know, it's a different type of mindset, it's a different type of job, but it's it's I think right now, in my mind, it could be more rewarding because I'm making a bigger impact, not just with my team and the varsity, but just the young people in
the community of Scott County. You know, I look forward to to reaching out to the and develop and even the middle school and the elementary school, you know, because that's what I that's who I am, Dick, and my roots started here at coaching little kids, so I have a passion for that. You know, the world has changed a little bit, but I'm looking forward to the adjustment and having a good time with it.
He is Sean Wood was the new head coach at Scott County High and of course one of the unforgettables. We'll talk more basketball on the other side of the break here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back with chatting with Shawn Woods, the Unforgettable Guard. He is now the head coach at Scott County High School, so new things to deal with with younger folks. But you know you'll be counseling people and one of the headlines when it comes to the portal this morning, coach, and earlier, I
guess it was later last night. You and I have talked a lot about the Wildcats and Travis Perry, who at the last minute puts his name into the portal, and you and I have talked about the fact that he's got a long way to go to compete at the level of Kentucky competes.
That I got to wonder, were you.
Surprised at all that he chose that rap because it looked like he was.
Coming back and he still might. But clearly they've recruited over him.
No doubt about it. And we have to you know, you know, but he's a Kentucky kid. You know, you got the uniform, you know, But you know, Mark's got to do what he's got to do, you know, and and he's got to create, he's got to you know, go o recruit the best so we can be able
to compete for national SEC championships and national championships. You know, Travis had a decision to make, and he you know, the decision is do I sit here and enjoy the ride and after I graduate, I can you know, still be an important part of the community, the state of Kentucky community and be successful burgess wise, you know, or do I love play more at this particular time in my life and want to you know, and feel like I have, you know, a lot to give to the
game of basketball, but just having an opportunity to play at a lower level to where I can really have some success. And that's the choice that he's making right now. And you know, just because he's at Kentucky, just because he's a Kentucky kid, you know, doesn't mean that the universe of Kentucky is the right fit for him from a from a playing standpoint. But you know, you got the opportunity, You earned the right, you know, with the
high school career that you had. Now it's you know, I think he's a kid that wants to play, you know, and you can't, you know, and he's a competitor and you can't knock that.
No, you can't.
Players want to play, no question about that. And yeah, and when he got his chance to contribute, he did at times, and at times he was overmatched. But like I said, it's it's a as you point out, it's a potentially life changing decision. You had to make that choice as a high school senior. I sometimes wonder if people realize. I remember hearing a football recruit talking about this kid seemed incredibly mature for his age about his college choice, and he said, Uh, it's going to determine
the rest of my life. It's going to probably determine who I marry, you know, things like that. Have a wow, this kid's gone deep on this.
Uh. And it couldn't have been easy for him, right, No.
You know, and I'm sure you know I can. I can see him right now. He in his dad and mom, you know, sitting there contemplating you know what I'm saying, the pros and cons. Yeah, you know, because three four years comes back comes real quick.
Yeah. Yeah, dad's his coach.
His dad was his high school coach, right and you want to, you know, see where you can fit in for the rest of your life, you know, And this is a life, life changing situation here in the decision. And you know I've been there, you know, I. You know I I you know when we were you know, when I was recruited and that year that's when we got hit with that probation. That's when we got hit
with the investigation. And when it went down after writing during my vice freshman year and I was actually sitting out that year, I had some real decisions to make, and my mom just told me straight up, she said, you're staying, you know, she said, you cann You're gonna You're gonna weather this storm. This is the first time as a young man, just time to grow up and and and face the fire and handle some type of adversity and make the best of it. And it was
the best decision I ever made. You know, who would have thought that my jerseysy be retired? Who thought that I have to have an impact with three other men? Where actually more than that to to to to have that impact at the universe of Kentucky when it was at the lowest peak of his entire makeup. So I I I don't envy him at all, But if he does make whatever decision he made by putting this stuff in in the portal. I give him kudos because that's a that's a major decision. Uh. And he's got to
think of him. He's got to think for him, you know, what's best for him. And that's why I respect it, you know what I mean. It's not you know what everybody else thinks. It's about what he thinks because it's his life. And I would love to see him wearing at eleven again, you know what I'm saying for the rest of his career because I like him as a person. But you know, if he wants to go play and play a lot of minutes, then he needs to go, you know. But if he stays, he knows he's not
gonna play that much. But he can still be a fixture in the folklore you know of Kentucky basketball and and live a happy life when it's all said and done, because you know he's gonna be taken care of and you know, get a decent job and being good business when he graduate. So you.
Interrupted, But do you think the portal situation has I don't know if enhanced is the word, but intensified that that feeling of self. You know, these kids now They're almost forced to think more about themselves as opposed to, Hey, I can go to this school and be a part of something with these other guys who have signed and the other guys that are on the roster, and we together, we can do this. Now, it seems like the portal
is forcing kids to think even more about themselves. And you've got to start with yourself obviously, But you know, it's it's almost like a pilum mentality.
Do you see it that way?
I mean, it's like what guys think in the NBA. You know, you once you get there, it's a business, and now college athletics has become a business. It's about what can I how can I maximize who I am financially in this situation? And it's unfortunate, it's almost nasty. It's not pure anymore, and you know it's hard to grasp. I mean I went to the final four man and not one coach was happy.
Yeah, I get that.
You know, and that almost helped my decision on really pursuing the sky Cannon situation. Really, you know, is money worth all this headache and heartbreak? And you know, you know, I like to coach. I like to get people to buy into being prideful. Where is the pride anymore? You know? The Benjamins doesn't have pride. Benjamin's does not have pride? Benjamins is what can you do for me? And for
me as a coach. I'm just old school, you know, And you know, and the minute I think you're selfish, the minute I think it's about you, that's hard to coach. And that's what we're doing right now. You know, they're talking about Kentucky right now. You know the their roster is worth twenty million dollars, ye million dollars. You know now you really you know the handlers of these people,
the parents of these people. You know, not only is the twenty million dollars, but now you're getting it, you get more calls, you know what I'm saying from parents and handlers about playing time, what they look like, so on and so forth. I mean, it's it's a lot more to juggle. You know, where's the national chair to compete for national championship come into play? Where does it compete for the SEC championship? Come into play? Where is it?
You know? The pride? You know? And that's what I was I keep bragging on Mark Pope about what he put together this past year. As far as you know, the mentality of these guys being bought in, right, right, that's gonna be hard to do every year when you you know, when you know, you can't get a kid unless you pay him X amount of dollars. He ain't worried about Kentucky the tradition. He's worried about how much money am I getting.
You have got to get the right kids in there. Every coach, but every coach is dealing with that. Well, it has been quick. We'll talk again, but congrats again once again on the Scott County job. Shawn Woods, the unforgettable guard now the head coach of the Scott County Cardinal.
Your cardinal, Sean.
Hey, did you see me on BBN the other night. You know I'm a cardinal, but I'm a Scott Catty, Scott County cart County cardinal. If you look at the deal, it has six teeth in his mouth. Okay, the other cardinal does it?
Okay, all right, I'm glad you pointed that out. All right, coach, we'll talk next week.
Thanks.
So happy for Sean. I know he wanted to get back into coaching. He was kind enough to send me. I didn't know this was happening, but he texted me the front page of the Georgetown newspaper, which had a little teaser up in the corner, and then the front page of the sports section with his picture on it, saying that he had been hired as the new head coach of the Cardinals. So Scott County, it's gonna be interesting to see if they can bounce back from six
to twenty one. Western Bureau Chief Gary Moore next six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big bluin Cider. It is Wednesday, which means we will look west to the other end of I sixty four to our West End Bureau chief, Gary Moore, longtime West Coast Bureau chief, and he's moved from Los Angeles to LA the Louisville.
Area where we chat with him every week.
Dude, two guys in a six pack, and ladies and gentlemen. This is our annual final mock draft episode where we run off the audience by predicting all seven rounds and all two hundred and fifty seven.
Smoke him if you got him all craft.
We don't have time for that, Okay, T minus twenty four hours and change until the most tedious three and a half hours in all of sports. Round one and only Round one of the NFL Draft tomorrow night, eight
to eleven thirty pm. If you can stay awake on ABC and on ESPN and on the NFL Network live from U sure, beloved lambeau Field stockholder, you it's all we're gonna do here, And swig number one is just pick draft choice number one, pretending that you and I are both the Titans general manager, because they still have as of right now at the number one pick. Now, if I'm the GM of Tennessee, first of all, I'm living down in Belle Mead. Boy, that's a nice area
and it's gorgeous down there. And with our first pick in the draft, I'm gonna take the best, most talented quarterback that is obviously cam Ward. Why well, he seems to think faster than my current guy, Will Levis, because he's put up some monster offensive numbers consistently down there, and he's done it running.
Around a lot.
And that's another reason I would take him, because of my porous o line. So he's gonna have to scramble a hell of a lot here in the first year, who you're gonna take at number one?
Yeah, I think you have to take Ward because you need a QB.
They've given up clearly on will Levis, although interestingly they fired a Vrabel as head coach because he was not fully by.
Hind Will Levis. But anyhow, Yeah, this kid's gonna have the same.
Problem the Lewis had, although maybe he makes better decisions. Levis forced too many plays and made too many turnovers. But the biggest problem Gary, in my mind, is that let's say you take Abdul Carter, or you taking you know, a defensive player or whatever, there aren't any qbs out there who could really help you in the immediate future. And I'm looking right at you, Aaron Rodgers, You're not the answer either. If there were somebody out there in the free agent world, and.
They would have made that move by now.
But they have made no secret, the Titans, about the fact that they're not going to move that number one pick.
So it looks like they're committed to a QB. And look, you'll sell some tickets, right sure, part of.
It our second swig in the six packs. So another week of NBA playoffs. Man, they're getting physical out there. We saw some of that last night. Man, elbows are flying all over the place. Another week to actually give a rats rump about the association for me. So we got three big games Tony Orlando, Boston, Miami at Cleveland, and my Warriors at Houston. And also this week another
mindless moment. I know you've talked about it from Dallas general manager for now Nico Harrison, who said on Monday, quote I did know that Luca was important to the fan base, I didn't quite.
Know it to what level.
Unquote talk about being so far in the frame you can't see the picture. Can you even imagine red auerback miscalculating to a Celtics fan's love of Larry Bird or Jerry West, not knowing how popular Magic or Kobe was to all the fans. Now, remember and besides Luca, let's not forget Harrison, let some kid name Jalen Brunson escape to New York. Yeah, a couple of years ago, Sacramento in Atlanta just fired their gms. They didn't say anything nearly as stupid as Harrison. So how does this guy
still have a gig? Is it because he's got this huge extension? They still owe them a lot of money that he signed last summer after the championship run.
Gotta be I just read a piece in The Athletic about this whole dynamic and Mark Cuban, And of course we know that if Cuban had still been the guy in charge, that this likely would.
Not have happened. Although when Cuban sold, he was.
Supposedly going to help make basketball decisions.
Cuban and Nico. Well, now it's Nico and Cuban, but.
There's also Gary, a long list of mistakes made by Cuban and by the Mavericks of great players they have not drafted. You referred to Jalen Brunson. He's not the only one, but this is clearly the dumbest move. And I really believe that Harrison was trying to minimize, you know, his damaging role. And I like what Charles Barkley, Oh I Love on TNT said, just, you know, stop talking, just to shut up.
You made a mistake, own it. Stop. But this guy can't seem to get out of his own way. Third swig in the six backs.
Speaking of reading the room illiteracy, did you see the tweet that UCLA Football sent out welcoming new quarterback banknote Nico. They had Nico in a UCLA uniform wearing the same number that he wore last year at Tennessee, number eight. Just one problem, that number was retired years ago after it was worn by former Brewin star and Hall of
Famer some guy named Troy Aikman. Suffice to say, a lot of Brewin fans were already unhappy with the school welcoming a kid who apparently held out for more dough and then bolted way late in the spring, almost screwing up that Orange.
School's quarterback sitch.
Until because we've seen the quarterback UCLA had already signed from app State, Joey Aguilarp said, f this went and signed with the Vols an nil trade for an nil trade. Basically your pal. Bill Plashke also sent out the welcome wagon in his latest La Times column with the headline Nico yalim well, I can't pronounce his last name, Nico joining uc everybody loses now besides Nico signing with UCLA after he signed with the Balls. You've got more on
this a little bit later on. But Nico's little brother is also coming to Westwood. Maybe maybe after a couple of months at Arkansas. Full disclosure here, I did some postgraduate studies at UCLA, and yeah, this all feels really slimy to me. But you know, I also recall Troy Aikman also transferred to UCLA from Oklahoma, but that was about Switzer's wishbone offense, not about a gold digging punk here. But this, I got a bad feeling about this, dick.
You know what football karma can be, Like, we'll see what happens in the fall.
Aikman never should have signed with Oklahoma in the first place, if you're back to that, because of that offense, as you said, And yeah, we talked earlier about Nico's brother Madden, but yeah, this is an interesting sub chapter in the world of college sports, the chapter about nil and the portal and all that. And now, as I mentioned earlier, Arkansas's pushing back, and I'm certain Arkansas doesn't want to keep this kid, but you know, the collective like, hey,
what about our money? You never played a game, and you know it's going to wind up in front of a judge somewhere or at least in depositions and all that. But yeah, I just have a hard time seeing how this is going to work out for UCLA, and I think Agilar is going to be the winner because you talk about a quarterback friendly offense at Tennessee, right, Yeah, and.
He's got a great coach who was a quarterback obviously, and we'll go from there. Yeah, let's see here forth Swig and the six backs. Speaking of that fugly Arne school, shout out to the Batcats who went down I seventy five over the weekend, took two out of three from the then number two team in the nation, and then last night out of Kentucky Proud Park early night for you never Cats needed only seven innings to throttle number nineteen Louisville seventeen to five. Cards are baut rated fall
out of the top twenty five. Maybe after this weekend they've got three with number ten Florida State starting out here on Friday. UK goes for four in a row Friday night, six thirty at Proud Park, first to three with South Carolina, then they head down to Warren County and one with WKU. And speaking of the number seventeen Hilltoppers, they abused Evansville last night in BG fourteen to four, running their record thirty three and seven twenty four and one at home on.
The campus of WKU.
It's gonna be your alma mater and mine might be a game there next Tuesday.
Something's got to give, Gabriel.
Yeah, Kentucky now playing with a lot of confidence, obviously, and really it started a.
Week ago with the comeback win over Miami.
So basically they came from ahead, then came from maybe not behind, but from a tie game and won a walk off. But yeah, they played with so much confidence against Tennessee. The pitching has come around. Now they're getting the offense. We talked to one of the players after the game last night. He said, we stopped worrying about home runs and that just quality add bats, just trying to stack up what they call quabs, and it's working
for them. So you know, they've they've they flirted with success so many times this year, so many close losses. So now let's not discount the fact that the schedule is letting up ever so slightly, relatively speaking.
Agreed Fittswig and the six Pack. Let's talk minor league baseball here in the Commonwealth. Opening night for your Lexington Legends on Friday night, yep let Legends Field over there just off North Broadway. Postgame fireworks going to be happening Friday night.
Then down in.
Bowling Green on Saturday, Rot Row You meddling kids get Scooby Doo Night at the Hot Rods game. That's a four oh five in the afternoon. First pitch players are going to be wearing these actually pretty cool Scooby Doo jerseys that's going to be auctioned off to benefit the Buddy House for down Syndrome. I've actually posted a photo of the jerseys on next They did a pretty cool job with those. But you know, Dick, no good theme night goes unpunished. In a crystal clear sign, the apocalypse
is still upon us. Our Louisville Bats over here Friday night are apparently willingly hosting Pickleball Appreciation Night, pickled pickle themed drinks. Thanks, I'll pass even if you're buying pickle themed food, And there's also a special ticket package that will also punish you with a don't wait for it, Bats pickleball paddle for something that isn't quite ping pong. It isn't quite tennis, but it certainly has the most
annoying ball paddle sound. That is the antithesis of leather hitting a Louisville slugger.
Try appreciating that.
Oh man, I have not given in to the pickleball craze. Several friends of mine have here over in Lexion In at Woodland Park. They renovated one of the tennis courts and now it's a pickleball court. Look, it's people getting out getting exercise. That's a good thing, I know, but it's just right now, it's too much. And that's always the case. I think it's more than a fad. It's
a new sport quote unquote. But yeah, I can do with that pickle lemonade, which is being offered to one of the fast food franchises right now.
Now I'm my hometown of Murray. They just opened up some brand new pickleball courts. Nice try tennis folks. Okay if you.
Sixth and final swig since you and I last spoke, It was announced that former U of L and Indiana football coach and the heart and soul of ESPN's College Game Day League Corso, would be taking his final bow on the first show of the twenty twenty five season. It'll be August thirtieth, twenty three days after coach celebrates his ninetieth birthday. Now, we've been kind of prepped for not seeing him on the panel the past couple of years when he's had to miss shows for health reasons
or whatever. But it's still going to take them getting used to not seeing them every week, and not just because of the numbers. He's been there thirty eight years, four hundred and thirty mascot headgear picks. That's a winning percentage of sixty six and I have percent with a perfect nineteen ninety nine season, but not so fast with the numbers.
It's more than that, way more than that. It's him. It's the guy. It's the man's heart, his.
Love not only for the game we all love, but his love for people and the fans and humanity in general. You can always tell that, You've always been able to tell that over the years. That inferior knockoff pregame show in Fox doesn't have anyone in the same personality area code as League Corso the only question is does ESPN retire the head wear picks. I think probably don't have to because you know, Dick, I can't imagine Nick Saban putting on the head piece, putting on the head piece
of an Auburn Tiger. Given the odds of that team winning.
Maybe they let McAfee do it.
I think people might accept that from him because he is outrageous and you know, I'm with you, though, I think that might be a bit that they need to retire.
It was so much fun growing up in Louisville watching Corso's teams play. He's a good football coach. He's put together a really good program in Louisville.
And here's all you need to know about Lee Corso as a promoter and as a performer.
His Coaches show, the theme.
Music was Foggy Mountain Breakdown. I mean, if that didn't get you excited, this is back when coaches shows were the window to the team because generally it was the only time you could see the video of most teams playing. Yeah, he was a lot of fun to watch. He was a lot of fun on ESPN. And I love the fact that not so fast my Friends became a thing and it was something that was organic. It just happened naturally and now as part of our lexicon, and that's
something I'm thankfully forever. People will think sports fans about Lee Corso when they hear that or say that he is Gary Moore, our West N Bureau chief will come back with more in just a minute. On the Big Blue Sider six thirty WLAP Welcome back, We're chatting with Gary Murrio as our West N Bureau chief. We heard two guys in a six pack. Now time for a couple of hot reads. And you know we're always.
Banging on people. It seems like in this segment having fun with it.
But we need to really really tip our collective caps to rock O Beckt. He is an Iowa state quarterback. And we talked about these guys.
You know, going for the money and you know this guy might get sued and that guy ran out on a team.
This is a guy who used his nil earnings to donate entertainment consoles to pediatric rooms at a hospital at a medical center in Ames.
Iowa this week.
Gary, And all I can say is, let's hope that it leads to more of this kind of thing.
I'm just going to say more of this, please. And I love the fact that it's getting a lot of good publicity because, as we know, publicize something good like that, well I can do that with my money. Hey, that's a great idea. Hey, why not, you know, and that's
kind of a ripple effect. Let's see more of that kind of stuff happening, because we all know that these colleges, you know, everybody's got a hospital nearby, a lot of them are obviously at a lot of medical schools involved with that, and just good things in general that guys are doing with money.
I like to see that kind of matrure what a good guy.
Yeah, and it's by coincidence in the state of Iowa where during University of Iowa football games.
We've talked about this through the years.
At one point, I think it's at the end of the first quarter, everybody in the stadium, players included.
The stadium's right next to the children's hospital. You've seen the video.
Everybody turns and waves at the kids who are all watching the game through the windows of their hospital rooms.
Actually, I get emotional just thinking about that. Yeah, I agree with you.
And you know, there are people who find I don't know if distasteful is the right word, but they wonder about people like John Caliperi, who was very public with his charity work, and like, you know, a lot of people think it's you know, hey, look at me.
I'm a great guy. Whatever.
That's fine, But what it might also do is prompt somebody else to do it. Like you said, Yes, somebody notices what this kid from Iowa State's doing and thinks, hey, maybe I can do the same thing.
Follow the leaders on things like that. Yeah, follow the charity leaders.
Well, we have touched on this a little bit, but Arkansas now at least a collective, and the school will work with Arkansas Edge. I mentioned this earlier in the show, is putting, as the headline said, putting Madden Iamalieva into the crosshairs by encouraging the collective to try to get back some of its money. Good and evidently, in reading an article on cbsports dot com, this is not an isolated incident of kids signing, taking the money, and then
you know, I need to move on. Thanks Bob, thanks for the swell money by We're going to see more of this, Gary, and it's going to get ugly before it gets pretty.
The confusing thing about this is we don't really see any of the contracts, do we We don't know if there's a clause that says you have to pay back if you leave within this timeframe, and what I've been able to read is that even if there is that
kind of language in there, it could be nullified. I'd buy this house agreement that's going to be coming up approval pretty soon, that involves all of the schools, and as far as it was already supposed to have been approved, I think by last week, by Good Friday, and now it's going to be like maybe another couple three weeks, maybe another month.
We don't know.
There's so much legal mumbo jumbo up in the air about this. I know they're gonna get their money back. I mean, it seems like it would be the right thing to do if if players should have a buyout clause, if the coaches have a buyout clause, right, you.
Would think so.
But was odd is at least in some of these agreements it doesn't include how much or even if you play.
So I think if nothing else, will see some of these deals rewritten. But again, no guardrails. That's the entire problem with NIL and with the portal.
They had to rush into this because of the Ed O'Bannon case, and so now they're kind of trying to figure it out as they go along, and that's no way to deal with millions of dollars.
He is Gary More, He is our West End bureau chep.
We traveled him each and every week and you can follow his musings in rants on Twitter or x at.
At nine to five five Gary, same joint you're at yep at Big Blue Sider one. Thank you sir.
Have a good week, have good week, Derby fun next week and I am looking forward to that.
That's gonna do it for this edition of the Big Boon Sider.
Thanks to coach Sean Woods to Gary Moore, to Aaron Gersha and that said, good night from the garage in Lexington.
What's going I say, what's going on here?
Staying here with you?
Beak open, say something explaining yourself.
Your tongue's flipping, but no noise that's coming on of your big mob.
Don't get out and stay out, scrash out.
Air, take that, stain anything, do anything, Satan.
Take that.
Anything, but I think done. Dont doing the