Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Dick Gabriel with you on a Friday as we wrap up the week, and we will be talking football today, basketball as well, of course, but football in the news. And for one thing, seventy eight days away from Kentucky's football season beginning. We know this thanks to our buddy Corey Price. He is our statistician on the UK Network and he puts all kinds of interesting stuff on Twitter. And I got to
tell you a couple of days ago. I mentioned the fact that he had eighty days away, of course, and had a photo of one of the football Wildcats and I was pretty sure that this is who it was, but I wasn't entirely certain that. Now I am checked it out, the number eighty. It was a player celebrating a touchdown. It was TC Drake. TC Drake was a tight end who played at Kentucky from six to nine. And like too many tight ends, and yeah, we're about
to talk about Vince Merrow. They just don't catch enough football to satisfy you and me and Kentucky fans, everre for various reasons, chief among them, they have needed the tight end to stay in and block so much over the last several years, but we have yet to see anybody approach the effectiveness of a Jacob Tammy who played with Drake. That's why Drake didn't catch more balls as a tight end or James Well. I don't think you'll
ever see anybody brake the James Whalen record. He was technically an h back but listed as a tight end and played of course under Mummy and was an All American. But Drake. The picture that Corey Price used was celebrating the only touchdown he ever scored at Kentucky, and it was huge. It was the first touchdown in Kentucky's upset win over then top ranked LSU Wildcats won that one in overtime forty three thirty seven three overtimes really and knocked LSU from the top of the polls. Kentucky was
seventeenth that year. That was the best offense in the history of Kentucky football. Coordinated by Joker Phillips. Rich Brooks was the head coach, Andre Woodson Keen and Burton, Jacob Tammy, Dickey, Lyons, RAFFI had little Tony Dixon. They had it all offensively, really good offensive line, not quite enough defense, that year, they would have gone a lot farther, but anyhow, Drake caught a deflected pass in the back of the end
zone on Kentucky's second drive and scored. It was a two yard touchdown pass that would be the only touchdown he scored in his entire career. It was the only pass he caught that season. He had played as a freshman year before, eight games special teams. Basically, he played in all thirteen games as a sophomore, even started one or two but was a blocker. But he did catch that touchdown pass and gave Kentucky the early and everybody
was like, wow, Kentucky's leading LSU. And then it became the greatest game I've ever covered, not just because Kentucky won and upset the top ranked team in the country in overtime, so that there was added drama, you know, lon of seber Field goals and things like that, but it was just a great football game by two teams that were on top of their respective games that day.
TC Drake the following year caught a dozen balls for a couple hundred yards, no touchdowns unfortunately for him, and average fifteen yards per catch then and nine things dropped off Randall, Cobb became more of the featured receiver, but he caught seven balls, played in eleven games as a senior in O nine, but that one touchdown was huge U TC Drake unfortunately, about three years later after he got out of UK, was seriously injured in a motorcycle
accident in his home county, Nelson County. But the photo we saw the other day thanks to Corey Price, was TC Drake catching one of the biggest touchdown passes really in the history of UK football because it got things started for Kentucky. In the upset of LSU I mentioned Vince Marrow. It is so weird and the comments are circulated by now came out Lead yesterday. It's official, as Jeff Brahm announces Thursday that Vince Marrow has been added
to the staff. It is so strange to read a U of L press release extolling the virtues of a coach from Kentucky as saying they said that the twelve highly successful seasons at Kentucky, well not all of them, you know, some better than others, some recruiting seasons better than others. But that's the nature, as you know of a pr release, You've got to put all your best stuff out there, Jeff Brom saying, the he amplifies the
highest standards of collegiate coaching and recruiting success. Commitment to player development, exceptional ability to connect with young athletes, which is true, have made him one of the best in the business. And Vince will be a huge asset to the staff. I was reading this and I had forgotten that when Vince Merrow was in Nebraska, and that's where Mark Stoops plucked him, you know, brought him to Kentucky and immediately gave him a huge job right recruiting coordinator.
He was a GA at Nebraska because he had been coaching primarily in the pro ranks, NFL, Europe, the UFL, but he had been a GA at Nebraska. This is when you look at what happened in Kentucky. That's a meteoric rise. And now he has the relationship with Jeff Brom going back to when they played in the XFL. He said, Jeff and I have known in the release, have known each other for more than twenty five years. I've always admired and respected him in the bron family,
and he said, I love the state of Kentucky. This has become my home. The opportunity to take on this exciting role in the state where I have so many incredible relationships was something I couldn't pass up. Any thanks stoops, any thanks to fans and hopes that his lifelong friendships remain. Yeah, there are outspoken people on Twitter saying, don't bother because yeah, it's uku of l and my pal John Wong, the doc, the retired North Thedonis who writes a blog and covers
UK for small town newspapers. If you go to Wong's whinings, we'll get John. I think John's out of the country right now. We'll get him on here soon. He wrote a scathing commentary that basically encapsulates I would think the feelings of a lot of Kentucky fans just about feeling heartbroken and betrayed. It's pretty funny actually, But yeah, it's official now, Vince Marrow and he hasn't yet spoken as I'm sure he has by the time you'll hear this, But as we record this, he has not yet spoken
publicly about his move. So just another weird chapter in the history of Kentucky football. While we're talking to UK football, the stadium's going to get a facelift. Already, the Board of Trustees began consideration of proposed investments up to one hundred and ten million dollars in UK Athletics facilities over the next few years. Meanwhile, they're gonna have to come up with the money to pay players. And as my Paljepikoro sat in here with us yesterday, always wonders where
are they going to get this money? Yeah, that's a good question. Now, this is just a proposal presented by UK Athletics, But as Eli Kapoluto said, the goal is to incentivize innovation remain a premier program by pushing to examine creative ways to grow generate revenues necessary to support our success. This will generate revenues means, of course, looking
for more money, and they're looking right at you. Ticket prices will go up, that happens, but they're looking at fifteen million for maintenance at Kroger Field Stadium, thirteen million to renovate Kroger Field corners, suites and elevators. This is to take care of the people who foot the biggest chunk of the bill. Yes, you pay for your tickets, but those folks you might resent sitting up in suites.
They're paying the big money, as you know, and you can resent them all you want, but you know what, you've got the opportunity to do the same thing. You want to spend that kind of money and invest in the entertainment that is UK football. You can do that, rent yourself a suite because those people who do that are right in the checks. We know this. Five million bucks to improve soccer and softball. UK Softball, by the way,
is going to host the SEC tournament next season. Eight million bucks for initial design of a west end zone club space and Wi Fi improvements at croker Field. That's right, Why Fi improvements. It's always been terrible for whatever reason, but they believe they can make it better. And if you're wondering about how to pay for it, they've got a proposal for an additional thirty one million dollar operating loan to be repaid with interest as you can moves forward.
And by the way, they've done this before. They have borrowed money paid it back with interest, so that's how that works. They're that's soaking state taxpayers. They're borrowing money. It's just when these figures get so huge, it's amazing, so roll that into the house settlement. There's a lot going on financially with college sports and with UK specifically. We talked about the acc SEC challenge for the men
they're playing. North Carolina are going to play Miami in Miami Coral Gables on December third, so Kenny Brooks and his team will make a long road trip for that one. Em Plate Sin's December tenth of twenty seventeen. Wildcats lost that one, but they've won six of eight against the Hurricanes. Before we get to the break, a couple of basketball notes. Mock drafts are coming out now, ESPN's latest. They have some of the writers debating who's going to go in
the first round. No second round, so we don't see any Kobe Bray or anybody else from Kentucky. But ESPN's experts obviously believe Cooper Flag will go first, but they also think at least one of them at Konkin Nipple will go second, shooting guard, shooting forward. That would mean that a school has the top two picks in a draft. And you know this first time since twenty twelve when Anthony Davis went number one and Michael kid Gilchris went
number two a D. He's still playing. Michaels retired, but that was pretty cool, wasn't it that night to see him going to and a surprise? And MKG never had huge stats in terms of points and rebounds consistently in the NBA, but what he did have, even on bad teams was incredibly good plus minus numbers, which I always thought was fascinating. I don't always put a lot of stock in plus minus, but it seems like it makes
more sense in the NBA. One other basketball note, Ole Miss, like everybody else, is out working with their basketball program, including brand new guard Travis Perry. He talked to the media after the very first practice and talked about what led him to Oxford. Yeah, you know, I was.
I'm very pleased with my freshman season at Kentucky enough like we had a great group guys. I was able to learn a ton from and just kind of transform my game. It's hard for any freshman coming in, especially for a freshmen coming into the SEC at the best conference ever in college basketball. So I was very blessed to have that opportunity. So I have nothing but love and respect for those guys. Wish them all the best.
But whenever I got into Portal, I felt like that Coach Beard's vision for me was exactly what I was looking for. And I felt like we had a lot of guys coming here that wanted to win, wanted to compete at a high level, and I felt like I could come in and impact that.
Do you want to watch the entire media gathering, It's on YouTube. Just type in Travis Perry and it'll come up. But it's just so weird to see the kids sitting there next to Chris Beard, great coach, with an old Miss T shirt, you know, in the backdrop, whatever the sponsor was, but it's like a time warp seeing Travis Perry wearing an ole Miss T shirt. Up next, we'll
talk Entucky basketball here from Brandon Garrison. He talked with the media this week and a little bit later on Chuck Culpe of the Washington Post formerly with The Hero Leader. Chuck covers a lot of college sports, so we'll get his take on what's been going on, and of course Van Hiles, former Kentucky football defensive back, will get caught up get his thoughts on the Big Dog. Moving on that and more on the Big Bloe Siders six thirty WLAP Welcome back coming up at the bottom of the hour.
Chuck Culpepper of the Washington Post, formerly with the Hero Leader, we'll talk a lot about the state of college sports today. A little bit later, Van Hiles. He analyzes UK football SEC football on the interweb. He is a great commentator when it comes to Wildcat football, and of course, the former UK defensive back himself mentioned Brandon Garrison talked to him earlier this week. He was one of two Wildcats also talk with otega Oway. Garrison coming back was never
much of a mystery. Like like Oway, and Garrison figures to get more minutes and if he can begin to match the effectiveness in the high post of Amari Willia, then the Wildcats are already ahead of the game literally and figuratively. But of course the question is, and he answered it more than once, how will you get better? What are we going to see this coming season?
Yeah?
First thing, you can just fight the leader role. I'm improving on that, so I f like that held my game overall, just like the confidence point of building my game, you know, just handing on the offseason, improving my overall game just from like shooting him, you know, and just little things like that. So I fel like my game will improve a lot his upcoming year.
Mark Pope has talked a lot about year one to year two with his players, with his staff, and he says he made it sound like it's inevitable that if a guy puts in the work, knowing the way that Pope's system operates, both on and off the floor, that guys make these huge strides. So somebody asked Garrison about what kind of conversations he did with Pope regarding how to get better from year one to year two.
First of talking about like being the leader, trying to you know, leave this this team this year, but you know, him just telling me, you know, he got to be in the best condition, obviously improving my overall game, you know, just taking that next step. That's that's all he'd been preaching to me this offseason.
Garrison last year had modest numbers overall six points a game, four rebounds a game, two assists per game as a sophomore, and played in all thirty five games When he was healthy. He had seven double figure scoring efforts and also led the team in blocks seven times and steals seven times, and on three occasions led the team in rebounding. So he had his moments. In the n SA tournament, went over Troy thirteen points, six boards, a couple of us, his two steals. He got better, I firmly believe as
the year went on. Had a great game against ls Year fifteen points, four assists, three steals and the road win at Oklahoma his home state transferred in from Oklahoma State, but he had twelve points, four boards, three steals, two blocks, and you know, so we're talking about it was essentially like a lot of guys. But you know, compared to Mary Williams, was a part time player but had full time effects on teams when he had his big nights. So I think it's fair for fans and coaches to
expect even more from Garrison. His averages were a little bit better at Oklahoma State, probably played more minutes average nearly twenty three minutes a game at Okay State. Average seven and a half, five and a half boards. So I'm curious to see what this guy does. And he mentioned leadership, so he said he's already talking to some of the younger guys, which is good news. Speaking of news, earlier this week, we talk with John Clay, who retires from The Hero Leader at the end of the fiscal
year June thirtieth after forty plus years. Well, we got a response from Rick Bosic of WDRB dot com or reaction, I should say, because he and John Clay are our very close friends. They're on the road a lot together, they cover a lot of the same games. Well earlier today and we, as I said, talk to Rick on the show a couple of nights ago. He announced today that he is retiring. Rick Boset stepping down after fifty years of covering sports. Most of his career spent in
the state of Kentucky. He's from Indiana, went to IU, started his career at a couple of newspapers there, but came to the Courier Journal in nineteen seventy eight. And I remember that I'm like, Okay, who's the new guy from the CJ. And you know I had delivered the Courier Journal. I was a stringer for the cur Journal like the Caurier Journal, and then Rick in twenty twelve went to WDRB, which I think has a tremendous digital platform when it comes to covering sports. And Eric Crawford
came from the CJ. Rick's a great writer. He's a great journalist and we wish him the best. And as I texted him earlier today, I said, oh, you knew this all long. He said, I couldn't scoop myself. So best of luck to Rick Bosic. Chuck Culpepper another great writer. Next six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue, and sider joining us now is a longtime friend of the show. He is a documentary narrator for an award winning documentary, but probably best known as a sports writer.
He is Chuck Culpepper of the Washington Post, formerly The Hero Leader and helped us narrate the special we did on the ninety eight Championship team, and is a world traveler himself. Chuck, how are you? How's your passport?
Oh?
I would say the pages have been a little too blank for me of late. Oh really need a few stamps. You know, not everybody gives those stamps anymore. They just wave you on through.
But but I.
Would say, yeah, I would say I'm kind of aching to go somewhere.
I don't know where or when.
I have a friend that you really ought to medium. He's a new York City Police officer, intelligence officer, but he's a huge UK fan living in NYC and his goal is to visit every country in the world. You guys could could have some interesting conversations I'm getting Is there anywhere in particular, uh, that you want to go next or that that you haven't visited that you'd like to see.
I always try to keep a list of of say three most most wished to see places you know at any time, and then Vietnam is one. I've been to Cambodia, but I haven't been, uh to Vietnam, which is next to it. Probably Lows is next to that for a long time eleven and was on the list and it still is.
But it's it's difficult now, you know it.
And and I've got what else? Oh, I've got Peru on the list, and I've got Tnicha on the list.
Wow.
Right, Well, And obviously work takes you around the world and across the country. And one of the things that you cover, of course college athletics and the house settlement and is you know, kind of opened another doorway, another passage. But it's just incredible of late with the nil to transfer portaland all just how much of an uproar it seems there is to college athletics. Now, do you fear for college sports?
I would say so far, I actually don't. I actually I did four of the games in the football playoffs last year and so and that just seemed, you know, as full as ever and has watched is maybe a little more watched. As I recall, you know, who, I think about a lot if I would start, I think about a lot. I think about Kentucky fans. Of course, of course I was there for a while. I have
dear friends who are Kentucky fans. And but one of the things to me that was always sort of a hallmark of Kentucky fans was this idea that you would get to know a player across his four years, and
that would be his or her four years. With the women's game grown as it has so, and I always found Kentucky fans really they enjoyed that almost as if it were their kid in some ways, you know, And they enjoyed seeing they know enough about the game, more than enough about the game to see where the areas of development are and to kind of.
Thrill in those.
And nobody anywhere really gets that that much. Anymore, right, because it's just quickly up and gone, you know.
And so you don't.
I have one Kentucky fan I'm a good friend with, and she said that there's one player who's in the NBA. I forgot which, but she said, I actually don't have any memories of him playing for Kentucky. It was just one season and you know, and so she said, I can't summon any memories of him playing. So yes, when I think about how it might wither across the century, maybe I think about that.
And that's fair.
Yeah, well fans will fans sour on the kind of the the revolving door up.
Yeah, I remember this isn't kind of an odd thing. But when we were talking to Randolph Morris, who I don't think stayed all four years, but he had been there a couple of years and we were just kind of informally talking to him, and he mentioned my name. And this goes way back to the Tubby Smith there, but I thought I was surprised that that guy knew my name, because even then players were starting to come
and go. And now you know, I've all the NBA kids that that that Tubby's are the tubby that Calipari's got right now. I had spoken to each and every one of those guys. I guarantee none of them, not that it matters, but none of them have any idea who I am or who Most of the guys are going to be what they're and they might know our faces, but and it's it's not that big a deal personally,
but it underscores what you just said. You know that they they were it was just a way station, wasn't it like seeing It was just a stop on the way.
And now everywhere is kind of like that, Yeah, you know, these remade rosters, And now I get kind of a kick out of out of the idea that people build rosters on the fly, and I don't kind of don't know how they do it. And one way this has struck me in the past week is this Ury State Baseball.
I've been studying that roster a lot of I think it's there were I think ten players on it who were on junior college rosters last year, ten different junior college rosters, and then others who were on junior college rosters and years before that or community college, and so I'm kind of amazed that people can have this cohesion, and as the Murray State players are saying, as they got to Omaha this week, you know, like love and trust that we have for each other, and that it's
all built rapidly. That kind of floors me in some way.
Yeah. Well, as you know, Kentucky made the World Series last year for the first time, with many many kids who had come in through the portal. Although you probably can remember back to when when you were a younger sports writer, it was not that big a deal for kids to transfer in and out win baseball because back in the day you didn't have to sit for a year when you transferred pre portal. But even when basketball and football players had to sit for quite a while,
baseball players did not. And of course with eleven point seven, SCOTL. Ship's kids came and went all the time. But now with the new rules and a portal, it's probably doubled the amount of movement. But Kentucky's team last year a lot of those kids had come in Chuck the year before, and they won a regional, fell short, lost to Paul Skins and lsu Downe and Baton Rouge. But boy, a team to stay together for two years like that, that's
kind of an anomaly. And yeah, so for them to get to Omaha, yeah, it was a pleasant surprise, but it was kind of unusual. But I don't know, maybe it's exactly exactly. Maybe it's the resilience of young people. What did you think of the way Mark Pope threw a team together last year and and the way that it, you know, went as far as it did.
Well, I mean viewing it from a bit well from a distance. And I did go into see him one day last spring spring of twenty four, that had not seen him in twenty eight years I think at that point, and he said when I walked in, he said, I thought you would I thought you would look older.
So that was really.
Nice, you know. So so I'm on board totally with no But I thought it was the whole thing was so enchanting from Afar because it was I was, as was everyone else.
Just absolutely floored by.
The intro press conference, so to speak, which told a lot. I think there was a lot both obvious and hidden in that dumb in that day that after that Sunday. But I thought that through the years, I mean it just through the year.
And chanting was a great word because Kentucky fans, they were so ready for a change, and there was I thought, oh, what was great, a great element to the story. There was such skepticism about Mark Pope, even among fans. You desperately wanted it to work. But of course, you know, instant take people's out, terrible move and all that. Uh, what was your reaction when you heard Kentucky had hired Pope.
So I always am skeptical of the skepticism because I I'll bring up a name, Dabo Sweeney. He gets hired at Clemson mid season and you know, I think it's eight October he takes over that job. I don't think there's a soul in the entire nation. I think it was interim. I think he had he was he had to be, you know, kind of vetted across the half of the season and re upped so and and you know, look what went on there. And I just that's one
of the and there are more examples of that. I think that whole idea that you want someone who's a split ashy hire has a lot of dent dents in the in the concept. It's it's just I mean maybe even a lot of times you get someone based on the splash who's who's really not at a good juncture
in their career to match with a certain place. And I just think in this case, his match to Kentucky worked in so very many ways, even though you know, you could say his postseason coaching experience was light at that time.
Yeah, but a lot of that was about where he was and who he was coaching, and yeah, he probably should have gone further BYU. But I just always thought that the two elements people questioned, well, Canny recruit, Well, of course he's going to be a Kentucky, Sure he can't. But number two, you know Kenny win in the postseason. Well, there's one way to find out, and they certainly did it this year. He is Chuck Culpepper of the Washington Post will come back with more in just a minute
on the Big Blue Insider six thirty WLP. Welcome back. We're talking with Chuck Culpepper of the Washington Post, formerly with the election and herowd leader, and we were talking about the hiring of Mark Pope, and we'll get back to football in a minute. But you mentioned the word splashy,
and you're absolutely right. People love splashy hires. But I think Kentucky might be the best example of what can and cannot work in that Patino splashy Hire certainly worked, Eddie Sutton splashy Hire disaster, Billy Gillespie splashy Hire disaster, Tubby Smith not a splashy Hire. And at one point Kentucky and wins and losses winning its program in the country at that point. So it's all individual. You know, you got to take everything on its own, merit, don't you.
Yes, And it's match up in some way in timing. Yeah, so much of its timing. You know, look at Joe Gibbs in Washington, you know, three Super Bowls, but when they brought him back later on, it's a whole different scenario, whole different ownership. That was a crucial, whole different situation, and it didn't work, you know, anywhere near as well. So it's it's win. Does it happen in a lot of cases, you know? And I just think, you know, with so many places across the country to the first
press conference, which is kind of crazy. Okay, nobody's ever wanted more than Kentucky did in April of twenty twenty four.
But and it was great fun.
But is it legit as a way of measuring what's going to happen afterward. And I don't think so really.
For Mark Pope to succeed, he said, we understand the assignment, of course, that is win national titles. He's going to have to do it in a way that his own coach didn't have to do, and that's with a never changing roster. And you know, you got the Florida Atlantics the San Diego States making the final four. I think it's a greater challenge now, even with everything Pope has going for him in Kentucky than it was for Patino coaching acumen aside, you know what I'm.
Saying, Yeah, yeah, And I think one thing you've just alluded to is that I that I wonder about all the time, which is, Okay, we this volatility and this ability of people to transferm people always say that us like in football, for example, the SEC is just going to raid everywhere that has you know, anybody right at a lower level who's shown any promise, and that's going
to harm the lower levels. What I wonder though, is is there a benefit to the lower levels also by the fact that the that it is so volatile and so nobody can really there. It is a role the dice in a lot of ways about chemistry and cohesion and and it maybe maybe it gives a little bit
of a chance to teams like that, you know. So, I think the idea that we had that Final four and twenty three, and the idea that we had TCU in a National football title game right around that same time is to me says, well, wait a minute, maybe maybe there'll be benefiting the volatility for smaller schools as well.
I agree, and I hope you're right. But I am deathly afraid that the powers that'd be are going to screw around. And I worry about March madness everything we all know football drives a bus I worry so much, of course, being at Kentucky and in Kentucky about March Madness and Chuck. I'm just scared of that they're going to screw that up and keep adding teams and adding teams, and all they're doing is adding mediocre teams and mediocre games.
To me, what is one of, if not the greatest two week sporting event in the world.
Well, and it reminds me of the World Cup in the sense that absolutely nobody seems to want this expansion. Yeah, I've never met anybody who wants it, you know. And it was the same with the World Cup and that thing expanded. So yeah, you think you can grab more money with it than you're going to do it. And yeah, and I think what you're saying too about I mean, there's a scenario out there where the big wigs will just kind of squeeze everybody else out, even the smaller versions of the big.
Wigs will be squeezed.
That's plausible too.
When you started talking about how you worry about Kentucky fans, I kind of flashed on what I always say is I worry about the Eastern Kentucky's and the Murray States and the Bellerman's and schools like that. And schools are already dropping sports, and we're going to see more and more of that, which means more opportunities for kids who might have gone to school are going to go by
the wayside. And I blame me, my brethren, are those of us in the media who sometimes forget that the tail off and wags a dog, if you will, and we think about kids going on to the pros when let's two across the board, do that. You know, I like covering baseball, I like covering I've done volleyball for thirty years, you know, women's sports, and I feel I fear that those are going to be falling by the wayside all across the.
Country, you know, yeah, And is there some kind of a structure in all.
Of that that, if it were.
To erode, might really erode the fan bases because not necessarily because they would they frequented those those games, but because I don't know, I think about that in a sense of what just happened to the PAC twelve in recent years, you know, yeah, And you know, did that Okay? Those teams are all well most most all went to other conferences and they're still big, and they're still playing.
They still have opportunities, most of them. But did that take something some kind of charm away from a whole region of the country having it the league there? And does that have like a slow erosion effect? I don't see it so far. But nobody likes that either. But that could be just those of us who've lived long enough to know that the you know, the Rose Bowl was something magical ever every New Year's Day, and so
but maybe people don't need that. I mean, that's what the next generations will tell.
Yeah, but if they've never experienced, they don't know how much they would enjoy it. Just a couple of minutes with Chuck culpepper Man. I worked in the old Southwest Conference back in the early eighties when half that league was on probation, and that was a conference. It was one of the greatest conference. I'm literally that was one of the greatest conferences in sports history. But it pulled itself to pieces because there were such backstabbers in that league.
And that's one thing, because of poor leadership among the presidents, among the the commissioner's office. But that's one thing. You got to credit the SEC. It may be too big now, you know, growing like the incredible Hulk, you know, good for the SEC, but not good for college sports in
a lot of ways. But at least they got a commissioner who is trying to do what's best for those schools, and that's all you can expect, right He works for the SEC, not for the good greater good of college athletics, right right.
It kind of reminds me of the way sort of people always were talking about, well, Roger Goodell works for the owners you know, in the NFL, and and think all that he's done to expand that whole whole different thing because it's the only there are other leagues, but it's the only major booming one, you know, And so so you don't don't you don't have that same kind of wondering if if what the SEC is doing is
healthy for all. So but but yeah, from a standpoint of that dreaded word coming up your brand, then yes, yes, uh, there's no question that he's he's grown. It's so funny to me, you know, I go to these press boxes. I'm trying to think of where I went last year Texas, Texas A and M was one Bama Georgia at Tuscalue signs. And now we all the writers and always surround the commissioner.
You know, if if the commissioner is available before the game, we're all around him listening to everything that he says. You know, I'm like and I always strike him as like, wow, the commissioner is like Brad Pitt now or something, you know, what a what A what a strange era?
Yeah, Well, as I'll let you go. What's next for you? You're you're a world traveler for work and for uh, for pleasure. But what's next for you?
I have been working on uh, some horse things and and and I've been working all this week on on learning about Murray State baseball. So it up next? Is that? So that's that's quite a I think everybody who doesn't have a rooting interest will be rooting for them or maybe Coastal Carolina, but probably them.
Yeah, Well, compared to Murray, Coastal is a fixture, and so I can't do. And having worked at that at Coastal Carolina's ballpark a couple of times, that's a modest at least when I was last there. Modest, but not nearly as modest as Murray stage. So and I've never been there, but I've seen the pictures. Anyway. You can follow Chuck of course in the pages of the Washington Post online and on Twitter or ex if you will, at Chuck culpeper one. Thanks so much, great talking to you again.
You two, Dick, thank you so much.
By the way, if you listen to Tony Kornheiser's podcast as I do, Chuck is a regular contributor there. He's a tremendous sports writer and corneiser is a huge fan of his as well. Coming up with our number two, we'll talk to Van Hiles. We'll also check on the week it was Hero Schools in play and more. What six thirty you.
Like, Pete.
Welcome back to the Big Bull Insider Johnny us now and they are only seventy eight days of football season, so what a better time to speak to mister Van Hiles, the former Kentucky offensive back. We talk a lot of football with bands. He talks a lot of football with everybody because of the great work he does on the interweb as a coast of driving with styles and a guy who you know you hear aimone with Tom leach Man. Everybody wants your knowledge. How about that?
I actually thought it was gonna talk track and fields. We can we can understand.
Because that's going on right now and your k's got some all Americans. But before we get there, I got to get your response and a reaction to the move by the Big Dog. I mean, everybody's weighing in on it. Is this something that will shake the foundation of the uk U of L rivalry? What do you think?
Yeah, it's it's football with me? Is like as a fan and formal player, and as someone who can understand what happens with sports and how people move on, it's it's a bad move from a fan and a former player, because how dare you go to that team up more? But as a outside of that, people move all the time, like this is not the first time it happened and
it won't be the last. Uh this this industry and professional is so cut through that either you're hired to get fired or either you move before something bad happened. So I'm not shocked it happened. I am frustrated with how some things that have gone has transpired in the past couple of years. And I don't like what I've heard from some comments that on the way out and and those are things that I highly disliked with how well those students are taken care of.
Vents all right, be a little more specific comments by.
Whom bye by vent with with some some statements about our situation with the offense and goody sales like that's your job, if that's your job, and that means to me, you're backtracking on how significant your your your fingerprints were on this program. If you're going to have excuses that didn't need to be said, So there are some things
that I don't like that. I mean, when you're getting paid probably the one of the highest salaries of a position coach, because let's let's not forget he's a position coach with some additional titles, but the the recruiting aspect of in my opinion, I could be wrong because I don't know how their their their process was that there is a that is a coaching staff, entire coaching staff thing is recruiting. It's not just a one guy thing. So those are some things that that really rubbed me
the wrong way this morning. But you know, when you leave and that that to me means that he didn't totally leave on his own the court.
Interesting, Yeah, and it sounds like and the only thing I had heard, uh is that with Kentucky looking more and more at the portal, you know, maybe the work he was doing as and you're right, he's in a position coach but also a recruiting coordinator also associate head coach, which I think you can't forget that this is your number two guy going out the door, and not only that going to the arts rival and they, as you well know, uh, they recruit many of the same kids, man,
And that that to me is no pun intended, a big big red flag.
Yeah, it's well, and here's here's here's my thing. This is where we're going to figure out some things, right because I I like Vic because, like I said on the locker last Wednesday, this was our press secretary. He was the person who got out in front of everything and and smooth the faithful out with with his charismatic aura, I would say. So that was what he was really great at. Now let's see what happened after this. Let's
see how the recruiting goes after this. Let's see if we take a backstep since he's now have moved on, is recruiting going to stay the same or is it going to go the other way? If it's face the same, then that means that it was the type of process that I think it should be and potentially was. If it isn't, that means now we lost our as some people say, our best recruiter. So then if you lose your best recruiter, things should not go upward. The trend
should be a downward trend. So it's gonna be interesting what this this twenty six I guess this twenty twenty sixth class is gonna be as we get to the season, because I won't gonna say it that when everything happens, commitment means nothing from these kids anymore. Back when I played, when you committed, you pretty much stayed with that commitment.
Now it's to the fmal hour. Are those kids going to stay with that that commitment already going to move on to another team that came in the last minute and offered them as coolcium.
It's very true, but sort of the secondary recruiting if you want to call it successful in some fronts because of Vince Marrow maintaining relationships and the best example, it's not the only example, but the best example was Wandale. They didn't burn that bridge. He can seriously consider Kentucky because events went to Nebraska, Events maintained the relationship with him and his dad, and then when he needed to come back toward his hometown, he lands in the UK
and has a huge season. So you can't discount that kind of stuff with Vince Merrill, Like you say.
Yeah, and I will comment out with I think that was Vince's recruit, like that was his guy. So in retrospect you can say, well, he left him somewhere else and then go with Vince. The first it is the recruiting, and that's why I say, like he's the press secretary. That is a tough job to have and he did a great job of that. And with that, sometimes the perception is you are the guy and the only guy, when then that discredits all the position coaches who have
to have a relationship with the recruit anywhere. I consistently tell people that this in order for a guy to come to your institution, he has to have at least a decent relationship with the guy that he's going to spend the most time with, which is his position coach. So if you come into a visit and you and Coach Collins don't jail, well you're probably not gonna come to Kentucky.
Yeah.
So there is something that's a little bit more than des Vince being a charismatic guy, and that's the only reason why certain individual came to Entucky. Unless he is your he is your recruiter. If that's not the case, then I think that's more to it.
Yeah, No, I understand that because if it's a guy who recruited you, even if he's not your position coach. He's the first guy who showed up at your school or at your practice or you know, and maybe even offered you the Scollie and uh and you don't forget about that. We're talking uh to Van Hiuse, former Kentucky defensive back and a football analyst, let's say, on social media. I was talking to Tom Leach earlier this week and we talked about the fact that it's going to be
interesting to see, now who becomes a good cop. And you've done some coaching, you've been a player. You know, every team does the good cop back of the head coach has to be the bad cop oftentimes, So who does the player turn to? And it's been Vince So now I think that's gonna be really interesting, don't you.
Yeah, now that is a good one. Now from what I've I've heard, I don't know is that that could potentially be Coach Washington and things like that, guy that players will gravitate to. I think, to me, there's two guys that I can see, and it'll be Coach Washington and Coach Collins. I think those two guys from the outside looking in. I could be completely wrong. Those guys seem like they're younger guys. I think they might be able to relate to the players more, and they seem
like they have. When I've seen coach Collins on the sideline, he's not that yeller, that guy who's gonna get who's gonna go after you. It seems like a guy who's gonna talk to you and we're gonna get to a solution via communication more than me. I guess the two style of community case more than one stid of communication. Yeah, so I would say patistic could be those two guys. But you are right that I know with Lyn Bowden that was his guy. I know with Barrion Brown that
was his guy. So yeah, you are kind of losing that that guy where coach Susan can say, you know, I'm going to get on this guy. Hey, just know that he's going to come to you. This is what I'm going to talk to him, and now you have the information. Hopfully we can just move this thing over after I've ripped him a new one, so to speak.
He is Van Hiles. He is a football analyst. You can take in his work at the Locker four one one driving with Styles, follow him on Twitter at v Style seventeen Back with moren a minute on six thirty WLAP Welcome back. We're talking with Van Hiles. We've been talking about Vince Merrow, and one of your pin tweets is about U CASE football recruiting and the ability to identify talent early and be one of the first to
give an athlete attention. Explain to our listeners it seems like an obvious thing to say, but why that is so important? Obviously got I said to seventeen year olds, you know what I'm saying.
Yeah, that Unfortunately, I think it's changing. But for me, it's like I'll never forget when I was in high school, the first team that came after me was Southern MISSISSPI When and when they came after me, it was aggressive and they were the first, and I always held that like, well, now, why is everybody else coming after me when I think I was pretty good the whole time? Yeah, And I think that that tapped into a young kid's ego. It's tapped into something like you have been with me since
they one and has never left. I think those teams hold a high level of gratitude for young men. I think it still does, but I think there are some kids now that have a brand on the front of the jersey that can always come in the last minute. Still you from someone who has been with you since your junior or sophomore year. But that is a great thing for a kid to know that someone saw something in me before somebody everybody else did. So they saw
the talent. And not only did they see the talent, they were aggressive with their if they pursuit of me and my talents. And also they treated me well and they stayed in contact. So yes, that that can be a big thing. I think back in those days we identify guys real early and then a great and did a great job of having those guys understand that you are a high priority for us and it's not going to take anybody to knock you off of that that this has been a high priority of us, because we're
talking to you now. And I think we did get a couple of players here because of that ability to identify talents.
But as you've pointed out a couple of minutes ago, things would change so much dramatically cheap among them the nil you know, I could I could be on you when you're a freshman and make that acquaintance and develop a relationship and three and a half years later, you want to come to Kentucky or wherever. But and here comes brand X with twice the amount of money. You know, and I know the guardrails are starting to fall into place,
but that that's just got a drive recruiters nuts. I would think, oh, for.
Sure, when you have invested so much time, and unfortunately I don't have the boosters or the ability to offer you. I don't know the numbers were true, but let's just say a million dollars. All I can offer you is one hundred and fifty so and honestly, as a kid, how can how can I say no to kind of in your estimation at seventeen eighteen life changing money? My parents probably hasn't made a million dollars in their entire
career of whatever their job is. For me, to make it in a matter of a few months is something that I could not pass up. And I would understand kids doing that, But that also leads to the thing as a parent that million dollars is great at the moment, but it might not be great for four years because it is an easy situation of of that team taking some of that money back and now you have to go in the transfer for Yeah.
It's a mess right now, but perhaps this new there's a commissioner essentially, you know the CSC. I don't know how how much attention first of all you paid to it. Secondly, if you're optimistic at all, But something's better than nothing in terms of guardrails.
Right, Yeah.
I think I like it for football, and I think it can't add some element of restricting of a restrictive plate like and drive it. But the only thing I don't dislike is it's honestly, it's going to hurt the smaller programs and as a as I talked about with first guy, I'm a track guy, and it's going to greatly, immensely hurt track, which is to me, is the best sport because it's the easiest sport and cheap the sport
to get into. So I think it's great for football and basketball and even baseball because I had friends who play baseball who couldn't get a full scholarship. About time that those guys get full scholarships on the entire team. But then there's the auxiliary sports that are really going to get hit, and that's something that that that.
I don't like, no, I agree with you, and they're going to go away. They are going to be programs and it's already happening, you know. So well, speaking of track, as promised, we will talk about it. UK's got some individuals competing in Eugene, Oregon. Have you ever been out of that facility?
I have not, and I had the chance I was working in Portland. I was like, no, I'm too busy, but yeah, I have never been to it, but I heard it's like almost as possible to get there though.
Yeah, Eugene is not super close to Portland, but uh yeah, it's just like why tennis is always at the University of Georgia. The facility is tremendous. I've seen it on TV, and man, do they love it out there, don't they? The crowds they get. UK's got a freshman Janet jakimboy A Memo who is an All second team All American. Kentucky lost a great coach to the University of Texas and then hired another great coach. You got to be really proud of your alma mater for the track program.
Yeah, and here and quite honestly, I know people don't understand and the track program was really good when I was there. It was just wasn't given the attention that it should have been. Well, we we had two Olympians on the team when I was there, so it is great to see it still progressed. I am elated that they improved the facilities because our indoor track was horrible.
And people want to say the football indoor was was bad, but that track around the indoor was worse than a football field, and I am glad that they finally moved it out there. And I'm gonna say some crazy I'm glad they moved it all there, and not because the foot ball, because quite honestly, the football team had enough room to practice. I know they're going to complain about the angels, the kimono. The track was atrocious. There was
no loan jump pit, there's no provall pit. It was one of the worst in the conference in the half of brand new facility. I am he made it for I'm glad that they're getting the to just do that. They finally the there.
Well, somebody told me back when I was still working TV, and I don't think I ever got a chance to do the story. But UK had a pole vaulter and that was a big deal. Hey, we got a pole vaulter. Now, I didn't even know that there was a dearth of polevulters, which to me growing up, I used to go to the Mason Dixon Games and I man, I love that stuff, and the pole vaulters were the people, not the sprinters. But it was the pole vaulters that captured my imagine.
I couldn't imagine flying like that and putting your trust, you know, and you're running as hard as you can and you jam that poll into that pit and next thing you know, you're fifteen sixteen or higher feet off the ground. But no, now have you been in a new indoor facility yet.
I have not been in it, but I know people who out there and they say it's amazing.
You got to come back next time you come up for football. Make yourself a little extra time, because don't bring a tear to your eye. Coach, I'm telling you.
Okay, I'll do that. I'm because it was long overdue. I just as a track guy, Yeah, it was long over you for a team of that caliber, and this in the best conference, so yeah, it was. It was. It was all way over there, all right, you're.
Also a grill master. I mentioned this. What's on the grill coming up anytime soon? Anything good, anything challenging.
No, this is this is something that everyone has to do, and I have. I can't believe I've done it. I can't believe I'm saying it is. My wife has been begging me to real steak bites, which is just huge, the steak up and grill it that way, and I was like, now, I'm not gonna do I'm not gonna do it. I mean years and because I'm a traditionalist, eat eat a full steak, like come on, well, because she's not a heavy eater, and she felt like sometimes
she's wasting the steak. So you cube it up. And the best thing about cubing it up is you get the seasoning and the smoke on all six That's that's the best thing. So now, honestly, I'm cubing up almost everything because I'm going overboard it because it is. It is so great. So that's what I'm I'm really doing. I'm I'm cubing up chicken or the whole, the whole deal.
I'm gonna have to look into that and ribs.
Too, and you do individual ribs. It'll change your life. And that's crazy for me to say because I'm a big rib guy.
Changing grilling from V Style seventeen And if you go to his Twitter page, you'll see a nice little picture of him and his family, but the background picture is what three or four different types of meat.
Yeah, I forgot it.
It's so great. Uh, you tried to talk me through grilling fish. Next time we talk, I'm gonna have you do that. Manna. Have you talked to me again about that? Because I just don't have the courage to do it. But but I think you can get me through that. But we are out of time. V Style seventeen on Twitter. Thank you so much. Great as always, talking.
To you anytime.
You know that up next and look back at an eventful week in sports here on six thirty w LAP.
That was the week over, let it go, that was the week. It's not it way up.
That Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider, and yeah, it was quite a week. It has been not over yet. I don't know what else could happen between now and the end of the week, but you never can be sure. But in terms of sports, yeah, it was a big deal. We reacted to the house settlement earlier this week, but then anything that happened, Aaron Rodgers signed with the Steelers, anything in terms of the Big Blue Nation that might have happened, including Otega Alway coming back and talking to
the media along with Brandon Garrison. So we got a little taste live and in person of UK basketball, but the Vince Merrow story superseded everything that was a shocker, and we were thinking back on UK football stories and basically, unless you're talking about, you know, a huge upset of a game or a coach being fired, maybe not so much a coach being hired, because that's an inevitability and generally those things leak out before the actual announcement is made,
so it's not a shocker like that. You know, I've had the misfortunate of having to cover some NCAA investigation stuff and when they announce penalties and things like that. Those are the big shocking, you know, head turning stories when it comes to covering a programmer a sport. But Vince Merrill leaving and not just leaving, but going to Louisville, and as you know, he has flirted with other jobs
in the past. Michigan Michigan State. Louisville came up a year or two ago when brom got there, and to be honest with you, Vince himself was the kind of guy who would just kind of let slip or a friend or an Asian or somebody, let's slip. And that's common business practice. To keep your name in the headlines. Helps you make a little more money. And he was paid well by Mark Stoops and Mitch Barnhardt. But boom, he's gone. And not just gone, which I thought would happen,
but to Louisville and not just recruiting. And yeah, I know he's the GM, but he will be a recruiter even if he cannot go off campus and make in home visits. And he's valuable there when they get the campus when a recruit goes in to talk to the GM about nil and more, well, at Louisville, it's going to be Vince Merrill. And he's proven that he's one of the best in the country and he has helped Mark Stoops. Yeah, I know they've struggled of late build
a solid football program in Kentucky. And one more time, I will say to those of you on the interweb who are slinging barbs. Now at Meryl, that's fine. I know that he's gone to the dark side and he has gone to the arch rival. You're mad at him, But don't say that he did a poor job recruiting here. I've seen that in a couple of Yeah, we don't need the recruits you're bringing in. Come on, now, look
at the body of work. Maybe of late, nobody has really had a lot of success recruiting at Kentucky if you're looking at the one loss record, but look back through the years. But look back through the years and you will see a lot of success thanks to Vince Merriw. So as we look back through the week. Yeah, I talked with a voice Tom Leach earlier this week about the shocking story.
Yeah, surprise, it's not stunned, just because you know, the Vince and U of L talk had popped up once or twice before. So that always, when you you know, when that happens, makes you think, well, there's you know, something there on one side or the other. And the fact that it happened in Jews kind of an odd timing, although you know that always is you know, we always don't think about these things. There's a business this element
to this. Some you know, contracts end at the end of June on a coaching contracts, it's the fiscal year. So maybe that's you know why this is happening at this time to make the hire for the next you know contract wave that would start on July first, So could well be related to to that. But that's just you know, the business part of it. The fact that he's actually leading their story obviously, and yeah, it's yeah, definitely a surprise. You know, it's on one hand, surprising that it's.
Going to the rival.
On the other hand, I think Vince is gonna put down some roots here in Kentucky, Lexington specifically, up until this point married a girl from here in Lexington, So you know, they may well, you know, have if he was ready to move on for whatever reason. The fact that he could do it still stay in the state they have, you know, played a part in it too.
And indeed that is something that was important to Vince Merrow, according to the statement released Thursday through u of L was he did want to remain in the state of Kentucky. One of the other people I talked to about the big Vince Merrow story was Keith Farmer from w l e X and BBN tonight.
It felt like we had passed all that you said. Like you said, there have been head coaching jobs, There have been tithes in jobs, you know, different conferences, different schools, and it just felt like one of those that we were past that, and that he was just going to ride ride it out with stoops. And so I was a little bit shocked this time because I didn't I just didn't feel like it was ever going to happen.
So hard to hear it and hopefully it doesn't have as big an impact as we think it could on the Kentucky program, because you know, he he really brought a lot of great players in and we'll do Educty goes from here.
I was the same way as came in. I thought that, you know, Vince going somewhere else, at least for now, was over and done with the timing is what's so hard hitting in this story. I also talked to came In,
who was a Steelers fan, about Aaron Rodgers signing. I talked to Jeff Drummond about that as well, Jeff with Cats Illustrated, and I talked also with Jay Drumm about the fact that up on their site right now, they've got a round table discussion as they prep for the upcoming college football season about the challenge facing and these are the guys with the Rivals Network who cover UK the challenge is facing Mark Stoops and his staff.
He got to thinking about what what some of the big questions will be going into this season. I thought this would be interesting because typically your first game as an afterthought in a lot of ways, and you're supposed to win that game no matter you know who it is in most seasons. But I think there's a little.
Bit of of.
You know, extra weight to this one, not only in the fact that Toledo is a really good, solid MAC program capable of coming into Mexican and winning that game, but I think the Cats has to look good in that one too to kind of get the fan base, you know, back motivating for the rest of the season because right now the I don't know about the people that you have to in general, but it's it's ominous
with everybody I talked about Kentucky football. It's just the optimism is that it's low points and probably you know, going into that year for uh with with Mark Steeps when a lot of people thought that Kentucky might need to start another coaching search, and you know with what they wound up with though after that was I think eight consecutive trips to the postseason with that one. It's it struged me is a little odd that things have turned so quickly and and far, you know, as far
as the public opinion of Mark Stoops goes. But you know, last year obviously a bad season. I don't think the two years before you would consider bad, but there was definitely the start of a little bit of a downward trend. And when you combine that with the you know, the infamous pony up comment and the Texas A and M situation, I think that just a lot of people have kind of made up their mind that this is the end
of the road. And you know, I don't, I don't necessarily I think that's the case, but it's going to be hard to win people.
By Jeff Drumming accuts illustrated and he ain't wrong there. Toledo is a good MAC team, at least it was last year. Beat Mississippi State in Starkfield, beat Pittsburgh, and Mac teams through the years have come in here and been a real pain in the neck. Have come in here and won over Kentucky. So yeah, part of that roundtable discussion was you got to win that opener. You got to be as good as you can be on
the first day, right. We talked with Rick Bosicch of WDRB dot com early in the week before we knew about Vince Merrow about the house settlement and how it might affect college sports in general, and as Rick pointed out, it's going to take a while to figure that out because at this juncture, really nobody knows for sure.
No, I don't think any of us really have any idea, and even some administrators that I've talked to don't have any idea. I think we're going to see more separation from the you know, the top level schools. Yeah, like the schools in the SEC, in the Big Ten, especially from the rest of college sports. I worry about mid majors, I worry about low majors. I worry about you know, the non revenue sports yea, and what's going to happen
to them. We've heard all the stories that at different schools where they'll be eventually moved to club club sports status because all the resources have to be poured into the sports that generate revenue.
Rick Mozic of Fox forty one WDRB over in Louisville. We also talked with Colby Wilson, sports reporter and anchor at Fox fifty six here in Lexington. We just watched the Belmont Steakes on Fox Sports, not on NBC, but on Fox, and I talked to Colby, who played college soccer in Portland, but as from grew up in the
LA area or dad's a football coach. But I talked to her about as so many youngsters have done, moving in no matter what the medium, to cover horse race, seeing in Kentucky and what that was like for her, especially covering the Kentucky Derby.
You know, it's funny because coming from the West coast, you everyone knows about the Kentucky Derby, just because it's the Kentucky Derby, but no one knows what goes into it, the behind the scenes. You don't know owners or trainers or you know, you don't know any of the exes and oh's detailed stuff. So like you said, I knew absolutely nothing coming to Kentucky. All I knew is you better get caught up pretty fast because it's horse racing
country here. But I will say, I mean, going on my I just covered my second derby is absolutely incredible. Everyone asked me like, how is it. Everyone I talked to They're like, it's on my bucket list, but you really, I can't even put into words.
What it's like.
I'm just like you have to come. But as a journalist, I mean, it's been super fun and I feel like just even in the morning times going out to the barns, you get to know these trainers, You get to know familiar faces, and then you really like become attached in a way a little bit like I U the only trainer I talked to ahead of this derby was billmont ah and so, and then last year the only trainer I talked to was Kenny McNee. So for me, it's been like it's been like a two out of two
over here with me. So it's been super fun, but I've absolutely enjoyed it.
It was indeed a big week and we're back with heroes, fools and flakes in just a minute here on six thirty w LAP.
That was the week No let it Go.
That was the week that was It's not it way up fluck and he's playing there.
All.
Welcome back to the Big Moon Insider, final segment of our program. Time only for Heroes, fools and flakes and our heroes tonight, Yes, plural multiple, because the College World Series begins tonight in Omaha. We've talked about it all week. A lot of you went there last year to follow the Wildcats, and Kentucky was a great feel good story last year, making its first appearance under Nick Bneiona and a lot of kids who had been good players elsewhere
but transferred to Kentucky and became part of great team. Oh, it's a great time right now in the state of Kentucky because Murray State is there and is the Cinderella story. Everybody's favorite Cinderella right now when it comes to the College World. Seriously, everybody has learned the story of Murray State baseball playing in an eight hundred seat stadium that up until ten years ago did not have grand stand seating. The head coach, Dan Skirka, mows the grass, does the groundkeeping.
I didn't know this until recently, but Johnny Reagan Field, named after the long time successful head coach, did not even have a padded outfield wall until less than a decade ago. And if you've seen the pictures, there are all kinds of rips and gashes in the padding because again before to get it fixed. So everybody's rooting for
the Racers right now. And remember this name, Jonathan Hogart two home runs two and the game that sent Murray State past Duke in the Durham Super Regional into the World Series had one early in the game that had another one that put the Racers up five to four. It was your game winner. Stands in a tie for first place in program history with twenty two round trippers on the year. And keep in mind that that ballpark in Omah, Charles Schwab Stadium, all flies out of there.
It's not like Hoover. It's not like the Hoover met where you really got to crank it to hit it out. No, all carries depends on the win that gets Windy over there in Omaha. But don't be surprised if he breaks that record with one or more home runs in this tournament. Hogart had hits in every postseason game and at least two home runs in every contest but one. Six home runs in postseason plays, So best the luck to the Racers also Coastal Carolina, but that's not really an underdog program.
They've been. I think this is their ninth trip to the World Series and they've won twenty three straight. The Chanta clears one of the great nicknames in all the college sports. They're on a twenty three game winning streak. That's the longest streak any team is carried into the College World Series since nineteen ninety nine. They're back in Omhof for the first time since they won it all in twenty sixteen. Are fool tonight, and I say this with respective with love. Dick by Tal he is resigned
with the ESPN. Good for you. I'm not a huge fan, but anybody who raises that kind of money and spends that kind of energy on childhood cancers is a hero in my book. But foolish. When he says the Knicks should rehire Tom Thibodeau, it's not a bad idea because, yeah, the coaching search, as he says, has been embarrassing. People keep turning them down. No, you cannot talk to our Coe. The bulls won't let him talk to Billy Donovan, and that the Mavericks don't want to to talk to Jason Kidd.
If VI Taw believes they should rehire them, that's not going to happen. And you're a fool if you believe it will, because the Knicks aren't going to admit they were wrong. But keep in mind, Dick by Tale, with one exception that I know of, has never believed the coaches or any coach has ever done anything wrong, even coaches that have been caught red handed doing bad things.
But there was that one exception, I will tell you, and that was way back in nineteen eighty nine when Eddie Sutton in the UK program were in a deep, deep trouble and Dick by Tale publicly stated Edie should resign in order to prevent any more damage to the Proud Kentucky program. And that week, on one of his nightly appearances on WKYT TV, Kill Litford remember Kaywood's comments. They ran every night at five forty five, but a ninety second commentary, and Kwood took Dick five talent the task.
When I was stunned at the end of the commentary, he looked right at the camera and said, go to hell, Dick. I was shocked, but ironically enough, Edie sudden. Not long after that did resign because he said he didn't want to hurt the program anymore. Our flake tonight, This is easy, Vince Merrill, just a flaky situation, wouldn't you say? There are so many questions, so much speculation though about why he left. Was he deserting a sinking ship? Did Stoops
and Merrill have a falling out? You know? Are they changing the direction of UK football and minimizing the role that had been occupied by Vince Merrill? Who knows what? And Mark Story wrote about this people going from UK to UL I haven't been that many. Marvin Stones in at basketball player, had one good game at U of L with all due respect, and I was against Kentucky. But you know, people don't realize this, and I'm getting off track here, but Tubby Smith it was done with Marvin.
He was so frustrated. And at one point Marvin told Tubby I'm going to transfer to Auburn, be closer to home, and Tubby said that's fine, good luck. Marvin's mother stepped in and said, no, He's staying in Kentucky. So it doesn't happen very often. But this is the highest of the high profiles. With Vince Merrill leaving really flaky. If you ask me, I'll do it. Thanks so much to my guest Chuck Culpepper and the Van Hiles. That's a good night from the garage in Lexington. I believe.
Any quality equality for everyone, no matter how stupid they are.
Or how much better I am than they are.
Any such such.
Tact tact.
The snack, change tack, and then I think the back tack. Then don don don don do