September 16, 2025 • 41 mins
Shannon The Dude is joined by Richie Farmer talking Kentucky Basketball stories from the past and the current UK Basketball team.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome everyone. It is the KSR Pre Show. It's Tuesday,
September sixteenth. I am Shannon of the Dude and you
can give us a call on the Clark's Puppet Shop
phone line eight five nine two eight oh twenty two
eighty seven. You are a whiskey thief. Call of the day.
KSR Pre Show is being brought to you by Italics
Fine Italian Donning in Lexington. Billy is out, He's out
(00:21):
all weekend long. We got Matt Jones out. We got
a skeleton crew around here only myself and Ryan. I
think we'll be on the show later on today, but
until then it is the KSR Pre Show. And each
day we're bringing in a different guest host. And today
we're bringing in a former Clay County point guard where
he set at Kentucky High School record with fifty one
points in the championship game, was named Kentucky High School
(00:43):
Athlete of the Year. He went on to play four
years at Kentucky. He's an unforgettable He's number thirty two
on his jersey, but number one in your heart. And
he has to be on the mount Rush Moore of
the best mustaches in Kentucky Sports. History ladies and gentlemen.
Richie Farmer, Hey, Richie, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Hey, thanks shann boy. That was some kind of introduction there.
I wasn't expecting that.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Well, you know, I feel like you've become a good
friend over the years because I text back and forth
with you. I mean, just a little inside baseball, behind
the scenes. You and I are texting, I feel like,
every day about whatever topic that we're talking about on
the pre show or KSR or whatever it may be.
So I thought, why not just bring Richie on the
show and we'll just hash it out right here. So
(01:27):
glad to have you. And how's things been going with you?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Man? Everything's great, you know, just not too far back.
We were able to see each other there and a
little one and be able to I was on the
show there with Matt, and you know, we've got a
chance to see you guys a couple of days in
a row. But and I think Buck and I actually
are planning to do KSR with Ryan later on. I
(01:55):
think maybe on the thirtieth. So oh yeah, I mean
a little sleep. I don't know if I was supposed
to say that.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
See, and I don't know. I don't know that Ryan realizes,
but I got you before he could get you, So
you know, I feel like I'm kind of still stilling
his guest host. Here's the thing, Richie, I say this
all the time. Chie we don't do any show prep
any well, I shouldn't say show prep. We don't do
any pre production meetings like before a show. People think
(02:26):
that we live when we say that, but like when
Matt does a show, we don't really talk at all
until we go on the air. So if things are planned,
a lot of times I don't even know it until
it happens. So just like you breaking news to me
that you're gonna be on KSR on the thirtieth, that's
news to me. So hopefully Ryan won't get mad at
me for bringing you on before him.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Hey listen, no, no, it's not a problem. But I
can I can vounch for what you just said. I mean,
you know, I've been on enough times and there was
I think there was, you know, one of the first
times that I can you know, I came really early
and I was like, where's everybody at? And so I
called Ryan and you know he was just getting out
(03:07):
of the bed. Yeah, So you know, I mean it
was just everybody rolls in and says, all right, let's
do it.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah, I really like that.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
And to be honest with you, you know, I listened
to the show a lot because a lot of times
in the morning, I've got a big Germany Shepherd and
he and I walked about five miles a day, and
so as I'm walking, a lot of times I listen
to you guys, and so you know, I get interested
(03:38):
in the topics, and so I'm a fan of the show.
But I've been own enough that I feel like I'm
one of you.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Absolutely you are. Yeah, You're definitely one of the KSR
family for sure. And we'll talk a lot of basketball.
We'll get into some little bit of football a little
bit later on too. But I gotta say, first of all,
I watched firsthand how much of a rock star you
still are Richie at KS Bar when we had our
grand reopening, and the people from every age group that
wanted to come up and meet you and get a
picture with you. You were sitting there talking with me at
(04:06):
our table, and I watched a kid who had to
be I would say, I don't know, around the age
of ten, come up and want to get a picture
with you, and that has to just make you feel
good that after all these years, every walk of life
of Kentucky fans still want to come up and meet you.
You know, I don't know that that happens at other schools,
(04:26):
but Kentucky is just a special place where we have
this rabid fan base for better or worse sometimes, but
they all still remember their former players. And that has
to make you feel good when you still have people
that want to come up and talk to Richie Farmer.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
It absolutely does. And you know it's been that way,
you know since you know, I grew up in the
state and played in the state tournament as an eighth
grader and scored two points and kind of got into
the public eyeland and of course you know, had a
storybook high school career, played in the state championship game
three out of the four years as of high school.
(05:03):
Still I think hold the all time scoring record in
the state term as you said, you know, coming in
fifty one in the in the championship game against Allan
Houston and Ballard and of course Allen and I you know,
those those things that you do. But but you know,
I was a kid that grew up in the State,
(05:25):
and I was one of those people that idolized the
players and the coaches and you know, all all those things.
So I understood it because I'm one of those people.
So I was just I was just fortunate that God
was blessed me and gave me the opportunity to live
(05:46):
out my dream and play and get the experience being
a wild at So you know, I've always tried to
make time for people and to try to do those things.
But as you say, you know, for it to be
this way, this many years later, it just it just
tells you just how big, how big this program is,
(06:08):
and how special the fans and big boomation is.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
A lot of this show is going to be me
just saying, hey, Richie, take me back to, you know,
down memory lane and tell me how it was when
all these things happened and playing for Kentucky. So, because
I've never really had a chance to sit down and
talk basketball with you. Normally, you and I are just
you know, talking about I don't know, just just whatever,
but we don't really talk a whole lot about basketball.
I know you've been on the show with Billy before,
but I haven't had the chance to actually sit down
(06:33):
and sort of interview you. So take me back to
that game where you scored fifty one points as someone
myself who's a baseball player and never played basketball, I mean,
when you are in your zone and you're scoring fifty
one points, I mean, do you just feel like you're
on a I don't know, like like like another level
(06:54):
in that day, like where you just can't miss, like
that the basket is just bigger than normal or what
is it like when you're in that zone of your
years going off for fifty one point? So that to
be a special night for you, Well, it.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Really was, But but in the moment, I didn't I
mean I was I couldn't have told you that. I
can remember that before the game we played. You know,
back then they still it was a time when the
championship game, you know, they played the semifinals was in
the morning and then the championship game was at night.
(07:29):
And you know, we played we we played basically six
players and uh you know, there would be maybe a
seventh come in for and played two or three minutes
here or there. But but our starting five, you know,
we were we were really really tired. And we played
p RP that morning. Uh, and beat them I think
(07:52):
ninety two ninety in regulation, and you know we were
I can remember Doug Flynn, who I want to say.
It gives me a chance to give him a shout
out real quick because I think he just got inducted
into the Hall of Fame there UK. Doug and I
are really we We've become really good friends over the years.
(08:13):
And uh he and his wife Oga, and his family,
his dad, dad, Mom, Uh they Bobby and Ell, Richie,
they just wonderful people and uh uh, nobody no more deserving.
And I just want to say congratulations to Doug. But anyway,
he come in. That was one of the first times
(08:34):
I met him, but he had come in. Coach Keith
had him come in and speak to us before the game,
and after afterwards, I was standing there in the hallway
kind of stretching, and uh he walked by and he said,
how do you feel? And I said, you know, I
can't really even feel my legs. I don't even know how. Yeah,
and so then you know, they throw the ball up
(08:57):
and and you know, you start playing. And I just
was trying to do whatever I could do to win.
My brother Russ, who was I think for the year,
shot like forty seven percent from three. Uh he was
two or thirteen that night, all some three. Everything was
just a little short. Everybody's legs were gone, and so
(09:19):
you know, Ballard had an awesome team, and we started
falling behind, and so then I just started trying to
do what I could do to make it happen, and
I came up short, and so I didn't have any
idea how many points I had. I was sitting on
the bench and all of the media flocked to me
(09:39):
and they were saying, Hey, how does it feel. You know,
score fifty one points, so you know, that's a record
in the finals. And I was like, you know, I
mean I was just killed that we had just lost.
I had, I had no idea. So I just I
looked up and I said, I'll tell you what I
would have. I'd trade every one of them for that
big trophy that over there. Yeah, you know, it was
(10:03):
just one of those things. But when you know, I've
heard people talk about being in the zone, but that night,
I truly, I mean I truly got in the zone.
And you know it's just kind of like you just
you you just feel like all you need is a
ball and you can make it go in so uh,
it's it doesn't happen much, but when it does, it's
(10:23):
it's a really good sip. You know.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
We were just talking yesterday on the pre show about
moments that when you were while they were happening, you
realized they were a special moment. And it sounds like
for you, you you had a special moment going even
though you didn't win the title. Even scoring fifty one
points and setting a school record is a big deal,
and you had no idea. I felt like, if I
were playing, I'd be out there counting every single point.
But I guess if you're you know, if you're the
(10:47):
athlete and competitor to let you or you're not counting
points while you're out there, right.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
I was focused on just trying to win the game.
I mean that was that was you know, because my
freshman year we had come up we played we played Hopkinsville,
UH and they had they had a really good team
and uh some great players. But but we had a
lead and uh early late in the fourth quarter and
(11:14):
you know, kind of blew it. They started pressing and
uh we made some turnovers, but we had an opportunity
and we came up one point short. We lost sixty
five sixty four, I believe to them. And so you know,
this little school here in eastern Kentucky had never been
(11:34):
you know, we had never won. Uh well, I think
one game one time is the most that they'd ever won.
Usually it was when the region go down there and
then you know, play a game and have a party
and come home, right yeah, but you know, and then
once we made it that far, it's kind of like,
oh man, you know, we missed her opportunity. And then
(11:56):
my sophomore year, we played against Reggie Hanson, you know
who was my teammate there at Kentucky uh in Somerset,
Pulaski County. They you know, we we played them the
first game, and we had beaten them earlier in the year.
But they were a really good team and you know, familiar,
and had we drawn in opposite brackets, we may have
(12:19):
met in the finals again. But you know that that
felt like maybe one of our one of the better teams,
most talented teams I was on during the time that
I was there at Clay County. But uh so, you know,
so we lost the first game and it was like, oh, well,
we ever get back and then of course my junior
year we went and you know, be Ballad in the
finals in overtime and was able to win a state title.
(12:43):
And it was it was unbelievable the outpouring of of
people in eastern Kentucky and just just how proud it
made everybody. And so we were excited. But of course
we were in my senior year ranked number one, and
again we made it all the way to the finals
and then played against Ballard again and of course came up,
(13:06):
came up a little bit short, but that that team,
that Ballard team was really really good. And the PRP
team that we beat that morning, they were they were
as good as either one of us. I mean, it
was some really really good basketball teams in those days.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And then of course you went on to play for Kentucky.
And we'll get into some of the stories from back
in your Kentucky playing days when we come up after
the break, and we'll talk a little bit about this
year's Kentucky team. They've got a new poll that came out.
I'll tell you where Kentucky rinks and that, and we'll
talk a little football as well. Eight two eighth twenty
two eighty seven if you want to get on board,
(13:42):
maybe ask Richie a question. You can do that and
we'll take a break right here. We'll be right back.
It is the ksrpre Show. All right, welcome back. It
is the KSR pre Show, Shannon the Dude with Richie
Farmer sitting in today. First time I've had Richie here
on the pre Show eight nine, twenty two eighty seven.
We've already got some calls lined up. We'll get them
in just a minute. First of all, let me tell
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(14:04):
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ticket slash terms Limited time offer, Richie, when you cut
on the thirtieth, we're going to have you read that
disclaimer for us. Okay, you give what that? Because I
had to read that every day.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
That would be probably one of the funniest things that happened.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Well, I'll try to remember that when you come in.
Is Richie gonna play tonight? That was the big question
during your playing days. Everybody would call in on the
pregame radio show. Is Richie gonna play tonight? Were you
aware that that fans were calling in every game, asking
if you were going to play, were you That's another
thing like when it was going on, did you realize
it was happening?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Well not not. You know, in those days, we didn't
have social media and we didn't have you know they
they we didn't listen to shows, and the players didn't
have as much control as they do today. I'll say
it that way. You know, they kind of kept us easy.
(15:52):
I mean we were either in class or in study
hall or practicing or individual instructs. You know, we were
doing and you know we our time was we had cats,
which was which was a really good thing. It was
a study hall. But it's it's still there. I think
the Center for Academic and Tutorial Services is the acronym.
(16:14):
But but you know, we as freshmen when you come in,
you you had mandatory amount of hours you had to
spend there and that's where you would meet your tutors
or you know, do study hall or whatever you know,
you had to do. So there's there's a lot that
goes goes along with that.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
That's for sure, keeping you busy, keeping you out of trouble.
I'm sure that was the strategy of the coaches back then.
Probably a good thing that social media didn't exist back then.
I can't imagine being, you know, a college player and
then having to get on your phone, look at social
media and look at all the you know, negative comments
that you get. That's got to be tough. And I'm
sure that you know, Mark Pope tries to tell the
(16:57):
players not to get on social media, but at that age,
it's hard not to. I can't imagine Richie growing up
in that situation, playing under that microscope that is Kentucky basketball,
where you have, you know, every move you make there's
somebody watching, and then having to deal with all the
negative comments that these players deal with. I mean, I
don't know how they don't look at it. It's almost
like it's it's something that's unavoidable.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
You know. Uh, it's it's amazing. And you know, like
I said, we didn't have that the way that really
I heard people would say that, but I was really
not I didn't hear those things going on. Is you
know basically the answer to your question, I think kay
Wood Leftford. Uh actually was the one that told me.
(17:42):
On a plane ride one time, I was sitting by
him and he told me, he said, you know, every
every show. Is Richie gonna play? Yeah, well Richie playing more?
Is Richie going? Do you think you'll be in the pros?
Or you know whatever they used to aggravate coach coach,
(18:05):
you know, the death, he would get aggravated. But you
know it's to be I know, we were in a
fish bowl then, so you know, I don't I don't know.
It would be just a different just a whole different animal.
With the social media aspect, and you know, everybody that
(18:28):
you see has a camera and you know, a phone
with a camera or video, and so I mean it's
it is tough. I mean it's tough, especially, you know,
because you've got to realize these are kids. These these
are kids at seventeen, eighteen years old to twenty two
(18:49):
years old. So it's it's it's a lot different and
it's very difficult at times. I mean it's because you
have to realize we were all young at one time,
so think about what you were like that would have
been the case. Oh yeah, yeah, face buttle is a
hard thing.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Well, the thing about social media is back then you
never heard those things because the things that are set
on social media, no one would ever come up to
your face and say that to you. You only see
that because they post it from the safety of their
phone or their computer, but they would never come up
to you in public and just say that to you.
So that's that's you know, that's why you probably never
got that back in the day. Now, one thing you
(19:28):
would have cleaned up on back in the day if
it existed. We talked about players who have it, you know,
difficult having to navigate through social media, negative comments and criticism,
but at least they got NIL. At least they're getting
paid now. And Richie, I feel like you would have
absolutely cleaned up at Kentucky if NIL existed back in
your playing days, don't you think.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Well absolutely, I tell you what we could have. I
could have made millions on just T shirts. Is Richie
going to play?
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Yeah, but yeah. I mean, you know, we had a
group back then. And actually I think I might have
told the story. But Brooks Downing, who used to be
over the sports information used to be sports information director,
I think. But he was telling me, he's like, man,
(20:15):
if you would have had n I L back in
your day, he said, you would have been retired by now,
And I said, would have been But we had we
had a fun group, and you know at that time,
I can tell you my sophomore year, the year we
went fourteen and fourteen uh after after we've been put
(20:36):
on probation, and everybody laughed and we you know, Patino
came in and uh, you know there was an energy
around the program. You know, that group could have killed it.
And yeah, I think people would have seen a whole
lot on TV commercials and oh.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Yeah, yeah, do it do it all while you can
in college. I don't blame him. Hey, we got a
better minute and a half. I want to take one
here before the heartbreak. Let's go to Joe. You're up first.
Go ahead, Joe. You got a question for Richie?
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Hey, I got a question for Richie. I hope I
don't mind me asking. But the family had talked about
this years ago, and I can't remember his conversation, but
they said, we might be just akin to you. Do
you have family in the Jackson County News area?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Not that I'm aware of, but it's very possible. So
you know, but I'm right off the top of my head.
Nothing comes to mind, Nobody comes to mine. I can't
think of anybody over there that I've heard my mom
and dad or you know any other I'm just talking about.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Thanks for the call, Joe. We appreciate it. Maybe maybe
thank you, yep. Maybe you can go to ancestry dot com.
You can find out find out all the kinds of
people you're related to. I did that a couple of
years ago. They send a test tube to you. You
got to spit it a test tube and send it off.
And I'm going, what are they gonna do with that?
Are they gonna clone me one day? We don't need
two of me running around here. But yeah, hey, we're
(22:10):
gonna take a break. We'll come right back. And I've
got to ask a question to Richie. I've always wanted
to ask, and I can't wait to hear his answer.
That's coming up next year on the KSR pre show
Welcome Back. It is the KSR pre Show Shannon the
Dude being joined by Richie Farmer. I was asking Austin
who's producing the show today? I said, ask Richie what
kind of music he wants? And then Austin said, Richie
(22:32):
says he really doesn't care. So you know, I was
just thinking, Richie, Louder than Life, which I'm sure you've
heard of, is like North America's largest rock festival. I
was thinking that if we could get Richie for one
day Louder than Life to come hang out with me,
that might be a lot of fun for me. I
don't know if it would be fun for you. Do
you do music festivals? Is that your thing or would
(22:53):
you rather just stay home?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Well, it's not really my thing, especially sounds like Drew
was talking about the concrete. You know, my standing on
concrete all day would be very difficult for me. And uh,
I'm not really a metal person, but I like uh
(23:16):
but I will say, you know, I like a lot
of different genres of music. You know, I can tell
you that, you know, I'm I'm mainly If you ask
me what I like, would would be country. But uh,
you know, like I like a lot of the seventies music.
You know, I grew up listening to things like you know,
(23:37):
Steve Miller Band, those kinds of things and the Journey
and uh, you know, all all of that music is great,
you know, one of I like Stevie Nix and Don
Henley and you.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Know, sounds like all the stuff that I play in
the afternoons on Double Q and Lexington, all those bands
that you just named. I play, so I feel like
you never us into Double Q. Maybe you should listen
to me the afternoons. I'll play all that stuff for you. Richie.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Oh yeah, I mean I like, I like all that stuff.
But but like I said, you know, country is my
my first love. You know. Of course, you know you
said something about music festivals. You know, we have the
Manchester Music Festival here and uh, you know, we've had
We've had a lot of different things, different people here.
(24:25):
But that's that's pretty interesting as well. But you know, uh,
Eastern Kentucky is uh, we've been fortunate. We've we've had
a lot of you know, Tyler Childers as a blake.
But there's there's a lot of different musicians that come
from Eastern Kentucky and have been very successful.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Oh yeah, a lot of great musical talent out of
the state. We've got some calls we'll get to in
just a minute, but first let's talk about the poll
that came out. I don't get too worked over worked
up over preseason polls, but I mean it gives us
something to talk about. And the Field of sixty eight
released their poll yesterday. They've got Kentucky ranked at number seven.
I'm fine with that. The only problem is they got
(25:08):
Loivell ranked at number six. We got to flip flop
that around. But we're talking about we're talking about Mark
Pope's second year. You know, Richie, I think he exceeded
expect He exceeded my expectations. I'll say that. I can't
say that for everybody. I don't know what your individual
expectations were for Mark Pope's first year, but for me,
he without a doubt. Did you know you think about
the job that he did? Coming in there was a
(25:30):
lot of skepticism on the hiring of Mark Pope, including
if I'm being honest, I was very skeptical myself. I mean,
after we were talking about names like Scott Drew, you know,
Danny Hurley, Bruce Pearl and Nate Oates and then out
of the blue, here comes Mark Pope. I initially wasn't
really all that thrilled about the hire, but I feel
like he quickly changed a lot of people's minds. At
(25:52):
that opening press conference that he did at Repperena, and
when he brought back all the former players and we
filled up Rupperena, I felt like at that moment that
was where even if you weren't happy about the hire,
in the moment, fans flipped during that press conference that day,
do you feel like that?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
I feel exactly like that. And you know, I don't
you know, I think Matt I might have talked about
it a little bit. But you know, when when I
was one of those people that when they said they've
just hired Mark Pope, I said, do what Mark Pope?
You know, I mean like it was like, huh, yeah,
(26:30):
so because you know, you were hearing all these names
and there was and he was not one of those
names that you even heard on the list, and then
all of a sudden, they've hired him. But then, you know,
the more I got to thinking about it, the more
I was like, you know what, that might make sense.
And you know, I had kind of decided that I
(26:53):
was going to I was going to go down to
his press conference, whether whether they you know, invited me
or not. But it was one of those deals where
you know, it just made sense. And then you know,
once I got once I got to talking, and once
I saw just the excitement that and and the people,
(27:19):
you know, the very there was a lot of different
people there from from the people that sat in the
top of the stands to the people that sat on
the floor, and uh, you know when you bring all
of those people and you get the nation, you know,
when you get this fan based excited and about basketball,
and I mean, that's that's this state has. I mean,
(27:42):
they loved their basketball and and you know, there's there's
certainly been a law. So I think, you know, there's
there's been a few coaches that I said, when coach
Patino was hired, he was the exact coach at the
exact right time. And then when cow you know, when
cal was hired, I said he was the exact right
(28:03):
coach at the exact right time. There's you know, there's
those times and I think Mark Pope is I think
he was that. And then like you said, I think, uh,
he is one of the great i'll say young coaches
coming up because he's he's actually young in his coaching career.
(28:23):
But he is so talented and so I mean he's
so intelligent that you know, he he the way he
analyzes things and you know, I just think that that
he's taken what bits and pieces of coaching Pino and
you know, all those coaches that he's played for and
(28:44):
all of his experiences that he's he's drawn from, uh
in all walks of life, but in the NBA and
playing and being around you know, different different people. I
think he's taking bits and pieces of that and he's
kind of done it his way, and you know, and
and his analysis one of analyzing the games is just uh,
(29:06):
I mean, it's amazing. And he has he has more
energy than anybody that I'm out.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Oh yeah, for sure. He brings that energy, that excitement
to the fan base. And something else he brings is
that the other coaches didn't is knowing what it's like
to put on that jersey and play for Kentucky. He
knows what it's like for this fan base who lives
and breathes Kentucky basketball. So he brings that that element
that those other coaches that we mentioned were up for
(29:34):
for the job, uh as candidates couldn't bring. Now you
mentioned being invited to the press conference. Have you been
invited to a practice recently or do you ever go
to their practices here in the last year or two
since since Pope's been here.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Yes, I mean, coach has been great. Uh, I mean,
he's he's been he's been very h and by with
me and uh, you know we we're we're friends anyway.
But I was around the nineteen sixteen a lot I
was in the locker room that I have been won
the national championship. Kenny Walker and I went to New
(30:14):
York and uh, you know we were there uh for
for a week for the final four, and you know
we were we were right with the guys. So it
was you know, so I've known Mark a long time,
but uh, you know, he's he's been He's been great
with me and I know with a lot of the
other former guys. You know, he has people back and so,
(30:39):
but to answer your question about the practice, I have
not been able to go lately, but you know I've
been I you know, I kind of keep tabs and
hear things, uh about what's going on. And uh, you know,
one thing I wanted to say, and I did this
the other day, but you know, I'd like to give
a shout out to my Eastern Kentucky guy on the
(31:01):
team there, Trenton. No. I've been hearing great, great things
about him. Yeah, I'm really excited, but I'm really excited
for this team. I mean, you know, they have a
lot of debt. They have a lot of different guys
and a lot of different pieces that he'll be trying
to put together. But you know, I think I think
it's if we stay healthy and they developed the way
(31:25):
that I think that they can. I think that this
team has the ability to make a deep, deep run
this year and you know, be a potential Final fourteen.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Go on record here, do you believe the report that
Jade Quaintin's has gained forty pounds in the offseason. I'm like, Ah,
we may be stretching the numbers a little bit. If
we're talking forty pounds of muscle, that is very difficult
to put on forty pounds of muscle. Now he can
put on forty pounds, I guess, you know, and combine
muscle and fat. I guess that's possible. But we're hearing
these reports from the off season. Do you believe that
(31:55):
he's put on forty pounds?
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Well, I'll tell you this, you and I both and uh,
that would be extremely difficult to put on forty pounds
of muscle. Yeah, I feel like that he's put you know, really,
if he's put on forty pounds, that's too much.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Yeah, you got to write it down that floor because
we don't want to look at like Zion you know here.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Exactly exactly that's what that's what I'm diving at. So
but you know, everything that I've heard about him, they
say every yeah, he's progressing at a at a good rate,
and they're expecting, expecting to be able to play. But
(32:38):
now forty pounds, I think those those hopefully they're inflated
because if at forty pounds, I don't see it as
a good thing.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Yeah, I mean if you if you said twenty, okay,
I might buy that. Forty feels like a little bit
too much, all right. So we were just talking. We
were just talking about practices. And here's the one question
that I was talking about last segment that I've always
wanted to ask you. The Patino practices I have heard
folklore of just being absolutely legendary. Can you pull back
(33:06):
the curtain a little bit and just articulate what it
was like to practice for coach Patino? What what was
it like during those times playing for him?
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Well, I can tell you that when you know when
Coach Patino first came and came to Kentucky and those
early days, his practices were brutal. And I can tell
you that so much so that I tell people, you know,
our game day was like a day off. But you know,
(33:39):
we and and and just imagine, you know, in in
the early days, you know, we had eight scholarship players
and we had a couple of walk on So there
would be times that during that first year, my sophomore year,
there would be times that we would be scrimmaging out
there and we and Billy Donovan and Tub Smith's would
(34:00):
be playing and you know they it was. It was amazing.
But he was we we were in with I mean
we we would he would call our water breaks. He
would say, all right, wash out. And the first time
he did that, we all looked at each other and said,
(34:23):
wash out. What's he talking about? And we just stood
there and we were looking at each other. And so
he said, you've done, you know, and he called us
a thing or two that I won't be able to say,
but he called us, you know, he told himself stupid
we were. And he said that means you get a
drink of water.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
And so while you can, right, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:47):
You can, you know, so so like and then you know,
we would go through, you know, all these different. Uh
I remember the first our first practice Sean Woods that
you know, and our conditioning program was brutal. We started
the first day of conditioning, we ran eighteen twenties and
(35:13):
they put us in groups of three. You know, we
have guards forward and big men. The guards had like, uh,
I want to say, let's say thirty two seconds. The
forwards had thirty three, the big man had thirty four.
So you know, they put somebody at the finish line
with the stop watch and we ran at the track.
(35:34):
So we started, you know, first group go, and so
when we sent across the finish line, second group go,
and you started back across the track to the to
the starting line. So when the second group finished, you know,
third group go, and when the third group cross, you
had to be back. Fine, one of the third group
cross go and the clock started and if you was there,
(35:56):
it was signed. And if you weren't, that signed. So
but for everyone you didn't make your time, you had
to run again. But we had people. We had people
passing out, We had people uh you know, full body cramps.
We had people doing things that I've never seen bodies.
But you know, it was unbelievable, you know, and so
(36:17):
so we went through this grueling conditioning program and then
we get to the first day of practice and he
had Coach Patino was over on the side goal and
had Seaun Woods and out and we were doing a
drill player you know, the guy in the corner would
shoot the ball, the other guy would rush him and
(36:38):
you know, had to get down and play defensive. I mean,
and we were we were going like that, and I
mean we were going hard for I mean, you would
not believe how gassed you could be doing the drill
that we were doing. And I mean in just a
few minutes, Uh, we'll kill And so Coach Patina it
(37:00):
was like, what are you guys do? And he looked
at Rock and he jumped all over Rock Oliver, you know,
and he was like, Rock, I thought you said you
had these guys in shape, you know. So it was oh,
I mean it was unbelievable. Uh the intensity that that
man brings to the floor and brings to the table.
But uh, but everything that you've heard, it was that bad.
(37:25):
And then you know they really we have garbage cans
at the end of the floor, you know, at the
end of practice when we would do a conditioning grill,
at the end of practice and there was garbage cans
at each end of the floor and most of the
time they were used. Wow.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Yeah, yeah, just just hearing some of these stories that
I've heard from other people. It just and then you
watch the teams. You watch those Patino teams, and they
were just full court press the entire game and just
wear teams out by the second half of the other
team had no legs. So we gotta take it. We
gotta take a break care of Richie. I got we'll
get into Yeah, we'll get a couple of callers on
(38:02):
who have been patiently holding We'll save them for the
last segment. Here, We'll take a break. Eight five nine,
two twenty two eighty seven. Richie Farmer in Today here
on the ksrpre Show. Final segment of the KSR pre Show.
This is one of those shows where I need two
hours because I haven't gotten through half the things that
I wanted to talk to Richie about. But we've got
some callers who have been patiently waiting. I haven't done
(38:23):
a good job of managing the clock. I get on
Mark Stoops about poor clock management, and I'm like three
minutes left in the show, and I still got to
get to callers. So we'll give as many of you can,
like just a few seconds to ask Ritchie a question.
We'll go to Gary in Orlando. First take Gary, Thanks, yep,
go ahead, Gary, Gary, Hell, all right, let's try free bird.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Hey, Ritchie, I got a question in a commune comment,
A question. Don't take of it for seeing anybody but
another person of a pool beard in eighth or ninth grade?
And who could help you each other?
Speaker 3 (39:07):
You or Russ Chadwell?
Speaker 2 (39:11):
All right, well, I appreciate the guy man and and
thank you so much, but thanks for bird going going
straight up. When we were in high school, I could
you know, I could jump higher straight up off two
legs straight up than table could. But now Russ Chadwell
was an unbelievable apriend. He just kept getting better as
(39:33):
he went on into college, and uh, he could he
could do.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
All right, let's go, yep, let's go to it. Go ahead.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off. I
thought you dropped out. Uh, let's go. Let's go to Jake.
Go ahead, Jake, Yes, how are you guys doing?
Speaker 2 (39:54):
How would you like?
Speaker 3 (39:55):
How would you like? Playing in Mark Mark Pope's system Richie.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
That was my question.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Thanks for the call, Jake. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
I would love to play in Mark Pump's system. He
plays a very system, very similar system to the kind
of thing that I think this team. This year we
did a lot of the things when Sean Woods was
their point guard. He would penetrate and we would spread
out around the three point line and try to make three.
So I think you'll see a lot of that going
(40:26):
on this year as well, with Jayden or with our
new point guard. Time to break down the defenses, getting
in the lane and everybody spreading out, and then we've
also got some guys I think that that can slash
and get to the rim. So it should be a
fun team to watch. But to answer your question, I
would have loved to have played for Mark Pope. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
I think you would have fit in perfectly. Ritchie Man,
this show has flown by. I can't thank you enough
for jumping on here and filling in. We got to
do it again soon, all right, maybe one week when
Billy's out. Next time we'll get you on here and
I can talk some of the other stuff we wanted
to get into. But really appreciate it, and thanks for
joining us on the pre show, and I guess we'll
talk to you on the thirtieth on KSR since you
(41:07):
broke that news at the start of the show today.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Yeah, I listen. It was awesome to be on with you,
and I certainly appreciate you having me, and I just
want to say thanks to all those people out there
that listen and the Big Blue Nation, and I'm really
excited about this year's team, and so I think they
should be too. But thank you so much for having me,
and I look forward to doing the show hopefully sometime
(41:30):
again with you.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
So all right, he is Richie Farmer. Thanks a lot, Richie.
We'll talk to you next time. Let me tell you
on the way out. KSR is the promo code on DraftKings.
Download it right now as a new customer. Bet five,
get two hundred dollars in bonus bets and two hundred
dollars off NFL Sunday ticket only on DraftKings. That's it
for the pre show. KSR is coming up next.
Welcome everyone. It is the KSR Pre Show. It's Tuesday,
September sixteenth. I am Shannon of the Dude and you
can give us a call on the Clark's Puppet Shop
phone line eight five nine two eight oh twenty two
eighty seven. You are a whiskey thief. Call of the day.
KSR Pre Show is being brought to you by Italics
Fine Italian Donning in Lexington. Billy is out, He's out
(00:21):
all weekend long. We got Matt Jones out. We got
a skeleton crew around here only myself and Ryan. I
think we'll be on the show later on today, but
until then it is the KSR Pre Show. And each
day we're bringing in a different guest host. And today
we're bringing in a former Clay County point guard where
he set at Kentucky High School record with fifty one
points in the championship game, was named Kentucky High School
(00:43):
Athlete of the Year. He went on to play four
years at Kentucky. He's an unforgettable He's number thirty two
on his jersey, but number one in your heart. And
he has to be on the mount Rush Moore of
the best mustaches in Kentucky Sports. History ladies and gentlemen.
Richie Farmer, Hey, Richie, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Hey, thanks shann boy. That was some kind of introduction there.
I wasn't expecting that.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Well, you know, I feel like you've become a good
friend over the years because I text back and forth
with you. I mean, just a little inside baseball, behind
the scenes. You and I are texting, I feel like,
every day about whatever topic that we're talking about on
the pre show or KSR or whatever it may be.
So I thought, why not just bring Richie on the
show and we'll just hash it out right here. So
(01:27):
glad to have you. And how's things been going with you?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Man? Everything's great, you know, just not too far back.
We were able to see each other there and a
little one and be able to I was on the
show there with Matt, and you know, we've got a
chance to see you guys a couple of days in
a row. But and I think Buck and I actually
are planning to do KSR with Ryan later on. I
(01:55):
think maybe on the thirtieth. So oh yeah, I mean
a little sleep. I don't know if I was supposed
to say that.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
See, and I don't know. I don't know that Ryan realizes,
but I got you before he could get you, So
you know, I feel like I'm kind of still stilling
his guest host. Here's the thing, Richie, I say this
all the time. Chie we don't do any show prep
any well, I shouldn't say show prep. We don't do
any pre production meetings like before a show. People think
(02:26):
that we live when we say that, but like when
Matt does a show, we don't really talk at all
until we go on the air. So if things are planned,
a lot of times I don't even know it until
it happens. So just like you breaking news to me
that you're gonna be on KSR on the thirtieth, that's
news to me. So hopefully Ryan won't get mad at
me for bringing you on before him.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Hey listen, no, no, it's not a problem. But I
can I can vounch for what you just said. I mean,
you know, I've been on enough times and there was
I think there was, you know, one of the first
times that I can you know, I came really early
and I was like, where's everybody at? And so I
called Ryan and you know he was just getting out
(03:07):
of the bed. Yeah, So you know, I mean it
was just everybody rolls in and says, all right, let's
do it.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah, I really like that.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
And to be honest with you, you know, I listened
to the show a lot because a lot of times
in the morning, I've got a big Germany Shepherd and
he and I walked about five miles a day, and
so as I'm walking, a lot of times I listen
to you guys, and so you know, I get interested
(03:38):
in the topics, and so I'm a fan of the show.
But I've been own enough that I feel like I'm
one of you.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Absolutely you are. Yeah, You're definitely one of the KSR
family for sure. And we'll talk a lot of basketball.
We'll get into some little bit of football a little
bit later on too. But I gotta say, first of all,
I watched firsthand how much of a rock star you
still are Richie at KS Bar when we had our
grand reopening, and the people from every age group that
wanted to come up and meet you and get a
picture with you. You were sitting there talking with me at
(04:06):
our table, and I watched a kid who had to
be I would say, I don't know, around the age
of ten, come up and want to get a picture
with you, and that has to just make you feel
good that after all these years, every walk of life
of Kentucky fans still want to come up and meet you.
You know, I don't know that that happens at other schools,
(04:26):
but Kentucky is just a special place where we have
this rabid fan base for better or worse sometimes, but
they all still remember their former players. And that has
to make you feel good when you still have people
that want to come up and talk to Richie Farmer.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
It absolutely does. And you know it's been that way,
you know since you know, I grew up in the
state and played in the state tournament as an eighth
grader and scored two points and kind of got into
the public eyeland and of course you know, had a
storybook high school career, played in the state championship game
three out of the four years as of high school.
(05:03):
Still I think hold the all time scoring record in
the state term as you said, you know, coming in
fifty one in the in the championship game against Allan
Houston and Ballard and of course Allen and I you know,
those those things that you do. But but you know,
I was a kid that grew up in the State,
(05:25):
and I was one of those people that idolized the
players and the coaches and you know, all all those things.
So I understood it because I'm one of those people.
So I was just I was just fortunate that God
was blessed me and gave me the opportunity to live
(05:46):
out my dream and play and get the experience being
a wild at So you know, I've always tried to
make time for people and to try to do those things.
But as you say, you know, for it to be
this way, this many years later, it just it just
tells you just how big, how big this program is,
(06:08):
and how special the fans and big boomation is.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
A lot of this show is going to be me
just saying, hey, Richie, take me back to, you know,
down memory lane and tell me how it was when
all these things happened and playing for Kentucky. So, because
I've never really had a chance to sit down and
talk basketball with you. Normally, you and I are just
you know, talking about I don't know, just just whatever,
but we don't really talk a whole lot about basketball.
I know you've been on the show with Billy before,
but I haven't had the chance to actually sit down
(06:33):
and sort of interview you. So take me back to
that game where you scored fifty one points as someone
myself who's a baseball player and never played basketball, I mean,
when you are in your zone and you're scoring fifty
one points, I mean, do you just feel like you're
on a I don't know, like like like another level
(06:54):
in that day, like where you just can't miss, like
that the basket is just bigger than normal or what
is it like when you're in that zone of your
years going off for fifty one point? So that to
be a special night for you, Well, it.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Really was, But but in the moment, I didn't I
mean I was I couldn't have told you that. I
can remember that before the game we played. You know,
back then they still it was a time when the
championship game, you know, they played the semifinals was in
the morning and then the championship game was at night.
(07:29):
And you know, we played we we played basically six
players and uh you know, there would be maybe a
seventh come in for and played two or three minutes
here or there. But but our starting five, you know,
we were we were really really tired. And we played
p RP that morning. Uh, and beat them I think
(07:52):
ninety two ninety in regulation, and you know we were
I can remember Doug Flynn, who I want to say.
It gives me a chance to give him a shout
out real quick because I think he just got inducted
into the Hall of Fame there UK. Doug and I
are really we We've become really good friends over the years.
(08:13):
And uh he and his wife Oga, and his family,
his dad, dad, Mom, Uh they Bobby and Ell, Richie,
they just wonderful people and uh uh, nobody no more deserving.
And I just want to say congratulations to Doug. But anyway,
he come in. That was one of the first times
(08:34):
I met him, but he had come in. Coach Keith
had him come in and speak to us before the game,
and after afterwards, I was standing there in the hallway
kind of stretching, and uh he walked by and he said,
how do you feel? And I said, you know, I
can't really even feel my legs. I don't even know how. Yeah,
and so then you know, they throw the ball up
(08:57):
and and you know, you start playing. And I just
was trying to do whatever I could do to win.
My brother Russ, who was I think for the year,
shot like forty seven percent from three. Uh he was
two or thirteen that night, all some three. Everything was
just a little short. Everybody's legs were gone, and so
(09:19):
you know, Ballard had an awesome team, and we started
falling behind, and so then I just started trying to
do what I could do to make it happen, and
I came up short, and so I didn't have any
idea how many points I had. I was sitting on
the bench and all of the media flocked to me
(09:39):
and they were saying, Hey, how does it feel. You know,
score fifty one points, so you know, that's a record
in the finals. And I was like, you know, I
mean I was just killed that we had just lost.
I had, I had no idea. So I just I
looked up and I said, I'll tell you what I
would have. I'd trade every one of them for that
big trophy that over there. Yeah, you know, it was
(10:03):
just one of those things. But when you know, I've
heard people talk about being in the zone, but that night,
I truly, I mean I truly got in the zone.
And you know it's just kind of like you just
you you just feel like all you need is a
ball and you can make it go in so uh,
it's it doesn't happen much, but when it does, it's
(10:23):
it's a really good sip. You know.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
We were just talking yesterday on the pre show about
moments that when you were while they were happening, you
realized they were a special moment. And it sounds like
for you, you you had a special moment going even
though you didn't win the title. Even scoring fifty one
points and setting a school record is a big deal,
and you had no idea. I felt like, if I
were playing, I'd be out there counting every single point.
But I guess if you're you know, if you're the
(10:47):
athlete and competitor to let you or you're not counting
points while you're out there, right.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
I was focused on just trying to win the game.
I mean that was that was you know, because my
freshman year we had come up we played we played Hopkinsville,
UH and they had they had a really good team
and uh some great players. But but we had a
lead and uh early late in the fourth quarter and
(11:14):
you know, kind of blew it. They started pressing and
uh we made some turnovers, but we had an opportunity
and we came up one point short. We lost sixty
five sixty four, I believe to them. And so you know,
this little school here in eastern Kentucky had never been
(11:34):
you know, we had never won. Uh well, I think
one game one time is the most that they'd ever won.
Usually it was when the region go down there and
then you know, play a game and have a party
and come home, right yeah, but you know, and then
once we made it that far, it's kind of like,
oh man, you know, we missed her opportunity. And then
(11:56):
my sophomore year, we played against Reggie Hanson, you know
who was my teammate there at Kentucky uh in Somerset,
Pulaski County. They you know, we we played them the
first game, and we had beaten them earlier in the year.
But they were a really good team and you know, familiar,
and had we drawn in opposite brackets, we may have
(12:19):
met in the finals again. But you know that that
felt like maybe one of our one of the better teams,
most talented teams I was on during the time that
I was there at Clay County. But uh so, you know,
so we lost the first game and it was like, oh, well,
we ever get back and then of course my junior
year we went and you know, be Ballad in the
finals in overtime and was able to win a state title.
(12:43):
And it was it was unbelievable the outpouring of of
people in eastern Kentucky and just just how proud it
made everybody. And so we were excited. But of course
we were in my senior year ranked number one, and
again we made it all the way to the finals
and then played against Ballard again and of course came up,
(13:06):
came up a little bit short, but that that team,
that Ballard team was really really good. And the PRP
team that we beat that morning, they were they were
as good as either one of us. I mean, it
was some really really good basketball teams in those days.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And then of course you went on to play for Kentucky.
And we'll get into some of the stories from back
in your Kentucky playing days when we come up after
the break, and we'll talk a little bit about this
year's Kentucky team. They've got a new poll that came out.
I'll tell you where Kentucky rinks and that, and we'll
talk a little football as well. Eight two eighth twenty
two eighty seven if you want to get on board,
(13:42):
maybe ask Richie a question. You can do that and
we'll take a break right here. We'll be right back.
It is the ksrpre Show. All right, welcome back. It
is the KSR pre Show, Shannon the Dude with Richie
Farmer sitting in today. First time I've had Richie here
on the pre Show eight nine, twenty two eighty seven.
We've already got some calls lined up. We'll get them
in just a minute. First of all, let me tell
you this segment of sponsored by the DraftKings Sportsbook. It's
(14:04):
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ticket slash terms Limited time offer, Richie, when you cut
on the thirtieth, we're going to have you read that
disclaimer for us. Okay, you give what that? Because I
had to read that every day.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
That would be probably one of the funniest things that happened.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Well, I'll try to remember that when you come in.
Is Richie gonna play tonight? That was the big question
during your playing days. Everybody would call in on the
pregame radio show. Is Richie gonna play tonight? Were you
aware that that fans were calling in every game, asking
if you were going to play, were you That's another
thing like when it was going on, did you realize
it was happening?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Well not not. You know, in those days, we didn't
have social media and we didn't have you know they
they we didn't listen to shows, and the players didn't
have as much control as they do today. I'll say
it that way. You know, they kind of kept us easy.
(15:52):
I mean we were either in class or in study
hall or practicing or individual instructs. You know, we were
doing and you know we our time was we had cats,
which was which was a really good thing. It was
a study hall. But it's it's still there. I think
the Center for Academic and Tutorial Services is the acronym.
(16:14):
But but you know, we as freshmen when you come in,
you you had mandatory amount of hours you had to
spend there and that's where you would meet your tutors
or you know, do study hall or whatever you know,
you had to do. So there's there's a lot that
goes goes along with that.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
That's for sure, keeping you busy, keeping you out of trouble.
I'm sure that was the strategy of the coaches back then.
Probably a good thing that social media didn't exist back then.
I can't imagine being, you know, a college player and
then having to get on your phone, look at social
media and look at all the you know, negative comments
that you get. That's got to be tough. And I'm
sure that you know, Mark Pope tries to tell the
(16:57):
players not to get on social media, but at that age,
it's hard not to. I can't imagine Richie growing up
in that situation, playing under that microscope that is Kentucky basketball,
where you have, you know, every move you make there's
somebody watching, and then having to deal with all the
negative comments that these players deal with. I mean, I
don't know how they don't look at it. It's almost
like it's it's something that's unavoidable.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
You know. Uh, it's it's amazing. And you know, like
I said, we didn't have that the way that really
I heard people would say that, but I was really
not I didn't hear those things going on. Is you
know basically the answer to your question, I think kay
Wood Leftford. Uh actually was the one that told me.
(17:42):
On a plane ride one time, I was sitting by
him and he told me, he said, you know, every
every show. Is Richie gonna play? Yeah, well Richie playing more?
Is Richie going? Do you think you'll be in the pros?
Or you know whatever they used to aggravate coach coach,
(18:05):
you know, the death, he would get aggravated. But you
know it's to be I know, we were in a
fish bowl then, so you know, I don't I don't know.
It would be just a different just a whole different animal.
With the social media aspect, and you know, everybody that
(18:28):
you see has a camera and you know, a phone
with a camera or video, and so I mean it's
it is tough. I mean it's tough, especially, you know,
because you've got to realize these are kids. These these
are kids at seventeen, eighteen years old to twenty two
(18:49):
years old. So it's it's it's a lot different and
it's very difficult at times. I mean it's because you
have to realize we were all young at one time,
so think about what you were like that would have
been the case. Oh yeah, yeah, face buttle is a
hard thing.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Well, the thing about social media is back then you
never heard those things because the things that are set
on social media, no one would ever come up to
your face and say that to you. You only see
that because they post it from the safety of their
phone or their computer, but they would never come up
to you in public and just say that to you.
So that's that's you know, that's why you probably never
got that back in the day. Now, one thing you
(19:28):
would have cleaned up on back in the day if
it existed. We talked about players who have it, you know,
difficult having to navigate through social media, negative comments and criticism,
but at least they got NIL. At least they're getting
paid now. And Richie, I feel like you would have
absolutely cleaned up at Kentucky if NIL existed back in
your playing days, don't you think.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Well absolutely, I tell you what we could have. I
could have made millions on just T shirts. Is Richie
going to play?
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Yeah, but yeah. I mean, you know, we had a
group back then. And actually I think I might have
told the story. But Brooks Downing, who used to be
over the sports information used to be sports information director,
I think. But he was telling me, he's like, man,
(20:15):
if you would have had n I L back in
your day, he said, you would have been retired by now,
And I said, would have been But we had we
had a fun group, and you know at that time,
I can tell you my sophomore year, the year we
went fourteen and fourteen uh after after we've been put
(20:36):
on probation, and everybody laughed and we you know, Patino
came in and uh, you know there was an energy
around the program. You know, that group could have killed it.
And yeah, I think people would have seen a whole
lot on TV commercials and oh.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Yeah, yeah, do it do it all while you can
in college. I don't blame him. Hey, we got a
better minute and a half. I want to take one
here before the heartbreak. Let's go to Joe. You're up first.
Go ahead, Joe. You got a question for Richie?
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Hey, I got a question for Richie. I hope I
don't mind me asking. But the family had talked about
this years ago, and I can't remember his conversation, but
they said, we might be just akin to you. Do
you have family in the Jackson County News area?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Not that I'm aware of, but it's very possible. So
you know, but I'm right off the top of my head.
Nothing comes to mind, Nobody comes to mine. I can't
think of anybody over there that I've heard my mom
and dad or you know any other I'm just talking about.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Thanks for the call, Joe. We appreciate it. Maybe maybe
thank you, yep. Maybe you can go to ancestry dot com.
You can find out find out all the kinds of
people you're related to. I did that a couple of
years ago. They send a test tube to you. You
got to spit it a test tube and send it off.
And I'm going, what are they gonna do with that?
Are they gonna clone me one day? We don't need
two of me running around here. But yeah, hey, we're
(22:10):
gonna take a break. We'll come right back. And I've
got to ask a question to Richie. I've always wanted
to ask, and I can't wait to hear his answer.
That's coming up next year on the KSR pre show
Welcome Back. It is the KSR pre Show Shannon the
Dude being joined by Richie Farmer. I was asking Austin
who's producing the show today? I said, ask Richie what
kind of music he wants? And then Austin said, Richie
(22:32):
says he really doesn't care. So you know, I was
just thinking, Richie, Louder than Life, which I'm sure you've
heard of, is like North America's largest rock festival. I
was thinking that if we could get Richie for one
day Louder than Life to come hang out with me,
that might be a lot of fun for me. I
don't know if it would be fun for you. Do
you do music festivals? Is that your thing or would
(22:53):
you rather just stay home?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Well, it's not really my thing, especially sounds like Drew
was talking about the concrete. You know, my standing on
concrete all day would be very difficult for me. And uh,
I'm not really a metal person, but I like uh
(23:16):
but I will say, you know, I like a lot
of different genres of music. You know, I can tell
you that, you know, I'm I'm mainly If you ask
me what I like, would would be country. But uh,
you know, like I like a lot of the seventies music.
You know, I grew up listening to things like you know,
(23:37):
Steve Miller Band, those kinds of things and the Journey
and uh, you know, all all of that music is great,
you know, one of I like Stevie Nix and Don
Henley and you.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Know, sounds like all the stuff that I play in
the afternoons on Double Q and Lexington, all those bands
that you just named. I play, so I feel like
you never us into Double Q. Maybe you should listen
to me the afternoons. I'll play all that stuff for you. Richie.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Oh yeah, I mean I like, I like all that stuff.
But but like I said, you know, country is my
my first love. You know. Of course, you know you
said something about music festivals. You know, we have the
Manchester Music Festival here and uh, you know, we've had
We've had a lot of different things, different people here.
(24:25):
But that's that's pretty interesting as well. But you know, uh,
Eastern Kentucky is uh, we've been fortunate. We've we've had
a lot of you know, Tyler Childers as a blake.
But there's there's a lot of different musicians that come
from Eastern Kentucky and have been very successful.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Oh yeah, a lot of great musical talent out of
the state. We've got some calls we'll get to in
just a minute, but first let's talk about the poll
that came out. I don't get too worked over worked
up over preseason polls, but I mean it gives us
something to talk about. And the Field of sixty eight
released their poll yesterday. They've got Kentucky ranked at number seven.
I'm fine with that. The only problem is they got
(25:08):
Loivell ranked at number six. We got to flip flop
that around. But we're talking about we're talking about Mark
Pope's second year. You know, Richie, I think he exceeded
expect He exceeded my expectations. I'll say that. I can't
say that for everybody. I don't know what your individual
expectations were for Mark Pope's first year, but for me,
he without a doubt. Did you know you think about
the job that he did? Coming in there was a
(25:30):
lot of skepticism on the hiring of Mark Pope, including
if I'm being honest, I was very skeptical myself. I mean,
after we were talking about names like Scott Drew, you know,
Danny Hurley, Bruce Pearl and Nate Oates and then out
of the blue, here comes Mark Pope. I initially wasn't
really all that thrilled about the hire, but I feel
like he quickly changed a lot of people's minds. At
(25:52):
that opening press conference that he did at Repperena, and
when he brought back all the former players and we
filled up Rupperena, I felt like at that moment that
was where even if you weren't happy about the hire,
in the moment, fans flipped during that press conference that day,
do you feel like that?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
I feel exactly like that. And you know, I don't
you know, I think Matt I might have talked about
it a little bit. But you know, when when I
was one of those people that when they said they've
just hired Mark Pope, I said, do what Mark Pope?
You know, I mean like it was like, huh, yeah,
(26:30):
so because you know, you were hearing all these names
and there was and he was not one of those
names that you even heard on the list, and then
all of a sudden, they've hired him. But then, you know,
the more I got to thinking about it, the more
I was like, you know what, that might make sense.
And you know, I had kind of decided that I
(26:53):
was going to I was going to go down to
his press conference, whether whether they you know, invited me
or not. But it was one of those deals where
you know, it just made sense. And then you know,
once I got once I got to talking, and once
I saw just the excitement that and and the people,
(27:19):
you know, the very there was a lot of different
people there from from the people that sat in the
top of the stands to the people that sat on
the floor, and uh, you know when you bring all
of those people and you get the nation, you know,
when you get this fan based excited and about basketball,
and I mean, that's that's this state has. I mean,
(27:42):
they loved their basketball and and you know, there's there's
certainly been a law. So I think, you know, there's
there's been a few coaches that I said, when coach
Patino was hired, he was the exact coach at the
exact right time. And then when cow you know, when
cal was hired, I said he was the exact right
(28:03):
coach at the exact right time. There's you know, there's
those times and I think Mark Pope is I think
he was that. And then like you said, I think, uh,
he is one of the great i'll say young coaches
coming up because he's he's actually young in his coaching career.
(28:23):
But he is so talented and so I mean he's
so intelligent that you know, he he the way he
analyzes things and you know, I just think that that
he's taken what bits and pieces of coaching Pino and
you know, all those coaches that he's played for and
(28:44):
all of his experiences that he's he's drawn from, uh
in all walks of life, but in the NBA and
playing and being around you know, different different people. I
think he's taking bits and pieces of that and he's
kind of done it his way, and you know, and
and his analysis one of analyzing the games is just uh,
(29:06):
I mean, it's amazing. And he has he has more
energy than anybody that I'm out.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Oh yeah, for sure. He brings that energy, that excitement
to the fan base. And something else he brings is
that the other coaches didn't is knowing what it's like
to put on that jersey and play for Kentucky. He
knows what it's like for this fan base who lives
and breathes Kentucky basketball. So he brings that that element
that those other coaches that we mentioned were up for
(29:34):
for the job, uh as candidates couldn't bring. Now you
mentioned being invited to the press conference. Have you been
invited to a practice recently or do you ever go
to their practices here in the last year or two
since since Pope's been here.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Yes, I mean, coach has been great. Uh, I mean,
he's he's been he's been very h and by with
me and uh, you know we we're we're friends anyway.
But I was around the nineteen sixteen a lot I
was in the locker room that I have been won
the national championship. Kenny Walker and I went to New
(30:14):
York and uh, you know we were there uh for
for a week for the final four, and you know
we were we were right with the guys. So it
was you know, so I've known Mark a long time,
but uh, you know, he's he's been He's been great
with me and I know with a lot of the
other former guys. You know, he has people back and so,
(30:39):
but to answer your question about the practice, I have
not been able to go lately, but you know I've
been I you know, I kind of keep tabs and
hear things, uh about what's going on. And uh, you know,
one thing I wanted to say, and I did this
the other day, but you know, I'd like to give
a shout out to my Eastern Kentucky guy on the
(31:01):
team there, Trenton. No. I've been hearing great, great things
about him. Yeah, I'm really excited, but I'm really excited
for this team. I mean, you know, they have a
lot of debt. They have a lot of different guys
and a lot of different pieces that he'll be trying
to put together. But you know, I think I think
it's if we stay healthy and they developed the way
(31:25):
that I think that they can. I think that this
team has the ability to make a deep, deep run
this year and you know, be a potential Final fourteen.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Go on record here, do you believe the report that
Jade Quaintin's has gained forty pounds in the offseason. I'm like, Ah,
we may be stretching the numbers a little bit. If
we're talking forty pounds of muscle, that is very difficult
to put on forty pounds of muscle. Now he can
put on forty pounds, I guess, you know, and combine
muscle and fat. I guess that's possible. But we're hearing
these reports from the off season. Do you believe that
(31:55):
he's put on forty pounds?
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Well, I'll tell you this, you and I both and uh,
that would be extremely difficult to put on forty pounds
of muscle. Yeah, I feel like that he's put you know, really,
if he's put on forty pounds, that's too much.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Yeah, you got to write it down that floor because
we don't want to look at like Zion you know here.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Exactly exactly that's what that's what I'm diving at. So
but you know, everything that I've heard about him, they
say every yeah, he's progressing at a at a good rate,
and they're expecting, expecting to be able to play. But
(32:38):
now forty pounds, I think those those hopefully they're inflated
because if at forty pounds, I don't see it as
a good thing.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Yeah, I mean if you if you said twenty, okay,
I might buy that. Forty feels like a little bit
too much, all right. So we were just talking. We
were just talking about practices. And here's the one question
that I was talking about last segment that I've always
wanted to ask you. The Patino practices I have heard
folklore of just being absolutely legendary. Can you pull back
(33:06):
the curtain a little bit and just articulate what it
was like to practice for coach Patino? What what was
it like during those times playing for him?
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Well, I can tell you that when you know when
Coach Patino first came and came to Kentucky and those
early days, his practices were brutal. And I can tell
you that so much so that I tell people, you know,
our game day was like a day off. But you know,
(33:39):
we and and and just imagine, you know, in in
the early days, you know, we had eight scholarship players
and we had a couple of walk on So there
would be times that during that first year, my sophomore year,
there would be times that we would be scrimmaging out
there and we and Billy Donovan and Tub Smith's would
(34:00):
be playing and you know they it was. It was amazing.
But he was we we were in with I mean
we we would he would call our water breaks. He
would say, all right, wash out. And the first time
he did that, we all looked at each other and said,
(34:23):
wash out. What's he talking about? And we just stood
there and we were looking at each other. And so
he said, you've done, you know, and he called us
a thing or two that I won't be able to say,
but he called us, you know, he told himself stupid
we were. And he said that means you get a
drink of water.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
And so while you can, right, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:47):
You can, you know, so so like and then you know,
we would go through, you know, all these different. Uh
I remember the first our first practice Sean Woods that
you know, and our conditioning program was brutal. We started
the first day of conditioning, we ran eighteen twenties and
(35:13):
they put us in groups of three. You know, we
have guards forward and big men. The guards had like, uh,
I want to say, let's say thirty two seconds. The
forwards had thirty three, the big man had thirty four.
So you know, they put somebody at the finish line
with the stop watch and we ran at the track.
(35:34):
So we started, you know, first group go, and so
when we sent across the finish line, second group go,
and you started back across the track to the to
the starting line. So when the second group finished, you know,
third group go, and when the third group cross, you
had to be back. Fine, one of the third group
cross go and the clock started and if you was there,
(35:56):
it was signed. And if you weren't, that signed. So
but for everyone you didn't make your time, you had
to run again. But we had people. We had people
passing out, We had people uh you know, full body cramps.
We had people doing things that I've never seen bodies.
But you know, it was unbelievable, you know, and so
(36:17):
so we went through this grueling conditioning program and then
we get to the first day of practice and he
had Coach Patino was over on the side goal and
had Seaun Woods and out and we were doing a
drill player you know, the guy in the corner would
shoot the ball, the other guy would rush him and
(36:38):
you know, had to get down and play defensive. I mean,
and we were we were going like that, and I
mean we were going hard for I mean, you would
not believe how gassed you could be doing the drill
that we were doing. And I mean in just a
few minutes, Uh, we'll kill And so Coach Patina it
(37:00):
was like, what are you guys do? And he looked
at Rock and he jumped all over Rock Oliver, you know,
and he was like, Rock, I thought you said you
had these guys in shape, you know. So it was oh,
I mean it was unbelievable. Uh the intensity that that
man brings to the floor and brings to the table.
But uh, but everything that you've heard, it was that bad.
(37:25):
And then you know they really we have garbage cans
at the end of the floor, you know, at the
end of practice when we would do a conditioning grill,
at the end of practice and there was garbage cans
at each end of the floor and most of the
time they were used. Wow.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Yeah, yeah, just just hearing some of these stories that
I've heard from other people. It just and then you
watch the teams. You watch those Patino teams, and they
were just full court press the entire game and just
wear teams out by the second half of the other
team had no legs. So we gotta take it. We
gotta take a break care of Richie. I got we'll
get into Yeah, we'll get a couple of callers on
(38:02):
who have been patiently holding We'll save them for the
last segment. Here, We'll take a break. Eight five nine,
two twenty two eighty seven. Richie Farmer in Today here
on the ksrpre Show. Final segment of the KSR pre Show.
This is one of those shows where I need two
hours because I haven't gotten through half the things that
I wanted to talk to Richie about. But we've got
some callers who have been patiently waiting. I haven't done
(38:23):
a good job of managing the clock. I get on
Mark Stoops about poor clock management, and I'm like three
minutes left in the show, and I still got to
get to callers. So we'll give as many of you can,
like just a few seconds to ask Ritchie a question.
We'll go to Gary in Orlando. First take Gary, Thanks, yep,
go ahead, Gary, Gary, Hell, all right, let's try free bird.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Hey, Ritchie, I got a question in a commune comment,
A question. Don't take of it for seeing anybody but
another person of a pool beard in eighth or ninth grade?
And who could help you each other?
Speaker 3 (39:07):
You or Russ Chadwell?
Speaker 2 (39:11):
All right, well, I appreciate the guy man and and
thank you so much, but thanks for bird going going
straight up. When we were in high school, I could
you know, I could jump higher straight up off two
legs straight up than table could. But now Russ Chadwell
was an unbelievable apriend. He just kept getting better as
(39:33):
he went on into college, and uh, he could he
could do.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
All right, let's go, yep, let's go to it. Go ahead.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off. I
thought you dropped out. Uh, let's go. Let's go to Jake.
Go ahead, Jake, Yes, how are you guys doing?
Speaker 2 (39:54):
How would you like?
Speaker 3 (39:55):
How would you like? Playing in Mark Mark Pope's system Richie.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
That was my question.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Thanks for the call, Jake. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
I would love to play in Mark Pump's system. He
plays a very system, very similar system to the kind
of thing that I think this team. This year we
did a lot of the things when Sean Woods was
their point guard. He would penetrate and we would spread
out around the three point line and try to make three.
So I think you'll see a lot of that going
(40:26):
on this year as well, with Jayden or with our
new point guard. Time to break down the defenses, getting
in the lane and everybody spreading out, and then we've
also got some guys I think that that can slash
and get to the rim. So it should be a
fun team to watch. But to answer your question, I
would have loved to have played for Mark Pope. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
I think you would have fit in perfectly. Ritchie Man,
this show has flown by. I can't thank you enough
for jumping on here and filling in. We got to
do it again soon, all right, maybe one week when
Billy's out. Next time we'll get you on here and
I can talk some of the other stuff we wanted
to get into. But really appreciate it, and thanks for
joining us on the pre show, and I guess we'll
talk to you on the thirtieth on KSR since you
(41:07):
broke that news at the start of the show today.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Yeah, I listen. It was awesome to be on with you,
and I certainly appreciate you having me, and I just
want to say thanks to all those people out there
that listen and the Big Blue Nation, and I'm really
excited about this year's team, and so I think they
should be too. But thank you so much for having me,
and I look forward to doing the show hopefully sometime
(41:30):
again with you.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
So all right, he is Richie Farmer. Thanks a lot, Richie.
We'll talk to you next time. Let me tell you
on the way out. KSR is the promo code on DraftKings.
Download it right now as a new customer. Bet five,
get two hundred dollars in bonus bets and two hundred
dollars off NFL Sunday ticket only on DraftKings. That's it
for the pre show. KSR is coming up next.
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Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.