Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 3 (01:00):
Welcome to our two of Kentucky Sports Radio present it
by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Warner Back Hour number two Kentucky Sports Radio. Here we
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Everybody join me in welcoming Darius Miller National Champion, State.
Speaker 5 (02:02):
Champion from the University of Kentucky.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Mister basketball, you kind of Darius, I would say lived
the Kentucky kids dream?
Speaker 6 (02:11):
Is that fair to say?
Speaker 7 (02:13):
It was my dream for sure?
Speaker 8 (02:14):
And definitely being able to play for the university, having
the moments that I had at the university growing up,
being a huge fan watching those teams, you know, compete,
win championships, play at an elite level. You know, That's
all I ever wanted to do. You know what I
mean is come to Kentucky, put on for my community,
my state, and have success here.
Speaker 7 (02:36):
So that was definitely my dream.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
I think if you're looking at the twenty years I've
been doing KSR, and you were to just say most
beloved players, like the people that people love the most,
there'd be a group. I mean, obviously like your John Waller,
Anthony Davis is in it. But then I think of
that of the group of people right there with them.
I always say, like Tyler Euless, and I think you're
(02:59):
in that group too, because of the Kentucky connections and.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
The way you played it. Do you feel that love
that the fans have for you?
Speaker 8 (03:06):
Definitely, definitely, And I feel like I'm a part of
the family. Like I grew up as a fan, I
had the same emotions and feelings that y'all had, you
know what I mean. So I can relate to everybody
who is extremely invested in the University. And I carried
a lot of pride when I played for the University
because of that, you know what I mean. I grew up,
like I said, watching uh Tayshaun Prince Patrick's Park.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
That was you, that was your childhood.
Speaker 8 (03:33):
I had a lot of them, watching Tony delt you
know what I mean, Watching all those guys, watching them compete. Uh,
it made me just fall in love with the program.
Uh there was a ton of swag, you know with
those guys. Those teams, they competed at a high level,
ton of talent, and they were always exciting to watch.
So that's what kind of made me fall in love
with the program.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
So let's go.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
I want to go through a little bit of your
career and then I want to talk about the current team.
You you came, we were saying this during the break,
came into Billy G Era. So you had a year
with Billy G. Give me what were your Billy G
thoughts Billy G.
Speaker 8 (04:08):
Billy G was an interesting character. He was an interesting guy.
But I will say Billy G was good with x's
and o's. I think his approach and uh to with
the teams was kind of different, especially when dealing with
high talent guys. Some guys might have egos, feel a
certain way, So when you come in with a different approach,
(04:29):
there's an adjustment period, but a different approach.
Speaker 6 (04:33):
Yeah, like what.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
He liked?
Speaker 8 (04:37):
Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. And uh, you know,
the practices were extremely difficult.
Speaker 7 (04:43):
I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 8 (04:43):
We had boot camp, uh probably two three weeks before
training camp, and it really didn't involve basketball like it
was like some military stuff, you know what I mean.
So it was, it was, it was just it was
a challenge mentally.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Let's clear up a couple of stories because you'll know
the answer. Did George get left in a bathroom stall?
Speaker 9 (05:03):
Uh?
Speaker 8 (05:04):
Not not left in the bathroom stall, He was in
there for a second.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Got he got put in the bathroom there for a second.
Speaker 6 (05:11):
Did he have to ride home separately from the vand again?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Yeah, yeah, okay, so see those those were true.
Speaker 7 (05:19):
We fought it a little bit, but we Yeah, he
had to ride home.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Talk to me about the SEC tournament? What what something happened?
I've always said that I kind of knew the Billy
g er was probably gonna end at the SEC tournament
where all of your family staying together down there, and
and then something happened.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
Did it involve you?
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Was it something?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
What?
Speaker 6 (05:39):
What was it?
Speaker 7 (05:40):
Uh?
Speaker 8 (05:42):
It involved a couple of us, for sure, But I
think I think he just kind of lost the guys.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yeah, which Ei there was somebody like we're having to
walk home or something from a game.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Is that was that true?
Speaker 7 (05:51):
Nah?
Speaker 8 (05:52):
He he was talking about not taking some of us
to SEC tournament. He was talking about Uh uh, there
might have been a statement of we are coming, we
have to walk or something with that team from you
know what I mean. But yeah, he kind of he
kind of lost a couple of guys and a couple
of the key guys too. I think, uh, Jody being
one of them, which was one of our leaders, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Which we saw at the n I T game when
he didn't come out at half time.
Speaker 6 (06:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (06:17):
Yeah, but uh but yeah, yeah, I feel like that's
where it kind of some of the guys were kind
of like fed up.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
But I always also knew I took Ramel Bradley and
Joe Crawford on their on their tour after the thing
was over, and even though they knew he had issues,
they still said, look, his heart was in the right place.
Speaker 7 (06:35):
And it was do you agree with that? It was?
It was?
Speaker 8 (06:37):
And like I said, he was a pretty good X
and O guy too. I think just his delivery at
times kind of turned people off. That's that's all that
it was. And he pushed us really hard. But I
will say when we got into games, it was way
easier than practices.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Yeah, all right, So then Cal comes, Yeah, I mean
you had you play with John Wall, you play with
you know, Brandon Knight, you play with Anthony Davis, Michael
kid Go Christ.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
I mean, what was that like for you? That run?
Speaker 7 (07:04):
Unbelievable? Man.
Speaker 8 (07:05):
I was fortunate to play on some great teams with
some amazing players. We had some great runs and that
kind of developed me into the player that I became,
you know what I mean, showing up having to compete
for minutes every single day. A lot of my matchups
were very difficult in practices.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Was it hard for you guys?
Speaker 4 (07:23):
You Ramone, Perry that had come from the other group,
and then there's Cal. You and Ramone kind of played
a lot. Perry really didn't get to play a lot.
Was that a tough transition.
Speaker 8 (07:35):
Kind of kind of but at the same time you're
playing behind John wallyer Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins. Yeah,
I mean it's somebody's not that, you know what I mean.
Everybody's pretty self aware, you know what I mean. You
know who you're better than, who you're not better than,
who you compete with, who you can't compete with.
Speaker 7 (07:53):
So we just bought into winning the championship.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Was there a moment I always bring up that moment
against North Carolina when y'all went on that run to
start the game with Wall and the crowd goes moment.
Was there a moment where you're like, Okay, we're back.
Did you have that feeling at any point?
Speaker 7 (08:08):
Honestly?
Speaker 8 (08:09):
Man, day one when they came really yeah, because they
were just extremely talented and you can tell they were hungry.
They were hungry, Coach Kyle was hungry, everybody was hungry.
So it was it was a totally different dynamic when
Coach Kyle.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
Came, give me how sad?
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Was the locker room after the West Virginia game saddest
one I've been in ever?
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (08:29):
Yeah, man, we honestly that that was the team that
I felt like we just knew we.
Speaker 7 (08:33):
Was gonna win the championship.
Speaker 8 (08:34):
Might have might have hurt us in the end, but
when really that game came down to us just missing shots.
I'm pretty sure we was three for thirty three from
the three that night. They played a zone on us
and we just couldn't make shots. But they had a
really good team also too. They were tough that year.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
And Missoula, who's now the coach at Boston, was the one.
It was the twenty eleven run to the final four,
a little bit of a surprising run, nearly lost in
the round to Princeton, and then found a way to
get all the way to the final four. That had
to be a special, a special little run right there.
Speaker 8 (09:07):
Definitely, Man, it took it took it took him minute
for us to figure it out.
Speaker 7 (09:11):
Uh we had lost a lot.
Speaker 8 (09:13):
We had some new guys coming in who was trying
to figure out their role, you know what position they
had on the team. Uh So it took us a
while to get rolling. But we were extremely talented, so
we were going to figure it out eventually. And like
I said, Cole's practices they pushed us to be competitive
every single day, so it was going to happen at
some point twenty twelve.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Is Anthony Davis the kind of guy? I mean, you
played with him in the pros too. Is Anthony Davis
the kind of guy that the moment he walked in
you were like, Okay, this is.
Speaker 8 (09:39):
Different one thousand percent one thousand percent because if I
don't know, if many people know, he played guard in
high school, like he was a guard, so when he
came here he had all everything that you see in
the pros as far as like offensively, he had that
in college, but he just fit into a certain role
because he felt like that was better for the team.
But as soon as he got there, you could tell
he was different.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
You famously had the instance at the SEC tournament where
you were inserted into the starting lineup and that worked
and then you became a huge component of that tournament run.
Was that like a bonding moment? Was that a moment
that got your confidence up? That like what everybody talks about.
Speaker 8 (10:19):
Definitely, definitely, because I was trying to figure it out
myself and that was all Gilly.
Speaker 7 (10:24):
That was Gilly's idea.
Speaker 8 (10:25):
One of the greatest teammates I've ever played with, But
that definitely got me rolling for sure. I got to
I got played a pretty good game. We lost that game,
but I played a pretty good game, got into a rhythm,
found my shot a little bit, and it carried over.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
And like you said, it was just a bonding moment.
Speaker 8 (10:39):
Like once, once that happened, all the guys kind of knew,
like everybody was here to win the championship.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
You run through the tournament, you make big shots throughout it.
Having grown up in Kentucky won a Sweet sixteen, mister basketball,
What was it like standing on the floor in New
Orleans watching one shining Everything that happened.
Speaker 8 (11:01):
After, Oh, unbelievable. Man, Like I said, that was a
dream of mine. That's that was my whole goal, to
like win a championship for Kentucky, you know what I mean.
And to be able to do that with the guys
that I got to do it with because we we
built some pretty good relationships my senior year.
Speaker 7 (11:15):
It was amazing.
Speaker 8 (11:15):
That's that's probably the best moment I've had on the
basketball court.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Cal leaves for Arkansas. What's Darius Miller's reaction?
Speaker 7 (11:22):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (11:23):
Man, I was sad. I'm not gonna lie to you.
Cal's my guy, Cow's my guy. I love Cal, I
love all that he did for the state and the university,
but I also I know nothing last forever, you know
what I mean. I know there's there's all all Hall
of Fame coaches. They come to their career comes to
an end at the you know, the college that they
or the program that they spent a lot of time at.
(11:43):
So I was hurt, but I mean, I understand, I
get it.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
But you're not gonna do the re sheepherd thing though,
and wear the Arkansas shorts and the Kentucky shirt.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Kentucky guy. Man, I'm a Kentucky guy from the Kentucky
guy threw it through. Nice love Cale, though, love Cal,
but I'm a Kentucky guy.
Speaker 6 (11:59):
Totally understand. All right.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
So you've watched this team obviously a lot of struggles.
How do you diagnose what's happened this year?
Speaker 8 (12:10):
Well, I think injuries played a part, uh and you
can never predict that or and I think the guys
that were injury that had their injuries were expected to
be big parts of the team. I do know it
takes a long time to build a culture he's only
in year or two, you know what I mean, And
we had some pretty big losses in my opinion, with
Red leaving with these guys that could produce a lot leaving,
(12:34):
you know what I mean. So I feel like it's
just gonna be an adjustment period. But I don't think
that this year is over by any means. Just we
just talked about my junior year. We struggled up until
the end of the SEC you know what I mean,
and our schedules brutal this year.
Speaker 7 (12:47):
Man, we played some really good teams.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
But when you watch them from a basketball standpoint, what
do you think they need?
Speaker 8 (12:56):
I think I think they I think they have talent.
I think I still believe and Coach Pope one thousand percent.
I think they just got to figure it out. Honestly,
There's just so much that goes into winning a basketball game,
especially it's another good team.
Speaker 7 (13:10):
Uh. But I truly believe that us playing the strength
to schedule.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (13:15):
The way that Coach Pope is.
Speaker 8 (13:16):
We saw last night, he's holding people accountable, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
So what did did you have moments when you played
where coaches did something like he did with Garrison?
Speaker 7 (13:28):
I mean I've been benched.
Speaker 8 (13:31):
I think everybody that's who been benched before, you know
what I mean, because there's no telling what's going on
in your life's like how you handle certain situations. Uh uh,
In I L is a new thing, you know what
I mean that people have to kind of adjust.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
And I mean like you would have probably done pretty
well on me.
Speaker 7 (13:50):
I would have loved in I L. I would have
loved in I L for sure.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Can you imagine you're like john ball team, how much
you guys would have made and nil that year.
Speaker 8 (13:59):
I try not to think about it, Honestly, I try
not to think about it.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
That would that would be tough. Now, I actually can
you hope back more and more segment? Tell everybody we'll
talk and begin about it. Tell me about what you
got going on, because I think this is very cool.
Speaker 7 (14:15):
Yeah, so we're we're doing a holiday event, man. We uh.
Speaker 8 (14:19):
One of the reasons we took over the Sports Center
now we're calling the Alumni Center is we wanted to.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
Be the center, which is out next to the mall.
Speaker 8 (14:26):
Thank you, thank you, Yes, out next to the mall,
across from the movie theater. But we wanted to be,
you know, a hub for the community.
Speaker 7 (14:33):
Man.
Speaker 8 (14:33):
We wanted to be able to do all kinds of
community events. Of course there's the the basketball, the volleyball
in there, the training, the tournaments, the camps. But uh,
this is something that I feel like our whole team
is passionate about being able to have community events give
back to the community. Uh, we're doing a toy drive.
We're trying to raise five hundred toys. We've had some
amazing partners and sponsors step up and uh, you know,
(14:57):
trying to make a difference in the community.
Speaker 7 (14:58):
We got Myers Coke. We have let me pull it up.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Okay, get you could do them in the second segment.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
But when is it?
Speaker 7 (15:09):
It is December the nineteenth.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
December five to nine pm.
Speaker 6 (15:14):
And do people bring toys there?
Speaker 7 (15:16):
Yes?
Speaker 8 (15:16):
Yes, And you can bring toys from now into December
the nineteenth. We have a place set up inside of
the gym where you can come over and.
Speaker 7 (15:23):
Drop off toys.
Speaker 8 (15:24):
This Friday, we have Aaron Harrison coming out and some
other guys coming out. We're gonna have a you know,
just have a good time on Friday. You can come
out and drop off some toys. But yeah, we're super excited. Man.
We think we can make a pretty big difference in
a lot of kids Christmas. This year, we partner with Sunrise,
a foster home here in the community, a local local group.
(15:45):
Super excited about partnering with them and being able to
provide a lot of toys. So we're we're excited and
we hope everybody comes out and just have a good
time with us.
Speaker 7 (15:52):
We're looking to have a big.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Party this Friday and next Friday.
Speaker 7 (15:56):
Yep.
Speaker 8 (15:56):
This Friday is like a small taste and then on
the nineteenth will be the whole thing where we got
Santa coming out taking pictures. We're gonna have some hot
chocolate Christmas movies, playing some music, and also a three
point contest. We're raffling off some Kentucky tickets and we're
gonna have some prizes for the three point contest too.
Speaker 7 (16:14):
So we're just trying to make it a fun.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
So Friday Friday to nineteen five to nine, stick stick
tight here. We're gonna take a break, come back with Darius.
If you got a question for him seven seven two
seven seven four five two five four I have a
couple people.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
Are asking him. We'll let Ryan do one since he's
been good. This is asry.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Quarterback techie sports Radio Here with Darius Miller again his
event What next Friday five to nine at the Alumni
Center out next to the mall on Nicholasville Road, bring
presents and kind of connect with the community at Christmas.
Speaker 6 (16:48):
Right, some questions come in.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
I'll go first here what burst rites, Matt, Please ask
Darius about DeMarcus Cousins.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
What was he like off the court?
Speaker 8 (16:57):
Amazing, amazing, that's honestly one of my favorite teammates. Man,
that's one of my favorite teammates. He's such a good dude,
which I'll see is passion man. He's passionate. On the court.
He loved winning, he loved competing. He wanted to be
the best and it showed on the court. But off
the court, man, he's a great dude. I still talk
to him to this day.
Speaker 10 (17:16):
Our conversations before the interview is basically about your daughters.
You got two daughters, he said, they're both soccer players.
Speaker 7 (17:21):
Yeah, yep, yep.
Speaker 10 (17:22):
How you like me and a girl?
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Dad?
Speaker 10 (17:23):
And do you have any advice for this future girl?
Speaker 6 (17:25):
Dad? Right here?
Speaker 7 (17:26):
I'll I love it. I love it. Man.
Speaker 8 (17:29):
They forced me to grow up a ton You know
what I mean, change my perspective on a lot. But
it's been a lot of fun being on the other
side of things, being able to push them towards their passions,
you know what I mean, help them to grow and develop.
It's an amazing ride. It's probably the best thing that's
ever happened to me.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
Matt ran through the timeline of your career. But there's
one game I wanted to bring up because we play
them on Saturday Indiana. Wasn't the most the best experience. Yeah,
for a year at the bottom of the pile, Matt
and I saw it. That was utter chaos. But talk
about how bad that was, but then how nice it
was to get them back later in the year.
Speaker 8 (18:07):
They seem to forget that part. Oh my goodness. It
was crazy. It was crazy.
Speaker 7 (18:12):
It was. It was a lot of fun until the
end where they.
Speaker 6 (18:15):
You're the one getting trampled, remember it well.
Speaker 8 (18:18):
But no, it was it was a ton of fun.
That rivalry, as we all know, is crazy, super competitive.
Uh so, I'm definitely.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
I mean, I say, it's the meanest crowd I've ever
been in by far.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Do you agree with that?
Speaker 7 (18:37):
It's one of them?
Speaker 6 (18:39):
What else? Who else is mean?
Speaker 10 (18:41):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (18:41):
Louisville was pretty tough back in the day, of course.
Speaker 8 (18:44):
Yeah, uh uh man, most of the sec squal I
feel I feel like every time we went somewhere it
was a white out, of black out, of blue out,
a red out. South Carolina was tough to play in
back in the day. That Devin Downey and a couple
of teams.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Okay, so that was after Obama called what was it
like to like, you guys are in a college basketball
season and hello, mister President, this is DeMarcus Cousins.
Speaker 6 (19:09):
Uh. That had to be crazy, man.
Speaker 8 (19:12):
We had some of the wildest people show up to
games and show interesting in our teams, especially that John
Wall DeMarcus here, we had.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
A magic you had Lebron, you had jay z.
Speaker 8 (19:24):
Z Drake was there a couple of times. Jake Cole
came out a couple of times. It was wild, man.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
It was wild as a college kid. That has to
be like nuts, doesn't it.
Speaker 10 (19:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (19:36):
And a bit distracting, was it? Uh?
Speaker 8 (19:40):
I think we just that This kind of goes back
to what I was saying earlier. Man, I really think
we just knew we were gonna win it, you know
what I mean?
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Just the you weren't here. Embarrassing was it when Drake
shot those air balls? I mean, I know you weren't
here for that, but that was still pretty embarrassing, right.
Speaker 7 (19:56):
I wasn't expecting it to look at But I'm not
gonna lie to you. I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 6 (20:00):
To you what he said in the media room in
the full warm up.
Speaker 10 (20:03):
It was on the team.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
No, I mean that was to be fair that that
that kind of happened.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Talk to me.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
We always talked about those early col staffs having like
the perfect a conglomeration of people, John Roebick doing a
lot of the X and o's, Kenny Payne, Orlando talk
about those early staffs because I thought one of the
keys to Cal's success earlier was how good those staffs were.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
Oh this, Yeah, the staff was crazy. Man.
Speaker 8 (20:31):
I got to play for some amazing coaches that pushed
us every single day. Uh, and yeah, that that was
a part of the magic for sure. You know, Cal
does a really good job of hiring a great staff,
especially guys that fit his culture, that fits his his vision.
And uh, he definitely did that here at Kentucky. Man,
those guys were amazing. Kenny Payne was amazing. He did
(20:53):
a great job pushing guys like me, Josh Harrelson, you know,
to to to be better players.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
Did you ever think Georges would end up where he was?
Speaker 4 (21:02):
I mean when the guy that walked in here under
Billy that he could end up being like a hero
like he was his last year here.
Speaker 8 (21:11):
I don't know if I saw that happening, but that
that just goes to talk to like the development that
those guys were doing.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
Man kp.
Speaker 8 (21:20):
Robes strict, we had a we had a crazy we
had a crazy group come through and I'm really appreciative
of that for sure, because they taught us how to
be pros.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
We'll finish up with this You've got.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
If you were to say to Kentucky fans for a player,
I think sometimes fans don't think about what it's like
to play here from the side of a player. What's
the best part of playing at Kentucky? And then I
think there are challenges playing here that players at other
schools may not have as much.
Speaker 6 (21:50):
What are those?
Speaker 8 (21:52):
The best part, of course is the fan the traditions,
the atmosphere. It's just like you're not going to get
that anywhere else. You're not gonna get to support that
you get anywhere else, you know what I mean. People
show out no matter where you're playing in the world.
We went to Hawaii, it felt like we were in Lexington.
We went to Mexico, it felt like we were in Lexington.
We went to Canada, it felt like we were in Lexington.
(22:14):
And it's just amazing support. The tough side of that
is our fans have high standards and high expectations, you
know what I mean. Coach Pops in year two, we
expect them to win the championship, you know what I'm saying.
So it's tough, and I think a lot of guys
they don't understand that. They hear it, but until you're
actually in it, and it's every single day, those expectations,
(22:35):
those standards.
Speaker 7 (22:35):
Are are on you no matter if you're.
Speaker 8 (22:38):
Feeling the way. I don't think it weighs on you.
It just depends on the person that you are, you
know what I mean. Some people feed off of that.
Some people it might be a little bit too much
for them. Some people adjust to it, some people don't.
But I will say, if if you use it the
right way, it pushes you to It pushed you to
be the best player you can be, no other way
(22:58):
it can go, honestly.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
Darius Miller five to nine next Friday.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
Also a partial event this Friday bring out gifts for
children across Kentucky. Thank you very much. You've always been
a class act throughout your time here. One of the
most beloved Kentucky players to play at this school and
a member of the state.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
Thank you very much, Darius Miller, appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
We will take a break and be right back. This
is Kentucky Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
Call tj He'll make them pay.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Now more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage.
Speaker 11 (23:30):
Here's Matt Jones.
Speaker 6 (23:31):
Welcome back.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
It is Kentucky Sports Radio.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
If I'm nine, two, eight, twenty two eighty seven, folks
here on Wingsday, Dollar Wings all day and night.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
Come on out in this little rainy day.
Speaker 4 (23:43):
Let's talk about a couple other things here before we
go to the phones. Did you see the shannon the
throw by the attempt at a shot by ESPN's Chris Russo.
Speaker 11 (23:57):
No, I haven't seen this.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
Please look it up. Okay, go have you seen it.
Speaker 7 (24:01):
I've seen it.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
Chris Russo tries to take a half court shot at
an Arizona State game and seems to a not know
how to move, B, not know how to dribble, c
not know how to shoot, and d seemingly about to
(24:22):
tear his ACL all on one shot. It is, without question,
I have to tell you it's the most unathletic thing
I've ever seen in my life. Like take we talk
about the first pitches, and there have been a lot
of bad first pitches, but that's one action. That's just
throwing a ball. Shinnon, He does everything poorly there and
(24:44):
what is.
Speaker 11 (24:44):
He trying to do?
Speaker 3 (24:44):
A crossover before he takes a half court shot and
then launches it.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
But he dribbles, He dribbles, nearly falls down when he dribbles,
picks it up, shoots it one handed, and seems to
tear his ACL in the process.
Speaker 11 (25:00):
Over the line too. That wasn't even a half court shot.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
What would you call that? I don't even know.
Speaker 10 (25:06):
It looked like at the first time he had ever
touched a basketball in his life.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
ESPN should have fired him at that moment.
Speaker 10 (25:12):
On the spot.
Speaker 6 (25:13):
How can you? How can you?
Speaker 4 (25:15):
And I'm not saying I'm a great athlete, but I
don't know how you can talk about sports and move
like that.
Speaker 6 (25:22):
And we've seen people you get older, maybe they can't
get it there because they have a shoulder injury. There's
but there's still have a natural motion that once upon
a time they at least know what they're supposed to
be doing. The body just quit on him. This looks
like a guy who's never actually seen someone shoot a basketball.
It looks like he's never played asport or seen someone
play it. I mean, not just have no concept of
(25:42):
how to hold it.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Like I remember when the Mayor of Cincinnati threw that
first pitch and John Wall threw a bad first pitch.
Speaker 6 (25:52):
But that's again one thing. He did everything badly.
Speaker 10 (25:58):
Like I said at the time, that he'd ever touched
a basketball, ever tried to shoot a basketball. But the
fact that he injured himself at the end of it,
I think is icing on the cake.
Speaker 12 (26:06):
That's everything. He did not take one movement that was
not awful. Take the basketball, the equation. I don't know
that he's ever ran before.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
I don't know that his faint have gone that fast
beyond walking. How did everyone on the gym just not
start laughing in him?
Speaker 3 (26:25):
The hair flop at the end is what gets it
for me, his hair flopping as he's hoveling off.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
He does look to be in severe pain.
Speaker 10 (26:34):
Maybe it's the most he's moved in his life. It's
a long time.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
One of its top three worst attempt at something I've
ever seen. Second, Australia, the country of Australia just banned,
starting today social media for anyone under sixteen. If you
are under sixteen, you cannot be on social media in Australia.
(26:59):
The Prime got up and said there's too many bad
things that can happen for kids on social media, including
self esteem issues but also trafficking, like all kinds of
things that whatever positive occurs from it is offset by
the negative. Do you like that policy in Australia and
would you do you think they should have it here?
Speaker 6 (27:21):
At first it seems kind of crazy, but there are
so many issues that can happen at that young age,
little things like we don't even consider. I had a
teacher tell me recently that their students deal with where
locations are on. It could be something as simple as
three friends are together and you see that you're not
even invited. Yeah, stuff like that leave a side trapping.
I mean, there's major, major things, but there's little things
you don't even think about that it can really affect,
(27:43):
you know, the most impressionable years of their youth and
when they're becoming who they are where they're just everything
on social media can be trash, and that's they're They're
just all consumed in it.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
I'm generally of the belief you air on the side
of letting information out, but I actually kind of think
I'm for this.
Speaker 5 (28:02):
I kind of think that they.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
I mean, we already say that kids can't watch certain
kind of movies, right, I mean, we have age restrictions.
Sixteen actually kind of makes sense to me as an
age because they're able to drive at that point, so
they're going to be able to like go out.
Speaker 6 (28:20):
And I don't know, I think I'm kind of for this.
What do you think.
Speaker 10 (28:23):
I'm definitely for it. You know, cyber bullying has led.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
To that's like another great point.
Speaker 10 (28:28):
Yeah, it's led to you know, young kids committing suicidecause
they get cyber bullies so bad through social media. There
are too many black spots. I think that's why I'm
I'm for it. You know, my kids grew up with
it and it was at time. It's it's awful uh,
you know with the bullying and the leads to depression
and things.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
So as hard as an adult sometimes to read some
of the stuff that people send to you somebody at
sixteen or younger.
Speaker 5 (28:51):
Yeah, that so we have all four of us would
say we would.
Speaker 7 (28:55):
Be for that, would be for it. I would vote
for it.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
Yes, the cons far away the pro what is the pro?
You get to watch some well the.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
Problem is I guess you could say like you can
you could learn things and you can connect with people,
and I mean, but yes, I.
Speaker 6 (29:08):
Think the cons the cons seem much worse for that age. Yeah,
I'm kind of with you on that.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
I think that Australia's probably right if in uh in
doing that.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Lastly, for some reason, this story really makes me laugh.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
So you may see that there was a big Paramount
bought CBS and they're trying to buy Netflix.
Speaker 6 (29:33):
Will ever see me.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
They're trying to buy Warner Brothers, which is like HBO
and Turner and all that stuff. But when they bought
when Paramount bought CBS, the government has to approve these mergers.
And I guess the guy that heads Paramount is close
with Trump and he met with Trump and amongst the things.
Apparently that Trump said he needed to do to approve
the merger was he wanted Paramount to agree to make.
Speaker 6 (29:58):
Rush Hour four.
Speaker 10 (30:00):
You gotta be kidding.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
I'm not kidding. Don't look it up. He said, no,
you think I'm joking. This is who's in charge, folks.
He said Rush Hour were his favorite movies and he
wanted them to make Rush Hour four. And now Paramount
has agreed to get Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker wherever
they are. I don't even know where those guys. I
(30:23):
haven't seen either of those guys in a decade. They
are going to make Rush Hour four.
Speaker 6 (30:30):
What do you make of that? Why is no one
thinking about Jackie Chan here? I mean, it was already
amazing that he was throwing that stuff in his prime.
I honestly thought he was dead.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
He's got to be in like his seventies.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
We can't put him through that. We cannot put Jackie
Chan through that. This is great.
Speaker 11 (30:44):
I think it's great. Like if I had the power
to make channing.
Speaker 4 (30:48):
You're reading my mind. I was gonna ask you this.
I feel like you're the kind of person that, if
you became president, would make people make the movies you want.
I feel like you are the kind of person that
would do that.
Speaker 11 (31:00):
I would demand, like Chi cheese restaurants are open and
can see. I would demand that.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Jeff Bridges comes back when we make Big Lebowski too, So.
Speaker 6 (31:10):
You would demand a big Lebaski sequel.
Speaker 11 (31:12):
John Goodman, Yeah, bring them back, let's do it. Yeah,
I would. I would use my power for that for reasons.
Speaker 6 (31:18):
I mean, they're there.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
It's ridiculous, but there is something kind of funny of
I like the rush Hour movies.
Speaker 6 (31:28):
It's like what a child would do.
Speaker 7 (31:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
I like rush Hour. I'm president, make more rush hours.
Give me more rush hours, right.
Speaker 6 (31:37):
I also like that it's not like a classic movie
where there's one and you want more. I mean, we
had three of them. It was already kind of running
its course as it is. I can't does he want
another Fast in the fur can?
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Do you think Jackie Chan can still do all that stuff?
Speaker 9 (31:50):
Like?
Speaker 5 (31:51):
Do you think he?
Speaker 4 (31:51):
I mean, I don't remember those like, but he's got
He's like kung fu. I don't want to keep I
keep kicking my leg up in the air like I'm
doing kung fu. But do you think he can still
do it?
Speaker 10 (32:01):
I didn't think the other Rush hours were any good
to begin with. I sure don't want to see Rush
Hour four.
Speaker 6 (32:05):
I didn't like the.
Speaker 11 (32:06):
First time for you. It's for Trump.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
They're only going to show it to one person.
Speaker 10 (32:10):
That's so crazy, this billion dollar acquisition. And he's like, Nope,
I'm not.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
Going you need Rush Our four. Who's up next? Jay? Jay?
Go ahead, Jay?
Speaker 13 (32:22):
Hey, Matt, what's going on?
Speaker 6 (32:23):
What's up? Hey?
Speaker 13 (32:25):
So I'm like a sixteen year veteran of the military, Okay,
I want to tell you this. Maybe it's an analogy
that could make some sense here in the military, every
two to three years, the commander of a particular unit
or battalion of brigade gets moved out and a new
one gets moved in. Their reasoning for doing that is
(32:47):
to prevent stagnation, Yeah, and conflacency and to promote innovation.
Speaker 6 (32:55):
Makes perfect sense to me.
Speaker 13 (32:57):
Yeah, it would be amazing if not only the University
of Kentucky it embraced that. But maybe even I don't
know are government.
Speaker 6 (33:06):
I'm with you, I'm with you.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
I have one of the guys that's in my fellowship
with me is in army leadership, and he talks and
he has told me that exact thing his I think
we're three years, but he said, we don't really believe
in anyone leading a group more than three years, and
that he was like asked to extend for a year,
and he's basically said no for the exact reason you said.
He goes, people get tired of hearing the same voice,
(33:31):
and you need to have new ideas. So I appreciate
the call.
Speaker 14 (33:37):
I not.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
I mean, three years is a very short period for athletics,
but I think that does apply Ryan, when you're talking
about somebody who's been in the job for twenty three years.
Speaker 10 (33:45):
Yeah, I mean that's why we have I think term
limits in political.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
We don't though we should. Well we do for some jobs,
but we don't for on some others.
Speaker 10 (33:54):
Yeah, President, things like that. You know, your leader. Sometimes
you need that breath of fresh to re energize your department,
whether it's athletics or political, whatever it is.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
And here with college sports, nothing right now is the
same as it was when they started. And you know
they were good at back twenty three years ago, but
nothing is the same as it was then. But I
worry we're still playing by the same rules as back then.
And it's exponentially different, and not just in aile. Everything
is different, ye, just the way fans consume it, and
(34:23):
one from media and one from experience. Everything is different,
But we have the same people in place. They aren't
good at both areas. Maybe they were good at the
old air, that don't mean they're good at the new era.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
With most of our coaches, there's been a moment where
I saw the moment where I went, it's time. You've
probably now you said something that makes me think this
may not be for you anymore. For Stoops, it was
the pony up conversation. I think that was the moment
where I was like, I don't think he's totally connected
(34:54):
to this anymore.
Speaker 6 (34:56):
Honestly.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
For John cal Perry was that I'm gonna go home
and see my dog's conversation. That was a moment of
I don't think you get how bad that sounds.
Speaker 6 (35:05):
Part of me is Mitch the other day.
Speaker 4 (35:08):
With his losing it about the question about Nil that
part of me wondered, is that that moment for him
where you just go, man, I just don't know that
you're connected to this anymore.
Speaker 6 (35:21):
That was an embarrassing answer on a day that was
a celebration. What an opportunity that was just laid at
his feet to get some excitement and be like, look
at this new coach, we need more, we can do better.
Let's fuel him with a good roster. Let's feed these studs.
And he just told her By to shut up instead
of actually building on me. He was only there two years,
but Billy Gillespie was the.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
I'm not a role model or whatever his company is.
I'm not an ambassador for the university like they have
these moments. And I do kind of wonder if that
was Mitch's.
Speaker 10 (35:50):
So do you still feel like we're just what three
weeks away from a big announcement from min Well, I don't.
Speaker 4 (35:55):
Know if it'll be in three weeks. I don't think
he will be the athletic director next fall, but well
ask him if he comes on next week. Uh and
see what he says. Is pain, stiffness or numbing sensation
preventing you from enjoying watching your favorite team compete. For
over thirty years, Court has been Kentucky's go to physical
therapy group to help athletes, fans, and average jos. If
you have insurance deductibles, you still can uh, maybe go
(36:17):
for free till the end of the year. Go to
court dot com. That's kort dot com. Will you crawl
under the table if we have uh, Mitch, after all.
Speaker 10 (36:26):
Of these conversations, I'm gonna have a tent in here.
I'll be hiding in the tent.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
But he won't come in here. We'll have to go
to it'll have to come to studio. Will you even
stay in the studio.
Speaker 10 (36:35):
No, I'll be out in the tent somewhere, hiding profusely,
hiding from whatever you Yeah.
Speaker 6 (36:40):
I don't even know how what that means.
Speaker 10 (36:41):
I don't either, but it sounded good.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
All right, Well, no it didn't. We'll take a break
right back. This is Kentucky Sports Radio, Nohole Questions. Welcome back,
TUCKI Sports Radio. We got some breaking news here.
Speaker 6 (36:54):
Shannon running No.
Speaker 14 (36:56):
A UK's former UK offensive coordinator, Bush Hampden, has been
hired as the assistant head coach in charge of offense
at Mississippi State.
Speaker 6 (37:07):
He actually won't be the coordinator.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
I don't know what that means, but I guess they
found something they liked there from Bush Drew quick.
Speaker 6 (37:15):
To find a job. I'll admitim a little surprise that's
in the SEC. But congrats to him.
Speaker 10 (37:20):
I think there was a stretch this season where we
didn't appreciate Bush Hampden. I mean, I think when the
offense got rolling, I think he had a lot to
do with it because he finally felt confident and Cutter
calling the right plays for Cutter, putting cut in the
better position. Now, of course we're all gonna go back
to the Texas game, but that may not have been
him making that call.
Speaker 6 (37:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
It'd be interesting if Mississippi State goes and has a
great offense. I don't know, then that might tell us
that there were other things.
Speaker 11 (37:46):
Remember mobile game and we didn't score a point.
Speaker 6 (37:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (37:49):
Also, Liam Liam Cohen's doing pretty well.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
By the way, he might win Coach of the Year.
Speaker 4 (37:52):
I mean he Yeah, they're actually doing pretty excellent. DraftKings
go to Draft Kings. In my promo code came R
not a lot of choices Tonight, I guess I will
take the NBA Immirates Cup, that's the mid season tournament.
Spurs Lakers tonight, both teams on winning streaks.
Speaker 10 (38:12):
Who you got Lakers, I'll go Spurs. Then just make
it a little.
Speaker 5 (38:16):
Different, I'll go Lakers.
Speaker 6 (38:17):
What do you have?
Speaker 5 (38:18):
Spurs?
Speaker 4 (38:20):
By the way, Kelton Johnson just sort of following UK guys.
Keldn Johnson playing pretty well this year for the Spurs
in a six man row. And Rob Dillingham now lots
of talk he might end up getting traded like they
just he's not even he got taken out of the rotation.
Speaker 6 (38:36):
Really worked out for him. No, most of the guys
we keep eyes on closely or having a great year.
Reid turned it on after a slow start. But Rob,
we were expecting a big jump for him and it
just hadn't happened.
Speaker 4 (38:45):
Who would have thought, I mean, Justin Edwards plays well, yeah,
he does. You know, Reid and Justin Edwards have become
but Rob. Look at Mario. Look how sad he is
over there about Rob.
Speaker 6 (38:56):
Rob. You know, Rob and Brownie just aren't living up
for him.
Speaker 4 (38:59):
Yeah, I'm bombed. I love Ron, but it's just not
worked out for him.
Speaker 6 (39:03):
There, he's so fun. I thought there'd be a bigger jump.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
I did too.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
I thought he maybe another opportunity would be a good
start for him. If maybe, so, who's up next?
Speaker 7 (39:10):
Let's go to Jared.
Speaker 5 (39:11):
Jared, Go ahead, Jared.
Speaker 15 (39:15):
Hey, guys, I want't talk about the atmosphere at UK games.
So I've been intentially not gone to basketball games for
how boring it is and for context, Like I'm thirty three,
I had more fun at a Hawaii volleyball game against
Texas State being just a normal Kentucky basketball game is
at Reparena because it is so boring inside in between
(39:35):
like TV timeouts for it's well, I mean.
Speaker 4 (39:38):
There's a lot of people that will tell you that
even now, going to a women's volleyball game or a
women's basketball game is more fun than going to a
men's basketball game.
Speaker 6 (39:47):
I mean there's a lot of.
Speaker 4 (39:48):
I'm saying, yeah, I'm sorrying here at Kentucky, even here
at Kentucky.
Speaker 13 (39:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 15 (39:53):
So well, I'm saying I'm going to a Hawaii at
Hawaii volleyball game against Texas State, which is not a
great game to go to, but I had more fun, yeah,
with a crowd atmosphere there than a Kentucky basketball game.
Speaker 4 (40:07):
Yeah, well, I appreciate the call. I mean, there's no
doubt it's an issue. We've talked about it for a
long time. I don't think it will change as long
as Mitch Barnhart's the eighty because I don't think he considers.
Speaker 6 (40:16):
It a priority to be honest with him. So was
that quote a long time ago? Fans want water, air conditioning,
it somewhere to sit, he said something along ago did
say that.
Speaker 5 (40:24):
He did make it sound like it was a concentration camp.
He was like, they need.
Speaker 6 (40:29):
Food, shelter, It is about to be twenty twenty six.
People want fun.
Speaker 10 (40:34):
Yeah, it's almost like he used it as you know,
we're supposed to be the most professional atmosphere that because
we're Kentucky, we're the gold standard. We don't need to
entertain you. You get entertained by our basketball.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
And that was true probably in the seventies our eighties.
Speaker 6 (40:50):
But this is different. There's so much other stuff.
Speaker 4 (40:52):
People just other things, and all you gotta do is
go look at the difference in the atmosphere.
Speaker 5 (40:56):
Even in Nashville.
Speaker 4 (40:58):
Yeah right, you have a different atmosphere when we play
in those places. And I will say to people, if
you think the rough atmosphere is great, go.
Speaker 6 (41:07):
To one of these other arenas. Uh.
Speaker 4 (41:09):
I mean I was at Louisville, Kentucky. It was wild,
and even when things are good at Kentucky, I don't
know if it gets like that, I just you know,
and I think that's that's an issue.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
One more.
Speaker 5 (41:23):
Who's next, Matt, Matt, go quickly, go ahead.
Speaker 9 (41:28):
First thing I like to say is my mom wanted
to tell you. She put you all the prayer list,
Matt Jones for your family and God bless and many prayers.
Speaker 7 (41:38):
Is it crazy.
Speaker 9 (41:41):
She's a big fan? Is it crazy to suggest like
everybody moved back into the dorm rooms like they used
to in the old days and hash it out and
come together, maybe even do some meditation. And you know,
I'd like to say, God bless and everybody make good.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
Choyes, appreciate it, appreciate the call. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (42:02):
I mean most of them, some of them live there,
some of them don't. I don't know that that would
do anything, all right. Kentucky Volleyball tomorrow plays at three
point thirty in their in their sweet sixteen game. We'll
have it on here at the bar. They play at
three thirty right here at the arena. Still some tickets
on sale as well, and then if they win, they
play Friday evening. We will be having a Ryan hosted
(42:25):
watch party on Friday.
Speaker 10 (42:27):
Could be for a trip to the final four could
be a huge game.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
Big weekend for UK volleyball. We will be back here tomorrow.
Love to have you come say hello, We'll see you later.
This has been Kentucky Sports Radio