KSR Postgame UK MBB vs Gonzaga 12/05/25

Billy and Ryan recap the Cats' 94-59 loss vs Gonzaga.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome everyone to the local Toyota Dealers KS our postgame
show A tough one tonight, as the Cats lose to
Gonzaga ninety four to fifty nine in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena.
It was ugly and we'll talk about it tonight. We
want to hear from you. I'm Billy Rutlie, normally the
producer of this show, hosting without Matt. I've brought Ryan

(00:22):
Lemon into the studio just to toss some things off
of good evening. Ryan, how are you?

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, we couldn't let you do this show by yourself
because you know, usually these postgame shows, even after bad loss,
we try to have a little fun, try to make
you make it a little lighthearted. Can't do that tonight. That
was awful.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
Well.

Speaker 1 (00:37):
I was prepared to go solo tonight, but I appreciate
you coming in from the bullpen. We are in place
of Matt tonight. If you have not heard, he posted
on Facebook earlier tonight he got a diagnosis of his dad, Larry,
that is not good. So he is just not in
the right headspace right now. We want to send our
thoughts and prayers to Matt and his family going through
these tough times right now.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, I mean, Matt really apologize for not being here,
and he wanted to let people to know that. But
he's doing the right thing. He's with his family right
now where he should be. You know. That's so Larry.
So he said, it's had, you know, the medical issue
come up his dad, and so he's going to be
there for his mom and them. So we completely understand
and prayers for Larry.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yeah, our heart is with you, Matt. We're thinking about
you and your family. Now, Ryan, you are the one
that normally gets stuck with these crappy postgame shows, So
I'm gonna host this one. Are you okay with that?

Speaker 2 (01:28):
I've had I've had many many It's times your turn.
But I said, like, I can't even joke about it.
I'm such in a bad mood about what I just saw.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
That was awful.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
I mean, as bad as the Louisville game was, as
bad as the Michigan State game was, as bad as
the North Carolina game was, Yeah, tonight was worse. It
was just a beatdown of epic proportions.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
Tonight, Kentucky shoots twenty seven percent from the field, sixteen
percent in the first half, and Ryan, I swear I
was in a fever dream for that first half. I
mean Kentucky had not scored a point by the first
the first TV timeout.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, they had one point one free throw at the
first TV time one point. They had two points into
the game, and then at the second TV time out
that only had two point two free throws.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Tretton Noah passes up a wide open three and they
go down nineteen to two at the second TV timeout.
I'm losing my mind. I'm pulling my hair out. You know,
Tom and Jack are doing their best to stay positive, man,
but I couldn't help but hit the panic button. Ryan,
I've hit it.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
To put in perspective. Kentucky missed forty two of their
first forty seven shots.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Is that right?

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (02:39):
And to go along with the end of the last
game where they went two of sixteen to end the
game and get You're right, Ryan, that could have been
the two worst losses I've ever experienced working here on
the UK Sports Network.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, we simply've been a part of this. We've had
some bad losses, you know, Saint Peter's and Oakland obviously
were back there in the tournament, but this was such
a beatdown on both ends of the floor. Couldn't not
make a stop, could not e k could have scored
one hundred points to night if he wanted to. Huff
could have had a hundred if he wanted to. We
could not make a stop. And then on the offensive end,
could not make a bucket, could not score.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
You mentioned ek. This one comes from Corey Price. He
had more two point baskets than the entire Kentucky basketball
team tonight.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
I don't doubt it. Seriously, I don't doubt that that's
it's pathetic. It was inexcusable. I mean, I know we'll
get to it, but there was a lot of booze
in the stadium. I can't I don't think I would
ever boo But you know, those people spend a lot
of money, bought tickets, hotel, rooms, food, spend a lot
of time and effort to watch that pathetic performance. I

(03:41):
can understand why they were upset. Regardless what you feel
about the booing. It was a total bad look all.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
But it was justified. I mean, the product on the
court is embarrassing, awful, embarrassing, and they deserve the criticism
that they're gonna get. Now. This is something that you know,
you mentioned the booing. I look at these guys in
the body language just jumps off the screen. Yeah. No,
confidence is something that Jack was talking about a lot.
This team has no confidence right now. What's their identity?

Speaker 2 (04:10):
They don't have one.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
I mean, if you could point to one thing that
this Kentucky basketball team does well, what is it?

Speaker 2 (04:17):
Just one?

Speaker 1 (04:18):
Tell me, because I don't think there is one thing
that this Kentucky basketball team does well. This offense was
historically bad, and now we have to pick up the
pieces and try to reevaluate what the season looks like
because they have Final four expectations, not just because it's
Kentucky and it's always Final four expectations, but a twenty

(04:39):
two million dollar roster that we've talked about. These guys
were supposed to come in second year of Mark Pope
and do great things. But Mark Pope has completely misjudged
his roster. Yeah, he has recruited the wrong guys.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
I thought we had shooters, guys Cam Williams, Trent Noah.
They can't buy bucket most of the time. And to
be honest, Billy, they're getting worse. This is their worst performance.
It's this they played worse tonight than against North Carolina.
At least in North Carolina they held the Tarhells the
sixty seven close game. Yeah, it was a close game game.
This is they're they're getting worse.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
You know, when Mark Pope was hired, we all watched
a YouTube video about Mark Pope's offense.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
Oh yeah, do you remember the apps?

Speaker 4 (05:24):
It was like.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
Video game shooting numbers and like analytical approach. And I
think we all bought in. We got behind the nostalgia
and you know, this could be somebody that brings Kentucky
back to a promised land where the jersey means more
than the name on the back. Whatever, where's that offense?
I mean this could be see it tonight he's below

(05:44):
five hundred against Power four teams.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
Yeah, now he's fourteen and sixteen. I think it's against
Power fourteen.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
There's no fire, there's no energy, there's no leadership. Now,
I will give credit to Pope. He was much better
in the post game. You know, he's usually very down.
I thought he gave some better answers tonight. But when
I say leadership, I also meet on the court. I
mean you went all in on two experienced guys and
gave them some big n IL dollars this year, Otega

(06:11):
Away and Brandon Garrison, and you could argue those are
the two biggest disappointments of the year.

Speaker 2 (06:17):
Definitely Brandon Garrison and then your two top transfer portal guys.
Aberdeen's not living up to his potential. Diabate hasn't played
in a month. Like I said that, they're getting worse.
But at the same time, I don't know what the
answer is, and I don't know if you heard the
postgame show with Jack Gibven said he could tell during
pregame warmups the energy just wasn't there, Like they were

(06:40):
not even focused on the other end than Gonzagi. You
could tell they are ready to play a big time
game and Kentucky was not. They just weren't ready.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
I mean they lost to how many points to Michigan
thirty forty forty and then beat Kentucky by thirty five tonight.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yes, I saw the stat at the end of the game.
First a in the modern era, a team lose by
thirty and then turn around a win by thirty against
two ranked teams.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
Then you have DeMarcus Cousins tweeting after the game, did
you see what he said.

Speaker 2 (07:09):
Right, Yeah, that's uh well. Pope was asked about it
in the postgame news conference, Jack Pilgrim asking him about.

Speaker 1 (07:14):
It, DeMarcus Cousins can't lie. This UK team has no heart.
This is hard to watch. Shake my head, it is
hard to watch. It was really hard to watch.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
As bad as it was against Michigan State the other night,
I mean against North Carolina the other night, this was worse.
Couldn't score and then you couldn't stop anybody.

Speaker 1 (07:32):
I'm glad you brought up the fans in Nashville because
I feel bad for them. They spend a lot of
money to go to these Marquee games.

Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (07:38):
And in the Marquee games this year, Kentucky's zero to four,
and now you really have to question will they win
a non conference game outside of North Carolina Central On
Tuesday when Indiana comes into roupp Arena, are they gonna
make a three?

Speaker 3 (07:51):
Like?

Speaker 1 (07:51):
These are the questions we have to start asking ourselves. Now,
I am not gonna call myself a basketball benny. I'm
not gonna break down the screens. I'm not gonna break
down the play calling that was happened in the game.
So this show is for you eight five nine two
eight zero two two eight seven. We want to hear
your thoughts tonight like we always do. Ryan, I thought
I was flying solo tonight, so I booked a guest.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
Well, that's that's a good guest.

Speaker 1 (08:14):
Matt Norlander, the national college basketball writer, will be joining
us for the first call of the next segment. I
want to get a national perspective of what he thinks
about this team.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
Absolutely, somebody from the outside looking in. You know, we're
all crushed because we're fans. Okay, let's leave what he
has to say. You know, he's a basketball Bennie, he's
a basketball expert. Let's hear what he has.

Speaker 1 (08:31):
Let's hear what he has to say, because I am
almost at a loss for words right now, just trying
to think of what to say going on this postgame
show without completely burning bridges. Ryan, I mean, I work
with the UK network, right, so I stay positive. I
want Kentucky, Kentucky to succeed.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
But we're we're we're human, and we see what people
are saying. Pope is over his head, Pope's on the
hot seat. Pope's this big job, too big for him.
I mean, it's starting to to get out there. And now, Billy,
I mean, it's not crazy. They're in danger of not
making the NCAA tournament.

Speaker 1 (09:06):
They're not an NCAA tournament team right now. No, well,
I don't know how you look at this team and
think that they're gonna have any success against physical teams
in the SEC. Now, Jaden Quaytan's could come back. Jalen
Lowe came back and had some energy tonight. But does
this roster have the puzzle pieces to make a Sweet
sixteen or Elite eight.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
I just I'm starting to doubt it.

Speaker 1 (09:25):
I've run out of patience, like I've just my doubts
have overcome. So give us a call to night eight
five nine two eight zero two two eight seven. You're
on the local Toyota Dealers KSR postgame show. When we
come back, we'll speak with Matt Orlander and then we'll
hand it off to you. We want to hear what
you think about tonight. And I'm sure there's gonna be
some calls. Hey, volleyball team, one volleyball team, one volleyball school.

Speaker 2 (09:46):
We are a volleyball school, No doubt.

Speaker 1 (09:48):
That's right. It's Ryan Lemon and Billy Rutledge. Filling in
for Matt tonight. We're thinking about him, but we'll hear
from you next here on the Local Toyota Dealers KSR
postgame Show. Welcome back. This is the Local Toyota Dealers
KSR postgame Show, picking up the pieces after Kentucky's ninety
four to fifty nine loss to Gonzaga down in Nashville.
It's Billy Rutlerge and Ryan LeMond. Thought I was flying

(10:10):
solo tonight, so I wanted a national perspective before we
get to the phones. Matt Norlander of CBS Sports does
a great job covering college basketball. He joined Matt on
his Interrupted with Matt Jones podcast a couple of months
ago where we talked a little bit about Kentucky, and
Matt now joins us live here on the postgame show. Matt,
thank you for taking some time, but I need some help, man.

(10:31):
You got to help me talk through this Kentucky basketball team.
What is going on with Kentucky right now?

Speaker 5 (10:40):
Well, the actual answers to that can only be brought
forth by the coaching staff and the players because they're
the ones that have been living through this for the
past month plus and know what really is The temperature,
What really is the environment? What really is the vibe
in the practices, in the film, sessions on the bus,
on the planes, all of it right, pregame huddles, postgame halftime.

(11:02):
They only truly know the answer to that. This Kentucky
team sits at five and four. It does not have
a win against a team that ranks better than one
hundred and ninety fifth at Kenpom.

Speaker 6 (11:14):
It has had four.

Speaker 5 (11:16):
Losses to four teams that are well on their way
to what seems to be quality and DOAA tournament seeds.
The best loss of the group just happened earlier this
week at home against UNC, which was a miserable offensive
performance on Kentucky's behalf. And then you come back a
few days later and are on the receiving end of history.

(11:37):
And the history is that Gonzaga, which I saw in person,
get vaporized by Michigan by forty points. Mark Few took
the worst loss in his coaching career all of nine
days ago. Gonzaga is now the only team to ever
ever lose to a ranked opponent by thirty or more
points and turn around in its next game win by

(11:59):
thirty or more points against a ranked opponent. So we
can dive into Kentucky. But right off the top here,
I know you asked me about the Wildcats. I do
want to at least acknowledge this. Gonzaga does rate, with
the exception of the Mission game, as one of the
three or four best teams in college basketball. It is
probably going to wind up with a one to two
or at worst a three next to its name when
Selection Sunday rolls around. Keep in mind at least the

(12:20):
competition on display in Nashville. Now, having said that it's
ninety four to fifty nine, it's completely it's completely unacceptable,
obviously for every single Kentucky fan. I did tweet it
earlier tonight. I tweeted it because I meant it. Kentucky
is the most overpaid, overrated, and disappointing team in college
basketball through the first five weeks of the season. It

(12:40):
doesn't have to go this way. We don't have to
get to February, and that is still the case. But
that is still very much the case right now. Injuries
has played a part of it. Sure you get Jalen
Low back tonight, Great, he only gets one point off
the bench fourteen minutes. Going to need some more time
to eat back in, but at least he's on the floor.
I know there was a fraction of Kentucky fans who
were cynical about the idea that he would ever play

(13:02):
in a Kentucky uniform. Again, they lack real aggressiveness, they
lack real heart. I know the DeMarcus Cousins tweet is
Ari going to gain traction, And for all I know,
maybe he's the only former player that tweeted about him.
But if we get to midday Saturday and find out
there's actually a few more than than Cousins, I won't
be surprised whatsoever. They don't have a collective identity and

(13:25):
feel free to follow up however we want. But I
tell you what, the thing that is sitting with me
in the heaviest manner right now on a Friday night
is I was at the Garden when Kentucky lost to
Michigan State eighty three sixty six. It took Mark Pope
about fifty minutes to get from the end of that
game into the postgame media press conference. And although I

(13:45):
don't know this, I just suspected that in that postgame
locker room he probably went harder at them than maybe
he's ever gone at any of his teams, or certainly
any after any Kentucky game. Part of that was informed
by the fact that his voice just felt like it
was coming off horse, like he was someone who is
not just coaching a game for two hours, but maybe
a little a little more after that. Well, I don't
know if he did or didn't do that, but if

(14:06):
you did it against Michigan State and it still hasn't worked,
then I don't know where we go from here. Because
when I talked to Pope amid that New York City trip,
he told me that the next two weeks, not even
like week and a half, we're going to be crucial,
not just because they played by game opponents, but there
was some good time off and it was going to
determine what kind of team they really were going to

(14:27):
be this season. Well we've seen since then. Yeah, Okay,
they wiped the floor with Loyal and Marina Tennessee Tech
whatever those are ten Pom three hundred teams. They didn't
win at home against the UNC team that looks to
be solid, that should have been Kentucky's game for the taking,
and then the utter like epic no show here it
is it is vexing, to say the least, and Pope

(14:48):
will own it. I don't doubt that, Like I don't
doubt his ability to say this.

Speaker 7 (14:52):
Is all on me.

Speaker 5 (14:52):
I get all that that can only last you so long,
and this is now turning to be an uglier situation.
And basically anyone would have thought possible, you know, the
first twenty five percent of his second season in Lexington.

Speaker 1 (15:05):
Unacceptable is the right word. And this is a fan
base that doesn't have a ton of patients. But I
think the criticism is very valid. You're somebody that's reported
that it was a twenty two million dollar roster that
Kentucky used with nil dollars. But just something seems broken
right now. I don't know if it was the pregame
before the Louisville nonsense, or if Mark Pope just takes
these losses too hard. What are your thoughts on Pope?

(15:28):
You mentioned Gonzaga Mark Fus doing it again, right, He's
I mean, that's been one of the most consistent programs
over the last two decades. Do you have confidence that
Mark Pope can do something like that eventually or are
there some real question marks?

Speaker 2 (15:41):
Now?

Speaker 5 (15:42):
There could be one quick fact check here. I never
actually reported the twenty two million dollar figure. My reporting
has always been Kentucky was the most expensive roster in
college basketball, and I was of the belief that it
was encroaching upon the twenty million whatever. It doesn't matter,
twenty million, two hundred and seventy two million, it doesn't matter.

(16:03):
The entire roster is proving to be overpaid at this point,
vastly like this, dramatically so. But just a quick fact
check on that on that point there, because I know
that twenty this is what happens though. You get the
number that gets reported, this becomes the biggest thing. I
wrote this two weeks ago after the Michigan State game.
You get a number, you become the team that pays
the most for your roster in college basketball, and if

(16:24):
you do not show up and perform as a top
ten team in the country, that's the thing that gets
attached to you. It just does. That comes with the
territory poping. The staff knew it. They knew at a
certain point when you're gonna recruit and you're gonna recruit
players that are really expensive and other schools are going
to lose out to you. Word is just going to
get around in the sport, there's no avoiding it. They
didn't even necessarily run from it, but now this can
really boomerang back on you in a negative way, and

(16:44):
they got to figure out how to how to handle
all of this stuff, everything that comes with losing, and
everything that comes with losing with this price tag attached
to it. This is a new dynamic in college sports.
It's really only been around for about two or three years, truly,
and so for coaching staff, particularly at the high major level,
dealing with it when he goes wrong, it will have
to be an acquired skill. There's no doubt about it.

(17:07):
Does Pope have the ability as a coach to wrangle
this and turn it around? I do think that he does.
And the reason why I say that is there's gonna
be a lot of Kentucky cynic skeptics status and there's
probably you know, Kentucky fans that are emotional in the moment,
are like I'm already done with Pope, Like let's get
a move on. That's gonna happen, however, yeah, yeah, Like,
and that's fans that's reactionary stuff. It may have al

(17:29):
it could eventually prove to be true. Sure, but he's
not on the hot seat. He's not gonna lose his
job this year, And frankly, they would have to be
catastrophically awful in order for him to lose his job
anytime before year four on that, so, you know, plenty
of time for him to turn around. He has got
such a devotion and earnest dedication to this job that
I do give him a chance to figure it out

(17:52):
if and when Quaintance and I say if, I mean
it really should be a when Quaintance can get on
the floor, and that might not be for another month.
We'll have to wait and see on that. He truly
be a game changing kind of player, if low can
get healthier, Otago oways stats kind of feel quasi empty
this season. They've got to figure out some stuff there.
But Hope's connection with this team I do think is

(18:13):
a real thing. I say that having seen it firsthand already,
you know, kind of in private scenes from the season.
He can do it, Will he become It remains a huge,
huge question. Knowing Pope the wid and I know him,
and knowing that staff like they're not going to rest
like they know what the charge is here, Like five

(18:35):
and four don't deserve to be ranked, won't be ranked
next week. They get a by game next week, and
then they host Indiana, and then they've got Saint John's
in the CBS Sports Classic, and there's a chance that
game could actually be between the two but most disappointing
teams in the country. We'll see if Saint John's can
do what it should do tomorrow when it hosts Mississippi
at Madison Square Gardens. So yes, there's still there are

(18:57):
still things that need to be determined in terms of
line ups, rotations. Pope wants to go ten deep. I
don't know if you can do that. Also, did not
shoot enough excuse me, did not recruit enough good shooters.
Kentucky ranked outside the top two hundred and three point
accuracy as is, And I'm not yet subscribing to the
idea that Kentucky had a lot of good things about

(19:17):
his offense a season ago, but it might have lacked
the defensive aggression and overall profile to be a true
national championship contender, and so as a result, they totally
overcorrected and now are paying the price for that. I'm
not sure if that's actually the case, but there are
certain players on this roster that are getting a certain

(19:37):
amount of minus that probably should not be getting as
many as they are to this point, and figuring out
who's it going to be is going to be a
big issue, because keep in mind, when you spend that
amount of money on a roster, there's a lot of
expectations on a player by player basis in that locker
room that come with it, and balancing all that is
not easy. And so here we have Kentucky five and four,

(19:59):
with two more high profile games left on the non
constantly and then the SEC is not as good this
season as it was last season. Kentucky is now contributing
to that even more so. But it will be tough
and it doesn't get off with an easy way. A
month from now, they'll open league play on the road
against an Alabama team that quite possibly could be ranked
in the top ten by the time we get to
that game. So I'm sure Kentucky fans are highly, highly

(20:23):
emotional and just searching for answers. I know I'm going
along here a little bit on you, but I do
want to at least give you my perspective on a
lot of this stuff. I think that there is still
a chance that Pope can figure out a way to
level this and get Kentucky to be an NCAA tournament team.
That is a drastic change in perspective from what Kentucky
was in the preseason, whereas pre season ranking was. But

(20:46):
that's all out the window. Now. You have to figure
out who are the players you can rely upon, what
are you doing that is not working, eliminate that, and
determine how you can win against viable competition, because to
this point they've come up short and with the exception
of the home North Carolina, the other three losses they
were just no doubt about it. Kentucky wasn't prepped enough,

(21:07):
didn't have enough aggression, they weren't together on the floor,
and Friday was a combination of that and the fact that, oh,
by the way, Gonzaga very well could be on the
short shortlist of national championship contenders, and they were really
ticked off after Michigan pulled their pants down in Vegas
more than a week ago.

Speaker 1 (21:23):
Matt Norlander covers college basketball for CBS Sports. You can
follow him on Twitter at Matt Norlander. Matt, we've only
talked one time before this. Thank you for taking some
time to join me tonight. This has been great perspective,
and if they get beat by thirty five again, we
may have to have you back on. Would that be
all right?

Speaker 5 (21:39):
Well, I guess that's a deal, depending on the day.
And then I'll just I'll leave you with this, And
for your Kentucky fans listening, the only silver lining is
it is a loaded, loaded, loaded week in college basketball
on sports. There is so much happening on Saturday and
on Sunday that this in the moment right now, this
feels like the biggest thing. By the time we get

(21:59):
to Monday morning, Kentucky losing the way did outside the
city of Lexington and outside the state's borders will not
even rank as a top ten result overall, I wouldn't think.
But that being said, I'll do a quick plug on
College Basketball Podcast me and my co host Gary Parrish.
This game will get I'm gonna repeat a lot of
what I said tonight on that show on Sunday. But
I appreciate you having me on and good luck and

(22:21):
we'll talk on down the way.

Speaker 1 (22:22):
Yeah, thank you very much, Matt. We appreciate it. Have
a great Night's.

Speaker 2 (22:26):
Kind of interesting to hear somebody from the outside end.
You know, we're all pin panic mode. I'm just looking
at social media. Everybody's just you know, pop popes on
the hop seed. We're a five hundred team at best,
blah blah blah blah blah. But it's good to hear
somebody from the outside that perspective, like, hey, stick, he
can still turn it around. You know, they's still got
good players and he is still a good coach.

Speaker 1 (22:45):
He also mentioned the emotional Kentucky fan we may hear
from tonight.

Speaker 2 (22:49):
I'll guarantee they're loaded up on hold right now, and that's.

Speaker 1 (22:51):
What this show is for. So I appreciate everybody listening
to Matt Norlander or us yeap for twenty minutes, but
it's time to take some calls. Eight five nine two
two eight seven. Blanding is our first colleg tonight. What's up, Blanding?

Speaker 7 (23:04):
Hey, Billy and Ryan, how are you on? You guys
must be getting hazardous duty bay to night.

Speaker 1 (23:10):
I wish, I wish, but we are here for you. Blandon.
What'd you think of the game?

Speaker 7 (23:14):
Yeah, guys, I want to ask you, guys a couple
of simple questions that I don't understand in watching this
team tonight. To me, their south selection was absolutely futrid.
I've never in my life seen the team continue to
take bad shots like this one does. They're outside shooting.
First of all, they don't have any good shooters outside

(23:36):
at all, and they will continue one sequence, they come
down the floor and one young man pulls up and
shoots a twenty five footer and there's literally four players
from Gonzaga that had it sealed off, and there was
not a Kentucky player within that four man circle. And
I don't understand the shots selections. They're on offense, and

(23:58):
it's like their offense. To me, it's like you're trying
to shove a square object in a round hole. It's
just they're trying to force these shots and they're not.
The chemistry is terrible, body language is terrible. He has
got to make I mean, they just don't have an
elite point guard this year, you guys, and to me,

(24:19):
in college basketball now, you must have an elite point
guards that can score the basketball and can facilitate handle
the ball and set up stuff. And they to me
look like like giant around objects trying to fit in
square holes. I just don't understand the offense.

Speaker 8 (24:36):
Period.

Speaker 1 (24:37):
Okay, Bland, and thank you for the call. Appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (24:39):
Well, not only do we take bad shots, we take
them without running any offense execution at all. It's like
it's like some of our basketball IQ is not very smart.

Speaker 1 (24:50):
They're just standing around.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
Yeah, there was a time one time we had three
guys on the wing just standing there. And I will
say this too, that we showed some effort in the
second half and Pope left those guys out there. Second
time he's left the guys out there in the second
half was Jasper Colin, Otega, Malachi and Yellovich. I think
for most of that stretch there, he just left them go.
Let them go. They were getting their brains beat in.

(25:13):
At least they were giving some effort and he left
them out there.

Speaker 1 (25:15):
Yeah, effort is another big thing. I come on these
shows and I say, I don't ever want to question
these guys effort because they want to win, right.

Speaker 2 (25:22):
But it wasn't there the first half.

Speaker 1 (25:24):
But the motivation level of college athletes has changed. Yeah,
you have to think about Nil Shannon, the dude, my
co host on the pre show. He is the most
money motivated person I've ever met in my life. You
tell him, you give him a couple bucks, he will
do it. He will not do it until you give
him those couple bucks. Is there any chance that these

(25:44):
guys are letting money impact the way that they treat
each other. I mean, I don't think that's that far fetched.

Speaker 2 (25:49):
I don't think it's far fetched either. I think there's
just there's some issues going on, and it may go
back to NAL money may go back to I gotta
get mine, I gotta get you know, improve my NBA status.

Speaker 1 (26:01):
I don't know right now, though, Mark Pope has to
show some leadership. He has to show he's not just
a former player that gets down when his team loses.
He needs to show that he can bring this team
back well.

Speaker 2 (26:11):
Tom Leech was trying to talk to him on the
postgame show and Mark said one word.

Speaker 1 (26:15):
He did, but that was near the end. He did
much better than he did in games past. I think
maybe somebody got to him and said, you got to
talk a little more.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
That one He said something about the effort, and he said,
we were paralyzed. That was a great word. I kind
of felt like that's kind of how we seem like
we were to not we were paralyzed.

Speaker 1 (26:31):
Todd is up next? What's up?

Speaker 5 (26:34):
Todd?

Speaker 9 (26:36):
Hey?

Speaker 10 (26:37):
Ryan and Bailey? Oh you know why? I haven't seen
an ass kicking like this, probably since we got beat
by Vanderbilt back during the Billy I was there. I
was at that game, and this nil money. I don't

(27:01):
know if it's possible or not, but they need to
take this money and say you're gonna have to earn
this money.

Speaker 2 (27:10):
You know, well, they can't do that. We can't do that.
You know they can't do that because the other schools
are going to give it to them up front. And
that way wouldn't we wouldn't get anybody here.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
And that already happened to a degree. I mean, Michigan
paid more money for the Axle guy than Kentucky.

Speaker 2 (27:27):
Did, and that's where he went.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
North Carolina paid more money to Caleb Wilson than Kentucky did.

Speaker 2 (27:31):
That's where he went.

Speaker 1 (27:31):
The priorities were to keep guys returning.

Speaker 2 (27:35):
You can't say we'll pay you more if you get
a double double.

Speaker 10 (27:38):
I know, I know it's it's uh. Everybody would have
to do it, and I'm sure that could never be
pulled off, but I mean I believe it would work
if they could get it to get it to pass,
you know where you know, like anybody else in their job,
you know, they don't get paid unless they do the work.

(28:00):
And I don't know, I'm just frustrated. It seems like
we struggle so hard to get anybody open for a shot,
and on defense it's like we let them push us
under the basket and then we're gonna pride to block
a shot, but we can't do it because they're already
under the basket and they lay it in. It's it's

(28:24):
just really frustrating. I had no idea this was going
to be the kind of year it has. But anybody
that's my rant, I'm sticking by it.

Speaker 1 (28:33):
So we're with you, Todd, and we appreciate you calling in.
Thanks for joining us tonight. You know, here's the thing
that eats me up. Ryan good Zach didn't even play good.
I mean that first half they weren't shooting the ball well.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
No, the first TV time it was what five to one.

Speaker 1 (28:48):
They were missing bunnies in.

Speaker 2 (28:51):
Yeah, your jay went off. You heard Jimmy Dyke say, man,
they hit these shots. I'm shocked they're missing these shots.

Speaker 1 (28:58):
Yeah, they weren't even playing well in Kentucky just could
not take advantage of the moment. You know, you mentioned
Mark Pope saying the word paralyzed in the post game.
I mean, do you think that this moment was too big?
Do you think these guys are coming in scared?

Speaker 2 (29:12):
Well, you heard Jack Givens say they were not ready
to play, They weren't focused, There was no energy during
pregame warm ups. And poor Malachi Marino, he got bullied
all night long by those two big guys. You know,
I'm sure it did. Malachi's played so well all year long,
but tonight was was not not his well.

Speaker 1 (29:27):
I mean, you have a freshman starting at center because
you prioritized Brandon Garrison, who is not ready for the moment.

Speaker 2 (29:37):
Performing.

Speaker 1 (29:39):
So the roster construction Matt Norlander mentioned it, I think
is going to be under a microscope. Dynasty is up next.

Speaker 6 (29:49):
Just guys, uh, just thank you guys for filling in
for Matt. Prayer for Matt's father. Absolutely, guys, I think
we're seeing no one was excited about this higher I
I think Barnhart and everybody got us excited about it.

(30:11):
But unfortunately, I really don't think.

Speaker 11 (30:13):
This guy is for us.

Speaker 6 (30:16):
He has not won any big games this year and
it's it's gonna be a rough year. What do you
guys think about if we don't make the tournament this year?
What's gonna happen there?

Speaker 1 (30:26):
Well, donnastee. Let me ask you before I let you go.
Did you not buy in with the revival at rupp
the Sweet sixteen with Tennessee? Do you not? Were you
not on board with Pope before the season started?

Speaker 12 (30:36):
Oh?

Speaker 6 (30:37):
Yes, for sure?

Speaker 13 (30:38):
For sure?

Speaker 6 (30:38):
And that's what I'm saying. Yeah, they bought us, all
of us though. I think in on this and I
think it was a little bit of full scote honestly.

Speaker 11 (30:49):
Yeah, No, that's fair.

Speaker 1 (30:51):
I mean, that's a fair opinion to have. You know,
this was a coach that had not won an NCAA
tournament game before he came to Kentucky. You could argue
that is not a good enough resume to come to Canuck.
You could have hired Mark Pope at any time. He
was a former player that would have loved the job.
So I don't know. I mean some of that comes
back to Mitch and Dynasty. Do you have anything else
for it?

Speaker 5 (31:09):
We let you go.

Speaker 6 (31:11):
Yeah, I just think it's if we don't make the
tournament this year. I think it's time to move on
before we end up like La and I think that
should be it.

Speaker 1 (31:19):
Man, all right, Dynasty, thank you for the call. I
don't think that happens. I think they could lose every
game the rest of the year and Mark Pope wouldn't
get fired. I think that's just a Mitch Barnheart thing
right now. He went to the Sweet sixteen last year.
Can have a bad year, but this isn't acceptable.

Speaker 2 (31:36):
It's definitely not acceptable. And like we said, they're in
danger of not making the NCAA tournament and that is unacceptable.
But we've lived through it before. We saw John Caliperi
not make the NCAA tournament one year, came back, had
some good seasons, So I agree with you. I mean,
even if they fall in their face this year, I
don't think he would lose his job. I just don't.

Speaker 1 (31:54):
But look at how much fun everybody's having in the
non conference right now, Ryan, Like, there's these great games,
awesome game, good matchups in Kentucky. Just can't beat a
team that's.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
And now we're all four all in four in our
big non conference games. It's it's and gotten worse gotten
worse in each one of them. That's what's scary. Yeah,
you're right, the Louisville loss is the best we played
in a loss.

Speaker 1 (32:16):
Jalen Low actually looked pretty decent. It is stretching that game.
Jalen Low did return tonight. How did he look to you? Uh?

Speaker 2 (32:23):
I mean, they seemed to have a little energy when
he came in, but then once they got out of control,
he just, Pope did the smart thing and not put
him back out there. No risk any don't risk any
additional injury when you're getting beat by thirty. So he
kind of shut him down. But at least I think,
you know, I saw what a little spark when he
came in at that moment.

Speaker 1 (32:40):
Yeah, I guess Dylan is up next. We'll take a
couple more than we'll take a break. Hey, five nine
two eight two two eight seven? Dylan, what's up?

Speaker 11 (32:48):
Hey?

Speaker 3 (32:48):
How y'all doing today?

Speaker 1 (32:50):
We're hanging in there, man, what about you?

Speaker 11 (32:52):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (32:53):
Man, it's a tough one. I don't I don't know
about everybody else, but I'm a real big Pope advocate.
He's just such a nice guy. Uh, But it comes
to the point where I feel like he's just like
this locker room, it's done. Like I just don't get
a good vibe about anybody getting along. I think this
year is just like a lost cause and uh, like

(33:14):
they just don't vibe together. They don't. I don't know.
I don't know how to explain it.

Speaker 2 (33:20):
But.

Speaker 3 (33:22):
I was just wanting to kind of touch base with
y'all and see what y'all thought about the whole, like
like how they're playing and stuff like. I mean that
just it seems like a lost cause for this year.
Like when I was at the Carolina game and we
hit one three in front of Tayshaun Prince Rajen Rondo
and it's just like, man, it was embarrassing.

Speaker 9 (33:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
And then the guy that hit a three tonight was
Brandon Garrison. Again, I know, I know at all, doesn't
it absolutely?

Speaker 3 (33:57):
I know I wasn't the only one. That's Like, as
soon as he went and put up at three, I
was like, no, Garrison, and then he hit it and yes, Garrison,
let's go baby.

Speaker 2 (34:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (34:06):
Well, I mean.

Speaker 3 (34:06):
That's all I had in thinking about Matt and his dad,
and I hope everything gets to going better.

Speaker 4 (34:11):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (34:12):
Us two, Dylan, thank you for calling in and saying
that yeah. I mean they're playing bad. I mean, there's
no other way to say it.

Speaker 2 (34:18):
And there are no shooters on this team right now, nobody.
I mean the guys are supposed to be our shooters,
Colin Chandler, Trent Noah, cam Williams, Jasper Johnson. Nobody's shooting
the ball well. Denzel Aberdeen's gonna get his shots up though,
no matter what gully, He's gonna make sure he gets
gonna get his shots in. He drove the lane one
time and forced up a shot and Otago was wide
open in the corner. I mean, there was nobody within

(34:40):
fifteen feet of him, and he forced up something down
the lane.

Speaker 1 (34:43):
I mean, it was eleven minutes before Kentucky had a
basket in the scam Ryan and it was Aberdeen.

Speaker 2 (34:48):
They were on pace to score eight points won every
five minutes there for a while.

Speaker 1 (34:52):
That's unbelievable for a coach that has the innovative offense. Right,
one more and we'll take a bright. Ryan is up next?

Speaker 14 (35:01):
What's up?

Speaker 2 (35:01):
Ryan?

Speaker 11 (35:03):
Hey, guys, I'm not gonna do the thing everybody does
and ask how y'all are doing, because I already know.
I just wanted to say I was at the game
and give a little little perspective of, yeah, what it
was like and really what a wasted opportunity it was

(35:23):
because that place was primed. You know, you guys have
said before that the games in Nashville, and it's it's
just a different version of the fan base, you know,
the ones that maybe don't get to go to RUP
all the time. And you know, the before the game
was just electric. The chance in line to get into

(35:44):
the arena, just walking to the arena, you could hear
Tat's chance coming out of the open doors of the bars.
It was just, you know, it was it was kind
of like an NBA arena experience. And the two loudest
she I will say that because there were some really
loud booze. The loudest cheers were eleven minutes into the

(36:05):
game when we scored our first basket. Yeah, and then
sometime and sometime in the second half, I believe we
cut it to twenty five and every body got excited.
I mean, how sad is that? But you know it
the fans wanted they wanted it had had Kentucky been

(36:25):
able to just even keep it to I'd say ten,
if they would have been able to keep it within fifteen.
That crowd would have stayed in and they would have
gotten loud on the defensive possessions and you know, tried.
It's just there was nothing to cheer for. Just just nothing.

(36:46):
And yeah, I don't know how it came across on
the on the TV broadcast, but but the booze were loud.
They booed them into the locker room at halftime.

Speaker 2 (36:56):
That was loud.

Speaker 1 (36:57):
And you stayed for the whole game, Bryan.

Speaker 11 (37:00):
I wish I could say I did. I stayed longer.
I left right about the five minute mark left in
the game. And you know, and that's another thing. I mean,
I'm sitting there thinking about traffic over these two hundred
dollars a piece tickets that I'm you know, the seats
that I'm sitting in, because there was just nothing there,

(37:24):
you know. And I'm a huge fan man, And and
I will say, I live in Nashville, so I didn't
have to pay for a hotel. I didn't have to
go out, you know and eat dinner beforehand. I can't
imagine what some of these people paid. I'm just paying
for the tickets, but a lot of people left before
I did. And you know, just the overall take for

(37:47):
me is I could sit here and complain about what
insane or lack of offense we're running nothing, but just the
missed opportunity for all of those people that were there
to night that you know, you hear about a bunch
of fan baseo booing their coach.

Speaker 2 (38:05):
Appreciate it, Ryan, I thank you, man. We gotta go
ahead appreciate it. He's right that fan base down there
is a different fan base, the ones that go to
the SEC Tournament, the ones that go on the road.
That's why I understand why they were upset. I mean,
like I said, I would, I couldn't do it. And
it was a bad look. But those boos were definitely loud,
came through the TV, especially at halftime, and then esbing

(38:25):
isolated on some of our fans booing our team as
they walked off the court. That was rough. That was
a bad look.

Speaker 1 (38:31):
There's I mean, there's no other way to put it.
Kentucky is the story of college basketball tonight, YEP. And
there's not a ton of games going on right now
on a Friday night, and they just got whooped by Gonzaga.

Speaker 2 (38:41):
You got Tulane in North Texas playing in football and
Kentucky playing Gonzaga in a high profile game in Nashville,
and we stunk it up.

Speaker 1 (38:49):
And we got Tulane up thirty one to seven against
North Texas. Looks like summer all might be making that
playoff game.

Speaker 2 (38:55):
Crazy crazy. Tulane could be in the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (38:58):
Coaching for two schools right now. That's crazy. A five
nine two eight h two to eight seven. We need
to take a break. We will be right back here
on the Local Toyota Dealers KSR postgam Show. Welcome back
to the Local Toyota Dealers KSR Postgame Show. Billy Rutledge
and Ryan Lemon filling in for Matt Jones tonight.

Speaker 2 (39:15):
And again we want to say Matt apologizes for not
being here. He's if you've heard him talk about it
this week on KSR and he's posted it on Facebook.
His dad is having a medical issue going on right now.
So Matt is with his family as he should be tonight.
So all prayers for Larry tonight.

Speaker 1 (39:31):
And you know we're happy to fill in too. Even
though it was a bad loss, awful for the Cats.
Where'd you watch the game tonight?

Speaker 2 (39:37):
I was at yoga girl's house. In Georgetown.

Speaker 1 (39:39):
Okay, it's a popular spot for you. I'm glad you
came into the station, though you know you could have
easily done it at Yoga Girls House. So thanks for
coming in to see what.

Speaker 2 (39:48):
We couldn't let you do the show by yourself tonight
because we knew this was gonna be Fans got stuff
they want to say, and it's kind of good to
have an extra voice while you're having a monumental loss
like this.

Speaker 1 (40:00):
So while I'm not only hosting right now, I'm also
answering the phones. So if you're on hold and I
haven't talked to you yet, just keep holding on. We'll
get to you, but we need to take some more calls.
Eight five nine two two eight seven. Timmy Tucker's wife
is on the phone.

Speaker 2 (40:14):
Ryan, who's Timmy Tucker?

Speaker 1 (40:16):
I don't know? Hello Timmy Tucker.

Speaker 11 (40:18):
Well Hello.

Speaker 15 (40:19):
First of all, I want to say prayers to that
and his family and we all understand why he can't
be there absolutely. Second of all, I want to say Ryan,
I saw you at Sulfur Creek Marine and I told
you that I would take you ride on my boat
next summer when you all came down.

Speaker 2 (40:34):
Oh, I remember this yeah, I'll be glad to get
on somebody's boat down It's okay, so for Creek Marine
and we're.

Speaker 5 (40:40):
Coming, we'll have to do that.

Speaker 12 (40:41):
Yeah, absolutely, that's for perspective.

Speaker 15 (40:44):
I'm forty one years old and I'm a season ticket
holder and I spend a lot of money, and so
have my friends. And I'm used to Beatino and Tubby
in the early years of cow Other than Bills Bi,
I'm used to winning, and Kentucky basketball is this and
we are not living up to the standard right now.

(41:04):
And I don't share the same sentiment as everyone else
because I wrote hard for cal for a long time
up until the last year or two, and I'm tired
of being patient. I'm not going to ride for Pope
like that. I am done, du n done. And Mitch
Barnhart he's going to go out with the blaze of
glory and he needs to side which way that's going

(41:25):
to go. And I got one question. My insurance agent
told me. I don't know if this is true or not,
but I want you out to ask Matt is the
assistant ad married to someone in management at JMI, Because
if so, that needs to be addressed. And that's all
I have to say.

Speaker 1 (41:43):
Thank you, well, thank you Timmy Tucker's wife. You know,
I'm not sure on the fact check of the assistant
ad and JMI, but you know, I think she has
the same frustrations as a lot of fans.

Speaker 2 (41:54):
Right now, Ryan, and she is legit and everything she says.
He's fans spend a lot of money. I got to
text in one of my friends, will Jeff Brewer from
the Commonwealth Band. He said, I bought two burgers, two fries,
two large drinks for seventy three dollars. Cat scored fifty
nine points. He spent more money on burgers and fries
than he did the cat scored points.

Speaker 1 (42:12):
Yeah, well, it can kind of get away from you
if you if you buy a ton of concessions like that.
But are you d un with Pope.

Speaker 2 (42:20):
I'm not. I know a lot of people are, and
they're you know, in this microwave society were quick to
pull the trigger on things. So I still am willing.
I said this before I give coaches a longer lease,
probably in a lot of people because my dad was
a coach. So I'm not dun with him yet.

Speaker 1 (42:38):
Are you No? No, I'm not. But like now, they
lose Indiana, the honeymoon is definitely done. The honeymoon is
over and all that stuff.

Speaker 2 (42:47):
It's long over.

Speaker 1 (42:48):
Yeah, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (42:49):
I'll tell you the thing, Like I said, the thing
it's most frustrating for me is that they've gotten worse
each of these four losses. I mean, the first two
were they got run, but they made good comebacks and
kind of headed in the second half North Connor, they
played great defense, just couldn't score.

Speaker 1 (43:04):
It was a close game at the end.

Speaker 2 (43:05):
It was tonight. They couldn't score and they couldn't play
good defense.

Speaker 1 (43:08):
And I don't know about you. I mean, I'm running
the game, and I didn't pay attention to the second half,
Like I was just checked out, Like I wasn't gonna
watch any more of that product.

Speaker 2 (43:16):
I was more watching my draft kings under big Are
you betting punt? And I bet over under? I bet
under the.

Speaker 1 (43:22):
Pun equivalent in college basketball? Yeah, let's take another call.
Eight five nine two h two two eight seven. Nick
is on the line. What's up?

Speaker 13 (43:29):
Nick?

Speaker 12 (43:31):
Hey, hore were going, all right, here's here's my thing.
You know, the days when UK was dominant in the SEC,
we would go to Alabama in THESS City whatever. They
would play extremely physical hacking. You know, you know, they woul,
they would get in a foul, trouble, et cetera. This
and that. I just don't see us being able to score.

(43:55):
My philosophy is, are we just going to have to
resort to just you know, we had two fouls at
what a certain point in the second half when we
should have probably had four or five. I think fowls
represent a hustle and I just didn't see it. You know,
does that make.

Speaker 6 (44:12):
Sense to you all?

Speaker 12 (44:13):
Are we going to have to resort to hacking and
just being physical? Can this team do it?

Speaker 2 (44:23):
That's the second time I've heard that. I saw it
on social media. This one guy said, what how did
e k only have shoot like four free throws and
Hugh shot like five free throws? Like, why weren't we
more physical with those two guys?

Speaker 1 (44:33):
Because you're not the aggressor. I mean, Jack Gibvens talks
about this on the radio broadcast all the time. When
you are the one being the aggressor, you force the
refs to have to start making calls. Amen, If you're
going to play passive and just stand around and wait
for the ball to come to you, then you're not
going to get these calls. But if you're aggressive and
you make the ref make these calls, then yeah, more

(44:55):
going to go your way. So I think it's it's
got to be like a mindset thing, like it has
to be a whole over hall with this team. And
I think it starts from, you know, the leaders on
your team probably player led right now.

Speaker 12 (45:06):
And we need I mean, let's let's commit sorry, let's
let's start committing fouls. Let's start you know, do it
on purpose. You know we got to do something.

Speaker 2 (45:17):
Yeah, yeah, appreciate thank you, Nick. You know we need
we need an Amari Williams so bad on this team. Yes, big, physical, strong,
you're not gonna push him around at the same time,
good leader. Remember how mad he would get when things
weren't going well and he kinda get this this snarl
face there on the little huddle. We need an Amari Williams.

Speaker 1 (45:36):
Well, he was soft smoking, so when he did speak,
you listened and you knew something was wrong. But the
bigger problem is you don't have a big that can
initiate any offense. I mean, Brandon Garrison is not that guy.
No yellowch he couldn't make a shot tonight.

Speaker 2 (45:50):
He couldn't even hit the rim.

Speaker 1 (45:51):
Now apparently he's got the green light because he was
he was shooting, no doubt. I mean, Jaden Quainton's is
going to have to change a lot about this team's
identity for them to think that they're going to even
sniff the NCAA tournament this year. Am I wrong?

Speaker 2 (46:05):
No, you're two You're right. You're two big physical guys
are sitting on the bench, Jaden Clayton's and Diabate. Those
are your two physical, strong guys that can maybe push
people around and not let us get pushed around. And
they're both on the pan on the bench.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
And then you have to start hitting shots like I'm sorry.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
Like, what were they from three point land today today?

Speaker 1 (46:21):
Seven of thirty four?

Speaker 2 (46:23):
Seven of thirty four?

Speaker 1 (46:26):
I don't even want to know what the total is
of between the.

Speaker 2 (46:28):
Lines, they were one of thirteen. Yeah, so they're eight
of forty seven. Figure that percentage out.

Speaker 1 (46:36):
I said, I didn't want to know, but you told me.
And it hurts just as much as I thought it would.
Cameron is up next, Cameron?

Speaker 2 (46:42):
What's up?

Speaker 3 (46:44):
First time?

Speaker 4 (46:45):
Long time?

Speaker 1 (46:47):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (46:47):
Who a?

Speaker 7 (46:51):
Uh?

Speaker 10 (46:52):
Yeah, So This was the forty third game of the
Pope era, and in thirteen of those games they've already
been down thirteen points.

Speaker 16 (47:00):
I mean, Kenny Payne could have done better than that.

Speaker 1 (47:03):
Well, I'll give you a stat somebody tweeted this at me.
I don't know if it's true or not, but that
he said Kenny Payne's worst loss at Louisville was thirty
two points, and unfortunately Pope beat that today five yep, exactly,
bring Katy back, Cameron, appreciate the call.

Speaker 5 (47:19):
Man.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
So eight of forty seven the three point land. So
what that means is they've missed thirty nine three pointers
in the last two games, missed thirty nine three pointers.

Speaker 1 (47:33):
He couldn't hit the broadside of a bar.

Speaker 2 (47:34):
Yet we can't miss and during this summer we're lighting
it up, we're hitting.

Speaker 1 (47:39):
So what's the disconnect? I mean, how come Trent Noah
can't hit a shot anymore?

Speaker 2 (47:44):
I don't know. I don't know. He was playing good
until he got hurt, and he just hasn't been the
same kid since he came back from that injury.

Speaker 1 (47:50):
Cam Williams didn't have a point. He played fifteen minutes,
zero points.

Speaker 2 (47:54):
And he's your shooter. He's your best shooter on the team,
they said, and he can't buy one.

Speaker 1 (47:57):
In the pregame, you guys talked about a college rider
that did four reasons why Kentucky basketball has not been successful.

Speaker 2 (48:03):
This yeah, that's right.

Speaker 1 (48:04):
Point guard play was one of them. I wrote it
down somewhere right because I wanted to talk about it again.
You doubled up on skill sets. You have two of everything,
but no dominant player at any position.

Speaker 2 (48:14):
Right.

Speaker 1 (48:14):
You have only one guy that's shooting an open three
that you feel good about right now, in Colin Chandler.

Speaker 2 (48:20):
That's it.

Speaker 1 (48:20):
And then finally you have no shooter at the four. Nope,
Cam Williams, I guess isn't going to be that guy.

Speaker 2 (48:27):
If he's got that guy, Yellovich is not that guy.

Speaker 1 (48:30):
You had a shooter at the four last year.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
Made a big difference, didn't Andrew had two shooters and
Angley Aminor it made so I.

Speaker 1 (48:37):
Just you know, and Norlander touched on this. Pope just
went completely opposite of what happened last year. He saw
his deficiencies in the SEC. He went and got Mo Diavaatee.
He went and got more physical, but relied on returning players,
maybe a little too much A five two two eighty seven.
Let's see who we got?

Speaker 3 (48:57):
Here?

Speaker 4 (48:59):
Is it?

Speaker 1 (48:59):
Bub? Bub is on the line?

Speaker 2 (49:02):
Bub? What's up?

Speaker 1 (49:05):
Bub?

Speaker 7 (49:05):
This?

Speaker 11 (49:06):
Faith?

Speaker 2 (49:06):
Yeah, that's you?

Speaker 1 (49:07):
Is that how your name?

Speaker 17 (49:08):
Oh my god, guys, I'm so mad.

Speaker 3 (49:12):
This is praisey.

Speaker 17 (49:14):
You caught me in the middle of a lot of
ice creams. But this analytics full crap.

Speaker 12 (49:21):
Who cares? We're Kentucky.

Speaker 17 (49:25):
We we go and dominate. Who cares what the analytics says?
That happens for a long range of teams.

Speaker 12 (49:33):
Let's go beat these teams. Let's go win.

Speaker 6 (49:37):
Why can't why can't we?

Speaker 17 (49:39):
I don't I don't understand what is happening. I'm sorry,
And prayers for Matt's family.

Speaker 3 (49:48):
Matt's family. This is.

Speaker 17 (49:51):
Yeah, once again, you caught me off guard. But guys,
oh my god, Bob.

Speaker 1 (49:56):
We appreciate you, appreciate you calling and enjoy that ice cream.
Don't apo you did fine?

Speaker 2 (50:02):
You know, I can't remember who it was. I don't
know it's Jack Gibbons or Sean Woods, one of these
guys I heard, you know, the guys that he went
out and got were like the fifth person on the
on the scouting report, like Denzel Aberdeen being the sixth
or seventh guy on the Florida scouting report. Diabati was
like the fifth or sixth guy on the Alabama scouting report.
You know, he didn't go out and get guys that

(50:22):
were the number one player on the scouting report. Last year.
Oh Way was probably the third or fourth guy on
the scouting report behind Obray, you know, uh, Kobe Brea
and so you know some of the other gus, Lamont
Butler and even Amari.

Speaker 1 (50:35):
Yeah, so you got a bunch of six men out there.

Speaker 2 (50:37):
Yes, do you think that plays into it?

Speaker 4 (50:40):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (50:41):
I do.

Speaker 1 (50:41):
And then when you're the guy, it's very different than
being the spark plug off the bench. Yeah, when you
can't get a basket for eight minutes and everybody's looking around.

Speaker 2 (50:52):
We hit two free throws.

Speaker 1 (50:54):
Oh thank god, I mean a goose egg would have
been even worse. When it comes to the nationally of
this team.

Speaker 2 (51:01):
When it was nineteen to two, we all knew it
was over. It was over. There was no fight in
that team at all the night it was. They could
have walked off the floor right then. They were done.

Speaker 1 (51:11):
Matt is a big proponent of analytics, as is Mark Pope,
and I am generally too. I mean, numbers are numbers, right,
You want to follow trends in patterns, but numbers can't
tell you if somebody broke up with their girlfriend that morning.
Numbers can't tell you if somebody's got a stomach ache.
That's true, you know, there has to be a balance,
and maybe there is such an emphasis on the numbers

(51:35):
that maybe they've been blinded to what sometimes does matter
in sports, and that's the human element of it.

Speaker 2 (51:41):
But you might be right. And if that's if you
are right, it's got a change. I mean it has
to change. Period, exclamation point, dot dot.

Speaker 1 (51:52):
Who knows what will happen next? Let's take one more
and then we'll take our final break here. I believe
it's Christian on the line.

Speaker 8 (52:00):
What's up, Hey, guys, what's going on the first time?
Long time?

Speaker 2 (52:05):
Who?

Speaker 8 (52:05):
I Well, there's an old thing that hungry dogs run faster,
and right now we got a bunch of fat cats
sitting around. I've never seen the lack of effort, lack
of intensity. I mean, it's nineteen to two on national

(52:27):
television on Friday night. But you know what, it's okay
because those game checks come through. We're fine.

Speaker 1 (52:35):
Yeah, but anybody's getting paid, right, I mean, Kentucky's not
the only thing paying or paying their players, So I mean,
you can't have success while you're paying your players like this.

Speaker 8 (52:44):
You absolutely can't. But there's a disconnect with what Mark
Pope is preaching with Kentucky this and Kentucky that. And
I love Mark Pope and I wish he would do
well here, but it's hard to preach Kentucky first when
those game checks are coming through. And I don't know,
I just feel sorry for the fans that drove hours
and hours down there and spend hundreds of dollars on

(53:07):
the tickets to go and set through that travesty of
a basketball game for what like this program Big Blue
Nation has this decade, no fan base has given more
and gotten less in returned than the BBN.

Speaker 1 (53:28):
I mean, when you put it like that, Christian, I mean,
I appreciate the call. Thank you for joining us tonight.
I mean, it has been some tough times. We've had
some angry postgame shows for the football season this year, Ryan,
I did not expect the anger to come up this
quickly within the basketball season.

Speaker 2 (53:43):
Especially we were riding so high after last season, you know,
kind of exceeded our expectations, got to the Sweet sixteen.
You know, a li Lamont Butler's injury and Jackson Robinson's
injury kind of didn't slow us down as much. Of
these injuries seem to have flowed us down this year.
It just seems like just going backwards right now, are
just getting worse.

Speaker 1 (54:01):
They beat eight top fifteen AP teams last year. I
think it was a record, or at least tied the wreck.

Speaker 2 (54:07):
How they doing against top ranked teams this year?

Speaker 1 (54:08):
Now they're abunder five hundred against Power four opponents. In
Mark Pope's time here at Kentucky, I don't know what changed.
I mean, it was Cooper flag spinning in the corner strip.
It it's coming.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
It was obviously Annabelle. You and Shannon figured it out
on the KSR pre show. It was obviously Annabelle. And
then Matt making fun of Annabelle.

Speaker 1 (54:27):
Well that was part of it. Yeah, and then the
sage and the water and well.

Speaker 2 (54:31):
That happened up in Seattle. I know, you guys, we
beatn Zaga after that happened. Shannon forgets that part of
the story.

Speaker 1 (54:37):
Well you didn't. But the KSR curse still lives on.

Speaker 2 (54:41):
Well, they'll beat North Carolina Central on Tuesday, will they?

Speaker 1 (54:45):
They will, though, I mean this is what will inflate
their Ken Pom numbers, and that's why they're still a
top fifteen team right now when you look at the numbers.
But Ryan, as we've just discussed, sometimes you have to
look past just numbers eight five nine two eight h
two two eight seven. Need to take a break. When
we come back, we'll hit six more callers and when
we'll wrap things up here on the local Toyota Dealers
KSR postgame show, Welcome Back. It's our final segment here

(55:09):
on a Friday night, Billy Rutledge and Ryan Lemon talking
about Kentucky Gonzaga before we get back to the phones, Ryan,
there have been some state championships.

Speaker 2 (55:18):
Yes, broger Field, I got the scores.

Speaker 1 (55:20):
You got the scores, tell me them.

Speaker 2 (55:22):
In Class A, Kentucky Country Day beat Raceland twenty to sixteen.
The poor Raceland Rams have been to the state finals
like four of the last five years and have yet
to win one.

Speaker 1 (55:31):
Oh, it's like the Bills back in the day. Yeah,
you could never win the Super Bowl.

Speaker 2 (55:35):
In two A. The Fighting Battle of the Christians versus
the Catholics. Lextionton Christian Academy beat o Onwdinsborough Catholic thirty
three to twenty eight. And then tonight Boyle County won
its thirteenth state title.

Speaker 1 (55:46):
They were thirty four.

Speaker 2 (55:47):
To nothing over Franklin County thirty four to nothing. Yes,
and Franklin County has had a great run here the
last several years, but every time they get to the
state finals they have to play Boyle County.

Speaker 1 (55:57):
Happy for LCA, happy for I've enjoyed watching them from afar.
After we went to Cutter Bullies announce yeah, and we
got the radio equipment to work.

Speaker 2 (56:04):
Now that day there are only election in school made
it to the state finals, so we were kind of
pulling for them. But so tomorrow is h Murray versus
I got cal Cal Christian Academy. Louisville. Owensboro plays Pulaski
County in five A and then Trinity plays South Warren
in six A.

Speaker 1 (56:22):
That's right, Trinity. South Warren too.

Speaker 2 (56:26):
Bowling Green people who they lose to, I don't know,
but they don't like South Warn Now all the good
players go to South Warren.

Speaker 1 (56:31):
Now, No, that's kind of my neck of the Woods.

Speaker 12 (56:33):
Yes it is.

Speaker 1 (56:33):
I called South Warren games for a while, oh you did,
and Warren East Yeah and there. Yeah, there was no
love loss.

Speaker 2 (56:39):
But the UK volleyball team one the night. There's one
positive thing. They're going to the Sweet sixteen next weekend.
There we go go to Flowers. Yeah all right, yes,
Craig Skinner on top of the big blue building.

Speaker 1 (56:50):
All right, we got six people on the line. All right,
let's run through them.

Speaker 2 (56:52):
Right, let's do it.

Speaker 1 (56:53):
Peyton is up next.

Speaker 2 (56:54):
What's up?

Speaker 1 (56:54):
Peyton?

Speaker 4 (56:57):
Hey, guys. First of all, prayers from and his family.
I'm one of those people that the caller earlier alluded to.
I live in Hopkinsville, so Nashville is just a little
over an hour for me. I don't always get to go.

Speaker 14 (57:09):
To rub.

Speaker 4 (57:11):
And going in the crowd was great, uh, but it
was just so disappointing and deflating for me to pay
all that money.

Speaker 8 (57:19):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (57:19):
I have a seven week old kid at home, and
I'm at the point where I'm almost scared to watch
games with him so he doesn't become a global fan.
It's just it's really bad and deflating as a fan
to pay this money and go watch and just get
that performance. And to top it all off, here's how
much of a clown show we were? Then de elaborating

(57:41):
was shooting free throws and on the jumbo tron it
said number one. Lamont Butler, Like, what are we doing?
It's it's just it's just a disaster right now as
a program. Uh, thanks for taking my call. Have a
great night, guys.

Speaker 1 (57:55):
Yeah, Pyton, Well, this is why we pay millions of
dollars to sports coach because they have to figure it out.

Speaker 2 (58:01):
They got to figure it out. This is their job,
and you got to figure out quick son.

Speaker 1 (58:05):
Yeah, so sorry if I don't have a ton of
soul sympathy for these millionaires. But they'll figure three. I
hope they'll.

Speaker 2 (58:11):
Three of their next five games Indiana, Saint John's, Alabama.
They got North Carolina Central and Bellerman. But then they
play Indiana, Saint John's and Alabama at their next five.

Speaker 1 (58:23):
And how do you and how do you think they do?

Speaker 2 (58:25):
Oh and three?

Speaker 4 (58:26):
What?

Speaker 2 (58:26):
Two and three?

Speaker 1 (58:28):
They're at rut for the Indiana game.

Speaker 2 (58:30):
Though, I have zero confidence in this team right now.
Zero can't shoot, can't I'm almost du in now that
I think about it. They better beat Indiana a reparata.
You're right, I'll give them that one.

Speaker 1 (58:44):
You gotta beat Indiana and you beat.

Speaker 2 (58:46):
The fighting Scotty Davenports of Bellerman was whatever he finally
retired over there.

Speaker 1 (58:51):
What was the guy's name that you guaranteed was coming
to Kentucky? And then Lamar Wilkerson. They could roll Wickerson?
Lamar really use a Wilkerson? Yeah, no doubt team right
now they need a shoot he's been shooting.

Speaker 2 (59:03):
Well.

Speaker 1 (59:04):
Ryan is up next? Hey Ryan, Ryan, you're there?

Speaker 3 (59:12):
Yeah, yeah, sorry, guys, we got you.

Speaker 13 (59:15):
So.

Speaker 9 (59:15):
I wasn't going to call into the show, but I
just couldn't stand here to listen to the blasphemy that
things spoke about our head coach. Yes, the team's struggling
right now. I think a lot of it just goes
back to poor roster construction, which again falls on Pope.
But we know what he can do with guys that
fit his system. Look at last year. If it was

(59:37):
for injuries, that team very well could have been playing
in the National Championship. I do have one question, though,
why aren't we seeing the center at the top of
the key like last year running the offense. And I'll
leave it at that.

Speaker 12 (59:53):
Thanks guys.

Speaker 1 (59:54):
Yeah, thank you, Ryan. Yeah, I mean Mark Pope is
a good college basketball coach. He didn't get the job
for no reason. But he also needs to be held
responsible for the players that he brought in. If you're
gonna get the praise if you win, you've got to
get the blame if you lose. Why the center isn't
at the top of the key probably because you don't
have a center that can distribute the ball.

Speaker 2 (01:00:11):
That's it. We don't have an Amari Williams like when
o'mary could do last year kind of initiate the offense.
I don't think Malachi or Brandon Garrison can do that.

Speaker 1 (01:00:19):
And so that's why you don't see it.

Speaker 2 (01:00:20):
Why don't see it?

Speaker 1 (01:00:21):
But in return, you're not seeing much of anything. Like
what is the offense right now?

Speaker 2 (01:00:29):
If we're not you asked the question order the show,
what is their offensive identity? Yeah?

Speaker 13 (01:00:35):
What is it?

Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
Is it to wait until otega Oway wakes up some
way or midway through the game, or is it to
hope Colin Chandler hits a three that's five feet past
the three point line?

Speaker 2 (01:00:46):
Like, what's what is the idea if Dinzel Aberdeen jacks
up another three? Or yellowch shoots another air ball. I mean,
I don't know what the identity is right now.

Speaker 1 (01:00:54):
Look at North Texas coming back thirty one to twenty one,
seven minutes left. Here Andrew is up next. How are
you doing, Andrew?

Speaker 4 (01:01:03):
I'm doing good.

Speaker 18 (01:01:03):
Guys, thanks for taking my call.

Speaker 7 (01:01:06):
To start.

Speaker 18 (01:01:08):
You know, it's it's hard enough being a UK fan
when I live in Dallas, you know, because you've got Texas,
Texas A and m Baylor TCU who all have decently
good football and basketball programs. But it's a lot easier
when when we're winning and I and I stick with
UK because you know, I grew up in eastern Kentucky,

(01:01:29):
in Pike County and in a in a coal mining family,
and UK is near and near to my heart and part.

Speaker 3 (01:01:36):
Of who I am.

Speaker 18 (01:01:38):
But that's why it hurts to my core to hear
Matt Norlanders say that UK is the most overrated and
underpaid an overpaid team and agree with it. And you know,
basketball is what I had to look forward to after
the season that the football team had. But now, you know,

(01:02:00):
I can't feel like I can go watch the Mavericks
and have a winning team to to get behind the Cowboys.
So I mean, I I don't know. Things better turn
around in the next few weeks before we start playing
you know, Indiana Saint John's in Alabama. But I'll leave
you guys with the question, do you think if this

(01:02:21):
was Mark Pope's first year and not last year, do
you think emotions would be the same or lower.

Speaker 7 (01:02:29):
Than they are?

Speaker 18 (01:02:30):
Now?

Speaker 1 (01:02:31):
That's a good question, Andrew, thank you for calling in tonight.
I think it'd be lower.

Speaker 13 (01:02:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:02:36):
I think it'd be lower too, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:02:38):
Because it'd be like no point of reference to say
that there could be any success in the future. At
least you've shown that with the correct guys in his system,
he made a sweet sixteen.

Speaker 2 (01:02:50):
Man. I gotta admit I'm as guilty as everybody who
thought this roster makeup was, Oh, we're built for a
big run. We are too deep at every position. We
got shooters, we got good insight guys, we've got a
good point guard. We are set, we got Otaga away,
come back to the Leaders, to the Promised Land. I'm
as guilty as anybody of buying into that. But the
roster has definitely got some issues.

Speaker 1 (01:03:10):
I do feel for Andrew, though, because I mean UK
Sports is what brings us together, right, We're all up
this late because we care about the Cats. And it's
amazing because you could go anywhere in this world and
you'll find Kentucky fancy. You can connect to people of
different cultures just because they like the same team. And Ryan,
has there been a worst six year stretch for Kentucky

(01:03:30):
basketball ever than the last six years that we had.

Speaker 2 (01:03:34):
It's fair really, you know, if we go back to
the Saint Peter's loss, the Oakland loss, what happened right
now this season? This past what three weeks, Louisville lost,
Michigan State loss, North Carolina loss, Kenzag and loss. This
has been one of the worst stretches of UK basket.
That is not a long time.

Speaker 1 (01:03:54):
That is not the standard. And you should hold people
accountable when they don't live up to the standard.

Speaker 2 (01:04:00):
We are the gold standard.

Speaker 1 (01:04:01):
But I'm not done with Popia.

Speaker 2 (01:04:03):
I'm not either.

Speaker 1 (01:04:04):
I'm not a giving I mean, we should criticize what
happened tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:04:08):
I wish, you know, we can only can just guess
all we want, but I wish he would have just
laid it out what exactly happened before that Louisville game,
because they have not been the same since he had
just told us the beginning. Suspend some guys, if you
need to be suspended, don't do this beating around the
bush and tell us he's gonna throwust little nuggets once
in a while and whatever else he said that night.

(01:04:30):
Just tell us, because they they've gone downhill since then
and since the Annabel.

Speaker 1 (01:04:35):
Doll, and since Matt mocked the Annabel Doll. Jerry is
up next. What's up, Jerry? Jerry? You going to the
bathroom in there?

Speaker 11 (01:04:48):
Oh?

Speaker 16 (01:04:48):
I'm sorry, man, I apologized. The The biggest problem I
got was is I sit there and watched it tonight
in the first and a half. It won't hurts me
more than anything in the world. Is is the effort?
And I have no idea. I mean, I love Pope's
dead and the hope of succeeds, but Garrison is completely

(01:05:08):
But at the end of the day, what's gonna kill
this team? Right here? We have no shiner play Garrison
and Marino. I mean, I love Marino beat more of
a power forward. Don't you think he's.

Speaker 1 (01:05:19):
The only one that can hit a three? Right now?

Speaker 16 (01:05:22):
And yet and another thing is and nothing personal gets
Jet Lowe when you only got one point guard on
your team and he's heard all the time, you have
no idea. There's no way that you can survive. We
got Indiana coming up, and got Saint John's. I'm not
so much worried about Indiana Saint John's as I am

(01:05:42):
worried about going into the SEC. And we'll probably go
go into the SEC with a looser record. Fellas, I'm
more worried about this team, not even excuse I got
one more thing. Now, I'll let you guys say, I'm
secured to death that this team's not gonna make the
n C double a termament. And I love Mark Popeman,

(01:06:03):
but we cannot score, we cannot rebound, we cannot defend,
and he and the people are from man. We just
we just cannot do nothing right, I mean we we
don't guard. And I love him. I hope with God
I'm wrong. I hope you quaintness comes back. And Jay
and Lowe, I mean Jay, I mean love low but
he just is so small man.

Speaker 7 (01:06:25):
But how do you go into a.

Speaker 16 (01:06:26):
Season we just one point guard. I don't understand it
for life of me. And I understand he thought he
had the right roster. They spent this ton of money
on this roster. But at the end of the day,
I hope I'm wrong, and I pray to God I'm wrong.
Right now, I'm just secured to death.

Speaker 1 (01:06:46):
Jerry gotta gotta stop you there. You know, it was
in this game last year that I got hurt.

Speaker 2 (01:06:53):
It was the good Zagga game. And what he did,
ran down the other end of the floor trying to
make a stop and.

Speaker 1 (01:06:59):
Jumped and Can tested that shot. It was one of
the more crazier things I've ever seen on a basketball court.
For a guy to get that hurt with a foot
injury and still get back on the court. That is
a team that cared for each other.

Speaker 2 (01:07:11):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (01:07:12):
That was a team that represented the name on the front.
To be cliche, I don't see that effort with this team.
I don't see that energy, that want to that pride.

Speaker 2 (01:07:24):
That's why I think he left those five guys out
there for a while in the second half when they
would get down by thirty, because they were at least
trying to give some effort a little bit. It was Yeah, Chandler, Otega,
Jasper Malachi and Yellovich, those five guys, and.

Speaker 1 (01:07:38):
Pope has talked about the players not grasping exactly what
the coaching staff is trying to do with them right now.
So maybe there is a disconnect and maybe that's why
you're seeing everybody just kind of look at each other
at point times during the game. Two more we have
sewn up.

Speaker 2 (01:07:52):
Next.

Speaker 14 (01:07:52):
What's up, Sean, Hey, guys, appreciate the call. I think
I have a fear of why this is happening.

Speaker 12 (01:08:02):
These guys.

Speaker 14 (01:08:03):
I don't think they believe, and that's why you see
the body language and the poor shooting and just the
horrible performance. And I think it all goes back to
the roster construction. And I think these guys have played
enough basketball. Think of all the dribbles of the plays,
the coaches, the years they put into it, and they
know when something works and when it doesn't, and they

(01:08:23):
just don't see it work, and so then when they
get on the floor, they don't have a lot of
confidence on what's going to happen. Just all all starting
with the strategy around how the roster was constructed.

Speaker 3 (01:08:33):
What do you guys think, Well.

Speaker 1 (01:08:36):
Thank you for the call and joining us tonight, Sean.
You know, here's the thing. When you prepare, you're not nervous,
you're confident. Yeah, you know, I got much better at
the morning show that I do because I cared about
it and prepared. I didn't just write some notes down
right before the show started, right like I do maybe sometimes,

(01:08:58):
you know, I'd go and research the warm opinions and
write things down, and it showed, and then when I
get to the show, I'm not nervous. I'm prepared, You're
ready to go. I've got everything that I want to
talk about already. But you know, if you do the opposite,
you're gonna get nervous, You're going to feel pressure, you're
gonna start pressing. And I think those are all three

(01:09:19):
things that we've seen from this Kentucky team.

Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
What if all? What if?

Speaker 3 (01:09:24):
What if?

Speaker 2 (01:09:25):
What if? The coaches do do a good job preparing them,
they do have a good scouting report, they do have
a good execution all possible, and the players are just bad,
bad teammates, bad teammates, selfish.

Speaker 1 (01:09:44):
Well, it's possible. You know, money could impact that. Money,
Girlfriends could impact that, girlfriends, playing time can impact that.
Jealousy what if it's just a bad mix of dudes.
We've had that before, absolutely before the last six years.
If you want to talk about it, the Oscar Severe Wheeler.
We've we talked about on KSR.

Speaker 2 (01:10:03):
That team that divide, but it's turmoil in two thousand
and four.

Speaker 1 (01:10:08):
It does, but it goes back to cal It goes
back to the coach Pope these this is the roster
construction that they've put together, so they need to put the.

Speaker 2 (01:10:16):
Puzzle as it goes back on him.

Speaker 1 (01:10:18):
Was our first caller? And what did he say? He said,
that's trying to put a round object into a square hole. Yeah,
and maybe that's what this roster is. The metaphor for
Dwayne is our last caller. If it's a good one,
what's up, Dwayne?

Speaker 11 (01:10:33):
Hey?

Speaker 13 (01:10:34):
This calls to Eli Cappeluto because he's he's the president,
He's the one who runs the whole operation. And I
think Mitch Barnhardt the last two coaching hires, he's easy
coaching hires, like who wouldn't hire Mark Pope because he

(01:10:56):
was there? And who wouldn't hire Will Stein because he's
a hometown boy. So I think there's some accountabilitys be
held there.

Speaker 5 (01:11:07):
And I think.

Speaker 13 (01:11:09):
There's some accountability he needs to hire with Mark Pope,
and I think he needs to meet him at the airport,
and I think he needs to have Barnhart and Pope
their resignation letters, and we need to start fresh on
Monday with some new with some something else going on,

(01:11:34):
because this ain't working. And everybody has seen what Pope
was going to do after the first few games, after
last year, and after last year, everything that I mean,
it's this total failure.

Speaker 2 (01:11:55):
Appreciated. Yeah, thank you, Bud, appreciate it. It's not Evel
like Catholio's fault. It's not his fault. It's not Mitch's fault.
It's that locker room with that coach and those players.
That's where the issue is. I don't know what the
issue is, but there's an issue with this team and
they're getting worse and playing worse, losing more confidence each
time out. Got nothing to do with Mitch Barnhart or

(01:12:17):
you like Caplotle, that's my opinion.

Speaker 1 (01:12:20):
You always say that you're a son of a coach.

Speaker 2 (01:12:23):
Yeah, your dad was a coach. Dad was a coach.

Speaker 1 (01:12:25):
So I want to put you in the locker room before.

Speaker 14 (01:12:27):
We leave here.

Speaker 1 (01:12:27):
All right, our final thing we're gonna do here on
the local Toyota Dealers KSR post game show besides the
Johnny Rocker personal injury attorney moneymaker of the game, Ryan, Oh,
who is it injured? Get small town compassion with big
city results when you call the Rocker at two seven
zero three two one four four two nine. Uh, not
easy to pick one tonight. And I'm taking all the
fans that went down to Nashville to watch the Cats tonight.

(01:12:49):
You deserve better. You spend a lot of money to
go see the Cats. You are why Big Blue Nation
is the best fan base in the country. Amen, did
not get to see what you paid for or what
you should have saw, at least a competitive game that
was embarrassing. So our Johnny Rocker money maker of the
game is all the fans that spent money.

Speaker 2 (01:13:06):
Even our own Drew Franklin was down there with his
wife Abby and their new baby.

Speaker 1 (01:13:10):
Oh yeah, I forgot about that.

Speaker 2 (01:13:11):
They were there at the game.

Speaker 1 (01:13:12):
I think they had good seats too. Okay, so let
me put you in the locker room before we leave.
You are the son of a coach. I'm gonna put
you in the Mark Pope seat.

Speaker 2 (01:13:20):
Yeap.

Speaker 1 (01:13:21):
What are you saying to your locker room after a
game like that? And what are you doing moving forward?

Speaker 2 (01:13:25):
I think you gotta have you got to sit down.
First of all, I know people don't like players only meeting.
There's got I don't think there's a leader. If there's
a leader on this team, they need to have a
player's only meeting. Maybe they had it tonight.

Speaker 1 (01:13:38):
That's not a good sign. That means the season is done.

Speaker 2 (01:13:41):
Players only meeting, and somebody's got to step up and
take control. I don't know. Maybe it is jayalen Low,
but if I'm Mark Pope, I'm coming in there and
looking them all on the eye and said, good guys,
it's time to grow up. You're gonna be a man.
Time to be a man. You want to do this,
Let's get on the same team. We're brothers here. We
share the locker room, you share the living cord. You're brothers.

(01:14:01):
Help your brother out do the right thing. That's what
I'm telling them. I was getting ready to say something else,
but no, I liked it. Well, here's what Pope, I'm
trying to think it exactly. What did Pope say to
Tom Leach tonight? Tom Leech asked him about his identity,
and Pope said, we're going to have a product that

(01:14:21):
everybody's going to be proud of.

Speaker 1 (01:14:22):
That's yeah, what is your the goal for an offensive identity?

Speaker 2 (01:14:26):
Isn't that what he said?

Speaker 1 (01:14:27):
When you are clicking? Yeah, I believe that was the
framing of the question. And he said something that we're
all proud of.

Speaker 2 (01:14:33):
Yes, a product that we're all proud of.

Speaker 1 (01:14:35):
Well, you heard it here from Ryan Lemon. It's time
to be a man. Time to be a man.

Speaker 2 (01:14:40):
Shut up and do your job for your brother.

Speaker 1 (01:14:42):
It's time to break a whiteboard it is or something.

Speaker 2 (01:14:45):
Just whining and crying and do the right thing.

Speaker 1 (01:14:48):
Because this team showed no fight tonight. A big thank
you to Matt Norlander who joined us today. Big thank
you to Ryan Lemon who came in late.

Speaker 2 (01:14:55):
Notice. We couldn't let you do this by yourself. You
did a good job. You did a good job tonight.
Going hosting the show tonight.

Speaker 1 (01:15:01):
Well thank you. Happy to always fill in on the
Billy R Sports postgame show with Matt Jones. But that's
going to do it for us, for the local Toyota
Dealers KSR postgame show, for Ryan Lemon, for Matt Orlander,
for everybody that called in. I'm Billy Rutlish. We appreciate
you listening, and I guess we'll talk to you on Monday.
For KSR.