05-20-24 LEACH REPORT

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
This bingie beef Jerky podcast of theLeech Report is also presented by Boons Butcher
Shop, one hundred old Bloomfield Pikein Barnestown, fresh meat cut on location
daily and they're family owned and operated, have been since nineteen forty six.
Good day, everybody, Welcome intothe Leech Report, presented by Bobcat Enterprises

(00:20):
as we start a new week headinginto Memorial Day weekend, and we'll be
talking a lot of UK baseball forthe next few weeks after a sensational regular
season culminated over the weekend, sowe'll talk about some of that here in
just a moment. I want tospend a good bit of time with Ben

(00:41):
Roberts to lead off the show,talking about the NBA combine I'm in Chicago
last week and his series of articlescoming out of that for the Lexington Herald
Leader and Kentucky Future potential Wildcats andpast Wildcats. We will talk with Kent
Spencer from WHA TV in Louisville.Down the PGA Championship. Sanders Shoffley gets

(01:03):
his first major with a birdie onthe final hole yesterday. Wellhalla now has
a rep for producing some great finishesto these major golf events. So we'll
talk to Ken about the tournament andalso everything that happened on Friday, and
then Robert Hogan will join us fromthe UK baseball team as they get set

(01:23):
to head down to Hoover, Alabamafor the SEC Tournament this week. Wild
Cat News otherday always the service ofGiuseppes of Lexington, and UK baseball picked
up its second SEC championship over theweekend. It came Friday night when they
beat Vanderbilt I think was seventeen toseven. They had to take two out

(01:44):
of three from Vandy, and it'swhat they did to clinch at least a
tie for the title. Tennessee sweptSouth Carolina, so Tennessee at Kentucky tie
for the title. The Balls wonthe regular season series between the two to
two games to one, so Tennesseeis the one seed for the SEC tournament
this week in Hoover, which isdown there south of Birmingham. Arkansas is

(02:07):
the two seed because it won theWest and so Kentucky will be the three
seed. The Wildcats will play onWednesday morning at ten thirty Eastern Time against
either Georgia or LSU. They willstart the tournament tomorrow morning. So it
starts with four games tomorrow that aresingle elimination. They begin with it's a

(02:29):
twelve team tournament. Auburn and missMissouri did not qualify, so then they'll
go from twelve to eight after Tuesday'sgames, and then it'll be a double
elimination until you get to the finalfour. So Kentucky congratulations on an SEC
championship, second one in school history, and we'll talk with Robert Hogan about

(02:50):
it a little bit later on.Chas Lanier reportedly is visiting UK today.
The North Florida sharpshooter has visited BYUTennessee supposedly on his list and looks like
Kentucky would be looking to add atleast one more player, if not two.

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But Lanier is the guy who alot of the analysts believe Kentucky needs
to add to the roster another scorer. There's also Jackson Robinson from BYU's going
through the NBA process. So we'llget into some of this with Ben Roberts
here in just a bit. ButChas Lanier making a visit to UK,

(03:35):
and then the Timberwolves and the Mavericks, that's the matchup for the NBA Western
Conference Finals. PJ Washington on Saturdayhit the clinching free throws for the MAVs
to knock out OKC. So yougot a five seed and in a three
seed the Timberwolves, who came fromtwenty down at Denver to win Game seven
last night Karl Anthony Towns into thefinals now, so you've got Wildcat representation

(04:00):
on both sides than in the EasternConference Finals. Pacers took out the Knicks
yesterday and seven at the Garden.Isaiah Jackson, a former Wildcat, involved
as a player coming off the benchfor Indiana as they will take on the
Celtics at a best of seven.So the NBA matchups are now set.
Links to the stories that we talkabout each day can be found on the
bud Light Leach Report page at Tomleachky dot com. Wild Cat News of

(04:26):
the Day that we always start withis presented by Giuseppes of Lexington Giuseppes Lexington
dot com or Open Tables where yougo to make your reservation. They have
expanded their bar area. It wasso popular because of the fact you get
the fantastic food and just a reallyspecial ambiance with Dave Hall's live jazz music,

(04:46):
so anyway, but so popular thatthey have expanded it. So that's
extra seeding in that part of therestaurant. If that's the Giuseppes experience that
you want, get to Giuseppes Lexingsand our open table to make the reservation
for the next special night out foryou and the family, you and friends,
et cetera. Heading to a break. Ben Roberts will join us.
We come right back. It's thelead report presented by Bob Kat enterprises a

(05:12):
quarter before the top of the hour, coming to you for the Clark's Pump
and Shop studio. Return, Refreshand refuel at Clark's. Download their app
so you can get the monthly specialsfor May and Roberts joins us now in
the Club Blue Andil hotline. Youread him in the Lexington Herald Leader at
Kentucky Sports dot com. And hewas in Chicago for the NBA combine.

(05:32):
And let's start with the potential future. While Cat's been Chas Lanier visiting today
Jackson Robinson also going through that NBAcombine process. Is it either or is
it first one that agrees to comeand at this and we don't know yet

(05:53):
that Robinson's even coming back to college. So how do you think this all
plays out with those two guys.Yeah, I mean obviously they have.
They have literal room for both thoseguys with a couple of scholarships left.
And I actually think they have,you know, the way Pope kind of
distributes minutes, and you know,with his offense and what they still kind
of need, I think they couldthey could easily take both and and and

(06:15):
work them in. I with withJackson, I got the sense talking to
him that you know, with alot of guys this time of year,
if you're in this late you're clearlylooking for some sort of indication that that
I mean he wants to go tothe NBA, that you know, that's
his number one option right now.I don't know that that's gonna happen,
but he is, you know,a lot closer than than some who end

(06:38):
up saying in the draft. ButI've been hearing a lot more about Chaz
frankly the last week or so.And obviously yes, he's visiting now b
Yu in the picture, Tennessee inthe picture. And you know, I
still I think it's too early tosay for sure for him. Who a
favorite might be, but I ifI were Kentucky, I don't know that
I would trade, you know,my standing with anybody right now, and

(07:01):
with Jackson, Yeah, it's justa matter of whether he comes back,
and then you know, I've heardKansas could possibly sneak in there. He
talked very highly of of Mark Popewhen he talked to me, and talked
really highly of Cody Fieger too.It was very impressed with with both of
those guys that the two years heplayed at YU. But as we know,

(07:23):
especially nowadays, you know n IL is a is a huge,
huge thing, and I know Kentucky'sgot it. But they've also got eleven
players on the roster, so we'lljust have to have to see with him.
Whereas Jackson Robinson projected, if there'sa consensus as far as a draft
prospect, yeah, the kind ofthe major mock drafts, some have him

(07:43):
on the back end of that secondround, kind of in the fifties,
and then some don't have him atall. You know, he's got the
game is as far as shooting andbeing able to play on the perimeter.
You know, he acknowledged that onething. He's one thing these teams are
looking for is his defense, abilityto play defense, and ability to be
a little bit more physical than heshowed at BYU. So those were kind

(08:07):
of some things that he was workingon at the combine, I think,
hoping to show especially just that thatability on a defensive end. I mean,
his percentages weren't sky high, butI feel like he's a guy who
could catch on a team with hisshooting ability. So it was the other
stuff that he wanted to show.But yeah, by no means is he
a lock to be drafted. MarkPope played on a team that had an

(08:31):
abundance of talented players and so alot of guys were able to get minutes,
and you know, nobody got thirtyfive. And he's kind of continued
that as in his coaching style,right Whereas you know, Cal was a
guy that like the tighten the rotationeven to as few as seven six I
guess maybe in twenty eleven pretty much. But Mark's more of a guy that

(08:54):
can handle a bigger roster of playerswho expect to play, right. Yeah,
I mean he played about, youknow, ten guys double digit minutes
last year, and I don't thinkhe played anybody more than I think Dallan
Hall, their point guard, andhe still didn't play thirty minutes. You
know, Jackson came off the bench, was their leading score and he played
about twenty six minutes. They hada lot of guys kind of in that

(09:18):
eighteen to twenty six minute range.And that's the way he did things.
And I mean, you know,you look at this roster that he's put
together, which I think has beenreally impressive. You know, two or
three guys that maybe there aren't thoseyou know, heightened expectations right off the
bat. But but that still leavesyou with eight guys and a lot of
guys who were not only used toplaying, but used to starting in major

(09:41):
conferences. And a couple of thoseguys, however, it shakes out,
aren't aren't going to be starters.So but as you know, as he
showed with Jackson, I think that'sprobably a selling point as he talks to
these guys, you don't have tobe a starter on my teams to work
your way into the NBA draft conversationreally out of nowhere, and you know,

(10:03):
and get your chances and and getyour shots. So it's really going
to be interesting that he's got alot of different configurations, both from an
offensive a defensive standpoint of what hecan put out there. And I'm I'm
really interested to see not only whostarts and who finishes, but kind of
what these combinations are going to bethroughout the games. Yeah, it may
kind of you know, determine itselfas it plays out of which you know,

(10:26):
which especially there's uh heavily as theyuh lean on on analytics or be
uh you know, some some numericalevidence there of who's clicking together absolutely,
and you know, people are kindof uh, I think, I think
nationally people are starting to bring upthe uh, the tone read rob combination
and how how you know, justunbelievable it was when they were on the

(10:50):
court, but how little it wasused. You know, I think if
I think if Pope and these guyscan can hit on something like that,
you're gonna see, uh, You'regonna see all a lot more of it
throughout the season because of those analyticsand the use of them. Talk about
Ben Roberts, you can read amutKentucky sports dot com and and the Lexington
Herald Leader at Ben Roberts Underscore,hl on X or Twitter. Will be

(11:13):
right back to continue the chat getback into the NBA combine stuff and the
guys from last year's Kentucky team.It's coming up on the lead report presented
by Bobcat Enterprises. Back to BenRoberts from the Lexington Herald Leader talking about
last week's NBA Combine up in Chicago. Your latest story, Ben at Kentucky

(11:37):
sports dot com has to do withthe former Kentucky guys who were there that
you talked to and then you hada conversation about their loyalty to UK versus
or along with their loyalty to JohnCaliperry. And it seemed like from the

(11:58):
guys you talked to and what youheard was more of not a versus situation,
but where they can be loyal toboth, right, Yeah, And
it kind of reminded me of obviouslywhen when Rick went to Louisville, and
you know, people would talk toguys like like Tony Delk and that group.
And that's a little different because thoseguys were obviously four year players and

(12:18):
blossom from freshmen into into you know, NBA prospects over that time and the
National champions But they you know,they didn't you know, they they you
know, they they grew up orthey grew up as college players hating Louisville,
and you know, they they kindof when they weren't playing Kentucky kind
of started rooting for him because theyhad so much respect for Patino. And

(12:41):
you know a little different here withArkansas, but it is an sec rival.
I think the biggest difference is isa lot of these guys were here
one year. And I think thatwas a question throughout cols tenure that you
know, whenever cal does leave,well, will these guys come back to
rupp Aerna or were they more youknow, they were here less than year
technically are they Are they more kindof loyal to Cal or the university?

(13:05):
So it was interesting to have thoseconversations with He didn't really talk to read
about it one because he was sopopular with the NBA reporters and too,
we kind of know, we're here'sloyalties live from a Kentucky standpoint. But
these other guys, you know,it was it was fun to talk to
them, and yeah, they theybasically said both and they were they would
be rooting for Kentucky. But Iwouldn't be shocked if if you know,

(13:26):
you see some of these guys popup at bud Walton from time to time.
I thought the most interesting part wasJustin Edwards told me that actually a
couple hours before we talked that MarkPope, it sounds like, sought him
out. He was there to combine, I think, mostly to see Jackson
Robinson, and he sought him outand then tapped him up, and he
told him that if if Justin wasever back in Lexington and needed a place

(13:48):
to shoot or work out or whateverhe was, he was always walking at
the Craft Center. And I thinkthat's gonna be kind of the standard operating
procedure for for all those guys.I mean, Pope obviously knows what it's
like to be a Kentucky basketball player, and I think that's gonna be a
big part of his you know,sales pitch when he's out on the on
the trail is is he understands this. And I think that's gonna be a,

(14:11):
you know, a great attribute forhim as he recruits to Kentucky.
But yeah, I it sounds likeit's going to be both moving forward with
these guys. But I would expectAntonio Reves to come back and be the
y one day, and and andthat kind of stuff because they do,
especially Antonio the way. I mean, he graduated from UK two three weeks
ago and that clearly clearly meant alot to him. So I do think

(14:35):
all those or most of those cowplayers you're you're gonna see backing up from
time to time. Interesting to seepictures of Cal and Mark at AAU events
sitting beside each other chatting about well, who knows what, but if they
watch these games, yeah it was. I mean, John wall I know

(14:56):
that Mark ben Indy Friday or Saturday, but yes, it wasn't. And
you know, I mean, youknow Mark Pope, I'm sure he was
kind of been in Kyle's ear tryingto get some pointers, not you know,
just about you know, how tomaneuver through not necessarily on the court
stuff or even in the crafsenter stuff, but but you know, some of

(15:16):
the ins and outs of being theKentucky basketball coach and all of that and
all that that entails. I mean, he's a he's a smart guy and
inquisitive guy and and wants to wantsto tackle this the best he possibly can.
So he's going to get that insightwhen he can. Of the the
guys from last year's team, anyanybody that really particularly helped themselves with combine

(15:39):
last week. Yeah, I don'tknow. You know, it's hard to
put too much stuck into the scrimmages. Obviously reading Rob weren't gonna play because
of where you know, they they'reprojected, and Antonio and Justin. You
know, it's so it is remarkablethat there is a lot of unselfishness out
there, because you would kind ofassume for people to go out there and

(16:00):
and kind of try to get theirown but you know, if you're in
that spot where you're scrimmaging in thecombine, you know you're probably gonna be
a role player, at least atthe beginning. The first day, uh,
not as good. Second day Justinwas was kind of was kind of
baseline throughout. I think the biggestpart with those is the interviews that they

(16:22):
do with the teams, which theyhad not done when we talked to him
earlier in the week. They kindof push those to the back of the
week this year. But I youknow, I still don't Antonio Reeves is
absent from some of these draft draftboards, and I really don't get that
with the way the the way theleague is going, and everything that we
know about him and his willingness towork, and just how great a shooter

(16:44):
he is, and you know,his willingness to be that, you know,
eighth guy on an NBA team.I mean, he just strikes me
as five years down the road,I wouldn't be surprised if if he's the
if he's the eighth guy on oneof these teams who's are coming in and
knocking down shots off the bench.And Ben appreciate the time, Thank you
much, all right, thanks alot, Tom. It's the Ben Roberts.

(17:07):
You can read them in the LexingtonHerald Leader in the Kentucky Sports dot
Com. Our show's presented each dayby Bobcat Enterprises for low techy. The
latest one's up in Walton off Iseventy five. They're the grand opening week
before last. Google Bobcat Enterprises tofind the one nearest you when you need
to buy or rent heavy equipment loaders, excavators, forklifts, tractors, gets

(17:29):
deeer loaders, zero turn moores too, great service after the sale as well
at Bobcat Enterprises and they will takegood care of you. We are halfway
home on this port we'll come backand talk with Robert Hogan from the UK
baseball team as they get set forthe SEC Tournament this week, and n
C Douaba to follow second half ofthe Lake's report for this Monday, all

(17:52):
of our coverage to the Trooper Crownagain the springs presented by Clayburne Farm doing
the usual unusually well for more thana century. And we saw Wayne Lucas
at age eighty eight when the Prignanceon Saturday was seized the Gray, oldest
trainer to win a Triple Crown race, and Lucas says that sees the Gray

(18:15):
is likely for the Belmont Stakes,which will be at Saratoga in a little
less than three weeks. Down MysticDan and Torpedo and both under consideration for
the Belmont. According to Twiner,Kenny McPeek would imagine would be one or
the other, but they are bothshipping to Saratoga this week to get settled
in with mcpeak's squad up at Saratogafor the Saratoga Racing, not only Belmont

(18:42):
week but later for the actual Saratogameet. So seize the Gray with a
wire to wire of victory. Ithink they probably didn't give him the respect.
The other riders kind of thought hewould come back to the field and
he didn't. Lucas had him reallyfit for the run. Probably the wet
track helped as well. So seesthe great wins the prenous spring in.

(19:06):
Robert Hogan on the Club Blue NilHotline talk a little bit about UK baseball
as they get ready for the SECtournament this week. But first, Robert,
congratulations of being part of an SECchampionship team for just the second time
ever a UK pretty special season.Oh yeah, it's It's been a lot
of fun and it's one of thehardest leagues in the country. Can't can't

(19:26):
beat it. What is it aboutthis this team that has been the secret
to the success because it's not likethere's any one thing that you guys do
better than everybody else, but youseem to do kind of whatever's needed to
get the win. Yeah. Ithink the biggest thing is just our culture,

(19:48):
how we're a team or won.You know, I think a lot
of teams you look out there andit doesn't seem like they're kind of all
in, and this team, we'rebought in, every single one of them.
There's not a single one of usthat which is one guy does better
than the other. It's we allwant everyone to do good and I think
us just doing that kind of helpsit help us win. How did that

(20:12):
come about with you know nowadays doyou guys come in from a lot of
different places through the portal? Sohow did that? How was that chemistry
achieved? I think the biggest thingis just being able to hang out outside
of the field, go and hangout as a team, do do just
random things. I mean, andI got to give props to the guys

(20:33):
that have already been here. Imean, they brought everyone in. It
was a big transfer class and theyjust brought everyone in with open arms.
Uh. You guys will be playingin Hoover this week at the SEC tournament
starting on Wednesday. And I heardcoach Minchion on the Sunday morning sports talk
show here in Lexington yesterday talking about, you know, his his mindset on

(20:59):
the pictures. You've got the threeguys that are the SEC starters on typically
Friday Saturday Sunday, but last weekit was Thursday, Friday Saturday, and
he said he didn't want to bringthose guys back on short rest again since
it was a shorter week. Lastweek, they had one less day of
rest each one of them for theirstart. And you guys are in a

(21:21):
position where you don't have to worryabout making the NCAA tournament. You'll be
hosting a regional. So it allkind of sounds like you guys in the
bullpen are gonna have to carry abig load this week in Hoover, Yeah,
which I mean, I think that'sactually honestly pretty good because I mean
the SEC tournament, we've got,you know, the first round by which

(21:45):
is always good, and I thinkhaving our bullpen kind of come out and
pick up some of the the inningsthis week in Hoover is really gonna help
our starter because especially moving forward intothe tournament, I mean, we're gonna
need them, and honestly, that'suh, that's probably we're looking to win
a national title, you know,and if we're gonna need them in the

(22:06):
regional and super regional and have themhealthy, Yeah, I mean that that's
the thing with with this team.Again, It's not like there's you know,
one stopper that you're leaning on,you know, as a pitcher,
or you know one hitter that's hehit forty or fifty home runs. It's
you know, everybody doing their part, and I would think this could uh

(22:29):
get the the bullpen collectively chance tobolster it's confidence a little bit heading into
the NCAA next week. Oh yeah, one hundred percent. I mean you
gotta look at we got Johnny Hommel. I mean, you got Lightning Queen.
I mean, yeah, he's uh, he's a guy that doesn't overpower
you with Vito, but he's gotsome of the best breaking stuff I've ever

(22:49):
seen. You know, you gotJackson Novie, He's just got that demeanor
to him. I mean, Ithink we've got guys that can go multiple
innings too. I mean you gotnov you got home All, you got
Me, you got O'Brien, guysthat can just come out and shut things
down. And I think that's gonnareally boost our confidence going to the tournament.
And that's but like you said,I mean, not one person,

(23:12):
not just one person, it's theentire team. And it's it's honestly,
it's so cool to watch. Itis and you guys, you do some
things. It gets kind of crazyin the dugouts sometimes it's a group that
has a lot of fun together aswell. It seems Oh yeah, oh
yeah, we like to get weirdand we like to have fun. I

(23:33):
mean, I don't know how elseto put it, you know. I
mean we're playing a kids game incollege, you know, the game we
grew up playing and we love.And I think that's one thing that we
kind of take advantage of when weget to colleges. It's like, oh,
we think it's more of a business, but it's it's not. We're
still playing a kid's game and wegotta have fun with it because I mean,

(23:55):
you don't know how much longer youget to do it. And it
seems there's a strong connection between thisteam and the fan base. When you
guys get back to Kentucky Proud Parkthe next week for the NCAA Regional,
I'm sure the crowds will just beoff the charts. I mean, you
had record crowds at times this season. They put in extra bleachers. How

(24:15):
important is that element of it toyou guys as a team. Oh,
it's it's huge. No, justhaving those people behind us, knowing that
they're coming because of what we're doing, and we love we love that and
we love to see the kids,you know, sign autographs, talk to

(24:37):
them. I mean the fans justcheering us on. That's what that's what
really helps us keep moving. Robert, I appreciate your time getting up early
with us on a Monday. Whenwhen do you guys head to Hoover today?
Yes, sir, we leave aroundtwo o'clock today. Had out to
Hoover. Well, safe travels.You got the regular season title, hopefully

(25:00):
bring home an SEC tournament title andthen take all that hardware to Omaha.
Oh yeah, yes, sir,you know it. I appreciate it,
Thank you very much. That isRobert Hogan out of the bullpen for UK
Baseball, and again those guys aregoing to be relied on heavily this week
because coach Benjione wants to get alittle extra rest for his starters. Everything's

(25:22):
obviously going to be geared toward beingat their best for that NCAA regional because
they'll be in a position to alsohost a super regional if they can get
out of the first weekend, andas they did last season but they didn't
get the host, they'd to goto LSU, so they'll be able to
host this time. All that willbe settled like a selection Sunday, so

(25:47):
to speak for Baseball's I think actuallyon Monday Memorial Day when they'll set the
field for the NCAA tournament. Sogood luck to UK baseball this week.
We'll be talking more about those gamesas the week moves on. Right now,
we need to get to a break. Spencer joins us when we return.
By the way, Robert Hogan joiningus on the Club Blue nil hotline.
Club Blue had a great launch withthe sign ups for that got you

(26:10):
eligible for the new era UK men'sbasketball event with Coach Pope. Club Blue
works with all the sports at UKand if you're a subscriber, you can
pick the sport you want to supportwith your membership fees, supporting the NIL
efforts of your chosen sport. Membershippackages start as low as twenty five dollars
a month. Go to Club blueenildot com and you can sign up and

(26:30):
take advantage of the monthly Club Bluegiveaways to Club Blue nil dot com and
official partner of UK. We'll beright back with Can Spencer fourteen away from
the top of the hour, wego to the Club Blue nil hotline.
Bring on Can Spencer from WUHASTV inLouisville, spent the weekend at Valhalla.
In the week I guess covering thePGA Championship, another fantastic finish, and

(26:53):
I guess a popular winner, firstmajor for Xanders Shoffley and did it wire
to wire? Yeah, you know, I was thinking about this yesterday actually
in the moment, you know,standing standing on eighteen with that just cathedral
of people all around this, andI was, and I actually was talking

(27:15):
to Pat Forty on the way backto the media center after it was all
set it done, I said,you know, you know, in football,
you can be surrounded by one hundredthousand people, but you're in a
uniform and you're surrounded by you know, eleven other guys or ten other guys
on your team, eleven other guysfor the other team. In basketball,
you've got people with you. Baseballis kind of the same thing. And

(27:38):
in golf, you know, there'sno there's no uniform. You're exposed and
that many people, all eyes arejust on you. The pressure that comes
with that, needing a birdie onthe eighteenth hole, and some of the
shot, I mean, you know, after the drive, he doesn't have

(28:00):
an easy shot at all. He'sstanding in the bunker for a second shot,
I mean, you can cold shankthat thing right in the water so
easy. He delivered perfectly the chip. You know that there's so many different
ways that chip can go with thatridge. And then you get a six
footer that didn't I'll be honest withyou when he hit the put tom,

(28:21):
I didn't think it was going in. And so the pressure that comes with
all of that, it's just it'shard to even fathom. And to be
able to deliver in every way.Yeah, it's very well said. I
mean he uh was just kind ofa rocky, had a little bump at
ten, looked like, you know, okay, if he's gonna get shaky,

(28:44):
that's that's where it would happen.And he immediately got it right back
online. He bounced back. Hebounces back with with two two back to
back birdies from there and and kindof a way he went, you know,
down the back of and to behonest, on seventeen, he had
to make a he had to makea save on seventeen as well. That

(29:07):
that wasn't easy. So, youknow, it's his first major championship.
To knock on him was he couldn'tclose on Sundays. You know it wasn't
and this one didn't come easy.He had to earn it and he did.
Yeah, he had a lot ofguys playing well on the last day,
pricing to Shambeau, I mean,the top of that list, and
then you know, Justin Thomas,even though he didn't get to the point

(29:30):
of putting pressure on the leaders,you know, playing on his home course
clearly a special moment for him,and he came through with a great week.
Yeah. And you know, itwas funny because we talked to him
yesterday after the round and I theonly other time that I had spoken with
him. I asked him a coupleof questions and pressers this week, but

(29:51):
nothing like you know, face toface, and a couple of weeks ago
he got the hometown Hero banner hereand he got he was very very emotional
during all of that, and youknow, yesterday, after it was all
said and done, he said,you know, it was like, you
know, was it as good asas you thought it was going to be?
Said? It was good. Itwas better the whole experience, all
of it. He just actually reallyenjoyed it and soaked it in. In

(30:15):
fact, that something that he thathe learned throughout the whole thing is like,
man, it's okay to look around, it's okay to it's okay to
enjoy things. You know, you'resupposed to enjoy things. And and I
thought that was I thought that wasreally neat, And you know, I
kind of asked him. I said, you know, your whole life,
you love your hometown, and didyou ever do you know you always feel

(30:37):
like, Man, I'm just thisone little cog in the and the wheel
of this thing. You know,I love this place so much. I
don't I don't know if this place, you know, really has that same
kind of appreciation for me back oreven knows I exist. And you know,
obviously everybody knows he exists. ButI think, you know, for
him, he realized how much thisplace loves him back, and I think

(30:59):
that could be pretty overwhelming. Andthat's why he got, you know,
emotional a couple of weeks ago.That's why he got the goosebumps this week
for some amazing moments, you know, some amazing chip ins the last the
last two days, and he thoroughlyenjoyed it. One guy whose week was
on the other end of that spectrumwas Scottie Scheffler. What was it like
on Friday morning. I mean,this happened so early for you, you

(31:21):
know, covering this tournament, assumingyou're at home. Do you get a
call about what's going on? Doyou see it first on the media?
How did that unfold? And thenwhere did it go from there? For
you? So like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I was there. I
was there at the course probably aroundeight o'clock in the morning, and was
there, you know, up untilprobably seven or eight o'clock at night.

(31:45):
So the last couple of days,my wife had two daughters were in d
C. So I was taken.I had to take my son to school
responsibilities, and especially when the tournamentstarts, you don't you don't you have
to get there that early, justbecause we can't really do anything until the
morning waves over. And and soFriday morning, I wake up and I

(32:05):
got it. I'm wait, Igot like three texts from my wife and
and on a and on a relativegroup chat, and so like I'm looking
at it, going what and solike that's how I found out, Like
I I got I woke up,you know, around seven thirty into all
of this, and so it wasit was biz. It just was bizarre

(32:30):
and not only was it bizarre,it was like, I can't believe what
I'm watching seeing that, the factthat he got arrested and then all of
a sudden, like he gets theescort back to the course. One of
the owners, Jimmy Kirchdorffer, wasyou know, in the car with him
as he got dropped off at theclubhouse. And so and then then he

(32:50):
goes out and shoots five under Andthen not only that, how many times?
And in Scotty Scheffler's situation, doyou not speak to a single reporter
after that round? You know?And and so he goes and holds a
press conference in and and to bequite honest with you, handled it,
handled it beautifully. And so youknow, I'm not look im. You

(33:14):
can't speculate on exactly what happened inthe moment. You know. I think
Scotty, because of his his history, because of his past, I think
he gets the benefit of the doubtand and a lot of and a lot
of this. But I thought hehandled the news conference beautifully. And so
yeah, no, it was itwas all systems on deck. And I

(33:35):
mean that was just the story yesterday. And you know, it's I think
it's a shame, like you geta really thrilling finish on Sunday. But
I think this tournament is gonna beremembered for that Friday morning. Yeah,
I think that's probably true about aminute here, do you think, I
mean for that reason or or others? Is? Uh, what are the
chances of this event coming back toValhalla? You know, the the the

(34:02):
positive is is the fans and youknow the money that that it could generate,
you know here and for the PGAof America. And you know,
the fans always enjoy themselves. Thefans, you know, turn out and
and show out. You know.Some of the problems that they had that
Friday morning are not the Valhalla Golfclubs. It's the PGA of Americas right
like that. How you know,how you how you run it, and

(34:24):
so you know, they've got toget some things fixed. You know.
I have always been I've always beencurious after the PGA of America sold the
golf club to even a local ownership, that they would ever come back.
But I have my doubts. Butyou know, I'm I'm a fan of
it and I would love for itto come back. So we'll just have

(34:44):
to wait and see what the PGAof America decides. Well, clearly there
were a lot of fans of it, great crowds. It looked fantastic on
TV. And uh, I'm surenow Derby and this you're ready for a
little rest, So we appreciate youjumping on with us for a few minutes
today. Right, I'm gonna gosleep for two days. Good for you.

(35:05):
Kent Spencer, Whastevie at Kent Spencer, we get the exact correct address
here for X and Twitter it isat Whas eleven, Kent. There you
go. Quick break back to closeout this Monday edition of the Leech Report,
presented by Bob Kat enterprises Stand awild Cat History the service of Kentucky

(35:29):
road Show sports cards and memorabilia onRomedy Road in Lexington and at roadshowcards dot
Com. Happy birthday to one timeWildcat and a scanter. And yesterday was
the anniversary of John Wall's commitment toUK got the ball rolling on the new
Era that was in twenty or twothousand and nine, yesterday that John Wall

(35:52):
committed. Of course, we sawthe video of John connecting with Coach Pope
up in and there's neath the seas. John has said He loves coach Cow,
but he also loves UK, sohe can be loyal to both.
That will do it for this editionof The Leech Report. Have a great

(36:12):
day. We will see you tomorrow. Thanks for listening to The Leech Report.
Anytime you miss the show, youcan catch the Mingy Beef Tricky Podcast.
Find them at Tom Leitchky dot comor on the iHeartRadio app. Interested
in advertising on the show, emailLeach Reports at gmail dot com. We'll
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