November 27, 2024 • 33 mins
Tom talks with Charles Walker and Darren Headrick.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
The Leech Report Radio Network is on the air with
the voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leech. It's the daily
gathering spot for the Big Blue Nation to hear the
latest news and views on the Cats. If you have
a question for Tom, email Leach Report at gmail dot
com or send a tweet to add Tom leach Ky.
(00:22):
Now here's Tom.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hey, everybody, welcome into the Wednesday edition of The Leech Reports.
We are coming to you courtesy of Bobcat Enterprises each
and every day. On our pre Thanksgiving show tomorrow, we'll
have a best of show playing some past interviews, and
then on Friday we'll have a pre recorded show, but
(00:48):
it will be all.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
It's part coming to you from the Clarks Pumpashop Studio. Return,
Refresh and Refuel at Clarks they have a Do Loyalty
rewards program you need to check out. You can get
some discounts on fuel and merchandise two at Clark's Pumping
Shop stores. As you can tell, we're having some technical difficulties.
I'm not sure the source of it yet, thinking maybe
Internet related. Anyway, we are making do and we will
(01:15):
have our first guest here in just a second. While
we are waiting, let me give you a couple of
scores from last night late games if you didn't stay
up for them. After the Kentucky win, Kansas beat Duke
seventy five seventy two and is at a fairly good
sized lead. Early lost Hunter Dickinson because he did one
of his Hunter Dickinson things and a scramble for a
(01:37):
loose ball kicked the player in the head from Duke
he had ejected, but Kansas ended up winning anyway, seventy
five seventy two. Auburn, really playing well at that big
rally against Iowa, stayed out in Maui, and then last
night in the late game out in the Islands, beat
North Carolina eighty five to seventy two, and the Alabama
(01:58):
Crimson Tide be Houston in overtime from eighty five to eighty.
That was a back and forth game. Bama led, then
Houston came back, got a five or six point lead,
and finally Bama prevailed in overtime. Oregon upset Texas A
and M eighty to seventy and Yukon's lost two in
a row after falling to Colorado out in mal yesterday
seventy three to seventy two. And Ken Spencer joined us
(02:21):
now on the club blueennil dot com hotline and a
lot of you may know this, may not know this.
Kent's very mild mannered, but if the turkey is just
not right, he goes all day and Hurley O the
family right.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You know what though, this year, I don't have an excuse.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
I'm doing my own turkey.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Oh are you take care of it yourself? Yep, I'm
smoking the turkey this year. Oh good for you. So
how long does that process take?
Speaker 5 (02:55):
Well, the way that, the way that I'm I've done
a lot of research because it's a it's a passionate mind. Tom.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
I think it's gonna take anywhere from I'm gonna brind
it overnight and then I'm gonna I think it's only
like a three hour smoke. So it's not that bad,
oh considering, So I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
We had a smoke turkey a couple of years ago
and it really only took about fifteen minutes to go
drive to the barbecue place and pick it up and
come back. But good for you, we're doing it yourself.
I love it.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Look, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta help out any way,
that I can, well, good.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
For you and you really don't go Dan Hurley on
the family, but he's getting a lot of attention this week.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Well, you know it's uh, what is it the it's
that the second Batman, the Dark Knight. When I think.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
It's Aaron Eckhart's character, he says, you know, you either
you either die the hero or you live long enough
to see yourself become the villain.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
You know, when Yukon was beginning their emergence with with
Dan Hurley, I think he was the you know, he
was the hero. People liked it, it was refreshing and
all this other stuff. And after a couple of national titles,
now he's become the villain.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
It's kind of it's kind of in the same deal,
different but a little bit of maybe Dabo Sweeney when
he was at Clemson and they were kind of starting
their emergence. I think he's he's he's been on top
long enough to become somebody people want to root against
it and hate.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, that line you used certainly seems applicable to a
lot of coaches. Longer you hang around, the less it
seems to be a loving relationship. But let's move on
to one that is still in the honeymoon phase, and
(04:58):
then it's Kentucky basketball. Bark Pope and company moved to
six and oh last night with kind of a just
find a way to get it done when against w
k U, when Kentucky wasn't shooting it well, Western was
just very pesky, scrappy, whatever adjective you'd like to use.
What's your take on where Kentucky is after six games.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Well, let's just take last night for instance, right, Like,
didn't shoot it well, they weren't very good at the
foul line, scored eighty seven points. That's pretty good, Like, yeah,
and you know, and you did it, and you did
all that against the team that got really into you defensively,
(05:43):
which is what Western Kentucky did.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
And it's the same thing that Duke did.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
You know.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
There there was there was some national folks a couple
of weeks ago that said, you know, and they were
breaking down, you know, it was a lot of the
post Kentucky Duke game and they were like, well, Duke's
got such a long way to go. Kentucky so much
Kentucky is just about out at their ceiling. And I
thought to myself, I just I don't.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I don't agree with that.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
I think that's kind of a lazy take just because
they have older guys. All of these guys have never
played together before, and they haven't played for this coaching
staff before outside of one guy. I said, you know this,
this is a team that still has tons of room
to grow because you got to get comfortable with each
other on the court in the heat of the moment.
(06:33):
You got to get comfortable with the system. And I
thought Kentucky still has a long way to go. I
still do, but I think the theme, to be quite
honest with you, is better than I thought they were
going to be when they were.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Constructed over the Southern in what ways.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I just did not I didn't know how the pieces fit.
I didn't know if the pieces would fit. And they have.
And if you you know, there was a play last
night and Amari Williams, Look, he didn't have the best
game last night, but he gets a nice pass to
(07:13):
Jackson Robinson who gets in the lane and then has
another really quick pass to otega Oway in a corner
for a pretty big three that pushed the lead to fourteen.
Like that's a that is a beautiful basketball play and
you can only and that's done by three guys who
have never played together before. But last night, like it
(07:34):
just seemed like they had played together for years in
that moment, and that moment doesn't always happen. But you know,
this is such an unselfish team. They don't mind the
one extra pass. It seems like they're really enjoying success
for each other. And so I didn't know that if
that was going to be the case. It is, and
(07:54):
I think it's made them better than I thought they
were going to be.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Interesting. You brought up that play, but because I brought
up that play with Mark in the post game, and
as an example of what I was leading to, is
that guy in Jackson Robinson, who's a score and he
wasn't having a good shooting night. I think he had
missed all three of his shots in the second half
at that point, makes a perfect cut and gets a
(08:19):
great pass, and he's eight feet out in front of
the basket, and nobody would say anything at all if
he pulled up shot, tried to get to the rim,
maybe get fouled in an a and one. But his
first instinct he catches a teammate out of the corner
of his eye over in the right corner. It fires
at the way who hits a three. That's how the
(08:40):
offense is supposed to work. But get to your point,
these guys haven't played much together. So that told me
that a guy like Robinson, and he's had a year
in Pope's system, so that sortally helps a little bit.
But he's fully invested in the idea of the team
at the U instead of himself because you know, at
(09:03):
that point, you're a shooter. You gotta you got a
shot and you can make to get yourself going. And
his first instinct was what he followed, and his first
instinct was to move the ball to the open guy
in the corner.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
No hundred percent. And you know, I think the offense
does like you you see certain things. Here's one of
the things where I think that, and Robinson is a
is a great point, even though that he wasn't making
shots on the you know in the second half last night,
like there are times where the ball still kind of
sticks and you know, maybe somebody for a second has
(09:38):
kind of dribbled the life out of it a little bit.
And where you see Robinson in the game, and whether
it's this or this or this. He doesn't hesitate, he
just does, you know, like if he's open, if he's
got a glimmer of hope and it's come there, it's
going up. And I think that's what Mark Pope wants.
And so the more you know, for lack of a
(10:00):
better term, the more everybody just continues to get on
the same page, and that continues to grow. I think
they're gonna I think they'll continually get better.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Talking with Kent Spencer from WHSTV in Louisville and we
will take a break, come back and talk a little
bit about the Governor's Cup, what it thinks. That's the
top of the hour on the Leads Report and we
are joining on the Club blueenil dot com highline by
Kent Spencer. It's at WHS eleven Kent on x or
Twitter and you see them on WHAS eleven TV and
(10:33):
it's the Governor's Cup on Saturday and Kent. It seems
like Kentucky football in this series is like a horse
that just loves Churchill Downs or Keeland and no matter
what the form is before the race, when they get
to that track, you upgrade their chances. Kentucky has even
the year's the second third years of Mark Stoop's tenure.
When they lost the game, they played very well as
(10:59):
the underdog. So what are you expecting? Are you expecting
that kind of performance from Kentucky on Saturday and who prevails?
Speaker 5 (11:06):
I don't I don't know if I expect that kind
of performance on Saturday. I just think that for me,
this just feels.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Like a different year, and maybe a little bit and
to be.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Honest with you, not really so much about.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Louisville and how they're playing.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
It really feels like it's just a different year for Kentucky.
You know, it's just something's something's amiss, and we'll see
if Cutter Bowley is the spark. You know, last week
somebody asked me if if if I would go with
Cutter Bowlie and I said no in the moment, and
not just for this game, it was also for the
Texas game. I said, you can't, can't do it to
(11:45):
the young man because those are really really tough environments,
big moments. You know, you kind of want to ease
him into this thing. And then he comes in the
second half against Texas and.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
You know, had a ton of poise and played.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
You know, I thought, really really well and that environment
against that kind of team, and so then I thought,
then I changed my mind. I was like, well, now
you've got to start him against against Louisville because he
gives you the best chance to have some sort of
success on offense that's just been kind of missing against
(12:18):
SEC opponents and.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
Power five opponents.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
So you know, and and knowing Ron English and Louisville,
a freshman quarterback making his first start, they're gonna heat
him up. They're gonna bullet team probably all day. I
would assume that's you know, the Kentucky's offensive lines had
its struggles. Like in the years past, they could get
the running game going, they could get all this other
(12:41):
stuff going.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
I just I don't see it this year.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
It'll play out on Saturday afternoon at Kroger Field at
high noon, and Ken Spencer will be there to cover it.
We're coming up on the heartbreak at the bottom of
the hour, so we'll cut you loose with a happy
Thanksgiving to you and the family.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Gay same to you, my friend.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Good luck with that turkey. That's Cat Spencer joining us
on the Club BLUEINIL dot com hotline. That's the official
collective partner of UK Athletics bat fans this holiday season,
Kentucky Eagle and Anheuser Bush requests that you plan ahead
and decide to ride.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
There's never excuse to.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Drink and drive. Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends,
but remember, decide to ride and go. Cats From Kentucky
Eagle and Anheuser Bush. We're in the second half of
our show having some technical difficulties, so that's why it
sounds the way that it does from here in the studio.
I don't think we're going to get that fixed anytime soon,
because the good old spectrum Internet seems to be as
(13:42):
inconsistent as a bad jump shooter. On this day before Thanksgiving,
and we welcome in Darren Hedrick to the program from
down in Nashville where UK women's basketball team moved to
six and oh it went over Arizona yesterday and convincing
fashion and Darren, it's that time of year when people
are working on the stuffing for the Thanksgiving me A
(14:05):
kianni Key provided the stuffing yesterday. I was just looking
at her stat line that was what sixteen and thirteen
boards and six blocks and four assists of three steels
and a partridge in a pear tree.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
That's right. What a phenomenal game by Tiani last night.
A huge part of the reason why they were able
to beat Arizona State as handily as they did tom
But it's interesting. At the start of the year coach
Brooks called Tianni the key to this team, and man,
he even mentioned last night. He said, Hey, I've coached
(14:40):
the NBA players, I've coached all Americans, and I've never
seen the stat line like that. What a phenomenal game
for Key last night.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
And Claire Strack continued her fine play and which Aymore
had a big game, so it seems like a obviously
a very solid performance. They faced Illinois today in the
second game of this event in Nashville, and for Kentucky
fans that are in the area might have the day off.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
Are where's this game being played tonight? Yeah, So they'll
play it at seven o'clock Central here in Nashville. They'll
play it at the trevec and Nazarenes campus, which is
the Trojan Fieldhouse, little Division TI school. It's about ten
to fifteen minutes outside of downtown, So if you're in
the area, come check them out. This is going to
be a great matchup tonight between two top twenty teams.
(15:30):
So what are the matchup concerns for Coach Brooks at
his staff in this one? Well, the ALA and I
are going to be one of the best scoring teams
Kentucky's faced, and that includes a Louisville team that's always
super talented and a contender. But Illinois's got six players
at average over ten points that led by Kendall Bostick,
a fifth year senior who's averaging seventeen. This is a
(15:54):
group that's got four one thousand point scorers, So they're
going to test the defense tonight with all their bound
scoring attack.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
For Kentucky, what are the areas that Coach Brooks is
kind of pushing them to improve on at the moment
even though they're six and zero.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
You know, I think the biggest thing Tom is just
continuing to get better as a team. As good as
Clara Strack is, sometimes you forget she's only a sophomore,
still so young in her career, but she's taken such
great strides, and she took another one last night against
a very physical Arizona State team and showed a different
side of her personality when things got chippy. In the
(16:34):
second half, but it just continued to grow and get
more opportunities. He's been really pleased with how Cassidy Rowe
has bought his system and she's provided big minutes, allowing
Georgia to, you know, maybe take a couple of possessions
where she's not running the show. She can play off
guard a little bit or get some rest on the bench.
So just taking steps and strides and learning the physicality
(16:59):
of the sec A, just continuing to grow as a team.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
It's your first season working with Coach Brooks and observing
how he runs his program. He's obviously the tremendous track record,
but now to see it, I'm close. What are some
of the things that impress you about the way he
approaches the job. It's just the finer details, very similar
to Coach Pope, and I just enjoy watching the way
(17:26):
he runs his practices. They're laid back, yet they're hard
at work. He's softer spoken than some coaches are similar
to Coach Pope in that way too. He mostly tries
to keep he keeps things positive. But just the attention
to details what I always go back to, and he'll
show them a minor move in the post or a
(17:47):
minor move to set a screen, things that maybe some
of us don't think about in the course of the game,
but they matter because it gets you open or gets
you that's one second window to get a clean shot
off for uh, you know, make the extra pass and
get the best shot. And so that's you know, last night,
when things weren't going well and the shots weren't falling,
(18:09):
you still felt good about Kentucky because they were working
to get that best shot that you can out of
a possession, and you knew that eventually the shots were
going to start falling again, and of course they did
in the fourth quarter. But those are the kind of
things that I watched for when I UH attend practice
or watch these games and watch him work. You worked
(18:31):
a few of the SEC Network plus games for men's basketball,
and then you filled in for me last Friday when
I was down in Texas. So you did the pregame
interview with coach Pope, and those are always interesting, whether
it's his news conference or the you know, the pre
or postgame things that we do on the network. Yesterday
(18:51):
after shoot around and as you know, he comes over,
you know, chats with you know, the TV and radio
folks after shoot around and U just you know a
little background on the game, in the matchup and the
things you know, to kind of help fill out a broadcast.
And he uh used the phrase with Roy Philpott, who's
doing the game on TV side emotional reservoir. That was
(19:12):
a new one and they got him to elaborate on
it in the pregame. And it has to do he
worked with some sports psychologists that he worked with, and
it has to do with you know he you know,
when Mark played for Rick Patito and back in the nineties, U,
you know, everything was you know, approached at the level
of a ten practice meetings, I guess anything. And he said,
(19:36):
you know, the U he's come to realize that you know,
this this day and time, you can't I guess the
phrase might be die on every hill. So you want
him to be at their best for the game and
be able to you know, still be emotionally, you know,
fresh and strong and late in a game as well
(19:58):
as you know, the physical part. And he said, for
that reason, he's you know, learned to approach some things
differently the you know, shoot around, pregame meals and just
make it much lighter and try to make it as
stress free as possible so you can, you know, have
the to get to the emotional pen during the game. Uh,
and it, you know, it's an incredibly interesting approach to
(20:20):
listen to him explain it, and it just is you know,
another example of kind of how he looks at the game.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
Yeah, it's fascinating to talk to Coach Pope and really
Coach Brooks too, and just their perspectives and their journeys.
You know, Coach Brooks comes from the Lesti Driselle coaching tree,
and but you're right to hear some of the the
mantras or some of the beliefs that Coach popeaz and
the way he approaches things. The one thing that really
(20:49):
sticks out to me from doing the pregame when I
feel in for you and hearing him talk to you
in the other games, it's just how detailed he is
when he breaks down the opponent for you or I
just like when I feeled in and they play Jackson
State and he's like, man, these guys run some classic
Utah jazz sets And I thought, you know what, I
(21:09):
should have followed up and asked him for some people
who might not know what are some classic jazz, SAIDs.
But that's the kind of stuff you get out of
these pregame interviews and it's fascinating.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah, I'm learning. You gotta jump in at times and
just a very simple thing, what's that mean? Or they'll
use a phrase or use like, you know, some three
initials for something, and it's like, what's that mean? Because
fans are eating it up. They and I'm sure but
coach Brooks too. When the coach is new and they're
successful fans, you know Kentucky fans in particular, they just
(21:45):
want to consume everything that they can and it's you know,
it's very interesting for them. And you know, both of
these guys seem to be very eager to interact with
fans in that way in terms of explaining what they're doing.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
Yeah, and if I can re quick Just one of
the things that's very similar between these two coaches. Tom
Uh Coach Pope likes to talk about the three words
when scouting an opponent, talking to the players, give me
three words that describe the opponent. Coach Brooks uses three things.
So they're very similar. It's not three words, he has
them give you three details, but still a very similar
(22:20):
approach from these two gentlemen.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yeah, that's that's true, and it's I think it's designed
to you know you and with older teams you can
throw maybe more at them with a younger team, but
still you don't want to load them up with too
much thinking to do so that it limits their just
natural ability to play the game. So if you can
get you know, one word or one phrase or a
(22:47):
couple to focus on, that's maybe a little easier to manage.
You're not trying to think about fifteen things.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
Yeah, I totally agree. And you think about all the
information that is available to players and coaches and scouting
from the video and not just staff, but the analytics,
the sabers stuff, and I think it's terrific that these
guys say, Okay, here's all this information, but I need
to know three things. What are the three things you
know about this shooter or this forward, this guard, this team.
(23:16):
Give me just three things you know about it. And
I think that's just a great approach to the scouting
report and it helps these guys play without beating robots.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Darreon Hendrick joining us on the club Blue nil dot
com hotline. Let's get back to preparing for the game
tonight and broadcast on the UK Radio network. What time
do you guys hit the air.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
We'll be on at seven forty five easterroon tonight.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Have a good call there and thank you Happy Thanksgiving,
Happy Thanksgiving, Tom, thank you so much. A quarter before
the top of the hour, here on the Leads Report
coming to you from the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return,
refreshing and refuel the Clark's Charles Walker joins us when
we return if report's presented by bobcat in Surprises and
we welcome to the program via the Club Blue nil
(24:04):
dot com hotline. Charles Walker, former Wildcat wide receiver out
of St X High School there in Louisville, and also
the guy from CBI Insurance. And I note the Saint
X connection this week in particular, Charles, because it's the
battle for the Governor's Cup. It's Kentucky Louisville. You knew
it in a different way having grown up in Louisville
(24:25):
when you played in the game. What was it? Did
your teammates need to be educated? He sees it about it.
Speaker 7 (24:32):
You know, Tom, It's something that the players learned early
when I was there. Heck we had about fifty guys
from the state of Florida that honestly half of them
got recruited by u L. So these players know what
this game means. And I know we're not playing for
a Bowl game, but you know we're five straight Governor's
(24:54):
Cup winners and we're hoping to make it six.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I was talking about that earlier the show Kentucky even
in the years that it didn't win, probably twenty seventeen
was the outlier, but the years when it didn't win,
even stoops first year, they played a good Louisville team tough,
and then nearly won it in fourteen and fifteen and
then have won every game but one since then in
the series, and people talk about you know, Mark Stoops
(25:20):
always has his guys ready for that game and they
you know, no matter what the circumstances are, they come
into it fired up. Did you notice anything different from
coach Stoops and the staff in the Louisville week You know, they.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Go about it pretty methodically.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
And again, at the same time, you want to amp
your players up to the highest degree, but you also
want them to call them out there because when your
most damp is when you're gonna make the most mistakes. Again,
I think this is one that right now Coach Stoups
is talking to this team and there's more on the
line than what there.
Speaker 8 (25:57):
Seems to be, because again, this is rivalry.
Speaker 7 (26:00):
This is you're not only playing for you know, the
team now, but you're playing for every player that's played.
You're playing for every fan that wants to be able
for the next year, to to tout off and you know,
explain that, hey, we didn't have the best year, but
guess what, we still gave it to you all at Krogerfield.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I'm sure being there in Louisville you get a healthy
dose of Cards coverage too. So give me your your
take on what it's going to take for Kentucky. What
will the script look like if Kentucky is able to
win this game?
Speaker 8 (26:31):
You know, Tom, I think it.
Speaker 7 (26:32):
I think it starts with you know what what we
saw last week, and that's cutter Bowley, And you know this,
This U of L team scores. You know they they
put up thirty or more points. And I believe every
game aside from one which was that outlier where they
went to Virginia and kind of lagged behind all game
and found a way to win. Aside from this Stanford
that Stanford game, u L's found a way to win
(26:54):
in close games. So I think we need to play hard,
we need to play fast, and as we talk about
every week, when that turnover battle.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And that's an interesting angle in this series. Kentucky's had
multiple turnovers two or more in six straight games this season.
They've had three turnovers in the last five years in
this winning streak in this series. So if they could
get back to that trend would enhance their chances greatly.
They're gonna have to do that with a true freshman
(27:24):
quarterback making his first start in this big rivalry game.
What was it that you saw about Cutter last week
or any other time that particularly gave you encouragement.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
I'm gonna go with two p's here Tom. His poise
and his playmaking ability. You know, there was multiple plays
last week where he found a way out of the pocket,
found a way to extend the play similar to what
Patrick Mahomes does it and found the guy.
Speaker 8 (27:51):
Downfield and connected on the pass. And you know, that's
something we just really haven't seen this year.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
And you know, to go in down you know, twenty
points the number three ranked team in the nation at
their home field with one hundred thousand fans and going
there and complete some passes and and have some good drives.
I think shows a lot about him. And you know what,
even after the game, his interview is the best. He said, listen,
we're gonna bring this program to places it's never seen.
Speaker 8 (28:19):
And I just think I loved it. I loved every
part about it.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Yeah, he does seem to have a little bit of
you know, whether you say the it factor or presence
or swagger or something that And I'm assuming that certainly
fans believe, and I guess analysts believe that players feed
off that.
Speaker 7 (28:41):
Do they one hundred percent? And you know, you said
it best there. It's it's the it factor. And I
think with him, he's got a good head on his
shoulders where he can be quote unquote swaggy, but when it.
Speaker 8 (28:52):
Comes to the game time, he doesn't shy away.
Speaker 7 (28:54):
And you know that's what we that's what we saw
when he's backed up on his own three yard line,
takes a three step drop, throws a dime to barry
On Brown.
Speaker 8 (29:02):
I think he's got it all. And you know, I
don't know why I took eleven games.
Speaker 7 (29:06):
To see it, but we we're gonna see it now.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Karen Lorenzen was the last freshman to start in this rivalry,
but he was a red shirt freshman. Cutters a you know,
in his first year of college. So Ken Spencer was
saying when he was all with his earlier he expects
U of L to really bring the pressure on Cutters.
So you know, that poise that you talked about that
(29:31):
you saw will be certainly one would think put to
the test against a lot of different pressure packages on Saturday.
Speaker 8 (29:38):
And there's two ways to go about it, you know.
Speaker 7 (29:39):
I think I think Bush needs to start the game
with with some good run plays and some short, you know,
short pass plays where even that pressure.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
Is not going to get to him.
Speaker 7 (29:47):
Give him, give him an easy round and make sure
he's not reading too much into the defense.
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Or you can go.
Speaker 7 (29:52):
About the second way and Bamba deep to berryan use
use these receivers that are fast and are quick that
maybe haven't been utilized too much this year, and take
the fight to them.
Speaker 8 (30:02):
I'm curious to see how Bush handles it.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Charles, I appreciate the time as always. I know you'll
enjoy the game. On Saturday, particularly if it goes your
Alma mater's way. But between now and then, Happy Thanksgiving
to you and the family.
Speaker 8 (30:16):
I'm feeling good about it. Top have you Thanksgiving and gokats.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
That is Charles Walker, the former Wildcat wide Out number
eighty eight, joining us here for weekly visits on the
Leak's Report Radio network. We have one segment left and
we will get to that when we return. Shuffle Being
Coffee is based right here in the Bluegrass. Group of
Kentuckians got together more than a decade ago with a
plan to make the best cup of coffee. Started with
(30:42):
the best coffee beans. And they like to say they
follow the process from seed to cup and you will
agree when you taste it. Pick some shuffle Being Coffee
up if you're in Myers Stores in central Kentucky getting
things for the Thanksgiving meal at the last minute, or
just order it through Amazon or through shufflebean dot Us.
Put some hustle in your shuffle for Thanksgiving and the
(31:05):
rest of the holiday season and beyond with Shufflebean Coffee.
This day in Wildcat History brought to you by Kentucky Roadshow,
Sports Cards and Memorabilia. Their at Roadshowcards dot Com online
or they're on Romedy Road here in Lexington. And when
you're out doing some Christmas shopping, if you've got a
(31:25):
or somebody in your family that is a collector of
cards or your UK memorabilia, check out the store there
for Kentucky Road Show. You'll spend some time there, especially
on the memorabilia side. A lot of UK history in
that shop. This day was the day that they played
the first game in Rupp Arena back in nineteen seventy six,
(31:48):
and Rick Roby scored the first field goal for Kentucky
as the Wildcats went on to beat Wisconsin seventy two
to sixty four. And Happy birthday to Oscar Sebwey, Kentucky's
big O and just a force on the backboard, still
is in the NBA's developmental league and also when he
gets brought up to play the Big Show. So happy
(32:11):
birthday to Oscar. Alex Rayner and named a finalist for
the Lou Groza Award to the nation's top kicker. And
JJ Weaver, Tucky outside linebacker. He has won the Freddie
Solomon Spirit Award and it's given four players who give
back to their community. And JJ has certainly done that.
Cornbread m spreading the holidays here without the hangover. This season,
(32:32):
skip the booze and go with the bread. With their
new Blueberry Breeze products, it's a healthier way to enjoy
a hair free moment, just in time for family gatherings
and holiday party. And you can get a buy one,
get one free deal when you enter the coach bog
O t O M at checkout. That's bogom buy one,
get one free through midnight on Cyber Monday at Cornbreadhimp
(32:54):
dot com. This is the Good Life, Happy Thanksgiving Everybody.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Or seven ninety Louisville dot com and anytime you're out
of range of the stations, catch the show via the
iHeartRadio app. If you have any questions for Tom, email
Leach Report at gmail dot com and check out his
website at Tom Leach kwyd dot com
The Leech Report Radio Network is on the air with
the voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leech. It's the daily
gathering spot for the Big Blue Nation to hear the
latest news and views on the Cats. If you have
a question for Tom, email Leach Report at gmail dot
com or send a tweet to add Tom leach Ky.
(00:22):
Now here's Tom.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hey, everybody, welcome into the Wednesday edition of The Leech Reports.
We are coming to you courtesy of Bobcat Enterprises each
and every day. On our pre Thanksgiving show tomorrow, we'll
have a best of show playing some past interviews, and
then on Friday we'll have a pre recorded show, but
(00:48):
it will be all.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
It's part coming to you from the Clarks Pumpashop Studio. Return,
Refresh and Refuel at Clarks they have a Do Loyalty
rewards program you need to check out. You can get
some discounts on fuel and merchandise two at Clark's Pumping
Shop stores. As you can tell, we're having some technical difficulties.
I'm not sure the source of it yet, thinking maybe
Internet related. Anyway, we are making do and we will
(01:15):
have our first guest here in just a second. While
we are waiting, let me give you a couple of
scores from last night late games if you didn't stay
up for them. After the Kentucky win, Kansas beat Duke
seventy five seventy two and is at a fairly good
sized lead. Early lost Hunter Dickinson because he did one
of his Hunter Dickinson things and a scramble for a
(01:37):
loose ball kicked the player in the head from Duke
he had ejected, but Kansas ended up winning anyway, seventy
five seventy two. Auburn, really playing well at that big
rally against Iowa, stayed out in Maui, and then last
night in the late game out in the Islands, beat
North Carolina eighty five to seventy two, and the Alabama
(01:58):
Crimson Tide be Houston in overtime from eighty five to eighty.
That was a back and forth game. Bama led, then
Houston came back, got a five or six point lead,
and finally Bama prevailed in overtime. Oregon upset Texas A
and M eighty to seventy and Yukon's lost two in
a row after falling to Colorado out in mal yesterday
seventy three to seventy two. And Ken Spencer joined us
(02:21):
now on the club blueennil dot com hotline and a
lot of you may know this, may not know this.
Kent's very mild mannered, but if the turkey is just
not right, he goes all day and Hurley O the
family right.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You know what though, this year, I don't have an excuse.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
I'm doing my own turkey.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Oh are you take care of it yourself? Yep, I'm
smoking the turkey this year. Oh good for you. So
how long does that process take?
Speaker 5 (02:55):
Well, the way that, the way that I'm I've done
a lot of research because it's a it's a passionate mind. Tom.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
I think it's gonna take anywhere from I'm gonna brind
it overnight and then I'm gonna I think it's only
like a three hour smoke. So it's not that bad,
oh considering, So I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
We had a smoke turkey a couple of years ago
and it really only took about fifteen minutes to go
drive to the barbecue place and pick it up and
come back. But good for you, we're doing it yourself.
I love it.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Look, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta help out any way,
that I can, well, good.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
For you and you really don't go Dan Hurley on
the family, but he's getting a lot of attention this week.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Well, you know it's uh, what is it the it's
that the second Batman, the Dark Knight. When I think.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
It's Aaron Eckhart's character, he says, you know, you either
you either die the hero or you live long enough
to see yourself become the villain.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
You know, when Yukon was beginning their emergence with with
Dan Hurley, I think he was the you know, he
was the hero. People liked it, it was refreshing and
all this other stuff. And after a couple of national titles,
now he's become the villain.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
It's kind of it's kind of in the same deal,
different but a little bit of maybe Dabo Sweeney when
he was at Clemson and they were kind of starting
their emergence. I think he's he's he's been on top
long enough to become somebody people want to root against
it and hate.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, that line you used certainly seems applicable to a
lot of coaches. Longer you hang around, the less it
seems to be a loving relationship. But let's move on
to one that is still in the honeymoon phase, and
(04:58):
then it's Kentucky basketball. Bark Pope and company moved to
six and oh last night with kind of a just
find a way to get it done when against w
k U, when Kentucky wasn't shooting it well, Western was
just very pesky, scrappy, whatever adjective you'd like to use.
What's your take on where Kentucky is after six games.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Well, let's just take last night for instance, right, Like,
didn't shoot it well, they weren't very good at the
foul line, scored eighty seven points. That's pretty good, Like, yeah,
and you know, and you did it, and you did
all that against the team that got really into you defensively,
(05:43):
which is what Western Kentucky did.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
And it's the same thing that Duke did.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
You know.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
There there was there was some national folks a couple
of weeks ago that said, you know, and they were
breaking down, you know, it was a lot of the
post Kentucky Duke game and they were like, well, Duke's
got such a long way to go. Kentucky so much
Kentucky is just about out at their ceiling. And I
thought to myself, I just I don't.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I don't agree with that.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
I think that's kind of a lazy take just because
they have older guys. All of these guys have never
played together before, and they haven't played for this coaching
staff before outside of one guy. I said, you know this,
this is a team that still has tons of room
to grow because you got to get comfortable with each
other on the court in the heat of the moment.
(06:33):
You got to get comfortable with the system. And I
thought Kentucky still has a long way to go. I
still do, but I think the theme, to be quite
honest with you, is better than I thought they were
going to be when they were.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Constructed over the Southern in what ways.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I just did not I didn't know how the pieces fit.
I didn't know if the pieces would fit. And they have.
And if you you know, there was a play last
night and Amari Williams, Look, he didn't have the best
game last night, but he gets a nice pass to
(07:13):
Jackson Robinson who gets in the lane and then has
another really quick pass to otega Oway in a corner
for a pretty big three that pushed the lead to fourteen.
Like that's a that is a beautiful basketball play and
you can only and that's done by three guys who
have never played together before. But last night, like it
(07:34):
just seemed like they had played together for years in
that moment, and that moment doesn't always happen. But you know,
this is such an unselfish team. They don't mind the
one extra pass. It seems like they're really enjoying success
for each other. And so I didn't know that if
that was going to be the case. It is, and
(07:54):
I think it's made them better than I thought they
were going to be.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Interesting. You brought up that play, but because I brought
up that play with Mark in the post game, and
as an example of what I was leading to, is
that guy in Jackson Robinson, who's a score and he
wasn't having a good shooting night. I think he had
missed all three of his shots in the second half
at that point, makes a perfect cut and gets a
(08:19):
great pass, and he's eight feet out in front of
the basket, and nobody would say anything at all if
he pulled up shot, tried to get to the rim,
maybe get fouled in an a and one. But his
first instinct he catches a teammate out of the corner
of his eye over in the right corner. It fires
at the way who hits a three. That's how the
(08:40):
offense is supposed to work. But get to your point,
these guys haven't played much together. So that told me
that a guy like Robinson, and he's had a year
in Pope's system, so that sortally helps a little bit.
But he's fully invested in the idea of the team
at the U instead of himself because you know, at
(09:03):
that point, you're a shooter. You gotta you got a
shot and you can make to get yourself going. And
his first instinct was what he followed, and his first
instinct was to move the ball to the open guy
in the corner.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
No hundred percent. And you know, I think the offense
does like you you see certain things. Here's one of
the things where I think that, and Robinson is a
is a great point, even though that he wasn't making
shots on the you know in the second half last night,
like there are times where the ball still kind of
sticks and you know, maybe somebody for a second has
(09:38):
kind of dribbled the life out of it a little bit.
And where you see Robinson in the game, and whether
it's this or this or this. He doesn't hesitate, he
just does, you know, like if he's open, if he's
got a glimmer of hope and it's come there, it's
going up. And I think that's what Mark Pope wants.
And so the more you know, for lack of a
(10:00):
better term, the more everybody just continues to get on
the same page, and that continues to grow. I think
they're gonna I think they'll continually get better.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Talking with Kent Spencer from WHSTV in Louisville and we
will take a break, come back and talk a little
bit about the Governor's Cup, what it thinks. That's the
top of the hour on the Leads Report and we
are joining on the Club blueenil dot com highline by
Kent Spencer. It's at WHS eleven Kent on x or
Twitter and you see them on WHAS eleven TV and
(10:33):
it's the Governor's Cup on Saturday and Kent. It seems
like Kentucky football in this series is like a horse
that just loves Churchill Downs or Keeland and no matter
what the form is before the race, when they get
to that track, you upgrade their chances. Kentucky has even
the year's the second third years of Mark Stoop's tenure.
When they lost the game, they played very well as
(10:59):
the underdog. So what are you expecting? Are you expecting
that kind of performance from Kentucky on Saturday and who prevails?
Speaker 5 (11:06):
I don't I don't know if I expect that kind
of performance on Saturday. I just think that for me,
this just feels.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Like a different year, and maybe a little bit and
to be.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Honest with you, not really so much about.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Louisville and how they're playing.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
It really feels like it's just a different year for Kentucky.
You know, it's just something's something's amiss, and we'll see
if Cutter Bowley is the spark. You know, last week
somebody asked me if if if I would go with
Cutter Bowlie and I said no in the moment, and
not just for this game, it was also for the
Texas game. I said, you can't, can't do it to
(11:45):
the young man because those are really really tough environments,
big moments. You know, you kind of want to ease
him into this thing. And then he comes in the
second half against Texas and.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
You know, had a ton of poise and played.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
You know, I thought, really really well and that environment
against that kind of team, and so then I thought,
then I changed my mind. I was like, well, now
you've got to start him against against Louisville because he
gives you the best chance to have some sort of
success on offense that's just been kind of missing against
(12:18):
SEC opponents and.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
Power five opponents.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
So you know, and and knowing Ron English and Louisville,
a freshman quarterback making his first start, they're gonna heat
him up. They're gonna bullet team probably all day. I
would assume that's you know, the Kentucky's offensive lines had
its struggles. Like in the years past, they could get
the running game going, they could get all this other
(12:41):
stuff going.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
I just I don't see it this year.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
It'll play out on Saturday afternoon at Kroger Field at
high noon, and Ken Spencer will be there to cover it.
We're coming up on the heartbreak at the bottom of
the hour, so we'll cut you loose with a happy
Thanksgiving to you and the family.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Gay same to you, my friend.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Good luck with that turkey. That's Cat Spencer joining us
on the Club BLUEINIL dot com hotline. That's the official
collective partner of UK Athletics bat fans this holiday season,
Kentucky Eagle and Anheuser Bush requests that you plan ahead
and decide to ride.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
There's never excuse to.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Drink and drive. Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends,
but remember, decide to ride and go. Cats From Kentucky
Eagle and Anheuser Bush. We're in the second half of
our show having some technical difficulties, so that's why it
sounds the way that it does from here in the studio.
I don't think we're going to get that fixed anytime soon,
because the good old spectrum Internet seems to be as
(13:42):
inconsistent as a bad jump shooter. On this day before Thanksgiving,
and we welcome in Darren Hedrick to the program from
down in Nashville where UK women's basketball team moved to
six and oh it went over Arizona yesterday and convincing
fashion and Darren, it's that time of year when people
are working on the stuffing for the Thanksgiving me A
(14:05):
kianni Key provided the stuffing yesterday. I was just looking
at her stat line that was what sixteen and thirteen
boards and six blocks and four assists of three steels
and a partridge in a pear tree.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
That's right. What a phenomenal game by Tiani last night.
A huge part of the reason why they were able
to beat Arizona State as handily as they did tom
But it's interesting. At the start of the year coach
Brooks called Tianni the key to this team, and man,
he even mentioned last night. He said, Hey, I've coached
(14:40):
the NBA players, I've coached all Americans, and I've never
seen the stat line like that. What a phenomenal game
for Key last night.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
And Claire Strack continued her fine play and which Aymore
had a big game, so it seems like a obviously
a very solid performance. They faced Illinois today in the
second game of this event in Nashville, and for Kentucky
fans that are in the area might have the day off.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
Are where's this game being played tonight? Yeah, So they'll
play it at seven o'clock Central here in Nashville. They'll
play it at the trevec and Nazarenes campus, which is
the Trojan Fieldhouse, little Division TI school. It's about ten
to fifteen minutes outside of downtown, So if you're in
the area, come check them out. This is going to
be a great matchup tonight between two top twenty teams.
(15:30):
So what are the matchup concerns for Coach Brooks at
his staff in this one? Well, the ALA and I
are going to be one of the best scoring teams
Kentucky's faced, and that includes a Louisville team that's always
super talented and a contender. But Illinois's got six players
at average over ten points that led by Kendall Bostick,
a fifth year senior who's averaging seventeen. This is a
(15:54):
group that's got four one thousand point scorers, So they're
going to test the defense tonight with all their bound
scoring attack.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
For Kentucky, what are the areas that Coach Brooks is
kind of pushing them to improve on at the moment
even though they're six and zero.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
You know, I think the biggest thing Tom is just
continuing to get better as a team. As good as
Clara Strack is, sometimes you forget she's only a sophomore,
still so young in her career, but she's taken such
great strides, and she took another one last night against
a very physical Arizona State team and showed a different
side of her personality when things got chippy. In the
(16:34):
second half, but it just continued to grow and get
more opportunities. He's been really pleased with how Cassidy Rowe
has bought his system and she's provided big minutes, allowing
Georgia to, you know, maybe take a couple of possessions
where she's not running the show. She can play off
guard a little bit or get some rest on the bench.
So just taking steps and strides and learning the physicality
(16:59):
of the sec A, just continuing to grow as a team.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
It's your first season working with Coach Brooks and observing
how he runs his program. He's obviously the tremendous track record,
but now to see it, I'm close. What are some
of the things that impress you about the way he
approaches the job. It's just the finer details, very similar
to Coach Pope, and I just enjoy watching the way
(17:26):
he runs his practices. They're laid back, yet they're hard
at work. He's softer spoken than some coaches are similar
to Coach Pope in that way too. He mostly tries
to keep he keeps things positive. But just the attention
to details what I always go back to, and he'll
show them a minor move in the post or a
(17:47):
minor move to set a screen, things that maybe some
of us don't think about in the course of the game,
but they matter because it gets you open or gets
you that's one second window to get a clean shot
off for uh, you know, make the extra pass and
get the best shot. And so that's you know, last night,
when things weren't going well and the shots weren't falling,
(18:09):
you still felt good about Kentucky because they were working
to get that best shot that you can out of
a possession, and you knew that eventually the shots were
going to start falling again, and of course they did
in the fourth quarter. But those are the kind of
things that I watched for when I UH attend practice
or watch these games and watch him work. You worked
(18:31):
a few of the SEC Network plus games for men's basketball,
and then you filled in for me last Friday when
I was down in Texas. So you did the pregame
interview with coach Pope, and those are always interesting, whether
it's his news conference or the you know, the pre
or postgame things that we do on the network. Yesterday
(18:51):
after shoot around and as you know, he comes over,
you know, chats with you know, the TV and radio
folks after shoot around and U just you know a
little background on the game, in the matchup and the
things you know, to kind of help fill out a broadcast.
And he uh used the phrase with Roy Philpott, who's
doing the game on TV side emotional reservoir. That was
(19:12):
a new one and they got him to elaborate on
it in the pregame. And it has to do he
worked with some sports psychologists that he worked with, and
it has to do with you know he you know,
when Mark played for Rick Patito and back in the nineties, U,
you know, everything was you know, approached at the level
of a ten practice meetings, I guess anything. And he said,
(19:36):
you know, the U he's come to realize that you know,
this this day and time, you can't I guess the
phrase might be die on every hill. So you want
him to be at their best for the game and
be able to you know, still be emotionally, you know,
fresh and strong and late in a game as well
(19:58):
as you know, the physical part. And he said, for
that reason, he's you know, learned to approach some things
differently the you know, shoot around, pregame meals and just
make it much lighter and try to make it as
stress free as possible so you can, you know, have
the to get to the emotional pen during the game. Uh,
and it, you know, it's an incredibly interesting approach to
(20:20):
listen to him explain it, and it just is you know,
another example of kind of how he looks at the game.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
Yeah, it's fascinating to talk to Coach Pope and really
Coach Brooks too, and just their perspectives and their journeys.
You know, Coach Brooks comes from the Lesti Driselle coaching tree,
and but you're right to hear some of the the
mantras or some of the beliefs that Coach popeaz and
the way he approaches things. The one thing that really
(20:49):
sticks out to me from doing the pregame when I
feel in for you and hearing him talk to you
in the other games, it's just how detailed he is
when he breaks down the opponent for you or I
just like when I feeled in and they play Jackson
State and he's like, man, these guys run some classic
Utah jazz sets And I thought, you know what, I
(21:09):
should have followed up and asked him for some people
who might not know what are some classic jazz, SAIDs.
But that's the kind of stuff you get out of
these pregame interviews and it's fascinating.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah, I'm learning. You gotta jump in at times and
just a very simple thing, what's that mean? Or they'll
use a phrase or use like, you know, some three
initials for something, and it's like, what's that mean? Because
fans are eating it up. They and I'm sure but
coach Brooks too. When the coach is new and they're
successful fans, you know Kentucky fans in particular, they just
(21:45):
want to consume everything that they can and it's you know,
it's very interesting for them. And you know, both of
these guys seem to be very eager to interact with
fans in that way in terms of explaining what they're doing.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
Yeah, and if I can re quick Just one of
the things that's very similar between these two coaches. Tom
Uh Coach Pope likes to talk about the three words
when scouting an opponent, talking to the players, give me
three words that describe the opponent. Coach Brooks uses three things.
So they're very similar. It's not three words, he has
them give you three details, but still a very similar
(22:20):
approach from these two gentlemen.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yeah, that's that's true, and it's I think it's designed
to you know you and with older teams you can
throw maybe more at them with a younger team, but
still you don't want to load them up with too
much thinking to do so that it limits their just
natural ability to play the game. So if you can
get you know, one word or one phrase or a
(22:47):
couple to focus on, that's maybe a little easier to manage.
You're not trying to think about fifteen things.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
Yeah, I totally agree. And you think about all the
information that is available to players and coaches and scouting
from the video and not just staff, but the analytics,
the sabers stuff, and I think it's terrific that these
guys say, Okay, here's all this information, but I need
to know three things. What are the three things you
know about this shooter or this forward, this guard, this team.
(23:16):
Give me just three things you know about it. And
I think that's just a great approach to the scouting
report and it helps these guys play without beating robots.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Darreon Hendrick joining us on the club Blue nil dot
com hotline. Let's get back to preparing for the game
tonight and broadcast on the UK Radio network. What time
do you guys hit the air.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
We'll be on at seven forty five easterroon tonight.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Have a good call there and thank you Happy Thanksgiving,
Happy Thanksgiving, Tom, thank you so much. A quarter before
the top of the hour, here on the Leads Report
coming to you from the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return,
refreshing and refuel the Clark's Charles Walker joins us when
we return if report's presented by bobcat in Surprises and
we welcome to the program via the Club Blue nil
(24:04):
dot com hotline. Charles Walker, former Wildcat wide receiver out
of St X High School there in Louisville, and also
the guy from CBI Insurance. And I note the Saint
X connection this week in particular, Charles, because it's the
battle for the Governor's Cup. It's Kentucky Louisville. You knew
it in a different way having grown up in Louisville
(24:25):
when you played in the game. What was it? Did
your teammates need to be educated? He sees it about it.
Speaker 7 (24:32):
You know, Tom, It's something that the players learned early
when I was there. Heck we had about fifty guys
from the state of Florida that honestly half of them
got recruited by u L. So these players know what
this game means. And I know we're not playing for
a Bowl game, but you know we're five straight Governor's
(24:54):
Cup winners and we're hoping to make it six.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I was talking about that earlier the show Kentucky even
in the years that it didn't win, probably twenty seventeen
was the outlier, but the years when it didn't win,
even stoops first year, they played a good Louisville team tough,
and then nearly won it in fourteen and fifteen and
then have won every game but one since then in
the series, and people talk about you know, Mark Stoops
(25:20):
always has his guys ready for that game and they
you know, no matter what the circumstances are, they come
into it fired up. Did you notice anything different from
coach Stoops and the staff in the Louisville week You know, they.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Go about it pretty methodically.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
And again, at the same time, you want to amp
your players up to the highest degree, but you also
want them to call them out there because when your
most damp is when you're gonna make the most mistakes. Again,
I think this is one that right now Coach Stoups
is talking to this team and there's more on the
line than what there.
Speaker 8 (25:57):
Seems to be, because again, this is rivalry.
Speaker 7 (26:00):
This is you're not only playing for you know, the
team now, but you're playing for every player that's played.
You're playing for every fan that wants to be able
for the next year, to to tout off and you know,
explain that, hey, we didn't have the best year, but
guess what, we still gave it to you all at Krogerfield.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I'm sure being there in Louisville you get a healthy
dose of Cards coverage too. So give me your your
take on what it's going to take for Kentucky. What
will the script look like if Kentucky is able to
win this game?
Speaker 8 (26:31):
You know, Tom, I think it.
Speaker 7 (26:32):
I think it starts with you know what what we
saw last week, and that's cutter Bowley, And you know this,
This U of L team scores. You know they they
put up thirty or more points. And I believe every
game aside from one which was that outlier where they
went to Virginia and kind of lagged behind all game
and found a way to win. Aside from this Stanford
that Stanford game, u L's found a way to win
(26:54):
in close games. So I think we need to play hard,
we need to play fast, and as we talk about
every week, when that turnover battle.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And that's an interesting angle in this series. Kentucky's had
multiple turnovers two or more in six straight games this season.
They've had three turnovers in the last five years in
this winning streak in this series. So if they could
get back to that trend would enhance their chances greatly.
They're gonna have to do that with a true freshman
(27:24):
quarterback making his first start in this big rivalry game.
What was it that you saw about Cutter last week
or any other time that particularly gave you encouragement.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
I'm gonna go with two p's here Tom. His poise
and his playmaking ability. You know, there was multiple plays
last week where he found a way out of the pocket,
found a way to extend the play similar to what
Patrick Mahomes does it and found the guy.
Speaker 8 (27:51):
Downfield and connected on the pass. And you know, that's
something we just really haven't seen this year.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
And you know, to go in down you know, twenty
points the number three ranked team in the nation at
their home field with one hundred thousand fans and going
there and complete some passes and and have some good drives.
I think shows a lot about him. And you know what,
even after the game, his interview is the best. He said, listen,
we're gonna bring this program to places it's never seen.
Speaker 8 (28:19):
And I just think I loved it. I loved every
part about it.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Yeah, he does seem to have a little bit of
you know, whether you say the it factor or presence
or swagger or something that And I'm assuming that certainly
fans believe, and I guess analysts believe that players feed
off that.
Speaker 7 (28:41):
Do they one hundred percent? And you know, you said
it best there. It's it's the it factor. And I
think with him, he's got a good head on his
shoulders where he can be quote unquote swaggy, but when it.
Speaker 8 (28:52):
Comes to the game time, he doesn't shy away.
Speaker 7 (28:54):
And you know that's what we that's what we saw
when he's backed up on his own three yard line,
takes a three step drop, throws a dime to barry
On Brown.
Speaker 8 (29:02):
I think he's got it all. And you know, I
don't know why I took eleven games.
Speaker 7 (29:06):
To see it, but we we're gonna see it now.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Karen Lorenzen was the last freshman to start in this rivalry,
but he was a red shirt freshman. Cutters a you know,
in his first year of college. So Ken Spencer was
saying when he was all with his earlier he expects
U of L to really bring the pressure on Cutters.
So you know, that poise that you talked about that
(29:31):
you saw will be certainly one would think put to
the test against a lot of different pressure packages on Saturday.
Speaker 8 (29:38):
And there's two ways to go about it, you know.
Speaker 7 (29:39):
I think I think Bush needs to start the game
with with some good run plays and some short, you know,
short pass plays where even that pressure.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
Is not going to get to him.
Speaker 7 (29:47):
Give him, give him an easy round and make sure
he's not reading too much into the defense.
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Or you can go.
Speaker 7 (29:52):
About the second way and Bamba deep to berryan use
use these receivers that are fast and are quick that
maybe haven't been utilized too much this year, and take
the fight to them.
Speaker 8 (30:02):
I'm curious to see how Bush handles it.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Charles, I appreciate the time as always. I know you'll
enjoy the game. On Saturday, particularly if it goes your
Alma mater's way. But between now and then, Happy Thanksgiving
to you and the family.
Speaker 8 (30:16):
I'm feeling good about it. Top have you Thanksgiving and gokats.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
That is Charles Walker, the former Wildcat wide Out number
eighty eight, joining us here for weekly visits on the
Leak's Report Radio network. We have one segment left and
we will get to that when we return. Shuffle Being
Coffee is based right here in the Bluegrass. Group of
Kentuckians got together more than a decade ago with a
plan to make the best cup of coffee. Started with
(30:42):
the best coffee beans. And they like to say they
follow the process from seed to cup and you will
agree when you taste it. Pick some shuffle Being Coffee
up if you're in Myers Stores in central Kentucky getting
things for the Thanksgiving meal at the last minute, or
just order it through Amazon or through shufflebean dot Us.
Put some hustle in your shuffle for Thanksgiving and the
(31:05):
rest of the holiday season and beyond with Shufflebean Coffee.
This day in Wildcat History brought to you by Kentucky Roadshow,
Sports Cards and Memorabilia. Their at Roadshowcards dot Com online
or they're on Romedy Road here in Lexington. And when
you're out doing some Christmas shopping, if you've got a
(31:25):
or somebody in your family that is a collector of
cards or your UK memorabilia, check out the store there
for Kentucky Road Show. You'll spend some time there, especially
on the memorabilia side. A lot of UK history in
that shop. This day was the day that they played
the first game in Rupp Arena back in nineteen seventy six,
(31:48):
and Rick Roby scored the first field goal for Kentucky
as the Wildcats went on to beat Wisconsin seventy two
to sixty four. And Happy birthday to Oscar Sebwey, Kentucky's
big O and just a force on the backboard, still
is in the NBA's developmental league and also when he
gets brought up to play the Big Show. So happy
(32:11):
birthday to Oscar. Alex Rayner and named a finalist for
the Lou Groza Award to the nation's top kicker. And
JJ Weaver, Tucky outside linebacker. He has won the Freddie
Solomon Spirit Award and it's given four players who give
back to their community. And JJ has certainly done that.
Cornbread m spreading the holidays here without the hangover. This season,
(32:32):
skip the booze and go with the bread. With their
new Blueberry Breeze products, it's a healthier way to enjoy
a hair free moment, just in time for family gatherings
and holiday party. And you can get a buy one,
get one free deal when you enter the coach bog
O t O M at checkout. That's bogom buy one,
get one free through midnight on Cyber Monday at Cornbreadhimp
(32:54):
dot com. This is the Good Life, Happy Thanksgiving Everybody.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Or seven ninety Louisville dot com and anytime you're out
of range of the stations, catch the show via the
iHeartRadio app. If you have any questions for Tom, email
Leach Report at gmail dot com and check out his
website at Tom Leach kwyd dot com
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