April 17, 2025 • 37 mins
Billy Rutledge fills in for Tom to talk with Mike DeCourcy, Justin Rowland, and Jack Givens.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome everyone to a Thursday edition of The Leech Report. Thursday,
April seventeenth. I am not Tom Leach. My name is
Billy Rutledge. You can follow me on Twitter at Billy
r Sports and here myself and Shannon the Dude on
many of these same stations on the KSR pre show
coming up after The Leach Report, presented to you by
Bob Kat Enterprises. We've got a great guest lineup for
(00:26):
you today as we fill in for Tom, who's hopefully
working hard over at Keeenlan this morning. It's a busy
time a year for him as well. We'll be joined
by Mike de Corsi in our second segment today. The
calumnist for the Sporting News, Jack Gibvens, the Goose is Golden,
will join us a little later in the show, and
also Justin Roland, the publisher of Cats Illustrated and father
(00:46):
of I think ten or eleven children, will be joining
us later in the show. Shannon the Dude is back
in studio. Thanks for getting us up and running.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Shannon. You doing all right this.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Ah, I'm doing good.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Billy.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
How are you man filling in big shoes for Tom
Leach this morning?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Doubling my workload today after two hours of radio instead
of just one. So it's great to be alongside with
you again. But let's jump right into it. It's the
Wildcat News of the Day, presented by Giuseppes of Lexington.
In some breaking news this morning, Hardley Gilmore will sign
back with Kentucky. The sophomore wide receiver transferred from Kentucky
(01:19):
in January. He was actually dismissed from the team. He
now is coming back after being dismissed from Nebraska. Excuse me,
he transferred from Kentucky. He was just recently dismissed from
Nebraska Matt Rules, saying it had nothing to do with
some charges he was facing in Lexington this past December.
He was charged with miss Demeter assault at a Lexington
(01:40):
storage facility. But he has made his way back home Hardly.
Gilmore followed former wide receivers coach to Kel Schwartz who
went to Nebraska, including former Kentucky receiver Dane Key.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Who made the move as well.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Hardly.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Gilmore got a lot of praise from Nebraska coaches while
he was over there, but he was dismissed from the
team and announced this morning he was now returning to Kentucky.
Twenty one Kentucky football players entered the transfer portal back
in the winter and six have entered in the spring window.
Here's a new news note. New Mexico transfer offensive lineman
(02:14):
Wallace Unamba is back in the portal after transferring to Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
This winner.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Think about this, folks. We've got players transferring two teams
and then transferring away from teams when the spring transfer
window portal opens up again.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It's just madness.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
But Kentucky gets one of their own back in Hardley Gilmour.
Some more news to the basketball front, UK has found
out they will host a new non conference opponent, The
North Carolina Central Eagles will be coming to rupp Arena.
We don't have a date for that yet, but that
is slowly filling out the non conference schedule for Kentucky
(02:51):
men's basketball. They have never played the NC Central Eagles either.
Kentucky has also found a date for their matchup with Indiana,
he off the heat of the news of Lamar Wilkerson
choosing Indiana. It will be Kentucky versus Indiana at Rupperena
on December thirteenth in Shannon. If you don't think that
game's gonna have some juice if that's gonna be a
(03:11):
fun ticket to have. I think many in Big Blue
Nation would like to see Kentucky to beat up on
Lamar in Indiana when they come into Lexington.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, we're not taking them back to Keenland after he
committed to Indiana. We're not taking him to the winner Circle.
All he's gonna get is a bunch of booze when
he comes back to Rapperina. That should be a fun.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
One surprise Keenland didn't work, man, I thought it was
locked in after he was in the Winter Circle. But nevertheless,
Kentucky's still looking for a shooter in the portal. Speaking
of the portal, the Field of sixty eight is reporting
that Kentucky could be in the mix for Florida State
wing player Jamir Watkins. Also South Carolina decommit tracing Eagle
(03:46):
Staff is another guy that Kentucky has their eye on.
I've adopted the opinion that I'm not gonna get too
excited about these guys until they actually signed. You know
what I mean, Shannon, I just can't go through this
process of will he be here, will he won't? Is
he gonna stay? Is he not until I get official word.
I'm not getting my hopes up with these guys.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah, until they, you know, play their first game. I
don't know that you can actually trust that any of
these guys will. I mean, I guess you can, but
I mean, there's my point is there's guys that are committing.
They're there for a few weeks, they don't like it,
they're out, you know, just like this Eagle Staff guy.
So you just never know the transfer portal. I think
you put it earlier. The best is complete madness. And
(04:27):
until they figure out how they're gonna, you know, put
guardrails on this whole situation, it's just gonna be completely
out of control.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Still awaiting that settlement with the House versus NCAA, hopefully
that will be coming soon to give those guardrails, but
until then.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
The madness continues.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Former Kentucky player Damian Collins has found a new home
as well. He will transfer to UCF Southern Florida, my
old neck of the woods around Saint Pete, Tampa area.
It'll be his third school, as the forward had played
at Kentucky and LSU as well. So he will go
to uc and wish nothing but the best for Damian Collins.
(05:03):
A guy that we have been keeping our eye on
is former Tennessee quarterback Nico Ia Maliava. That sounds about right, Shannon,
right E Maliava. Actually, Tom tried to help me learn
how to actually pronounce it. But Nico looks like he
will be signing with UCLA. This is not a done deal,
but this is something that Colin Cowherd was reporting yesterday.
(05:25):
Does he realize how much money he's going to lose
in taxes? Shannon, I guess that is my one question.
He will not make anything near what he was expecting
to make at the University of Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Well, we had a tax lesson yesterday on KSR, so
I had to, you know, learn how these guys get
paid and what taxes they pay and everything else. But
the old Nico situation is just it's mind boggling to me.
But it sounds like, you know, UCLA wouldn't be a
bad place for him to land. It could be a
whole lot worse. He could end up in a juco
making half of what he was making at Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
At least he will play in the Big ten. If
that does become official. The family claimed yesterday it wasn't
about money the reason why they left Tennessee. It was
about the Vall's offense. Well, here's some stats from last year.
The Vall's offense was ranked fifteenth nationally, the UCLA offense
one hundred and eighteenth. Hopefully things change for Nico. I'm
(06:15):
not sure that they will. The Leach Report comes to
you from the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line, but we
need to take our first.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Clark's Pumping Shop studio.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Excuse me, not the phone line, it's the studio that
we're coming from you today and we need to take
a break. But when we come back, Mike de Corsi
from The Sporting News will join us. We'll talk a
little bit about Nico and maybe some of this movement
in college sports. Keep it locked where you got it.
It's a Thursday edition of the Leach Report. Welcome back.
This is the Leach Report. We come to you from
(06:45):
the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh and refuel. We're
now joined on the celebrity hotline by Mike de Corsi.
You can fall him on Twitter at TSN Mike. The
calmnists for the Sporting News. Good morning, Mike. We live
in strange times. Strange times, indeed, don't you think.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Yeah, I think that's true.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
It's not like it used to be. In some ways,
that's good. In some ways it's a little bit not
as good as it could be. But there aren't a
lot of There isn't as much bad in all this
as many are portraying.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Well, let me ask you, this is a Kentucky slanted show.
So I could talk about Hardley Gilmour, who's a receiver
who went into the portal, was dismissed by his team
and is now back with Kentucky. But I want to
start with the Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamalaieva. This is a
guy that is Do you think he's starting a trend
or do you think this is going to be an outlier?
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Oh? I think this is a vast outlier. Look.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
First of all, what has to be understood about Nico's
situation is that he was a moderately effective quarterback, albeit
a very young one, on a very effective team. So
he was a part of a team that made the
playoff last year. Wasn't good once there, but it had
a good enough year to be among the twelve best
(08:03):
teams in the country, but he wasn't among the twelve
best quarterbacks in the country. You can't find a way
other than the wins to justify him as a top
quarterback in college basketball in twenty twenty four. So you
look at the promise and you say, okay, well, he's
going he has a chance to be really good. Well, okay,
so if he has a chance to be really good,
(08:24):
that would mean he'd have a chance to play in
the NFL. And if you have a chance to play
in the NFL and you're blowing that up or risk
or putting any of it at risk for short term money,
you have absolutely no idea what you're doing. There is
no position in sports that is more lucrative, you know,
except if you're Lebron James. There's no position in sports
(08:46):
that is more let's say, more lucrative vis a vis
the rest of the roster then pro football quarterback. And
that's true not only if you're Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen,
someone that's an elite player, or Dak Prescott, a very
good player paid an elite level. It's true if you're
(09:06):
Mason Rudolph and you're the maybe backup quarterback for the Steelers,
who's gonna make four million dollars this year. It's true,
like I pointed out in a column that I wrote
about Nico, that Kyle Allen was the Steelers third quarterback
last year. Knew it going in, knew it when he signed,
everybody knew it. They paid him a million nine. He
(09:26):
threw one pass all year, and.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
They said in the collum I said, at least it
was a first down.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
But I mean, how do you how do you mess
with a great situation where you are the presumptive You
are not presumptive.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
You are the.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Foreshore starting quarterback for a team that's a presumptive top
twenty type team, so that you can go get short
term money to play for a team that last season
went five and seven and hasn't shown any indication that
they are in the midst of a dramatic turnaround.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
It just it made makes no sense at all.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
And I don't think that people are going to line
up to do things.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
That short circuit their future. Now.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
Look, if Nico was making I don't know, half a
million dollars or something like that and everybody else is
making three or four, then yeah, okay, I can see it.
But he was very well compensated by all accounts for
his for his red shirt year at Tennessee and for
his first year at Tennessee, and was going to be
continued to be well compensated for the net for this
(10:30):
one if he continued, if he played it, and the
one beyond it if he chose to return.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Mike, we don't have a ton of time with you,
but as a lot of things have changed over the years,
you know, bad advice from people around you is probably
something that hasn't and maybe that's something that Nico has
gotten lately. But I do want to ask you one
basketball question before we let you go. Lamar Wilkerson picking
Indiana over Kentucky recently. He had a quote when he
joined the field of sixty eight where he said he
didn't want to be just another guy at Kentucky. Do
(10:57):
you understand that reasoning at all? Or do you see
that he's a missed opportunity here from Lamar to be
embraced by a fan base and a program that has
been an NBA factory. I guess motivation levels differ, and
maybe he's a ball dominant guard that wants more playing time.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
But could you understand a kid that would say something
like that.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
I think he's look, Indiana is not a bad choice,
But I don't understand why he would get the impression
that he was just another player the.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
Kentucky roster is.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
The interesting thing is that the Indiana roster now with
him committing, is deeper at that position than the Kentucky
roster is at the moment. Now, what becomes of it
between now and the traditional opening of this practice October fifteenth,
we can't say. But right now they've got multiple I
think they have four wing players now at Indiana, one
(11:48):
of whom is the coach's son. And I don't think
that they're as flush in that department at Kentucky at
the moment. So no, I'm not sure exactly why he
decided to use that as his justification. And it may
have been a money thing. You don't know what it
was that led him to make that choice.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
But if you're if you're Kentucky, uh, you just chalk.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
It up and move on and and go get somebody
else that Uh. They're they're going to do a good
job at Kentucky regardless.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
They have.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
They have some good young players coming into the program.
You know, I did read a column online about the
future of Kentucky, and not from not from a one
of the Kentucky typical Kentucky writers, but I saw it
on USA Today wherein uh, it's suggesting that that Kentucky's
going all in on the portal and that's how they're
(12:39):
going to do it from now until forever more.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
And I'm not sure that I buy that.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
I when I talked to Mark back in mid March,
he was very much uh believing that you have to
build the program, and you start with players who will
be with you for a while. And I think that's
an important thing to remember, is that these guys that
are going to play one year maybe a little bit
more that those guys finish it off. But if you
(13:06):
don't have a core of players that you brought in,
either long term transfers with three to four three years
to play or two years to play, or high school
players that you bring in that again may not play
more than one or two years because they're so talented,
you have to build. You have to build the program
from the ground up. You can't constantly be just going
(13:28):
and seeing what's out there and believing that you're going
to win big with it. Florida had a core of players.
They were half and half. There were eight rotation players,
half homegrown, half transfers. The transfers did a phenomenal job.
Walter Clayton was amazing. But you can't I mean, Walter
Clayton was kind of a lottery ticket, right.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
I mean he was brought.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
In from a very good situation at Iona and became
one of the best players.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
In college basketball.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
You can't count on that as a way to become
a great program.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
It's just you can't expect.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
You can count on that to become a significant program,
but you can't count on that to become a champion.
It was a very fortunate circumstance for Florida. They took
great advantage of it and they won big. But you
can't expect that to be the way every year.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yeah, it's just strange to see second and third of
your players in Lexington. Mike, you know that, But unfortunately,
I wish we had more time to break this all down.
That's gonna do it for us today at TSN Mike
on Twitter, the calumnists for The Sporting News, Thank you
very much, Mike for your time this morning.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Thanks I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah, absolutely, all right, we'll take a break. When we
come back.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Jack Gibbons from the UK Sports Network, the Former Cat,
will join us for a couple of segments here on
this Thursday edition of The Leach Report.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Welcome back.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
It is the Lead Report coming to you from the
Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return, Refresh and Refuel at Clark's.
I'm Billy Rutlidge filling in for Tom Leach. Jack Gibbons
is on our Celebrity hotline and I was just told
Jack is checking in from France.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Is that right, Jack, You're in France right now?
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Ye?
Speaker 6 (15:00):
Man, I totally forgot to let Tom know that Lynda
and I are on vacation and Provence right now. We're
doing a cruise on the French and Italian rivieras Man
and I toast. I've been so busy, I totally forgot
to let Tom know. And Tom's out, so I got
(15:22):
to call and I said, well, yeah, I'll jump on
with them real quick. We're just having lunch. Man, it's
been a great trip.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Well, I'm sorry Jack interrupting your European cruise here in France,
but you know, I did want to talk a little
Kentucky basketball with you just a couple of minutes before
our heartbreak here. But man, it was a lot of
fun this first year under Mark Pope doing the games
with you on the broadcast.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
What were some of your.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Favorite parts and favorite memories from the first year just overall?
Is there something that you look back on you think, hey, man,
was that embodied what that hell fun?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
That season was?
Speaker 6 (15:55):
Well, the best thing for me is I think back
on this season, it's probably how good the guys were.
I mean, how good the guys he was able to
put together in such a short period of time. I mean,
we got good talent, which was great. All of that
was pretty sweet, but man, just the fact that all
(16:18):
of these guys were good dudes and they were just
happy to be a part of the University of Kentucky,
be here and have a chance to experience the big
Blue nation, you know. I mean, of course basketball was good,
and Mark accomplished a bunch, but it was just really
(16:40):
really nice for me to see how much these guys
enjoyed Kentucky basketball. It was like the good old days
in a lot of ways. Man, And that's the thing
that if I look back on this season, and all
the success. I just think it's better with good guys,
(17:02):
and we had some good dudes. Man.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Just about sixty seconds before we break here, but Lamont
Butler's dad spoke with our friend Jacob at Ksrplus and
he said, in a nutshell, this was one of the
best decisions that Lamont ever made as far as his
basketball career. And you could just feel the gratitude oozing
from the guys at times, you know what I mean, Jack?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Yeah, And I think back to the Blue White scrimmage
that we had in Historical Memorial Coliseum, And I think
back to that game and I Lamont was warming up
before the game and I was standing around getting stuff
ready to broadcast the game, and I said to him
(17:44):
and said, Lamont, how you doing? Man? I said, how
are you? And he looked at me and he said, man,
I'm playing basketball at the University of Kentucky. How could
it get any better? Which was awesome?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, Yeah, absolutely right.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Well, Jack, I'd love to talk to you more about
some guys that are on the roster currently, maybe some
thoughts about some guys going into their second year and
how they can improve. But we need to take a break.
It's a Thursday edition of The Leach Report, Jack Gibbons
and Billy Rutledge and we will be right back, all right,
welcome back. It is a Thursday edition of The Leach Report,
presented by Bobcat Enterprises. I'm Billy Rutledge filling in for
(18:20):
Tom this morning. Joining me is Tom's co hosts on
the UK men's basketball broadcast. Jack Gibbons always does a
great job. Jack on a cruise ship in France. Right now,
We're only going to take up a little bit more
of your time, Jack, and then we'll let you get
back to the relaxation. But there's been a lot of
exciting announcements for Kentucky men's basketball.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I want to hit some of these transfers.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
But first, how important is it that Kentucky gets our
guy Otega oh way back?
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (18:47):
I think it's huge. I mean, Otega had such a
great year and has become one of those guys that
we grew to count on. So I think it's going
to be huge that Kentucky gets him back, and I'm
pretty sure he wants to be there. I've been gone
a few days, so I don't know if anything has
(19:09):
has broken or happened since I've been gone, but yeah,
I think it's going to be huge to get him back.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Well, some news that has broken lately is that Brandon
Carrison will be returning. I think we're expecting guys like
Colin Chandler, Travis Perry, Trent Noah to return as well.
And Jack, I mean, it's not something we see a
lot of Kentucky guys sticking around and improving their game.
I'm excited for those guys to take the next leap,
aren't you.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Yeah, and just think about it. I mean, these guys
can take the kind of jump that some of them
took this year. I just think it's going to be
huge to get some of the guys you mentioned for
a year or two more for some of them, I think.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
So.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
I think it's awesome to be able to just keep
some faces around for a little while and build some continuity,
some stuff that we just haven't had over the last
few years.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
And I mean, if you look at what the front
court is going to be for Kentucky next year, man, Jack,
I would I'm sure you would have loved at some
of these diat Jada Quaintons. They even got their second
Croatian in the last what three or four years with Yellovich.
I mean, there's a lot of potential with this lineup.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
Oh man, I just I'm looking at it come together,
and I'm just getting more and more excited as the
day goes on. It seems like Mark and this and
his staff puts together another surprise, another acquisition. I mean
it it's gonna be awesome. I mean when we got
the seven foot Croatian man, I think, and I watched
(20:50):
some of his highlights, I thought, well, he could be
the peace man. He could be the guy who who
does make the difference and get gets us to the
next level. But he's not the only one coming in.
I think Theobote brings that you get a guy who
can descend, a guy who you don't have to call
(21:12):
his number to get production. I think it's always good
to have that six seven six' eight guy who can
go out and you can count on anywhere between five
and eight five and ten rebounds every. Game we just
didn't have that kind of, guy a guy who can
(21:33):
can you can put on at least three, positions and
he can defend the small, forward the power. Forward he
can also go out and defend the two. Guards so
as he did against Ol. Ways SO i think he
is a, huge huge piece to What kentucky's going to
be next.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Year and it's nice to have more than a couple
of weeks to recruit an entire, roster kind of What
Mark pope had to do last year when he had
the piece thing. Together But, jack in your, opinion what's
Something Mark pope needs to improve? On you, know this
team was riddled with injuries at times last, year but,
overall you, Know monday was the anniversary of that revival
at Rapp arena in that press conference that will be remembered.
(22:14):
Forever but in a year's, time what do you think
is one thing That mark can improve?
Speaker 6 (22:18):
On are you talking about his coaching style but hits.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Anything that jumps out.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
You're.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
RECRUITING i, mean what's something That jack has seen that
If Mark pope can't, improve then maybe he can take
this program to the heights that he has talked.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
About.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
Yeah you, know it's interesting BECAUSE i think if you
ask most people to assess What mark accomplished last, year
nine out of ten people was very very pleased with
What mark and his staff. Did AND i think the
tenth person who would say he's not very pleased would
(22:59):
Be Mark pope. Himself and you know that's and that's Just.
MARK i mean that he looks at this AND i
WISH i wish people could have seen him after we
lost that, game The sweet sixteen game To. TENNESSEE i
(23:20):
wish people could have seen him at the hotel after that,
game when we got back there and we were going
to meet for. Dinner, man he, WAS i, mean he was.
Destroyed but you, know and you could. TELL i, MEAN
i could have gone up To mark and, say But,
mark think of all we accomplished this, year think of
(23:41):
all you got. Done And mark would have said, yeah
but you, know he was HE i, mean it just
meant that much to him to lose that. Game and
when you have a guy who takes it that seriously
and a loss in a season that, was by every
(24:07):
stretch of the, imagination a, SUCCESS i, MEAN i don't
know how you could call it anything, else but, boy
he was just miserable after he lost that. Game SO
i bring that up just to say that it's gonna be,
better Because mark's not gonna let it be anything but.
(24:27):
That and that's the thing that is most exciting to,
me thinking about what could happen in the. FUTURE i,
mean already he has better players. Overall he's added some.
Athletes he's added, size And i'm talking about muscle, size
not just height. Size SO i don't know what he
(24:52):
WHAT i expect from him in the, future BUT i
Know i'm gonna be happy because of the kind of
a pro that he has to to doing his. Job
and that is a fun thing to think.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
About, no that's that's a great, Thought.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Jack and, CONVERSELY i think of the press conference after
The illinois game and How mark and the players are
pumping each other up and talking about how much this
this ride and this journey means to each, other and
and you just want to bottle that, up, Right you
just want to bottle up that excitement and that love
for each other and use it every single. Year, Unfortunately,
jack we're out of, time and you get back to your. Vacation,
(25:30):
man get back to your. Cruise big thank you for
joining us this.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Morning. Jack always appreciate your.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Time it's it's been good and always good to be
on with, You, billy AND i really appreciate. It it's
fun over. Here it's an opportunity to relax a little,
bit to get away so believe, Me i'm having a
having a great Time. Cruisemen, man that's really.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Nice, Well, jack we didn't even talk about all these
lefties on the.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
ROSTER i, mean you gotta love. That we got. It
we got like five or, six don't.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
We Oh, Man, yeah we Get we're gonna have a
lot of fun and a couple of them can shoot.
It so that's really gonna make me. Happy. Man be
able to see some lefties out, there some guys who
do it a little bit differently than most of the
other guys out. There lefties kind of throw people. OFF
i tried to use that for my advantage and a
(26:19):
lot of time the game was almost over before people
figured OUT i was a left handed. Player.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Yep so it's going to be.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Interesting all, right get out of.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Here.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Jack we appreciate. You thank you very much for what
you do with THE Uk network and. Everything jack gibbings.
Speaker 6 (26:32):
Folks, Okay, billy thank you very. Much all, right thank You.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Jack all, right we're gonna take a.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Break when we come, back we're going to talk More
kentucky football With Justin rowland From Cats Still. Illustrated on
the other side of this. Break it is A thursday
edition of The Leach.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Report welcome.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Back this is The Leach report presented By Bobcat enterprises
with four locations In. Kentucky when you need to, render
buy heavy equipment or a new zero turn mower for your,
lawn go To Bobcat. Enterprises I'm Billy rutlich filling in
Form leach this. Morning now joining us is the publisher
Of Cats. Illustrated Justin rowland fall him On twitter At Roland.
(27:07):
Rivals good, Morning. Justin how are you?
Speaker 6 (27:09):
Hey Good?
Speaker 7 (27:09):
Billy how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Man i'm doing great AND i need you to help
me make sense of this newest edition of The Kentucky Football.
Ruster Hardley gilmore will be rejoining The cats after he
transferred away and then has since been dismissed from The
nebraska football. Team there are reports that he was charged
with mis demeter assault Last december at A lexington storage.
(27:31):
Facility AND i thought the change from last football to
this year's football team was about changing the culture and
maybe some. Discipline do you see this as a fit
for What Mark stoops is trying to do here in
twenty twenty?
Speaker 7 (27:44):
Five, WELL i MEAN i think that it's a decision
where you're like the fact that they're bringing him, on
like either you trust the judgment of The kashing staff
or you. Don't they're balancing different. Things they're balancing culture
with the need for just raw talent and ability and
somebody who can upgrade the. Offense And i'll tell you,
(28:04):
WHAT i think the offensive line is going to be pretty,
good AND i think it could be substantially improved from last.
Year BUT i think there have been lingering questions about
the skill, positions about running, back about, receiver and it's
not easy to get obvious upgrades to even skill. POSITIONS
i mean even the spring portal, wave even if you
(28:28):
only have a few spots to, fill it's not easy
to get obvious. Upgrades and because of the previous, Connection
Hardley gilmore could be an obvious talent upgrade in the
near and long term who can substantially improve the output
of that. Room and that's the thinking and bringing him.
In but totally back to back Issues Kentucky. Nebraska that's
(28:49):
a question mark when you're talking about, culture and he's
gonna have to prove it and they're gonna have TO i,
mean they're gonna have to own however it plays.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Out, Yeah And i'm just struggling with my expectations for
the football team this year because they very well could
be a better team this, year but maybe even have
a worse record.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Just because of how the schedule lines.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Up and you, know JUSTIN i don't want to say
that we're always going to complain about the schedule moving.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Forward it is what it.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Is but you, know are the days of ten win
seasons behind? Us what are your expectations for a team
like this next?
Speaker 7 (29:18):
YEAR i, mean the schedule is a bear, again AND
i think that they've had enough turnover on defense across the.
Defense really the losses at, receiver questions at running back
frankly crush the questions at. Quarterback that it's not one
of those years Where i'm, like are they pushing eight
or nine? Wins it's more one of those years are
(29:39):
they going to be able to get this thing moving
back in the right direction to reinspire some confidence from
the fan base In stoops that it gives him enough
of a lease on life to push forward for a
longer second half of his. Tenure that's what this year is.
About and whether that's six, wins whether that's seven, wins
whether that's whatever the threshold needs to. Be they just
(30:01):
need to get back to inspiring confidence and WHAT i
don't know what that looks. Like it might not be
a numerical. Value you Saw vanderbilt won what six or
seven games last, year but they really excited the fan.
Base they're gonna have to figure out a way to
do that this. Year but there's no winning pr battles
or press conferences because people just have to see.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
It that's an interesting point.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
About it may not be numerical to the gains that
you want to see from The kentucky football, program but you,
KNOW i think year two Of Bush hampden is going
to go a long way to helping. That do you
Think Mark stuts would ever take another? Job do you
Think kentucky's his final coaching.
Speaker 7 (30:39):
JOB i think If iowa were to come, open then
that would be something that he would have interest. In
i'm not even sure that they would move in that.
DIRECTION i, MEAN i think if he had a chance
at one of those football factories where you can compete
for a national, championship but it's just at that, point
at this point in his, career it's tough to see
that opportunity coming around at least anytime. Soon so, Yeah
(31:01):
i'm inclined to think that with all the talk about
the family history and retiring early in the family and
how the tenure's gone At kentucky and he's done very
well for, himself increasingly think this might be the last.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Stop, well we know That Mark stoops can develop. TALENT
i think of a little old guy Named Josh, allen
who WAS i, mean what was he a two star
recruit back in the, day justin and then he's turned
into the great pass rusher that he. Is another Former kentucky,
Guy Maxwell, harriston just received an invite to the twenty
twenty FIVE Nfl draft In Green. BAY i think that
four point two to eight forty. Helped but he was
(31:34):
a three star guy and now he has a chance
to become the First kentucky corner to be drafted in
the first. Round AND i mean there were years he
was leading THE sec and interceptions and picked Sixes and
so do you think he can find success in the next?
Speaker 6 (31:47):
Level, yeah.
Speaker 7 (31:48):
Totally just in terms of like pure cover cornerback. Skills
he's one of the best guys that had ever come
through the. Program and that's not an, exaggeration like took
him a little while to get, going but on a
defense that kind of got ground down and worn down
as the offense. Flounder last, season he was, good even
though he didn't have as many flashy plays as he
(32:10):
did the previous year with the pick. Sixes he's a,
legit top TIER nfl, talent AND i saw the other
day that there was maybe no consensus over who the
number two cornerback might. Be and he's kind of become
a trendy pick just just to go higher than a
lot of people. Thought but they identified this last. Year
they were saying he's a. Pro he's a. Pro they knew.
It they not have known how high he was going to.
Go but that's certainly good for.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Him Zach, kalzada the new expected quarterback For. Kentucky you
think that's the right move to go to the transfer
portal instead of Giving Cutter bully the job?
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Is do you think he's? READY i don't know.
Speaker 7 (32:44):
If he's ready or. NOT i mean WHAT i heard
during the spring was neither conclusive in a good way
or a bad. Way it was we see the, talent
but he needs more reps in the. System and you
just don't know What the huge question is how much
did he actually improve while he was in incarnate? Work
and is that level of improvement that would be needed
(33:05):
to inspire confidence in the team this? Year how likely
is that playing at that level of? FOOTBALL i guess
we just don't, know and it's hard to. FORECAST i,
mean there were a. MOMENT i feel like a lot
of people have been down On, calzada AND i GUESS
i get it that loads were not great At TEXAS
a AND. M BUT i, mean an injured player did Beat.
Alabama he played an extremely high level at some, Point
(33:28):
so it just really comes down to how much has
he matured between the ears and inside the.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Pocket, well there's a lot of new, faces And Justin
roland will be one of the many people that can
help you stay updated on. That you can check Out Cats.
Illustrated you can also follow them On twitter At Roland.
Rivals justin always appreciate your, Time thank you for joining
us this.
Speaker 7 (33:46):
Morning thanks a, Lot billy to take.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Care there you, Go Justin roland giving us the scoop
About kentucky. Football you just don't know how it's gonna
work out this. Year and And, shannon it may just
be one of those things where you just got to
wait until they're on the field and you actually see
football before you get excited, again don't you.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
THINK i think that's probably most fans right.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Now you.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Know, yeah they want to be excited about, it but
they gotta be shown, FIRST i, think before the excitement
level matches where it was in previous.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Seasons, yep, YEAH i absolutely. Agree but big thank you
To justin for joining. Us we need to take a.
Break when we come, back we'll wrap up This thursday
edition of The Leach. Report all, right welcome.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Back it's our final segment of The Leach, report presented
By Bobcat. Enterprises on this, day in nineteen ninety, Nine
cleveland Made Tim couts the number one overall pick in
THE Nfl. Draft probably the worst thing that could happen
to him going to The browns, franchise but unfortunately they
just didn't put enough pizzas pieces around. Him but we
(34:43):
do celebrate him being the number one overall. Pick also
a happy birthday to Former Wildcat Dwayne. Casey that Is
Wildcat history presented by The kentucky Road Show Sports card
and Member bilia And. Lexington learn more about them at
roadshowcards Dot com And chan and, honestly ALL i can
think about Is Jack gibbons' phone bill right.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Now, OH i, mean, DUDE i had to.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Get that last question in about lefties, too and that
probably added about twenty five dollars to it.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Easily, YEAH i mean you call. That by the, way
how nice Is Jack gibbons to actually answer his. Phone
i'm telling, you If i'm on a cruise In, france
don't call. Me i'm not gonna. Answer i'm sitting that
directly to. Voicemail but, YEAH i hope that he's got
some sort of extended plan for out of the. Country
otherwise that's going to be a very pricey phone bill
that he's gonna get when he gets back to The.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
States, yeah no, doubt no.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Doubt nobody nobody let him, know OR i guess he
didn't let anybody know he was going to be on.
Vacation but thank you To Jack, Gibbons thank you To
mike De corsi And Justin roland who also joined the.
SHOW a lot Of kentucky football talk, today but you
know basketball has dominated the. Conversation you, know many listening
on these same stations will hear THE ksr pre show
coming up next with myself And shannon The. Dude we'll
(35:52):
talk a little bit more about the transfer portal and
Who kentucky could be looking. At you, know The field
of sixty eight Linked kentucky To Florida state Wing Jamir,
watkins and that Was Jeff goodman Saying kentucky.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Could be in the.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Mix and that's where we're at right, now is just
people saying Online kentucky could be in the mix for
something is news, Nowadays so get ready for these summer
shows with absolutely nothing going. On but we do have
THE nba playoffs. STILL i saw The MAVs got a
victory last. Night good For Anthony, davis the Former cat
and all the hooplah surrounding The MAVs. Recently just maybe
(36:27):
one of the worst trades of all time in any
sport when it comes To Luca. Doncis but, hey we'll
see how it works. Out nico, says defense wins. Championships
we'll see if that is the. Case but thank you
To Tom leach for letting me fill in for him
on The Leech report this, morning and again thank you
to all our guests And shannon The dude for making
it happening back in the.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
Studio tom should be back with you guys.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Tomorrow LIKE i, said the pre show is on many
of these same stations where we'll dive into.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Some other topics and much.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
More so big thank you for. Listening this has been
The thursday edition of The Leach.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Report we will talk to you.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
Tomorrow
Welcome everyone to a Thursday edition of The Leech Report. Thursday,
April seventeenth. I am not Tom Leach. My name is
Billy Rutledge. You can follow me on Twitter at Billy
r Sports and here myself and Shannon the Dude on
many of these same stations on the KSR pre show
coming up after The Leach Report, presented to you by
Bob Kat Enterprises. We've got a great guest lineup for
(00:26):
you today as we fill in for Tom, who's hopefully
working hard over at Keeenlan this morning. It's a busy
time a year for him as well. We'll be joined
by Mike de Corsi in our second segment today. The
calumnist for the Sporting News, Jack Gibvens, the Goose is Golden,
will join us a little later in the show, and
also Justin Roland, the publisher of Cats Illustrated and father
(00:46):
of I think ten or eleven children, will be joining
us later in the show. Shannon the Dude is back
in studio. Thanks for getting us up and running.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Shannon. You doing all right this.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Ah, I'm doing good.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Billy.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
How are you man filling in big shoes for Tom
Leach this morning?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Doubling my workload today after two hours of radio instead
of just one. So it's great to be alongside with
you again. But let's jump right into it. It's the
Wildcat News of the Day, presented by Giuseppes of Lexington.
In some breaking news this morning, Hardley Gilmore will sign
back with Kentucky. The sophomore wide receiver transferred from Kentucky
(01:19):
in January. He was actually dismissed from the team. He
now is coming back after being dismissed from Nebraska. Excuse me,
he transferred from Kentucky. He was just recently dismissed from
Nebraska Matt Rules, saying it had nothing to do with
some charges he was facing in Lexington this past December.
He was charged with miss Demeter assault at a Lexington
(01:40):
storage facility. But he has made his way back home Hardly.
Gilmore followed former wide receivers coach to Kel Schwartz who
went to Nebraska, including former Kentucky receiver Dane Key.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Who made the move as well.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Hardly.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Gilmore got a lot of praise from Nebraska coaches while
he was over there, but he was dismissed from the
team and announced this morning he was now returning to Kentucky.
Twenty one Kentucky football players entered the transfer portal back
in the winter and six have entered in the spring window.
Here's a new news note. New Mexico transfer offensive lineman
(02:14):
Wallace Unamba is back in the portal after transferring to Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
This winner.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Think about this, folks. We've got players transferring two teams
and then transferring away from teams when the spring transfer
window portal opens up again.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It's just madness.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
But Kentucky gets one of their own back in Hardley Gilmour.
Some more news to the basketball front, UK has found
out they will host a new non conference opponent, The
North Carolina Central Eagles will be coming to rupp Arena.
We don't have a date for that yet, but that
is slowly filling out the non conference schedule for Kentucky
(02:51):
men's basketball. They have never played the NC Central Eagles either.
Kentucky has also found a date for their matchup with Indiana,
he off the heat of the news of Lamar Wilkerson
choosing Indiana. It will be Kentucky versus Indiana at Rupperena
on December thirteenth in Shannon. If you don't think that
game's gonna have some juice if that's gonna be a
(03:11):
fun ticket to have. I think many in Big Blue
Nation would like to see Kentucky to beat up on
Lamar in Indiana when they come into Lexington.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, we're not taking them back to Keenland after he
committed to Indiana. We're not taking him to the winner Circle.
All he's gonna get is a bunch of booze when
he comes back to Rapperina. That should be a fun.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
One surprise Keenland didn't work, man, I thought it was
locked in after he was in the Winter Circle. But nevertheless,
Kentucky's still looking for a shooter in the portal. Speaking
of the portal, the Field of sixty eight is reporting
that Kentucky could be in the mix for Florida State
wing player Jamir Watkins. Also South Carolina decommit tracing Eagle
(03:46):
Staff is another guy that Kentucky has their eye on.
I've adopted the opinion that I'm not gonna get too
excited about these guys until they actually signed. You know
what I mean, Shannon, I just can't go through this
process of will he be here, will he won't? Is
he gonna stay? Is he not until I get official word.
I'm not getting my hopes up with these guys.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah, until they, you know, play their first game. I
don't know that you can actually trust that any of
these guys will. I mean, I guess you can, but
I mean, there's my point is there's guys that are committing.
They're there for a few weeks, they don't like it,
they're out, you know, just like this Eagle Staff guy.
So you just never know the transfer portal. I think
you put it earlier. The best is complete madness. And
(04:27):
until they figure out how they're gonna, you know, put
guardrails on this whole situation, it's just gonna be completely
out of control.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Still awaiting that settlement with the House versus NCAA, hopefully
that will be coming soon to give those guardrails, but
until then.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
The madness continues.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Former Kentucky player Damian Collins has found a new home
as well. He will transfer to UCF Southern Florida, my
old neck of the woods around Saint Pete, Tampa area.
It'll be his third school, as the forward had played
at Kentucky and LSU as well. So he will go
to uc and wish nothing but the best for Damian Collins.
(05:03):
A guy that we have been keeping our eye on
is former Tennessee quarterback Nico Ia Maliava. That sounds about right, Shannon,
right E Maliava. Actually, Tom tried to help me learn
how to actually pronounce it. But Nico looks like he
will be signing with UCLA. This is not a done deal,
but this is something that Colin Cowherd was reporting yesterday.
(05:25):
Does he realize how much money he's going to lose
in taxes? Shannon, I guess that is my one question.
He will not make anything near what he was expecting
to make at the University of Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Well, we had a tax lesson yesterday on KSR, so
I had to, you know, learn how these guys get
paid and what taxes they pay and everything else. But
the old Nico situation is just it's mind boggling to me.
But it sounds like, you know, UCLA wouldn't be a
bad place for him to land. It could be a
whole lot worse. He could end up in a juco
making half of what he was making at Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
At least he will play in the Big ten. If
that does become official. The family claimed yesterday it wasn't
about money the reason why they left Tennessee. It was
about the Vall's offense. Well, here's some stats from last year.
The Vall's offense was ranked fifteenth nationally, the UCLA offense
one hundred and eighteenth. Hopefully things change for Nico. I'm
(06:15):
not sure that they will. The Leach Report comes to
you from the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line, but we
need to take our first.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Clark's Pumping Shop studio.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Excuse me, not the phone line, it's the studio that
we're coming from you today and we need to take
a break. But when we come back, Mike de Corsi
from The Sporting News will join us. We'll talk a
little bit about Nico and maybe some of this movement
in college sports. Keep it locked where you got it.
It's a Thursday edition of the Leach Report. Welcome back.
This is the Leach Report. We come to you from
(06:45):
the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh and refuel. We're
now joined on the celebrity hotline by Mike de Corsi.
You can fall him on Twitter at TSN Mike. The
calmnists for the Sporting News. Good morning, Mike. We live
in strange times. Strange times, indeed, don't you think.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Yeah, I think that's true.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
It's not like it used to be. In some ways,
that's good. In some ways it's a little bit not
as good as it could be. But there aren't a
lot of There isn't as much bad in all this
as many are portraying.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Well, let me ask you, this is a Kentucky slanted show.
So I could talk about Hardley Gilmour, who's a receiver
who went into the portal, was dismissed by his team
and is now back with Kentucky. But I want to
start with the Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamalaieva. This is a
guy that is Do you think he's starting a trend
or do you think this is going to be an outlier?
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Oh? I think this is a vast outlier. Look.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
First of all, what has to be understood about Nico's
situation is that he was a moderately effective quarterback, albeit
a very young one, on a very effective team. So
he was a part of a team that made the
playoff last year. Wasn't good once there, but it had
a good enough year to be among the twelve best
(08:03):
teams in the country, but he wasn't among the twelve
best quarterbacks in the country. You can't find a way
other than the wins to justify him as a top
quarterback in college basketball in twenty twenty four. So you
look at the promise and you say, okay, well, he's
going he has a chance to be really good. Well, okay,
so if he has a chance to be really good,
(08:24):
that would mean he'd have a chance to play in
the NFL. And if you have a chance to play
in the NFL and you're blowing that up or risk
or putting any of it at risk for short term money,
you have absolutely no idea what you're doing. There is
no position in sports that is more lucrative, you know,
except if you're Lebron James. There's no position in sports
(08:46):
that is more let's say, more lucrative vis a vis
the rest of the roster then pro football quarterback. And
that's true not only if you're Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen,
someone that's an elite player, or Dak Prescott, a very
good player paid an elite level. It's true if you're
(09:06):
Mason Rudolph and you're the maybe backup quarterback for the Steelers,
who's gonna make four million dollars this year. It's true,
like I pointed out in a column that I wrote
about Nico, that Kyle Allen was the Steelers third quarterback
last year. Knew it going in, knew it when he signed,
everybody knew it. They paid him a million nine. He
(09:26):
threw one pass all year, and.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
They said in the collum I said, at least it
was a first down.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
But I mean, how do you how do you mess
with a great situation where you are the presumptive You
are not presumptive.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
You are the.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Foreshore starting quarterback for a team that's a presumptive top
twenty type team, so that you can go get short
term money to play for a team that last season
went five and seven and hasn't shown any indication that
they are in the midst of a dramatic turnaround.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
It just it made makes no sense at all.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
And I don't think that people are going to line
up to do things.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
That short circuit their future. Now.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
Look, if Nico was making I don't know, half a
million dollars or something like that and everybody else is
making three or four, then yeah, okay, I can see it.
But he was very well compensated by all accounts for
his for his red shirt year at Tennessee and for
his first year at Tennessee, and was going to be
continued to be well compensated for the net for this
(10:30):
one if he continued, if he played it, and the
one beyond it if he chose to return.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Mike, we don't have a ton of time with you,
but as a lot of things have changed over the years,
you know, bad advice from people around you is probably
something that hasn't and maybe that's something that Nico has
gotten lately. But I do want to ask you one
basketball question before we let you go. Lamar Wilkerson picking
Indiana over Kentucky recently. He had a quote when he
joined the field of sixty eight where he said he
didn't want to be just another guy at Kentucky. Do
(10:57):
you understand that reasoning at all? Or do you see
that he's a missed opportunity here from Lamar to be
embraced by a fan base and a program that has
been an NBA factory. I guess motivation levels differ, and
maybe he's a ball dominant guard that wants more playing time.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
But could you understand a kid that would say something
like that.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
I think he's look, Indiana is not a bad choice,
But I don't understand why he would get the impression
that he was just another player the.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
Kentucky roster is.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
The interesting thing is that the Indiana roster now with
him committing, is deeper at that position than the Kentucky
roster is at the moment. Now, what becomes of it
between now and the traditional opening of this practice October fifteenth,
we can't say. But right now they've got multiple I
think they have four wing players now at Indiana, one
(11:48):
of whom is the coach's son. And I don't think
that they're as flush in that department at Kentucky at
the moment. So no, I'm not sure exactly why he
decided to use that as his justification. And it may
have been a money thing. You don't know what it
was that led him to make that choice.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
But if you're if you're Kentucky, uh, you just chalk.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
It up and move on and and go get somebody
else that Uh. They're they're going to do a good
job at Kentucky regardless.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
They have.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
They have some good young players coming into the program.
You know, I did read a column online about the
future of Kentucky, and not from not from a one
of the Kentucky typical Kentucky writers, but I saw it
on USA Today wherein uh, it's suggesting that that Kentucky's
going all in on the portal and that's how they're
(12:39):
going to do it from now until forever more.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
And I'm not sure that I buy that.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
I when I talked to Mark back in mid March,
he was very much uh believing that you have to
build the program, and you start with players who will
be with you for a while. And I think that's
an important thing to remember, is that these guys that
are going to play one year maybe a little bit
more that those guys finish it off. But if you
(13:06):
don't have a core of players that you brought in,
either long term transfers with three to four three years
to play or two years to play, or high school
players that you bring in that again may not play
more than one or two years because they're so talented,
you have to build. You have to build the program
from the ground up. You can't constantly be just going
(13:28):
and seeing what's out there and believing that you're going
to win big with it. Florida had a core of players.
They were half and half. There were eight rotation players,
half homegrown, half transfers. The transfers did a phenomenal job.
Walter Clayton was amazing. But you can't I mean, Walter
Clayton was kind of a lottery ticket, right.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
I mean he was brought.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
In from a very good situation at Iona and became
one of the best players.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
In college basketball.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
You can't count on that as a way to become
a great program.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
It's just you can't expect.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
You can count on that to become a significant program,
but you can't count on that to become a champion.
It was a very fortunate circumstance for Florida. They took
great advantage of it and they won big. But you
can't expect that to be the way every year.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yeah, it's just strange to see second and third of
your players in Lexington. Mike, you know that, But unfortunately,
I wish we had more time to break this all down.
That's gonna do it for us today at TSN Mike
on Twitter, the calumnists for The Sporting News, Thank you
very much, Mike for your time this morning.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Thanks I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah, absolutely, all right, we'll take a break. When we
come back.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Jack Gibbons from the UK Sports Network, the Former Cat,
will join us for a couple of segments here on
this Thursday edition of The Leach Report.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Welcome back.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
It is the Lead Report coming to you from the
Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return, Refresh and Refuel at Clark's.
I'm Billy Rutlidge filling in for Tom Leach. Jack Gibbons
is on our Celebrity hotline and I was just told
Jack is checking in from France.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Is that right, Jack, You're in France right now?
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Ye?
Speaker 6 (15:00):
Man, I totally forgot to let Tom know that Lynda
and I are on vacation and Provence right now. We're
doing a cruise on the French and Italian rivieras Man
and I toast. I've been so busy, I totally forgot
to let Tom know. And Tom's out, so I got
(15:22):
to call and I said, well, yeah, I'll jump on
with them real quick. We're just having lunch. Man, it's
been a great trip.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Well, I'm sorry Jack interrupting your European cruise here in France,
but you know, I did want to talk a little
Kentucky basketball with you just a couple of minutes before
our heartbreak here. But man, it was a lot of
fun this first year under Mark Pope doing the games
with you on the broadcast.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
What were some of your.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Favorite parts and favorite memories from the first year just overall?
Is there something that you look back on you think, hey, man,
was that embodied what that hell fun?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
That season was?
Speaker 6 (15:55):
Well, the best thing for me is I think back
on this season, it's probably how good the guys were.
I mean, how good the guys he was able to
put together in such a short period of time. I mean,
we got good talent, which was great. All of that
was pretty sweet, but man, just the fact that all
(16:18):
of these guys were good dudes and they were just
happy to be a part of the University of Kentucky,
be here and have a chance to experience the big
Blue nation, you know. I mean, of course basketball was good,
and Mark accomplished a bunch, but it was just really
(16:40):
really nice for me to see how much these guys
enjoyed Kentucky basketball. It was like the good old days
in a lot of ways. Man, And that's the thing
that if I look back on this season, and all
the success. I just think it's better with good guys,
(17:02):
and we had some good dudes. Man.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Just about sixty seconds before we break here, but Lamont
Butler's dad spoke with our friend Jacob at Ksrplus and
he said, in a nutshell, this was one of the
best decisions that Lamont ever made as far as his
basketball career. And you could just feel the gratitude oozing
from the guys at times, you know what I mean, Jack?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Yeah, And I think back to the Blue White scrimmage
that we had in Historical Memorial Coliseum, And I think
back to that game and I Lamont was warming up
before the game and I was standing around getting stuff
ready to broadcast the game, and I said to him
(17:44):
and said, Lamont, how you doing? Man? I said, how
are you? And he looked at me and he said, man,
I'm playing basketball at the University of Kentucky. How could
it get any better? Which was awesome?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, Yeah, absolutely right.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Well, Jack, I'd love to talk to you more about
some guys that are on the roster currently, maybe some
thoughts about some guys going into their second year and
how they can improve. But we need to take a break.
It's a Thursday edition of The Leach Report, Jack Gibbons
and Billy Rutledge and we will be right back, all right,
welcome back. It is a Thursday edition of The Leach Report,
presented by Bobcat Enterprises. I'm Billy Rutledge filling in for
(18:20):
Tom this morning. Joining me is Tom's co hosts on
the UK men's basketball broadcast. Jack Gibbons always does a
great job. Jack on a cruise ship in France. Right now,
We're only going to take up a little bit more
of your time, Jack, and then we'll let you get
back to the relaxation. But there's been a lot of
exciting announcements for Kentucky men's basketball.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I want to hit some of these transfers.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
But first, how important is it that Kentucky gets our
guy Otega oh way back?
Speaker 4 (18:47):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (18:47):
I think it's huge. I mean, Otega had such a
great year and has become one of those guys that
we grew to count on. So I think it's going
to be huge that Kentucky gets him back, and I'm
pretty sure he wants to be there. I've been gone
a few days, so I don't know if anything has
(19:09):
has broken or happened since I've been gone, but yeah,
I think it's going to be huge to get him back.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Well, some news that has broken lately is that Brandon
Carrison will be returning. I think we're expecting guys like
Colin Chandler, Travis Perry, Trent Noah to return as well.
And Jack, I mean, it's not something we see a
lot of Kentucky guys sticking around and improving their game.
I'm excited for those guys to take the next leap,
aren't you.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Yeah, and just think about it. I mean, these guys
can take the kind of jump that some of them
took this year. I just think it's going to be
huge to get some of the guys you mentioned for
a year or two more for some of them, I think.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
So.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
I think it's awesome to be able to just keep
some faces around for a little while and build some continuity,
some stuff that we just haven't had over the last
few years.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
And I mean, if you look at what the front
court is going to be for Kentucky next year, man, Jack,
I would I'm sure you would have loved at some
of these diat Jada Quaintons. They even got their second
Croatian in the last what three or four years with Yellovich.
I mean, there's a lot of potential with this lineup.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
Oh man, I just I'm looking at it come together,
and I'm just getting more and more excited as the
day goes on. It seems like Mark and this and
his staff puts together another surprise, another acquisition. I mean
it it's gonna be awesome. I mean when we got
the seven foot Croatian man, I think, and I watched
(20:50):
some of his highlights, I thought, well, he could be
the peace man. He could be the guy who who
does make the difference and get gets us to the
next level. But he's not the only one coming in.
I think Theobote brings that you get a guy who
can descend, a guy who you don't have to call
(21:12):
his number to get production. I think it's always good
to have that six seven six' eight guy who can
go out and you can count on anywhere between five
and eight five and ten rebounds every. Game we just
didn't have that kind of, guy a guy who can
(21:33):
can you can put on at least three, positions and
he can defend the small, forward the power. Forward he
can also go out and defend the two. Guards so
as he did against Ol. Ways SO i think he
is a, huge huge piece to What kentucky's going to
be next.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Year and it's nice to have more than a couple
of weeks to recruit an entire, roster kind of What
Mark pope had to do last year when he had
the piece thing. Together But, jack in your, opinion what's
Something Mark pope needs to improve? On you, know this
team was riddled with injuries at times last, year but,
overall you, Know monday was the anniversary of that revival
at Rapp arena in that press conference that will be remembered.
(22:14):
Forever but in a year's, time what do you think
is one thing That mark can improve?
Speaker 6 (22:18):
On are you talking about his coaching style but hits.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Anything that jumps out.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
You're.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
RECRUITING i, mean what's something That jack has seen that
If Mark pope can't, improve then maybe he can take
this program to the heights that he has talked.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
About.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
Yeah you, know it's interesting BECAUSE i think if you
ask most people to assess What mark accomplished last, year
nine out of ten people was very very pleased with
What mark and his staff. Did AND i think the
tenth person who would say he's not very pleased would
(22:59):
Be Mark pope. Himself and you know that's and that's Just.
MARK i mean that he looks at this AND i
WISH i wish people could have seen him after we
lost that, game The sweet sixteen game To. TENNESSEE i
(23:20):
wish people could have seen him at the hotel after that,
game when we got back there and we were going
to meet for. Dinner, man he, WAS i, mean he was.
Destroyed but you, know and you could. TELL i, MEAN
i could have gone up To mark and, say But,
mark think of all we accomplished this, year think of
(23:41):
all you got. Done And mark would have said, yeah
but you, know he was HE i, mean it just
meant that much to him to lose that. Game and
when you have a guy who takes it that seriously
and a loss in a season that, was by every
(24:07):
stretch of the, imagination a, SUCCESS i, MEAN i don't
know how you could call it anything, else but, boy
he was just miserable after he lost that. Game SO
i bring that up just to say that it's gonna be,
better Because mark's not gonna let it be anything but.
(24:27):
That and that's the thing that is most exciting to,
me thinking about what could happen in the. FUTURE i,
mean already he has better players. Overall he's added some.
Athletes he's added, size And i'm talking about muscle, size
not just height. Size SO i don't know what he
(24:52):
WHAT i expect from him in the, future BUT i
Know i'm gonna be happy because of the kind of
a pro that he has to to doing his. Job
and that is a fun thing to think.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
About, no that's that's a great, Thought.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Jack and, CONVERSELY i think of the press conference after
The illinois game and How mark and the players are
pumping each other up and talking about how much this
this ride and this journey means to each, other and
and you just want to bottle that, up, Right you
just want to bottle up that excitement and that love
for each other and use it every single. Year, Unfortunately,
jack we're out of, time and you get back to your. Vacation,
(25:30):
man get back to your. Cruise big thank you for
joining us this.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Morning. Jack always appreciate your.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Time it's it's been good and always good to be
on with, You, billy AND i really appreciate. It it's
fun over. Here it's an opportunity to relax a little,
bit to get away so believe, Me i'm having a
having a great Time. Cruisemen, man that's really.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Nice, Well, jack we didn't even talk about all these
lefties on the.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
ROSTER i, mean you gotta love. That we got. It
we got like five or, six don't.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
We Oh, Man, yeah we Get we're gonna have a
lot of fun and a couple of them can shoot.
It so that's really gonna make me. Happy. Man be
able to see some lefties out, there some guys who
do it a little bit differently than most of the
other guys out. There lefties kind of throw people. OFF
i tried to use that for my advantage and a
(26:19):
lot of time the game was almost over before people
figured OUT i was a left handed. Player.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Yep so it's going to be.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Interesting all, right get out of.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Here.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Jack we appreciate. You thank you very much for what
you do with THE Uk network and. Everything jack gibbings.
Speaker 6 (26:32):
Folks, Okay, billy thank you very. Much all, right thank You.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Jack all, right we're gonna take a.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Break when we come, back we're going to talk More
kentucky football With Justin rowland From Cats Still. Illustrated on
the other side of this. Break it is A thursday
edition of The Leach.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Report welcome.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Back this is The Leach report presented By Bobcat enterprises
with four locations In. Kentucky when you need to, render
buy heavy equipment or a new zero turn mower for your,
lawn go To Bobcat. Enterprises I'm Billy rutlich filling in
Form leach this. Morning now joining us is the publisher
Of Cats. Illustrated Justin rowland fall him On twitter At Roland.
(27:07):
Rivals good, Morning. Justin how are you?
Speaker 6 (27:09):
Hey Good?
Speaker 7 (27:09):
Billy how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Man i'm doing great AND i need you to help
me make sense of this newest edition of The Kentucky Football.
Ruster Hardley gilmore will be rejoining The cats after he
transferred away and then has since been dismissed from The
nebraska football. Team there are reports that he was charged
with mis demeter assault Last december at A lexington storage.
(27:31):
Facility AND i thought the change from last football to
this year's football team was about changing the culture and
maybe some. Discipline do you see this as a fit
for What Mark stoops is trying to do here in
twenty twenty?
Speaker 7 (27:44):
Five, WELL i MEAN i think that it's a decision
where you're like the fact that they're bringing him, on
like either you trust the judgment of The kashing staff
or you. Don't they're balancing different. Things they're balancing culture
with the need for just raw talent and ability and
somebody who can upgrade the. Offense And i'll tell you,
(28:04):
WHAT i think the offensive line is going to be pretty,
good AND i think it could be substantially improved from last.
Year BUT i think there have been lingering questions about
the skill, positions about running, back about, receiver and it's
not easy to get obvious upgrades to even skill. POSITIONS
i mean even the spring portal, wave even if you
(28:28):
only have a few spots to, fill it's not easy
to get obvious. Upgrades and because of the previous, Connection
Hardley gilmore could be an obvious talent upgrade in the
near and long term who can substantially improve the output
of that. Room and that's the thinking and bringing him.
In but totally back to back Issues Kentucky. Nebraska that's
(28:49):
a question mark when you're talking about, culture and he's
gonna have to prove it and they're gonna have TO i,
mean they're gonna have to own however it plays.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Out, Yeah And i'm just struggling with my expectations for
the football team this year because they very well could
be a better team this, year but maybe even have
a worse record.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Just because of how the schedule lines.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Up and you, know JUSTIN i don't want to say
that we're always going to complain about the schedule moving.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Forward it is what it.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Is but you, know are the days of ten win
seasons behind? Us what are your expectations for a team
like this next?
Speaker 7 (29:18):
YEAR i, mean the schedule is a bear, again AND
i think that they've had enough turnover on defense across the.
Defense really the losses at, receiver questions at running back
frankly crush the questions at. Quarterback that it's not one
of those years Where i'm, like are they pushing eight
or nine? Wins it's more one of those years are
(29:39):
they going to be able to get this thing moving
back in the right direction to reinspire some confidence from
the fan base In stoops that it gives him enough
of a lease on life to push forward for a
longer second half of his. Tenure that's what this year is.
About and whether that's six, wins whether that's seven, wins
whether that's whatever the threshold needs to. Be they just
(30:01):
need to get back to inspiring confidence and WHAT i
don't know what that looks. Like it might not be
a numerical. Value you Saw vanderbilt won what six or
seven games last, year but they really excited the fan.
Base they're gonna have to figure out a way to
do that this. Year but there's no winning pr battles
or press conferences because people just have to see.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
It that's an interesting point.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
About it may not be numerical to the gains that
you want to see from The kentucky football, program but you,
KNOW i think year two Of Bush hampden is going
to go a long way to helping. That do you
Think Mark stuts would ever take another? Job do you
Think kentucky's his final coaching.
Speaker 7 (30:39):
JOB i think If iowa were to come, open then
that would be something that he would have interest. In
i'm not even sure that they would move in that.
DIRECTION i, MEAN i think if he had a chance
at one of those football factories where you can compete
for a national, championship but it's just at that, point
at this point in his, career it's tough to see
that opportunity coming around at least anytime. Soon so, Yeah
(31:01):
i'm inclined to think that with all the talk about
the family history and retiring early in the family and
how the tenure's gone At kentucky and he's done very
well for, himself increasingly think this might be the last.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Stop, well we know That Mark stoops can develop. TALENT
i think of a little old guy Named Josh, allen
who WAS i, mean what was he a two star
recruit back in the, day justin and then he's turned
into the great pass rusher that he. Is another Former kentucky,
Guy Maxwell, harriston just received an invite to the twenty
twenty FIVE Nfl draft In Green. BAY i think that
four point two to eight forty. Helped but he was
(31:34):
a three star guy and now he has a chance
to become the First kentucky corner to be drafted in
the first. Round AND i mean there were years he
was leading THE sec and interceptions and picked Sixes and
so do you think he can find success in the next?
Speaker 6 (31:47):
Level, yeah.
Speaker 7 (31:48):
Totally just in terms of like pure cover cornerback. Skills
he's one of the best guys that had ever come
through the. Program and that's not an, exaggeration like took
him a little while to get, going but on a
defense that kind of got ground down and worn down
as the offense. Flounder last, season he was, good even
though he didn't have as many flashy plays as he
(32:10):
did the previous year with the pick. Sixes he's a,
legit top TIER nfl, talent AND i saw the other
day that there was maybe no consensus over who the
number two cornerback might. Be and he's kind of become
a trendy pick just just to go higher than a
lot of people. Thought but they identified this last. Year
they were saying he's a. Pro he's a. Pro they knew.
It they not have known how high he was going to.
Go but that's certainly good for.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Him Zach, kalzada the new expected quarterback For. Kentucky you
think that's the right move to go to the transfer
portal instead of Giving Cutter bully the job?
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Is do you think he's? READY i don't know.
Speaker 7 (32:44):
If he's ready or. NOT i mean WHAT i heard
during the spring was neither conclusive in a good way
or a bad. Way it was we see the, talent
but he needs more reps in the. System and you
just don't know What the huge question is how much
did he actually improve while he was in incarnate? Work
and is that level of improvement that would be needed
(33:05):
to inspire confidence in the team this? Year how likely
is that playing at that level of? FOOTBALL i guess
we just don't, know and it's hard to. FORECAST i,
mean there were a. MOMENT i feel like a lot
of people have been down On, calzada AND i GUESS
i get it that loads were not great At TEXAS
a AND. M BUT i, mean an injured player did Beat.
Alabama he played an extremely high level at some, Point
(33:28):
so it just really comes down to how much has
he matured between the ears and inside the.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Pocket, well there's a lot of new, faces And Justin
roland will be one of the many people that can
help you stay updated on. That you can check Out Cats.
Illustrated you can also follow them On twitter At Roland.
Rivals justin always appreciate your, Time thank you for joining
us this.
Speaker 7 (33:46):
Morning thanks a, Lot billy to take.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Care there you, Go Justin roland giving us the scoop
About kentucky. Football you just don't know how it's gonna
work out this. Year and And, shannon it may just
be one of those things where you just got to
wait until they're on the field and you actually see
football before you get excited, again don't you.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
THINK i think that's probably most fans right.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Now you.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Know, yeah they want to be excited about, it but
they gotta be shown, FIRST i, think before the excitement
level matches where it was in previous.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Seasons, yep, YEAH i absolutely. Agree but big thank you
To justin for joining. Us we need to take a.
Break when we come, back we'll wrap up This thursday
edition of The Leach. Report all, right welcome.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Back it's our final segment of The Leach, report presented
By Bobcat. Enterprises on this, day in nineteen ninety, Nine
cleveland Made Tim couts the number one overall pick in
THE Nfl. Draft probably the worst thing that could happen
to him going to The browns, franchise but unfortunately they
just didn't put enough pizzas pieces around. Him but we
(34:43):
do celebrate him being the number one overall. Pick also
a happy birthday to Former Wildcat Dwayne. Casey that Is
Wildcat history presented by The kentucky Road Show Sports card
and Member bilia And. Lexington learn more about them at
roadshowcards Dot com And chan and, honestly ALL i can
think about Is Jack gibbons' phone bill right.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Now, OH i, mean, DUDE i had to.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Get that last question in about lefties, too and that
probably added about twenty five dollars to it.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Easily, YEAH i mean you call. That by the, way
how nice Is Jack gibbons to actually answer his. Phone
i'm telling, you If i'm on a cruise In, france
don't call. Me i'm not gonna. Answer i'm sitting that
directly to. Voicemail but, YEAH i hope that he's got
some sort of extended plan for out of the. Country
otherwise that's going to be a very pricey phone bill
that he's gonna get when he gets back to The.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
States, yeah no, doubt no.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Doubt nobody nobody let him, know OR i guess he
didn't let anybody know he was going to be on.
Vacation but thank you To Jack, Gibbons thank you To
mike De corsi And Justin roland who also joined the.
SHOW a lot Of kentucky football talk, today but you
know basketball has dominated the. Conversation you, know many listening
on these same stations will hear THE ksr pre show
coming up next with myself And shannon The. Dude we'll
(35:52):
talk a little bit more about the transfer portal and
Who kentucky could be looking. At you, know The field
of sixty eight Linked kentucky To Florida state Wing Jamir,
watkins and that Was Jeff goodman Saying kentucky.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Could be in the.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Mix and that's where we're at right, now is just
people saying Online kentucky could be in the mix for
something is news, Nowadays so get ready for these summer
shows with absolutely nothing going. On but we do have
THE nba playoffs. STILL i saw The MAVs got a
victory last. Night good For Anthony, davis the Former cat
and all the hooplah surrounding The MAVs. Recently just maybe
(36:27):
one of the worst trades of all time in any
sport when it comes To Luca. Doncis but, hey we'll
see how it works. Out nico, says defense wins. Championships
we'll see if that is the. Case but thank you
To Tom leach for letting me fill in for him
on The Leech report this, morning and again thank you
to all our guests And shannon The dude for making
it happening back in the.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
Studio tom should be back with you guys.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Tomorrow LIKE i, said the pre show is on many
of these same stations where we'll dive into.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Some other topics and much.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
More so big thank you for. Listening this has been
The thursday edition of The Leach.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Report we will talk to you.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
Tomorrow
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Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com