2025-05-15 LEACH REPORT

Tom talks with Jack Givens, Justin Rowland, and Maggie Davis.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Good day, everybody. Welcome in to the Leech Report. We
are presented each and every day by Bobcat Enterprises. Coming
up today, we'll get into a little discussion about otega
Oway and and Jalen Lowe for that matter. With still
in the NBA process. Goose Givens joins us on Thursdays,

(00:25):
and Goose worked in the league for many years, so
we'll get his take on how this process plays out
for these guys. Maggie Davis will be with us from
BBN tonight and l e X eighteen and Justin Rowland
from Katzillustrated dot Com. Wildcat News of the Day is
a service of Giuseppes of Lexington and otega Oway played

(00:46):
his first game at the NBA Combined yesterday and in
the scrimmage he had ten points, three rebounds, three assists,
two steals in twenty one minutes of action. He talked
to ESPN said he's looking to find the best situation,
and he said, I've got a good situation back at
Kentucky if I do choose to go back. Ben Roberts

(01:07):
is up in Chicago covering this for the Lexington Harold Leader,
and he has an excellent story that is out today
at Kentucky sports dot Com and you can check that out.
There's a quote in there where Otega talks about if
he does come back, then he says, I'm coming back

(01:27):
to win. I didn't like the way that felt last
year talking about the end of the season lost to
Tennessee in the Sweet sixteen. So I think Kentucky fans
will like hearing that. There was that interview that he
did where he said he was all in, and Ben
writes about that in the story about how fans and
we were talking about this earlier this week. In fact,

(01:48):
Maggie and I were talking about a Monday on the
BBN Tonight Show that you know, that's what you say
if you're at a job interview, which is what he
is going through. And of course he's all in because
he'd like to go ahead and be in the NBA
as soon as possible, but under the right circumstances. So anyway,
all in didn't mean anything about, you know, lessening the

(02:11):
chances of him coming back to Kentucky, so kind of
as expected there on that particular front. And Kobe Bryan
also took part in a scrimmage didn't shoot it as well.
As we know he can. He was one of seven
on three's finished with five points. He's currently being projected
in the second round of the draft. UK Baseball is

(02:35):
playing the opening game of its final SEC regular season
series tonight in Nashville against the ninth rank Commodores of Vanderbilt.
Seven o'clock games tonight and tomorrow night, that's Eastern time,
and then three o'clock Eastern on Saturday. The Saturday game
will be on the SEC network. The other two tonight

(02:56):
or yeah, tonight and tomorrow night will be on the
let me check that I think both of those are
an SEC network. Plus UK Radio will have a call
of all of the action with Darren Headrick at the MIC,
so you can tune it in tonight. But Kentucky, with
a sweep of Oklahoma last week, put themselves in a

(03:19):
good spot. Latest projection I saw from D one Baseball
had Kentucky projected as a two seed, so well off
the last four in spot that they were in the
previous week. In that particular projection links to the stories
that we talk about each day. You can find those
on the Bud Light Leach Report page at Tom leachky

(03:40):
dot com. We are going ahead to a break and
come back and chat with Maggie Davis from BBN Tonight.
Opening segment of the Leach Report, always presented by Just
Steppies of Lexington. The pasta's homemade handcuffed steaks right there
on site. The seafood shipped in fresh and a lot

(04:00):
of the ingredients are locally sourced, so it's just a
real commitment to excellence at Giuseppes.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
And then the.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
Ambiances just off the charts sit in the bar area.
If you haven't done that, listen to Dave Haul's live
jazz music. I want a really special night out. Make
your reservation now at Open Table for a night at Giuseppes,
and we'll be right back here on the Leech Report,
presented by Bob Kat Enterprises. It's the Leech Report coming
to you each day from the Clark's Pumpin' Shop studio. Return,

(04:29):
refresh and refuel at Clark's and they have a new
Loyalty rewards program that you need to sign up for
get some discounts and fuel and on products in the stores.
Maggie Davis joining us now from BBN Tonight courtesy of
the Club Blueenil dot Com hotline and Otega away going
through the NBA combine up in Chicago, and Maggie, you

(04:52):
and I were talking about this on the BBN Tonight
Show on Monday, and I thank you for taking the
position that look Otegas said, he's all in. That's what
you say when you're going through a job interview. Didn't
mean anything about what he was thinking about Kentucky. And
that's kind of what comes out of Ben Robert's story
from up at the combine today and the Herald Leader.

Speaker 3 (05:14):
Yeah. Absolutely, I laugh a little bit at us speaking
back to our conversation Monday on the show, as you
said of me just being like, hey, Tom, I might
want to work for you, but I don't know. I'm
kind of iffy about it. I'm one foot in and
one foot out. It might come back to my old job.
Like that is not at all what any rational person
says in a job interview. It's certainly not what any
agent or head coach would tell you to say in

(05:36):
a job interview. So for me, that was really a
no concern situation. But I'm also empathetic to the fact
that big a nation is dying to have him back
in Lexington, and so any sort of just crumb that
suggests he may or may not be here. We're all
going to cling on to it because that's all we
have right now. And of course that is sort of
the big storyline for the next couple of weeks, is

(05:57):
will here, won't he? And for every reason you've detailed
and Ben Robert's story does as well. To me, it
just seems like an easy and obvious answer that he'll
be back unless something insanely dramatic happens in the next
couple of weeks in terms of where he is being
projected in the NBA draft. But for me, he doesn't
strike me as someone who's gonna leave if he's being
projected in the second round, So I'm not concerned. But

(06:19):
I understand the situation is tricky for fans to make
sense of it, I guess.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
And there's you know, it's that time of year when
they're you know, games to focus on or anything, so
we kind of get hyper focused on stories like this,
and it's just it's a you know, if you're a fan,
you don't like uncertainty, So they've probably got to wait
till somewhere. I think the deadline's May twenty eighth. He
could announce before then, but he's going to be going
through some more individual workouts with teams after the combine

(06:46):
is over. But in the story that Ben did today,
he talks about, you know, o Tega talks about he
wants to be drafted and that you know, it's the
fact that he's been invited the combine shows that the
NBA is interested in him, but none of the projections
have him being drafted. But you can, you know, see

(07:07):
him the way the way he played yesterday and what
he has to offer. And then you know, some of
the things Coach Pope talked about at his news conference
Tuesday about you know, things that Otega could improve, like
being a better playmaker, which uh, I think Otega says
in the story with with Ben that he's heard that
from the NBA teams, which I thought was interesting since

(07:28):
Pope talked about it multiple times last season.

Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, I totally agree with you. I thought pope comments
about it were really telling. This week, he was asked
specifically to talk about things that Otega does the do
make him league ready, and then the things that he
still needs to work on to get to that next level.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
And you brought up playmaking.

Speaker 3 (07:46):
That was something that stood out to me. And then
he also mentioned shooting, which of course is an obvious
one too, and that's Pope points out he didn't shoot
it at a bad rate. I think he shot thirty
four or thirty five percent from three last season, but
obviously there was sort of an inconsistency to it, and
so Pope also talked about that and said that Otega's
focus will be getting that shot off quicker, which I

(08:08):
think is good news for everybody involved. So if that's
consistent with the feedback he's getting from the NBA, which
I'm sure that it is, because Mark Pope and the NBA,
I would think are in pretty consistent communication, or maybe
the assistant coaches who are pretty connected to the league.
So for me that it seems sort of like it's
all in tune with each other right now, which I
take as good news.

Speaker 1 (08:29):
So what's your take now? The roster seems like it
may well be complete. Pope didn't completely rule out adding
something else the other day, but at the moment, that's
we see what he has put together. Any holes that
you see the only hole.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
And I don't think this is necessarily a unique viewpoint.
I think a lot of people have pointed this out,
is the difference in shooting from last year to this year.
There isn't just a total plethora of guys that you
see coming in who's shot in the upper thirties lower
forties from the perimeter. Last season, there's not a Kobe
Braya best shooter from the portal. We know exactly that

(09:07):
that's going to be his role, and I think maybe
it's a combination of factors.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
One.

Speaker 3 (09:11):
Pope's now seen a season in the SEC, and I
think it's very obvious that he prioritized defense, rebounding, physicality,
and some of those traits that the other team last
year didn't necessarily have as much of compared to other
great elite SEC teams, especially those couple at the very top,
one of which won or a national championship. So I

(09:32):
think there is a little bit of recency bias because
we've only seen one Mark Pope team and it was
a fantastic shooting team, and so I don't know that
that will necessarily be what he is able to get
every single year. It also just depends on the market
and who's available, who's in the portal, and who you
have coming back. I think he has a couple of
players coming back and a couple of freshmen coming in

(09:52):
who will be able to shoot it pretty well. Additionally,
so I thought that was probably the only sort of
hole I see is just that really reliable knockdown shooter
that we had in Kobe Brea here last year. But
other than that, to me, it's a very complete roster.
It's maybe a little bit more well rounded, I would
even say, And the one player I would point to

(10:14):
specifically in that regard, as he talked about Jalen Lowe
at his press conference the other day, saying that that's
a guy who's going to be much much, much more efficient.
I don't think it was an intentional job, but he
did sort of make a comment of like, it's rare
to find a player who did pretty well but is
dying to be around more talent. And so I found
that comment really telling in terms of the program that

(10:36):
he's coming from and the guys that are going to
be around him in Lexington, and how that will hopefully
decrease his volume and increase his efficiency in the point
guard spot for Kentucky.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
And as far as shooting, he did not back off
at all on the thirty to thirty five to three
point attempts per game that he mentioned was what the
goal was going into last season, and they didn't get
there consistently, in which he noted, but he said that
they still want to get to that number.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
I think it eats at him a little bit that
they didn't hit that thirty as much as you would
have liked, because I mean, we're how many months removed
from the season at this point, like all eyes on
the future, and.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
He's still up there, like, oh, it was so hard.

Speaker 3 (11:16):
We really wanted to get thirty. I'm so bad we
didn't get thirty more frequently than we did. So I
do think that's a number that has really resonated with
VbN one. I mean, it's kind of flashy, it's very memorable,
a nice even big number, and so thirty is one
of those really easy sort of data points for all
of us to look at. So I do wonder a
little bit if you regret sharing that number with all

(11:37):
of us so early on, because it's a tough benchmark
to reach consistently. But I did, like I think that
he didn't, as you said, did not shy away from it,
and even with a team that on paper doesn't have
as many three point shooters. He still say, yes, that's
our goal. It's important to play that way in this
era of college basketball and the next level of college
or the next level of basketball in general speaking about

(12:00):
the league. So for him and this program, that will
remain the goal, which yeah, I did find that interesting.

Speaker 1 (12:06):
And if you are a citizen of Lexington, you're driving
around the UK campus this week and kind of today
through Saturday, and you thought I thought the students all left.
I thought classes were over. You've got the SEC Outdoor
Track and Field Championships playing out at UK for the
first time since twenty fourteen. So you've got all the

(12:30):
teams in the league here in town for this event.
And you know, it's kind of like a little mini
version of the Olympics when it's this sport in this league.

Speaker 2 (12:41):
Right, Oh my goodness.

Speaker 4 (12:43):
Absolutely. And I have to give a quick.

Speaker 3 (12:45):
Shout out to Kate Powers. We just had her on
the show a couple of weeks ago after the Cats
Beats Award show that the university puts on for the
athletes every year, sort of like a version of the
SPS that ESPN does. But she does field events for
the Tucky track program, which I think is something that
doesn't get a ton of attention. We talked so much
specifically about like the hurdlers and the sprinters, which for

(13:06):
good reason, right, I mean between Abby Steiner and Messi Russell.
Obviously you go back to Sydney McLaughlin. Those are some really,
really really big names on the international level. But what
Kate Powers is doing right now for the field team
has been really impressive. She won an SEC title during
the indoor season, just less than a year removed from
a total leg injury that required emergency surgery. Didn't know

(13:27):
that she'd ever walk again, and now she's winning SEC title.
So a quick shout out to her. She's one of
those cool stories ion this weekend. Yes, very cool story.
And the one thing that will help traffic is at
least Kentucky Baseball is on the road because those venues
are a little close together when big events are going
on at both So luckily the back casts are going
to be down in Nashville.

Speaker 1 (13:48):
So it's the competition starts today. If you have a
little time, you'll see some literally world class athletes in
track and field over in the UK campus this weekend,
and the baseball team starts the series down at Vandy
tonight and then SEC tournament for them next week. Maggie,
thank you very much, Thanks so much.

Speaker 3 (14:09):
Tom talkson that.

Speaker 1 (14:10):
Is Maggie Davis. You can see her work and the
rest of the team at BBN tonight week Night seven
thirty on wl EX in Lexington and at bbntoonight dot com.
If you miss the shows twenty four past the top
of the hour and we're gonna take a quick break,
come back with the goose. Jack Givans on the Leach Report.
Yes on the Leach Report, Come doy on the Club

(14:31):
Blue nil dot com hotline and Club Blue Kids is
their new initiative over at Club Blue click on the
Kids tab to get your youngster registered. They could get
a T shirt, a membership card at lanyard, and stuff
like exclusive events and athlete experiences and meet and greets
and more. I get some cool things coming for this program.

(14:53):
Club Blue Kids, where future Wildcats rep the Blue with pride.
You can get signed up for free at Club lou
INIL dot com. The Ghost Jack Gibbons joining us now
on the Club Blue INIL dot com hotline and uh
I gotta take we take away going through the combine
this week. It's up in Chicago. You were in the
league for several years, uh, working down in Orlando. What's

(15:17):
the process like for for Otega in terms of you know,
the uh, the way it works in terms of getting
feedback from the teams.

Speaker 4 (15:28):
Well, that is the reason a lot of guys do it,
tom Uh. They want to go and just kind of
see where they are, what everybody thinks about them, just
try to get a word or two of encouragement. Of course,
they want to go and they want to play well,
and they want to maybe turn ahead and get somebody

(15:51):
looking at them who wasn't interested at at initially, what
would not be interested. You might turn somebody's head and
press somebody enough. But the thing you want to try
to do is to figure out what everybody thinks. And
a good example, and you probably have talked about it,

(16:11):
is what happened with Antonio Reeves. If you'll remember the
back he went and everybody told him, yeah, we know
you can shoot it. You need to become a score
you do a little bit more. And boy, his last
year he was doing everything. So that's what you go for,
and that's what you try to find out from people.

Speaker 1 (16:33):
You know, one of the things I saw this story
from Ben Roberts and The Harald Leader today is that
Otegas said one of the pieces of feedback he got
is that he was told, quote, you were still effective
at times when you may have been tired, but imagine
if you're not tired what you could do. So basically
just telling him to maybe get an even better shape,
which I'm guessing you know, sometimes something like that might surprise

(16:56):
you a little bit, but it's an interesting piece of feedback.

Speaker 4 (17:00):
Well, because we always think we're in the best shape
we can be in as a player. I mean, you know,
we we just man, you know, I can't. I can't
feel any better than I feel now. But I remember
going from UH from college at the University of Kentucky,
and we had the most strenuous UH training program in
the country at that time, including weights and running the

(17:24):
track and distance running, taking us out old old Richmond
Road and screaming at us to get out of the
van and jog back into Lexington. I mean, we we
went through everything. But man, that first week of two
days in the NBA with Hubie Brown and the Atlanta Hawks,
for me, I mean I learned as much about myself

(17:47):
during that time as I learned at any one time,
and that and that was that I'm nowhere close to
being in the condition I need to be in making
the NBA.

Speaker 1 (17:57):
Talking with the ghost Jack Givings, and we'll continue to
conversation talk a little more about Otega Away and his
NBA decision when we return here on the Leech Report
presented by Bobcat Enterprises. So the Leech t repart presented
by Bob Catt Enterprises. They have four locations around the States.
So google Bobcat Enterprises when you need to buy or
rent heavy equipment and they will have what you need

(18:18):
zero turn moors for your home, long two parts and
other assorted things that will help you out in the pinch.
They'll give you great service after the sale or the
rental to at Bobcat Enterprises. Were chat with the ghost
Jack Gibvans and his book they call Me Goose that
he did with Doug Brunk still available if you haven't
picked it up yet. And the Mother's days past, but

(18:41):
Father's days on the horizon, so make a great gift
for Dad Goose. Let's talk a little bit about more
about Otaga. I think I know it makes fans anxious
when he's going through this process, and there's a chance
he could choose to stay in the league, but I
think it could he an outstanding thing for him because

(19:05):
you know, kids, young people, we all know, if you know,
if we have them in our family, sometimes the message
resonates a little more coming from somebody else that they
don't hear the same voice all the time. And so
you know, Mark Pope has said many times he thinks,
so Tega could be a great, you know playmaker, can

(19:26):
really improve there. Well he's heard that from the folks
at the NBA and they've told him some things that
he talked about that are kind of exciting to hear
and give him things to work on. And we talked about,
you know, the conditioning. All of those things can drive
him to you know, have a tremendous next second year

(19:47):
at Kentucky.

Speaker 4 (19:49):
Yeah, and again, know one thing for sure is those
people in his closest inner circle are not going to
tell him. I mean, they're telling him he's the best
player and he does this great and he doesn't have
to improve and now you're ready to go. And so

(20:10):
as a player, you want to believe that, and you
start to believe that, But yeah, I think it's good.
I mean, these guys that he is hearing stuff from
right now, these are professionals. These are the big time
decision makers on the next level, and everybody wants to
get there, So yeah, I mean, God, I just wish

(20:32):
I had had the opportunity to do what these guys
get to do this year. I mean, because I know
I would have heard from NBA guys. I know I
would have heard you have to improve your ball handling.
You have to handle it more. You have to be
able to create off the dribble. You have to do Yeah,

(20:55):
I know you can shoot it, and I know you
can score it, and you jump better than you been
a lot of guys who are a lot taller, so
you can do all of that, but you're gonna have
to play point guard at six' four in THE. NBA
i just WISH i could have heard, that and that
would have helped me to change my whole focus as
to HOW i played my. Game and you, KNOW i

(21:18):
was successful and as a college player and all of that.
Stuff but, MAN i think back now AND i see
these guys at six seven that handle the ball and
playing point, guard And i'm, thinking, MAN i just WISH
i had gotten that advice WHEN i was At kentucky
because it would have just helped my. Career, so, yeah
we need to have our guys hearing stuff from people

(21:42):
who who they are not supporting people who are around
them but have their best interests at. Hard you, know
it's good to hear that kind of stuff because AGAIN
i go To antonio Reeves man and the jump from
his junior senior year to that grad, year that that

(22:04):
jump that he made created a spot for him in
THE nba that he's enjoying.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
Today that's a great. Point and we're talking a lot About,
otega but you, Know Brandon garrison in year two in this,
System Colin, Chandler trentono are guys that you, know YOU
i think as fans, people you, know they get to
focus more on on the new. Guys it's just kind

(22:31):
of human. Nature but those guys that went through this
one year should or could make tremendous leaps in year. Two.

Speaker 4 (22:39):
Right, Yeah and that's one reason WHY i, MEAN i
Love travis Perry, man and you, know he was one
of my. Favorites he was the, politest most polite kid
that probably ever had At kentucky one THAT i interacted,
with AND i just knew his second year In mark's

(23:03):
system was going to be huge for. Him, SO i,
mean being A kentucky, GUY i didn't want to see
him leave, anyway but, MAN i was really already seeing
him at his role future role In mark system for
a second, year just understanding, stuff more, help playing with more,

(23:23):
confidence all of that kind of. Stuff so, yeah all
of these guys who who who have played For mark
and who are coming, Back Brendan garrison, ESPECIALLY i, mean
because he can do a bunch of, stuff and the
good thing about it Is mark wants him to do
all of. It he's not going to hold him back at.
All so guys like That otego will be the same.

(23:44):
Way he'll be a lot better for being Under mark
a second. Year so it's going to be really really
interesting for those guys to see the steps they make
from this year to next.

Speaker 1 (23:56):
Year it's been a crazy year THE Nba, playoffs with
some incredible comebacks and road teams. Winning are you enjoying?

Speaker 4 (24:04):
It you know? What, Tom this for me has been
the best playoff series, season if you, Will And i've
enjoyed it more THAN i HAVE nba in a long,
time SINCE i was there broadcasting some of these playoff,

(24:24):
series of, course being their first. Hand BUT i took
my Grandson jalen up To indianapolis Last friday for his
first playoff, game and my good, yeah, man my good
friend up, There Brian. Mills brian, said, Hey i've got

(24:44):
a couple of. Tickets come up and come up and
watch the game and bring your. Grandson So brian was
nice enough to get me tickets to the. Game And
i'm telling, you my Grandson, jayalen and he loves. Basketball
he had the best time watching that and how intense

(25:05):
they were. Playing The pacers lost that, game, unfortunately they
but they did win the, series but it was still.
Exciting and BEFORE i got out of there with him that,
night he, said, Now, PAPA i want to go to
a playoff game every, year somewhere at the playoff. Game

(25:25):
AND i looked at him AND i, Said, JALEN i,
said we can do, that. MAN i, said but here's the.
Deal you going To sayer next. Year you're being rolled At.
SAYER i said you have to have a be average all.
Year AND i, said you get that bee. AVERAGE i,
said we'll go and he loves The Milwaukee, bucks AND i,

(25:47):
said we'll go To milwaukee because he Likes. Giannis we'll
go wherever you want to. Go we'll go to a
different place every. Year So i'm Hoping i'll be the
big time winner after that trip To indians to watch The,
pacers and he focuses in on his grades and makes
a good showing in the classroom as well as on

(26:07):
the basketball.

Speaker 1 (26:08):
Floor i'm A New York knicks fan back to my
first favorite player Was Walt. Frasier AND i was watching
the game the other night that The knicks won and
at The garden AND i see the cutaway shot at
the end of the game With Rick patino's sitting right
next To. Clyde so if you can get me that,
Seat i'll go back to school And i'll maintain A b.

Speaker 4 (26:30):
Average, WELL i could probably pull that off some, places
but The garden is one of those. Places you, know
Unless Spike lee is gonna let me sit next to,
him h that might be kind of hard to.

Speaker 1 (26:44):
Do Tom, GOODS i appreciate the time as. Always thank, You.
Tom that is the Ghost Jack evans joining us here
on The club blue IN il dot com Hotline quick
break come, back And Justin rowland will be with us
From Cats. Illustrated THE Lpga legends are going to be
playing golf In Woodford county next, month talking about some

(27:05):
of the all time greats of THE Lpga, Tour Our,
Davies Pat, Bradley Jan, Stevenson Julie, angster who we talked to.
Yesterday It's june seventh and eighth at The Woodford club In.
Versales you can get your tickets now fifteen dollars per.
Day go to A Woodford clubfoundation dot ORG, kvc a
nonprofit child welfare and behavioral healthcare, organization is the beneficiary

(27:27):
of the proceeds from this. Event and you have a
young person who's into the game of, golf could be
a really cool opportunity to get up close and personal
with some of the all time greats from THE Lpga.
Tour joining us now Is Justin rowland From Cats illustrated
and joining us on the club blueinil dot com. Hotline

(27:47):
let's start with a little. Basketball justin now That Mark
pope did his news conference this week kind of suggests
that the rosters, set you, know they could add maybe one.
More we'll, see but if this is the. Group what
do you like about the roster and do you have
any significant?

Speaker 5 (28:05):
QUESTIONS i, mean the best thing WAS i think in
year one you gained a lot of confidence In pope's
offensive system if you didn't already have that coming in FROM.
Byu his chops were on getting teams to, score and
he does that really, well AND i felt like maybe
last year he Targeted Lamont butler And Amari williams straight

(28:25):
out of the shoot just to get that defensive corps
and that core on that end of the. Court AND
i think he's doubled down on that even more this.

Speaker 2 (28:32):
Year SO i feel like.

Speaker 5 (28:33):
You ride With pope's proven strengths coaching, offense and you've
got some really, interesting, longer more athletic defensive pieces are
going to be a better fifty to fifty ball. Team
it feels like it's going to be a very different
kind Of kentucky team Under Mark. Pope i'm interested if
they're going to play a lot different or how different
they're going to play based on the, personnel how much
he can tweak what he's.

Speaker 2 (28:53):
Doing but, YEAH i, MEAN i think the talent is,
better the.

Speaker 5 (28:56):
Overall athleticism and length is, better And we'll see how
much he can he can get out of that team
their offensive potential BECAUSE i think defensively they should be
a lot.

Speaker 1 (29:06):
Better and you Know otega o, way assuming he's, back
you've got AN Sec player of The year. Candidate so
he's you, know your your. Anchor you Figure Jalen lowe
is going to play a ton at the point, yep
you Know, Quaintance, well we don't know how healthy he'll
be at the very, start but at some point you'll
see he's certainly in the. MIX i gotta Think diabatte

(29:27):
plays a significant number of, minutes but it is going
to be with this. GROUP i mean you could mix
and match in terms, of you, know what you're starting
five would. Be it'd be interested if you ask ten
people to predict a starting, five TEN uk basketball, fans
how many different fives you would.

Speaker 2 (29:42):
Get, yeah, yeah that's a great.

Speaker 5 (29:45):
POINT i, mean who's gonna play more minutes Between Cam
williams And. DIABODY i, mean how much of a role
Is aberdeen gonna play because he's a great catch and shoot,
guy but maybe not as much put it on the.

Speaker 2 (29:56):
FLOOR i, mean what we know is that low.

Speaker 5 (29:59):
And are going to carry a huge portion of the scoring,
Offensively AND i liked everything That pope said about O.
Way he's got a clear plan for areas he wants
him to improve and getting on the boards with bigger,
guys and switches with bigger, guys and shooting quicker and
getting more three pointers. Off And i'm sure he's got
a plan like that for every single. Player but you're,

(30:20):
right what we saw this year is it's not going
to be twenty eight minutes for a lot of. Guys
it's going to be twenty minutes.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
For a lot of.

Speaker 5 (30:26):
Guys and WHAT i like about guys Like dabodi And
aberdeen is they're not going to have to come.

Speaker 2 (30:31):
In and drastically expand their.

Speaker 5 (30:33):
Role now they might want to hear that's what's going to,
happen But kentucky is going to be a deep and talented.
Team so if they get sixteen eighteen minutes tonight From,
diabada which is what he gave To, alabama then that's
a great situation to be. IN i don't think you
necessarily want him jumping to thirty, minutes but he doesn't
have to because you've got a really deep.

Speaker 1 (30:50):
Roster shifting to football and there's a lot of new
in that. Roster mark's story from the Hair leader at
a piece this week laying out the formula for being
better than people, think and you, know talked about cutting
down on, turnovers cutting down on, penalties which makes a
lot of sense to. ME i would, add you, know

(31:12):
being really good in special, teams finding some of those hidden.
Yards and then to, me quarterback doesn't have to be you,
know you don't have to Be Tim. Couch you just
have to, be you, know a guy that doesn't throw
a lot of interceptions and is a good leader and
build from. There but they've got to be better in
the offensive line and defensive. Line they WEREN'T i think

(31:36):
as good as probably people thought last year because you
had some injury issues with you, know guys Like Dean
walker And Josiah. Hayes if they're better in the two
lines offense and, defense then some of those other things
that would be how you do it.

Speaker 5 (31:50):
Right, Agreed, yeah they could potentially. Be they should be
better on the offensive. LINE i feel like the defensive
line people are not going to be as familiar with
the names as they were With Dion walker And Oxen
dine And Keyshon.

Speaker 2 (32:04):
Silver because they've been around for a little. While but
the defensive line could be really.

Speaker 5 (32:09):
GOOD i, Mean Goose gusta coming in From Washington state
doesn't get a lot of, sacks but he gets as
much interior push as just about any defensive lineman in the.
Country And mike Huse grace coming in From South dakota
did some some nice things on the. Edge they brought
in several pass, Rushers Sam green And Cam olds.

Speaker 2 (32:27):
And some other.

Speaker 5 (32:28):
GUYS i feel like the defense is gonna have to
carry a lot of weight this, year.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
Just BECAUSE i, MEAN i think the offense can be.

Speaker 5 (32:35):
Good but going on twelve years or so Of Mark,
stoops you, know the formula is probably gonna need to
be more defense. HEAVY i, mean there's only been one
or two years when the offense has really.

Speaker 2 (32:44):
Carried carried the. Team so you got.

Speaker 5 (32:47):
It you really bank On Brad white knows the kind
of players that are gonna fit his system and hope
that those many defensive portal players they brought in can
can be opportunistic and change some.

Speaker 1 (32:59):
GAMES i, think you, know the special, teams particularly the punting,
game has the potential to be really. Good it's gonna
be interesting to see how the place kicking. Was he
became just basically automatic with how you know Reliable rainer.
Was so you, Know cowie's got a big. Leg can
he be as dependable and as consistent As rainer? Was

(33:22):
he was kind of like at a McGinnis level in that.
Area not quite the leg, strength but the. Reliability, yeah and.

Speaker 2 (33:28):
It could be it could be a roller.

Speaker 5 (33:29):
Coaster you, know we've seen, stoops watch a couple of
missed extra points and field goals and then just move
away from it for weeks and, weeks and you, KNOW
i feel like when he's done, that it's generally been
the right. Call but he's going to get an opportunity
and he's got the, leg and you know he's not
going to Be rainer right off to. That but if he,
can if he can knock seventy percent home and you

(33:50):
get to the twenty five yard line and you're not
having to plan to go for it on fourth and,
four you, know that's that's pretty, Good and that's what
you would hope for his first.

Speaker 1 (33:57):
Year guy With Justin Rowland Katz illustrated Dot com and
on The Rivals, network it's At Roland rivals on x Or,
twitter and you know the feedback you guys get on
your message. BOARD i think for a lot Of kentucky football,
fans they're going to have to be won. Over probably
it would happen in the first month if it, happens.

Speaker 5 (34:17):
Right, Yeah, YEAH i guess the upshot is with expectations
being lower outside the program and the over underwin total
set at four and a half or five and a,
half there is kind of like a subtle adjustment of
expectations that takes. Place so maybe if they find a
way to get to six and, six that means you
won a couple of games you might not have been
picked to, win and you probably beat A marque. Opponent

(34:39):
maybe then maybe people feel a little bit differently than they,
did and the expectations were higher going into the last three.
Seasons BUT i think people are wanting to be, impressed
but they need to be impressed before they buy.

Speaker 1 (34:51):
In you could Read justin's, Coverage, yeah and his team
At katzillustrated dot. Com thank you, Sir thanks a.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
Lot.

Speaker 1 (34:58):
Tom it is the Lead trip radio network and we
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(35:43):
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(36:49):
twenty six Prospect Taran stokes has postponed his visit to
check out THE uk men's basketball. Program hopefully that will get.
Rescheduled of The Triple crown coming up On saturday of
The preakness In, baltimore other forecasts starting to look a
little better as far as maybe getting closer to a fast.
Track michael McCarthy's the trainer For Likely Favorite, journalism said

(37:12):
he has an interview with the with The Daily Racing
form zero loss of confidence in journalism after a second
place finish in The, derby said it was more of
the trip early in the, race their first time through
the stretch than the mud that impacted his, horse said
he wanted to be about five links back with journalism
and the horse was more than ten links. Back and

(37:33):
he said McCarthy said he likes the spacing of The
Triple crown races as they are, said it's quote meant
to separate the. GREATS i think it captures the average
observer for the five. Weeks so it was like that
debate's going to not going to be settled anytime. SOON
uk women's basketball their opener is set For november. Three
they will take On Morehead state in historic Memorial connell.

(37:55):
Seeum Ben roberts will join us tomorrow to talk about
his covered of THE Nba combine And i'll take It
away and more Of kentucky basketball And Dick girardi talking
a little bit about The preakness in college hoops tomorrow
on The Leach report presented By Bob Ted, enterprises