Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good day, everybody, Welcome in to the Leech Report, presented
by Bob kat enterprises. Whatever will we talk about today?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Thanks to Otaga Away.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
He gave us a whole show full of conversation today
with his and actually was going to give us the
content one way or the other. But it's the good kind.
Since he decided to return to UK and play his
second season under Mark Pope's tutelage here at the University
of Kentucky, it's what most all of us expected. But
(00:40):
you know, the longer it hangs on and there's nothing
much else to talk about, and that's the hot topic
for everybody. You know, there's always a little doubt that
creeps in. But there was just no good reason to
make any decision but the one that he made, and
so he did made the smartest decision, and that's usually
(01:01):
what people do. He talked to Jonathan Givoni of ESPN
and said, quote, the consensus was to come back and have.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
A great year.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I want to up my stock even more and put
myself in a position to win a national championship with
all the accolades that come with that. Very well said,
because if Kentucky makes a final four run wins the
national championship, no doubt Otega Away will be a huge
part of that, and that rising tide will lift the
(01:33):
boat that he's in and plus that alone would help him.
But that's not completely under his control. But there are
things he can control that will help him, and we've
talked about those. We'll get into more of that as
we moved through the show today. Mark Pope earlier this
month conducted a news conference and talked on a variety
(01:54):
of topics, one of which was what year two, what
year one was like, and what year two could look like?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Four Oh, take away, he grew so much last season
in terms of kind of winning the point of attack
over and over, whether it was on the ball or
off the ball defensively and like all this, ye has
so much room to grow. You know, I think he's
I think his ceiling as a playmaker he hasn't even
begun to tap into that. I think he can become
(02:21):
an elite, elite level playmaker. I think, you know, something
he's talked a lot about is his ability to get
his shot off more quickly. He shot the ball really
well last year thirty six thirty seven percent from three.
But but to get it off quicker and get more attempts.
I think he's a big deal for him on the
defensive end. You know, his ability to kind of neutralize
(02:45):
bigs on the glass and bigs and switches is something
a place where he can really excel and I think
he can have a chance to grow into one of
the elite you know, steals guys.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
In the country.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
So he got a ton of room to grow. He's
an unbelievable player who had a great season last year
and it's pretty fun to talk about.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Indeed it is, and you could tell in Mark Pope's
comments that he enjoys talking about Otega Away and what
year two could look like. So exciting news yesterday for
Kentucky men's basketball, and we will talk about that as
we move through our show today, talking with Kat Spencer
from WHASTV in Louisville, with a Goose, Jack Gibbons from
(03:24):
the UK Radio Network, and with Justin Rowland. Cats illustrated
our opening segment of wild Cat News presented by Giuseppies
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Speaker 2 (03:57):
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Giuseppe's Lexington dot com and make your reservations through open table.
We're gonna head to break and come right back and
get Ken Spencer's take on the Otega Away Return and
more on UK sports. It is the Leach Report and
we are presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. The LPGA
(04:22):
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They're talking about the top players in LPGA Tour history,
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(04:42):
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benefit KBC Kentucky. Joining us at the club blueenil dot
com hotline is Ken Spencer from WHASTV in Louisville. Always
(05:04):
appreciate some news that happens that gives us off season content,
and taga Away just gave everybody that has a show
a lot to talk about yesterday, Ken Spencer, and you
have a show there on WHSTV in Louisville, so I'm
sure you were talking about it, right.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Hey, Tom, I wasn't searching for a lead yesterday, that's right.
I wasn't thinking about what I needed to start the
sportscast with.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
No.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
I mean, you know, it's funny.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It's it's like a decision.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
I think most people thought was going to come, you know,
as far as him coming back to Kentucky. But there's
always when you're going through workouts and you you don't
know until you know, you know what I mean, until
until they.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Make the video, until they make the announcement.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You don't really know one hundred percent for sure, because look,
I mean, he could have gone through a workout, blew
somebody's socks off and said, look, we love you so much,
We're so impressed by you in the interview process. We
want to take you in the first round. But if
your otega away, I think the process in and of
itself was nothing but beneficial. When, however, it turned out
(06:20):
because he went through, he was able to get invited
to the draft combine workout for teams. He's got so
much feedback and so much information to be able to
work off of this next year at Kentucky that he
will be fully equipped when it's time to go through
the draft process next year.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Oh, absolutely right.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
And then just in terms of that process, I think
back to a story from UH. It was actually Cal's
first team when they had the five players picked in
the first round and the last one was Daniel Orton,
and Mike Pratt had a friend in the front office
at Orlando that told him that they had to pick somebody,
and there wasn't reallybody they really wanted to draft UH
(07:04):
and that they would take Orton if he was available
because he was seven feet tall it was worth taking
a shot with. And so obviously there wasn't a whole
lot of enthusiasm for the prospect of drafting him. But
as you know, as the saying goes, you're not allowed
to pass in that situation, so you have to pick somebody.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And so you know that Daniel ended.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Up being a first round draft pick, but really was
it a coveted first round draft pick. It probably would
have been better off, you know, developing more in college,
but he would have had to do that without any compensation.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Now that's not the issue, so Otega.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You know, yeah, somebody could have he could have wound somebody,
and maybe somebody would have taken a flyer on him,
but probably not for as much as he's going to
make here. And now he gets to come back and
get paid to improve and his team. If his team
does better, that even helps his resume as well indirectly.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
And let's be honest, he's probably going to make more
at Kentucky this year than he would have made where
he would have been, you know, possibly selected or hanging
out hanging out of the G league you.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Know, next year.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
So financially, he probably made the right decision for him.
And also, you know, like Tom when when it comes
to that league, in that draft, you know you mentioned,
you know, Daniel Orton.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I remember.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Another guy from Kentucky who went early, probably too early
to be well, I think he went too early.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
E J. Montgomery for him.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Like, the thing about it is is when you go,
you're on the clock, and those teams they don't have
a ton of patience. So when you go and you
go get selected and you start that process, like, you
better be you better be ready, your games better be ready,
and you better be ready for that grind mentally, because
(08:55):
it's a different world and it's not always easy. And
so you know, you can really really want to be
an NBA player, you can really want to go, but
if it isn't your time, then you need to make
the right decision for you and give yourself a little
bit more time to get seasoned.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And that is one of the plus sides to NIL
is that it realistically gives players and the people who
represent them the license to make that better decision.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Because some kids they go early because of their family situation, right,
Like they're desperate to change the fortunes of their family. Well,
you know, in this day and age, with some of
the money that you can make now, that can.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
Help you out.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Absolutely. Tyler Ken Spencer from WHAS TV in Louisville about
the Otega away decision to come back for a second
year at UK. So, best case scenario, what's that second.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Year look like for him and his team?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
You know, it's funny, I don't I wonder if the
numbers will be that much different for him individually. I mean,
he already averaged sixteen points a game. It's it's it's
hard to see too many kids that are really putting
up over twenty on a team that's going to be
this deep, as as Kentucky will be and as good
(10:22):
as Kentucky will be, So I wonder if his individual
numbers will will look much different. However, I think the
big thing for him is is he's going to be
He's not going to be the only guy, you know,
really realistically can that can go off the bouts. And
(10:43):
so I think he could be a lot more efficient
this year as far as an individual player offensively, obviously,
I think he knows he's probably gonna spend some time
this summer working on his outside shot. Whatever that looks like, right, like, yes,
he's got to hit you in a shot. I don't
know if they try to change it. I don't know,
if he just tries to perfect that shot. You know,
(11:05):
it's that's his authentic shot. Maybe that's what he stays with.
But I would imagine that he's going to become a
better outside shooter, a more efficient outside shooter. And if
he's that, he becomes that much more dangerous because he's
a two way player. He does it on the defensive end,
he does it on the offensive end. So I think
(11:27):
that that's the big thing for him is just to
be a more efficient player. I think numbers, you know,
shooting percentages go up. If if if that's the case,
then it's going to be a really good year for
for himself. It's going to be a really good year
for his team as well, because and and just from
the team concept of him coming back, I mean, you know,
(11:49):
you have other guys who have been through the system
before and entering year two, nobody that played as many
minutes as he did, Nobody that nobody that was productive
was So you've got your you've got your alpha dog
coming back into this thing in this foray with everybody else,
with the new pieces that you brought in. I think
(12:10):
that's invaluable for Mark Pope.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I think efficiency, the word you used, is the big one,
or one of the big ones for Otaga in terms
of just making his case for the NBA the next
time around, because everybody's deep into analytics, Mark Pope included,
and so they can measure how what your you know,
at what point your production starts to drop off after
(12:35):
how many consecutive minutes on the court, for example. And
I know, in one of the interviews Otega did through
this process a thing he said it was maybe a
little bit of a surprise to him that one of
the NBA folks told him that they thought that maybe
he could get in even a little better shape and
be able to sustain his play at a higher level longer.
(12:57):
Just a stat like that would be significant for him.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Well.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
And also remember how we were talking about the feedback, right,
Like he probably didn't even realize that right all of
a sudden, you know, this staff member tells him this,
and that's like, you know, maybe something like a little
piece of information like that is the most valuable thing
that he'll get out of the process, other than familiarity
with being able to go through it again, right, like
(13:24):
the information to come back and to be able to
do it, I mean, you know, and it's it'll be
interesting to see how it is because yeah, maybe a
little better shape.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You can, you can play a little longer. But I mean,
you know, Mark Pope.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Likes to play guys, and he likes to play him
and and and those kind of spurts that he that
he plays him. I don't know if that changes, but
maybe in the in the second half, in those minutes,
he'll be still highly productive and highly efficient offensively in
those moments.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I mean, the one of the things that you.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Can't say about him is you know that he wasn't
clutched down.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
The stretch of games last year for Kentucky, and he
was very clutch at the foul line. I mean generally
when they needed to slam a door on the game
and he was at the line, you know, he put.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
It to bed.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Yeah, seventy eight percent for the season, and he was
a career sixty five percent shooter at Oklahoma. So that
was one example of the improvement he made in year
one at Kentucky. And we'll see what the numbers look
like for year two. One last quick question. With the
Belmont Stakes coming up a week from Saturday, not as
(14:36):
much talk about the Triple Crown dates. That story's kind
of died down with the passing of the Preakness and
the Derby Winter having not run there, but it is
something that you know was a hot topic for those
two weeks. Is it something that you think ultimately does
happen or do they stick at the three races in
five weeks?
Speaker 4 (14:57):
You know, I still think that they You're gonna stick
at the three races in five weeks. I think with
horse racing, I think you have so many traditionals still
very much in it running it.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
And even though you know, I think some of.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
The trainers would like to see it change, I still
think they say, you know, three and five weeks, I
mean and and this is my opinion. I think the
breeding has changed so much over the course of time
that horses are.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Not as as durable.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
So if you do change it, then the Triple Crown
and the history of the Triple Crown, in my opinion,
it looks different.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
It's just a different It's a different.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Conversation if somebody can get it done opposed to what
we've been able to see in the past.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Ken Spencer, w h A S tv at uh whatt kent?
Give me the the maybe the X. I can't remember
it off the top.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Of my head well at w h A S eleven Kent.
There you go, and that's that's it. And don't get
me wrong, Hey, does it hurt that you don't know?
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
It does, But I get it.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
You're big time.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
It's off season. I don't think my brain is just
shut down at this point. It's like in cold storage
until run the first of August.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Thank you, Cat Spencer.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Hey, thanks buddy, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Watch them on WHSTV in the Louisville market and you
can do that online even if you're not in the
Louisville market. Now we're gonna get to a quick break
that goes Jack Gibbons in the on deck circle when
we come back on the Leach Report Radio Network. It
Sport's presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. And if you
are a big UK Wildcat fan, there's an organization that
(16:37):
would like your help, and that is the Committee of
one oh one aka the Blue Coats at UK Sporting Events.
They're now accepting applications for new members. Email UK one
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(17:01):
Gibbings was a Wildcat, right Goose.
Speaker 5 (17:05):
Yeah, man, and listen, I am kind of an honorary
blue coat guy that gave me my own blue coat,
so with the UK logo and everything on it. So
I spent a lot of time over the years. Yeah,
I feel really special about that. I spent a lot
of time over the years with those guys, man, And
(17:27):
you're talking about some good people, and especially now that
they're letting women on there on the staff, and it's
really really nice. And they have a great golf tournament
tom So if some of you Wildcat fans are golfers,
you might want to look up the Joe B. Hall
golf tournament. So that's a lot of fun too, coming
(17:49):
up here in the next month.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Or so, Yes, looking for I've got that on the calendar.
We are coming up on the heartbreak of the Bottom
of the Hour, so we're going to take that. Come
back with more with Goose, talk a lot about Otega
always decision to come back to UK for a second year.
It's the late Report coming to you from the Clark's
Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh, and refuel at Clark's back
(18:13):
to the club Blue nil dot com hotline and the
Goose Jack Givens on the line with us. So Taga
Oway made everybody in Big Blue Nation happy yesterday with
his announcement that he's coming back. Goose, What would you
think the best case scenario is for his second year
with Mark Pope?
Speaker 5 (18:31):
Well, Tom, I was really pleased, obviously to hear that
Otega had made the decision that come back. I got
really excited the last couple of days when I started
hearing these reports that Otaga was getting all of this
really really good feedback from all these NBA folks, and
that just kind of told me that, well, I guess
(18:56):
he'll be back because he's getting feedback. I read articles
and nothing, and I read said he's gonna he's definitely
going to creep into the first round or anywhere high
in the second round. I never heard any of that
kind of stuff, just that he was getting good feedback
and that feedback will definitely help and make him a
(19:17):
better player next year. I'm looking forward to seeing how
his game improves. As far as what I am expecting
or what I would like to see from him, Tom.
I want to see if he's able to duplicate the
numbers that he put up last year. I mean I don't.
I don't think he needs to do anymore. I think
(19:39):
the way he does it is going to draw a
lot of attention. I mean, does he do it creating?
Does he do it by improving his three point shot?
I mean he shot a great percentage as it was,
So it's good to get out there and to know
you have room to improve.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Yeah, he shot thirty six six percent on seventy six
three point attempts, shot fifty two percent from two, which
was slightly up from his previous year at Oklahoma, but
that was on one hundred plus more shots. I've improved
his free throw percentage from the.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Mid sixties to seventy eight.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
And I was looking at his assist to turnover ratio
because Mark Pope, you know, told us many times he
thinks he's an elite level playmaker. Is the phrase that
Mark would use. The assist to turnover ratio for Otaga
at Oklahoma in his first year was three percent assists
twenty one percent turnovers. Then it was eight percent assists
(20:39):
straight eighteen percent turnover rate. Last year was essentially one
to one at Kentucky eleven point three and eleven point seven,
and so if he can improve that a little bit,
you know, I was just talking with Ken Spencer. I
read one of the stories where Otega said in an
interview that he was a little surprised to hear one
of the NBA reps tell him that they thought he
(21:01):
could get even.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
In a little better shape.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
So that kind of feedback is helpful to you know,
maybe you maintain your efficiency for a longer period of time.
But like you said, it's not like he needs any
kind of a massive improvement on any one thing.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Right, No, I hope that what he heard from from
the scalops doesn't translate to go out there and shoot
more threes, improve your three point shooting. I hope he
doesn't hear that, because that's not what they meant getting
(21:36):
that shot off. Quicker Listen. I followed the NBA for
a long time, as you know, Tom and I used
to think that the shooters had the perfect release, the
perfect rotation, the perfect form on their jump shot. And
then I covered then I covered the Indiana Pacers in
(21:58):
a playoff series for Turner for Turner Sports, who carried
all the games back there, back then, and I watched
Reggie Miller, who had just an unorthodox shot. It was,
it seemed to come off a little different than the
real good what I thought was a really good form.
And after watching how well he shot the ball with
(22:21):
that weird looking shot he had, I changed my whole thinking,
it doesn't matter what that shot looks like as long
as you make them. And you know, there's a lot
of talk about Otega needing to change his shot and
get the form better. No, he needs to perfect what
(22:42):
he has. And man, I'm telling you, there's not an
NBA team going that if he's making shots consistently and
getting the shots off better and all of that. If
if there's not an NBA team in the league that
will say, no, I don't want you because you're shooting
forty percent with an ugly shot, they say, no, I
(23:05):
want you because you're shooting forty percent. So I hope
he's not hearing that he needs to shoot more threes,
but that he has to perfect what he has having.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
You know, going through this process, I would assume that
one of the benefits is and why it, you know,
inevitably for a guy like him, is lengthened to near
the you know, the well to the last day for
making the decision is that he has a lot to
offer the NBA, and so teams are intrigued, and so
(23:40):
there's a lot of opportunities to do workouts. And everybody
you work out for is something you're putting on tape
for a year from now when you're back in this position,
and they can compare what you look like then to
what you look like in the summer of twenty five
and hopefully it looks better and that helps your situation.
And you never know which one of those teams is
(24:00):
going to be the one that's really serious.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
About taking you.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Yeah, that's for sure. And Tom you mentioned something a
minute ago about one of the teams telling him he
could stand to get in better condition. That might be
the biggest nugget he hears or maybe heard throughout this
whole process, because when you are in better condition, when
(24:27):
you're in better shape, I don't care how good of
shape you start out in. When you're in better condition,
you're going to do everything better. And that is man
And I've found that out the hard way when I
got to the NBA, because I thought I was in
good shape, man, and those guys on that level are
(24:50):
just in tremendous shape. I was in good shape, but
I've watched these playoffs, man, and these have been some
great playoffs to watch. And if you are a player
and you have any desire at all into going into
the NBA, you watched and see what kind of condition
these guys are in. And that little nugget right there,
(25:14):
I mean, if he starts working today, he's in great
shape now because he's had to be. But if he
starts working today on just that one thing, he'll get this.
He'll get the same numbers, maybe a little better Tom,
just simply for that fact.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
I think that is a spot on because you know,
we were told last season that you know, one thing
with a Mari for example, is they could track through
their analytics coach Pope and his staff that his production
would drop off significantly when he got tired. And so
that's how they would, you know, manage substitution patterns. And
(25:54):
your people would get frustrated, why didn't A Mary play more? Well,
they they have a reason that they're studying all those numbers,
and that's something they can you look at with Otega
and then also within the season, show him. Look, you
know all this work you put in, Now, look how
it's paying off for you.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Yeah, and that would be for me, Tom, That would
be the last reason I would want to hear that
I wasn't playing the number of minutes that I would
like to play. I would hate to hear the reason
is you're not working harder that but you're not in
good enough condition, because that's in his control, that's in
(26:36):
whoever it is, that's in his control. Because you can
put you can always put more time in. I know
the training staff at Kentucky and they will make themselves available.
I know the assistant coaches. Man, if you want to
be in the gym at three o'clock in the morning,
we're in the gym at three o'clock in the morning.
(26:56):
So that's the last reason why you you you're not
the same in the first two minutes of the game
as you would be in the middle two minutes of
a game or in the last two minutes of a game.
That energy, that strength, that uh conditioning that you have
(27:18):
the first two minutes should be able to make you
should be able to maintain throughout the course of the game.
So again, I think that little piece of information that
you might think is the easiest is to accomplish is
the hardest to accomplish. And if you get there, man,
(27:39):
I mean, if he gets in better condition, I don't
know what he'll be able to do next year, but
for sure he'll be better for just that one little thing.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Ghost, thank you much full time as always, Thanks Tom.
That is the Ghost, Jack Gibbings. He joins us on
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(28:35):
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fantastic service after the sale. So been a longtime partner
with us here on the Leach Report. They will treat
you right. So google Bobcat Enterprises when you need those
things for locations in Kentucky's you'll find the one that
is closest to you. Work into the land justin Rowland
from Cats Illustrated to join us here on this Thursday
(29:33):
edition of the Leech Report. In the meantime, let me
pass on a few other notes to you do. Theero
is staying in the draft, so his college basketball days
are done. Wish him well as he heads off to
professional basketball. R. J. Lewis from Saint John's making the
same decision. He's the guy that Rick Patino benched in
(29:54):
the final minutes of their loss to Arkansas in the
NCAA Tournament, and he was going to transfer and had
a lot of an impressive list of suitors, but he's
going to the NBA. Returning to college basketball is to
Hode Petaphord down at Auburn outstanding freshman guard came off
the bench for Auburn's Final four team, but he used
(30:15):
to take on a more prominent role this season, so
that was big news for Bruce Pearl and company. They
also picked up a commitment from a European player that
is going to join their team next season, and it's
the player. Don't have the name and I didn't write
the name down, but he played with Yellovich, the Kentucky
recruit from the Mega Beta Max team. I think it
(30:40):
is over in Croatia, so that is a second pickup.
So good news there for coach Bruce Pearl's club. On
a couple of fronts, our Triple Crown coverage this spring
has been presented against again by Clayburne Farm doing the
usual unusually Well, this isn't a Triple Crown note, but
it is a horse racing note, and that is the
(31:01):
announcement yesterday that the Breeders Cup will return to Keenland
next year going to be I think for the fourth
time that it will be staged at Keenland. The first
time was in twenty fifteen when American Pharaoh won the
Classic to complete what they called the Grand Slam after
he won the first Triple Crown in thirty seven years,
he dominated the Breeders Cup Classic at Keenland. That was
(31:21):
the highlight of a great and successful a Breeders' Cup
debut at Keenland here in Lexington. So they've had good
success moving forward with it and they will get the
host again in twenty twenty six, and then it's going
back to New York for the first time in a
long time in twenty twenty seven. Belmont Park, the refurbished
Belmont Park, will play host to the Breeders Cup in
(31:42):
twenty twenty seven. Next couple of days we'll start to
see entries coming out for the big weekend cards, the
Belmont Stakes Festival cards up at Saratoga. I think it's
probably a couple of days away from getting the entries
for the Belmont Stakes. Last I saw they're only looking
at a field at the moment of around six horses.
But you've got the Derby winner and the Preaknous Winter
(32:03):
squaring off in there in Sovereignty and Journalism a week
from Saturday up at Saratoga at a mile and a quarter.
Our friends at state Line Company down in the London area,
we told you about them yesterday. They have launched a fundraiser.
They're selling London Strong T shirts and all the proceeds
(32:23):
will go to the victims of the tornadoes there in
Laurel County. So you can go to the website for
state Line Co. It's a Kentucky based company that sells
T shirts and a variety of other products, and you
can follow them on at state Line Co on social media.
One hundred percent of all of the proceeds are going
(32:45):
to the recovery efforts for the victims of the of
the tornadoes there in Laurel County. So that's state Line Co.
I'll send out a picture of the T shirt here
after the show is over and get you a little
more info on how you can help out if you
are available to do so. And I'm sure they're still
looking for manpower down there as well. Just with continuing
(33:06):
with the cleanup, we're to get to a break and
see if we can get hold adjusted rolling for one
last segment of the Leach Report, presented by Bobcat Enterprises.
Shuffle Bean Coffee is a company based right here in
the Bluegrass. Group of Kentuckians got together to form this
(33:26):
company back in twenty twelve with the commitment to be
the best at providing a great cup of coffee, and
they hit the mark. And you can find that out
for yourself by getting some shuffle Bean coffee at a
Meer store here in central Kentucky, or by going to
Amazon and ordering it there, or go to the website
for the company Shufflebean dot Us. You can order the
(33:48):
product there. You can get the cured capsules, or you
get it in a whole bean package, or you can
get it already ground, whatever you prefer.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Taste is fantastic.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
The aroma as well, and it'll smell so good when
you're brewing it up. And again, it's a Kentucky company
that is committed to excellence. Put some hustle in your
shuffle with shuffle being coffee. See a note here off
social media about Sidney McLaughlan Lavarni, the former Wildcat, and
she is going to run in an event in Philadelphia
(34:21):
this weekend and she will compete in the one hundred
meter hurdles but also the one hundred meter flat race.
She has run the flat races before as part of
in the Olympics as part of the relay team. She
is a really special special athlete and she is going
to do this up in Philly, so wouldn't be surprised
(34:45):
to see her excel in both events. But this will
be her first time to run the hundred as a professional.
According to this post, so wish Sidney well, go sid go.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
That was the cheer, right, So she is a special special.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Talent as is shake Gel Just Alexander thirty four points
last night, seven rebounds, eight assists as the Oklahoma City
Thunder eliminated the t Wolves from Minnesota one twenty four
to ninety four, taking the series four games to one.
So Julius Randall, Rob Billingham. Their season comes to an end,
(35:23):
but shake El Just Alexander moves on and has a
chance to be another ex wild Cat to.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Win an NBA championship ring.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
And they will be the favorite and also the youngest
team ever to make the NBA Finals according to a
note that I saw today, So there'll be around for
a while most likely, and with shake Gil just Alexander
the raiding NBA MVP leading the charge. So okay, see
in the finals the one time Seattle SuperSonics franchise, and
(35:56):
they are in the finals and will be taking on
either the Pacers or the Knicks, and Indiana can eliminate
My Knicks tonight at the Garden in New York with
a three to one lead in that series, so the
New York Knickerbockers are definitely up against it. If you're
feeling a little up against it at times having a
(36:18):
tough day, the infused gummies from corn Bread Hemp can
help you out. They come in a variety of flavors,
and if you go to cornbreadhamp dot com right now
and put in the code Tom and check out and
it's your first order, you can get twenty percent off
Achy joints. Their bombs and lotions could be the remedy
you need. And if you have trouble falling asleep or
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just have a sleepless night once in a while, the
sleep gummies from corn Bread Hemp are fantastic and you
don't wake up with that melatonin like hangover the next
day when you use the sleepgummies from Cornbread Hemp. All
of their products are made right here in Kentucky with
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tested for safety and purity too. They're made with flour
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Great folks to work with Tirelely, Kentucky based operation Cornbread Hemp.
This is the good life. Appreciate you joining us today
so we could connect with Justin for our final segment,
(37:24):
so we'll get him back next week.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Derek Terry is going to join US UK baseball as
the Wildcats will open NCAA tournament play at noon tomorrow
and in the Clemson South Carolina Regional taking on West Virginia.
So we'll talk UK baseball in the first part of
the program tomorrow, and Brandon Ramsey, the former coach who
does the analysis for ON three Sports and KSR during
(37:50):
the season of the UK games, we'll get him to
join us. Now that the roster is set for the
Wildcats for next season, talk about what your two remark
Pope could look like. It's the Latch Report. Presented by
Bob Katt Enterprises. We will see you tomorrow
Good day, everybody, Welcome in to the Leech Report, presented
by Bob kat enterprises. Whatever will we talk about today?
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Thanks to Otaga Away.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
He gave us a whole show full of conversation today
with his and actually was going to give us the
content one way or the other. But it's the good kind.
Since he decided to return to UK and play his
second season under Mark Pope's tutelage here at the University
of Kentucky, it's what most all of us expected. But
(00:40):
you know, the longer it hangs on and there's nothing
much else to talk about, and that's the hot topic
for everybody. You know, there's always a little doubt that
creeps in. But there was just no good reason to
make any decision but the one that he made, and
so he did made the smartest decision, and that's usually
(01:01):
what people do. He talked to Jonathan Givoni of ESPN
and said, quote, the consensus was to come back and have.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
A great year.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I want to up my stock even more and put
myself in a position to win a national championship with
all the accolades that come with that. Very well said,
because if Kentucky makes a final four run wins the
national championship, no doubt Otega Away will be a huge
part of that, and that rising tide will lift the
(01:33):
boat that he's in and plus that alone would help him.
But that's not completely under his control. But there are
things he can control that will help him, and we've
talked about those. We'll get into more of that as
we moved through the show today. Mark Pope earlier this
month conducted a news conference and talked on a variety
(01:54):
of topics, one of which was what year two, what
year one was like, and what year two could look like?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Four Oh, take away, he grew so much last season
in terms of kind of winning the point of attack
over and over, whether it was on the ball or
off the ball defensively and like all this, ye has
so much room to grow. You know, I think he's
I think his ceiling as a playmaker he hasn't even
begun to tap into that. I think he can become
(02:21):
an elite, elite level playmaker. I think, you know, something
he's talked a lot about is his ability to get
his shot off more quickly. He shot the ball really
well last year thirty six thirty seven percent from three.
But but to get it off quicker and get more attempts.
I think he's a big deal for him on the
defensive end. You know, his ability to kind of neutralize
(02:45):
bigs on the glass and bigs and switches is something
a place where he can really excel and I think
he can have a chance to grow into one of
the elite you know, steals guys.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
In the country.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
So he got a ton of room to grow. He's
an unbelievable player who had a great season last year
and it's pretty fun to talk about.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Indeed it is, and you could tell in Mark Pope's
comments that he enjoys talking about Otega Away and what
year two could look like. So exciting news yesterday for
Kentucky men's basketball, and we will talk about that as
we move through our show today, talking with Kat Spencer
from WHASTV in Louisville, with a Goose, Jack Gibbons from
(03:24):
the UK Radio Network, and with Justin Rowland. Cats illustrated
our opening segment of wild Cat News presented by Giuseppies
of Lexington, and they are located just off Nicholasville Road
here in Lexington now past man War Boulevard, have been
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(03:47):
a lot of it locally sourced in a really special atmosphere,
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Speaker 2 (03:57):
Don't get that everywhere.
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Giuseppe's Lexington dot com and make your reservations through open table.
We're gonna head to break and come right back and
get Ken Spencer's take on the Otega Away Return and
more on UK sports. It is the Leach Report and
we are presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. The LPGA
(04:22):
Legends are coming to Woodford County for the Woodford Legends
Invitational Golf Tournament next month Saturday June seventh Sunday June eighth.
They're talking about the top players in LPGA Tour history,
Chris Johnson, one of the latest editions, Laura Davies, Julie Angster,
Pat Bradley, et cetera. You can get your tickets at
(04:42):
Woodford Clubfoundation dot org. Chance to see some of the
top players that play the game for the LPGA Tour
in action, up close and personal at the Woodford Club
in for sales tickets just fifteen dollars a day. Proceeds
benefit KBC Kentucky. Joining us at the club blueenil dot
com hotline is Ken Spencer from WHASTV in Louisville. Always
(05:04):
appreciate some news that happens that gives us off season content,
and taga Away just gave everybody that has a show
a lot to talk about yesterday, Ken Spencer, and you
have a show there on WHSTV in Louisville, so I'm
sure you were talking about it, right.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Hey, Tom, I wasn't searching for a lead yesterday, that's right.
I wasn't thinking about what I needed to start the
sportscast with.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
No.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
I mean, you know, it's funny.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It's it's like a decision.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
I think most people thought was going to come, you know,
as far as him coming back to Kentucky. But there's
always when you're going through workouts and you you don't
know until you know, you know what I mean, until
until they.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Make the video, until they make the announcement.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You don't really know one hundred percent for sure, because look,
I mean, he could have gone through a workout, blew
somebody's socks off and said, look, we love you so much,
We're so impressed by you in the interview process. We
want to take you in the first round. But if
your otega away, I think the process in and of
itself was nothing but beneficial. When, however, it turned out
(06:20):
because he went through, he was able to get invited
to the draft combine workout for teams. He's got so
much feedback and so much information to be able to
work off of this next year at Kentucky that he
will be fully equipped when it's time to go through
the draft process next year.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Oh, absolutely right.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
And then just in terms of that process, I think
back to a story from UH. It was actually Cal's
first team when they had the five players picked in
the first round and the last one was Daniel Orton,
and Mike Pratt had a friend in the front office
at Orlando that told him that they had to pick somebody,
and there wasn't reallybody they really wanted to draft UH
(07:04):
and that they would take Orton if he was available
because he was seven feet tall it was worth taking
a shot with. And so obviously there wasn't a whole
lot of enthusiasm for the prospect of drafting him. But
as you know, as the saying goes, you're not allowed
to pass in that situation, so you have to pick somebody.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And so you know that Daniel ended.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Up being a first round draft pick, but really was
it a coveted first round draft pick. It probably would
have been better off, you know, developing more in college,
but he would have had to do that without any compensation.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Now that's not the issue, so Otega.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You know, yeah, somebody could have he could have wound somebody,
and maybe somebody would have taken a flyer on him,
but probably not for as much as he's going to
make here. And now he gets to come back and
get paid to improve and his team. If his team
does better, that even helps his resume as well indirectly.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
And let's be honest, he's probably going to make more
at Kentucky this year than he would have made where
he would have been, you know, possibly selected or hanging
out hanging out of the G league you.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Know, next year.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
So financially, he probably made the right decision for him.
And also, you know, like Tom when when it comes
to that league, in that draft, you know you mentioned,
you know, Daniel Orton.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I remember.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Another guy from Kentucky who went early, probably too early
to be well, I think he went too early.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
E J. Montgomery for him.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Like, the thing about it is is when you go,
you're on the clock, and those teams they don't have
a ton of patience. So when you go and you
go get selected and you start that process, like, you
better be you better be ready, your games better be ready,
and you better be ready for that grind mentally, because
(08:55):
it's a different world and it's not always easy. And
so you know, you can really really want to be
an NBA player, you can really want to go, but
if it isn't your time, then you need to make
the right decision for you and give yourself a little
bit more time to get seasoned.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And that is one of the plus sides to NIL
is that it realistically gives players and the people who
represent them the license to make that better decision.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Because some kids they go early because of their family situation, right,
Like they're desperate to change the fortunes of their family. Well,
you know, in this day and age, with some of
the money that you can make now, that can.
Speaker 5 (09:44):
Help you out.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Absolutely. Tyler Ken Spencer from WHAS TV in Louisville about
the Otega away decision to come back for a second
year at UK. So, best case scenario, what's that second.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Year look like for him and his team?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
You know, it's funny, I don't I wonder if the
numbers will be that much different for him individually. I mean,
he already averaged sixteen points a game. It's it's it's
hard to see too many kids that are really putting
up over twenty on a team that's going to be
this deep, as as Kentucky will be and as good
(10:22):
as Kentucky will be, So I wonder if his individual
numbers will will look much different. However, I think the
big thing for him is is he's going to be
He's not going to be the only guy, you know,
really realistically can that can go off the bouts. And
(10:43):
so I think he could be a lot more efficient
this year as far as an individual player offensively, obviously,
I think he knows he's probably gonna spend some time
this summer working on his outside shot. Whatever that looks like, right, like, yes,
he's got to hit you in a shot. I don't
know if they try to change it. I don't know,
if he just tries to perfect that shot. You know,
(11:05):
it's that's his authentic shot. Maybe that's what he stays with.
But I would imagine that he's going to become a
better outside shooter, a more efficient outside shooter. And if
he's that, he becomes that much more dangerous because he's
a two way player. He does it on the defensive end,
he does it on the offensive end. So I think
(11:27):
that that's the big thing for him is just to
be a more efficient player. I think numbers, you know,
shooting percentages go up. If if if that's the case,
then it's going to be a really good year for
for himself. It's going to be a really good year
for his team as well, because and and just from
the team concept of him coming back, I mean, you know,
(11:49):
you have other guys who have been through the system
before and entering year two, nobody that played as many
minutes as he did, Nobody that nobody that was productive
was So you've got your you've got your alpha dog
coming back into this thing in this foray with everybody else,
with the new pieces that you brought in. I think
(12:10):
that's invaluable for Mark Pope.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I think efficiency, the word you used, is the big one,
or one of the big ones for Otaga in terms
of just making his case for the NBA the next
time around, because everybody's deep into analytics, Mark Pope included,
and so they can measure how what your you know,
at what point your production starts to drop off after
(12:35):
how many consecutive minutes on the court, for example. And
I know, in one of the interviews Otega did through
this process a thing he said it was maybe a
little bit of a surprise to him that one of
the NBA folks told him that they thought that maybe
he could get in even a little better shape and
be able to sustain his play at a higher level longer.
(12:57):
Just a stat like that would be significant for him.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Well.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
And also remember how we were talking about the feedback, right,
Like he probably didn't even realize that right all of
a sudden, you know, this staff member tells him this,
and that's like, you know, maybe something like a little
piece of information like that is the most valuable thing
that he'll get out of the process, other than familiarity
with being able to go through it again, right, like
(13:24):
the information to come back and to be able to
do it, I mean, you know, and it's it'll be
interesting to see how it is because yeah, maybe a
little better shape.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You can, you can play a little longer. But I mean,
you know, Mark Pope.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Likes to play guys, and he likes to play him
and and and those kind of spurts that he that
he plays him. I don't know if that changes, but
maybe in the in the second half, in those minutes,
he'll be still highly productive and highly efficient offensively in
those moments.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I mean, the one of the things that you.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Can't say about him is you know that he wasn't
clutched down.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
The stretch of games last year for Kentucky, and he
was very clutch at the foul line. I mean generally
when they needed to slam a door on the game
and he was at the line, you know, he put.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
It to bed.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Yeah, seventy eight percent for the season, and he was
a career sixty five percent shooter at Oklahoma. So that
was one example of the improvement he made in year
one at Kentucky. And we'll see what the numbers look
like for year two. One last quick question. With the
Belmont Stakes coming up a week from Saturday, not as
(14:36):
much talk about the Triple Crown dates. That story's kind
of died down with the passing of the Preakness and
the Derby Winter having not run there, but it is
something that you know was a hot topic for those
two weeks. Is it something that you think ultimately does
happen or do they stick at the three races in
five weeks?
Speaker 4 (14:57):
You know, I still think that they You're gonna stick
at the three races in five weeks. I think with
horse racing, I think you have so many traditionals still
very much in it running it.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
And even though you know, I think some of.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
The trainers would like to see it change, I still
think they say, you know, three and five weeks, I
mean and and this is my opinion. I think the
breeding has changed so much over the course of time
that horses are.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Not as as durable.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
So if you do change it, then the Triple Crown
and the history of the Triple Crown, in my opinion,
it looks different.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
It's just a different It's a different.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Conversation if somebody can get it done opposed to what
we've been able to see in the past.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Ken Spencer, w h A S tv at uh whatt kent?
Give me the the maybe the X. I can't remember
it off the top.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Of my head well at w h A S eleven Kent.
There you go, and that's that's it. And don't get
me wrong, Hey, does it hurt that you don't know?
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
It does, But I get it.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
You're big time.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
It's off season. I don't think my brain is just
shut down at this point. It's like in cold storage
until run the first of August.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Thank you, Cat Spencer.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Hey, thanks buddy, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Watch them on WHSTV in the Louisville market and you
can do that online even if you're not in the
Louisville market. Now we're gonna get to a quick break
that goes Jack Gibbons in the on deck circle when
we come back on the Leach Report Radio Network. It
Sport's presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. And if you
are a big UK Wildcat fan, there's an organization that
(16:37):
would like your help, and that is the Committee of
one oh one aka the Blue Coats at UK Sporting Events.
They're now accepting applications for new members. Email UK one
oh one Membership at gmail dot com get more information
on how to apply and what it's all about. To
be one of the Blue Coats and all volunteer group
that has proudly served UK Athletics since even before Jack
(17:01):
Gibbings was a Wildcat, right Goose.
Speaker 5 (17:05):
Yeah, man, and listen, I am kind of an honorary
blue coat guy that gave me my own blue coat,
so with the UK logo and everything on it. So
I spent a lot of time over the years. Yeah,
I feel really special about that. I spent a lot
of time over the years with those guys, man, And
(17:27):
you're talking about some good people, and especially now that
they're letting women on there on the staff, and it's
really really nice. And they have a great golf tournament
tom So if some of you Wildcat fans are golfers,
you might want to look up the Joe B. Hall
golf tournament. So that's a lot of fun too, coming
(17:49):
up here in the next month.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Or so, Yes, looking for I've got that on the calendar.
We are coming up on the heartbreak of the Bottom
of the Hour, so we're going to take that. Come
back with more with Goose, talk a lot about Otega
always decision to come back to UK for a second year.
It's the late Report coming to you from the Clark's
Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh, and refuel at Clark's back
(18:13):
to the club Blue nil dot com hotline and the
Goose Jack Givens on the line with us. So Taga
Oway made everybody in Big Blue Nation happy yesterday with
his announcement that he's coming back. Goose, What would you
think the best case scenario is for his second year
with Mark Pope?
Speaker 5 (18:31):
Well, Tom, I was really pleased, obviously to hear that
Otega had made the decision that come back. I got
really excited the last couple of days when I started
hearing these reports that Otaga was getting all of this
really really good feedback from all these NBA folks, and
that just kind of told me that, well, I guess
(18:56):
he'll be back because he's getting feedback. I read articles
and nothing, and I read said he's gonna he's definitely
going to creep into the first round or anywhere high
in the second round. I never heard any of that
kind of stuff, just that he was getting good feedback
and that feedback will definitely help and make him a
(19:17):
better player next year. I'm looking forward to seeing how
his game improves. As far as what I am expecting
or what I would like to see from him, Tom.
I want to see if he's able to duplicate the
numbers that he put up last year. I mean I don't.
I don't think he needs to do anymore. I think
(19:39):
the way he does it is going to draw a
lot of attention. I mean, does he do it creating?
Does he do it by improving his three point shot?
I mean he shot a great percentage as it was,
So it's good to get out there and to know
you have room to improve.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Yeah, he shot thirty six six percent on seventy six
three point attempts, shot fifty two percent from two, which
was slightly up from his previous year at Oklahoma, but
that was on one hundred plus more shots. I've improved
his free throw percentage from the.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Mid sixties to seventy eight.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
And I was looking at his assist to turnover ratio
because Mark Pope, you know, told us many times he
thinks he's an elite level playmaker. Is the phrase that
Mark would use. The assist to turnover ratio for Otaga
at Oklahoma in his first year was three percent assists
twenty one percent turnovers. Then it was eight percent assists
(20:39):
straight eighteen percent turnover rate. Last year was essentially one
to one at Kentucky eleven point three and eleven point seven,
and so if he can improve that a little bit,
you know, I was just talking with Ken Spencer. I
read one of the stories where Otega said in an
interview that he was a little surprised to hear one
of the NBA reps tell him that they thought he
(21:01):
could get even.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
In a little better shape.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
So that kind of feedback is helpful to you know,
maybe you maintain your efficiency for a longer period of time.
But like you said, it's not like he needs any
kind of a massive improvement on any one thing.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Right, No, I hope that what he heard from from
the scalops doesn't translate to go out there and shoot
more threes, improve your three point shooting. I hope he
doesn't hear that, because that's not what they meant getting
(21:36):
that shot off. Quicker Listen. I followed the NBA for
a long time, as you know, Tom and I used
to think that the shooters had the perfect release, the
perfect rotation, the perfect form on their jump shot. And
then I covered then I covered the Indiana Pacers in
(21:58):
a playoff series for Turner for Turner Sports, who carried
all the games back there, back then, and I watched
Reggie Miller, who had just an unorthodox shot. It was,
it seemed to come off a little different than the
real good what I thought was a really good form.
And after watching how well he shot the ball with
(22:21):
that weird looking shot he had, I changed my whole thinking,
it doesn't matter what that shot looks like as long
as you make them. And you know, there's a lot
of talk about Otega needing to change his shot and
get the form better. No, he needs to perfect what
(22:42):
he has. And man, I'm telling you, there's not an
NBA team going that if he's making shots consistently and
getting the shots off better and all of that. If
if there's not an NBA team in the league that
will say, no, I don't want you because you're shooting
forty percent with an ugly shot, they say, no, I
(23:05):
want you because you're shooting forty percent. So I hope
he's not hearing that he needs to shoot more threes,
but that he has to perfect what he has having.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
You know, going through this process, I would assume that
one of the benefits is and why it, you know,
inevitably for a guy like him, is lengthened to near
the you know, the well to the last day for
making the decision is that he has a lot to
offer the NBA, and so teams are intrigued, and so
(23:40):
there's a lot of opportunities to do workouts. And everybody
you work out for is something you're putting on tape
for a year from now when you're back in this position,
and they can compare what you look like then to
what you look like in the summer of twenty five
and hopefully it looks better and that helps your situation.
And you never know which one of those teams is
(24:00):
going to be the one that's really serious.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
About taking you.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Yeah, that's for sure. And Tom you mentioned something a
minute ago about one of the teams telling him he
could stand to get in better condition. That might be
the biggest nugget he hears or maybe heard throughout this
whole process, because when you are in better condition, when
(24:27):
you're in better shape, I don't care how good of
shape you start out in. When you're in better condition,
you're going to do everything better. And that is man
And I've found that out the hard way when I
got to the NBA, because I thought I was in
good shape, man, and those guys on that level are
(24:50):
just in tremendous shape. I was in good shape, but
I've watched these playoffs, man, and these have been some
great playoffs to watch. And if you are a player
and you have any desire at all into going into
the NBA, you watched and see what kind of condition
these guys are in. And that little nugget right there,
(25:14):
I mean, if he starts working today, he's in great
shape now because he's had to be. But if he
starts working today on just that one thing, he'll get this.
He'll get the same numbers, maybe a little better Tom,
just simply for that fact.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
I think that is a spot on because you know,
we were told last season that you know, one thing
with a Mari for example, is they could track through
their analytics coach Pope and his staff that his production
would drop off significantly when he got tired. And so
that's how they would, you know, manage substitution patterns. And
(25:54):
your people would get frustrated, why didn't A Mary play more? Well,
they they have a reason that they're studying all those numbers,
and that's something they can you look at with Otega
and then also within the season, show him. Look, you
know all this work you put in, Now, look how
it's paying off for you.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Yeah, and that would be for me, Tom, That would
be the last reason I would want to hear that
I wasn't playing the number of minutes that I would
like to play. I would hate to hear the reason
is you're not working harder that but you're not in
good enough condition, because that's in his control, that's in
(26:36):
whoever it is, that's in his control. Because you can
put you can always put more time in. I know
the training staff at Kentucky and they will make themselves available.
I know the assistant coaches. Man, if you want to
be in the gym at three o'clock in the morning,
we're in the gym at three o'clock in the morning.
(26:56):
So that's the last reason why you you you're not
the same in the first two minutes of the game
as you would be in the middle two minutes of
a game or in the last two minutes of a game.
That energy, that strength, that uh conditioning that you have
(27:18):
the first two minutes should be able to make you
should be able to maintain throughout the course of the game.
So again, I think that little piece of information that
you might think is the easiest is to accomplish is
the hardest to accomplish. And if you get there, man,
(27:39):
I mean, if he gets in better condition, I don't
know what he'll be able to do next year, but
for sure he'll be better for just that one little thing.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Ghost, thank you much full time as always, Thanks Tom.
That is the Ghost, Jack Gibbings. He joins us on
the Club Blue nil dot com hotline. They're the official
nil funding partner for UK and they have their new
initiative for kids. Club Blue Kids is the name. You
can go to Club Blueenile dot com sign up the
young person or persons in your life by going to
(28:11):
the kids tab and get registered and there's a lot
of neat perks including access to exclusive events like a
one that's coming up with Brandon Garrison and there's ice
cream involved, but you have to be a Club Blue
Kids member to take part in it. So check that
out at Club blueinil dot com. The kids tab for
Club Blue Kids where future cats rep the Blue with pride.
(28:35):
And we will be right back on the Leech Report
Radio Network. Its Report is presented today by Bobcat Enterprises.
It's not just Wildcat Country in Kentucky, it is Bobcat
Country too. They have four locations around the state and
they rent or sell you meajor equipment, heavy equipment for
(28:57):
big jobs, tractors, excavators, Bobcats, forklifts. They also zero turn
mowers for your home lawn, a lot of parts for
the products that they deal in.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
So whatever you need, they are likely to have.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
It in that area and they will give you a
fantastic service after the sale. So been a longtime partner
with us here on the Leach Report. They will treat
you right. So google Bobcat Enterprises when you need those
things for locations in Kentucky's you'll find the one that
is closest to you. Work into the land justin Rowland
from Cats Illustrated to join us here on this Thursday
(29:33):
edition of the Leech Report. In the meantime, let me
pass on a few other notes to you do. Theero
is staying in the draft, so his college basketball days
are done. Wish him well as he heads off to
professional basketball. R. J. Lewis from Saint John's making the
same decision. He's the guy that Rick Patino benched in
(29:54):
the final minutes of their loss to Arkansas in the
NCAA Tournament, and he was going to transfer and had
a lot of an impressive list of suitors, but he's
going to the NBA. Returning to college basketball is to
Hode Petaphord down at Auburn outstanding freshman guard came off
the bench for Auburn's Final four team, but he used
(30:15):
to take on a more prominent role this season, so
that was big news for Bruce Pearl and company. They
also picked up a commitment from a European player that
is going to join their team next season, and it's
the player. Don't have the name and I didn't write
the name down, but he played with Yellovich, the Kentucky
recruit from the Mega Beta Max team. I think it
(30:40):
is over in Croatia, so that is a second pickup.
So good news there for coach Bruce Pearl's club. On
a couple of fronts, our Triple Crown coverage this spring
has been presented against again by Clayburne Farm doing the
usual unusually Well, this isn't a Triple Crown note, but
it is a horse racing note, and that is the
(31:01):
announcement yesterday that the Breeders Cup will return to Keenland
next year going to be I think for the fourth
time that it will be staged at Keenland. The first
time was in twenty fifteen when American Pharaoh won the
Classic to complete what they called the Grand Slam after
he won the first Triple Crown in thirty seven years,
he dominated the Breeders Cup Classic at Keenland. That was
(31:21):
the highlight of a great and successful a Breeders' Cup
debut at Keenland here in Lexington. So they've had good
success moving forward with it and they will get the
host again in twenty twenty six, and then it's going
back to New York for the first time in a
long time in twenty twenty seven. Belmont Park, the refurbished
Belmont Park, will play host to the Breeders Cup in
(31:42):
twenty twenty seven. Next couple of days we'll start to
see entries coming out for the big weekend cards, the
Belmont Stakes Festival cards up at Saratoga. I think it's
probably a couple of days away from getting the entries
for the Belmont Stakes. Last I saw they're only looking
at a field at the moment of around six horses.
But you've got the Derby winner and the Preaknous Winter
(32:03):
squaring off in there in Sovereignty and Journalism a week
from Saturday up at Saratoga at a mile and a quarter.
Our friends at state Line Company down in the London area,
we told you about them yesterday. They have launched a fundraiser.
They're selling London Strong T shirts and all the proceeds
(32:23):
will go to the victims of the tornadoes there in
Laurel County. So you can go to the website for
state Line Co. It's a Kentucky based company that sells
T shirts and a variety of other products, and you
can follow them on at state Line Co on social media.
One hundred percent of all of the proceeds are going
(32:45):
to the recovery efforts for the victims of the of
the tornadoes there in Laurel County. So that's state Line Co.
I'll send out a picture of the T shirt here
after the show is over and get you a little
more info on how you can help out if you
are available to do so. And I'm sure they're still
looking for manpower down there as well. Just with continuing
(33:06):
with the cleanup, we're to get to a break and
see if we can get hold adjusted rolling for one
last segment of the Leach Report, presented by Bobcat Enterprises.
Shuffle Bean Coffee is a company based right here in
the Bluegrass. Group of Kentuckians got together to form this
(33:26):
company back in twenty twelve with the commitment to be
the best at providing a great cup of coffee, and
they hit the mark. And you can find that out
for yourself by getting some shuffle Bean coffee at a
Meer store here in central Kentucky, or by going to
Amazon and ordering it there, or go to the website
for the company Shufflebean dot Us. You can order the
(33:48):
product there. You can get the cured capsules, or you
get it in a whole bean package, or you can
get it already ground, whatever you prefer.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Taste is fantastic.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
The aroma as well, and it'll smell so good when
you're brewing it up. And again, it's a Kentucky company
that is committed to excellence. Put some hustle in your
shuffle with shuffle being coffee. See a note here off
social media about Sidney McLaughlan Lavarni, the former Wildcat, and
she is going to run in an event in Philadelphia
(34:21):
this weekend and she will compete in the one hundred
meter hurdles but also the one hundred meter flat race.
She has run the flat races before as part of
in the Olympics as part of the relay team. She
is a really special special athlete and she is going
to do this up in Philly, so wouldn't be surprised
(34:45):
to see her excel in both events. But this will
be her first time to run the hundred as a professional.
According to this post, so wish Sidney well, go sid go.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
That was the cheer, right, So she is a special special.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Talent as is shake Gel Just Alexander thirty four points
last night, seven rebounds, eight assists as the Oklahoma City
Thunder eliminated the t Wolves from Minnesota one twenty four
to ninety four, taking the series four games to one.
So Julius Randall, Rob Billingham. Their season comes to an end,
(35:23):
but shake El Just Alexander moves on and has a
chance to be another ex wild Cat to.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Win an NBA championship ring.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
And they will be the favorite and also the youngest
team ever to make the NBA Finals according to a
note that I saw today, So there'll be around for
a while most likely, and with shake Gil just Alexander
the raiding NBA MVP leading the charge. So okay, see
in the finals the one time Seattle SuperSonics franchise, and
(35:56):
they are in the finals and will be taking on
either the Pacers or the Knicks, and Indiana can eliminate
My Knicks tonight at the Garden in New York with
a three to one lead in that series, so the
New York Knickerbockers are definitely up against it. If you're
feeling a little up against it at times having a
(36:18):
tough day, the infused gummies from corn Bread Hemp can
help you out. They come in a variety of flavors,
and if you go to cornbreadhamp dot com right now
and put in the code Tom and check out and
it's your first order, you can get twenty percent off
Achy joints. Their bombs and lotions could be the remedy
you need. And if you have trouble falling asleep or
(36:40):
just have a sleepless night once in a while, the
sleep gummies from corn Bread Hemp are fantastic and you
don't wake up with that melatonin like hangover the next
day when you use the sleepgummies from Cornbread Hemp. All
of their products are made right here in Kentucky with
Kentucky grown hemp, and they contain the highest quality relief
you can buy. All the products are third party lab
(37:03):
tested for safety and purity too. They're made with flour
only extraction for maximum purity and potency. That is Cornbread Hemp.
Great folks to work with Tirelely, Kentucky based operation Cornbread Hemp.
This is the good life. Appreciate you joining us today
so we could connect with Justin for our final segment,
(37:24):
so we'll get him back next week.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Derek Terry is going to join US UK baseball as
the Wildcats will open NCAA tournament play at noon tomorrow
and in the Clemson South Carolina Regional taking on West Virginia.
So we'll talk UK baseball in the first part of
the program tomorrow, and Brandon Ramsey, the former coach who
does the analysis for ON three Sports and KSR during
(37:50):
the season of the UK games, we'll get him to
join us. Now that the roster is set for the
Wildcats for next season, talk about what your two remark
Pope could look like. It's the Latch Report. Presented by
Bob Katt Enterprises. We will see you tomorrow
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