Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good day, everybody, and welcome in to the Leech Report.
Our show's presented each day by Bob Kat Enterprises. So
we start the week and we will do that with
Keith Farmer from l e X eighteen and BBN tonight
and Aaron Gershan from The Cat's Pause for a little
while longer. If you follow Aaron on social media, you
(00:28):
know that he is moving on to another something. We
don't know what yet he'll I doubt he'll tell us today,
but I think he'll that'll be known at some point.
But anyway, he's with The Cat's Pause I think for
another week. So he's going to join us to kind
of reflect on his time at Kentucky and talk about
(00:49):
what's going on currently with all things UK. So that's
the agenda for this Monday. Of course, we all are
no doubt keeping the folks down in Texas in your
in your prayers. It is so so sad to watch
the coverage of the camp down there for young girls
(01:11):
that was overrun by an raging uh what looked like
a creek that turned into a raging river in the
span of about an hour, and it was overnight, So
so sad, So keep all those folks on your prayer list.
Let's get to the Wildcat news of the day. It
(01:31):
is a service of giuseppees of Lexington and the Wildcats
landed the big fish in the recruiting wars last night.
Four star quarterback Matt Ponatowski from Cincinnati Moler High School
picked UK and this had been expected, but still you
don't know until you know. And so he picked the
(01:53):
Wildcats standout baseball player too, So Kentucky has to hold
off Major League Baseball. If all goes well and he
does end up on the UK campus, he will plans
to play football and baseball and might even be a
better baseball prospect than a football prospect. And he's a
(02:13):
really good football prospect. Six one, one ninety six that
the Elite eleven Quarterback Camp I think it was last
week he was named the most accurate of the qbs.
A lot of nice comments about him coming out of
that event. Ranked to top ten QB in the nation,
So a huge get for Mark Stoops and company for
(02:36):
Kentucky football. Jasper Johnson won a gold medal yesterday with
Team USA and the Under nineteen tournament as they just
demolished Germany and the championship game over in Switzerland. Their
toughest game was in the Elite eight against Canada. Jasper
had sixteen minutes of play, five points, three assists. And
(03:00):
you think that sounds like a modest set of numbers,
but I had looked on the box score. He had
the number one plus minus of a plus twenty six,
number one of anybody on the roster in the game yesterday,
and his numbers. I went back and looked at Emmanuel
Quickly's numbers. I remember he played in this event. This
(03:20):
was back in the summer of twenty seventeen, I think,
is what it was. And Q had an average of
just under seven points a game and just over two
assists per game and his seven game run back in
that tournament in twenty seventeen, and of course he would
be an SEC Player of the Year. In his second
season at Kentucky, Justin Edwards signed a three year deal
(03:47):
with a seventy six ers. So he had his struggles
in his one year at Kentucky. We saw the flashes,
most notably against final four bound Alabama team when he
didn't miss a shot on that Saturday at Roperena. And
you saw that, you know, the flash of something like that.
(04:07):
But he really had his ups and downs in his
one year at Kentucky, but has really blossomed since getting
into the pros. And when he left here I think
probably the thought was he might have an extended run
in the G League and then could have a shot
to make it. But looks like he is firmly on
a course to be a longtime NBA guy, so congrats
(04:28):
to him. It's always seemed like a really nice young man.
Read Shepherd and his family and got really close to
Justin in their time together. Links to the stories that
we talk about each day, you can find those on
the Bud Light Leech repoort page at Tom leachkhy dot com.
Saw Ryan Howard was named to the w NBA All
Star Team again, so congrats to the former UK star
(04:50):
on that recognition. And shortstop Tyler Bell chosen for the
USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and they're playing this week
in Japan. Coming up, we will chat with Keith Farmer
from LAX eighteen and BBN Tonight. Our opening segment of
wild Cat News. Well, it's always presented by Giuseppees of Lexington,
and they expanded their lounge area a few years ago
(05:12):
because it was so popular to sit and listen to
the live jazz music while you enjoy a fantastic meal Giuseppe.
So take advantage of that, go to open table and
make a reservation for your next special night out at
Giuseppes just off Nicholasville Road here in Lexington, past Man
of War Boulevard. It is the Late Report Radio Network
(05:33):
presented by Bob Catt Enterprises. We'll be right back quarter
past the top of the hour, coming to you from
the Clarks Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh and refuel at
Clark's and sign up for their Loyalty Rewards program. You
can get discounts on your next Phillip once you've accumulated
some points, and you get discounts on items in their
stores as well. At Clark's. Keith Farmer joins us. He's
(05:57):
on the road, hopefully with a full tank. He heads
down to Louisville for the PGA golf event there this week.
Used to be over in Jessman County this year at
Hurstborn Country Club.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah, that's right? Yeah, A little different move.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
With ISCO being based out of Louisville, they decided to
move it up there and Hirstbourne was the choice.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Any I guess Josh Teeter's playing in it, right, any
other local connections Josh.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Teeter's playing in it, Stephen Stallings obviously with it being
back in Louisville, there are several former Loisville Cardinals like
Adam Hadwin who's had a pretty good career and getting
a chance to go back there. And then I believe
Cooper Musselman is in it this year as well. So yeah,
it's just a chance to catch up with these guys
as they're getting a chance to play close to home.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, I guess the tournament will start for for sure
on Thursday. I assume right people could see it on
a golf network, correct.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
And you know the thing is, I know we're hearing
some rain in the forecast throughout the world, So that's
what's gonna make it really interesting to watch and see
how these guys handle not just the course because they're
most playing it for the first time, and you know
then also how it's going to change from you know,
probably right now being pretty hard out there on the
course with with little rain and uh, and then it's
(07:16):
going to come down and.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So it's going to change the way that plays.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, let's talk a little UK sports here, Keith, as
you make your way down to the ville, and big
get for Kentucky football last night. This was not a surprise,
but still, you know, a guy like Matt Ponatowski, you've
ket to fight right to the end to land that
particular fish. And they did.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Football and baseball, right, So yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Yeah, I mean, has there been one we were trying
to think, has there been one since Pookie Jones?
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Both?
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Gosh, I think I think that that was at the
you know, the only one I can come.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I'm sure there have been others, but that's the last
one I can remember, and you know, especially at a
high level.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And he was professional baseball and then yes, I.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Think of football and track it was did Derek Locke came,
was supposed to run track? Did he ever run or
did he stick with foot?
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I'm not sure he ever did. Yeah, I'm not sure
he ever did. But yeah, it was a great get.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I mean, look, this is this is huge. Kentucky seems
to be kind of on a roll right now on
the recruiting trail and just continually with adding a player,
keep climbing the rankings, and obviously it doesn't do anything
un till next year, but certainly stuck piling a lot
of talent from from everything I've seen.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
And you know, it's a guy from a big time
program at Cincinnati Buehler, so you know, a top flight competition.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Right, And then not only that, I mean, you know
how it is you get one of these players like
this and you're gonna get wide receivers, running backs you
know that are gonna want to play with him, and
so it can you know, certainly help build that roster
for the coming years.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
They and you know, Kentucky went into the month without
any recruits or in in the month of June, i
should say, or had they had one, and then he
ended up decommitting Strickland that ended up going to U
of L as expected. And so they've had just a
tremendous last month on the recruiting trail to generate a
(09:22):
little momentum. And then a week from today it'll be
SEC Media Days. It's in Atlanta this year in it
for SEC football.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah, isn't it amazing?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
It's like did we just end basketball and here we
are we're about to start football up again. Of course,
basketball seems to never end. As they've already been on campus,
We've been talking to some of them, but I think
this when we get to SEC football media days is
really where we start ramping up the football season. And
obviously not coach Soup's favorite time the talking season, but
nonetheless has to be done.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
And uh so it's.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Always good to hear from him and the players when
they get down to media day.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Yeah, and I had to understand the thought of you know,
not being out there talking a lot, because there's not
really much you can say that it's going to convince
anybody that's that's not convinced already. It's right, you can
change those opinions is on the field. But nevertheless, there
is a lot of time out there to be filled,
(10:18):
and the closer we get to the season that more
of it will be filled with college football. So it
is probably time to start doing a little talking.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Yeah, and you know, they've had a chance to work
with them where we haven't seen them in the last
little bit and and so you know they know a
little more about the players now. So it's always good
to hear from coach Tuops. I know the it's probably
easier for him talking to you know, the fans at
some of these events that he goes to than it
is the media, because you know, we inevitably show up
at everything and it's like just you know, what else
(10:48):
can I say to you? At some point, you know,
like the first time or two it's like okay, then
it becomes okay, well I have nothing else more to
tell you, you know. So so yeah, I'm ready to
get this one started and see what they've put together
for this season.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Though, it'll be interesting to see if there's I think
this human nature fans tend to no matter how pessimistic
they are, they seem to generate a little more optimism
as the season approaches. Try to envision scenarios how something's
going to work out positively for the team that you follow.
So we'll see if that happens with Kentucky. The thing is,
(11:24):
there's just so much that's unknown with such a great
amount of roster turnover.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Well especially along the big Blue wall, right, I mean,
because obviously everybody's going to focus in on the quarterback,
and I think they've got a couple of good ones
to choose from in Calzada and Cutter Bowley, and may
even go deeper than that, but I really was. I'm
super interested in seeing how this big blue wall that
they've put together from so many different universities comes together
(11:50):
so quickly and is able to protect the quarterback, to
open up the holes and give that quarterback time to
find some of these wide receivers that they've also brought
in along with Jamury Macklin. You know, I just I
really believe if the offensive line is as improved as
they say it is, then I think there's a great chance,
you know, that this can be a more special season.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Talk with Keith Farmer from l e X eighteen and
BBN Tonight. We'll take a break and continue here justin moment.
Talk a little bit about a big week for Jasper
Johnson over in Switzerland that culminated with a gold medal yesterday.
It's coming up when we return. It is The Leach
Report presented by Bob Kat Enterprises. It's The Leach Report
with chat with Keith Farmer. You see him on BBN
(12:35):
Tonight each night at seven thirty eastern bbntonight dot com
if you miss the show, and then you see him
on l e X eighteen as well. Who's headed to
SEC Media Days for you guys. So we have a.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Couple of new reporters now, and I think we're gonna
send one of the newbies down there and let them
get a taste of SEC media days. So Eli Gain
and Kendy Leah both left us, and we have Noah
Searson who's from Minneapolis originally and was working in Vermont.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
He's just really great storyteller.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
And then Hannah Hamilback who was from Bourbon County and
exactly right, I knew you were gonna like that, and
so she's a very talented reporter, just out of college,
went to Western Kentucky, and so excited for both of them.
But we're going to send Noah down that way and
let him get to know coach Stoops and see how
(13:26):
it's all done down there for media days.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Let's talk a little bit about Jasper Johnson kind of
gold medal yesterday with the USA's under nineteen team, and
this has to be I would think a wonderful experience
for him. I think I was saying earlier his stats
kind of match up to what Emmanuel Quickly did when
he played in this thing when he was in high
(13:49):
school or coming out of high school. I forget which
but anyway, and then he went on to a great
two years at UK, so good experience for Jasper.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Certainly, Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
I mean going up against some of the greatest, you know,
players in his age group, also playing with some of
the great players in his age group. I mean, averaging
eight points a game, not bad, But I think the
thing that was really impressive was seeing how well he
shot from the field and you know, certainly behind the
three point line, shoot forty percent.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
I was a little concerned.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
I can't remember which game it was, maybe the Cameroon
game maybe or Jordan where he got hit on the hand,
and I was really concerned that maybe he was going
to be out for a game or two. You know,
I wasn't sure. You know, he was wrapped in ice afterwards,
but came right back and played again for the USA
and did well from that point on.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Really, Yeah, he'll get into the wait and strength and
conditioning program now when he comes back to UK and
that will help. And yeah, just kind of adds to that,
you know, mix of talent that Mark Pope has put
together for his second year. And I've said it sarahveral
(15:00):
times on the show, but it's just gonna be interesting
to see, you know, how the troops are deployed and
how much it changed from game to game.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
You know, you made a great point too on the
on the getting in the weight room, because that's one
thing I think we kind of took for granted with
some of these guys, like you know, we saw Anthony
Davis come through here and some of these guys, and
then when they left, they kind of grew into men,
right and and so now with the transfer porter, we're
getting that that mix of veterans and the young players,
(15:29):
and now you're really realizing, you know, the difference in
such a young player like I look at Jasper and
I look at Braden Hawthorne, even Malachi I think is
going to put on more weight. It's just it's kind
of fun to see. I think we see it more
with football, right where you see those pictures year by
year and how much bigger and stronger they're getting once
they're in the program. And so I think that's certainly
(15:51):
one of the things that, as you pointed out, Jasper
is going to need to do, you know, but he
has all the talent in the world out there on
the court, and so that will come along through this
first season, and however many he may stay.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
The best example probably I can think of what you're
talking about for basketball is Rob Dillingham a couple of
years ago up in Toronto, just got a little overwhelmed physically, right, Yeah,
and then he by the time the season started, he
had made a good deal of transformation physically in the
weight room and obviously did just fine.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Sure, but again still young, right, and I think we're
going to see here in the next year or two
even how he probably is going to fill out even
more and just look even stronger because he is older.
And so that's the difference in these guys that I'm
seeing now with the younger and older versions of Wildcats
on the court.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Yeah, and he you know, as you mentioned the three
point shooting numbers that he had in these games over
in Switzerland, is a real ability to be very you know,
crafty with a handle to get himself open. Mark Pope
I think talked about that at one point one of
the media sessions, just about he's going to be a
(17:07):
guy that could, you know, go get a shot and uh,
continke He's going to have more of those guys this year.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah, I tell you.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
That's the thing is I think he's kind of shaped
this team to be just a slight bit different this year,
looking to be a little more physical, but also still
have that ability to spread the floor and drive or
you know, get out and take the shot. And uh,
I think you know, the guys that I've seen him
bring in, you know, even through that freshman class. I mean,
(17:36):
we know he loves his analytics and everything, and so
we've certainly seen, uh, these guys seem to fit into
that mold that they want for this offense. And then
I'll tell you something else that's really impressive is the
length that these guys have on wingspan. I Mean I
was talking with Braden Hawthorne last week and I was like,
(17:59):
what your what's your wingspan? And he said seven to three.
I mean that's what they've got. So that's going to
help defensively.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Indeed, Kaith, thank you much. Enjoined the tournament. All right, buddy,
Thanks Keith Farmer from LAX eighteen. We'll be right back.
It's the late Triport second half of our show for
this Monday. It's presented by Bobcat Enterprises just Wildcat Country
here in Kentucky. It is also Bobcat Country. They have
four locations around the state, so you can google Bobcat
(18:27):
Enterprises when you need to buy or rent heavy equipment
or you know somebody who's in the need of it,
and you can find excavators and forklifts and tractors and
skid steerloaders and the like and get zero turn molars
for your home lawn too parts for all that great
service after the deal is done as well. From Bobcat Enterprises.
(18:49):
We are working to connect with Aaron Gershan from The
Cat's Pause. Hopefully they haven't turned off his phone yet.
He's getting ready to head onto his next career phase,
but we are hopefully gonna connect with him here shortly
to talk about his time covering the Wildcats. A couple
(19:10):
of other notes. Edge rusher Elijah Satchel has committed to
NC State. Kentucky was one of the finalists to try
to land him. They got Panatoski yesterday. That was the biggest, one,
biggest name out there for Kentucky. But now they've got
to regroup a little bit for that edge position as
(19:32):
they fell short on Satchel, who was I think the
last of three guys maybe at the top of their
wish list Jason Crow basketball recruiting in the class of
twenty six, a two guard. He has decided to make
his announcement on July the eighteenth, so it'll be a
week from this coming Friday. Kentucky is reportedly one of
(19:57):
the leading contenders to land him, but the report for
on three Sports yesterday wrote thus. Joe Tipton wrote that
Missouri has a lot of momentum in the recruitment battle
right now for Crow. And congratulations to j D Shelburne,
friend of the show, a great Wildcat fan, fantastic singer.
(20:20):
A lot of you see him maybe at the SEC Tournament.
He'll be performing down there at one of the spots
during SEC Tournament week each year. Anyway, he made his
Grand Old Opry debut on Saturday night, and if you
are a singer, that is the mountaintop, certainly in country music,
to be at the Grand Old Opry. So congrats to JD.
(20:41):
And from all the things that he's put out on
social media, sounds like it went really well for him.
So bigger and better things no doubt coming his way.
Congrats to j D. Shelburn About twenty three away from
the top of the hour, still not having any luck
with Aaron, so let's take a quick break a little
(21:01):
early and we will regroup and be right back. It
is the Late Report Radio network. It's The Late Report,
twenty away from the top of the hour on this Monday,
and still no luck with Aaron, so we'll looks like
we have to reschedule him. Got an interview This is
from a UK football media session. Shai as Pete from
(21:24):
New Mexico State, massive left tackle is penciled into start
at that spot for Kentucky this season and really interesting
young man. And we've got a part of an interview
here that he was doing. He was being interviewed by
John Hale and Dick Gabriel. So let's listen to shy
(21:46):
as Pete from Kentucky football.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Coach Stoops as a statesman, he's a very genuine man
and I placed a lot of my trust into him
in my final decision.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
In my final decision with him.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
How much was the relationship with coach Wolford as.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
Part of that too?
Speaker 5 (21:59):
My relationship with him, I mean it it started at
the end at the start of the year. He's he
lives up to his name. He's wolf, he's cunning, he's keen,
he's pretty sharp. I like I like that about him.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
There's a lot of guys from Los Cruces.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Then went to Vanderbilt.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
Did did did they?
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Did they try to pull you that direction as well?
Speaker 5 (22:18):
Actually I toured at Nashville or I did an official visit.
It was good to see my I guess, my former coaches,
their former teammates. It was good to reconnect, but it
just wasn't the right fit for me in terms of
their offensive scheme, and I just I wanted something, I
guess different from I guess New Mexico slash Vanderbilt's offensive scheme.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
You said coach Stoops as a statesman.
Speaker 6 (22:42):
What do you mean by that?
Speaker 5 (22:43):
Well's genuine. He's super honest and he means what he says.
And I like that about him. He's he's a genuine person.
He's he's very how do you put it? Focuses on
the players and the fact that this team is going
to be player let and the sense that I mean,
we're going to pave the way for it. We're we're
(23:04):
the first on the line. We're going to define our culture.
Given how there's I mean a lot of new transfers
and whatnot, we have to come up with something like that.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
When you were researching Kentucky, what did you see? What
did you look for?
Speaker 6 (23:17):
What did I see? What did I look for?
Speaker 5 (23:19):
One of my decisions was kind of conference am I
willing to compete in? And I figured, Hell, this is
one hell of a mountain to climb, so I might
as well climate. You know, I'm I'm committed to making
my last stand here. So that's what was one of
my decision points.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Transferring the sec being an NFL draft prospect, You're going
to be one of the most visible Native American Navaho
athletes in the country.
Speaker 6 (23:41):
What does that kind of label mean to you?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And representing that.
Speaker 6 (23:43):
Part of your culture again, it's a deep owner.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
I love what I do and I do it for
my community, for the youth, to give them a beacon
of hope that you know, there's there's a way out
of it, There's a there's a way up, there's a
way that to create and turn defeat into victory. And
I'm proud to be on the frontier of that and
to define it.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
That's shy As Pete and Dick Gabriel now always available
to be our great pinch hitter off the bench when
we have a trouble connecting to a scheduled guest. So, Gabe,
I appreciate you coming off the bench to join us,
and we heard your question there at the end for Pete,
What an interesting dude?
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Is he not one of the best interviews you've heard
from UK football.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
In a long time, of any sports.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
I mean, yeah, I couldn't wait to talk to him, obviously,
just for his background. That was John Hail asking about
me and one of the few Native American Navajo athletes,
and his answer was just terrific.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
So yeah, I can't wait to.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
See him play tom because I don't know if you've
had a chance of meeting yet.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
But for the folks listening.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
This guy is huge.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
He's very tall, broad shoulders, like you expect on an
old lineman, and I swear I don't know if he
has announcer fat on him, so he fits the eyeball test.
But he also, you know what a great backstory, and
you know, eleven guys on his high school team, but uh.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
You know, didn't shy away.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
And then he helped the new Mexico State raise its
profile a bit, and you know what happened with some
of those folks who.
Speaker 6 (25:20):
Ended up his sandy.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
So yeah, it's just a fascinating story.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
I can't remember who told me this, but somebody said
on that left side, they were talking about how strong
Braun is the left guard from Arkansas, and then they
said with Pete, uh, if nothing else, you know, with
his wingspan and his size, it'll take a little while
to get around him.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Yeah, that's not a bad not a bad thought. Mix
in a little bit of footwork and you know. And
the great thing too about this portal.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
That obviously it or missed. Uh, but you know, the guy's.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Been through the wars, he has played, and so I
got to think time we talked a lot about what
games where well we'll Kentucky be the favorite, will be
the underdog. I got to think in a majority, with
all due respect in New Mexico State Shias, Pete played
in a majority of the games where they were the
underdog absolutely now, which is based on what he was saying.
Speaker 6 (26:14):
You know, he likes a challenge.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
So I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
And John hailmansheind in there you referred to him as
NFL prospect. I think Brawn certainly is NFL prospect. So
you know that that's the direction the Big Blue Wall
needs to be trending in is putting guys back to
putting you know, a higher number of guys into the league.
So there's at least two prospects at least on that
(26:38):
left side.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
All right, right on the money because and you know,
just just into an NFL camp, just just to give
him a chance to make the league. But we've talked
about this before. When you go back to the original
Big Blue Wall as it developed, it peaked really the
season that Liam Cohn arrived. And you know, I think
(27:00):
four of the five guys ended up in NFL camps
and three stuck. That's how good that line was. And
of course I had an NFL running back in an
NFL quarterback. But it all starts up front. Everybody knows
that big men lead the way. Is that he Grant?
So yeah, that's the quality, level of quality you've got
to have, you know, maybe not all five guys, but
pretty close if you're going to at least compete in
(27:22):
the SEC.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Next week will be SEC Media Days down in Atlanta.
It's something you covered a long time. I think Phil Steele,
I said, Kentucky, I think rank fifteenth of the sixteen,
and it'll probably be something like that when the media
poll comes out at the end of next week. And
that to me is no great surprise because there's Kentucky
(27:46):
comes off a four win season and has a massive
roster turnover, so there's just a lot of unknowns. Doesn't
mean that the prediction is accurate though.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
No, you're right.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
And I will look at a one man's opinion kind
of poll of SEC quarterbacks here in the off season,
and they had you know, Zach Calzato last Well, you know,
they don't know anything about him, so it's just a
matter of you know, playing up, playing over the skill
set that people think he has, or maybe playing to
(28:17):
his skill set we don't know that much about. But
you know, I watched That'll miss replay on on Kentucky Day,
and you know, the quarterback play was outstanding. The old
line play was not. There were at times it was,
but you know, he was sacked four or five, five
or six times, but the big pass at the end,
(28:38):
intermediate passes during the game. You know, if you just
get serviceable quarterback play to begin with, you're already ahead
of the game. And if you can protect him now
you've got a shot.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Yeah, and the quarterbacks, as Calsato we anticipate will be
the starter, backed up by Cutter Bowley and cals A
certainly got the experience going in his seventh season. And
you know the kid at Louisville last year had a
great year, was in his seventh season. So, uh, again,
it's just an unknown it could go I mean, if
(29:12):
it if it goes really well, that's part of the
script of how you go about overachieving when you know
the expectations are are low. Is having a really good
quarterback play, really good to o line play. If you
could think you could check both of those boxes, then
you'd feel a lot better about even with the schedule
they have, how what it could turn into?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Yeah, and a lot of question marks on defense. This
could be the kind of year where they have to
outscore people. But you know, maybe the defense does come around.
And now, I know you talked about it earlier, but
they've got a quarterback prospect in the fold at least,
you know, you believe when he's on camping, you know
that'll set tongues to wagging if any, if any or
(29:56):
all the quarterback's faulters. So it's an interesting time, right,
now for Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
You follow the baseball scene college baseball scene very closely.
Any thoughts on the MLB draft that'll be coming up soon,
and you know how seriously Panatowski will look at that
versus playing college football and baseball.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
I don't have any feel for him, but look, they
say he's going to be a number one draft pick.
And I don't know if he prefers baseball to football.
Speaker 6 (30:26):
But you know, it is it is possible.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I don't know if that possible, but it's illegal whatever for.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Him to play both. You can play one.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Sport professionally and another sport is an amateur. I don't
know if that rule has changed or not. It would
be really hard to do. And I would think that,
you know, neither football nor baseball people would want him
to do that. But it's something you know, maybe he entertains,
but I have no idea if you will. But you know,
first round money's first round money, on the other hand,
(30:57):
and I l money's in IL money.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Yeah, I mean, you'd have at least you have more
of a fighting chance in a battle like this nowadays.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Yeah, exactly. And not only that, you know, I guess
you could come from the baseball side and the football
side with n il dollars, So Kentucky's got a better
shot at hanging.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
On to him. I wonder if he would talk to
a guy like Tyler Bell, because he was what projected
maybe second round.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
He was drafted, and will was it really was the
between the first and the second. In the supplemental draft,
he was taking sixty sixth overall. But here he is
at Kentucky and he's already having an All American career.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, and you know, kind of he made a decision
that was a surprise to.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Some Yeahgehock not even a shocked to a lot of people.
But you know, the negotiations broke down kind of quickly.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
And that was that talk with Dick Gabriel from Big
Blue Insider, a Big Blue Insider one on X We'll
take a break, come back to talk the look Kentucky
basketball here in just a moment. It is the Leach
Report Radio Network corbrat Hamp has a prime day sale
that is going on this It starts tomorrow, goes through
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(32:06):
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This is the good Life final segment of our show
and our Wildcat History. Note is a happy birthday to
Andy Green, who's in the New York Mets front office
(32:49):
now manage the San Diego Padres at one time five
years in the majors and is a UK Athletics Hall
of Famer. Set five school records for UK baseball, including
single season hits and runs scored. Well Cat History that's
presented by Kentucky road Show Sports Cards en Memory again
on Romney Road in Lexington at a Roadshow Cards dot Com.
(33:11):
To Gabriel chatting with us and game, I know you've
been a part of most, if not all, of these
weekly sessions with the new Kentucky basketball team. I think
the next one's Tomorrow with Jaden Quainton's and Cam Williams.
Anything out of any of these sessions or what are
some of the things maybe is the better way to
put it. That have you know, caught your ear foremost
(33:35):
about among everything you heard?
Speaker 2 (33:39):
You know, I wondered after hearing the guys last year
to a person talk about how much they appreciated and
I'm talking about the upperclassmen another freshmen do, but just
you know, how much they appreciated being a part of
the Kentucky program and what it meant to them and
the fact that it's high profile, and you know, I
(33:59):
know Kentucky. You know the last two three Caliperi years
didn't do much in a postseason. But when these guys
were young, is when guys like John Wall and Brandon
and those.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Guys were doing great things.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
And the Kentucky program is doing great things and so
as kids that stuck out to them, and you know,
so they talked about I always wanted to be a
part of a program, or specifically like Tobie read like Kentucky.
These guys, the new guys are saying the same thing,
and I wondered about that, Tom I wondered, was that
just kind of a one hit wonder situation or will
(34:36):
the next group, the next crop of transfers, feel the
same way. The answer apparently is yes. So I think
I think Kentucky fans when they hear more and more
of that, I know how much they appreciated it from
the guys last year, and I think they'll appreciate it
again this year. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I mean, I think sometimes you look at a player
like Diabate and just an average road of the bill
college basketball fan might look at that as like, Wow,
he was you know, Alabama's done really well, made it
to a Final four recently, he was playing a lot
for them. Why would he leave to come to Kentucky?
And that one of the things he was one of
the guys that was I think most notably talking about
(35:13):
how you know much he grew up as a Kentucky fan.
And I always say that that's part of the transfer
portal that I know some of it frustrates coaches and fans,
but there's a part of it that is really good
on two fronts. One is you know a guy like
Will Levis that I've always said was buried in the
quarterback depth chart at Penn State and he gets his chance.
(35:36):
Joe Burrows another great example. But then you have, you know,
a guy like Adiabate that dreamed of playing at Kentucky,
didn't get the chance, wasn't recruited, but on the second
go round, has a chance to do that. And if
that was something you dreamed of doing, then there's nothing
wrong with doing it.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
No, you're right, And you know you also have the
kid Jalen Lowe, who Aaron Gershowan wrote about him, had
had a list of school like eight schools that he
wanted to hear from when he was being recruited, per
from none of them, and Kentucky was near the top,
along with Kansas and Duke. And so when he got
(36:17):
a shot a second chance to play at Kentucky, well,
now you know you talk about appreciation and also a
chance to play with better players. Due respect to Pittsburgh,
they weren't any good last year and he was the
one guy who could keep him in a ball game.
So now I'm really curious to see what he can
do when he doesn't have to carry a team. But again,
(36:39):
he's just like Diabate, like Aberdeen, got part of a
national title team and yet couldn't wait to make the
jump to Kentucky. So to me, it's really interesting.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Yeah. Absolutely, And I think you know, that helps get
them into I think roles at diabate for what we hear,
in particular into leadership roles because they come from teams
that have played in final fours or in Everydey's case,
won a national championship. And you know what they say,
(37:11):
even though they haven't been here, I would think has
to carry some weight with the other guys.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Now, you're right, and I think about guys coming from
successful programs. I actually think about Rachel Lawson, Yeah, who's
been so successful as Kentucky softball coach. One of her
recruiting strategies her policy basically, I don't know if it's
you know, hard and fast, but she likes to recruit
kids from winning programs. She said, I want them to
(37:37):
know that culture already. I don't want to have to
teach them how to win. They've already got that ingrained
in their psyche. And that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Gabe, thank you much for jumping in. All right, buddy,
that's Dick Gabriel, that big Blue insider one on X
and you hear about the big Blue Insider Show weeknights
here in Lexington, and we are done for the day.
We'll see tomorrow on the Leach Report, presented by Bobcat
Enterprises
Good day, everybody, and welcome in to the Leech Report.
Our show's presented each day by Bob Kat Enterprises. So
we start the week and we will do that with
Keith Farmer from l e X eighteen and BBN tonight
and Aaron Gershan from The Cat's Pause for a little
while longer. If you follow Aaron on social media, you
(00:28):
know that he is moving on to another something. We
don't know what yet he'll I doubt he'll tell us today,
but I think he'll that'll be known at some point.
But anyway, he's with The Cat's Pause I think for
another week. So he's going to join us to kind
of reflect on his time at Kentucky and talk about
(00:49):
what's going on currently with all things UK. So that's
the agenda for this Monday. Of course, we all are
no doubt keeping the folks down in Texas in your
in your prayers. It is so so sad to watch
the coverage of the camp down there for young girls
(01:11):
that was overrun by an raging uh what looked like
a creek that turned into a raging river in the
span of about an hour, and it was overnight, So
so sad, So keep all those folks on your prayer list.
Let's get to the Wildcat news of the day. It
(01:31):
is a service of giuseppees of Lexington and the Wildcats
landed the big fish in the recruiting wars last night.
Four star quarterback Matt Ponatowski from Cincinnati Moler High School
picked UK and this had been expected, but still you
don't know until you know. And so he picked the
(01:53):
Wildcats standout baseball player too, So Kentucky has to hold
off Major League Baseball. If all goes well and he
does end up on the UK campus, he will plans
to play football and baseball and might even be a
better baseball prospect than a football prospect. And he's a
(02:13):
really good football prospect. Six one, one ninety six that
the Elite eleven Quarterback Camp I think it was last
week he was named the most accurate of the qbs.
A lot of nice comments about him coming out of
that event. Ranked to top ten QB in the nation,
So a huge get for Mark Stoops and company for
(02:36):
Kentucky football. Jasper Johnson won a gold medal yesterday with
Team USA and the Under nineteen tournament as they just
demolished Germany and the championship game over in Switzerland. Their
toughest game was in the Elite eight against Canada. Jasper
had sixteen minutes of play, five points, three assists. And
(03:00):
you think that sounds like a modest set of numbers,
but I had looked on the box score. He had
the number one plus minus of a plus twenty six,
number one of anybody on the roster in the game yesterday,
and his numbers. I went back and looked at Emmanuel
Quickly's numbers. I remember he played in this event. This
(03:20):
was back in the summer of twenty seventeen, I think,
is what it was. And Q had an average of
just under seven points a game and just over two
assists per game and his seven game run back in
that tournament in twenty seventeen, and of course he would
be an SEC Player of the Year. In his second
season at Kentucky, Justin Edwards signed a three year deal
(03:47):
with a seventy six ers. So he had his struggles
in his one year at Kentucky. We saw the flashes,
most notably against final four bound Alabama team when he
didn't miss a shot on that Saturday at Roperena. And
you saw that, you know, the flash of something like that.
(04:07):
But he really had his ups and downs in his
one year at Kentucky, but has really blossomed since getting
into the pros. And when he left here I think
probably the thought was he might have an extended run
in the G League and then could have a shot
to make it. But looks like he is firmly on
a course to be a longtime NBA guy, so congrats
(04:28):
to him. It's always seemed like a really nice young man.
Read Shepherd and his family and got really close to
Justin in their time together. Links to the stories that
we talk about each day, you can find those on
the Bud Light Leech repoort page at Tom leachkhy dot com.
Saw Ryan Howard was named to the w NBA All
Star Team again, so congrats to the former UK star
(04:50):
on that recognition. And shortstop Tyler Bell chosen for the
USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and they're playing this week
in Japan. Coming up, we will chat with Keith Farmer
from LAX eighteen and BBN Tonight. Our opening segment of
wild Cat News. Well, it's always presented by Giuseppees of Lexington,
and they expanded their lounge area a few years ago
(05:12):
because it was so popular to sit and listen to
the live jazz music while you enjoy a fantastic meal Giuseppe.
So take advantage of that, go to open table and
make a reservation for your next special night out at
Giuseppes just off Nicholasville Road here in Lexington, past Man
of War Boulevard. It is the Late Report Radio Network
(05:33):
presented by Bob Catt Enterprises. We'll be right back quarter
past the top of the hour, coming to you from
the Clarks Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh and refuel at
Clark's and sign up for their Loyalty Rewards program. You
can get discounts on your next Phillip once you've accumulated
some points, and you get discounts on items in their
stores as well. At Clark's. Keith Farmer joins us. He's
(05:57):
on the road, hopefully with a full tank. He heads
down to Louisville for the PGA golf event there this week.
Used to be over in Jessman County this year at
Hurstborn Country Club.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah, that's right? Yeah, A little different move.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
With ISCO being based out of Louisville, they decided to
move it up there and Hirstbourne was the choice.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Any I guess Josh Teeter's playing in it, right, any
other local connections Josh.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Teeter's playing in it, Stephen Stallings obviously with it being
back in Louisville, there are several former Loisville Cardinals like
Adam Hadwin who's had a pretty good career and getting
a chance to go back there. And then I believe
Cooper Musselman is in it this year as well. So yeah,
it's just a chance to catch up with these guys
as they're getting a chance to play close to home.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, I guess the tournament will start for for sure
on Thursday. I assume right people could see it on
a golf network, correct.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
And you know the thing is, I know we're hearing
some rain in the forecast throughout the world, So that's
what's gonna make it really interesting to watch and see
how these guys handle not just the course because they're
most playing it for the first time, and you know
then also how it's going to change from you know,
probably right now being pretty hard out there on the
course with with little rain and uh, and then it's
(07:16):
going to come down and.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So it's going to change the way that plays.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, let's talk a little UK sports here, Keith, as
you make your way down to the ville, and big
get for Kentucky football last night. This was not a surprise,
but still, you know, a guy like Matt Ponatowski, you've
ket to fight right to the end to land that
particular fish. And they did.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Football and baseball, right, So yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Yeah, I mean, has there been one we were trying
to think, has there been one since Pookie Jones?
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Both?
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Gosh, I think I think that that was at the
you know, the only one I can come.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I'm sure there have been others, but that's the last
one I can remember, and you know, especially at a
high level.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
And he was professional baseball and then yes, I.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Think of football and track it was did Derek Locke came,
was supposed to run track? Did he ever run or
did he stick with foot?
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I'm not sure he ever did. Yeah, I'm not sure
he ever did. But yeah, it was a great get.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I mean, look, this is this is huge. Kentucky seems
to be kind of on a roll right now on
the recruiting trail and just continually with adding a player,
keep climbing the rankings, and obviously it doesn't do anything
un till next year, but certainly stuck piling a lot
of talent from from everything I've seen.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
And you know, it's a guy from a big time
program at Cincinnati Buehler, so you know, a top flight competition.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Right, And then not only that, I mean, you know
how it is you get one of these players like
this and you're gonna get wide receivers, running backs you
know that are gonna want to play with him, and
so it can you know, certainly help build that roster
for the coming years.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
They and you know, Kentucky went into the month without
any recruits or in in the month of June, i
should say, or had they had one, and then he
ended up decommitting Strickland that ended up going to U
of L as expected. And so they've had just a
tremendous last month on the recruiting trail to generate a
(09:22):
little momentum. And then a week from today it'll be
SEC Media Days. It's in Atlanta this year in it
for SEC football.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah, isn't it amazing?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
It's like did we just end basketball and here we
are we're about to start football up again. Of course,
basketball seems to never end. As they've already been on campus,
We've been talking to some of them, but I think
this when we get to SEC football media days is
really where we start ramping up the football season. And
obviously not coach Soup's favorite time the talking season, but
nonetheless has to be done.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
And uh so it's.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Always good to hear from him and the players when
they get down to media day.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Yeah, and I had to understand the thought of you know,
not being out there talking a lot, because there's not
really much you can say that it's going to convince
anybody that's that's not convinced already. It's right, you can
change those opinions is on the field. But nevertheless, there
is a lot of time out there to be filled,
(10:18):
and the closer we get to the season that more
of it will be filled with college football. So it
is probably time to start doing a little talking.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Yeah, and you know, they've had a chance to work
with them where we haven't seen them in the last
little bit and and so you know they know a
little more about the players now. So it's always good
to hear from coach Tuops. I know the it's probably
easier for him talking to you know, the fans at
some of these events that he goes to than it
is the media, because you know, we inevitably show up
at everything and it's like just you know, what else
(10:48):
can I say to you? At some point, you know,
like the first time or two it's like okay, then
it becomes okay, well I have nothing else more to
tell you, you know. So so yeah, I'm ready to
get this one started and see what they've put together
for this season.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Though, it'll be interesting to see if there's I think
this human nature fans tend to no matter how pessimistic
they are, they seem to generate a little more optimism
as the season approaches. Try to envision scenarios how something's
going to work out positively for the team that you follow.
So we'll see if that happens with Kentucky. The thing is,
(11:24):
there's just so much that's unknown with such a great
amount of roster turnover.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Well especially along the big Blue wall, right, I mean,
because obviously everybody's going to focus in on the quarterback,
and I think they've got a couple of good ones
to choose from in Calzada and Cutter Bowley, and may
even go deeper than that, but I really was. I'm
super interested in seeing how this big blue wall that
they've put together from so many different universities comes together
(11:50):
so quickly and is able to protect the quarterback, to
open up the holes and give that quarterback time to
find some of these wide receivers that they've also brought
in along with Jamury Macklin. You know, I just I
really believe if the offensive line is as improved as
they say it is, then I think there's a great chance,
you know, that this can be a more special season.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Talk with Keith Farmer from l e X eighteen and
BBN Tonight. We'll take a break and continue here justin moment.
Talk a little bit about a big week for Jasper
Johnson over in Switzerland that culminated with a gold medal yesterday.
It's coming up when we return. It is The Leach
Report presented by Bob Kat Enterprises. It's The Leach Report
with chat with Keith Farmer. You see him on BBN
(12:35):
Tonight each night at seven thirty eastern bbntonight dot com
if you miss the show, and then you see him
on l e X eighteen as well. Who's headed to
SEC Media Days for you guys. So we have a.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Couple of new reporters now, and I think we're gonna
send one of the newbies down there and let them
get a taste of SEC media days. So Eli Gain
and Kendy Leah both left us, and we have Noah
Searson who's from Minneapolis originally and was working in Vermont.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
He's just really great storyteller.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
And then Hannah Hamilback who was from Bourbon County and
exactly right, I knew you were gonna like that, and
so she's a very talented reporter, just out of college,
went to Western Kentucky, and so excited for both of them.
But we're going to send Noah down that way and
let him get to know coach Stoops and see how
(13:26):
it's all done down there for media days.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Let's talk a little bit about Jasper Johnson kind of
gold medal yesterday with the USA's under nineteen team, and
this has to be I would think a wonderful experience
for him. I think I was saying earlier his stats
kind of match up to what Emmanuel Quickly did when
he played in this thing when he was in high
(13:49):
school or coming out of high school. I forget which
but anyway, and then he went on to a great
two years at UK, so good experience for Jasper.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Certainly, Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
I mean going up against some of the greatest, you know,
players in his age group, also playing with some of
the great players in his age group. I mean, averaging
eight points a game, not bad, But I think the
thing that was really impressive was seeing how well he
shot from the field and you know, certainly behind the
three point line, shoot forty percent.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
I was a little concerned.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
I can't remember which game it was, maybe the Cameroon
game maybe or Jordan where he got hit on the hand,
and I was really concerned that maybe he was going
to be out for a game or two. You know,
I wasn't sure. You know, he was wrapped in ice afterwards,
but came right back and played again for the USA
and did well from that point on.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Really, Yeah, he'll get into the wait and strength and
conditioning program now when he comes back to UK and
that will help. And yeah, just kind of adds to that,
you know, mix of talent that Mark Pope has put
together for his second year. And I've said it sarahveral
(15:00):
times on the show, but it's just gonna be interesting
to see, you know, how the troops are deployed and
how much it changed from game to game.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
You know, you made a great point too on the
on the getting in the weight room, because that's one
thing I think we kind of took for granted with
some of these guys, like you know, we saw Anthony
Davis come through here and some of these guys, and
then when they left, they kind of grew into men,
right and and so now with the transfer porter, we're
getting that that mix of veterans and the young players,
(15:29):
and now you're really realizing, you know, the difference in
such a young player like I look at Jasper and
I look at Braden Hawthorne, even Malachi I think is
going to put on more weight. It's just it's kind
of fun to see. I think we see it more
with football, right where you see those pictures year by
year and how much bigger and stronger they're getting once
they're in the program. And so I think that's certainly
(15:51):
one of the things that, as you pointed out, Jasper
is going to need to do, you know, but he
has all the talent in the world out there on
the court, and so that will come along through this
first season, and however many he may stay.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
The best example probably I can think of what you're
talking about for basketball is Rob Dillingham a couple of
years ago up in Toronto, just got a little overwhelmed physically, right, Yeah,
and then he by the time the season started, he
had made a good deal of transformation physically in the
weight room and obviously did just fine.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Sure, but again still young, right, and I think we're
going to see here in the next year or two
even how he probably is going to fill out even
more and just look even stronger because he is older.
And so that's the difference in these guys that I'm
seeing now with the younger and older versions of Wildcats
on the court.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Yeah, and he you know, as you mentioned the three
point shooting numbers that he had in these games over
in Switzerland, is a real ability to be very you know,
crafty with a handle to get himself open. Mark Pope
I think talked about that at one point one of
the media sessions, just about he's going to be a
(17:07):
guy that could, you know, go get a shot and uh,
continke He's going to have more of those guys this year.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah, I tell you.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
That's the thing is I think he's kind of shaped
this team to be just a slight bit different this year,
looking to be a little more physical, but also still
have that ability to spread the floor and drive or
you know, get out and take the shot. And uh,
I think you know, the guys that I've seen him
bring in, you know, even through that freshman class. I mean,
(17:36):
we know he loves his analytics and everything, and so
we've certainly seen, uh, these guys seem to fit into
that mold that they want for this offense. And then
I'll tell you something else that's really impressive is the
length that these guys have on wingspan. I Mean I
was talking with Braden Hawthorne last week and I was like,
(17:59):
what your what's your wingspan? And he said seven to three.
I mean that's what they've got. So that's going to
help defensively.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Indeed, Kaith, thank you much. Enjoined the tournament. All right, buddy,
Thanks Keith Farmer from LAX eighteen. We'll be right back.
It's the late Triport second half of our show for
this Monday. It's presented by Bobcat Enterprises just Wildcat Country
here in Kentucky. It is also Bobcat Country. They have
four locations around the state, so you can google Bobcat
(18:27):
Enterprises when you need to buy or rent heavy equipment
or you know somebody who's in the need of it,
and you can find excavators and forklifts and tractors and
skid steerloaders and the like and get zero turn molars
for your home lawn too parts for all that great
service after the deal is done as well. From Bobcat Enterprises.
(18:49):
We are working to connect with Aaron Gershan from The
Cat's Pause. Hopefully they haven't turned off his phone yet.
He's getting ready to head onto his next career phase,
but we are hopefully gonna connect with him here shortly
to talk about his time covering the Wildcats. A couple
(19:10):
of other notes. Edge rusher Elijah Satchel has committed to
NC State. Kentucky was one of the finalists to try
to land him. They got Panatoski yesterday. That was the biggest, one,
biggest name out there for Kentucky. But now they've got
to regroup a little bit for that edge position as
(19:32):
they fell short on Satchel, who was I think the
last of three guys maybe at the top of their
wish list Jason Crow basketball recruiting in the class of
twenty six, a two guard. He has decided to make
his announcement on July the eighteenth, so it'll be a
week from this coming Friday. Kentucky is reportedly one of
(19:57):
the leading contenders to land him, but the report for
on three Sports yesterday wrote thus. Joe Tipton wrote that
Missouri has a lot of momentum in the recruitment battle
right now for Crow. And congratulations to j D Shelburne,
friend of the show, a great Wildcat fan, fantastic singer.
(20:20):
A lot of you see him maybe at the SEC Tournament.
He'll be performing down there at one of the spots
during SEC Tournament week each year. Anyway, he made his
Grand Old Opry debut on Saturday night, and if you
are a singer, that is the mountaintop, certainly in country music,
to be at the Grand Old Opry. So congrats to JD.
(20:41):
And from all the things that he's put out on
social media, sounds like it went really well for him.
So bigger and better things no doubt coming his way.
Congrats to j D. Shelburn About twenty three away from
the top of the hour, still not having any luck
with Aaron, so let's take a quick break a little
(21:01):
early and we will regroup and be right back. It
is the Late Report Radio network. It's The Late Report,
twenty away from the top of the hour on this Monday,
and still no luck with Aaron, so we'll looks like
we have to reschedule him. Got an interview This is
from a UK football media session. Shai as Pete from
(21:24):
New Mexico State, massive left tackle is penciled into start
at that spot for Kentucky this season and really interesting
young man. And we've got a part of an interview
here that he was doing. He was being interviewed by
John Hale and Dick Gabriel. So let's listen to shy
(21:46):
as Pete from Kentucky football.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Coach Stoops as a statesman, he's a very genuine man
and I placed a lot of my trust into him
in my final decision.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
In my final decision with him.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
How much was the relationship with coach Wolford as.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
Part of that too?
Speaker 5 (21:59):
My relationship with him, I mean it it started at
the end at the start of the year. He's he
lives up to his name. He's wolf, he's cunning, he's keen,
he's pretty sharp. I like I like that about him.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
There's a lot of guys from Los Cruces.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Then went to Vanderbilt.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
Did did did they?
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Did they try to pull you that direction as well?
Speaker 5 (22:18):
Actually I toured at Nashville or I did an official visit.
It was good to see my I guess, my former coaches,
their former teammates. It was good to reconnect, but it
just wasn't the right fit for me in terms of
their offensive scheme, and I just I wanted something, I
guess different from I guess New Mexico slash Vanderbilt's offensive scheme.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
You said coach Stoops as a statesman.
Speaker 6 (22:42):
What do you mean by that?
Speaker 5 (22:43):
Well's genuine. He's super honest and he means what he says.
And I like that about him. He's he's a genuine person.
He's he's very how do you put it? Focuses on
the players and the fact that this team is going
to be player let and the sense that I mean,
we're going to pave the way for it. We're we're
(23:04):
the first on the line. We're going to define our culture.
Given how there's I mean a lot of new transfers
and whatnot, we have to come up with something like that.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
When you were researching Kentucky, what did you see? What
did you look for?
Speaker 6 (23:17):
What did I see? What did I look for?
Speaker 5 (23:19):
One of my decisions was kind of conference am I
willing to compete in? And I figured, Hell, this is
one hell of a mountain to climb, so I might
as well climate. You know, I'm I'm committed to making
my last stand here. So that's what was one of
my decision points.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Transferring the sec being an NFL draft prospect, You're going
to be one of the most visible Native American Navaho
athletes in the country.
Speaker 6 (23:41):
What does that kind of label mean to you?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And representing that.
Speaker 6 (23:43):
Part of your culture again, it's a deep owner.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
I love what I do and I do it for
my community, for the youth, to give them a beacon
of hope that you know, there's there's a way out
of it, There's a there's a way up, there's a
way that to create and turn defeat into victory. And
I'm proud to be on the frontier of that and
to define it.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
That's shy As Pete and Dick Gabriel now always available
to be our great pinch hitter off the bench when
we have a trouble connecting to a scheduled guest. So, Gabe,
I appreciate you coming off the bench to join us,
and we heard your question there at the end for Pete,
What an interesting dude?
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Is he not one of the best interviews you've heard
from UK football.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
In a long time, of any sports.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
I mean, yeah, I couldn't wait to talk to him, obviously,
just for his background. That was John Hail asking about
me and one of the few Native American Navajo athletes,
and his answer was just terrific.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
So yeah, I can't wait to.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
See him play tom because I don't know if you've
had a chance of meeting yet.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
But for the folks listening.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
This guy is huge.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
He's very tall, broad shoulders, like you expect on an
old lineman, and I swear I don't know if he
has announcer fat on him, so he fits the eyeball test.
But he also, you know what a great backstory, and
you know, eleven guys on his high school team, but uh.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
You know, didn't shy away.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
And then he helped the new Mexico State raise its
profile a bit, and you know what happened with some
of those folks who.
Speaker 6 (25:20):
Ended up his sandy.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
So yeah, it's just a fascinating story.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
I can't remember who told me this, but somebody said
on that left side, they were talking about how strong
Braun is the left guard from Arkansas, and then they
said with Pete, uh, if nothing else, you know, with
his wingspan and his size, it'll take a little while
to get around him.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Yeah, that's not a bad not a bad thought. Mix
in a little bit of footwork and you know. And
the great thing too about this portal.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
That obviously it or missed. Uh, but you know, the guy's.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Been through the wars, he has played, and so I
got to think time we talked a lot about what
games where well we'll Kentucky be the favorite, will be
the underdog. I got to think in a majority, with
all due respect in New Mexico State Shias, Pete played
in a majority of the games where they were the
underdog absolutely now, which is based on what he was saying.
Speaker 6 (26:14):
You know, he likes a challenge.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
So I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
And John hailmansheind in there you referred to him as
NFL prospect. I think Brawn certainly is NFL prospect. So
you know that that's the direction the Big Blue Wall
needs to be trending in is putting guys back to
putting you know, a higher number of guys into the league.
So there's at least two prospects at least on that
(26:38):
left side.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
All right, right on the money because and you know,
just just into an NFL camp, just just to give
him a chance to make the league. But we've talked
about this before. When you go back to the original
Big Blue Wall as it developed, it peaked really the
season that Liam Cohn arrived. And you know, I think
(27:00):
four of the five guys ended up in NFL camps
and three stuck. That's how good that line was. And
of course I had an NFL running back in an
NFL quarterback. But it all starts up front. Everybody knows
that big men lead the way. Is that he Grant?
So yeah, that's the quality, level of quality you've got
to have, you know, maybe not all five guys, but
pretty close if you're going to at least compete in
(27:22):
the SEC.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Next week will be SEC Media Days down in Atlanta.
It's something you covered a long time. I think Phil Steele,
I said, Kentucky, I think rank fifteenth of the sixteen,
and it'll probably be something like that when the media
poll comes out at the end of next week. And
that to me is no great surprise because there's Kentucky
(27:46):
comes off a four win season and has a massive
roster turnover, so there's just a lot of unknowns. Doesn't
mean that the prediction is accurate though.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
No, you're right.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
And I will look at a one man's opinion kind
of poll of SEC quarterbacks here in the off season,
and they had you know, Zach Calzato last Well, you know,
they don't know anything about him, so it's just a
matter of you know, playing up, playing over the skill
set that people think he has, or maybe playing to
(28:17):
his skill set we don't know that much about. But
you know, I watched That'll miss replay on on Kentucky Day,
and you know, the quarterback play was outstanding. The old
line play was not. There were at times it was,
but you know, he was sacked four or five, five
or six times, but the big pass at the end,
(28:38):
intermediate passes during the game. You know, if you just
get serviceable quarterback play to begin with, you're already ahead
of the game. And if you can protect him now
you've got a shot.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Yeah, and the quarterbacks, as Calsato we anticipate will be
the starter, backed up by Cutter Bowley and cals A
certainly got the experience going in his seventh season. And
you know the kid at Louisville last year had a
great year, was in his seventh season. So, uh, again,
it's just an unknown it could go I mean, if
(29:12):
it if it goes really well, that's part of the
script of how you go about overachieving when you know
the expectations are are low. Is having a really good
quarterback play, really good to o line play. If you
could think you could check both of those boxes, then
you'd feel a lot better about even with the schedule
they have, how what it could turn into?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Yeah, and a lot of question marks on defense. This
could be the kind of year where they have to
outscore people. But you know, maybe the defense does come around.
And now, I know you talked about it earlier, but
they've got a quarterback prospect in the fold at least,
you know, you believe when he's on camping, you know
that'll set tongues to wagging if any, if any or
(29:56):
all the quarterback's faulters. So it's an interesting time, right,
now for Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
You follow the baseball scene college baseball scene very closely.
Any thoughts on the MLB draft that'll be coming up soon,
and you know how seriously Panatowski will look at that
versus playing college football and baseball.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
I don't have any feel for him, but look, they
say he's going to be a number one draft pick.
And I don't know if he prefers baseball to football.
Speaker 6 (30:26):
But you know, it is it is possible.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I don't know if that possible, but it's illegal whatever for.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Him to play both. You can play one.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Sport professionally and another sport is an amateur. I don't
know if that rule has changed or not. It would
be really hard to do. And I would think that,
you know, neither football nor baseball people would want him
to do that. But it's something you know, maybe he entertains,
but I have no idea if you will. But you know,
first round money's first round money, on the other hand,
(30:57):
and I l money's in IL money.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Yeah, I mean, you'd have at least you have more
of a fighting chance in a battle like this nowadays.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Yeah, exactly. And not only that, you know, I guess
you could come from the baseball side and the football
side with n il dollars, So Kentucky's got a better
shot at hanging.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
On to him. I wonder if he would talk to
a guy like Tyler Bell, because he was what projected
maybe second round.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
He was drafted, and will was it really was the
between the first and the second. In the supplemental draft,
he was taking sixty sixth overall. But here he is
at Kentucky and he's already having an All American career.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, and you know, kind of he made a decision
that was a surprise to.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Some Yeahgehock not even a shocked to a lot of people.
But you know, the negotiations broke down kind of quickly.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
And that was that talk with Dick Gabriel from Big
Blue Insider, a Big Blue Insider one on X We'll
take a break, come back to talk the look Kentucky
basketball here in just a moment. It is the Leach
Report Radio Network corbrat Hamp has a prime day sale
that is going on this It starts tomorrow, goes through
the eleventh. You can get thirty percent off their full
(32:06):
lineup of hemp products exclusively at cornbreadhamp dot com. So
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(32:29):
checkout and you'll get thirty percent off from tomorrow through
the eleventh at cornbreadhamp dot com. Code word prime Cornnbread Hemp.
This is the good Life final segment of our show
and our Wildcat History. Note is a happy birthday to
Andy Green, who's in the New York Mets front office
(32:49):
now manage the San Diego Padres at one time five
years in the majors and is a UK Athletics Hall
of Famer. Set five school records for UK baseball, including
single season hits and runs scored. Well Cat History that's
presented by Kentucky road Show Sports Cards en Memory again
on Romney Road in Lexington at a Roadshow Cards dot Com.
(33:11):
To Gabriel chatting with us and game, I know you've
been a part of most, if not all, of these
weekly sessions with the new Kentucky basketball team. I think
the next one's Tomorrow with Jaden Quainton's and Cam Williams.
Anything out of any of these sessions or what are
some of the things maybe is the better way to
put it. That have you know, caught your ear foremost
(33:35):
about among everything you heard?
Speaker 2 (33:39):
You know, I wondered after hearing the guys last year
to a person talk about how much they appreciated and
I'm talking about the upperclassmen another freshmen do, but just
you know, how much they appreciated being a part of
the Kentucky program and what it meant to them and
the fact that it's high profile, and you know, I
(33:59):
know Kentucky. You know the last two three Caliperi years
didn't do much in a postseason. But when these guys
were young, is when guys like John Wall and Brandon
and those.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Guys were doing great things.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
And the Kentucky program is doing great things and so
as kids that stuck out to them, and you know,
so they talked about I always wanted to be a
part of a program, or specifically like Tobie read like Kentucky.
These guys, the new guys are saying the same thing,
and I wondered about that, Tom I wondered, was that
just kind of a one hit wonder situation or will
(34:36):
the next group, the next crop of transfers, feel the
same way. The answer apparently is yes. So I think
I think Kentucky fans when they hear more and more
of that, I know how much they appreciated it from
the guys last year, and I think they'll appreciate it
again this year. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I mean, I think sometimes you look at a player
like Diabate and just an average road of the bill
college basketball fan might look at that as like, Wow,
he was you know, Alabama's done really well, made it
to a Final four recently, he was playing a lot
for them. Why would he leave to come to Kentucky?
And that one of the things he was one of
the guys that was I think most notably talking about
(35:13):
how you know much he grew up as a Kentucky fan.
And I always say that that's part of the transfer
portal that I know some of it frustrates coaches and fans,
but there's a part of it that is really good
on two fronts. One is you know a guy like
Will Levis that I've always said was buried in the
quarterback depth chart at Penn State and he gets his chance.
(35:36):
Joe Burrows another great example. But then you have, you know,
a guy like Adiabate that dreamed of playing at Kentucky,
didn't get the chance, wasn't recruited, but on the second
go round, has a chance to do that. And if
that was something you dreamed of doing, then there's nothing
wrong with doing it.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
No, you're right, And you know you also have the
kid Jalen Lowe, who Aaron Gershowan wrote about him, had
had a list of school like eight schools that he
wanted to hear from when he was being recruited, per
from none of them, and Kentucky was near the top,
along with Kansas and Duke. And so when he got
(36:17):
a shot a second chance to play at Kentucky, well,
now you know you talk about appreciation and also a
chance to play with better players. Due respect to Pittsburgh,
they weren't any good last year and he was the
one guy who could keep him in a ball game.
So now I'm really curious to see what he can
do when he doesn't have to carry a team. But again,
(36:39):
he's just like Diabate, like Aberdeen, got part of a
national title team and yet couldn't wait to make the
jump to Kentucky. So to me, it's really interesting.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Yeah. Absolutely, And I think you know, that helps get
them into I think roles at diabate for what we hear,
in particular into leadership roles because they come from teams
that have played in final fours or in Everydey's case,
won a national championship. And you know what they say,
(37:11):
even though they haven't been here, I would think has
to carry some weight with the other guys.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Now, you're right, and I think about guys coming from
successful programs. I actually think about Rachel Lawson, Yeah, who's
been so successful as Kentucky softball coach. One of her
recruiting strategies her policy basically, I don't know if it's
you know, hard and fast, but she likes to recruit
kids from winning programs. She said, I want them to
(37:37):
know that culture already. I don't want to have to
teach them how to win. They've already got that ingrained
in their psyche. And that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Gabe, thank you much for jumping in. All right, buddy,
that's Dick Gabriel, that big Blue insider one on X
and you hear about the big Blue Insider Show weeknights
here in Lexington, and we are done for the day.
We'll see tomorrow on the Leach Report, presented by Bobcat
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