Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This podcast of the Leach Report is presented by Boone's
Butcher Shop in Barnestown at one hundred old Bloomfield Pike,
family owned and operated since nineteen forty six, with fresh
meat cut on site daily. Boons Butcher Shop God Day.
Everybody welcome into the show for this Friday. We're presented
(00:21):
as always by Bobcat Enterprises. Coming up today, Jeff Pcora
will join us, my UK football broadcast partner and sports
director at WTVQ here in Lexington. He will join us
the chat about is is it the SEC media days
and other things UK football and maybe a little a
(00:43):
little bit on the Rids and who knows what else,
and then in the first half of the show, Dave
Baker's going to join us from WKYT TV, the UK
network and Steve Moss, his colleague at KYT yesterday posted
a clip of Dave doing an interview many years ago,
had to be probably early eighties with Hulk Hogan at
(01:05):
rapp Arena before a show, so we'll talk with him
about that. In conjunction with the passing of Hulk Hogan
yesterday at the age of seventy one, and in Little
UK Sports as well with buzz. So that is the
lineup for this Friday as we close out the week shows,
Let's get right to the Wildcat News of the day
(01:26):
that's presented by just Sepies of Lexington. And we have
talked a good bit this week about some of the
business related things of college sports. More of that to
lead off with as President Trump yesterday announced an executive
order prohibiting third party pay for play deals for college athletes. Now,
the fair market value compensation is still permitted, that is
(01:50):
for legitimate business deals. So in other words, if a
player wants to be the spokesman for a bank, car dealership, whatever,
he or she can still do those kinds of legitimate
business deals. But to get a million dollars just to
come and play at a school, that is what they're
(02:11):
looking to prohibit with this, which seems to line up
with what was already in place coming out of this
House Settlement deal in the new College Sports Commission. However,
this gives it a little more An executive order puts
a little more force behind that. College administrators, including the
head of the NCAA, are still pushing for some kind
(02:34):
of legislation which would outlive an executive order, which a
subsequent president could always change also, and there's a language
in there about protecting in the Executive Order protecting women's
in non revenue sports, which is a important talking point
in this. On a second subject, Inside Carolina reports that
(02:59):
if the next round of conference alignment happens in realignment
happens anytime soon, that the University of North Carolina would
be looking to go to the SEC should they exit
the ACC. Always been a lot of speculation that because
of maybe similar academic approaches, that if Carolina left the
(03:23):
ACC would be for the Big Ten, but this report
from I guess it'd be the Carolina version of the
Cat's pause, is that they would be looking.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
To get to the SEC.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And there are substantial exit fees for leaving the ACC
for any of those schools, but over the next few
years they'll start to drop, and if you can make
considerably more than what you're already making, then that can
make the exit fee more just fiable. So just something
(03:55):
to keep an eye on.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
There.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Got a chance to watch basketball this with the Kentucky
men's team yesterday for first time after getting back from vacation.
It was good to see Oscar COB's there and an
Oscar tweeted out a picture with Coach Pope where they
had a visit after the practice, and Oscar noted it
was the first time he'd been to a Kentucky practice
since Coach Pope arrived. And so I don't get Oscar
(04:22):
has been to a I don't know if Oscar has
been to a UK basketball game since COVID, and he
did make it to a Sweet sixteen last year, so
I suspect we'll see him in the rep Arena media
room again this winter, hopefully. But anyway, it was good
to see the big O there yesterday, and it was
fun to watch practice. And you know, when we get
a chance to watch the practices, they don't want us
(04:46):
talking about a lot of the specifics. What I came
away with is to kind of give you an idea
of the depth of talent on this team. In fact,
I don't know if I said this to Oscar or not,
but I think if you tried to rank the players,
let's say that just wanted to rank the top ten
players out there last year's team, I think had you
(05:08):
done that exercise, you would have, among however many people,
let's say ten people doing that, you would have probably
had some pretty likely to have a consensus of similar
players in similar spots. I don't know that that would
be the case with this group. There's just as it's
(05:28):
kind of looked on paper, it certainly looked that way
in practice that there is a depth of talent and
a lot of players with the interchangeable skill sets. So
it will be fun again to see how this all
shakes out and then how Bark Pope is able to
(05:51):
mix and match over the course of a game, and
how you know, how rigidly he settles into rotations or
does is that a little more flex maybe in the past years.
I don't know what It's gonna be interesting to see
a lot of it's obviously data driven with their reliance
on analytics, so it's gonna be interesting part of the
journey with this second Kentucky basketball team of the Mark
(06:14):
Pope era. Thanks to the stories that we talk about
each day, you can find those on the bud Light
Leach Report page at Tom leachky dot com. Day Baker
coming up when we return our opening segment of wild
Cat News, always presented by Ji Seppes of Lexington out
past man Or Boulevard here in Lexington, just off Nicholasville Road,
tucked away there for more than a quarter of a
(06:35):
century with a very consistent plan, great food and a
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like a birthday or an anniversary, something like that, or
just getting together with some friends for a special night
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(06:56):
Ji Seppes. Quick break Back with Buzz on the Leech
presented by Bob gat Enterprises. PA's report coming to you
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(07:18):
discounts when you fill up at Clark's. Working to land
Dave Baker to talk about the time he interviewed Hulk
Hogan at Raupperina Uh and we will hopefully land Dave
here in just a bit. A couple of things we'll
do here in the interim. Mark Pope talked to the
media earlier this week and oh we've got him.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
We'll get back to Mark Pope. Later.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
We have Dave Baker on the line now, and uh buzz.
Your colleague Steve Moss put out this clip yesterday of
you interviewing Uh. I think it was Hulk Hogan. I
think of the Macho Man before an event at Rapperena.
When was that?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
That was thirty seven years ago? Right?
Speaker 1 (08:05):
I knew you look young?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We all what was it? Clint Eastwood said, we all
died a little bit met War.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
You were a big wrestling fans. That had to be
quite a fun event for you.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Oh it was huge.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I mean I've always loved it, you know, Dad, You know,
my buddies called him Dick the Bruiser, you know, because
of the wrestler he was always watching.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And we grew up watching it.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Midwestern Bunch, Bo Bo Brazil, Wild Bull Curry and all
those folks. And then this group in the eighties popped
up and it even deepened even more because a lot
of us around town got to know Randy and the Pafos.
Their real name was Pofo, their dad Angel was the promoter,
(08:56):
and uh Leap and Lanny was Randy's brother, and so
they would actually go and tape their wrestling show on
like a Wednesday night over at Channel.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Thirty six, which was Channel sixty two at.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
The time, and then they'd come over and every Friday
morning we'd be and worked in just like this, right
about this time, and all of a sudden, you hear
boom boom, boom boom in these big feet come up
the stairs and Randy would go, he deve anybody using
the edit bit, he.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Come in and edit its own show.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
And he was a great He was a great, great guy.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Tom baseball player too, would he was.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
He was a left handed catcher.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
He was in the Cardinals organization, and he was also
in the Reds organization for a little bit of time.
But uh yeah, I got to I got to know
him really well, and then through him, got to got
to know Hogan, and he was always all those guys
they understood, you know, everybody talks about a NASCAR and
(10:03):
how they relate to the fans and everything, but they
got it before the NASCAR people did.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I understood that they needed to make a connection.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
And those two guys really did it. But the baseball
you're talking about, one of my favorite ones was you
can google it still, and because he was a baseball guy,
they were doing a show up in Cincinnati, and so
Marty and Joe invited Randy up to the booth and
(10:30):
he was there in his full wrestling war and the
game literally stopped. Everybody in the stadium was turned around
looking at him up in a broadcast booth and all
my God sent a note up to Marty and said
get him out of there, and you can imagine the
response that Marty sent back. But savage of those guys,
(10:55):
they were in lexic to the next night. So I
went down to do at other live shot with him,
and the whole interview was about Marge shot and it
was as close as I had ever seen him come
to breaking character.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
And I'll have to post that. That's another one we've got.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
But yeah, those guys were a lot of fun, and
boy did they helped popularize professional wrestling to the masses.
And they made themselves some good coin along the way.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Yes they did.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
And you know, Hulk Cogan was, you know, at the
head of the line. I mean he was in Rocky
three as Thunderlips. I mean he transition transitioned away from
the wrestling ring or outside the wrestling ring too.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Oh, those guys were doing like music videos. I think
Brian Milam said it yesterday. I think he said it
pretty well. You know, you talk about iconic figures, but
certainly Hulk, I mean he was he was a part
of most people that kind.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Of grew up in the eighties, you know, and that
were young adults.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I mean, you know the other thing too, is that
is that rest sling professionally.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I always called it the modern day.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Classic Western because the thing that made Western so good
is you knew who the good guys and the bad
guys were, right, the white hats and the podcast. Same
deal in professional wrestling. So the first the first wrestle.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Mania was nineteen eighty five, and you.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Know, the lines couldn't have been drawn any better than
a guy named hul Cogan who came out talking about.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
America at that period of time.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Think about this now fighting somebody named the Iron Chic
and that's that's when he won the first of his
six titles.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Uh, you know that it was.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
It went huge in those days and has continued that
way on a big scale. It was more regional before that.
You mentioned the guys that you grew up watching there
in Ohio. I know here in Kentucky, it was out
of I think they would be at the Mid South
Coliseum in Memphis and it was Jerry Lawler and Tojo
Yamamoto and uh I forget who all else and we
(13:04):
went to like Lance Russell and Bill Brown were the announcers.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Oh my gosh, Bill Brown was the weather guy at
Channel five down in Memphis and they needed somebody to
work with Lance Russell and so that's when that's when
they ended up hiring him and one of my all
type favorite clips with a bunch of guys that Max Good.
It's funny the guys that were involved in wrestling. You know,
Mike Archer was a big wrestling guy and when he
(13:29):
was in the NFL, he'd call up on Monday nights.
And Max Good, who coached at e KU, huge wrestling guy.
In his favorite line, he'll still call us up and
the only thing he'll say is not so fast, Ryan's Russell's.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
That's what Tojo used to say all the time.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
But you know those guys, they just they just absolutely
stuck with you. And a lot of those guys made
their craft on the regional level, like Hogan and those guys,
and then they went on when Vince McMahon started World
Wrestling Federation. You got guys like Jimmy Hart and Jerry
Lawler and and all those guys in a buddy of ours.
(14:08):
He's back doing more broadcasting now, but for years Tony
Shavanni was the broadcast engineer for the Georgia Radio Network,
and of course he started out in the Atlanta based
wrestling deal and he was Rick Flair's foyle.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
He'd come in and go, Tony Savanna, hold my relex.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
He goes to all these shows and everybody knows Tony
Shavanni because of that whole thing, and it's just it's
just something that you can wrap your arms around forget
about the care his life for a while and just
go crazy. The amazing thing, too, Tom was it was
not only kids. It was not only guys like us.
(14:55):
It was our sweet little grandmother's who get in front
of that team and just pound their fists over somebody
that they really liked or really didn't like.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
It was in professional wrestling.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
I think this is right on a Saturday afternoon. This
is in the three channel era of television. You could
watch like American band Stand, Soul Train, and wrestling within
about two hours of each other.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And if that's not America right there, you know, I mean,
I mean that covers it.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
And then the other thing happened.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
So so Randy, when he was just starting out, they
would actually buy the time from us to air their show,
and then he would go out and sell the commercials. Well,
we had a new guy in master control who was
running the commercials and he had some trouble for a
couple of weeks, and so.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Randy came in like two three.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Straight Saturdays and set next to it to make sure
that the commercials ran.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Now, could you imagine how terrifying that would be for
somebody young in television, you know, had this big, you know,
just beast of a man sitting there. But he was
the nicest guy all through the years. And even after
he and I had a huge go ahead, No, even
after he made it hugely big, we'd see him and
(16:12):
the first thing he'd ask is, yeah, it was so
and so and so and so still running camera there, Joe,
she's still a master control.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And please tell mister Gabbett, I said, hello.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
I mean it was always it was always the little piece,
and he was he really appreciated what he had.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
I had a stat Todd didn't really realize he was
that big. That hul Koga was like six'.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Eight oh my, gosh he was.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
There you were standing next to him along with those.
PYTHONS i.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Had somebody asked me yesterday if they had, me, uh
if they had me on a peach basket or something
to and, no it.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Wasn't but he.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Didn't he didn't really look six eights because he was
so massive everywhere.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Else, yeah did a fat on. It and you know
the other things people don't realize too.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Is you know a lot of people like stage faith
was not. FAKE i mean it's re hurst, right but
it's incredibly. Physical and the physical toll that this sport
took on so.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Many of these guys is.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Incredible and part Of hogan's issue over the last several
months was apparently he had a had a neck.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Surgery that was that was really pretty tough on.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
It buzz got to get to a. Break you can appreciate,
that you can you can go feed that, dogs don't sell.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
It let's go big, brother thank.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
You that Is dave Buzz baker with some memories of
the time he Interviewed Hull cogan At. Reparena we'll be
right back on the lead true for it short segment
here and then we'll Get Jeff pacoro on to lead
off the second half of the. Show kansas men's basketball
Coach Bill self was hospitalized after having a procedure to
(17:57):
insert a couple of stints in our. Yesterday he is
expected to make a full, recovery so that is good
news for Coach. Self we're halfway home on this edition
Of The Leach. Report it's presented By Bobcat enterprises with
four locations Around. Kentucky Google Bobcat. Enterprises when you need
to buy or rent a piece of heavy, equipment they'll
have what you need and they'll treat you fantastically well
(18:20):
At Bobcat. Enterprises we'll be right back second half of
Our friday. Show here on The Leach, reporters we Welcome
Jeff pokoro to the. PROGRAM Uk Football network teammate and
the sports director AT wtvq channel thirty six here In.
Lexington And jeff was AT Sec Media days last. Week
(18:43):
were you there just for The kentucky, Session, jeff or
you were on any of the others.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Schools, YEAH i was there for the whole day On
thursday and half today On, Wednesday So, yeah we saw
quite a few guys go. Through and you, Know, tom
every team is, bigger, stronger, faster and every team's got
a great chance win the.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Championship isn't it?
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Amazing it, is.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
It really.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Is but you, know, hey in horse, races and there's
that term hope springs e turn off right.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Exactly there was a great line THAT i think it
Was Greg, nord one time LONGTIME uk football, assistant Former
kentucky player actually, too and his line was about. Recruiting
but you, know and, recruiting the messages are always the,
same you. Know and when they signed their new class of,
recruits really in any, sport and he, said it's kind
(19:33):
of like fishing and. Babies he, said everybody talks about
the one that got, away and nobody has an ugly.
Baby you. Know it's was on a show yesterday out In.
Oklahoma they were doing previews of all THE sec schools and,
(19:53):
yeah everybody asks, you what do you what do you?
Think AND i don't really have a good answer BECAUSE
i do think they'll be. BETTER i think that primarily
is based ON i think the offensive line will be significantly,
better AND i think the defensive line could be as.
Well and if they are in both of those, areas
that's how they're a better. Team but IT'S i, understand you,
(20:13):
know how they get ranked where they do in pre
season things because they're coming off with four win season
and there's just been so much roster turnover that you
can choose to be as optimistic or pestimistic as you
want with all of the new.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Faces, YEAH i think you're exactly.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
RIGHT i think last year was the first year since
maybe marks second season here where the offensive and defensive
lines didn't live up to the expectations that we. Had
and that really that he. SETS i mean when he
sat in front Of Mitch barnhardt and interviewed for the,
job his big thing was we to win in THE
(20:51):
sec if to dominate up, front and that's what we're gonna.
Do When mitch loved hearing that last year really was
the first year that didn't. HAPPEN i thought it was
a pointing season From. Dion watner is a great. Example
here's a guy that you, know had he come out
after his second, year he'd have been a top probably you,
know first round draft. Pick but he got dinged up
(21:12):
a little bit and you, know didn't play up to
the expectations we had and it cost him a lot of.
Money but you, know that's just one example of what
Happens Derek, jackson you, know getting. HER i, mean there
was just so many things that happened that last. Year
BUT i saw a renewed, vigor if that's a good
word to use In mark In, atlanta he was. UPBEAT
(21:36):
i think he likes what he has this. Year and
the question, Now tom is can they become a cohesive
unit in such a short time on both.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Sides, YEAH i think that's a very good. Point he is,
AGAIN i, mean coming out of his, background he is intensely.
Competitive so if you wanted all the jokes about you, know,
Motive mark stoops and. UH i think he got a
question about that and he's clear it's not his favorite.
(22:06):
Topic BUT i get that because if you, know when
when you know people are having sometimes fun with, it
but the ones kind of using it to take a
shot at, it it kind of implies that you weren't
motivated in the. Past and you know his, background son
of a, coach, Everything he's always. Motivated BUT i would
guarantee the thing that is driving him the most as
(22:27):
he prepares for this season or three words and that's
four and.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Eight, yeah, no you're exactly. Right, look he. Knows do
you think you want to be that guy that when
you know you every time you tick up the, newspaper
every time you get on social, media people are bashing.
You and you, know look at what he's done. Here you,
know he's the longest tenured coach, ever he's the winningest coach.
Ever no one's ever won Eight bowl games in a
(22:51):
row except. Him he's had two ten win. Seasons no
one's ever done that. BEFORE i mean that he had
one down, season AND i think it kind of goes
back TO i Remember patinos saying this when he, left
is you can only stay at some place so long
and then it's time to move on because, people you, know,
(23:13):
now the expectations are ten win seasons every year and
that's just not gonna happen. Here but he knows, that
and he knows that for the you, know if he
wants any kind of a future in, coaching he's got
to turn this thing, around if it's here or somewhere.
Else AND i think he's, has LIKE i, said a,
renewed bigger and the coaching staff that's the other, thing Key,
(23:33):
Tommy he's got the continuity and the coaching staff that
he hasn't had in a long time offensive coordinator for
the second year in a. ROW i think that really.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Helps, yeah that's, SIGNIFICANT i think Because Bush hampden came
in late last year When liam made his exit back
to THE. Nfl bush came in. Late so to use
The Bill parcells, line he didn't get to buy the
groceries for the team he was coaching and to cook,
them so to, speak and Was parcel's. Line and so
(24:03):
now he's had a second season to have more of
an opportunity to pick the guys that maybe best fit
what he wants to. Do so there's that's that alone
is good reason to think that it could be. IMPROVED
i think the biggest reason it could be improved if
is if that offensive line is as much improved as
(24:24):
we think it will.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Be, well you, know just looking at it on paper
and seeing these guys in short pants like we, HAVE
i mean this this whole. THING i, Mean pete is
he's Like Sam bowie plus one hundred and something, pounds you,
KNOW i, mean he's got a. WINK i think it's
seventy nine, yeah, SO i, mean just if he could
(24:46):
stand and extend his, arms it's gonna take three or
four seconds for the defender to get around, him you. Know.
So AND i think the guy that we're kind of
overlooking THAT i don't think gets as much written up about, Him.
BRAUN i, mean here's a guy that's played in the league,
now he's An ALL sec. Performer he's six almost sixty,
(25:10):
pounds and he is an absolute road grader out. There
AND i think that that is really going to help
stabilize especially the interior of that offensive.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Line, yeah that left those two guys will be on
the left side of the, center and then on the
right side you've Got farmer in a second, year and
then you've got a new right. Tackle but you've got
a little more depth than you've had. Before young man
From Madison central who had to kind of get forced
(25:41):
in ahead of schedule last. Year, now, Yep malechi gives
you a little more depth there as.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Well Behind.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Wolfschleeger so, Yeah Wolf schleeger is a big guy, too
and again An All conference. Performer. Tom they didn't just
bring in guys to just fill a.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Hole they brought into.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Quality these guys were talking about were all conference in
their respective. Conference now wasn't THE sec except For, brawn
but they played at a high, level AND i think
that's a big. Key they just didn't fill a hole.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
The defensive line last season we thought was going to
be a. Strength dion was out on the, field but
wasn't him anywhere close to his best that as you mentioned,
Earlier so you didn't have the best version of him
to command double teams or occasional triple. Teams and they
lost a couple of key guys that would have been
(26:35):
in the rotation to injury that they didn't. Have Almost
hayes got back late in the, Season so now they've
been healthy in that particular part of the. Defense and
that's WHY i think that group can be, better even
if you know they don't have anybody that's has the
raw talent Of. Dion we didn't get to see that
From dion last, Season SO i think they can be
(26:57):
better because of the depth that they have up front.
Linebackers they need guys to step up there that probably
are a little light for THE. Sec but you always
Thought DeAndre square was going to be facing that issue
and he handled it pretty.
Speaker 4 (27:13):
Well, yeah and you Know Alex safari talked about that
as well In. Atlanta he said that he's up to
two hundred and thirty pounds and can still. Run SO
i think that's big enough because now what we're seeing
with these, linebackers and it's not just THE, sec it's
across the country the way that defenses are playing. Now
because offenses are using three and four receivers and backs
(27:35):
coming out of the. Backfield these, linebackers the guys on
the edge have to be able to cover in. Space
SO i think they're going to be better that. Way
you've Got rainer And afari who are two thirty and
about the two fifteen to two. Twenty you, know is
that big enough when you're playing in the system that stoop, Shoeses,
(27:56):
yes because these guys can go sideline to sideline and
that's what he's looking. For but, LOOK i think the
strength of this team is gonna be their. DEFENSE i really.
DO i think they've got a lot up. Front like
you you mentioned all those. Guys goose says that is
gonna be a monster for this, team huge pick up
for them That Josiah hayes being, Healthy saunders is. Back
they've got enough upfront and then you look at the
(28:18):
defensive backfield and the guy the only guy he, Loses Maxwell.
Harrison but remember he didn't play a bunch of. Games
so those, Guys JAKE. Q hardaway got a lot of.
Snaps you got both your safeties, back it's going to
be a huge. Strength so the SECONDARY i think's gonna
be really. Good and the kid they got From, alabama
the FRESHMAN i think is gonna be a guy that's
gonna contribute this.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Year he's a.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
Cornerback he's only five to, ten but he's a high
jump and long jump champion down there And. Alabama he's
a four, star a high four. STAR i think the
te contributes this. Year And WALLER i think is ready
to make that next step. Too he was a big time,
recruit you, know came out of a.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Big college At.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
MICHIGAN i think that that are fine in the. BACKFIELD
i really think that the question mark on this team
is what we already talked about is offensive line and.
Quarterback Is kalzada can play like they think he can
and from practice he's got a cannon for an. Arm
bowley has gotten bigger and. Stronger you, KNOW i really
think this team can surprise some. People and again the
(29:19):
biggest game of the year is going to Be game.
Two and with old miss, here you beat him last,
year and if you could play like that and beat
him again this, YEAR i think that turns the whole season.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Around, Continue Jeff, Pacarel we come right. Back it is
The Leach Report Radio network and we're presented By Bob Cat.
Enterprises it is The Leach report for This, friday and
we were coming to you from The Clark's pump And Chop. Studio,
Return refresh and. Refuel chat With Jeff pacoro will be
in the booths on the thirtieth Of, august about a
month away For Kentucky football's. Opener you were talking About
(29:52):
calzada and his arm. Strength WHEN i saw the last
practice of the spring with the basketball And keelan starting,
UP i hadn't been able to get to, practices so
that was the first Time i'd seen him other than
clips of, tape and that was the arm strength was
the first thing that stood. OUT i asked somebody that
(30:13):
had seen a lot of practices that, says where does
he fall on The Lorenzen levis scale or? Spectrum you,
Know will had that cannon for an arm and you
Know Jared jared did as. Well that might have been the.
Strongest but that's, certainly you, know and a weapon That calzada,
has certainly that lack for. Experience, YES i think for,
(30:38):
him the key to me is just first and foremost
taking care of the. Football if they're going to have
a chance to exceed expectations this, YEAR i think a
couple of things they need to do is not beat
themselves with penalties and.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Turnovers, YEAH i think you hit the nail on the.
Head tom first, thought really good arm Strength and WHAT
i liked the best about, it it's a quick. Delivery
he doesn't load. Up it's not a big wind up
when he. THROWS i mean he keeps the ball up
high and he gets it out really quick and it
gets to the receiver. Quickly that's the first. Key second
key is this he needs to learn to and you
(31:12):
hear this so much and it's sounds so, cliche take
what the defense gives. You he tries to. Be if
you look at his, tape he started thirty two, games you,
know and and ten of those we were IN sec
play At TEXAS a AND m he Beat. Alabama he
tends to be a little bit Of Brett farvish MEANING
i THINK i can throw that ball even though he's double.
TEAMED i can get it in. There take what they give.
(31:35):
YOU a six yard game is better than a twenty
five yard. Interception he's got a lot of receivers to work,
With he's got a really nice tight end room to work.
WITH i think he's got the tools to do. It but,
again it's to, me the difference in him being a
great success in this team, winning.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
You, know and going to a bowl.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
Game this year is the four inches between his. Ears
take what they give you a six ven yard, Game
throw the ball away live for that next. Down don't
try to do too much is the.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Key let's talk a little bit about back To Mark
stoops and you talked about what you since down In
atlanta at media, days you, know this time a year.
Ago one of the storylines that was being bounced AROUND
uk football was think some Comments mark had, made maybe
it was To Daryl bird and The cat's pause of
(32:26):
your book just about how and it wasn't the first
time he said it about how it was just all
the nil stuff transfer. PORTAL i, like probably more the
nil was just straining and sucking up so much of his.
Time and Everything i've heard for a while now about
the lead up to this season is that he's really
excited about being back to mainly coaching. Football so, they
(32:52):
for whatever, reason have a better handle on, that and
he seems maybe a little reinvigorated by doing what he
got into the business to.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
Do, YEAH i think he's he's now seen THAT i
can't do it, all you, know and he has to
be more like Uh Nick saban and those guys where
they're CEOs of the team and let your coaches. COACH
i think that what he's done now is he's he's figured,
out Let, addie Let, josh let them worry about that,
stuff you let me. Coach and he's gone back to,
(33:22):
That AND i think that's gonna help a lot. Too
and AGAIN i think the. CONTINUITY i think that getting
your your your offensive coordinator. Back you've got a defensive
coordinator And brad that's been there. Forever these coaches that
have been, there they know what he. Wants they know
how you, know having looked back at the offensive, line
these guys know how he wants to practice and what he.
Expects AND i think that's huge and and and and
(33:45):
hopefully you get these, guys the new. Comers you've got
fifty new guys coming in and that that's the amazing thing.
Too but him getting back to, FOOTBALL i think is
gonna be huge to get that toughness that he instills
back in this.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
TEAM Lisaf gears too Or Cincinnati reds up the up
the road and they just checked the standings this. Morning
they're kind of hanging around as a. Wildcard did only
two games out of. THAT i think they're eight and
a half back in the, division but only two back
in the wildcard, race so they are still a. Player
what they what do you think they might do to
(34:19):
improve their, team if anything before the trade? Deadline and
can they make a run in the second half of the.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Season, Yeah, well the one guy that they're looking at
and they're keying in, on but they just don't want to.
Give everybody wants, pitching and they've got some pitching in the.
Miners they got a couple of, guys But Aohaneo suarez
who leads the. Nationally he's got thirty six the thirty
six home runs and eighty some ODD rbi at The
All star. Break coming into the second. Half, uh you,
know they're willing to deal, him AND i think that's
(34:50):
a guy you put him at third. Base they're Trying
marte out in the outfield. Too they're really missing a
big right handed Battle ellie is it does a little bit,
everything And McLean's having such an off year at the.
PLATE i think they need a thumper in that. Lineup
that would really take so much pressure off Of ellie
to continue to be that. Guy and, really when you
(35:11):
look at the, outfield they've got three guys playing out
there who are really number three or. Fours you, know
they don't have that number one or number two like
they've always had in the. Past they don't have a
Junior kerns out. There you, Know they've got three guys
who would be the third outfielder or fourth outfielder on most.
Teams so moving him out to the outfield and Putting
(35:32):
suarez at third it look in that Ballpark Adam dunn
played left. Field let's remember, that that's like me or
you playing in the. Outfield, okay it's not a huge.
Outfield if done can do, it then pretty much anybody
in baseball could play the outfield At Great American. Ballpark
SO i think they need a, thumper AND i just
need to stay. Healthy you Saw ladolo the other night
(35:55):
through it what a five hitch shutout his first complete
game of his. Career he's healthy. Again you got to
get Under green. Back if you Get hunter, back then
they've got themselves the fighters chance in the second.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Half Jeff, Facoro channel thirty SIX wtvq here At lexington
and you'll hear him from our broadcast booth here soon
on THE Uk Football network.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Pick thank you, Much Thanks tom H, briddy break.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
And we will be right back for our final segment
on This friday of A Leach report presented By Bob
kat enterprises stan A Wow cat. History Former kentucky football
assistant COACH T martin celebrating a birthday today and. Tomorrow
early happy birthdays go out To Moe, williams one of
the all time great running backs At. Kentucky Andrew Hope.
(36:38):
WELL i listened To Dick Gabriel's Big Blue insider on
the drive back from. Vacation he was talking With Derek
abney And derek referenced To andrew being one of the
key blockers on the punt return touchdown he had that
set the record in his senior season For abney And Mike,
archer mentioned earlier By buzz as a wrestling fan also
(36:58):
a Former kentucky defensive. Coordinator happy early birthday for tomorrow
for Coach. Archer long, days warm, nights cold cans in.
Hand that's what summer In kentucky's all. About with the
good folks at Corn Bread hemp keeping the vibes rolling
the good vibes Wi her Infused seltzers in four delicious
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(37:19):
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every second of summer Corn Bread. Hemp this is the good.
(37:40):
Life congratulations To Gabby. Goddett she's been named the director
Of communications At. Keeland she'll be leaving a role At FANDOET.
Tv she'll do a fantastic job in that. Role IN
Nbc sports says The Kentucky oaks will be in primetime
ON nbc And peacock next spring at eight Pm. Eastern
have a great, weekend, everybody
This podcast of the Leach Report is presented by Boone's
Butcher Shop in Barnestown at one hundred old Bloomfield Pike,
family owned and operated since nineteen forty six, with fresh
meat cut on site daily. Boons Butcher Shop God Day.
Everybody welcome into the show for this Friday. We're presented
(00:21):
as always by Bobcat Enterprises. Coming up today, Jeff Pcora
will join us, my UK football broadcast partner and sports
director at WTVQ here in Lexington. He will join us
the chat about is is it the SEC media days
and other things UK football and maybe a little a
(00:43):
little bit on the Rids and who knows what else,
and then in the first half of the show, Dave
Baker's going to join us from WKYT TV, the UK
network and Steve Moss, his colleague at KYT yesterday posted
a clip of Dave doing an interview many years ago,
had to be probably early eighties with Hulk Hogan at
(01:05):
rapp Arena before a show, so we'll talk with him
about that. In conjunction with the passing of Hulk Hogan
yesterday at the age of seventy one, and in Little
UK Sports as well with buzz. So that is the
lineup for this Friday as we close out the week shows,
Let's get right to the Wildcat News of the day
(01:26):
that's presented by just Sepies of Lexington. And we have
talked a good bit this week about some of the
business related things of college sports. More of that to
lead off with as President Trump yesterday announced an executive
order prohibiting third party pay for play deals for college athletes. Now,
the fair market value compensation is still permitted, that is
(01:50):
for legitimate business deals. So in other words, if a
player wants to be the spokesman for a bank, car dealership, whatever,
he or she can still do those kinds of legitimate
business deals. But to get a million dollars just to
come and play at a school, that is what they're
(02:11):
looking to prohibit with this, which seems to line up
with what was already in place coming out of this
House Settlement deal in the new College Sports Commission. However,
this gives it a little more An executive order puts
a little more force behind that. College administrators, including the
head of the NCAA, are still pushing for some kind
(02:34):
of legislation which would outlive an executive order, which a
subsequent president could always change also, and there's a language
in there about protecting in the Executive Order protecting women's
in non revenue sports, which is a important talking point
in this. On a second subject, Inside Carolina reports that
(02:59):
if the next round of conference alignment happens in realignment
happens anytime soon, that the University of North Carolina would
be looking to go to the SEC should they exit
the ACC. Always been a lot of speculation that because
of maybe similar academic approaches, that if Carolina left the
(03:23):
ACC would be for the Big Ten, but this report
from I guess it'd be the Carolina version of the
Cat's pause, is that they would be looking.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
To get to the SEC.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And there are substantial exit fees for leaving the ACC
for any of those schools, but over the next few
years they'll start to drop, and if you can make
considerably more than what you're already making, then that can
make the exit fee more just fiable. So just something
(03:55):
to keep an eye on.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
There.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Got a chance to watch basketball this with the Kentucky
men's team yesterday for first time after getting back from vacation.
It was good to see Oscar COB's there and an
Oscar tweeted out a picture with Coach Pope where they
had a visit after the practice, and Oscar noted it
was the first time he'd been to a Kentucky practice
since Coach Pope arrived. And so I don't get Oscar
(04:22):
has been to a I don't know if Oscar has
been to a UK basketball game since COVID, and he
did make it to a Sweet sixteen last year, so
I suspect we'll see him in the rep Arena media
room again this winter, hopefully. But anyway, it was good
to see the big O there yesterday, and it was
fun to watch practice. And you know, when we get
a chance to watch the practices, they don't want us
(04:46):
talking about a lot of the specifics. What I came
away with is to kind of give you an idea
of the depth of talent on this team. In fact,
I don't know if I said this to Oscar or not,
but I think if you tried to rank the players,
let's say that just wanted to rank the top ten
players out there last year's team, I think had you
(05:08):
done that exercise, you would have, among however many people,
let's say ten people doing that, you would have probably
had some pretty likely to have a consensus of similar
players in similar spots. I don't know that that would
be the case with this group. There's just as it's
(05:28):
kind of looked on paper, it certainly looked that way
in practice that there is a depth of talent and
a lot of players with the interchangeable skill sets. So
it will be fun again to see how this all
shakes out and then how Bark Pope is able to
(05:51):
mix and match over the course of a game, and
how you know, how rigidly he settles into rotations or
does is that a little more flex maybe in the past years.
I don't know what It's gonna be interesting to see
a lot of it's obviously data driven with their reliance
on analytics, so it's gonna be interesting part of the
journey with this second Kentucky basketball team of the Mark
(06:14):
Pope era. Thanks to the stories that we talk about
each day, you can find those on the bud Light
Leach Report page at Tom leachky dot com. Day Baker
coming up when we return our opening segment of wild
Cat News, always presented by Ji Seppes of Lexington out
past man Or Boulevard here in Lexington, just off Nicholasville Road,
tucked away there for more than a quarter of a
(06:35):
century with a very consistent plan, great food and a
really special atmosphere. And if you have a special occasion
like a birthday or an anniversary, something like that, or
just getting together with some friends for a special night
out Maga Giuseppes, go to the open table right now
and make your reservation for your next night out at
(06:56):
Ji Seppes. Quick break Back with Buzz on the Leech
presented by Bob gat Enterprises. PA's report coming to you
each day from the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return, refresh
and refuel at Clark's and make sure you get signed
up for their loyalty rewards programs so that you can
take advantage of great discounts in the stores and also
(07:18):
discounts when you fill up at Clark's. Working to land
Dave Baker to talk about the time he interviewed Hulk
Hogan at Raupperina Uh and we will hopefully land Dave
here in just a bit. A couple of things we'll
do here in the interim. Mark Pope talked to the
media earlier this week and oh we've got him.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
We'll get back to Mark Pope. Later.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
We have Dave Baker on the line now, and uh buzz.
Your colleague Steve Moss put out this clip yesterday of
you interviewing Uh. I think it was Hulk Hogan. I
think of the Macho Man before an event at Rapperena.
When was that?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
That was thirty seven years ago? Right?
Speaker 1 (08:05):
I knew you look young?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We all what was it? Clint Eastwood said, we all
died a little bit met War.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
You were a big wrestling fans. That had to be
quite a fun event for you.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Oh it was huge.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I mean I've always loved it, you know, Dad, You know,
my buddies called him Dick the Bruiser, you know, because
of the wrestler he was always watching.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And we grew up watching it.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Midwestern Bunch, Bo Bo Brazil, Wild Bull Curry and all
those folks. And then this group in the eighties popped
up and it even deepened even more because a lot
of us around town got to know Randy and the Pafos.
Their real name was Pofo, their dad Angel was the promoter,
(08:56):
and uh Leap and Lanny was Randy's brother, and so
they would actually go and tape their wrestling show on
like a Wednesday night over at Channel.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Thirty six, which was Channel sixty two at.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
The time, and then they'd come over and every Friday
morning we'd be and worked in just like this, right
about this time, and all of a sudden, you hear
boom boom, boom boom in these big feet come up
the stairs and Randy would go, he deve anybody using
the edit bit, he.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Come in and edit its own show.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
And he was a great He was a great, great guy.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Tom baseball player too, would he was.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
He was a left handed catcher.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
He was in the Cardinals organization, and he was also
in the Reds organization for a little bit of time.
But uh yeah, I got to I got to know
him really well, and then through him, got to got
to know Hogan, and he was always all those guys
they understood, you know, everybody talks about a NASCAR and
(10:03):
how they relate to the fans and everything, but they
got it before the NASCAR people did.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I understood that they needed to make a connection.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
And those two guys really did it. But the baseball
you're talking about, one of my favorite ones was you
can google it still, and because he was a baseball guy,
they were doing a show up in Cincinnati, and so
Marty and Joe invited Randy up to the booth and
(10:30):
he was there in his full wrestling war and the
game literally stopped. Everybody in the stadium was turned around
looking at him up in a broadcast booth and all
my God sent a note up to Marty and said
get him out of there, and you can imagine the
response that Marty sent back. But savage of those guys,
(10:55):
they were in lexic to the next night. So I
went down to do at other live shot with him,
and the whole interview was about Marge shot and it
was as close as I had ever seen him come
to breaking character.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
And I'll have to post that. That's another one we've got.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
But yeah, those guys were a lot of fun, and
boy did they helped popularize professional wrestling to the masses.
And they made themselves some good coin along the way.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Yes they did.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
And you know, Hulk Cogan was, you know, at the
head of the line. I mean he was in Rocky
three as Thunderlips. I mean he transition transitioned away from
the wrestling ring or outside the wrestling ring too.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Oh, those guys were doing like music videos. I think
Brian Milam said it yesterday. I think he said it
pretty well. You know, you talk about iconic figures, but
certainly Hulk, I mean he was he was a part
of most people that kind.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Of grew up in the eighties, you know, and that
were young adults.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I mean, you know the other thing too, is that
is that rest sling professionally.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I always called it the modern day.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Classic Western because the thing that made Western so good
is you knew who the good guys and the bad
guys were, right, the white hats and the podcast. Same
deal in professional wrestling. So the first the first wrestle.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Mania was nineteen eighty five, and you.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Know, the lines couldn't have been drawn any better than
a guy named hul Cogan who came out talking about.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
America at that period of time.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Think about this now fighting somebody named the Iron Chic
and that's that's when he won the first of his
six titles.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Uh, you know that it was.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
It went huge in those days and has continued that
way on a big scale. It was more regional before that.
You mentioned the guys that you grew up watching there
in Ohio. I know here in Kentucky, it was out
of I think they would be at the Mid South
Coliseum in Memphis and it was Jerry Lawler and Tojo
Yamamoto and uh I forget who all else and we
(13:04):
went to like Lance Russell and Bill Brown were the announcers.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Oh my gosh, Bill Brown was the weather guy at
Channel five down in Memphis and they needed somebody to
work with Lance Russell and so that's when that's when
they ended up hiring him and one of my all
type favorite clips with a bunch of guys that Max Good.
It's funny the guys that were involved in wrestling. You know,
Mike Archer was a big wrestling guy and when he
(13:29):
was in the NFL, he'd call up on Monday nights.
And Max Good, who coached at e KU, huge wrestling guy.
In his favorite line, he'll still call us up and
the only thing he'll say is not so fast, Ryan's Russell's.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
That's what Tojo used to say all the time.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
But you know those guys, they just they just absolutely
stuck with you. And a lot of those guys made
their craft on the regional level, like Hogan and those guys,
and then they went on when Vince McMahon started World
Wrestling Federation. You got guys like Jimmy Hart and Jerry
Lawler and and all those guys in a buddy of ours.
(14:08):
He's back doing more broadcasting now, but for years Tony
Shavanni was the broadcast engineer for the Georgia Radio Network,
and of course he started out in the Atlanta based
wrestling deal and he was Rick Flair's foyle.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
He'd come in and go, Tony Savanna, hold my relex.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
He goes to all these shows and everybody knows Tony
Shavanni because of that whole thing, and it's just it's
just something that you can wrap your arms around forget
about the care his life for a while and just
go crazy. The amazing thing, too, Tom was it was
not only kids. It was not only guys like us.
(14:55):
It was our sweet little grandmother's who get in front
of that team and just pound their fists over somebody
that they really liked or really didn't like.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
It was in professional wrestling.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
I think this is right on a Saturday afternoon. This
is in the three channel era of television. You could
watch like American band Stand, Soul Train, and wrestling within
about two hours of each other.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And if that's not America right there, you know, I mean,
I mean that covers it.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
And then the other thing happened.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
So so Randy, when he was just starting out, they
would actually buy the time from us to air their show,
and then he would go out and sell the commercials. Well,
we had a new guy in master control who was
running the commercials and he had some trouble for a
couple of weeks, and so.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Randy came in like two three.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Straight Saturdays and set next to it to make sure
that the commercials ran.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Now, could you imagine how terrifying that would be for
somebody young in television, you know, had this big, you know,
just beast of a man sitting there. But he was
the nicest guy all through the years. And even after
he and I had a huge go ahead, No, even
after he made it hugely big, we'd see him and
(16:12):
the first thing he'd ask is, yeah, it was so
and so and so and so still running camera there, Joe,
she's still a master control.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And please tell mister Gabbett, I said, hello.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
I mean it was always it was always the little piece,
and he was he really appreciated what he had.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
I had a stat Todd didn't really realize he was
that big. That hul Koga was like six'.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Eight oh my, gosh he was.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
There you were standing next to him along with those.
PYTHONS i.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Had somebody asked me yesterday if they had, me, uh
if they had me on a peach basket or something
to and, no it.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Wasn't but he.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Didn't he didn't really look six eights because he was
so massive everywhere.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Else, yeah did a fat on. It and you know
the other things people don't realize too.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Is you know a lot of people like stage faith
was not. FAKE i mean it's re hurst, right but
it's incredibly. Physical and the physical toll that this sport
took on so.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Many of these guys is.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Incredible and part Of hogan's issue over the last several
months was apparently he had a had a neck.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Surgery that was that was really pretty tough on.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
It buzz got to get to a. Break you can appreciate,
that you can you can go feed that, dogs don't sell.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
It let's go big, brother thank.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
You that Is dave Buzz baker with some memories of
the time he Interviewed Hull cogan At. Reparena we'll be
right back on the lead true for it short segment
here and then we'll Get Jeff pacoro on to lead
off the second half of the. Show kansas men's basketball
Coach Bill self was hospitalized after having a procedure to
(17:57):
insert a couple of stints in our. Yesterday he is
expected to make a full, recovery so that is good
news for Coach. Self we're halfway home on this edition
Of The Leach. Report it's presented By Bobcat enterprises with
four locations Around. Kentucky Google Bobcat. Enterprises when you need
to buy or rent a piece of heavy, equipment they'll
have what you need and they'll treat you fantastically well
(18:20):
At Bobcat. Enterprises we'll be right back second half of
Our friday. Show here on The Leach, reporters we Welcome
Jeff pokoro to the. PROGRAM Uk Football network teammate and
the sports director AT wtvq channel thirty six here In.
Lexington And jeff was AT Sec Media days last. Week
(18:43):
were you there just for The kentucky, Session, jeff or
you were on any of the others.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Schools, YEAH i was there for the whole day On
thursday and half today On, Wednesday So, yeah we saw
quite a few guys go. Through and you, Know, tom
every team is, bigger, stronger, faster and every team's got
a great chance win the.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Championship isn't it?
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Amazing it, is.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
It really.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Is but you, know, hey in horse, races and there's
that term hope springs e turn off right.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Exactly there was a great line THAT i think it
Was Greg, nord one time LONGTIME uk football, assistant Former
kentucky player actually, too and his line was about. Recruiting
but you, know and, recruiting the messages are always the,
same you. Know and when they signed their new class of,
recruits really in any, sport and he, said it's kind
(19:33):
of like fishing and. Babies he, said everybody talks about
the one that got, away and nobody has an ugly.
Baby you. Know it's was on a show yesterday out In.
Oklahoma they were doing previews of all THE sec schools and,
(19:53):
yeah everybody asks, you what do you what do you?
Think AND i don't really have a good answer BECAUSE
i do think they'll be. BETTER i think that primarily
is based ON i think the offensive line will be significantly,
better AND i think the defensive line could be as.
Well and if they are in both of those, areas
that's how they're a better. Team but IT'S i, understand you,
(20:13):
know how they get ranked where they do in pre
season things because they're coming off with four win season
and there's just been so much roster turnover that you
can choose to be as optimistic or pestimistic as you
want with all of the new.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Faces, YEAH i think you're exactly.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
RIGHT i think last year was the first year since
maybe marks second season here where the offensive and defensive
lines didn't live up to the expectations that we. Had
and that really that he. SETS i mean when he
sat in front Of Mitch barnhardt and interviewed for the,
job his big thing was we to win in THE
(20:51):
sec if to dominate up, front and that's what we're gonna.
Do When mitch loved hearing that last year really was
the first year that didn't. HAPPEN i thought it was
a pointing season From. Dion watner is a great. Example
here's a guy that you, know had he come out
after his second, year he'd have been a top probably you,
know first round draft. Pick but he got dinged up
(21:12):
a little bit and you, know didn't play up to
the expectations we had and it cost him a lot of.
Money but you, know that's just one example of what
Happens Derek, jackson you, know getting. HER i, mean there
was just so many things that happened that last. Year
BUT i saw a renewed, vigor if that's a good
word to use In mark In, atlanta he was. UPBEAT
(21:36):
i think he likes what he has this. Year and
the question, Now tom is can they become a cohesive
unit in such a short time on both.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Sides, YEAH i think that's a very good. Point he is,
AGAIN i, mean coming out of his, background he is intensely.
Competitive so if you wanted all the jokes about you, know,
Motive mark stoops and. UH i think he got a
question about that and he's clear it's not his favorite.
(22:06):
Topic BUT i get that because if you, know when
when you know people are having sometimes fun with, it
but the ones kind of using it to take a
shot at, it it kind of implies that you weren't
motivated in the. Past and you know his, background son
of a, coach, Everything he's always. Motivated BUT i would
guarantee the thing that is driving him the most as
(22:27):
he prepares for this season or three words and that's
four and.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Eight, yeah, no you're exactly. Right, look he. Knows do
you think you want to be that guy that when
you know you every time you tick up the, newspaper
every time you get on social, media people are bashing.
You and you, know look at what he's done. Here you,
know he's the longest tenured coach, ever he's the winningest coach.
Ever no one's ever won Eight bowl games in a
(22:51):
row except. Him he's had two ten win. Seasons no
one's ever done that. BEFORE i mean that he had
one down, season AND i think it kind of goes
back TO i Remember patinos saying this when he, left
is you can only stay at some place so long
and then it's time to move on because, people you, know,
(23:13):
now the expectations are ten win seasons every year and
that's just not gonna happen. Here but he knows, that
and he knows that for the you, know if he
wants any kind of a future in, coaching he's got
to turn this thing, around if it's here or somewhere.
Else AND i think he's, has LIKE i, said a,
renewed bigger and the coaching staff that's the other, thing Key,
(23:33):
Tommy he's got the continuity and the coaching staff that
he hasn't had in a long time offensive coordinator for
the second year in a. ROW i think that really.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Helps, yeah that's, SIGNIFICANT i think Because Bush hampden came
in late last year When liam made his exit back
to THE. Nfl bush came in. Late so to use
The Bill parcells, line he didn't get to buy the
groceries for the team he was coaching and to cook,
them so to, speak and Was parcel's. Line and so
(24:03):
now he's had a second season to have more of
an opportunity to pick the guys that maybe best fit
what he wants to. Do so there's that's that alone
is good reason to think that it could be. IMPROVED
i think the biggest reason it could be improved if
is if that offensive line is as much improved as
(24:24):
we think it will.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Be, well you, know just looking at it on paper
and seeing these guys in short pants like we, HAVE
i mean this this whole. THING i, Mean pete is
he's Like Sam bowie plus one hundred and something, pounds you,
KNOW i, mean he's got a. WINK i think it's
seventy nine, yeah, SO i, mean just if he could
(24:46):
stand and extend his, arms it's gonna take three or
four seconds for the defender to get around, him you. Know.
So AND i think the guy that we're kind of
overlooking THAT i don't think gets as much written up about, Him.
BRAUN i, mean here's a guy that's played in the league,
now he's An ALL sec. Performer he's six almost sixty,
(25:10):
pounds and he is an absolute road grader out. There
AND i think that that is really going to help
stabilize especially the interior of that offensive.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Line, yeah that left those two guys will be on
the left side of the, center and then on the
right side you've Got farmer in a second, year and
then you've got a new right. Tackle but you've got
a little more depth than you've had. Before young man
From Madison central who had to kind of get forced
(25:41):
in ahead of schedule last. Year, now, Yep malechi gives
you a little more depth there as.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Well Behind.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Wolfschleeger so, Yeah Wolf schleeger is a big guy, too
and again An All conference. Performer. Tom they didn't just
bring in guys to just fill a.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Hole they brought into.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Quality these guys were talking about were all conference in
their respective. Conference now wasn't THE sec except For, brawn
but they played at a high, level AND i think
that's a big. Key they just didn't fill a hole.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
The defensive line last season we thought was going to
be a. Strength dion was out on the, field but
wasn't him anywhere close to his best that as you mentioned,
Earlier so you didn't have the best version of him
to command double teams or occasional triple. Teams and they
lost a couple of key guys that would have been
(26:35):
in the rotation to injury that they didn't. Have Almost
hayes got back late in the, Season so now they've
been healthy in that particular part of the. Defense and
that's WHY i think that group can be, better even
if you know they don't have anybody that's has the
raw talent Of. Dion we didn't get to see that
From dion last, Season SO i think they can be
(26:57):
better because of the depth that they have up front.
Linebackers they need guys to step up there that probably
are a little light for THE. Sec but you always
Thought DeAndre square was going to be facing that issue
and he handled it pretty.
Speaker 4 (27:13):
Well, yeah and you Know Alex safari talked about that
as well In. Atlanta he said that he's up to
two hundred and thirty pounds and can still. Run SO
i think that's big enough because now what we're seeing
with these, linebackers and it's not just THE, sec it's
across the country the way that defenses are playing. Now
because offenses are using three and four receivers and backs
(27:35):
coming out of the. Backfield these, linebackers the guys on
the edge have to be able to cover in. Space
SO i think they're going to be better that. Way
you've Got rainer And afari who are two thirty and
about the two fifteen to two. Twenty you, know is
that big enough when you're playing in the system that stoop, Shoeses,
(27:56):
yes because these guys can go sideline to sideline and
that's what he's looking. For but, LOOK i think the
strength of this team is gonna be their. DEFENSE i really.
DO i think they've got a lot up. Front like
you you mentioned all those. Guys goose says that is
gonna be a monster for this, team huge pick up
for them That Josiah hayes being, Healthy saunders is. Back
they've got enough upfront and then you look at the
(28:18):
defensive backfield and the guy the only guy he, Loses Maxwell.
Harrison but remember he didn't play a bunch of. Games
so those, Guys JAKE. Q hardaway got a lot of.
Snaps you got both your safeties, back it's going to
be a huge. Strength so the SECONDARY i think's gonna
be really. Good and the kid they got From, alabama
the FRESHMAN i think is gonna be a guy that's
gonna contribute this.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Year he's a.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
Cornerback he's only five to, ten but he's a high
jump and long jump champion down there And. Alabama he's
a four, star a high four. STAR i think the
te contributes this. Year And WALLER i think is ready
to make that next step. Too he was a big time,
recruit you, know came out of a.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Big college At.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
MICHIGAN i think that that are fine in the. BACKFIELD
i really think that the question mark on this team
is what we already talked about is offensive line and.
Quarterback Is kalzada can play like they think he can
and from practice he's got a cannon for an. Arm
bowley has gotten bigger and. Stronger you, KNOW i really
think this team can surprise some. People and again the
(29:19):
biggest game of the year is going to Be game.
Two and with old miss, here you beat him last,
year and if you could play like that and beat
him again this, YEAR i think that turns the whole season.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Around, Continue Jeff, Pacarel we come right. Back it is
The Leach Report Radio network and we're presented By Bob Cat.
Enterprises it is The Leach report for This, friday and
we were coming to you from The Clark's pump And Chop. Studio,
Return refresh and. Refuel chat With Jeff pacoro will be
in the booths on the thirtieth Of, august about a
month away For Kentucky football's. Opener you were talking About
(29:52):
calzada and his arm. Strength WHEN i saw the last
practice of the spring with the basketball And keelan starting,
UP i hadn't been able to get to, practices so
that was the first Time i'd seen him other than
clips of, tape and that was the arm strength was
the first thing that stood. OUT i asked somebody that
(30:13):
had seen a lot of practices that, says where does
he fall on The Lorenzen levis scale or? Spectrum you,
Know will had that cannon for an arm and you
Know Jared jared did as. Well that might have been the.
Strongest but that's, certainly you, know and a weapon That calzada,
has certainly that lack for. Experience, YES i think for,
(30:38):
him the key to me is just first and foremost
taking care of the. Football if they're going to have
a chance to exceed expectations this, YEAR i think a
couple of things they need to do is not beat
themselves with penalties and.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Turnovers, YEAH i think you hit the nail on the.
Head tom first, thought really good arm Strength and WHAT
i liked the best about, it it's a quick. Delivery
he doesn't load. Up it's not a big wind up
when he. THROWS i mean he keeps the ball up
high and he gets it out really quick and it
gets to the receiver. Quickly that's the first. Key second
key is this he needs to learn to and you
(31:12):
hear this so much and it's sounds so, cliche take
what the defense gives. You he tries to. Be if
you look at his, tape he started thirty two, games you,
know and and ten of those we were IN sec
play At TEXAS a AND m he Beat. Alabama he
tends to be a little bit Of Brett farvish MEANING
i THINK i can throw that ball even though he's double.
TEAMED i can get it in. There take what they give.
(31:35):
YOU a six yard game is better than a twenty
five yard. Interception he's got a lot of receivers to work,
With he's got a really nice tight end room to work.
WITH i think he's got the tools to do. It but,
again it's to, me the difference in him being a
great success in this team, winning.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
You, know and going to a bowl.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
Game this year is the four inches between his. Ears
take what they give you a six ven yard, Game
throw the ball away live for that next. Down don't
try to do too much is the.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Key let's talk a little bit about back To Mark
stoops and you talked about what you since down In
atlanta at media, days you, know this time a year.
Ago one of the storylines that was being bounced AROUND
uk football was think some Comments mark had, made maybe
it was To Daryl bird and The cat's pause of
(32:26):
your book just about how and it wasn't the first
time he said it about how it was just all
the nil stuff transfer. PORTAL i, like probably more the
nil was just straining and sucking up so much of his.
Time and Everything i've heard for a while now about
the lead up to this season is that he's really
excited about being back to mainly coaching. Football so, they
(32:52):
for whatever, reason have a better handle on, that and
he seems maybe a little reinvigorated by doing what he
got into the business to.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
Do, YEAH i think he's he's now seen THAT i
can't do it, all you, know and he has to
be more like Uh Nick saban and those guys where
they're CEOs of the team and let your coaches. COACH
i think that what he's done now is he's he's figured,
out Let, addie Let, josh let them worry about that,
stuff you let me. Coach and he's gone back to,
(33:22):
That AND i think that's gonna help a lot. Too
and AGAIN i think the. CONTINUITY i think that getting
your your your offensive coordinator. Back you've got a defensive
coordinator And brad that's been there. Forever these coaches that
have been, there they know what he. Wants they know
how you, know having looked back at the offensive, line
these guys know how he wants to practice and what he.
Expects AND i think that's huge and and and and
(33:45):
hopefully you get these, guys the new. Comers you've got
fifty new guys coming in and that that's the amazing thing.
Too but him getting back to, FOOTBALL i think is
gonna be huge to get that toughness that he instills
back in this.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
TEAM Lisaf gears too Or Cincinnati reds up the up
the road and they just checked the standings this. Morning
they're kind of hanging around as a. Wildcard did only
two games out of. THAT i think they're eight and
a half back in the, division but only two back
in the wildcard, race so they are still a. Player
what they what do you think they might do to
(34:19):
improve their, team if anything before the trade? Deadline and
can they make a run in the second half of the.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Season, Yeah, well the one guy that they're looking at
and they're keying in, on but they just don't want to.
Give everybody wants, pitching and they've got some pitching in the.
Miners they got a couple of, guys But Aohaneo suarez
who leads the. Nationally he's got thirty six the thirty
six home runs and eighty some ODD rbi at The
All star. Break coming into the second. Half, uh you,
know they're willing to deal, him AND i think that's
(34:50):
a guy you put him at third. Base they're Trying
marte out in the outfield. Too they're really missing a
big right handed Battle ellie is it does a little bit,
everything And McLean's having such an off year at the.
PLATE i think they need a thumper in that. Lineup
that would really take so much pressure off Of ellie
to continue to be that. Guy and, really when you
(35:11):
look at the, outfield they've got three guys playing out
there who are really number three or. Fours you, know
they don't have that number one or number two like
they've always had in the. Past they don't have a
Junior kerns out. There you, Know they've got three guys
who would be the third outfielder or fourth outfielder on most.
Teams so moving him out to the outfield and Putting
(35:32):
suarez at third it look in that Ballpark Adam dunn
played left. Field let's remember, that that's like me or
you playing in the. Outfield, okay it's not a huge.
Outfield if done can do, it then pretty much anybody
in baseball could play the outfield At Great American. Ballpark
SO i think they need a, thumper AND i just
need to stay. Healthy you Saw ladolo the other night
(35:55):
through it what a five hitch shutout his first complete
game of his. Career he's healthy. Again you got to
get Under green. Back if you Get hunter, back then
they've got themselves the fighters chance in the second.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Half Jeff, Facoro channel thirty SIX wtvq here At lexington
and you'll hear him from our broadcast booth here soon
on THE Uk Football network.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Pick thank you, Much Thanks tom H, briddy break.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
And we will be right back for our final segment
on This friday of A Leach report presented By Bob
kat enterprises stan A Wow cat. History Former kentucky football
assistant COACH T martin celebrating a birthday today and. Tomorrow
early happy birthdays go out To Moe, williams one of
the all time great running backs At. Kentucky Andrew Hope.
(36:38):
WELL i listened To Dick Gabriel's Big Blue insider on
the drive back from. Vacation he was talking With Derek
abney And derek referenced To andrew being one of the
key blockers on the punt return touchdown he had that
set the record in his senior season For abney And Mike,
archer mentioned earlier By buzz as a wrestling fan also
(36:58):
a Former kentucky defensive. Coordinator happy early birthday for tomorrow
for Coach. Archer long, days warm, nights cold cans in.
Hand that's what summer In kentucky's all. About with the
good folks at Corn Bread hemp keeping the vibes rolling
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(37:19):
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(37:40):
Life congratulations To Gabby. Goddett she's been named the director
Of communications At. Keeland she'll be leaving a role At FANDOET.
Tv she'll do a fantastic job in that. Role IN
Nbc sports says The Kentucky oaks will be in primetime
ON nbc And peacock next spring at eight Pm. Eastern
have a great, weekend, everybody
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