2025-10-22 - LEACH REPORT

Tom talks with Chris Fisher, Mike DeCourcy and more.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good day.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Everybody will welcome into the Leech Report. We are presented
by Bob Kat Enterprises and glad to have you on board. Chili. Wednesday.
Got a full blown week of full weather here and
looks like it'll be much the same. Looking ahead to
Saturday night for the football game out at Croger Field.
I think the high during the days some only supposed

(00:24):
to be in the mid sixties. We often say good
football weather, but I remember Dick Gabriel telling a story
about interviewing a Kentucky player who grew up in Florida, saying,
this is not football weather this game Johnny Williams several
years ago. Anyway, Coming up on the show today Chris
Fisher from The Cat's Pause, the former Wildcat wide receiver

(00:47):
Charles Walker, and Mike de Coursey from the Sporting News.
As Kentucky is preparing for its exhibition opener against number
one ranked Purdue on Friday night. So that's what's coming
up on the show today. Wildcat News of the Day
presented by Jiusepes of Lexington. Take an Oway named second
Team All America by CBS yesterday, so nice and well

(01:09):
deserved recognition for oh Way two Wildcats excuse me. Two
players on Kentucky's recruiting radar have committed elsewhere, Bryce and
Howard to Duke and Anthony Thompson to Ohio State. Yesterday
was offensive interview day after UK football practice, and one

(01:31):
of the guys that we talked to was tight end
Josh Caddis and talked to him about the play of
quarterback Cutter Bowlie, his roommate. How's it go off? You
probably spent his much time with or more time with
Cutter than most of your teammates because of the living situation.

(01:54):
So how are you seeing him his confidence grow?

Speaker 3 (01:57):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (01:57):
I see it every aspect, you know, I think even
just seeing the way he's going about his business. Now,
you can really see him growing and maturing. And he's, uh,
he's in the facility all the time. He's staying late
nights and you know sometimes he's the last person in
the house, so it's it's really awesome to see. And
he's out there spinning the practice and you can just

(02:17):
really see that and it's good for a quarterback.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
See there the teammates picking up on that improved confidence
for him.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
Everyone is that.

Speaker 3 (02:26):
South Carolina Stark did not go the way he wanted to.

Speaker 5 (02:28):
Obviously, the more questions after, how did you see him
respond to that?

Speaker 4 (02:31):
He's a He's a tough kid, you know, he's and
I've always known that about him, you know, even from
like last year. I know it's like the first play
win and he threw in an interception, but he you know,
just seeing him come back and and be resilient, like
that's that's just who he is, and that's why we,
you know, we respect him so much.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
And you know he still went out.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
There that South Carolina game and gave it all he had.
And you see it on film it versus Texas, you
saw versus Georgia, Like, kid's a tough kid.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
And you know he put his.

Speaker 4 (02:58):
Head down when he was running and got outside the pocket,
running into four different defenders trying to get the first down.
Like that's just who he is, you know. And he's
a Kentucky kid, and you know he embraces that.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
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(04:13):
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your order at Cornbreadthamp dot com. Rick Patino supports expanding
the NCAA tournament by eight teams. He talked at Big
Easch Media Days yesterday, said it would be more participation,
there'd be more coverage. What's bad about all of that?
He is Saint John's team was on the outside looking

(04:35):
in a couple of seasons ago, so he acknowledged that
was part of the motivation for his thinking. NCAA president
Charlie Baker was also at that event, and he's spoke
in favor of expansion. It seems like it's inevitable that
it's coming in, he said. There are worthy teams that
are being left out, So we'll pick up on that

(04:56):
maybe with Mike of Coursi when he joins us.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
A little later.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
Right now, time to get to the first break. Our
opening segments always presented by Giuseppes of Lexington. They have
their very own bullet barrel pick that is on the
way to the restaurant and you'll be able to buy
a bottle of it and take it home. And then
they're working on a new Russell Reserve barrel pick. So
it's really special things going on out of Giuseppes off
Nicholasville Road, just past man O War Boulevard. Along with

(05:21):
just fantastic food, the pasta, the steaks, the fresh seafood
that chipped in Dave Hall's live jazz music to accompany
your meal if you sit in the lounge area. There's
nothing like Giuseppes here at Lexington, So give it a try.
We'll be right back on the Leech Report Radio Network
quarter past the top of the hours The Leech Report.
We're presented by Bob Kat Enterprises, and we welcome into

(05:44):
the program Chris Fisher from katspaus dot com at Chris
Fisher twenty four to seven on X. NBA season got
started last night and Shay Gildess Alexander Chris did his
SGA things and they double time win that OKAC had
over Houston won. He had thirty five points in his

(06:07):
first game in case Wallas was also in the starting lineup,
scored fourteen. Reed Shepherd had a tough shooting night off
the bench for Houston nine points, three of eleven, two
of seven threes. So it is it seems like about
every NBA game you turn on, you see Kentucky guys. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (06:26):
Absolutely, I think they've led the NBA in alumni for
fourteen straight years now, so it doesn't look like it's
going anywhere anytime soon. But yeah, that was a fun,
fun game to watch. I was kind of nodding off
there toward the end because I'm an old man now, but.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
I saw Sga.

Speaker 3 (06:46):
I think he only had like eleven points going into
the fourth quarter and so really came alive and helped
the Thunder get a win on their on the night
they raised the banner for their first championship. But it's
also gonna be fun to watch, you know, Reed Shepherd
kind of grow into that role as the season goes along,

(07:06):
with you know, Fred van Fleet being out, and I
think they're gonna count on his perimeter shooting a bunch
because outside of Kevin Durant, there really isn't a lot.

Speaker 1 (07:17):
There to uh to go around.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
So it'll be fun to watch him grow as the
season goes on.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, he's gonna get his chance now.

Speaker 3 (07:26):
Yeah, with with van Fleet out, Yes, there's a uh,
there's kind of a ready made role for him off
the bench. It looks like they they kind of chose
to go with a bigger starting lineup last night, but
he's gonna play a lot of minutes and for for
you know what should be a contender in the Western Conference.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
We'll see Mark Pope's second tradition of the Kentucky Ben's
basketball team take the court against the number one team
of the country on Friday night, and even though it
doesn't officially count in the one loss records, it is
a hot ticket for Kentucky and Purdue. So what are

(08:07):
you looking to see in the matchup?

Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yeah, number one, I think I think we're all assuming
at this point that Jalen Lowe will probably be held
out of that game. I'll be interested to see what
Kentucky looks like without him, especially at the point. Does
Mark Pope go with Dentel Aberdeen? Does you know how
many jas how many minutes is Jasper Johnson kind of
see at the at the point? And what what do

(08:31):
they look like without him on the floor. I think
he's kind of by far their most dynamic playmaker with
the ball in his hands, and so I'll be looking
for that. And then just kind of how Mark Pope
approaches the game. I mean, I know, you know, in
front of a sold out rapp Arena crowd, he's gonna

(08:54):
want to win the game, but he's also going to
want to learn a lot about his team and put
them in certain situations. And how much does he tinker
with the lineups or the rotations or you know, certain
sets and you know, as opposed to just going out
and trying to win the basketball game. I think those
are probably the two things I'll be I'll be keeping

(09:15):
an eye out.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
For, yeah, with the backup point guard. He mentioned Aberdeen
first at the tip off luncheon in Louisville Monday, when
he was asked about the who's in that role and
talked about he had been looking good in the last
few weeks in camp and practices, but you know, Aberdeen
has a little bit of a track record there from Florida,

(09:37):
so he backed up Walter Clayton and had to start
in his place. I think one game for an injury,
it's a big opportunity for a guy. I would think
like Jasper Johnson to uh, you know, cement a role
for himself if if he were to really shine, because
you know, it could could be a second game next

(09:58):
week in the exhibition again Georgetown, where they're still using
a backup.

Speaker 5 (10:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (10:03):
I thought it was interesting. Mark Pope said Denzel Aberdeen Actually,
you know, he's kind of a true combo guard, but
maybe a little bit more comfortable running the point, which
is is probably what he thought he would be doing
at Florida this season. You know, they brought in the
Zavi and lead the transfer from Princeton and then they
ended up bringing up bringing in Boogie Flan. But yeah,

(10:26):
Jasper Johnson, you know, we all know he can score
from anywhere on the floor. You know, he's a he's
a true three level scorer. He's dynamic as far as
putting the ball in the basket. But we'll get to
see how, you know, what types of skills he has
as a playmaker. And you know, I think he's probably

(10:47):
the next guy up after Denzel Aberdeen to get some
of those backup point guard minutes or starting point guard
minutes as long as Jalen Lowe is.

Speaker 1 (10:56):
Out and so.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
But he's a guy that can can make plays with
the ball on his hands and you know, putting him
here and pick and roll actions and things like that.
It's going to be fun to watch.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
Talkler Chris fishercatzpaus dot com at Chris Fisher twenty four
to seven on x or Twitter. The bigs will be
interesting too. Since Jayden Quaintans is not available, we would
probably anticipate Brandon Garrison to start, but a lot of
good reports about Malachim Moreno and like Jasper because of
the circumstances, he'll get maybe even more of a chance

(11:28):
than might have normally been the case if JQ were healthy.

Speaker 3 (11:31):
Right, Yeah, I think the play of those guys is
going to give Kentucky a little bit of a longer
runway in getting Jaden Quainton's back. Certainly, they're in no
rush to get him back on the floor, not just
for his health this season, but just for his long
term health and his basketball career kind of in the

(11:52):
big picture of things. But I still think Malachi Moreno
is probably the one guy that doesn't get talked about
him though. He's just so solid and so stirred, and
it just seems like he's a guy that we saw
over the last year year and a half that just
got better and better every single time he took the floor.
And you know, he has size that that you can't teach.

(12:13):
I think he has really really good hands, He has
a good feel for the game, and kind of has
those traits that Mark Pope typically looks for in big
guys who can kind of operate as the hub in
the in the offensive half court.

Speaker 1 (12:28):
And so.

Speaker 3 (12:30):
It'll be interesting to see kind of how Mark Pope
manages those guys. How many minutes does Modabat play at
the five? And kind of a small ball lineup? What
does Andrea Yellovich provide to this lineup? We saw him
his ability to step out and shoot the ball, not
just in the three point contest a big blue madness,
but even in the blue whit game. And so how

(12:51):
much can he contribute there, especially being behind and getting
to campus.

Speaker 1 (12:56):
So late like he did.

Speaker 3 (12:58):
How much is he able to contribute her in the season.

Speaker 2 (13:01):
Chris appreciate the time. As always, We'll talk to you
next week. Chris Fisher katspaus dot Com at Chris Fisher
twenty four to seven on X twenty three past the
top of the hour, Leach Report coming to you from
the Clarks Pumping Shop studio. Return, Refresh and refuel at
Clark's right back with Charles Walker.

Speaker 1 (13:23):
It's twenty four past the top.

Speaker 2 (13:24):
Of the hour. On this Wednesday edition of the show,
we welcome in the former Wildcat wide Out Charles Walker,
number eighty eighth, the guy from CBI Insurance. What a
tough beat. I mean, it's brutal for fans, Charles, but
I don't multiply that by a factor of a whole
bunch more for former players.

Speaker 5 (13:44):
Right, you know, Tom, I feel like we're in the
twilight zone.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
We sadly.

Speaker 5 (13:51):
Keep having the same conversation because here we are, you know,
our lovely Kentucky Blue Wildcats are right there with the
chain to win the game, have a big win over
over a conference quote unquote rival, and just follow a
player too short.

Speaker 2 (14:11):
The progress of the quarterback has to be encouraging though, right.

Speaker 5 (14:16):
You know, there's a lot of positives. Now again, there
comes a point where these moral victories, which Stoops has
never stood by, simply aren't enough. And and you know
the answer is you got to execute when the game
is on the line. I have no problem going for it,
you know, trying to win the game. It no one

(14:39):
complains unless it doesn't work, right, So you know Stoops
has never been one to shudder away from that.

Speaker 1 (14:44):
And I think his.

Speaker 5 (14:44):
Comments after the game or listen, you know, I made
the decision.

Speaker 2 (14:47):
It's all on me.

Speaker 5 (14:49):
Could the play calling should have been different maybe, but
guess what, that's what we called and it just didn't
work this time.

Speaker 1 (14:56):
You know.

Speaker 2 (14:56):
The is it's a legitimate a debate to have to
kick the field goal there or to go for it,
because if you don't make it, it almost ensures defeat
because Texas has a good field goal kicker and not
going to have to do much to give him a
chance to hit one, which was the case. But it's
not like Kentucky had been, you know, lighting up the

(15:17):
scoreboard this season. So if you're a foot away from
a touchdown, you know you haven't scored a ton of touchdowns.
So I think I was like you, I was in
favor of taking your chance there in a because of
how well your defense was playing. I didn't think Texas
would score in Kentucky.

Speaker 5 (15:38):
You know. And again it's just a comment where of course,
when when you don't get it, everyone's upset. If we
were to have kicked the field goal and Wisner could
have you know, scored it out of their their backfield
and scored a touchdown on the first play, the comment
from the fan base would have been, we should have
gone for it. So it's you know what, Tom, it's
a lose lose unless you win. And sadly, we have
been on the on the on the loss factor in

(16:01):
regards to these decisions.

Speaker 2 (16:03):
Tennessee that is, Tennessee comes up Saturday night, and for
the longest time that was the big rival. My broadcast
partner Jeff Picoro, it still is for for him. Uh,
but uh, I mean you grew up in Louisville. It's
I think, not only for fans, for players too. It's
the Louisville game now. But where does Tennessee rank from

(16:25):
you know when you were playing? Uh, where did Tennessee
rank in terms of a rival?

Speaker 5 (16:30):
You know, they're they're they're right there, call them one
A M one B with Louisville. Of course, I'm from here,
so I was looking at my chops every time we
got to play the Cardinals, or as we call them
here at the Office of Cordinals. Tennessee is a rivalry
that you learn and and it's funny, you don't doesn't
really set in until you go to Knoxville and you
listen to that dang Rocky top.

Speaker 2 (16:51):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (16:51):
You know that that's when it will set in that
you know what, we need to go out and we
need to pounce on these guys and not let them
play that song. You know, we were lucky we beat
Tennessee my senior year, and of course you know junior
year we took down, took down Louisville and Lamar so
that that one ranks up there. But you know, I'll
say this senior year taking down Tennessee, Stephen Johnson had

(17:11):
that scramble to the right and put his body down
the line to get in the end zone. Definitely a
game that I'll never remember it, or I'll always remember.
I have chills just thinking about Steven, you know, scoring there.
I think the final score twenty nine twenty seven or
twenty nine twenty six. So you know, it's a game
that the program does not take lightly because they are arrival.
And let's be honest, Tom, that goutty orange doesn't look

(17:33):
good on anybody.

Speaker 2 (17:34):
It's a very fair point.

Speaker 1 (17:36):
Charles.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
I appreciate the time as always. It's on x at
CP Underscore Walker sixteen right.

Speaker 5 (17:44):
Yes, sir, go Katz and take down the volunteers.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
That's how you can follow Charles and he'll join us
game weeks on Wednesdays here on the Leacher Report Halfway Home.
On this Wednesday edition of the show, we will talk
college hoops with Mike de Coursi as Kentucky gets set
to open the season with an exhibition game against number
one Purdue on Friday night. It's the lead Triport presented
by Bob Kenn Enterprises, and we welcome Mike the course.

(18:11):
He to the program from Sportingnews dot Com at TSN
Mike on X and Kentucky is getting ready to start
a season with an exhibition game against the number one preseason,
number one team in the AP Pole, the Purdue Boilermakers
on Friday night, six Eastern. Mike. It's probably the hottest
exhibition ticket that has been the case, certainly since rapp

(18:34):
Arena opened. I mean they normally would be playing in
previous years a team like Athletes in Action or a
foreign team, and lately teams like you know, Transylvania and Georgetown,
et cetera. I did try to look up. I can't
find the exact number of the attendance. But in nineteen
forty eight, ahead of the Olympics, they had Kentucky and

(19:00):
the Phillips Oilers, an AAU team played after the national
championship was decided up in Kentucky beat Baylor for its
first national title. They had this series of games between
college teams and AAU teams, and I think whoever won
the final in late March at the Garden, that coach

(19:20):
would be the head coach of the Olympic team and
the Phillips Oilers beat Kentucky fifty three to forty nine.
So coach Rope was the assistant. But there were five
Kentucky players on the team and they played some exhibition games,
one of which was at stall Field, and I can't
find the exact attendance, but I was talking to Jim
Host yesterday. He told me he thought there were thirty
thousand there, So there won't be thirty thousand Friday night.

(19:42):
But it also was played at stall Field because they
were working on the coliseum and they thought Alumni Gym
was too small. So it's a long winded way to
tell you that it didn't sell out because it was
in a football stadium, but thirty thousand made it a
pretty tough ticket. But this might be an even harder
to get tickets.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
Yeah, I think these exhibitions are great. I again, the
NCAA and colleges waited a long time to address certain areas,
and I guess it was around ten years ago or
so that they first approved charity exhibitions. In particular circumstance,

(20:22):
there was a storm or something like that that they
were able to help with by staging an exhibition game,
and everybody should have said, oh, why are we doing
this all the time back then? But finally we're at
that point where instead the silly scrimmages they wouldn't let
anybody into, including reporters that finally they just go ahead
and play why not? Yes, And we'll have a great

(20:43):
show on Friday night and people will get a chance
to see the Wildcats and the Boilers, and they'll each
get better as a result. It's a great it's a
great advance for men's college basketball.

Speaker 2 (20:56):
Kentucky fans are going to get a enough close look
at the preseason player of the year for many in
Bradon Smith, the six foot point guard for Purdue. Talk
about how much better Kentucky is going to be defensively
this season with the roster Mark Pope has assembled. How
will Purdue test Kentucky's defense?

Speaker 1 (21:16):
Well, First of all, they play very well in transition.
Smith is an excellent player at finding teammates on the
break when they can rebound the ball effectively. They are
very good in transition. In the half court. Their first
option is to go to Trey Kaufman Wren in the

(21:37):
low post. He's sort of one of those I hate
to use the term dinosaur, but we don't see a
lot of players now who know how to set up
low and turn into either shoulder and use their footwork
and all of those sorts of elements to get close
up baskets or fouls. There aren't very many players like

(21:59):
that any longer. It's a shame because I still think
it's a very efficient, efficient way to get things done
on offense, but not very many teams use it because
not very many players learn those skills. But he's expert
at that now. He's not super dynamic, he's not super tall.
He listened at about six eight six y nine, but

(22:20):
he's very physically powerful and a very intelligent player, and
you have to cope with that. Now Kentucky has a
couple of different players to do it, but you do
have to cope with what he does in the post
when you overplay into the post, because he's so good
down there, you could leave some excellent shooters open. Fletcher

(22:41):
Lawyer is a fourth year starter. He started basically every
game he's played as a collegian, from winning a Big
Ten championship in his two Big Ten championships in his
freshman year to making the title game in his sophomore
year to last season a terrific Sweet sixteen appearance against Houston.

(23:03):
So he's played a ton of basketball. So those are
the three primary guys, and then the other players for
Purdue that are kind of working there. I think they're
still trying to figure out, Okay, where do we go
at the other positions. It's a lot less jammed on
the wing. They had so many wing players a year
ago that it sometimes got a little trafficky for them.

(23:26):
Now two of them transferred out, neither one broke through,
one to Texas, one to Wake And so Jack Carrie
Harris and CJ. Cox are a couple of sophomore guards.
They're not big for wings, but they're both excellent defenders.
Cox can play as a second point guard when Smith

(23:46):
is is you know, is on the bench or whatever,
which doesn't happen a ton. And then they brought in
a couple of a couple of new guys. Oscar Kluff
from South Dakota State six', nine six' ten gives them.
More Size And, daniel jacobson who is a seven to,
fourth center played very well WITH the us under. Nineteen

(24:09):
team he's seven. Foot four he missed last season with,
An injury so those guys are all part of. The
rotation and then they brought In from israel a Freshman Named.
Omar meyer He played he played well In The unite
Teens for israel as well this. Past summer so that's basically,
the rotation and everybody else Is for purdue is trying

(24:32):
to work their way. Into it.

Speaker 2 (24:35):
You go into a season with some of the Returnees
like smith most Notably, for purdue feeling like you have
a pretty Good handle i'm sure on What the boilermakers
will be doing or, looking like what About? For kentucky
what will you be interested to see in this? First
out and given the level of test from? The, opponent,

(24:55):
YEAH well.

Speaker 1 (24:56):
I think first, of all we Saw That jalen low
got hurt In The, blue white and so, we'll need,
you know we'll need to see whether or not they're
going to let him Go. ON friday i don't know
what the situation is, with that but if he, doesn't
play they certainly are capable. Without him it's. Just you

(25:16):
the sooner you get the guys out there that you
were planning to, play with the more the more progress
you can make in. That grouping as a rotation and
find out is this the, right rotation. Et cetera and
if he's not, out there then you get you get
a good Dose Of, denzel ABERDEEN which i think is

(25:37):
great for him and for. The team it's just not
exactly what you're. Looking for the more he plays on,
the ball the better it'll be in a lot of
Ways for kentucky because in the event that you, need
him whether it's, foul trouble or or an injury, like
this he gets more experienced at. That position he played it,

(25:58):
last year but it was in limited minutes because they
had First Team all american play in. That position and
so any experience he gets you have to look at as.
A positive but obviously your preference would be what your primary.
Group is AND then I think i Think this pue
presents a very interesting challenge because OF what i mentioned

(26:21):
Before About Trey. Kaufman wren so you've got two defensive
minded centers who are both excellent shot blockers in. Great
length but that one of the things about shot blocking
that's interesting is that most shot blockers are better off
the ball than they are. On it you don't see,
them coming but they see. You coming but when when

(26:43):
they have to play against a Player Like, kaufman wren
then they have to be the primary defender and make
it hard, for him and that THAT'S a i don't
know whether or not they'll ever play another low post
Scorer With kaufman. Wren's ability they. May not they could
go all the way to the final game and not,
play another or they Could play tray again at some

(27:04):
point IN. The ncaa you just. Don't know but every
time you get a chance to play against a, different
look that goes into, your bank so, to speak your,
memory bank your, data. Bank whatever and the next time
you play against a if you play against another terrific low,
post score you remember either how you Shut down trey

(27:24):
or how he, beat you and so you got to
be ready. For that AND so i think the fact
that he's out there is something that will be great
for kentuckying the, long run especially since if it, doesn't
work it. Doesn't count and if it does then then
you know that you can deal.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
With it we'll Top, of mike, of course you will take,
a break come back and continue the conversation to just
a moment From The Clark's pumping. Shop studio return refresh
and Refuel at Clark's sport tato at the top of
the hour and Chat with Mike de Coursi from sportingnews
dot com and you also see him On The Big

(28:01):
ten network during the season that he does the Brackets From.
Fox sports and we get to talking ABOUT The, ncaa,
tournament which by, The Way rick patino Yesterday The Big
East media days that he's in favor of expanding it by.
EIGHT Teams Ncaa President charlie baker was there speaking out
in favor. Of expansion so you've, Been swayed i'm sure, by, Now, Right, mike, oh.

Speaker 1 (28:23):
ABSOLUTELY yeah, i again this comes down to not necessarily
the protection OF The, ncaa TOURNAMENT although i do think
its popularity could be dinged a little bit because you
might lose some people who like to play the brackets
and they might, just, say well this is. Too Much
now i've got to pick eight Games before tuesday and.

(28:46):
Forget it. I'm out you might lose SOME and i
don't know that it would be in, The millions but
where you really lose is the. Regular season there are
a lot OF tom i know you. Know this there
are a lot of people in our business with really
big microphones who just for the sake of making their own,

(29:07):
days easier just completely dismiss college Basketball from november to
the second Week. Of march pay no attention to any,
of it as little as possible unless There's A zion
williamson or An undefeated kentucky team or something. Like that
only the extreme gets. Their attention and they call college
basketball a one, month SPORT and i certainly fight. Against

(29:32):
that but if everybody that can play even a little,
gets in maybe. They're right maybe they will. Be RIGHT
and i don't. WANT that i know what's on the
other side of. That line i've studied it really intensely
over the last half dozen years Working For fox sports doing,
the BRACKETS so i know what's on the other side of,

(29:53):
that line and it isn't worthy and to expand it for.
No purpose there's no purpose. In this people, keep, saying
well it's. About, money well the networks don't want to pay.
For this, THEY can i. Don't know maybe there's some
way they can squeeze the networks into, doing it but
they don't. Want to so it's really not. About money
it's about this notion from some of the bigger conferences

(30:15):
that they're going to get, squeezed out a notion that
was obliterated BY the sec with fourteen teams out of
sixteen in their first year as an, expanded conference and
From the atlantic ten types who think that if if
the field, gets expanded they'll get, more teams when the
reality is they may get one here, and there but
it's really about getting MORE as, i said of the

(30:38):
fringe power teams. In there so it's not good, for
anybody and it's really bad for the excitement of those
last few weeks of the college.

Speaker 2 (30:47):
Basketball season kentucky last Season Under mark pope in his,
first year set a school record three hundred and forty
one made three. Point baskets can they beat that this
year with, THIS group.

Speaker 1 (31:01):
I think. THEY can i don't think that that WILL
be i don't know that they'll be quite as as
outstanding in that area as they were a. YEAR ago,
i mean they had some just absolutely. PHENOMENAL shooters i
think this team will be will be better at making
it difficult for others to, shoot threes making it difficult

(31:22):
for others to score around, the bucket make it more
difficult for others to get into. THEIR offense i think
that will be the primary driver of this. Team's SUCCESS
that i still think they'll be able to shoot, and
score they'll be able to run, and score and they'll
be able to go inside given the right play that
they DON'T as, i mentioned they don't Have A, kappan

(31:42):
ran but they have guys who can finish well executed
plays without. A doubt AND so i don't know that
they'll be quite as outstanding from deep as they were a.
Year AGO but i also don't think they'll deemphasize that in.
Any hurry and it's just.

Speaker 2 (31:58):
A Coach cody fieger on this show back in, the
summer he remember in, the interview said there were two
stats in particular they thought they would make significant progress
in because there were big points. Of emphasis and one
was two point field goal percentage defense they ranked two
hundred and ninety fifth last year at fifty four percent for.
The opponent and the other was offensive Rebounding and kentucky

(32:22):
ranked two hundred and twenty ninth in that percentage of
offensive rebounds. Last season if he's right about, those two
is there another stat or two that would need to
improve for this team to have its best chance to
make a.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
Deep, RUN well i think that you want to BE
and i think it's a product. Of that you want
to be better at. Defensive efficiency you want to, be
CLEANER and i think that was a problem For. The wildcast,
last year they were fifty first in the nation. In

(32:57):
defense in defensive efficiency a, Year, ago perdue by, the
way was, fifty third which was part of the reason
they were not quite what they had been two. Previous
years if you want to win a, national championship you
basically have to be top twenty and more more than
likely top ten to. Win it now they were tenth

(33:19):
in the nation, in offense so that's that was a
big part of why they were as successful as. They
were but that fifty one number is going to have to,
come DOWN and i don't have any doubt that, it
will but it. Has to you don't get to go
Where this kentucky team can go and wants to go
without that number coming.

Speaker 2 (33:37):
Down, appreciably yeah to, Your point i'm just looking here
at kenpom. Dot com the previous Year when perdue made
it To The National, championship game they were twelve in.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
Defensive, efficiency right that makes it makes a, huge difference
really you have. To be if you look over the
course Of The ken, palm ERA which i think he
goes back to the. Late nineties now he's. Done, two,
now okay so he goes back. To two if you
look at, that era there's only one team that's outside
the top twenty in either category offense and. Defensive efficiency

(34:09):
there's only one team in all that time that went
that straight out of, the category and It was connecticut
in twenty fourteen was around thirty nine, in offense and
everybody else has been top twenty on both over a.
FULL season I exclude auburn and, excuse Me a baylor in.
Twenty one it was the oddit, of things which shows
how twisted the stats were for that year when we

(34:30):
had all the interruptions. And everything THEY were i think
twenty first, in defense and they were the best. College
defense like by the end of, That, season gonzaga which
was a, tremendous offense couldn't run. A play, i mean
you knew in three minutes that they weren't going to
score enough points to win the game against That tremendous.
Baylor defense so you really have to be top twenty

(34:51):
on both sides to. Win It all mike.

Speaker 2 (34:54):
The course you can read Them at sportingnews dot COM
At tsn MIKE on x and we appreciate the time.
As always Thank, You mike Thank. You tom it Is
The Leach Report radio network and we will take a
break and come back to close.

Speaker 1 (35:11):
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(36:20):
it Is The. Leach report we come to you each
day From The Clark's pumping shops studio and our show's
Presented By Bob. Kat enterprises and on this day in nineteen,
Eighty eight kentucky scored a win over the eleventh ranked
team in. The nation it Was The georgia bulldogs sixteen,
to ten the final maybe the last biggest Win For

(36:43):
jerry clayburn in his time in his. Alma mater and
it was a running back who had Transferred into kentucky
who grew Up in georgia but wasn't recruited By, The Dogs,
alfred rawls who had his best game As a wildcat
that day And led kentucky to. The victory And It's
kentucky history Presented By Kentucky Roadshow sports Cards. And memorabilia

(37:03):
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(37:24):
find out More at keeland. Dot com that.

Speaker 1 (37:28):
Will do it.

Speaker 2 (37:29):
For us make sure to check Out The leach report
on WL E x tv weeknights five fifty pm Right After,
bill mecksweather and we will see you tomorrow here On
The leech report