2025-05-26 - BBI

We examine UK's bid to the NCAA baseball tournament; then BEST OF the BBI with Mark Pope, Sean Woods, Merion Haskins and Anthony White

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Big blueing Sider. Dick Gabriel with you
on a Memorial Day Monday. Hope you're having a great
weekend tonight it will be the best of the Big
Blue Insider. But we're going to talk Kentucky baseball first
in this opening sequence because the Wildcats got in. If
you haven't heard yet, you probably have if you're a
Kentucky baseball fan. But Kentucky basically slips in to the

(00:23):
College Baseball Tournament. Although you might have thought the Wildcats
would have been one of the last four in, but
if you saw the selection show today, that's not the case.
Strength of schedule and RPI came up big for the Wildcats.
They played a tough schedule and not that this mattered

(00:44):
to the committee. Maybe it did, but keep in mind
that the Kentucky team that got to the College World
Series last year, basically the entire starting elements moved on.
Seven of the eight position regular position players moved on,
the entire weekend rotation, the top two relievers. Nick Benngeone

(01:06):
and his staff had to replace all of them. And
the Wildcats had their ups and downs this year. As
you know, they won twenty nine games. They led in
twenty eight of the thirty one SEC games they played,
including one SEC tournament game, and going into that last
weekend at Vanderbilt. This is what's fascinating about what happened

(01:29):
this year. That weekend turned college baseball, I won't say
upside down, but had a profound effect on what happened
with this tournament draw because Kentucky could have swept Wildcats
took leads into the last Vandy at bat Commodore's got
two walk off home runs in the first two games.

(01:52):
Wildcats led three to nothing in game three and blew
that lead, couldn't hang on down in Nashville. So Vandy sweeps.
Vandy ends up the overall number one seed in this tournament.
So imagine if Kentucky had finished up two or three
of those wins, it clearly I think would have kept

(02:13):
Vandy from being the overall number one seed. Think the
doors would have gotten in. Of course, they've gone nineteen
straight years now, that's the longest current streak. They're forty
two and sixteen, and they are the overall number one seed.
They won the SEC tournament, gave up only three runs
in the entire tournament. Now think about that down and

(02:35):
Hoover in the SEC Tournament in the best league in America.
Vandy gave up a total of three runs, but in
the weekend against Kentucky gave up nearly twenty runs and
the Wildcats just couldn't hold on. But that weekend we
thought might have cost Kentucky, might have kept the Wildcats

(02:59):
out of the two tournament. But as you know by now,
they're going to Clemson. Clemson is the host with forty
four wins. Wildcats will take on West Virginia, the Big
twelve regular season champ. West Virginia has played here in
lexingon in an nca regional. This is a fourth regional

(03:20):
appearance for the Wildcats under Nick Menje, one third in
a row for the Wildcats. First time in UK history,
the Wildcats have gone to three straight NCAA Baseball tournaments.
Ben Zione got him there in twenty seventeen, his first
year as the UK head coach, and then of course

(03:41):
he to the last three seasons. Now, so the Wildcats
will take on West Virginia and Clemson will play USC Upstate,
and then we'll see what happens after that, and if
Kentucky plays the way it did against Oklahoma in sweeping ou.
If Kentucky plays the way it did against Tennessee in Knoxville,

(04:04):
taking two out of three from the volunteers, and the
Wildcats could move on. If they win, they likely would
have to go back to Baton Rouge. That's where they
played a couple of years ago against Paul Skeins and
Dylan Cruz against the eventual national champion. But hey, they'd
be okay with that, wouldn't they, Because they're in. And

(04:28):
as Sam Newton used to say, you can play your
way out of a bad seed. He was talking about
the basketball tournament, but it holds up here as well.
You can play your way out of a bad seed,
but you can't play your way into the tournament. And
the Wildcats are in, and we'll talk more about it
tomorrow night on the show and break down the tournament field.

(04:50):
But we're gonna take a break, and coming up next,
we hear from Mark Pope here on the Best of
the Big Boo Insider, going back to the conversation he
had with John Rostein of CBS Sports. A little bit
later on Marion Haskins on the late and great Larry
Johnson player from Sean Woods, the unforgettable guard later in

(05:10):
the show and former football wildcaty Anthony White. That's all
I had on the Best of the Big Blue Insider
here on Memorial Day on six thirty WLAP. Welcome back
to the Best of the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel
with you. Here's part of the show we did first
of the month, right after Mark Pope went on a
national podcast. We got to talk about Mark Pope and

(05:33):
John Rostein the podcast that Rostein produced and aired, and
it's on YouTube if you want to go back and
watch and listen to the whole thing if you haven't already.
The Internet has been swamped with comments and clips and
we're going to share some with you now. Rostein was

(05:54):
on with Tom Leachs this morning. Been trying to get
him on my show. He's been so busy that he's
not been able to accommodate me. He was able to
jump on, but Tom a little bit first thing this morning,
but he had a great interview I thought with Pope
and Mark of course as always so excited. And Rosstein

(06:15):
began his podcast by just basically doing a monologue for
about twenty minutes. But one of the things he touched
on was how, yes, the NIL and the portal have
kind of turned sports upside down, there's no question. But
he basically told the same line that most of us have.

(06:36):
I think you probably have too if you're a college
sports fan, in that NIL has really really jumbled college athletics.
But it's not necessarily a bad thing, because it's only
fair now that the players get to share and the riches,
and yes, some of these numbers are off the charts

(06:58):
and the way the pendulum swings, and it'll swing back
the other way. But what is really turn this thing
upside down and inside out is the portal. And I
do think everybody agrees, probably with the exception of a
handful of players, that you ought to be allowed to
transfer once, then after that you got to sit out

(07:19):
of here. The people who would disagree are perhaps coaches
who are welcoming a player they might need who's already
been at three schools, and the coach is willing to
overlook whatever problems the kid might have had, And of
course the players who are bouncing from school to school
to school, sometimes taking money with them without even playing,

(07:42):
but oftentimes usually trying to find a spot where they'll
better fit in because they're not patient at all. So
that in mind. One of Rostein's first questions to Mark
Pope was about being a head coach into today's climate.

Speaker 2 (08:01):
In some ways, the path forward continues to get murkier
and murkier, And so I think where we are is
I think we're getting bolder and boulder as we push forward.
It's you see, you see all these changes. It's just
this field that's ripe full of opportunity and we're trying
to seize on it every single moment.

Speaker 1 (08:20):
What is it like to be a head coach in
this climate?

Speaker 3 (08:23):
It is there, it is.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
I love it actually because it tests you in every way.
It challenges you every way. Uh you know, you're you're
taking in data and information at such an amazing clip,
and you have to model so many different possible scenarios.
You know, as we as we kind of see you're
waiting on this settlement to kind of get some verdict

(08:46):
on the settlement, you could see the trajectory of college
athletics and college basketball going in a dozen different directions.
You kind of got to model out all of those
in scenarios that fit your program in your universe. And
so the challenge involved in that is is never ending,
and it's like I said, it's full of opportunity now.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
As head coaches go. Mark Pope is on the younger side,
of course, the same profession that has seen guys like
Jay Wright and Nick Saban, guys who have won their championships,
done their work. They've stepped away Roy Williams, who again
had had a great career and a little bit older
than Mark Pope. But Mark excited about the opportunities first

(09:30):
of all to be a Kentucky. Secondly to take advantage
of information, the data he likes, and build a team.
He's got a good recruiting class coming in, he's got
a good portal group coming in, and he's got talented
second year guys. You should listen to the podcast to
get the full rundown on what he has to say

(09:52):
about the guys coming back, Brandon Garrison and take O Way,
Trent Noah. But he is excited, and it's to me
it's an interesting reason he's so excited about his second
year guys.

Speaker 2 (10:04):
Well, like you said, I think it's a key at
being success and there's nothing like getting older with your
own guys, right. And the second thing is my guys traditionally,
my guy's second year take a massive leap because you know,
we're such a rebased offense and in parts defense, where

(10:25):
our guys are the deciders on the floor, they're not
looking over at me. We coach them to be capable
of making decisions on the court, so they spend very
little time looking over me. We coach them to coach
each other and communicate with each other. And so with
a year under your belt, now now you're coming in
not to learn the game or do the game, but

(10:45):
you come in actually starting to play the game and
trick up the game and like use all these actions
to manipulate them in creative ways, and that's where the
game gets incredibly fun. So he set the year guys
going to be really key for.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
Us, especially if he gets oh way back. I suspect
he will, and as Mark said otega Oway, there's a
pretty good chance he'll be the preseason SEC Player of
the Year coming back. But he's going to find out
from the league at the very least what he needs
to do to improve his game, get himself ready for

(11:22):
the draft. And again, look at Antonio Reeves, look what
it did for him. He came back almost like a
different player, building on what he could do well and
then getting better. Improved his handle, improved his defense, improved
his ability to drive and score instead of just standing
out there shooting three pointers away could do the same thing.

(11:46):
Ross team basically had Mark go down the entire roster,
and Pope was not shy about saying that, yeah, this
Kentucky team will be capable if things break right of
winning a national championship.

Speaker 4 (12:02):
We can get it done.

Speaker 2 (12:03):
Now, there's a lot of teams that can get it done.
But if we do this right with the right guys,
you know, we can get this done. And that's our job.
That's what we're supposed to do. That's the standard here
and nothing less as acceptable.

Speaker 5 (12:14):
But in terms of the rotation, how many guys do
you think you're gonna be able to play this? I'd
like to play them all.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
So I have twelve guys right now, So I have
twelve guys that come help us. We're actually gonna try
and round out this roster. I'm actually scouring the planet
right now for guys that would fit in as maybe
a red shirt guy that would kill it in practice,
or maybe a last year of your career guy that
wants to come here and put on this one of

(12:40):
one jersey and be a part of this. So we
need to add a couple more pieces. But right now
we have our roster that's gonna own the minace on
this floor, and we have all the pieces.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
I hope people set up and took notice when he
said I'd like to play them all and you know
you can't do that, but you can to a degree.
But it was interesting to me how people got really
I don't know, antsy about the way Pope subbed. And
there were times when he made mistakes and admitted to it,

(13:14):
but for the most part we've talked about it here
on the show. He will not sub the way a
a lot of people expected him to and b the
way a lot of other coaches do, because as he
pointed out, and he got really specific, because more people
were actually calling and gently criticizing on his show the

(13:39):
way he subbed. But as he pointed out, we try
to keep people fresh. I'm paraphrasing, but he said, we
worked so hard offensively, not just on defense, but offensively.
We don't want people tiring and breaking down at the

(13:59):
worst times. So they might say, you know what, this
is my comment. They might sub a little earlier than
they might want. Pope might not they Pope does it
and risk, you know, missing a minute or two of productivity.
So you've got people later in the game and he's
going to keep doing that. So I don't you will

(14:22):
not see him do what Caliperi and a lot of
other coaches do, and that's whittle it down to eight.
And again, cali Peri did that because John wooden't suggested it.
But Mark Pope coaches a different style than wouldn't and
Caliperi than a lot of guys. So don't expect to

(14:45):
see a quote unquote substitution pattern beyond the very basics
for Mark Pope. People need to lose that terminology substitution pattern.
Why do you want that? Because if you if you
can recognize the pattern, so can the other guys. I say,
you sub the way the game demands, the way opposing

(15:09):
personnel demands. That's how you want to guy a sub.
And if you can't figure it out, that's because you
haven't been at practice, you haven't taken apart the game plan,
you haven't done the scout. We can all sit back
and see how it works. But if you're trying to
coach along and say thereself, Man, I put this guy

(15:30):
in right now. Remember, Mark Pope is all about data.
I don't have it, You don't have it, and he's
collecting data while the game's going on. So just be
patient and if it doesn't work well, ask him about
it after the game and he'll describe why. Oh and
by the way, Rosstein asked Pope about the schedule, and

(15:51):
Pope said their son. He basically said, there's something going on,
but he couldn't talk about it. What it probably was
was the fact that Kentucky will place Saint John's in
the CBS Sports Classic. The Red Storm will replace UCLA
in the annual event. So Mark Pope versus Rick Bettino

(16:13):
in the CBS Sports Classic. That's according to the Saint
John's podcaster David Delroy. Red Storm taking over for UCLA.
On the other side, North Carolina and Ohio State. On
this Memorial Day, you're listening to the best of the
Big Blue Insider. Welcome back to the best of the
Big Blue Insider on this Memorial Day. Here's part of

(16:36):
a show we taped on the Monday after the Kentucky derby.
We talked horses and more from head coach Mark Pope.
I will tell you I came out ahead slightly on
the weekend. I did not hit any of the big
tickets I had bet on the Derby because I took
journalism and Baeza they ran two three. I had sovereignty

(16:57):
on my ticket, just not in the right place and
kicking myself, of course, as I do every year that
I don't win when I feel like maybe I missed something,
and in this situation it was this sovereignty had run
on the Derby track, on Churchill Down's track, and ordinarily
that's one of my favorite handicapping tools, but I was

(17:18):
scared away by the fact that it was a sloppy track.
And right now we don't know yet as we speak,
as we record, is Bill Mott and are the handlers,
the connections going to run the horse into Preakness? And
they always say the same thing, We'll see how they
come back, We'll see what the horse tells us, blah
blah blah, which is smart because I got to be healthy.

(17:41):
But Mott made the reference to the business side of things,
and it's all the business. I get that. But here's
the guy who's been in the game forever and is
based here Lexington, Louisville, and he is looking down the
road at races down the road, at breeding things like that.

(18:03):
So there are too many horses that rush their way
through the Triple Crown races and it affects them for
the rest of their career, which means it affects their
breeding value. So I'm not going to be stunned if
Bill Mott doesn't run the horse and the Preakness, and
the owners don't run the horse and the Preakness, but

(18:25):
it's gonna be unfortunate if they don't, because look, I'm
a racing fan. We need interest, we need fans, we
need eyeballs. It helps you got a young influencer perhaps
bringing people to the sport. But there's nothing better than
a cold going for the Triple Crown. Go back and

(18:45):
look at the attendance figures at the Belmont. When you've
got a horse going for the third leg compared to
one of the year that you don't, they'll get a
decent crowd. You got a Triple Crown potential. It's awesome.
So we'll keep track on that for you. And if
you're a racing fan, you will too. And one of

(19:08):
the people working the Derby. I didn't get a chance
to had a slight injury that prevented me from being there.
But a guy who've played a role that I have
played several times through the years for radio coverage is
our man Billy Rutledge. And if you follow Billy, you
saw he posted an interview. He called it my interview

(19:32):
with Derby winning jockey Junior Alvarado. Well, in full disclosure,
this happened during the day prior to the race, But
that's part of the job as the paddock reporter for
radio coverage keyed by WHAS and carried on WLAP, And
again I've done it several times. Your job is to

(19:52):
go interview the writers right after a race that perhaps
they won or in which they participated, but if they
didn't win in their Derby Derby jock, you get a
chance to talk to him a little bit about strategy.
And Billy had a chance early in the day to
catch up with Junior Ralvarado and ask him a little

(20:13):
bit about what he expected from Derby one fifty one.

Speaker 6 (20:16):
You know, I'm very confident with him. You know, I
think we're expecting a very good race out of him.
You know, he's been training very well here. I think,
you know, we never had to do too much with
him before, so I think coming into the derby, that
was our goal, you know, kind of like make sure
we have enough course going into the derby. And I think,
you know, we just did that and hopefully, you know,

(20:37):
he shows me he is capable of. I think he's
going to be very tough to get bit.

Speaker 1 (20:42):
And he was right Junior Alvarado talking to Billy Rutledge
a couple of the and he was right, Junior Ralvarado
talking to Billy Rutlands two or three hours prior to
the Kentucky Derby that Alvarado won with a great ride
on sovereignty. So that was the biggest news over the
weekend if you're racing fan, casual or otherwise, if you're

(21:02):
simply not interested, and that's all well and good. There
is news about Mark Pope's roster. Rhys Potter, seven to
one center, who spent the last couple of years at
Miami of Ohio, has decided to come through the portal
and join the Wildcats. Played in fifty six games over
the last couple of seasons for the RedHawks, came off

(21:23):
the bench six and a half points, three and a
half rebounds. Pope kind of talked about this when he
talked to John Rostein. Plus, it's official now about the
big man coming in from Croatia. We've known about it
for a little while, but UK couldn't say anything about
it until he signed. And now. Andrea Yeleovich, one of
the top prospects coming out of Europe, is a Kentucky Wildcat.

(21:46):
He signed earlier today, or at least they got his paperwork.
Six' eleven eleven points a, game seven and a half
rebounds in The Adriatic league For mega Super, bet and
they also list him as one and a half a
sis per. Game he's gonna have to go something to
be a passer as effective as A Mari, williams, who

(22:09):
by the, way was invited to THE G league. Camp
So mari's got a chance to play for pay in this.
Country he could play overseas right, now but he's better
off getting a shot at THE G, league maybe working
a two way with AN nba team Like sheboe. Has
Although i'm still amazed posting the, numbers he has posted

(22:33):
That Oscar sibe has not yet locked down a full
time job in The. League maybe he, will but, Anyhow
yellovich will be a key From. Zagreb croatia has spent
the last two years in The Adriatic, league And hope
obviously high on. Him but as he Told John rosstein last,

(22:54):
week he's hired a lot of. Guys and the comment
that intrigued me the most was When rostein Asked pope
About Denzel. Aberdeen and this is one of the transfers
that piqued my, interest maybe more than Any here's a
guy who was playing good minutes At florida ever nearly

(23:15):
eight points a, game and you'd think was going to
play more this coming, year and they just won a national.
Title yet he's transferred To. Kentucky And rostein Asked pope
about studying and evaluating video prior to their zoom conversation.

Speaker 3 (23:36):
That there was no.

Speaker 2 (23:37):
Evaluation so my evaluation came in the two weeks that
we were trying to do like background prepping that prep
for our game Against, florida which was it was the
first game of THE sec, season and SO i had
some familiar with their. Team but AS i dug more
and more to the, Film i'm, like this cat coming
off the bench is terrifying to, me and he certainly

(23:59):
proved it throughout the course of the. Season he is, just,
uh you, know the fun part of the research for
us was actually getting to know him as a. Person he's, special, special, Special.
Uh you, know he's got a great joy about. Him
he's got a passion and. Commitment he is, determined uh
to continue his journey towards becoming a great basketball. Player

(24:24):
he's proven with what he did in this four guard
rotation At florida that he is a team first guy
and he's gonna have a you, know it's hard to
have a breakout season after you just won a national.
Championship but he's gonna have a big time breakout.

Speaker 1 (24:38):
Season and it could be a matter of the fit
In Mark pope's offense. Whatever. Uh clearly the kid has
studied The kentucky roster and sees a better opportunity in.
Election and, so LIKE i, SAID i Think yellovich is
gonna be. FASCINATING i Think aberdeen is as. Well while
we're talking To kentucky. Roster you know, why Now Travis

(25:01):
perry has a new, home he's playing an old Miss
that surprises me a little. BIT i don't know anything
about their roster and what they need right, now but
just thinking back to the way they played last year and,
again if it's a new roster and a new style of,
play maybe if it's perfectly For Chris, beard but that's another.

(25:23):
Key he'll be playing for a, really really good coach
In Chris, beard so good luck to, him good. Opportunity
one other basketball. Note michail MacLean you know, now has
signed a contract. Extension Ben roberts reported on it over the.
Weekend is one year deal was worth one hundred and

(25:44):
fifty grand plus performance. Bonuses now to your extension worth
four hundred grand this coming year and four twenty five next.
Year nice work if you can get. It But Mark
pope believes this guy is a star in the. Making
one other roster, note this one about. FOOTBALL ukse picked

(26:05):
up another tight. End Elijah brown technically comes FROM Ucf Central,
florida never played, there entered the portal In, december signed In,
january but now is A Kentucky. Wildcat he had spent
a year At, alabama Left, bama spent two years At Florida.

(26:27):
Atlantic primarily was a special teams. Player Vince merrill recruited
this kid out Of Dayton Wayne High. School when the
young man was a high school it was a nation's
eighth ranked tight. End but he has kind of spun
his wheels a little. Bit said no To, Kentucky yes To,
alabama that didn't work. Out now he's got a second

(26:49):
shot with The. Wildcats this is the best of The
Big Blooming cider coming up next to Former wildcat talks
about the Late Larry, Johnson kentucky point guard who passed
way a few weeks. Ago here on The Big Booming
sider six point thirty Wlap welcome back to the best
of The Big Blue, Insider joined now by Former wildcat
well once a, While kat always a Wildcad Maryon haskins

(27:11):
who played Alongside Larry johnson for a few years At.
KENTUCKY a Fellow Western Kentuckian marion AND i know you
hated to lose your, teammate didn't.

Speaker 3 (27:20):
YOU i really hated to lose my, teammate you know
when all this was. Happening you, KNOW i try to
be there as much AS i. Could larry AND i
we first met In, Sharon pennsylvania at The, Sharon Pennsylvania
High school tournaments there in nineteen the spring of nineteen seventy.

(27:43):
Three so from, There larry AND i we played at
That All Star, game and we played in The Dayton
classic there In, Dayton, ohio and we became really good
friends those two, tournaments and then it was tied for
being rooted and we were just comparing our notes and,
whatnot and and we ended up being to The Kentucky

(28:08):
as as our favorite.

Speaker 1 (28:09):
School when, so when you guys run The All Star,
games you hadn't CHOSEN uk.

Speaker 3 (28:14):
Yet, no we had. Not, wow we had not told.
You we both was unsigned at that.

Speaker 1 (28:21):
Time so when you, talked what did you talk? About
not JUST uk but other schools that were probably looking
at both of. You but what what was that like
when you sat down and, Chatted.

Speaker 3 (28:33):
Well we was it was mostly about the, coaches it
appears to me and my. Memory it was about the,
coaches the head coach and the assistant, coaches and it
was mostly about about those kinds of. Things you, know
we didn't know a lot because you, know back then
it was No. Internet there was not a lot of

(28:53):
information about the. Teams you, know back, THEN i Remember
kentucky were only played of the layed cast at eleven
o'clock at, height and they was fortunate to have bad
and because at that time Not To day was the
ONLY DUD i remember that had a live, game so
that was important to be able to see those. Games

(29:15):
BUT i didn't know a lot about the teams and.
Stuff you, know just get unless you watch. Them you
just didn't. Know if it makes you it was not.
There SO i, knew and we knew that we were
pretty baggone good, players you, know from playing in The
All star against compared to a lot of these. Kids
they had a whole lot of credentials prep All americans

(29:37):
and all this. Stuff AND i mean we played right
with him and even played a little bit. BETTER i, thought,
yeah oh.

Speaker 1 (29:45):
Yeah and when you Saw larry, play was it pretty
evident right away that you, KNOW i, mean it's such
a great defender and ball. HANDLER i guess that was
pretty evident when he was a high school.

Speaker 3 (29:56):
Senior let me tell, YOU i grew up on a small,
farm bill cows through hey cut, tobacco And larry probably
did some of the similar. Things we were farm strong young.
Men and WHEN i met this, guy AND i tried
to guard this, guy AND i try to push him,
AROUND i, Said my, GOD i, said he is not

(30:19):
from downtown some big. City this guy is stronger than.
OFF i, mean he was just as tough As i've
ever played. Against so, MAN i knew, THEN i, said,
man just to be a great.

Speaker 1 (30:32):
Teammate, well and because you were both like what football
coaches like to call country strong or farm. Strong, yes and,
yes the way you played, Basketball Joe hall appreciated, that no,
end didn't he.

Speaker 3 (30:47):
Exactly he, appreciated you, know we were mentally. Tough SO
i didn't weighing one hundred and ninety two or three,
pounds Then larry didn't weighed about one hundred about the.
Same but, man let me tell, you we were. Strong
and he did not bag down from. Nobody and he
was the same. Way he was just as as the
other one and just a great.

Speaker 1 (31:08):
Person oh, yeah oh, Yeah well he had that million watch,
smile didn't.

Speaker 3 (31:15):
He, yeah that's my always was a happy. GUY i
never saw him at a sad, moment and even in
his last few, days you, know and he was still
happy and so he couldn't do much, talking BUT i
would say some things that that happened in the, past
and he made them. Alive, man he make them.

Speaker 1 (31:35):
Alive, yeah people don't realize how great a Player larry.
Was first of all in, college, right and then when
he went on To, japan played a year in THE,
nba but went on To, japan and he was almost
a legend over, there wasn't.

Speaker 3 (31:50):
He oh, YES i See lane played there at LEAST
i want to think fifteen. Years, yeah about fifteen, YEARS i.
THINK i think they're In japan and, uh you know
you've done a great job there and but not because
you know when he got. Drafted, uh he played for a,

(32:11):
season a few seasons in THE, nba, yea, yeah oh,
yeah and we still were made, friends you. KNOW i
mean was talking about going overseas to, play and that
was an interesting. Conversation did you ever go? Overseas, NO
i didn't. Go larry got invited to go To italy

(32:32):
And larry did a packing seal says that IF i,
GO i got a Brave. Marinhattan, yeah and they said
he can't, come but we're not going to pay its
way until they make the. Team, well you know back
in nineteen seventy, seven you, know seven, Eight, earlinutel.

Speaker 1 (32:51):
You was a lot of, money, Buddy and IF i.

Speaker 3 (32:54):
Got, THERE i Tell, LARRY i SUPPOSE i same my
anchor the first. Day, yeah you, know SO i did to,
go you, know but it was a lot of.

Speaker 1 (33:04):
Fun oh, yeah you. KNOW i tell people, this and,
again not a knock On Kyle macy or anybody, else
but that's seventy seventeam With larry at the. Point that
team just destroyed. People seventy eight. TEAM i always taying
a toy with teams before they put them away because
they knew how good they. Were but, man that seventy seven,

(33:26):
TEAM i always say it was like a kid with
a new toy and just absolutely shredded. Teams and you,
know just some tough luck is why it ended up
in The East regional and not playing at home in
Rep arena in The Mid. East Otherwise joe b has another.

Speaker 3 (33:42):
Title, Right, hey we should have had the YEARS i
played three out of four. Years, yeah easily easily could
have had three out of. Four you know.

Speaker 5 (33:55):
That.

Speaker 3 (33:55):
TEAM i, mean even the guys on the seventy eighteen
they would say the same thing up in, seventeen what's
much deeper? Deeper and, uh, well we had a you,
know we had a chart, there a charter there to
go by it and we were just like bury the.
Team But i'll tell you something That john was after

(34:15):
he retired that, year he came back and he watched
us practice there in uh In, PENNSYLVANIA i think it was.
There and he came over to us and were sitting
down on the bench and AND i remember he lived
At Joe. Hall he, Said, JOE i want to tell
you something. Here he, said you got a great. Team he,
said but my best team never won THE ncaa. Championship,

(34:39):
no wait a, minute where's the guy nine? Championships nine of?

Speaker 5 (34:44):
Me?

Speaker 3 (34:45):
RIGHT i had? Ten, okay either? One and he, said
my best team never won the. Time now that's. Deep
that's really. Deep which?

Speaker 1 (34:57):
One which? One did he? Think was? It seventy four?

Speaker 3 (35:00):
Team he never? Said, YEAH i was we. UNDERSTAND i
was listening. In, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (35:10):
I've never heard that. Story. MAN i WISH i could
Ask JOE b.

Speaker 3 (35:13):
That question that that he was talking there and he
talked to the team about you, know winning and traditions
and stuff like, that and on sort of the sidebar.
Conversation he was done with a people kind of saying
there kit chatting With JOE b AND uh and of,
couse you, KNOW i was always kind of colost By
Joe hall, anyway AND i hear him say, that AND
i was, like oh my. God, Yeah and you, know

(35:36):
at that time it didn't mean a lot to, Me
but NOW i got much more mature person that was really,
strong really, deep you, Know and NOW i, said what
should have been that didn't win?

Speaker 2 (35:48):
It?

Speaker 3 (35:49):
Now you, Know i'm sure he had a lot of
things that went into the, team not just you, know
win losses and stuff like. That, Problem but, yeah that was.

Speaker 1 (35:58):
Great, yeah talking To marry And. Askins he was a
basketball wildcat back in the seventies and a teammate Of Larry.
Johnson we lost this, week And larry was a great,
leader great. Defender we were. Talking Tom leach AND i
were talking about that N I. T larry had a
GREAT NI t when you guys wanted up In New
york in seventy, Six and Course reggie AND i talked

(36:20):
About larry taking the ball and going the link to
the floor for a layup that beat the buzzer Against.
Providence what do you remember about? THAT i was just so.

Speaker 3 (36:33):
ELATED i don't remember all of the. Details, yeah as the,
day but that was a great. TOURNAMENT i, mean the
NI t that year was. Fantastic we had some great,
Wins we had some things to, prove you, know to
our hands that you, know we had a tough, season
but we can't have, to you, know fifty fifty that

(36:55):
year or something like. That, yeah And Joe's hall looked
at us and, Said i'm not going to be a losing,
coach and we're not seam and we made sure that
we didn't do.

Speaker 1 (37:05):
That you were ten ten at, one that's, right and
you won five straight and you got the N t.
Bid and then in the last you played in the
last regular season game In Memorial, coliseum and y'all damn near,
lusted but somehow got it into overtime and. Won The
Mississippi state kids run the radio, saying, hey, mom we Beat. Kentucky,

(37:31):
man that history.

Speaker 3 (37:32):
Is unbelievable in. It i'm telling, YOU i thought we
couldn't lose this game here in. Memory it's no. Way but,
MAN i tell you we. Didn't we didn't play. Well,
no we game some kind of.

Speaker 1 (37:44):
Way, Yeah jack got hot down the. Stretch, YEAH i, Know.
Jack that happened a lot, though didn't? It jack get that?
Hot that was also a period of. Time it WAS
i think The vanderbilt game And Reggie word was throwing
the ball in bounds and actually threw it into the opposite.
Basket didn't count as a, bucket but it was quite a.

(38:05):
Highlight the.

Speaker 3 (38:07):
Highlight, yeah and you remember what With joe b did at?
Halftime who started the second half in.

Speaker 1 (38:15):
The Missiv state? Game no? Game oh, NO i don't.
REMEMBER i think you look at the.

Speaker 3 (38:22):
RECORD i think it was all reserved. Guys, wow that
started the game AS i.

Speaker 1 (38:29):
Recall, Wow, marion it's always great talking to. You i'm
sorry we had to do it under such a sad,
conditions BUT i was glad to see you at the
reunion weekend earlier this. Year hope to see you again,
soon my. Friend thank you so.

Speaker 3 (38:42):
Much All, Right, dick give me a.

Speaker 1 (38:45):
Call Marion, askins a basketball wildcat back in the mid
seventies and a teammate of the Late Larry. Johnson it's
the best of The Big ones cider on This Memorial.
Day more to come on six thirty W l.

Speaker 7 (38:56):
At any type, station tact can anything.

Speaker 1 (39:53):
Only welcome back to The Big Blue. INSIDER i hope

(40:51):
you are having an Outstanding Memorial day. Weekend this is
the best of The Big Blue, insider And i'm going
to take you back now to a story we told
just a couple of days after The Kentucky, derby when
there was a little bit of, well an interesting twist
to THE nbc sports. Coverage they had to make a
late substitution to the guy who was leading the, broadcast

(41:14):
and it reminded me of a moment in my, career
such as it is that almost led me to a
great opportunity to work with one of my all time favorite.
Broadcasters it just didn't, happen but that was running through
my mind WHILE i was watching NBC's Kentucky derby. Coverage
here it is on The best of The Big Blue.

(41:35):
INSIDER i saw, this of Course i'm Watching derby, coverage
and if you were, too you noticed, it or you
may have not noticed, it but it just kind of.
Happened Mike turko opened the broadcast ON. Nbc it started
off ON Usa network and it was anchored by a Medfar.
Reid it's really, good and then they turned it over TO.

(41:58):
Nbc they basically, said, alright is gonna shift over TO
nbc and you, know more coming. Up blah, blah. Blah
so There's turco and they had just gotten started WHEN
i looked up and THERE'S i met Far red and
he was doing a little stand up piece FOR. Nbc
but then the next thing you, know he's. Back at

(42:19):
the anchor desk Was Randy moss And Jerry. BAILEY i
think are. Terrific they do a tremendous job covering the
derby those two, guys and so does For reed And
tarico's done a nice. JOB i sure Wish Tom hammond
was still on the, Broadcast butterrico does a nice. Job
but the next thing you, know he's, gone and Far

(42:40):
reid had taken, over and eventually he got the opportunity to,
Say mike's not feeling, well So i'll be here for
a little. While and in fact he finished the, day
AS i, recall and he spent four straight hours handling
the coverage and did a great. Job and he talked

(43:03):
about it later on to a media. Outlet he said
he got done with the coverage ON usa at two point,
thirty took off his, mic took out his. Earpiece he
says he was leaving the little studio. There he, SAID
i bumped Into mike And tarico stopped him and he
could tell that something was. Wrong Forar reid could he,

(43:26):
said he didn't look quite the. Same he, SAID i
think his eyes were watering a little, bit and he
And tariico said to, Him i'm not feeling. Great you
might have to take over for, me And forarid, said
that's a, shock Because mike is a. Machine So farid
said to, Himself, okay he's not feeling, well but there's

(43:47):
no Way mike's not going to be able to power through,
this which he tried for thirty to forty five, minutes
but Apparently tariico just took kiptaking turns for the worse and,
worse and at one Point afreid had his ear piece back,
in and about forty five minutes, later they got in
his ear and said you got to come back and

(44:09):
host the, show which he did and was. Terrific and
that happens every once in a great, while somebody has
to step in for. Somebody AND i almost had a
situation like, that AND i bring it up only because
it's one of my great. REGRETS i was working the

(44:32):
twenty SEVEN ncaa. TOURNAMENT i think the baseball team was
out of, town that, weekend and by NOW i had
wrapped up the YEARS i had worked for THE Nca radio.
Network But i'm In, Rapperina and that was the tournament
Where Billy GILLESPIE'S a AND m team emerged and Beat,

(44:53):
louisville and people mistakenly thought That Mitch barnard was courtside
Watching billy Beat. Louisville that's when he decided to hire.
Him mitch was In chicago With. Kentucky but that win
and that weekend For Billy gillespie cemented him as the
hottest coach In. America BUT i. Digress across the way

(45:13):
is a guy Named Dave simms who's now the radio
voice of The New York. Yankees for, many many, years
he was the voice of The Seattle. Mariners lives In New,
york commuted To. Seattle you, know he had a place
out there and he. Stay he is one of my
all time favorite. BROADCASTERS i have never met the, man
but he's. TREMENDOUS i just love his. Work so he's

(45:36):
over there and he's working radio In Say radio With Dave.
Gavitt And i'd worked With dave as a producer Friends Say.
Radio but the next THING i, Know gavitt's, gone AND
i come to find out That, gavitt Like, turrico had
been under the, weather the Former providence, coach the former
head of The Big. East he had had to, Leave

(45:58):
he had had to go and get medical, help and
he ended up being really sick after that. WEEKEND i
don't know if he ever worked again for THE Ncaa radio.
Network but little DID i know that one of the
producers for the Nca radio network who also worked with
us on THE uk, Network Mike, dodson he was up

(46:20):
In New, york but he had a feeling THAT i
was going to be In. Raperna so he starts calling
me or trying to call, me to tell me to
walk across the court and sit down and do the
games With Dave, gavitt at least doing them that, day
BECAUSE i mean it was literally last. Minute, WELL i

(46:41):
had a cell phone back, then company. PHONE i was
working AT. Img i'm not going to say the, brand
but it's not What i've got, now and it was
a piece of, junk and he might kept trying to
call me and could not get through to. ME i
had my phone right in front of, me could not
get Into. Rupperina so many, people so many people on

(47:04):
their phones In, rupperena couldn't text, me couldn't get anything
through to, me and tell me to walk across and
sit down and work with a GUY i had idolized
for so. LONG i get somebody else to do. IT
i think the next day they Had Kyle macy come
in and work With. Dave but that's the first THING

(47:26):
i thought of WHEN i heard and sell the rest
of the story on NBC's coverage that For reid had
sat down and spent so much time subbing From Mike
tariko and did a terrific. Job of, course he already
had complete command of the. MATERIAL i would have been
flying by the seat of my pants broadcasting two, games

(47:47):
doing the color for crying out. Loud but REALLY i
just would have been filling, in trying to stay out
of the way of the Great Dave. Simms and now
he is the radio. Voice it's a job he's always,
wanted he, said being the radio voice of The New York.
Yankees So Aaron gershan can enjoy him if he pulls
him up, online And i'm Sure i've Got i've got

(48:10):
to look around and see there are other stories like
that where people step in at the last. Minute And
i'm not SAYING i would have done a great, job
but it would have been a thrill for. ME i
can tell you. That AND i wouldn't tell them, this
BUT i would have done it for. Free this is
the best of The Big bloom And. Sider this is
the best of The Big bloom And. Sider welcome back
to The Big blue And sider joining, us says he

(48:30):
does Every wednesday on Our celebrity hotline is the unforgettable.
Guard Sean woods now the head coach At Scott. County
but now another, dude he added to the. Resume and
you were part Of La familia last Year sean as
an assistant. Coach now you're the head. COACH i guess
this has got to be another exciting, assignment AM I?

Speaker 5 (48:50):
Right, well no doubt about. It anytime you can, coach you, know,
ANYONE i don't care if It's.

Speaker 4 (48:56):
Pee Wee, League Junior, pro junior high.

Speaker 5 (48:58):
Whatever you get an opportunity to coach young men and
and and and and try, to you, know achieve a
common goal and that's excellent and trying to win as
many games or a championship as you possibly.

Speaker 1 (49:10):
Can bottom line is. Winning but this is an entirely
different type of, coaching.

Speaker 3 (49:15):
Isn't it no?

Speaker 5 (49:16):
Doubt you, KNOW i had an opportunity to be the
head coach last year AND i didn't know IF i.
Could SO i told, twenty you, know try to get someone.
Else and he got a good one in And Tyler,
uless who did a great. Job AND i was there with,
him AND i realized THAT i can't coach. Pros you,
Know i've never coached pros, before but it's coaching the same,
way you, know especially guys that know how to. Play you,

(49:37):
know it's easier coaching pros because you, know all you
got to do is give him an assignment and they'll
go out and do. It and the good thing about
this situation, coaching uh THE tvt deal and with a
lot famil is these. Guys we made it a pride.

Speaker 3 (49:52):
Deal you.

Speaker 5 (49:53):
Know anytime you put on that that jersey that Says
kentucky or Represent, kentucky you, know it just ooves through
your so and it creates another type of. Competitor and
that's the reason why we have. Success you, know If
Nate sestina doesn't leave, us you, KNOW i loved our
chances on winning that.

Speaker 1 (50:10):
Deal, YEAH i remember that your guys were rolling and
then you lost eight and you were just kind of
a different team when you call it, again everybody on
this roster either played in THE nba or overseas or.
Both AND i got to think, too whatever the, level
if you are a good, athlete in this case a basketball,

(50:31):
player and you want to, excel you will accept, coaching won't,
you no matter how high a level you've, Reached.

Speaker 5 (50:38):
No doubt about. It and the good thing about coaching
these pros is they know it. Already they've been coached
at the highest.

Speaker 3 (50:44):
Level you.

Speaker 5 (50:45):
Know as long as they coming in with the right
frame of, mind the coaching is easy because all we're
doing is trying to strategize ways to simplify and create
ways for us to be successful in the offensive end
and then do, things you, know from a defensive end
stamp point to give us a great chance to.

Speaker 1 (51:01):
Win, well you mentioned frame of, Mind AND i remember
When twany spoke to the media and he, said when
he put out the message looking for players trying to
see he was willing to play and of course coach
like you. Guys you, know he basically said in a,
paraphrasing this is not just something to get together and
break a sweat and have. FUN i, mean you, guys,
really as you, said you sort of rededicated, yourselves didn't.

Speaker 5 (51:24):
You we, did you, know we had we had to
kind of, come had to come To jesus meeting last.
Year you, know they kind of had that attitude at.
First then after about the second, day you, know we
just told him, listen you know you still Represent kentucky
and you know people still want to beat, us and you,
know we we're asking these fans to come out and support,

(51:45):
us and we got, to you, know put on a
great show because when we're playing rup or wherever we're playing,
at no matter what if you've been here five years
or been going for six, years these the people here
in the state Of kentucky still expect you to. Win
and this is still you, know and we're playing for.
Something we're playing for a million.

Speaker 4 (52:02):
Dollars so that was the other.

Speaker 3 (52:03):
Character.

Speaker 1 (52:04):
Also it's more than the money, though isn't.

Speaker 5 (52:07):
It, oh no doubt about it is the, pride you,
know still having That kentucky on your chest a little,
bit even though we called a lie for, me but
everyone knows we're the product OF uk.

Speaker 4 (52:17):
BASKETBALL i was really.

Speaker 1 (52:19):
PLEASED i GUESS i shouldn't have been. Surprised you probably
weren't that a lot of these guys were really moved
and touched by the fan. Response and as you, said
a lot of these guys have been gone far far,
AWAY i, mean out of, sight out of mind for several.
Years but when they came, back it's like they'd never been,
gone you, Know AND i guess you kind of saw that,

(52:40):
coming BUT i got a kick out of.

Speaker 5 (52:42):
That, well what we had to do was and it
was you, know everything happens for a, reason and you,
know as an assistant, coach not only DID i help
with coach and you, KNOW i really had, to you,
know teach these guys how significant they are To. Ucky you,
know most of those, guys and these guys that are
playing FOR us had only spent eight months in The

(53:05):
commonwealth because they were they were one and done for
the most, part so they didn't appreciate and know how
significant they. Were as far as an autograph, session you,
know they couldn't believe that so many people would come
back and want their. Autographs so after the, yeah it
was it was amazing Because how can you get used to.

Speaker 4 (53:24):
Anything when you're only here to play.

Speaker 5 (53:26):
Basketball you know What i'm, Saying and then you go
into THE. Nba this was just like a feeder system for,
them AND i had to really, emphasize you, know like
after the first, GAME i made everyone after the game
go back out out in the in the arena area
and sign every autograph to the last person.

Speaker 3 (53:43):
Left.

Speaker 5 (53:44):
Wow interesting because they, didn't you, Know AND i told,
THEM i, said, listen you're not going to be more
significant than any in any other place in the. World but,
HERE i, said you, Know, tyler you Is Willie, kolstein you,
Know taler The Phoenix suns that they didn't forgot about you,
already you, Know willie Call, Asy Sacramento kings that forgot
about you, already you, know But kentucky never forgets.

Speaker 1 (54:07):
You that's, Right that's, right you.

Speaker 5 (54:09):
Know and even though if you played six, months four
years or, whatever you still wore that uniform and there's
still a great appreciation for you in this, place unlike
any other place that you will live or be it
in your.

Speaker 4 (54:21):
Life and that was My that was my call in last,
year and it's.

Speaker 3 (54:25):
Going to be my call in this.

Speaker 5 (54:26):
Year.

Speaker 1 (54:27):
Too that's a great, point you, mate because in the
pros you're a. Commodity you know that some, people you,
know rise above. That but but ninety eight percent of the,
time you, know and people sign up for that right
as a pro you could. Stay if you stayed one
franchise for thirteen or fourteen, years that might be. Different
that doesn't happen, anymore does it?

Speaker 5 (54:48):
Now as you can see, that you, know the trading
is just like anything. Else you, know nobody's staying in one.

Speaker 3 (54:55):
Place and look at. It it's in.

Speaker 5 (54:57):
College now that's.

Speaker 1 (54:59):
True that's. True, Hey speaking of WHICH i know you
Noticed Boogie flann Leaves, caliperry dips his toe in THE nba,
waters then goes To. Florida and it can't be a
money thing because we know there's a bottomless pit of
chicken money and more In. Arkansas but he leaves the

(55:20):
guy he said no thanks To kentucky and Followed caliperry To,
arkansas got, hurt but came. Back they had a good.
Run but then he leaves For. Florida what do you
make of?

Speaker 3 (55:29):
That?

Speaker 5 (55:31):
Typical typical you, know there's just no loyalty in kindege athletics,
anymore you, know and you could, tell just like anywhere,
else he didn't care About arkansas that arkassos in his.
Chest no one, does, yeah you. Know and last year
because it was the first. Year you, know no one

(55:53):
can leave, after you, know because they all. Stay but
you're gonna see something leaving already. Here you, know you
Had ax freshman already leave In State kentucky kid already.

Speaker 3 (56:02):
Leave it's gonna. Be it's gonna, be you know What i'm.

Speaker 5 (56:05):
Saying and you can't knock, coaches you can't knock anything
that is the layer of the land. Now and that's
the way these kids and their parents. Think they're always
looking for the next. Fix they don't want the. Truth
they want people to tell them how good they. Are
and they're thinking that the grass is green on the other,
side where there's money, playing, coaching so on and so.

(56:26):
Forth you, know there's just no state power. Anywhere and
that's a prime example because cal actually everyone, thought if
you're a basketball, person That arkansas didn't hit their stride
Until Boogey flynn actually got hurt.

Speaker 1 (56:39):
Exactly this is the best of the Big bloon. Sider
this is the best of the Big blue. Insider welcome
back to The Big Blue. Sider joining us now on
Our Celebrity highline is the guy we have chatted with many.
Times you hear him On Sunday Morning Sports, Talk Anthony,
white the FORMER uk running back who is one of
the co host along With Larry vott In cast of.
Hundreds it seems On Sunday Morning Sports, tack how are.

Speaker 3 (57:01):
You and B i'm doing pretty, good doing really.

Speaker 1 (57:04):
Good let's talk a little bit About uh, well first
of all The Kentucky? Derby did you have the? WINNER
i did not have the?

Speaker 3 (57:13):
WINNER i. WAS i guess it's kind OF i guess
this kind of. Controversial now That Bob bathor was, BACK
i was looking at some of his, horses And Larry
vaux's close friend of, mine was going with with. Journalism
SO i saw that we had a chance, there but
mine was.

Speaker 4 (57:31):
The.

Speaker 3 (57:31):
One it was a gold chunk of, gold chunk of.
Gold didn't have didn't didn't stand the chance, man but
that WAS i just saw the name sounded, prey SO
i went with dad at worse. That Uh, NO i
didn't do, good BUT i do, know AND i do.
NOW i think it's always tough to depict A derby.
Horse my birthday Is may, first was Always derby, weekend

(57:53):
so WHENEVER i, celebrated as Usually, derby it was always every.
Weekend but when it rains the whole day and then
it typically clears up right right before the.

Speaker 1 (58:01):
Race, Yep i've covered so Many derbys AND i can
remember that. Happening it seems like it could pour all
day and then for some Reate well we know why
the racing gods allowed things to clear. Up but uh,
YEAH i had. Journalism he was one of my two key.
Horses the horses are in two three or the HORSES
i keyed all my exotics on for the most, part

(58:23):
had a couple of savers that hit the. Board but,
YEAH i mean, sovereignty you. Know HE i said earlier
he liked the, track he had won on the track,
before but the fact that it was an off, track
a sloppy, track and it scared me. Off but uh,
MAN i love The, derby so you, KNOW i NEVER
i never really, Complained and of course The derby always

(58:43):
comes not long after spring. Practice raps. Up did you
enjoy spring practice when you were? Playing?

Speaker 3 (58:51):
Uh, well you KNOW i had two different, coaches SO
i can give you two different. Answers all, right go.
Ahead Under Bill curry you, Know Bill Curry, man were.
Full we were full. Pass we were rocking every, day,
Yeah monday Through, Thursday, friday do a little prep and
then you, know then the game was like a real. Game.
Man we were rocking and. Socking the only person that

(59:12):
couldn't get hit is Probably Philly Jack. Happins uh my
time there And Tim, couch he was only there in
one Year Under curry will Have, Mummy, man it was so, fun.
Man you, know throughout the week we were in shorts
and and, stuff and we knew we were gonna put
up put up a show for the, fans put up
about forty or fifty points because our office was was pretty.
Unique so un to Have mommy was fun because it

(59:35):
was an opportunity for the fans to see us fly
around and do great. Things but, nah but in my first, years,
man under that speed option Under Bill Curry, man it was,
man it was it was like a. Game every day
practice and the game was a. Game, yes, yeah during
the season during the you, KNOW i get.

Speaker 1 (59:54):
THAT i get. That and the during the season we
were allowed to come to practice back, THEN i get,
That and mummy went like you said that it was
almost past skelly and and thud when it came to
defense and all that.

Speaker 3 (01:00:06):
Stuff, yeah, no and the so so if we, went
if we went full to the ground in the regular,
season spring was exact same. Thing they wanted to know
who was gonna be ready in the fall and, yeah,
man we we, Banged, yeah we banged around the whole. Frame.

Speaker 1 (01:00:22):
Man, well it was probably just as well then that
you went from the heavy hitting Under curry to the
lighter stuff Under. Mummy imagine if you'd flipped the script
and you've been Doing mummy stuff and then you went
to the heavy, hitting it would have been tougher to. Take.

Speaker 3 (01:00:37):
Right if you ever talked to Uh Tony, franklin who's running, Back,
yeah remember he just got he just signed somewhere last.
Year he was the one who said when he got,
there him and How mummy them came. In he, SAID
i was kind of, small, MAN i was about one
hundred and eighty five, pounds and he was, like, MAN
i never saw how they beat you all up all

(01:00:57):
throughout the week and expect you to perform On. Saturday
and that's, why you, know The mummy and especially as
a running. Back Tony franklin was, like, MAN i want
you to be. PRESS i want you to be fresh
as possible On. Saturdays long as you know your. Assignment you,
KNOW i got faith and you're gonna do what you're gonna.
Do but there ain't no sense in beating you. Up
flitz picked up OF uh nine on, seven which is inside,
drill like it's a tough running and all. That just

(01:01:19):
now just run, around be fresh man with thuds you
here and there and make sure you know what you're.
Doing but, no just being fresh and that and that
really made me feel like that's why when you asked me,
THAT i got a different answer because going to the
season this. Hurts that hurts as opposed to going in there, like, shoot,
MAN i ain't been hit. YET i want to see
how LONG i can go through the season without being.

Speaker 1 (01:01:40):
HIT i hear.

Speaker 6 (01:01:41):
That.

Speaker 1 (01:01:42):
Well on the one, hand coaches like to say old
school coaches like to, say you know you play the
way you. Practice but then you know what's interesting Is
mummy was was was criticized after he, left or really
during his last season because the defense was so bad
and we've talked about that. Before that Was mike made or,
honestly just what he was doing nobody could figure, out

(01:02:04):
and you, know getting fired or resigning under. Pressure but
people criticize the fact that you guys use THE thud,
policy which is hip it don't take to the. Ground
and When guimo took, over who was kind of the
Anti mummy in a lot of, ways he IMMEDIATELY i
think you might have been gone by. Then he immediately

(01:02:26):
said or had his team go to thud because he, Said,
anthony if we take people to the, ground injuries will
pile up and we're going to run out of. Players
so it made, sense didn't.

Speaker 2 (01:02:36):
It?

Speaker 3 (01:02:38):
Oh absolutely. NO i wasn't there Under more's BUT i
CAN i can pretty much assure that you know he
ran THE nfl type. Practice now how THE nfl is
get your spots really, quick make contacts so we know
that you can get a good. Fit and that was
and that was. IT i will tell you this, though
if you talked to you, Know Jeffin nettecker and some
of those, guys maybe Now marlon, McCree they did feel

(01:02:59):
like not getting all that that tackling and all that
hurt them On saturdays because when they got a position
that thud that did not assimulate a game time. SITUATION
i think they, felt, like you, know not not having that.
OPPORTUNITY i could see.

Speaker 1 (01:03:15):
That but here's the other, Thing, anthony is it under
Major how often were they in the right place at
the right? Time it was so.

Speaker 3 (01:03:23):
Rare, yeah they call we call that. Defense they call
that defense ninety nine point. Nine so if they if
they they blitch ninety nine point nine the. Time and
so if you get, there which is tough to do
a lot of, times you may, whip which you leave
everybody on the island one on. One and at this,
level nobody's tackling anybody one on. ONE i, MEAN i

(01:03:43):
don't care how good of a tackle you. ARE i
don't think you're gonna tackle me one on. One and
if you, DO i don't deserve to be a skilled
player in the. Conference but, yeah that WAS i think,
he like you, said he put people in terrible. Position
we want they were in.

Speaker 1 (01:03:56):
Position, well fortunately those days are. Gone coming out of the,
spring what were some of the reports you. GOT i
don't know if you've got a chance to get over
there at. All you are a working, Man but how
do you feel about the way things are? Going? Right
now as you know.

Speaker 3 (01:04:12):
It, WELL i don't really want, to, MAN i ain't
really want to have this. Conversation i'll tell you. That,
yeah you've kind of always questioned me off air on
air about you, know THE i guess the CONFIDENCE i
had in our. SQUAD i tell you this, game it
ain't there this. Year, okay it ain't there this year
for me AND. I but the one THING i do

(01:04:34):
feel is that we're back to Old Mark stukes. Football
we're back to blue. Collar we don't HAVE i don't
think we got the players running the asylum. ANYMORE i
don't think players are calling the. Shots so you, know
you hear a lot of new names around on our
squad now and that doesn't fit either way with. Me
that's WHY i really don't have an answer for. YOU i,
mean they have all new offensive. Line these guys haven't jailed.

(01:04:57):
YET i think the running back, room which probably for
the past six or seven years has been pretty. Strong
uh we can plug and play their quarterback position for,
again for about the four out of the last five
years is a question on you know. Who we have a,
quarterback brand new. Guy you, know they're, talented they're, uh
have a lot of experience at that. Position Uh, so

(01:05:19):
LIKE i said With Kyles, outa but everything starts WITH
i was talking to AN espn reporter and they thought, That.
Uh the question With kentucky is what's going on? Upfront
so the quarterback may look, average may look extremely average
because out of may look extremely average if he doesn't
have any blocking up, front and that's where the team

(01:05:41):
is gonna. Go the receiving room is gonna suffer from
that running. Back they probably are do decent if the
running but but if that offensive line, jails THEN i you,
KNOW i think we got a lot of. Excitement so,
uh and that's where all the questions were last. Year
the quarterback rooms now in the office line, room AND
i THINK i think they're still there right.

Speaker 1 (01:06:01):
Now so it's fair to say it's too soon to.
Tell what do you? Think because you're you're you're a
lot more skeptic having played this. Game you're a lot
more skeptical than the average, fan aren't.

Speaker 3 (01:06:11):
You oh, Yeah i'm absolutely. Skeptical LIKE i, said even
for at the quarterback, POSITION i thought a lot of
things were going. ON i know our defensive front will be,
well our defensive, BACKFIELD i think they'll they'll be able
to hold their own lineback and. Corps we got a
lot of new faces. There we had a lot of,
attrition you, know due to the transfer, portal, right uh

(01:06:33):
and stuff like. This And i'm Bd white is great
to hide his. Weaknesses so if we do have weaknesses on,
DEFENSE i Think Brad white can hide. Them, well you,
know we can play in this. Conference but, yeah But i'm.
Reserved i've got my position alerts UNTIL i see what
those guys can do. UPFRONT i don't blame.

Speaker 1 (01:06:49):
You we're talking With Anthony, white Former kentucky running. Back
he as a co host Of Sunday Morning Sports. Talking
we'll come back and talk more, football but aunt be
in just a minute here on The Big Boon sider
six thirty W. L this is the best of The
Big bloom And. Sider welcome. Back we're chatting With Anthony.
White he is the co host Of Sunday Morning Sports
talk here right here on six THIRTY. Wlap and just

(01:07:11):
before the, break b was telling us about how skeptical
he is right, now and you have earned that right
obviously because of the way things have gone over the
last few. YEARS i want to talk to you though
about the old line because looking back on how things
have been going to last three, seasons AND i think
we've all tried to see things that weren't, there at
least some of us. HAVE i don't put you in that,

(01:07:32):
group because you're a harder sell on a lot of this,
stuff having played both here and at the pro. Level
BUT i think we were all expecting too much from
that offensive. Line maybe not you, know the year After
Will levis, left BUT i think we were overly. Optimistic
AND i think when you get right down to a

(01:07:52):
lot of the problems this team has had, now not
pointing fingers at any one person in, particular it just
wasn't the right. MIX i did talk To, fyi one
of the staffers during spring, break and he was not
THE o line, coach but he was, Impressed anthony with
the athleticism on this. Group and to your point you
talked about kind of getting back to That Mark stoop's

(01:08:15):
style of. Play this guy said he believes that the
old line could start looking again like A John SCHLARMAN o,
line you know WHAT i, Mean.

Speaker 3 (01:08:24):
And that would be and that would be the best
thing that can happen for. Us and when we line
up Against, toledo IF i could see that or just
a similars of AND i know That aledo shouldn't put
up as much of a fight as THE sec is
gonna put, up but IF i could see, that that will.
HELP i was talking To Big. Dog we talked To
Big dog On sunday, morning AND i asked him about.
UH i asked him about our offense line and the

(01:08:51):
center just just got draft or they got that got
signed to The, texans and he said That Cock, wolford, Yeah,
Eli Eli cox being signed and he thought That, yenser you,
know knew What eli had had to take a risk on. Him,
Said eli is doing a good job as The. TEXAS i,

(01:09:12):
ASKED i asked him this completely, honest and he's always
been honest with. ME i, Said so we got rid Of,
genser who was at The Houston. Texans who's the better
who ended up better on the. Deal so we Fired
genser and we brought back the old offensive line coach
And wolford that was At. Alabama and besides the panel

(01:09:34):
that was On sunday, morning they thought that maybe The
texans got the better end of the. Deal so that
really didn't make any sense to. Me that really didn't
make any sense to. Me so when you asked me,
WHO i, uh you asked me about WHO i think
the office line is going. TO i think if he
gets back to, resembling if he gives that Resemblance, SLARMAN

(01:09:56):
i think you have a chance Because slarmer would play
eight or office. Line so every year you have two
or three linemen who have some, experience and that every
year you just got continuity on the office. Line this
year we have all transferred. Lineman we GOT i Mean
burton is the only one that hasn't transferred. There we
Got farmers transfer in Bron Pete, washlager those, guys and
all those guys have never played. Before Maybe burton And

(01:10:18):
farmer just a tas. It and if they don't, jail
we don't know we're gonna get. Now they could completely.
Jail they could completely, jail And wolfer can have those
guys rotating in in the slarm and fashion where everybody's staying,
continuity nobody's getting, tired everybody has fresh, legs AND i
think that things can go. Well BUT i think you
hit the nail on the. HEAD i do think we
got to get back to the Old, slarman Way. Man

(01:10:39):
we're keeping these games, fresh you, know you, know having
some younger guys getting in their mixes up so the
older guy can can be. Fresh and also it helps
the continuity in the. Future going to the portal every
year to get office lineman is not the way. GAVE
i tell, you if a, team whether there's money involved,
now but if a team lets a good left tackle

(01:10:59):
or great offense lineman, go you may not have been
their best offensive. Linemen, yeah which means you could come
here and be our. Best but that means that we
probably had problems from them. Beginning SO i DON'T i
don't think it's a bad thing that we hit the
portal to get a lot of players this, year BUT
i think it leaves a lot of. Uncertainty And i've
been optimistic in the past just BECAUSE i know How

(01:11:21):
stuke say, is And stukes will admit to you that
he he may have lost vision a little. Bit let the,
guys you, know run the locker room a little, bit
not be where they were supposed to, be not put
in the work they were supposed to off off the.
Field So i'm gonna RESERVE i really, Internally i'm probably
more optimistic now BECAUSE i know you've got guys who
wants to, play who's gonna, listen who's gonna be, there

(01:11:41):
who wants to prove they want to they want to
wear the blue and. White BUT i ain't confident issue
to put to put my, Words so put my words.

Speaker 1 (01:11:52):
ONE i don't blame you because the proof's not been
in the pudding over the last few. Years we're talking
To Anthony, white Former kentucky running back down the coast
Of Sunday morning Sports. Talk you talked about how bringing
in old linemen consistently through the portal is not necessarily
a great recipe for, success and clearly you need to
develop that chemistry that comes with a great old. Line

(01:12:15):
harder to do these days the way players are moving.
Around BUT i also have a, Question, anthony do you
Think kentucky is ever going to be? Able maybe they
can do this With Cutter, bowley if not this, year next,
year can they break the cycle of having to go
to the portal almost every year every other year for
a starting, quarterback not just A, qb but a starter

(01:12:37):
because this cycle began When Drew barker went down injured
during the. YEAR i think it was during the twenty sixteen,
season you, know crying out a. Lot it was eight
years ago And Stephen johnson did a remarkable. Job Terry
wilson came, in he held a job for a while
longer than. Most but when can they just start developing
their own qbs? Again you know WHAT i?

Speaker 3 (01:12:58):
MEAN i think you're absolutely right on that as. WELL
i don't think you can for you to make and
this is not a knock On stoops at, all to
make nine almost ten million dollars a year to coach
a football, team and the head of the snake is
uncertain every year that nobody hires a NEW ceo every.
Year nobody hires a general manager every year at a successful.

(01:13:19):
Business so the fact that you, know you're not developing these,
guys bringing them through the, rank and then have somebody
you know in the corridor, waiting you, know to take
over the next. Year are you every barring injury or
just you, know something happens in an off, season which
happens a couple of, times like right before the season
starts in the, summer somebody goes. Down, man you maybe

(01:13:39):
it hit the, portal but living in the, portal, man
that got to be a scary. Thing it ain't scary
for me or you because that's a little MONEY i. Make,
man they can find Another Anthony White. Indy they to
do my. Job but if you're a ten million dollar coach,
man you have to you have to be fighting your
fingernails Like Lebron, james knowing that, MAN i got a new.
GUY i don't know how he's gonna jail with the.
SYSTEM i don't know how in the jail with the

(01:14:00):
players in the locker. Room and you do that every.
Year that's. Karried now if you bring a you bring
A Tim couch in as a, freshman you get him
beat up in the. Swamp But Tim couch is still
a dude to. Practice he still deliver the throws you
bring how money?

Speaker 5 (01:14:12):
In?

Speaker 3 (01:14:14):
Now you sophomore? Year, hi are we doing? Great junior?
Year A heisman candidate because you knew what you? Had
he the, system, fit he developing the, system got better
at the. System and when he, leaves what happens? Next
you Got Dusty. Bonner Dusty bonner knows the. System he
sat behind. Him here we go and you, so, UH
i think you had that on the. Head you might

(01:14:34):
need To you don't need to be talking to. Me
you need to be sitting down talking To stoops and
you get him understand that and you develop you of. Sophomore,
man you got three years to be comfortable at least,
uh you, know, uh be comfortable with your paycheck coming
in for another three.

Speaker 1 (01:14:47):
YEARS i know That stoops would obviously much rather have
a quarterback who is. Well, again they thought they had
it And Drew barker he was going to be the.
Guy you, know Say sad as a freshman played a
little bit but got, hurt but he was supposed to
be the guy for the next three, years which enabled
them to recruit in theory and develop depth at that, position,

(01:15:11):
which as you, know is not easy at THE qb.

Speaker 3 (01:15:13):
Spot, YEAH i don't want to throw anybody under the
bus or you, know throw, anyway because it's tough at that. Level,
man it is, tough and quarterback is probably the toughest
position because you have to know where everybody's. At you
got to process a lot of. Things you can't dictate
where the heat is coming. From you can't dictate a
lot of. Things but you rely on Every you rely

(01:15:33):
on ten other people and cannot dictate what the other
eleven people are doing. It you got to process and stuff.
Quickly BUT i DON'T i don't think we really had anybody.
Here maybe uh uh maybe uh, oh why skipping my?
Name are skipping? Me the guy that left here to
go to The, Rams liam The officer Of court and

(01:15:54):
Theam cohen if he maybe he maybe he Developed, will
but he are he had a relationship With Will, levits
so Possibly, Liam BUT i don't think he's really done
a great job of finding someone here to develop our
quarterback to the young. Ones and we just happened to
land On will Because will could throw the ball and
dayn their ninety yards and you Got Wandille. Robinson so,

(01:16:17):
YEAH i think the first thing he may do And
bush maybe That, bush maybe that guy that can develop the.
Quarterback we haven't really seen that. Yet but maybe that's
our next, focus bringing in the top tier quarterback. Coach
BUT i think the tough part is doing go ahead
just because.

Speaker 1 (01:16:32):
Say but you know what that circle says right back
to the first thing we talked About, anthony and that
was an old. LINE i Mean Will ravis's second, year
those guys that protected him the year, before four of
them were IN nfl. Camps he had handed off to
AN nfl back In benny as you, said he'd been
throwing to AN nfl wide out or split it a slot.
Back And Wandale robinson now he's got a NEW oc

(01:16:54):
and won't let him, scramble and an old line under
construction he's running, away wouldn't run for his life because
it wouldn't let. Him so end up getting killed back
there and ended up injured most of the. Years SO
i don't. Know it's a vicious. Circle but they just
got to power through, it don't.

Speaker 3 (01:17:11):
They, yeah AND i AND i got faced on, Them
LIKE i, SAID i think we got a lot hungrier.
Guys and we talked about this for probably the past
three or four. Years, man with the with the implementation
of the transport portal and N i l you, know
it's tough to re recruit, guys have guys stay. Committed
when guys are making more knowledge that they're gonna make
it the next, level just like the women the women's

(01:17:31):
basketball game is going on to the top. Tier women
UH W nba girls are making lesson they were in.
College so you, know when they when they're making more
than the, coaches it's tough to motivate. Him it's tough
for them to stay. Motivated BUT i Think stops kind
of really understands hold these guys. Accountable and the biggest thing,
is which you, know one of the coaches friend of,
Mine i'm friends with big dogs as, well that they

(01:17:54):
have to know that WHEN i line up next to
the other ten players off of the defense special, teams
that you got to do your. Job someone can get. Hurt,
yep you know if you're. Not so everybody want to
be out there for a counter. Cast but when someone's
making say eight hundred thousand dollars a year and next
to somebody who's making one hundred or fifty thousand dollars
and they feel they're more, ENTITLED i. Don't those things

(01:18:15):
are real things that are going on gay AND i
think we got rid of a lot of. THAT i
think itself in the mirror made a lot of the
players look at stuff in the. Mirror and that's why
when the fans get upset and so and so, left
so and so Lest, yeah well they weren't buying into
What stups and the staff are trying to. DO i
feel more that's why a lot of them. Less So
i'm really agent to see when we get back to
just having blue collar guys going out there committed to

(01:18:37):
The blue and. White i'm just kind of curious to
see what the products is going to.

Speaker 1 (01:18:42):
Be sounds like a guy From cleveland who wore the
blue and. White and we will find out more about
What Anthony white has to say as the season gets
closer and as it gets, underway AND b thank you as.
Always you can listen On Sunday Morning Sports talk For
Anthony white and it's always. Entertaining each. Week you guys

(01:19:03):
kind of wrap up the week and then look, ahead you,
know just talk, football but you can also hear them
discuss basketball and the like and tell everybody how to
reach you On twitter OR.

Speaker 3 (01:19:13):
X we are a dot YIT a D o T
W H I T e is my personal with our,
shows with my podcast and any other sports information That
Van hi's my cover which IS V style seventeen and
social media The locker four one one at The locker
four one one on all social media platforms for us

(01:19:34):
to talk sports and have a raw cut look into
the locker room. Conversation that's.

Speaker 1 (01:19:39):
Right we're Big Van hiles fans over here as. Well
M B i do appreciate the, time, brother thank you so.

Speaker 3 (01:19:45):
MUCH i appreciate.

Speaker 1 (01:19:46):
You end up next number two Of aaron gershin here
on The big One siders six THIRTY Wlap.

Speaker 7 (01:20:00):
Tata. Pact contact.

Speaker 4 (01:20:39):
The, shop.

Speaker 7 (01:20:44):
Then back, outstation Then don