2025-08-18 - BBI - Big Blue Insider with Dick Gabriel

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Ariell with you
in a Monday edition of our program. We are now
twelve days away from Kentucky football and more than one person,
but I always look at Corey Price's posts on extra
Twitter to tell us, in terms of UK uniform numbers,
how many days away we are. Today it's Dickie Lyons Day,
Dickie Lyons War number twelve. What a great story. His dad.

(00:24):
This isn't why he's a great story, but his dad,
Dickie Senior, Richard Senor, was my very first college football hero.
He was from Louisville, played for some really bad UK teams.
But you know I had my name when I was younger.
I went by Dickie, so you know I caught my eye.
But I remember delivering newspapers on Saturday afternoon, listening to

(00:46):
Kabod on the radio talk about another Kentucky loss. But
Dickie Lyons Junior, or Dickie Lyon Senior, doing everything he
could to try to bring the Wildcats a victory, but
just you know, just could not catch a break. Here
and there got a chance to get to know him,
interview him, did a story on him back in the day,
good guy, and this is back when his son, Richard Junior,

(01:09):
was a toddler and then he grows up, of course,
to be a very popular and very talented wide receiver
in the Rich Brooks era and was part of that
Rich Brooks team or teams that turned the tide for
Kentucky football back in the mid o It's big play guy,
was a return guy for a while and a really
good slot receiver. He might be best remembered for a

(01:32):
blow he delivered on an LSU player during that upset
of the top ranked Tigers, and the kid he blasted
was a childhood friend of his and today probably would
be ruled illegal. It was a clean hit, but anyhow,
Dicky Lyons Junior would have had a better shot. He
got a chance at the pros, but remember he blew
his knee early in his last season. Happened right in

(01:53):
front of me. I think it was against South Carolina,
and it was never quite the same, but so fast
at great hands and was just a lot of fun
to watch, a lot of fun to talk to. And
we've had him on the show since then more than once.
So Number twelve, Dickey Lions Junior, who committed to Kentucky
despite the fact that he had never been here. He
had never been to campus. He might have been to Kentucky,

(02:17):
but in terms of a recruiting visit, no. He grew
up wanting to be a Wildcat, thanks to Dad, of course,
but when he committed, he had never been here officially
on a visit. And one of the guys who came
here because they were friends along with Dickie was Monsel Allen.
So just just a great, great part of Kentucky football lore.

(02:38):
In Dicky lyons. We will talk Kentucky football tonight. Well,
here from Mark Stoops, who was pleased after the scrimmage.
He said he felt pretty good Saturday about where they are.
That was the last inner squad scrimmage until they kicked
things off. We're also going to hear from a couple
of the players, two guys who transferred into lineman, Josh

(03:00):
and David Gusta. They will play a lot of football.
You'll hear Gusta's name more than you'll hear Bronze, unless,
of course, Brons called for a penalty, but that's just
the nature of d line versus old line. But these
are two veterans who have played a lot of football
and provide depth, if not starting assignments for the Wildcats
on both sides of the ball. So we'll get their

(03:21):
take on what happened within the scrimmage. And also a
little bit later on, we'll come back and talk and
hear from Josh Braun about a retreat that the football
team had recently, a team bonding experience that involved a
board game, more specifically with the offensive lineman, not just
the old lineman. But it was really interesting. He brought

(03:43):
it up when he was talking to the media on Saturdays.
We'll talk about that as well. Also going to hear
a few comments from Mark Pope, he went on another
national podcast. Didn't really shed a lot of new light
on his team on the schedule. You know, we've heard
him a lot this summer, which is great you get
a chance to hear from him and his players. Well,

(04:04):
we'll hear him talk a little bit about his growth
as not the head coach a head coach, but the
head coach of the Wildcats is of yes, you know,
different from any other job in America. So that's coming
up a little bit later on. Keith Farmer from BBN
Tonight joined us at the bottom of this hour and
our number two Kaylie Shapiro from the New York Racing Association.

(04:25):
She's a handicapper and she'll talk about a huge day
of racing coming up this Saturday up at Saratoga, involving
two horses that have become well known nationwide, but especially
to those of us here in Kentucky. So that's all
coming up, and nour number two as well. I mentioned
Mark Pope speaking of Kentucky basketball. You saw this over

(04:47):
the weekend. But finally, finally, Andrea Yealovich is on campus
in Lexingon. He is the foreign import who has posted
pictures of his dorm room. Is on campus, twenty one
years old, six foot eleven and according to two four
to seven Sports, we'll wear number four for the Wildcats.

(05:09):
That's right, Kyle Macy, He's got your number. So now
here are the bigs they have. They've got Yellowvich, Brandon Garrison,
Malechai Moreno, Jadan Quainton's when he's healthy, Mohammed Diabtrheys potter Man.
Do they have depth on the front line? And his
Pope has mentioned more than once he likes to try
to play everybody if he can, So it's gonna be

(05:31):
really interesting to see how this guy fits in with
Mark Pope's style of basketball. But I gotta think as
an international big guy who, by the way, has a
wingspan of seven foot two, he can shoot it.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
Now.

Speaker 1 (05:45):
He did average for his team in Serbia eleven points,
seven and a half rebounds, but also one and a
half assists, So perhaps he's a passing big man. I
gotta think he is that Mark Pope can really really
appreciate all right now, shifting over to football, an NFL
headline emerging this weekend a trade between the Jaguars and

(06:10):
the New Orleans Saints involving Luke Fortner. That's right, Fortner,
who started his first two years. He's played in all
fifty one games since the Jags made him a third
round pick in twenty twenty two. Started every game his
first two years, didn't start any last year, but did
play in every game, probably on special teams, and took

(06:30):
a pay cut this offseason but stayed with the team.
But the Saints needed depth at center. They lost Will
Clapp to a season ending foot injury, so they trade
for Fortner. They traded a D lineman and that's going
to allow another player who started at center on Sunday
to move back to guard, so maybe Fortner competes for

(06:52):
the starting job in New Orleans. This made me nervous
for Luke when I saw it, because this late in
camp you have to want will both players survive the
cut list? With New Orleans now in need of depth
on the O line and Fortner a proven NFL commodity,
I like his chances of hanging with that team that

(07:14):
already includes Landon Young, a former teammate from the Big
Blue Wall. And keep in mind the head coach who
traded him, Liam Cohen from Jacksonville. But business is business,
and the Jags needed help on the D line. They
get Kaylen Saunders and then Luke Fortner, maybe with a

(07:37):
better chance to play now in New Orleans. So we'll
keep an eye on that for you as well. Another
move involving personnel, This came, of course out of the
Southeastern Conference, not really a surprise, but Tennessee finally is
named Joey Aguilar. It's starting quarterback. Remember he came in

(07:58):
after Nico Yamaleva transferred to UCLA. Agilar started two years
at app State. Showed up in Knoxville in mid May,
about a month after Yamalaeva's departure from Tennessee. Agilar had
transferred there in the winter time, but after Yamalava arrived,

(08:20):
he jumped back into the portal and ends up at
Tennessee and now he is the starter. Started twenty five
games in two years at app State, threw for sixty
seven hundred yards, fifty six touchdowns, twenty four picks. Beats
out a red shirt freshman, a true freshman, and those
guys between them had nine career passing attempts. So it's

(08:44):
not a surprise that Aguilar gets the starting job. And
he was not guaranteed anything. He said, Josh Heipel said
that to him, said to OC said the same thing
to him, said, you got to come in and compete,
and he did, and now he's the starter. So that's
the guy. If he stays healthy, it will start for

(09:06):
the Balls against the Wildcats in a game deep into
the season. Quarterback news in Gainesville, DJ Lagway, the Florida
quarterback who has been in a boot, and we kept tearing, Oh,
it's nothing, he'll be, Not its nothing, he'll be but no,
it's nothing. Well, apparently it is. He's still in the boot,

(09:27):
or at least sideline. He's got a calf injury, so
add that to the list of arms, shoulder, hamstring injuries,
and now people are wondering, is this guy gonna be
able to survive an entire season as the starting QB
at Florida. He's not a huge guy, but he might
be the best when he's healthy. He might be the
best quarterback in the league. But he's yet to play

(09:50):
a full season, so we'll find out if he can
stay in the starting job or the Florida Gators Interesting
you come back? We will hear from the Football Wildcats
a little bit later on Keith Farmer on six thirty
WAP Welcome back to the Big bluon Sider. Coming up
Keith Farmer from WLAX ten to eighteen the BBN Tonight's

(10:11):
show of Course, and a new guest comes up in
our number two, Kaylee Shapiro from the New York Racing Association.
There is a huge day of racing coming up at
Saratoga on Saturday, including Torpedo and a trained by Lexiing
and Kenny McPeak, but also the Traverse Stakes featuring Kentucky
Derby and Belmont champion Sovereignty. What a day of racing,

(10:32):
and we'll get a little preview from Kaylee coming up.
That happens this Saturday. This past Saturday, the football Wildcats
wrapped up their final scrimmage of the preseason. They will
practice again, of course Saturday, but won't be a scrimmage,
and Mark Stoops and the players talk to us on
Saturday afternoon afterwards, including David Gusta, the nose tackle, who

(10:54):
it looks like we'll be sharing the position with Khalil Saunders.
That's a pretty good one two point. Gusta from the
beginning had been listed as number one at basically detackle,
but Saunders now is ranked on the depth chart i've
seen is running first team, Gusta second. I got to
think they're going to rotate those guys, keep them fresh.

(11:15):
But that's a pretty good one two punch. Khalil Saunder's
a red shirt senior. David Gusta, the transfer from Washington State,
also a red shirt senior. So these guys have played
a lot of football. And Gusta Saturday talked to us
about the fact and Stoops mentioned this a couple of
weeks ago. He is so strong, Gusta that and they
know what they've got with him that they've been able

(11:37):
to sort of shut him down a little bit. He
still practices, but he doesn't go every rep, every drill.
They're kind of pacing themselves with him, and Gusta said
that's been a big help here in summer camp.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Coach Stuf does a great job keeping people healthy because
at Washington State, like we were constant grind and grind,
and at some point, like the player's bodies would really
started feeling it and then like your first week outside,
like you know, like people are beat up his injuries.
But co Stuke does a great job like basically stay
stelling like physical, but then he also keeps us like

(12:10):
pretty healthy for most part.

Speaker 1 (12:12):
And by way of scouting reports, somebody asked him, you know,
who have you gone against who's given you some trouble,
and he mentioned the veterans Jagger Burton and Jalen Farmer.
So those are two of the most physical guys he's
ever faced, and so that bodes well. And those are
not two transfers, those are some returning offensive linemen, so
that's good news. David Gusta also talked about the fact

(12:34):
that communications has gotten better on the defensive side of
the ball and that of course always starts with the linebackers,
and he said they clean that up a lot.

Speaker 2 (12:44):
I would definitely say it was our communication and like
you say, like tackling, because our last scrimmage it just
wasn't okay because we missed way too many. But this
one I'm I'm definitely happy with, like with with Basie
Davern and just everybody else back there, given like call,
given a back to sets, so I just feel like
everything is just there.

Speaker 1 (13:04):
So that's good to hear better communications and better tackling
on the defensive side of the ball. One of the
other things that Gusta appreciates now is adjusting to the
weather here in Kentucky. He's from San Bernardino, but as
we said, played earlier in his career at Washington State.
Now Washington State is on the eastern side of the

(13:24):
state of Washington. It's not on the coast side. It's
on what they call the desert side. I've never been there,
been to Seattle several times, but we asked him about
making the transition to the wonderful weather, the heat and
humidity here in Kentucky.

Speaker 2 (13:39):
Oh, that first day was hell. And I say this
like before, if like I was breathing through a straw
and like, like it was terrible. So like, I think
the farthest that I've been this area is probably Texas,
and Texas like it it gets hot, but like it's
not but it's not humid. So it took me about,
I probably say, to last week to not be dying
on that field. And so I think it's good that

(14:01):
I go acclimated to it. So are you now, I'm fine?
Now that's forel good. It's definitely hard to wash the
state because washing the state, you know, our first game
would be like thirty outside and and like we'll be
practicing in the snow. So we go down to Ucla
and it's eight degrees and I'm dying. So basically it's
nice though I like the way.

Speaker 1 (14:19):
To describe that breeding like you're trying to breathe through
a straw. That I understood. We all understand that, don't
we here in the state of Kentucky. But he said
he's making the adjustments, and that's big. Josh Braun spoke
to us as well. Veteran offensive lineman, he started his
career at Florida, transferred to no the other way around,
started at Arkansas, transferred to Florida, and somebody asked him

(14:43):
about playing college football now with you know, the portal
in NIL and just trying to pull a team together
with so many new faces. What that's like in this
day and age.

Speaker 3 (14:53):
Yeah, I mean, I think it speaks to the landscape
of college football today as compared to when I started
as a freshman in twenty twenty. I mean, I think
across the country, you see it's become a profession, it's
become your job, and players are treating it as such.
And because of that, it's not to say that players.
I think a lot of people when they see the
new landscape of college football they say, oh, the players
don't care about the university. I think they care about

(15:14):
the university even more because they're saying, this is where
I choose to be, this is what I want to represent,
and because of that, they carry themselves in a different manner.
I mean, you see guys treating their body as their business.
And because of that, I see more people in the
training room getting treatment every day than I have in
the past for my career, and I see people taking
nutrition seriously the weight room more serious than I think

(15:37):
people have throughout the country. Even last year or the
year before.

Speaker 1 (15:41):
That's an interesting answer, and I get where he's coming from.
I kind of stop short on throwing that blanket over
everybody who's transferred, because you know you've got guys. Well,
think about the guys at Alabama when it comes to
the nil situation. A couple of years ago, maybe was
it three years ago, prior to the ball game, they
went to Nick Saban and said, we need more money,

(16:03):
we want more money. We're not playing in a bowl game.
And that's when Saban said I'm done. So guys like Braun, Yeah,
you know, straight up, he's right. You know, guys who
choose they have one more shot at it, and they
choose to play at this particular school, that particular school,
whatever reason they went, money, playing time, probably a combination

(16:25):
of both, but they did choose that school, and therefore
it behooves them to put everything they have into what
they're doing now. He sounds like a guy who's doing
just that. Bron also gave an update on what it's
been like as the Old Line trying to pull together
that old five guys acting as one, really the entire
Old Line room trying to pull together in a really

(16:47):
short amount of time instead of developing over one, two,
three seasons, they have a few months. But he sounded
pretty positive about it.

Speaker 3 (16:55):
I mean, it's just always hanging out with your guys
outside of a football setting. I mean we were on
a lie. We were swimming most of the afternoon and
just breaking bread with each other, getting outside of the
walls of this facility. I mean it's a great facility,
but it doesn't beat the lake with your boys.

Speaker 1 (17:11):
I mean, yeah, we talked to Mark Stoops as well
and mine. Now, if you're following Kentucky football, you know
he announced a couple of injuries, one serious, one not
so serious. Cole Lanter, a wide receiver who was a
walk on and went to Gardner Webb, came back to Kentucky.
It was a good player at Boyle County. He suffered
an injury and that's going to sideline him for the

(17:34):
entire season. So Cole Lanter is done for the year.
But the other injury, thankfully was not that it's him,
but Seth McGowan was injured. Walked past us in a boot,
but Stoops said it's not serious and he expects him
to be able to go this week. So that's a
guy who's going to be carrying the football from what

(17:54):
they think quite a bit this season. So you know,
again fortunate for the Wildcats that the injuries that plagued
them in the spring last year and at this time
last year. So far, so good. For his part, Stoop
said he was pleased with the scrimmage. You know, he's
got a lot to go on. He's got a lot
of depth, and according to him, their communications on field

(18:18):
was better, and heading into the final less than two weeks,
he sounds fairly optimistic.

Speaker 4 (18:24):
And got sloppy later with some twos and threes, with
some pre snap penalties and things of that nature, but
overall clean, we're getting better. We have two weeks to
continue to really work hard and push and try to
get things detailed. So you know, it's a work in progress,

(18:45):
but I'm happy with where we're at.

Speaker 1 (18:48):
Pre snap penalties are one of the things that drive
coaches nuts, and Stoops has talked about them ever since
he's gotten here. Got to keep them to a minimum,
And keep in mind a couple of years ago when
Kentucky just thumped Florida here in Lexington, the crowd was
so great that I think there were five pre snap
penalties at least that the coaches later said the crowd.

(19:12):
Both coaches Dan Mullen back then and Mark Soups both
credited the crowd at Kroger Field for being a big
part of that. So, yeah, that can just absolutely torch
a drive if you're especially on the road. It's tough
for the Wildcats, especially like at South Carolina. But man,
they made it tough on the Gators that night. But

(19:34):
with this veteran bunch on both sides of the ball,
you gotta think they'll be able to keep them at
a minimum, at least if you're a Kentucky fan, you hope.
So all right, up next, we'll talk to Keith Farmer
of BBN Tonight. I want to come on The Big
woon Sider six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big
Wooing Sider. Joining us now is my buddy and a
longtime friend of the show, Keith Farmer from WLX and

(19:55):
BBN Tonight came in. It's getting close. I know you
guys are gonna talk some volleyball tonight on the show,
but football football is king right now, and I don't
know about you, and if you've had a chance to
see the Mark Stoops' comments from the scrimmage. But he
seems and he and he talked to us as a
group last week, like he's in a pretty good mood.

(20:17):
Like the vibe is good, he's he's pretty optimistic. Are
you getting the same vibe?

Speaker 5 (20:23):
Well, he's giving that off, and it seems like the
coordinators are a little more uptight.

Speaker 6 (20:26):
Do you get that that's too Yeah?

Speaker 1 (20:28):
I think so.

Speaker 5 (20:30):
Maybe that's just wanting to make sure things are tightened up.
I don't know, but I think it's the headman feeling
pretty comfortable and giving off those good vibes. You got
to feel pretty good about it. And obviously he talked
today in Louisville as well at kickoff lunch and there
so another chance to get out in front of BBN.
But yeah, I mean everything that I've seen from him
seems to signal, you know, some comfort level a little

(20:52):
bit with with what he's got.

Speaker 1 (20:54):
Yeah, and he's he's been a no BS guy from
day one. I mean, he's guarded in his comments sometimes
you know, I'm not gonna to make a headline or
stuff like it, and I appreciate that, but but he's.

Speaker 5 (21:04):
Also honest too, right, Pardon me, I said, he's also
very honest.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
Oh yeah, that's what I was going to say. There
are times, man, he's coming us red face, not mad
at us, but mad at his team. And he's not
been afraid to tell us right.

Speaker 5 (21:17):
Yeah, yeah, Sorry I jumped the gun on you, but
you're right exactly. I mean, you're honesty. That's what he
has always given us, and and he's been there are
times where he's in his press conference he goes, look,
I'll tell you guys, right, I mean, I'm not afraid
to say this, And you're right. There have been times
where we've been a little afraid because he wasn't upset
at us, but boy was he, like you said, red

(21:37):
face and pretty upset with the team that it came
across kind of scary to the media. So we haven't
seen that, and that's good, I think, you know, because
typically it would come after that maybe first second scrimmage,
especially the second one, because they go out there and
they want to make some corrections and if they don't,
that's when you usually get that red face soup. And
so not getting that seems the legion he feels pretty

(22:00):
good about what he's got.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah, and you know, you're right, it's maybe scary. He's
not the right word, but you kind of hesitate because
you don't know where to go when he's that upset.
You know, you want to you're desperate to say, Okay,
who are you mad at? And he's not going to
tell us that. He'll tell us in general terms why
he's mad. But what's great is when he's feeling pretty good. Uh,
of course it's kind of a double standard, but he'll

(22:22):
tell you why. And I thought it was cool that
on Saturday he talked about the fact that he feels
good about the communication on both sides of the ball.

Speaker 5 (22:31):
Yeah, and you know, we tend to use a lot
of those micd ups, which you know BBNBC on Twitter,
And that's something that really hit me. We were watching
JQ Hardaway the other day and man, the communication he
was giving off, the confidence he was you know, had
there in the defensive backfield. That's something that's good to see.
And you know, that to me means there must be

(22:53):
good communication along both lines and just what he's seeing
from his quarterback maybe setting things up, so you know,
really good good to hear about that, because there are
plenty of times in the past where you've seen. I
don't know, the communication wasn't great. Yeah, we made some tackles,
we did this, but it could have been better if
they just talked. And it's so good to hear that
that's happening.

Speaker 1 (23:12):
Yeah, and Dave Gusta told us that the linebackers, the
new guys have done an including you know the kid
who transferred in from Southern cal and uh, you know
really all I said, Yeah, he said the communication between
the linebackers and the and the d line has really
sharpened up.

Speaker 5 (23:32):
That's huge, Oh tremendous because think about early in the
year when it was you know, Brad White sand We're
gonna have to rely on the defensive backs until we
can figure this thing.

Speaker 6 (23:42):
Out up front.

Speaker 5 (23:44):
And so yeah, to hear that the communication is going
so well up there has to make you feel a
little better. As they entered that first game, you know,
I guess Alito here in what the week?

Speaker 1 (23:53):
Oh yeah, let's listen two weeks. Yeah, you know, speaking
a harder way, I have to admit I was really
scared about him playing in the SEC. Came in from Cincinnati,
I think it was, and I thought he struggled early.
But he has really developed into an sec back, I think,
which is the genesis of all that confidence, don't you think?

Speaker 6 (24:15):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (24:16):
And you know, I mean we hear all the time.
At least in the past, before the portal, it was
always you know, recruit and developed. Well, now it's turned
into portal undeveloped because you know, this is a kid
that has stuck around and didn't just take that one
year uh and look to go elsewhere. He's being developed
by this coaching staff. So maybe he wasn't a freshman,

(24:36):
but he came in. He's sticking around learning what they want. Obviously,
coach Stuops likes that position as well, and so I
think it's you know, awesome to see that. Uh, you
know that they are making players better. I mean, you
know we're seeing that happen.

Speaker 1 (24:52):
Yeah, increased his tackles last year by almost fifty percent
at a couple of picks. So yeah, he's getting it done.
We're talking to Keith Farmer of BBN tonight wl X
eighteen of course about the football Wildcats, and it's not
long now, less than a couple of weeks. I am
so curious. Came in to see this old line. Josh

(25:14):
Braun talk to us about the bonding that's going it's
been going on. I told him a little bit later on,
we'll talk and hear from him about what it's been like,
what it was like at the retreat when they got
into a board game. Yeah, and got a chance to
do some bonding there. But more than anything, man, that's
a position I really want to see up close.

Speaker 7 (25:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (25:36):
I think that's the one we've been so curious about
from the start. Both lines actually, but I think that
offensive line is one that we wanted to see improvement
on this year because you know how it is in
the sec those holes close in a hurry, so you know,
to have these guys talking, to have them, you know,
doing well as we expect, means a lot for this team,

(25:59):
not only just creating those holes, but giving Zach Calzana
time to get back and find the receiver that's open
running that route. So I think this is the one
we've all been curious about. We'll certainly learn a lot more,
just really about the entire team after this week, because
this is that really last week half week where they're
in training camp, and then they'll start going into you know,

(26:22):
we'll get the depth chart and we'll see the ones
taking the snaps and starting the game plan for Toledo.
So that has me really really excited to see where
those guys are going to line up, who it's going
to be out there on Game one, and what we
can expect.

Speaker 1 (26:38):
Yeah, and we can say it as long as we can,
but I don't know how many people are going to
accept the fact that, yeah, this is a Mac team,
but it's a really good Mac team. This is a
dangerous opener, isn't it?

Speaker 5 (26:50):
Thirteen votes in the top twenty five. They've impressed somebody,
And you know, I think that they have some players
coming back from a pretty good year year ago, and
uh it is.

Speaker 6 (27:02):
It's a good MAC team.

Speaker 5 (27:03):
We've seen it time and time again that they've come
in here, uh and played well against Kentucky, you know
in the past. Uh soups eleven and zero against Mac.
So let's hope that can maintain the twelve O. But yeah,
Mac teams are always dangerous. I think anytime you play
them during the year.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
They've come in here and one they've come in here
and given Kentucky fits.

Speaker 6 (27:25):
Uh yep.

Speaker 1 (27:25):
So yeah, you know, and these are some of the
Mac teams that were good but maybe not the best
and this is perhaps the best team in the MAC.
We're talking to Keith Farmer from LA X eighteen BB
in tonight. No, there's NFL players everywhere came in, but
a lot of these guys in the MAC believe they
were under recruited or believe they should have been SEC

(27:46):
players and they got something to proved.

Speaker 6 (27:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (27:48):
Well, not only that with the portal, now guys can
go to the MAC with you know, no worries because
if you go there and you prove yourself, you know,
to be one of those top players, then you're gonna
started getting looks from the SEC schools and the Big
ten schools. So I think that's one area that's kind
of changed with college football. Guys no longer fear going

(28:09):
to the MAC, you know, or settling on the MAC.
They're going to go there and make a name for
themselves and then say, hey, I deserve to be playing
at a bigger school.

Speaker 1 (28:18):
Wellcome back and talk more with Keith Farmer of BBN tonight.
In just a minute, you're on the Big Boom Sider
six thirty WLP. Welcome back. We're talking with Keith Farmer.
He is a sports director WL e X and you
see him on BBN tonight, and of course he's been
covering the football Wildcats. Really this time of the year
came in. You're covering everything everybody, and you got high
school football coming up, don't you.

Speaker 5 (28:39):
High school football Friday Night at the first Lax eighteen
High School Sports Zone, and there's some pretty good games around,
So that's gonna be a lot of fun. I have
two new sports reporters and Noah Searson and Hannah hammelback,
so I'm excited to see them get out and see
what high school football in central Kentucky is all about.
Although Hannah went to Bourbon County so she kind of
knows a little bit about it. But but yeah, that's

(29:00):
gonna be a lot of fun.

Speaker 6 (29:01):
You're right.

Speaker 5 (29:02):
I mean, this is where it really kicks in with
this week and then next a couple of weeks with
college and then pros after that. So excited about football
season being here.

Speaker 1 (29:12):
We used to talk at KYT and I'm sure you
have as well. That high school football night, just a
little behind the scenes, pulling the curtain back for folks.
You know, you've got so many moving parts, You've got
so many games. Most people shoot two and sometimes three
games and you rush back to do the editing and everybody.
Sometimes you have to wait in line for an editor,

(29:32):
and people are banging out scripts, taking scores off the
internet over the phone. It's like a mini election night.
That's what always kind of tickled me when I'd see
the newsroom on an election. You know, everybody's running around
like headless chickens, and we're upstairs saying, yeah.

Speaker 6 (29:48):
We do that every week every Friday.

Speaker 5 (29:51):
Right, Yeah, I know you have the perfect equating you know,
kind of event as well with it being election.

Speaker 6 (29:58):
Night, because that's what it's like.

Speaker 5 (29:59):
I mean, you know, we've got to go to Twitter
to find some scores, sometimes actually text some coaches and
all of that, and sometimes you're up to the last
second running out and you know, getting in front of
the camera and I hope everything got in.

Speaker 6 (30:11):
So yeah, it's fun and rush. For sure.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
People need to understand that the anchor or anchors plural.
Sometimes you're seeing the video for the first time. Well
you're out your own camera and you got a shot
list and you're trying to narrate the highlights of video
you've never seen.

Speaker 8 (30:28):
That's a challenge, man, one hundred percent, and that's why
we a lot of times say, hey, put a cheerleader between,
so I know it's going to a next highlight because
you're trying to keep an eye on the words and
then out of the corner of your eye see the place,
and you know, sometimes they're a quick play and sometimes
they're a fifteen second guy running a kickback different ways,
zig zagging all over the field.

Speaker 6 (30:48):
You don't know what's going to happen. So yeah, it's
it's fun.

Speaker 1 (30:51):
Though I love it. I don't miss the daily grind
of TV, but I do miss nights like that. Days
like that. Yeah, even the Knights when we were shorthanded
and I had to go ahead and shoot video. I'm
not good at it, but that's why I would set
up on the on at the top of the stands.
I wouldn't be down on the field like you guys
are trying to follow the ball. And man, did that

(31:13):
make Steve Moss nervous whenever I took a camera out.
But uh boy, I never missed any touchdowns. I will
tell you that I'm proud of that.

Speaker 6 (31:20):
Good good.

Speaker 5 (31:21):
I still love going out because it gives me a
chance to, you know, see the kids in action. Some
of them like you know, the the Tye Bryan, the
Tiger Burtons, you know those kind of guys that uh
my tave In Quisenberry that we're going to see ends
up at Kentucky.

Speaker 6 (31:35):
It gives you that.

Speaker 5 (31:35):
Early look at him, and you can tell what's so
special about others that end up at other colleges, and
so much fun to see them in that age, yea.

Speaker 1 (31:44):
And I'd hear my shooters come back and rave about
these kids, you know, and I said, all right, well
now I need to go see him for myself. I'm
glad you brought brought up Quizinberry. That brings us back
to UK football. And I talked to some couple of
people last week about this. Mark Stoop's on signing day,
you might remember that invoked the name Wandelle Robinson when
he was talking about Quizsenberry. He didn't say he's going

(32:05):
to be the next guy, but basically said he's that
kind of player. And coaches are hesitant throughout my career
at least to bring up names of contemporaries. But I
thought that was really fascinating and we got to see
him make some big catches in those open practices, you know,
what I mean, how surprised would you be if I

(32:26):
can't imagine you would be surprised if he made some
big plays this year.

Speaker 5 (32:30):
I could easily see him on special teams because he
is so shifty, and if he makes that you know
catch clean, I could see him picking up a lot
of extra yard and maybe even break him one in
the wide receiver position. He's fearless and I saw him
at I think it was the media day opportunity we
had to watch practice, and he made a catch and

(32:52):
stopped on a dime just like Wandell and then cut inside.
And now you know, they weren't hitting full speed, so
I'm not sure if the defend or really would have
brought him down, but he made a move that looked
like it was going to make it an arm tackle
if anything, you know, and make it tough to bring
him down. So he really is quick, and he really
is a really good rout runner and again shifty, which

(33:14):
makes it tough to bring him down well.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
And I was talking to Steve Moss again at KYT
just last week about the that very play, and it
reminded me of the fact that you never saw anybody
really get a good shot on Wandale or Lynn Bowden
for that writer. They might tackle him, chase him down,
you know, grab him, but nobody ever gets a clean
shot at him. And of course quicks are very smaller

(33:38):
than both. I think he's not huge. But if you
can't catch him, what difference does it make.

Speaker 5 (33:44):
Right, exactly, And that's the one difference I think when
you do bring up the name Wandell is he was smaller,
but he was pretty thick and he could take some
his Matatan's still got to put a little more weight
on it, and that's going to happen. We see every year
he's got add on more weight and get thicker, and
so he'll be fine. But this first year he is

(34:05):
not as big as one deal. But still man, he
could be flashy, he really could. I like him being
in the position he's in.

Speaker 1 (34:13):
And the good news is the way college football players
these days put on weight, they don't lose speed. In fact,
they might gain it because upper body strength is so vital.
A few minutes left with Keith Farmer of LAX eighteen
and BBN tonight, you mentioned Calazada, and of course all
of his successes or failures will begin they won't end

(34:35):
with but they'll begin with o line play, as you said.
But man, I'm watching an exhibition game last night. I
don't know if he'll make the team again. But there's
Devin Leary playing for the Ravens, you know, and people
like to knock him and how he played, and at
times he made mistakes at Kentucky, but he never really
had much of a shot, did he, because he was
running for his life. And yet he's good enough to

(34:56):
make He put up great numbers in its state, and
he's good enough to make the Ravens roster. I think
that's a good reminder, isn't it that you're only as
good as the guy's protecting you.

Speaker 5 (35:06):
Yeah, because there was Will Levis running he wasn't running
for his life. He had holes and he had breakdowns,
maybe that he ended up just taking off and lower
on his shoulder. And then you had Devin Leary who
had very little time and who was taking off running
for his life right and picking up some yards and
pretty good runner. Like you said, I think it's hard
to really gauge for me from Zach. He's way more

(35:28):
guarded than coach suits and is it ready to like
let out anything out of the bag. You know, he's
not pointing out players or saying this or that about
a line, or he's just been so guarded it's hard
to really gauge him. So I'm really looking forward to
see him in that first game. Just from seeing him
in practice though, Yeah, I could see them using him

(35:50):
in some run, not a lot, but enough to keep
the defense honest. And he's got a gun, a cannon
of an arm that I really think could make this
special because it doesn't take long for a receiver to
get open that he could put it on them. So
you know, it's going to be fun to see if
the offense I'm going back to the offensive line, if

(36:10):
they can give him time and create some holes, it's
going to be a special, special season for Kentucky.

Speaker 1 (36:16):
Well, you mentioned that arm, and I think he's good
enough to throw people open. But as you know, Joker Phillips,
remember Joker used to talk about the window that you have.
You know, in high school it's it's from here to there.
But in college ball, the window where you can put
the ball for a receiver is so small, and then
of course in the NFL is almost non existent. Uh

(36:38):
but no, and you're right, Kelsiitis I think he's just
tried to be politically correct about everything he's because he's
the new guy. But also he's been open about the
fact that he might have been a little too full
of himself when he was at A and M and
then he learns he's humbled at Auburn, goes to play
wamba be a ball. I think he's just growing up,
don't you.

Speaker 6 (36:57):
I do.

Speaker 5 (36:58):
I think it's this were year two. I think he
be a little more open with us, I really do.
But I think he's still trying to figure out and
he's been at what a macular words the last couple
of years. I'm not sure how much media attention they get.
So I think, you know, you just it's being careful
and like you said, he he's opening, uh, opening up,
and he's learning about everything. And once we get into

(37:20):
the season, I think he's going to be a little
bit more giving of some discomment.

Speaker 1 (37:25):
Yeah, and and kind of word plays on the one
double A level in the state of Texas, So you
got to think they're not going to get a whole
lot of attention down there. And look at some of
the clips, not a lot of crowds, but man, he
put up some numbers down there.

Speaker 6 (37:38):
He did.

Speaker 5 (37:38):
He did, Yeah, no doubt about it. But you know,
without that coverage, he's maybe, like you said, he's grown
up and he's just a little bit afraid of putting
something out there because he knows he's back in the
SEC and he's not going to say I'm back and
I'm this, and you know, so he's he has grown
up and he's gonna, you know, let it play out
and do the best he can.

Speaker 1 (37:57):
I hear you. Whatever he does, Keith Farmer will cover
it rely. X eighteen and BBN tonight watch him tonight
in his coverage and the entire crew, Maggie and everybody
over there tonight at seven thirty. And then is when
is his game day already back or when his game
day come back on Saturday?

Speaker 5 (38:12):
THEBN game Day started last Saturday, so we are back.
And not only that, we have our one hour football
special coming up this Saturday as well, so you get
back to back game day and.

Speaker 6 (38:23):
Football covered ex So you might even hear from Zach
Col's out of there.

Speaker 1 (38:27):
Hey, I love a good shameless plug came in. Thank
you so much for see you down the road.

Speaker 6 (38:32):
Appreciate it, look forward to it and.

Speaker 1 (38:34):
You can follow Keith Farmer on x or Twitter, whatever
you want to call it at Keith Farmer eighteen and
you'll see the latest things they're working on, and a
lot of other good stuff coming up in our number two.
A lot of other good stuff, as we say. Hayley
Shapiro from the New York Racing Association, also Craig Skinner,
Kentucky volleyball coach, Ukale, American Brooklyn Delay and more from

(38:56):
the Football Cats. You're on the Big One Saturday six thirty.

Speaker 9 (38:59):
W Olupete, tact Contention, can anything.

Speaker 1 (39:55):
On, Welcome back to the Big Blue and sider coming up,

(40:53):
we're gonna hear from Greig Skinner, head coach of the
volleyball Wildcats looking for the ninth consecutive out the Eastern
Conference Championship. But also we're going to talk some horse
racing coming up in just a few minutes with Kaylee Shapiro.
She is a handicapper and a content creator for NYRA Bets,
the New York Racing Association, and there is a huge
day of racing coming up Saturday. You've got the personal

(41:17):
ensign Steaks and the favorite there will be Torpedo Anna
trained by Election as Kenny McPeak. She is one of
the best Phillies to look through a bridle in a
long long time. But also you've got the Travers coming up,
and that's going to be I think, a coronation of
sovereignty to Kentucky Derby and Belmont Steaks winner. He is

(41:37):
going to be challenged by only four horses a five
horse field for the Travers coming up. It's all happening
up at Saratoga, which is tugging at my heart strings because,
as I mentioned last week, I was supposed to be
up there a couple of weeks ago on vacation with
my friends and my brother, but COVID kept me from
making that trip. But we've made that trip now gosh,
four or five years, and that we just have one

(42:00):
full time. Saratoga is a great place, second only to Keenland.
I'm terribly biased, of course, but if you're a racing fan,
you know I'm talking about a great place Saratoga, And
if you haven't been there yet, put that on your list,
even if you're not up there. I've never been up
there for the Travers weekend, but just any it's like
Keenland any day, are at the racetracks a better day

(42:22):
than if you're at the office. So if you can
make the trip up there, and it's a lot of fun.
It's a picturesque neighborhood where you find the racetrack, I mean,
the houses, the landscaping, the downtown is within walking distance
with a lot of great places to hang out. So, yeah,
Saratoga is really special and this will be one heck

(42:43):
of a day of racing coming up on Saturday, just
a week ahead of college football cranking up today. It's
twelve days at as we mentioned earlier, so we'll be
talking more football through the week, but we're going to
talk a little basketball here simply because Mark Pope. You
may have heard or seen some of this. Yeah, I'm

(43:03):
sure you've heard or read some of the clips that
came out. He's making the national rounds, and he did
Matt Norlanders podcast, and he and Norlander go back. So
if you watch it at last an hour, he gives
him a lot of time. You can tell they've got
a pretty good relationship. But I won't go back through
some of the comments about the roster, about the schedule,

(43:24):
because you've heard him make those same comments similar comments
to the local media here, but I did think a
couple of the interesting points that he made. Basically, one
of the first questions Norlander put to him was about
what he may have learned in his first year as
the Kentucky head coach. And keep in mind, now Mark Pope,

(43:45):
when he got there, I think a lot of people
looked at him as some sort of a rookie, No,
not a rookie head coach. He of course in his
first year at UK, which brings a lot, just a
ton of singular unique challenges. But when it comes to
running a practice, putting a practice schedule together, making decisions

(44:05):
in the moment on the sideline, as they say in battle,
Pulp's done it a lot. He's in his ninth year
as a head coach, and of course he's played the
game at the highest level, you know, got all the
way to the NBA. So it's interesting still though, you
learn as you go, and he talked about some of
the things. Maybe the biggest thing he learned in his
first year as a Kentucky head.

Speaker 10 (44:27):
Coach, I felt like we did a lot of things
really really well that I'm very proud of it. I
felt like as a head coach, I failed our team
a little bit in terms of picking and choosing the
places where we're going to have a relentless standard where
anything less than it was going to be successful. So
one of our big keys going to the seasons, we're
going to have a standard that we will refuse to

(44:48):
accept anything less in some facets of the game that
are controllable. I think we're gonna do a much.

Speaker 7 (44:52):
Better job with that.

Speaker 1 (44:54):
And I got to believe it's somewhere in the back
of his mind. Maybe in the front of his mind
he was thinking defense, because he's already told the media
the Kentucky fan base that he is changing his approach
this year and is starting off with working on defense
rather than an offense. He said, I'm a twisted coach.
I like the offensive end of the floor. You know,

(45:14):
ninety five percent of coaches always talk about you know,
it starts with defense. And you know what happened last year,
Kentucky struggled defensively until that embarrassing loss at Ole Miss.
They went right back to work literally the next day
on defense and it showed by the end of the year.
So maybe that's part of what he was referring to.
Then Norlander asked him simple question of all the big wins,

(45:39):
and there were a lot last year, what was your
biggest win? Norlander referred to the worst loss and I
couldn't agree more was the Ohio State loss because Kentucky
played so poorly in Madison Square Garden. And I can
tell you I walked out of the interview room after
we had heard from the winning team and down the
hall from the door there Tom Leach was doing the

(46:02):
postgame interview for his radio show with Mark Pope, and
Mark Pope was slumped against that wall looking like somebody
had run over his best friend or his dog. So, yeah,
he takes and he's not happy after any loss. He's
a different kind of guy, but that one in particular.
So yeah, that was the toughest loss. But he had
a hard time picking the best win.

Speaker 10 (46:23):
The Ohio State loss was so painful because it was
in Madison Square Garden and it was just like it
was probably our poorest performance of the season. Credit to them,
but that building second to rupt That building is probably
the second most special building to me in the world. Yeah,
and so the fact that we performed so poorly in
that building in that city was really home. Man. It's

(46:46):
I don't know, like the Duke wins so early in
the season, for my guys to get a chance to
go prove that they were not mid major, super senior guys,
but they were that they were legitimately here to become
a part of this incredible Kentech Kentucky legacy of these

(47:09):
great teams throughout the generations. I think that was really important,
you know, I think that was really important. I'm really
I have a ton of just because of how much
respect I have for Mark Few. I'm really grateful for
the Gonzaga comeback. We kind of lost both of our
point guards in that game, and Jackson Robinson, but I've

(47:30):
been with for three years kind of stepped up and
led us to victory, running the point in the last,
you know, last twelve minutes of that game. And there
were so many incredible wins throughout the season. We were
really the best, you know. So yeah, I know you
know this, but there's only three teams in the history
of college basketball that have won eight games in a

(47:51):
season against top fifteen ranked opponents. We were the only
one last year. There's only been two in the whole
history of the whole history of college basketball. So you
can forgive me if if it's hard for me to
pick out one.

Speaker 1 (48:04):
So that's Mark Pope courtesy of the Matt Norlander Podcast.
The podcast produced by CBS Sports College Basketball. That's how
you can find it on YouTube. Up next, we will
talk horse racing with Kaylee Shapiro of the New York
Racing Association Back in a minute on six thirty WLAP.
Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Coming up this

(48:24):
weekend is one terrific day of racing at Saratoga and
you will see two of the greatest horses in the
country competing in two different races. But someone who's going
to be there and taking it all in and maybe
helping shed a little light on it is Kaylee Shapiro.
She's a handicapper and content creator for Nira Betts New

(48:45):
York Racing Association. Kaylee, welcome to the show.

Speaker 11 (48:48):
Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1 (48:50):
Before we get started, I do want to ask you.
You are a little bit on the young side. Tell
me how did you get started? How'd you come by
your love of thoroughbred racing.

Speaker 11 (49:00):
I grew up in it through my dad. He obviously
comes from the business. He does pinhooking at the sales
so I kind of grew up around the sales, but
spent a lot of time on the track as well
as there may be a few horses he's had or
friends with horses, So that's sort of how I got
into it. But I actually, you know, I took a

(49:21):
little break away when I went to college, and then
I ended up going to the Breeders Cup so a
flight line Cody's wish, and I left that day and decided,
I mean, this is a sport for me, and it
is the job that I want really for the rest
of my life. So that's sort of how it all
came together. And obviously loves Saratoga and getting to.

Speaker 5 (49:40):
Work up here.

Speaker 11 (49:41):
Oh yeah, really greatest place ever.

Speaker 1 (49:43):
Did you grow up in New York?

Speaker 11 (49:46):
I grew up in New Jersey. I grew up near
Mama's Park, so well, my.

Speaker 1 (49:51):
Mother was born in Trenton, so I've been in New
Jersey many times. And you're a handicamper, which I think
handicap apping races can be intimidating for a lot of people.
Did you Did you just come by that naturally because
you've been around the racetrack a lot pretty much.

Speaker 11 (50:09):
I mean, I kind of knew how to read a
form from a pretty young age, just from going to
the track with my dad and then when I started
really learning the details of it about you know, a
little over a year ago. I've been able to pick
up on some things, probably faster than the average, just
because of my exposure as a kid.

Speaker 5 (50:31):
For sure.

Speaker 1 (50:32):
I don't know about you, but I like hearing what
clockers have to say. When the clockers speak, I listen
and then it's it's the same everywhere, isn't it.

Speaker 7 (50:41):
Oh?

Speaker 11 (50:41):
Absolutely, I love even going out and watching myself as well.
The Oklahoma. I mean I'm about two blocks away from
it right now, so I've been really taking advantage of
that this summer. It's i mean definitely getting to see
these horses out on the track and also reading clocker's comments.
Is are youthful Brandy copping for sure?

Speaker 1 (51:02):
Yeah, Oklahoma is a training track of a Saratoga and
Thorpeda Anna and she's up there. She her stall is
just a few steps away from the Oklahoma. So we're
talking to Kayla Shapiro of NYRA Bets and as I mentioned,
a huge weekend coming up. Let's talk about Thorpeda and
A first the Oaks winner from last year, trained by
Kenny McPeak. He's our favorite, or one of our faves,

(51:24):
because he's from Lexington, went to high school Kaylee, right
down the street from where I'm speaking to you. Now,
big University Kentucky fan is you know, best friends with
our UK football radio color analysts. So like I said,
he's kind of our home team, so we root for him.
But it's hard not to root for Thorpedo Anna. I mean,
she is just so classy, isn't she. And she's she's

(51:46):
going in the personal ensign this weekend.

Speaker 11 (51:49):
Yeah, she is. She's the coolest Philly I've seen it
in years. I mean Thorpedo Anna, I mean, she was
up here all last summer. That was a real treat
cutting to see her out the summer. Obviously we all
remember the Travers, such an amazing race, and like you said,
she loves it up here. She absolutely loves it. So
I'm really happy that Kenny McPeek brought her back for

(52:11):
another year and that we get to spearr up in
Saratoga again. And she drew pretty well in this field.
She has the far outside post, so she'll be able
to stay out of a little bit of trouble. I
believe with that post position a little bit different than
the La Troyenne at Churchill Downs, where she got kind
of boxed in by randomized set it up for her

(52:33):
stablemate that day, Raging Sea. But I think in this field,
the way she drew, she should be able to stay
out of trouble. But I'm an absolute super fan of
Torpedo Anna, so when I'm handicapping, I try to separate that.
You know, I was nervous that day seeing the way
that she drew, and I knew Chad Brown had two
phillies in the race, which concerned me. But she looks

(52:56):
to have an edge in this field for the personal ensence,
so I could not be more excited to see her.

Speaker 1 (53:02):
She had a couple of wins at Saratoga last year.

Speaker 6 (53:04):
Didn't she, Yeah, she did.

Speaker 11 (53:07):
She's undefeated at Saratoga besides the travers, Yeah, where she
finished second to Fierceness, And you know that was her
career about stuffort sold to the state. She thrives up here,
She absolutely thrives up here. It was interesting I saw
her when she first got here, and you know, went
to go see her again probably two weeks later, and

(53:28):
she looked like she a different Philly even within the
time of just settling into Saratoga. She looks amazing, Yeah,
you know.

Speaker 1 (53:36):
And losing to fierceness. I mean I was on him
early in his three year old here. Of course a
lot of people were that's that's nothing to be ashamed of.
But what's great about Anna is she can win in Kentucky,
she can win in New York. She wins at del
mar in the Breeders Cup. So she's one of those
horses that you know, you like to say she doesn't
have to bring her track with her, right.

Speaker 11 (53:58):
No, not at all. She's just the so filly. I
mean when and when she runs here, you'll see crowds
of full of pink and young girls holding up posters
for her. It's just what it's all about. She's very special.
She's the superstar everywhere. And you know, you can be
the fastest force ever, the best horse ever, but you

(54:18):
know you won't carry a fan base around like that
unless you're a star. And she's you know, a big star.
So it could not be more excited to see her.

Speaker 1 (54:27):
And you just saw Hilendale Farm buy into her ownership group.

Speaker 12 (54:30):
Right, Yes, they did.

Speaker 11 (54:32):
That was pretty interesting. I cannot wait to see, you know, obviously,
I hope she stays on the track for a bit,
but I can't wait to see her as a broodmare
as well.

Speaker 1 (54:42):
Oh yeah, I mean, yeah, what do you think just
sets to her apart? I mean, she's got some size,
she's got some muscle, but she's not huge like winning
Colors was. She's not tiny either, But you know, I
guess when it comes to banging around in traffic, she's
got plenty, doesn't she.

Speaker 6 (55:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (55:00):
I think what sets her a part of her athleticism. She's,
you know, a decent sized Philly. She's big, she has
a powerful hind end, but she's super light on her feet.
She's athletic, she's tactical. That's a little bit different than
some of the mayors that she's facing in this field.
I think she's the most tactical of the mall and

(55:21):
I think that's what gives her an edge and a
lot of these races, she can be placed pretty much anywhere.
I mean, if you look at our running lines, she
can win gates wire, she can sit right off the pace.
She's a pretty tactical Philly, So I think that gives
her a bit of an edge.

Speaker 1 (55:35):
I think it, as we said, we root for Kenny McPeak,
but I thought one of the great chapters in her
story was the Oaks and Kenny basically telling anybody who
would listen that he was going to win that race.
You don't hear as you know, you don't hear many
trainers go into races. He wasn't cocky, he was just
really confident and he basically said, you're gonna have to
beat my horse, and nobody could. Then he turns around

(55:56):
wins a derby the next day. But he was just
what he had, didn't He in Torpedo.

Speaker 11 (56:01):
Anna definitely, and he bought her as a year land,
so you know that he knew her from the beginning.
I mean, Kenny McPeek has one of the best guys
of just about anybody at urline sales, especially finding value
as well. She was a forty thousand dollars purchase and
you know she's made over five million on the track.

(56:23):
So Kenny McPeak really knows what he's looking at. And
he did the same thing with a few other horses,
bought some pretty cheap that they turned into huge horses
with Skydiver is one of the ones that comes to mind. Obviously,
he bought curling as well. He has an amazing eye.

Speaker 1 (56:39):
The last time I spoke to him, Kaylee and we
were talking about Anna, and when he talked about the
fact that he picked her, he kind of straightened up
and threw his shoulders back just a little bit, very
proud of the fact. You know, but why not. I mean,
it wouldn't brag and you're just stating a fact. But
if you can pick out a horse and mark her
for excellence and she turns out, I didn't even know

(57:00):
if he thought she would be this good, But you've
really done something.

Speaker 11 (57:05):
He really did, and even the breeder as well. I mean,
the story behind this billy is absolutely amazing. Besides the
fact that she was a pretty modest purchase her breeder,
Judy Hicks. If anyone doesn't know the story behind the
Damn of Sorpedo Anna, it's definitely one worth looking up.
An amazing story the dam basically, you know, she needed

(57:28):
a nursing there she wasn't. She had a whole bunch
of health complications and then you know, Judy Hicks was
able to get her healthy again sent her to Fast Anna,
who stands for five thousand dollars, a pretty modest price
for a sire, and that was in their price range.
And she matched those two up and she thought, a
you know, horse of the year. So it's an amazing story.

Speaker 1 (57:51):
Yeah, and it's it's almost a one in a million
shot when you look at the quality. We're talking to
Kaylie Shapiro of Nira BET's New York Racing Association. She's
a ha kapper and a content creator and another race,
it's not just another race, but of course is the travers.
It's a short field. Not many are challenging sovereignty. But
you can kind of understand that.

Speaker 11 (58:11):
Right, Yeah, you could very much understand that. Obviously, besides
wanting to face the bass to the best, all these
horses that you know, dodge the travers or maybe pointed elsewhere,
they need grade ones as well. So you know, they've
been running second and third to sovereignty, makes sense for
them to go elsewhere and try to pick up a

(58:34):
grade one. But whoever runs second to sovereignty here, I mean,
that's an amazing that's something amazing to have on their
resume as well. And we do have a new face
and magnitude, So someone did show up, and we also
have you know, strategic focus for Chad Brown. So it's
good to see that people aren't. You know, at least

(58:54):
a couple of horses did show up to face Sovereignty.

Speaker 1 (58:57):
Sovereignty of course one the Derby and the Bell money
is two to five. You're not gonna make a lot
of money betting on him, but Magnitude is two to one,
came in off winning the Iowa Derby. I have to
admit I don't know anything about the Iowa Derby. What
do we know about Magnitude.

Speaker 11 (59:14):
Magnitude, I mean I remember him from early on in
the Derby trail. He had a huge performance in the
Risen Star. He kind of freaked that day at forty
three or forty four to one, some crazy price.

Speaker 6 (59:26):
Yeah even Yeah.

Speaker 11 (59:28):
The field that he beat that day, I mean is
really nothing compared to Sovereignty, probably a fraction of a horse.
Sovereignty is. And then the Iowa Derby as well, it's
the Lifted States Race. This will actually be Magnitude's first
grade one that he's running in for Steve ass Muson,
So pretty interesting. I mean, he's definitely a huge step

(59:51):
up for the horse. But we know he's fast, so
hopefully he can get the race rolling. And then Bracketbuster
is another horse that has some speed as well, a
bit of a long shot in here, so maybe those
two will go at it a little bit, and shod
Brown's getting the blinkers on. Hopefully, you know, an honest
pace is able to build up from the presence of

(01:00:12):
these couple of horses as well.

Speaker 1 (01:00:14):
Maybe the exotic so yield a little bit more, but
you just have to hope a bomber comes in and
hit somewhere. If there is a bomber in this field,
it was capable of finishing your sovereignty. And he has
turned away all challengers basically this year.

Speaker 11 (01:00:27):
Hasn't he Yeah, sovereignty. I mean, he's a very special horse.
I really I've loved this horse since the street, since
I was at Churchill Downs that day and took a
good look at him as a two year old, and
I had a feeling that he was going to turn
into a special horse, just based on pedigree, and the
horse has some sort of presence about him that's really special.

(01:00:51):
Even as a two year old he had it. Now
even more so he's grown into a man. He's certainly
the big man on the track when out, you know,
for the Jim Dandy, seeing him stand with that field,
he stands out in every which way, and Billmont has
done such a tremendous job managing him throughout his campaign.

(01:01:13):
So you know, I think that we might see actually
something pretty special from sovereignty.

Speaker 1 (01:01:18):
Well, he held he held up by Asa a real
speed horse in the Jim Dandy. But he did it
with an Equabase speed figure of one thirteen. That's such
pretty phenomenal. Are you concerned that he might bounce at all?

Speaker 11 (01:01:33):
No, because I honestly think for the Jim Dandy that
they had him at about seventy seventy five percent my guess. Yeah, honestly.
I mean the horse wasn't even completely fit. We looked
at him in the I took a close look at
him all week that week, and then in the paddock. Yeah,
he wasn't even completely cranked or fit for the race whatsoever.

(01:01:56):
They knew that they didn't need to have him that way,
and I actually think it even more impressive when you
think about it. Faasa, I think is a horse that
is arguably better at a mile in an eight than
a mile and a quarter. Yeah, So yeah, pretty dangerous horse.
I think Faasa honestly is one of the best horses

(01:02:16):
in this crop, though that definitely flatters Sovereignty, who have
beat him pretty easily in the Jimdany.

Speaker 1 (01:02:23):
Well, before I let you go, tell everybody about your
podcast called Right or Wrong, which you coach was one
of my all time favorites, Nick Zito. I've done so
many stories with Nick Caitland at Churchill Downs. He's so
great for the sport but teller. You can find it
on YouTube with Kaylee Shapiro. But tell everybody about that
that podcast.

Speaker 11 (01:02:44):
Yeah, so Nick, Nick and I started this podcast right
before the Belmont Stakes. Actually we had talked about it
for a long time and then it's been so much
fun doing it with him. I mean we've had a
few guests on, from Bob Baffert to Dan Gardin to
Scharita Vaux, Lots of interesting guests and episodes. My favorite one, honestly,

(01:03:06):
I did a day in the life with Nick Zito
where I followed him around the track for a day
and it was just so great. I mean, he has
stories for days and knowledge for days, and he's also
a very funny guy as well, so it's not only
you know, loss of Wisdom, but it's very entertaining. And
Nick actually has a horse running on travers Day that

(01:03:28):
I'm very excited about. I've grown really close to the
horse this summer, so I can't wait to see this
horse debut in the sixth race on travers Day. It's
Peace Negotiator, so you know, if anyone wants to play
a little long shot, this horse has a lot of talent.
I think he could be a special two year old
for Nick, so I'm very excited he decided to debut

(01:03:50):
him on travers Day.

Speaker 1 (01:03:51):
She is Kaylee Shapiro of Nirabets New York Racing Association,
Handicap or content creator. Follow her on Twitter or exit
Kaylee pro and then number thirteen and maybe you'll make
a little money if you pick up some of the
tips that she puts out there. From a wonderful place, Keenland.
I'm sorry Sarah Tooga, which Sarah Tooga to me is

(01:04:12):
second only to Keenland. But I love visiting. Have you
been to Keenlan much?

Speaker 11 (01:04:17):
I agree, yes, I you know, Sarah Tooga is my favorite,
but if Sarahtoga's out of the picture, Keenland's my favorite.

Speaker 1 (01:04:25):
I love your excuse for your bias as am I,
but I do appreciate you coming on today and have
a great weekend. We'll be watching.

Speaker 11 (01:04:34):
Thank you so much for having me you two and up.

Speaker 1 (01:04:37):
Next Craig Skinner, we'll talk Kentucky volleyball. We'll also here
from Brooklyn. Delay Fan Day Saturday was a big success
and this is gonna be a good team. I can
tell you that. Back in a minute on six thirty
WLAP welcome back to the Big Blue Cider coming up
in less than two weeks. As you know, the football opener.
But on that same day, the volleyball team, ranked seventh

(01:04:59):
pre season, opens its schedule at Lipscomb down in Nashville.
It is part of a two day event. On the
second day, on Sunday, the Wildcats take on top ranked Nebraska.
So no easing into the season for Craig Skinners team.
Now they've got an exhibition match coming up this Saturday
at five o'clock against Ohio State at historic Memorial Coliseum.

(01:05:23):
So a sneak peak if you want, of the team
that's looking for it's ninth consecutive Southeastern Conference championship. And
again not just Nebraska in the pre conference slate. You've
got Penn State coming up. You've got Pittsburgh, You've got
SMU down in No Actually, SMU comes here. They played
last year down there and SMU beat Kentucky down in Dallas.

(01:05:46):
That's part of a weekend and also has Houston coming
in on Sunday. That's the second weekend in September, and
a few days after that the Louisville Cardinals over at
the Young Center. You've got Washington, which has a good program.
Then they begin the South Eastern Conference portion of the schedule.
So it's a typical schedule of late for Craig Skinner's team.
He likes to throw them out there against really good competition,

(01:06:10):
even if they take their lumps, which could put their
postseason fortunes in jeopardy in terms of getting a seed
and all that. But last year they got a decent seed,
even though they stumbled a few times preseason. But because
Kentucky won the Southeastern Conference championship. Despite the fact that
Texas jumped out early and looked like it was going

(01:06:30):
to roll to the SEC title, no one would have
been surprised by that. But Kentucky just kept grinding and
Texas stumbled a couple times, and the Wildcats wanted again.
They played Texas this year looking ahead on Sunday, November two,
down in Austin. But there's a lot, a lot of
volleyball to take place before that. But then, of course postseason,

(01:06:53):
prior to the nca tournament, You've got, for the first
time in a long time, an SEC women's volleyball tournament
that begins on Friday, November twenty. First, it's down in Savannah, Georgia,
and not all coaches wanted to be a part of that.
Craig Skinner is okay with it with certain parameters, and

(01:07:13):
they agreed. The coaches did, and so did the conference,
and so now they got a volleyball tournament in between
postseason and the NCAA tournament. So it's another chance for
another SEC team maybe to pull some upsets and slip in,
but it's also a chance for coaches to prepare their
teams for postseason play. But it all begins with the

(01:07:36):
exhibition match coming up this Saturday against Ohio State and
then Saturday, August thirtieth, while the football Cats are playing,
the volleyball Cats will be down in Nashville playing Lipscomb
on Saturday and then Nebraska top rank Nebraska on Sunday.
They had Fan Day on Saturday, good turnout at Historic
Memorial Coliseum, and a bunch of us had a chance

(01:07:57):
to talk to Craig Skinner and Brooklyn Delay, the UK coach.
We talked to him about the fact that it was
one step in a series of many. It's not a sprint,
it's a marathon.

Speaker 13 (01:08:09):
I really liked the serving pressure that we had after
the first half of the first set. I mean, we
really put some serves in play, especially some players that
hadn't been serving great in practice did it today. And
you know, I thought Avis Roff did a really good
job run the show and getting people really good looks
and swings and and Cassie didn't spurts as the match
went on. But it's you know, it's about execution, about

(01:08:32):
keeping them ball off the floor, and you know, got
to continue to find ways to score behind the center.

Speaker 1 (01:08:36):
I thought they were super competitive, but that's a reflection
of practice, isn't it.

Speaker 13 (01:08:40):
Well, it was pretty heated yesterday in practice it ramped
up a little bit so and you know, they're fighting
for positions, they're fighting for respect, and they're fighting for
you know, Kentucky across their jersey, and so I do
like where that is. And first two thirds of the
first set was pretty ugly, but it got better.

Speaker 1 (01:08:56):
A what are your greatest concerns right now?

Speaker 13 (01:08:59):
I know it's long list, but yeah, can we have
serving pressure in every rotation? I mean there's six of them,
and can we you know, there's there's a couple of
rotations where we need to put more pressure on so
they feel it across the net. And then you know,
we know the Brooklyn's and the EVAs can score. Saw
some really cool things blocking from brook today and Lizzy

(01:09:20):
offensively and Kennedy's. You know, so just finding the two
most consistent middles and who can score behind on the
right side, there's.

Speaker 1 (01:09:27):
Got to be more than just Brooklyn and Eva, right.

Speaker 13 (01:09:30):
Yes, yes, I mean they can feed off of each
other because you know, there's always one coming up the
middle of the of the back row, and there's always
one on the left, so that at least alleviates pressure
from the middles and the right side to have to
create points on their own. They get that alleviated pressure
from Brooklyn Eva and you know, I think that allows
us to do some have some more flexibility offensively.

Speaker 11 (01:09:51):
So you need to talk about how much fan day
needs to you and the team.

Speaker 13 (01:09:55):
That's awesome. You know, it's goosepons to see. And the
crowd kept getting bigger as the hour went on, and
you know, I never had this many media, you know
members at a blue white scrimmage. So it's awesome. That's
see where our sport is and where it's going to be.

Speaker 12 (01:10:07):
I think in a time out during set one, you
asked your team to kind of ramp it up a
little bit on defense. That they responded. Did you see
that from them?

Speaker 13 (01:10:14):
Well, we had to. I mean the non starting group
was playing well and had separation on us, and so
you have to, you know, find a momentum changing play
and every time the whistle blows is a chance for that.
And a couple of great plays at the end of
that first set.

Speaker 1 (01:10:28):
You mentioned pressure. Whenever we've talked to your players, they
all really embraced the notion that they got to win
another SEC title. You got the streak going. I mean,
you know that's not a bad thing, isn't.

Speaker 13 (01:10:38):
Well, it's I mean, the external pressure is any greater
than what we put on ourselves. So you know, we
talk about At the beginning of the year, we talk
about and recruiting, but when we're in the middle of
the season, it's how can we get better today? And
I mean every coach will say that, but it truly
comes down to that. You know, are we doing things
that are worthy of winning in practice? And that's what
transfers to matches.

Speaker 9 (01:10:56):
What's the greatest strength of this group just heading into
the season.

Speaker 13 (01:11:01):
I think you saw the obvious with the people that
can terminate the ball like Brooklyn and Eva, and you know,
I think the greatest strength will become the balance that
we can have create offensively because of those two people
and just finding the right pieces at the right time.
But I do think blocking will be better than it
was last year. I think we saw a little bit
of that today. But you know, just offensive scoring presence,

(01:11:25):
you know, from the back round in the front row
is probably the biggest threat.

Speaker 1 (01:11:28):
There have been some seasons past when I've talked to
Craig prior to the season, going into some of the
matches I've done on TV and talk to him about
his concerns. I remember one year he said, I don't
know how we're going to score and they did. They
figured it out. Some years, he worries about passing. Some years,
he worries about defense, he worries about all of it.
But I'm telling you this is the talent of the team.

(01:11:49):
They got a real chance and not just winning an
SEC title, but making another run to the Final four
and maybe another NCAA championship. But it's a long way off.
We know that. On the huge plus side is the
fact that Kentucky once again has the defending SEC Player
of the Year, Brooklyn Delay. She played with the USA team,

(01:12:12):
won a gold medal this summer, and now she's got
help on the other side of the court with Eva Hudson,
who transferred in after a great career at Purdue, which
is a volleyball power. And so it's not just not
that it was last year or the year before, but
Brooklyn Delay now with even more help on the other
side of the court. But we start off by asking

(01:12:33):
here about fan day and a great crowd.

Speaker 7 (01:12:36):
Oh, it's so much fun. I mean competing and is
competing is always a good time, especially with these girls
out here, Like we know what everyone does because we
see each other in practice every day. So it was
just a fun time getting to play volleyball coach said.

Speaker 12 (01:12:49):
In the first said that the non starting group kind
of maybe took it to you guys in the beginning,
talked about some things, and you guys were able to
flip the switch kind of talk about that.

Speaker 7 (01:12:57):
Yeah, you know, our depth this year is like you
could throw anyone out there and we wouldn't really struggle much.
So I have fully trust in everyone that they could
bring the game every single time. So we noticed that
everybody had the nerves at the beginning. It's always nervous
getting into Memorial for the first time. So we kind
of talked together and just decided that we needed to

(01:13:19):
bring it more, come out for the fans that came
here today, and just have fun. We kind of lost
that at the beginning of the game.

Speaker 4 (01:13:26):
How did you see the transfers in their experience kind
of blend with the dynamic of your group.

Speaker 7 (01:13:31):
Yeah, you know, our chemistry this year is like no other.
It's the best it's been since I've been here. So
they really just blend well, and it's just fun to
play with each and every one of them.

Speaker 1 (01:13:40):
I've ran his devivo in the other pin. I mean,
you don't have to carry everything now, I mean you
had help last year, but yeah, you.

Speaker 7 (01:13:46):
Know, she's an awesome player and it's fun to learn
off of her. So you know, she's been in really well,
and like I said, she's an amazing player, so great
to have her as a teammate and not Oh yeah yeah,
I mean she's had more experience than me, so you
can always learn something new from each each play out here. Wow,
something that happened today that you think you guys can
build build the momentum going into the season. Yeah, we've

(01:14:09):
just worked a lot on our connections with our setters.
They're both new. It's hard to replace Emma Grom, so
they're working really hard every day in practice. So just
working on those connections every day and it's really come
along since the spring.

Speaker 12 (01:14:22):
How good can this one two plush between you and
EPI be?

Speaker 1 (01:14:24):
National?

Speaker 7 (01:14:26):
I mean it's really fun to play with her, so,
I mean we both went off of each other really well.
Like she has strengths, I have strengths, So it's really
cool to be out there with her and just I
mean her competitiveness that she brings every day is really cool.

Speaker 4 (01:14:39):
What are your team's greatest strengths heading into the season,
and then where do you want to see some of
those loose ends tied up?

Speaker 7 (01:14:44):
Yeah, I think just how close we are on the court,
but off the court, we haven't seen that much in
the past two years. So I think just knowing that
we're going to have each other's backs every day, no
matter how they're playing, has been really cool.

Speaker 9 (01:14:57):
Twenty twenty four SEC Player of the Year.

Speaker 5 (01:14:58):
What can we expect to see into the season from you?

Speaker 7 (01:15:01):
Honestly, just to get better and just play for my
team and coaches.

Speaker 1 (01:15:07):
You had a busy summer though, I mean, are you rested?
Are you physically good?

Speaker 7 (01:15:10):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (01:15:11):
You know.

Speaker 7 (01:15:11):
It's always cool because you don't get to play a
lot in this summer, so with USA you got to
actually play matches, even though it's with the International Ball
International rules. But it's just cool to play with the
top players in the country who you normally see across
the net. So it's fun.

Speaker 12 (01:15:26):
Where's the metal you're sleeping with it?

Speaker 6 (01:15:27):
What?

Speaker 7 (01:15:28):
No, it's just on my nights side.

Speaker 1 (01:15:32):
That is Brooklyn delay to defending or I should say
raining SEC Player of the Year returning All American for
the Wildcats, and she looked good. But I'm telling you
both sides of the court. You know, they varied the lineups,
they split things up here and there. But this is
a talented team. And again I say it every year.
If you've never gone to a volleyball match, just take

(01:15:54):
some time out of your schedule and just go once.
I'm telling you it'll hook you. You can watch it
on TV, you can watch us on SEC Plus, but
we love that. But if you go to a match,
you will see it is fast, it is athletic, it
is explosive, it is entertaining and you'll want to go back,
I promise when we come back more with the Football

(01:16:15):
Cats on the other side of the break, how did
they pass their time at a retreat they went on?
You might be surprised to hear what some of the
guys did back in a minute on six thirty WLAP
Welcome back to the Big Blue and Cider. Earlier in
the show, you earth from Josh Braun, one of the
transfer offensive linemen for the Wildcats, and he told us
that the team recently went on a retreat, went on

(01:16:38):
to a spot with the lake and cabins and just
a bonding experience, and in talking about how the old
line has been trying to come together as quickly as
it can with all these transfers. One of the pluses,
he said, was the fact that on this retreat a
lot of them and clearly there were more players, but
a lot of them are oll linemen got together to

(01:16:59):
play a boy that shay Ass Pete introduced to the retreat.

Speaker 3 (01:17:04):
Shag brought Risk Europe to the to the thing, and
so Pete me Jagger, Calzada, cutter Catus. Basically most of
the offense, we're playing Risk Europe, maybe a little later
than we probably should have been, but you know, it's
things like that that we're going to remember for the
rest of our lives, and it's it's that's why I

(01:17:25):
think it was important.

Speaker 1 (01:17:28):
If you've never played Risk, it can be a pretty
intense game. I didn't know there was a European version,
of course there might be. When I played it as
a kid, you were trying to grab control of this country,
but Risk Europe challenges you. It says to step into
the role of a medieval king as you set out
to conquer Europe for separate armies, seven unique kingdoms and

(01:17:51):
all that. And obviously they really enjoyed it, and it
was something that bron said could have helped the team
a long time. I mean, he's glad they've got it now.
But it's one of these things where it pulls people
together fairly quickly.

Speaker 3 (01:18:06):
It's something we were lamenting on the trip when we
were playing risk.

Speaker 6 (01:18:09):
We were like.

Speaker 3 (01:18:09):
Man because it turns out that Wolschlager loves risk. I
love risk, Pete loves risk, and we didn't know this
until this past week. We could have been playing risk
every Friday night for the past twenty weeks. And so
it's those things that you miss when whenever you go
to different schools, you don't really know the guys as well,
and you just have to you have to get to

(01:18:30):
that point quicker. And I think I'm sad that we
didn't discover our love of risk until now. But at
the end of the day, I feel like we're we're
in a good spot to face the season together. I
think we're in I've heard coaches say mill your own
yard and I'll know mine. But I think at the
end of the day, we need to come together and

(01:18:51):
know your own yard. But if your neighbor needs help,
he needs help, and you're there to help them.

Speaker 1 (01:18:55):
One thing I remembered about risk is it could take
a long time to play. He said, they amended the
rule a little bit so they could streamline it a bit.
Jagger Burton dominated apparently, and Jeff Drummond said, what about
playing board games in this day and age of everybody
just looking at a screen? And he said, yeah, it
was great. And he said a lot of guys brought
their ps fives only to find out there was no

(01:19:16):
electricity at the cabin, so they had to make do anyhow.
That's gonna do it for now. My thanks to our
guest Kaylee Shapiro and to Keith Farmer. Next Monday night
is the first Mark Stoops radio show of the season,
which means our first statewide show of the Big Blue Insider.
That's it, Good night from the garage in Lexington. Life
moves pretty fast.

Speaker 12 (01:19:37):
You don't stop and look around once in a while,
you could miss it.

Speaker 14 (01:19:48):
Oh yeah, sat out such shot, such pact, staging such statut,

(01:20:59):
such tact to back them tapping the

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2025-08-18 - BBI

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