2025-10-10 BBI

Mark Stoops on progress during the bye week; (12:00) how social media "reporting" on UK football coaches this week has fallen flat; (19:00) EKU radio voice Wes Chandler previews the Colonels vs. Austin Peay; (39:00) more with the basketball Wildcats and Mark Pope; (55:00) passing of Loyola's Sister Jean reminds us of an opportunity missed by Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament; (59:00) our Billy Rutledge with his weekly NFL picks; (1:02:00) Heroes, Fools and Flakes

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Dick Gabriel with
you Friday edition of our program. As we wrap up
the week a bye week for football, a big week
for basketball, we will talk both UK variety, but also
other schools because it's a college football weekend, minus the
Wildcats as they're taking Saturday off ahead of their next
game with Texas, and yeah, coming off bys We know

(00:22):
Mark Stoops doesn't have the greatest record, but as I
pointed out a couple of weeks ago, take a look
at the schedule following byes, it's usually somebody pretty tough
to beat, such as the Texas Longhorns or the Tennessee
Volunteers or whoever. So that's going to be a tall
older next week. And of course, Texas coming off an
upset loss to Florida this past weekend, which was a

(00:44):
shocker to most of us. We all kind of thought,
in fact, some people thought Billy Napier that might have
been it for him, But somehow his Gators knocked off
the Longhorns and they live to fight another day.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
We're going to talk.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
About coaches and the future of coaches and things like
that coming up a little bit later on in the show.
But Texas tomorrow takes on Oklahoma. That's the Red River rivalry,
and that is one of the greatest rivalries in all
of college football. I lived it for a couple of
years when I was working down in Texas, and yeah,

(01:20):
they get after it. There's no question about that. He
used to play this series at the State Fairgrounds at
the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Now it's home and home.
So still, we'll find out a lot more about both teams,
Oklahoma and Texas. Oklahoma is better than people thought it
would be. John Mattier, the great quarterback, has been cleared
to play. He's likely or probable. And Texas the course,

(01:43):
says arch Manning, the quarterback who was supposed to be
able to walk on water when the season began. But
as we all know, hey, he's a freshman and he
may not be quite as good as people right now
as people think he is. He may not be ready
for the Heisman Trophy. He may not be ready to
be the number one overall draft pick. How about that.
I have to take my media brethren to task for this.

(02:04):
We're going to talk about the media a little bit
coming up in our next segment. But yeah, people really
jump the gun on arch Manning, no question about that.
As for the Wildcats working this week, no media opts
except for Wednesday afternoon when Mark Stoops talked to the
media and one of the things he mentioned was the
fact that the off week, the bye week as usual,

(02:28):
is great for players who are banged up or nicked up.
As they say, you get a chance to see younger
guys get reps that ordinarily you wouldn't, So you sort
of balance the time. You do a little bit of
game prep, but you balance the time between working on
your game and allowing players to heal.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
We just needed to work really hard and get better, obviously,
so you know, there's always a balance there with getting
guys healthy. We have a really tough stretch of games,
as you know, and it's going to continue. But you know,
I mean, there's obviously guys that are nicked up, but
our overall health and their mindset and their strength is good.
And the way we're doing this week where there's a

(03:09):
good balance between getting the work, getting their bodies right,
and you know, trying to improve.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
One of the problems the Wildcats have had so far
this year, amongst several has been tackling and the best
mark students. Teams of course are physical, they tackle well,
and in fact, just recently they were one of the
better tackling teams in the country. That's what Stoops talked about.
He said, Basically, it's in the perimeter area and they

(03:37):
need to get back to work. They need to get
back to tackling the way they did in the past.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
We've had games as recent as last year where everybody
in the country is calling me talking about how we
do our drills to how we tackle, you know, and
and you know, in a couple of games last year
earlier in the year, people were like and and I
don't know, there's no there's no recipe. You know, we
do a.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Lot of drills.

Speaker 3 (03:58):
We do tackling. It's just about every day that we're
in pads, and we'll continue to do that.

Speaker 1 (04:05):
Kentucky fans, football fans not happy right now, of course,
all kinds of rumors, all kinds of anger. We'll talk
about that coming up in our next segment. But as
far as Stoops is concerned, he said, the players mentally emotionally,
they're doing okay.

Speaker 3 (04:21):
The guys are are really good, you know, and it
is you know, important to keep that belief because you
know they're in they have a really tough schedule, you know,
and they have a really tough day to day schedule,
and they're physically and mentally taxed every day. So it
is important. And you know, I like this group, like
you know, I love today's practice. I know we got

(04:42):
better today and we got to do the same thing tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
So that's Mark Steops earlier this week after the Wildcats
practice here the bye week. Next week it's Kentucky and Texas.
We'll have that game for you right here on six
thirty w LAP. We talked before Jimmy's and Joe's and
right now we're learning through the NFL that the New

(05:05):
York Football Giants might have had the right Xes and
O's just didn't have the right Jimmy or Joe at quarterback. Obviously,
Russell Wilson out Jackson dart In. And you talk about
a hero today after last night's win over the Philadelphia Eagles,
a divisional rival, first time in nine games that the
Giants win a divisional game. Back to back losses for

(05:27):
the defending Super Bowl champs. So they're not what they were,
but neither are the Giants. But it was simple enough
just to make a change at quarterback. Well in this
particular instance, Yeah, if you saw Jackson Dart last night,
he looked like the guy who had a lot of
fun playing at Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin wasn't the
same offense, but it was the same Jackson Dart, active

(05:50):
feat a good arm, keeping his eyes down the field.
And how about Wandale Robinson, the former Kentucky Wildcat guy
who transferred in from Nebraska. Wandale made a catch on
the sideline, broke two or three tackles, and tiptoed down
the sideline for a touchdown. By the time he got
to the end zone, a couple of defenders had caught up,
and then he bullied his way in. That was a

(06:12):
great play by the former whack. And of course Cam Scattabow,
the former Arizona State star, was phenomenal. Ran for ninety
eight yards three rushing touchdowns on only nineteen carries. Mixed
emotions for me because I'm won't bor you with all
my fantasy football woes. But I had the Eagles defense

(06:33):
got zero points because they gave up so many thirty four.
But I started Scatabow and got thirty one. Points out
of him. And I will tell you that for two
or three weeks I held off a guy in my league.
It was desperately trying to trade for him. So yeah,
that was a good move by me. I still have
to play my game and I don't know if I'm

(06:53):
going to be able to win. Having a defense he
got me zero points, but when you have a running back,
they get you thirty one. If you know fantasy football,
well you know what I'm talking about. And by the way,
I was undefeated up until last week. My own son
his team destroyed mine. But I'm still doing okay. Anyhow,
what a win for the New York Football Giants. Somewhere
Aaron Gershan is smiling right now. Fans of Loyal Chicago

(07:19):
are smiling kind of a rueful smile because Sister Jean
has passed away at age one oh six. She was
the folk hero during loyol As Cinderella run to the
Final four in twenty eighteen, and she passed yesterday. And
you might recall that the basketball Wildcats had a shot
at making that final four, but did not hit free

(07:41):
throws and fell short. Kentucky would have squared off at
some point, perhaps was Loyola either in the semifinals or
the finals in the final four, but Sister Jean became
quite quite the mascot for that team. We'll talk about
her a little bit later on, but she will be missed.
Soul Lebron James. We talked about him yesterday with our

(08:03):
West End BUA chief Gary Moore. Somebody is suing the
Lakers or suing Lebron because they thought Lebron was announcing
his retirement. Then the guy went out and bought tickets
for his last matchup with Cleveland. But yeah, he's gonna play. However,
he's going to be out three to four weeks. He
has sciatica on his right side, and anybody who has

(08:23):
suffered from that knows just in day to day living
that can be brutal well trep playing in the NBA
with siatica. He's forty years old, Lebron. He has missed
the first two preseason games and has yet to participate
in a full practice because of that nerve irritation basically
in his rear end. So if you're a Lakers fan,

(08:46):
you got to think this may well be the last
season for Lebron James. And while we're talking Superstars the
Wall Street Journal. If you subscribe, you may have already
seen it. But there's a great headline on an article
out there. New York Yankees just wasted another year of
Aaron Judge. And ain't that the truth? I mentioned Aaron
Gershan r O. Powell, who used to work for the

(09:08):
catch Balls has moved on, but a Giants fan but
also a huge Yankees fan. And yeah, what a year.
And Darren Hedrick is an Aaron Judge fan radio voice
of Kentucky Baseball. He had Aaron Judge in front of
him in the minor leagues and got to know him
a little bit, likes him a lot, loves him as
a player, of course. But Aaron Judge had a season

(09:29):
for the Ages and they wasted it. Yankees done for
the year. And as we all know, because this is
how George Steinbrenner wanted it, if you don't go to
the World Series, the season is a failure, so according
to Yankee standards, and the fans have bought into that.
The fans love that, but they also hate it, of

(09:50):
course when their team fails and the Yankees failed to
make the World Series and Aaron Judge has an offseason
to think about it, and so it is the rest
of the team programming. Note this is not about our programming.
This is about the election. In Legends their ballfield, their
stadium will host the Savannah Bananas, who just announced a

(10:13):
tour for twenty twenty six forty five states, and they're
gonna stop in Lexington, Kentucky's second weekend in September. September eleventh, twelfth,
and thirteenth, they will play a three game series in
Lexington at the Legends Ballpark. So mark that on your
calendar and get ready for some craziness because Banana ball

(10:38):
is coming to fourteen major league parks, ten football stadiums,
two with the capacity of more than one hundred thousand,
including Kyle Field of Texas, A and M. They're gonna
play also at Naland Stadium down in Tennessee. They'll play
in Billings, Montana's Dealer Park, which will host the smallest
crowd in banana ball history at just three thousand. I'm

(11:00):
not sure exactly what the capacity is for the Legends Ballpark,
but they'll be there second week of September, So mark
your calendars. When we come back, we'll talk about the media,
that's right, and coaches, and a lot of other stuff
here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big
Blue and Sider coming up West Chandler. He is one
of the broadcasters who covers Eastern Kentucky University football. The

(11:24):
Colonels with a game tomorrow conference opener at Roy Kidds
Stadium against Austin p So we'll get a preview on
that game and a little bit later on Billy Rutlis
will join us our own Billy Rutlede, of course, who
hear every morning on this very radio station, Billy and
the Dude at nine am following the Leech Report. Billy
and I make NFL picks every week. We've done okay,

(11:46):
not super but every now and then we stumble, and
we stumbled a couple times last week. So we'll get
Billy's picks for the upcoming weekend and again last night.
We would not have picked, I'm sure the Giants to
beat the Eagles. I don't even know if we would
have picked the Giants to cover the game was in
New York or New Jersey. But that was a shocker

(12:09):
last night as the Giants knocked off the Eagles thanks
to Jackson Dark, the former Ole miss Rebel and among others,
Wandale Robinson, the former Wildcat, and Drew Phillips made some
nice plays the former Kentucky defensive back. So a lot
to like if you're a local fan about those New
York football giants. I wanted to talk about the media,

(12:29):
as I mentioned prior to the break, regarding not just Kentucky,
but a couple of other situations. But I start with
the Wildcats because it's not been an easy time for
Kentucky football for the players, the coaches, or the fans,
the people who pay the bills. They're unhappy, have every
right to be, following last year's subpar season, which interestingly enough,

(12:51):
followed back to back winning seasons, back to back years
that saw the Wildcats go to bowl games, did not
win them, but still won seven games. And as I've
said many times, you know, we all know back in
the day, seven wins would have been caused for a party.
But Mark Stoops is a victim of his own success.
He has raised the bar, raised the ceiling, raised the floor,

(13:13):
however you want to call it. People are expecting more
from Mark Stoops and it is a period of college athletics.
It'll never be the same unlike any we've ever seen,
thanks to the portal, thanks to NIL and in the
Southeastern Conference, thanks in large part earn a big way

(13:33):
to the SEC network. And I say that and again
I work sometimes for the SEC Network, not knocking them,
of course, but when the network took shape under Mark
Mike's Live and the same thing was happening with a
big ten network, they signed deals with the ESPN, which
owns these networks, for huge amounts of money, and each

(13:55):
school got a huge slice of that pie. They all
got the same. Everybody had a bunch of money dropped
on I'm going to get it every year. So that
means each school is playing now with a bigger budget,
meaning better facilities, better salaries for coaches, especially assistant coaches.

(14:16):
So everybody is improving. Back in the day, you knew
that Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, they were spending more money
than Kentucky, and they might be spending more money now.
But just to use Kentucky as an example, UK is
spending more money on football than it ever has now.
It's not shorting basketball. UK spends more on basketball men's

(14:40):
basketball than any school in the country except Duke and
the margin is very slim, almost invisible. But Kentucky spends
big bucks on football. Back in the day. You remember
when Bill Curry came here, low, do you do? Two
of his top assistants didn't come. They could afford to

(15:01):
go elsewhere and make more money. And some schools didn't
allow their head coaches to hire all the assistants they
were allowed to hire because they didn't want to spend
the money. Facilities lag Facilities lagged to Kentucky for the
longest time. They started to get better under Sam Newton
and have gotten even better under obviously under Mitch Barnhardt.

(15:23):
So it comes back to money. And what I'm telling
you is nobody's backing up anymore. Kentucky under Mark Stoops
was able to overtake South Carolina, Missouri, stayed ahead of Vanderbilt,
overtook Florida, had a little bit of success against Tennessee,
missed opportunities against Tennessee, but still much more competitive. Well,

(15:45):
in the last three years plus, that's not been the case.
And I firmly believe that of late it's and again
we've talked about this earlier, Jimmy's and Joe's and Louis
x's and oh, I just don't think the Kentucky talent
level across the board is good enough right now, and

(16:06):
it's not what it's been in the past. And I'm
not pointing fingers that any particular players or all the
players are saying coaches have been perfect. No, but look
at the players that are in the National Football League
who played in Kentucky. How many kids on the last
two or three teams can measure up to them? Some
but not as many. Look at all the two you know,

(16:29):
when we were down at Georgia, they did what a
lot of schools do, probably everybody. They flashed on the
scoreboard all the players from that school that are in
the NFL and UK does that. It's a lot of fun,
and it's a long list, longer than it's been in
the past. At Georgia, man, that list went on forever.
Lot of Georgia Bulldogs. Three on my beloved Green Bay Packers.

(16:51):
And I bring all this up because naturally, after the
Georgia game, Kentucky was at three a touchdown on under dog.
Kentucky lost by three touchdowns, and yet fans responded, Some
did as though Kentucky blew the game should have won
the game, et cetera, et cetera, And now here come
the tweets. And you had, of course, going into the game,

(17:15):
a story out there that Stoops the year last year
had had offered to step down or offered, you know,
to be a part of a buyout or something, which
Stoops flatly denied and the strongest means. But you also
had a story out there that Stoops's you know, agent
was in town and was ready to discuss buyout Monday morning.

(17:36):
How'd that work out? Nothing? You had another story and
this is on Twitter now, unsubstantiated sources, multiple sources. Bush
hamp Den is going to be out by Wednesday? How'd
that work out? And this comes after Cutter Bowley's best game,
Kentucky's best game, all things considered offensively, not in terms

(17:58):
of total points, but the way the work, the way
they move the ball down the field, the way Kentucky
got the ball out of Bully's hands, quicker, things like that.
So what I'm telling you is stay off social media.
I can't. I have to keep an eye on things,
but I know sometimes it's fun. It's sometimes it's like

(18:19):
a car wreck. You can't look away. But it's so
simple to take a couple of rumors you might have
heard or that you've read on social media and retweet
them as your sources, and suddenly you're out there saying
this is going to happen or that's gonna happen. And
it just doesn't work that way, and people like to complain, Well,

(18:42):
the media don't say this or that. Keep in mind,
as often as not, when people complain about the media
or mention the media, they're talking social media, and that's
you all, that's all of us. That's not the traditional
mainstream media. How many people read newspapers anymore? Very few.
They might look at them a line, they might look
at their Twitter accounts, they might look at headlines, same

(19:04):
deal with TV news. How many people watch local news anymore?
How many sports fans watch Sports Center? Believe it or not.
Sports Center doesn't grab huge numbers. But everybody gets their
information now off the innerweb, and that comes in bits
and pieces and isn't always substantiated. Now I will move

(19:24):
on from UK and go to University of North Carolina.
There is a huge story from WRALTV about the North
Carolina football program divided locker room, disastrous results, players and
parents blaming Belichick culture for North Carolina problems. This is

(19:45):
a well researched story about Belichick who sold his program
as they quote unquote thirty third NFL team. But this
ball club is two and three after five games, ranking
one hundred and twenty eight in points per game out
of one hundred and thirty six D one teams, coming
off a thirty eight to ten loss to Clemson, and

(20:08):
now fans are calling for boycotts. Don't spend any more money.
Somebody on the inside called it an unstructured mess. Belichick
was hired on December eleventh to replace Mac Brown, who
went six and six in his last year, but in
his second go round at n SEE he won at
least six games every year, including twenty twenty two, and

(20:32):
he went nine to five. But of course they were
losing NC State, losing games they shouldn't lose, so they
fire him. Now are Belichick, who nobody in the NFL wanted.
So Belichick comes on, says he's going to run the
team like an NFL team of the nil with a portal,
brings in Michael Lombardi as a GM, a former NFL

(20:52):
scout in GM. In fact, Lombardi has been on my show.
He's written some books which I found really interesting. I
listened to his pop came on my show once. I
tried to get him on again, and he ghosted me.
And somebody within the body of the story said that
they found Lombardi really rude and mean. I didn't find
him that way, but as I said, he did ghost me.

(21:14):
Those two guys brought in seventy new players between the
portal and the high school signing class, and they aren't
the only guys who have done that. Of course, Coach
Prime did that at Colorado, made some headlines, had a
little bit of success, but it hasn't worked out now
has it. According to sources, there is a board in

(21:37):
the North Carolina football facility that lists people who have
missed workouts and class. But you got the Belichick recruits here,
the guys who were already at UNC over there, and
apparently the Belichick recruited players repeatedly show up on the
list but have not had their playing time affected. Some

(22:01):
of the higher profile recruits who transferred in are part
of this problems. They come up repeatedly allegedly when it
comes to preferential treatment. One of the player's family has
field access on game days, something no other family is
believed to have. These two guys have preferential parking for

(22:22):
themselves and their parents, and more tickets for games. How's
that gonna sit with current players? Poor communications. A couple
of defensive players have said they have never spoken to
the decoordinator in person. They don't even have his phone number.
This just isn't healthy if true, and I have no
reason to believe that it isn't. Parents were able to

(22:45):
communicate with Mac Brown. They are not able to communicate
with the head coach. Go to wil dot com if
you want to read more. But it ain't working for
a lot of different reasons. In Chapel Hill under Bill Belichick.
Oh and by the way, his quarterback, a guy named
ge Lopez, transferred from South Alabama team starter two million

(23:10):
in nil money. I had, you know, okay, start four games,
Not really okay, four hundred and thirty yards, three tds,
three picks. Injured in the second half of the Central
Florida game. The backup has been playing ever since his
nil dollars zero nothing. So it's not healthy down in
Chapel Hill. All right, when we come back, we'll talk more.

(23:31):
College football on six thirty WLAP. All right, here is
Wes and three two one. Welcome back to the Big Blues.
Sider joining us now is someone we know his work,
but he's not been on the show before. We welcome
Wes Chandler, one of the broadcasters of EKU football.

Speaker 4 (23:47):
How you doing, Wes, Hey doing good, Dick?

Speaker 2 (23:49):
How are you hey?

Speaker 1 (23:50):
Big weekend coming up tomorrow is EKU taking on Austin
P And as we talked before we went on the air,
not your father's Austin P team, not your grandfather's Austin
P team. They're right fifteenth in the country. It is
a conference game, not an OVC game, but a UAC game,
six o'clock at Roy Kidds Stadium. This is going to
be a stiff test, isn't it.

Speaker 4 (24:12):
It sure is. And you look at one of the
polls and it's one of the highest rankings that Austin
PE's ever had in their football program history. So that
I'll tell you something about just where that program is.
You followed EKAU football for a long time and you're
kind of used to the game being over in an
hour because it was a blowout. That's not the case now.

(24:34):
In fact, the last two games that Eku and Austin
you have played have both gone to overtime. So you're
coming out to the stadium, make sure you stick around
because it usually is an exciting finish year of the
last two or.

Speaker 5 (24:44):
For a year.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
Eku was down seventeen last year in Clarksville before that
game went into overtime. I know there are different teams though,
right for the most part, are how many players from
last year are playing this year?

Speaker 4 (24:56):
Yeah, so Austin p is completely different. They had they
brought in forty eight transfers over the past offseason, and
e Ku is a little bit different. You got a
new quarterback, new running back for the five new offensive lines,
so a lot of the skill players. There are a
couple of receivers back from that team last year that

(25:16):
won an overtime in Clarksville. But for the most part,
it's a brand new team on both sides of the ball.
So I think that could be a fascinating storyline to
watch as far as just how this game develops and
you look at I was thinking some players go back

(25:36):
to think of last year's results, and for Austin T
they may have had a chip on their shoulder well,
that game last year didn't mean anything to them because
they weren't there. So there's no real chip on the
shoulder for anybody. But it's going to be interesting to
see how it plays out.

Speaker 1 (25:51):
Talking to Wes Chandler, he'll have the audio broadcast of
EKAU Austin p tomorrow. It is on ESPN plus Greg Stottlemeyer,
Jim Tyree, but West Chandler will work with pat Nations
one of the eternal colonels on the audio side and
high above, high above Roy Kidds Stadium's field.

Speaker 4 (26:11):
You were not kidding.

Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, you know, the last several times I've covered a
game over there, West, I've stayed down on the field
because that's a long climb.

Speaker 2 (26:19):
But back I don't blame Eku's got.

Speaker 1 (26:22):
A nice defense. Is you're what twelve turnovers they forced?

Speaker 4 (26:25):
It's number four and yeah crazy, yeah, yeah, yeah, so
they they recovered I believe it's seven fumbles and they've
got five interceptions and you know a couple of those
have gone for touchdowns. So the defense has been kind
of the big spark so far for e KU and
just how they've been able to change the outcome of

(26:45):
the game. Two weeks ago ek you had to buy
last week, but two weeks ago, you know, it was
kind of methodically going on at a seven to seven
game and Caden Smith got to pick six that really
turned things in favor of EKU and they were able
to win by twenty two weeks ago. So the defense
has kind of been that big play defense that's kind

(27:06):
of really helped out the offense too well.

Speaker 1 (27:09):
And the defense has to be as sharp as it
can be, of course, because Austin P. Maybe the biggest
reason the Colonels, at least offensively are doing so well
is their quarterback, who's twice now the Conference Offensive Player
of the Week.

Speaker 4 (27:24):
Yeah, he's really good and if you look at some
of his numbers that he's put up over the last
three or four weeks, it's pretty fascinating to follow. He's
a Mississippi State transfer. I actually played against UK some
earlier in his career and he's one of those transfers
that Austin P brought in. He can run and pass,

(27:45):
so you've got to respect both. He can hurt you
in so many ways, and he's one that's Jeff Farris,
their head coach, has known for a long time. When
Jeff Farris was an assistant at Duke Chris Parson was
coming to David Cutcliffe's camp as a teenager. So they

(28:05):
have a really outstanding connection that dates back over a decade.
So that's how that that tandem worked at Austin p
You know, he had other FBS offers, but chose to
to work with his coach that he knew for a
long time and Jeff Farris, and he's had a great
year so far.

Speaker 1 (28:25):
Well, if he went to a Cutcliff camp, there's a
chance he worked with the Manning brothers there because the
Mannings were tight. Yeah, cook the Parson nearly fourteen hundred yards,
he's twelveth in one double A football. I still call
it one double A this season. Ten touchdowns, sixty five
point eight percent of his passes. They got to get
to him though. They got to rush him, don't they.

Speaker 4 (28:45):
Yeah, I think so. And that's kind of where where
Eku comes into this game. Their d line has been
pretty good, you know, with Tommy Zeesmer of course you
know from UK as well as Brad Gurley, Bowling Green
transfer that Jeremiah kind of anchor of that. If they
can get some good penetration on that offensive line. It's
an offensive line for Austin Pete. It's had an injury

(29:08):
or two, so they're kind of shuffling around some pieces.
So I think they have to get pressure on Parsons
to be able to kind of fluster him a little bit,
because I'm sure he's playing with a lot of confidence
right now, just in the last three or four games
that he's had.

Speaker 1 (29:22):
Any quarterback who's allowed to sit back in the pocket,
and as they say, Pat, the football is going to
look as good as you can right.

Speaker 4 (29:30):
I think I could complete a pass or two if
I had that much time.

Speaker 1 (29:33):
Yeah, the Colonels are only averaging. They're averaging less than
seventeen points a game. What do they have to do
offensively to get on track?

Speaker 4 (29:42):
You know, I think it kind of starts. There's a
couple of things that stick out to me. As you know,
I told you earlier that you know the four offensive
lineman one's playing in the CFL. You know, one is
a three or four year starter that they had to replace,
So that's that's a big loss. Then you bring in
a new quarterback, new running back as well, so there's

(30:02):
been a lot of moving pieces. I think the quarterback
Miles Brichett has has shown some signs that he can
have flashes of great potential. It's just a matter of
putting that together for a complete game. There's been times
when it's early in the game and he's thrown an

(30:22):
interception or the receiver has not run the right route
and it's gone awry for Eku and then they just
never can seem to overcome that. And when they're playing
from behind, it seemed like they kind of press a
little bit more than what you would want. So I
think if getting out to an early start, but getting

(30:47):
out to an early positive start, would go a long
way for this team and just develop that confidence. In
that second half two weeks ago, they were able to
get some points on the board, so I think that
that can help a little bit. Now the question is
coming off of bye week, you've had two weeks after
you play, so is it that rest or rust mentality?

(31:07):
But I think it's putting together a full sixty And
to me, the biggest thing is getting out to a
fast start, and I think that this is a team
that needs that confidence to be able to have and
start and finish the way that they should.

Speaker 1 (31:21):
Yeah, in all fairness, when you look at stats for
the Colonels. Two of the five games have come against
D one opponents at Louisville at Marshall. Those did not
go well, but the rest of the games EKU has
been competitive, but did lose at West Georgia, which is
a team that Austin p beat. But you know, I

(31:43):
guess you can kind of throw that out the window
this week, and you know.

Speaker 5 (31:45):
Not, yeah, I mean you look at the UAC and
it is, in my opinion, one of the two, if
not two, of the top three teams in the conference.

Speaker 4 (31:58):
I think it's either second or third in far as
far as SCS is concerned. You've got, you know, a
couple of power programs over on the West Coast as well,
But from top to bottom, it is so good there.
The depth is so good. There's a couple of teams
in the league that are one that have won one game.

(32:18):
They're like one in four, one in five, whatever it
would be now, and you go into that game, you're like,
how is this how is this team one in five?
And you know, it really speaks depth about the conference
as a whole too. And West Georgia was kind of
one that everybody had kind of slept on going in

(32:39):
because they were a transitioning team. You know, nobody really
knew a ton about them, and they're a really good
football team. You know, they're they're a top twenty team
in the country, and you know they can't go to
the playoffs this year because of that transitional rule. But
just when you look at the depth of the UAC,
it's really good. And I believe that Charleton's kind of

(33:03):
paced themselves a little bit above everybody. Right now they're
third in the country and then there may be a
little slight gap, but any team, I believe there's about
eight teams in the in the conference that can beat
anyone on any given night. And it's kind of like
that baseball adage to that, you know, if you're only

(33:27):
as good as the next day of starting pitcher. So yeah,
I mean it really is. There's there's a ton of
depth in this conference.

Speaker 1 (33:34):
A few minutes left with West Chandler or the radio
voice of the Ekau Colonels for the upcoming game with
Austin p six o'clock tomorrow night at Roy Kidds Stadium.
The Colonels don't lose very often. There, in fact, a
nine game win streak and just in talking to the
players preseason and in the zoom calls. They put a
lot of pride in that, don't they that win streak

(33:56):
at the kid?

Speaker 4 (33:58):
Yes, they do. It's one of the goals that every
season that what Wells has been the head coach here
is to go undefeated at home. And it's nine dating
back to November of twenty twenty three. It's sixth longest
in the SCS when you look at just the total
number of teams as far as home winning streak is concerned.
So it is a great deal of pride and that's

(34:20):
kind of been the bottom the mantra for Eku. It's
a matter of pride dating back to the Roy kidd
as as well, so they really do put a lot
of emphasis on winning at home and getting out. It's
Hall of Fame weekend, so there'll be some distinguished alumni
coming back, so it is a big deal and they

(34:43):
want to play because it's a really tough home schedule too.
That you got Austin p who's ranked. Your next home
game will be against Tarleton who will be ranked. So
it's a really tough schedule and if you want to
get out and see some good football, there's a lot
of good football when when everybody comes to to Richmond
and it's.

Speaker 1 (35:02):
A good week to do it over people over here
because of course the Wildcats are off, always urge people
make that twenty five minute drive over to Richmond and
watch some good football. And in fact, when it comes
to ranked FCS, opponents under wal Wells ek six and six.
So there's a pretty good chance they'll win this. When
Bud as Wes said, the last two games have been crazy.
He down at Austin p Eku comes from seventeen down

(35:25):
to winning in ot two years ago. At the kid
Austin p gets it into overtime and wins the game.
So anything can happen. Before I let you go, you
were talking about kids. You transferred veto Tisdale. He's having
a season, isn't he? Former Kentucky d Beck And he's
one of the best in one DOUBLEA football.

Speaker 4 (35:44):
Yeah, he's been sensational this year and it all started
in the very first game against Louisville. He got two
interceptions against Louisville. One of those he returned for a touchdown.
And funny I actually talked to him last week and
he held up on his promise. It was in practice
he said I'm going to get a pick. And this
was two weeks ago in the Nickels game. He said,

(36:05):
I'm feeling a pick. He said, I'm feeling a pick
before halftime. He didn't get it before halftime, but he
did get in the third quarter, so I had to
give it to him a little bit. But he's been
sensational and he did get that pick against Nichols as well,
So he's having a really good year and he's showing
why just there's so much talent in him and he's

(36:26):
getting looks at the next level. So that will be
you know, be interested to see how they they plan
against going to Tisdale. Some teams have shot away from him,
right because you know they know his potential.

Speaker 1 (36:39):
Well, he was the first colonel since twenty nineteen to
get two picks when he did it. Yeah, against U
of L. It ain't easy to get one, much less two.
So no, not at all. Bad defensive secondary, I got
to think is the strength of his defense, But the
guys up front are making plays. It is.

Speaker 4 (36:57):
Yeah, there's a lot of depth in that second day
when you look at Veto and jehem Wore, who's It's
actually a really interesting layer to this game is jehem
Wore transferred in from Austin p two years ago. So
he's playing his former team and I talked to him
a little bit this week in practice. He said, I
ask him, how do you control those emotions because you're

(37:19):
going you're playing your former team, and he said, last year,
I think the emotions kind of got the better of me.

Speaker 6 (37:25):
He got a.

Speaker 4 (37:26):
Couple of unsportsmanlike penalties because he was he's pretty jacked up.
But he said, I'm going to try to try better
this year to play under control and really help my
team win. And he's he's having a really good year.
He's he's one of the top tacklers on the team
and he's been a really Him and Veto formed a
really nice tandem. And you throw in that defensive line too,

(37:49):
it's been able to make plays.

Speaker 1 (37:50):
Six o'clock kickoff? What time are you and pad Nations
on the air.

Speaker 4 (37:55):
We go on the air at five.

Speaker 1 (37:56):
All right, sounds good to me and follow along if
he need information at EKU sports dot com. West. Thank
you so much and hope to see you soon.

Speaker 4 (38:04):
Absolutely, Dick appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (38:06):
I number two, We'll hear from the Basketball Cats and
our own Billy rut Lech, plus hear O Schools and
Flakes here on six thirty w.

Speaker 7 (38:13):
LAP think, don't think doing anything anything at st change,

(39:37):
don't have to think from taping.

Speaker 1 (40:09):
Welcome back to the Big Bloon Sider. Just a quick
segment here, but a reminder that if you're out and about,
if you're heading over or near campus, you've got the
Big Blue Boo presented by UK Healthcare that's going on
right now, getting ready to start at the UK Softball Complex.
And a reminder tomorrow it's a Madness of course, but
the BBN United FanFest presented by Kroger is happening at

(40:31):
the Central Bank Center. It starts at noon, that's when
the doors open. Mark Pope will be on stage at
twelve thirty, Kenny Brooks will appear, the men's players will appear,
the women as well. So make your way down to
that tomorrow, starting at noon. Ahead of Madness coming up
on hour number two, Hilly Rutlie makes his NFL picks
and we'll hear from the Wildcats on six thirty WLAPE.

Speaker 7 (41:05):
Sat such pacts taping anything to anything only.

Speaker 1 (42:48):
Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider coming up Billy
Rutledge with his NFL picks, Heroes, fools and flakes. But
first we'll talk more Kentucky basketball and we'll hear from
more of the Wildcats from earlier this week. They've been
on display media Day and Pro Day and a chance
for you to get to know them a little bit better.
And we're gonna hear from Brandon Hawthorne. But before we do,

(43:10):
here's the comment from Mark Pope on media day. He
was asked to talk about the true freshman, and he
started with Hawthorne, and for a while there it sounded
like he.

Speaker 8 (43:19):
Couldn't stop brain Hawthorne is like I cannot wait for
you guys to spend time with Brandon Hawthorne.

Speaker 1 (43:26):
He is just joy like he just he has joy.

Speaker 8 (43:29):
And if you've ever been privileged to have a friend
that has no guile, then you know what I mean
about how lucky you are to be around a person
that is just unfiltered, just gives you his whole heart.
He's not putting up a wall, he's not trying to
be too cool, he just is like just genuine joy.
I love his getting his ceiling Like you know, Taysam

(43:52):
Prince came and visited us a couple of weeks ago,
and I looked at those guys standing shoulders shoulder and like,
my gosh, Like, you know, right now, BH is actually
just a little bit broader than Tayshawn, which is crazy.
But this, this Braidon Hawthorne, he's built special and I
think he's got an incredible upside. Jasper Johnson, I can't
tell how proud I am of him, the intentionality with

(44:15):
which he's trying to grow in the places that might
not have been in strengths, Like he is digging in
on the defensive side and like trying so hard to
buy into what we're telling him this game is going
to demand of him this season. Uh, he's he's doing
unbelievable job and he's he's he's become uh, you know,

(44:36):
he's become a much much more consistent, consistent shooter as
well as being dangerous. And you know, his percentages are
really good right now. And so I'm incredibly proud of
his focus and he's growing every single day in important ways.

Speaker 1 (44:50):
So with those comments ringing in my ears, Braidon Hawthorne
was the first stop I made when it came time
to talk to the players, and his first answer was
a question put Tim about why he chose Kentucky.

Speaker 9 (45:02):
I'd say the coaching staff, how they pursue me, and
how I hurt from them more than anybody else. So
I feel like that said it off.

Speaker 10 (45:08):
For me And did it help you being able to
go through the recruiting process later where you saw kind
of all these teams full rosters and knowing who you
would be playing with on these teams.

Speaker 9 (45:18):
I think it helped looking at it like that, like
seeing what the how the team is built and seeing
how I fit in to that puzzle? Who were telling
of the guys you already knew here, I knew, Jasper Malachi, Oh,
Trent Colin, a couple of guys.

Speaker 11 (45:34):
You knew coming here you'd have to fight for minutes.
How did you feel about that?

Speaker 9 (45:38):
That's no problem for me at all. I've been doing
that really my whole life, So no issue with me
and hasn't gone so far. It's been great. It's been
a fun experience learning and just getting better every day
is learning.

Speaker 11 (45:49):
The way to do things under Mark Pope? Is that complicated? Difficult?

Speaker 1 (45:53):
That would you characterize that?

Speaker 9 (45:55):
I feel like he's big on that like, he doesn't.
He doesn't like knock you feel know nothing. And he's
a big teacher, so I say, yeah, he's a great teacher.

Speaker 11 (46:03):
So how did that translate to the court? The style
of play you guys are going to show.

Speaker 1 (46:07):
Us this year.

Speaker 9 (46:07):
I'm just playing fast, trying to get the ball out
real quick soon, a lot of threes and getting easy, easy,
easy baskets.

Speaker 11 (46:14):
As far as your skills are concerned, that fits right in.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
Yes, sir. How much fun has it been? How would
you describe practices? I hear they're pretty challenging.

Speaker 9 (46:22):
It's real fun. I enjoy competing, so I look forward
to coming to practice every day. I don't complain about
coming practice. I just enjoy a lot.

Speaker 1 (46:30):
Tell me a little bit more about the biggs, because
this is going to be a big team, especially on defense.
And what can you tell us so far about that?

Speaker 9 (46:38):
About the bigs, We got a lot of them, and
they're all very versatile. So if one gets tired of
the next, one's coming in.

Speaker 1 (46:44):
So it's Jags not even ready yet.

Speaker 9 (46:47):
Yeah, he's getting there. He's getting there.

Speaker 1 (46:48):
So what he is?

Speaker 9 (46:49):
Oh, yeah, it's gonna be a problem. He's gonna be
a problem.

Speaker 1 (46:53):
How much are you looking forward to the exhibitions because
coach is really excited about him.

Speaker 9 (46:57):
I'm really excited as well, just to experience the college
atmosphere of the games, like this is going to be
like a normal game that it's not an exhibition really,
to be honest with you. So I'm really looking forward
to it.

Speaker 1 (47:08):
That is Brayden Hawthorne. I also had a chance to talk,
as did others, with Jaden Quaintans, who, as you know,
is trying to come back from an ecl tear that
he suffered during the season last year during the second semester,
so it's gonna be a little while longer. We did
not see him. I mean we saw him, but he
didn't do anything during Pro Day. But he's doing whatever

(47:29):
he can in terms of cardio things like that, but
he's trying to get that right leg back in shape.
When he does, when he joined his teammates, he will
provide Kentucky with one of the best rim protectors in
the country. But right now he's just got to be
patient as he tries to work his way back.

Speaker 8 (47:46):
The coach was talking about kind of your recovery process
and how fast that's going. How do you feel like
it's going so far and where are you?

Speaker 6 (47:53):
Well.

Speaker 12 (47:53):
I've been giving one hundred percent every day, you know.
I've been trying to keep the right mentality and do
everything the right way to the best of my ability.
It goes hard and trust the people around me. So
I feel like in that aspect has been going as
good as it can be and just continuing to trust it.
I feel like it's been going well.

Speaker 1 (48:07):
Everybody says you grew did you?

Speaker 8 (48:08):
How much did you grow over the summer.

Speaker 12 (48:10):
I don't know if I grew as much as people
think I grew up. Probably still around six', nine maybe
a little. Higher the game weight is for sure not.
True Oh espon tid my weight wrong. Forever i've been
two fifty since probably my senior year of high.

Speaker 1 (48:24):
School That's Jaden quaintan's the naturally way of comments From Mark,
pope who was asked on media day about a, timeline
so he didn't really have, one but he threw out
a lot of scientific terminology that comes from his staff
strength conditioning training staff about the progress being made By

(48:45):
Jaden quaintance right, now and the way he said, it
his voice was filled with wonder you, know and he
tried to balance that against doing what's best for the.
Kid you don't want to rush, him but from all the,
metrics all the markers we've, heard he may be ahead of,
schedule but still they have to strike that balance with

(49:07):
doing what's best for the, team doing what's best or,
acquaintance which comes, first of, course his. Health But pope
can't wait until he's healthy, again, Obviously.

Speaker 8 (49:16):
Like this dude is a, big, strong, hulking, brilliant humbling
for the head coach player who's gonna be really fun
to coach this. Year so time, wise he's just going so,
fast but we are going to proceed with extreme caution
because we're gonna Do we're gonna as fast as he's,
Recovering we're still, like we're still there's a balance that

(49:39):
we're trying to strike where he's got an, incredible incredible
future in this, game and we're gonna make sure he
gets every opportunity to help this team be great and
also have an opportunity to go on and do all
the great things he's gonna do After.

Speaker 1 (49:54):
Kentucky so next up we'll hear From Colin, chandler one
of the Returning Wild it's a guy, who as you
know last, year arrived on campus after his two year,
mission had not played organized basketball for a long long,
time and it took a little while to shake the
rust off his. Game but once he, did he became

(50:18):
a really valuable contributor as a backup point guard To Lamont.
Butler he's not a super point, guard but he's a
good shooter and spend some time at off guard backed
up otakea Oh way really helped the team down the.
Stretch kentucky got better as he got, better and vice.
Versa and so now he comes into the year with

(50:39):
that season behind, him plus of course everything leading up
to this one with his, teammates you, know the offseason,
conditioning the pickup, games the knowledge Of Mark pope's, offense
all of those of course big pluses for a guy
who figures to really be able to help this. Team
how do you feel coming in this year when you

(50:59):
can kind of hit the ground, running, LITERALLY i, mean
you weren't.

Speaker 11 (51:02):
Coming and off the two year, Layoff you're just is
it obviously a smoother?

Speaker 1 (51:06):
TRANSITION i got to. That, Yeah, no definitely.

Speaker 10 (51:08):
Smoother AND i think the biggest thing for me has
Been i've had a few things That i've pinpointed of
things THAT i want to work.

Speaker 1 (51:17):
ON i want to get.

Speaker 10 (51:18):
Better last year when coming home is EVERYTHING i needed
to get my body right and everything in my basketball
game was a. Focus BUT i think this, Offseason I've
i've pin pointed a few things like being able to
handle the, ball and it's getting to my spots has
been a huge thing and something That i've improved. On

(51:40):
SO i think it's the biggest thing Is i've had
a better idea of WHAT i.

Speaker 9 (51:45):
Need to improve.

Speaker 11 (51:46):
On you've got to real handle on the Way Mark
polpe wants things.

Speaker 1 (51:49):
Done how does that help you even though you're still
kind of a young guy when it comes to, experience
but you can help be a leader on this.

Speaker 10 (51:56):
Team, YEAH i, mean experience is probably the biggest tool
that we, have and you'll see in college, basketball experienced
teams are oftentimes, successful and so especially in our, offense
having a year under our.

Speaker 1 (52:13):
Belt me and a few of the other, guys it's
it's been.

Speaker 10 (52:17):
It's been that much more of an advantage for us
and and so we've been it's been a huge focus
of teaching other guys and helping everyone catch up to
what we're trying to do as a team as fast as,
possible and so that's been a huge emphasis for.

Speaker 1 (52:30):
Us and yet you're concentrating more on defense Mar cetti's
flip flop things here in the. Preseason what's that been, Like,
yeah it's been a lot of.

Speaker 9 (52:38):
Defense it's been a lot of. Defense last year is
a lot of focus on.

Speaker 10 (52:41):
Offense we still do a lot of, offense but defense
has definitely been an emphasis and it's gonna be huge for,
us AND i think we have the guys to do.

Speaker 1 (52:49):
It where do you fit into.

Speaker 10 (52:51):
THAT i take a lot of pride in my defense
and the impact THAT i can, have AND i feel
Like i've been a leader defensively on our, team and
so that's been huge for us and it will be
because we shoot a lot and they don't always not
every night's our, night and so defense is something that
we can control every night and something we do every.

(53:13):
DAY i think a lot of our guys take pride
and in what we're doing, defensively and so it's been
fun to.

Speaker 1 (53:19):
WATCH i think it was.

Speaker 6 (53:21):
Important to have that month Of march last year where
you kind of lost them a little bit more going
into your two do you think that really helped you
maybe advance yourself going into the offseason kind of had
a little bit under your belt.

Speaker 10 (53:32):
Already of, COURSE i think experience is huge and confidence is, huge.

Speaker 9 (53:38):
And SO i feel like a belief for myself was was.

Speaker 10 (53:42):
Big it was big for, me but also big FOR
i think the, coaches for my teammates now is just
it's important to have.

Speaker 1 (53:51):
Each other's confidence and. Trust and so that was big for.

Speaker 10 (53:55):
Me and BUT i think practice has been just as
big for game each other's trust and confidence and it's
huge for a.

Speaker 9 (54:02):
Team and, so, yeah is.

Speaker 6 (54:04):
There a moment less than that span In march where
maybe you felt like it was starting to click together
for you a little, bit or anything in.

Speaker 10 (54:09):
Particular there's just SO i don't know IF i can
pinpoint a, time just because there's so many times that
lead up to the time that the fans.

Speaker 9 (54:20):
SEE i, mean in, practice practices.

Speaker 10 (54:23):
Were, huge and they're especially big for you if you're
not playing as many minutes as there because you're not
getting the experience that everyone else is getting out. There
you're you're watching the, game, right and so PRACTICES i
learned how to take advantage of practices and all the
reps that we're getting, there and so there was so
much THAT i think led up to the moments of

(54:43):
them having some success out on the. Court IS i
don't know IF i can exactly pinpoint in.

Speaker 1 (54:47):
Time Colin Chandler Mark pope said he seems like a
mild manner, guy but on the court he wants to
rip your heart, out and that is a direct. Quote
and he also said The chandler is actually leading the
team in one of the defensive, metrics defensive impact. Metric
so he said he's made some herculean massive jumps and

(55:13):
he will be needed before that season is, over sooner than.
LATER i want to come up a big Bluin siders
six THIRTY Wlap welcome back to The Big Blue. INSIDER
i was talking ABOUT uk sports earlier AND i failed
to mention the fact that THE uk volleyball team is
back in action this Weekend sunday AT. Lsu it's the
last of a three match road. Trip kats have already

(55:35):
won the first. Two they take on The tigers at
one Pm Eastern time in The Maravich Assembly. Center it'll
be live ON espn and THE espn App kentucky eleven
and two on the, year now four to zero in
conference play and again knocked Off TEXAS a AND m
last time. Out that was the fourth top ten ranked

(55:57):
team That kentucky has beaten the. YEAR lsu is ten and,
six coming off a good win three to one At,
alabama and The tigers not, bad not, great but they're
three and two now in conference, play and they Beat
florida Last, sunday beat rather lost To tennessee To friday before,

(56:20):
That so they've had their ups and, downs but, there
AS i, said coming in off a good win At
alabama and they've got number three Rank kentucky in The
Marivitch Assembly center On sunday again one o'clock ON. ESPN
i do have one other note to touch. On we
were talking about the media and our number. One there's
been a story ON espn that's had life over the

(56:44):
last few days About kyra And, lacy the EX lsu
wide receiver in his alleged role in a Fatal december car,
crash And Ryan clark went on the air and apologized
for what he said about the. Story it was. Unfolding
he knew this young, man and he bought into the

(57:05):
kid's lawyer's story that the police trumped up information and.
Charges lacey was held accountable for reckless, driving which caused
an accident that resulted in the death of another. Driver
lacey was found dead of a parent self inflicted gunshot

(57:25):
wound back In, april after the police pursued following an
alleged altercation with a family, member and Both Scott Van
pelt And Ryan clark went on the air to apologize
for what they, said basically implying That lacey was innocent
and that the police had trumped up these, charges when in,

(57:46):
fact the police finally released a video that showed an
eleven minute video explaining why he had been charged and
included witness statements immediately after the crash that Said lacey's
driving was passing cars in a a two lane road
in an o passing, zone was a contributing factor in the,
crash and both men have apologized basically for their initial.

(58:10):
Reaction get all the, facts get all of, now sometimes
the play AND i will tell You i'm. Biased my son.
Is in law. Enforcement they are very slow in releasing
information that can help us understand what, happened but if
it is an ongoing, investigation they don't want to complicate
matters by releasing info too, soon and that's what happened.

(58:34):
Here but two guys ON espn had to go on
the air and basically walk back their, statements And i'm
glad they, did but they should have and maybe that's
a lesson for. Them who knows up? Next Billy rutledge
with HIS nfl picks on six THIRTY, Wlap welcome back
to The Big Blue. Insider as promise it is time

(58:56):
to get OUR nfl knowledge from the one and Only
Billy rutledge year them every morning on this very radio,
Station billy and The dude following The Leech report at
nine am every day ON. Wlap, billy we did. Okay last.
Week you AND i split On Chiefs. JAGS i took The.
Jags you took The, chiefs and The jags stumbled their

(59:19):
way to a win and they were getting three and
a half at, home so that turned out to be
a good win For Liam. Cohen we both lost on
near Beloved bucks up In, seattle but otherwise we won On, Lions, Bengals, Vikings, Browns, Cowboys,
jets And Eagles. Broncos we both took The broncos to

(59:40):
cover the three and a half and they went out.
Right how about?

Speaker 6 (59:42):
That?

Speaker 4 (59:44):
Yeah and how About philly lives in The New york.

Speaker 13 (59:45):
Class, wow just. Bizarre you know In philly there's meetings
WITH Aj. Brown there's no meeting WITH Aj. Brown it
just seems like a disaster a roster that just won
The Super. Bowl so that's that's, interesting no.

Speaker 2 (59:59):
Doubt and round wasn't a.

Speaker 1 (01:00:00):
Problem it was The eagles, defense, which AS i mentioned
earlier on the, show is my fantasy league. DEFENSE i
got zero, points BUT i did Have Cam, scattabo SO
i got thirty one points from. Him so between the,
TWO i did. Okay but let us look At week.
Six you, know a lot of mediocre, games but some interesting.
Games we've got The browns at The, Steelers steelers laying

(01:00:23):
five and a. Half browns think they've solved THEIR qb.
Problem But pittsburgh has won eight straight after a. Bye
second in the league was such a. Streak what do
you see five and a half at?

Speaker 13 (01:00:35):
Home, yeah it's amazing to you, know on some sites
that The ravens were still the betting favorite to win
THE Afc north to site losing all the games that
they've had so, far it looks Like pittsburgh seems to
be in that position to run away with the. Division,
Now Dylan gabriel looks pretty. DECENT i, mean was able
to Find david And joku And harold fannin. Junior that's

(01:00:57):
a couple of touchdowns for tight. Ends so you, Know
i'm seeing a little bit of excitement.

Speaker 4 (01:01:02):
There but you know it is The.

Speaker 13 (01:01:04):
Browns this one is In, pittsburgh a divisional. Matchup that
five and a half is a, lot BUT i gotta
Think i'm gonna Take pittsburgh. Here and your Boy Aaron,
rodgers what do you, Think, Dick, yeah five.

Speaker 1 (01:01:13):
And a half is a, lot but and The browns
do have a good, defense we know, that BUT i
don't Think i'm gonna bet against their. Offense SO i
will go with you on this and Say steelers cover
five and a half at. HOME i don't know If
Aaron rodgers will be the, reason but, YEAH i kind
of do like him. There The bills are At, atlanta

(01:01:34):
The falcons at home getting four and a, half The
bills laying the, odds but in the last three, games
The bills are owing three against the. Spread, billy they're disappointing,
people And Bijon robinson with five straight one hundred yard
games from scrimmage dating back to last. Year Has atlanta
figured things? Out?

Speaker 4 (01:01:55):
Yeah, well you, KNOW i don't.

Speaker 13 (01:01:57):
Hope so being A buccaneers fan in THE Nae, south you,
Know atlanta is able to come off of, eye so
they've had some time to. Prepare, Meanwhile buffalo just losing
to that close one To New. England Drake may looks
really Good Stefon diggs on the same. Page and you,
know to your point about them not covering the, SPREAD i,
mean we thought they'd cover fifteen and a half versus
The saints the other day or whatever the number, was

(01:02:19):
and that was a.

Speaker 4 (01:02:20):
Really really close.

Speaker 13 (01:02:21):
Game So buffalo isn't able to really pull away from
their opponents in the same way maybe that we. Thought
James cook is been rock. Solid but this is on the,
road this is At. ATLANTA i think it could be
a little tricky for. Them SO i Think i'm going
to take The.

Speaker 2 (01:02:35):
Falcons but Has atlanta ever really been known for home field?

Speaker 1 (01:02:40):
ADVANTAGE i don't. KNOW i don't. Know i'll tell you.

Speaker 13 (01:02:43):
WHY i couldn't say. THAT i couldn't say.

Speaker 1 (01:02:45):
That, now just for, Grins i'm going to take The.
Bills i'm going to say The bills have figured things,
out AND i will take The bills AND i will
lady The falcons four and a. Half BUT i could
see very Easily atlanta Under Michael pennix beginning to feel
good about. It BUT i am glad About James cookie
is also on my fantasy team and he is helping me.

(01:03:05):
GREATLY i will tell you.

Speaker 13 (01:03:06):
That and remember this is A falcons team that lost
to The panthers thirty to. Zero that was on the.
Road but that is just the bizarre result of THE
nfl in.

Speaker 1 (01:03:15):
A bizarre year so far for THE Nfl patriots at The.
Saints pats are laying three and a half To patriots
In New? Orleans is that how Bad New orleans?

Speaker 13 (01:03:27):
Is?

Speaker 1 (01:03:27):
Billy?

Speaker 13 (01:03:30):
Yeah AND i feel good For Spencer. Rattler HE i
mean started his.

Speaker 4 (01:03:33):
Career zero to.

Speaker 13 (01:03:34):
Ten he was a part of a list of names
the quarterback to ever do. That one of them WAS
i Believe Troy. Aikman so it wasn't all bad. Company but,
yeah The saints are this. Bad Alvin kamara isn't getting
the same usage as he normally. Does he's getting up
there in. Age Chris olave is a decent, receiver but
you know he can find some, points especially fantasy, wise

(01:03:54):
but when you're down so, much you're gonna have to
be throwing a. LOT i think this is probably the
easiest bet of the. DAY i Think New england's gonna
win by a couple of. Touchdowns Mike brable back In New,
ENGLAND i think that's where he wanted to. Be HE
i think he Likes Robert kraft and they've got things
going in the right. DIRENSION i Mentioned Drake, mayne how
good he looked With Stefon diggs in the last. Game

(01:04:15):
so you, KNOW i think we keep that train. Rolling
i'm going to Take New.

Speaker 1 (01:04:19):
England you, know you Mentioned Alvin, kamara and it wasn't
so long ago he was a primo pick in fantasy.

Speaker 2 (01:04:28):
Football, sure but you, know like you, say he's not
being not being.

Speaker 1 (01:04:33):
Used quite as, much and he has had an ankle
injury limited In wednesday's. Practice they say he's a maybe
as to whether he plays or. Not but you mentioned
o'lave fifty four. Targets that's the second most in THE
nfl this, season behind and you could guess it easily Pooka.
Nakua so, basically With kamara, limping you've Got chris o'lave

(01:04:58):
really the only weapon The saints. Have but, AGAIN i
know you hate. HIM i root for him because they've
got Land In young and Uh Luke, forkner BUT i
understand you need to root against. Them.

Speaker 4 (01:05:09):
Yeah so they did beat The giants, Though, yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:05:13):
But that WAS bd before Before. DART i will go
with you on this, one all, lady three and a
half dog at, home but it Is New, orleans your
Beloved buccaneers are home with the forty nine ers And
billy they're laying three and a. Half that's a lot of.

Speaker 2 (01:05:29):
Points, yeah it.

Speaker 13 (01:05:33):
IS i think everybody's jumping on the hype train For
tampa after that shootout With Sam, Darnold Baker. Mayfield that
was such a good game last, week And Mika abuka
has just become. SENSATIONIAL i think this is could be
for the number one seed in THE. NFC i, mean
at least as the seat standings goes right, now it's
an important game for. Seeding glad this is one is In.

(01:05:54):
Tampa but this is a game between two teams that
are really beat. UP i, Mean Brock purdy is still
struggling with that toe. Injury could Be Mac jones again
to go along With Ricky puersall And Juwan, jennings and
it feels like that entire offensive. Roster, Meanwhile godwin's not
going to play in this, Game Mike evans isn't going
to play in this. Game they've lost some guys on
the offensive line. Already tampa just seems to be gritty this, Year.

(01:06:16):
DICK i, mean for of those wins coming in the
final minute for and it's just been just a you,
know if you're talking ABOUT mvp of the, LEAGUE i
think you have to start With Baker, mayfield which, is you,
know sensational to say a guy that was in purgatory
for a while has found a resurgence like. This even
With godwin And evan's, Out i'm confident that This bucks

(01:06:37):
offense can continue to move the ball In San. Francisco you,
know credit to them to be in four and one right.
NOW i had no shot them having this record with
all the injuries that they're. Have George pittle is still.
Out they've got some issues defensively as. Well but you,
know it's a lot of, Points. Dick i'm gonna let
you choose first on this. One who do you?

Speaker 1 (01:06:56):
Got i'm gonna take your books Because Rock perdy is
a maybe you Mentioned kittle. OUT i think The Niners
i'm gonna. DO i think The niners have played. Well
they got a four game win streak Against Tampa. BAY
i think that works for your. Team that's the longest
active streak right now in THE, nfl longest winning streak
against one particular. Team, However Baker Mayfield billy as a

(01:07:22):
favorite is against the spread eighteen thirty one and. ONE
i haven't had a chance to do a deep dive on,
that But i'm still going to go with The. Bucks
AND i Like, baker as you said right, now as THE.

Speaker 13 (01:07:34):
Mvp, yeah that's an odd stat about him being a.
Favorite you, know a little bit of a revenge game
for somebody Like John, lynch who is doing great things
In San francisco but obviously did his winning days here In.
Tampa so you, know you don't have to convince. Me
you don't have to say it Twice. Sick i'll Take.
Tampa i'll jump on my team, bandwagon and we'll just

(01:07:55):
hope that they changed the logo To. Bucko bruce permanently
here one of these. Days ago.

Speaker 1 (01:07:59):
Good my Beloved packers host the Hapless Cincinnati bengals with
one of the strangest quarterback situations going on right, now
And Joe, flacco Whom i've always, respected but he had
an opportunity to grab that quarterback job In cleveland and
kind of fumble AS Qbr billy twenty seven point. Six so,

(01:08:23):
yeah he might be a decent game manager with a good,
team BUT i think that shows he can't really carry a.
Team BUT i don't think he's ever had the likes
of the receivers he has In. CINCINNATI i just don't
think The bengals are The packers will give him a
chance to take advantage of. That, now The Packers billy
are favored by fourteen and a half at Lambeau. Field

(01:08:46):
that's a, Lot, yeah it.

Speaker 13 (01:08:50):
Is AND i didn't Realize Joe FLACCO'S cbr was that
bad In, cleveland you. KNOW i guess it was masked
by their win Versus Green bay already When Joe flago
had already beat this. Team so that just leads me
to believe this is just going to be a weird.
Game there's no way this game is A Green bay
route by twenty, one twenty eight. Points Joe black is
going to come in, there throw on To Jamar. Chase

(01:09:10):
the Whole cincinnati fan base is going to be bought back.
In It'll it'll happen, quickly and then Green bay might
just come. Back my favorite stat is That Jamar chase
has more solo tackles this season Than Micah. Parsons that
is how bad The bengals quarterbacks have. Been That Jamar
chase has five solo tackles And Michael parsons has.

Speaker 1 (01:09:30):
Four, yes thank, You, jake, now, yeah.

Speaker 13 (01:09:34):
Yes so this one in Green bay obviously makes a.
Difference but you, KNOW i can't touch that. Line IF
i was, BAMBLING i would stay away from this. One
in the essence of our game, Here i'm going to
Take cincinnati, deckular, Right.

Speaker 1 (01:09:48):
I'm gonna take my Beloved packers BECAUSE i Think Josh,
jacobs who's been a little slow getting on tracked to
run the, ball we'll get untracked against The bengals. There you,
know for all the problems they have have and Know
Joe burrow got a new de, coordinator their defense has
been terrible except for that. Opener, again, well The browns
really beat themselves in that. Opener but, YEAH i think

(01:10:10):
The packers get well AND i do think they cruise
because they got to get things straightened. Out if they're
gonna be a Super bowl, team they've really got to
get things straightened. Out and, Look flacco has had what
two days to learned to. Playbook that's not, enough, Right that's.

Speaker 13 (01:10:25):
Incredible, yeah he was the starter before he even got
to the. Facility, yeah which is probably more in negative
of how they Thought Jake.

Speaker 2 (01:10:31):
Browning by the, way HIS qb are worse Than Jake.

Speaker 1 (01:10:35):
Browning's, finally The lions at The, chiefs and you talk
about a team that needs a. Win The, chiefs believe
it or, Not billy are a point and a half
favorite In Kansas. City how do you figure Although mahomes
is seventeen to seven and one against the spread when

(01:10:56):
it's not a three, point when it's less than three,
points so he wins the close.

Speaker 13 (01:11:00):
Games, yeah this has Been mahomes's world for a, while
but this really feels like the first year that we've
seen some serious. Cracks you, know as they wait for
She rice to come. Back it couldn't happen at a better,
TIME i guess that's still one or two weeks down the.

Speaker 4 (01:11:17):
Road they need the.

Speaker 13 (01:11:18):
Help you, Know xavier word that came back and you
immediately saw the. Improvement you, Know jacksonville winning their game
On Monday night Versus Kansas city could be more indicative
Of jacksonville than it Is Kansas. CITY i, Mean Liam
cohen has brought a lot of excitement to that locker
room now being four and, ONE i. Believe BUT i Think,
detroit even after their stumble In week, one has become

(01:11:39):
the darling of THE, nfc along With Tampa bay AND
i Guess philadelphia if you want to put them in that,
CONVERSATION i don't really want, to BUT i Think, Detroit,
tampa And San francisco and then you can throw In
philly are probably your four teams right now in THE
nfc that could make a lot of. NOISE i Think
i'm gonna Take detroit on this. One don't like it
at being an, arrowhead but It's Kansas city being a

(01:12:01):
one point. FAVORITE i like really taking money on, Here.

Speaker 2 (01:12:05):
Detroit you Know i'm gonna go with you on.

Speaker 1 (01:12:07):
THAT i think The chiefs and The lions both have,
issues BUT i think The lions issues might be for
lack of a better, term a little bit easier to figure.
OUT i think some teams are figuring out The. Chiefs
and here's the. Thing, mahomes as we, know is super
dangerous on the. Move and The lions showed against The

(01:12:27):
ravens that they know how to deal with a quarterback
who can escape and extend, plays throw on the Run
Lamar jackson when he was, healthy AND i think they'll
have a similar attack when it comes To Patrick. Mahomes
SO i think The lions will play back more to
the form they had last, year although, interestingly including the,

(01:12:49):
Playoffs Jared Goff billy is the only quarterback Who mahomes
has started against multiple times and hasn't. Beaten, NOW i
don't think he's played against him that many, times But Patrick,
mahomes as you, know has been the king of the
league for so.

Speaker 13 (01:13:05):
Long, yeah And Jared goff was somebody that people were
waiting to fall this year Without Ben johnson as offens
to coordinate, it Without sean.

Speaker 4 (01:13:16):
McVay In Los.

Speaker 13 (01:13:17):
Angeles you, know Was Jared goff a proponent of a
system and not a talented? Player well we thought that
After week, one but ever, since you, know it seems
to be as, Advertised so it's good for.

Speaker 1 (01:13:28):
Golf. Yeah and by the, way two years ago you
might recall The lions went Into Kansas city and won
twenty one to twenty and THAT i think was the
beginning of what they're building now In. DETROIT i think
that's when the players and the fans really began to
believe In Dan campbell and what he's doing In. Detroit

(01:13:50):
do you know WHAT i?

Speaker 2 (01:13:51):
MEAN i.

Speaker 13 (01:13:53):
Do, Yeah and that one two punch Of Jamier gibbs
And David montgomery is something that a lot OF nfl
teams don't. Have am And raw has just been consistent
as consistent is.

Speaker 4 (01:14:03):
And has been a great.

Speaker 13 (01:14:05):
Weapon and when you're throwing an elite tight end Like,
laporta then you've got all the weapons you. Need so you,
KNOW i had as many doubs as anybody About Dan
campbell when he came into that first press conference talking
about eating knee caps or. Whatever SO i, mean but you,
know motivation, works maybe to a, degree and we're seeing
that In.

Speaker 2 (01:14:25):
Detroit we both like.

Speaker 1 (01:14:26):
The steelers over The browns five and a half, there
we both like The pats on the road given three
and a half In New. Orleans we both like The
bucks at home given three and a half to The.
Niners we both like The lions going into this one
laying a point and a. Half we split on The Bengals.
Packers my guys are favored by fourteen and a, half
and we Split Bills. FALCONS i like The bills giving

(01:14:47):
four and a half In, Atlanta you like The. Birds,
billy have fun this.

Speaker 2 (01:14:50):
Weekend thanks enjoying the bye. Week Dick's Billy.

Speaker 1 (01:14:54):
Rudlers listen to him every, Morning billy and The. Dude
following The leaks report right here on your number one
spot for, sports six point THIRTY, Wlap welcome back to
The Big. Blue inside her final segment as we wrap
up the Week, heroes fools And, flakes and our Hero.
Well we mentioned her earlier in the, Show Sister jean

(01:15:16):
who actually her real name Was Delores Bertha. Schmidt born
in nineteen. Nineteen she Died thursday at the age of
one hundred and. Six she was the longtime chaplain of
The Loyola chicago men's basketball. Team it became or she
became kind of a household. Word When loyola made a

(01:15:37):
run to The Final. Four was the most glorious time
for college basketball on that campus since The ramblers won
it back in nineteen sixty. Three, now that was in twenty,
eighteen and that was a painful time For kentucky fans
because you might Recall kentucky was a five seed that
year and drew into what looked like a pretty diff difficult.

(01:16:00):
Region they're all, tough but it unfolded for The wildcats
the way they could not possibly have hoped. For upsets
on the other side of the bracket paid the way
for The. Wildcats kentucky and Beat, davidson only Beat davidson by,
five but then Trounced, buffalo coached By natoas now In,

(01:16:22):
alabama by twenty. Points wildcats had a big time Against.
Buffalo the Following, thursday they took On Kansas. State, now,
Meanwhile loyola was upsetting as an eleven, seed Upsetting, miami
which was a number. Six tennessee Beat Wright state. Easily

(01:16:43):
tennessee was the three. Seed loyola Beat tennessee sixty three
to sixty, two eliminating the third Seeded. Valls, Meanwhile, nevada
which needed overtime to Beat. Texas nevada seventh, seed went
on to Play. Cincinnati the number two Seed nevada Upsets,
cincinnati so now you got two long, Shots loyola And

(01:17:05):
nevada going at. It And loyola Beat nevada by one,
point so All kentucky had to do was Beat Kansas.
State it would square off with the eleven Seed loyola Of,
chicago and again a good team for a trip to
The final four In, kentucky of, course would have been. Favored,
well we all remember what happened. There The, wildcats who

(01:17:28):
had put up ninety five On, buffalo scored only fifty
eight points and lost it at the free throw. Line
and you hate to point the, finger BUT. Pj, washington
who had hit four or five the day, before he
ended up with eighteen points and fifteen, rebounds but went
to the line repeatedly and missed twelve of twenty free.

(01:17:52):
Throws kentucky missed only two other free throws that. Night Nick,
richards who only played for some reason eight, minutes scored one.
Point he was one for two at the. LINE i
don't remember why you only played eight. Minutes hamadudiallo only
played two. Men i'm sorry thirteen. Minutes But Shay Gildess
alexander was eleven of. Twelve otherwise it was ALL. Pj

(01:18:16):
they kept sending him to the line because he kept
getting to the, basket but he missed and he missed
and he, missed And, kentucky which trailed by four to,
half lost sixty one to fifty, eight And loyola went
on to Beat Kansas state and make it to The Final,
four where The ramblers lost To, michigan which then lost

(01:18:38):
To villanova in the championship. Game so when you hear
or read About Sister jean And, loyola it's a great.
Story it's a charming. Story but to, me it brings
back that period Of kentucky basketball where things weren't going
great For John, caliperry but everything broke right in that
tournament and it looked Like kentucky WAS i only going

(01:19:00):
to get back to The final four and should have
or should have had a better, shot AND i gave
itself but once again A John caliperi team lost it
at the free thrown, line And loyola went on And
Sister jean went with, it and she'll be missed but
had a great, run dying at the age of one

(01:19:20):
hundred and six our full tonight and again this is
a really difficult. Situation but you got a young pitcher
on the Mound Phillies, dodgers and it was a tight ball.
Game Orian, kirkering a young, reliever found himself in the
middle of. Chaos in the eleventh, inning slow roller off

(01:19:44):
the bat Of Andy pages bounced off his left, foot
settled a few steps in front of. Him two. Outs,
now base runners, everywhere people In Los, Angeles dodger fans.
Screaming The phillies catcher Made Icon tech with him and
just said go to, first one to one whatever he
was begging him to make the throat To Bryce, harper

(01:20:07):
And kirkering later, said once the pressure got to, ME i,
thought there's a faster throw to the, catcher a little
quicker than trying to cross body at the Brice and
he made a horse in his, words made a horse bleep.
Throw he threw it away and The dodgers wonted two
to one In game four and eliminated The, phillies and

(01:20:29):
The phills believed that they could win it. All but
now it's The dodgers heading back to The National League
Championship series for the seventh time in ten. Years and
if you saw that, play you hate to save for the,
guy but it reminded you of a little leaguer panicking
and throwing the ball, away and that's exactly what happened
to this. Guy it's going to take him a long

(01:20:51):
time to live it. Down and that's a tough town
to be in to make an error like. That, philadelphia Our.
Fleet tonight it's The bengals. Game Joe flacco is starting
against The, packers and of Course flacco was the starting
quarterback for The browns when they upset my Beloved. Packers,
well assuming he starts On, Sunday Joe flacco would be

(01:21:13):
the fourth quarterback to start for two teams within the
same division in the same season since THE afl and
THE nfl merged back in nineteen. Seventy what's weird is
he's not the first quarterback to do. It he'll be
the fourth quarterback to do. It and of, course me
being A packers, fan he will be one and one

(01:21:35):
Against Green bay when this one's, Over i'll do. It
thanks so much to my Guest West Chandler Billy Rod
jetsa a good night from the garage In.

Speaker 14 (01:21:43):
Lexington such.

Speaker 7 (01:22:10):
Such stating then, anything can anything do. Anything then.

Speaker 1 (01:22:55):
That such.

Speaker 14 (01:23:10):
TACT i think to.

Speaker 7 (01:23:18):
Back them. Back then

Speaker 14 (01:23:35):
Don't do