2025-12-31 BBI

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Abriel with you
on this final edition of our program for the calendar
year twenty twenty five. And tonight we're gonna look forward
and look back a little bit. We'll talk Kentucky football,
Kentucky basketball, from high school basketball as well. I'm gonna
preview UK Alabama with Shawn Woods, the unforgettable guard, head
coach at Scott County High School. I actually got to

(00:22):
see his team in action last night. Really fun. I
hadn't seen any high school games this year so far.
Worked the Sweet sixteen last year, both the girls and
the boys. But it was fun going over to Scott County.
I had not been in the new school yet. So
great gym and a great performance by Shawn's team. But
we're gonna get a preview of UK Alabama, the Wildcats

(00:44):
opening up the SEC portion of their season on the
road in a tough place to play Saturday afternoon. It's
a noon tip off. You'll hear that game right here
on six thirty WLAP. But we're also going to talk
UK women's basketball on the moment. We'll hear from Kenny
Brooks because his team opens conference play also on the

(01:04):
road and arguably a tougher game for his team because
they're at LSU tomorrow night down on the by you
Kim Moulke's team. It's an eight o'clock start, seven forty
five Eastern time. Darren Hedrick will have the call right
here with the pregame at seven forty five and a
tip off right at eight o'clock as the UK women

(01:25):
who are thirteen and one take on LSU. But before
we do that, I wanted to look back on a
couple of things that happened last night. There were two
football Bowl games, and as I've said more than once,
we talked about it again last night. I really tire
of the people in my line of work, both broadcast

(01:47):
in print, who just so readily dismiss Bowl games and
all they're dead and need to do away with them.
You know, I'm totally opposed to that notion. Should some
of the ball games go away? Absolutely, they're played before
a majority of empty seats. Get rid of them, move them,
do something. But no Bowl games are rewards for players, coaches, fans,

(02:11):
and they can be a lot of fun. And those
games last night they were fun for a lot of people.
In fact, the Music City Bowl last night with Illinois
against Tennessee, drew more than fifty thousand the Nissan Stadium,
which holds sixty nine thousand. Illinois gets a field goal
at the very end and beats Tennessee. Illinois jumped out

(02:34):
to a lead. Tennessee comes back and went back and forth,
and the Aliini they nail a field goal as time
expires to beat Tennessee. And by the way, more than
one person posted the fact that and these are folks
that are doubting the prowess of the SEC. At least
this year, Missouri and Tennessee both won eight games. They

(02:57):
both finish eight and five. Neither team beat a team
with a winning record. Missouri and Tennessee eight wins, and
people were clamoring for Tennessee maybe should have been a
playoff team.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Nah.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
I was at the high school game, so I didn't
get to watch that one. I heard the end of
it on the radio, but I got home in time
to see the second half of Southern Cal and TCU.
That was an entertaining game down at the Alamo Bowl.
And they played that one before nearly fifty five thousand
in a place that holds around sixty four to sixty
five thousand, So they got a great crowd for a

(03:32):
great game, and in fact the FANSWS showed up and
tuned in got some bonus football because it went overtime
and sc kicks a field goal. TCU it looked like
was going to have to struggle to kick a field
goal because on second down their quarterback took a sack

(03:54):
and it knocked them almost at a field goal range,
so they were trying to get back in the field
goal range. They throw a swing pass and Jeremy Payne
breaks a tackle and goes for a touchdown. So it
was an incredible finish with TCU winning it behind a
quarterback named Ken Seals. Now think about this guy. He

(04:17):
was at Vandy. He was a backup quarterback. He grew
up in a small town about twenty miles from Fort Worth.
So he transfers enters the portal, Diego pave is ahead
of him. He leaves Nashville and he heads home, basically
transfers to TCU. Well, he's a backup at TCU as well.
He's a six year senior, but he's playing behind Josh Hoover.

(04:42):
So this kid, the quarterback, enters the portal on December eighteenth,
leaves his team and now ken Seals gets his first start.
He had been a backup actually for the last two
years after transferring from Vandy. He actually started twenty two
games over three years at Vandy, but saw the handwriting,

(05:04):
so he left and gets a shot with the horn
Frogs and at the end of regulation thirteen play fifty
nine hour drive in the last two forty four, they
get a field goal and they force overtime, and then
he leads his team to victory. What a great story,
what a great finish, and they celebrated like they won

(05:27):
a conference championship. I love Bowl games when they're good,
when they mean something. So now we look ahead to
the playoffs and they begin tonight. And you know what
else is weird about what's out there in the interweb today?
The fact that you can get tickets to the Cotton
Bowl Ohio State Miami. You can get in the door

(05:47):
for thirty two bucks lower level between the forties for
quote only four hundred and fifteen dollars. And there are
folks out there, and my man, Mike the Corsi is
one of them, and I love I love his work,
and I usually agree with him, but I don't agree
with this. People saying because of the secondary market prices

(06:10):
which are only four hundred and fifteen lower level, the
game should be on campus. The game is a sellout,
but you're not seeing as Mike calls them, the obscene
secondary prices. But why does that mean it ought to
be on campus? And this is why I'm opposed to
it because teams, some teams already get a buy Should

(06:33):
they get a buy and a home game? I don't
think so. I think getting a buye is reward enough,
and just because secondary prices aren't obscene, that's not a
good enough reason to move them on campus. Are you
worried about the money or are you worried about teams
getting a decent opportunity to win the game on a

(06:55):
neutral site. I'm for the latter, not the former. Yeah.
The playoffs begin tonight with Miami playing Ohio State in
the Cotton Bowl in Arlington now and Ohio State's a
nine and a half point favorite. The over and under

(07:17):
is forty and a half points, so the people in
the desert the experts expect obviously a defensive matchup and
in more playoff games tomorrow, Oregon Texas Tech is at
noon that's in the Orange Bowl. Oregon a two and
a half point favorite over Tech. I like Oregon will
Stein's offense over Texas Tech. Alabama Indiana at four o'clock.

(07:44):
Indiana is a seven point favorite over the Crimson Tide.
I think Indiana wins that game, but I don't think
it's by a touchdown. I think it's a close one.
Could be a field goal in the air to win it.
And by the way, there was an interesting question put
the IU coach Kirk Signetti at the pregame news conference.

(08:05):
Somebody asked him about sending his guys out after Alabama,
which carries with it all that mystique, all that tradition.
How do you overcome that? Good answer from the coach.

Speaker 3 (08:17):
How do you convince the players that you're playing this team,
you're not playing all that tradition.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
You probably know more about the mistique than they do.

Speaker 4 (08:25):
I mean, our guys just know what they see on tape.
You know about the Bama.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
That's just another reason. Like Kurt Signetti, you know, he's
just kind of a cut and dry sort of guy
and not afraid to toot his own horn. I give
him that. And then coming up tomorrow night, the final
playoff game of the day, Ole Miss versus Georgia in
the Sugar Bowl down in the Caesars Super Dome, two
SEC teams, and a little bit later on we're going

(08:51):
to talk Kentucky football, look back on some big moments.
But I'll tell you what you look back on that
UK football season, the what ifs. And I know everybody's
happy to have will Stein and folks want and Mark
Stoop's gone and all, but keep in mind, the big
iffing game is Jerry Claveran used to say, if Kentucky
beats Texas, which it should have done, if it beats
Ole Miss, which it could have done. That game was

(09:13):
tied in the third quarter, five and a half to
play in the third quarter, Mark soops might still be
here if everything else plays out the same way. And
Kentucky is probably coming off a bowl game. But it
is what it is, as Soups used to say, so
that ought to be good. I like Georgia overall. Miss.
I mentioned the basketball Wildcats. The men are in Alabama,

(09:35):
the women at LSU. Kenny Brooks's team coming off an
easy win over Hostra, and he answered maybe two or
three questions, and his postgame news conference before he got
one about sending his team down to Baton Rouge.

Speaker 5 (09:52):
I've played one game down there. I mean, obviously, you know,
the atmosphere is great, you know, it's electric, it's fine. Uh,
but it's basketball, and we just have to make sure
we tell our kids as basketball regardless of of anything
else outside of its basketball. But we do know we're
playing against a very talented basketball team. Uh, probably better

(10:12):
than they were last year. You know, you have to
ask him, Kim that. Uh, but they're deep. You know,
they're a deep basketball team. You know, they they kind
of they've they've they've had several different starting lineups and
regardless of what starting lineup they they play, they put
out their their their their bench is just as good
as their starting lineup. And so that's a challenge for us.

(10:34):
But we've got to We've got some experience, got some
experienced players, and we've got to step up and and
and control the game, control what we can control during
the basketball game. And if we do that, we give
ourselves a chance to win. But it's, uh, you know,
it's kind of crazy. No, that's not the game that
you really want to come out the gate with. But
you got to play them sometime and it's gonna be
a really good I think it's gonna be a.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
Good matchup, and it will be a good matchup. And
one of the keys will be Clara Strack. What can
she get done against the tough, physical LSU inside players.
Tony Morgan the point guard, her first try at SEC
basketball in a tough place to play. But another key
is key is Tony Kee going to be ready? She's

(11:15):
been nursing an injury, and I think the Wildcats must
have her in order to try to pull off the upset.
One other basketball note before we go to the break.
Last night, I went deep on all the mess going
on with men's basketball at least and eligibility and pro
players coming back to college ball. Charlie Baker, the NCA president,

(11:36):
trying to exert a little more influence in the wake
of Baylor signing a former NBA draft pick, made a
statement that the NCA is not and will not grant
eligibility to any perspective or returning student athletes who have
signed an NBA contract, including a two way contract, And

(11:57):
that's welcome verbiage, but it's only got to hold up
until somebody takes him to court, so we're going to
see how that plays out. Up next, we'll look back
at a great moment in UK basketball history, this date
and the championship year of eleven twelve. You're on six
thirty wlap Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. On
this New Year's Eve. Coming up in just a few minutes,

(12:19):
we're gonna look back on the twenty twenty five Kentucky
football season. Not a great win in terms of wins
and losses, but historic in that Unfortunately for Marx Toops
that brought about an end of his coaching career at Kentucky,
and it was not without its great moments, you know, eh,
Trade Bowl games, lots of Bowl wins, victories over Louisville, Tennessee, Florida,

(12:42):
Kentucky winning games that in the past for after Wildcats
might not have won, but they did and it just
kind of crumbled at the end. But this past year
included a couple of wins that might have been unexpected
by UK fans who were kind of waiting for the
other shoe to drop because Toops was on the high
at the beginning of the season. Looking at a really

(13:03):
difficult schedule. They did come up with a couple of
huge conference wins, not nearly enough, of course, to save
Stoops's job. But I thought we looked back in those
games because they were fun. They were great moments for
Kentucky football fans. But right now I wanted to take
a look back. And somebody posted this on Twitter. One

(13:24):
of the great moments in UK basketball history literally happened
on this day in twenty eleven. That was the day
UK beat U of L. This was John Caliperi's National
championship year, and this is back when the UK U
of L rivalry was what it should have been. It

(13:45):
was number three versus number four in the country, and
these two teams would play again in the final four.
It only seemed fitting. That's how good they were. And
that final four game was not easy for the Wildcats.
That game I think was tougher than the Kansas game
for the national championship. That was a really good Louisville team,

(14:06):
But that New Year's Eve game was, in terms of stats,
the greatest day for Michael Kidd. Gilchrist as a Wildcat
went on to become the number two player in the
NBA Draft, had a solid career in the NBA. Nothing
glossy or fancy, but it just seemed like every time
I looked up, someone was reporting outrageous plus minus numbers

(14:32):
for Michael Kidd. Gilchrist never played on a great team
in the NBA, but was a great person and a
great player and a great teammate. And on this day
he scored twenty four points and pulled down nineteen rebounds,
including six on the offensive glass. He was seven to
sixteen from the floor, but some of those offensive rebounds

(14:54):
were on his own misses, and he got to the
line thirteen times, made eight. He could have even more points.
He was eight of thirteen, two for four from beyond
the arc. Just had a huge game, but so did
his teammates. Anthony Davis had six blocks, eighteen points and
ten rebounds, so two Wildcats with double doubles. Terrence Jones

(15:17):
had eleven rebounds and just a couple of points. He
struggled from outside. He was one for nine from the floor.
What was a beast on the glass and the Kentucky
team that were going to win the national championship held
off a Louisville team that got a great effort from
Russ Smith seven of twelve from two point land three

(15:40):
of eight from beyond the arc, ten of twenty from
the field, a total of thirty points for Russ Smith.
He basically scored half of Louisville's points, but the Wildcats
led for double digits much of the game ended up
winning by seven. And here's the way Tom Leech called it.

Speaker 3 (16:00):
In Rupp Arena, shot clock at twelve, Miller over to Tea,
back to Miller out between the circles, pulls up with
a three straightaway, bounces in Kentucky with the lead and
the ball Tea into the circle off the kid Yokers three.

Speaker 4 (16:11):
Right side, good well.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
Russ has it left side, drives on Tee, leans it
shot blocked by Davis, and Davis pulls it out the
steady diet of those clean looks. His swapshires now one
out of nine out behind the arc kid Yochris left
side for three God two of them today Darius Miller
has to be stronger to go find that well. That
was a good pass. Lamb right baseline fifteen footer God
the fall on the level, throws it away right to

(16:33):
Tee off the kid Yo Chris down the right side,
slits two.

Speaker 4 (16:36):
Defenders and lays it in at the ridd.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
Tea dribbles over to the right side, comes to the
top of the circle, floats a dead over a dunk
by Jove shot clock at ten. Miller Hitto the paint
jumps up nice speed to back hum over to Wiltri
banks it up and in Wills on the run.

Speaker 4 (16:51):
Seveau sprints down the middle of the.

Speaker 3 (16:53):
Floor, goes for the basket right at Davis, who blocks it.
Comes off to Miller, pitches ahead to Tea.

Speaker 4 (16:57):
And the cats are running. Tege shovel past kid Gilchris
for a dunk. Coming down the middle of the lane.

Speaker 3 (17:03):
He drives on kid Yochris jumps top of the lane,
forces up a shot that Davis blocks. Lamb on the
bench with four fowls. Kid Yochris drives finger roll at
the rim, goes in Chris Smith. Smith goes into the
lane runner blocked by Davis. Fourth of the half, off
to kid Yo. Chris kicks it left side. The Lamb
drives reverse layup no good. Davis went with the rebound,
couldn't control it loose ball.

Speaker 4 (17:22):
Davis picks it up.

Speaker 3 (17:23):
His store compete at the Jones at the high post.
His lob is deflected by Jang loose ball goes to Miller,
reverse layup. Good goes left with the pass to kid Yochris.
He moves down into the lane, kicks it out to Lamb.
Lamb floats it up to the Davis for a dunk
Russ Smith, Seva Bhannon, Chris Smith a near turnover out
front by Kentucky kid Yokris saves it, comes it down

(17:44):
to Davis here dunk bounces at the tea cutting into
the lane, goes for the basket, wild shot no Good
grabbed out of the air by kid Yochris, puts one
dribble down, put it on it end down to Jane
right of the lane, backs down, spins on Davis leans it.

Speaker 4 (17:56):
Left hand shot block by Davis.

Speaker 3 (17:58):
Get eight key I was by Siva down the lane,
finger rolled and goes in. Cut the margin to seven
and that will do it.

Speaker 1 (18:07):
So one thing I really enjoy when I look back
on that team, it as a reminder of all the
elements on that team that John Calipieri had at his disposal.
Marcus Tigue was a freshman point guard and yet directed
that team to a national championship. You know about Anthony Davis,

(18:28):
you know about Michael Kidd, Gilchrist. But Darius Miller, who
was a fan favorite of course for four years, was
so key on that team. Doron Lamb was a vital
element on that team. Terrence Jones think about him. He
would have been the star stud on most teams in
the country, and in terms of front liners, he was

(18:48):
probably number three when it came to the dry erase
board and coaches talking scouting, Hey we got to stop Davis.
We got to hand with kid Gilchrist. I oh yeah,
Terrence Jones can hurt us as well. Wiltshire coming off
the bench. I mean, he had so many weapons and
used them well and they win a national championship, and

(19:08):
you can make the argument that Calipari should have won more.
I think he should have won three or four titles
at Kentucky and squandered opportunities. It wasn't always his fault.
In twenty eleven and twenty fourteen. If the catch hit
free throws when they should have, they would have won
national titles. He let the twenty fifteen thing get away.
Twenty was it twenty twenty covid? I think Kentucky makes

(19:32):
the final four and maybe wins it that year. But
that team that won it all in twenty twelve had
everything it takes to win a national title, all kinds
of talent in different ways. And that's what was fun
about hearing the highlights for that game. While we're talking
basketball and great moments, there was a moment last night

(19:57):
over at Edmondson County and I don't know it took
them so long, but they dedicated the court. Actually, yeah,
it was last night in honor of Bowman Davenport. He
went by Bo Davenport and I guess it's a nice
round number. But fifty years ago this March, he led
Edmondson County to the Sweet sixteen championship nineteen seventy six.

(20:22):
I was there. And the reason that is vitally important
in the history of Kentucky high school basketball was because
that came in a time and there have been different
times when this has happened where people were clamoring for

(20:44):
class basketball in Kentucky. And by that I mean one,
A two, a three like football, because for a while
they're in the seventies, the Louisville schools were dominating Shawnee
Central Male. They had such great teams and one of
the reasons was you could go wherever you wanted to

(21:07):
go in the city of Louisville to play high school basketball,
so coaches could recruit, they could build teams, and all
of those schools had top level D one talent coming
through their rosters at various times. So it looked like
this was just going to be a situation where the

(21:27):
championship was going to live not just in the city
of Louisville, but the inner city of Jefferson County. So
people were getting restless, and Nancy they wanted the smaller
schools out in the state to have a better chance
of winning it as they did back in the day.
And then Edmondson County jumps up and wins the Sweet Sixteen.

(21:49):
So I really felt like and it did put that
kind of talk to rest for the time being. And
later on Stan Steidell came along, he and some other folks.
Sam was with a small school up in northern Kentucky.
They put together the All A Classic and that's now
the Sweet Sixteen for the small schools. So now we

(22:10):
have the best of both worlds. And they did it
without screwing up the Sweet Sixteen for the boys and
the girls. And you know what they did that in
Indiana and Indiana's Sweet sixteen used to be even bigger
and better than it is in the state of Kentucky.
They went to classes and it all died on the vine.
The crowds stopped coming, the charm, the history, it all

(22:33):
evaporated and it's never been the same. But you can't
say that about the Bluegrass State, and that is in
big part because of what O Davenport and Edmondson County
did fifty years ago. This year, up next, we'll look
back at some bright spots for Kentucky football. Yeah, there
were a few this year. As we close out the

(22:54):
calendar year on the Big Blue Sider six thirty WLAP
Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Coming up at
our number two Sean Woods Unforgettable Guard. We'll look ahead
to Alabama Kentucky. Also will talk about his team, Scott
County's win last night. Got a chance to go over
and watch the Cardinals and they played hard, they played
good defense, and we'll keep an eye on them this

(23:16):
year as well. Rossn. Gondair from Mitch Sherman of the
Athletic He covers, among other things, women's volleyball. He is
based in Nebraska, which is just a flashpoint for women's
volleyball both Nebraska and Creighton, and he's written an interesting
piece about SEC volleyball on the athletics website. We'll talk
with Mitch coming up in our number two. Looking back

(23:38):
on the year of twenty twenty five, If you're a
Kentucky fan, if you're a media person, if you have
anything really to do with UK sports, one of maybe
the biggest story was the changing of the guard in
Kentucky football. You know what happened this year as the
Wildcats stumbled the five losses in their first seven games,
and the heat really cranked up under Mark Stoops by

(24:00):
the time Kentucky lost to Tennessee fifty six to thirty four,
and really wasn't even that close. Uh, it was just
brutal Kentucky oh to five in the conference and it
almost seemed like a foregone conclusion that Stoops would be
fired at the end of the year. I had said
Kentucky I thought could possibly win seven, probably six games

(24:22):
this year, but I felt like the ole Miss game
was vital. Of course, it was the second game of
the year, and Kentucky looked okay in the win over Toledo,
which was a decent team, but still an SEC team
at home should win by more than twenty four to sixteen.
Now Ole Miss comes in and wins thirty to twenty three,

(24:43):
but that game was tied at twenty with five thirty
eight to go in the third quarter, so that game
could have gone either way, and ole Miss fans might
remember that game for the as the game where their
starting quarterback went out. Austin Simmons went down with an injury,

(25:03):
and that's when Trididad Shambless took over at the QB
spot and held on to the job and actually let
all Miss into the playoffs. But of course that didn't
do the Wildcats any good. They couldn't get to him
and they lost that game. So that was, of course,
I thought, vital, and then it just kept piling up
the losses and after that Tennessee game, the Wildcats headed

(25:25):
for Auburn. This was an Auburn team that was wounded,
was limping, and seemed vulnerable. But Kentucky winning at Auburn.
That didn't happen very often. Last happened back in twenty nine,
but the Wildcats put together just enough offense and an
incredible defensive showing it again. I know Auburn wasn't that good.
Had real problems on the O line. But you hold

(25:46):
an SEC team to three points on the road, you've
really done something. And it took such a weight off
the shoulders of this team, this coaching staff. It was
an incredible night for the Wildcats. Here is the way,
Tom Leach, jepicorl and I was happy enough to do
some postgame interviews in this one. At the end, as
the Wildcats knocked off Auburn down on the planes, law.

Speaker 3 (26:10):
Now motion's out to the right. Bowley's rolling right. He sets,
he's gonna pull it down and run straight ahead and
dives across the thirty for a nice game. Second and
five and he's old thirty one sit hand.

Speaker 4 (26:22):
He pulled it. I know he pully keeps it.

Speaker 3 (26:24):
He's got the first down and run the right side
out across the forty to the.

Speaker 4 (26:27):
Forty three yard line.

Speaker 3 (26:29):
Poley's gonna throw it, swings at the lawn, juggles it
breaks away. He's got room out to the far side
forty forty five and into Auburn territory.

Speaker 4 (26:37):
Second and fifte hand off McGown, big.

Speaker 3 (26:41):
Hole right side across the forty, cuts left. He's got
the first down slung down inside the thirty five yard
line of Auburn.

Speaker 4 (26:49):
He's five to.

Speaker 3 (26:49):
Seven from forty plus and this one is straight down
the middle. Kentucky strikes first down on the planess from
the gun.

Speaker 4 (27:02):
Dropping the throw.

Speaker 3 (27:03):
It is time now, the protection's breaking down and he
goes down.

Speaker 4 (27:06):
It's a sack for Kentucky. Second down fifteen four receivers after.

Speaker 3 (27:11):
The right quarterback draw for Daniels, and he's going to
be tackled for a loss again. Affectious over to the
left of Daniels, bringing four Daniels in a bottle.

Speaker 4 (27:20):
Sam, they got him.

Speaker 3 (27:23):
We're Bowley in the Kentucky offense. Quick throw near side.
It's Pam Millard. He's a block, gets it and bounces
off tacklers and backs his way out across the thirty holly.
He's it with mcgallan running off left tackle.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
He's got the first down. He spins, turns and gets
out to the thirty nine yard line. They're right. Bully
drops Tucky, picks up the rush and he throws it.

Speaker 3 (27:49):
He's got the first down into Auburn territory.

Speaker 4 (27:52):
He ropes up for trips right.

Speaker 3 (27:54):
Bully guns it down the near sideline and it's a catch.

Speaker 4 (27:58):
Harrier's got it inside. It's not good of bounds inside
the twenty.

Speaker 3 (28:03):
The defender went for the interception and it went just
over his fingertips.

Speaker 4 (28:08):
And Barrier caught it on the boundary. Empty backfield for bowling.
We're not showing Blitz. Rodriguez coming in motion, rights, quick
throw nearsight.

Speaker 3 (28:18):
He's got law and he's got to seem at the
ten breaks and tackle across the.

Speaker 4 (28:20):
Five to touch down.

Speaker 3 (28:22):
Kentucky Kendrick Wall thirteen yards for a touchdown. Boy, what
a great mood by the law.

Speaker 1 (28:29):
That was all him.

Speaker 4 (28:30):
He cut that fault the tenth time and he goes
left right and dove into the ind zone. Wow, altered right.

Speaker 3 (28:37):
Back of the line, ready to go from the Kentucky
forty one.

Speaker 4 (28:40):
Daniel's gonna throw it any in trouble. They got it,
got it. He throws it away at the last second.
Two receivers split each way. They come good Sir Arnold
drops Blitz coming, got it They got it?

Speaker 3 (28:56):
Yes, sows left tighten comes in motion rights truceivers each way.
Forty six thirteen twelve eleven fourth down one play for
Auburn's Daniels drops. Daniel steps out, they hit him, he
throws it for the in zone and.

Speaker 6 (29:16):
It's seventy by Kentucky, but like he's catching a putt
of the end zone and the word Cats fifty the
sidelines with a celebration down on the planes.

Speaker 3 (29:28):
Upset win for the Cats as they take down Auburn
ten to three. Whole bars smile from Mars two Wildcats.
You're gonna get to celebrate with those Kentucky fans over
in that far corner of the lower part of the bowl,
gave Cutter, how's this feel?

Speaker 4 (29:48):
Amazing?

Speaker 7 (29:48):
Holy?

Speaker 4 (29:49):
I couldn't have been a bigger solm for my defense
right there. All credit to them, man.

Speaker 6 (29:54):
They catch us in the game all game long, and
they were bawling today.

Speaker 4 (29:58):
So love the defense man. All on the drad, I'm
watching Ty Bryant go off the field. I'm not sure
his feet are touching the ground. Talk to his mom
and dad.

Speaker 3 (30:06):
The former Wildcat white outs this goo Brian last night,
and guy's gonna get to celebrate with him and all
the other Wildcat fans over that far corner.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
Kendrick Law, how much do you love beating Auburn?

Speaker 4 (30:17):
Hey?

Speaker 7 (30:17):
Every every day, every year, every second, every minute, every time.

Speaker 1 (30:20):
How did you guys pull this off?

Speaker 4 (30:22):
Hey, just tysly keep going out working. We knew we
was getting better.

Speaker 3 (30:25):
And better at each week, so we can finally came
my hands Stolo's one.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
Finally got one.

Speaker 4 (30:28):
How's that feel, man? It's unbelievable. We just gotta keep going.
Thank you, yes, sir, thank you. Kentucky came to Auburn
and laid down the law.

Speaker 3 (30:35):
Postgame comments from Mark Stoops are presented by Kroger.

Speaker 4 (30:39):
And he is a very happy man.

Speaker 3 (30:41):
You know.

Speaker 8 (30:42):
By the time I got in the locker room, they
were they were, they were, they were dancing and jamming out,
you know, to the tunes, which they deserved, they needed to.

Speaker 3 (30:50):
And so normally it's.

Speaker 8 (30:51):
One song, and I let him go two songs because
I felt like it's been a while.

Speaker 4 (30:54):
Let's be honest, we got we uh, you know, So
I wanted.

Speaker 8 (30:58):
The guys to enjoy it, feel that moment.

Speaker 4 (31:00):
They deserved it, and that's what I told him that.

Speaker 8 (31:03):
You know, you know, I was, I was emotional walking
off that field because of the pride that I feel
for this team. And you know, it's been hard, you know,
I acknowledge that, but these guys have not flinched, and
our coaches can continue to work and get this team better.

Speaker 1 (31:21):
That indeed was a fun night and it gave Kentucky
fans a shred of hope because it was still mathematically
possible for the Wildcats to get to a bowl game.
But they had to have that win over Auburn, and
of course they had to have wins from then on.
But all the games, at least on paper, seemed winnable.

Speaker 9 (31:42):
You know.

Speaker 1 (31:43):
It wasn't like going up against Georgia or Alabama or whatever.
But they needed to win the next week, and they
got it against the Florida Gators. And that's a team.
When Mark Stoops looks back on his tenure at Kentucky,
I hope he has some fond memories because beating Floororida
had to be one of them on multiple occasions, both

(32:03):
at home and in Gainesville. And the win at home
snapped along home field the losing skid the conference teams,
and we'll hear that game when we come back. Highlights
from Florida Kentucky on the other side of the break,
as we look back on twenty twenty five, Here on
six point thirty WLAP, Welcome back to the Big Blue

(32:24):
and sider. We're looking back on Kentucky football twenty twenty five.
Probably the story when it comes to UK athletics over
the past calendar year. Yeah, great season by the volleyball team,
but when you change football coaches, especially in the SEC,
that's a big story. And it happened a lot throughout
the SEC, and in fact, in the last segment we

(32:45):
talked about the win over Auburn. The next day Auburn
fired its coach. The next game for the Wildcats was Florida.
We know there was a changing of the guard there.
We know John Sumraw, the former Wildcat, is now the
head coach there. It ticked off a lot of Kentucky
fans because it just seemed like he might have been
a great fit here. But the way things shook out,

(33:05):
I don't know that John was either interested or a
candidate for the Kentucky job, because he went right to
Florida and Kentucky went straight to will Stein. So that
ship kind of came and sailed. But UK fans seem
pretty pleased with the hiring of will Stein, a local kid,

(33:26):
local because his dad played at Kentucky from Louisville and
played at U of L. But grew up a UK fan.
Now he's the top Cat. The Wildcats a young guy
who's hired a lot of good young coaches. Well, we'll
find out how good they are. But they are smack
dab in the middle of the Southeastern Conference now, and
Mark Stoops found out how tough that going was. But

(33:47):
when you look back on the Stoops era, keep in
mind that he not only beat Louisville, but beat Tennessee
both in Lexington and in Knoxville, and beat flo Florida
both in Lexington and in Gainesville. And his last home
SEC win came against Florida, and I didn't know what

(34:10):
to make it as Florida team. Remember this was a
team that had beaten Texas, a team that Kentucky should
have beaten but didn't. And now people keep saying, well,
Texas belongs in the playoff. Well, keep in mind, if
the Wildcats cover punts properly, Texas loses to Kentucky and
isn't even in the conversation for the playoff. But at

(34:32):
any rate, Wildcats needed a win over the Gators and
got it in a most impressive way. Here's the way
Tom Leach and Jeff Picory called it at Kroger field.

Speaker 3 (34:45):
Kentucky brings four Lagway throws into the middle. Was an
intercepting the time Bryan Brant coming up to their Sideline's
across the forty forty five and out.

Speaker 4 (34:55):
To the Kentucky forty nine yard line. It was Rainer
who got a hand on it.

Speaker 3 (35:00):
It's a thirty nine yard field goal attempt to try
to get Kentucky on the board first on. He's good
to take advantage of those turnovers and come up with
some points.

Speaker 4 (35:08):
And that's what Cowway is trying to give Kentucky with
this kid. It's on the way. It's good.

Speaker 3 (35:18):
It's six lined up across the front, Miller coming in
motion left.

Speaker 4 (35:21):
They bring it five. Foley hit as he throws into
the middle. It's complete to what.

Speaker 3 (35:25):
Rodriguez fights his way to the thirty eight yard line,
gets the first down, Folly dropping to throw again, guns
it far side and a catch up at the forty
eight yard line. It's Kendrick lost Boy takes the shotgun,
stats fakes it, throws it to the far.

Speaker 4 (35:44):
Side and cut it. Niceter piss it on the pylon.
Touchdown Kentucky Wow jj Hester caught it at the two
and touched the bull to the pylon the front right
corner of the end zone.

Speaker 3 (35:58):
So Tom what Kentucky he did on that drive as
they kept their base eleven guys out there, so that
beats Florida could not sum at all. Told you running back,
he's gonna get his first carry coming off right tackle.
That's back for the middle.

Speaker 4 (36:13):
Bomb cups down and Kentucky has it.

Speaker 3 (36:18):
The Wildcats came out with a football Cam Dewley boy,
four blockers to the right. They handed the laws sweeping
right and got the first downs. He turns the corner
and gets out of the fifteen yard line at Florida.
Cam Miller coming in motion far side to the near
side by drops throws it down the far side.

Speaker 4 (36:37):
Oh, touchdown Kentucky.

Speaker 3 (36:39):
Jason Patterson leaking out of the backfield and nobody went
with him. Little wheel route there and I'm like, what
are you gonna throw a cutter? But what he was
doing is he was looking to the middle, so that
throws the safety. He knew Patterson had only a guy
that was backing up into the ind zone, So he
throws it to me. He catches at the five and
that was easy walking touchdown to Florida. Turnover have turned

(37:00):
into nine Kentucky points, pending the pat The Cats go
fifty nine yards in twelve plays after the fumble recovery
by Duley.

Speaker 4 (37:10):
Hester wide right now log going in motion with the right.

Speaker 3 (37:12):
That's the open side. Bully drops, he's throwing far aside
and he's got his man.

Speaker 7 (37:17):
It's law.

Speaker 3 (37:17):
Makes a U turn heads down field twenty five cuts left,
thrown down inside the.

Speaker 4 (37:22):
Twenty yard line. Bully gives it.

Speaker 3 (37:25):
The mcgallan runs right, goes in touchdown. Kentucky nobody hit
him to a beautiful block by Josh Brawn. He just
leveled his guy. With one twenty six to play in
the first half, the offense puts up its third first
half touchdown and pushes.

Speaker 4 (37:43):
The lead over Florida to twenty three to seven.

Speaker 3 (37:47):
Farbar had a great kickout plot and crunches pancake a
big fell in the.

Speaker 4 (37:53):
Middle woo.

Speaker 3 (37:55):
Fifty four yard drive in five plays, a minute and
twelve seconds after the short punts set up, Kentucky in
his own forty six yard line, fully hands it off
to McGown across the thirty five offended as he goes
down to the thirty two yard line, Bully gives it too. McGowan,

(38:16):
coming off the left side, slips the tackle.

Speaker 4 (38:19):
Gets down inside the twenty five.

Speaker 3 (38:21):
Still going to the twenty three yard line, he'll be
a yard short of the first down.

Speaker 4 (38:25):
The law coming in motion left, Boley gives it to.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
Dow Dell breaks a tackle across the ten, driving his
way inside the five. We're gonna mark him down at
the five, first and goal to go direct staff to
mcgow and touchdown Kentucky. He goes in, I'm touched up
right tackle and the Wildcats extend the lead the twenty three. Yeah,
the ball was snapped and Bowley act like it, you know,

(38:51):
went over his head. But he was a direct snap
mcgow and he just walked in out of the Wildcat well.
Is the set back to the right of Bowly. Down
first and ten, Kentucky. Yet it's thirty five and give
it the Downdale, big hole.

Speaker 4 (39:02):
Up the middle across the fifty. It's a foot race
across the thirty twenty five.

Speaker 6 (39:07):
Twenty fifteen ten five touchdown Kentucky helright two.

Speaker 4 (39:12):
Cators who had the angle on him.

Speaker 6 (39:16):
Sixty five yard touchdown run by Don Take Downtown did.

Speaker 4 (39:21):
Great blocking at the point of attack.

Speaker 3 (39:23):
And then two hundred and twenty seven yards and he
takes it all the weight two hundred and twenty seven pounds.

Speaker 4 (39:30):
He takes it. I mean, as you said, he ran
away from the safety there.

Speaker 3 (39:37):
Well, when he gets a touchdown, he makes you remember it.

Speaker 4 (39:40):
He scored too.

Speaker 3 (39:42):
First one was seventy plus that one for sixty five yards.
Starts out in motion right and then he comes back
into the back field. Have two receivers each way, four
man rush. Jones chucks it down to Daniels and he's
tackled right in the middle of the field right about
where he caught it, and the Wildcats will take over.

Speaker 4 (40:01):
Hayden Dawhair on the tackle. I think this what to
do the Coory on this. I think it's going to
be the most lopsided win.

Speaker 3 (40:09):
As Kentucky goes to victory formation against the Gators, maybe
since forty nine thirty five nothing, bo Allen's going to
go under center and get to.

Speaker 4 (40:18):
Drop to a knee. He's going to get to do
victory formation in his hometown.

Speaker 3 (40:24):
As the Wildcats empty the sidelines as they pound the
Florida Gators from start to finish. Kentucky thirty eight, Florida
seven and the Wildcats and the streak. They get an
sec home win in their final tribe this season.

Speaker 1 (40:44):
After that, the Wildcats closed out the home portion of
their schedule with the blowout win over Tennessee Tech. That
was the night Kendrick Law had one of the greatest
days for a wide receiver in a Kentucky uniform. Targeted
eleven times, made eleven catches one undred and twenty four yards,
including seventy eight yards after catch, and along of forty

(41:06):
three wildcatch cruised over Tennessee Tech. But the next two
games not so happy, as Kentucky loses down at Vanderbilt
it was a blowout, and then lost to the Louisville
Cardinals as well, which is an unexpected blowout. We thought
that would be a much better game. But that ended
the Mark Stoops era in Lexington and gave way to

(41:26):
will Stein and his new staff. So we'll be talking
more about him, of course, in the upcoming weeks in
the new year, and we're gonna have a chance at
some point to sit down and chat with will Stein.
Had a chance to talk to him today he was hired.
A lot of other people have had a chance to
talk to him so far, but the portal opens, So
coaches haven't been talking much of late, but we'll have

(41:47):
a chance to sit down with him coming up literally
next year, and coming up in hour number two, we'll
talk more UK basketball and volleyball on the other side
of the break here on six point thirty Wlaptaca.

Speaker 2 (42:49):
Don show anything canning.

Speaker 1 (43:54):
Welcome back to the Big blon Sader this Wednesday meeting.
We will close out the air with one more visit
in twenty twenty five with the unforgettable guard. Sean Woods'
jersey hangs in the rafters of RUP. We'll talk about
those Wildcats in a minute, but first, I made my
way over to Scott County High School last night to
watch the Cardinals play. I kept promising Sean that I would.
I'm glad I did. They won a game over Paris.

(44:18):
It was a walkover. With all due respect to Paris.
Scott County ran off to a twenty to nothing lead
that took Paris four minutes to score his first bucket.
Hang on and coach, congratulations, First of all, the win.
You tell me now, you've won seven games. That's more
than they won all of last year. That is that right?

Speaker 7 (44:39):
Yeah? Last year they were six or something. This year,
we were already seven and two, so right even before
the year in so it's been a peg of a ride.
It's been a lot of work in progress with these
guys of asking the bell and doing everything we're asking
them to do, and they're receiving the fruit from their labor.
I mean, these guys have been hungry for a while,

(45:00):
and we put together a decent team to be super
competitive hopefully in the region.

Speaker 1 (45:04):
Well and for the folks who may see Scott County
at some point, you'll notice it's not a big team.
You're not long and super tall. But as I told
you before we went on the air, your kids, to
a man, they guard the way you guarded. And yeah,
Paris was over matched last night, and it's a smaller
school and all, but you're gonna face even tougher competition,

(45:24):
of course, but that defense is gonna get you there.
And I was so impressed. I'm not just saying this
because it's you, but I was so impressed with their
their defensive technique. Everybody in a good stance constantly reminded
pressure everywhere. You know, I know that you see all
the flaws, but big picture, you got to be.

Speaker 7 (45:46):
Pleased right now without a doubt that you know, offense
will come. That's with any team, I don't care how
talented you are as far as jelling, but defensively is
always ahead of the game. And that's where we are
right now, where you know, these guys are really buying
in and they're understanding how important defense is to winning games.
And that's the reason why were we already have seven

(46:07):
wins because of the way we're playing defense. You know,
offense comes and goes, but we're going to continue to
get better offensively the way we shoot the basketball. But
you know, defense got to be constant, and we want
people to to be uncomfortable every night, and that's what
we're trying to do.

Speaker 1 (46:23):
But your defense became offense, didn't it at least last night?

Speaker 7 (46:26):
Yes, yes it did. We turned them over twenty sometimes
and score probably thirty points off eterno, So you can't
beat that.

Speaker 1 (46:34):
Yeah, And that's one of the great things about high
school balls. The court's a little shorter in most places,
not everywhere, but you know you can get up and
down the floor. You got a little bit of depth too,
don't you.

Speaker 7 (46:45):
Yes, we do. We're deep, and we continue to create
even more depth. So the deeper we are, the fashion
we can play, the harder we can play for a
longer periods of time, and hopefully that can get us
over the hump and get us to a place where
you know, Scott can't been for a while.

Speaker 1 (47:01):
Your college coach Rick Pattino basically played you guys, at
least when he got deeper teams. Maybe not the team
You're wrong, because you didn't have a whole lot of
depth at first. Uh, but it was basically like a
hockey shift, wasn't it. Gole like hel and and he'll
sub for you and then go back in and play
defense as hard as you can. And uh that that

(47:21):
kind of makes it fun for the players, I would
think is defense, you know, on the surface isn't fun
at all unless you.

Speaker 7 (47:29):
Yeah, yeah, and when you when you receive, you know,
when you score, you know, you got to earn the score.
You got to earn the right to score, right, right,
And the way you earn the right to score is
you got to go get the ball. And that's what
we want to do. We want to limit shots taken.
We want to limit how many times the ball gets
into the paint. We don't want to keep the team uncomfortable,
and we want to create transition situations. Uh, so we

(47:51):
can get easy buckets and breakaway buckets to actually separate.
As far as the score is concerned, you.

Speaker 1 (47:57):
Scored thirty two points. I think it was in the
first peer. I was afraid to pro rate those numbers
because it was god but you still scored ninety seven
for the game. Things. It's kind of slowed down in
the fourth quarter when you subbed a little bit. And
you told me before the game, you've already got shot
clocks installed. They're going to come in next year officially,

(48:18):
but you're going to experiment with it later in the year,
aren't you.

Speaker 3 (48:22):
We are.

Speaker 7 (48:23):
We're going to experiment with Great Crossing when we play
them at our place. So you know, we already have
the shot clocks. Now, we just got to find people
to know how to know what they're doing to work them. Yeah,
you know, doing a game, and once we do that,
you know, hopefully we'll be ahead of the game and
be really ready to you know, go ahead with this

(48:43):
thing when it becomes official.

Speaker 1 (48:46):
Yeah, I think that's February seventh, if I'm right, If
I when I looked at the schedule, right, I mentioned
something earlier on the show, and you've worked the high
school ranks. You you were a broadcaster up until this
year when you got back into coaching, and you've attended
Kentucky high school tournaments and all. And you're from Indiana
where they used to have the greatest high school tournament.

(49:08):
It was even better, quite frankly that Kentucky was better
attended consistently to Kentucky's. Then they went to classes and
it's just not the same. But last night over in
Edmondson County, they dedicated the court to the late Bo Davenport.
He was the coach of the nineteen seventy six Edmondson
County team that jumped up and was a Cinderella and

(49:30):
won the Sweet sixteen. And that was back when there
were people that were trying to tear up the Sweet
sixteen and make it classes and all that, and that
was such a huge win for Edmondson County. I think
they're the Polar Bears. And it put to rest that
talk for a while of classes. It came up again,
and then the All A Tournament kind of saved us

(49:51):
from class basketball in Kentucky. But like I said, you've
spent most of your life in Kentucky and Indiana. Can
you imagine screwing around with the Sweet sixteen? I mean
the way they wanted to.

Speaker 7 (50:03):
Man, it was I mean when they did that, Yes,
I still do because what you did was you took
away the rivalries. You took away the sectionals, the region thos,
you know what it used to be. Now it's all
classed and it's just not the same. You know, you're
not getting the same crowds. You know, it's not the
same pop So it kind of hurt because you know

(50:27):
they were talking about, well, you know, we got to
make it so for the smaller schools. But history prevails.
The smaller schools, though, were the schools that won. The
small towns were the teams that was winning. There wasn't
the Indianapolis winning the state championships or the Fort Wayne,
you know they or the Gary's or something like that.
It was, you know, the small towns like Marion and

(50:47):
Warsaw and this and that, you know, and Richmond, you know,
so and those teams have an easier task. Even though
the North Central Conference with Newcastle and Marion and all
those teams, especially when James Blackman, Steve Alford and Troy
Lewis and all those guys are jil Ray Brooks. Those
guys were all in the same conference. But you had
the Gary schools, the eas Chicago schools, the Fort Wayne schools.

(51:10):
You know, those teams were knocking each other off.

Speaker 1 (51:13):
Yeah, yeah, And like I said, the All A Tournament
here and Stan Stidell and his folks Eastreet was from
Dayton High School, small school. They came up with the
ALLA and it's every bit as much fun, I think
as the Sweet Sixteen. So I wish Indiana had done
that as well. But yeah, you got unique perspective having

(51:33):
played in Indiana and worked in the state of Kentucky.
Shawn Woods as the head coach at Scott County High School,
which blew out Paris last night. We'll come back and
talk about his beloved Wildcats on the other side of
the break here on six thirty WLAP Welcome back. We're
talking to Sean Woods, the unforgettable guard of Jersey Hangs
and the Rafts of Rupp head coach at Scott County
High School and of course Kentucky Wildcat through and through

(51:56):
the Wildcats open up conference play. As we all know
in Alabama that's going to be a particularly tough one
for the Wildcats, giving the way Alabama plays and then
the question marks surrounding Kentucky's team. What do you expect.

Speaker 7 (52:11):
I expect a hard game. I expect a difficult game, unfortunately,
starting out to sec right out to shoot with Alabama
and one of the top two to three teams in
the league, and we're still trying to find us to
find our way. You know, it is gonna be a telltale,
you know, because we're probably going against probably the number
one and number two team in the league and we're

(52:33):
still trying to find out ourselves, you know, and hopefully,
you know, the big fella can get his legs un
him some more because he's gonna have to work. Hopefully
that you know, Low can sustain and stay healthy throughout
because they need his guard playing, his playmaking ability to
have a chance against those people.

Speaker 1 (52:50):
You know, it's interesting to me that people are coming
around now and saying, well, I guess they really did
need all their players, you know. And yeah, you mentioned
Low and then Jaq and out here's Mohammed Diobote going
back to Alabama. He's gonna play like a man possessed.
I believe don't you.

Speaker 7 (53:05):
I hope so you know what I'm saying, I hope
you don't do it the other way. I hope he
has that ol Way experience. When Oway went back to
Oklahoma last year.

Speaker 1 (53:13):
Yeah, speaking of Oway, he has been much more consistent
in terms of scoring. I think he still drifts a
little bit in games. But you've talked before about him
being a complimentary player. Uh, and he kind of, I
don't want to say eased in that role, but gradually
took to the role last year of being the guys
that they really needed. Now that these other key elements

(53:35):
are back, do you think we'll see more of that
otega Oway?

Speaker 7 (53:40):
Yeah, because now you you know, when you got a
playmaker and low you got to really pay attention to him.
So now he's create and helping retailer situations with his
penetration uh and chicken ability. Now you got to close
out on oh Way and all he needs is one
or two dribbles to get to the rim, and he's
one of the best finishers in college basketball.

Speaker 1 (53:58):
Yeah. People talked about, you know, wondering what is the
identity of this team, Well, you cannot establish an identity
without three of your top players. And now that they're back,
I'm wondering if Mark Pope will change the way he
does business in terms of not looking for thirty five
three pointers again, because I don't think that's the identity

(54:20):
of this team. Patino called it smash mouth basketball. Is
that what you see in his team? Potentially?

Speaker 7 (54:26):
I said that earlier. We have to be that way.
The ball's got to go inside to out, We got
to touch, We got to have as many paint touches
as possible to create that type of situation. When you're
putting pressure on the defense. By getting into the paint,
the ball goes up. You create easier offensive rebounding opportunities.

(54:46):
You're creating easier jump shots, wide open jump shots instead
of you know, coming off a screen, being chased and
being rushed and shoot deeper threes and low. It does that,
and then now you can go inside inside of the
big collar JQ. Now you create in another situation where
one on one situation with him, you're gonna have to
you know, team's gonna have to double down a little bit.

(55:07):
Now he can kick it back out either four three
or help a recover situations for another dribble drive situation.
So you know the pieces are coming together, and you know,
when you got two of your best players back in
the fold, you know, now we have a chance. We
have a chance to be you know what we thought
we could be. And now Mark can do what he

(55:29):
needs to do, you know, making the adjustments of not
doing you know, selling for a lot of threes, but
just playing smash off basketball and normal basketball because you
have normal, big time players that don't need all that extravagant,
you know, crazy movement just to get a three. You know,
you can just meet potato everybody, and hopefully you can
sustain tempo. Once you sustain tempo, now you're not getting

(55:54):
beat in transition because you know Alabama wants to play
fast and get up a lot of threes and create havoc.
You know, now you get your ball handled there, that's
not going to turn it over. They can create certain
type of pace for us. And also you got some
physicality down there with experience. So I think things are
looking up if we can stay healthy and we can

(56:14):
stay the course.

Speaker 1 (56:16):
There was a point in the Saint John's game you
talk about getting a ball in the paint when he
played just for a little while. H JQ and Garrison together,
not exactly a twin tower situation, but clearly an infusion
of size and strength. How do you feel about that?

Speaker 7 (56:36):
It poses your will in another team. So when you
got when you bring more physicality in another team, I
don't care how fast they are, You're you're you're you're
wearing them down. And also now they're worried about, you know,
running around you instead of running through you. And JQ
brings that type of deal. If Garrison could continue to
do what he's doing, and and and and and and

(56:57):
and really build off the last game or two and
now there's not that much pressure for Malaki because at
the end of the day, I think he's your duk
horse because he's so talented and field and he doesn't
mess up much. You know, he's still learned defensively and
keeping up with these young quicker you know what I'm saying,
bigs of today, But man, the future is so bright

(57:18):
for him and now he's just got to go out
there and just be a complimentary player and do what
he does.

Speaker 1 (57:22):
But if you're playing the two bigs Sean, what does
that do for you or to you defensively?

Speaker 7 (57:29):
Well, it brings a better rebounding type of situation. But
it hurts you as far as the total defense because
now one of those guys got to chase a four
man who now in basketball is more of a hybrid guy.
So it kind of puts us in a unique situation
defensively because you're asking one of those guys to chase

(57:51):
and everybody, every four men in the SEC could shoot
the basketball and can take you off the bound from
twenty five feet in described the.

Speaker 1 (57:59):
Or a list. There's what it's like. And it's been
this way really since well for the longest time in
Kentucky basketball, even back when Ruff was coaching. When a
UK goes on the road, and fans have heard about
this for years, but the wall of noise you guys
would run into, and you know, crowds that would pack
the arenas on the road where if it wasn't Kentucky,

(58:22):
they might get three or four thousand people. But now
the Wildcats are here, the circus is in town, the
place is jammed. First road game I ever covered as
a student journalist was in Tuscaloosa, and when the team
ran out onto the floor wearing blue uniforms, which I
had never seen in person, it was odd for me
and the wall the hail of booing and yelling, and

(58:44):
you know, it just was kind of funny to me really,
But what's it like as a player to run out
there and feel that that kind of noise is cascading.

Speaker 7 (58:54):
Down on you and it runs through you. You you
could feel the vibration of the fan roar going through you.
But that lets you know that you're the king and
everybody's here to be thrown you and that's what makes
you Kentucky. And that's why you go in knowing that, Hey,
it's you know, these people know that this team can't

(59:15):
beat you by themselves. They need every other person in
those stands to try to help. And this is why
this is why we signed up to come to Kentucky,
because you know, we are the Beatles. You know, everywhere
we go there's gonna be a crabber. But here's the deal, though,
Kentucky fans are just like ant They find a way
to get in there and they're going to be there,
you know what I'm saying. But Alabama, from my experience,

(59:38):
was one of the toughest places in the SEC to play.
Why just the ambiance is dark, it's not very bright.
You know, the fans are right there, the roles are
right on top of you, the rules are louder, you
can hear every single comment, you know, and back then,
you know you have Wimp Sanderson with that plaid jacket on.

(01:00:01):
You know, he was like the Bear Bryant of SEC basketball,
you know.

Speaker 1 (01:00:04):
Yeah, and had great players.

Speaker 7 (01:00:06):
Man, Yes, And I just hope that these guys, the
new guys, can really gravitate and and and and and
and accept and embrace that type of experience, knowing this
is the why this place is going so crazy against
you because of who you are. So it's a privilege,
you know what I'm saying to going to a new

(01:00:27):
place of of of visitors, foe you being the visitor
and all these people are going against you. So you
know that that says a lot about you and that
uniform that you wear. So hopefully that can still even
more pride of these guys and let them know who
they're really really planned for and what this thing is
all about.

Speaker 1 (01:00:45):
There have been so many great players coming through the
state of Alabama and people don't realize. I always wonder
about the fact that in the seventies taking you back
aways now C M. Newton put together some of the
greatest teams in the country, but only one SEC team
could go to the NCAA tournament, so they couldn't always go.
And Bob Knight, well, his seventy six team, it went undefeated.

(01:01:09):
He said, the toughest team they faced was Alabama. I
always wonder if if Alabama had been able to go
to the NCAA tournaments and maybe made some deep runs
and establish more tradition, what basketball might have been like
in the state of Alabama. But now Nat Oates has
him playing a style of ball that's really popular, and
it's been pretty silly. It goes to the Final four,

(01:01:30):
and so I guess, Sean, that's why you're saying they're
one of the top teams in the league, no doubt
about it.

Speaker 7 (01:01:36):
And I'll tell you what I used to always say.
You know, I was a high school All American. I
went to all the top camp I saw all the
top high school players in the country. You go play Alabama,
you can't never say none of those guys like what
come from me? Really good? You know the Vincent ask
you is the David ben Wallas. You know what I'm saying.
You know the Robert Lorry's the La Trails. I didn't

(01:01:57):
see those guys in high school. Yeah, where these guys
coming from out of the Hollers. I know they had
in Alabetta.

Speaker 1 (01:02:06):
Bobby Lee Hurt was such a great Bobby Hurt.

Speaker 7 (01:02:09):
You know all those guys, you know, they always they've
never not had really good players.

Speaker 1 (01:02:15):
No, and you know, maybe I would think perhaps the
greatest player to come out of the state, but went
to Auburn with Charles Barkley. So there's been talent there.
But now they, like I said, they got a coach
who came down from Buffalo. I don't know where he's from,
but NATO's came from Buffalo and he's built a team
in Alabama that's going to give the Wildcats all they want.

(01:02:37):
We'll be here to talk about it next week. Coach.
Have a happy new year. Congratulat the win again last night,
and we'll talk again soon.

Speaker 7 (01:02:45):
All right, buddy, got to come again. Now when we'll
play with somebody, I'll do it. I'll do it all.

Speaker 1 (01:02:49):
When we come back, we'll visit with Mitch Sherman of
the Athletic He has written a terrific piece about women's
volleyball the SEC Kentucky, Texas, A and M. That's all
I had here on the Big Blue and side six
thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. Joining
us now a first time guest on The Big Blue Insider.
Mitch Sherman covers Nebraska and college sports for the Athletic

(01:03:11):
and has worked for a number of different outlets and
formerly a baseball coach. It says in your profile Mits,
but we are going to talk some volleyball here because
you put up a great piece on the athletic and
I'm a shameless shild for the athletic money well spent.
But you wrote about how women's volleyball is it the
SEC's next big sport, and now UK and A and

(01:03:33):
M broke through and of course they played for the
national title in M wins it. Kentucky fans obviously disappointed.
It had to be proud of an all SEC final,
but a great piece. I tipped my cap and if
you without giving away the store, because we'd love people
to get your website to enroll and subscribe, but how

(01:03:54):
do you see the SEC now? And you point out
the fact that there were two key transfers in this scenario.

Speaker 10 (01:04:03):
Right, I mean not more than two key transfers, but
you know we're talking specifically about Eva Hudson from Kentucky
in this piece in Texas, A and M had a
number of transfers and key players that have been other places,
and that continues in this transfer portal cycle that is

(01:04:25):
underway right now.

Speaker 9 (01:04:26):
But yeah, I mean the SEC in.

Speaker 10 (01:04:29):
The way that Greg Sanki have embraced the sport of
women's volleyball since Sankie took over the conference in twenty fifteen,
is leading has led down a road to get to
this place in Kansas City here in December where you
have two SEC teams on that final stage playing for
the national championship. And of course, the league had just

(01:04:51):
one national champion in that sport prior to twenty twenty five,
and that was Kentucky, which came in the COVID year
in the spring of twenty twenty one. And you mentioned
that I'm from Nebraska, that that entire NCAA tournament was
played under the under one roof in Omaha, and you know,
it was a different kind of championship. I was there

(01:05:13):
for some of those matches, so to see the SEC
get to experience that and what was a normal volleyball
environment with a with a.

Speaker 9 (01:05:21):
Big crowd in December, when it's when it's meant to be.

Speaker 10 (01:05:25):
You know, was was really a huge thing for the
league and Sanky, you know, between going to three college
football playoff games on that same weekend of the of
the volleyball Final four, was in attendance for both the
semifinals on Thursday and the championship on that Sunday, December
twenty first, which really speaks to his level of commitment
to making sure that that sport continues to grow like

(01:05:48):
football and baseball have blossomed in the SEC.

Speaker 1 (01:05:52):
Why do you suppose Sank was so quick? I don't
know if it was quick, but why has he embraced
it the way he has?

Speaker 3 (01:06:00):
Oh?

Speaker 10 (01:06:00):
I think most people recognize that he's a visionary in
college sports, and he's one of his skills is to
be able to see things before maybe the masses do.
And I think back in twenty fifteen, he was able
to recognize that there was tremendous potential for growth in
women's volleyball. It's a sport that plays well on TV,
It's a sport that has put up huge numbers as

(01:06:23):
far as participation for girls at the high school level.
And you know, while while people it doesn't take a
whole lot of vision to necessarily see what's happened over
the last maybe three years nationally with this sport. You
had the US women win a gold medal in twenty
twenty one in Japan, and that was at the forefront

(01:06:46):
I think of growth for the sport in the United States,
But it goes deeper than that. Thank you saw it
five or six years before a lot of other people.

Speaker 9 (01:06:54):
Did, and recognize.

Speaker 10 (01:06:59):
Arenas around the SEC and arenas and stadiums in some
cases around the country. And with the TV ratings, you know,
over a million viewers for some of the regional matches
and then again in Kansas City at the final four, you.

Speaker 1 (01:07:13):
Right about Sankee getting a championship ring from Kentucky. Tell
everybody that story.

Speaker 10 (01:07:21):
Yeah, I'm talking about that twenty twenty season. The spring
of twenty twenty one, he said that that championship that
Kentucky won that year had a place, has a place
today still closer to his heart than any championship that
an SEC program in any sport has won during his

(01:07:41):
time as commissioner, and he was in Lexington on labor
day weekend in the fall of twenty twenty one, after
I would assume for football or ibe, it was for
volleyball to open the season as the defending champ that
year with Craig Skinner, and Skinner gave him a chanceampionship
ring in the in the ceremony, private ceremony like within

(01:08:04):
the the Kentucky locker room that year during during that weekend,
and it was a surprise to Greg and you know,
he treasures that to this day.

Speaker 1 (01:08:15):
I think that's a great story. And I never knew.
I mean, you know, I'm around the volleyball program a lot,
but I never knew they gave it. What a smart move.
Like Craig Scanner, He's pretty savvy, isn't he? And you
know him pretty well.

Speaker 7 (01:08:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (01:08:26):
I've known Craig since this time as an assistant.

Speaker 10 (01:08:28):
Coach under John Cook, the four time national champion coach
at Nebraska, and Craig was was John's lead assistant on
the first team that that Cook had at Nebraska back
in two thousand that won a national championship for the Huskers,
and of course, you know was quickly sought after as
a head coaching candidate. It's amazing to think that that

(01:08:50):
Craig has been doing this at at Kentucky for now
twenty years plus, and you know, you've seen Kentucky kind
of pick up where Florida left off as being a
flagship program. Mary Wise of course did it for many
years at Florida and put in Kentucky and putting the
SEC I'm sorry on the map as a volleyball presence.

Speaker 9 (01:09:14):
And then you know, in addition to all of that
and the stuff.

Speaker 10 (01:09:17):
That we've talked about, and what should be mentioned certainly
with Texas A and M's rise, is that the University
of Texas joining the SEC was absolutely a catalyst.

Speaker 9 (01:09:27):
For the conference to become something that it is now.

Speaker 10 (01:09:30):
In the sport. And even though Texas was left at
home and not in.

Speaker 9 (01:09:35):
Kansas City, it speaks to the success and.

Speaker 10 (01:09:37):
The history that Texas has as a volleyball power nationally
that other programs are along for the ride and winning
national championships. Jamie Morris and the Texas A and M coach,
spent a year at Texas before he got the job
at Texas A and M, and probably would not be
at Texas A and M today if he didn't see

(01:09:58):
the movement in the direc action that we now all
see in the SEC for volleyball. Texa fandom didn't have
anywhere near the history the Texas Theater that Kentucky did
or Florida did when Morrison took over three years ago,
but he knew what was coming, in part because Texas
was entering the league and would help rise and improve
the level of play across the board.

Speaker 1 (01:10:18):
I worked in the old Southwest Conference for a couple
of years back in the eighties, left Kentucky for a
couple of years, and I can tell you from experience
that if Texas has something A and M wants it
and vice versa, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised
by getting the right person in place, just like Craig
Skinner coming to Kentucky. And he mentioned this in a
news conference a couple of times as people asked him

(01:10:40):
about his background and begin to learn about Craig, but
he said he turned down some other opportunities before he
took the Kentucky job. As someone who has known Craig,
you know volleyball inside and out at the collegiate level,
especially women's volleyball. Is it safe to say you're not
surprised that Craig has had success here at Kentucky. Your
take on the growth of volleyball at UK.

Speaker 10 (01:11:04):
Yeah, definitely not surprised. I mean you could see in
the years after he took the job that they built
that thing to a place where, you know, I think
the big one, big factor in Kentucky's rise. And you'll
see this with Texas, A and M. I'm sure now
that it's got a championship under it's under its belt.
Texas does this, you know, Louisville does this in the
ACC the way that they schedule in the non conference

(01:11:27):
and being around the University of Nebraska, which is a
five time national champion in volleyball. Every year you see
Kentucky on that non conference schedule and you see schools
like Louisville or or Texas or you know, now you
can put A and M certainly into that category. And
they schedule in a way so that when it comes time,
much like in basketball for the seatings at the at

(01:11:48):
the end of the regular season, that you can lose them.
You can lose a game or two, you can lose
a match or two in volleyball and still be in
position to you know, in volleyball have an even bigger
advantage than basketball in the postseason, and that get to
host all the way through until the final four.

Speaker 9 (01:12:02):
And you know, Kentucky was in that spot this.

Speaker 10 (01:12:05):
Year, and you know, had a good enough team to
probably go on the road and make it to Kansas City.
But it was definitely an easier road to get there
because the Cats were home in Lexington on the first
two weekends. And you know, Skinner knew that because of
his experience in the sport and having done it at
Nebraska as an assistant, and you know, I'm sure he
wanted to go to a place that would be on

(01:12:26):
board with his vision about how to schedule and how
to get yourself in a position so that you could
be a top seed when the tournament came around.

Speaker 1 (01:12:33):
We're talking to Mitt Sherman of the Athletic There's a
piece right now on the website. I commend you to
subscribe and read about the fact that Kentucky and Texas
A and M broke through as perhaps the SEC's next
big sport. We'll talk more with Mitch after the break
here on six point thirty WLAP. Welcome back. My guest
is Mitch Sherman. He is a writer for the Athletic.

(01:12:54):
He is based in Nebraska and covers, among other things, volleyball,
women's volleyball, and was there at the Final four when
the Wildcats lost to Texas A and M. And we
talked about Craig skinners scheduling, uh strategy, if you will.
It's gotten tougher and tougher through the years. They've dropped
some matches early, but they learned from them. They're they're

(01:13:15):
battle tested by the time the tournament rolls around. But
in your piece, I was fascinated to read that. Greg Sanky,
we talked about the SEC commissioner earlier. He was one
of the driving forces, Mitch apparently for the SEC postseason tournament,
and Greg Craig talked about that as well when the
coaches came around, especially the coach from Texas. But tell

(01:13:37):
me about Greg Sanke's reasoning and logic for wanning a
postseason tournament, which only makes your road a little bit
tougher or does it?

Speaker 7 (01:13:47):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (01:13:47):
I guess it depends on your experience.

Speaker 10 (01:13:49):
And this year you could certainly say that it helped.
It helped Kentucky. Kentucky was was battle testing.

Speaker 4 (01:13:54):
You know, you don't want to be in.

Speaker 10 (01:13:55):
A position as a as a major power in in
basketball or in volleyball going into the postseason and having
not been challenged at the absolute highest level for several
weeks or even months before that. So what the SEC
has done in creating a postseason tournament and the NCC
is going against the grain in that, like look at
the ACC, look at the Big Ten, look at the

(01:14:17):
Big twelve. They do not have postseason tournaments. And the
logic there is, you know, you want your top teams
that don't need to win a conference tournament to get
into the NC doublea tournament, to be well rested and
you know, not not have to deal with all that
much stress before the stress of the MCUBAA tournament comes.
But you know, thank you looked at it, I think
in the way that it's it's viewed in basketball and

(01:14:39):
then it can be something that helps. And a big
part of this too was exposure for the sport and
the ability to generate revenue for the sport. And they
put the tournament in Savannah, Georgia this year. It was
the first time the SEC's had a tournament in what
I believe it was twenty.

Speaker 9 (01:14:52):
Years, and it was a hit and you had Kentucky
and Texas in the championship in in a great match
that that likely that likely improved.

Speaker 10 (01:15:05):
Both of their UH readiness for the n c Double
A tournament to follow. So I don't know if this
is a trend, if it's something you're gonna see in
the other major conferences for to to to reinstate a
you know, a postseason conference tournament. But I think it
gives them all something to think about. And and you know,

(01:15:25):
thank he said he he wanted this from.

Speaker 9 (01:15:28):
The very start of his time as the commissioner.

Speaker 10 (01:15:31):
Of the SEC. He wanted the SEC to UH to
bring back the postseason tournament. You know, Skinner and many
of the coaches were not in favor of this at first,
but thank he begged and pleaded, as Jamie Morris in
the Texas A and M coach put it, and eventually
they all got and got on board. And and you know,
I don't think any of the coaches now a month

(01:15:54):
later are arguing that that it hurt them in the
in the UH, you know, in the in the NCAA event.

Speaker 1 (01:16:00):
How much of that is because of the way the
event was staged in Savannah, because Craig Skinner could not
stop talking about how well it went over with the
fans there and the way it was orchestrated.

Speaker 9 (01:16:16):
Yeah, you know, I wasn't there, so I while it
was orchestrated.

Speaker 10 (01:16:19):
But I imagine with the SEC, the way the SEC
is going to do just about everything. Uh it was,
it was, It was handled in a first class manner. Yeah,
and you know, you give your your athletes an opportunity
to get a taste of what the NC DOUBLEA tournament
is going to be like, so not just with the competition,
but with the environment that's around them and kind of
the surroundings, the way that the that the match protocol

(01:16:42):
might work. You know, if you're playing on in an
NC DOUBLEA tournament in a first and second round situation
or in a regional weekend, oftentimes you don't know exactly
when your match is going to start because there's another
match that has to be played before it, and you've
got to be flexible with your schedule and and to
be able to get a.

Speaker 9 (01:17:01):
A taste of that at a at a conference tournament.

Speaker 10 (01:17:05):
Before you get into the grind of December. I've got
to think in many cases it's going to help players
be more prepared and ready to go when it's do
or die.

Speaker 1 (01:17:15):
You mentioned Florida, and for so long I like to
say SEC women's volleyball was a Florida Invitational, which is
a odd to Mary Wise, who was a coach of
Kentucky before she went to Gainesville, and as Mary do
a former small college basketball coach from Kentucky mark but
Florida got to the championship game a couple of times

(01:17:35):
but never could quite break through. And as a guy
who was witnessed and covered volleyball at the top level,
being Nebraska women's volleyball, what's the difference now do you think?
And I know you cover SEC volleyball from a distance,
but how is it? How was it morphed? How has
it changed? How is it better than it was all

(01:17:56):
those years when Florida would get to the tournament but
couldn't quite break through.

Speaker 10 (01:18:01):
Yeah, I mean, I think the way you explained it
and calling the old version of the SEC the Florida
Invitational tells the story right there. There just wasn't enough
competition within the league, and you know, bringing in Texas
of course helps, but it happened before that. You know,
Kentucky won a national championship in the sport before TAFF
came into the league. So Craig Skinner was building that

(01:18:23):
things at at Kentucky and and helping schools throughout the conference.
I mean, you see what happened at Vanderbilt this year.
Program had been dead for decades and they brought it back,
had a little bit, had a little bit of success,
and you know, it's it's just becomes something that's, uh,
you know, that's important to athletic departments across the conference

(01:18:43):
and and and across the country. It's it's one of
the if not the top growth sport in in the
n C Double A. So you know, all of that
combined the just the rise of programs, maybe not even
programs that you see at the final four or the
regional final level, but look across the across the conference

(01:19:04):
in the SEC, and you've seen other schools you know.

Speaker 9 (01:19:07):
Kind of have their moment in the sun.

Speaker 10 (01:19:09):
And you know, I've got to think that's only going
to continue with with the money that's that's that exists
in all of the athletic departments across the SEC. You know,
I've got to think that if.

Speaker 9 (01:19:19):
You're at an Alabama or a South Carolina.

Speaker 10 (01:19:22):
Or a Tennessee or whatever it might be, and you
look at what's happening, and you turned on your TV
or looked at the ratings or saw the just the
level of play that existed in the NCAA Championship, and
you said, hey, if if if.

Speaker 9 (01:19:35):
Kentucky can do that, if Texas A and M could
do that, then why.

Speaker 10 (01:19:38):
Why wouldn't we want a part of it? So I
would imagine that the investment across the league is only
going to continue to rise in the years ahead.

Speaker 3 (01:19:45):
You know.

Speaker 1 (01:19:45):
Being the old head on the UK beat that I am,
I could tell people and I and this was a
surprise to them because the NCAA tournament in in the
coliseum where Kentucky plays, has been so great. I mean,
you know what it's like, uh at Nebraska and ed Craton,
you know they packed the houses. They're starting to do
that here. And I told everybody wh would listen, I said,

(01:20:05):
you got to understand in nineteen eighty three, and I'm
taking you all way back. Most people have talked they
weren't even born yet, I said. Memorial Coliseum hosted the
final four, the nca Final four, and Kentucky was one
victory from getting there. Kentucky actually beat Texas in Austin
in the regional and the Elite eight or rather than

(01:20:27):
the Sweet sixteen, but then lost to Hawaii for the
right to play on its home floor in the final
four in Hawaii went on to win the tournament in Lexington.
So much happened between then and now, but it's so
much fun to see NCAA tournament matches in the coliseum.
I will let you go with this. I am so
fascinated by the way volleyball has grown in the state

(01:20:50):
of Nebraska, and in just a minute or two, Mitch,
can you tell me why that's happened.

Speaker 10 (01:20:57):
Well, I mean you mentioned nineteen eighty three, and it
goes back even before that in the state of Nebraska
because the predecessor to John Cook, who is now recently
retired in Danny Buspin Kelly from Louisville. The Nebraska native
has taken over the Nebraska program. Terry Pettitt, the original

(01:21:17):
or actually the second coach ever, but really the original
as far as taking Nebraska to a high level of volleyball.
He emphasized it at a grassroots level and it became
the thing to do at the high school level. In
the youth level in the state of Nebraska among girls. Yeah,
and you know, right now, Nebraska produces more Division one

(01:21:38):
volleyball players per capita than any state in the country.

Speaker 9 (01:21:43):
And you know, it's a testament.

Speaker 10 (01:21:45):
To forty years of work to grow the sport. Going
back to that nineteen eighty three era, that's when Terry Pettitt,
then coach of Nebraska volleyball, would stand outside the Nebraska Coliseum,
which is which is long since been removed as the
volleyball venue. They've moved into the bigger form of basketball arena.
But he would stand outside in the University of Nebraska Coliseum,

(01:22:08):
which was right next to Memorial Stadium, the football stadium,
and give people access, bring them, you know, basically push
people into the coliseum as the football games ended and
to come watch our women play.

Speaker 1 (01:22:22):
Wow.

Speaker 10 (01:22:23):
And that's how they began to grow the support at
a grassroots level. And the next thing they knew, they
were winning national championships.

Speaker 1 (01:22:28):
That's fantastic, What a great story. That's a great place
to leave it. But I hope you talk again soon.
Mitch Sherman covers a lot of things, but among them
women's volleyball for the Athletic. Follow him on Twitter or
x and at Mitch Sherman. Thanks for your time and
enjoyed speaking with you. Will do it again sometime, all right,
Thanks Dick, I'll do it for now. Good night, Happy
New Year everybody from the garage and Lexington and you

(01:22:52):
are one pathetic loser.

Speaker 2 (01:23:01):
Any time stationing then anything, anything only slacked out, anything

(01:24:19):
to the tip, anything donning,

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.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Stuff You Should Know

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The Burden

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2025-12-31 BBI

Stuff You Should Know