Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk presented by
the lead Troop Bards Radio Network on six point thirty
w LAP.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk on Anthony
White along with Larry Vaught, coming to you from Clark's
Main Street Market Studios in downtown Lexing, Kentucky. And now
we're happy to be joined by Greg Williams, who is
the father of Cam Williams, UK Guard swing swing Man.
(00:30):
Good morning, mister.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Williams, Good morning, sir. How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Doing pretty good? You? Uh glad to be with you
without Mark Pope cutting into our conversation this time. We
appreciate you. We appreciate that it's been a did you
go to the football game yesterday?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I did not?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Or the contest? I'm not sure if it's much of it.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I did not. I did not.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I was going to. That only made me going to
ask you how was your weekend? Because I know there's
probably a high on Friday and the low on Saturday
if you want to the game, But so let's just
stick to Friday. How was the environment? How was the
first contest for you? On Friday?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Man? That was such a great environment. You know you
hear about this. You watch it your whole life as
a kid, never get to participate. But then when you
see your son going through it, you enjoy it even more.
You see the big smile on his face. And I
haven't been in an arena with that many people. Oh
my oldest played at Saint John's and that was eighteen
(01:27):
nineteen thousand. This is twenty thousand plus. Yeah, so I
need to bring my ear plugs next time.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
So just the first contest, Cam, he don't shoot inside
the ark? Is he not a lot of shoot inside
the arc? Or is that just not his thing? It
is not encouraged, and and it's just even with that
being said, Pope wants to shoot. Thirty three is a game,
so that should be righting out right up his alley.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Well, you know the funny part is he took a
shot from the corner. It was an air ball.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, yes, And I.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Was speaking to Coach Brooks and he said, you know,
Coach told him, he said, Cam, you shot a twenty
nine footer from twenty six feet. But I like that.
And so it's great because you know, shooters, they won't
make everything, and how they respond to a miss is
very important. So when he saw the coaches were still
encouraging him and said, hey, look, you know, keep shooting that.
(02:25):
You know it's going to go in. You know, we
see what you do in practice. So he's encouraged with
that type of response from his coaches.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And who would you say, watching the game with live
action against another opponent, because you've seen us play against us,
who will on our team surprise you? Or was like, wow,
this guy is in person, isn't well?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
You know, I wasn't surprised because I've been to practice
right right, And the best thing about it is the animosity,
the competition that they did against each other. Now they
were able to take it out on someone else, right,
and that was the best part. So everybody from Cam
but you know, Trent, Noah, Colin, Chandler Jasper just everyone
(03:08):
did in the game what they did in practice. And
my concern going into the game was would they have
the same intensity against someone else that they've had against
the people they've been warring with for you know, three
or four months, And they actually they rose to the challenge.
I think what Mark Pope does. He just tells you,
he says, look, you know you're not going to really
(03:29):
play a whole lot. If you came from thirty minutes,
you're gonna play twenty and so you have to do
everything that he wants you to do that you can
do in that limited time. And that's why they play
so aggressively because they know when the horn sounds that
might be their time, and so they want to stay ready.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
We were talking about that. How does a coach get
so many talented players the buying end of where I
my role is sixteen, seventeen.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Twelve minutes.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
How did you get them to buy into that and
keep them happy for the next six months.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, you know, I don't know if they're truly happy
in terms of minutes, But I think what he does
a good job of doing is selling team and success,
because when your team is successful individually, you'll be successful
as well. And so Kentucky provides that type of forum
where a lot of scouts are here, a lot of
(04:27):
people are coming, and they're evaluating you, and he's trying
to give you the best coaching that he can right
and he wants you to perform. He encourages them to
do what they were brought here to do, whether that shoot, rebound, pass, defend,
you know you do what you do and the time
that I give you, and all of your dreams will
come true and Big Blue Nation will love you for
(04:48):
the rest of your life.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
I didn't even play and I felt a love he
had any feeling encouraged.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Okay, well, well you're a little bit of a showman yourself, though.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Well you know, when you get older, that's really all
you can do.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Amen, I know, I understand.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I'm more of the speaking about it before I could
actually do it. Now I might do a little bit.
Let me take a little rest, though, Larry, you can
do a little bit for me. But it's just fun.
It's fun. Everybody welcomes you here. You're like family, and
you know, I love coming up here and I can
see why people who played here stay here. It's just
(05:27):
a great atmosphere and I love it.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
And you talked about the tempo. Me and Larry were
talking about that. Did you notice anything in practice were
to win championships? To me, you have to give max
effort as long as you can give. And that's why
I think you can keep minutes down in nineteen if
you have somebody to play thirty five minutes, thirty eight minutes,
they're probably gonna pace themselves at a certain point on
the offensive end, did you notice and practice any type
(05:52):
of methods that Pope has to make sure the guys
are giving maximum effods as long as they can, so
we can see how many spurts. Maybe a spurs three minute,
your spur to seven minutes.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
But oh yes, And it's a real simple thing that
he does. It's something that I'm going to turn the
replacement method. If you're not hustling, I can put someone
out in there who will. And it's it's very effective,
you know. And he says, look, I mean we're up Temple,
we're not trying to You don't have to save anything.
Put it all out there, give it your best. If
(06:21):
you're tired, I'll see it and I'll put someone else
in there. And so what the guys are doing is
just trying to keep up their conditioning because they don't
want to have to come out, you know. Coach, coach,
I'm fine, you know, And so it's it's interesting, but
that's really it's really that simple. Give your one hundred
percent and then you're going to play as long as
(06:43):
he thinks you should. And like I said, he has
you want to run through a wall for him and
this team and Big Blue Nation, and they show it
out there on the court and I love it.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
You get to go to practice. Does he ever yell
at gas and get on gas? Or is he always
is lovable? And Joevill is what we normally seen at
games and impress conferences and thanks.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Well, let me say this, when he comes to me,
he smiles but with them, no, no bad words, nothing
like that. I had to question whether he was a
coach or not, because every of the coach I know,
I may use a few choice words no, no, and
he's just I don't know what he's done, but just
(07:27):
his presence makes them want to follow. And I think
that's really important for players. Like he doesn't yell, none
of that, and he blows his whistle. It's silence. They
listen and then it's just on to the next thing.
It's amazing. You know, I like watching practice because I
learn a lot. You know, I coach kids sometimes and
(07:51):
I'm not as successful. You know, I don't have any
nil money. You know, I'm going to work on that.
You know, I'm going to work on candy and things
like that. Endorsement so now, but he does a great job.
He's really tuned in and he knows what everybody should
be doing and they understand too, And I just try
to stay out of the way.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And I know he's a basketball mind. I'm curious as
to you. I know you are practice and it reminds me.
Larry probably can remind you back when I played our
football coach, our offensive coordin head coach, I should say,
was a football mind. So he loved everybody watching his product,
watching him talk, watches verbage, watch the way he explains
the offenses. And that's kind of how Mark Pope is.
I'm curious how many people are allowed. Is it just
(08:35):
some of you parents because your parents are Does he
allow everybody to watch and listen to him coach?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Well, he didn't allow anyone from Oh, but there was
a tour going on. I mean people were coming in
and out and they're just practicing. He came in, Like
I said, he can't be real because he's walking around.
He stopped what he was doing. He shook everybody's hand,
you know, mile to pictures, right back to coaching, and
(09:03):
people just in and out. I mean, if they want
the Kentucky experience, then you can have it, you can
have it. It's wonderful. I mean I know a lot
of coaches who you know, they are black our practices.
I can't watch, you can't do anything, but you can
come in in and out and it's no problem at all.
It's amazing. And as parents, Yeah, I can come to
(09:25):
any practice. And what's what's special about it is every coach,
every manager, just everybody grease you. Everybody how you doing,
especially when they know who you are and they go
out of their way to come and shake your hand
and say hello. And it's always a great experience.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
I want you to get me on your guests list.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I can go to practice.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
I won't go as immediate for just come as your friend,
you know, just you'll bring your friend and they'll let
me in the shake my hand.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
You'll be my brother. This is my younger brother. Come
in this Larry, you know Michael Jordan's brother. Larry always
be it didn't happen this time. I've always beat this layer.
But yeah, I'll get you in there.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
What is maybe it seems like you and Cam has
a really tight unit. You guys talk while you lean
on each other. What has it probably been his biggest
transition or biggest obstacle condition.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Huh, it is different. And so this, like you said,
sometimes when you know you're going to play thirty minutes,
you pace yourself so when the moment comes, you have
the energy. But here he had to be ready to
go because it's one hundred miles an hour every second
and one thing. And you know, as being former player
(10:45):
that mentally that is something that will be off if
you're fatigued. And so the better condition you are, the
more clearer your thoughts are. And so here you have
to react real quickly to what's going on in switches
or anything like that. So once he became well conditioned,
(11:07):
everything really became a lot easier.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Does he think he has he's become you said became?
Is he where he needs to be and he has
a regimen or is that something he's constantly having to
improve or is he comfortable enough now that you know,
I just do this in the morning, Like he has
a routine or is this something he's still Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Well he definitely has a routine. And as a parent,
I had to try to figure it out because you know,
I don't know when to call, when to text, you know,
I don't ask when his classes are or anything like that.
But in terms of athletics, he has figured out what
works for him, when to get up, when to eat.
He puts in the extra time. In addition to everything
(11:47):
they're doing. And the other thing about Kentucky is different.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
They do a whole lot of community service. I mean,
my goodness, I think they do more community service than practice.
You know, he might have one hundred thousand hours of
community wow from the summer. I mean, but it's a lot,
and it's great. I can see why there's such a
great connection with Big Blue Nation. And it's something that
you have to get used to it always. It's like
(12:13):
every second it's something to do. And Coach Pope is
very clear on how you respond to it. You respond
to it with a smile. Anytime a man can coach
and come after the game and wait till everyone is
satisfied with a signature or a picture. That's a man
with a tremendous amount of patience. But at the same time,
it's a man who has a lot of tremendous amount
(12:36):
of purpose. Like love it, love it.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
That is, mister Greg Williams. We will going to continue
this show after we come back from this break, you're
listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk on news
radio six thirty WLP.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk, presented by
the lead troop Board to Radio Network on six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talking Anthony White
along with Larry Vaught still joined by Greg Williams father
Cam Williams, UK basketball player. Stockyards Bank has been your
trusted partner since nineteen oh four, so head on over
to syb dot com for all your banking and financial needs.
If you like to jump on the show and talk
to mister Williams, Larry Vauden myself, you can join eight
(13:21):
five nine to eight zero two to eight seven eight
five nine to eight zero cats. If you still hungover
from the game last night, I mean hungover in a
bad way, the not the country boy way, call in
mister Williams is a vall of energy if you're feeling
if you're feeling down, just call in. Let the vibe
through the mics from mister Williams soothe you a little bit.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Maybe though we've already had the call to day.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
If we have, we have. I don't like you, but
I don't like you. I don't like you for telling
him to talk bad about Dennis Johnson and this people.
But Dennis Johnson doesn't coach middle school. He's the athletic director.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Though we got got to get our vibes. Probably Cam,
that might be the only time chance to do that.
So you don't often beat Dennis Johnson his teams and anything.
But now Dennis has been very encouraging him. So that's
just a little inside joke there.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Wow, good deal, mister Williams. Who's the person on the
team or is there like the female sports most of
them we talked to, they run around in mops and
I can see Mark Pope being a person that keeps
his team glued together. Who's Cam hang out with the most?
Who is he closest to?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Oh? Man, let me see. Hmmm, I'm trying to think,
because I'll see him interacting with a lot of people,
mostly around the game. You know, they all play the game,
and so let me see. Let me see my man from.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Florida, Denzel. Oh oh, this must be good.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Well, you know they they were having the introductions or
and they were talking about the guy next to him
happened to be Denzel. So he said, you know one
thing about Denzel, it's my dog Petere. He came to visit.
I was like, that's not a fact that you should
share with you. But I've called on many occasions. I
(15:11):
think Denzel is there and they may be playing the
game or just hanging out, so I probably say him.
Let me tell you something. All these kids are great kids, man,
they are. I mean, you know, once they knew who
I was, they always greet me and acknowledge me. The
parents are awesome. Denzel's mom, you know, Denise, Uh, let
(15:34):
me stay on the record. She's so messy.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
No, I'm just get.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
That's my great friend, and and just the parents of jailed.
I mean, it's this is such a it's such an
awesome experience, you know, and I love it and every
opportunity to come, you know, I'll take it, you know.
And let me tell you, I got to say, this
is special. Being able to meet with you guys and
talk about Kentucky basketball. I mean, it's awesome and I appreciate.
I really do what you said.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Your your older son play played at two different schools.
Dam started to lane. He said, this is your fourth
school you've been you've been around fourth head coach and
all like that, and you're talking about all this camaraderie
at all, Like this just just wanted from from your perspective,
what role, credit, or anything does Mark Pope's wife, Leanne
deserve in any of this. What kind of role does
(16:18):
she have with you or with your son?
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Are there?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Well, the crazy part is, Okay, I'm looking at him,
I'm like, he can't be real. But then when I
look at her, she's a female version of him. I mean,
they are like so welcoming and just so loving. And
she said at the home, you know, these are like
all of my kids, you know, And and I'm like, well,
(16:43):
I'm glad he makes the money makes because to feed
those guys a lot. But she is made me feel
good about him being here because she feels that that's
her son. Everyone is her son. And with that being said,
you know she acts like that they all greet her
(17:04):
the same way the mother figure away from home and
you see what she does to her her own children,
and I'm like, wow, you know, it's just such a
great atmosphere. We haven't been to a coach's house that
many times already. No, No, we haven't Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
So if you had a concern, a little bit of
a worry about Cam at what exactly basketball related, would
you pick the phone up and call her?
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Well, you know I would. I would probably call coach
coach Brooks. Coach Brooks because I'm a up the ladder
type guy. I never want to go to the top.
I think that there's levels to everything. You have to
speak to the person who recruited your son, and that
message would go up to the coach. Because my philosophy
(17:49):
is I don't bother the coaches. I don't bother the coaches.
I think that they have a job to do and
if they do everything fine, everything will work out. I
think if they don't, the discourse doesn't have to happen.
You just have to decide as a player and as
a parent advising the player, is this a place where
you should be? But it's never a need to do
(18:09):
any of these crazy things. But what's crazy about this
opportunity is that I wish it would never end. I
wish it a never end. I think, you know, Cameron
is is well thought of in basketball circles, the NBA circle,
so he has a great opportunity to go to the
next level. Very soon, and you know, as a parent,
(18:33):
I don't want it to end, so I can't imagine
what he's thinking because it's such a great atmosphere like
this is you know, no slight to any other program
that we've been involved with, but this has been very special.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
And before we go to break, I do want to
let you guys know you can join the show A
five nine to eight zero two to eight seven eight
five nine to eight zero cats. Also on Twitter. You
can reach us as Sunday Am Sports and I am
giving you these methods of communication because mister Williams has
expressed over the break on our one on one of
(19:05):
our breaks that he's getting acclimated to the city and
give us some suggestions. I want to throw a couple
around to see what he's already done a little bit.
But you can call in and give us some ideas
of something he needs to see in his time in Lexington,
or you can, like I said, hit us on the
X on the Twitter machine and we can share those things.
But we're going to continue the show after this break.
(19:25):
You are listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk
on news radio six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk presented by
the lead Troop Barge Radio Network on six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk on Anthony
White along with Larry vault Still joined by Mister Williams,
Mister Greg Williams, Cam Williams Dad. This hour Sunday Morning
Sports Talk has brought to you by Country Boy Brewing.
Mister Williams. I know we talked a lot of food
(20:00):
off the air and a lot of experiences. And I
know back in the nineteen hundreds when they had the
Wildcat Lodge, the players that's for all the basketball players
had to stay so the coach can keep Do they
still have a situation like that or do the players
stay off campus? They have rooms to themselves, they.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Share rooms, they do. They have the dorm still and
they have the option of getting an apartment. Really yes,
so you have to keep the dorm, and I think
it's a good thing because if you're if you're out,
if you have a tough practice, you're tired, you don't
feel like going back to your apartment, you can just
walk right across to the lodge, relaxed, you know. But
(20:37):
they do have both you know, so it's a good option.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Well, the reason I asked that because I know at
this juncture of life in twenty twenty five that back
well football players, we had like one hundred and twenty
of US one hundred and something of US, so we
all had to share everything, food and everything. But those
suckers across now nine you they were winning national championships
in ninety six and that day, so it was getting good.
They just go down to the kitchen and just tell
(21:00):
them at the dorm the I want it. Yeah, I
just want to steak. And so that's why I was
asking you, I wouldn't move our campus, man if you
got free food and a chef.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Well, they have the option of both. So they have
the best of both worlds. And you know, I've tried
to go in there and say, look, I'm a player,
I'm new, you know, senior citizen team. Can I get something?
But they recognize right away I'm not doesn't work now,
but they look, they're not missing meals. Yeah, yeah, they're
(21:31):
not missing meals. So he's getting bigger and bigger, and
he eats pasta and steak and I mean he's really
really eating well, so that's not a concern.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Tell me a little bit.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Is cam of really because we don't always get to
see him and they're they're their natural habitat at all
after games and all that. Is he a really sociable kid?
I mean, is he one that enjoys interacting with fans,
he liked to go out and entertain recruits, or does
wander across campus talking to people.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
But well, let me say this, I think a lot
of athletes are. It depends on what happened at the game,
right if they want it's easy to be sociable. I
think if you lose, you know, you kind of want
to deal with it. And you know, no athlete I
know likes losing and so but here it's different. Here
(22:20):
he understands that people want to interact. They don't care
in terms of the athlete. Right then what happened. They're
happy to be around, take a picture, sign a ball,
sign a shirt, do all those things, and then they're
going to come on here and tell your part. But
in person, you know, after the game, he came out
(22:43):
to talk to me. His girlfriend's here, and we were
on one side of the court, and so everyone that
saw him on the other side got his attention. He
went over there and they were waiting for coach Pope,
and he just started signing on this end and he
was all the way about half court. Coach Bo came out,
(23:03):
he still kept signing. So it's like I told him,
the only people that want me to sign would be
decollected in good shape. Who if people want an autograph
and not? What didn't you agree to this? And he
really enjoys it. He's more social now than he was
when he was younger.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
Wow, okay, you know, and I think people here are
still learning more and more about Cam. And I'll admit
probably Anthony and I were in the same boat when
when my buddy Ron Briscoe first Colley and told me
about Cam, and I'm kind of looking. I think, well,
it looks like he might be okay, maybe he can
fit in. Ron just raving at all about it. But
(23:43):
then when he gets here and I started paying more attention,
all of a sudden, I think, well, let's look at
those NBA mocked drafts for next year and see what happened.
All of a sudden, there's Cam Williams name on there.
Wait a minute, I didn't know that. I look at
the next one, there's Cam Williams name on there and everything.
So does he pay attention to that? You pay attention that?
Are you all try not to even look at those
kind of things?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Oh no, I look at it. I look at him
all the time. I look at him and joh you know,
just try to use him as motivation. You know, when
you just to have your name on the MIC Draft,
that means you're doing something right, and so be thankful
of that. Keep working and it's really just focused on
the work. You know. It's the same thing with the
team concept. You prepare and then the team will be
(24:24):
better and individually everything will come. So but at the
same time, don't get lost in numbers. Don't think about
the draft when you have to deal with Kentucky. You know,
focus on Kentucky and then if everything works out, you'll
remain on the on the MIC Draft and then everything
will be good. So but I look at it. You know,
I'll use it as motivation for him, and he uses
(24:47):
his motivation for himself, and I think it's something that
gives him that little extra push to keep going and
getting better.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
I talk because I talked to Jack Gibbons recently. The
All American here does stay Radio Network. One of the
things he told me was how much better he thought
Cam has got And he said, this guy can do
a little bit of everything. He said that when he
first got here, I would see a practice. I wasn't
didn't really remember being on the floor. Now he says,
ever practice I go to, I remember something they did.
(25:14):
And he told me this. He said, if he ends,
if the season ends and he's averaging eight nine points
a game, Kentucky's probably gonna have one of the best
seasons ever.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Oh yeah, Well, you know one thing that I've always
hoped my sons would do is be what the team
needs at any point. If you need some points, rebounds, steals, blocks, anything,
you always want to contribute. And so while some may
say he's lost, what he's doing is figuring out what
he can do to help, because you know, everyone wants
(25:44):
to score that everyone has that knack. But it's the
dirty work that helps you win. It's that that pick,
that pass, that steal, that block, and then you just
have to be ready for when they want that three
or that too, or that lib. And so the main
focus I kind of taught them old school, old school
(26:06):
is defense. It doesn't just win championships. Defense gets you
on the court, and defense helps you stay on the court.
And so that's why he wants to be a great
defender first, and then he can drop a few threes
and he's he's very patient. He's very patient. You know,
he may play five minutes and not get a shot,
but when it comes, he's ready to knock it. Eyes.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
I was because you close relationship and you're kind of
talking about the passion for the game honestly because it
was not around when I was playing ball. Do you
think nil? Is that something? Because you know good, have
a little little grease in your poems. You're good. But
there's also the ability or there's also that opportunity to
(26:54):
get comfortable with you know, I'm making sick. I got
a little money in my pocket, where if you just
stated it, the bigger picture should be playing with the
logo on you right and making millions for years on
rather than but you can get you can become complacent
with a little money in your pocket as a twenty
to twenty three year old.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yes, it can help you. It'll make some people lose
focus because, like you said, there's a comfort level. You're
eating every night, you know, what you want and not
cafeteria food. You can get that steak that you always
dreamed about. But one thing that I always try to
just remind him of is that, look, right, Kentucky is
(27:32):
the short term goal you've reached that the long term
is to allow your time here a Kentucky to be
a springboard for a pro career. And so the fact
that you have some money, it can't make you get lazy.
You should think that since I've gotten this amount, there's
actually more there the harder I work. And so that's
(27:54):
all I try to get him to see. You know,
you come in early, stay late so that the end
goal is reached and you're not comfortable here. You know,
there's a competition with everyone else on the draft board,
so you move up, you know, the harder you work.
And so it does happen to some people. To get
back to the question, I think some people get comfortable
(28:16):
and that's why they have to continue going from school
to school to school. But if you just focus on
the goal, you can get everything done at the school
that you're attending. There's no guarantees for time in terms
of playing time and touches and all that. You just
got to take advantage of the touches, you get to
get more.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
And I know it's different now and I know there's
a lot of obligations. Can you kind of give us
a preview or just a thought and maybe absolutely no,
because I know we have and il comes with some
kind of agreement, some types of agreement, like you said,
we already do the heck of community service. You got class,
(28:55):
you got practice, Yes, you got weightlifting. Yes, about by
what time? How much time would Cam have available on
his own given all those things in season?
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Three minutes.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
You got to get seven eight hours of sleep?
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Yes, Now that's the thing. It's not a lot of time,
and that's why you have to And that's where this
situation helps you prepare to be a professional, because as
a professional, you don't have a lot of time. He
gets up early. He may do conditioning class. Then you
want to eat, Then you have practice, then you have workouts,
(29:35):
then you do your own individual workout, but then you
have study hall. They may have to go somewhere as
a group, and then you come home. And I think,
one thing he's done to help him with that transition.
He has a dog, so I've had I have a
grand fird baby named Night, and so Night helps him
(29:55):
just relax because you know, dogs they love you to death.
They love you, I mean when you come home you
are the man. They want to bite ankles and do
all that. So his time is very limited. Kind of
goes back to what I was saying. I don't know
when to call him. I don't know when to call him.
I don't know when is a good time to text
and expect the response. You know, so, but you don't
(30:18):
have a lot of time. But as I tell him,
as a as a man, as an adult, that's life.
So this is every day. If this is what you want,
and just get used to it.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
So does see have a babysitter for the grand fur
baby when he's out of town? Anthony Wayne could be
a possibility because Anthony's a dog lover who doesn't have
a dog.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
And Oh, I was going to ask what kind of
dog is it? First?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
He has a labradoodle.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
See that's one you've been liking, Anthony.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
No, I said, uh shit, soup Yorky.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Oh well, I think it's a girlfriend's dog. I think
it's a terrier. So those two where she's five and
he's six months, he's huge, She's small. He plays all
the time, and she's looking like like leave me alone, right,
and so we're trying to mediate and you know, but
(31:12):
cam is training him, so he'll be bothering her to death.
Hees they sit and he just he sits and and
she's like thank you, and then he comes at her again.
But yeah, that's that's pretty much you know what goes
on in that household. He's relaxing and the dog is
helping him calm down and relax and give being that companion.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
Who taught him the ppm Aberdeen.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I think Aberdeen may have said something about his dad.
You know, you can't talk about daddy, you know, so
he you know, just treated him like a good old
fire hydrant and say, look, you know, you know, write
that noise.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
So I hope my grandson's not listed because anybody talks
bad about me, don't you be doing that?
Speaker 2 (31:55):
COVID With that, we have to hit. We'll be back
after this year. Listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports
Talk on news radio six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk, presented by
the lead troop Bard Radio Network on six thirty w
L A. P.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk. I'm Anthony
White along with Larry vaught enjoined with Greg By Greg Williams,
father of Cam Williams, here to close out this edition
of Sunday Morning Sports Talk. Has been a fun and
lively show. I'm looking for a good season this year,
and uh, I don't know there is a championship or bus.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
I think any athlete every season, the goal is to
win a championship, and if you don't win, there's a
there's a hole, there's a loss, and you don't talk
about those things until it's over. Up until then it's
championship that there's no other goal. And so I think
that's a tain of this year. I think they can
(33:01):
do it.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Do you think the players feel any pressure for that
or they or do you think Pope's way of coaching
and just the preparation in itself just relaxes.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
I think a combination. I think because you have guys
who are role players and so they don't feel pressure,
you know, because they've come from a situation where they
weren't dependent upon to be the guy I gotta make
it happen. So when you have a bunch of role players.
They're content with playing together, they're content with passing to
each other and just getting a job done. You do
(33:33):
it this time, I do it next time, and that
Kentucky has a good job. They've done a good job
of having them feel that way. There's no pressure.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
How many games do you think you will see this year?
You're gonna be at every game.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
I won't be at every game, but I'm gonna pop
up on them many times.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Is there one game in particular you're really looking forward
to seeing already?
Speaker 3 (33:55):
Louisville?
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Well, okay, correct answer. In Louisville, Hell's day, there we go.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
So I'm going to go to that game, and Madison
Square Guard and I'm going to go to State Farm Center.
I think, you know, just try to go to those
games and then the road games are closer to me.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Yeah, that's true. Yeah, it's easier to get to them and.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Just drive to them boo boom hey son and go
from there. But we try to do as a family.
We try to make sure we go to We don't
try to make a big group at one game. We
try to get someone at every game.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
We were talking about this before. I'm curious about how
you feel about this because you're attached to the program.
We play number one perdue Friday, an exhibition game. Yes,
we are number nine Friday, and that said expedition exhibition game.
We beat number one. Now the season hasn't start, so
(34:51):
these are your preseason expectations. Still the preseason. So does
your expectation I changed?
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Do you?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
How do you feel about them staying number one?
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Oh? No, it doesn't bother me. I mean these games,
what they do is reveal, they don't expose. And when
I say reveal, how are these kids going to play
under the pressure of number one ranked? We're number nine
and I think no one ran a lot of plays.
No one really did anything. But it shows that they
can convert on the fly. And that's the one good
(35:24):
thing I'm sure Coach Pope is gonna pour from this.
And so when you add plays that, they're going to
be very effective against anyone.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
H So you agree with Painter because going on to No,
he's saying we beat them because they didn't they were
running stuff. Painter said, we at this game, we were
just we'll let them have that.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Yeah, no, it's well, but but you have to say
that as a coach when you lose, what else are
you gonna say? You know what I'm saying. If they won,
it's like, you know, we do a great job of
doing things just on the fly, and I'm happy with
my guys. But when you lose, you have to say that.
And so Kentucky's saying, we didn't run anything, and we
beat you, right, so when you do run it, the
results gonna be the same. You know. So he can paint.
(36:05):
He's a painter, so he can paint a picture the
way he likes.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Well, he definitely did paint, but like I say, we
kind of like to paint the pictures. You're painting a
little bit better.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
I thought, absolutely, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
And Larry Vault, we got two mins. We gotta rush out.
But with that game in the books, say, I guess,
I guess Louisville will say something, will tell us a
little something maybe. But so the first couple of games
we start off, you know, winning games, is that still
in the back of everybody's brain, that well, they did
be Purdue, even though it's expedition exhibition. Does that stay
(36:38):
in the back. Does that influence that's influence?
Speaker 4 (36:41):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (36:42):
So the first game, the first couple of wins will
have more power then just without winning that game.
Speaker 4 (36:51):
The Purdue game is the top topic all the way
to November eleventh. Then when you play Louisville, whatever happens
there is the top topic until you play your next
big game. You know how it is here. If Kentucky
loses what's to lose to Louisville, then the sky is
going to be tumbling now right here. But if they
beat Louisville, then that prediction we had earlier thirty eight
(37:13):
and one when somebody called in that goes to forty
and oh then.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
We got Michigan State same week. Yeah, well a week later, I.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Mean, yeah, be all right, Michigan State won't be a
big deal. Oh those are the words U late drinking
a koolaid.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Those are the words of Larry Vaught and Larry Vaults alone.
This has been about this show, mister Winnings. Before we
get out of here, I just want to let you
know we appreciate you for join us. May it made
me feel better after that butt kicking we took yesterday
of football. So there's been a pleasure having you in here.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Thank you for having me. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
Yeah, hopefully we do it again during the season.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Hey, I look forward to it, and thank you for
being in a studio.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
Larry Vaughtuh yeah, I'll be back with you next week
because we're going to have a ten thirty. We'll have
Ashton Feldhouse, the women's basketball coach at Moorhead, right, and
you know the feld House name is so we intertwined
with UK basketball legacy. She'll be making her head coaching
debut against Kentucky the next night. But then at eleven
o'clock we're gonna have the UK women's basketball point guard,
(38:10):
Tony Morgan, the transfer from Georgia Tech on with us.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
There go be a whole lot of women's basketball talking.
We appreciate everybody for listening. Thanks to Jack Peering for
joining us as always, Larry Vaff for coming in studio,
Greg Williams for joining us as well, Boy Robinson for
keeping us on the air on Anthony White. And this
has been Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning sports Talk on news
Radio six thirty WLAP
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk presented by
the lead Troop Bards Radio Network on six point thirty
w LAP.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk on Anthony
White along with Larry Vaught, coming to you from Clark's
Main Street Market Studios in downtown Lexing, Kentucky. And now
we're happy to be joined by Greg Williams, who is
the father of Cam Williams, UK Guard swing swing Man.
(00:30):
Good morning, mister.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Williams, Good morning, sir. How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Doing pretty good? You? Uh glad to be with you
without Mark Pope cutting into our conversation this time. We
appreciate you. We appreciate that it's been a did you
go to the football game yesterday?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I did not?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Or the contest? I'm not sure if it's much of it.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I did not. I did not.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I was going to. That only made me going to
ask you how was your weekend? Because I know there's
probably a high on Friday and the low on Saturday
if you want to the game, But so let's just
stick to Friday. How was the environment? How was the
first contest for you? On Friday?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Man? That was such a great environment. You know you
hear about this. You watch it your whole life as
a kid, never get to participate. But then when you
see your son going through it, you enjoy it even more.
You see the big smile on his face. And I
haven't been in an arena with that many people. Oh
my oldest played at Saint John's and that was eighteen
(01:27):
nineteen thousand. This is twenty thousand plus. Yeah, so I
need to bring my ear plugs next time.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
So just the first contest, Cam, he don't shoot inside
the ark? Is he not a lot of shoot inside
the arc? Or is that just not his thing? It
is not encouraged, and and it's just even with that
being said, Pope wants to shoot. Thirty three is a game,
so that should be righting out right up his alley.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Well, you know the funny part is he took a
shot from the corner. It was an air ball.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, yes, And I.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Was speaking to Coach Brooks and he said, you know,
Coach told him, he said, Cam, you shot a twenty
nine footer from twenty six feet. But I like that.
And so it's great because you know, shooters, they won't
make everything, and how they respond to a miss is
very important. So when he saw the coaches were still
encouraging him and said, hey, look, you know, keep shooting that.
(02:25):
You know it's going to go in. You know, we
see what you do in practice. So he's encouraged with
that type of response from his coaches.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And who would you say, watching the game with live
action against another opponent, because you've seen us play against us,
who will on our team surprise you? Or was like, wow,
this guy is in person, isn't well?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
You know, I wasn't surprised because I've been to practice
right right, And the best thing about it is the animosity,
the competition that they did against each other. Now they
were able to take it out on someone else, right,
and that was the best part. So everybody from Cam
but you know, Trent, Noah, Colin, Chandler Jasper just everyone
(03:08):
did in the game what they did in practice. And
my concern going into the game was would they have
the same intensity against someone else that they've had against
the people they've been warring with for you know, three
or four months, And they actually they rose to the challenge.
I think what Mark Pope does. He just tells you,
he says, look, you know you're not going to really
(03:29):
play a whole lot. If you came from thirty minutes,
you're gonna play twenty and so you have to do
everything that he wants you to do that you can
do in that limited time. And that's why they play
so aggressively because they know when the horn sounds that
might be their time, and so they want to stay ready.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
We were talking about that. How does a coach get
so many talented players the buying end of where I
my role is sixteen, seventeen.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Twelve minutes.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
How did you get them to buy into that and
keep them happy for the next six months.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, you know, I don't know if they're truly happy
in terms of minutes, But I think what he does
a good job of doing is selling team and success,
because when your team is successful individually, you'll be successful
as well. And so Kentucky provides that type of forum
where a lot of scouts are here, a lot of
(04:27):
people are coming, and they're evaluating you, and he's trying
to give you the best coaching that he can right
and he wants you to perform. He encourages them to
do what they were brought here to do, whether that shoot, rebound, pass, defend,
you know you do what you do and the time
that I give you, and all of your dreams will
come true and Big Blue Nation will love you for
(04:48):
the rest of your life.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
I didn't even play and I felt a love he
had any feeling encouraged.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Okay, well, well you're a little bit of a showman yourself, though.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Well you know, when you get older, that's really all
you can do.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Amen, I know, I understand.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I'm more of the speaking about it before I could
actually do it. Now I might do a little bit.
Let me take a little rest, though, Larry, you can
do a little bit for me. But it's just fun.
It's fun. Everybody welcomes you here. You're like family, and
you know, I love coming up here and I can
see why people who played here stay here. It's just
(05:27):
a great atmosphere and I love it.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
And you talked about the tempo. Me and Larry were
talking about that. Did you notice anything in practice were
to win championships? To me, you have to give max
effort as long as you can give. And that's why
I think you can keep minutes down in nineteen if
you have somebody to play thirty five minutes, thirty eight minutes,
they're probably gonna pace themselves at a certain point on
the offensive end, did you notice and practice any type
(05:52):
of methods that Pope has to make sure the guys
are giving maximum effods as long as they can, so
we can see how many spurts. Maybe a spurs three minute,
your spur to seven minutes.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
But oh yes, And it's a real simple thing that
he does. It's something that I'm going to turn the
replacement method. If you're not hustling, I can put someone
out in there who will. And it's it's very effective,
you know. And he says, look, I mean we're up Temple,
we're not trying to You don't have to save anything.
Put it all out there, give it your best. If
(06:21):
you're tired, I'll see it and I'll put someone else
in there. And so what the guys are doing is
just trying to keep up their conditioning because they don't
want to have to come out, you know. Coach, coach,
I'm fine, you know, And so it's it's interesting, but
that's really it's really that simple. Give your one hundred
percent and then you're going to play as long as
(06:43):
he thinks you should. And like I said, he has
you want to run through a wall for him and
this team and Big Blue Nation, and they show it
out there on the court and I love it.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
You get to go to practice. Does he ever yell
at gas and get on gas? Or is he always
is lovable? And Joevill is what we normally seen at
games and impress conferences and thanks.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Well, let me say this, when he comes to me,
he smiles but with them, no, no bad words, nothing
like that. I had to question whether he was a
coach or not, because every of the coach I know,
I may use a few choice words no, no, and
he's just I don't know what he's done, but just
(07:27):
his presence makes them want to follow. And I think
that's really important for players. Like he doesn't yell, none
of that, and he blows his whistle. It's silence. They
listen and then it's just on to the next thing.
It's amazing. You know, I like watching practice because I
learn a lot. You know, I coach kids sometimes and
(07:51):
I'm not as successful. You know, I don't have any
nil money. You know, I'm going to work on that.
You know, I'm going to work on candy and things
like that. Endorsement so now, but he does a great job.
He's really tuned in and he knows what everybody should
be doing and they understand too, And I just try
to stay out of the way.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And I know he's a basketball mind. I'm curious as
to you. I know you are practice and it reminds me.
Larry probably can remind you back when I played our
football coach, our offensive coordin head coach, I should say,
was a football mind. So he loved everybody watching his product,
watching him talk, watches verbage, watch the way he explains
the offenses. And that's kind of how Mark Pope is.
I'm curious how many people are allowed. Is it just
(08:35):
some of you parents because your parents are Does he
allow everybody to watch and listen to him coach?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Well, he didn't allow anyone from Oh, but there was
a tour going on. I mean people were coming in
and out and they're just practicing. He came in, Like
I said, he can't be real because he's walking around.
He stopped what he was doing. He shook everybody's hand,
you know, mile to pictures, right back to coaching, and
(09:03):
people just in and out. I mean, if they want
the Kentucky experience, then you can have it, you can
have it. It's wonderful. I mean I know a lot
of coaches who you know, they are black our practices.
I can't watch, you can't do anything, but you can
come in in and out and it's no problem at all.
It's amazing. And as parents, Yeah, I can come to
(09:25):
any practice. And what's what's special about it is every coach,
every manager, just everybody grease you. Everybody how you doing,
especially when they know who you are and they go
out of their way to come and shake your hand
and say hello. And it's always a great experience.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
I want you to get me on your guests list.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I can go to practice.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
I won't go as immediate for just come as your friend,
you know, just you'll bring your friend and they'll let
me in the shake my hand.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
You'll be my brother. This is my younger brother. Come
in this Larry, you know Michael Jordan's brother. Larry always
be it didn't happen this time. I've always beat this layer.
But yeah, I'll get you in there.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
What is maybe it seems like you and Cam has
a really tight unit. You guys talk while you lean
on each other. What has it probably been his biggest
transition or biggest obstacle condition.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Huh, it is different. And so this, like you said,
sometimes when you know you're going to play thirty minutes,
you pace yourself so when the moment comes, you have
the energy. But here he had to be ready to
go because it's one hundred miles an hour every second
and one thing. And you know, as being former player
(10:45):
that mentally that is something that will be off if
you're fatigued. And so the better condition you are, the
more clearer your thoughts are. And so here you have
to react real quickly to what's going on in switches
or anything like that. So once he became well conditioned,
(11:07):
everything really became a lot easier.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Does he think he has he's become you said became?
Is he where he needs to be and he has
a regimen or is that something he's constantly having to
improve or is he comfortable enough now that you know,
I just do this in the morning, Like he has
a routine or is this something he's still Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Well he definitely has a routine. And as a parent,
I had to try to figure it out because you know,
I don't know when to call, when to text, you know,
I don't ask when his classes are or anything like that.
But in terms of athletics, he has figured out what
works for him, when to get up, when to eat.
He puts in the extra time. In addition to everything
(11:47):
they're doing. And the other thing about Kentucky is different.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
They do a whole lot of community service. I mean,
my goodness, I think they do more community service than practice.
You know, he might have one hundred thousand hours of
community wow from the summer. I mean, but it's a lot,
and it's great. I can see why there's such a
great connection with Big Blue Nation. And it's something that
you have to get used to it always. It's like
(12:13):
every second it's something to do. And Coach Pope is
very clear on how you respond to it. You respond
to it with a smile. Anytime a man can coach
and come after the game and wait till everyone is
satisfied with a signature or a picture. That's a man
with a tremendous amount of patience. But at the same time,
it's a man who has a lot of tremendous amount
(12:36):
of purpose. Like love it, love it.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
That is, mister Greg Williams. We will going to continue
this show after we come back from this break, you're
listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk on news
radio six thirty WLP.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk, presented by
the lead troop Board to Radio Network on six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talking Anthony White
along with Larry Vaught still joined by Greg Williams father
Cam Williams, UK basketball player. Stockyards Bank has been your
trusted partner since nineteen oh four, so head on over
to syb dot com for all your banking and financial needs.
If you like to jump on the show and talk
to mister Williams, Larry Vauden myself, you can join eight
(13:21):
five nine to eight zero two to eight seven eight
five nine to eight zero cats. If you still hungover
from the game last night, I mean hungover in a
bad way, the not the country boy way, call in
mister Williams is a vall of energy if you're feeling
if you're feeling down, just call in. Let the vibe
through the mics from mister Williams soothe you a little bit.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Maybe though we've already had the call to day.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
If we have, we have. I don't like you, but
I don't like you. I don't like you for telling
him to talk bad about Dennis Johnson and this people.
But Dennis Johnson doesn't coach middle school. He's the athletic director.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
Though we got got to get our vibes. Probably Cam,
that might be the only time chance to do that.
So you don't often beat Dennis Johnson his teams and anything.
But now Dennis has been very encouraging him. So that's
just a little inside joke there.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Wow, good deal, mister Williams. Who's the person on the
team or is there like the female sports most of
them we talked to, they run around in mops and
I can see Mark Pope being a person that keeps
his team glued together. Who's Cam hang out with the most?
Who is he closest to?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Oh? Man, let me see. Hmmm, I'm trying to think,
because I'll see him interacting with a lot of people,
mostly around the game. You know, they all play the game,
and so let me see. Let me see my man from.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Florida, Denzel. Oh oh, this must be good.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Well, you know they they were having the introductions or
and they were talking about the guy next to him
happened to be Denzel. So he said, you know one
thing about Denzel, it's my dog Petere. He came to visit.
I was like, that's not a fact that you should
share with you. But I've called on many occasions. I
(15:11):
think Denzel is there and they may be playing the
game or just hanging out, so I probably say him.
Let me tell you something. All these kids are great kids, man,
they are. I mean, you know, once they knew who
I was, they always greet me and acknowledge me. The
parents are awesome. Denzel's mom, you know, Denise, Uh, let
(15:34):
me stay on the record. She's so messy.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
No, I'm just get.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
That's my great friend, and and just the parents of jailed.
I mean, it's this is such a it's such an
awesome experience, you know, and I love it and every
opportunity to come, you know, I'll take it, you know.
And let me tell you, I got to say, this
is special. Being able to meet with you guys and
talk about Kentucky basketball. I mean, it's awesome and I appreciate.
I really do what you said.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Your your older son play played at two different schools.
Dam started to lane. He said, this is your fourth
school you've been you've been around fourth head coach and
all like that, and you're talking about all this camaraderie
at all, Like this just just wanted from from your perspective,
what role, credit, or anything does Mark Pope's wife, Leanne
deserve in any of this. What kind of role does
(16:18):
she have with you or with your son?
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Are there?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Well, the crazy part is, Okay, I'm looking at him,
I'm like, he can't be real. But then when I
look at her, she's a female version of him. I mean,
they are like so welcoming and just so loving. And
she said at the home, you know, these are like
all of my kids, you know, And and I'm like, well,
(16:43):
I'm glad he makes the money makes because to feed
those guys a lot. But she is made me feel
good about him being here because she feels that that's
her son. Everyone is her son. And with that being said,
you know she acts like that they all greet her
(17:04):
the same way the mother figure away from home and
you see what she does to her her own children,
and I'm like, wow, you know, it's just such a
great atmosphere. We haven't been to a coach's house that
many times already. No, No, we haven't Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
So if you had a concern, a little bit of
a worry about Cam at what exactly basketball related, would
you pick the phone up and call her?
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Well, you know I would. I would probably call coach
coach Brooks. Coach Brooks because I'm a up the ladder
type guy. I never want to go to the top.
I think that there's levels to everything. You have to
speak to the person who recruited your son, and that
message would go up to the coach. Because my philosophy
(17:49):
is I don't bother the coaches. I don't bother the coaches.
I think that they have a job to do and
if they do everything fine, everything will work out. I
think if they don't, the discourse doesn't have to happen.
You just have to decide as a player and as
a parent advising the player, is this a place where
you should be? But it's never a need to do
(18:09):
any of these crazy things. But what's crazy about this
opportunity is that I wish it would never end. I
wish it a never end. I think, you know, Cameron
is is well thought of in basketball circles, the NBA circle,
so he has a great opportunity to go to the
next level. Very soon, and you know, as a parent,
(18:33):
I don't want it to end, so I can't imagine
what he's thinking because it's such a great atmosphere like
this is you know, no slight to any other program
that we've been involved with, but this has been very special.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
And before we go to break, I do want to
let you guys know you can join the show A
five nine to eight zero two to eight seven eight
five nine to eight zero cats. Also on Twitter. You
can reach us as Sunday Am Sports and I am
giving you these methods of communication because mister Williams has
expressed over the break on our one on one of
(19:05):
our breaks that he's getting acclimated to the city and
give us some suggestions. I want to throw a couple
around to see what he's already done a little bit.
But you can call in and give us some ideas
of something he needs to see in his time in Lexington,
or you can, like I said, hit us on the
X on the Twitter machine and we can share those things.
But we're going to continue the show after this break.
(19:25):
You are listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk
on news radio six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk presented by
the lead Troop Barge Radio Network on six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk on Anthony
White along with Larry vault Still joined by Mister Williams,
Mister Greg Williams, Cam Williams Dad. This hour Sunday Morning
Sports Talk has brought to you by Country Boy Brewing.
Mister Williams. I know we talked a lot of food
(20:00):
off the air and a lot of experiences. And I
know back in the nineteen hundreds when they had the
Wildcat Lodge, the players that's for all the basketball players
had to stay so the coach can keep Do they
still have a situation like that or do the players
stay off campus? They have rooms to themselves, they.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Share rooms, they do. They have the dorm still and
they have the option of getting an apartment. Really yes,
so you have to keep the dorm, and I think
it's a good thing because if you're if you're out,
if you have a tough practice, you're tired, you don't
feel like going back to your apartment, you can just
walk right across to the lodge, relaxed, you know. But
(20:37):
they do have both you know, so it's a good option.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Well, the reason I asked that because I know at
this juncture of life in twenty twenty five that back
well football players, we had like one hundred and twenty
of US one hundred and something of US, so we
all had to share everything, food and everything. But those
suckers across now nine you they were winning national championships
in ninety six and that day, so it was getting good.
They just go down to the kitchen and just tell
(21:00):
them at the dorm the I want it. Yeah, I
just want to steak. And so that's why I was
asking you, I wouldn't move our campus, man if you
got free food and a chef.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Well, they have the option of both. So they have
the best of both worlds. And you know, I've tried
to go in there and say, look, I'm a player,
I'm new, you know, senior citizen team. Can I get something?
But they recognize right away I'm not doesn't work now,
but they look, they're not missing meals. Yeah, yeah, they're
(21:31):
not missing meals. So he's getting bigger and bigger, and
he eats pasta and steak and I mean he's really
really eating well, so that's not a concern.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Tell me a little bit.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Is cam of really because we don't always get to
see him and they're they're their natural habitat at all
after games and all that. Is he a really sociable kid?
I mean, is he one that enjoys interacting with fans,
he liked to go out and entertain recruits, or does
wander across campus talking to people.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
But well, let me say this, I think a lot
of athletes are. It depends on what happened at the game,
right if they want it's easy to be sociable. I
think if you lose, you know, you kind of want
to deal with it. And you know, no athlete I
know likes losing and so but here it's different. Here
(22:20):
he understands that people want to interact. They don't care
in terms of the athlete. Right then what happened. They're
happy to be around, take a picture, sign a ball,
sign a shirt, do all those things, and then they're
going to come on here and tell your part. But
in person, you know, after the game, he came out
(22:43):
to talk to me. His girlfriend's here, and we were
on one side of the court, and so everyone that
saw him on the other side got his attention. He
went over there and they were waiting for coach Pope,
and he just started signing on this end and he
was all the way about half court. Coach Bo came out,
(23:03):
he still kept signing. So it's like I told him,
the only people that want me to sign would be
decollected in good shape. Who if people want an autograph
and not? What didn't you agree to this? And he
really enjoys it. He's more social now than he was
when he was younger.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
Wow, okay, you know, and I think people here are
still learning more and more about Cam. And I'll admit
probably Anthony and I were in the same boat when
when my buddy Ron Briscoe first Colley and told me
about Cam, and I'm kind of looking. I think, well,
it looks like he might be okay, maybe he can
fit in. Ron just raving at all about it. But
(23:43):
then when he gets here and I started paying more attention,
all of a sudden, I think, well, let's look at
those NBA mocked drafts for next year and see what happened.
All of a sudden, there's Cam Williams name on there.
Wait a minute, I didn't know that. I look at
the next one, there's Cam Williams name on there and everything.
So does he pay attention to that? You pay attention that?
Are you all try not to even look at those
kind of things?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Oh no, I look at it. I look at him
all the time. I look at him and joh you know,
just try to use him as motivation. You know, when
you just to have your name on the MIC Draft,
that means you're doing something right, and so be thankful
of that. Keep working and it's really just focused on
the work. You know. It's the same thing with the
team concept. You prepare and then the team will be
(24:24):
better and individually everything will come. So but at the
same time, don't get lost in numbers. Don't think about
the draft when you have to deal with Kentucky. You know,
focus on Kentucky and then if everything works out, you'll
remain on the on the MIC Draft and then everything
will be good. So but I look at it. You know,
I'll use it as motivation for him, and he uses
(24:47):
his motivation for himself, and I think it's something that
gives him that little extra push to keep going and
getting better.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
I talk because I talked to Jack Gibbons recently. The
All American here does stay Radio Network. One of the
things he told me was how much better he thought
Cam has got And he said, this guy can do
a little bit of everything. He said that when he
first got here, I would see a practice. I wasn't
didn't really remember being on the floor. Now he says,
ever practice I go to, I remember something they did.
(25:14):
And he told me this. He said, if he ends,
if the season ends and he's averaging eight nine points
a game, Kentucky's probably gonna have one of the best
seasons ever.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Oh yeah, Well, you know one thing that I've always
hoped my sons would do is be what the team
needs at any point. If you need some points, rebounds, steals, blocks, anything,
you always want to contribute. And so while some may
say he's lost, what he's doing is figuring out what
he can do to help, because you know, everyone wants
(25:44):
to score that everyone has that knack. But it's the
dirty work that helps you win. It's that that pick,
that pass, that steal, that block, and then you just
have to be ready for when they want that three
or that too, or that lib. And so the main
focus I kind of taught them old school, old school
(26:06):
is defense. It doesn't just win championships. Defense gets you
on the court, and defense helps you stay on the court.
And so that's why he wants to be a great
defender first, and then he can drop a few threes
and he's he's very patient. He's very patient. You know,
he may play five minutes and not get a shot,
but when it comes, he's ready to knock it. Eyes.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
I was because you close relationship and you're kind of
talking about the passion for the game honestly because it
was not around when I was playing ball. Do you
think nil? Is that something? Because you know good, have
a little little grease in your poems. You're good. But
there's also the ability or there's also that opportunity to
(26:54):
get comfortable with you know, I'm making sick. I got
a little money in my pocket, where if you just
stated it, the bigger picture should be playing with the
logo on you right and making millions for years on
rather than but you can get you can become complacent
with a little money in your pocket as a twenty
to twenty three year old.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yes, it can help you. It'll make some people lose
focus because, like you said, there's a comfort level. You're
eating every night, you know, what you want and not
cafeteria food. You can get that steak that you always
dreamed about. But one thing that I always try to
just remind him of is that, look, right, Kentucky is
(27:32):
the short term goal you've reached that the long term
is to allow your time here a Kentucky to be
a springboard for a pro career. And so the fact
that you have some money, it can't make you get lazy.
You should think that since I've gotten this amount, there's
actually more there the harder I work. And so that's
(27:54):
all I try to get him to see. You know,
you come in early, stay late so that the end
goal is reached and you're not comfortable here. You know,
there's a competition with everyone else on the draft board,
so you move up, you know, the harder you work.
And so it does happen to some people. To get
back to the question, I think some people get comfortable
(28:16):
and that's why they have to continue going from school
to school to school. But if you just focus on
the goal, you can get everything done at the school
that you're attending. There's no guarantees for time in terms
of playing time and touches and all that. You just
got to take advantage of the touches, you get to
get more.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
And I know it's different now and I know there's
a lot of obligations. Can you kind of give us
a preview or just a thought and maybe absolutely no,
because I know we have and il comes with some
kind of agreement, some types of agreement, like you said,
we already do the heck of community service. You got class,
(28:55):
you got practice, Yes, you got weightlifting. Yes, about by
what time? How much time would Cam have available on
his own given all those things in season?
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Three minutes.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
You got to get seven eight hours of sleep?
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Yes, Now that's the thing. It's not a lot of time,
and that's why you have to And that's where this
situation helps you prepare to be a professional, because as
a professional, you don't have a lot of time. He
gets up early. He may do conditioning class. Then you
want to eat, Then you have practice, then you have workouts,
(29:35):
then you do your own individual workout, but then you
have study hall. They may have to go somewhere as
a group, and then you come home. And I think,
one thing he's done to help him with that transition.
He has a dog, so I've had I have a
grand fird baby named Night, and so Night helps him
(29:55):
just relax because you know, dogs they love you to death.
They love you, I mean when you come home you
are the man. They want to bite ankles and do
all that. So his time is very limited. Kind of
goes back to what I was saying. I don't know
when to call him. I don't know when to call him.
I don't know when is a good time to text
and expect the response. You know, so, but you don't
(30:18):
have a lot of time. But as I tell him,
as a as a man, as an adult, that's life.
So this is every day. If this is what you want,
and just get used to it.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
So does see have a babysitter for the grand fur
baby when he's out of town? Anthony Wayne could be
a possibility because Anthony's a dog lover who doesn't have
a dog.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
And Oh, I was going to ask what kind of
dog is it? First?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
He has a labradoodle.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
See that's one you've been liking, Anthony.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
No, I said, uh shit, soup Yorky.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Oh well, I think it's a girlfriend's dog. I think
it's a terrier. So those two where she's five and
he's six months, he's huge, She's small. He plays all
the time, and she's looking like like leave me alone, right,
and so we're trying to mediate and you know, but
(31:12):
cam is training him, so he'll be bothering her to death.
Hees they sit and he just he sits and and
she's like thank you, and then he comes at her again.
But yeah, that's that's pretty much you know what goes
on in that household. He's relaxing and the dog is
helping him calm down and relax and give being that companion.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
Who taught him the ppm Aberdeen.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I think Aberdeen may have said something about his dad.
You know, you can't talk about daddy, you know, so
he you know, just treated him like a good old
fire hydrant and say, look, you know, you know, write
that noise.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
So I hope my grandson's not listed because anybody talks
bad about me, don't you be doing that?
Speaker 2 (31:55):
COVID With that, we have to hit. We'll be back
after this year. Listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports
Talk on news radio six thirty WLAP.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
This is Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk, presented by
the lead troop Bard Radio Network on six thirty w
L A. P.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk. I'm Anthony
White along with Larry vaught enjoined with Greg By Greg Williams,
father of Cam Williams, here to close out this edition
of Sunday Morning Sports Talk. Has been a fun and
lively show. I'm looking for a good season this year,
and uh, I don't know there is a championship or bus.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
I think any athlete every season, the goal is to
win a championship, and if you don't win, there's a
there's a hole, there's a loss, and you don't talk
about those things until it's over. Up until then it's
championship that there's no other goal. And so I think
that's a tain of this year. I think they can
(33:01):
do it.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Do you think the players feel any pressure for that
or they or do you think Pope's way of coaching
and just the preparation in itself just relaxes.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
I think a combination. I think because you have guys
who are role players and so they don't feel pressure,
you know, because they've come from a situation where they
weren't dependent upon to be the guy I gotta make
it happen. So when you have a bunch of role players.
They're content with playing together, they're content with passing to
each other and just getting a job done. You do
(33:33):
it this time, I do it next time, and that
Kentucky has a good job. They've done a good job
of having them feel that way. There's no pressure.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
How many games do you think you will see this year?
You're gonna be at every game.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
I won't be at every game, but I'm gonna pop
up on them many times.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Is there one game in particular you're really looking forward
to seeing already?
Speaker 3 (33:55):
Louisville?
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Well, okay, correct answer. In Louisville, Hell's day, there we go.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
So I'm going to go to that game, and Madison
Square Guard and I'm going to go to State Farm Center.
I think, you know, just try to go to those
games and then the road games are closer to me.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Yeah, that's true. Yeah, it's easier to get to them and.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Just drive to them boo boom hey son and go
from there. But we try to do as a family.
We try to make sure we go to We don't
try to make a big group at one game. We
try to get someone at every game.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
We were talking about this before. I'm curious about how
you feel about this because you're attached to the program.
We play number one perdue Friday, an exhibition game. Yes,
we are number nine Friday, and that said expedition exhibition game.
We beat number one. Now the season hasn't start, so
(34:51):
these are your preseason expectations. Still the preseason. So does
your expectation I changed?
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Do you?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
How do you feel about them staying number one?
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Oh? No, it doesn't bother me. I mean these games,
what they do is reveal, they don't expose. And when
I say reveal, how are these kids going to play
under the pressure of number one ranked? We're number nine
and I think no one ran a lot of plays.
No one really did anything. But it shows that they
can convert on the fly. And that's the one good
(35:24):
thing I'm sure Coach Pope is gonna pour from this.
And so when you add plays that, they're going to
be very effective against anyone.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
H So you agree with Painter because going on to No,
he's saying we beat them because they didn't they were
running stuff. Painter said, we at this game, we were
just we'll let them have that.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Yeah, no, it's well, but but you have to say
that as a coach when you lose, what else are
you gonna say? You know what I'm saying. If they won,
it's like, you know, we do a great job of
doing things just on the fly, and I'm happy with
my guys. But when you lose, you have to say that.
And so Kentucky's saying, we didn't run anything, and we
beat you, right, so when you do run it, the
results gonna be the same. You know. So he can paint.
(36:05):
He's a painter, so he can paint a picture the
way he likes.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
Well, he definitely did paint, but like I say, we
kind of like to paint the pictures. You're painting a
little bit better.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
I thought, absolutely, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
And Larry Vault, we got two mins. We gotta rush out.
But with that game in the books, say, I guess,
I guess Louisville will say something, will tell us a
little something maybe. But so the first couple of games
we start off, you know, winning games, is that still
in the back of everybody's brain, that well, they did
be Purdue, even though it's expedition exhibition. Does that stay
(36:38):
in the back. Does that influence that's influence?
Speaker 4 (36:41):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (36:42):
So the first game, the first couple of wins will
have more power then just without winning that game.
Speaker 4 (36:51):
The Purdue game is the top topic all the way
to November eleventh. Then when you play Louisville, whatever happens
there is the top topic until you play your next
big game. You know how it is here. If Kentucky
loses what's to lose to Louisville, then the sky is
going to be tumbling now right here. But if they
beat Louisville, then that prediction we had earlier thirty eight
(37:13):
and one when somebody called in that goes to forty
and oh then.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
We got Michigan State same week. Yeah, well a week later, I.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Mean, yeah, be all right, Michigan State won't be a
big deal. Oh those are the words U late drinking
a koolaid.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Those are the words of Larry Vaught and Larry Vaults alone.
This has been about this show, mister Winnings. Before we
get out of here, I just want to let you
know we appreciate you for join us. May it made
me feel better after that butt kicking we took yesterday
of football. So there's been a pleasure having you in here.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Thank you for having me. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
Yeah, hopefully we do it again during the season.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Hey, I look forward to it, and thank you for
being in a studio.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
Larry Vaughtuh yeah, I'll be back with you next week
because we're going to have a ten thirty. We'll have
Ashton Feldhouse, the women's basketball coach at Moorhead, right, and
you know the feld House name is so we intertwined
with UK basketball legacy. She'll be making her head coaching
debut against Kentucky the next night. But then at eleven
o'clock we're gonna have the UK women's basketball point guard,
(38:10):
Tony Morgan, the transfer from Georgia Tech on with us.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
There go be a whole lot of women's basketball talking.
We appreciate everybody for listening. Thanks to Jack Peering for
joining us as always, Larry Vaff for coming in studio,
Greg Williams for joining us as well, Boy Robinson for
keeping us on the air on Anthony White. And this
has been Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning sports Talk on news
Radio six thirty WLAP
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.