2025-01-31- KSR - Hour 1

Summary

KSR Podcast Episode Summary: January 31, 2025 – "KSR - Hour 1"

Introduction and Game Overview

In the January 31, 2025 episode of Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR), hosts Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, Drew Franklin, and Shannon "The Dude" engage in a comprehensive discussion centered around the imminent clash between the University of Kentucky (UK) and Arkansas at the renowned Rupp Arena. The episode, recorded live at Whiskey Thief Louisville, sets the stage for what promises to be one of the most anticipated games in recent memory.

Historical Context and Comparisons

Matt Jones opens the conversation by highlighting the significance of the upcoming game, drawing parallels to past memorable matchups. He reminisces about previous high-stakes games, such as the one in December when North Carolina, ranked number one, faced UK, then number two, featuring star Anthony Davis. Jones notes, "Historically, how many home game moments are more anticipated than this?" [03:24]. The hosts compare this game to previous ones, including the intense rivalry moments during the Calpereri era and the dramatic matchups involving coaches like Rick Pitino and John Calpereri.

Drew Franklin adds to the nostalgia, recalling Patino's first return to Rupp Arena against Tubby with significant excitement, stating, "This one's getting up there." [04:39]. Shannon "The Dude" also mentions the legendary "Shaq game," emphasizing the mythical status such events hold among the fanbase.

Coaching Dynamics and Team Analysis

A significant portion of the discussion delves into the coaching dynamics, particularly focusing on Rick Pitino and John Calpereri. Matt Jones expresses concern over Pitino's recent performance, noting, "This cow won a game like this every year... I hope it's not us tomorrow." [13:10]. The hosts analyze Calpereri's impact on the team, debating whether his strategies and player management will hold up against Arkansas.

Ryan Lemond introduces a poll conducted on the KSR website regarding fan reactions—cheers versus boos—with results showing an almost even split: "49.5 to 50.5. I mean, can you get more split than that?" [06:46]. This highlights the divided sentiments among the fanbase regarding the coaching changes.

Fan Reactions and Poll Insights

The conversation shifts to fan behavior, particularly the anticipated reactions during the game. Matt Jones discusses the likelihood of boos directed at Coach Calpereri, pondering, "I think the booers and the cheers are going to go at each other." [16:19]. Shannon "The Dude" firmly states her stance, "I have never cheered an Arkansas Razorback player, and I'm not going to start tomorrow. So if I were there, I would boo them all." [11:09].

The hosts deliberate on whether the majority will choose to cheer or boo, with Matt revealing that among the live audience, there were no boos, suggesting a stronger inclination towards cheering.

Player Matchups and Strategy Concerns

Attention turns to specific player matchups and strategic concerns. Matt Jones raises alarms about Arkansas' key player D.J. Wagner, questioning, "Who's guarding D.J.?" [22:40]. The hosts discuss UK’s defensive weaknesses, particularly against three-point shots and downhill drives, expressing worries about allowing Arkansas ample scoring opportunities.

Ryan Lemond emphasizes the unpredictability of Arkansas under Calpereri, recalling instances where the team, despite being underdogs, managed to secure unexpected victories: "They're an 11 and a half point favorite tomorrow without their point guard. It's that I've seen John Calpereri do it before." [14:50].

Upcoming SEC Games and Implications

The episode broadens its scope to the broader SEC landscape, stressing the importance of upcoming games against other teams like South Carolina, LSU, and Georgia. Matt Jones underscores the necessity for UK to secure wins against these lower-ranked SEC teams to maintain a strong standing for the tournament: "We have to win this game... It's a game you got to win, Drew. Just because it's a very winnable home game." [12:38].

Tragic Airplane Crash Discussion

Midway through the episode, the hosts address a somber topic—the recent tragic airplane crash. Matt Jones shares a personal connection, stating, "I was flying that night, too, from Newark to Cincinnati. And you couldn't help but feel..." [24:20]. The conversation reflects on the emotional impact of the crash, the victims involved, and the broader implications for air travel safety. Shannon "The Dude" contributes by discussing her fear of flying, highlighting the collective grief and anxiety shared by the hosts.

Listener Calls and Additional Perspectives

The episode features interactions with listeners, who share their views on the coaching changes and team performance. One caller, Devin, criticizes John Calpereri’s tenure at Kentucky, lamenting, "Cal Perry, he left after having the four worst years in Kentucky basketball history." [27:11]. Matt Jones responds by acknowledging the sentiments of a segment of the fanbase but emphasizes that such views aren't universally held.

Another caller, Tyler, draws an analogy between relationship breakups and team dynamics, suggesting that UK fans should exhibit humility and not harbor bitterness: "It's not really just about showing class. It's about showing... humility." [37:10]. The hosts engage in a dialogue about maintaining sportsmanship despite frustrations.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reiterate the critical importance of the upcoming game against Arkansas, not only for immediate standings but also for the long-term trajectory of the UK basketball program. Matt Jones encapsulates the overarching sentiment, "We have to win this game... to keep it going." [12:38].

Shannon "The Dude" closes with reflections on team loyalty and the emotional investment fans have in their program, emphasizing unity and resilience. The episode concludes with a mix of strategic analysis, emotional support, and a call for fan engagement as UK prepares for a pivotal game.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Jones [03:24]: "Historically, how many home game moments are more anticipated than this?"
• Ryan Lemond [06:46]: "We had a poll on KSR, the website, and it was just cheer boo. Not a stay silent option. It was 49.5 to 50.5."
• Shannon The Dude [11:09]: "I have never cheered an Arkansas Razorback player, and I'm not going to start tomorrow. So if I were there, I would boo them all."
• Matt Jones [22:40]: "Who's guarding D.J.?"
• Drew Franklin [13:10]: "I hope it's not us tomorrow."
• Devin [27:11]: "Cal Perry, he left after having the four worst years in Kentucky basketball history."
• Tyler [37:10]: "It's not really just about showing class. It's about showing... humility."

This episode of KSR offers an in-depth exploration of the current state of UK basketball, blending historical insights, strategic analysis, and heartfelt discussions to prepare fans for an exciting and crucial matchup against Arkansas.

Transcript

[Matt Jones]

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[Ryan Lemond]

Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Drew Franklin]

Comedy Off Broadway in Lexington welcomes rising comedy star and social media Sensation Renee Vacca January 23rd through the 25th. Then catch urban comedy legend Arnaz J. January 30th through February 2nd. And welcome back Billy Gardell, the star of Mike and Molly and Bob Hart's Abishola, February 6th through the 8th. For tickets, call 859-271-joke or visit comedyoffbroadway.com Comedy Off Broadway.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome, everyone. It is Kentucky Sports Radio Friday, January 31, the day before Kentucky and Arkansas get ready to play each other in one of the most highly anticipated games at Rupp arena that I can think of in my lifetime. We are here at Whiskey Thief Louisville in new loo at 610nanny goat strut. There are actually two nanny goat struts. I drove in the wrong one just a minute ago. But this one is the one where it is and it is the Twiskey thief tasting room where we got a great crowd. First of all, city of Louisville. Every time we come here, I keep saying, why don't they bring us back here more? Because a huge crowd every time we come. Thank you all very much. I'm on the sales people all the time say, why don't we do stuff in Louisville more? Because every time we do, we get a lot of people and we have it here once again, getting ready. Whiskey thieves. Their tasting room here opened last October, allows you to taste their bourbon, which of course you can then get straight out of the barrel in their thieving system. Guys, nice to see all of you all. Sorry I missed yesterday. Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

How you feeling?

[Matt Jones]

I feel a lot better. I can't remember the last time I felt worse than I did last night or two nights ago. I went, you know, just a little advice to people. You know, when you. When you're looking for cuisine, right, you go to New York City, drew lots of stuff available.

[Ryan Lemond]

They got Michelin stars There they do.

[Matt Jones]

I don't know. The chicken cheesesteak in the Newark Airport is the way to go.

[Ryan Lemond]

Right before that flight.

[Matt Jones]

Right before the flight. And then there was a lot of turbulence. It was windy.

[Shannon The Dude]

Mixes it all up in your turbulence.

[Ryan Lemond]

On the flight or in the stomach.

[Matt Jones]

Well, you know, actually I felt completely good getting my car and I had had in my mind, you know what? I haven't eaten in a while. Skyline.

[Shannon The Dude]

Oh, no, not before a flight.

[Matt Jones]

No, no, this is after.

[Shannon The Dude]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

So I. I get to the Skyline, and as this is a true story, as I'm pulling in the Skyline, I. I feel. I feel my stomach just like rumble a little bit. And I thought, I'm already here. Right Then I eat. And when that can. The combination when I got home of that chicken, something had to be wrong with it. And then the other stuff saying, all right, well, we're not gonna have fun with this chicken anymore. It was a tough night, but thank you all very much for filling in, you know, with what's happening this week. If I could have been there, I would have.

[Ryan Lemond]

You fought fire with fire, putting Skyline into an upset stomach. But we, we had fun yesterday. We missed you. But you're glad you're back on your feet.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, well, I wouldn't have missed today at all because this is the, you know, this is the day before. What I think is, is as. Let's go, Ryan. Historically, I mean, how many, how many home game moments are more anticipated than this? I'm just kind of like thinking back during my years covering uk, I think when, when, when North Carolina came in here and they. They were number one and we were number two with Anthony Davis and it was that, that game in December, I think that had a. There was, There was a sense of excitement there. I also think two years before when we had played North Carolina and you kind of had the first big home game with John Wall and kind of the beginning of the Caliper era, I think that was a home game that was very. People look forward to. Then, of course, when Rick came back for the first time many years before that. Those are three that just stick out to me. Of you were counting down for months for those games. All three of those games being non conference games. All three of those games early in the year. Now you get this one, I mean, in February against a team that's not good. I mean, they're not good this year. And yet, Ryan, is it the most anticipated game that you can remember?

[Drew Franklin]

In Rub, I. I felt like Patino's first return to RUP against Tubby was number one. This one's getting up there. And even Patino and versus Cal the first time. There was so much excitement leading up to that game when they were going to meet for the first time at RUP Arena.

[Shannon The Dude]

Some.

[Drew Franklin]

I know some of the older timers like me may say the. The Shaq game, you know, coming. Going into that game with. With Shaq and those guys coming into Rupp Arena.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that was tougher, though, because it wasn't on television. So, like, people, it was almost. It was almost like a mythological game.

[Drew Franklin]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

In some ways, you're right about that. But this one, I, you know, I. It's odd because all the. The first time Patino came in, his Louisville team wasn't very good either. So I guess it's kind of akin to that. This is not about what's going to happen on the court tomorrow, Drew. It's just about. Well, it's really, I guess at first about the moment when he comes out. I mean, we've had days and days of people talking about that. You know, I've given my position. I gave it the other day, and then I've seen a lot online. Rick Patino released a video saying, hey, everybody, give him a round of applause. This is how I know Cal slipping. That's the kind of stuff Cal would have done one day. Like back in the past about things. Rick was not a everybody give applause guy until recently in life. I. I'm getting the position, or just my thought is I think it's gonna be a little more positive than I thought it was gonna be a week ago. Like, I just get the sense online that there are the sort of forces of clapping are getting louder. I still think there's going to be booing, but I don't think it's gonna. I was expecting a chorus of booze tomorrow. I don't know that I expect that anymore, at least to. Just using the online experience. I mean, go to the poll I put out. It finished with silent number one, cheer number two, boo number three. Although all the numbers were close, WKYT put a poll out. You got to think that's going to hit the older demographic. Probably a lot of people who go to the games, Honestly, it's about 2/3 cheer. Right. So. Which makes me just think it's probably going to end up with a better atmosphere for Cal than I would have thought a week ago.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, we had a poll on ksr, the website, and it was. It was just cheer boo. Not a stay silent option. It was 49.5 to 50.5. I mean, can you get more split than that?

[Matt Jones]

Wow, that really is.

[Ryan Lemond]

There are too many people traveling here and bragging about how they're gonna boo till their throat bleeds for the booze and not be heard. They're gonna be loud, but I still think it's gonna be more of an even split. I watched that Rick video. I did not have any memory of Rick getting booed that bad. I wasn't there. I mean, I would have paid attention, but.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, he snuck in, didn't he? He.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, came through the other.

[Matt Jones]

Came through as if he was coming through the. So. But I. I was at the game. I remember watching. I wanted to see Rick come through, and then all of a sudden he was just there because he came through the other side. And so there wasn't that moment. I'll also be interested when they do the announcing again. And we'll. By the way, just so you all know, those of us watching it on television, if you don't go, you're not going to see any of it. Probably because the Duke Carolina game's gonna be going on, so they're not gonna, like, they're not gonna switch. I mean, we might not even see the start of the game, but we certainly will not see the intro because they will probably still be finishing the Duke Carolina game. So we might not see this. The people like Drew that are at the game will probably be the ones that will have to put out where they do. But I. The. I'd be interested to see Ryan when they announce the things. Will they linger on Cal to give people a chance to have a reaction or they go, coach of Arkansas, John Cal, Peri. And now you're Kentucky Wild. Like, just go so quick that nobody can take the time.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. There's more eyes on Patrick Widmer and the PA guy at RUP arena tomorrow night than ever before. Because what he's going to do. He's had to say that guy's name an exciting different way for 15 years now. He's the opposing coach on the other sideline.

[Matt Jones]

You think he puts any flare on it at all? I mean, he used to go, john, Cal.

[Shannon The Dude]

You can't do that now. If you do that now, you're putting the heat on the PA Announcer.

[Matt Jones]

You just.

[Shannon The Dude]

You have to just go, john Caliper.

[Matt Jones]

John Cal.

[Shannon The Dude]

And I hope he lets it breathe. Like, maybe we should wait about 30 seconds, then introduce Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that would be. You're right.

[Shannon The Dude]

It is kind of on him.

[Matt Jones]

It'll be interesting to See if they let it breathe or just if they, if they tell the DJ the moment his name is called, hit the music for the intro.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

Will they play that video? There's a video in between.

[Matt Jones]

What if they hit it like immediately, Immediately.

[Shannon The Dude]

So you can. Then it sounds like you're booing the video.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that'd be interesting. I mean, like little things like the pause there might determine how loud these are.

[Ryan Lemond]

Things UK should consider. I don't know if they are. I would have like a Y in mind that has, you know, some more meaning than usual. Normally just grab whoever's there and famous hadn't done in a while. I would really consider who's.

[Matt Jones]

What if they made Ellen the Y.

[Ryan Lemond]

She's not coming. Cal said she's not coming.

[Matt Jones]

She's not.

[Ryan Lemond]

But it would have been good.

[Matt Jones]

She, I actually think she would have gotten around the performance if she was, if she was the Y. I actually think that would, I, that would have. Well, she probably can't do that with Brad on the other side. But like, that would actually kind of have been a neat moment, don't you think?

[Drew Franklin]

I think it would have been a neat contrast to, you know, not wanting them to succeed, but yet we, we love them in a way.

[Matt Jones]

Although if we were down 15 when they did it. I know.

[Drew Franklin]

What about Tyler Ulis? He's there. March him out. Let him do the.

[Ryan Lemond]

Why?

[Matt Jones]

Well, here's what's interesting. I've seen a lot of people say I, I hope we don't boo the players. I, I do not think we're going to boo the players. I do not think the fans are gonna boo Ado. You know, Ado and Z were both loved. I don't know. I would say Wagner was loved, but I don't feel like, hey, people hated D.J. wagner. Like, I, I don't, I don't know that I think the players I know Ulis would get cheer. Yes, I, I feel like those players would too. You know, Brad, who knows? But I don't think even he would get booed. I, I, I think John would be the only one.

[Ryan Lemond]

Well, I said that at the beginning of the year. I never thought we'd boo the players, but I heard in New York that they just gave it to Aaron Bradshaw the entire game. And I'm thinking if mean Darren Bradshaw, but I think that's not at home. I know, but I just didn't think they'd boo him either.

[Matt Jones]

And I think Aaron Bradshaw epitomized something about Cal's players that we didn't like. Which was. There was drama getting him on the court, whether he was going to play. Even though he did, you know, it didn't feel like he quite met his potential of what we heard, you know, I mean, it's not his fault, but it. I think in some ways, Shannon, some of the stuff that were. People were kind of tired of at the end of the era, he kind of embodied a little bit of that. He was then on the clutch thing.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, I would have agree with that. But as far as the Arkansas players go, I have never cheered an Arkansas Razorback player, and I'm not going to start tomorrow. So if I were there, I would boo them all.

[Matt Jones]

You've been consistent for moment one. You've been like, boo, boo.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes. I don't feel bad for them. Again, I said this, you know, a couple of days ago, they left. They wanted to play for Cal University, not for the University of Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

So you know what? They chose to go. We can. Boom.

[Drew Franklin]

I've probably watched more Arkansas. Kentucky's the only team I've watched more than Arkansas this year. I find myself watching a lot of Arkansas games and I find myself, I don't know why, pulling for those three guys when they're on the court. A dude, DJ and Big Z. I've.

[Matt Jones]

Watched them a lot and they're bad. And which gets to the actual game, which has got lost during this. We have to win this game. I mean, we have to have to for two reasons. One of all, we cannot lose to Cal Perry after all that's happened after. I mean, after, you know, the off season of trash talking. And then we're good and they're bad and we can't lose. The second thing is they're. They're next to last in the sec. In an SEC where it is hard to find wins when you play the team that's in next to last place in the league at home. You got to win that game. We have South Carolina. We probably play the three worst teams in the sec. We probably get them all at home, which is kind of bad luck. You'd rather play them on the road because you win. But nevertheless, South Carolina, LSU and Georgia are the three worst teams. We get them. LSU and Arkansas, three worst teams. We get them all at home. We have to win all those games. There's still all to come, all three of them. That starts tomorrow, so leave Cal out of it. It's a game you got to win, Drew. Just because it's a very winnable home game.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah. I mean, if this is not Cal this is still a huge game because this could be an actual hit to your resume, losing a team like yeah, yeah, Kentucky's got a good net ranking. They third and quad one wins. They're in great standing for the tournament. And this wouldn't hurt you too bad, but it would bring you down a peg if you were to lose to a team like Arkansas at home.

[Matt Jones]

And the path to a winning record in the sec, at least one by the SEC tournament, maybe even a double buy like that Tennessee win kind of got you back on that path. You need to make sure you win this one to keep it going.

[Drew Franklin]

So I'm going to ask you a question. Is there any worry in your mind at all that this is when Cal is usually at his best?

[Matt Jones]

This is that you. You were going to read my next segment when Cal was Cal even in the last five years. So like everybody, everybody would agree there's a cow from 2010 to 2000 to Covid that was like great. Whether he was the best or second best or third, it was great. Then there was the 2020-2025 cow that was a notch below that, maybe two matches below that. That cow won a game like this every year. That cow went on the road and beat a team in a big game that you didn't think they had a chance at when they. And they won.

[Shannon The Dude]

His last win at Kentucky was at Tennessee.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, think about that Arkansas game when Antonio Reeves was went for 37 or 40 down there and we won. We met multiple Tennessee games like that. Now the question is, is this cow even one notch below that and they don't win anything? You know, I don't know the answer. So it may. So far he hasn't. So far they haven't won anything. So. But if he's the cow of even the last five years, Drew, they win one of these a year. I hope it's not tomorrow.

[Ryan Lemond]

And they tend to do it when they're down. Some players, they went to Arkansas. Jacob Toppin was the point guard that Tennessee game. I talked about.

[Matt Jones]

He was.

[Ryan Lemond]

I talked about it all week before Tuesday. Like I was there two years ago. They were 11 and a half point favorite. They didn't have a point gu. They didn't have a shooting guard and still won that game. They're an 11 and a half point favorite tomorrow without their point guard. It's that I've seen John Caliperi do it before.

[Matt Jones]

11/2 point favorite.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah. That's why that's already out. That's why it lives in the back of my head a little bit. And I've seen John Caliperi do this more than once.

[Matt Jones]

So yeah, I, I find a little nervousness because I don't want to lose to Cal. But also he gets one of these every year. And for some reason I feel like I think they already played Tennessee, but Alabama, Auburn, us, he's gonna give one of us one we don't like. And I just hope it's not us tomorrow. 859-280-2287. The text machine. 772-774-5254. We'll take a break. We are here at Whiskey thief in downtown Louisville. It's Kentucky sports radio. Welcome back. It is whiskey thief. KSR 12 Year Old Distillery, single small batch distillery. They have the first distiller to invite every customer to taste bourbon straight out of the barrel, uncut and unfill filtered, five to seven years old. You can do it right now, Mario. They got, they put Mario to work over there already. He's out there doing it. These spirits are sold direct on site at the whiskey thief pro shop open seven days a week here on nanny goat strut. The text machine blowing up early, which says to me that a lot of folks are getting excited about this game. One person writes, Matt, we got in an argument in our neighborhood group chat. It was 88. Boo. Cheer. I expect it to be. Everybody says silence will win out. I think the booers and the cheers are going to go at each other.

[Shannon The Dude]

We have a very small sample size here, but I know a few people here are actually going to the game.

[Matt Jones]

Who's going to the game? Raise your hand. Okay, so let's keep your hands up if you're going to game. All right. Put your hand down if you're going to cheer. So does that mean the rest of you are all right? How many of you are going to boo?

[Drew Franklin]

Nobody.

[Matt Jones]

No boo.

[Shannon The Dude]

Not one.

[Ryan Lemond]

Oh, we got a. We had one of these. A half.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. So maybe it seems like the cheers have a little more force behind them. The booers may be a little more reticent. Does that mean if they start getting yelled out, Shannon, that they'll be. So I just want to say for the people online and I keep getting this that goes, oh, it's all the Matt Jones people that go boo. I. We don't have one person here in this audience who, who says they do. If he gets a round of applause and that's what fans want to do. I, that's, that's totally fine. I kind of also though agree with what he said yesterday, he goes, I've never heard an opposing coach get cheered in Rupp Arena.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, we boo Bruce Pearl, for crying out loud.

[Matt Jones]

You know, so I. Maybe John Pelfrey got cheered when he was at Arkansas. Maybe. Maybe he did.

[Ryan Lemond]

I doubt it.

[Matt Jones]

I. I don't know.

[Shannon The Dude]

But Tubby, maybe when he came with.

[Ryan Lemond]

High Point was a little sympathy game, I think.

[Shannon The Dude]

I mean, he was still in opposing this year.

[Drew Franklin]

Pat Kelsey got some booze when he was introduced as the Louisville coach.

[Matt Jones]

Well, of course, yeah. I mean, we had no reason to cheer him.

[Drew Franklin]

No, I'm just saying we do boo. Opposing coaches backing up what Pope was saying.

[Matt Jones]

We're sitting here asking her to cheer. Why would we cheer Pat Kelsey? Well, I. That's going to be. Let me just say this. If they, if people do boo and we get criticism, forget those people. They don't understand it. They don't get this place. I don't care what they say. There have been some great articles written about the Pope, part of this equation. C.J. moore of the Athletic was at KS Bar last Saturday for the Alabama game. And talk to fans. His article came out today, and I thought it really encapsulated Drew, the relationship we have with Pope. Just basically saying our fan base, Pope gets all of it. Pope understands us. And Pope in some ways does the exact things opposite that we were kind of tired of with Cal and that that's a big part of why everybody loves him. I thought it was a great article.

[Ryan Lemond]

And with so many national people coming this weekend, I hope there's a lot more of those to come. And if they do boo, if Kentucky wins that game, I hope they continue to write the stories about how Mark Pope keeps winning and not making BBN a villain for booing, you know, before the game started.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, but I don't care if they make us a villain. Like, you know, somebody could only make you feel bad if you let them. Right. So you can't. You can call us a villain all you want. We were here, you weren't. And why don't you go get those Arkansas media and fans and put them under a lie detector and ask them if they're really happy with what they ended up with.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, I think they're probably ready to boot Caliperi at this point.

[Matt Jones]

You think their fans feel like they won that, that trade off?

[Shannon The Dude]

No way. I mean, look what they're getting right now. Yeah. Who really thought that they were going to be at the bottom of the SEC when they hired John Caliperi?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

They were all taunting Us, we've got your coach and now look where they're at.

[Ryan Lemond]

That's going to help them a little, though, I think. I think some people that would have booed before the year thinking these are.

[Matt Jones]

Totally agree with you.

[Ryan Lemond]

Competing for the same tournament seed, you know, similar in the standings, I think totally agree. Some people look at and be like, man, they suck. I'm just gonna cheer if you're.

[Matt Jones]

If your goal in life was one thing, to have Caliperi not get booed and rub this season played out exactly like you would have wanted to play it. We needed to be good. We needed to win big games. We needed for Pope to have been awesome and we needed them to have stuck and those things. This is the best scenario for Cal. Not getting booed that you could have is exactly how it's played out. One person writes, Matt Cal, I've always thought, has his team play tight during big games. It's what cost us many times. Do you think his team comes out and plays tight tomorrow? Actually, no. Because I've always thought Cal was at his best when they had nothing to lose. So the best example for me was the 2014 run. Think about it. When we were the eight seed, we played that first game against Kansas State and we kind of were tight that whole game. We won. But then it gets Wichita State, Louisville, Michigan, Wisconsin. We were big underdogs in all those games. They came out and played, you know, free as a bird and ended up winning all of them. Then we get the championship game and we play UConn, who now we're favored over. We played all these teams that we were big underdogs and we played loose and free. And then we go play in a championship game and because we are all of a sudden favored, we look like we were so scared we couldn't do anything. We got down early and Ryan, we didn't and we didn't win. I thought that that tournament in a lot of ways, sometimes Cal's better when he doesn't have expectations.

[Drew Franklin]

I think. I think you hit it. I think. Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

When.

[Drew Franklin]

When they are the heavily favored team, Oakland, St. Peter's you mentioned the Connecticut game. That's when they seem to be tight, not when they're underdogs. That's kind of when they play their best.

[Shannon The Dude]

I want to add one other thing. I don't know if this will factor into the game tomorrow, but we've never played another team that has had players who have played more games at Rupp arena in the past. And that familiarity with playing there in rup.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

May help them.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, maybe a little bit. Be interesting what, what it is like for those guys as well. Who's.

[Ryan Lemond]

I have a theory about those guys.

[Matt Jones]

Okay.

[Ryan Lemond]

I think Big Z does not care about anything in the world like the booze. I think he'll giggle like I'm serious.

[Matt Jones]

But he's not gonna get booed.

[Ryan Lemond]

Well, me, I just think that all the stuff that will impact Caliperi, maybe a dude, probably dj. I think Big Z is gonna be out there grinning, interacting with the crowd. Remember how he was like a little kid last year? I think we'll get that. I think of all of them, I think Big Z is gonna play really well because he's gonna be happy to be back. He'll.

[Matt Jones]

I think he's the one who would boo Big.

[Ryan Lemond]

I just mean in general the whole situation. I don't think he's going to feel any pressure at all. I think he's laid back. Like I get to go back to Kentucky. I Last year he was like a 15 year old when we would talk to him. I think he's going to run out there and not even feel anything.

[Matt Jones]

Just on a matchup scale, we're going to take your calls. 859-280-2287 on a matchup scale. We do some things really well. That is their weakness. You all remember Cal gave up threes like it was his job. I mean he was, he was really bad at guarding the three point line. And obviously we shoot really well from out there. With that said, they do some things that really we struggle with.

[Drew Franklin]

We.

[Matt Jones]

We cannot guard downhill drives and like a Dude could score 25 points tomorrow. I don't know who we have that's going to guard a do. And then even off the bounce. If Wagner was going to have a good game, our guards are kind of the guards that could give him a good game because we don't guard slashing dribbles against Tennessee. We let him shoot threes because we knew we couldn't keep him off the dribble. I think Arkansas is going to get a lot of chances to shoot threes tomorrow. I could see them having 35 opportunities because we're going to give them those shots. But I do worry about Garden to do. Who's Garden to do?

[Ryan Lemond]

Oh, you're right.

[Matt Jones]

I mean even if car is healthy, who's guarding to do? I. We. We don't have anybody who can guard a dude with that said he can't guard the three point line. We're gonna get a lot of shots so if we make them, we'll win. But I. I do worry about that. A do matchup. All right, we'll take your calls. 859-280-2287. This is KSR Quarterback. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. 859280. 2287. They have the new whiskey thief, winter gin. It's gin distilled as whiskey. Has been aged in a bourbon barrel for over a year. Gives it a bourbon coloring even though it's gin. There you go.

[Shannon The Dude]

Very good, too. I sampled just a little bit of it. I'm not really a gin drinker, but I could drink that gin. It's good.

[Matt Jones]

It's. Because it's not really gin. It's. It's bourbonized bourbon gin. That's right. 859-28022. 87. Before we go, the phones. I do. Normally, I don't take a lot of calls on remote, but I want to hear from people before the game today. Shannon, you and I share a fear of flying.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, I hate it.

[Matt Jones]

So obviously, the crash is. Is tragic. First, you know, we had talked about a year ago about how there hadn't been a commercial airliner go down in the United states in like, 20 years, and then happens on Sunday. Awful. You know, every time you get these stories, I'm sure this would be true about any flight, right? Like, there are human beings on there that each have their own, and they're tragic. You know, there was the guy who went to the airport. He'd gotten texts from his wife that they were about to land, and, like, that was awful. Then you got 14 people with some association with United States figure skating. And then the guy who's like, kind of the. The dean of United States figure skating, Dick Button, dies last night. So you have all this stuff happen. I'll tell you, though, you know, I was. I was flying that night, too, from Newark to Cincinnati. And you and I have had this conversation before. When we got on a flight one time, I was like, you know, I sit there. One of the ways I calm myself down is I sit there and think, man, boy, think about how many flights have gone on since the last time. These. And then I'll look at a board, right? And you'll see all the flights, especially a place like Newark Airport, where it's huge. Oh, all these flights going here. And you go, well, you know, this is what I would always think to myself, Well, I mean, even if one was going to go down, what are the chances it would be this?

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And then that happens. That Same night. So this one, like, hit me harder than I think it would. I completely get it, just because even I know. I mean, I. I'm blessed beyond belief. I wasn't obviously on it, but something about just flying at the same time, you couldn't help. But when I heard it just be like, you know, I think it'll actually be harder for me the next time.

[Shannon The Dude]

And at that moment, though, I mean, you got to get on the plane. You're not going to cancel the flight.

[Matt Jones]

That's what you think about it. But, like, it's. It's. I. I think that almost every time I go to an airport, but especially.

[Shannon The Dude]

A big airport, I always hear, you know, you got a better chance of getting in a car crash, which is true. But I would rather get in a car crash on the ground than a crash in the air. You know what I mean?

[Matt Jones]

Sort of. Because I didn't feel well. I was sort of off my phone. Have they figured out why it happened?

[Shannon The Dude]

The. It's Blackhawk, right? Right. Yeah. I think it was flying too high. It was flying higher than what it was supposed to, and because of that, that created.

[Matt Jones]

Too high. Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

Higher than what it's supposed to be.

[Ryan Lemond]

Like 200 and below. And it was.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, right.

[Drew Franklin]

And apparently the pilots were looking at a different plane and not the one they hit, but they were, like, monitoring a different one or something.

[Shannon The Dude]

And then the other aspect was they were short an air traffic control person. It was one person that was working. He was doing two people's jobs.

[Matt Jones]

Feels like a job, though. You can't.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, you can't.

[Matt Jones]

I also think if you're that air traffic controller, I mean, think that you.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Be with you your whole.

[Shannon The Dude]

Sure.

[Matt Jones]

It would, like, you know, anyway. Awful situation. Prayers to all those people. Who's up first? Up first is Devin. Devin. Go ahead, Devin.

[E]

Hey, guys, I got a statement and a question for you all. The first thing is, look, the only reason why you don't. You don't boo somebody is if their team stinks after they've left your team. Like when Kenny Payne was at Louisville, usually you would boo someone that's at Louisville, but you know what? Oh, brother.

[Matt Jones]

This guy stinks.

[E]

But you know what? This guy, Cal Perry, he left after having the four worst years in Kentucky basketball history, and then he had the audacity to call us Calu. So he belittled our program even more after that. He took players that we wanted to have.

[Matt Jones]

Now, I'm gonna cut you off there before you do another. Okay, I go. Thank you. Appreciate it, Rick. I'm not sure what that call was. I. I have. It's been interesting to me, Drew, to hear how many people say what he said right there that didn't seem to get a lot of play. But there are certain segments of our fan base, at least a handful of people here and there who didn't like his statement when he left. It's to the recruit something like it's the same thing. We're just moving cities. Like the insinuation being it was never really about Kentucky. It's just this is a road show and this is where I'm taking my. My, my show next. That I. I haven't heard it a lot, but there are some people that call her. Amongst all the oddities he said is bringing that point up, too.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, that one didn't bother me as much because it wasn't Cal standing in front of a camera. He's in some kid's living room. He's got to get him to Arkansas. Of course he's going to recruit against Kentucky like that. I've mocked it plenty. But it has affected a lot of Kentucky fans because that line alone, even though we heard it secondary and he wasn't saying it publicly, it suggests it was me, me, me, me, me in Lexington. And I just moved. Which is what a lot of people already had concerns with anyway. But that saying I picked, move, locate, move headquarters to a different location. I get it. But I think he's been in front of the camera press conferences. He's been very gracious and grateful.

[Matt Jones]

He doesn't do a lot of press, get a lot of chance to screw it up.

[Ryan Lemond]

But when he left for there, I thought we get little bitty jabs every once in a while. I don't think we've got the public jab. We've heard stuff from recruits, but he's got to do that.

[Matt Jones]

I don't think he's done a lot of it. Let me ask you this. All right? Let's boo or cheer. Let's say whatever the reaction is, is it's in the middle of the game and he does one of his going after the refs, like going at him. And you know how it'll. Sometimes the play will stop and you see the coach going at him. Then he gets the heck boot out of him. Right?

[Drew Franklin]

That's when it happens. If it doesn't happen as much when he's introduced, if. When he goes off crazy on an official, on a call that we think is. It was made correctly. Yeah, that's when he Gets the big boo.

[Ryan Lemond]

Remember a couple weeks ago I said he's getting ejected, and I'm sticking by that. If he gets the opportunity, if they're winning or something. But if they're down, that would be.

[Shannon The Dude]

If he gets ejected, he'll get cheered.

[Ryan Lemond]

If I could get that prop bet, I would do it.

[Drew Franklin]

That's true. He's walked off the court.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, that would be. If he got walked off the court, of course everybody would.

[Shannon The Dude]

You're not gonna boo him, then go, Cat. That's right.

[Ryan Lemond]

And then he leaves Arkansas. We never see him again.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, just walks off.

[Drew Franklin]

So what about what he said yesterday? He's got bazooka holes, and if he booze, it won't bother.

[Matt Jones]

He used to say that. He used to say that here, too.

[Drew Franklin]

Do you really think it won't bother?

[Matt Jones]

Of course not. Like, I. Okay, this is the longer conversation than Cat. Now, almost inevitably, when someone tells you that stuff people say doesn't bother them, they are lying, right? They are lying. It's inevitably the people that it bothers the most. Like, you know, like, first on myself, when people criticize me, I get criticized as much as anyone in the. In the uk. It does bother me. I can sit here and go, it doesn't bother me. Of course it bothers me.

[Drew Franklin]

You're a human.

[Matt Jones]

You're a human being. Like our president. He gets criticized a ton, and he acts like it doesn't. Of course it bothers him. That's why he holds these, why he remembers everything, right? Because it bothers him. Cal's the same way. Cal. I can tell you Cal knew what everybody said. He could do it to the word. He had people come bring him. When people would say bad things, he hated it. And when. And when you crossed him, I can say this because I didn't cross him for a long time. And I would. I'd hear him do it to other people. When you cross him, you're out. And he would. What was the line he always used to use? You come after my house. I burned down your village. Or something like that. He lived that. So it's so ridiculous to hear him go, I got bazooka holes in me. Nothing bothers me. He can tell you few articles that were written in the basketball times 23 years ago. A newspaper doesn't even exist. He can tell you what was written against him because of how much it eats at him, Drew. So I. When I see him say all that, I'm just rolling my eyes. I'm like, dude, I don't know anyone in Sports who has been more sensitive to criticism than he has.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, we heard plenty of examples of when he was here of paying attention to the clutter when he said he wasn't. I do think, I mean it's going to hurt him a little, but I mean these guys are high level athletes and coaches. They've been booed. That's how I if you can't handle.

[Matt Jones]

Being booed, how did you get it.

[Ryan Lemond]

To where you are now?

[Matt Jones]

Because I think a lot of the things, I just don't think booing's that bad. I said it yesterday.

[Ryan Lemond]

I don't think booing's bad at all.

[Matt Jones]

Well, it's not, but I'm telling. But here you gotta like, you gotta go into his mindset. He is at his best when he has an enemy. He's always been like that. He's always been like that when he has an enemy. It used to be when he first got here, his enemy was Jim Calhoun. His enemy was Pat40. It was Jeff Goodman, right. Then for a while it was Rick Patino and then it was Bruce Pearl. And he need, he needed an enemy. He needs a person that he can go after. What happened to him in the last two or three years is we weren't good enough to where national people cared. So he, his enemies inward, I was one of them. But the fans that he thought didn't give him. It was like his desire for an enemy is always there. What's weird to watch him now is, is it seems like he's so beat down he doesn't have an enemy. And that's part of the reason they're 1 in 7 in the SEC is he can't find that thing to go.

[Shannon The Dude]

Nobody sees him as a threat anymore. If you remember the anonymous quotes from SEC coaches, one of them said, nobody fears this guy anymore.

[Matt Jones]

They're laughing at him. Right. And so it's like you've stared the bully in the face and now you know. But when he says it doesn't bother him, I, that's just silly. It would bother me. I'm not criticizing for but, but it bothers him, Ryan. Of course it does.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, think about. He kept bringing up to you something you said in 2008 about him. He remembers that and brings that brought that up to you a lot.

[Matt Jones]

He, there were. I, I don't think he was listening, but someone in his office would take clips of our show out of context, send them to him and then it would get quoted back to me two and a half years later and they would go, did you say this and this was back before Mario was filming stuff. And I'd be like, I don't know, maybe. But that's. It sticks in his mind.

[Ryan Lemond]

Somebody on his staff told me now this is when it was going good. But they would print out KSR and sit on his desk like he wouldn't even get on his computer and go to Kentuckysports radio.com the blogs would be printed on sheets and when you get to the office, they would be sitting.

[Shannon The Dude]

There like a president getting a briefing.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, I was mad about like, at.

[Matt Jones]

Least log in part of your daily clicks. Bespoke Experience is the club Blue partner for. And they. You can go get your tickets at the Gray line station Bespoken Spirits.com for tours and more. Go check them out for club blue bourbon clubbluenil.com. we'll take a break and be right back. This is ksr. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio Air live Whiskey thief, nanny goat strut walking distance from angel envy and rabbit hole barrel tested old fashions they have here. They make the old fashioned in the barrel and then let it age and thieve it out. That sounds. I didn't even know that was possible.

[Ryan Lemond]

I got one right here in front of me. She literally took the big whiskey thief stuck in the barrel, filled my glass and that was the process. Pretty neat. Tastes delicious.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I had no idea that was even a thing.

[Drew Franklin]

Me neither. But it's good. It's kind of cool how they do that now.

[Matt Jones]

So.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I suggest everybody try it.

[Matt Jones]

All right. I want to give people a chance to get in here. 859-280-2287. Who's up next? Gary. And Orlando is up next. Gary, real quick. What do you got?

[Ryan Lemond]

Real quick. Thanks, Whiskey Thief for being based and founded in my hometown, Frankfurt, Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

Have you talked to Dale Jr. Lately? To who?

[Ryan Lemond]

Have you talked to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

[Matt Jones]

Lately? I've never talked to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ever.

[Ryan Lemond]

That's what I thought he said. Oh, I thought you knew him. Anyway, he's gonna have a car.

[Matt Jones]

The DEI I do is not Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. It's a different kind of thing.

[Ryan Lemond]

Okay. Well, anyway, sponsored by Buffalo Trace and Chris Stapleton.

[Matt Jones]

Just want everybody to know and I hope you get a hoodie from them. Take care. All right. Well, thank you very much. Interesting call the day of the UK Arkansas game. Appreciate, appreciate.

[Ryan Lemond]

Maybe he was confusing with that Daryl Cope guy.

[Matt Jones]

Derek Cope.

[Ryan Lemond]

Derek Cope.

[Matt Jones]

Excuse me. Have we. He thought he said if you talk to Dale, like, like I'm Often talking about my buddy Dale Jr.

[Shannon The Dude]

I think he called the wrong show. Yeah, he's trying to call it.

[Matt Jones]

He's trying to call Marty Sports Rad. I love Gary, but no, I also haven't talked to Jeff Gordon. I called him a bunch. He hasn't returned my call. Who's next?

[Ryan Lemond]

Tyler is up next.

[Matt Jones]

Tyler, go ahead. Tyler.

[F]

Hey, Matt. I'm glad you're feeling better and goes out to those people involved in the crash. But anyway, my first thing is, if you think about it, you brought up the, the analogy of the, the couple and the dating thing with Caliper. Well, like, we, we don't really have a reason to be bitter. Like, you know, when a girl and a guy are dating and she breaks up with them and, you know, gets somebody better, you know, later on when they meet, she's not bitter and she's not being like, boo. You know, she's acting all happy, but she's. You know what I mean?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[F]

Or one and seven and no and we're 71 with, with quad one wins, you know?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, well, we're not seven to one.

[F]

But I agree with what Patino said. Like, you know, it's not really just about showing class. It's about showing. It's about showing, like, you know what I'm saying? Humility. We could be in their spot. We could be.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I get it. Listen, no offense to Rick. I love Rick. I mean, I, I don't want to say I love her. I, I, I like Rick. Rick did the show. I appreciate it. I, I just a little word to Rick. Like, you, you ain't grandpa now. Okay, I love we. Look, we gave you a round of applause. I love you. Like, thank you. I want you to come back, but you are not, like, you're not the spokesman, okay? You're still the coach at St. John's like, you just do. Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

Tread lightly. It wasn't that long ago we were booing him.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I mean, watch your mouth. We'll start booing you again if you're not careful.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

So, yeah, I mean, it's fine. He did the video. That's fine. That's. I saw that video more Ryan, as part of the Cal, Patino, hate each other one up each other. You know, if you may famously remember, Cal wanted to look like the bigger guy. He had Rick on his podcast and told us not to boo him when he was going through all his stuff. And now this is a chance to go, oh, now you kind of need me, Cal. So I'm gonna be like, yeah, Like, I mean, there's a little dance with those two. They don't like each other, and. And there's a little dance there. So. But Pino's comments to me, whatever. He can say whatever he wants, it they don't want. That's so what.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm glad. We need to talk about this patino comment a little bit, because when he was here, you had to take the opposite of everything he said. We called it patino ease. So when he says stand up and clap, is he really deep down thinking you need to sit down and boo another thing, like you said?

[Matt Jones]

No, I think he's. I. You know, when. When Cal. When Rick came in here post Katina pal and all that, and Cal was very much like, don't boo Rick. Don't boo rig. Don't make Karen's eye for jokes. Don't blah, blah, blah, blah. There was a little bit of, like, coming at that from on high, and now Rick's doing it back. Right? But they don't. They hate each other. I mean, they hate each other. And also. Listen, Rick, your video did help Pope a lot, but that doesn't mean we need a video from you about everything else in the future. Like, you're not. You're not grandpa. You're not Joe B. Hall.

[Drew Franklin]

He did say, I gave you some real good advice one time before. Listen to me this time, if I'm.

[Matt Jones]

A St. John's fan, I'm like, can y'all. Can you stop giving? Like, we're in the tournament? Like, we're good. We may. Can you please stop giving advice to the other?

[Shannon The Dude]

Like, he speaks more to our fan base than he does the St. John's fan base.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, St. John's they're playing Madison Square Garden. Games sold out. They're rocking. They're going at it. There's a party. They got to be like, how about, what? We're good this year. Will you focus?

[Ryan Lemond]

100% of my reaction to the patino video was, don't you have a team? They played Providence on Saturday. Yeah, I know he's got the Kentucky connection. I get it. But if I were St. John's fan, it's like, over here. We need your attention right here.

[Matt Jones]

I think they play Yukon in a couple weeks in. In Madison Square Garden. And I saw tickets are going for, like, $600 apiece. It's like, hey, Rick, y'all could be a top four seed.

[Ryan Lemond]

You could meet Kentucky late in the tournament. I will throw out a scenario. St. John's plays at noon on Saturday they have airplanes that could get him there.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, you want to get it? Caliperi make 9 o'clock, noon.

[Ryan Lemond]

He could get. He could have dinner. He could have a whole reunion.

[Matt Jones]

All right, so let's talk about the why real quick. What would be the perfect why? John Dyson make the Tyson Chicken people the why? That would be funny. What would be the perfect why that they could actually do? Because, like, Patino would be a funny why, but I don't think they would do that. What would be the why that you think would best sort of epitomize?

[Drew Franklin]

How about Mitch Barnhart?

[Matt Jones]

Mitch Barnhart?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. Have Mitch Barnard go out and do the.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that would be interesting. He really. He hates him too. But what if they. What, like the 96 team or something?

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah. Yeah. Who else does he hate?

[Ryan Lemond]

I think there's one that count didn't get along.

[Matt Jones]

I don't say hated, but I don't think Cal and. And Derek Anderson got along.

[Shannon The Dude]

How about Matt Jones?

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, that would be a good one. You and Mitch go out arm in arm, do a double. Yeah.

[Ryan Lemond]

You do the right part of the Y. He does the left arm.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Ryan Lemond]

I have a good one, though. A serious one if Willie is there. Willie's wife played at Arkansas. Willie has made it clear he loves Cal, but wearing blue. It's the Cal era connection.

[Matt Jones]

So would you get a cow player?

[Ryan Lemond]

Really? I doubt many would do it. Not many are around. Willie's the one that's around who has made it clear he still loves Kentucky and Cal. He's got the Arkansas connection, his own household. I think Willie would be a good pick.

[Matt Jones]

Be interesting. I. You got to be careful what you pick because you want somebody who has any allegiance. Like they'd have to be all Kentucky. Willie's. Willie's not a bad one. All right, we're gonna take a break. Come back, our number two here in Louisville at Whiskey Thief. This is ksr.