2025-02-03- KSR - Hour 2

Summary

KSR Podcast Episode Summary: February 3, 2025 – Hour 2

Hosted by Matt Jones and the KSR Crew

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Reed Shepherd’s Arkansas Shirt Controversy

Timestamp: 01:21 – 29:36

The primary focus of this episode revolves around the controversial incident involving Kentucky basketball player Reed Shepherd wearing an Arkansas T-shirt and Kentucky shorts during a pre-game event at Rupp Arena. This decision sparked significant backlash among Kentucky fans and the broader sports community.

• Initial Reactions:

  • Drew Franklin (01:21): Drew expressed his confusion and disappointment, questioning why Reed, a Kentucky native with deep ties to the university, chose to wear an Arkansas shirt. He remarked, “I mean, I don't remember any of Rick's guys wearing Louisville shirts, you know, Kentucky shorts. Not, not that I remember.”
  • Matt Jones (03:55): Matt highlighted the emotional impact, stating, “He didn't do himself any favors because it really upset a lot of people.” He emphasized the visual shock by saying, “That visual image of Reed wearing an Arkansas shirt kind of punched us right in the gut.”

• Fan and Caller Perspectives:

  • Shannon The Dude (04:12): Shannon shared firsthand experiences from Rupp Arena, noting, “Not one person wanted to talk about the basketball game... It was all read, read, read, read.”
  • Caller Josh (07:20 – 10:56): Josh criticized the decision, linking it to broader frustrations with the coaching and team performance. He mentioned, “I think everything you guys are talking about right now kind of falls in line with why Kentucky fans grew weary with the Cal area.”

• Hosts’ Opinions:

  • Matt Jones (16:31 – 16:56): Matt articulated his disapproval, “I don't think it was a smart move at all. I don't think people should all hate him, but I do think that was a smart move.”
  • Drew Franklin (16:47 – 17:24): Drew further critiqued the choice, using strong language, “There's no reason to have that slobbering hog on your... On your.”

• Impact on Team Morale and Fanbase:

  • The hosts discussed how such actions could affect team cohesion and the passionate Kentucky fanbase. They underscored the intense emotions and high expectations from fans, reflecting on how the incident could linger in public memory, especially after a loss.

NBA Trades and Their Implications

Timestamp: 16:56 – 19:52

Transitioning from college basketball, the hosts delved into recent NBA trades affecting Kentucky alumni and national league dynamics.

• Anthony Davis to Dallas and Fox to San Antonio:

  • Drew Franklin (16:56): Drew expressed enthusiasm for Davis’s move, anticipating a successful tenure in Dallas. “Now it's him and Wembanyama guys gonna have a chance to be, like, in our lives for the next six or eight years.”
  • Shannon The Dude (17:24): Shannon echoed this sentiment, highlighting the potential for a "big three" that could contend for championships. “This would be a great big three, like, four years ago with Clay there. They still have some hope.”

• Matt Jones (18:27 – 19:16): Matt reflected on the value of these trades, arguing that acquiring Anthony Davis was a strategic move, pointing out Davis’s caliber compared to others. “Anthony Davis is one of the top 15 or 20 players in the league.”

• Impact on Kentucky’s Visibility:

  • The hosts discussed how these trades elevate Kentucky's representation in the NBA, potentially increasing the program's prestige and influence in recruiting and national attention.

God’s Pantry Fundraising Initiative

Timestamp: 22:20 – 23:17

Amidst sports discussions, the hosts took a moment to highlight a charitable effort supporting God’s Pantry.

• Matt Jones (22:20): Matt encouraged listeners to donate, stating, “There's only two weeks left to help God's Pantry food bank get to their goal of a million meals by Valentine's Day. Every time I read this, I donate 5@God'sPantry.org KSR you should too.”

• Shannon The Dude (22:20): Shannon reinforced the message, suggesting, “If you get frustrated about the game, you're just frustrated about life. Go to something productive. Godspantry.org.”

Fan Behavior and Team Performance Debate

Timestamp: 19:53 – 29:16

The conversation shifted to broader topics of fan behavior during games and its impact on team performance.

• Caller Sarah’s Unpopular Opinion (19:54 – 22:20):

  • Sarah criticized the Kentucky fans for not being sufficiently loud and supportive during a crucial game, asserting, “I think that the Kentucky fans that were at Rupp kind of failed our team and Mark on Saturday. There should have never been a quiet moment.”

• Hosts’ Counterpoints:

  • Drew Franklin (20:36): Drew responded by highlighting the challenges of maintaining continuous enthusiasm during a game, especially when the team is trailing. “You can't expect someone to just sit and scream for two and a half hours straight hours.”
  • Matt Jones (21:03 – 22:20): Matt acknowledged the fans’ passion but pointed out fluctuations in in-game energy, suggesting a symbiotic relationship between fan support and player motivation.

Defense vs. Offense in Modern Basketball

Timestamp: 39:22 – 41:46

The hosts examined evolving strategies in basketball, debating the age-old adage that "defense wins championships."

• Caller Dan’s Insight (39:22 – 40:20):

  • Dan argued for the increasing importance of offensive prowess, stating, “Three pointers are the ones that are going to win.”

• Hosts’ Agreement and Analysis:

  • Drew Franklin (39:50): Drew concurred, explaining that while defense remains important, offensive firepower has become a critical determinant in winning championships.
  • Shannon The Dude (40:20 – 41:06): Shannon discussed the team’s defensive weaknesses, emphasizing the need for strategic adjustments. “Mark Pope's really never had a great team defensively, and right now we're not good defensively...”

Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Timestamp: 41:54 – 29:58

As the episode drew to a close, the hosts reflected on the passionate Kentucky fanbase and the unique atmosphere at Rupp Arena.

• Drew Franklin (27:17 – 29:36): Drew praised the fervent support of Kentucky fans, asserting that the intense emotions and engagement make Kentucky basketball special. “95% of the college teams in America would love to have the passion our fan base has.”

• Matt Jones (29:16 – 29:35): Matt emphasized the significance of fan support in sports, noting, “You should know that coming in.”

• Shannon The Dude (29:16 – 29:36): Shannon agreed, highlighting the reciprocal relationship between the team and its supporters.

Conclusion

This episode of KSR delved deep into the heart of Kentucky basketball fandom, exploring the ramifications of player actions, fan expectations, and strategic shifts in the sport. Through passionate discussions and listener interactions, the hosts provided a comprehensive analysis of the current state of Kentucky sports, reflecting both the challenges and the unwavering support that defines it.

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Notable Quotes:

• Drew Franklin (01:22): “Reed is at the Rockets games... he walked in in an Arkansas T shirt and Kentucky shorts.”
• Matt Jones (03:55): “That visual image of Reed wearing an Arkansas shirt kind of punched us right in the gut.”
• Caller Josh (07:20): “We had to sit through the whole week in the pre game with it being all about Cal, and then he went on the game.”
• Drew Franklin (16:47): “There's no reason to have that slobbering hog on your... On your.”
• Matt Jones (29:16): “95% of the college teams in America would love to have the passion our fan base has.”

Key Takeaways:

• Reed Shepherd’s choice to wear an Arkansas shirt caused significant controversy among Kentucky fans.
• The passionate and high-expectation fanbase is both a strength and a source of pressure for the team.
• Recent NBA trades involving Kentucky alumni have positive implications for the program’s visibility and prestige.
• Modern basketball strategies are shifting towards offensive dominance, though defense remains crucial.
• Community and charitable initiatives, such as support for God’s Pantry, play a role in the podcast’s broader discussions.

The KSR crew continues to navigate the intricate landscape of Kentucky sports, balancing fervent fan perspectives with in-depth analysis and community engagement.

Transcript

[Matt Jones]

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[Ryan Lemond]

Nmlsconsumeraccess.Org welcome to hour two of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones.

[Drew Franklin]

Welcome back. Our number two Kentucky Sports Radio, 859-280-2287 couple fellas here came from Pikeville. I was just telling them pikeville. I love Pikeville. Love Pike County. They'd be good to poll on this next question.

[Matt Jones]

Yes, they would.

[Drew Franklin]

What did you think of the thing with Reed Shepherd? So 859-280-2287 if you didn't see it before the game, Reed is at the Rockets games and the players like walk in on like a red carpet. He walked in in an Arkansas T shirt and Kentucky shorts. The day of the game. This is before the game, right?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

When the game is over and Arkansas wins, they put out the picture and it says Arkansas on top, which is a pretty great caption and also not what you want to see if you're a Kentucky fan. When I saw it, I thought it had to be AI. I was like, there's no way a kid from London Kentucky whose dad played here and whose mom played here is walking in an Arkansas shirt. I get it's a coach, but you know what? So I mean, I don't remember when we played Louisville. Do you remember Kentucky Bricks players wearing a Louisville shirt and Kentucky shorts?

[Shannon The Dude]

Did Jeff wear that one?

[Drew Franklin]

Did wear that. Also Mark is Jeff's roommate. But again, I don't this. I mean greed's a grown up. I'm sure he didn't call Jeff and say should I wear what? Can I wear this or not he reads a grown up, he can do what he wants. But you know, I don't remember any of Rick's guys wearing Louisville shirts, you know, Kentucky shorts. Not, not that I remember. Maybe, maybe I'm wrong, but I, I, I can't. So I was pretty bummed about it. I'm not going to lie to you. You know, he's a kid. Everybody gets to make mistakes, so yes, they do. But that one was odd to me. He was interviewed after the game and he said, I thought it, I thought everybody would just think it's funny. Well, maybe if we'd won, but when we lose, I don't know if it's as funny to people. Then after the game, some of those guys, that they were all on the same team, Ty, Ty Washington, Davey and Mintz and Jacob Toppin seemed like they were trash talking a little bit. Oddly, that one didn't bother me as much. Those kids had a weird experience here where, you know, we lost to Saint Peter's and, and, and I think they all like it here. I think that those were mistakes too. But you know what? Wor go away. Pictures stay. I'm just really surprised by Reed. I'm not saying it's like going to affect my judgment. I'm just really surprised he did that. And if he really didn't think this would be the reaction, I want to be like, how did you not think this would be the re. Of course this is the reaction.

[Matt Jones]

He didn't do himself any favors because it really upset a lot of people. And there is, there's something we've talked about before. There's something about seeing it. You know, you can read it online, tweets or something is different. But you see it. That visual image of Reed wearing an Arkansas shirt kind of punched us right in the gut, I think a little bit.

[Shannon The Dude]

I couldn't believe it. I mean, you can just wear your Carhartt or you could wear even a Kentucky T shirt. Arkansas shorts feels different. Maybe that shouldn't feel different, but that does feel different. And I texted you immediately after the game. Always. I'm one of the last people leave Rupp Arena. I linger for the Pope show. I talk to fans in the crowd. Not one person wanted to talk about the basketball game that ended 20 minutes before I was talking to them. It was all read, read, read, read, can't come back. I was shocked by other. Even though I thought it was a bad move, the fan base was very, very, very.

[Drew Franklin]

It's because he's from here. It's like he's from here. I get. Okay, so take like Ty Ty Washington when he tweets out after the game, came into yo trap.

[Shannon The Dude]

Trap took over your trap. He always said that when they won here.

[Drew Franklin]

What is it Trap. Yo trap. I also don't know why Ty. Ty did that either. And he. But you know what, Ty. Ty is from what, Phoenix. Okay. So he's here for a year. And part of the trade off with Cal was you're going to get guys who they're here for Cal, they're not here for Kentucky. Like, that's part of the Cal trade off. And it worked for many years. And a lot of those guys then when they're here, they kind of fall in love with it. But then he was here, got hurt and we lost to St. Peter's and I'm not sure, maybe he fell in his love as everybody else with the way that. But Reed shepherd grew up here. His dad played here, his mom played here. He played here. Our biggest complaint last year was they didn't play him enough. That was our biggest complaint. And to see that guy do it, I think it's just like what We've.

[Matt Jones]

Got a Reed shepherd jersey hanging here in the restaurant. He's the only current player. The one next to him would be John Wall. Like, there's no between John Wall and Reed Shepherd. That's how much he was beloved in this state. And so him kind of wearing that Arkansas shirt almost felt like being a little bit of a traitor.

[Shannon The Dude]

I felt like fans feel like they cheered him through high school to get him to uk. That might not be the case, but you know, fans really, really, really put a lot of pressure on Cal in Kentucky to get Reed. I mean, they did everything but run out there and put him in the games themselves last year. Let's add the NIL era. People were very good to read shepherd monetarily. He had that very expensive camp after the year where a bunch of fans attended. I just couldn't believe that it wouldn't enter his mind that this is idea. Like what did Reed get out of that? Nothing. Like, you didn't have to do that.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, Arkansas fans are not ne. They're not making him a fan. Like even if he had just worn a Coach Cal shirt and Kentucky, like it was Arkansas, but it was Arkansas. Shannon, you're much more like straightforward than most of us. What did you think of that?

[Ryan Lemond]

Exactly what you just said. I said that on the pre show. If he'd have come out with like some sort of John Caliperi shirt And Kentucky shorts, I would be fine with that. But you don't need to put on the Arkansas. You have no affiliation to Arkansas. You're a Kentucky guy. So what are you doing? I thought it was a bad look.

[Matt Jones]

I thought maybe he lost a bet with somebody on the team and, like, that's why he had to wear.

[Drew Franklin]

But he. No, he said he wanted to show appreciation to his coach and he thought it would be funny.

[Ryan Lemond]

So if Reed shepherd comes back to Rubberina, are we booing him now?

[Drew Franklin]

I don't think he's gonna get. I don't think he's gonna get booed, but I do think it. I. I think people were, like, really bummed.

[Ryan Lemond]

They're not gonna forget that.

[Drew Franklin]

I heard they won't forget that. It will stick with people.

[Matt Jones]

It will.

[Drew Franklin]

It's not going to make them hate him, but it's going to stick with people. People will remember that. Like, you know, if we, if we had won, I think people would forget it. But because we lost, I think people will remember that. I really do.

[Shannon The Dude]

Just as I was surprised by him doing it, I was surprised by how nasty some of the reaction was, too. Maybe that was late at night. You're upset about Arkansas, but he got some. Listen, pretty bad stuff online that you shouldn't see.

[Drew Franklin]

When I was watching that women's game yesterday, I had one person come up to me and say, because I was. I was in a cardinal part of town, right? I had one person come up to me and say, hi, and it was this lady. She was probably, you know, 75, 80 years old. And she came up, looked at me and she said, I love your show. Listen to it every day. Shout out to that woman. And she goes, I can't believe Reed Shepherd. That was her one.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

The one thing she said to me yesterday, I just don't know that they realized, you know, so what about the.

[Matt Jones]

People in the 13th region? It probably hurt them the most down there.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, we had a caller in the post game show from Harlan and he was like, what?

[Matt Jones]

Wow.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, I mean, that would be like in Meyer. It'd be like Richie doing it.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, Richie didn't walk out with a. With a Louisville shirt on.

[Matt Jones]

No, he didn't.

[Drew Franklin]

When we played, you know, and even Rex. Rex, who wanted to go to Louisville, Right. And who gets yelled at by the fan. But I've never seen him in a Louisville shirt since he went to UK or. I just. I'm shocked.

[Shannon The Dude]

And doing it. That red carpet they have, that is a photo opportunity for those Players, they know there's media everywhere. I mean, if you want to throw it on in the locker room or something, that's different. Even the tweets are different.

[Drew Franklin]

Even if we lost any wore to the press conference because he lost a bet. That's different.

[Shannon The Dude]

He knew what he was walking towards, and that would be all over the Internet. That's why I just couldn't believe he thought that was a good idea.

[Drew Franklin]

Who's up first?

[Ryan Lemond]

Josh.

[Drew Franklin]

Josh. Go ahead, Josh.

[Caller]

Hey, guys, thanks for taking my call. I think everything you guys are talking about right now kind of falls in line with why Kentucky fans grew weary with the Cal area where it was all about Cal. And, and, and I think we see that with, with Reed shepherd and all that, and it's what made, I think Saturday the most miserable experience that I can remember as a Kentucky fan. We had to sit through the, the whole week in the pre game with it being all about Cal, and then he went on the game.

[Drew Franklin]

It was terrible.

[Caller]

He wins in a game.

Yeah, he wins in a game where we shoot 44% from 3, 48% overall out, rebound them by offensive boards by 5. You think we win that game?

[Drew Franklin]

You do, you do.

[Caller]

You just need those numbers.

[Drew Franklin]

And he wins. Doing everything we wished he had done for the last few years that he wouldn't do, which is should play a Fish offense, make halftime adjustments, you know, put the right lineups in. You know, he played his starters. I appreciate the call. He played his starters 37, 38 minutes. Right. Like he was just like, we're going. These. The guys are good. We're going. We're going with. And they. And it worked.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. And then the three Kentucky guys, who. Somebody just sent me a message, scored five points against Oakland, had 52 points against us.

[Shannon The Dude]

That was DJ's best game in Rupert.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. See the deal. And listen, I like dj. I. I'm not anti dj, but dj. To a lot of UK fans, I think. I think people need to understand what DJ represents. To a lot of UK fans, DJ seems like a great kid. So I. And I'm pulling. I pull for all three of those guys to have great games in Arkansas lose. That's what I pull for. I like dj, but to a lot of UK fans, DJ sort of symbolizes Cal's obsession with playing the number one guy over the dudes that are good. Right. So Reed and Rob come off the bench so that DJ and Justin Edwards can play. That's what Kentucky fans see.

[Matt Jones]

Do you agree with that? Yes, I do agree with that.

[Drew Franklin]

So then to have him come in and play great, that just drives him even crazier. It's like the symbol of the part of Cal that we were like, come on, man. And then he wins with it. I can. It's just deflating for people. I understand there was a lot of.

[Shannon The Dude]

Where the hell was that last year? In reference Saturday night.

[Drew Franklin]

He had good game.

[Shannon The Dude]

No, he did, but, I mean, but to play that well, I think that was.

[Drew Franklin]

That was probably his best one. I mean, especially the way he turned around, second half or whatever. So, I mean, seven of eight. Yeah. Who's next?

[Ryan Lemond]

Tom.

[Drew Franklin]

Tom. Go ahead, Tom. Yeah.

[Caller]

After the game, you know, Cal went through the handshake line, you know.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Caller]

By the time he got through there, he was all the way almost down to the eruption zone down there, that basket. And then he turned around and of course, he had security around him and literally ran.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, he sprinted out the court and into the tunnel.

[Caller]

What was up? You know, what was up?

[Drew Franklin]

I think they were really worried. And when I say they. I don't know if it's UK or if it was Cal, but they were really worried about something happening. Like, there were more security there than I've ever seen.

[Ryan Lemond]

Did you see the guy grab his arm and run with him?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, like he was a kid when. When the speaker of the House was there, the leader of the Senate was there. I mean, I've been there whenever. And like, they didn't have the security around them. Cal did. What was it? They didn't sell can. What was.

[Shannon The Dude]

They always have bottled water. They sell bottles. But at that game, they were pouring water into plastic cups. You couldn't get a lid. And the workers said Caliper requested it.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I mean, the workers said Caliperi.

[Shannon The Dude]

Requested no bottles in the building.

[Drew Franklin]

No bottles in the building.

[Shannon The Dude]

Nobody was going to throw a bottle at John Caliper.

[Drew Franklin]

And you're right, they grabbed him. It looked to me like they treated him like they used to Michael Jackson, where, like, some dude would cover his head and then they would run out. Like they ran out of there. I, you know, I don't know what they thought we were.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I know he had to get to the interview with Alyssa Lang in the tunnel, but. But even fast walk, a brisk walk could have got that there.

[Ryan Lemond]

Even the interview in the tunnel. I mean, a lot of times they do those interviews out there on the floor, and if they were, like, trying.

[Drew Franklin]

To shield him on the floor. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I. It's now to his credit when I don't know what was happening. But some of the play Arkansas players were john with some of the fans he told them to get. He was, I thought, pretty classy in the post game, but there was a sense of like, no plastic bottles. I mean, there were more people with earpieces in there. I'm not kidding you. And it was like one guy looked at me and goes, may I help you? And I was like, may I help you? What are you talking about? We're not just standing here. What are you with?

[Shannon The Dude]

I know it was going to be a hostile crowd with booing, but I don't think anybody would throw a bot bottle or anything that crazy that they were prepared for. And I hate that he thought that that could even be the case.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, it was. It was odd. It was an odd thing. Hey, bbn, if you're exercising more, being healthier and saving money, they might be a place that you need to actually feel better as well. Court physical therapy has been Kentuckiana's leader in physical therapy for more than 30 years. Whether you're a chronic resolution breaker or someone who's serious about making a lifestyle change for better health, Court can help you be pain free and on your way to achieving your goals. Go to court.com that's kort.com to find a center near you. We'll take a break and be right back. This is KSR. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio a 592-802-2287. Ryan says Matt Reed's deals probably in support of his former teammates. As much as it is as it is, Cal, it's nothing. Well, he didn't say that, first of all. I mean, he was asked after the game, why'd you do it? And he said cow. So if it was for his teammates, I feel like he would have said that. So, you know. But secondly. All right, then wear a shirt that says a doo Z and wag. All right, I'm okay with that. She can't wear. I mean, you can't wear an Arkansas shirt. Like, again, do I think it's the end of the world? No. Do I think people should all hate him? No. But do I think that was a smart move? No, I don't. I don't think it was a smart move at all. I mean, people are allowed to do whatever they want, but then there's other people. It's like people are allowed to judge this, right? There's like when you do something, you're allowed to do it, but people are allowed to judge. It's like when people say something really Rude or offensive. And they're like, well, he's allowed to say it. Yeah. And I'm allowed to. To say something back to it. And I feel like that's what this is not. You know, this wasn't offensive, but it's like, kind of.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I'm allowed to have the feeling that I don't really like it. I like that look that he had. I agree with what Drew said. What if he just had a Kentucky shirt on and Arkansas shorts? I think I would have felt completely different about it.

[Drew Franklin]

I would have felt different. I still wouldn't like it. There's no reason to have that slobbering hog on your. On your. On your.

[Shannon The Dude]

I mean, of all the options, we're all UK where no Arkansas. If you got to have Arkansas, find a way to just work it in a little bit. He did the worst option.

[Drew Franklin]

He did do the worst option. 859-280-2287 Real quick, two former cats gotten huge trades over the weekend. Anthony Davis gets traded to Dallas Dear and Fox gets traded to San Antonio. First. Dear and Fox. Like, that's great. Now it's him and Wimby guys gonna have a chance to be, like, in our lives for the next six or eight years. Like, he's gone from maybe the most obscure place to play to now in two or three years, he will be.

[Shannon The Dude]

Playing for championships, and that duo is going to be awesome. I jumped from NBA team to NBA team based on Kentucky players. I'm a Spurs guy now. That is going to be so fun to watch. And I'm glad he got out of Sacramento, my old favorite team, because that's just a franchise that's going nowhere. And he's too good. Wasting his good years there. I'm glad he got to a market and team where he can win.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, he's become a superstar. A superstar. So he deserves the right to play for a championship. I feel like.

[Drew Franklin]

And then I feel a little bad for Anthony Davis because people are like, well, why would they trade Luca to the Lakers? And I actually, the way I see it is they must really hate Luka. Like, they must really hate because they must. They must think, like, we can't deal with this dude because there's no other reason to do it. But people are acting like Anthony Davis is just like some scrappy player. I mean, Anthony Davis, one of the top 15 or 20 players in the league. Not as good as Luca. Okay. But if you think Luca is going to age poorly, you got to give him $375 million. Anthony Davis, probably the best player you're going to get for him, to be honest with you. So I hate that Anthony Davis is kind of getting thrown in this. Like, he's not great. I mean, he's great. It's just, you know, he may not be as great as Luca, but he's great.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

This would be a great big three, like, four years ago with Clay there. They still have some hope, and I. I think they'll kind of rally because you don't. He probably doesn't really want to be there, and maybe the three that are there without Luka will turn it into something. I was just glad it happened because it happened the moment Kentucky, Arkansas, and.

[Drew Franklin]

We were off the news.

[Shannon The Dude]

The story was over immediately. So whoever had. What's that? GM There must be a UK fan, because they jacked the headlines when we didn't want to be the main story.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, we were the big story for, like, 30 minutes. Everybody would have been talking about, oh, why they boot camp over Sunday.

[Shannon The Dude]

Sports center would have been all Cal uk instead of.

[Drew Franklin]

They told me right after we lost, I got the text from my producer for my Sunday morning show that said, get ready to talk about a lot of Cal tomorrow. Just warning you. Then when it came on, we spent 10 minutes on it. It was Luca, A.D. the whole time. I didn't have to. I didn't have to sit there and eat crow nationally, don't you think?

[Matt Jones]

Dallas, like, Drew said with. With Clay, Kyrie, and Ad, like, they can make a run now, those three guys, probably more so than when they.

[Drew Franklin]

Had Luca in the short term. Yeah, but Anthony Davis is 31 and Lucas 25. But Luca also, like, I think he eats nerds gummy clusters for breakfast every day. Like, I mean, he's. He's not in shape. Neither is Jokic, though, and look how good he is.

[Shannon The Dude]

So a lot of people shared that clip where at the end of last season, Lucas drinking a beer in the locker room, and Michael Finley, the team president, I guess, goes and takes it out of his hand. That resurfaces. Maybe some concerns around him there.

[Drew Franklin]

Who's up next?

[Ryan Lemond]

Sarah.

[Drew Franklin]

Sarah. Go ahead, Sarah. Yeah.

[Caller]

Hey. So this is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but just hear me out. So I'm not talking about the stuff before the game. I'm talking about, like, during the game. I think that the Kentucky fans that were at Rupp kind of failed our team and Mark on Saturday. And what I mean by that is, like, even Drew earlier made a comment about, like, oh, Rupp woke back up when this happened. And I just think, especially at that type of game, like there should never be waking back up. Like it should have been like as loud as a Taylor Swift concert the entire time. There should have never been a quiet moment.

[Drew Franklin]

Were you, were you at the game?

[Caller]

I wasn't, no. But I would have gladly taken somebody, somebody's ticket who was sitting there not doing anything.

[Drew Franklin]

Here's my view about fans cheering. You also have to give them something to cheer about. Like when you're down 16, I mean, how are they supposed to be? Not like if we give a 160 run or 14. Oh, whatever it was like how you supposed to get excited? Like it's also up to the, you know, it's a, it's a two way street. It's the players then get. Inspire the fans who then inspire the players more like, you can't, you can't.

[Caller]

But you don't think they were trying hard? You don't think they were playing hard?

[Drew Franklin]

Who?

[Caller]

The players. You don't think they were playing hard?

[Drew Franklin]

Of course they were. But I'm saying to you, the fans, though, you can't expect someone to just sit and scream for two and a half hours straight hours. I mean, a lot of those people were there an hour plus before the game. So, you know, you gotta have moments.

[Caller]

I just think you have a responsibility to your team as a fan. So if you're gonna get there an hour before and do all this stuff beforehand, like, you have a responsibility, your team, to build them up and help them and motivate them.

[Drew Franklin]

I get it. But at the same time, I don't know what you're supposed to cheer about on a 140 run. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know what, I don't know what the fans are supposed to do. Go. Yeah.

[Caller]

I mean, everything they've done for us this season, all the joy and excitement and like everything they've done for us this season, we can't like help them out when they' feeling defeated. Like, I don't know. I just, I don't think we did our part on Saturday.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, I appreciate the call. I mean, I get it, but at the same time, I don't know, I just, you know, when they've scored basket after basket after basket, like, what are you going to do?

[Ryan Lemond]

I thought that was as loud as I can remember RUP in years, for sure.

[Matt Jones]

I think the whole first crowd, I.

[Ryan Lemond]

Thought the crowd was.

[Drew Franklin]

First half, the crowd was insane.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Drew Franklin]

The second half, you know, start playing.

[Shannon The Dude]

Poorly, Played poorly and everybody was so nervous. Like you said, it's hard to cheer when you can, you know.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

Barely eat your hunt brothers pizza.

[Drew Franklin]

There's a lot. There was a lot of nerves. I mean, I was nervous and I wasn't even playing. You know, I didn't even make it to opening tip before I got, you know, it was just. It's a lot. There's only two weeks left to help God's Pantry food bank get to their goal of a million meals by Valentine's Day. Million meals. Every time I read this, I donate 41@God's pantry.org KSR you should too. If you donate $41, it's 246 meals we've raised. I didn't get the update yet, but we've raised a ton of money with this and you all keep coming through. God's pantry.org KSR you get frustrated about the game. You're just frustrated about life. Go to something productive. Godspantry.org KSR I suggest 41, but you can do $5 and it still can be helpful at God's pantry. You know what? You're wearing a really tight shirt.

[Matt Jones]

Showing off my muscles.

[Drew Franklin]

Like, what's the rationale? You usually tend to do this when you feel good. Do you feel like things are happening for you?

[Matt Jones]

I don't tell you. Like, I went for a drive. I felt so bad after the game Saturday night. I still kind of feeling a fun. Why the tight trip Makes me feel good about myself.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, I guess that's what matters. We'll take a break. Be right back.

[Matt Jones]

Not sure where to start.

[Drew Franklin]

TJ Smith, personal injury attorney. Call tj. He'll make him pay.

[Ryan Lemond]

Now more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm feeling approved. Dog dare me now. This is a good song.

[Matt Jones]

It is a great song.

[Drew Franklin]

The Avett brothers did a cover of this in Louisville, like right after he died.

[Matt Jones]

Really?

[Drew Franklin]

And I have it. I saw it on the tick tock. And just as a little side note, because I needed to be cheered up yesterday. I was. I was. I mean, I wasn't like, as depressed as my mom thought I was, but, like, I was okay. So you know what I did yesterday? And I forgot how much I love this dude. Like, we always talk about. My favorite comedian of all time is Norm. But there's some other people that you really like. And one that I like that I'd forgotten how much I like is Bernie Mac. And I got on a tick tock Bernie Mac train of just watching old Bernie Mac stuff that dude Is was hilarious. And like, his attitude, he'd just walk on stage and just be like. And just sort of look at people. I mean, he famously went to the Apollo, you know, where it's. Which is where the comedians all would get their start on that Martin Lawrence show, right? And he'd come out and they were notorious for they would just boo you if they didn't like you. And I guess some dude had just gotten on the stage before him and gotten destroyed. And he just walks out and he goes, I ain't scared of you. Blah, blah, blah. And like, just kills wearing the ugliest outfit I've ever seen in my life. It had his face on his jeans. But nevertheless, I watched two and a half hours of Bernie Mac clips on TikTok and that helped cheer me up a little bit.

[Shannon The Dude]

I love Bernie Mac. I can do his whole Kings of Comedy set just on radio.

[Drew Franklin]

I love it. Some milk and cookies.

[Shannon The Dude]

Him downstairs, him downstairs. I miss Bernie Mac. He's a legend. I might have to go find a tick tock algorithm to get in there, too.

[Matt Jones]

Died young too, didn't he?

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes.

[Drew Franklin]

Him downstairs. He looked at me like, I'm short.

[Shannon The Dude]

Wish I could do the whole thing.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't think we could do any of it and stay on the radio, but. 859-280-2287. Who's up next? Oh, wait a minute. Hang on. One thing before we do that. One person writes me and goes, matt, let's the text machine. 772-774-5254. Do you think we saw the worst of Kentucky crowds? Not just what she said about during the game, but the booing. Does it represent us going too far? No. Okay. No. You can disagree whether they should have boot or not. I get it. I get there's people that don't think we should. There's people who say, be classier. I get it. Like, it's sport. My argument is it's sports. Like, if, you know this is not real life. If you saw John Caliperi walking down the street and he was like, at the grocery store and you went up to him and boot him, that's bad. But this is sports. This is the gallery. This is like you're in the Coliseum. It's. It's about that thing. If you want to do it. If you don't, but you stop me. The sort of moral proselytizing about whether or not to boo. You can't look at me and say, man, I love when that politician tells that other one off and then tell Me, we should be classy about a sporting event which matters not at all in the grand scheme of life. So Caliperi will get. One of Cal's best friends came up to me and said, I expect he gets booed. I also expect one day he gets a standing ovation.

[Matt Jones]

And that'll happen.

[Drew Franklin]

That'll happen.

[Matt Jones]

That'll definitely happen.

[Drew Franklin]

That'll happen. So, you know, no, it wasn't the worst of the fan base. It was. And it wasn't even the majority of the fan base, I think, that did boo. But it. But both groups of people were allowed to do it without people telling them that they're somehow not a fan for doing it.

[Shannon The Dude]

It clears that all week you were. You're booing to create an atmosphere for an opposing team that's coming in to ruin your weekend. Cal said himself in that interview, Jimmy Dykes. Of course they're going to boo me. I'm wearing the other team's clothes coming in to beat their team. That's a booing situation. And one day we'll name something after Cal. Hope he gets his Tubby celebration. And, you know, everybody cheers him. But that was a basketball game.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, Tubby's another exam. I mean, Tubby never got booed. Tubby would have never gotten booed like that here. But he also took him a longer time to get applause than it probably should have. Right. And to be brought in here than it probably should have. That's just how it works. Part of the trade off of being here is that we care too much. The reason John Caliper made $10 million is because we care too much. And the reason he gets booed is because we care too much. But you know what? That's why we're great. There's not another arena in America that would have had that scene on Saturday, which is why it's so stupid. Game day didn't come. That won't happen again. Maybe in my life. Like, but we produce that. And when you come here, that's just part of the trade. You. Nobody's making you do it. You know, people say things like, cal gave us 13 years of his 14. Yes. And we gave him $150 million. This isn't like a salt mine that we forced him to work in.

[Matt Jones]

You know what? 95% of the college teams in America would love to have the passion our fan base has. That's what makes Kentucky basketball special. We're so passionate about our team. So, yes, you're the opposing coach coming in. You're going to get booed. We boo Bruce Pearl. We booze Rick Barnes. It doesn't matter who you are, and when you used to coach here, you're going to get a little extra. I think you should. You should know that coming in.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, Bruce Pearl, every time he plays us, and this will happen again, he will talk about. He will look and say, rupp arena is my favorite building. And if I'm an Auburn fan, I'm like. But he says that every time. And he says, this is the best part. He says all this and what happens when he walks in. That's what we do. That's what you do in sports. Who's next?

[Ryan Lemond]

Joseph.

[Drew Franklin]

Joseph. Go ahead. Joseph. Joseph. All right, who's next?

[Ryan Lemond]

Scoop.

[Drew Franklin]

Scoop. How are you, Scoop?

[Caller]

I'm doing well.

[Drew Franklin]

How are you guys doing?

[Caller]

Good for taking the call. So, you know, as a fan up here in Ohio, I just, you know, I found myself frustrated Saturday night after the loss just because being a loyal UK fan, you get frustrated losses. But these fans that are going out here talking about, this is a black eye on Pope and it's the worst loss of the season and all this other stuff, I mean, that's what gives UK fan base a black eye and a bad look. If you don't think the game this weekend was more about the fans than it was about the players, then you're nuts. I mean, I know people who spent maybe their life savings to get tickets to this game. I mean, we got people I know that spent $3,000 for two tickets. My son asked me to take him down there on Saturday night. I look up ticket prices, and they're 375 for the last row in the arena. My God. I can't.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay, I'm about to bring you down. Just a sec. I appreciate the call. Just, just, just deep breath.

[Matt Jones]

Scoop was excited.

[Drew Franklin]

Scoop getting into was the worst loss of the season. That's not incorrect. However, it's not a black eye on Pope. It's a game. Right? It's a game. But it was a lot bad loss. Both those things can be true.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I did get frustrated about the people online trying to say negative things about.

[Drew Franklin]

Our coach and Pope, but who are those people? Like, what is their argument really? I mean, I just want you to imagine what it would be like at this school if we were 2 and 6 in the SEC with Cal. How would this year have gone? Let's just say they do the same stuff they do here, and then he's one in six. Then he goes to Arkansas, gets a win on the road and we're 13 and 8, 2 and 6 in the SEC. You think this fan base would be like, yep, that's what we want?

[Matt Jones]

No.

[Shannon The Dude]

After the game I had some people with me that were had a little trouble keeping their emotions in check and I was like, would you trade with Arkansas right now? Well, no. All right, well then grow up. It sucks. It's going to suck tomorrow, might even suck on Monday. We're still in a great spot. This has been such a fun season. So yes, Arkansas won that one, but Arkansas is still 2 and 6 in the league.

[Drew Franklin]

Kentucky still does it does, I think put some pressure on Pope to finish the season strong and have a good march because this will be one that that lingers. Right. So like there is a pressure now to sort of finish strong. But remember we don't have a point guard right now and that is going to make it harder. We play the worst teams in the sec. Well, we just played one of them but we still play the others. So there are wins to be had. But we also still play Alabama, Auburn and Tenness.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

So you know Ole Miss is ranked.

[Shannon The Dude]

One of the hardest places to win. What if they go win Tuesday? You just beat Tennessee and Ole Miss on the road and lost one. That stunk.

[Drew Franklin]

Very plausible thing to happen.

[Matt Jones]

Sure.

[Drew Franklin]

We also could lose, have a losing record in the SEC going into the South Carolina game.

[Matt Jones]

That's not a crazy thought either.

[Drew Franklin]

So tell me about Stockton.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, I've got it pulled up here today so I'm ready to go. All right, ladies and gentlemen, Stockton Mortgage. Let me turn my camera sideways here. If you're looking for a place to call home during basketball season, working with Stockton Mortgage gives you the home field advantage. See, we're kind of making it tie it into the basketball season.

[Drew Franklin]

Just read it.

[Matt Jones]

Stockton mortgage has over 20 branches across Kentucky and dozens more beyond Kentucky. So no matter who you're rooting for, Stockton is in your corner, literally. Talk to Stockton Mortgage today about your home loan needs and find a loan officer near you. Check out their [e-mail] stockton.com NMLS 8259 equal housing lender.

[Drew Franklin]

What is docton.com stockton.com Stockton not Brandon.

[Matt Jones]

Stockton, it's Stockton Mortgage.

[Drew Franklin]

All right. 8592802287 we are going to take a break. We will be right back. This is the it's just ksr. It'll be all right. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio, 859280, 2287. Let's do real Quick, before I get to these text machine messages, the Draft Kings go to DraftKings. Promo code KSR. They got super bowl bets. Like, you figure out what you want to bet. You could do it. You can bet like how many toenails will Travis Kelsey have at the end of the game?

[Shannon The Dude]

10 going with them.

[Drew Franklin]

You don't think he loses one?

[Ryan Lemond]

Is there an over on that?

[Drew Franklin]

You know, you think you might add.

[Ryan Lemond]

One, end up with that one in your pocket.

[Drew Franklin]

He's gonna take the over on the team.

[Ryan Lemond]

It's gonna grow.

[Drew Franklin]

Wow, that's an interesting one. You go to DraftKings.com promo code KSR. Bet 5, get 200 and watch for all the super bowl specials coming now our DraftKings picks. Most the games tonight stink, but there's a big one. Iowa State at Kansas. Iowa State lost by at home by 20 to Kansas State. Can they reverse, go on the road and win at Kansas?

[Matt Jones]

Kansas choked it against Baylor this weekend. They had the lead and late in the game.

[Drew Franklin]

I think Kansas was up 16 or 18 in that game and blew it.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

I would take Iowa State at home, but not in the fog. I'll go Kansas here. It'll be close. I'm acting. I'm looking forward to watching this one. I don't usually watch stuff outside the sec, but I'll be watching this one.

[Matt Jones]

I have a State sneaky, good. But Kansas seems to. They're kind of struggling a lot this.

[Drew Franklin]

Year, by the way. I think, I now think there are three teams that have separated themselves from the pack. I think it's Auburn, Alabama and Duke are the three are the three best ones. And even with Duke, like, they don't play anybody, so it's hard to know for real. You know, I said, remember I said after one game duke was going 20 and oh, in the ACC that may happen and that's going to happen. And Louisville lost, though they did lose my thing that they might not want to.

[Matt Jones]

Georgia Tech.

[Shannon The Dude]

Georgia Tech two of the top five team right behind Duke and Auburn are in Ken Palm at least are Tennessee and Florida. And Kentucky's already got two wins over that. So, yeah, when people are worried about the sky falling, remember those games, one.

[Drew Franklin]

Person writes, my frustration with you, Matt, is you ran Cal out of town.

[Shannon The Dude]

Right.

[Drew Franklin]

For losing at home, losing big games, losing in the tourney. Well, Pope's managed to do two of those things. He better not get out of the first round of the tournament. Tournament. What do you think about that? I mean, I think you're an idiot. Honestly, that's What I think about that, like, that's a really stupid viewpoint. First of all, this is his first year. He has won. Pope has won more big games in one year than Cal probably won in the last five.

[Shannon The Dude]

If we're being real, we won the Champions Classic.

[Drew Franklin]

We had wins the last. We hadn't won a game in the Championships Classic in the last five years. We probably would win one big SEC game a year. We already did that. We got half the season left. And we can't do worse than the SEC tournament, NCAA tournament, than he did in the last five years. So that's stupid. The other thing is give him a second. He had a month to get this roster together and his two point guards got hurt stuff. I mean, it's tough. I have two questions about Mark Pope and only two. Question one, can he go get the elite, elite guy? Still don't think that's happened yet. I think his recruits coming in are really good, but I don't think any of them yet are going to be like so good they can lead you to a final Four. Like there just. There aren't many of those guys that come in as freshmen. I'm not sure any of these three are. And then second, can he win in a tournament just because he hadn't done it yet? But everything else I don't question.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Out of the five teams, you guys just mentioned the top five, he's beat three of the five. Duke, Tennessee and Florida.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, think about the teams. Think about the three teams that are the best in the country in my opinion. Auburn's got a national player of the year candidate in broom and a lot of guys that can play. I think Pope is going to end up building teams like Auburn's team. Alabama plays the style we like, just has players a little bit better than us. And Duke's got a once every five years level superstar and other good freshmen. We still have any of that right now, and that's why we're a couple.

[Shannon The Dude]

Notches below they're so beat up. Colin Chandler playing 17 minutes. I mean, did anyone expect Travis Perry, Trent Noah, Colin Chandler to be planning meaningful minutes right now back when they were beating Duke? Shows how bad the roster's gotten with these injuries.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, just think about when everybody was healthy, they didn't.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

Which is probably what he thought Pope thought was going to happen. Who's next?

[Ryan Lemond]

Let's go to Dan.

[Drew Franklin]

Dan. What's up, Dan? Hey, Matt.

[Caller]

Dan from Rocky. Now, you know, this weekend 11 teams out of top 25 lost. That's just showing you the parity that's in, you know, it's in the basketball this year. Except for those first three teams you said. And you know, and Arkansas came in here with beer muscles. You know, it's like we went to Tennessee. Of course, we didn't have the, you know, the opposing coach going there, but we go into Tennessee and meet Tennessee and nobody thought we were going to do that.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, we'll still win at least one or two games that we don't think we're going to win, and we'll probably still lose one or two. We don't think we're going. I think that's just how his teams are, at least at this point.

[Caller]

Let me ask you this too. I get my second question. It teams, you know, they always say defense wins championships. I think now maybe three pointers are the ones that are going to win.

[Drew Franklin]

Of course. Yeah. That. That old adage, defense wins championships is from a different. From a different time. I mean, now offense wins championships. You can't be awful defensively, but you win by having dudes, and I appreciate the call who can put it in the basketball. And now we need to be better defensively. Mark Pope's really never had a great team defensively, and right now we're not good defensively and we don't quite have the offensive firepower because of these injuries.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, we have to play. A couple guys are good offensively that are just not players and they. They need to be on the floor, but they hurt us defensively.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. And he has to be cognizant, Drew, of playing too many of those defensive liabilities at the same time. Like, he cannot play. Like, at one point in the game, we had Perry, Braya, Almanor and Garrison in at the same time. That's just not going to work. Those dudes cannot guard, you know, like away and Robinson. There should never be a moment where one of those guys at the end. Right. And you probably need to just tell the two of them, look, Ortega, Jackson, you're going 38 tonight. Like, like that's just what's happening. So let's go.

[Shannon The Dude]

And while they're limited not to call out any individuals, but one guy, Kobe Braya, gotta have more than five points for you in games like that, especially hits that three right away and you don't hear from him again. If he can't. We know he can't defend very well if he's not throwing in threes. He's also can be a liability.

[Matt Jones]

He's a liability.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. No, he's.

[Shannon The Dude]

He helps stretch the floor.

[Drew Franklin]

But you still gotta make him. He's the worst defender on the team. I mean he can't guard. No offense to him, but he can't guard anybody. And that makes it really hard. So you better be making shots.

[Matt Jones]

You know, Travis hit a three, but then he made a couple bad turnovers.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, See Travis, his problem is turnovers. Like, hey man, just take a breath.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, we did.

[Drew Franklin]

We, you know, we need you to not make the basic mistakes because we might need your shooting some. Who's next? Next?

[Ryan Lemond]

Let's go to Todd.

[Drew Franklin]

Todd, I got about a minute. Okay. Hey, buddy.

[Caller]

It's first time caller. I want to give a shout out my mom and Berea and cousin. Hey, your opening statements about the substitution. We was leading Florida early. He made substitutions a lot of times during timeouts. He does. And it's killing our momentum and chemistry on the floor. We got to ride the horses so they go down. And I, I believe I kind of agree with. How did that kill me when he took. He took Dillingham out. He had three shots against Kansas put him on the bench. You know, you got to ride.

[Drew Franklin]

What's funny? He didn't do that. He didn't do it yesterday. No, he didn't put his. Appreciate the call. Saturday he put his guys just let him.

[Matt Jones]

Let him ride.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, so we are here Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. Fridays are remote. Is where Kentucky branded. Yeah. Getting ready for the South Carolina game. Hey, thank you all. Leave aside the endings. Today was an awesome day in Lexington and it was awesome here and it was a lot of fun. I wish it could have ended better. We're going to have better day coming in the next two or three weeks. I believe it. Thank you all. We'll see you. This has been KSR.