2025-02-27- KSR - Hour 1

Summary

Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) - Episode: Hour 1 | February 27, 2025

Host: Matt Jones
Co-Hosts: Drew Franklin & Ryan Lemond
Presented by: iHeartPodcasts and Sports Talk 790 (WKRD-AM)
Release Date: February 27, 2025

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Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) kicks off the afternoon with host Matt Jones and his co-hosts, Drew Franklin and Ryan Lemond, delving deep into the latest happenings in UK sports. The episode primarily revolves around Kentucky Wildcats' thrilling victory over Oklahoma, team dynamics, coaching decisions, and fan experiences, all interspersed with engaging banter and listener interactions.

1. Game Recap: Kentucky vs. Oklahoma

The episode opens with an enthusiastic discussion about Kentucky's impressive win over Oklahoma. The Wildcats showcased resilience, particularly during an intense 8-0 run led by key players.

• Matt Jones reminisces about the game's pivotal moments:
  "I thought I want to go watch the last few minutes again." [01:38]

• Drew Franklin highlights the clutch performances:
  "We got two bigs back, and they got the win." [03:32]

2. Key Player Performances

Lamont Butler and Jackson Robinson emerged as standout players, significantly impacting the game's outcome.

• Ryan Lemond praises Butler's influence:
  "Butler was a huge reason we did it." [03:32]

• Matt Jones underscores the importance of Butler returning:
  "When Butler plays again, it's always a star game." [04:22]

Ortega also played a crucial role, especially in the final minutes, despite a rough start.

• Matt Jones reflects on Ortega's performance:
  "He missed the first two shots, but in the last 12 minutes, he acted like nothing happened." [05:04]

3. Coaching Decisions and Impact

Head Coach Mark Pope made strategic calls that both impressed and ignited frustration among the hosts.

• Discussing Pope's reaction post-game:
  "Mark Pope said it felt like a first-round game in the NCAA tournament." [02:13]

• Addressing Pope's on-air outburst:
  "He let off the steam, but it shows how much he cares." [38:38]

4. Fan Experience and Atmosphere in Norman, Oklahoma

The hosts express disappointment with the fan turnout and atmosphere at the game in Norman.

• Matt Jones laments:
  "What's wrong with those people? No pride." [16:45]

• Drew Franklin adds:
  "Maybe they're just mad because they have to live in Norman." [17:26]

5. Post-Game Reactions and Player Behavior

Post-game emotions ran high, leading to tense interactions and displays of frustration.

• Matt Jones recounts an incident where a beer can was thrown at Brandon Garrison:
  "A guy threw a beer can. That would've been serious." [16:51]

• Discussion about Mark Pope's on-air language:
  "He said the S word. That's bad." [38:43]

6. Team Prospects in SEC and NCAA Tournaments

Looking ahead, the hosts analyze Kentucky's potential trajectory in upcoming tournaments.

• Matt Jones breaks down scenarios:
  "If we beat LSU, you're probably getting a buy-in in the SEC tournament." [12:26]

• Drew Franklin remains optimistic:
  "This team can win out." [13:57]

7. Listener Interactions and On-Air Discussions

Engaging with listeners, Matt navigates through calls, addressing concerns and sharing moments from the broadcast.

• Heather's Call:
  "Heather was upset because Billy told her to take a break after multiple calls." [24:10]

• Matt's Response:
  "Heather is interesting, and I can make her interesting on-air." [25:42]

8. Handling On-Air Mistakes and Show Dynamics

The episode takes a candid turn as the hosts discuss handling on-air slip-ups and maintaining show quality.

• Matt Jones reflects on an awkward interaction with Heather:
  "I feel like I have to console her, which I do on air." [25:42]

• Ryan Lemond offers advice on handling PR issues:
  "Apologize and move on. Don't press it." [28:28]

9. Additional Highlights and Future Topics

Towards the end, the hosts tease upcoming discussions, including tributes to recent events and interactions with fans.

• Matt Jones hints at covering a sad death and Louisville fan interactions:
  "We'll talk about all that next." [42:47]

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Matt Jones [02:13]:
  "Pope said on the post game it felt like a first round game in the NCAA tournament."

• Ryan Lemond [03:42]:
  "That was a big moment where it was clear how important Butler was."

• Matt Jones [38:43]:
  "He said the S word. That's bad."

• Ryan Lemond [39:55]:
  "Sometimes you gotta be white hot to get your moment across."

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Conclusion

In this episode of Kentucky Sports Radio, Matt Jones, along with Drew Franklin and Ryan Lemond, provide an in-depth analysis of Kentucky Wildcats' recent performance, highlighting individual player contributions, coaching decisions, and the overall team strategy. Their passionate discussions offer listeners a comprehensive understanding of the game, the team's prospects, and the dynamic interactions between players and coaching staff. Additionally, the hosts navigate through listener calls, addressing both on-air challenges and maintaining an engaging show atmosphere. As the episode concludes, fans are left anticipating more insightful discussions in future broadcasts.

Transcript

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Comedy Off Broadway in Lexington welcomes Dale Jones February 14th and 15th. Then catch Lucas Zelnick February 21st and 22nd and don't miss club favorite Ian Bagg February 27th through March 1st. Comedy Off Broadway opened in downtown Lexington in 1987 and they're still bringing the best in stand up comedy to the area 38 years later. Call 859-271-Joke or visit comedyoff broadway.com comedyoff.

[Matt Jones]

Broadway Brooklyn.

This is Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones.

Welcome everyone. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. Thursday, February 27th. I am Matt Jones. One day till the end of February. I can't believe we're almost to March. The best month of the year is here.

[Drew Franklin]

Where did January go?

[Matt Jones]

I don't. We're in February.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I don't know. Clark's Pumping Shop phone lines 859-280-2287. A Vision Auto Glass text machine. 772-774-5254. In this edition, sponsored by the T.J. smith Law Office. Call T.J. he'll make them pay. I fell asleep last night, guys, at 3:15 in the morning.

[Drew Franklin]

Goodness. Wow.

[Matt Jones]

I just couldn't, you know, we finished the post game show at like 1:45. I was excited. And then, you know, you just get and I thought I want to go watch the last few minutes again. And then I did. And then you're just kind of amped and tried to read a little bit of Sally Rooney inter mezzo. But it wasn't getting me like calm. So I said, you know what? I'm just going to go to sleep. When I go to sleep, it was cats with an 83, 82 win over Oklahoma. How great was that?

[Drew Franklin]

You're right. It, it did feel like a March Madness game, didn't it? For sure had that feel to it.

[Matt Jones]

But Pope said on the post game it felt like a first round game in the NCAA tournament. And I see what he Was saying the arena, not a ton of energy in it. You're having to supply your own energy. But guys going back and forth and you have adversity, but you got to find a way to win. Drew, I thought that was a good analogy.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah. I hope it's not a first round scenario. I'd like to win by 15 when we get to that point. But that was a thriller. I actually hated the game for 39 minutes. I just once Lamont Butler went out, I'll admit, I threw my arms in the air. They had the big guy hit a three. Who never hits threes. I'm like this, this. I just have a horrible feeling.

[Matt Jones]

The big guy was a tough.

[Ryan Lemond]

Loved being surprised there at the end.

[Matt Jones]

Big guy hitting the three was really tough because I just thought to myself that possession, don't give up a three, don't give up a three. And then they give up a three to a guy who shoots 26% where Amari gets. Just shook on that play. And I thought, well, I, I turned it off for a couple minutes. I turned it off at, what was it, 68, 63. They were up 5. And I turned it off and then I turned it back on and it was 71, 69. And so then I watch from then to the end, but I, I. Because I just felt like we're going to lose this game, that they're not good. And we, we've already done this once to Texas. We can't do it again. And I thought we were going to.

[Ryan Lemond]

That was a big point. That was an 8, 0 run at 68, 63. And Butler checked back in and it was instant defense. Think it's like he came right back. That was a moment where it was clear how important butler was.

[Matt Jones]

It's 7169. He fouls out. And that call, you know, I mean, I, I said on the postgame show, you, if you watch it, you could have called it. Like, you can see how it's a charge. You could also see how it'd be a block.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And so I wish, oh, I wish Butler had not put him in itself in a position for the ref to blow that whistle. But then, you know, with him out and Robinson out, we basically were back with the same team we've had for the last few weeks. And they got the win.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm. I'm with Drew. When Butler got that fifth foul you're talking about, I thought to myself, that's it. Because when he was on the floor, they were so much better. What he, they won by one. And his plus minus was plus 10. I think, if I'm not mistaken. That's crazy.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, there's so much. That's what, that's one of the reasons I think Big Blue Nation is waking up kind of excited is you see that when Lamont Butler plays again, Otago, always a star game. We haven't mentioned his name yet, but Lamont Butler, like, he just changes everything and then so does Jackson. I mean, we still, we only got like a handful of minutes from Jackson Robinson. But the story is Otega away. You know, Ortega away is the star of the game. He plays, you know, 13 minutes where he's the only guy that gets a field goal at the end. And he, the end of the game was clear out. Ortega, let's go. And he, you know, he missed. I counted six layups or I think five layups on the night.

[Drew Franklin]

He struggled early, didn't he?

[Matt Jones]

But he made the ones that match. That last one is one of those shots people will remember that you throw that in the sort of. Even though it wasn't a buzzer beater, it was kind of buzzer beater. Like, you're going to remember that shot. It was a, it was a legacy.

[Drew Franklin]

Performance for O. I even said to your girl, I said in that first half, said, OA can't handle the moment because he had missed so many, like two footers in that first half.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, he was bad in the first 28 minutes. Like, bad. And I thought I, I wasn't going to say that. And then Mark Pope said it and I felt, okay, Drew, if Mark Pope says it, then I can say he was bad in the first 28 minutes. But then in the last 12, he acted like the first 28 hadn't happened.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, I keep some kind of running notes for my postgame work, and at the end of the game, I'm sitting there celebrating away, and I look down at the top, it says, moment too big for away. Looks like Archie Goodwin not finishing at the rim. And I was like, yeah, we'll just delete that. Because the second half was a completely different script. He was everything.

[Matt Jones]

He missed the first two shots in the game. Layups at the rim. He missed them both.

[Drew Franklin]

Two footers. Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And you thought. And then he wasn't playing well on defense.

[Drew Franklin]

No, but.

[Matt Jones]

But who would have thought that the two best players would have been the two guys returning home because Brandon Garrison. Brandon Garrison was awful in the first half. Awful. And in the second half has his best half at Kentucky. Yeah, I mean, in the second Half I thought he was great, especially on defense. He was his sliding his feet and it was just like the energy was amazing. Wow. I mean those two guys returning home decided to both have wonderful second half.

[Drew Franklin]

Brandon Garrison back to back three pointers when we desperately needed him.

[Matt Jones]

But I actually thought that was the only good thing he did in first half. Yeah. And then in the second half he did everything.

[Drew Franklin]

Did everything. The block shots brought a lot. Brought, brought a little attitude to the game that I think too much attitude. Well, definitely towards the end it was too much attitude.

[Matt Jones]

We got to talk about Brandon Garrison's like, okay, so I love the energy.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Love the attitude. We were very close to having an Isaac Humphreys Texas A and M moment. We were. I mean honestly, if there is any time left on that clock, he gets a technical and that would have been one of the all time worst. Are you kidding me? Moments. It didn't happen. Then they, you know, during the post game handshake, he's yelling at everyone on earth.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And then a guy throws a beer can. I mean Brandon Garrison had a heck of a last two minutes.

[Ryan Lemond]

He did. I can't even imagine how bad that would have been if they had lost the game on him getting a technical. That would have been leading Sports Center. They would have been talking talk about it on this. Like how do you lose a game like that? It's, it's clear he might run a little hot, might have a little bit.

[Matt Jones]

Of a fuse, but does this group need it?

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah. I mean it, you know, I'm not there. But it looked like they were just giving it to owe and Garrison all night long. So I guess he finally snapped there at the end getting the win. But he played so great. He kind of had a little willie in him. He's either Garden guards. I mean he might have had the best sequence of his career earlier in the second half. He blocked fears and ran the court. Got an end one missed the free throw. But that was a huge stretch.

[Matt Jones]

Great sequence.

[Ryan Lemond]

But his defense was the best part by far.

[Matt Jones]

You know, he is a, I don't want to say he's a ticking time bomb, but he is an emotional guy, clearly. And, and, and they were talking all the trash away. It looked like always talk, trash talk. Was playful with his former teammates, whereas Garrison's was like not playful. But they both were going at it the whole time.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, we just said on the pregame show how Garrison, the one guy who maybe had digressed. Digressed and gone backwards. Boy, he put it, put our foot in Our mouth on laughter last night. He played awesome. He was doing everything and he needed to because Amari got in foul trouble. So Garrison had to get a lot of minutes.

[Matt Jones]

You know, I. They played the last six minutes with two bigs.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And when they went to that lineup, I thought, oh, no, I did too. I mean, I just thought, this isn't gonna work. And it did. You know, I don't know what Pope saw that the good. Probably the good thing he thought is this is just my guess. It was probably less offensive than defensive, that Carr and Almanor were not able to switch because they were switching everything, and they were not able to switch. And I think he probably thought Garrison Williams could do it better. I'm. That's just a guess, but it worked in the last six years.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, I think that had to have been it. Therefore, Jalen Moore, he's almost as like a big guard. I mean, he's quick and car. We love him, but that's just not a game where he could keep up with more. Also, Moore and away were teammates, and they looked like they wanted to kill each other. There must be some backstory to them too.

[Matt Jones]

Look like it was a smiley fight.

[Drew Franklin]

Be.

[Ryan Lemond]

I don't know, for two guys that, you know, they were supposed to be.

[Matt Jones]

Like, not only teammates, but like good friends.

[Drew Franklin]

They talk every week on the phone. They said during the broadcast. I'm thinking in the couple days, let it. Let it rest for a couple days. Maybe on Sunday, maybe after.

[Matt Jones]

I do love, though, was it more shooting the free throws at the end?

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And I mean. Oh, wait, that was. Who The. The camera guy. That was a great shot. It was. It was a great shot of, oh, way John at him, and then he makes it and then, oh, wait to. I mean, what cojones to take the ball. And that shot was Sean woods against Duke esque. Right.

[Drew Franklin]

It was the most awkward game winning shot I think I've ever seen, ever. His body was completely twisted like a pretzel, and somehow he threw it kind of behind his head.

[Matt Jones]

Body was like, if this is the basket, his. His hips were. Were over here. His body was like here. And then the shot came from, like, right here.

[Drew Franklin]

How'd he hit that?

[Matt Jones]

I don't know how he hit that. I mean, of course, that was great viewing for all. The three of you are the only people that saw that. But I mean, seriously, that, like, how he did that, I don't know.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, we've seen some great performances by UK basketball players over the years, some outstanding performances. But that final 12 minutes against his old team where he scored the last 18 points and hit that awkward game when he shot deserves to be maybe in our top five of all time for Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I mean, 13 minutes of field go. That you do have to say, like when you're talking individual SEC perform, SEC performances. You know, let's just think of the last few years. Obviously there's the all timers, the Jody Meeks, Tennessee, the Malik Monks. That was against North Carolina. Yeah, I mean those are, those are all Antonio Reeves against Arkansas. But like then in that next tier, I think always in it, like Jeff Shepard against Mississippi State. Reach Mississippi State last year. You know, Brandon Knight had a game, I can't remember which one, but he had a game like this where he just kind of took over at the end. But this one's up there, Drew. I mean, that's that you're not going to get a last, better 10 minutes than you got from away.

[Ryan Lemond]

And really the last minute, Kentucky as a team with a minute left, Pope calls timeout and draws up that play to get the wide open layup. I mean, beautiful by Pope. Then they turn around and play incredible defense for 30 seconds and they call foul one second on the shot clock, kind of bell.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that defense was great and it.

[Ryan Lemond]

Was all five guys. And then gets the missed free throw right away. Oh, with it. With that finish, they tried to make away go left and he still got to that right hand. But just that whole minute was perfection.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that. You're exactly right. You know, they had to play. They're down one and they came down and the one. Dude, they gave him another three. It was interesting he had made one and so I'm sure they were like. I thought if he makes this one.

[Drew Franklin]

The dude with the hair. Yeah, he.

[Matt Jones]

They gave him another one and he missed it.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And, and, and then we came down and away did his thing. So it's a huge win. I mean, just let's look big picture for a second about the win. I think now as long as we beat lsu, we are probably getting a buy in the SEC tournament. I mean, there are ways we could beat LSU and not get it, but it would take like a lot of upsets. So now beat lsu, you're probably getting a, a buy in the SEC tournament. That's good.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Not having to play Wednesday at 1A&M, losing at home to Vandy kind of opens up. Now if you can win two, you may end up not being the eight seed and getting to play at night. Avoiding Auburn in The quarterfinals, like a path can start to open up where you go, oh, wait a minute, maybe we can do something. So A and M's loss at home opens up Kentucky could get up to the six. I don't want to dream the impossible dream, but if they were to win out, they could get up to the four. I don't think that'll happen. I also think Tennessee probably won't lose two games, but it's. There's a world of that. But you definitely could get to where you get a five or six seed. You know, if you can win at Missouri. If we beat Auburn. Now let's look at the NCAA tournament. Beat lsu. I think you're three or a high four, depending on what you do in the. In the sec. Excuse me. SEC tournament. Beat Missouri. Definitely a three. Beat Missouri and win some games in the NCAA tournament. Might get up to a two, as crazy as that sounds.

[Drew Franklin]

And, you know, it won't surprise me if they're able to do that. This is just that team where I don't, I don't count them out against Auburn on Saturday, and I don't count them out on the road at Missouri. They could, they could, if we're dreaming right now, do win out.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I start to look this time of year, Drew and I actually start to look at matchups, and I do think it's important after, after, after watching that, to look at the matchups. Okay. If we can stay a three seed. All right, if we can stay a three seat. The way this is working out, they're not going to likely put the 2 seed to be an SEC team. So you look and say we could be a 3 seed, and it's almost certain our 2 seed would either be Michigan State or Iowa State. Well, I don't. I'm not scared of those two teams. And so all of a sudden, like, you're like, oh, wait a minute. There's a path Dr. A run, Right?

[Ryan Lemond]

Absolutely. Michigan State, they wasted their magic last night. You all saw that. The Ken Palm analytics, you know, they predict every game moving forward. And if you take all the predictions, the SEC teams, they have Kentucky finishing as a six seed in the tournament. In SEC tournament. Excuse me.

[Matt Jones]

So six would be great.

[Ryan Lemond]

Analytically. That's the likely scenario.

[Matt Jones]

Six would be awesome. So, I mean, that, that game last night was huge for just setting up. Okay, now there's, There's a lot of stuff. I think that's why Butler and Robinson play.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

I think. Is that. Is that Pope? Kind of. We got a. This is one we got to get. And they went and got Butler looked.

[Drew Franklin]

Looked, you know, fine. He got in foul trouble. But Robinson I guess re injured that wrist a little bit. That's concern you a little bit.

[Matt Jones]

A little bit. But I think that's just going to be how he is. It's going to be game to game. He did make three jump shots, which actually made me feel better same because again, having had a wrist injury, I couldn't imagine trying to make that motion and he was clearly able to do it. So I do feel better about that. We do have to talk about Norman, Oklahoma. That place seems to stink also. The SEC network really made some people happy. So we will go through all that. We'll be right back. We are here at KS Bar and Grill. Cats with a major victory is Kentucky Sports Radio. Welcome back Kentucky Sports Radio. 859-280-287. Got some folks on the phone. Gonna get to you in just a second. Let's, let's go over quickly the rest of it. Norman, Oklahoma. What's wrong with those people? Like it's. I'm all for getting into it. First of all, you can't even fill the place up. You got dollar beer and free tacos and places like, you know, two thirds full multiple Go Big Blue. Chants come over the air in the middle of the game. It's one thing for that to happen at the end after we've won, but in the middle of the game, Oklahoma fans, do you have any pride? Then you're sitting there throwing beer after the game. Shout out to Adam Stratton for ksr. He lives out on the west Coast. He's been two games this year, Gonzaga and Oklahoma. He's gotten some great video, but he gets a video of a beer Cambion chucked at Brandon Garrison. Garrison nearly goes up in the crowd. That would have been a scene that.

[Ryan Lemond]

Sounded full like if that can had hit him, that would have been some serious damage. Then you're hitting ground as a thud.

[Matt Jones]

You were saying somebody wrote you and said something that happened at the bus.

[Ryan Lemond]

Connor just tweeted me, said he was there last night. And when the UK bus pulled out, fans were waiting, yelling for Garrison and away to come get off the bus like they were already ready for him.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, come like, what's wrong? I mean, you know, I used to say Starkville was the worst place. But the reality is Starkville at least gets a good atmosphere for the games. The hump is rocking for those games is Norman, Oklahoma now our new worst basketball atmosphere in the sec.

[Drew Franklin]

Maybe it is. Maybe they're all just mad because they have to live in Norman, Oklahoma.

[Matt Jones]

Never even been there.

[Drew Franklin]

Never been there.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. No.

[Ryan Lemond]

You know where it was yesterday, right?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. So that's seems a little harsh.

[Drew Franklin]

It is. Like you said earlier, it is kind of cool for us because a lot of time these homecoming games don't go very well. But the two kids that shine the most had these strong Oklahoma connections.

[Matt Jones]

How about Mark Pope after the game goes out? If you were at the game and you didn't stay, you missed it. He let every Kentucky fan that stayed wait and sign an autograph and get a picture. Said it was between 150 and 200 people. And he just stood there and took a picture and signed an autograph with everybody before they left to get on the plane to fly back. So he probably just made everybody wait and he stood with all the fans. That is awesome. It really is. That is awesome. Yeah.

[Ryan Lemond]

You think they'd want to get the heck out of there? 9:00 game, you got a flight coach.

[Matt Jones]

He had dogs he had to go see.

[Ryan Lemond]

One time he literally said, I got to go. I got to get to my car. And I thought, we all have to get to our car. What does that mean? But we had Stratton live on YouTube with us, and he just walked over to where all these fans were lined up waiting for Pope. And I'm interviewing him. Like, are they doing the autograph thing on the road? He's like, yeah. And Pope's sitting here signing them all. So that was just another added bonus for people that were able to make that game.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, it was just a great. It's. I said this on the post game show, and I encourage you to listen to post game show. And don't worry, we're going to talk about Billy because Billy, Shannon. Billy was. I don't know what.

Billy was all about it on the pre show.

Well, I'm gonna give you the real scoop. I don't know what Billy's, you know, spin is from the White House press room. I mean, it's a. That I don't like 9:00 games. Okay. I think they're too late on the road. Like, we here at the bar, we don't have as big a crowd for a nine as a seven, and I'm selfish about that. Although we did have a good crowd last night. But it's not what it is for a 7:00 game. But there is something special when you play that 9:00 game on the road and get a Win very late night. And like, it's like everybody knows they need to go to bed, but they can't quite go to bed and they're excited about it. It makes me think of my youth, Ryan, because we used to always play on Tuesday or Wednesday night, the 9 o'clock game. There would be a Big Ten game at 7 and then they would have us go at 9. And since we were the best program, we played probably five 9 o'clock games a year. This year we've only had one. ESPN does the schedule differently now because there are more SEC games on. So there was some kind of old school about staying up and watching that game and winning it.

[Drew Franklin]

I totally agree with you. There used to be so many 9 o'clock games became kind of the norm. Now it's almost a little special. You got one 9 o'clock game where you know you're. Everybody's up late and staying up late or you know, draw grogging in the morning.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, Drog. Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And also it feels like when we play in these road games, some of them like Oklahoma, it's like not well lit. It kind of looks, it kind of looks dark in there. And then you get announcers and you're like, who is Phil Pot and Hendrix? And like you don't know who they are. By the way. I thought they did a good job. They did. So that was cool. Now I saw the game was going to be on only the ESPN app, so I was like, I'm just going to watch it on there until halftime. I did not realize we didn't get to the game on the network until like six and a half minutes left. Is that right?

[Ryan Lemond]

There were three minutes left in a M. Vanderbilt on the clock at exactly 9:00. That game went another 45 minutes with three minutes of basketball. They had a two hour and 45 minute basketball game that no one cared about. They're going to the monitor in a seven point game. They're showing Buzz pick his nose with a towel like, like what are we doing? Can we get a split screen or something?

[Matt Jones]

And you know there had to be more people wanting to watch the Kentucky game. I mean them watching that one. And so you all. That didn't. You all missed. Like we should have been up 10 at the beginning. We were playing well. We just couldn't stop them. And they would hit, you know, they had five turnovers in the first three and a half minutes. Oklahoma. And we should have had a lead that we didn't give up. It just didn't quite happen. Amari, it looked like he got hurt. I mean, there was a lot going on at the beginning that I think a lot of our team just. Our fans just missed.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I think when we finally joined it, Amare was already on the bench with two fouls. I think Carr had just picked up his second foul. So our two big starting bigs were all here.

[Matt Jones]

Did you watch it?

[Drew Franklin]

I listened to Tom and Jack until it came on.

[Matt Jones]

I was forced to watch to see any of that.

[Drew Franklin]

No.

[Matt Jones]

So you didn't see the Amari foul where the guy grabbed him with drug him down?

[Drew Franklin]

I've still not seen it.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, it was. I mean, Amari did kind of charge, but then they didn't call the foul at first. Then the guy pulled him down with his legs and that is when they called the foul. It was a really bizarre sequence there when they called that foul on the mark.

[Ryan Lemond]

How about just the collective. Oh, no, though. I mean, we're so excited to get everyone back in a minute or two into the game. Amari Williams, now, maybe your best player is over there. I mean, at that point we had no clue was going on. That was terrifying.

[Matt Jones]

And they went to break, so he got hurt and then they went to break. And so during the break you're like, what? Like I need like. And you know, then again, Adam Stratton shout out to him, tweets out that he's walking off and he's okay. But you know, you went to break thinking, oh, are you kidding me? Now we're losing Amari 2 after we.

[Drew Franklin]

Just got Butler and Robinson back. Now if I understand, listen to Tom and Jack. Robinson missed his first two shots, but then he hit two in a row right after that.

[Matt Jones]

In his first two misses were bad, like barely grazing the rim. And then he had a three where he was wide open. And I think all of big Blue nation that was seeing the game, which may not be many, was like, okay, please go in. And it was one of those. Robinson, nothing but net. And then you went, okay, he's all right, all right, he's all right. Like that. That, that was for me, that was a big like, okay, good. When I saw that shot.

[Ryan Lemond]

And with the threes, how about winning a game with Brandon Garrison being the only player hitting two threes? I mean, Kobe played good defense, but he was 1 for 6. You think 1 for 6 from Kobe probably gonna be a good night. But Brandon Garrison leading the way in three point shooting.

[Drew Franklin]

I won't say it's about Kobe at the end when they're trying to make this defensive stop. He was one of the five guys Pope put out there for defense.

[Matt Jones]

By the way, Kobe also made some big shots in the first half to keep us going. He didn't make him in the second, but I do think it is worth noting he made him in the first. All right, we'll take your calls. Be right back. Okay. Sorry. T.J. smith, personal injury attorney. Call T.J. he'll make him pay.

Now more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones.

I'm the phones right after this, but we do have to talk about Billy for a minute. All right, so having a postgame show, good calls, mostly positive, one or two negative, but good energy. A lot good. A lot of good stuff going on. Ready to rock. Last segment, he tells me in the break, he's like, we got five callers. I was like, let's finish these five. One of them's Heather. I always know I can count on a good Heather call.

[Drew Franklin]

Absolutely.

[Matt Jones]

One of them was, I think, a woman named Darlene. I was like, I've never met a Darlene I didn't like. That'll be good. We're ready to rock. He brings on Heather. Heather, you need to go back and hear this on postgame show. Heather's a little upset. Billy, I guess, had told her, you've called three shows in a row. You have to take a break now. All right, so here's my view on that. To be fair to Billy, we do have conversations about we can't put the same people through every time. Because if you did, there'd be a handful of people that would call every time. But she's not one of them. Right. So she. She's not one of those. She called the first time because the flood thing. Right, Right. She called the third time because it's late at night and at 1:30 at night. We were full of calls last night. But that's not always the case. Sometimes at 1:30 at night, you got to kind of take what you get. Right. Last night was a little different. So I guess he said that to her and it clearly upset at her. And she came on. At first that I thought she was kidding with Billy, but then it became clear, like she was upset, she got tears. She, by the end was. Was kind of crying. See? So. So here's the thing, Shannon. You're. You're an epic producer. You know me better than anybody, right. When it comes to calls. You know the moment I want. Shannon reads my mind when it comes to calls. He knows the moment I Want the phone call to end. He knows who in the moment would be the best to talk to, and he nicely. You. You've had to tell people. Do you tell people not to call, or you just don't answer their call?

I mean, I've had a form of that conversation with callers throughout the years, you know, where somebody calls every day for five straight days and say, hey, you know, we want to talk to you, but maybe call next week.

Yeah, but I don't know what Billy said because. So I can't say whether he's rude or not. I didn't hear the conversation. But Heather is not one of those callers. Heather, because of her accent and everything. Like, I can make a Heather call interesting no matter what. That's really just so for people listening. Like, my thing with the cause is I want it to be interesting, and if I think that you're interesting naturally, or I can make you interesting, then I'm gonna put you on all the time. Heather is one of those that's pretty naturally interesting, and I can make her interesting. So it was a little bit of a mistake from Bill, but it's okay. Everybody makes mistakes, so. Yes, they do. Your sister and your brother and your dad and mother, too. Big people, small people, matter of fact, all people. Everyone makes mistake, Ryan. So why can't you.

[Drew Franklin]

What kind of nursery rhyme is that?

[Matt Jones]

Is that Buster Rhymes? No, that's the first time I've heard.

The full version of that. I've heard shortened version.

Sesame street or something like that.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

It's Oscar the Grouch.

Yeah, it's. No, I don't remember. It's from. It's from something. But anyway, my mom used to sing that to me when I would screw up when I was a little kid. And like, five years ago. All right, so anyway, so. But she was very upset, so then I feel like I have to console her, which I. On the air, which I do. Here's the thing. The text machine, like, Billy has never been less popular than the people that were listening last night. And when you all go back and listen on podcast, you're gonna feel the same way. Like, Billy is approaching Elon Musk at the Democratic National Convention levels of popularity. Like, that's where we're getting. Okay, so he. Again, he's such a. Like, oh, I'm not gonna apologize. I'm like, I don't know, Drew. I feel like he's gonna have to get people back on that one because everybody loves Heather with that accent and everything. What do you think?

[Ryan Lemond]

I Was listening. I was hurting at home. There was even a point where you said, heather, are you gonna call back? And there was like a three second pause. I think I got a lump in my throat just waiting for her to answer. She wouldn't even commit.

[Matt Jones]

That was an awkward three seconds because I wanted her to just say yes. And then she was like. And she said she had to think about it. So I'm tell Heather, call back. Billy knows you have a Heather hall pass, right? Like, you get to go right on the line if you call. What you think about it.

[Drew Franklin]

I heard Billy give his take on the pre show this morning, Shannon. And like, he said he did apologize, but he said he would do it again.

[Matt Jones]

That's right.

That's not an apology. If you would do it again, you can't say, I'm sorry, but I would do it again.

Progress with Billy, you know, before he would take responsibility but wouldn't apologize. Now he's apologizing.

[Ryan Lemond]

If I could give Billy a piece of advice, little PR advice, I think there was a lot of. On the pre show, a little. Some jabs he didn't have to give. He could have just moved on, but a lot of like, oh, is somebody gonna cry about it? You know, I would have just left it as is. We all understand why he did it. Like you said, this is part of producing.

[Matt Jones]

It's part of.

[Ryan Lemond]

Maybe he didn't handle it well, but I would have apologized and tried to move on, not continue to press a little bit.

[Matt Jones]

Shannon and I have 14 years of reading each other's mind, and for a number of those years, we were in the same place so he could look at me and kind of have a sense of what I want to. So he got to know. Billy doesn't see me during the show, so that's a little different. I get it. I'm not mad at Billy. But like. Like, mistakes happen, but now Billy has to fix it. But here's what I've learned about Billy. The mistakes. He doesn't. He doesn't like to admit mistakes. Right, Right. Like, I. You've heard me. I get frustrated sometimes and, like, my mom will text me and go, you need to calm down or something. And then I go. And then I come back and go, you know what? My bad.

[Ryan Lemond]

She sings you the Oscar the Grouch song, and everything's fine.

[Matt Jones]

He's just occasionally get the my bad and just let. And because he didn't do that last night. And I think that's going to. I think it's going to live with him for a little bit if he's not careful.

[Drew Franklin]

Shannon has had to had this exact same conversation with some people. We really, really like some callers.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I'm not going to embarrass them, who they are, but there's people that we've had. There's people we've had to say, hey, just. And pretty much all of them handle that.

[Drew Franklin]

I think so.

[Matt Jones]

So hopefully Heather will too.

[Ryan Lemond]

And of all the people, Heather, she's the sweetest.

[Matt Jones]

I know. And the voice.

[Ryan Lemond]

I met her son like two weeks ago. We sent her a picture. Like, they're all just so nice.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ryan Lemond]

Just went through that.

[Drew Franklin]

We just went losing our house.

[Matt Jones]

I will say this, though. The text machine Billy popularity hit all time lows last night. I think someone started a KS board.

[Ryan Lemond]

Thread at like 2:30am I was like, oh, God, now I gotta step. Watch this.

[Matt Jones]

Who's up first?

Shannon, Bob and Jamestown. I'm just kidding. He's not even.

You were about to get it for me right there.

He's not even on hold. Let's go to Tyler.

Go ahead, Tyler. Go ahead, Tyler. Us.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt, buddy. I'm so fired up. I haven't been to sleep since that ball game. Like, I'm. Yeah. But I've got one question and one quick point. My question is, do you think that the players listen to this show? And the reason I asked that is because it's. Well, the reason I asked that, it seems like, like the last couple weeks y'all been crushing Brandon Garrison just because, you know, he hasn't been playing to his full potential.

[Matt Jones]

Here's what, here's what you all don't understand, though. If, if. If we're crushing them and I, we were crushing him. But if we're being critical of Brandon Garrison, guess who else is. Pope. Like, he's not getting. Brandon Garrison is not playing to convince me. Mark Pope sees stuff we don't. Right. Like, if we're being critical, then Pope's being critical. I do think the players see some stuff on social media. I have over the years tried to mellow my criticism on social media of players individually. I'm not perfect about it because sometimes you have to. But I. I do think they see Twitter and maybe Tick Tock criticism. I do not think they hear radio criticism. So one of the things Mario and I talk about is if we have a critical segment, I'll say to Mario, let's not put that one on Tick tock. Right? But no. Do I think they download the podcast and listen to this? No. I do not.

[Caller]

And my point, my quick point is I've been. I've been saying to my mom, every time, every game, I felt this way the whole season, if there is a way, there's a way.

[Matt Jones]

If there's a way, I appreciate it. I got it. I'm with you. I like that one.

[Drew Franklin]

I was so proud of that guy last night because like we said, he struggled, but then in front of his old teammates, his old coach, he rose to the occasion. Like, I've never. It's eight. His last. Our last 18 points came from that guy. And every time he went to the basket, I knew he was going to hit it. He was just.

[Matt Jones]

Did you real. You were that confident?

[Drew Franklin]

Except for that last shot. That last shot when he's all twisted like a pretzel. I didn't think he was going to hit.

[Ryan Lemond]

You mentioned Sean Woods. Actually had that same thought, how he just threw it up off the glass and it banked in perfectly, you know, of all things that were surprising, though, it wasn't his 28 point homecoming. It was Mark Pope cussing on television.

[Matt Jones]

For the next segment I want to talk about, my mind is blown. You don't see those cuss words from him a lot. Who's next?

Let's go to Michael.

Michael, how are you, Michael?

[Caller]

Hey, what's up? Good morning, fellas.

[Matt Jones]

Good morning.

[Caller]

I have a. Can I ask something before I mention, like, these little points real quick? It's. It's regarding what you just said about calls.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Caller]

How do you all look at calls? Like, do you all screen them? Do you all just know? Does it like, caller id? Is Shannon or Billy back there? Like, no, I can't take this person, you know, and then, you know, he just moves on to another call. Like, how does that work?

[Matt Jones]

Work? No, Shannon and Billy decide. Sometimes Shannon will tell me during a break, like, hey, this person is. Is on the phone. Do you want to take them first? But in general, I just let. Let Shannon and Billy decide. I'd rather. I. This is. I'm weird. Like, unlike a lot of hosts, I want to have no idea what's coming next. So, like, even on espn, on espn, in other shows, if you call, they tell. They make you say what you're going to talk about. I. I convinced my producer I don't want to know what they're going to talk about. Just give it to me. Am I say, give it to me wrong.

Don't say that.

I'm not gonna stop saying that. But, you know, I just want it.

To be unfiltered And Michael, when you called, I didn't ask anything except for your name.

Yeah. So that's a little different.

[Caller]

Well, the reason I asked that because I've, I've called.

[Matt Jones]

I've called almost quite a bit of.

[Caller]

Postgate shows and my buddies have cracked up about it. So that's why I just asked. In fact, one of my buddies said I should call it the Billy R. Sports post game show.

[Matt Jones]

No, Billy is definitely. Billy's a different kind of traffic cop. Like Billy on the postgame show. He's like. And I, and I actually don't mind that because I like he just made. He made a boo boo last night. But in general, I think Billy does a good job with the postgame show calls.

[Caller]

Okay. Okay, so just real quick, I don't know if y'all seen this, but Moore was cussing at Garrison last night. I laughed so hard watching them jaw off.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, they joined the whole night more more in fears versus away. And Garri was quite, was quite a set of John.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah.

[Caller]

My wife was like, oh my gosh, look at him. He's like cussing him out and stuff. I'm not gonna say the words on.

[Ryan Lemond]

On it.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, don't. You can't say that. You can't say the words.

[Caller]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I did. I also. I didn't know if you've seen the last, the last minute shot with Maryland and Michigan State.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, we'll get to that. We'll get to that.

[Caller]

That's.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, we'll get to. That's it. You've already done three things. You can't. There's never. I never let more than two. When I give you three, you can't then yell four.

[Ryan Lemond]

Don't make us call Billy and talk to you. Pass you off.

[Matt Jones]

What do you think about all the trash talk? Are you okay with it?

[Ryan Lemond]

I mean, as someone not involved, it made it entertaining. I thought it was a little much from. From almost at Arkansas who they play Oklahoma. I have not slept. But I mean it makes it entertaining. I can't remember a game that had that much of it going. But I mean the reason I said Arkansas because there was one years ago at the SEC tournament where I thought we were just going to fight every minute, but I can't remember game in recent memory that was. Has much jawing and extracurriculars as that one.

[Drew Franklin]

And like you said, when OA was doing it with Norman, a lot of the game kind of had a little quirky little smile because they're buddies.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

But there was stuff where, like, OA was with fears. I think a couple. I think.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, Fears didn't like each other. Garrison and more didn't like each other.

[Ryan Lemond]

And Amari carried Garrison the length of the court at the end.

[Matt Jones]

We've seen recent flooding this week of major proportion. We hope your family is safe. So remember, Serve Pro is the company to call for flooding restoration. 1-800-Servpo. Your cleanup specialist. If you hope. We don't need it. But if you need water cleanup, flood restoration, 1-800-servpro. They are all in Kentucky right now helping out. It's servpro.com that's S E R V P R O dot com. We hope you don't need it, but if you do, there is servpro. We'll take a break and be right back. This is ksr. How about that?

[Drew Franklin]

I guess you know those words because your mom probably sang that to you a lot.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Because I would get. If I made a mistake and I made my mom mad.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Which did happen sometimes. Not very much because I was a good kid. But if I did, she'd be frustrated and then I'd be sad because I had made her upset. And so then I think she would see that like. Like it was kind of like Heather last night. Right. Like, I would be sad because I had made the authority figure, in this case, my mom, in Heather's case, chase Billy. And then the thing is, my mom would try to make me feel better, whereas Billy would just get defensive and get. And get. And get angry. And so, like, that would be the difference between, like, Drew, my mom, and Billy in those circumstances, I can't imagine.

[Ryan Lemond]

You ever get in trouble. You're a little sweet, little mountain angel, baby.

[Matt Jones]

I really didn't get in trouble. All my trouble was. Was talking too much.

[Ryan Lemond]

That was me, too. In class, I wouldn't show that I got the.

[Matt Jones]

I get the whisk. The point guard whispers too much. That was the check mark on my car.

[Ryan Lemond]

And they would separate me and my friends in class. You two can't sit together. You don't. I think I've told you.

[Matt Jones]

I think I've told this story once before. When I was in sixth grade. I said the. The. The F word in school. Oh. And you would have thought I had committed murder the way that. The way my mom and. And finally, I think my grandfather was like, he doesn't do anything wrong. Like, give him a break.

[Ryan Lemond]

Give him a few F bombs.

[Matt Jones]

Like, just a couple of F bombs and everything will be fine. But anyway, all right. So let's. Speaking of F bombs, let's talk about Mark Pope last night. We see. We see a cuss word come out of his mouth to the referee. So Lamont Butler, you know, Lamont Butler gets his fifth foul, and we see Mark Pope say. Did he say blanking? Bull blanking, or did he just say something bull blanket?

[Ryan Lemond]

I'm pretty sure that's B.

[Matt Jones]

No blanket, just the B.

[Ryan Lemond]

Just the bs.

[Matt Jones]

So he said the S word.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Which, you know, in the Mormon Church will get you sinned. Like, that's. That's bad. But he said it got caught on tape. Is this like a Flanders moment? Like, first time he's Ned Flanders, first time he's sinned? Is that what we're seeing?

[Drew Franklin]

I. I felt good about it because he said exactly what every one of us was feeling at that moment. That's bs. That's exactly what we all felt like. So, you know, I'm sure he was very, very frustrated because he saw how valuable Butler is to this team, and he was gone.

[Matt Jones]

Did you. What do you think?

[Ryan Lemond]

I loved it. We needed it. I think the fan base needed to see it. You know, Ole Miss, that game stunk. But I think a lot of us kind of liked hearing that he went a little destructive. Behind the scenes, we love that he's nice. He's the. Maybe the nicest guy around UK's anything.

[Matt Jones]

So you think there's a little spice there that we just haven't seen yet, that there's little Mark Pope? You know, Mark Pope, when things start rocking, he'll start knocking.

[Ryan Lemond]

Weeks ago, I was with someone that participates in behind the scenes with Kentucky basketball. And I, you know, I wasn't bugging him, but I was like, this Pope, like, cuss. And they're like, oh, yeah. I was like, okay, just. Good. Just need to know that, you know, if I just have a little bit. Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

So you think. You think he's got maybe not a sailor's mouth, but he's got a mouth.

[Ryan Lemond]

When he needs to. I think it's like when he talked about the Ole Miss moment. Sometimes you gotta be white hot to get your moment across. I think his BS last night was him being white hot, dark Pope. That's what we call him when he. When he flips that switch.

[Matt Jones]

Did you see the little clip on Vice with Rick Patino?

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And, like, by the way, if you haven't seen this, you should see it. Like, it's Patino at halftime of St. John's is playing somebody. I'm not sure. And he does this whole thing where he's like, if you have adversity in life, you can either feel sorry for yourself or you can buck up and try harder. And we try harder. This is going to happen your whole life. And, like, you sit there at the end and you're like, whoa, man.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Like, I can see Rick, you're 71 years old. You're not supposed to be yelling at dudes like this. But I think it worked. Like, you could just.

He still got that fire.

He does. And there was a Tom Segura, the comedian. He played it on his podcast and was like, this is. This is what you want. I mean, it was kind of cool to see Rick still got that.

[Drew Franklin]

He had that one line, said, who raised you? You know, he was questioning.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, that was the best part.

[Matt Jones]

Who raised you? So Mark maybe has a little bit of that, too. We just. I mean, we know he broke the board. We heard his hand.

[Drew Franklin]

He's such a competitor. I mean, that's. People behind the scenes don't understand how much of a competitor he is, and he does not like to lose. So I can see where frustration like that, in that moment, maybe you slip up and say one of those bad words that your mom would get mad at you for saying.

[Matt Jones]

Well, everyone makes mistakes, including Mark Pope. The S word in public. That's. Who's up next?

Steve in Oklahoma.

Steve. What's up, Steve?

[Caller]

Hey, guys. Long time. First time. So I'm in Tulsa. I made it to the game last night, first time in Lloyd Noble, and wasn't too impressed. Obviously, you got to tell, for the tv, it wasn't a very great atmosphere.

[Matt Jones]

But it was great.

[Caller]

But there's probably at least 2,000 cat fans there. It was great to be part of that. My son and I went. But it. Oh, shot. The end was right in front of us on our seats. And, man, what a. He was just going to will us to the game to win that. I mean, to score the last 18 points has ever been done in UK history before.

[Matt Jones]

I don't. I don't think so. I. Have we ever had anyone? Well, he didn't score the last 18. They did get two free throws from someone else, but I appreciate the call. Do you remember has ever been a time we've gone that long with the field goals? I mean, maybe back in the day, we only scored, like, 12 points, but in the modern era, you think?

[Drew Franklin]

Not that I can remember. Like, you mentioned that North Carolina game. Malik Monk scored a bunch there at the end, but I don't think he got 18 in a row like that.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I, I I'm sure there's not been a game we've won where we've had one player score the last 13 minutes of field goals. I bet that's never happened in a game we won.

[Ryan Lemond]

No, it was tied at 60 and hit a three to break the tie. And that was the beginning of 21 out of the last 23 points with the two free throws you mentioned breaking it up from.

[Matt Jones]

What a great win. We got a lot of other stuff to talk to. A kind of a sad death this morning. And also Louisville fans showing their little brotherness yesterday. We'll talk about all that. Be right back.