Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – August 19, 2025, Hour 2

Episode Overview

This episode of Kentucky Sports Radio, hosted by Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, Drew Franklin, and Shannon Dawson, covers a lively mix of UK basketball insights, local stories, listener calls, and news in the Kentucky sports world. The hour features discussions about team leadership, memorable Kentucky athletes (with a special focus on the legacy of John Wall following his retirement), NCAA roster challenges, a viral club incident involving a Justin Bieber impersonator, and hosts’ personal adventures—including Matt’s upcoming safari trip to South Africa.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Relationships, Marriage & Humorous Takes

[03:36–05:37]

• The crew banters about marriages, relationships, and the “give and take,” providing their signature blend of humor and personal insight.
  • Drew notes, “Mainly when you’re married, it’s a lot of giving, not a lot of taking.” (04:16)
  • There’s playful ribbing about Facebook-official statuses and relationship updates.

2. The Justin Bieber Impersonator Incident

[05:37–09:01]

• Ryan details a viral story where a Bieber lookalike gets on stage at a Vegas club, gets VIP treatment and performs before being discovered.
  • “I’m just gonna go ahead and assume he wasn’t trying to do this. They just assumed it was him, and he just played along.” – Matt Jones (08:12)
  • Shannon and Ryan riff about club culture and speculation about whether anyone notices who’s on stage:
    “You could probably do that with about any artist. Nobody is paying—usually some things going on, people aren’t paying that much attention.” – Shannon Dawson (08:30)

3. UK Basketball Roster & Leadership

[09:50–13:44]

• The crew reacts to Coach Mark Pope naming sophomore Trent Noah as a team leader:
  • Drew Franklin: “High praise coming for the guy. You know, we all thought he was going to be maybe forgotten in this rotation... I think the dude has earned his right.” (10:15)
• The challenge of roster depth is dissected, speculating on rotation cuts and which promising players might see fewer minutes.

4. Calls & Listener Interaction

Wildest Golf Course Story

[13:44–15:19]

• Ryan recounts nearly coming to blows with a Louisville doctor on the course, and tells of his two childhood holes in one, much to the disbelief of the group.

UK Basketball International Recruit

[15:22–17:07]

• A caller inquires about new Croatian recruit, and the crew debates whether his maturity (21 years old) will translate to a real impact or bench time.
  • “He could be the one that ends up not playing… Or if he was last on the bench in street clothes, wouldn’t surprise me.” – Shannon (16:37)

NIL Spending & SEC Dynamics

[17:07–18:42]

• Discussion of an anonymous SEC quote about Kentucky’s big spending on basketball (purportedly "two, three or four times more than any other school"), and speculation about intra-conference money dynamics.
  • “A lot of these SEC schools are upset that Kentucky and Florida had money and the football programs got the money...” – Ryan Lemond (17:38)
  • “I wonder if [the anonymous complainers] might be from Auburn or Alabama.” (17:59)

5. Breaking News: John Wall Retires from the NBA

[21:13–26:09]

• The crew reacts to the official retirement of Kentucky superstar point guard John Wall.
  • “No bigger star has played at Kentucky in my lifetime than John Wall.” – Matt Jones (21:43)
  • Drew reflects: “He made Kentucky basketball cool again. Just in an instant... there’s a big gap between the next guy.” (22:10)
  • The show recalls Wall’s unique charisma, mystique, and his iconic “John Wall Dance.”
  • Shannon: “He’s a rock star like we probably won’t see again.” (23:05)

6. Matt’s Upcoming Safari in South Africa

[27:05–35:26]

• Matt previews his upcoming trip to South Africa as part of a prestigious (but unnamed) fellowship/networking group.
  • He shares anecdotes from the book “The Elephant Whisperer” and reflects on the intelligence and social behaviors of elephants (27:34–28:06).
  • On safari safety: “If these elephants want to kill you, you’re dead. There’s nothing you can do about it. So you just gotta hope.” – Matt Jones (28:40)
  • Crewmates offer travel and group dynamics advice, anticipating Matt’s role accompanying mostly women on the safari excursion.
  • Ryan summarizes the once-in-a-lifetime nature of the opportunity:
    “I got a phone call... from a woman I did not know who had read an article on the Internet about me and said, we would like you to be part of this group to where you get to travel the world for free... To turn that down would be insane.” (35:10–35:28)

7. Kentucky High School Football Season Preview

[35:53–37:28]

• The high school football season kicks off soon.
  • Ryan is set to serve as PA announcer for Woodford County’s home opener.
  • Drew considers traveling statewide to cover more games now that his own children have graduated.

8. Listener Madison’s Relationship News & Big Blue Madness Discussion

[37:40–40:13]

• Regular caller “Madison” reveals he’s entering a committed relationship after meeting a woman at a dance, delighting hosts.
  • “We just go out to eat once a month, pick different restaurants...” – Madison (38:45)
• Madison also asks when Big Blue Madness will be officially announced (likely October 10).

9. Quick Hits: UK Betting Lines, Lexington Sporting Club, Fan Stories

[40:13–51:00]

• The crew discusses:
  • Kentucky football’s betting lines and expectations for covering point spreads.
  • Lexington Sporting Club hosting Kentucky Vintage Fest before their next match (41:16–41:21).
• Memorable calls:
  • A father shares his son’s stories of studying and “living it up” in Cape Town (46:54–47:55).
  • Listener Andrew recounts getting to play golf with Drew and Billy after texting into the show (48:06–49:26).
  • Another listener reports that Kentucky Joe serenaded his daughter at the State Fair: “When I see you, it makes me hungry.” (50:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Marriage:
  “Mainly when you’re married, it’s a lot of giving, not a lot of taking.” – Drew Franklin (04:16)

• On Celebrity Impersonation:
  “Once he’s up there... you could probably do that with about any artist. Nobody is paying... people aren’t paying that much of attention.” – Shannon Dawson (08:30)

• On John Wall’s Legacy:
  “No bigger star has played at Kentucky in my lifetime than John Wall.” – Matt Jones (21:43)
  “There was just a different thing around John Wall... mystique kind of around him that I don’t think was replaced even by the many great players that came along after.” – Ryan Lemond (22:24)

• On NCAA Basketball Roster Management:
  “If you’re going to be the veteran leader, you’re going to play. Like, nobody listens to the guy that sits on the bench.” – Ryan Lemond (10:49)

• On Travel Safety:
  “If these elephants want to kill you, you’re dead. Like there’s nothing you can do about it. So you just gotta hope.” – Matt Jones (28:40)
  “You can be scared and safe and never experience life... how can you not do it?” – Matt Jones (34:30–34:45)

• On Nicknames & Baseball Fandom:
  “My man, Scuzz Bucket... He does a little dance. Kind of looks like he’s sitting down to use the toilet.” – Ryan Lemond (45:17)

• On Fan Community Spirit:
  “That’s awesome. Thank you for playing. That’s very cool. See, you never know what’s going to happen on golf scramble day.” – Ryan Lemond (49:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Marriage Discussion – [03:36–05:37]
• Justin Bieber Impersonator Story – [05:37–09:01]
• UK Basketball Roster Breakdown – [09:50–13:44]
• John Wall Retirement Reaction – [21:13–26:09]
• Matt’s South Africa Safari Prep – [27:05–35:26]
• Kentucky High School Football Talk – [35:53–37:28]
• Madison’s Big News & Big Blue Madness Date – [37:40–40:13]
• Fan Stories, Golf Outings, & Listener Calls – [46:54–50:43]

Overall Episode Tone & Style

As always, KSR balances sports analysis, Kentucky culture, and offbeat stories with friendly banter, inside jokes, and warm audience engagement. The hosts riff easily between serious topics (athlete legacies, NIL impact) and the everyday (local traditions, relationship updates, nicknames), staying true to their lively Kentucky radio roots.

For first-time or returning listeners, this episode offers a flavorful slice of Kentucky fandom, institutional memory, fresh debate on UK hoops, and just enough unpredictability to keep things entertaining throughout.