Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 2

Date: August 21, 2025
Host(s): Matt Jones, Shannon The Dude, Ryan Lemond
Podcast: KSR from iHeartPodcasts and Sports Talk 790

Episode Overview

This episode of KSR dives into the latest changes at Cracker Barrel and the cultural reaction, Kentucky basketball updates (with focus on new coach Mark Pope’s approach and team dynamics), memorable Kentucky sports quotes and stories, evolving NCAA regulations and their impact, and plenty of local flavor—from community events and memories at KS Bar to calls about hypnotism and nostalgia for UK alumni charity games. It’s classic KSR: topical, irreverent, and brimming with stories from Kentucky sports and culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cracker Barrel’s Rebrand & Nostalgic Branding

• The crew discusses Cracker Barrel’s major rebranding—removing the barrel and cracker imagery from the logo and moving toward a "modern" concept for new locations, particularly in cities.
• Matt Jones likens the move to “New Coke,” suggesting customers might eventually clamor for a return to the old brand:
  • “Now people will beg for the old Cracker Barrel like they did for the old Coke when they had New Coke. And it'll work.” (01:15)
• Team discusses how businesses like Chili’s or even their own KS Bar benefitted from a literal or figurative ‘reset’ and relaunch.

Timestamps:

• Cracker Barrel rebrand discussion: 01:15–02:54
• KS Bar’s relaunch and parallels: 01:46–04:50

Quotes:

• Matt Jones: “We just needed a reset... you could feel it last night, like, that energy. Last night we hadn’t had that in a while. Didn’t you agree?” (04:28)
• Shannon: “It felt like one of our opening weekends.” (04:30)

2. Coach Mark Pope’s Approach: Player Meetings & Team Culture

• Discussion of Mark Pope’s claim that he meets individually with every player for 30 minutes each week—a total of around 7 hours.
• Questioning if that’s practical and if the players actually want such long sessions.
• Light-hearted speculation that Pope plays chess with the players; Jaden Quaintance has notably beaten Pope 5 to 1.
• Ryan: “When I played college baseball, the last thing I wanted to do...was to sit and talk to my coach for 30 minutes.” (05:45)
• Matt: “If Jaden is up 5:1 on [Pope]…Quaint must be good at chess.” (06:59)

Timestamps:

• Mark Pope’s meeting approach: 05:09–06:57
• Chess anecdotes (Jaden Quaintance): 06:36–07:08

3. Classic UK Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Reminiscing about DeMarcus Cousins’ iconic line:
  • “This ain’t no spelling bee.” (07:10)
• Remembering the pop culture magnetism of the 2010 Kentucky team—Obama calling, LeBron and Jay-Z attending games.
• Discussion of Antoine Walker’s “Because there ain’t no fours,” and playful banter about famous quotes.

Timestamps:

• DeMarcus/Walker quotes: 07:10–08:16
• 2010 team, Obama call: 08:35–09:13

Quotes:

• Matt: “Obama called the team during the season… Looked at John Wall and said, ‘I’ve been watching you, son.’” (08:58–09:05)

4. Letcher County Scandal

• Caller “Gino” brings up recent national news involving the Letcher County sheriff, accused of coercing sexual favors from incarcerated women in exchange for leniency. The crew discusses the gravity of the situation.
• Matt: “That’s not good…I think the story…was about the way they would exchange sexual favors for something. So pretty bad stuff.” (10:15)

Timestamps:

• Letcher County discussion: 09:32–10:58

5. HS Football Consolidation & Hypnosis Skepticism

• Discussion of the final Christian County vs. Hopkinsville HS game before the schools merge; tradition vs. modernization.
• Quick detour into whether hypnosis is “real”—skepticism abounds.
  • Ryan: “I don’t believe in it either. Some people swear that it’s…a real thing. I don’t believe it.” (12:31)
  • Matt: “I believe that you can get into that deep meditative state…Do I believe you can…bark like a dog? I don’t.” (12:36)

Timestamps:

• HS Football merger: 11:34–12:11
• Hypnosis debate: 12:23–13:09

6. Cracker Barrel Wall Décor & Urban Expansion

• Jokes about the memorabilia on Cracker Barrel’s walls and the experience of finding family photos there.
• Cracker Barrel planning pop-up stores in cities like New York—crew debates whether the rural “country” aesthetic will work there and marvels at tourist traps like Times Square Olive Garden.
  • Matt: “Who goes to New York and eats at the Olive Garden?...Drew and I have eaten at the Olive Garden in Times Square as like a joke.” (14:35–14:47)

Timestamps:

• Wall décor and pop-up ambitions: 13:13–15:01

7. KSR Memories: Billboard, Lawyering Days, and Growing Older

• Matt shares personal stories about working as a lawyer:
  • Encountering the “Claw” billboard (with old photos), and how staffers he remembers as children now work at KS Bar.
• Story of nearly getting in a shotgun incident while filming a commercial in LaGrange.
  • Matt: “That was when that guy like pulled a shotgun…I was like, hey man, we’re good.” (30:31)

Timestamps:

• Claw billboard & law firm stories: 24:53–29:33
• Shotgun story: 30:26–31:13

8. UK Alumni/Barnstorming Nostalgia & Charity Games

• Callers reminisce about the old “Cats vs. Cops” games and barnstorming tours, when ex-UK players would travel the state playing exhibition games.
• Matt tells stories of organizing such tours (with memorable tales of players goofing off with “stacks” of cash) and why those events generated so much local excitement.

Timestamps:

• Barnstorming stories: 31:19–34:56
• Gold Star/Stack of Money story: 34:34–34:56

9. NCAA Rules: Should Pros Return to College?

• Discussion about whether former college stars who went pro (but didn’t make it) should be allowed to return to NCAA teams.
  • Caller Shane: “What if after they retire…they could come back and play college basketball?” (19:54)
• Matt and Shannon are open to the idea, noting NCAA’s inconsistency in allowing international pros to play but not American ones:
  • Matt: “The idea that a kid should...go to the NBA and he doesn’t make it, he has to go overseas; while the kids from overseas who’ve already played pro are allowed to come here and play college—how does that make sense?” (22:56)

Timestamps:

• Discussion of returning pros: 19:54–23:25

10. UK Charity Games: Why Did They Stop?

• Caller Noah asks why UK doesn’t do NBA alumni charity games anymore. Matt explains it became impossible to insure NBA players, so agents wouldn’t allow it even for charity.

Timestamps:

• NBA alumni charity games: 40:59–42:07

11. Community Notes & Trivia

• Mark Anthony calls in to criticize current Cracker Barrel food quality.
• Fun with the trivia game: guess the “real” ages of celebrities & local figures.
• Sister Jean turns 106; Jaden Quaintance passes his driver’s test.
• Brief chat about “dressing” (stuffing) and KSR’s panel muses on why it’s reserved for holidays.

Notable Quotes

• Matt Jones (on Cracker Barrel rebranding):
  “They took the barrel and the cracker off the logo. So, like, what are you going to…what are you going to do?” (02:50)

• Ryan Lemond (on Mark Pope’s player meetings):
  “Do the players have that much to say?” (05:42)

• Matt Jones (on DeMarcus Cousins):
  “This ain’t no spelling bee.” (07:10)

• Shannon (on hypnosis):
  “I don’t believe in it either. Some people swear that it’s…a real thing. I don’t believe it.” (12:31)

• Matt Jones (on NCAA rules for returning pros):
  “If a kid leaves to go to the NBA and he doesn’t make it, he has to go overseas; while the kids from overseas who’ve already played pro are allowed to come here and play college—how does that make sense?” (22:56)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Cracker Barrel Rebrand & KS Bar Reset – 01:15–04:50
• Mark Pope’s Player Meetings & Chess – 05:09–07:08
• Classic UK Quotes – 07:10–08:16
• Obama Calls 2010 UK Team – 08:35–09:13
• Letcher County Jail Scandal – 09:32–10:58
• High School Football Merger – 11:34–12:11
• Hypnosis Skepticism – 12:23–13:09
• Cracker Barrel Wall Décor – 13:13–15:01
• KSR Billboard & Lawyering Stories – 24:53–29:33
• Barnstorming Tours/Basketball Nostalgia – 31:19–34:56
• NCAA Returning Pros Debate – 19:54–23:25
• Ending UK NBA Alumni Games – 40:59–42:07

Episode Tone

The conversation is lively, conversational, and often irreverent, with signature KSR banter, nostalgia, and a healthy dose of skepticism on everything from coaching methods to hypnotism. The hosts shift seamlessly from breaking sports news to personal stories, keeping the vibe firmly local and relatable.

For listeners who missed this episode, expect a quintessential KSR mix: Kentucky hoops analysis, behind-the-scenes restaurant and legal stories, small-town scandals, mascot memories, and just enough NCAA controversy to keep sports fans arguing until tomorrow.