Kentucky Sports Radio – Hour 2 (October 7, 2025)

Hosts: Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, Shannon the Dude, Drew Franklin
Live from: KS Bar and Grill
Main Theme: Kentucky sports news, UK basketball and football developments, local team updates, NIL and college coaching contracts

Episode Overview

This episode features the KSR crew discussing major breaking news in Kentucky and college sports, from Duke basketball's recruitment innovation to the arrival of a pro football team in Louisville. They dive into UK football’s struggles, debate high-profile names for “Chief Basketball Officer,” analyze coaching contracts in the NIL era, and keep the banter flowing with entertaining asides and fan calls. The tone is spirited, candid, and lightly sarcastic, making for a packed and lively hour.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Duke’s “Chief Basketball Officer” and Kentucky’s Stars (03:10–06:12)

• Duke has named Jason Tatum their “Chief Basketball Officer” – a symbolic move to boost recruiting and player selection. Matt and the crew see this as a trend Kentucky ought to emulate.
• UK’s potential candidates debated: Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are all discussed, with pros and cons for each.
  • Shannon prefers Karl because “he would actually be the most involved” (05:05).
  • Matt points out, "You're the least cool of the group for the number one pick" (05:11) but agrees involvement matters over “coolness.”
  • They note other schools (Oklahoma—Trae Young; Davidson—Steph Curry) doing the same for recruiting cachet.

2. Reed Sheppard’s Arkansas Shirt Fiasco (06:26–07:18)

• The hosts revisit the controversial incident where UK’s Reed Sheppard wore an Arkansas shirt, expressing a forgiving but still shocked reaction.
  • Matt jokes, “I love him, but I still can't believe he wore that Arkansas shirt” (06:51).
  • Ryan: “If he just would have flipped it, put a Kentucky shirt on...” (06:55).
  • They draw parallels to wedding apparel politics—never wear a rival’s colors!

3. UFL’s Louisville Kings – Pro Football Comes to Kentucky (07:29–09:35)

• Breaking news: The United Football League is placing a pro team in Louisville, named the Louisville Kings.
  • Shannon and Matt think “Kings” is a boring name and suggest alternatives like “Louisville Bourbons” or “Louisville Leopards.”
  • Shannon explains the name: “It celebrates the deep history and heritage… builds off the royal connection to France’s King Louis… and the Derby is known as the Sport of Kings. They combined them” (08:56–09:17).

4. Ryan Lemond’s National Endorsement & Negotiation Mishaps (09:35–15:44)

• Ryan landed a national ad for Alarm.com—but admits he did it “for nothing,” only getting a box of doggy toys as a bonus.
  • Matt teases: “You negotiated for nothing… and then they threw in doggy toys” (11:22–11:27).
  • Extensive banter about Photoshop touch-ups in Ryan’s ad photo, including “Peyton Manning's comb-over” and “more hair than usual” (13:02–13:12).
  • Matt’s business advice: “The more they’re going to use it, the more that should be in pocket.” Ryan admits: “I probably did not use proper negotiating tactics” (15:03–15:09).

5. Fan Frustration: UK Football Woes & Mark Stoops’ Future (15:53–18:07)

• Caller Robbie says, “Everybody’s checked out on football… It’s time for Stoops to go” (15:53).
• Matt agrees: “We’re definitively the worst team in the SEC right now” (16:35) and speculates that, for the first time, donors might be ready to fund a buyout if necessary.
• Buyout structure discussed – immediate payment required, 70% of remaining contract (17:55–18:07).

6. Upcoming UK Fan Fest Event (22:20–23:56)

• Breakdown of Saturday’s “Fan Fest” schedule at Rupp Arena’s exhibit center. Main draw: player and coach talks and autograph sessions.
  • Matt: “I think this really is an awesome event. Exactly what UK basketball and athletics should do more of” (22:20–23:27).
  • Ryan and Shannon miss the player/fan camps and say this is a strong step for community interaction (23:27–23:38).

7. Liam Coen to NFL: Legacy and Reactions (24:22–25:52)

• Stoops credited for hiring Coen as OC—twice—even if Kentucky’s offense didn’t thrive.
  • Shannon: "I’ll give him a check [mark]... at least gotta applaud him for finding Liam” (24:22).
  • Ryan: "I give him two checks, hired the guy twice.” (24:52)

8. Josh Allen’s NFL Stardom (26:55–27:28)

• Matt lauds the former UK star: "Our Josh Allen is an absolute machine... One of the five best defensive ends in the league." (26:55)
• Shannon and Ryan agree on Allen’s elite status.

9. NIL, Coaching Contracts & Changing College Sports Landscape (37:21–43:10)

• Extended discussion on whether coaches’ massive contracts will shrink now that NIL is dominant.
  • Matt asserts, “The years of coaches getting eight-year deals… $12 million a year. I think that’s going away” (38:25).
  • Shannon: “There’s just a shelf life on coaching no matter how good you have it” (39:38).
  • Matt: “The second biggest [change] is going to be before NIL and after NIL” (41:00), noting old guard coaches struggle to adapt.
  • Who adapts? Rick Pitino (basketball) and Kirby Smart (football) cited as rare examples excelling pre- and post-NIL (42:29–42:46).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Matt Jones [on recruiting officer]: "We don't need them to do anything. We just need them to answer the phone." (05:23)
• Shannon [on UK stars]: “I would lean Carl because I think he would actually be the most involved.” (05:05)
• Matt Jones [on football struggles]: "We’re definitively the worst team in the SEC right now in the conference. And… that's got to change. That’s the one thing that can’t happen.” (16:35)
• On doggy toy payment:
  • Matt: “So you negotiated for nothing... and then they threw in doggy toys?” (11:22)
  • Ryan: "They threw in a box of doggy toys. ...There’s like $200 worth of doggy toys." (11:29)
• On NIL's impact:
  • Matt: “The second biggest [change] is going to be before NIL and after NIL... There are coaches who simply could not coach after integration. I think you’re going to end up with a set of coaches who… just didn’t know how to do [NIL].” (41:00)
  • Shannon: "Any coach already paying before NIL... now struggling that it’s just out in the open because that was their advantage.” (41:49)
• On Belichick (football coaching drama):
  • Matt: “He has three family members on staff, two sons and a son-in-law… and a girlfriend staff too.” (35:21, 35:27)

Important Timestamps

• 03:10–06:12 – Duke’s Jason Tatum announcement; Kentucky’s own stars for “Chief Basketball Officer”
• 07:29–09:35 – Louisville Kings UFL team announced and debated
• 09:35–15:44 – The Alarm.com endorsement and Ryan’s “dog toy deal”
• 15:53–18:07 – Call-in venting about UK football and Stoops’ job security
• 22:20–23:56 – Fan Fest event breakdown
• 24:22–25:52 – Liam Coen’s coaching legacy at UK and move to the NFL
• 26:55–27:28 – Josh Allen’s NFL performances
• 37:21–43:10 – College coaching contracts and the NIL era; who adapts, who doesn’t

Tone & Episode Style

The crew maintains their signature candid, bantering style, oscillating between sports analysis and self-deprecating humor. They’re quick to needle each other, especially Ryan for his thumb-fingered dealmaking. Listener calls prompt honest and sometimes pointed commentary, especially around the state of Kentucky football.

For New/Returning Listeners

• If you want insight on why Kentucky basketball and football fans are feeling both anticipation and frustration, this episode covers the big issues: recruiting trends, pro sports in Louisville, the (dis)integration of UK football, and the ever-shifting college coaching landscape under NIL.
• The discussion is full of inside jokes and jabs, but the hosts always circle back to the key questions Kentucky fans are asking right now.
• For laughs, don’t miss the saga of Ryan’s ad campaign and its canine compensation.

Closing

The episode rounds out with more football predictions, fan calls, and a look ahead for Kentucky sports—against a background of change, challenge, and constant conversation.