Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 2

Date: October 31, 2025
Host: Matt Jones
Co-Hosts: Ryan Lemond, Shannon Dawson, Drew Franklin
Location: Live from Whiskey Thief, just outside Frankfurt, KY

Episode Overview

This episode of KSR, broadcasting from the lively atmosphere at Whiskey Thief, focuses on sports news, cultural debates, listener calls, and a touch of bourbon-soaked Halloween fun. With UK football confronting challenges, Matt Jones pivots the crew toward college sports drama elsewhere (namely LSU), a heated debate on grade inflation, Kentucky volleyball's big weekend, and some lighthearted banter about podcasts, fan attire, and more.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. LSU Football Chaos and Politician Interference

• Matt Jones recaps the ongoing turmoil at LSU: the Governor's involvement in firing the Athletic Director, resistance from head women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey, and grandstanding on coach contracts.
• Main Points:
  • The risks of political interference in athletics.
  • The impracticality of performance-only sports contracts.
  • Coaching talent unlikely to accept extreme pay-for-result contracts.
  • ADs and coaches want stability and clear lines of authority.
• Notable Exchange:
  • Matt Jones (03:41):
    “Who is going to agree [to a contract that only pays on winning]? ...Would you work somewhere that only said you get it if you produce X much and the person next to you gets it either way? ...Nobody’s going to do that.”
  • Shannon Dawson (05:32):
    “We’d have pitchforks in his front yard if that happened.”

2. Grade Inflation at Harvard and the Meaning of Grades

• Matt shares stats on Harvard’s grade inflation (62% of grades were As in 2025 versus 15% in 1996).
• The crew debates the value and meaning of grades in higher education and whether everyone should get an A.
• Insightful Comments:
  • Ryan is indifferent to grade inflation, seeing grades as less relevant to life outcomes.
  • Matt argues for meaningful grades as essential for identifying excellence and maintaining standards, especially for fields like medicine.
  • Shannon links rising grades to AI use and pressure on colleges to please students.
  • Matt Jones (12:43):
    “Don’t you want to know who the best students are?...Why do you want everyone to...grade equally? ...Don’t you want to know who's the best?”
  • They also touch on elitism (“Harvard vs. Poop State”) and the significance of rigorous grading in professional schools.

3. Listener Calls: Sports Parenting & Wearing Team Colors

• Donnie from Alabama calls to ask if he should wear UK gear to his daughter’s Auburn band event.
• Consensus: Wear an “Auburn Band Dad” shirt with a Kentucky or KSR hat—represent both family and fandom.
• Caller Exchange:
  • Matt Jones (15:25):
    “You should cheer for her...But when they're playing football...You should be rooting for Kentucky.”

4. UK Volleyball’s Big Weekend and Program Success

• Kentucky faces Texas in a huge SEC volleyball matchup (potentially for the SEC title).
• Discussion on UK’s rise as a volleyball powerhouse (9 straight SEC titles, national champs), and the growing popularity of women’s sports.
• Ticket prices spike ($225–$1,200+).
• Matt Jones (21:01):
  “Before Craig, Kentucky had won one volleyball title ever. And now they've won nine straight and a national championship. That's pretty amazing.”

5. KSR’s Podcast Success and Audience Reach

• KSR recognized among most influential sports podcasts, despite being “widely unknown” nationally, which becomes a running joke.
• Impressive audience numbers: over 1,000 listeners daily in 27 U.S. markets, including major cities like Indianapolis and Nashville.
• Host Reflections:
  • Matt Jones (27:32):
    “Jones is simply one of the most successful yet widely unknown hosts in this space.”
  • The team discusses their reach beyond Kentucky and the surprise at the show’s national footprint.

6. UK Football, Coaching Speculation, and SEC Landscape

• Touches on UK’s remaining football schedule, the expectation of getting to a bowl game, and fairness in evaluating Mark Stoops.
• Rumors swirl about coaching changes; John Sumrall’s stock and Lane Kiffin’s prospects at Ole Miss/Auburn are discussed, along with potential impacts for Kentucky.
• Matt Jones (23:49):
  “We can't sit here and make it to where there's nothing [Coach Stoops] can do that's worth praise.”

7. Basketball: Freshman Performances and Learning Curves

• Team reviews the recent UK basketball exhibition games. Comments on the performances of Zvonimir Ivišić ("Big Z"), Ilija Milijašević ("Yellow Bitch"), and freshmen Jasper Johnson and Malachi Marino, noting growth areas and the learning curve.
• Emphasis on the value of tough exhibition games for player development.

8. Fun and Games: KSR Parlay Picks & Show Antics

• The annual KSR parlay is laid out with SEC betting picks and light-hearted banter about superstitions (e.g., Ryan’s mustache).
• KSR crew also predicts the upcoming UK–Auburn football game.
• Parlay picks discussed: Mississippi State +4.5, Tennessee -2.5, Nebraska -4.5, Georgia -7
• Score and MVP predictions for UK v Auburn:
  • Drew: Auburn 30-28, MVP: Seth McGowan
  • Ryan: Auburn 24-13, MVP: Cutter Boley
  • Matt: Auburn 27-17, MVP: Kendrick Law
  • Shannon: UK 21-18, MVP: Shai's Pete (with a fumble return TD)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• LSU Drama and Political Interference:
  • “I just want you to think how ridiculous this sounds. What if Andy Beshear just fired Mitch Barnhart and said he was going to hire the football coach?” — Matt Jones ([05:19])
  • “I love when people clap. Yes, let’s do this. And then guess what happens. Go find somebody to agree to that.” — Matt Jones ([03:33])
• Grades & Education:
  • “If you give everybody the same grade...it's all going to come down to one test. Maybe they had a bad day...which is why I think you do [grades].” — Matt Jones ([18:09])
  • “I think...there's a huge pressure to make the students happy and give them good grades so they don't whine and complain.” — Matt Jones ([11:07])
• Podcast Success:
  • “Jones is simply one of the most successful yet widely unknown hosts in this space.” — Matt Jones quoting Awful Announcing ([27:32])
  • “There’s no local show in the country that has over a thousand listeners a day in more markets than ours.” — Matt Jones ([29:09])
• Basketball Callers:
  • “I think maybe I see it because I had a couple sons who really struggled in the classroom. It was a struggle for them just to get a C.” — Ryan Lemond ([13:34])
• KSR Banter:
  • “You guys...Part of the reason you lose is you all pick with your heart.” — Matt Jones ([41:01])
  • “You think about it while we also make our game.” — Matt Jones ([41:20])
  • “If you wanted to make the biggest middle finger to Matt Jones hire it would be bringing in Dabo Sweeney.” — Matt Jones ([36:22])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• LSU Football Drama & Coach Contract Debate: 02:17–08:13
• Harvard Grade Inflation & Higher Ed Debate: 08:57–14:54
• Listener Call: Auburn Band Dad Attire: 14:55–16:24
• UK Volleyball/Sports Ticket Price Discussion: 19:01–21:17, 24:05–25:26
• Podcast Reach & Influence Discussion: 25:54–30:44
• Caller Sports Takes/Basketball Discussion: 30:48–33:43
• UK Football, Potential Coaching Changes: 35:40–38:26
• KSR Parlay Picks & UK–Auburn Game Predictions: 38:36–43:13

Tone & Style

Casual, humorous, irreverent, and conversational—marked by good-natured teasing, Kentucky-fried analogies, and the camaraderie of a close-knit radio crew. The hosts emphasize listener involvement and provide an entertaining blend of opinion, sports analysis, and relatable real-life stories.

Summary Takeaways

• LSU’s handling of athletic department leadership is a cautionary tale about politics in college sports, opening broader discussion about NCAA governance and stability issues.
• Grade inflation, especially at elite schools, raises important cultural and practical questions—the episode surfaces genuine differences between valuing effort versus measuring excellence.
• KSR remains a powerhouse local sports radio/podcast with national reach, outpacing many comparable shows in market diversity and engagement.
• UK Volleyball’s success stands out as a bright spot for Kentucky athletics.
• Listener engagement is a hallmark, with calls fueling both practical debate (fan gear) and deep sports talk (basketball strategy, coaching futures).
• The “unknown-yet-successful” trope about KSR becomes fodder for funny, self-effacing banter, highlighting both humility and pride in the show’s achievements.

For those who missed it, this episode provides a rich cross-section of college sports hot topics, Kentucky pride, educational commentary, and comedic moments—all in classic KSR fashion.