Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 2, November 14, 2025
Podcast: KSR
Hosts: Matt Jones, Drew Franklin, Ryan Lemond, Shannon
Date: November 14, 2025
Location: Infinity Rooftop, Marriott City Center, Lexington
Episode Overview
This lively edition of Kentucky Sports Radio features the usual panel broadcasting live from the Infinity Rooftop, peppering sports talk with humorous banter. The crew discusses Kentucky basketball and football news, weighs in on hot stories like a "Storage Wars" cash haul, a viral goth volleyball player, and quirky NIL developments, and debates the impact of player injuries. Listener calls drive spirited conversation about coaching decisions, roster speculation, and memorable rivalry moments—all served with plenty of irreverence and camaraderie.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Show Banter and Venue Details
- Hosts rave about the Infinity Rooftop venue (03:12), with the menu including espresso martinis, old fashioneds, and a robust food selection—the perfect spot for lunch, dinner, or parties.
- Lighthearted jokes about drink preferences and poking fun at each other's choices set the show’s collegial tone.
2. "Storage Wars" Windfall Story (07:10–12:00)
- Matt Jones relays the story of a “Storage Wars” host who bought a storage locker for $500 and found $7.5 million in cash inside.
- The crew debates what they would do in the situation:
- Drew Franklin: “If I pay 500 and get 7.8 million inside of that storage unit, I'm gonna go all in. I'm gonna ride it out, because that was the deal...” (09:26)
- Ryan Lemond: Would take a deal, less stress, but push for more than $1.2M offered.
- Shannon: Fantasizes about taking the money to Mexico, prompting a hilarious deconstruction by Matt about the flaws in that plan.
- General consensus: There’s a likely criminal backstory—probably drug or mafia money—and safety/trouble risks would influence cashing out.
3. Sports News and Listener Q&A
Kentucky Basketball Injury Updates (16:00, 30:59)
- Key Topic: Concerns about injuries to Jalen Lowe (potentially out for the season) and Jaden Quaintance, both highly talented UK players.
- Matt Jones reflects: “It would be such a sad state of Kentucky luck if you took the two guys that probably have the most talent on the team and then neither one of them plays..." (16:41)
- Breaking news cited from Jeff Goodman: Imaging on Jalen Lowe’s shoulder showed no new damage, but surgery and ongoing season status are up in the air.
- Panel speculates on when JQ might return, with cautious optimism he could play in January.
LPGA Sponsors Exemption/Donald Trump’s Granddaughter (13:35)
- Donald Trump’s granddaughter received a sponsors exemption to play an LPGA event, finishing last, prompting controversy.
- Drew Franklin: “Somebody's gotta come in last. And you might as well make it Trump's granddaughter, because now we're talking about it and giving it more exposure. So I think it was actually a good decision.” (13:44)
- Others note this is standard with sponsor exemptions, especially in less-publicized sports.
Boise State Volleyball "Goth Chick" NIL Story (22:49–24:22)
- The crew discusses a Boise State volleyball player who plays in full goth face paint, gaining notoriety and new NIL deals.
- Matt Jones asks: "How would UK react if one of our national championship volleyball players had goth paint on?" (23:31)
- Ryan Lemond lauds her personal brand: "You got to have your own personal brand in college... she's getting nil deals." (24:00)
Local Angle: Michi White, E. Illinois Player & UK Fan (24:32–26:04)
- Drew spotlights Michi White, E. Illinois’ starting point guard, a lifelong Kentucky fan returning to play at Rupp Arena.
- “I hope everybody gives him a big round of applause. The Kentucky fan getting... to play in Rupp arena tonight. We want to kick his tail, but... a big round of applause.” —Matt Jones (25:55)
Listener Questions: Basketball Roster & Injury Fallout (26:12–29:07)
- Callers express concern about depth and style of play, debate redshirting (Braden Hawthorne), and bring up injuries’ impact on defensive/offensive tactics.
- Matt Jones: “If Mark Pope's going to fix anything, he's got a better chance of fixing the offense than the defense. That's his strength.” (35:25)
- Discussion of defensive switching and whether players like Brandon Garrison and Yellowvic are stepping up.
4. Kentucky Football Talk: Tennessee Tech Game Preview (32:00+)
- Matt Jones reports Tennessee Tech’s coach is openly frustrated about playing UK, calling the game pointless due to their own conference championship looming the next week.
- Drew Franklin: “It's a loser's mentality. If you are like the player for that team and you hear your coach say that, like, what motivation do you have to even come out and try?” (33:47)
- All assume Kentucky will have an easy win.
5. Weekly Picks Segment (37:19–46:41)
- Group makes college football against-the-spread picks for their DraftKings parlay.
- Picks include Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, and (in a comic miscue) Michigan over Penn State—except Shannon accidentally picks a hockey game instead of football.
- Drew Franklin teases: “I think we included three football games in a hockey game.” (45:54)
6. Riveting and Humorous Moments
Notable Quotes
- “America, y'all better wake the hell up. Bad things happen to good people in small towns.” —Matt Jones (00:46, repeated in ads)
- On "Storage Wars" money:
- "I'm taking a deal. I'd probably go a little higher than 1.2, though. Like you said, I don't want the stress. If these are shady characters, I don't want to get caught up in that." —Ryan Lemond (09:57)
- “Listen, I've seen those shows where they wrap the money in mustard and they put it in pickle juice and wrap it with aluminum foil.” —Shannon (11:17)
- On the goth volleyball player:
- "You've got to have your own personal brand in college. In this NIL world." —Ryan Lemond (24:00)
- On college basketball defense:
- “Our defense will be better because Low... he's a bad defender, and you have to hide him.” —Matt Jones (34:51)
Podcast Humor
- The group jokes about sponsor exemptions, NIL deals, and Shannon’s accidental hockey vs. football wager.
- Banter about drinks, food, and their affection for random, off-beat topics.
7. Game Predictions (51:34+)
- UK vs. Tennessee Tech football:
- Shannon: 49–21
- Drew: 45–14
- Matt: 41–10
- UK vs. Eastern Illinois basketball:
- Shannon: UK by 35 (85–50)
- Drew: 105–68
- Matt: 81–59
8. Miscellaneous Local & Sports News
- UK basketball’s injury updates drive most fan questions and debates.
- Kentucky-Eastern Illinois game preview includes a focus on individual player stories and injury speculation.
- A sidebar about a fight at the UK-UofL game (“looked like a murder scene”) (50:50), leading to discussion of rivalry energy.
Notable Moments with Timestamps
- [04:43] Matt Bevin (former KY governor) dancing to Kid Rock in denim at the GOP convention—a meme-worthy story for the panel.
- [12:16] The crew pokes holes in Shannon's fantasy of laundering $7.5M found in a storage locker.
- [22:49] The viral goth Boise State volleyball player and the panel’s musings on personal branding in NIL era.
- [24:32] Human interest spotlight on Kentucky superfan Michi White, now playing for the opposition at Rupp.
- [30:59] Breaking news on Jalen Lowe’s injury status from Jeff Goodman.
- [37:19–46:41] Entertaining group picks for the DraftKings parlay, with a hilarious mix-up about hockey vs. football games.
Tone & Style
The KSR crew blends deep Kentucky sports knowledge with a sharp sense of humor and friendly ribbing. The episode is dynamic, approachable, and packed with conversational asides and inside jokes. Hosts attribute input generously among each other and to listeners, cultivating a laid-back, participatory space that values both the serious and the silly in Kentucky sports.
For First-Time Listeners
Expect a mix of Kentucky Wildcats analysis, offbeat storytelling, fan Q&A, and plenty of laughter. The episode is perfect for Wildcats fans needing an update on basketball injuries, football previews, or those just looking for an entertaining slice of Kentucky sports culture.