KSR Hour 2 (November 17, 2025) – Detailed Summary

Overview

This episode of Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR), hosted by Matt Jones and the KSR crew, takes listeners on the road to Buffalo, NY, fresh off their NFL trip to see the Bills. The crew shares colorful stories from their trip, breaks down the Buffalo tailgating and local wing culture, discusses UK sports developments, debates fan criticism, and previews both UK men’s and women's basketball matchups. The tone is lively, witty, and conversational, with a blend of sports analysis and behind-the-scenes storytelling.

1. Road Trip Reflections: Tales from Buffalo

Buffalo Bills Game & Tailgate Experience

• The group attended “one of the best NFL games of the season," Bills vs. Buccaneers (Score: 44-32), where they were swept up in the high-energy atmosphere of Bills Mafia.
• Drew: "Just being here and getting a taste of how that fan base is was incredible. They did not disappoint." (05:24)
• Drew relishes his role as a tailgater again, noting the hospitality of Bills fans—even running into a family with Kentucky roots who welcomed him into their seats.
  • Drew: "You can walk up to any tailgate and they will give you a hug and just say, eat our blue cheese." (06:40)
• The group agrees Buffalo fans are surprisingly welcoming—contrary to NY stereotypes—but note their rowdiness ramps up postgame ("their booze has kicked in...").
• Fashion Fiasco: Billy becomes an unintentional target for good-natured heckling due to his shoes and trench coat.
  • Shannon: "There's something about your face that just makes people want to give you a hard time." (08:16)

Wings in Buffalo: Culinary Observations

• The crew deconstructs the "one true way" to make Buffalo wings—single fry, never breaded, always with blue cheese (not ranch).
  • Shannon: "You can't ask Shannon for ranch. They don't have it. Oh, they just give you blue cheese." (10:10)
  • Drew: "We ate wings that were fried in a World War II helmet at Ron Pinto Ron’s tailgate." (11:17)
• Consensus: Wing-making in Buffalo is a rigid tradition, but possibly the best wing experience in America.

Buffalo’s Stadium Setting

• They marvel at Highmark Stadium's suburban setting.
  • Shannon: "This stadium is in a neighborhood. There are just houses across the street... It's a two lane road." (11:36)

2. NFL Game & UK Connections

• The crew reflects on seeing former Kentucky players Ray Davis, Maxwell Harrison, and Dion Walker in the NFL context.
  • Shannon: "Ray Davis and Maxwell Harrison couldn’t have been nicer to us. ...His family was like, KSR! Like, they were excited." (13:27)
• Locker room anecdotes: humorous discomfort about player nudity, noting the NFL scene is even more unfiltered than NBA postgames.
  • Matt Jones: "They open up the locker room and all these dudes are naked." (14:03)
• Observations on post-game NFL meals:
  • Shannon (jokingly): "On the way out the door, they just grab a Jersey Mike sub. That’s it. And only six inches. You don’t even get a foot long." (16:04)
  • Matt Jones: “Millionaires getting a free sandwich.” (16:24)

3. Kentucky Sports News & Listener Q&A

UK Football: Stoops, Cutter Bowley, and Criticism

• Discussion centers on the QB situation and fan sentiment.
  • Matt Jones: "More important to keep Cutter than it is Stoops." (22:10)
• They address criticism from former players suggesting KSR is responsible for negative vibes around the program.
  • Shannon: "It’s very convenient...when things don’t go well..., say it's the media's fault." (23:40)
  • Drew: "You lost 11 straight home games... That’s negative enough on your own." (23:17)

Mark Pope Recruiting Concerns (UK Basketball)

• Worry sets in about UK’s difficulty landing five-star basketball recruits, beyond the local gets Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.
  • Drew: "He still needs to go out and prove I can get one of these stars to add to the team." (28:09)
  • Shannon: "If he doesn't get Stokes, Holt, or Collins, well then I'm really worried." (28:53)
• The consensus is that it’s too early for full panic, but time is running out.

Jalen Lowe Injury Uncertainty

• The crew ponders whether Jalen Lowe will play the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury, weighing medical, personal, and NIL considerations.
  • Matt Jones: "Do you want to do this all year and maybe deal with pain,...or do you just want to ...be 100%?" (34:44)
  • Pope refers to consulting with “the family and the agents,” highlighting the new NIL-era realities.
  • Drew: "The order...was very telling of the current state of basketball: it's agents then doctor." (35:17)

Mark Pope’s Post-Louisville Loss Accountability

• The group notes a shift in Pope’s self-assessment tone after the Louisville loss, raising questions about internal team dynamics.
  • Drew: "I thought his last three speaking appearances were very wacky, but I did like that he was open..." (37:38)
• They wonder about possible locker room issues, with Pope suddenly more candid about the team being behind schedule.

4. Upcoming Games & Fan Engagement

UK Women's Basketball

• Big home matchup vs. Purdue: fans encouraged to attend and support, especially with a top recruit visiting.
  • Matt Jones: "They deserve the support. Clara Strack has been phenomenal...Excited for this women’s basketball team." (31:25)

Champions Classic Preview – Kentucky vs. Michigan State

• UK is a 5.5-point favorite, but the crew is cautious after the recent Louisville loss.
  • Drew: "Champions Classic has not been kind to us...It's time to get a victory." (48:49)
• Team health (especially the backcourt) and mental toughness versus Michigan State discussed as key factors.
  • Matt Jones: "This is a game where you see at least one guy rise to the occasion. Who is that person on this team?" (49:20)

5. Humorous and Notable Moments

• "Vegetable tray" incident: Billy pulls out a healthy snack, prompting jokes about the trip’s stereotypical “whiteness.” (27:15)
• Drew’s in-laws “randomly” showing up in Buffalo as parental chaperones:
  • Drew: "Abby’s dad and stepmom...just happen to be passing through Buffalo this morning..." (47:45)
• Tailgate interactions: a listener in Buffalo introduced himself as the one who held the famous "Calipari go to Texas" sign at a game. (48:17)
• Old opinions on Rick Pitino evolving:
  • Shannon: “I can't think of a person I've ever flipped on more. Like if you go back through my history... it's probably like George W. Bush and Rick Pitino.” (40:53)

6. Quotes Highlight Reel

• On Buffalo hospitality:
  “Just being here and getting a taste of how that fan base is was incredible. They did not disappoint.” — Drew (05:24)
• On blue cheese and wing rituals:
  “You can't ask Shannon for ranch. They don't have it. Oh, they just give you blue cheese.” — Shannon (10:10)
• On criticism from ex-players:
  “It's very convenient in all levels of life to, when things don't go well for you, say it's the media's fault.” — Shannon (23:40)
• On NIL era in college sports:
  "The order of which he named the process was very telling of the current state of basketball: it's agents then doctor." – Drew (35:17)
• On postgame NFL meals:
  “On the way out the door, they just grab a Jersey Mike sub. That’s it. And only six inches. You don’t even get a foot long.” — Shannon (16:04)

7. Key Timestamps

• 03:34 — Show begins (skip ads before this)
• 04:48-13:27 — Buffalo trip, tailgate, and stadium stories
• 13:27-15:18 — Meeting former UK players in the NFL
• 21:30-22:17 — UK football, Stoops/Bowley discussion
• 22:25-26:27 — Criticism from ex-players, KSR's role
• 27:43-29:38 — UK basketball recruiting worries
• 30:36-32:10 — Women’s basketball vs. Purdue, Men’s preview vs. Michigan State
• 33:38-36:34 — Jalen Lowe’s injury and NIL complexities
• 37:38-38:53 — Mark Pope’s post-loss candor
• 48:17-49:31 — Tailgate encounters, predictions for Michigan State game
• 50:40-51:36 — Reflections on Buffalo trip, closing thoughts

8. Closing Thoughts

The episode is a rich blend of road trip recounting, sharp sports insight, and candid discussion about the realities and narratives of Kentucky athletics—delivered with typical KSR wit and camaraderie. A must-listen for UK fans, especially those interested in the cultural and behind-the-scenes aspects of sports fandom.

No ads, intros, or outros included; all timestamps refer to the content segment.