Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 2

iHeartPodcasts and Sports Talk 790 (WKRD-AM)
Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Matt Jones with Drew Franklin, Shannon Ragland, Ryan Lemond, and Billy Reed

Episode Overview

This hour of Kentucky Sports Radio dives into the excitement surrounding the Champions Classic basketball matchup, current UK basketball storylines, fan attitudes toward Reed Sheppard, the rise of Iowa State’s Audi Crooks in women’s basketball, a fun game about former UK players, and humorous banter about sports culture and even billionaire dating advice. The episode is packed with quirky discussions, memorable quotes, and a genuine pulse on Kentucky sports fandom.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Champions Classic Preview & Atmosphere

• [03:07–04:12]
  • The crew hypes up the Champions Classic, especially Kentucky's strong record at Madison Square Garden.
  • They reminisce about UK’s dramatic wins and the lively atmosphere at their events, drawing comparisons to previous years.

Notable quote:
"This is the new kind of elegant restaurant in Lexington... You got handcrafted, made-from-scratch cocktails, coastal inspired menu from Chef Cole."
— Drew Franklin [03:49]

2. "James Garfield Show" Review

• [05:14–05:53]
  • Matt and Ryan enthuse over the James Garfield miniseries, commending its historical accuracy and casting.
  • The show prompts the group to briefly discuss facial hair and deep dives into history.

Notable quote:
"We looked it up—very factual. Yeah, it really was."
— Ryan Lemond [05:50]

3. The Audi Crooks Phenomenon – Women’s College Basketball

• [06:15–09:55]
  • Drew introduces Audi Crooks, Iowa State’s powerhouse center, as his favorite non-UK player after her 43-point game in 21 minutes.
  • The team raves about Crooks’ footwork, size, and dominance, likening her impact to Jokic and Shaq.
  • Discussion highlights deeper women’s college basketball awareness among the hosts.

Notable quote:
"Shaq at his finest was not Audi Crook... She gets the ball in the post and says, out of my way. It is over."
— Drew Franklin [06:27, 06:43]

*"She's only a few games into her junior year... She's going to be a star."
— Shannon Ragland [09:18]

4. Reed Sheppard: Performance & Fan Drama

• [09:55–13:10 | 28:09–30:08]
  • Reed Sheppard is gaining momentum with consecutive high-scoring games, but a vocal faction of fans still holds a grudge over his past Arkansas apparel incident.
  • The hosts (Shannon, Drew, Billy, Ryan) defend Sheppard, noting most fans are supportive, but online threads can skew negative.
  • Hilarious back-and-forth about how some fans never forgive, and discussion about how online communities differ from general fandom.

Notable quotes:

• "What could Reid do to get everybody back on board?"
  — Ryan Lemond [28:56]
• "Burn an Arkansas jersey."
  — Shannon Ragland [29:00]
• "One of the most popular players to ever play here... And you want to turn him off because he thinks something differently... Makes no sense."
  — Ryan Lemond [29:56]

5. Discussion: Player Recognition & Helmet Sports

• [13:13–18:26 | 46:30–47:11]
  • Caller Nate sparks talk about how NHL and football players are rarely recognized in public compared to basketball players.
  • Hosts rank the likeliest UK football players to be recognized—Cutter Bowley, Zach Calzada, and Shias Pete make the list, but few others.
  • This segues into the need for programs to better introduce players to fans.

Notable quote:
"The quarterback is a different situation... Cutter Bowley would be number one."
— Drew Franklin [16:06]

6. Interaction with Callers

• Callers Nate, Dan (from New Zealand), Free Bird, Miles, Ford, Po [13:13, 23:13, 24:56, 45:49, 46:30, 48:12]
  • Calls range from wedding congratulations to a UK fan listening in New Zealand, support for Reed Sheppard, and local Kentucky nostalgia.
  • Consistently, calls express deep Kentucky pride and highlight the show’s unique reach.

Notable moment:
Dan calling in live from New Zealand wearing his UK hat, intersecting with UK and Tennessee fans abroad.
[23:13]

7. UK Basketball Roster Transfer Game

• [30:08–33:09 | 44:23–44:48]
  • Drew quizzes the crew on the current teams of various UK basketball transfers (e.g., Kirk Creasa, Bryce Hopkins, Ugo Onyenso, Aaron Bradshaw, Damian Collins, Cameron Fletcher).
  • Ryan’s guesses amuse; Shannon gets accused of cheating (jokingly) for naming obscure schools.

Notable moment:
“Where does Cameron Fletcher play?”... “He’s at High Point.”—Suspiciously fast answer from Shannon, causing laughter and mock accusations.
[44:32–45:24]

8. Women’s Basketball & Scheduling Complaints

• [33:09–34:45]
  • Discussion of former UK women’s players excelling elsewhere and tonight’s big UK women’s game at Memorial Coliseum, unfortunately scheduled opposite a men’s game.
  • The crew expresses annoyance with the scheduling and pushes for better support and promotion of women’s athletics.

9. Billionaire Bill Ackman’s Dating Advice

• [34:45–39:16 | 43:43–44:20]
  • The crew ridicules billionaire Bill Ackman’s suggestion that men should approach women with “May I meet you?”
  • They debate whether that line would ever work, ultimately agreeing it’s awkward and likely a byproduct of Ackman’s wealth more than charm.
  • Listeners and hosts share more bizarre pick-up line experiences.

Notable quotes:

• "Sounds like the worst idea ever." — Ryan Lemond [36:31]
• "May I meet you? That's weird." — Shannon Ragland [37:20]
• "You'd get a look of horror..." — Drew Franklin [39:09]

10. DraftKings Segment – Game Predictions

• [39:33–40:39]
  • The group picks Kansas (+11.5) over Duke in the Champions Classic after news of a key player injury, with Ryan as the lone Duke backer.
  • This establishes the tone for KSR’s daily game picks, which mix insight and inside-joke jabs at each panelist’s record.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "She crushes people. I mean, Shaq at his finest was not Audi Crook." — Drew Franklin [06:27]
• "Facial hair. Very factual. A lot of it we looked up. No, we looked it up. Oh, so you checked the historical accuracy?" — Drew Franklin/Ryan Lemond [05:39–05:50]
• "Ryan gets away with it... She's a big woman. I never said that. I said she..." — Drew Franklin [08:06]
• "We all have that one fan base that just can't forgive... it clearly represents some faction of the fan base." — Drew Franklin [09:37]
• Caller Dan (from New Zealand): “It’s Wednesday here... Yeah, I’ve been listening to you, like, of course. It’s like going from night shift to day shift here.” [23:53]
• "There are more people who—and it's interesting to me—when a story breaks into the Casuals... The 'get your money Garrett' was fascinating because the Casuals knew about it." — Drew Franklin [17:50]
• "May I meet you? That's a little creepy. Goodbye." — Ryan Lemond [37:49]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:07–04:12] — Champions Classic hype, MSG record, restaurant plug
• [05:14–05:53] — James Garfield show historical discussion
• [06:15–09:55] — Audi Crooks star power and women’s basketball
• [09:55–13:10; 28:09–30:08] — Reed Sheppard drama and fan baggage
• [13:13–18:26; 46:30–47:11] — Sports helmet anonymity; football player recognizability
• [23:13–23:48] — Dan from New Zealand call-in
• [30:08–33:09; 44:23–44:48] — 'Where do they play?' UK transfer quiz
• [34:45–39:16] — Bill Ackman dating advice segment
• [39:33–40:39] — DraftKings picks: Duke vs. Kansas

Tone & Language

The hosts keep the discussion irreverent, conversational, and loaded with lighthearted teasing—whether they’re trash-talking rival fanbases, squabbling over player recognition, or mocking billionaire antics. The ribbing is genuine, and the inside jokes give an instant sense of familiarity for regular listeners.

Summary Takeaway

This episode perfectly captures the mix of deep Kentucky sports knowledge, impromptu humor, and big-tent fandom that defines KSR. From earnest fan calls from as far as New Zealand to passionate defenses of Reed Sheppard and shouts to rising women’s basketball stars, the show walks the line between local barbershop banter and real sports analysis.

For more Kentucky sports news and lively discussion, tune in daily from 10 to noon.