KSR Podcast — Hour 1, November 24, 2025

Host: Matt Jones, with Ryan, Drew, Shannon
Podcast: Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR)
Theme: Thanksgiving weekend recap, UK football embarrassment at Vanderbilt, Diego Pavia’s mom, and the Mark Stoops dilemma

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the aftermath of Kentucky Football's humiliating loss to Vanderbilt, which spiraled into an entertaining, offbeat analysis of quarterback Diego Pavia’s mother’s viral rise during coverage, followed by a serious, contentious discussion about the future of head coach Mark Stoops and the program’s direction. The hosts balance laughter and frustration, capturing the unique blend of KSR’s sports talk and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Tone: “Let’s Laugh Instead of Cry”

• [03:08–04:17] Matt Jones immediately opts for laughter, despite the rough weekend:

  “We could be all down and depressed today and we have to talk about the disaster that was the game. But I think there’s some value, Shannon, in laughing to start the day, right?”

• The crew pivots from sports despair to dissecting the surreal spectacle that was Diego Pavia’s mom, repeatedly featured on camera during the Vanderbilt game.

2. “Legendary” Broadcast Moment: Diego Pavia’s Mom Goes Viral

[04:17–10:44]

• The hosts marvel at how frequently she was shown on TV:

  “No exaggeration. In the history of sports, has there ever been a parent that was shown more on a game broadcast than his mom was on that one?” — Matt [04:28]
  “She was shown six times on one score. They kept cutting away from the game to his mom, back to the game, back to Pavia’s mom.” — Shannon [04:45]

• Fashion and Behavior Segment:
  The gang jokes about her striking outfit—thigh-high boots and cutoffs—and her saucy antics:

  “Just think about it, it’s my senior day and my mom showing up in thigh-high boots. Come on.” — Matt [06:13]
  “She was straight out of a Shaggy 1995 music video.” — Shannon [06:26]

• Notable/Ridiculous Visuals:
  Discussion about Pavia’s mother dancing on the rail, the Vandy security guard’s reaction, and constant camera focus:

  “She was riding that thing. Genuine ‘Pony’ playing in my head as she was riding it… If it went to overtime, they’d have to switch to HBO.” — Drew [07:16]
  “I’m so bummed about the game itself, but I just couldn’t get over how much they were showing her.” — Matt [08:01]

• The Theo Von Connection:
  Speculation runs wild when comedian Theo Von is seen on the field:

  “He’s about to be Pavia’s stepdad, no doubt. He’s got a thing for Pavia’s mom.” — Shannon [09:23]

3. Game Fallout: Kentucky’s Embarrassing Loss

[10:53–16:41]

• The hosts call the loss “old school embarrassment level,” with Drew noting:

  “It was only the third time under Mark Stoops they’ve given up 600 yards. The other two were Georgia and Alabama... Pavia set a Vandy record.” [12:24]

• Ryan lays out the damage:

  “Their first 12 plays, they had 18 yards of offense... Felt like 70 to 3. It was so bad.” [11:41]

• The crew agrees the worst-case scenario for Mark Stoops’ job security has materialized:

  “The one thing you couldn’t do is get blown out. And then they did. All the negativity that had circled for weeks came back double fold and put us into...purgatory.” — Matt [13:12–14:07]

4. The Stoops Question: Should He Stay or Go?

[14:07–39:44]

• Atmosphere among fans: Mood swings sharply, with callers and hosts referencing recent shows where the vast majority went from wanting Stoops fired, to support after a win streak, and now back to “fire him” mode.

  “We had four weeks ago... 97% wanted a new coach. Then we did it last week...like three. Now, I think we're right back where we were.” — Matt [25:42]
  “If you were trying to win back fans…the one thing you couldn't do was get blown out.” — Matt [13:03]

• The Money Problem:
  Calls and conversation underline the $37 million buyout and university financial realities as the major obstacle.

  “I don't think Mitch Barnhart's got it in him to fire Stoops. He also doesn't have the money… If you get blown out by Louisville, then I think you almost have. Like, you can't take two of those.” — Matt [15:29]

• Perspective Differences Among Hosts:

  • Drew leans toward a change, even “money be damned.”

    “Next year’s not going to be fun. People aren’t going to buy tickets... unless they find a way to market Cutter Bowley and bring some life into the stadium.” — Drew [27:58]

  • Ryan and Shannon are more hesitant due to contractual constraints and tradition.

    “I'm not. I'm bringing him back because I'm going to bring Cutter Bowley back and Bush Hamden back and we're going to build on this...” — Ryan [27:50]
    “I would bring them back for one more season. But if we have the season again next year, that’s it.” — Shannon [30:15]

• Financial Math:
  The segment breaks down how many lost ticket sales it would take to offset Stoops' buyout, concluding that financial realities likely prevent a change.

5. Boosters, Fan Base, and Future Uncertainty

[39:45–50:09]

• The discussion turns to who’s to blame for the financial bind:

  “Where is Mitch’s accountability? He handcuffed both programs... That contract was a disaster.” — Drew [39:44, 39:52]

• Calls and texts reveal a wildly split, game-to-game reactive fanbase, punctuated by Matt’s observation:

  “We all tend in life to hang out with people that are like us, so we end up hearing the opinions of people who have the same opinions we are.” — Matt [46:18]

• There’s skepticism that a booster-funded solution is at hand:

  “We want these people to pay money. And a lot of them may have Drew’s view of, ‘Well, I’m not the one that did it. I ain’t paying.’ So then where are you getting the money?” — Matt [47:38]

6. Humor and Memorable Quotes

• On Pavia’s Mom:

  “She was all over that rail.” — Matt [08:27]
  “She clearly was like, camera, find me now.” — Matt [07:47]
  “She was riding that thing. Genuine ‘Pony’ playing in my head…” — Drew [07:16]

• On the KSR Crew’s Moms at Senior Day:

  “What are the chances we would see our mothers in that outfit?” — Matt [06:10]

• On Kentucky Football’s Downfall:

  “It was embarrassing. It was embarrassing.” — Matt & Drew [12:56] “We are now in purgatory and we’re going to definitely be in purgatory if we lose to Louisville.” — Matt [14:07]

• On Stoops' Buyout Math:

  “So that means to make up that $37 million, you would need 25,000 people to stop their season tickets. That’s not going to happen.” — Matt & Shannon [36:13–36:31]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Matt Jones: “No exaggeration. In the history of sports, has there ever been a parent that was shown more on a game broadcast than his mom was on that one?” [04:28]
• Drew: “She was riding that thing. Genuine ‘Pony’ playing in my head as she was riding it. ... If it went to overtime, they’d have to switch to HBO.” [07:16]
• Matt Jones: “We are now in purgatory and we’re going to definitely be in purgatory if we lose to Louisville.” [14:07]
• Drew: “Next year is not going to be fun. People aren't going to buy tickets unless they find a way to market Cutter Bowley and...bring some life into the stadium.” [27:58]
• Matt Jones: “There needs to be a change in terms of...It’s just better for everybody if there’s a different coach next year. But … I don’t think you can just pay a $37 million lump sum in 60 days.” [32:21]
• Shannon: “I would bring them back for one more season. But if we have the season again next year, that’s it.” [30:15]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 03:08 — Show intro; Matt sets the tone
• 04:17–10:44 — The Diego Pavia’s Mom Saga
• 10:53–16:41 — Recapping and analyzing the Kentucky-Vanderbilt debacle
• 14:07–39:44 — Should Mark Stoops go? Money, boosters, and buyouts
• 39:45–50:09 — Booster/fanbase realities, more calls on Stoops, future outlook

Conclusion

This hour highlights the unique Kentucky Sports Radio style—mixing irreverent pop culture breakdowns (the Pavia mom phenomenon) with sharp, often difficult debates about the future of UK Football. Ultimately, the episode emphasizes the unpredictable, emotional roller coaster of UK fandom, and exposes the complicated financial and cultural layers at play in the Stoops debate. The crew’s blend of self-deprecation, humor, and real talk makes the hour compelling whether you’re a diehard Cat or just want some sports radio that doesn’t take itself too seriously.