KSR (Kentucky Sports Radio) — Hour 2

Episode Date: December 22, 2025
Hosts: Matt Jones, Drew Franklin, Ryan Lemond

Episode Overview

In this holiday episode, Matt Jones broadcasts live from New Orleans and opens up about his nerves ahead of his national radio play-by-play debut for the New Orleans Bowl. The crew discusses Matt’s preparation for the gig, debates Kentucky basketball’s backup point guard situation, reacts to recent sports news (including Ed Cooley’s on-court incident), and addresses a local business controversy involving rival fanbases. The episode is candid, funny, and packed with insight and classic KSR banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Matt Jones’ National Play-by-Play Debut Anxiety

• Matt shares his nerves about doing radio play-by-play for the first time on a national stage at the New Orleans Bowl.
  • He confesses to “freaking out” after listening to other professional radio broadcasts, feeling unprepared for the technical jargon and pace.
  • He details his weekend spent practicing: muting TVs, rehearsing calls, and printing reams of team notes at Staples.
  • Quote:

    “I literally muted my television all of Saturday and Sunday and was just calling games out loud.” —Matt Jones [08:06]

• Support from Co-Hosts and Industry Friends
  • Tom Hart’s advice: "Just say what you see." This simple tip helps Matt reset and focus.
    • Quote:

      “Just say what you see. And that sounds simplistic, but it’s actually helped a lot.” —Matt Jones [10:12]

  • Myron Medcalf will be Matt’s color commentator, but both have “zero game experience” in this format.
• Concerns about Format & Preparation
  • No sideline reporter or professional play-by-play partner; just Matt and Myron.
  • Matt plans to bring KSR’s text machine into the broadcast for fan interaction.

2. Kentucky Basketball: Backup Point Guard Dilemma

• Injury Concerns Lead to Big Questions
  • With Jalen Lowe's health in question, rumors swirl about Kentucky seeking an international guard for a mid-season backup.
    • On3Sports reports Kentucky is “considering bringing in a point guard... likely an international.”
  • Crew Poll and Caller Input
    • Ryan supports bringing someone new in; Drew is wary about “locker room chemistry” but would still vote for an addition over current options.
    • Quote:

      “I would love a backup plan if they can get one.” —Ryan Lemond [32:06] “I'm just... I just have other worries if they do that. We just got over some locker room issues.” —Drew Franklin [37:13]

• Discussion on Internal Options
  • Jasper Johnson, Denzel Aberdeen, and Chandler have yet to seize the role convincingly.
  • “If Jalen Lowe plays, I’d say we don’t need to go get anybody, but we’ve got to plan for the contingency that he could get hurt, right?” —Matt Jones [35:04]
• Fan Poll via Text Machine
  • The segment closes with a call for KSR listeners to weigh in on whether to add a new player or stick with the current roster.

3. Rick Pitino’s Press Conference & Fanbase Loyalty

• Caller Complains about Pitino “Lecturing” Kentucky Fans
  • Rick Pitino, now at St. John’s, makes public comments defending a player who faced boos, and prescribes how Kentucky fans should act.
  • Matt and crew push back, defending UK’s status as a “smart basketball fanbase” and insisting they don’t need lectures from outside coaches.
    • Quote:

      “I like Rick Pitino again... But... I don't need to be told the way Kentucky fans need to feel or the way Kentucky fans need to have by outsiders.” —Matt Jones [17:07] “You are not the moral police of telling people—you’re not here and you’re not a fan.” —Matt Jones [18:28]

    • Ryan: “Rick's been doing that since Pope got the job. ...Why are you talking about us?” [18:15]

4. Ed Cooley’s Water Bottle Incident

• Discussion on Coach Throwing Water Bottle & Suspension
  • Ed Cooley, Georgetown coach, threw a water bottle into the stands, striking a booster’s child. He was swiftly suspended one game.
  • Crew jokes about whether the child “took a dive” and speculates about a potential lawsuit.
    • Quote:

      “You shouldn’t throw the bottle ever... he just threw a missile right at the kid and hit him in the chest.” —Ryan Lemond [25:30] “He’s going to be suspended, right? You can’t be throwing...” —Matt Jones [26:35]

  • The consensus is that Cooley’s actions were out of line, regardless of intent or the recipient.

5. Listener Calls: Reflections & Praise

• Positive Reflections on UK Fan Experience
  • Callers rave about the fan turnout at a recent game in Atlanta (one citing “70% Kentucky fans”), and share praise for the volleyball team’s season.
• Listeners Encourage Matt About Broadcasting Gig
  • Multiple callers reassure Matt he’ll do great, remind him to “just be you,” and share stories of other commentators overcoming nerves.
    • Quote:

      “Just be you, Matt Jones, and you'll do great.” —Caller “Ed” [27:50] “After a quarter you’ll settle in a little bit and find your groove.” —Drew Franklin [49:18]

6. Sissy Cakes vs. Louisville Fans: A Local Business “Review War”

• Louisville Fans Allegedly Leave Fake Bad Reviews
  • Matt rallies listeners to leave positive Google reviews for Sissy Cakes, a business owned by Will Stein’s mother, to counteract “negative-bombing” by rival fans.
    • Quote:

      “Louisville fans are leaving negative reviews on Sissy Cakes just to get at the fact that Will Stein's the coach. We have to counter this.” —Matt Jones [38:12]

    • Drew and Ryan both pledge to leave positive reviews (including “Walt Disney World in your mouth” as a description).
    • Matt warns listeners not to post all at once to avoid being flagged as spam. [43:33]

7. Light-Hearted Sports Banter

• NFL Chatter
  • Matt and Drew discuss the Bears’ recent dramatic win and joke about practicing play-by-play by giving KSR members’ names to players he doesn’t know.
    • Quote:

      “I just give them your alls names. Right? So I’ll be like, you know, Mattier throws to Drew Franklin, 6 yards…” —Matt Jones [46:31]

• Game Predictions & Betting Segments
  • Crew predicts outcomes for upcoming college bowls and Monday Night Football, with their classic tongue-in-cheek analysis.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Imposter Syndrome:

  “Tomorrow, it is so crazy to do a skill that you’ve never done your entire life, and then you have to do it on national radio, talking about two teams that you know nothing about.” —Matt Jones [08:56]

• On Setting Expectations:

  “You comparing yourself to the guy that calls the playoff game would be like me comparing my offensive rebound to Jaden Quaintance. You can’t hold yourself to that standard.” —KSR Texter [21:51]

• On Radio Play-by-Play Philosophy:

  “You’re our eyes for the game through the radio, so whatever you see, you can relate to us.” —Drew Franklin [10:42] “And if I get it wrong, Ryan, who’s going to know? They can’t see.” —Matt Jones [23:25]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Matt’s Broadcasting Anxiety Story: Starts [03:57], peaks at [08:06]
• Tom Hart’s “Just Say What You See” Advice: [10:09]
• Discussion of Play-by-Play Mechanics, Team Boards: [10:53]
• Pitino/Fanbase Lecture Rant: [17:07]–[18:50]
• Ed Cooley Water Bottle Incident: [25:13]–[29:23]
• Backup Point Guard Debate (International Addition): [29:47]–[37:52]
• Sissy Cakes/Google Review Rivalry: [38:12], with discussion on how to post positive reviews [43:33]
• NFL Bears Win/Joking About Practice Calls: [45:20]–[46:49]
• Listener Advice and Play-by-Play Wisdom: [47:24]–[49:23]

Episode Tone & Style

As always, KSR brings a mix of humor, candor, and genuine discussion. The crew’s dynamic is playful, with honest confessions from Matt Jones, good-natured ribbing among hosts, and active engagement with listeners. This episode, in particular, is characterized by Matt’s transparency about his nerves and the team’s willingness to poke fun while offering real support and insight.

Summary for New Listeners

If you missed the episode, this hour centers on Matt’s unique and relatable anxiety over trying something new on a very public stage—calling a national football game on radio for the first time. Along the way, the KSR team debates Kentucky basketball’s depth chart, calls out a sports legend for overstepping, discusses sportsmanship after a coach’s gaffe, circles the wagons around a local business, and finds humor in the stress of last-minute holiday reviews. The episode is a snapshot of sports radio at its most authentic and self-aware—well worth a listen for fans of UK athletics and sports talk.