Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – December 30, 2025 – Hour 1

Episode Overview

This episode of Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR), hosted from KS Bar & Grill, welcomes special guest Willie Cauley-Stein—former UK basketball star—joining hosts Ryan Lemond, Drew Franklin, and regular contributor Josh Teeter. With several regular hosts on holiday break, the crew delivers a relaxed, funny, and insightful hour of banter about UK sports, personal growth, the transition from college athlete to real-world responsibilities, Lexington nostalgia, and more, all peppered with Cauley-Stein’s characteristic candor and warmth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Willie Cauley-Stein: Updates on Family, Life, and Golf (03:14–13:00)

• Willie on Lexington and Family Life

  • Willie discusses spending more time in Lexington and his plans to move back once his daughter finishes kindergarten.
  • “I'm hoping by this summer that we get a spot out here and can really start our training program and just obviously golf.” (05:39–06:09)

• Golf Obsession and ‘Lit Tour’ Antics

  • The group teases Willie for his golf addiction, with him joking about ‘sandbagging’ his handicap to win more money.
  • “These days, I like to say I'm on the lit tour. The lit tour. Two T's.” (04:48–04:56)

• Parenthood Wisdom and Girl Dad Moments

  • Willie shares how being a father, especially to a daughter, has softened him.
  • “It makes you a little softer, a little mushier, and I'm already real soft… You just start crying…they just make you a little more in tune with your emotional side.” (07:25–07:33)

• Kids and Coaching: Basketball, Golf, and Art

  • Talks about the challenges and joys of possibly coaching his own children in sports, and how sometimes kids listen better to others.
  • Shares stories of tricking his daughter into practicing golf with chocolate-covered Oreos and how he encourages his twins to explore art and music, not just basketball.

2. Returning to Lexington and Youth Development (08:10–13:13; 45:24–47:44)

• Training the Next Generation

  • Willie describes collaborating with Darius Miller and others on youth training academies, both in Kentucky and Indiana, focused on basketball skills and mentorship.
  • “It was the most, like, gratifying thing watching…a kid get better in 20 minutes. Seeing the dad kind of spark up…was like, oh, yeah, this is fun. I could do this for a living for sure.” (08:16–08:56)

• Personal Touch: Sponsoring a Local Kid

  • Willie shares a touching story about sponsoring a young athlete through his skills academy: buying him orange Harden shoes, a winter coat, and socks.
  • “He got emotional, I had to walk away for a little bit, like, oh, don't do that to me. But yeah… That's what it's about.” (47:31–47:44)

3. Nostalgia and Saying Goodbye to Tally Ho (20:16–27:24)

• News: The Iconic Tally Ho is Closing

  • The hosts mourn the loss of Tally Ho, a Lexington institution since 1971, with stories of late-night food, chaotic after-parties, and brushes with fame.
  • “Some months, some I don't remember. I remember going in there. I remember leaving.” (22:04–22:15, Willie)
  • “So many fun memories of being in that place in college and even after college... If you went to UK…you've been in Tally Ho at least once and have fond memories there, Willie included, I’m sure.” (21:56–22:04, Josh)

• Crazy Fan Interactions

  • Willie recounts autograph tours, including signing a baby and seeing fans get his face tattooed on their bodies.
  • “I signed a baby, dude. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to… A girl…had my face tattooed on her…She came to the next signing…added my signature tattooed on her.” (24:56–25:19, Willie)

• NIL and Then vs. Now

  • Joking about their old 'Saturn' cars, the crew reflects on today’s NIL era and the upgraded lives of student-athletes.
  • “If you drove by the lodge right now, not a lot of Saturn’s out there… Times have changed just a little bit… You bummed about missing out on that era by a couple years?” (26:03–26:15, Josh; Willie responds)

4. Transfer Portal Chaos, NIL, and the NCAA (29:43–39:15)

• Transfer Portal Discussion

  • North Texas’ entire starting unit entered the transfer portal; the crew debates Calipari’s stance: one free transfer, but sit out a year after.
  • Josh: “We just have utter chaos right now… NCAA…basically admitted that they're not doing anything right now.”
  • Willie is “indifferent,” sees both player and systemic perspectives.
  • “If the system’s allowing me to do that, why the hell would I not…? Like, if I was playing now, I would go six years. I’m going to, like, be a doctor.” (34:59–35:24, Willie)

• NIL's Upsides and Pitfalls

  • Losing connection as student-athletes jump from school to school.
  • Josh: “These guys that are moving school to school, there's just no connection there.” (34:30–34:49)
  • “It's not the kids, it's the system… At the end of the day, I might not go to the league…so getting the max amount of dollars…well, shoot.” (34:59–35:24, Willie)

• Financial Literacy Lessons

  • Willie gets honest about mistakes after the NBA: “I blew through everything that I’ve ever had. So now I’m…trying to do it the right way.”
  • “They should teach financial literacy…make funds for them so they could put all their money together as a team and go get investment properties and start building portfolios of like some real financial literacy.” (36:18–36:40, Willie)

• Need for Life Skills Curriculum

  • The group agrees UK and other schools need to provide real-world education for athletes beyond media training.

5. Willie’s Entrepreneurial Passion: Golf Brand “Morty Golf” (42:51–49:17)

• Birth of the Brand

  • Inspired by his love for golf, design, and Kentucky.
  • “I'm trying to start a cult following with this…golf brand… bringing these UK colorways… take over Kentucky first.” (42:53–43:41, Willie)

• Grassroots Growth

  • “No crazy marketing…just word of mouth. I'm just trying to do a real old school gorilla style.” (44:20–44:56)
  • Sold at Kentucky Branded, Golf Headquarters, and other local stores with a post-New Year’s drop online.

• Host Approval

  • Josh: “The first time I saw one of these on Instagram, I was like, oh, those are cool. Literally jumped out at me.” (44:56–45:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fatherhood Softening You:

  “It makes you a little softer, a little mushier, and I'm already real soft... you'll just be, like, watching the TV show, and next thing you know, you just start crying. You're like, what the hell am I crying for?”
  – Willie Cauley-Stein (07:25–07:33)

• Golf 'Lit Tour':

  “These days, I like to say I'm on the lit tour. The lit tour. Two T's.”
  – Willie Cauley-Stein (04:48–04:56)

• On Developing Young Players:

  "Bro, it was the most, like, gratifying thing watching a kid get better in 20 minutes... I could do this for a living for sure."
  – Willie Cauley-Stein (08:16–08:56)

• On NIL and Financial Life Lessons:

  “I blew through everything that I’ve ever had. So now I’m…trying to do it the right way…They should teach financial literacy…make funds for them so they could put all their money together as a team...”
  – Willie Cauley-Stein (36:18–36:40)

• On Tally Ho Memories:

  “Some months, some I don't remember. I remember going in there. I remember leaving.”
  – Willie Cauley-Stein (22:04–22:15)

  “I signed a baby, dude. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to… A girl…had my face tattooed on her…”
  – Willie Cauley-Stein (24:56–25:19)

• On Life After Hoops in Kentucky:

  “There's not another place that the fans care about our well being. Like this place. And…coming back and doing what D. Mills is doing…especially for a brand standpoint…there's a support…that can be sustainable…Growing the city is what it's about.”
  – Willie Cauley-Stein (26:15–27:24)

Important Segments and Timestamps

| Segment | Time | Description | |------------------------------|--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | Willie’s holiday & golf talk | 04:19–06:09 | Lexington, golf, plans to move, holiday recap | | Parenting insights | 06:46–07:54 | Being a girl dad, how parenthood “softens” you | | Youth training programs | 08:10–09:12 | Mentoring, plans for local training academy | | Tally Ho nostalgia | 20:35–23:23 | Famous Lexington restaurant closing, personal stories | | Wild fan stories | 24:03–25:35 | Signing babies, tattoos, autograph tours | | Transfer portal debate | 29:51–39:15 | Calipari’s stance, system impacts, NIL ramifications | | Financial literacy | 36:18–39:15 | Real-world challenges post-college/pro, need for athlete education | | Morty Golf hats & charity | 42:51–47:44 | Willie’s brand, grassroots sales effort, story of sponsoring a child |

Final Thoughts

This lively episode showcases why KSR is beloved: deep Kentucky roots, real talk about sports and life, and the character of guests like Willie Cauley-Stein who remain committed to UK, the broader Lexington community, and giving back. Listeners are treated to laughs, heartfelt moments, lessons in humility and growth, and an open-door look at the modern athlete’s world.

If you missed this episode, you’ll come away with a sense not just of Kentucky sports, but of the unique community spirit that keeps the Bluegrass strong.