2026-01-08- KSR - Hour 1

Summary

Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Episode Summary

Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Matt Jones & KSR Crew
Podcast: KSR (iHeartPodcasts and Sports Talk 790 WKRD-AM)
Location: KS Bar and Grill

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Episode Overview

In this somber Thursday edition, Matt Jones and the KSR team grapple with the aftermath of a Kentucky basketball loss and escalating doubts about Coach Mark Pope’s tenure. The group also touches on upcoming Super Bowl broadcast plans, vent frustrations about team culture, examine roster construction, and take calls from passionate UK fans. The conversation is candid, laced with gallows humor, and full of the familiar camaraderie and straight-talk KSR listeners love.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Super Bowl Trip “Tease”

Timestamps: 00:34–02:27

• KSR’s NFL “Cover Zero” podcast will broadcast from “radio row” during Super Bowl week, but not stay for the main event.
  • “They're going to send us to super bowl week, but not to the Super Bowl. We have to come home before the Super Bowl.” – Matt Jones (01:14)
• Crew jokes about being excluded from the big game but invited to parties.
• KY vs. Arkansas game timing overlaps with the trip.

2. Kentucky Basketball’s Recent Loss – Deep Dive

Timestamps: 03:41–16:12

• Matt Jones frames the latest Missouri loss as the "swing game of the season," expressing concern Kentucky may now miss the NCAA tournament.
• Brutal statistics:
  • Mark Pope's SEC record is now below .500, “worse than Billy Gillespie” at the same career point.
  • “At least six, and I think maybe eight players on this roster make more money this season than Elly De La Cruz is going to make this season.” – Matt Jones (04:39)
• Critique of player attitudes post-loss (e.g., social media behavior) and lack of improvement among key returnees.
• Mark Pope’s postgame demeanor finally shifted, sounding “like himself.”
  • “Somebody had to have said something because he did sound like himself.” – Matt Jones (06:13)

Critical In-Game Errors

Timestamps for Missouri game breakdown: 06:45–09:36

• Poor late-game execution wasted an 8-point lead with 4:15 left.
  • “You gotta win that game.” – Ryan (06:45)
• Coach Dennis Gates of Missouri outmaneuvered Pope with timeouts and set plays.
• Specific mistakes: bad shots, turnovers, missed layups (OA listed as shooting just 63% on layups).
• Defensive lapses and questionable play-calling (e.g., reliance on Malachi Moreno).

State of the Program: What’s Gone Wrong?

• The offense is stagnant/inept in the half court.
  • “On offense in the half court. It’s pitiful.” – Matt Jones (11:11)
• Lack of shooters; too many bigs recruited; key players haven't taken steps forward.
  • “He recruited too many big guys at the absence of shooters... We do not need five of those guys. Do you agree?” – Matt Jones (14:26)

Mark Pope's Future & Fan Tolerance

• Matt revisits his “rule” – historically avoid hiring former players as head coaches due to clouded judgment.
• Group questions whether Pope deserves more “grace” for being a former player.
  • “You are. But do you do that because he played here...?” – Matt Jones (18:40)
• Scenarios played out:
  • If they turn it around, Pope is safe.
  • If they barely make the tournament or flame out, many would want him back but grumble.
  • If they collapse (e.g., only win 3 SEC games), a coaching change might be necessary.

3. Fan Calls & Community Reactions

Key Segments: 27:01–41:56

• Football: Concern over “settling” for a lesser quarterback, but Matt argues a top-10 QB recruit is rare territory for UK:
  • “If we were to come in 10th in football, first of all, we’d make the playoff. Everyone would lose their mind.” – Matt Jones (30:17)
• Basketball Nicknames:
  • “This team... are the Unwatchables.” – Caller David (31:44)
• Culture Critique:
  • Frustration about lack of buy-in (“you’ve been with these guys for 7 months and can’t get them to buy into your system” – Caller Scoop, 38:32)
  • Matt pushes back on “kids today only care about money,” citing high-spending successful programs elsewhere.
  • Social media behavior (selling hats/posting highlights after losses) called “a culture problem, and that’s a coaching problem.” – Matt Jones (41:52)

4. Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Mark Pope now has a worse record at this point in his career than Billy Gillespie. That’s also not acceptable.” – Matt Jones (04:39)
• “Six players, maybe eight, make more than Elly De La Cruz... On this team!” – Matt Jones (05:04)
• “If Jalen Lowe decided he hadn’t needed to have surgery and couldn’t play. Do you think we would win another SEC game?” – Matt Jones (10:27)
• “No offensive execution whatsoever.” – Ryan (32:20)
• “Would you hire that guy if he didn’t play here? It’s always been my rule.” – Matt Jones (17:12)
• “It never occurred to me we would be this bad.” – Matt Jones (21:12)
• “This is maybe the worst [home] loss they've had [outside COVID and South Carolina].” – Matt Jones (22:11)
• “One of the highlights... Coach Pope dropped an F-bomb, I think, on camera... Do you like the name for when he does that as Dark Pope?” – Matt Jones (24:32)
• “He recruited too many big guys at the absence of shooters.” – Matt Jones (14:26)

5. Humor & Memorable Sidebars

• “We can’t even stay in the same city... we’ll be covering zero of the Super Bowl” – Matt Jones riffing on their “Cover Zero” podcast (01:45)
• Cameos from “freezing cold takes” Twitter account – both Ryan and Tyler Thompson (25:04)
• Debates about the longest shot ever made at Rupp Arena (25:59–26:54)
• “I try to explain everything like I’m talking to Ryan” – Matt Jones jokes about simplifying news and sports explanations for his cohost (35:05)

6. Reds Baseball Updates

Timestamps: 36:01–38:03

• Reds opt out of TV deal – games may be available free via MLB app for some, but uncertainty remains.

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Important Timestamps

• Super Bowl Radio Row Discussion: 00:34–02:52
• Missouri Game Breakdown / Team Issues: 03:41–16:12
• Mark Pope Tenure & Fan Grace: 16:12–22:42
• Notable Fan Calls: 27:01–41:56
• Reds TV News: 36:01–38:03

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Conclusion

This KSR hour captures the frustration and soul-searching of Kentucky fans after a deflating loss, placing sharp focus on Mark Pope’s tenure, recruiting/the roster, and the culture around the program. The show is vintage KSR: honest, self-deprecating, and deeply connected to its listener community—ready to laugh, vent, and argue about the Wildcats' fate.

Transcript

[A]

Comedy Up Broadway in Lexington invites you to celebrate New Year's Eve with Lexington's own Lee Kimbrough for two shows only on December 31st. Then from Netflix is a joke, catch Ray Lau January 2nd and 3rd and January 8th through the 10th, don't miss AGT finalist Aaron Belial. For tickets to all comedy off Broadway shows, call 859-271-joke or visit comedyoffbroadway.com comedyoff broadway.

[B]

This is Kentucky Sports Radio, presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones.

[A]

Welcome, everyone, Kentucky Sports Radio. It is Thursday, January 8th. I am Matt Jones here at the KS Bar and Grill on a somber Thursday where still the weather's nice. And you can give us a shout in the Clark's puppet shop phone line 859-280-2287. A Vision Auto Glass text machine is 772-774-5254. In this edition, sponsored by the TJ Smith Law Office. If you call TJ, he'll make them pay. There's gonna be plenty of time to talk about the game. I do want to say, I was just telling Mario I think they're going to send our NFL Cover Zero podcast to the Super Bowl.

[C]

What?

[A]

But not to the Super Bowl.

[D]

What do you mean you're sending to the Super Bowl?

[A]

They're going to send us to super bowl week, but not to the Super Bowl. We have to come home before the Super Bowl.

[B]

Shannon, that's a tease. That's almost like.

[A]

That is kind of a tease.

[B]

Go at all.

[A]

So we'll be at the super bowl from like Tuesday to Saturday. Yeah, but then they send it home on Saturday.

[D]

Like, you just do your shows from the radio row.

[A]

We're gonna be radio. We'll do this show from radio row and then cover zero from radio row.

[B]

But you're not important enough to be there for the actual.

[A]

But when it comes to the actual Super Bowl. Get out.

[B]

Yeah, because you're not covering it anyway.

[A]

We can't even stay in the same city. That's exactly right, Shannon. We'll be covering zero of the Super Bowl.

[D]

Zero.

[A]

We are covering zero of the actual Super Bowl. So.

[D]

So you gotta. You gotta work that. You gotta figure out how to stay for the game.

[A]

Well, I don't think they. I mean, I don't. I don't think they could get us into the game. You would think the NFL could you.

[D]

Do a show for the NFL.

[A]

But I don't. I don't. I think the game is out. What I'm trying to do is get him to let us at least stay because there's a big party Friday night and a big party Saturday night and we're invited to both of them, their DraftKings party. And I'd like to be able to go, but they're gonna go sit at home. I mean, I can't. You know, I don't know, Shane, if there's a lot of Wednesday, probably Super bowl parties.

[B]

No.

[A]

What night, what day is the. They do the stuff on the field. The, the Super Bowl. Like where people dress up as marshmallows.

[D]

Yeah. I'm not sure when.

[A]

I hope we can at least go to that, but that might be before we get there. That might be like Monday.

[B]

Not the beginning, not the end. Like right in the middle.

[A]

And it's in San Francisco, so it's not like it's close.

[D]

So you get to do all this stuff leading up to the super bowl, but with time for the game, the big event. Out, get out.

[B]

You could be watching the game on your couch. Going out.

[A]

No, we're going to be back at our house.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, Kentucky plays Arkansas the Saturday before, which we were going to go to.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

But I'm just going to tell you, I ain't going for this bad. I'm not going down there. It'll already be bad enough for me anyway. Every time we lose, every single time we lose, they just start posting that video of me thanking Tyson Farms. And by the way, I still thank Tyson farms. I'm, I'm, I'm not taking myself away from that. Put all the rest of this stuff away. And if Cal was here, it wouldn't work. So I'm not like, I'm not changing that view. But I do get tired of every game. Arkansas, it's like Arkansas hog face. So I'm not going down there to take that stuff in person. Especially if I immediately got to go fly the super bowl to not see the Super Bowl.

[D]

I'm glad you're not going to take us to watch Arkansas and Kentucky now after.

[A]

It's not. I'm not saying that if we come back, if we're playing well, but it's looking less and less likely that that's going to happen. All right, so we lost. And I'm not thrilled. I said that was the swing game of the season. I genuinely think it was. We lost and missing the tournament is right there. Let me just give you, Let me give you some numbers. If you listen to postgame show last night, I went over all these. But I do want to talk. Just, just, just Go through them for a second. Kentucky now has a, in the Mark Pope era, a losing record in SEC games.

[D]

That's not acceptable.

[A]

I mean, that's, that's, that's not acceptable. No, it's just not. I mean, I, you know, he now has a worse record at this point in his career than Billy Gillespie.

[D]

That's right.

[A]

That's also not acceptable. Not acceptable. He's doing that with a roster where, I don't know if you heard me say this last night. I'm going to update my numbers from last night. At least six. And I think maybe eight players on this roster make more money this season than Ellie De La Cruz is going to make this season.

[D]

I heard you say that and I said that can't be true.

[A]

It's true.

[B]

That's insane.

[A]

True. Six players, maybe eight. I know six make more than Ellie De La Cruz and it might be eight because I don't know what Jasper Malachi make. So, I mean, OA Low Acquaintance, Aberdeen Diabate and Cam Williams all make more than, than La De La Cruz and Jasper Malachi. May. I don't really know what their deals were. So that is something. And two of our players after the game, one was posting his highlights and on Instagram and the other was selling hats and on Instagram. One was posting his highlights 30 minutes after the game. The Instagram hats was at least two hours after the game. The Instagram hat one is I think at least been taken down. Maybe the highlights have to. I'm very frustrated, very frustrated with how they played. I mean, I guess the one bright spot. Mark Pope did sound like a human being during the post game. First time he sounded like himself. He did, honestly, the first time he sounded like himself this year, which makes me think they had to have said something.

[D]

Somebody had to say.

[A]

Somebody had to have said something because he did sound like himself. Now his explanations are no better.

[D]

No, they're not.

[A]

But you know, it's, it's, it's, it's bad. The question is only how bad and can it be fixed? Marks, he talked basketball. I mean, he said, look, we are miserable in the half court in terms of pace. He's right. But you just couldn't lose that game. You put everything else aside, put the, the bad play in the first half, put bad decisions. They were up 8 with 4 minutes and 15 seconds to go at home.

[D]

You got to win that game.

[A]

You got to win that game.

[D]

Put it away.

[A]

And they made two plays back to back that were bad. They came out of the timeout gates the coach for. What's his first name? Dennis.

[D]

Dennis.

[A]

Dennis Gates, the coach of Missouri ate Mark Pope's lunch all day. Every time we got up five, he called timeout and they would score immediately on the next possession. Go, look, that happened three times in the game. It'd be a five. Well, three times five, five and eight point deficit. He called timeout every single time came out. And they scored the next play every time and got a layup every time because they ran a play that we weren't ready for. Same thing here. So that takes it from eight to six. Then Jalen Lowe, who I like and think generally played okay, took a really bad shot where he was at the top of the floor, so he had no balance on defense, got blocked, came down layup, and it's eight to four within like 30 seconds. And then there's like two minutes where neither team scores, right? So it's a four point game. Four point game with a minute, what, 23 or something? You give up three, two Malachi Moreno turnovers. I love Malachi Moreno. Think he actually played pretty well last night. Don't know how you're giving him the ball twice in the Last minute and 20 seconds to make a play. And then Garrison makes a turnover and then away misses a layup. Tom Hart gave me the stat. You know what? OA always layup percentage. This is all.

[D]

Can't be good.

[A]

60%, 63%.

[D]

On layup.

[A]

On layups. Okay. On layups. And he missed it. A huge one. On defense, we. Malachi Moreno doesn't box out on the free throw.

[D]

That was really bad.

[A]

I give Colin Chandler a lot of credit for that great play at the end. But part of me goes, why are.

[D]

You bringing Colin Chandler defense for defense.

[A]

Night worked, so I can't, you know, but why are you doing that? That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. I don't know. And then the last play, you know, Pope explained, last play said Jaylah Lowe was supposed to drive the basket and then kick it to the corner for Cam Williams. But I was just saying to the gentleman here, we were down three. If Jalen Lowe drives the basket, aren't they just going to, like, let him shoot?

[D]

Let him go?

[A]

Like so, I mean, Jalen Lo takes that three, but I got a part. If I'm Jaylon Low, I might have been like, what am I going to do with the basket? You know, I. It's a. It was such a terrible performance in the last 4 minute and 15 seconds. And it's hard not to Feel like this is just a failure because it's going to be hard for us to make the tournament. We're going to have to upset some people and probably get one or two upset wins on the road to make the tournament. And I've been talking about how Mississippi State's the worst team in the conference. They're now two and oh, they beat Oklahoma by 20 last night. We play them Saturday.

[D]

I feel broken. I mean, my spirit is broken because for the second time this week, we're sitting here talking about a horrible loss. And we're now at the midway point of the season. The exact midway point. And what positive things do we have to build on? The things we can upset somebody you're talking about.

[A]

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, last year when we lost, I still felt like this team can beat teams. Like even when we would lose, I'd go, well, but you know, we didn't hit shots. Yeah, or Lamont Butler's hurt. Right. Like there was some. Andrew Carr was hurt at times. Jackson Robinson was hurt at times. I don't know what to think about this team. I was saying on the post game show, I want you to take imaginary. Let's say Jalen Lowe decided he hadn't certain need to have surgery and couldn't play.

[D]

Oh my.

[A]

Do you think we would win another SEC game? No, I mean, I. I'm sure we would win a couple, but I set the over under it like three.

[D]

That's a good number. Without him.

[A]

Without him, I mean, I. Shannon, how many do you think we'd win without?

[B]

Not many more than that.

[A]

We might not win a lot with it.

[B]

Yeah, but get everybody healthy and now the excuses are over and then you.

[A]

Watch the Vandy Alabama game after that's a different game. And it's like, well, these are two different teams and I don't know what Vandy's roster cost, but it didn't cost what ours cost.

[D]

So, you know, I just feel like there's. The offense is so awful. They have no idea what they're doing.

[A]

On offense in the half court. It's pitiful.

[D]

It's awful.

[A]

When they get in transition, they can get some stuff going. They can, but like if they don't, they're just stuck.

[D]

So like I said, we're at the halfway point of the season and they still don't have any idea what they're doing offensively now that they're at full strength and healthy.

[A]

So the natural thing people ask is, all right, well what do we do? I mean, there's nothing we can do this year. We just are going to play out the season. It feels like this is a huge indictment on Mark and obviously part of it is that we don't have recruits coming next year.

[D]

Right. Zero right now.

[A]

Are there. Do you think there are positive, like. Like, you know, at the end of the Mark Stoops era, no one was kind of on his side. Right.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Do you think there's. I mean, I think everybody still likes Mark. No one doesn't like Mark Pope. Right.

[D]

You like him as a person.

[A]

But are you. Are you. Do you have confidence? It's gonna. This is gonna work. I think I got more comments today from national people, like national reporters going, dude, is this just not gonna work there?

[D]

Yeah, I think that sentiment is growing that he's not the guy to sit in that chair and do this job at this place.

[A]

But we didn't feel that way last year.

[D]

Not at all.

[A]

So, I mean, why this? It's. I mean, on one hand, it's only been 15 games.

[D]

You know, last year we had half the season.

[A]

No, it is. Halftime of Saturday night's game will be the halfway point.

[B]

That's the problem with it.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

So, you know, we had this ragtag group of guys last year that kind of overachieved and we fell in love with him. But now he got some guys who I thought were some dudes. I just don't know if he knows how to coach.

[A]

But is it possible that we just end up pick just paying a lot for another ragtag group of guys? Just a group that couldn't shoot?

[D]

Maybe. I just don't know if he's.

[A]

I mean, it is worth noting. And again, you know, I took a lot of heat in the pre season for this. Take quaintance out, none of these guys are playing the NBA. None of.

[D]

Yeah, right. Yep.

[A]

I mean, I guess Jasper Johnson could certainly. Nobody we're putting in the game is playing in the NBA.

[D]

Jasper played. I played as much as Jasper did last night.

[A]

So, you know, maybe it is. It kind of is just what it is. Right. You have no stars. You have no stars.

[D]

And I think he thought he had the right roster to compete in the sec. He tried to, you know, fill some. Some parts that struggled last year's team. He tried to fill those.

[A]

What do you think the biggest mistake is? Is the biggest. Like, literally, if we had one dude who could consistently shoot threes, do you think that'd be a difference?

[D]

I think that's a huge difference maker. And I think he thought he had Those guys with Chandler, Williams and Noah.

[B]

We heard about that practice, you know, these guys making 103 straight, you know all these stories from practice and they can't make anything in the game.

[A]

If I had to rank, if I had to say, why is this team not good? And I hate to say it like this because I'm not trying to put it on individuals, but you just have to say what you have to say. Number one, he recruited too many big guys. At the absence of shooters, we do not need Garrison, Diabate, Moreno, Quaintance and yellow Vic. We do not need five of those guys. Do you agree?

[D]

Agreed.

[A]

There's too many.

[D]

Too many.

[A]

Probably should have never gotten yellow Vic and should have gotten a shooter.

[D]

Maybe he's supposed to been a shooter though, right?

[A]

But he's seven feet tall. But we just didn't need five, seven footers.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, so that's number one. Second, Aberdeen's not been good.

[D]

No, he's not.

[A]

What Abbott? I think. I think if you're just. If you were going to pinpoint the biggest problem. Aberdeen was supposed to be really good and he's just not.

[D]

No.

[A]

And then third, I think they hoped away Chandler, Garrison and Noah would all take a big leap. And I don't think any of them did. You think any of those four guys are significantly better?

[D]

No. And that was the thing everybody thought in year two and Pope system. Everybody takes a big jump in years.

[A]

And none of those four did.

[D]

None really have.

[A]

So I think those are the three things. If you were to sit there and go, what are the biggest problems? I would say missing a shooter. Aberdeen is not what we thought he was and the four returning guys didn't get better.

[D]

I'd say there's a lot of truth to everything you just said. And I think some of the guys he brought in were kind of six men. They weren't like the guy. Aberdeen was kind of a six man. Diabate was a six man.

[A]

Cam Williams was a six man.

[D]

Was a six man. I don't think he went out and got a guy. A dude.

[A]

Yeah. 859-280-2287. We're gonna make this kind of an ask anything Thursday. It can be asked anything about basketball or anything else. I just got word that media day is Monday, so we won't even be at that either.

[D]

Well, that's one of the.

[A]

So we really are going to get to cover zero.

[B]

Living up to your.

[A]

But you know what, that's in the name, though. Yeah. So they probably. That's probably why they're doing it. When can we send them where the least will happen?

[D]

Tuesday through Thursday.

[A]

Got it. We'll be right back. Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio, 859-280-2287. One person writes, Matt, historically, Bluebird programs benefit from giving a coach some grace and giving them a chance to weather a storm. Or do they benefit more from having a short lease and going and finding excellence? Depends. I mean, I don't know. Depends. You know, Coach K got grace worked out. Other guys get grace never works out. Matt Doherty didn't work out. I think they gave him what, four years and it didn't work out. So, you know, I have had a rule for 15 years that I broke for this one, which is what do you know, Shannon? My rule that I've had for 15 years on coaches that I broke with Mark Pope.

[B]

Yeah, bring him in. Guys that are former players.

[A]

My rule has always been don't bring in former players. Cloud your judgment.

[D]

Yep.

[A]

It's always been my rule because you give them more benefit of doubt because they played here. And so what I always ask is, would you hire that guy if he didn't play here? It's always been my rule. I think I've said it. And when you don't follow that rule, he usually bites. You look at Joker Phillips, but do you think Matt Doherty, I mean, you can just go, Hubert Davis now at North Carolina, you can go through and you see it now John Shire looks like he might work for Duke. So it's not always the case. But that's my rule. But I broke it with Mark Pope in part because even though when they announced it, I was really upset, 12 hours later I'd talk myself into it.

[D]

We all did.

[A]

We all did. I hope that rule is wrong, but you know, it was a rule and maybe Ryan, I shouldn't have broken it.

[D]

I think what is scary for most of us is like I said this on Monday, this is not a one off game. This is something that's happened all season and I just don't see how it's going to get any better this year. So if it's not, how can you let Kentucky basketball, the elite of the elite, get in that situation without making a change?

[A]

One person writes, matt, would you give, if you're a fan base or an ad, would you give a coach more grace and maybe more time because he played here? That's a good question.

[B]

Now all of a sudden you're lowering your standard of what your is though.

[A]

No, you are.

[D]

Yep.

[A]

You are. But do you do that because he played here. So you know, Shannon says no, absolutely not.

[B]

Your Kentucky basketball. I mean you don't lower your standard because of the.

[A]

Okay, so then let's.

[D]

Let's.

[A]

Let's play out the the. All right. Best scenario. Let's just play out scenarios here for a second best scenario. We turn it around, we make the tournament, go to the sweet 16. That's best scenario. Then he's fine, right?

[D]

Absolutely. He's fine.

[A]

Play out the tournament, make it your 10 seed. You lose in the first round. Price still are back.

[D]

Still are back.

[A]

So I think those are not even debatable. Right. Agreed with you people are grumble but he's back. But he's back. What about it collapses. We don't make the tournament and it's a disaster. I said yesterday he could lose every game he'd be back. I still think that's more likely than not. But I, you know I sits a rising tide and people can't say I led this one. Just for the record, you can blame me for Cal and you can blame me for Stoops. Neither of which I deserve. But you know, whatever. This one ain't me. What do you think if it falls.

[D]

Apart in your scenario and they only win three sec games and don't make the tournament.

[A]

Say they go three. I mean. Because it's not crazy.

[D]

It's not crazy.

[A]

I don't think they will only win three. I think they'll probably. I think the worst case scenario is you win like six and go like six and 12. At which point you probably don't. But you don't make the tournament. What happens then?

[D]

Yeah, I think you've got it. You got to look at making a change because you do have no. But you have no recruits signed up. So you're. If your future's not looking that great. I just don't.

[A]

There would be people like my mom who would be very upset.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

Because they love him. He is like every person like everyone over 40 wants this to work so much.

[D]

Yeah. I and still do really like Joker Phillips.

[A]

Okay. But that's not fair because Joker never had any success. Mark went to the Sweet 16 last year. Yeah.

[D]

After Joker's second year it was. You had to say goodbye.

[A]

But. But he had had no success. I don't think you can say Mark's had no success. He. I think last year was successful.

[D]

So you think last year buys him another year.

[A]

Well, I. I don't know what I.

[D]

Think.

[B]

You'Re all of us right now. Nobody knows what to think.

[A]

I Don't know. I never, it never occurred to me we would be this bad. It occurred to me that we might not be great. It never occurred to me we would be this bad. I did not think there was any way you could have this many players that on paper were good.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And be this bad. Because it's not just that we're nine and six, although that's bad. It's that we have gotten destroyed against good teams and we just lost to Missouri at home. This is the worst home loss. Just. I just, I just want to be clear. Besides the COVID year. I'm just going to throw the COVID year out.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

Besides the COVID year I think this is the worst loss besides that. Games cow loss to South Carolina. You remember that?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

This is the worst home loss at least since Billy. Besides the. I think the South Carolina loss was worse and a couple of those Covid losses were worse. But even in the COVID losses the arena wasn't full. So like besides the South Carolina game, I think this is maybe the worst loss they've had.

[D]

Kentucky was a 12 and a half point favorite. I think it tip off at home.

[A]

But it also the game was the swing game.

[D]

Had to have it, had to have it, had to win it. When you're up, like you said eight points with four and a half minutes to go at home against a team you're better than close out the game.

[A]

Do you agree? Worse. Besides I mean South Carolina game is worse. They finished like 1 in 15 that year or 2 and 14 or whatever.

[D]

I mean they lose to Evansville. Was that when was that as that Covid year. Covid year. Awful.

[A]

Yeah. Or maybe that wasn't the COVID year. I don't remember the. That was a bad one too.

[D]

It was a bad one.

[A]

Lost to UNC Wilmington. Yep. Yeah. 859-280-2287. All right, we will take your calls right after this.

[D]

This is ksr TJ Smith, personal injury attorney. Call tj.

[A]

He'll make him pay.

[B]

Now more of Kentucky Sports radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones.

[A]

Welcome back Tucky Sports Radio. 859-280-2287. Text machine is 772-774-5254. I'm going to go to to the phones. One person writes Matt, the only highlight of the game last night was Tom Hart reading Mario's Instagram quote and saying the prove it state. Most people unders most people heard him say that Missouri was the prove it state. But I don't know Shannon. That everybody heard him read Mario's Instagram.

[B]

I missed it.

[D]

And I was. I watched the entire game. I missed it.

[B]

I didn't hear it either.

[A]

He did. He read. He read Mario's Instagram quote from his Atlanta trip where he says, the lessons you learn from and the growth you experience is never spontaneous.

[B]

How did he work that in? Like it was.

[A]

It was like coming out of commercial or something. Like he was like, the lessons you learn and the growth you experience is never spontaneous. We'll be right back.

[D]

Wise words. Wise words.

[A]

So that was a deep cut only, I gotta say. Only like two people wrote me on the text machine and said they heard that. I give you two a salute. You. You get the KSR B sides. The prove it. So the prove it state. If you heard that one, you're a KSR fan.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

But if you got the Mario Instagram quote, then that's a deep.

[D]

Kudos to you.

[A]

Kudos to you. You. You guys get the official award for the month.

[D]

One of the highlights of the game outside of that, Coach Pope dropped an F bomb, I think on camera. And then.

[A]

Okay, so he did. Cause I didn't see the F bomb. I saw the S bomb.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Or B.S.

[D]

Right. Same scenario. He was on the baseline and he dropped the F bomb. And then when the camera was on his face, he said the poopy word.

[A]

Do you like the name for when he does that as Dark Pope?

[D]

Yes. Love it.

[A]

I think that's good because it's Mark Dark. What?

[B]

We need more of that.

[D]

I gonna say that we need.

[B]

I've ever seen him fired up in two years on the side.

[A]

Yeah. And then you, Ryan made freezing cold takes last night. Did you know that?

[D]

No, I didn't know that.

[A]

There's a Twitter account called freezing cold takes and it retweets when people predict really bad things. Yes, I've been on there multiple times. My Arkansas things been on there at least three times. You made it last night. You made freezing cold takes with your. I think that Otega always shot has changed the season.

[D]

Well, I got hacked at halftime after hit that shot. Somebody hacked my account.

[A]

But are you excited? I think that's the first time you've ever made freezing cold tanks.

[D]

I put it on my resume now that I've made freezing cold takes.

[A]

And then Tyler Thompson made freezing cold takes last night too. What was hers when it wasn't her. It was when she retweeted or when she tweeted out that Mark Pope said he was sitting on a Ferrari. So that really wasn't her take. He was, she was just saying what, what, what he had said.

[D]

I, I, I really, I, I had it feeling that that shot was going to not just turn the game around, turn the season around for us. I believed in him.

[A]

I was thinking is that the, like that's got to be one of the longest shots in UK history.

[D]

Oh yeah.

[B]

Tom Leach about that.

[D]

He said.

[A]

What did he say?

[B]

Well, he said there was one that was longer. I can't rem that well, isn't there's.

[A]

A legendary shot at Memorial Coliseum. Where was it Frank Hatton shot from.

[D]

The other Fern Hatton and they had a little stake in the floor.

[A]

And with that was that farther than always?

[D]

I remember seeing where the stake was. It was definitely farther. But that was at Memorial Coliseum. So this may be the longest shot ever at rup.

[A]

Okay, but for a UK game, you think that was closer than Vern Hatton?

[D]

Yes. Yeah, I believe it was.

[A]

But it might be the second longest maybe.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't remember one longer, do you?

[D]

No, not that long. We've had half court shots quickly hit one, Kelvin Johnson hit one. But not. That was three quarter chord and I just knew it, man. I felt it my bones. Things were going to turn around right.

[A]

There and that was a freezing cold take hacked. Who's up next?

[B]

Let's start with Mike.

[A]

Mike. Go ahead, Mike. Hey man.

[C]

So I guess I'll start off with football. Listen, I'm, I'm not trying to be overly pessimistic here, but I, I feel like we kind of settled for the QB that we got. I think Sam Levitt could be really, really special and I guess he hasn't committed anywhere and that's fine.

[A]

But, but, but what if, I mean, let's be real. Okay, I'm talking about that for a second. Sam Levitt had the option to go to lsu. May still he hasn't. He's at Tennessee this week. You know, he went to Texas or he was going to go to Texas Tech. They ended up getting another guy. If you're, if you're, if you're Willstein, I will agree with you. Sam Levitt would have been a safer choice. But if you're, if you're Will Stein and his brothers. Sam Levitt's brothers say we're not going to decide till this weekend and we're going to visit LSU and we're going to visit Tennessee. If you're Will Stein. LSU and Tennessee are both better programs with, with coaches who've had more success with quarterbacks. At least in the short term. I mean, you can't wait. Because chances are when he can't wait, like, what are you supposed to do?

[C]

No, I guess my biggest fear is that he goes to Tennessee. And just.

[A]

If he does, he does. But, like, we can't hold him hostage and make him come here. If he chooses to go to Tenness. Chooses to go. I mean, I don't think you. You know, if I want. If there. If I'm choosing between marrying Giselle and Gertrude, it might be settling to take Gertrude, but I can't make Giselle marry me.

[C]

Okay. Also, I think you roaming sent home loss, but I think that was worse.

[A]

Yeah, I think it probably. Yeah, I appreciate that. And then. Oh, and I'm sorry. Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.

[C]

Sorry. One last thing. Please continue to respect fair and tls. And you got to clean up some of those Instagram like smack. I see some of those reels, you'd be like. And they're a little salacious.

[A]

I appreciate the call. I don't think I clean up the lts.

[D]

I don't know what that means.

[A]

I don't either. Well, but back to what I'm saying about the.

[D]

The.

[A]

The. The. You know, the quarterback. I. I understand if you had gotten Levitt the number one quarterback. You want that?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

But if you can't get it, you can't get it.

[D]

What's the saying? A bird in the hands buried two in the bush.

[A]

Yeah, that's.

[D]

You got it.

[A]

Right. Thank you. Good job. You got a saying, right?

[D]

I slept in a Holiday Inn Express.

[A]

Okay. I wish you would stop saying that, but go ahead.

[D]

So if. If Levitt is like flirting with other girls. You got another girl coming your way. I'm gonna go for the other girl. I'm not gonna wait around and wait for the hot girl. I'm gonna get the. The next girl coming my way.

[B]

Speak for yourself.

[A]

I feel like mine was better. My analogy. It also was the same. That was the exact same.

[B]

Take the first thing that comes out of me. He's not gonna worry about the hot girl.

[D]

I'm just agreeing with what you're saying.

[A]

Well, you can't take. But. But I mean, we still got a top 10 quarterback. He's ranked 10th, right? I mean, like, when's the last time.

[D]

We had a top 10 quarterback?

[A]

That's why I think I said this.

[D]

The.

[A]

The day committed people act like 10th is awful. We are never 10th in football.

[D]

No. Especially not for a quarterback.

[A]

If we were to come in 10th in football, first of all, we'd make the playoff. Everyone around here would lose their mind.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

And then people like, I'm a. How we settle for the 10th one? It's Kentucky football. We've never been that good. No. How many times in history. In history have we had how many seasons? One of the 10 best quarterbacks in history. Let's just. We'll go with my lifetime. Tim Couch.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

Maybe. I mean, maybe Jared and Andre.

[D]

That's it. That's.

[A]

Maybe will live us.

[D]

I don't think he was top 10, was he?

[A]

Well, he got picked in the draft. I'd say probably was like 8 to 10.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

So four seasons in our lifetime.

[D]

That's the list.

[A]

And I'm not sure Jared and Andre would necessarily have made it. They would have been close. Yeah, that's pretty good. Now, I'm not saying this kid's going to be the one of the 10 best. I'm just saying the fact that he's ranked there means it was worth a shot.

[D]

A dude that almost was a starting quarterback at Notre Dame. I think he can work out here. I think we'll take him. Yes.

[A]

Yeah. Who's next?

[B]

Let's go to David.

[A]

David, Go ahead, David.

[C]

First time, long time.

[A]

Hua.

[C]

All right. Mark Pope is obviously a former player of Patinos, and Patino's teams are always named early on. And of course, you had the Unforgettables. I think the Unbeatables, the Untouchables. This team, especially without low playing, are the Unwatchables.

[A]

They're hard to watch. I think they're hard to. And I love. They're hard to watch with Low. I think they. They are a hard, hard, hard team to watch. It's. You got. You got to love it. You got. You know, you got to love it.

[D]

To watch you do Poking your eyes with scissors, man. They're extremely hard to watch. There's no offensive execution whatsoever.

[A]

Yeah. I appreciate the call. All right, so tomorrow. Tomorrow we are at Cornbread Hemp.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

I'd love to see all the folks out at Louisville. Don't let the fact that. That our team isn't good not allow us to have fun, have a good time, because we're give things away. We're going to dance. Yes. It's by. It's buy one, get one free. Yes. They don't sell the seltzers in store.

[D]

I saw that.

[A]

You can thank Mitch McConnell.

[D]

There we go.

[A]

It was this parting shot to America is you can't sell the seltzers in store.

[D]

All the other everything else all the other products are bogo.

[A]

Apparently you can, like, order online in store, which is stupid, stupid rules. But anyway, everything else is buy one, get one free. They'll have samples.

[D]

Nice.

[A]

Which means Shannon will probably have a crowd of people feeling good. Yep.

[B]

They make me feel so.

[A]

So where is it?

[B]

4612 Shuff Avenue.

[A]

But Shuff is spelled weird, isn't it?

[B]

C H U F F S C.

[A]

H U F. 4612 Chef Avenue tomorrow in Louisville. I'm going to Louisville tonight to sort of be prepared. And then I'll be at Shuff Avenue tomorrow.

[D]

We've been there before and it's kind of a cool place.

[A]

It is. Like you can see through the window and watch them make it right.

[D]

That's kind of cool.

[A]

Like old school. Like if you were to go into a factory and you see, you watch the, you can watch the gummies being.

[D]

Yes. Yeah. From the very big. They pour it into the little mold.

[A]

And he's baking the time the gummy crops come out of the the womb.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

All the way through the boxes.

[D]

Was kind of a cool, cool show to come to.

[A]

That's right. We'll take a break. Be right back. Kentucky Sports Radio. Welcome back, Techie Sports Radio. 859280, 2287 Text Machine. 772-774-5254. We tomorrow are in Louisville. I'm gonna go ahead and warn you little. Well, first of all, one thing people might enjoy my interrupted podcast today. Billy, to his credit, found a Venezuela expert.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Somebody who follows Venezuela, has covered it for years to talk about what happened in Venezuela. So we're interviewing him today. So I'm, I don't know anything about him. Billy found him, Shannon. If it's a disaster, we blame Billy. That's okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's all on Billy. If it's good, I'll take credit. I'll also give Billy credit for it. Yes. I mean, it's, he found the guy and we're interviewing him today at 4. So it'll be on WH tonight at 6, but also on podcast tonight.

[D]

You know, I, I, I need to listen to it to figure out what the heck is really going on down there.

[B]

What's going on? To be honest with you, it's already happened.

[A]

It's for you.

[D]

I appreciate that.

[A]

Yes. Because it's, you're. I, I actually, can I tell you something?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

This is a compliment.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

It's not going to sound like one, but it is a compliment. I was interviewed. They're doing A profile of me for Kentucky Monthly magazine.

[D]

Are you interviewing me this afternoon about you?

[A]

Oh, they are.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

They asked me if they can interview you. Drew, Admiring. They specifically said they didn't want to interview you.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

They said to them, anyway, drew, you admire. I don't have time for them, but they asked me. They said, how do you decide when you're talking about current events, like, how to talk about it? And I said, I try to explain everything. Like, I'm talking to Ryan.

[D]

I'm not offended. I think that's a compliment.

[A]

I thought it was a compliment, too. I'm glad you're taking it.

[D]

Thank you.

[B]

Somebody who's so out of touch and has no idea.

[A]

I didn't say all that. That's Shannon saying. I said, I just try to explain it as if I'm talking. Right. Because I feel like if I can make you understand, then everyone can understand. Yeah, that's a compliment.

[D]

I think that I represent the common man, so I'm not offended at all.

[A]

I think you do, too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yes. I think you do, too. The Reds have opted out of their TV deal, which means. We don't know what it means. They don't know where the Reds games are going to be on TV this year. Might be over a free channel this year, or it might be on the MLB app. So, like, you could. Could get it as, like, part of. If you live in the area, you might be able to get it for free.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Point being, a lot of people haven't gotten to see the Reds games because if you had YouTube TV, you couldn't get it and all that. You. You might now be able to get it because they've opted out of their FanDuel TV app.

[B]

Well, let me tell you a little problem about the MOV app, because I've had it.

[A]

What?

[B]

They won't give you the Reds games here. They black them out.

[A]

That's true. But they won't do it this year because they don't have any other partner.

[B]

Oh, that's good.

[A]

You see what I'm saying? So, like, that's how it's been because they've wanted you to buy FanDuel TV. Right. But apparently this year, until they find another partner, they might give the games free on the app. They've already done that for, like, five other teams around the country. But you would have to live in Cincinnati or Lexington. You see what I'm saying?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

You'd have to live in the Reds TV demo. If you lived in Nashville, you would still have to Pay for it.

[D]

I see. Well, that's a big. That is something big. Because, you know, you've not been able to watch the Reds games living.

[A]

I have, but. I have, But I bought it.

[D]

You bought the package, but if you.

[A]

Didn'T buy it, you. You couldn't watch it.

[D]

Did you renew your season tickets?

[A]

I did. Thankfully, they raised the price, which is good. Thank you, Reds. They also decided. I thought this was a little sneaky. I sit on the aisle.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Now, aisle seats are quote, unquote, premium, and they cost a little more. Come on, now. I like the aisle, but they weren't premium before.

[B]

Did you keep them?

[A]

Yeah, I don't want to. I don't want to crawl over people, but I thought that was a little. I'm for all this, but you better reside. Ellie.

[D]

How can they not?

[A]

Because he's gonna cost a lot of money.

[D]

They have to.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

They have to resign. That guy.

[A]

Yeah. I think we can be good this year. But they still haven't found the other bat. They still need one more bat.

[B]

Who's next, by the way, real quick? The longest shot at Rupp arena according to Tom Leach. Bob Lanter. Do you know that name?

[A]

Todd Lanter's dad has the longest shot at uk. Yeah.

[B]

He didn't say how many feet from the basket it was.

[A]

Bo Lanter has the highest shot. Longest shot.

[D]

Wow. Few people would come up with that name.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

There you go.

[A]

I wonder if anyone remembers that.

[D]

I don't know.

[A]

Bo Lanter with the longest shot.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

Scoop is up next.

[A]

All right, Scoop, go ahead. Yeah.

[C]

Guys, I guess the biggest frustration I've got is. Is the fact that you bit these guys for seven months, and as a coach, you can't get them to buy into your system.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[C]

I mean, first of all, let's go back and take a look at what we did against Purdue in the preseason.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I mean, where is that team?

[A]

Don't know.

[C]

I mean, you can sit there and point fingers and. And Diabot. They can stand over there. I saw a clip last night where coach was getting in his face, and he's spouting back and that. I mean, that's what we get when it's come down to nothing but money for these kids today.

[A]

Yeah, I got to stop. I got to stop you on that. It's coming for money. How do you explain these other teams that are making money being good?

[C]

Well, that's what I want to say. We got a coach that, for some reason, I don't know what his offensive system is. I Saw a clip.

[A]

Okay, I agreed with you with the first point. But let me go back to your second point, because this is a very common theme. People keep saying, well, none of these kids care. It's all about money. What about these other schools? Like, that does not work if these other schools are playing well. If you go look at the team spent the most money on their recruits this year, they're good. Michigan, Texas Tech, Duke, Yukon. Those teams are good. We're not. It's not the money, it's us.

[C]

Yeah. And it starts at the head of the, of the coaching.

[A]

I just.

[C]

What I don't like is the fact that we have teams like Missouri and Vanderbilt and Georgia and all these teams that are in our conference that are. Have guys that aren't four stars, five stars, whatever you want to call it, and somehow their coaches are getting their kids to buy in that.

[B]

I agree.

[C]

This job, when you took this job, Mark, you told the fan base, I know what it means to wear this jersey. And it's about hanging banners.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Well, right now, I don't know if you're cut out for it because you're not getting these guys to understand what Kentucky basketball is.

[A]

Well, I appreciate the call. I agree with all of that, except the, the default explanation of, well, they're getting money. Okay, but so is everybody else, and they're beating us. So, I mean, the money is not. The money only works as an explanation if you pick guys who can't handle the money. And then that's on you. Right. I mean, I will say we had a player go online and sell hats after the game. That's a bad look.

[D]

Really bad look after a loss like that.

[A]

But that's on your coach and your program. And, and I would say, you know, I mean, you don't have to search hard to find who it was. It's probably not who people think it was. Yeah, right. It's probably not who you thought it was that did it. Now, they took it down, but the fact that they thought to do it is a problem. The fact that one of our players, 30 minutes after the game puts three highlights of him playing well is a problem. And that's a culture problem, and that's a coaching problem.

[D]

We talked a lot about culture in the end of Mark Stoops era.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Is there a culture issue in basketball?

[A]

I mean, I think it's not been good in the last few weeks, at least. 859-280-2287. We're here at the KS Bar and Grill. We're about to open and have a little chow. We'll take a break and be right back. Kentucky Sports Radio.