Kentucky Sports Radio – Hour 1 (January 23, 2026)

Host: Matt Jones & the KSR Crew (Ryan Lemond, Drew Franklin, Shannon Dawson)

Live from Don Franklin Auto, Campbellsville, KY

Episode Overview

This highly anticipated non-sports episode of Kentucky Sports Radio spotlights the inaugural “Weatherman Challenge” – a charity competition among Kentucky meteorologists (and a surprise national guest), set against the backdrop of an impending winter storm. The crew also previews the upcoming UK vs. Ole Miss basketball game, reflects on community traditions, and shares trademark on-air banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Weatherman Challenge: Charity, Competition & Drama (00:31–14:45)

• Backstory: The challenge began with Matt’s offhanded offer to donate to charity in exchange for accurate snowfall predictions, leading to a $10,000 charity pot with backing from Commonwealth Causes and ServePro.
• Meteorologist Recruitment:
  • Nearly all invited local TV meteorologists in Lexington & Louisville agreed to compete, except for Mark Weinberg (WDRB), who famously advocated for such a contest but declined the invitation.
  • National Get: Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel is a late, star addition to the field, elevating excitement and competition.
  • “You pulled one in. I just went ahead and got LeBron to join the pool.” — Matt Jones (09:20)
• Contest Mechanics:
  • Each meteorologist must predict (to a tenth of an inch) snowfall in Lexington & Louisville, entries due by 11:30am.
  • The social media meteorologist Ryan Hall Y’all was first to submit, surprising the crew with his bold prediction.
• Participant Dynamics and Social Media:
  • Social response to Weinberg’s absence was strong; he’s now dubbed “Weather Boy” online.
  • Crew debates whether national stars like Cantore, with "more Dopplers", have an unfair advantage or less local expertise.
  • “These people are kind of putting their credibility on the line…They really are.” — Matt Jones (07:37)

Notable Quotes:

• “He is the bomb. When he shows up in your town, get out. Because stuff’s going down.” — Ryan Lemond on Jim Cantore (06:38)
• “Weather boy declined.” — Matt Jones (06:37)
• “I hope that the social media meteorologist ends up winning the whole thing.” — Shannon Dawson (07:51)

2. UK Basketball Game Moved for Winter Storm (11:35–14:04; 15:36–29:11)

• Tip-off Changed: The UK vs. Ole Miss game is rescheduled to 11am to allow the Ole Miss team to leave before the storm.
  • The last 11am game (versus Florida) had great atmosphere; the crew expects similar energy.
  • “There’s something about that camaraderie…when you go, you almost feel...” — Matt Jones (12:49)
  • The KSBar will open for breakfast and pregame at 8:30am; unused tickets will be redistributed to fans.
• Matchup Preview:
  • Ole Miss considered one of the SEC’s weakest, but crew is wary of upsets—especially due to Kentucky’s injury-depleted roster.
  • “I’m worried about every game on the schedule…if a guy has a bad game, that could derail the whole game.” — Drew Franklin (15:52)
  • Star watch: Travis Perry (Ole Miss), a Kentucky native, just heating up with recent high-scoring performances.

Notable Quotes:

• “Easiest game of the season. And of course, that means it won't be. Yeah, we'll be down 14 in the first half.” — Matt Jones (16:19)

3. Classic KSR Banter: Donuts, Soda, Campbellsville Community & Ryan’s "First Weekend Alone" (14:55–19:56)

• Campbellsville Traditions:
  • The “power lunch” is Mountain Dew with a glazed donut, but locals insist SKI (regional citrus soda) is the real deal.
  • The crew reminisces about local fixtures like Druther’s restaurant and its legendary chocolate gravy.
• Personal Sidebars:
  • Ryan faces his first-ever weekend home alone as family is away for storm; the crew teases his lack of “experience in solitude”.
    • “I’ve never been alone probably 48 hours, 24 hours…I’m probably going up going crazy.” — Ryan Lemond (19:14)
    • “We should all put up the sharp objects.” — Drew Franklin (19:58)

4. Fan Experience, Storm Preparation & Tournament Hopes (24:45–29:41)

• Storm Readiness: The crew jokes about lacking storm supplies and contingency plans for the weekend.
• UK’s NCAA Tournament Odds:
  • Range of optimism: Jones (75%), Lemond (90–95%), Franklin (80%), Shannon (initially 75%, drops to 60% upon hearing the strength of schedule).
  • “We might be an underdog folks in most of our games going forward…” — Matt Jones (27:43)
• Upcoming Schedule: UK faces a “murderer’s row” of quad-one games after Ole Miss, intensifying the pressure for a win.

5. Listener Calls: Donors, NIL & Weather (29:22–33:59)

• Call from Colorado: Snow preview and Cantore fandom.
• Revenue Sharing/NIL Dilemma:
  • The complexities of modern donor giving: direct to athletics, project-specific, revenue share funds, or even NIL collectives—often tied to specific athletes.
  • “Now that technically that’s illegal…There’s Rev Share. I don’t know how donors figure out who to give money to now.” — Matt Jones (31:43)
  • The perils of NIL when a highly-supported athlete underperforms or produces negative headlines.

Notable Quotes:

• “Imagine selling your family business, throw a little bit [into] NIL, and you’re just watching a guy throw it at some guy named Garrett on Snapchat…” — Drew Franklin (33:35)

6. Late Breaking Storm Talk & Trash Talk in College Sports (35:04–38:52)

• Weatherman Challenge Updates:
  • Snow prediction maps are shifting; Ryan Hall Y’all ups his forecast before the deadline, as more meteorologist entries roll in.
• SEC Basketball, G-League Transfer Drama:
  • Alabama’s G-League addition becomes eligible via court ruling from an Alabama donor/judge.
  • Todd Golden (Florida coach) responds, “Let him play. We’ll beat him anyway”—earning rare coach trash talk approval from KSR hosts.
• G-League Transfer Perspective:
  • Crew asserts G-League transfers rarely pan out at the college level; “If they were good, they’d be in the NBA.”

7. Transfer Portal: Dink Pate & Next Year’s Roster (38:00–39:54)

• Dink Pate: High-scoring G-League guard interested in UK, but likely for next season’s depleted roster.
  • Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson featured Dink in a Reebok docuseries.
  • The crew is supportive given UK’s projected roster holes.

8. Defense Discussion & Game Predictions (40:01–41:47)

• Caller Question: UK’s defense lacking charges—are players avoiding contact due to injuries or rule changes?
  • Crew notes poor rotation under the basket and speculates on defensive reluctance given the injury situation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You hit my second wow moment when Weinberger said he couldn’t gonna do it. But my third...when you got Jim Cantore, I mean, that is Mr. Weather Man.”
  — Ryan Lemond (06:21)

• "I kind of hope that the social media meteorologist ends up winning the whole thing." — Shannon Dawson (07:51)

• “I’ve never been alone probably 48 hours, 24 hours. I’ve always, it’s just not me.”
  — Ryan Lemond (19:49)

• “Let him play, I’ll beat him anyway.”
  — Matt Jones (quoting Florida's Todd Golden, 36:28)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:31 — The Weatherman Challenge setup, Weinberg drama, and Jim Cantore’s entry
• 06:38 — Jim Cantore: “He is the bomb. He is. When he shows up in your town…get out. Because stuff’s going down.” – Ryan Lemond
• 11:35 — UK vs. Ole Miss moved to 11am; fan/venue logistics
• 14:55 — Campbellsville traditions: Mountain Dew, SKI, and Druther’s biscuits
• 19:14 — Ryan’s first-ever weekend alone
• 24:45 — Preparation for the storm & tournament odds discussions
• 29:22 — NIL, donors, and changing landscape of college sports funding
• 35:04 — Live update: Ryan Hall Y’all wants to revise his snow prediction
• 36:28 — Florida coach trash talk on Alabama’s eligibility controversy
• 38:00 — Transfer portal talk: Dink Pate and next year’s UK roster
• 40:01 — Callers on defense and the lack of charges

Tone & Language

The episode maintains KSR’s trademark blend of humor, local flavor, and irreverent banter, pairing high-energy sports and storm talk with playful ribbing among hosts and affectionate nods to small-town Kentucky culture.

For fans and newcomers alike, this episode captures KSR at its best: engaging local topics, interactive competitions, and a sense of community camaraderie—whether watching the weather, the Wildcats, or Ryan Lemond’s mental health during a solo snow weekend.