KSR Podcast – Hour 2 (March 23, 2026) Summary

Episode Theme This episode of Kentucky Sports Radio, hosted by Matt Jones with co-hosts Ryan Lemon, Shannon, and Drew Franklin, focuses on dissecting the current frustration and malaise surrounding UK Athletics—particularly the basketball program—after another disappointing end to the season. The team reads and reacts to fan concerns, discusses the need for leadership change, the impact of recent tournament results, and opens the lines for rapid-fire listener opinions. The episode also touches on broader issues within UK sports culture, media access, and the student/fan experience.

1. Setting the Scene: The Mood at UK Athletics

• Morale at an All-Time Low ([02:52–04:22])
  • Matt reads a text from a UK staffer: “The morale in the athletics department is the lowest it’s ever been.”
  • The panel discusses feeling “depressed” over the state of UK basketball and leadership.
  • With Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart departing, there’s concern over the incoming administration and hope for rejuvenation.

"Sometimes the only way you can have change is when you acknowledge when things are bad." — Matt Jones [03:35]

2. NCAA Tournament Reactions & Broader College Basketball Chatter

• Rick Pitino and St. John’s ([04:39–05:47])

  • Drew confesses, “I am pulling for him [Pitino] to win it all. ... Be Duke in Washington, D.C., I bet!” [04:43]
  • The crew debates the coolness of the “Church Bells” nickname for a hero player.

• Florida’s Upset Loss, Coaching Styles

  • General relief at Florida’s exit; conversation shifts to fiery coaching personalities and sportsmanship ([06:10–07:03]).
  • Shannon: “I even like when he tells opposing fans to sit down, shut up. ... But he is getting a little too much.” [06:52]

• Cinderella Runs & Fan Engagement

  • Brief admiration for underdog coaches, teams like Nebraska generating big fan turnouts.

• Bracket Banter & Ryan’s Success

  • Ryan Lemon boasts a 99.5-percentile bracket filled out “in like three minutes.” [08:11–08:24]
  • Group marvels at the unpredictability of March, perfect brackets, and collective disappointment.

3. Callers Highlight Longstanding Institutional Issues

Multiple call-in segments allow fans to vent and share perspectives:

• Student & Player Experience, Fan Atmosphere ([09:26–13:58])

  • Mark details how Kentucky’s current athletic/fan culture turns off recruits: lack of student engagement, poor nightlife, overly restrictive policies, and a sense of isolation among players.
  • Matt critiques UK’s “money-first mindset,” giving the example of Mario (a media figure popular with students) being repeatedly obstructed by UK officials:
    • "They just constantly are trying to stop him from doing something that ultimately helps them." [12:11]
    • Tight control over logos/merch has hurt the brand and fan access.
  • Shannon: “I can go to the Super Bowl and get better access than you will give me at a UK scrimmage.” [14:17]

• Media Access, Comparisons ([15:08–15:42])

  • Kentucky’s insularity is contrasted with other programs’ open-door policies—even Louisville grants better media access.
  • Fans and hosts agree the “keep everything internal” approach is damaging.

4. NIL, External Perceptions & Pope’s First Two Years

• NIL Complexity and Outsider Critiques ([16:07–17:35])
  • Caller Jay asks Matt to clarify NIL realities and their ripple effects.
  • Matt: "I will do it... I’m trying to be fair because I don’t want to blame things without really knowing." [16:57]
  • Pushback against national sports media dictating fan expectations, insisting Kentucky is simply “different.”

5. Institutional Disconnect: Students, Fans, and Leadership

• Blame Deflected from Students ([20:47–22:58])
  • Matt defends students from accusations of apathy: “You have to make the student like you got to help... When they bring fun signs, they have them take them from them.”
  • Events not run by UK Athletics (“KSR pregame parties”) are noted for being much more enjoyable and well-attended than official university events.

6. Rapid-Fire Fan Opinions: "30 Seconds" Segments ([23:09–27:29] and [33:44–36:11])

Notable Calls and Quotes:

• Curtis: “Mark Pope is a great person. He ought to be a youth minister, not a coach.” [23:19]
• Chris: “I think Pope deserves a mulligan… We lost our starting point guard and that’s it.” [24:22]
• Debbie: “Capilouto’s new slogan should be 'Touch Money.'” [35:30]
• BP: "Mark Pope is a good dude. He could date my daughter. He can take my wife on a date. But 46 and 26 in two years at UK is not acceptable." [36:00]

General Themes:

• Widespread frustration with lack of accountability and excitement.
• Some callers urge patience with Mark Pope, noting injuries and needing more time.
• Multiple people emphasize that leadership’s focus on revenue is undermining tradition, fan experience, and winning culture.
• Discussion of “messaging control” from UK Athletics and attempts to communicate around the institutional media.

7. Communication, Leaks, and Institutional Control of Narrative ([30:09–32:51], [36:59–39:31])

• Caly-Style Leaks vs. Silence
  • Matt reminisces about John Calipari’s willingness to work backchannels to get his narrative out.
  • "Part of a well run organization is understanding you have to get stuff out to the public. This has become so shut off. ... Silence leads to the void filled by rumor." [30:28]
  • New UK administration is “planning to control their info” even more tightly, mostly through internal channels—an idea Matt derides as “horrible.” [37:20–38:20]

8. Breaking News: Dwayne Peavy Extends at DePaul ([42:44–43:35])

• Matt regrets missing the chance to bring back Dwayne Peavy as Kentucky’s AD: “He must have thought that he was not going to be considered for this job or maybe they caught who knows… I think he would have been really good.” [43:35]
• Skepticism over UK’s “listening tour” and whether fan base voices—especially regular fans—are truly being heard. [43:50–44:26]

9. Final Listener Rapid Fire & Closing Thoughts ([45:40–49:47])

• Brandon: “For all the callers saying fire Pope. He’s not going anywhere. ... The last guy used to talk down to us. We gave him a grace period..." [45:45]

• Terry: “I was born August 28, 1962...UK fans, check your sense of entitlement at the door.” [46:20]

• Martin: “The athletic department only cares about one thing and that's money. ... You forget about all the things that got you to where you are.” [47:01]

• Hosts Preview Women's Basketball Matchup ([47:49–49:47])

  • Panel expresses optimism for Kentucky’s women’s basketball in the NCAA tournament game vs. West Virginia.
  • "They’re going to keep March alive for all of us.” — Shannon [49:05]
  • Discussion of local folklore and pride (“Battle of Appalachia”) to close out.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Sometimes the only way you can have change is when you acknowledge when things are bad.” — Matt Jones [03:35]
• “If you walk on campus with Mario...The amount of hassle over the years UK has given Mario when he tries to do things at games with students is crazy to me.” — Matt Jones [12:11]
• "I can go to the Super Bowl and get better access than you will give me at a UK scrimmage." — Shannon [14:17]
• "You have to make the student like you got to help...when they try to bring in fun signs or do something, they have them take them from them." — Matt Jones [21:03]
• “Mark Pope is a great person. He ought to be a youth minister, not a coach.” — Curtis (caller) [23:19]
• "The athletic department only cares about one thing and that's money. ... You forget about all the things that got you to where you are." — Martin (caller) [47:01]
• "I think he [Dwayne Peavy] would have been perfect but ... maybe they thought he wasn't going to be considered for this job." — Matt Jones [43:35]

Key Takeaways

• UK Athletics Leadership in Flux: There is a consensus among hosts and listeners that major change is necessary; fans are wary but hopeful about post-Barnhart leadership.
• Fan & Student Experience Faltering: The atmosphere at Rupp Arena and the broader fan experience is suffering from top-down decisions prioritizing revenue, not engagement or tradition.
• Communication Breakdown: UK’s increasing insularity and attempts to “control the narrative” via internal channels are called “horrible”—open, honest communication and transparency are demanded.
• Mixed Patience with Mark Pope: Some fans want to move on quickly; others insist he deserves more time, especially given injuries and roster churn.
• Disconnection with Grassroots Voices: There’s skepticism that university “listening tours” capture regular fan perspectives or only those of elites.
• Callers Reflect a Broad Spectrum: From calls to fire the coach to reminders about UK’s historic entitlement, the tone is passionate, critical, but often grounded in love for the institution.

This episode is a window into the current state of Kentucky sports fandom—a mix of exasperation, institutional critique, a hunger for authenticity, and a hope that someone, somewhere, inside the athletic department is paying attention.