2026-03-26- KSR - Hour 1

Summary

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KSR - Hour 1 | March 26, 2026

Overview

Live from Cincinnati’s Holy Grail bar outside Great American Ball Park, Matt Jones and the KSR crew bring a vibrant, on-location episode packed with Opening Day excitement, Kentucky Wildcats news, and lively discussions of major shifts in college basketball coaching. Banter about Reds traditions, coaching carousel rumors, Will Wade’s controversial LSU return, candid therapy on the impact of criticism, and a special guest interview with Tom Brennaman make for a spirited, wide-ranging show.

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Opening Day Atmosphere in Cincinnati

[02:28–04:57]

• Matt describes the bustling scene outside the Reds’ stadium, parades, and the sense of city-wide celebration.
• Host and crew note local traditions: “Cincinnati treats this day like it’s a national holiday… The city shuts down, schools close, parades, and there are people already out here partying.” — Shannon [03:32]
• For Kentuckians, allegiances differ: Braves, Cardinals, and Cubs fans scattered across the state, but Opening Day in Cincinnati is likened to the SEC tournament in Kentucky.
• The crew salutes special guests expected today (legendary broadcasters like Bill Cunningham, the Cowboy, and Marty Brennaman).

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Iconic Voices and Opening Day Legends

[05:00–08:13]

• Playful rivalry discussed between Matt and local radio legend Bill Cunningham, whom Matt describes as “a legend of radio… I just think it’s hilarious that he screams like that.” [05:49]
• Hopes of meeting Marty Brennaman, with Shannon admitting he’s a longtime fan and feeling “kind of starstruck.” [07:03]
• Marty's Kentucky ties, including broadcasting UK games in the '80s, are acknowledged, and plans to have him on air are teased (later, Tom Brennaman appears in his stead).

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College Basketball Coaching Carousel: The Billy Donovan “What-Ifs”

[08:46–17:03]

• The opening of the North Carolina job is described as a “chain of events that changes... a lot of college” basketball. – Matt [09:02]
• Current “chatter” puts Billy Donovan as the betting favorite for UNC, with discussion of his UK near-misses:
  • Affirmed: Kentucky twice tried to hire Donovan—once before Billy Gillespie (Donovan allegedly verbally agreed, then backed out for family reasons), and again in the Calipari hiring cycle [10:13–13:59].
  • On the hiring that brought Cal to UK: “It’s funny how history works…Cal was probably choice three, but timing and events led to him being the coach and obviously it worked out very well.” — Matt [14:13]
  • Third attempt during the Pope hire: Barnhart considered waiting for Donovan, but chose not to “because we had no players…the portal was open.” [15:05]
  • Speculates if Donovan winds up at UNC, “there’ll be people that will be…[mad] we couldn’t wait one week to maybe get him.” [16:54]

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Will Wade’s Return to LSU & Changing College Sports

[21:49–23:14]

• Breaking news: Will Wade leaves NC State to return as LSU head coach—four years after being fired for NCAA violations.
  • “If there’s ever an example that college sports has completely changed, [it’s this]…they fired a man…for NCAA violations and now they’re bringing him back because everything they fired him for is now legal.” — Matt [22:13]
  • “I’ve never heard of such a thing where you fire a guy and then four or five years later bring him…” — Shannon [22:25]
  • Joking about “strong ass offers” now being legal—reference to Wade’s infamous recruiting tactics.

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Coaching Search Anecdotes & UK-Offseason Moves

The Billy Gillespie–Jeff Teague Story

[30:30–33:44]

• Host recounts NBA vet Jeff Teague’s story: After his college coach died, he received transfer waivers, and a call from UK:
  • “Billy [Gillespie] got on the phone and goes, ‘Hey man, just wanted to say, I don’t think you’re good enough to play at Kentucky.’” — Matt [31:31]
  • Panel mocks the logic: “Why would you call him if you’re gonna tell him that?” — Co-host [31:35]
  • After Jodie Meeks’ 50-point game, Gillespie told him he shot too much.
  • “The Billy Gillespie stories…It’s a book.” — Matt [33:21]

Keegan Brown Hired as UK’s “Director of Roster Management”

[28:11–29:59]

• Kentucky basketball officially names Keegan Brown “Director of Roster Management”—essentially a general manager role.
  • “It sounds like a GM, doesn’t it?” — Matt [28:42]
  • “Much needed. In this day and age of college basketball, you need somebody like that to help manage your roster.” — Shannon [29:07]
  • Team reflects on his likely fit, approach to NIL, and recruiting philosophy.

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Personal Reflections: Dealing with Criticism

[24:27–27:55]

• Matt opens up about receiving tough feedback related to show topics and player interactions.
  • “I do kind of wear my emotions on my sleeve—for better or worse. I think that’s partially why this show is good.” — Matt [25:13]
  • Listeners’ support after a “rough couple of days” was “really nice, thoughtful, positive” [25:04].
  • Panel discusses the challenge of being a public figure, especially with KSR’s broad reach through social media.

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Listener Q&A: UK Roster, Football Outlook, and Local Legends

[33:45–38:40]

• Favorite Reds player? “Ellie De La Cruz. Summer of Ellie.”—Ryan [34:55]
• Why didn’t Mark Pope’s offense look like it was sold? “He recruited a team that couldn’t play that way.” — Matt [35:19]
• Kentucky football’s 2026 win total projected at 4.5: “I’m gonna say we’ll win five…but I think…even in our losses, it’s going to be a lot more fun.” — Matt [38:17]
• “I think you’re going to see improvement…It’s going to be a much more pleasant experience as it happens.” — Matt [38:24]

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KSR Community Moments & On-Air Humor

[42:51–44:41]

• Listener writes in confessing he misunderstood sponsor “Clark’s Pump and Shop” as “Clark’s Puppet Shop.” The crew gets a big laugh envisioning a puppet shop as the show’s sponsor.

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Special Guest: Interview with Tom Brennaman

[44:53–50:04]

• Tom Brennaman, former Reds broadcaster, joins live.
• Talks career aftermath: “I’m very, very grateful…those guys gave me a chance after going almost five years without working.”
• On staying positive through controversy: “You hope that you come out on the other end as a better person, I hope.” [48:30]
• Shares favorite games called—Boise State beating Oklahoma and the 2001 Yankees-Diamondbacks World Series after 9/11, including witnessing President Bush’s first-pitch and the eagle flying above the stadium. [48:43–49:17]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “[Cincinnati Opening Day] is like the SEC Tournament for Kentucky—the whole city just shuts down.” — Matt [04:09]
• “If there’s ever an example that college sports has completely changed…they fired a man…for NCAA violations and now they’re bringing him back because everything they fired him for is now legal.” — Matt, on Will Wade [22:13]
• “Billy [Gillespie] got on the phone and goes, ‘Hey man, just wanted to say, I don’t think you’re good enough to play at Kentucky.’” — Matt [31:31]
• “I do kind of wear my emotions on my sleeve—for better or worse. I think that’s partially why this show is good.” — Matt [25:13]
• “I’m going to trust [God’s] plan a heck a lot better than my plan. And you hope you come out…a better person, I hope.” — Tom Brennaman [48:30]

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Timestamps to Key Segments

• Opening Day in Cincinnati: 02:28–08:13
• College Basketball Coaching Carousel: 09:02–17:03
• Will Wade Returns to LSU: 21:49–23:14
• Jeff Teague/Billy Gillespie Story: 30:30–33:44
• Keegan Brown Hired as UK “GM”: 28:11–29:59
• Matt’s Reflections on Criticism: 24:27–27:55
• Tom Brennaman Guest Interview: 44:53–50:04

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Closing Thoughts

A lively mix of opening day energy, candid Kentucky sports insights, and discussion of coaching drama, paired with personal reflections and laughter, define this hour of KSR. Highlights include expert analysis of coaching rumors, the ever-entertaining UK coaching “what ifs,” and a thoughtful conversation on the nature of public scrutiny. Tom Brennaman’s candid interview caps a show that captures the full spirit of community and sports obsession that makes KSR a Kentucky staple.

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Transcript

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[Matt Jones]

comedy

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

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

[Matt Jones]

Welcome, everyone. It is Kentucky Sports Rad Radio. Thursday, March 27th, 8th, 6th, 6th. Yeah, one of those days. Here live in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Holy Grail, right outside of the Cincinnati Reds Great American Stadium, where today is opening day around America. And here in Cincinnati, you can give us a shout on the Clark's Pump and Shop hotline.

[Ryan Lemond]

We'll talk more about that later. 859-280-2287.

[Matt Jones]

A Vision Auto Glass text machine. 772-774-5254. This dish is sponsored by the TJ Smith Law Office called TJ will make them pay. Ryan is in his happy place right now because we are at outside of baseball stadium, Reds opening day. The game is not till 4 o', clock, but it is 10am and this holy Grail bar is already full. We are out on the patio. If you are in Cincinnati, you can come by and say hello, Ryan. This is like you got that little

[Ryan Lemond]

glee on your face of being here at opening day.

[Shannon]

I'm definitely in my element. It's a baseball day and Cincinnati treats this day like it's a national holiday. The city shuts down schools, close parades and there are people already out here partying.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, we're six hours from the game. We're six hours from the game. And we drove up through here, Shannon. It was a torrential downpour from Lexington to Cincinnati. And I'm thinking, oh, no.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Like, are we going to be sitting

[Ryan Lemond]

out in the rain doing this?

[Matt Jones]

And then we get here and the skies are cleared. There's a parade here in a little bit. I mean, for people in Kentucky, like, like where I grew up in Kentucky, Cincinnati was not the team.

[Ryan Lemond]

The Braves were the team.

[Shannon]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

So Cincinnati and the games were not on. So Cincinnati was just like, whatever. And then you go out to the western part of the state, a lot of Cardinals fans, Cardinals, Cardinals fans out there. So. And then there's even parts of the state that like the Cubs. Right. So I didn't realize what opening day was, Reds wise, until I started buying season tickets. And this is like a whole crazy thing here. Like they treat this like we do the SEC tournament. But wouldn't you say that's a good analogy?

[Shannon]

It's a great analogy. You know, even though I'm a Cardinal fan, opening day of Major League Baseball means Cincinnati's playing in the afternoon.

[Matt Jones]

It used to be that the first game was here.

[Shannon]

Absolutely.

[Matt Jones]

Now they've changed that. But it used to be the first pitch of the season was always, always here because this is the oldest team

[Shannon]

tip off the baseball season in Cincinnati every year.

[Matt Jones]

But they don't do that.

[Ryan Lemond]

I guess they had one last night.

[Shannon]

Yes, they did.

[Matt Jones]

So we're here now. We are also where the official Reds radio is. So they're right here next to.

[Shannon]

They are.

[Matt Jones]

Which means that guy Shannon always yells at me is going to be here. He. He's going on right as we're going off. Bill Cunningham. Is that right?

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

So maybe you can catch it.

[Shannon]

That's him.

[Matt Jones]

I'm sorry.

[Ryan Lemond]

I didn't mean to.

[Matt Jones]

That's my Bill Cunningham impersonation. Why is that? Hunter Grade starting like that. He's gonna be here in just a little bit, and I'll get to.

[Ryan Lemond]

These people are looking at me like I'm insane.

[Matt Jones]

I'm sorry. I'm on the radio. Yeah, we're good. We're good. I'm just doing my Bill Cunningham.

[Ryan Lemond]

Anyway, he's gonna be here a little bit later.

[Shannon]

See, John Short's kind of torn. He loves you and he loves Bill Cunningham. And now this could be the first

[Matt Jones]

time we've ever been in the same place.

[Shannon]

Have you ever met him before?

[Matt Jones]

Never met him.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

You got to during a break or something. You got to go talk to him.

[Matt Jones]

I'm gonna meet him because we've kind of talked trash at each other from afar. I respect the guy. He's like a legend of radio without it. I just think it's hilarious that he screams like that.

[Shannon]

Yes, he does.

[Matt Jones]

And now I'll get to meeting. Plus, the Cowboy is going to be here.

[Shannon]

Oh, the Cowboy.

[Matt Jones]

Meet the Cowboy.

[Shannon]

I am really excited to meet the Cowboy.

[Matt Jones]

Cowboy, Cowboys. How I pass the night. Yes, right. Listening to the cow. You do, too, when you were doing Uber All Cowboys.

[Shannon]

See, like I said, I'm a Cardinal fan, but I love listening to baseball on the radio. And he's really good doing the Reds on the radio.

[Matt Jones]

And then Marty Brennaman's gonna be.

[Shannon]

He's a legend.

[Matt Jones]

A legend. And has called Kentucky Gates. Yes, he has explained to me when Marty Brennaman did Kentucky games, it was

[Shannon]

in the 80s on the TV broadcast only, like when they were doing the. The Jefferson Pilot games or whatever. He was doing play by play before. Like Rob Brad.

[Matt Jones]

Somebody told me he did something with Leitner's game, with the 92 Duke game.

[Shannon]

Maybe he was working for Westwood One or something like that.

[Matt Jones]

He might have been working for Westwood One.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

So he's gonna be here, and they're telling me he will come on here and talk Kentucky with me.

[Shannon]

He actually Listened.

[Tom Brennaman]

You're gonna show.

[Shannon]

I am.

[Matt Jones]

Shannon. He's gonna geek out Marty Brennan, because we've had him on by phone, but we've never had him in person.

[Shannon]

You didn't even tell me this till right now.

[Matt Jones]

But I just. I wanted to surprise you. I would.

[Shannon]

Look.

[Matt Jones]

Look at you.

[Shannon]

I have really. I'm kind of starstruck.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Today's like, make a wish, Ryan Lemon Day.

[Matt Jones]

It really is. Like, you get to like, but. So they tell me that Marty Brennaman is going to join us around 10:30,

[Ryan Lemond]

11, something like that.

[Shannon]

He is a legend. He's probably the most famous person. I feel like I have his phone number in my phone. I've always said that.

[Matt Jones]

Have you ever met him?

[Shannon]

I think I've met him a couple

[Matt Jones]

times, but nothing like you not embarrass me. I probably will. Promise. You will not. Like, don't rub on.

[Shannon]

Can he sign my chest or something like that?

[Matt Jones]

See, Shannon, this is what I'm talking about. I don't have Drew here to kind of calm down because he's on Baby Watch. Mario's roaming around.

[Ryan Lemond]

He's interviewing people for social media. So it's just me and Ryan and you.

[Matt Jones]

So I'm excited. I'm not going to spend. Don't worry. I'm not going to spend all day

[Ryan Lemond]

talking about the Reds. I'll probably talk about a little bit, but.

[Matt Jones]

But I did want to be here, soak up the atmosphere, because I go to this every. And this is, I think, could be a lot of fun. And thank you to the Holy Grail. I mean, they were full when we got here.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And saved us a table to do this.

[Shannon]

It's really quite a spectacle to see how the city of Cincinnati treats opening day up here for the Reds. And they've done it for long as I can remember. 20, 25 years.

[Ryan Lemond]

Don't embarrass me with Marty Brennaman.

[Shannon]

Well, first you said the cowboy was

[T Mobile Announcer]

going to be here.

[Matt Jones]

Then you tied that on the show.

[Ryan Lemond]

But Marty Brennaman may be coming on this show.

[Shannon]

I think Marty Brennaman is one of my heroes.

[Matt Jones]

Do you think if I could get

[Ryan Lemond]

Bill Cunningham to come on, I should have him on?

[Caller Brad]

Yes.

[Ryan Lemond]

Do you think I should get him on here?

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

You guys could just yell at each other back and forth.

[Matt Jones]

Why does it hire great. Like, that's what it would be.

[Shannon]

Great radio.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah. I'm scaring this man right here. Every time I scream. I'm sorry. This is just going to be what it is. Sir, if you're going to sit here. Okay.

[Shannon]

It's crazy. It's six hours before first pitch and it's like the SEC tournament in downtown Nashville.

[Matt Jones]

All right, let's talk just a little bit about. There's a ton, again, another ton of

[Ryan Lemond]

news around the world of sports.

[Matt Jones]

I think the thing that probably Kentucky fans heard yesterday that had them the most, I don't know, I don't want to say angst ridden, but it's at

[Ryan Lemond]

least the most interesting.

[Matt Jones]

There is going to be a parade

[Ryan Lemond]

of things happen here over the next few days with college basketball.

[Matt Jones]

You could make an argument that the North Carolina job being open might set off a chain of events that changes the a lot of college. I think it will because normally North Carolina hires in family, so it's not a big disruption. This is probably going to be a disruption. The chatter is the, the betting favorite right now to get the North Carolina

[Ryan Lemond]

job is Billy donner. Okay.

[Matt Jones]

He's plus 1 6, 75, which is a pretty high number for a coaching

[Ryan Lemond]

change because like normally they don't know.

[Matt Jones]

Then the guy at Iowa State I

[Ryan Lemond]

think is second we, which we obviously know about his coaching ability.

[Tom Brennaman]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

I don't know about you, Ryan. I don't really care who's the North Carolina coach. I mean, I, I, I do think North Carolina needs to go outside of the family. I think they're going to, I think they'll hire somebody good. If it end up getting TJ Otzel

[Ryan Lemond]

burger or whatever, that's fine. That they're talking about Tommy Lloyd at Arizona.

[Matt Jones]

They asked Tommy Lloyd about it and

[Ryan Lemond]

he specifically like wouldn't answer the question. So it's clear he's open for business.

[Matt Jones]

But what if it's Billy Donovan? Okay, Billy Donovan, who we tried to hire twice and if you'll remember. So, so let's go over the timeline. When we hired Billy Gillespie, we tried

[Ryan Lemond]

to hire Billy Donovan.

[Matt Jones]

You were saying to me this morning that Billy Donovan said yes and then changed his mind. Is that like really the case?

[Shannon]

If you believe the people that are in the know, they said he verbally agreed and then like two days later called Mitch Barnard. Upside. I've changed my mind. We're gonna open a school down here for I think autistic kids. Because they had autistic.

[Matt Jones]

Autistic child.

[Shannon]

Yeah. And that's why he's the reason he gave. Now, I never believed he was buying a horse farm in Versailles.

[Matt Jones]

You don't think he bought the horse farm?

[Shannon]

No, I don't think, Shannon.

[Matt Jones]

That was an old school rumor. Those were early Internet days. Now again, as I feel like an aficionado of old Internet, we were at the Super Bowl, Dave Portnoy and I went and talked about old Internet. Cuz old Internet was a different world. It was, you know, it was rag tag. You could get away with things you couldn't now, but you also had like, strange things happen. I think in Kentucky world, Billy Donovan bought a horse. Farming for sales was maybe the original. The whole world was talking about Internet rumor. Would you agree with that?

[Shannon]

I. I totally agree with that.

[Matt Jones]

You don't think he bought a horse farm?

[Shannon]

Never did.

[Ryan Lemond]

Okay.

[Shannon]

He never enrolled his kids at Lexon Catholic High School. All those rumors that were going around. But I do think, like, the people that were in the know, they said he verbally agreed. They were trying to work out the details and he changed his mind.

[Ryan Lemond]

Changed his mind.

[Matt Jones]

All right, so then when Cal comes, let's go forward. When we hired Caliperi, there were three final candidates, which is pretty amazing that

[Ryan Lemond]

these were the three final candidates.

[Matt Jones]

It was John Caliperi, Billy Donovan and Thomas.

[Shannon]

That's the. That's like the. I mean, that might have been the

[Matt Jones]

best coaching search of all time.

[Shannon]

Yep.

[Ryan Lemond]

This man. Did you. Shannon, I wish you could see behind me there's an old man.

[Matt Jones]

And I'm not. I'm not making.

[Ryan Lemond]

I.

[Matt Jones]

You know me.

[Ryan Lemond]

I would not make fun.

[Shannon]

No, we're just.

[Ryan Lemond]

There was an old man.

[Matt Jones]

He's dressed, Shannon, in a Pete Rose uniform.

[Ryan Lemond]

Okay.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Uniform.

[Matt Jones]

I don't see stirrups, but it's a full uniform.

[Ryan Lemond]

And New Balance shoes. And he came walking over here, and

[Matt Jones]

he walked to where we are, and he had a look like, this is

[Ryan Lemond]

where I stand, didn't he?

[Shannon]

Yeah, he did.

[Matt Jones]

He had a look like we were

[Shannon]

gonna interview him or something.

[Matt Jones]

You are in my spot. This is where Pete Rose watch stands.

[Ryan Lemond]

And then he kind of stared at us and walked off.

[Matt Jones]

But this man.

[Ryan Lemond]

How old do you think that man is?

[Shannon]

Oh, he's got to be close to his 70s, right?

[Matt Jones]

He's got to be in his 70s shades. He's wearing a full Pete Rose uniform.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Well, he thinks he's part of the squad. It sounds like.

[Matt Jones]

Well, I don't know. It's kind of cute. It's kind of sweet, sort of.

[Shannon]

He probably is big. He's probably done this for every opening day for 25 years.

[Ryan Lemond]

Die.

[Shannon]

He did?

[Matt Jones]

Yes. Has he died since the last opening day?

[Shannon]

I believe so. Didn't he die just this past year?

[Matt Jones]

So maybe this is like his tribute to Pete Rose.

[Shannon]

I bet he Did I bet he.

[Ryan Lemond]

I've never seen a man that age, Shannon, wearing a uniform to a game.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Well, you sound like you see a little bit of everything out there. You got guys pounding beers at 10 o' clock in the morning on a Thursday.

[Ryan Lemond]

Thank you very much for the press brought us another chair.

[Matt Jones]

So anyway, the Billy Donovan.

[Ryan Lemond]

So.

[Matt Jones]

So the story is Mitch Barnhart was going to interview all three guys in Chicago, right? Yes, he had it scheduled. Cal Donovan, then Izzo upsets Louisville in the Elite Eight.

[Shannon]

Correct.

[Matt Jones]

Many people will tell you that Mitch Barnhart was leaning Tom Izzo and Izzo beats Louisville. Louisville was heavily favored to go to the Final Four. That was Earl Clark and Terence Williams. All right, so then he has to postpone the interview a week so he can go to the Final Four. Mitch then decides to interview just Billy and Cal. He'll interview Izzo the next week. Billy backs out. Yeah, he only interviews Cal. Cal wins him and President Todd over and they just decide to not wait

[Ryan Lemond]

on Izzo and just hire California.

[Matt Jones]

It's funny how history works because if Louisville does, if Louisville beats Michigan State, Izzo might have been the coach. We might never have had Cal. If Billy Donovan doesn't cancel the interview, I think he almost certainly gets hired. Cal was probably choice three, but timing and events led to him being the

[Ryan Lemond]

coach and obviously it worked out very well there.

[Shannon]

Reports at the time that, yeah, Izzo was. He was also leaning a little towards being open to taking the Kentucky job. It was, but both sides were open to it.

[Matt Jones]

So the point is, is got Donovan came close twice.

[Shannon]

Twice.

[Matt Jones]

Now let's get to when we hired Pope, huh? Donovan had expressed to Barnhart that he'd be willing to talk about it, but not until the season was over.

[Shannon]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

Because the Bulls were going for a playoffs.

[Shannon]

Correct.

[Matt Jones]

And we're in the play. And he said, I'm not talking about till season's over. So Mitch had a choice to make. Do I wait for the end of

[Ryan Lemond]

the season and hire Billy Donovan?

[Matt Jones]

But we have no players. We had no players.

[Shannon]

The portal was open.

[Matt Jones]

And the portal was open earlier last year than it is this year now. It's been postponed until after the season, but back then I think, Ryan, it was open right now.

[Shannon]

Right now I think you're right.

[Matt Jones]

So he ends up having. He decides to not wait on Billy Donovan. So now my question is, what if Carolina actually gets Billy Donovan after all those times he almost was the coach

[Ryan Lemond]

here and he ends up there.

[Shannon]

We were talking driving up here. I asked you, are the Bulls. Are they Gonna be in the playoffs. Is he gonna also tell North Carolina? Talk to me after the. After we're done.

[Matt Jones]

They're bad this year. I don't even know Shannon. Are they even in contention for the playoffs?

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

They haven't been officially eliminated but this is his worst year as coach.

[Matt Jones]

This is his worst year and almost everyone, everyone agrees he's leaving at the

[Ryan Lemond]

year no matter what.

[Matt Jones]

And I believe I'm going to look real quick. I don't even think they are in

[Ryan Lemond]

contention for the player this year.

[Matt Jones]

I think they are below.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

They're like 29, 43 or something.

[Matt Jones]

So they are out. They will not be in the play. So they've got 12 more games or whatever but they're not in contention. So I don't think that worry. So Carolina's timing after our timing kind of hasn't worked for three straight times.

[Ryan Lemond]

It might work for him.

[Shannon]

So let's just play it out. North Carolina hires Billy Donovan. There's a section of our fan base's heads will explode thinking you couldn't wait one week to hire Billy Donovan for the Watch.

[Matt Jones]

I'm gonna have to take up for Barnhart. I don't think they could because I don't think we like was moving a lot faster then we already had Cam Williams.

[Shannon]

I think it already committed. Right.

[Ryan Lemond]

Well this is two years ago.

[Shannon]

That's right, two years ago.

[Matt Jones]

This is the Lamont Butler.

[Shannon]

That's right.

[Matt Jones]

So but it will just be interesting

[Shannon]

if there'll be people that will be

[Matt Jones]

Carolina ends up with Billy Donovan after three times. We may have come close and then not ended up and we couldn't waited

[Shannon]

one week to maybe get him well.

[Matt Jones]

859-280-2287 Text machine is 772-774-5254 we are

[Ryan Lemond]

here at Red's opening day. We've already seen a 75 year old man in a Reds uniform. There's a lot going on. Who knows this could be Sparks with Bill Cunningham. Marty Brennaman, Cowboy.

[Shannon]

I'm on Marty watch. I'm watching for him.

[Ryan Lemond]

Or it could be nobody. We'll see. It might just be us and our waitress Delaney. We'll take a break and be right back.

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[Ryan Lemond]

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[Matt Jones]

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[Ryan Lemond]

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[Ryan Lemond]

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[Matt Jones]

Welcome back.

[Ryan Lemond]

All right, I got some bad news for you.

[Matt Jones]

They just told me that they got

[Ryan Lemond]

their Brennamans mixed up. The party's not coming to one, but

[Matt Jones]

Tom Brennaman is returned to the Reds

[Ryan Lemond]

for the first time since the famous incident.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Ryan Lemond]

And that we can have him at 11. But Marty won't be here now.

[Matt Jones]

They did suggest to me that Marty's a big UK fan and likes this show.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

That maybe you could text him and ask him if he wanted to come by early to come on.

[Shannon]

I have his number.

[Matt Jones]

Shannon, do we think he should do that?

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Ryan Lemond]

Should text and beg.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Yes. Because when else would you ever call him? Right. So this is your chance, Ryan.

[Matt Jones]

Let's do it now. They asked if we wanted Tom. I thought, why not?

[Tom Brennaman]

Right?

[Shannon]

It's kind of a historic moment, him coming back to the Reds after what happened.

[Matt Jones]

Well, and also it's an example if

[Ryan Lemond]

someone makes a mistake.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

I'll make sure. I'll turn the mics off, I promise. During the breaks.

[Matt Jones]

Pay their pay that. Pay their penance over time.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And then, you know, so.

[Ryan Lemond]

So we'll. We'll see. We'll see what happens. Right now.

[Matt Jones]

859-280-2287, we have some breaking news. Will Wade is going back to lsu. He is leaving NC State after one

[Ryan Lemond]

year and he will be the new

[Matt Jones]

coach of lsu just a handful of years after he was fired for NCAA

[Ryan Lemond]

violations while at lsu.

[Matt Jones]

If there's ever an example that college sports has completely changed. They fired a man four years ago for NCAA violations and now they're bringing him back because everything they fired him

[Ryan Lemond]

for is now legal.

[Shannon]

I've never heard of such a thing where you fire a guy and then four or five years later bring him.

[Matt Jones]

That's amazing, isn't it?

[Shannon]

It's truly amazing.

[Ryan Lemond]

It really is amazing.

[Shannon]

Will Wade left in shame.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Now he can make strong ass offers and it doesn't cost him anything.

[Matt Jones]

You know, strong ass offers are now completely legal.

[Shannon]

Wow.

[Matt Jones]

That really is unbelievable, isn't it?

[Shannon]

That they. Especially at NC State. You think I better on paper that

[Matt Jones]

NC State is a better job than

[Ryan Lemond]

lsu, But I guess not in his mind.

[Matt Jones]

I guess they don't want to have to deal with maybe John Shire and Billy Donovan.

[Shannon]

Yeah. Oh, that would be true. Maybe he thinks Donovan's coming to North Carolina, to Chapel Hill, but there you go.

[Matt Jones]

So now he's back in the lsu. You know, LSU really hasn't been good since he left. Now maybe LSU back in. Back to mattering.

[Shannon]

You know, he's obviously a good coach. He won at McNee State.

[Spinquest Announcer]

He was.

[Shannon]

You know, he had a good year even in NC State this year. The man knows he's basketball. But to leave with your head in shame if you just got fired and they call you, they want you back.

[Ryan Lemond]

Shannon, I gotta tell you something. You know, I'm in one of these. I'm about to be on vacation for a week.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Ryan Lemond]

So it's one of those moods that sometimes you just say stuff. Mario is on a kick of looking at Will Wade pictures.

[Caller Matt]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Will Wade is oddly shaped.

[Ryan Lemond]

And we'll just leave it at that.

[Matt Jones]

You should say it.

[Shannon]

You can say it.

[Matt Jones]

No, no, I'm not. I'm not you. But Mario especially just sits in the

[Ryan Lemond]

back seat of my car looking at pictures of Will.

[Matt Jones]

So once you see it.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah, no, I'm not now I'm looking once you.

[Matt Jones]

Because the problem is the red and

[Ryan Lemond]

white of NC State was not flattering.

[Shannon]

True.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah. You gotta wear dark colors.

[Matt Jones]

He's a dark color guy.

[Shannon]

Purple, maybe. Purple.

[Matt Jones]

Purple will be better.

[Shannon]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

And there. Mario just likes to sit and look

[Ryan Lemond]

at pictures of Will Wade and giggle.

[Matt Jones]

He's been doing that since we watched

[Ryan Lemond]

him in the first four last week.

[Shannon]

Mario ain't the only one that sits at giggles.

[Ryan Lemond]

No, you do too. I would never do such a thing. 859-280-2287 One more thing and then I want to go the phones talk about a couple stuff. Yesterday at the end of the show, I was talking about the whole Derek Johnson and. And cousin stuff. And you know, I had a lot of people like calling to check on me. I guess I sounded much. I sounded very down.

[Shannon]

You did.

[Matt Jones]

And to some extent that was true. I. Tuesday and Wednesday were difficult for me. I'm better today. But also part of that is all

[Ryan Lemond]

night just kept getting comments on the text machine. Really nice, thoughtful, positive comments. And I do. I just wanted to thank everyone for that.

[Matt Jones]

You know, I do kind of wear

[Ryan Lemond]

my emotions on my sleeve for better or worse. I think that's partially why this show is good.

[Matt Jones]

But, you know, those two things back

[Ryan Lemond]

to back had kind of eating at me a little bit. But I just want to thank everybody who reached out and was. And was nice.

[Shannon]

I said this to you in the Car. You could hear it in your voice yesterday when you were talking about it. And the more you talked about it, it was like you were going through

[Matt Jones]

a therapy session maybe a little bit.

[Shannon]

I think. I think it was. It was kind of good for you and your spirit to kind of talk about it and talk through it. And we could hear it. You know, it came through in your voice that it definitely upset you and bothered you with the things that had been been said.

[Matt Jones]

It bothered me in part because I didn't want those two guys to feel like that. It also bothered me because it became like, it's hard for me to know

[Ryan Lemond]

who are the people that are listening and our fans and who are the people who only have peripheral knowledge of

[Matt Jones]

us because this show has been so successful. Like, there's a lot of people who've never turned it on once that have strong opinions.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Ryan Lemond]

You know what I mean?

[Matt Jones]

Which is interesting because normally a sports radio show is such a niche that like, if you don't listen to it,

[Ryan Lemond]

you wouldn't even know it's happening. Right, right.

[Shannon]

This show's a little different.

[Matt Jones]

This is different. And so, you know, you got people who don't even know when the games are on, but they know who we are and may have a strong opinion having never listened. And then you throw in that Mario has done such a good job. We show up on people's tick tock

[Ryan Lemond]

feeds who have no idea about anything we've ever said.

[Matt Jones]

Right. And so I just, that was. I just had to get through that. And people will say, ah, man, don't let it bother you.

[Ryan Lemond]

Well, Shannon says that all the time.

[Matt Jones]

I, I wish I could, but that doesn't.

[Ryan Lemond]

That's not always.

[Shannon]

Well, those people that know you, they know you care. I mean, you.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I do care, you know, and especially when it comes to like, you

[Ryan Lemond]

know, the, the cousins thing.

[Matt Jones]

And then Jasper, you know, he's such a nice kid.

[Shannon]

He was. It was awesome when he came on

[Matt Jones]

at Palmer and he also like, what are you gonna do?

[Ryan Lemond]

We saw what happened in the Iowa State game. So like that balance. But I just wanted to thank everybody for that and, and, and tell them.

[Shannon]

But you feel like you're in couple a good, better head space.

[Matt Jones]

I'm in better. I. I need, you know, need to

[Ryan Lemond]

just kind of have 24. I. I didn't turn my phone on last night except to talk about neighbors. I'm going to go ahead and tell you, man, that show, I've never seen a show that just gets more and more crazy every episode.

[Matt Jones]

I watched the first episode and I thought, well, these people are a little strange. But then I went to number two and then I went to number three and now I'm on number five and there's a grandmother and she starts doing

[Ryan Lemond]

something that I'm like, oh, my.

[Matt Jones]

And then people tell me when I get to number six, apparently episode six is, I'm just going to tell you, spectacle neighbors, if you ever think that you are around odd people, just turn that show on.

[Ryan Lemond]

It's the best thing I've seen in a long time.

[Matt Jones]

You just wait till you watch it this weekend. We'll take your calls right after this.

[Ryan Lemond]

Ksr

[Shannon]

TJ Smith, personal injury attorney. Call tj. He'll make him pay.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Now more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Mat Jones.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. 859-280-2287. We have another set of breaking news here at the Reds gate. Kentucky has announced the hire of Keegan Brown. You remember we said that he originally UK had said would be hired as a director or as a assistant with personnel. He is the job title now is director of roster management. It sounds like a gm, doesn't it?

[Shannon]

Is this as close to a GM as Pope is going to bring?

[Matt Jones]

Probably for stubbornness, because I think he's got some stubborn in him. I ain't going to call it a gm. So he's director of roster development, director of roster management.

[Ryan Lemond]

So I would suggest that means that

[Matt Jones]

Kentucky now has a gm, roster management, general manager.

[Ryan Lemond]

I think that's clearly what it is.

[Matt Jones]

You just don't want to call it that.

[Ryan Lemond]

So there you go.

[Matt Jones]

Are you, are you happy with that?

[Shannon]

Yes. Much needed. In this day and age of college basketball, you need somebody like that to help manage your roster.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. And, and who is he? Good? We don't really know. I mean, I will say, I think when, when his name first got floated, I went back and, and read a

[Ryan Lemond]

bunch of his old tweets because that was really there, all there was to read.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And I liked what he said about

[Ryan Lemond]

kind of what he was looking for now.

[Matt Jones]

I mean the one concerning, he seemed to suggest, look, this is a business. We have to make good offers. Like things I really agreed with. The one thing that concerned me is he said something like it's not about

[Ryan Lemond]

getting the best players, it's about getting players that fit what you want to do. I think we need to get a couple of the best players.

[Matt Jones]

Yes, but, but he may have been saying that because he wasn't at Kentucky

[Ryan Lemond]

and it's harder to get those, you

[Matt Jones]

know, but he had very strong in IL thoughts. I'm sure somebody at ksr, I think they may have already done this story.

[Ryan Lemond]

If not, I'm sure they will sort

[Matt Jones]

of going through his tweets, so you

[Ryan Lemond]

get a sense of what his thought process is.

[Shannon]

He seems like he has already a plan in place how a roster should be developed.

[Caller Matt]

And.

[Matt Jones]

And Jacob Polachek reported last night he was introducing himself to people as a

[Ryan Lemond]

director of roster management. So now that is actually his official title.

[Shannon]

You know, this just between us, he should say, I'm the general manager of Kentucky basketball. I know it's on paper.

[Ryan Lemond]

We're saying Director of roster management, but

[Shannon]

if I'm meeting, you know, we have

[Ryan Lemond]

to use the correct title. Director of roster manager judgment. All right, I want to go to the phones, but we got to quickly talk about the story from Jeff Teague yesterday.

[Shannon]

Yeah, you just told me.

[Matt Jones]

Did you see this story, Shannon? Jeff Teague?

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

I. I don't know which one you're talking about.

[Matt Jones]

All right, so.

[Ryan Lemond]

Well, if you don't know, then you didn't see it.

[Matt Jones]

Jeff Teague. That's Marcus Teague's brother.

[Shannon]

Older brother, who played in the NBA for many years.

[Matt Jones]

Played the NBA, Was good.

[Shannon]

Very good.

[Matt Jones]

Marcus was probably better in college.

[Ryan Lemond]

Jeff was probably better in the pros.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Jeff played at Wake Forest.

[Shannon]

Yep.

[Matt Jones]

All right, so according to Jeff, his coach, I think what he's awake for

[Ryan Lemond]

is died Skip Prosser.

[Shannon]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Which.

[Ryan Lemond]

Which is while he was at Wake

[Matt Jones]

Forest and the NCAA gave all the players at Wake Forest a waiver back then, that because he had passed, they

[Ryan Lemond]

could transfer to somewhere else.

[Matt Jones]

So Jeff Teague said his phone immediately

[Ryan Lemond]

started ringing and coaches were called.

[Matt Jones]

He decided in.

[Ryan Lemond]

Ended up deciding not to leave, but

[Matt Jones]

he got a call from Kentucky, and he said that Billy Gillespie, one of the assistant coaches. Shannon, called Jeff Teague at Wake Forest to recruit him, then put Billy on the phone. And Billy got on the phone and goes, hey, man, just wanted to say,

[Ryan Lemond]

I don't think you're good enough to play at Kentucky.

[Caller Matt]

Why would you call him if you're

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

gonna tell him that?

[Matt Jones]

Called him to tell him that he wasn't good enough to play at Kentucky.

[Shannon]

And then you look at the players

[Matt Jones]

that after his coaches just died.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

No wonder out here.

[Shannon]

Yeah, like I said, I'm looking at the players that Billy had lined up to come here. And then there's Jeff Teague. You say Jeff.

[Matt Jones]

Why not just Shannon not calling?

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah. Can we call somebody right now? And tell them they're not good enough to play at Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, yeah, Jeff Teague was like. I just kept saying like, why did you call me?

[Shannon]

It's true. Why did you call me if you're just gonna tell me I'm not good enough?

[Caller Brad]

Call.

[Matt Jones]

Can you imagine? It's kind of crazy. We got his brother after our coach before a different coach. But our coach called up and told his brother, hey, by the way, you're

[Ryan Lemond]

not good enough to play here.

[Shannon]

So did Jeff Teague just tell this story or something?

[Matt Jones]

He just told the story and Marcus Teague is on his show with him and Jeff Teague was talking about. They were talking about Tubby Smith. And I think the co host thought

[Ryan Lemond]

this story had happened with Tubby Smith, but it happened with Billy Gillespie.

[Matt Jones]

And then after it was over, Jeff said that he later found out from Jody Meeks he and Jody Beaks became friends. That Jody basically told Jeff that Billy was crazy. Said when he scored 50. You remember when he scored 50?

[Shannon]

Oh yeah.

[Matt Jones]

That after the game Billy Gillespie told

[Ryan Lemond]

him he shot too much and was mad at him.

[Matt Jones]

That was the Tennessee game.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

This is a ray of sunshine, isn't he?

[Matt Jones]

No kidding. Can you imagine looking at the guy who breaks UK's all time scoring record in a single game and then goes, you shot too much.

[Shannon]

It makes you wonder how he won any games at all.

[Ryan Lemond]

It makes you wonder how he lasted two years.

[Shannon]

You're right.

[Matt Jones]

But calling a player whose coach has died to say, by the way, you're

[Ryan Lemond]

not good enough to come here.

[Shannon]

I know your coach just died, but you suck. We don't think you're any good. Bye. And then hang up on them.

[Matt Jones]

Unbelievable. The Billy Gillespie stories. It's a book.

[Shannon]

Why didn't somebody write a book on this?

[Matt Jones]

I thought about it. I remember.

[Ryan Lemond]

You want a piece of random UK history?

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Clay Travis, pre being Mr. Politics called me and wanted to make a documentary about the billion years.

[Shannon]

It would be good.

[Matt Jones]

And I was like, you know, it's

[Ryan Lemond]

not a bad idea. And then it just didn't go anywhere.

[Shannon]

It's still something out there.

[Ryan Lemond]

We ended up not doing it.

[Matt Jones]

All right, who's up first?

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

All right, we got Brett.

[Matt Jones]

Brett, go ahead. Brad.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Brad, I want to tell you, you're not good enough to play for Kentucky basketball.

[Caller Brad]

Yeah, absolutely. I feel you. I wouldn't want to be ridiculed by Matt Jones and Ryan Lemon. So. But no, just kidding. So fellas, three quick questions. Matt Jones, if I can. They're real quick. 1. Who's your favorite sensei, Reds player 2. You know, we were told all this Nintendo style big motion offense was coming with Pope, all the cuts. And it's not a negative question, it's just understanding why. Why did we see players dribbling down the street court shooting or players dribbling down the court driving to the basket with three people that even Nate Oates called out? Why was that? Why couldn't we run a motion or cut or just why? Why is no one asking folk that? That hard hitting question. Why didn't we see that? And then third, what do you think about next year? What Big time recruitment. What's one big time recruit next year? You want to land this summer?

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah, I appreciate the call.

[Matt Jones]

All fair questions.

[Ryan Lemond]

First of all, my favorite Reds player is of course Ellie De La Cruz. Summer of Ellie. We need him to have a good year this year. But Ellie is my guy. Probably second is I like Hunter Green, but he's hurt till July.

[Matt Jones]

The qu. Your second question is a great one. We were sold on this Mark Pope offense that was movement, threes, etc. We didn't have that. And I think the answer to that question is he recruited a team that

[Ryan Lemond]

couldn't play that way. Don't you think that's ultimately the.

[Shannon]

I think that's the fair reason why our offense looks so awful all year long.

[Matt Jones]

And then teams started playing defense at

[Ryan Lemond]

us saying, well, you can't, you can't shoot, so we will let you shoot and then you can shoot yourself out of the game. Which is what happened a lot of times.

[Matt Jones]

Absolutely.

[Shannon]

It did.

[Matt Jones]

Especially early in the year.

[Ryan Lemond]

Then we switched and stopped playing like

[Matt Jones]

that and had maybe a little more success. But that became a very ugly team to watch sometimes, you know, the people

[Shannon]

that defend Pope as a coach. So you got to look with the adjustments he made at halftime, all these games when they would play better.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, but why aren't we better to start?

[Shannon]

I don't know that.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I. I will grant you

[Ryan Lemond]

I think he seems to do a very good job at halftime adjustments. Maybe not against Iowa State, but in general.

[Shannon]

In general for the season he pretty much did.

[Ryan Lemond]

Then why so much struggling to start again?

[Shannon]

I don't have an answer for it.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. And then what players should we get? I mean, I don't know if Bill Self retires, we may get tired Stokes if he doesn't.

[Ryan Lemond]

I mean Dink paid.

[Matt Jones]

I thought was we had a good chance and now Jason Hart is gone,

[Ryan Lemond]

which was his point of contact.

[Matt Jones]

So I don't know.

[Shannon]

I asked you this driving up here, you know, we're driving through Northern Kentucky. Tay, Kenny's from Newport. He's already committed to Kansas.

[Matt Jones]

If someone was interested in us and Self.

[Shannon]

If Self resigned, maybe take maybe.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, you could have a situation that Bill Self resigns and two very

[Ryan Lemond]

good players come open.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Or he might stay and we get none of them. So I don't know. Part of my nervousness is I don't know who the person is that we're going to get. That is.

[Ryan Lemond]

That is like that.

[Matt Jones]

Who's next?

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Let's go to Matt.

[Matt Jones]

Matt.

[Ryan Lemond]

Go ahead, Matt.

[Caller Matt (alternate)]

Happy opening day. Go, Red Leg.

[Matt Jones]

Happy opening day.

[Caller Matt (alternate)]

You talked about Marty Brennaman earlier. My brother and I met him in the bathroom of the youngster at an Alan Jackson concert. And my brother got a selfie with him before he even had an opportunity to wash his hands. But he could not even. He couldn't be nicer.

[Matt Jones]

I've heard that.

[Ryan Lemond]

Heard he's very nice.

[Matt Jones]

Did you text him?

[Shannon]

I did.

[Matt Jones]

What'd he say?

[Shannon]

Well, I don't know if he's texted back yet.

[Ryan Lemond]

He probably hasn't. He does. He probably has you on ignore. Go ahead.

[Shannon]

He did text back.

[Matt Jones]

What did he say?

[Ryan Lemond]

Hang on just a second, sir. What did he say?

[Shannon]

He says, ryan, I'd love to, but I'm in the parade and won't be at the grill until 1:30. Oh, I'd love to have been on with you guys.

[Ryan Lemond]

Oh, okay.

[Matt Jones]

Well, he's in the parade.

[Ryan Lemond]

I understand that. All right, go ahead, sir.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Caller Matt (alternate)]

I had one football question. I saw that CBS projected the over under for wins this coming season at four and a half.

[Matt Jones]

Wanted to hear your thoughts on it for UK football.

[Caller Brad]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, what do you think? Four and a half, over under.

[Ryan Lemond]

Appreciate the call.

[Shannon]

That's a magic number. I mean, I think that's. That's what's making it so hard to try to predict what this team's going to do next year. It's not that I think they're going to really stink. It's just the schedule is so, so hard.

[Ryan Lemond]

I mean, play Alabama, lsu, Texas A

[Shannon]

and M, Florida, Tennessee.

[Ryan Lemond]

I mean, you'll be playing a lot of people, right? So a good team.

[Matt Jones]

So, I don't know.

[Ryan Lemond]

I.

[Matt Jones]

Four and a half. I'm gonna say Will wins five.

[Ryan Lemond]

That's where I'm going.

[Matt Jones]

But I think here's what's going to happen. I think even in our losses, it's

[Ryan Lemond]

going to be a lot more fun. I think we're just.

[Matt Jones]

I think it's gonna Be a fun team.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I think you're gonna see improvement whether we win 6, 7, 4, 5. It's gonna be a much more pleasant

[Ryan Lemond]

experience as it happens.

[Shannon]

And if the fifth win means going into that Louisville game before we need it, I think that's even better.

[Matt Jones]

Hey, it's that time of year, everyone. Everyone checks their bracket. Ryan takes his shirt off, but it means you should check your skin. Kentucky Skin Cancer center has locations all over the state. Owensboro, Bowling Green, Franklin, Glasgow and Powderley. Kentucky Skin Cancer center is here to take for you. You take care of your bracket and the dermatologist will take care of your skin. Make an appointment. Today, it's the Kentucky skin cancer center. 270842 1999. 2708421999 or go to Kentucky.

[Ryan Lemond]

6 skincancercenter.com we're going to take a break.

[Matt Jones]

Might have Tom Brenham in here in a minute.

[Shannon]

Marty, text me back. I'm a very happy man. I mean, this is like I just heard from Darius Rucker.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

Oh, really?

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

It's just him saying he couldn't. Come on.

[Shannon]

Yeah. Just the fact he, you know, just

[Matt Jones]

said he acted like he knew you.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Ryan Lemond]

That's nice.

[Matt Jones]

I like seeing you.

[Shannon]

I'm done for the day.

[Ryan Lemond]

We got a long day ahead of us. Be careful. But we'll take a break. Come right back.

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[Matt Jones]

Welcome back.

[Ryan Lemond]

It is Kentucky Sports Radio 859-280-2287.

[Matt Jones]

Text machine says Matt, I'm an August 28th birthday Virgo like you in criticism. I'm sensitive to it as well. It is in our nature and our sign.

[Ryan Lemond]

Don't worry about it.

[Matt Jones]

You believe that Shannon? Like is it.

[Ryan Lemond]

It's like you're, you're.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

You're.

[Matt Jones]

No, I don't. Your personality and your sensitivity based on your.

[Ryan Lemond]

Your birthday.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

So I'm supposed to believe that every baby born within this 30 day range has the exact same emotions, feeling and characteristics? No, I don't believe it at all.

[Ryan Lemond]

Might be true.

[Matt Jones (alternate or co-host)]

No, I can't believe you believe it.

[Ryan Lemond]

Well, I don't.

[Matt Jones]

But I'm trying.

[Ryan Lemond]

I'm trying to give the guy the benefit of that because I think he's

[Matt Jones]

trying to be nice.

[Ryan Lemond]

So maybe it's August 28th. That's what happens to those of us

[Matt Jones]

we are. Well, that's, that's what people call me since the baby and I'm like, oh, that's sweet of you.

[Ryan Lemond]

That's very sweet of you.

[Matt Jones]

How are you all? Look at all these Kentucky fans.

[Shannon]

Johnny Rocker.

[Matt Jones]

That's. Oh, you're Johnny Rocker for the. Johnny Rocker, role player of the game.

[Shannon]

That's him.

[Matt Jones]

You know what you look to. You look like to me? What I thought Johnny Rocker might look like you got some Johnny Rock. Well, I hope you. Thank you for being on our thing. Hope it's been good for you. Good. All right. Look at that. You never know who you know.

[Shannon]

Superstars.

[Matt Jones]

How about the guy who wrote in. So let. Let's.

[Ryan Lemond]

Let me read this from yesterday. He wrote on the KS board. You know, KS board.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Ryan Lemond]

Where Discussion for.

[Shannon]

Right. Yes.

[Matt Jones]

On KSR plus.

[Ryan Lemond]

And it was one of my favorite comments.

[Matt Jones]

He said, look, I need to preface by saying that although I've been a

[Ryan Lemond]

cat fan since birth, I do not

[Matt Jones]

and have not ever lived in Kentucky.

[Shannon]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

I have little to no knowledge of local businesses. I always thought it was Clark's Puppet Shop and just found out it was Clark's Pump and Shop.

[Ryan Lemond]

I'm an idiot.

[Matt Jones]

I love that. I love that he thought it was Clark's Puppet Shop and instead it is Clark's Puppet Shop. I think a Clark's Puppet Shop would work really well.

[Shannon]

I think if he thought about it, Clark's Puppet Shop would have a heck of a budget for all the advertising Clark's Puppet Shop actually does.

[Matt Jones]

Tom. Tom.

[Shannon]

Oh, here he comes.

[Ryan Lemond]

Here we go. Mario. He said, see all the fans are distracting him. We were actually gonna have him on really quick.

[Matt Jones]

How are you, Tom?

[Ryan Lemond]

Put this on right here, this headset.

[Matt Jones]

So we are going to be joined now by Tom Brinman, longtime voice of the Reds and back here in Cincinnati. Tom, how are you?

[Ryan Lemond]

I'm Matt.

[Tom Brennaman]

I know, Matt. Nice to see you, man. You doing all right?

[Matt Jones]

I am doing wonderful.

[Tom Brennaman]

You guys are out here in the sun. This beats the heck out of being in there.

[Matt Jones]

It's good to see we're out amongst them today. So is. Am I right? Is this your return to Cincinnati, Cincinnati, or. Well, for a Reds game?

[Tom Brennaman]

Well, first, I don't go to many Reds games. I went to. I think I've been to one since I got fired.

[Ryan Lemond]

Okay, so.

[Tom Brennaman]

And I'm not actually going to the game today because I'm. I work every morning now in WLW doing the morning show Gotcha. So I've been. Been doing that for the last year, and it's been a lot of fun.

[Matt Jones]

You. I hear your games. You do it on the CW Is that right?

[Tom Brennaman]

ACC football and basketball.

[Matt Jones]

Has it been good getting back into the, the flow of all this?

[Tom Brennaman]

So grateful and, and those guys give me a chance after going, you know, almost five years without working. So I am very, very grateful. Money all over, the money falling out of my pocket. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Tom BR's just dropping money, making it rain over here. Did I hear, did you, did you do games in Puerto Rico for a little while?

[Tom Brennaman]

No, we, we're supposed to go down there and then co hit.

[Matt Jones]

Okay.

[Tom Brennaman]

So believe it or not, I mean I, I was like some of the 20 year olds right now. I was in my basement doing baseball games every single day. So it, or a couple nights a week and it was fun.

[Matt Jones]

So you would do Puerto Rican baseball games?

[Tom Brennaman]

Puerto Rican winter league, my house. Wow.

[Ryan Lemond]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

But see, part of that makes me think, man, you must love it. Like, like you've got to, to, to like you wanted to keep doing it. You must love it.

[Tom Brennaman]

Well, I mean, I just wanted to keep working. It didn't have to be baseball. I love doing football, love doing basketball. It just so happened that they were the, you know, they were somebody that called me and asked me to give me a chance to do something again and so had a chance to do it, and it was fantastic.

[Matt Jones]

Did you think that might not happen? Did you think that, like, maybe.

[Tom Brennaman]

Oh, well, yeah. I mean, you always. No, you know, I thought it might not happen, to answer your question, but I never believed that was going to happen. There's big difference when you go dark and you can start saying it's never going to happen again and that kind of thing, but I really never, thank God, really never went down that road.

[Matt Jones]

One of the things I, one of the reasons I wanted to have you on, I'm, I'm someone that has always in life thought about, you know, good people can make mistakes, right? And you, you can have it. And then like, how it's, it stinks and then how do you move on? Like, what does that feel like? And, and I think your case is really interesting to me in that you made a mistake that I know you regretted and apologized and then you had to like, bounce back. What was that process like for you?

[Tom Brennaman]

Well, I mean, even the night that, that I got fired back In August of 2020, I remember getting back home and look, there are a lot of people that, that are comfortable talking about their faith. Uncomfortable talking about their faith. You know, there's a meme out there about me talking about being a man of faith and all this kind of thing. And you know, that's fine. But you know, the bottom line is, is I truly believe that, you know, look, maybe not maybe. I had definitely, I think, gotten a lot of, a little too big for my britches and probably need to be humbled sometimes. And so, you know, God says, hey look, you want to do it your way, we'll do it your way. And I'll just make sure that if anything needs correcting around here that we'll take care of that. And that's exactly what happened. And you know, I, I just thought to myself, okay, I'm going to trust his plans a heck a of a lot better than my plan. And, and you hope that you come out on the other end as a, a better, a better person, I hope.

[Ryan Lemond]

And you feel like that happened?

[Tom Brennaman]

Oh, I, I, I, I think so. I mean, my wife would probably tell you no, but she would say no,

[Ryan Lemond]

there's nothing good about it.

[Matt Jones]

Well, let me ask you a couple fun questions. First of all, what's the best game you ever called?

[Ryan Lemond]

Sport? Any sport?

[Tom Brennaman]

I think the most exciting game I ever called was in football when Boise State beat Oklahoma.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, you were on that game? That's right.

[Tom Brennaman]

I think that's the most exciting game start to finish that I've ever had a chance. The most exciting stretch of games was when I was the announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks. And about a month and a half after 9 11, of course we played the Yankees in the World Series.

[Ryan Lemond]

What an amazing.

[Tom Brennaman]

So we were there. We actually went to grounds and zero.

[Matt Jones]

Did you see Bush throw that pitch?

[Ryan Lemond]

That was an amazing.

[Tom Brennaman]

It was amazing. And the eagle flying. It was the, the 10 days seven game World Series. Your team wins in the bottom of the ninth and of game seven. It was just, it was unbelievable.

[Ryan Lemond]

I don't know what time you have.

[Matt Jones]

We have to take. It's a little bit of a break.

[Tom Brennaman]

No problem.

[Matt Jones]

Can you.

[Tom Brennaman]

Of course.

[Matt Jones]

I'd like to talk to you a few more minutes. Is that okay?

[Tom Brennaman]

No problem.

[Ryan Lemond]

All right.

[Matt Jones]

We got to take, you know how this is.

[Tom Brennaman]

I know.

[Ryan Lemond]

Take our little hour break here. We, we will come back. I want to talk a little reds with you as well and some Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

Your dad did Kentucky.

[Tom Brennaman]

Yes, he did. The big blue should have never lost, Cal.

[Ryan Lemond]

All right, now I don't want to hear that stuff.

[Matt Jones]

Do you want to stay through the break? We're not, we are not crowd.

[Tom Brennaman]

But I was a cow guy. I was a cow.

[Matt Jones]

We all have our weaknesses, Tom. We were just talking about it.

[Ryan Lemond]

Okay.

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[Ryan Lemond]

We will take a break and be right back. This is K.S.

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[Julian Edelman]

This is Julian Edelman from Games With Names. I want to take a second to talk about something that's personal to me. I've had the privilege of working closely with Robert Kraft for a long time, and one thing I've always respected is how seriously he takes up standing up to hate. As a Jewish athlete, my identity is something I am proud of. But I also know what it feels like to be singled out for it. That's why this new commercial for the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate that aired during the big game really hit home. It's about showing up for someone when they're targeted, even if you don't have the perfect words. And sometimes standing next to someone is enough. And you can show support by sharing the Blue Square T Mobile has the

[Shannon]

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