2026-04-29- KSR - Hour 1

Summary

Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 1

Date: April 29, 2026
Host: Matt Jones
Guests/Co-hosts: Shannon Dawson, others
Location: KS Bar and Grill, Lexington, Kentucky

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Episode Overview

This episode of Kentucky Sports Radio dives into a tumultuous day for Kentucky basketball fans, reacting to the high-profile recruiting loss of Tyron Stokes to Kansas. Matt Jones and Shannon Dawson discuss the ongoing frustrations in UK’s basketball recruiting and transfer portal efforts, highlighting poor public relations and systemic problems within the program's approach. The hour oscillates between analysis, personal anecdotes, and pointed criticism, offering both fans’ perspective and insider reporting.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: A Tough Day in UK Basketball

• Matt opens the show referencing the rainy day in Lexington and the disappointing events for UK basketball ("Look, yesterday stunk... it probably won’t be really positive, I'll be honest with you." – [01:05]).
• The crew tries to inject positivity with small wins, like bowling league starting and "wings day" at KS Bar ([01:45]).

2. The Tyron Stokes Recruitment Saga

• Matt gives a blow-by-blow of how he experienced the moment: waiting for the Stokes commitment news at a Reds game, encountering fellow disheartened Kentucky fans ([02:08]-[02:44]).
• Shocking Stat: "Mark Pope had... 14 of the top 20 players in America visit UK's campus... 0 of them committed." – Matt ([05:41], [12:20], [12:46])

a. Why Stokes Wasn't a Total Surprise

• Stokes seemed likely to choose Kansas since November, but Kentucky gave fans false hope with a late visit ([03:53]).

b. The PR Fiasco

• The day featured layered setbacks:
  • UK lost Stokes to Kansas.
  • The team also announced a commitment from Justin McBride 30 minutes prior, which was "lost to history" and received negatively due to timing ([07:41]).
  • Assistant Mo Williams replied to Stokes' tweet with "Let's Go," possibly unaware Stokes had chosen Kansas—a move both embarrassing and potentially an NCAA violation ([06:50], [08:49]).

3. UK Basketball's Systemic Recruiting Issues

• Key Critique: UK has high financial resources and dedicated fans, yet cannot secure top targets, even those with Kentucky connections ([05:59]).
• The team’s recruiting pitches are not translating to commitments.
• Kentucky is now seen as a school players use to increase value before committing elsewhere, leading to Matt’s biting analogy:
  • "We are the floozy in the bar… We should be the wifey." – Matt ([13:11])

a. Lack of Communication & PR Strategy

• Reporters had inside info (Stokes was likely Kansas-bound a month prior), yet UK’s staff was unreachable and uninformed ([11:26]).
• Kentucky’s staff ignored calls from both local and national reporters attempting to give information ([11:27], [12:19]).

b. Closed-off, “Bunker” Mentality

• UK’s program is described as shut-off from both media and their own athletic department ([15:22], [46:49]).
• "Mark Pope… is not someone with a lot of hubris. He seems like a humble guy, but they have shut out the world. They are in a bunker mentality." – Matt ([15:22])

4. Calls for Change: UK Needs a GM/Fixer

• The hosts unanimously argue Pope should step back from direct recruiting negotiations and hire someone skilled (like a general manager or “closer”) ([16:13]-[17:32], [24:04]).
• Anecdote: Matt compares the need to his own, saying he delegates financial matters to his partner due to personal weakness ([17:01]).
• Relating to the past, Calipari’s staff had “fixers” who could close deals and relate to recruits; Pope lacks that kind of operator ([27:05]).

5. What’s Next for UK Basketball?

• Pope is reportedly traveling to Israel to recruit Brazilian forward Marcio Santos, highlighting the now-slim domestic options ([14:13], [49:00]).
• There is anxiety about the roster, with holes at guard and ‘dude’ (superstar) positions ([30:11]).
• Financial resources from failed deals, like with Stokes, could now be reallocated ([48:57]).

6. Fan and Media Reactions

• Angry callers ("We've been hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray..." – Bird, [31:29]) and texts show deep frustration.
• Social media backlash was fierce, with fans unfairly targeting KSR reporters for perceived mishandling of information ([35:11]).
• Matt defends KSR’s reporting and laments a culture blaming the messenger instead of the staff ([35:11]-[36:46], [38:05]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kentucky's Image (Recruiting):

  • "Kentucky right now in recruiting is seen as the, like, Christmas turkey. You get fat on Kentucky. ... Then you go get your money from somebody else." – Matt ([12:48])
  • "We are the floozy in the bar, to use my grandmother's terms. We should be the wifey, Shannon. We're the floozy." – Matt ([13:27])

• On PR Mismanagement:

  • "Mark Pope's staff... has done a clinic in how not to do public relations." – Matt ([09:07])

• On Staff's Bunker Mentality:

  • "They are in a bunker mentality. The other people at the university have no idea what's going on." – Matt ([15:54])

• On the Need for a Negotiator:

  • "You got little guppies going into the battle with alligators." – Matt ([24:31])
  • "We need a guy like Slice. Like Slice is, you know, he's from the streets of Queens. He can talk to agents." – Matt ([27:05])

• On the Roster & Future Moves:

  • "We need a dude. And those guys are not a dude." – Matt ([30:04])

• Caller Bird (Fan Reaction):

  • "Tyron Stokes played us like a freaking fiddle. We've been hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray by this guy." – Bird ([31:29])

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:05] – Show begins, setting the somber mood after a tough day for UK basketball
• [02:08] – Matt recounts his personal experience awaiting the Stokes announcement
• [03:53] – Analysis of how UK lost the Stokes recruitment
• [05:41] – Damning recruiting stat: 14 of top 20 visited, 0 committed
• [07:39] – The botched Justin McBride announcement and assistant coach Mo Williams' problematic tweet
• [09:07] – Critique on Mark Pope’s PR mismanagement
• [12:20] – Deeper dive into the "floozy in the bar" analogy
• [15:22] – Discussion of UK basketball’s closed-off, “bunker” mentality
• [16:13] – Arguing for a staff shake-up and hiring a “GM”
• [24:04] – Explaining why Pope and staff are failing at negotiations
• [27:05] – Stories about recruiters like “Slice” who could close deals
• [30:04] – Roster construction, needs for a “dude”
• [31:29] – Caller “Bird” expresses fan frustration
• [35:11] – Matt defends KSR and the fan base blames the wrong people
• [38:05] – The disconnect and failures of communication between staff, reporters, and athletics
• [46:49] – The team's closed-door policy and its unintended consequences
• [48:57] – Discussion of what happens to the recruiting budget post-Stokes

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Summary of Episode Tone and Language

The tone is frank, at times self-deprecating, and candidly frustrated. Jones and Dawson pull no punches in analyzing UK’s continual high-profile recruiting failures, and openly question both strategy and competence within the program. Humor and sports bar camaraderie lighten the mood before the crew returns repeatedly to somber realism.

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Final Thoughts

This episode is an essential listen for Kentucky basketball fans—especially those bewildered by the Stokes recruitment and ongoing issues under Mark Pope. With both inside info and fan frustration, Jones and company demand change while holding the staff publicly accountable. It offers an in-depth look at the challenges of modern college basketball recruiting and the importance of communication, adaptability, and closing power—both on and off the court.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Matt Jones]

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[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

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

[Matt Jones]

Welcome everyone. It is Kentucky Sports Radio. Wednesday, April 29th, on a rainy day in Lexington, Kentucky, where we are at the KS Bar and Grill. Look, yesterday stunk, so make it better. Come to KS Bar. It's Wednesday. We're gonna try to keep things as well. It probably won't be really positive, I'll be honest with you. But we're gonna talk about where we are and try to laugh A little bit. 859280 287. It's Clark's Pump and Shop phone line. A Vision Auto Glass text machine is 772-774-5254 in this dish and sponsored by the TJ Smith Law Office. If you call TJ, he'll make them pay. It is wings day. Dollar wings today. So awesome. That is a positive.

[Shannon Dawson]

That is a great positive.

[Matt Jones]

Our bowling league starts tonight.

[Shannon Dawson]

That's another positive.

[Matt Jones]

So you can go to KSR Bowling and sign up. I think they told me there's like two teams left and if you haven't signed up, you can show up. And they, if there are open, open spots, they'll take yes, absolutely. As our bowling. I'm Cohen.

[Shannon Dawson]

Tonight you're going tonight for opening night on our KSR team. You're actually bowling tonight.

[Matt Jones]

That's right. All right. So I just want to say, let me just explain how yesterday went for me before we talk about the thing because I had a meeting that was like two hours during the day. And this was one of those kind of old school Internet days where you keep scrolling to see if you can figure out what's happening and update Twitter. And then, you know, I'm looking for text messages. I'm texting everybody I know. What do you know? What do you know? Everybody's like, well, you know, what do you know? I end up going to the Reds game last night, and I parked the car, and my plan is to sit in the car because I thought it was going to be at 6:30, supposed

[Shannon Dawson]

to be at 6:30.

[Matt Jones]

And I was going to watch the announcement. And then Michael Wilbon won't shut up, talk forever. And Shaq is wearing a money hat.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes. What was that?

[Matt Jones]

Okay, I can't do this anymore. So I walk. I'm walking to the stadium, and my theory is I'm going to get inside the stage stadium, right as it happens, he starts to make the announcement. So I'm sitting at the new Joey Votto clock. You know, Joey Votto, for whatever reason, gave a clock to the Reds. Gave a clock. I don't understand why, but there's a Joey. And I get the news that Stokes is committing to Kansas while I'm at the Joey Votto clock. And I look and there's two Kentucky fans that see me standing there who are also watching on their phone. And one of them just looks at me and goes, I don't know about Pope. And then he just walks in. And that's how the game starts for me, is just sitting there with three Kentucky fans going, it was a. It was bad. Now, I think you got to look at this in two folds. One, losing the kid. Really, since about November, it hasn't felt like we were going to get this kid. Would you agree?

[Shannon Dawson]

Always felt like he was going to Kansas.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, there was a time I thought he was going to Kentucky when I thought the two kids in the top 10 from Kentucky will, oh, we'll end up in Kentucky. They both end up in Kansas. But since November, it's kind of felt like Kansas was the leader. Kentucky got our hopes up a little bit at the end, bringing him in for a visit, but he ends up picking. Picking Kansas. So on the merits of getting the kid, obviously it would be huge to get the number one kid in America. Would have been the biggest recruit Kentucky got in 15 years. But it hasn't looked like we were going to get him for a while. And I went into yesterday kind of assuming we probably weren't going to get him. But I also don't think objectively yesterday could have gone much worse than it went in terms of how the whole thing played out in a year of some of the worst PR that A basketball program could take. We somehow managed to top it yesterday. I mean, I really mean that. It somehow, somehow, if you were to ask, how could yesterday have gone the worst? It could. They did it. And I just want people to understand, like, I, I, I, I don't know how you do the show the day after this without having some hard truths and comments. So like, if you're somebody who's like, why can't we be positive, rally around the group, we'll do that tomorrow. We gotta be real, Be real today. Mark Pope had 15, 14 of the top 20 players in America visit UK's campus. I want to repeat that. 14 of the top 20 players in america visited UK's campus this past year. 0 of them committed. 0. So this isn't like we gave a phone call. We had 14 of them flying to the Lexington airport and zero of them committed, two of which had significant Kentucky connections and. Or were born here.

[Shannon Dawson]

Exactly.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. And you got none of them. You now have a situation where you are a school that has as much money to play with as almost anybody in the country and somehow can't get guys to come here that are your top choices, which is baffling to me. In the portal season and in the recruiting season, you turn down in the recruiting season at least a couple kids that would have come here to wait on Stokes, and you don't get them right. During the course of yesterday, Mo Williams, the new assistant coach, responds to a Tyron Stokes tweet saying, watch NBA today or whatever at 6:30 to see my commitment. He responds and goes, let's go.

[Shannon Dawson]

Like at that moment, you think he still thought they got him?

[Matt Jones]

No. I'm like, well, he wouldn't write that unless we're gonna get it. Yeah, he's not gonna write that if we're going to Kansas. And I thought at worst he still thinks Kentucky might get him. Which is, by the way, what I think is, I think it's true. I don't think he did that knowing he was going to go to Kansas. I think he did that. Like, they still thought they thought they had a chance. Which tells me at 3:30 they still thought they could get it.

[Shannon Dawson]

Wow.

[Matt Jones]

And then he picks Kansas. After a number of things that have made Kentucky look bad publicly, then there's another. And then if you were saying, okay, if you're going to lose Stokes, what's the other thing you could do that would be bad? How about you take a commitment from another kid 30 minutes before and no one cares.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

Justin McBride commits 30 minutes before UK puts out the announcement and it's just lost to history. And unfortunately for that kid, he takes a lot of negativity for the Tyron Stokes thing. You just set him up to completely. I think that kid's going to be pretty good. I actually think that's a pretty good. Get your eyeball emoji. You're in Mario's end up. Correct. But you by baffling PR because it UK announced that.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

That wasn't like some reporter UK thought. Okay. The biggest player to to make a decision in a decade is happening in 30 minutes. Let's put this out now.

[Shannon Dawson]

You think they knew that Stokes wasn't committing so they're trying to soften the blow. Like hey, we're not getting Stokes, but we're going to get this guy.

[Matt Jones]

One should call me and go, that's not how you do it. You want this kid to not only get. If you get Stokes, nobody pays attention to the kid.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

If you don't get him, then everybody's mad and they don't. They're not like giving credit to having the kid. Just a terrible decision. And Mo Williams is new to this and I get it, but why did Mo tweet that?

[Shannon Dawson]

I tell you, NCAA violation too.

[Matt Jones]

I think it's an NCAA violation if he signed with us. Oh no. Excuse me. It's an NCAA violation if he didn't sign with us. So yeah, I guess technically it might even be an NCAA violation. That would be great getting NCAA violation. Shit. And you don't even get the kid.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

I know, right? What are we doing?

[Matt Jones]

What are we doing? Like what are we doing? Just from PR perspective, like it's one thing to not get the players. I mean I could not get the players. But from a PR perspective, like I don't. I have no idea. Mark Pope staff from really the Louisville Game on has done a clinic in how not to do public relations. So then get to the game and it comes out after it's over. Jacob Polachek reported that Kansas has for a month had the papers signed from Stokes for the non revenue part of his deal. Now let me just quickly explain what that means. When you sign with the school nowadays you're signing two things. You're signing your rev share agreement. That's the money that allows you to get money. You don't have to work for it. It's just a check.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

You sign that when you sign with the school. Okay.

[Shannon Dawson]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

Then you have the non rev share which is your nil commitments. That is not binding. Okay. Jacob had A source tell him a month ago that right after the kids visit to Kentucky, he signed the non binding papers to Kansas. Now I didn't know. Jacob knew that. Jacob didn't feel like it was strong enough to put it out at the time because it was only one source. So he didn't put it out. But Jacob thought it would be good to let the UK staff know that. Which by the way, just so people know, that is what reporters do. You know, when you hear me talk about talking to reporters, people think I'm just talking about it because I want them on our show. That's part of it, but part of the what reporters do for every school in the country. And just so you know, I did this with Cal, I did this with Billy, I did this with Mark, I did this with Joker. When you hear things you tell the coaching staff so that they know because reporters will find out things coaches sometimes don't know. Yes, Jacob got this info and was like, well let's let Pope and them know that he signed this non revenue stuff. They didn't take his call.

[Shannon Dawson]

He didn't take the call.

[Matt Jones]

No one at UK took his call. Other I spoke to another reporter last night that knew the same thing is friendly with Mark. This is a national reporter, tried to call Pope and them didn't take their call. So there was no way to pass on that information. Polachek decided he felt like it wasn't worth putting that out because he didn't feel as strong about it. And then also, what if it was wrong? He got it confirmed again later yesterday and he said that. But my point of all this is just to say it is not only that UK basketball has bad pr. It doesn't seem like they're aware of what is going on. There should never be a world where a reporter at KSR and a national college basketball coach knows something that our staff recruiting, the PR people don't know.

[Shannon Dawson]

Correct.

[Matt Jones]

And clearly they didn't know because they've been waiting on Stokes and waiting on Stokes and then decided and then they didn't get it.

[Shannon Dawson]

The point you made about 14 kids coming on out of the top 20 kids coming on campus and not getting any of them.

[Matt Jones]

That's the most damning statistic.

[Shannon Dawson]

It is because you were leading for several of those candidates to sign and

[Matt Jones]

you can't argue you didn't want them if you brought them.

[Shannon Dawson]

That's true.

[Matt Jones]

14 kids you brought here. None of them got.

[Shannon Dawson]

And then like I said, a lot of them wanted to come here.

[Matt Jones]

We're leaving towards Kentucky in the portal. So this is, this was a phrase used with me yesterday by somebody that's, you know, not a media member. Somebody said to me, kentucky right now in recruiting is seen as the, like, Christmas turkey. You get fat on Kentucky. You come, you get Kentucky to kind of flirt with you, and then you go get your money from somebody else. And I can't believe Pope has let that happen. I, I can't. I can't believe he's let that happen. How? How did you let that happen? How did you let that happen? That we are the floozy in the bar, to use my grandmother's terms. We should be the wifey, Shannon. We're the floozy.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Yeah, I know, right?

[Matt Jones]

We should be the wifey.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Yeah, we should be.

[Shannon Dawson]

But that's what stung about that announcement yesterday. That's usually our moment. That's usually Kentucky's moment. The kid gets on ESPN with Charles Barkley and Shaq and picks Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

And I'm okay, that, like, it's not the worst thing in the world to lose a kid to Kansas. Like, Kansas is a blue blood. Bill Self is a great coach. He's a Hall of Famer. He's a great recruiter. But we've now waited till the last minute.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

For a kid that all signs seem to point, we should have known a long time ago wasn't coming.

[Shannon Dawson]

And it seems like we put all of our eggs in that basket. Now the basket's empty.

[Matt Jones]

And now who do you go get? Mark Pope is apparently on a plane as we speak to Israel. That surprised me to hear. I don't know if this was the time I would go there, but he's trying to get a player. There's a Brazilian player named Marcio Santos, and maybe he's great. I, I honestly don't know. I mean, the reality is we're going to have a roster full of people that we're going to be like, well, maybe he's good. I mean, because we don't know. I mean, to be honest with you, a Brazilian guy playing in Israel. Who knows?

[Shannon Dawson]

Who knows?

[Matt Jones]

Who knows? I mean, who knows? He's like, somebody said online, Shannon, he looked like Ryan, which is not a good sign.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Are we just not marriage material anymore?

[Matt Jones]

I think I thought we were marriage material.

[Shannon Dawson]

Why are we not marriage material anymore?

[Podcast Narrator]

Why?

[Matt Jones]

Providence is marriage material now?

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

There's better.

[Matt Jones]

We have a nice dowry. I, I, I.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Good history.

[Matt Jones]

Listen, I'm not gonna. I want this to work. I do. Everyone wants it to work, but there has to be a coming to Jesus moment with all this stuff.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yep.

[Matt Jones]

It has seemed like if I look at my. My time covering this, the one thing that has brought coaches down at this school, the ones that have failed, is hubris. And Mark Pope, on the surface is not someone with a lot of hubris. He seems like a humble guy, but they have shut out the world. They are in a bunker mentality. The other people at the university have no idea what's going on.

[Shannon Dawson]

That's scary.

[Matt Jones]

And when you hear. I think one of the interesting things, Jay Blanton yesterday at the Champions Blue meeting, I don't know if you saw his comments, but he said we as a university have to change our PR strategy, including we have to have some coaches telling stories differently.

[Shannon Dawson]

Wow. Really?

[Matt Jones]

Well, I mean, who could that be about?

[Shannon Dawson]

No doubt who that finger is pointed at.

[Matt Jones]

Who could that be about? I think. I think you're going to see at the end of this a movement of. All right, Mark, you want this to work, you can't be doing. I think they're going to end up making him take a gm.

[Shannon Dawson]

I think this decision right here, I

[Matt Jones]

think I. I think forces hand. I think they have to.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yep.

[Matt Jones]

I think it's clear, Mark. I think he can do the X's and O's. I mean, I. There's still questions, but I think he can. But the other parts of this, he clearly can't. He can't. No, he can't do it. He keeps struck out, the sort of negotiating, horse trading. Oh, he can't do that.

[Shannon Dawson]

When you get 14 of those kids on campus, he can't close the deal.

[Matt Jones]

Just not good at it. And at some point you have to look in the mirror and say, I'm not good at this.

[Shannon Dawson]

I need help.

[Matt Jones]

I know in my life I'm not good at, like, money transactions. Money doesn't. I think I'm pretty good at figuring out what will work and what's not. But when it comes down to the dollars and cents, I'm really not very good at it. So I have a partner hubby. You hear me talk about who he handles all that. That's his strength. Mark's gotta go find a hubby. All right. Because he's bad at it.

[Shannon Dawson]

Is hubby available?

[Matt Jones]

Hubby's busy. But I'm serious, like, he's got to go find that.

[Shannon Dawson]

It's. I think this is bad at it.

[Matt Jones]

He's just here.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yeah. This is a glaring incident that you need to do this.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, and I don't know. I don't know if he can Relate. Like, is he. Can he relate to these kids?

[Shannon Dawson]

That's why I thought you brought.

[Matt Jones]

I don't know.

[Shannon Dawson]

You bring in Mo Williams. You're trying to get Jamal Crawford to

[Matt Jones]

two, and I think that's good. I'm glad we got Mo Williams, but somebody's got to take his phone. You can't. Mo Williams. You can't be tweeting at players and say, let's go. And then they pick the other school. Even that's. It is embarrassing. And he deleted it 10 minutes later. But, like, you can't do that. No, we're gonna already have seen it. Like, let's go. I mean, that means one of two things. When you put let's go, that means either you're saying you think we're gonna get him, or you're so oblivious to our fan base that you think we're gonna celebrate him going somewhere else.

[Shannon Dawson]

And Pope even favorited a tweet from somebody else.

[Matt Jones]

Was that real?

[Shannon Dawson]

It looked like it was his real account.

[Matt Jones]

I hope not. I saw that. I'm. I. I still haven't been clear that that was real. Yeah, I mean, but either way, yesterday. Yesterday couldn't have gone worse. Expected him to not come, but it couldn't have gone worse.

[Shannon Dawson]

But did you get to enjoy the Reds game anyway?

[Matt Jones]

Well, Ellie was amazing. That was the best Ellie's ever played.

[Shannon Dawson]

That.

[Matt Jones]

That was the stink a little bit. Shannon saw him get the cycle. This is the best plays he made. Like, we're like.

[Shannon Dawson]

So that ease the sting a little bit?

[Matt Jones]

A little bit. Yeah. All right, we'll take a break. 859-280-2287. We'll talk a little more about all of this. And, you know, it's wings day, though. That's good. And this. These guys are from Winchester. They're nice. So they're. They're some positivity. We'll be right back.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Shannon Dawson]

Liberty. Liberty.

[Matt Jones]

Liberty.

[Shannon Dawson]

Liberty.

[Podcast Narrator]

This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us.

[Matt Jones]

The United States will not stand by and allow any power, however great, take over another country.

[Commercial Announcer]

From iheart Podcasts, Saigon.

[Podcast Narrator]

Please allow me to introduce Joseph Schman.

[Matt Jones]

You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? I should stop talking so much.

[Podcast Narrator]

I like hearing you talk.

[Matt Jones]

One city, a divided country and the war that tore America apart.

[Podcast Narrator]

This is for Vietnam.

[Matt Jones]

I've taken a hit from Japanese. They're pouring petrol all over him. He's holding matches.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

I'm on a landmine.

[Matt Jones]

For freedom. Let's get out. Freedom. Saigon. Starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict. Staying here's madness. The world should hear about this.

[Commercial Announcer]

There's a fire coming to this country

[Matt Jones]

and it's going to burn out everything. Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app,

[Commercial Announcer]

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Narrator]

Every story has a point where it's balanced on a knife's edge. That's where we begin. For some, it's a confrontation no parent ever expects. They finally admit, we're here to take your children. The department has taken custody and we're here to take your kids. It was just shock and horror and desperation. For others, it's surviving the unthinkable as they're having this gun battle thousands of feet up in the air. Many of the boats start to puncture the aircraft. I thought we were going to die then. The Knife is a podcast about real people whose lives were upended in an instant. We talked to the people who lived it, unpacking what happened, how they got through it and what came next. And on our off record episodes, we go even deeper into the reporting and answer the questions you you can't stop thinking about. New episodes drop every Thursday on the exactly Right Network and the iHeart Podcast Network. Listen to the Knife on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back, Techie Sports Radio 859-280-2287. This will be a short segment because I went long right there. One person writes. Matt away was ranked 193rd in the portal. Look how good it turned out. Maybe somebody will step it up. Maybe it's not to say that any of these dudes won't be good, I don't know. But the point is, you cannot say, like, oh, well, one of these guys may be great, maybe, but Pope clearly wanted these other dudes, and we didn't get them. And look at the portal. Last year, a lot of the dudes we wanted that we didn't get went somewhere else and played well.

[Shannon Dawson]

Played well.

[Matt Jones]

I actually think Mark Pope does a pretty good job of figuring out who to go after. He doesn't get them.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes. Not be able to close the deal.

[Matt Jones]

I don't think his eye for scouting is bad. That's why when I say gm, I think they do a pretty good job of figuring out who to target. They need somebody who's greasy in the weeds and gets it done. Right. You need somebody who closes the deal because it's clear. I mean, here's something I learned in the last 72 hours. I didn't know. I think I assumed that the people at the negotiating table were lawyers or JMI or someone from the university. No, it's Pope and his staff. So last year, what would happen is Pope and his staff would hand the process of the negotiation to someone else. We've talked about that. It was. It was the collector.

[Shannon Dawson]

It.

[Matt Jones]

Then they brought it in house. I assumed that that would mean that it was probably JMI doing the negotiation. Now, JMI has a role in all this, but literally, like, the person talking to the player's agent.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

Would be jmi. I'm told it's Pope and his staff.

[Shannon Dawson]

Wow. That's even more damning.

[Matt Jones]

Yes. Because that's not what they do. They're basketball coaches. You need people who deal with agents.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

You need a gm. You know Keegan Brown, who they brought in? He's an analytics guy. He's a guy that looks at the numbers and goes, we should. He's probably a guy that found this kid in Israel maybe.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

But he's not a get in the weeds and negotiate. He's not looking at an agent at a poker game and going, all right, what do you want? I fold.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

You're so. So you. You got. Basically, you got little guppies going into the battle with alligators, you know? I'm serious. Like, you get eaten alive. Yeah, you get eaten alive. You. You know, sometimes in my few years of being a lawyer, you'd see somebody come into, like, a. A settlement negotiation, and, like, if they come in shaking, you're like, well, we got this. I think we're the dude. We've Got a bunch of analytic guys trying to negotiate with sharks.

[Shannon Dawson]

And if the negotiation skills aren't good and your people skills not connecting with some of these young kids, not good, that's just the recipe for disaster.

[Matt Jones]

Yes. And I've become more and more. I think that's what it is. I think there are some things that still hobble Kentucky a little bit. We talked about some of the JMI stuff. I think that's part of it, but I actually think that part of it has been fixed or is close to being fixed.

[Shannon Dawson]

Really?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, because I think they've. I think they've moved their position on a couple things.

[Shannon Dawson]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

It's good. That's what you want to do in a positive way. But now I think a big problem is you just have a bunch of dude like, like Pete Nocta, the guy. They're doing it for football. There's some people who know how to handle these people. Yeah, I just think we've got a bunch. I mean, you put a computer scientist in front of an agent for the number one, you're gonna get crushed. And Kansas has been dealing with these people forever. They've been on probation 20. You know, they got dudes who are in the, in the gutters doing this stuff. And we have

[Shannon Dawson]

nerds goes along what we said. They have trouble connecting with the, the younger generation.

[Matt Jones]

So. All right, I'm gonna take your cause.

[Shannon Dawson]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

I'm not gonna be angry.

[Shannon Dawson]

Good monologue, by the way, though.

[Matt Jones]

You did have your eyeballs ended up being correct.

[Shannon Dawson]

We have to. I guess we gotta lecture you later.

[Matt Jones]

Be right back.

[Podcast Narrator]

TJ Smith, personal injury attorney.

[DJ Hester Prynne]

Call tj.

[Podcast Narrator]

He'll make him pay.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

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

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back Techy Sports Radio. 859-280-2287. Text machine is 772-774-5254. Phone lines. We're going to go to him here. One person writes, matt, we need a guy like Slice. Slice would be good in this world. Slice is that kind of guy. Like Slice is, you know, he's from the streets of Queens.

[Shannon Dawson]

He can talk to agents.

[Matt Jones]

He can talk Slice. I've been with Slice in multiple different. Slice was my guy. He wasn't here because like he, he could walk into any room. But, you know, I mean, that's one of the things about Cal is, you know, I think, I don't know if cows. We have debates about the coaching of cat, but one of the things Cal was, has always been good at is relating to people. Yes, And Cal was fine moving a month. Like, Cal had some people where he'd walk out the room and then another guy walk in and go, all right, are we going to get this done? Here we go. You know, he had. He was fine being around people who would get your hands dirty.

[Shannon Dawson]

Pope needs that guy.

[Matt Jones]

We need that guy. We need. You know, have you seen. Have you seen Pulp Fiction?

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

You know when they accidentally shoot the guy in the car?

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

You remember that? And they got the blood all over, and they drive to Harvey Keitel's house. What's his name in the show? Do you remember?

[Shannon Dawson]

No.

[Matt Jones]

Whatever it was. But they go. Because he. He fixes the problem, right? Like, he.

[Shannon Dawson]

He's the fixer.

[Matt Jones]

He. That might be what they call him is the fixer. That's. That's what we need, a guy like that.

[Shannon Dawson]

We definitely need a guy like that.

[Matt Jones]

And I think also maybe Mitch Barnhart didn't like having people around like that. But now Mitch is gone, right? Different air. No more. Everybody associated with the program doesn't need to go to Southland. I mean, we have some people that go to Southland. I got nothing in south, but they don't need to all go there.

[Shannon Dawson]

This is such a. I'm just being.

[Matt Jones]

Just being real. Yeah, we got. This is just.

[Shannon Dawson]

Nothing wrong with South.

[Matt Jones]

It's just nothing wrong with Southland. But we don't need everybody. Like, we might need one or two

[Shannon Dawson]

that, you know, go to Center Point Christian Church.

[Matt Jones]

Stop promoting your church. The point is just to get some people in the weeds. And that's all. I mean, now, you did get Justin McBride. He did commit the kid from James Madison.

[Shannon Dawson]

Do I. Do Mario and I need to lecture you now?

[Matt Jones]

You.

[Shannon Dawson]

You lectured Mario and I that one day.

[Matt Jones]

Well, you did get it four days

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

wrong, but otherwise, you got it four days early, actually.

[Matt Jones]

Four days. Four days early. That's one day. Look at it. But yes.

[Shannon Dawson]

So the timing of the announcement, I'm happy for the kid. He could be like a Mode guy, give you a little strength and rebounding and toughness down lower. You kind of need it right now. But the timing for the kid is awful. I feel bad for him.

[Matt Jones]

I feel bad for him, too. I mean, I. I think he's a good get. I think actually, he's even a better get when you consider that you pair him with the guy from. From Senegal.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Because I think they.

[Shannon Dawson]

They could be the diabate yellow bitch. Now we got.

[Matt Jones]

Well, I mean, they're just two different kinds of guys, right? And so, like, there'll be Games where you'll want to play McBride more, and then there might be games you want to play the. The longer, lean guy. So I actually like that he shot 41% from threes. And I. The more I read about this kid that they're seeing in Israel, I'm fine with him because I think he'll come here and probably be a backup to Malachi. But I still, like, we need somebody good. Like, we still. We still need a really good player.

[Shannon Dawson]

A dude.

[Matt Jones]

We need a dude. And these guys. Those guys are not a dude.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

So we need a dude.

[Shannon Dawson]

That's what I'm out there.

[Matt Jones]

Well, I don't know. I think the dudes we have are at power forward, and when you sign the two guys that they're. Look, if they're. If they get the kid from Israel, then like. Like the kid from Iowa State, are you going to get him when you already have four bigs on your roster?

[Shannon Dawson]

That's true.

[Matt Jones]

Like, how many bigs are you trying to get? At some point you're going to be go, okay. We still, you know, right now we still only have two guards. Did we not learn our lesson last year when we only had three guards? We only have two guards on the roster right now. That. That can play.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right?

[Matt Jones]

We have two freshmen that are development guys. Yes, but I mean, are we going to get any more guards?

[Shannon Dawson]

I'd say they've got to go out and get somebody. I'm just wondering if there's nothing left. United States.

[Matt Jones]

We'll be having either. We have Cam, but that's really it. We don't have any wings.

[Shannon Dawson]

Trent, where would he fit in?

[Matt Jones]

But, I mean, I like Trent, but we can't go into the year assuming Trent's gonna be the. The go to wing scorer.

[Shannon Dawson]

Brandon Braden Hawthorne.

[Matt Jones]

If he's good. Yes. If he's good, then maybe they think they're okay there. But right now, by the way, we're still not projected to be in the term or. Excuse me. We are projected to be in top 25 now. They've expanded the tournament.

[Shannon Dawson]

They did.

[Matt Jones]

I hate that. I hate it. But let's. Let's. That's. We'll compare. Complain about that in a second.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Okay?

[Matt Jones]

All right, who's up first?

[Shannon Dawson]

Bird.

[Matt Jones]

Bird. Go ahead, Bird. All right, guys. Tyrone Stokes played us like a freaking fiddle. We've been hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray by this guy. And he said, you know what? Give me two weeks to make my decision. All that two weeks really was was who was going to sponsor his commitment and where he was going to do it and he did it with freaking Panini on TV and we just got embarrassed. You know, I'm ready for football season. The power case back. That's all I got. Part of me wonders, I appreciate the call. I mean I. Can I be like cynical conspiracy theorist?

[Shannon Dawson]

Please. That's what this show.

[Matt Jones]

Part of me wonders if Kans said to him, wait two weeks. Because if Kentucky's going to wait, they can't get any players in those two weeks and we open with them to start the season.

[Shannon Dawson]

There may be a little truth to it.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I don't know that. But why. But he waited a long time.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

You know, I don't blame the kid, the kids. I mean the kid doesn't owe anybody anything.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

But he was watching Kentucky basketball in the background, you know.

[Matt Jones]

But I think we could.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Next level trolling.

[Matt Jones]

He is, I think it is fair to say he trolls. He trolled us people. I mean, look, I. Kentucky fans are not gonna like him, but what does he care in some ways if he's not coming here?

[Shannon Dawson]

What about the whole Nike Adidas thing?

[Matt Jones]

Clearly didn't matter.

[Shannon Dawson]

Didn't matter.

[Matt Jones]

Apparently Kansas, somebody reported on the Kansas site, they changed the deal, so it didn't matter. See, that's the kind of thing though you do if you really want somebody. If you really want somebody, you go, okay, we're in Adidas school, but we want you. We'll find a way to find a way to make it a way to make it work. And so that's what you do. I mean that's, you know, I give them credit. That's what you do. You find a way to make it work. And even if Tyron Stokes, let's say he ends up like being selfish and whatever, we wanted him and we didn't get him. You can't be like, you can't. If he ends up being a failure, maybe that's a lucky break for us.

[Shannon Dawson]

But we wanted him, he had to want it. The number one rated player in the

[Matt Jones]

country and we didn't get it. And we had 14 of the top 20 players in America on our campus and we got none of them.

[Shannon Dawson]

And some of them wanted to come here when they made the trip to

[Matt Jones]

Lexington and we got none of them.

[Shannon Dawson]

Got none of them.

[Matt Jones]

Do you. Do you think the image. Alright, so there are some reports also from the Kansas side, and I said this as well, that the visit to Kentucky apparently went horribly. When Stokes came, what could have happened? He was only here 24 hours.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

That beat up Kia.

[Matt Jones]

I think it was the key,

[Shannon Dawson]

you know? I guess. Did he go to Carson's and Keeneland?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I mean, he wasn't even. He wasn't here that long. I mean, 45 minutes of it. He was live on Instagram, shooting basketball at the Rub.

[Shannon Dawson]

What about the banner boys? They're over three.

[Matt Jones]

It's not their fault, though. They're trying.

[Shannon Dawson]

They're trying.

[Matt Jones]

They're trying to be positive.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Sheets.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, they just all they. Somebody needs to reimburse their sheets because their sheets. Their sheets didn't work. How could the visit. That's been a constant theme we've heard is that the visits are bad. What could be happening? I mean, what are we doing on these visits? Like, what can make. I mean, how bad can they be? Are we making them stay at, like, the Econo Lodge?

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

There's a parody video that's floating around out there, and if you've seen it, I don't think maybe the truth is

[Matt Jones]

too far from that about what the visit's like.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes. Yeah.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

I sleep in this jersey.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, he does say I sleep in the jersey. I mean, maybe. I don't know. I don't know what you would do. I. I remember he got game. They took him. They took him to a party. He met a woman. We're going to see horses,

[Shannon Dawson]

you know, it worked with Julius Randall when he came for his visit.

[Matt Jones]

Julius Randall met his wife on his Visit.

[Shannon Dawson]

Married his.

[Matt Jones]

859-280-2287. Who's next?

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Chris.

[Matt Jones]

Chris. Go ahead, Chris. Yes, sir. Matt, just wanted to start by saying I think you have the best college radio sports show. And I just want to address the way Twitter was kind of bashing KSR for. I'm tired. Yeah, I. I am so over the people on social media who just take every opportunity to bash. I mean, if you want to bash me, fine. But, like, they. After Jacob, Jacob made a minor mistake, which was when he put his article up about knowing about the papers he should have put. He didn't get a second source until yesterday. But people going after. What happens is we lose a player, and people want to have somebody to blame. They want to get mad at somebody and get mad at Jacob. I mean, if you're sitting there yelling at a kid that's 24 and, like, put. Make a fight like that. Get a life. Okay? I mean, that kid, he tried to call Mark Pope and tell him about

[Shannon Dawson]

this, and nobody took his call.

[Matt Jones]

They wouldn't take his call. So what do you want him to do? And he made the decision at the time, I have one source. If I put this out, that, that. Because here's what's going to happen if Jacob puts that out, if Jacob puts that out, then Stokes is going to say, that's wrong. Right?

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Stokes is not going to admit he signed with Kansas.

[Shannon Dawson]

No.

[Matt Jones]

The fans are all going to get mad at Jacob.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And say he lied. And then when Stokes picks Kansas, they're

[Shannon Dawson]

going to say it's cause of Jacob's fault.

[Matt Jones]

See, so, like, you make it to where a kid like that can't win. So I, I, I saw everybody doing that. I spent a lot of the Reds game, like, trying, you know, talking to Jacob. He was very, like, he was kind of distraught about it, and I understood. And so people are just, People are. It's one thing to be a jerk to me, but like, to just pick on these kids. Like, he did everything he could do. He literally tried to call the staff and say, here's some information you should want. And they wouldn't take his call. What are you supposed to do at that point?

[Shannon Dawson]

I admire him for doing that, trying

[Matt Jones]

to even have to do that.

[Shannon Dawson]

He didn't have to do that, but

[Matt Jones]

he did it because we, we all want Kentucky to win like I want them to. Everyone wants them to win, but we cannot, we can lead a horse to water, but if Pope doesn't want to drink it, what are we supposed to do? So go ahead, sir. Absolutely. Absolutely. No, you're right. And I was just saying, you know, it seems like the blame should be more towards the coaching staff who's recruiting a kid, wasting resources that has no idea that this has even happened a month prior. That just to me, is a lack of, of leadership. Yes. Assuming, you know, if that's true. And I appreciate the call. And by the way, at this point, there are now even Kansas people saying, so it's not just Jacob.

[Shannon Dawson]

So it's probably a fact. I.

[Matt Jones]

Yes. And Stokes is going to say it's not because it would make it like, but again, play out. What happens if Jacob says a month ago he's already signed with Kansas? They will ask Stokes. He will say, no, I didn't. And then everybody will get mad at Jake. Yes, that's exactly what's going to happen. So he did what was correct. I didn't know he knew that, but he talked to Tyler, and Tyler was like, unless you can get a second source, we're just going to leave it be. And that's what we did.

[Shannon Dawson]

And that's a responsible thing to do.

[Matt Jones]

I Didn't even know we knew about it. But.

[Shannon Dawson]

But he got it confirmed even.

[Matt Jones]

The reality is, if we're in a world where a recruiting reporter knows more than our staff, that's a problem.

[Shannon Dawson]

It's a big problem.

[Matt Jones]

That's a problem.

[Shannon Dawson]

And I think he's got a relationship with some members of the staff that you think they would take his phone call.

[Matt Jones]

They don't. They. They have made the decision. And I talked to a national reporter about this last night on my drive home. UK staff made a decision that during this portal process they weren't going to talk to anyone from any outlet. No one except the people in the room. So I'm told there's a room of like seven or eight people that are the only ones that know what's going on. And that's why people don't. That's why no one knows what's happening. And the only way I find out stuff just so people know is random people who in the city who happen to find out or people from other staffs and people from around the country were telling me and Jack and Jacob like, he's not going to Kentucky, but the people at UK were still trying to project and they thought they had him. And I don't know if they were trying to project it or they genuinely believed it. I think, Ryan, they genuinely believe.

[Shannon Dawson]

Mo Williams tweet yesterday convinced me they believe.

[Matt Jones]

What do you make of that tweet, Shannon? What? Why did he tweet that?

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Well, first of all, I'm assuming he did not know that that was a violation by doing that. But there's. There's no reason to do that.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, Assuming didn't know it was a violation because he, of course he would. Of course he wouldn't do it if he knew it. But like Shannon, do you think that meant he didn't know what he was going to do? Yes.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes, I think so too.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

Because if you did know that he was going to go to Kansas, why

[Matt Jones]

would you put it.

[Shannon Dawson]

You sure would put that out there.

[Matt Jones]

So that means that he sent that out at like 3:45. That means at 3:45 our staff did not know where he was going.

[Shannon Dawson]

And then how soon later they announced the McBride decision.

[Matt Jones]

6. Why do you think they announced it then? Do you think they announced it because they thought they were getting them both?

[Shannon Dawson]

I think they announced it because they knew they weren't getting Stokes and trying to cya and soften the blow.

[Matt Jones]

Anyone not tell them? Can I. Can I give my PR advice?

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

If you know you're not going to get Stokes. Either put it out Sunday, right?

[Shannon Dawson]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Or if you can't wait till Tuesday. Maybe as a way to make us feel better after Stokes announcing it at

[Shannon Dawson]

6, before Stokes makes his big announcement.

[Matt Jones]

Like the worst time.

[Shannon Dawson]

It was the worst. That's why I said earlier made me feel sorry for the kid.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

When I saw that, I knew that we weren't getting Stokes.

[Matt Jones]

I did. I kind of did, too.

[Shannon Dawson]

Yeah.

[Kentucky Sports Radio Host]

I was like, yeah, throw that right underneath of him.

[Matt Jones]

Because if we were getting Stokes, it would be even worse because. Yeah, you go, well, nobody cares about the other guy.

[Shannon Dawson]

That's kind of what I feel bad for that kid. I do, too.

[Matt Jones]

Justin McBride, when he gets here, I'm gonna. He might be the guy adopt as the dude. I'm the. Maybe our favorite player. Feel bad for him. He got the raw into that. Shady Rays are basically the same quality as $200 sunglasses. And yet they're every bit as premium but not expensive. But you can wear them to the lake, to the boat, to the game, wherever you want. It's Shady Rays. Classic styles that look sharp without trying too hard. Shady Rays is in Oxmoor Center. It's in the summit here in lexington [e-mail] check it out. It is Shady Rays. Head to the store now. Shadyrays.com KSR use KSR for 30% off at Shady Rays. We'll take a break. Be right back. It's Kentucky Sports Radio.

[Podcast Narrator]

This is Saigon. The story of my family and of the country that shaped us.

[Matt Jones]

The United States will not stand by and allow any power, however great, take over another country.

[Commercial Announcer]

From iheart Podcasts, Saigon.

[Podcast Narrator]

Please allow me to introduce Joseph Sherman.

[Matt Jones]

You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? I should stop talking so much.

[Podcast Narrator]

I like hearing you talk.

[Matt Jones]

One city, a divided country and the war that tore America apart. This is for Vietnam. I've taken a hit from Japanese ground fire during the. They're pouring petrol all over him. He's holding matches. I'm on a landmine for freedom. Let's get out. Freedom for Vietnam. Saigon. Starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict. Staying here is madness. The world should hear about this. There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything. Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app,

[Commercial Announcer]

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Narrator]

Every story has a point where it's balanced on a knife's edge. That's where we begin. For some, it's a confrontation no parent ever expects. They finally Admit we're here to take your children. The department has taken custody and we're here to take your kids. It was just shock and horror and desperation. For others, it's surviving the unthinkable as they're having this gun battle thousands of feet up in the air, many of the bullets start to puncture the aircraft. I thought we were going to die then. The Knife is a podcast about real people whose lives were upended in an instant. We talked to the people who lived it, unpacking what happened, how they got through it and what came next. And on our off record episodes, we go even deeper into the reporting and answer the questions you can't stop thinking about. New episodes drop every Thursday on the Exactly Right Network and the iHeart Podcast Network. Listen to the Knife on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[DJ Hester Prynne]

When you feel uncomfortable, what do you put on Biggie? You put on Biggie when you feel uncomfortable.

[Matt Jones]

Cause I wanna get confident.

[DJ Hester Prynne]

This is DJ Hester Prynne's Music Is Therapy, a weekly podcast from me, a DJ and licensed therapist that asks one simple question. Who do you wanna be? And what's the song that can take you there?

[Commercial Announcer]

I didn't care about my life circumstance

[Matt Jones]

when I listened to that stuff. It didn't matter to me.

[DJ Hester Prynne]

Music changes what you feel and what you feel changes what you do, right? That moment where a song shifts something inside you, that's where transformation starts.

[Podcast Narrator]

Healing is the shift from survival into choice.

[DJ Hester Prynne]

It's Mental Health Month and I'm talking to experts like celebrity therapist, the mindful mft Lynn Hoffman from Music Saved Me and the man who Shaped My Ear more than anyone, Questlove. They'll bring the strategies. I'll pair them with the right records and we'll teach you how to use the music to make change stick. This isn't just a podcast. It's unconventional therapy for you every day.

[Matt Jones]

This has been so much fun.

[DJ Hester Prynne]

Music is therapy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Narrator]

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect.

[Matt Jones]

We were God's chosen kingdom on earth.

[Podcast Narrator]

He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

[Matt Jones]

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets meeting the president of Turkey.

[Podcast Narrator]

I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across.

[Matt Jones]

When Jacob met Levan, this went to A billion dollar fraud, but with two

[Podcast Narrator]

kings from entirely different worlds. Just how long can their empire survive

[Matt Jones]

the largest tax investigation in American history?

[Podcast Narrator]

You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Lavon, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud starting on May 12th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back, Kentucky Sports Radio, 859-280-2287. Text machine. 772-774-5254. To give you an example, what I'm talking about in terms of people not wanting to hear bad news, I wish you could see the text machine. And it's not a lot of people, but a few people going, well, why didn't Jacob just leave a message with the staff? Like, like, hey, you're gonna leave a message, by the way, Stokes signed with cancer. Like, you're gonna want to explain to him what, what and who you got the source from and try to try to be helpful. Yes, but look, the reality is if he had left a message, they wouldn't have listened. If you're not going to take somebody's call, you're not gonna listen to what

[Shannon Dawson]

they say, delete it.

[Matt Jones]

And I'm not even. Like, they don't have to take. They don't have to take anybody's call. But you have to understand, it's not just about us. They don't talk to anyone. Ask anyone in college basketball, and they'll say, Mark Pope and his staff have cut off the world. They don't talk to people in athletics. Ryan, the people in the athletic department do not know what is going on.

[Shannon Dawson]

How's that working out for them?

[Matt Jones]

Well, if they got everybody, it would be working out great, but they haven't. And so my point is, you can try to justify the philosophy, but you judge a philosophy by its results.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right, right.

[Matt Jones]

That's it. Like, just, I justify the philosophy. If it works. Well, I mean, Shannon Dawson may have been right many years ago. If it works, you'd have loved it.

[Shannon Dawson]

So now Kentucky sitting there with a boatload of money, presumably. Presumably, yes. Now, that money we're going to give to Stokes, now it's sitting there. What. What do they do with it?

[Matt Jones]

I was told by someone who would know that Stokes wanted his money primarily in Rev share. Okay? So remember, you have two pockets. You have rev, Sharon and IO. Most players get their money in nil on basketball. Yeah, Football, most of them will get it via Rev share, but in basketball, most of them will get it via Nil Stokes wanted Money that was 90% rev share. So they had structured their entire thing that most of Kentucky's basketball Rev Share money was going to go to Stokes, including, I think there was going to be some money come from other sports that then in those sports, some money that would have been Rev Share money was going to come from Nil. Does that make sense?

[Shannon Dawson]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

So they were going to have to sell Nil more for some of these other.

[Shannon Dawson]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

Stokes had the leverage and demand. So point being, there's a large chunk of Rev Share money.

[Shannon Dawson]

It's just sitting there now.

[Matt Jones]

Sitting there available. I think some of the money that might have been shared from other programs will not be used. It will go back to those other programs. But there still is a lot of money out there. And so now there's still, in theory, money to go get guys.

[Shannon Dawson]

And we have roster spots open that they need to fill.

[Matt Jones]

Yes. And so apparently Pope is watching the guy play in Israel tonight. I guess with the time change that's pretty soon tonight there is probably, what are they, seven hours ahead of us or something? So it's probably, you know, with these

[Shannon Dawson]

European guys, we see little highlights.

[Matt Jones]

Brazilian, though. He plays in a European league, but he's from Gotcha. So he's, you know, he's. He's from Brazil.

[Shannon Dawson]

But you try to make your opinion on what you see. A couple highlights from them he does play.

[Matt Jones]

The team he plays for is a really good team. Maccabi Tel Aviv. They're one of like the 10 best

[Shannon Dawson]

teams in Europe and one of the best.

[Matt Jones]

Well, the way Europe does it is they have a domestic league and then you play in the Euro Super League. That team is good enough to play in the Euro Super League. So he plays against all the best players in Europe. Okay, so that's what it's worth noting. We'll take a break. We'll come back. Hour number two. It is Wednesday. Hopefully these people here will get some food in them and that'll cheer them up. We'll be right back. Yes. Are.