2026-04-29- KSR - Hour 2

Summary

Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 2

Date: April 29, 2026
Hosts: Matt Jones & Shannon

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Main Theme

This episode centers on the major structural change to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the challenges and criticisms facing Kentucky basketball under Coach Mark Pope, as well as other UK athletics topics and local stories. The show's tone is a mixture of analysis, candid fan frustration, basketball strategizing, and Kentucky culture.

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1. NCAA Tournament Expansion: Criticism & Implications

Discussion starts: [01:34]

• Announcement: The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament will expand from 68 to 76 teams, beginning next year. This will add eight "bubble" teams and increase "first round" games to twelve.

• Matt Jones strongly disapproves:

  "I hate it. I think it’s terrible. The tournament to me does not need to be messed with. But more specifically, I don’t think we need more mediocre big conference teams. ... Did you need those teams in the tournament?" – Matt Jones [01:36]

• Shannon agrees:

  "Don’t like it, but we knew it was coming. We saw it coming." – Shannon [02:37]

• Main Critique: The expansion caters to "bad teams in the big conferences," not competitive teams from smaller conferences.

  "You’re not adding more teams from bad conferences. All you’re doing is making the bad teams in the big conferences get in. That’s all." – Matt Jones [03:06] "You're dragging down the overall quality." – Co-host [03:31]

• Tournament Implications:

  • Regular season games will lose significance, especially late-season "bubble" games.
  • Example: Kentucky would experience less late-season stress under this system ([04:41]).
  • Potential positive: Stronger matchups for lower seeds; better quality for games between 1 vs. 16 and 15 vs. 14.

• Memorable Quote:

  "You’re going to end up with this situation where you can come in 9th in the ACC and you get in." – Matt Jones [04:13]

• Start Date: Next year ([06:33]).

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2. Kentucky Basketball & Mark Pope's Leadership

Segments start: [07:05], [14:47], [25:01]

Current Roster and Concerns

• Fan Frustration: Concern that the team is stagnating at "fair to midland"—i.e., good but unremarkable.

  "Are we going to just have another season where we lose 12 games and it won’t matter because you’ll be in the tournament?" – Shannon & Matt Jones [07:05]

• Recruitment Struggles:

  • Pope is missing out on most top out-of-state talent.

  • All current high school signees are from Kentucky, surrounding areas, or have family ties to the staff ([48:52]).

    "Every single high school commitment Pope’s gotten has either been from Kentucky or his family is on the staff." – Matt Jones [49:55]

• Caller Critique:

  "For the last…memory of college basketball…Kentucky used to be good. …Pope, who is…not a charismatic man." – Mark Anthony (Caller) [25:01] "He don’t light a fire, he don’t excite them…for whatever. The fact that he doesn’t have a GM is inexcusable to me." – Mark Anthony [25:49]

• Matt Jones pushes back:

  "I think he’s charismatic in his own way. …Is he charismatic in a way that connects to 18 year olds? I don’t know." – Matt Jones [25:30]

• PR & Structural Suggestions:

  • Finish this class, then hire an assistant & GM who brings a different perspective.
  • Pope should be more public and authentic to boost morale ([08:27]).

• National Perception:
  Reporter insights:

  "Universal theme is they were all baffled at how Kentucky runs the program...One of them said, they’re an unorganized mess…this was before the portal even opened. ...They called it before it happened." – Matt Jones [12:46]

The Need for a General Manager

• Significant Discussion: Coaches negotiating directly with players is problematic; a GM offers insulation and keeps negotiations professional ([22:58]).

  "With the agent, the…they can just hate your agent and you can just come in and work. I think there’s a lot of truth to that." – Matt Jones [24:05]

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3. UK Football & the Power K Logo

Starts: [10:09]

• Caller asks about return of the Power K helmet logo.
• Will Stein, staff, and many fans support its return—potential for throwback games.

"People love it. Especially like the generation one older than me. …I think our fans that are very football centric are the ones…I think that really, really want it." – Matt Jones [11:02]

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4. Local Story: The McDonald's Car-Hood Drama

Comic relief segment: [20:27]

• Tale of a woman hit and carried for six miles on the hood of a car after a fight at the Versailles Rd McDonald’s in Frankfort.

"She hangs on, according to the article in the Herald, for six miles." – Matt Jones [21:31]

"That woman is Superwoman. To hang on in a car for six miles on the hood of a car." – Shannon [22:04]

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5. More Basketball & Fan Sentiment

Roster, Excitement, and Recruiting

Text Question: [28:06]

• How excited are fans about the team?
• Matt: Some optimism for certain players, e.g., Alex Wilkins, Zoom Diallo, Braden Hawthorne. Cautious approach; roster not finished.

"I’m going to talk myself into it as we go. I think they got some good guys… but it’s hard for me because I don’t know how good he [Hawthorne] is." – Matt Jones [28:06]

• Shannon shares a scouting comment:

  "If Braden Hawthorne was a true freshman this year, he would have been a McDonald’s All-American." – Shannon [29:29]

Harsh Caller Criticism of Pope

Memorable caller moment starts: [31:42]

• Luke, a frustrated fan, calls Pope “a dead man walking.”

  "He’s going to lose 10 games…that’s just never going to work here…he has done nothing. His entire coaching career has been a failure by Kentucky standards." – Luke, caller [31:44]

• Matt’s nuanced response: Recognizes Pope’s achievements, but also acknowledges Kentucky is a "rock star job" demanding larger-than-life leadership, charisma, and—most importantly—winning ([33:56]).

"Nice guy only takes you so far. You got to win." – Matt Jones [34:11]

"Would you like to have somebody you would want to marry your daughter and we lose 12 games, or somebody a little sleazy, but we go to the Final Four—what are our fans going to choose?"
"Final Four." – Matt Jones & Shannon [35:05]

• Kentucky’s diminished spotlight—sports media and fans want the program to be relevant nationally ([36:46], [37:51]).

  "ESPN wants us to win. CBS wants us to win. They don’t want us to lose. We’re gold for them." – Matt Jones [37:51]

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6. International Recruiting, Older Players, and NCAA Rules

Starts: [44:02]

• Coach Pope is traveling to Israel to recruit Marcio Santos (Brazilian) and discussing international talent.

"I wouldn’t think you’d fly all the way to Israel to see someone unless you were pretty sure you were going to get them." – Matt Jones [44:31]

• Kentucky’s roster might soon include a diverse group: "a Brazilian, someone from Senegal, and Harlan [County]" ([45:09]).

• Discussion on eligibility:

  "This guy’s playing in the top EuroLeague. Like, how’s he getting to come to college? …What are the rules now with these guys?" – Matt Jones [46:06]

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7. Other Topics & Notable Moments

• Callers suggest changes for next AD and hiring processes—don’t settle for compromise, go for top choices ([14:48]).
• Rumor discussion: Rajon Rondo considered for the head coach job with New Orleans Pelicans, though Matt doubts they’ll hire an NBA head coach with no prior coaching experience ([39:11]).
• Wild Eggs Wednesday and KSR bowling events mentioned ([50:36]).
• Frequent references to community sentiment, the importance of visibility, and balancing tradition with adaptation.

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Notable Quotes (With Approx. Timestamps)

• On NCAA tournament expansion:
  "Why go from 68 to 76? Could we have had an interim step of like 72?" – Matt Jones [02:41]

• On Kentucky’s recruitment challenges:
  "Every single high school commitment Pope’s gotten has either been from Kentucky or his family is on the staff." – Matt Jones [49:55]

• On coach charisma and UK’s identity:
  "This is a rock star job…You got to be larger than life in some ways. ... Nice guy only takes you so far. You’ve got—gotta win." – Matt Jones [34:02–35:05]

• On fan and media expectations:
  "We are the needle…but we gotta be careful, or we’re going to start being the scratch on the record." – Matt Jones [38:33]

• Comic relief:
  "She hangs on, according to the article in the Herald, for six miles." – Matt Jones [21:31]

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Important Timestamps

| Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------|-----------| | NCAA Tournament Expansion | 01:34–07:19 | | UK Basketball, Roster & Recruiting | 07:19–16:19, 14:47–31:00, 48:39–50:36 | | The Need for a GM & Negotiation Strategy | 22:58–24:55 | | Local McDonald's Story | 20:27–22:40 | | Football Logo Discussion | 10:09–11:29 | | International Recruiting Discussion | 44:02–47:23 | | Callers Airing Frustrations / Pope Critique | 25:01–35:19, 31:42–35:19 | | Rondo Coaching Rumor | 39:11–40:01 | | Closing Funny Bits & Community Events | 50:36–End |

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Overall Tone

Candid, occasionally frustrated, but still humorous and locally flavored. The episode alternates between hard-edged analysis, stories from Kentucky life, passionate fan input (both optimistic and pessimistic), and a sense of communal investment in the future of UK basketball—all delivered with the down-home wit and frankness characteristic of KSR.

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For UK fans and college basketball observers, this episode is a revealing snapshot of a fan base wrestling with change, tradition, and high expectations—aired out through the open lines and honest talk that define Kentucky Sports Radio.

Transcript

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[Shannon]

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[Caller/Listener]

Kentucky sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back our number two Kentucky Sports Radio 859-280-2287. Gonna go the phone here in just a minute. The NCAA tournament expanded to 76 or is in the process of doing it. It would start next year. It'll be 12 games on instead of the first four. It's basically the first 24 because you're going to go from four games to 12 games with the addition of teams. Half of the new games will be the low seeded teams. Half will be basically bubble teams. So there will be eight new bubble teams. Get in. I hate it. I think it's terrible. The tournament to me does not need to be messed with. But more specifically I don't think we need more mediocre big conference teams. I mean I looked at who would have been in last year. It would have been like Auburn and Indiana and like did you need those teams in the tournament? So I don't like it but it is what it Is.

[Shannon]

I guess I'm with you. Don't like it, but we knew it was coming. We saw it coming.

[Matt Jones]

Why go from 68 to 76? Could we have had an interim step of like 72? I mean, 12 games on Tuesday and Wednesday, that's six games each day.

[Shannon]

I mean, it's all about the money factor, you know, trying to make. Figure out a way to make more money with more games.

[Matt Jones]

Do you like it, Shannon?

[Caller/Listener]

No, I hate it. I mean, this is the best thing they have in all of sports, in my opinion. And it feels like there's always somebody that has to come in and fix something that isn't broken. And this is what the NCAA is doing here.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I just. I don't get it. I mean, their argument for it is, well, there used to be this many teams in Division 1 and 64 was this percentage of it. And now there are more teams, but we haven't added. But here's my issue with it. You're not adding more teams from bad conferences. All you're doing is making the bad teams in the big conferences get in. That's all.

[Caller/Listener]

You're dragging down the overall quality.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I mean, did you all feel like last year Indiana and Auburn needed to be in the tournament?

[Caller/Listener]

Absolutely not.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, that's what you're doing now is you're basically making sure that Indiana and Auburn get in.

[Shannon]

I think the fact that the first four has been such a success there in Dayton.

[Matt Jones]

But why was that successful? Like the Miami game last year was successful because it was small conference versus big conference. It was Miami versus smu, and that was like an exciting game.

[Shannon]

Yep.

[Matt Jones]

And you could root for the small

[Shannon]

conference for the underdog.

[Matt Jones]

If you could convince me that, like the new teams, they'd add in, they'll add four. Four from small conferences and four from big conferences, then I might could get more excited about it.

[Shannon]

That would be the smart thing to do.

[Matt Jones]

But that's not what they're going to do. And so you're going to end up with this situation where you can come in ninth in the ACC and you get in. So the regular season, I mean, it matters. Like, I still think it matters. Matters less now, but it matters a little less. Especially, you know, at the end of the year, it's going to matter a lot less, the bubble games, because, like, you're going to, you know, they're both

[Shannon]

going to be in.

[Matt Jones]

If you're one of the better teams, you're going to be playing for a top seed. But I don't know I mean, I just think, like, take Kentucky last year. There would have been no stress last year for Kentucky at all.

[Shannon]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

We would have been in the tournament the whole time.

[Shannon]

But the way it played out, we were a little stressed.

[Matt Jones]

We were a little stressed. We had. There's a couple of games we had to win and now that wouldn't really be the case. Do you.

[Shannon]

Did you see if they're going to try to have like one centralized location for the other?

[Matt Jones]

I see what they were going to

[Shannon]

say about that because like I said, it's been such a success at Dayton. Are there going to be another city that may host?

[Matt Jones]

You know, I mean, one positive is the, the games against the 15 and 16 seeds. Those will probably be better games now.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Because you're going to eliminate six or seven of the bad teams. So, you know, when, when a one seed plays a 16, they're going to play a 16 that's already beaten somebody and they're going to be some teams. Like, think about the teams that are seated like 14th. Some of those are now going to be seated like 15th. So I think I, I do think one, if there is a positive, I do think, you know, in the last few years, the ones, the twos and the threes really have not been. It's been a last three years. They really haven't been stretched. I think they'll get stretched a little bit more now because there's going to be better teams fall farther.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Does that make sense?

[Shannon]

It does make sense. I guess in the positive would be those teams now get to play two games, make more money for their school.

[Matt Jones]

So think about it like this. I don't remember what the bracket was, but the teams that were seated 15th and 16th this past year, they would all be in playing games now. Right. So some of those teams seeded 13th and 14th would now be 14 and 15 seeds. And so that's going to be tougher games for those teams. So it's just, I mean, it's a minor thing, but that may help a little bit.

[Shannon]

Goes into effect when.

[Matt Jones]

Next year, next.

[Shannon]

The next tournament.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. And you know, we've talked over the years. You'll talk about five twelves and four thirteens. I mean, they did the bracket as to what it would have been. I mean, like last year, Auburn would have been a 13 seat. So if you were a 4 seed, you would have drawn Auburn. That's a tough draw.

[Shannon]

Tough draw. Maybe the expansion may help us get in the tournament.

[Matt Jones]

I think we'd be in that with the roster we have I think we'd be in the tournament. I just wonder, are we going to just have another season where we lose 12 games in like.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Caller/Listener]

And it won't matter because you'll be

[Matt Jones]

in the tournament and it won't matter. And we'll be in, you know, we'll be a not eight seed or something. And we're just going to be as, you know, fair to Midland. Right.

[Shannon]

I think that's what's staring us right in the face at the current moment

[Matt Jones]

is to be fair to Midland.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Shannon]

Do you agree?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I mean, right. The roster as it is right now, now, it's not over.

[Shannon]

True.

[Matt Jones]

And they have a lot of money. So. They do have a lot of money.

[Shannon]

They go as well spend it. Go get some good players.

[Matt Jones]

But I don't know who you go spend it on.

[Shannon]

Is there. Are there any of these guys that entered the NBA draft that are maybe going to come back to school and.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I think there's a few, but. But I don't know who's coming here, you know?

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I mean. Yeah. I don't know. I do think Mark Pope and his group are smart enough. They had a backup plan. But again, we don't know what it is because we don't. We just don't know. We don't. We don't know what it is. So one person writes, Matt, I still believe in Pope and still think it can work. If you were in charge of messaging going forward, what would you do? I would say the first thing I. As soon as Mark's just going to have to finish this class, there's not going to be anything he can do that's going to change the perception of this class. So I would say at this point, Mark, the strategy you've used, finish this class with it. Chips will be where they may.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Next, bring in an assistant coach who is not like you. Whatever it is you think you want, go get the opposite. Okay. So that there's somebody. Somebody here said earlier, group think there's somebody else in the room. Hire a GM and let them do their job. And then from a PR perspective, start spending the next few months reaching out to the people directly. Go on. All the shows. Change the way you show the real Mark Pope because the real Mark Pope, I think, is an awesome dude.

[Shannon]

He won us over when he got the job by being Mark Pope.

[Matt Jones]

Show the Mark Pope from year one.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Let's get away from the Mark Pope from year two of. You know, I'm curling up in a ball. I don't believe what's on the Internet. Like this sort of, you know, the refs are screwing us. Like, get away from that.

[Shannon]

And I've said this before, as our leader, we need to hear from him. This is kind of a, you know, it's such a pivotal season for him. We need to know we're going to be okay. We need to hear that from him.

[Matt Jones]

One person writes, Matt, do you think the nit will go away? Maybe, or it might be in a different form. Probably won't go away, but it'll probably be something different than it is. Maybe it'll be the small turn, small school tournament or something like that.

[Shannon]

Yeah, they moved it to, you know, the final, the Final Four. They moved it to Hinklefield House in Indianapolis.

[Matt Jones]

That helped.

[Shannon]

That definitely helped. So maybe they do something like that, go to some historic arenas across the country to help generate a little more interest for it.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Who's up next? Shannon? Ed. Ed. Go ahead, Ed.

[Caller]

Hey, guys, I got just a couple of questions. It's not about basketball. On the football side, I understand, you know, why they didn't put it on tv, but why didn't they broadcast it on the radio? Was spring game, they didn't do that.

[Matt Jones]

You know, I don't totally know why they did. I don't think they usually do the spring game on the radio. So that may be why I, a little, you know, I was a little surprised it wasn't anywhere. I think they were trying to get people there and then, of course it rained. So. Yeah, I don't really know. I mean, I, I, I didn't, I don't know why they didn't really do a lot of broadcasting with it.

[Caller]

Yeah. And then the other is the power K coming back?

[Matt Jones]

Well, Will Stein wore the Power K on this show and he said that he loved the Power K. So I, I could see it. I appreciate the call. I could see them doing that.

[Shannon]

Oh, I think there's no doubt. And coming back in some capacity, maybe they have a throwback game. When they put it on the helmet, it's coming.

[Matt Jones]

People love it. Especially like the generation, one older than me. So really your generation, Freddy Maggard, when he played those guys, generation that loves it, love people and especially football because it was more of a football thing. So I think our fans that are very football centric are the ones, I think that really, really want it.

[Shannon]

And I think the fans will react to it. That's why Will Stein, his staff, they get it. They understand they're one of us, so they get it.

[Matt Jones]

Yes, they are one of us. That's true. Who's next?

[Caller/Listener]

Jay and Lynon.

[Matt Jones]

Jay and Lyndon. How are you? Hey. I never thought to say this word about Mark. Pop it all this seems so unorganized. It reminds me, the first year I did a auction. Fantasy football draft money. Here's Jay. Your phone's breaking up. I tell you what, if you get in a better slot and call back, we'll.

[Caller]

We'll.

[Matt Jones]

We'll take it. I'm sorry, Jay. Appreciate you. Call back. Who's next?

[Caller/Listener]

Joe.

[Matt Jones]

Joe. Go ahead, Joe.

[Caller]

Yeah, Matt, The.

The pul.

Fiction reference Mark Pope needs.

The wolf.

Is what?

[Matt Jones]

The wolf. You're right.

[Narrator]

The wolf.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Caller]

But here I don't think the Tyran Stokes thing is any different than what's been going on all year. I think the issue going forward, and I hate it, I don't think it's recoverable, is that Mark Pope has no respect from the coaches in college basketball that are going up against them, the other schools, and now the recruits. He's a pawn, and he's gonna have to do something. So outside of the box, going overseas and build a team to be successful, and I'm just not sure that's sustainable for the long term.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, it's hard to know. I appreciate the call. I mean, I. I don't talk to other coaches or recruits, Ryan, so I can't say what they think. I know what the national media thinks. It was very eye opening to me when I was at the east regional and you could, you know, I think I told this story, but on the east regional was Friday night and Sunday in D.C. saturday night. I watched games with probably 15 national media members. And they were talking to each other. They weren't just talking to me. And they talked about a lot of things. It was fascinating. I got to learn, you know, what coaches. What coaches cheat on their wives and, oh, I got to learn about stuff all over. Not. Not here, just all over the country. Right. But when they talked about Kentucky, the universal theme is they were all baffled at how Kentucky runs the program. I mean, they all. And. And to. To some of their credits, they predicted what was going to happen in the portal. One of them said to me, they're an unorganized mess. And remember, this was before the portal even opened. And, you know, my natural inclination is, I'm Mr. Kentucky. I want to take up for him. And I was like, oh, it's gonna be fine. Shut up. But they were right. They were right. And they called it. Before it happened. I mean, they were like, you know, one of them said, once the portal happens, it's over. Meaning, like all the business has already been done. And he was like, what? If you wait till the portal happens, you've already lost. And he said, I think Kentucky, you know, he just hired Keegan Brown, like, three weeks before. He was like, it's too late. Yeah, they've already lost. And that turned out to be correct.

[Shannon]

I think that's kind of what Jay and Lennon was trying to say for his phone broke up. He can't believe he's saying this about Mark Popery staff that they seem so unorganized and they, you know, there's like, nerdy analytic guys. You think they'd be extremely organized.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Who's next?

[Caller/Listener]

Brandon.

[Matt Jones]

Brandon. Go ahead, Brandon.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. If we have another coach and starts next spring, which unfortunately looks more likely every passing day, the next AD cannot repeat Mitch Barnhart's biggest mistake. And that's if we don't get our biggest target. Next time, say it's a Billy Donovan. We can't just go way down the list to a nice guy who we know is going to say yes to us. And I think what we end our situation was that we kept crossing off names for vague morality reasons, whether it's a Nate Oates or Sean Miller or Bruce Pearl. I'm not saying any one of those guys was the answer then or the answer in the future, but we just need to not tie our hands in the process and prioritize. We need to prioritize being a winner, being first, second, third consideration here.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I think the. I think the next ad, it's gonna be fascinating, Ryan, to see. Appreciate the call who they hire for the next ad. That's gonna be fascinating because it's gonna be a complete culture change, this. I mean, for 24 years, this university's been run a certain way with a certain kind of person who hired certain kinds of people under him. Now, what's the new one gonna do? I think it'll be fascinating.

[Shannon]

And, you know, Mitch Martin did a great job hiring some of those coaches. We're talking about, you know, Craig Skinner in volleyball. I mean, he's hit a home run with Kenny Brooks with women's basketball right now.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, but. But who's going to hire the next generation? I think that's going to be.

[Shannon]

And that's your flagship athletic program, men's basketball. You want to hire your own guy? Maybe so.

[Matt Jones]

Well, I think we're a long way away from that. Tell me About Stockton Mortgage.

[Shannon]

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[Matt Jones]

We'll take a break and be right back. Here at KS Bars, Kentucky Sports Radio,

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[Narrator]

Saigon. Starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict.

[Shannon]

Staying here's madness.

[Matt Jones]

The world should hear about this. There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.

[Narrator]

Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Every story has a point where it's balanced on a knife's edge.

[Podcast Host]

That's where we begin.

[Narrator]

For some, it's a confrontation no parent ever expects.

[Matt Jones]

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.

[Podcast Host]

For others, it's surviving the unthinkable.

[Narrator]

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.

[Podcast Host]

We talked to the people who lived it, unpacking what happened, how they got through it, and what came next.

[Narrator]

And on our off record episodes, we go even deeper into the reporting and answer the questions you you can't stop thinking about.

[Podcast Host]

New episodes drop every Thursday on the Exactly Right Network and the iHeart Podcast Network.

[Narrator]

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?

[Caller/Listener]

Biggie?

[DJ Hester Prynne]

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?

[Liberty Mutual Announcer]

I didn't care about my life circumstance 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.

[Matt Jones]

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.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back, Techie Sports Radio. Can we talk about one thing that's kind of funny?

[Shannon]

Please. We need it today.

[Matt Jones]

Did you read? Well, I guess funny may or may not be the word, but interesting. Did you read the story about the woman they got in a fight at McDonald's on Versailles in Frankfurt?

[Shannon]

No.

[Matt Jones]

There's a McDonald's on Versailles road in Frankfurt and she came outside. I guess she Got into it with a. With someone that worked at McDonald's.

[Shannon]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. And someone that worked at McDonald's gets mad, and I don't know. Maybe. I can't. The story said something like maybe kicked their car, got upset. So the woman hits Shannon, the woman at McDonald's, she hits her. And she goes onto the front of her car. So she's on the front hood of her car.

[Shannon]

She hit her with her car, hit

[Matt Jones]

her with her car. And the woman is now on the front hood of the car. And then the woman drives off, leaving her on the front end of the car. Shannon, she hangs on, according to the article in the Herald, for six miles.

[Caller/Listener]

No.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, no way.

[Shannon]

I don't think.

[Caller/Listener]

I believe that.

[Matt Jones]

This is in the article.

[Caller/Listener]

It had to be in slow traffic.

[Matt Jones]

She hangs on to the front of the car for six miles. And the woman drives into. On a street, stops, then she jumps off the car and then punches her in the face. When she earned that. According to this article, they got In a fight six miles away from the Frankfurt McDonald's on Versailles Road where they originally. Where it originally happened.

[Shannon]

First of all, that woman is Superwoman. To hang on in a car for six miles on the hood of a car.

[Matt Jones]

Imagine you're driving through Frankfurt and you

[Shannon]

look over and you see that, and

[Matt Jones]

you see a woman hanging on the car.

[Shannon]

What are you doing?

[Matt Jones]

What's going on here?

[Caller/Listener]

Spider woman, not superwoman. She's able to grip that.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, are you. How impressive is that?

[Shannon]

It's unbelievably impressive. Scary. Maybe that's why the woman didn't stop. Like, this was a cr. This is a crazy strong woman. I'm not gonna stop because she's gonna kick my butt.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Caller/Listener]

Well, I'm slamming on the brakes.

[Matt Jones]

Absolutely amazing that that occurred.

[Shannon]

McDonald's drive thru.

[Matt Jones]

McDonald's drive thru in Frankfurt. So if you're. If you're. If you're in Frankfurt and you see someone hanging on a car for six miles, maybe you will understand why. 859280, 2287. Who's up next?

[Caller/Listener]

David.

[Matt Jones]

David. Go ahead, David.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. Thanks for taking my call.

I was.

You know, you're talking about the general manager this morning, and. And the need for it put me in mind of something. I think Pope and the coaches being at the negotiating table is very detrimental because you've got the coaching staff trying to talk down the numbers instead of the gm. That means the coaching staff is sitting there saying, we don't think your client is worth what he wants.

Yeah, yeah, that's a bad look.

[Matt Jones]

I don't disagree with a layer of insulation. You're exactly right.

[Caller]

Yeah, thanks.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I agree. This reminds me of a lesson. I appreciate the call. I think I told this story. I get asked a lot by young, younger people who are in TV or whatever, should I get an agent? Because when you have an agent in media, it can kind of stink because you're. You're giving part of your salary to them. And especially when you're first getting started, you don't make a lot of money.

[Shannon]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

Remember, Diego Pavia didn't hire an agent, but then somebody and so said to me, matt, here's a reason why you. You should do it. You need your agent to kind of be a jerk with your boss. But if you have an agent, your boss won't hold it against you.

[Shannon]

Correct.

[Matt Jones]

They'll hold it against the agent. So when you're sitting there arguing with them, it's very hard to argue with somebody who's like, you're not worth this. And you go, yes, I am. And then I'm like, you're being whatever. And then you have to go work with them. Whereas with the agent, the. They can just hate your agent and you can just come in and work. I think there's a lot of truth to that.

[Shannon]

There's a lot of truth to that.

[Matt Jones]

And I.

[Shannon]

That.

[Matt Jones]

That actually. So, like, on most of the stuff I do, with the exception of I heart, I don't. I let somebody else do it because then I don't have to be the bad guy. I do wonder if you're having everyone internally in a room, make the negotiations. It's kind of hard for you not to seem like the bad guy, or you might just get taken advantage of because you're like, I can't upset this person. I got to coach them next year.

[Shannon]

I think that's the exact position Mark Pope is in. He's a good guy, a nice guy. He can't be the. The jerk guy.

[Matt Jones]

The heavy.

[Shannon]

The heavy.

[Matt Jones]

That's right. Who's next?

[Caller/Listener]

Mark Anthony.

[Matt Jones]

Mark Anthony, go ahead.

[Caller]

Hey, Matthew Ryan. Shannon. Matthew. You know, when a kid comes to Kentucky nowadays, it ain't what it used to be. We ain't the shining star anymore. I mean, we're swimming up stream. And for the last. For his. For his memory of college basketball. Pepo told me Kentucky used to be good. That's what they're looking at now. And then they get you to come to the school and you meet coach Mark Pope, who is, I'm sure You'll agree, not a charismatic man.

[Matt Jones]

And I don't agree with that. I think he's charismatic. I would disagree. I think he's charismatic in his own way. I think Mark is very charismatic. But is he charismatic in a way that connects to 18 year olds? I don't know, but I definitely think he's a charismatic man.

[Caller]

Not. Not in a way that they understand, they don't like. He don't light a fire with these cats. He don't light a fire, he don't excite them and for whatever. And the fact that he doesn't have a GM is inexcusable to me. You've got to have a gm. You've got to have somebody to talk numbers. All you need to do is show him, look, this is how we play. This is where I want you. This is what I need you to do. And talk to him that way. I mean, for goodness sake, maybe he needs to grow his hair out, wear it in a ponytail or dye it blonde. He needs.

[Matt Jones]

I appreciate the call. I think there's a lot of guys that are coaches that don't necessarily relate to the players, but that's why you have people on your staff who do.

[Shannon]

That's exactly why you hit their.

[Matt Jones]

And. And you know, we did. We just brought on Mo Williams.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

I think that was probably the hope with Jason Hart. Who knows whether that worked or not. To me, the best explanation is this. Mark is really good at connecting to guys who have been told they don't deserve to be at a school like Kentucky and he makes them believe they do.

[Shannon]

That's what happened the first season.

[Matt Jones]

The question is how does he do with guys who believe they should be here, who have the talent to be here? How does he connect to them?

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Tyron Stokes doesn't need to be convinced. He needs to play. Be good enough for Kentucky. He knows he's good enough. How do you do with that guy? I think he's great with an Amari Williams who's. Who's been discounted his whole life. You all right?

[Shannon]

Yeah. Allergies.

[Matt Jones]

It's always allergy. Who's been discounted his whole life and can make him convinced he can believe. Here. We'll take a break. Barry backs ksr. TJ Smith, personal injury attorney.

[DJ Hester Prynne]

Call tj.

[Matt Jones]

He'll make him pay.

[Caller/Listener]

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

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio, 859-280-2287. The text machine is 772-77-452. 5 4. The KS Bar open. It is Wednesday. Are you excited for bowling tonight? Mario, you ready to go? We're going to bowl. You going to come by? Hopefully.

[Shannon]

It went to the practice round last week. They were like over 20 teams there for the practice round. I mean it's a really fun event throughout the summer. Then SHA lanes does a great job with it. So looking forward to it again this year.

[Matt Jones]

Yep. 772-774-5254 On Text Machine, one person says, Matt, I'm pulling for Pope and I think he can turn it around. What is our excitement level about the team as it stands? Well, I'm going to talk myself into it as we go. I mean, I think they're going to be some good. I think they got some good guys. I think Al Alex Wilkins going to be really good. I think Zoom Diallo is going to be good. You know, I, I think an X factor is Braden Hawthorne. Like, how good is he? We don't know if that kid ended up being really good. That would be. They clearly like him. I mean they got his brother for goodness sake. So they clearly have some affinity for him if they're also going to bring in his brother. But it's hard for me because I don't know how good he is. Right. So I. That's hard for me to know off the top of my head. So we'll see. That's. That's. That's probably the best way I can say it is. Is a. We'll see.

[Shannon]

The roster's not set yet. We'll talk. All of us will talk ourselves into getting excited about next season. But let's. Do we have to give. Be patient. Give him time to maybe see what he can put together here before we make a final judgment.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. But you know, not a lot of time left. But yes. I mean we don't. We won't know until we know. I mean, until it's over.

[Shannon]

I did get a look side this morning. Shannon's buddy Michael De Courcy was on the leech.

[Matt Jones]

What did he say?

[Shannon]

He said if Braden Hawthorne was a true freshman this year, he would have been a McDonald's All American. Last year's class was just so loaded, he kind of got lost in the shuffle. He was like ranked 35th or 36th, but in this year's freshman class, if he'd come out with them, he'd be a McDonald's All American.

[Matt Jones]

That's good. That's good to hear.

[Shannon]

I'm a little excited.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that's good. Who's Next.

[Caller]

Mark.

[Matt Jones]

Mark. Go ahead, Mark.

[Caller]

Hey, three questions real quick. One, who's the basketball coach in 2027? Two, what other schools use the interlock?

[Matt Jones]

You.

[Caller]

That's good. And three, if Pope can't relate to the five star, all we. I mean, all we care about is winning, per se. I mean, if you've got to win with the three stars, that's fine. Just make sure you win the last six games.

[Matt Jones]

What do you mean by interlocking? You tell me what you're talking about there.

[Caller]

The.

The. Where it says uk, Alabama is just a big A. Michigan is just the

[Matt Jones]

big M. Oh, okay. Well, Houston.

[Caller]

Oklahoma is the only one that. Oklahoma is the only one I know that interlocks the U and their advertiser.

[Matt Jones]

Houston.

[Caller]

And why is UK never.

[Matt Jones]

Houston does. I think.

[Caller]

Why is UK never in any advertisements? Well, that's no commercials, is there?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I think that's their choice, though. I think they. They have a. You know, I think UK has a. As I understand it. I appreciate the call. They don't do their rights. So schools can join this group that sell the rights of the university logos and marks and stuff. And I think Kentucky does their. Separately.

[Shannon]

They used to be our. We always were on the NCAA tournament commercials.

[Matt Jones]

I think they do it separately, though. So I think you remember because we had that happen with the EA Sports thing, right? Like, all those teams agreed and UK kind of held out for a little while.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

So to answer your question, I think that has something to do with it.

[Shannon]

So, like, yesterday just kind of added that that used to be us in those commercials. That used to be our moment with Charles Barkley and Shaq when a recruit picks Kentucky. And we're missing those moments now. It's a gut punch.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. No, I mean, I don't think, though. Like, I think if he had picked Kentucky, they'd still had him on there. I don't think they had him on there because he was picking Kansas. He's didn't pick us.

[Shannon]

Didn't pick us.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Who's next?

[Caller/Listener]

Luke.

[Matt Jones]

Luke. Go ahead, Luke.

[Caller]

Hey, guys. Just wanted to say, obviously I'm pretty negative right now. Not really sure what there is to be positive about, considering Mark Pope's the coach. I mean, he's a dead man walking, just like Percy said in the Green Mile. Dead man. We have a dead man walking here. I mean, he's going to lose 10 games. He's done that basically his entire career, and that's just never going to work here. And so, I mean, I. I don't really Know you talk about, we're going to talk ourselves into getting excited about what, what are we going to be excited about? Mark Pope's the coach, man. There's nothing to be excited about. You reap what you sow. And when you hire a guy that has absolutely no business being the coach in Lexington, he's going to prove to you that he has no business being the coach in Lexington. I mean, this guy has done nothing. His entire coaching career has been a failure by Kentucky standards. He has accomplished nothing in his entire career. So you magically think we should be excited that he's going to achieve something that he's never achieved in his life? Not a chance. And when it comes to recruiting, you have to ask yourself this. I don't think. Look, Mark, post a nice guy, okay? I'm not, you know, this is not personal. It's business. Right? But when you have to think, if you were 18 to 22 years old, would you want to play for that guy? And the answer is a resounding no. I wouldn't touch the guy with a ten foot pole. You don't want to play for a dork. I want to play for somebody.

[Matt Jones]

That's a lot. You know, I think there I. Before he came here, he had not won an NCAA tournament game.

[Shannon]

Not one.

[Matt Jones]

I mean that's a reasonable thing to, to mention. Now he did go to the Sweet 16 his first year. Yes. With second round this year. I don't, I don't adhere to the he can't coach or he's accomplished nothing. I don't, I don't really adhere to that. I think the second part of if you were an 18 to 21 year old kid, would you want to come play? I think that's a reasonable question. You know, this job. So to me, this job, winning is the most important thing. But there's, there are other parts to this job. We've talked about this.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

I mean this is a rock star job. This is a job that is more than just showing up and punching the clock.

[Shannon]

Right?

[Matt Jones]

This is a rock star job. You have to be part of the personality. This, this is a place that wants you to be larger than life.

[Shannon]

To sit in that chair, you have

[Matt Jones]

to be you almost and you. And especially in today's world where there's so much everything with, with, with the media and social media and just, just everything like this is. You got to be larger than life in some ways. And I think Kentucky basketball should have a larger than life coach. And I think, Mark, I don't know if that's him. But if he's going to do it a different way, an analytic sort of nice guy way, it has to work. You know what I mean? Nice guy only takes you so far. You've got. You got to win. I mean, you ask people, would you like to have somebody that would you would want to marry your daughter and we lose 12 games, or would you like to have somebody that you think is kind of a little sleazy, but we go to the Final Four, what are our fans going to choose?

[Shannon]

Final Four.

[Matt Jones]

They're all going to choose Final Four. Yeah, that's what everybody's going to choose. You know, so he's got to win. And, and you know, look, if he go. If he takes this group and they're great, it'll be fine.

[Shannon]

Yes. But winning cures all.

[Matt Jones]

I. I said this. I don't think it's just the sweet 16, and I think it's that we've had these years where during the season we get pummeled sometimes. You know, we're not used to losing like that. And this is a little part of it, too. College basketball had a resurgence in popularity last year.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Last year was probably when college basketball was in the national collective sports mindset. The most it had been in a decade. Certainly the most since Zion, probably. So college basketball, highest ratings, hot. Like college basketball was rolling and we just weren't part of it. And that annoys us.

[Shannon]

We've always been a part.

[Matt Jones]

We've always been part of it. And here was this thing and everybody was part of it. Right. Duke was great. Caleb Wilson was at North Carolina. Darren Peterson was at Kansas. Michigan won the national championship. Arizona got good again. Like all of. Even Louisville had Mikhail Brown for a while. And it was like Darius Acuff Cow has a top five pick. And like college basketball, everybody's talking about it and how good it is and the most talent ever. And then we're just kind of there and we're not really part of the conversation. And I think that for our fan base, they feel we gotta. They want to be part of it. And also I want to say the media wants us to be part of it too.

[Shannon]

Yeah, they do. TV ratings definitely want it.

[Matt Jones]

I looked at on three yesterday. You know what the four most read posted on three were? It was all about Kentucky.

[Shannon]

Wow.

[Matt Jones]

The post written by Kentucky people about Stokes were being read more than the Kansas articles. ESPN Myron told me a couple weeks ago when Bashir said the thing. You remember when Bashir said the thing about Mitch? Myron said, I just decided to write that as a story and it was the most read story on ESPN that day. I want you to just think about that. A story about our governor criticizing the administration over a contract for the AD went on espn where the NBA playoffs are going on, the NHL playoffs are going on, the NFL draft is going on and the number one story is about R A D and governor. So ESPN is like, please Kentucky be good.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

You know there's a rumor that's out there about them considering me for a job. Why do you think my name's even up there? It's just cuz like we have this swarm of people that care and. But when we lose that starts to like they. So ESPN wants us to win. When people say ESPN wants us to lose, I always find that hilarious. They want us to win. CBS wants us to win. They don't want us to lose. We're, we're gold for them.

[Shannon]

Ratings are higher, more money coming in. I don't know if you heard this or not, but we are the needle.

[Matt Jones]

But we got to be careful or we're going to start being the scratch on the record and we're not going to be the needle unless we continue to. Unless we like step up and win. Don Franklin Auto. Don Franklin Auto is the number one place for vehicles in Kentucky. 500,000 mile powertrain warranty. 6,000 vehicles, trucks, SUVs, sedans experience the Don Franklin certified difference from our five year point parts warranty to our 10 year 500,000 mile powertrain warranty. It's all at Don Franklin auto.com and Don Franklin outdoor calm. Two sites, one name. Don Franklin. By the way, what about Rondo May is up for the job with the Pelicans is the head coach.

[Shannon]

He's a, he's a basketball savant. He's going to go into coaching at some point. Does he want to leave now and his son is getting ready to go into high school?

[Matt Jones]

Well, I mean but Shannon, isn't it odd to hire a guy who's never coached at any level and make him an NBA

[Caller/Listener]

everybody else?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I'd be surprised if he gets that job. I mean he's never even been an assistant coach.

[Shannon]

No.

[Matt Jones]

To go from not even being an assistant to be an NBA head coach?

[Caller/Listener]

Was Luke Walton a coach somewhere before he coached?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I think he was an assistant for a couple years.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I mean I. Rod knows. Very smart, very, very basketball smart. And I think he would be. I think I just that that would be a pretty epic leap to go from never coach to NBA coach is quite a jump. We'll take a break. Be right back. It's Kentucky Sports.

[Sponsor Announcer]

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

[Caller]

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

[Narrator]

From iheart Podcasts, Saigon.

Please allow me to introduce Joseph Sherman.

[Matt Jones]

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

[Podcast Host]

I like hearing you talk.

[Narrator]

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

[Matt Jones]

This is for Vietnam. I've taken a hit from Japanese brown fire. Do you read me? They're pouring petrol all over him. He's holding matches.

[Caller/Listener]

I'm on a landmine.

[Matt Jones]

For freedom. Let's get out. Freedom for Vietnam.

[Narrator]

Saigon. Starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benet.

[Matt Jones]

Staying here's madness. The world should hear about this. There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.

[Narrator]

Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Every story has a point where it's balanced on a knife's edge.

[Podcast Host]

That's where we begin.

[Narrator]

For some, it's a confrontation no parent ever expects.

[Matt Jones]

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.

[Podcast Host]

For others, it's surviving the unthinkable.

[Narrator]

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.

[Podcast Host]

We talked to the people who lived it, unpacking what happened, how they got through it and what came next.

[Narrator]

And on our off record episodes, we go even deeper into the reporting and answer the questions you can't stop thinking about.

[Podcast Host]

New episodes drop every Thursday on the Exactly Right Network and the iHeart Podcast Network.

[Narrator]

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?

[Caller/Listener]

Biggie?

[DJ Hester Prynne]

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. A DJ and licensed therapist that asks one simple question. Who do you want to be? And what's the song that can take you there?

[Liberty Mutual Announcer]

I didn't care about my life circumstance 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.

[Matt Jones]

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 mfa, 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 Host]

Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you thought it was. Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Dani Shapiro, and these are just a few of the stunning stories I'll be exploring on the 14th season of Family Secrets.

[Matt Jones]

And just then, we felt the plane turn in the air, so much so that the bags that were under people's seats just kind of flew into the aisle.

[Podcast Host]

Each week, we dive headfirst into the complex power of secrecy, how it shapes our identities and relationships and how it ultimately can reveal to us our truest selves.

My daughter, she's pretending she doesn't know but is trying to cook and feed me and keep me alive because I wasn't eating anything and me pretending like everything was fine.

[Matt Jones]

He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move. And he went out the front door and he jumped in a car and drove off. And that was the last time I saw him.

[Podcast Host]

Listen to season 14 of Family Secrets, starting May 7 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Jones]

Radio welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio, 859-280-2287. The text machine is 772-774-5254. There are now highlights of this guy that Pope's going to see, Marcio Santos online. I just tweeted him out. One person writes, matt, do you think we get this kid or will it be another whiff? I would think so. I wouldn't think you would fly all the way to Israel to see someone unless you were pretty sure you were going to get them. I wouldn't. You agree?

[Shannon]

Yeah, that's making a pretty good effort to go out and get a kid.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, now if they don't, that's a pretty. That's A large whiff, Shannon. You fly across the world into a war zone.

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah. I would think that this is going to be a commitment.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I mean, I can just tell you if I'm the coach, I'm going to be like, we better get this kid. If I'm flying into an active war

[Caller/Listener]

zone, do you realize what I just went through to get here? You're going to go to Kansas.

[Matt Jones]

Listen, if he flies there and he's like, look, kid, I'm going. Look, coach, I think I'm going to Seton Hall. I'd be like, all right, you know what? I'm done.

[Caller/Listener]

We got 11 players. That's enough.

[Matt Jones]

That's enough.

[Shannon]

We'll wish him well and safe travels.

[Matt Jones]

So we would have a Brazilian, Someone from the Senegal.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And Harlan.

[Shannon]

Harlan County.

[Matt Jones]

That is something great about basketball. In what other world is Trent, Noah and Usman in Jai. When are they gonna, you know, when are they gonna be connected? Maybe at Oneida.

[Shannon]

Yeah, that's true. What was that? Cordia. Cordia had some onito.

[Matt Jones]

Brings in people from all over the world.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Or Onada Oneida, however they pronounce it every time. Yeah. So you go, Marcio, meet Trent. Trent, Marcio. So Marcio Santos, by the way, would be 24 when the college season starts

[Shannon]

and Usman is 22.

[Matt Jones]

Have some older players. Yes, we used to, we used to always have 18 year olds. Now we're going to have, we're going to have grown ups. So.

[Shannon]

Grown ups who have played professional basketball for a couple of years.

[Matt Jones]

I don't, I will say, I still don't totally understand the rules about. This guy's playing. This guy's playing in the top Euro League. Like, how's he getting to come to college? Like, what are the rules now with these guys there apparently at least have some semblance. What I mean, this kid is in the Euro Super League.

[Shannon]

Really wanted Enos to pay back what he had earned for one season, if you remember.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Ennis just like got tuition. I guess if you can just get. I mean, I don't know, Shane. And I guess you can just get anybody now. As long as you. As long as you pay more money.

[Shannon]

Yes.

[Caller/Listener]

And they can come in anytime they want to. We found out with Big Z. Doesn't matter if it's October, November, we get five years.

[Matt Jones]

This dude might be 29 years old when he leaves. Hey, Derby week is here. When it comes to betting the derby draftkings is where you go bet $5 or more on a horse on the derby and you can win a share of a million dollars. Go to DraftKings horse racing app. Use my code KSR Horse. I've told you. I'm. I'm honest with you. The DK horse app wasn't good for a long time, but it has gotten better. So go to DK Horse Racing app. The code is KSR Horse.

[Caller/Listener]

To do DraftKings today. What are you doing?

[Matt Jones]

What are you doing?

[Caller/Listener]

I'm not supposed to do draft court physical therapy.

[Matt Jones]

All right, you go to court physical therapy. Their app has always been good.

[Shannon]

It is Wednesday. W I N S Wednesday.

[Matt Jones]

So, okay, so spring is sprung. So go to the court physical therapy. Their apps are great. So are there aches, pains? No, you don't want aches, pains and injury. That's where court physical therapy can help. At court, our therapists help make you heal over 70 locations. There's a center near you. Go to court.com. it's kort.com also. Go to DraftKings.

[Shannon]

Yeah, why not?

[Matt Jones]

You can do both of them. Who's next? Shannon?

[Caller/Listener]

Rusty.

[Matt Jones]

Rusty. Go ahead, Rusty.

[Caller]

Hey, guys. You talked about earlier, Joe about had 14 top 20 players on campus and

Pope whipped on all those.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Caller]

Is that not the same thing you did last year's recruiting class? I'm seeing all these players.

[Matt Jones]

Well, we had a lot of visit we didn't get last year. We did get Jasper and Malachi, though, last year that were both highly touted. But yes, we did lose a lot as well.

[Caller]

All right, guys, thank you.

[Matt Jones]

Appreciate it. No, I mean, that's. It's a fair, fair question.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

If you were to ask yourself, who are the high school players Kentucky has gotten? Think about it like this. Who are the high school commitments Kentucky has gotten since Mark Pope? Would you like to go through them?

[Shannon]

Trent, Noah, Travis Perry.

[Matt Jones]

Trent, Noah. Harlan, Kentucky.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Travis Perry. Eddyville, Kentucky. Malky Moreno, Scott County, Kentucky. Jasper Johnson, Woodford County, Kentucky. Braden Hawthorne, Beckley, West Virginia, which is not that far from Kentucky. Every single high school commit. And Mason Williams, whose dad is on your staff. I just read you every high school commitment can. Every single high school commitment Pope's gotten has either been from Kentucky or his family is on the staff. I mean, make of that what you will. I will say I used to get calls all the time about, can't we get a group of kids, a team from Kentucky? Well, you got your wish.

[Shannon]

Yeah. You did want Kentucky kids on the roster.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, when you think about it like that, somebody sent that to me last night, and I was like, that can't be right. It can't be the right right that every kid we've gotten is either from Kentucky, borders Kentucky, or his dad is on the staff.

[Shannon]

Yeah. Because Colin Chandler had really committed to byu coming as a race, so.

[Matt Jones]

Wow, that's pretty eye opening.

[Shannon]

Yeah. Your freshman class coming in this year is.

[Matt Jones]

And it's not like you haven't tried to get the other guys.

[Shannon]

They had the top recruits on campus.

[Matt Jones]

You've recruited all of them.

[Shannon]

Yep.

[Matt Jones]

You've recruited every single one of the others. So, look, starting tomorrow, I promise to be in a perkier mood. We're gonna laugh more, but you have to have this day. You can't go through the day Kentucky had yesterday, and you can't. You can't not talk about it.

[Shannon]

Wild Eggs Wednesday.

[Matt Jones]

Wild Eggs Wednesday. Go to TikTok on the KSR Show. TikTok. We have it up. You can get $50 from wild eggs, the word Ryan picked. I'm not going to be certain it's spelled right, but go to Wild Eggs. I'll see you all at bowling tonight. Tomorrow, we'll be here at the bar. It's Kentucky Sports Radio.