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- [00:00]
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- [00:34]
Jack Pilgrim
Wait.
- [00:35]
Maggie Davis
Lady Luck Ritzky.
- [00:36]
Caller Blake
I got you.
- [00:37]
Maggie Davis
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- [00:49]
Jack Pilgrim
Ten bucks for thirty. I'm headed over to spinquest.com right now.
- [00:53]
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- [01:01]
Starbucks Narrator
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- [01:01]
Caller Peggy
All?
- [01:02]
Starbucks Narrator
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- [01:49]
Jack Pilgrim
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- [02:05]
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- [03:04]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
this is Kentucky Sports Radio, presented by Stockton Mortgage and the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Safe Summer Driving Tour. Now here's Matt Jones.
- [03:15]
Maggie Davis
Welcome back into the show. Still not Matt Jones, but I'm Maggie Davis, hanging out with you for another hour today alongside my good buddy Jack Pilgrim. Two people who used to just be little baby interns covering the Wildcats. We can share a little intern scoop here, can't we? Sure, sure. Well, mainly I just want to say, like, we used to only work on Sundays. What a life we lived. That was the old. I don't know how you all do it now, but when I was an intern, like you said, we got hired in 2016, we only worked on Sundays. We'd get like a shift. We had like four hours where we had to fill enough time and be available if anything crazy happened and work with everybody and make sure stuff was getting covered. But then we'd pretty much log off for the week and I don't think we enjoy that enough.
- [03:58]
Jack Pilgrim
Yeah, now I work Sundays and every other day of the week.
- [04:02]
Maggie Davis
Sometimes I talk about my 9 to 5 and I'm like, my 9 to 5 is really a 24 7, 365, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And, you know, we were only working Sundays. But I bet you were texting Tyler or Nick or Drew or whoever asking if you could write an extra article or cover an extra story or something. I know that's what I was doing. I know that's what you were doing, too.
- [04:21]
Jack Pilgrim
In those Sundays, they'd usually be like NFL Sunday days where you just, you know, you know, it was college. You'd have a beer on your desk and you'd just be chilling and watching football. It was just such a peaceful time of our lives before the chaos of everything else that's come. Doing it full time, it's a different grind. You know the time, like last night was the perfect example. You think that the night is somewhat, somewhat done and then the Kistaricha stuff pops up and you're like, oh, I thought I was done. Now I have to just make New phone calls and start over like I did there. There are times, but hey, you know, we get to watch basketball for a living.
- [05:00]
Maggie Davis
I know I wouldn't have it any other way. I didn't cover the basketball team my first like three years with ksr. So I got started, like I said, doing just the Sunday shift. I lived on campus so I volunteered to start going to some women's basketball stuff because I could walk to Memorial and everybody knows it's a pain to park at Memorial Coliseum. So I think everyone was just happy they wouldn't have to drive over. They could just let baby intern Maggie walk over from my dorm or my sorority house. So that's how I got my start covering the women's team for a year or two during the Matthew Mitchell era. Then I added football the next year and then I added men's basketball my junior year. I guess that would have been your senior year. Yes. You're older than me. Just want to make sure everybody knows that.
- [05:37]
Jack Pilgrim
Yep. Remember the Coach Cal Fantasy Camp when we were the media, you know, back when that relationship was just awesome and fun and it was fun. Everybody loved it.
- [05:47]
Maggie Davis
We also didn't know anything and we
- [05:48]
Jack Pilgrim
covered the 50 year old men playing fantasy league and we had to write like post game articles of how they played and stuff.
- [05:58]
Maggie Davis
Yes, yes. He'd go 2 for 15 from the field and ends with one point and four fouls.
- [06:03]
Jack Pilgrim
He pulled his hamstring and broke his back and unfortunately he is out forever.
- [06:07]
Maggie Davis
But it was great experience and we got to write a bunch of game articles in a time of our life where we weren't actually old or experienced enough to cover any games. Now we get to be around these guys. And so this is my segue into the fact that I was lucky enough to sit down with assistant coach McHale McLean yesterday. He was kind enough to give me about 20 minutes talking all things Kentucky basketball. Can't play that whole thing for you, but I got about seven minutes. First we're going to talk about his new job with the Bahamas national team and then we're going to go and get into this year's team. We'll get Jack's take on all the scoop after this, but here we go. Here it is. Mikel McLean talking Bahamas.
- [06:43]
Mikal McLean
For anyone that might not know, born and raised Nassau, Bahamas. Moved to Houston, Texas when I was 14. Played for the Junior national team growing up and it's just something that, you know, I always wanted to play for the senior national team, but I had a lot of injuries throughout my college career. So once I got into coaching, right away I was like, okay, I might not get to play for the senior team for sure. Wanted to coach. So I probably waited about six years into my coaching career to kind of continue to grow and develop. And then when I was, I made my transition from the University of Houston to Lamar is when I began coaching with the Bahamas team because I had a little bit more flexibility. And I've been doing it since 2021, so it's not like this is my first rodeo doing it. So I leave next Thursday. We'll do training camp in Miami for about five or six days. We'll get a whole group down there, kind of build some culture, some chemistry, go through some practice stuff, and then we'll go back to the Bahamas June 30, we'll play Jamaica July 3, play Puerto Rico July 6, and I'll be back in Kentucky July 7 with two wins. So that's the plan.
- [07:41]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
Can I talk about this year's team a little bit?
- [07:42]
Mikal McLean
Let's do it.
- [07:43]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
Because we're. What about a weekend?
- [07:44]
Mikal McLean
We were about a weekend. Yeah, we're about a weekend. Guys moved in last Saturday. It was just really cool, you know, for people, they don't understand, like, a lot of these kids might not even take an official visit. So we're doing everything through Zoom calls, FaceTime phone calls. We might get to fly out and see them, but just getting to see the joy on the kids and the family's faces, moving their kids in, like, you know, outside perspective, they don't understand. They're still kids. At the end of the day, the parents are still really emotional, dropping them off like it's the first day. Even though it might not be their first day of college, but getting dropped off to Kentucky is different than anywhere else. So it's just been, it's been really joyful experience with these guys and we got a really fun group you guys will get a chance to see.
- [08:23]
Caller Peggy
Yeah.
- [08:23]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
For guys who get here and they didn't get the chance to take an official visit, they haven't seen campus or anything like that yet. What's your favorite part of the tour or favorite part of town to show these guys and see their reaction to?
- [08:34]
Mikal McLean
So, like everybody took an official visit, but like they're like one day visits, like half day visits, like a day and a half. So like they don't really get to see everything, but like when they actually come in, like we walk them through the gym, we walk them through everything. When they actually get their first workout in, Joe Craft center in the weight room, on the court, when they get to go and rub for the first time, not as, like, a visitor, but, like, this is my home. Like, that enough is, like, everything. And the thing that everyone's been blown away was all the great food options in Lexington.
- [09:02]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
A lot of good food options, for sure. Now, I know you get to know these guys really well during the recruiting process. Like, you're pounding the pavement, you're making phone calls, all that stuff.
- [09:10]
Caller Peggy
But.
- [09:10]
Maggie Davis
But to actually get them all on
- [09:11]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
campus and see them all not just playing even, but even just interacting with each other. Has anything surprised you about any of these guys?
- [09:18]
Mikal McLean
The chemistry. The chemistry. I think a lot of these guys talked actually, before they actually got to campus, which is really important. But, like, we've had guys stay in the lodge. It's not like this is our first time having guys stay in the lodge, but these guys have really embraced it. They've kind of accelerated the chemistry portion really quickly, and they spend a lot of time together away from us. In practice, like, you could tell. It's like, it's real. It's not fake, it's genuine. And these guys have really, really, like, they really. It's really early to say. I feel like they really love one another already, which is kind of really crazy.
- [09:50]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
So I've heard you say that Zoom is already emerging as a leader. What makes that the case?
- [09:56]
Mikal McLean
He is. I can't describe it for anyone that wouldn't understand it, but, like, if you know what like, a quarterback is like, where they just kind of connect everybody. He's just a connector. Like, he has a bubbly energy and personality. He's humble enough to accept who he is as a person, and, like, he gases and encourages everybody to be the best version of themselves, and that's how he gets the best version of himself. So, you know, just the way he does it, the way he brings guys together off the court, the way they do stuff like, that's just kind of like. Just in a short time of knowing him in person. That's the evaluation we got beforehand, but it's real. He does a really good job. Him and Malachi are connectors, for sure.
- [10:34]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
You talk about the shooting. 30 is a number that got thrown out in Pope's first year. He got closer to it in year one, year two, little step back. Is 30 still a number this staff has circled?
- [10:43]
Mikal McLean
I would be. If it didn't happen this year, I'd be really surprised. I mean, just. I don't want to give too much information, but, like, Just our last two practices, like, the way we kind of move the ball in, the way the floor space, we got so many guys that can make it three. So you have to guard everybody outside of the paint. And, I mean, I want to say we got. We got seven or eight guys that you have to guard. Like, you cannot guard them, you know? And just to have that impact, it allows Malachi to do what he does as the passers. Zoom Reese, all of our guys that are like, Alex Wilkins, that's a really good shooter as well. Like, we got so many different guys that are creators. That's kind of what we tried to build our roster with creators, and Coach Pope and our staff did a really good job of it.
- [11:24]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
How does Milan fit into that?
- [11:26]
Mikal McLean
I mean, don't get me started on him. I mean, he's an unbelievable shooter. It's like he came in and we're like, okay, teach just what you do. Like, we're not going to tell you how to run your workouts and all this stuff. Like, let's learn from you. Let's figure out where we can tweak it. So we kind of. We're not tweaking anything because he's the best shooter in America, right? But we have so many different guys that are just hard workers with him being one of them at the top of the chart. So to have that many guys that are gym rats, that they're dragging each other in there, they're leaving together, they're coming back three, four times on their own outside of practice is like, dang, it's contagious, you know? So I don't want to give too much on Milan.
- [12:00]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
Yeah, okay.
- [12:00]
Maggie Davis
Okay. Keep it.
- [12:01]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
Keep it on the down low a little bit. This is a fun time of the year because you are so focused on building chemistry. Of course, you're also still undefeated, which
- [12:07]
Maggie Davis
is always fun, of course. But if there's one thing you could
- [12:10]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
put on that to do list by the end of the summer, one thing that you want to get significantly better or different, what would that thing be?
- [12:16]
Mikal McLean
That is an unbelievable question, Maggie. I think by the end of the summer, we want to be able to impact both sides of the ball with our length. We feel as though our length, our wingspan, our length, our height is our strength this year. So finding a way to use that to impact both ends of the ball, whether that's defensively, with deflections, contesting shots offensively, wedge rebound and getting offensive rebounds, making extra plays for teammates. Like, I think by the end of this summer, figuring out a Way to utilize everything that we have lengthwise is probably our biggest priority.
- [12:47]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
I know Malachi took big, huge steps in that department through SEC play especially, and he's fired up for another year. What excites you about sophomore Malakai?
- [12:55]
Mikal McLean
I think he has a different swagger and a demeanor. Like last year, he was fitting. I think he was just trying to fit in. And I think this year he's planning to stand out. He's emerged as a leader. He wanted to be a leader last year. He picked his spots where he could be a leader, but, like, he knows he's a leader. So when you know you're a leader, it's like being like, you know, your first year on varsity in high school versus your senior year. Like, you just have a difference. Confidence that I know everything that we do already. It's in my world and my favorite to kind of handle it the way I want to handle it. And he's going to take a big leap because he's just that much more confident. He knows everything we do on both sides of the floor. He knows his personnel, and he has a lot more space to operate the way he wants to. So it'd be great if you could
- [13:36]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
tell BBN one thing that they don't know yet about this team. What should they know?
- [13:41]
Mikal McLean
You got some good questions, though. Let me think that. What do I think? BBN thinks they know how good Braden Hawthorne and Cam Williams are. But I mean, like, it's just the way we're playing this year with kind of where we built the roster. Both of those guys, especially Braden, I think they're going to take the country by storm. And no one really understands how good Reese Potter is as a playmaker and as a three point shooter. But he's put on 25 pounds since he got there. He's like 242 today. And he's someone, along with Frank, that really helped us in the front line.
- [14:13]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
Oh, I'm excited to meet Frank.
- [14:14]
Maggie Davis
His story is awesome.
- [14:16]
Mikal McLean
You are going to love Frank. I'm talking about personality, joyful, cheerful. You're going to love Frank.
- [14:22]
Maggie Davis
All right, we're back in the studio. Big thanks to Mikhail McLean for the time. As I said, that was recorded yesterday. So I think they had like two practices in the books. Got some good intel, I thought, Jack, what stood out to you?
- [14:33]
Jack Pilgrim
First of all, I love Big Frank. I'm so excited to meet Big Frank. I've heard just unbelievable things about him. You know, I think they're treading lightly with, you know, his health and knowing all right, big fella, you've been around the game for a long time. There's no reason to throw you into an unnecessary June practice. Like, you're a seventh year guy who has averaged 18 games played per year in year six. Like, let's, let's just get you healthy. We need to get you to the season. So I think availability is going to be the biggest key. But as a human and as a person, like, I just, everybody I've talked to just drools about that guy. He is like as a master's in like cyber security or something. Just, just a brilliant dude. Awesome, a fascinating character. So I'm excited to meet him. I like them. The Milan Intel. I like that. That was just, hey, we let him come in and do his own thing and we're gonna just let him be the best shooter in college basketball because that's why we brought him in and paid him to be that person.
- [15:29]
Maggie Davis
Yeah, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? I also, I mean, I know a lot of people have talked about this, but I find, I found it a little surprising that the big takeaway at the end that he thought might surprise Big Blue Nation is Braden Hawthorne, a name that keeps coming up as someone who might surprise us this year. What are your expectations? Because I'm having trouble picturing it.
- [15:48]
Jack Pilgrim
It's. I think that is one where he is just a piece of clay like he is. He, he was a late bloomer in high school. He finishes a top 40 recruit, you know, just. But real thin and needs some serious, serious strength and condition at work before, like you, you see those flashes where you go, that guy has the tools to be a legitimate superstar at some point, but is he going to be ready to do it this year? You know, the intel I've gotten on my end is that he is still a work in progress. And it's, you know, a couple of first days of practice, it's still, you know, he's still looking rusty, still looking like the project guy that he kind of was this past season when he spent a lot of team on time on the scout team, you know, he spent a lot of time, he was the, the Caleb Wilson scout, whenever, you know, hey, we're going up against this freak of nature, lottery pick, pretend to be him. You go act like him and we have to guard you. So he's been kind of the unique specialty guy up to this point, but when is he going to be ready to take that leap to actual production? I don't know how early it's going to be. It's going to happen at some point. But still. Still in wait and see mode with Braden Hawthorn.
- [16:51]
Interviewer (Maggie or Jack)
Yeah.
- [16:52]
Maggie Davis
And along those lines, the other guy that Coach McLean brought up there at the end was Cam Williams, someone who I think almost gets lost a little bit because we talk so much about Malachi coming back and then all these new pieces. Well, I think Cam is a big returner, and sometimes the best addition is retention and getting him for another year to develop in the sec and at this level, playing at this caliber, I think could be huge. Even on the defensive end. We talk a lot about shooting. He was a great defender for Kentucky down the stretch. Post injury and he.
- [17:18]
Jack Pilgrim
And pre injury, he was. He was just starting to put it all together. He struggled to start his Kentucky career and kind of worked his way in and out of the rotation, and he. You could just see it start to finally come together for him, and then he breaks his foot. It's just like, dang it, man. Like, he was so close. He comes back. What a warrior to come back when he did and, you know, probably sacrifice some something like he's in a boot right now and they're holding him out of practice because he made the decision to return too soon to try to compete and win a championship with his teammates. Like, that's an admirable thing. That was probably a, you know, a setback in the short term before, you know, being totally at 100% this upcoming season. But there's so much to like about him, and again, he's a tool. There's. There's, you know, there's. There's a gem in there somewhere that we haven't seen quite yet, but we've at least seen it with our own two eyes. Like, he was definitely coming along right before that injury, and we saw that, you know, it felt good to see him come in and make some shots in the postseason, but the best is yet to come with one Cam Williams.
- [18:15]
Maggie Davis
So those are our takes at Maggie Davis. TV Jack Pilgrim, KSR. Call in, chat with us. 859-280-2287. Want to take a few more calls here. Man, this time is flying by. We don't have that much time left. We gotta get a lot in. We still gotta wrap up some stuff. We gotta talk this J Bat contract. Kentucky's new athletics director in town and making some good money. We're gonna talk our favorite road trips and of course, take your calls. 859-280-2287. Gotta hit a quick break. We'll be right back after this. Welcome back into Kentucky Sports Radio. So happy to be back with you today. Switching gears, we did T. Swift in the first hour. We're doing my other faves in the second hour. It's the killers sitting alongside Jack Pilgrim. You know, I've been killers Die hard since day one.
- [18:56]
Jack Pilgrim
It reminds me of college, the good old days.
- [18:59]
Maggie Davis
Jaden, you got something else for us?
- [19:00]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
Yeah. The segment sponsored by our friends at Noche Linda Farms. Father's Day and grilling go together like sunshine and green grass. And you can make Father's Day a special memory with a gift of locally grown dry aged beef from Noche Linda Farms, where they offer free shipping for orders over $250 throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee. You can go to noche Lindafarms.com or you can give them a call at 859-707-7004. That's 859-707-7004. To place an order, ask questions, or schedule a farm visit. It's Noche Linda Farms. They're Kentucky proud partners. Back to you.
- [19:37]
Maggie Davis
Thanks, Shannon. I'm going to actually go back to you. Do we have a call? We have Miss Peggy on the line.
- [19:41]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
We do. Peggy is. Has been patiently waiting, so Peggy is on.
- [19:45]
Maggie Davis
Oh, Peggy, thanks for waiting on us. Sorry we made you wait. How are you today?
- [19:49]
Caller Peggy
I am great. I've been waiting for you all week.
- [19:54]
Maggie Davis
Oh, thank you. I'm so happy to be here. I've been waiting all week, too.
- [20:00]
Caller Peggy
But I. My big thing is I love, and I know you study all this stuff, but my big thing is listening to you before the football game. You are so knowledgeable and it just makes the game more. How do I put it? More exciting.
- [20:29]
Maggie Davis
Well, thank you. That's very nice. We, we put a lot of work into those pregame shows especially, so I'm happy to hear that you. You watch and, and it pays off. Thank you. Got anything else?
- [20:38]
Caller Peggy
Yeah, I, I mean, I can't afford the tickets and I don't go to the football game, but I wish when they have a outing close to Shelbyville, like maybe in Louisville at Shady Rays or someplace like that, that they would bring you with them one time.
- [21:02]
Maggie Davis
That would be so fun. Yeah, that would be great, Peggy. I will keep you updated.
- [21:07]
Jack Pilgrim
Peggy, you live in Shelbyville?
- [21:09]
Caller Peggy
Yes, I do.
- [21:11]
Jack Pilgrim
That's where I live.
- [21:11]
Maggie Davis
You're Jack's neighbor.
- [21:12]
Jack Pilgrim
We're neighbors.
- [21:14]
Caller Peggy
Oh, really? I didn't know that.
- [21:17]
Maggie Davis
Yeah, he drove in today just for us. How lucky are we?
- [21:21]
Caller Peggy
Yeah, there you go.
- [21:23]
Maggie Davis
Well, Peggy, thanks so much for the call. We appreciate it.
- [21:26]
Caller Peggy
All right, Bye. Bye. Bye.
- [21:28]
Maggie Davis
Bye. That was awesome. I got to give a shout out to the ladies of KSR because I feel like I am one of those ladies, so I have to shout out my own. I meet a lot of them at the women's clinics, which are always fun. We haven't gotten a football one in several years. I hope that Will Stein will bring that back in the future. But we do still get the basketball ones with Mark Pope and Ms. Leanne, as he calls her, and the girls. So hopefully we get that again this fall. I always love getting to meet the ladies of KSR and ladies of bbn.
- [21:54]
Jack Pilgrim
Have we gotten any announcements for any of those yet?
- [21:58]
Maggie Davis
No, but to be honest, the basketball ladies camps, our women's camp is typically in, like, October. Like, it's kind of during that period where all the pre season stuff's ramping up, like blue white, or big blue Madness. Like, it's kind of in that timeframe, media days, that kind of stuff. So it's probably a little early for that info. Like, football used to always be during the summer, but again, I don't think that's come back since COVID That was something I got to cover as a KSR intern, which was fun because they only let women media cover the women's clinic, which makes sense. And there weren't that many at the time, so I always got the opportunity to do it, which was. Which was a lot of fun. Okay, I want to talk basketball road trips with you. Got a few minutes here. Do you have any favorites off the Dome, or you want me to go first?
- [22:41]
Jack Pilgrim
Well, this past year, going to Fayetteville was quite a treat. I did not expect to love going to Fayetteville because we know it doesn't have the best reputation just in terms of SEC towns. It's just one of the, you know, one of. One of them. But going down there and winning Bud Walton was just. Man, what a. What a trip. That was Thoroughly enjoyed. That Starkville has grown on me because it just has been known as just the armpit of the sec. And I kind of hate the reputation it's gotten over the years. And it's just kind of developed, like, as a sweet spot in my heart where it's like, you know, it's got some charm, it has some underrated, you know, aspects of it that, you know, there's. There's a beauty in there somewhere that I've. I've, you know, used to hate the Starkville trip and now it's kind of just become a. A personal little favorite of mine.
- [23:28]
Maggie Davis
I have not been to Starkville. I was going to say around the sec. I mean, Tennessee is crazy, and as long as Kentucky wins, it's fun.
- [23:35]
Jack Pilgrim
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
- [23:36]
Maggie Davis
Those years when it doesn't happen, which you have to go back several years
- [23:39]
Jack Pilgrim
to find, I've had a blast at Thompson bowling. It's been. It's been a long time since I haven't enjoyed a trip to Knoxville.
- [23:45]
Maggie Davis
Those trips have been a lot of fun, I want to say, like Atlanta. Cat Lana. The last couple years. I was there for the UK North Carolina game a couple seasons ago. Pope's. Was that Pope's first season?
- [23:54]
Jack Pilgrim
That was the year before. That was with.
- [23:56]
Maggie Davis
That was Cal State.
- [23:56]
Jack Pilgrim
Robin Reed.
- [23:57]
Caller Peggy
Yes, with.
- [23:58]
Jack Pilgrim
Yeah, that was a very, very fun one. And then the year after.
- [24:01]
Maggie Davis
And then Duke.
- [24:02]
Jack Pilgrim
Duke in New York City.
- [24:04]
Maggie Davis
No, no, that was in Atlanta, too. Yeah, those were back to back big wins in Atlanta and then last year
- [24:09]
Jack Pilgrim
with St. John's so, you know, Catalina has been quite good to us.
- [24:13]
Maggie Davis
Yeah, that's true. I was not at the St. John's game. I was covering volleyball in Kansas City that week, but I was watching it in a bar full of Kentucky fans in Kansas City, which was fun. Yeah, that was a lot of fun. And football wise, I think Columbia, South Carolina has been great to us. Not like football wise, but it's a fun town and a fun atmosphere. And then I went to Austin when UK was there for the first time
- [24:33]
Jack Pilgrim
a couple years ago, I went to Tuscaloosa for the. An Alabama road football game early, I think. Intern 20, 18, 17, 18, whatever year that was. And I remember just going and being like, this is Alabama freaking football, and this is my job. I can't believe that I'm doing this. So that. That definitely has a special place in my heart as well.
- [24:51]
Maggie Davis
And this year, they're coming here. Crimson Tide coming to town. Gonna be crazy.
- [24:56]
Jack Pilgrim
Take that L in week two, baby.
- [24:57]
Maggie Davis
Oh, he said it. Okay, do you have a favorite SEC road trip or outside the SEC? Whatever. Give us a call. 859-280-2287. Want to get a few more phone calls in after this next break? And we also. I keep teasing it. We got to get to it. We have to talk this AD contract, because not only is he the ad, he's also the CEO. And J. Batt is being paid appropriately as a CEO.
- [25:20]
Bluff (Spinquest Promoter)
Jobs.
- [25:20]
Maggie Davis
We're gonna talk about it right after this on ksr.
- [25:23]
Jack Pilgrim
TJ Smith, personal injury attorney.
- [25:25]
Maggie Davis
Call TJ he'll make him pay.
- [25:27]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
Now more of Kentucky Sports Radio, presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones.
- [25:32]
Maggie Davis
Somebody told me you're listening to ksr. I'm Maggie Davis. He's Jack Pilgrim shaking his head. You didn't like that little segue?
- [25:38]
Jack Pilgrim
That wasn't your best effort?
- [25:39]
Maggie Davis
Oh, I think it was. Except if you're listening on podcasts, it's not going to make any sense in the world.
- [25:45]
Jack Pilgrim
They're going to be like, wow, she was really aggressive there. Why did. Why was that intro so aggressive?
- [25:48]
Maggie Davis
Geez, calm down. My goodness. No. I am normally a podcast listener, so I get so not actually frustrate. But, you know, I'm like, why are they referencing the music? I can't hear it. So if you're listening on podcast, thank you and sorry you can't hear the music. We're listening to the Killers and we're talking about all things Wildcats. Shannon, I think you have something else to tell us.
- [26:07]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
Somebody needs to tell you to go get your skin checked. Especially if you're out in the sun a whole lot during the summer months, the Kentucky Skin Cancer center can take care of you. They got five convenient locations across the state with trusted skin care cancer experts that treats you like family. And a skin check is simple, quick, and can make all the difference. So all you have to do if you want to schedule is give them a call at 270-842-1999. That's 270-842-1999. Or you can visit Kentuckyskincancercenter.com It's Kentucky Skin Cancer center, where you're more than just a patient. Your family, the Kentucky Skin Cancer Center. All right, back to you, Shannon.
- [26:44]
Maggie Davis
That was so great. Such a professional. Like, everybody's in on the. On the Segway today. I like it. If you have something to tell us. 859-2802 All Jack and I talk about whatever. Shannon, do we have any callers on the line right now?
- [26:58]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
We do. We got Blake up.
- [27:00]
Caller Peggy
Okay.
- [27:00]
Maggie Davis
What's up, Blake? Welcome to the show.
- [27:03]
Caller Blake
Hey, Maggie and Jack, I really appreciate your all's insight and everything, and I know you are in the trenches and behind the scenes. I've got a. I wanted to give some flowers to someone who was behind the scenes with UK basketball for years, who left the team last year. But Will Barton was kind of the man behind the scenes for a lot of things. He was adoba. He was a manager and then a graduate assistant and then got hired on. And then he was one of the few that stayed on after Cal left too. And he's just one of those guys that got pretty much everything done for the the team and just wanted to give him his flowers and he's now moved on to another project and he's a financial manager in Lexington with well, south. But just wanted to see if you all had any behind the scenes people that don't get a lot of love that have made an impact on you all and your careers and that you have like any special relationships with.
- [27:59]
Maggie Davis
Yeah, great question. I appreciate the call. One, of course, yes, give the flowers to Will Barton. He's awesome. I worked with him for years behind the scenes and talked about the women's clinic earlier. I mean he was a huge part in getting that organized and executed year in and year out. So definitely going to miss him. Seeing him around the facility this year, I mean, this is maybe a cop out answer. I don't know if she's listening, but I want to say shout out to Deb Moore, who we both work with quite a bit, the sports information director with the men's basketball program. So obviously she gets us ready for game days with all kinds of notes and stats and storylines and all that kind of stuff for every single opponent. I mean talk about a 24 7, 365 job. But she also helps us set up interviews and get content with these guys and obviously set up the press conferences. You mentioned it. There's one coming up today so fans are going to hear from some of these guys just the next couple hours. I'm sure you'll have that on ksr. I know we'll have it on BBN tonight but with us being the official UK station, I mean we work with every SID on campus and I think a misconception. I hope I'm not just like going too in the weeds for everybody, but I think people think we're just like handed interviews and content all the time and that's certainly not the case. It's a lot of working with the sids, talking with different people, getting to know the coaches and the athletes, coming up with our own story ideas and working with these amazing people behind the scenes to tell the stories of yes, teams but also just individual players. Like I'm working with the women's golf team right now to do a great like feature story and that's what I love about BBN tonight. Like where else are you going to be able to learn about this incredible team who just had the best season they've had in years and years and years, multiple of the women in the lineup are from Kentucky, one's even from Lexington. So that's a cool part of the story. And they were all underclassmen who are all coming back next year. So those kinds of stories behind the scenes take a while to come together, but when they do, I always really, really appreciate the people who helped make them happen. How about you?
- [29:38]
Jack Pilgrim
Yeah, I think just it's so underrated to transition through different eras with different coaches and the people that have been around the longest. I can think of a guy like Tony Neely who just goes through and has made an impact with so many different athletic directors and, you know, now in head coaches especially, but, you know, all the different teams and building relationships individually with each team, I think is such an underrated trait. But, you know, death you brought up, Will Barton was one of those that. That was a holdover from Cal to Pope. And Deb, obviously has been around since the early Cal days as well. So that's a very underrated thing to, you know, knowing how these coaches operate and they like doing things their own way and to be able to kind of navigate those new waters and. And still kind of, you know, bring the old freshness and the tradition that makes Kentucky so good. But also adapting with the times that the new, new coaches like, I think is a very, very underrated trait. So shout out Deb Moore.
- [30:30]
Caller Peggy
Yeah.
- [30:31]
Maggie Davis
And right now, everybody over there is working for a new boss man. They got a new athletics director in town, and his name is actually just one letter. J J Batt is Kentucky's new CEO slash ad. And the big news of the week is we have finally gotten our hands on that compensation sheet. Everything that has gone into his contract now, public knowledge. You can find all those if you do a little digging yourself. People always ask, like, if we have to put in information requests or, you know, any of that kind of stuff. It's a public university, so we're able to eventually get our hands on all of that once legal approves it all from UK side. But I think the big story here, I mean, six years had gotten reported right off the bat, but nobody knew exactly where that salary was going to be. It's a big race from what he was making at Michigan State year one. At Kentucky, 2.6 million goes up every year. In that six year, it's 3.35. And I thought one of the more interesting parts, obviously that's the big headline, right? Like the big number at the top. But I think one of the more underrated storylines in here is how his actual incentives are written into the contract because, you know, all of us had gotten really familiar with Mitch Barnhart's contract just because he'd been here so long. And almost all of those were academic based, performance based. You know, you get more if a team goes to a bowl game, for example, or the Final Four or the team GPA or the Director cup standings, any of that stuff. That is what you think about in the typical athletics director contract. Well, we're in a totally new era, so it makes sense that a new contract form would also kind of start to emerge as this new sort of typical. And maybe Kentucky is one of the first to implement this. I'm not super familiar with every 80s contract across the country, but J. Batt has milestones written into his contract where he gets bonuses for raising more money, which I don't know how common that is, but it's certainly a change here at Kentucky. And I think also fits in with having CEO of Champions Blue LLC be listed first on his title actually ahead of the word AD when they sent out those releases.
- [32:23]
Jack Pilgrim
And it's the highest bonus opportunity for him for like, yes, there achieve 3.0 GPA with all teams for per semester. Here's 100K. Participate in the College Football Playoff, Final Four, Women's Final Four, whatever. 100K, 100K. 100K once you get to the achieve 250 million in annual athletics revenue. 200K. Achieve 300 million in annual athletics revenue. 300K. So we know where his bread is buttered and why he was brought in. Like they, you know, he understands the assignment as one would say he was known as, you know, arguably the best fundraiser in all of college sports. So you have to pay for somebody that knows how to bring in the money you have to pay to get paid. So I love the money on the table while understanding that it's two jobs. And I think people like he's getting paid essentially double what mark what Mitch Barnhart made in his last year. But he's also taking on a brand new as a CIO of Champions Blue, that's a whole brand new adventure for him to take on. So it's deserving and I think it's paid. I think only four athletic directors in the country are paid higher than $2 million. So you, you, he did not come cheap to, to take him away from, from Michigan State, you had to pay his buyout as well. But you know, I believe in my end he's, he's, he's deserving of every penny. But now we Got to, you know, see, see the, the results. You got to see that, see the production, raise that money.
- [33:47]
Maggie Davis
Yeah. I sat down with him earlier this week, Keith Farmer, and I did for BBN tonight. And I was really struck by, like, the line. He was kind of balancing of. He was direct and informative, but, like, lighthearted enough where I thought he still came off really genuine. And I didn't know, you know, you look on paper, this is a guy who's raised 400, $600 million. Like, I don't know, like the personality of someone who can raise $600 million. To me, seems like you'd be like super out there salesman, you know, in your face, like you're buying what I'm selling and vice versa. But that was not at all, like, the first impression he made on me. And I know he's talked with the general media now as well, and I'm sure everybody will get to know him in the coming weeks. I mean, one thing that stood out to me in our conversation was him saying, everybody in Big Blue Nation is going to get to know me. I'm going to be out there shoulder to shoulder, shaking hands, meeting everybody. Every single day, I want to be meeting somebody. And we saw on social media yesterday that somebody was the men's basketball account was the men's basketball team. Went to practice, saw a picture of him, Mark Pope and the team talking with him. What stood out to you about what he said? I'll tell you what it was for me, the resources you need, you're gonna have.
- [34:52]
Jack Pilgrim
He cut to the chase. There was no sugar coating it. There was no, hey, you know, you guys are an elite standard, yada, yada, yada. Obviously, you know, you guys win championships and then that's what we're gonna do here. But he didn't say, like, hey, my phone is if you need me for advice, if you need. He said, hey, you will never have to question a day in your life here at the University of Kentucky whether you're gonna have the resources to maintain that elite standard that comes with being at the University of Kentucky. Like, he, he had Joe Kraft sitting there front and center during that. He said, hey, I'm going to be working with this guy standing right here to make sure that you guys are able to fund these rosters and build these, you know, championship. Like, yes, people want to represent the name on the front of the jersey and be a part of Kentucky in their tradition and, you know, have the platform and, you know, compete at the highest level against the hardest competition. All of Those things matter. But at the end of the day, it is a money game. Nil is. Is king in today's era. And you have to have somebody that accepts that. That is the baseline of most conversations. That money is how you get in the door. And then it's about the coaches to, you know, you know, maintain those relationships and, you know, make sure that this is the program that they want to be a part of. But it's a nonstarter if the money isn't where it needs to be. And that's why Jay Bat was brought in, to make sure the money is where it needs to be.
- [36:06]
Maggie Davis
859-280-2287. Give us a shout. Shannon. Anybody on the line right now?
- [36:11]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
Yeah. Let's go to Terry.
- [36:13]
Maggie Davis
Terry, welcome into the show. How are you?
- [36:15]
Caller Blake
Yeah, thanks, guys.
- [36:17]
Caller Terry
I missed the first hour. So, Jack, if you've already covered this, just give me the Reader's digest version. And then I have another question as well. Travis Branham made a crystal ball pick for the Serbia kid.
- [36:28]
Maggie Davis
We did talk about that. I'll get you an update.
- [36:30]
Caller Blake
And.
- [36:31]
Caller Terry
And then. And then took that down. Is sure you know how the big blue nation is. That's going to send panic waves and shock waves that he took it down making things thinking he's not coming here. Now, how much should we read into that? And secondly, if Jamal Crawford ends up not coming, do you think Derek Anderson might be an option? Or do you have any other names that we may look for? Thanks and I'll listen.
- [36:56]
Maggie Davis
Thanks, Terry. Jack, let's start with the second one because we did cover the first one, and hopefully our friend Terry will go back and listen on podcast. The TLDR is don't panic. Everything's still a work in progress. What are you hearing about assistant coaches?
- [37:07]
Jack Pilgrim
So if it is not Jamal Crawford, I do think that Pope is going the international route, and I think he's going to hit it hard. I think that he just knows that it is a whole new world out there of elite talent like we're talking about with Kustaritza, like that.
- [37:22]
Starbucks Narrator
You.
- [37:23]
Jack Pilgrim
You have to be able to have relationships with those guys to get the foot in the door to be able to, you know, strike while the iron is hot when a player of his caliber is ready to come to America and play college basketball. So I do think that that is a top priority. And if I had to put my money on it, I think even Jamal Crawford aside, I think that's going to be what ends up being the higher where Pope is leaning that it would be, and it will end up being an international hire because it is. It is definitely the top priority list for the program.
- [37:50]
Maggie Davis
Someone coaching internationally right now, somebody
- [37:56]
Jack Pilgrim
internationally, but with international ties locally, who knows, you know, that spends a ton of time on the road and knows which events to go to and the relationships and the coaches overseas to go maintain those relationships and et cetera.
- [38:11]
Maggie Davis
Yeah, that is not a job I'm envious of because, I mean, you think about the Nike Hoops Summit and that kind of stuff, all the AAU stuff that everybody has always gone to in the continental United States and how kind of easy that's become. Then you add in the portal, you have all these guys around here who are available, but like, the international waters, that's a different kind of swim. I don't even know how you find guys over there. And I know Pope's staff has a very specific system. And Mikhail obviously has international ties from being with now the Bahamas national team as the head coach, but he's been there in some capacity since 2021. So I don't know how you keep up with everything going on literally on seven different continents, but I guess they are. And if there's somebody really good in Antarctica, I would hope that they would find them and get them to Kentucky.
- [38:50]
Jack Pilgrim
Yeah, it's, you know, because there are AB A leagues and B leagues and there are, you know, youth development, developmental. Like. Yes, they're the top cream of the crop, you know, domestic leagues and, you know, Euro League and all that. But, like, you gotta also, you know, Luka Doncic became a household name when he was 13 years old. Like, you got to be able to go figure out who those guys are and track their progress from. From the beginning. So it is a, you know, if. If they truly are available and you can cast a truly a worldwide net. You know, I think Pope has said that he is, you know, monitoring some NCAA decisions that just to know exactly who can he can pursue. I think that's something that he's prioritizing. But depending on how, though the basketball bounces around in that one, I think the international waters are going to be ones he's planning on swimming in heavily.
- [39:38]
Maggie Davis
Interesting. Yeah, you mentioned the NCAA ruling. I think that was a little bit of like a Easter egg, if you will, last week when he said that. Because I think that's referring to that the NCAA is considering making every coach on staff eligible to recruit off campus. Is that right?
- [39:53]
Jack Pilgrim
Yes. So he would want somebody who.
- [39:55]
Maggie Davis
Because right now that's not the case.
- [39:57]
Jack Pilgrim
You can only have three on the road, one including the three on the road outside of the head coach. So four at any given time. And you can choose whoever you want it to be. But I think there is, you know, some incentive if you're going to add an extra staff member who can do nothing but international recruiting. I think there's a lot of value there.
- [40:13]
Maggie Davis
Okay, there you go. I got bad news.
- [40:15]
Bluff (Spinquest Promoter)
What?
- [40:15]
Maggie Davis
We only have one more second.
- [40:16]
Jack Pilgrim
Oh, that sucks.
- [40:17]
Maggie Davis
I know. This went so fast. So if you've been waiting to call in, now's your chance. 859-280-2287. Shann, let's go to one more break and we'll wrap things up on Kentucky Sports Radio after this. Welcome back into Kentucky Sports Radio. Our very final segment with you of really the whole week. I think I'm the last guest host coming your way and I've had a ball. Thank you to everybody who has listened, who has written us on social media, who has called in everybody who joined us today. Joe Sloan, Mikhail McLean were both awesome guests, I thought. And then, I mean, this guy, I guess I'll compliment him. Jack Pilgrim, you're the best. Thanks for coming in.
- [40:52]
Jack Pilgrim
Yeah, yeah, yeah, anytime.
- [40:54]
Maggie Davis
Like I said, we've been friends for like 10 years. It's crazy. In that time we've talked about it, we have each gotten married. You've had two weddings and you have two kids. You have Father's Day this weekend. Any big plans?
- [41:05]
Jack Pilgrim
Well, I am taking Billy to Toy Story 5 today.
- [41:10]
Maggie Davis
Oh, jealous. I want to come with you.
- [41:12]
Jack Pilgrim
Let me tell you, this has been on the radar, on the schedule, on our minds, in every single day conversation. When we wa up and go to bed, it is about Toy Story 5. He sees all the previews, we he watches the movies and he's just like, is it Thursday yet? Like, he just, he, I don't think he has any concept of like, what a Thursday means. But like I said, hey, no, we're going to take him on on Thursday on the premiere day. So he's like, is it Thursday? Third Thursday, Toy Story. Thursday, Toy Story. So we're very excited to see what all the hype is about. I think it's just kind of a cool deal to grow up in it and be like, that was my childhood is like I you told myself my parents took me to Toy Story in the movie theaters when I was a kid. So now I get a chance to take my own child to Toy Story. It's a very nostalgic full circle thing for me that I'm Very excited for.
- [41:58]
Maggie Davis
But you trying to make people cry.
- [41:59]
Jack Pilgrim
That's the. Ha ha. I'm a softie at heart. I'm a lot. So huggin bear at. Well, he's saying, I mean the villain.
- [42:06]
Starbucks Narrator
Spoiler alert.
- [42:07]
Jack Pilgrim
Spoiler alert. I'm not a lotso huggin bear. Weird. Just a weird segue there. But I'm very excited for that. And yeah, that's, that's, that's top priority for me for Father's Day weekend.
- [42:18]
Maggie Davis
Well, that's sweet. Happy early Father's Day to you and all of the fathers out there in big blue nation. Also, like, I mean you said Billy was excited for Thursday. I've been excited for Thursday all week. Like when am I gonna get on ksr? I've done the pre show with Billy. I've done the pre game show with you actually and Ryan and I've done the post game show like a couple of times. But I've never been on the show in any capacity. Never called in. I've thought about it a lot.
- [42:41]
Mikal McLean
I don't.
- [42:41]
Jack Pilgrim
Oh, pre game. I'm thinking of the pregame.
- [42:43]
Maggie Davis
We were at the bar. Yeah. No, never been on this show. Kind of nervous. Well, big deal.
- [42:49]
Jack Pilgrim
You wouldn't know it listening to you. You've done a great job, Maggie.
- [42:52]
Maggie Davis
Thanks. I do yap pretty much all day every day on BBN tonight. So if you haven't heard it by now. Yeah, BBN Tonight weeknights at 7:30 on LAX 18 or you can find us online bbn tonight.com, download the app on your smart TV, whatever. We try to make it easy. Shannon, one more read for us.
- [43:07]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
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- [43:50]
Maggie Davis
So awesome.
- [43:50]
Shannon (Producer/Announcer)
Wrap it up for us.
- [43:52]
Maggie Davis
I will thank you, Shannon. And thank you, Matt Jones for the opportunity. Today has been a blast. Jack Pilgrim, this is our last show for KSR until next week.
- [44:00]
Caller Peggy
Wow.
- [44:00]
Maggie Davis
What do you think? Are we going to have a new basketball player by the next time these guys come on on Monday, who that is Real quick.
- [44:07]
Spinquest Announcer
You're on the spot.
- [44:07]
Jack Pilgrim
Go, go the hour. Eh, screw it. Let's just say yes.
- [44:12]
Maggie Davis
Let's say yes. Let's go into the weekend.
- [44:14]
Jack Pilgrim
Bearded Pope is on one. He has hit some turbulence. I know the plain references. He's hit a little bit of turbulence, but he's gonna find a way. He's gonna find a way to pull
- [44:24]
Maggie Davis
off clear skies ahead, as a wise man once said. So thank you so much for joining. This has been so fun.
- [44:30]
Jack Pilgrim
Let's do it again.
- [44:31]
Maggie Davis
Okay. Well, if they'll have us back, we'll be back. He's Jack Pilgrim. I'm Maggie Davis saying thanks so much for listening. We'll talk to you next time on Kentucky Sports Radio. Have a great day.
- [44:41]
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