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- [00:00]
Matt Jones
Welcome everyone. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. The Cats take a loss in Georgia 3514 in a game that in some ways at times felt competitive and then at times did not, but never felt like a shot that Kentucky could actually win. Okay, so here's, here's what we're going to do. 859280, 2287 I genuinely, I mean we're gonna have a lot of time next week. It's a bye week for Saturday. Big Blue Madness is Saturday. We're going to have a whole lot of time next week to kind of talk about all the various incarnations of UK football and where it goes. I want it this is a best chance to hear from fans. So I do want to open up the phones and I'm going to let you guys kind of say your thoughts. I think it would be interesting to sort of get I wasn't here last week so to get a hit a sense of the pulse of the fan base right now going in to really halfway through this season. So 859280-2287 I'm genuine, genuinely curious as to what everybody thinks. Let me I'm gonna go two parts. First the game and then bear picture game. Kind of what I thought which was Kentucky would not embarrass itself, although it looked early like they might, but that they never really would have a chance to win. Do some good things but really not. I mean be competitive, but not really competitive. And that's kind of what happened. I mean Cutter Bowie I thought looked pretty good actually probably his best performance as a cat. They threw two touchdown passes. But here's part of the problem. They threw two touchdown passes and it's the first time in the Bush Hamden era that that's happened. I want you to think about that stat for a second. In 11 SEC games in the Bush Hamden era, this is the first time we've thrown two touchdown passes. Well, I mean you're. There you go. You're not going to win. I mean it was the end of the second quarter before we threw a pass to the wide receiver that went beyond the line of scrimmage that was complete. You're just not going to win like that. And that's the way it goes. The this team has no receivers that can get open and they just can't throw. And then when you play a defense, Georgia's not the defense they usually are. But still you play anybody good, you're going to struggle a terrible end of first half again to whatever Extent Kentucky had a chance to be competitive in this game. You essentially have to take advantage of any break you get. And because they had a chance to end the first half with the ball and get the first ball, get the first ball in the second half, you had a chance to double up, which is exactly why you defer at kickoff. You have a chance to double up and Kentucky ends up with zero points. They drove it down. Wasted time. Jesse Palmer correctly called him out for it, said, this is terrible clock management. It was. They executed a few plays that made it look like that wouldn't matter. But then in the end, they had three seconds left and had they executed the clock management well, they could have taken another shot at the end zone. But because they wasted time, as Jesse Palmer called it out, then there was no time left. We end up with field goal attempt and then we miss it. Just a disaster. The end of the first halves. There are probably 15 games in the Stoops era where the end of the first halves have cost us major. Literally probably 15 games. I mean, that's honestly only a little over one game a year. So maybe it's 20 games, maybe 25 games. I mean, at the end of the first half, there's just a disaster. And they've been a disaster. Even in Stoops best years, we've always been bad at the end of the first half. And then in the second half, you go for a drive and they end up fumbling the ball. So, you know, what do you say? I mean, that's, that's poor performance and you end up losing the game. So it's about what I expected. I think I picked 30 to 13. It was 35, 14, but that's almost exactly what I thought we were going to get today. Now, bigger picture, we head into a bye week and this fan base is at least. I mean, maybe the calls will. Will surprise me and I'll come out of this with a different opinion. And if you can't get through 772-774-5254 is a text machine, but this fan base is as out as they've been on Stoops. I expect the Athletic will have a pretty big major piece coming out about this early next week. I mean, I say that because they contacted me about it, but I think it was coming, you know, no matter what. And when they called me, I said, look, this, this is the most out fans have ever been on Stoops, and he's been here a long time. This is the most out that they are. They're out right now. Can he win him back? You know, I. No, I don't. I don't know if he can even. Let's say he found a way to. To beat Vandy and Auburn and Louisville or Florida, whatever, win six games. I mean, I guess people would say, well, I guess he earned another year, but I don't know if anybody would be excited. I'm really not sure there's anything that can be done to get this fan base excited. As I said yesterday on the show, it's a bad combination of being losing and boring, which is a horrible combination. It's not fun to watch and we're not good. And so why do you want to do it? And then on the other side, you have a basketball program that is fun to watch, that is engaging with their fans and has a chance to compete for titles. So people are just gonna be like, well, football, what are you gonna do? I am very disappointed. A lot of the stuff that I think Mark Stoops did so well for so many years, they've done the opposite. Forget about on the field, off the field. We've talked about it. No engagement with the fans, you know, no understanding that we don't know this team. We don't know these players. I mean, the receiver that came in, the freshman Billy was his name Miller at the end and played pretty well.
- [06:34]
Billy Reed
Miller.
- [06:34]
Matt Jones
Never heard of that guy in my life. Now, granted, I don't, like, follow it day to day. I mean, I follow it, but I don't, you know, I don't go to the practices. They don't bite us. First of all, that's part of it. But, you know, first of all, how did he not end up on the field before this? But it's also partially their fault that people don't know these guys. They don't know who Cameron Miller is. That's on them. And so it's real easy not to care about people that you do not know. And that's where the fan base is. So what do you do next? Well, Mark Stoops was very adamant after the game that he wasn't going anywhere. You know, Alan Cutler had reported yesterday that Stoops had approached Mitch Barnhart and asked to be bought out. Last year, Stoops was asked about it. He said it was 100% false. And his quote was, there is zero chance I'm walking away. You know what I mean? Zero. So put aside whether Allen was right or not, I tend to think that he wasn't right in the way that he put it. I do think they had conversations, but I do not think Mark was like, I want to leave. But even if he had been this statement right here, there is zero chance I'm walking away. You know what I mean? Zero. That is not a statement with Wiggle Room. He's kind of drawing a line in the sand with that. I'm not going anywhere. Now. Could that change in seven weeks? Of course it could. But the way I read that is don't expect him to do anyone a favor and say, like, you know, it's best for all of us if we part. That's not going to happen. What's going to happen is either we'll have to let him go, or maybe they negotiate a buyout where we pay almost as much as if we would have had to pay if they fired. That's. That's how this is going to end, if it's going to end. And so the question will just be, at the end of the year, does Mitch Barnhart want to do it? Unlike with Calipari, I don't think there's a school that's going to go higher. Mark Stoops. I just. I mean, maybe, but I doubt it, and certainly not for the amount of money he's making here. So we're just going to have to see if Mitch Barnhart will make the decision at the end of the year. I am of the belief that as long as things are like they are now, and I don't see how they won't be at the end of the year, you cannot bring him back. You cannot come back next year and it be like this now. If he were to somehow turn it around, we were to finish seven and five or six and six, then that's a different conversation, probably. But you can't bring this back. Fans are out. They're out. And so you can't do that again like that. We came into this year with everybody being down. What would it be like next year? You just can't do it. So my hope is that things get better and that maybe he can flip it around. But I think the chances of that now are, like, under 15, under 10%. So we're going to end up with a very difficult, awkward six or eight weeks. But the reality is Mitch has probably got to decide now what he's going to do at the end of the year. The transfer portal comes quick. You're going to have to, if you make a change, have a new coach, have a staff, and then hit the portal so you can't sit around and, like, do what he did with Cal, where we meet and do a television interview and walk the dog. Like, we don't have time for all that. You're gonna have to know, which means Mitch is probably going to be spending these next two weeks deciding in his head what's gonna happen. And, you know, I'm a Mitch Barnhart fan. He and I are completely different people. And besides sharing like, a Christian faith, have almost nothing in common. But I think he's done a very good job here, and I give him a ton of credit for how he's managed the program, and I give him bonus credit for how he's managed the last couple years, which I thought he was going to be pretty bad at in this nil era, and I think he's actually been really good. With that said, he has gotten Kentucky into two massive jams on his own, doing with Caliper, his contract and Stoop's contract. He created two contracts, which I understand why he did in the moment, but what they ended up with were two contracts where we had no leverage and we were victim. We were essentially. I don't know, we're basically at the mercy of coaches. We were at the mercy of John Caliperi. He had a lifetime deal, more money than we could pay him off. And as he slipped, we had to hope something would happen. And then he got saved by Arkansas. Thank you, Tyson's Chicken. But now here's another one. And as Billy said to me before we came in that we're just reliving that situation again now, but nobody's going to come and save this one like this one. We are going to reap what we sow. And I think it's important to think about with Stoops's contract. Everybody knows the $37 million, and it's due within two weeks, all that. But I want you to think about one of the specific things that was in that contract that in hindsight looks indefensible. And I don't know how people, myself included, didn't really realize it in the moment. Billy, he's got, what, four or five years left on his deal? Something like that. Is that right?
- [12:34]
Billy Reed
Sounds about right.
- [12:35]
Matt Jones
Let's just say it's four. I think it might be five, but let's say it's four. We made the deal to where every time we made a bowl game, he got a free. He got a year added to the contract. Now, let me repeat that sentence. Every year he made a bowl game, he gets another year on the contract. And at the time, I believe it was a Six year deal. I'm pretty sure that's right, a six year deal. But you know what that means, Billy?
- [13:06]
Caller
What?
- [13:06]
Matt Jones
We essentially create a contract for him where we said it was cool for him to miss a bowl game six times. Think about that. If you get a free year every year you make a bowl game, the only way it goes from six years to five years to four years to three years is if you miss a bowl game. So Mitch Barnhart paid a coach like top 10 money and told him in his deal he could miss bowl games six times. That's what that deal is. I don't think I'd ever connected that until a few weeks ago. Had you?
- [13:48]
Billy Reed
Not until you just said it. Honestly. I mean, that makes sense.
- [13:50]
Matt Jones
So we created a contract to pay a coach top 10 money in the country and said you get six years where you don't have to make a bowl game. And when you do, it'll just keep rolling over six free years.
- [14:09]
Billy Reed
Current contract goes through 2031, June 30, 2031.
- [14:12]
Matt Jones
So 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. So we have six. So that was more than that. It was seven years. Because last year he didn't make a bowl game. So we gave him a contract where he could miss a bowl game seven times. That's kind of terrible. So while I give Mitch all the credit in the world for all the many, many, many positive things he's done, including some risk taking, he's done, and I think he's done a good job with Nil if we're honest. He's gotten us in two horrible contractual situations and we got bailed out on one, but we're not getting bailed out on this one. This one is what it is. And the coach said after the game, there's zero chance I'm going Z. And then he said it again. Zero. Well, there you go. So what happens over the next eight weeks? I don't know. I don't know. I think Mark Stoops made clear most important thing that happened today was that comment in the post game, we're not getting bailed out. So now we'll have to see what Mitch does and ultimately Big Blue Nation will kind of be waiting. Best possible scenario, I guess we turn it around in the next few weeks. But absent that happening, we're headed for a very awkward seven or eight weeks. But the one thing you cannot have, we cannot have a 3 and 9 or a 4 and 8 season and run it back. You just can't. You'll lose this football you will lose this fan base. 859-280-2287. That's my take on it. Like to hear yours. We will take a break. Take your calls. 859-280-2287. It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. It is the local toy dealers ksr postgame show. Vandy in Alabama tied at seven, four minutes to go in the second quarter. Vandy driving. You know, hard to say that you can't win. I mean, maybe you can't win a title, but that you can't be competitive at Kentucky when Vandy's beaten Alabama last year and is on the road going to be leading in a game day game going into halftime this year. I think they stopped the game. Did a coach get hurt on the sideline? Is that what's happening? Yeah, it looks like a coach is down. I see that a lot, Billy. Hope the guy's all right.
- [16:54]
Billy Reed
Who, who had a worse day, Mark Stoops or Bill Belichick?
- [16:57]
Matt Jones
Oh, Belichick, because Belichick is just embarrassing. I mean, I mean we care here in the, in the UK world, but the country as a whole doesn't really care what, what happens with Stoops. But Belichick, I mean, it's brutal. Question is, who breaks up with him first, North Carolina or Jordan Hudson?
- [17:16]
Billy Reed
North Carolina. This may be a one year thing for him.
- [17:19]
Caller
I don't know.
- [17:20]
Matt Jones
Well, why? I mean, what's Jordan. I mean, it's not what Jordan Hudson signed up for either. Yeah, he might lose both, I think. I think that's true. Fake David Beckham, who I like a lot, he writes this. I think I just want to note it before we go to the phones. That's a completely unfair assessment of the Stoops contract. He got a contract that added a year for a bowl win when we were winning two games. When it got restructured, should the needle have been moved to up to eight wins? Probably. But no one was complaining then. I'm not saying that's incorrect. It is correct that I, me included. I'm not sure anybody realized that that was what was happening when he redid the deal. I certainly don't think I mentioned that. I don't remember hearing anybody mention it. So I'm not necessarily saying like it was malpractice for him for Barnhart to do it. As I said to you about, about Cal, it wasn't crazy what he did with Cal, but the combination of the Cal contract and this contract, those are two really, really, really bad, awful contracts in hindsight you know, to say that you can miss a bowl game seven years and keep your job. That's what he said in that. I don't know that the extension was a bad idea, but probably that whole, you get an extra year every time you do a bowl game. In hindsight, that was maybe a pretty bad decision. But enough of me, let's go to you. 859-280-2287. Who's up first?
- [18:56]
Billy Reed
Ford.
- [18:57]
Matt Jones
Ford. Go ahead, Ford.
- [19:00]
Caller
Hi. Hi, Matt. I'm. I'm 20 years old. Mark Stoops has been the head football coach here since I've been able to form complete sentences. He has given me some of the best moments of my life. I have a picture of me laying next to the goal post when we stormed the field versus Florida when I was like 14 years old. I, I sat in my car last week at halftime and cried. I. This is like watching this team. It's like watching like a family member, like get sick. You know what I mean? Like, I care so much. I want the guy to do so well. And then this team that I think is pretty talented considering, like they're old, they're experienced, they're maybe not the most athletic, kind of like last year's basketball team, but they just suck. I mean, every single week we look at this team, they'll go and they'll drive the field. And then like this week they had a great, and I mean a great two minute drill.
- [19:58]
Matt Jones
Well, let me ask you a question. What's your, what's your conclusion? Are you saying, like, you think what it is over?
- [20:06]
Caller
You can't bring this back?
- [20:09]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [20:09]
Caller
As much as I love spoofs and I wanted him to do so well this year, I thought the team was going to be okay. They execute poorly and that's coaching. Yeah, execution. There's no reason that a team that's this experienced with this many seniors, like the whole offensive line of seniors. Besides, I think.
- [20:30]
Matt Jones
I appreciate the call I'm about to go to other folks, but that's, you know, you're obviously a very passionate fan and that's your, that's your conclusion. Nick reminds me Nick Roush and Adam Luckett. I saw the only thing I got to see live from the game last week. I actually got to watch Nick and Adams rapid reaction after the game. And I think it was either Nick or Adam. Maybe it was. Nick said this team is marginally better, but like playing worse in some ways. And I actually think he's exactly right. I do think they're marginally Better than last year. But in some ways the execution and the decision making might even be worse. So I actually don't. I mean, I don't think Nick was wrong about that. Who's next?
- [21:13]
Billy Reed
Bluegrass.
- [21:14]
Matt Jones
Bluegrass.
- [21:14]
Caller
Go ahead, Dave. What's going on, Matt? I tell you what, let's just get down to the X and Os about it. I mean, we cannot, we're not going to get out of this situation. We know that. Like, he's got us locked up. But the gap coverage today, terrible. The tackling today was terrible. Like, we see teams like Indiana, we see teams like Vanderbilt and we see that there's another option, but we're stuck, Matt. We're stuck. I mean, he's got his handcuffed and you can't blame him. I mean, you did, you did an awesome job earlier. Strawberry. I do listen to your other podcast. You do. You said it right. Like, why would he give up this money? He's not going to. But what are we going to do?
- [21:59]
Matt Jones
Yeah, well, I mean, I think you're going to probably. That's. It's great question. I appreciate the call. I think he's going to probably just have to. Just have to decide to eat it. That's probably what. I mean, that's what they'll have to do. And I don't think they were willing. I know they weren't willing to do that last year. Are they willing to do it this year? You know, I don't know. I don't know. I think a lot of it will depend. I actually think the fans will have an impact because I think Mitch's inclination would be to not do it, to not let him go, but he might not have a choice. He didn't have a choice with Joker. I don't know what his personal feeling was, but he didn't have a choice. I don't know if we'll get there with this or not. We'll have to wait and see. Have to see what it looks like after the Texas game, the Tennessee game. Those are two home games coming back to back where there'll be big crowds in part because of our fans and part because the road fans coming. See what happens. Because then that Tennessee Tech game. Okay, now that's a different. That's a different situation, crowd wise. Diego Pavia. Good grief. What if they win this game? Who's next?
- [23:07]
Billy Reed
Jackson.
- [23:08]
Matt Jones
Jackson. Go ahead, Jackson.
- [23:11]
Caller
Hey, I'm in the same boat kind of that the first caller said. I'm 20 years old. My first memory of Kentucky football in general was my dad took Me to a Southern Miss game at Southern Miss and we barely won that game.
- [23:26]
Matt Jones
It's a good game, though. We came back. We came back. That was a fun time. Yeah. Jordan Jones, if you remember, spit. You remember Jordan Jones spit on the fans after the game. Which was, which wasn't a great moment, but go ahead.
- [23:40]
Caller
The thing that made me fall in love with that Kentucky football, even during that time of having losing streaks still now to Georgia losing every now then to Tennessee being destroyed by Florida. Never even in my lifetime seeing a Florida win until later on. The thing that made me fall in love with this team was the fact that they look like they had energy. Mark Stoops looked like he cared and wanted to win. And then it was just like, all right, we need more talent. He has the energy. We just don't have the talent now. It almost feels like we have the way to get the talent. And he, he's as, he's as energized as our mascot was today at the game, just sitting down.
- [24:17]
Matt Jones
I think you, I think that is exactly 100% correct. The thing that Mark Stoops was never like. He's not, I don't know, the, the rock star intellect of college football coming up with creative play calls. He was always old school discipline, work hard, you know, be no penalties, be all that kind of stuff. And then the theory was we can't get the talent. But then he goes and gets the talent. And you're exactly right. We've lost some of that now. We've lost all the things, the, the sort of fundamentals and all the things that were why we like Stoops and his energy level and his connection to the fans. And you, you are exactly right. We can forgive. If we lose because Georgia's got a better roster than us, we can forgive that. What we can't forgive is Georgia's got a better roster and they play harder and they're smarter and they make good decisions. Like that's what I can't get over. I can get over their players are better. I can't get over that they try harder and that they're smarter.
- [25:29]
Caller
And the, the last thing, I'll just leave it on. You can tell the motivation. The thing that I took away the most because I watched the whole game kind of, kind of shows you how bad it's been, the fact that I watched the whole game of that. But I, at one point I think we were down 28,7 and George is on the goal line. They have a bad play and they can't get it off. Kirby calls a timeout and you can hear audibly over the mic on the broadcast him have a hot mic moment yelling at his team. Why is he the one yelling at his team when he's. That when he's up 28 to 7 and when we have a spot like that, you look at Stoops and he just looks. He doesn't look mad, he looks annoyed and doesn't say nothing.
- [26:08]
Matt Jones
But you're. I appreciate the call because you demand excellence. I mean, you know, part of how you have success is you say we're not going to have bad, bad games, bad plays. And Kirby's always done that. A lot of the great coaches do it. They coach till the last, last play. Who's next?
- [26:25]
Billy Reed
Max.
- [26:25]
Matt Jones
Max. Go ahead, Max.
- [26:28]
Caller
Yeah, first of all, I'd like to know who in. Who's going to beat Georgia today anyways after they lost last week, number one and number two is you got the ref calling on critical plays, you know, and that they missed a couple of calls that they even announced on tv. And then how does Billy feel about that big WKU running back over there? And they're five, zero, tops.
- [26:54]
Billy Reed
Looks good.
- [26:55]
Matt Jones
All right. Well, those are three very different points, but all right. I mean, I don't know if anybody was going to beat Georgia today, but I can tell you that there's a lot of teams that would have made sure that they ran the clock correctly at the end of the first half so they had another chance at the end zone. Right. A lot of teams would have done that. So I'm not asking to win. I'm asking. Let's not do. Let's not be both less talented and also less prepared and also less smart. I don't think that's too much to ask. Vandy's not going to get out. I'll take. They may not win this game against Alabama, but they won't be outsmarted in this game and they won't be out hustled in this game. Why can't we at least do that? I don't think that's too much to ask. Who's next?
- [27:45]
Billy Reed
Stephen.
- [27:46]
Matt Jones
Stephen. Go ahead, Steven.
- [27:49]
Caller
Hey, Mad. Longtime listener, first time caller who are so my thing is, I've been a fan for. I'm 40, 42 years old. I've watched the ups and downs of Kentucky football. And you as well as I know back in the day, long before we were alive, Kentucky made a decision that we're gonna be a basketball school over a football school. School now with nil and the money that the university says they have with Rev Share and everything. Why can't we be good at both?
- [28:18]
Matt Jones
We can't.
- [28:19]
Caller
We.
- [28:19]
Matt Jones
We can be good. We can be good at both. I don't think we can be championship level in football, but that's a different question than can we be good? Okay, so I'm with you. I think that the Rev Share and the NIL have changed it to where Kentucky can now be good regularly at football. I don't think they can be championship level, but right now we're the worst.
- [28:41]
Caller
Team in the sec, which I totally agree. Moving forward, if Barnhart decides he's going to give Stoops one more year, we have to go out and make a splash higher as an OC either. We got to hire Jimbo Fisher to come in and run the offense. We got to hire Mike McDaniels, the head coach of the Dolphins. If he gets hard, we have to have somebody come in and, and take control of the offense and tell Stoops, hey, listen, this is my show. You stay out of it. Because.
- [29:09]
Matt Jones
But do you think that would work? I mean, do you think. Let me ask you a question in all seriousness. Do you think that would work? Do you think people would get excited about that? I mean, just to give you an example, we had Liam Cohen, who may be the hottest play caller, one of the three or four hottest play callers in the NFL right now. We'll see if that continues. We had him. And obviously with Will Levis, we had a lot of success, but with. With. With Devin Leary, who, by the way, is still on NFL rosters, we really didn't have a great offense. I mean, do you think getting the offensive coordinator is going to make a big difference?
- [29:45]
Caller
We got to do something, because what we've done over the last, what, three years, it's been atrocious. We've got to do something now. If we move on. My second point is, if we move on from Stoops, it's an SEC job. There'll be people lining up to get it. But everybody talks about John Summerall. John Summerall is not going to take the Kentucky job. Only because he's been here and Stoops is going to tell him exactly what's going on.
- [30:09]
Matt Jones
He was here before Stoops. He was here before Stoops. I don't know if John Sumrall will take the job or not. Okay? But he. Stoops will not be the one who decides whether Summerall takes the job. He was here before Stoops.
- [30:22]
Caller
He.
- [30:23]
Matt Jones
He's he knows.
- [30:25]
Caller
Yeah. If you had to pick, say we move on from Stoops, who's your top four right now today?
- [30:32]
Matt Jones
I don't know enough. Yeah, I appreciate the call. He's probably number one. I don't know after that. I mean, we, we had a conversation on the pregame, so. About Will Stein and I, you know, I, I think he's. Obviously, you'd be lucky to get him too, but there are other guys like that that I just don't. I think, I think what Kurt Signetti at Indiana and what this coach here at Vanderbilt, what these guys have shown me, the guy that's at Mississippi State. You know what? Let's go get a young, smart, energetic guy embracing the current new college football world of nil and all that stuff. You know, Bill Belichick shows you can have all the big names you want, but if you don't understand the new world of college football, it's irrelevant. Go get me somebody smart, like really smart. Who's going to attack this energetically? And who knows, I maybe have never even heard of the guy. But he could be the right dude, right? Kurt Signetti is not a big name, but it worked. And so that's what I would do. And then it's going to be up to Mitch and whoever does it to make the homework to make sure it's the right person. 859-280-2287. Let's take a break. Vandy just scored a touchdown. If they win this game, dude, if they win this game, Billy, they could go to the playoff. Vandy.
- [31:50]
Billy Reed
And that's two in a row DeBoer has lost to Vandy. I don't know how you survived.
- [31:55]
Matt Jones
It's not over yet though. He's got a whole half. We'll take a break. Be right back. It's a local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. 859-280-2287. I'm gonna read you two comments here that I think are interesting for the text machine. First, one person writes, this is Ellen in Frankfurt, headed home from the Georgia game. So clearly this person cares. They went to the Georgia game knowing what was going to happen. I agree with your statement that the football program lacks fan engagement with. To give an example with many new players this year, I just wanted a program so I could know the players on the team. I had to go to multiple places in Commonwealth Stadium to even find a person selling a program. It was a woman in a booth and it was $10 cash only. She only had a handful of them and she remarked about me behind one. I like to know the players on the team and I don't feel like they did anything to help me know it. I actually think that's a legitimate complaint. Not, you know, not finding a program but I mean this is a woman who travels to Georgia for the game. She just wants to know the players. And you all didn't do anything to make that happen. How many fans out there could have known anything about the players that were not Cutter Bowley, you know, maybe Alex Safari, Shias. But that was only because the interviews he did on KSR like nobody knew anything. That's so then when things are bad that just makes it worse. And then I think this is also a really good one from the text machine. At what point does the opportunity cost lost with tickets, nil donations, etc. Outweigh having to pay the buyout. There's has to be a point where payment Stoops meets what you'll lose by keeping him. Yes, there is that point and I think we're getting very close to it. I don't think we were there last year but we're going to get close to it this year. And you know, I don't have the numbers to tell but when I got people coming up to me yesterday at Shady Rays 22 year season ticket holder saying I'm not doing this next year if things don't change. Yeah, that starts to add up.
- [34:08]
Caller
And.
- [34:11]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I don't know when, when you get to that number but that number there is a number where that, where that happens. Alabama just scored so it'll be tied looks like at halftime. Who's next?
- [34:19]
Billy Reed
Chase.
- [34:20]
Matt Jones
Chase. Go ahead, Chase.
- [34:23]
Caller
Hey Matt, how you doing?
- [34:24]
Matt Jones
Doing good.
- [34:26]
Caller
I just got a couple of things. I'm 22. My first memories of Kentucky football were the Mike Hartline and Randall Cobb teams. We were never great. We were good. But those teams were fun to watch. They were Mark Stoops teams have never really been exciting but when we were winning it didn't really matter. Now that we're losing, that's a terrible, terrible combination. So what I want to say is that I think we need to be real with ourselves as a program. The majority of this fan base is ready to move on from Stoopzz. Like you've said before, the apathy is setting in and most of the fans are already turning the page to basketball season. Outside of the 2018 and 2021 seasons when we lucked into NFL level talent guys like Josh, Allen, Wandell and Benny. It's been the Same story the second half of his career, seven win seasons, middle tier bowl games that were 4 and 4 in by the way. And Stoops getting out coached in the must win big games. So my question, Matt, I have for you, is this with the buyout in mind and the fan base checked out like it is, does Mitch start looking at someone like John Sumrall, a guy who knows the program, has proven he can build and win at Tulane and could bring the energy needed to get the fan base back and engaged in Kentucky football moving forward?
- [35:45]
Matt Jones
Well, first of all, appreciate the call. That was actually a great call. As a matter of fact, I loved your point and I love the way you set up the question. I think, Billy, that he had written that down. No, I do, but that's not a criticism because I actually think that was a really good call. Like I think if you just looked at structured, that was a call that literally could have been the intro to a segment on a radio show. So I'm going to give you a shout out, but I don't. I think he had it written down, Billy, because if not, if you didn't write that down and you did that live, then you ought to think about doing a podcast.
- [36:21]
Billy Reed
Yeah, give us a call, we may need.
- [36:22]
Matt Jones
No, I'm serious. If you're 22 years old and you did that without writing it down, then yeah, you can do this. Now, if you wrote it down, I still give you a shout out for it because it was still good. But I'm just saying I think he wrote that down. But either way, your point is good. At what point does it happen? I'm just gonna act like it was me. Okay? Any good leader has to think of all contingencies. I remember sitting with Mitch Barnhart one time and he told me this was years ago, that every single program on his campus, he had a list of three to five coaches in his desk that he kept constantly updated, that if he needed to replace a coach, here is my wish list. He told me that once for literally every sport, all 19 or however many they have on campus. If that's the case, and I believe him, why would he have said that otherwise? Then he's got a list of names. And I think what Mitch needs to do between now in Texas is Mitch needs to sit there and think. He needs to do the number calculation. The text machine person just asked me about what's the point of no return? He needs to sit there and think, if I need to get a money for buyout, where would it be? Do I want to bring him back? If I don't bring what does he need to do in the next seven games to get bring back? He needs to have that thought because there needs to be no surprises. This there can't be. Like there was after Cal a handful of days where you were trying to figure it out and then like let's go on TV and sit next to each other awkwardly. You just got to know if he doesn't win six games, it ain't happening. Like he just needs to know and then he needs to have that list. And if I believe what I believe, Mitch, he told me years ago he has a list for everybody. So he has a list and I think on his list going into this season would have been two names. John Sumrall and Brad White. Brad White. I think he's a good coach. He can't be on there now. You're not going to get the fans back if you switch to Brad White. So some wrong and then there needs to be a second lit group and at that point there's a lot of names and some of them I probably don't know. Most of I probably don't know, to be honest with you. Who's next?
- [38:38]
Billy Reed
Jose.
- [38:38]
Matt Jones
Jose. Go ahead, Jose.
- [38:42]
Caller
I just want to criticize the variety of offensive plays that Bush Hampden has. I mean we, we have just flick paths sweeping to the left, flick path sweeping to the right, run down the middle. How many passes have we thrown that go in the air for more than 10 yards?
- [39:04]
Matt Jones
Very few. Jesse Palmer, who I think is a really good announcer in addition to hosting the Golden Bachelor, was, without being mean, if you read between the lines, pretty brutal towards Bush Hampden today and rightfully so, in my opinion.
- [39:26]
Caller
Who is more apathetic? The fan store Stoops or Stoops towards the fans?
- [39:31]
Matt Jones
Fans towards Stoops. Stoops cares about the fans. I mean, I appreciate the call. He's. I do not believe him. He said today like, you know, I think he was with, with Tom in the post game. Billy, didn't he say something like I promise you it doesn't bother me when.
- [39:45]
Billy Reed
People did he say something like that Criticism doesn't get.
- [39:48]
Matt Jones
He. He's. That's not true. That's not true. Part of why I've always liked Mark Stoops, you know, Mark's probably not going to be thrilled with me over my comments yesterday and today. And that's unfortunately part of doing this gig. But part of why I Like Mark Stoops a lot is he wears his heart on his sleeve and he cares about what people think. And the thing about caring what people think is when you care what people think, it's harder because it hurts. If you don't care what people. If you have no shame, then it's easy to do pretty much anything. But if you care about what people think, it can be hard. And, like, Cal didn't really care what people thought. Cal cared what some people thought, but I don't think he cared what the general public thought. He cared what specific, like, sports writers or maybe what his fellow coaches thought, but he didn't care about what kind of the general fan thing Stoops does. He can say with Tom, it. I don't hear the criticism. He's not telling the truth. He does. It does bother him. So I think the fan base is more apathetic. Stoops, this is. I'm sure this is eating him up. I have not talked to him since the season started, but I'm. I know it's got to be. Eaten him up. From what I know about him, this is eating him up. And I don't know why he says things like that. I think he thinks that sane. The criticism doesn't bother him, is the right thing to say. But I would just say to him, dude, be honest. It does bother you. And if you say that, people will look at you more like you're a human and you care. You know, One of his biggest strengths early on is that people thought he cared. And now I think people think he doesn't. And why does he want to give that impression? Because I don't even think it's true.
- [41:28]
Billy Reed
The quiet off season didn't help.
- [41:30]
Matt Jones
Yes. Why did he do that? That's not you. I. I feel like he's tried to be someone he's not the last few years, and it's only been to his detriment, in my opinion. Who's next? Jerry? Jerry. Go ahead, Jerry.
- [41:45]
Caller
Hey, Matt, I got a couple quick things. I'll get off. I think we're letting Brad White off. I mean, I heard Jesse Palmer say today three different times, third and seven, our cornerbacks are eight to 10 yards off of their receipt.
- [41:59]
Matt Jones
He did note that.
- [42:00]
Caller
Why ain't we. Okay. I'm sorry.
- [42:03]
Matt Jones
No, no, no.
- [42:03]
Caller
Don't.
- [42:03]
Matt Jones
Don't apologize. You're right. He made that point. He made that point. You're exactly right. Go ahead.
- [42:09]
Caller
And Jesse Palmer, to get up, you got to play bump and run.
- [42:13]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [42:13]
Caller
And it's just like all it was, Matt was like pitch and throw and I like Brad White, but I tell you something else, it just kills me. You bring a freshman, a true freshman off the bench and he looks like your best receiver you got on the team. Yeah, the kid, I think he was out of New Jersey.
- [42:29]
Matt Jones
Yeah, Cameron Miller.
- [42:30]
Caller
We've got kids on there like Gilmore and Law and that bunch. They flat out. Another thing about Gilmore, nothing personal, it just like his effort is just not there. But the kid from New Jersey come in and caught three or four balls and. And God bless his soul, man. But if you can't get open, you know, I mean just play the freshman. That's. I guess that's what I'm trying to say.
- [42:53]
Matt Jones
Yeah, no, I mean he better play more. I mean that kid, like I said, I appreciate the call. I'd never heard of him until today. He better play more. He was the best player we had on offense. You know, I don't like. I think sometimes it can be tough reading people's body language. We sometimes read too much into it. But I don't know, Billy, that picture of Gilmore and Law on the sideline at the end, boy, that didn't look like two dudes that were completely engaged.
- [43:16]
Billy Reed
Yeah, and Jerry's right. I mean Kentucky allowed 12 play, 75 yard drive, the first drive of the game and then followed it up allowing a 13 play, 96 yard drive.
- [43:25]
Matt Jones
Drive. Yeah, those were the Brad White's defense, which I think is generally speaking pretty good. They did not come out of the gate well. Now I do think they played better after that. But yeah, that was. They got dominated at the beginning. I thought after that second drive we were going to lose. It was really 45 to nothing. But then we at least got a little better than that. One more, we'll take a break. Who's next?
- [43:47]
Billy Reed
We got another Jerry on the line.
- [43:48]
Matt Jones
I bet. I thought the last one would be this Jerry. I'm gonna guess this one is. That's Jerry. What's up, Jerry?
- [43:55]
Caller
Hey, Matt. You know, you gave me a hard time about being negative full season. And the reason why is I just didn't see how with the same offensive coaches that couldn't coach all that talent last year, the defense is going to be able to hold the opposite team out enough points that the offenses work points to beat him. And, and that's where we are. And you know, at this point something happens. Like you said, something happened with Stoop was about to kind of pony up, that whole thing changed and he started making some disastrous decisions. And I'm not going to go through all of them.
- [44:27]
Matt Jones
But no, you're, you're, you're right. That is the moment. Just for the record, I, I, Jerry, I give you a hard time a lot, but you are a hundred percent correct. Something happened in the way that he looked at this job and fan base. Somewhere around the pony up, I think we will look back one day and say the fall of the Stoops era started with that fake pun against Missouri. Because if you remember, if you remember.
- [44:58]
Caller
Oh yeah, I remember. I was there.
- [45:00]
Matt Jones
Yeah. And then, and I don't know if that was, was that before pony up or after? I can't remember. It was one of those two games. Either Missouri came before, it was after pony up. Did Georgia come down to Georgia? Did Georgia become Missouri or did Missouri become Georgia? I can't remember.
- [45:15]
Caller
But either way, Missouri was before Georgia down there. And he came back with that Tony up comment.
- [45:21]
Matt Jones
Yes. And I remember being like, and appreciate the call, Jerry. I remember saying, you know, losing to Georgia is not the problem. The problem is we lost to Missouri. That was the problem. And when he said pony up, I remember thinking, dude, this is not what you're like, you're not that guy. Why are you saying this? And something during that period, you're exactly right. I think his whole way he looked at this, this thing and the way he talked and all that, it did change then. And I don't, I honestly don't know why. I honest, I honestly don't. But you're right, that's the moment, that two week period of the fake pun against Missouri. We're up 14 nothing. They do the fake punt and then come back and beat us at home. And then the pony up after the Georgia game. That, that, that was, that was when it changed. 859-280-2287 we will take a break, take a final segment. We return. It's a local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. So a couple things here. You got UCLA leads Penn State 27 to 7. How's that possible? UCLA is awful. Like they were going to go oh and 12 this year.
- [46:37]
Billy Reed
Nico at quarterback too.
- [46:39]
Matt Jones
I mean they literally, well, they fired their coach obviously. I think their coaches. What, desean Foster.
- [46:45]
Billy Reed
Foster, Yeah, I think so.
- [46:47]
Matt Jones
Clearly that was a mistake because they fired him. And at least they're big. Penn State, you can't lose this game if you're Penn State. And you know, with note with the game being over, what are you gonna do tonight with rare Saturday night off for us? What Are you gonna do?
- [47:01]
Billy Reed
Oh, you know, probably pour up a mimosa, watch Florida State, Miami.
- [47:04]
Matt Jones
Okay. Enjoy the Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny? On snl, you're going to do a little Bad Bunny.
- [47:09]
Billy Reed
You know, I gotta. I gotta get into Bad Bunny if he's gonna be the super bowl halftime show.
- [47:12]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I heard everybody got mad about that while I was gone. Why? Why was everybody upset?
- [47:17]
Billy Reed
Well, that's just the. The vocal minority I think you see on social media. I think. I think he'll be fine. He's entertaining.
- [47:23]
Matt Jones
I mean, he's a huge star. Of course, they. I mean, I would say, what next to Taylor Swift, he's price the biggest star in the country. Right? So I got to get the Bad Bunny. I don't know one Bad Bunny song, though. Do you know that's the problem? I really don't. I don't. I mean, that's. That's. That's just me. I mean, I just don't know any of them. I think I've heard him. I will say he's good at wrestling. I'm not lie. The best pop that I've ever seen in wrestling history was when they introduced Bad Bunny to wrestle in Puerto Rico.
- [47:56]
Billy Reed
Oh, he was.
- [47:57]
Matt Jones
I've played that, I think, on the radio on the show before, but go look at it if you've never seen it when he comes out to wrestle in Puerto Rico. I don't know if I've ever heard a louder entrance, and it's kind of awesome. And that song that they sing when he comes out, he better perform that at the super bowl because that's the only one I've ever heard. All right, who's next?
- [48:18]
Billy Reed
TJ is up.
- [48:19]
Matt Jones
Tj. What's up, tj?
- [48:22]
Caller
Hey, Matt, glad you're back. Good to hear your voice again. Hey, listen, I got two points real quick. I got two points real quick. Dane Key, Barry on Brown combined have more receptions this year than the top five Kentucky wide receivers. Yes, it may have been the best interest in their careers, but I don't think it was good for Kentucky. My second point on that point, by the way.
- [48:44]
Matt Jones
And it's not like they've been tearing it up, those two. You know, you're right. But it's not like those guys have been killing it. So it just goes to show how bad we've been. But go ahead.
- [48:54]
Caller
Yeah, exactly. My next point. 2018 team. 2021, we won 10 games. If you look at the coaching staff, there's only three people left, and that's Mark Stoops. That's the defensive coordinator. And that's 80 grand, which I don't know what he does, but I don't think Mark Stoops has continuity anymore. Henshaw left, Summerall left, Vince Morrow left. And we've had seven quarterbacks in the last four years. You can't do that. You cannot win in the SEC with no continuity.
- [49:24]
Matt Jones
Great points, both of them. Appreciate the call. I think both those are really good points. I didn't know that about the staff, but makes sense. They have had a lot of turnover, and I don't think they had as much of that those first few years. So that's a really good point. Eddie Grant is not even really on the coaching staff. He's kind of in an administrative role now. Let's do five more. Who's next?
- [49:50]
Billy Reed
Brian.
- [49:51]
Matt Jones
Brian. Go ahead, Brian.
- [49:54]
Caller
Hey, Matt, Just two quick questions I want your opinion on. First, bigger picture. Why isn't Mitch Barnhart getting more heat for the contract set up with Stoops and the JMI contract?
- [50:05]
Matt Jones
He should get more heat for the jmi. Thing is, I think we're gonna have to see how that plays out. I have my opinions on it, but I think we gotta see what happens. We might look back at it and say it was. It was a progressive thing to do. We might look back at it and say it was a disaster. I don't know. I mean, I think we still. My initial inclination is I don't like it, but I also know there's a ton of unknowns about the future, so I'm not ready to completely crush it yet. I will say he should get more heat about the Stoops and Cal Perry contracts. But to be fair, I try to be fair to people. We didn't really. I criticized the Cal contract a little bit at the time, but not a ton. I really didn't criticize the Stoops contract at all. But I don't think it hit me until I was in South Africa after we lost to South Carolina. And I thought, man, let me think about Stoops, his contract. And it kind of hit me that all those years were basically three years to not make a bowl. And I was like, oh, wait a minute. So I think that was a really bad deal, but I don't know that anybody necessarily processed it in the moment. At least I did.
- [51:11]
Caller
Yeah. It just seems, you know, from a business standpoint, like Caller mentioned earlier, an opportunity cost. He's just kind of put us in a bind. And you look from a bigger picture, you might see a little more heat going on. Barnhart's side. But the second question was, you know, he, he doesn't finish out the season as oc.
- [51:32]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I appreciate the call. I mean, if they're, if, if they were going to make a change at oc, you do it like tomorrow or Monday. I kind of was listening to see if there would be a hint of that, and I didn't hear anything today, so I would. But if you're going to do that, you do it Monday. You got two weeks to install the new guy.
- [51:59]
Billy Reed
You know, he just got two passing touchdowns.
- [52:02]
Caller
Matt.
- [52:03]
Matt Jones
I mean, should you. I, I don't know that it'll. It will help. I mean, I really don't think it'll help. So if it's not going to help, what's the reason to do it? But do I think it would be ridiculous to do it? No, but I don't think they will. I don't think they will. It's just, I mean, have we done, have we ever done that? Can you think of a time mid season like that that Mitch Barnhart's let any coach go mid season? I can't. I don't think that's ever happened. So I would just, I would be very surprised if they, if they did four more. Who's next?
- [52:36]
Billy Reed
Jason.
- [52:37]
Matt Jones
Jason. Go ahead, Jason.
- [52:39]
Caller
Hey, man, thanks for taking my call. First off, this isn't what I call that. Since you referenced the Missouri games, I did want to say I was also at that game with the fake punt. We had, like a bunch of dead ball, like, personal fouls.
- [52:53]
Matt Jones
We did. Yep.
- [52:54]
Caller
And we were, we were, we were complaining about it, and there was a guy that walked up to us and said, hey, you want better football, you got a pony up. So that had to have been before that because I, I specifically remember a guy saying that kind of thing.
- [53:07]
Matt Jones
Oh, you're. Oh, really? You're saying that somebody said that before?
- [53:11]
Caller
Yeah. Huh? Yeah. During the Missouri game. Yeah, during the Missouri game.
- [53:15]
Matt Jones
But I can't remember what the order of that was, whether Georgia was first or Missouri. But I know he said it. I know he said it after the Georgia game.
- [53:23]
Caller
Missouri game. Right, right. Yeah. So what I wanted to get at was so you, you did a really good assessment at the beginning of this show. I won't rehash too much of that, but I did, except for the contract. You talk about the contract and the buyouts. So I did some number compiling, stat compiling earlier this week, and this is going to include today. I'm going to give you his record against the teams that we Play that were in our division in Louisville since we hired, since he was hired at uk. So here we go, Georgia. And you can tell me what you think in relation to the contract numbers, how you would rate that.
- [53:59]
Matt Jones
Okay.
- [54:00]
Caller
Georgia. Oh, okay, so Georgia, Owen 13, Tennessee 2 and 10, Florida 4 and 8, South Carolina 7 and 6, Vanderbilt 8 and 4, Missouri 7 and 4, Louisville 6 and 5, which is a total of 34 and 50. And of course we still play some of those teams this the ones we.
- [54:22]
Matt Jones
Hadn'T played, so it's interesting. So you've got an 84 record against, against, what'd you say it was against Vanderbilt? Eight and four.
- [54:30]
Caller
Yeah, eight and four against Vandy.
- [54:33]
Matt Jones
Okay, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on. Seven and six against South Carolina. What was, what was Missouri?
- [54:38]
Caller
You said seven and four.
- [54:41]
Matt Jones
Okay, so you essentially you've got a winning record against Vandy, South Carolina, Missouri and Louisville, losing record against the rest of them. I do what that tells me and I appreciate you bringing those numbers. Appreciate the call. What that tells me is that for Kentucky football to be Kentucky football and not be to be successful, you really have to sit there and say vandy, South Carolina, Missouri, Louisville, those four, when we're better than them, we're good. And when we are not better than them, we are bad. Seems pretty simple, right? What has happened is Missouri, Vanderbilt and Louisville went and got new coaches, went and got smart coaches, relatively young and they went and they got intellects with good offensive minds. Vandy's might be a defensive mind, but smart, like really intelligent coaches, put them in a different direction, said we're going to do this a different way. And they had a lot of success all three of those schools. And then South Carolina, for all my frustration about Beamer, he has his own thing that sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. But ultimately maybe the success of Mark Stoops is are you better in any given year than South Carolina, Vandy, Missouri and Louisville? Now those teams may change now because we are changing our schedule. So now those teams might be South Carolina, Louisville and then I guess whichever of Vandy, Ole Miss, Arkansas, you draw that year. But really it's just that simple. Are you better than South Carolina, Vandy, Missouri and Louisville? And the reality is you could make a strong argument that you have to go back a long time to find a time. We've been farther behind those four schools than we are right now. Even in the Joker era, at least Vandy stunk. Although they beat us 40 nothing that second year. But they, I don't know if in my lifetime, or at least in my recent lifetime, we've been farther from South Carolina, Vandy, Missouri, Louisville than we are right now. So maybe it's just that. Maybe it's that simple. South Carolina, Vandy, Missouri. Three more. Who's next?
- [57:12]
Billy Reed
By the way, October 7, 2023 was UK losing at Georgia, 51 to 13. October 9 was the pony up comments. And then they lose to Missouri, October 14, 3821.
- [57:23]
Matt Jones
So a week later. Yeah, that was. That was what I thought the chain of events was. We get blown out by Georgia, he makes the pony up comment, and then we follow it up by blowing Missouri. That's. That's it. Because I remember. And that would make sense to the guy saying people were screaming at the game because he had just said it a few days before. There you go, three more. Who's next?
- [57:46]
Billy Reed
Dale.
- [57:47]
Matt Jones
Dale. Go ahead, Dale.
- [57:49]
Caller
Hey, man, I'm glad you made it back safely from you, from your big trip. I know we was all praying for you, that you get back home safe.
- [57:55]
Matt Jones
But thank you very much.
- [57:56]
Caller
You know. Well, no, absolutely. I mean, that's. We traveled internationally. We know what that's all about. But my question for you is. So my family, we're not that well off. They. They made the decision to get season tickets back when Stoops got hired way back in, you know, 2012, 2013. So fired up about that. They've had them ever since, and now they're talking about, well, how are we going to recoup this money? Because I think, I mean, it's only two tickets and like, we kind of pass them around and everything. Like, do you. Kind of asking business advice from you, like, can we make some of that money back from like, Texas and Tennessee and maybe. Maybe even Florida?
- [58:37]
Matt Jones
You know, you won't make it from Florida because they don't travel. You know, I hate to tell you to sell tickets to the other fan base, but if you need to Texas and Tennessee, you probably could. You probably could sell that. Their fan base. I think now Tennessee, those people can drive up day of most Texas people if they're going to come. They probably already planned it, right? So. But yeah, those are two games. Florida, their fan base doesn't travel unless they're really good. And they're not really good.
- [59:07]
Caller
One more thing. I got to give a shout out to Drew because his maroons are seven and. Oh, and we solved this UK football problem in less than a minute last week. Just ask Billy. All right.
- [59:17]
Matt Jones
Appreciate the call. What. What did you do? How'd you solve it. Appreciate the call, Billy.
- [59:23]
Billy Reed
I don't remember, but sure it was a great answer by Drew.
- [59:27]
Matt Jones
Well, he's saying you and you and Drew solved it. You don't remember?
- [59:32]
Billy Reed
No, but I do remember that post game show after the loss to South Carolina and it wasn't really anger, it was just like realization of the situation we're in.
- [59:39]
Matt Jones
Well, I hope you it was only a week ago. So if you had forgotten that.
- [59:43]
Caller
Well, I have.
- [59:43]
Matt Jones
So that might be. Who's next?
- [59:45]
Billy Reed
Isaac.
- [59:46]
Matt Jones
Isaac, two more. Go ahead, Isaac.
- [59:50]
Caller
I think you kind of hit on the point I'm most frustrated about a minute ago. Kentucky doesn't have to be bad at football in this new era. Bandy and Indiana, who are two programs that are, you could say are actually worse than Kentucky historically are having some very good success right now in the, you know, the new Nil era and all that stuff. So I think what's most frustrating to me about being dragged through the mud with Mark Stoops right now is that Kentucky doesn't have to be bad anymore.
- [60:27]
Matt Jones
You know, I don't. I think that's correct. The structural problems that kept you from being good in the old era for Kentucky, one of the big one was we didn't produce any talent here relative to the other SEC schools. If you've listened this show, I said that for 15 straight years. I think that issue matters less today than it has ever mattered because you get guys from the portal and the guys from the portal don't care where they grew up. Right. So you are exactly right. It matters less now than it's ever mattered. So then it comes about money. Well, okay, we don't have the money to pay what Georgia, Alabama and Texas are playing, but we do have probably more money than Vanderbilt, Missouri, Indiana, etc. And so there's no excuse to not be competitive if not title good. And I would use this example and I appreciate the call. In baseball, you can't beat the Dodgers at the Dodgers game. They have too much money. So like if you're the Cincinnati Reds, you're never going to be out able to out star the Dodgers. So if you lose to the Dodgers, you lose to the Dodgers. What are you going to do? But you can be better than the Pirates and the teams that are spending the same amount of money as you or less. That's how the Tampa Bay Rays, Billy's team's been so good over the years, right? You guys have been good. You don't try to out Yankees, the Yankees, you just do your thing and Sometimes it'll work and sometimes it won't. But you're always making the smart decisions. What's frustrating is when you don't have the resources and you make dumb decisions. Right? And I think that's kind of where we've been the last couple years. We both don't have the Georgia talent, but we're also making bad decisions. Vandy's playing Alabama right now. If they lose because Alabama has more talent than so be it. But they can't lose because they beat themselves. And I don't think they will, but I think we do. And that's my biggest problem. One more. Who's next?
- [62:44]
Caller
Kyle?
- [62:44]
Matt Jones
Kyle. Go ahead, Kyle.
- [62:48]
Caller
What's up, Matt? As someone who's known you for 15 years now, my question to you is, are we bringing back section 206 for the.
- [62:58]
Matt Jones
You know, that's a great question because that would be a full circle moment, right, for people who, you know, me and Drew, were you up there during that.
- [63:11]
Caller
That was 2012. I think I was still in college, but I don't think you.
- [63:14]
Matt Jones
If you don't remember, you weren't there. There weren't many of us. For people who don't remember when Vandy was playing Kentucky with Joker Phillips Jokers when we lost 40 to nothing and the stadium was basically empty, Drew and I were sitting in the press box and we saw one kid sitting up in. I GUESS it was 206 and he was sitting by himself in an empty stand by just sitting there and we were like, that's so cool. And we were like, let's go sit with him and Drew. And back then we live blog the games. We walked over, we went up there, sat with him. It was just the three of us. And then we just sort of. I think I tweeted out, hey, if you love UK and you're still here, come sit with us. And all of a sudden, Billy, that section grew more and more and more. Have you ever seen these pictures?
- [64:01]
Caller
The pictures are cool. And.
- [64:02]
Matt Jones
And by the end, there might have been more people in 206 than there were in the rest of the stadium. That was one of my proud KSR moments because we weren't nearly as known back then. We might have to do that again. My last thing. We might have to do that again. Tennessee Tech. But go ahead.
- [64:21]
Caller
My last, my last thing for you to show where apathy gets you because we all know it's setting in. Look just down I 64 west at what Apathy has done. They're playing their 40 playing against a top 25 team at home and there's nobody there. It's their best team in years.
- [64:41]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [64:42]
Caller
Because of the apathy that they got from Scott Stocks and just the way they've handled. And yes, it's the rise of the basketball program coming back there after many years being down there, too. Apathy gets you exactly where that were there at a home game. Top 25 team and there's nobody there.
- [64:57]
Matt Jones
I've been surprised that they have not had. I appreciate the call. More attendance. I've said this. There was a time that going to Louisville home football games was really, really fun, even though I hated them. And they still have not gotten. He's right. They still haven't gotten their attendance back and they're good. And they're playing a top 25 team in the afternoon. And, you know, you know, I mean, there's people there, but it's not what you would think for a team that could go to the playoff, because Louisville could. Depending on how things go today, we'll see. I do want to read one thing before we get out of here. Nick Coffey wrote me. He is in. He is in. Going to Renfro Valley, Billy, to see Aaron Tippett and Sammy Kershaw. That's my kind of concert, by the way. And he says, I stopped at Vendors Barn in Lincoln county for a bathroom break. They've got you blaring down the main aisle. It's the most Kentucky thing I've ever experienced. So to those of you at Vendors Barn in Lincoln county, you're hearing my voice right now. While you're talking to the. While you're seeing the vendors in Lincoln county shout out to you all at Vendors Barn. My people. All right. Thank you, folks very much. Tough loss, but we kind of knew this was coming. Next week. I'm sure we'll talk about more than this. Let's go over some scheduling real quick. Basketball media day is Monday. So we will be at basketball media Day doing the show Monday. I don't know if we'll get to have anybody on or not, but we'll be there at least. And then media day starts at noon, so you'll get a lot about the basketball team. We are at KS Bar Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week if you want to come by and see us. And then Friday, I think we're at Wild Eggs Z that Ryan. That's right.
- [66:37]
Billy Reed
Wild Eggs.
- [66:38]
Matt Jones
Wild Eggs in Lexington. So many chances for you to come out and say hi. And then Big Blue Madness is next Saturday. And I'm kind of pumped for it. I'm not gonna lie for you. Didn't hear Mark Pope said they're gonna wear the denim uniforms at least once and maybe multiple times this season. So the denim, we'll see what's in them. Appreciate you all very much for listening. Enjoy your evening. And I will be on ESPN tomorrow morning and then tomorrow night we will do another cover zero. This has been the local Toyota dealers KSR post game show.