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- [00:01]
Levar Arrington
Hey, what's up guys? It's Levar Arrington here from up on Game. Wanted to talk to you about a serious issue.
- [00:08]
Matt Jones
Hate. You know, something personal that I have.
- [00:12]
Levar Arrington
Experienced and witnessed and watched is how.
- [00:14]
Matt Jones
The hate in our country is getting so out of control. It's at an all time high and.
- [00:20]
Levar Arrington
People are facing way too much hate.
- [00:22]
Matt Jones
A lot of people don't think it's a problem, but I do.
- [00:26]
Levar Arrington
I can recall growing up being in high school. One of my high school teammates, good.
- [00:30]
Matt Jones
Dude too, just happened to wear a shirt that was a derogatory shirt towards my racial group.
- [00:39]
Levar Arrington
It depicted Malcolm X moments after he was assassinated and it just made me feel really, really sad. It made me feel upset and so many other emotions. And it's really because we're supposed to be a team, but it's going to take all of us to stop that sort of hate. As I mentioned, we are a team in this country. So let's take a break from hate so our team can regroup and regain our momentum. We need to take a time out against hate. Visit standuptoallhate.org to help and join me in calling for a time out against hate by following at what's up with.
- [01:20]
Matt Jones
Hate or posting the blue square emoji Black Friday Football on Prime is back.
- [01:27]
Levar Arrington
This week, the Raiders and the Chiefs into the end zone. Unbelievable. Catch an old school rivalry for a new game day. Firing downfield Stream for free only on Prime. Great move. Black Friday football Raiders vs. Chiefs kickoff at 3pm Eastern pregame at 1:30pm Friday only on Prime. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com watch Black Friday football for DJ after investing billions to light up our network, T Mobile is America's largest 5G network. Plus right now you can switch keep your phone and we'll pay it off up to $800. See how you can save on every plan vs Verizon and at&t@t mobile.com Keep and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlocked device credit.
- [02:17]
Matt Jones
Service ported 90 plus days with device ineligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.
- [02:23]
Levar Arrington
This holiday season, surprise everyone on your list with the best gifts. Tickets to see their favorite artists live. Choose from thousands of concerts and comedy shows including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Matt Matthews, Metallica, Thomas Rhett, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Sarah Silverman and so many more. Share a memory together or give a gift they'll never forget. Find the most exciting gift for every fan@livenation.com gifts. That's livenation.com gifts. Odoo is business management made so simple.
- [02:56]
Matt Jones
A kid could explain it. Sometimes business software can't talk to other programs. But Odoo, funny word, has every program from CRM to HR to accounting in one platform. It should cost a lot, but it doesn't. So you should use Odoo because they save you money.
- [03:14]
Levar Arrington
Odoo makes a lot of sense, but doesn't cost a lot of sense.
- [03:18]
Matt Jones
Sign up now@odoo.com that's o d o o.com Good job. Thanks.
- [03:25]
Levar Arrington
Welcome everyone. It is the local Toyota dealers KSR Post game Show the Cats get embarrassed today against Louisville in a rivalry game in Lexington, 41 to 14. You can give us a shout. Billy, hold the phones. We'll open them right after this first segment. I guess the way to talk about this is kind of three parts. I mean, we'll start talk a little bit about the game and then I want to sort of talk about state of the program and then I think we need to talk about what Mark Stoops said after the game. So let's start with the game. The game was a disaster. It was clear from the opening that Kentucky wasn't ready to play and Louisville was significantly better. It was 20 to nothing at halftime, but honestly, it could have been 40 to nothing. Louisville twice had drive stymied right at the end. They made a turnover. I mean, Louisville should have been ahead even more than they were in the second half. Kentucky got a glimmer of hope when they scored the touchdown to make it 20 to 7. Defense got to stop. You had a moment where Kentucky could get back in the game and then Wilcox had his second fumble. Five turnovers during the game. Obviously you're not going to win with five turnovers. Stoops talked a lot about the five turnovers after kind of being the key. But to me, the five turnovers took a game where we were still going to lose and just made it to where we got blown out. Louisville was better. And for a person, if you have watched these games over the years, it's always been interesting to me with the Louisville games because the Louisville is the one team we play that because they're in another conference. It's a good gauge kind of where we are. So there have been years where we're in the bottom half of the SEC but still beat Louisville, a team that's usually in the top half of the acc, and you go, okay, well that goes to show you, not this year. I mean, if you start with, you know, the year we beat Lamar, we lost the next year, but really start with that year and go on. You can see the decline of the Kentucky football program based on these Louisville games. I mean, we have. We went from three or four years when they were really good playing them neck and neck, winning some, losing some, to four or five years where we dominated to now where we're getting dominated. And I would argue this Louisville team is not as good as the Lamar era Louisville teams. And while better than the last few, I think they were just as talented, if not better last year. And we beat them handily last year and they beat us handily this year. So that's where we are. It was a disaster. And to Louisville, first time they've won in six years. Congrats to them. They deserve it. And they stopped us on our home field. So that's part one. Terrible performance all the way around. And a fan base, by the way, that still, while it didn't fill it up, still showed up. But that's eight straight home losses against power four teams. Eight straight home losses. You can never complain about the Kentucky fans when they've had to go eight times to big games and watch eight straight losses. All right, second part, stay the program. Let's assume that Mark Stoops had made no comments after the game. Let's assume we had no idea what the future of the program was because I thought that might be the case. And I was going to sit here and say this. There has been a massive decline in the program, not just on the field, because I could make the argument that if you go 4 and 8 after the last seven or eight years, you say, you know what? That, that happens, right? Like, he gets a year. He gets a year. Everybody has a bad year. I could make that claim and I think I would feel good about it. The SEC is good this year. He gets a year. My problem, though, goes beyond the fact that they went 4 and 8. My problem goes to some more culture parts around the program. We didn't just go for an A. We had games where we were not competitive. We were not competitive against South Carolina, we were not competitive against Florida. We were not competitive really in terms of trying to win the game against Texas. And then we were not competitive. Today we lost to Vanderbilt at home for the second time in a row. Like, I mean, those are not just losses. Those are the program is not doing what it should do losses. But then you go and win at Ole Miss and you play Georgia to one point, which says to me, you had the potential to be good. Which gets to part two, which is the culture around Kentucky football is broken right now. It just is the culture, which was probably the best selling point for Mark Stubbs. If you were. If you were trying to say, why is Mark Stoops doing such a good job at Kentucky? You would point to the culture. You point to his ability to play tough in the trenches. You heard the announcer today say, I'm shocked to watch Kentucky, I think, get whooped on the line of scrimmage. That didn't used to happen. And it's a culture problem. And the culture problem is extending way beyond just what we're seeing on the field. There has been a downgrade in what the staff has allowed from players, from just interactions in terms of coaches, interactions with the administration. There has been a massive drop, in my opinion, in the culture of a program that I thought was a model for how you run a program. In the last two years, I think it's taken a massive dip. The players have kind of been allowed to do whatever they want. And that has caused discipline issues that you see on the field. Not discipline issues where guys are getting in trouble. Like, we're not hearing the dudes getting arrested or anything like that, but just in terms of work ethic. Ask anyone around UK football. They'll tell you the guys don't work like they. A lot of them don't work like they used to. They'll tell you that guys are allowed to kind of do whatever they want. And a culture and a discipline that was there for a long time just is not there. And you can blame sort of nil and all that, but other programs are finding a way to make it work. I think starting at the top. Mark Stoops has let. Has let the reins slip. He has let the things he was the best at, which was allowing a program where players felt free, but also would still show up and do what they were supposed to. That's been gone the last two years. And all you got to do is ask anybody around the pro. They all tell you that. Ask players, ask coaches, ask administrators. They'll tell you that. And Mark's reaction to that has too often been to basically blame resources. And I will tell you, I have almost zero sympathy for the resources argument. You know, earlier this year, Mark had a very. What I think was a whiny comment where he said, I've had to do this all by myself. I felt alone, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. To whatever extent that's true, that was the whiniest thing I've heard a coach say, a person who preaches personal responsibility to sort of say that was ridiculous. Now, Kentucky doesn't have the resources necessarily that other programs do, but they have more resources than they've ever had. And my bottom line is there's more talent on this roster than there's been in four or five years. Maybe not than there was the Josh Allen year, but there's a lot. I mean, the year we had like seven guys get drafted, there may not be more talent on this group than that one, but there's more than there were the last couple years and you've blown it. And you can't talk about resources. When you gave your highest nil payments ever in the last year. You just picked the wrong gu. And that's on you. And that's on the people that pick the guys. You got the wrong guys. You just did. Now, he acknowledges that after the game, but like when he was whining about resources earlier in the year. That's on you. That's on you. And I think Mitch Barnhart was slow to embrace nil. I think that's a fair critique. I've made that critique many times. But you know what? Now things are different. You know, basketball has zero problems with it. And to the extent football has it, you got to look in the mirror. You got to look in the mirror and say, would you give a lot of money to what we just saw? You know, some of you guys out there are. I've done ads for, and I'm sure I'll continue to do ads for nil funds for football. And some of you got folks give hard earned $20 a month or whatever. And that's not easy for people. And you've done it. It's hard to put, like, do you. Does that feel deserved after what's happened? I mean, I get it. I get why people are frustrated. You know, the football fan base is different than the basketball fan base in a working class person in Kentucky can afford football season tickets. So you get a different set of people there. But it also means like, it's not just all blue blood rich people there. It's people who, like, they have to sacrifice to go and you gotta give it back to them. And when I hear somebody making $9 million a year whine about it's hard, I just, I roll my eyes more than I can say. I did the same thing with Cal Perry. Do not tell me you're making $9 million. And it's hard. It's supposed to be hard. It's supposed to Be hard. And you failed this year. So in terms of a state of a program, if I'd heard Stoop say nothing afterwards, I'd say. And I've said in the last few weeks, mark, you need to look in the mirror and say, am I ready to do this? You need to look in the mirror and say, I've screwed this up. Not resources, not players, not you. You're in charge. When things slip, it's on you. You've let it slip, and you have to say, do I want to spend the next few years building it? Because as I've talked about, and I won't go into it Today, the next two years are going to be the most important two years in the. In college football in 25 years, probably since games started, all being on television. I think there are, like, these moments in college athletics where things changed, going back to, you know, the nationalization of the sport, to integration, to major conferences, to major television deals. And now I think this is the next one, which is the professionalization of the sport. And at different times, every time, different programs have stepped to the lead and others have retreated. And so the question becomes, now that we're entering, you know, change five, Mark, are you ready to be a part of that or not? And if the end, and the answer is yes, okay. But you gotta know what you're getting into. And you can't say like, oh, I don't like this anymore. This is what it is. Which gets me to number three, which is Mark's comments. Now I'm gonna play you. He said a lot today. You know, he said Qatar will be back, that Qatar is the future. He said that he wants. There's gonna be a lot of turnover in terms of the roster. He, I think, hinted maybe some turnovers in coaching. That I may be reading something into that, but I kind of read a little bit into that. But I think the most important comment is to comment about his future. And I've gotten Billy to pull the clip. This is. He talked about it to the media, but I thought wasn't as direct as he was with Tom Leach. So here I'm going to play the entirety of what he said because I think it needs all the context. This is Mark when. I don't think he was asked about it. Well, we'll just play. This is. This is Mark Stoops. Have a lot of those player conversations already happened, or do they happen tomorrow or the next day?
- [16:25]
Matt Jones
You know, they will happen in the next couple days. The staff we're getting, we already had plans all week to be in tomorrow to get ourselves exactly on the plan that we want, you know, and there's going to be players that, you know, we asked to go somewhere else and go play somewhere else. And there's going to be guys that we asked to come back. There's going to be, you know, new, you know, incoming freshmen, there's going to be incoming portal, and there's probably going to be some surprises, let's be honest. And there's going to be a surprise. And you know, again, we won't flinch. It's not like we're going to like it or anything if you lose somebody you don't want to. But it's not the end all be all. It's like, you know, there's ways to replace, you know, everybody. And you know, I don't want to say that about me right now because everybody will jump on that bandwagon, tell me, replace me. Everybody wants to replace me right now, but I'm not going anywhere. My butt is going to work tomorrow and I'm going to try and I'm going to be motivated as hell to get, get this thing fixed and get better. So anybody that's wishful thinking that I'm not going to be tomorrow has got the wrong wish because my butt will be in my office. And we will, I can promise you we will attack this off season. And there's nothing fun or lighthearted about it. But I know, you know, if you can't laugh at yourself for a moment, you know what I mean, Then heck, you know, I know, I know it's. I know it hurts. You know, I said it in my press conference. I so appreciate the fan base. They've been there every game, even through today. It's been disappointing. I accept that responsibility. I'm sorry I disappointed them and let them down in many ways. But we've had a lot of great moments and I could promise you I'm pretty optimistic that we're going to get back to that.
- [18:12]
Levar Arrington
All right, so very definitive. I'm coming back. I want to come back. Even sort of says it's wishful think for those of you that wishful thinking that I wouldn't, you're going to be disappointed. It was a very Mark Stoops esque quote. Some of it I actually think was is positive. He does in that accept responsibility, but he also is defiant in the you want me gone, I'm not going anywhere. And I think Mark, again, unlike Cal, he understands that there's a large part of the fan base that doesn't like doesn't want him here. I won't say doesn't like him but doesn't want him here anymore. He acknowledges that, but he's also defiant in it and says I'm going to be here and I expect him to be here. But for me, when I hear that quote, you know, I don't know, I'm not inspired for excitement. I think arguing he should be fired is now a waste of a conversation because he's. I don't think he will. He's not going to be fired and he's not going to resign, at least according to him. But I also think it's a little ridiculous to say it's light hearted people with wishful thinking. Let's be real. Mark considered and maybe seriously tried to leave here last year. I think things in the last moments, I think maybe he had second thoughts. A and M had second thoughts. But regardless it's clear he seriously entertained the notion of leaving here and if he had, we would have all just had to accept it, right? Well then you just got to get over that. Fans are going to seriously entertain the notion of, of changing from you because you did the same thing last year and you should have. But it's also understandable that fans are like, you know, I just don't feel it. So I'm left with this, which is Mark Stoop is going to be the coach next year and I think that's almost certain. I don't think we're going to have a situation like Arkansas that came and got cash. I don't think there's going to be a program come and get Mark. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I don't think that's going to happen. It's hard for me to feel excited by it. I don't think he. I'm not. I don't think he said the wrong thing. I think he said fine things. But I worry. I worry about the culture. I'm glad he says it needs to change, but he needs to understand that he is why it didn't work. He allowed a changing. He started replacing. He started making the staff his buddies and not just the best of the best. And that's all got to change. We have I think at most positions, not all, but at most positions a below average coach. I think we have an above average defensive coordinator. I don't really know what to think of Bush Hampden, but sort of like I don't really know what to think about Vandegrift. I'm not sure any of it really mattered. That offensive line was so terrible and if that coach is back then I don't really know how he's serious about making changes because that, that was a disaster. But when it comes to decision making on who you get there are they were below average across the board at most coaching positions and most player positions. So I don't feel a sense of excitement about the future. I just don't hope it works out. I think we, I think he's going to be the coach no matter what. I'm going to be interested to see. He says there's a plan for resources. Well, there is a plan long term which is this 22 million dollar settlement but that's not going to be in place next year. So are there resources for next year? Are they going to be able to raise the money to go get players in the portal? I don't know. He knew he would know better than me. Maybe they, maybe he will. How many of these dudes are going to leave? Is this going to be an attractive place for people in the portal? And then what if Brad White goes? Vince Mero's had many opportunities. What if he goes? You know, he talked a lot about continuity on the offensive side but I kind of wonder was there an implication Brad might go do his own thing? Well, you tell if you were to say to me that we get Mark back without Brad White and maybe without Vince or without pick a couple other people all of a sudden what are we doing? So I'm, I'm nervous about it. I don't think discussing though should he be fired. I just think like it's been decided. It's. I have the feeling like I did when Mitch and Cal did that TV interview. And I remember I was eating at Skyline when I saw the interview and I said, well Cal's going to be here. So whining about him being here is really not productive anymore. He's here. Well, of course that ended up changing. Stoops is here. He's the coach. And now the question is what's this program going to look like in four weeks? And I just say buckle up because I don't know. I don't know what players are going to be here. I don't know what coaches are going to be here. Signing day is Friday. Their star running back is Viston, Missouri today that's already committed to Kentucky. Will we lose him? Like we have the 23rd ranked recruiting class. Will you be able to keep it? Can you bring in an offensive line? I'm going to assume Dion Walker Barry and Brown, Dane Key are gone. I don't even know what Brock Vandergrift's future is. I don't think it's at Kentucky, but I not certain he's even going to continue playing football. Who knows? There's just a lot, a lot ahead and Mark Supes is going to be the coach. But beyond that, who knows? 859-280-2287 we're going to open up the phones. That was longer than I meant to go, but there's a lot to say. We will take your calls. We leave tomorrow for our trip. Just so you know, I'm going to go ahead and prepare you on the trip. We'll give you all football news, but I'm not spending a week on one of my favorite things to do of the year being upset. We're going to be enjoying it and talking about basketball. So get all the upset out today because I do think we have the right for people to be angry. Let's take a break. 859-280-2287 right back. It is the local Toy Dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show text machine lighting up at this point, including people saying, billy, buckle up, put your phone down. Which I totally agree with that that song, buckle up and put your phone down.
- [25:35]
Matt Jones
It's an oldie but a goodie.
- [25:36]
Levar Arrington
It remains, remains good. One person writes, Matt, we just gave up 41 and you want to keep Brad White. That's your decision, but it's certainly not mine. Here's what I would say about Brad White. I'd say this about Brad White and I say this about Vince Merrill. If you don't believe those dudes are good coaches, watch them leave and see how quick a major program picks them up. They both would get like, brad White leaves here, he'll have a job quick. Vince Merrill leaves here, he'll have a job quick. Is that true of everybody else on staff? I don't know. I mean, I know it's true of those two and there may be one or two others, the what's his name, Buffano. He may be one. I'm not sure. But I know those two will. So when I say, look, was this a great year for the defense? No, but it was a lot better for the defense than it was the offense. And the defense dealt with tons of injuries throughout the year and found a way to keep going, you know. Yes, I would take Brad White back and I and like I said, you don't believe me, let him go somewhere else and see what happens. Would not shock me at all. They just announced Gus Balzon will be the offensive coordinator at Florida State. Would not shock me. If you hear that Brad White will be the defense coordinator at Florida State. That's not inside knowledge. It's just a guess, but, you know, so yes, I would. Those two dudes. Those two dudes are dudes. I'm pretty rock solid on everybody else. I have some folks I think need to be replaced and then the others I don't really know enough. But I do know standards have slipped at a lot of positions. Who's up first?
- [27:27]
Matt Jones
Cody.
- [27:28]
Levar Arrington
Cody, how are you, Cody?
- [27:31]
Matt Jones
I'm doing well, Matt. Well, my wonder is with Stubbs is no matter who our offensive coordinator is, whether it's Brown, Grand, Cohen, Hamden, it seems that our offense always runs into the same issue. And I think till Stubbs reflects and improves on that, it doesn't matter what coaches or what players we have because whenever he tries to run outside own scheme offense and then wants to run power with those players, it doesn't work for what they try to do. So I'll hang up and listen.
- [28:04]
Levar Arrington
Yeah, well, that's my, I mean, that's my. That's kind of my view when you're trying to grade Hamden. All right, Do I think Hamden's a great offensive coordinator? I can't say that. But do I think he's awful? I can't say that either for two reasons. One, we can't keep blaming the offensive coordinators to watch them go somewhere else and see them have success. Right. We just, we can't keep doing that. At some point, Liam Cohen might be the next head coach of the Chicago Bears. They may literally give him the number one quarterback rookie in the, in the league at the draft pick and then we're going to sit here and act like he couldn't do it here, you know, So I can't say that. Plus, to be fair to Bush, Liam brought in Brock and Brock is not the quarterback for the scheme that Bush has. So that, that kind of is what it is. So maybe we bring him back and it doesn't work. Here's the way I'd put. If Mark Stoopzz comes back and the offense is as bad this year as it was last year, he won't be the head coach here and Bush won't have the job. So like if he, he's going to be putting his, his career in Bush's hands. But I also think you can't have like six different offensive coordinators in six years and think things are going to be good. I just don't think you can. Who's next?
- [29:24]
Matt Jones
Rocco.
- [29:25]
Levar Arrington
Rocco. What's up, Rocco?
- [29:28]
Matt Jones
Hey, I'm all right. How you doing, man? First time caller also.
- [29:31]
Levar Arrington
So who are you?
- [29:33]
Matt Jones
All right, thank you. I was saying, like I heard Stoop say he just didn't really matter who the quarterback was this year since they were under distress all time always. So it didn't matter who he put back there. So it made sense. Like why he knows he's got to make a change in offense of line coach or somewhere else he has to.
- [29:55]
Levar Arrington
Change the offensive line coach. And I know it's his buddy.
- [29:58]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [29:58]
Levar Arrington
And I get that. But like, you can't justify that offensive line. And I kind of agree with him. Like Brock may just not be the guy, but how could we know everybody got the crap beat out of them? Like, how would you even know?
- [30:15]
Matt Jones
You're right. Yeah. It seems like though in the, in the Porter, these other teams have gotten a quarterback, maybe not whatever. Like Fanny got one, Georgia Tech got one. Or like it seemed like these guys have done good, you know, whatever.
- [30:30]
Levar Arrington
Well, but Devin Leary, Think about this, sir. Devin Leary is in the NFL.
- [30:34]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [30:34]
Levar Arrington
Devin Leary is on an NFL roster. Right. Brock Vandergrift, maybe he was a bus, but like he almost won the job at Georgia. He was a five star recruit. Cutter Bowley played a half and got knocked out tonight. I mean, there comes a point, like at some point, maybe it's not them, it's the offensive line.
- [30:54]
Matt Jones
Maybe it's not. You're right. You're right. That's what I'm saying. I was at the game and it was like the first series, great fumble, whatever, but then it's like he just quits. Like it was like all of a sudden first down run, first down run, first down run. It's like he quit. Like they just gave up on whatever. Like he just didn't have enough time to do anything. So it's like they couldn't mix it up. Couldn't, you know, couldn't do anything. Seemed like. So it's like it was a lost cause. I don't. I was there. So it was like it was, it was cold, but other than that it was.
- [31:23]
Levar Arrington
I mean, it was very cold. And if you were there, by the way, you do want Stoops. Okay, so you're. Are you good? Are you happy here in the news? Are you okay?
- [31:32]
Matt Jones
I did like what he said in there. I like that he Said I'm, I'm burning, I'm fire. I want to get back to work. I agree with. I love that. I mean, I mean, I think Stoops has done things at our school we ain't never seen. I mean, you've said it many times. Like no one's won games. Like he's won here. And it's never had. You know, SEC is hard. I mean, it's very, very hard. It's just like next year we could be that South Carolina maybe. Like, like Sup said, that was a good point. Like they was in a bowl last year and then this year they won nine games.
- [32:02]
Levar Arrington
They did. No, you're right. And I, I appreciate the call. I think what you said is a good case for it. Here's what I would argue. Here's my only question. It's not often that you see a coach have a lot of success. Hit, hit a down, hit a valley, and then bounce back up to where he was. I'm not gonna say it never happens, but it doesn't happen a lot. Usually you hit the valley at the beginning and then you build it up. So he acknowledged failure and I appreciate that. Like he, I'm glad he did that. But it's weird that, like, will he actually change or will he just say we screwed that up, you know, we got the wrong players, but now we'll get the right players. And I'm still going to do everything the same way. And it's going to work because if he does that, he's going to fail. But if he sits back and goes, okay, this was handled poorly recently, let's start over, then maybe that can be successful. You don't see a lot of people who are very successful in life do that self examination. But if he does, maybe. I hope it works out. Who's next?
- [33:20]
Matt Jones
Ryan is next.
- [33:22]
Levar Arrington
Ryan, go ahead. Ryan.
- [33:24]
Matt Jones
How you doing? Matt? Roy. I said I've been following Kentucky sports. I'm 71 years old. I see the same old thing. I'm tired of hearing that stuff. I'm going to work. He does the same thing. He's had what, five or six offensive coordinators. He handcuffs him and won't let them do their job. And I'm tired of it. I'm sick of it. They need to find another coach. I don't know how they're going to do it, Matt, but you're the only guy that stepped up. Said they got that in at NIL going Mitch Barnhardt, he didn't want to do it now, but Sparn Art Made a couple good hires. You know, Coach Pope, I acknowledge I was wrong about Coach Pope and Coach Brooks, the women's coach, he needs to go. They need a sense of Coach Sharman or whatever his name was when she's left these, they went downhill. And you're right. Everything you said, you've been right about Coach Cal. I stood up for him. I liked him. He treated me good. I never met him in person, but he always treated me good. I met all you guys. You know me. Oh, man. Whiteheaded guy. You know me. And I've been calling your show for years. You're right. And he needs to go. Mitch Barnhart. Or if you don't want to get rid of him, Coach Dutch need to step up and retire or go someplace else. That's all I got to say. Thanks for taking my call.
- [34:43]
Levar Arrington
Appreciate the call I you mentioned with Pope and Brooks. All right, so Pope and Brooks were two new hires who? Boy, they look good so far. And they both have said, all right, this is a new era. This is an nil era. This is analytic era. I'm taking it head on, and I'm embracing it. And here we go. And it's worked out so far. It's early in both of their tenures, but they're both undefeated. Basketball is probably going to be number four. Women's basketball is going to be in the top 10 next week. Mark Stoops has got to reinvent himself to approach things like Pope and Brooks are approaching. That's just a fact. Because the way he did things seven or eight years ago, you can't do it anymore. You can't do it anymore. And the offensive line is huge. As somebody pointed out to me a few minutes ago, they haven't had one successful offensive line recruit, like, really successful in three or four years. Not one, like, really successful. And that's on the heels of when Charmin was a coach, having what, we put, like, six in the NFL in four years. We put more in the NFL in four years than we had in our entire history prior. And now since then, it's fallen off a cliff. Who's next?
- [36:11]
Matt Jones
Andrew.
- [36:12]
Levar Arrington
Andrew. 859-280-2287. Go ahead.
- [36:16]
Matt Jones
So for me, there's a turning point in the season was at halftime of the Tennessee game. I don't know if people also listen to this, but. So when Susan was getting an interview, when he walked off the field, he made a couple points to talk about how we were banged up. We were winning the game at Tennessee. Tennessee had missed two field goals and they had that end of the half debacle, and they also fumbled at midfield. And he brought up us being banged up. For me, as someone who aspires to work in football one day, that is a loser's mentality to be talking about how we're banged up. We were winning the game at Tennessee, and he's talking about our injury. Nobody feels sorry for you. You play in the sec. Nobody takes him to the. Wow, Kentucky's banged up. I feel sorry for Mark Stoops. Nobody says that.
- [37:01]
Levar Arrington
Yeah, no, I listen. I appreciate the call. It's weird. Mark Stoops has two qualities that are kind of in opposition to each other. He does take responsibility, but then he also makes excuses. I mean, how many times have we heard him say something to the effect of, you can't make excuses. I take responsibility, but. And then, Billy, what happens?
- [37:28]
Matt Jones
But I don't apologize, but excuse.
- [37:30]
Levar Arrington
It's like you. It's. But I don't apologize.
- [37:32]
Matt Jones
That's right.
- [37:32]
Levar Arrington
I mean, I've heard him over the years say in some form, it's my responsibility. He says that. I give him credit for that. He says it all the time. But do. To do, to do, to do, to do. That's a. That is. That's Mark's thing. And those two things kind of hit on each other. Like, is it your responsibility or is it this other thing's fault? You know, it is what it is. Conference is hard, but you went one in seven. Conference is very difficult, but we came in 15th out of 16 teams, so it's got to be better than that. Billy, let me ask you, because I did. I did all the talking. Where are you on all this?
- [38:12]
Matt Jones
It frustrating. I mean, it's extremely frustrating. There's no doubt about it. I mean, I don't think you can throw away the past two, seven and six seasons as well. And. And you kind of saved your season last year by beating Louisville, so, I mean, it hasn't lived up to standard, but, you know, we get all really mean around this time of the year. We say a lot of things that I think we might regret looking back many months down the line. I mean, Stoop's done a lot for this program.
- [38:36]
Levar Arrington
Like. What do you mean?
- [38:37]
Matt Jones
Just like people on online and things like that. Just. Just being really, really mean and forgetting probably the first 10 years of the Stoops era here at Kentucky. But I agree with that. What have you done for me lately? And even though there were good times.
- [38:52]
Levar Arrington
I agree with that. People are. People can be very mean, and they do Forget. He's done a million good things for this school and has been arguably the most successful coach since Bear Bryant. But does it matter if the game. If the sport is completely different than it was three years ago now?
- [39:11]
Matt Jones
Probably not. And that's probably the biggest sticking point in.
- [39:14]
Levar Arrington
I mean, at the end of the day like that, at the end of the day, this is not the same sport it was three or four years ago.
- [39:20]
Matt Jones
Yeah. And he's got to show the ability to change a little bit.
- [39:23]
Levar Arrington
Indiana, going from what was a 5 and 7 to 11 and one in one year like that couldn't have happened 10 years ago, but it can happen now. And you have to, like, judge it based on that now because it's a different world. So who's next?
- [39:42]
Matt Jones
Chip is next.
- [39:43]
Levar Arrington
Chip. Go ahead, Chip.
- [39:46]
Matt Jones
Hey, what's going on, Matt? I just want to get a shout out to Billy. I respect that to you sometimes, not apologizing, sometimes you got to stand by what you do. I appreciate that. Damn right. Chip, I just wanted to say.
- [39:58]
Levar Arrington
All right, that's enough of that.
- [40:00]
Matt Jones
I just wanted to say I was listening to Saban and Sark before on College Game Today. Talk about the keys to the game. I agree with you, Matt. We need to move on. You know, Stoops is going to be there next year. We got to embrace it, but we got to look at what. What actions will he take this off season that will make us think, all right, yeah, we're on the right track or. All right, no, he's. He. He needs to hang him up.
- [40:26]
Levar Arrington
I don't know.
- [40:27]
Matt Jones
It's got to be. It's got to be O line. Top down has got to be redone. I mean, yeah, yeah, your quarterbacks are in duress, but what are you going to do to fix it? Like, you know, from the top down, the O line has got to come back because, I mean, the big blue wall, I mean, that's what we're known for, you know, and up front on both sides of the ball. I think we're going to have a hard time rebuilding that. And then I absolutely agree with you. Brad White is an amazing, amazing defensive coach. And, I mean. But it's hard for our defense with what little depth we have to play when, you know, you get offenses that can't come out and, you know, run.
- [41:08]
Levar Arrington
More than 13 and out. You know, you're exactly. We put them on the field a lot. We put them on the field a lot. You're exactly right. I appreciate the call. I think that's a really good point. You know, you can't. You can't. I mean, we had. When you. When you say, well, you gave up 41 points. We did. And I think the defense kind of quit in the second half. But we also had five turnovers. You know, at some point when you have five turnovers, how many times you gonna ask the defense to bail you out? Like, you only have so many choices. Chances at that. So. 859-280-2287. Let's take a break. I have a lot of you saying, talking to me about a video of a player being in the concession line.
- [41:51]
Matt Jones
Yes, all that.
- [41:53]
Levar Arrington
I hope that's not true. That would be. But it's part of what I'm saying. And at the end of the day, the culture around the program to me is a bigger issue than even the offensive line because you can replace offensive linemen. You cannot replace a culture. Culture is a hard thing to build and it's an easy thing to ruin. You can take a lifetime to build up a culture and you can ruin it with one really bad day. And that's what I worry about, honestly, going forward. 859-280-2287. We'll take a break. Be right back. It's the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. 859-280-2287. I want to thank all the Louisville folks that are listening, Billy, who are writing me saying we. You beat us 38. 31. We beat you 41, 14. You are right about that. I was thinking of two years ago. So you're correct. My bad. I was thinking of the number of years we kind of ran all over here. But you're right. Last year's game was closer, I believe. Didn't. Louisville had. Louisville had a big lead and we came back. Is that what happened last year?
- [43:08]
Matt Jones
I believe so. That was the.
- [43:10]
Levar Arrington
That's right.
- [43:11]
Matt Jones
Ray Davis.
- [43:12]
Levar Arrington
Or did we have a big lead and then they came back? I can't remember. Either way, you're right. Got the score wrong. Wish I could be as perfect as you all. Never make a mistake. I like the people. A lot of people play the video I have, Billy, where I said we could go nine and three, which was not. Obviously didn't end up happening.
- [43:33]
Matt Jones
You work in the hype business.
- [43:34]
Levar Arrington
You know what? Here's the thing, Billy, though, about that video. I take responsibility, but I do not apologize.
- [43:39]
Matt Jones
Hold on.
- [43:40]
Levar Arrington
No, I'm just kidding. Like.
- [43:42]
Matt Jones
Well, I mean, you know, very good.
- [43:45]
Levar Arrington
South Carolina went 9 and 3. Like it was there to do. We just didn't do it, but it was there to do. South Carolina, you know how last year we said Missouri had the season we wanted to have?
- [43:56]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [43:56]
Levar Arrington
South Carolina had the season we wanted to have this year. To their credit. I mean, they went and had the season we hoped to have. So. So that video. I mean, people take that out of context, that video. I was saying, I don't think we'll do this, but nevertheless, they leave that part out. But I take responsibility, Billy, But I do not.
- [44:18]
Matt Jones
But I do not apologize.
- [44:19]
Levar Arrington
Who's up next?
- [44:20]
Matt Jones
Chris is next. Chris.
- [44:22]
Levar Arrington
What's up, Chris?
- [44:25]
Matt Jones
Hey, Matt. Just think about when Coach Pope came on board. He would talk about entitlement versus gratitude, and I think Coach Dukes needs to listen to that and take that to heart. The other thing I'll say is when we talk about culture of a program, when we talk about these things, and life's not easy, but disorder in a man's life can impact a lot of areas. And I just think we got to right the ship. And it's been a tough season.
- [44:54]
Levar Arrington
It's been a very tough season. And you're right. I mean, that's exactly right. And the entitlement versus gratitude, I think, is a good. Are you suggesting, sir, with that when it comes to Stoops or when it comes to the fans?
- [45:08]
Matt Jones
Stoops.
- [45:10]
Levar Arrington
I agree with you. I agree with that. I mean, I think there has been a sense of, you know, when. I will say I didn't feel this about his quotes today, but his quotes earlier in the year, there was a lot of entitlement, I think, in what. What he said. Right. And. And.
- [45:25]
Matt Jones
Yeah, but I always hated Pony Up. I always hated Pony Up.
- [45:28]
Levar Arrington
I always hated it. I did, too. And I hate that I'm out here on an island. I'm. I hated that. And I'll even say today, even though 90. I don't want to pick on him because 80 to 90% of what he said I thought was good. But then he also threw in there. I've done stuff nobody else here has. Like, we know. You don't need to tell us. I know that, but we. But there's. Let me put it like this. I love Mark, but there's a lot of people that could go four and eight here. You know, we could. There's a lot of guys who could go 4 and 8. We've had a lot of them, so appreciate the call. Now, I don't think there's many guys who could go 10 and three. There's a lot of dudes who can go four and eight. So let's get back to where we're competing for those 10 and threes. But the four and eight, you know, I don't know that that's the time to talk about all that we've done. It's sort of like, remember when we were talking about Cal? I would say Anyone who argues 2010 to 2020, Cal was not good is a goober. He was amazing. But the question is, going forward, anybody who argues that the run Stoops had from really year three to about year ten wasn't great, I think they don't understand Kentucky football. But the question is, what's next year going to be like? You know, Kodak was once a great company. Question is, what do you do now? That's the question for me going forward. Who's next?
- [47:01]
Matt Jones
Jerry.
- [47:02]
Levar Arrington
Jerry. Go ahead, Jerry.
- [47:05]
Matt Jones
All right. Thanks for taking my call, man. I'm gonna make this short tweet. I'm gonna say something's probably gonna piss a lot of people off of Big Blue Nation. I would never be so glad to see Dionne Walker and Brian Brown to get out of our program. And they have absolutely quit on this team. Walker has went from a first round. He'll be lucky to get in the second round. And another thing is our offense coordinator, Stoops cannot bring him back. Matt. I mean, I hate.
- [47:33]
Levar Arrington
At the end of the day, why do you. Do you blame.
- [47:37]
Matt Jones
I'm sorry, go ahead.
- [47:38]
Levar Arrington
Do you blame the offensive coordinator for how bad the offensive line is? I mean, he didn't recruit to players. By the time he got here, they were already selected. Like, do you blame him for it?
- [47:49]
Matt Jones
No, I don't. I don't blame him. I'm. I'm not a big fan of the offensive line coach that they got from. That came here from Alabama. But what I'm saying is I was at the South Carolina game early in the season and I sat there and I watched. It's a lot easier to watch it live than it is on tv. And I sat there and watched Byron Brown and Deion Walker not just take play after play after play. And Brown. All he wants you to do, Matt, is run and cry and complain that he's not getting the ball. Well, first of all, brother, you need to try to work a little bit harder getting open. You're a world class sprinter, but all you want to do is just stop and start pointing fingers. And he did it today.
- [48:26]
Levar Arrington
Twice.
- [48:27]
Matt Jones
Two different times.
- [48:28]
Levar Arrington
Yeah. No, I mean, well, you don't have to. Neither one of those guys. Neither one of those guys are going to be here. Yeah. Neither one of those guys going to be here next year. I mean, you're right. I mean, Dion, you're probably right.
- [48:40]
Matt Jones
But I'm just saying that just. I'm just like everybody. I cannot stand the thought of us getting smacked down against Louisville like we did today. And at the end of the day, we just didn't. I just don't think the effort was. I think when the kid got the ball ripped out of his hand, I think that took the air right out of everything.
- [48:58]
Levar Arrington
I totally agree with you. I appreciate the call. I think that was a huge play. He just got the ball taken from him, just. Just literally taken out of his hands. You know, Barry Brown and Deion Walker, both uber talented guys. Both of them, without question, did not work hard this year. And Deon is a physical force the likes of which we may never see here again. I mean, we may never have anyone built like him again at this school. But he didn't work hard this year. He just didn't. And he took plays off and he's so good that he could take plays off and still be effective. But like the dominance that he had some last year, it didn't happen because of those. When he decided to, he could still be dominant, but he didn't do it consistently. And then Barion, you know, I talked about this with Lynn Bowden, you know, limbo, he took a lot of shortcuts off the field, but when he got on the field, his teammates knew that dude's going to give us everything we have. And it gave him a lot of leeway with the coaches, but it also gave him a lot of leeway with his teammates. I don't think they like some of the stuff Lynn would do, but they'd be like, well, when we lace them up, Lynn's going to be there. I think Barion's done some of that stuff, but without the. On the field, lacing them up and going to be there. And that's a recipe for negativity. And I and Dion. Dion came into the season as a potential top five pick and now he's not in the first round and that's on him. Like he has to deal with that. That was him. That's not. He made that decision and you know, he'll still make the league. He'll probably be. He might still be a first round pick, but he could have been a top five pick and that was him. That didn't make that happen. Who's next?
- [50:46]
Matt Jones
Don.
- [50:47]
Levar Arrington
Don, what's up?
- [50:52]
Matt Jones
Hey, man, how you doing?
- [50:54]
Levar Arrington
Doing good.
- [50:56]
Matt Jones
Hey, first time, long time.
- [50:58]
Levar Arrington
Who are.
- [51:01]
Matt Jones
I just want to take you back in time. You got Benny and Sea Rod and Cash and those guys. From a culture standpoint, I mean, Stoops was just on top of the world. I mean, he. It was a lunch pail. It was bringing lunch to work. It was hard hat type mentality. I just want to know just how that's going to change, you know, moving forward. I just don't know if you're gonna. You're getting really clean house from a roster standpoint. And I just want to know.
- [51:39]
Levar Arrington
I don't know. That's a great question. I mean, that's a question he has to answer, right? Like, he has to answer that. I mean, part of it's who you bring in, right? You know, I think they brought in a couple dude. I think they brought in some people from the Portal that just didn't have the work ethic, and I think that hurt. And then, you know, they haven't developed some of the guys, especially when it comes to the offensive line. No, you're right. I'd like to hear him answer that question. I'd like to hear him directly address the culture.
- [52:11]
Matt Jones
Kind of a cow situation.
- [52:13]
Levar Arrington
I would. I would like how.
- [52:14]
Matt Jones
Situation where you're kind of held hostage and, you know, you've got some out there. I know, and I get it. You know, some raw might have bigger and better things planned. But if. If you miss this window of opportunity, I mean, are we just.
- [52:30]
Levar Arrington
Well, there will be. I mean, if they. That's up to Mark, right? Like. Like that's up to Mark. Like, Mark's the only one who can change any of this. This is all up to him. Like, he's the ultimately going to be the one, I think, and I appreciate the call. I think the first thing you have to do. And he says, he said, we're going to go through the roster and see who we. Who we have and who we don't. They got to get some of that out of there. But I don't think that fixes everything. Okay. If you. I don't think these dudes we have are all bad guys. Maybe, maybe a couple of them were, but most of them probably weren't. A lot of. It's the culture that you set with, with the coaching staff and with the. You know, I just saw Stanford's bringing in Andrew Luck as the GM of their football program. I don't know if Andrew Luck will be good at that or not. But I do know that anybody you hear talk about Andrew Luck says he's one of the smartest guys they've ever met. Said he worked harder than anybody they've ever seen. Okay, that's a dude I'd kind of like to have in a GM position. A really smart guy of a name value who works really hard. I'm not even sure who our GM is. Do we have a gm? I don't know. I think in football you gotta have one at this point. I mean, you gotta have one. You might even need one in basketball, but you gotta have one in football. There's 300 people you're looking at. So do we. I mean, do we have someone like that? Are they looking at culture when they pick guys? I don't know. You know, I don't know the answer to that. So Mark's got to answer those questions. I'm not around enough to know who's next.
- [53:59]
Matt Jones
Jimmy.
- [53:59]
Levar Arrington
Jimmy. What's up, Jimmy?
- [54:02]
Matt Jones
Hey, guys. I guess the biggest thing that stood out to me today is I went to Austin last weekend and I watched UK be pretty competitive with one of the top teams in the nation. And today it's night and day. Like, I just. That and, you know, everything with the end of the season, it's just. I. I don't know, like. Like, I. I just heard the. The quote from Stoops you guys played with a little bit ago. I'm just, you know, my, my thing is just show me like, like, like the offense has been abysmal.
- [54:39]
Levar Arrington
But I wasn't surprised. Just by the way. I don't know if you heard the pregame show. I mean, I picked against Kentucky for the first time against Louisville in 15 years. I pick them even when I don't think it. Just because I don't want to pick Louisville. I thought, I thought we were going to get crushed, and we did. I said by three. But if I was being honest, I thought we were going to get crushed. I saw this coming a mile away. I just. Talking to people this week, I saw this coming.
- [55:10]
Matt Jones
Right? And another thing I'd like to add, you know, I really hope Qatar is the answer. It's just, you know, can we talk about Mark Stoops and developing quarterbacks and the lack thereof? Like, I hate to. Hate to be the guy.
- [55:26]
Levar Arrington
We haven't, we haven't. We haven't developed a quarterback out of high school yet. You know, I mean, we go, you go, Terry, what you got. You go, Steven Johnson, Terry Wilson.
- [55:38]
Matt Jones
Yep.
- [55:39]
Levar Arrington
Will Levis, Devin Leary and now Brock. We haven't developed a whole quarterback out of high school ever. So I hope, I mean, I hope that's the truth though, isn't it? Like, I mean he's, we haven't, we haven't developed one yet. So I mean Qatar is hopefully the exception and they got another good guy coming in and Stones Saunders. So I mean they've got a chance. But the reality is the success we've had at quarterback has all been guys transferring in.
- [56:09]
Matt Jones
Yeah, and, and, and my last thing, I'll let you guys get the one, like I guess positive stat I can look for is, is Macklin today. What a waste we've had in this kid at wide receiver. Oh man. Oh, what a, it's basketball season, fellas.
- [56:28]
Levar Arrington
Appreciate the call. I'm with you. I mean what a. You watch Macklin today and you go, how did he not get the ball more? I mean, I think if they had it to do over again, they'd probably sit there and say, you know what, it should have been Dane and Macklin. That's probably what they'd say. But Barrion has such talent that you almost can't help but go, but man, I could make that work. And I think if you look back and you go, if we had done Macklin on the targets we used with Barry on all the time, yeah, we, maybe we wouldn't have had the one or two super plays, but maybe it would have been more consistent overall. Let's do one more and we'll take the final break. Who's next?
- [57:10]
Matt Jones
George and Lincoln.
- [57:12]
Levar Arrington
George. Go ahead, George.
- [57:15]
Matt Jones
Hey, Matt. First time callers, long time listeners.
- [57:19]
Levar Arrington
What's up, George?
- [57:21]
Matt Jones
Hey, we would like to have some advice of how to respond from our U of L friends and all their trash talk.
- [57:30]
Levar Arrington
Yeah, it's gonna be tough. You know one of the things about when you're, when you have friends and you trash talk with your friends is sometimes, George, you just got it, you just gotta eat it. Like sometimes you just gotta say you got us on that one and then you save it up. And you remember all the times that they, that they make jokes, George, you keep it in the back of your mind and then when it comes time you get them back. But you also have to acknowledge sometimes they get you. And if you try to, you know, if you try to win, win. When you've lost, you just end up looking bad. So what I would say is. How old are you, George?
- [58:10]
Matt Jones
10.
- [58:11]
Levar Arrington
10. You're 10 years old? You're 10 years old?
- [58:13]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [58:14]
Levar Arrington
So. So you should say since you all started going to school in football and basketball, you know the total amount of wins Louisville has since you've been in school?
- [58:26]
Matt Jones
One. How many?
- [58:28]
Levar Arrington
One. So you add up all the ones we've won and you say, you know what? I am nice. I'm George. I'm giving to my fellow friends and I wanted to give you one because I already have 11 and I'm going the next 11. So you say that. Okay, George. Yeah, I appreciate.
- [58:49]
Matt Jones
Also.
- [58:52]
Levar Arrington
All right. I appreciate the call, George. How about. There you go.
- [58:55]
Matt Jones
Wow, Matt. Parenting a little bit here on the post.
- [58:58]
Levar Arrington
Like, I couldn't be a parent. Everybody can't be a parent. I could be a parent, you know, I mean, I just haven't yet.
- [59:04]
Matt Jones
Till they start screaming.
- [59:05]
Levar Arrington
Yeah. When they scream, then I would give them to somebody. Yeah. 859-280-2287. We'll take a break. Come back. Final segment. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. 859-280-2287. Final segment. The. The Louisville fans just keep. They pull out another video I did, Billy, where I said, louisville. Why is Louisville ranked ahead of us? They're not. They never beat us. Oh, yeah, but I can't do that one this year because they did beat us. Yeah. I mean, we lost. What are you going to do? But one person writes, matt, you did say you thought we're going to lose. Did you end up betting Louisville? I did. I did. I even altered the line. Louisville a little bit. I thought they were going to kill us. I did. I just, you know, I didn't like the vibes and it got out of hand quick. It could have been worse. Like, it really. I mean, it could have been worse. Like, they could have been up 35, nothing half time and then. But what's weird is we had a moment, right? It was 20 to 7. We had the ball, and then he just. Wilcox fumbled it again. And then I don't think they played him again after that. So two fumbles. That'll do it to you. All right, who's up next?
- [60:26]
Matt Jones
Zach.
- [60:26]
Levar Arrington
Zach. What's up? Zach? Zach. Go ahead.
- [60:33]
Matt Jones
Hello?
- [60:34]
Levar Arrington
Can you hear us? Yes.
- [60:37]
Matt Jones
Hey. So my biggest thing with this year and with Stoops, what I'm worried about, I don't like his attitude with the I'm coming back and the way he said it, kind of talking down to the fans, I feel like. And my biggest thing is he's stubborn. He's turning to Cal Perry. And if he comes back, I'm worried that we'll miss out on John Sumrall. He's going to get a big, big coaching job somewhere else. And I keep hearing the. Well, he. He's owed a down year. It's fine. This isn't a down year. This is. The last three years have been trending downwards and this is just the worst out of the three. And I'm tired of it. I don't know what. We got to get rid of them. But.
- [61:24]
Levar Arrington
So, yeah. What would you do? I mean, I guess ultimately that's the question. Let's say you are the ad. What would you do?
- [61:32]
Matt Jones
I don't know. Put up a billboard in Lexington and raise some money and get rid of my guess. I don't know.
- [61:37]
Levar Arrington
I don't think that's gonna work. I mean, I don't really. I mean, there comes a point where it's like, I don't know, that you have a choice but to make it work. You know what I mean? Like, what other. What other choice is there?
- [61:50]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I mean, I guess he's.
- [61:51]
Levar Arrington
He says he's coming back. Once he says that, I don't know. I don't know what else you can do.
- [61:58]
Matt Jones
Well, Cal said that too, and he sat with Mitch Barnhart in a video. So. I mean, he did, but remember.
- [62:04]
Levar Arrington
But how did that. But, but think about how that went away. That went away because he decided it to. You know what I mean?
- [62:11]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [62:11]
Levar Arrington
Like, he decided, okay, I'm not gonna do it. So, you know, I think that's just kind of how it is.
- [62:20]
Matt Jones
Like, like, I'm worried he's turning. I'm worried he's getting stubborn. Like how much Granny Cow left and I get that, but I'm worried he's getting like that and he's stubborn.
- [62:29]
Levar Arrington
I worry about this and I think I worry about it too.
- [62:31]
Matt Jones
He's putting it all on his OC and I, I don't know if he's going to change. I mean, it's the same thing every year. We can't keep changing offensive coordinators. We can't keep doing that. I mean, at the, at the end of the day, it falls on him and this is a three year spiral down and it. I used to be 100% on board with stoops, but the last three years, I just. It's hard to. It's hard to back him. I hate to say it because he has been the best coach we've ever had. I get that. I understand that. But at the same time it. You can't go off the past and continue on.
- [63:06]
Levar Arrington
Totally agree with that. Especially when it's a different sport. I mean, I appreciate the call. I mean, that's like saying, so let's say that, you know, tomorrow the radio industry completely changes and all of a sudden, to be a good radio host, you also have to know how to sing.
- [63:25]
Matt Jones
Oh, okay.
- [63:26]
Levar Arrington
You also also have to be a really good singer. I can't sit here and say, and you're sitting there going, you're the head of I heart. And you go, well, who do we want to helm this 10 to noon radio show every day? Well, Matt's had 15 good years. Somebody might go, well, he can't sing. And I'd go, well, first of all, yes, I can. But then I would say, but I've had 15 good years. And they go, yeah, but can you sing? Because in the future you have to see. Well, for Mark, you may have had 10 good years, but now you got to do this nil thing. And now you got to do this culture thing. And now you're going to have a $20 million, you know, payments and all this stuff. Like now you got to do something different. Can you do that? Because if you can't sing and if you can't do that, then it doesn't really matter what you did before. In some ways, yeah, but it's not.
- [64:16]
Matt Jones
Singing in the new world. I think you hire a co host that can sing while you do the other things.
- [64:22]
Levar Arrington
Good, fine. Go hire a GM that is analytically based, that understands the. I'm fine with that. Go hire your Andrew Luck again. I don't know if Andrew Luck's going to be successful, but go hire someone like that. That would make me some confidence, you know, that's why maybe he'll do some stuff during this off season that makes you excited. But you know what I worry about? Here's what I really want to know, what I really worry about. Billy, for all just being honest.
- [64:49]
Matt Jones
What's that?
- [64:50]
Levar Arrington
We got. We got a handful of coaches that I think need to be replaced that I think Stoops is going to be hesitant to replace because he's. He's their buddy. We got a couple of coaches that I think are our strongest parts of the program that I'm worried we'll lose. So if we don't replace the ones that I think need to be replaced and we lose the ones that I think are good, then it's hard for me to be excited. That's kind of my worry. What's next.
- [65:22]
Matt Jones
Aaron is next.
- [65:24]
Levar Arrington
Aaron, go ahead. Aaron. Aaron.
- [65:32]
Matt Jones
Sorry, Darren. Was it Darren? Yeah.
- [65:36]
Levar Arrington
If you're on the phone, then it's you. Go ahead. Okay.
- [65:41]
Matt Jones
Thanks, Matt. Sorry. First time, long time.
- [65:43]
Levar Arrington
Who?
- [65:45]
Matt Jones
So I. I love Mark Stoops. I love everything he's done. But I think just the way it's gone and the way it's gone with Mark Pope is you get this young person who's energized. They get the people excited. Think of next year. We go six and six, if we're lucky with Mark Stoops, who's gonna be happy about that? But if you bring in a John Summerall, rebuild it all, we go six and six, everyone's happy. And just like you said, just in that last. Before you put me on, is you bring in. You know, it's kind of like Cal. What was the downfall of Cal? Keeping his friends and.
- [66:34]
Levar Arrington
No, I mean, what you just said is completely valid. Okay, so what. Let me give you what. Here's how valid what you just said is. Let me ask you a question. If Mark Pope this year.
- [66:46]
Matt Jones
Yes, sir.
- [66:47]
Levar Arrington
Were to go 25, or let's say 24 and seven, all right, be a three seed in the tournament, and we get to the second round and we get upset in to a six seat, none of us are going to like it. But are we still going to be excited about the future? Yes. Wouldn't you agree?
- [67:10]
Matt Jones
Absolutely.
- [67:11]
Levar Arrington
But what if John Calipari. But what if John. But what if John Calipari. Let me finish my question. Let me finish my point. What if John Calipari.
- [67:20]
Matt Jones
Yes, sir.
- [67:20]
Levar Arrington
Went 24, 7, was a 3 seed and lost the 6 seed? We go. Oh, here we go again. Right. So I. You're right. There's a freshness that happens with a new coach. The older coach, the standard will by definition be harder. And I think that's a big point. You raise, and I think it's valid.
- [67:45]
Matt Jones
And you get buy in. You get everyone excited about the future. Things are different. And I love Mark Stoops. He's the best coach we've had since Bear Bryant. He built this. I mean, look at what John. Cal Perry did for us coming off of Billy G. You know, he thank God for everything he did. Or we. If we'd have made the wrong hire when we hired Cal, we could have been Indiana today.
- [68:11]
Levar Arrington
You're exactly right.
- [68:12]
Matt Jones
Thank God for everything he did. But, but, but, but, but, but we needed a change, and it came in. We've got someone who's happy, who's refreshed who's reaching? I mean, John. John Summerall played for Kentucky.
- [68:24]
Levar Arrington
Well, you got to just stop. I mean, honestly, though, the. The John Sull thing's a waste of time, okay? Because Mark's not leaving. I get what you're saying, but, like, there's going to be no argument you can make that's going to make that happen. You know what I mean? Like.
- [68:41]
Matt Jones
Well, see, See? No, no, no, no, no. I. I completely agree. But what I wish I could say to Stoops is think of five years from now, if he left today, in five years from now, there'd be a statue of him and he'd have streets named Stoops.
- [68:57]
Levar Arrington
Totally agree. He's putting his whole legacy. He's putting his whole legacy on the line.
- [69:02]
Matt Jones
Exactly.
- [69:02]
Levar Arrington
If he comes back, no doubt about that.
- [69:06]
Matt Jones
He'S going to be run off, he's going to be disliked, and it's.
- [69:09]
Levar Arrington
Going to be like, I might let you go. I appreciate the call. You're exactly right. He is putting his whole legacy on the line. And if he. If I was his close friend and he came to me and said, matt, what should I do? I would have said, you know what, Mark? Maybe this is the right time to step away. But he has made clear he's not going to do that. And you're exactly right. He is putting his legacy at Kentucky on the line. He seems to believe in it, though, and I hope it works out. Let's do four more. We'll call it a night. Who's next? Billy?
- [69:40]
Matt Jones
All right, Johnny.
- [69:41]
Levar Arrington
Johnny. Go ahead, Johnny.
- [69:45]
Matt Jones
Yo, what's up, Matt? Just gotta say, man, as a Louisville fan, this was great. It was an absolute beat down. Y'all had this one coming, so, you know, y'all can. Y'all can sit on this one for the next year because it was incredible. But all jokes aside, Matt, rivalry aside, I do. I do enjoy listening to your insight on things, but I just think Kentucky fans need to realize that there's a lot more issues at hand than just Stoops. But, you know, we've needed this one. It was a lot of fun, you know, and we're to see y'all in two weeks.
- [70:35]
Levar Arrington
Go Cards. Yeah, that'll go different. Well, listen, you might. Maybe that'll happen. Appreciate the call. If you all. I think Barry on probably will end up in a program like Louisville. I'm not saying it will be Louisville. I don't think he'll go there. He's thrown too many L's down for that. But I do think that that's probably where he ends. Ends up. No, Louisville did need this one. And look, a rivalry is not a rivalry unless you all occasionally win. So it had been a while. I didn't know if y'all remembered even, like, how to win these games. So you did. The good thing is, though, you're not going to win the basketball game and may never win it ever again. So. But never again. You all should enjoy. You should enjoy this one. If I were you, I would. I would completely enjoy it because you deserve it. Who's up next?
- [71:25]
Matt Jones
Brian.
- [71:25]
Levar Arrington
Brian. Go ahead, Brian.
- [71:29]
Matt Jones
Hey, Matt. Long time. First. Long time listener. First call. I. I just want to make. I just want to make a comment on a, on a statement that was made a couple of segments ago about comparing Kentucky to the, to Indiana and, and how, you know, they're 11 and 1 this season and they were, what, 5 and 7 past season. But you got to take into account, you know, their, their schedule is, is relatively weak this year. And then with all.
- [72:02]
Levar Arrington
It is. It is, it is. But we didn't beat anybody changing. We beat. We can't. We can't say anything about. I mean, when I go on ESPN and I talk about who it should be in the playoff, I will say Indiana schedules week. And that will be very perfectly valid. As a Kentucky fan, we lost to Vandy at home. We can't complain about anything about Indiana's schedule because we lost a Vandy at home. We lost by 25 or whatever it was to Florida. We got run off the field by Louisville, who lost two weeks ago to Stanford. We can't say anything about Indiana schedule As Kentucky fans, as when I put my national commentator hat on, I can. But as a Kentucky fan trying to justify where we are vis a vis Indiana, Indiana schedule has. If we played Indiana tomorrow, they'd beat the crap out of us.
- [72:56]
Matt Jones
All right, fair enough. I just think if Kentucky were to pay. If Kentucky were to play Indiana schedule.
- [73:04]
Levar Arrington
I guarantee we wouldn't be 11 and 1. We wouldn't be 11 and 1. Not this year. I appreciate the call. There might have been years where we would have, but it ain't this one. Look, Louisville's what, fourth, fifth in the acc? They just destroyed us. They lost last week to a team that finished 3 and 9. Two weeks ago, they lost a team that finished 3 and 9 and lost yesterday to San Jose State at home. We can't say anything to these other programs. We can't. Two more. Who's next?
- [73:36]
Matt Jones
Brandon.
- [73:38]
Levar Arrington
Brandon. What's up, Brandon?
- [73:40]
Matt Jones
Hello, Matt. Love the show. I Got an unpopular opinion and a regular opinion. I guess I'm popular. We have been. We've been declining since Mike Stoops got here. Nobody's brought that up. It probably has nothing to do with anything, but he started the buddy hiring system and we've declined ever since he got to the program, in my opinion.
- [74:01]
Levar Arrington
I mean, I think factually that's accurate. I don't know if that's correlation or causation, but factually, you're right. What's your other opinion?
- [74:13]
Matt Jones
I'm ride or die. Mark Stoops. He got us to where we are. I'm 45 years old, close to your age. I know where we came from. He deserves a mulligan. In my opinion, I'm ride or die for Stoops. If you don't do it next year, I'll change my opinion. Thanks.
- [74:27]
Levar Arrington
All right, fair enough. Appreciate the call. I do think there are more of those people than you would think if you were online. Only they got callers like that. What the percentage is, I'm not really sure. But I will say this. We talk about Cal. This reminds me of where Kentucky was after Cal lost to Kansas State. If you remember, after that year, it was still pretty divided. But then after Oakland, the consensus formed. If we have a bad year, next year, the consensus will be formed and then you're really in a pickle. And by the way, next year's schedule is hard. We play all the same teams we played this year, so.
- [75:17]
Matt Jones
Yikes.
- [75:18]
Levar Arrington
Just keep that in mind. Last one. Who's next?
- [75:21]
Matt Jones
Brad.
- [75:22]
Levar Arrington
Brad. Go ahead, Brad.
- [75:25]
Matt Jones
Hey, what's up, boys? I disagree with you on the consensus. I think the elephant in the room with the contract and all that good stuff is that there is a monetary implication for him staying. And that's the thing that nobody's talking about because there are people that are just flat out done. So that's something that UK is going to have to consider. Barnhart's gonna have to consider.
- [75:53]
Levar Arrington
When you say done, though, I mean, I assume you like. I assume you means like season ticket holders.
- [76:00]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I think there's going to be season ticket holders that are not going to renew. There's going to be people that are not going to, quote, unquote, pony up, you know, nil wise and just across the board. So, I mean, there's going to be a monetary impact.
- [76:14]
Levar Arrington
No, there will.
- [76:15]
Matt Jones
What that is, I don't. I don't know.
- [76:17]
Levar Arrington
There will. I don't think there's any doubt about that. I think the question is the second part what it is. I also would note though, most of the revenue now that Kentucky brings in comes from the television deal. But the season tickets do matter a lot. And I think the second, the last thing you mentioned, the nil thing, really matters a lot. Next year after that, you're going to get into the revenue sharing thing. And I actually think it'll matter less. But next year, I think you're right, it will matter a lot.
- [76:46]
Matt Jones
I mean, because when you have a guy, you know, right out of the chute, I mean, the first opportunity that he has to speak, he basically, this has one of the worst PR statements that you could make. Basically telling the fans that he's going to hold the program hostage. You know, I mean, that's the worst thing he could have said in that post game interview. And you know, lastly, before I jump off here, we. Barnhart has to stop writing these contracts where he's leaving the university, no backstop, when you know he won't do it again.
- [77:23]
Levar Arrington
He's not going to do it again. I agree. He will not do that again. You are right. We've talked about like why he almost had to do it. But I will make. First of all, I don't know if Mitch will even be around to write the next renewal version of a contract for any of these coaches, quite frankly, just because I don't know how many more years he'll do it. But you're right, I think both the Cal situation and this one, I'd be shocked if he ever did it again.
- [77:54]
Matt Jones
And I totally get, like why they did it, but I mean, from your standpoint as an attorney, like, would, would there be any reason from the other party's perspective, like why they wouldn't sign a deal, like a big money deal, like if that portion wasn't there.
- [78:11]
Levar Arrington
Because they could get someone else to give it to him, you know, I know what I'm saying. Like ucla, UCLA was willing to give Cal essentially the same deal. Maybe not the lifetime ambassadorship, but they were willing to give him basically the same deal and maybe even a little more money. And then.
- [78:34]
Matt Jones
I know, but what I'm saying is just them not, not, not leaving some kind of, any kind of leverage at all.
- [78:41]
Levar Arrington
Yeah, but I mean, I'm answering the question because, because the, because at the other place they believed that they could. You're playing a game of chicken in some ways, right? You're sitting there saying their agent comes and says, if you don't give me this, then I'm going here. And you're sitting there going, were they just saying that or do they mean it? And it's like a game of chicken. And if you don't give them that and then they go, people are gonna be like, well, why'd you let him go? And it's tough. Negotiations are tough. I hate doing negotiations for that very reason. I don't like doing that. I end up. I'm not good at it because I don't like playing that game. I think in Cal's case, his leverage was real. Stoops case. I'm not sure if it was as real as Barnhart and them thought, but they clearly thought it and that's how we got where we are.
- [79:34]
Matt Jones
So, yeah, I mean, yeah, just to close. I mean, for me, I think that's something that, you know, the university needs to look at is. I mean, how much projected loss could it be that, you know, with fan turn off? I mean, I don't. I don't know what it'll look like, but I'm pretty disgusted with the program right now.
- [79:55]
Levar Arrington
Well, I appreciate the call. I mean, if it's a big number, it'll matter, I think, you know, I think the nil piece is the biggest thing. Eventually, I think most people will renew their season tickets. Maybe not all, but the nil piece. You know, you got to go get players in the next three or four weeks. I think it's gonna be hard to look at somebody and give them, say, give me $50,000 to go get this player right after you went four and eight. That's gonna be tough. Billy, thank you very much. Wish you were going with us. We will miss you this week. Yeah.
- [80:22]
Matt Jones
Enjoy your trip. Don't get too much trip.
- [80:24]
Levar Arrington
You're in the Cincinnati area tomorrow morning. I'll be with Myron and with these guys at Jefferson Social outside of the Bengals game. So if you're going to the Bengals game, you're in the Cincinnati area. Come say hello. I'd love to meet you and say hi. And then we will take off and we will be in Iowa City on Monday morning for our show. Follow all of us on social media to see the trip. We'll have a full car. We got me, Drew, Ryan, Shannon, Mario and Max all going. So it'll be should be a great trip and we'll be on the road all of next week. Thank you all very much for listening. All football season. Now we switch it to basketball. Two big games this week with Clemson and Gonzaga. This has been the local Toyota dealers KSR post game show. Hey, what's up, everybody?
- [81:12]
Matt Jones
It's lavar Arrington here from up on Game and I need you to listen.
- [81:16]
Levar Arrington
For a moment, all right, and get serious.
- [81:19]
Matt Jones
The hate in this country is getting out of control.
- [81:23]
Levar Arrington
It's at an all time high. It's going to take all of us to stop it. I mean, think about it. We're all on the same team in this country, right?
- [81:31]
Matt Jones
Let's take a break from hate so.
- [81:33]
Levar Arrington
Our team can regroup. We need to take a time out Against Hate. Visit standuptoallhate.org to help and join me in calling for a timeout against hate by following hatsupwithhate or posting the Blue Square emoji this holiday season, Surprise everyone on your list with the best gifts Tickets to see their favorite artists live. Choose from thousands of concerts and comedy shows including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Matt Matthews, Metallica, Thomas Rhett, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Sarah Silverman and so many more. Share a memory together or give a gift they'll never forget. Find the most exciting gift for every fan@livenation.com Gifts that's livenation.com Gifts hey, it's.
- [82:23]
Matt Jones
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Levar Arrington
Dance, Danish Butter Cookies, a Signature Select.
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Matt Jones
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Levar Arrington
Lights, Village Candles and multiple scents, Pokemon.
- [82:43]
Matt Jones
Scarlet and Violet card sets and more. Offer ends December 3rd. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary.
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Levar Arrington
Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details. With Kroger brand products you can get all of your favorite things this holiday season because our proven quality products come at exceptionally low prices and with a money back quality guaranteed. Every dish is sure to be a favorite from sweet sugar cookies and holiday ham to that perfect slice of pie. Whether you shop, delivery, pickup or in store, Kroger brand has all your favorite things. Kroger Fresh for everyone hey listeners, have a gamer on your holiday gift list but you're still not sure what to get them. Head to Lenovo to shop unexpectedly great deals on tech this season. Gift your number one player with a brand new PC. Help them go beyond performance engagement game without compromise with Intel Core i9 processors. Gaming happens with Intel.
- [83:42]
Matt Jones
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