The Bobby Bones Show (25 Whistles) – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Bobby's Annoying Conflict with Arkansas Week 1 Game on Saturday + Kentucky HC Mark Stoops on Fights in Practice & the Best Conditioning Drills + The Latest Issue with Eddie's Influencer Videos
Date: August 28, 2025
Host: Bobby Bones
Guests: Mike, Kevin, Eddie, Kentucky Football HC Mark Stoops

Episode Overview

This episode of 25 Whistles with Bobby Bones dives into the excitement and minor frustrations of college football’s opening weekend, particularly Bobby's conflict between his Arkansas fandom and a fantasy league draft. The centerpiece is a candid, insightful interview with Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, who discusses preseason challenges, player discipline, coaching his brothers, and the culture shift at Kentucky. The show also features the usual banter and a humorous critique of Eddie’s journey to becoming a social media food influencer.

Table of Contents

1. Football’s Return: Week 1 Frustrations and Storylines
2. Fantasy League & Betting: Peculiar Drafts and Big Wagers
3. Interview: Mark Stoops, Kentucky Head Football Coach
4. Eddie’s Influencer Dilemma: Pedo Voice and Social Media Critiques
5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
6. Timestamps for Key Segments

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1. Football’s Return: Week 1 Frustrations and Storylines

• Bobby is exasperated about his fantasy football draft clashing with Arkansas's week 1 game on Saturday at 3pm, prioritizing watching his team over attending the draft barbecue.

  “I'm not going because Arkansas plays at 3 and I wouldn't go anyway because it's the first Saturday of college football. So I'm a little annoyed at that.” (08:23)

• Discussion of big week 1 matchups:

  • Texas at Ohio State—the number one team entering as an underdog for the first time ever.
  • Other key games: LSU vs. Clemson, Alabama vs. Florida State.
  • Commentary on TV show Any Given Saturday and new personality for Alabama post-Saban.

• Talk about Travis Kelce’s potential retirement and distractions with Taylor Swift:

  “I think if they win the Superbowl, he retires… I think he doesn’t want the blame to be on Taylor Swift.” (16:00)

• Observations about college football fan culture, including the University of Oklahoma selling press conference access for steep prices—a sign of the times in NIL era.

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2. Fantasy League & Betting: Peculiar Drafts and Big Wagers

• Bobby shares details on participating in two fantasy leagues, one with former NFL players (“that league... matters”), and another unique gambling league where players draft entire NFL teams to win or lose:

  • Each win/loss earns or loses $100 through the season.
  • “There’s no max you can lose… there have been people that have lost 9 to $10,000.” (12:22)
  • Bobby hacked the draft last year by picking the same team to win and lose late rounds, neutralizing risk for those slots—a “legal loophole.”

• Discussion of DraftKings’ “Pick Six” approach and how betting can now be so player-stat focused.

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3. Interview: Mark Stoops, Kentucky Head Football Coach

Background & Opening

• Stoops enters his 13th season as Kentucky’s head coach, now the SEC’s longest-tenured.
• Kentucky is facing Toledo in Week 1, with a quick turnaround for an early conference game versus Ole Miss in Week 2.

Camp, Fights, and Discipline

• Practice scuffles are natural; a big fight at end of camp led Stoops to restart practice in old-school fashion:

  “It kind of pissed me off. Blew the whistle and teed it up and started practice completely over again… We went as long as I could with a new practice.” (26:02 - 26:56)

Conditioning and Rule Changes

• Stoops details favorite conditioning drills (cross-fields, 80-yard strides) and notes that old “bull in the ring” and “Oklahoma” drills are outlawed:

  “They’ve outlawed that drill… we can’t even do that drill anymore in college football.” (27:29)

• On quarterbacks taking hits in practice:

  “No.” (29:01) – Protective no-contact jerseys for QBs, with only limited “thuds.”

Player and Team Insights

• Praises new QB Calzada (transfer from Texas A&M) and former Alabama WR Kendrick Law as strong contributors and playmakers for the upcoming season.

• Stoops on immediate game analysis preferences:

  “I’m a defensive guy… but generally I start with the offensive film now and then go to defense and special teams.” (30:35)

Ed Reed and Coaching Legacy

• Coaching Ed Reed at Miami was career-defining:

  “Ed was just kind of like... he set the tone with the whole team… He was the type of player that, sometimes he and I would walk on the way out to practice and I’d be like, Ed, I’m going to coach you extremely hard just to set the tone… And you know what he would say? ‘Bring it on, Coach.’” (31:10 - 32:05)

• Stoops regularly consults brothers Bob and Mike, both coaching veterans, but notes:

  “He [Bob] also lets me do my thing.” (32:57)

Conference Expansion, Playoffs, and Schedule Focus

• On adding a 9th SEC game:

  “I’ve been on record... saying ‘hey, bring it on.’... I know the physicality that comes with that… It’s a challenge. It’s going to be difficult, but it is what it is.” (33:53)

• On broader playoffs/CFP system:

  “...the SEC is going to get their teams in there… If strength of schedule matters, then… people with common sense will understand how difficult it is.” (34:48)

Team Outlook & Mindset

• Wants to reestablish Kentucky’s tough, physical brand after a down year:

  “I just want to represent this great state and this university and do things the right way… play very tough, hard-nosed football and be disciplined…” (36:51 - 38:19)

• Despite tricky conference scheduling (Toledo before Ole Miss), Stoops emphasizes one-game-at-a-time respect:

  “We always have to respect each and every opponent and Toledo is a very good football team… some people are picking them to be the group of five representative in the playoffs.” (38:31)

• Fun banter about golfing with country star John Michael Montgomery.

• Most anticipated improvement:

  “I hope it’s the offensive line… we put in a lot of work.” (43:01)

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4. Eddie’s Influencer Dilemma: Pedo Voice and Social Media Critiques

• Bobby teases co-host Eddie about his new food influencer videos—particularly Eddie’s voiceover style, which Bobby describes (in good fun) as “pedo voice.”

  “He talks like a pedo... your voice is like, dang.” (48:15)

• Group listens to Eddie’s breakfast bagel video. Bobby and Mike say his voice is inauthentic; Eddie defends his attempt at instructional style.

• Eddie is caught deleting Bobby's playful comments from his Instagram, trying to keep engagements “on brand.”

  “Why would you do that? That’s great for engagement.” (47:35)

• Mike: “The food looked really good on the video.” (51:51)

• Bobby likens Eddie's voiceovers to Will Smith’s recent AI-concert video—both “inauthentic and a little creepy.” (56:52)

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5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On discipline:

  “We had a big fight right at the end of practice, and it kind of pissed me off. Blew the whistle and teed it up and started practice completely over again.” – Mark Stoops (26:02)

• On fantasy football conflicts:

  “Why would you have a fantasy draft on the first college football day of the week?” – Bobby Bones (08:23)

• On authenticity and social media:

  “It feels like you’re doing a cartoon voice. It feels like you have a creepy voice a little bit.” – Bobby Bones to Eddie, on his influencer content (50:03)

• On changing the SEC schedule:

  “It’s a challenge. It’s going to be very difficult, but it is what it is. I’m used to it.” – Mark Stoops (34:01)

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6. Timestamps for Key Segments

• Football Week 1 & Fantasy Draft Frustration – 03:22 - 08:53
• Unique NFL Betting League Story – 09:13 - 14:53
• Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift, and Athlete Distractions – 15:52 - 16:46
• Will Smith’s AI Concert & Social Media Influence – 54:14 - 56:52
• Interview: Kentucky HC Mark Stoops – 24:46 - 44:15
  • Preseason fights: 26:02
  • Conditioning/Rule changes: 27:29
  • Discussing new starters: 29:38, 30:10
  • Coaching Ed Reed: 31:10
  • Family coaching legacy: 32:57
  • SEC schedule change discussion: 33:53
  • Season outlook: 36:51
  • Focus on Toledo, not just Ole Miss: 38:31
  • Offensive line as priority: 43:01
• Eddie’s Influencer Saga – 47:03 - 54:03

Summary Takeaway:
This episode is rich with both funny and insightful moments as Bobby Bones and the crew embrace the return of college football and debate the realities of fandom, fantasy leagues, and influencer life. The Mark Stoops interview is a highlight, offering a behind-the-scenes look at SEC football culture, leadership challenges, and life lessons. The friendly roast of Eddie adds comic relief and keeps the tone playful and authentic.

For more, listen to ‘The Bobby Bones Show’ daily replay or find “25 Whistles” wherever you get podcasts.