Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
Some thoughts from a hotel in Nashville as we prepare to fly out to California:
— It has been a good night so far for UK and its NCAA Tournament hopes. Bubble team Southern Miss was basically extinguished after a loss to Marshall. Arkansas’ loss at Missouri probably permanently takes them out of the conversation and UNLV is favored to win vs Boise (or so we hope). Things are actually setting up quite well for the Cats so long as they do one thing…they simply must win at Georgia. A loss to Georgia means that a game 36 hours later versus Florida at home will determine UK’s NCAA Tournament hopes. You simply cannot have that. As Dale told us so passionately today on the radio, we can all still believe in this team. But they have to hold up their end of the bargain and give us something to believe in. A win at Georgia can make that happen and help have a NCAA Tournament berth close to fruition.
— I am not nearly as upset as others are at this point about the Sports Illustrated snub of Kentucky in its 75th NCAA Tournament Anniversary issue. While I do think it is unbelievably stupid to leave the Cats out (who do they think will buy this besides UK fans?), I can’t get up in arms because I don’t think Sports Illustrated matters any more. For fans who are of a different area, being in Sports Illustrated was the sign that your team had made it. While the covers are still very cool, the notion of SI as a statement in America is done. Their print magazine is now simply a throw-in to other promotions and until the Swimsuit issue comes out, almost no one talks about the magazine in any cultural sense. They are basically now an internet outlet just like everyone else, most famous recently for screwing up the Manti Teo story. If they choose to leave Kentucky out, that may be stupid, but ultimately irrelevant to UK’s position. ESPN matters…SI doesn’t.
— I really am excited about the football buzz and the Spring game.. Over 33,000 tickets have been distributed and it is looking as if UK will have a crowd that will be one of the top 10-15 in the nation. The move of the UK vs Miss State game to a Thursday night is more of a symbol of the increased buzz around UK football and its (slight) growth and relevance nationally. When the basketball season ends, we will delve into this more, but there are so many great signs from what I am seeing and hearing around the program that it is hard not to get excited. This staff is going to do great things and there is a change in mindset that I just know is going to bring a change in results. UK football will be relevant nationally on a level that I haven’t seen in my lifetime. I firmly believe it.
Drew and I leave for Palm Springs and our work with the Tennis Channel at the Indian Wells event tomorrow at 7 am. We will let you know here what we are doing and we will still be posting occasionally on the site about what is a huge week for UK’s basketball team. Tyler and the gang will hold down the fort while we are gone (with special contributions from former KSR College writer and now ESPN college Football employee John Wilmhoff). Radio will have Ryan with co-hosts Mike Pratt, Tom Leach, Dave Baker, Alan Cutler, Jared Lorenzen and more while we are gone. It is going to be fun and we will be hear to document it. But it is also very random, and the oddest Matt/Drew KSR moment since the picture two years ago at a Derby party with us and Kate Upton. My hope is we get something even close to this on our current excursion. See you soon:
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Bill Keightley Report : Never to be forgotten.
9 queries. 0.337 seconds
March 5th, 2013 at 10:29 pm
Good luck men! Make us proud!
March 5th, 2013 at 10:36 pm
SI is crazy. They MUST have something against the cats. But, as you said…irrelevant. They are dead to me.
March 5th, 2013 at 10:37 pm
No Goose Givens pouring in 41 points in 78?
No oblgatory shot of the ‘villian’ UK Cats in the 1966 black-white game?
No pic of UK knocking off the undefeated IU hoosiers in 75?
No pic of the Fabulous Five – who also won the Olympics?
No pic of Adolph Rupp who revolutionized the game from the low-scoring contests to 100-point bucket-fests?
No pics of UK’s 75 team losing to UCLA in Wooden’s final game?
No pics from UK’s mini-dynasty from 96-98?
Sports Illustrated has lost all credibility.
Can you imagine Rolling Stone Magazine issuing a rock history issue without mentioning Elvis or the Beatles?
Would Field and Stream’s look back on the outdoors snub the duck call and tree stand?
Would an American History book be complete without Washigton,Jefferson or Lincoln?
Pathetic!!!!
March 5th, 2013 at 10:38 pm
3. Really? We have talent. Cal is doing a great job. We can’t win every championship. And, we WILL make a run.
March 5th, 2013 at 10:38 pm
I hope y’all kill it.
March 5th, 2013 at 10:39 pm
5. Well said
March 5th, 2013 at 10:41 pm
hmmm…It’s just you!
March 5th, 2013 at 10:48 pm
3. But it would be terrible to lose to them. It doesn’t help but has the potential to hurt.
And stop bringing up that stupid preseason ranking, like this really was the third best team in the country that regressed thanks to Cal. It was never deserving of a top 5 ranking. This team wasn’t fairly evaluated from the beginning. The 3 rank was due to hype alone, and it was the media’s fault a bit, maybe even setting them up for failure. If this team had started out ranked #22, people would probably blame Cal a little less, and it probably would have been closer to what they deserved considering only Wiltjer had played minutes the year before.
Yes, they didn’t develop properly. But coaching is a 2-way street, and Cal has pushed every psychological button he could find. You can’t coach a guy if he doesn’t really want to listen, just like you can’t help an alcoholic who doesn’t want help.
March 5th, 2013 at 10:53 pm
“KSR was great this week with Pratt and Leach, but I would rather brush my teeth with Karen Sypher’s toothbrush than to listen to Lemond and Radar again” -Everyone
March 5th, 2013 at 10:54 pm
On facebook many of the IU fans are declaring that olendepo is one of the best shot blockers they have ever seen. How stupid can they really be.
March 5th, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Hoosiers goin down
March 5th, 2013 at 11:04 pm
if ohio st doesnt choke this one away
March 5th, 2013 at 11:16 pm
10) To be fair, they’ve completely forgotten that we beat them with Davis to end their season last year (they only remember their 1-point resurrection win), and Davis was in foul trouble in the game they won. So wearing their magical Cream and Crimson-tinted goggles, they’ve never seen a better blocker.
March 5th, 2013 at 11:17 pm
New IU cheer: Loo Loo Loosers!
March 5th, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Matt and Drew: Why tennis?
I hope you are being paid well.
March 5th, 2013 at 11:42 pm
Bring umbrellas. We are expecting rain tomorrow and Thursday….
March 6th, 2013 at 5:47 am
Heard Vanetti on the radio this afternoon that their show is working with UL to make their Spring game exciting, and want 40,000 there & $1.00 beers. Guess they have heard UK has over 30,000 already sold to theirs, a little jealous are they?
March 6th, 2013 at 6:36 am
Mmmmmm…. Kate Upton……. Matt has that look on his face like “why are my pants so tight right now?” But I cant say i blame him lol!
March 6th, 2013 at 7:33 am
My God… that picture. Good grief.
March 6th, 2013 at 7:58 am
who doesn’t love my daily dose of negativity and ignorance? exactly. you know you love it. admit it. smug superiority is never annoying.
March 6th, 2013 at 8:39 am
Matt’s face….. LOL! Vinegar Strokes! You can see into his soul!
March 6th, 2013 at 8:40 am
I’d pass out if I took a picture with her haha
March 6th, 2013 at 10:36 am
matt jones looks like hes bout to bust one, u know hes never had any chick like that before
March 6th, 2013 at 10:37 am
and ryan already did
March 6th, 2013 at 11:48 am
Although I do believe this coaching staff will do big things we still need to realize we are in the SEC. And you “FIRMLY” believe you will see UK football back to national relevance like never before?? Do you not recall the 2007 team when UK reached a top 10 ranking (I believe 8 was the highest) Even though they fell flat, that season Andre Woodson was a possible Heisman candidate. So if you see UK being a top 10 team and have Heisman candidates then ok you can FIRMLY believe it.