Kentucky Basketball: Pope’s Math vs. Cal’s Shade, Portal Purge & Recruiting Reset

Roundtable featuring Dave Slone, Terry Brown, Kyle Randow, and Drew Byous - hosted by Kevin Hale

Topics:

• Kentucky Lady Cats: Sweet 16 Recap & the 2026 "Super-Class"
• Pope vs. Cal: The radio show "Math" vs. Cal's "Shade"
• Portal/Recruiting Updates
• NCAA Tournament Recap
• Tyrese Maxey’s 2020 Team: The "What If?"
• Final Shots & more!
  
  

@BigBlueNationD1 @TBrown_80 @AllUKBall_HPS @DrewByousBBN @kevinhale423


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Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:16

The Lady Cats concluded their NCAA tourney run uh with a loss. Uh was it 7654 loss to Texas? Texas one seed. Uh second time um basically Texas kind of throttled us. Um is this TB, am I right to say this? Is this the first sweet 16 our ladies made in about a decade or something like that?

SPEAKER_04 0:40

That sounds right?

SPEAKER_05 0:41

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_04 0:41

Yeah, Kenny Brooks is is is moving things in the right direction. Uh women's basketball, if you look around, it's still very top heavy. Like you've still got the top one or two seeds uh winning by like 30-something points.

SPEAKER_05 0:54

Over like five seeds, four or five seeds.

SPEAKER_04 0:57

Yeah, deep, deep into the Elite Eight, right? Like it's it's very top heavy. But I do feel encouraged that, you know, Claire Strach, she's been amazing. Our man Corey Price has put out some statistics about how she's putting up numbers. We haven't seen the SEC since Asia Wilson. They've got three McDonald's All-Americans coming in, uh, including oh, uh, I can't remember her name from uh uh from Minnesota. Man, her name is escaping at the moment. But she's an Iowa legacy. Uh both of her parents played at Iowa. So Iowa fans are a little hot that she's not going to Iowa. Uh she's going to uh Kentucky. So uh Coach Brooks is building toward the toward the future, right? Like we've got some all SEC caliber players. We just need to kind of fill out that roster and compete. And we show that during the regular season with all those wins that we had against top-ranked teams, you know, taking on LSU at LSU. So uh I'm excited. I am encouraged uh on that sweet 16 finish. Madden Greenberg. That's right. Thank you. Thank you. Because her dad played football for Iowa, played linebacker for the uh uh Minnesota Vikings, mom ran track. So she is a legacy that Kenny Brooks was able to pluck out of the Midwest and bring to the SEC. So there you go. Tabo, what do you got?

SPEAKER_03 2:05

Yeah, that was um really sucky to see him go out like that. Um TB TB said it. I mean, Kentucky does have the Kentucky Leggets does have a ton of talent, right? That's obvious. I mean, we we've seen it over the years get better and better. But you know, as you said, the the women's game is still pretty pretty top heavy. Um, there are programs catching up to the top, um, but you saw it against Texas in the tournament. Um, not only were they more hungrier than Kentucky by the 29 to 11 lead that they took at after after the end of the first quarter, but you know, even though Clara was 6'5 and the girl that was garner was like maybe like 6'4, but you know, she had so much weight on her and just girth. I mean, you you can't compete with that, right? Um, I trust, I I trust uh Coach Brooks. Um the TV said, damn it, he's selling all the points. Um, you know, he's got three Madonna Americans coming in. Um Green Greenway, she's obviously a B. She's scoring like 40 points a game or something stupid like that. So um I'm gonna be excited for next year. Uh just ready to see what he's got in store. Um, he's he's he's only making you know more and more progress every year. So yeah, definitely don't hang your head on it here.

SPEAKER_05 3:07

Yeah, speaking of what they got in store for next year, Kyle. Rando, um, they've got uh three McDonald's All-American coming in, you know, not to mention uh Clara Strach uh returning. I mean, this is a uh kind of a foundation for a potential top 10 team next year.

SPEAKER_02 3:24

Yeah, I don't think Kenny Brooks has shown since you know he first stepped in Lexon that he's had any problem getting talent here, right? Um, you know, starting off with getting Georgia here um to follow him from Virginia Tech, and uh he's consistently brought in talent, whether it's through the transfer portal, um, or now he's just plucking top um recruits out. And especially to TB's point, I mean, you have this Iowa legacy young lady on the heels of Caitlin leaving Iowa, like can fill those. Like, I mean, you could keep building this thing up in Iowa basketball lore, right? And then bam, um, you know, Kenny Brooks is like, never mind, you come to Lexington, you know, let's uh let's get you on a horse and uh learning how to how to drink some bourbon. So that's a that's a big pull. And they're heated up now. They are heated about it. To be honest, I can imagine. They are heated. Um and she's and and and I have um, I honestly did not know of her until she committed to Kentucky. But now that she is at Kentucky, um, I have, you know, her her stuff is always in my timeline and you know, watching her highlights. And I mean she is. I don't know about the talent in Minnesota and where she's coming from, but the people that she plays, she embarrasses them all the time. And she is an absolute bucket. Um, you know, I imagine getting here, there'll be some transition, but we know the way that the the WNBA is set up, she will be here multiple years. So like this is somewhere you can you can really, really build around for the next three years, and Kenny Brooks could potentially have something for the Mulkies um and the genos of uh the college basketball world or women's college basketball world.

SPEAKER_04 4:53

She she's equivalent to Paige, is from what I understand for to Paige Becker's from what I understand, as far as being able to get her shot off and play in the offense. So it's a it's a good get. Like it it it's it's huge, it's a big deal.

SPEAKER_05 5:04

Yeah. Uh Drew, uh final thoughts on the ladies.

SPEAKER_01 5:08

Yeah, she's she's really good. I I always see her, you know, highlights pop up and she's in she's intriguing to watch. But yeah, I think Kenny Brooks has done a good job so far. Obviously, he didn't take over really, you know, the best situation with the women's college or uh women's program, but he's came in, he's he's reignited it. I think you know, obviously the fan supports there are huge, they're competing, they're winning big games. So, you know, I think obviously it wasn't gonna be like you know, one year fix, and he's just all of a sudden gonna turn into making Final Fours and those things, but he's continuing to progress year after year, should have a good team back. Obviously, Claire Strach's reportedly coming back as well. So he should have a squad, hopefully, you know, get some pieces out of the portal, continue to build up and keep trying to knock on the door to some of the big dogs and in uh in the ladies' game. Knock on the door.

SPEAKER_05 5:56

Um yeah, so uh yeah, very solid, very solid season. Um, again, progress. Sweet 16, um, talent, uh looking very positive moving forward. All right, so segment two. It's actually not a segment until I get to get to do the do my thing. There you go. Pope versus cow. The radio show, math versus cow shade. Uh this week, this past week, or was it this? Yeah, on March 23rd, uh Coach Pope's, I guess it was his final radio show of the season, uh, went on a fact-finding mission pointing out he has three SEC turning wins in two years compared to Cal's one win in his final four years. And then you had uh Coach Cal basically clapping back after his team got beat down by Arizona. Uh I quote, you have no recruits, you don't have the money you had a year ago. Um as far as our little debate here, Davo, to start with you, is it fair for Pope to compare him uh self to Cal's rock bottom, or is he just trying to buy time with beats?

SPEAKER_03 7:06

I'm not I'm not gonna sit there and get into that bullshit. Because uh the only thing he's really doing is comparing the first two years of the tenure, right? According to the way I understood it. And if we're gonna do that, then then Pope should be absolutely embarrassed maybe having those comments because the first two years hasn't even been anywhere near close, right?

SPEAKER_05 7:23

So well, he's comparing his first two years against Cal's final four years, right? Is that what I'd suggest, right? Yeah, well, if if that's the case, but why the hell's yeah, he's not talking about Cal's prior, you know, 11 years.

SPEAKER_03 7:38

So if that's the case, he's arguing that he had a decent two years to Cal's absolutely pathetic shit last four years, right?

SPEAKER_05 7:45

That is his argument, yes.

SPEAKER_03 7:46

So what so what the fuck are we doing there?

SPEAKER_01 7:48

Like there's nothing he was saying that we're on a upward trend. That was well, that's that's a debate here, guys. Compared to what we what we were under Cal and the points he made, yeah, we are on an upward trend. Now, does that make it does that say that we're in an acceptable spot of Kentucky basketball? I firmly disagree in that.

SPEAKER_03 8:09

So do we do we do we count an upper twin an upward upward trend whenever we won what he's he's comparing what we won three SD games in two years, right? Right, but whenever two of those wins was a Wednesday and Thursday game, you know, right? So you gotta that's a good point, too.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

You know, can you have he did he did point that out on the radio show?

SPEAKER_05 8:31

But I have to admit, I did not listen to all of it. I listened to some sound bites, and I was like, T B, when I first heard this, I was like, no, coach, just stay in your lane. But I mean, so statistically, he's correct, but it's if if if I may, okay.

SPEAKER_04 8:47

Uh he can only do this now, like he can't say anything else about it because I'm gonna explain to you like this. My wife, my current wife, was married before me. I was married before. When I mess up, I can't point out what her ex-husband did because what the old guy did ain't got nothing to do with what I'm doing, okay. You can only say the other guy was terrible. Well, you here now, and it's if it's is it is it fair? That's the job. That's what I've been saying. Like, he's gotta compare the last four years to Cal because he can't do the first two. Matter of fact, I've still got my whiteboard.

SPEAKER_05 9:18

Thank you. Get a little closer for people with the with uh readers. We'll read that out loud.

SPEAKER_04 9:23

Again, reminder what here here's here's my thing, right? We can talk about the SEC is different now. We can talk about when Rup took over, Negroes couldn't play. We can talk about when Joe B took over this thing. We can talk about Rick taking over for uh probation. We can talk about Tubby taking over for Rick. We can talk about Coach Cal following up the last two years of Tubby and the two years of Billy G. Again, a five-year drought between six tweet sweet 16s when Cal took over. Right. But when he was struggling, he wasn't talking about what Billy G did and what Tubby did. He was like, I'm here now, I'm going to own it. Again, year three. Every three-year coach in the first three years went to an elite eight. Every three-year coach at the University of Kentucky went to an elite eight in the first three years. At a minimum. Okay. And I had someone, because they like to go back to Joe B Hall sophomore year, and somebody said, Oh, they didn't play that tough. Yeah, I got my notes. They didn't play tough out of conference, Joe B. Joe B. Hall, his first four losses that year, number 13 Kansas, number three, IU, number five, North Carolina, number three, Notre Dame. I'm not a genius, but that seems like a pretty damn tough out-of-conference schedule. So, all this stuff, it doesn't mean anything. Win ball games. That's it.

SPEAKER_05 10:42

My man Rando has been uh silent for a few minutes. Now you get to the floor is yours, brother.

SPEAKER_02 10:48

Go. Nothing Pope said was wrong. And if you listen to the policy, he acknowledged he acknowledged that where we're at is not acceptable to Davo's point. Okay. But you can compare the last four years of Cal because that's why Cal is no longer the coach. And I I'd actually like the analogy that TB with the ex-wife thing, but you could also throw out there, be like, hey, listen, if you like what he did, you can go back, right? You can go back, but you're not because you know how bad that was and you know how bad it got. So here's my the biggest thing. I don't mind Pope taking a little shot at Cal. I don't mind Cal taking another shot back at Pope. I think that rivalry is good for the sport. I think it's very good for them to go back and forth. Here's my biggest issue with the people who had an issue with what Pope said and did on the radio show last Monday. Early in the season, when he was talking about losses and he was in front of Goodman or whoever, Leech, Kentucky, radio, whatever. And he was talking about losses and looking like beat up like I do and y'all do when we lose, just like emotions on his sleeve, right? Everybody's like, this guy can't cut it, he can't, he can't do it, he's not mentally ready for this job. But then the end of season when he's like, All right, I'm gonna stand up with myself, I'm gonna put my balls on the table and be like, hey, guess what? This is why we are on our upward trajectory, this is why we are gonna get to where we're gonna get to. And they're not excuses, but I did have a roster that was built around JLo at the one, Otega at the two, Zell at the three, and unfortunately, and JQ, you know, as my starting five, and it didn't work out. We gambled and it didn't work, but I'm telling you right now, we can get back to where we were year one and be better. And everybody's like, oh, well, you can't compare that. So which one do you want? Do you want the dude who is emotional and is is like a fan, also as a coach and more quiet and reserved, or do you want the guy who is like, listen, I'm gonna take this program back to where it used to be. And I'm telling you that I'm comparing the last four because you can call for my job, but we are actually doing better than we were under those the last four. There's also the argument of you can't compare Cal's first year to his first four or his first two, but we're not through Cal's first three, or I'm sorry, Pope's first three yet to get to TB's analytics of what you have to do, right? So I just want to know what the hell, which which one do you want? Which one do you want from the Kentucky fan base? Because at this point, it's it's it's not about what Pope is saying or doing, it's just you don't think he's the right guy, which is fine, but don't attack him from both angles.

SPEAKER_05 13:14

I like that strong, that's strong, right? Don't go, TB. You got the rebuttal.

SPEAKER_04 13:18

No, I look, he can say what he wants, he can do whatever he wants. I just want to win. Like all this stuff I'm hearing, you know. Correct. All the injuries with the injuries. We've we've heard about the injuries. Well, we just played an Iowa State team that lost their All-American less than 48 hours before the game, and we lost about 20 points. Okay. I know because I'm in Iowa. I've had to hear that man talk about fatigue and fatigue, but I watched Bennett Sturts play point guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes, played every fucking minute, 160 minutes, to get his team to an elite eight. And I got to hear about fatigue? That's all I'm saying is like, help me understand that. Just win. I don't want to hear anything.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

I agree, but none of those things are brought up in that conversation we were just talking about. And I came on the show on Sunday last week, and I told you I lost some faith in Pope with the way that he lost that lead, and he he went back to the rotation at the 12-minute mark instead of like just thomping eye with state when they were reeling and doing what Tennessee did the following game. So I agree with you there. And and at the to your point about you know, Gillespie and and the strength of schedule, if you don't win, it doesn't matter. So, like the the you can throw out whatever statistics and analytics and whatever numbers you want to. Right. If you don't win consistently, it doesn't matter. But the fact that he pointed out to the fan base of like, hey, let me let me remind you of what I have done since I've been here, i.e., be dupe for the first time in the decade, like things like that. I think that's fair. I I think that is a fair argument to make. And I think it's okay for Poe, again, to stand up on a pedestal for a little bit and go, I believe in myself, y'all should too. Let me prove it to you. It's a big offseason. I don't mind him starting it off with that, with that press conference and that message to the fan base. That's all I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 14:54

I will say this. Go ahead. I will say this. He has he has brought me back in a little bit by getting rid of what seems to be a little dead weight on the coaching staff. Right. And he seems to be making some pressure pack situation choices with the players that he wants to bring back.

SPEAKER_05 15:08

Nice segue, Dave. Oh, let's let's talk. Let's talk changes now. Start staying with the coaching. Go ahead. No, I'm saying continue. This is the segment we're gonna talk about, uh just really the changes.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

I'm I'm quick and final final thing, Cal thing. Okay, one thing I hate is Cal was always very positive about Coach Pope since he's been here, saying, Oh, he's the right guy for the job, this, that, this, that. And then Pope gets an opportunity, you know, at a difficult season, and obviously getting embarrassed in the round of 32 with the way the game played out. And then I hate that Pope reverted to taking shots at Cal. That that's what kind of drove me crazy with it. But then on the flip side, I wish Cal. I I honestly wish Cal and I'm surprised Cal didn't, you know, go back at Pope harder. All he did was just throw a little little jab out there, and Pope kind of threw some haymakers at him, you know, with the statistics and stuff like that. So that's kind of how I sort of evaluate it all.

SPEAKER_05 16:03

Yeah, no offense to our guy, but coach uh Pope is punching up because Cal's a Hall of Famer, man. Yeah, exactly. He he had a he had that four-year period that uh our fan base.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

So you can't take away that the first 10 years they don't know, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 16:18

No, because those and that's put those 10 years up against any window of ours.

SPEAKER_04 16:23

Yeah, because you know, I'm surprised Cal responded, Cal's like, Google me. Yeah, go to go to Ruperina where you play. There are 16 banners. I put four of them up there myself. So I don't know who you're talking to like this. Yeah, it didn't end great, but every time you go up there and coach, go look at them rafters.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

The banners are still up there even after he left.

SPEAKER_04 16:43

Them them them four to the far right. I did that. Google me.

SPEAKER_05 16:47

But you know what also if you Google Caliperi in his last four years, this disenchantment with Cal, it it's to me, has it played out that this was the AD? I mean, this was the AD, the the administration, this that disconnect between Cal and Mitch. That just kind of like Cal was like uh fuck it. And Cal Cal threw his punch back on Twitter. This isn't a 15-year job, but no, it's not. Um Drew, say your say your thought. What was that term?

SPEAKER_01 17:15

I was saying Cal threw his punch right back on Twitter when Mitch announced his retirement, saying, you know, we we didn't always get along but enjoy retirement. And Cal's not afraid to throw shots when he when he feels disrespected or when he feels like it's his time to shine. And I I respect it. I I think that's makes John.

SPEAKER_05 17:33

He gets the benefit of a doubt on a lot of uh uh a lot this ride of his. So go ahead and take it.

SPEAKER_03 17:39

So if if if we talk about Kentucky's the brand, right? That's that's always gonna be the argument, right? First and foremost. So put four of those banners up in rough, right? Thank you for that. But once again, Kentucky is the brand. He has since gone to Arkansas, which is still very odd to me why he did that. He went to Arkansas, he had what was arguably, if by every Arkansas fan in the world, the best point guard Cal has ever had, uh, along with some really good other players. And what is he down there, right? So that's so that's what I'm saying. Kentucky's always gonna be Kentucky, it's just gonna take the right guy, right? And we have till next year to find out if we have that right guy.

SPEAKER_05 18:19

Well, here's the reminder of where we're at. This is one of New Year's. As we're recording or doing this stream, live stream on this Sunday night, March 29th. It was uh two Elite Eight Finals. Kentucky's name has not been mentioned in a long time, has not been part of this this fucking weekend. That's where as a as a fan, myself, speak for me as a fan, I don't care who the coach is. I uh we have to be in that conversation. We can't get bounced by almost by what was 19 or 20 or 20 points in you know, in a sweet stick or a third round of 32 game. Uh you know, we can wear that we're blue blood, you know, cape and hat. But again, I'll remind we haven't been relevant this decade. No one fears us. People walk into Rup, you know, they think they're gonna win. Every opponent thinks they're gonna win.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

Uh you know, we're uh they're I personally think relevant is the wrong is the wrong word. I think successful is the better word. We haven't been always Kentucky basketball, we're gonna be relevant, which is why they haven't, which is why they haven't punkted us from like the CBS class and those sort of things. We will always be relevant.

SPEAKER_05 19:24

That's uh you know what? Because when we're bad, I'm gonna redact that's a great point. Because the thing is is that because we're Kentucky, you put us on TV, we're gonna get that, we're gonna get your million viewers. We're we're gonna get we are you're right. Relevant.

SPEAKER_02 19:38

It's either BBN or everybody, it's you know, it's like we hate watch do it's either you're cheering for Kentucky or you're hate you're hating on us, right?

SPEAKER_05 19:45

It's just how it's gonna go. Good call, good call, right? All right, so let's switch gears to the main reason why I I had invited Drew on. What's going on with the portal? Uh recruiting. Well, let's start with code. Dave will you brought up uh uh some coaching changes. Let's Drew, I'll let you start it. What's from a coaching uh perspective, what's going on with the staff?

SPEAKER_01 20:05

So before before I get into any of that, I I I give Pope a lot of credit because you know, when the game ended against Iowa State, I really at first I didn't expect many changes at all, roster-wise, coaching wise, anything. I I thought he was gonna double down on on what he did this year and hope that you know, minus a few tweaks it here and there. I you know, which we've seen in the past some coaches do that.

SPEAKER_05 20:28

No, for the record, I think Coach Pope hears what Terry Brown says and knows there's smoke. Terry brings the smoke and he needs to do something joking. I totally butchered that. But anyway, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 20:38

Yeah. So I think um, you know, I think that's the first thing. I I was a little bit nervous. And then, you know, as the offseason, I guess what, a week from today, you know, around Tuesday or Wednesday, you know, you start to hear some scuttle butt that things are are happening. And I think just in general, from that from the outside looking in, I I think you're seeing it that Pope is he's not gonna go down without a fight. I think, you know, I don't I don't necessarily want to say he's on the hot seat going into the year. I think that's unfair, but I think there's obviously next year is an important year. Um, and so I think you're seeing him being very strategic about what he is doing. Um, with the coaches, obviously, four of them, their contracts were expiring at in the in the summertime. That was Alvin Brooks, uh, Cody Fieger, um, Mark Fox, and uh who's the other one? Oh, Jason Hart. Jason Hart. They were all expiring. Mikhail McLean's under contract till next year. So I I think that was probably Pope's call or a parting of ways of hey, we're not going to extend your contract. Those two leave. I know there's obviously been some conversations as well that uh Mark Fox could be out the door as well, potentially. We'll we'll see, you know, what develops there. Um, so obviously, you know, potentially two to or two obvious coaching changes, potentially three. Um, and I think you know, there will there will be plenty of candidates to fill those spots and And um, but I think with the roster Well hold hold that thought, hold that up. Let's get a word's take.

SPEAKER_05 22:05

As far as the the coaching changes, guys. Uh Dave, I'll start with you. Thoughts, what do you think, and feeling?

SPEAKER_03 22:10

Um Pope keeps everything so close to the chest. So I'm not I'm not sure. I mean, I think sorry. Um, I don't think that I don't I don't I don't know. Uh we have a few that we would like to see in there, like we have pipe dreams, right? I'll uh you know, bringing Tyler Yolis back. That would be amazing. Um, but what's this Orlando Antigua? Well, Orlando Orlando Antigua from from what we understand was quoted literally asking Pope to stay on staff.

SPEAKER_01 22:40

He was building a he had a house being built and everything, and yeah, I guess he wanted to stay. Yeah, and Pope, Pope was like, I don't think in a bad way, but was like, I'm gonna bring my own guys here. And so I think with the cow guys, and he didn't think it was a cow thing, right?

SPEAKER_02 22:55

A B3 came and kind of replaced the antigua as like that that recruiter guy, right? And then we had Jason Hart kind of on the on the back end of the of the offseason. That really worked out, didn't it? No. And and I I we had our show Wednesday, and there was some scuttle butt about you know the coaching changes. Um, I personally think Mark Fox will be on the roster. Uh, you you know, Drew, you talked about, you know, Poe really putting a lot of work in this offseason and him, you know, he made a I I think he knows he's on the hot seat. Another bad year, you know, even even if he repeats year one, it it's it's gonna be tough for for Kentucky fans not to be called for his job again, get even even louder, right? So um I I think that's I I think that's uh you know gonna be tough. But because of his relationship with Mark Fox, I think he goes down with the ship with Mark Fox on his staff. You know, Mark Fox gave him the first um opportunity at Georgia. I just I I think there's a relationship there. Now, you can potentially come up and have coaches to help out, and Mark Fox has a role where you're just on the staff and you do other things, but uh and and I I don't I don't mind that loyalty there, like that you know, Cal had loyalties to certain guys and we didn't really appreciate it, but you know, he I think there's something to be said about that with a coach. If if you're not loyal to some some dudes, you're probably not gonna get other guys to come in later on. Um, but my personal take on Hart um and A B, I met A B um in the Lexington airport, and that dude spent some time talking to me. Uh my flight had got delayed there, waiting on Caleb Wilson. He came to me and goes, Hi, I'm Alvin Brooks. I was like, Yeah, I know who you are, dude. Like, yeah, I knew, but he was super humble. Um, and so I I don't want this to come off as you know, me talking shit or anything. But um him and Jason Hart were both guys who were brought here to get highly tatted recruits in Lexington, right? And play and rub. And they got a lot of dudes in the building, but they didn't get a lot of dudes to stay in the building, right? We got a lot of guys to come check us out and put us on the final five list, right? But they weren't closers, and maybe that was Pope, maybe that was a JMI deal. I don't know, but I'm just saying, like these guys were supposed to be the heavy hitters where the, you know, this guy, uh this guy is gonna bring us this guy. This guy's, you know, heart's gonna be able to land this guy's. And again, we were on a lot of final lists, but we never close. Um, and the guys that we did close on um were, I think, fail-safes or backup plans. And again, no no disrespect on the players, but um, I just uh I don't mind us going to a Keegan Brown who is a Pope guy, but from my understanding, um, and and you know, uh back and forth with BYU fans and and whatnot, he's not a yes man. He's not like a dude who's gonna come in and just like tell Pope what he wants to hear. He's actually gonna, you know, he'll tell Pope, hey dog, if you sub another dude in at the 12-minute mark and lose a 10-point lead, I'm gonna lose my shit on you, right? So like I think I think he's a guy who can can come and lean on Pope and bring the best out of Pope like he did at BYU. Um, and then I really hope this Austin Pope smoke is real. I really hope it's real and he comes back because he's gonna he's gonna have G-League town. He's gonna have a lot of uh dudes who are on the cusp of going pro either as a four-star, five-star recruit, um, or transfer portal. I think that's big. Um, so I would love to see Austin Pope back in in one of those assistant coach jobs.

SPEAKER_05 26:05

Yeah, Drew, you haven't got the memo yet, but uh, you know, we uh uh with Round of Shots partner with Blee Blue Network, and Drew, you're a part of that. You're the you're one of the recruiting guys. Uh when we start up, uh we'll be starting up a podcast where we'll be talking heavily about portal recruiting updates. Drew would be part of it. We'll get people, we'll get, you know what, Rando? I know let me you plug, you kind of you referenced your show, right, Rando?

SPEAKER_02 26:32

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_05 26:33

Well, go all the way, plug it all the way on my show.

SPEAKER_02 26:36

Plug it, plug it. I appreciate that. Yeah, so uh on on Wednesdays, um, we have the All UK Ball and Border Rivals podcast. Um, so we go live on X and YouTube um under the Heavy Poor Sports Network. So all UK balls, me and Selena, and then the Border Rivals crew, Tennessee fans. One of them is my boy from way back. Um I've known him. Yeah, yeah. The Tennessee sucks, but he's actually he's a good human. Him and Hammer are both good dudes. So we uh we get on there and chop up Tennessee, Kentucky, go back and forth at each other, and then we have our happy hour show. We kind of recap everything on Saturdays, have a have a drink or 20 and and go. Um, but if you want, since I'm I just got this in the mail, you can I need to order that's I need to order that's a mucker. It's it things pretty dope. Um, but uh unfortunately I thought I was gonna be able to they they we dropped it Saturday, and I'm like, man, if we win Sunday, this thing's gonna take off, and we didn't, and it kind of died, but that's all right. You can relive Otega always. Um his last final great moment, uh as many great moments as a Kentucky Wildcat. Um, but yeah, man, they s let me uh plug that Wednesdays and Saturdays.

SPEAKER_05 27:37

Well, you're you're Rando. I'll let you plug it 10 more times during our show. And for the record, I just I gotta tech Drew's hair is amazing. What? Uh and then but then you know, I would counter with Davo and Kyle's hair is equally amazing. Right. I'm trying to hold on to it for as long as I can. There you go. Any budget there, buddy. They want that peach. Uh uh, okay, where are we at? Are we talking poor? Are we done? Uh T B, you left us. You got any final takes, thoughts on where well, oh you know what? What's the give us what's going on with uh Chandler? Drew. You start it and everybody chime in.

SPEAKER_01 28:18

Yeah, I I think there's a lot of conflicting things going on with Colin Chandler. I think um, you know, obviously, I I think we know like he's a Pope guy through and through. I think he loves Kentucky. I think Big Blue Nation loves him, obviously, just because he's he's such a good guy, always plays hard. You know, he's he's had some really good games at Kentucky, yeah. Clutch. Um, but obviously, you know, he's married. I think he's 23, um, you know, from Utah. And he's the Mormon thing. Yeah, he's lived a long life for uh for only a 23-year-old kid with the mission trip and all that stuff. So I I I would say I I expect him to be back. Now don't you know quote me on that or anything like that. But I I I just feel like, you know, I don't need to quote you because I got the audio recorded.

SPEAKER_05 29:04

Yeah, I I I just I I feel like Pope is is is gonna at least do everything he probably can reasonably, you know, unless you well didn't I see that there was when it came to the the coin that they've maxed him out at a certain amount and maybe BYU and yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:23

I I just think I I think Pope is gonna do you know reasonably of what he can to bring Chandler back. I think the same thing with Malachi. Um, but obviously look, and BYU wants to offer him a ton of money and he wants to go back home and and be around his family, then like tip your cap and and uh yeah, go ball out. I'm gonna root for you. I think all big blue nation will. Like, we're gonna root for the kid. He's a great kid, you know. So I I would say I I probably just on a gut feeling, I expect him to be back, but it's 2026 and it's college basketball. You you know, we really have no idea. So that's kind of what I would say. Uh champion.

SPEAKER_05 29:58

Thank you for that. Uh, but let me let me keep keep this going. Uh, we know Jalen Lowe uh is uh was it on March 28th? Uh we he will be parting ways with us. We did a get a commitment, our first recruit of 2026, Dave O Mason Williams. Lowe's gone. We got Mason Williams, the one recruit. Who else are we needing to really keep to build around? Or is the guy that we need to build this program around in 2026 not even here yet?

SPEAKER_03 30:33

No, not even here yet. You know, we gotta we we we gotta stop saying build around anybody who's left on our roster, right? Because that's not fair. Um we we we all can agree that after Owe's gone and everybody is gone, um, there really is nobody to build around. They're all just role players, really good role players at this point. Um it's gonna be it's it's gonna be very, very interesting um to see what he pulls out of the portal, or maybe even luck a lucky to get one more high-profile freshman out there. Um, that is TBA at this point. As long as he gets another really, really good point guard. Um, I think the the Big Blue Nation will be super excited with the class, regardless. Um, I I do think he's gonna have to um get one really, really good center again um with Malachi Marino. I know there's been a lot of talk about him being you know physical enough or or ready for SSC play, which was unfair to begin with.

SPEAKER_05 31:24

You'll stay with Malachi because I like this kid. I love this kid. Um, first of all, the fact that he's a Kentucky uh, you know, from the state of Kentucky, that's that's a point there. He was the third, really the third guy at the at the five, the expected third guy at the five, right? Am I right?

SPEAKER_02 31:43

Uh I don't know. I think I think BG maybe had some thoughts of playing the four. Um Malachi would come off the bench at the five with JQ. Chat me up about Malachi. Go, keep going. So my personal thoughts on Malachi are enjoy him next year at Kentucky because that's the last year you'll see him. He will be in the draft next year, um, probably as a as a first round pick, top 20, top 25 pick. I think he's I think he's got a lot of talent. Um, I don't know if within a year he can really build to a point where he can stretch the floor out as a stretch five and and shoot that outside shot. I don't think he can do that. Um, there's still some corrections he needs to make, but a little mid-range, maybe getting his footwork better. Um, I think Malachi and what will change his game and make him a true NBA five is if they can focus this offseason on his vision and passing out of the paint, right? Just, I mean, just hours and hours and hours of Amari Williams' film, right? Of just what he did in the Mark Pope offense and how he could get on the block. Amari Williams' footwork was not great as a back to the basket guy. He wasn't. Andrew Carr, great. Amari Williams, not good. He got better as the year went on, but he's playing in the league. Amari's playing in the league right now with the Celtics because of what he can do, his vision and it spread the offense out. Not because he can shoot, but because he can dribble and get downhill, which I think Malachi can put that in his game. And when his back is to the basket and they converge on him, I can find open shooter, which is what the NBA is, right? Um, so I think I I'll I'm confident to say right now Malachi's back next year, and he is going to be the starting five um, where he's gonna be very, very good. And I think you need a backup five um to fill BG's role. That's that's how I feel about um Malachi. I lean Chandler being back next year, um, outside of BYU giving him that $3 million a year speculation um that that's out there. Um, but I right now, just personal feeling is Colin back, Moreno back, Cam back, and I just don't have much about Modi or Yelovich or some of these other guys. But I I really think those three are what Pope's building the roster around right now. Um, and I think Malik, I'm sorry, I think Colin coming back as a sixth man. I saw someone on the internet put him, um, you know, equate him to like Villanova Di Vincenzo, sixth man come off the bench, gives you an automatic 10 every single night, but can go off for 20 plus when he's feeling it. Nice. That's I think that's a that's a perfect comp to what Colin Chandler can do for this team.

SPEAKER_01 34:12

Kobe Brea, year one. Like, you know, well, well, when we were fully healthy, you know, Kobe came in off the bench, checked in at like 15, 16 mark, and just he was out there to score. Oh, I miss those guys.

SPEAKER_05 34:24

Last year's team. I I yeah, I wish we had last year's team two top. I absolutely love last year.

SPEAKER_02 34:31

Yeah, the the the short the short that we got uh or the shortage that we got of Lamont Butler, um, that was that's tragic. I mean, that dude would have been uh you would have talked about him as like Tyler Ewis and and those like all-time great point guards we had him for a couple years or even as a full season healthy. Um yeah, I uh I I I like the Di Vincenzo thing because Colin Chandler has that athleticism too that Kobe Bray didn't have, but he's not as good of a shooter as Kobe, so you kind of find that middle ground. Um let's let's remind everybody, we try to keep it real.

SPEAKER_05 35:01

I mean, we've got uh clearly you can listen and who are maybe Pulp homers versus Pope uh, you know, keeping Pope in or no in check. That squad last year, I mean, was barring injury. That's a final four team. Yeah. My my point is that even with this team, yeah, if Quayton, I mean, if we had the players, he's got, I think the he as far as recruiting goes, and Drew, help me out here. The the players he's bringing in, he the talent is there to win at the highest level.

SPEAKER_01 35:34

Yeah, I I think I mean we've obviously missed or I shouldn't say we, but you know, they've obviously missed a a lot of recruiting as well, but he's been able to kind of fill the void of that as well. I know last offseason that you know missed out on a couple of their top priorities and they kind of had to overpay for some guys to to make sure they didn't go deeper down the list, but he's put together, you know, as much as we're gonna debunk this overpay thing because the narrative out there is that Kentucky spent the most.

SPEAKER_05 36:01

That $22 million tag that we got hit with that labeled with, there's numbers coming out that there's several teams that spent a hell of a lot more money than Kentucky this past year uh for their basketball program.

SPEAKER_01 36:14

Yeah, but back to what back to what I was saying about the roster, I I think he's you know, year one was just a great fit. Like, you know, with the way that their their games were, like Lamont compared with Otega and Jackson and Andrew Carr and Amari, like those guys fit well. And I I saw the vision, I saw the the the picture that he had for this year, but you we never really got to see it. And you know, because Jalen Lowe goes down in the blue-white game, and you know, from there it was just like give us whatever you can give us. And obviously, you know, kept dislocating his shoulder and those things, but I think you'll get to I I think I think Kentucky will get back to putting a roster that you saw um in year one, but I I think just in general, he he's done a good job of you know putting the way that you build a roster is by putting a puzzle piece together, and and one piece can shift the domino to another piece, and I think he's been able to find ways to do that, but I think obviously last year he didn't do enough as far as depth in certain areas as well that that lacked closure for the year one.

SPEAKER_05 37:16

Drew, great points. T B could Pope have done a better job as far as his handling uh as far as uh quaint. Was that something that I mean hindsight is that you you I guess you you have to roll with him and take chance that he's going to be on the floor. I mean, his injury was a it was a risk. And then you're you're put what two plus million, two million with this dude? I'm playing armchair quarterback here, but is those situations where do you dig do a little more due diligence before you pull the plug on somebody who is in a situation where it's highly it's very possible he can't and won't contribute to the season. Who's that one too? Whoever. I think I said TV, but yeah, that's what I thought.

SPEAKER_01 38:01

I think looking bad, I think the job is.

SPEAKER_05 38:04

He took his head off. All right, I pissed him off.

SPEAKER_02 38:07

But I think I think his technical difficulties, yeah. T B. You hear me? Hello, TB. T go ahead, Drew.

SPEAKER_05 38:12

I was just gonna Debo for the record, move your arms because you've been frozen. You literally just been sitting here for like, and I'm like, is he frozen?

SPEAKER_03 38:22

I'm just chilling. There was there's there's a lot of good conversation. I'm just chilling.

SPEAKER_05 38:25

Well, you know what? Hijack this the show, Debo.

SPEAKER_01 38:28

You're you're one of the featured people here. I think just going back to the JQ thing, I I think obviously, like, we were all pumped when he committed. I mean, just because of the talent he has and him coming back, like we were all so excited to have him in the first place. Cal leaves, and obviously, you know, he departs. But yeah, looking back, it was a totally bad play to bring Jane Quaitens in. But I I don't fault him either for for making the decisions. It's just one that, like, you know, he made the decision. I was cool with it. Uh, you know, you you never expect, you know, we were told he was gonna come back in December and January. He did that, and then you know, you can't you can't plan for swelling, you know. You you can't plan for for other injuries to happen, just like you don't plan for the Jalen Lowe shoulder injury to happen. Just things happen, it's unfortunate, and you know, you got to live with it. And I I I think Pope probably learned a lesson. He's not gonna play in that game, bringing in a guy who's hurt again. I I don't see him doing that. Um, yeah, it's just it's it's unfortunate. I mean, he he threw his deck at the table and and you know, took a risk, and unfortunately it uh it bit him in the ass after all.

SPEAKER_02 39:34

But yeah, yeah, it wasn't gamble. It was it was you know Italy versus the US in the uh world baseball classic, right? It was a guaranteed win. There, you know, you you throw a thousand dollars on that, you're only gonna make a hundred dollars back, but you just know you're gonna get a hundred dollars, and then we're down eight-nothing against Italy in in this thing. You're like, what the hell happened, right? You had this, you had this great opportunity, you took the gamble, and like Drew said, I I don't fault him for doing it, but I think he learned from it. And I think that's why you're seeing JL hit the portal. I think that's why you're seeing JL hit the portal. It's like, hey, that shoulder injury, we don't know how it's gonna heal. We'll have a full offseason, you know, the surgery goes, but are we really gonna have to, you know, right now the market value is so high. To your point about you know, the the overpay, it's like you are worth what someone's willing to pay you. So there's really no overpay. AJ DeBance gets seven million dollars. There is no overpay, right? So if someone's willing to pay you whatever, then that is. And if you perform that amount of money, great. If you don't, you don't.

SPEAKER_05 40:29

Um I'm starting to not be able to afford you.

SPEAKER_02 40:33

But it's it's just one of those things where you know, he's probably gonna be what 1.5, $2 million right now with you know, NIL inflation. Are you gonna give that money to a guy who might not be able to play again because of shoulder injury? Um, it's just, you know, who knows? Um, so well, we do we do know now it's the fact he's in the portal, he's not coming to Kentucky. Um, and then you know, to kind of to button up my side of the roster construction. Last year, I thought that thing was built really, really well. Unfortunately, with depth, you didn't have somebody like when Carr when that carr was such a massive piece to this team, um, and I know his box score wasn't um, you know, some extravagant, you know, points-wise and rebounds, but when Pope needed a bucket late in the game, you gave it to Carr in the post, and he could he would score every time. I mean, he led the SEC in and won opportunities because of how good he was in the post. He goes out with a back injury. There was nobody to come in and fill that role, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_05 41:24

Seriously, um who is in Pope's era? Tell me, he's my favorite guy. And there's good kids, carr. Yeah, yeah. He's my favorite guy. Who else is who can who takes? I think just Otega, like well, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:36

Otega's my favorite. I I think just the memories he gave us and and the the you know what he scored 51 of 55 games or 50 of 54 games and 10 plus points.

SPEAKER_05 41:47

Like, I think he's stat-wise, he is good, he's really good, TV. Yeah, what are you shaking your head at? I wasn't disrespecting Owe.

SPEAKER_04 41:56

No, it it just when when Chatter comes up, Owe is never like people like, I don't like that dude. I'm like, no, his dude was too pretty. That dude was coming in the SEC. He was 20 points a game in the SEC. He looked around a lot of games and was like, because everybody loves Colin Chandler. I also remember a lot of games he didn't show up. And Owe was like, I guess I gotta do it, right? Owe is gonna be one of those dudes we forget about, like we forget about him on this show. Can I finish my point? Yes, because we forget about Antonio Reeve that was walking 20 points a game, we forget about Oscar Shibe. And when I go to Uppery and I look at the Raptors, we forget about uh uh Tayshawn Prince, we forget about Keith Bogan's guys that played their ass off that reached high levels, but because the team success wasn't there, don't get the recognition. Because that's what we do as Kentucky, right? We're Kentucky, we're the program. Uh, you know, if you don't make the final four, we don't give a shit about you. So I think Owe, as great as he was over these two years, listen.

SPEAKER_02 42:58

I I know this individual, and don't don't, yeah. Do not put anything on a screen that he puts on. He is trying to get TV worked up right now. That's all he's doing.

SPEAKER_05 43:08

Well, you know what? Unfortunately, unfortunately, hog ball burner. I'm a soundbite guy. Jesus, and uh played more years at Kentucky than he did at Arkansas. I I'm I'm um controversy creates cash. We're you know what? We're we're our podcast. Look, for the record, guys, there's KSR and there's everyone else. We're everyone else, Matt Jones and his crew doing their thing. We're all trying to just be another show. But we got it, we got good people, we got good stuff, but you know, I'm giving Hogball Burner way more time than I probably should, right?

SPEAKER_04 43:42

I just I just feel that Oway, you know, is gonna get lost in the cracks, and that's that's what happens at great programs, right? Like, look, I'm a Los Angeles Lakers fan. Okay, love the Lakers, but the Lakers, the rule is we're not gonna retire your jersey unless you've you're in the Hall of Fame, right? So there are a lot of uh Uh fan favorites that for other programs, other teams might be honored, but that's not what the Lakers do, right? Like I would say Derek Fisher, if he played for other teams, would be honored, but that's not what the Lakers do. So I understand at Kentucky, the standard is different, right? Like we're gonna do things a little bit differently. What I'm saying is always gonna be on that list of my Keith Bogan's all-stars, where it's like you look at their numbers very old resume, and you're like, oh wow, that guy is much better than I thought.

SPEAKER_05 44:26

Keith, yeah. That's a Keith Bogan's that yeah, there you go.

SPEAKER_02 44:30

Yeah, TV. I I know you probably didn't see it, but my uh our last Randall recap when when Jay and I were would did our kind of season recap, and he's a massive Owe fan, obviously. I mean, he the the Owe has snatched tears from that young man's eyes so many times as we thought we were getting ready to lose, and then he takes us in and we we somehow win a ball game. Um, and you can argue that he's really saved the narrative for Pope too. Because as much as Pope just like let's let's rewind back to the start of the show, Pope was touting those SEC tournament wins. We hit year one and we almost left without a without a win if it wasn't for Oway, and we all would have been really, really pissed off about that. So on a bomb game, too. We were up by like 10 or something, yeah. Uh on in a team at Oklahoma that was not good.

SPEAKER_04 45:13

Um we could have lost the first round of the S NCA tournament this year, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:18

I was there that I was there, it was crazy. Um, so and I I'll put out there that you just was Otega always jump shot the prettiest. No, did it go in a lot? It sure as hell did. Did he have the best handle? No, did he get downhill and score buckets when we needed to a lot? Yeah, it sure did. Did he play the best defense? No, but guess what? He got steals and yams and and key moments when he needed to, and he was a guy that was not supposed to be the dude. He was an ancillary piece from Oklahoma that Pope could just have on this roster to be like a bully, and he turned into SEC preseason player uh of the year. What Otega Oway did uh I think you're right, TB, unfortunately, but it should not be forgotten. We should we should as a fan base try to do whatever we can to not let him be the next Antonio Reeves. I think that's a great comp because him coming back for year two and what he did for this team. Um, but because he lost round one, the Jack Gope, and because the two lottery picks froze in the tournament game, we forget what Antonio Reeves was all season.

SPEAKER_04 46:12

Thank you for saying that because you know I see a lot of people when it comes to Pope, like Pope can't make the shots for these guys. These guys have to make the shot. The old guy, the old guy, you got lottery picks, and Reed Shepard, I know I'm gonna catch hell. Lottery pick, nothing.

SPEAKER_05 46:28

We should not have been coming off the bench, and that I can't defend uh Calper for that. Can can can you hold on?

SPEAKER_04 46:35

Let me finish. Yes, you come in and you don't take a shot for the first 15 minutes of the game. That's very, who is not a basketball person, she's learning, not a Kentucky fan, comes to me at halftime of Oakland and is like, what's going on? Rob Dillingham, who did everybody, gave the two small to everybody. Oh my god. You can go back and watch watch the tape. Okay. Oakland, they they they switch out. There's a big on Rob Dillingham, and he passes the ball back to Reeves, and Reeves is like, All right. And then Reeves goes to Trey Mitchell and is like, I guess we got to do this, right? So we could talk about what the players have to do. Anyway, Randall, thank you for saying that. Your players have to step the fuck up, right? That's all I'm saying. Always step up. It wasn't always pretty, it wasn't always the most effective, but it's what I say about like Archie Goodwin. Like a lot of people like to shit on Archie Goodwin, but he's looking around like, who else is gonna do it? Julius Mays? Ryan Harrell? Like, I guess I gotta drive in and shoot over three people. Well, you you put some names out here. But because you know, narratives get built, and you know, people again like to crap on these guys because they didn't have the success, uh, the team's success. We've had a lot of guys spill a lot of blood wearing Kentucky blue that we shit on because the team wasn't very good. I don't think that's right.

SPEAKER_05 47:48

That's fair.

SPEAKER_02 47:48

All right, guys. Yeah, and talk about I'll wrap this up about who Otega Oway is. That game where we're down 20, he gets a steal with like four and a half minutes left. There's nowhere we'll win that game. He gets his steal, he dunks it, and he is pleading with the team of like, go out on your sword, please. Like, run through the tape, let's finish this thing. Because everybody else, the other four on that court, we're done. We're ready to have their offseason. The weight of the season plus being down 20 at Iowa State was too much for him. Otega Oway was the only one out there still fighting for you know in that jersey.

SPEAKER_04 48:17

It it reminded me of 08 Joe Crawford. One of my favorite Kentucky games was the 35 points he gave uh Marquette in the first round where it was clear we we weren't gonna win, but Joe was like, This is how I'm gonna go out. He emptied the clip, him Bradley. That was Wade, right? No, no, it was different Marquette. No, different Marquette, but it was it was just one of those teams, not very good. But Joe went out on his own, right? And nobody talks about that, but it was a beautiful game, and I I remember it to this day. So keep it moving, Kevin Hale.

SPEAKER_05 48:45

I'm trying to uh keep it moving. We're talking, let's go to NCAA tournament. We're down to the final, it's the final four. Who we got? We got Michigan, we have Yukon, we have uh who um Illinois, Illinois, Illinois, yeah. In Arizona, final four, guys. You know, for the most part, the one seed, the one seeds clearly dominant. I mean, they played their ass off. They legit were a one seed. And and and then you got Iowa or excuse me, Illinois, who slips in there as well. Uh Big Ten, uh, they're showing off. They got they got a couple teams in Arizona. I I Arizona was my pick on all my brackets who win it all. I, you know, I wanted to, I'll I'm a wildcat kind of, so I stayed wildcat. Arizona. I still I will still say I I lean towards Arizona. Dave, I'll start with you. Final four. We um, you know, again, it's it's sad times when we're doing a Kentucky sports show podcast on a Sunday night, and we're talking about other teams. We have to talk about teams that just are better than us right now. Final four. What are you thinking? Phil, final four. You like us? Arizona. Arizona. I think this is the year of Arizona.

SPEAKER_03 50:06

I do. They're just they're just too good. I mean, they got the they got the perfect combination of size and and shooting and defense. It's just they're just too good. I mean, you saw you you saw the way they dismantle Purdue, like literally dismantled them. Um they're they're they're too good.

SPEAKER_02 50:20

I don't know. I uh unfortunately Michigan and Arizona probably shouldn't be the championship game. Um, but that the Michigan guards, you know, Cadeau is good. He's not great, but he's played so much better on Dusty May than he has Hubert Davis, North Carolina. Um, you know, Yaxl, if Yaxel plays like he did today, um, or in, I guess really in the tournament, you know, averaging 20 in the tournament, he's only averaging 15. And we had this debate last night on the Happy Hour show of like, you know, Yaxl UAB was the dude, was a scorer, could do whatever he wanted, and he is dropped off, dropped off as like as far as box score goes. And we're like, is that because he's not as good as we thought, the talent, or was it because Dusty Maiden asked him to do as much? And clearly it's because Dusty Maiden had to ask him to do as much in the regular season. Um, but uh, I know who I'm cheering for. Who? The alliani. I'm cheering for the alli to get this thing done.

SPEAKER_05 51:09

I want to, I want to see, I want to see them win. You want a non-one to get the job done. Yeah, plus plus I will always have to do it. And there's uh we got a Kentucky flavor.

SPEAKER_02 51:20

I always have a hot spot, uh, uh, uh, uh, a soft spot in my heart. I got a big Zent New Jersey. That's I got a hot spot uh for him too. Um but uh like those Euro guys. Uh anyways, uh your fan base appreciates your hot spot. Yes. Um I think uh I think I want to go a lot. I I don't know if if they'll get it done, but that's what I'll be cheering for. Drew, what's going on here?

SPEAKER_05 51:42

Drew looks like he needs to get some off his chest.

SPEAKER_01 51:46

What's the story here? I have no idea. All right, I got nothing to get off the chat.

SPEAKER_05 51:50

Wait, but chop chop, who's it?

SPEAKER_01 51:52

Chop socky, okay.

SPEAKER_05 51:54

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 51:55

I guess to get up my chest, I'll try to get it. Calling you out. What do you gotta get off of your chest? I don't know. I don't know either. I guess about the final four, though. Um who's got the better go tee, TB or Drew? I'll give it to TB.

SPEAKER_05 52:07

TB's our resident. It's been around a little longer, probably. And for the record, everyone wants to touch the top of Kyle's head.

SPEAKER_02 52:14

Listen, I get it cut short because I have to. All right, there is still hair there, all right?

SPEAKER_05 52:18

Don't worry about it. And then every one of our our fan base for your DJ needs, hook up our guy, Dave O. Just not there's nothing. I'm completely booked. Sorry. Well, but and there's something very cool. Whenever you're doing a gig, Dave O, you send uh uh like a video of what you're doing, kids, whatever it is. And it is I love it because you are for the right, give a shout out to your because we we are gonna get you like your DJ business is gonna be booked the rest of the year.

SPEAKER_03 52:48

Come on. Well, it will thank thankfully it is booked for the rest of all. No, I'm gonna book you two times. No, please, please, please don't weddings are already super stressful enough. Um so we're not gonna.

SPEAKER_05 53:01

I might have a wedding coming. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 53:04

I'm plugging it. Is that what I'm doing? Random. Okay, I can plug it. Um it's it's it's of course, right? Because why wouldn't it be? It's uh it's Wildcat Sounds DJ services. So predictable, right? Um, it's just um, yeah, I've been doing it for full time, like literally my full-time job for four and a half years. Um, I did 61 weddings last year, 51 weddings last year. Um, I'm just growing more and more and more, and just super thankful that so many people trust me on their super special days, you know. Um I get to do random special.

SPEAKER_05 53:37

So correct me if I'm wrong, you don't do this shit for free.

SPEAKER_02 53:41

No, I don't do it for free. Exactly. Um, I need to see, I need to see one of these videos because I didn't know you did the DJ thing until just recently when you post one. Yeah. And I'm gonna tell you right now what you did was and I this is not this is no disrespect. Oh good. That that surprised me because you look very bland white. And if you're a DJ, you have to have some rhythm. So I was very surprised at you, DJ. And I'm just saying, I didn't I didn't see you be able to have like some rhythm. And I'm assuming if you're a DJ, you're back there and you're you're jamming along with it too. So I judge you booked by its cover there. I'm telling you right now. You did, and I apologize for that.

SPEAKER_03 54:16

That was uh that was a rather wild stereotype. Um, yeah. I would think that though. Yeah, you would you would think that, but once again, stereotypes are a mean thing, Kyle. And uh, but it kind of is what it is. I do have lots of rhythm, I do bring a lot of energy. Um, I yeah, Kyle, I want to say fuck you, but I'm not gonna say that because you're my guy. But uh I apologize for it.

SPEAKER_02 54:39

I was just saying, I would I just I had to get that on the oh, I gotta clip this. I gotta click this. I had to get that on podcast. I saw I saw the DJ thing, and I was like, that can't be the same Dave O I know, and it was. So I don't know how to respond to that.

SPEAKER_03 54:52

Kyle, get get on, go to Facebook, search Wildcat Sounds DJ services, and you're gonna see all the white guys you can find on all my videos. Um I'm I'm super proud. I'm super proud of it.

SPEAKER_02 55:06

Daveo for the record.

SPEAKER_05 55:08

Literally, someone texts me and said, Daveo, if you could pick a song to go with Drew's hair, what would it be? Fuck, what a call. That's I'm dealing with on my side.

SPEAKER_03 55:22

I I can't come back.

SPEAKER_05 55:24

He's the young guy, he's the young guy on the show. We get it. What are you all of 22, Drew? Swag, swag and surf. 23. He's got some flow. You literally are younger than all of my kids, asshole.

SPEAKER_03 55:37

So that's actually my co that's actually my go-to, Rando, for uh all my weddings. Um, I line them all up, and I literally have to get you know, one person who has any kind of rhythm at all to be the leader, you know, and I line them all up and I get them going.

SPEAKER_02 55:51

So that's a smart play. That's a smart play. It's kind of like playing the electric slide, it's something that all of us whites can do. T B. Give it to us. Here we go.

SPEAKER_00 55:59

Come on.

SPEAKER_04 56:04

I mean, around the world, around the world. This show is went way off the fucking world.

SPEAKER_02 56:10

Bring it out. Bring it, bring it back. I changed my mind. I changed my mind. T B's the most Caucasian on this show currently. But what I just saw, he just got a little extra. No, no, yeah. T B I'll never invite it back. I guess see TB out of Iowa makes sense now. It all's coming together.

SPEAKER_05 56:32

T B, when are you coming back home, bro? So we can uh hang out, hang out at Oxed Den.

SPEAKER_04 56:37

Yeah, in April. In April, I'm rolling back in because my my daughter, that was gonna be my final shot. She is uh Well, save it first because we're not we're not doing final shots yet.

SPEAKER_05 56:47

Save it.

SPEAKER_04 56:47

Well, she's she's kicking butt on this track thing. So uh yeah, man. My girls are killing it, man. It's crazy. This is a different one from the lacrosse champion. Yeah, my lacrosse daughter, she plays at Aurora University, she's a sophomore, and my youngest is a junior at uh Atherton uh in Louisville, and she's uh winning all these. I don't know where they're getting the athletic stuff from. It ain't me. Y'all see, but all I do is just wear the jerseys, but uh my green.

SPEAKER_02 57:11

We just saw you dance, we know. Yes, we understand.

SPEAKER_04 57:14

Yeah, play player player of the week last week. Like my girls are killing it, man. I'm just I'm just a guy. All right, where we at? Let's let's move. Let's final four with Michigan. No, let's we're hold on, hold on. Man, you can't be yelling at black people.

SPEAKER_05 57:30

Wow, not this wow, okay. The emancipation proclamation means you can't be yelling at me. I know I get it. All right, so real quick, guys, the final four. Kevin, not comfortable talking about that because I am not talking about that.

SPEAKER_03 57:46

Exactly. All we need now is Adam on here talking about it. Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 57:49

Yeah, every now and then one of you all reminds me there's a line that I will not cross. All right. Uh what line is that? Because I said emancipation proclamation. All right, let's talk. You know, I'm TB, I'm with you on all of your uh views. Um for the record.

SPEAKER_04 58:07

That's about Caucasian wife. I'm like, you can't yell at me, baby. Slavery's over. You can't do that. And then she has me go work in the yard. You know what happens when she has me go do yard work? I go out of the don't say old man.

SPEAKER_05 58:18

Don't say do not bring up no Terry for the record, man. Do not say your wife makes you do yard work, and do not I and then don't bring up the work.

SPEAKER_04 58:30

How you get one of those? Oh don't don't keep doing yard work for everything, and then she comes out. She's like, Can you know what? Can you get a drink? I say, Yes, and can I get a drink? I'm sure it's gonna work hard for you, baby. I know this is I'm going to hell, but that's all right. I'm you know what?

SPEAKER_05 58:46

Here's what I think. My significant other Maria, we need we need one of those, just say, huh? Anyway, I love you guys. I do yeah, yeah, we're all to it. You know what? Here's the thing welcome around the shots, Drew. Yeah, welcome. Yeah, my bad, Drew. Yeah, no, I forgot Drew Drew. He's gonna be like no Drew's thing, he's a he's like the inter. He has to deal with this shit. We get to haze him. Can I say haze? I don't even know if I can say haze on here with probably illegal.

SPEAKER_04 59:16

All right, let's wrap this up.

SPEAKER_05 59:18

No, Tyrese Maxie, who is like a fucking stud right now in the NBA. I mean, he is uh Sixers, he is the guy, him and MB, but Maxie is fucking amazing. He he put out a uh social uh social media post at kind of basically what if that year, guys. Maxie's that team, maxi, who we at Emmanuel quickly, who was the other? There's we were Aston Hagen, Richardson, Montgomery, Aston Hagins, right? Yeah, holy fuck that team, guys. That team uh during in the cow era, one of the my favorite favorite team. Uh there was just something very just magical about that team, but COVID shut that shit down, Dave O. Maxie, what if? What would that team have done during that season? I mean, we can be the Homer fans and say, oh, we won won a national championship. But honestly, Dave O, we'd make we would have made a serious run, right?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:16

Yeah, it's hard to say, you know, because we just saw Duke in back-to-back years get put out early or not make it a national championship game with two generational talents. Um, it's really, really super hard. That was my subtle shot of Duke, so fuck you guys. Um, it was uh it's it's it's really, really hard to make it that far um into the return in the first place. Um, but obviously we all feel like that team had a you know they're they were rolling, you know, coming into the end of the year and everything, so it's just hard to see them not make a deep run in that tournament. Um yeah, it sucks. I don't want to remind it of 2020 at all, honestly, in any way, shape, or form. But yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:49

You know, TB 2020. Um, yeah, uh the we we could uh pivot that off sports, the real world. Uh it was a big fucking deal for the real world, but it did impact our uh our break from reality, which is sports. Um, that team, that Kentucky team uh was loathed. Go ahead. I I fell in love with Maxie, the Michigan State game.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:14

He taking that shot at Madison Square Garden was like, okay, and and we've seen in the tournament every year, right? You gotta have people willing to take the big shot. Like the kid for Connecticut today to take that shot with if that situation, like you need that. And Maxie had that, and so did Quickley. Like, I think again, because the team wasn't very good, Emmanuel Quickley was very, very good that year, like SEC player of the year ago, right? Absolutely he's he's another one of those guys that like we won't remember fondly because there's no banner uh for him up and rub. Uh so I don't know, they could have been Elite Eight. Like, I know people talk about the numbers, and Dayton was this, and other teams were this, but give me two guards that aren't afraid to make plays, and I think that Haggins was coming around to get his head screwed on, right?

SPEAKER_03 1:01:57

We saw what he did junior Nick Richards, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:59

Right.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:00

So I would have at that point, Nick Richards was he was legit lottery pick material that team.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:08

And he's still in the league, right?

SPEAKER_05 1:02:08

He's been in the league since right, absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:12

Yeah, he he joins the list of people that I'm like, oh yeah, he did go to Kentucky. It used to be Trey Lyles. I'm like, oh yeah, yeah, I forget about it. So uh for me, yeah, that could have been Elite Eight, but once you get to the second weekend, it becomes a crapshoot, right? Like it just becomes uh a little bit of luck to get that far, right? Like Connecticut today, uh Dwayne Wayne decided to go super silent. There's more luck than we want to abscribe it to. Like the lucky thing for Kentucky was Anthony Davis hurting his knee against Baylor. We've seen how fragile he's been outside of that year at Kentucky. It could have gone differently. So a little bit of luck once you get this far.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:47

Fair. Anybody else chime in? I'll I'll start. Kyle, go with you.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:51

Yeah, man, I was heartbroken when that happened. Um, I I really I was, I mean, I get this way every year, but that was a team where the way we closed out and dominated the SEC, um, I was I was like, wow, I didn't understand why they just went and canceled the tournament so fast. You know, we were it was still early in understanding what COVID was. Um, I I thought we were just gonna delay it. And then when they said they all right, just canceled it. Um, I was uh yeah, I was heartbroken because I thought that team would have been special. I I will say this and I feel very confident about it. And you know, there there's no way to fact check me on this, so it doesn't really matter. But if that team plays in the tournament, it goes on a type run where even if you have post-COVID Cal, he's still our coach. Like I believe that to be like that that's another tack that you're adding on as he's as he's walking through, you know, um past the Kentucky uh locker room with Sweet 16 number in the background and Elite A number in the background. He's you know, he's strutting through. That's just another one you add to it to where um that that team would have been uh special because like guard play is what runs the tournament, um, and which is why you see kind of co-pete and cause booster have good games, but it's really the guards that that are are are killing it. Um but uh yeah, it is um uh I think that team would have been special and and gone on a gone on a run um to at least at least Elite Eight. But uh we will never know. We'll never know.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:13

Yeah, and then you know the season really got canceled when they were getting ready to play in the SEC tournament, which that kind of sucked too. That's right. That's really where you can tell what teams are you can get a good idea what teams are destined to go on a run in March Madness. Um, yeah, that team was good. I mean, it there was a bunch of talent. I mean, you know, Johnny Juzang was just chilling on the bench that year, and I think it was that year.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:36

Oh, were you still a teenager at at that year?

SPEAKER_01 1:04:40

I think maybe a s I was a senior in high school, I think. Or junior off, Jesus Christ. Junior in high school. Yeah, kid. Yeah, that team, that team had it all. They had the guard play, they had the shooting, they had the the bigs, they had debt, and then you know.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:56

I did we had a yeah, uh guys TB Dave up, a three-headed guard offense with a uh NBA uh pick in the middle and Nick Richards. That team, I mean that could have really um Nate Sustainable's on that roster as well. And Nate, oh yeah, right. Yeah, yeah. What is going on? Uh help us out, uh Drew. What's the latest with Stokes? So tired of hearing a fucking name.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:25

Yeah, no, no. Come on, help us out. I I think just in general, I would tell everybody to not believe a damn thing they see on the internet or read. I mean, you could take some things from it, but if I'm just being honest, I I don't think really anybody knows. And the second somebody acts like they know, it goes in a different direction. People saying, Oh, he's going to Kentucky, and then it's Kansas takes over, and Kansas is in the lead. Well, watch out for Kentucky. And I'll just say this I think regardless of you know true. I I don't know anything, and I don't think anybody knows anything.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:55

That's the best answer, yes. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:58

What I know is this, what I know is this. Kansas has, I think, four recruits committed. One is in a potential reclass. They're recruiting a kid. He's a top 20 kid from St. Louis, um, who was originally committed to Wake Forest. He's out, and Kansas has been pushing for him very hard. He's a wing. He's like a 6'3 wing. Um, I don't know if he's a McDonald's all-American or not. Um, so they already have a big recruiting class. Obviously, we know Kentucky now has one you know recruit and and Mason Williams, but you know, the connection.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:28

For the record, he's a four-star. Yeah. And I'm not, I'm not trying to be a party pooper. Yeah, but he's a recruit. Okay, fair. Go ahead. Yeah. But I I think Tyler Hero is a four-star, by the way.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:40

Yeah, yeah. What? And we just call him Tyler Hero was a four-star, and we were and everybody on the internet calls him a bucket. Yeah. Look at Keaton Lackler.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:47

He was in Kyle Auburn ever correctly. Except for the Auburn game of the league. Yeah. Kyle called me out on my podcast, literally to my face. But I just think it's good context.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:58

Sorry, Drew. I'll finish with Tyrant. I I it it goes either way. I I he doesn't have a wrong decision to make. It's Kansas or Kentucky. Like, let's be really regardless. He's he's gonna be playing at one of the best schools in the country.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:10

And all right, well, staying with Kansas. Who who's the next? Help us out. Our coach is in place.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:16

Who is the next Kansas? Can that coach no? If Bill Sulf retires, I would say 99% he will be a Kentucky Wildcat. I I I don't see any any unless somebody came out of the blue, like I don't know, uh Washington, or we we've heard some things of Vanderbilt or Oregon's kind of still slowly in the mix, unless one of those schools came out of nowhere and you know made ground.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:40

But I I well let's be honest, this this whole narrative that Kentucky basketball, the Kentucky men's basketball program forks out, puts out uh spends the most money uh in it, that's bullshit. That's that's not the case. It's been debunked. There's several programs out there that have spent more than Kentucky.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:59

Yeah, you know, so and I I I think with Tyron 2, what we what we kind of have to remember as well is obviously he has a pretty lucrative Nike deal as well, which plays in our part. Now there's ways around that. Just because he's signed to Nike does not mean he has to come to Kentucky or another Nike school. Cooper Flag was signed with New Balance. Uh Daron Rippey is he's he's an incoming freshman as well. He's signed to Adidas, he's going to Duke. I mean, the list goes on and on. So he doesn't have to go here, but that plays into it's a it's a huge factor because you know, I I don't know for sure for sure, but you know, Nike could be involved in the NIL money that we that we pay for him. He they might be able to to you know provide extra money for us or with us, I guess, to give to him to make sure that he goes to a Nike school. If he doesn't, it's also a bad PR move on him as well, because if he's at a Nike school, they can run a bunch of promotions, potentially commercials. And you know, if he goes to Adidas school, that takes a year away from what he could be potentially making outside money as well from the collective or just standard NIL as well. But that also doesn't matter. He maybe just doesn't want to come play basketball at Kentucky and wants to go to Kansas and And that's fair too. Yeah, it's Kentucky is not the end all be all that we'd like it to be. Well, there yeah, we we all can you know have our opinions, but Kansas is I mean, they're right up there with Kentucky and as well as the other blue blood, so he can't he doesn't have really decision to make.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:26

Well say with the blue blood. Uh we've got TB, Dave O. I'll start with you guys uh first. You we have two blue blood schools that are looking for uh to um fill their coaching. Um uh yeah, fill the the their coaching. Um in this era right now, we'll we're we're what the the the narrative right now is is is uh when it comes to NIL and everything, it's about the moment. Players TB, I'll start with you. They do they really care about tradition? Did they have you you well no well back in the day? Well, no, back in the day they did until the money.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:08

Okay, let me share something. I saw this clip of Jamal Mashburn, and they were it's basically my algorithm on YouTube is like, hey, why did you pick this school? Jamal Mashburn knew of Rick Patino because he coached the Knicks. Jamal Mashburn's from New York. Jamal Mashburn wanted to play, and he said, and I quote, people said, Why are you going there? They're on probation. He was like, What does that mean? They're not playing the term. He's like, I'm just looking to play. So all of a sudden, like, I think as fans, we need to take our fan hat off. Most of these guys that come to play, it's very transactional. Now, once they get on campus, they learn the school fight song, they understand all this kind of stuff, but it's very transactional, okay? I explain that for myself. I grew up, Rando. You you responded to this tweet. I grew up a Louisville fan. Everybody in my family went to the University of Louisville, right? I get to high school, University of Louisville says we're gonna give you X as a scholarship. Kentucky said, we're gonna give you X plus Y. Transactional, but once I got there, I was like, this is awesome. This is very transactional. Like this narrative that you need people to understand, these 18-year-olds to understand the history. I just don't think that's fair, right? Like, like, like we would just say it, you can flip a coin, go to Kentucky, go to Kansas. It it's fine. I get it. As fans, I would say come to Kentucky because it's better, but but is it right?

SPEAKER_01 1:11:26

Like Kansas fans can probably argue the same exact thing their way, you know?

SPEAKER_04 1:11:30

Right, right. And that's and that's the point is like we we think for some reason that all these guys came to Kentucky because of it's Kentucky. And I have heard Pat Riley say he left Connectity, New York because Adolph Rupp was the coach. I just told you that Jamal Bashbird came to Kentucky because uh uh uh Rick Patino was the coach. So the brand is the brand, but these guys come to play for the coach. Absolutely, and and I don't I don't think I don't think that's unreal uh for that to happen because I remember when when Coach Patino was at Louisville and everybody was joking on Coach Patino. I went to a lot of events with these 1990s guys, and people were asked questions about trying to shit on Patino, and those guys fucking love Rick Patino. Why wouldn't they? He put him in the league, they won championships. So it's like they love Kentucky, but they also love Rick Petino. But all of a sudden, now it's got to be a thing that he's a cow guy, and he's a cow guy. Like you brought up Boogie Cousins, like that's not unusual. You go and play for the coach, you do, you do, but like is that am I am I wrong there? If I'm wrong, please please tell me. I've talked to people being recruited. My daughter, like I said, she recruited. I know it's D3, and it's not all this, but you she's there because she likes the fucking coach.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:44

Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:45

She doesn't know the like we're learning the fight song and all this shit, but like you go for the coach, like it's cool that Kentucky is on TV and Kentucky's got all these wins and all this kind of stuff. You go for the coach. I just don't think that's unusual.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:58

All right, guys. Let's I think it I think it has diminished even more though with NIO. I mean, you wouldn't have two lottery picks at Ruckers like last year, like you did if it wasn't for the a bunch of money they're selling out. Um, I do think the Kentucky Allure, you know, we were just talking about last year's team. Um, yeah, I'm sure they came to to want to coach for for Pope, but if Pope was still at BYU, Lamont Butler ain't leaving SD, you know, STSU, but he's at Kentucky, so Lamont Butler comes to STSU. Andrew Car leaves Wake to come to Kentucky and play for Pope. So I think those players, but you're right, your five stars, your Darius A. Cuff, your your um Taylon Kenny, your Mikel Brown, like those guys are gonna go because I like the coach, and this is what the money is, right? And it's gonna what's what's the next step for me? And that's all that's never been, that's not not gonna change.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:45

Well, and it's a mixture, right? Like we talk about like this NIL like it's a brave new world. I bring this point up all the time, and I know you all get tired of hearing it. Have you ever looked at the best teams of the 1940s in college basketball? It's like Kentucky, North Carolina, and a bunch of schools that don't do anything. You ever looked at the best teams of the 1950s? What my point is college basketball, because whenever I talk about my three years, people are like, Well, it's different, it's NIL. And I always say that argument means that when Coach Rupp took up in 1932 to Coach Cow's last Final Four team in 2015, what you're saying is college basketball never changed. It was the exact same. My point is it always changes. Again, I know people don't want me to talk about this, but look at the teams that were slow to integrate. Okay. Those are the teams that have banners from 1940s, but nothing since. Look at the teams that were slow to adopt a three-point shot, like Bob Knight at Indiana and Denny Crumb at Louisville, right? Great teams in the 80s that didn't transition. My point is, Kentucky is always transitioning to what's next. No matter what the world looks like, NIL, Negroes, three-point shot, shot clock, whatever it is, Kentucky is at the top. I'm begging you all to please understand what I'm saying. It's fine, it's whatever.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:02

I'm just tired of like it's all because NIL, NIL is gonna become normal, and then something else is gonna change, right? Like it's it's always right.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:11

And and people are like, oh, we're slow to change. Integration happened in the early 70s, and then Joe B. Hall got Leonard Hamilton, Googling kids, to say, hey, Negroes can come play here. Right.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:22

At low at a little, right?

SPEAKER_04 1:15:25

Yeah, so you then it's like the three-point chuck comes in 87. I'm old enough to remember Patino's Bambinos in 89. And then it's like, well, you gotta have veteran later teams. Tubby Smith wins in 98. Oh man, now one and done are the thing. Now let's go get four final fours. Please stop telling me that with NIL, Kentucky's like, Well, we don't know what we're doing. Win.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:45

For the record, for the hold on. I've got to sit here. Go.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:49

I've just I've got to sit here in Iowa and people talk about hiring the first uh year coach, get to the Elite Eight. That's hard. Kentucky can't do that.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:56

Yeah, we can't. Okay. And uh Deputy 304, who is the other blue blood looking for a coach besides Kansas, right? Potentially. Well, it's not confirmed yet.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:05

That's potentially self said himself that he's not leaving, but also he can't announce right now that he's said himself. Did you really say that, Kyle? Yes. Bill Self said himself that he is not retiring. But again, he can't do that right now because if he does, Tay Kenny and all those dudes Drew was just talking about can have 30 days to go find another squad. So he's gotta at least, you know, like you gotta get these guys in the building, and then if he does decide to exit, what's the exit plan? Which is why I think Bill Self probably comes back this one this one year. Um kind of announce it before, kind of like Coach K did. Yeah, like yeah, this is my final run. That makes more sense. Um but uh yeah, I I So you do a final shell back.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:48

I do this. I think I think I think he can't. He's always said he doesn't want to go out, he wants to go out on top. And okay. I mean, you look at Kansas in the last four years, they haven't done really anything either since they won the national championship. So I don't think he wants to go out in in you know this way either. Oh, you're saying he has an ego?

SPEAKER_03 1:17:06

He wants to uh so so Kevin, I guess you're saying he's to sell fish. Maybe come on, Randall, smile.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:19

Come on, that was funny. Come on, man. It was going, it was good. You're not as funny as me, but you're funny.

SPEAKER_05 1:17:24

You know what? One one night, Randall, we're gonna have a fucking podcast versus podcast show. Round of shots.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:35

You don't want that. Do we roll? Well, you know what? It's it's gonna be people throwing oops to me, and I'm gonna go, I got right on you every single time.

SPEAKER_05 1:17:44

In the spirit of you know, entertainment, we'll have to do that. And you know what? We gotta figure out how to monetize this, but we gotta like it's a pay-per-view moment, right? That's fair. That's fair. And as long as is little rando is part of it. I'm not gonna do anything with you, Rando. Kyle. You get Jay on here. Until my dude, my little dude.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:08

He's right here, but y'all gotta he's in sea right now. They're spring breaking right now, man. They're at they're in Florida without me. I just that's what I'm saying. Yeah, he's in Florida at the moment. Oh, he's in Florida. Okay, yeah, he's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:19

He is he is like meeting me, like no doubt about it.

SPEAKER_05 1:18:22

I have to, uh I love I love this part. I gotta give a shout-out. You do you get to do a podcast with your son? That's cool. Yeah, it's fun. It's fun, it's a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:32

Yeah, and and and he he's watched so much basketball with me. Um, and it's funny how he so he he speaks like I speak, which is scary, uh, minus the adult language. Um, but like obviously he sees the game that uh the way I see it, and we don't always uh agree with certain things, and I it's funny the way his brain works. We're sitting here on a podcast and we'll we're sitting there recapping the season, and he just looked at me and goes, Remember when BG was the best player in the UNC game, we lost. And I'm like, your little mind just works. He just he's got no problem like throwing these terrible moments back. Yeah, um, yeah, he's but uh yeah, um it's it's fun to be able to do that, and I hope we get to do it for a long time.

SPEAKER_05 1:19:09

Um yeah, for the record, all you Kyle fans on here, my one gripe with Kyle, Rando, when he's on the show, is that he gets caught up looking at himself during the show, and when I ask him a question, he won't be able to answer because he's never who am I supposed to look at, Daivo? Fuck yeah. Yeah, you come on, give it our guys. All right, Drew, you you picked the right, uh great night to hang with us, you know. Us adult, you little kiddo, kiddo. What's uh help us out? We're we're we're we're shutting it down. Final shot. I start with you. What's on your mind? What's the last sport, non-sport take for you tonight? Last sports take.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:55

It could be non-sports, it don't matter.

SPEAKER_05 1:19:57

Or non, yeah, dead air is not good, Drew.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:00

Hey, can you click that link? Can you click that comment real quick by uh Chop Socky? Yeah, I'll go. That's kind of yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:20:06

What? Oh what it looked like that that's my final thank you, thank you. I don't know how many times I fucking have cod call Kyle out when I'm trying to talk to him during the show, and I'll I'll say something to him because he's a fucking regular on round of shots on Sunday night. He gets the routine, but when I ask him a question and there's like radio silence, I know why there's radio silence. Chop sock. This is it for you have to it's because stare in front of a camera. This is this Kyle stares at him. He stares at himself and is it is fixated with the way he looks, and he can't speak.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:48

Listen, I am 35, I look 45, I'm haggard, but I do appreciate I come on this show because you do make me feel better about myself.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:56

And no, and Claire and Mila appreciate you, right? Shout out, yeah. Shout out all right shout out, shout out Big Blue Scoob, too, in the chat. Wanted to shout out, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:06

So, you know, let me this is my my quick little plug. We are affiliated with Bleed Blue Network. Um, we're gonna be working on some podcasts uh affiliated with that platform that will involve Kyle and um another recruiter and our partners in crime.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:25

Uh you I think you mean not Kyle, me.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:28

Or Drew. I think I said Kyle. Yeah, I meant Drew. Okay. Balls on this guy. There's only to me, there's only one random. Now is the perfect time to wrap this fucking show up.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:42

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:45

It's getting off, it's getting off the rails.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:46

Everyone has given their final shot, right? No. No, we even started. We didn't even start. We haven't even started.

SPEAKER_06 1:21:54

This show stinks.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:56

No, this show doesn't stink.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:58

That's just hosting this damn thing. I'm trying to. That's my tagline for our show because I I am very positive that the all-UK ball border rival show, probably the worst show on the internet. But people listen to it and I appreciate it. No, no, that's the most I don't know. Oh my goodness gracious.

SPEAKER_05 1:22:14

We're we're trying to be oh, whoa, oh, yeah. We're trying to be that guy. We're trying to okay. All right, Drew, you you're the new guy. You get to final shot.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:24

Yeah, my I'd say just my final shot. I guess for Kentucky fans and the chat and those things, just buckle up. It's it's gonna be a crazy off season. I'm sure probably tomorrow we'll we'll start to hear some news of potentially guys returning, guys leaving, maybe some coaching smoke. You know, guys will continue to enter the portal. I don't think the portal opens for another two weeks. So, you know, it'll kind of be quiet on that end, but it's gonna be a crazy offseason. We'll uh we'll see what happens. And hopefully by this time next year, we're we're celebrating Kentucky going to another final four. So that's my final shot.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:00

Oh, really? That's very optimistic. I'm hoping. I'm hoping. Hoping for poping. Okay. Poping pope. All right, Randall, Kyle, give me your final shot.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:10

Yeah, my final shot. It actually kind of ties into um what Drew was saying. I I want everybody to remember that I think football, there's some good inside information that comes out, right? Um, and I don't know why there's a difference, but if you just go look at the last two years, the basketball insiders, right? And I don't care if you work for a radio station or a network or a dipshit like me talking on a podcast, there is not true inside information. All right. Pope, there are no loose lips on Pope's ship, right? When when Amari, when Amari committed, when Lamont Butler committed, when Ansley committed, when Otea committed, um, when Zell committed, when Otea committed, like all these things happened and we're like, holy shit, we never saw that coming. Unless Pope wants us to know about it, i.e. uh because we he had missed on some guys and he wanted to be like, hey, I can land a big fish, so that came out pretty early that we were getting him, or if it was Brea because you know, we were fighting uh against Duke and UConn and we needed a fan base and some donors to come out and support getting Brea. Like, so if Pope wants us to know about it, we'll know about it. Up until then, what and Drew said this early on the show, what you see on the internet, you can't really you gotta you gotta just kind of dismiss it and and not try to fall into the bait, which is tough, but just know that Pope it will work, he'll work in silence. And if you trust his roster construction, which I think you can based off this last two years, injuries aside, you you look at what he has done and built a roster, plus some of the new additions he's got coming in to um to fill these assistant coaching roles, um, both confirmed and potential. Um, let this thing play out. The portal has a tight window now, so we're gonna find out earlier than normal what the this roster looks like. And I do think you can you can go and and be optimistic like Drew is about what it is. But all these different people coming out, and I I hear this, I hear this, and money this and money that, it's silly. Let the thing play out um and know that um, you know, Pope works in silence, and that just kind of goes. It's not the cow era anymore. So um you're not gonna get you're not gonna get five-star, a bunch of five-star freshmen. It's got the roster gonna be built different, and we're not gonna get a lot of information because we're not gonna know until Pope wants us to know.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:13

Can I jump in really fast on that point? Like 30 seconds, especially because Drew is hot. There you go. Perfect. I would say, especially what Rando just said at this offseason with the staff changes, with probably a lot of roster turnover as well. There's gonna be a whole lot of newness in the program. There's gonna be a whole lot of of information being, you know, thrown around and and those things. Just trust the process, you know, and and we'll see what happens next year, you know, when when it's time to get on the basketball court. But you know, we'll we'll uh we'll we'll see what what happens this offseason. And um, yeah, don't like Randall said, don't believe everything you see on the internet because I would say probably 90% of it's fault.

SPEAKER_05 1:25:53

Well, thank you for clarifying that. I was a little skeptical of all the shit that I was seeing online, but now I feel okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:00

Hey y'all, I appreciate you for everything. I'm gonna go call Jay and tell him goodnight, but thank you so much for letting me on tonight.

SPEAKER_05 1:26:06

Absolutely. Yeah, Rando. Yeah, speat. All right, all right, guys. Uh let's see who's TB. Give me your final shot.

SPEAKER_04 1:26:14

My final shot, my girls, man. They're killing it uh in track and field and uh lacrosse. So shout out to them. Again, I'm not sure where they get the athletic uh uh prowess at, but I'm certainly proud of that, and they're rocking it in the classroom. So I'm just a proud. You know where they get their look, yeah. You get the looks from me. I'm beautiful, but uh yeah, shout out to them just getting it done, man. Absolutely. All right, Davo, give me something.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:36

Yeah, so hey, listen, you know, to the Duke fans that may come across this, to the Tennessee fans that may come across this, listen from the bottom of my soul, like, ha ha. Okay, fuck you. And and seriously, and I mean, I mean, as serious as I can meet about this. No, yes, TB, thank you. Listen, nobody cares that you made it a game or two further than UAK. But for some reason, after you guys lose in Tennessee's in Tennessee's uh fucking aspect of things get fucking absolutely bow raced, okay, and dude loses on an absolutely beautiful shot from UConn, right? You guys at the same time are going to be sitting right next to us watching the Final Four. Like, you don't hang banners for that shit. You lost. Congratulations. Tennessee does. Tennessee does. Yeah. Tennessee's been in existence for 118 years, they never even got anyways. Fuck them. Listen, so my actual final shot is Kentucky baseball. Uh figure the shit out. Like, right, because it's getting kind of irritating at this point.

SPEAKER_05 1:27:33

That's so yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:35

Yeah, you know, they had it, they had a seven-nothing lead, you know, down there in Baton Rouge, and for some reason or another, end up losing 17 to 10. Um, yeah, figure it out. Uh, I know baseball is a long season. Um, get the bulk in figured out, please. Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 1:27:48

You you literally said thank you. Thank you. My final shot, I don't do one often, but I'll do one tonight. Uh Boogie Cousins, Debarcus Cousins, put out he's part of uh uh Michelle Beatles that I can't remember the show. They they do a a podcast so their their own show uh whatever it is. They w with the the the whole Kentucky sports narrative. This is a guy Boogie called out um Mitch Barnhart. This is I I I'm only bringing this up because it's just gonna be a segue into maybe the next episode. There is there is a lot of disconnect with what our who our a our athletic program is. And as we do continue to do round of shot shows um off season wise that are you know the basketball football season are are not in play but so much going on there's gonna be talking points and next week we will bring up this uh what boogie uh his narrative with when it came to Mitch Barnhart. I didn't get to talk about this tonight but we'll bring it up next week. Guys uh as always uh we I don't I I try to I literally try to say we're only gonna do 60 minutes but once I get you guys on we just shoot the shit and have a good time. Mainly because Terry has got so many great talking points that we can't I do homework. He does homework and you did not eat any paper during this tournament right yeah yeah if uh Kate made it a sweet 16 so yeah you called that all right uh for our fans and uh partner uh blee blue network who is a part of uh round of shots appreciate you davo tbo drew oh kevin oh signing off on this sunday night again march 29th 2026 round of shots wishing everyone a good night good week we will be back next Sunday next Sunday's Easter shout out minche's key so we're not doing a show next week uh no i'm gonna show mounting you next next Sunday's okay we'll talk