April 8, 2025 • 41 mins
Billy talks College Basketball and National Championship.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome everyone to another edition of the KSR pre Show.
Today is Tuesday, April eighth. I am Billy Rutlich with
no Shannon the Dude. This week you can give a
call on the Clark's Pumping Shot phone line. That's eight
five nine two A zero two two eight seven. Text
us at five h two two six five sixty six
five six and is always The KSR Pre Show is
(00:21):
brought to you by Italics Fine Italian Dining right here
in Lexington on Main Street in the City Center. Big
thank you dude Jacob Policheck who joined us on the
KSR pre Show yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
He gave us the.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Scoop about the Transfer Portal, the wild West, you could say,
and the player movement in the sport of college basketball.
We'll talk more transfer Portal today with our special guest
Tom Crean, the former Marquette Indiana Georgia head coach, is
a frequent guest on the KSR pre Show. A couple
things got moved around. He will join us today at
(00:54):
nine to thirty to recap the National Championship Game, Kentucky season,
their first season under Mark Pope, and much more. I
love Tom. He's a Western Kentucky guy. He was an
assistant there from ninety to ninety four. He ended up
marrying I think it was the Harbaugh's sister, so he's
in the Harball family. Now we got to hear about
those Thanksgiving dinners. But he's come on a couple times
(01:16):
before and has been gracious enough with his time. Until
nine thirty, We're just gonna do a little Billy our
Sports Radio. I'm glad you're alongside with us. We'll talk
about some news notes happening around the country and around
the Commonwealth. But first, let's say good morning to our producer,
Rick Ryder. Our Man's back in studio. Good morning, Rick,
how are you hey?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
I'm doing pretty good.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Billy always appreciate you the filling in Rick, I always do.
But I do want to ask you do you live
in Louisville?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Rick?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Are you?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Are you living in Louisville right now?
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Or yes? I am, yeah, Acord and raised here.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Obviously, the flooding has continued throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The images have been surreal in places like Frankfurt and
Dawson's Dawson Springs. But you don't have to go far.
I mean Louisville is underwater right now. Over the last
couple of days, Rick, the sewage system is so backed
up in Louisville they have asked people not to take
long showers, not to take a bath, not to excessively flush.
(02:09):
Are you doing your part, Rick, and not taking a
shower for the city of Louisville these last couple of days.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Yeah, I'm doing my best. And then anybody gets near me,
they can tell that.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well, hopefully, Rick, you're not getting too stinky. I thought,
not too bad to know, No, But I thought that
was bizarre, don't you. I mean, the sewage system so
backed up that they've asked people not to take extended showers.
I mean, it makes sense, but you know, I didn't
think we'd get to that point.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, you know, I never thought it would come to this.
I've heard things like this in other cities in the
past that got flooded out, but never thought it would
happen here in Louisville.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
But it has.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, and it's just really disappointing to see that thunder
over Louisville was canceled and all. That is such a
big event for the city and unfortunately we're not going
to have all of those festivities.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
In the fireworks show.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I mean, hell, we've got the bluegrass Steaks running on
a Tuesday here in Lexington at Keenland. So we have
just had to adjust with all of the severe weather weather.
Drew Franklin has had to adjust with everybody going on vacation.
Matt leaves for Amsterdam, Mario decides to go back home
to Florida, Ryan and Shannon decide to go on a
bro date. So I wanted to say Drew did a
(03:17):
great job yesterday at the start of Drew Palooza along
with Corey Price and myself. Speaking of Ryan and Shannon,
did we see the drunk tweets that Ryan and Shannon
had last night from the bar? I mean, hey, we
were all watching the National Championship game last night, but I.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Don't know how many mimosa they were the.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Twitter if you haven't checked it out at Ryan Lemon
and at Shannon the Dude. They were just being a
little goofy and having a good time on their bro date.
And it was a good time last night as Florida
defeated Houston sixty five to sixty three to earn their
third title in really the last decade, right, I mean
they won a six and seven and now again in
(03:59):
twenty twenty five five the year of the SEC, and
what a stellar year for the SEC. They make fourteen
teams into the tournament. Seven teams make the Elite eight,
two in the final four in Todd Golden, in his
third year at head coach at Florida, becomes the second
youngest head coach to win the National Championship at thirty
nine years old, the youngest being Valvano at thirty seven
(04:22):
in nineteen eighty three. It was also a rocky start
to the year to Todd Golden if you remember the
student newspaper at the University of Florida alleging that Todd
Golden was stalking University of Florida students. He has been
cleared by a Title nine investigation, but obviously that doesn't
clear a view of all wrongdoing. But Todd Golden was
(04:43):
still able to coach his team and coach his team
to the National Championship where it.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Looked like Florida was gonna lose.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I mean, let's be honest, they were down twelve in
the second half, down three at halftime. Houston to look
to had looked to have all the momentum, Florida could
not stopped turning the ball over. The intensity that Houston
played with on defense was phenomenal. It was a great
first half for Kelvin Sampson and those Houston Cougars. Then
it started to fall apart well, and then Walter Clayton
(05:12):
woke up. I mean, my man didn't have a field
goal until about seven or eight minutes left in the
second half.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
It also became a little bit of a ref.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Show in the second half. Did you notice that. I mean,
I believe the stat was there were four foulsand in
the first half and then twenty five fouls in the
second half. I don't know who made a call to
the referees at halftime to say, hey, we can't let
them play anymore, but it really felt like somebody did that.
But eventually, Houston turns the ball over on the four
(05:41):
final possessions of a game, allowing Florida to come back
and win the take the lead. Houston had seventeen seconds
left and elected to go for the win in the
final shot. And look, I think to a degree you
have to respect that light, right, I mean, they had
played so well and they were still down a point
to Florida. A Florida team that had a ton of
(06:01):
turnovers couldn't hit a three in the first half to
save their life. Houston had played really well and yet
still found themselves down by one. They went for the win.
But in hindsight it's puzzling.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It is.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
I mean, seventeen seconds left, you don't go to the basket,
you don't try to get a two pointer. There's no action,
You're just waiting for the final shot. Florida, to give
them credit, plays great defense. Walter Clayton comes out of
nowhere to force the well the Houston player to almost
double dribble and not touch that ball again. It ends
up being a turnover and Florida gets the win. It
(06:37):
was a fun ending. It was a stunning ending, right
My jaw is on the ground as much as it
was when Houston came back to beat Duke, or Florida
came back to beat Auburn or heck, Florida came.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Back to beat Texas Tech.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
They were down ten against Texas Tech, nine versus Auburn,
I believe, and then twelve versus Houston before they came
back and won. And it's interesting to think It's interesting
to reflect that the team that gave Florida their first
loss in conference play this year was Kentucky. That's right,
one zh six to one hundred at rupp Aerena earlier
(07:10):
this year, Kobe Brea hit seven three pointers. Florida gets
their first loss of the year. Shows you what Kentucky
was when they were healthy. It shows you what Mark
Pope and that roster could have achieved if those guys
could have made it the rest of the way. You know,
I don't think kerkkries have played in that game, but
you had a healthy Lamont Butler, you had a healthy
(07:31):
Jackson Robinson. Kobe Brea hit seven threes in that one.
Interesting to think back about Kentucky beating Florida earlier this year.
But congratulations to Walter Clayton, Congratulations to Todd Golden and Florida.
An incredible run for them to win the NCAA tournament.
But I also can't help but think about the other
side in Houston and the despair that you immediately see
(07:54):
after the game. Kelvin Sampson another one that was stunned.
Emmanuel Sharp, who was the one that kind of had
that double dribble, didn't take the shot in the final possession,
was devastated after the game and goes to show you
why the NCAA Tournament just means so much.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
These guys as.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Careers are on the line, they're gonna stop playing the
sport of basketball, possibly after games like this, and you
get to see the despair in their eyes.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It is so human.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
The end of the NCAA Tournament and whether it be
Andrew Carr saying it's gonna be tough to take these
jerseys and choose off for Emmanuel Sharp losing in the
national title game, the emotions are at their best in
the college basketball NCAA Tournament. Also, something that we didn't
get to bring up, yesterday was the one year anniversary
(08:44):
of John Caliperi entering the transfer portal himself entering negotiations
with the Chicken Man before taking the job at Arkansas.
So if yesterday was the year anniversary of the Sunday
that that news all started breaking out, today would be
the anniversary of the Monday where the bleep hit the
fan when Cal started walking his dog on Richmond Road
(09:07):
with the TV cameras right there, right where I had
to replace Drew Franklin on KSR that week because he
was at Augusta attending the Masters. I mean talk about
being at the right place at the right time. I
joined Matt and Ryan at KS Bar and Grill over
the next couple days to talk about Cal moving to Arkansas,
what Kentucky would do next. The sequence of events of
(09:31):
that week will be remembered forever. Monday, on the Show
and Cal with the Dog. Tuesday, Cal says goodbye in
a video, saying that the program needs a new voice. Wednesday,
Scott Drew's pictures taken in a Mexican restaurant in Waco.
When the fan base is going crazy tracking planes. Thursday,
Dan Hurley says no to the University of Kentucky. Imagine
(09:53):
if that guy would have been the head coach of
Kentucky this year. And Mark Pope is announced as the
head coach. Late Thursday night, Friday morning, we do our
show in the Distillery District and just the strangest three
hour period where the entire sentiment of the fan base
seemed to change. It's nice to reflect every now and then,
but a year ago today we were in the madness
(10:15):
of Cal entering the Transfer portal. Speaking of the Transfer portal,
Kentucky got a huge commitment yesterday from Alabama forward Mohammed
diu Bat. He'll have two years of eligibility. The six
to seven forward from Queens, New York played the Kentucky
Wildcats three times this year, and this is exactly the
piece that Kentucky did not have this past season. I mean,
(10:38):
think about it. You could look at his stats. He
averaged seven point two points per game, five point nine rebounds,
sixty one percent from the field, forty six percent from three,
and sixty percent from three free throw line. Those numbers
may not be corrected, and I don't know if he
shot forty six percent from three, but this is a
guy that is going to be your defensive enforce. This
(11:00):
is the guy that is going to help so much
on the offensive rebounding side of things, on the physicality,
on the toughness, on the versatility side of it all
that he's going to bring a dimension to the Kentucky
roster that Kentucky simply did not have last year. He's
going he was a thorn on UK side. In the
three games that he played, he had eight points and
eight rebounds, three assists in a steal in the game
(11:23):
on January eighteenth, he had four points, five rebounds on
a block in the game on February twenty second, and
the third matchup versus Alabama on March fourteenth in the
SEC tournament, he had I'm sorry the third matchup thirteen points,
eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in the ninety
nine to seventy win against Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I think this is a huge pickup.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
I'm gonna ask Tom Crane about this guy a little
bit later today. With two years of eligibility, you are
now starting to see this roster fill out. If o
Way stays, If Travis Perry, Colin Chandler, Brandon Garrison, Trent Noah,
if they all stay, you now have eleven guys on
the roster. You add in Jasper Johnson, Malachim, Radio, Acaid
(12:05):
and Lewis, Jalen Lowe, Cam Williams and Dubote are now
your three players in the transfer portal class. And what's
next the USC transfer Wesley Yeats as somebody that's been buzzing,
how about Jaden Quaintance buzz right now? We got some
updates from our guy Jack Pilgrim, who I believe is
going to be joining Drew on KSR. Later today that
(12:26):
it's down between Auburn and Kentucky. For the former Kentucky
commit Jaden Quaintans before he ended up leaving to Arizona State.
He tore his ACL last year. He'll be coming off
of that injury. There's the Sharpshooter Stretch four from Spain
at Robert Morris. There's a guy at Jacksonville State.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I believe there's still a lot of.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Pieces to fall in this transfer portal, but Mark Pope
has found his third edition in Muhammad Dubote. Heyf I've
nine two a H two two eight seven If you'd
like to join the show today again. Tom Creen will
be joining us a little bit later in the show
tonight moved up an hour early. It's Kentucky at the
University of Louisville baseball game. Kentucky needs this one. They
(13:08):
have struggled a little bit. They dropped two or three
against Old Miss over the weekend eighteen and eleven on
the year, five and seven in conference play.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Look, it's not a conference game, but it's Louisville. Right.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
You're on the road at Jim Patterson's schedule or stadium
against a ranked Louisville team. Kentucky leads the all time
series seventy three point fifty to one. It's the one
hundred and twenty fifth meeting between the two schools. Kentucky. Look,
I mean they left twelve guys on base and a
loss to Old Miss. Over the weekend, they take on
the number two team in the country, Texas this weekend Friday, Saturday,
(13:40):
or Sunday. You do not have time to drop this
game versus Louisville and Nick min Jones. I don't know
if he has the talent that he did last year
to make a College World Series run. I think they've
got to start winning games now. I saw a projection
that Kentucky was one of the last four teams in
to the NCAA tournament. That was before the Old Miss series.
So we'll see how things change. But A five nine
(14:02):
two A two two eight seven again, that game moving
up an hour early. We'll start at seven pm. That
means the pregame will start at six forty five on
news radio six thirty WLAP five oh two two six
five six six five six is the text line. If
you'd like to chime in, what'd you think about the
Gators win? What sound do you like more one Shining
Moment after this Yuk the season is over?
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Or how about the Masters opening music.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
You've heard that piano riff once or twice already this week, right,
what's the better sound?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
One Shining Moment or the Masters.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
We'll talk about more of that next and get ready
for Tom Green, who will join us at the bottom
of the hour at nine to thirty. You are listening
to a Tuesday edition of the ksrpre Show. I'm Billy
Rutliche and we will be right back. All right, welcome back.
It's the Billy R Sports Show today with Shannon the
Dude out A five nine two A two two eight seven.
Give us a call. While everybody else is on vacation,
(14:57):
Drew Franklin is still back at the bar and he
will be hosting drew Apalooza Day two today along with
Jack Pilgrim and Steven Peak from KSR dot Com as
well as Phoenix Stevens to talk about the women's basketball
team in Kentucky. Women's basketball returner Tiana Key, who sounds
like it is going to be on the show with Drew.
(15:17):
So Drew's reached into the Roaldecks and found a great
guest lineup for the show today. Really glad that Corey
Price was on the show yesterday. That guy is just smart,
you know what I mean? Just that intelligence to be
able to recall every national championship winner from nineteen forty on. Man,
it's just a different kind of intelligence and he has
(15:39):
continued to kill it as a statistic statitician. Excuse me
for the University of Kentucky. Speaking of women's basketball over
the weekend, we did not mention Yukon beat South Carolina
eighty two to fifty nine, dominated in the women's basketball
title game. Do you know the coach for Yukon is
now twelve and one in title games to twelve championship
(16:01):
for Yukon, Page gets there, finally gets her title in
a blowout game, one that don Staley was not too
happy about. She was throwing some temper tantrums on the sideline,
not happy. But it was a masterclass, that is what
she said about Yukon after the game. Speaking of women's basketball,
the uk team got a commit as well over the weekend,
(16:21):
Western Kentucky transfer Josie Gilvin, who averaged thirteen points a
game and six point three rebounds. She shot over forty
percent from three at her time at Western Kentucky last year.
It is a depth edition in the back four backcourt
for coach Kenny Brooks and the Cats. But you can't
help but think about a player like Cassidy Row anytime
(16:44):
a player, even a player from the state of Kentucky
has added like Western Kentucky transfer Josie Gilvin. You know,
I've struggled a little bit on the topic of Cassidy
Row kind of went back and forth. Initially, I gave
my take on the air with Shannon the Dude, and
the one Matt and ended up agreeing with is that
you gotta let Kenny cook, you know, to a degree,
you want him to make the program in his image.
(17:06):
But you know what, yesterday I gave a call to
KSR pre show frequent co host Richie Farmer, who knows
better than Richie Farmer than the expectations of a fan
base and a state like Kentucky. And basically, you know,
I made sure Richie was free. You know, I didn't
call him while he's at work or anything like that,
but I was just like, hey, Richie, I wanted to
bout something off you.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
You know, I want to know what you think about
this Cassidy row situation.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
I'd love you have you on the show sometime, but
just you know, you know, man a man, honestly, what
kind of what are your thoughts on the situation? And
I fully expected Richie to be on the side of
Cassidy and he was. You know, he completely understood that
if he was in her situation, he would.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Be devastated, and rightly so.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
But he also said that he saw both sides. And
he also said that if he was in Kenny Brooks's situation, well,
one he doesn't want to be in Kenny Brooks's situation,
but two if he was, he didn't know what he
would do. Because Cassidy does deserve a senior day, right, guys.
I mean, she has put blood, sweat and tears into
this program, and I get the addition of fourteen fifteen
(18:11):
players of depth and making sure everybody can do their
best on the roster. But she has just spent so
much for this program that I thought that she could
be honored in the right way. But then I flip, right,
then I flip and I say, look, I mean, nobody
deserves a roster spot. Nobody should be owed it just
because you are from the state. With Cassidy's dad going
(18:31):
on local radio shows, this situation has not gone away
and many media members.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Taking a stand.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
I mean, there have been some very fiery opinions on
this topic, and I don't think either or wrong.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
You know, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, and.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
That's not what you do on sports radio, right, But
there is nuance in life, and sometimes the truth is
much closer to the middle than maybe that you expect.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I love talking to Richie about it.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
I mean we talked maybe fifteen twenty minutes about just
you know, is Richie gonna play? And how that all started?
And even when Richie started playing, it's like, is Richie
gonna play? More?
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Right?
Speaker 1 (19:05):
I mean when does that stop? And you know that's
not you know, something that.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Is a fault.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
It's just the passion of the fan base. It's what
makes bb and special. It's what sets them aside from
every other fan base in the country, is that you
are gonna get the is Richie gonna play?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Why is Cassidy Row being treated like that?
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I mean, this is one of our own and that's
why this situation is so unique. You know, Originally I'm
from Saint Petersburg, Florida, and so the Florida Gators were
the biggest team around where I lived. And let me
tell you, it's a little disupporting that Florida wins the
college basketball National Championship because, let me let you in
on a secret, they don't care about college basketball down there.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Now.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Maybe it's changed since when I moved from Florida in
two thousand and eight, so I was there for six
oh seven when they won back to back titles. But
they care more about hockey than they do college basketball
down there in Gainesville, Florida. It is amazing how much
more they care about high school football than they do
(20:07):
college basketball or really any other college sports outside of
college football.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
They just don't care.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I mean, it's a football state, and I would say
hockey is even closer behind that. But maybe that's changed,
Maybe Todd Golden is starting to change that opinion of Florida.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Fans in college basketball.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
I just feel for Kenny Brooks and Cassidy Row in
this situation because I don't think there is a right answer.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I think there is good points on both sides.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
A five nine two eight zero two to eight seven
couple minutes left before we take our bottom of the
hour break, and then former Indiana head coach Tom Crean
is going to join us. He also coached at Marquette
and Georgia. Looking to get some insights about the national
title game last night, Kentucky's newest commit, and the transfer portal,
and also if he missed his time at Western. I
(20:53):
mean we talked about the white squirrel, the albino squirrels
week recently. You know, I want to know if he
misses walking up that hill every single day. It is
not for the faint of heart. We Western grads have
the best calf muscles, there are no doubt. But looking
forward to talking to Tom a little later today. You
can also Texas five h two two sixty five six
six five six, where one person says Billy Florida's starting
(21:15):
guards were both zero star recruits. Maybe we shouldn't judge
Pope's recruits by which school they're coming from. You know,
I think I saw the stat that there were no
five star recruits in the starting five of the National
Championship last night as well, and that's, you know, a
sign of the times, right. We've seen the transfer portal
change so much, but also let's speak to Pope's roster
(21:39):
building techniques right now. I don't think it's about just
amassing talent like Cal did in the past, but who
is the right fit, who is going to play a
role in my system? And I think you're seeing exactly
that with Diubate. I mean, that's a guy that is
going to play a specific role in pope system as
an enforcer, as the guy that's going to guard the
(22:00):
best player on the other team. You know, just filling
out your roster is much different in twenty twenty five
than it was in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty even twenty
twenty one. But how Pope navigates these waters is going
to be the most interesting story of the offseason. There's
no doubt.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
All Right, we're gonna take a break.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
When we come back, we will hopefully connect with Tom Creen,
the college basketball coach and ESPN analyst, to talk a
little bit more about the Cats. It's Billy Rutlige a
day without Shitton the dude here on this Tuesday edition,
and the ksrpre Show will be right back. Welcome back,
we roll along on a Tuesday of the KSR Pre Show.
(22:36):
I'm Billy Rutledge and now joining us on the Celebrity
Hotline is KSR pre show frequent co host. It's Tom Crean,
the former college basketball head coach and college basketball analyst
on ESPN. It's great to have you back on, Tom.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
How have you been.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
I'm doing great. I'm doing great. It's good to be
with you, so thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Absolutely, it's great to connect with you again. How how
has the tournament been?
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Tom?
Speaker 1 (22:57):
I know you've been really busy doing a lot of studiosh,
you've also broadcasting some games. So how how is the
twenty twenty five tournament for Tom Crean?
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I loved it. I worked with what I was with
ESPN through most of the champions well through all of
the Championship week, and then it's been Westwood One Radio.
So I did Westwood one Radio up in Milwaukee where
Kentucky was and had a chance to be a part
of that. You see guys like Matt Jones up there
and other people with you guys. And then I did
(23:27):
Atlanta for the Sweet sixteen and an Elite and got
to call those games. So I loved it. I didn't
go to the Final four. I really don't go out
there as much right now unless I have something that
I'm definitely going out there to do. But I love
the tournament and I love the season and just watching
teams improve, you know, being able to see why are
(23:48):
they winning, why are they losing? What are they got
to get better at? You know, I love all that,
so I enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
You know, Matt mentioned that he met you up there,
and we'll get to that and Mark Pope's first season
at Kentucky and Justice. But I do want to touch
on Florida winning the title last night. I mean, Todd
Golden in his third season, has built a heck of
a roster, and Tom they did it by coming back
once again three straight games, or they've come back with
a nine point deficit. I mean, quite the win for
(24:14):
Florida and quite the tournament for SEC.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Was it not?
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Oh? Absolutely? I mean quite the year for the SEC.
I mean that's just it's just awesome and and to me,
it showed teams got better. It really did. And you
couldn't judge the teams nationally just on league play because
there are so many even games, so many games of
really good teams that once they got into the nation
(24:41):
again after the non conference season, that they would show
that and that, and that's exactly what they did. A
lot of great leagues year in and year out, and
the SEC just went to a different level this year.
And when you think about it, even on the women's side,
I mean, four of the eight teams in the in
the final four, I'm both tides and they come from
the SEC, and you get one champion out of it.
(25:04):
You can't have it a lot better than that. Two
champions I guess they would really want. But when you
got four of the eight and the champion, that's an incredible,
incredible year.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Well, Tom, I think they're set up for many years
to come to be a very good conference in college basketball.
But I can't help but think about the other side
in a national championship game, the losing side, and Calvin Sampson,
what a great story he was with Houston, Emmanuel Sharp
devastated after the game. It's the agony of defeat. And
there's a cliche that says most coaches hate losing more
(25:34):
than they like winning. I want to ask you, does
that apply to you? And do you think about some
tough losses when you see things like that?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Oh, absolutely absolutely you do, And you don't ever get
over those I mean, anybody that thinks that that Calvin
will be able to move on from that loss, No,
you don't. I mean, yeah, you move on in your
life and you get ready for the next day and
the next game and the next season and all those
type of things. But those things never leave you, and
and not when you're invested like that, because it's it's
(26:04):
it's not just the result, it's the relationships that you
have that that lead to a result. And when especially
when you've had the year and the season that they
have had and built it the way that they did
at Houston, and you just see how much they've invested
into each other and then to come up short in
a game that it wasn't that they lost, it was
(26:27):
that they lost doing things that they don't They don't
do right. They were out of character on some of
the turnovers, they were out of character on not getting
the shots up, things of that nature. Those were the
hard parts in a game like that, and that's where
you feel for but you don't get over those things.
Still think about losing to Kansas in the Final four
(26:47):
and two thousand and three all the time. I mean,
as great as the Kentucky game was in the Elite eight.
We still didn't beat Kansas until you never forget those
things and.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
It could end so poor. But there's got to be
it's got to be such a rewarding process to invest
in young people like that time. I mean, as a
coach for so many years, I mean, you get to
know so many great guys and that to see them
better themselves as human beings is probably the most rewarding
part of it.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Not even just wins and losses, right.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Oh, absolutely, absolutely, the relationships you have. I mean, example
of that two thousand and three team, that two thousand
and three team at Marquette is still so close in
still group texts and chats and they still spend time
together during the season and events. It's just that doesn't
go away, right, all those things. Every team bonds in
(27:39):
a different way and and they're going to be there,
going to be memories that people have forever. But when
you win and go through hard things together and you
overcome and you achieve, think about think about think about
how quick that they would pack rupp Arena at the
Untouchables came back you know for a night, right, I Mean,
it's just there's just incredible memories on those type of things,
(28:02):
and so yeah, you feel really honored and absolutely blessed
to be involved in that as a coach and you
and you do understand that you have a real hand
in that and bringing people together. But at the end
of the day, it's how they make you feel about
you and how they make you feel about about how
they feel about you as a coach or as a person.
(28:22):
That's what the that's what the difference is, and that's
what's so incredible. And that's why when you lose with people,
and there's the old saying, you know, you've got to
find people you can lose with, right And and that's
I always tell people in coaching, hire somebody that that
you can be on a three game losing streak with
them and not wonder where they're at when when you
(28:44):
get ready for the next game, you know. And I
think that's that's coaching, that's leadership, that's life. That's so
much and I think that's that's there's no price tag
you can put on that. Coaches make a lot of money, right,
especially at the collegiate level, but there's no price tag
you can put on those relationships and those memories that
(29:05):
you have.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Would you ever be interested in getting back into coaching town.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Oh? Absolutely, yeah, the right things, if the right thing came,
absolutely I would because you never stop being a coach.
And even now, you know with broadcasting, I love it.
I love the game planning, I look at I love
the way. Okay, how do they win? How do they lose?
What do they got to do? Like I said earlier,
like I love all that, but you missed the floor,
(29:30):
you missed the practices, you missed the competition of the game.
And really what I missed immensely And you still get
this with your former players, whether they're in the NBA
or going through things in life, is you miss helping
people solve problems. And that's what coaching is so much about, right,
how do you help others get better? How do you
(29:53):
help them fix things? How do you help them solve problems?
Because when they go into the real world, their life,
their families, they've got to be able to solve those things.
And every way that you can give them, it's not enabling,
it's helping them have the wherewithal and the skills and
tools that they need to go along with what they've
learned from their families. On how they're going to run
(30:16):
their own families and their own businesses in their own lives.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Let's shift to Kentucky here. Mark Pope's first season at
Kentucky ends with eight Top fifteen wins. They are twenty
four and twelve on the year, they made the Sweet
sixteen after beating Troy in Illinois. You know, Preparina was
packed several times this year, as you alluded to, but
you had the shit chance to sit down with Matt
Jones a little bit also, Mark Pope, what are your
(30:41):
overall thoughts on Mark Pope's first season at Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
I think they did a great job. I mean I
really did. I already put together a really good staff.
I think one of the big keys was bringing Mark
Fox with him, because there's a guy now that could
that understood Mark and could help a new staff. Obviously
he brought guys from BYU, but when you get Jason
and you get Alvin Brooks and people like that, like
they don't know Mark right, and so that's where Mark
(31:07):
Fox could be such a key part of that. And
Mark Fox is an outstanding coach, so he comes in
and he's got that the ability to help Mark but
also to help the rest of the staff, And I
thought that that staff was fantastic, and I thought what
they did improving their team, putting the team together, really
having an idea of what they wanted. Obviously, they have
(31:29):
the wherewithal and the money and all those things to
be able to get the players that they want, and
they have a lot to sell. But there's a lot
of teams right now in the country that have a
lot of money that aren't getting the right kind of
players and aren't getting the players that fit their head coach.
But Mark's teams, they didn't do that. They did get
the guys that fit. He built a great culture inside
(31:51):
of there this year and again, when you come into Kentucky,
I mean you're not only building on winning and building
on tradition, you're building on the expectations that are always
in that program. And I thought John did so much
with that for so long there, right, and then Mark
comes in like it's Kentucky for a reason, and I
(32:13):
think he did a great job of embracing all that,
embracing the fans, embracing everybody there, but really at the
same time getting his team better. And I think they'll
continue to improve like that because there always going to
be a destination program. If you're having success at Kentucky,
you're really not looking to leave other than to go
(32:34):
to the pros. I mean, there's always going to be transfers,
but there are certain programs that you go in there
and you really don't no matter how well you're playing,
this is where you want to be. And I think
Kentucky's one of those schools. Still.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
I think you hit the nail on the head when
you said the word fit and Pope recruited to fit
his scheme and his style, and not that Cal didn't
do that. It felt like he amassed talent a lot
of times. But Cal had an old saying that Kentucky
he isn't for everyone. And I think that you know
that was that applied even more so in the transfer
portal era, where guys are asking for money or they're
asking for playing time, and it seemed Mark Pope reinstilled
(33:11):
the the values of the name on the front of
your jersey and not the name on the back. Tom,
if you were coaching today, what's some advice that you
would give to kids entering the transfer portal?
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Well? I think also with John, the people lose sight
of this there was a transition. I mean I went
through the transition of COVID and and then and then
a year later, you're dealing with the portal and you're
dealing with the NIL when everybody has that, And I think,
you know how John built, it was not going to
be as sustainable once once the model changed and was
(33:43):
moving in that direction. And I thought he did a
lot of good with that this year at Arkansas, having
young players and having some guys that he knew, but
also getting some older guys, And I think that's where
it's at. I think if I was giving advice to
younger players, first off, you eat people are there's a
lot of people that are paying for numbers that you've
(34:05):
already had. There's still people that are paying for what
you've done right, and I'm not sure that that is
always going to be the best model. Younger players have
got to understand that the more that they improve, the
more skills that they have, the more that they can
shoot the ball, the more that they can be low
turnover people that are good decision makers, if they're inside players.
The more that they can shoot it, that they can
(34:26):
pass it, that they can protect the rim, that they
can find ways to get fout. Skill development right now
should be in an absolute premium no matter what, because
as this continues to go, people will be paying for
projection and skill. They really will. They are to a
degree obviously, when it's a high school player, like I
(34:47):
think the Kentucky class this year is outstanding, and I
know a Kata Lewis and I know Malachi Marino from
knowing them for some time or from working with them
at different camps like those two guys. And I don't
know Johnson well, I think he's a heck of a player,
but the two I know those guys are going to
be fantastic at Kentucky right because because there's potential, there's upside.
(35:08):
They've proven at their level that they can do it.
But you can see that they're going to get better,
and I think that's that's what this is all about.
Don't get so caught up in what you think everybody
is getting or what everybody how you're going to get paid.
You better understand that if your skills aren't continuing to
(35:28):
grow and get better, that's going to put it's going
to put a shelf life and a ceiling on how
far you can go. Because as this continues to go,
paying for players that can absolutely come in and have
the skill and impact winning is going to be is
going to be paramount.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
And you mentioned Johnson and Moreno, both Kentucky kids. So
they're one going to understand what it means, the importance
the fan base puts on it, and the expectations that
come with it. I do want to ask you about
one specific player that Kentucky has gotten, and that was
yesterday Mo Diabate, the six to seven power forward from
Alabama committed to the Cats. He's a complimentary piece that
(36:07):
can bring a lot of toughness, don't you think.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Tom Oh Absolutely, I love what they're doing in the
portal so far. But Jalen Lowe it with Cam Williams,
and then to get Diabat. Here's the thing about him.
When when Alabama struggled, especially in second halves, it was
defensively and and there were certain players fears numbers might
be down defensively, Aiden Holloway, Grant Nelson. The one guy
(36:32):
that was a constant for them throughout the year defensively
and and impacted their team on the rebounding end in
the defensive end was Mo Diabate. I mean, he was
a guy that the more he played okay and even
in second per halves, the better they played. And there
are still certain things that have to be improved offensively
(36:52):
with him, there's no doubt about it. But he's a
guy that makes things happen. Like he Mo Diabate would
have fit in perfectly in a game last night on
either one of those front lines because he can rebound
the ball, he can defend the rim, he can get
to the rim. He's gonna be He's going to be
in motion to keep coming. I mean Condon and how
(37:14):
for Florida they never stop going to the basket on
either a drive or a follow up or a rebound.
Right see about days like that? I mean, I love him.
That's a huge loss for Alabama because it's hard to
replace a motor in an impact I'm both like he
is so right now Kentucky, those three portal signs. Cam
(37:36):
Williams can cut, he can shoot. I think he's going
to have to get his release just a little bit
higher as he continues to grow and want to become
a pro. But I thought this would be the year
Jaalen Lowe would be a pro from Pitt and I
think now you give him and you put him in
the pick and rolls, and you put him in the offense.
Now that'll be one more year more like Mark wants it.
(38:01):
At Kentucky, I think they have done phenomenal. You could
say they're high school recruiting class and their portal class.
You could easily make a case when you combine those
right now for being as good as anybody's in the
country to this point.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Wow, listen, listen to that Tom creen. You're getting used
to that college basketball analyst role with the takes.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I love it well, no, but but I mean it's sincerely.
I mean, it's not about it's not about how everybody's ranked. Right,
And obviously there's great recruiting classes and we're nowhere near
where the portal is going to be. But when you
talk about impacting a team, right, the fit a team.
Let's put it that way. I'm not trying to not
trying to make a statement that's that's outlandish. When you
talk about guys that come in make a team, it fit,
(38:44):
and it can impact winning. The guys they've gotten in
the portal so far and the recruits they've signed. If
they keep developing the way they have. I think they're
excellent fits and I think you could argue for them
as good as anyone in the country.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Tom Creen has been our guest here on the KSR
pre Show today, the former head coach at Marquette, Indiana, Georgia.
Tom one final question before I let you go. You're
a Hilltopper man. You're a guy from ninety to ninety
four you were on the Hill. I know you got
some fond memories there. You've met your wife there.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Is there anything else that comes to mind when I
bring up the Hilltoppers?
Speaker 3 (39:15):
Everything? I loved it there, my father in law, Jack Harbaugh,
and Jackie Harbaugh being there working for Ralph Willard. We
went from having eight points and seven rebounds returning the
first year we were there, the year three, being in
the sweet sixteen, year four winning a championship, going to
(39:36):
the NSAA tournament, and then we left for Pittsburgh. But
some of the greatest years not only in my life
because I've met my wife, but because of learning a
whole different style, being in an environment where improvement, daily
improvement of your skills was it the foremost of the program.
(39:56):
Working for an absolute incredible coach and Willard. I loved
every bit of it, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (40:03):
Well, Tom, really appreciate you jumping on with us again.
It seems like we always do this around NCAA tournament time.
And now that the tournament is over you can get
some rest. I guess it's a little vacation time for Tom.
So big thank you for joining us, and can't wait
to talk to.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
You again, sir.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
All right, thank you, Billy.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Tom creen one of the more frequent co hosts on
the KSR pre.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
Show over the years.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Who would have thought, and now Matt and Tom are
buddies again. It's interesting how things work out. It's it
is awesome. So we'll take a break A five nine
two eight two two eight seven. We'll have one segment
ago here on the ksrppre Show.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
All right, welcome back.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
It's our final segment of the KSR pre Show, a
Tuesday edition.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Big thank you to.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
Tom Crean who joined us today. It sounded like he
was dog sitting at Ryan Lemon's house during the interview.
I don't know if you heard that, Rick the dog's
barking in the background, but I haven't worried there. But
they were just agreeing with him. It sounded like in
the advice he was spitting out some high praise about
Kentucky's recruiting class in Transfer Portal. Always good to hear.
(41:06):
I want to leave you on one note, and it
comes from our guys from Roup to No Good. They
put on a great podcast. Big Blue Bud is one
of their members. I believe he was one of the
main guys that helped get the billboard up for Big Z.
He pointed out that Mark Pope now has four left
handed players on his upcoming Kentucky team, Akaden Lewis, Jalen Lowe,
Jasper Johnson, and now Mo Diabatee. Counting Amari Williams, that's
(41:30):
five total leftie players in two years. According to Buddy,
cal had twelve lefties in fifteen seasons at UK, So
what's with the lefties? Is that part of the recruiting
as well? I'm not sure who knows what Popes get
saying to these guys, but I do love the idea
of more lefties on the team.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
That's going to do it for us.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Drew Franklin, Drew Palouza next, I'm Billy Rutlis.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
This has been the ksrprecio
Welcome everyone to another edition of the KSR pre Show.
Today is Tuesday, April eighth. I am Billy Rutlich with
no Shannon the Dude. This week you can give a
call on the Clark's Pumping Shot phone line. That's eight
five nine two A zero two two eight seven. Text
us at five h two two six five sixty six
five six and is always The KSR Pre Show is
(00:21):
brought to you by Italics Fine Italian Dining right here
in Lexington on Main Street in the City Center. Big
thank you dude Jacob Policheck who joined us on the
KSR pre Show yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
He gave us the.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Scoop about the Transfer Portal, the wild West, you could say,
and the player movement in the sport of college basketball.
We'll talk more transfer Portal today with our special guest
Tom Crean, the former Marquette Indiana Georgia head coach, is
a frequent guest on the KSR pre Show. A couple
things got moved around. He will join us today at
(00:54):
nine to thirty to recap the National Championship Game, Kentucky season,
their first season under Mark Pope, and much more. I
love Tom. He's a Western Kentucky guy. He was an
assistant there from ninety to ninety four. He ended up
marrying I think it was the Harbaugh's sister, so he's
in the Harball family. Now we got to hear about
those Thanksgiving dinners. But he's come on a couple times
(01:16):
before and has been gracious enough with his time. Until
nine thirty, We're just gonna do a little Billy our
Sports Radio. I'm glad you're alongside with us. We'll talk
about some news notes happening around the country and around
the Commonwealth. But first, let's say good morning to our producer,
Rick Ryder. Our Man's back in studio. Good morning, Rick,
how are you hey?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
I'm doing pretty good.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Billy always appreciate you the filling in Rick, I always do.
But I do want to ask you do you live
in Louisville?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Rick?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Are you?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Are you living in Louisville right now?
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Or yes? I am, yeah, Acord and raised here.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Obviously, the flooding has continued throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The images have been surreal in places like Frankfurt and
Dawson's Dawson Springs. But you don't have to go far.
I mean Louisville is underwater right now. Over the last
couple of days, Rick, the sewage system is so backed
up in Louisville they have asked people not to take
long showers, not to take a bath, not to excessively flush.
(02:09):
Are you doing your part, Rick, and not taking a
shower for the city of Louisville these last couple of days.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Yeah, I'm doing my best. And then anybody gets near me,
they can tell that.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well, hopefully, Rick, you're not getting too stinky. I thought,
not too bad to know, No, But I thought that
was bizarre, don't you. I mean, the sewage system so
backed up that they've asked people not to take extended showers.
I mean, it makes sense, but you know, I didn't
think we'd get to that point.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, you know, I never thought it would come to this.
I've heard things like this in other cities in the
past that got flooded out, but never thought it would
happen here in Louisville.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
But it has.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, and it's just really disappointing to see that thunder
over Louisville was canceled and all. That is such a
big event for the city and unfortunately we're not going
to have all of those festivities.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
In the fireworks show.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I mean, hell, we've got the bluegrass Steaks running on
a Tuesday here in Lexington at Keenland. So we have
just had to adjust with all of the severe weather weather.
Drew Franklin has had to adjust with everybody going on vacation.
Matt leaves for Amsterdam, Mario decides to go back home
to Florida, Ryan and Shannon decide to go on a
bro date. So I wanted to say Drew did a
(03:17):
great job yesterday at the start of Drew Palooza along
with Corey Price and myself. Speaking of Ryan and Shannon,
did we see the drunk tweets that Ryan and Shannon
had last night from the bar? I mean, hey, we
were all watching the National Championship game last night, but I.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Don't know how many mimosa they were the.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Twitter if you haven't checked it out at Ryan Lemon
and at Shannon the Dude. They were just being a
little goofy and having a good time on their bro date.
And it was a good time last night as Florida
defeated Houston sixty five to sixty three to earn their
third title in really the last decade, right, I mean
they won a six and seven and now again in
(03:59):
twenty twenty five five the year of the SEC, and
what a stellar year for the SEC. They make fourteen
teams into the tournament. Seven teams make the Elite eight,
two in the final four in Todd Golden, in his
third year at head coach at Florida, becomes the second
youngest head coach to win the National Championship at thirty
nine years old, the youngest being Valvano at thirty seven
(04:22):
in nineteen eighty three. It was also a rocky start
to the year to Todd Golden if you remember the
student newspaper at the University of Florida alleging that Todd
Golden was stalking University of Florida students. He has been
cleared by a Title nine investigation, but obviously that doesn't
clear a view of all wrongdoing. But Todd Golden was
(04:43):
still able to coach his team and coach his team
to the National Championship where it.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Looked like Florida was gonna lose.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I mean, let's be honest, they were down twelve in
the second half, down three at halftime. Houston to look
to had looked to have all the momentum, Florida could
not stopped turning the ball over. The intensity that Houston
played with on defense was phenomenal. It was a great
first half for Kelvin Sampson and those Houston Cougars. Then
it started to fall apart well, and then Walter Clayton
(05:12):
woke up. I mean, my man didn't have a field
goal until about seven or eight minutes left in the
second half.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
It also became a little bit of a ref.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Show in the second half. Did you notice that. I mean,
I believe the stat was there were four foulsand in
the first half and then twenty five fouls in the
second half. I don't know who made a call to
the referees at halftime to say, hey, we can't let
them play anymore, but it really felt like somebody did that.
But eventually, Houston turns the ball over on the four
(05:41):
final possessions of a game, allowing Florida to come back
and win the take the lead. Houston had seventeen seconds
left and elected to go for the win in the
final shot. And look, I think to a degree you
have to respect that light, right, I mean, they had
played so well and they were still down a point
to Florida. A Florida team that had a ton of
(06:01):
turnovers couldn't hit a three in the first half to
save their life. Houston had played really well and yet
still found themselves down by one. They went for the win.
But in hindsight it's puzzling.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It is.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
I mean, seventeen seconds left, you don't go to the basket,
you don't try to get a two pointer. There's no action,
You're just waiting for the final shot. Florida, to give
them credit, plays great defense. Walter Clayton comes out of
nowhere to force the well the Houston player to almost
double dribble and not touch that ball again. It ends
up being a turnover and Florida gets the win. It
(06:37):
was a fun ending. It was a stunning ending, right
My jaw is on the ground as much as it
was when Houston came back to beat Duke, or Florida
came back to beat Auburn or heck, Florida came.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Back to beat Texas Tech.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
They were down ten against Texas Tech, nine versus Auburn,
I believe, and then twelve versus Houston before they came
back and won. And it's interesting to think It's interesting
to reflect that the team that gave Florida their first
loss in conference play this year was Kentucky. That's right,
one zh six to one hundred at rupp Aerena earlier
(07:10):
this year, Kobe Brea hit seven three pointers. Florida gets
their first loss of the year. Shows you what Kentucky
was when they were healthy. It shows you what Mark
Pope and that roster could have achieved if those guys
could have made it the rest of the way. You know,
I don't think kerkkries have played in that game, but
you had a healthy Lamont Butler, you had a healthy
(07:31):
Jackson Robinson. Kobe Brea hit seven threes in that one.
Interesting to think back about Kentucky beating Florida earlier this year.
But congratulations to Walter Clayton, Congratulations to Todd Golden and Florida.
An incredible run for them to win the NCAA tournament.
But I also can't help but think about the other
side in Houston and the despair that you immediately see
(07:54):
after the game. Kelvin Sampson another one that was stunned.
Emmanuel Sharp, who was the one that kind of had
that double dribble, didn't take the shot in the final possession,
was devastated after the game and goes to show you
why the NCAA Tournament just means so much.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
These guys as.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Careers are on the line, they're gonna stop playing the
sport of basketball, possibly after games like this, and you
get to see the despair in their eyes.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It is so human.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
The end of the NCAA Tournament and whether it be
Andrew Carr saying it's gonna be tough to take these
jerseys and choose off for Emmanuel Sharp losing in the
national title game, the emotions are at their best in
the college basketball NCAA Tournament. Also, something that we didn't
get to bring up, yesterday was the one year anniversary
(08:44):
of John Caliperi entering the transfer portal himself entering negotiations
with the Chicken Man before taking the job at Arkansas.
So if yesterday was the year anniversary of the Sunday
that that news all started breaking out, today would be
the anniversary of the Monday where the bleep hit the
fan when Cal started walking his dog on Richmond Road
(09:07):
with the TV cameras right there, right where I had
to replace Drew Franklin on KSR that week because he
was at Augusta attending the Masters. I mean talk about
being at the right place at the right time. I
joined Matt and Ryan at KS Bar and Grill over
the next couple days to talk about Cal moving to Arkansas,
what Kentucky would do next. The sequence of events of
(09:31):
that week will be remembered forever. Monday, on the Show
and Cal with the Dog. Tuesday, Cal says goodbye in
a video, saying that the program needs a new voice. Wednesday,
Scott Drew's pictures taken in a Mexican restaurant in Waco.
When the fan base is going crazy tracking planes. Thursday,
Dan Hurley says no to the University of Kentucky. Imagine
(09:53):
if that guy would have been the head coach of
Kentucky this year. And Mark Pope is announced as the
head coach. Late Thursday night, Friday morning, we do our
show in the Distillery District and just the strangest three
hour period where the entire sentiment of the fan base
seemed to change. It's nice to reflect every now and then,
but a year ago today we were in the madness
(10:15):
of Cal entering the Transfer portal. Speaking of the Transfer portal,
Kentucky got a huge commitment yesterday from Alabama forward Mohammed
diu Bat. He'll have two years of eligibility. The six
to seven forward from Queens, New York played the Kentucky
Wildcats three times this year, and this is exactly the
piece that Kentucky did not have this past season. I mean,
(10:38):
think about it. You could look at his stats. He
averaged seven point two points per game, five point nine rebounds,
sixty one percent from the field, forty six percent from three,
and sixty percent from three free throw line. Those numbers
may not be corrected, and I don't know if he
shot forty six percent from three, but this is a
guy that is going to be your defensive enforce. This
(11:00):
is the guy that is going to help so much
on the offensive rebounding side of things, on the physicality,
on the toughness, on the versatility side of it all
that he's going to bring a dimension to the Kentucky
roster that Kentucky simply did not have last year. He's
going he was a thorn on UK side. In the
three games that he played, he had eight points and
eight rebounds, three assists in a steal in the game
(11:23):
on January eighteenth, he had four points, five rebounds on
a block in the game on February twenty second, and
the third matchup versus Alabama on March fourteenth in the
SEC tournament, he had I'm sorry the third matchup thirteen points,
eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in the ninety
nine to seventy win against Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I think this is a huge pickup.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
I'm gonna ask Tom Crane about this guy a little
bit later today. With two years of eligibility, you are
now starting to see this roster fill out. If o
Way stays, If Travis Perry, Colin Chandler, Brandon Garrison, Trent Noah,
if they all stay, you now have eleven guys on
the roster. You add in Jasper Johnson, Malachim, Radio, Acaid
(12:05):
and Lewis, Jalen Lowe, Cam Williams and Dubote are now
your three players in the transfer portal class. And what's
next the USC transfer Wesley Yeats as somebody that's been buzzing,
how about Jaden Quaintance buzz right now? We got some
updates from our guy Jack Pilgrim, who I believe is
going to be joining Drew on KSR. Later today that
(12:26):
it's down between Auburn and Kentucky. For the former Kentucky
commit Jaden Quaintans before he ended up leaving to Arizona State.
He tore his ACL last year. He'll be coming off
of that injury. There's the Sharpshooter Stretch four from Spain
at Robert Morris. There's a guy at Jacksonville State.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I believe there's still a lot of.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Pieces to fall in this transfer portal, but Mark Pope
has found his third edition in Muhammad Dubote. Heyf I've
nine two a H two two eight seven If you'd
like to join the show today again. Tom Creen will
be joining us a little bit later in the show
tonight moved up an hour early. It's Kentucky at the
University of Louisville baseball game. Kentucky needs this one. They
(13:08):
have struggled a little bit. They dropped two or three
against Old Miss over the weekend eighteen and eleven on
the year, five and seven in conference play.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Look, it's not a conference game, but it's Louisville. Right.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
You're on the road at Jim Patterson's schedule or stadium
against a ranked Louisville team. Kentucky leads the all time
series seventy three point fifty to one. It's the one
hundred and twenty fifth meeting between the two schools. Kentucky. Look,
I mean they left twelve guys on base and a
loss to Old Miss. Over the weekend, they take on
the number two team in the country, Texas this weekend Friday, Saturday,
(13:40):
or Sunday. You do not have time to drop this
game versus Louisville and Nick min Jones. I don't know
if he has the talent that he did last year
to make a College World Series run. I think they've
got to start winning games now. I saw a projection
that Kentucky was one of the last four teams in
to the NCAA tournament. That was before the Old Miss series.
So we'll see how things change. But A five nine
(14:02):
two A two two eight seven again, that game moving
up an hour early. We'll start at seven pm. That
means the pregame will start at six forty five on
news radio six thirty WLAP five oh two two six
five six six five six is the text line. If
you'd like to chime in, what'd you think about the
Gators win? What sound do you like more one Shining
Moment after this Yuk the season is over?
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Or how about the Masters opening music.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
You've heard that piano riff once or twice already this week, right,
what's the better sound?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
One Shining Moment or the Masters.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
We'll talk about more of that next and get ready
for Tom Green, who will join us at the bottom
of the hour at nine to thirty. You are listening
to a Tuesday edition of the ksrpre Show. I'm Billy
Rutliche and we will be right back. All right, welcome back.
It's the Billy R Sports Show today with Shannon the
Dude out A five nine two A two two eight seven.
Give us a call. While everybody else is on vacation,
(14:57):
Drew Franklin is still back at the bar and he
will be hosting drew Apalooza Day two today along with
Jack Pilgrim and Steven Peak from KSR dot Com as
well as Phoenix Stevens to talk about the women's basketball
team in Kentucky. Women's basketball returner Tiana Key, who sounds
like it is going to be on the show with Drew.
(15:17):
So Drew's reached into the Roaldecks and found a great
guest lineup for the show today. Really glad that Corey
Price was on the show yesterday. That guy is just smart,
you know what I mean? Just that intelligence to be
able to recall every national championship winner from nineteen forty on. Man,
it's just a different kind of intelligence and he has
(15:39):
continued to kill it as a statistic statitician. Excuse me
for the University of Kentucky. Speaking of women's basketball over
the weekend, we did not mention Yukon beat South Carolina
eighty two to fifty nine, dominated in the women's basketball
title game. Do you know the coach for Yukon is
now twelve and one in title games to twelve championship
(16:01):
for Yukon, Page gets there, finally gets her title in
a blowout game, one that don Staley was not too
happy about. She was throwing some temper tantrums on the sideline,
not happy. But it was a masterclass, that is what
she said about Yukon after the game. Speaking of women's basketball,
the uk team got a commit as well over the weekend,
(16:21):
Western Kentucky transfer Josie Gilvin, who averaged thirteen points a
game and six point three rebounds. She shot over forty
percent from three at her time at Western Kentucky last year.
It is a depth edition in the back four backcourt
for coach Kenny Brooks and the Cats. But you can't
help but think about a player like Cassidy Row anytime
(16:44):
a player, even a player from the state of Kentucky
has added like Western Kentucky transfer Josie Gilvin. You know,
I've struggled a little bit on the topic of Cassidy
Row kind of went back and forth. Initially, I gave
my take on the air with Shannon the Dude, and
the one Matt and ended up agreeing with is that
you gotta let Kenny cook, you know, to a degree,
you want him to make the program in his image.
(17:06):
But you know what, yesterday I gave a call to
KSR pre show frequent co host Richie Farmer, who knows
better than Richie Farmer than the expectations of a fan
base and a state like Kentucky. And basically, you know,
I made sure Richie was free. You know, I didn't
call him while he's at work or anything like that,
but I was just like, hey, Richie, I wanted to
bout something off you.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
You know, I want to know what you think about
this Cassidy row situation.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
I'd love you have you on the show sometime, but
just you know, you know, man a man, honestly, what
kind of what are your thoughts on the situation? And
I fully expected Richie to be on the side of
Cassidy and he was. You know, he completely understood that
if he was in her situation, he would.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Be devastated, and rightly so.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
But he also said that he saw both sides. And
he also said that if he was in Kenny Brooks's situation, well,
one he doesn't want to be in Kenny Brooks's situation,
but two if he was, he didn't know what he
would do. Because Cassidy does deserve a senior day, right, guys.
I mean, she has put blood, sweat and tears into
this program, and I get the addition of fourteen fifteen
(18:11):
players of depth and making sure everybody can do their
best on the roster. But she has just spent so
much for this program that I thought that she could
be honored in the right way. But then I flip, right,
then I flip and I say, look, I mean, nobody
deserves a roster spot. Nobody should be owed it just
because you are from the state. With Cassidy's dad going
(18:31):
on local radio shows, this situation has not gone away
and many media members.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Taking a stand.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
I mean, there have been some very fiery opinions on
this topic, and I don't think either or wrong.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
You know, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, and.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
That's not what you do on sports radio, right, But
there is nuance in life, and sometimes the truth is
much closer to the middle than maybe that you expect.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I love talking to Richie about it.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
I mean we talked maybe fifteen twenty minutes about just
you know, is Richie gonna play? And how that all started?
And even when Richie started playing, it's like, is Richie
gonna play? More?
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Right?
Speaker 1 (19:05):
I mean when does that stop? And you know that's
not you know, something that.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Is a fault.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
It's just the passion of the fan base. It's what
makes bb and special. It's what sets them aside from
every other fan base in the country, is that you
are gonna get the is Richie gonna play?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Why is Cassidy Row being treated like that?
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I mean, this is one of our own and that's
why this situation is so unique. You know, Originally I'm
from Saint Petersburg, Florida, and so the Florida Gators were
the biggest team around where I lived. And let me
tell you, it's a little disupporting that Florida wins the
college basketball National Championship because, let me let you in
on a secret, they don't care about college basketball down there.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Now.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Maybe it's changed since when I moved from Florida in
two thousand and eight, so I was there for six
oh seven when they won back to back titles. But
they care more about hockey than they do college basketball
down there in Gainesville, Florida. It is amazing how much
more they care about high school football than they do
(20:07):
college basketball or really any other college sports outside of
college football.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
They just don't care.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I mean, it's a football state, and I would say
hockey is even closer behind that. But maybe that's changed,
Maybe Todd Golden is starting to change that opinion of Florida.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Fans in college basketball.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
I just feel for Kenny Brooks and Cassidy Row in
this situation because I don't think there is a right answer.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
I think there is good points on both sides.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
A five nine two eight zero two to eight seven
couple minutes left before we take our bottom of the
hour break, and then former Indiana head coach Tom Crean
is going to join us. He also coached at Marquette
and Georgia. Looking to get some insights about the national
title game last night, Kentucky's newest commit, and the transfer portal,
and also if he missed his time at Western. I
(20:53):
mean we talked about the white squirrel, the albino squirrels
week recently. You know, I want to know if he
misses walking up that hill every single day. It is
not for the faint of heart. We Western grads have
the best calf muscles, there are no doubt. But looking
forward to talking to Tom a little later today. You
can also Texas five h two two sixty five six
six five six, where one person says Billy Florida's starting
(21:15):
guards were both zero star recruits. Maybe we shouldn't judge
Pope's recruits by which school they're coming from. You know,
I think I saw the stat that there were no
five star recruits in the starting five of the National
Championship last night as well, and that's, you know, a
sign of the times, right. We've seen the transfer portal
change so much, but also let's speak to Pope's roster
(21:39):
building techniques right now. I don't think it's about just
amassing talent like Cal did in the past, but who
is the right fit, who is going to play a
role in my system? And I think you're seeing exactly
that with Diubate. I mean, that's a guy that is
going to play a specific role in pope system as
an enforcer, as the guy that's going to guard the
(22:00):
best player on the other team. You know, just filling
out your roster is much different in twenty twenty five
than it was in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty even twenty
twenty one. But how Pope navigates these waters is going
to be the most interesting story of the offseason. There's
no doubt.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
All Right, we're gonna take a break.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
When we come back, we will hopefully connect with Tom Creen,
the college basketball coach and ESPN analyst, to talk a
little bit more about the Cats. It's Billy Rutlige a
day without Shitton the dude here on this Tuesday edition,
and the ksrpre Show will be right back. Welcome back,
we roll along on a Tuesday of the KSR Pre Show.
(22:36):
I'm Billy Rutledge and now joining us on the Celebrity
Hotline is KSR pre show frequent co host. It's Tom Crean,
the former college basketball head coach and college basketball analyst
on ESPN. It's great to have you back on, Tom.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
How have you been.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
I'm doing great. I'm doing great. It's good to be
with you, so thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Absolutely, it's great to connect with you again. How how
has the tournament been?
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Tom?
Speaker 1 (22:57):
I know you've been really busy doing a lot of studiosh,
you've also broadcasting some games. So how how is the
twenty twenty five tournament for Tom Crean?
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I loved it. I worked with what I was with
ESPN through most of the champions well through all of
the Championship week, and then it's been Westwood One Radio.
So I did Westwood one Radio up in Milwaukee where
Kentucky was and had a chance to be a part
of that. You see guys like Matt Jones up there
and other people with you guys. And then I did
(23:27):
Atlanta for the Sweet sixteen and an Elite and got
to call those games. So I loved it. I didn't
go to the Final four. I really don't go out
there as much right now unless I have something that
I'm definitely going out there to do. But I love
the tournament and I love the season and just watching
teams improve, you know, being able to see why are
(23:48):
they winning, why are they losing? What are they got
to get better at? You know, I love all that,
so I enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
You know, Matt mentioned that he met you up there,
and we'll get to that and Mark Pope's first season
at Kentucky and Justice. But I do want to touch
on Florida winning the title last night. I mean, Todd
Golden in his third season, has built a heck of
a roster, and Tom they did it by coming back
once again three straight games, or they've come back with
a nine point deficit. I mean, quite the win for
(24:14):
Florida and quite the tournament for SEC.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Was it not?
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Oh? Absolutely? I mean quite the year for the SEC.
I mean that's just it's just awesome and and to me,
it showed teams got better. It really did. And you
couldn't judge the teams nationally just on league play because
there are so many even games, so many games of
really good teams that once they got into the nation
(24:41):
again after the non conference season, that they would show
that and that, and that's exactly what they did. A
lot of great leagues year in and year out, and
the SEC just went to a different level this year.
And when you think about it, even on the women's side,
I mean, four of the eight teams in the in
the final four, I'm both tides and they come from
the SEC, and you get one champion out of it.
(25:04):
You can't have it a lot better than that. Two
champions I guess they would really want. But when you
got four of the eight and the champion, that's an incredible,
incredible year.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Well, Tom, I think they're set up for many years
to come to be a very good conference in college basketball.
But I can't help but think about the other side
in a national championship game, the losing side, and Calvin Sampson,
what a great story he was with Houston, Emmanuel Sharp
devastated after the game. It's the agony of defeat. And
there's a cliche that says most coaches hate losing more
(25:34):
than they like winning. I want to ask you, does
that apply to you? And do you think about some
tough losses when you see things like that?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Oh, absolutely absolutely you do, And you don't ever get
over those I mean, anybody that thinks that that Calvin
will be able to move on from that loss, No,
you don't. I mean, yeah, you move on in your
life and you get ready for the next day and
the next game and the next season and all those
type of things. But those things never leave you, and
and not when you're invested like that, because it's it's
(26:04):
it's not just the result, it's the relationships that you
have that that lead to a result. And when especially
when you've had the year and the season that they
have had and built it the way that they did
at Houston, and you just see how much they've invested
into each other and then to come up short in
a game that it wasn't that they lost, it was
(26:27):
that they lost doing things that they don't They don't
do right. They were out of character on some of
the turnovers, they were out of character on not getting
the shots up, things of that nature. Those were the
hard parts in a game like that, and that's where
you feel for but you don't get over those things.
Still think about losing to Kansas in the Final four
(26:47):
and two thousand and three all the time. I mean,
as great as the Kentucky game was in the Elite eight.
We still didn't beat Kansas until you never forget those
things and.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
It could end so poor. But there's got to be
it's got to be such a rewarding process to invest
in young people like that time. I mean, as a
coach for so many years, I mean, you get to
know so many great guys and that to see them
better themselves as human beings is probably the most rewarding
part of it.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Not even just wins and losses, right.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Oh, absolutely, absolutely, the relationships you have. I mean, example
of that two thousand and three team, that two thousand
and three team at Marquette is still so close in
still group texts and chats and they still spend time
together during the season and events. It's just that doesn't
go away, right, all those things. Every team bonds in
(27:39):
a different way and and they're going to be there,
going to be memories that people have forever. But when
you win and go through hard things together and you
overcome and you achieve, think about think about think about
how quick that they would pack rupp Arena at the
Untouchables came back you know for a night, right, I Mean,
it's just there's just incredible memories on those type of things,
(28:02):
and so yeah, you feel really honored and absolutely blessed
to be involved in that as a coach and you
and you do understand that you have a real hand
in that and bringing people together. But at the end
of the day, it's how they make you feel about
you and how they make you feel about about how
they feel about you as a coach or as a person.
(28:22):
That's what the that's what the difference is, and that's
what's so incredible. And that's why when you lose with people,
and there's the old saying, you know, you've got to
find people you can lose with, right And and that's
I always tell people in coaching, hire somebody that that
you can be on a three game losing streak with
them and not wonder where they're at when when you
(28:44):
get ready for the next game, you know. And I
think that's that's coaching, that's leadership, that's life. That's so
much and I think that's that's there's no price tag
you can put on that. Coaches make a lot of money, right,
especially at the collegiate level, but there's no price tag
you can put on those relationships and those memories that
(29:05):
you have.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Would you ever be interested in getting back into coaching town.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Oh? Absolutely, yeah, the right things, if the right thing came,
absolutely I would because you never stop being a coach.
And even now, you know with broadcasting, I love it.
I love the game planning, I look at I love
the way. Okay, how do they win? How do they lose?
What do they got to do? Like I said earlier,
like I love all that, but you missed the floor,
(29:30):
you missed the practices, you missed the competition of the game.
And really what I missed immensely And you still get
this with your former players, whether they're in the NBA
or going through things in life, is you miss helping
people solve problems. And that's what coaching is so much about, right,
how do you help others get better? How do you
(29:53):
help them fix things? How do you help them solve problems?
Because when they go into the real world, their life,
their families, they've got to be able to solve those things.
And every way that you can give them, it's not enabling,
it's helping them have the wherewithal and the skills and
tools that they need to go along with what they've
learned from their families. On how they're going to run
(30:16):
their own families and their own businesses in their own lives.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Let's shift to Kentucky here. Mark Pope's first season at
Kentucky ends with eight Top fifteen wins. They are twenty
four and twelve on the year, they made the Sweet
sixteen after beating Troy in Illinois. You know, Preparina was
packed several times this year, as you alluded to, but
you had the shit chance to sit down with Matt
Jones a little bit also, Mark Pope, what are your
(30:41):
overall thoughts on Mark Pope's first season at Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
I think they did a great job. I mean I
really did. I already put together a really good staff.
I think one of the big keys was bringing Mark
Fox with him, because there's a guy now that could
that understood Mark and could help a new staff. Obviously
he brought guys from BYU, but when you get Jason
and you get Alvin Brooks and people like that, like
they don't know Mark right, and so that's where Mark
(31:07):
Fox could be such a key part of that. And
Mark Fox is an outstanding coach, so he comes in
and he's got that the ability to help Mark but
also to help the rest of the staff, And I
thought that that staff was fantastic, and I thought what
they did improving their team, putting the team together, really
having an idea of what they wanted. Obviously, they have
(31:29):
the wherewithal and the money and all those things to
be able to get the players that they want, and
they have a lot to sell. But there's a lot
of teams right now in the country that have a
lot of money that aren't getting the right kind of
players and aren't getting the players that fit their head coach.
But Mark's teams, they didn't do that. They did get
the guys that fit. He built a great culture inside
(31:51):
of there this year and again, when you come into Kentucky,
I mean you're not only building on winning and building
on tradition, you're building on the expectations that are always
in that program. And I thought John did so much
with that for so long there, right, and then Mark
comes in like it's Kentucky for a reason, and I
(32:13):
think he did a great job of embracing all that,
embracing the fans, embracing everybody there, but really at the
same time getting his team better. And I think they'll
continue to improve like that because there always going to
be a destination program. If you're having success at Kentucky,
you're really not looking to leave other than to go
(32:34):
to the pros. I mean, there's always going to be transfers,
but there are certain programs that you go in there
and you really don't no matter how well you're playing,
this is where you want to be. And I think
Kentucky's one of those schools. Still.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
I think you hit the nail on the head when
you said the word fit and Pope recruited to fit
his scheme and his style, and not that Cal didn't
do that. It felt like he amassed talent a lot
of times. But Cal had an old saying that Kentucky
he isn't for everyone. And I think that you know
that was that applied even more so in the transfer
portal era, where guys are asking for money or they're
asking for playing time, and it seemed Mark Pope reinstilled
(33:11):
the the values of the name on the front of
your jersey and not the name on the back. Tom,
if you were coaching today, what's some advice that you
would give to kids entering the transfer portal?
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Well? I think also with John, the people lose sight
of this there was a transition. I mean I went
through the transition of COVID and and then and then
a year later, you're dealing with the portal and you're
dealing with the NIL when everybody has that, And I think,
you know how John built, it was not going to
be as sustainable once once the model changed and was
(33:43):
moving in that direction. And I thought he did a
lot of good with that this year at Arkansas, having
young players and having some guys that he knew, but
also getting some older guys, And I think that's where
it's at. I think if I was giving advice to
younger players, first off, you eat people are there's a
lot of people that are paying for numbers that you've
(34:05):
already had. There's still people that are paying for what
you've done right, and I'm not sure that that is
always going to be the best model. Younger players have
got to understand that the more that they improve, the
more skills that they have, the more that they can
shoot the ball, the more that they can be low
turnover people that are good decision makers, if they're inside players.
The more that they can shoot it, that they can
(34:26):
pass it, that they can protect the rim, that they
can find ways to get fout. Skill development right now
should be in an absolute premium no matter what, because
as this continues to go, people will be paying for
projection and skill. They really will. They are to a
degree obviously, when it's a high school player, like I
(34:47):
think the Kentucky class this year is outstanding, and I
know a Kata Lewis and I know Malachi Marino from
knowing them for some time or from working with them
at different camps like those two guys. And I don't
know Johnson well, I think he's a heck of a player,
but the two I know those guys are going to
be fantastic at Kentucky right because because there's potential, there's upside.
(35:08):
They've proven at their level that they can do it.
But you can see that they're going to get better,
and I think that's that's what this is all about.
Don't get so caught up in what you think everybody
is getting or what everybody how you're going to get paid.
You better understand that if your skills aren't continuing to
(35:28):
grow and get better, that's going to put it's going
to put a shelf life and a ceiling on how
far you can go. Because as this continues to go,
paying for players that can absolutely come in and have
the skill and impact winning is going to be is
going to be paramount.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
And you mentioned Johnson and Moreno, both Kentucky kids. So
they're one going to understand what it means, the importance
the fan base puts on it, and the expectations that
come with it. I do want to ask you about
one specific player that Kentucky has gotten, and that was
yesterday Mo Diabate, the six to seven power forward from
Alabama committed to the Cats. He's a complimentary piece that
(36:07):
can bring a lot of toughness, don't you think.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Tom Oh Absolutely, I love what they're doing in the
portal so far. But Jalen Lowe it with Cam Williams,
and then to get Diabat. Here's the thing about him.
When when Alabama struggled, especially in second halves, it was
defensively and and there were certain players fears numbers might
be down defensively, Aiden Holloway, Grant Nelson. The one guy
(36:32):
that was a constant for them throughout the year defensively
and and impacted their team on the rebounding end in
the defensive end was Mo Diabate. I mean, he was
a guy that the more he played okay and even
in second per halves, the better they played. And there
are still certain things that have to be improved offensively
(36:52):
with him, there's no doubt about it. But he's a
guy that makes things happen. Like he Mo Diabate would
have fit in perfectly in a game last night on
either one of those front lines because he can rebound
the ball, he can defend the rim, he can get
to the rim. He's gonna be He's going to be
in motion to keep coming. I mean Condon and how
(37:14):
for Florida they never stop going to the basket on
either a drive or a follow up or a rebound.
Right see about days like that? I mean, I love him.
That's a huge loss for Alabama because it's hard to
replace a motor in an impact I'm both like he
is so right now Kentucky, those three portal signs. Cam
(37:36):
Williams can cut, he can shoot. I think he's going
to have to get his release just a little bit
higher as he continues to grow and want to become
a pro. But I thought this would be the year
Jaalen Lowe would be a pro from Pitt and I
think now you give him and you put him in
the pick and rolls, and you put him in the offense.
Now that'll be one more year more like Mark wants it.
(38:01):
At Kentucky, I think they have done phenomenal. You could
say they're high school recruiting class and their portal class.
You could easily make a case when you combine those
right now for being as good as anybody's in the
country to this point.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Wow, listen, listen to that Tom creen. You're getting used
to that college basketball analyst role with the takes.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I love it well, no, but but I mean it's sincerely.
I mean, it's not about it's not about how everybody's ranked. Right,
And obviously there's great recruiting classes and we're nowhere near
where the portal is going to be. But when you
talk about impacting a team, right, the fit a team.
Let's put it that way. I'm not trying to not
trying to make a statement that's that's outlandish. When you
talk about guys that come in make a team, it fit,
(38:44):
and it can impact winning. The guys they've gotten in
the portal so far and the recruits they've signed. If
they keep developing the way they have. I think they're
excellent fits and I think you could argue for them
as good as anyone in the country.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Tom Creen has been our guest here on the KSR
pre Show today, the former head coach at Marquette, Indiana, Georgia.
Tom one final question before I let you go. You're
a Hilltopper man. You're a guy from ninety to ninety
four you were on the Hill. I know you got
some fond memories there. You've met your wife there.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Is there anything else that comes to mind when I
bring up the Hilltoppers?
Speaker 3 (39:15):
Everything? I loved it there, my father in law, Jack Harbaugh,
and Jackie Harbaugh being there working for Ralph Willard. We
went from having eight points and seven rebounds returning the
first year we were there, the year three, being in
the sweet sixteen, year four winning a championship, going to
(39:36):
the NSAA tournament, and then we left for Pittsburgh. But
some of the greatest years not only in my life
because I've met my wife, but because of learning a
whole different style, being in an environment where improvement, daily
improvement of your skills was it the foremost of the program.
(39:56):
Working for an absolute incredible coach and Willard. I loved
every bit of it, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (40:03):
Well, Tom, really appreciate you jumping on with us again.
It seems like we always do this around NCAA tournament time.
And now that the tournament is over you can get
some rest. I guess it's a little vacation time for Tom.
So big thank you for joining us, and can't wait
to talk to.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
You again, sir.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
All right, thank you, Billy.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Tom creen one of the more frequent co hosts on
the KSR pre.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
Show over the years.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Who would have thought, and now Matt and Tom are
buddies again. It's interesting how things work out. It's it
is awesome. So we'll take a break A five nine
two eight two two eight seven. We'll have one segment
ago here on the ksrppre Show.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
All right, welcome back.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
It's our final segment of the KSR pre Show, a
Tuesday edition.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Big thank you to.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
Tom Crean who joined us today. It sounded like he
was dog sitting at Ryan Lemon's house during the interview.
I don't know if you heard that, Rick the dog's
barking in the background, but I haven't worried there. But
they were just agreeing with him. It sounded like in
the advice he was spitting out some high praise about
Kentucky's recruiting class in Transfer Portal. Always good to hear.
(41:06):
I want to leave you on one note, and it
comes from our guys from Roup to No Good. They
put on a great podcast. Big Blue Bud is one
of their members. I believe he was one of the
main guys that helped get the billboard up for Big Z.
He pointed out that Mark Pope now has four left
handed players on his upcoming Kentucky team, Akaden Lewis, Jalen Lowe,
Jasper Johnson, and now Mo Diabatee. Counting Amari Williams, that's
(41:30):
five total leftie players in two years. According to Buddy,
cal had twelve lefties in fifteen seasons at UK, So
what's with the lefties? Is that part of the recruiting
as well? I'm not sure who knows what Popes get
saying to these guys, but I do love the idea
of more lefties on the team.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
That's going to do it for us.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Drew Franklin, Drew Palouza next, I'm Billy Rutlis.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
This has been the ksrprecio
Hosts And Creators
Shannon Grigsby
Billy Rutledge
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