2025-04-08- KSR - Hour 2

Drew talks College Basketball and National Championship. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Looking for a mortgage bank to help you make your
next major mortgage move, whether it's a refi or home purchase,
regardless of whether it's your first one or one of many.
Consider our friends at Stockton Mortgage, but don't just take
our word for it. Stockton Mortgage has over seventy thousand
five star reviews and counting, just like this review from.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Joshua, who says this about his experience with Stockton. They
were super professional, always answer my questions I had and
streamlined the process. I could not ask for better people
to help me and my family get our first house.
I feel blessed to be able to go through them.
Be like Joshua or the sixty nine, nine hundred and
ninety nine others just like him, and get started with

(00:39):
Stockton Mortgage today by going to Stockton dot com and
get started. I've even used Stockton Mortgage myself on my
own home loan. For your home loan needs, Stockton dot
com and click get started. Stockton Mortgage NMLS eight two
five nine, Equal Housing Lender NMLS, Consumer Access dot Org.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
Here's not Matt Jones.

Speaker 4 (01:00):
I am Drew Franklin filling in for Matt Jones on
a very busy and exciting day for Big Blue Nation,
and we're gonna get right to the man of the hour.
He has been kind enough to call in on his
busy morning. Here on KSR we have Jaden Quaintan's on
the phone line. Jaden, thank you for calling in. And
how does it feel to be a Cat for a
second time?

Speaker 5 (01:22):
It feels good, you know, just getting back to the
fan base, getting back in that environment. It feels good.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
You still considered, uh, Kentucky after the coaching change this
time last year. What is it that you love so
much about Kentucky and the Big Blue Nation that you've
now committed again under two different eras of UK You
seem to really like the place.

Speaker 5 (01:41):
Yeah, well, you know, again, the fan base for Kentucky
probably one of the best, probably is the best in
college basketball period. And you know, the coach showed a
lot of interest. He seemed like he genuinely we really
want into their program. I feel like I fit well
into their play style offense. I just thought it was
pretty good for me.

Speaker 4 (02:00):
Yeah, and talking to Mark Pope and that fit the reports.
You really seem like style of play. You just mentioned that,
what's kind of Pope told you about how he'll use
you and what it'll look like when you bounce back
from injury and get back to action.

Speaker 5 (02:13):
Yeah. Well, you know, when I'm able to get back
on the court, you know, they kind of will be
able to play through me a little bit more. We'll
be able to work on the permator a little bit more.
You know, get to show off my playmaking ability more
than I was able to do this year, be able
to play down. He'll push the ball off the brake,
you know, just work on my versatility more.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
I think we actually interrupted your rehab this morning. Again,
thanks for calling us. So you got a lot of
excited listeners happy to have you a part of Kentucky.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
How are things going.

Speaker 4 (02:42):
With the rehab and is there any kind of tomline
or target date where you're really aiming to get back
into getting up and down the court.

Speaker 5 (02:49):
Yeah, you know how it's gonna go over really well.
I've been ahead your schedule. You know, the scar is
healing up well, getting a lot of swallowing down, getting
my quas strengthened really well. So is been going good.
We're aiming to get back around September, and yeah, he
hasn't got well.

Speaker 3 (03:07):
Jade, and I appreciate you coming on with us, said
Amari Williams. Obviously is a different style of play, and
you know kind of fits the mold of what you
you kind of are as a basketball player. How much
of you watch what he did this season and kind
of use that as a, you know, a potential measuring
stick of what you could potentially do this upcoming season
in Kentucky.

Speaker 5 (03:27):
I haven't been able to watch too much, but I
feel like from what I was showing on the film,
uh play somewhat similar. I feel like I'm gonna be
able to kind of take over that that kind of
role well and flourish and that kind of role.

Speaker 3 (03:42):
What did Mark Pope say and is what were those
kind of early conversations with with him like and saying, hey, here,
here's what you're going to be and and and how
you're going to be used here in our system.

Speaker 5 (03:54):
Well, again, you know, they be able to play through
me at the top of key to show off my
offensive ability more, get to show off my shooting a
little bit better, you know, playing the pick and roll,
being able to get down hill, just playing a more
open and faster paced offense.

Speaker 3 (04:14):
What fit well into that you know what what is
playing for? You know, big Blue Nation and with the
most passionate fan base in college basketball on a on
a platform like the University of Kentucky. How do you
think that's going to kind of elevate you know what
you're trying to accomplish, and you know what a lot
of a lot of people kind of envision your your
last season of college of basketball. What what is it

(04:36):
about the Kentucky brand that that intrigues you?

Speaker 5 (04:40):
Well, I mean it's the biggest brand in college basketball.
You know, they got the best fans in college basketball.
Uh travel, Well, you know you can't go to Kentucky
and not getting noticed. So I plan on doing big
things here and I feel like this is the best
station to do it.

Speaker 4 (04:54):
On last February, I think it might have been the
Georgia game in Rop Arena. You were there, They brought
you out at half court to a huge reception, gave
every by a big wave. How did it feels that
was kind of your first moment in front of Kentucky
fans in a unique situation last season, and how exciting
is it to get back out there in front of
those fans again in rep Arena finally wearing the uniform next.

Speaker 5 (05:14):
Year, you know, so it's a great you know, see
how how much loved the fans show. How again large
arena is how big of a turn hot you did
every time you know, you pop out there. So it's
it's it's a great experience for sure.

Speaker 4 (05:30):
We've talked about your connection to Mark Pope. I know
this all moves so quickly, but have you had any
conversations with some of the players already on Kentucky's roster,
any connections in the past with those guys, got to
know any of them or heard from them, got any
group tech started yet?

Speaker 5 (05:44):
Yeah, My god, Josha Johnson, he was a big part
of you know, kind of help him lean folk Kentucky.
He's been talking about how much he loved the environment,
in the situation, in the fans and the coaching and
just how he thought I'd be able to sit well
into the system that they have going on here in
the team that they're trying to build. So, my god,
ask has helped me a lot and kind of getting
here a.

Speaker 3 (06:04):
Jadeen, you know, obviously understanding the assignment in Lexington is
very important for Mark Pope and and it's getting back
to the final four winning a national championship? How important
is that for you going into this season and you
knowing the other pieces that that Pope has been able
to assemble and the group that they're that he's he's
been able to assemble, Is it fair to say that

(06:25):
a national championship is on the table next season to Lexington? Uh?

Speaker 5 (06:30):
Well, you know, winning is probably the most important thing
to me, and I've been wanting to have a chance
to compete. You know, I don't really like watching from
the sidelines watching everybody else. You know what I'm saying
in the tournament. We make the tournament this year, and
I would look forward to, you know, having a real
chance to win it next year. I feel like that's
gonna be another really big particle on at Kentucky. So
we have a real shot to win a national championship.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
I know fans will love to hear that. And obviously,
you know, you got rehab to get to and we
don't want to keep you too long, but you know
what it what for fans that are not familiar with
you or just trying to get you know, back used
to you. Obviously you're an old friend, but now a
new friend. For us as well. What can fans expect
from Jayden Queens as a basketball player when you do
make your way back to the floor.

Speaker 5 (07:13):
I'm gonna play hard and give them all every night.
You know, I'm gonna have the impact on the offensive end,
defensive end of the ball. And you know I played
a win every night. Every time I step on the floor,
I played a win to impact the game. I'll rock
in love.

Speaker 3 (07:26):
It, Jayden.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
We can't thank you enough for taking time out if
you're extremely busy morning to join us here on KSR.
I know our listeners loved it and appreciate it because
we're very excited to have you back in big Blue
Nation where you belong and we look forward to everything ahead.
But thanks again for joining us and congratulations on making
your commitment.

Speaker 5 (07:44):
Thanks appreciate you, guys.

Speaker 3 (07:45):
All right, we'll talk to you and Lexton.

Speaker 4 (07:47):
Looking forward to it, all right, guys, Steve, Yes, sir
gocats there it was Jack, A good get Jack getting
him on the phone. I can only imagine how hectic
it has been around him this morning. You know it
is a big portal target. It even sounded like was
that Bruce Pearl in the background.

Speaker 3 (08:03):
I thought I heard Bruce when Jason was talking there.
Bruce really isn't trying to visit him right now? Is
he put in there? Uh?

Speaker 4 (08:09):
I know it was great to have him, and like
I said, very exciting times for Kentucky. I remember that
moment Rupperina when he got the big pop thought we
thought we were gonna have him last year. You know,
life's funny, It's got its twists and turns. But he's
coming back home. Projected top ten pick in the twenty
twenty six draft, brings some much needed rent protection and
it sounds like he's on a good timeline with the
with the rehab on the aco.

Speaker 3 (08:31):
All I can focus on is National Championship talk man
him talking about you know, you know, me and Jasper
we've been talking a lot. We have big dreams of
hanging banners and Lexington and it's like, oh, all right,
can we I know the National Championship just finished up
last night, but I'm ready to roll those balls out
and took the season off.

Speaker 6 (08:47):
Maybe hungry for it watching the last night. Uh do
you think you know, do you think Caliperry? Well, how
does he feel about about this? I mean that was
could have been one of his big pieces. Did he
think that he was going to follow him to Arkansas
last year? It's complicated.

Speaker 3 (09:02):
I think everybody just kind of knew, you know, it
might just be a hard reset for everybody. Some would follow,
some wouldn't. You know. Obviously the some did follow and
some didn't. But I do know that it was really
important for Jayden in those close to him, to you know,
kind of make his own decision. And that's why, you know,
after even after Cal left, there were initial conversations of hey,
I would love to be a part of this. I know,

(09:24):
you know, it's it's complicated, it's you guys have a
coaching search to do, but I would love to have
some type of role in this. And it just didn't
work out. You know, it needed a little break to
know what they were missing with one another, and they
were able to rEFInd each other again this offseason, and
you know, Jayden was able to grow under his own terms,
on his own timeline, and now we should be getting

(09:46):
a more mature, you know, eighteen year old version of
Jayden instead of you know, arriving on campus at sixteen
like he did last last season. Arizona State. Love always
finds a way works out, We got him, got him moere.

Speaker 4 (09:55):
He needs to be Steve. And I say this lovingly, respectfully.
Sometimes sometimes you can be a little bit of a
doom's day or you know, you consider the worst case scenario.

Speaker 3 (10:04):
At times, not always, not always, but you know you can.

Speaker 4 (10:07):
You can have worries and you can be cautious about
the state of Kentucky basketball. How do you feel, Let's
just assume they have a shooter we don't know yet,
still gotta go out and get one of those but
unnamed shooter and the pieces they have now where is
Steven peaks excitement heading into next season.

Speaker 6 (10:21):
First of all, from from two thousand and nine when
Kyle got there to about twenty seventeen, I was very
much optimistic, and you know, things started to happen in
the last few years that and since I got to
KSR that you know, made me a little bit more
maybe protecting myself a little bit so I don't get
too hurt.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
Maybe that's what it is.

Speaker 6 (10:37):
But I think with Jayden, you land a shooter, whether
it's Yates or whoever else is in the portal, Dante
Allen's in the portal, I.

Speaker 3 (10:45):
Mean that could be That's it. Running back. Call everybody home, Yeah,
Tucky lineup.

Speaker 6 (10:49):
I mean, I'm real excited about this team. And I
think what we saw with what Mark Pope and this
staff was able to do with what they had. I mean,
those were good. Those are good players. The last year
we have a lot to talk about. There's a lot
of talk last year about you know, this will be
the least talented Mark Pope team. I mean then there
was there were some really good players on that team.
But now you look at this roster. You had a

(11:10):
shooter like I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming big.

Speaker 3 (11:13):
I mean I see in your eyes.

Speaker 6 (11:14):
Yeah, I mean I'm thinking like a return to our
favorite city could be happening. That's the only No, We're
not gonna be negative though, right We're gonna.

Speaker 4 (11:23):
Actually I actually have that city on my list of
topics for later. And we still have to get your
hot take on the basketball. It's really the only reason
I called you in today was so you can just
have your open mic about the Wilson basketball. We've been
thrown off with the news and the updates. Obviously, we
focused today on the two recent editions since they happened
in the last twenty four hours, but Jack, I didn't
have you on the air yesterday. Kentucky also added Jalen

(11:44):
Low over the weekend. We haven't really had a chance
to talk about him, I guess the third fourth transfer portal.

Speaker 3 (11:49):
Piece for Kentucky. How do you feel about him at
point guard? He's different than than Lamont Butler. Obviously, Lamont
was a defensive anchor and a guy that you just
kind of say, hey, go to work and guard the
other team's best player. And you know it's it's a
different style, but more talented than Lamont Butler. I know
it's gonna, you know, ruffle some feathers, but you're you're
buying on the upside, knowing that, Okay, he's young, he's

(12:13):
growing a couple more years left of eligibility. But this
is a kid that produced at a high level for
a very bad ACC team, but was an acc ACC
member nonetheless, and you're kind of saying, if you can
get him to you know, improve efficiency because the shots
are going to be better because he has more talent

(12:33):
around him, because you know he's not gonna be getting
double teamed and and you know, have the other team's
top defensive assignment of every single night. It's gonna be
more of a balance and let him kind of get
his game off more comfortably than he had to do
last season played for Jeff Kple. So you you should
be getting the best version of Jalen Lowe, who as
an All Conference player as is, is a really, really,
really talented piece. We still have so much more to

(12:55):
get to.

Speaker 4 (12:56):
Like yesterday, I'm not even halfway through the topics I've
written down. Like I said, Steven's got to talk about
this basketball and these two travel everywhere together. I want
to get some travel stories. And we still haven't even
mentioned last night's championship game. So we'll take a break first.
Before we take this break, I'm gonna tell you abou
our friends at Cornbread Hemp springers in the air, and
if you're looking to shake off the gloom of winter,
our friends at corn Bread Hemp are here to help
you start fresh. Relax on warm spring weekends with their

(13:18):
infused gummies, relieve achy winter joints with their hemp bombs
and lotions, and get the rest you deserve with their
melatonin free sleep gummies. Their USDA organic hemp products are
made to help you feel your best, just like nature intended.
All of Their products are made right here in Kentucky
and contain the highest quality relief you can buy this spring.
Try the Good Life for yourself and get twenty percent
off your first order with code KSR at checkout. That's

(13:42):
cornbreadhimp dot com code KSR at checkout corn Bred Hemp.
This is the Good Life. We'll be right back here
on KSR. Welcome back to Kentucky Sports Radio. What a
morning we're having here, guys. Drew Franklin, Jack Pilgrim, Steven Peak,
Shad a Quaintance, Jiohnny Key, Phoenix Stevens. We're just having

(14:02):
lots of fun as Kentucky Basketball's roster gets even better.
A lot of the way too early rankings came out
this morning, even before the Quaintans commitment. I think ESPN
had Kentucky at six on three. Our company Steven's wearing
the logo right now, had him at fourth. Some other
top ten projections. All the naysayers just calmed down. We
told you, relax, it's gonna be all right, and things
are looking like they're panning out. Well, still got at

(14:24):
a shooter, but Kentucky's in a great spot. On April
Eighth's today, after the National Championship game, and we have
not even mentioned that yet, so I guess we should
run through it. It seems very irrelevant at the moment as
we're excited about other things. But Florida did win a
basketball game last night, the championship, their third. Looked like
it was Houston's night for much of the game, especially
in the first half. My Goodness restaurant Colin fouls much,

(14:47):
which played into Houston's favor. Alex Condon looks like he
wanted to be on the couch next to me. He
wanted no part of that game. Early on, Walter Clayton
couldn't score. I thought it was Houston's night, and then
the things flipped late in the second half. Houston led
by twelve at one point in the second half. Walter
Clayton hit a three with about three minutes and fifteen
seconds left to go, got a little momentum behind the Gators,

(15:08):
and that's when things turned down the stretch. Houston with
four turnovers on their last four possessions, including on the
final possession. Calvin Sampson, this is your moment. I thought
you were getting over the hump. I thought you were
getting the ring, and Houston doesn't even get a shot off. Incredible. Guys,
were you did you at least enjoy the outcome? Were
you anti Florida pro Florida? How do we feel about

(15:29):
how it played out?

Speaker 6 (15:30):
I was anti Florida. I'm anti every SEC team.

Speaker 3 (15:32):
I don't look.

Speaker 6 (15:33):
I want to go back to where Kentucky dominates the SEC.
I know we can have some pride in our conference,
but why, like I want to be the best team.

Speaker 3 (15:40):
I don't want.

Speaker 6 (15:41):
I don't Florida celebrating last night made me sick watching
Todd Golden up there, you know. I mean, great youngest
coach to win it. Good for him, but that you know,
I didn't like it. I didn't like seeing he looked
like he wanted to be a part of the team,
you know what I mean?

Speaker 3 (15:53):
He did look like a player.

Speaker 4 (15:54):
He was the one that lifted the trophy walk on
or is that the coach or the coach's son?

Speaker 3 (15:58):
Who is that? Yeah?

Speaker 6 (16:00):
But you know, I was all for I was really
just excited that Duke wasn't playing in it, and really
that was the only thing that concerned me.

Speaker 4 (16:06):
But yeah, let's be honest, we all won. Before the
championship game, when dude got eliminated. I lean your direction.
I was more for Houston, who I had in my bracket.
I didn't love Florida getting another one. You know, It's
just they had their their little dynasty in two thousand
and six, two thousand and seven. I wanted that to
be the end of Florida basketball success. Golden's got him back.
That wasn't a lot of fun to watch. But Houston
with a big collapse, I mean, jack with forty five

(16:28):
seconds left, we think they're going too for one and
then they kind of hold the ball and end up
turning over twice in the last thirty seconds.

Speaker 3 (16:35):
It was crushing, Like just seeing there's a kind of
side by side you see the game happening, and you
see just Kevin Samson on the bench and just watching
it all unfold, and you could just see the doom
in his eyes, like I thought this was it. I
thought we had it. So that sucks. You know. Kelvin's
a great guy all time with for Indiana basketball. Could
you imagine if that guy stuck there and was able

(16:56):
to build the same dynasty with the resources that he has, it,
it would have it Indiana. That's why we can never
you know, Indiana can go away forever. But I was
rooting for him personally, while also kind of liking the
novelty of like, hey, we hyped up the SEC as
this all time juggernaut, having them kind of put the

(17:17):
ultimate final stamp on it, Like hey, all time conference
leads to a national champion and US being the first
team to beat them. I kind of enjoy the.

Speaker 6 (17:26):
Two of the four last champions Kentucky's beaten in the
regular season. Yeah, so that kind of part of it
I was appreciating. But we were playing with house money.
I mean, there was there was nothing that could have
happened last night that would make me like, oh, you know,
heart being heartbroken.

Speaker 3 (17:38):
The only thing that could have happened was Duke winning
that game and then winning the national championship. I would
have been really bummed out today, but very fortunately we
don't have that opportunity. Yeah, that's why I was for Houston.
We needed to crown them.

Speaker 4 (17:48):
They sent Tennessee home before a final four, and they
eliminated Duke with one of the all time collapses in
the semi final. That's why I just thought Houston deserved it.
Some interesting facts that came out about it, you know,
we're all looking at these kings and you need this.

Speaker 3 (18:01):
You need that.

Speaker 4 (18:01):
Florida did not have a top one hundred recruit on
its roster, and neither team had a five star recruit,
so pretty unique in uh in the roster building there
shows that retaining players and finding the right fit and
the portal can really pay off.

Speaker 3 (18:14):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (18:14):
I mean that's and that you look at, Uh you
can bring Otega oh way back.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
I mean that that's huge.

Speaker 6 (18:19):
And you know, once this thing gets rolling, once you
get Pope into his third or fourth year, because he's
i think brought on a couple more sophomores, so you
keep them. Uh yeah, roster continuity. What was Kentucky this
past season?

Speaker 3 (18:31):
Oh?

Speaker 6 (18:31):
They were last Okay, so that's probably not good, right,
considering all the injuries. And that's one thing too, the uh,
the the injury stuff has to start tilting into our
favor and it's got to happen it and and and
you know, you look at the last several years there's
been like key injuries. Let's like eventually that luck is
going to swing our way.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
Right, we have the ultimate experiment. I mean, we have
a guy with a torn a cl today and if
he happens to go ahead of schedule and play in
the season opener. I think, and you stays healthy throughout
the course of the season. I think that's the perfect like,
you know, finally getting you know, exercising those demons and
getting back on track with the health.

Speaker 4 (19:08):
Steven you mentioned Otega oh Way, he was in one
shining moment for approximately one point two seconds. We got
like four frames of Otega. You know, I, like most people,
stayed up waiting for one shining moment. That's how we
officially closed the book on the ear. I really thought
the Amari Coast to coast dunk was gonna make it.
I even almost tweeted, get ready, We're getting the Amari
dunk in one shining moment. Amari didn't get in there,
but in the very beginning, I guess we got an

(19:30):
oh way flesh. Was that other than you know, being
in the background of some Tennessee shots, I believe that
was our only UK.

Speaker 3 (19:37):
Andrew Carr was on the receiving end of a Tennessee poster,
which I did not love seeing that, but at least
it wasn't like past years where it's slow motion.

Speaker 4 (19:44):
Jack Goki and my good friend John Palumbo doing the
surrender cobra with his hands on his head. So we're
working our way back more into one shining moment.

Speaker 3 (19:53):
Stephen.

Speaker 4 (19:53):
As a videographer, I gotta ask, why does it take
them so long?

Speaker 3 (19:57):
You know that most of that should have been edited.
I feel that make us wait.

Speaker 4 (20:01):
You know, I keep I wanted to go watch Righteous
jim Stones, but I gotta watch twenty minutes of post
game to get to the best part.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
Of the night.

Speaker 6 (20:06):
I don't think it's an editing deal. I think that
they they know that you're waiting for it, and they're
getting in as many ads as they can. I mean,
we have the official ladder of the NCAA. We got
to talk about Werner, and then we got to get
you know, the the AT and T halftime show presented
by Burger King or whatever like they got. We have
to get all of the ads in and then so
but you can see like it's all edited. They added
like three clips of the of the championship game and

(20:27):
then the celebration at the end. I'm sure they took
them about a minute.

Speaker 3 (20:30):
One cool thing.

Speaker 4 (20:31):
About the Florida celebration and you mentioned the ladder. Olivier
Reu did cut down the nets again, mister seven foot nine,
as we saw in Nashville without using the ladder. I'm
still just fascinated about it.

Speaker 2 (20:41):
Guy.

Speaker 4 (20:41):
You know, he didn't play for Florida this year, but
what a sight when he's up there. You know, everyone
takes their climb, get their little piece, they wave. No,
he just walks up, takes the scissors and cuts the
flat footed.

Speaker 3 (20:51):
Is that an NIL violation because they have the deal
with with the ladder, Like, do you think that the
ladder company looks that it goes well, well, that's not
what we signed up for.

Speaker 4 (20:58):
Get get your big button on that ladder and lean down.
I think has a complaint there. I really think they do.
We're getting excited about the rosters. So before we started
the show, you were like, get me back on one
shining moment. Are you confident that you know we got
all the way this year for one point two seconds
where we're gradually getting back Next year we're gonna be featured.

Speaker 6 (21:16):
I mean, it looks like you do have to make
an Elite eight at least to get more than one highlight.
Because I thought too the Amari Williams dunk against Troy
had to be on there. How many times do you
see a seven foot go coast to coast and get
an and one dunk? I mean, but yeah, you gotta
get you gotta get to the destination. You gotta get
to Indianapolis next year if you want to be you know,

(21:37):
you want to see a lot more those highlights and
not be on the the other side of the Tennessee
dunkin on.

Speaker 4 (21:41):
Us Overall, obviously I would have preferred if Kentucky were
in the Final four, but those three games maybe one
of my favorite Final four us to just sit and
watch as a neutral observer. Other than hating Duke, I
didn't really have strong feelings about any team, but the
weekend really delivered, didn't you Jack.

Speaker 3 (21:57):
Everybody loves the Cinderella until you have to see them
play a legitimate national championship contender and they lose by
thirty in the next round, You're like, well, that was
a waste of everybody's time. So there's a reason why
they're won seeds. And they were the best teams all
season long. That's why it was so hard when we
were filling out the brackets to not pick them, As
you know, it felt like you were trying to be
cute when you didn't have the four number ones, because

(22:18):
they were just that much better than the rest of
the field. So it was the best, the best possible
product we could have gotten.

Speaker 4 (22:26):
For our KSR listeners who are online and follow Ryan Lemon.
I mean, I don't know if he had gotten into
the marks with Shannon the dude, but Ryan Sen's like
one tweet a week, and last night he was just
firing them off. I encourage everyone to go look at that.
One of them has just said, I really got a pee.
I mean said Shannon told me to go out there
in the ocean. I mean, sounds like my guys are
having a great time on vacation. I'm looking at about

(22:48):
ten Ryan Lemon tweets during the game, and none of
them are coherent, So check that out, follow Scoop. Looks
like they're having a good time leaving me back here,
and like I said, they might not have a job
when they get back. We're just we've added three people
to their roster since they've been gone. We had a
good guest that tianni Key closed the book on the
championship season, and when we come back, I'm gonna let
Steven Peak tell you all about the worst basketball in

(23:10):
the history of basketball, the Wilson Evo NXT. He hates
it more than anything, and we're gonna let him cook
after this break. This is KSR. Welcome back to KSR.
Matt Jones is not here because we've already had babies
and dogs. That is our whiskey Thief message board submission

(23:31):
of the day. Not quite a call of the day,
but we're going to ks board for that one from
Fox Monk and Bam took that joke from him. He
said with Matt out, babies are fair game. I'm not
gonna encourage you to call in with your babies, but
it was a nice addition to the Jayden Quaintons interview.
Really cool to hear from him on such an exciting day.
But I'm here with Jack Pilgrim and Steven Peak without
further ado, Ladies and gentlemen, We've talked about it many times.

(23:53):
These stupid basketballs that are overinflated and they're bright orange.
No one hates them more than Steven and Steven. I'm
just gonna give you a tell us. Tell us your
hatred goes back several years. You've done the stats, you
have spreadsheets, you have videos. You'll randomly text me at
three am on a Tuesday when you find new information
about this stupid Wilson basketball. Tell our listeners why they
should hate it too. You should hate it because Kobe

(24:15):
Braya hates it. Jack Pilgrim interviewed him in the locker room.

Speaker 6 (24:19):
After he actually shot three for six, So it wasn't
like he was making excuses and a win and a
win over was that the Troy was after the Troy game?

Speaker 3 (24:26):
Was that after Illinois Troy? Troy? Okay?

Speaker 6 (24:29):
So he asked Kobe Bray if you haven't seen the interview,
it's on our YouTube channel, and Kobe says, you have
to change the way you shoot a little bit. And
I almost threw the camera against the wall and ran
out and found it NCAA.

Speaker 3 (24:43):
Why the camera got so shakey? Oh, I was shaking that. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (24:47):
I wanted our listeners to know Steven actually might do
that at some point. He's not getting he came close to.

Speaker 3 (24:53):
Throw on that.

Speaker 6 (24:54):
Well, the thing is with first of all, why is
it in college basketball you have different balls depending on
where you That makes no sense to me. You don't
do this in any other sport. You don't get to
the World Series and they go, all right, we changed
the seams on the baseball. It doesn't happen, all right,
So like that's that's the first thing. But then these basketballs.
And I talked to a guy who played at Watford.
He has AH he's a shooting coach, Bobby Perez. He

(25:15):
played with Fletcher McGee I think it was his name,
who you know, didn't shoot very well against Kentucky, but
one of the better shooters anyway.

Speaker 3 (25:21):
He's done a lot of.

Speaker 6 (25:22):
Studies also, and he's he's like trying to teach guys
how to shoot. But he's like, these basketballs that they're using.
For one, it's not that they're different. They they put
extended range tech into this ball. Why we need a
technology into a basketball? It does don't have to use
a USBC to like do as it. There's our firmware
update that needs to happen to the basketball. It means
it's ridiculous.

Speaker 5 (25:40):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (25:41):
But what he's saying is that the balls are too inflated,
and he is noticing that guys are having trouble. It's
not just with shooting, but it's with the ball. I mean,
Severe Wheeler had one bounce over his head I mean,
like there's one Davion Mits went back and watched the
Saint Peter's game that he expects the ball to be
back in his hand. Nope, it's not. It's bouncing over
his hand. It's a turnover. This is something the NCAA

(26:02):
really needs to fix it. I'm glad like Scott Van
Pelt is now even talking about it. He said, it's
like the like a game you play at a carnival
where like the ball is over and plated and has
there They've rigged the game. This is something I was
kind of joking about a few years ago. Now I'm
kind of I'm a little bit more serious.

Speaker 3 (26:19):
I think.

Speaker 6 (26:19):
I think having everyone else say that this is a
problem has sort of like made me like, all right,
I can actually this is a real thing.

Speaker 3 (26:26):
Give me real takes off.

Speaker 4 (26:27):
You're a pioneer in this take. When I first met you,
you're you know, the first thing I brought it up
in an interview. Yeah, we interviewed Steven for the videographer position.
Tyler and I and you know, we're going over as
the resume. Oh cool, you went to Murray.

Speaker 3 (26:38):
That's neat.

Speaker 4 (26:38):
Oh you worked here? And He's like, hey, uh, can
I talk about this basketball? And ever since I've known you,
it's been a talking point. You're right, people are catching on.
Some coaches have been out spoken about it.

Speaker 6 (26:47):
Matt Painter said that he he was interviewed in twenty
twenty three and he said, the ball is round, anybody
can shoot it. Then they lose to Farley Dickinson who
used the ball all year. And then the next interview
I see with Matt Painter, he's saying, yeah, we gotta
do something, and you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (27:01):
So like the coaches have talking Mark Fuse talked about it.

Speaker 6 (27:03):
Alabama players were asked about it, and it is it
is something that you look at the shooting percentage of
the last few final fours in national championship games, and
throughout the tournament the shooting percentages dip wildly.

Speaker 3 (27:16):
Like what about last night.

Speaker 4 (27:17):
I know Houston's not a lights out team, but those
two teams were combined over thirteen to start the game.
Florida I think finishes twenty five percent, Houston twenty four percent.
We blame in the ball. I mean, there was good defense,
but those were some bad bricks last night.

Speaker 6 (27:29):
Yeah, and there was actually a researcher from Syracuse. Rodney
Paul did do several studies and what he found was
and it's kind of hard to quantify it because how
do you say, Okay, that's shot went in what it
had gone in if they used a different ball.

Speaker 3 (27:42):
So he said, it's a greater.

Speaker 6 (27:43):
Than one point advantage for whoever if you're using this
ball has been used all year. But I'll tell you
the other thing that is insane with all the technology
we have, the NCAA is using a bounce test to
determine if the ball is bouncy enough.

Speaker 3 (27:55):
Are you kidding me? What year is this?

Speaker 6 (27:57):
Like it's yeah, like it's not a deal, Like there
isn't millions of dollars on the line here that there's not,
especially with all the gambling and everything. So like there
it feels like you can get you can get up.
It's something that shows you what the PSI is. And
that's the other thing that Bobby Press brought up to me.
The PSI is seven to nine uh uh PSI. Well

(28:18):
that's a pretty wide range actually, so if you go
to the top end of that, it gets pretty bouncy.
And like I told you, like when what you knew
was spiked that ball I thought it might go through
the Almodome.

Speaker 4 (28:27):
So like that is something. There's a good Isaac Huppery's
moment last night the team.

Speaker 6 (28:32):
Can you believe that he got it? I mean, like
and they still won the game, Like that could have
been massive.

Speaker 4 (28:36):
I did, like as soon as I saw you, immediately texted,
I'm surprised that balled in at the top of the
Alumado And there was a good joke.

Speaker 3 (28:40):
There's our joke of the day.

Speaker 6 (28:41):
Yeah, but this is something that I'm glad you know
you have. Like I said, Scott Van Pelt, you've had
several coaches finally speak out about it, and you know,
a coach doesn't really want to say and a player
doesn't want to say, I mean, the ball is the problem.
So they're they're all kind of timid to talk about it,
especially during the season. But uh, you know, raising awareness,

(29:02):
that's that's that's what we're doing here, and we're gonna
hopefully see a universal basketball in college basketball. It's it's
absolutely ridiculous that depending on where you play, it depends
on like the sponsorship you have. So all the Nike
schools are using the Nike ball. If you're in an
Adida school. I guess it's open in your contract because
Louisville is using the Wilson evo. Uh, and then you

(29:22):
have Kansas using the Wilson EVO, and that is an
advantage going into the tournament. It didn't help Loveville very
much this year. I don't know if you remember they
were beating the first round. Yeah right here down the street, right, yeah, yeah,
yeah crowd.

Speaker 4 (29:31):
If I'm not mistaken, Yeah, a lot of seed and
a favorite, right yeah.

Speaker 6 (29:35):
But they should have been a three seed, right, I
mean they just got yeah, so uh you know that.
But the ball is it is an issue. It does
affect the game, of course it does. When you are
shooting thousands of shots all season and you're calibrating, you know,
you're using muscle memory in these tense moments and the
most important games of your life. And they're like, here's

(29:57):
the new equipment to play with. That's that's insane to me.
All this stuff we're trying to do to benefit players.
This is an easy fix. It's so easy, and we
get nothing. It's you know, I know money is involved,
but just make a universal ball man like it.

Speaker 3 (30:12):
One other league does this.

Speaker 4 (30:14):
You mentioned how the coaches and players are afraid to
be too outspoken about it kind of would come off
as an excuse. You are the official leader of this,
Like what's next, You're gonna maybe like a five K
you're talking about raising awareness? Do you go out stand
outside arenas with a sign? Or you're gonna go to
Indian Appoll You're not going there, But are you gonna
petition the NCAA?

Speaker 3 (30:32):
I mean, how do we keep this movement going? Yeah?
I mean I just think I'm gonna I definitely.

Speaker 6 (30:38):
I think getting more players to talk about it will
eventually lead to some change. I definitely think that that
once people are realizing, because also the product is bad.
I mean, I watched that Kentucky Florida game that was
played in Ropperna one hundred and six to one hundred,
both teams just shooting lights. I have a hot take
about that game. That's one of the greatest games ever

(30:59):
played in Arena.

Speaker 3 (31:00):
I mean, it just it was. It was a fun game.
What did Pope say in the postgame press conference?

Speaker 6 (31:05):
If you didn't enjoy that and find a new profession
or something like that, this is what he told the media. Uh,
then you watched last night's game and Granted Houston's a
great defensive team, but how many of those balls were
just like big guys are having problems with it getting
the ball to it does it goes, It bounces everywhere
but in the basket, And so I think to have
a better product, it would it would behoove the NCAA

(31:27):
to you know, universal basketballs. Let's if we're doing the
arc system, we're doing all this stuff to like perfect
our shots, and then you're then you just give them
a basketball that travels further. That doesn't make any sense,
especially when they're advertising extended range tech. They're like, oh, yeah,
you can shoot it further, and I and you can
and I don't. I know this might sound like I'm bragging,
but I'm like the fifth or sixth best shooter in

(31:47):
my Sunday night church.

Speaker 4 (31:49):
Oh listen ASR followers, No, you can ball you and Jack,
Actually I had that on all this with topics.

Speaker 3 (31:53):
Let's kind of just transition to that.

Speaker 4 (31:55):
Yeah, you all go to all these games and you
always leave the arena on a make k SR from
most people don't know. We're usually the last ones to
leave the building where, you know, working hard, it's always
a late night and you all stay in these away arenas.
I don't even know where you find a basketball, but
you've put a video out there.

Speaker 3 (32:10):
Jack.

Speaker 4 (32:11):
You all get a shot up everywhere you go. I've
participated in Nashville and a half court shot. Not bragging,
but bragging, but uh, talk about why you all do that,
how fun it is, and how hard it is to
find a ball.

Speaker 3 (32:19):
Sometimes, because our job is very unseious, we understand that
we're blessed to be in this position, to be working
at KSR, to be covering the team as diehard Kentucky fans,
and we like basketball. So when we're at these cool venues,
we're like, hey, it'd be really cool to make a
shot at one of these. So it just kind of
became a thing. And yes, Steven will attest to this.

(32:41):
We will look under bleachers, we will go up in
the rafters, we will look everywhere for a steak a
ball in. We I have where was that? Actually, I
don't want to we don't want to say we haven't.
We keep this going statutal limitations, but we we have
stuck a ball in at one of the locations and
we did use that ball for a shot. So yeah,
it's it's it's our favorite tradition and hopefully we can

(33:03):
do that in Indianapolis at the Final four nexture because
they kicked us off the floor. Uh this past this
past cycle, sou not not big fans of the NC
Double A and the March Madness. Gosh, man, they are
the I've never seen anything so strict.

Speaker 6 (33:15):
It's like, I mean, seriously, it's like Fort Knox, Like
you get down there on the court and they're like,
you know that the nuclear codes right at mid court,
Like it's it's crazy how strict they are. I mean,
I got really streamed at pretty fiercely to get off.

Speaker 4 (33:28):
You and Mario get yelled at for even getting a
drink of water at these things. I guess because you're
both doing video you have a different they hate. But
they will not let you anywhere. You go to all
these games and you're working hard and you watch them
in the back on a TV without sound because they
won't even let you stick your head around the corner
to look at the arenas.

Speaker 6 (33:43):
Where I saw the way game winner against the in
the SEC tournament was like by myself behind the and
they're like one of the darkest parts of the world
was where that that area is for the SEC tournament.

Speaker 3 (33:55):
But yeah, finding a basketball we saw with flat basketballs, yeah,
we we usually the that we find that are just
kind of by themselves typically pretty flat. Part of the
reason why we, you know, get some friendly rolls at
some of our shots. But hey, hey, we we'll ignore
that part.

Speaker 4 (34:09):
Steven's got that pure jumper. I meany can't get a
shooter in the portal. I don't know your eligibility situation.

Speaker 6 (34:15):
I said, fifth or sixth best player in the Sunday
Night Men's League, so they probably need to look look
us with I said shooter.

Speaker 3 (34:21):
Actually I didn't say best player. I will say we
played three on three the other day Stephen, me and
a shout out Big Blue Drew and we cooked, I
mean absolutely absolutely cooked. So just if you if you're
looking for a pick up, pick up, guys, I know
some folks, we're running out of time here.

Speaker 4 (34:39):
I still wanted to get a few travel tips from
you all, and uh, you know, some of your favorite
places around the SEC, maybe even across the country. I
know Indianapolis didn't high on that list. Before we go,
I guess I better pay some more bills here. Let
me see what I got next, how about a little
Bluegrass Roofing and Consulting.

Speaker 3 (34:56):
That sounds good.

Speaker 4 (34:57):
They sponsored your your rent there. If you need to
take a water, get a water, get some fresh air
walking off.

Speaker 3 (35:01):
I know that was really really big lections out.

Speaker 4 (35:04):
But on a serious note, these recent storms have caused
some damage to your roof, especially around Kentucky, and do
not wait to get your roof inspected. Get it done
now because if you miss a minor repair, it could
cost you thousands in the future. Call my friends at
Bluegrass Roofing and Consulting. They offer free estimates always. Blue
Grass Roofing and Consulting is family, veteran and first responder
owned company, fully licensed and insured to take pride in

(35:26):
exceptional customer service and thorough communication, free inspections. They use
a state of arc technology to get you through thorough
breakdown roofing system so you can trust the recommendations they provide.
They love to do repairs to help restore your current
system called Bluegrass Roofing and Consulting. If you don't want
to fill the pressure of being told you must replace
theof your roof, they will save you thousands and offer

(35:48):
a lifetime warranty on replacement. Use code KSR when you
call it a schedule your free inspection for five percent
off up to five hundred dollars on repair of your
roof or gutters. Visit Bluegrass Roofing and Consulting or call
one eight.

Speaker 3 (36:01):
Hundred roof Pro.

Speaker 4 (36:02):
We'll be back for one more segment on an exciting KSR.
Welcome back to KSR one final segment. The segment's brought
to us by our friends at Shady Rays. Stop overpaying
for sunglasses, Steve and I know you've been doing that.
You need to check out Shady Rays. It's an independent
American owned company that started right here in Kentucky. Shady
Rays has premium polarized shades for every activity running, fishing, biking, golfing,

(36:25):
hating the Wilson basketballs, you'd nate it. From their tangle
free aviators that won't get stuck in your hair to
their color rush lenses that provide ultimate color enhance visibility,
every member of the family can find.

Speaker 3 (36:36):
Their perfect pair.

Speaker 4 (36:37):
Shady Rays offers the best protection program in the industry
with lost and broken replacements. So take on your next
adventure with the team that has your back. Grab a
pair of their premium polarized shades and try them risk
free for yourself and see why they have over three
hundred thousand five star reviews. Try the entire collection in
person at their Lexton or Louisville locations, plus shop exclusive
colorways only available in the store, like their blue and

(36:58):
white collection, perfect for game days at Shady Race. We're
already running out of time here, but I wanted to
hear about some of your travel stories. We're just gonna
play a little game. I'm gonna name a city or
a place. We don't have time for a lengthy story,
but if you got anything where you hate the place,
have a memory fired away. I'm gonna start with my
favorite place in the world because I've been there with Stephen. Jack,

(37:20):
You've been there with Stephen Round one, New York City.

Speaker 6 (37:23):
Uh. Well, first the trip with Jack, we actually moved
to a different hotel because I wasn't supposed to go.
But then we decided, oar, we'll send Metal House, State,
Big Game, CBS Sports Classic.

Speaker 3 (37:34):
We get there, this is this past season, past season.
We get there. There's one king sized bed. I've done
that with Matt. So yeah. So the first night I
said we left because it was the Pineapple Suite. Initially, yeah,
we were like, you know the vibe, I just don't
know if it's you know, Pineapple. That's exactly why we
we knew we had to. We didn't want to, you know,

(37:55):
give off the wrong vit. Do we need to send
you guys to HR you know, it's this is a
business trip, So I I did. I supped on the
floor the first night.

Speaker 6 (38:02):
And then Jack Jack had had like he just schedules
flights at the most like I feel like inconvenient time.
He's like, is there a three fifteen am flight? I
can get on whatever? Because I don't think he slept,
and then he just like did you even go to sleep?

Speaker 3 (38:16):
Like took a forty minute nap? There you got like
buddy the elf. I got a nice forty minutes.

Speaker 4 (38:19):
That happened to me with Matt New York. And I
just left and said I'll see you tomorrow. And I
stayed out all night, even found a place that was
like underground after hours to hang out with bartenders. The
Irish bartender's just gotten off work, showed back up at
seven am.

Speaker 3 (38:31):
It's all right, you stayed at night and Jack Dimpsey's
at times they gave me the key. I got to
be the only person there.

Speaker 6 (38:36):
But the other part was I think you were talking
about the Zimbabwe Christmas. That was a different Steve and
I had.

Speaker 4 (38:41):
Fun in New York as the UCLA game gave that
workout that well, But we had fun otherwise, including I
took him to Brooklyn to my friend Simba's apartment. He
was having a Zimbabwe themed Christmas dinner with Zimbabwe and food.

Speaker 3 (38:56):
What did I eat? Caw something?

Speaker 6 (38:58):
Yeah, I was actually gonna ask you, is kind of
like beef jerky thing bill tongue.

Speaker 4 (39:02):
Yeah, maybe some tongue that somlier there. I think I'm
pronouncing that word right. The New a lot about wine.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
But when you go on.

Speaker 4 (39:08):
A KSR road trip, you know what you're gonna get.
Did you think we would be celebrating Zimbabwe and Christmas?

Speaker 3 (39:13):
Actually it sounded pretty unbranded. I thought that kuffs exactly
what I expected.

Speaker 4 (39:18):
Ye had a good good time of their good friends
in of there. Let's keep moving on with the game.
My least favorite place it started with My favorite. I'm
gonna go to my least favorite, Starkville, Mississippi.

Speaker 3 (39:26):
We went three days early because there was supposed to
be an ice storm. There was no ice, so we
just stayed three extra days in Starkville. One of the
times we were leaving our hotel room, uh, we just
hear this massive banging from the second second story. We're like, WHOA,
something's going on. This woman, clearly the cleaning late crew

(39:47):
was like frantically waving. We were like, she just found
a dead body. We're we're staying at a hotel where
they just found a dead body in this hotel, in
this hotel room. So we run back inside. We go
to the front desk. Hey, I think there's somebody dead
ups there. Somebody should call a nine that one. Then
the sweet cleaning lady comes down says, oh, I thought
you were Austin, said, I'm not Austin. I don't think
Stephen is Austin unless he goes by another name. But

(40:09):
you recognize this from KSR YouTube. Yes, but yes, we
avoided death in Starkville, but that didn't make me want
to be there any longer anyway.

Speaker 4 (40:17):
Trying to think of some other unique places, Steven, you
you went across the pond to London. Yeah, that was
another We lost that one, right, No, we beat Michigan. Oh,
it's right, beat Michigan. Yeah, cow was mean to Tyller Thompson.
I'm still mad about you.

Speaker 3 (40:28):
Yeah. Otherwise, Yeah, London was cool.

Speaker 6 (40:32):
I think what that did is it kind of just
showed me how big big Blue Nation is. Because I
was meeting Kentucky fans from Spain, from Italy, from uh
they had. I had a long conversation with this kid
who's a big Kentucky fan, never will go to Reparna,
but he lives in England.

Speaker 3 (40:45):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (40:46):
I thought that was so cool because I think, like
you live here in Kentucky, you just it's like it's
our team. But then you're it's like, oh no, this
is like international, like this is like the world's team.
And so that was like a kind of an eye
open experience to how big big Blue Nation is. And uh,
you know, we have a guy Clint who's who's in Cyprus.
I would still talk with him like they're The London
trip was kind of an eye opening to, uh, you know,

(41:09):
the reach that Kentucky basketball has a Williams there. I
didn't see Bix. No, I did not any weed to Bix.
But but I will say I just the food there.
I you know, people talk about it. I don't I didn't.
I didn't have a problem. I didn't problem with the
I don't know why people hate on they have all
the different cuisines that we have here.

Speaker 4 (41:26):
I don't we all have to get out of our
a little comfort zone trying new things. Back to the
sec How about uh Tuscaloosa.

Speaker 3 (41:32):
Oh that's a that's a Stephen story story. Can I
hate on the place that? I mean we got? Okay? Well,
all right, well BUCkies, Well I love BUCkies. I love them.
I love what they're about.

Speaker 6 (41:43):
Unfortunately, I I ate a was egg and cheese sandwich
and that biscuit, and that ruined my night in tuscal Lousa.
So I remember on the rapid reaction no no, And
I mean, you know, I think if Kentucky would have
pulled that off about it would have helped a little bit.
But that was that was a rough night.

Speaker 3 (41:59):
He was running to the bathroom into and Coleman Collis
seemed vomiting everywhere. Yes, it was. It was horrible. Most
of these travel stories backfired. It seems like a lot
of negatives.

Speaker 6 (42:08):
I think of some centiment twist and a drink from
Taco bell and and you were like a brand new person.

Speaker 4 (42:14):
All right, we run out of time. Jack, you want
to come back tomorrow. You didn't get to half my topics.
That's kind of what I do. Yeah, all right, we'll
running back with Jack. Have Josh Hopkins join us. Uh,
a few more other special guests. My guy Billy Hobbs
from True Blue Customs might pop on. But thank you
for listening today to a wild show. We'll be back
tomorrow at KOs Bar and Grill with a lot more
basketball talk. Thanks to Jack, Steven Phoenix, and tianni Key

(42:36):
and Jayden Quainton. Today we had a great show. Talk
to you tomorrow.