An Overdue Change Needed for UK Football

[DACats86]

It is an affront to any UK football fan who knows Oscar Combs' history that he is allowed to be on the pre-game broadcasts for UK football. As I mentioned in another thread, he used to be proud of the fact that he coined the phrase that "UK football is only a distraction until the real sport begins." Because he is getting paid by UK football, and he gets free food and gets to rub elbows with what he considers big-wigs in Commonwealth's pressbox, he no longer openly mocks UK football. However, there are several subtle digs nowadays. His tweets about the alleged bar fight and comments on the basketball pre-game were out of place. He knows no more than any of us about the incident. Remember when he said that they shouldn't refurbish Commonwealth because it was "structurally unsafe?" (He wanted the money for a new basketball arena).

Many years ago I used to subscribe to the CatsPause. I wrote Oscar one time and asked him for more football coverage. He wrote the following response back to me, "No one cares about UK football." Meaningless as it was, I canceled my subscription. More recently, Oscar has stated several times on Twitter that UK can never be competitive in the SEC.

It's time for a change. I have an ideal candidate in mind to replace Oscar. He will be on the NSD show next Wednesday and loves everything about UK football. Tell him to your face that UK can never be competitive in the SEC, and you may regret saying it.

Anyhow, you all know the usual suspects to bring about change - Barnhart, Tony Neely, etc. But, UK's media rights are controlled by JMI Sports. I have linked the UK contacts for JMI Sports below. It has their email addresses. Do with it as you may.


JMI Sports Contact Information

 

[CatPatrick]

Good post

 

[Sawnee Cat]

My choice of UK football spokesman would be Jeff Van Note. Jeff is articulate, knows football backward and forward and side ways. He can explain in to a group of the Ladies Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting Club.

Jeff loves UK football. For years I listened to him on Georgia radio speaking positive about the program. He would be perfect.

I agree about Oscar Combs. He is just like Matt Jones in not knowing a football from a rugby ball. He has tunnel vision and it is all round ball.

 

[DACats86]

Originally posted by Sawnee Cat:
My choice of UK football spokesman would be Jeff Van Note. Jeff is articulate, knows football backward and forward and side ways. He can explain in to a group of the Ladies Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting Club.

Jeff loves UK football. For years I listened to him on Georgia radio speaking positive about the program. He would be perfect.

I agree about Oscar Combs. He is just like Matt Jones in not knowing a football from a rugby ball. He has tunnel vision and it is all round ball.

Jeff's great, but by his own admission he is getting old and doesn't like the travel between Lexington and Atlanta any longer. He said that he will never move from Atlanta.

 

[Sawnee Cat]

Originally posted by DACats86:

Originally posted by Sawnee Cat:
My choice of UK football spokesman would be Jeff Van Note. Jeff is articulate, knows football backward and forward and side ways. He can explain in to a group of the Ladies Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting Club.

Jeff loves UK football. For years I listened to him on Georgia radio speaking positive about the program. He would be perfect.

I agree about Oscar Combs. He is just like Matt Jones in not knowing a football from a rugby ball. He has tunnel vision and it is all round ball.

Jeff's great, but by his own admission he is getting old and doesn't like the travel between Lexington and Atlanta any longer. He said that he will never move from Atlanta.

Yes I know. I have heard him say that and I can understand. He is in my age group and I sure wouldn't go back and forth between Lexington either. Although, even old Oscar has a Florida retirement home. Another good spokes person for UK football is Freddie Maggard. I am not sure if he would ever be considered but I enjoy him when I listen to Tom Leach on his morning show. WLAP 630 9:00 AM

Anyone would be better than Oscar Combs or Matt Jones. We need a football mind and I prefer an ex player.

 

[(Wildcat)]

Originally posted by DACats86:

I have an ideal candidate in mind to replace Oscar. He will be on the NSD show next Wednesday and loves everything about UK football.

Those doing the NSD show are: Jeff Piecoro, Tom Leach, Dick Gabriel, Matt Jones, & Freddie Maggard. By process of elimination:

- Piecoro, Leach, and Gabriel do the actual games.

- You said "loves everything about UK football" so it definitely isn't Jones.

So...Maggard must be your candidate.

I agree that having Combs on any broadcast is an affront to UK football fans and having Jones involved is just about as bad. Maggard has been doing commentary on some UKFB countdown type shows that WKYT has been airing recently and I agree, I think he would be a welcome addition to the UK Football Radio Network.

 

[Deeeefense]

Let's talk about baskeeetttball Dave.

I agree totally DA. Nothing personal against Oscar, he seems like a nice fellow but his pregame analysis is about as good my 6 year old grand-newphew's. If it's a damn football game then let's have football people doing the pregame stuff. Former players or coaches, anyone other than a roundball head.

 

[WildCard]

Originally posted by DACats86:

Originally posted by Sawnee Cat:
My choice of UK football spokesman would be Jeff Van Note. Jeff is articulate, knows football backward and forward and side ways. He can explain in to a group of the Ladies Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting Club.

Jeff loves UK football. For years I listened to him on Georgia radio speaking positive about the program. He would be perfect.

I agree about Oscar Combs. He is just like Matt Jones in not knowing a football from a rugby ball. He has tunnel vision and it is all round ball.

Jeff's great, but by his own admission he is getting old and doesn't like the travel between Lexington and Atlanta any longer. He said that he will never move from Atlanta.

Absolutely LOVED Van Note as a radio color guy for the Cats back in the day. However, we was not a cheerleader and called it like he saw it. I think that public candor rubbed some people the wrong way. JMO.

Peace

 

[Sawnee Cat]

I vote for and would welcome Freddie. Thanks for the email address.

 

[DACats86]

Originally posted by Sawnee Cat:

Originally posted by DACats86:

Originally posted by Sawnee Cat:
My choice of UK football spokesman would be Jeff Van Note. Jeff is articulate, knows football backward and forward and side ways. He can explain in to a group of the Ladies Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting Club.

Jeff loves UK football. For years I listened to him on Georgia radio speaking positive about the program. He would be perfect.

I agree about Oscar Combs. He is just like Matt Jones in not knowing a football from a rugby ball. He has tunnel vision and it is all round ball.

Jeff's great, but by his own admission he is getting old and doesn't like the travel between Lexington and Atlanta any longer. He said that he will never move from Atlanta.

Yes I know. I have heard him say that and I can understand. He is in my age group and I sure wouldn't go back and forth between Lexington either. Although, even old Oscar has a Florida retirement home. Another good spokes person for UK football is Freddie Maggard. I am not sure if he would ever be considered but I enjoy him when I listen to Tom Leach on his morning show. WLAP 630 9:00 AM

Anyone would be better than Oscar Combs or Matt Jones. We need a football mind and I prefer an ex player.

 

[BigSexyCat]

Tim Couch would be an excellent choice if he's available.

 

[Shavers48]

Couldn't agree with the OP more. There's far too many basketball-only's connected to the program and as long as they remain, climbing out of the hole will be nearly impossible.

 

[Mills_for_Three]

Freddie Maggard, J-Lo, if Couch wasn't doing the Fox Sports deal he would be ideal. The only KSR shows I have listened to have been the ones with Jlo and Couch and they are great together.

I mentioned in another thread, besides Tom's Leach Report and Vaught with Maggard these other guys treat UK football like Howard Stern uses sex in his broadcasts.

I would also be ALL in for removing Mr. Dreyer Lint himself, Gabriel from the broadcasts.

 

[THE_OAK]

Couldn't agree more DACats86

 

[ukalum1988]

I used to subscribe to the print version of TCP back in the day when I lived out of state back in the 1990s. In his columns OC would generally repeat the same tired stories about UK FB. However, I did enjoy Russell Rice's column.

Although I respect OC in publishing TCP (he was ahead of his time in many respects), his bias towards BB has always been obvious. Don't get me wrong, I love UK BB like everyone else, but I am a UK FB fan first and foremost.

 

[Blue Decade]

The good thing about Van Note is that he is a former Kentucky and NFL football player. He knows the game from the inside, whereas Oscar does not. Oscar has said a lot of ridiculous things over the years. In both cases, these individuals have lost some of their connection with Kentucky football. Oscar lives in Florida, and Van Note lives in Georgia. It was Van Note who recommended Mumme's hiring to Newton. And whatever people may think about the air raid, Mumme almost sunk Kentucky football. After entangling Kentucky in a disastrous NCAA investigation, Mumme was forced to resign. Since then, he has proven that he is not a successful college football coach. So Van Note was dead wrong on that call. But he is a lot more knowledgeable than Oscar, and has more experience on the air too.

 

[Wildcatsworld]

Agree DA. He seems to like UT football more than UK football sometimes. And his bar fight comments reminded me of some of the old ladies on here who got their granny panties in a bunch without knowing what the hell they were talking about.

 

[fballcats76]

Great Post, but I agree with Oscar, we will never compete with the other SEC schools in football. If compete is defined as winning.

 

[fuzz77]

Originally posted by fballcats76:

Great Post, but I agree with Oscar, we will never compete with the other SEC schools in football. If compete is defined as winning.

Years ago you probably also thought that Florida would never win a NC in basketball too.

One thing is for sure...if you don't believe, you never will.

 

[jnewc2]

Wasn't it Combs that kept pushing for UK to join the ACC b/c he thought we'd never be able to compete in the SEC?

 

[fballcats76]

Fuzz keep your day job, unless you are already in the motivation speaking business. I've been a UK football fan long enough to know we aren't ever going to be competitive in the SEC. It doesn't matter how much I believe. Tell me the last time we had a winning record in the SEC?

 

[mrschwump]

I was a charter subscriber to the CP in the '70s. Living out of state it was the only way I could get news on UK football/basketball. But like DA I noticed football coverage became shoddy so I eventually let it lapse. No question football people need to be involved in broadcasts. What's Dollar Bill Ransdell up to these days?

Finally GET CM NEWTON'S NAME OFF JERRY CLAIBORNE FIELD! That's just plain old embarrassing.

 

[_Edgehollow_]

Originally posted by fballcats76:

Great Post, but I agree with Oscar, we will never compete with the other SEC schools in football. If compete is defined as winning.

Why not? Other than fan and administration support...there's ZERO holding this school back. We will have the necessary tools (facilities, coaching, etc)...we just need a fan base that believes and supports. If everyone held UK to the same standard in FB they do in BB, this place would be another Alabama. But, frankly, most fans are satisfied with the program as a whole because BB is top-shelf, and refuse to hold the Administration's feet to the fire to make the FB program a force.

Back to the OP...Couldn't agree more. Freddy would be outstanding. But, on Van Note, if they'll let Oscar do the show from Florida, Van Note should be able to do pregame from Atlanta.

I got no problem with the KSR tailgate or postgame shows. I know Matt could care less about FB, but some UK talk is better than no UK talk.

 

[BigSexyCat]

Originally posted by mrschwump:

I was a charter subscriber to the CP in the '70s. Living out of state it was the only way I could get news on UK football/basketball. But like DA I noticed football coverage became shoddy so I eventually let it lapse. No question football people need to be involved in broadcasts. What's Dollar Bill Ransdell up to these days?

Finally GET CM NEWTON'S NAME OFF JERRY CLAIBORNE FIELD! That's just plain old embarrassing.

Mrschuump don't you know we have to celebrate CM Newton's hiring of Rick Pitino for the rest of our lives.

 

[fuzz77]

Originally posted by fballcats76:

Fuzz keep your day job, unless you are already in the motivation speaking business. I've been a UK football fan long enough to know we aren't ever going to be competitive in the SEC. It doesn't matter how much I believe. Tell me the last time we had a winning record in the SEC?

I was at UK when we went 10-1.
There's a wide gap between "a long time" and "ever". I date back to games a Stoll Field so I well know the past. I also know that the past has little to do with the future. I've pointed out in the past that Rich Brooks was at Oregon for 12 years before they made a bowl. Little by little they turned their program around...
There is no reason UK can't be successful in football.

 

[JHB4UK]

Originally posted by jnewc2:
Wasn't it Combs that kept pushing for UK to join the ACC b/c he thought we'd never be able to compete in the SEC?

primary motivation was to compete in a more basketball-centric conference

this is a thread that needs to stay alive until August, lets make our voices heard, treat UK football with seriousness in all aspects including those who participate in the pregame/postgame broadcasts

 

[DACats86]

Isn't there a link somewhere where UK wants gameday suggestions?

 

[mrschwump]

Originally posted by BigSexyCat:

Originally posted by mrschwump:

I was a charter subscriber to the CP in the '70s. Living out of state it was the only way I could get news on UK football/basketball. But like DA I noticed football coverage became shoddy so I eventually let it lapse. No question football people need to be involved in broadcasts. What's Dollar Bill Ransdell up to these days?

Finally GET CM NEWTON'S NAME OFF JERRY CLAIBORNE FIELD! That's just plain old embarrassing.

Mrschuump don't you know we have to celebrate CM Newton's hiring of Rick Pitino for the rest of our lives.

Sure as hell looks that way BigSexy.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

I get frustrated by UK's administration and its defeatist attitude about football; however, I don't know that i agree with your comments about Oscar. It's true that he once pushed for UK to join the ACC, but that was at least partially so that we could be competitive in football (if he didn't care at all about football, then why would he make the suggestion?).

He also treasures our rivalry with Tennessee (more than new money trash, like UL), and that extends to both basketball and football.

Oscar tweets a lot about football, writes a lot about football, and talks a lot about football. I actually think he is more football-centric than most UK media types (including Matt Jones). He may not be football-first, but I definitely don't think he is anti-football. He loves UK, period.

 

[Kampus Korner]

The opinion of Oscar Combs is not the problem which has historically plagued UK football. Oscar is as loyal a UK partisan as you will find anywhere Whatever he might say about the plight of our football program is simultaneously being uttered by thousands of UK football fans across the country.

This post was edited on 1/31 5:56 AM by Kampus Korner

 

[Jdhays21]

I would absolutely love for Couch to be back and only do UK but he I'm told he's going SEC network.

 

[crazyqx83]

30 straight seasons without a winning conference record. You all can continue to polish turds, but anyone that pays this program more attention than TV watching on Saturdays is the real fool.

seeing vandy have competitive seasons and beat teams we haven't since Reagan was in office has proven that this futility is by design.

 

[Mills_for_Three]

Originally posted by crazyqx83:
30 straight seasons without a winning conference record. You all can continue to polish turds, but anyone that pays this program more attention than TV watching on Saturdays is the real fool.

seeing vandy have competitive seasons and beat teams we haven't since Reagan was in office has proven that this futility is by design.

Then why pay attention to the football board? It's a while before college football Saturdays.

 

[Smashcat]

So...Maggard must be your candidate.

And a good one at that.

 

[domino79]

Good post, DA.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

I agree what is said about Combs. Our household use me to get the cats pause several decades ago and stopped in the 90's.

 

[Deeeefense]

Originally posted by fballcats76:

Fuzz keep your day job, unless you are already in the motivation speaking business. I've been a UK football fan long enough to know we aren't ever going to be competitive in the SEC. It doesn't matter how much I believe. Tell me the last time we had a winning record in the SEC?

so why are you spending you time on the board, do you just like being miserable or are you a stealth UofL troll?

 

[GGCAT]

I can remember 20-25 years ago when Oscar used to have and run his Cats Pause store over off of Regency Road.

He had a nice collection of UK gear and memorabilia to purchase, so I would patronize the store from time to time.

So Im in there one afternoon and Oscar is at the counter and takes all call on speaker phone from some one aligned with Arizona State and asking him general questions about getting a similar publication started for the Sun Devils.

So the conversation takes its twists and turns as I eavesdrop while shopping, and the gentleman begins to ask him about football coverage.

He cant even get the whole question out of his mouth when Oscar stops him cold and says....

Son, if I had my way I wouldn't print a single word about Kentucky football, nobody cares about it and nobody wants to read about it. Only reason I do it is that its in my contract with the University to do so. So I do as little as possible.

I was done with Oscar and The Cats Pause at that exact minute.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Originally posted by THE_OAK:
Couldn't agree more DACats86

Couldn't agree more with all the posts...My guess is that OC won't come back to CWS and RICH BROOKS FIELD because he will be afraid in will fall down around him

...My friends and tailgate buddies were all LIVID when he made the statement about CWS and the reason it couldn't be renovated!!!!!!...What a fool he must feel like now and I TOTALLY agree with Maggard being on the fb pregame shows replacing OC...He and MJ need to stick to basketball...I have argued on many occasions with MJ on his show about fb and I think he has come a long way, but still he and OC are peas in the same pod...

 

[sluggercatfan]

Originally posted by WildCard:

Originally posted by DACats86:

Originally posted by Sawnee Cat:
My choice of UK football spokesman would be Jeff Van Note. Jeff is articulate, knows football backward and forward and side ways. He can explain in to a group of the Ladies Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting Club.

Jeff loves UK football. For years I listened to him on Georgia radio speaking positive about the program. He would be perfect.

I agree about Oscar Combs. He is just like Matt Jones in not knowing a football from a rugby ball. He has tunnel vision and it is all round ball.

Jeff's great, but by his own admission he is getting old and doesn't like the travel between Lexington and Atlanta any longer. He said that he will never move from Atlanta.

Absolutely LOVED Van Note as a radio color guy for the Cats back in the day. However, we was not a cheerleader and called it like he saw it. I think that public candor rubbed some people the wrong way. JMO.

Peace

I think JP is the same as JVN as a color guy...No sugar coating...