Question about Cawood and Leach

[HagginHall1999]

Prefacing all of this to say I love Tom Leach. Big fan of him and listen to his show daily...am right now.

All that said, was Cawood a "company man' like Tom is? I am 43 (next WK ) so I caught only caught the tail end of his career.

Did he challenge Rupp?

Tom will make light jokes, i.e. asking Maggie Davis if she has eligibility for the Canada trip...but he never is questioning Cal approach, etc.

I know he is a play by play guy but obviously has his own radio network, etc...don't know if that is run by UK too or not.

I ask because I also grew up listening to Marty Brennaman. Marty would blast the Reds, a coach and player, etc. He had plenty of players that pretty much hated his guts.

 

[Cawood86]

You can be assured Cawood held no punches if they were warranted. Coach, player, or team. It was one of the reasons he was so trusted.

I heard that even Rupp had said to him to not hold back anything if he felt like saying it.

 

[Cawood86]

I can remember him saying "They are not battling very hard underneath tonight"

 

[Smashcat]

Tom will make light jokes, i.e. asking Maggie Davis if she has eligibility for the Canada trip...

hehe That’s pretty good.

 

[Catfan2226]

You can be assured Cawood held no punches if they were warranted. Coach, player, or team. It was one of the reasons he was so trusted.

I heard that even Rupp had said to him to not hold back anything if he felt like saying it.

He called it they way it was and he didn't have any problem asking the tough questions. He was and still is very beloved by BBN.

 

[the stat man]

Prefacing all of this to say I love Tom Leach. Big fan of him and listen to his show daily...am right now.

All that said, was Cawood a "company man' like Tom is? I am 43 (next WK ) so I caught only caught the tail end of his career.

Did he challenge Rupp?

Tom will make light jokes, i.e. asking Maggie Davis if she has eligibility for the Canada trip...but he never is questioning Cal approach, etc.

I know he is a play by play guy but obviously has his own radio network, etc...don't know if that is run by UK too or not.

I ask because I also grew up listening to Marty Brennaman. Marty would blast the Reds, a coach and player, etc. He had plenty of players that pretty much hated his guts.

Coach Rupp told Cawood when we're paying bad tell the people were playing bad . I remember Coach saying that during a interview.

 

[Kybluedude]

Cawood never criticized or challenged any of the UK coaches.

He would call out bad plays.

 

[Caintuk]

Echoing many of the comments above, Cawood was a class by himself. He was a true champion of UK basketball and football but never thought of him as a Homer. If the Cats were playing bad, he called it out. And, was never afraid to ask the coach a hard question during post game interviews.
I remember how cool it was to be sitting in Memorial for a freshman game and the student section giving a shout “Helllloooo Cawood” when he’d walk into the press desk and start getting set up….he’d turn toward us with a wave.
Yep, Cawood was truly the Voice of the Wildcats and even though I like TL a lot, Cawood will never be replaced.
Something many may not be aware of today is Cawood was often called in to do NCAA basketball tournament games even when UK was not one of teams playing.

 

[docholiday51]

Cawood never criticized or challenged any of the UK coaches.

He would call out bad plays.

That is how I remember it, Cawood wasn't afraid to say "the Cats are stinking up the place tonight" I don't think I ever heard him call out the coaching during or after a game

 

[gojvc]

Did he challenge Rupp?

I didn’t know that was his job. I thought he was supposed to call the games.

 

[rick64]

Cawood called it the way he saw it. Which is one of the reasons fans loved him so much.

 

[VernHatton52]

All I know is that Ralph Hacker is a terrible human being.

 

[Cawood86]

Yep, never heard Cawood challenge a coach. He was a true professional. He would call out poor play or effort.

 

[BlueBomb]

Cawood never criticized or challenged any of the UK coaches.

He would call out bad plays.

This.

I never once heard Cawood "grill" a coach or ask tough questions. For those saying he did, well, either your memory or mine is bad. He offered his honest opinion about the team/game on the air. But when he did the post-game interview with the coach, he was always respectful. I never once heard him "challenge" a coach. Never.

That said, Cawood was the absolute best. And Leach ain't too shabby himself.

 

[Bluesbrother]

That is how I remember it, Cawood wasn't afraid to say "the Cats are stinking up the place tonight" I don't think I ever heard him call out the coaching during or after a game

This is exactly as I remember it, as well.

 

[HagginHall1999]

I didn’t know that was his job. I thought he was supposed to call the games.

Didn't say it was his job.....

 

[Johnfarrel]

You can be assured Cawood held no punches if they were warranted. Coach, player, or team. It was one of the reasons he was so trusted.

I heard that even Rupp had said to him to not hold back anything if he felt like saying it.

Always told it like it was, warts and all.

 

[cathouse]

Here's the thing.
Cawood didn't have to " challenge" Coach Rupp or even question Rupp about his coaching, players performance, team's status, etc.

Rupp used no coach speak and would be the first one to tear into his players over the air for not playing hard or messing up something they had practiced on, or missing a defensive assignment.

None of this "I haven't seen him" BS we hear today.

Rupp was open and harsh, but he spoke the truth to the media and to the fans.

All Cawood had to say was "Coach, what went wrong tonight?".

 

[jr40831]

I was raised about a mile from where Cawood was reared.

 

[OneBadCat]

I’ll never forget Cawood calling what I guess is the first time we played MSU when Butch Pierre was playing for them


“Butch Pierre?, that sounds almost as bad as Cawood Pierre!”

 

[Kats meow]

Coach Rupp told Cawood when we're paying bad tell the people were playing bad .

To trick them?

 

[Rockford]

Cawood never criticized or challenged any of the UK coaches.

He would call out bad plays.

... and bad calls. Then, move on.

 

[Chuckinden]

I was raised about a mile from where Cawood was reared.

About 12 miles for me.

 

[Kybluedude]

... and bad calls. Then, move on.

OT.

Have been watching some old Rockford Files. That truly was a well made tv show.

Could not stop laughing at Tom Selleck and his Lance White character and Angel Martin was an iconic sleazy funny character on the show.

 

[bbncal02]

That is how I remember it, Cawood wasn't afraid to say "the Cats are stinking up the place tonight" I don't think I ever heard him call out the coaching during or after a game

He didn't and wouldn't. But we are in a different era. Back then coaches wouldn't openly admit they sucked and not just a brush aside "that's on me". They'd field tough questions and not say things like "go home and pet my dogs" or "watch Little House"


Now media has to walk a fine line (especially with current coaching in MBB) between asking semi-tough questions or be perceived as too negative.

 

[bbncal02]

Here's the thing.
Cawood didn't have to " challenge" Coach Rupp or even question Rupp about his coaching, players performance, team's status, etc.

Rupp used no coach speak and would be the first one to tear into his players over the air for not playing hard or messing up something they had practiced on, or missing a defensive assignment.

None of this "I haven't seen him" BS we hear today.

Rupp was open and harsh, but he spoke the truth to the media and to the fans.

All Cawood had to say was "Coach, what went wrong tonight?".

EXACTLY.

Even Tubby wouldn't dodge questions like Cal does, and Tubby was the nice 'protect his players' type.

Cal has lost soooooooo much respect in BBN.

Personally, after being knocked out in the 1st round I would've been so pissed off the following season that there would've been no question about what the mission was. Win a damn title. But Cal came back with "talk" even after saying "enough talk" at BBM.

At this point he's starting to make BCG look accountable.

 

[Big Cat fan]

Tom is the Goat. Ledford was good. A legend, but Tom is the greatest voice in program history.

 

[tapemaster8]

Tom is the Goat. Ledford was good. A legend, but Tom is the greatest voice in program history.

Lol!

 

[kybloo92]

OT.

Have been watching some old Rockford Files. That truly was a well made tv show.

Could not stop laughing at Tom Selleck and his Lance White character and Angel Martin was an iconic sleazy funny character on the show.

Angel was a hoot. I watch him on Rockford on Get TV every night. The shit Angel got Rockford into especially that hit man scheme, phony real estate scam where he ended up in the nut house and the old Jimmy Joe Meeker gimmick was funny. RIP Stuart Margolin who played Angel, passed away over the winter.

 

[Blouman]

Cawood called the games when radio mattered. Most games were not
televised at the time so everyone listened to Cawood. He was everyone's
eyes and had a perfect voice for radio.

 

[kennyskywalker34]

Cawood always called out poor play. He never held back. Rupp wanted him to do that if they were playing bad.

 

[kennyskywalker34]

All I know is that Ralph Hacker is a terrible human being.

Not disagreeing. But Any details or instances?

 

[sluggercatfan]

Tom is the Goat. Ledford was good. A legend, but Tom is the greatest voice in program history.

Total Joke...Tom is good, but Cawood is the GOAT bar none!!

 

[ColonelCat]

Cawood stopped by my liquor store in St Matthews almost every Tuesday if there was a home game that night. He got a little bottle so he could have a "nip" after the game, so he could sleep and drive back to Jefferson County in the daylight. We talked B-ball some and about his helper announcer (Can't remember name). HELP someone.. This was in the ealry 70's as we owned the Ice House behind Bacon's in St Matthews. He wasn't afraid to spit it out if there was something wrong with the team.

 

[tug1543]

Jack Kent Cook was one of the announcers but as I remember it his role was limited to interviewing well known fans during halftime. I always enjoyed his halftime interviews with former players. Their observations of the first half would give you an informed opinion of what was really going on with the team and individual play.

Cawood was very respectful to all the UK coaches. I never heard him criticise any of their coaching decisions or pose a cheap shot question. He was particularly respectful to coach Rupp always addressing him as coach or coach Rupp, whereas he would address Hall and Pitino as Joe and Rick.

 

[TeoJ]

Lucky enough to meet Cawood and spend some time with him,class act and great ambassador for the program and yes he was the goat no question.I like Leach and he is very good but not Cawood great.

 

[NC Weasel]

Cawood never made anything personal, just focused on the team and the game. Hence his criticisms were honest and sincere, no "agenda". I have to believe 40+ years in the chair, especially traveling with the team most of the time, he and Coach Rupp had a personal relationship. These days, with the money involved and 24/7 coverage, 99% of Power 5 coaches feel the need to keep all media at arms length.

I would say we have been doubly blessed with having first Cawood, and now Tom. I like that they were both UK fans before they got the gig.

 

[HCaulfield]

Echoing many of the comments above, Cawood was a class by himself. He was a true champion of UK basketball and football but never thought of him as a Homer. If the Cats were playing bad, he called it out. And, was never afraid to ask the coach a hard question during post game interviews.
I remember how cool it was to be sitting in Memorial for a freshman game and the student section giving a shout “Helllloooo Cawood” when he’d walk into the press desk and start getting set up….he’d turn toward us with a wave.
Yep, Cawood was truly the Voice of the Wildcats and even though I like TL a lot, Cawood will never be replaced.
Something many may not be aware of today is Cawood was often called in to do NCAA basketball tournament games even when UK was not one of teams playing.

Your last point emphasizes the quality of Cawood’s style. He was all about the here and now.

 

[jrm693]

Cawood called the games when radio mattered. Most games were not
televised at the time so everyone listened to Cawood. He was everyone's
eyes and had a perfect voice for radio.

"THEY ARE MOVING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ON YOUR RADIO DIAL""

 

[NociHTTP]

EXACTLY.

Even Tubby wouldn't dodge questions like Cal does, and Tubby was the nice 'protect his players' type.

Cal has lost soooooooo much respect in BBN.

Personally, after being knocked out in the 1st round I would've been so pissed off the following season that there would've been no question about what the mission was. Win a damn title. But Cal came back with "talk" even after saying "enough talk" at BBM.

At this point he's starting to make BCG look accountable.

And hardly any likes for your comment. Why? Because people are willing to whine when they think the team stinks, and unwilling to stand up for anything when they think we're going to be awesome. I completely agree with you.