KSR Today: After 26 years, the Atlanta Braves are World Series champs

With a tear in my eye and cheap champagne still on my breath, I’m happy to begin the day on KSR by writing: the Atlanta Braves are your 2021 World Series Champions. Atlanta shocked the world and broke a citywide sports curse by bombing the Astros out of Houston to take Game 6, 7-0, and the series, 4-2.

World Series MVP Jorge Soler got things rolling with an absolute rocket in the top of the third.

Jorge Soler hit a 446-foot Cactus Jack 🌵 pic.twitter.com/Asid2TEGqz

— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) November 3, 2021

After two more bombs, four more runs, and a complete shutout of the cheaters, the Braves won the World Series for the first time since 1995. It was a long 26 years for this lifer and many others like me who wondered if we’d ever see the day again. Now it’s here after an improbable run to the championship.

The last time this happened, Kentucky Basketball won the NCAA Championship the following March. Let’s run that back too.

Now for the day’s news…

Kentucky ranked No. 18 in the CFP Rankings

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee released its Top 25 teams Tuesday night in the first round of this season’s College Football Playoff rankings. The big story nationally is the surprise in the top four where Alabama, not undefeated Cincinnati, claimed the No. 2 spot behind Georgia. In fact, undefeated Cincinnati wasn’t one of the top four teams projected to play in the Playoff despite being ranked second in the AP and Coaches’ polls. The Bearcats came in at sixth in the CFP rankings behind Georgia, Alabama, Michigan State, Oregon, and Ohio State. Sorry, Cincinnati.

Around here, the big story is Kentucky’s inclusion in the CFP rankings. The Wildcats debuted at No. 18 on the list.

1. Georgia 8-0
2. Alabama 7-1
3. Michigan State 8-0
4. Oregon 7-1
5. Ohio State 7-1
6. Cincinnati 8-0
7. Michigan 7-1
8. Oklahoma 9-0
9. Wake Forest 8-0
10. Notre Dame 7-1
11. Oklahoma State 7-1
12. Baylor 7-1
13. Auburn 6-2
14. Texas A&M 6-2
15. BYU 7-2
16. Mississippi 6-2
17. Mississippi State 5-3
18. Kentucky 6-2
19. NC State 6-2
20. Minnesota 6-2
21. Wisconsin 5-3
22. Iowa 6-2
23. Fresno State 7-2
24. San Diego State 7-1
25. Pittsburgh 6-2

Chris Rodriguez returning to form

There was an important Kentucky Football update out of Tuesday’s practice when Liam Coen noted Chris Rodgriguez is doing well during Tennessee game prep.

“Chris has the right mindset this week,” Coen said. “I think he knows that it hasn’t been up to par, his standards, and our standards. I think he had a great practice yesterday. He was locked in, focused, detailed, and the same thing today. You can always tell when a player is — you don’t have to beat it into them.

“He knows it hasn’t been good enough and it’s not to his standard, not to our standard. I believe that he’ll come out with a different mentality — and the right mentality — for the game Saturday night.”

It’s still unclear what was bothering Rodriguez last weekend at Mississippi State. Mark Stoops said Monday it’s not the wrist, but a new issue that bothered Rodriguez in Starkville.

WATCH: Liam Coen after Tuesday’s practice

Hear everything Liam Coen said after Tuesday’s practice below.

Brad White will speak to reporters later today with updates on Kentucky’s defense.

Mark Stoops and maybe Dan Mullen on the SEC coaches teleconference today

We’ll get our midweek update from Mark Stoops when he takes questions on the SEC teleconference later today. Among the topics expected to be addressed, Stoops should provide more of an update on Chris Rodriguez following Liam Coen’s Tuesday update.

Also worth keeping an eye on, Dan Mullen will pick up the phone to face the Florida media he has been ducking this week. Mullen canceled Florida’s media obligations in Gainesville, but there is no getting out of the teleconference obligation to the league. It should be an interesting and brief conversation.

The video of this is even worse 😳 https://t.co/Pb5pUllKAd pic.twitter.com/5VvVrGIjM2

— Dayne Young (@dayneyoung) November 1, 2021

KSR will tune in so you don’t have to.

Tennessee defensive back: “You don’t lose to Kentucky.”

Tennesse’s Alontae Taylor said this week is personal. “You don’t lose to Kentucky.”

Well, to be fair, Tennessee lost to Kentucky one calendar year ago. It seems Alontae Taylor already forgot that one. Kentucky won in Knoxville, 34-7. Jamin Davis and Bossman Fat had back-to-back pick 6s. It was a great time. I can’t believe Alontae doesn’t remember.

This week’s Kroger KSR Game of the Week is…

We’re going to Ryan Lemond’s 120th favorite Kentucky county for the battle of Georgetown between Scott County and Great Crossing. Scott County won the regular season rivalry game, 14-6, but this is the first weekend of the Kentucky high school football playoffs so it’s a clean slate heading into the rematch, loser goes home.

That’s Friday night in Georgetown.

ICYMI: Dane Key was a special guest on KSR

If you missed Tuesday’s show (let’s say you had bronchitis), you can catch the replay of Dane Key‘s interview with KSR below.

Basketball is less than a week away

Kentucky Football took up most of the headlines this morning, but it’s worth noting we are less than one week away from the Champions Classic. I’ll get you ready with a preview of Duke here in an hour or two once I have another coffee.

In the meantime, read up on the team’s new NIL deal with a cryptocurrency exchange and keep counting down until Tuesday.

Just dropping by to say …

One week.#ChampionsClassic pic.twitter.com/SXFLImC4rd

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 2, 2021

We’ll hear from a couple of Kentucky Basketball players

We haven’t been told who it will be, but two Kentucky Basketball players will speak to the media today. They’ll be previewing the next exhibition game, the trip to New York, and maybe talking a little crypto.

Keep an eye out for that later this morning.

Tune in to KSR at 10 a.m.

Ryan Lemond called in sick today, but Matt Jones and I will keep you entertained from 10 a.m. to noon. Shannon The Dude will be on the controls and in the conversation from Louisville.

Tune in.