{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Out & About Kentucky Style: Leonard\u2019s Losers &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"KBC96RE1fO\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/out-about-kentucky-style-leonards-losers\/\">Out &#038; About Kentucky Style: Leonard\u2019s Losers<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/out-about-kentucky-style-leonards-losers\/embed\/#?secret=KBC96RE1fO\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Out &#038; About Kentucky Style: Leonard\u2019s Losers&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"KBC96RE1fO\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Gary-West-Guest-Columist.jpg","thumbnail_width":480,"thumbnail_height":473,"description":"The Cadillac pulled into the circle drive that fronted the stately Athens Country Club in Athens, Georgia. The driver was Leonard Postero. You may not recognize the name, but if you are over 40 you might recall the football prognostication radio show \u201cLeonard\u2019s Losers\u201d who went by the name of Leonard Postoasties on his show. It was November 28, 1990, and I was in town to broadcast the Western-Georgia basketball game along with play-by-play legend Wes Strader. We were staying, along with the Hilltopper team, at the Holiday Inn. Paul Just, a legend in his own right, was the Sports Information Director and had gotten to know Leonard Postero over the years. \u201cLeonard is going to pick us up and take us to lunch,\u201d Just said at the time. Of course Wes and I knew who he was. His show was heard every Friday and Saturday mornings, predicting the losers in high profile games, throughout the South. His folksy delivery was a cross between Jerry Clowers and Carl Hurley, and no one could describe a school\u2019s football team like Leonard.\u00a0 Pachyderms for Alabama, giant water lizards for Florida, Pope\u2019s pupils for Notre Dame, and kitten felines for Kentucky were just a few. In an altered voice his sidekick was Percy Peabody who did the honors of introducing Leonard every week. Leonard was a big deal at the Athens Country Club. To prove it he parked his car directly in front of the club, obviously an area reserved for a drop-off or pick-up, but not to park your car, lock the doors and go inside for lunch. Of course, I don\u2019t recall what I ate. I was so engrossed with Leonard\u2019s stories, I may have only had a glass of ice tea. After lunch, believe it or not, his car was still parked where he left it. I had thought for sure it would be towed. We proceeded to head toward Leonard\u2019s home, where he also had his recording studio. On the way, sitting in the back seat with Paul Just, I asked Leonard a question that Wes Strader never let me forget. \u201cLeonard have you lived in Athens all of your life,\u201d I asked. Without missing a beat the quick-witted radio star looked over his shoulder and replied, \u201cNot yet.\u201d Strader could not stop laughing. \u201cThat\u2019s good Leonard,\u201d he said. For years he reminded me about my question. That night, however, took a turn for the worse. It came about unexpectedly for me. Twenty years earlier, the Hilltoppers had made history in Georgia\u2019s home arena, Stegeman Coliseum by defeating UK and Ohio State to advance to the 1971 Final Four in Houston. And now here was first year Western coach Ralph Willard looking for his first win as a Hilltopper coach. Georgia at the time was ranked 17th nationally. Bulldog coach Hugh Durham was familiar with the new coach from when Willard was an assistant to Rick Pitino at UK. For the Hilltoppers, the night did not go well.\u00a0 The team made up of Harold Tompkins, Darnell Mee, Jack Jennings, Joe Lightfoot and Gip Palm were hammered 124-65. It still stands as the most lopsided loss in Western\u2019s history. I recall later that evening back at the hotel Willard, Strader and myself were discussing the game in the hotel over a beer. No one could find a single thing to say good about the game. \u201cFifty-nine points,\u201d I recall Willard mumbling. \u201cHe did this to us because of Rick.\u201d Reading a little bit between the lines, Willard was referring to Hugh Durham\u2019s competition with Rick Pitino\u2019s Wildcats. \u201cIn my decades of traveling with our basketball team it was one of the more interesting game-day afternoons,\u201d Just said recently. \u201cNeedless to say, lunch and the afternoon with Leonard was the highlight of that day.\u201d For the record, Western had lost its season opener at Southern Illinois before the Georgia game. Finishing 14-14 for a year that included losses to Murray, Austin Peay, Louisville, and UK.\u00a0 Willard\u2019s first win came against Bowling Green State in Diddle Arena. Georgia didn\u2019t have the season it had hoped for, finishing 17-13 and sixth place in the SEC. By the way, Leonard Postero at the height of his popularity, had more than 1,400 radio stations, including Armed Forces Radio, broadcasting his show. He retired in 1999, and died in 2001. There\u2019s no excuse, get up, get out and get going! Gary P. West can be reached at westgarypdeb@gmail.com."}