Greatest UK emotion ever experienced
by KansasUKCat on Jun 14, 2010 9:50 AM EDT
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PrintThis is a follow up to Creature's post about native Kentucky kids.
You guys may be right about the changing times with us recruiting on a national and international scale and thats all good and exciting. I've really enjoyed watching the dynamo team of 1996 win a championship, the 1998 team with somewhat lesser talent win our last one and look forward for more to come under Cal.
Derek Anderson, who I thought was the best player on the 1997 team was a Kentucky boy and if he hadn't been injured or if Pitino had just let him play in the tournament like he did in practice then we would have had three championships in a row. Everyone I believe knows that.
My feelings about the past Kentucky native kids can be summed up by the huge gut wrenching loss we had to Duke in 1992 in the semi's. Let me tell you this, the loss this year to WV felt nothing, not even close (one on a scale of ten) to the emotional scale of ten to that loss to Duke. And it had nothing to do with them knocking us out of the tournament. It was the sorrow of the loss by the great kids who we all knew would never have a chance to play pro ball, but bled their hearts out for the Big Blue, because it was ingrained in them to do so. I know for a fact that I will never experience that sense of sorrow or compassion for the players again - it just won't happen. My wife and I were both on the floor crying after that loss. Pitino and Cawood were devastated. I believe even Krzyzewski in his heart felt the same way somewhat. I remember listening to him after the game. Why did they call it the greatest college game of all time? IMO because of the kids who refused to give up and from my perspective the Kentucky kids; Deron, Richie and John.
Until the day I die I will never experience that again. Come on, if you bleed blue you all have to admit that also. This WV loss was, oh well we'll get them next year. Hell I didn't recover from the 1992 loss for a year.
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In Person = UK Over Duke In March 1998
Overall = UK over IU in March 1975.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 14, 2010 1:31 PM EDT reply actions
January 8, 1955
Georgia Tech 59 — UK 58, ending 129 game home winning streak. I didn’t leave my Memorial Coliseum end zone seat for half an hour. Still have vivid memory of the setting, crowd reaction and my feelings. Ah, the sensitivity and innocence of a 16-year old.
"There is a rank due to the United States, among nations, which will be withheld, if not absolutely lost, by the reputation of weakness." --George Washington
Until the day I die I will never experience that again. Come on, if you bleed blue you all have to admit that also.
Actually I won’t admit that yet because I can’t see into the future. I wouldn’t bother to watch next season if I didn’t hope that it will be the best season yet.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Jeff Hall scoring key points against UK
In their meeeting in 86’ after Hall being ignored by UK.
"all the way"
Hall Didn't Play Or Score In 1986 Game
UK won by 34 at Louisville in Dec 86.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 16, 2010 6:37 AM EDT up reply actions
he sure got to watch the guys who snubbed him lose.
“Jeff Hall, was a starting guard on the University of Louisville’s 1986 national championship team.” http://uoflcardgame.com/catching-up-with-jeff-hall/12212 While he only played 9 minutes in the 83 meeting http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/Games/19830326Louisville.html
He certainly had the last laugh against UK.
Here is his line from the NCAA tournament game in 84
Jeff Hall 11 1 4 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 2
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/Games/19840322Louisville.html
Here is his line against UK Dec 15 ,1984
Jeff Hall 33 mins 3 8 4 4 2 2 1 1 0 5 10 pts.
How about Dec 28, 1985?
Jeff Hall 32mins 3 5 0 0 3 3 3 6 points.
I did get the 1986 game wrong, but as you can see, he contributed significantly to several UK defeats. He personally beat UK on the line in the end of one of those games.
"all the way"
You Said 1986
Hall didn’t play in 86 game.
http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19861227Louisville.html
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 17, 2010 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions
I was on my knees pounding the floor-
Of our sunroom, screaming, we’re gonna beat DUKE!, we’re gonna beat DUKE! My wife and then 5 and 7 year old daughters just knew I had lost my mind. I was beside myself, because I did not think we stood a chance that night. Then, the shot. I couldn’t believe it. I was absolutely numb all over. My daughters became UK fans that night. At work the next day my co-workers congratulated me as if we had won. No-one had ever seen such a game. Nobody lost that game even though Duke got to advance to the final. THE UNFORGETABLES!
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
Texas Western
I watched the final game with my family at home. I was a big Louie Dampier fan, so it was extremely tough. The game was actually pretty close. What’s been made of it since then has refreshed my memory of it…unfortunately.
I did get to see the win over Indiana in Dayton in 1975. I was sitting even with Indiana’s basket in the second half and I saw Kent Benson’s face when the horn sounded.
In a different way, the Woodland parties in 1978, 1996 and 1998 were all memorable events. Americans don’t let loose much; sitting in a stadium seat is pretty tame. Watching people turn cars over is a little more exciting.
The 98 final vs Utah
My dad (and Kentucky native) had suffered a stroke and couldn’t see the game…it was the first championship game since my birth that we hadn’t seen together (66, 75, 78, 96 and 97)….when, after the game, I caught a glimpse of Shep crying…I broke down in tears…UK basketball was our bridge that linked us…
that 92 game vs Duke ranks pretty high as well…it was my first date with my eventual first ex-wife…I blame her for Laettners shot going in…bad jou-jou
but for pure joy…the 98 game vs Duke and the Mardi Gras miracle rank as well…and a shout out to Nazr Mohammed and his running freaky high off the glass layup vs Vandy to win it…
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