A Sea Of Blue: FanPosts

Kentucky Wildcat Wedding - Tiffanie Zweydorff & Jeromy Wise

2010-03-20T03:46:31Z

We were just married last Saturday, March 13 in Shelbyville, Ky. In honor of March Madness, we decided to have a UK wedding. Our entire wedding party was dressed all in Uk clothes, our guys were introduced as basketball players by my husband before he came in to the song "I got a feeling", my dress and flowers were all Uk, our preacher was dressed as a referee our cake was decorated in Uk, we made a big paper mache Uk basketball for our cards on our gift table. We also had a candy table with decorated personalized Wildcat candy. All of our plates, cups, napkins and decorations were kentucky, it was amazing. During the wedding cake ceremony we all did the CATS chant. The energy was great! To make it even better, 2 of our groomsmen are actually Louisville fans, they had to wear Uk all day. Since our wedding was aired on Whas, Cnn and several news stations across the tri-state area, they were all seen in Uk.... woohoo.. Go Big Blue. We went to Las Vegas for our honeymoon, we flew out right after the game on Sunday and made it right back in before the game on Thursday night. My dream now is to wear my dress down to Lexington and get it signed by all the players and coach to keep! When Uk makes it to the final game and we can score tickets, we just might wear the wedding attire to the game for good luck!! Thanks for taking the time to view...

Tiffanie & Jeromy Wise

Here are some of the link for the video from different stations:

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwdef.com%252Fa_flying_horse_a_dog_on_thin_ice_and_a_kentucky_wildcat_wedding&h=2678632d48b72e1e86674a1f4bc05977&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whas11.com%2Fsports%2FWildcat-fans-have-Kentucky-blue-and-white-wedding-87630167.html&h=2678632d48b72e1e86674a1f4bc05977

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wcpo.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fstory%2FDie-Hard-Fans-Host-Wildcats-Wedding%2FKwegnX4yO0a689olS4Ew2Q.cspx%3Frss%3D1119&h=2678632d48b72e1e86674a1f4bc05977

Special Thanks to our Wedding Party

Maid of Honor: Brittanie Skaggs

Bridesmaid: Rachel Allen

Bridesmaid: Tammy Fortner

Bridesmaid: Marnetta Berg

Our Preacher: Don Fortner

Best Man: Chris Wise

Groomsman: Sterling Myatt

Groomsman: Dennis Evans

Groomsman: Ben Alvarez

Flower Girls: Haley Halford & Leighs Wise

Ring Bearers: Bailey Wise & Zachory Wise

To all of our family and friends that joined us to share in our special day....

SB Nation Survey + Chance to donate $500 to a charity of this community's choice

2010-03-20T00:47:48Z

>> Take SB Nation Survey

Hello sports fans! We're always striving to provide you with the best experience possible and it's been quite some time since we checked in with you.

So we're rolling out this survey to learn more about you and your sports world. It should only take about 10 minutes to complete.

We really appreciate your time and this is also going to help make a donation to a good cause.

By next Thursday (3/25) at 11:59pm PST the site that has the highest percentage of their community filling out the attached survey about their sports interests and consumption will win $500 to donate to a charity of their choice. We will leave it up to the discretion of the community manager(s) of the winning blog to decide how to choose the particular charity.

You can take the survey HERE

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WYR2WQT

Thanks for your support!

SB Nation Survey + Chance to donate $500 to a charity of this community's choice

2010-03-20T00:47:02Z

>> Take SB Nation Survey

Hello sports fans! We're always striving to provide you with the best experience possible and it's been quite some time since we checked in with you.

So we're rolling out this survey to learn more about you and your sports world. It should only take about 10 minutes to complete.

We really appreciate your time and this is also going to help make a donation to a good cause.

You can take the survey HERE

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WYR2WQT

Thanks for your support!

Another Feel Good Story For This Week

2010-03-19T16:23:53Z

I know we have had a lot of these over the last couple of months, and that the tournament is in full swing, but this is just another case of the Cats going that extra mile under Calipari. Yes, other teams and other players do things, but I will guarantee you that this girl is never going to forget about what they did for her. This occurred after the SEC Tournament and before the flight to New Orleans. I know it is hard to remember, but we have to keep telling ourselves that these are kids playing a man's game. And no kid ever wants to stop hearing that he is doing the right thing. So....without further adieu......hat tip to Sam Carter for e-mailing me the story......I don't know if the story was told anywhere else, but even if it was it bears repeating.

Yesterday (Mon.) was my youngest daughter Rebekah’s 16th birthday, and in keeping with family tradition she got to pick the restaurant for her birthday dinner. She decided on P.F. Chang’s at Fayette Mall, even though she had never dined there prior to last night.

We arrived at about 6:50pm and were told there would be a 20-25 minute wait. After we had been sitting in the foyer for about 10 minutes I was looking out the front door and I told my wife "that guy walking this way kind of looks like Patrick Patterson".

Sure enough, in through the door walk Patterson, Harrelson and Liggins. Since I was literally standing by the door I shook each one’s hand and congratulated them on this past weekend’s performance. We assumed that this was just an instance of a few of the guys going out for dinner, but within the next 8-10 minutes, in groups of 2-4 players/coaches, the entire team showed up, Calipari included. The funniest group was Cousins and Orton. They showed up together (they are some big boys!), and DeMarcus -- with a huge grin on his face -- proceeded to do two "laps" around the revolving door, trapping Orton inside. It made me fully realize that they are still kids at heart, even though they’re full grown men from all outward appearances.

Again, I made it a point to shake hands and congratulate every single one that came through the door (even the Assistants), because how many opportunities does a CAT fan get to do this, right?

They apparently had reservations, because as each mini-group entered the restaurant they proceeded directly into the dining area, where they were met with applause from the patrons (which I thought was cool too). After they had all passed by we were talking about how neat this was, and how Rebekah had made a wonderful choice of restaurants! We thought that was pretty much the end of the excitement.

Our 20-minute wait turned into 50 minutes, but we were finally seated. Lo and behold they put our party of 9 at a table right next to the team, which we again thought was neat. Even though several patrons walked up and took pictures, I insisted that we leave them alone to enjoy their dinner…the way it should be IMHO.

As we noticed they were finishing up, my wife half-jokingly suggested that my oldest daughter go over and tell them why we were there, and would they mind wishing her sister a happy birthday. Well, she did, and what happened next is the meat of the story.

Patterson, Harrelson, Hood and Stevenson walked over behind her (at the head of the table), and Patrick leaned over her shoulder, gave her a hug and asked her name and how old she was. After she told him he straightened up, raised his arms and said to the entire dining room "Hey, it’s ‘Bekah’s 16th birthday, so why don’t we all sing to her?". Josh kicked it off, and those 4 players, our table, and the rest of the patrons in the dining room sang Happy Birthday to her! You can imagine the impact this had on her. She had an ear-to-ear grin that might have been the widest I’ve ever seen on a person! They also gave her a cake that someone had brought for them. It was a store-bought cake that read "Congrats Cats, 2010 SEC Champs". Josh said "we’ll never eat this, why don’t you take it". Then there were a few more "thank you’s" and handshakes, and they left the restaurant. As you can imagine, all eyes were on our table, and we again thought that was just the coolest thing that could happen, and that it was definitely a memorable birthday.

About 5 minutes later we were still talking about what had just transpired, when back through the front door walks Harrelson, with his hand behind his back. He walked up to Rebekah and said "do you think this would be a good birthday present" and brought his hand from behind his back to present her with a basketball autographed by the entire team, and personalized with the words "Happy Birthday Bekah, Big 16"!!

We were absolutely stunned!! I didn’t know my jaw could drop that far, and that grin on Rebekah’s face that I was sure couldn’t get any bigger, well it doubled in size! I think it kind of blew away everybody in the restaurant, and it certainly did us!

That’s my story; thanks for the indulgence. But the point I want you to leave with is this:
How good are these young men to do this? Heck, we were absolutely tickled that they took the time to wish her a happy birthday and sing to her, but when Josh brought that ball in and handed it to her it transformed a great birthday dinner into an occasion she’ll remember for the rest of her life!

My sincere gratitude goes out to Coach Cal and all of the players for this incredible gesture!! This is Kentucky Basketball at its finest!

Chad Cowan
Plant Safety and Health Specialist
Owensboro Municipal Utilities
(270) 926-3200 x. 470

CBS: Tubby to Auburn

2010-03-19T14:14:26Z

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/20528708?tag=comBlogEntryListCnt;entry20528708

Saw this while perusing the destruction of the bracket that I filled out on CBS Sports. I think this would be interesting to say the least. I've heard rumors about him and the Oregon job, but this is the first time I've seen him linked to another SEC school.

Personally, I'm all for it. And I for one would cheer him the first time he brought them to Rupp.....if this happens. You can question Tubby the coach/recruiter.....but you can never question Tubby the man.

Opening Night Tourney Gab Thread

2010-03-19T01:34:28Z

Now that we've seen our Cats dismantle the #16 seed East Tennessee State team its time to check out other teams tonite. Of particular interest will be the upcoming game with our Saturday opponent - either Wake Forest or Texas.

By now the Big East, Vandy and some other select teams have left gaping holes in many of our brackets. Take heart, our tourney winner showed up tonite and did us proud. This thread is for those fans that simply can't watch a single game to satisfy their basketball addiction and must follow the ups and downs of the whole tournament.

Talk about Kentucky, our future opponents, our past or whatever game the CBS roulette wheel happens to air in your neck of the woods.

Fellow UK Alums/Fans in Boston?

2010-03-18T16:48:33Z

Hello Big Blue Nation,

Since Boston is one of the large metropolitan areas without a UK Alumni Association, I wonder if there are any fellow UK alums or fans that might like to meet up somewhere to cheer the Wildcats on to victory in the NCAA tournament? I read in this morning's metro that even Kansas has an alumni group that gets together for games in Boston, and I certainly don't want the Jayhawks to eclipse us when it comes to our fan support.

Reply to this post if you are interested!

Greg

Preston's NCAA Tournament Picks

2010-03-18T14:35:36Z

Well, it's that time again! Bracket challenges, whether it be with a few friends for a few dollars, or in huge pools, are always fun ... until a #1 or 2 loses in the second round, rendering your brackets a poor excuse for toilet tissue. But this year, we have Preston and his picks to pick us up, and show us the way to the bank.

For entertainment purposes only, here are Preston's picks for the 2010 NCAA Tournament:

Midwest Region Round 1 West Region Round 1

Kansas over Lehigh Syracuse over Vermont

Northern Iowa over UNLV Gonzaga over Florida St.

Michigan St. over New Mexico St. UTEP over Butler

Maryland over Houston Vanderbilt over Murray St.

Tennessee over San Diego St. Xavier over Minnesota

Georgetown over Ohio U. Pittsburgh over Oakland

Oklahoma St. over Georgia Tech BYU over Florida

Ohio St. over UC Santa Barbara Kansas St. over North Texas

East Region Round 1 South Region Round 1

Kentucky over E. Tennessee St. Duke over Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Wake Forest over Texas California over Louisville

Cornell over Temple Texas A&M over Utah St.

Wisconsin over Wofford Siena over Purdue

Marquette over Washington Notre Dame over Old Dominion

New Mexico over Montana Baylor over Sam Houston St.

Clemson over Missouri St. Mary's over Richmond

West Virginia over Morgan St. Villanova over Robert Morris

Midwest Region Round 2 West Region Round 2

Kansas over Northern Iowa Syracuse over Gonzaga

Michigan St. over Maryland UTEP over Vanderbilt

Tennessee over Georgetown Pittsburgh over Xavier

Ohio St. over Oklahoma State Kansas St. over BYU

East Region Round 2 South Region Round 2

Kentucky over Wake Forest Duke over California

Cornell over Wisconsin Texas A&M over Siena

New Mexico over Marquette Baylor over Notre Dame

West Virginia over Clemson Villanova over St. Mary's

Midwest Region Sweet 16 West Region Sweet 16

Kansas over Michigan St. Syracuse over UTEP

Tennessee over Ohio St. Kansas St. over Pittsburgh

East Region Sweet 16 South Region Sweet 16

Kentucky over Cornell Duke over Texas A&M

West Virginia over New Mexico Villanova over Baylor

Midwest Region Elite 8 West Region Elite 8

Tennessee over Kansas Syracuse over Kansas St.

East Region Elite 8 South Region Elite 8

Kentucky over West Virginia Duke over Villanova

Final Four

Syracuse over Tennessee

Kentucky over Duke

National Championship Game

Kentucky over Syracuse (sound familiar?)

Money's Corruption Of College Athletics

2010-03-18T00:18:59Z

Interview with Mark Yost author of Var$ity Green and here's his conclusion:

"It is clear that when the decision comes down to academics versus athletics, some schools have chosen athletics to the detriment of their overall student body,"
A Behind the Scenes Look at Culture and Corruption in College Athletics Behind the Scenes Look at Culture and Corruption in College Athletics.

Some interesting numbers in the piece: March Madness brings in $6.1 billion to NCAA (so one can easily understand the enthusiasm of the folks in Indianapolis for expansion of the field); only 3% of high school basketball players earn Division I scholarship and only 2% of that 3% (.0006) will earn money playing basketball. A quote from Jerry Tarkanian:

"9 of 10 major basketball programs cheat and the 10th is in last place"

I was somewhat amazed that during the discussion of high salaries for coaches and multimillion dollar practice facilities neither Calipari or UK was mentioned.

Mob Rule In The Bluegrass, By Popular Decree

2010-03-18T00:17:37Z

That's the name of the only article about our beloved Wildcats that I've been fortunate enough to write for lastfanstanding2010.com, so I thought I'd share the link with y'all here since from now on my blogging has to be about the Wofford Terriers. Allblucat has also submitted a very nice article about this Kentucky team's drive to win. It appears that A Sea of Blue is well represented in the tournament this year!

Q & A With Dicky Beal: A Blast From The Past

2010-03-17T23:08:38Z

Next in our Q & A sessions with former UK greats is a point guard from the 1984 Final Four team, UK star Dicky Beal. This is my first, but hopefully not my last, so I may not be as polished as Tru or Ken, but I have so enjoyed doing this. After talking to Dicky for just a few minutes the first time we spoke, I felt like I was talking to one of my old friends. He is truly one of the nice guys in the history of UK basketball.

Since this is the kickoff weekend for the NCAA Tournament, I thought it would be appropriate to have someone who has actually been there as the subject of this Q & A. Dicky was a four-year member of the Cats from 1980-1984, and has assists on his record to the famous Twin Towers of Sam Bowie and Mel Turpin, as well as Kenny "Sky" Walker and others. The Cats were 96-24 during Dicky's tenure, and his time at Kentucky culminated in Big Blue's 1984 Final Four run.

As a graduate of Holmes High in 1980, Dicky came to UK after taking Holmes to the Kentucky state tourney, and a 33-3 record that year. He gave Cat fans game after game of memories for years, and led the Cats to the SEC regular season championships in '82,'83, and '84, as well as the SEC Tournament Championship in '84. His teams never missed the NCAA Tournament ( I don't think it was allowed in those days), and Dicky was voted the MVP of the Mid-East Region in 1984. His 1983 team still holds the UK tournament record for FG% at .556. His 14 assists against BYU in the 1984 Tournament are still the team high in the NCAA's. In that same tournament he dished out nine assists and had six steals against Louisville, another UK tournament record. The Cats were cut short in their quest for the NCAA championship that year by Georgetown ( 'nuff said):

ABC: Dicky, on April 28, 1980 you were featured in the Sports Illustrated "Faces In The Crowd" section for leading Holmes High to a record of 33-3, a trip to the semi-finals of the state tourney, and a scholarship to the University of Kentucky. You were a high school star who was already a Kentucky legend at that point, what brought you to UK over other schools?

DB: The tradition speaks for itself. I grew up watching UK. Every kid wants to be a part of the best program in the country. Today, I feel fortunate to be apart of the UK family.

ABC: UK beat a tough Illinois team at Lexington in the 1984 Regional Final of the NCAA's, during which coach Lou Henson swears you traveled, and a game that led to a rule change from the NCAA concerning teams playing at home. So did you really travel, or was Henson wrong?

DB: I didn't travel. I didn't lift my pivot foot. Coach Henson was wrong. To Illinois credit, they were the most physical team we played all year. It was a wonderful feeling winning the game, knowing we would be in the Final Four.

ABC: John Wall's game has been compared to yours in that you are both extremely elusive on the court, and Coach Hall has said you would be the perfect fit for the new Dribble Drive Motion offense that Coach Calipari is famous for. What do you think?

DB: I think Coach Hall is a wonderful person. He was tough on all his players, but he wanted us to become good and productive people outside of basketball. I get the same type of vibe from Coach Cal. I think the DDMO offense would be right up my alley. I get excited when I see John push the ball!

ABC: How much of this year's team have you seen? Have you been one of the former alumni that Coach Cal has tried to rally around the program this year?

DB: I have seen about seven games in person. I've seen every game this year. Coach Cal has been awesome! He is kind to everyone and encourages former players to come around. He understands the tradition and respects former players as well as the Big Blue fans.

ABC: You played on the team that sent Auburn and Sir Charles Barkley packing at Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym in the 1984 SEC Tournament. You posted seven assists, some of which were to some amazing shots by Kenny Walker, Melvin Turpin, Sam Bowie, and Co. What do you remember about that game and what is it REALLY like to play on that court?

DB: I remember Kenny hitting the game winner. What people don't know is Jim Master and I switched spots. The game before (Alabama), we ran the same out of bounds play. I received the ball. This time Auburn denied me the pass. We had the play set for Kenny. Instinctively, I went to Jim's spot to set the screen. Jim kept his cool and made the pass to Kenny. Kenny made the shot. Playing at Memorial gym is my favorite arena. It's so unique and very loud.

ABC: We all know that March Madness is upon us, and everyone knows that the Cats are setting atop the East region to start this thing, after winning both the SEC Regular Season, and Conference Tournament. What is it like to try to prepare for what is coming with the #1 seed, and the expectations that come along with it?

DB: It's an honor to be the #1 seed. It's something that's earned. You have a target on your back. Expectations are always high at UK. It's all about executing and playing hard. You know your the best team. It's time to show that your the best.

ABC: Other than winning a National Championship, what else would you like to have been a part of at UK while you were there?

DB: I wish I was a little more mature. I enjoyed my experience at UK. I wish I would have worked harder in the classroom as well as on the court. I was fortunate to get my degree. I gave Coach Hall headaches. Today, he and I talk about the past. I thank him for helping me to understand the importance of education. He was a tremendous coach and father figure.

ABC: There has been both good and bad publicity for the Cats this year, with much of the bad centering around their immaturity due to their age and inexperience, but Coach Cal has gone on record as saying he will take talent over experience any day. How much harder is it going to be for these guys in this tournament as freshmen?

DB: Coach Cal has been there before, He will make his guys understand the importance of laying it on the line. Defense wins championships. Kentucky has the most talent in the country.

ABC: What was your favorite moment at UK?

DB: My favorite moment was beating Illinois. That victory propelled us to the Final Four. Getting the MVP of the Mid-East region was icing on the cake. I never expected it. Seeing my teammates, coaches, family and fans celebrate is a memory I will never forget.

ABC: Coach Hall has become a "Grandfather" type figure to the University now, as well as to some of the players and the fans. We all see the guy in the commercials making "Whitaker Bank Shots" and inspiring the Cats at various events. But what was he like back in 1980? Was he the same jovial and philosophical guy he is now? How hard was he on the guys in those days?

DB: Coach Hall was tough back in 1980. He was difficult because, he wanted everyone to succeed. That meant taking care of business on and off the court. He was all about building/testing your character -- he was not jovial. But to his credit, he made us band together as a team. We wanted to protect each other. Have each others backs. I know he liked when we played hard and unselfishly. That's why we were so successful -- Coach was tough, but he taught us about life. Responsibility, teamwork and commitment to doing things right. Those are values I still hold today. I have the utmost respect for Coach Hall.

ABC: This one is an open question for you Dicky to say anything you would like to the fans, tell them where you are now, what you are doing etc.

DB: To the UK fans, Thanks !!!! I will always be a part of the UK family. I feel the support today. I really appreciate the kindness that UK fans show. It blows my mind that people remember certain games or plays I made. Not only myself, but other former players as well. It's true when you hear UK fans are the best. I have memories that will last a lifetime. Today, I'm an Allstate agent/owner in Independence. I really enjoy helping people meet their needs.

For everyone that reads this, Dicky has an agency in Independence, Kentucky. When taking to Dicky, I could tell that he doesn't like to capitalize on his fame from his UK days to earn a living, so I am going to do a little bit for him. In order to become an agent, he had to go through some of the most vigorous background checks, testing and schooling you will ever see, Just getting the title is a big honor. If you are in the Northern Kentucky Metro area,or anywhere else in Kentucky for that matter, stop in and see him. I guarantee you that even if he can't help you with your insurance needs, he won't hurt you, and you too will have the privilege of talking to one of the nicest guys I have ever had the honor of talking UK sports with, or any other subject for that matter. As a licensed agent, he can write insurance for anyone in the state anywhere, so if you want a chance to have one of the all-time UK greats as your insurance agent, feel free to call him or contact him at the address and phone number below. His website address is here.

Dicky Beal Agent/Owner Allstate Insurance 5294 Madison Pike Suite 205 & 206 Independence, Ky 41051 859-356-1000 859-356-0123 (fax)

GOG 2009-10 #32: NCAA Tournament

2010-03-17T18:07:53Z

Kentucky makes a triumphant return to the NCAA tournament as the 1 seed in a region that is either the toughest or second toughest depending on whom you ask. They will face East Tennessee St in the first round - a team that gave #1 seed Pittsburgh all kinds of trouble last year. With a win, UK will face either Texas or Wake Forest, though I think East Tennessee has a better chance of being in the second round than Wake Forest does.

This will be the final GOG of the year unless Kentucky makes the NCAA Championship game in which case I will do one more. Just in case that doesn't happen - thank you to everyone who participated this season. I had a lot of fun writing questions and I hope you had a lot of fun trying to answer them. There will be a wrap-up entry after the end of the season where the GOG winners will be crowned.

Basic Information:

GOG #00 has information about the game. Follow the link if you have any questions.
GOG #31 has been graded. Click the link for full results.

GOG #32: NCAA Tournament [Max 64 Points]

How many games does UK win in the tournament? [3 pts]
Which teams will make the Final Four? [3 pts each]
Does a team seeded 4 or lower make the Final Four? (this does not have to agree with your answer for #2 if you want to hedge a little) [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
Does a double digit seeded team reach the Sweet 16? [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
A 1 seed hasn't lost in the second round since 2004 when Kentucky and Stanford both "accomplished" that feat. Does a 1-seed lose in the second round this year? [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
Which two teams will play for the Title? [3 pts each]
Who will win the NCAA Tournament this year? [3 pts]
How many points does UK score in their first game? [4 pts if correct, 3 pts within one, 2 pts within two, 1 pt within three]
How many points does ETSU score in the first game? [4 pts if correct, 3 pts within one, 2 pts within two, 1 pt within three]
Kentucky will play the winner of Texas/Wake Forest in the second round. Which team will it be? [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
East Tennessee St was within one possession of Pitt last year with 3 minutes to play. Does UK hold a 10+ point lead with 5 minutes to play on Thursday? [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
Eric Bledsoe played well in the SECT: Predict his made 3's/assists/steals against ETSU. [2 pts each]
Will UK face a double digit seeded team in the tournament? [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
There are three other SEC teams in the field. Predict the wins for Florida/Tennessee/Vanderbilt. [2 pts each]
Based on previous tournament results, the 4 SEC Teams together can be expected to win 6.8 games based on their respective seeds. Do they outperform expectations (win 7 games or more combined) or under perform (win 6 or fewer)? [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
Whichever team UK faces in the second round, inside play will be critical to winning. Predict Orton's points/rebounds/blocks in the second game. [2 pts each]
Who leads UK in scoring in their second round game? [3 pts]
Who wins the Louisville/Cal game? [+1 point if correct, -1 point if incorrect]
How many games do the UK Women win in the NCAAW Tournament? [3 pts]

Deadline for entries is tip-off at 7:15 PM, Thursday March 18.

Derrick Miller's name was mis-spelled for "decades"

2010-03-17T15:05:25Z

One of the most intriguing things to come out of the sad story of Derrick Miller's season ticket fraud arrest here in Hardin County is that his name isn't Miller... its Millar. And its been spelled wrong for decades... including on his UK jersey.

Today's News Enterprise article on Derrick Millar.

Overall, I find the entire story to be a sad case of wasted potential. He made some poor choices after he left school and hasn't been able to capitalize on all the opportunities legally afforded to our heroes of yesteryear in this state.

Some Perspective on Big Cuz

2010-03-16T23:12:07Z

The link is to an excellent article about Demarcus Cousins written by Yahoo Sports' Jason King. I found this to be a terrific read and some great perspective on our beloved big man. It allows you to further see just how far Cousins has progressed. I really didn't need this to convince me that Demarcus isn't the thug other fanbases would like to believe him to be, but it does give me even more respect for him to know all the trials and tribulations he has endured to come so far.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news;_ylt=AuYIQLMLoksbgC2z98n_vdfevbYF?slug=jn-cousins031610&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Help Wanted/Needed/Begged For!!!!

2010-03-16T19:34:25Z

Gang, I have become a contestant in the Last Fan Standing blogger contest. I have already submitted an article, and have been assigned UK as my team for the tournament. I dont know if any of you are also competing, but I would be glad to help anyone else who might be also. Please stop by and leave a comment if you can, I am really hoping that I can pull this off, and so can the Cats.

The contest is being supported by the CBS Sports website, and there are 64 of us who are entered.I really appreciate it, and all praises and glory be to A SEA OF BLUE for helping to hone my skills.!!!!!!!!

It will be 24 hours before my 1st article will be available.

Sweet 16 & Elite 8 Tickets for sale

2010-03-16T16:53:12Z

i have two tickets to the sweet 16 and elite 8 in syracyse NY im looking to sell....tickets give you access to both sweet 16 games on 3/25 and then the elite 8 game on 3/27....the seats are located in section 213 row M....they are the same seats for all three games. As a syracuse alum ive seen many games in the carrier dome, these are good seats! if you are interested or would like more information please contact me. - thanks

Why I Think Kentucky Will Win It All

2010-03-16T16:29:22Z

As I have read about The University of Kentucky Wildcat's Men's Basketball Team in their games this season, I have been elated with Joy and hope beyond hope. Following (in my opinion) twelve disastrous years of Tubby Smith (who, again, in my opinion, brought UK Basketball to mediocrity) and Billy Gillispe (who never could commit), ending in last year's NIT berth, UK hired John Calipari. Even after his hiring, I will admit that I never thought the `Cats would do so well. New Coach, lots of Freshmen, no tourney experience for any returning players, and a tough SEC that seems to get tougher every year. Imagine my utter and complete shock and surprise when Kentucky rattled off 19 straight wins, and, for the season, went 32-2, with their only losses being at Tennessee and South Carolina. Yes, the SEC Tourney was a nail-biter, especially the Championship Game, and several of their season games were decided by the ball literally bouncing one way or the other. However, as the season has progressed, I watched a team mostly full of scatty and scratchy freshmen and sophomores come together to become a real powerhouse. The chemistry between the players has been amazing to read about.

I understand that I haven't actually watched the Wildcats play a game all year. In fact, the LAST game I watched Kentucky play in in any entirety was the 1998 National Championship Game (incidentally, the year I moved to Japan). While I did watch parts of a game or two the `Cats played against Louisville and Indiana when I came home for Christmas Break in various years, I didn't watch all of them. As College Basketball isn't a top priority here in Japan (yea, Basketball is treated here in Japan kinda' how we treat Soccer, Rugby, or Cricket in the USA: its nice to watch if there's absolutely nothing else to watch on television), my experience with the `Cats has been though newspaper articles in Japanese Newspapers (again, scant coverage at best), Armed Forces Radio Broadcasts (sketchy, few, and far between at best), and the Internet. As I've read over the `Cats amazing turn-around year this year, I have only read with rapt fascination as these young kids have literally gelled like Napalm and literally blown teams away. They started the year as cast-offs from a non-committal coach (Gillispe) and young "punks" brought in by the new guy (Calipari), and have ended the 2009-10 run as a team not only to be feared, but, if possible, to be avoided altogether. Yes, they are young, they seem to lack experience, and are prone to make mistakes....but what team doesn't have a measure of all of these?

So, what does all of this have to do with the Kentucky Wildcats winning the NCAA Championship? Let me answer that with a question: What do kids do best? When a child goes out to play, what does he or she try to do? The answer is simple: have fun. During the Olympics, the Japanese Media swore up and down, left and right that their girl, Mao Asada, was going to win the gold medal because she was "mature" and her "poise" seemed more "adult" than her Korean Rival, Kim Yonna. However, for anyone who bothered to watch international ice skating this year, Asada's poise and maturity and adult-ness helped her to have a bad year. Skating didn't seem fun to her at times, and it showed. On the other side, Korea's Kim Yonna skated well at the beginning of 2009, and just kept getting better, and better, and better. Then came the Olympics. The Japanese Media all but promised a win by Asada, almost off-handedly dismissing Kim. Media hounds also claimed that Kim would buckle under the pressure of the Olympics and the fact that South Korea had never before won a figure skating medal. TV, Internet, Newspapers, and Radio all but assured Mao would win (here in Japan) and that the pressure would get to Yonna (everywhere else). When Kim skated to perfection in the short program, everyone called it a fluke, an error in judging, and Mao - who finished a very close second in the short - would overtake her. Yet, the tale of it all was told in the free skate. Mao - the one who was REALLY under pressure - faltered twice, missed two jumps, and faded. Kim - allegedly with all the pressure of 60 million Koreans on her shoulders - went out and.........had fun. Not only did she have fun, she blew away the field, set a world record, and skated to flawless perfection.

I, personally, see this year's Kentucky Wildcats in the same light as Kim Yonna of Korea: they are 17-, 18-, 19-, 20-, and 21-year-olds going out each night and......having fun. Media reports and journalists have stated that Kentucky Fans are the most demanding, that we place inordinate and unnecessary amounts of pressure not only on our Men's B-Ball Coaches but our players, and that nothing less than perfection and an NCAA Championship is acceptable. While I agree that - as a UK Fan - I definitely want the `Cats to bring home every NCAA Men's B-Ball trophy home each year, that I hope our coaches and players do well, and that UK Basketball will be the best, this kind of "pressure" is no different than any other team's. But this year's team went and did something that even the most ardent Big Blue Fan couldn't have dreamed: a first year coach with a truckload of new players went and posted one of Kentucky's best records in history. We won the SEC Regular Season by three games, and won the SEC Tournament for the first time in six years!

Does anyone else see what I'm saying here? If not, then let me just say it plain: the pressure is off of The University of Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball team. It's gone! And the way our guys in blue-and-white did it was.....by having fun! Who celebrates a TYING shot in a championship game? Yes, a winning shot we can all understand......but a TYING shot?!? Against Mississippi State of all teams? Yes, Miss. State was a decent team this year, but what team under any pressure celebrates a TIE? The reason why the `Cats will win it all is precisely because they are under no pressure. Are the expectations high? This is Kentucky, and the Expectations are pretty darned high EVERY year, especially when a #1 seeding and a #2 ranking nationally are involved....but the `Cats just keep on playing like Kim Yonna skated in Vancouver: with grace, with poise....but most importantly, by having FUN! And THAT'S why the 'Cats will win this whole thing. Is the East Region Tough? In my opinion, no team has a rougher bracket, not even Kansas. But that's the beauty of the NCAA Tourney this year, and the beauty of the `Cats: despite the tough schedule, and the tough tournament region, the `Cats have been having fun, and why not? Basketball isn't life (yes, I know, some of you die-hards out there will dispute this, but trust me, when all is said and done that will be said and done, basketball will come in a very low place in the end of things). Why not apporach a game wth an attiude of going ut to have fun? In fact, why approach anything in life with an attitude of anything other than having fun? This is exactly what the University of Kentucky Wildcats Mens' Basketball Team has done this year: they've had good, old-fashioned FUN....all the while, winning, winning, and winning again (after all, what's more fun than winning?). It is my opinion that this sort of fun will just keep on happening, and that it will propel Kentucky to the championship. As I stated before, the pressure is OFF of this team! We have fallen head-over-heels in love with Coach Cal, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and fallen head-over-heels in love again wth Patrick Patterson, and all the rest of the team. If they win no more games or every game from here on out, we, the U.K. Fanbase LOVE our boys in blue, especially this year, and especially the way that they've won: BY HAVING FUN! And as everyone knows, when the fun starts, the pressure takes a hike!!!!

In conclusion, the answer is simple: the `Cats will win because this has been a fun year, and a fun season. Yes, the `Cats are young, and yes, its been awhile since we were such a high seed in the Big Dance. But to dispute just about every journalist out there, the `Cats will win this thing precisely because of the lack of experience. You see? Expectations tend to get to players who have "experience". Pressure from fans can be overwhelming at times for teams who've gone long distances in the NCAA Tourney in the past (personally, Kansas should take note of this, and in my opinion, once again, there are no more demanding fans in the College Basketball world than KU Jayhwak Fans...and if any fans are unnaturally overdemanding, it is KU fans - they realistically and literally DO figure Kansas should win the whole thing every year, and generally look for scapegoats to blame when they don't), but for a team which hasn't been down this road for a long time, nor ever, it can be, and generally is, more exciting and fun than pressurizing. Such will be for the `Cats. They know how to have fun because they've been doing it all year. And, just like Kim Yonna of Korea, the `Cats have just been getting better and better as the year has progressed. The X-Factor for the `Cats? So long as they have fun in this tournament, and keep doing their thing with joy, they will win the whole thing come April.

Thoroughbreds, Bourbon and Basketball

2010-03-16T14:04:02Z

(Author's Note: this was originally published on my own blog, but I thought it'd be appropriate to share. Yes, I know I wax poetic. No, I'm not going to apologize.)

"They have a big, big horse race, they play very good basketball, they have babies like everyone else." -Roy Scheider (as Dr. Heywood Floyd) in 2010: The Year We Make Contact, when asked "What else do they do in Kentucky?"

That’s the only part I remember from that movie. It amazed my young mind that, hey, twenty-four years from now, when humanity finally leaves its earthly home and begins finding its place in the stars, Kentucky basketball will still be talked about!

Now it’s actually 2010 and we aren’t appreciably closer to exploring the Solar System, let alone the galaxy. What about the rest? Is Kentucky basketball still great, its destiny still written in those stars that we haven’t gotten around to exploring?

The short answer is yes, Kentucky basketball is every bit as great as it was when 2010 was in the theaters.

The long answer is that it wasn’t always great in that span. Or even good.

A bit of history for those that don’t know: First, there was basketball played with bottomed-out peach baskets, created by Dr. James A. Naismith, a Canadian-born naturalized American. Then there was the University of Kansas, whose basketball program Naismith created in 1898. Naismith begat Forrest "Phog" Allen, the man who brought basketball into the modern times and is heralded as the "Father of Basketball Coaching". Allen begat Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp, who then created their own basketball dynasties at the University of North Carolina and the University of Kentucky, respectively.

Adolph Frederick Rupp coached the University of Kentucky Wildcats for forty-two years, winning four NCAA national titles during his tenure. History has written that he was slow to integrate Kentucky’s basketball program, using the "fact" as fuel to fire the notion that he was racist. History doesn’t often mention that he had previously coached black players during his Kansas high school coaching days. That somehow got left out of the movie Glory Road.

(NOTE: The game presented in Glory Road, the 1966 NCAA Tournament title game between Texas Western College (whose starting five were all African-American) and the University of Kentucky (whose starting five were all Caucasian) is an important piece of civil rights history, and it effectively broke the color barrier for college basketball. I’m not denying that, it can’t be denied. They just took a few more liberties with Rupp than I believe are necessary).

Kentucky basketball was a dynasty. It was more than that: it was social lubricant in a state that often found itself lacking points of pride. Yes, there is the Kentucky Derby. Yes, there is bourbon. And yes, once you get out of the Bluegrass Area you find farmland to the west, and poverty and coal mining to the east. You find an educational system that has never been elite in the United States. You find hard-working people that can take pride in the fact that their state has an amazing basketball program. You find young boys who dream of playing for Kentucky. You occasionally find the young boy whose dream comes true, and that just makes it even better.

Rupp died on December 10th 1977, the day that the University of Kentucky beat the University of Kansas. There have been coaches since him, coaches that have won, coaches that have lost. They have all carried the mantle of greatness that was tailor-made for Rupp. There have been times of devastation, and times of just plain mediocrity. At the end of last year’s basketball season, when we missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in many young fans’ lives, we would have found comfort, or at least knowing bitterness, in the words and monument for Ozymandias.

That changed this year. We got a new coach, John Calipari. We knew he’d win in Lexington. He’d won everywhere he’d been. Controversy seemed to follow him, though it could never seem to attach itself to him. He brought in a group of young men who knew basketball like a fish knows water. In short, he came ready to play, and ready to win.

And win he has. It took one short year, but Kentucky ended this season ranked #2 in the nation. They earned a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Many people expect them to be in the Final Four, and the entire Bluegrass State hopes to hang its eighth national title banner in Rupp Arena. It’s insanity, but we feel it as a return to our rightful throne.

It’s only fitting that, in the year 2010, we return to the greatness heralded in a movie set in the same year. Science fiction can be prophetic in that it predicts new ideas, new technologies, a different life for us all. But what is future, if it is not built on a foundation of the past?

Go ‘Cats. Build that future.

Please Take A Moment and Read

2010-03-16T02:58:21Z

I am so sorry guys. I have put up two fan post today. I am going to go ahead and put up a third. Not trying to dominate things, I most likey will take the Duke/Cal one down. Just wanted to share this really horrific story about Murray State's guard's mother who was killed in a car crash today. Please think about this sweet college kid. Pray if that is what you do. Murray State is my cinderella team this year even before this happened. They are only about an hour and half from us and we have tons of kids going there from here. So this hits close even to a Tennessean like me.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ap-murrayst-motherkilled

"Must Read" for a UK basketball fan.....thank you bluedaisy!!

2010-03-16T02:09:55Z

I want to thank tenken for the link to the Dan Patrick article on Coach Cal.....it's a summary written by DP of what Coach Cal said on the Dan Patrick show today. After reading it I started reading the responses which featured the usual UK haters and supporters but then I got to the post of bluedaisy which I've copied below. I wish I could thank her?? personally but this public thank you is all I can do.

It may be "borrowed" from a source but I've never read anything quite like it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. From bluedaisy...................

To All of You Anti-Big Blue Nation Fans....this sums it up best!! "It's not a coach. It's not a player. It's pride...tradition. It's a 5 year old with a cat paw on his cheek saying, "Beat Louisville!" It's not a game. It's not a season. It's pride....tradition. It's expecting to be dancing every year where most pray to be. It has no beginning. It has no end. It's pride....tradition. It's waiting for midnight ... See More madness when the March buzzer rings. Players that come are in awe of it. Players that leave treasure it. Players that oppose despise it. It's pride....tradition. It's getting the best from every opponent in hopes to top it. Rupp built it. Hall polished it. Sutton shamed it. Pitino restored it. Smith nourishes it. It's pride....tradition. Keightly has served it. Happy sang to it. Cawood lived it. It's pride....tradition. Digger hates it. Vitale and Packer are jealous of it. McGuire realized it. It's pride....tradition. What is Kentucky Basketball? It's "Blue and White" and "Go Big Blue" It's "C!-A!-T!-S! Cats!, Cats!, Cats!" It's pride....tradition. It's more than a pastime It's more than a hobby. To some it's a religion. It's pride....tradition. It's K-E-N-T-U-C-K-Y on the jerseys. Win or Lose, that's all that matters to me." They can argue all they want in North Carolina, Indiana and Kansas. In Kentucky, we know there is no other state where basketball matters more than here.To understand the commonwealth's love affair with putting an orange ball through a round hoop, you have to know the history of KY Basketball...WAY TO GO TEAM!...