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Promoted From the Diaries :: Football Memory

Talk to any UK basketball fan and they will almost certainly be able to tell you in great detail where they were in 1992 when The Unforgettables almost pulled off the most unthinkable of all upsets over dUKe. Or they might be able to give you a complete rundown on how the felt during the Miracle at Mardi Gras.    But such moments in UK Football are rare indeed.

One such moment for me was October 4, 1997.  Unable to get tickets for the UK-Alabama game, I was left with no alternative but to listen to the ballgame on the radio or just wait until 11:30 pm and watch the replay on WKYT.  I was to be married one week later, so my fiance and I had gone out with friends that evening for dinner, drinks and then a couple of games of bowling.

We had made a point to leave the radio turned off so we could watch the football game "live" at 11:30 that night.  After leaving the bowling alley, it was quite late and we knew the game was over and turned the radio on so we could listen to some music for our brief ride home.  

We're driving up US 127, less than a mile from my neighborhood, listening to a Paul Miller Ford commercial on the radio and remembered we needed to stop at Kroger to pick up some milk and a couple of other items for breakfast the following morning.  As I pulled the van into the Kroger parking lot, the commercial ended and we hear the game is still being played.  What??  We haven't been utterly destroyed by The Tide already?  What's up with that?  Then we get the recap:  Kentucky has taken Alabama to overtime.

So we sat in the van in the parking lot, screaming like banshees when Bama fumbled the ball and the Cats recovered.  Then, before we could even catch our breath, we hear the call:  Tim Couch connects for a 26-yard touchdown pass and the Cats beat Alabama for the first time in 75 years!

After several more minutes of screaming, cheering and eventually even tears, we finally headed into Kroger.  As we entered the store, a couple of employees were at the front desk asking if anyone had heard "how bad Bama beat Kentucky."  It was with great pride and joy that I announced that the unimaginable had happened:  the Cats had the victory.  One of those guys just looked at me, rolled his eyes and said, "Typical girl--she doesn't understand a thing about football.  If she wanted to try & fool us, she should have waited until we were playing LSU."  I just replied, "You DON'T want to miss the replay on tv tonight!"

I still get chills when I remember those magical moments listening to the final seconds of that game.  After years of being part of the Fellowship of the Miserable, it was if my loyalty was being repaid and it made me even more dedicated to the Football Cats.

[editor's note, by Truzenzuzex]   Our SB Nation brothers over at Roll 'Bama Roll had a recent post that included a memory of this particular game.  Our mention is short, but nice to be remembered by such a dominant football power.  Now, if we can only pull it off again ...

Mike Fields has a new post at his blog covering the dearth of UK players in this year's NFL Draft.

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1997 Bama Game
I, too, have incredible memories from that game.  It was my first UK Football game ever in person, and what a game for a "first"!

It also had to be one of the craziest that I've witnessed since in terms of the scoring swings and the two blocked kicks that were returned for points.

Once UK got on offense in OT, the whole stadium KNEW that UK was going to take the game.  Commonwealth was electric that night, and I was so excited that I couldn't go to sleep that night and watched the entire game on tape delay once I returned back to my hotel in Louisville.

Great memory!!

by vickster3 on May 7, 2007 11:34 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

OH YES
I was with my band's drummer in back of Lynagh's Music Emporium with a sea of people from campus and the game standing in a stream of what I hope was water or beer. It was just like the B-Ball champ night the year before and the year after.

Nothing like seeing a goal post walk down Woodland Ave.

I can't remember if our bass player had already quit to be a teacher or something or if he was still cool to us then (JL)

Nice 3 year run to be a cat fan!

by wilson452 on May 7, 2007 2:14 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

BLocked it out
I was long gone, fool!

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 7, 2007 4:03 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

1997
At the time of that game, I was hanging out with two brothers that are huge 'Cats fans from Madisonville, KY and they rubbed my nose in that loss for a year. They still bring it up from time to time.

Next time Bama and KY play in Lexington, I plan on making the trip.

Thanks for the link!

Roll Tide!

by RollBamaRoll on May 7, 2007 2:23 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You're welcome anytime ...
both to the link and to Lexington.  

I hope to live long enough to see Kentucky defeat 'Bama again, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. :-)

by Truzenzuzex on May 7, 2007 2:30 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

LSU
Unfortunately, I was too young to remember much of that game. I was, however, in attendance for the "Bluegrass Miracle." I sat in my car for 15 minutes staring in disbelief. Oh, and the 7-OT loss to Arkansas.

This is the year though it will come together. I believe that.

by GregJ on May 7, 2007 3:28 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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