BTI's Rants and Ramblings: Friday Summer Fan Stories

by:Bryan13•05/13/16

Every Friday from now until football season, I give this post up to you. You give me your favorite, most memorable, funniest, saddest, whatever story related to UK athletics. It doesn’t have to be any minimum length although the person who send me a 1-sentence post probably will not make it. But I just want the story that you always tell your friends or means the most to you. You don’t have to use your name. Just send it to me at [email protected]. Back in 1972 I was a freshman at UK. I had a 10:am class in Alumni Gym. The whole first semester after class a few of us would play pick up basketball in the old gym. One day we were told that we couldn't play anymore it was reserved for faculty at that time . We left and went back to change clothes. Ronnie Lyons was in the locker room and he knew one of the guys who played, he told him what had just happened, and Ronnie said just go up to Memorial Nobody's there this time of day. We ran down the street and sure enough it was open. M-W-F we played usually 5 on 5 full court. I never shot very good in there but it was so much fun to play. One Wednesday I stole a long pass and took off for the other basket, and I suddenly was scared to death standing under my goal was none other than Adolph Rupp. I lost the ball and it went right to him. I wanted to run but it was my personal ball and I wanted to keep it. I went right to him , and all he said was I taught a class that taught you to dribble with your head up , to bad you never took it. He handed me my ball and walked on. We played every time until Christmas break . We never had to leave. After that we all had different class schedules and never went back. But I will never forget those games or talking to him. -Ron Sharke ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have a tie... 1) Dec. '84, I was a 15 yr old high school sophomore and got to go on my first ever road trip with my Dad and his best friend (both life long UK fans) and my older brother. It was Birmingham, AL for the Hall of Fame Bowl. We had no hotel rooms OR tickets. Ended up staying at a dump of a motel that the Wisconsin band gave up because of how bad it was and my Dad found us tickets on about the 20 yd. line. UK wins the game in a close contest...and I felt like such a 'big shot' to be on that road trip with my Dad and brother. 1A) Mar. '96 and I was on my 2nd ever road trip with my Dad, his best friend and this time my younger brother. It was New Orleans for the SEC Basketball tournament. We all know how talented that team was and to watch them in person was incredible. After the Sat. semi's when we thumped Arkansas, Bourbon St. was nothing but a sea of blue. There must have been 25,000+ UK fans out there, absolutely amazing! We run into a slightly inebriated Richie Farmer and Mr. Wildcat Bill Keightley and Farmer is trying to get my slightly inebriated brother to buy him a beer, absolutely hilarious. The Sun. finals were a bit of a let down but the National title was a fair trade off and I had the time of my life with my Dad and brother. Unfortunately I never got to do a road trip with my Dad and both brothers. My Dad passed away in '01. But I at least got a trip with him and each brother...and that makes them my greatest UK memories! Keith Gambrel