BTI's Rants and Ramblings: Friday Summer Fan Stories

by:Bryan1305/27/16
keith bogans 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]. The Kentucky Wildcats have always meant a lot to me, but never moreso than when I was defending Moonbase Sierra Romeo Seven. Keith Bogans and I were manning the laser cannons, finishing off a platoon of space vampires, when Dakari Johnson put a hand on my shoulder. “Look here,” said Dakari, “I just got out of the time portal and I have Ralph Beard with me.” 
Ralph Beard shook my hand. “It’s a pleasure to fight alongside you.” 
“You too, Ralph,” I said. “Is there any new information on the hidden Aztec gold?”
“Yes, but you’re not going to like it,” he said. “Cliff Hagan and I found the coordinates from the wall of that spooky Egyptian pyramid, but the gold is cursed.”
“Oh no,” chimed in Ron Mercer. “That’s not good news.”
“No, it’s not,” I answered. Suddenly Rashaad Carruth burst into the room. He cocked his Kalashnikov and pointed it at us.
“I’ll be taking those coordinates, comrades.” Rashaad Carruth had been working with the Russians all along!
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” shouted Eloy Vargas as he grabbed the rifle from Carruth and wrestled him to the ground. “Quick guys, you have to get the missile codes to the President! I’ll handle this!”
Andre Riddick and I grabbed the leather knapsack and jumped on our horses, tearing across the barren wasteland of the moon. When we got to the President’s space mansion we quickly turned them over to him and he fired on the North Korean ammunition depot. 
“You guys are heroes, he said. “I want all of you to to have these golden medals of thanks.”
“Even me?” asked Derrick Jasper.
“No, not you,” responded the president. "But the rest of you, follow me to the parade in your honor. Here are your tuxedos. This is the best day in the history of our great nation."
That remains my favorite Kentucky basketball memory.
-Cornelius Marmaduke Tomlin ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have so many stories related to UK, but this one stands out.  My dad and I went to the 1993 SEC tourney at Rupp, I was 17 at the time.  During the first round game, snow fell like the apocalypse — once the game ended, we were Lexington-bound with literally no way out (we live in Louisville).  All hotels were completely booked, but somehow we found a sweet older couple who opened their home to us, at no charge.  The next day is when we beat Tennessee 101-40, which is on my top-5 list of games I’ve seen in person.  For those that were there, you’ll remember the entire arena was chanting “Don’t let him score” at Allen Houston towards the end of the game (he finally hit a late 3, as I remember).  Dad and I had a blast, and it was awesome to experience the kindness of strangers firsthand.  A weekend I’ll never forget.  So a special thanks to the couple who let a stranger and his son stay in your home, 23 years ago.  It reminded me there is good in this world. 
I felt I needed to send this one too — it’s too good not to share.  My dad and I went to the 2007 UK-UofL football game, when Stevie got loose.  First, we got last-minute tickets from a friend of ours which were in the handicapped section.  Her husband was wheelchair-bound, but they couldn’t end up going.  So we are in Commonwealth, but in handicapped seats, IN THE UofL SECTION.  So not only were they less than thrilled with our presence, but the fact that we were in those seats incensed them even more.  Here’s the topper:  my best friend (who is a UofL fan) was sitting 5 rows in front of us.  So you know the game was incredible throughout, but when Stevie scored that touchdown, two things happened:  first, my friend looked back at me with such a heartbrokenly crestfallen look, I’ll never forget it.  It was awesome.  Second, as we were going nuts, I was literally hugging a complete stranger.  Kudos to you man, I was happy to share that man-hug with you.  It was the most electric moment I’ve ever experienced in Commonwealth (and we’ve been to countless games).  Not long ago I found one of those panoramic posters of that very game — you can actually see my dad and me, the only two guys in blue in the middle of the Card section in the corner. 
-Zach

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2024-03-27