Kentucky Pickers: Odd Wildcat KnickKnacks Edition

If there’s one thing Kentucky fans love more than their teams, it’s the stuff they can buy to support them. KSR wants to see your odd and unique UK memorabilia. No, not just your run of the mill UK flag or t-shirt collection. We want the weird stuff. Have a stuffed Wildcat eating a cardinal? Send it in. A portrait of John Calipari made entirely of popcorn? Send it in. The odder, the better.

Today, we’re going to take a look at some odd wildcat figurines. These are not your normal knickknacks; someone has gone to great lengths to create them for UK fans to set upon their end tables, mantles, and everywhere else they can express their fandom in a slightly classier manner than say, a poster.

Cole Hancock’s Wildcat vase:

From Mike Stalls, who says he’s been riding since his freshman year at UK back in 1969:

Robey Smith’s favorite Wildcat mug:

This piece has a story behind it. From Kyle Moore:

This carafe is dubbed “The Wildcat,” and belonged to Kyle’s grandfather, who was a huge UK fan and season ticket holder for many years. The item has been in Kyle’s family since the 70’s, and always sat atop Kyle’s grandfather’s bar. After his grandfather’s death, Kyle’s grandmother sold the house and the family split some of his collectibles. The piece was passed around the family, sometimes with a surprise beverage inside. On September 10, 2011, Kyle’s cousin Will, a UK graduate, was killed in a motorcycle accident. Kyle says he and his cousin had many a nights drinking out of “The Wildcat,” and as a tribute, brought the carafe to a UK football tailgate the Saturday after his death. The family celebrated Will’s life by passing around “The Wildcat,” which garnered a lot of attention from fellow tailgaters, many who offered to buy it or just have their picture taken with it. Will’s friends and family came, and as Kyle writes, “it was a great way to wind down after a tragic week and celebrate the life of my cousin.”

Think you can do better? Send us a picture of your unique “UK junk” along with the story behind it and we’ll post the best ones on the website. Email pictures to [email protected] with the subject heading “Kentucky Pickers.”