Happy Holidays!

August 31st: On this date...

... in 1982, a baby "Woo" was born in Poland to Marian and Grazylua Obrzut. Fan favorite Lukasz Obrzut was best known as an enforcer on the basketball court from 2003-2007. "Woo" finished his career with 196 points - 135 rebounds - 170 fouls. He was a part of a select group of players who really embraced being in the spotlight for Big Blue Nation. The Season Never Ends calendar says Woo's career highlight came against #4 Louisville during his junior season. He was inserted into the starting lineup and helped get the Cats to a 39-24 advantage by halftime. While only having four points, I'm sure he fouled the begeezus out of the Cards literally scaring them away from the basket. Woo's career high came against Vanderbilt and High Point, when he scored nine points in limited action. Woo was also a member of Lexington's ABA team, the Bluegrass Stallions. I always expected him to be the first player in history to break a backboard with a hook shot.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 30th: On this date...

... in 2008, your University of Kentucky Wildcats gave its little brother the beatdown it deserved as they went into Little Caesar's Stadium and came out with a 27-2 victory. Steve Brown's defense controlled the game throughout, causing five turnovers, and shutting the Card offense down at will. Louisville's trendy preseason quarterback Hunter Cantwell turned the ball over four times in the fourth quarter alone to send the third largest crowd in Totino's Stadium history to the exits. It couldn't have been a more perfect way to start a career, as Mike Hartline watched his defense do most of the scoring in his first ever start. He won the job by default, as head coach Rich Brooks dismissed Curtis Pulley for a violation of team rules a few weeks earlier. Hartline also was responsible for Louisville's only score, as he was called for intentional grounding in the end zone.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 29th: On this date....

... in 2006, your University of Kentucky Wildcats head football coach Rich Brooks finally announced who would start at quarterback in the season opener vs. Louisville. It had been a very heated and competitive battle throughout the spring and summer, but junior Andre Woodson showed the greater improvement coming down the stretch. Coach Brooks said Andre seemed to have more desire to lead the Cats than his counterpart Curtis Pulley. In addition, Woodson was much better in getting the ball down the field, more of a pocket passer which they were looking. The Cats were confident in their running game, and were looking for ways to stretch the defense.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 28th: On this date...

... in 1983, nature model/all-time Kentucky basketball great Kenny "Sky" Walker helped lead the Uncle Sam's to the FIFA Junior World Championship. They won the gold medal game over the Russia Gorbachevs, 82-78. Walker's team-high 24 points sent a message to the communist world that Americans would not only destroy them in basketball, but produce a photo essay like the one here that is still unrivaled to this day. It was the second World Junior Basketball Championship for the Americans.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 27th: On this date...

... in 2009, your rabid University of Kentucky fanbase woke up to the news that their recently departed men's head basketball coach, Billy Clyde Gillispie, was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Anderson County. Rumors had circulated from the time Billy Clyde stepped foot in the Commonwealth that he wasn't scared to enjoy central Kentucky boozing it up, but doing it in Lawrenceburg of all places threw everyone off. It turns out, he and a friend had been playing some "night golf" and enjoyed a few pops. A gas station attendant called in the vehicle as driving erratically and the rest is history. Gillispie then went to a rehabilitation center and got the help he needed. Best of luck to BCG.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 26th: On this date...

... in 1983, the University of Kentucky version of Michael Jordan...Jim Master...scored 16 points in a Pan-Am Games showdown with the Brazil Amazons. The victory (87-79) wrapped up the gold medal for the Americans, and pushed their Pan-Am Games winning streak to 28 games. North Carolina's Michael Jordan added 16 points to help lead Team USA in a supporting role. The team was coached by Kansas State's Jack Hartman and was the third consecutive Pan-Am Games gold medal for the basketball squad. Unbeaten with an 8-0 record, the Americans struck gold for the eight time in nine tries. Other notable members of the team included Mark Price, Sam Perkins, and Wayman Tisdale. But none went on to have as successful a career as Kentucky's Jim Master. Go Cats.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 25th: On this date...

... in 2008, the mighty SEC and the even more powerful ESPN announced they would be teaming together in a television contract of epic proportions. The details of the deal being a 15-year contract for more than $2 Billion to televise SEC sporting events. Most importantly SEC Football and SEC Basketball (Men's and Women's). All of this started in fall of 2009, so...we did it! Commissioner Mike Slive said, "This agreement makes the SEC the most widely distributed conference in the country...The bottom line here is that fans of SEC football will have more access to games and better distribution than they ever have in the past." I'm almost certain his last statement was a direct shot at JP/Lincoln Financial/Raycom/the bowl of poop soup we'd been having to watch in year's past. So, in essence, Mike Slive is saying keep chanting "S-E-C, S-E-C, S-E-C" whenever you are in a large crowd in a foreign city and you may be rewarded with a Billion dollar contract.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 24th: On this date...

... in 2008, Tayshaun Prince single-handedly took home the gold for the Americans in the Beijing Olympics. His six crucial points, two critical rebounds, and 100% shooting on the night paced Uncle Sam's team. Semi-stars Dwayne Wade (27 points), Kobe Bryant (20 points) and Lebron James (14 points) played key supporting roles in regaining the title of World Dominators. The Americans took control early and held on as the Spaniards made a late run but couldn't get over the hump. Final score 118-107. The two teams had played earlier in the Olympics and Team USA destroyed Spain by 37 points. Prince became the most recent in a long line of University of Kentucky gold medal winners, joining Adolph Rupp and Tubby Smith. Who would've thought the skinny little kid from Compton would end up being one of the greatest Kentucky players in his generation, much less a gold medal winner. Tayshaun making us proud. Speaking of pride, something tells me Tayshaun had his puppies set off the bus.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 23rd: On this date...

... in 2001, the University of Kentucky announced plans to retire all-time great Dermontti Dawson's #57 jersey. The event would take place during Kentucky's first game vs. Louisville, September 1, 2001. Dawson was a product of Lexington's own Bryan Station High School, where he was an all-state lineman. A four-year letterman at UK, Dawson played both guard and center while in blue and was a part of the 1984 Hall of Fame Championship team. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted the All-SEC lineman in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. Dawson's NFL career lasted 13 seasons, all with the Steelers, included seven Pro Bowls, and contained a 170 consecutive game playing streak. Not currently a Hall of Famer Currently a NFL Hall of Famer, Dawson points to one man being the key to his success on the field and in life...former Kentucky head coach Jerry Claiborne. The discipline and character he received under Claiborne's tutelage led him to be a pillar in every community to this day. Someone finally get this Kentucky great in the Hall of Fame!

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 22nd: On this date...

... in 1992, a 6-4 guard from Peachtree City, Georgia, committed to play for the University of Kentucky. Head coach Rick Pitino compared Jeff Sheppard to two all-time greats. He said Sheppard "shoots like Kyle Macy and jumps like Rex Chapman." Pitino couldn't have been more spot on with his description. Shep was a part of the ridiculous 1996 team, redshirted during the 1997 season that got to the NCAA Finals, and was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player during the 1998 title run.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 21st: On this date...

... in 2001, former University of Kentucky wide receiver Jeff Piecoro was named the new analyst for the UK football radio network, replacing Jeff Van Note. Piecoro began his broadcasting career with Lexington's WTVQ fresh out of college in 1985. From 1992-95, he was the weekend sports anchor for WLEX. Jeff is currently the play-by-play voice for the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team. As is that wasn't enough he handles the pre and post game shows for the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds. To top it off, he has a morning sports talk radio show on the Homer and does play-by-play for the AFL's Columbus Destroyers. Jeff currently lives in Villa Hills, KY, with his wife and three children. The duo of Tom Leach and Jeff Piecoro are two of the best in the business and paint a great image for Big Blue Nation on the radio.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 20th: On this date...

... in 1941, Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks was born in Forest, California. The path to 2009 wasn't the easiest a coach has ever been though as Tom Leach notes in the book above. Rich's time in Lexington was anything but rosy. But we have to remember Rich Brooks came to us when no one else would....in the midst of an NCAA death penalty. I'll be the first to admit I was ready to part ways multiple times during PaPaw's first few years. And I'll be the first to admit I was wrong. At the end of the day it's still all about wins and losses, and Brooks still totes a 39-47 record in Lexington. But any Big Blue Nation member who was  around the program in the last three years can vouch for this program being in arguably the best shape of their lifetime. Rich Brooks simply changed the culture in Lexington. And while many people may not like to hear it, Mitch Barnhart deserves as much credit for sticking with Brooks as he does blame for the other mess. Rich Brooks succeeded and did what few others could do at Kentucky: make Big Blue Nation Believe.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 19th: On this date...

... in 1994, even though Louisville native Derek Anderson had decided to transfer from Ohio State, it was anything but a given he would be going to Kentucky. The Wildcats didn't have any scholarships to offer Anderson anyway. Even the assistant-SID was quoted as saying, "There's not going to be an association between Kentucky and him." Anderson said he would not walk-on and since there were no scholarships available, he would need to move on. Enter Scott Padgett's bad grades. Suddenly, the Big Blue frowns turned upside down. The decision is reversed and D.A. comes to Lexington. Padgett's loss was Derek's gain. Anderson would be able to be an active member on the greatest team ever. The '96ers.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 18th: On this date...

... in 1995, Kentucky coach Rick Pitino was ejected from an exhibition game in Italy while touring with the greatest team ever. It was a game the Cats would eventually lose, 123-115, to Montecatini. The loss was the first on the Exhibition Tour of Italy. The Italian referees whistled your University of Kentucky Wildcats for 42 fouls, Montecatini for 33. After falling behind 100-77, the Cats made a huge comeback, only to fall short at the end. Making only 38 of 100 shots didn't help anything either. I'm guessing the extra practice didn't hurt when molding the greatest college basketball team ever assembled. Years later, that same coach would continue his "strange-acting ways" in some of Louisville's finest eateries. But no, I cannot confirm whether Rick Pitino had sexual intercourse inside of an authentic Italian restaurant on this particular trip.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 17th: On this date...

... in 2006, the University of Kentucky Athletics Department received its largest donation in history as Joe Craft donated a cool $6 million toward a new basketball practice facility. In return, he would receive naming rights to the state-of-the-art building. Craft, a native of Hazard, KY, graduated from the University with a degree in accounting in 1972 and a law degree in 1976. He is President and CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., a diversified coal producer and marketer. The facility houses both men's and women's basketball teams along with administrative and UK Athletics staff offices. It officially opened in January 2007. To this day, it is the standard to which all other basketball facilities are measured. Chalk another one up for World Domination.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 16th: On this date...

... in 2008, Kentucky standout Tayshaun Prince helped the Americans destroy Spain, 119-82, in the Beijing Olympics. This would end up being a preview of the gold medal match that would take place eight days later. While most believe Prince was added to the roster as a defensive specialist, the games were such blowouts everyone got into the offensive mix. The Compton native clocked just over 13 minutes and tallied 10 points for the eventual gold medal winners. For the entire Olympics, Tayshaun averaged 7.3 PPG - 5.1 RPG (2nd on team) in nearly 18 MPG. And as any member of Big Blue Nation would have done, he refused to give Coach K his gold medal.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 15th: On this date...

... in 1996, Kentucky superfan Ashley Judd made Big Blue Nation proud by staying true to her colors. In an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader, Judd spoke of an encounter on the set of a recent movie with a North Carolina fan. When offered a North Carolina jacket on a cold night of filming, Judd said she would. "just as soon freeze to death." I love you.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 14th: On this date...

... in 2007, your University of Kentucky Wildcat starting quarterback Andre Woodson was named a preseason All-American by Ivan Maisel of ESPN.com. Woodson was coming off a stellar 2006 campaign where he completed 63 percent of his passes for 3515 yards and 31 touchdowns. But the most impressive stat heading into the 2007 season was his school-record (162), and soon to be collegiate record of consecutive pass attempts without an interception (325). That number shattered the previous mark of 271 by Fresno State's Trent Dilfer in 1993. Although Andre's professional career hasn't gone according to plan, he can lay his head down at night knowing he was a central character in resurrecting the University's football program. And for that, Big Blue Nation will forever be grateful.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 13th: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball team struck gold in London as they destroyed the Frenchies 65-21. This meant back-to-back golds for the Americans. The team consisting of Adolph Rupp's Fabulous Five and players from the Phillips Oilers had a comfortable margin in each game. Alex Groza had 11 points in the final. Wah-Wah Jones and Ralph Beard added four each, Ken Rollins two, and Cliff Barker did not score. Rupp's Kentucky players were the first Wildcat basketball players to ever win a gold medal. More would come.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 12th: On this date...

... in 1987, your University of Kentucky Wildcat hero took the reigns of the Americans, guiding them to a 105-73 rout of Mexico in the Pan Am Games. Rex Chapman's 18 points led the a U.S. team that included Danny Manning and David Robinson. The U.S. squad shot nearly 60% for the game. The head coach for the team was none other than radio personality/UK Legends assistant coach Denny Crum, giving the Bluegrass another reason to make the drive to Indianapolis. Other players on the team included: Jerome Lane, Keith Smart, Jeff Lebo, Pervis Ellison and Willie Anderson.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 11th: On this date...

... in 1948, Alex Groza's 19 points and Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones' 10 points lead the Americans to a 71-40 beatdown of the Mexico.  Many saw this as the only roadblock on the way to the gold medal. You know what the game plan was? Listening to the assistant coach (A. Rupp) and starting all five Kentucky players. Wah Wah Jones broke the game open by creating baskets in transition. Fellow Wildcats Ralph Beard and Cliff Barker added six points each.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 10th: On this date...

... in 1995, we learned Kentucky sophomore Scott Padgett would be declared academically ineligible for the 1995-96 season (what a season to miss). He would not be attending the University for the fall semester and possibly the spring. The extra scholarship, though, would allow Rick Pitino to give transfer Derek Anderson a spot on the soon-to-be legendary roster. Anderson was in line to pay his way as a walk-on for the 1995-96 season. Padgett took the year off and re-enrolled in the fall of 1996. While he missed out on a chance to be a part of a great team in '96, Padgett was a key cog in getting the Cats to back-to-back NCAA title games in 1997 and 1998. Padgett turned that frown upside down as he was named to the All-SEC academic team in both 1998 and 1999.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 9th: On this date...

... in 2009, your University of Kentucky Wildcat head football coach Richard PaPaw Brooks led his team in what would be his final and most successful Fan Day at Commonwealth Stadium. For those out of the know, Fan Day is the football equivalent of Big Blue Madness, a time when players get introduced and get to interact with the fans. PaPaw gave a State of the Union, giving the attendees the in and outs of what each needed to do for the 2009 Cats to be successful. The SOTU was then followed by a long autograph session and several stations where kids could try on player's uniforms, helmets, etc. It also signaled the end of unicorns and rainbows for the football team, as padded practices in the blazing heat and humidity were just days away.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 8th: On this date...

... in 2009, the entire University of Kentucky fan base lost their freaking mind as a YouTube video was uploaded from the North Carolina Pro-Am. Why was this such a big deal? Well, it featured UK signee John Wall dribble-driving into the lane and absolutely dropping the hammer on Jerry Stackhouse. Big Blue Nation could not wrap their collective head around the fact this guy was going to be in Blue and White. There was no one in my lifetime that I could compare this kid's athleticism to. It was such a ridiculous cram that it undoubtedly stole the show from the football related activity happening the next day.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 7th: On this date...

... in 1990, the SEC was in the early stages of adding an 11th team to its conference. The Arkansas Razorbacks left the Southwest Conference after 76 years when they realized their conference was heading down the toilet. The 12th team would be added that September. The SEC chose South Carolina over Miami, FL. The new SEC would be split into two divisions, East and West, and would begin play as an expanded league in 1992. The basketball season would be cut to 16 games in conference, down from 18. Just a few years after joining the SEC, the 1994 Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team would win the NCAA Championship. It was the league's first NCAA Title since Goose Givens led your Wildcats to the top in 1978.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 6th: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. team continued their demolition of anyone in their path to advance to the medal round. The most recent victory, a 61-33 victory over the Peru Machu Picchus, moved them to 5-0 in the tournament. Head coach Omar Browning switched things up and played the Kentucky five in the first half and his team in the second half. Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones led the team with 12 points. Jones was an All-American forward at Kentucky and an All-SEC end for the Wildcat football team. His #27 jersey hangs in Rupp's rafters as he was a part of the very first Kentucky NCAA Championship team.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 5th: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. Olympic basketball team barrelled through their round robin play with a 66-28 beatdown of the Egypt Pyramids. The victory helped clinch a berth in the elimination side of the tournament. The Kentucky players didn't enter the game until the second half of the Egyptian thrashing because the head coach preferred to play the Cats as a unit. The win cemented the Americans as the favorite for the gold medal, as well as dominators of the world in general.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 4th: On this date...

... in 1948, your University of Kentucky all-time great, Mike Pratt, was born in Dayton, OH. (His future team was helping the USA earn a gold medal.) It must've been a sign from above, as Pratt would end up spending a ton of time in the Lexington area. He also played a key role in getting your current basketball coach, Coach Cal, to leave Memphis, as he assisted with the most recent UK coaching search. As we all should know, Mike is currently the color analyst for each Kentucky basketball broadcast, alongside play-by-play partner Tom Leach. But before he became ear candy for Big Blue Nation, he had a very successful basketball career under Adolph Rupp. Mr. Pratt was named first team All-SEC both in his junior and senior seasons. His career high was 42 points against Notre Dame in 1969, and his career ended with 1,359 points. This coming fall, Mike will start his 12th season on the radio. A season we can hopefully look back on and give a hat-tip Mr. Pratt's way. So a big thank you to Mr. & Mrs. Pratt of Dayton, OH, and a Happy Birthday to their son. He shares a birthday with Barack Obama, Roger Clemens, and Jeff Gordon.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 3rd: On this date...

... in 1948, the Wildcat-laden men's Olympic basketball team squeaked out a win over Argentina, 59-57. Alex Groza's key bucket gave the Uncle Sam's the lead for good late in the game. He finished with 11 points, Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones had 4, and Ken Rollins 3. Two other Kentucky players, Cliff Barker and Ralph Beard, did not play. No other team would get this close to defeating the Americans. These colors don't run.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 2nd: On this date...

... in 1948, the U.S. Olympic basketball team was on their way to a gold medal, routing the European champions, Czechoslovakia, 53-28. Wildcat Ralph Beard led the Kentucky players with 7 points. Kenny Rollins had 6, while Cliff Barker scored 5. Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones and Alex Groza went scoreless. Then they forced all the nations in the world to proclaim Kentucky as the greatest basketball program in the history of the world. The End.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

August 1st: On this date...

... in 1963, Kentucky great John "Frenchy" DeMoisey passed away a week after suffering a heart attack. DeMoisey played three seasons under Adolph Rupp, 1931-32, '32-'33, and '33-'34. He shares the same number (00) as another Kentucky great, Tony Delk. An All-SEC player in 1933-34 and named an All-American in 1934, DeMoisey served as the Kentucky team captain. He later served as an administrative assistant to A.B. "Happy" Chandler. A native of Georgetown, Kentucky's record during his time was 50-6. 

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 31st: On this date...

... in 1980, President Jimmy Carter invited all 505 athletes from the imaginary U.S. Olympic team to Capital Hill for a ceremonial Gold Medal. Each would-be Olympian received the award for their solidarity in not competing in the Moscow games. The man in the center of the back row, Wildcat Sam Bowie, was a member of this team. He became the 8th Wildcat to be awarded the Olympic Gold Medal. The 1980 team was the youngest U.S. Olympic basketball team ever. They competed in the Gold Medal Series, exhibition games against NBA All-Star teams, and went 5-1. Sam Bowie was second on the team in scoring during these games with 11.5 PPG. He also added 7.0 RPG - 2 APG - 2.2 BPG against his NBA counterparts, leading the team in blocks and rebounding.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 30th: On this date...

... in 2006, Kentucky great and Rupp Runt Pat Riley was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. An All-American at Kentucky, Riley was a member of the 1966 Runner-Up team that lost to Texas Western. Riley went on to be selected by the San Diego Rickets in the first round of the 1967 NBA Draft. He later joined the Los Angeles Lakers and helped them win the 1972 NBA Championship. And if that wasn't enough, he won another Championship as an assistant coach, then five more as a head coach. Few basketball minds think Pat Riley isn't one of the greatest NBA coaches to ever live. Respected as a player, coach, and executive, Riley is second only to Lenny Wilkins on the all-time NBA wins list. He was also the mastermind behind pulling one of the biggest free agency coup's in NBA history with the summer acquisition of LeBron James for his Miami Heat squad.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 29th: On this date...

... in 1948, the men pictured above started their journey to the Olympic Gold Medal. The team consisted of 14 amateur players from two different teams. The teams, in this case, were the Phillips Oilers and your University of Kentucky Wildcats. The two teams had played an Olympic tryout, an epic 53-49 win by the Oilers. At the time, it considered one of the greatest basketball games ever played. The Oilers win meant Bud Browning would be the head coach of the Olympic team, with Mr. Rupp as his assistant. Kentucky's five players were: Alex Groza, Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones, Cliff Barker, Kenny Rollins, and Ralph Beard. The Uncle Sam's blasted the Frenchies back to...well...France, in the Gold Medal game, 65-21.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 28th: On this date...

... in 1993, future Kentucky Wildcat Derek Anderson led his North team to a gold medal in the U.S. Olympic Festival. The North team beat the West team 106-96. Anderson, an Ohio State Buckeye at the time, had 20 points in the gold medal-deciding game. The game was played in San Antonio, Texas, before a crowd of 7,458. UK legend Jared Prickett also played in the festival.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 27th: On this date...

... in 2009, your former University of Kentucky Wildcat standout defensive end, Jeremy Jarmon, officially signed a four-year contract to become a member of the Washington Redskins. Jarmon was forced to enter the 2009 NFL Supplemental Draft after being ruled ineligible by the nice people at the NCAA. Ironically, he was ruled ineligible because of supplements. It took less than two weeks for the Skins and Jarmon to reach a deal, signifying a mutual interest that both parties are ready to get it going. Double J was probably one of the bigger names in the Supplemental Draft in the past decade. The deal was four years with a signing bonus of $755,000. Not bad for a student who a few months before was in the middle of a public relations nightmare.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 26th: On this date...

... in 2007, your University of Kentucky Wildcats first extended a scholarship offer to John Wall (under a regime that many fans claim never existed). And as any fan can tell you, that's all it took. Just like that, he committed to Kentucky. Here is an excerpt from their 2007 Vegas recap:

"In action from the Reebok Summer Championships, 2009 point guard prospect John Wall once again got to the basket at will and either finished or handed off some outstanding interior passes. In fact, he sent the game to overtime with a series of driving lay ups against the Mokan Players and then won the game for D-One Sports with a wrap around pass in the lane for a game winning assist at the buzzer. With great length for his position and unbelievable speed, Wall has a unique ability to finish difficult lay ups. In a game where he scored 23 points and had five assists, Wall missed only one shot inside the arc. If Wall develops anything close to a consistent jumper, it is hard to imagine how he could possibly be defended."

Jerry Meyer also had high praise for UK target Jon Hood:

"Standing out as one of the better prospects in the game was 2009 6-foot-5 shooting guard Jon Hood of the Nashville Celtics. Hood led the Celtics with 15 points and spent a lot of the game handling the ball. A likely four-star prospect, Hood has above average athleticism and looked quite comfortable shooting the ball off the dribble."

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 25th: On this date...

... in 2006, WKYT's Steve Moss had an entry on his blog which he recalls a meeting between he, Drew Deener, and Brooks Downing (UK Sports Information Director from 1995-2003). Downing told the two a behind-the-scenes story about the UK-Duke 1998 NCAA Regional Final in St. Pete. There was a meeting that took place between officials from the NCAA, San Antonio, UK, and Duke to discuss logistics and the Final Four. Downing said while they asked question after question, the Duke people never asked the first question. Their party had already been to San Antonio to tie up all the loose ends for their upcoming Final Four trip. And by upcoming Final Four trip, we mean the one they never made; after Tubby's Comeback Cats overcame a 17-point second half deficit. Downing later added, "To know that we derailed their entire flight plans, hotels, meal plans, everything, made it that much more special." Indeed Mr. Downing. Indeed.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 24th: On this date...

... in 1996, Kentucky legend Tony Delk signed a three-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets, who selected him with the 16th overall pick in 1996. The shooting guard was named Most Outstanding Player in the 1996 Final Four, and finished his career fourth in all-time scoring for the storied program...........FOURTH. Just in case you forgot how awesome Delk was, there's no way a 6'1" shooting guard goes 16th in an NBA Draft anytime soon. Delk most memorable game in the NBA was while he was in Phoenix. He dropped 53 on the Kings in 2000. He is currently on the new staff at New Mexico State after a minute on Coach Cal's bench and is long overdue to have a jersey retired.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 23rd: On this date...

... in 2006, the Joe B. & Denny Show starting airing live in Lexington. The former rival coaches had began their show in March of 2004 and within a year had been picked up by 21 stations. The show hasn't even lost steam seven years later, as it continues to be a highly rated show across the Commonwealth. The two often trade jabs and go 10-15 seconds without uttering a word. The best show was on the way to the 2006 Music City Bowl against Clemson. They were doing the show live from an RV on the way to Nashville and seemed to be having a very good time. I'm almost positive they weren't driving.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 22nd: On this date...

... in 1998, your University of Kentucky Wildcats pulled a fast one on the Utes with a bet of epic proportions. After the Cats took down Utah in the National Championship, 78-69, the Utah Geological Survey had to send a 550 million year-old fossil to the Kentucky Geological Survey. The fossil was concentrated on a slab of Limestone. I'm fairly certain all Utah did was FedEx some kid's pet rock to Lexington claiming it was a bazillion years old. Utah had the last laugh, though, as exactly 11 years to the day, Lexington announced they would be shutting down South Limestone for a year for construction. Coincidence?

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 21st: On this date...

... in 1962, 36 year-old Mr. Wildcat was hired as the University of Kentucky's assistant equipment manager. Bill Keightley, a former Marine who served in World War II and current member of the U.S. Postal Service was asked to help out equipment manager George Hukle. It was a part-time job for the Lawrenceburg, KY native, about four hours a day. From this date on, Mr. Wildcat was a part of the richest tradition in college basketball. Keightley was an All-State center as a senior for Kavanaugh High School in 1944. He was a staple of Big Blue Nation for over 45 years, and was the ultimate fan and genuine person in the most public of spotlights. The man witnessed over 1,100 UK wins and was on board for three National Championship runs. Mr. Bill wore one championship ring on each hand and kept one in his pocket. Legendary broadcaster Cawood Ledford and Keightley remain the only non-player/non-coach in Kentucky history to have a jersey retired in their honor.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 20th: On this date...

... in 1983, alumni pickup games were the flavor of the month as Kenny "Sky" Walker battled current and former Cats in full-court games. One team Walker faced was made up of Kyle Macy, Charles Hurt, Dirk Minniefield, Vince Sanford, and Rick Robey. Walker had played in the National Sports Festival a few weeks earlier and was named MVP after going for 24 pts - 8 rebs in the Championship game for the South squad. The coach for the South that day.........Mike Kryzsdhlsuaiheaski. The team and everyone involved with the pickup games called Sky a Beast.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 19th: On this date...

... in 2006, the University of Kentucky self-reported a secondary NCAA violation due to its rabid, foaming at the mouth fanbase. Fans stormed Patrick Patterson's Myspace page trying to convince him to come to Lexington. Patterson was sent lewd photos and borderline creepy messages from people like this, this, and this. Our own fans posted how Kentucky players gained special privileges around town and on campus. And while everyone knows that may be the case, we're the only fanbase stupid enough to shout it out for everyone to hear. Ultimately, nothing really came of it and we landed Patterson. On the other hand, it is said to be the reason DeAndre Jordan crossed UK off his list first. Years later, fans would once again use this tactic on highly ranked recruit John Wall.  We all know how that turned out.  And now, it's commonplace for  any fan to do this with the exception of no one is at Myspace anymore.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 18th: On this date...

... in 1974, a future University of Kentucky star was born in Louisville, KY, as the one and only Derek Anderson came into the world. Anderson played for Doss High while stationed in "Da Ville" before moving on to Columbus, OH, and the Buckeyes. His first season in the Blue & White came during the 1995-96 campaign, as he was a member of the second best team in America: the Kentucky bench. The uber-athletic Anderson will always be remembered for cramming on Indiana and Louisville and the fun he had doing it. Big Blue Nation was one DA knee injury away from having a mini-dynasty from 1996-98, as the senior's season was limited to only 19 games. He scored exactly 337 points in each of his season's in Lexington, and his stats as a whole almost mirrored each other in half as many games. The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted DA with the 14th pick in the 1997 NBA Draft. Anderson's most recent notariety came as he made a documentary about the '96 Cats entitled "Untouchables".

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 17th: On this date...

... in 2008, ya boy Billy Clyde announced at a press conference that he and the University were on the verge of signing a formal contract. He said a pair of meetings between President Lee Todd and AD Mitch Barnhart had ironed everything out and the University would have a contract on his desk within days. Hindsight lets us know the man pictured above had no intentions of ever signing a formal contract, leaving him some wiggle room with the Memorandum of Understanding.

"It hasn't been a big deal to me since day one," Gillispie said. "I don't think it's been that big a deal, but they're getting me a contract here in the next few days that has the changes that we discussed, and I don't foresee it being any kind of problem."

Of course not...

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 16th: On this date...

... in 1993, your University of Kentucky Wildcats point guard Travis Ford helped Team USA beat the communism out of China at the World University Games 129-91 to advance to the gold medal game. Ford, who was coming back from a minor knee injury, bucketed 16 points. Team USA would later win gold, prompting wind guy T. Boone Pickens to offer Travis the Oklahoma State job. These were the first World University Games held in the U.S. since 1972. Chicken guy Kenny Rogers was featured during the opening ceremonies.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 15th: On this date...

... in 1940, Allen Feldhaus, a former player under Adolph Rupp and father of Unforgettable Deron Feldhaus, was born in Burlington, Kentucky. He played for Coach Rupp from 1959-62, and though he wasn't a big scorer, his physical presence in the post made teams account for him. One example of this is versus Tennessee January 15, 1962: After Cotton Nash had exchanged blows with UT's Sid Eliot, Feldhaus entered the scrum, chasing Eliot around the court with his fist cocked, all but ending the cheap shots on Nash. Feldhaus later became a coach at Mason County, leading the Royals to four regional titles and a runner-up finish in the 1981 Sweet Sixteen.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach

July 14th: On this date...

... in 2009, your University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team member Darius Miller arrived back home from down under (New Zealand) with a gold medal around his neck. For the first time since 1991, Team USA has won a gold at a Junior World Championship, this time it was at the FIBA Under-19 World Championships. It took our nation 18 years to realize that all it needed was a current UK player on the team to win a gold. There was actually another association on the team from Lexington, as Bryan Station's Shelvin Mack was a point guard on the team. Other members of the team included Gordon Hayward and Seth Curry. They handled Greece in the Gold Medal round, 88-80, to complete a perfect 9-0 record in FIBA U-19 World Championships in New Zealand.

Darius' complete tournament line:

9 Games, 17-27 FG (63%), 0-4 3PM, 11-14 FT (78.6%), 130 minutes

Averages: 5.0 PPG - 3.1 rebs - 1.3 assts - 1.3 blks - 1.6 stls - 1.6 TOs