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Limited Rupp Cups Available Ian. 7
When fans return to Lexington's Rupp Arena on January 7. they'll be able to collect what promises to be the most valuable souvenir Coke cup presented in the current series made available by the Lexington Center.
The new cup honors the late Adolph Rupp for whom the massive basketball facility was named. Only 23.000 cups (a natural limited edition since that is the capacity of Rupp Arena) will be made available to the public and only when a soft drink is purchased.
Two years ago, Rupp Arena concessions manager Denny Williamson came up with the idea of selling soft drinks in a designer collector's cup instead of the usual center cup.
The response has been phenomenal.
"Fans are able to keep a momento of the game and remember a former Kentucky great at the same time." said Williamson. "The series has been a great success thus far."
To date, eight different cups have been released at Rupp Arena, including the current one of the legendary Rupp. Each cup contains the art of a former Wildcat great and a brief sketch of his career. At the top of the cup is a commercial message from Coca-Cola and no doubt makes the cup series a highly profitable item for the Lexington Center.
When fans purchase large Coke drinks at the Alabama game on Jan. 6. they'll have a valuable Rupp souvenir cup, but it won't be the first one.
Ironically, another 23,000 cups of a different Rupp art print are floating around somewhere though.
"The cup we're going to sell is one we had specially designed by noted sports artist Steve Ford," explained Williamson. "The first cup manufactured by our suppliers simply wasn't a good cup and we sent them back to the factory. We want quality and we won't sell it unless it meets our standards."
Adolph Rupp Cup
The new cup on Rupp includes a portrait of the famed coach and a brief sketch about his career at Kentucky, including his many honors.
One fact is very noticeable, and that is his coaching record on the cup (880-190) differs from that recognized by the NCAA. Rupp coached played and won games in Europe at the request of the State Department back in the 1950s. Those victories were included in the UK press guide for years but the NCAA announced a few years ago those victories would not be recognized.
"Our opinion is that we would go along with what the Rupp family said the record was," said Williamson.
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Kingpin In Kentucky At Kristmas Time:
Looks Like The Kentucky Wildcats
People and things. Kingpin in Kentucky at Kristmas Time A few weeks ago it was suggested in this space that it was likely the best college basketball team in Kentucky would emerge from a contest played in Bowling Green Dec. 10.
Unranked, but defending national champion Louisville would play No. 8 rated Western Kentucky.
UofL played hard enough to win the game 60-58, but then the Cardinals played poorly in losing to DePaul three days later and struggled against Tampa. Too, Western was upset by Central Michigan a night after the UofL loss.
Bob Watkins
Cats' Pause Columnist
Kingpin at Kristmas time? The Kentucky Wildcats.
Eddie Sutton's team does not have as much talent as Western Kentucky or as much size as Louisville, but the Wildcats-seven men stronghave been consistent and played well enough together to win three of four games. UK was impressive even in a 5-point loss at Indiana.
As Sutton's team demonstrated against Lamar, the Wildcats play very well to their strengths  quickness on defense, crisp passing game, unselfishness, terrific shooting, and minimize their weaknesses. What weaknesses?
"Rebounding and the consistency of (James) Blackmon," Lamar Coach Tom Abatemarco said. "And of course, (Rex) Chapman is going to be up and down because he's a freshman."
And free throw shooting.
Abatemarco added, "This is not a franchise Kentucky team. But this is the type of team that could be there at the end, especially if (Robert) Lock comes along and he gets help from (Mike) Scott.
"Other than (Jim) Valvano (and North Carolina State), I'm going to be rooting for Kentucky this year.
"They play the best defense of anybody we've seen," he added.
Despite the injuries and short bench, UK is beginning to exhibit the kind of special chemistry that makes a winning club, the kind of makeup Louisville, for example, simply doesn't have yet and may not have this season, according to Coach Denny Crum after his team's 75-68 loss at home to DePaul.
Western? The big, talented Hilltoppers seem to have left something in New York City. Methinks Coach Murray Arnold will right Western however.
But for now, Kentucky is the best in the Kommonwealth.
New things for a new year
Following are some things I hope come to pass in 1987.
 Bob Knight replaces Billy Packer.
 Billy Packer replaces Bob Knight.
 Howard Cosell retires.
 Pete Rose retires.
 George Steinbrenner sells out; ditto Robert Irsay.
 Oscar Combs and Earl Cox form a real Kentucky Network, clear channel, 50,000 watts. Cox would be in charge of operations.
 Peter Ueberroth replaces Walter Byers.
 The 3-point line is moved to 20 feet, five inches.
 The NCAA rules that television may not change dates and starting times of college football and basketball games.
 The NCAA rules that 75 percent of monies coaches receive from sneaker companies must go into the general scholarship fund.
 LSU and the SEC get into a bidding war over Stan Torgerson. LSU wants him as director of athletics, the SEC wants him to replace Mark Womack.
 Somebody finally understands and tells the rest of us what Dale Brown is really trying to say.
 Rick Shaw (WVLK) and Paul Rogers (WHAS) get an opportunity to show what they can do on a "big game."
 Nick Nicholas changes his name. "Harvey" Nicholas.
 Scotty Baesler becomes president of the University of Kentucky.
 All those who have worn the title Mr. Basketball in Kentucky are recognized at the State Tournament in Rupp Arena.
 Susan Dey (L.A. Law) makes a cameo appearance with the Dance Kats.
 The Universities of Kentucky and Louisville play a football
game in October at Commonwealth Stadium.
 Chuck Broughton will make UK football fans say "Dollar who?"
 Somebody writes to tell us whatever happened to ... Lou Michaels, Mike Siganos, Bob Winkel, Bob Fry and Harvey Sword.
 UK plays one game at Memorial Coliseum against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. In 1988 the Eastern Kentucky Colonels ... in 1989 Morehead State ... in 1990 Murray State.
 Rupp's Runts (1966) are honored before the UK-Western game.
 Dan Issel's No. 44 is retired.
 The 1987 UKIT field includes Arkansas, Oklahoma State and Minnesota.
 Todd Ziegler scores 20 points in a game.
 Somebody writes to tell us whatever happened to ... Ray Mills, LaVon Williams, Shelby Linville, Mike Casey and Ned Jennings.
 Somebody writes what has become obvious about cheerleaders: Their routines have become so boring, they have strained for attention at risk of seriously injuring themselves.
 No more UK, UofL or other college games are played on Tuesday and Friday nights.
 The Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame will be kept alive since Billy Reed revived it two years ago.
 Frank Jacobs of Newport Central Catholic is named Kentucky's first ever Mr. Football.
 The Kentucky High School Athletics Association hires an image consultant and a sports information director.

People...
v Jack 'Goose' Givens, UK All-American and most valuable
Goose Not Fond Of Three-Point Shot
player in Kentucky's NCAA championship victory over Duke in 1978, has a view on the 3-point basket. "I don't like it. I hate it ... and I was a shooter."
Comment Givens scored 2,038 points for UK, third highest in history.
^ Roger Harden, playmaker on last year's UK team, said last week, "When I found out about all of the injuries (to UK squad) and that coach Sutton was taking walk-ons I was the first one to show up. But they (the NCAA) couldn't take me
Harden said he plans to return to classes at UK next semester and plans to be a member of Sutton's coaching staff next season, as a graduate assistant. Parting shot
Quote to remember from 1986: Larry Bird, two time MVP on his place in NBA history  "When I go down the road, people are going to forget how good I was. The main thing is to keep it all in perspective. I don't care if I'm the best in the league, just as long as I'm on the best team. I love to win the world championship. I've never had a greater feeling than that."
Happy New Year.H