Ike &at&' T^cucde
Cats'1 Pause Publisher
Learning The Art Of "Bowling
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Pardon me folks, but this bowl stuff takes a little getting use to. And if our good hosts in Birmingham will just bear with us, they'll discover Big Blue fans know how to party with the best of them.
Kentucky fans have been experts at tailgating on Saturday afternoons during the fall, but this December stuff, well, we're learning.
Of course everyone remembers how Kentuckians turned out in record numbers for the Peach Bowl of 1976, but that one was the first bowl UK played in since I was eight years old. Now, mind you I'm no spring chicken either.
So when the Cats were invited to the Hall of Fame Bowl last year with a 6-4-1 mark, some were skeptical. The numbers proved it. And then there were some Big Blue fans saving their money for a trip to Seattle for the Final Four with the Twin Towers.
The Twin Towers have since departed. The roundball Cats are no threat to the Final Four this season and even if they should pull off a miracle, the stage would be at nearby Rupp Arena.
So there's a big switch. The UKfaithful have sucked it up and are beginning to live-and-die gridiron sport. I understand a few Big Blue fans have been reaching-out-and-touching-someone (ala Ma Bell commercial) in places like Alabama and Georgia, hoping to learn how to act at these bowl events.
The way I hear it is that they've been told not to pay any attention to anyone from the state of Alabama, particularly Ray Perkins or Pat Dye because Perkins thinks bowls are a
morning breakfast with cereal while Dye truly believes fans should diet daily without the use of sugar.
Nevertheless, any normal person knows a Hall of Fame is the pinnacle of success, at least that's what folks in Kentucky beleive. After all, why would anyone want to accept anything less than the best, two years in a row?
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As thousands of Big Blue fans hit the highways this week for the trip to Birmingham, one cannot help from peaking into the future of University of Kentucky athletics.
It is at the crossroads and the word cannot be overemphasized.
UK is truly on the brink of achieving greatness or taking the other path.
While football is flexing its muscles and on the verge of challenging the powers of the Southeastern Conference in the near future, the basketball Wildcats are in a minor rebuilding stage, but it should be in sound shape by tournament time.
Unlike most universities around the country, Kentucky is in excellent financial shape. The UK program is in no immediate danger of going broke. If
If the University continues what appears to be a near spirit and renewed enthusiasm in promoting Kentucky athletics.
For instance:
f Minutes after UK's 17-12 upset over Tennessee, UK athletics director Cliff Hagan told TCP "we're really going to go all-out for the Hall of Fame and show them what we can do." UK did just that with a much-improved
public relations campaign of encouraging fans to make the trip to Birmingham. It wasn't the greatest promotion in the world, but it was certainly a great improvement over ones of the past. More than anything else, it showed a positive attitude toward promoting.
f Over the past three years, UK sports information director Russell Rice has instituted a weekly press conference with coaches Jerry Claiborne and Joe B. Hall, complete with luncheon buffet with the media. UK is telling the media, "yes, we want to make your job a little easier."
f Just three months ago, Rice's office began a special sports hotline for writers and broadcasters to provide up-to-the-minute reports on various UK sports, including interviews for media people who can't get to Lexington every day.
f Both major sports have been making their players available for local radio talk shows on a regular basis. Football players appear regularly on a Lexington station each Monday evening and basketball is doing the same thing. No holes barred. The atmosphere is completely open.
f Even though Louisville (which had a reputation of being completely available to the media) has consistently barred reporters from player interviews at least three days before its annual game with UK, the Wildcats' staff has permitted reporters to conduct interviews all the way up to the day of the game.
f The latest innovation for the media is at basketball games where Hagan has upgraded the traditional hot dog
and coke for a broader menu. Even the coaching staff's wives got into the act by sending a huge spread of Christmas snacks to the media during the UKIT last weekend.
Such thoughts may seem insignificant to many people, but it's those kinds of deeds which go a long way in how the media (rightly or wrongly) judges a school and its program.
Another case in point is the Hall of Fame Bowl where the people in Birmingham do absolutely nothing in the line of reserving rooms for out-of-town media. Again, UK came to the rescue for several Kentucky media people.
Sure, Kentucky is beginning to put its best foot forward. More importantly for Kentucky is to continue its grand hospitality. UK might be surprised how well it is received.
Monday night, Coach Joe B. Hall and his Wildcats will be trying to even their mark at 4-4 when the Cats take on highly regarded Kansas at Louisville's Freedom Hall.
This game should be a real barometer for the Big Blue as they head toward the Southeastern Conference race. A win here is a must if the Cats have any chance of challenging for the upper three spots in the SEC affair.
Traditionally, UK plays well in Louisville and despite the seven-point loss, the effort put forth in the UL game was one of the best of the
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Hoop Cats Join Hall OfFamers In, "On, On U OfK
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Joe     Cliff And Jerry
If you don't think there's harmony between the football and basketball progarms at Kentucky, then you're obviously not aware of a genuine ole-fashioned pep rally involving the two sports' athletes last week.
Coach Joe B. Hall's basketball Wildcats paid a surprise and sudden visit to their football buddies at the Seaton Center as Jerry Claiborne's footballers went inside (to avoid the heavy rains) to prepare for the Wisconsin Badgers in the upcoming Hall of Fame Bowl on December 29.
The entire basketball team made the trip across campus to show its support and appreciation for the football team.
Claiborne summoned the players to a group huddle to hear senior Bret Bearup and sophomore co-captain Winston Bennett tell them how much the basketball players enjoyed watching the football Cats play this year.
The inspiration and admiration were mutual.
Oliver White, captain of the football squad's offensive team, replied to the basketball players, "we know you've had a rough start, but we're with you all the way. We wish you the best of luck in the tournament and throughout the season."
Then, the jolting climax as both clubs broke out in a dazzling rendention Of "On, On, U of K," the Wildcat fight song.
A veteran observer said the surprise and private pep rally was the first such one he can recall at the University of Kentucky.