Special Thanks To Big Blue Booyah
Kentucky standout Tayshaun Prince helped the Americans destroy Spain, http://www.nbcolympics.com/basketball/resultsandschedules/rsc=BKM400B12/index.html. 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, http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=7177, he refused to give Coach K his gold medal.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Alex Groza's 19 points and Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones' 10 points lead the Americans to a 71-40 beatdown of the Mexico Jalapenos. 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.
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.