ONE-MORE-YEAR!!

Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna show her a little TURKISH DELIGHT!!

Welcome to the family Big Guy!!
Dirk always wanted to be a Cat, could we finally have our Dirk?!

Got Dat Swag!

SEC CHAMPS XXVI

Farewell to a Big Blue Hero

Well, that bittersweet time of year is upon us. On one hand the postseason is just around the corner and theres nothing better than that, but it also brings with it the departure of kids we've grown to love. This year one dwarfs all the rest, and Im sure you guys can guess who Im talking about. I know there are other people leaving, including some seniors, but this guy deserves his own post.

I dont know how much you all followed recruiting back in 2007, but it was pretty much the jumping on point for me. The reason was simple, for the first time in my life as a UK fan our talent pool lacked a lot to desire, and it was time for me to see what the problem was. Patrick Patterson's recruitment took on a life of its own amongst my closest UK friends, we new this kid was the key to UKs future. Now in 2007 the world was a totally different place (lol), Florida had won BACK TO BACK NCAA championships and they were the presumed leaders for his service. UK had also missed out on a now legendary list of big men that we recruited from 2005-2007, it just seemed like there was no way we could land this kid. I was at Jefferson Mall when he made his announcement at a Verizon kiosk in the middle of the mall, I got a call from Chris and he told me Patterson picked UK and I screamed like a little girl right there. I was so happy I couldnt contain it. It was an uncertain time, UK had struggled for the last two years, we had a new coach, and Florida seemed like they had the SEC on lock, but landing a recruit like Patterson was exactly what the program had to have at that moment to survive.

Obviously things werent smooth sailing in Pats first two years, but he was a rock, and just try and envision what the program would have been without him. Just really think of how bad things were, and then how much worse they would have been if he hadnt been a Cat. It's insane, we might have fallen so far that we couldnt attract a big name coach like Cal, and Im not just being dramatic. I think we would have been looking at like 12-13 win seasons. Had he of gone to Florida they probably could have been final four contenders 2 out of the last 3 years rather than NIT laughing stock, but he came to Kentucky and he'll always be an all time favorite for me.

Now, regardless of how the year ends, we get to send him off in style. He's played on the most nationally covered team in the land, been on multiple magazine covers, won the SEC regular season title, and been ranked #1 this season. Given the hardships he endured under the BCG regime, any post season success we enjoy will just be gravy for #54. Im sure it doesnt hurt his feelings that he played himself into the lottery this year. Hes a special Wildcat, and he deserves every good thing he gets from here forward, hard to find any fan of college basketball who doesnt like the guy.

PATTERSON BOUNS PICS

What is Patterson looking at right there?
2008 will only be remembered for the epic failure down the stretch which is a shame because in between these two put on some of the finest shows this program has ever seen. They were LITERALLY part of a two man offense that BCG ran, as by his own admission he didnt feel we needed a 3rd scorer, but these two had us in the tourney last year until BCG lost the team in the final four games of the season. These two will always be kind of intertwined to me, no matter what kind of success Pat has had with the new crop of kids this year.
I dont see any video game covers in Pats future, but I do think he is gonna be a solid pro. You know hes gonna bust his ass and play hard nosed defense, if he can hit the open jumper he will have a 10 plus year career.
Just look at that raw emotion.
Take one last look, you can get more talented guys to come to your school, but this guy has been the total package since day 1, damn.... gonna miss him so bad.