Archive for September 15th, 2008|Daily archive page
Kentucky Football: Signs of things to come?
In Sports, UK Football on September 15, 2008 at 9:47 amIs this a sign of terrible things to come for UK football? Is it the coaches working the kinks out of inexperience? Was it just a momentary stroke of good fortune on the part of MTSU and UK overcame their mistakes to win a ball game.
I’ve been following UK football for a while now. I’ve been talking to UK football fans who have followed the program for years. One recurring theme when it comes to UK football is that every time UK starts to do well, the program self-destructs. Usually probation over recruiting violations. Most often, UK is caught at something comparatively laughable. But instead of fighting the NCAA like UT and Bama and USC, UK cooperates and is burned for their efforts.
USC gets a Reggie Bush and his agents. No problem. Ohio State gets caught paying it’s players thousand. No problem. A teacher comes out and verifies that UT is cheating academically, hell, the teacher gets fired and UT is cleared of any and all cheating.
UK gives a couple of jackets away and is caught writing a grand worth of checks. Probation time.
UK has enjoyed two successful seasons. 8-5 Bowl years. Sounds great. I love it. But I’m still waiting for the other shoe to fall. In some fashion or another.
I hope to god it doesn’t happen. I want the program to be successful. I’d love to Rich Brooks to retire with a BCS Bowl added to his resume.
Coach Brooks and company are making great gains in recruiting. This is hopeful. Signs of a program on the rise. They have beat UL two years in a row. This year they embarrassed the Cards in their own stadium. The Card fans ran out on their team before the 3rd quarter was over. Last year, Brooks had this team roaring. Defeating the #1 LSU in a huge upset. Ranked #8 in the country at one point. Then came 3 losses in a row. The Cats just didn’t have the depth to compete. Not even with Mississippi State. That’s not Brooks fault. That’s Kentucky Football.
Brooks seem to be doing everything right. He’s adding depth and talent. UK finally has a respectable Defense. A first in my memory.
I hope the end of the game is a symbol of persistance and not a sign of things starting to unravel. Kentucky plays in the SEC. If they don’t tighten up, there will be plenty of losses. UF. UGa. UT. Bama. All on the schedule. USC and Spurrier are on the schedule. the Gamecocks might be down. With Spurrier, they are never out.
UK must get at least 3 wins in the SEC. Arkansas, USC, VAndy and Miss. Those are 4 winnable games. UK has to take care of business here. That would be an 8 wins season and a good bowl game.
UT looks beatable this season. But Phat Phil isn’t going to take that last game of the season off. He’ll be ready for UK. That is for certain. In a down year like this one seems to be heading, a loss to UK would be unforgiveable. The Vols might chase him out of Knoxville. Hell, they might put him on the Big Blue Bus and tell him not to come back. So a UT win is going to be a challenge. But not impossible.
Upset one of UF, UGa or Bama.
Well, that’s a lot to hope for…but, if it happened. Oh, if it happened.
World War II: The Soldiers
In culture on September 15, 2008 at 1:16 am
These are photos of my Grandfather and his fellow soldiers in the Pacific Theatre. Grandpa Les was fond of telling us that he served under MacArthur during the war. He was part of the post-War occupation force which entered Japan after the peace was signed. I’m not certain how long he stayed on after the cessation of hostilities.
He told us plenty of stories though. Stories of Gold and Women. Soldiers and Officers looting. He brought back a Samarai Sword set. Unfortunately, one of his sons sold it cheaply because he was too ignorant to know it’s true value. Hopefully, that sword will be returned to it’s home someday.
One story that Grandpa Les told me was of gold that he and some of his fellow soldiers looted at the end of the war. I can’t remember the whole of the story. But I’ll give an outline of what I do remember.
It seems that somehow, Grandpa and a friend came upon some bars of Gold. They hid it in their barracks for a time. But when word got out that some soldiers had looted gold in the barracks, they had to find a way to hide it. What they did was crazy. They found a well. Packed the gold in Ammo crates and threw the gold down the well. They figured that they would return at a later date. Reclaim the treasure and return to America with their riches.
In time, they were all transferred out. No one to my Grandfathers knowledge was able to get back to the gold deposit.
For all I know, there is a well somewhere near the original home of the 1st Cav Division in Japan with a small horde of gold in it. I have no idea if the story is true or if Grandpa was making it all up to entertain us.
In any case, these photos are of Grandpa Les and his fellow soldiers of the Pacific Theatre. These guys went through hell and back together and with General MacArthur. Grandpa Les was proud of his service as I’m sure the rest of his fellows were. And rightfully so.
“Never in the field of human conflict, has so much, been owed by so many, to so few!”
Winston Churchill – September 1940
“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense…With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounded determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God.”
President F.D. Roosevelt – 8th December 1941“It is my earnest hope – indeed the hope of all mankind – that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world found upon faith and understanding, a worl dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice.”
- General Douglas Macarthur, Supreme Allied Commander of South-West Pacific (1945)“They have given their sons to the military services. They have stoked the furnaces and hurried the factory wheels. They have made the planes and welded the tanks. Riveted the ships and rolled the shells.”
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (addressing women’s contributions to the war)
