Why So Blue, Panda Bear?

Well, today has been a l-o-n-g day, and I'm feeling a little down. What better way to remedy this situation than to make a list of my favorite/most memorably sports moments! (And, of course, watch UK's 1996 and 1998 NCAA Championship wins).

Note: in no particular order

1. UK football beating #1 LSU in 4 OTs (2007 I think). I was there, stormed the field, saved a tuft of grass, and participated in the craziness and delirium that all the fans felt. I mean, this never happens! UK is always last in the SEC. The victory was sweeter than a praline :)

2. 2010 SEC tournament in Nashville, the Cats are back! I witnessed one of the best cat and dog fights between Kentucky and Mississippi State in the championship game...from the sixth row, center court. No big deal. It was close the whole game, it went into overtime, I almost had a heart attack, and I had to catch a flight to Boston in a few hours. Even more than coming out the victor is the fact that Kentucky basketball is FINALLY getting back to where it should be.

3. Having John Wall for a year. Enough said.

4. This isn't a single event, but I just love getting ice cream with sprinkles in a little plastic Cincinnati Reds helmet at the baseball games! It's like the gift that keeps giving! You get to eat ice cream-yum!-and then keep the helmet, which you could go home and put ice cream in again! Brilliant!

5. Watching UK beat Duke in the 1998 NCAA tourney by overcoming a seventeen point deficit in the second half. Take that Coach K and the ACC-loving ex-announcer Billy Packer!

6. Witnessing, with utter joy, the Celtics defeating the Lakers to take the NBA championship back to Boston in 2008! Rajon Rondo blossomed into the dominating player that he is.

7. Patrick Sparks being fouled on a three point attempt as time ran out at the end of the UK vs. Louisville basketball game, and going on to make all three free throws for a one point margin of victory! I don't think he made consecutive free throws for the rest of the season, but he made them when it counted the most. Not to mention, making a difficult shot to send the game into overtime in that year's NCAA tourney against Michigan State. (We still lost, but that doesn't matter at this point).

8. Tiger Woods winning the U.S. Open in 2008, and all the other times he dominated. I know he's not perfect, but you have to admit that on the course, he is unstoppable. You see him come out on a Sunday afternoon wearing his I-will-destroy-you red shirt, and you settle down for a great round of golf. Coupled with these great memories, is watching Phil Mickelson crumble and fold faster than a crunchy fall leaf.

Well, I guess that's good for now. I've watched a lot of sports over my life thus far, and some of my greatest joys stem from them.