I was indoctrinated in to the craziness that is Big Blue Nation as an eight year old child. My father was a UK grad who was too nervous to watch the 1978 NCAA Final so I watched it for him as he drove around our small Southern California town. Ever since then, that game has remained seared in my memory as the moment I started "bleeding blue".

I have had other sports allegiances as I grew up, but none of them has made a deep a mark as my fandom of Kentucky and Big Blue. Is "fandom" even a word? I apologize for my poor grammar but I have had SEVERAL IPAs and I am quite quite ecstatic and delirious in this post championship glow.

I have never attended a Kentucky school nor lived in the Bluegrass State but I bleed a blue just as a royal as y'all. I know the history of the program from Rupp through Hall through to Calipari. I have cried tears of sadness in '92 (%$#%&$% Laettner!) and tears of joy, WAY TO GO 2011-2012 CATS!!!!

This team is now tied as my personal favorite with the 1991-1992 Unforgettables...how I love that their jerseys were retired in the hallowed rafters of Rupp Arena.

Rejoice Big Blue Nation, rejoice! The sun will shine bright on all our Kentucky homes be they actual or symbolic.

GO CATS!!! GO BIG BLUE!!!

Sean Jones SS/FS formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles is now a Buccaneer according to Steve Duemig of WDAE in Tampa.   I feel that this was a good pick up for the Bucs as we definitely need some competition at safety in order to improve this team.   What does everyone think of this move?    At least it proves that One Buc Place isn't completely brain dead right?   Or does it?    I apologize for no links but it's breaking news so I or someone can add one later I guess.

 

Go Bucs!

The Bucs announced this afternoon that they have re-signed QB Luke McCown.

I have always liked the guy, he throws a nice deep ball and he's pretty mobile.  IMHO his interceptions are a result of inexperience and that with playing time he will improve his decision making. 

What do y'all think about this signing in the Land of Red, Pewter and Black?

 Here is the ESPN Link

GO BUCS!

 

I can't wait for the draft...

Added to by JScott:

Head Coach Raheem Morris on QB Luke McCown:

"Luke McCown is a talented and athletic quarterback who we have gotten to know well over the last four years," "I know he is looking forward to the opportunity to be an integral part of our quarterback group this season." - St. Pete Times

QB Luke McCown on his decision to return:

"It was made clear to me over the process, over the weekend and today, that I was going to get a shot to compete to be the starter and the leader of this team and that's all I asked for and I'm excited for that chance,'' "I was looking for somebody, be it Mark or Raheem -- and it turned out it was both -- to show that confidence in me, that they were willing to give me a chance, that they see the potential I have to be a starter and not just a guy to hold down the position but lead the team for a couple of years, that's what I was looking for, someone to show me that support, and once I saw that, it was a no brainer for me.'' - St. Pete Times

QB Luke McCown on the opportunity bestowed upon him:

"There's no question in my mind, I'm ready to compete,'' McCown said. "I didn't bother to ask who, if anybody else, they were targeting (at quarterback). That didn't matter to me. I'm going to do everything I can to be the leader of this team and take us back to the playoffs. I think my teammates know that. I think everybody knows I just needed a chance.'' - St. Pete Times

He just needed a chance, that’s fine with me. He received chances in the past from Gruden, they were never long winded chances and so it appears he may get that shot. Hopefully he realizes (and I’m sure he does) that Brian Griese and Josh Johnson aren’t going to lay down and allow him to become ‘The Man’ while they sit back with clipboards. A healthy QB competition without preconceived notions about the guys competing is just what this franchise needs while moving forward with a new regime. New Offensive Coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski will have all off-season to figure out who will run his offense the best. That alone should excite Bucs fans. Well that and McCown’s signing was followed by the Bucs trading a draft pick for a retired QB who has no intentions of playing for them. It is certainly a new day.

G.M. Mark Dominik alluded to having a plan for the QB position when he was initially hired and it appears McCown was a key cog in that plan considering the $7.5 million he gave him for the next two seasons. I think this decision does two things for the Bucs and their new staff: #1: It allows them to see if the 28 year old (When the season starts) Luke McCown is capable of being a starting QB in this league, if anybody can push him to do just that it’s Jags and Steve Logan. #2: If McCown is not up to the task and the Bucs fail miserably to a (4-12) record or worse they are set-up perfectly to draft their Franchise Quarterback next off-season when Texas’ Colt McCoy and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford both declare for the NFL Draft. Obviously scenario number 2 is a bit farfetched and quite pessimistic, but it is a real scenario worth contemplating. If anything this signing marks the end of the Jeff Garcia experiment. It’s kind of funny in that Garcia came to Tampa demanding his fellow QB’s take ‘their’ seat on the bench, in the end it appears those bench warmers will have the final laugh

Poll

How do you see the McCown signing?

19%

This IS our Franchise Quarterback

20 votes

12%

To paraphrase Jeff Garcia, 'He'll keep the bench warm'

13 votes

48%

A solid back-up, hopefully he matures into a starter's role

49 votes

18%

When does Free Agency start?

19 votes

101 votes | Poll has closed

Wow...well the Gruden QB Carousel has begun again.

As much as I appreciate what Jeff Garcia did for the Bucs last season, I just can't help but notice that he has not been the same QB since the back injury.   Additionally,  the pre-season circus of the Brett Favre Show I'm sure did not help with the psyche of Mr. Garcia.

I reluctantly have to agree with this move by Chuckie...Griese looked smooth and in control during his brief pre-season appearances and I feel hopeful for Buccaneer success this Sunday.

 

What do y'all think?

I may be talking out of my hiney, but it seems like a bad trend has developed over the last 2 seasons where nationally televised Padre games involve oddly poor pitching performances from our hallowed staff.

1. Trevor Hoffman in last year's All Star Game...
2. Last year's playoffs (exception being CY)
   

Although losing to St. Louis had MORE to do with bad offense

3. Jackie Robinson Day this year...
4. The two weekend games with the Braves most recently and...
5. CY getting the loss in last night's All Star Game

Is there a pattern here or am I just being a negative a-hole?

Regards,

A Concerned Friar Fanatic

There is nothing I like better than spending $125 on a Toyota Terrace ticket in order to be surrounded by SAHKS fan...it was really brutal

Can we Padre fans not fill up at least 50% of the seats in Petco for a major interleague series?

Oh, and another thing...whoever produces the whole Petco audio/video experience needs to be fired or spend a week at Dojir Stadium..as much as I hate to say it, win or lose it's an impressive show

The only cool moment of production yesterday was Metallica for Hoffman...it provided me with 30 seconds of relief from those pasty BAHSTAN fans