UK Wildcats Blog

UK Flashback: Kentucky vs. Georgia 1983

As the current UK basketball team readies itself for a game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at a Kentucky-Georgia game from long ago. This classic program cover is from the Kentucky vs. Georgia matchup at Rupp Arena on February 26, 1983. The cover features UK point guard Roger Harden. Kentucky took it to the Bulldogs on this night, winning the game by a score of 81-72

The 1983 Wildcats roster was packed with star power and included players like Jim Master, Melvin Turpin and freshman Kenny Walker. Other members of the 1982-83 Wildcats included Dirk Minnifield, Dicky Beal, Bret Bearup, Derrick Hord, Tom Heitz, Troy McKinley, Charles Hurt and Coach Joe B. Hall. The Georgia team at the time was led by junior Vern Fleming and were coached by Hugh Durham.

John Wall lands Sports Illustrated cover - UK SI cover history

University of Kentucky freshman star John Wall finds himself the cover man of this week's Sports Illustrated. The cover shot deems Wall "the Great Wall of Kentucky". The cover boldly proclaims Wall as the best college basketball player in the country.

Kentucky fans have had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness a true future star don the Kentucky uniform for the 2009-10 basketball season. Wall has already achieved a place among the greatest freshman to ever play for Kentucky, joining players like Rex Chapman and Jamal Mashburn as all-time great UK freshman. It is extremely likely we are watching Wall's only NCAA season, though there might still be some small chance he returns. As soon as Wall declares for the NBA draft, he will be the overall number one selection and will be a Kentucky fan favorite in the NBA for many years.

Wall's appearance on the cover of SI is not the first for a Kentucky player. Many great Kentucky teams, players and coaches have graced the cover since the 1960's. One of the earliest SI covers to showcase a Kentucky player was this one from 1962. This Sports Illustrated cover features former UK great Cotton Nash. In 1966, Kentucky was featured on the cover twice, once with legendary coach Adolph Rupp on the cover and again with Pat Riley on the cover from the 1966 NCAA Championship game.

In the 1970's, the Wildcats were featured three times, once in 1970 when Dan Issel joined three other players on the cover, again in 1975 when Mike Flynn was on the cover, and again in 1978. The 1978 cover features Kentucky legend Jack "Goose" Givens and his unforgettable performance in the 1978 National Championship game. Givens dropped 41 points in the game against Duke, giving Kentucky their fifth National Championship and first for coach Joe B. Hall.

In the 1980's, freshman phenom Rex Chapman shared the cover with football player Brian Bosworth in 1987. The other SI cover from the 1980's was the infamous Kentucky Shame cover that chronicled one of the darkest times in the history of the program. Probably one of the best SI covers ever for a Kentucky player came out in 1983. The cover featured an unforgettable image of Sam Bowie rejecting the shot of a Louisville player and had the headline Sam Bam! The issue chronicled UK's historic win over the rival Cardinals in 1983.

In the 1990's, the Wildcats dominated the college basketball landscape and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated multiple times. The most noteworthy appearance to Wildcat fans are the covers that commemorate the National Championship wins of 1996 and 1998. Other players featured on SI covers in the 1990's include Antoine Walker, Nazr Muhammed, Wayne Turner, and coaches Tubby Smith and Rick Pitino.

In 2009, current Kentucky superstar Patrick Patterson graced the cover of the College Basketball preview issue. The preview issue dubbed Kentucky as the pre-season number 5 team in the country, signaling their return to college basketball dominance with the arrival of John Calipari and a great freshman class. It is quite likely that we have not seen the last UK themed SI cover this season. Could there be another Championship issue featuring the Wildcats at the end of this season?

Here is a look at the other UK Sports Illustrated covers from the past: (click on all the images for larger views)

The 30th Anniversary of the Cats' Pause Yearbook

For thirty years Kentucky fans have looked forward to an event that takes place every preseason. No, it's not Midnight (or Big Blue) Madness or the tipoff of the season that I am referring to (though those are two great days for Kentucky fans!) For the last three decades, Wildcats fans have looked forward to the release of the Cats' Pause Kentucky Basketball Yearbook.

Today the thirtieth edition of the Cats' Pause Kentucky Basketball Yearbook hit newsstands around the Bluegrass State. The cover of this year's edition features the key figures who are going to return the Kentucky basketball program back to prominence in college basketball, new head coach John Calipari, freshman sensation John Wall and junior superstar Patrick Patterson. The excitement surrounding the arrival of Coach Calipari has the fans of Kentucky Basketball anticipating this season more than they have in a long time.

Before Kentucky basketball fans had all of the media outlets of today available to them, the Cats' Pause Yearbook was the only way they could get all of the information they needed for the upcoming season. Fans waited with great anticipation to get their hands on the newest edition. Before the days of the internet, the Cats' Pause Yearbook was the only source that fans had for information on all of the players and coaches and on the state of recruiting and blue chip high school stars.

The Cats' Pause has become a time machine for all of the great players and teams from the last thirty years of Kentucky basketball history. The classic covers over the years have featured some of the greatest players in the history of the program. The information in these classic yearbooks can be reflected upon today to remember the members of the UK program who have made Kentucky basketball what it is today. Looking back at the last thirty years of the Cats' Pause Yearbook allows you to see the best high school players of the times, some of whom have gone on to great basketball fame. As a Kentucky basketball fan in the 1980's and 1990's, the Cats' Pause Yearbook release was an event that was not to be missed.

That great feeling of anticipation has returned to the Big Blue Nation this season. The excitement surrounding the arrival of John Calipari and the freshman class have once again made getting your hands on the Cats' Pause Yearbook a must. The Cats' Pause has always been the source for Kentucky basketball history. The 2009-10 edition will go down in history as the first from the new era of Kentucky basketball and will become one of the most sought after collectibles in the future. If you haven't done it yet, get down to your nearest book store and get your hands on the latest edition of the Cats' Pause Yearbook and get the great feeling that you always had when you got your hands on this classic piece of UK history all over again.

1984-85 Kentucky Wildcats

This classic Kentucky basketball yearbook was from the 1984-85 preseason. The cover features head coach Joe B. Hall passing the ball on to the next generation of UK basketball stars in junior Kenny Walker and sophomore Winston Bennett. The Wildcats were coming off of a Final Four season and had graduated one of the most talented senior classes in the school's history. The 1984-85 season signaled the torch being passed from that class to the new stars of the Kentucky program.

The 1984-85 Kentucky Wildcats struggled to keep up with the successful pace of the previous year's team. The team finished the season with an 18-13 record. Notable wins during the 1984-85 season included those over then #11 Kansas and #17 N.C. State.

The 1984-85 Wildcats earned a #12 seed in the NCAA tournament. The team won two games in the NCAA Tournament and eventually lost to St. John's in the NCAA West Semifinals. The game against St. John's would end up becoming the last for legendary coach Joe B. Hall, who retired at the end of the season.

This core group of talent would go on to shine in the 1985-86 season, going 32-4 under new head coach Eddie Sutton. Walker would go on to become a First Team All-American and eventual NBA first round draftee. Bennet would become a first team All-SEC player as well. This classic UK basketball yearbook provides a great look back at these players, the uniform styles of the day and the final season of coach Joe B. Hall.

1996 Maker's Mark Kentucky Bottle

Another great item to come from the 1996 National Championship run of the Kentucky Wildcats was this great commemorative bottle from Maker's Mark. The bottle was issued just after the Wildcats claimed their sixth National Championship in 1996.

The label of the bottle was designed to mimic the denim colors of the Kentucky uniforms that they were wearing at the end of the season. The bottle is not technically an official UK licensed product, but there is no doubt what the subject is. The wax is covered by a label with KENTUCKY on one side and 1996 on the other.

This special commemorative bottle was one of the most sought after collectibles in 1996 to celebrate the championship season of the Kentucky Wildcats.

UK Team of the Decade Coca Cola

The 1990's were one of the most spectacular decades in the history of University of Kentucky Basketball. Coming off the probation years of the 1980's, the future began to look bright again with the arrival of Rick Pitino in 1989. The 1990's were filled with many great moments in the team's history. Rick Pitino led Kentucky to the Final Four in 1993 and to a National Championship in 1996. After a near miss in 1997, Tubby Smith continued that tradition with a National Championship run in 1998.

From the incredible run of the Unforgettables in 1992, the arrival of the Monster Mash, and the National Championship seasons of 1996 and 1998, the 1990's were definitely dominated by the Kentucky Wildcats.

These Coca-Cola bottles were issued in 1999 to commemorate the UK basketball program as the Team of the Decade. The bottles are a tribute to the many great accomplishments of the team throughout the decade. Few teams can lay claim to a run like that of the Kentucky Wildcats in that ten year period and these bottles were a great way to celebrate the team's dominance of the 1990's.

UK Basketball Schedules 1983-84

These player cards featured the 1983-84 Kentucky Wildcats basketball team and the season schedule on the back. The cards are a very simple one color design with the images of the coaches and players on the fronts. The schedules feature Sam Bowie and Melvin Turpin, along with Kenny Walker and many other familiar faces from the 1983-84 team. The back of each card has the UK basketball schedule for the 1983-84 basketball season.

The 1983-84 Kentucky Wildcats basketball team holds a special place in the hearts of all UK fans. The team entered the season with high expectations and a roster full of popular players. Reaching the Final Four was a great accomplishment for the team and the fans but the crushing loss to Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas in the Final Four still lingers in the minds of UK fans to this day. These classic schedules are a great tribute to this favorite Wildcats team from the 1980's.