Published: October 17, 2007 06:49 pm         

Maynard: Where Were You 10/18

It’s already in the books — and the memory banks. Instant classic? You betcha. My guess is the good folks at Kentucky will have a highlight video — “The Day the Cats Put the ‘L’ in LSU” — ready for Christmas.

Kentucky’s 43-37 triple-overtime thriller over No. 1 Louisiana State will be a night this state will never forget.

Ten, 20 or even 30 years from now the question will come: Where were you when Kentucky defeated top-ranked LSU?

I’ve already heard from some who were in Commonwealth Stadium (that number will probably grow as the years progress, much like the New Yorkers who say they were at the Polo Grounds when Bobby Thomson hit the “Shot Heard ’Round the World” in 1951; the stadium held 34,000 but three times that many claim to have been there that historic day). I’ve heard from some UK fans who were in cars on the way home from fall break, some who were at weddings and even one poor tortured soul who found himself trapped at the airport.

These games don’t come along often. The last time it happened for Kentucky was 1964 against Ole Miss. That’s 43 years ago. Before that it was the 1951 Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma and we had the great Bear Bryant coaching the Wildcats then. That one couldn’t have been as big a shocker as this one.

The Associated Press has been releasing polls since 1934. The odds of even playing against a No. 1 team are not good. The chances of beating them? Slim. I enlisted some help from my sister-in-law, a math teacher at Blazer, to track the odds for me (since journalists are pretty much forbidden from doing any math equations). So here you go, compliments of the Blazer math department:

‰The odds of UK playing a No. 1 team (based on 767 games played since 1934 and 11 of those against No. 1 teams): 1:69. That translates into about once every seven seasons.

‰The odds of UK beating a No. 1 team (based on 767 games played since 1934 and three wins against No. 1 teams): 1:255. That translates into about once every 25 seasons.

That’s why if you watched this game, you’ll remember where you were for years to come. You may be telling your grandchildren, even great grandchildren, about the time ’ol Rich Brooks and the Wildcats took down the No. 1 team in the land on the second Saturday in October of 2007.

It’s reminiscent of the classic Duke-Kentucky basketball game in 1992. It’s been 15 years since that one. (I was fortunate enough to be in Philadelphia covering the game for this newspaper). But I bet you remember where you were, too.

Those in Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday should savor the moment, even if they had to stand up the entire game. The joint had to be jumpin’ after this one. Kentucky is regarded as a “basketball state” but that’s only because football hasn’t been nearly as successful. Kentucky fans love to win be it basketball or football or horseshoes. As the fans like to tell the coaches: We’re with you, win or tie.

Some were making the trek back home after a week at the beach or some other vacation destination. It was the end of fall break for most schools in the area. Many of those were either forced to call a friend for updates or maybe dial in on the radio, listening to Tom Leach call the game and hearing his trademark “TOUCHDOWN, KENTUCKY!” more times than they could have ever imagined.

Another told me about being at a wedding reception downtown where there were no televisions. Luckily, the Ashland Plaza Hotel was nearby and its lobby did have TVs. Many from the wedding reception crowded around for the exciting finish.

Another longtime UK fan from here was in the Atlanta airport when the game was being played. He was about to board his flight home when the third overtime was starting. He was able to delay getting onto the plane until hearing the final stop that clinched the victory. He then proudly proclaimed to those on the flight that UK had just beaten LSU. Most of them cheered. Half of them probably didn’t even know why.

Like many of you, I was at home watching every pulsating second. It was five hours of fantastic football.

My wife was at a wedding shower for much of the game but she kept calling the cell phone for score updates — and then passing that score on to those at the shower, proving it’s not just a guy thing — until making it back in time for the fourth quarter and three overtimes.

So many times UK’s tortured fans have been teased. So many times the Cats have played a great team close, only to find some way to lose in the end.

Was it going to be like that again?

When the last stop was made and the victory preserved — and No. 1 had been beaten — there was a giant gust of wind in Kentucky from all of us who were finally able to exhale.

A special moment had happened in UK sports history. Biggest win ever for the Wildcats’ football program? Maybe so, given the circumstances.

This much is for sure: You’ll always remember where you were the day Kentucky defeated LSU.

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.

     

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