My First Love

As most have read, I'm working out a lot in the mornings with my wife and have been enjoying more and more as I go (I know...crazy). But the one workout that is kicking my butt right now is my Weight and Resistance Training class that I'm taking on Tues and Thurs. I am very fortunate that I know the professor/drill sergeant that is going to be putting me through the ringer for the semester. Let me say that I know her through her husband and one of my best friends. We've met on a couple of occasions and have never really talked much. However, this class will allow us to get to know one another a little better. Additionally my drill sergeant and her husband are HUGE Memphis fans.

Here's a little back story...

Last Wednesday night, Memphis had a chance to set the record for consecutive conference wins in a row and unfortunately, they lost. So they are now tied in the history books with a team for the most wins in a row in conference play. The irony is who they are tied with...Kentucky. Yep, that same team that took their former coach and that same team that happens to be my favorite team. So, living in Memphis, I'm always faced with the dilemma of rooting for two teams that don't like each other. I always tell people that UK is my 1a and Memphis is my 1b. My explanation for Memphis is pretty simple. My dad went to Memphis and I remember watching games with him as a kid. Also, I currently go to Memphis, work for the soccer team, and have lived in the city for some time. So Memphis is in my blood.

Well, I was talking to my drill sergeant last week and asked her if her husband was upset about the loss, to which she replied, "Yes, I just left him alone as he didn't want to talk." So we talked a bit about the irony of who they were tied with and I said something to the effect of, "You know, I'm happy because I'm a UK fan and a Memphis fan and they both get to share the record." She looked at me with an almost disgusted look on her face and said, "NO, you cannot be a fan of both teams", to which I replied, "I can't be a fan of two different teams or just those two particular teams?" She smiled and told me that it was UK and Memphis that I had to pick sides with.

So I feel the need to explain my fanhood for UK. It was, my first love....


I grew up in Lexington, KY listening to the legendary Caywood Ledford calling every game. My cousin, Randy and I use to play nerf basketball in his downstairs basemen while listening to games. While most kids growing up would pretend to be Batman, Superman, Michael Jordan, or Joe Montana, I would pretend I was Rex Champman.



Rex was considered a "local" kid from Bowling Green, KY and was a beloved player for UK. "King Rex" and "Rexington Kentucky" were just a few of the names he was given as a player at UK.

From then on I was hooked. I wanted to be Rex Chapman and I wanted to play for the University of Kentucky basketball team. The only problem was that I never grew much and I was always better at soccer.

I spent a large part of my childhood going to UK games at Rupp Arena and football games at Commonwealth Stadium. While the football team isn't as well known as their basketball team, I followed them nonetheless. (I can't stand it when someone is a fan of one sport, say football, and not a fan of the others...you see that a lot with UT fans. Look people, you support a UNIVERSITY not a sport.)

When I moved to Memphis, my love for all things UK actually grew because I was away from going to games and chatting with friends about UK issues. My love for Memphis increased a lot as well because I started attending Memphis games (yes, football AND basketball) and my dad is a pretty big fan.

No one was ever bothered by my fanhood of UK until last March. when John Calipari left Memphis for Kentucky, then people told me I had to choose sides. Or as my drill sergeant stated, "You can't be a fan of both...it's not allowed." Pretty funny eh? Well, got news for ya...I am. I am a fan of both and nothing, not Calipari or even living in Memphis, will make me change my mind. I don't pick my coaches or players, I just support the team no matter what.

I do get the question of what happens if they play each other? Who do I root for? Well, in soccer I root for Memphis because they are my boys, my team, and paying for my school. In basketball, that's another story.

You don't ever forget or root against your first love.