As you guys probably know, next season, 2016 will be the 50th anniversary of one of our most beloved teams in our history, the 1966 Rupp's Runts. It's also a neat concidence that the very next year was my wife's Red Sox' (she's a native Bostonian) 1967 Impossible Dream season (won pennant after nine straight losing seasons...and three other teams were in the pennant race with a week to go), and they too are among the most beloved teams in Red Sox history...even though both they and the Runts had to settle for silver/second place.
And if I may take a moment to dispel a popular myth regarding the 1966 title game? Contrary to popular belief, Texas Western was NOT a big underdog in the title game and it was NOT an upset. True, Kentucky was #1 ranked and only had one loss late in the season all year. But guess what? Tex Wes also only had one loss late in the season all year and came into the NCAA Tournament ranked second. Now why/how they dropped to being ranked #3 by title game time I have no idea but the fact is the title game was about as even a matchup as it gets and I honestly think it's doing Tex Wes a disservice by calling it an "upset".
That being said does UK have anything special planned like a reunion or something for the surviving Runts? Cuz you can bet Tex Wes will spare no expense celebrating their champs! It's a shame we couldn't work out the rematch though, that would've been a fun and terrific moment in both school's history.
And if I may take a moment to dispel a popular myth regarding the 1966 title game? Contrary to popular belief, Texas Western was NOT a big underdog in the title game and it was NOT an upset. True, Kentucky was #1 ranked and only had one loss late in the season all year. But guess what? Tex Wes also only had one loss late in the season all year and came into the NCAA Tournament ranked second. Now why/how they dropped to being ranked #3 by title game time I have no idea but the fact is the title game was about as even a matchup as it gets and I honestly think it's doing Tex Wes a disservice by calling it an "upset".
That being said does UK have anything special planned like a reunion or something for the surviving Runts? Cuz you can bet Tex Wes will spare no expense celebrating their champs! It's a shame we couldn't work out the rematch though, that would've been a fun and terrific moment in both school's history.