Ahhh ... The annual road game at Vanderbilt.... after 50 years of being a Kentucky fan, and a Nashville native, I've watched many a game at Miserable gym ( and it's not just Kentucky games, I used to have season tix for Vandy every season, and you know they really like to do this to UT too ... just FYI, but anyone visiting can be hosed there). I just spontaneously take a trip down memory lane at some of the absolute craptastically officiated games we've had there....
Only thing I am going to say about playing Vandy in Miserable gym relates to these two games :
January 13 1993 - went in there #1, ( vandy unranked) lost 101 - 86. HIghpoints were : Watching Vanderbilt shoot 36/43 free throws, watching them get a 30 - 16 foul discrepancy. Courtesy of in game officials I have so loved to hate for so long.... Jim Burr, Andre Patillo and Joe Mingle. Thanks for the memories, guys.
February 20 1991 - we were #12, Vandy unranked. lost 98 - 87. The most lopsidedly worst officiated game in the history of my watching Kentucky basketball .... we went 4-7 from the free throw line and Vandy ? 40 - 51.
Remember that one folks ?
Vandy got whistled for 11 total fouls. Kentucky ? 28. If you don't remember that one, OMG. It's the very definition of how hosed we get on the road when Kentucky comes to town.
It was a Don Rutledge and company tour de force that game. How we only lost by 11 still boggles my mind. I was there at Miserable gym for that one. When I think of "Home cookin" and playing at Miserable Gym, this game is the first one that comes to my mind.
Those two games are the very defining games I point to trying to explain how jacka$$ed the officals are when they give it to Kentucky. And if you think it's just "whining" about the officiating....
Unless you saw it, or were there, I can understand your ignorance on the matter if you think it's just me being a whiny bitch about the officiating. But those two games perfectly illustrate how badly we get it sometimes. And I wont be surprised if they get the "Miserable gym puff the magic dragon" treatment this weekend.
Let's HOPE not.
Go Big Blue !
ps - I wonder, if after all these years, what Coach Pitino would say about that game (if, of course, he weren't coaching)
It would be a real interesting take.