28:25 mark is where they talk about Kentucky
Start around the 25 minute mark to see why he transferred from Ohio St
Long interview but it’s worth the listen . It’s amazing Derek made it based on his upbringing.
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Derek Anderson on the Knuckleheads podcast
- Thread starter shaudyshaud
- Start date
28:25 mark is where they talk about Kentucky
Start around the 25 minute mark to see why he transferred from Ohio St
Long interview but it’s worth the listen . It’s amazing Derek made it based on his upbringing.
Im sure most people heard about this already
Love D Anderson and I’m happy he made it out big. My favorite Cat ever honestly. I have a couple favorites, but he’s my childhood favorite. I remember Mashburn, but I really remember the 1996 team vividly. I don’t remember games when I was 6 or 7 like I did when I was 10.
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I knew him in high school. He was friends with friends of mine. By then it seemed his home life seemed much better than his early life. I believe his uncle starting taking care of him or helping. Well, he was around him a lot so I’m just assuming and they lived in a normal house by the time I knew him.
He was a a nice dude and never drank or did drugs. One time he went to party with us. It was a “white party” in the east end (i’m white) Meaning no real music or dancing. Just drinking beer and talking?? Not sure what we did, but different than parties he was used to. I just remember him asking my other friend to take him home because “where is the music and dancing”
One day we had 5 guys. Me, my buddy who played at Nevada and EKU, Derek, another waggener buddy and Jason Osborne who played at UL. We went to 3 parks. Senaca, Wyandotte, and some little park. We won around 20 games all in one day and lost zero. Derek was no nonsense and clutch for game winners. He played D like he was in the NBA finals. ALWAYS intense. Likely my best b ball day ever.
*I did watch my best friend Tim who played at Nevada beat Derek 1v1. (A different day).
There’s my name drop story. Sorry. I’m 51 and it’s ok now. I guess.
He was a a nice dude and never drank or did drugs. One time he went to party with us. It was a “white party” in the east end (i’m white) Meaning no real music or dancing. Just drinking beer and talking?? Not sure what we did, but different than parties he was used to. I just remember him asking my other friend to take him home because “where is the music and dancing”
One day we had 5 guys. Me, my buddy who played at Nevada and EKU, Derek, another waggener buddy and Jason Osborne who played at UL. We went to 3 parks. Senaca, Wyandotte, and some little park. We won around 20 games all in one day and lost zero. Derek was no nonsense and clutch for game winners. He played D like he was in the NBA finals. ALWAYS intense. Likely my best b ball day ever.
*I did watch my best friend Tim who played at Nevada beat Derek 1v1. (A different day).
There’s my name drop story. Sorry. I’m 51 and it’s ok now. I guess.
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don't want to steal the thread but I didn't want to post a new one either - just finished watching a short on facebook with Ray Allen talking about his trip to Kentucky and the fans chanting his name
"At Kentucky you may be ranked 75th but they are going to let you know you belong there"
DA's love for UK is genuine.
"At Kentucky you may be ranked 75th but they are going to let you know you belong there"
DA's love for UK is genuine.
Saw DA play more than a few HS games when he played for Doss. We'd always go watch all the big games in Louisville. Fairdale, my alama mater, had some great teams. Dwayne Morton from Central. Andy Pinick from PRP and many others who played at the King of the Bluegrass whose names escape me at the moment, outside of the 82 Dunbar team. 80s and 90s Louisville HS basketball was awesome to watch.
Anderson/Mercer will go down as the best wing combo in Kentucky history.
There's no bigger "what if" in UK history than the one involving a healthy Anderson in 1997. Would have been a three-peat and UK probably beats Arizona by 10+ points in regulation with DA in there. People forget how good Anderson was on defense. He would have stifled Miles Simon.
There's no bigger "what if" in UK history than the one involving a healthy Anderson in 1997. Would have been a three-peat and UK probably beats Arizona by 10+ points in regulation with DA in there. People forget how good Anderson was on defense. He would have stifled Miles Simon.
No doubt, hell all Nazr had to do was sink one more FT and we win.
That's the kinda stuff you write books and make movies about.
have to agree with that
that combo was just tremendous. they just seemed to play off of each other and no jealousy
If Miles had to guard a healthy Anderson, he would have been worn out and probably in foul trouble
Anderson one of the all time favorites. Mercer doesn't seem to be as fond of his days @ UK.
not sure why. What is he doing now days?
I heard that talked about a few years ago on some UK documentary and that was the first time I heard Derek's story. Anytime you're having a bad day or days, you read something like that to give you perspective on how blessed most of us really are and an inspiration for resiliency.
I don’t know what Mercer’s doing now, but he’s been back recently. I think he was there for Pope’s presser and Madness both, and he also made an appearance in a video. Maybe, like many other former players, he just couldn’t stand Cal and the direction the program was going in.
Mercer took a lot of heat because Pitino drafted him in Boston when he could have gotten T-Mac. Kind of like Sam Bowie… the expectations were always unfair because of that.
Yeah, that '96 team really was loaded! That may be the best team at UK ever, which is definitely saying something. I'm sure some would argue that point, but I'll say this- that team would be in the conversation for best ever. I loved Derek Anderson. I wish Coach Pitino would have let him play earlier in 1997. It would have been a 3-peat for UK.
Most would agree the 96 team was the best UK team. Being the contrarian I prefer the 78 team. Regardless, the Pitino era was by far the best ever.
Got to meet Derek a year ago in of all places a bank in north Georgia. Had my son with me. Told him Derek was part of Thunder and Lightning. We chatted about five minutes. He had good things to say about Reed.
Loved me some Thunder and Lightning! My favorite duo of all time by far! No close second! They were absolutely LETHAL together. Best duo in the country in 1997, which is saying a whole hell of a lot, considering all of the elite talent back then. For those that weren’t around for it, catch some clips! They were incredible!
The "96 team is arguably one of the best College Basketball teams ever, not just the best UK team.
Agreed trublu, that's what I was trying to say, poorly. Haha! I loved that team and it was loaded for bear! One of the best ever, not just at UK, but in college basketball history.
I have to totally agree with 1996 being the best team at UK ever and in the conversation for best ever. The younger generation just don't understand how much talent was on that team alone! I still feel Pitino did the right thing by Anderson in 1997 but being a selfish fan it sure would've been nice to be champs in 96, 97, and 98!
That's the most alley oop dunks I ever seen out of a duo! They were the $hit and that's no lie!
Crazy thing was that before that 97 season, we all expected them to be dominant. I don’t ever remember a pair of wing players dominating the way they did. Both averaging 18/19 a game. DA the best defensive player in the country. And, yes, the amount of alley oops was obscene! Lmao
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