Originally posted by Ripcord65:
I'm sure we all recognize that it is practically impossible to identify one all-time fan-favorite U.K. player.
But I would cordially and respectfully dissent from the proposition that the "all-time favorite U.K. player among U.K. fans" would more likely be someone who played when almost all of the games were on TV.
I'm 68 years old. I went to my first U.K. game at age 7, at Vandy on January 30, 1954 (and saw Cliff Hagan, Frank Ramsey, and Lou Tsioropoulos). But we lived a long way (3+ hours drive, one way) from Lexington, so my family -- along with the vast majority of U.K. fans across the Commonwealth, listened to Cawood call all of the U.K. games on the radio. I think the 1953-54 season was Cawood's first season to call U.K. basketball games. I would venture to say that a greater percentage of U.K. fans listened to every game on the radio from 1953-54 through 1991-92 than now watch every game on TV. Back then, there was little else to compete with the 'Cats for the fans' attention and loyalty.
Anyway ... IMHO a legion of U.K. fans (most of whom never see this board) knew all of the following players like he was their next-door neighbor, and would say that his/her all-time favorite was Ralph Beard, or Hagan, or Ramsey, or Vernon Hatton, or Johnny Cox, or Cotton Nash, or Larry Conley, or Dampier or Riley, or Dan Issel, or Kevin Grevey, or Jimmy Dan Conner, or Rick Robey, or Goose Givens, or James Lee -- or, as one poster mentioned, Kyle Macy --or Sam Bowie, or Kenny Walker, or Winston Bennett, or ... yes ... Rex Chapman. Rex's last season was 1987-88. Nothing like all of the U.K. basketball games were on TV even at that time.
With all of that said ... for over 50 years my all-time favorite U.K. player has been Cotton Nash. And up until 1996, my second favorite U.K. player was somebody most have never heard of -- Dwight (not "Derek" but "Dwight") Anderson. But then came Tony Delk and the '96 champs. Antoine Walker on that team was a favorite of some fans. One poster mentioned Jeff Shepard, who is also a favorite of mine.
And ... with all of that said, too ... I have to say that A.D., MKG, and Darius Miller are right up there ! ! !
Sorry for this long post, but thinking about all of the great and memorable players that have put on the blue-and-white for the 'Cats over the years just gets me energized beyond any reasonable level. Again ... sorry.
Go, 'Cats !
No need to be "sorry", this post is the best of the whole thread!!
You captured what the topic is all about, IMHO. This is the way I feel about UK Basketball in a nutshell. Although you go back a little further than I do, I agree with all of the players mentioned since I started listening to Cawood in the 70's. I would only add Chuck Hayes, wish we could have beaten Mich. St. to send him to the Final 4.
GREAT POST!!
