‘just like me: a Wildcat fan’

At the end of his opening statement after the University of Kentucky football team beat LSU in overtime, Coach Will Stein said he had “one more thing” to add.

“This was also for Big Blue Nation. This is for the state of Kentucky. This is for everybody that grew up just like me: a Wildcat fan,” he said, then seemed to be fighting tears. “Really excited for those people.”

As one of those people, I can confirm that we are really excited, too. I didn’t watch the first part of the game; instead, I caught updates between eating cake and dancing to “Mr. Brightside” at a wedding reception where the bride was a fellow UK alumna. Then I watched the last of the first half while saying hello to the cats of the friends we carpooled with — also fellow UK alums. Then, at home in my pajamas, I alternated between stress-watching with my sweatshirt in front of my face and cheering loudly as the Cats finally secured the win.

Today, Loui and I went to the UK volleyball game against Ole Miss. Back in August, Coach Craig Skinner gave the keynote address at a work event for UK communications professionals. Once he was finished, he drew names for a few people to receive free volleyball tickets. I was very excited to be one of the winners — and that Coach Skinner pronounced “Vandiver” correctly! “I knew he was a good one,” my dad responded when I texted in the family group chat. So today Loui and I go to watch the Cats’ 3-1 win from the seventh row in Memorial Coliseum, melty ice cream cones in hand.

There’s not really a point to this newsletter other than to say that I am one of those lifelong Wildcat fans, and man do I love loving things. Even on weekends with much less happy outcomes, being a fan is the best.

Last night during the game, our friend sent a video of her twin girls, who will be two in January. They were working on their “CATS! CATS! CATS!” cheer.

Me as a young Cat.