A Confession

*Cue cheesy political ad music

My name is Derek Burden, and I approved this message. I would like to take this space to make a confession. I, Derek Burden registered superfan turned off the University of Kentucky football game last Saturday. I obviously kept the gamecast open and switched back to the game once it became clear we had a chance, but that is of no excuse. What is the world coming to when I am giving up on Kentucky? I declared vehemently on this blog that the football gods would not allow us to lose. Yet, I lost hope. This is my confession and hopefully I will be forgiven. Would I have gone home if I were at the game? I'm not sure, but I can guarantee you I will not allow this to happen again. That is my pledge. Thank you.

Do I Smell Bacon?

Let's just pretend like last week didn't happen. For the second week in a row, I get to see my beloved Cats lose live. Not so good. Because I am working today I will have to make this one short, but that makes it much more fun for lazy people (that's you Trissel if you still read this).

• Despite the fact that the Hog on the center of Bud Walton looks pretty cool, a pig is a stupid mascot. Let's be serious, the fat from your mascot is used to make gravy. Everyone loves gravy, but it is not too menacing.
• Arkansas has a QB named Dick. That does not bode well for your chances. D-Mac and Felix are not rollin through that door anytime soon.
• Under no circumstances will the football gods allow Kentucky to lose to Steve Spurrier and Bobby Petrino in consecutive weeks. That seriously cannot happen.

So those are the tidbits, but let me leave you with this: last time UK and the Hogs played in Commonwealth I endured a gut-wrenching 7-OT loss at the hands of Matt Jones and his floppy hair. For retribution, the football gods allow the ball to bounce our way every single time and we win by 7 TD's.

GO BIG BLUE!

T-town wrap-up and fake USC preview

Well, folks the trip to T-town was a memorable one, but the Cats came out on the wrong side of a game lacking in offense. I would love to rip on the Bama fans for being inconsiderate Rednecks, however that is not possible as everyone down there was nothing but kind. A couple of observations from their fans in general:

• Every person you talked to would end the conversation with "roll tide." I think in elementary school, they don't teach that sentences end with a "." they end with Roll Tide.
• The Quad is ridiculous. I have not seen the grove in Oxford, so I have no frame of reference, but it cannot be much better than the setup the Bama fans have. I have pics that will be posted later
• You can tell the difference between a non-football school (UK) and their counterparts when going on road trips. I realize Bryant-Denny has 20,000 more fans than Commonwealth, but the fans no when to cheer and chant, and are always in unison. We are getting there though.
• The "Million Dollar Band" compared to your 50 cent piece band is not even close. We need to add about 100 members to get even close.
• If I hear Sweet Home Alabama "Roll Tide Roll" one more time I will vomit all over myself

As for today's game UK goes from the classiest set of fans (Bama) to the biggest bunch of A-holes in USCe. The Cats have not beaten the Cocks (hehe) in the 2000s and have never beat Steve Spurrier. Chris Smelley has been inept at times this year, but seemed to turn a corner last week against Ole Miss. The running game is not much to speak of, and this game will hing upon the Cats getting to the QB with the front four. I don't often predict such a big victory in a game that should be close, but I say Smelley throws three picks and is sacked 4 times and the Cats win this on in a walk 28-10.

The Cats can't lose on my first trip home to Lexington this year can they?

Trip to T-ville

Well folks, the Misses and myself are shoving off for T-ville. Expect a full report tomorrow (hopefully with some pics). I have been told Bama fans are like UK B-ball fans coming off a 5 day meth binge, so we will see. We are heading down with no idea where to park and tailgate, so we are hoping for some Southern Hospitality and good Southern Tailgatin'. No time to break the game down, but my prediction is Cats 21 Tide 17.

Post Game Wrap-Up

I promised the lovely post-game wrap up on my re-welcome to blogging post. In this space I usually love to quote numerous delusional Card fans and their feelings about the game. However, this year I will refrain from quoting such delusional fans and preventing you from having to bathe yourselves, and only tell you that their only response in last year's basketball score.

This just in Card fan: your monopoly in football and basketball is over in this state. Feel better for a while, but Billy G and Rich B are on the scene and it is O-V-A!

For more info check the website: www.firekragthorpe.com for more info(it was launched after the game.

That's all I have for now, SEE YA LATER!

Football Time in the Bluegrass!

I have been overcome by a surprising combination of laziness and business during the last couple of months and have neglected the blog, thus losing my loyal following. Hopefully this is over with, and I will be able to keep the blog cruising along, but I will dedicate this short post to the big event of the day: the Cats taking on our dirty rivals to the west.

This game will come down to one thing: the battle in the trenches. The Cards do not have a linebacker that has recorded a D-1 tackle and are painfully thin at some positions on the D-line. With temperatures reaching over 100 on the field-turf expect depth to play a big role in this game. Folks will be cramping up all over the place, and fans will be dropping in the stands. Hopefully the Cats can avoid the big mistake and gradually wear them down with the ground attack. Coach Durbin's lock it down prediction: Cats 31 Cards 20.

Well Well Well

It has been a number of months since my last post. There is a reason for that: I was not ready to post my feelings. I come to you a humble and broken man. Let not the be a deterrent to what I have to say. "Beware the Ides of March." That's what the soothsayer said to Julius Cesar before his eventual demise and betrayal. Well, that is what was said to me before my life change. Let us please analyze the happenings after the Ides of March.

• During the second round of the SEC Tournament, a tornado struck the Georgia Dome and all of its in habitats were put at danger. It was not the first time I have been in a Tornado, but I hope it was the last. During Tornado 2K0 I was in Pep's Burritos, and it was not a pleasant experience.
• Fast Forward 2 more days: The Match results are coming out. For those of you not familiar with the match, it decides which sites a potential Pharmacy Resident will spend the next year of their life. In my case, I was hoping to find out I would be spending the next year as a hopeful resident at one of the 2 major academic sites in the city of Atlanta: Emory or Grady.
• Of these 2 sites, I was hoping for Grady. I interviewed at both places, and I hoped for a spot at one. Yet, March 15th came and went and I did not match with a residency program.
• At this point, I began the scramble for a pharmacist position at any hospital in Atlanta.
• Kelly Smith offered her assistance, and all Residency programs I applied to "were shocked I did not match anywhere."
• In the meantime, my beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats lost for the first time in the First Round of the NCAA tournament to our beloved douche bags of the North, the Marquette Golden Worthless Sacks of Garbage (Eagles).
• Apparently not shocked enough to accept me for their program, but so shocked that they did not want to accept me. This was obviously a low point in my career.
• Well, with the help of Dr Kelly Smith and others I was offered multiple opportunities in my career. One of these opportunities was to accept a staff pharmacist position at Grady Health System. I accepted the position, and here I am. Not where I want to be, but not that far away. Remember, if you want me, you better bring your A game.

Coach