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Did anyone here ever meet Coach Rupp?

M

MychalG

All-Conference
Dec 16, 2012
2,954
2,859
82
I met coach Rupp in 1971 when he was recruiting Mike Flynn who played at Jeffersonville HS. Jeff was playing at my school Clarksville, IN HS. I waited until halftime and then went up in the stands where he was sitting. He was very pleasant and shook my hand. I failed to get his autograph, something I regret. I lived 3 blocks from the school and after the game was over, I ran all the way home to tell my dad I met and shook hands with Coach Rupp.
 
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M

mgrody

Sophomore
Apr 20, 2014
211
156
43
I haven't told many people this story, other than my grandchildren when their parents weren't around:

Mr. Rupp passed by my house one day when I was in high school and stopped to watch me shoot baskets in my driveway. We shot the breeze for awhile and exchanged phone numbers and so on. He mentioned a scholarship, but I never heard any more from him. But, I did go to most UK home games hoping we might talk. One night they were playing Tennessee in Memorial Coliseum and were about 20 down with only a few minutes to go. Coach Rupp spotted me in the crowd and motioned me to come down to the bench. He said he had lost my contact info but remembered I could shoot about 95% from midcourt. He said he really needed my help and that I was on scholarship effective immediately. I suited up during a time out and he gave me the green light to shoot. I took all the UK shots after that and we won by 10. Alas, I was unable to pass the SAT so that was my only college game.
 
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D

Dr. H Lecter

Heisman
Apr 5, 2007
15,302
30,229
66
mgrody said:
I haven't told many people this story, other than my grandchildren when their parents weren't around:

Mr. Rupp passed by my house one day when I was in high school and stopped to watch me shoot baskets in my driveway. We shot the breeze for awhile and exchanged phone numbers and so on. He mentioned a scholarship, but I never heard any more from him. But, I did go to most UK home games hoping we might talk. One night they were playing Tennessee in Memorial Coliseum and were about 20 down with only a few minutes to go. Coach Rupp spotted me in the crowd and motioned me to come down to the bench. He said he had lost my contact info but remembered I could shoot about 95% from midcourt. He said he really needed my help and that I was on scholarship effective immediately. I suited up during a time out and he gave me the green light to shoot. I took all the UK shots after that and we won by 10. Alas, I was unable to pass the SAT so that was my only college game.
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He mentioned you at IHop.
 
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HICATFAN

HICATFAN

All-American
Aug 15, 2001
9,120
8,317
113
morgousky said:
I think enough time has passed so I'll post it. Only a handful of us know about it.

I was talking to Coach "dolph" (that's what his friends called him) one day in his cigar room. He was telling me stories about different things, started talking about Bear Bryant. He went on and on about how he was gonna make him disappear, by any means necessary. Ended up with a plan to just garner huge support and humiliate him on the way out of town. He said, "and then I said, give him a lighter for winning a title instead of a Cadillac".

We laughed and ate crumpets for an hour talking about it.
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That was a great story....but, I’m not sure about the crumpets part!!..!!..

:flushed:

AlohaCat
 
P

Poetax

Heisman
Apr 4, 2002
29,410
20,887
0
In March 1972, a friend of mine and I was going to a movie and went to eat at a chili place on Euclid. Went in and sat down and Coach Rupp was in there eating. Didn’t talk to him but we listened to him and the waitress talk for about 20 minutes it was kind of funny with his dry humor. Back then I wouldn’t have dared ask for an autograph.
 
BlueVelvetFog

BlueVelvetFog

Heisman
Apr 12, 2016
14,623
20,315
78
DrH. Lecter said:
They said the same thing about Elvis back in 1977 and we know that was BS. No, I'm sure it was him. He was wearing a brown suit. I never actually asked his name but I am pretty sure it was him. I kept calling him coach and he didn't correct me.
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Circle K in Flint MI. Lots of good Elvis and Adolph sightings
 
B

Ben101er

Heisman
Apr 21, 2004
25,853
60,869
103
Poetax said:
In March 1972, a friend of mine and I was going to a movie and went to eat at a chili place on Euclid. Went in and sat down and Coach Rupp was in there eating. Didn’t talk to him but we listened to him and the waitress talk for about 20 minutes it was kind of funny with his dry humor. Back then I wouldn’t have dared ask for an autograph.
Click to expand...

That was Brookings, and he used to eat lunch there, quite a bit. It was his favorite chili. I used to eat there, as a student, and it was pretty good chili.
 
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U

uky8unc5

Heisman
May 22, 2002
17,430
12,933
113
My uncle and aunt were close friends with Coach Rupp and Esther. They Vacationed with them, etc.
So I met him a few times (at his farm twice). But I have no great stories. Just met him and listened to them talk.
 
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C

Catlogic15

All-Conference
May 19, 2003
3,388
3,840
0
I ran track at UK early 70's. On a "free" weekend run ( then we were lockered at the old Shively center), I'd purposely swing by Coach Rupp's house, as he lived off Cooper close to campus. Hoped to grab a glance of him coming or going. I never did. Would've never approached him, but enjoyed the run-bys just the same.
 
D

Dr. H Lecter

Heisman
Apr 5, 2007
15,302
30,229
66
catlogic15 said:
I ran track at UK early 70's. On a "free" weekend run ( then we were lockered at the old Shively center), I'd purposely swing by Coach Rupp's house, as he lived off Cooper close to campus. Hoped to grab a glance of him coming or going. I never did. Would've never approached him, but enjoyed the run-bys just the same.
Click to expand...
That would be the house that Rupp built.
 
B

BoomerCatFan

Senior
Feb 17, 2006
5,671
588
1
Met Coach Rupp at a Harrison Co. basketball game in 1967. I was 14 at the time. Joe B's mom owned a florist shop in Cynthiana where I grew up. I remembered getting his autograph but have no idea what became of it. Saw my first UK game in 1966 with my dad. We stood in the standing room area high atop Memorial Coliseum watching UK play Georgia. From my dad to me to my 2 children and now my 4 grandchildren are all UK fans even though my kids and grandkids were not born and have never lived in Kentucky. Blue runs deep. #BBN
 
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I

IHATEUAVEL

All-American
Aug 11, 2015
5,618
5,761
1
catlogic15 said:
I ran track at UK early 70's. On a "free" weekend run ( then we were lockered at the old Shively center), I'd purposely swing by Coach Rupp's house, as he lived off Cooper close to campus. Hoped to grab a glance of him coming or going. I never did. Would've never approached him, but enjoyed the run-bys just the same.
Click to expand...
He lived on Eastover Court the whole time he was at UK
 
I

IndyCat1995

All-American
Nov 21, 2016
2,642
7,672
0
Cool thread. My grandfather never met him but went to many games at the old Coliseum when I believe you could still smoke in there. He's also been alive for all 8 titles.
 
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