Beech Tree News Network

March Madness has arrived! The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is in progress. My late husband followed the tournament annually, but was most excited when the University of Kentucky played. To many of us, Kentucky – whether it’s the basketball team or the state – is pretty special: it’s home.

Last week, Wikipedia provided the following information about the University of Kentucky men's basketball team.  It is “the most successful NCAA Division I basketball program in history in terms of both all-time wins (2,256) and all-time winning percentage (.764)…. Kentucky leads all schools in total NCAA tournament appearances (57), NCAA tournament wins (124), NCAA Tournament games played (174), NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances (42), NCAA Elite Eight appearances (37), and total postseason tournament appearances (65). Further, Kentucky has played in 17 NCAA Final Fours (tied for 2nd place all-time with UCLA), 12 NCAA Championship games, and has won 8 NCAA championships (second only to UCLA's 11). In addition to these titles, Kentucky won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in both 1946 and 1976, making it the only school to win multiple NCAA and NIT championships. Kentucky also leads all schools with 62 20-win seasons, 15 30-win seasons, and 6 35-win seasons” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Wildcats_men%27s_basketball). The UK Wildcats have an impressive history, making it easy to be a part of the Big Blue Nation.

Our state also has an interesting history. One website (https://www.50states.com/facts/kentucky.htm) listed 50 facts about Kentucky. Some of them I had heard, but others I had not. Some of that information included the following facts:

•  More than 100 native Kentuckians have been elected governors of other states.
•  The song "Happy Birthday to You" was the creation of two Louisville sisters in 1893.
•  Christian County is wet while Bourbon County is dry. Barren County has the most fertile land in the state.
• Thunder Over Louisville is the opening ceremony for the Kentucky Derby Festival and is the world’s largest fireworks display.
•  More than $6 billion worth of gold is held in the underground vaults of Fort Knox. This is the largest amount of gold stored anywhere in the world

I was likewise interested to see the comments people have made about Kentucky. Since people express all kinds of opinions about various states, I didn’t know what I would find. From the quotes I read, I like the ones below:

·         It’s not pronounced Louis-ville, it’s Lewa-vul or Looo-vul.

You don’t say what city you’re from, you say what county. – Rob Fee  

(https://thoughtcatalog.com/rob-fee/2013/12/25-signs-that-you-grew-up-in-...).

·         If these United States can be called a body, then Kentucky can be called its heart. – Jesse Stuart (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/152207662381744367)

·         I am more than just a serious basketball fan. I am a life-long addict. I was addicted from birth, in fact, because I was born in Kentucky and learned, early on, that Habitual Domination was a natural way of life. – Hunter S. Thompson (https://www.louisville.com/content/7-quotes-tell-you-basics-about-kentuc...)

·         Ever since then I have believed that God is not only a gentleman and a sport; he is a Kentuckian too. – William Faulkner (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/152207662378806133)

·         Tough girls come from New York. Sweet girls, they're from Georgia. But us Kentucky girls, we have fire and ice in our blood. We can ride horses, be a debutante, throw left hooks, and drink with the boys, all the while making sweet tea, darlin'. And if we have an opinion, you know you're gonna hear it. – Ashley Judd (https://www.louisville.com/content/7-quotes-tell-you-basics-about-kentuc...)

Kentucky is my home, and my roots go deep. Our state is a product of its location, resources and history. And I trust UK will continue to represent us well in NCAA tournaments.