The Enigma Of Ketucky Football

What is the mystery of the University of Kentucky football team? For decades now, as far back as I can recall, the question of what is it about UK`s football program that has held it down and kept major success from its grasp like most of the teams in the SEC? The last successful team I can personally remember was coached by Rich Brooks in the early 2000`s when they had back~to~ back bowl wins and a decent pair of 8 win seasons!

Since that time there has been very little for the fan~base to get excited over. It's very puzzling to me why this has been the case for the UK program for so long. There appears to be no answer to that question and no one seems to be able to pinpoint the problems! Not since the early 1980`s has this program seen several winning seasons in a row. Jerry Claiborne was the coach at that time with a history of turning weak programs around and bringing some semblance of success to each program he took over.

The excitement was evident then but it has been sorely lacking since! What is the formula that will enable this football program with some of the best amenities around the league be lifted from the gutter of the SEC to the top, just as the basketball program has remained for decades? Is it a top secret that only the CIA knows about and other's will have to be content in their ignorance? Such a frustrating problem for both the University and the fans! The answer can not be out of our reach. Most likely it is a puzzle which has a simple answer but other's "muddy the water" with silly decisions in the hiring process! I have respect for Mr.Barnhart as the A.D. here and he has certainly provided the basketball program it's needed `shot in the arm` with coach Calipari for the last 8 season's but the same intensity and knowledge has been sorely lacking for the football team!

Logically there seems to be no significant reason that major success has eluded this football program for many years. Some rather jokingly blame it on a supposed curse against the football team from then~basketball guru and coaching legend, Adolf Rupp, because of Bear Bryant making strong headway for the UK football Wildcats in the late 1950`s! That is mere speculation of course but anyone with serious desires for the football team to enjoy equal success as the basketball side will consider even this comical answer.

There is some very good news for many former UK players who have been drafted into the NFL, however. The numbers of former football stars from UK have gained long~career success for them and their teams in many league cities! Part of the enigma which has plagued this team for so long is the fact that, as it seems, many of their student~athletes have enjoyed fine success in the pro league's which is by far we'll above what they each earned while playing here. It is very peculiar, indeed!

Perhaps one day, soon, a very knowledgeable football coach who sleeps, eats and drinks the game of football, will be brought in and he will add several copies of himself as coaches on both sides of the ball to bring unquestioned and undeniable success and winning seasons to this sadly depleted football program at UK. That would satisfy even the most consistent skeptic and relate the fan~base, which only this year, has declined! It's time for the blue and white of UK football to rise to the top and become part of the elite programs of the SEC! It's high time to be talked about in the same breath as Alambama, Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss! No more guessing~games and no more inept coaches! 

Right now the fans deserve this success and the players do as well! UK stands for excellence in sports so let's bring the football program right alongside the basketball, baseball and cheerleading teams and revoke the `loser image` of football here and by strong commitment and over~the~top enthusiasm lift it to the highest peaks of friction success for decades to come!


Jeff Pendleton
9/19/16

Thoughts About Relationships

 

   I sometimes believe it would be easier to navigate through rough seas during a threatening storm than to keep a close relationship in tact. It can be really tough to figure out what makes the other person feel needed and appreciated and at the same time express your own feelings to them in a manner that is not so one~sided. We are all selfish at times and we know exactly how to manipulate the other person in the relationship to get what we want for ourselves! Whether that's trying to get them to think as we do on s particular subject or to get a prized goody from the store. It really doesn't matter much at all if it is a thing or a way of responding, as long as it's my way! That's a cold, hard statement but it is so true!

   Any relationship, whether in marriage, friendship or business, takes lots of sincere effort from both sides in order to be consider a good relationship! That's exactly how it should be and can be if those involved will consider first what their partner needs from them. It's not always clear but that's alright, as long as both are allowed to respectively discuss their particular needs in a manner that's understood! Communication is everything, as they say!  It's so true!

   A selfish motive will only gain us an unfulfilled moment of satisfaction no matter what it is we are after! Always considering only what we want out of any relationship will end in bitter disappointment and emptiness. A selfish person is usually a lonely one! It's much more fun to give our best to the relationship than to horde up everything about for ourselves. We can make it a fun time together or a miserable one. The choice is always ours to make! Speaking from experience from both sides of the tracks, I have witnessed a good relationship go bad because of selfishness and bad communications. I have also seen a rather rough beginning to a relationship turn into a successful one simply by one or both of those involved putting their own selves aside and making the other the most important part of their relationship. 

   It's always a win, win situation when a gracious spirit overcomes a selfish one no matter what the conditions are! It's a rare treat to see this happen in families, business or friendship. A very cool thing, indeed! I have to believe that God is honored when our motives are guided by an unselfish attitude and an insight into the needs of those around us. We become much more like Christ when this occurs! We also benefit greatly at the same time. Isn't that just too cool of the LORD?!

   I have to say that I realize that I have much work to do in each of my own relationships, both, in family and friendship, in order for both sides to come out on top and be successful. It's my honest prayer that I will daily yield my self to God's holy Spirit to help me make that happen, starting with my marriage first. In every relationship there must be a selected time of healing and refreshing, I believe! With that in mind, it is my sincere hope that you, my readers, will take the effort to put the other person in (all) your relationships first and let them feel like they are the most important part of your life, and they really are!

   Let's all agree together that no matter the conditions, we will deny ourselves more and out the other person first and foremost in our relationships. After all, God gave them to us as a gift. Let's treat them that way.

Jeff Pendleton

9/11/16

Difficulty

     I haven't been active on here for a little while because of some personal family~business the past few weeks. Apart from any, lengthy details, I will 
say that it has been very hard to concentrate on writing during this time! I
wouldn't wish it upon anybody, including enemies, whoever they might be! 
Concentration on most areas of my life have been quite limited and, at best,
problematic. It has left deep wounds and some very discouraging thoughts
without a doubt!
     We would be thankful for your prayers and comforting thoughts at this
critical time for our family. I love writing and expect it to be the income~
stream to provide for my family going forward! I haven't had work at a job
since the end of April of this year and its been very tough on my wife and kids!
Despite this fact. The LORD has been faithful and gracious in supplying for us
all our needs. He is awesome!
     Because of my disability (the severe dizziness) I have applied for social
security disability and have been denied twice but our next st e p is to retain
a representative to help us out, which I understand most people have to end
up getting in order to be successful in the attempt to get it. My wife did and she
has been on disability~benefits for over 8 years for a bad hip. She is a real
trooper, though, and keeps going strong in spite of the daily pain she goes
through!
     It is my hope to get another article done for the blog within the next several
days but there are no time~pressures so it will work out, I'm sure! I just want
To be grateful to God and put him first. 
     Thank you to each and every one of you who read this and take the time
To pray for us. Blessings to you guys!


Jeff Pendleton
9/3/16

Spanish Guitar (I)

Beginnings

  I was going through some old papers from my desk a few
days ago and came across some of my early writings. They
we're filled with spelling and punctuation errors, of course,
but they were also imaginative. In my younger days I often
dreamed of becoming a sports writer. I loved sports, as most
13 year old's do, and basketball was the main focus of my
writing. I fantasized about covering the ABA, which was my
favorite brand of pro basketball at that time, and the home~
town Kentucky Colonels. They were such a fun team for me
to watch, or rather, to listen to on whas radio out of Louisville.

In my fantasies I imagined my friends and I having a local
AAUA team. Sort of a hodgepodge of teens with superstar~
talent in our neighborhood. We had a great team, named
after my heroes of course, the Colonels. We were comprised
of several of my friends, my brother and me and coached by
my dad. The Lexington Colonels were born and ready to
whip every team in Lexington! Or so we thought.

 During the regular season we would play other team's from
around Lexington and a few from neighboring cities, beating
most of them and making it to the league playoffs. We did
have trouble with a select number of teams but still managed
To have an impressive record! I had to make it somewhat
realistic, after all. The Colonels provided great excitement for
all of our fans and even gained new ones when we played in
front of hostile crowds, so to speak! This team would soon
become legends throughout Kentucky, in my own mind, of
course!

 Much of our style of play was copied after the ABA and it's
wild, playground antics. It was just plain fun for all of us!
Being known for their basketball dominance, the state of
Kentucky only benefited from this group of teenage super~
stars who drew great crowds on concrete and blacktop
courts across Lexington! My brother was a pure shooter
and often hit some long shots from deep on the perimeter.
My friend, Mike, was quick and sneaky in the backcourt
and wasn't afraid to go inside for a basket. Me? I was the
`white version` of Dr. J, Julius Erving, my childhood hero!
As many of you know, Julius was an amazing and unique
player in the ABA and NBA! I loved the way he soared and
dunked the ball. That's what I dreamed of doing and in my
fantasies, I could.

 As the Lexington Colonels, we would dominate the AAUA
and move on to become repeat champion's for several years!
My journey as a would-be sports writer took me to some
great destinations for the sake of basketball and it was a
healthy dream for me through my teen years and beyond!
I miss that time of beginning and how much in love I was
with this thing called writing, almost as much as I loved
the game of basketball and still do.

 Thank the good Lord for imagination!

Jeff Pendleton
8/11/16

The Minarcik Ministry: satan At Work

The Minarcik Ministry: satan At Work: It Is Written, James 4:7, therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. It is no surprise that many people feel ...

Bigfoot: Most Mysterious

  A good friend of mine operates a YouTube channel which deals with all sorts
of mysterious subjects including one of the more popular mysteries, Bigfoot.
Some label this elusive creature as Sasquatch but no matter what label we
put on him, he continues to evade our best investigators using top~notch
scientific equipment. He is a real `stinker` in the game of "hide and seek"!
My friend has interviewed many normal, everyday people on his show who
have encountered Bigfoot/Sasquatch in their personal lives while going about
normal, daily routines. Almost all came away from the experience terrified
and profoundly changed in their current world~view! Non~believers have
become believers, in the existence of Bigfoot, while those who had previous
views which bordered on belief have been validated because of their scary
encounters!

  In my opinion, believing or denying that this creature exists, is not the main
factor in studying and researching the topic. It's our personal view of the
mysterious aura which seems to surround the subject of so~called cryptids.
Each case brings with it an enigmatic set of variables that consist of sight,
sound and smells which often accompany the reported encounters. There
have been certain pieces of hair~samples, unearthly sounds which terrify
witnesses and a foul~smelling stench that permeates the surroundings!
It can be argued that these variables are fragments from other creatures
in the woods but one can not simply dismiss them out~of~hand based
solely on personal belief or the lack of it! Science must be brought into the
discussion and serious research from reputable cryptozoologist`s and other
top scientists is needed.

  During the interviews on his show, which is called, "Brenton Sawin Mysteries
To Search", I have heard many of the witnesses speak of their encounters with
terrifying emotion and questioning the experience...why did this happen to
them? I have gotten the sense from listening to these responses that these
poor folks have had life~changing experiences that they would just assume
be relegated to a fairy~tale or a foolish nightmare. Some of them have been
severely traumatized and continue to suffer with physiological and emotional
conditions. Whatever these creatures are, they elicit long~lasting effects on
the people who come near them!

  One particular effect which has been mentioned on Brenton`s channel and
on others is something called, infrasound. It appears to be a type of low,
heavy growl which sort of vibrates and renders the victim incapacitated for
at least a few minutes! From reports gathered, the effect causes the person it
is aimed at to be hypnotized, in a way, and many have inexplicably begun
taking their clothes off and folding them in a neat pile. Very strange indeed!
There is yet another creature which is gaining rapid attention for those who
go hunting for Sasquatch. This creature is called, Dogman, for lack of a better
term because it seems to resemble a dog`s face while walking upon two legs, covered all over its body with long, dark hair.Dogman seems to be in a very
different category by his self. Unlike Bigfoot, Dogman gives off a more insidious
feeling towards witnesses who have the misfortune of coming near one! He
comes across as an evil, intimidating cryptic, very large and more like a
werewolf, as it were.

  Whatever these things are, they don't seem to want any company in their
neighborhoods. With only a few exceptions, Sasquatch and Dogman have
remained hidden from society and, apart from more recent encounters
which have seemingly caught video and audio evidence, they continue to be
very elusive and perfectly in control of who they allow to come into their
territory! These guys are truly mysterious, dark creatures!

  I personally want to be able to go on an expedition, with Brenton and others,
in search of Sasquatch and Dogman, at least I think I do, and be able to
document our adventures on audio and video in order to bring our evidence
To the people. It could be very dangerous and it could be very exciting but one
thing is certain, it will not be boring! We are really looking forward to it.
.