WALKER: First cruise will be all blue

I think the Cats Cruise July 5-10 is going to be sensational and I am so excited to be involved and know that I will have a chance to meet and be around so many die-hard UK fans.

I have never been on a cruise before. People probably think since I played professional basketball and traveled all over the place that I would have been, but I have kind of had this little fear of being on a boat. People that have gone on cruises for years, my family and my friends have told me I won’t even know I am on a boat. That has eased my mind.

But having a chance to be there with Mr. Wildcat, Bill Keightley, and guys like Mike Pratt, Kyle Macy and Sean Woods is going to be so much fun. We are going to be telling great stories and reliving the history of Kentucky basketball in a very relaxed, vacation type of setting. I think it is going to be fun.

I am looking forward to hearing stories from Kyle. I have heard some of Mike Pratt’s stories already. Then you talk about a walking encyclopedia ... you have one in Bill Keightley. Just to have him along to talk about all the coaches and players he’s been around. I’m anxious to talk about my four years here from 1982 through 1986.

It is going to be fun for me and I think fans of UK basketball need to make this trip. If you have never been before, be like me and go and make this your first trip with the Wildcats.

I thought it was important to get the right personalities together for something like this, and we have. Kentucky basketball has so many great players and you could pick almost anybody and generate a lot of interest. But there is not a more popular player in the history of UK basketball than Kyle Macy. You have Pratt who was there with Adolph Rupp and Dan Issel. Keightley covers everything. I am in the 1980’s. Sean Woods of The Unforgettables should have great stories. You are going to cover so many decades and so much history.

You are probably going to learn some things that you didn’t know because you are going to have guys telling their own personal stories. There will be a few things out there that have not been in print. If you have read the history of Kentucky basketball, you know about the different teams and the records. But the behind the scene things in practice and travel on game day and places provide different stories.

I think it is going to be so much fun and I hope a lot of Kentucky fans come, but I would really hope a lot of KSR folks come so I can get a chance to meet those of you who have been kind enough to read my comments and enjoy them.

So go to catscruise.com and get all the details you need to spend a five fun nights at sea with your Cats. We leave from Tampa and make two great stops before returning to Tampa.

I really hope to see a lot of you there so we can discuss our Cats.