We talk about "Kentucky Culture" all the time, but on Wednesday night, we saw the living, breathing embodiment of it.
As John Pelphrey brought his Tennessee Tech team into Rupp Arena, some more Kentucky legends came to sit in the crowd. Four of the1992 "Unforgettables": John Pelphrey, Richie Farmer, Deron Feldhaus, and Sean Woods were together again on the Rupp Arena floor.
It wasn't just a photo op. It was a spiritual moment for a fanbase that revers this group not just for winning, but for saving the program. They gave all they had to a program that was teetering on being closed after Eddie Sutton violations came to light. But Rick Pitino brought these men together and they changed the trajectory of the program.
"I'm tearing up now"
The emotion in the room was palpable. Sean Woods, who has coached at multiple schools since leaving Lexington, admitted that being back with his brothers hit different.
"I'm tearing up now because I've done this four times," Woods said, referencing his returns as an opposing coach. "You don't understand the passion that we have and the love that we have for this place... We're all refreshed that one of ours is at the helm now."
Richie Farmer dreamed a dream you don't dare to
Richie Farmer, the mountain legend, spoke about the improbability of their legacy.
"You never dare dream that your jersey might be hanging in the rafters," Farmer said. "It's the greatest accomplishment that a basketball player can have that plays here."
Mark Pope, who sat back and let the legends hold court, summed it up perfectly:
"These guys reset the trajectory of Kentucky basketball. They laid the foundation for what I got to experience... It's really special." Micah 7:7.
Seeing them together again was a reminder that while coaches and players change, the standard they set remains the bedrock of everything Kentucky basketball is today.