Patrick Patterson got a stress fracture? Great! There goes the season. Even though it might have left a while ago anyway. We were on pretty good stretch there. We won the last 10 of 11?! Right?
I’m in Baghdad, so we don’t get news on the express train. We did, being UK basketball fans, however, get the above news really fast! Why, you may ask? Because the SEC has a lot fans here and they wanted to be the first to tell me about it. I’m a very vocal representative of UK basketball in Iraq, to say the least. Even the man who works as our interpreter has learned how to yell C-A-T-S, Cats! Cats! Cats!
It’s funny, though. Not about Patrick.
From everything I’ve seen, heard, and read he’s a class act young man.
It’s funny that the message boards make it sound as if UK and its campus have been sucked underneath the earth. That there is no light in Lexington anymore. I even had a friend e-mail me that I ‘might as well stay in Baghdad’, because being a ‘proud UK basketball fan has been put on hold.’ He was joking. I think?!
I read about how PP was already becoming a hero to many UK fans.
CRINGE………
This is where the problem lies with me. The definition of hero.
You already know where I’m going right?
Don’t get me wrong here, I’m a huge UK fan. Don’t put it past me to take the single ticket I have to a UK game and call in sick to work and make the other call to my wife to tell her I’m working late, lying to both so I can be at the game. My first born child had her name changed before birth so her initials would spell KAT, and because her grandmother is a wonderful namesake.
Patrick Patterson, a hero?
Great player. Yes! First team All SEC. Yes! But hero?
Maybe it’s my perspective, but the term to describe a really good 19-year-old young man playing basketball is not hero. Nor should it be. A hero has many definitions. The mythological hero was birthed by the Gods. The tragic hero lived and died in the hands of playwrights.
But let me talk a little about a real Kentucky hero. There are many to choose from. However I’ll stick to the modern era. Picture this:
You are out of high school for three years and you’re working part-time and going to school part-time and work as a store clerk/manager. Then the war breaks out. Your Kentucky National Guard unit is mobilized and you are faced with the realization you are going to war. You put all your belongings away and the only thing that goes in your dufflebag are military issued items and a few reminders of home. The year is 2005 and the war in Iraq is raging. Terrrorist videos released show barbaric images of how people are being killed and yet you pack your bags and kiss your family and go anyway. You could find an excuse to not go. You look at yourself in the mirror and realize you’ll have to see that face for the rest of your life and decide to go anyway. Your personal courage has just trumped your personal fear. You – 1, Terror – 0.
On a convoy in the middle of the desert, southeast of Baghdad the convoy you are protecting is hit. The average person, thankfully, has never been shot at. And when I say hit, I mean 40+ terrorists with AK47 assault rifles, RPG’s (rocket propelled grenades), and heavy weapons (.50 cal. machine guns) start shooting at you and have every intention to kill you. Now you, along with 11, yes 11 Kentucky National guardsmen, not only repel the attack, but kill 30 and take 7 prisoner. All of these guardsmen are heroes, but I want to introduce you to one, who was described as a leader in repelling and then defeating the attack and that I’m really impressed with; Ladies and Gentleman I present to you the Silver Star recipient for Valor in Combat, SGT Leigh Ann Hester – She is one of my Kentucky Heroes.
It would’ve been nice to have Patrick for the SEC tournament, though.
Lindsay I miss you so much, YAMWW,
Love, Steve
March 3, 2008 at 4:38 pm |
Great insight on a TRUE hero…. Thank you for serving our country so faithfully…. I am a born and bred Kentuckian living in South Carolina now…. but I bled UK blue…. and you are so right, we get so hung up on so called hero’s and there are none like you that serve our country and put your lives on the life each and every day…. from a retired National Guard member from South Carolina again thank you for serving our Great country….
March 4, 2008 at 8:18 am |
Dear Steve..
i stumbeld across your blog while surfing through wordpress, and it literally caught me up…couldn´t stop reading until i had everything.
So now you have a new enthusiastic reader from Germany, i am tensed to hear news about your life overseas.
With the best wishes for you and your unit over there.
Philippe
March 4, 2008 at 8:37 am |
Sir, in my opinion, each and every one of you ladies and gentlemen currently serving in Iraq, Afganistan and elsewhere in harm’s way are the true heroes, even those who do not win the silver star, bronze star, etc.
God bless and thank you
March 5, 2008 at 10:29 am |
You are right about Patterson Tressler the breath just left the city for a bit but we still have hope, as for heroes you already know i know who the true ones are, hope to see you guys soon, stay safe and miss you guys like crazy..
March 5, 2008 at 8:34 pm |
Honey,
GREAT blog! You are exactly right, people need to realize who the true heroes are! Of course, I might be a little biased! You and your troop are mine and Kenadee’s heroes! God Bless you sweetie
We love you and miss you
Lindsay and Kenadee
March 17, 2008 at 7:02 pm |
Steve,
Thank you for telling Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester’s story and recognizing her as a hero. I am a very close friend of hers and think that you guy’s never get enough credit for what you are doing for our country. I have known Leigh Ann since she got out of high school and watched her become who she is today. I am proud to say that she is still protecting us except not from Iraq but as a police officer in Tennessee. She doesn’t see that what she did that day as anything but doing her job that she agreed to do. I see her as a brave woman who is always looking out for others and that makes her a hero in my eyes along with all the solders that have lost there lives and the others that are still there. Thanks again
March 19, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
Steve,
I came across your blog one day while doing some research for work. I must say it was your name that caught my attn… I read on and found that it was the same Steve I know. What an encouraging thing it is you are doing! I am sure it provides so much comfort to so many families and soldiers. My prayers have been with you since I heard you were going over. Congrats on your bride (she is beautiful) and Baby. I always knew you would do well for yourself. I feel proud to have once called you friend.
Thanks!
Stephanie