I was born and raised in Harrodsburg, KY and graduated from Mercer County High School (Scotties, not Titans!). I went far away to college at the University of Kentucky (ok, it was only 30 miles but it felt far away) where I decided to stay for seven years (but did get two degrees!). While at UK I met Pam who eventually agreed to marry me and to whom I have been married since Nov 26, 1988. Take that, doubters! As you can see from the information below I am a pretty avid sports fan. I also am a huge music fan, love to read (thanks, mom!), play golf, and travel. As to travel, I feel so fortunate to have been able to have to do what I do as it has led me places I never imagined it would.
SPORTS
While I have come to love Alabama football, there is almost nothing more important than University of Kentucky basketball! UK leads the NCAA in terms of highest winning %, most NCAA tourney appearances, NCAA tourney wins, and NCAA tourney games played. Kentucky has won more SEC titles than all other SEC teams combined. UK is second in Final Four appearances and second in total NCAA wins, having won 8 national titles. Unlike other programs, UK only recognizes NCAA titles. 🙂 I believe everyone should, at some point, visit Rupp Arena.
I was fortunate to start at Florida State in 1986 the year before Bobby Bowden began his remarkable streak of 15 straight years finishing in the top 5. For someone from Kentucky where football was not that successful it was incredible watching football played at the level FSU did. Although I was never fortunate enough to meet Coach Bowden, just being affiliated with the institution where he coached was a great honor. One of my best sports memories was being at Notre Dame in 1993 when the #1 ranked Noles, led by Charlie Ward and Warrick Dunn, played the #2 ranked Irish. FSU came up short that day, but the following week Boston College kicked a last second field goal that allowed
FSU to win their first national title a couple of months later
in the Orange Bowl vs Nebraska.
I have played golf for most of my life, which would imply I would be good at it. I’m not. However, I have been fortunate to have attended all four majors starting with the Masters in 1997 where I was able to follow some young kid named Tiger Woods. Although I have never played the Old Course, I have visited there three times including a windy day in 2016 where I did my best Tom Watson “goodbye” pose. At Clemson we lived at Cross Creek Plantation which had a beautiful and challenging PB Dye course.
Like most people who grew up in Kentucky (and most of the US for that matter) for most of my life I was not much of a soccer fan. That began to change when I spent a month in Manchester in 2004 with a group of students and my colleague Lynnea Mallalieu and her husband, Tony. Tony was from Manchester and was a *huge* Man U fan and I became one, too. Or else! Through my friend Ibrahim Abosag I have been fortunate to have attended four matches at Old Trafford, two in the Platinum Lounge with seats at midfield, but on the third row of the second deck. I keep hoping Ibrahim can do better! I also follow Perugia (Italy) due to having spent time there.
MUSIC
Having grown up in the 1970s I have long been a very big Elton John fan. I was very fortunate to see him on his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour” in Birmingham (AL) in December, 2018.
I became a big U2 fan pretty much upon seeing their video (remember those?) on MTV (remember that?) for “New Year’s Day” in the early 1980s. I was finally fortunate enough to see them on their Joshua Tree tour after having wanted to see them for a long time. It was as good as I imagined with only the venue detracting a bit from the show (LCC).
My favorite band for the past 20 years or so has been the mighty Drive-By Truckers. There are very few of their songs I don’t relate to given that Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley are about my age and grew up in small towns like I did, although they did it in AL. Let There Be Rock!!!
If the only thing the DBTs did was “discover” Jason Isbell, that would be enough. Isbell has developed into one of our truly great singer/songwriters. I can’t think of a single thing of his that when I hear it I don’t want to just stop and listen.
My former student Kris Lindsey Hall turned me on to the Turnpike Troubadours, a band that I find myself listening to more and more. They are part of the OK “Red Dirt” scene which has been the source of a lot of great music.
Of course, a comprehensive listing of bands I do or have liked would take forever but some current favorites include St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Joe Jackson, Oasis, Noel Gallagher, Chris Knight, Florence + The Machine, Rush, and Arctic Monkeys.
BOOKS
I’d love to tell you that I have read the collected works of Dostoevsky, Kafka, and Dickens but I’ve not. My reading tends towards popular mystery novels. As such, I have read most everything by: John Grisham, Michael Connelly, Daniel Silva, and Jo Nesbo among others. I have also read more Stephen King than I should have.
As to others, three authors come to mind. First is Mark Helprin. I read “A Soldier of the Great War” first in the early 1990s and have since read all of his books. His “Winter’s Tale” remains my favorite book. Please do not confuse it with the horrible movie made from it. But the book is as magical an experience I have ever had reading something. Helprin’s use of language is something that not only can I not emulate, but something to which I cannot even aspire.
I also read Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” when it was first published in the early 1990s and for a number of years made a habit of reading it in late October/early November. Her second book, “The Little Friend,” I liked more than most and I really loved her Pulitzer prize winning “The Goldfinch.” I only wish she wrote faster!
I have read almost everything by John Irving. “The World According to Garp” rates quite close to “Winter’s Tale” as my favorite book.
