[J. R. VanHoose]

OH J.R., you've done it... you've made me get all nostalgic. Tell them about how it felt to ride out of town on the way to the State Tournament and seeing all the little kids standing on 3rd street cheering you on... tell them about our little band playing the National Anthem in Rupp when the sound system wouldn't work... tell 'em about the game that seemed like your hands and the ball were like magnets and you couldn't miss... tell 'em about beating Lex. Cath in Rupp & the game Matt Ratliff had... tell 'em abpout big Josh McKenzie... tell 'em about Todd Tackett's wardrobe malfunction... tell 'em about the feeling you had when we were introduced in the finals in Rupp in '96... tell 'em about all the sweet little things people did... like handmade/handdrawn good luck books from little kids & good luck momentos.... tell 'em about the smell of oranges in the hallways @ the Harley... tell 'em about the staff @ the Harley & how wonderful they were to us all and especially the team... tell 'em about people liined up along the Mountain Parkway waving to you guys with Mountain Pride in their eyes and what it looked like to look out the rear of the bus windows to see a car parade forever.... tell 'em about looking into the bleachers towards the end of that state victory game and the love/support you saw in return...there are memories that go well beyond the games and these are the things that touch my heart about your special group... trips to hospitals to bring joy to little Tigers who were ailing.... Tigers reading to kids during story time @ the grade school... Big Blue Bashes sponsored by PBH Med Ctr. in the Patterson Ballroom before State Tournament games... and the sweetness of the party in the lounge of the Hyatt after.... (well y'all wouldn't know about those..LOL... but they were sweet too!) Business men and PHS alums singing @ the Harley.... meals @ the Waffle House after a big win!(well you wouldn't know about those either...LOL... my bad) The sweet sounds of my children sleeping peacefully on the way home from a ballgame and their precious little voices asking ,"did we win?" because they had cheered and played so hard they fell asleep before the game was over... Or risking life and limb in vans on snow covered roads to Knott County for the WYMT classic & picking up stranded Tiger parents along the way and going on to the game.... those Frito things @ Knott County's concession... seeing Coach Bill Mike Runyon walk into a gym to hug Miss Mary McClafferty's neck on Sunday after winning the State Tournament... (this forces me to remember her chant... "If you loved Paintsville High School, Like I love Paintsville High School, You'll Fight Fight Fight!") Holy Smokes if I can't hear her as plainly as day and see her in my mind's eye... hopping and skipping along that front row of Seniors @ a Pep Rally... all 98 pounds of Tiger Pride! Well.... thanks for stirring my memories... The whole group was just a joy to follow and support.... you all have provided a lifetime of wonderful memories to recollect and images not to be forgotten.... I could begin on all my recollections from the John Leslie era... but I'll hold off for now... but I'll share this morsel...the very first trip home after winning the Regional finals @ SCHS in the rear of a station wagon and being met @ the turn off from 645 to Rt 23 and getting the escort home.... for our 1st trip to Rupp was mighty mighty emotional and sweet... listening to the post game interviews was pretty sweet too!

I remember most of those things too, but my best memory from the 96' State Tournament was staying up all night after we won and, just before getting a few hours of sleep, looking at the Sunday Lexington paper to make sure that we did really win that thing! If you want to know something really funny. Out of all 12 of the games I played at Rupp in the State Tournament during my career I remember them all, except for those four during the 96' tournament. I mean I can watch them on tape and know what happened, but as far as actual game memories, I have none. Can't remember what it felt like on the floor after we won, or anything!!Yes thise memories were great and I cherish them. But as far as missing things I miss the feel and smell of it all before and after the games. Don't know why, just things I took for granted that I really miss!