Rich Brooks' Offseason

It must be exceptionally difficult for a football guy like Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks in these trying dull offseason months. Here's a man who was inches away from getting run out of town by an angry mob just a few years ago. So I would imagine part of him would rather it be quiet as opposed to not. And "quiet" from all accounts is exactly what Brooks' offseason has been.

UK released a statement this weekend that Rich Brooks took some time out of his day to visit with Wildcat Superfan Jim Brown, who turned 90 years young and seen in the photo above, and who also hasn't missed a Wildcat home game since 1938, save for when he was in World War II. From the release...

University of Kentucky football superfan Jim Brown turned 90 years old recently. Brown’s family held a surprise party for him, and Wildcat Coach Rich Brooks was one of the guests who congratulated the dedicated UK fan on his milestone.

“That was a complete surprise,” Brown said. “I thought we were just going out to dinner. Mary Anne (Brown’s wife) said my children and their spouses would be there and when we arrived there were 90 people, including Coach Brooks! He stopped by on his way to his radio show and was so accommodating.”

Chalk another moment up where Brooks just does something good. Love him or hate him, and I suspect that many who were in the latter camp at one point or another are now in the former, the guy is simply a class act. Wins and losses aside, and there have been plenty of both, the football program will be losing a good coach and better man whenever Brooks decides it's time to hang it up.

And you may ask yourself, aside from birthday parties and liquor bottle signings at Keeneland, how Brooks is spending his time. Let's check out his Twitter page...

2:16pm 5/11/09: Just gave Jeremy Jarmon a fly casting lesson. He got a fly rod for his graduation this weekend. He actually did pretty well with it.

11:10 am 5/8/09: Planted some tomatos yesterday and can't wait for them to start. I love fresh tomatos.

Tomatoes and fly casting. Awesome. Rich Brooks... decidedly not bullshit.