Savannahbayvol
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I was a freshman in March of 66 when Rupps Runts came to Knoxville 25-0 and ranked #1. The Vols beat the Runts 69-62 in one of the greatest games in school history and the most exciting game I ever saw in hoops. It was the last game in the old Armory Fieldhouse which was expanded to Stokely during the offseason.
UK had Pat Riley, Louie Dampier, Larry Conley and Thad Jaracz while the Vols had Ron Widby, Howard Bayne and Red Robbins . We had lost a few games during the early season but were playing as well as anyone in the country but unfortunately this was our last game as only 1 SEC team went to the post-season. UK went on to lose to Texas Western in a historic Final game. I would have loved to see how far the vols could have gone as we matched up physically better with TW than UK did.
The Runts are my favorite Vol opponent in any sport . With no player over 6'6 they were the best passing team I have ever seen and played the game like it should be played. I remember sitting in the lobby of Hess Hall watching the Finals game and every UT student there was pulling for the Kats.
Little did I know while watching the game that 15 years later I would meet Larry Conley in the Mortgage business in Atlanta. At one time we were competitors, then I was his biggest customer and finally we ended up working together for 2 years. Unfortunately he is ill and was unable to attend. He is a man of great integrity and character and had a lot of respect for Coach Mears and the Vols he played against.
Of course I did remind him occasionally that the only time I saw him play he got beat!
UK had Pat Riley, Louie Dampier, Larry Conley and Thad Jaracz while the Vols had Ron Widby, Howard Bayne and Red Robbins . We had lost a few games during the early season but were playing as well as anyone in the country but unfortunately this was our last game as only 1 SEC team went to the post-season. UK went on to lose to Texas Western in a historic Final game. I would have loved to see how far the vols could have gone as we matched up physically better with TW than UK did.
The Runts are my favorite Vol opponent in any sport . With no player over 6'6 they were the best passing team I have ever seen and played the game like it should be played. I remember sitting in the lobby of Hess Hall watching the Finals game and every UT student there was pulling for the Kats.
Little did I know while watching the game that 15 years later I would meet Larry Conley in the Mortgage business in Atlanta. At one time we were competitors, then I was his biggest customer and finally we ended up working together for 2 years. Unfortunately he is ill and was unable to attend. He is a man of great integrity and character and had a lot of respect for Coach Mears and the Vols he played against.
Of course I did remind him occasionally that the only time I saw him play he got beat!
