Farewell, Mr. Bill.

Though I haven't lived in Kentucky for almost twelve years, it's still home. To many people who call Kentucky home (with the exception of my cousin Clay, who is a DUKE fan, of all things. I'm working on disowning him), University of Kentucky basketball is a religion. Royal blue and white are the colors of royalty. It's almost as hot of a topic as this year's Democratic nomination - except instead of Hillary or Obama, you're asked to choose sides between Kentucky and Louisville (that's another entry entirely). If you make the wrong choice (Louisville, in many cases), you're in trouble.

Anyway, for as long as I've been watching UK basketball (and beyond, in fact - for the past 48 years), the equipment manager has been Bill Keightley. He is as much Kentucky basketball as Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Rick Pitino, and Tubby Smith combined. A literal fixture in Kentucky basketball. He has been at 57% of all Kentucky basketball games ever played. I was so sad to learn that Bill passed away suddenly this week. He was 81 years old, going to his annual opening day baseball game in Cincinnati. He fell getting off the bus, and was taken to the hospital where it was discovered that he had a previously undiagnosed tumor on his spine. He died of internal bleeding. Reports say that he was cussing the entire way to the hospital because they were going to miss the first pitch of the game. Players and coaches considered him a close friend and confidant; a father or a grandfather of sorts. Though I haven't lived in Kentucky for so many years, I still find myself on the verge of tears when I think about the fact that Bill won't be on the bench next year.