Kentucky’s Derek Anderson talks about the mood in Kentucky thanks to the surge of new talent in the program, why he left Ohio State for Kentucky and his dream of playing at Louisville getting dashed (run time is 2:51; transcript below the jump).
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Lost Lettermen: This is Jim Weber from LostLettermen.com and I’m joined by Kentucky’s Derek Anderson. Derek thanks for joining us.
With Kentucky having John Wall now and DeMarcus Cousins and John Calipari, can you compare the rabid nature of the fan base compared to what it was like in ‘96? It seems like they were so excited to win another national championship and it feels like the wait has been so long to get back to the Final Four.
Derek Anderson: Well I think the whole thing now is they’re so talented. When you have a team like this, and then we went through the rocky roads with the last coach and the coach before that; I just think it was time to relive what we usually do before Rick Pitino came here in ‘87.
So the fans are used to this going up and down but just not this long. So I think that’s what everyone’s been looking for. They’re a great team and I think they have so much talent. I just think for them to win it’s going to take some time and I think they have the right nucleus right now. But the fans are definitely the reason we’re always successful in Kentucky.
LL: Now I grew up in Columbus and a lot of people forget you were originally a Buckeye. Can you talk about your decision to leave Ohio State and how you landed at Kentucky?
DA: Well when I left Ohio State I had torn my ACL and they were going on probation because they supposedly, illegally recruited Damon Flint which turned out to be nothing.
I knew Kentucky was an open spot because we had just played them that season so I thought man this is a great opportunity for me to rehab and then Rodrick Rhodes would be gone. So all of it fit for me to go down there and then coach Pitino told me, “Hey, you got the opportunity” and know they just played well the season before I felt that was the best fit for me.
And the fans knew my career. So at that point it really made me comfortable.
LL: Was it tough for you to go to UK being a Louisville product?
DA: Not after Denny Crum wouldn’t come visit. That was the situation. I dreamed of going and playing at Louisville. You watch both teams but when you’re a Louisville native you always wanted to play at Louisville. That’s what you were taught, that was what you were bred to do, even in middle school.
When he didn’t want to come, he said he’d sign me but that was after they signed Tick Rogers and DeJuan Wheat I felt that the best for me was to go somewhere where I knew I was gonna be useful and not just be put on the backburner with the rest of the players.
It wasn’t tough for me because I had already made a decision not to go to Louisville.
LL: Yeah. What’s it like for you now to see your old coach Rick Pitino at Louisville? And your former teammate Walter McCarty coaching under him?
DA: I’m happy for the guys. I think those guys meant a lot more to me than the university. But in the same token I wouldn’t do it. I think it’s great to see these guys doing what they love to do and doing it where they feel comfortable at. I will always support them except when they play us.
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