Michael Blowen is the founder of Old Friends, a retirement farm for thoroughbreds located in Scott County, Kentucky, north of Lexington. The stars in residence at Old Friends include 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm; Touch Gold, whose win in the 1997 Belmont Stakes denied Silver Charm the Triple Crown; two longshot winners of the Belmont, Sarava, who won at 70-1 in 2002, and Birdstone, a 36-1 winner in 2004; and several winners of Breeders Cup World Championship races. The big winners draw visitors from around the world, but Old Friends is also home to horses who had little success on the track. All are able to live out their later years in a peaceful setting in Central Kentucky. He speaks one on one with SportsPage host Keith Elkins.

COVID-related decisions, changes in technology, the introduction of new sports activities — that’s just a small sample of the endless variety of challenges Julian Tackett has faced in his 12-plus years as commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and 39 years overall with the KHSAA. In this conversation with Keith Elkins, he talks about those issues, as well as his background, which was influenced by his work with sports figures such as former University of Kentucky football coach Jerry Claiborne, longtime UK sports information director Russell Rice, and former Transylvania basketball coach Don Lane, among many others.

This week on the WUKY SportsPage Keith Elkins chats with new UK Athletics Hall of Famer Derek Bryant who played baseball for the Big Blue and then a successful career in Major League Baseball.

Jay Shidler was a fan favorite during his basketball career at the University of Kentucky. Known as the Blond Bomber in reference to his blond hair and long-range shooting skills, he was a starter as a freshman in 1976-77, and was a member of the 1978 national championship team. He was a high school All-American in Lawrenceville, Illinois and led his team to a state championship there. He and co-author Paul Corio wrote “Blonde Bomber: A Ride with Shide,” in which he is open about the ups and downs of his basketball career and his life since then.

As Kentucky’s quarterback, Pookie Jones helped lead the Wildcats to the 1993 Peach Bowl. He is a former Kentucky Mr. Football from Calloway County High School, and was recruited by Penn State, Nebraska and Tennessee among others before choosing UK. He was also a UK baseball star, and played professionally in the Colorado Rockies organization. In this interview, he talks about his two-sport UK career, the Wildcats run to the Peach Bowl, life in baseball’s minor leagues, and his current part-time coaching position at West Jessamine High School, where his son Jacob is a highly regarded college prospect.

On the eve of what many fans hope to be a successful football season, Keith talks with Tony Neely, assistant athletics director for athletics communications and public relations at the University of Kentucky. In this conversation, he talks about his relationships with coaches and players, the ever-changing environment in sports communications, and the occasional bad-news situations that every public relations official encounters. He also pays tribute to C.M. Newton, former UK athletics director and Vanderbilt basketball coach, who had an important role in his career. A breakfast meeting with Newton and former Alabama basketball coach Wimp Sanderson provided a memorable experience.

Jim Andrews was recently elected to the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame. He played basketball at UK from 1970-73. In three seasons -- freshmen were not eligible for varsity play at that time – he had 43 double-doubles, third in UK history behind Dan Issel and Cotton Nash. He averaged a double-double in each of his last two seasons – 21.5 ppg and 11.3 rpg as a junior, and 20.1 and 12.4 his senior year. The Wildcats won SEC championships in all three of his seasons, and he earned first team all-SEC honors in both his junior and senior years. In this conversation, he talks about his recruitment by UK (it included some help from a gas station attendant who was filling up assistant coach Joe B. Hall’s car on a recruiting trip), the transition from Adolph Rupp to Hall as head coach, the matchups with rival Tennessee at a time when only the conference champion made the NCAA tournament, and how the uncertainty and eventual demise of the ABA affected his professional career. He also covered his international experience in the professional ranks, and his relationships with UK teammates, including Tom Payne, the first African-American to play at Kentucky.

Alan Stein may be best known for bringing professional baseball back to Lexington in 2001 as the founder of the Lexington Legends, but he has a long list of interests and accomplishments. Keith Elkins catches up with the 'newly retired' businessman who appears to be busier than ever.

A first-team All-American defensive end at Kentucky, Art Still helped lead the 1977 Wildcats to a 10-1 record, including a 6-0 mark in the SEC. He was named first-team All-SEC in 1976 and 1977. He is a member of the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. A first-round draft choice by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1978, and second overall pick in the draft, he played 12 seasons in the NFL and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection. He is a member of the Chiefs’ Hall of Honor and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. In this conversation, he recalls highlights from his college and professional career – including the great 1977 season at UK – and remembers some of the teammates and coaches that not only helped him achieve success on the field, but also helped him gain – and give – greater understanding about the different backgrounds that each brought to UK.

Mike Fields’ 45-year sportswriting career included 36 years covering high school sports for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Fans, coaches and players across the state looked for his stories throughout the year, especially in March, when the Sweet 16 basketball tournaments are in the spotlight. In this conversation, Mike shares his thoughts on a high school writer’s job, his working relationships with coaches, and his memories of the Sweet 16 and the great players he covered.