Tag: Kentucky

The Top Five Reasons NOT to Buy My Book

The Top Five Reasons NOT to Buy My Book

Let’s face it. We’re all inundated these days—with political propaganda, fast food coupons, and suspicious texts warning that your bank account’s been compromised. So when a washed-up orthodontist-turned-sportswriter announces his eighth book, your first instinct might be to mutter “bless his heart,” roll your eyes, and scroll on by.

But before you do, allow me—with all the humility I can muster—to present:

The Top Five Reasons NOT to Buy My New Book, Whining for Posterity: Life, Sports, and Other Things Worth Complaining About

Reason #5: You’ve Already Heard It All Before

Fair. At least the five people outside my immediate family who’ve read all my blogs, chuckled at my columns, and survived a few of my Facebook rants might think so. You know who you are.

You’re thinking, “I don’t need a bound compilation of recycled material cluttering up my coffee table.”

Touché. But this is the director’s cut. Whining for Posterity includes never-before-seen edits, timely updates, and slightly embarrassing bonus reflections by yours truly—organized into tidy little categories like “Life,” “Love,” “Politics,” “Religion,” “Travel,” and “Sports.”

Skip the spiritual stuff. Go straight to the football whining if that’s your thing. I won’t be offended.

Reason #4: You Don’t Like Complaining

Neither do I. That’s why I wrote a whole book about it.

Let me clarify: this isn’t just me griping about the Bengals’ play-calling or America’s healthcare system. It’s an honest, often humorous, occasionally heartfelt look at the little frustrations of life—and the big lessons hiding behind them.

Think of it as therapy, but with fewer co-pays and more Rick Pitino references.

Reason #3: You’re Holding Out for the Movie

Ah yes, the inevitable blockbuster. Picture it: Jackie Chan as me, Meryl Streep as my long-suffering editor, and John Calipari making a surprise cameo as himself.

Sadly, Hollywood hasn’t called. Yet.

So for now, your only option is to read the book. Don’t worry—it’s got plot twists, emotional payoffs, and enough laugh-out-loud moments to keep even the most distracted reader engaged. There’s something in it for everyone.

Best of all? It’s cheaper than a bucket of overpriced movie popcorn.

Reason #2: You Think I’m Just Trying to Make a Buck

Please. I’m a writer. If I wanted to make money, I’d still be straightening teeth.

Truth is, I’m donating all the proceeds from this book to charity. Not because I’m a saint—but because YOU are. Plus, I’d rather give the money away than explain to the IRS why I spent it all on road trips with the Wildcats.

So when you buy Whining for Posterity, you’re not just supporting me. You’re supporting a good cause—and giving yourself (or someone you’re regifting it to) a few laughs, a few tears, and maybe even a fresh perspective on this maddening miracle we call life.

Reason #1: You’d Rather Read John Grisham

Who wouldn’t? I’m no John Grisham.

But here’s the truth: Whining for Posterity isn’t a legal thriller. Nor is it just a collection of gripes and giggles. It’s a scrapbook of moments—some hilarious, some heartfelt—that remind us what really matters. Relationships. Family. Faith. Our dogs. The everyday absurdities that make life worth living.

At some point, we all start thinking about what we’re leaving behind. Not money or monuments, but memories, stories, and maybe a few lessons others can carry forward.

This book is my way of doing that. A little piece of my voice—whiny as it is—preserved for whoever wants to listen.

So no, you don’t have to read it. But if you do, I hope it makes you think a little more about your own legacy—the one you’re writing every day, whether you realize it or not.

Because whining, at its core, is just love in disguise. A love that refuses to let life pass by unnoticed.

So there you have it. Five completely legitimate, totally reasonable, utterly unconvincing reasons not to buy my book.

But if, despite all that, you feel compelled to grab a copy of Whining for Posterity, I won’t stop you. In fact, I’m thanking you now in advance. Flag me down and I’ll sign it for you—maybe even buy you lunch, or at the very least, offer a heartfelt “bless your heart.”

Whining for Posterity—available now on Amazon and wherever books silently judge you from your nightstand. Click here to purchase. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDLCGR1P

#WhiningForPosterity
#BuyItAnyway
#ComplainingWithPurpose

Zvonimir’s Jaw-Dropping Debut

Zvonimir’s Jaw-Dropping Debut

(LEXINGTON, Ky.) – Attention College Basketball World: We interrupt your current season to bring you this special announcement. The program with the greatest tradition in the history of college basketball just delivered another “you’ve got to be kidding me” moment.

Considering the grand tradition that is Kentucky Basketball, you’d think these announcements might amount to a dime a dozen. But these declarations—manifested as iconic moments—are by definition few and far between. Because iconic moments are just that—archetypal, quintessential, seminal—occurring only once every decade or so.

Hatton’s halfcourt prayer, James Lee’s thunderous dunk, Padgett from the top of the key, Tayshawn from ten feet yonder. Full names and dates and descriptions not needed because the events themselves transcend the details. They’re all moments where we remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when Claude or Cawood or Tom described them so vividly.

And now add this one to your treasured archives: Zvonimir’s behind the back pass leading up to that glorious, mythical, magical, “THIS HAS TO GO IN” three-pointer by Antonio Reeves. Store it in there tight. Preserve it at all costs on your Mount Rushmore of Kentucky Basketball memories. Don’t let it ever dissipate or dissolve because you’ll repeatedly share that precious moment—through your own mist-filled eyes—with your children and grandchildren. You’ll nostalgically relive with friends and loved ones the joy and passion unique to us as privileged citizens residing in a proud and unified Big Blue Nation.

For those in winter hibernation who have no earthly idea what all this ruckus is about, I present to you Zvonimir Ivišić. Kentucky’s 7-foot-2 freshman took the floor for the first time and helped the eighth-ranked Wildcats cruise to a 105 – 96 smackdown of the visiting Georgia Bulldogs.

By the time the final horn sounded, Zvonimir (or Big Z as he’s affectionately known) had stuffed the stat sheet. The rising star from Croatia scored 13 points (on 5-of-7 shooting, 3-for-4 from behind the arc), grabbed five rebounds, had two assists, three blocks, and two steals in just 16 minutes of action. But it was the interminable delay in becoming eligible to even play that added to the overall magnitude of his heroics on the court.

For you see, Big Z waited patiently for nearly five whole months from the time he committed to play for the University of Kentucky before the big bad NCAA finally granted him clearance. The announcement, which came suddenly through an email from the clandestine smoke-filled back rooms of the NCAA compliance office, was met with joyful relief by everyone, including those in the Ivišić clan back home in Vodice.

“They were just too happy for me,” Zvonimir acknowledged after the game. “They couldn’t wait for me to play. They were praying to God every day that this day came.”

God answered their prayers with one of the greatest debuts I’ve ever witnessed in Rupp Arena. But historically speaking, where will we ultimately rank it?  

Iconic moments are laudable and noteworthy because they represent something far greater than the play on the court. As fantastic as Big Z’s debut turned out, is it possible we’ll only elevate it into the pantheon of UK Basketball’s greatest moments if Kentucky wins a national championship?

I would say that’s debatable. Does anyone care that Tayshawn’s five three-pointers against North Carolina took place in a season that ended at the Sweet Sixteen? Do fans dismiss the lovable Oscar Tshiebwe and all his other-worldly rebounding feats of grandeur because his team got Saint Petered? Do we wipe out the accomplishments of Kentucky’s 1983 – 84 team—one of my personal all-time favorites—simply because they had one horrific half of shooting?

We all agree that iconic moments represent more than just a statistic or a final score. They’re compilations of multiple factors coming to a head. They take into account the stories behind the story—the relentless practices, the team camaraderie, the sacrifices involved in striving to be that championship caliber team.  

But even more than that, these moments are deemed iconic because we as fans grant them iconic status. We get to be judge and jury, our feelings and emotions and participation in the moment every bit as important as the moment itself. Only time will tell. History will judge.  

For the time being, then, let’s just all bask in Big Z’s iconic debut. For the time being, let’s watch it again and again on YouTube, replay it over and over in our minds. Let’s cheer, scream, and jump up and down like idiots as we all did in real time.

For the time being, let’s all eat, drink, and be merry. Dismiss those worries regarding Final Four droughts, defensive lapses, or mysterious “general soreness” injuries that linger.

And for the time being, just relish and enjoy every game…and thank God for answered prayers. Because for a couple of fleeting moments smack dab in the middle of college basketball season, Zvonimir Ivišić gave Kentucky Basketball fans a glimpse of heaven on earth.

Dr. John Huang is a retired orthodontist, military veteran, and the award-winning author of Kentucky Passion. He currently serves as a reporter and sports columnist for Nolan Group Media. You can follow Dr. Huang on social media @KYHuangs and check out all his books at https://www.Amazon.com/stores/Dr.-John-Huang/author/B092RKJBRD