Many heroes have lived before; a multitude are unknown, unwept over and forgotten in everlasting night, for want of a spirited chronicler to chisel their deeds in stone.

– Horace (modified)

Beyond Breeder’s Cup trumpets; LSU bruising ‘Bama; and Arkansas’ ambush on the Ball Coach, there was history at home last week. Football in the Commonwealth made for a weighty list of milestones and heroes too.

Team to teamster, permit us to, if not chisel their deeds in stone, at the least acknowledge a few.

On Friday, the Paintsville kid with a sing-song name worthy of Everly Brothers treatment and Walter Payton durability, Joshua J. Jude of Johnson Central carried 35 times for 441 yards, half dozen touchdowns and chiseled in stone his own record displacing Derek Homer’s 13 year mark. Jude is Kentucky’s new all-time rushing king, 8,543 yards.

The show against Covington Holmes made larger the target on Jude’s 5-10, 175-pound frame however when Central lines up at Fort Thomas Highlands this week.

What to watch next? Jude’s co-favorite status with Highlands’ Patrick Towles, for Mr. Football honors being on same field is noteworthy, but where are the college scholarship offers for Jude?

Saturday’s milestone moments in Kentucky

• In the ever wacky OVC, Eastern Kentucky went on the road, spotted Jacksonville State a four touchdown lead, then roared to a fifth in a row win and a clear shot at first league title since Roy Kidd adjourned to the golf course.

• Western Kentucky. The game clock clicked to 0:00 when goat-horned kicker turned hero Casey Tinius stepped up and sailed one between the sticks. The Hilltoppers had their fifth straight win. All heart stoppers and the last ‘W’ reintroduced a new/old word to Bowling Green’s vocabulary. Bowl.

Meanwhile, the ‘Toppers, (5-1 in Sun Belt) ought file an appeal with its league. Something like: “With life and limb at stake, well-being of our players and future in mind, forfeit the check from Baton Rouge, please. Move past Saturday’s roady at LSU and go straight to Nov. 19 at North Texas.”

• Louisville. Set for a 10-points plus hammering at West Virginia by pundits, the Cardinals scored a Signature Win. At 38-35, it was bigger than beating Kentucky in September, and as new era big as beating Wake Forest in 2006 Orange Bowl. Suddenly, Pittsburgh’s visit to Papa John’s this week, is Big East title big and BCS big too.

Big.

If UofL (5-4) can win out, bigger bowl bucks are in the, uh, cards.

• Kentucky. Underdog at home, the Wildcats were stunningly good earning their first SEC game this year.

Clearly its finest performance, the offense showed rhythm and balance Big Blue Nation expected back to see when its population made Commonwealth Stadium the state’s third largest city, in September.

The emergence of Maxwell Smith has brought spark, elevated morale to pass blockers in the trench, and catchable passes have receivers running crisp routes again. No turnovers and keeping the defense off the field doomed Ole Miss. More good work from Coshik Williams and Matt Roark has made LaRod King hungry and dangerous again.

Head scratching UK watchers wonder anew, “what are these coaches not seeing on Tuesday through Thursday, that we ARE seeing on Saturday?”

This week, Vanderbilt is a 13-point favorite in Nashville. View here is, the point spread was hasty and took no account of Maxwell Smith’s arrival and the Wildcats performance overall against Ole Miss. A toss up.

UK AND HISTORY

For first time in more than a century, University of Kentucky has a new SEC border state rival. Missouri joins the SEC effective July, 2012.

Early impact points on UK football?

1. With eight SEC games on its schedule this year, addition of Mizzou in the SEC East Division, A&M in West, the number of bruiser-level league games will increase and could sound death knell for the UK-Louisville series.

2. Texas A&M and Mizzou will assume places in SEC standings above Kentucky and so elevates recruiting challenge all the more for Joker Phillips.

3. To say the border war with rival Tennessee at a low ebb is overstatement. So, a Kentucky-Mizzou annual season-ender could be a pack-the-stadium better than Big Orange option.

4. Expanded SEC, expanded schedule likely means, (ready for it?) ticket price hike. Stay tuned.

BASKETBALL & HISTORY

Early signing period – Wednesday was first day high school seniors could announce their college choices. Last week in Lexington, John Calipari reminded listeners “Kentucky isn’t for everyone,” then wished Stacey Poole good luck and good bye” (Glad to have your vacated scholarship).

We hope Poole follows a trail blazed by … Michael Bradley and Rodrick Rhodes on back to Bob Tallent and Linville Puckett. They, and a host of other ex-Wildcats who transferred and flourished.

ONE SHINING MOMENT

Finally, via the internet, a visit to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Let me recommend a YouTube clip featuring last play of the football game – Myrtle Beach Seahawks 64-16 win over Hilton Head.

The hero is Hilton Head’s Chip Mullen. Access the YouTube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTOc8412BBc&feature=youtube_gdata_player.

In a glowing show of sportsmanship, Mullen’s once-in-a-life-time moment was a 75-yard touchdown run that came from an idea by Myrtle Beach coach Mickey Wilson.

Mullen’s teammates and opposing players mobbed him in the end zone, celebrating the kid’s moment.

Mickey Wilson has family ties to Corbin, Kentucky where his father graduated Corbin High in 1964.

And so it goes.