Today is a great day, and I feel wonderful. How are you doing, Reader? Before you answer, I don’t really care. I just said that because it was polite. Anyway, today is a big day for us here at SDS, because one of our favorite players of all time, Dicky Lyons Jr., is stopping by to give us the good word. That’s right, Richard “Career totals feature 108 receptions with 16 scores” Lyons. You know, Dick “eight receptions for 124 yards and three touchdowns against Florida in 2007″ Lyons. You remember Dicky “50-receptions in two consecutive seasons” Lyons. How could you forget Rich “Committed to Kentucky in the summer of 2003 and did not seriously consider other schools” Lyons? That’s right, you didn’t. Ergo, you must be as excited as I am to welcome the star of the Daily Dicky to the SDS Miller High Life Warm Chair.

Dick, its been too long since I’ve seen you, my friend. What’s been going on in your world since our reign over the Tin Roof and Two Keys?

Dicky Lyons Jr: Personally Tyler, I don’t think it’s been long enough, but hanging out with you at Two Keys and Tin Roof was always a good time. Since then I have been bouncing around the NFL and UFL. I am currently in Grand Isle, Louisiana helping out with the BP oil spill. I work 8 days a week, 14 hours a day. The only thing that keeps me going is watching my Cats play.

A lot has been made about the annual Dirty Man contests that go down during fall camp. Ross Bogue told us of the mustache trials and tribulations, and to be honest, I was surprised that you didn’t hold the record for dirtiest mustache. On a scale where 1 is “The Situation” and 10 being Mike Ditka, where did Mike Hartline’s stache rank? What about yours?

I remember those Daily Dicky segments you did for UK athletics two seasons ago. What was that experience like? Who would be your acting role models?

Dicky Lyons Jr: The Daily Dicky segments are great memories for all the players involved. Looking back on them I can only say this; “They were a lot funnier during training camp.” No role models.

Richard, there was a huge NCAA investigation into that Moped that you cruised around campus on. What was that all about?

Dicky Lyons Jr: The investigation was all about trying to figure out who stole my moped. I miss that sweet ass moped of mine.

I know Moncell Allen is a NOLA guy like you, and you guys were pretty good buddies at UK. What’s it like seeing Moncell breaking the spirits of grown men every Saturday?

Once, I was with Moncell at a bar, and we each had $5 in our hands, yet he had more money than me. How is that possible?

Dicky Lyons Jr: I used to drive Moncell home in high school and the change in my car was always missing when he left. I guess he’s a magician.

Are you staying in touch with Coach Phillips much these days?

Dicky Lyons Jr: Coach Phillips was my receiver coach and offensive coordinator. I just wish he could have been my head coach as well. I call him every week and say the same thing, “You should start Turtle.”

What’s it like seeing the might #12 on the back of the quarterback young Morgan Newton?

Dicky Lyons Jr: Looks good on him…..but it looked GREAT on me.

I know Mike Hartline wanted to be Richard Lyons when he grew up, what do you think of young Hartline now?

Dicky Lyons Jr: I didn’t know he wanted to be my dad.

Dicky Lyons Jr: All of them

There was a freestyle battle walking down Beale street after the Liberty Bowl two years back. I recall that you and I were involved, and that you didn’t win. Any comment there?

Dicky Lyons Jr: Only that you better wake up and apologize if you even dream of beating me

What books are you reading now?

Dicky Lyons Jr: True Blue, The Lyons Football Legacy. Available through the publisher at SetShotPress.com

Thanks for stopping by, Dick. We are big fans, and look forward to seeing your great talents and huge personality more in the future. Go Cats.

Tim, Clint called me last week, but he couldn’t tell me where he was, other than that he was in the desert. I suspect it is Iraq, but who knows, anyway, he wanted me to tell you hi. Where are you right now, and why are you there?

Last week, in your preseason game against the Colts, you hit a booming fifty three yard bomb with a five second hang time. The receiver muffed the catch and the Pack picked up six points courtesy of big #8. What was going through your mind on that play?

Tim Masthay: I was a little hungry and thirsty at that moment and since that play came right before halftime, my mind had drifted to the gatorade, protein bars, and bananas that would be served in the lockerroom. It’s a wonder I even managed to contact the ball with my foot. That aside, in the moment I focused on my fundamentals and the type of punt we needed. I received a good snap and fortunately executed a good punt. Our coverage was great and Corey Hall made a great play jumping on the ball in the endzone. It’s always a good feeling to do your job well, regardless of the job, so I felt good about the play coming off the field. A little sidenote, the returner was a guy named Brandon James who I used to punt and kick to when I played at Kentucky and he at Florida. He is a highly skilled player and returner that I’m sure will do big things for the Colts.

Tim Masthay: I would say expensive is a little excessive of an adjective, but brand new fits the bill. I rode that thing everywhere, since I did not have a car and lived on campus with a bunch of guys who spent all hours studying and were asleep before I got home and gone before I got up. That being the situation I was relegated to my 2 wheeler. She rode smooth until one afternoon I walked out the back door of our house to go to class and that blue beauty was gone. I had left the lock off the bike for about 45 minutes or so and that’s all it took for someone to wander onto our back porch and take it. I cried myself to sleep that night.

Did you ride the other bike around?

Tim Masthay: I had actually completely forgotten that a bike was left in my bike’s place. My distress prevented me from giving the other bike a chance. Though, from the looks of its condition, I’m quite certain I would not have gotten down the block before it fell apart.

I heard you were under some kind of investigation for having such a nice car the end of that year. What was that all about?

Tim Masthay: The NCAA and University officials were always crawling down my back about my ’94 Geo Metro with the stock rims and manual transmission. Frankly, I can’t blame them. I’d be suspicious, too.

Tim, you were an all state athlete in several sports in high school, thus one of the more athletic guys on the team. Do you think that had anything to do with your several fake punts? Which one sticks out as a favorite?

Tim Masthay: I think Coach Brooks and Coach Ortmayer were always confident that I could execute fake punts, and so we often had them in our game plans. They were all fun and some of them painful (i.e. taking the hardest hit of my life from Jerod Mayo of UT). The most meaningful fake has to be the pass I threw to Marcus McClinton (all credit is due Coach Brooks for calling it, the line for blocking, and Marcus for making a great move to get the first down. I had the easy part!) against Clemson in the 2006 Music City Bowl. That play changed the game and that game changed the program. Accordingly, I will always have fond memories of that fake punt.

You played in almost every game of your four year career at UK. What was your favorite thing about going on the road? Tell me one memory that sticks out to you as especially memorable? (I remember hearing you say you enjoyed hearing Louisiana Saturday Night at LSU).

Tim Masthay: I hate to correct you (on second thought, no I don’t) but I actually did play in every game of my four year career. One game I only played a quarter because I got injured, but I did play. Listening to Louisiana Saturday Night on a saturday night inside Tiger Stadium was certainly memorable, though I would like to forget the thrashing that followed. I did always enjoy getting to play in all the different stadiums. One memory is an impossible task, but when the fans rushed the field at Commonwealth following the victories over Georgia in ’06 and LSU in ’07 and when we were greeted outside and inside the stadium by a mass of UK fans at the ’06 Music City Bowl, those were especially special moments. But in the end the grind day in and day out with the guys will always be the most memorable and special to me.

What’s the biggest difference between being on an NFL team and a SEC team?

Do you ever talk to any Cats playing in the League?

Tim Masthay: Not on a regular basis, but a handful of us occasionally wind up in Lexington at the same time and so it is always a treat when that happens. Jacob Tamme and I text each other every now and then and I did also have the good fortune of spending a few months with the Indianapolis Colts and so spent a good deal of time with Tamme there. I enjoyed getting to catch up with him before and after our Indianapolis game. He’s a special guy and player. I’d also like to throw a shout out to my old teammate and roommate Ross Bogue. I was humbled by and appreciated what he said during the interview you conducted with him and I must reciprocate because Ross possesses a rare combination of wit, charisma, and authenticity. He’s the kind of guy you want to be around and someone you can get real with.

Oh and would you rather punt in the cold or in the warm weather?

Tim Masthay: Cold. I only say this because of the team I currently play for, not because I really think it.

I don’t hide this: I cheer for the Kentucky Wildcats. In a guest article I recently wrote for Wildcat Blue Nation, I mentioned some of my greatest football memories. Well, many of those memories include a man by the name of Ross Bogue. He played tight end and contributed to Kentucky being in 4 consecutive bowl games for the first time in school history. Ross graduated this year, but I had the opportunity to formally speak with him about his time at UK and here is what he said:

Tyler Montell: So I read you come from the Dirty Dirty, Hotlanta, Jawja. Your pops played ball at Georgia Tech, and your mother is a Florida alum. How did you end up at the University of Kentucky?

Ross Bogue: Tyler, you’ve obviously never been a 17 year old kid who has had to stare Rich Brooks straight in the face after he demands that you come play for the University of Kentucky. Most intimidating moment in my life thus far. No, in all seriousness, I came up for a visit to Lexington and fell in love with the place. A great coaching staff, playing in the most dominant conference in college football, and an awesome campus/student body to boot.

Tyler Montell: You played five years in Lexington. What would you say was the biggest difference in the program from the start of your career to the end of it?

Ross Bogue: The overall focus of the program has really taken a turn for the absolute best. 5 years ago the thought of reaching a bowl game was a very foreign thought around the program and now it’s expected. I’m excited to see what Joker can do with the team as a head coach in the coming years and I think fans should expect a lot of great things out of the Cats in 2010.

Tyler Montell: I remember hearing several accounts of your dance moves at a traditional Lexington Kentucky Derby Eve gala. Something about you sliding across the dance floor on your knees? Must have really done a number on those pants, huh.

Ross Bogue: No comment.

Tyler Montell: Ross, you seem like a pretty clean cut guy, with your J Crew watch and skinny ties. But what is this I read about your mustache contests in fall camp? Any truth to the rumors that Mike Hartline can’t grow facial hair?

Ross Bogue: This was my shtick. I was always big on building camaraderie in the locker room during camp. Fall camp is a brutal, break down your soul and build back up experience. If you can’t find ways to relax a little or take your mind off of the grueling Summer days of Lexington, you won’t make it. What better way to do so than grow a mustache? Hartline can actually grow a pretty mean Miami Vice style ‘stache. As for mine, I’ve seen thicker ‘staches on half the Pitcher’s in this years Little League World Series.

Ross Bogue: It was a surreal experience looking back on it present day. At the time if you remember correctly, we were down about 30 points when I caught that pass and wasn’t able to really enjoy it after the beating we took.

Tyler Montell: Any on field funny stories/ memories from your playing days?

Ross Bogue: It’s hard to pinpoint one great memory out of so many unbelievable ones in the 4 years I played. The one that sticks out the most though would have to be the big win over my home state, UGA. It wasn’t just the fact that it was such an incredible game on the field, but the fans reaction at that game made it the experience it was for us all. I watched grown men cry, students get knocked out by security guards as they attempted to storm Commonwealth, and players being given swigs of adult beverages right on the field. And, of course, watching those goal posts torn down is a sight I’ll never forget. Kentucky fans deserved a win like that and it felt good to give it to them.

Tyler Montell: How much interaction did you have with Coach Phillips? Any insights you can give us into his personality?

Ross Bogue: As Tight End’s we actually spent a lot of time with Joker since he’s also been the receiver’s coach for the several years. Joker was always concerned about everyone having a great knowledge for the game and an understanding of all 11 players’ roll on the field. He wanted to make sure we all had a great grasp of that offense so we could all work as a cohesive unit in the most difficult of situations on Saturday’s. He did a fantastic job of doing that as an OC. I also liked that he knew we were all 18-22 year old kids with the attention span that would last a little less than half an hour at a time. He was always great at supplementing those 2 and half hour meetings with breaks where one of us would have to get up and do an impression of another player or do some stand up comedy. Something to get our mind off of film for a minute. That was a huge hit during the Dicky Lyons era.

Tyler Montell: I asked Gregg Doyel this, but several gossip sites have reported that the hit TV show Entourage was written about your life, specifically the “Johnny Drama” character. Any comments? I have known you a long time, and I don’t really see that.

Ross Bogue: No, I don’t have a brother who was the star of Martin Scorsese’s, Gatsby. And no, I’ve never starred in a hit TV show by the name of Viking Quest. I do know a Kentucky beat writer for this exact blog that looks eerily similar to Macaulay Culkin though.

Tyler Montell: I know you lived with fellow Wildcats Tim Masthay and Will “The Hillbilly Rockstar” Fidler. What was that experience like?

Ross Bogue: Masthay was my freshman year roommate and I can honestly say he is one of the most genuine, humble, and hard working people I know. I lived with Fidler my junior and senior year and I can honestly say he is exactly what you aforementioned: A Hillbilly Rockstar.

Tyler Montell: You live in Chicagoland, right? I saw the play, ‘Chicago.’ Is the play very much like the city?

Ross Bogue: After reading the synopsis of ‘Chicago’ on IMDB, the answer to your second question is an unequivocal, no. However, I did just move up to Chicago in April and it’s been a great summer so far in the Windy City. That being said, I can’t wait to make it back this fall for some home games to cheer on Joseph Phillips and Team Operation Win. See you at Commonwealth!