Ira Combs passed away today

It's with a heavy heart and utter disbelief that I have to find the words to tell you Big Blue Nation lost one of its best today. Ira Combs -- longtime fan, journalist and follower of the Cats -- passed away earlier this afternoon in Louisville. He suffered a heart attack while walking to pick up his credentials at the arena for this weekend's tournament games. I got to know Ira very well last summer when he followed us on our radio tour and my only regret is not getting to know him long before then. The man was as good as they come, a legend in Eastern Kentucky, and he will be missed by many, far across this state. You show listeners may remember Ira giving away several valuable pieces of his UK memorabilia collection to fans at our tour stops last year. Ira joked that he didn't have a lot of time left on this Earth so he wanted to share his prized UK possessions with others while he still can. Little did we know at the time, there was some truth to those words, and some eight months later he would pass away unexpectedly during one of the happiest times to be a Kentucky basketball fan, on the day the Road to 9 begins. I could go on and on with stories from our short chats and pregame meals in Rupp Arena --  I couldn't sneak past him without giving my prediction and hearing his, which was rarely off -- but there's not enough that can be said about Ira and what he meant to people around Kentucky, especially in those mountains. He was an ambassador of Kentucky high school basketball in the area, a friend to all, and he will truly be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Oscar and the Combs family during this difficult time.