Thank you, Kentucky Sports Radio

I’ve written this article in my mind a dozen times. Not because I was looking forward to it – in fact, just the opposite – but because I had no idea where to begin. I guess I’ll just start with the facts, even though they are famously optional here.

The fact is I’ve been working for Kentucky Sports Radio for over four years, but this will be my final post. Before we get to that, let’s rewind.

Four and a half years ago (or so), I applied and was chosen for an internship with KSR, the largest independently-operated college sports blog in America and, more informally, one of the best things to ever happen to me. What started off as a fun way to spend my Sunday afternoons, grow my passion for writing and maybe even add to the discussion following a big win or a devastating loss has since turned into so much more. I changed my major from biology to broadcast journalism; I decided sports reporting was a viable career for me, not just a hobby. I may not have come to that realization without KSR.

Over the past four years, I’ve moved around within the company quite a bit. After starting off as an intern with the opportunity to post a few articles each Sunday, I eventually earned the chance to cover the Kentucky women’s basketball team. Then, the football team. Then, the men’s basketball team. Along the way, I found myself helping open KSBar and Grille, writing the Tweets of the Day posts, and eventually hosting a podcast. I became the Sunday editor. I took over the Instagram account and starting doing some on-air work for KSR’s social media and YouTube page. Those three letters – KSR – continued to grant me opportunity after opportunity, all centered around the team I grew up cheering for and the university I was attending.

And man, do I love it here.

I’ve interviewed (and gotten to know) more UK athletes than I could possibly count. It’s worth noting that for every Tyler Herro and every Benny Snell, there are dozens of others who may not become NBA All-stars or NFL Draft picks, but who were impressive student athletes nonetheless, each kind enough to share their story with a young and persistent reporter like myself.

I’ve had the chance to write about sitting ten rows from the top of Rupp Arena with my blue-blooded mom, and even my own deep, dark secret: the fact that my father, the poor guy, is a Louisville fan, therefore dividing our household and upping the stakes for every UK-UofL matchup. I wrote about a senior night I’ll always remember – My own, which was published on March 4, 2020. We had no idea what was headed our way in the coming weeks that quickly turned into months. In that story, I penned my excitement about walking across Rupp Arena’s stage to receive my diploma. Obviously, that did not happen. Instead, the past six months have been filled with uncertainty and the challenges that came with the “new normal.” The one consistent force, for me and probably many of you, was KSR, even during those long days without any live sports. I’ll always be thankful for that.

As for my next step, I’m not going far! I’ve accepted a full-time position with the TV station LEX18 as the associate producer and multimedia journalist for their brand-new show, BBN Tonight. A long time ago, I set a goal to begin my post-grad career in a college town… anywhere I could get a foot in the door covering college sports would have worked for me. I’m absolutely thrilled it gets to be this one, and I couldn’t be more excited to keep covering the Cats for the best fans in the country.

I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for the past four years with KSR. This crew gave me so many opportunities, and I’ll always be grateful for their friendship, encouragement and trust. I’ll have more to say about this on the website this Sunday!

— Maggie Davis (@MaggieDavisTV) September 25, 2020

Thank you to Matt Jones, whose impact on my life, not just career, has truly been profound. He’s believed in me and supported me every step of the way. All of the opportunities I’ve referenced in this post would not have been possible without the empire he has built in Lexington, and I’m grateful to have played even a small role in that.

Thank you to Tyler Thompson, our fearless leader and the true queen of KSR. Thanks for being our guiding force and the go-to for questions about absolutely everything (including the always-challenging Facebook live video). Thank you to Maria Taustine, Drew Franklin and Nick Roush, who interviewed me, a nervous high schooler, all those years ago. For some reason, you all saw something in me that resonated with you, and I’ll be grateful for that for the rest of my career. I wouldn’t be here today without that singular “yes” all those years ago.

Thank you to Jack Pilgrim, my first KSFriend, one of my biggest hype men and the worst HORSE player I’ve ever met, despite being a pretty good basketball writer. Thank you to Zack Geoghegan, my fellow Sunday warrior, our resident NBA guru, and the person who will always reply “I GOT YOU” when I asked to switch shifts. I’m sorry I still have to copy/paste your last name to spell it correctly. MACKS for life.

Thank you to Haley Simpson, who taught me AP style and showed me the ropes during my first season covering the UK hoops team all those years ago. Thank you to Kelsey Mattingly and Kindsey Bernhard for making Fantasy Camps and Women’s Clinics extra fun, for always staying in touch, and for teaching us all so much about local beer. Thank you to Trey Huntsman for the same, but with baseball instead of brew.

Thank you to every intern who has sacrificed their free time on a Sunday to write for this website, including (but not limited to!) Abbigale Harrison, Alex Holder, Alex Weber, Brent Wainscott, Brett Bibbins, Eli Mitchell, Jay Winkler, John Reecer, Nick Wheatley, Sam Gormley, Savannah Patton and Wynn McDonald. They’ve all done amazing work (and made my life easier in the process). Some of them have moved on to other things, but several are still churning out great content for KSR, and I can’t wait to follow along in the years to come.

Thank you to Freddie Maggard, Bradley “B-Roll” McKee, Dr. Mike, Chris Tomlin, Adam Luckett, Hubby Jefferson and everyone else who’s played a roll in keeping this operation afloat. You’re each incredibly talented individuals, and it’s an honor to call you my friends, not just my coworkers.

And thank you to you, the loyal readers of this website. Whether you’re the kind of fan who religiously checks this site every hour, the kind who chuckles every time we send out a Ryan Lemond app alert, or even the kind who leaves… let’s call them eccentric… comments, your support has meant the world to me.

I’m excited to continue working in Lexington for many reasons, but being able to remain in the fold of the Big Blue Nation is near the top of that list. While I’ll miss the daily absurdity of working for KSR, I know I’ll always feel like a member of this ridiculous family. I’m ecstatic to begin the next chapter of my life and I hope you’ll continue following along with me. If it includes the Big Blue Nation, I have a feeling it’s going to be good.

Go Cats.