John Schlarman (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky football fans have rallied behind the idea of finding a way for UK to honor the late John Schlarman.
The former UK player and assistant coach passed away after a two-year battle with cancer last season. He missed very little time at work until the final two weeks before his death midway through the 2020 season.
Fan John Harralson started an online petition that quickly had more than 3,000 signatures.
“Through this petition, we who sign-on implore UK Athletics to honor Coach Schlarman by naming the concrete wall encircling the Kroger Field playing surface, ‘The John Schlarman Big Blue Wall.'” the petition said.
Other fans have suggested a lot of other terrific ways to honor Schlarman. One wanted a player to wear/earn Schlarman’s jersey number each season. Fan Robert Hammonds suggested a Big Blue Wall at the end of the Cat Walk with a favorite Schlarman quote and photo for all players to touch. Several fans have similar ideas with a few different touches.
Mike Cocanougher wants to name the press box for Schlarman and put his name under the windows. Lance Dudley thinks the “Schlarman Cat Walk” is the perfect way to honor the coach’s memory.
Another fan suggested naming the practice facility after Schlarman because of the way he developed talent on the Big Blue Wall.
Dan Stewart suggested a “Big Blue Wall” where each personalized 7×12 inch blue block would cost $500 and all the proceeds would go to Schlarman’s children in the form of a scholarship fund.
The list could go on and on and there are no wrong answers here.
Kentucky officials have not indicated if they are planning anything to honor Schlarman but one would have to think they are. If UK is, officials likely are making sure everything is set in stone before anything is announced and in today’s marketing world it is probably not as easy to name anything for anyone as it used to be.
Kentucky officials also obviously would want to let the Schlarman family have some say in what is done — and that is only right.
Still, just expressing this much support and love for Schlarman should show the family how beloved he was even by fans who did not know him and I have no doubt in the near future we are going to hear something from UK on some kind of plans to honor Schlarman.
