Certain holiday traditions never get old. There’s nothing better around Christmas time than baking cookies with Grandma and then eating some for breakfast while opening presents. It’s the perfect way to kick things off before Ralphie says: “Ohhhh, fudge (only I didn’t say fudge)!” A month earlier, Big Blue Nation celebrates Thanksgiving by watching the Wildcats win the Governor’s Cup.

The Governor’s Cup hasn’t always been the exclamation point for America’s holiday of gratitude. That changed in 2014, when the season opener was moved to the weekend of the rivalry. Kentucky has won all but three meetings since then, including five in a row against the Cards.

It never gets old. Every year, Louisville fans believe they have a chance to win. Every year, Lucy takes the ball away from Charlie Brown.

Every loss brings with it apologies. “They had stomach aches. That’s why they couldn’t tackle Lynn Bowden!” I forget what the excuse was after the Cards, ranked 10th, lost at home as heavy favorites last year, but I’m sure there was one.

The Wildcats respond to Louisville’s grief with celebration on the football field. The governor of Kentucky awards the Wildcats the trophy, which they raise triumphantly above their heads. Today I learned that they make it look so easy. But it’s not.

Mark Stoops casts no shadow on Louisville

Mark Stoops brought the Governor’s Cup to the annual Louisville Kickoff Luncheon at Churchill Downs. Just outside the windows of the first turn, you could see the crime scene at the corner of Floyd and Central in the distance. Stoops had a chance to kick them while they were already down, but unlike Scott Satterfield, he has too much respect to criticize Jeff Brohm.

“I knew it was going to be tough, I knew it was going to be a good game, I knew Coach Brohm would do a wonderful job and he does,” Stoops said. “It’s nice to come here after a win, but we’ve got to do it again this year.”

I asked a question that is on many people’s minds. “Is the Governor’s Cup in jeopardy if Kentucky has to play nine SEC games?” Stoops is holding off on commenting until he knows for sure that a nine-game SEC schedule is looming.

Before I left Churchill Downs that afternoon, I spotted one of my favorite former Kentucky Wildcats, Jeremy JarmonThe former All-SEC defensive lineman had an important task at the end of the event: helping to pack up the Governor’s Cup trophy.

That’s the point, lifting this trophy is not a job for one person, even if you’ve spent years playing around SEC offensive linemen. I volunteered my services and happily lifted the massive, 30-year-old, 85-pound piece of hardware. It’s something Malik Cunningham he only did it in his dreams.

When you see the Wildcats holding the Governor’s Cup high above their heads on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, you know it’s not as easy as it looks.