Guys, gonna let you in on a little secret. Just like the "average" Kentuckian doesn't know there is more to western KY past Elizabethtown (I say that kind of in jest, but kind of not too), the "average" Kentuckian doesn't really recognize or have any relationship to NKY and all the schools up there, and many actually think of the area as more belonging to Cincinnati than being part of KY. Hey, I have actually heard KHSAA refs from far western regions refer to Beechwood and Highlands both as private schools..."and, you know, most schools around here just aint gonna beat those NKY private schools because they (fill in the blank)". I mean, that's how little they know or how "out of the loop" they are on the schools up in that area, and these are guys who are involved in the sporting scene at a pretty high level. I'm sure the same or similar is felt in EKY and SKY and others with, again, a disconnect to NKY, which I believe is a large portion of the state. So as soon as an average fan watching a game at Rupp hears that X team is from NKY, many immediately have no connection to that team and are either completely apathetic to the team or openly root against it. That's my theory anyway until I think of or hear a better one.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. But I also think very few NKY people have little or no knowledge of Western Ky. schools. Regions 1-5 could all be combined into an area, and many people don't distinguish between them at all. So I guess because the state is so spread out many fans have very little knowledge of other parts of the state that aren't Lexington or Louisville.

No more bias than for anyone else. Bias happens all of the time for all regions. People root for the underdog and those of us down state or out in the state are the underdogs.

I say there is a bias against any team from the Golden Triangle but that it is not so pronounced against the 11th Region because the tournament is played in Lexington.

I've long contended that the concept of "Southern Hospitality" ends at the Boone/Kenton/Campbell county lines.

I live in the sticks of rural Kentucky, worked 20+ years here and worked 20+ years for a company (as consultant) based in Louisville, but from my home office. I did periodically visit the office & Louisville. Also, I have attended probably 40+ state tournaments spanning a lot of years.

 

* Yes, a great many Louisville residents "look down" on the rest of the state. Some don't realize it & some don't care, but their vocal or written expression voices that pretty clearly.

* Yes, a great many in the rest of the state have a dislike for Louisville (perhaps an inferiority complex?).

* Yes, most of the state looks at the metro areas (Louisville, Lexington & NKY + several others heavily populated cities) and feel that they have extra advantages over the rural areas because their schools are larger and the private schools have open school district boundaries.

* Yes, you will see prejudicial fan support exhibited at the State Tournament in favor of the "rural schools", some of which may be danged near as large as some metro area schools.

 

But by & large I don't perceive any particular bias against NKY teams that's any worse than any of the other metro area schools. It's all human nature and I don't think you're going to see that change.

 

You live in a metro area and you have certain advantages that those who live in rural areas don't have. You live in rural areas and you have certain advantages that those who live in metro areas don't have. Big deal, by & large I think the officials do their best to call it fairly as much as it is possible for a human being to do (although sometimes some of them come up a lot shorter of accomplishing it than others :no:). Ultimately it all balances out, although not always just right in any given year.

 

Public schools have "open school district boundaries", too, in Jefferson County and I believe in some parts of Northern Kentucky. It's called Open Enrollment. I've always argued that's a big advantage in high school sports.

I've long contended that the concept of "Southern Hospitality" ends at the Boone/Kenton/Campbell county lines.

 

Don't kid yourself, that ends at the Kentucky/Tennessee boarder. :lol2:

Not so I rooted for Holmes 1 year and against Boone County another. I never root for a private school no matter where they are from. I live south of Walton and agree that Hurt should have been called for the goaltend but am glad it was not called. There is no bias just people grasping for reasons why their teams can't win the state tournament.

Don't kid yourself, that ends at the Kentucky/Tennessee boarder. :lol2:

 

Not from my experience living all over this state.

NKY has always had a complex, they don't want to be in Ky and Ohio doesn't want them.

 

As far as basketball bias from us poor old "Down Staters", there really isn't any that I see. It's not like they (NKY Teams) are dominating the rest of the state year in and year out. I'd guess the average fan across the state (Not BGPers) wouldn't be able to find Campbell Co on a map and have no idea where in the state Ryle, Holmes and Conner are located.

 

Who told you this (bolded)? I've NEVER heard that.

More or less. NKY is perfectly content to function as their own little "state", and the rest of KY is more than happy to let them. Maybe it's the same in other states as well, but the drastic differences in mannerisms, dialect, etc. from those in Kenton, Boone, and Campbell to the rest of the state is pretty crazy IMO.

 

Where do you come up with this stuff? I don't agree AT ALL.

Who told you this (bolded)? I've NEVER heard that.

 

Nearly everyone from NKY I've ever met locally during tourist season will say they are from Cincy, when I ask where since I have family in Cincy, they almost seemed ashamed to admit they live on this side of the river and not in Cincy.

 

I know several BGPers that are proud to be from NKY and will quickly point out they live on this side of the river, but the majority that I have ever met are the exact opposite.

Who told you this (bolded)? I've NEVER heard that.

 

As a kid growing up in NKY I heard that at a young age. Now living in Louisville I hear we are biased against everyone else....Life in the triangle.

Nearly everyone from NKY I've ever met locally during tourist season will say they are from Cincy, when I ask where since I have family in Cincy, they almost seemed ashamed to admit they live on this side of the river and not in Cincy.

 

I know several BGPers that are proud to be from NKY and will quickly point out they live on this side of the river, but the majority that I have ever met are the exact opposite.

 

You sure these folks aren't transplanted Cincinnatians? With the way Cincy runs things in their city and the crazy politics, not that KY is really that much better, maybe those folks decided to move south. No one I know says they are from Cincy. :lol2:

As a kid growing up in NKY I heard that at a young age. Now living in Louisville I hear we are biased against everyone else....Life in the triangle.

 

Well, I guess I was shielded growing up because my folks were from "down state".

Not so I rooted for Holmes 1 year and against Boone County another. I never root for a private school no matter where they are from. I live south of Walton and agree that Hurt should have been called for the goaltend but am glad it was not called. There is no bias just people grasping for reasons why their teams can't win the state tournament.

 

OOOO, dems fightin' words. I was there, it happened right in front of me at that end of the floor. Saw the ref look right at it and swallowed his whistle. Completely unbelievable that he did not call what I KNOW he saw. I'll go to my grave knowing that. :sour: