May 15, 200719 yr So the reason you have crazy fans is that you just have more fans than any other program? That's hilarious. I meant to put more passionate fans than anywhere else in basketball. With that passion there is some crazy ones too. We travel probably better than anyone else like I said, there is no other team really to root for in this state unless you are basically from Louisville.
May 15, 200719 yr There's a whole heck of a lot of pressure when it comes to playing for Kentucky. The fan base can be very overbearing and overly critical of all your actions. But at the same time, the fanbase is among the most loyal in all of college basketball. If you're looking to prep for the NBA, UK is a great place to look.
May 15, 200719 yr It exists. We have more than our fair share of crazies. But my question is not about whether it exists, or why it does or doesn't. What I want to know is your thoughts on how that negative fan image affects recruits and their evaluation of where (if ) they fit in at UK. I think here is the connection. It's well known across the country that UK has a rabid fan base that loves the program. When people do things like spam recruits with messages it becomes very real how intense the pressure will be. They get to look at how little they see it from every where else in the picture, and then compare. In the end, that's going to be a bad recipe more often than not...
May 15, 200719 yr Sometimes the image of UK fans is detrimental and sometimes it is an attribute. It can get you in a door to have it slammed just as fast sometimes. People just need to understand they are NOT a part of the program. They don't get to entice recruits. They don't even get to think about contacting them. Much less contacting them with tales of "rock star" status. Since it's clear outsiders are not going to influence them, and the compliance department tried and failed, it's on the 82% to police their own IMO. In the end the only thing hurt by events like we've seen this year is the program....
May 15, 200719 yr At times I am ashamed to be part of our fan base. I do think there are plenty of other programs that have fans just as crazy but we don't here about it as much because most of us live in or near Kentucky and UK fans are by far the most outspoken in this region. Good post and I agree. UK may have more than most idiot fans, but I believe living in Kentucky and being apart of message boards associated with UK hoops sheds a different kind of light than we would see about fans from let us say Nebraska. It is lot easier to be critical of something when you know the ins and outs of the situation.
May 15, 200719 yr Has it ever been documented that a kid has turned UK down because of the fan base? Hamga's HS coach... "It was staggering the amount of interest on all fronts from the Kentucky fans, and that was a case in point why it was not the best fit for him."
May 15, 200719 yr Hamga's HS coach... "It was staggering the amount of interest on all fronts from the Kentucky fans, and that was a case in point why it was not the best fit for him." I guess there was... But how much did that have to do with the fact he's from Africa and might not be ready/understand the microscope that is UK basketball? I can see it being different if the kid grew up in the US.
May 15, 200719 yr UK is often labeled the best or one of the elite programs in all of basketball and the fans are largely to credit for this. Rupp built it and they came and just kept on comming. Without the fans there would be no great program at UK. Granted, as someone said earlier, that UK benefits from not having other programs (aside from UL who until recent years was more of a inner city Louisville area University with little support or student base throughout the state) like an NBA team to cut into the fanbase. I've heard Vital (though I think he says the same about every other program when its his week to be in their town for a game) and others claim Kentucky has the greatest fans in America and most all agree that it is one of college basketball's premier coaching jobs and that is because of the fan base. Sure at times, like recently it has worked against UK but 9 times out of 10 it has helped. Recruits walk into Rupp and often times they are in awe at the site of 24,000 fans in blue and most (not all) kids love the attention and often the favoritism that being a player in such a vast fan base brings. I cant imagine any kid considering UK not expecting to be successful and being everyones darling. If a kid looks into the see of blue at Rupp and thinks Oh my gosh I cant live up to the expectations then he is not the right fit for a high profile program anyway and UK doesnt need this kid. Then there are the extra perks, Wildcat lodge, ect.., and after your done just about every former player can expect to be presented career opportunites that come about because they were a UK basketball player.
May 15, 200719 yr It is not just the sheer number of fans. Notre Dame has more football fans than anyone, but while one or two fan letters might make the news, their message boards are not featured topics on ESPN like TCP was this spring.
May 15, 200719 yr The same way UK haters get on UK boards, if they are underhanded enought to do that what's to say they wouldn't claim a UK avatar and lead to a posting nightmare for the Cats. I consider those acts reaches for attention. IMO. Have a good day!
May 15, 200719 yr The same way UK haters get on UK boards, if they are underhanded enought to do that what's to say they wouldn't claim a UK avatar and lead to a posting nightmare for the Cats. I consider those acts reaches for attention. IMO. Have a good day! Denial. More than a river in Egypt...
May 15, 200719 yr I am sure that other schools have their fair share of idiot fans. We (U.K.) cetainly have ours. These fans are in a minority of U.K. fans but they have the majority of mouth :irked: . Imo it does hurt U.K.'s image to some extent. How much I don't know but it sure cannot help. These "so called" fans of U.K.(that have the biggest mouth and nothing positive ever comes out of it ) need to take a look at how they sound to some kid being recruited and parents of that kid . Believe me, I know that you think you are fans and in your own way and mind you are. Imo this type of fan is hurting the program they claim to love far more than they can imagine.
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