That's laughable, we have realistic visions and expectations for Duke. We spend most of our time on here defending ourselves, players, commentators and coaches. There isn't but about 6 or 7 of us on here anyways and if we are like you guys, then I'll never post on here about Duke again with non Duke fans. I know who the Duke fans are on here when I need a rational discussion about Duke, I'll just speak with them from now on. UK fans are the ones who start threads about Duke's road ineptitude and our soft schedule. Why would a UK fan even care about how well we do on the road or who we are playing? We don't even play you guys!!!!! Being like a UK basketball fan is not a flattering feeling, IMO.

 

UK fans are the bane of my existence. And while it may be the 18% percent that drives me nuts, it is really 99% of you. Coach Cal was a cheating, non big game winning coach until he came to UK. Tubby Smith was a great in game coach until he couldn't recruit anymore. Billy G was the next big thing and was going to bring UK back to prominence until he lost to Gardner-Webb. UK fans always have an excuse about everything. UK fans are always right and always the most knowledgeable about all things basketball. UK fans even rationalize kicking kids off of the team because they aren't good enough even though they had been recruited to play there(Roderick Rhodes). Shouldn't the guy doing the recruiting be the one let go? Now there is a thread up about how Coach Cal is making John Wall unhappy and Wall needs to suck it up because he isn't playing well. Two weeks ago Wall was a shoe in for Player of the Year according to most UK fans. I have never understood the sense of entitlement UK fans feel the need to have and while I am sure most of you will claim to be the rational, not in the 18%, I put 99% of you in the 18%, because that is the way it always seems. Very rarely can any non UK fan have a rational discussion about UK basketball with a UK basketball fan.

 

And you want to critisize UK fans for being fanatics?:idunno:

And you want to criticize UK fans for being fanatics?:idunno:

 

I'll even take it further. I know I am a Duke fanatic and always will be, but I can admit it. Most, if not all UK fans, claim they are not fanatics or that they are rational. My biggest sin as a Duke fanatic is to not put a sarcastic smiley up when I am being sarcastic because people always miss the joke when I make it. It could be a product of me being a Duke fan living in Kentucky, but in my life experiences UK fans are way way worse than Duke fans, but again, it could be that way because I reside in Kentucky. If I have to hear "you need to take the D and the E off of your shirt" one more time:........:madman:

 

 

I can say the UK fans are also way way worse than UL fans. I almost feel sorry for UL fans and they way they get treated by UK fans.

I'll even take it further. I know I am a Duke fanatic and always will be, but I can admit it. Most, if not all UK fans, claim they are not fanatics or that they are rational. My biggest sin as a Duke fanatic is to not put a sarcastic smiley up when I am being sarcastic because people always miss the joke when I make it. It could be a product of me being a Duke fan living in Kentucky, but in my life experiences UK fans are way way worse than Duke fans, but again, it could be that way because I reside in Kentucky. If I have to hear "you need to take the D and the E off of your shirt" one more time:........:madman:

 

 

I can say the UK fans are also way way worse than UL fans. I almost feel sorry for UL fans and they way they get treated by UK fans.

But when you say, "If we are like you guys..." it becomes a laughable. Like the Duke fans are somehow better than Kentucky?

 

As far as the thread goes, there are a certain group of fans that I can't stand and this thread is spot on. I wish they would pick another team.

But when you say, "If we are like you guys..." it becomes a laughable. Like the Duke fans are somehow better than Kentucky?

 

As far as the thread goes, there are a certain group of fans that I can't stand and this thread is spot on. I wish they would pick another team.

 

And that is where you are taking my words out of context. I am 100% sure that Duke fans in Durham, NC are exactly like UK fans here in Kentucky, but since I am in Kentucky I don't see or hear that. All I see or hear is guys like RP, Grizzly Adams, GRC4Life, myself and maybe a couple of others who like Duke but have to defend ourselves after every Duke loss or win. I never said the words "Duke fans are better than UK fans" and I can see how my written words may imply that but those are not my beliefs.

The "apolology" sounds a little bit hollow.

 

The first post came @ 11:44; the second @ 11:46.

 

That's only 2 minutes apart; which left you PLENTY of time to edit/correct your first post.

 

No, I think you wanted the first statement out there, IMO.

 

I left it out there because I thought it was important and needed to be said. However, as is typical, unless the criticism is coming from within the UK fan base, it's dismissed as "hater-ism."

 

Math even asked folks to read the whole post and try to understand it, but that was ignored while the regular chorus whines.

I left it out there because I thought it was important and needed to be said. However, as is typical, unless the criticism is coming from within the UK fan base, it's dismissed as "hater-ism."

 

Math even asked folks to read the whole post and try to understand it, but that was ignored while the regular chorus whines.

 

So instead of just calling everyone haters who are easily offended, why not shed some light on the research that you have done to show people how you have come to your conclusion?

Well, I figure that the people who would be mad about this ensuing statement probably already don't care for me, so here goes:

 

A big part of it is because, for many Kentuckians, there's just not that much to be proud of and rally behind on a grand scale.

 

Now, mind you, that is a multi-layered statement that comes from decades of observing the Wildcat fan base, from one end of the state to the other. And it comes from more than just observing general fan behavior, but from studying social, economic, educational, political and other factors that make the Commonwealth what it is.

 

Jim,

 

What are you getting at? I have read it a couple of times, and this is the statement i'm getting....

 

You're not a UK fan because Kentucky's population of UK fans (speaking as a whole) have nothing to be proud of when it comes to their status in society, the economic condition of the fan base, the overall education level of the fan base, and the political status of the fan base?

 

My statement had nothing to do with my personal state of fandom. Whether I'm a Kentucky fan or not is irrelevant to the original question at hand: Why UK fans are so intensely passionate about UK hoops, some to the point of extremism.

 

Since it seems nobody but Math tried to read my statement for what it is, choosing instead to get offended and kill the messenger or offer the lame "other schools' fans do it too" excuse, I'll clarify.

 

Kentucky ranks near the bottom in state rankings on a wide variety of big-picture things, such as literacy and education (primary, secondary and college), political corruption, poverty, health, teenage pregnancy, smoking, etc. There's a reason the phrase "Thank God for Mississippi/West Virginia" has been so commonly used by Kentuckians throughout history to help cushion the blow of these disappointments.

 

These problems were even more extreme 50+ years ago, when UK basketball rose to national prominence. As a result, it was perfectly logical and understandable for Kentuckians to rally around UK hoops because, frankly, there wasn't that much else to be proud of, and it has remained so to this day.

So instead of just calling everyone haters who are easily offended, why not shed some light on the research that you have done to show people how you have come to your conclusion?

 

Don't be so impatient.

So I'm not saying I agree with your assessment or disagree with it (I don't care enough to be passionate, quite honestly), but if that is the case today... Just for the sake of discussion, is it still perfectly understandable and logical, in your opinion?

So I'm not saying I agree with your assessment or disagree with it (I don't care enough to be passionate, quite honestly), but if that is the case today... Just for the sake of discussion, is it still perfectly understandable and logical, in your opinion?

 

For UK to have a very passionate fan base, given the big picture of this state's history, yes, it is understandable and quite logical. That's not excusing the nutjobs who go too far.

Schue, have you always felt this way about UK fans or is this something that has just spurred your attention this year?

Kentucky ranks near the bottom in state rankings on a wide variety of big-picture things, such as literacy and education (primary, secondary and college), political corruption, poverty, health, teenage pregnancy, smoking, etc. There's a reason the phrase "Thank God for Mississippi/West Virginia" has been so commonly used by Kentuckians throughout history to help cushion the blow of these disappointments.

 

I'd love to know how this is what makes UK fans so passionate about their hoops?

 

I personally think it might have something to do with tradition and success and continuing that tradition and success. Not because I grew up in a corrupt, unhealthy, uneducated, poverty stricken state.

 

Maybe the passion of some has been amplified this year due to the recent success. Remember, its been a while since we UK fans have had any sort of success.

 

Guess I'm an 18%er.

Kentucky ranks near the bottom in state rankings on a wide variety of big-picture things, such as literacy and education (primary, secondary and college), political corruption, poverty, health, teenage pregnancy, smoking, etc. There's a reason the phrase "Thank God for Mississippi/West Virginia" has been so commonly used by Kentuckians throughout history to help cushion the blow of these disappointments.

 

I've never heard that in my life until today.

These problems were even more extreme 50+ years ago, when UK basketball rose to national prominence. As a result, it was perfectly logical and understandable for Kentuckians to rally around UK hoops because, frankly, there wasn't that much else to be proud of, and it has remained so to this day.

 

This is one of the single most comical paragraphs that I've ever read. When a team of any sport rises to national prominence in any area, the people there rally around them.

 

People became proud of the team because they were good, not because they were good and they were illiterate. How many states rally around and cheer for their literacy and poverty rankings? Comparing the two is an extreme reach at best IMO. But what do I know, I'm only 23.

I've never heard that in my life until today.

 

I thought it was Tennessee:lol: