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

 

How I feel about UK fans from a rooting standpoint is irrelevant to this thread. All I did was offer an honest analysis of the historical factors that helped make the UK fan base what it is today: One of the most passionate and dedicated in all of sports.

How I feel about UK fans from a rooting standpoint is irrelevant to this thread. All I did was offer an honest analysis of the historical factors that helped make the UK fan base what it is today: One of the most passionate and dedicated in all of sports.

 

Because they are poor and can't read :ohbrother:

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'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.

 

That tradition and success wasn't always there.

 

Look, I never said it was a conscious thing. People weren't sitting around 60 years ago saying to themselves, "Our life sucks; we need something to be proud of." But those factors were almost certainly subconsciously in play, and UK hoops and its growing success became a rallying point to help Kentuckians forget about the hardships in their lives.

 

I don't know why this is so hard to understand. Is nobody capable of looking at this analytically? :confused:

That tradition and success wasn't always there.

 

Look, I never said it was a conscious thing. People weren't sitting around 60 years ago saying to themselves, "Our life sucks; we need something to be proud of." But those factors were almost certainly subconsciously in play, and UK hoops and its growing success became a rallying point to help Kentuckians forget about the hardships in their lives.

 

I don't know why this is so hard to understand. Is nobody capable of looking at this analytically? :confused:

 

:isurrender:

Your right, I'm dumb.

 

That tradition and success started in the 1940's.

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

 

Then I would suggest you broaden your horizons beyond sports. That's a phrase that's been used for decades. Not as much as it used to be, but still fairly common.

:isurrender:

Your right, I'm dumb.

 

That tradition and success started in the 1940's.

 

You said that, not me.

 

Yes, the success did start in the '40s, and that has been the premise I've been operating from the whole time. Life in most parts of Kentucky was pretty harsh in those days. UK hoops came along at just the right time to galvanize the people.

That tradition and success wasn't always there.

 

Look, I never said it was a conscious thing. People weren't sitting around 60 years ago saying to themselves, "Our life sucks; we need something to be proud of." But those factors were almost certainly subconsciously in play, and UK hoops and its growing success became a rallying point to help Kentuckians forget about the hardships in their lives.

 

I don't know why this is so hard to understand. Is nobody capable of looking at this analytically? :confused:

 

Maybe it is a generational thing? Being a fan of a team is usually passed down by parents. UK has been good as long as college basketball has been around. Why not be proud of it and share it with your children?

 

Maybe is is a lack of other sports teams in the state? The state has always been basketball first and there aren't any pro teams to cheer for.

 

But then again maybe it's just because we can't read and are poor.

I consider myself a UK basketball fanatic; but is that such a bad thing? I don’t know about the rest of the Kentucky fan-base, but I don’t necessarily believe we are a lock to win three, four, or five in the NCAA Tournament. I don’t think that makes me a “realistic” fan, because if they win the championship, was I then unrealistic because I didn’t think they would advance as far as they did? I consider myself an ardent supporter of UK basketball, UF football, and Atlanta Braves baseball, so naturally if that team comes in a debate, I am probably going to initially take their side even if I don’t know all of the details. I think this is characteristic of any sports fan; we are all going to support our favorite teams or players over other teams or players that we don’t like as much. I don’t think it is such a bad thing to be proud of and identify with a sports team from the area that you live in. In the case of high school sports, it is very reasonable to see why this happens; the athletes playing for our local high school are more than likely going to have been raised in the same place you were. This isn’t always the case, but more times than not it is. So when that team does well, it makes the entire area proud, and more people will identify themselves with that area than they would without the success. When it comes to college and professional teams this can be more difficult because the athletes may not all come from the same areas that the fans do, but grow to consider themselves Kentuckians-as is the case with UK basketball. I don’t particularly root for Kentucky because I live here-I have lived several places, and could just as well support a team from one of those areas; I root for Kentucky basketball because I like the history and tradition that is associated with it. Does my pride grow when one of these teams experiences success? Sure. But it doesn’t diminish when they are not as successful before. I support the teams I support because I like what they do on their respective fields of play. I think that BGP magnifies the percentage of fans that seem “unrealistic” because every single person on this board is a sports fanatic to some degree. We post on these boards every day; we are exposed to more fanatical fans than we would if we were just casual fans. No matter what anyone says, there are no “casual sports fans” on this message board, if you were casual you wouldn’t pay money to post here. I don’t understand fans that only support the team when they are winning, but complaining when they lose, nor do I particularly care for fans that convey their frustrations with the team in some of the ways that they do, but I don’t think that is something that is exclusive to Kentucky Basketball fans. I don’t know if I answered the question or not, but that is my two cents on the entire situation.

Guy's just give up, some people will just never get it.

 

 

It's not about being from a certain upbringing, its about celebrating one of the best college basketball traditions you can find. Zero professional sports teams in Kentucky causes most to root for the next best thing. It doesn't have anything to do with the infrastructure. Hmmm, I have all of this negativity around me, but KY basketball is a bright spot, hmmmm, I think I'll gravitate towards it. Hahahaha, I mean, seriously?

 

The short answer for most true Kentucky fans is they have been brought up supporting a historically significant team, in a basketball state (high school basketball in the state is just as fanatical) and are normally used to the state team's success. You take that success away for a few seasons and replace them with sub-par seasons, then change it back all over night, what do you expect to get?

 

 

Go to Alabama or South Bend and study college football, or spend some time on Tobacco Road, its all the same. Go to Boston and talk to some true lifelong Celtic fans, go to Detroit and talk to a lifelong Red Wings fan. It isn't about state infrastructure and history, its about the tradition and history of the sport you love and support. Many in Kentucky love and support basketball, and many support the University of Kentucky.

Maybe it is a generational thing? Being a fan of a team is usually passed down by parents. UK has been good as long as college basketball has been around. Why not be proud of it and share it with your children?

 

Maybe is is a lack of other sports teams in the state? The state has always been basketball first and there aren't any pro teams to cheer for.

 

But then again maybe it's just because we can't read and are poor.

 

Those are indeed factors, as are the ones I've mentioned. But it had to start somewhere, as UK (and college basketball in general) didn't really become a big deal until the late '40s.

 

And on your last sniping sentence, facts are facts. Kentucky has traditionally been one of the most poverty-stricken and least-educated states in the union. It's not like I'm proud of it or making light of it; just looking at the big picture from an analytical standpoint.

Those are indeed factors, as are the ones I've mentioned. But it had to start somewhere, as UK (and college basketball in general) didn't really become a big deal until the late '40s.

 

And on your last sniping sentence, facts are facts. Kentucky has traditionally been one of the most poverty-stricken and least-educated states in the union. It's not like I'm proud of it or making light of it; just looking at the big picture from an analytical standpoint.

 

New York has typically been high in crime, does that explain all of the Yankees fans?

New York has typically been high in crime, does that explain all of the Yankees fans?

 

I'm sure it's a factor.

 

Look, go hunt up any general study on the sociology of sport. It's not like I'm providing Einstein-type theories here. Sports have always been one of the methods the masses use to help forget about their daily lives.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

I've heard that expression used before. I actually think I heard it in school.

I understand what Schue is saying. A good analogy would be the way the New Yorkers rallied around their sports teams after 9-11.

 

UK basketball gave Kentuckians something to feel good about themselves during times when there was not a lot for Kentuckians to be happy about. That pride has been passed down from generation to generation and hate it or love it The Big Blue Nation is here to stay forever.

Again, I'm not trying to argue any certain point... I'm just trying to gain an understanding of this point-of-view.

 

Does this theory apply to all residents of the state? Including the ones that cheer for Western Kentucky, Louisville, Morehead State, etc.? What about the Kentucky resident fanatics that cheer for out of state teams such as Duke, North Carolina, etc.? Do you think this is the reason they rally behind their teams?