KD I understand what you are saying but Jim is not a UK hater.He just can't stand the arrogant UK fans that are out there.I am a huge UK basketball fan just as you are,and I know there are alot of ignorant fans out there just as you do!It's not your fault or my fault that Jim and others dislike alot of of the UK fans.It's the ones that impose their love on UK basketball on everybody eles.The ones that kill me are the ones that don't get on board until the Sec Tournament starts. Remember that a true die hard UK basketball fan wins with Class and Loses with class!:thumb:

 

I have know Jim for a LONG time. Great guy, and I agree, ... it is just the actions of some of the fans that irk him. I hate to say this as UK fans are apparently not permitted by some to be critical of other UK fans, but the 18% is a group that do make many of the rest of us look bad from time to time.

 

I have had the pleasure of living in Indiana, Florida, and West Virginia, and these types of fans (the 18%) exist in every fanbase, without exception. (Except possibly my experience with Wisconsin fans, ... nicest opposing fans I have ever met). We are in KY, so we hear about and from our vocal 18%. When Jim referred to some racist comments he has heard over the years from a few, I have to say that I have heard them in every fanbase I have been around for long periods of time. FL, IN, and WV are truly no exception. Also the unrealistic fans are there as well. One of main differences truly is that in IN and FL, they do have some pro teams to spread out some of the 'fandom'. WV, not so much and it was MUCH closer to KY as far as the fanaticism of some. College sports is what we have in KY. For the true sports fanatic, all the 'spotlights' are focused right on college athletics. In many other states, those spotlights are spread around a little more and so are the 'fanatics'.

 

My biggest beef is that all too often, all fans get lumped together as one group with the same feelings and beliefs. And while I bleed blue as a birth menmber of the Big Blue Nation, ... I do not share all the fanatical views that some of my fellow countrymen/woment have. We just happen to live in the same Nation, ... but we do have diversity! And I am NOT saying this to appease fans of other teams.

You're overstating that quite a bit. But, to be fair, you did threaten bodily harm to me. Not that I was terribly concerned; seemed more like a good opportunity to publicly embarrass you.

 

I think I have known you long enough and well enough to make this joke Jim, ...

 

If someone intends on doing you bodily harm, ... they better pack a lunch!

Read any thread involving Duke.

Honestly, I see what many have posted about UK fans true of fans of most teams. All teams have their "fringe fans". Me, I like a lot of different teams in football and basketball. I like UK and Louisville, I also like ND, Florida, LSU, UC, Xavier and a few others. I've seen bad fans, as bad as any UK fans, in all these programs.

Read any thread involving Duke.

 

Winner:thumb:

I'm a huge UK fan. I've been going to football and basketball games since the 70's when I was 9. What bothers me most about UK fans is the excuses and venom that comes out when UK doesn't get where they think they should have gotten. Just like all the complaining about Duke and WVU's seeding. Sure, if WVU would have been seeded #1 with Duke as a #2 the Wildcats might have survived to the Final Four. But what would have happened if they would have made that and WVU (or Duke) would have played just like last night? They would have complained about how MSU only had to play Butler or if Butler won that they beat a short-handed MSU team. What gets me is UK fans want to point out that Duke beat Purdue without Hummel but WVU beat us without their point guard. If it wouldn't have been the seeding it would have been the calls, if it wasn't the calls it would fall on the coach. The fact is sometimes the other team just plays better. I hate the excuses.

To me the level that some fans (or non fans) complain about the "18%" is just as annoying as the 18% themselves.

 

I agree.

I cannot stand any fringe group's fans for many of the aforementioned reasons. The problem with any of the elite college basketball schools is that they are actually good at what they do, so it makes it that much more annoying.

I can't stand the ESPN, CBS, NCAA, refs, talking head, ect... hates UK and is out to get us. Guys I promise you the networks love UK for the same reason they love UNC, KU, Duke, ND football, the Yankees, and Redsox.

This one probably gets me the most.

I've noticed a trend on message boards for all teams... They are either inactive, or they are full of a lot of nonsense.

 

I learned how to be a fan of the game when I was playing Little League basketball. Parents drove me crazy even at that young of an age with their outrageous behavior and yelling over every call in this "fun" game. No call that went against their team was ever correct, and no call that went for their team was ever wrong... It drove me crazy! At that point, it clicked in my head that I never wanted to be that person... So I've always gone out of my way not to be.

 

This type of behavior continues to irk me to this day, and it doesn't just irk me about (some) UK fans... It irks me about all sports fans who choose to behave in such a manner. I try to be a realistic person, and I understand that UK benefits from some questionable calls. I also see that they are occasionally the victim of bad calls and I question them as such... In those particular instances, I'm often told to take off my blue glasses and I would have seen it differently. This goes both ways as well, but I'm on the receiving end more than I'm on the giving end so surely you can see why it registers more in my mind...

 

I just call a spade a spade, regardless of how it plays out.. No blinders in a sport that really means nothing to me at the end of the day. It's still just something I do for "fun".

 

At the same time, I can agree that the fans that go so far out of the way to show how unbiased they are can be a little annoying. They talk up other teams constantly, and only point out the negatives about UK. I take the bad with the good, but I try to focus on the good because - again - it's just something that is fun.

 

I've just been rambling. Nothing above probably makes sense and I accept it as such. I have a hard time putting my thoughts into words on this topic.

To me the level that some fans (or non fans) complain about the "18%" is just as annoying as the 18% themselves.

I think that is a fair point. But the one that bothers me the most is that if you are not a UK fan, you somehow are above any bias and are realistic about all thing sports related, even your own team.

So something like this???

 

 

I love it.:clap::notworthy:

Honestly what bothers people about UK fans is that they have to live in KY with us. I'm sure Texas A&M fans feel the same way about Texas, Auburn fans feel the same way about Alabama football, etc. Big, passionate fan bases get on smaller fan bases in that states nerves. Sure UK fans seem bad to U of L fans or whoever else you follow, but go to another state and it will be the same.

 

There are really only two solutions: Either get over it because nothings going to change and arguing/complaining/crying about UK fans is just as bad as UK fans complaining about losing, bad coaching, etc. Or move to a state where sports are irrelevant like the Dakotas or Montana.

All of the reasons given are solid but also things that I see in a lot of fan bases.

 

I agree OR!

 

Heck UofL fans would defend Pitino if he had sex with someone other than his wife and then paid for her abortion. :idunno:

 

Not this UofL fan! That man is a dirty ho as far as I am concerned.

 

 

 

Here is my thought on this...

I don't think its just UK fans. I think every fan base has "those fans." I do know one UK fan that is the BIGGEST idiot I have ever seen. He watches UK games at a bar owned by one of my clients. He gives UK fans a bad name (and reason for threads like this.) He is seriously is that guy that should have the crap kicked out of him EVERY UK game and well maybe any other day of the week. :lol::lol: Having said that I decided not to ever watch a UK at this place for this reason anymore.

 

With my job I have been fortunate to experience many sporting events all over KY. Lots of them have been at the grade school and high school level so I use these as an example. As I have gotten older I have become less of "a fan" becuase I have watched many fans from many different schools (public and private) act like complete idiots. I can say that some go past the point of living vicariously through their programs. I just don't get this:confused::confused: I understand people can have dislikes for certain programs, coaches and or players. I am guilty of this. However, I don't think that I go through tirades everyday and let it be my end all be all. If a team I support loses...sure I am disappointed but I will not make excuses and or rag another another team just because of a loss. It is truly sad and funny to watch how people react to sporting events. It makes me wonder what type of person they are away from sports? Do they give that much passion (or whatever you want to call it) to their families, friends, job, etc.??? I know I am starting to ramble so I will try to end this post. :lol::lol::lol: I just wish people would lighten up.

New York Mets fans are the most obnoxious I have ever witnessed in person. Even moreso than Cubs fans. The difference is, they know they are obnoxious. They don't deny it. There are UK fans that don't realize how obnoxious they are.