Basketball is a religion in Kentucky

[wideopen]

tommorow will be a day of mourning. The conversations regarding this will be inexcapable. Buisnesses closed early today, major plans changed,people took off work, this was not a good day for lou. ky.

[sasquatch]

1. *Ducking away from the Indiana vs Kentucky b-ball flame war*

:D

[Bzzzz]

2. Speaking from Hoosierland...

while Davis is in control, IU basketball is no more.

[sasquatch]

8. I'm talking about the state not the university

[Bzzzz]

11. Okay...

speaking from the state...we suck, this year.

[wideopen]

3. I don't blame you

I like both teams, I'm really not a big sports fan, whoever is in the tourney I root for. Things get really ridiculious here this time of year.

[JVS]

25. Nevermind

[AverageJoe]

4. As a Kentuckian, I agree that Basketball is a religion

in the Bluegrass. However, I must disagree that tomorrow will be a day of mourning in Kentucky. Most people outside of Louisville, and at least half of the people WITHIN Louisville, don't cheer for the Cards. I'm delighted beyond reason that Illinois won.

[wideopen]

9. Please explain

why you would prefer a team unrelated to your state to win rather than one that is? This is not meant to be sarcastic, I've never felt that way and would really like to understand why people do. Please enlighten me.

[AverageJoe]

12. I've disliked U of L ever since the bad old days of Denny Crumb

hounding UK for a series. U of L is the only school in Kentucky that I dislike, though. If it were Western, EKU, Morehead -- you name it -- anybody but U of L, I'd be cheering them on.

My disdain for the Cards doubled--tripled?--when Pitino went there. I would have always rooted against the Cards, but not like this. Now, even if Pitino goes elsewhere, I'll root against him every game. And I'll always root against U of L.

Now, I'm not irrational about it. I don't dislike people who go to school there or who root for the school, but U of L is just an adversary I love to hate. Kinda like UNC and Duke people feel about one another, I imagine.

Anyhow, my condolences to you. I look forward to the UK / U of L game next season. You guys had a very good year.

[wideopen]

13. Interesting...

I'm not necessarily a UL or UK fan, If it had been UK tonight I would be equally disappointed.

[AverageJoe]

15. Fair enough

As you might have gathered, I'm a big UK fan. It makes the game more fun, for me, to have schools that I always root against. I used to feel that way about Tennessee, but I ended up going to grad school there, so now I pull for them, but only a little. :-)

Saying that I hate U of L basketball doesn't mean that I don't respect it. If it weren't a good program, there would be no reason to dislike it.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

14. Ditto what AverageJoe said. I'm a graduate of U of L and I

can not for the life of me find it in me to root for them for anything. Initially it was just a state rivalry thing but was just pushed to the 10th power with lying Patino took the basketball job. In my heart of hearts I'm a big UK wildcat fan but love to see any Kentucky team but Louisville do well.

[wideopen]

16. I don't get to involved in sports

except for march madness. You all must know something about pitino that I don't. Please,do tell.

[AverageJoe]

21. I dislike Pitino

because, when he decided to come back to college basketball, he had offers from several schools, including Michigan and UNLV. Instead, he chose to go to the one school that UK fans hate above all others. I had actually reconciled myself to that sad fact, and had decided that maybe I could find a way to support U of L with Pitino at the helm, until he started poaching our players.

The fact that Pitino took Marvin Stone as a transfer from UK just sealed the deal for me. Pitino--and Stone, for that matter-- completely repudiated everything that he had done for UK. I say to hell with Pitino. If I had my way, he'd have to give back his national championship ring and UK would take down his retired jersey.

Pitino is only out for Pitino. He doesn't have the faintest idea what loyalty is.

[wideopen]

23. I'll have to agree on the loyalty thing

I thought it quite strange for him to take the job at UL. But, can you blame the guy? if they offered the money, and you liked the state, why not stay? I don't think anyone can deny he really is a good coach.

[AverageJoe]

26. He's a great coach

But he's also an untrustworthy schmuck.

I promise you that U of L didn't offer him any more than Michigan or UNLV did.

Joanne Pitino was on record from years back as not liking the state of Kentucky.

Pitino had a legacy at UK and he threw it away. I don't think I'm the only Kentuckian who is angry about this.

[wideopen]

28. I wonder why he left UK

in the first place? Maybe some sports politic thing or what?

[AverageJoe]

29. He left UK for 50 million dollars

and a chance to coach the Celtics. He did a very poor job with the Celts and hightailed it back to the college ranks.

I don't blame him for taking the $50 million gamble, but I do blame him for taking the U of L job.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

22. Asked his girlfriends for a character references. He talks the

family man game but he doesn't walk it too often. He is as bad a hypocrite as the Chimp. Again, he is a good coach, just turns my stomach when he goes on that "aw, shucks" I'm just a guy who loves his family and home gig.

I certainly have my share of character flaws but not taking commitments seriously isn't one of them.

[vpigrad]

5. Has the basketball killed anyone yet?

If not, then it's not a real religion yet.

[AverageJoe]

7. A part of me died

when Kentucky lost to Michigan State.

Does that count?

[wideopen]

10. I don't know of any actual

deaths, but the rivalry gets pretty damn intense at times.

[adwon]

6. Yeah

I used to think that NC was the center of the basketball universe. After a few months in KY, I now understand that Basketball Nation has two capitals. :P

[dolo amber]

17. This is my newborn (1 week ago) nephew, Jake

(Shirt reads "This is my first UK shirt")


Although they live in GA now, my sister grew up in KY and my parents still live there. I can assure you that shirt isn't meant to praise the UK football team. :D

[AverageJoe]

20. Howdy, Jake!

A new Wildcat joins the world. What a handsome lad!

Go Blue!

[sasquatch]

18. Do people still get buried in UK warmup uniforms?

:shrug:

[wideopen]

19. I have no idea, but

it really wouldn't suprise me, I have friends that are that serious about it.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

24. I had a boss once that was in a terrible 20 year marriage but

wouldn't get a divorce because the UK season tickets came with the wife. (She got them from her father.) As far as I know he is still married, still miserable and still at Rupp for every home game. There is no lengths a UK fan won't go to attend a game. I love the Cats as much as anybody but 20+ years of hell for a basketball game...? Don't think so.

[wideopen]

27. I have a lifelong friend

that I won't even call for a couple more weeks because he will still be pissed about UK's loss-- it's amazing(and sad) how serious people are about basketball. This guy ditched his wife(and us) on her birthday to go to a UK game with his dad,we had it planned for 2 months and he cancelled 4 hours before we were supposed to go. I'm still pissed about it.

[Deja Q]

30. All sports are religions; wasn't Achilles the God of sports?