Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
I would venture to say that many of the readers of this blog have been Kentucky fans since the first day they can remember. You likely grew up with someone close to you who was a big UK backer and as long as you can remember, you were pulling for the Cats. For you, like me, not rooting for Kentucky as a resident of Kentucky seems bizarre. I mean come on….this is the Big Blue. Everyone you know wears blue t shirts (some a little too old, some a little too tight), but we all stand for the fight song and love Ashley Judd….thats just how it works.
Well maybe not for everybody. While most attention is focused on the 07 recruiting class, an interesting dynamic is developing in the 08 class. For the first time in recent memory, the state of Kentucky has produced three players of major Division I talent and all three have received a scholarship offer from Kentucky. Sounds like a slam dunk right? I mean hey, considering we may only lose three players, recruiting must be done…..well, not so fast my friend.
According to some, two of those kids, Darius Miller of Mason County and Scotty Hopson of Hopkinsville, not only may not be certain to go to Kentucky, they may not even be fans of the program. Now let me preface this by saying, I have no idea who these guys root for in their hearts of heart. Folks from these two areas have been crowding message boards saying that these two young men “dont even like Kentucky”, but I have no way of knowing that. Hopson is originally from Florida, so his connection to the state is a bit weaker (although he did say in a newspaper article recently that he pulls for Kentucky on occasion) and Miller is in an area where some choose to cheer for Cincy or Louisville.
For all I know, both of these kids have blue and white bedrooms. But enough people are saying that these guys look elsewhere for their rooting interests to at least raise a question. It seems like such a no-brainer if you are from the state to love the Cats. But it may be the case that not all feel the same way. In some parts of the state, proximity to Louisville leads them to follow the evil empire. Some parts of the state are on the border of Tennessee or West Virginia and see a Vol or Thundering Herd as part of their future. And some folks remember the legacy of days gone by and (rightly or wrongly) aren’t necessarily eager to pull for the team that was built by Adolph Rupp.
Either way, in 08 it could be the case that you have a rare occurrence. Kentucky kids who Kentucky wants and has shown that affection early….but who still nevertheless either consider, or even go elsewhere. One of the three offers, Bud Mackey of Scott County has all but said that if Tubby is here, he is here. But as for Miller and Hopson, watching how this plays out will be fascinating.
The story goes that when Rex Chapman was being recruited by UNC, Dean Smith walked into Apollo High school and asked a janitor where the gym was located. The janitor asked the Hall of Fame Coach who he was and when Dean said the coach at UNC, the janitor said, “well you might as well not waste your time. He has an offer from Kentucky, why would he all the way down there?” Apocraphyl or not, that story has the chance to be repeated. Will Billy Donovan get the same answer?
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Bill Keightley Report : Never to be forgotten.
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August 11th, 2006 at 8:07 am
In the northern part of KY (Lexington-Louisville-Cincy triangle), there are many Louisville fans.
ESPECIALLY since Rick Pitino became U of L coach. Chris Lofton (for example) was a Louisville fan - ditto his family.
August 11th, 2006 at 9:16 am
A guy came into my office yesterday with his girlfriend, both were
sans teeth. However, he had a red Louisville Cardinals shirt on and
she had on a cut off black t-shirt that simply said “100% Pure Whoop Ass”.
Guaranteed that neither are UL fans, but that they had been “shoppin’
at the goodwill”.
Quick Poll: How many here had UK wallpaper or border in their bedroom
as a child? 1!
August 11th, 2006 at 10:10 am
UK border for the better part of 15 years, growing up.
This was preceded by Smurfs curtains and matching bedspread.
August 11th, 2006 at 10:36 am
it always struck me as strange that anyone would want to follow the teams that their parents follow.
boring. where’s the excitement in that? where’s the tension. i know i enjoyed all the threats of physical violence i received growing up as a louisville fan in cat-land. plus, rightly or wrongly, louisville has always been the team of the urban, largely african-american underdogs, while uk is the lily-white country club type or the mountain good ol’ boys. who doesn’t want to see those entitled b*stards knocked off their pedestal?
August 11th, 2006 at 10:45 am
Ronald McDonald bedsheets and curtains for the very early years. Complete
with the Hamburglar, Grimace, Fry Guys and the Golden Arches.
“They’re McDonalds, we’re McDowells. They’ve got the Big Mac, we’ve got
the Big Mic. They’ve got the Golden Arches, we’ve got the Golden Arcs.”
August 11th, 2006 at 11:56 am
“And another thing son. If you want to continue to work here, stay off the drugs.”
August 11th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
Ronald McDonald? Sweet! Killer Coming to America reference by the
way. “In thee face!” “Sexual Chocolate! Sexual Chocolate!” “Dat
boy’s good”
August 11th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
“You might recognize him as Joe the policeman from the ‘What’s going
down’ episode of ‘That’s My Mama. Put your hands together for Harlem
Heights own……RAAANNNNDY WATSONNNNN!!!!!”
August 11th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
“I believe the children are the future. Treat em’ well and….let them
lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess INSIIIIIDE. Give
them a sense……….of pride.”
“If a man wants to call himself Muhammed Ali, I say Muhammed Ali.”
“Mama call him Clay - I call him Clay. Cassius Clay.”
August 11th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
I am voting for a thread on the greatness of Coming to America. If I can leanr how to do a deed transfer before 4 p.m., I will start it myself.
August 11th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
I remember when someone else came to America……..communist sabotuers. Thankfully I was able to stop them with my 4 x 4, an Uzi, and the sheer badassness of my beard. God Bless America. Tell Rostov it’s time to die.
August 11th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
Amen Turkey Hunter!
Thank You for my freedom Kung Fu Chuck!
August 11th, 2006 at 5:02 pm
BTW Kentucky outbid ($$$) Louisville for Rex Chapman. UNC a distant third. Dean Smith didn’t pay $ for players.
August 11th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Tom …. so how come UNC is cleaning our clock in recruiting these days? Can’t have anything to do with the head coach …. nahhhhhh ….
August 11th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Tom, you do realize that UNC has had more MCD players than any other program. They have paid for players in the past even though they may not have been busted for it. Same goes with UCLA and Wooden.
August 13th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
UNC is not cleaning UK’s clock. Duke is.
UNC doesn’t cheat. UCLA cheated from Wooden to Harrick.
UK landed Carter over UNC. Morris over UNC. Stone over UNC. Pitno never landed a SINGLE RECRUIT over Duke or UNC.
Oh. You didn’t know?
August 15th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Sorry to embarrass you Mosley, but “preceeded” means “to come before”, so you should have said that
your Smurfs curtains and matching bedspread “succeeded” the UK border.
August 16th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Bud Mackey is better than both of them
August 24th, 2006 at 11:53 pm
Scotty Hopson is not from Florida.He was born and raised in in Hopkinsville Kentucky.
March 26th, 2007 at 1:42 am
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