From the standpoint of someone not from Kentucky, it it’s hard not to appreciate Kentucky’s tradition, but it is very difficult to understand what makes the program what it is when you get past that.

Most, but by no means all, UK fans grew up exposed to the Wildcats, and every generation old enough to be in high school has been exposed to the Wildcats winning at least one national championship. I myself have lived in Kentucky long enough to see 3 Kentucky championships and two additional national final games where the Cats lost.

As good as the SEC is, the Wildcats own it lock, stock and barrel in basketball, historically. Kentucky is and always has been the flagship basketball program for the SEC. Up until the Florida Gators won national championships in 2005 and 2006, Kentucky was the only SEC school to have won one.

Kentucky has a huge fan following all over the state, and one of the most passionate fan bases in all of college sport. The Kentucky site on Rivals.com will sometimes have as many as 2500+ UK fans logged on at any given time during the season, and has had as many as 16,000+ individual fans logged on during big news days. As recently as the 1980’s, untold thousands in the rural and mountain regions of Kentucky would huddle around radios listening to games called by the legendary Kentucky announcer, Cawood Ledford.

Kentucky plays in one of the great arenas in college basketball. Besides being one of the largest, seating over 24,000, Kentucky leads the nation in attendance almost every year. I myself have seen no less than 25 blogs and message boards dedicated to the Wildcats, and more come on line every day.

Kentucky has participated in some of the greatest moments in college basketball history. Adolph Rupp won 4 national championships at Kentucky, and is considered one of history’s greatest basketball coaches. Kentucky has participated at the top level of basketball for almost 100 years, and basketball has been played at Kentucky since 1903.

It is impossible to fit all the history, drama, passion and pathos that makes Kentucky basketball such a storied, legendary program into one message board comment. You can find a few highlights at Jon Scott’s Big Blue History page, but even that is pale and colorless compared to what resides in the heart of the Big Blue Nation.

We are always looking for converts, though. There is always room for another to wear the Blue and White.

Thanks for reading.

Tru gave you an excellent link regarding the tradition of UK, and there are more on this site.

If you have never been to a ballgame at Rupp, your fiance should make it a point to get you there. It is an awesome experience!

Blue & White fans live it, breath it, and die with it. No matter what profession or career we’re in, our age, race, religion, etc., one thing ties us more than any other program – the love of the team. I can honestly say that there is rarely (or maybe any???) day that does by that I don’t at least think in passing about my beloved ‘Cats, even in the middle of offseason (for UK fans, there is NO offseason), or in the middle of the program’s darkest hours.

Of course, in the months since I discovered ASOB, not a day goes by that I don’t log on and check things out, so as long as this blog is around I may very well think heavily about my ‘Cats until the day I die.

Thanks Tru, and welcome to Kentucky soonergrl – while you’re in Harrodsburg, you must have breakfast and dinner at least once at the Beaumont Inn (and I recommend doing the same at Shaker Village, and check out Centre College’s campus and the surrounding area in nearby Danville).

flows through our vains. With me, the days attitude can be quickly swayed by a win or loss. I remember crying as a young boy when the Cats lost. It still puts a dull feeling inside now when they do( although i do seem to get over it in a day or so now) thank goodness for maturity huh? So many things make Kentucky basketball special that cannot be expressed, its just a way of life. Thank GOD im living it!!!

for an outsider to understand the passion that Ky fans have for their beloved Cats.

In my case, it was my Dad from grade school on as he was a big sports fanatic and a leader in the Booster Club in my hometown.

One has to live it to understand it.

is your fiance a Big Blue sports guy?...Being a UK grad.

won 43 of the 88 SEC regular season championships and 25 of 48 SEC tournaments, I think.

And from a female perspective, there is also a great deal of pride in “our boys”. As a lifelong Cat fan, the players represented big brothers I wished I had; then boyfriends I wished I’d dated; and finally sons I wished I raised. I don’t know how each coach (or perhaps it has something to do with the fan base) has helped shaped such remarkable young men, year after year after year.

Look at UK players. They always-always-look like the kind of young men you would take home to meet your Mother. And for the most part, they have conducted themselves with great character both on and off the court. They come into our lives for only a few years, but when they leave, we feel as if they walk talker, fight harder, and live with a higher standard of ethics, and that somehow we contributed to that.

We give them a college education, a chance to play ball as part of one of the greatest traditions in collegiate sports, and the platform from which to potentially claim a multi-million dollar pro career. We also give them our hearts…or perhaps they steal them.

In return, they give us pride in being able to say that our players fight harder, play fairer, and conduct themselves like men of honor (even though most of them are still boys) for 40 minutes each time the Wildcats take the floor.

Think of the pride you feel in soldiers who have fought the good fight and the tears that come to your eyes when the US flag is raised. Cat fans choke up with same level of emotion over our team. After all, they are the pride of our nation—the Big Blue Nation.

Since 1942,UK has been to the NCAA regional finals(Elite 8) 30 times.For a staggering number,UK has been knocking on the door to the Final Four near a rate just under 50% every time they enter the NCAA tournament,and we haven’t missed the tourney very often in the last 70 years.

so no 8 teams left?

Was kentucky not one of 8 teams left?

So,since 1942,name the 20 years we have missed the tournament?

Thanks for the link Tru.I looked on wikipedia as my original source.They list 31 Elite 8,but I know one is wrong because they list 1994(second round L Marquette).

PS-Damn pesky Marquette,they own us in the tourney :(