UK Wildcat Country: UK/UofL football: Where's the Hype?

Kenny Colston asks a good question: Why the silence on our football team?

C'mon, Big Blue Nation -- Let's get ready for some dadgum FOOTBAW! Be sure and read Ken's well-researched and outstanding piece below.

UPDATE 01:18 PM: Mike at Card Chronicle has some thoughts about goals for Louisville next season. UK made the top 3.

about 1 year ago Truzenzuzex 10 comments 0 recs |

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I am ready...

for the Cats to go to Louisville and beat the snot out of the Card!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SO sick of hearing Louisville fans. Their team is in ruins yet still all they can say is, “As long as we win on 8/31…” Are you kidding me??? That is one game the Cats just HAVE to win.

by kentuckygirl0724 on Jul 10, 2008 11:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's hard to have a dialoge when....

All the Cardinal fans are hiding under rocks. Last year you couldn’t shut them up…now you can’t find one.

I agree I cannot wait for that first game….there are a ton of storylines. Here are couple:

1) Who will be UK’s QB?
2) How dominate will the UK defense be, or will it be dominate at all?
3) How much will UK run/pass?
4) Is U of L going to be competitive?
5) Will the U of L defense give up 40 pts a game?

Etc.

by jamccain on Jul 10, 2008 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If Jurich hadn't issued his call for tempered expectations ..

... the Card fans would be out in force spouting their ridiculous claims of pigskin prominence, even though they’re losing players faster than Lindsay Lohan loses pounds. The Card “defense” should be arrested for fraud, but no matter … “we’re going to challenge for the National Championship” goes the refrain. Yeah, and I’m going to challenge Tiger for golf supremacy.

They’re football program has dangled from a single thread of credibility for some time, finally, inevitibly, the thread broke. Whether Kragthorpe can reconstruct the program remains to be seen, but it is definitely possible considering the weak conference they play in. They don’t need much of a team to win 6 or 7 games, and once again the naive pre-season calls of dominence and National Championships will be heard again … and answered with howls of laughter from those who know the truth.

At least we won’t have to read the simple-minded rantings of Jerry Brewer ( former CJ “writer” who’s claim to fame is owning a thesaurus). It’s too bad he couldn’t put that thesaurus to good use by writing two consecutive coherent sentences.

Note to Card fan: Hoping to NOT have a half-empty ( undersized ) stadium is NOT the aspiration of big-time programs. Welcome back to earth!

by Ken Howlett on Jul 10, 2008 4:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Playing for a National Title

Lets not forget that had it not been for an errant offsides call two years ago against Rutgers… Louisville would have been handing Ohio State a BCS title instead of Florida trouncing them.

Its not all that hard to make a run at a title when you are in the Big East.

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Jul 10, 2008 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was West Virginia ...

... and that was the football Gods cavorting to keep the earth in balance. UL playing a national championship game would be a joke, on top of the joke that is the BCS.

I’m not so sure that UL’s BCS numbers would have beaten out Florida’s that year anyway. I know it was close, and Louisville had a good team, but they weren’t a Top 10 team.

You are right though, they were very close, which is another reason the system needs to be changed.

by Ken Howlett on Jul 10, 2008 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No it was UofL two years ago, WVU last year

They won a huge game at home against WVU, then went on the road to upstart Rutgers where the kicker had a chance to win at the end… he hit the field goal before it was cancelled by the penalty and then shanked the follow-up kick.

WVU blew it last year against Pitt.

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Jul 10, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The WVU game I am referring to was in '05 -- 3 OT UL loss ...

... my how time flies when you’re having fun, I would have swore that was two years ago.

The officials screwed up a call on the onside kick, it was glorious.

You’re right about the Rutgers game. I had completely forgotten about that. Thanks for reminding me of such a pleasant memory. I can vividly remember telling everyone that I was driving to NJ to buy some Scarlett Knight gear.

Anyway, sorry for my incorrect correction :)

by Ken Howlett on Jul 10, 2008 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"They're football program ..." should read "Their football program ..."

by Ken Howlett on Jul 10, 2008 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Colston's piece

Colston makes some good points. I’m not sure how old Kenny is, but I have learned through many years of experience that UK football is slow to catch on in most years. Beating UL would certainly give the season some momentum, and give the average fan a reason to be interested.

If one remembers, two years ago the fans were painfully slow to appreciate the team. It comes from decades of disappointment. How many times have we ( football fans ) become excited over the possibility of having a good season, only to have those hopes dashed by inexplicable losses, and mind-numbing play calling?

People have been conditioned to believe only when tangilble evidence exists which tells us believing will not result in disappointment. It’s an internal fight which can only be won by the team winning.

Brooks and staff have done a great, great job. But for the fans to completely buy-in to UK football, another winning season must be posted. Which is another reason this upcoming season is so vitally important.

by Ken Howlett on Jul 10, 2008 5:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs