You can make your point without sticking your finger in someone's chest. We go the extra mile here on ASOB, but why??

Simple, there is a way to get your point across without being a jerk......and it just might get you the attention you desire.

First and foremost let me commend Tru for always at least trying to see both sides of an argument when it comes to the Cats in both Football and Basketball. Anyone who has read anything I have ever posted on here knows that I have a major disdain concerning the NCAA, The SEC(in some matters), and big time money in college sports as a whole. Having reached the age where I get a little misty-eyed for the good ol' days of Woody Hayes' "3yds and a cloud of dust" offense, Joe B. Hall and his plaid jacket, rolled up game program, finger pointing self, and watching Richard M. Nixon brood at reporter's questions, I tend to gripe a little lot. Negativity,in and of itself, is usually not helpful in these situations, however that does not stop me from pulling out my soapbox and stumping for my candidacy. Tru is usually more than tolerant of those kinds of things, ignoring the ones he cares nothing for and making a good back and forth debate whenever he thinks I am off my rocker concerning something he holds dear to his heart. And I have to tell you it is actually fun not having to fuss with my wife for a change and still feeling like I got my 2 cents worth in.

Now some folks will tell you that most of this is just wasted effort, other than serving to lower my blood pressure. But in the last few weeks I have learned that is not always the case. We gripe about coaching and claim sheer madness has enveloped the UK staff at times( we are talking football right now folks....I am leaving Cal out of this one for the time being, he screws up and his butt is in the fray just like anyone else), and we get all riled up and start calling for heads to roll. That's fine, but it doesn't serve a higher purpose unless it gets to the right person. I spoke with a former Cat last week, and asked him outright about what players AND coaches do when it comes to things that are written and said about them. He told me that for the most part, 99.9% of all the "hateful" stuff never gets seen by anyone it is about, and that most of the guys out there will ignore it.  But he also told me something I didn't realize, former players and coaches talk to current players and coaches and that some things when mentioned constructively do get to the right people. He said that if someone makes a legit point, then usually it gets picked up by others either on the web or in the media, and questions get asked, some publicly, some not.

The point here is that if you can make your point constructively, know your facts, and state your concerns without sounding like a raving lunatic, you have a much better chance of getting your thoughts to the people in charge. Now, in no way do I claim to have Cal's, Rich's, or Mitch's ear here. But as in everything here in the Commonwealth, someone usually "knows a guy who knows a guy". They are not going to slam their friends for any reason, but they will make mention of when a valid point is brought up. Coaches are not going to coach by popularity polls folks, but they do genuinely want the fans to have a good experience with their team. They want love too......We have a tendency on here to police ourselves on our behavior, minus the occasional troll, but just remember, if you want your voice to get heard, make statements people want to listen to, or ones that at least peak their interest.

Slamming each other around like we just got signed to the next Wrestlemania to fight Triple H doesn't do anything except make us look just like the wrestlers in those fights. We make a splash, scream for the crowd, and then usually someone runs up from behind with a chair and nails us in the back of the head when we are not looking.