Football has been the red-headed step-child at Kentucky for a long time. Too long. Rise up, Big Blue Nation -- its time to embrace football and put something on the line!
For years, I have seen UK fans predicting a bare winning season in football, and using it to mark time until basketball comes around. Everybody is "cautiously optimistic". I say it's time to throw caution to the winds, and just be plain optimistic.
Kentucky is returning one of the most potent offenses in the SEC. Yes, we have O-line, D-line, depth and kicking issues, but we always have some kind of issues. This year, Kentucky has a long-shot Heisman candidate, a returning All-League wide receiver, tight end and linebacker. We have 17 returning players, and we are as talented, athletic and capable of competing as any team Kentucky has ever produced. Our recruiting is stronger, our line positions deeper, and our skill positions on par with any team in this, or any other, conference.
It's time, my Big Blue brothers and sisters, to raise our expectations for this football season, and embrace our team. No longer are we expected to be "abysmal". No longer will our opponents mark us down as a definite victory. No longer must we suffer at the hands of Cardinal fans who loathe us. No longer are we the laughing stock of the SEC, and the butt of jokes.
It's time to start acting like it. No more "I'll be happy if we are 6-5" talk around here. This team is capable of upsetting any one of the three SEC powerhouses we play this year as well as the Louisville Cardinals, and we get every one of them at home. We are capable of going to Columbia, SC and handing the Ol' Ball Coach his visor. We are capable of dealing the 'Hogs a home loss, and doing a Sherman in Georgia.
It's time we take this football team seriously, and hold our coach and our team to account. We should expect ... no, DEMAND an upset of Louisville, Florida, Tennessee or LSU. We should start talking about a road upset as well. Brooks has done a fine job of building this team -- now let's help him get it to the next level.
Yes, our schedule is tough -- what SEC schedule isn't? I'm sorry we're not in the Big East, but we aren't, and we aren't going to be feasting on the likes of UConn, or USF, or Cincinnati. That's just the way it is. But it's time we put quits to some of these ridiculous losing streaks we have to some of our conference foes.
Enough of the timorous talk -- our football team can never become a contender if we don't at least take chances as fans. We're asking the players to leave it all on the field, and yet we won't even face the personal demons of disappointment that have haunted the steps of the Big Blue faithful for far too long. It's time to face them, to raise up our team, to engage the foe. It's time for a revolution!
Let us begin.
