Just how unbalanced is UK?
You could make an argument that it is the defining characteristic of many things in the University of Kentucky orbit these days. We usually think of unbalanced as being a bad thing. But is it?
Here are a few examples of Kentucky sports' lack of balance. I leave it to the reader to decide if, or how much, of a problem it is.
Case Study: Billy Gillispie
Gillispie famously said to several media outlets recently that his lack of work/life balance cost him his marriage. He apparently also thinks it is bad for his health.
Since Gillispie took the job in Lexington, he has been texting (up until a few weeks ago), calling, traveling and recruiting at a frightening pace. He finally got around to purchasing a home for himself last week, and Heaven only knows when it will be furnished.
His former players at UTEP once attended a party at his home in March only to find his Christmas tree still up, and no food in the house.
Is Gillispie "unbalanced?" He seems to think so, and given the facts, it's hard to argue otherwise. But it seems to work for him.
Case Study: Wildcats Football
If you scroll down two or three posts, it won't take you long to figure out that the football team, at least last year, was as unbalanced as it is possible to be.
With a stellar offense, but a totally unfortunate defense, the Wildcats still managed to pull off the best football season in recent history.
Is the football team unbalanced? You bet -- maybe not as badly this year, but it will most likely still be severe. But can we be successful again? I think so.
Case Study: Kentucky Basketball
Matt Jones has an article today over at KSR worrying about our basketball team's lack of balance. We have lots of good perimeter players, enough to make Scotty Hopson's mom comment in the negative. But size we really don't have, especially quality size.
Is the basketball team unbalanced? At the moment, it surely is. Can we still be successful? I think so.
Case Study: Kentucky Fans
Oh, heck yeah, we gotta talk about the most famously "unbalanced" fans on the Internet, just ask almost any opposing team fan. Wildcat fans get up in arms and go out in droves to assail those who disrespect their beloved Cats, and are merciless when they perceive that the team, coach, or even other fans are being treated badly.
Sometimes, Kentucky fans can go over the top for their team, even willing to do damage to it in order to presumably bring about it's resurrection from the ashes of self-immolation. A strange choice, maybe, but nobody can deny that it is the result of genuine love and devotion.
Are UK fans unbalanced? Damn Skippy. But the beauty of this lack of balance is that the passion and dedication of Kentucky fans brings power not only to the team, but in many ways, to the sport itself. Nobody feels the agony of defeat, nor the thrill of victory, like the Big Blue Nation.
But one thing we can say for sure -- the Gator fans aren't real interested in following in the footsteps of their semi-iconic coaches, especially when it comes to football. I think they are about as unbalanced as Kentucky fans are.