Kentucky Basketball: Foolish Fans Make Life Difficult For Everyone

There is nowhere in America where the little things matter more than at Kentucky, and sometimes, that's not a good thing.

Consider the Anthony Davis "Wingspan" poster, which was printed as a souvenir for attending the Florida Gators at Kentucky game, as well as part of a UK campaign to get attention for Davis as a possible NCAA Player of the Year candidate. UK has done something similar to this for lots of UK players -- remember the "All he does is win" All-American campaign for Chuck Hayes back when he was a senior?

So it shouldn't be a surprise that some of these posters have wound up for sale on eBay. Selling a poster like this is a potential NCAA violation and should not be done, which is why the UK Athletics Department has issued "cease and desist" orders to the sellers of those posters.

Yes, UK can be gigged for a secondary violation for the selling of the posters -- thats just they way it goes, but hopefully it won't happen and the C&D letters are designed to try to ensure that it won't, although you can never tell for sure with the NCAA. No, Anthony Davis' eligibility, at least as far as my understanding goes, is not put in jeopardy by the illicit sale unless he's involved in some way in the sales, although UK's sterling compliance record lately certainly could be modestly impacted if things go wrong. That can happen if somebody employed at the school, or program boosters, are involved in any way.

Of course, everybody knew that this could become an issue from the start, but that didn't prepare me for the entitlement mentality of some of our fans. Consider this excerpt letter from "David" that John Clay received in his blog post linked above:

Why would UK do this "special favor" to just the 24K fans attending this game. What about the several million of us out here that can’t afford to make the game?

Clay was diplomatic about this, but I don't have to be. I'll tell you what you should do, David. You should get a freaking life, that's what you should do, you risible, juvenile idiot. I have infinitely more respect for those who are scalping the Davis posters than you, and trust me, that's a pretty low bar.

If you can't afford to come to the game, or can't get in, or whatever, that's just too bad. You AREN'T ENTITLED to access to stuff like this, and only in America would people whine about not being able to receive a black and white poster of an 18-year old non-professional player that was given away as a freebie to patrons at a college basketball game.

Do you really love your team, David? Then act like it, and show some respect for those who run the program and promote it. It isn't all about you, and if it is, do us all a favor and become a Louisville fan. If you don't understand why UK shouldn't include your miserable, whiny self in it's plans, go ask your parents, they will explain it to you -- that is, if they haven't already given up on you after this exposition of insular, outrageous selfishness.

Thanks for embarrassing your school, you team, and your fellow fans. It's guys like you that force the rest of us to defend our fandom from the Huns out there who (apparently, with some justification) think you have to check your sanity and I.Q. at the door in order to be allowed into the Big Blue Nation. Thanks so much for giving them more ammunition.

There. I feel better. Go, 'Cats!