Duke Fan Living In Kentucky

In response to the article by Jonathan Fravel, “Why Kentucky Basketball Is Hated and Duke Is Beloved ”, written on January 24, 2010.

Reading this article and then the comments that followed just helps to explain why I hate UK so bad. I grew up in North Carolina, but I live in Kentucky now, have been here for 10 years. Yes I am a Duke fan (and a UNC fan, don’t find many of those do you), but that has nothing to do with why I despise UK. I have always tried to be very fair in how I judge sports team.

I try to never be biased. I call it the way it is. The facts and stats do all the talking. If Duke or UNC have a bad year, so be it. You can’t always be on top. Then it would be boring, and you would not have anything to achieve. Plus it is just the facts of college ball, players come and go. They are not there for years like the pros, so the ups come with the downs.

I did not have the hate for UK, which I do now, when I first moved here. The hate grew after listening to all the disrespect that UK fans show towards other teams as well as their own coach and team when things are not perfect. UK fans are the absolute worst band wagon fans I have ever met as a whole. Yes, all teams have them, even Duke and UNC. The whole, love them when they are winning, but hate them when they are losing attitude.

But with UK it is not just one here and there. It seems to be a majority of the fan base that I have met since living here. So, in living amongst them, I slowly grew to absolutely despise UK. If not for that, I might actually pull for them, as long as they are not playing Duke or UNC, that is. But as it is now, I want them to lose every game they play, and badly. Not just by a few points, but blow outs. Just so their fans will shut up for a few days.

First you should always show respect for all fans. That is what sports are about. No wonder so many young players coming up now have no respect for the sport. They are learning it from the fans.

Respect other teams and the fans, it’s called “sportsmanship.” It is ok to pull against other teams, but always show respect. Then you will get it in return. It is OK to do the friendly trash talk, nudging each other during the season.

But show respect. Remember, it is not always what you say, but how you say it and the tone and attitude behind it. I have several UK friends and we bug each other all year. But we never say anything harsh to each other, and it is always in fun.

Another thing that upsets me is what a UK fan always brings up when they have nothing else to say: 7 championships, and now 2,000 wins. So What?

UCLA has 11, and they don’t throw it your face in every conversation. Duke has 3, UNC has 5, and they both have a better tournament winning percentage than UK does. UNC and Duke have done more in fewer visits.

And the way I see it, if you are truly trying to make an argument, then doesn’t consistency show who the better overall is? UNC could also have just as easily have made it to 2,000 wins first if the ball had bounced a little different.

As to UK’s 2,000+ wins, great! Congratulations! But if you want to get technical about it, let’s take a look at where most of the wins came from. The SEC historically is not exactly the toughest conference in Division I basketball.

This year, so far UK is undefeated, but they also have the second weakest schedule amongst the top 20, and the fans act like they are the greatest thing to touch the court. UK has only had three, maybe four, real tests this year, and they barely pulled them out. And even those matches they played a team as young as they are. UK has not had to face an experienced team yet this year.

UK’s SOS (strength of schedule) ranking is 82nd, Duke is 5th, and UNC is 14th, (at time of this writing) http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/polls/rpi/index1. So how about holding off the, “we are the best chant” until March? That is when the true test comes for all teams. I will say hats off to John Wall, Patrick Patterson, and Demarcus Cousins. Patrick has evolved into a very consistent player, and John and Demarcus are excellent as freshman.

Now back to the band wagon issue. It is not just the basketball fans at UK, this goes for the football fans as well. Remember when Rich Brooks came on board. They were ready to run him off almost before he got started. And look what he did for the football program. Talk about a turn around.

He ended up giving them four straight bowl appearances, wining three in a row. Just goes to prove that sometimes you have to weather the bad years to get to the good ones. Each coach has to develop their own programs.

Who knows, Tubby might have brought the Cats back to a championship, but the fans would not leave him alone to find out. Was Tubby a Dean Smith, Coach K, John Wooden, or Adolph Rupp? No, and no one else ever will be. Each great coach has their own special abilities, and sometimes it takes a couple years to rebuild a program.

So how about it UK fans, think you can show a little humility until March? Maybe check those attitudes a little, and show some respect for all fans. Then maybe you won’t be hated by so many. I would gladly pull for UK as an alternate team if the fans would get a better attitude about the game.

And not just towards other teams, but towards your team as well. Don’t be the fans that a lot of Florida State fans became this past season. Bobby Bowden gave them years of success. But in the end he was treated very poorly by a lot of the fan base. That is not a true fan.

The loyal FSU fans pulled for him until he retired, and praised him along the way. Don’t hate them when you are losing. Cheer harder. That is what makes a real fan. Take some lessons from the Chicago Cubs fans. Possibly the most dedicated fans in sports history.