[COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial]As football season quickly approaches I find myself trying to move past the mindset of those who grumble at the mere thought of another losing season.[/FONT][/COLOR] Here are some facts that we have to accept and live with. [COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial]The program has underachieved the last 2 years, that is a given. Some players have underachieved and our coaches have not made the improvements we expected throughout these seasons. [/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial]We must keep in mind that we are in the SEC and Kentucky Football is not Alabama or LSU so we need to control our expectations. A good season is 6 wins and a bowl game. It is not fair to currently expect 8 or 9 wins and competing for an SEC championship. That is the ultimate goal and would be great, but we are just not there yet.[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial]While Joker was with the team under Coach Brooks, some transition time should still be expected. There will be growing pains so we need to give him a fair 3 years to make his stamp on the program before we judge and hold him personally accountable.[/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial] The coaches don’t catch the ball and they don’t make tackles. Our players must execute the game plan. We can’t hold the coaches responsible for every mistake made, even though that is easy for us to do from the stands or our homes. [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial]MAIN POINT: We are fans and it is our job to support the program – no matter what. Our basketball program is what it is because of the fans, no question. If BBN wasn’t so strong and didn’t care so much, Cal would not be here and we would not have been able to achieve the things we are currently doing. Our attendance, our donations and our loyal support are what has made our program the gold standard for a hundred years. We need to do the same for the football team. When we don’t buy tickets and don’t go to games we hurt the program. Our program needs the finances from ticket sales and fans going to games. The bonding issues have been well documented so the only way we can get facility upgrades at this time is through general revenue generated through ticket sales and donations. The announcement recently of the decline in ticket sales is very disappointing. Even though we don’t realize it when we don’t show up at games we are hurting recruiting. At every football game there are recruits on visits who are considering coming to UK. When they see an empty stadium or fans leave early, they take notice and they will remember that[B]. Please don’t walk out! [/B]The atmosphere at games is also very dependent on the crowd. Any athlete who has ever played a sport will tell you that they feed off adrenaline and the energy at the stadium. We can directly help our guys play better by showing up to games and being loud. That is a fact. [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial]I know it’s frustrating to see our team struggle but we must stay with them through the tough times because it’s our job to support and cheer them on. We have no idea how much effort and time both the coaches and players put into this program. I doubt any one of us would want to be on the football field practicing in the heat wave we’ve had this summer, but they are are out there putting the hours in. They want to succeed and win even more so than the fans, trust me. There is no coach we will ever have that will love this program and want to see it thrive more than Joker Philips. He is from Kentucky and played for Kentucky, he is true blue. The players on our team try just as hard as those in Alabama and they want to prove the haters and naysayers wrong more than anyone. We need to show them support, not the unrelenting and unfair criticism as we have recently.[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#222222][FONT=Arial]The program will get better, we will win games and we will get better players. Part of that is because of our higher expectations, but it will also be because of our continued support. The more support the fans give, the more we get behind Mitch, Joker, and the guys the field, the faster our program gets back to bowl games and beating Louisville every year. We will do this, but we must do it together and it all starts with fan support and faith in the program and those who run it. [/FONT][/COLOR]
I am as guilty as anyone of everything I’ve said here. Everything we do or don’t do plays a part in having a winning program. From now on when they start talking football on the Big Blue Breakdown I’m not going to complain. I am willing to do my part to help. What will you do?
[I]Contributed By:
JennaGrace
Nation of Blue Fan[/I]
