Kentucky Wildcats Football: Expectant Dreamer
By Wayne
Dec 2, 2012; Lexington , KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops waves to fans before being introduced a the new football coach at the University of Kentucky in the Nutter Field House. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Why are so many football fans so reluctant to be excited about the direction we are headed in? Are you afraid you’ll be burned? Afraid we won’t meet expectation? Hell, do you even have expectations? Has Mark Stoops’ hiring lit any tinder under you that get you going? Are you even alive? Come on people!
So, to all those fans who are tempering their excitement and expectation by taking the “wait and see” approach…shame on you. Yes, you read me right…shame on you.
Let’s be real here…
When we hired BCG to run our Men’s Basketball program into the ground, we fans were at every single home game and, as usual, we travelled like champs.
Think back to this past football season, the disaster that it was, and realize that our actual attendance for the Vandy game was 18k +. 18k! There isn’t an excuse for that other than fans expecting miracles and aren’t afforded those every season.
Do you see any similarities in the programs?
Both programs had a terrible final season for their Head Coach. Neither coach was able to win the fan base or better their player performance to the point where games are won. Neither was a great X-O’s guy and both had a subpar staff, by and large.
Sounds harsh but the reality is just that…harsh.
Now, who can tell me how they differed?
I don’t want obvious differences either. Someone. Anyone. Tell me their real difference.
Here’s a little help…
BCG developed the character of no one, because he himself had none.
Joker Phillips was seen as a father by many of his recruits and has unquestionable character. His players did too.
So, to sum up the comparison, we unconditionally supported the womanizing drunk, and lambasted the high character, yet “In Way Over His Head” Football coach because we lost to WKU…and about everyone else.
Does this sit well with everyone? Anyone? Doesn’t make sense to me.
So, now we have Mark Stoops as our new Head Football Coach. He has the name, the pedigree as a DC, is hiring one of the best staffs in the entire SEC, and is selling UK like it’s his destination job. He is a family man whose morals and values will bleed into his football team, as Joker’s did, and he will take no names before making hay. He sees no limits to his recruiting, going as far as offering UL recruit yesterday. Does he think the kid will turn? Who knows. But Coach Stoops offering would be like Cal going after one of Pitino’s commitments. It takes big brass ones. Now I’ve never been around Coach Stoops so I don’t know if he clangs when he walks, but don’t be shocked; just like I won’t be shocked when we approach the cliff of expectation for a fun base jump…then back away slowly.
Listen, I’m not saying that the Big Blue Nation doesn’t have legitimate reason to be cautiously optimistic about the 2013 Season, but with how we have supported derelict coaches and just horrible coaches in the past, Mark Stoops deserves more than a little support. He deserves our expectation to be as high as his because we deserve to content in the SEC.
This is a win-win situation, Nation. Not many times in the span of my life, could I have said that; nor have I ever been this excited about Football.
Big Blue Nation…I IMPLORE you. BEG you. Get behind this program and let your expectations run WILD.
And to aid the imaginationally challenged, I leave you with my expectations.
2013: Bowl Game
2014: Bigger Bowl Game
2015: Bigger Bowl Game
2016: SEC East
**This encouraging rant was brought to you by a couple tweets I came across that annoyed the hell out of me because their expectation of this hire is that we get back to the Rich Brooks era**
Nation, that should not be our goal. If it IS your goal, then…well..North by Northwest————————->
We CAN do this.
We WILL do this!
This program will take years to rebuild, but we are staring a bowl game in the face for 2013. Believe that. Expect that. Support that.
Seriously people…this isn’t UofLOL!
Support. YOUR. Kentucky. Wildcats. And. Dream. Big!
On, On, U of K