My personal manifesto

[TheBlessing]

First, let me start off by saying that I am not sure what part of the board I should put this in. It could go in UK basketball, it could fit into recruiting and it definitely could fit into The Hot Tub. I don’t post that often and I don’t really have a specific topic that makes me want to weigh in. I’m sorry if this is confusing to some. I have a tendency for my thoughts to jump around. For the most part, I enjoy reading what the posters here have to say and have to offer and while I don’t agree all the time with SaulsHairStylist (love the name BTW) or 7andcounting or CatDaddy or Tayshaun or any other poster (not picking on the 4 guys by name, just examples, no offense guys!!!), I always try to read it respectfully and thinking about what I don’t agree with or what about their point I do like. I read a few days ago that someone said that they cant wait for Bobby Perry to leave and someone said that they are excited for the next couple of seasons to be done with. Really? You call yourselves Cat fans? I don’t always like what Tubby does. I’ve disliked certain players on the team. But I have never ever said I can’t wait for seasons to end, so this nightmare will end. I love my teams and never want them to fail. It seems as though I can’t say that about everyone here. My question is this…If you hate this team so much because of Bobby Perry or Sheray Thomas or Randolph Morris or Joe Crawford or Ramel Bradley or Ramon Harris or Derrick Jasper or Jodie Meeks or Perry Stevenson or Woo or any other guy that may don “our” beloved Blue and White jerseys, why bother watching them? If you wish any of them to fail or anything like that, just turn the channel to watch UNC, Vandy, UC Santa Clara or anyone else. If you hate to watch “TubbyBall” so much, or dislike the coach himself, stop watching. Watch ESPN instead and watch the ticker at the bottom for the day is says something like UK Coach Tubby Smith resigned today to take the head coach position with the Atlanta Hawks or Bobcats or Lakers. Or wait for it to say UK has offered a buyout to Coach Tubby Smith. In my opinion, it could Smith, Billy D. Coach K, Travis Ford or anyone else and it’s not going to matter. Some fans (not just UK fans) are not happy unless they’re complaining about something. Am I happy with the losses to UT and Florida? Hell no. I love watching the Cats play. I live out-of-state and need to get the DirectTv package. But I enjoy every minute of it. Watching a UK game, no matter win or lose, is 1000000x better to me than shoveling my sidewalk from the 2 feet of snow or cleaning the house. Would I have preferred UK to win last night? Yes. Would I have preferred to watch Joakim Noah watch from the bench after fouling out as the Cats come back and beat Florida? Absolutely. Am I superstitious when watching the Cats? We lost last night because my wife’s kitten decided to wake up and move from her spot on the couch. We were on a huge run when she moved. Can you believe it? You know what though? I did wake up this morning and the world still exists. If the use of CAPS on the board is any indication of how people feel or are “yelling”, some of you need to relax. Now, I know some may think I am picking on ArmyMan. Army, sometimes I agree with you and like reading your posts, other times not so much. But please relax a little. At this rate, you’re gonna have a heart attack. I don’t want to login to the board after a loss and not have you posting. C’mon man, just breathe with me. I’m tired of the Patterson thing too. I hope he comes here. I don’t listen to rivals or scout or anything else because I don’t trust them. I will believe he is or is not coming to UK when he officially announces his intentions or signs an LOI. But if he doesn’t come, people are going to be calling for Tubby’s head on this one (again). Maybe it’s me and I’m away from the situation, but I don’t know what else he could have done to get this kid. He was one of the 1st coaches to recruit Patrick. He has been there from the beginning. He didn’t join the party late like Florida or really really late like Duke. He was there front and center from everything I have understood. What more did you want from Tubby? Anyways, for now, I think that I have said a lot of what I thought. Thanks for reading and being patient with my rant.

[rgriffin]

Nice read... good luck with all that snow up there!

[tayshaun]

That rant right there was almost 850 words.

[stagger]

Make that cat pay buddy......make it pay!

I agree 100% with you man. It really bugs me when I read how "WE" lost. "WE" didn't lose. Those kids lost. Those coaches lost. "WE" sat on our collective butts and watched or listened, only to complain when things didn't go the way "WE" wanted them to. As a whole, "WE" are very selfish in our demand that guys ages 18-22 play to our lofty expectations twice a week, all while fitting in practice, having a life like actual people to, and oh wait....they've got to carry a certain GPA to be able to even play. Sometimes, "WE" need to cut "THEM" (aka: people actually involved in the program and are more than just an armchair coach with a remote in one hand and a frosty brew in the other) some slack and get over ourselves.

Bravo Mr. Blessing. Bra-vo!

[blue2dabone]

It was a good rant, Blessing.

But would it hurt ya to make it more than one gigantic paragraph? My old eyes need a break every 250 words or so. ;D

Just kidding. Well done.

[TheBlessing]

sorry about length and styling of it guys.

[Administrator]

Best "rant" I've read in a long time bro and I understand where you're coming from.

Kudos.

[UKats56]

I wish more people would see it that way. People need not to complain unless they can step out there and fill the shoes in which their trying to remove from the floor.

[blue2dabone]

ukats56 said:

I wish more people would see it that way. People need not to complain unless they can step out there and fill the shoes in which their trying to remove from the floor.

I hate to disagree, because I get tired of the crap also, but I must.

Fans certainly have a right to complain, not because they are fans, but because this is America and everyone has a God-given right to be as happy or miserable as they want, and to say so consistent with the rules of the relevant forum.

On the other hand, constantly badgering players or coaches is just bad behavior, in my opinion. The one-line "Tubby sux" type comments, the ones impugning his integrity, the "I can't wait until [fill in player here] graduates" - these sort of things are not productive criticism, IMO. They are self-indulgences that require no discipline or intelligent thought whatsoever, and are 100% bereft of both.

The average fan has no chance of ever actually participating in UK basketball, other than as an observer, so it isn't surprising that people (like all of us, really) get emotionally invested. It's easy to second-guess the decisions of others, and in this sports-obsessed nation, we do it constantly for the teams we emotionally invested in. We could all hope for higher quality criticism or praise and a look at both sides of the issues, but when emotion drives the comment, we usually have to settle for low quality and high volume. ;D

[UKats56]

I'm not saying other people's opinions don't matter and people don't need to speak their minds. But how far some people take it is ludicrous. Back up what you say, have a reasonable analysis, and then a solution. Respect is also something that needs to be considered though, which I feel some people have very little of in regard to other people.

[blue2dabone]

ukats56 said:

I'm not saying other people's opinions don't matter and people don't need to speak their minds. But how far some people take it is ludicrous. Back up what you say, have a reasonable analysis, and then a solution. Respect is also something that needs to be considered though, which I feel some people have very little of in regard to other people.

[Administrator]

ukats56 said:

I'm not saying other people's opinions don't matter and people don't need to speak their minds. But how far some people take it is ludicrous. Back up what you say, have a reasonable analysis, and then a solution. Respect is also something that needs to be considered though, which I feel some people have very little of in regard to other people.

Very nice post IMO.