It's Too Quiet.

I have spent the weekend preparing for changes in my life and was not "able" to blog.  But reinstating myself in to this maddening world I feel pricked by a unnerving nervousness.  Not that I think that Florida can beat us or that they will beat us, but the fact that the fans seem to be doing and saying...well, nothing.  The paper is even quiet.  (Well, they still have their 3 articles by Story, Clay, and Tipton...but not commentary [pre-game] fro Billy G.)  The blog sites and even the influx of violent banter has quelled.  Is Big Blue Nation so broken that they are not going to get up for the game?  Are they saving their energy to unleash on game day?  KSR  has only one article with more than 30 comments on it, and that is it.  It is an eerie calm.  Feels like a ghost town; tumbleweeds are rolling down Vine Street.  Or is the pain of enduring another lose so overwhelming that the fans would surf everywhere but their favorite sites?  Or have they lost the will to live?  Or I am just caught up in the heavy melancholy of woe?  I hope not, considering I am The Optimistic Kat.

There seems to be so much to be excited about when it comes to Kentucky:  2009 recruiting class, Jodie broke Issel's 53 point record...against Tennessee and they were ranked, Patterson having a monster year, Ramon getting hurt and coming back, Miller finding his confidence and showing some moxie....  Guys, it is not like that there is nothing to cheer about.  Here is the problem, or what I see as a problem: we want to be able to gloat a great team.  But this year and this team have deprived us of the ability to gloat with out looking foolish in front of other fans.  But there is more at stake here than that for the players and for me as well.  Remember, 99% us did nothing to make the program great.  Our athletic contributions are nil.  We've have never made a 3-point shot to win the game or made a great defensive stop, but we behave as though we did.  And we take offense when others question the Legacy of Kentucky.  The offense undertaking is Noble, but not necessary. We do it because we are for the team.  Our efforts with our opinions show passion but most it is unwarranted and negative.  As Craig Kilborn would say, "Check Your Negativity at the Door."

If you give up on the Cats until they get rid of Billy G., then you are not committed.  I would seriously question you fanhood.  I will call you on the carpet right here.  Let me say again, you are merely a fan of winning so you have the means to gloat.  You'd rather be right than be loyal.   Loyalty is a commodity that is so far removed from this post-modern era.  We have the greatest tradition known to college basketball.  We have nearly 2000 wins, 7 national titles, 43 SEC titles, 25,000 screaming fans at Rupp, etc...  Guys were are a dynasty, legendary even.  One season that doesn't meet expectations is not going to unravel that.  Have some faith in your team.  What is life without faith?  It is misery and death...and we are not even close to that here in Kentucky.  The Cats are young and strong, like Derby Challengers...those that grow up to be Champions; champions like Man O' War and Secretariat.

So I stand like a man on a mountain with a oversized megaphone (under appreciated blog...haha), "GET UP...GET UP AND SEE...THE CATS...THE CATS MARCHING TO VICT'RY!"  I say get in your favorite chair, with your best of friends, turn on ESPN (9:00pm), and let the faith and hope flow forth.  Hope deferred makes a heart sick, but laughter (of joy) is the best medicine.  Tomorrow night I hope we are all laughing as we make our way to bed, sleep a peaceful sleep and wake up still singing in the morning.  Here is something that will explain this kind of faith: Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the Substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."  I ask you, "CAN YOU HAVE FAITH IN YOUR TEAM?" or "Are you all tired out?"  You need to show the same effort and teamwork "rooting" that you expect from the players "actually playing"...it is your only real contribution, MAKE IT COUNT...for the team.