Atlanta Journal column on UK football

[The_Godfather]

Pretty much agree with this. The new training facility will be a much more attractive feature to prospective players than the remodeled stadium.

However, I do agree with ja that downsizing the stadium (at least to the extent it was done) was a "mistake". It is not like 67,000 is huge. I simply cannot see why they had to physically lose as many good south side seats as they are to achieve the desired goals (i.e., more suites and club seating). The student section is merely being "right sized" (i.e., approximately being cut in half) but most of the seats physically being lost are "good" seats from the south side.

Peace

Kind of a ridiculous notion that it was a "mistake" at this point. The stadium was almost entirely bench seating and any effort to add in chair back seats will result in a loss of seats. Not only this, but the expansion of the suites and the subtraction of rows of seats in the upper deck made it impossible to avoid a loss of seats.

They could have decided to next add seats to compensate for those lost, but that would have been a substantial increase in cost to what is already a $100+ million project.

Was it a "mistake" for PJCS to go all chair back seats vs bench seating? There could have been a good 10k+ more seats in that place had that decision been made 18 yrs ago. Would it have been worth it or are you guys happy that the place is more fan friendly than larger?

 

[kats23]

I think it's going to take a lot to get the casual fan back to Commonwealth. It's why I think at this point in time taking away seats is a smart thing. Less seats gives you a better atmosphere. 67,000 looks and feels different at capacity than 67,000 in a 100,000 seat stadium. Such short memories here. Cobb called out our fans for not showing up during one of our upticks in the program. The last couple of years of Joker's regime did so much damage. I think you have a lot of stubborn fans who are just not going to show up till UK is winning consistently. They don't want to be fleeced again.

You want to blame basketball? That's laughable. Blame an administration that never worried about the football program. Content to be in the bottom of the SEC because it's a lot of hard work to get a program viable and keep it viable. Look at what Stoops is doing and so far little ground has been made up. Blame the culture? That's laughable too. Yes, the fans may get used to losing or UK blowing it but the team is fresh and the coach is fresh. I get being a little disappointed in Stamps comments about get to 6 wins but this program is still in baby steps. Unrealistic expectations is not what this program needs right now. I don't question the player's will to win. I applaud an attainable goal. So what if by best case scenario is 6th best attendance. Do you see who UK is going up against? It's not like if we had a 75,000 seat stadium we would be #2. I just get tired of the finger pointing and trying to pass blame for what has historically been a doormat program. I love football and I love UK football. I love the direction we're heading in as a program and I think UK is going to do a lot of good on the field this year. I don't look at this article as a bad thing. At least they are talking about UK football. Couple of years ago, we didn't even get mentioned.

 

[footballfanatic77]

Kentucky has probably the worst economy in the "south" , also, one of the smallest and most aged population's of the sec states. These demographic factors also must be taken into account when wondering why our stadium capacity/attendence is lower than the vast majority of our SEC brethren.

I would give that distinction to Mississippi.

 

[shutzhund]

I really didn't read past a post that said attendance is really more important than staff, etc.

Who in the world would would come up with that? Hopefully no one with walking around good sense who's a UK fan.

No wonder we are ridiculed by other SEC fans. Delete it before others see what one of us thinks.

 

[Poetax]

Bottom line is, we have seen a change in the thought process when it comes to the football program. There's nothing we can do about past neglect with our past administrations but Stoops has changed the attitude that our other coaches had about our ability to recruit a higher talented player. With Stoops and seeing a process being changed I am hopeful because in my 63 years it's the best that I have seen in many phases of the football program. Plus if we win we will see many of the things that we see other successful programs see. Can't blame the basketball program, they've did their part. Now Stoops will do it for the football program.

 

[sluggercatfan]

people can't get tickets to seats that don't exist...i mean on the most optimistic of occurrences, our stadium won't hold enough to be number six in the conference, attendance wise. i think the fans have been way ahead of the team many years...save Jokers last year, anyway, where I would say they were roughly equal.

anyway, i just don't see how basketball has to be a problem for football. i much prefer football, but hell, i love watching basketball too.

Unless he is stretching the truth...coach Stoops says it's an asset and Cal is a huge help

 

[TransyCat09]

Sometimes I wonder if a lot of you actually want a winning program because you are a fan of UK or if you want one just so you don't have an inferiority complex on Twitter. The way you guys talk about SEC media or other fanbases, it makes me wonder.

Guess what, LSU fans were talking ish about us being a basketball school after we beat them in 2007. You just need to come to terms with the fact that we will never outlive that "stigma." I just really don't care what they have to say; I just want to win. Call us a basketball school after we win 10 games and I'll laugh in their faces. Simple as that

 

[hmt5000]

kentucky is ranked ahead of alabama, miss, arkie, and south car as far as economy. we just have a small population and even smaller AA population.

and you can change perceptions really quickly. were any of saying that osu was a football school when we played them in the final 4 and jared sullinger had them ranked #1?

 

[SlykkteeHMail]

I do have a problem with UK players saying "6 wins is all we have to get." It is likely true that 6 or 7 wins is the ceiling for this team this season, but I want the players going into every game believing they can win them all. Without that confidence a team will get to 5 or 6 wins and run out of gas. It's one thing for fans to have realistic expectations, it's another thing for players to expect and accept losses.

Ff77, it is my opinion his quote was taking out of context. I believe he was responding to a question (paraphrase) which alluded to the Vandy game's importance in relationship/probability of UK needing that game (the season hinging on it) for UK to get to a bowl. So in response he is reiterating the fact that to get to a bowl game takes "6 wins no matter what game it is", which is a nice way of telling the reporter that just because you (media) feel that the only game UK "has a shot of getting 6 wins is based on the OOC games & Vandy" he is saying that we (UK) can & should win ANY 6 games on their schedule. So no he has NOT bought into a losing culture, he was just being diplomatic in the situation.
As we all know, respect is earned so what would have been the media frenzy had he stated that UK expects to go 12-0? At this point, he is showing humility but also reflecting swagger that UK can win ANY (inference of ALL) their games without being labeled as a hot head or over arrogant for a team that has nothing to show for it. Think in those terms.

Secondly, I have never bought into the fact that UK couldn't win all its games every year. As I have stated before, it is not my job as a fan to be "objective nor realistic". That is for coaches (speak) & media. Fan is short for fanatic and the definition of fanatic has no mention of rational or logical behaviors. So it tickles me when fans tell other fans they need to be or call me "homer" or "blue-tinted". That is what I am supposed to be as a fan. I will never concede UK loses. Will they happen? Yes. May the odds against them be heavy or major? Yes. But I will NEVER concede under any circumstances that my team just simply CAN'T win. As there are countless of underdog proverbs, I'll use the quote from the movie "Little Giants", "They may beat us 99 out of a 100 times, but we only need that 1 chance and maybe today is that 1 time, so let's go kick some butt" (paraphrase a bit).

Besides, I really think that Stoops has managed to keep UK talent development "under double secret probation" these past two years. And this year, we shock the fans. Just my feeling. Had it last year and we did a little, but fell short which I can point out a few things Stoops did administratively that led to it. I think this year he blows the roof off and go full bore. In my opinion folks are overlooking three major difference that will be facts this year adding up to victories more so than the past.

1. We may be considered "young" as in terms of age, but not in experience. A core of our team on defense is actually mostly upper class men. I think people get caught by the presumed need for everyone to RS they look pass the experience. Which is better a RSSO Hatcher or a true JR Hatcher? We will see this year. Just 1 example, but look at the roster, experience everywhere.
2. Developmental growth. People are judging performance based on last year and where a guys started and keep doubting their ability for growth. Point is, the same folks that applaud Mizzou in taking mid rank guys and developing them into solid (champs) contributors will quickly dismiss the growth of Forrest, Tiller, and Quinn. No I don't expect them to be ALL SEC, but I feel as SR, they should grow into solid contributors in the same manner as Mizzou players which isn't a bad projection. If not then what are we paying EK all that money for?
3. Leadership & depth. The guy on SEC network said it best, when he played against UK in the past it was never a question of heart and desire but talent. We have talented players, as Stamps, Swindle, & Lewis (along with others) are providing leadership which propels the younger guys to step up which will translate to depth. So the tiredness of the team will not overtake them so quickly and they are holding accountability like no other team in the past. We have had great and very good players, but we sorely lacked great leaders, I think that problem has been solved. A quote from Stamps not being mentioned from his media day interview, "After the UL lost to end the season we were all in the weight room Monday morning without the coaches using our season as motivation to get better." Never have I seen or heard that before.

Just my 2 cents, I look very forward to this upcoming year. It can't get here fast enough for me.

 

[hmt5000]

and im not gonna look it up again but i believe that if we were in the biG we'd be ranked #6 in attendance and if we were in the acc we'd be #4. think about that for a second and then contemplate the meaning of "basketball school".

 

[footballfanatic77]

and im not gonna look it up again but i believe that if we were in the biG we'd be ranked #6 in attendance and if we were in the acc we'd be #4. think about that for a second and then contemplate the meaning of "basketball school".

I do agree with you that statement was taken out of context.

 

[jauk11]

I really didn't read past a post that said attendance is really more important than staff, etc.

Who in the world would would come up with that? Hopefully no one with walking around good sense who's a UK fan.

No wonder we are ridiculed by other SEC fans. Delete it before others see what one of us thinks.

No, you sure as hell didn't. Perhaps you read this " Rightly or wrongly I think attendance is a factor in how some view our football program, including recruits" and interpreted it as saying what you just stated, but if you did you have a huge reading comprehension problem.

Perhaps you overlooked the "factor" and the "some" , and Grumpy agreed with the "some".