For years UL based their athletic success on how they stacked up against UK. In everything. Conference. Stadium seating. New arenas. Profitable programs. Wins. Championships.
And they got there. Some might even say they surpassed UK in athletic achievement there for a couple of years. All of the things they were using as a measuring stick revealed a goal reached. Baseball. Basketball. Football. Arenas. Stadium expansion(s)? Bowl games. Omaha. And the list goes on.
UL fans could now boast and strut around, their entire identity rooted in how they now compared with BBN. "We won it last." "We're more than just a basketball school." "Bobby! Lamar! Ricky! Mike! If I love the girl who cares who you like."
Now these wonderful folks can take a long look at what they had to do to get there. Essentially, their university had to establish and then cover up an organized crime syndicate. So this is what you get, Birdgang. It's time to reap what you've sewn. Corruption. Scandals. Sanctions. Federal indictments. National embarrassment.
And all for what? Just so you could try and stand eye to eye with Big Brother for a few years. SMH.
It really is glorious. UL's passionate desire to be as good as UK in everything has landed them right here. In a way, BBN is responsible for this fall from grace. And aside from a possible misuse of taxpayer money (but let's be honest, it's worth it), it's all so extremely satisfying.