On a 1 thru 10 scale. Your love for UK basketball now compared to 10/15/20/30 years ago?..... And has you enthusiasm for UK basketball ever been lower

[HagginHall1999]

I'm still a 10.

My reaction to the end of the season losses has dipped as I've gotten older and we've had more kids.

I still get frustrated and root like hell but I haven't been crazy disappointed since probably 2017 vs UNC. That is the last time I went ballistic. Probably never will again.

As I've gotten older priorities have changed, doesn't mean my fandom has...I'm just not punching stuff over it anymore...lol.

Some will disagree but that is just how I feel.

 

[OneBadCat]

I’ve missed weddings ,funerals and child births because of Kentucky Basketball. My love for it is still a 10, but in recent years I’ve decided there’s a lot more to life than watching basketball games that 42% of the time I end up disappointed in anyway.

 

[ukcatz12]

Used to be a 10, probably closer to a 6 now. But that's not a UK exclusive thing. My entire interest in sports fell off a cliff during Covid and never really came back where it used to be. I'd never miss a big NCAAF or NFL game before and now I probably miss more than I actually watch.

 

[true blue1]

It's hard to be optimistic with Cal as Coach.

 

[jbne222]

Love will always be a 10. Enthusiasm not so much these days

 

[Steelman100]

ten

 

[KFuqua]

My love for UK basketball is a 10.
My love for Cal is minus 10.

My enthusiasm for Cal ever making our program great again is minus 20.

This! My love for Kentucky Basketball is still there and won't ever go away. My frustration with it right now is huge and my dislike for Calipari is HUGE, but I still love my Cats and cheer for them every game.

 

[dcw62]

I've had several low points with my almost 50 years of watching UK basketball...with the end of the Sutton year knowing we were going to go on probation...Last couple years of Tubby...Obviously the last year of Billy G..But even with those low points, I knew there would be a silver lining, but with Cal, with this lifetime contract, there is no silver lining unless they buy him out or he walks away so right now, my love of UK basketball has never waivered but I can honestly say for me, this is the low point of my enthusiasm.

 

[Dreklie]

I'd say like a 3 or 4 as far as excitement goes. I missed many, many games this year which basically never happens. I still love UK and all the players, I just can't stand Cal.

 

[NociHTTP]

When it became clear that we were just NBA University under Cal, I lost a lot of interest. Not interest lost in watching the games, but I have almost zero attachment to the players anymore, and I can't stand Cal. Once we get another coach in here, and that guy returns this to being about the University of Kentucky, I'll start buying tickets again.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

It's always been about a 9/10, even during the Tubby years. That's why I wanted Tubby gone so badly, because my passion was still there and it was clearly after 2005 that he wasn't the man for the job anymore.

Calipari has accomplished the impossible: he's all but suffocated my passion for the program, like a slow burn you don't notice until it's too late.

That's what he's done to my spirit regarding UK basketball.

He's turned my passion into about a 3/10. I'm not quote apathetic, but getting that way quickly with all the annual disappointments.

 

[Justwantadecentteam]

My love for UK basketball from 1969 up until 5 or 6 years ago was a 10. Now it's about a 2. I lay this 100% at the feet of Mitch Barnhart & John Calipari. I went for decades & never missed a single game. Now over the last few years I never watch any of the 9:00 games anymore. A couple more years of Calipari & I'll probably quit watching altogether. If I would have just got rescued from a deserted island & seeing the condition that the UK basketball program is in. My 1st question would be. What did we get put on NCAA probation over? It's that bad

Same

 

[Philstat]

Two out of ten, for me.

 

[catzfanjim]

I'm a 10 but I can't stand Cal if that makes any sense. I'll never cheer for Kentucky to lose but one man has stolen our joy. I wish he would take his smart ass comments and leave.

 

[specialkd24]

Things change as you age.

I will always love Kentucky as much as possible.

But my enthusiasm for basketball has never been lower (while football has never been higher - save maybe Couch's final year). Of course this coincides with getting older, having an 8-year old that keeps me busy, etc.

I would have never dreamed of a time when I didn't care of didn't watch. After the UofL loss in 2020-21, I didn't watch the rest of the year. After the Alabama loss this year, I stopped planning my days around the team. If I was home, I watched, if not, it didn't bother me.

It just isn't fun anymore. Not only has Cal underachieved, but he doesn't play in early season tournaments, doesn't take the SEC Tournament seriously and now can't get us to the second weekend of the tournament. Outside of Oscar (who everyone loves off the court), we don't really know anything about the players. They leave after a year or two ... now we have "none and done" players. Everyone is always injured. Cal doesn't fill a roster and then asks us to be patient. $9 million a year and you ask us to be patient? B-Fin-S.

 

[KyCPA]

My love for UK basketball from 1969 up until 5 or 6 years ago was a 10. Now it's about a 2. I lay this 100% at the feet of Mitch Barnhart & John Calipari. I went for decades & never missed a single game. Now over the last few years I never watch any of the 9:00 games anymore. A couple more years of Calipari & I'll probably quit watching altogether. If I would have just got rescued from a deserted island & seeing the condition that the UK basketball program is in. My 1st question would be. What did we get put on NCAA probation over? It's that bad

It's weird but I am now more into UK football and Cincinnati Bengals football than I am UK basketball. 5 years ago I would have told you that could never happen. I was raised on UK Basketball. What has happened to basketball is truly unbelievable to me.

 

[RunninRichie]

I started watching as a young kid in 1978 & from game 1 until about 2016 my interest level was 100 on a 1-10 scale. I planned my life around UK basketball & went to extreme lengths to make sure I saw every second of every game & followed every aspect of the program down to the most minute information I could find.

In 2005, on the day of the region final against Michigan St, I chose UK basketball over my fiancé (together 5 years at that point) when I was given the ultimatum of going out with her bff & husband, or, watching the game. It was a no-brainer.

Now, I’d probably rank my interest somewhere around 3-4, at best. I change channels during games, now, & struggle to watch an entire game from start to finish. Losses that used to ruin my mood until the next win aren’t even a blip on the radar, anymore. I expect to lose games against any team with a pulse. And, that is total blasphemy for a UK fan. I despise the style of play & the manner in which Coach Ingalls runs the program. But, when he’s finally gone I’ll immediately be back to a solid 10 (or 100).

Wow. My thoughts down to the last period.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

5/10. Our teams have been so hard to watch lately. It’s ugly basketball. And haven’t really connected with the players for a while, outside of Oscar.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

K

It's weird but I am now more into UK football and Cincinnati Bengals football than I am UK basketball. 5 years ago I would have told you that could never happen. I was raised on UK Basketball. What has happened to basketball is truly unbelievable to me.

Same. I was so mad when we lost the Super Bowl I was still upset the next day. I haven’t had that reaction to a UK loss in a 3 years. I think the 9-17 season broke me.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I think with all sports teams it's only natural to be more excited when you feel like you have a chance to do something special compared to coming into a season and thinking you're not going to be any good.

TBH tho I feel the same way I always felt. I might think about it a bit more in the off season if we have a good class coming in but come October regardless I still feel the same excitement I felt years ago.

Also I feel like people will say they aren't as interested but that team wins a few big non conference games in November and December and most are back on board.

 

[JDHoss]

10. I will continue to watch every game and will root for them to win. However, I do not allow this side interest to control my emotions. It’s just a past time I enjoy, nothing more.

After a win I’ll be happy for few minutes, then I’ll move on with my life. After a loss I’ll be disappointed for a few minutes, then I’ll move on with my life.

Yep. Started out as a 10 in 1966 and I'm still a 10. Sports are a lot like life with the ups and downs, but I still enjoy the hell out of them. Like you, I don't let the outcome of games affect my mood or quality of life.

 

[RobEStacy]

My heart is a 10, but my mind is around 5. Used to miss sleep, work, family functions and piss off the wife to watch UK games. Now I DVR most of them and only watch if they win. Still spend an unhealthy amount of time and money on the program. Just not as into it as in the late 90s and Cal early years. The constant roster turnover has really been the end for me.

 

[YankeeCpt]

10.
going to be win the championship next year.

 

[bbncal02]

I'm a 10. The only time it hasn't been a 10 was the last 8 years of the Tubby destruction. Probably got down to a 2 during that time. Had Tubby stayed one more year I probably would have stopped caring at all. That was by far the worst period of my over 60 year fandom. Tubby stole UK basketball from a whole generation of fans.

Lol. Cal is doing that now to some‘s thundering applause.

 

[bbncal02]

I’ll never stop loving it. My enthusiasm has waved significantly.

Sharing UK basketball (and football) with my son is helping my interest stay fully engaged, I love sharing it with him

Teach him the old ways. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.

 

[Wildcats1st]

If I bottomed out on interest I wouldn’t be on this deserted forum. I’m at a 5 but have always been at a 10

 

[sluggercatfan]

My love for UK basketball from 1969 up until 5 or 6 years ago was a 10. Now it's about a 2. I lay this 100% at the feet of Mitch Barnhart & John Calipari. I went for decades & never missed a single game. Now over the last few years I never watch any of the 9:00 games anymore. A couple more years of Calipari & I'll probably quit watching altogether. If I would have just got rescued from a deserted island & seeing the condition that the UK basketball program is in. My 1st question would be. What did we get put on NCAA probation over? It's that bad

Love=100%
Enthusiasm =50%

 

[know1]

My fandom for UK goes back to the end of the Hall days. I've never been lower or as long as I have been under Cal the last 5 years. It's not because of the losses or that we can't compete in the tournament. It's because I don't BELIEVE in the mission/objective of the coach in charge. I also don't respect someone who is supposedly at the top of his profession yet shirks a huge part of the essential things he should be doing. Without respect or belief, it's hard to be enthusiastic.

 

[Gus Polinski]

I’m a 2. Thanks CCC!

 

[cats#1again]

My love for UK basketball from 1969 up until 5 or 6 years ago was a 10. Now it's about a 2. I lay this 100% at the feet of Mitch Barnhart & John Calipari. I went for decades & never missed a single game. Now over the last few years I never watch any of the 9:00 games anymore. A couple more years of Calipari & I'll probably quit watching altogether. If I would have just got rescued from a deserted island & seeing the condition that the UK basketball program is in. My 1st question would be. What did we get put on NCAA probation over? It's that bad

Someone posts this every day it seems!!! How many accts do you have? Is it you?

 

[Tf2217]

Basketball fell from a 10+ to about a 4. Between the 1&dones (which I’m fine with as long as it produces circa pre 2017).
And no it’s not just because we’ve been sucking. I sit and watched every massacre that was brought against the football team. I remeber knowing there was no chance to even compete and still watch every second of Bama beating us by 60. I sit through the tubby decline, I sit through BCG as big of a fan as ever.

I think the way Cal is turned me a little cooler on basketball side. Take a page from mark own up to the shortfalls do what you can to correct. Don’t basically tell the fans that they don’t know what they’re talking about.

 

[sam_o]

my love for uk is and always will be a 10 but my enthusiasm is gone. i was over this bs 4 years ago

 

[blackcat714]

1

 

[Random UK Fan]

What number do you assign for only watching DVR’d wins?

 

[Girthang]

If 1 is the lowest, that's where it's at for me. I was a 20 fifteen years ago. It wasn't even this low when BCG was coach or at any low point of OTS. Back then at least we had players that loved the university, the program, and its fans and had a coach that didn't insult them.

I think this coach can't stand being second to the program itself to the point that he hates it even as he cashes the check.

 

[VAWildcat15]

Love? Ten. That won’t change and it’s why recent results piss me off.

Enthusiasm? Two or three. I think next year will be better than this year (Cal has never had back to back bad seasons including NCAAT results), but I also have no faith we will be in the Final Four. It’s unreasonable to expect a Final Four every year but it’s not unreasonable to expect that we could go that far in any given season. I should be able to put us in the F4 every Selection Sunday and not feel like a moron.

I used to go into every season pumped because I knew we’d be legit Final Four contenders. That’s gone now. On court we are just another team right now. Unfortunately for us other teams either haven’t noticed or have noticed and relish getting their shots in while they can.

 

[ptril]

I am about a 3 now. My first exposure to UK basketball was the 1965-1966 season when I listened to the radio as a kid with my father. In those days, only a few regular season games were on the televison,. Somehow, Caford Ledford made the games more exciting with his verbal descriptions of the splendid athleticism of the Rupp Runts. In my own family of farmers, truck drivers, and manual laborers , none of the grown men had gone past the eighth grade, but most of them strongly identified with "The Cats," and family togethers always involved discussions of what the Wildcats would have in the upcoming season. As a kid, I don't think I knew anyone who had actually been to a game in person, but most worshiped the Wildcats. In those days, the general public rarely saw the teams play in person or on TV, but in our imaginations, Pat Riley and Louie Dampier were like supermen in short pants. Today, there are so many games on cable televison that UK basketball has lost its specialness. The players come and go so fast, we no longer identify with them. They are no longer "our boys." They have come to been seen as foreign mercenaries or hired guns who sell their skills to the highest bidder. There is a perception that Kentucky is just a short stop over for a few months, before the players become millionaires , and that the players couldn't care less about Kentucky basketball. To them, it's like AAU ball where team #5 plays team #7 at 10am, and then plays team #3 at 1pm, before playing team #11 at 6pm, and who cares about the scores? Kentucky has always been a poor state, from the Mountains of eastern Kentucky to the flat lands of western Kentucky, with many comon people leading hard scramble lives, but they could take pride in a champion basketball team, feeling that each of the coaches and players was one of them. After all, Adolph Rupp was a Kansas farmboy made good, and the players were the sons of coal miners from Hazard and Ashland or farmers from Owensboro and Madisonville. I'm not sure if we can get that attachment back.

 

[RogerIndy]

I graduated in 78 along with Givens, Robey, Phillips (RIP) and Lee. When I was there, we won the 78 championship and runner up in 75. During my time there, football was also strong. 76 Peach Bowl 76 SEC championship and good football teams with Derrick Ramsey, Art Still and Jim Kovach. I still am a 8 in UK basketball and the past 5 years am a 10 in UK football. I also follow all UK sports like baseball, women's volleyball, women's basketball, T&F, etc.

 

[cathouse]

From 10+ then to
0.0009 now........and dropping daily.

 

[bnewt]

Grew up listening to cawood and Rupp runs. Would sneak a transistor radio with an ear phone to bed to listen. Even knocked a hole in the wall as a youngster when duke beat Freddie Cowan group. Still have every win during the pitino Era on VHS tape. Even thru tubby and Bill g. never missed a game. Starting with the 9-16 season, seldom watch. So I have gone from 15 to 0 under the used car salesman