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Why I bleed Blue (why do you?)

runt#69

runt#69

All-SEC
Dec 13, 2010
8,790
5,215
113
Morganfield, KY.
I bleed BLUE. I've been a Kentucky fan for many decades now. I'm faithful, loyal, passionate as ever this year. I have had years where my faith and trust were low and shaken. Never one time did I not consider myself a card carrying member of Big Blue Nation. I try to respect my opponents when they aren't being insufferable as, say coach Bobby Knight (then, all bets are off).

I've been to many games, met players, coaches, many, many fans, and shared our thrilling moments and grieved in our saddest. I've been on this board lurking since it's inception (wasn't it with the Cats' Pause originally? I cant remember that far back it seems) and THIS PLACE - The Rafters - is where I find the most insanely irrational love and hatred and mix of everything in between for Kentucky basketball.

I love Kentucky BECAUSE of YOU, the Kentucky faithful. I have an instant rapport with people, my FRIENDS ! - when I meet you wearing our colors! If you're one of those fans expecting a title every year or if you are more modest and "meeks" (shout out to Jodie! we're playing the Vols in Lexington tonight! someone step up like he did in Knoxville guys!) about Kentucky basketball, like me, then you ARE my friend, rest assured.

My family are all gone now. I am the last. ALONE now. But never alone. I have finally, nearly 60 years into life, found my one true love of my life, I am here in Kentucky returned from Arizona after a brief year there once again. And I came back for HER and my love of Kentucky.

In love this state. I love the people. And I love Kentucky basketball.

Of all things one may say about Kentucky, I think there's two things that people must say :
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race every year (in the entire world) .... and they play pretty good basketball too.

That's good enough for me.

Beat the Vols tonight!

Go Big Blue !!!
 
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Being from a fatherless family growing up. My grandfather lived by the UK campus. He instilled in me the love of all things UK. Paid for me to attend UK basketball camps when Sutton was our coach. Our mutual love of being part of BBN only grew until his death.
runt#69 said:
I bleed BLUE. I've been a Kentucky fan for many decades now. I'm faithful, loyal, passionate as ever this year. I have had years where my faith and trust were low and shaken. Never one time did I not consider myself a card carrying member of Big Blue Nation. I try to respect my opponents when they aren't being insufferable as, say coach Bobby Knight (then, all bets are off).

I've been to many games, met players, coaches, many, many fans, and shared our thrilling moments and grieved in our saddest. I've been on this board lurking since it's inception (wasn't it with the Cats' Pause originally? I cant remember that far back it seems) and THIS PLACE - The Rafters - is where I find the most insanely irrational love and hatred and mix of everything in between for Kentucky basketball.

I love Kentucky BECAUSE of YOU, the Kentucky faithful. I have an instant rapport with people, my FRIENDS ! - when I meet you wearing our colors! If you're one of those fans expecting a title every year or if you are more modest and "meeks" (shout out to Jodie! we're playing the Vols in Lexington tonight! someone step up like he did in Knoxville guys!) about Kentucky basketball, like me, then you ARE my friend, rest assured.

My family are all gone now. I am the last. ALONE now. But never alone. I have finally, nearly 60 years into life, found my one true love of my life, I am here in Kentucky returned from Arizona after a brief year there once again. And I came back for HER and my love of Kentucky.

In love this state. I love the people. And I love Kentucky basketball.

Of all things one may say about Kentucky, I think there's two things that people must say :
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race every year (in the entire world) .... and they play pretty good basketball too.

That's good enough for me.

Beat the Vols tonight!

Go Big Blue !!!
Click to expand...
 
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My family tree has been traced back to my great, great, great grandfather who left Germany and settled his family in Northern Kentucky in 1857. And I am very proud to have been born and raised in Northern Kentucky. Part of that pride is expressed in my love of the best parts of Kentucky. And specifically, The University of Kentucky Wildcats.
 
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St.PatterSoN-54- said:
Grew up in WV and always had a respect for UK even though my family were all mountaineers (Dad played football for WVU). I went to UK for my Ph.D. and went to every single game during my 4.5 years there. Loved every moment, and celebrated several times on Euclid Ave. Haven't missed a game since.
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I partied on Euclid and Woodland in 96 and 98. Was out there tearing shit up in 97. That was an angry mob.
 
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Shy kid from near DC. Played high school ball at my little Christian school but knew nothing about the college landscape (or even NBA outside I’d heard of MJ, Magic, Bird, and Dr J).

First gf brought me to see Pitino’s Bombinos play against Shaq and Chris Jackson in February of ‘90. The crowd started to go absolutely insane as we started playing them close towards the end of the game. Rupp crowd was like a living thing made of love and fire and I actually felt part of it, screaming right along with them. I had never felt part of a crowd before. Just grew up way too shy. That was what did it for me. It didn’t hurt at all that we won that game. But just that part of it, feeling like I belonged in that amazing crowd and was part of it. That’s the part that made me a die-hard fan for life.
 
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I grew up in Lexington and was a huge sports fan, but mostly pro sports. Dad was a UK fan, but not a fanatic. I gradually started paying more attention to UK B-ball and then............the 1978 season. I have been a fanatic ever since.
 
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Cawood Ledford is my story in two words. My family moved to Louisville my sophomore year in high school in the mid-70s. Went to UK for one year just because most everyone else headed to college there. That year was Rupp Arena's first year and loved the excitement of the games in that arena with Jay Shidler and the Robey/Phillips tandem. Left after that one year for college in MO, but followed the games on WHAS listening to Cawood on radio in my car. Got games sent to me on cassette tape and listed to them later. Not much TV at that time. I could see the game in my mind with his calls as good if not better than seeing them on TV. Miss him!
 
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Born in logan county. Grew up listening to caewood with my dad. We always kept a scoreboard in still do to this day. I started listening in the early 60s. My dad before then. My love for UK and sports came from him. I was named for 2 baseball players and I named my son after baseball player.
 
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when i was a kid we had an antenna and didnt get many stations. on weekend games we would go to my cousins 'up town' to watch the games. we didnt even watch the game we just played and played. but that love of uk was planted
 
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I have lived in Louisville all my life. As a very young kid growing up, I watched many UL games and came to follow many of the players; Wes Unseld, Butch Beard, Bill Butler (a 6ft kid who could dunk which was unheard of then) and along came Rupp Runts followed by Dan Issel and it was a no brainer from then on.
As UL struggled to get fans to the games, often giving out tickets for free at the old Convenient Stores, the fans for UL were "different" to be polite. Then UK started playing in Freedom Hall, open practices; it was like choosing between watching TV on a black-white set or a color TV. Just no comparison from that point on.

Waiting for Saturday afternoon games with Joe Dean and his "string music in Lexington KY" was my highlight of the week. I remember when UK would only win by 30 points and it seemed like they had a bad game.
Watching Pistol Pete go off for 50 points was like watching magic.
Even as a kid I would cuss at the TV while watching college basketball when UNC and Dean Smith played going to that mother****ing 4 corners.
Going to UK-IU games in Freedom Hall or the Notre Dame games was just wild. With IU, you would have one side of the arena blue and the other red.
Open practices and getting up close to the players then was great. Often I would call in sick just to go to Freedom Hall in the morning to watch UK practice.
Taking my grandkids to Midnight Madness was something they still remember.
Being a UK fan was just cool.
 
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Born and raised with Blue in my veins, don’t know if I was ever given a choice.
I have been away from KY since 1992, and I really don’t want to return back home, but I will tell you that anyone that knows me more than a minute knows that I will always be a Kentucky Wildcat Fan until my last breath. Hell, I’m pretty sure God is a Cats Fan!!!
 
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Oldbluefart said:
I have lived in Louisville all my life. As a very young kid growing up, I watched many UL games and came to follow many of the players; Wes Unseld, Butch Beard, Bill Butler (a 6ft kid who could dunk which was unheard of then) and along came Rupp Runts followed by Dan Issel and it was a no brainer from then on.
As UL struggled to get fans to the games, often giving out tickets for free at the old Convenient Stores, the fans for UL were "different" to be polite. Then UK started playing in Freedom Hall, open practices; it was like choosing between watching TV on a black-white set or a color TV. Just no comparison from that point on.

Waiting for Saturday afternoon games with Joe Dean and his "string music in Lexington KY" was my highlight of the week. I remember when UK would only win by 30 points and it seemed like they had a bad game.
Watching Pistol Pete go off for 50 points was like watching magic.
Even as a kid I would cuss at the TV while watching college basketball when UNC and Dean Smith played going to that mother****ing 4 corners.
Going to UK-IU games in Freedom Hall or the Notre Dame games was just wild. With IU, you would have one side of the arena blue and the other red.
Open practices and getting up close to the players then was great. Often I would call in sick just to go to Freedom Hall in the morning to watch UK practice.
Taking my grandkids to Midnight Madness was something they still remember.
Being a UK fan was just cool.
Click to expand...
We used to go to those open practices at Freedom Hall every year and I have a lot of autographs from those days. One of the Eddie Sutton years we were at the practice and I asked for a pen and paper from folks sitting around us. I used to be a really good drawer and I drew this muscular wildcat with a UK jersey on with a kings crown on it's head and the whole team signed it. They all loved the pic I drew. I still have it.
 
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WildcatfaninOhio said:
My family tree has been traced back to my great, great, great grandfather who left Germany and settled his family in Northern Kentucky in 1857. And I am very proud to have been born and raised in Northern Kentucky. Part of that pride is expressed in my love of the best parts of Kentucky. And specifically, The University of Kentucky Wildcats.
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We might have the same great, great, great grandfather 🤣
 
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Born and raised in Lexington. Went to Lafayette High School and then UK (had no idea I could even go anywhere else to college!) As a kid used to sit in front of the radio listening to Cawed and keeping my own box score - Kentucky to the right on your radio dial. Cried when we lost to Texas Western. Have celebrated every championship since then!
 
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Paducah is my beloved home although I’ve lived out of state for many years. I’ve had a life-long love affair with the Wildcats, the Tilghman Tornado and the St Louis Cardinals. I’m blessed.
 
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Skyguyb27 said:
I was born a champion, grew up just south of Bowling Green and my first memory of a game was when I was 6, which was 43 years ago. I been BBN ever since I can remember, although the last 7 years or so was hard to stay emotionally attached. I live in Phoenix now but have contemplated moving back to the blue grass state. I miss going to Rupp.
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This is pretty much me born in the BlueGrass in Bowling Green remember laying in the floor when the CL hit the shoot and cussing as a 6 year old and got sent to my room probably because my parents was so mad about the shot they wanted the kids to go away. Remember seeing old UK games on vhs at my grandpa's house that he recorded so it was in the family blood. Can't wait for Mark to put us back on top.
 
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Born and raised in KY. Only time i left was when I was sent overseas for 4 years when Uncle Sam sent me overseas for 2 years and then 1 1/2 in New Mexico. Love those wildcats for over 50 years.
 
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Got it from my folks. They would stay up and watch the delayed broadcast after the 11pm local news. I would be in my room trying to sleep and I'd hear them hollering "get the rebound", "that's not a foul".
 
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My Dad, born in 1948 growing up in eastern KY, told me stories about not having a television as a kid but listening to Cawood call the games on the radio. He liked to listen to Cawood a lot of times while we watched the games, muting the tv volume. He never even went to a game in person until his later years but always watched or listened. You might be surprised at the number of people in eastern KY that never go to Rupp arena but love UK basketball and never miss watching the games. My first memories are early 80’s. Unbelievably bad second half against Georgetown 84. Excitement to shame in Eddie Sutton years. Pitino years are my favorite, exciting style of play and were the team of the 90’s imo. It’s almost like the BCG era was a bad dream, except for the awesome Meeks game at UT. I enjoyed the first few years with Cal and some others but I was never a fan of the one and done. I missed players sticking around and getting to know them somewhat. I was excited for Pope getting the job and I’ve enjoyed this season so far more than I have any in several years. As far as how I became a fan, I guess I was born into it.
 
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Went to UK and stayed long enough to earn two degrees from Kentucky. Stood in line for many he's in student section and have been a die hard UK fan for many years. Left after college to teach and coach in Oregon and have now moved back to where I belong - Lexington, Kentucky!!! Have had season ticket for mens basketball for sometime now and go to a lot of other UK sports events as well. I'll always Bleed Blue.
 
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runt#69 said:
I bleed BLUE. I've been a Kentucky fan for many decades now. I'm faithful, loyal, passionate as ever this year. I have had years where my faith and trust were low and shaken. Never one time did I not consider myself a card carrying member of Big Blue Nation. I try to respect my opponents when they aren't being insufferable as, say coach Bobby Knight (then, all bets are off).

I've been to many games, met players, coaches, many, many fans, and shared our thrilling moments and grieved in our saddest. I've been on this board lurking since it's inception (wasn't it with the Cats' Pause originally? I cant remember that far back it seems) and THIS PLACE - The Rafters - is where I find the most insanely irrational love and hatred and mix of everything in between for Kentucky basketball.

I love Kentucky BECAUSE of YOU, the Kentucky faithful. I have an instant rapport with people, my FRIENDS ! - when I meet you wearing our colors! If you're one of those fans expecting a title every year or if you are more modest and "meeks" (shout out to Jodie! we're playing the Vols in Lexington tonight! someone step up like he did in Knoxville guys!) about Kentucky basketball, like me, then you ARE my friend, rest assured.

My family are all gone now. I am the last. ALONE now. But never alone. I have finally, nearly 60 years into life, found my one true love of my life, I am here in Kentucky returned from Arizona after a brief year there once again. And I came back for HER and my love of Kentucky.

In love this state. I love the people. And I love Kentucky basketball.

Of all things one may say about Kentucky, I think there's two things that people must say :
The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race every year (in the entire world) .... and they play pretty good basketball too.

That's good enough for me.

Beat the Vols tonight!

Go Big Blue !!!
Click to expand...
4th generation fan. Born and raised in southern KY.
 
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Kentucky basketball was the first thing me and my dad really bonded over. I loved to shoot ball as a kid and he’d come out, play with me and talk about the old Kentucky teams. I remember the 98 team as one of my earliest memories.

Also, i grew up in Olive Hill, riding bikes in town with my cousin and going to Rose Pharmacy (Gayle Rose’s establishment). There was a bar in there I’d sit and get a hot dog. I can remember old man Rose well, sweet old man.

I’m a proud Kentuckian and love UK basketball as it represents our state so well
 
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