It's Football time in the Bluegrass!

It’s Football time in the Bluegrass!

A lot of time people ask me if I watch football.  I think the perception of Kentuckians is that we are basketball fans, exclusively.  While this is true for many Kentuckians, it is not true for my family and me. For me, watching the Wildcats play football is a family tradition.

My parents both earned degrees from the University of Kentucky and while there began a love of attending football games that did not end when they graduated.  I have many memories of going to Kentucky football games with my parents and my younger brother.  

UK Football, in case you were unaware, is not the best football team in the South Eastern Conference.  I know.  My motto for UK Football is pretty much “Never surprised, but often disappointed.”  I made that up because some times it feels like we are just trying to figure out how to lose.  It’s discouraging, especially when you have a game that gets your hopes up.  There are too many of these to recount in one blog post.  

But, I’ve also seen some UK Football games that were stellar.  For example, I was in Commonwealth Stadium with my younger brother in 1997 when Tim Couch and Craig Yeast connected to bring Kentucky a win over powerhouse, Alabama.  They tore the goal posts down, people, and the athletic director wanted to join in but thought he was too old.  My brother wanted to rush the field, too, but I thought we were too young.  I wouldn’t let him go because I’m his second mom and that was the first game my brother and I ever went to by ourselves.  We went in my square, blue, Volvo and we had a parking lot pass. I drove. Most memorable quote of the game: “That was a game and a half, boys! A game and a half!” - some random middle aged football fan.  We still quote him, obviously.

There are other awesome games I can recount.  There’s pretty much the whole of 2007 when my favorite QB of all time, Andre was throwing passes.  And then there’s Randall Cobb, our hero, our pride and joy.  

Let’s just say that I’ve seen Kentucky play football in the rain, in the snow, in lightning, in summer, in freezing cold, in Commonwealth, on the road, in bowl games, from my couch, with my friends, and by myself.  I’ve been in the stadium early and stayed until the bitter end. I have no plans to quit watching or cheering for them, ever.  

So right now, Kentucky is beating UT Martin 52 to zero in the 2014 season opener.  I saw on Twitter that John Short predicted 55 “bigguns” to nothing on the call in show and the KSR guys are about to lose their minds.  I’m feeling good, saying “Go Cats” and wishing I was at Commonwealth with my mom and dad.  The thing that makes it better is a friend just texted me this:

“We have the UK game on, and I asked (my daughter) whose team we were watching.  Totally thought she would say yours, but she said Sadie’s and Joe’s!”

That means the perception is that my kids are Kentucky fans. The family tradition continues, and I couldn’t be more proud. 

Do I watch football??? Yes.

It’s Football time in the Bluegrass!