At a university as well-known as Kentucky, students have a duty both in academics and in athletics to act as a representation of all things we wish to be. Our student body doesn’t stand in ticket lines for hours because they just support their teams. They do it because the rush of a C-A-T-S chant, or the possibility of being a part of the eRUPPtion zone, makes all those nights studying and days listening feel like something a little more exciting than it is. To give yourself over to something wholly unique and feel like a part of the athletics is half the reason sports aren’t a way of passing the time, but a passionate moment in which you feel close to glory.
But that also leaves us with a responsibility. The University of Kentucky Wildcats did not become legendary without trials and tribulations. Through error and correction, those in charge and those in the background watching have helped to foster and grow a program into unimaginable proportions. It is only because fans stood up and demanded the best that the program became the best.
So in this moment, right before a new year of athletics begins at UK, I want to remind you that as fans, it is okay to question our program, or to want to understand exactly how it functions. Only through acknowledging what goes into the structure of our program can we truly say that we have actually invested in it. Sports bring people together. It has been proven time and again by those UK fans crowded into stadiums, around their televisions, and in bars all across the commonwealth — and even across the nation. And after this level of dedication, I believe we have the right to want to know and understand our program better. In this new era of sports, men’s basketball head coach John Calipari and football head coach Joker Phillips have ushered in a level of access to our teams that previously was unprecedented, and this, in many ways, is an opportunity.
For the first time in a long time, a UK fan can feel as if he or she is taking part in an experience, not just witnessing it from far away. Take advantage. This is our chance to not only stand behind our team, but to truly be a part of one.
Annie Hughes is a political science senior. Email opinions@kykernel.com.
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