Anatomy of a UK Fan

People who know me, or people who just stalk my Facebook wall, are well aware that I am a die-hard UK sports fan.  Of course I get most excited about basketball, but I'm a football fan too (unfortunately).  And I love sports in general.  I'm one of those girls that genuinely likes sitting on the couch all day Sunday and watching football.  I don't get to do it as much as I like because hey, I'm really popular and I have a very demanding social schedule, but I'll occassionally instruct my assistant to block my Sunday afternoon for football viewing.  I wish I had an assistant. 

I at first titled this entry 'Anatomy of a Sports Fan,' but I decided to change it because I wanted to write about my UK fandom.  Being a UK fan is a privilege like no other.  UK basketball is my happy place.  March Madness is my Christmas.  Few things make me happier on this earth than taking off the first Thursday and Friday of March Madness, going to a bar with friends, and watching basketball all day, cheering when my brackets fall into place, cursing when my "sure bets" lose (damn you, Belmont), and laughing when Duke goes out in the first round to Lehigh. 

They call UK fans the Blue Mist because wherever our team goes, we follow.  The tournament in Hawaii last year?  Mostly blue.  UK fans with tickets to the UK/Maryland game on Friday are searching for ways to get to New York in lieu of Hurricane Sandy (I picture the leather clad version of Sandy from Grease...the poodle skirt version wouldn't have been near as much of a bitch) and the nor'easter that is threatening the east coast once again. 

I hate when people say I must have hopped on the bandwagon because UK is good again.  Granted, this comes from people who don't know me.  Because, people who do know me, know that I was just a big of a fan in the Dark Ages (BCG era) as I am now.  I also hate when people talk about our one-and-dones.  Yes, I will miss the Darius Millers of the world:  the Kentucky kid, who was Mr. Basketball, a four year player, led his team to a championship, and graduated with his diploma.  Don't think I didn't cry when the team was introduced at Rupp as National Champions and Miller got a standing ovation.  God, it still brings a tear to my eye and makes my black heart of ice melt a slight bit.  But I love my one-and-dones too.  I get just as excited when John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, or any former player comes back for a visit.  Or when they do cool things.  Just the other day Rondo went to two schools in New York to hang out with the students, completely on his own, with no publicist or posse.  He just wanted to go hang out with the students.  Regardless of who you cheer for, that's awesome. 

But I want to go back to something I said in the previous paragraph about former players coming back for a visit.  They come back because they know they are loved.  They come back because being part of the Big Blue Nation means something to them.  They come back because they love their UK family as much as we love them.  You'd be hard pressed to find another school that emotes such love from its players.  Whether it be to play in an exhibition game, come watch the new generation of Cats, or to be the coveted "Y" at a game (my dream), it's not uncommon to see former players come back to be around the program that embraced them. 

The other night after our kickball championship game, some of us went to Logans to celebrate.  All of a sudden highlights of the night's UK game came on the tv and I'm pretty sure I trailed off mid-sentence and became mesmerized at the smooth moves of Nerlens Noel's flat top.  My friend A was there too, and he pretty much did the same thing.  One of our friends commented at the looks on our faces...how happy we were and how we didn't care about anything else going on in the room.  So true.  The Rapture could have began and an angel could have swept down from heaven to whisk me away (that is, if I'm allowed in) and I would have told him to hold on until I watched the replay of that last dunk. 

The Favorite Redhead and her fiance gave me their Vandy season tickets for the UK/Vandy game in Nashville.  This is probably one of the top three nicest gifts I have ever received.  They could have gone to the game, or they could have sold the tickets and made a nice profit.  But, they know how much I love my team, and they gave them to me as an early birthday present.  I'm pretty sure if anyone were to ever give me UK season tickets, I would marry them on the spot...and as someone who does not really want to get married, that's a pretty bold statement.  But honestly, pretty true.

I love watching games with other UK fans because they're as nuts as I am.  You know the type.  The ones who wear their lucky blue underwear for important games (I know this does not just describe me).  The ones who will go sit on the other side of the room if UK was doing better when they were on the couch versus the chair.  The ones who will say the same phrase over and over because it means good things are happening ("This is HUGE").  The ones who love their team no matter what, and don't go on Facebook tirades after the games to berate the players and coaches. 

So if you're looking for a UK game watching buddy, I am more than happy to be your girl.  I have a huge tv, a comfy couch, and plenty of popsicles.  Come on over!  And don't forget your lucky blue underwear.