Life without Kentucky Basketball

I started watching University of Kentucky basketball at age 8. I cut my teeth on and cried my first tears for the 83-84 team which reached the Final Four. Since then, I have followed UK as closely as I rationally can. I do not remember missing a game that was on TV and that did not conflict with an important activity, like a family get together. Even then, I made every effort to watch a game, arranging my schedule to do so. In past years, my TiVo wish list had Kentucky games at the very top so that nothing would clip it or cancel its recording. I have always watch Kentucky. In the Internet age, I followed all the websites and blogs with UK information. To say it was a big part of my entire life would not be an overstatement.

Many highs and great memories come my following of the greatest basketball program in the land. The 96 and 98 championship teams obviously standout but lots of lesser moments burn bright. The 31 point second half comeback at LSU in 94 watching from my freshman dorm room. The double digit comeback against Duke in the 98 regional finals - I still remember yelling out with Cameron Mills hit the 3 to go ahead. But with the great expectations there are also many lows. I remember the lows of the last second loss to Duke in the 92 regional finals. When one of my favorite team, the 2003-04 team, lost in the 2nd round as the number 1 overall see, I went straight to my home office and just sat and felt completely despondant. I can tell you where I was and vividly recall the memory of watching the TV when every UK season ended. No matter the pain of losing, the joy from following the Cats and investing the emotional energy required to be a true fan was worth it.

Until this seaon. I decided before the year began to go without Kentucky basketball. Lots of reasons go into it, but it boils down to right now in my life it is something I am better off without. I may come back one day. For now, I need to detox myself if you will from my attachment to the Big Blue.

Last night UK played North Carolina, my least favorite team in college basketball. Previously, I would have been nervous through out the day and and watched them on TV that evening. To avoid getting sharp or angry with the kids, I would have probably had to watch it on TiVo after they went to bed. Shannon would have to make sure she was not in the same room with me watching it as my nervous energy can make it challenging to enjoy a game with me. Instead, I had a nice workout at the YMCA and then a good evening at home with the family. I went to bed and feel asleep quicly and slept great all night.

I was aware of the game, and I admit to doing a quick check on our computer to see the results right before bed and then again in the morning. Looking at the box score and the accompanying story shows it was not a bad game to miss if you are a Kentucky fan. There were terrible. Their offensive ball handling was atrocious. In basketball, each team has essentially the same number of possessions (opportunities to score or not). Last night game was 74 possessions which indicates it was rather fast paced. UK turned the ball over 28 times of those possessions. Over a 1/3 of their possessions ended without a shot at the basket. If you are unfamiliar with basketball, that is absolutely horrible. Anything above 20% is not good and above 25% is terrible and last year the very worst team at taking care of the ball did so at nearly 29%.

As you can see, my interest is still there, but my detachment is growing. It was not that hard to skip the game. I had made this decision at the end of last year's season and have not followed any media on UK since then. Maybe some day I will come back and enjoy UK without all the negative energy I expend as a fan. For now, I am OK just checking the box scores now and then.