A Humble Holiday Request

  I strongly considered skipping out on my contractually-mandated Thursday football post this week.  For starters, last Saturday's Georgia debacle, which I witnessed first hand, was the only game this season that had virtually no redeeming value.  Kentucky was simply non-competitive from start to finish, and it was more than a little bit depressing.  Moreover, as some of you are likely aware, today is a holiday, which I feared would limit the number of views my post would receive.  I mean, most of you only read the site to kill time at your jobs anyway.  However, after much consideration, and with some thought to the horribly punitive measurements Matt has incorporated in his employment contracts for missed assignments, I decided to grind on.  It is important that I not quit now, because I have a favor to ask of all the BBN.  Specifically, cancel whatever lame plans you may have for Saturday night, and go to the Tennessee game.   Kentucky has not historically had a lot to sell as a football program.  Unlike some of Kentucky's rivals, the Cats cannot point to a storied tradition of football greatness.  The state does not produce a ready-made pipeline of blue chip recruits, and while the facilities are being addressed, the Cats will never have the most lavish home on the SEC block.  But the asset Kentucky does have is an incredibly enthusiastic and committed fan base. Through all the years of football despair, Cats' fans have grimly held to their identity of most loyal fans in sports.  It is that committed fan base which assisted Mark Stoops and company in generating the buzz they created this past spring and summer.  Recruit after recruit in Kentucky's historic 2014 recruiting class identified the impact of Kentucky's fans on their decisions to become Wildcats.  Drew Barker commented on how the Spring Game, at which Commonwealth was packed with excited Kentucky fans, allowed him to see Kentucky in a new way.  He saw it not as the somber place it had been for the past few years, but what it could be under a new direction going forward.  Other commits have spoken of the overwhelming presence of Kentucky fans on Twitter and other social media.  In short, Kentucky's secret weapon, and best ally, is the person reading this post on this Thanksgiving day in his or her UK sweatshirt.  If Kentucky is ever to drag itself out of the mediocrity is has been mired in for decades, it will do so on the backs of its fans.   Think back to the summer.  Kentucky fans were filled with such enthusiasm with the program.  We knew we had hired the right coach, and that he, in turn, had hired an amazing staff. We were excited over unprecedented recruiting success and much-needed facilities upgrades.  Those things are every bit as real today as they were in August.  It has been a long, sometimes painful season, but not a surprising one.  We knew the wins would be few and far between this year, and that has come to fruition.  But despite the temptation to simply cash it in until next year, I implore you to show up on Saturday. Just as fan presence can make a difference in the overall program, it can make a difference Saturday as well.   Tennessee is not good.  As poorly as the Cats played last Saturday, the Vols are only a three point favorite on Saturday.  That means that Vegas expects this game to come down to the final moments.  With two poor teams with nothing to really play for squaring off, how much would it mean for this team to see a huge turnout of Wildcats supporters rocking Commonwealth upon their entry into the stadium on Saturday?  What kind of message would that deliver to any recruits in the building or watching on TV that at that moment, with Kentucky fielding the least successful team it will ever field in the Mark Stoops era, and nothing tangible to play for, that Kentucky's fan base still shows up?   I firmly believe that a huge effort by Kentucky's fans on Saturday may be enough to swing the balance in Kentucky's favor.  Tennessee may be ready to cash in the season after being beaten at the horn at home against Vandy last Saturday.  They are starting a true freshman quarterback, and have struggled to do anything offensively away from home.  And as bad as they are, any victory over the "low down, dirty snitches" from Tennessee would be a beautiful thing.  More than simply helping to generate a win, however, a strong appearance by Kentucky fans could provide tangible proof that the BBN remains invested in this new era of Kentucky football.  It can show the players, coaches and recruits that the struggles from this year are only growing pains and that the fan base believes in the future of the program.  I know it will be cool outside. I know that it is Thanksgiving weekend.  I know the team is 2-9.  But if we are to truly beat our collective chests about our loyalty, we need to show it on Saturday.  Do it for the seniors.  Do it for the staff.  Do it for the recruits.  Do it because that is what the BBN is about.   Show up.  Be loud.  Beat Tennessee.