Though comprised mostly of middling talents on a five-star scale, Kentucky’s football roster is bestrewn with kids once hailed as luminaries. No matter such stardom was largely relative to that of bluegrass talent considered a notch or three below those hailing from Florida, or Texas; once upon a time, UK’s footballers were the toast of their towns—shoo-ins for "Most Likely to Succeed" senior superlatives, and small town paragons of homegrown excellence—a redundant theme applicable to every FBS roster in America. And, after years in the small town spotlight—time that ran congruent to highly-publicized recruitments—naturally, the kids became accustomed to attention, whether they relished it or not.
But once they converged upon campus in Lexington though, they ceded immediately the spotlight they spent years aglow under. They did so, to both non-metaphorical and metaphorical giants; six-somethin’ and seven-somethin’ six-star talents on five-star scales; hardwood ringers brought in from every corner of America: UK’s basketballers.
In a country overrun with gridiron ardor, and in a region insatiable in its pigskin appetency, nothing is quite as humbling as playing football at a basketball school. Such a reality may be understood at schools bordering the northern Atlantic, but it’s football which reigns supreme in the hearts of southerners, and is thus manifested in the incessant attention paid to local teams, prep to pro; second-place is foreign territory for these football players—even players at Kentucky. Further, with a program mired in mediocrity since like, 1953, it’s reallllly tough stealing away focus from a bluebood hailed as its sport’s touchstone. No matter what it does, football will be always be the other sport in Lexington.
I’m assuming those reading this are up on current events, and to that end, aware of what UK’s basketball team is in current pursuit of—both in a current and historical vacuum. It’s because of those pursuits the shadow UK football occupies has grown even larger and darker as of late. But since there’s a few hours ‘til tip-off, I thought it’d be nice to recast some of that spotlight onto the football team. Yes Big Blue Football shat itself down the stretch after a surprisingly hot start in 2014, but considering how wide open the SEC East is next season, Kentucky can almost—almostalmostalmostalmost—lay just as much claim to preseason Eastern contention as its divisional counterparts.
Because, to be quite frank, everyone’s got issues. Why not us? So here’s a heartwarming video of the football ‘Cats bonding as a team, as they endure yet another spring in the Bluegrass background. Enjoy.
