Thoughts From The Sizzling One

Slim sent me this via email because he can't access the blog from work, and due to a budget deficit has not gotten internet access in his 2nd home in Graham. Great thoughts from a non UK perspective.

Thoughts of a Hilltopper Fan

With all the UK talk on this site…I thought I might add a splash of red to the blog. No, not Louisville. This is nothing against UK or their fans…just some thoughts.

Sunday, March 7^th…I am sitting in my car listening to 100.7 FM out of Bowling Green. Listening to Western Kentucky play Arkansas State in the Sun Belt tourney quarterfinals. With zero TV broadcast of the game, I am reduced to reclining the seat in my Accord and catching the play-by-play between the sporadic hits of static on the station. The Hilltoppers are down by 6 with about 2 minutes left to play. The way they have played thus far, it looks like a lead to large to overcome…and the basketball season is coming to an end…

I think about how easy most Kentucky fans have it. Game day….get a little work done….maybe some chores around the house….go to the store and pick up some refreshments…..drop down in the Lazyboy, in front of the TV…..put the station on ESPN or some local channel and cheer on the Cats.

I remember in Frankfort, on WKU basketball game day, me and a fellow Western alum co-worker would try to find the closest place that could possibly have the game on. We would usually drive 25 minutes to Shelbyville or 45 minutes just outside Louisville to watch the game. The problem was, especially on games during the week, these places would close before the end of the game (problems between central and eastern time zones). So Steve and I would have to find a radio station to listen to the end of the game.

Fast forward to the present, back in Muhlenberg and back to the western part of the state. Now I can at least find a local station to watch the Tops. Sure, Channel 12 HSSN is kind of annoying. Trying to watch the game between horrible local commercials and pleads for donations to pay $100 for car flags just to keep the public access station going. And let’s not mention the horrible announcers….but at least I can watch my favorite team (no, not the Fab Five). Now its Sun Belt tournament time….what? no local broadcast….guess I have to hope Western makes the championship game so I can watch it on ESPNU between broadcasts of March Madness tournament talk and a UConn women’s game. Until then, I am spending nights like I was in the 1940s or 1950s…listening to games on the radio.

In some aspects, I actually like cheering for a small school like WKU (plus I am an alum) as compared to UK. (no disrespect to Kentucky) A place where “Kentucky boys” like Slaughter and Pettigrew actually play and make a difference in wins/losses. For UK fans, especially this year, anything short of a Final Four appearance, a championship game, or national title might seem like a disappointing season or failure. But with WKU, my one-and-done season starts with the (God help me) Sun Belt tourney. And if they do make the tournament, every game is important…almost like a national title game. And every year is a possible step back up to the tradition that Western Kentucky basketball is (top 15 in overall wins, right?)

I remember years past, most UK fans would fill out two March Madness brackets. One where UK makes a run to the national title game or championship, and the other bracket was a little more thought out with match-ups, etc., etc. My bracket would consist of one with WKU winning a game (unlike last year in which I actually had them winning their first two games in my ‘serious’ bracket) and the other with my expectations brought down to reality. But no matter what, even with a year where WKU would be a possible 14 to 16 seed, a trip to the tournament is an exciting day. And for most ‘big’ school fans out there who might say that I am accepting mediocrity, and that expecting a team/school to win a national title every year is the only option. I remember that I personally, either material or financial, do not gain anything from ‘my’ school or alma mater winning a national championship. And that personal victory is all relative…

…what? The Hilltoppers have come back on a three pointer by Slaughter to lead by 3 with 25 seconds left…ASU cuts it to one…now ASU has the ball…ASU for a lay-up! They missed it!!!....

Is the Hilltoppers semifinal game going to be broadcast anywhere?