Sunday, November 29, 2009

Tear my heart open

Last night's loss to Tennessee ripped me to pieces. I have not been that frustrated about a UK loss since the basketball team fell to Marquette (and Dwayne Wade) in the Elite 8 of the 2003 NCAA Tournament. The common denominator in those games: I thought we were going to win. No, I was convinced we were going to win. Even though our football team was on a 24 year losing streak to those white trash hicks from Knoxville, I believed this was the year it was finally going to end. We were playing for everything in this game - a 2nd place finish in the SEC East, a senior day win against our bitter rivals, and a chance to play in a New Years Day (ie respectable) bowl game. We were coming off a huge win at Georgia last week. It seemed as if all the stars were lining up for us. And then what do we do? Our "Head coach in waiting" calls an absolutely atrocious call on 3rd and 9 with 35 seconds left in regulation, putting the game in the hands of a true freshman quarterback who was playing the worst half of football of his life. We have one of the best athletes in the country on our team with Cobb, and we don't even include him on the play. What a JOKE. As soon as we settled for that field goal to tie it up, I knew the game was over. UK football won't go anywhere if Barnhart really does leave this team to Joker Phillips.

I don't know why I let myself get so emotionally involved in UK football, because it always leaves me in disappointment. I need to stick to expecting the worst and being pleasantly surprised if we happen to win. That approach is much better on my health, both mental and physical. I am already wrapped up emotionally in UK basketball, I can't handle much more. And neither can my poor boyfriend, who has to take the brunt of my frustration.



PS - I find it ironic that both of my schools (UK and A&M) play their rivals on Thanksgiving weekend every year, both opponents are "UT", and both wear a disgusting shade of orange (burnt orange for the t-sips and construction worker orange for the Vols). It does not leave me a happy girl when both teams lose to these orange clad freaks, which unfortunately is usually the case. :(

4 comments:

J Dub said...

I have never seen a Tennessee game in which so UK fans were confident of a win. I was one of them. I really believed we were going to win. That was, until about the third quarter when we had the ball for only about 3 minutes and they were running the ball down our throat. It looked like the defense quit, and that's about when I did too.

I was really excited when their tight end fumbled the ball, but I'm like you. I have no idea why Cobb didn't get the ball at the end. We were moving the ball with Cobb and Locke, so we put the ball in the hands of our freshman QB who was playing scared in the 2nd half.

I tell myself I won't get my hopes up for this game, and every year I do it again. It's hard to take.

Just like I say every year, "At least it's basketball season..."

Lyndsey said...

Haha... this post sounds exactly like every member of our family after watching the game. We always ask ourselves why we continue to get our hopes up. I compare our relationship to UK football to a girl who keeps going back to her abusive boyfriend. We get beat up and then they give us a sweet note with some flowers. It's a sick cycle.

J Dub said...

Haha, Lyndsey. Great comment. Very appropriate.

Matthew said...

I hate Tennessee and that awful orange. I am beginning to think that you and Andrew may never witness a UK win over Tennessee in your lives (not that I remember the last win, I was only 3).