Just a slight warning, the topic may trigger some hard feelings. Anyway, if you haven't heard, UK's team took a knee during the anthem their last game. They did so to show solidarity in response to the siege in DC, among other issues. Cal joined them. They ended up playing their best game of the season. Well, a couple of local officials in Laurel County, a sheriff and a jailer, I believe, took video of themselves burning their UK gear, and I think called Cal "not a real man," or something to that effect, as a response. Then, KY Senate President, Robert Stivers, gave a speech on the Senate floor and cried, physically wept, as he declared young people don't know how older people feel about the anthem and the flag. Knox County Fiscal Court has even requested the State stop funding UK, they're so upset. I bring this up not to start a political debate, as I'm sure it will end up, but my angle is if you're a program capable of landing elite talent, you undoubtedly use this on the recruiting trail. UK basketball players shouldn't have a voice, is how I see this. My pitch would be you are just a number, a hired gun, here for their entertainment. Don't do things they wouldn't do, or there will be consequences. I'm also beginning to believe Cal's time at UK won't last much longer.
Anyone keeping track of the "controversy" at UK?
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It seems Keion Brooks(one of the three team captains) is the instigator in all of this.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...n-brooks-jr-supports-changing-name-rupp-arena
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...n-brooks-jr-supports-changing-name-rupp-arena
And these famlys still going to keep sending their sons their wow. Guess money trumps everything.
I am truly stunned by the overwhelming negative reaction of BBN to this singular act of kneeling. People I know who have been UK fans for decades have sworn off watching or supporting this basketball team. People really have strong opinions, both pro and con, to any type of protest in these hypersensitive times.
Doesnt surprise me one bit. Look at where most of their fans reside in this state.
Everybody has a right to their own opinion whether you support it or not. Both sides of the aisle are pushing the envelope too far. With all the rhetoric coming from the Democrats and Republicans I don’t see things getting better within the next 4 years, I see it getting worse.
All I ask is everyone be respectful of each other on very sensitive issues. This subject matter can blow, please keep it on sports and jabbing at blue/crazy blue fans, one of our fav pass times. TIA Roll Tide!
All I know is Ky is homering the hell out of Alabama and still down 20.
I’m curious to learn how many UofL fans or posters here would feel or react similarly if the Louisville team took a knee during the anthem as well.
UK got pounded so hard I'm gonna start calling them UKatina. They did kind of look like they were playing defense on their knees, now that I think about it.
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I wouldn't withdraw my support, but I would not like it and I'd certainly would have to hold my nose. After the summer BLM riots and last week's MAGA riot, kneeling feels kind of irrelevant but I still don't like it (and to be clear it is OK if I hold that opinion and it's OK if you disagree with it - people have forgotten that for some reason). Mack is a very well paid public employee, and the players are paid employees because they get a free education, board, meals, travel, and a huge springboard on life in general (which they earned, hence they're getting paid with this). They should do this on their own time.
I don't make my political opinions an issue at work and I certainly don't do kneels/sit-ins to start off a meeting and I'd get fired if I did. Any political stuff I do on my own time.
I have principles, not political party, to guide how I feel abou tthings. BLM riots are wrong. The MAGA riot was wrong. Violence begets violence, that's what Third World countries do, NOT the USA. Protests/demonstrations are free speech and are fine, even if I/you/we don't like what they stand for. This really isn't that difficult to navigate but people wanna root for their political team above all else.
Not looking to argue with anyone and I'll stop here and will ignore responses to respect PHCard's plea, but that's my opinion since you literally asked for it.
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Everyone has the right to peacefully voice or demonstrate for causes they believe in. This is an extremely polarizing subject. Their coach should of known his fan base would have this kind of reaction. He had to know in today’s world there would be a pretty strong response. The negative response gets all the attention.
This is not unique to KY fan base but their fan base is by far the most vocal good and bad of any college basketball fan base. UK players are not invested in Lexington them kneeling means nothing on the local level.
I do think athletes need to get involved in their community instead of making public displays. At the end of the day the best statement a athlete can make is actually helping others. Public displays by college athletes is a slippery slope at best.
This is not unique to KY fan base but their fan base is by far the most vocal good and bad of any college basketball fan base. UK players are not invested in Lexington them kneeling means nothing on the local level.
I do think athletes need to get involved in their community instead of making public displays. At the end of the day the best statement a athlete can make is actually helping others. Public displays by college athletes is a slippery slope at best.
I'm not sure I understand exactly what the OP is asking. Is the question how the kneeling/T-shirt burning will affect UK's program long term? My guess is it won't have much of an affect. The fans who are upset about the kneeling will get over it when they start winning again. The players who kneeled will be gone in 3 months. The UK fans will forgive the coach IF he gets back to winning. IF not, the kneeling will represent another item on their laundry list of "why Cal must go".
Will it affect their recruiting? Maybe a little in the short term but not much overall IMO.
Will it affect their recruiting? Maybe a little in the short term but not much overall IMO.
I’m confused why they took a knee in response to the Maga riots. As that had nothing to do with BLM matters. This notion that republicans are racist and democrats aren’t is laughable. Racism has no boundaries certainly not party affiliation. That aside as I’ve stated before there’s to sides to this. First it’s everyone’s right to peaceful protest, but with that comes the other sides right to peaceful objection. I as a retired service member I recognize we’ve done our job when we have peaceful protests even taking a knee.. Secondly I don’t think showing disrespect to a symbol of country is the best way to do that and simply saying you don’t mean to disrespect the Military is little difference than showing disrespect to a race and then saying, but no offense meant by it. The act itself remains offensive. And sadly it’s so divisive that it brings zero positive effect for a cause. Many who would agree with their cause will separate them selves from it based on the act of taking a knee. There’s got to be a better way of unifying people around the cause.
There is a serial lack of perspective in this country - to the point that is shocking. We are in the middle of a global pandemic from which over 375K of Americans have lost their lives and countless others have lost their livelihoods, we have millions of adults and children that go hungry every day and a POTUS that despite any evidence has for months told Americans that our national elections are no freer / fairer / better than some 3rd world country - resulting just in the past week of open and armed insurrection against the US capitol.
And basketball players kneeling for the anthem is the thing that causes the president of our state's senate to openly weep on the senate floor?
The American republic is simply an idea and an ideal. There is and has never been any guarantee that it would last forever. If we as a people are unable or unwilling to understand what makes this ideal worth surviving, then America will go the way the other great societies in history have gone.
I'm so sick and exhausted by current events. We'd all be better off if social media/message boards/reddit/whatever would shut down for a few months so everyone could distance themselves and gather their thoughts.
The start and rise of "Social" media is one of the worst and most detrimental things to have ever happened to this country. If we are unable to control it and ourselves - it (and we) will be the platform that results in our downfall.
It won’t affect recruiting other than it might help. Cal Imari wants you to believe that he’s a player’s coach by kneeling with the players. He hoped and it did seem like it worked by beating Florida. But today, his statement is maybe the timing of it was not good. But like you said, once they go back to winning all will be forgiven. Only failed SEC championships and NCAA appearances plus losing to U of L occasionally will fans clamor for his ouster.
The problem that many refuse to understand is a large number of people have lost trust in the media. It is in fact bias and that has resulted in a lack of trust. So you many believe there wasn’t fraud committed in the election but many feel just as strongly that there was, because investigations weren’t conducted. So when the media reports there wasn’t fraud many just don’t believe what they say and treat it as another spin job. Whether there was or wasn’t I have no clue, but I myself believe little the news reports and less what our politicians preach. And there lies the problem.
The Democrats claimed they were cheated in the 2016 election and the Republicans claimed they were cheated in the 2020 elections. If this is the case they should both be on the same page working together trying to make sure it doesn’t again in 2024.
When the leaders of the party that you associate with, incessantly repeat that the media is untrustworthy to the point of being the “enemy of the people” - yeah I’d say you’re going to have a bunch of them parroting that same line of thinking.
The media is reporting what US intelligence services, state and federal courts and state and federal election officials have said and continue to say - the election was free and fair.
Anyone who is looking objectively at the situation realizes that no amount of investigations would ever convince many of those people who sadly and falsely believe the election was “rigged”.
Hilary conceded without any issues. Russian interference claims led to multiple indictments. It was real. Trump 2020 fed lies and incited an insurrection against the US government. The two scenarios aren’t remotely close. Regarding working together, the GOP can not and will not and should not get a get out of jail free card after the last 4 years of lawlessness, corruption, and ineptitude. Malignancies have to be removed before there is healing.
If you are a free thinker and can decipher information intelligently, the media isn’t the enemy. It’s a twice impeached Trump narrative the media is bad. Not exactly a solid source. Peace!
The investigation of Trump and Russian collusion was based on 74 emails. Right now they have 26,000 emails on Hunter Biden’s laptop that shows the Biden FAMILY including Joe colluded with foreign governments. When does the investigation and impeachment of Joe Biden begin? I worked for Scripps Publishing Company for 17 years. I can honestly tell you there is fake news on a local level, state level, national level and international level.
Well - there goes a (mostly) reasoned and logical thread. Nice work buddy.
Colluded to do what? Also, if there’s mistrust in the media, well, there you have it. This only became a “story” after Biden won the primary. Suspicious timing, no?
I hope you're joking that "Hillary conceded without any issues". That's not my recollection of how it went. I seem to recall a two year investigation because the Democrats suspected that the Russians helped Trump win.
Hillary, I repeat, conceded without issue. Intelligence agencies determined Russia interfered with the 2016 election, which led to multiple GOP indictments.
In before the lock.
Clinton conceded the night of the election - even called trump to do so. That was back when decorum was quaint.
The trump administration deputy AG appointed mueller as special prosecutor - not Clinton or any democrat. Facts can be your friend.
This a great example of where we are in this country. Repeated lies and feelings are more powerful and lasting than facts.
I've seen HRC on television more than once in recent months stating that Trump was a fake President and that he knew it. She said that she got more votes and that his electoral votes shouldn't have counted.
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