I've Never Stayed This Angry This Long After A Loss Before

KentuckyStout

Heisman
Sep 13, 2009
10,356
19,284
65
Anyone else like that and why do you think this loss is so hard to choke down?

Because expectation postponed makes the heart sick.

For those that didn't realize before the Southern Miss game that we are still the UK Football of the Bill Curry/Joker Phillips era, that reality has now set in - Couple this with the feeling of hopelessness that there is no real reason to expect anything different from of this football program for the next two seasons (Stoops will be here thru 2017 regardless) and you have the current mood of the fan base.
 

StubbornPenny

All-American
Nov 2, 2009
10,562
9,892
0
Anyone else like that and why do you think this loss is so hard to choke down?

Because it blew up a whole season on day 1. We literally have to be perfect in the 4 halfway winnable SEC games, and hopefully the gimmes are actually gimmes (EKU last year proved that isn't always the case). I'd think our chances of a bowl are around 3% at this point, and if there's no real shot at a bowl, wtf is the point of the season? We've got a coach who hasn't taken us anywhere with a team that is going nowhere. Really takes any optimism out of the season.
 

NCukcat62

All-Conference
Jul 22, 2007
8,893
3,671
0
Same here. Losing this game has set the tone for the remainder of the season. In order for us to go bowling we have to now go .500 in the conference because we aren't beating Louisville.
 

STUCKNBIG10

All-Conference
Aug 30, 2006
7,302
2,861
0
To the OP, I think the reason is that it's confirmation that Stoops will likely fail at UK. I'm sorry, but in this day and age, he has to field a team that looked better and more fundamentally sound than what showed up on Saturday night. It's one thing to continue losing to Florida and Tennessee, but giving up 34 straight to southern freakin miss won't cut it.
 

docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
0
It is a mixed bag of emotions for me,I am some combination of mad,disappointed,confused and on the verg of not caring or writing the whole season off as a lost cause.

We looked good for a time then we just stopped playing.Where did we see anything to give us reason to believe that the team will improve or that we can compete for a 60 minute game. I am reminded of the John Ray years when we were out classed just about every game and you just knew that 3-7 was the best we could do.

If we had improved over last year there was no reason to lose this game,it was much like the WKU game of a few years ago, are we still at the same place we were then.It would seem to be the case this season. In nearly 60 years I have never quit watching/listening to UK sports but after last Saturday the thought crossed my mind.

I'll tune in this week,in part just to see what happens next,I honestly feel as bad about the state of the football program as I did in the last year of the Joker era
 
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LordEgg_rivals16573

All-Conference
Jun 4, 2003
66,315
2,807
0
and it set the stage for how anyone and everyone beats us. it was no fluke. just line up behind your best OL and push straight through for four or five yards every time.
 

John Henry

Hall of Famer
Aug 18, 2007
35,575
172,801
113
Not really but I have been a UK football fan since the "Kentucky Babe" and had my heart broken so many times it is numb now. Hard to have pain when you can't feel it anymore.

But I do understand you young folks who have not been through this thing called UK Football very long. It is not going to be easy for you as the years roll by. Just like it was not easy for your g-grandfather, grandfather and daddy. May God take a liking to you.
 

UKFootball78

All-Conference
Sep 1, 2013
679
1,021
56
This one hurt so much more because for the first time in recent memory(since Couch) I actually believed the team was set for a good season. The recruiting has been great(except on d-line), all the facilities are new or drastically improved, we returned almost everyone on offense, have a great secondary...and then we lose the first game to a non-power school after having a 25 point lead. It's like UK football is the epitome of Murphy's Law - Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. I have sat through so many bad years watching bad football, but that was ok. I expected it. This year I did not.
 

VFO

Junior
Jun 24, 2004
786
232
0
For me, the expectation of a good season, bowl bid and the absolute domination of USM in the first quarter and then the subsequent total collapse in the second half created an almost emotional breakdown. That created such anger after my recovery that I have yet to accept the fact that it was not just a nightmare (just kidding) I am still terribly discouraged though. Maybe the team can turn it around and still get the bowl bid.
 

mhroe1984

Heisman
Dec 16, 2007
14,060
10,627
0
I'm not angry because it's exactly what I expected to happen. After last year I vowed that I would never have any positive expectations for UK football again, that way, when they choke on applesauce like history always suggests they will, I can just laugh, shake my head, and move on to the next week. I'd love nothing more than for the Cats to finally take down Florida this Saturday, but not expecting it to happen.
 
Sep 13, 2003
23,905
33,655
0
Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life".

How long will the wait be for that "desire" to get here?!!!!!!!!

That game took most if not all of the air out of the Stoops balloon. Realizing that UK Football has not progressed to the point of competing in the toughest conference in college football has hit me in the mouth like a ton of bricks. Any coach in year 4 of a rebuild MUST be able to beat ANY directional school.

Sad times.:cry:
 

Kai Slater

All-American
Jan 30, 2015
1,762
5,710
0
Anyone else like that and why do you think this loss is so hard to choke down?

This loss is a tough one because of all the hype, the new coaches, the great recruits, and the anticipated promise of a good season, that THIS year will be the one that we finally turn the corner. Add to that the fact that we had a 20+ point lead. You know the rest of the story and it ended up with another puzzling, baffling, head scratching loss that looked like the "same ole cats."

Brother, it is what it is, we lost, we can't go back and re-do it. Let's just take a chill approach, a more laid-back outlook on the big picture of the situation. Us being angry won't change the outcome of the game, so come on over, get a drink, put on some reggae music, and let's enjoy today. We'll deal with the UF game when the time comes and all that goes along with that.

Cool?.....ok, good.
 
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EdNygma

Freshman
Mar 2, 2008
183
54
0
Same here. Losing this game has set the tone for the remainder of the season. In order for us to go bowling we have to now go .500 in the conference because we aren't beating Louisville.

I don't think winning at Louisville is out of the question but there are certainly more questions than there were before. Louisville played the worst team in div 1 so there is not much you can really take away from that game other than they did what they were supposed to do. Their o-line still shows lots of weaknesses that I suspect will be exploited in the next few weeks when they play FSU and Clemson. Kentucky's d looked terrible but at least the offense looked good for a half. I was surprised to see some posters wanting to turn the keys over to Gran though when the offense completely stalled after halftime.

There is still a lot of football to be played for every team though so a lot can change.
 

Ugoff

Heisman
May 7, 2009
16,403
21,489
0
Whats even worse is UL fans laughing at us.
I couldn't care less what they think or say. They've got their own dumpster fires looming. They might not be on the field yet, but make no mistake, they're dumpster fires.
 

WildCard

All-American
May 29, 2001
65,040
7,390
0
Anyone else like that and why do you think this loss is so hard to choke down?
It is not because it was a loss in an expected win. It is not because of the Chernobyl-like second half meltdown. Those things have happened before. It is hard to choke down because it may be the jump the shark game for Stoops short career at UK. By that, I mean the game that might be signaling "this isn't going to work". JMO

Peace
 
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maverick1rw

Senior
Dec 18, 2006
6,845
527
0
I couldn't care less what they think or say. They've got their own dumpster fires looming. They might not be on the field yet, but make no mistake, they're dumpster fires.
Ya I know your type, I don't care what they say, they got their own problems all the while they will kick our *** and will be playing in a good bowl. Good for you.
 

docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
0
It is not because it was a loss in an expected win. It is not because of the Chernobyl-like second half meltdown. Those things have happened before. It is hard to choke down because it may be the jump the shark game for Stoops short career at UK. By that, I mean the game that might be signaling "this isn't going to work". JMO

Peace
I think this game is the most clear indication of "this isn't going to work" thus far,it makes the Vandy game of last year appear to be more near the norm than some sort of fluke or odd circumstance.
 

Ugoff

Heisman
May 7, 2009
16,403
21,489
0
Ya I know your type, I don't care what they say, they got their own problems all the while they will kick our *** and will be playing in a good bowl. Good for you.
Yeah, you've got it all figured out buddy.
 

LeonThe Camel

Senior
May 3, 2016
1,896
717
0
Anyone else like that and why do you think this loss is so hard to choke down?
No. Last year against Louisville was worse. At least this year we have a game coming up.

_____
If we are 5-6 going into Louisville I will look back to this past Saturday and probably throw up.

I will be hoping our players took care of their classroom duties and we can get into the 5-7 bowl.
 
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STUCKNBIG10

All-Conference
Aug 30, 2006
7,302
2,861
0
It is but we do it anyway,I agree we should know better. I think the problem is that there are so few games that are actually winnable when one comes along and we fail to win it just magnifies the hopelessness of UK football fandon

I think my rebuttal to the guy who acted as if we should have no hope is that there is no reason for us to accept what we get. Far lesser schools / programs / fanbases / athletic departments have experienced football success (UL, Vandy, just to name a few). There is absolutely no reason for UK to be consistently bad. I understand the pragmatism associated with "not caring" but the other part of me is pissed that we have let UK get away with an inferior product for so long.
 

Cawood86_rivals

Heisman
Feb 20, 2005
36,711
64,713
0
Because reality is a bitter pill to swallow. So much talk that turned out to be just that, talk. Nothing look to have drastically changed IMO and now the truth is that recruiting will suffer, because they all can see what happened.
I feel no sense of anticipation for the games now because I know that UK is what most of us feared. This loss signaled that.
 
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Rockford

Heisman
Jun 28, 2001
22,046
45,770
83
Anyone else like that and why do you think this loss is so hard to choke down?

I am like that today. Been going to games since 1975 (I'm 59) but this one just seemed to bring home a feeling of total hopelessness.

I've got the best seats I've ever had but turned out to just a better look at the SOS. :cry:
 
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JBHolmesfan

All-Conference
Jul 23, 2009
8,181
4,747
0
For me the disappointment was that it felt like we were close. Maybe not this year. Maybe not even next as far as really breaking through, but many including me felt like we were above what happened last night. Last night felt we reverted back to the 2-10 Joker days. We should not have lost it the way we did. We got embarrassed in the 2nd half. If it was a back and forth game it'd be different. We just self imploded. I used to hate how the Brooks teams seemed to always start slow and try and claw back. Saturday was worse. Every play in the 2nd half just seemed like USM was going to win the play. We were hopeless. It makes me question how we're going to beat anyone besides the 2 cream puffs. I don't think 2-10 is going to happen, but I think it's more likely than a 7 win season at this point.

The loss was just a realization that we weren't as close as we wanted/thought. Maybe it was a fluke and we'll bounce back. We've all seen too many UK football seasons play out to know that isn't the case.
 

Anon1712931820

All-Conference
Apr 11, 2008
9,060
2,141
0
5-6 going into the Louisville game is probably the ceiling for this team.
Honestly feel like we have a chance against Vandy, SC, Mizzo and Mississippi State. Add the two OOC definites and a possible UF upset...still never know.
 

ScrewDuke1

Hall of Famer
Jul 29, 2016
41,018
152,381
113
I think we are more angry than usual over this loss because we know for a fact we have more talent than USM did (besides maybe the d line) and we saw the same stupid mistakes from the past 3 years. And losing to a guy we just fired in the fashion we did.
 

StubbornPenny

All-American
Nov 2, 2009
10,562
9,892
0
Honestly feel like we have a chance against Vandy, SC, Mizzo and Mississippi State. Add the two OOC definites and a possible UF upset...still never know.

We have a CHANCE in all those games. Has anything about Stoops' tenure made you think that we won't lay at least 1 or 2 total egss in those games?
 

KYCAT78

All-American
May 24, 2006
7,858
6,073
0
For me it was reality that we have no chance to go to a bowl, but, more importantly I think this years recruiting class will begin to fall apart. We cannot take a step back in recruiting with a coach in training and hope to ever be competitive.
 

WildcatofNati

Heisman
Mar 31, 2009
8,183
12,420
0
Two things that jumped out at me- we've come full circle from losing an opener to Western by 9 to now losing an opener to Southern Miss by 9. So. Miss 2016 is probably a tad better than WKU 2013 (though, not better than WKU is now, I wouldn't think), but, on the other hand, we had this game at home. So, in that respect, it's disheartening. Granted, it's only one game, and I have to believe that we're still a lot better than the 2013- and, even if not, the facing bad Vandy, Mizzou, S. Carolina and Miss. St. instead of good versions of those teams (which was the case in 2013) means that we should still win 4 games, if not more.

The other thing is that the Louisville game last year left a very foul taste for several months. Then, after again daring to hope for better things this year, we see the same pattern unfold; blowing a 20+ lead, letting the opponent make the score closer at halftime, but still up by 17 and 18 points respectively, and then getting absolutely wiped out the second half, and looking as bad as we ever have in a particular half. At least back in the bad old days, when Florida or the like would run off 30 some odd points in a row, we were overmatched in terms of talent. Neither the 2015 UofL team nor the 2016 So. Miss teams are terrible, but neither will go down in history as an all-time great either. These two consecutive meltdowns, spaced over two seasons- absolutely sickening.