BTI's Rants and Ramblings: A Conflicted Fan for Saturday's Game

Tomorrow’s game against WKU is going to be very difficult for me.  The game truly tears at my emotions because, if you didn’t know, I am a graduate of Western Kentucky, also known as the Harvard of Warren County. It took WKU many years to become competitive in football at the Division-1A level, so last year was especially sweet for an alumnus like me because of the bowl appearance.  But now, it means they have a legitimate chance to beat Kentucky for a 2nd straight year.  On the one hand, I am a lifelong Cats fans, just like you, struggling through the many losses but staying strong for the potential the program becomes great.  And Mark Stoops only intensified that by the way he has begun his tenure.  But Bobby Petrino has the WKU side of me excited as well.  So, the basic question is this: IS IT OK FOR ME TO CHEER FOR THE TOPS TO KEEP IT CLOSE ON SATURDAY? I am not pulling for a WKU win.  Let me make that clear.  But, is it wrong for me to hope that WKU can make a game of it, so as to not see my alma mater crushed to an in-state opponent, whether it’s UK or not.  I think most UK fans are also fans of other schools as well, for different reasons.  Maybe a spouse went there, you went there, your kids went there, you like the colors, or you like the USC Song Girls.  But, it seems that many UK fans feel that if you want to be a part of BBN, you have to be all-in with us, and nobody else. So, now you can see the dilemma.  Do I cheer for my #1 team, Kentucky, to play great and destroy my alma mater, which would be great and terrible at the same time?  Or do I hope for a poorly played game from Kentucky so my Hilltoppers can get a win that would mean more to that fanbase than Kentucky. Let me know what to do UK fans.  I am particulary looking for advice from non-UK grads.  If you graduated from Kentucky, you really don’t know what its like to see your alma mater play your favorite team.