British slang you should know to properly support Kentucky in the UK

On3 imageby:Adam Stratton12/04/22

AdamStrattonKSR

To paraphrase Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction, the funniest thing in Europe is the little differences. A lot of the same stuff we have, they have over there, but they’re a little bit different. I’m a week into my trek across the pond chasing Kentucky basketball and I can confirm Vega’s statement to be true.

If you’re like me and first learned about the United Kingdom as a kid by getting its abbreviation confused with the university, you know how easy it is to get mixed up with British lingo. In London, the Queen’s English reigns supreme so when you hear something that doesn’t sound quite right, it really stands out. And I love it.

For example, it’s not the trunk of your car, it’s the boot. It’s not a hallway, it’s a corridor. It’s not the exit, it is simply the way out.

So I thought I’d share some of the British phrases I’ve heard over the last week that could prove useful today whether you are watching the game from the O2 Arena in London, England, or from your couch in London, Kentucky.

You support Kentucky

In Europe, soccer football is the sport of choice amongst citizens everywhere, but you don’t ask someone which team they’re a fan of. Instead, you simply ask, “Who do you support?” In turn, you aren’t a Kentucky fan, you’re a Kentucky supporter.

Between a few random spottings earlier in the week of Kentucky blue at the Churchill war rooms Buckingham Palace, and the local pub watching USA’s World Cup match, it is safe to say blue Kentucky supporters got in.

Also, during the game, be sure to make Kentucky unnecessarily plural at times. Don’t say Kentucky is playing well. It’s Kentucky are playing well. It’s weird, but these guys invented the language so who are we to argue?

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Are you alright?

The English share something in common with the south in that they can be over-the-top polite. In Brittain, a nice way of asking someone how they’re doing is to say, “Are you alright?” or shortened to, “Alright?” This is confusing because in the US, if we say, “Are you alright?” we assume the person is not alright at all.

So if you bump into a Londoner after the game and Kentucky were to happen to lose, don’t take offense if they ask you, “Are you alright?” They are not trying to console you. They are simply asking how you’re doing and probably did not watch the game considering England plays in the World Cup at about the same time and they don’t really appreciate or understand US college basketball.

Do you fancy some fish and chips and a pint at the pub?

Wings and nachos with friends are gameday staples in America, but in England, it’s all about the fish and chips with mates. Fish is just fried haddock, but chips are actually fries. To make it more confusing, they call actual chips, crisps.

I’m also going to take back the word fancy with me and use it in unlikely situations where fish and chips might be involved. Do you fancy Long John Silvers? Today would be a good time to swing back through there for the first time in a while and get some halftime food. You probably didn’t realize all those times you got the fish basket combo at Captain D’s you were actually eating like a proper English gent.

Be sure to wash it down with a pint at the pub. Bonus points if you go with a mulled wine or English cider measured out in centiliters. And if you feel yourself getting a wee bit pissed (tipsy) have a cuppa tea to mix things up.

Mind the rubbish fouls

One thing in sports that resonates everywhere is getting upset at bad calls. It most certainly happens in college basketball, but of course, it’s prevalent in soccer and probably cricket and polo too. In the US, we might stand up and say, “That’s a garbage call!” but for today, they’re rubbish calls instead. And the official calling them? He’s daft. If the daft official makes multiple rubbish calls, he has gone absolutely mental.

Kentucky supporters can sometimes start thinking the worst if too many rubbish calls go against the ‘Cats, and consider a ref sketchy or bias against the big blue nation. If you call into this category today, refer to the referee as they would in Britain, and call them dodgy instead.

Early foul trouble would be one way to make things tough for Kentucky against Michigan, so it would be best to avoid such tomfoolery.

Cal’s cheeky applaud

One of John Calipari’s signature moves when he’s upset with a daft official’s rubbish call is to loudly and sarcastically clap in their general direction. If he does this against Michigan, be sure not to call it Cal’s sarcastic clap, it’s Cal’s cheeky applaud.

Cheeky is kind of like sarcastic but also used when someone is trying to be clever and/or funny. I’ve heard it multiple times simply walking down the street eavesdropping and it’s one of my favorites. You might even say if Cal has reached this point in this point of the game, he’s lost the plot.

Hope for a lovely, brilliant performance

In England, everything is lovely. Whether it’s the good-looking person on the tube (subway), the sticky toffee pudding at the local bakery, or a cheeky reference to the weather (I’ve literally not seen the sun in a week and did not bring a brolly, er, I mean umbrella), lovely is the catch-all adjective of choice for something nice.

Closely behind lovely is brilliant, which is like saying great, and again, it’s used everywhere.

CJ Frederick’s shot is lovely. Oscar Tshiebwe is a brilliant rebounder. Kentucky’s performance against good teams this season has been anything but brilliant, but it would be lovely to see them get a win against Michigan.

Bob’s your uncle

Hardly anyone pays with cash in England, as almost every store, restaurant, and curbside vendor uses a simple device that you tap your credit card to and it works. Even the street performers have a QR code on their signs for tips. But the first time I tried to use this portable device, I needed some instruction from the person behind the counter. After showing me how to do it, he said, “Bob’s your uncle!” which threw me off because my uncle’s name is definitely not Bob.

Instead, this is British slang for, “It’s that easy.” (These devices are really easy. Uncle Sam should take note and get these things everywhere in America.)

For Kentucky, we know the recipe for an easy win today. Frederick and Reeves have to hit shots from the outside. Oscar needs to be a rebounding machine. The point guards have to keep the pace up, and everyone has to play top-notch defense. See? Bob’s your uncle!

Let’s just hope they don’t bodge it yet again.

A Kentucky win will make us all chuffed to bits

Kentucky basketball playing abroad during the regular season is something we haven’t seen in donkey’s years. That’s the Brit’s equivalent to coon’s age. But more importantly, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen Kentucky get a win on a big stage.

It’s not that Michigan is a powerhouse, but they are a power five team, and the fact the King of England is just down the road makes this game feel a bit more regal than it would otherwise. Kentucky supporters need a morale boost and a win would make us all chuffed to bits, which just means really happy.

For the Kentucky players, this is a business trip, but for me, a win would be a brilliant end to a lovely holiday. Between the pints at the pubs, the hoards of fish and chips, the jet lag, and the endless walking around with my face buried in Apple Maps until my phone dies, I’m bloody knackered and ready for my own bed.

Until then, cheerio and go ‘Cats!

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2024-03-28