Students: Make a stand and be there this Saturday and every Saturday

Football season - or as some know it tailgating season - begins for Cat fans this Saturday. At 7:30 Saturday Night we will finally see the fruits of the off-season. Will Drew Barker be the leader the Cats oh so desperately need? Will Matt Elam losing the equivalent of a Tyler Ulis really give the defensive line the needed boost? Will the offensive line hold long enough for the QB to get the ball off? Commonwealth will be filled to the brim with people, all waiting for that first look at kick off. However, if history proves right, the student section will be a little lacking. I get it. Kentucky football isn't an eight-time national champion with a coach who happens to make headlines every time he steps out of his house. They're not popping out National Players of the Year or first round draft picks left and right. They're not the powerhouse of an entire collegiate sport like Kentucky basketball is. However, at the same time, I don't get it. I would be lying if I said I didn't love basketball season. From Big Blue Madness to March Madness and everything in between, it's my favorite. I'm just a basketball person. I played it, my brother plays it. It's in my blood. That's why 98% of my posts on this site are about basketball. But if I'm honest, I would choose to go to a football game over a basketball game any day of the week. [caption id="attachment_205822" align="aligncenter" width="363"] Rushing the field after the victory against South Carolina was the greatest.[/caption] Let me explain: When Kentucky Football wins, it's some of the most fun I've ever had. Beating South Carolina at home my freshman year will probably go down as one of my favorite memories I've had in college. Even the small victories are fun, morale is lifted and you can feel the energy in the stadium. Even the almost wins are fun. As frustrating as it was, I had so much fun cheering on and just holding on to hope for Kentucky to pull out those wins against Florida and Auburn last year. The point is, when you go to a basketball game, you expect to win. But when it comes to football, we have years of experience knowing that anything could happen, so when you win, it's like Christmas morning. On that note, how do you expect to have a winning team, when you don't support it? That sounds brass, but it's true. Any person who's ever stepped out on a field or court knows that when you have the support of the people around you, competing comes a little easier. It's almost like you can do the impossible. Yeah, you go to school with the players, maybe even have class with them, but that's not enough. You have to show up for them on Saturday's and show your support. Cheer them on, fill up the student section and stay the ENTIRE time. It does no good if you show up and leave at halftime if they're down. How do you expect a team to make a comeback when there's no support behind them? Student tickets cost $5. I'm a college student too, I know that money doesn't just grow on trees. But $5 isn't going to break the bank and it'll give you a solid night's worth of fun. Instead of passively watching the games on TV and turning them off if they get down, do your part to help the program succeed and show up on Saturday, and the rest of the Saturday's after that. You won't regret it, trust me. See ya Saturday. Cats by 90.