Hawpe's Hot, And Rightfully So

This time it's not something Mitch McConnell said, nor is it an incendiary Anne Northup comment. No, The Courier-Journal's David Hawpe is taking issue with comments University of Kentucky head football coach Rich Brooks made following the "greatest comeback in University of Kentucky football history."

When Brooks was asked if he understood why so many fans left the Wildcats game early, in which the team scored two miraculous and improbable touchdowns in the game's waning moments, he answered he didn't, but "that's their prerogative."

That's what set Hawpe off. And, rightfully so.

Who are today's coaches and players (Wildcat QB Mike Hartline supposedly shook an angry fist at the stadium's empty seats) to call fans out? If I want to leave early, I shouldn't have to justify that action before a board of regents.

The same trouble is brewing in Cincinnati, where the winless (0 and 7) Bengals are having trouble igniting any enthusiasm among its fan base. No one better call me out for failing to attend any games there this year. I've been dealing with Bengals losses and futility for 40 years. 40 years! There's not a player on the team now that was even alive when I began rooting for this club to win.

So, just as fans are required to have patience, so too should teams understand people are human. If you're playing poorly, and it's cold, don't get mad when folks fail to show up or leave early. Instead, let your play do the talking. Play so well and with such intensity that you actually sustain winning over a period of years, not months. Earn fans' respect. Then you'll find a fan base willing to sit through the tough times.