Do sports fans actually attend the schools?

[Robin Garr]

I've often found it gently entertaining to notice that so many of the most enthusiastic college sports fans appear to have never walked through the doors of the educational institutions whose mascots they cheer.

So, just for fun (and totally anonymous), I present this poll ... feel free to fill in all blanks that apply, but please be honest!

I did attend but dropped out. Was a fan before I went there, was one while going there, am one now and will be forever.

Even though you failed to include my currently beloved Hilltoppers, I'll put in a small plug for them here!

[Robin Garr]

Even though you failed to include my currently beloved Hilltoppers, I'll put in a small plug for them here!

Oops, sorry! I should have done an "other" anyway. D'oh!

It's OK - a bit out of the geography you were targeting. I did tag UofL (attendee) and UofL Fan, though, so I'm in!

TP,

You left out "Not a fan regardless of team". I may get things thrown at me around here, but I never "got" being passionate/inconsolable about competitive sports....

-Anonymous

I checked boxes for the first two items, but on a scale of 1 to 10 - with 10 being the most rabid fan imaginable, I'm a 3.5.

I get bugged driving down Floyd Street seeing gleaming new football, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, swimming.......yada yada facilities costing multi-millions of dollars. Then, I see the University school from which I graduated operating in antiquated, 1950's-era buildings and begging for funds to remodel a building to be used to benefit the students. I'm told the proposed State budget will take University funding back to 1997 levels. It's ridiculous. I'm taking the money I might spend on season tickets (if I cared) and donating it to the damn school.

Anonymous II
BS 1979, MEng 1980

I get bugged driving down Floyd Street seeing gleaming new football, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, swimming.......yada yada facilities costing multi-millions of dollars.

It is INDIVIDUALS such as myself, a member of the Cardinal Athletic Fund, and community and business leaders who have given the dollars to build some of the best athletic facilities in America. None of the money came from taxes, Frankfort only supports UK. If you want better facilities for education at UL, talk to the new governor who just slashed education spending by at least 11%. I can't be 100% sure, but I believe that the athletic budget for UL sports is totally independent from the rest of the University.

It is INDIVIDUALS such as myself, a member of the Cardinal Athletic Fund, and community and business leaders who have given the dollars to build some of the best athletic facilities in America. None of the money came from taxes, Frankfort only supports UK. If you want better facilities for education at UL, talk to the new governor who just slashed education spending by at least 11%. I can't be 100% sure, but I believe that the athletic budget for UL sports is totally independent from the rest of the University.

And it is INDIVIDUALS such as myself, an actual graduate of the University, who recognize that the University's purpose is to educate the students and advance research, who chooses to give my dollars for those purposes, and who sees little cause for boasting of the best athletic facilities in America when the rest of the University is suffering. Yes, I recognize community and business leaders have built the athletic facilities, but I think their priorities are wrong. I know it's not a popular opinion. I usually get blank stares when I express it. Go Cards.

It is INDIVIDUALS such as myself, a member of the Cardinal Athletic Fund, and community and business leaders who have given the dollars to build some of the best athletic facilities in America. None of the money came from taxes, Frankfort only supports UK. If you want better facilities for education at UL, talk to the new governor who just slashed education spending by at least 11%. I can't be 100% sure, but I believe that the athletic budget for UL sports is totally independent from the rest of the University.

And it is INDIVIDUALS such as myself, an actual graduate of the University, who recognize that the University's purpose is to educate the students and advance research, who chooses to give my dollars for those purposes, and who sees little cause for boasting of the best athletic facilities in America when the rest of the University is suffering. Yes, I recognize community and business leaders have built the athletic facilities, but I think their priorities are wrong. I know it's not a popular opinion. I usually get blank stares when I express it. Go Cards.

Your opinion is respectfully noted.

Whether or not the priorities are wrong or not, it is the choice of the individuals, the business leaders and plain old rich folk to decide where they want their money to go. If you want to tell me and all the other "regular" folks, as well as the huge donors that their choice of donation is wrong, then feel free to do so.

Funding for the University of Louisville is done in Frankfort. Frankfort is run by UK alumni and they choose to see that U of L is little brother. If you have a nit to pick, it's with Frankfort and not the folks who decide to support U of L athletics.

[Robin Garr]

Yes, I recognize community and business leaders have built the athletic facilities, but I think their priorities are wrong. I know it's not a popular opinion. I usually get blank stares when I express it. Go Cards.

Well said, Jay. I think you're on target, although the one facet not examined might lie in the middle here ... showy athletics activities do serve to extract some money for the universities from a certain class of Kentuckian who would never cough up a penny to support eddy-kashun.

showy athletics activities do serve to extract some money for the universities from a certain class of Kentuckian who would never cough up a penny to support eddy-kashun.

I would imagine those would be the folks who do not pay taxes.

showy athletics activities do serve to extract some money for the universities from a certain class of Kentuckian who would never cough up a penny to support eddy-kashun.

I would imagine those would be the folks who do not pay taxes.

Doogy raises a good point.

If supporters use athletic department donations as tax deductions, it's possible that they're not only expressing some troubling priorities but also taking money away from classrooms and libraries to do it.

While I don't have stats to support it, I am confident that one of the reasons that Universities and colleges put so much emphasis on sports is that they enhance the overall institutional strength, not detract from it. The money spent on sports often generates money for academics, it doesn't replace it. Like a lot of situation, I can see why someone would feel like it would be great "for all that money to go to something that really matters." We spend way too much money on sports. But it's not like the money would go to academics if it didn't go to sports.

I lived in Alabama for a couple of years in the 80's. Auburn had always been the second-class university in Alabama. Bo Jackson came along, the football team vaulted into the national spotlight, and applications for admission leaped by 30% and the university gained a position of strength in the state it has never given up.

BTW, as a Davidson grad, I'm loving this tournament.

I attended WKY back in the days of Clem Haskins. I am always a fan. Also attended UL and they have always had my support.