From the Desk of: Mitch Barnhart

[UKATFAN]

I received this e-mail from UK Athletics. It's just a reminder what is expected from UK fans at all sporting events and I'm guessing more so the next 2 home games. Go CATS!!!!!


UK Athletics
Joe Craft Center
338 Lexington Ave.
Lexington, KY 40506

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the Desk of: Mitch Barnhart


Dear UK Fan:


Fall Weekends are always a special time for our students and alumni as well as our teams and this weekend is no exception. Coach Skinner's impressive volleyball team plays an SEC match against Ole Miss Friday evening and LSU Sunday afternoon (live on CWKYT in Lexington) at Memorial Coliseum. Coach Warren Lipka's women's soccer team faces SEC foe Tennessee at the Soccer Complex Friday and meets Georgia on Sunday. Coach Mitchell and Coach Gillispie are set to introduce their basketball teams to the Big Blue Nation at Rupp Arena on National Television (on Fox Sports Net) Friday night at Big Blue Madness. Needless to say, there is enough Big Blue this weekend to whet the appetite of every citizen of the Big Blue Nation.

Coach Brooks often speaks about the commitment his team has made to be successful. With his pledge to excellence also comes the responsibility of the fans to support the team but to do it with class and dignity. Everyone affiliated with the University couldn't be happier with the overwhelming support the fans have given the coaches and the team.

As a reminder, SEC and University of Kentucky policies strictly prohibit spectators from entering the competition areas at any time before, during, or after a game. UK's field surface is among the nation's best. When fans rush the field it compromises the integrity of that surface and risks the health and safety of the same players that fans are intending to celebrate. Please continue to enjoy the wins from your seat.

LSU brings the nation's number one team to Commonwealth at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, so it will be another difficult test for our team. Coach Brooks often remarks about the difference the home crowd makes for the team. Please support the Wildcats by entering the stadium early, supporting our team, and practicing patience in the parking lots before and after the game.

As a reminder, we have started our 110% Club, designed to involve as many UK fans as possible in the building of an elite, broad-based athletics program for our University. For more information, feel free to contact the K Fund Office at 859-257-8000, or visit UKathletics.com.

You can also follow the results of all our athletic teams on UKathletics.com!

I hope to see many of you on campus this weekend.

Sincerely,

Mitch Barnhart
Director of Athletics

[UKS2H]

If we beat LSU the field will be rushed.

End of story, Mitch.

[RV]

Mitch must have seen you on the field after the ul game. ;)

[catlovercardhater]

haha... got the same message.... I hope that this message doesn't jinx us knocking off the top team in the nation sat.

[UKhoov]

I got the same message...this is my favorite part.

"Please continue to enjoy the wins from your seat."

I will enjoy the wins all week at work, to the tailgating in the parking lot, at the CATWALK, to my seats, (hopefully) on the field, back to the parking lot tailgating, then at my buddies place, at the bars and then sunday afternoon at Keeneland.

In my seats...is he kidding!?!

[Brian McCat]

This is all about becoming a SEC power. Winners don´t rush the field- they act like they´ve been there before. Think LSU fans ripped down the goalposts last weekend after knocking off Florida? Nope, they raised cain from their seats. We´ve rushed the field twice in 2 seasons. That´s plenty.

[abovthecrowd]

Mitch is right about one thing, when they pull up the sod, it will take a good month for that to root well. Would you feel bad about ending a career before it really got started, loose sod is kinda hard on the knees and ankles. That being said, I hope there is 70,000 plus trying their hardest to restrain themselves from rushing the field after this weekends game. I have to work, but if we pull this one out, and a couple hours later anyone sees a Ceasars dealer in uniform, don't panic, I'm not really sick I had somewhere better to be.

[Mountain Cat]

I got it too.

I read it more as a cover your behind activity. UK gets fined when we rush the field and I think he wants to be able to show that he is at least trying to stop it. Perhaps that will help us get a smaller fine?

Frankly, I didn't think he really meant it. LSU goes down......fans will be on the turf.

[Mark Blueblood]

This is all about becoming a SEC power. Winners don´t rush the field- they act like they´ve been there before. Think LSU fans ripped down the goalposts last weekend after knocking off Florida? Nope, they raised cain from their seats. We´ve rushed the field twice in 2 seasons. That´s plenty.

I agree. It appears the rushing the field after the Louisville game this year was certainly premature. I'm not sure we beat anybody worth rushing the field for.

The day we rush the court at Rupp is the day I become ashamed of my fellow UK constituency!

[leroybyrd]

I got it too.

I read it more as a cover your behind activity. UK gets fined when we rush the field and I think he wants to be able to show that he is at least trying to stop it. Perhaps that will help us get a smaller fine?

Frankly, I didn't think he really meant it. LSU goes down......fans will be on the turf.


I tend to agree that it seemed like a CYA, half hearted attempt to control rushinkg the field. The fact is, we are a football nobody. I understand acting like you have been there before, and in this case, it would certainly be an ACT because we haven't been there before.

I say rush on and enjoy the moment. Let the whole country see our field covered in blue clad fans celebrating a monumental victory for our program. THAT would be a statement that we have arrived. Then we can act like we've been there, but let's get there first, IMO of course.

[MudCat]

IMO, it's a true plea to stay off the field for several reasons.

Regardless of memos, etc., if I recall correctly, the fines levied by the SEC are set in stone. (I think it was $5K for the first offense, and then it goes up by multiples. 15K for the 2nd? 30K for the third? Something like that.)

There's also the safety issue. People can get seriously hurt during those situations. (Tom Leach's son comes to mind.)

That being said, I listened to the replay of the show broadcoast from 4th Street Live, and Coach Brooks' last comment was asking the fans to respect the field.

Many, many coaches are extremely picky about the conditions of their fields. Brian Billick is a fanatic about it. (Practice fields for the Ravens are worked on up to three months before training camp starts, for example, and he gets daily updates on the conditions of the fields.)

Also, this time of the year, I would guess it's harder to keep the field in top condition, especially with three games in three weeks. I'm no expert on that, but it seems logical.

I think Coach was more than a little P.O.ed about people ripping up the sod after the UofL game, (and justifiably so, IMO) and this is an extension of that, along with the financial and safety issues of fans rushing the field.

[bret1555]

This is all about becoming a SEC power. Winners don´t rush the field- they act like they´ve been there before. Think LSU fans ripped down the goalposts last weekend after knocking off Florida? Nope, they raised cain from their seats. We´ve rushed the field twice in 2 seasons. That´s plenty.

I would usually agree with the "act like you've been there before" comment, but the fact is, we haven't been there before -- at least in a long, long time. If we beat the consensus #1 team in the nation, in our house, even this football coach will rush the field. Didn't do it at the UL game, but this is different -- this is the #1 team in the land (and an old guard SEC power).

Guess what? If we beat UF for the first time in forever I will rush the field! If we snap our 22 game skid to UT, I will rush the field. Some things are just bigger than our "image." I don't really think UK's image as a football school would suffer if we won any of those games, regardless of what the fans do or don't do.

After this season, we can start the "act like you've been there before," comments. . . For now, fans are justified in celebrating HUGE wins.

First, though, we have to win!

[gerntz]

You people need to act your age.

[Josh]

I would usually agree with the "act like you've been there before" comment, but the fact is, we haven't been there before -- at least in a long, long time. If we beat the consensus #1 team in the nation, in our house, even this football coach will rush the field. Didn't do it at the UL game, but this is different -- this is the #1 team in the land (and an old guard SEC power).

Guess what? If we beat UF for the first time in forever I will rush the field! If we snap our 22 game skid to UT, I will rush the field. Some things are just bigger than our "image." I don't really think UK's image as a football school would suffer if we won any of those games, regardless of what the fans do or don't do.

After this season, we can start the "act like you've been there before," comments. . . For now, fans are justified in celebrating HUGE wins.

First, though, we have to win!

I gotta agree with you on this.

I've also said this before and I still believe it, that rushing the field against Louisville was more about finally overcoming an obstacle of winning an important game rather than actually beating Louisville the team. I will never believe that field was rushed because UK beat Louisville, but because they beat their demons.

[bret1555]

You people need to act your age.

You're kidding, right?

[leroybyrd]

You people need to act your age.

Age is a state of mind. I hope I am rushing fields when I'm 70.

[RV]

Age is a state of mind...

Actually in my experience the opposite is true.

In my mind I still think young but I realize I can't do things I could when I was younger.

[Diz]

I gotta agree with you on this.

I've also said this before and I still believe it, that rushing the field against Louisville was more about finally overcoming an obstacle of winning an important game rather than actually beating Louisville the team. I will never believe that field was rushed because UK beat Louisville, but because they beat their demons.

LSU is the number one team in the county according to the poll.

Florida should be, but they keep losing. If UK beats a number one team on national television, there may not be any seats left to sit in. I'm taking mine home... with the program, the ticket stub, the coke cup, dressing room door and that big thing they keep the scores on.

[Matt Dillon]

IMO, it's a true plea to stay off the field for several reasons.

Regardless of memos, etc., if I recall correctly, the fines levied by the SEC are set in stone. (I think it was $5K for the first offense, and then it goes up by multiples. 15K for the 2nd? 30K for the third? Something like that.)

There's also the safety issue. People can get seriously hurt during those situations. (Tom Leach's son comes to mind.)

That being said, I listened to the replay of the show broadcoast from 4th Street Live, and Coach Brooks' last comment was asking the fans to respect the field.

Many, many coaches are extremely picky about the conditions of their fields. Brian Billick is a fanatic about it. (Practice fields for the Ravens are worked on up to three months before training camp starts, for example, and he gets daily updates on the conditions of the fields.)

Also, this time of the year, I would guess it's harder to keep the field in top condition, especially with three games in three weeks. I'm no expert on that, but it seems logical.

I think Coach was more than a little P.O.ed about people ripping up the sod after the UofL game, (and justifiably so, IMO) and this is an extension of that, along with the financial and safety issues of fans rushing the field.

Well said. Lots of good reasons not to rush the field.

[UKATFAN]

Its not that I'm against celebrating by rushing the field but when you destroy the field by ripping up the sod you make the field unsafe for the Florida game the following week. There are alot of players that will be on that surface in the next 2 weeks who will have the chance to play in the NFL including some of UK's own. I would hate to think if I was one of those people and someone like Woodson or Burton and even Tebow were to damage their knees because of my so called celebrating. Rush the field if you think its important but leave the sod alone.

[bellbrass]

I say stay off the field. There are more good reasons not to rush the field: act like we've been there (whether we have or not), don't tear up the sod (it actually can result in an injury if a player takes a hard cut on loose sod), and there's the big fine. As wealthy as our Athletics Budget is, a $30,000 fine is still a lot of money.

That being said, I'd bet my entire next paycheck that if we beat LSU or Florida, the field will be rushed. :)

[gerntz]

You're kidding, right?


I've having a good time.

[Stucat]

Folks face it if we should beat LSU then we would certainly be entitled to sing Conway Twitty's song from the 1970's "I can tell you've never been this far before." If by some miracle we do knock off the Bengal Tigers then I think our fans would be entitled to at least sing that song or perhaps the Battle of New Orleans with us being the frontiersmen under General Jackson and the LSU team being the British under General Packenham.