Disclaimer:  No one here is blaming the fan base for anything that has happened on the football field, not even close.

It is understandable that many University of Louisville football fans are upset and angry about the way the season is going. The outlook for the anything better than three more losses is bleak. This dismal outlook is painful.

Deterred briefly by a surprising win over South Florida, numerous fans have resumed calling for Steve Kragthorpe’s removal after the two most recent losses. In fact, if some noisy malcontents had their way, Kragthorpe would be gone, jerked out of practice in front of the players, before the next game.

What’s mindboggling is that some irate fans are suggesting that Tom Jurich, vice president of athletics, is negligent. It didn’t take long for the underbelly of the fan base to reveal its ugly side, did it? Mind you that’s the Tom Jurich, the man behind changing the landscape on Floyd Street, getting U of L into the Big East Conference, and recognized by his peers as Athletic Director of the Year in 2006.

Tom Jurich is a big boy. He can take care of himself, and we trust him with the athletic program, even though he may have created a monster in terms of fan expectations.

What’s unacceptable, however, is that a few of the more vociferous people are discouraging other U of L fans from attending this Friday’s game with Cincinnati. They want to send a “message” to the athletic administration, as if Jurich were not acutely aware of the challenges.

People who stay home will send a message all right, demonstrating to potential recruits and current players that U of L is just another school with more than its share of fair weather followers – unlike those of a traditional power such as University of Tennessee where 90,000 fans will show up at the next home game despite the Vols’ 3-7 won-lost record and being an underdog to Kentucky, of all teams.

People who fail to show up aren’t hurting the university financially because, with eight home games, U of L has already sold more tickets this year than any season in the school’s history. They do, however, harm the reputation of the fan base and the program they claim to love.

Show up.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

11 thoughts on “Ugly Underbelly Discourages Fans <br></br>Not To Attend Louisville-Cincinnati Game”
  1. We happily sold our tickets UC and WVU fans this week.

    Go Bearcats
    Go Mountaineers
    Go Scarlet Knights

    When you need a good football coach, you don’t go to conference USA to find one.

  2. ALWAYS support my team…win or lose, good times or bad. The seniors deserve our respect and support! See everyone Friday night!

  3. Great post, if your a fan of the school
    and team be one thru the ups & downs.
    Their is not a kid out there that does not
    want to win….more than you wan to see them win. Go CARDS!

  4. Great post Charlie. You are so right. TJ is more aware than anyone of the state of the U of L football program. Come on red and black – show up and cheer for the TEAM. It’s hard to cheer for this Koach I will agree but these are college kids who want to win. TJ is the best AD in the country. As Charlie says, UT fans show up 90000 strong. The rubber is meeting the road friends. I for one will be there to cheer for U of L. We love our Cardinals even if the Koach is subpar…we love our Cardinals. Remember the old cheer……who dey? who dey think they can mess with our Cardinals???? who dey?????????? Go CARDS – always.

  5. There was a popluar movie released recently. It’s name was “There Will Be Blood.” If certain Cardinal fans had their way..it would also be the standing directive for current coach Steve Kragthorpe. We very may well go 0-3 to finish the season. Attendance will most likely drop in the final two home games, even though they are against two major Big East rivals. But, to stay away Friday because of reasons other than aversion to cold weather, prior commitments to high school football or unforseen issues that come up just doesn’t make sense. And, who exactly are the protesters trying to reach? A semi-interested crowd on ESPN2?
    The athletic department has your money already, folks…and dranconian, sophomoric measures aren’t going to impress them. It will, however send a message to the kids on the field that we have a very fickle fan base that turns its nose up to a bit of aversity like a toddler to creamed spinach. Let’s not give the Bearcats anymore advantages than they already have coming into this one. Use your tickets, or give them to someone that will attend and cheer on your student atheletes on the field. The changes that may or may not need to be made will be made by the appropriate hired, salaried
    administrative officials, not by a bunch of fair weather fans. See ya there.

  6. Hey Andy, I would imagine that it probably wouldn’t be too hard to find tix at the game, under the um, “circumstances.”

  7. I’d love to go to the game and take my family with me… anybody got 4 tickets to spare??

    Andy

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