The Five Types of Wildcat Fan

{Reprinted from my article in the March 3 issue of Ace Weekly. - HCW}

It sure seems like we have a lot more fans wearing Wildcat Blue this year, y’all. Everyone wants a part of the hot, highly-ranked Kentucky Basketball team. Maybe Linda Ronstadt was right: everyone really does love a winner.

The newfound fan base was only to be expected; it’s a whole lot easier to root for a projected 1-seed than for an NIT participant. Still, it’s wildly frustrating for longtime fans when people whom we’ve never heard acknowledge the sport of basketball are suddenly proclaiming their UK fandom. We wonder where those same folks were last year, when we held an 8-8 conference record: can they produce proof that they were cheering for the Cats under those markedly less auspicious circumstances? We want digitally-stamped photographic proof that they were wearing Kentucky Blue last year, or their “support” doesn’t really count, we smugly proclaim.

What does it mean to be a Wildcat fan? Is it enough to only watch the high-profile Conference and Tournament games, or do we need to obsess over every play made in exhibition and early-season games? Is it enough to recognize the names and stats of our star players, or should we all vow to name our firstborn sons “DeMarcus”? It seems there are no hard-and-fast rules for the “appropriate level” of fandom. There are, it seems, a few archetypes that arise. These are the folks you see out and about on Game Day—in the Mall, at Rupp Arena, or anywhere fans can be seen. They’re the Five Types of Wildcat Fans, and are easily distinguished by attire, social networking habits, and general demeanor. We can all spot our friends, relatives, coworkers, and possibly ourselves in  the habits of each of these fans.

Type One: The Light Blue Fan. The Light Blue Fan is only around when the Cats are winning.  The fairest of fair-weather friends, The Light Blue Fan is decked out in Fayette Mall’s best brand-new sweatshirt purchased specially for the game. The Light Blue Fan reads Coach Cal’s missives on Facebook, and tries to catch the SportsCenter coverage of John Wall’s latest dunk. The Light Blue Fan will transfer all attention to the Lakers in time for the NBA Playoffs.

Type Two: The Krazy Kat. The Krazy Kat was born around the time that Winston Bennett graduated. Krazy Kats all claim to have sat beside Ashley in the Eruption Zone at least once, think that the game itinerary must always include a quick stop at Two Keys, and will most certainly not be making it in to that 8:30 class. They wear the latest game-specific t-shirts, and spend more time in line for student tickets than at the library. Their greatest dream in life is to replicate the fabled Euclid and Woodland incidents of ’96 and ’98. Krazy Kats don’t need to scour the Internet for news about the team; they each have class with at least two players.

Type Three: The Power Blue Fan. The Power Blue Fan spices up business casual attire with a Wildcat Blue tie or sweater, as game attendance is contingent upon leaving work on time. The Power Blue Fan’s enviable lower-level season tickets are a source of much hostility among other fans, who characterize them as the “Wine and Cheese crowd” or “Noble Martyrs”. Power Blue Fans are fanatic in their own right, voraciously reading the newspaper and blog coverage of the team. Power Blue Fans were too busy studying to be Krazy Kats in their youth, but secretly wish they’d rocked the facepaint just once.

Type Four: The True Blue Fan. The True Blue Fan is proudly a third- or fourth- generation Kentucky alumnus. The True Blue Fan claims to have attended every SEC Tournament for the past fifteen years, but conveniently omits the two years when he awoke too hungover to actually attend Sunday’s championship game.  The True Blue Fan sports Wildcats sweatshirts from the early Nineties and has been overheard telling the Light Blue Fan that “if you have to ask where to buy UK gear, you don’t deserve to wear it.” Not content with mere premium membership on CoachCal.com, True Blue Fans have tracked down every media link to the team. Any True Blue Fan worth his salt can tell you that Bret Bearup tweets as @TheDenverKid.

Type Five: The Blue-Bedazzled Mamaw and the Big Blue Papaw. They drive in from Pikeville or LaGrange or other far corners to watch the game, and have been making the pilgrimage for forty years now. Mamaw is decked out in head-to-toe Wildcat garb, with at least one item in sparkly, bedazzled splendor, while Papaw’s wardrobe may include bib overalls or a Carhartt jacket along with his trusty UK baseball cap. Mamaw and Papaw know the rules of the game better than any ACC coach, yet are convinced that players on the opposing team walked or charged on every possession. They will call in to  speak with Oscar Combs or Coach Calipari on the radio at least once this season.

While we may debate among ourselves about the “best” type of fan, there’s certainly room in Rupp’s 24,000 seats for all of us. Let’s hope that the team’s immense talent, paired with a little good fortune, keeps us wearing our preferred Wildcat Blue attire all the way to Indianapolis.