There is a memorable scene from the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby where the title character and best friend Cal Naughton Jr. muse about their favorite version of Jesus.
One sees him as a certain set of characteristics, while the other has his own set of standards.
Without getting into the musings of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, the back and forth of the characters got me thinking.
What do I want from my Kentucky Wildcats football program?
I know, I know. You are sitting there thinking I either have lost my mind or have way too much time on my hands that Liz needs to put to better use.
But wander down the rabbit hole with me. I think there are some things that we as UK football fans can use on our odyssey.
We all know one of the most difficult things we can do as sports fans is root regularly for Kentucky football. It’s not for the faint-hearted.
But I feel that we need to get some parameters for ourselves and our own sanity about what do we truly expect as outcomes for the Wildcats.
If you follow any math, think about the concept of a Bell Curve.
A Bell Curve allows data to be expressed in a way that allows outliers at either end or most of the data to fall within a rising curve in the middle that most of the data falls into.
That said, I think the curve can help us identify who and what most of the Cat faithful are and their aspirations.
First, I feel that on the highest level, you have those fans who believe that UK should challenge each season for national titles.
Next, on the lowest level, there are fans who believe that the Cats cannot win and are hopeless for any success.
These two groups are the outliers, their opinions and beliefs in the 1 percent range.
The next two groups are 25 percent on either side of the middle of the curve. One defines the program as one that might be a challenger every so often but cannot sustain that, while the other 25 percent believe that the Cats can be a challenger yearly, maybe make a run to 10 wins and a New Years Day bowl game somewhere warm on a regular basis.
But, in the middle 50 percent, there is a group that thinks that the Cats can win 7-8 games a season, maybe spring an upset here and there, and end each season in a bowl game.
That is where I fall in.
I believe that is possible that the Cats can achieve these goals each season due to the commitment to the football program that is present now.
The facilities are improved. The level of talent has come a long way since 2013. The ability to win SEC games is present.
Now, do I think that Kentucky should rest on their laurels and be satisfied with any outcome? No, absolutely not. Comfort can lead to staleness. Staleness leads to decline. Decline leads to assured destruction. Especially in the pressure cooker of the SEC.
I think success is a moving target for the Cats. There will be years when UK is solid and some years where they aren’t. The key is to maximize the good times and mitigate the bad times.
If the Cats can do that, then many of BBN can say “I like my Kentucky Wildcats to be…”
Just like Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton Jr.
Week 5 SEC predictions
Last week, the old ball coach (not that old ball coach) was 9-1. Overall, the Shop is 44-8. Let’s look at this week’s SEC schedule.
Kentucky at South Carolina. The Cats are 6.5 point dogs on the road at Columbia. If the Cats defense can continue to be strong against the run, tackle a whole lot better than they did against Eastern Michigan, and Boley can make some plays through the air, the Cats have a chance. They usually play well in Columbia too. If LaNorris Sellers gets hot for USC, it could be a long night for UK. I think it’s a one score game and the Cats run the ball well. Prediction- Kentucky.
Notre Dame at Arkansas. The #22 Irish are 4.5 favorites in Fayetteville. They did play much better against Purdue, but I don’t think they played a quarterback like the Hogs Taylen Green. Last week, the Fighting Sam Pittman’s lost the game on their two yard line to Memphis. This could be make it or break it for the embattled Arkansas coach. I’ll take the Irish in a slugfest. Prediction- Notre Dame.
Utah State at Vanderbilt. Vandy is #18 this week. Full stop. They hung 70 points on Georgia State last week. Full stop. The Dores are 21.5 point favorites at home. Are they looking ahead to Alabama next week? I don’t think so. Vandy goes to 4-0 with a national audience looking at them and the Tide in Tuscaloosa next Saturday. Prediction- Vanderbilt.
LSU at Ole Miss. #4 vs. #13 in Oxford. This one should be fun. The Tigers Garrett Nussmeier and the Rebels Trinidad Chambliss taking snaps is must see TV. This one has all out offensive showcase written all over it. The line is Ole Miss by 1.5. I’m leaning Hotty Toddy. If LSU doesn’t win, the Brian Kelly freakout on the media will be fun. Prediction- Ole Miss.
Auburn at Texas A&M. War Eagle played well on the road in a loss to Oklahoma. Texas A&M (#9) has been solid all season, quarterback Marcel Reid is the best signal caller you haven’t heard of yet, and offensive coordinator Collin Klein is masterful in his play calling. Prediction- Texas A&M
Tennessee at Mississippi State. This one could be the game of the week in the SEC. #15 Tennessee is looking to get the taste of that Georgia loss in Knoxville out of their mouths by beating a good SEC squad. Miss State is 4-0 and probably should be ranked. Both squads are known for their offenses, but their defenses will be the deciding factor. The line is Vols by 7.5. I smell upset in Stark Vegas. Prediction- Miss State.
Alabama at Georgia. In other years, this game is a national flashpoint. The fifth ranked Bulldogs is back to playing power football on both sides of the ball, while #17 Alabama is rolling on offense after that dud at Florida State. The line says Georgia by 2.5 at home. If the Dawgs can control the football offensively, they win by 8-10 points. If the Tide gets rolling with big plays down the field, this could be a shootout. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Prediction- Georgia.
UMass at Missouri. The Tigers are #20 this week and playing their way into the national conversation. At 4-0, the possibility is there for MIZ to get to the playoffs. They will need help and probably need to stay perfect or have one loss. Anyways, UMass is in trouble in Columbia. The Tigers name the score. Prediction- Missouri.
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Shane Shackleford is a regional sports columnist from Speedwell, Tenn. He is the host of the webcast The Local Sports Coffee Shop and is also the author of Bounce: A Basketball Love Story (on Amazon) and the soon-to-be released 30 Wins, 2 Lessons: the 1978 National Champion Kentucky Wildcats. Shane is a retired teacher and coach, married to Liz Johnson Shackleford, and dog dad to Lady, Blue, and Rupp.
