It's More than Just a Game: Why 38-1 Hit Lexington Kids Hard

You've taken a seat and turned on the TV. Maybe you're on your living room couch, or in your basement den, or just resting on your bed. Or maybe you're not watching TV at all. Maybe you're there, in person, at the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Your heart is already pounding, and it isn't even 9:06. Since the start of the season, you've been following one of the best programs in college basketball, the Kentucky Wildcats, on their legendary Pursuit of Perfection. They've won 38 straight games--an incredible feat for anyone, much less a team predominated by underclassmen. Two more, you think. Two more and they will achieve the epitome of perfect seasons. 

The game starts. You can barely breathe through the entirety of it. You shout at the TV, the players, and the refs. The team you've watched succeed all year is crumbling before your very eyes. They fight, oh do they fight, but it isn't enough. It's over.

38-1.

There are tears, curses, and cries. A deep sadness settles over the Big Blue Nation, one that sinks its way into almost everyone's hearts, whether they watched every second of every game, or simply followed the story of the undefeated boys in blue.

Now, I'm not normally one to talk basketball. I'm the person who sits in the other room and waits for the occasional score update, because let's face it--basketball games can make you anxious, and being anxious is NOT something I enjoy. But, I was pulling for the Cats just like a vast majority in my home State of Kentucky, and I felt the pain of their loss last night just as heavily. I still feel it today.

Around the State, people are waking up with a pang of sadness in their heart. They wish last night hadn't happened, that it had all been a dream and their beloved Kentucky Wildcats are really "39-0 with one more to go". Sadly, that's not the case.

As I scrolled through Twitter this morning, I found myself gauging the reactions of my peers with regard to last night's loss. From right after the final buzzer, there were angry posts about the bad calls and purportedly biased refs. But this short bitterness faded away to deep sadness, but also deep appreciation.

This legendary UK team consists of players not much older than us--all between the ages of 18 and 21. We Lexington kids have friends, or acquaintances, or even siblings who are the classmates of this talented team. When someone from our town goes on to do something amazing, there's a sense of pride we all get. We rally behind them, rooting for them every step of the way. This almost unconscious support was exemplified with this year's Cats. They are our peers, and they are representing this community with their athletic prowess, exemplary character, and unbreakable brotherhood.

You see, this year's team isn't just a bunch of guys obsessed with the game. They're amazing on and off the court. "Willie Cauley-Stein Goes on a Lunch Date with a Special Little Girl", "Karl-Anthony Towns gives sneakers to fan in wheelchair following win over Florida", "Letter to Cal reveals Marcus Lee's good deeds": the headlines only scratch the surface of the incredible things these players do off the court.

They are our not only our peers, but our role models. Some might say, "look up to scientists and doctors and politicians, not athletes". Maybe in some cases, but this team is different. What they do isn't a publicity stunt. Coach Calipari recruits these kids not just because they're excellent ball players--they're pretty great people too.

And the kids of Lexington have come to adore them. "UK gives us something to believe in, it gives us something that unifies people from all areas of Kentucky, the nation, and even the world" writes Lexington 18-year-old Hailey O'Hair on Twitter (@haileyarlene). Watching this year's UK team make it so far without a single loss was exhilarating. It gave us something to look forward to every Tuesday and Saturday, something to bond over when we returned to school or work. This season, people made a connection with college basketball that they'd never really had. I can honestly say I was one of them.

So, the next time you're thinking about telling someone, "It's just a game", you should remember that it's a whole lot more than that. The Pursuit of Perfection may be over, and the Cats may be 38-1, but I think we can all rest assured that when it comes to success, these boys are FAR from done.


Erin Christopher, 17
Lexington, KY