MIKE RAPP - QUESTION

Question

Not trying to start any crap here. Just a simple question with no intent to make you or any Vandy fan angry. Simple YES or NO please: Do you think Digger Phelps had a right to give his little lecture to the UK fans at College Game Day ? If you care to elaborate that is fine but I'm trying to keep it simple and not stir the pot. THANK YOU.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by CHAMPCAT11.

Answer 1

The answer you seek will certainly "stir the pot". There's just no way around it if we don't 100% agree with Cat Fans.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by force10jc.

Answer 2

No, Digger Phelps should not have NEEDED to give a lecture.

For what purpose did UK fans show up? To "crash Vanderbilt's party" as I saw on several blogs, message boards, etc. There were no UK players or coaches in Memorial Gym for them cheer for so it is obvious what they were doing.

It is a matter of respect, but we have long since learned that a portion of UK's fan base doesn't care. However, UK's coach and some of their fans did get it.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by thepeo...pion13.

Answer 3

Thanks for the answers, keep them coming as I thought Digger's actions were really bizarre. It's an open forum and I'm coming onto your turf but the two responses thus far seem to be a little irritated at my question. It's your board but I'm in no way trying to be a jerk or trying to upset anyone. I personally feel he went way too far but you can call it however you see it. THANK YOU.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by CHAMPCAT11.

Answer 4

I don't really understand the question.

Did he have a "right"? Of course.

Was it a little silly? Yeah, probably.

Are many of the UK fans feigning innocence and claiming oppression completely full of it? Absolutely.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by vandystu.

Answer 5

It was surprising, but he had clearly caught wind of the move of UK fans to "take over" Game Day, and they didn't want the event to become something other than a celebration of the game, and of the bigger game of basketball. He was clearly pretty pissed that there were fans who were organizing against their staff, and I am sure he resented it. After all, it's not as if ESPN has somehow tried to slight UK over the years.

I'll also add that what you may not know is the degree to which many UK fans tried to sneak in, lie to VU administration about their motives, and even got into heated arguments when Vanderbilt administration tried to enforce rules that ESPN had not only approved but in some cases mandated. The whole UK fan thing ended up being a big and stupid distraction to the entire production, which I was told included hundreds of ESPN production people. They needed to be focusing on the event, not how to make sure UK fans didn't try to upstage the event.

I wanted to ask Digger if he had ever done that before but time got away from everyone.

What Digger was trying to say was, College Game Day is not a fan pissing contest, and if you cannot accept that then you don't need to be here. Why couldn't you just enjoy the moment? I mean, it was a spectacle that you should be able to enjoy.

If Game Day were at Butler and they were playing Vandy, I would love to be there and watch their fans and enjoy Hinkle Arena. I wouldn't find it necessary or frankly even appropriate for me to stage some big protest and try to constantly out-cheer the Butler fans. I'd be concerned it would make Vanderbilt look bad, not good. But that's me, and I'm certainly not a fan that many UK fans would consider to be "a real fan."

This post was edited on 2/13 4:23 PM by Mike Rapp

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 6

I guess I just don't understand the need for a small contingent of fans to "crash Vanderbilt's party."

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 7

Is there another fan base that's selfish and deranged enough to try to make College Gameday at Vanderbilt be about UK? Even your messiah, Honest John, admitted that Saturday was about Vanderbilt and not UK.

This post was edited on 2/13 4:36 PM by GoDores2005

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by GoDores2005.

Answer 8

'Most' of the posters on this board provide enlightening responses in a manner where Vandy fans would probably say that 'most' UK fans have a negative agenda. That is why I wanted to see how you felt about the Digger scenario. I believe most of the responses were fair and interesting. If you are correct (and I truthfully don't know the answer) that the 'Game Day' events are intended to hi-light the home team of the game to be played I guess I see your points. I honestly thought the Game Day festivities were free events open to whomever chose to join in the production. I'm being 100% honest when I say that. I 'personally' don't think anyone should talk down to a group of people like Digger did whether they have the 'right' to do so or not. That's just my opinion and I respect those of the Vandy fans that cared to reply. THANK YOU.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by CHAMPCAT11.

Answer 9

It was rivalry week!!!! Come on!!! Plus these Gameday shows are open to whomever chooses to attend. I thought it brought more passion and spunk into Memorial tahn anything else.Sure you have some fans who have other motives but all in all Digger should have held his tongue and let it happen. The worst that would have happed is exatly what happed, NOTHING !!!

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 10

I was embarrassed for UK when several UK fans yelled back at Digger. I mean I don't have a huge amount of kudos for Digger, but the guy deserved more respect than that.

This post was edited on 2/13 7:28 PM by Mike Rapp

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 11

It was never a question about whether it was open to the public. It remained open to the public. But ESPN was in control of the broadcast, as they are everywhere they go, and not some fan group wanting to draw attention to themselves. That was the point of his warning.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 12

UK fans are annoying and simply "don't get it". That's probably what prompted his impromptu lecture. He had the forum to call them out for being goobers and took advantage.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by show your gold.

Answer 13

People who have never been to the basketball version of Game Day cannot understand the risks involved in a two hour broadcast where the fans can yell anything or try to make a scene just to draw attention to themselves. You can say it's petty but when you have as much preplanning and production that goes into that broadcast, it's downright insulting to have to devote staff resources (and the host's staff) to making sure some fan group doesn't make an *ss of themselves at the show's expense. It really had absolutely nothing to do with Kentucky and everything to do with how Game Day does their show.

It was not going to be a stage for anything but college basketball as a sport, and the host school -- and Saturday that host was Vanderbilt. It wouldn't have been any different if it were at Chapel Hill or Bloomington. When you have a fan group that organized solely to piss off the host school and try to make a scene on ESPN, I think pretty much anyone can understand why he said what he said.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 14

I'm callin BS. The tone was uncalled for. Digger cant stand Kentucky (4-12) and this was his time to get a jab in.Uk fans did nothing before this announcement that deserved a scolding. All Digger did was embarass himself and the Kentucky fans that thought they were welcomed to join.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 15

Shocked at your response!

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 16

Ditto

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 17

The only BS is Kentucky fans trying to upstage us on our message board the same way they tried to upstage us at our Game Day. The funny thing is that you won the game and just refuse to stop making it about yourselves 3 days later. You guys are so arrogant as fans that you think that everyone hates you because you win so much but it's really because most of you are a bunch of arrogant asshats that don't even know how to win gracefully.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by force10jc.

Answer 18

I'm the OP and I wasn't trying to upstage anyone. I think I've made that very clear in my original post as well as my responses. Vanderbilt fans are obviously smart and your team is extremely talented. I thought I would get some reasonable answers (which I have). If I had asked this question on Louisville's board they would have tried to lynch me. Some people may have a nagative agenda. I do not. I'm not a rocket scientist but I still feel that Digger lost his mind. That's why I asked an intelligent fan base. My child goes to UK and we spent a lot of great days going to UK games. I would have loved to have gone to an event like this when my child was young enough that we still spent a lot of time together and you can rest assured I wouldn't have gone with the intention of upstaging anyone. That is all I was trying to discuss. THANK YOU.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by CHAMPCAT11.

Answer 19

If you were paying attention you would have noticed that my last post was not responding to you at all.

This post was edited on 2/14 9:17 AM by force10jc

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by force10jc.

Answer 20

Game Day is a seven day production. Hundreds of people are involved. The thing that makes the show such an attraction is that it is broadcasted almost entirely live on a school campus, with fans sitting 30 feet from the desk. But it is a very carefully crafted event that, by its very nature, involves the direct help and "way outside the lines" cooperation of the host school.

When you are having meeting after meeting with the host school about things that matter to the show itself, it is a royal pain in the *ss to have to discuss, plan for, and proactive about a potential problem with visiting fans. ESPN is smart enough to know that it's the rivalries that make sports what they are, but there is a very distinct line that ESPN has to draw with Game Day, especially for basketball.

You can say he over-reacted, but quite honestly, you have two perspectives: 1. UK is more important than Game Day (that's the mindset of UK fans); and, 2. Nothing "bad" was going to happen.

But ask yourself, with the nature of these protests and staged interventions going on on the Internet, whatw could happen if a fan group simply chose to care more about making a statement about their team rather than just enjoying the show. I mean, I'll just tell you it really sucked to see so many guards and fan security people there, and believe me they were active and unfortunately had more than a few angry confrontations with UK fans who tried to circumvent ESPN and Vanderbilt to make a statement that ESPN explicitly told fans they were not going to allow.

I realize you want what you want, but ESPN has a way they do Game Day and it is not even-handed. They require an absolutely enormous amount of support from the host school. Frankly you would have no idea how much work is involved if you've never done it. When you're asking the host school to basically turn their entire staff over to Game Day for a week, and basically play traffic cop for opposing fans too -- that just isn't right, fair, or "the deal" that ESPN cuts with host schools.

I can tell you that it was obvious that the UK fans there had every intention of showing up Vanderbilt. They had no intention of playing ball with Game Day. Phelps knew it, and knew that UK could not stop it, so he did what only he could do and that was state an explicit warning. Even when he did that, a couple of UK fans yelled back at him. It was embarrassing, frankly.

Bottom line is, when Game Day comes to Rupp Arena, whichever school is UK's opponent will be kept as far away from courtside as possible. And nary a single UK fan will say that's out of line. And if that school organizes in ways to circumvent ESPN's stated policy, every single UK fan will support the intervention. The issue UK fans have is that it happened at Vanderbilt, against their fans. Otherwise, they wouldn't have cared either way.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 21

A UK fan playing the victim card? No way man.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by rEvUrB.

Answer 22

MIKE RAPP- Thanks for the responses. I understand a little more now about the production and purpose of 'Game Day' more than before I made my post. Not here to offend anyone and I'll bow out leave your message board as the game's over and I'm not an obnoxious UK fan. Good luck to your team, thanks for the responses, and while I'm not 100% in agreement with all of the posts I can deal with it as that is what these boards are for. Good luck.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by CHAMPCAT11.

Answer 23

On the college football games days they show fans from both theams and if you don't think that college game day for football is a lot harder to get together than the basketball one then don't know what to tell you. You never seen one of the ESPN guys lecture some opposing team on College game day for football and I bet you there were more than just a few opposing fans there and way more vocal.I have seen it for myself. If they don't want tthe opposing fans to yell and scream for their team don't let them in during the show.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by michaelj525.

Answer 24

College Game Day has been to Vanderbilt for both football and basketball and there is no comparison between the two in terms of the actual game day event. Football is held outdoors on a massive scale; Basketball is held indoors at courtside. The difference is night and day.

ESPN has no problem with fans cheering for their team. What they didn't want was an "Occupy Memorial" side show. You know as well as I do that the fans who would attend an event like that would have absolutely no problem making a scene that tried to make Vanderbilt look bad or inferior to Kentucky. Like it or not, that is what Game Day would not tolerate, and thus the warning.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 25

UK fans openly tried to organize a group whose sole purpose was to upstage Vanderbilt on College Game Day. It clearly pissed ESPN off, not just Phelps, as he never would have said that had ESPN not told him to do it. It had nothing to do with Coach Phelps and everything to do with what the College Game Day event was created to celebrate, which is the host school and college basketball in general.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 26

I agree with all this regarding someone to control the crowd for the setting. I agree with segregation of the fans to put those wearing Vandy colors specifically in the lower seats for the GameDay backdrop. I agree with moving or ejecting UK fans who try to sit in areas reserved for Vandy fans sporting colors, who then reveal their UK blue underneath. I'm on board with that....

But UK and Digger have history, and he damn well was close to frothing at the mouth. I'm thinking another ESPN spokesman or manager could have done this and come off less frothy, and less irritable to UK folk....but it was what it was.

I do think I could be standing within earshot of Digger just about anywhere in the world and be irritated by him.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by IrishPokerDog.

Answer 27

I am not a Digger Phelps fan and more than I am a Lou Holtz fan. For the same reasons.

But people who say ESPN should have said nothing simply have no concept of what it means to produce a live, two hour TV show with 1200 fans standing 30 feet behind you.

And let's be honest: If this happened at Rupp Arena to Louisville fans, UK fans would love it.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.

Answer 28

Not saying nothing should have been said.Just saying the way it was said was way out of line.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 29

If that was out-of-line then what do you call what the Kentucky fans were doing to receive such a response? Don't blame Digger, ESPN, and Vanderbilt. Blame the fans that were being bad enough to cause ESPN to allow such a retort on national television in the first place.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by force10jc.

Answer 30

First off College game day is open to the public.Secondly Kentucky fans did nothing but come to an event that was OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
They made them go to the top of the gym,which is fine.There were no issues with any UK fans up to the point of Diggers Rant. He was out of line to seperate his warning to UK fans.He talked to them like they were step kids. And there was no need to.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 31

If there had been no issues with UK fans up to the point of "Diggers Rant", there would have been no need for "Diggers Rant". The only ones I've hear have issue with "Diggers Rant" have been Cat Fans that are too stupid to enjoy their Game Day win on our home court without having to bitch about every little thing on our board about a game that was more than a week ago. They WERE acting like inbred step kids. And ther WAS need to. Get over it and go try and enjoy the rest of your season but do it on Kitty Pause.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by force10jc.

Answer 32

Ummmmm personal attack much?

ok since youre in the know, please tell us what the Kentucky fans did to deserve the scolding? They showed up to an event open to the public?
They wore KY blue in memorial? What did they do? Seriously?

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 33

Oh and Mike?

4) If you're a VS member, paying or not, please do not bait or enter into flame wars with anyone. Your post will be deleted or thread locked. If your behavior crosses boundaries, your post will be referred to a publisher for possible action

Just sayin

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 34

You got bich spanked by Digga.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by fightcrib.

Answer 35

No if i'd have been there I would have started GO BIG BLUE!!! before he ever got a chance to finish.

Oh and speaking of be spanked, see you Saturday!

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by LOSERv...CKS!!!.

Answer 36

Hey here's a novel idea: Be better fans and actually show up!

Seriously, this was one of the biggest events surrounding Vandy basketball in the past 20 years and you can't get more than 3000-4000 people show up. That is pathetic.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by BCG=Good4me.

Answer 37

Do you Vandy fans actually think ESPN would have chosen Vandy if it wasn't for UK and it's fan base?... Absolutely no way it would have happened... but don't believe me, ask ESPN executives, they will tell you the truth!!

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by wldctky.

Answer 38

The arguments here are ridiculous. Anyone with any intelligence would admit that ESPN and Vandy BOTH realize that the draw of Kentucky is the only thing that gave the event any relevance at all, but somehow wanted to exclude Kentucky fans from that equation.

It would be like The Calling headlining a show with Radiohead as guests but then asking the Radiohead fans not to upstage The Calling since they are the headliner.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by One4Wall.

Answer 39

Here is a novel idea... fill up your Gameday. UK doesn't have to worry about it because:

a) no other fanbase in the SEC cares enough about basketball to show up in Rupp with a large enough and organized enough following to make an impact.

b) The arena has been full for our Gamedays. That's right, 24k for the Gameday. The ticket allotment for any given UK game is probably approximately 98.7% UK fans and 1.3% opposing fans. And that is being VERRRRRRRRRRRRRY generous. So what it would take to upstage Kentucky is a huge contingent of opposing fans driving to and attending a Gameday that they have no possible hope for attending the game for. The first problem with that scenario is that the requisite fan base does not exist. Actually, that's pretty much the only problem. Anything else is just peripheral.

With such a huge contingency of fans in your game against us being UK fans, those attendees were likely to show up earlier that day to attend Gameday, that was, at best, sparsely populated by actual Vandy fans. If not for both our fans' physical presence but also the fact that the game was against us, it might have been one of the more embarrassing turnouts in Gameday history. So really, your administration, the posters here and especially Digger should have been THANKING us for showing up. Not scolding us like butt hurt little crybabies, for the sole fact that the event was anything close to relevant is 100% attributable to Kentucky's fan turnout.

BTW, go ask opposing AD's, concession salesman, hotel proprietors, etc. how much they dread UK fans. I'm sure every single one would tell you (especially SEC West schools/towns) that they would rather UK come to town as much as possible.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by One4Wall.

Answer 40

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by KAVandy05.

Answer 41

I love games versus Kentucky, everywhere in the SEC, because the fans love them. Conversely there is not much less interesting than games versus South Carolina, Auburn and Georgia.

As far as Game Day, ESPN makes the rules and the participating schools and visiting fans abide by them. ESPN has no issue with fans of both schools at Game Day, but they don't want the visiting schools' fans organizing events meant to upstage and show up the host school. This is not unique to Vanderbilt, it was the case when they went to all other campuses.

Like the rules or don't like the rules, they are what ESPN says they are.

Originally posted on Men's Basketball Board by Mike Rapp.