Each and every one of us possesses a unique perspective or opinion, and that is especially true when it comes to watching sports. What one individual may feel is the most exciting sport in the world to watch will bore the next person to tears. The most watched sports in the world are a direct reflection of that fact.
A perfect example is the worldwide popularity of futbol, or as it’s known in America, soccer. Billions of people around the globe feel that watching soccer is the ultimate experience. It remains the most popular televised sport on the planet, which is certainly far from earth shattering.
However, while researching the most fun sports to watch on the tube for the purposes of this missive, one survey I discovered had a few surprises among viewing habits. Soccer, according to the website sportforbusiness.com, claims at least 3.5 billion fans, but I bet you can’t guess the next four on the list. They include cricket, field hockey, tennis and volleyball, each with an estimated 900 million or more fans. The next five in the top 10 are table tennis (really?), baseball, golf, basketball and surprisingly (to me anyway) in 10th place, the National Football League.
In this part of the universe, that particular list would appear completely different, especially in the Bluegrass State. Everyone born and raised in the Commonwealth knows just how much we love basketball, both on the high school and collegiate levels. Other sports listed among the most watched by Kentuckians would include high school and collegiate
football, baseball, softball, soccer, horse racing, auto racing, wrestling and cock fighting. (Just kidding about that last one.)
There are other sports that have been gaining more interest in recent years, with volleyball at the forefront. There are also numerous lacrosse and field hockey fans in Kentucky on the high school level, but they have not caught on as televised events. Several other sports have made their way to the ESPN family of networks in recent years as well, although it could be argued that at least one – I’m looking at you cornhole – is more of a recreational activity than a sport.
Just guessing, but if most sports fans in the area were asked the question of what they feel is fun to watch, they would mention not only a sport, but a particular team or player as well.
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SPEEDY REDS FUN TO WATCH — A recent example would be the emergence of the young, hustling Cincinnati Reds team that burst onto the scene in 2023. I don’t know how many times I heard or read the term “fun to watch” when referring to the style of baseball played by the team last season. It’s still early in the 2024 campaign, but Reds fans are hoping to see that type of baseball continue to be the norm rather than the exception.
When you hear the name Elly De La Cruz, one of the first things you think of is he’s fun to watch. EDLC is just scratching the surface of the player he can eventually become. There are always growing pains with young players, and he is far from a finished product. But he’s still fun to watch.
Elly may be much better-served to become the Reds center fielder, which would be a way to capitalize on his athleticism, blazing speed, and rocket arm. Shortstop is also a position of
considerable strength in the Cincinnati farm system, which would make the move make even more sense.
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FUN TO WATCH CATS END ON DOWN NOTE — Another team that was fun to watch was this past season’s Kentucky basketball team. They captured the hearts of UK fans, who enjoyed the up-tempo offensive style of play, and it was said repeatedly by many of us that they were a lot of fun to watch. I would have to agree; the team was tons of fun to watch, until they weren’t.
It was not a lot of fun to see the team defense never reach the level of improvement needed to make a deep run, and the Cats ultimately let down their fanbase by crashing and burning when March came around. That meltdown occurred despite hearing from the former coach how the team was “built for March.” Still, you have to admit they were fun to watch, with freshmen stars like Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard, and veteran Antonio Reeves three of the most fun to watch players on the team.
The end of the season left a sour taste among many Kentucky supporters, eventually leading to a mass exodus of players and coaches in recent weeks. A season that had so much promise and anticipation ended with a whimper. The result led many to say that the head coach had again squandered a talented roster and underachieved. That was far from fun.
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REDS RIDING ROLLER COASTER — The Cincinnati Reds left for Chicago with a 6-6 record. After a three-game sweep of one of the worst teams in baseball, the club took a 9-6 mark to the
Great Northwest. The Reds promptly dropped back to .500 after the Seattle Mariners got out the broom and took three in a row.
This is how it’s going to be for the Redlegs this season. One day, they’re going to look like world beaters, and the next day, well, not so much. They’re also missing some key pieces in the everyday lineup and trying to tread water until they’re able to return. In the meantime, if they can stay around the .500 mark until then, the Reds should be fine. It is far too early to panic; as of this moment on Friday morning, they have 144 games left to play.
The club has an opportunity to break out of their slump with a seven-game homestand that began with three against the Los Angeles Angels (9-10) on Friday night. The competition ramps up beginning on Monday, when the Philadelphia Phillies visit Great American Ball Park for a four-game set.
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SHAKE IT UP – I’m sure Reds skipper David Bell gives a hoot, but here’s a few suggestions for him concerning the lineup.
The time has come for a new leadoff hitter, and the return of TJ Friedl cannot come quickly enough. Jonathan India is simply not getting the job done whatsoever at the top of the lineup, and needs to move much closer to the bottom. India, who is merely holding down the fort at second base until the return of Matt McLain (hopefully in early August), will eventually be a decent utility player. Currently however, India is hitting a paltry .159 and mired in an awful stretch at the plate, so why in the world is he leading off?
India isn’t the only Red scuffling at the dish. It is still extremely early, but when you have this many regulars struggling to hit their weight, it makes it that much more difficult for the pitching staff. Expectations are that players like Will Benson (.213), Jeimer Candelario (.190), Christian Encarnacion-Strand (.192), Tyler Stephenson (.195), and Luke Maile (.130) will steadily bring those averages up, but a couple of players who are on the roster due to the injuries to Friedl and McLain – Santiago Espinal (.133) and Bubba Thompson (.182) – will likely be on their way to Louisville upon the return of the Reds’ regular center fielder and second baseman.
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NEW COACHES JOINING UK STAFF – As expected, Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope will be joined by his longtime assistant, Cody Fueger, as a member of the new coaching staff at UK. Fueger is reputed to be an offensive mastermind and is reportedly a highly respected young coach. He was the first assistant brought in by Pope.
Word came out Thursday that a couple of additional assistant coaches are also headed to Kentucky.
One name familiar to UK fans is Mark Fox, the former head coach at Georgia. Fox, 55, comes from Georgetown University, where he served as the Director of Student-Athlete Relations. He was the head coach at Nevada from 2000-2004, at Georgia from 2009-2018, and at California from 2019-2023. Fox won 324 games as a head coach.
Jason Hart, who has been coaching in the NBA G League for the past three seasons, will be joining the staff as well. Hart, who will be 46 later in the month, played collegiately at Syracuse
and on numerous NBA teams. He is reputed to be an excellent recruiter after an eight-year stint at Southern California from 2013-2021.
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PLAYERS ARE ON THE WAY TOO — Curious and impatient Kentucky fans are anxiously awaiting news on what players will be joining the new coaching staff, and expect quite a bit of news on that front to emerge at any moment.
It seems like that sort of breaking news always occurs after my column is written and emailed for publication.
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ANOTHER ONE AND DONE – The news broke on Thursday afternoon that Kentucky freshman guard Reed Sheppard made his decision to make himself eligible for the NBA Draft.
The news was far from a surprise, but still a disappointment to Kentucky fans, who were hoping for a return to the Cats. Some fans felt that with the hiring of Mark Pope as the head coach — and his close friendship with Reed’s dad, former UK star Jeff – that the younger Sheppard may just come back for his sophomore season, but the decision is understandable.
(Since this column was already in the finishing stages when the news broke, we will have much more to say about Sheppard’s decision – along with the current state of college sports — in the Wednesday column.)
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“Having fun is definitely how you’re going to keep yourself loose, and be at your best.” – Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (and one of my favorite players)
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“Winning is only half of it. Having fun is the other half.” – Bum Phillips
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“There are many harsh lessons to be learned from the gambling experience, but the harshest one of all is the difference between having fun and being smart.” – Hunter S. Thompson
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“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” – Albert Einstein
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“If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.” – Katharine Hepburn
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“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” – Dr. Seuss
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“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” – Dale Carnegie
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“There is no sadder sight that a young pessimist.” – Samuel Clemens
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