Football vs Basketball ??

Tami & I lived in Lexington, KY, for almost 24 years. In Lexington we raised kids, plugged into a church, made great friends, endured ice storms, cheered for UK, built 2 houses, and grew deep roots.

We've lived in Madison, AL, (just outside Huntsville) since July 2006... 3 years. For almost three years prior to that, I actually lived in Huntsville during the week and returned to Lexington on the weekends. That was not much fun - although I did become a Delta Platinum Medallion Member during that time....

So, even though the duration scale is tipped in favor of KY, I recently wondered about and reflected upon the differences between KY and AL. Now granted, there are huge differences even within each individual state itself. I mean Louisville and Lexington are quite different from places in, say... eastern KY..... as Birmingham and Huntsville differ from the lower central part of AL. Anyway let's give it a try....

In KY, when you ask for tea, it automatically comes unsweetened... in AL, it's sweet - really sweet. It goes nicely with the Alabama BBQ that seems to be everywhere.... and not just chain restaurants....I mean "real, real BBQ places". Granted, NASCAR is popular in both states, but horse racing rules in KY. One could also argue however, that Talladega is where racing really happens...

The weather is usually similar in both states too. The temperature difference between Lexington and Huntsville generally averages about 7 - 10 degrees, with Huntsville being warmer. The big difference is winter.... no snow on the ground in AL! We get occasional flurries, but I have never seen more than a brief, "gone by 10AM" dusting... and when this "dusting" is forecasted, the bread & milk are gone!! KY can get significant accumulations, including ice. Remember the recent ice storms? Don't miss those!

But without a doubt, the biggest difference between AL and KY, is the passion for college football versus college basketball. When in KY, I thought no one could ever top the passion and excitement the fans exude toward UK (and U of L) basketball. Never could I have imagined what goes on in AL, however, regarding Alabama and Auburn football. Where basketball is king in KY, football reigns in AL. It even starts in high school... high school football games are attended, followed, and promoted just about as much as college.

I remember one time in Huntsville when Tami was shopping in a store and she spied a person wearing a UK shirt under an opened zip-up jacket. She ran up to the person and exclaimed, "Hey! Another UK Fan! Hello, I'm from KY too!". The person strangely said nothing, but simply opened their jacket further to reveal the dreaded word "DUKE" written across the tee shirt. If only I had had a camera....

I am clearly a UK basketball fan, and am earnestly looking forward to the upcoming season with new Coach "C". But, when it comes to football, I have yet to declare a favorite. This is intentional of course. You see, you can make and break friendships based on your choice of team colors... and, I don't have many friends.... so I want to keep the one's I have. Consequently, in AL, I'm currently riding the fence. I'll attend both Auburn and Alabama football games and yell and scream with the rest of the rabid fans, accordingly.

I'm sure there are other differences, but mainly, the people are the same. There are good and bad folks no matter where you are. We miss friends in KY, but we have made wonderful friends in AL. If you're in the area, stop by.... we'll be watching either Auburn or Alabama beat up on most of the SEC teams, while we eat our BBQ ribs & drink our sweet tea. Of course, that's just until basketball season begins...