The parents of the Kentucky Wildcats are beaming with pride this morning – the parents of the players that is. I would gather the parents of the students that decided to riot, destroy private property and get arrested for public drunkenness are hanging their heads. There is a man in the hospital with serious injuries due to being shot. The only shots that should have been taken last night were the ones made with a basketball into a hoop. According to this article the mayhem in the streets was even more intense Saturday night after Kentucky beat Louisville to make it into the championship game. How could the city and the police department let this happen again two nights later? Were they prepared? Did they just chalk it up to this behavior is the new norm?
This phenomenon of trashing a town or city after the hometown team has brought home the trophy or beaten a rival unfortunately isn’t new, but it’s just plain stupid. I don’t recall being a college student and feeling the need to set fires and destroying other people’s property as some sort of rite of passage that has no consequences. Happiness should beget more happiness, not bring harm and destruction. The One Shining Moment for Kentucky is now just one shining spotlight on how people’s euphoria can turn awry especially if induced with personality altering substances.
The heavy metal band Quiet Riot is famous for singing the words
Come on feel the noise, girls rock your boys, We’ll get wild wild wild wild wild wild.
Well, a few of the Kentucky Wildcats did just that by living up to their school’s nickname.
