Thank God for Kentucky...

[longtimefan]

And up until a few years ago Virginia had a senator that was a member of the KKK when he was a younger man. Does that say something about that state or our country that he would rise to such power? Not sure what any of this has to do with UK basketball right now.

Byrd was from West Virginia. And the last 30 years of his life were much different from the first 30.

 

[Paul OLeary]

It was an issue much more recently than that.

"The Most Important Game" , Texas Western vs. Kentucky, was in 1966. The subtext, under the all-black vs all-white teams on court, was the decades of racist history that Rupp and his program represented. And it lasted another 5 years plus beyond this. Hell, Alabama had a black player before Kentucky did.

And, of course, UK was involved in point shaving in the '40's-'50's, and the Fed Ex cash of the late '80's. The program was built on, and has continued to flourish due to, improprieties at the least and illegalities at the most. Just ask Bobby Knight about the UK program.

If you think that those boosters and the bourbon-coal-thoroughbred money have disappeared since Calipari arrived, you are kidding yourself.

Just pointing out it's silly when you have to go back 49 years to try impune a program. Hopefully, you have found it in your heart to forgive the Detroit Tigers for the actions of there racist leader Ty Cobb back in 1914???.

Wrt to "The Most Important Game" - many would argue that the 1963 Mississippi State vs. Loyola game was far more important given the courageous actions taken by their coach in playing that game.

For the record, I don't want UK to win it all. Not sure who I want at this point with SU on the sidelines so I will probably pull for a team and a coach that has never won it before.

 

[RoysRunts]

Byrd: Blowhard/windbag Who loved to see his name on Roads/Building and Bridges built by his constituints Tax money. Should have been a Poster Boy for Term Limit's

 

[HOFCeluck]

LOL were not even a week removed from the announcement and you have people trying go moral high ground wrt UK.

 

[bpo57]

Byrd was from West Virginia. And the last 30 years of his life were much different from the first 30.

You're right- good catch. I just don't see what any of the history has to do with Calipari. I think back to his UMass, Memphis and now UK teams and I can't even think of more than 3 guys that were white and played any minutes. Aside from that what makes me laugh is when people say he can't coach. That is nuts.

 

[longtimefan]

Just pointing out it's silly when you have to go back 49 years to try impune a program. Hopefully, you have found it in your heart to forgive the Detroit Tigers for the actions of there racist leader Ty Cobb back in 1914???.

Wrt to "The Most Important Game" - many would argue that the 1963 Mississippi State vs. Loyola game was far more important given the courageous actions taken by their coach in playing that game.

For the record, I don't want UK to win it all. Not sure who I want at this point with SU on the sidelines so I will probably pull for a team and a coach that has never won it before.

MSU-Loyola was important, but not as memorable because it was a first round game. Which is why it's seldom referenced these days,

On the other hand, Texas Western-UK was a championship game.

In those days, the FF games weren't even on national TV. As for the early round games, unless you lived in the local area of one of the contesting teams, you had to wait to see the score in the agate the next day.

[Edit] And, I didn't have to go back 49 years to do the impugn thing-- Payne wasn't recruited until the early '70's and the Fed Ex episode was in 1988 or '89. And I'm sure that dark money didn't disappear just because the package popped open. A minor bump in the road.

 

[bpo57]

Longtime fan- but why would UK have to pay players today? The types of guys they recruit are often one and done. Since UK is widely regarded as the best destination for these types then why do they need to layer $$$ on top of it.

 

[longtimefan]

Longtime fan- but why would UK have to pay players today? The types of guys they recruit are often one and done. Since UK is widely regarded as the best destination for these types then why do they need to layer $$$ on top of it.

Assuming it is still going on--

1.) Boosters want to be close to the program, and feel like a big man.
2.) Players--What does a millionaire want? Another million. Human nature--we always want more.

 

[bpo57]

Assuming it is still going on--

1.) Boosters want to be close to the program, and feel like a big man.
2.) Players--What does a millionaire want? Another million. Human nature--we always want more.

Always possible but you could say that about a lot of schools. Boosters can run amok anywhere (as we know) but I don't think there is much motivation for UK's staff to be involved with that. Every highly regarded recruit has a dream to hear his name called by Adam Silver, preferably early on draft night. Right or wrong most of these recruits have decided UK is the best place to make that happen. That puts UK in a spot where they can almost select the best players without the need to pony up cash. That would be the quickest way to unwind the whole thing if they were paying recruits.

 

[CaptainJ]

Thanking God for the University of Kentucky this season is like thanking God for Stalin because things would have been less interesting otherwise. I wish I could have gotten in on this earlier, but alas I do what I can.

 

[bpo57]

Thanking God for the University of Kentucky this season is like thanking God for Stalin because things would have been less interesting otherwise. I wish I could have gotten in on this earlier, but alas I do what I can.

The point was in an otherwise lackluster year (particularly for Orange fans) the pursuit of a 40-0 record adds more intrigue to the tourney. I think the amount of bandwidth taken up on this board talking about UK makes that point pretty well. Yeesh.

 

[CaptainJ]

The point was in an otherwise lackluster year (particularly for Orange fans) the pursuit of a 40-0 record adds more intrigue to the tourney. I think the amount of bandwidth taken up on this board talking about UK makes that point pretty well. Yeesh.

I understand the point, but I think the majority of folks talking about would much prefer it weren't around to be talked about. Id prefer UK be unranked and not having a shot at the 40-0 and getting the last laugh over all those on here who relentlessly mocked those t-shirts in the past. I think there are enough other things of interest where that I dont need one of the most sickening nightmares in basketball on the verge of possibly happening in order to keep me from being bored. But to each their own, I suppose.

 

[bpo57]

because they have made an otherwise boring season interesting on their quest for 40-0. I know part of the boredom for me is SU's situation but the quality of play overall is down this year and there are just not that many compelling story lines. The NCAA tournament usually delivers one way or the other but having UK undefeated heading in will guarantee some kind of drama.

Bump.

Caught a lotta sheet for this post but I guess nearly 5,000 views of the UK-ND in-game thread serves to underscore the point.

 

[two3zone]

As far as I am concerned, Calipari is the worse coach in the country. How he has not won the championship every year is beyond me. He has had the #1 recruiting class like 8 of the last 10 years (a guess, I didn't look) and has underachieved almost every year. They say he puts talent in the NBA, the players themselves could have gone anywhere and they would have been playing in the NBA. For those of you who don't think that every school cheats you are living in a fantasy. The difference is that when we noticed our transgressions we self-reported and put actions in place to stop them from happening again; and still got hammered. I would be willing to bet that if anyone actually investigated Kentucky they would find the same things and a lot more in their dealings with World Wide Wes. It is not a coincidence that almost every Kentucky player gets a shoe deal when they leave college. As far as I am concerned, Kentucky is everything that is wrong with college basketball. I hope they get beat by a 16 seed this year.

I have to hand it to you BPO for once again getting the SU fans on this forum to dislike you even more. At this point, if there were a dislike button I believe you would be leading. Definitely time to turn in your "orange" card.

Most first round picks get a shoe deal.

 

[Halfmooncuse]

How does Alabama have the best football recruiting class every year? In some ways I think the south has made more strides on racism than the north. I don't want to stir up a sheet storm but I can name a few sections of the northeast that are not exactly known for racial tolerance.

The cities I agree but bubba land outside the cities are still fighting the civil war.

 

[cto]

Bump.

Caught a lotta sheet for this post but I guess nearly 5,000 views of the UK-ND in-game thread serves to underscore the point.

I read the entire thread as the game progressed. At least 95 percent of those participating were rooting for Notre Dame. In other words, they just wanted to see KY lose. (And it was not just because of the undefeated angle. They dislike KY on general principle).

 

[jncuse]

The presence of an undefeated Kentucky has increased hate, and therefore added interest and additional entertainment value from their games.


So from an entertainment perspective they have certainly added plenty of value to the tourney (having one hunted team that could possibly go down). I could still do quite well without them however!!

 

[bpo57]

I read the entire thread as the game progressed. At least 95 percent of those participating were rooting for Notre Dame. In other words, they just wanted to see KY lose. (And it was not just because of the undefeated angle. They dislike KY on general principle).

But you have to admit that things are a helluva lot more amped up given the 40-0 possibility. That's a no- brainer to me.

 

[rstone7727]

Bump.

Caught a lotta sheet for this post but I guess nearly 5,000 views of the UK-ND in-game thread serves to underscore the point.

Oh, now I get it.. You are looking for attention. Mission accomplished!

 

[Toga]

Oh, now I get it.. You are looking for attention. Mission accomplished!

 

[longtimefan]

But you have to admit that things are a helluva lot more amped up given the 40-0 possibility. That's a no- brainer to me.

If Kentucky had lost that game to Ole Miss back in January, I would have been rooting against 36-1 UK just as hard as 37-0 UK.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Oh, now I get it.. You are looking for attention. Mission accomplished!

Yup...which is why he titled this thread "Thank God for Kentucky" on an SU board, and then acted offended when folks react negatively.
I'm a Mets fan. When the Yanks we're going for the all-time wins record, I was interested...mostly cause I wanted them to fail. But I sure as hell wasn't thinking "Well, thank God for the Yankees since they've made this an interesting season"!

 

[Toga]

Yup...which is why he titled this thread "Thank God for Kentucky" on an SU board, and then acted offended when folks react negatively.
I'm a Mets fan. When the Yanks we're going for the all-time wins record, I was interested...mostly cause I wanted them to fail. But I sure as hell wasn't thinking "Well, thank God for the Yankees since they've made this an interesting season"!

True. And by the way - best team I've ever seen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_New_York_Yankees_season