We are a football school.
- Thread starter Gobigblue812812
- Start date
we could win a natty in FB and Kentucky would still be a basketball school
We aren’t and never will be. It’s always exciting after hiring a new coach. Soon the realities that we are the bottom of the SEC will slap us in the face.
It would be nice to have a seperate football board for days like this.
We’re a women’s volleyball school.
At least that’s the only sport doing UK proud nowadays.
At least that’s the only sport doing UK proud nowadays.
Doesn’t the Indiana uprising give you any hope that it will go differently this time?
At least now we know that it IS possible.
Not as long as Mitch Barnhart and anyone from his tree has anything to do with our athletic program. Can success happen, yes, will it, betting odds are clearly on no it won't.
We were a cheerleading school until the naked water sports activities were exposed.
They have a way bigger NIL warchest. And as of now a way better coach.
Puritanically speaking, the cheerleading teams don't wear buckles on their shoes. What do I care how they reward themselves within legal bounds? I don't know what went on, but as long as they weren't forced to do it, they were adults.
Na man we aren’t. We aren’t a football or basketball school. We can say we suck in basketball without lying about football. Actually it’s still not close.
Even with this season being the worst one I’ve ever seen we are still middle of the pack in sec. Football is dead last buddy. Or close to it.
Basically EVERY school is a "football school" based on attendance and revenue. I saw Duke as thebD1 exception a few years back as revenues for both sports was shown.
Kentucky is known for a great men's bb program, but the $$$ does the talking. Take care of football and everything else is gravy.
Kentucky is known for a great men's bb program, but the $$$ does the talking. Take care of football and everything else is gravy.
Buddy, we are a basketball school. As a matter of fact we are the most prestigious basketball program in the game. Just because you’re not happy with season doesn’t change the facts. This isn’t up for debate
You’re correct but UK is one of only few basketball schools in America that’s self sufficient.
Not a world beater this coming season but at the very least a fun team to watch. Win some games & be totally in every game even in a loss.
I tongue-in-cheek said we were a cheerleading school until that story broke - I didn’t give a moral opinion. We won 20+ cheerleader championships, including 2016-2019, before the story appeared in 2020. Nothing since.
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Yea I get what you are saying. Yes we have a lot of fans that love basketball. We have a rich tradition. Right now we aren’t a top ten program. It is up for debate man.
We are always gonna be number one to me because I’m a Kentucky fan but let’s take the blue shades off and look at reality.
Will we get back to the mountain top? I hope. We aren’t there right now. It’s not I’m unhappy with this season. Lots of people are. Getting blown out in the sweet sixteen is our most recent success in how many years?
We have the potential to be the best like we used to be. My first post that you replied to was not to down basketball but stating football is nowhere close as you stated.
So I agree with you. Yea we are a basketball school if we are comparing football vs basketball at UK. Of course we are we have 8 national championships. They will never compare side by side. That’s all I was saying. We aren’t a football school to the OP.
As fans we need to start looking at reality and quit living in the past. Quit accepting mediocrity. Quit finding excuses for some one who should have never been in this position. Yea we didn’t hire him. But our butts showed up and packed the arena for that preseason introductory press conference.
We flocked with support knowing he wasn’t worthy while teams like Texas a&m raised hell.
So yes I do blame the fans including myself. I was one that got sick to my stomach when I heard he was the coach because as you stated UK is number one in my book. Number one programs don’t support terrible decisions like we did. Maybe we will get back to being feared but currently you might be crazy saying we are number one program while the rest of the country laughs at us. It’s not just me unhappy with this season.
Hey, I'm hanging on to this as well. But this argument is becoming more and more fleeting. Our biggest claim really is our winning percentage, in my opinion. It's what says that if we paly in a game, we typically win. But I'm not sure you will find many outside of our fanbase that look at UK basketball in that light. Thank God for Pitino and his "camelot" reference tweets from time to time helping us stay relevant in that regard.
I think Duke, Kansas, maybe even UConn could now claim the most "prestigious" basketball program in the game, all having won titles more recently than UK. Outside of our fanbase, people just don't give a rip about a bunch of wins piled up 50-100 years ago. I hate it, but it's true. I even feel silly arguing with UL fans on their high-horses these days with citing our illustrious past. It's actually kind of pathetic.
We are and have been in a "what have you done for me lately" time period. It's time UK basketball actually did something lately, or our claims to greatness will continue to slip and slip.
As I look back at that packed out Rupp Arena introductory press-conference for Pope, it seemed more a revival/reunion and pep-rally around remembering the past than it was welcoming in a new Coach. And I actually think it was much needed at the time. The 96' team, like most national title teams, holds a special place for fans because it represented a year of shear dominance. It represented what UK fans feel should be the actual standard for Kentucky basketball. It's widely regarded as one of the best teams ever.
At the time, we were all very much yearning for that feeling again. Sort of like when Cal was first hired, we were yearning for a return to that kind of dominance. When Pope was hired we were all collectively skeptical, but as has been mentioned, we gave it a chance because he was one of our own and we felt like he deserved it, resume not withstanding. The big celebration was just an opportunity to cheer again. To feel good about our program again. To show everyone "hey, remember that 96' team? They dominated all of you".
I think maybe it built some false belief in an actual turnaround for the basketball program. That kind of display, those feelings, the nostalgia, the things Pope said "I know the assignment" felt great. It made you feel like, "hey, we're back. We're going to be fine. Pope isn't going to let this thing fail". But it seems that was truly false hope. We are all kind of victims of that hope and now Pope is struggling. I don't know the answer except that we might have to separate our feelings about one of our own from what it takes to win and win big.
Heck yea it was awesome! I was going crazy. I said Pope was about to start a dynasty. Buttttt it was exactly everything you said and nothing more. False hope. Real programs shouldn’t do things like that. Especially a program claiming to be the greatest. You don’t seek hope you go get a coach that has at least won a tournament game. Seriously we backed Pope but turn our heads to anybody else that hasn’t won a championship.
There’s 30 coaches that would have us in a better situation. I truly believe that. I got sick to my stomach when I heard the announcement for a reason.
Thsnks. I read your post. Didn't say you did give a moral opinion..
Yep. Thanks. I'd be surprised if 98% of UK fans didnt know that.
You may be happy (or less touchy) to know we did win one of the titles this year. Can't remember the category. Happened last week.
Losing Jomo was a big deal. He was stabbed in the back by someone who wanted his job and then couldn't do it as well. It's pretty amazing what coaches can get away with personally in some sports, yet when the athletes do things people don't like outside of the arena, some coaches get fired even after winning multiple championships.