What is wrong with Kentucky?

[/QUOTE]Honestly, I could really care less who coaches KY. [/QB][/QUOTE]

Hey now, everyone should be concerned when the #1 college basketball program in the world is struggling.

 

I thought it was UConn, at the moment.
Ed

 

I dunno about that. I just looked at who is NCAA Div.I champion over the last eleven years, since 1995, to see if my memory was failing me. It wasn't. In the last eleven years, Duke has one title (2001). UK (1996, 98) and UConn (1999, 2004) have two each. Duke and UConn have had the same number of appearances in the title game, with one of UConn's coming over Duke. I will concede that the Big East and the ACC have been the strongest conferences over that time with three titles each, but you did not ask that. The largest number of appearances in the Final Four over that time was UNC with five appearances under three different coaches. (No other team was there more than three times.) And I am a fan of none of the above, save UK. I think I'll stand here for now, with what I said. I might change my mind by, I don't know say, April 4, 2006?
Ed

 

Since Duke came up . . . I'd like to ask:

What's wrong with Wake Forest!!!!! We have season tickets and they've been painful to watch! *sigh*

After the VT game, Prosser came out and said it's was the low point of his career. We had about 10 VT customers with us. They weren't to happy to find out that losing to them was the bottom of the barrel . . .

 

PastorSBC1303 I was not aware that Wake was in KY, so I'm sure you were not talking about me. NOT! And if you are, being as my contention is UConn is the current best program, by one objective standard, and another hated school from the other end of the 'Tobacco Road' from KY (UNC) is the best by another objective standard, how is that green tinted glasses? You are from the "Show Me!" state. Okay, what do you want to be shown? I showed you titles; I showed you Final Fours. If I were to show you wins by the current head coach, would you assume that it is Texas Tech?. I'm just wondering who actually has on tinted glasses?

Ed

 

Well, it is nice to know there is NO subjectivity involved. Certainly 'coaches' and 'recruiting' are not subjective calls. Unlike FF appearaces or titles, which obviously are. I'm sorry, did I sound a wee bit unconvinced, and maybe a touch sarcastic? I was not aware of that, much.

In a general sense, I will allow there are a handful of top programs, overall. I just don't think (with the possible exception of academics) that one can differentiate that much with Duke above the rest I have mentioned above, with the exception of Texas Tech. And I would add Arizona, Louisville, Michigan State, Kansas and Syracuse in as well, with another handful close behind, but still have to call it generally subjective.

It has taken Oklahoma State 30 years to get back to anywhere near where it was with Hank Iba. UCLA is nowhere near where it was 30 years ago, and OSU and UC north of the Ohio are not likely to be confused with the days of Fred Taylor and Ed Jucker on the benches with Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and Larry Seigfried patrolling the court for the Buckeyes, and Paul Hogue, Ron Bonham and Tom Thacker in shorts and sneakers for the Bearcats, anytime soon. So I do admit, it's tough to stay on top, for long.

And it's tough to break through. Look at Missouri and Illinois just on the fringes and trying to join that elite for several years with pretty fair programs, themselves. But they are not hardly there yet, IMO.

Duke? They are there among the best.
One of the elite programs in the country? Yep!
One of the top half dozen? Yep!
Far ahead of the rest? One of the top half dozen!

Ed

 

Well, UK has more wins than any other team in the NCAA. They are 2nd in National Championships. They have the best and most knowledgable fans in the world; usually lead in attendance every year.

IMO, Duke is not even near our program, but teams that are closer are NC, Kansas, and UCLA to name a few. I feel Duke is in the next batch of teams with the Louisvilles, Indianas, and a few others.

 

Hey, I said they are in the next tier... so that would put them in the top 10 or so.

 

I think UK leads the overall series against Duke 11-8 or something like that. And as far as big games between them there are 3 big ones I recall that happened in the big dance:

1978 National Championship:

UK 94
Duke 88

Of course the lucky Laetner shot in 1992 where Duke won in OT 104-103.

And of course in the 1998 elite 8 I believe UK comes from way back and beats Duke 86-84 where they go and win the championship that year. I think I still have this game on tape.

I don't have anything against Duke for the most part and I even like Coach K. I will never forget after that heartbreaking Laetner shot, he walked to the UK radio table and congratulated the UK team and fans on a great game, which I thought was classy.

 

Here is something else interesting from the 90s:

http://www.allsports.com/ncaa/basketball/kentucky/dukeuk.html

 

I've not said that Duke is not a 'top tier' team, but I was amused at the facts on the web site. I still have to give the devil his due, and say right now (02/03/2006), the top Division I basketball school in the country is UConn. The Big East is the toughest in the country in 2005-06, and who's at the top of the heap? Jimmy Calhoun and UConn! Oh yeah, Jimmy C. does seem to be running a class act, and I haven't even mentioned 'Clean Gene' and the women's program, until now! Little question there, IMO. And I have said, my opinion may change after the first week of April. I'd like to say then, UK, UL, or WKU, but I ain't put the first chip on THAT line. And ain't goin' to!
Ed