Kentucky Basketball; Overrated?
My only question is what is the big deal?
It is true that the Wildcats have indeed won seven national titles. Only two of the titles, however, have occurred after the NCAA switched to a sixty-four team format in 1985 for their famous tournament. Of the other five, two were won in an era where only eight squads competed for the national title. Another was won in a field of sixteen. In fact, Kentucky did not win a single title against a field of greater than thirty-two before 1996.
Indeed, if we were to compare the modern-era success of Kentucky with Florida in tournament play we would see that both teams have won the same amount of titles while appearing in the same number of Finals. A both teams' success in the past twenty-plus years is overshadowed by Coach K and Duke; the Blue Devils have won three championships and appeared in a total of seven title games.
But of course, we still cannot overlook the past success of the Wildcats. After all, they were the best team during the years when the NCAA would switch the format of their tournament every couple of years, right?
Wrong.
In actuality, the aforementioned UCLA Bruins were much more impressive in the pre-1985 NCAAB years. The team won ten titles, including seven straight at one point, during the sixties and seventies. Of the five titles Kentucky won in this time, only one came after the Bruins' reign over college athletics against a bigger field.
So again, what is the big deal?
Maybe this is just the viewpoint of an outsider looking in. Maybe the Wildcats really do have a better basketball program than Florida. But from my standpoint, the Gators are the team with two rings from the 21st century and Kentucky fans are the ones bragging about teams they probably never saw in person.
Take away the façade of past success translating into present success and Donovan does not have a tough decision to make. So what if Kentucky offers more money? There is no question that the Gators will match. Billy should just stay put and continue to do what he does best; win games.
And who knows? Maybe in fifty years young fans from Gainesville will be blasting a successful Kentucky coach for spurning the prestigious program that Billy Donovan built.One thing is for certain, these Wildcats are certainly not the same legendary teams of old.
Published by Ankur Amin
I am a college student who loves to watch, talk and write about sports. My favorite teams are based in Detroit, but I try my best to say unbiased. View profile
- NFL Teams Ranking - Week 8 With the NFL beginning to enter Week 8, NFL fans have learned nothing is guaranteed. Here are the top ten teams in the NFL, look to see if your team made the list.
- The Final Three Teams of Amazing Race Asia Season 3: Which Team Will Win the Final... There are three teams left in Amazing Race Asia Season 3 - who do you think will win?
-
The Best Florida Gators Football Teams in School History
Which Florida Gators teams were the most successful teams of all time?
-
The 10 Worst Teams in College Football
This is a look at the 10 worst teams in college football, compiling a ranking of the worst schools from big conference play.
- 10 College Football Teams Most Likely to Plummet Article looking at ten sucessful college football teams that have enough questions to wonder whether or not these big name programs are in for a huge fall.
- Billy Donovan Pulls Disappearing Act on Magic
- Billy Donovan Tricks Orlando Magic
- Billy Donovan Considering Kentucky Move?
- Did the NBA Scare Billy Donovan Back to College?
- Billy Donovan Becomes Orlando Magic Head Coach
- Kentucky Basketball and Billy Gillispie Rumors
- Billy Gillispie is Reportedly Out at the University of Kentucky
|
|
- 10 things you need to know today: February 11, 2012 (The Week)
- Grammy Awards preview: Top 5 reasons to watch (The Week)
- No Fun Allowed: L.A. Beaches Ban Footballs, Frisbees, and Sand Digging (ContributorNetwork)
- Good day, bad day: February 10, 2012 (The Week)
- Obama's birth control compromise: 'Still unacceptable'? (The Week)
69 Comments
Post a CommentDude, how freaking stupid can you be? Have you ever actually watched UK basketball? Have you ever been to Rupp Arena and experienced it? That, my friend, is why UK has the greatest basketball pragram in history. You say that we shouldnt take such pride because we weren't alive when those championships happened, but you most likely weren't either so you shouldn't be talking about how we're overrated. In case you haven't noticed: Florida sucks. Sure a few years ago they were great, but they will NEVER be that good again. Kentucky keeps getting better. All of UCLA's titles were basically one after the other, with the same players, coaches, and everything. Kentucky has the best throughout history, you cannot deny it. So go shove your stupid statistics up you butt, because doing research and comparing over the past two or three years is nothing. You have no clue what you're talking about. I can't believe someone actually published this, YOU'RE AN IDIOT!!! Kentucky basketball was t
This may be the dumbest basketball article I have ever read. You are comparing Florida's success to that of Kentucky? Ok, sure... they have the same amount of National championships since 1985... but that isnt because Florida has a great basketball program. They had some really good players for a couple of years and now will not be heard from again for another 10 years or so. Kentucky however even in their down years is usually the favorite to win the SEC, which is not the powerhouse that they are in football... but still a very competitive conference, and can always make a run in the tournament. The reason UK fans are so proud of their team is that they do have 7 national titles as you mentioned, but also... they are the winningest team in college basketball history... regular season and NCAA tournament. And i'm just guessing here, but have something like 40 SEC titles. I dont feel like doing research but Florida probably has 5 or less SEC titles.
Let me again say, I am not a Gator fan. I am an impartial, unbiased fan who went to a school from the Big 10. I don't see why current fans, some of whom weren't born when Kentucky won the bulk of their titles, take such pride in past history. Sports is a "what have you done for me lately" world, and as of today, Florida has a better basketball program than Kentucky. They don't have as good of a fanbase, but they do have better results on the court.
its not about black and white.this is 2009 stop living in past its ok to let it go.see what we can do when black and whites come together.cut us dont we bleed blue i am sorry i mean red.lets all grow up the white man is no better than the black man and the black man is no better than the white man we are the same.
Back 2 Back titles with an NIT loser.
You sir, are an idiot!
all of you guys suck for flordia because the only reason why u were good last year is because of jokimnoah that gay dude haha flordia sucks and ky is beast lol
byeee
Louisville you guys will always be second best you can take every coach weve ever had and we will still be better than you thats just the way it is. Havent we beaten you the past 3 years. Good luck keeping that number 11 ranking without padgett. How many national titles do you guys have, what conference were you in until Pitino saved you from embarrassment thats right the Conference USA. Go C A T S
CATS CATS CATS.
UKFAN1971, UCLA HAS MORE TITLES,SO NOW THEY HAD TO BE CHEATING.LIKE I SAID BEFORE IF IT'S A SCHOOL THAT HAS SOMETHING BETTER THEN UofK THEN SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT PROGRAM. BY THE WAY IF UofK DIDN'T NEED BLACK PLAYERS TO WIN THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY.
It's funny how a band wagon rider can try and insult the greatest program of all time. Then, to mention a few UL fans. If you chumps don't like UK, then why read this bull$hit? I know it and you know it's BS. You mention the NC titles, but forgot to mention the NIT games too. Yes, UCLA has won more titles and they should have. Hell, who else could afford to put a team like that together legally? NOONE, not unless the horse barons of Kentucky wanted to throw their money at UK players instead of putting the money into their horses. Read you history before you dorks start talking about UK not starting a black player too.
HISTORYDIVA, I WAS TALKING ABOUT UK PLAYING TEAMS WITH BLACK PLAYERS, LORD KNOWS UK WAS NOT GOING TO PUT ONE ON THE TEAM. I DON'T HAVE TO READ HISTORY I'M OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW.AARON LIKE MOST UK FANS THEY GO TO HISTORY WHEN THEY ARE LOSING.