Kentucky is known for a lot of things. The Kentucky Derby, bourbon, tobacco, and basketball to name a few. We’re even the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. But I only want to talk about one of these things, Kentucky basketball. I know, I know, I’ve heard it all, your fans are obnoxious, you get all the calls, Calipari (our head coach) doesn’t care about academics, you have a dirty program. First of all if you’ve said all that or thought all of that just know you’ve drunk the haterade because the University of Kentucky Wildcats are really all that and a bag of chips. If you think UCLA when you think college basketball dynasty consider this.
Kentucky has 7 NCAA Titles. So what you say UCLA has 11. 10 of those belong to John Wooden. When you think of great coaches yes Wooden may be #1 but we’re talking programs. At Kentucky Adolph Rupp has 4, he goes into that greatest coaches ever conversation too, he had a Fab 5, a Fiddlin’ 5, and National runner-up Rupp’s Runts, who included a future pro and coach you might have heard of in Pat Riley. Joe B. Hall has 1 in the 1970’s with Jack Givens, possibly one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. Rick Pitino took us to the National Title game two years running. One the title in 1996, faced some of the worst officiating ever in 1997 and still only lost by 4. Tubby Smith took the Cats to another National Title win in 1998. When this blog runs the 2012 Title will have been decided. The Cats have only two losses on the year. I think in his third year as head coach I think Calipari will finally make it #8 for UK.
In 2009 UK became the first college basketball program ever to surpass 2000 wins. In 1992 they played in what is regarded as the greatest game ever (there’s even two books about it out now) played in which they were the underdog. Christian Laetner had to have a perfect night from the field and the charity stripe. It is also widely acknowledged that he stomped on Aminu Timberlake’s chest and should have been ejected from the game. But Duke sucks and is the devil and I have heartburn every time I see that stupid UPS commercial.
That’s alright, in 1998 when Duke had to play in Rupp Arena on their way to the Regional final Coach K complained, well, whined that Kentucky fans were purchasing tickets just so they could boo them. Yes, we do things like that. And yes, we beat them in regional final after being down 17 points at one point on a shot by Scott Padget.
And I’m giving away a great Kentucky Prize: A bottle of a local restaurant's BBQ sauce, Mark's Feedstore. It is GOOD STUFF. Just comment on my post for your chance to win!
My work:
Another Way To Die
No Ordinary Love
And don’t forget to stop by my site:
Creative Chatter
A most interesting take on the states! LOLOL! Congrats on the books! Both look most interesting!
ReplyDeleteThey won #8 and are send six guys to the pros, that's never been done before.
ReplyDeleteSo tell us how you REALLY feel about baseball! LOL. Good post. And your books look intriguing. I've never been to Kentucky either--I'm going to have to go on more cross-country road trips!
ReplyDeleteI don't know a thing about basketball--in any state, but I sure do know about Kentucky bourbon--some of the best there is. Kentucky is one beautiful state steeped in history.
ReplyDeleteYou have some lovely titles and I wish you every success.
I enjoy basketball so much but we usually watch the women's games.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
LOL. Hey, when you love Kentucky basketball you love the best, what can I say ;)?
ReplyDelete