UK Football, Now We See Why The Bear Left!

by UKlvrJM on Oct 3, 2009 8:57 PM EDT Comment 60 comments

Watching UK play Alabama today reminded me that Bear Bryant once coached at UK and I couldn't help wonder what the programs would be like today if he'd stayed at UK. Why did Bear Byrant leave UK? Well many reasons have been documented but I think everyone agrees that one of the biggest is that he thought UK Football would never be as important to the University as UK Basketball. 56 years have gone by and has anything changed?

I watched UK play Alabama today like most of you and saw on one sideline a #3 ranked team heading toward post season glory in the BCS. I looked at the other sideline and saw a team that will be VERY lucky to get to any bowl game. One sideline had a top drawer coach who's won a National Championship and was hired with no thought to the expense and in less than 3 years has his team ranked #3. The other sideline had a nice gentleman who has had such an impressive football career that he was out of football when he was hired and in 6+ years has his team and it's fans hoping....praying??? that we beat Vanderbilt.

Let me disclose at this point that I was NEVER a Rich Brooks fan from the first day. Barnhart forced out Guy Morris for whatever reason and after months hired Brooks. He's a very nice guy, very good with fans on call in shows and runs a clean program......SO DID BILL CURRY!!!! If Bill Curry wasn't good enough, why is Rich Brooks?

I guess this is the point I'm trying to make. UK Basketball just did what big time programs have to do to maintain that status.....they went out and got the BEST guy available. Just like North Carolina did with Williams, Kansas with Self, UofL with Pitino and countless other examples.

Apparently in 56 years UK has never learned that you can do the same thing in football.....that football programs as well as basketball programs can have great success. Look at JUST our conference...Alabama hires Saban, Florida hires Myer, Arkanas hire Petrino, Tenn. hires Kiffin, Spurrier at SC, Nutt at Miss. If FLORIDA can have National Championships in football and basketball......is it inconceivable that UK can at least have a top 5 football team in the SEC?

While I think Brooks deserves credit for winning some games that in the past UK would probably have lost (LSU) ,is the program doing anything more than treading water at this point and maybe not even that? Another year or two with Brooks and then his hand picked successor takes over. Does Joker Phillips name make anyone think of a young Urban Meyer? Yes, 3 bowl games wins but is the program really improving or is this smoke and mirrors and better scheduling?

I guess I'm left asking the same question that Bear Bryant must have asked 56 years ago......will UK Football ever be as important as UK Basketball? To put it another way, would Barnhart still have a job if he'd hired Gene Keady instead of Calipari???

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UK Football vs The Baron

The Baron has been gone since 1972 – 37 years…it has been long enough for them to build up both sports. KY has a stigma attached to it. Everyone still remembers the big burn of the Bear. They say we can’t support 2 sports, but look at the size of Commonwealth Stadium and Rupp Arean. Why would people have a stadium that big if they could not support 2 sports. Why don’t they go after the big name coaches? Because the Rupp stigma still lingers. Other SEC schools have 2 sports. Of course, those other SEC schools don’t have the winning tradition Ky has in basketball, but they try. Look what that one school down south did with the ex asst coach of that ‘other’ coach. It can be done, you just have to have the spirt, the money and get rid of the stigma of the Baron. Kind of like the curse of the Bambino. Go after a big name coach but that will not happen. When Brooks steps down his asst. will take over and if he can’t do it we will still be waiting another 10-15 years for the big name…I don’t ever see it happening. Boy, I’m glad I like basketball because I sure don’t know what the heck I am talking about when it comes to football.

by AKyLady on Oct 3, 2009 11:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ditto

I am with you on this AKyLady—————-BB is in my Heart (2 hrs of PURE excitement) But
even with little education on the game of football, I rarely miss a TV game of UK football!!! I realize it takes $‘s to support a second major program, but in this state I don’t think $’s is the hugh question. UK is the #1 college in the state, hands down !!!!! I am proud of what Brooks and crew have accomplished, but we need to step it up a notch. Brooks has shown us what can be done by putting the meat and potatoes on the table——————NOW I want the dessert!!!!!!!!!

by kentuckystrong on Oct 4, 2009 8:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Acceptance

Yeah, that seems to be the problem. That most of UK nation seem to accept that having a average football program is OK. I often compare UK Football fans to Chicago Cub Baseball fans. Year after year, they mostly fill up that stadium regardless of what kind of team is on the field and just seem to accept the beatdown that the top SEC teams are going to give us. WE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE A TOP SEC TEAM…..WE"RE KENTUCKY!!!

I’ll even make the argument that UofL is in a better position for the future than UK. IF they fire Kraigthorpe and hire a top coach, they can turn their program around in 2-3 years playing in a weaker conference. With Brooks staying another year or two and then turning over things to Joker Phillips, this could go on for another 5-6 years at least. WHY IS THIS OK?

by UKlvrJM on Oct 4, 2009 10:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

WRONG!

The biggest reason the Bear left UK was because after the point shaving scandal by the basketball team, the UK athletic department decided that they would not allow national recruiting anymore. Also, If UK had agreed to fire coach Rupp, then the National Basketball Gods would not shut the basketball program down for a year. The UK brass didn’t fall for that extortion.

On getting a big name coach, how has that worked for South Carolina with Spurrier? Go ahead, I will wait for your answer. The only thing different in SC is they beat us on a regular basis. SC produces a lot of talent but it still can’t compete with the states that produce more such as Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and I could keep going. Kentucky doesn’t even have one player in the top 150 H.S. seniors. I think SC has 8. South Carolina didn’t even make a bowl last year. Having a consistent top five football team is not going to happen. We don’t have an Alumni that is putting in $20,000,0000+ dollars a year because of our football team and the state does not produce the talent either. But with do time, we will have a year that surprises many and we will be competitive year in and year out. Are we still going to get beat by the #1 and #3 teams in the country, probably.

UK is going to go to a bowl this year. I think most knowledgeable fans figured we would be 2-4 after our first 6 games but then the schedule gets much, much easier. It is possible that we could be 3-3 and end up winning 8 games this year. UK is trying to slowly build a competitive football program here, and I think that is what most of us want. They are also trying to do it the right way.

Where is Guy Morris now? I will answer that, at home.

by Grasslands1 on Oct 4, 2009 12:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fantasy Football?

You and I are apparently about the same age and I think I should explain Fantasy Football to you because you seem confused on what Fantasy Football is. It’s usually when you join another group of NFL football fans and pick players for your team and compete against each other based on the weekly results of your players. It’s NOT dreaming that your college football team is better than it is and wishing the program was heading in a better direction “slowly”.

Wikipedia is usually mostly right and if you’d read their entire entry on the Bear…..or maybe you just forgot to type it all in your post…..you’d have noticed that it says he concluded that basketball was #1 and he couldn’t abide that.

You want to knock South Carolina….go ahead but they seem to beat us every year!! More importantly, they tried to hire the best person they could find for their football program.

You made my point when you said Kentucky doesn’t have the top high school talent. It takes a bigger name coach or a young hungry coach…Urban Meyer to get those players from Flordia, Ohio. Pa. Did Urban Meyer have a BIG base of talent at Utah????

Maybe not living in Kentucky anymore, you’re not aware that Kentucky isn’t exactly the hotbed of top basketball recruits either. How did we get the top recruiting class???? We hired a top drawer coach!!!

This program is treading water and if that’s been acceptable for 53 years, I guess who am I to question that direction.

Back to your Fantasy Football….where do you see 4 victories on the remainder of the schedule? Even if we beat Vanderbilt and Miss. St…..is going to the Music City Bowl again what you define as a program that’s improving?

and Guy Morris…..he’s at home huh? Well I guess he’s got all the requirements to be our next coach!!

by UKlvrJM on Oct 4, 2009 5:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

KY is not Utah. You just cant hire a big name coach in football at UK and expect to compete in the SEC.

UK plays in the SEC. I dont even know the name of the conference Utah plays in. It is definitely not the caliber of the top 5 conferences. At Utah you have to schedule outside your conference to play a BCS team. Its apples and oranges. Meyer could not have come to KY and have done what he has done at UF. UF has a football tradition, alumni base……. You just cant hire a big name coach and expect to be competetive at KY. You can do that at Alabama, LSU or GA. You could not have put Utah and Meyer into the SEC and expect them to compete week in and week out. KY has a special problem by being a BB school in a football conference with no real tradition of winning in football and no national caliber talent in state. It is easier to recruit basketball talent to Florida than it is to recruit football talent to KY. Its just a fact. If you were a football player being recruited to FL or KY, where would you go?

by UKTimmy on Oct 4, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Timmy Huh???

Did you really just say that UK could have hired Urban Meyer and it wouldn’t have made a difference? Did you notice that Flordia had a coach between Spurrier and Meyer who didn’t work out so well. YOU and YOUR excuses are EXACTLY why UK is where it’s at 50+ years after the Bear left.

Flordia basketball has a pitiful little gym, NO tradition and an alumni base who looks at basketball as a tool to bring football recruits out at halftime. YET……they’ve won 2 National Championships because they hired a great young coach who inspired and was able to recruit a core of players that won back to back championships.

Flordia football fires it’s uninspiring coach and hires a great young coach and win a National Championship almost immediately. Timmy, think Rich Brooks would have done that?

You and all those fans like you are the heart of UK’s football problems. An acceptance that we’re a basketball school and don’t deserve a great football team. Well winning a football National Championship is probably a dream in the toughest football conference in the country but having a top 5 team in that conference shouldn’t be an impossible dream.

Look at how many coaches Alabama has gone through since Bear Bryan retired…..it does make a difference who the coach is even at a “Football” school and you’ll never convince me that a top coach wouldn’t made a difference at Kentucky. Does the name Billy Clyde mean anything to you…..the coach does matter!!!

To answer your last question, who got the basketball recruits UK has now….Calipari or Gillispie? Put Urban Meyer at UK and that football recruit you ask about would have a real decision to make instead of a no brainer.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I appreciate your enthusiasm but..

you really have to be deluded if you think Meyer coming here would have made us a powerhouse in the SEC. MAYBE, after years of coming close would make a difference with a big name coach(South Carolina for example still hasnt done it), but the chance that topflite football players coming here would still be slim. If you dont know the difference in time it takes to turn around a basketball program due to a coach vs. the time it takes to turn around a football program due to a coach, then oh well. No matter what you say, you are wrong about players choosing UK over UF. Once again,a perfect example is South Carolina.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's Not Enthusiasm!!

Timmy it’s frustration. I’m pretty sure I’m a little older than you are and have watched the team seriously for 40 years. If you read what I’ve posted carefully you’ll see I’ve never said anything about being a powerhouse.

Of course the Flordia’s and the like have advantages but all I’ve said is that we can be a top 5 team in the SEC. Do you really think that ARKANSAS hired Petrino because they want to be 4th in their division?

Yes basketball and football are different sports but even Flordia just recently showed that the coach does make a HUGE difference. Look at Louisville, try telling any UofL fan that the coach doesn’t make a difference.

With all due respect to Brooks and his staff, Arkansas and Ol Miss will soon be kicking our butt too. So again, it’s frustration with attitudes like yours that winning a Music City Bowl is OK. If that were a stepping stone, I’d agree but unfortunately it appears to be a final destination.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly my man....you hit the nail on the head.......

no one seems to be able to understand that……

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

First off..

Bobby Petrino is a bad example. Hes a rat and a snake and I wouldnt watch UK football if he was our coach. I am a Falcons fan.
As far as Florida showing that the coach makes a huge difference, of course it does at Florida. You so so fail to take into account that they ARE a football school. They have so much more to offer players and they will go there with or without a big name coach. Players still go to Miami and FSU just because they are football schools. We are not a football school and to become competitive in the SEC is at least a 10 year plan for us maybe 8, if a Spurrier had come here. Thats not even taking into account the fact we were on probation when Brooks took over. Was UF on probation when Meyer took over?? NO Did UF already have unbelievable recruits because it was UF? YES
Brooks has done a wonderful job here and accomplished a great many things that we have not accomplished in a great many years. I personality think you denigrate what he and his players have done. Did you REALLY THINK we would beat UF and Bama?? Thats called delusional. How do you know if this is our final destination?? I have watched for years to see Boise State get respect, but in that time they have had up and down years. I think they have finally gotten some of the respect they deserve, but it wasnt a short trip.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So those 2 natl champs Florida won in basketball were a fluke?

UK trying to hire their basketball coach to run our basketball program……this archaic notion that you cannot do both is an absurd argument made up by people that dont mind making excuses for UK not performing

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I never made an excuse.

I simply stated that basketball and football programs are 2 different animals and even more so in UKs predicament. I say you and JM are not appreciating what has been accomplished and not being realistic about your expectations.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Answer To Question At End Of Fanpost

No.

Bear Bryant had the advantage of coaching in two states (Texas then Alabama) that have GREAT HS football teams and players to recruit.

I wouldn’t rely on Wikipedi as fact. You may, at your own risk.

by FortyYearCatFan on Oct 4, 2009 6:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bryant coached in Kentucky too

and somehow managed to win here with no recruits and no high school teams to recruit from….somehow…..Wikipedia or no….I believe we suck because we choose to…..period. Champions win in spite of circumstances, not just because of them. They do when everyone else is making ~~excuses~~ rationalizations for not doing. And when everyone else is taking themselves for granted, they work even harder.

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 4, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Different time and different era.

You are not taking into account that football in the SEC and overall is a much more competetive industry. Willpower sometimes just doesnt overcome circumstances, no matter how much you want to believe it does.

by UKTimmy on Oct 4, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well now, first it was geography that was the problem

now it’s a different time and a different era….I can’t wait to her what you guys come up with as the next ~~excuse~~
reason for not winning……And willpower is only one small part of it…..preparation, planning, training, recruiting, and sometimes even outsmarting the other team…..all of those factors come into play when you win…..and no matter how you slice it, this all comes back to how badly the UKAA wants to win at football…..which ain’t very bad in my book.

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 8:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The real point was just that willpower does not win championships alone.

So you made my point.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

however, I never suggested that it was willpower that made the accomplishment

possible….that was your assertion….not mine…..

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really??

Well, I have read your post 4 times and thats what it sounds like to me.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

as much as I would love to take credit for wanting to

have the Cats impose their will on teams, I was alluding to a much bigger problem than that

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You made your point clear in your 2nd post.

But in your first, you basically said willpower. Your words:I believe we suck because we choose to…..period. Champions win in spite of circumstances, not just because of them.
willpower
noun self-control, drive, resolution, resolve, determination, grit, self-discipline, single-mindedness, fixity of purpose, firmness of purpose or will, force or strength of will

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

preparation, training, teaching......

not making EXCUSES for not winning meant a whole lot more, but I will give you willpower for say, 20% of the problem…..

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 8:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

we can find 20 reasons or excuses, you take your pick

for NOT winning……and we cant find it within our program to find 1 reason for winning……its a simple process….not complicated, believe it or not……..make a plan….execute the plan…..but it must start all the way at the top and work its way down, and THAT hasnt happened yet

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Willpower in both programs!!

Timmy, I think Barnhart displayed everything you mention in your defination of willpower in firing Gillispie and hiring Calipari.

Why does the same willpower not exteed to the football program?

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO

You really dont get the differences between turning around a football team vs. basketball team, not to mention we are not a football school AND in the SEC.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tell that to Florida.....but I guess they got all those

basketball recruits because they were a basketball school then….???

And one other thing here……I have never made the assumption that this is all Brooks’ fault, on the contrary I too feel like he has accomplished much……now it is time to go to the next level…..and he would tell you that as quickly as anyone. No one…..and I mean no one….expects to be beating up on Florida and Bama at this point…..but you damn well need to be able to play on the same field with them. This is not about throwing blame at people….this is about the program committing to doing what it takes to make this program a winner in the SEC……not being a perennial doormat for every team with a winning record.

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not even gonna read this.

I didnt say you till you got on the bandwagon with the poster. I personally will enjoy our successes and hope they only go up from here.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 8:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hope????

NONE of the schools we’ve talked about are hoping…… they’re all doing something about it!!!

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Laugh if you want!

What was USC doing before Pete Carroll? Flordia before Urban Meyer? Alabama before Saban?

What you seem too thick headed to admit is that the coach and his staff do make a difference. Look at Charlie Weis at Notre Dame…….if they hadn’t won Saturday, the fans would have been screaming for his head.

Notre Dame is the UK of football. EVEN they have had tough times in the last few years because they haven’t been able to find the right coach.

The point I’ve tried to make and several others seem to agree with is that UK has always settled instead of demanding better. Rich Brooks is a nice guy and UK other than Mumme has had several NICE guys over the last few years as head coaches but no one with the fire in the belly that it takes to move a program toward greater heights.

As I’ve already said, in a couple of years if not sooner, Arkansas and Ol Miss will be kicking our ass…..apparently Houston Nutt doesn’t agree with you that you can’t turn around a football program.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

apparantly no one has told nutt about that

geographically challenged thing…….but let’s see if he gets any further with it….I am not 100% sold on him yet….However if Petrino does start pounding us regularly, I want someone to explain it to him too

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just for the record!

I think you and I agree on this subject. Rich Brooks and his staff do deserve credit for what they’ve done. I just don’t think they deserve the credit that some people are giving them.

Yes no one expected us to beat Flordia or Alabama but we should have been competitive with them and not embarassed.

As USC proved against Washington, the quarterback can make a huge difference to any football team but he wasn’t the one making personal fouls every other play.

I guess I look at last year and see a last second win over Arkansas being the lynch pin of getting to a second tier bowl and yes we did win but I’m obviously not convinced that the program is really improving.

I look at the rest of our schedule and don’t see us getting to a bowl this year while I see every other school trying to improve so I guess I just question why this is acceptable.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We are NOT

USC, ALABAMA, Florida, UGA, TX, OK, OSU….. You both dont get that they are football schools. Even Arkansas is more of a football school more than UK. Your expectations to turning around a non football school and trying to compare football schools to UK is totally out of the ballpark. You are both unrealistic and way way over the top. I really wish Urban Meyer had been here instead of Rich Brooks and you both would be asking for his head.

by UKTimmy on Oct 5, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Logic!

Timmy apparently no one told Flordia that you thought they were a football school because they’ve won 2 NCAA basketball championships since we won our last and WE"RE the basketball school.

YES….football and basketball are different sports but have you even been to Floridia’s little shack of a gym? What tradition did they have?

What you seem to be saying is that as a basketball school…..we should JUST BE HAPPY to get to a Music CIty bowl and accept that’s the best a NON-FOOTBALL school can do.

Check the list of last years Bowl games and you’ll see a bunch of your non-football schools, North Carolina, Kansas, UConn…..EVEN Vanderbilt.

There are a millon bowls now and if you don’t get to a bowl….YOU SUCK. Bet you lunch right now that UK doesn’t go to a bowl this year!! and that’s my point…..it seems to be OK for a lot of people and after years of watching UK, it’s just not acceptable to me.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

methinks thou doth protest too much there Timmy

Sorry to burst your bubble there…..but unless expectations around here are raised as high as necessary, this program is going nowhere…..problem is at this point, the UKAA takes that same tired lame approach as you are…..“we are a basketball school”….I know were a basketball school, we are the greatest basketball school in the history of the game…..that does not mean we cannot have respectability in football as well……I am not looking for 11-1 or 10-2 every year…..I want to see this team go out there and be competitive week in and week out……and we are so far from there it is not even funny……Coach Brooks said this morning that UK is “in the middle” of the SEC East food chain……prove it to me and I will never say another word. We do not equal Tennessee, Georgia, or S.Carolina…..we are on a par with Vandy yes because we have proven we can compete with them with some regularity…..but no one else…..not regularly

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 6, 2009 7:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Had Bear Bryant Remained At UK

He would not be among the Top 5 college coaches of all time.

by FortyYearCatFan on Oct 4, 2009 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really??

Know that for a fact do you? In 8 years at UK he took the team to 4 Bowls and won 3 of them including a Sugar Bowl victory over #1 Oklahoma. Think he just got lucky for 8 years?

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fact? No

Opinion, yes.

I think he (BB) got “lucky” that Alabama hired him in the 1950’s.

by FortyYearCatFan on Oct 5, 2009 6:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

C'mon Forty....you don't know that

you may believe it, but you don’t know it for fact. All these what if’s and maybe’s and he got lucky’s are complete horse crap and you know it. You know your basketball really well Forty, but by your own admission, football is not your forte’…..

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on Oct 5, 2009 8:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Read What I Wrote

Fact, no. Opinion, yes.

The top SEC football schools are Bama, LSU, Fla, Tenn, Georgia, Auburn.

UK will not ever be among the top SEC football schools.

by FortyYearCatFan on Oct 5, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's OK?

You seem to be saying that it’s OK that we get drilled by those teams year in year out. The Georgia coach is the only one on your list who’s been there more than 4 years.

Those schools are where they are because their fans and their administrations WON’T ACCEPT anything less. Would Fulmer have been fired if Tenn. won the Music City Bowl……YES!!!! Auburn fired a coach that UK should dream of having.

Great programs are where they are because they don’t accept poor results…….see Billy Clyde if you need a current example!!!!!!!

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well, in complete fairness

having george blanda already there sure didn’t hurt coach bryant’s efforts to get the ball rolling.

Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.

by kleph on Oct 5, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh?

Not sure what your point is there.

Yes, he had those advantages at Texas A&M and Alabama which makes what he did at UK even MORE amazing.

In 8 years UK won a Sugar Bowl and went to the Orange and Cotton Bowls. Apparently a young top drawer coach can make a difference.

I think I said Widipedia is usually mostly right and I think I’ll stick with that statement.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well, as a bama fan all i can say is...

by kleph on Oct 4, 2009 10:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

EXACTLY!!!!!!!

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...

by btcoop71 on Oct 5, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Best Football And Basketball Teams (All-Time)

Arguably, UCLA – UK – UNC – Duke – Kansas – IU are the best basketball programs.

Similarly, Notre Dame – Alabama – Michigan – Penn St – USC – Ohio St – Texas are the best football programs.

by FortyYearCatFan on Oct 5, 2009 6:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You are right Forty

Arguably, of course as you said, and I’ll bet you could provide stats to back that up too should we need them :-)

Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!

by a2d2 on Oct 5, 2009 9:58 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Over Time

I’ll agree that those schools over the last 50 years or so have been the tops in each sport. If you look closely at your list you’ll notice that most of those schools haven’t settled with being a one sport school.

UCLA, UNC, IU, Kansas have all tried to improve their football programs. Notre Dame, Michigan, USC, Ohio St, Texas all have tried to improve their basketball programs.

Before anyone talks about how “big” those schools are or how their alumni put up big bucks….I don’t want to hear it. We brag about how many people follow Calipari on Twitter, how UK has an international following, how we sell out football & basketball.

That’s the point that I was trying to make. We seem to have tons of excuses why the football program isn’t any better than it is and why over time, it just hasn’t really improved. YES, with creative scheduling, we have gone to 3 low level bowls……WHOOPEE!!!

If playing in the Music CIty Bowl every few years is what we consider success, then I’ll shut up and say we’ve succeeded. I just think this University and it’s fans deserve better!!!

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

None Of The Football Schools Are Basketball Powerhouses

And vice versa.

UK had a good football TEAM in late 40’s and early 50’s, mid 60’s, late 70’s.

The UK football PROGRAM is about Top 50 among the 117 Div 1A football schools.

by FortyYearCatFan on Oct 5, 2009 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're Wrong!!

You might want to tell Michigan and Ohio St. that their NCAA basketball championships didn’t count. You might also remember that Ohio St.‘s coach and Texas’s coach were mentioned as coming to UK.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 5, 2009 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

None Are POWERHOUSES

Both of those teams had basketball success but are not basketball powers.

by FortyYearCatFan on Oct 7, 2009 6:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh??

I guess Flordia isn’t a basketball power then either????? Don’t know if you keep up with this but Ohio St. had the top ranked basketball recruiting class just a year or so ago and their coach was mentioned when UK was looking.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 7, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great Post.

I totally and completely agree with your post here, UKlvrJM. I think you have to give the recruits something other than our football tradition – or lack thereof – to get them to come here and I really beleive that a coach people want to play for and can produce results is that “something” that can give Kentucky the edge to get in there and compete for them.

It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.

by kentuckygirl0724 on Oct 5, 2009 12:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Check

no futher than right here why The Bear left.
If would be nice if we could at least get 10 percent of the postings to be on football at least till the season is over.
Wonder if any football recruits read this site? I bet they really get fired up to see the lack of interest in the football program.
Did Cal fart today? I missed the posting about it if he did.
Think Bryant was ready to more to football schools after the lack of attention he got from beating the No 1 team in the country, (Oklahoma)?

by ParisGuy on Oct 6, 2009 1:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Football??

Well Paris apparently you haven’t read through the post as we’ve been repeatedly told we’re a basketball school and apparently football is just something to do before Keeneland opens. and Bear….well one guy said Bear was “lucky” to get hired by Alabama.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 6, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

True Ulvr

But since we’re wasting all that money on uniforms, travel and the coaching staff I’d like to see something for it

by ParisGuy on Oct 6, 2009 3:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

National TV!!

Well we get on national TV and get our butts kicked which I’m sure helps in the basketball recruiting!!

I think that the least the networks could do though is put a disclaimer up that the big bad “football” school is playing a lowly “basketball” who only has a football team so they can stay in their conference.

In all seriousness though….I’m REALLY tired of wondering year to year if we’ll beat Vanderbilt, let alone the teams who kill us.

by UKlvrJM on Oct 6, 2009 4:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs