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Taking basketball by storm

John Wall has captured the imagination of UK basketball fans. He has also captured the attention of most every other human with an interest in the game. 

Earlier today, when Wall's AAU coach, Brian Clifton, spoke to ESPINRISE, he said, "He likes Cal's style of play and is excited about the opportunity to display his creativity. John has a chance to take college basketball by storm."

Clifton didn't say which John he was speaking of. And judging by some of his other comments yesterday, we can guess he wasn't speaking of the C variety. 

But it's probably time to consider this: John Calipari is doing as much for college basketball as he is for Kentucky basketball.

Several analysts have already been more than happy to extoll the return of the Kentucky brand to the college landscape. And it's not just because the SEC recently signed a deal with ESPN. And it's not because Calipari is in discussions to take a prominent role in the NCAA 2010 video game. College basketball fans root for Kentucky basketball because they like a superstar.  In a climate of 347 teams, one versus the field makes the skies clearer. 

The Sporting News is ready for it.

ESPN is ready for it.

FoxSports is ready for it. 

College basketball is ready for it.

Are we ready for it?

We are busy capturing bandwagon fans all over nation. Just ask LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki and Ben Roethlisberger.

We are also busy gathering enemies all over the place, from Duke to Xavier. They're jealous. They're covetous. They're haters. 

When it comes to college basketball, it's all good.

Fans like to know what's what. Even if they don't like the results, they'd rather have a poll to size everyone up. It's better to know who the big dogs are. It's better to know who to shoot for.

Today, everyone is shooting for No. 11, No. 23 and No. 54. For that slick guy in the expensive suit. For Blue.

Big Blue.

"I think right now everybody is on notice," Dave Telep told The Courier-Journal. "This is old-school Kentucky. These guys are coming after players and are getting guys."

No matter how much they hate it, no matter how much they loathe our history and our boisterousness and our sense of entitlement, they love it. They want it. They need it.

Basketball fans need to know the score, need to know who's ahead, need to know who to watch for. They want to know who's now, who's on point, who's next.

Who to hate. And who to emulate.

Cal has given UK fans something to dream about tonight, something to fall back on this summer and something to look forward to in the fall.

But he has given college basketball something to shoot for next spring. We are not the only ones aware of what happened today. This is Kentucky basketball again. This is what we want. This is what we love.

This is what they hate. But they need it.

And they love it.

0 recs  |  Comment 11 comments

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As JL and Tru say, embrace the hate

Envy our past......Fear our future

by btcoop71 on May 20, 2009 8:00 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

better to be the hatee than the hater.....

only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team

by memphis wildcat on May 20, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Agreed.

Plus, the hate keeps you warm at night.

by wklawdog on May 20, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Facing the Storm

Love your comments on “what they hate and what they need”, etc…maybe a new shirt there?…anybody agree?…also, there is NO QUESTION that Coach Cal really, really get’s it!!!…expanding our dreams here in Kentucky…he deserves the utmost respect for taking us to the level of college basketball we have hoped for and bringing the respect back to our illustrious history!!!…those kids are gonna have as much fun as the fans…what it’s all about, IMO…

KYCatwoman

by KYCatwoman on May 20, 2009 9:21 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

1991 Through 2005

UK was 424-94 (almost 82%) overall and 43-12 (78%) in NCAA games during those 15 seasons.

The only other 15 year span like it was from 1944 through 1959 (no games played in 1953).

Calipari will ultimately be compared to those 15 years of UK successes, not the past 4 years.

by FortyYearCatFan on May 20, 2009 10:58 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I would love to see us at 2400 wins or even 2500

before he leaves, just dont think we will have him that long

Remember, we're having fun now!!!

by ALLBLUCAT on May 20, 2009 11:04 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

quote from a xavier blogger

“This whole Kentucky/Calipari thing…I find it distasteful. It’s like building a program the easy way, by throwing a shitload of money at a coach, pushing out pre-existing players, and grabbing up every 5-star guy on the market, including those who had already committed elsewhere.

It’s basically no different than the Yankees buying up half a billion dollars worth of free agents every year, or Chelsea getting taken over by a Russian oligarch and plowing millions into their team. There’s something about it that just seems wrong to me."

The only thing distasteful in his argument is how wrong and misinformed he is

by BleedinUKBlue on May 20, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

They are just pissed that Sean Miller left

Unfortunately for Xavier fans, their program is a stepping stone for coaches. Pete Gillen, Skip Prosser, Thad Matta, and now Sean Miller have all left for bigger and better programs.

Envy our past......Fear our future

by btcoop71 on May 20, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

i am not a big yankees fan

but i have to say that neither just “throw” money and builds the program the easy way.

both have a long long history – neither of which happened overnight…….

i do believe the Chelsea argument is valid – they did throw money at a bad team. Had he said man united, his argument would have been just as flawed as saying yankees

And what about Jerry Jones and the cowboys.

I guess its clear to me now as to why i hate the cowboys and the yankees and alabama football – but part of me wants them to be successful because uk is in their class -

only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team

by memphis wildcat on May 20, 2009 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

that was poorly written --

sorry – bottom line is embrace the hate……….

only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team

by memphis wildcat on May 20, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I am a University of Kentucky

fan for life. The good and the bad. I say……Bring it ON… We can handle this. We are more than ready……..
:-)

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

by a2d2 on May 20, 2009 1:50 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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