Eric Crawford: "UK's unbeaten season deserves a pause for reflection"

[Kampus Korner_rivals164031]

Eric Crawford, formerly of the Courier Journal, now with WDRB in Louisville, suggests there are more people throughout the country rooting for UK to go undefeated and win the championship than there are who don't. I have serious doubts about his speculation but his article is an excellent read.

Eric Crawford

 

[Cbbcrazy2]

A very good read, thanks Kampus. I pray we cut them down and Cal finally gets the respect of college basketball. I think he has gotten more respect from the players everywhere, to finish this he will gain coaching respect from all but a few soreheads imo.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

Not sure where Crawford is getting this idea about more folks rooting for UK to go unbeaten than not because I don't buy it.
Listen, we aren't Wichita St. Or Indiana St. We are the winningest program of all time and just won our 8th title but 3 seasons ago.
I understand that it's been nearly 40 yrs since it's been done but we are Kentucky.
People are going to pull for UK to lose not win all the way to the Finals if need be.

We are a little too Big and a little too Blue for most people outside of the Commonwealth.

Plus most people despise Cal and his one and done philosophy.

Make no mistake about it, we are Goliath and most outsiders root for the Davids of the world.

This concept will make it that much sweeter when The Cats cut the nets down while going 40-0.

We will become more legendary than we already are if that's even possible!

This post was edited on 3/8 9:42 AM by KWilt43atbuzz

 

[Willahelm]

Kentucky got some good press from the Today show this morning while mentioning the undefeated regular season record and showed a clip of Aaron's steal and dunk vs. Florida.

 

[Kampus Korner_rivals164031]

Originally posted by KWilt43atbuzz:
Not sure where Crawford is getting this idea about more folks rooting for UK to go unbeaten than not because I don't buy it.
Listen, we aren't Wichita St. Or Indiana St. We are the winningest program of all time and just won our 8th title but 3 seasons ago.
I understand that it's been nearly 40 yrs since it's been done but we are Kentucky.
People are going to pull for UK to lose not win all the way to the Finals if need be.

We are a little too Big and a little too Blue for most people outside of the Commonwealth.

Plus most people despise Cal and his one and done philosophy.

Make no mistake about it, we are Goliath and most outsiders root for the Davids of the world.

This concept will make it that much sweeter when The Cats cut the nets down while going 40-0.

We will become more legendary than we already are if that's even possible!

This post was edited on 3/8 9:42 AM by KWilt43atbuzz

Well said, Kwilt!

 

[brianpoe]

Originally posted by Kampus Korner:

Originally posted by KWilt43atbuzz:
Not sure where Crawford is getting this idea about more folks rooting for UK to go unbeaten than not because I don't buy it.
Listen, we aren't Wichita St. Or Indiana St. We are the winningest program of all time and just won our 8th title but 3 seasons ago.
I understand that it's been nearly 40 yrs since it's been done but we are Kentucky.
People are going to pull for UK to lose not win all the way to the Finals if need be.

We are a little too Big and a little too Blue for most people outside of the Commonwealth.

Plus most people despise Cal and his one and done philosophy.

Make no mistake about it, we are Goliath and most outsiders root for the Davids of the world.

This concept will make it that much sweeter when The Cats cut the nets down while going 40-0.

We will become more legendary than we already are if that's even possible!

This post was edited on 3/8 9:42 AM by KWilt43atbuzz

Well said, Kwilt!

Yep

 

[TheDude73]

Originally posted by KWilt43atbuzz:
Not sure where Crawford is getting this idea about more folks rooting for UK to go unbeaten than not because I don't buy it.
Listen, we aren't Wichita St. Or Indiana St. We are the winningest program of all time and just won our 8th title but 3 seasons ago.
I understand that it's been nearly 40 yrs since it's been done but we are Kentucky.
People are going to pull for UK to lose not win all the way to the Finals if need be.

We are a little too Big and a little too Blue for most people outside of the Commonwealth.

Plus most people despise Cal and his one and done philosophy.

Make no mistake about it, we are Goliath and most outsiders root for the Davids of the world.

This concept will make it that much sweeter when The Cats cut the nets down while going 40-0.

We will become more legendary than we already are if that's even possible!

This post was edited on 3/8 9:42 AM by KWilt43atbuzz

Yep, read the comments sections of any sports article focusing on UK's streak and it's loaded with people that think our schedule was weak and Cal cheats. Not many people are excited about it - I think more would have liked a "Cinderella" like Wichita St. or Butler to do something like this than big old UK with Calipari at the helm.

 

[*dezyDECO*]

Mark me down as admittedly a somewhat paranoid Kentucky fan, but maybe the tide is turning? What with all the UK Pro Players out there now, the fans of those teams surely have some Cat as one of their favorites, so they won't cast us as the villains... especially with AD becoming the face of the NBA. Plus, at this point, the casual observer probably is more for, than against, seeing a Perfect Season? People sure seem to love the "unique" factor, these days. We could be riding a domino effect?

 

[kyjeff1]

Wow, well put KWilt. I agree with everything you posted.

 

[Big Blue 1977]

It's interesting to think about this. While all of the above points regarding UK's embarrassment of riches are true, there's something to be said for people wanting to be alive during something historical taking place. How many of us really liked McGwire, Sosa, or Bonds? Probably not a lot, yet many people were rooting for one of them to break Maris' record, just for the novelty of seeing it happen. As the season has progressed, your average non-sports fan has become interested in us going 40-0 (college basketball on the Today Show?), just as the passionate college basketball fan has gone mental because of the possibility.

IF we enter the tournament still undefeated, this will be a huge story, far bigger than it is now.

 

[elwood_blue]

There are probably a lot of casual college basketball fans, or just casual sports fans, who want to be able to claim this as a part of their history. They can tell their kids or grandchildren "Yep, I remember that team, I wish you could have seen them" the same as older folks wax poetically about the dominant UCLA teams, Phi Slamma Jamma, etc.

 

[bigbluelou]

Originally posted by elwood_blue:
There are probably a lot of casual college basketball fans, or just casual sports fans, who want to be able to claim this as a part of their history. They can tell their kids or grandchildren "Yep, I remember that team, I wish you could have seen them" the same as older folks wax poetically about the dominant UCLA teams, Phi Slamma Jamma, etc.

This. ^^^^^^^ You took the exact words out of my mouth. Obviously engaged, non-UK CBB fans will pull for us to lose. But many non-fans and casual fans want to be able to say they were here when it happened.

 

[maverick1_rivals376538]

Personally I don't want more people to start rooting for us to go undefeated because the haters's bitter, jealous tears are a far sweeter elixir than the hollow sycophancy of the Johnny-come-lately bandwagon jumpers.

 

[Ghost_of_Rupp]

The only way to silence the last few critics will be to win it all...40-0. And even then there would be UL fans who would belittle that accomplishment...

 

[BrooklynBlue]

No one is rooting for us along the way and won't unless we're matched against Duke in the championship.

They will all be retroactive fans If UK pulls it off to ensure they can claim the nostalgia factor discussed above.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[Saguaro Cat]

Originally posted by TheDude73:

Originally posted by KWilt43atbuzz:
Not sure where Crawford is getting this idea about more folks rooting for UK to go unbeaten than not because I don't buy it.
Listen, we aren't Wichita St. Or Indiana St. We are the winningest program of all time and just won our 8th title but 3 seasons ago.
I understand that it's been nearly 40 yrs since it's been done but we are Kentucky.
People are going to pull for UK to lose not win all the way to the Finals if need be.

We are a little too Big and a little too Blue for most people outside of the Commonwealth.

Plus most people despise Cal and his one and done philosophy.

Make no mistake about it, we are Goliath and most outsiders root for the Davids of the world.

This concept will make it that much sweeter when The Cats cut the nets down while going 40-0.

We will become more legendary than we already are if that's even possible!

This post was edited on 3/8 9:42 AM by KWilt43atbuzz

Yep, read the comments sections of any sports article focusing on UK's streak and it's loaded with people that think our schedule was weak and Cal cheats. Not many people are excited about it - I think more would have liked a "Cinderella" like Wichita St. or Butler to do something like this than big old UK with Calipari at the helm.

Comment sections of sports articles is no place to gauge anything other than how awful the worst of the internet can be.

 

[*dezyDECO*]

Originally posted by SaguaroCat:

Originally posted by TheDude73:Yep, read the comments sections of any sports article focusing on UK's streak and it's loaded with people that think our schedule was weak and Cal cheats. Not many people are excited about it - I think more would have liked a "Cinderella" like Wichita St. or Butler to do something like this than big old UK with Calipari at the helm.

Comment sections of sports articles is no place to gauge anything other than how awful the worst of the internet can be.

Too true.

Actually, this applies to the internet in general. If you had a pizza joint, with an online review section, you could make a 100 that people loved, without getting a gold star... but the first bad one you have, they'll make a beeline to the site to write a bad review.

 

[BBNine101]

Our run really can't be compared to a wichita state type run. It is amazing that this team completed a perfect regular season but I don't think anyone is surprised that it happened. Several writers and analysts predicted a 40-0 season before exhibition games began. The reason people rooted for wichita state last season is because they were a cinderella story. UK is not a cinderella story.

I think this season has made rival fans hate us more, not rally behind us.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

Have to admit, the conclusion makes me smile - and I'm certain there's much cursing and denying all over greater Louisville:

For Calipari, perhaps it's not quite comfortable. He's no longer the outsider. He's no longer the rebel, as much as he sees himself in that mode. He's Apple. He's Ford. He's the establishment. He's a finalist for the Naismith Hall of Fame. All those criticisms of the past, people can bring them up all they want, but that's the past.

Think ESPN isn't celebrating? The Worldwide Leader is promoting UK games like they are prize fights. They're running every Calipari postgame news conference live. Jay Bilas gave the team a locker room pep talk before the season. ESPN is all in, and it is the largest megaphone in sports. He's no longer an outsider.

When Calipari was hired at Kentucky, I wrote that his legacy - for good or ill - would be whatever he accomplishes at Kentucky, not what happened at UMass, or at Memphis, or in the NBA.

So what has Calipari done? He's won a higher percentage of his games than even Adolph Rupp. He's won one national title and played for another. He's put enough guys into the NBA to start his own summer league. And now he has completed an undefeated regular season - and maybe more. He has the first team since UNLV to start the season at No. 1 and never leave that spot.....

But for Kentucky basketball right now, this is as good as it gets. More than that, it might be as good as it has ever been - and this is a program which has known some pretty good times - and as good as it ever will be.

 

[Aike]

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

We will never wear the white hat as long as Cal is here. Cal knows this and so does Crawford.

Some media members have always been in our corner, while others are coming around with begrudging respect. How could they not? Anything else looks like silly sour grapes.

But that doesn't mean that many aren't salivating to write about our first loss. Maybe angling to blame it on Cal and his paranoia.

Cal is Cal. That chip on his shoulder has driven him to 38-2 twice. It has him on the cusp of perfection. He knows what he's talking about more than Crawford does. The fact that the heart of that article was a criticism of Cal only serves to validate Cal's attitude about the media - even if it was disguised as a UK celebration.

 

[YouKay]

Originally posted by BrooklynBlue:
No one is rooting for us along the way and won't unless we're matched against Duke in the championship.

They will all be retroactive fans If UK pulls it off to ensure they can claim the nostalgia factor discussed above.

Posted from Rivals Mobile

I think you're right about the fans. Most fans of other teams, or just casual CBB fans that don't really have a team to root for, think Kentucky is Goliath and they will root for David every time. A lot of people also think this UK team is just "not fair" because nobody should get to have 9 McDonald's All Americans on one team. They think with that much talent it would be absurd for UK to not win the championship.

The media, however, are all-in on UK. It's going to be perhaps the biggest sports story of 2015 and one of the biggest in many years if UK goes 40-0. This is an appealing team too, no thugs or hotdogs and some neat personalities like Willie and Marcus. I think Karl-Anthony's rep is growing so fast too that he will be a story by himself.

 

[Ugoff]

I'd guess that for those who follow CBB and are not UK fans-- 95% would root against UK. They've heard "Cal's a cheater" so many time that the lie became the truth to them.

 

[PayMeNoMind]

Many haters for sure but I am optimistic for the simple reason that if KY should go to the final game then a fan can only root for 2 teams. So, statistically I would say the further along KY goes in the tournament the more fan support from other teams, namely those fans with teams that are already out would probably want to witness this era of basketball history for themselves. Who would want to say I saw that nearly great team but I hoped they lost in the final game; more likely they would want KY to finish the story and know they saw it happen.

 

[fs-ripcord65]

The only way to silence some of the critics is to shoot 'em right between the eyes with a .44-magnum. Some of the haters will be hating as long as they're above ground. The 'Cats winning the national championship at 40-0 won't slow 'em down a bit. Write it down.

 

[kitkoodle]

actually, I do believe more are hoping for a undefeated season out of UK than isnt, people love to see old records broken, etc..and alot more out there that loves the sport not just a fan of a team, so yeah I believe it