NIL and TP has rendered the Kentucky tradition a non-factor. We are no longer the destination program for coaches. We have become Indiana minus the football team. Sure, we could get the basketball version of Cignetti, but it’s highly unlikely. We are just a mid program now. Sad to see, but this is not your father’s UK basketball program.
We Need To Accept that Old Kentucky is No Longer
- Thread starter GoneFishin916
- Start date
Fans will never accept that. Ever. Even if some of that is true. I know I won’t.
Based on what? Mitch Barnhart’s hiring malpractice? Yeah, and BCG is the only coach who wanted the job.
Screw the old Kentucky. It’s a new age be the New Kentucky. We are still Kentucky. Our fanbase can’t be matched when it comes to college basketball. We are currently being held hostage by Mitch Barnfart.
********. All we need to go back to being a dominant program is a competent coach.
I'm willing to take that shot. As long as he doesn't make his son coach-in-waiting.
Right you are BB96C... He was my first choice when Cal bolted. Tough as nails and his teams play the same way. Barnhart should be fired for not even giving him a call.
Really just go get any decent coach with an actual track record.
TJ Otzelberger consistently has Iowa State near the top 10.
Nate Oats is at a football school and doing it.
Heck, Mark Byingotn succeeded at James Madison and has Vanderbilt ranked top 15.
Calipari lost his edge.
Pope never had it.
But, we're 1 hire away from being back. And if Kentucky Football can land someone like Will Stein, there's still hope for Kentucky basketball.
TJ Otzelberger consistently has Iowa State near the top 10.
Nate Oats is at a football school and doing it.
Heck, Mark Byingotn succeeded at James Madison and has Vanderbilt ranked top 15.
Calipari lost his edge.
Pope never had it.
But, we're 1 hire away from being back. And if Kentucky Football can land someone like Will Stein, there's still hope for Kentucky basketball.
They will, eventually. It will take multiple seasons of losing, though. One of things that makes this program so great is that the fans won't accept losing. But the way thst changes is watching a bunch of losses piling up. I'm afraid we're about to see that this season. Alabama shot better than they normally do, but that's how teams play against UK on their home floors. We need to hold teams under 70 to win.
Vandy hasn't really played anybody yet, but they look good.
I think you have to call Lloyd, Pearl, Oats, and then maybe a guy like Otzelberger.
Bob Huggins ever get out of rehab?
So basically yall are saying we are Indiana already.
Getting there.
We haven't been ranked Number one in 6 years. We have 5 tourney wins in the past 3/4 years.
We've missed the tourney TWICE in the past 13 years and are in the yellow zone now for that this year. We haven't' made it past the S16 since 2018.
It’s just time for a complete overhaul of our brand. It’s a new age. Give legends all their credit but let’s move into a modern era with basketball. Can we quit living off of Adolph Rupp? Seriously those days are long gone. Can we have a new identity as a program?
I wouldn't necessarily say that lol.
Just there's a gap between what we were and what we have become.
Teams don't stay on top forever unforunately. When was the last time the New York Yankees won a World Series?
Not if that identity is WORSE.
But I'll bite- what should that new identity be?
17 years ago.
By margin our last title was 14 years ago.
Bama football hasn't won a title since 2021 and they are starting to really wanting to fire their coach.
I don't think we're to THAT point.
Indiana's last Natty was almost 40 years ago (87).
Their last final 4 has been almost 25 years ago (2002).
We won it all coming up on 14 years ago.
We went to the final 4 in 2015.
We've been on a super frustrating down period. But we're a long ways away from Indiana still.
I know people are going to hate this but...........
I don't think there's any "top" of college basketball anymore. I think it was easier for UK decades ago. Now there's just a ton more good teams out there. And only one can win.
Having said that, at the bare minimum at UK you have to be in the conversation. You can't be uncompetitive. Under Pope for a season and a half, too many big games where we've been completely uncompetitive. That to me..........not acceptable.
In other words, I don't think we'll ever be the "kings" of college basketball. I'm not sure any team will have that to be honest. But you have to be one of the top teams more often then not..........then you'll win a few titles along the way.
I mean the best college basketball team right now is Michigan. I mean Michigan has been decent in the past but not like this. We are going to be seeing this more often in college basketball going forward IMO.
I think there’s plenty to we as fans can do. Ticket sales, merch sales, booster donations etc. Sounds kinda like you’re calling me out for not accepting what this program has become. Are you one of those who accept mediocrity? I’m not.
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You can still embrace some traditions, while realizing that 1950s and 1990s basketball is never coming back. If you ask me, its the people within the program... and the fans.. who think this way that are destroying the program.
No kid is going to come to play at UK in Lexington for a discount. Period. Want to win, have to pay. Pay for players, pay for staff, pay for facilities, amenities, etc.
No kid is going to come to play at UK in Lexington for a discount. Period. Want to win, have to pay. Pay for players, pay for staff, pay for facilities, amenities, etc.
Some on here think it's still Truman beat Dewey and the I Like Ike era for this program.
Idk man all the things that make us the Best program in the nation seemed to have happened 75 years ago.
The value of the UK program lies in the fanbase. Long as the fanbase stays invested and doesn't accept mediocrity, we will be "one coach away". Alabama football going through very similar situation this year as UK did last year.
The theme of "other team shoots better than usual" win every one of our games is a direct correlation to Pope lacking any clue on how to coach defense and also motivate his team to play hard. His ceiling at D1 level is probably offensive assistant -- he wasn't even that good as head coach at BYU.
No, I am not trying to call you out. It was a serious question. The ticket sales or merchandise sales will not do it, because for every fan that turns in their ticket, there are hundreds waiting in line to buy them. The history of the program will keep merchandise sales up until we are dead. I am not sure what can be done.
I think first we have to contact the President of the University in a way that makes his job uncomfortable. For example, emails and phone calls. I think the fans need to call in on the call in show and turn the heat up with difficult questions. Or stop listening to the radio shows all together. If you can get the fans to stick together, yes ticket sales would have an impact. But I agree something needs to be done.
We as fans need to accept no recruit outside the state gives a damn about tradition when it comes to landing recruit.So does the coach.
That doesn’t mean fans have to accept not winning at historical levels. But to do that UK has to have an AD that gets what the new environment requires. UK doesn’t. UK has to be a “cool” destination. It isnt right now.
UK needs to make changes to adjust to the current environment. Pope not playing Johnson is going to kill UK in the recruiting. There is a lot wrong right now, especially with coaching, but expectations aren’t it.
That doesn’t mean fans have to accept not winning at historical levels. But to do that UK has to have an AD that gets what the new environment requires. UK doesn’t. UK has to be a “cool” destination. It isnt right now.
UK needs to make changes to adjust to the current environment. Pope not playing Johnson is going to kill UK in the recruiting. There is a lot wrong right now, especially with coaching, but expectations aren’t it.