Kentucky Basketball: The thrill is gone?

by:CWag10/02/16
[caption id="attachment_193906" align="alignnone" width="660"]Jeff Gross | Getty Images Jeff Gross | Getty Images[/caption] Now before you jump through your computer screen and strangle me, let me explain. I love Kentucky basketball just as much as the next person. Kentucky basketball runs so deep through these veins of mine that I consider it to be my main support system in hurdling these New York City winters. All of this being said, I sense that the excitement surrounding this 2016 Kentucky basketball season is lacking. Remember the buzz in Lexington prior to the 2009 and 2011 seasons? Remember the tent overflow of Stoll Field? Matt, Ryan, and Shannon raised a good question on the show yesterday. Knowing that #tentcity wasn't an overcrowded, Kentucky-basketball-love-fest that we have become so accustomed to, has Kentucky basketball lost its thrill? Have we become so spoiled with year-after-year of greatness that we are now numb to it? This got me thinking. So I took to twitter to see what BBN was saying on the matter.

Football season has the overall fanbase down:

https://twitter.com/KyTomCat/status/781867984356683777 https://twitter.com/wdkaatfan/status/781860935841513473

One-and-Done overdose:

https://twitter.com/bpriggs/status/781862695515594752 https://twitter.com/wildcatchek/status/781860594072838145

BBM Camping restrictions:

https://twitter.com/awireman/status/781859505684578304 https://twitter.com/bsuphi644/status/781860316472864768

Freaking Wisconsin:

https://twitter.com/BBNSockMonkey/status/781860334177050625 https://twitter.com/stantheman_10/status/781860826659581952

Duke:

https://twitter.com/JimMikeCPA/status/781866467495186432

Other:

https://twitter.com/3_goggles/status/781860988488474624 https://twitter.com/Dirty_Ness/status/781861851378384896 https://twitter.com/jaketribb/status/781862740470161409   For me, the lack of excitement is simple. I am not over the Wisconsin loss. Perhaps because it is still fresh in my memory, the nagging Wisconsin hangover just Won't. Go. Away. You hate Duke. I hate Duke. For once, I feel threatened going into a season. Duke is going to be so good and there's nothing we can do about it. The sheer thought of Duke sitting atop the College Basketball rankings makes me sick. Sue me! While recent postseason play by Kentucky has left us with feelings of emptiness and the looming question of "what if?", I have to remind myself how difficult it truly is to win a College Basketball National championship. When was the last time the favorite, or even the second favorite, won the NCAA title? You would have to go all the way back to 2012 and our beloved Wildcats. The agony of a 68-team bracket where the champion has to win six-straight games makes March a casual basketball fan's dream, but a Kentucky fan's nightmare. They don't call it March Madness for nothing. Look around at other sports. The best team in College Football typically wins the title every year. The best-out-of-seven-game playoff format helps to ensure that the best team wins the NBA, NHL, and MLB titles more often than not. The NFL is a bit different where the top four teams tend to make their AFC and NFC championships. Once you get to the SuperBowl, however, it's anyone's game. Sure, as Kentucky fans we expect to win the National Championship every year. This is how you and I like it. Regardless of the obstacles the month of March throws at us, like Cal says, "We are college basketball."  Readers of KSR, BBN: what do you think of this matter? Why do you feel that the fanbase has been less enthusiastic leading into the 2016 season? Unleash your comments and opinions in the comment section. http://poll.fm/5ogau Follow me @colleenwag_KSR

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2024-03-28