It's not like I'm advocating beer showers for the visiting team or anything. I've been to see a half-dozen games at Rupp in my day; a decent sampling. And I don't go to UK v. Scrubbo U. either. If I go, it's to big games — for example, I've seen 'em play UNC, Florida, UofL, etc.

 

While the atmospheres were good and relatively exciting, at no point did the atmosphere become electric the way a packed-full on-campus arena can for a big game.

 

The atmosphere (or lack of) in Rupp has nothing to do with it not being "on campus." It has to do with where the students are located. As for the off campus games... it was Bobby Knight (paragon of all things right and good with college athletics) that first pushed the IU/UK game off campus.

Sorry, but neutral site games — when compared to the passion and excitement present in the on-campus environment — don't even come close. Every one of the games/series mentioned would be exponentially better in a home-and-home format.

 

I loathe the disappearance of the home-and-home in college hoops, and Kentucky is one of the biggest culprits in this unfortunate trend, sharing guilt with many of the other top programs in the country. This is why locating Rupp Arena where it is was a bad idea. If you guys had a good on-campus arena, you'd be looking for every excuse possible to play big games there, considering Rupp's genteel environment doesn't exactly strike fear in the heart of opposing teams the way a raucous on-campus home game would.

 

Generally speaking, Kentucky has played more elite-level home and homes than practically anyone in recent memory. IU, UL, UNC every year? Who else does that??? There are other top level programs who NEVER leave home. Cuse and Duke come to mind.

 

FWIW, Rupp may not be the wildest of home arenas but Calipari has NEVER lost there, ever. Not a bad home court advantage right?

 

I am probably on your side with wanting to see it home and home but Crean being willingly to cancel the series over this point makes him just as at fault as Cal.