Mexitucky. The only selling point that you mentioned that a recruit cares about is the 30million dollar complex. Realistically UK does play every home game on TV but who watches it. You forget that there is not an NBA market within 250 miles of lexington. No NBA scouts are turning on WKYT and watching Randolph, so TV is not that big of a concern. A blue chip athlete expects to play on TV. The facilities are a huge selling point because blue chip kids now want to catered to like they are in the pros and be treated as well as they can.

As far as the UK job is concerned, snap into reality people. Sure you will land a good coach, but the fans and the unreasonable expectations placed in that seat make the job undesireable.

 

They don't care about being on ESPN at least 2 times and sometimes 4 times a month? Who else gets that much exposure??? Duke, UNC, and.... Kentucky. Deny it all you want. UK is a top 3 coaching position. I agree that the years of consistent domination are over, yet UNC, Duke, and Kansas find the ability to stay in the top 10 year in and year out. UK was there, it's what people expect. Any coach who wouldn't expect that shouldn't be given the advantages that the UK coaching position gives.

I earned several degrees from the University of Kentucky and have been a basketball season ticket holder since the opening of Rupp Arena and I think that, at this time, Rafftery's comment is correct.

 

The great tradition was built by Adolph Rupp at a time when the SEC was, with rare exceptions, less than competitive. The national landscape featured only a handfull of schools with good teams. No one has more respect for and love for "The Baron" than do I but facts are facts.

 

Today, there is parity. UK is still UK. However, many others have caught up with the Wildcats and some have passed them. Many fans have not "adjusted" to reality.

 

Other than for a much bigger pile of money, which he doesn't need, why would Donovan leave Gainesville, Florida for Lexington, Kentucky?

I think that is an obvious answer. When you come to UK, you are part of a legacy of 70 years of excellence in basketball and from tradition will be part of that legacy for the next 70 years.

 

At Florida, it has been a good run.

 

In 70 years will they be talking about UK basketball as they always have, the best collegiate program and Billy D will be a name mentioned with Rupp, Pitino, Hall, Smith, etc.

 

Will they be talking about Florida basketball on the national scene as they do today?

 

Seriously, Ed Jucker how much national pub does he get for outstanding coaching job he did in a program that didn't match that for years following and exceeds what Florida has done? How many BGPers have no clue who Ed Jucker coached for? Before anyone gives the answer, post no clue if you don't know.

I earned several degrees from the University of Kentucky and have been a basketball season ticket holder since the opening of Rupp Arena and I think that, at this time, Rafftery's comment is correct.

 

The great tradition was built by Adolph Rupp at a time when the SEC was, with rare exceptions, less than competitive. The national landscape featured only a handfull of schools with good teams. No one has more respect for and love for "The Baron" than do I but facts are facts.

 

Today, there is parity. UK is still UK. However, many others have caught up with the Wildcats and some have passed them. Many fans have not "adjusted" to reality.

 

Other than for a much bigger pile of money, which he doesn't need, why would Donovan leave Gainesville, Florida for Lexington, Kentucky?

 

Because other than the last two years, UK was still the premiere team in the SEC. Just because Florida has had a nice couple of years, doesn't mean they have supplanted UK. Even in our previous ten loss seasons UK consistently beat Florida and won the SEC...and, if UK gets a good coach (like Thad Matta), they will once again be the best team in the conference on a consistent basis and Billy Donovan and Florida will be back in the familiar spot of looking up at UK. It's the same reason that a school like Maryland couldn't maintain it's high level and fell back behind Duke and UNC.

 

Put a great coach and recruiter in a seat like UK, Duke, UNC, IU, UCLA, or Kansas and they have a leg up on the competition and will consistently be the top dog.

I think that is an obvious answer. When you come to UK, you are part of a legacy of 70 years of excellence in basketball and from tradition will be part of that legacy for the next 70 years.

 

At Florida, it has been a good run.

 

In 70 years will they be talking about UK basketball as they always have, the best collegiate program and Billy D will be a name mentioned with Rupp, Pitino, Hall, Smith, etc.

 

Will they be talking about Florida basketball on the national scene as they do today?

 

Seriously, Ed Jucker how much national pub does he get for outstanding coaching job he did in a program that didn't match that for years following? How many BGPers have no clue who Ed Jucker coached for? Before anyone gives the answer, post no clue if you don't know.

 

UC. However, I would take exception with naming Hall, Pitino, and Smith in the same category with Coach Rupp. It is like putting Freddie Garcia in with Ty Cobb.

I think that is an obvious answer. When you come to UK, you are part of a legacy of 70 years of excellence in basketball and from tradition will be part of that legacy for the next 70 years.

 

At Florida, it has been a good run.

 

In 70 years will they be talking about UK basketball as they always have, the best collegiate program and Billy D will be a name mentioned with Rupp, Pitino, Hall, Smith, etc.

 

Will they be talking about Florida basketball on the national scene as they do today?

 

Seriously, Ed Jucker how much national pub does he get for outstanding coaching job he did in a program that didn't match that for years following? How many BGPers have no clue who Ed Jucker coached for? Before anyone gives the answer, post no clue if you don't know.

 

No clue. :lol:

 

If UK ends up with Thad Matta, they'll be back on top of the SEC within 3 years, maybe sooner...if Donovan wants a challenge, then maybe staying at Florida and trying to fend off a revamped UK team would be tougher than coming to UK and dominating the SEC.

What does Pitino & Rupp's resume's look like side by side?

UC. However, I would take exception with naming Hall, Pitino, and Smith in the same category with Coach Rupp. It is like putting Freddie Garcia in with Ty Cobb.

Just listing the coaches and the success they have had. Notice I didn't list Sutton.

No because high school seniors are only about 18, making them 8 when it happened. They don't really remember those years either. Face it UK is just a has been.

I think UK could hold it's own with the majority of schools in recent history (the last 20 years).

 

4 Final Fours

2 National Titles

1 Runner-Up

Two undefeated runs through the SEC

Back-to-back overall #1 seeds in the NCAA Tourny

I can't keep track of the SEC Regular Season and Tournament Titles

 

With the exception of Duke, I think UK could stand against any other school. I'm not gonna get into a detailed analysis of it...obviously there may be some who have an edge on UK, but it wouldn't be to the point that UK couldn't even be in the discussion. If your point is that there are more schools that can match UK's more recent tradition, then you're right. But, UK has been as successful as almost anyone in recent and past history...so both can only help the program when it comes to recruiting, IMO. It's not the only thing, because if it was we'd have better players right now, but it certainly makes things easier on a coach who is a good recruiter, IMO.

UNC has 7 Final Fours and 2 titles in the past twenty years. But like I said in another thread, in the past 25 years or so, UK has to be considered elite. In the past 10? I'm not sure. There are 9 teams with multiple final fours since 1998:

 

UNC

Duke

Maryland

Connecticut

Michigan St.

UCLA

tO$U

Florida

Kansas

 

This isn't bashing. Louisville doesn't deserve to be considered elite in the past 10 years, either.

UNC has 7 Final Fours and 2 titles in the past twenty years. But like I said in another thread, in the past 25 years or so, UK has to be considered elite. In the past 10? I'm not sure. There are 9 teams with multiple final fours since 1998:

 

UNC

Duke

Maryland

Connecticut

Michigan St.

UCLA

tO$U

Florida

Kansas

 

This isn't bashing. Louisville doesn't deserve to be considered elite in the past 10 years, either.

 

I agree...it depends on how far you back "recent" history extends. If it's 10, then UK's biggest claim is back-to-back #1 seeds that resulted in an elite 8 and a second round loss. Not elite. But, if you go back 15 or 20, then UK matches up pretty well with anyone not named Duke.

I still say the UK name gets you in the door of any recruit you want to talk to. The player may not be aware of the tradition, but I guarantee the parents are. I agree Tubby thought the UK name alone was enough, it just gets you in, it's up to the coach to close the deal. How many coaches wouldn't want that advantage.

I still say the UK name gets you in the door of any recruit you want to talk to. The player may not be aware of the tradition, but I guarantee the parents are. I agree Tubby thought the UK name alone was enough, it just gets you in, it's up to the coach to close the deal. How many coaches wouldn't want that advantage.

 

Just look at the attention the national media is paying to UK right now...if it wasn't an elite program with the history it has, do you think every media outlet would be writing and talking about it on a regular basis? Almost all elite college prospects know about UK basketball...that doesn't mean they like it or want to play there, but the exposure can't hurt. I agree with you...the name gets UK a look that not every school will get. Combine that with a good recruiter and you should have some success.

I left this out. You can't tell me that when they bring recruits in and they see the 7 NC banners hanging in Rupp, Memorial Coliseum and the Joe Craft Center that it doesn't make some sort of positive impression.

For those of you who think that all 18 and 19 year kids are going to slobber over NC's in the 1950's and let that be a deciding factor in coming to UK, it's time to take the blinders off...Kids want to go to the program that is good NOW, not the program that USED to be at the top....

I think that is an obvious answer. When you come to UK, you are part of a legacy of 70 years of excellence in basketball and from tradition will be part of that legacy for the next 70 years.

 

At Florida, it has been a good run.

 

In 70 years will they be talking about UK basketball as they always have, the best collegiate program and Billy D will be a name mentioned with Rupp, Pitino, Hall, Smith, etc.

 

Will they be talking about Florida basketball on the national scene as they do today?

:thumb: :thumb: Great Post lbbc!

I agree.

 

Kentucky will always be one of the "elite" team.

 

This team that is playing for Florida right now is special, and they weren't highly recruited players that wanted to go to a program that was "good now."

If that was the case, Noah, Horford, Green and the crew would be at North Carolina, Duke, etc.