Has anyone mentioned that Mike and Mike are idiots????? Why are you listening to their garbage anyway?

Here's the rub on that argument (which comes up a lot around here)...

 

Should we all be super excited that we beat South Carolina, or Auburn, or Ole Miss? The reason there were no big threads for UK wins was because they didn't beat anyone they weren't supposed to. Had UK beaten Florida (heck, even Vandy) you would've seen a lot more action on the threads. However, when UK gets beat by UGA, people are going to talk.

I can honestly see your point but it is jmo that negativity breeds negativity and nothing good can come from it. I agree with you and others when they say the recruiting hurt us bad over the last couple oif years or so (with the exception of this years fresmen class) The Rondo, Crawford. Morris class was picked as one of if not the best class in that year. Rondo turned out to be "Tem Destroyer" as far as attitude goes, Crawford hasn't panned out as well as thought and Morris played "when he wanted to". I want a lot more from the Cats myself - just don't believe in bashing a coach for anything and everything. Yes, Tubby was to blame for some of the problems, it was his program but the constant bashing of him imo was ridiculous. thats all I have been saying, OTS is one of the best coaches in the country imo and he was critisized from the time that he took the job untill he had finally had enough. I do not want to and will not accuse anyone of being racist but I can't help but believe that it was the very reason that a lot were against him from the start. If so and I believe that it is then I feel sorry for those people and will say that U.K does not need that type of fan.

I guess Mike and Mike must be idiots since they work for the best sports broadcasting company in the world and air the most successful sports radio show in the country. Must be.

 

You UK fans are amazing.

Donovan will recruit All-Americans, put guys in the pros, run and gun, press, and WIN!!! 3 years and no final 4's won't make anyone want to fire Billy the kid. Most UK fans have wanted him for some time now. The freshman and junior classes (or lack there of) will be TERRIBLE next year unless some players follow the coach. The thing is though is Florida will probably not return much next year. I'd say PP would go to KY if Donovan was there. That would help tremendously. Also, UK's team (guards) would work pretty well under Donovan's system.

Not. True.

 

Before his success with the OhFours, Billy the Kid was not highly thought of by UK fans. Especially when his number one teams were getting crushed by Louisville and UK, and he was exiting the tournament early except for one year.

Not. True.

 

Before his success with the OhFours, Billy the Kid was not highly thought of by UK fans. Especially when his number one teams were getting crushed by Louisville and UK, and he was exiting the tournament early except for one year.

 

Many fans wanted Donovan when they hire Tubby!

Maybe so but the average coach only stays with a school for around 10-11 years.

Bob Knight, John Wooden, Jim Bohiem, Dean Smtih, Tom Izzo (not sure how long he has ben at MSU) just to name a few. This is the type dedication and coach that I want for U.K., I hope the Donovan will come to U.K. and be that type but I have my doubts.

Many fans wanted Donovan when they hire Tubby!

Do we seriously not remember the comments made in the 04-05 season toward Donovan? What an underacheiver he was? People on this board were picking against him in their brackets because outside of one run, the perception was that he couldn't get it done in the tournament.

Other than OTS who had terrible recruiting classes and many issues that he never addressed, who have UK fans been overly critical of? The thing about OTS is he wasn't good enough. If he was, people would have loved him. UK is big shoes to fill and his feet apparently weren't big enough.

 

You apparently weren't around during the Hall era...He was critisized and scrutinized much more than Tubby ever thought about being....He could recruit okay, but, the knock on him was being a terrible X's and O's coach

and his style of play wasn't exactly exciting to watch...Prior to that, Rupp wasn't exactly on everyones love list...His teams had been gradually going downhill for several years, before he walked away on his own accord, but, don't think there wasn't pressure from above to do so, much like the Tubby situation was...Sutton also had his critics, but, alot of his scrutiny was the drinking issue, that only a few select people knew about and, of course, the magical money package that happened to show up on Chris Mills door, spelled his demise...

 

Many people on here trully believe Tubby was not good for UK any longer, and , maybe he wasn't, but, there's been many disgruntled fans over the years, for many reasons..The above are just a few situations that come to mind. The thing is, the people not old enough to remember these things, can only compare Tubby with the Pitino era, which was probably the pinnacle of UK's history, even counting the Rupp era... These same people are now the ones giving UK the bad name, because there expectations are unrealistic, but, I'm still convinced that 90% of the fanbase understand the parity thing and are really outstanding Uk supporters, regardless...

Tubby also had us smack in the middle of a school history making Final Four drought, our first two Thursday appearances in the SEC tourney, Vandy's first two wins EVER in Rupp, a school record losing streak to an SEC opponent, a fourth place finish in the SEC East, the most losses over a two year non-probation period in school history, back to back finishes outside the top 25, and that still didn't get him fired.

 

THE PAST IS GONE, ... let's move on and live in the PRESENT.

 

1. The SEC is not a one trick pony anymore. The East had 3 teams in the Sweet 16 (that is nearly 20%) from 1/2 of the conference!

2. UF is defending their 2006 National Championship tonight!!! They lost a few consecutive SEC games as well this season.

3. Vandy had one of their best seasons EVER!!!

4. UK plays more regular season games now then they used to in the past. I remember when they only played around 22-25 games per regular season. Tubby averaged 26 wins per season during his 10 years at UK.

5. 27 different teams have made final 4 in the last decade (UK being one of them BTW), and that is the MOST different teams to do that EVER. The game has changed my friend!

 

The only way that many UK fans will be happy is when the rest of the conference is weaker and UK is on top of a mediocre conference.

 

I realize that it was time for Tubby to go for his own emotional well being. I wish him the best and hope he finds happiness in Gopher land. I wish him the best! Thanks for the title OTS!

 

I REALLY hope that the new coach is Donovan. If not, a lot of UK fans will be crying and screaming for Mitch's job, even if he offered him more money than any college coach in America, it will be his fault.

Maybe so but the average coach only stays with a school for around 10-11 years. Billy D may want a change now that he has accomplished everything he can and tomorrow we may know what he wants. IMO he comes to UK just because it's another top notch school, great fan base, winningest program in the NCAA, he would be #1 in all of Kentucky, and he would get the respect he is deserved because he has a good background resume. But putting that aside there are reasons not to leave also but I shall not mention any of those. In the end he'll do what he wants and what he feels is best for him and his family, I just hope that involves UK!

Oh, don't get me wrong. I hope he is the type who is willing to take the challenge and leaves Florida for UK. He is one of the best recruiters in the nation, as well as a good coach. Recruiting and connecting to today's players is what it's all about, and that's what finally trapped Tubby into a corner. He wasn't signing the top players. You have to bring a few future NBA players in to win at the level the Kentucky's, Duke's, North Carolina's, etc..are expected to perform at.

One can't win the Kentucky Derby with a mule.

Bob Knight, John Wooden, Jim Bohiem, Dean Smtih, Tom Izzo (not sure how long he has ben at MSU) just to name a few. This is the type dedication and coach that I want for U.K., I hope the Donovan will come to U.K. be that type but I have my doubts.

 

And it won't happen ever again at UK. All those coaches had bad seasons, ... all of them. Wooden was close to being fired at UCLA until his dominant run which will never be repeated again. No coach has lasted more than 10 years since Rupp was forced to retire. No reason to think the heat in the UK kitchen is any easier to deal with. In fact, with the advent of boards like this one, it makes it harder IMHO.

I was just listening to the Herd on ESPNRadio and even Doug Gottleib says he isn't for sure what Donovan will do. He actually said that Kentucky is the mecca of college basketball (like Alabama football) and that Donovan has seen it at its peak. He said that money isn't a factor, but coaching on the mountaintop is.

And it won't happen ever again at UK. All those coaches had bad seasons, ... all of them. Wooden was close to being fired at UCLA until his dominant run which will never be repeated again. No coach has lasted more than 10 years since Rupp was forced to retire. No reason to think the heat in the UK kitchen is any easier to deal with. In fact, with the advent of boards like this one, it makes it harder IMHO.

 

Actually that is wrong. Joe B. Hall coached for 13 seasons at UK. :thumb:

You apparently weren't around during the Hall era...He was critisized and scrutinized much more than Tubby ever thought about being....He could recruit okay, but, the knock on him was being a terrible X's and O's coach and his style of play wasn't exactly exciting to watch...Prior to that, Rupp wasn't exactly on everyones love list...His teams had been gradually going downhill for several years, before he walked away on his own accord, but, don't think there wasn't pressure from above to do so, much like the Tubby situation was...Sutton also had his critics, but, alot of his scrutiny was the drinking issue, that only a few select people knew about and, of course, the magical money package that happened to show up on Chris Mills door, spelled his demise...

 

Many people on here trully believe Tubby was not good for UK any longer, and , maybe he wasn't, but, there's been many disgruntled fans over the years, for many reasons..The above are just a few situations that come to mind. The thing is, the people not old enough to remember these things, can only compare Tubby with the Pitino era, which was probably the pinnacle of UK's history, even counting the Rupp era... These same people are now the ones giving UK the bad name, because there expectations are unrealistic, but, I'm still convinced that 90% of the fanbase understand the parity thing and are really outstanding Uk supporters, regardless...

 

I was around during the Hall era. The heat he took was not as bad as what Tubby has taken. The reason is the method these days is much more quick and the advent of internet boards, blogs, instant news/columns, mass media coverage, etc is why it is much more magnified now. I remember when you couldn't watch every UK game on TV and had to listen to the radio (but when UK was on TV, you still listened to Cawood call it and just turned the volume down on the TV).

 

I think 90% is little high on the number of our fellow UK fans understanding parity. I think it is probably about 82%!

Actually that is wrong. Joe B. Hall coached for 13 seasons at UK. :thumb:

 

You are correct! And took heat in all of them, including 1978 when he won it! But he only lasted 13 years and he was a KENTUCKY boy!!!