I have read a lot of your posts and have found you to be reasonable in every one that I have read. I mean that. But I am sincere when I say that you cannot base the school history or your history. I have done that myself. My father explained to me that Duke lost to UK in 1966 in the Nat semis and, had they won, all white Duke would have played Texas Western down the Glory Road instead of UK and maybe we would not have been looked upon as the bad guys in the movie. I was four then and unaware of that. I personally, at 16, watched James Lee dunk the last shot on Duke in the 1978 Championship game for a 94-88 victory only to lose to Gminski and co. the next year. They all count. Twenty years from now all these games this March will seem less impo and will be "dead yesterdays" to the young who have yet to be born. No disrespect intended because not many Duke fans who won the national title after losing Wall to the cats the same year could keep from letting us have it over and over. Just something to think about.

 

I hear you. Everyone's perspective on where the programs compare to one another currently will differ but no one who truly follows college basketball can deny UK's place in the history of the game. Had I lived through those history making times I know I would have a different perspective especially if I had vivid memories of the 78 game. I am glad I am in the generation I am in. If I am not mistaken I think that even though Duke has beaten UK in their most recent matchups that UK still leads the series.

 

Had Duke gotten Wall and Patterson from UK I wonder if Duke would have even won it all. Entirely different team with an entirely different makeup that would have probably had to have taken a different route to the Title game.

Same here...big fan of Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, and Jayson Williams to name three. On the flispide, they've had a few (like Wojo) that I could not stand.

 

In the tournament, I think Duke benefitted more from avoiding the three teams that I felt would have been terrible matchups for them (UK, KU and Syracuse). But, that's how it goes. Those teams didn't make it and Duke did. RP is correct. They earned the title and deserve to revel in it. I know I'm going to when UK finally wins another. And, who they play to get there won't mean a thing to me.

 

Mine were Grant Hill, Antonio Lang, Jeff Capel, Cherokee Parks, and JJ Redick.

 

As far as the 2nd part of your post, I agree whole-heartedly...Heck the last 2 National Titles for UK were against Syracuse and Utah, both surprising Final Four participants, and the 97' runner-up was against 4th seeded Arizona. It's not like those were the greatest teams ever, but we don't hear anyone complain about how easy it was...

Mine were Grant Hill, Antonio Lang, Jeff Capel, Cherokee Parks, and JJ Redick.

 

As far as the 2nd part of your post, I agree whole-heartedly...Heck the last 2 National Titles for UK were against Syracuse and Utah, both surprising Final Four participants, and the 97' runner-up was against 4th seeded Arizona. It's not like those were the greatest teams ever, but we don't hear anyone complain about how easy it was...

 

 

Excellent point. I wish I had thought of that when discussing Duke's weak bracket during the tourney.

Let me put a damper on this "UK's title path's were easy too" argument.

 

UK beat a #1 seed in 96, 97, and 98. Duke didn't even play one in 2010.

 

UK's Final Four opponents 96-98: 3, 3, 1, 4, 1, 4

Duke's Final Four oppoents 2010: 2, 5

 

I'm not saying Duke doesn't deserve it, but they certainly had an easier than normal path.

Never have and never will be jealous of Duke. You need to win about three more before you can even start to talk. I mean seriously, whats there to be jealous of? Having a team full of stiffs and an arena that is outmatched by numerous high school gymnasiums throughout the state? Do we need to be jealous of the false image given off by Duke that all of their athletes are clean cut and upstanding young adults. Thats one thing about Kentucky, we are what we are and we don't try to be anything else. I can't speak for every fan, but I can speak for most I know, there is no way I would ever be jealous of Duke. If anyone wants to be jealous it should be the other way around.

 

Don't take dislike as jealousy, because believe me its not it.

Never have and never will be jealous of Duke. You need to win about three more before you can even start to talk. I mean seriously, whats there to be jealous of? Having a team full of stiffs and an arena that is outmatched by numerous high school gymnasiums throughout the state? Do we need to be jealous of the false image given off by Duke that all of their athletes are clean cut and upstanding young adults. Thats one thing about Kentucky, we are what we are and we don't try to be anything else. I can't speak for every fan, but I can speak for most I know, there is no way I would ever be jealous of Duke. If anyone wants to be jealous it should be the other way around.

 

Don't take dislike as jealousy, because believe me its not it.

 

Perfect post for me to attempt to make my point.

 

 

Then don't be one of the ones saying "why is Duke always on tv", "why does Duke get all of the calls", "why is Duke such a media darling", "how come the NCAA never investigates Duke".......etc.....etc because to me that sounds like jealousy.

Perfect post for me to attempt to make my point.

 

 

Then don't be one of the ones saying "why is Duke always on tv", "why does Duke get all of the calls", "why is Duke such a media darling", "how come the NCAA never investigates Duke ".......etc.....etc because to me that sounds like jealousy.

 

Winner:thumb:. But then again that would never stop..

J-Will is my favorite Dukie, and one of my favorite college basketball players of all-time. I also really liked Scheyer, Boozer, and Trajan Langdon and like Nolan Smith.

J-Will is my favorite Dukie, and one of my favorite college basketball players of all-time. I also really liked Scheyer, Boozer, and Trajan Langdon and like Nolan Smith.

 

Me thinks you may a thing for Alaskans and not even know it....:lol:

As a UK fan I really harbor no jealousy or any hatred for Duke. There is really nothing to be jealous of. Kentucky has been on of the top 5 programs in the history of college basketball by any measure and hopefully is on the way back to being an elite program every year. The Wildcats and Blue Devils don't meet up often enough for Duke's success to have any big effect on Kentucky or vice versa. Now I will admit since Duke eliminated my favorite Wildcat team in 1992 I do have some resentment towards Laettner but then again I've never forgiven the 1986 Mets for beating my Red Sox either. Speaking of the Red Sox it would be hypocritical of me to complain about a media bias favoring Duke when my baseball team gets more than their fair share of attention. When you have a great program or organization you're going to get a lot of publicity--thats just the way it is. Sure, I was for Butler in the Final Four this past season but that would have been true if they were playing anyone other than UK or another Cinderella team. I didn't see a lot of Duke's games early in the year but after watching their dismantling of UNC in early March I have to say I really enjoyed the way they functioned as a team. When the Wildcats and the Devils hook up again on the hardwood I'll be rooting like heck for my Cats but until then the only time I worry much about Duke is when they go head to head with UK for a recruit. I'm not a fan but they have my respect for their sustained success and the way they have accomplished it.

As a UK fan I really harbor no jealousy or any hatred for Duke. There is really nothing to be jealous of. Kentucky has been on of the top 5 programs in the history of college basketball by any measure and hopefully is on the way back to being an elite program every year. The Wildcats and Blue Devils don't meet up often enough for Duke's success to have any big effect on Kentucky or vice versa. Now I will admit since Duke eliminated my favorite Wildcat team in 1992 I do have some resentment towards Laettner but then again I've never forgiven the 1986 Mets for beating my Red Sox either. Speaking of the Red Sox it would be hypocritical of me to complain about a media bias favoring Duke when my baseball team gets more than their fair share of attention. When you have a great program or organization you're going to get a lot of publicity--thats just the way it is. Sure, I was for Butler in the Final Four this past season but that would have been true if they were playing anyone other than UK or another Cinderella team. I didn't see a lot of Duke's games early in the year but after watching their dismantling of UNC in early March I have to say I really enjoyed the way they functioned as a team. When the Wildcats and the Devils hook up again on the hardwood I'll be rooting like heck for my Cats but until then the only time I worry much about Duke is when they go head to head with UK for a recruit. I'm not a fan but they have my respect for their sustained success and the way they have accomplished it.

 

Well said. It's posts like this one that makes me enjoy conversating with UK fans.

Perfect post for me to attempt to make my point.

 

 

Then don't be one of the ones saying "why is Duke always on tv", "why does Duke get all of the calls", "why is Duke such a media darling", "how come the NCAA never investigates Duke".......etc.....etc because to me that sounds like jealousy.

 

I am not one of those. I understand Duke is on TV because as UK they have a national fan base, and along with North Carolina are normally tops in the ACC. I will say that Duke gets portrayed way too much like the good team when others get slammed as being the bad boys when they are some questionable things that have happened at Duke as well.

As a UK fan I really harbor no jealousy or any hatred for Duke. There is really nothing to be jealous of. Kentucky has been on of the top 5 programs in the history of college basketball by any measure and hopefully is on the way back to being an elite program every year. The Wildcats and Blue Devils don't meet up often enough for Duke's success to have any big effect on Kentucky or vice versa. Now I will admit since Duke eliminated my favorite Wildcat team in 1992 I do have some resentment towards Laettner but then again I've never forgiven the 1986 Mets for beating my Red Sox either. Speaking of the Red Sox it would be hypocritical of me to complain about a media bias favoring Duke when my baseball team gets more than their fair share of attention. When you have a great program or organization you're going to get a lot of publicity--thats just the way it is. Sure, I was for Butler in the Final Four this past season but that would have been true if they were playing anyone other than UK or another Cinderella team. I didn't see a lot of Duke's games early in the year but after watching their dismantling of UNC in early March I have to say I really enjoyed the way they functioned as a team. When the Wildcats and the Devils hook up again on the hardwood I'll be rooting like heck for my Cats but until then the only time I worry much about Duke is when they go head to head with UK for a recruit. I'm not a fan but they have my respect for their sustained success and the way they have accomplished it.

 

Great post! :thumb:

I think for the vast majority of UK fans, jealousy is not the right word. I think this is more about Duke being a worthy competitor to UK in the eyes of BBN. BBN is jealous of no one and has very few schools they would call worthy competitors - Duke, UNC and Kansas are about the only three for most Wildcat fans. Louisville is also a competitor but is a different rivalry than those three. So BBN is going to root against those teams any time they can.

As a UK fan I really harbor no jealousy or any hatred for Duke. There is really nothing to be jealous of. Kentucky has been on of the top 5 programs in the history of college basketball by any measure and hopefully is on the way back to being an elite program every year. The Wildcats and Blue Devils don't meet up often enough for Duke's success to have any big effect on Kentucky or vice versa. Now I will admit since Duke eliminated my favorite Wildcat team in 1992 I do have some resentment towards Laettner but then again I've never forgiven the 1986 Mets for beating my Red Sox either. Speaking of the Red Sox it would be hypocritical of me to complain about a media bias favoring Duke when my baseball team gets more than their fair share of attention. When you have a great program or organization you're going to get a lot of publicity--thats just the way it is. Sure, I was for Butler in the Final Four this past season but that would have been true if they were playing anyone other than UK or another Cinderella team. I didn't see a lot of Duke's games early in the year but after watching their dismantling of UNC in early March I have to say I really enjoyed the way they functioned as a team. When the Wildcats and the Devils hook up again on the hardwood I'll be rooting like heck for my Cats but until then the only time I worry much about Duke is when they go head to head with UK for a recruit. I'm not a fan but they have my respect for their sustained success and the way they have accomplished it.

 

excellent post AJG